Book Review: City Times and other poems by Vihang A. Naik

Book Name: City Times and other poems

Poet: Vihang A. Naik

Review:

Love Song of a Journeyman

As the name suggests, this section talks about travelling and journey - be it journey to some place or journey of life. The poems are short and strike the right chord. The poem 'Your upholding' makes you draw a picture in your minds. 'Time' has a very deep meaning. Both, 'Your upholding' and 'Time', are my favorite poems from this section.

Mirrored Man

A quick peek at what man has become now-a- days is all this section about. The poem 'Spiders may have' talks about how a spider takes an unexplored area, builds a web and makes most out of it. The poem 'Not only crabs walks' discusses the manner in which the crabs walk. We all are aware of chameleons and his ability to change colors. Through the poems, the poet wishes to tell us about what a man has come to become these days. Hatred, jealousy, deceit, darkness resides in him. He has become a slave to all materialistic things. He has put on a mask on himself and his actions. This section of poems shows a mirror image of the common man now-a- days.

The Path of Wisdom

The Path of Wisdom contains poems which impart some message to us about life. Some of the lessons that I learnt are:

• Patience is the key to success.
• Be careful with your words.

Self Portrait

The only person I can be a better person than I was yesterday. The poem 'Self Portrait' reminded me of the

above line. Though it's a short poem, it has a wonderful message to give.

At The Shore

The sea shore is a place which exhibits almost all emotions of human beings. The shore expresses human desires, pleasures, voice in its own unique way. The next time I visit a sea shore, I am sure to be reminded of these poems.

City Times

This section of poems deals with the city life and various situations and conditions of people living in cities. These poems are realistic and talk truth.

I can sum up this collection of poems as a good collection. Simple language, awesome personification, real-life situations make this collection a good one. You will feel inspired, thoughtful. Reading this book on a Sunday evening with a cup of coffee will be a perfect combination.

I rate 'City Times and other poems' with 4/5 stars.

You can buy this good poem collection on Amazon.

Book Review: The Corridor of Uncertainty by Kiran Chandra

Book Name: The Corridor of Uncertainty

Author: Kiran Chandra

Publisher: White Falcon Publishing

Price: Rs. 250

Blurb:

Lalnagar, a locality in Bangalore, miniature of the city itself, housed different caste and creed. One of the largest religions of all was 'Cricket'. In a country where this game unites all where true religion divides, what happens when the cult of cricket collides with the real systems of faith? Will there be a further rift?

Karna's love and passion for Divya is as much as for the game. Karna and his friends, worshipers of the game, go through a pious and adventurous journey of conflict. They are guided by the principles of righteousness, sportsmanship, ethics and fair play by Mr. Iyer and most importantly the confidence instilled by their mentor Nawab Khan. They have to gain self belief, which leads them to introspect. They recognise the true sense of Arthur Schopenhauer's quote 'Honour has not to be won; it must only not to be lost.' They ultimately win many hearts, but will Karna win the only heart he longs for?

Story in a nutshell:

This story is set in the times when the demolition of Babri Masjid had occurred. Kutti, a young boy in his teens, is a great fan of cricket along with his friends. He stays in a colony in which people from different religions, from different walks of life stay in harmony. Kutti and his friends play cricket everyday. There are tournaments held during holidays. Kutti and his friends give their best to the game. They never let failure dampen their sporting spirit. Will the demolition affect the people of Kutti's colony? What happened during the match that led to the rift between the Hindus and Muslims of Kutti's colony? Is Kutti successful in  building good relations between his people?

Review:

'The Corridor of Uncertainty'- the title of this book is a mystery and the question why the book is named as this kept me womdering. I read the blurb and also, the one-line review about the book on the cover. It  seemed interesting.

I am not a great fan of cricket. I wondered whether I would be able to do enough justice to the book and the

review. I was confused. The moment I started reading this book, my confusion was cleared. I knew that I  would surely do justice to the book. Not even for a moment did I feel alien in the world of cricket. The  matches that Kutti and his friends played are very well-described. The situation of the game at the service of each ball and the subsequent scores. I really liked the way it is narrated.

Coming to the story part, wrapping up a story during the times of Babri Masjid Demolition which has cricket,

festivities, a crime-scene requires thoughtful plotting. And I must say that the author has done a commendable job. I liked the mystery about the crime scene from this story. You cannot predict what could happen next. The narration is simple and engaging. The characters are many. I remembered 'Tarak Mehta ka ulta chashma' when I read about Kutti and his colony.

In all, 'The Corridor of Uncertainty' is a treat for cricket lovers. The simple narration, amiable characters,

the engaging story and the lessons you learn cannot be missed. 

I rate:

Cover: 3/5

Characters: 4/5

Story: 4/5

I rate 'The Corridor of Uncertainty' with 4/5 stars.

You can buy this book on Amazon.

Book Review: Confused Bastards by Manav Vigg

Book Name: Confused Bastards

Author: Manav Vigg

Publisher: Srishti Publishers and Distributors

Price: Rs. 195

Blurb:

What happens when three entrepreneurs initiate a start-up which shocks the nation?

Aakash,Jai and Vivek are mostly usual in their ways,except for some.Struggling qith their own inner conflicts as well as tje cruel world outside, they decide to show the world their true potential. To make it big. But how?

They become the voice of the nation by starting up an online platform where people can upload unbashed, unapologetic videos, venting out their angst against people, politics,bosses,lovers, taboos, or just anything. Even the founders themselves.

The platform spreads like wild fire. But when has fire doused without burning a few! Confused Bastards is not just witty, gritty, fast-paced journey of three friends, it's also an intolerant story for a tolerant country!

Review:

Today's youth, many of them, dream of having an own start-up and making it big. This novel, Confused Bastards, is sure to motivate and inspire all those young minds.

The story is a modern day tale of three friends who dream of having a successful business. The three characters- Aakash, Jai and Vivek are poles apart, having different opinion and viewpoints. It is this difference that brings them together and makes them the best of buddies. Their friendship seems to be strong one. Their conversations are simply amazing. The story has been narrated in third person narrative in simple English. The events have been narrated in at a steady pace. There isn't any kind of hurry. This is the reason why you don't get bored with the novel. The story surprises you at many instances.

This novel teaches you a few lessons.

• If you want your life to change, you must be ready to take the risk.
• By letting go people and things you aren't liberating others but liberating self from unnecessary worries and stress.
• Whatever you do, believe that you are doing the right thing and give your best to it.
• Never give up!

Likes:

• The start-up idea.
• The three boy's we-wont- give-up attitude.

Dislikes:

• The font size could have been increased a bit. It would have enhanced the reading experience.
• The use of Hindi language in some places was a major turn-off.

I rate:

Cover: 3/5

Characters: 3.5/5

Story: 3.5/5

My overall rating for 'Confused Bastards' is 3.5/5 stars.

You can book your copies on Amazon.

Book Review: 8 Days a week by Niraj Satnalika

Book Name:  8 Days a week

Author: Niraj Satnalika

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Story in a nutshell:

8 Days a week is a story of Rohan Nanda who is fresh out with his MBA degree and has joined the IFICI Bank as a Sales Manager. Life seemed very interesting to him during his internship peroid at IFICI Bank but it is only during the actual job duration he has the taste of life. The initial days at work appear to be a piece of cake for Rohan. Few months into the job and he learns about the hardships faced by a person into sales. Is Rohan able to cope with the job pressure? Why is the book titled - 8 days a week?

Review:

The first thought that crossed my mind when I learnt that this book is about sales and salesmanship is the movie 'Rocket Singh - Salesman of the year'. I had enjoyed the movie and expected the book to be based on similar grounds. The book is divided into 4 parts - each narrating Rohan's condition at his job. The story appears to be a personal account and is narrated in a very casual manner. I had expected some terms about commerce and numbers everywhere. There are numbers and spreadsheets but they are minimal in number (a reason why this book won't be a boring read for people from non-commerce background.)

The story revolves around Rohan, the protagonist and his life as a salesperson. There are many characters in this story - Rohan's college friends, his office colleagues and his room-mates. However, the book doesn't mention anything about his family. I felt that adding a few incidents about his family would have strengthened the plot. The narration is in first person narrative. The language is simple. There have been many occurrences of Hindi words and dialogues. I personally feel that it could have been avoided. It did not prove to give me a good reading experience. Also, the author has provided details of Rohan's daily activities. It could have been presented in a better and more creative way.

We, the public, usually condemn the salesman who visit us. We never give a thought to the feelings of a salesperson. We fail to understand that the guy is doing his job just as we do ours. This book brings out the hardships faced by the salesman and talks about his feelings. It provides you an insight to the life of a salesperson. If you are searching for some light read, you should go for this book. It's a sweet attempt by the author to bring forward the life of a salesman.

I rate:

Cover:3/5

Characters: 2.5/5

Story: 3/5

My overall rating for 8 days a week is 3/5 stars.

You can buy your copies on Amazon.

Book Review: Married Virgins by Rituparna Deshmukh

Book Name: Married Virgins

Author: Rituparna Deshmukh

Publisher: Frog Books

Story in a  nutshell:

Raghav is a man in his marriageable age working in a well-established company in Delhi. He has had a tough relationship and found it really difficult to move on with his life. His routine is monotonic – hme-office-home. He doesn’t have many friends. He is a reserved person. Akira enters his life like a morning sun. He falls in love with her slowly and steadily.

Raghav is heartbroken when he realizes that Akira is in love with someone. The guy whom Akira loves is her childhood friend, Usain. Raghav accepts it and submits himself to fate.

Life isn’t a bed of roses for Akira either. Her parents are against Usain for he is muslim. After a numerous attempts to convince her parents and uncountable fights with Usain, Akira gives up. Matters further worsen when Usain demands for a physical relationship. Akira leaves him forever and agrees to her parents’ decision to get married. The very thought of some other man touching her disturbs her to the core and she remembers Raghav who had once mentioned to her that he wouldn’t mind not having sexual relationship with her. She gets married to Raghav with a promise of celibacy. Do they manage to keep the promise? What happens when Usain enters Akira’s life again?

Review:

The story is new and fresh. Celibacy is something that I had never read about. The plot has been crafted well. The incidents have been thoughtfully organized. However, I felt that some incidents had been exaggerated unnecessarily. The characters aren’t many and are crafted well. Each has a significant role to play and is as important as the others. Raghav’s family and the incidents that revolve around them gave me that homely feel and will instantly feel connected to them. Akira’s family failed to create that connection.

The story gave me a few lessons about relationships.

• In a relationship, It’s never me. It’s always we.
• Love means letting go and being happy that your partner is happy.
• Sex is not important in love.
• Love always put you to test. It is this test which determines the depth of your love for each other.

Spread across 400 (approximately) pages, Married Virgins is surely  a treat for romance lovers. It has all elements that you’ll find in a typical Bollywood movie. It has love, friendship, hatred, jealousy, sadness, sacrifice and action. It is one of those stories that will stay with you in long run. It is very well suited to be converted into a movie.

I rate:

Cover: 3.5/5

Characters: 3.5/5

Story: 4/5

My overall rating for Married Virgins is 4/5 stars.

You can book your copies here.

Book Review: Colours of Life by Inderjit Kaur

Book Name: Colours of Life

Authoress: Inderjit Kaur

Publisher: Notionpress

Review:

The Spiritual Violet – Inspiring

We meet many people on daily basis. A few of them touch our lives in a good way while some leave us hurt. The chapter ‘The Spiritual Violet’ tells us that it is we who decide how we feel. It is we alone who choose what is good and bad. When you allow others to affect your mood, your happiness, you are giving the key to your happiness to others. Don’t ever do that. Don’t ever be a victim. Take up stand for your happiness.

Wisdom Inked Indigo – Devotion.

Every struggle you face in your life makes you stronger. Do not consider struggle to be a problem, instead treat it as an opportunity to grow. Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself, in your hard work. Be devoted to the cause and trust that success will be yours!

Confident Blue – Peace, Relaxation.

When someone you love leaves your life, you always feel that void which never gets filled. No matter what you do, moving on with life, accepting the change seems difficult. The chapter ‘Confident Blue’ teaches you to move on in life not just for the heck of it. You should be confident and ready to accept the change. God never saddens his creations. The change is just a phase and will pass. Be calm and relax!

The Peacemaker Green – Growth, Peace.

If you hold on to something or some incident, you are giving a part of yourself to it. You are keeping yourself busy with its thoughts. You are worrying unnecessarily. You are hampering with your growth. ‘The Peacemaker Green’ tells you to let it all go. It suggests us to be positive. It encourages us to see the good inside the bad.

The Optimistic Yellow – Optimism.

What is our life if we don’t have any hope? Wont it be barren and dull? This chapter inculcates positive thoughts in us. It urges us to look forward to good things in life.

The Compassionate Orange – Compassion

We humans are comprised of varied emotions. These emotions are responsible for building us. We are fighting demons within ourselves. But is it necessary to show this to others? Wearing a smile on your face and being compassionate can make a difference.

The Courageous Red.

It is rightly said that courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. This chaoter advices us o never give up. Your path to success will always be a bumpy one. You should never lose hope, never give up and face all the problems with smile.

The authoress has taken into account the different colours of rainbow and given a message for lifetime. She explains her point with the help of a short story. The manner in which she has narrated those stories is exemplary. For a moment, I thought that I wasn’t reading but the authoress was talking to me. 

The Part B of the book gives you 38 lessons on developing a positive attitude, being hopeful, being responsible, identifying your potential, striving towards excellence – in short being a new you. These chapters yet again, have realistic narration. You will indeed feel that you are conversing with the author. These lessons if followed, will surely enhance your life. I don’t tell you to follow everything at once. But a chapter or two at a time.

I was caught in a very difficult situation few days back (the reason why I was late in reviewing). The ‘Rainbow’ part of the book has helped me a lot in facing the adversities. Give this book a chance. Disappointment will be miles away from you.

I rate:

Cover: 3/5

My overall rating for Colours of Life is 4.5/5 stars.

You can buy your copies on Amazon.

[Ask N Answer] Interview Session with Shravya Gunipudi

1. Hello Shravya. A warm welcome to you.

Thank you very much. I’m honored.

2. Tell us something about yourself.

I am a CA and CS. I am very passionate about any form of art, but mainly that of writing. I have always loved activities, be it sports, debates, painting, drama, essays, anything excepting for dancing (I have two left feet!). So, it was a pleasant surprise for me when I topped my college in my intermediate exams, given that I was never in class. 

One thing that nobody knows about me is that I love to study and hope to be learning something new every single day. 

3. How did 'writing' happen to you?

I have always said that I didn’t choose writing, it chose me. Ever since I was six years old, I found it more comforting to pour my heart out on paper than with another human being. I won my very first writing contest at the age of eight.

4. I learnt that your stories have been published in 17 anthologies. Could you share some details about the same with us?

My first anthology was Persona, a collection by IIM-C in 2014. Now, two years later, I have 19 stories published in 17 anthologies and am looking forward to taking part in three more to round it off to 20! 

5. An anthology - Yours Lovingly contains three love stories penned by you. What are these stories about?

This anthology, by yourstoryclub, is very close to my heart, because this was the same website that titled me as the ‘Best Writer, 2013’. The concept behind ‘Yours Lovingly’ is to pen down love letters in the form of stories. Usually, I am averse to ‘love’ as a genre but in this case, I found a unique opportunity to combine romance with other deep emotions. The story titled ‘A Bond beyond Love’ is about the past being relived through an emotional letter. ‘The Four Letter Word’ is based on a man who stumbles upon hate letters to his girlfriend from her exes and how they change his perception of her. My favourite, ‘One Name, Two Hearts’, is a tale surrounding blunders based on misconceptions and interchanged love letters.

6. I have also heard that you have written a crime story revolving around a murder. We want to know more about it.

I usually don’t venture into crime stories. This was my first attempt, and it won me a place in the notionpress anthology ’21 tales to tell’ out of over 500 authors who competed for this spot. It is about an officer, Robert, who is supposed to investigate a gruesome murder committed by a man that he sent to jail years ago. Throughout the story, Robert meets weird people and unexplainable circumstances, until the very end, where everything finally seems to make sense… with a shocking twist.

7. You have edited an anthology- Book of Dreams published by Numerique Publications. How was your experience?

That was such a wonderful experience. Ever since my school days, I have had a crazy passion over ‘English’, both as a language and as a subject. So, for me, it was a joyride, being able to explore this vast language through the minds of other authors. I loved doing it.

8. What is your opinion about getting published in anthologies?

When you want to start your writing journey, anthologies will give you the ability to view your writing through another person’s perspective. I firmly believe that never being rejected in an anthology was what gave me the confidence to go ahead with my debut novel.

9. Your novel - 'Turning Back Time' - What is it all about?

In an era surrounded by romance, my novel is anything but that. It is about the lives of four lonely people and how they drastically change a young caretaker’s view of her own existence. Turning Back Time is about loss, it is about exploration, it is about nostalgia, but mostly, it is about finding the path to realization of your own mistakes. The central theme is regret.

10. When did you decide/ What made you realise that it was high time you penned your novel?

I actually wrote it two years ago, but never really found the right space for it. Sadly, over 6 of the publishers I approached during that time wanted something ‘less serious’ and ‘more romantic’. I gave up. It was then that I saw Gargi Publishers post an update on Facebook about wanting novel submissions that were NOT of the romance genre. I knew then that the opportunity was tailor-made for me.

11. What inspired you to write Turning Back Time?

Inspiration can stem from the most unexpected places. One day, I was scrolling through my facebook feed when I saw an article titled ‘Top ten regrets people have before they die’. I didn’t even open the article. I just knew I had to make something out of it. That was how Turning Back Time was born. TBT’s essence stems from that one line I read in 2013.

12. Now that your novel will be out soon. How do you feel?

Anxious. Excited. Terrified.

I don’t know! There are a mixture of emotions running through my mind and heart. The pressure is intense, to be honest. I hope that my readers will be able to accept a theme that is different from the usual run of the mill genres.

13. Where can we buy your book?

At the moment, it is at the pre-order stage and is available on Pustakmandi. (www.pustakmandi.com/Turning-Back-Time-Shravya-Gunipudi)

14. I want you to say something to your readers.

What more can I say, other than, thank you for giving this debut author a chance to express herself through words. It means the world to me. I hope you all enjoy reading the book as much as I did writing it. This is just the beginning and I have a lot more in store for you. 

Cheers. 

Stay Blessed.

15. It was nice talking to you, Shravya. Good luck for your novel.

It was a pleasure talking to you too, Divya. Thank you. 

Book Review: My Dad's Contract Marriage by Saurabh Leekha

Book Name: My Dad's Contract Marriage

Author: Saurabh Leekha

Price: Rs. 160

Review:

The moment I read the title and the blurb, I was horrified. At 23, I cannot make myself face the idea of my parents separation. What would a young boy like Vivaan feel when his parents broke the news of their separation to him? I wished to read Vivaan's story then and there and I started reading this book.

The story starts with the birthday scene where Vivaan is being told by a lawyer that his parents are having a divorce. The first thought that popped up in my mind 'What a great gift!'. As I read further, all I had with me was sympathy for Vivaan. The feelings, thoughts that Vivaan has for that moment are aptly conveyed. His behaviour and his reactions to particular situations will tell you how hurt he is with his parent's decision. The author has done a very detailed study about the same. You'll notice it in the story.

The characters feel realistic. The story is being narrated from Vivaan's point of view and as I said before, the author has thought over Vivaan's character a lot before bringing him into life in this story. The characters - Vivaan's parents and his grandparents have an equal and important role to play in the story. It is usually observed  that a child is more attached to his maternal grandparents. But in the case of Vivaam, he is more attached to his paternal grandparents (because, his mother Sandhya married his father, Samar against the wish of her father.)

The environment in which a child lives has a major impact on him. Vivaan feels loved at his Dada and Dadi's place while he feels neglected at his Nana and Nani's place. This story proved to me the saying ' Children's mind is like clay. It is easily moulded.'

The pace of the story is neither too fast nor too slow. The flow of the incidents in the story has been thoughtfully done. Every incident that has been written has a message to its readers, a significance. And you will come to know about it towards the end of the story. The narration is in first person narrative and is easily comprehendible. It is lucid and simple.

The story keeps the reader's mind engaged. It asks you many questions. It provides food for thoughts. The author in his note has mentioned that if one family stays united after reading his work, he will be blessed. I am sure that this will happen.

A must read for all parents out there!

I rate:

Cover: 2/5

Characters: 4/5

Story: 4.5/5

I rate 'My Dad's Contract Marriage' with 4.5/5 stars.

You can buy this awesome book. Visit Amazon.

Book Review: Romance Shorts by Sourabh Mukherjee

Book Name: Romance Shorts

Author: Sourabh Mukherjee

Blurb:

What does destiny have in store for a teenager unable to express his feelings for the girl of his dreams as their paths keep crossing through the years? Sid turns to work and alcohol to get over the pain of losing Sheetal till she walks back into his arms in the after-party of a corporate awards function. Is she back for good? What does an advertisement on a billboard try to tell a man who has lost his memory and his wife in a near fatal accident? As Ria nurses her broken heart, she meets a stranger on the Internet and finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. Will she find love again? 'Romance Shorts' is a collection of four contemporary romantic stories. A brisk read with a lasting impact, it paints love in its various hues that make it the only emotion worth dying for. A slice of life in true sense, the book takes us on a soulful journey as we relive loves lost or found or nurtured unprofessed in the deepest recesses of our hearts.

Review: 

Romance Shorts is a love story collection having 4 stories. Each story is unique in its own way. There is innocence, purity, hope, jealousy, anger, realism. Sourabh Mukherjee’s stories in Romance shorts will make you fall in love with his characters and his narration style. It is like a spell which will be casted on you that will not let you leave this book midway. It will keep you hooked on to it. You will be surely lost in ‘Romance Shorts’.

Nargis through my summers

Nargis through my summers is a story of a boy who is in love with a girl. He doesn’t know her real name. She has a nose like that of Bollywood actress Nargis and that’s the reason why he addresses her with that name. He sees her everyday, when she comes home from school. He sketches her portrait only to conclude that it is not up to that mark. He is hopelessly in love with Nargis. Is he successful in conveying his feelings to her?

My first impression about this story wasn’t very good. I thought it to be the usual ‘Bollywood’ love story about a boy stalking his love. As I read further, my impression changed completely. I felt like the protagonist and Nargis were there for real. The innocence in this story stole my heart. I never felt that I was reading. It was more like the protagonist was conversing with me. It touched my heart. A pure form of love, this story was!

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Mine Forever

The protagonist is awarded with ‘The Most Successful Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ award. Everybody is praising him for his achievements and all, he is concerned about is Sheetal – the love of his life. For some reason they had drifted apart and he had lost hopes of seeing her again. Has Sheetal returned for a permanent stay in his life?

Mine Forever is a kind of story that made me believe that ‘forever-ever’ kind of love does exist. The narration is realistic. I felt connected with the protagonist and his feelings. The emotions are the striking features of this story. No matter how hard one tries, true love never dies!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars.

Memories

The protagonist has had a fatal accident and has lost his wife, Kavya and his memories. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot recollect anything. Destiny plays games with him and gives him some clues which are related to his memories. Who wins this puzzle game?

‘Love’ is a feeling which either brightens or worsens life. What happens when a pinch of jealousy, hatred and anger is added to this sweet dish? The outcome is devasting. I liked the mystery from this story.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Love came calling again

‘Love came calling again’ is a beautiful tale of modern day relationships. Riya is in relationship with Karan which ended on a bad note. She is insecure and scared and that’s when Prince Charming enters her life. Will she be able to love again?

There are many ‘Riya’s’ out in the world, whom I personally know. This story seems like the one that has happened with most of us. It’s this connection which makes this story touch those chords. Again, engaging story having simple narration.

Rating: 3.5/5

I rate:

Cover: 3.5/5

Stories: 4/5

My overall rating for ‘Romance Shorts’ is 4/5 stars.

You can buy your copies on Amazon!