Book Review : My India "Musings of a Patriot" by Vivek Gumaste

Book- My India “Musings of a Patriot”

Author- Vivek Gumaste

Genre- Non-fiction (Articles)

 

Blurb-

The book is a summation of various articles published on different platforms. Topics vary from one area to other but have one common strand “INDIA”.

 

Title-

After reading the book I was really sure about the appropriateness of the title of the book. It was well suited.

 

Cover-

The cover depicts the ‘Stone Chariot’ of the Vittala Temple complex in Hampi, Karnataka which was once the capital of the great Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagara. The ‘Stone Chariot’ was built in the 16th century, during the reign of Krishnadevaraya, one of the greatest kings of the Vijayanagara Empire. (As mentioned by the author)
I thought it's better to share the information with the readers. The cover was a very thoughtful account. Kudos author.

 

Reviews-

The whole book had topics which can make you move with ease. I was in awe after completing the book because it had transferred a lot of information which were never known to me about my own country. At the end of my read I was satisfied.

There were some topics which I found the best; my review would be majorly covering those topics.

Part 2- BJP ; Chapter 15- Why the RSS and BJP are true champions of our democracy
It talks about how things paces after independence in our country. It is needed that we know about how things worked. The heroes and villains must be known. This article is really effective because of its efficiency to draw in front the realities.

Part 3- The Congress Party; Chapter 17- Mr. PM you too can raise to the occasion comparison between Manmohan Singh and Lal Bahadur Shastri
An eye opener was this article. We sometimes forget the people who had done a lot in the most crucial times. It gave me Goosebumps to know what all Mr. Shastri did to fight wars, droughts etc. The information can make one believe that India is a sacred place because it is the home of people like these.

Part 4- Kashmir; Chapter 22- Kashmir: Pakistan is the problem not the solution
The problem of Kashmir is not unknown to anyone. The article was a nice summation of what we are heading to and what we are actually suppose to do and follow. I haven’t read the reality in such naked form which can make one stop and think for a while.

Part 9- Terrorism ; Chapter 47- Be like the French
This topic must be read by all the Indians because we need to know that it’s just in India that things are delayed. Other people are so adamant to move ahead and get things done.

Other mind-blowing topics are-

*Have we been unfair to Narendra Modi?
*Are Nepal Maoists a threat to India?
*Forget Pak, let’s first strengthen our internal security
*The rape controversy: why we need to move beyond protest

The topics in the book are short and not exaggerated much. It made the reading experience quite subtle and easy. The topics are meant to teach and show things which we neglect or might have forgotten to even notice. The book was a great read, something really refreshing.

 

Eye-catchers-

· “His moderation, unimpeachable integrity and honesty made him an ideal compromise candidate.”

· “Bad behaviour cannot be rewarded.”

 

Turn-on’s-

The way the book was divided in various parts and the different topics which were presented in each of them was making things appropriate in one sense or the other. The author’s vast knowledge can easily be seen through each and every topic that was discussed. It was well balanced book.

 

Recommendation-

Readers who are into reading political writings can give it a try for sure. The book is not for fiction readers because it requires a lot of patience and attention.

 

About the author-

Vivek Gumaste is an academic and political commentator based in the United States. Passionate about India, he is an avid writer and has written several op-eds and columns for mainstream Indian newspapers like the new Indian express, the Hindustan times, the Sunday guardian and the Pioneer. In addition he is a regular columnist for the popular news portal, Rediff and blogs on Huffington post (India).

Book Review : False Ceilings by Amit Sharma

Book- False Ceilings

Author- Amit Sharma

Genre- Fiction (Saga)

Publisher- Lifi Publications

 

Blurb-

A girl from Dalhousie is stuck in the suffocating environment of Delhi. The series starts from her and moves on to her great-grandson. There is a secret which passes down from the top of the family tree to the very end.

The people are fighting from their inner self more than the people which are near them. It is like a web which never ends.

How people will tackle the secret at various levels? Will things remain grounded or there will be a time when things would seem sorted? What effect the different generations will have on each other?

 

Title-

The title is well suited because it is an important part of the tale. But there could have been various other options which could complement the story in more literal terms.

 

Cover-

Various images which cover have like the radio, the almirah and the mountains, are the synonyms of the story, partially. The colour scheme of the cover is kept in the vintage style. The brownish shade is working perfectly to fit in.

 

Characters-

The best part of the book is its characters. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. All of them had something going on in their lives which they didn’t spoke about and that is the reason (apart from they being from one family) that kept them together till the very last.

Major characters like Shakuntala and Meena always had a lead in things. They were very moving and both of them had the same background still they couldn’t mix well. That was the biggest irony of their lives and it was portrayed wonderfully.

To pick the best characters then Shakuntala, Meena and Aaryan would be my pick. These characters had the widest scope in the story. The minor characters were also very radiant for example, Kanshi Ram, Kulbhushan, Shakuntala’s mother and her grandmother. They were mind blowing.

Narration-

Narration of the story was smooth. The editing was super fine and thus there were no breaks anywhere. The one liners used by the author in the narrative part helped to enhance the story very well.

 

Reviews-

The story is hidden beneath a veil which isn’t removed till the very last. False ceilings by Amit Sharma is a story hidden in various shells. Every layer embarks something new and after the initial pages I was voracious to inspect the hidden aspects. The story starts on a very weird note of an If-else statement. I was very amused to see it because I never hoped to see this name in a fiction novel. I quickly realized how and why the writer has added this factor in the book with so much emphasis.

The novel has so many important nation-wide movements which come in front, page after page. The Independence of the country, the 1984 massacre, etc. The story touches such a vast number of years that it becomes so complicated to notice the same in a jiffy. It needs sheer patience and understanding. In my case I made a family tree to make myself sorted all the time. Such was the level of the book, kudos author.

Shakuntala is the major protagonist of the story whose life leads to the complete tale. I was really moved to read all that was happening in her life. From the roads of Dalhousie to a house in Khanna and then to Delhi, her journey was really moving. The vivid imageries which author created with his knowledge about the cities were really worth noting. The serenity of hills was fully shown. Also the meek voices trampled under the noises in the city didn’t remain unnoticed.

The chapters were not incidents but they were people. It created a very strong impact and it might have taken a lot of hard work to remember all the small details from every individual’s life by the author. From time to time things cross your vision one after the other and the author has preserved every person in the reader’s memory through these cautionary visits.

Manohar, Vinod and Aaryan were the analogy of each other. They were subjected to something which always took them under their spell. The three generations were complimenting each other well and thus they leave a very nice hint in my mind. I don’t know how I will remember them, as a protagonist, as an antagonist or as a meagre connecting link between the ladies who ruled the whole book and the essence createdby them. But I will surely remember them.

The best chapters in the whole book were “Shakuntala”, “Meena” and “Lipi”. The three vastly gaped generations who always had their individuality dealt by others in one way or the other.

I found Meena to be standing somewhere in the middle, always oscillating either between her thoughts and her present life or her individuality and the course she has chosen. I started to adore Meena a lot but then chapters moved and I reached the place where I was told by the author how and when the characters reached the place they were in presently and I was again shifted back to caressing Shakuntala. Her bond with her dad, her connection with Dalhousie, her ill-treatment to her husband, to her children and to Meena all starts making sense.

The story moves but the agonies of the people remain deep rooted in the reader because they were strong and they instigate the sense of remorse and grief.

The decline of Manohar’s structure depicted the loss of hope and says a lot in few words.

The dying aspirations of a lady are well spoken without even mentioning about them much.

The quick attractions and infatuations come across from time to time. The fading love and people moving inwards is shown beautifully.

Lipi’s part of the story is the most vast and influential because it is the one which sum up everything and I was relaxed after reading that. All the questions were well answered till then. But the problem arrives when the secret was to be revealed. I felt that it was highlighted a lot but wasn’t handled in the same way. I felt betrayed because I was waiting for a massive heart ache but the blandness was too much to handle.

So, False Ceiling was a great book showing human relations and inhibitions. The drifting relations and the long family connected with some old memories.

 

Eye-catchers-

· “She wondered how many times she will have to let go of this feeling of stability.”

· “...nonchalantly the soul passed to the other side, quietly closing the door behind.”

· “We just waited for things to fall back in place instead of moving them ourselves.”

· “It was like history repeating itself and no lessons learnt.”

· “We replaced everything with the other things flashier, except for our rusting thought process.”

Turn-on’s-

As the story advances new characters comes in front but they are somehow related to the old characters only. Thus the author don’t allow any character to be the talk of past.
The hard times in emergencies and violent movements are shown with ease and vigour by the author as if he has inspected them in front of his eyes. His sense of depicting them is great and that has added some extra beauty in the book.

Turn-off’s-

What happened to the if-else statement? Didn’t it have anything in particular?
Also the way the climax was handled was degrading the level of the story.

 

Recommendation-

Need a complex story book in your shelf? False ceiling can be your choice for sure.

 

About the author-

Having studied M.Tech in Computer Science from Kurukshtera University, Amit Sharma is currently working as a software engineer in Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for last ten years.

Connect with the author-

· http://amit-sharma.co.in

· https://www.facebook.com/AmitSharmaAuthor

· https://twitter.com/Author_Amit

Book Review : Encounters "Someone’s always waiting" by Sumana Khan

Book- Encounters “Someone’s always waiting”

Author- Sumana Khan

Genre- Fiction (Horror)

Publisher- CinnamonTeal Publishing

 

Blurb-

Have you ever encountered something strange in your life? Something which has left a deep mark? Or have damaged things beyond limits?

Five stories dealing with completely different aspects of life and experiences. The characters range from a retired fussy old man to a very strong headed woman. The stories work in flashback and also take you on a walk with them in the present time.

 

Title-

The title of the book starts making sense from the very first story. It was nice to see that the title is related to theme of the book and not just to something which is less substantial when talking wholly. The title was a perfect mirror image of the stories and its content.

 

Cover-

The reflection of the scenery and the lonesome man on the boat, with dark details is raising the level of curiosity. The first two impressions are great. The hidden truth and the external details of the stories can be equated with the aura created by the elements shown on the cover.

 

Characters-

Vast characters and very unique qualities each of them possess. Every person is bound in some chains or some happenings which make them look beyond the normality. Well, I was impressed with the number of people which came in front to express their expression towards something unexplainable.

The strong woman in the “First Love” or a normal girl from “Best Friends Forever”, a doctor from “BFF” or a doctor from “Happiness Clinic”, all the characters were shining bright at their places.

I have a lot of favourites to pick. From the major characters I loved, “Ratna”, “Vrka” and “DR. Shrinidhi”. And from the minor characters I adored “Andal” and “Alice”.

 

Narration-

Every story was narrated perfectly and the plot moved smoothly. The author has done a great work to make the tale an easy grasp. The flashbacks came at many times but author managed things pretty well, avoiding any sort of confusion that might have occurred.

 

Reviews-

"Encounters" was a book which can be remembered for a longer span of time because it had elements which can make one go crazy. The stories were normal but the way the author presented them was extra-ordinary. At times the stories sounded heard but then there was another page in the end which lifted things beyond the normal posture.

Starting with the first story, “First Love”, the author has tried in all the stories to bring in front the people who were different, in one way or the other. This story was woven around a woman who was strong enough to break the strands which were suffocating her. The story was great mixture of suspense, feminism and darkness. The story was mixed up, in a good way of course. It was nice to witness so many changes within the scenes. They ranged from a normal household to wilderness, which was catchy enough to hold an individual’s attention.

Next in cue is “Reminiscences”. It was a short and sweet tale. But when you start with a story like “First love” which have created a sensation in your head then something below the line can’t work. The details mentioned in the story were precise and very normal which made the story very light and easy going.

The third tale is “The story-teller”; the base of the story was very impressive. It was unusual and prolific. The pastoral images which the author has penned are noteworthy. Flashbacks always work and it touched another height with this story.

“Happiness clinic” is the second last tale of the book. The best part of all the stories is the characters. In happiness clinic we see two protagonists, the man and the woman. They are poles apart from each other but still they try to move hand in hand. The difference in their personalities is expressed with brilliance. The lessons learnt are though heard but still they had that shine in them, to create an unforgettable effect on any reader.

And finally we have the story of two friends, “Best friends forever”. The story is the highlight of the book because it contains enough spooky images and advancement than any other story of the book. The story is a mixture of love, friendship, separation, hatred and envy. I was so moved when I read the closing pages that I had to stop for a while to inhale all that was happening. Such was the magic created by the author.

The stories weren’t horrifying, instead they were meaningful. The book can be read again and again and the author has made sure that every reader leaves with something in hand after completing the book. At least that happened to me. I have never seen so much variation in my reading experience ever.

I would really like to form an order according to my liking of the stories which are part of this collection:

1. Best Friends Forever
2. First Love
3. The Storyteller
4. Happiness Clinic
5. Reminiscences

 

Eye-catchers-

· “Was I just a pair of breasts and a womb to everyone?”

· “To have loved Radha, and to have been loved by her- yes, that has been the purpose of my life.”

· “This mental imprisonment is the greatest tragedy of our society.”

· “In her words you will find yours.”

 

Turn-on’s-

The best part of the book lies in every part of the book. The narration, the characters, the topic, the handling of the plot everything was a big turn on for me. I haven’t read a short story collection like this in a very long time.

 

Turn-off’s-

I was expecting more spooky stories and more elements of horror. I signed up for that only but nothing such happened. The stories were meaningful and fulfilling but were not horrifying.

 

Recommendation-

A great book. Anybody can pick it up without any second thoughts. The book is a gem.

About the author-

Sumana khan was born and raised in Bangalore where she pursued a career as an IT consultant. She currently lives in the UK and is a full-time writer and student. She holds a Master of Letters in Creative Writing from University of Glasgow and is pursuing her M.Sc. in Psychology. Her first book was “The revenge of Kaivalya”

Connect with the author-

· http://www.sumanakhan.com

Cover Reveal : The Prince's Special Bride by Devika Fernando

Cover Reveal

ROYAL ROMANCE, BOOK 1: 

THE PRINCE'S SPECIAL BRIDE

by

DEVIKA FERNANDO

Sneak Peek

Marie doesn’t believe in fairytales and needs no handsome prince to rescue her from misery – but everything changes when she falls in love with Crown Prince Christian of Taragonia. When his sister invites Marie to the palace, their lives collide and leave them both fighting their forbidden attraction.

Prince Christian has no place in his life for love or for a woman who doesn’t fit into the royal scheme of things. But vivacious Marie steals his heart and puts all he has lived for at stake. When the media gets wind of their affair, he has to make a difficult decision. 

Will the unlikely couple have a chance at a happy ending?

About the Author

Almost as soon as Devika Fernando could write, she imagined stories and poems. After finishing her education in Germany and returning to her roots in Sri Lanka, she got a chance to turn her passion into her profession. Having lived in Germany and in Sri Lanka with her husband has made her experience the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds – something that influences her writing. Her trademark are sweet, yet deeply emotional romance stories where the characters actually fall in love instead of merely falling in lust. She draws inspiration from everyone and everything in life. Besides being a romance novel author, she works as a self-employed German web content writer, as a translator, and as a faithful servant to all the cats, dogs, fish and birds in her home. What she loves most about being an author is the chance to create new worlds and send her protagonists on a journey full of ups and downs that will leave them changed. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or thinking about writing.

You can follow the author here:
Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Excerpt from the book

Marie blinked some more, her feet automatically carrying her close. “What…what are you doing here?” Belatedly, she curtsied and added a weak “Your Highness”, remembering that they were not alone. 

His smile widened. For a moment, he seemed to be drinking her in, his gaze roving appreciatively over her body clad turquoise capris and a white polo shirt. She felt his gaze like a physical caress, driving her out of her mind, increasing the heat.

“This is my family’s property. Surely I have a right to be here,” he joked mildly. For a moment, it looked like he wanted to touch her, but his hand fell back down to his side, clenching into a fist once.

“Yes,” she replied, still dazed. “But you’re a crown prince, not a winemaker.”

He laughed, and the sound traveled straight to her heart. “That is correct, but I do know a thing or two about wine. My duties encompass everything concerned with my kingdom.”

She nodded. Of course. And wasn’t that what made him the perfect regent? His interest in anything and everything, his willingness to learn and his readiness to get his hands dirty?

He ushered her into the building, her entourage trailing behind and exchanging looks.

“I came here this morning with the dignitaries from England and Germany to give them a private tour.” Christian raked his hands through his hair, as if the time spent with them hadn’t exactly been fun. “My sister told me you’d end up here sooner or later, otherwise I’d have traveled through the region, visiting some other vineyards and villages.”

Marie swallowed. So he’d stayed behind because of her. She felt thrilled and anxious at the same time. As keen as she was on every minute spent with him, this would lead nowhere and should not even get a chance to bloom. Why nurture something that was doomed to be cut off at the stem before it could blossom?

Are you ready?????

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Book Review : Ponytail- The love for Revenge by Pradip Chauhan

Book- Ponytail “The Love for Revenge”

Author- Pradip Chauhan

Genre- Fiction (Romance/Suspense)

Publisher- HRC Publisher

 

Blurb-

Prabuddh is famous for his flamboyant avatar. His big hair is a very hot topic of discussion amongst his office folks. But he has some desire which keeps him burning from inside.

Three women, Tapasya, Kaumudi and Amita, make Prabuddh reach different sections of his life.

Which way his destiny takes him? What effect the trio has on his life? Does it end on a normal trip? Or something really big lies in front?

 

Title-

The title isn’t literary suiting anything but it has some strong connection with the story. The subtitle says a lot and hides equal proportions and thus instigates the desire to know the story. For me the title was not bad (to mention it particularly) and also not great (to be remembered for a long time). It basically lied somewhere in the middle.

Cover-

Book cover was bland. It didn’t work in any way, further it didn’t describe anything in particular too. Not at all impressive.

 

Characters-

Well the story was short so if I judge solely on that basis then the characters were enough. But the traits were not mentioned clearly of any character. I like characters which are influential and demanding. I also felt that just one character author had in mind and every minuscule detail about him (Prabuddh) was exaggerated. Like, I was not interested in knowing which car he was driving, duh. These details didn’t help the story in any way.

It’s sad but I couldn’t find any character worthy enough to be cherished till the very end. But if still I had to point out some of my favourites or near to be my favourite then the trio of ladies, Tapasya, Kaumudi and Amita would be my pick. Still I thought that they were like those heroines of South Indian cinema who were just added in the story for the sake of adding them. They didn’t have much to say or do. And if they had something to add then it was just to carry forward the story.

Narration-

First person narration becomes boring after one point of time and same happened in this story. The author tried his best to keep the tone easy and smooth but the fault was in the loose plot. Talking about the narration then I felt that author can be given credit for making the read easy and extra mentions for his ability to keep the flow intact till the end.

 

Reviews-

Book is divided into three sections. The first section of the book is very simple and as expected only the base is built in the initial pages. The new characters come in front from time to time and just help in moving the story ahead. The extravagant life of the protagonist “Prabuddh” is shown at large. I found the story in the start very plain and nothing special caught my attention for a very long time. There was no moment in the first section which was catchy or emotional or exciting. The first section thus had less of story and more of unwanted details.

The section two is the only hope of the book. This section fills all the gaps which were created by the first section. Story starts making sense and every pawn reflects its importance from time to time. In a very nice way the author brought in front all that is happening, has happened or is about to happen. But don’t be judgemental till the last. The best authors are those who keep the best for the last and Pradip has tried to play his ace accordingly.

A lot of expectation was build up in my heart but sadly I was again in the trap of exaggerated facts. This part of the novel didn’t have much to say. I loved the wrap up but it could have been much-much better and no excuses can work for the climax. If I keep my head aside for a while then only I can give some credit to the author for building up things which didn’t go with the flow. But sadly that can’t be done.

At the end, the story was nice and the book was an easy read. The writing was smooth and clear. The story was a little away from leaving an everlasting impact but still the author tried his best to present things well.

 

Eye-catchers-

· “Love spreads peace in the world while revenge begets hatred.”

 

Turn-on’s-

Twists and turns in the middle part were the highlight of the story. I liked the way things turned and the essence of suspense in the story can make a person still, till he/she reaches the very end. The editing of the book was fine too. It allowed a super fast and easy reading experience.

 

Turn-off’s-

The plot was the main turn off because it didn’t have anything fresh. The novel can only be counted as fine because of its smooth writing. The author tried his best to add turns but then at the end they were predictable, except some major ones.

 

Recommendation-

It is one time read, the readers who are in the initial levels of their reading experience can give it a try.

 

About the author-

Pradip Chauhan is from Gujarat. He has a medical science degree (MBBS, MS, CRM) from Saurashtra University. Presently he delivers lectures of Anatomy subject in PDU. Govt. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat. His first book was in Gujarati which received good response. Other two books of published by him are- “Love stories” and he wrote first book series “On the Earth: in the light if the sun”. His area of interest is paranormal, science fiction, romance, suspense and thriller.

 

Connect with the author-

· http://www.amazon.in/Prajwalit

· Email- ontheearthbyprajjawalit@gmail.com

· Twitter handle- @Prajwalit2015