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Crescendo

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“Til death do us part,” Aria and her husband swore. But death came much too soon.

When tragedy strikes one summer night, everything is taken from Aria: her family, her future. Desperate to find meaning in life after loss, she and her beloved mare leave their home in search of something—anything. It feels like the end of her life. It is the beginning.

If she can find her way through the forest of grief, she will discover an incredible adventure waiting on the other side. Hers is no ordinary journey—it is a journey into the nature of the soul. Each step takes her further into uncharted lands. The cave of darkness. The lake of time. The human heart. Each place she goes and each person she meets has a new lesson to teach her, and soon she comes to learn the most astounding one of all: her loved ones have never left her. They are with her throughout the lifetimes. They are eternal and immortal.

And so is she.

And so are we.

208 pages, Paperback

Published May 2, 2017

121 people are currently reading
720 people want to read

About the author

Amy Weiss

6 books22 followers

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5 stars
99 (41%)
4 stars
56 (23%)
3 stars
46 (19%)
2 stars
21 (8%)
1 star
17 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Profile Image for Cathrine.
Author 3 books27 followers
March 19, 2017
Once in a rare while you pick up a book and after just a few pages you realize that the author has good intentions with the book. The aim is not just to tell a good story, but rather they dearly hope to inspire, to give hope and to comfort. They wish to impact the reader's own story.

That is just what Amy Weiss does with Crescendo.

My inner voice as I read:
"You are hoping it is good
and yet
you have no idea
just how good this really is!".

This is a song, not a book.
Each line so poetically beautiful that it makes you draw a breath
as it draws you in from the very start.

Line after line of sentences of the caliber where just one would have made a book worth the read. It is full of beautiful and poetic imagery. Through this imagery Amy Weiss links you to yourself, to others, to love, to life and meaning. To healing.

Several times I stopped and articulated out loud:

"Wow, that is so beautiful! How did you do that? ".

"The woman looks deep into the waters of the lake
and listens to the melody of her body being formed."
(Crescendo, 2017).

Crescendo is a book about a woman who loses the two loves that give her life meaning and drive. Her husband and their child.

"That is what grief does.
It steals the breath out of you,
turns you as cold and lifeless
as the one you mourn."
(Crescendo, 2017).

Yet this life of mourning is just the story that the human of this soul has told herself that the story is about. In truth (and it does ring so, so true) this book is about: soul contracts, past and future lives, death and NDEs, life, love, higher selves, time, parallel universes, grief, reunion and healing. (This book is about you.)

The author sings it to you in the most poetic of ways. In this song I recognized truth. In this song I heard whispers of comfort and love and hope. I became pages braver. I did. I grew to trust. Trust life and changes and myself.

As I read, so did my soul it seems.
My higher self.
We healed, we did.
We grew and ..... we both agree, my higher self and I, that this is a 5 star read.
I am excited for the readers that this book will reach. I am excited for the conversations it will start. I am excited for Amy Weiss and the ride that she is about to step on to. Good luck and thank you.

Mostly I am so very grateful for what this book has given me.
Profile Image for Vishy.
807 reviews286 followers
August 29, 2017
Beautiful book! Longer review soon!
Profile Image for Kushagra Singh.
204 reviews33 followers
June 17, 2017
This book is like poetry. Filled with beautiful quotes, words. Loved how Ms. Weiss is taking forward the legacy of her dad in her own unique way. Her dad's "Many Lives Many Masters" was the first non fiction book I read and it has always remained speacial for me. Crescendo too is a special and sweet book. Left me with a smile on my face and lots to ponder. I recommend. :)
Profile Image for Bookworm.
427 reviews27 followers
November 14, 2024
I finished reading Crescendo last week and I am still thinking about it.

This is a beautifully told story about life, loss, grief and love. It is a small world because years ago I read Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives by Brian Weiss, who I found out is Amy Weiss’ father. If you haven’t read Many Lives, Many Masters I recommend it also, it is an incredible true story about past life experiences and reincarnation. Anyway, I’m digressing here a bit. Crescendo also revolves around the idea of past lives.

I find the topic of re-incarnation to be fascinating and I do believe that we are old souls. I found wisdom within these pages and it was a moving experience.
Profile Image for Gina Bardy.
100 reviews19 followers
June 1, 2018
"Is life nothing more than a series of being mother to all that falls in one's hands."
Sometimes we're lucky enough to read the right book at the right time, a story that stays in our heart and guides the way forward. For me this book is one of those. Weiss, trained as a writer and social worker, writes like a poet and musician, composing a beautiful symphony of words that dance and soar. Crescendo is a love story that transcends romantic love and helps us understand the nature of who we are, why we're here, how the choices we make affect the universe, and our soul connections across many lifetimes.
It is the story of Aria, her mare, and her lost family. I could feel the pain of the winter of Aria's grief, as well as her exhilaration upon learning how those you love never really die.
Aria's lessons are simple: "this is what we all are: chances to practice kindness, disguised as people. There are billions of doors on your planet. Hold one open for someone. You don't have to compose the song that solves all suffering. One note is enough.
Kindness is the ultimate power, for everything kind is powerful. It is the greatest means of expression, a life played at its' loudest".
And this particular passage really speaks to the times:
"Eventually, the body is taken on to love the all as well as the you, and the life taken on to love not one person but every person. Not your child but every child. Not the lives connected to you but all lives, because all live are connected to yours."
Profile Image for Catherine  Pinkett.
708 reviews44 followers
April 16, 2017
I was sent an advanced copy of this book in return for my independent honest review. I am sorry to say this book wasn't for me. I understood and enjoyed the readers guide so much more than the main text. This guide asks the reader to give careful consideration to such concepts as pre birth,soul contracts,mediumship and life after death which are subjects I am well versed in and and am not sceptical about. The main body of the work I found difficult to understand at times and hard going! There is a musical theme entwined with the beautifully lyrical prose, hence the title Crescendo. I get the sense that the soul writing the new life contract is using a piece of music as an asimilation, to show what it means. Certain music starts quietly and slow, builds with experience and finishes by building up to a loud booming finale (A Crescendo) The premise of this is cleverly done, perhaps too clever for a large audience. There is no doubt this author can write, some of her prose is truly beautiful. As a whole book of it, it doesn't work for me. I think this will appeal to readers who love modern, lyrical works of Poetry or short stories
Profile Image for Marley Taylor.
1 review38 followers
July 6, 2017
This book is BEAUTIFUL. Written lyrically, and full of metaphors. It changed my outlook on life and afterlife for the better. A must read.

"This, the woman understands, is why her soul has dipped into time and body; to experience the exhilaration of bare feet in the surf, of falling deliriously into the arms of someone you adore, of a happiness so strong that it must escape the body in laughter or explode the body in pieces.
Now she feels it once again. Now she knows.
Now she knows that heaven is not found somewhere else but in those moments when there is nowhere else."

"The old man tells her, 'for each of those actions is born of cruelty, and cruelty is cruelty, the degree being of less consequence than the substance itself. You don't need to save or spare a life to create this chain reaction, though. It can begin with something as quiet as giving seeds to a hungry sparrow, or as easy as falling into the loving arms of your family.' The cascade, hearing his words, flows forward once more. He watches it with a wistful expression. 'If only people understood how the earth turns on a kindness.'"
2 reviews
July 18, 2017
A Breathtaking Work of Art and Soul

It's difficult to put into words the depths and heights this book took me to. As past life regressionist and ACIM student, this book somehow brought to crisp beautiful life my belief and view of our experience here on earth and beyond as spiritual beings. I deeply ached through the grief and wept through the love. I finally saw with greater clarity that love is even inside grief, inside everything, it's really all there is ... just love expressing its soul a million, billion ways. This book is a breathtaking work of art and soul.
Profile Image for Annette.
328 reviews11 followers
April 19, 2017
I enjoyed this book even though I used a whole box of Kleenex. I can't imagine how you live with the loss of your spouse. This book makes you reexamine your life and how you think of things. If you want a light funny read this book isn't it, but if you want a book that will touch you deeply this is your book. I was given this arc by Netgalley for an honest review
Profile Image for Suzanne.
120 reviews6 followers
May 24, 2017
I read this outstanding book in one afternoon and cannot begin to say how much it affected me! I heard an interview with the author, Amy Weiss, a couple of weeks ago and knew I had to read this excellent book!
Profile Image for Sarah May.
6 reviews
July 31, 2023
This book was a poetic journey!
Her writing was creative and magical I enjoyed the journey into her world of poetry and magic.
Profile Image for Judy Rae.
4 reviews3 followers
November 5, 2017
Meant to be taken in slowly, like poetry. Pause and ponder.... phrases like works of art.
Profile Image for Jamie Oaks.
17 reviews
November 30, 2017
Although the author is a talented writer, I didn’t care for the book’s premise.
Profile Image for Katariina.
371 reviews
May 10, 2018
"Death happens not to the ones who have gone, but to the ones who remain."

This may very well be one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read in my entire life. The beautiful writing matches the cover. It's such a different story than what I'm used to reading, and I knew even from the first page, that I would love it. It isn't your usual story, it's much deeper.

The book tells the story of loss and grief, of life and death, and a woman with a mare who has to understand what it all means. Since I went in to this, exepecting nothing, I was gladly surprised, and I think that might be the best way to go into this book. The writing is beautifully poetic, filled with metaphors and imagies that stick with you for a long time afterwards.

Everything about this story is so magnificent and utterly astonishing I can hardly fathom it. Everything from the moment the woman loses her husband and child in a fire, to the discovering of how pain and sorrow truly affects you. What is the meaning of life, and what is the meaning of death? And I can say, that after reading this book, I've come a little closer to the answer. This story mixes magic with reality, and it just FITS. The most beautiful moment was when the woman got to see the most important moment in her life, and that was performing a kindess by helping a little bird, that she doesn't even remember doing. And still, for that bird, it changed everything.

"Sing me a love song," he says again, leaning down to nuzzle her, his head near that of his child's, and the woman has to laugh, because love songs are all that she knows.

What I found really interesting is the take this story has on death. It says that death happens because you need to move on from life, as it has nothing left to teach you. Exactly like when you move on from kindergarten to enter the first grade. One may not want to leave kindergarten, as one may not want to leave life, but if there is nothing left to learn, you need to move on. This all just seems so beautiful in a way, and actually makes sense.

My favourite paragraph is the one about how life on earth was created, from tiny organisms, to dinosaurs, to humans. The most haunting phrase, for some reason, is this, and it just contains everything about humans and our way of thinking.

Humans look deep into the eyes of apes and call them animals.
141 reviews
June 27, 2021
Crescendo by Amy Weiss isn't an easy book for me to review. It's unlike anything I've ever read before. The book is described as a two-hour read but I could only take in a few pages daily. As other reviews point out, it's very poetic. Metaphors abound.
I did highlight some passages, which I personally found to be inspiring. I did intend to read it all because I wanted to know what would happen to the woman and her mare. After I got to the last three chapters, I started skimming through them. This is because the author lost me when the woman started experiencing creation and turned into everything and anything you probably can't imagine.
I don't mean this as disrespect but my favorite part of the book is the Reader's Guide.
The Spanish version describes the book as a "spiritual fable about the soul, life and death". In spite of this work not being my preferred type of reading material, Amy Weiss has won my admiration and her editor as well.

Profile Image for Sandra.
723 reviews8 followers
July 9, 2017
Aria’s life seems over when she loses her husband, home, everything. She wants to die. But it was not the end for her; it was just the beginning. Numb with loss, it takes her aimless wandering through the forest with her mare to learn what life and death really are, and that we are never truly separated from the ones we love.

This is probably the most beautifully written book I have ever read. However, it is not for everyone. First of all, it is deep and often difficult to understand. It takes some serious thought and consideration in order to grasp some of its meaning. Second it is extremely emotional. So if you feel up to a real learning adventure, get out the tissues, and start the book It is a very unique experience.
Profile Image for Alice Little.
98 reviews1 follower
January 14, 2018
I feel a bit mean giving this book only 3 stars as for someone whose ‘thing’ it is I’m sure it’d be more enjoyable. I felt the content was all about the language and the metaphors - but there is little plot to speak of.

The journey taken by the main character is one of self-discovery. There are lots of nice ways to think about death, and self, the soul, love, music. But nothing really happens and I found myself trying to get to the end of each section to find out where she goes next (the answer: to someone with a new metaphor for the same feeling of wonderment at the constant reincarnation of souls).

The language was well-constructed and beautifully put together, but one chapter would have been enough: 180 pages was a bit much for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Monica.
8 reviews
May 25, 2017
This is a truly beautiful novel. It is written masterfully, her words concise yet magical and dense. Each paragraph is like a chapter in and of itself with the depth she conveys in them. The content is life changing. Amy Weiss is able to take all her learning from her life expreince as the daughter of renouned Psychiatrist Brian Weiss and make it into a beafutiful story about loss and life and love. Above all else love. Do yourself a favor and read it. Just know going in, it is not a fast read. You will need to stop and put it down and contemplate the wisdom the novel conveys. At the end of this, I am changed, enlightened, hopeful and awed by the beauty of her writing.
A must read!
Profile Image for Aizpurito tinta y arte  Letras con Sentido .
49 reviews1 follower
March 7, 2021
Bello, bello e inspirador.
No mentiré que siento que no es una lectura sencilla, algunos temas los sentí pesados aunque profundos y sabios. Algunos otros fueron fascinantes, reconfortantes, un apapacho al alma. Hay demasiada sabiduría en las palabras.

Este pequeñín pero poderoso libro nos habla sobre la vida, la muerte, después de la muerte, antes de la vida, las criaturas divinas, los propósitos de vida, el amor, la bondad y de más. Adoro el tema de la reencarnación, me agrada como toca algunos puntos, no me enamora algunos giros que le da. Pero en general hay mucho que aprender de él.
Habla mucho en metáforas y no sé qué tanto me encanta o desencanta.

En general es un buen libro.
Profile Image for Lizzy.
944 reviews3 followers
April 1, 2021
This is for those of us who are seriously grieving. Or those of a poetic disposition. Or those who are into allegories.
I am none of these things.
I was also put off by the three unnecessary mentions of god. Also, I thought the mare was really out of place, all the story telling etc just sort of tacked her onto the end. I couldn't understand why the mare wasn't into her horsey friends/family, she certainly wasn't properly included in the woman's story apart from being devoted. How rude, I'm sure horses have real feelings too and don't just trail after people, dripping love all over them.
I did like the lake, so that saved it for me.
Profile Image for Hayley.
8 reviews
November 7, 2017
I found this a difficult read at first, as it reads like poetry and is quite ethereal. But the message of the book, as well as the beauty of the words, compelled me to keep reading and I'm so glad I did. I love fairytales and this felt like one. It touched me deeply and put me in contact with an eternal soul perspective. I found the book life-affirming, softening, utterly beautiful. I will read this again when I am needing to remember to trust in something larger.
1 review
March 29, 2018
This story took a little while to get into...I guess it wasn't quite what I expected at first...but as I got further along I really really enjoyed it. It's a rather short book...but I took my time and only read a little bit each day or so...so that I could really think about and absorb what I had read. I ended up loving it and it fits with many of my beliefs and hopes for the afterlife and what our purpose here is. I would highly recommend for people with open minds and hearts.
Profile Image for Hasadda.
82 reviews1 follower
July 13, 2018
Amy Weiss writes about life, love and loss during her life. When Aria's soulmate dies early in their marriage, she begins a life of wandering, searching for answers and meaning to life. It's well written and very eclectically poetic. Her meanings were very deep and esoteric. She and her mare travel for many years. She has dreams and out of body experiences, similar to her the author's father, Brian Weiss. I found it beautiful, but sad.
Profile Image for Sobia Nawab.
46 reviews3 followers
July 1, 2019
I met her at the book signing she had with her dad. She is this very down to earth, sweet person who just had me hooked the moment I read the first two lines of her first book. I'm in awe of this person whose every word has depth and every sentence is poetry. Maybe it was the time of my life when I read it but I loved it. I didn't care whether I agreed with the core concept, it was her words that made the book, not the concept or storyline.
Can't wait for the her next book.
Profile Image for Susan Miller.
575 reviews
May 23, 2017
This story is beautifully written with sweeping poetic prose. The words are lyrical and move in the chapters as music swells and dips in song. An ethereal journey of spirits that are intertwined in this life and many others. A fire can simultaneously burn you down and build you up from the ashes. Several lessons learned along the way of Aria's life with and without her husband.
Profile Image for Sori.
131 reviews3 followers
January 26, 2022
La verdad es un mal libro, aburrida la trama, mala narrativa, muy dispersa y aburrida, el mensaje es muy vago, se entiende que habla de las vidas pasadas y futuras, de la vida y la muerte, el amor el perdón etc, pero de una manera tan aburrida y básica que de verdad yo creo podría ser un libro para niños de primaria o secundaria.
No lo recomiendo para nada.
18 reviews1 follower
August 13, 2017
What awesome words of wisdom!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is everything I have forgotten I once knew!

I wept, I rejoiced, I remembered answers to my questions. I will return to these words again and again! 💖
Profile Image for Michelle Schill.
10 reviews
November 16, 2018
This is by far the best and most beautiful novel I have ever read. You must be alert and pay attention while reading in order to understand all of the many beautiful spiritual messages hidden within. I highly recommend this if you are grieving. This is truly a beautiful piece of art!
1 review
September 26, 2024
I thought it was a very thought provoking book. It definitely made me think and opened my eyes. We sometimes get so caught up in our own lives and emotions that we forget or lose ourselves in the searching. It's worth reading and reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews

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