Book Details:
Book Title: Hidden Buddha: Lama Rinzen in the Hungry Ghost Realm by Jim Ringel
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 298 pages
Genre: Mystery, Literary
Publisher: Black Bee Publishing
Release date: October 2022
Content Rating: PG+M due a section focusing on a woman's miscarriage of her fetus.
Between classic scenes of deduction, complex layers of truth and reality, and skillful red herrings, Ringel freshens up the tropes of mysteries. - BookLife Reviews (Editor’s Pick)
Ringel’s prose creates a delightfully unnerving atmosphere… readers are likely to find themselves carried along by the mood and mystery alone. - Kirkus Reviews
… a most enjoyable and engaging mystery. I urge you to take this wild adventure with the seductive lama. - Roshi Gerry Shishin Wick, Spiritual Director, Great Mountain Zen Center, Berthoud, CO
Ringel’s prose creates a delightfully unnerving atmosphere… readers are likely to find themselves carried along by the mood and mystery alone. - Kirkus Reviews
… a most enjoyable and engaging mystery. I urge you to take this wild adventure with the seductive lama. - Roshi Gerry Shishin Wick, Spiritual Director, Great Mountain Zen Center, Berthoud, CO
Book Description:
In Hidden Buddha Lama Rinzen finds herself reborn as a doctor into the Hungry Ghost Realm in a haunted hospital on Colorado’s eastern plains.
It’s an unfriendly place. The patients do not respect her, the staff ignores her, and there’s rumors of ghosts in the hospital.
Rinzen is afraid of ghosts. She is not even sure they truly exist. Instead she focuses on learning the Hungry Ghost Realm’s lesson about what the Buddha means when he talks about emptiness. If she can only learn that she will escape the hospital and progress along her path to enlightenment.
But nine-year-old patient Claudia says the ghosts are real, and that they are here to trap Rinzen so she might never learn and never escape the hospital. Not in this lifetime, and not in any future lifetimes either.
How can the lama learn without seeing the things she denies?
Maybe that’s what the Buddha means when he talks about emptiness. These little bits of ourselves we keep suppressed and hidden and never admit to?
In Hidden Buddha Lama Rinzen finds herself reborn as a doctor into the Hungry Ghost Realm in a haunted hospital on Colorado’s eastern plains.
It’s an unfriendly place. The patients do not respect her, the staff ignores her, and there’s rumors of ghosts in the hospital.
Rinzen is afraid of ghosts. She is not even sure they truly exist. Instead she focuses on learning the Hungry Ghost Realm’s lesson about what the Buddha means when he talks about emptiness. If she can only learn that she will escape the hospital and progress along her path to enlightenment.
But nine-year-old patient Claudia says the ghosts are real, and that they are here to trap Rinzen so she might never learn and never escape the hospital. Not in this lifetime, and not in any future lifetimes either.
How can the lama learn without seeing the things she denies?
Maybe that’s what the Buddha means when he talks about emptiness. These little bits of ourselves we keep suppressed and hidden and never admit to?
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
BAM ~ indiebound
and indie bookstores everywhere
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Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
BAM ~ indiebound
and indie bookstores everywhere
add to goodreads
Meet the Author:
Jim Ringel is an unconventional Buddhist who writes the Lama Rinzen mysteries as part of his own spiritual path.
Each book in the series finds the lama reborn into one of the six Buddhist Realms on a search for deeper understanding along the path toward Nirvana.
Jim practices Zen, skis, hikes, bikes, and visits brew pubs throughout Colorado seeking the Buddha in everyday life.
Tour Schedule:
Oct 18 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Oct 18 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 18 - Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 19 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Oct 20 – Just Another Mother With Books – book review
Oct 21 – Book Reviews by Taylor - book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 24 – Leanne bookstagram – book review / giveaway
Oct 25 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Oct 25 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
Oct 26 – Paws.Read.Repeat – book review / giveaway
Oct 27 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 27 - Book Corner News and Reviews - book review / giveaway
Oct 28 – Literary Flits – book review / giveaway
Nov 1 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 2 – @bookqueenbee – book review / guest post / giveaway
Nov 3 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book review / guest post / giveaway
Nov 4 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Nov 7 - @onecreativeartist – book review
Enter the Giveaway:
Hidden Buddha: Lama Rinzen in the Hungry Ghost Realm is the second book from the Lama Rinzen Mysteries by Jim Ringel. Since I have not read the first book, 49 Buddhas: Lama Rinzen in the Hell Realm, I believe it can be read as a stand alone. I would like to go back and read it though to see how the series because. I thought this was a good read. It is a different and unique plot that I am not used to reading. I found that refreshing. It did take me the first quarter of the way to get used to the writing style. Once I got used it, I was hooked and wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. It is not one that is predictable that forced me to continue turning the pages. The last half had a lot of fast paced action, mystery and suspense. I really liked it.
I am giving Hidden Buddha: Lama Rinzen in the Hungry Ghost Realm four and a half stars. Fans of mystery and suspense, as well as, those who are those intrigued by Buddha will be interested in reading this one. I am looking forward to the next book from Lama Rinzen Mysteries to see what other realm will be featured.
I received a paperback copy of Hidden Buddha: Lama Rinzen in the Hungry Ghost Realm from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
Thanks, Amy. Wow! 4.5 stars. I appreciate how much you enjoyed Hidden Book and the insights you included here. I hope your readers enjoy the book. I agree with you. It's different. And thanks for letting me be a part of Locks, Hooks, and Books.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your great review of Hidden Buddha: Lama Rinzen in the Hungry Ghost Realm, this sounds like an excellent book and series and I am looking forward to reading this story
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good read.
ReplyDelete