Review: Me N Her- A Strange Feeling by Rikky Bhartia

Love while some say it's an over-rated emotion others who are able to carry it beautifully totally disagree to it and have counter arguments of their own. It's a journey of a lifetime and happens to everyone for once. Author Rikky Bhartia in his debut novel "Me "N" Her-A Strange Feeling" has penned down a love story with some touch of elegance to it. So has he done it with flair? Let's find out. 

Love, Life, Separation? Love - Implies three words smiles, tears and endings. Endings are not always happy, yet they leave a mark in our lives in some way. Me N Her A Strange Feeling is an involving and intriguing love story of two young people, of strangers, whose paths cross and lead to strange feelings, later discovered as love. Harsh is passionate and ambitious but forgets his ambition when he meets Janvi. Janvi loves to dream, but is lost in life reasons unknown. At the height of their celebration a strange twist in life happens, that changes everything forever. Love is what brings them close and love is what separates them. Does love change with time? Is it possible to fall in love repeatedly with the same person? Harsh and Janvi give you every answer, their love story will remind you of your first love. Its unexpected ending will bring tears and smiles.

 

First look at the title and the cover and a lot of things will come in a readers mind. It's a mixed feeling as what to expect from this novel. The cover image is a good one but could have been done in a much better way. The blurb talks about love and the emotions associated with it and it's effect on the life of two people. It's a very good blurb giving out very little and engaging the readers curiosity. 

The story is of Harsh Bhartia & Janvi Aggarwal. Both of them join the same company and on the first day they become partners in their office. With time Harsh tries to get close to her but Janvi rebukes his advances and lays a line which is not supposed to be cross by him. But time changes it all and their office partner status is changed into friendship which gradually culminates in to a fruitful relationship. But a lot is on the line when things don't go their way and they find themselves stuck in a similar yet compelling situation. So will Harsh & Janvi be together? Will Janvi be able to accept her present and move on from her past? What will Harsh be able to do for her and for him? Will this story end on a happy or a sad note? That's what it is all about. 

One word which comes in mind after reading the story is elegance. It's a story with simplest of narrations but done very beautifully by the author. It has been decked up with all sorts of emotions and all kinds of situations which a normal person encounters in day to day life. The ups and downs, the joy and sorrows, the dilemma and the ease with which everything has been handled in the story has been done perfectly. The poems and shayari adds up a beautiful effect to the entire saga. It's like a free flowing river with an aura of calm, upheaval and comfort and discomfort. 

The only downside of the book is the use of word "yaar" which should have been kept less. Few Hindi word spellings are not correct. 

It's a simple story with lot's of grace and clean touch to it. It has been presented in a very positive manner and the move from past to present and again past then present is worth every minute. It's a book with a lot of hope and spirit to it. It's an endless feel of love and the attachments which come with it. It's a perfect flavor of love and friendship this season. 

RATINGS:

4 OUT OF 5 

Review: 244 Days: A Life by Partha Saha

Love is a bug which bites very hard. It either leaves you high or completely dry. Be it a man or a woman there are a lot of considerations before the two decide to fall in love. Author Partha Saha in his debut book "244 Days: A Life" has tried his hand on a love story. So has he put anything new for the readers? Let's find out.

Have you ever developed a best friendship through Facebook?
How many ways have you ever tried to convince your girl?
Have you ever done loyalty test on your partner?
How many times have you split up your relation and again patched up?
Have you ever felt about being a patient of Love?
Its a story of one dorky couple whose love was in the sky to fly but Alas! Negative emotions and maker of their relation tricked and they got separated. The boy begged her to come back but she didn't respond. The boy screamed but she didn't want to hear that. At last the boy thought patience is not a virtue, its a waste of time and being impatient made a blunder, when she came back to his life it had been too late. She got to know everything about being embedded to crime. He repented for his mistake and penanced. Now what do you think, can they meet again? Lets switch to 244 days a life.

First look at the title and the cover and the readers will fall in love with it. The colors of the cover image could have been done more tastefully. The title is pretty different from what readers generally see on the other book covers. The blurb talks about love and it's implications in two people's lives. It's a good blurb leaving thing on readers imaginations. 

The story is of Bunty a typical college boy who is bitten by internet and chatting mania. His life goes through a new phase when he accidentally befriends Babli online and from there on starts a friendship. Things progress slowly and steadily as they both fall in love with each other. But with time the haste in commitment results in cracks and insecurities and emotional dilemmas too. So will their love be able to withstand the test of time? Will it be the first and last time Bunty falls in love with someone? What role Babli will play in Bunty's life? That's what the story is all about. 

It's a love story with two young lovers and a lot masala in it for the readers. A message to the readers that never commit in haste. 

The downside of the book is it's weak narration and story line. It has nothing new to offer in terms of love and romance. The concept is an old and over used one. A lot more could have been done with the story line and the author could have tinkered with better ways to portray love. 

The book overall is for hopeless romantics but disappoints on a lot of counts. It could have been made better in terms of narration and a newish idea of love between two people. It falls flat and from there on it's a struggle to relate to it. 

RATINGS: 

2 OUT OF 5

Review: Corporate Karma Is A Bitch by Piyush Sachdeva

Corporate world has a lot to offer to the employees. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it comes in the form of disaster. Either ways the motto of an employee is to accept the positives and negatives and take strides towards the goal. Author Piyush Sachdeva in his debut book "Corporate Karma Is A Bitch" tells one such corporate story. So has he got the ingredients right? Let's find out. 

Once an out of job MBA, Prateek remains optimistic and eventually lands his dream job in a retail firm. But a few months later he is just seconds away from a painful death at the hands of a sinister and ruthless serial killer.
It wasn’t meant to be this way. How did he get to this point?His dream job turns out to be a nightmare when it lands him in the epicenter of a dubious, larger than life blackmailing scandal. Slowly but gradually greed sets in and blinds Prateek’s judgment making him a co-conspirator in the largest scam this country has ever seen. What should have been a fast paced, intellectually challenging, glamorous and a lucrative job turns into a vicious circle of a scam, greed, lust, politics, blackmailing and sex. Prateek soon realizes that Corporate Karma is a Bitch. But it’s too late. He is in way too deep.
Now will Prateek die? Will he pay the ultimate price for his sins? Will he go to prison? Or can he pick up the pieces one last time, rise from the ashes and turn his life around. Come and be a part of Prateek’s roller coaster journey in the Big-Bad Corporate World.

First look at the title and the cover and it says it all. The cover could have been done a bit more tastefully. It's too dark. The title is a hint and an idea of what to expect from the story. The blurb talks about a man and his corporate adventures. It's a blurb which reveals a bit more than what is required. It could have been kept shorter. 

The story revolves around Prateek an MBA graduate who is out of job because of the recession. Then suddenly his luck strikes gold as one of the biggest firms of the country U Rock offers him a job and he joins immediately. His childhood crush also happens to be in the same office and it becomes a delightful start for him. But after sometime few events in his office and his angry boss Sunil makes life miserable for him. From there on his love, career and personal life all go for a toss as nobody including himself is able to sort out the mess he is into. So will Piyush be able to come to terms with the corporate world? So is Amrita going to be his love forever? How will his equation with Sunil hold till the end? That's what the story is all about. 

Corporate world is one big bad world for many and that is what happens here in the story for the protagonist. It runs on the line of exposing the darker side of the corporate set up. The story has interesting twists and a very intriguing story line and some surprises have been spread out very tastefully across the book. The narration is very fluid and simple and the readers will find themselves at ease with the whole book. The end and the whole thought process in the book has a different perspective to it. 

The downside of the book is editing and the sex part which has been overdone too much in the book. It could have been cut down easily by the author. 

Overall the story has a touch of everything what a corporate world employee tends to face at times. It has some big hot shot real life scenarios used up and some interesting quirky set up too. It's a story which has enough firepower in it to keep the readers engaged till the very end. 

RATINGS: 

3 OUT OF 5

Review: The Shadow Throne by Aroon Raman

Unusual thrillers are a rarity. Blended with politics is indeed something which has to pondered and read about. Author Aroon Raman in his book "The Shadow Throne" has something up his sleeve for the readers in the form of thriller. So has it enough thrills in it? Let's find out. 

A mysterious murder at the Qutub Minar triggers a call to ace journalist Chandrasekhar from his cop acquaintance, Inspector Syed Ali Hassan. The victim is unlike anyone Chandra has ever seen: a white Caucasian male who has all the looks of a throwback to Greek antiquity. Soon after, Hassan calls in to report the case has been taken away from him in all likelihood by RAW the Research & Analysis Wing, the uber-agency of Indian intelligence.What began as a murder enquiry soon morphs into a deadly game of hide-and-seek within the shadowy world of Pakistan’s ISI and India’s RAW; and Chandra, his friend history professor Meenakshi Pirzada and Hassan find themselves in a race against time to avert a sub-continental nuclear holocaust. As the action moves to its hair-raising climax among the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan, Chandra must face up to the fact that Inspector Hassan is not all that he seems…

First look at the cover and the title and the smell of a thriller cooking hits the readers senses. The cover image could have been more thought provoking than what it is right now. The titles arouses interest and intrigues one's mind. The blurb talks about few people and some escalating tensions between India & Pakistan. It's a blurb which could have concealed a lot more than what it has in it right now. 

The story starts with Chandra a journalist who is devastated by the loss of his wife and is a loner. He is suddenly brought on a case by his friend Inspector Hassan involving the murder of a Caucasian male in Qutub Minar. Things are not clear leading to the mystery behind the death of the man as overnight developments throw the whole investigation off course. From there on it's a struggle for survival as it's a much more deeper controversy spanning over three countries and making everyone run for their lives and to protect the nation's interest. So what will happen to Chandra & Hassan? What role Meenakshi and the govt. plays in the entire incident? What will be the fate of India & Pakistan? That's what the story is all about. 

It's a cruising thriller with a lot of emphasis on the relations of India-Pakistan and India-Afghanistan and some fiction thrill in the form of murder, mystery and some deep dark secrets few ancient and few present. The pace is very fluid and taxing for the readers. Deep analysis of the political scenario and real life incidents make it all the more exciting for the readers. The story is very action packed towards the end and in the second half. 

The downside of the book is it's dragging nature. It could have been easily cut down by keeping some narrations and details short. The historical angle doesn't makes an exciting prospect at times. It's found wanting at times in the whole story. The first half could have been revved up more in terms of thrill. 

All in all it's a very different kind of approach to a thriller with both political and historical angle involved in it. The book is found short of entertainment at times but at the same time has a lot of potential to keep the interest aroused of the readers. It's a mix of past. present and a looming future. 

RATINGS: 

3 OUT OF 5 

Review: The Edge Of Power by Tuhin A Sinha

There are not many books today which highlight the exact state of political arena of our country. Facts and figures are a mere representation of what has happened to one the most powerful nations of the world. Author Tuhin A Sinha in his latest book "The Edge Of Power" has gone a step ahead and chalked out something special for the readers. So is it the exact presentation of the current scenario? Let's find out. 

The heinous gang-rape of Nirbhaya has jolted the Indian nation out of its apathy. But rape and violence against women are only symptomatic of a deeper malaise that ails the nation: the total collapse of governance under the weak and vacillating PM, Devender Singh. Ironically, aiding the PM and his Indian Democratic Party (IDP)s cling to power is a casual and largely indifferent Opposition led by the venal Ravi Nehra. A ray of hope finally emerges when ex-journalist and RTI activist Daivik Verma and the gorgeous Catherine Khan, a leading Bollywood film-star with a mysterious lineage, decide to challenge the existing system by floating a new political party. But lack of funds and cadre support thwarts their efforts, their only recourse being Shruti Ranjan, who had sworn off politics three years ago. Will Nirbhayas gruesome rape and her subsequent death bring a disillusioned Shruti Ranjan back into the political fray, dominated by crime lords and bankrolled by industrial barons? Will the trio manage to stage a coup and dethrone Indias worst regime? Will the land of great leaders like Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka and Akbar, finally get a dynamic Prime Minister she so badly needs? A racy political thriller, The Edge of Power is a powerful inquiry into the underbelly of Indian politics. It raises important questions over the funding of Indian political parties, while presenting Shruti Ranjan, the immensely popular protagonist of The Edge of Desire, in a refreshingly new, resurgent avatar 

First look at the title and the cover and the readers will be filled with a lot of pre-conceived notions about the book and it's story line. It carries on from where the last novel was left off. The staring eyes and the the title are enough to stir a lot of emotions inside a reader. The blurb talks about Shruti Ranjan and her dealing and other people who are going to be associated with her this time. It's a blurb which conceals the all important parts of the story and makes the readers eager to find out about the book. 

The story starts from Nirbhaya's gang rape and the public outrage against it. A dummy government led by PM Devender Singh and an opposition party called Jan-Hit led by Ravi Nehra trying to maneuver the situation in their favor. But the failed attempts of political honchos in salvaging the whole incident leads to rise of Daivik Verma and his outfit ABP along with Catherine Khan a small time TV actress. They try to bring back Shruti Ranjan in the fray who has isolated herself from the worldly pleasures. But they don't know what awaits them ahead is a long and a brutal battle of rights, justice and a clean political system. It's a fight for power and a corruption free country. So will Daivik Verma be able to survive the onslaught? Will IDP and Jan-Hit party be able to save themselves from this wave of anger and disgust? What role Shruti Ranjan will play in the lives of people and for the country? That's what the story is all about. 

It's an enchanting story. No stone has been left unturned in order to get the facts and presentation of real life incidents right. The apt description and molding the entire scenario into a fiction story based on realism is a commendable effort. The meticulous research is reflected the way whole story moves around. It's dirty, brutal, gory, dark, emotional and ruthless. The political scenario has been fitted well in the agenda and Shruti Ranjan is back with a bang in the story. It's pacy and provokes the readers to ask for more while turning the pages. Nothing in the story nor the characters are out of place. It all has been woven with precision and care taking care of the sentiments of the people and the readers. 

There are no downsides of the book whatsoever. 

It's a perfect recipe served given the current state of affairs of the country. It exposed a lot and during the entire story it challenges the mind of the readers in one way or the other. The descriptive narration, the emotional high and lows and the brutal and dirty aspects of politics all come tumbling out through this book. It'll take you for a spin and then jolt you out of the reverie and make it worthwhile the time and money you spent on it. It is a book written with complete authority. 

RATINGS: 

5 OUT OF 5 

Review: Nazaqat by Sasha H Singhal

There have been a lot of instance where some stories have left you amazed and a deep impact on your mind. While some have appalled the reader's taste and made them think why such books are written. Author Sasha H Singhal in her book "Nazaqat" narrates a story which is up for a test by the readers. So will it be able to survive the test? Let's find out. 

A prostitute turned entrepreneur, who hires a ghost writer to make a biography. A murder that she was accused for and her vision to legalize prostitution completely in India. A parallel conspiracy that threatens her life and her vision. A forgotten tale of mermaid, that must be told. Time is ticking and history would be altered. What would be the fate of Nazaqat? Will she succeed in her vision or she would end up as a victim?  

First look at the title and the cover image and a reader is convinced that it's a woman oriented story. There is a touch of delicacy and an added flavor to the title. The girl on the cover page along with the chandelier just adds to the curiosity of the reader. The blurb is unusually lengthy but talks about a woman and her life. It could have been cut down a bit in order to add more zing to the complete presentation. 

The story is of Naazani Singh Shekhawat and her tirades of past and future. She is in a deep mess as she has been accused of a murder. Plus she wants to legalize prostitution in India. She hires a writer and decides to reveal all about her through the means of a book. The writer too is interested in her story. So what does Naazani has to tell about her past? How much is she going to suffer in her present? Will she come out clean or be a victim of the system? What happens when the past and the future collide with each other. That's what the story is all about. 

The story is one roller coaster ride of your life. It'll take you to the top of a mountain and then bring back to the earth the very next instant. The brilliant narration accompanied with the thrill, the drama and the uniqueness of the story line is a complete package for the reader. The poems are marvelous and the touch of subtle yet convincing narration makes it all the more exciting for the readers eyes. The concept behind the whole story and the surprises unfurling throughout spices up the entire book. 

The downside of the book is it's hurried end. The end could have been tamed and been maintained in the same flow as the whole story.  

It's a very creative presentation on the part of the writer. Many social issues have been covered with the help of this book. There are laughs, there are cries, there's joy and there are sorrows. It's a lesson in a way for many. The amazing script along with powerful characters makes it a money worth experience for the readers. 

RATINGS: 

4 OUT OF 5

Review: You Can't Fight A Royal Attraction by Ruchi Vasudeva

Mills & Boons is the one on which many young readers have grew up. Not to forget the latest surge of Indian authors making their way into this sensual romantic genre. Light on read and heavy on entertainment have been the USP of M & B. Author Ruchi Vasudeva in her Mills & Boons presentation "You Can't Fight A Royal Attraction" tries to administer yet another dosage of fun and romance. So has she lived up to the expectations of the readers. Let's find out. 

The last thing Rihaan needs in his life is to play a host to a woman who drives him crazy, Saira is gorgeous, yes, but she's also widlly infuriating. Yet every time she comes within an inch of him he finds his normally iron - clad control slipping further and further away Wanting to protect herself from more heartbreak, Saira knows she should keep her distance from Rihaan but there's something about him she just can't seem to resist Little does she know that Rihaan is hiding a secret. When it comes to light will it tear them apart or raise their passion to new more majestic heights?

First look at the cover and the title and the feel of M & B captivates the readers. The attractive and realistic cover image is a delight for the eyes. The blurb talks about two people and their lives entwined together on a journey far from real. It's a good blurb in the context that it doesn't gives out the entire gist of the story. It's short and has enough to give a feel of what's coming next for the readers. 

The story is about Rihaan a handsome young man and Saira a love torn girl who is not able to forget her past and live in the present. Their chance meeting ends up with lots of unsaid things and from there on it's all about exchanges, love, romance and the old skeletons tumbling out of the closet. But there's more to it than meets the eye. What is Rihaan upto? Will Saira be able to overcome her past? What is in store for both of them? That's what the story is all about. 

The striking part of the entire book is narration and vivid romantic encounters. High on detail and balanced on mind for the readers it's a mixture of delightful exchanges and confused human emotions coming out one way or the other. The first half is much more enchanting and leads the readers into a fairy tale romantic journey. The past and the present have been spread out in equality throughout the book which makes it all the more enjoyable. 

The downside of the book is it's an off color second half. It lacks the depth and intensity like the first half. The story's twist and turns could have been made more captivating and convincing to give it a befitting end. 

It's a typical Mills & Boons presentation with high octane drama, romance and sobs but in the end it has a touch of freshness to it and makes the readers go through it quite easily. It's not the perfect romance saga but has a feel good factor in it which will make the readers sing and dance along with it. 

RATINGS: 

4 OUT OF 5