Tag: Indian Author

Book Review of You Raise Me Up

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You Raise Me Up by Arjun Hemmady is Leadstart Publishing book. In this book, the author has expressed his thoughts in a way too simple way.

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Blurb : Aalok Sharma, a 27-year-old, chartered accountant, meets the vivacious and beautiful Priyanka Mehra, on a flight from Delhi to Mumbai. They are instantly attracted to each other, though completely opposite in nature. However, something is holding Aalok back. Will this thing throw a spanner in his love story? Or will he be able to overcome his demons?

Cover and Title: The cover is again simple and doesn’t convey much. Maybe it suits the theme but it fails to grab attention of the readers, so those who judge the book by its cover, might not like it. The title is YOu Raise ME Up. It surely gives us no idea to what the author wants to convey so here, the readers want to grab this fat book and read it.

Plot : Again the plot is easy to predict and it revolves around Aalok Sharma and Priyanka Mehra. They happens to be from different backgrounds and cross their paths on a journey. Something click between them but the dark past of Aalok stops him back to make any move. This book about that dark past and how these too realise each other’s worth.

Remarks: The blurb is simple and I feel it could have been presented in a more innovative way. Coming to the plot, it reminds me of a situation of Aniket and Nidhi from Preeti Shenoy’s It’s All in the Planets. The way Arjun’s characters meet are just way too relatable to Preeti’s characters. Further, the predictability of the book makes it a turn off. I really liked the way the characters are delineated. The structure of the novel into three parts makes it quick and easy read. The writing style is again simple and condensed. I feel that surprise element seems missing in the book. The book could have been much better as it had that spark in it.

Grab your copies from Amazon

 

Candid Session with Anuradha Prasad

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Hello lovelies,

I am back with an interesting interview with Anuradha Prasad. She is the author of Coming Back Home. So, lets get started :

Sur: Please tell us something about yourself?

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Anu: Firstly,I want to thank you for this interview.  Coming to your question,  I am a post grad in English literature and a Phd holder in the same. I am an artist, columnist, academician an author and a fitness buff. Recently I developed a penchant for traveling too. I love to soak in the culture of a new place and interact with the locals.

Sur :When did writing made its beautiful appearance in your life?

Anu: At the tender age of 7. I used to write poetry after school hours. Naturally, at that age I did not know that poems were the finest creation of art with words. It was a natural process and I am very proud of it. One regret is someone should have published them for me. Who knows it could have become popular like the diary of Anne Frank!

Sur: Coming back Home is an excellent title. How did it strike you?

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Anu: Before writing books I have written thousands of features with catchy titles for leading Newspapers. Based on the emotion of the story also I come up with a suitable title.

 

Sur: What is important to you? Fame or good readership?

Anu: I believe  good readership means a lot of fame. So good readership.

Sur: What would be your advise to the upcoming authors?

Anu: According to me , before entering any field one should be clear about why he/she wants to be in it. Is it for money, recognition, passion, great talent so on.  Its the same with writing. Develop a style that is individualistic. Do not give up easily. Don’t expect anything. Having said all this, once you start to write, the field will tell you if you are meant for it or not.  How? Your work will get published and then recognition should follow.  Don’t lose heart initially if your intention is clear .

Also I feel one should be really blessed with the talent to write.  If you are great at writing but not getting recognition its still ok. But if you are recognized but a bad writer it is humiliating . A beautiful book and talent will be eventually get recognition.  Its like I am ugly but want to become an actor and also that I am ugly and a bad actor but a recognized one. Every field has its demands. Assessing your capabilities are important. Recognition should always come to the deserving not vice-versa. Over a period of say two years of consistent trials if non of the above is happening then its time to quit.

Sur: What is the biggest surprise as a writer for you?

Anu: I look back and think that once I used to dive deep into the works of renowned writers of the world and today I am writing books myself. I used to wonder at times how these people are able to write so much. Today I am doing the same. This is a real surprise.

Check review of the book here.

 

 

 

The Princess of a Whorehouse by Mayank Sharma

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THE PRINCESS OF A WHOREHOUSE: THE STORY OF A 
SWAMP LOTUS
by
Mayank Sharma
 
 
 
Blurb
 
Aparajita is a tenacious go-getter. Her name means unconquerable in Sanskrit, and she lives up to its meaning. 
 
Just like any other ambitious girl, she desires to fulfil her dreams and become an independent individual. Far and wide, the shadow of her melancholy past chases her passage. The fact that her widowed mother is a former sex worker irks the community. Nonetheless, she is not ashamed to reveal her mother’s past. 
 
Will she lose hope, or will she defy an enigma that is centuries-old? Will she ever conquer the hearts of a prestige-obsessed community? 
 
See the world through Aparajita’s prism in a tale stirred by some real life events.
 
Grab your copy @
 
Amazon.com | Amazon.in | Amazon.co.uk | Flipkart


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About the author

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayank Sharma is a computer engineering graduate with post-graduation in business management. He works with a leading technology multinational in Delhi. He has authored a number of articles and white papers on software technology and processes. For the first time in April 2014, his article was featured in Better Software magazine published in Florida, USA. Writing has become Mayank’s greatest passion when he observed how it can trigger the winds of change. He is gradually transforming from a “left-brained” writer to a “right-brained” writer. Besides writing, he is passionate about sketching, painting, and making sculptures since childhood.

 

 

 

 

India is the fifth-largest economy in the world with the Gross Domestic Product growth at 7.1 percent. Contrary, India ranks 118 out of 157 countries in the happiness index. The fact seized Mayank’s attention towards social problems affecting social support, freedom of choices, and generosity, to name a few. Having travelled across continents and associated with people with diverse beliefs and values, he became more curious about the social riddles curtailing liberties across societies. He penned his debut novel, The Princess of a Whorehouse, when he came across some real life incidents that quivered his soul.

 

 

 

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Interview with Vandana Shanker

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Hello Lovelies,

I am back with an interview session. Today we have Vandana Shanker, who is the author of 1857 Dust of Ages.

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When did writing happened to you?

It is difficult to put down a specific moment or a time period that writing happened to me. I wrote poems and short stories in schools but being a writer was never a serious goal. It was during the time I was pursuing my research in literature, that I became familiar with this very interesting and dynamic field of fan writing and I dabbled there. From there on, it became a part of leisure activities. But 1857 Dust of Ages was the first attempt at serious writing, and it took nearly a year and half of disciplined writing to complete the book. So serious writing is fairly recent.

 
What made you choose Historical topic?

As I was pursuing my research at IIT Delhi, a friend of mine was writing a thesis on 1857 novels. She had lots of British novelists in her list and not a single India. It was the first time we became aware this gap. Not many Indian fiction writers of have explored the 1857. As we read, I became more fascinated and wanted to write a story from an Indian perspective, especially an Indian warrior woman’s perspectives because the first stories I heard of 1857 were of women like Lakshmi Bai, Hazrat Mahal and it is very different from the Indian woman I found in British literature.

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What type of genres you generally like and why?

Of course, the historical. A book well-grounded in history is the most fascinating read for me. Then come the spy thrillers, romances and mysteries. Some years ago, I was completely obsessed by fantasy fiction, but a PhD in the genre cured me of that.

 

How was your experience with your publishers?

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That’s a trick question, isn’t it?J. The experience has been mixed. My earlier book which was a very formulaic romance found a publisher and was published in a jiffy. It was an interesting experience. But for Dust of Ages, I did not want to get into compromising on things that traditional publishing asks of you – the length, insertion and deletion of scenes and endless waiting etc. So I decided to keep it free of such demands and self-publishing gave me that freedom. So yes, the experience with the publishers has been a mixed. But I would say we are lucky that today we have the option of going indie.

When can we expect your other works?

Second and third instalments of Dust of Ages are already out on Amazon. Last two parts release in March. Once that is done, perhaps another historical next year.

 

Book Review of Dangle

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Dangle by Sutapa Basu is a typical instance of contemporary fiction. This book is roller coaster ride of events, emotions that will keep you glued till the end. I really loved the combination of stream of consciousness technique in it. This reminded me of Mrs. Dalloway by Virgina Woolf though the story is nowhere near to it.

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The cover is crystal clear and neatly done. The bluish colour adds flavour to it and this cover is the best for a photoshoot. The title is dangling as it says our life keeps on dangling. Honestly speaking, I did a lot of photo session with this book.

The title is to the point ‘Dangle’ but still we are in thoughts like what will happen next. The title reveals everything but doesn’t reveal an inch at the same time.

Stunning, svelte, smart Ipshita is a globetrotter. She treks across the world to gather bytes for the travel chats she designs and hosts for TV channels. Despite being a self assured and sophisticated entrepreneur, Ipshita is haunted by a nameless fear. Social interaction with men unleashes psychotic turmoil inside her, making her wary of male attentions. Yet, the cold and aloof Ips is inexorably drawn to the three men she meets at different points in her journey. Her arousal to the overtures of these men catches her unawares. Well-built defenses break as her dormant sexuality go into overdrive until she discovers the horrifying truth about them…and herself. Life puzzles. Secrets tumble out. Will she be able to reclaim her life or let it dangle.

The blurb seems to say alot but again it doesnt reveal the story. It just introduce us to the protagonists. Ipshita is the protagonist who seems to be around a lot of name and fame. The plot construction is superbly done. I really loved the way the author maintains a certain balance throughout the story.

I really loved the locations. I felt I was also travelling with the author through the reading process. The city of Delhi and Chicago along with the scenic locales of Manipur adds spice to the novel.

The story is fast paced and you feel you are feeling and experiencing the incidents. The story sounds really realistic and the thrill part is exceptional. I just couldn’t stop admiring the author.Furthermore, it cleverly throws light on women emancipation, insurgency in the north-east, domestic violence, sexuality and women, our changing mindset while travelling outside India, the scars from a disturbed childhood that remain within us and much more.

The charactersketches are beautifully done. Ipshita is the main figure of focus and the way her thought process, struggles are delineated is fabluous.She herself dangles in between courage and vulnerability, the past and present, her family and other relationships. We see the novel through her eyes.

The style of writing is mindblowing. The descriptions and narration is fantastic along with perfect editing skills. Kuddos to the author and the team. This book is a perfect package.

Grab your copies from :Amazon

 

 

Confessions of a Bibliophile : My Blogging Journey

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This is my blog story and I hope many of you might connect to this story. A blog is the best place to express yourself and when it gets appreciated, the moment is priceless.. Stay tuned for more confessions and this blogging story was featured on Candy Floss Last Year..:)

Episode 5: 

I always wanted to be read by people but I was away from this blogging thing. I had no idea that a word called ‘BLOG’ exists until I entered the world of online writing through a site named BOOKSIE. I saw that some of the writers had links and later on when I visited them, they were blogs. I still had no idea how to use it or make your own blog. I had this thing in my mind.

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Then one fine day, a miracle happened and my own book, Turning Point of Life‘ got released and after sometime, I decided to make a blog where I could review books. It was made for official purpose but I started with personal stories just to make a perfect starting. The very first post I wrote was about my success story and introduction. It was published on 2…

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Book Review of Wild Card

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Wild Card by Asfiya Rahman is an inspirational story. This book has a new set of emotions and I am sure sports lovers especially Tennis ones would just end up loving this. I Like Tennis so I just couldn’t control myself of reading this book.

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The cover is beautiful and mesmerising. It is green coloured and soothes your mind. It reminds you of greenary and then a tennis racket is there which clears everything.

The title is straight to the point and the whole story revolves around it. It even reminds us of those wild card entries that we see in reality shows and here something like this happens. The title reveals major part of the story but this we realise once we start reading the book.

The plot of the novel is crisp and it surely catches our attention. We are hooked till the end. The story revolves around a tennis player, Karan Mehrotra who leaves his sports career for the sake of his daughter, Roshni. He us madly in love with Riya but will her absence make him come out of the trauma? Or will Roshni’s love bring him back to the love of his life, Tennis? Wild Card is story of a husband, a father who wants to prove himself, who is not fighting for himself but for his daughter.

Karan Mehrotra is a famous tennis player who is madly in love with his wife Riya and Tennis. Life takes a different turn when Riya dies leaving their newly born baby, Roshni who can’t walk on her own. He is a caring father as well as a husband but this tragedy of his life changes him forever.

Roshni is the sweetest daughter one can ever ask for. The way the author has delineated her character is mind blowing. It is really difficult to comprehend the psychology of a child. SHe loves her father and with the zeal she wants to know more about her dad is impeccable. SHe becomes the pillar of her father’s life.

The style of writing is poignant and lucid. The use of flashbacks and the present makes it amazing. The use of stream of consciousness sometimes leave the reader awestruck. This book is about a beautiful relationship between a father and a daughter. The tennis part is inspirational and this book deserves tobe converted into a movie.

Grab your copies from: http://www.amazon.in/Wild-Card-Asfiya-Rahman/dp/9384315427

https://www.pustakmandi.com/Wild-Card-Asfiya-Rahman

 

 

Book Review of It’s All About Mahi

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Blurb

He is a die hard fan of the most successful captain of the Indian Cricket team. She doesn’t like cricket itself. What shall the destiny unfold? Read this heart-warming tale of a fan.

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My Review

This book is a true tribute of a fan to his super star named MS Dhoni. It reminds me of a one act play where the fans wait for the stars and after getting the autograph they boost about.. Well, coming back to the story, the author has highlighted two segments.. One is his own love for the cricketer and other is his love for a girl named Barkha. The story is beautifully narrated but the mere descriptions of cricket matches and the other struggles makes it sound genuine but it fails to grab my attention at times. I may not be a cricket fan but I very well understand the emotions related to someone. The way Ankit has expressed his love for both the characters is impeccable.

The title and the cover perfectly matches the story. There is sense of alacrity in it. Further, The characterisation includes very limited characters which helps in the plot construction. It is a to the point story and has many factual information about MS-Dhoni.

The writing style is simple. Since its a pocket book, one can finish this book in 5-10 minutes. The third person narrative is just fine and yes, I can finally relate some good parts from a movie named FAN and MS Dhoni- The Untold Story..Not only this, the autobiographical theory makes it more realistic and eloquent. Kuddos to the author.

Grab your copies from : http://www.amazon.in/Its-About-Mahi-Ankit-Pathak/dp/9385137719/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487006003&sr=8-1&keywords=Its+all+about+mahi

Book Review of The Origin of Martin Krooger

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The Origin of Martin Krooger by Sameer Kumar is a fantasy. When it comes these type of genres, everything happens in an imaginary form. It is far away from reality. The way the author has imbibed the vibes of curiosity is remarkable.

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The cover of the book gives us a vibe of game where God versus Evil is there or a ghost story but when you flip the pages, the story is different. Thats the magic of the cover.

The title is intriguing and quickly draws our attention. We want to know more about this Origin of Martin Krooger. And the question arises, Whose this Mr. Krooger? When the word origin comes, it means it is the beginning of something or a beginning of a new ideology.

In the land of Gods, the arrival of a vigilante stormed the silence. He was brutally used and harassed by Gods. His emotions and sentiments were toyed with. The most powerful god, Agusthus, feels crippled before him. He targets everyone responsible for his state. He drains Agusthus by slaughtering his son. He exhausts Moira, daughter of Agusthus, by killing her brother before her eyes. He breaks Castle Gray, the only one capable of stopping him, by cursing his love into a cold bloodless stone. He weakens the powerful Queen Iris, Gray’s mother, and enslaves her husband. He certainly has no opponent. However, no one targets him. He is so silent and precise that no one buys the fact that the vigilante, who was cursed and killed long ago, is somehow back. Hence, the time waits for the birth of the last hope left to save the world from the wrath of the demon. Time waits for ‘Martin Krooger.’

The plot is beautifully woven and one can feel that the author has tried his best to fanatsize about the scenario. This is a roller coaster ride of events and the author keeps you hooked till the end. It seems as if you are watching a thriller movie. I am reminded of Harry Potter movies and some more thrillers. It seems as if its a game sometimes. So, a reader is full of pictorial representations in his head which is an achievement for the author.

The characterisation is the key role of a novel. Sameer’s characters surely do justice to his plot construction. The way the tension is built, the events take place and the characters being the mouthpieces of the author makes it lovable. Even the villain sound realistic though its a fantasy. My favourites were Martin Krooger, Agusthus, and the female characters too. Some were flat while some were round and it maintained a balance.

The style of writing is simple. I loved the philosophical element in the book the most. Further, the descriptions were just apt while the narratives were impressive. The poetic element has been phenomenal. Some found it a hinderance but it was an icing on the cake for me. A few days back I was asking for suggestions but I didn’t knew I would end up reading a fantasy and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Grab your copies from – http://www.amazon.in/Origin-Martin-Krooger-Sameer-Kumar/dp/9384315478/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486564271&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=the+origin+of+mr.+krooger

About the AUthor

Sameer Kumar is a mechanical engineer from B.I.T Sindri.He works at Tata Steel as a management trainee .It took him nearly nine years to research and complete this book .Being a motivational speaker ,he works silently for the betterment of the society .He is a tech savvy and loves to make gadgets with his friends

 

Book Review of The Mind Game

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The Mind Game by Devika Das is a self help book. This book refreshens your mind and give you positive vibes. In short it is a guide book for all type of people who wants to be happy, rich and successful. Although, I have read many self help books but this book not only motivates you but gives you so much strength that you surely start implementing those things in your life. This book serves as a mentor in your life and change your though process somewhere.

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The cover of the book is simple and to the point. We can notice some brain nerves interconnected. The cover doesn’t have much significance as I feel the author focussed on her views to be read and implemented, not the cover. So, those who judge the book by cover might not like it.

The title is crystal clear as the author wants to tell us some of the mantras that can shape our life. Henceforth, she came up with The Mind Game.

Honestly speaking, I have never heard of Pepper Script publishers but when I read this book, I just fell in love with the quality of the book, the fine pages and the amazing typesetting along with mind blowing editing.

Crests and troughs, ups and downs, joys and sorrows are a part of everyone’s lives. While many choose to simply succumb to bad times, the winner is the one who remains strong, successfully wades off negativity and rises, unbound. All of us, at some point in time, have experienced situations involving emotional outbursts where we have, albeit unknowingly, hurt others or even our own self and have only ended up regretting our actions. Wouldn’t it be great if we could somehow become mindful of our current emotional state and maintain equilibrium in our personal and professional lives? Moreover, mindfulness helps us realise what we really want from life. It helps us to first think, then act and not vice-versa. The Mind Game is a self-improvement guide that talks about how to manage emotions wisely and lead a powerful, but stress-free life.

Devika clearly knows the knack of structurising her thoughts. She has beautifully divided the book into Six sections which gives us a clearer glimpse of her thoughts. The sections include:

Section A- Mastering your emotions.

B- Simple Living… High Thinking

C- Analyzing People

D- Secret of True Happiness

E- Manage Your Anger Creatively

F- A Happy Workplace- The Secret of a Long, Successful Career.

As you can guess from the chapter names, the book is an amalgam of various elements that altogether reports to the effective working of the brain.

The chapters are short and one doesn’t get bored while reading them. Some of the facts are known to us but often we don’t use those facts in our life. So, through Devika we get to relive those thought processes.

Devika’s thoughts are based on high research on philosophy, business studies, science etc. The way she delineates her philosophic thoughts is impeccable. Her guides, thoughts reminds me of Robin Sharma, Napolean Hill.

The language used by the author is simple, easy and lucid. She even follows pithy style of writing. She fabulously connects with the readers as a friend and gives her valuable thoughts. The mesmerising thoughts at the start of every chapter makes it relatable. This book is a must read and I am sure you will end up following some of the sections religiously. I am following Section A and Section E staunchly. Thankyou Devika for motivating us.

Grab your copies from : http://www.amazon.in/Mind-Game-Devika-Das/dp/938441137X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486019541&sr=8-1&keywords=devika+das