Where to find River of Stars Nights of Jasmine

5.0 out of 5 starsA classic in the making. But this book you won’t be disappointed

This is not your ordinary memoir. It's as unique as the author, connecting continents and cultures from Cape Cod to Cairo. A professional tour director with a specialty in Egyptian culture and dance, the author also has an expertise in ancient Egyptian history, mythology as well as the intuitive arts. She is most at home in Egypt, and shares her love of the Egyptian people and culture as she shares hilarious adventures and misadventures there. All these elements create a delightful read. And then there’s the romance, the tale of how she met and fell in love with a man she had dreamed about. I hope that the author will be sharing more of her adventures in a future book. It was a fascinating read that expanded my appreciation for Egypt, its history, and its people.

Elena

If somebody will insist that we have only one life - prove them wrong. Tell them about this amazing book!!!
What an exciting voyage to mystical Egypt. Just start to read it and you won't even notice that there are no more walls in your room...you are sitting in the airplane, then you are walking in the busy streets of Cairo. You can see all those bright colors, smell the scent of spices and flowers around you; meeting people, finding yourself in the cosy restaurants, riding camel....
Katrina is a great story teller. She slowly unfolds the events, making us guess, wonder, love, feel, smile. Yes, she braids in the sparkles of humor that make you love the story even more.
It is amazing how Katrina describes people, culture, traditions. It is a powerful book that will make you forget reality and put away what you were doing. The book takes you over from the first page.

AgentSully

June 30, 2018

Margaret McGarry Backus Artist and Enagic distr #6157653

i was expecting this book to be good but I have been blown away! This story is esmerizing and enchanting. Ive lost a lot of sleep because I can’t put this book down.
The writing is my favorite style. Clear, concise and only the right amount of perfectly chosen words to totally immerse you in the story.
If you’re looking for a great summer read buy this book. You’ll be supporting a wonderful artist of many talents. 💗

5.0 out of 5 starsGifted Author Katrina Valenzuela will take You on a magic carpet ride!!

November 14, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsA Page Turner

funny and fast-moving I didn't want it to end...more than entertaining and enlightening this novel empowers - there is something here for everyone as the story uniquely addresses the soul and in particular the inner world of "women of a certain age" as a very real depiction of the life of a very extraordinary woman who's more vibrant than ever...if You are looking LOOK NO FURTHER :) this is the book to get for ALL your soul sisters (and brothers) at Holiday Time!!!

2 people found this helpful

Retired Taxpayer

December 21, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsA River of Love, Joy, and Wisdom....

Katrina 's sometimes joking descriptions of her adventures is fabulously entertaining. All the while she holds a tension of wondering what will happen. Having been in Egypt it was like being there again. Don't start reading it if you absolutely must get things done.😊on the other hand it is a must.

Susan Mahan

September 22, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsExpedition through life and emotions lead by love, courage and sense of humor

To quote Katrina Valenzuela, “What is it about Egypt that captures both natives and visitors unaware? It goes far beyond heart, mind, or reason. It’s as if some of us carry a deep soul longing, a quest to return to a spiritual homeland”
In her sweeping memoir, we get a bird’s eye view of the author’s early life to her spirit filled trips to her beloved Egypt. This book is filled with love, humor, and spirituality which in our troubled times is a pleasure to read, and savor Ms. Valenzuela’s wisdom and passion for life. Loved this book!

Joan

June 5, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsA journey to the magic of the pyramids.....

This book is a journey. It is an adventurous trip between countries and continents, an exciting time travel to the ancient Egypt, an expedition through deep emotions and feelings lead by love and gentleness, but also courage, strength and sweet dose of sense of humor.
Each page follows an intriguing story as if it was a smooth flow of a silky veil in hands of a passionate dancer for the music played by life itself.

Suzanne Reid

June 5, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsA Wonderful Journey!

Katrina Valenzuela takes us on a delightful, mystical journey of personal enlightenment to the magic of the pyramids of Egypt and beyond. Intensely personal, and often funny, this is the account (with a little romance tossed in) of a tour director and the unexpected moments that make foreign travel so much fun.

April Baxter

July 15, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsSpiritually and Love

I’ve never been to Egypt, but now I feel like I have been! A wonderful journey, with personal insights into peoples and culture for which I am curious about. Filled with magic, dreams, and humour that open our hearts, minds, spirits.... to the wider context of humanity. A beautiful book, a gift of love to the world at a time we all desperately need it.

bonnie perry

May 2, 2019

5.0 out of 5 starsI really enjoyed this book

I thoroughly enjoyed reading This lovely book. I felt like I was traveling along on this fascinating journey. It’s a beautiful combination of a spiritual journey and a love story.

I absolutely loved this book!

July 10, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsCaptivating

I really enjoyed this book. Some of the experiences related in it were laugh out loud funny! A great book to read. Irene

Courtney Camerlengo-Ford

October 1, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsInsightful, Joyous and Entertaining

I was hooked from the first chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author is an excellent story teller. I recommend it highly.

Amazon Customer

April 7, 2019

5.0 out of 5 star s Thoroughly Enjoyable

Loved this book and was sad to finish it. I wanted to go on reading forever. Can't wait for the next one!

Amazon Customer

March 12, 2019

5.0 out of 5 starsLooks like Egypt really is Heaven

How can a book be both exotic and down to earth? Katrina Valenzuela achieved it and much, much more in River of Stars, Nights of Jasmine. I savored reading this book like one savors a fine wine. A sip and an adventure! Another sip and another adventure. There is romance and humor, struggle and passion, all woven in a narrative that reads like a finely choreographed dance. There is dance too and ritual. For anyone who has wondered about taking tours in exotic far off lands, this book delivers on the promise of wonderment as well the results of plans gone awry and guards looking the other way to enable "special tours." Subtly, the author weaves a deeper mystery: the spiritual thread of an ancient Egyptian who helps the reader believe that all of us have had other lives. That all of us potentially have a dream lover. That any one of us can connect with the great mystery of life and come away enriched. Thank you Katrina Valenzuela, for sudden laughter at midnight and binges of reading in which I could not put your book down.

MIT Rocket Scientist

March 26, 2019

5.0 out of 5 starsThe detail of Egyptian history will leave you spellbound.

Katrina is my colleague at the Cape Cod Writers Center, so I bought this book from her, not from Amazon. Being a hard-skulled engineer, I wasn't sure it would be my kind of book--but Katrina is so likeable, it was worth a try. Bottom line first: the book review I gave her took the form of a hug! If you thought Egypt was a canal and a river and lots of sand and some big stuff made of sandstone, go into this book and find love and laughter. Katrina writes a love letter to Egypt and the people who are truly Egyptian, and her narrator Kara lives that letter at some risk and cost to herself. Kara leads tours, mostly of American women, to the ancient sites and the prodigious spirits that haunt the sandstone. The spirituality is deep and the humorous insights are, shall we say, broad. If you wonder how a fit though aging dancer is rewarded by a visit to a hammam--an original Egyptian bath--brace yourself and read. If you're curious about how fractious camels and Arabian stallions behave--well, you'll see. And enjoy. I did.

Z. Allen

This is a wonderful memoir of spiritual quests, travel to exotic countries, and loves lost and found. As someone who has traveled in the past, the stories of Egypt particularly make me want to pack up and head off again. The people we meet through Katrina's stories are fascinating, humorous, warm and hospitable. As a guide for tours both spiritual and mundane, she has many stories to tell. I found myself laughing, tearing up, and thinking about my own quest for find the guides who can help me move through my life. I think this is a book for travelers, for searchers, and for those who still believe that love is out there somewhere.

Deborah McNaughton

December 21, 2018

Format: Kindle Edition

This memoir by Valenzuela, a soul world traveler, was a page turner for me. I believe this writer shared many past lifetimes, or at least by the end of this book I was convinced that this possibility exists. A grandmother who talks to spirits nightly, a mother who read Poe as a bedtime story... how could you not be compelled to learn more of this authors life journey. Valenzuela takes the reader on a hand held tour of Egypt from your cozy reading spot. Her humorous and sexy adventures as a tour guide are priceless. I've never been to Egypt yet Valenzuela held me captive by the sights, sounds and smells of a land she called her second home. Read this book if you doubt happy endings exist.

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Barbara Kimball

5.0 out of 5 starsSpiritual and funny? How did she do it?

December 12, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsCaptivating, Inspiring and Beautifully Written

This is a memoir that tells the story of a single mother who takes to the road once her son is launched into adulthood and life. The author alternates between the worlds of humor, romance, and spirituality as she describes her profession of leading tours across the world. Of particular focus is her time in Egypt, visiting the people she has known and loved there, and as well, she visits with spirits in spiritual ceremony underground in archeological sites. She describes Egypt with such passion and love, giving us an intimate view of its women, its politics, and particularly its mysteries. At the same time, she keeps us laughing with vignettes about the people she takes care of and teaches on tours across the globe. It's a piece of poetry even as it rollicks with sexuality and fun. If you are an armchair traveler, take a journey with a beautifully written memoir. If you've been to Egypt, you'll love it even more.

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Pandora

May 3, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

I couldn’t put the book down. Hands down the most romantic, intriguing book I’ve read in a long time. The author’s semi-autobiographical journey contrasted the humorous daily realities of a tour guide’s adventures with the mystical spirituality of ancient sacred cities and the magical synchronicities which guide her life.

River of Stars Nights of Jasmine, was engrossing from cover to cover. Beautifully written. Valenzuela’s poetic sensibility reflects the Ethos of Cairo and brings her subjects to life.

Elizabeth Moisan

5.0 out of 5 starsThere is perfume in the title . . .

May 2, 2019

5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent read

. . . and it wafts through pages of this splendid memoir of expanding life in beautiful, exotic Egypt. Katrina Valenzuela, an Irish lass, dives headfirst into the waves of adventure, taking us along with her as her story unfolds. Her narrative reminds me of the sensual illustrations by the great Edmund Dulac, whose style evokes rivers of stars and nights of jasmine in his pictures of stories from the near-east. Travel in your arm chair, then put Egypt on your bucket list. It's on mine.

River of Stars Nights of Jasmine is based on the real-life adventures of its author, Katrina Valenzuela.

The story begins with the impactful and spiritually moving relationships that she shares with her Irish grandmother along with the love and confidence she receives from her Egyptian Godfather.

These two historically different and distinct cultures build Katrina’s foundation for life giving her a wanderlust appetite to travel anywhere she desires for anywhere can become home.

Growing up with a desire to learn, to travel the world and to meet new and exotic friends Katrina does all of that and takes you along with her on not one but several trips of a lifetime.

Traveling with Katrina you can’t help but get caught up in the politics, the spirituality and the romance which make this story a page turner.

I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants to travel around the world with Katrina, a world class traveler and story teller.

Namaste,

Alvina

Bonjour Katrina,

Hope this email finds you well and enjoying spring!

Congratulations on the nice article and I will try this wonderful recette, meanwhile, I want to mention that I devoured your captivating book . Wonderful for the soul.

abundant Blessings,

Frederique

Au revoir,

Frederique

March 12, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

Loved it. Such a strong & charming leading lady I couldn’t help but fall in love with her and find out what her next adventure was going to be like. Her stories expressed with such love and passion seem to almost transport me along side her...it was an amazing journey

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Joy Barry

5.0 out of 5 starsA fantastic book that will not disappoint!

July 29, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsalso good, and read this book without interruption

Katrina Valenzuela magically and effortlessly dances her readers between worlds — ancient and contemporary, east and west, traditional and “new age” — as she tells the story of Kara, a courageous yet vulnerable healer, spiritual seeker, and sacred site tour guide. Her novel left me longing to make my own pilgrimage to Egypt. I highly recommend the book; it’s well worth the read!

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Marlene Bell

July 6, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsAn appealing memoir

Lyrical and lucid, River of Stars, Nights of Jasmine, is a story well-told. I put down my other readings, also good, and read this book without interruption. It is powerful and clear regarding contemporary issues, but the author is conscious of the passage of times. Although the story is centered in Cambridge MA and Egypt, other countries and cultures are also discussed in thought provoking serious chapters.

It is also hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Marlene T. Bell

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Tinkuy

February 17, 2019

5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful colorful tale

From the outset, I was enchanted by Katrina Valenzuela’s journey and story-telling skills. The last sentence of Chapter 1 clinched it for me. Each place, character, and encounter comes alive and stays in your memory — and I’m not even a spiritual person. It’s all believable. Her dry wit also livens up the pages, such as the adventure of getting into the temple at Luxor. Enjoy the trip!

One person found this helpful

May 2, 2019

5.0 out of 5 starsjoy, and life

I thoroughly enjoyed River of Stars, Nights of Jasmine! It was a wonderful blend of humor, culture and introspection by author Katrina. I looked forward to rewarding myself with a chapter every evening and didn't want the story to end.

Amazon Customer

May 25, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsThe images in my mind when hearing the content "River of Stars" being read is powerful!

A very charming, compelling book about the search for wisdom, passion, joy, and life. I enjoyed the stories with in the book and the romantic feelings of reality. Don’t miss reading this wonderful book. It is a real page turner. Joy Carol, author

W. Matthew Hart

December 13, 2018

5.0 out of 5 starsMost delightful journey

Katrina's actual traveling experiences are vividly reflected in her stories; hearing her reading the individual chapters only adds to the captivating images and story-line.

Suska Matsik

August 26, 2018