De-Void

De-Void

Author : Deepak Kaul

Publisher : Self

Format : Kindle

Buy : Amazon India

Pages : 78

Price : 80/- INR

Rating: 4 Stars

Blurb : 

How do we deal with our inner most feelings and baser instincts? How do we react to provocation, adversity and abuse? Can we be tolerant and compassionate? A collection of short stories that explores the human condition.

Review : 

A compilation of 12 short stories. The book explores the human conditions. The pages hold the truth and straight  to the point. The stories in the book revolves around the evils exists in the society such as rape, sexual abuse , homosexualism etc etc. The cover of the book is beautiful and the title of the book is apt to the stories. The book is fast paced and definitely not for the weak heart. 

Highly recommended.

Reinvention

Reinvention 

Author : Natasha Malpani Oswal

Publisher : Bloomsbury

Pages : 89

Price : 399/- INR

Format : Paperback (Hard Cover)

Buy : Amazon/Flipkart 

Rating : 5/5 Stars

Blurb :

As the world around us transpose: shifts rapidly , Reinvention explores the darker side of growing up. Can we preserve our identity, while building a family? What sacrifices do we have to make for success? Can we have it all- and keep it?

Natasha wrote Reinvention after moving back to India after ten years. Natasha's first collection of poems, Boundless captured her search for her own identity, as she experimented with geographies, and built her career. With Reinvention, written after her return to India after a decade-long stint overseas she attempts to reconnect with her roots.

If Boundless was about finding your voice, then Reinvention is about making it heard. The sharpness and honesty of the poems will resonate with you long after you've read them. Especially, now, in a post-pandemic world, where change is the only constant.

Review :

Every single poem was breath taking. I took my time reading this, choosing the savor the succulent, vivid, tactile words. Spanning over 89 pages. Each line is a feeling. Natasha Malpani Oswal is one of my favourite poets. She writes simple lines and paint beautiful pictures. The language of the book simple. The cover of the book is beautiful same like the poems. The book is divided into 9 chapters.

Freedom

Driven

Sparkle

Princess

Settle

Restless

Longings

Ripe 

Ties

All the poems are deceptively simple and absolutely beautiful. Read it in one sitting which I will definitely do again. Highly recommend. 

Journey Through India's Heritage

Journey Through India's Heritage 

Author : Ruchi Pritam

Publisher : ICT Academy Publication

Pages: 266

Price : 595/- INR

Format:  Paperback 

Buy : Amazon India

Rating : 5/5 Stars

Blurb :

This book offers a detailed illustrative account of the most significant monuments of Bihar, Tamilnadu and Odisha States of India. It showcases the rich heritage of India spanning from prehistoric era to the medieval era. It starts with the description of the rich legacy of powerful kingdoms in Rajgir and the ruins of one of the greatest ancient international university in Nalanda, travels through the magnificent stone art of the mighty pallava dynasty in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram and reaches its culmination in the splendid temples of Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark. The author’s approach has been to visit the concerned locations to get the feel of the place. The details have been collected onsite and from other authentic sources. The unique aspect of this book is that it covers the legends, history, art and architecture of these places which are interspersed with striking photographs of the important features of the monuments. The whole effect is of walking through the history and architecture of these sites. The delicate balance of pictorial journey ensures that this book will be a great souvenir and a great guide for any visitors to these magnificent places.

Review:

A very well researched book.

The best thing about the book is that it is based on the facts and evidences and not on emotional responses. In ancient times n numbers of gigantic and beautiful temples and heritages with splendid architectural construction were built and some were unfortunately demolished by the foreign invaders.For those who love to have their mind wonder about the golden era of Indian history where little is known about the heritages/ temples of India. This is very interesting book to read. Book is a detailed illustrative account some of the significant heritages monuments of India. 

Bihar :             Rajgir

                        Nalanda 

Tamil Nadu : Mahabalipuram 

                        Mahabalipuram 2

                        Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple

                        Vaikunta Perusal Temple 

                        Varadaraja Perusal Temple

Odisha  :         Udayagiri - khandagiri caves

                         Bhubaneswar 

                         Shree JaganNath Temple

                         Konark Sun Temple.

                      

I find the very readable and interesting.

266 pages sheer delight 

Overall, Highly recommended for those who are interested in exploring India's Heritage. 

  

2050

2050

Author : Deepak Kaul

Publisher : Self Published 

Price : 147/- INR

Format : Kindle Version 

Pages : 85

Buy : Amazon India

Rating : 4/5 Stars

Blurb : 

And I think to myself - what a wonderful world!

Review:

What a delightful and unique book.

I feel this will be a book, you will either love or hate with little to no middle ground. There is plenty of action throughout and dramatic events around every corner. The book begins with central character memory of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005. The book has four chapters. The book has all the major events unfold from 2005 to 2020 to future (distopian world) 2050. This book is not without its flaws, but it is so lovely that i forgive all that immediately. The language of the book is simple and easy to understand. Cover page of the book is beautiful. A must read book. Highly recommended. 

Loves Lost

Loves Lost

Author : Sourabh Mukherjee

Publisher : Self

Format : Kindle

Pages : 57

Price : 49/- INR

Buy : Amazon India

Rating : 4/5 Stars

Blurb :

'Mukherjee has explored the materialistic urban life, its turmoils and fragility of relationships.' – Times of India

A teenager in a quaint Kolkata neighbourhood falls in love with a girl who gets off her school bus every afternoon near his house and nurtures his love as the years pass by. A young entrepreneur turns to work and alcohol to get over the pain of losing the love of his life till she unexpectedly walks back into his arms in a party. A billboard advertisement reveals a shocking truth to a man who has lost his wife and his memory in an accident. An insecure boy fears losing an attractive girl forever when she breaks all contacts with him after they have made love. As a girl nurses her broken heart, she meets a stranger on the Internet.

"Loves Lost" is a collection of five heart-warming stories with surprise endings about love lost, found or left unprofessed in the deepest recesses of the heart.

Review :

Loves lost is a collection of five short stories that all feature theme of love, lost, betrayal and second chances. Riya she is by far my favourite character of the book. As with any collection of short stories, I enjoyed some more than others and I'm sure that other readers might enjoy some more than I did. And other will enjoy some less. I found all the stories interesting and worth reading and I found the author's style and view point were creative, refreshing and unique. This is very fast read and as such, don't expect same level of characters development and story as with a full length novel. The language of the book is simple and easy to understand. The cover of the book is apt. Overall, enjoyable fast read. 

Go for it. 

Gangster On The Run

Gangster On The Run

Author : Puja Changoiwala

Publisher: Harper Collins India

Pages : 283

Price : 399/- INR

Format : Paperback

Genre: Non-Fiction/Biography 

Buy : Harpercollins.co.in

Rating : 4/5 Stars

Blurb: 

He ran from a life of drugs and bullets.

Now, he runs to shatter records.

Rahul Jadhav took the name 'Bhiku' after a character from the 1998 cult classic Satya - a gangster who was everything Rahul once wanted to be. Capturing his don's attention as a tech-literate criminal, running his extortion ring over Skype, Rahul found himself shouting threats down the barrel of his gun and became one of the most wanted gangsters of his time.

After his arrest in 2007, the extortionist and hitman was left a shadow of his former self, ravaged by alcoholism and drug abuse - which twisted his mind into a near schizophrenic state. That was only part of his journey.

Today, the gunrunner is an ultra-marathoner who has covered nearly 10,000 kilometres - including a 2019 run from Gateway of India to India Gate - and aims to shatter the national stadium run record.

Written by award-winning journalist Puja Changoiwala, this is the extraordinary story of a hitman who became a de-addiction counselor and outran his demons, leaving them far behind in the murky shadows of gangland.

Review:

This book is great, tight, interesting overall paint a great picture. When I finished reading this book. I was left wanting more, which is always a sign of a good book. A fascinating and almost unbelievable story about a remarkable gangster. The book is a story of Rahul Ramakant Jadhav. Who idolised underworld don and want to become a BHAI. Book has everything love, break up, drug, emotion,passion. Te language of the book is simple and easy to understand. The cover of the book is apt to the story. This is very good bookand I will definitely read it several more times. A must read. 

Insomnia

Insomnia

Author : Ravi Subramanian

              Jigs Ashar

Publisher: Westland Books

Pages : 157

Price : 250/- INR

Buy : Amazon India

Format : Paperback 

Rating : 4/5 Stars

Blurb :

Please help me … my wife is trying to kill me. ’

When police officers Meera Dixit and Aditya Sachdev investigate a panicked midnight phone call, they are drawn into the unhappy story of a couple—a woman slowly losing her grip on sanity and her husband living in constant fear of death.

As they delve deeper, the officers realise that this case is more knotted than anything they’ve dealt with before. Is Tanvi Acharya really sick? What caused Rohit’s insomnia?

Do deeper secrets lie below the surface?

As they try to make sense of the sinister goings-on in the house, Dixit and Sachdev hurtle towards a shocking revelation that they are not prepared for.

Review:

This book literally blew my mind! It kept me guessing throughout the pages. The twists and the turns are really unexpected and makes you want to read the book in one go. The book revolves around Police officers Aditya and Meera. With few characters the book is well written high octane thriller. The language  of the book is simple. The cover of the book is apt. Overall, a fast pace, excellent book. Highly recommend.