Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Review: Gay- A Word for Happiness by Naresh Uniyal

Which is the shortest book on the planet in terms of pages and still it had the power to enchant the readers. Every book is probably more than 100 pages and detailing is a must in all the books. Author Naresh Uniyal in his debut book "Gay-A Word for Happiness" has defied all the set standards and published a book in under 70 pages. So are these 70 pages worth reading or it's waste of time and money? Let's check it out. 

Aditya Khanna has the perfect life, working as a software engineer in Delhi and in love with Priya. One night, he meets Rahul, an NRI from the US, who happens to be following him for his safety on the streets of Delhi and eventually they become good friends.
But Aditya’s life changes after Rahul’s entry into his life. Priya starts doubting about his sexual preference. Aditya tries to resist the charms of Rahul before it’s too late. His attempt to avoid Rahul fails all the time and this creates misunderstandings between the couple.
The worst comes for Aditya when Priya leaves him. Let’s find out, will Priya come back in Aditya’s life? What will Rahul do about his feelings for Aditya?



The title is a double meaning concept: one meaning linked to happiness of a person which co incidentally is the tagline of the book too and other a sensitive subject in our country. It's a bright appearance for a book which is a treat for the eyes. The blurb talks about the other side of the Gay where Aditya Khanna is caught on a wrong foot. The blurb is an exciting prospect in respect to the length of the book. 


The story revolves around Aditya Khanna who one night happens to find a gay in the shadows and saves him from deserted situation of the city and ends up on the wrong side when he befriends Rahul. It becomes a headache for him, his love life, his mother, his friend and he becomes the talk of the town because he always is found on the wrong side of the situation. Priya leaves him, Rahul falls in love with him and rest is history. 

There has never ever a story been written in 70 pages with all the humor. It touches both the aspects of the book's title and with an astounding mix of little bit suspense and a completely baffling end for the readers. The situations have been mastered and penned down beautifully. Readers won't be devoid of humors. It's a story to be remembered for it's sensitivity and appeal. The characters like Raghav a friend cum enemy, Priya an innocent girl, Aditya the lead protagonist always at the wrong place on a wrong time & not to forget typical punjabi mother Mrs. Khanna & the gay Rahul who manages to raise some eyebrows while he's on the move are enough to make it a simple yet powerful story. 

The only downside in the story is the editing in the first few pages with a few spelling mistakes. The Pappu Uncle chapter is not at all required in the story. 

The book has turned the tide in its favor and is an amazing concept by the author. It's a must read for all kinds of readers and the way it has been folded up in such less pages. It'll lighten up the mood with is witty conversations and humorous confrontations and the end is an icing on the cake for the readers. It's a book which is light on read and heavy on content. It's balanced to perfection. 

RATINGS: 

4 OUT OF 5.  

Review: Complete/Convenient by Ketan Bhagat

Have you ever heard of unusual stories? Stories which are just written without any purpose or with some purpose. Some of them manage to entertain readers and some of them falter. Author Ketan Bhagat in his debut novel 'Complete/Convenient" has put together an unusual story with many unusual things lined up for the readers. So how much this "unusual" clicks with the readers? Let's find out.  

Complete / Convenient: There Is More To Men Than Bromance depicts a very strange contrast between India and other countries. It talks of developed countries, where the worries of everyday life like the chaotic traffic, the rush to complete work, the suffocating corruption and red tapism are virtually absent. A land where life is simpler, faster and gives one time for other luxuries.
The author explores the plot in the backdrop of the charming story of Kabir. Kabir has earned a promotion with great perseverance and care, one that takes him to Sydney. Kabir and his new wife enjoy the scintillating life Sydney has to offer. Ketan Bhagat describes the beautiful city well and carves the adventures of the lead character in detail. He details how Kabir leads a kingly life punctuated regularly with the relaxing experience of spending time on beaches. Bhagat describes the sweet romance, bitter office issues, and the picturesque landscape that dots the horizon.
The author quite subtly goes into the stage when Kabir starts missing his homeland, its nitty gritties and the slight unease of its crowded streets. Despite all the professional success and the new friends, he cannot let go of the memory of his homeland. Complete / Convenient: There Is More To Men Than Bromance compares the emotions of the NRIs and the Indians who reside in India. He points out the contrast in the way each section leads their life and how they envy each other because of that.


The title itself is unusual. The tagline is a mystery. The cover page depicts few beautiful sights of places around the world. One cannot deduce a just explanation to the title until you are done with the story. The blurb is unusually lengthy and talks about developed countries and it's charms and also about human emotions which are to be experienced through Kabir's eyes. The way it has been put up is also unusual. 

The story starts off from India with love in the air between Kabir & Myra and their careers on high. The respective families are convinced for their wedding and what follows after that is a status shock for both the families. Their altercations, silent snubs, disapprovals, arguments, typical show offs is the flavor of the story until Kabir is posted to Sydney. Then it's all about life in Sydney and his Satyamev stint and the the moral values which he realizes along with time. It's about feeling that love with your parents, never forgetting your responsibility, being patient with your wife and in laws and lots more. It's a family entertainment with some NRI tadka in it. 

It's an unusually long story. It has flavors of Delhi, fun & frolic of two families, their lifestyles, their exchanges and an ever charged up characters like Mama Ji and Kabir's mother. A silent and understanding father in Kabir's dad and Myra's father. A typical show off  and a middle class family problems. Ever nagging relatives, numerous family advises, love of Myra & Kabir and a trip to Sydney and a western culture shock too with some dirty office politics towards the end. In addition to all of this disagreement between Myra & her mother in law, forgotten ties, helpful friends like Ramesh and office commitments and Myra's constant rant about Kabir's ignorance towards her and her hatred towards his mother. It's all been put together in the story. Vishy will play a major role in Kabir's life. It's a fun filled story with humor at few places. A nice little surprise towards the end will lighten up the mood of the readers. 


The book should have been kept shorter by 100 pages approx. It has been dragged too much especially with the office politics and Nadia's character. Too many office parties and too much importance to Parry & Nanak & others has taken the charm away from the story. Sydney part of the story is marred by repetitive things happening and the story is completely out of sorts there. The personal and professional life and the the comparison of lifestyle of two countries has been jumbled up too haphazardly which might confuse the readers.  


Overall it's a good NRI outing story but overstretched too much with office being the central point of the story. Human emotions and values have been handled well in parts towards the end and in the initial chapters of the book. It's an unusual story which might delight a few and might turn off a few. The glimpses of a developed country will look good only up to some pages and then become a burden for the readers. 

It had an unusual potential to do well in terms of the plot but falls flat on expectations. It has a purpose which has not been served well. 

RATINGS: 

2 OUT OF 5. 

Monday, July 29, 2013

Review: Till We Meet Again by Leema Dhar

Unspoken words, shy people, untold moments are part of some love stories. They just have some sense of calm in them. Author Leema Dhar has tried to present a story where unspoken words will overpower the spoken expressions. Sometimes silence is the best tool to convey your feelings. So is this silence in her novel " Till We Meet Again" enough to overcome the senses of readers? Let's find out. 

Suddenly, an arm wrapped my shoulder. I was about to jump off the sink giving a long loud shriek, but he held my mouth with his palm. He tucked my hair behind the ears, gently kissed my forehead brushing his soft lips on the drops of water which Id not dried off. Then kissed me on the cheek again and softly murmured, Its me. The one you were thinking of
Nishi's story begins with a Stolen Kiss. She's quiet, doesn't like to express much. Kunal, the cynic, is also tough minded and an introvert. She has not confessed and doesn't have regrets. She'd touched and felt him. If love is insanity, well an asylum was the place for her, for she is truly and completely insane for his love. Who says your heart should beat when you fall in love?
Come on, get up, go and make promises and fulfill your wildest dreams. Remember, there are a billion out there and one of them is for you. . Run to him, hug and say what your heart feels because lifes too short and theres so little time to unravel your part of mystery.


The title is touchy and the cover page has a beautiful girl standing against a bright sun leaning on a tree with a big hat in her hand. Readers in the first glance won't be able to make out whether the girl is somewhere connected the story or not. It's bit confusing considering her expressions. The blurb is an unusual one which no one might have ever come across. It starts off with a moment experienced by two people and then talk about Nishi and Kunal. It's a good summation for a book. 

The story revolves around Nishi and her unspoken love for Kunal whom she starts loving after a poem is accidentally discovered by her friend Vedika in her lab file. Sparks fly around but Kunal who is an introvert and a shy person never obliges it openly. Nishi goes along with the flow sometimes fooled by his actions and sometimes mesmerized by his gestures and in the end it all comes down to one single moment which brings her life to a standstill. 

The story is like an art movie with a slow pace. The second half has interesting parts in it where family matters are concerned, unity has been shown, emotions are at a high and love is exchanged in certain subtle ways. It's the end which is the soul of the entire story and the epilogue which will choke the readers for a minute or two. The poems are another added attraction in the whole book. 

It takes time to build an entire scenario for love to happen and sparks to fly and the lead protagonists take a back seat in the first half of the story to Vedika & Rishabh's love story. Not enough exchanges are there between Nishi & Kunal. Family has taken too much priority in the story in the second half. Kunal's character is a bit too hazy at times. It doesn't syncs in completely with Nishi's character. 

The author has tried to infuse a new style depicting love where female plays a more dominating part than man but the man gets his due a bit late in the story. If the family melodrama could have been a little less the story wouldn't have gone off track. It's the last few bits which will justify the title and it's meaning. An attempt not so exemplary but has enough in it to connect with the readers for sometime.  The concept is good but the execution lacks intensity. 

RATINGS: 

3 OUT OF 5. 

Review: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Since the introduction of Detective Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the world was waiting for a character equivalent to it to come up in the picture. Agatha Christie had a reply to it by making one of her own. This time it's Detective Hercules Poirot in the Poirot Series and the book is called " The Murder of Roger Ackroyd". So is the newest detective in this genre witty enough to match the calibre of Sherlock Holmes or it's a just a general fiction character? Let's find out. 


Roger Ackroyd knew too much. He knew that the woman he loved had poisoned her brutal first husband. He suspected also that someone had been blackmailing her. Now, tragically, came the news that she had taken her own life with a drug overdose.
But the evening post brought Roger one last fatal scrap of information. Unfortunately, before he could finish the letter, he was stabbed to death…



The cover with a black telephone is a clear sign of something mysterious. The blurb is a mysterious one too. It talks about Roger Ackroyd the man in the picture about whom the story is all about. It gives a complete feel of a mystery story in making. A perfect blurb and a twisted darkened cover is enough to arouse the curiosity of the readers.

The story is is about Roger Ackroyd who knows few facts about Mrs. Ferrers whom he loves a lot and also knows that somebody is blackmailing her but she decides to end her life in order to end this menace and grief stricken Mr. Ackroyd receives an anonymous letter which states the name of the blackmailer but before he could unveil the mystery he dies too. Then comes Dr. Sheppard and the retired famous detective Hercules Poirot who come in the picture and decide to take the case to its end.

The story is an absolute cracker in terms of twists and turns. The no. of suspects in Roger Ackroyd's murder and the the misleading statements of his family members will take the story to a whole new level. Everytime Hercules Poirot will find a trace which will make the story more compelling and confusing. It's unputdownable till the end. The surprise element towards the end is just the perfect setup one needs in a detective fiction novel.

The characters right from Hercules Poirot whose uncanny methods and menacing questioning and calm as a saint with a curious eye to pick up the details are exemplary. Along with the suspicious Parker, the money minded step son and few other family members and the helpful doctor and his chirpy and equally enthusiastic sister about the case will make the story more gripping.

It's devoid of any flaws. It's the advent of Hercules Poirot in the detective fiction scene. It's a story which will fool the readers and then enthrall them at the same time with the minutest details and smooth narration and a surprising end.

RATINGS:

5 OUT OF 5.  

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Review: I Loved too much... He loved too Many by Shikha Sharma

Not all love stories have an ideal journey. In fact most of them suffer from some kind of an obstruction at some point of time. Authors around the world always try to highlight this certain break in their books. Author Shikha Sharma in her debut book " I Loved too much.. He loved too many" has also tried to put across the cons of ignoring some important aspects in love. Is she successful in putting it across the readers or not will be answered in the next few paragraphs? 

Love- isn't it something that all of us chase at some points in our lives?
When she said 'I love you', she meant it forever.
When he said 'I love you', even he meant it forever
But is that enough for a happy ending?
But do love stories even end at all?
Love is a four lettered word, but so is lust so how could one find the difference between the two?
How can one know that it is love this time and not just another relationship?
How can someone seek true love at the time when just a minor tiff results in changing of facebook status as 'complicated' or even 'single'?
Join Lavishka and Tanmay in the journey of their quest for love, their fulfillment of desires and their discovery of their inhibited self and unveil the answers. 


The title is impressive and tells you a lot about what's going to be the story in a very precise manner. It's about a person who just gave his/her heart and soul and in return didn't get what was expected. The background shows a boy kissing a girl on her forehead and it gives a lovey dovey kind of a feeling to the readers. The blurb talks about love between two people and then certain aspects which might test the strength of the relationship of two people namely Lavishka & Tanmay. It's a good summation with a lot of questions to be pondered about and once you read it, every piece of this love puzzle will fall in place. 

The story is about Lavishka & Tanmay how they fall in love with each other and then romance is all in the air with all the craziest things they do together in order to strengthen the bonds of their relationship. But why is Lavishka sad and aloof in her present as she pours out her past in front of few people. Why Tanmay suddenly walks way from such a healthy and blossoming relationship and then comes back again after 4 years in order to win her trust back and get Lavishka back in her life? What happens in the end? Does Lavishka accepts Tanmay back or she permanently closes her heart's door towards any such advances? These are the questions that will be answered in the story. 

The story is a flat read. It emphasizes too much on the extravagant lifestyle and the make outs and the sex sessions of Tanmay & Lavishka. The first half of the story explores the materialistic and lustful endeavors of both the protagonists. The second half is marred by the political agendas of our nation which are nowhere in sync with the story. A lot of charm is lost between the materialistic pleasures and political scenarios in the book. The use of expletives is another turn off in the book even describing the good times in the love story. 

The only saving grace in the book is the friendship of Lavishka & her friend Akku. Akku's character has been portrayed to perfection. A small surprise i.e a slight twist towards the end is the only saving grace in the plot which will spice up the story a little bit. 

A title which is not justified anywhere in the story nor in the blurb and too much emphasis on describing the sexual escapades of the protagonists and political agendas of our nation takes the plot in an unknown direction. A lot is left to be desired from the story and it didn't come out good in terms of the expectations. A predictable end to the story will not help the reader's cause.   

RATINGS:

2 OUT OF 5. 

Review: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Some love stories just never die. They are just passed on from one generation to the other. Sometimes in the form of bits and pieces and sometimes as a whole. It entirely depends upon a person how he/she remembers it. Novelists over the time have gone greater lengths to explore the feeling called love. It's been a subject of every second book since the time writing evolved on planet earth. Author Nicholas Sparks in an attempt to enthrall the readers has written "The Notebook" which tries to capture the essence of unconditional love between two people. So has he succeeded in getting the right mix or it's a plain blatant story? Let's find out. 

The Notebook opens in a hospital. An old man is siting at the bedside of a sick woman. He is reading from a faded old notebook. He narrates a story of love, a story that happened many years before. It tells the story of Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson.
The story is set in the coast of North Carolina in the 1940s. Noah, a 31-year-old, has returned to his hometown, New Bern, and is now restoring a large plantation house, the kind of house he had long dreamed of. A huge inheritance has now enabled him to realize this dream.
But Noah has another dream, a haunting memory of a beautiful young girl he met 14 years ago when they were teenagers and the one magical summer they spent together. They were unable to take their relationship any further because of the class distinction that still ruled the South. Allie belonged to a wealthy family, and Noah was just a farm laborer back then. But he still lives with the cherished memories of their short romance, and Noah is almost sure that he will never see her again.
However, she enters his life again. Allie is now a 29-year-old socialite, engaged to be married to a very wealthy man, Lon Hammond. She sees a newspaper article about the house restoration and decided to pay him a visit.
When they meet, they realize that they still love each other. Now, Allie has to choose between her love for Noah and loyalty to Lon - who she does not want to hurt.
At this stage, the old man reveals his relationship with the woman in the bed, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. The love story resumes after this. The man then continues reading from the notebook.
The Notebook is a poignant tale of love and its power to overcome the various hassles, including the distance between two individuals and unexpected incidents and tragedies that occur across time.



First look at the cover and the title with a unique tagline and the readers can feel an intense passion for the book straight away. The latest edition carries the tag that it has been converted into a major motion movie. There is no way to put it down once you have read the blurb. The first few lines are enough to mesmerize a reader and compel the person into reading this novel. The first impressions are very positive indeed. 

The story starts off from a hospital where an old man is sitting besides a sick woman and is reading excerpts from a faded old notebook He is narrating an old love story which happened years before and how the two lovers managed to overcome distances, boundaries and other problems in order to be together again till eternity. It's the story of unconditional and untold love between Noah & Allie who are drifted apart by fate and years later by fate come together again to rekindle their romance and take their unfinished journey forward. 

The story is enchanting. The way it opens and then goes back into time and the simple conversations which happen between the the handsome Noah & charming Allie are reminders to all the lovers that this is the story we are talking about. If you have to love somebody this is the way it has to be done or else it's not love. It's pure, divine, unconditional, untold. It's about silent promises and those small little things that keep going the spark between two people. Every word in the story is sweet like honey and every passion and expression is like a stage where few artists are getting ready to enthrall the audiences. The unexpected end and the old man narration through Noah's journey is icing on the cake. 

Flaws are hard to find as there are not any. It's difficult or rather it's impossible to pick out any dull parts in the book. You won't find any. And if you still do then I guess you haven't experienced love the way it has been portrayed in the book. 

It's a book for all irrespective of the age group. It has a strong message for everyone that if you love somebody no matter what the odds, try to see it to the end as not only it'll make your love divine but mark you as the greatest lovers of all time. It's a love story of a lifetime. No amount of praise can do any justification to the book. If you want to experience it, if you want to experience true love just go and pick it up and read it as all the answers to your questions lie in the book. 

RATINGS: 

5 OUT OF 5. 

P.S: I would like to thank Mehek Bassi author of the book "Chained" for inspiring me to take a de-tour from my other to be read books and read this book on a priority basis. It's her strong recommendation and confidence that inspired me to read this enchanting love story and pen down this review. Thank you Mehek. 

Saturday, July 27, 2013

A Writer's Love Story!!

Writing a book and getting it published is just like a love story in a novel or in a real life. 

It starts off on a high when the writer is all excited about penning down the manuscript. It's a rosy-2 picture. First date with the pen and paper and there is nervousness and excitement. The second date as to where to take your girlfriend i.e how to change and twist the plot. 

Now you are on a roller coaster ride. Problems galore, Writers feel a writer's block sometimes. They try to get out of it. They patch up with their book. Some people might try to pull you down just like your love story where jealousy creeps up among the others. You'll somehow compete and complete it. Give your script nice finishing touches just like a boy making repeated efforts to somber the mood of his angry girlfriend.

Then again you make efforts to get it published like two lovers do in order to make everything work in their relationship.

The end is always a tricky one just like a love story. Either after these exhausting exercises you succeed in getting a book published and generate a positive response like a boy bending down on his knee proposing his girl and she cries out loud and says yes

or

your manuscript gets rejected by many publishers. It's like you utter those three words to your girl and in response all you get is " We were always friends. I never thought of you that way". I'm sorry. No explanations as to why your manuscript got rejected. Reasons you can't think of.

or

There's a third possibility too. After you're down and out and try to move on from the initial rejections just like in your love story, a faint ray of hope peeps from the dark clouds and then out of the blues a publisher accepts and acknowledges your hard work just like the girl who rejected you suddenly realizes the importance of you in her life and your love story is back on track again.You are on cloud nine. It all works in your favor. Everything falls in place again. 

MORAL: KEEP WORKING HARD AND ONE DAY YOUR LOVE STORY I.E YOUR FIRST BOOK WILL STAND TALL AFTER FACING ALL THE TEST OF TIMES AND BE REMEMBERED FOREVER.

NO LOVE STORY COMES EASY IN YOUR LIFE. YOU NEED TO WALK ON ROCKY PATCHES IN ORDER TO FIND A SMOOTH ROAD FOR YOURSELF IN LIFE.

THAT'S LOVE EITHER FOR YOUR WORK OR FOR SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING. PURE AND DIVINE AS IT COMES.

Lost & Found

People run me down 
I keep getting back up. 
My love turned me down. 
I keep getting back up. 
I myself turned me down
I keep getting back up.
Failures brought me down
I keep getting back up.
Loneliness tore me down
I keep getting back up.
My shoulders drooped down
I keep getting back up.
Life turned me down
I keep getting back up.
There's nothing good around
I still keep getting back up.
My decisions put me down
I keep getting back up.

But one day I'll be found
there will be no turning down
I will have life as a back up.
I won't be wandering around
My smile will be back up.
Tears of joy will roll down
My intensity will be back up.
I won't be bog down
My strength will be back up.
Success will be a crown
My feet will be back up.
There will be no stopping around
even if I fall
I'll keep getting back up.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Review: Murder at Rutherford Hall by P.B Kolleri

Agatha Christie & Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are pioneers when it comes to mystery and detective novels in the past couple of decades. The famous Sherlock Holmes & Hercules Poirot are the result of their beautiful imagination. An Indian author has jumped into the fray too. Author P.B Kolleri has come up with a series of murder mysteries for the readers to cherish. Murder at Rutherford Hall is the first in the series. So has the author enough firepower up her sleeves to drive the readers to the edge of their seats? Let's find out. 

Set in 1946 England, Murder at Rutherford Hall is a gripping tale that will have you turning pages till the end to figure out ?whodunit?! When Lord Rutherford disappears suddenly and unaccountably and his breathtakingly beautiful, young wife Celia flees Rutherford Hall, with blood on her hands, on a cold November evening, it sets off a chain of events that irrevocably changes the lives of all involved and consequently the fortunes of the entire family. Rachel Markham, Lord Rutherford?s niece and Jeremy Richards, an erstwhile Scotland Yard Detective team up to help the local police force unravel the mystery. Along the way, the charming characters simply pull you in to a setting of elaborate richness woven with bits and bobs of British humour and portraits of a bygone era where homes were large and beautiful, people dressed for dinners and life moved with a certain grace for the privileged. Against this enchanting backdrop, love and betrayal, life and death, laughter and grief, wealth and poverty come together to provide an immensely entertaining read.   


First look at the cover and title and it definitely impresses with it's wonderful design and premium feel. It's more of a hardcover copy than a paperback version of the book. Praises about the book along with the ratings will set the mood for the readers. The blurb is an ideal setup for a murder mystery with hints of what's gone wrong and what all readers can expect in the story. The blurb does fair justice to the title. 

The story starts off with a sudden disappearance of Lord Rutherford from his mansion Rutherford Hall on a get together. A sudden bump off of Celia into Detective Jeremy's car with bloodied hands leaves lots of suspicions and the fingers are pointed out to the gatherings of family and close associates. After that a wild goose chase by Inspector Parker and retired Detective Jeremy leads to some startling revelations and a sudden appearance of a second body complicates things a lot. 

The story is remarkably smooth and has got all the elements in to make it a very good mystery plot. A retired detective, some edgy family members like Celia's mother, an ex-flame of Celia, few nagging servants and a small and a calm countryside with creepy woods and not a lot of population. A lot of action has been spread out in terms of surprise in the novel. It's a fairly quick read when compared to other murder mysteries. The character and the story build up are the strong points of the book. The 1940's setup is also an added advantage to the mystery element of the plot. 

There are few spacing errors in the book. It won't be an eyesore though. Some readers might find it an easy paced novel with not a lot of elements of surprise and too short a story to make it an impact on the mysterious minds of the readers. It lacks detailing which is the biggest drawback of the story. Likes of Sherlock Holmes & Hercules Poirot are always filled in with the minutest details. More emphasis has been given to Rachel Markham rather than Detective Jeremy which is also a party spoiler in the book. 

It's a good attempt at penning down a murder mystery on the lines of Agatha Christie. Some touches to the edges of the story and a little fine tuning in the details of the plot in the future books will make it a very interesting prospect for the readers. 

RATINGS: 

3 OUT OF 5.  

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Review: Truly Madly Deeply by Faraaz Kazi

Teenage love stories have become a rage off late in the writing industry. Many authors try to capture the innocent essence of love in the adolescence years of a human being. Some succeed and some don't. Author Faraaz Kazi presents readers with a teenage love story which has been published with the intent to capture young hearts and get stuck in the minds of the readers forever. So has the author succeeded in his attempt or this teenage love story is going to go down among one of the many stories out there. Let's find out. 

There are some who love and conquer...There are some who love and forget...... and then there is RAHUL KAPOOR!
A pompous Rahul is head over heels in love with Seema, his beautiful female equivalent from the same school. After a whirlwind of innocent encounters, their teenage romance blossoms yet both of them never confess their love to each other. A series of misunderstandings and ego clashes cause them to drift apart. Rahul loses his sanity and ultimately his love. By the time he realises the magnitude of his loss, it appears to be too late. Will Rahul get back his Seema? Or will Seema never realise the depth of Rahuls feelings?
This teenage love story seeks answers to all these and more as it alternates between the past and the present and makes you wonder; do all love stories have a happy ending? Or do all love stories end, ever? TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY promises to be an emotional saga that will captivate the readers heart and fascinate his mind and leave him pondering - Does Love Truly Conquer All Odds? 

People have termed it as the best love story of the year. It has captured many hearts. The excitement surrounding the book is unbelievable. The title and the cover page gives a fair idea of a lonely person sitting on a bench and is truly madly deeply in love with somebody. The tagline suggests that it's a memoir of the first love. The blurb talks about two people Rahul & Seema who fall in love with each other yet never exchange a single word about it. Will their love stand the test of time is there to be found out in the story. The blurb indeed gives an impression of a teenage love story. 

The story revolves around Rahul who once upon a time was a champ in his school, stylish, arrogant who fell in love with Seema a quiet and a shy girl both of them at par in studies with each other. Love blossoms silently between the two as time makes Rahul over possessive about her and some rash decisions lead to a turmoil in their love life and break them apart completely. It's a story of innocent and pure love, silent reciprocation of love and some gut wrenching moments which will separate them forever.  

For a debut book the author has chosen a good theme though its bit of a gamble. The emotions are overflowing all throughout the plot and the phrases, quotes and poems complement the plot in the most beautiful manner. The characters of Seema & Rahul have been sketched out to perfection in order justify a connection between them. The villain in Jay is also one of the major aspects of the story. Not to forget the ever calm and helpful Sahil and a nice little cameo of a girl called Grazil. Rahul being too outspoken and Seema the quieter one, Rahul being expressive and Seema  a silent spectator. There's no dearth of love in the story. It's true in this love story that "Opposites Do Attract" sometimes.  A surprise awaits for the readers in the latter half which will explain the entire love story and Rahul & Seema's dilemma.  The teachers playing cupid in the love story is one of the highlights of the book. 

The bits which put off very much are long overstretched school events which make the love story feel neglected at times. The cricket part and the debates have been made too dramatic which are a misfit in terms of the flow of the story. The chapters could have been made into smaller parts. It sometimes takes away the entire charm away from the story because of the lengths of the chapters. The entire book should have been 50-60 pages shorter than what it is right now. A small little mistake which I'll like to highlight is it's Salwar Suit not Shalwar Suit. 

The book will capture the hearts and soul of readers with it's wonderful emotional connect through Rahul and his plights. The juggle and struggle between the past and present will keep the readers hooked till the end. A lot is left to be desired in the first half of the story and the emotions captured in the second half make it up for the average first half. A trimmed out version of school events would have made it a perfect love story. It's a good teenage love story and a nice lesson for the readers never to be impulsive with your judgement when it comes to matters of love. 

RATINGS: 

3 OUT OF 5. 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by J.K Rowling (Cormoran Strike, #1)

Crime thriller is not an easy genre to try your hands on. It has to be written with flair and command. Sometimes it doesn't gives you the exact same feel as what you expect from the book. Author J.K Rowling in her latest venture and first crime thriller "The Cuckoo's Calling" has penned down something very different from what she specializes in. So has she be able to do it with conviction? Let's find out. 

When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. Strike is a war veteran - wounded both physically and psychologically and his life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model's complex world, the darker things get and the closer he gets to terrible danger.
A gripping, elegant mystery steeped in the atmosphere of London - from the hushed streets of Mayfair to the backstreet pubs of the East End to the bustle of Soho - The Cuckoo's Calling is a remarkable book. Introducing Cormoran Strike, this is a classic crime novel in the tradition of P. D. James and Ruth Rendell and marks the beginning of a unique series of mysteries.



First look at the title and the cover and a lot of people will easily guess the genre of the book. The title is different and unique and the cover image with a man walking away in the night shades is something which is eerie. The blurb talks about a murder and how everyone goes about handling it. The blurb has concealed the mysterious elements of the story and doesn't gives out anything. 

The story starts off where a troubled model falls off from her balcony and it sends shock waves down the whole industry. Media hypes it up and that brings into picture Detective Cormoran Strike as he his hired by her brother to look into the matter and rule out any foul play. With his war veteran instincts and uncanny knack Strike goes about digging up dirt. So will he hit the sweet spot? Is it a suicide or a murder? What is the hidden motive behind this suicide? That's what the story is all about. 

The book has been broken into parts for the convenience of the readers and makes it easy to wave through the whole story. Strike is a striking character seemingly fit for this thriller. The book has some moments in it which keeps the readers interest aroused. 

The sluggish pace is a big downside of the book. The obviousness is another factor which makes it very dragged towards the end. The crude language is also a big letdown when reading the crime thriller. The suspense could have been enhanced more. The end is way too simple and easy. 

All in all the book is not up to the expectations of the readers. The effort is good but it doesn't lives up to the hype. The book has it's share of thrills at first but fades away with time. An attempt gone awfully wrong by the author. 

RATINGS: 

2 OUT OF 5

I still remember the time!!

I still remember the time 
when I cried for the first time
the touch of my mother was divine
I felt myself on cloud nine. 

I still remember the time
when I won the first time
the crowd chanted silently mimed
I felt it had to be my time.

I still remember the time
when I fell in love for the first time
I took your heart and you took mine
I felt like the world was mine

I still remember the time
when your lips kissed mine
our hands were intertwined
I felt like the moment was divine.

I still remember the time
when success became a famine
my life was a landmine
I felt my world to be offline. 

I still remember the time
when you left my side
my life became saline
I felt the need to shine. 

I still remember the time
when I touched the skyline
my body got a spine
I felt like sunshine. 

I will always remember the time
when the world was mine
but I crossed my lines
I returned back late but just in time.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Review: The Lost Paradise by Anjali Vaswani & Vikas Bansal

Stories are written sometimes to convey a beautiful message to the readers. Some stories manage to do it but some don't. Authors Anjali Vaswani & Vikas Bansal have come up with a story in their novel "The Lost Paradise" which highlights our society and leaves a message for the readers. Is the message deep enough to influence people's hearts or it's just a story? Let's find out. 

Riya was in a dilemma. Should she help her hostel-friend Kamini, who was involved in a sex and drugs racket and was depending on her to get her out of the mess? Riya had always dreamt big of becoming a politician some day. So this was her chance to really help out innocent girl victims and bust a racket or should she just concentrate on her studies and enjoy the attentions of her handsome boyfriend Vivaan with whom she soon planned to tie the knot? More important, could she help Kamini without getting into really dangerous waters herself and risking her own life and the lives of all those whom she loved? 'Some love....' unravels the rare path taken by a gutsy, urban collegian and the repercussions it has on her life.


The cover page of the book shows a young girl with some mixed looks and the title gives glimpses of a story which can take hearts away. The blurb focuses on Riya who is ambitious and wants to become a politician one day but is in a fix too because of her friend Kamini and then comes Vivaan the love of her life and it unfolds a series of events which might change the entire landscape in Riya's life. So is it just a love story or a love story with a message. Let's sort it out for the readers.


The story starts off with Riya a small town girl with big dreams in her eyes and her conservative parents strictly against her dreams. Luck favors the brave and she lands up in Delhi to fulfill her dreams. She befriends Kamini and later finds out some shocking stories about her which make her feel helpless in that situation. Along all this drama comes Vivaan whom she admires a lot from the first day in her college and then love blossoms between the two. But Kamini's problems lands up Riya in a huge political mess which threatens to spoil her life. She somehow musters strength and with the help of few people just tries to get to the roots of the problem and help her friend and the society too.


The story is smooth and it's not a very long book by any means. It's a flashback of events that happened in Riya's life The chapters in the first half are about dreams & ambitions of a girl and love knocking on her heart's door. The mushy love story has a parallel plot i.e thriller which runs in tandem with the love story. The thriller part tries to highlight the dirty politics and trafficking of girls and drug abuse in the society. The authors have done complete justice to both the stories. They have successfully managed to capture the essence of love and the filthy elements of the society and blended them into one story. The poems towards the end and the emotions of a struggling soul are best described by the authors. The characters have been built up and maneuvered around quite beautifully in the story.

The editing is not so good with spelling mistakes in the story and few abbreviations and spacing errors occurring at various places in the story. The marriage part has been stretched far too much in the latter half of the book. It could have been kept a little smaller. The Vikas & Anjali part was unnecessary towards the end of the story. Social causes don't invite jealousy which looked out of sorts in terms of the story of the book.


The books leaves a lovely message for the readers that no matter what the odds if you have will and courage to fight the evil, then nobody can deter you from your path.Sometimes success comes at a sacrifice in life is another very important message in this book.  Readers will get to enjoy a love cum thriller story. The latter half might feel a little overstretched but the end of the story will make up for that dullness. It's a story with an important message for the readers and the society.

RATINGS:

3 OUT OF 5

Chit-Chor!!

ghanghor ghata kaale badal
bijli kadke goonje ambar
chit chor hua mann ye mera
chit chor hua..


patte geele dharti bheegi
jhoom utha saawan
chit chor hua mann aaj mera
chit chor hua..

pyaasa hai van pyaasi aankhein
par boondon ne ki halki thirkan
chit chor hua mann ye mera
chit chor hua..

bheege ye mann jo mera
pyaas bujhe jag jeevan ki
chit chor hua mann ye mera
chit chor hua..

lehrein jhoomi jhoome pakshi
layi apne sang ek jot nayi
chit chor hua maan ye mera
chit chor hua.

mor bhi naache aur naache har insaan
tu gaye har dil ka geet jaga de ek nayi umeed
chit chor hua mann ye mera
chit chor hua.

hum gayein khushi ke geet re
tu pyaas bujha dharti ki zara
chit chor hua mann ye mera
chit chor hua..

Monday, July 22, 2013

Review: Long Distance Relationship by Rachit Bhushan

Love. It's a feeling which has not fitting description for it. Every human being experiences it one or the other time in his/her life. We all have out experiences. Novels have become a medium to portray love in the best possible manner in front of our audiences and gain something out of the author's experiences. Long Distance Relationship by author Rachit Bhushan is one more attempt to portray love of a person. Will the book survive the onslaught of other love stories or will it fizzle out? Let's find out.

A novel which has emotions like never before has sacrifices that gives love a new definition and has romance that intensifies with every page. The story where it has family to friends has beautiful beginning but has different ends. A journey where 2 hearts beat but it is just one name that they repeat. All that can be said about this story is to love someone is the best thing for few.....but to be loved by same someone........ Does destiny has the same fate for every one of you? 


The cover page looks well structured in accordance with the title. The blurb just gives a slight hint about what to expect from the story without mentioning the protagonist's name. The title itself gives an impression of a long distance relationship story of two lovers. But is there more than meets the eye? Next few paragraphs will clear out all for the readers. 

The story revolves around a young and a simple boy Rishi who has dreams and aspiration to become a successful engineer. He is focused, dedicated, obedient and possesses good looks too. He is way too simple for the worldly riches. Things change around when he is introduced to the world of Internet and what follows up is a story which will make hearts ache, love blossom and expectations crush within few moments. Then there's Pooja a childhood friend of Rishi & next door neighbor who's been secretly harvesting love in her heart for Rishi. What will happen when Rishi will come to know about it and how will he handle everything is the story. 

The book is an editorial disaster. It's full of mistakes. Spelling mistakes, grammatical mistakes and the Hindi words have been written wrong at many places and at many places even words are missing too changing the meaning of the sentence completely. The index is another disaster without any page numbers for the chapters. It has fairly long paragraphs and lack of punctuation marks and poor editing just makes it a sore for the eyes. 

The story has a lot of promise in it with lots of twists and turns in the latter half. The first half will cover the lovey dovey mushy moments of Rishi & Anjali and their online love story which is not a new concept. The latter half brings Pooja and her undiscovered love for Rishi in the limelight leaving him in the lurch which makes things really interesting towards the end. The emotions of a mother and some untold secrets in the last few chapters are heart tearing. It has a right kind of mix of emotions in it. 


The presentation is very shabby with a poorly edited book pushed in the market for the readers. It gives a look of a rough manuscript full of errors and mistakes nearly on each and every page of the book. The mixture of Hindi & English ain't so smooth. The plot in the second half is the only saving grace for the story. A lot was expected from it but an editorial disaster like this will kill the charm of the story completely and will leave the readers annoyed and exhausted. 


RATINGS: 

2 OUT OF 5.  

You & Me!!

It was a fiery night
the wind blowing with all its might
there I was with you
and the stars twinkling in the backlight. 

It was a perfect twilight
the light of the moon was bright
there I was with you with a delight
and the eyes shined bright. 

It was a mesmerizing sight
the silence of the midnight
there I was with you with tonight
and our lips quivered with fright.

It was a fiery night
the wind blowing with all its might
there I was with you
and you and me and our love tonight.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Review: It Started with a Friend Request By Sudeep Nagarkar

It is the most hyped novel of this year. It is the third novel of author Sudeep Nagarkar. It's been titled "It Started with a Friend Request". There's lot more to it than a title. But has Sudeep Nagakar been able to pull off some kind of a surprise out of the box for the readers or is it going down in the history as another love story? Let's find out. 

A brand new love story from the bestselling author of Few Things Left Unsaid and That’s the Way We Met!Why don’t we feel the moment when we fall in love but always remember when it ends?
Akash is young, single, and conservative with a preference for girls with brains than in miniskirts. One day, he runs into free-spirited Aleesha at a local discotheque. A Mass Media student, Aleesha is a pampered brat, the only child of her parents who dote on her. This brief meeting leads them to exchange their BlackBerry pins and they begin chatting regularly. As BlackBerry plays cupid, they fall in love. When they hit a rough patch in their life, Aditya, Akash’s close pal, guides them through it.
But just when they are about to take their relationship to the next level, a sudden misfortune strikes. Can Aditya bring Akash’s derailed life back on track?
It Started with a Friend Request is a true story which will make you believe in love like you never knew before.


The most exciting book of the season and with an excellent cover and a catchy title. This novel is already making headlines everywhere. The blurb is nothing unusual nor compelling enough to catch the reader's attention. It's about two people Akash & Aleesha who hit cupid and their love story suddenly hits a rough patch and then Aditya comes out all guns blazing and help the two lovers rekindle back their lost moments. So is it enough to hold the fort? Next few paragraphs will carve out the entire image of the novel in front of you. 

The story is a love story with the lead protagonist Akash as a shy and an ambitious and a fun loving person falls in love with Aleesha who is young charming and hot enough to take anybody's breath away in a single glance. They meet by chance, they fall in love. As it is said true love never runs a smooth course so is this love story. There's Tamanna Kapoor the god mother cum sister for Aleesha and a strict and introvert professional for Deep. But she has a dark side to herself. Then's there's Aditya & Kritika who act as supporting pillars for the two lovers Akash & Aleesha. But all fell apart because of a misunderstanding and then it's up to Akash to restore faith in the world and more importantly Aleesha that he is innocent and committed only to her. 

The story in the first half is completely a regular narration with nothing sparkling in it to make it a ever remembering love story. It has glimpses of stories which have been read by readers time and time again in so many books with not a pinch of newness in it. The only saving grace of the story comes in the second half where Tamanna & Deep take charge of the plot and things go haywire from there in everyone's life. It's the only added drama that makes the book a little interesting towards the end. The narration is smooth and reader's won't find it too tiring on them to read. 

It's an easy paced novel with a glimpse of thrill in it towards the end of the book which makes the plot fairly predictable towards the end. The first half generates only a slight interest with only a few parts like the love proposal for Aleesha by Akash which is very unique and fairly a new idea employed in a book. It had been hyped too much and has fallen flat on my expectations. The title just doesn't gets justified by any means in the story. 

It's not worth the hype and a fairly predictable plot and an average looking love story might take away all the charm from it and probably the thrill element comes too late in the plot to make it more effective as a thriller romantic story. It's all too easy and fairly predictable and a very flat attempt at making things interesting for the readers. 

RATINGS: 

2 OUT 5. 

Review: A Half Baked Love Story by Anurag Garg & Gunjan Narang

Love stories, love stories & love stories. There are too many of them right now in the market to read. It's a trend which can never die. What I got in my hands right now is one more love story in this ever increasing list of love stories. It's called " A Half Baked Love Story". It's been written by authors Anurag Garg & Gunjan Narang. So is there anything special in this novel or is it really a half baked recipe for the readers? Let's check it out. 

Have you ever: Been a prey to love at first sight? Proposed your girl after boozing and fainted before knowing her answer? Went to your first date with an empty wallet? Got caught kissing your girl by none other than her father? Risked your IIT exam 'to meet her for the last time'?
Well, if this excites you enough, here is an enchanting read for you all, A Half-Baked Love Story!
The book unfolds a candid narration by a love struck, dumb struck and spellbound guy, Aarav, who confesses every last detail of his love story to his drunkard friends on a new year night. The tale of his first love Anamika. This story is a feel good love story of these two very different characters as they understand the Pangs and Pleasures of first love while battling with the situations that life has placed them in. The book takes a dig at our so called 'modern society' and peer pressure in one's life.
Just when life seems perfect, Love chooses its own routes. From the first glimpse to the last letter! What happens finally?


The cover page is decent. Its neither flashy nor glossy. It's simple. But what appeals on the cover the most is the title "A Half Baked Love Story". Some readers might even seriously consider it a cook book. It's not. The blurb in a first few lines leave an impression of a regular love story with a little bit of love,breakup and tempers soaring high but the last few lines hit the right chord. So are these last few lines enough to pull out a magical story out of the box? Let's check it out.

The story revolves around the protagonist Aarav who believes in multiple flings, is carefree, loads of attitude, some non sense friends and lots of booze and chicks fluttering around him all the time. He is a typical filthy rich guy who just doesn't cares about the opposite's sex sentiments and their feelings. He toys with the feelings of Radhika and in turn becomes more abusive and aggressive to the people around him. But there's one more side to him unknown to others, a past which has enough in it to make one's heart melt like wax. It goes down into memory lane and reveals a darker truth, a bitter truth of Aarav's life to whom he is the only witness and which altered him entirely. It;s not about Aarav entirely, a few other noticeable characters like a misfit bulky out of sort friend Karan, a caring Sunaina & the first and foremost love of Aarav i.e Anamika the cute little Bengali girl have made the plot really very interesting.

The authors have made a rush of a story in the first half with some college settings, make outs and typical college conversations. It just takes all the charm away from the readers. The pace is suitable but the story doesn't lives up to the expectation. But there's a twist to it when the entire plot shifts back into time. The second half i.e the past reflects the true potential of the story. It'll make you laugh, it'll make your heart doodle, it'll make you cry and in the end it'll silence you for sometime or rather a little bit more. The second half of the book is straight out of the heart of the authors. The whole purpose of the book gets summarized in it.

The book is only half baked in the first half where notable spacing errors are irritating for the eyes. These spacing errors are spread out in the book at many places. Poor editing. The narration is good in first half but the plot is dull. The entire soul of the book lies in Aarav's past i.e the second half of the story. It's more than enough to connect with the reader instantly. Few notable letters and imaginations and a poem towards the end are perfect in every sense.

It's a mix & match story where two cultures will collide and lots of ups and downs will happen and an unexpected ending which will take the reader's breath away. It'll make up for the first few dull chapters. Patience is an essential ingredient while reading this novel. It's a lover's delight and gut wrenching for few who still have some desires of love left in them from their past.

RATINGS:

4 OUT OF 5.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Review: I am Heartless: A Real Confession by Vinit K Bansal

Some love stories never die. Some are written in blood and some are filled with some gory details. Vinit K Bansal in his debut novel has adopted an unique style of confession in which the lead protagonist goes back into time and unfolds his life in front of his loved ones which ultimately led to his downfall. But is this confession enough to make it a readable love story? Let's find out. 

“This is not only a story rather it is real confession of a lover”
The story revolves around VIREN who is a day dreamer, an egoistic, a hopeless romantic and an attention seeker afflicted with a bizarre madness and arrogance engulfing him. It is the story of his life which encompasses love, dedication, eccentricity, friendship and overall his discovery of his true love and also the anguish of losing it due to his obstinacy and self-centeredness. It is a repertoire of moments coated with velvetiness of love and bruised by the thorns of betrayal. It highlights the situations which ultimately turn him into a devil, who wants to annihilate the whole world with his impiety, consequences being the least he cares about; and eventually loses his happiness, identity and even himself in this process.
I could neither speak in words, nor could ever write it down
The loneliness, the emptiness your absence left behind....
Those moments spent in the warmth of your cuddle Still linger in a cruel heart...... in a guilty mind!!!
Whenever I dream, I see you so tranquil Can I trace the reason of my going away and getting back never?
If by closing my eyes I see you happy sweetheart, I promise I shall close my eyes FOREVER! 


The cover is excellent and full of emotions and the blurb has been written very well. It gives an idea about the protagonist who has been defined with the help of few adjectives by the author. All three of these things are very important in order to catch the readers grasp and the author has made sincere efforts in order to catch the attention of the readers. 

The story revolves around Viren and his college and professional life. His journey from a shy boy to an arrogant soul. His carefree attitude. His unnecessary indulgences. His love tryst. His compatibility issues, his confusions and in the end his defeat at the hands of destiny which he chooses for himself. The characters involved in the story be his imaginary Pari or his college friends Max, Jiya or his one and only best friend Manasi they are the characters which have taken equal weight in the story. Manasi will assume a role of friend, philosopher, guide and a lovely soul which will make some readers mesmerized at the end of the book. 

The narration of the story in the first half of the book is simple and there's nothing extraordinary about it. It all changes in the second half when Manasi steps in Viren's life. From there on the flow of the book, the emotions, the heart crunching dialogues and the selfless love will leave the readers hooked to it. The author has chosen a simple yet very serene style of writing which makes the readers heart pump. Some conversations between Manasi & Viren are worth reading again and again. The emotional ending and prologue are written keeping in mind the exact amount of emotions required in the story. 

Lovers can get some real life lessons from this story. Manasi is a very inspiring character in it. Whatever charm the book lacks in the first half, is made up for in the second half. It's really not a confession it's a heart crying out at it's ignorance, unnecessary arrogance and craving for those lost moments once again. The soul of the readers will be dipped in it for quite sometime. 

RATINGS: 

4 OUT OF 5.