Review: I Keep Falling in Love with Her Again and Again by Mayuri Debnath (3.5/5)

Title: I Keep Falling in Love with Her Again and Again

Author: Mayuri Debnath

ISBN: 9352066634

Blurb:

"This is a heartfelt story of the journey of two people, who find love on their way to stardom and beyond. Any heart that has known love, felt love and is in love will find themselves reliving the best moments of their life while taking a stroll with the story. 

Love, friendship, hitches, magical moments, heartaches and marriages, I Keep Falling in Love with Her Again and Again is much more than that."

My Take:

Rivaz and Janvee, two bollywood superstars, have married each other thrice. The novel begins with the 50th anniversary since their first wedding, and then goes back in time. Rivaz recapitulaes their story since the first time they meet on the sets of their debut movie as co-stars. Each chapter is a step ahead in the journey of their life - meeting as strangers, becoming friends, falling in love, getting married and so on, till the end. The author has beautifully portrayed their dilemma in the beginning while they are suspicious of each other's feeling, and afterwards, the love and respect they have for each other. Even after being independent in their lives, they are not spared what an 'normal' couple in love goes through, given the social and cultural bindings that form a part of lives here. However, they conquer every hurdle, and live together till their last breath. The story is somewhat better and different than the usual stuff flooding the market, however there are some negative points - a lot of editing mistakes here and there take away its sheen.

Rating: 3.5/5 

Review: Kama Dahana by Venkatesh Prabhu (2/5)

Title: Kama Dahana

Author: Venkatesh Prabhu

ISBN: 9385440152

Blurb:

1900 AD. Paramashiva Gowda, the head of Suraveerapura, a village under the Rulers of Mysore Kingdom. He used to haunt young maidens of the village and ruin their chastity. Many of the victims commit suicide. Several quit the village. Many of them cried helplessly. He was not only a brave man, handsome and courageous enough to fight alone against twenty persons at a time but also a human of noble qualities. Besides had beautiful wife & cute children. The Ruler of Mysore Kingdom had bequeathed him a horse, who turns out to be his best servant and a pistol in appreciation of his kindness towards animals and helping nature. What made such a noble man to become a lecher and victimise several innocent families of the village? Who instigate him to become so cruel and licentious? Whether his cruelty comes to an end? Whether the villagers come out of the trouble? Kama Dahana answers these.

My Take:

This story is based on a legend about a person who is believed to have lived almost a century ago. Paramashiva Gowda is the rich and powerful head of a village who lives a life notorious for his injustices against the maidens of the area. 

Gowda lives a normal life like everyone else before a drunkard tempts him to become a villain of a person. He lures him towards young maidens of his village folk, whom he exploits by offering money to their parents in need. Initially, everything goes smoothly as per his whims, but soon enough they begin to resist his advances, which forces Gowda to become a serial rapist. He believes in vanity till one day he reaps the fruit of his bad deeds, and he killed by the same people whom he had ruled with an iron fist. 

The plot is interesting. Given the fact that Kama Dahana is a translation of the author's own Kannada book, the book is less charming in English. Most of it seems to be lost in translation. I'm a big fan of historical fiction, so I read it with particular interest. However, I was disappointed by the total lack of editing and proofreading. There are a lot of spelling mistakes, and a few setbacks as far as grammar is concerned. Many sentences and ideas have been repeated, or repeatedly rephrased, and that comes out as a negative point. A good editor would have done away with many of these pitfalls. The translation of many a proverb is quite literal, and the impact is lost. Once again, mediocrity is evident on part of the editor. The 206-page book would have been concise, and more readable if attention were paid to all these points. 

Rating: 2/5

Book Review: Never Apart by Shiven & Mayuri ( Rating: 4/5)

Title: Never Apart

Author: Shiven & Mayuri

ISBN: 9789382035169

To purchase a copy, click here...

Blurb:

Sagar is exhilarated, as he meets Prakriti, his childhood love, who had mysteriously disappeared from his life twelve years back. Soon, this friendship of yesteryears rekindles. Blown by her simplicity and undiminished zest for life, he wishes to settle down with her.

But destiny plays the roulette, when Sagar stumbles upon Prakriti’s dark past. Dejected, he leaves the town in search of solace. But time fails to heal his wounds, for he misses her, and inner peace continues to elude him. Consumed by anger over his own miserable failures, he returns to her to resolve his past once and for all. At dawn, he takes her blindfolded to a mountain cliff.

Can love eradicate its own existence? Would Sagar push Prakriti from this peak or love

would bind them together, forever? Or life would spring some other staggering surprise? 

This love story doesn't end on a happy or a sad note but when does love end, after all? Never Apart is an intriguing love story that would keep you bound up in love… 

My Take:

Most of the books by Indian authors these days come with a thousand editing mistakes and senseless grammar, courtesy the fact that we have an author in every street, and most of them are reluctant to get the manuscripts proofread before publishing. Fed up of reviewing a senseless heap of books, I decided to read Never Apart by Shiven & Mayuri, launched by Ruskin Bond. And, it turned out to be a perfectly written romantic novel. 

This is the story of Sagar, who leaves a beautiful girl and a lucrative job abroad to search for the lost love of his life, Prakriti. He finds her in Delhi, and the novel goes back in time when as a child Sagar had met Prakriti for the first time.The authors recount tiny details of their childhood. Most of these details are trivial but relevant and proper. You can relate to them as a reader, as they make the protagonists seem real life characters. The authors deserve applaud for keeping it as simple as that.

In the present, the  relationship goes on from where it had stopped years ago when fate had played its part to separate the two lovers. Now, everything seems perfect. But as no good thing lasts forever, one day Sagar comes face to face with a harsh truth which sabotages the relationship. Unlike his, Prakriti's life has seen countless ups and downs, and her past is something she is not comfortable to discuss or share with others. What follows is a gripping tale of love and loss, with its fair share of twists and turns, surprise and shock. 

The way the story about how they met has been written, it pushes your mind to think of your own school days. Read through it and all those days will flash in front of your eyes. The feeling of nostalgia it evokes is what I liked the most about the book. The story then proceeds to the present time, with a flawless job done at story-telling. The plot runs smoothly, and everything else - editing, proof-reading and cover page - is perfect. However, the best part of the novel is the climax. It has a perfect twist that steals your heart. 

Recommendation: 

This is the book every love story fan should read. Sick of unedited college romance stuff? Read this one. It will change your perception about engineers writing love stories; it has already changed mine *wink*. 

Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Love Story? Seriously! by Shivi Pandey

Title: Love Story? Seriously!

Author: Shivi Pandey

ISBN: 9385440144 (ISBN13: 9789385440144)

Blurb:

The sanguine sun is just preparing to slumber and the filtered glare from it striking the scene makes it even more alluring. The flock of birds are moving together in a v shaped structure and it looks as if they are returning to their home after a long tedious day's hard work .The fact that they are all together in every aspect of life brings strength and calmness to my dilapidating heart. It is even more mesmerizing to find the three best people of my life beside me. 

SAMAR: The epitome of the story, takes you on an amazing voyage of his life. He recalls his friends and all his unsuccessful love interests - Sapna, Samriddhi and Surbhi. 

What happens when you fall in love? What happens when you fall out of it? What happens when you are unwanted? What happens when you are cheated and still coined a cheater? Can there be a reason to not like someone? Can there always be a reason to like someone? Explore answers to all these questions along with Samar on his journey in search of true love. 

It brings you, yet another unconventional love story of all times. The author intends to bring about the fact that can this also be a love story and leaves the readers to decide enquiring them Love Story? Seriously!

My Review:

'Love Story? Seriously!’ is the story of Samar’s infatuation with three girls – Sapna, Samriddhi and Surbhi – which he confuses with love and his trials and tribulations that he fails to handle. Consequently, he lands into depression and develops suicidal tendencies till a few of his friends make him cheerful again. 

Shivi Pandey, the author, has tried his best to evoke the readers’ interest though fails to make an impact with the story, and the causes of failure are many. The incidents are narrated in a haphazard manner at some places, while at others, useless anecdotes have been inserted. The grammar is poor, and the editing worse than that. Too many statements have been typed in BOLD, and that makes no sense at all. The book is supposed to be biographical, but it lacks the charm. However, the end is heart touching and beautiful.

Rating: 2/5

Reviewed in association with Lab Academia Research group.

Book Review: Karna's Alter Ego by Surendra Nath

Title: Karna's Alter Ego

Author: Surendra Nath 

ISBN: 9789384180119

Blurb:

Karna, the ill-fated hero of Mahabharata. Many feel he deserved to win. If only luck had favoured him...

5000 years later, we have a man named Vasu, who is much like Karna – illegitimate birth, very talented but denied all credits in life, rejected in love, misses a medal in the Asian games, gets caught for telling an innocent lie, overlooked for promotion. He begins to identify himself with Karna, and interestingly Karna appears to him after every debacle to assuage and encourage him. 

It seems Vasu is Karna’s alter ego.

My Take: 

The hero of this story is Vasu, who at the age of twelve is shattered to know that he is not a legitimate son of his parents. Having heard of stories from Mahabharata, he begins to relate to and identify himself with Karna, which gives him solace and inspiration. This novel then goes on to documenting how he misses a number of rewards in life in spite of being exceptionally talented and the most deserving.

The writer has done an exceptionally well job through this novel, first by choosing a unique theme, and then by going on to do justice to it. Though the theme is not mythological, there still remains an element of it presented in a novel way e.g. the story of Karna. The author deviates often from the mainstream viewpoint and provides newer insights into the persona of Karna. Reading this novel, you will thus come across a different story of Karna at the places; even though the setting is modern, the element of antiquity is still there.

As far as novelty is concerned, this book scores at par with Dr Sweety Shinde’s Arjuna: Without A Doubt. If you are tired of reading love stories, and want to read something new and more interesting, read Karna’s Alter Ego. It is a wonderful book.

Rating: 4/5

Recommendation: GO FOR IT

Book Review: Chela by Saurabh Kumar

Title: Chela - The Adventures of Jack and Ty

Author: Saurabh Kumar

ISBN: 9789385440205

Blurb:

Chela: The Adventures of Jack and Ty is in part a tribute to one of the greatest writers and humorists of the twentieth century, Sir P.G. Wodehouse, and a spoof on the fantasy genre where anything and everything can happen at any given moment and time. Jack is a hungry jackal, booted out of his clan for being lazy and incapable of providing for himself. One night while wandering a patch of forest he accidentally steps on the tail of a tiger that is understandably furious at the jackal. The tiger Ty, confronts the jackal with the latter begging forgiveness. The commotion dies down and they soon go their separate ways. Fate, however, brings them together again and they soon realize they are both facing a similar predicament - an acute shortage of food. The two strangers soon become comrades and along with Herbert, a cross between a wolf and a pariah dog, set out on a journey through the vast woodland of Baganpore and beyond in search of food. On the way they face perils aplenty in the form of diabolical relatives, cunning scavengers, a mysterious banyan tree and a lake that isn't what it appears to be.

My Take:

Jack (the lazy jackal), Ty (the coward son of a tiger) and Herbert (the heart-broken cross between a wolf and a pariah dog) have suffered a lot many injustices – hunger, deception, social boycott, harsh vagaries of nature and what not. Each of them had been all of this alone, till one day they become friends & come together to find a way out for their survival. Thus starts the fable of ‘Chela: The Adventures of Jack and Ty’. 

The theme is unique and the book is very well written. The story flows smoothly and perfectly, laden with wit and humour. The author has done a great job through his fantastic story-telling traits. At no point of time did I feel bored or disinterested. Though fables are usually read by a limited set of readers, laughter and fun are infectious, so is this book. It has a universal appeal given that it is a spoof on fantasy genre. The use of language is innovative, so is the plot. Justice has been to the characters and plot, and the theme as well. Hats off to the author for this beautiful book.

Rating: 4/5

Recommendation: GO FOR IT....

Reviewed by Dr Waseem in association with Lab Academia Book Reviewers group.

Book Review: Rohzin by Rahman Abbas

Title: Rohzin

Author: Rahman Abbas

ISBN: 9789383322503

My take:

Rohzin is a novel about Asrar and Hina; more than that, it's a novel about the city of Mumbai. One day, Mumbai is flooded, and that day is the last day of Asrar and Hina's lives. This is where the novel starts, and the author leads us back in time to tell us a story that deals with mythology, legend, religion, magic realism, sexuality, sensuality, love, loyalty and all nuances of one's life.

Rohzin by Rahman Abbas is a reflection of human emotions - big and small. As you read through it, you come face to face with the writing genius Rahman Abbas is. 

For me, reading Rohzin was that one-of-a-kind experience. While going through it, I would pause at times and try to savour each line, each emotion that this magical novel deals with. It's about everything what being human means. Every tiniest detail has been taken care of, thus proving the majestic observational prowess of the author, which is at its best here. This unique novel speaks to you, touches your heart, and creates waves in your soul as massive as the ones that flood Mumbai in the novel.

Recommendation: 

Rohzin is a carefully crafted masterpiece, as mysterious as its name... if you know Urdu, go for it. If you don't, wait for an English translation. 

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: The Justified Sin by Harpreet Makkar

Title: The Justified Sin

Author: Harpreet Makkar

ISBN: 8192648079 

ISBN13: 9788192648071

Blurb:

What do you call it when three beautiful women come in your life, but you are still single? What if they all, at some point, tried to entice you, but you feel like committing suicide because of loneliness? What do you call it when you made no mistake, but still, you feel guilty as sin?

Jay had a common life until Saloni, Prachi and Vineeta came in his life and changed everything.

At times, he avoided the love that knocked at his door, and when he actually needed it, the same love kicked him.

He betrayed.

He got betrayed.

He rejected.

He got rejected.

From being shot in the back by Prachi’s father to getting intimate with Vineeta under the influence of alcohol, his life was as spicy as those masala Bollywood movies!

He was getting used to his life, until one night, he decides to jump off a building and end everything… 

My Take:

In The Justified Sin, Harpreet narrates the story of Jay and his tryst with romance at different points of time. Throughout the years, he gets a chance to be close to three girls - Saloni, Prachi and Varsha, however circumstances fail him each time he begins to get serious about any of them.

From getting shot at by Prachi's father to contemplating suicide, the author has tried to narrate a unique story of Jay's flirting with love, fate and life.

The narration is simple and language easy, however at some places there are editing mistakes that must have been avoided. The story doesn't proceed as smoothly as expected as there are sudden jumps in the plot which make it difficult to relate to the plot at times. The climax too seems a bit fast paced.

Recommended:

Overall, it's a good book. No harm in reading if you have got time.

Rating:

Plot: 3/5

Characters: 3/5

Style: 3/5

Editing: 2/5

Climax: 3/5

Reviewed by Dr. Waseem A Malla in association with Lab Academia Research group.

Book Review: Just Six Evenings by Tanmay Dubey

Title: Just Six Evenings

Author: Tanmay Dubey

ISBN: 9788129136817

Blurb: 

Atul Shukla, a young, successful executive, has been arrested by the Gurgaon police. As he attempts to find some comfort in the dark confines of his cell, Atul revisits his life and the six evenings that changed its course. 

Eight years ago, while working in Bhopal, Atul had met the beautiful and intelligent Priya on a train, DDLJ style. When it turned out that she was in his city for only six days, he decided to woo her in that fleeting period of time. But fate had other plans in store, and Atul and Priya were torn apart by lust and betrayal, seemingly forever. 

Years later, Atul and Priya meet once again for six days, while they are both navigating the murky underbelly of the modern corporate world. And this time it’s not just their love at stake, but their careers, and their future as well. Will Atul and Priya manage to give love a second chance? Or will corporate greed destroy their chance for a happy ending? 

Just Six Evenings is a modern-day tale of love, lust and ambition in a corporate India that shines at the expense of the dreams it tramples under its feet.

My Take:

Just Six Evenings is a corporate thriller, the story of Atul Shukla who dreams of making it big in the corporate world, by hook or crook. However, as the story proceeds, more than once he has to choose between his heart and his mind. Trying to be as honest as possible, he still ends up making a few grave mistakes. His diffidence as well as confidence lead him through a number of misadventures, and adventures as well. Consequently, though he tastes success, he loses his job and his family; his love life is shattered; his friends leave him for what he does to them, and he is left all alone to struggle for survival.

Tanmay Dubey, the author, through this book tells us a beautiful story of that not-so-special person who struggles to prevent everything from falling apart. The character of the protagonist has been thoroughly elaborated on. His adventures and misadventures are the soul of the story. The other characters in the novel are equally important, and they seem justified. They reveal different facets of the corporate background, and human values too- cunningness, helplessness, love, lust, betrayal and everything else. 

Additionally, it is rare in Indian publishing scenario to read a book that scores well in terms of language, editing, layout and design. Just Six Evenings by Tanmay Dubey is one of those exceptions that are a pleasure to read. 

Recommendation:
The book is worth reading more than once. You can't afford to miss it. Try it. The author won't disappoint you. 

Rating:
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Style: 4/5
Editing: 4/5
Climax: 5/5

Book Review: Anything To Look Hot by Dr Jas Kohli

Title: Anything To Look Hot

Author: Jas Kohli

ISBN: 9789382665502

About the book:

When Dr. Jas Kohli started training in plastic surgery twenty years back, he hadn’t imagined that one day he would be exposing the secretive world of plastic surgeons and their clients. Apart from his interest in writing, he also enjoys astronomy, music and bird-watching. Through his writings, he aims to foster a stronger doctor-patient bond. 

My Take:

Through this book, Jas Kohli takes you to an interesting visit with Dr Dhruv into the world of plastic surgery, where not everything is a cakewalk but involves patience, hard work and risk taking. One wrong step, and everything is gone. The theme is unique, so is the book. The story has been told in simple and smooth language. Some medical terms at times may be too tough for an ordinary reader, but they are indispensable. There is a considerable amount of humor, that adds  to the beauty of the book. Overall an interesting read. 

Recommendation: If you wish to know about the interesting world of glamour, fashion and beauty 'augmemtation',  go through it.. 

Rating:

Plot: 3/5

Characters: 3/5

Style: 4/5
Editing: 4/5
Climax: 3/5

Book Review: Hidden Husband by Shikha Kaul

Title: Hidden Husband 
Author: Shikha Kaul 
ISBN: 9384382078



Blurb:

Aisha is trapped in her own secret which makes her life hell. Her love for Raghav is true. But hailing from two very different cultures is the basis of their continued friction. Aisha is a Punjabi girl from Gurgaon and Raghav a Bihari from Ranchi. Raghav's family will certainly not accept a girl from outside their community. And yet, he continues giving her false hopes through his efforts and promises. And then they take a step which entangles her life further. Will she manage to come out of this quandary or must she continue to live in her self-created web? Explore her journey that makes her realise the atrocities being committed on women in the Indian society and the tough decisions she must take, keeping her most loved ones oblivious to everything happening in her life.

My Take:

 This is one of the best books by an Indian author I've come across recently. Aisha & Raghav fall in love and decide to get married, but there is a hurdle - their different backgrounds. Deviating from that fairy tale notion of love stories, Shikha Kaul presents to us, in Hidden Husband, a real life mishap in romance in a society which prefers caste, religion, and regional association over love in a marriage.The story onwards is nothing less than a thriller. It will captivate you from the first page itself, and hold you so till the last word. And it isn't just a love story; throughout the novel, the author has addressed the need to put an end to many social norms, that are irrelevant in our tines. Simple presentation. Profound narration. Thoroughly beautiful....

Recommendation: 

If you are fed up of all these college romances that flood the market, stop looking further and read this one... Highly recommended.

Rating:

Plot: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Style: 4/5

Editing: 4/5

Climax: 4/5

Book Review - She - Ekla Cholo Re by Shayan Haq/Santosh Avvannavar

Title: She - Ekla Cholo Re

Authors: Dr Shayan Haq and Santosh Avvannavar

Edited By: Rajashree Ghosh

ISBN: 9781517762162

Blurb:

Set in the backdrop of 1990 Calcutta, She is a story about finding one’s own identity in spite of all odds. The story spins around the life of Kusum, a brave heart whose identity is often untitled and blurred; it does not belong anywhere, definitely not under the ‘he’ or ‘she’ bracket, thanks to our social conditioning. Will she be successful in her mission?

 Find out in She, an utterly absorbing read that derives inspiration from Tagore’s “Ekla Cholo Re” song, which urges everyone to move on despite the fear of abandonment from others.

My Take:

This is the story of Kusum who meets a stranger, not knowing that he is the writer whom she admires a lot. In this concise book Kusum narrates to him how she has bravely withstood attacks on her 'often untitled and blurred' identity.

The story is simple, easy to follow, and thoroughly emotional. Written in simple words, it successfully captures the readers' attention. Read it in one go. A beautiful tale. 

Recommendation:

Highly recommended. 

Rating: 4/5

Editing needs attention. 

Book Review: S.O.A.R -Success Over Adversity Reigns by Abir Mukherjee

Title: S.O.A.R -Success Over Adversity Reigns

Author: Abir Mukherjee

ISBN: 978-93-52013-24-1

Blurb:

Frustrated with their current jobs, Uday, Adhyayan, and Rajasekaran team up to start an innovative business, non-existent in India until then. Ignoring all pragmatic aspects of life, they chase their dreams with immense pleasure. However, their journey is no cakewalk, as they confront financial crisis and rejections soon. Uday plays a business trick to triumph over that uninfluenced market; it works initially, but soon boomerangs, blowing the team apart. The police arrests Uday accusing him of illegal activity by his organization. 

Were there any blemishes in their plan or was it just a typical Indian market, reluctant to accept an un-experimented concept? Will they be successful in implementing their innovation, staking their hard earned money, stable jobs, relationships, and life.

 'S.O.A.R is the story of chasing a dream, quandary between desire and responsibility, friendship and love. Join the gutsy journey of three young entrepreneurs.

My Take:

It is the story of three friends - Uday, Adhyayan and Rajasekaran- who team up for business but fall apart soon due to their differences with each other. Fate takes a turn and every thing seems to slip away till they team up again to set everything right.The story is good, however the narration is average. It's supposed to be inspirational and the theme of the book is excellent, but the Author has failed to do justice to the story. The story unfolds beautifully in the beginning, however almost in the end, it seems a bit less than the expected. To add to it, there are too many editing mistakes. I might take the liberty to say that this is another good book gone wrong due to lack of thorough editing. 

Recommendations: If you feel connected to  the business world in any way, this book will impress you. 

Rating:

Plot: 3/5

Characters: 4/5

Style: 3/5

Editing: 1/5

Climax: 3/5

Book Review: Heart Of Bullets by Nikhil Kushwaha

Title: Heart of Bullets

Author: Nikhil Kushwaha

ISBN: 9789385440120

Blurb: 

The only way to get close to those glittering stars in heaven is, to look at a soldier with stars on his shoulders’ 

Every time, they’re around, the thing that we see is the bravery awards, medals, the pride, but what we can’t see is their heart that lies inside the iron chest, some untold stories, sacrifices, and the hardship they’ve been through. Every soldier has a story that is unique and extra ordinary. 

A tale of brotherhood & heroism, a tale of love & betrayal, ‘Heart of Bullets’, is about two best friends, Arpan & Sam, and the untold story of their friendship, untold story of their love, Shradha, but what happens when Sam gets hit by the enemy – across the border? 

What will Arpan do to save his friend? Will love prevail over friendship of lifetime? 

There is a decision to be made, is the life without love, and friends, better than dying to save the one we love the most?

My Take:

This is the story about two friends, Arpan and Sam who grow up together, study at the same school, join the Indian Army to be posted at the same place, and fall ironically in love with the same girl, Shradha. The main plot unfolds when Arpan narrates the story to a doctor while Sam is fighting for life in the Army hospital. What follows is a dramatic chain of events, which leads to an emotionally charged climax. The Author has tried to write about a love story in a different way but weak narration, total lack of editing, and lack of research into the places where the story is set and some events, have miserably failed him. Sincere attempts have been made to make the book interesting by inserting poems and one-liners in between, which although interesting, fail to make up for the damage already done by above mentioned weak points.

Recommendation:

If you like to read patriotic stories with romance in between, do have a look.

Rating:

Plot: 3/5

Characters: 3/5

Style: 2/5

Editing: 0/5

Climax: 2/5

Book Review: Voices of the Silent Creek by Vikkas Arun Pareek

Title: Voices of The Silent Creek

Author: Vikkas Arun Pareek

Edited By: Nivedita N

ISBN: 978-81-927944-7-1

A Word From The Author:

The book is about atrocities women face in our society, I have chosen the contentious subject though everyone speaks and writes about it, it is still an issue which haunts millions in our society and one which is pushed so readily under the carpet. The book is set in rural India.

Blurb:

"Shanti is married in a prominent family but her life will never be the same for a life thrusted on her for honour of the family. She accepts her life but will she let the same fate unfold for her younger sister? 

Bhano discovers the horrors of her sister's life. Will she be able bring justice to her sister's life and her sacrifices? 

Arti finds herself strangled with choices. Will she risk her life and her family's life to help Bhano get justice or leave her helpless? 

The story of set in rural India takes us through unimaginable yet common atrocities which a woman faces in today's society. Will they fail to survive? Will they emerge stronger battling the troubles? "

My Take:

It's a story of the common folk; the characters are real life people, and the events so commonplace, yet presented beautifully. The book starts well, manages the flow almost till the end, where it seems to be too fast paced. Elsewhere in between, the events seem to be out of sync at a few places  where there is a bit of jumping & hopping, and the time frame of the occurrences becomes confusing, more so in the closing chapters. Despite having a good plot and right narration, editing mistakes have crept in that should have been taken care of. Overall, it is a nice book to read that tells us about a less known reality of lives of some people.

Recommendations:

Highly recommended.

Rating:

Plot: 3/5

Characters: 3/5

Style: 2/5

Editing: 2/5
Climax: 2/5

Book Giveaway: Roses & Rhymes - Where Love Meets Life

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          Roses & Rhymes
     
     

          by Waseem A. Malla
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends March 31, 2016.
         
         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         
     
   
   

    Enter Giveaway

Koshur Qalam's Kashmir Anthology: Submission Guidelines

ANTHOLOGY ON KASHMIR 

Poets and writers can only pour out their anguish and angst, and cherish and nourish the hope that the pristine purity and the core values of Kashmiriyat are revived, and rise phoenix-like from the debris of what all Kashmiris have always held dear –peace, harmony, and love.

 Let us save our home - a confluence of Buddhism, Shaivism and Islamic mysticism, a scintillating example of solid resilience and an exemplary social harmony - from the tentacles of corrosive hatred. Let us convert our home land into a heartland, where there is a loving merger of hearts, and peace sings a soothing symphony.

For years, a crooked narrative has been put forward, be it the media or intelligentsia, full of allegations and counter-allegations. The buck has to stop somewhere, let us stop the blame game. Let us suffuse our paradise with sublime hues of peace, once again.

Through this anthology we hope to contribute our mite to the vision of world peace, in general, and peace in Kashmir, in particular. Pen is definitely mightier than the sword. This is an earnest appeal to all peace lovers to sheath your swords, and unleash the power of the pen, for, we staunchly believe that when the mighty pen splashes the hues of peace, it can change the world. Hadn’t Shakespeare said, ‘many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose quills ‘?

 So, let us dip our quills in the colours of peace, and create a peaceful home. Kindly send us your prose and poetry pieces suffused in hues of peace. 

Theme: Home. Your write-up should be strictly based upon this theme in the context of Kashmir. However, let your imagination go wild in case it is a piece of fiction. Don't stick just to blues, try to paint a rainbow of all hues. We have seen a lot of fear. We still have lots of hopes, dreams and aspirations. We have centuries old tradition of humor and wit. Write about anything till it resonantes with the theme. 

Categories:

1. Poetry (any genre)

2. Prose - Fiction/Non-Fiction/Fantasy/Memoirs/Essays 

Submission Guidelines: 

1. Submissions can be mailed to  koshurqalam@gmail.com. Please don't send us previously published works. You are encouraged to submit artworks that have fresh imagery, metaphor, and strong wordplay.

2. You can submit a maximum of one piece of prose or three pieces of poetry. In your email, type the subject as: Category(Prose/Poetry) - Genre( Fiction/Memoir/Sonnet etc) 

3. Contributor must be of Kashmiri origin, no matter where he is based at the time of submission. 

4. All submissions must be made through email and all works must be attached as word documents. 

5. Include a short 50 word bio, and your full name in the body of the email. Your bio must be in third person. Additionally, don't forget to mail us a good quality profile photo of yours. It may be used for promotional purposes, or published with the book.

6. Restrictions: We do not want to see nor will we accept explicit sex or nudity. We will also not consider stuff that depict physical harm to any beings (human or non-human), nor will we tolerate any threatening content. Our aim is not to censor you or your work, but we feel that great art comes from a place of compassion and understanding, not violence and fear. Every piece of art will be considered by our editors, and we reserve the right to reject any work that we feel violates these restrictions.

Line Limit for poems: more than 15 lines/Less than 25 lines.

Word Limit for prose: Minimum - 500 words; Maximum - 3500 words. 

Submission Fee: No fee applies.

Payment: We are not able to pay our contributors at this time. 

Deadline: To Be Decided.

Book Review: The 3 U Turns of My Life By Jitendra Gianchandani

Title: The 3 U Turns of My Life
Author: Jitendra Gianchandani
ISBN: 9789382665274

Blurb: 

LOVE-RACE-DESTINY

Manav Modi and Deepak Mehra are poles apart – one down to earth, the other flamboyant; one introvert, the other overtly loud; one aspiring to be rich, the other born with a silver spoon. Except their feelings for Urvashi, they have nothing in common. Yet, they are ‘friends’. 

They part ways, only to come together in a web of destiny that puts them against each other, testing their friendship, love, patience, and even their choice of a profession! 

Will this race between CA and MBA lead them to a fall, or do they need something more to pull them out of the mess created by The 3 U-Turns of My Life? 

My Take: 

A book worth reading. It's filled with fun, anguish, suspense, humor, romance and everything. The style is unique and the flow is smooth. Editing is thoroughly professional. Language superfine. :) 

A good read for any bookaholic. Highly recommended.

My Rating: 4/5