en-US Sat, 01 Mar 2025 21:25:50 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 22609310
For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is hiding a huge secret. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it—but can she do it?]]> 306 Colleen Hoover 1476791457 Simran 3 4.14 2015
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Simran
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves:
review:

]]> 20764916 192 Neil Gaiman 1408841754 Simran 4 4.13 2002
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Simran
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/01/10
shelves:
review:

]]> 41881472 242 Morgan Housel 0857197681 Simran 0 currently-reading 4.28 2020
author: Morgan Housel
name: Simran
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/01/10
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 41061747 208 Gaur Gopal Das 0143442295 Simran 5 4.19 2018
author: Gaur Gopal Das
name: Simran
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/21
date added: 2021/04/22
shelves:
review:
The book very well stood by its title. There are those little things that we often miss out but they matter the most in our lives- keeping relations, gratitude, the act of kindness, compassion, the art of decision making, and forgiveness. Gaur Gopal Das has beautifully put together his thoughts and stories and I am looking forward to reading his next book to again deep dive into the ocean of life-changing lessons.
]]> 55128815 127 Abhishek Vipul Thakkar Simran 3
‘’Thoughts have power, thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break it by your own thinking.’�

-Susan Taylor

I strongly believe in a saying ‘You become what you think about� because that’s what we actually manifest to the universe, unknowingly. In times like these when people are going through disappointment, heartbreak and weak moments, Vitamin H brings a ray of hope, strength and optimism. It brings you an opportunity to embrace the brighter side of life despite the deadlocks, uncertainty and darkness.



The Reviewer's Heart�

‘Vitamin H� by Abhishek Deepa Thakkar is a collection of one-hundred-eleven motivating quotes. The collection has been curated in such a way that readers can sink into one thought a day and practise it consciously in their daily lives. This book is more like a personal therapy and it will address the much-needed affirmations you’ve been waiting for someone to tell you.



‘You deserve to be loved and accepted

With all your strengths and flaws.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise�



Page: 97

Through his words of wisdom, Abhishek has beautifully touched different facets of raw emotions. Rather, I’d like to put it in a way, ‘he has diligently optimised reverse psychology�. His ability to weave unsettling emotions and acknowledgement of the same reflects his balanced sensitive and rational side. I would like to appreciate the poet’s attempt at elevating the lives of people and inspiring them through this compilation. The dose of one quote a day will bring you healing, hope, happiness and heartiness. For anyone going through a rough phase or a bad day, this book can bring sheer joy, solace and contentment. Owing to the simple, short and crisp thoughts, anyone can read it. This book is a treasure and a source of enlightenment. Apparently, I had a bad day when I begin reading it but as I read further till the end, the positive change in my demeanour was quite evident, thanks to the author. I feel the book cover could have been better with more hues of yellow and greens than blue. Also, at a few places, I felt there was some sort of disconnect as it read from one quote to another. It would have been interesting if the author had penned some real-life experiences or inspiration as a reference to his thoughts.



Why should one read this book?

These short, simple yet powerful quotes are sure to empower your ability to self-love. If you are planning to pick a book for motivation and positivity, I recommend you to go ahead with this one for sure.]]> 4.51
author: Abhishek Vipul Thakkar
name: Simran
average rating: 4.51
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/04/21
date added: 2021/04/21
shelves:
review:
The Review:

‘’Thoughts have power, thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break it by your own thinking.’�

-Susan Taylor

I strongly believe in a saying ‘You become what you think about� because that’s what we actually manifest to the universe, unknowingly. In times like these when people are going through disappointment, heartbreak and weak moments, Vitamin H brings a ray of hope, strength and optimism. It brings you an opportunity to embrace the brighter side of life despite the deadlocks, uncertainty and darkness.



The Reviewer's Heart�

‘Vitamin H� by Abhishek Deepa Thakkar is a collection of one-hundred-eleven motivating quotes. The collection has been curated in such a way that readers can sink into one thought a day and practise it consciously in their daily lives. This book is more like a personal therapy and it will address the much-needed affirmations you’ve been waiting for someone to tell you.



‘You deserve to be loved and accepted

With all your strengths and flaws.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise�



Page: 97

Through his words of wisdom, Abhishek has beautifully touched different facets of raw emotions. Rather, I’d like to put it in a way, ‘he has diligently optimised reverse psychology�. His ability to weave unsettling emotions and acknowledgement of the same reflects his balanced sensitive and rational side. I would like to appreciate the poet’s attempt at elevating the lives of people and inspiring them through this compilation. The dose of one quote a day will bring you healing, hope, happiness and heartiness. For anyone going through a rough phase or a bad day, this book can bring sheer joy, solace and contentment. Owing to the simple, short and crisp thoughts, anyone can read it. This book is a treasure and a source of enlightenment. Apparently, I had a bad day when I begin reading it but as I read further till the end, the positive change in my demeanour was quite evident, thanks to the author. I feel the book cover could have been better with more hues of yellow and greens than blue. Also, at a few places, I felt there was some sort of disconnect as it read from one quote to another. It would have been interesting if the author had penned some real-life experiences or inspiration as a reference to his thoughts.



Why should one read this book?

These short, simple yet powerful quotes are sure to empower your ability to self-love. If you are planning to pick a book for motivation and positivity, I recommend you to go ahead with this one for sure.
]]> 18806499 alternate cover for ISBN 9780099448471

A mystery story about love, the cosmos and other fictional universes

Sumire is in love with a woman seventeen years her senior. But whereas Miu is glamorous and successful, Sumire is an aspiring writer who dresses in an oversized second-hand coat and heavy boots like a character in a Kerouac novel.

Sumire spends hours on the phone talking to her best friend K about the big questions in life: what is sexual desire, and should she ever tell Miu how she feels for her? Meanwhile K wonders whether he should confess his own unrequited love for Sumire.

Then, a desperate Miu calls from a small Greek island: Sumire has mysteriously vanished...]]> 229 Haruki Murakami Simran 0 to-read 3.76 1999
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Simran
average rating: 3.76
book published: 1999
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/03/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 53976649 120 Abhishek Vipul Thakkar Simran 3 Read full review at: ]]> 4.44 2020
author: Abhishek Vipul Thakkar
name: Simran
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/19
date added: 2020/12/19
shelves:
review:
‘Vitamin H� by Abhishek Deepa Thakkar is a collection of one-hundred-eleven motivating quotes. The collection has been curated in such a way that readers can sink into one thought a day and practise it consciously in their daily lives. This book is more like a personal therapy and it will address the much-needed affirmations you’ve been waiting for someone to tell you. Through his words of wisdom, Abhishek has beautifully touched different facets of raw emotions. Rather, I’d like to put it in a way, ‘he has diligently optimised reverse psychology�. His ability to weave unsettling emotions and acknowledgement of the same reflects his balanced sensitive and rational side. I would like to appreciate the poet’s attempt at elevating the lives of people and inspiring them through this compilation. The dose of one quote a day will bring you healing, hope, happiness and heartiness. For anyone going through a rough phase or a bad day, this book can bring sheer joy, solace and contentment. Owing to the simple, short and crisp thoughts, anyone can read it. This book is a treasure and a source of enlightenment. Apparently, I had a bad day when I begin reading it but as I read further till the end, the positive change in my demeanour was quite evident, thanks to the author. I feel the book cover could have been better with more hues of yellow and greens than blue. Also, at a few places, I felt there was some sort of disconnect as it read from one quote to another. It would have been interesting if the author had penned some real-life experiences or inspiration as a reference to his thoughts.
Read full review at:
]]> 53068144 0 Payal Kumar 8194114926 Simran 4
The Reviewer's Heart�

'Sondai- The Dowager Bride' is an imprinted harsh reality that society has been practicing mindlessly since ages. This story is an honest portrayal of disregard and soreness that every woman has to go through because of their submissive nature and societal pressure. Sondai which literally means gold-like is the protagonist of the story. She is a juvenile carrying a child-like enthusiasm and zeal. Her mesmerizing beauty and sheer intelligence are the prominent part of her personality.

Belonging to a society where women are not looked at beyond their physical attributions, Sondai being attractive was expected to live life like a fairy-tale but, destiny had some other plans for her. Sondai was married to Suraj, who already was a father to five children. On the fifth day after their wedding, Suraj dies unexpectedly, having no sign of health issues. The entire family, who earlier treated Sondai like a queen, started calling her a ''Chamain'', an inauspicious woman who ate her husband. The same girl to whom Suiraj's family was admiring, were now treating her like a complete outcast.

She was partly disowned by the family- given a dungeon kind of room to live in. On the day Suraj died, she planted a mango tree in a memory of him and started believing it as her only companion. Sondai wasn't ready for the U-turn her life took so abruptly but one thing that helped her make a little space in hearts was her incredible cooking skills. No matter however the terms were of family members with Sondai, everyone used to relish the food she made especially samosas, kachori and hot pepping chai.

The only support that Sondai had was her step daughter Badamia. Both of them had 'despair' in common and hence they had a strong bond shared 'secretly'. Widowed at a very young age, Sondai had physical desires which often used to make her uneasy and restless. That's when she came across Manoj, who admired and loved Sondai since a very young age. Manoj's presence often led to butterflies in her stomach imagining a wild intimacy, which Sondai often regretted about.

Will Sondai re-marry? Will she be ever able to make her place in family's heart? Will she ever make Suraj's family realize that his death was a mere co-incidence and Sondai had nothing to do with it? Will she be able to take a stand for herself or would she be scummed to her fate?

Trust me, there are many more mysteries that are to be answered. I don't want to make this review a spoiler for others and thus I would recommend you to read and discover Sondai's journey by yourself.


What I liked?

The story-line is set in North Bihar and the author has beautifully incorporated the local terms and location, making the story much more authentic. Also, it's thoughtful of Payal to bring up such a delicate issue with a path breaking story that speaks for thousands of women out there, struggling to make their presence felt and recognized. Although, the story starts with a tragic beginning but further carries on to a new and positive dimension. All the characters are well-developed and speaks for themselves. The narration is engaging enough to stir the curiosity chapter after chapter. The book cover having a red streak on a white background resonates perfectly with Sondai's life.

What I disliked?

A few repeated statements could have been avoided, for example, the sudden death of Suraj and what it led to Sondai's life. The chapter titles could have been more catchy.

Why should one read this book?

It's an insightful book aiming to convey the dreadful customs which our society follow mindlessly. It's an awakening after a dead dark night.


Rating:
Blurb: 3/5
Description: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Editing: 4/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4 /5
Book Details:
Title: Sondai- The Dowager Bride
Author: Payal Kumar
Genre: Fiction
Type:Paperback
Publisher: Artson Publishing House
Language: English
Pages: 71
Year of Publication: 2019
Price: 245 INR
Buy: Amazon Paperback

Stars� To this tale, a ride full of upheaval, struggle and ecstasy, I give a 4 star rating. Recommended to all



]]> 4.33
author: Payal Kumar
name: Simran
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/25
date added: 2020/04/08
shelves:
review:
To accept the change and unravel the path of uncertainties is often easier said than done. The desperation of comfort zone often resist us from walking down the road less traveled. After all, we are the choices we make- to let oneself scummed by the loss or let go off past, embrace what life has to offer. The protagonist of this story, Sondai has been on both the sides- slave of her fate and later the captain of her destiny.

The Reviewer's Heart�

'Sondai- The Dowager Bride' is an imprinted harsh reality that society has been practicing mindlessly since ages. This story is an honest portrayal of disregard and soreness that every woman has to go through because of their submissive nature and societal pressure. Sondai which literally means gold-like is the protagonist of the story. She is a juvenile carrying a child-like enthusiasm and zeal. Her mesmerizing beauty and sheer intelligence are the prominent part of her personality.

Belonging to a society where women are not looked at beyond their physical attributions, Sondai being attractive was expected to live life like a fairy-tale but, destiny had some other plans for her. Sondai was married to Suraj, who already was a father to five children. On the fifth day after their wedding, Suraj dies unexpectedly, having no sign of health issues. The entire family, who earlier treated Sondai like a queen, started calling her a ''Chamain'', an inauspicious woman who ate her husband. The same girl to whom Suiraj's family was admiring, were now treating her like a complete outcast.

She was partly disowned by the family- given a dungeon kind of room to live in. On the day Suraj died, she planted a mango tree in a memory of him and started believing it as her only companion. Sondai wasn't ready for the U-turn her life took so abruptly but one thing that helped her make a little space in hearts was her incredible cooking skills. No matter however the terms were of family members with Sondai, everyone used to relish the food she made especially samosas, kachori and hot pepping chai.

The only support that Sondai had was her step daughter Badamia. Both of them had 'despair' in common and hence they had a strong bond shared 'secretly'. Widowed at a very young age, Sondai had physical desires which often used to make her uneasy and restless. That's when she came across Manoj, who admired and loved Sondai since a very young age. Manoj's presence often led to butterflies in her stomach imagining a wild intimacy, which Sondai often regretted about.

Will Sondai re-marry? Will she be ever able to make her place in family's heart? Will she ever make Suraj's family realize that his death was a mere co-incidence and Sondai had nothing to do with it? Will she be able to take a stand for herself or would she be scummed to her fate?

Trust me, there are many more mysteries that are to be answered. I don't want to make this review a spoiler for others and thus I would recommend you to read and discover Sondai's journey by yourself.


What I liked?

The story-line is set in North Bihar and the author has beautifully incorporated the local terms and location, making the story much more authentic. Also, it's thoughtful of Payal to bring up such a delicate issue with a path breaking story that speaks for thousands of women out there, struggling to make their presence felt and recognized. Although, the story starts with a tragic beginning but further carries on to a new and positive dimension. All the characters are well-developed and speaks for themselves. The narration is engaging enough to stir the curiosity chapter after chapter. The book cover having a red streak on a white background resonates perfectly with Sondai's life.

What I disliked?

A few repeated statements could have been avoided, for example, the sudden death of Suraj and what it led to Sondai's life. The chapter titles could have been more catchy.

Why should one read this book?

It's an insightful book aiming to convey the dreadful customs which our society follow mindlessly. It's an awakening after a dead dark night.


Rating:
Blurb: 3/5
Description: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Editing: 4/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4 /5
Book Details:
Title: Sondai- The Dowager Bride
Author: Payal Kumar
Genre: Fiction
Type:Paperback
Publisher: Artson Publishing House
Language: English
Pages: 71
Year of Publication: 2019
Price: 245 INR
Buy: Amazon Paperback

Stars� To this tale, a ride full of upheaval, struggle and ecstasy, I give a 4 star rating. Recommended to all




]]> 49401065
But today it feels like just another day. Why does all this preciousness have to pass to be seen? Why can't it get its due while it lives?

Unfortunately that's the way it has always been.

The Future seems to hold a certain value for The Past.

But The Present seems to be like an unfinished coin. It's still incomplete to derive any worth.

The poems in this collection 'The Camphor Of Night' are little things stolen from life which found their way to a treasury box in which they lay locked for years until these stolen things developed a life of their own and hence they need to be set free, because now is their time to breathe.]]> 124 Samir Satam 938661930X Simran 5
The Reviewer's Heart�

Few years back, I had read Samir's debut poetry book titled ''Postcards from Memory'' which was an absolute delight so when I got an opportunity to review yet another poetry collection by the poet, I knew I am going to relish it to the bits and pieces. 'The Camphor of Night' by Samir Satam is a collection of eighty-nine heartwarming verses, divided among different moods. The collection begins with Blues- adhering to ballads of a hopeless lover in disguise. It talks about the left behind stories, a photographer whose camera couldn't love someone else, a loner with ruins of broken home, constantly accumulating letters in an abandoned house and a few more, but the one I absolutely loved is- Homesickness.
No matter how far you go,
There's this homesickness
That keeps tugging at your heart,
To come back...
...not to your wardrobe or refrigerator,
But wherever that one person is...
Because,
Home is never about roof and walls?

How true is that! Homesickness has never been about the home but the people in it. Next few poems under The language of love takes the reader on a journey where love can bloom from the littlest of things and from the strangest of places. Poem titled Missing Piece made me go Aww, literally!

Drifting Souls, as the name suggests, has set of poems on stagnant relationship, separation of lovers, an attempt of loving someone else only to fall back in love with the 'Ex', the unforgettable name of the lover etched deep and clear until the last breath, grave possessiveness and fake promises that are more perilous than anything else.
Waiting Room showcase poems talking about the endless despair of holding onto someone who would never come back and the monotonous saga of rumors, small towns and junk music that will continue to go on without a speck of change.
This collection further explores the power of Individualism by finding oneself and setting oneself apart from the prejudices and social stigma. Harsh Realities captures a brilliant analogy of Airports and Hospitals. Yet another powerful piece is Mannequins that projects this world a 'showcase' and us wearing the wares of others' ideologies, morals and religions. Cityscape talks about how a city so dear becomes a strange to dwell in all of a sudden without 'that one person'. The poem titled Constipated City is about agony of city life with flooded lanes, floating vehicles, empty platforms and passengers turning into prisoners. Unaccustomed, Music and Nomads have some outstanding compositions the beauty of which cannot be justified in an explanation.
In his poems, Samir has beautifully created the images and brought life to the characters through mere words. His ability to weave unsettling emotions and acknowledgement of the same reflects his balanced sensitive and rational side. The poet majorly writes in free verse. The usage of metaphors and personification shows his creativity and strong imagination power. Even for someone who recently developed an interest in poetry can enjoy this book equally owing to the simple, short and crisp compositions. This book is a treasure full with gems of words and juxtaposed emotions.
To read the full review, follow the link-
]]> 4.06 2019
author: Samir Satam
name: Simran
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/09/08
date added: 2019/12/18
shelves:
review:
Writing poetry is therapeutic and the mightiest weapon of those who can express their hearts with the choicest of words. To read poetry is, living hundreds of emotions and often coming across your own thought that could not find words. Reading Samir's poetry took me back in time and inspired me to pen-down the lingering ones. It took me quite a while to finish this book because I wanted to absorb it than just going through it. Let's talk about the book without any further ado.

The Reviewer's Heart�

Few years back, I had read Samir's debut poetry book titled ''Postcards from Memory'' which was an absolute delight so when I got an opportunity to review yet another poetry collection by the poet, I knew I am going to relish it to the bits and pieces. 'The Camphor of Night' by Samir Satam is a collection of eighty-nine heartwarming verses, divided among different moods. The collection begins with Blues- adhering to ballads of a hopeless lover in disguise. It talks about the left behind stories, a photographer whose camera couldn't love someone else, a loner with ruins of broken home, constantly accumulating letters in an abandoned house and a few more, but the one I absolutely loved is- Homesickness.
No matter how far you go,
There's this homesickness
That keeps tugging at your heart,
To come back...
...not to your wardrobe or refrigerator,
But wherever that one person is...
Because,
Home is never about roof and walls?

How true is that! Homesickness has never been about the home but the people in it. Next few poems under The language of love takes the reader on a journey where love can bloom from the littlest of things and from the strangest of places. Poem titled Missing Piece made me go Aww, literally!

Drifting Souls, as the name suggests, has set of poems on stagnant relationship, separation of lovers, an attempt of loving someone else only to fall back in love with the 'Ex', the unforgettable name of the lover etched deep and clear until the last breath, grave possessiveness and fake promises that are more perilous than anything else.
Waiting Room showcase poems talking about the endless despair of holding onto someone who would never come back and the monotonous saga of rumors, small towns and junk music that will continue to go on without a speck of change.
This collection further explores the power of Individualism by finding oneself and setting oneself apart from the prejudices and social stigma. Harsh Realities captures a brilliant analogy of Airports and Hospitals. Yet another powerful piece is Mannequins that projects this world a 'showcase' and us wearing the wares of others' ideologies, morals and religions. Cityscape talks about how a city so dear becomes a strange to dwell in all of a sudden without 'that one person'. The poem titled Constipated City is about agony of city life with flooded lanes, floating vehicles, empty platforms and passengers turning into prisoners. Unaccustomed, Music and Nomads have some outstanding compositions the beauty of which cannot be justified in an explanation.
In his poems, Samir has beautifully created the images and brought life to the characters through mere words. His ability to weave unsettling emotions and acknowledgement of the same reflects his balanced sensitive and rational side. The poet majorly writes in free verse. The usage of metaphors and personification shows his creativity and strong imagination power. Even for someone who recently developed an interest in poetry can enjoy this book equally owing to the simple, short and crisp compositions. This book is a treasure full with gems of words and juxtaposed emotions.
To read the full review, follow the link-

]]> 7605463 48 Vihang A. Naik Simran 4
All the poems in the book depicts a very natural insight to a poet's life in general and various co-related perspective. I appreciate the poet's flair in conveying depth in his thoughts using a few words. The book has been written with utmost simplicity and readers of all age can easily comprehend it. However, at a few places, it was a little difficult to build the connection between the lines. I believe that is due to translation. Also, it would have been more interesting to read this collection if the poet would have mentioned a short snippet of his personal account or caricatures to complement the poems. The book cover in black color having the author's (Vihang A. Naik) picture on it definitely sets a serious mood and also adds credibility a hundred times more. Overall, it was a quick yet a sagacious read.
Read complete review here]]> 3.92 2004
author: Vihang A. Naik
name: Simran
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2018/06/20
date added: 2018/06/20
shelves:
review:
Making a Poem' by renowned literary gem Vihang Naik is a collection of beautifully woven poems that subjectively defines the poet, poem and the readers. The poems have been judiciously divided under the five different sections, Are you looking for that poet? talks about the struggles of becoming a poet. A Poet as a Young Man talks about the apprehension of young poets and their likeliness of falling into trap of words and temptation of using alluring terms and thus losing the meaning itself. Making a Poem is the most beautiful poem in the book which ecstatically talks about how poetry takes its form. Personifications like Words bare themselves, the dance of the blank ink and little light, the pen has to slide making a line adds cherry on the top. A Poem Comes Alive ironically has its first poem 'The Pen' which talks about the silent death of poetry. The main title poem couldn't have been described in better words ''a poem injects life in the rib of words''. The last section A Poet, in the poem titled Wanted, Mr. Vihang talks about the essence of a poet and his vulnerability at giving life to it in black and blue. Another poem titled Making of a Poet conveys how strong imagination fuels the power of expression and thus makes one Poet. My favorite pick from the collection is The Absent Poem because its completely relatable to me, often a thought, an observation and realization strikes to me only to be lost and forgotten.

All the poems in the book depicts a very natural insight to a poet's life in general and various co-related perspective. I appreciate the poet's flair in conveying depth in his thoughts using a few words. The book has been written with utmost simplicity and readers of all age can easily comprehend it. However, at a few places, it was a little difficult to build the connection between the lines. I believe that is due to translation. Also, it would have been more interesting to read this collection if the poet would have mentioned a short snippet of his personal account or caricatures to complement the poems. The book cover in black color having the author's (Vihang A. Naik) picture on it definitely sets a serious mood and also adds credibility a hundred times more. Overall, it was a quick yet a sagacious read.
Read complete review here
]]> 36256687 It’s Got to Be Love weaves around Dev and his friend Vikram. Dev is initially smitten with Carol, a college girl, but due to various reasons, they part ways. He meets Vaani through Facebook and a steady friendship develops between them, which soon blossoms into love. However, Vaani turns down Dev, for reasons known only to her.
Will Dev win back his love?
Will Carol come into his life again?
Join Dev on his emotional roller-coaster ride in Chandigarh, Delhi and Mumbai.]]> 266 Prashant Kaul 1947429655 Simran 4 -Pat Conroy

Dreams are both beautiful and scary. They are a mix of illusion and reality in connection to our subconscious mind. It paves us in a situation where we have no control over people or anything around, leaves us with a feeling of being powerless. I see dream almost every night in it having people I know, and a few strangers too. I see, pious things such as temple and river whereas there are nightmare that haunts me; the entire vicinity is covered in darkness and am all alone, listening to weird sounds coming from a distance. It's fascinating to know that there is some connection between the dreams we see and the reality. We often forget and ignore them remarking as 'just a dream', but what if those dreams have a tendency of coming true and impacting your life and people in it?

The Reviewer's Heart�

'It's Got To Be Love' by Prashant Kaul is a mesmerizing tale of love and friendship. Dev Sharma, the protagonist of the story, hails from Chandigarh goes through a dynamic personality transformation, from being physically lean, aloof among the crowd, under-confident about his abilities to being a martial-arts practitioner, fitness freak, attractive, confident and a better performer in academics. Being single child, he is an apple of his parents' eyes. Though Dev is an introvert by nature but as he shapes his personality later, it breaks his self made cocoon and thus, he becomes quite popular after winning the silver medal in martial arts for his college. Dev falls in love at first sight with his junior named Carol. She has a magnetic aura around her that makes it irresistible to pass by without noticing her sharp features and perfect body shape. Dev is head over heels in love with Carol but the frequency from both the ends fails to match thus, leaving Dev a little upset and worried. Carol's closeness with her friend Vaibhav dishearten Dev and later leads to so much confusion and doubts that it ends up breaking the relationship cord between Dev and Carol.

The breakup takes a toll on Dev's health but very soon he realizes how grateful he is to have friends like Vikram, Vaani and Amrish who clutches to him no matter what, his parents who keeps Dev's wishes before anything else and of course his source of joy; his pet dog (Buddy) who loves him unconditionally. Healing after the breakup was only possible due to constant emotional support from Vaani Sharma whom Dev had befriended on Facebook. Vaani Sharma from Delhi is charming by her looks, a very patient listener and genuine at heart. While things were falling apart between Carol and Dev, Vaani made her place to Dev's heart naturally by showing understanding, cheering him up and holding him through his thick and thin days. It was when Dev came Delhi to write his MBA entrance in Zenith University he met Vaani in person for the first time. Slowly their sweet friendship turned into a true love with Carol fading away from Dev's life, heart, but wait! no from his dreams. Vikram, to be with Dev and his first love, Radha decides to study in Delhi too. While everything looks perfect in their lives, something goes wrong and suddenly Vaani disappear leaving a message for Dev not to contact ever. What could have gone wrong between them? Will Vaani ever come back? Will Dev try and find her? Why does Carol still comes in Dev's dreams? Would Dev be able to find out a way to solve the mystery with cues in his dreams?

In order to unleash the curtains, you need to read this book and I am sure you won't regret reading it. I would like to appreciate the author for his excellent efforts in maintaining the essence of the story till the last page of the book.

What I liked?

The setting of the story is so realistic that the reader gets empathetic towards the Protagonist. The flow of the story is intrigued enough which persuades the reader to vividly imagine the story line. All the characters in the story are well-developed and sounds way too genuine. I admire all the characters in the story because they all have been very well-woven and each having their own importance in bringing out this amazing story. The language used is simple yet sophisticated which accounts to one of the aspects of a worthy novel. Plus, kudos to the author for bringing out through detail of each city- Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai. Although many incidents were predictable but the author managed quite decently to keep me hooked till the end by putting a little drama and action in the right places.

What I disliked?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. However, I felt, a few repetitive parts could have been avoided.

Read complete review:

]]> 3.58
author: Prashant Kaul
name: Simran
average rating: 3.58
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/06/04
date added: 2018/06/04
shelves:
review:
''I've always believed that dreams were both the love letters and the hate mail of the subconscious.''
-Pat Conroy

Dreams are both beautiful and scary. They are a mix of illusion and reality in connection to our subconscious mind. It paves us in a situation where we have no control over people or anything around, leaves us with a feeling of being powerless. I see dream almost every night in it having people I know, and a few strangers too. I see, pious things such as temple and river whereas there are nightmare that haunts me; the entire vicinity is covered in darkness and am all alone, listening to weird sounds coming from a distance. It's fascinating to know that there is some connection between the dreams we see and the reality. We often forget and ignore them remarking as 'just a dream', but what if those dreams have a tendency of coming true and impacting your life and people in it?

The Reviewer's Heart�

'It's Got To Be Love' by Prashant Kaul is a mesmerizing tale of love and friendship. Dev Sharma, the protagonist of the story, hails from Chandigarh goes through a dynamic personality transformation, from being physically lean, aloof among the crowd, under-confident about his abilities to being a martial-arts practitioner, fitness freak, attractive, confident and a better performer in academics. Being single child, he is an apple of his parents' eyes. Though Dev is an introvert by nature but as he shapes his personality later, it breaks his self made cocoon and thus, he becomes quite popular after winning the silver medal in martial arts for his college. Dev falls in love at first sight with his junior named Carol. She has a magnetic aura around her that makes it irresistible to pass by without noticing her sharp features and perfect body shape. Dev is head over heels in love with Carol but the frequency from both the ends fails to match thus, leaving Dev a little upset and worried. Carol's closeness with her friend Vaibhav dishearten Dev and later leads to so much confusion and doubts that it ends up breaking the relationship cord between Dev and Carol.

The breakup takes a toll on Dev's health but very soon he realizes how grateful he is to have friends like Vikram, Vaani and Amrish who clutches to him no matter what, his parents who keeps Dev's wishes before anything else and of course his source of joy; his pet dog (Buddy) who loves him unconditionally. Healing after the breakup was only possible due to constant emotional support from Vaani Sharma whom Dev had befriended on Facebook. Vaani Sharma from Delhi is charming by her looks, a very patient listener and genuine at heart. While things were falling apart between Carol and Dev, Vaani made her place to Dev's heart naturally by showing understanding, cheering him up and holding him through his thick and thin days. It was when Dev came Delhi to write his MBA entrance in Zenith University he met Vaani in person for the first time. Slowly their sweet friendship turned into a true love with Carol fading away from Dev's life, heart, but wait! no from his dreams. Vikram, to be with Dev and his first love, Radha decides to study in Delhi too. While everything looks perfect in their lives, something goes wrong and suddenly Vaani disappear leaving a message for Dev not to contact ever. What could have gone wrong between them? Will Vaani ever come back? Will Dev try and find her? Why does Carol still comes in Dev's dreams? Would Dev be able to find out a way to solve the mystery with cues in his dreams?

In order to unleash the curtains, you need to read this book and I am sure you won't regret reading it. I would like to appreciate the author for his excellent efforts in maintaining the essence of the story till the last page of the book.

What I liked?

The setting of the story is so realistic that the reader gets empathetic towards the Protagonist. The flow of the story is intrigued enough which persuades the reader to vividly imagine the story line. All the characters in the story are well-developed and sounds way too genuine. I admire all the characters in the story because they all have been very well-woven and each having their own importance in bringing out this amazing story. The language used is simple yet sophisticated which accounts to one of the aspects of a worthy novel. Plus, kudos to the author for bringing out through detail of each city- Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai. Although many incidents were predictable but the author managed quite decently to keep me hooked till the end by putting a little drama and action in the right places.

What I disliked?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. However, I felt, a few repetitive parts could have been avoided.

Read complete review:


]]> 39330684 Love is painful. Love makes people selfish. Love binds a family and, in the process, breaks two. Love makes you feel weak. Love gifts you scars, tears, and painful memories.

And yet, love is beautiful.


‘Letters To My Son� is all about love. The love of a single father, Aarav who brings up his son, Nirav, protecting him against all odds, is unimaginably pure. Yet he had to undergo severe pain when Nirav goes abroad with this girlfriend Mirnalini for higher education.


***


It is Nirav’s birthday. He gets a parcel from his father with the note "Letters to my Son". Each letter comes as a lesson, in love, family and life. As he picks up random letters and reads, he breaks down. The truth is always bitter, but love can heal everything.


What earth shattering secrets do the letters reveal?


Will the contents change the way Nirav feels about the people in his life?


Will Aarav’s love heal Nirav’s wounds?]]> 65 Saravanakumar Murugan Simran 5 I had received a copyright protected copy of the book in exchange of an honest review on Amazon.]]> 4.22 2018
author: Saravanakumar Murugan
name: Simran
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/21
date added: 2018/03/21
shelves:
review:
"Letters to My Son" by Saravana Kumar Murugan is the most beautiful story I've read lately. It's a plain simple story but the one that connects straight to reader's heart. It's a tale of Aarav, a doting father who writes letters to his only son, Nirav who lived and grew up with his father but now was living at a foreign land to build up his career. After the death of Nirav's mother, Aarav put all his might with full sincerity to bring up Nirav while Mirnalini, the love and sweetheart of Nirav's life; brought back the colors which were faded with the demise of his mother. This is how the plot looks like but the entire secret is in those letters that would melt and take your heart away. The beautiful bonding depicted between the father and son in Letters to My Son can not be better than this. Very crisp and intriguing narration! Can't help adoring the book cover :D Kudos to the author for writing such a marvel :)
I had received a copyright protected copy of the book in exchange of an honest review on Amazon.
]]> 35062075

Read and cherish this tale of love from the Undisputed King of Romance on Blog-o-Sphere. Coffee Date, the real taste of love!


Siddhartha Abhimanyu... People call him Sid, a techie, a beard lover, an ardent reader and a big fan of Nicholas Sparks, loves reading stories with happy endings. And when he’s not reading he write poems; which helped him impress a long list of girls.


Isha Reddy, the queen of his little heart. The first time Sid saw Isha, he couldn’t blink even for a second. She, being a writer, director of three award winning short films, hates men with a stubble and, has a different opinion on life.


Sid falls in love with Isha. Isha could not escape from Mr. Charming. They date over a cup of coffee. Sid also acts as the male lead in Isha’s new short film.


Niharika, Sid’s direct report in office falls in love with Sid. He rejects her proposal, but destiny has different plans. They have to fly abroad to execute a project.


Shivani, Sid’s reel life heroine, is introduced to him by Isha. Shivani kisses him during a shoot. This along with a series of incidents hurt Isha.


Isha breaks up with Sid. Both Shivani and Niharika waiting for this opportunity, what will happen to Sid and Isha’s love? Will Sid and Isha reunite? Will Niharika get what she wants? Or will Shivani succeed in her masterplan?



Praise from amazon-verified-top-bookstagrammers:


Pretty Little Bibliophile says�
“The plot is very compelling and overall hooks the reader until the very end. I admit that I myself completed this in one seating. The themes of friendship, love, and jealousy etc., are very well explored. One thing that I have observed in the author’s book is the beautiful way in which he incorporates the family life within the personal-romantic relationship one. For instance, apart from the romantic love, the reader can also see the parental love coming into the picture. It’s a welcome recurring theme.
The protagonists Siddhartha and Isha are characters of the real world- with their heads revolving around their careers too and not just mere love life issues. The understanding that was displayed between them implies the depth of their characters. The friends involved are also well-plotted characters and the element of jealousy was brought in well through the actions of Niharika.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all.�


Vidhya Thakkar says�
“The book is as addictive as the title is. Yes! First of all, I loved the title and cover of the book. It's too impressive and eye catchy. The author has beautifully plotted each and every character. Each character had its own quality. I loved the conversations between Isha and Sid. It was like living your dream Love story. I also loved the poems that Sid recited for Isha. Each and every poem was just love. well, well, I also fell in Love with sid's home. the way the author has described his home, it feels like we should have one dream home like that. Isha and Sid's character were something that everyone can fall in love with. I also love how Isha's parents accepted her decision to be with Sid. Things are surely changing now and mindset of people too. The plot is also good with full of twists, suspense, thriller. The office tales, the coffee date write-up, etc. everything was so pure. we can easily connect with each and everything in the book. The author beautifully maintained the writing style, as it was easy to instantly connect with the book. The tempo is too good. I loved the climax. it was something unbelievable. The writing style of the author is simple and interesting. The story is all about Work, Friendship, Bonding and of course Love over Coffee Date. Overall, It's a good read with full of love, interesting plot and good characterization. This coffee date is really an addictive one!"]]> 176 Saravanakumar Murugan Simran 4 P.S. - I loved the font used for chapter title.
Rating: 4/5
]]> 4.06 2017
author: Saravanakumar Murugan
name: Simran
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/09/24
date added: 2017/09/24
shelves:
review:
‘Coffee Date� written by Saravana Kumar Murugan, has a compelling plot with a highly addictive story-line. Although love and romance are the core of the story but that doesn’t mean it has just those mushy-mushy things to talk about. Don’t worry, it won’t disappoint you, I assure. The plot has a balanced mix of thriller, surprise and shock elements which surely would keep you in an awe as you read page after page. The story revolves around Siddhartha Abhimanyu a.k.a Sid, a cool techie! He is tall, handsome, and cherry to the eyes of women, a moody poet and a big fan of Nicholas Sparks. He has tasted success because of his diligence and honesty. Isha Reddy, a successful writer, director of three award winning short films, has a face of goddess, her big eyes can steal the hearts of stags in no time. More than everything else, she is the queen of Sid’s little heart. Their love for each other bloom each time they meet and even when they do not. The two most deceptive and equally interesting characters in the book are- Shivani and Niharika. If I’m asked to quote my favorite incidents from the book- The conversation between Sid and Isha- I feel butterflies in my stomach each time I read those, the short film direction especially the movie hall scene and when suddenly Isha disappeared (left me teary eyed). The author has creatively begin each chapter with a quote-like phrase which instill excitement and I must mention that each chapter ends with a suspense. You would have a hard time keeping down this book if you do have a habit of reading in parts. The book cover looks splendid with coffee beans spread all around the mug, as fresh as coffee and as soothing as its smell. The description of the author on the front cover ‘’From the Undisputed King of Romance on Blog-O-Sphere’� seems promising and I congratulate the author for actually proving his credibility. The best part is, Coffee Date doesn’t end at the last page. There’s a stirring suspense on the last page of the book, meaning there’s a sequel awaiting: D The book could have been edited better but then a little brush-up would cover it up.
P.S. - I loved the font used for chapter title.
Rating: 4/5

]]> 3532010 150 Sudha Murty 0143103768 Simran 4 3.68 2001
author: Sudha Murty
name: Simran
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/18
date added: 2017/07/18
shelves:
review:

]]> 13136383
Bollywood superstar Anupam Kher plays a new role altogether: Using examples from his own life and experiences, he subtly motivates and inspires you by providing a handy guide to discovering your real self and finding peace of mind and contentment in today s chaotic times! He feels that the best way to counter the negativity that exists in the world these days, where people are gripped by fear, insecurity, stress, frustration and unhappiness is by acquiring a positive outlook. Citing his own example, he reveals how a humble background need not be an obstacle to attaining the dizzying heights of success, but simultaneously, sounds a warning about the importance of gracefully handling such success. He shares the vital ingredients in his recipe for success as well as no-nonsense methods to get the most out of your life. This volume contains the author s views on a wide variety of topics such as:

the anger syndrome,
the phenomenon of change,
thought control,
dealing with relationships,
being detached,
conquering stress,
getting rid of fears,
coming to terms with failure,
realizing the power within oneself,
the importance of forgiveness,
coping with loss and death and much more.


Here s a book you will find yourself turning to for soothing, insightful guidance and practical advice no matter what situation you re in. You ll come to realize that the best thing about you is YOU!]]> 226 Anupam Kher 9381431175 Simran 0 to-read 3.73 2011
author: Anupam Kher
name: Simran
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/05/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 34095225
Come and explore the various shades of life - from the lighter tones of friendship and love to the murkier hues of revenge and murder - of human beings, of how their personalities and their situations mould them into their real selves - in this anthology of prose and verse, from authors across the world, The Love For Colors.

]]> 192 Saravanakumar Murugan 938578336X Simran 0 to-read 4.50
author: Saravanakumar Murugan
name: Simran
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 31115936
When she meets Abhigyan Ambastha, rich - devastatingly handsome, intense and sometimes curt, her resolve wavers. Despite regular warnings from her ever-suspicious heart, she inexplicably gets attracted towards him. But she would not let him trespass her soul.

Why? Is she scared of mendacious face of love her past has inflicted on her? Can Paridhi really trust Abhigyan? Is Abhigyan’s life really that perfect as it seems? Will a blissful breeze of love ever kiss her heart?

Will a blissful breeze of love ever kiss her heart?

A heart-warming saga of dreams and desires, We Will Meet Again promises to make you smile and cry at the same time. Hold on to your hearts before embarking on this roller coaster ride of emotions!]]> 192 Tarang Sinha 9384382175 Simran 4
First impression lasts for long, if we have a bad experience in a relationship, then it becomes hard to take any such relations positively afterwards. Isn’t it? There is always a fear for the history to repeat itself which makes a person resistant to it, and, hence results into a more suspicious behavior.

The Reviewer's Heart�

We will meet again by Tarang Sinha is a remarkable novel which depicts how tragic one’s life could be. The protagonist of the story is Paridhi Mathur, a post graduate student. Her life forced her into so many challenges which although made her strong and independent but also a happiness deprived person. Life, which is generally called a blessing can also be miserable for some, to an extent that they fear to cherish their good times. Paridhi lives with her father, sister and bua and is the eldest daughter of her family. She appears to be an introvert in nature. She is pursuing PG in mass communication and journalism from Delhi. She is a consistent performer in academics and tries her best to keep herself away from any unnecessary relationships. However, she has a best friend named Reet since UG times. Reet is getting married, Paridhi and Mini (her younger sister) manage to convince their father to allow them to attend the marriage in Jalandhar.
Read full review here- ]]> 3.45
author: Tarang Sinha
name: Simran
average rating: 3.45
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2016/12/20
date added: 2016/12/20
shelves:
review:
“The emotion that can break your heart sometimes the very one that heals it.� � Nicholas Spark

First impression lasts for long, if we have a bad experience in a relationship, then it becomes hard to take any such relations positively afterwards. Isn’t it? There is always a fear for the history to repeat itself which makes a person resistant to it, and, hence results into a more suspicious behavior.

The Reviewer's Heart�

We will meet again by Tarang Sinha is a remarkable novel which depicts how tragic one’s life could be. The protagonist of the story is Paridhi Mathur, a post graduate student. Her life forced her into so many challenges which although made her strong and independent but also a happiness deprived person. Life, which is generally called a blessing can also be miserable for some, to an extent that they fear to cherish their good times. Paridhi lives with her father, sister and bua and is the eldest daughter of her family. She appears to be an introvert in nature. She is pursuing PG in mass communication and journalism from Delhi. She is a consistent performer in academics and tries her best to keep herself away from any unnecessary relationships. However, she has a best friend named Reet since UG times. Reet is getting married, Paridhi and Mini (her younger sister) manage to convince their father to allow them to attend the marriage in Jalandhar.
Read full review here-
]]> 33260149 120 Sulaiman Sait 9386305038 Simran 0 to-read 3.53 2016
author: Sulaiman Sait
name: Simran
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/12/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 31380326
Indraneel is a young and successful film-maker, an alumnus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In an intoxicating relationship with a young and beautiful aspiring actress, his next film is being hailed as a blockbuster. Things couldn’t be going any better. Suddenly, without warning, Indraneel’s life overturns. Hurt floods his heart and soul, seemingly beyond redemption�

He arrives in Rishikesh, a mountain town by the river. The artist within him, as well as the bruised individual, senses the timeless love and solace emanating from the Ganga and the Himalayas, but innumerable whys continue to invade his thoughts. Introduced to Shaman, a bookseller with a difference, and a ‘closet guru�, the deeply sceptical Indraneel is introduced to a bewilderingly new, yet strangely magnetic world of spiritual seeking.

As the seasons pass, as pass they will...Indraneel gradually opens his mind to what he finds around him, delving step by step into the truth about spirituality and human existence. A measure of peace finally descends on his tormented mind.

But the world beckons yet again and Indraneel stands at a crossroads once more. He is asked to make a difficult choice. Will he submit to the strong current of spirituality now flowing within him? Does a spiritual life mean giving up everything else? Can he ever go back to the world? Will he find the happiness he so desperately seeks?

The world that Raj Supe creates is vividly described with a true artiste’s eye for detail. Set in the ‘belief land of Rishikesh� on the banks of Ganga � ‘perennial river of India’s mystical past� � his story leads the reader through light and shadow to the goal Indraneel, the protagonist, has set himself � a life of spiritual bliss…Raj serves up a rich repast from which no reader can depart unfulfilled. ~ Benjamin Gilani]]> 467 Raj Supe 9352016157 Simran 4 Read the complete review here: ]]> 4.66
author: Raj Supe
name: Simran
average rating: 4.66
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2016/10/05
shelves:
review:
It is a fantastic book for anyone who wants to make a change in their lives. It is a trove of treasure that will lure the reader to reflect on their opinions. It describes toughest concepts of life in a soothing way and captures everything vividly creating interest to the reader. The book in a scintillating manner shows that everything has a purpose and that nothing happens by chance. It deeply hides a great potential to inspire a differential change in our lives.
Read the complete review here:
]]> 20819682 272 Paulo Coelho 1101874082 Simran 2 3.09 2012
author: Paulo Coelho
name: Simran
average rating: 3.09
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2016/07/07
date added: 2016/07/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 23397089
Virat and Kavya are like chalk and cheese. While Virat is cautious and reserved, Kavya is outgoing and likes to lead a life full of reckless fun. Despite their differences, they are thick friends and not even Mahek, the love of Virat’s life, can come in the way of that.

But like every relationship, their friendship is put to the test when an unforeseen incident hits them. Can Aditya, along with his cousin, come to their rescue yet again?

'You Are the Password to My Life' is a true story that shows you how true friendship is the only ‘ship� that does not sink.]]> 234 Sudeep Nagarkar 8184005849 Simran 3 3.69 2014
author: Sudeep Nagarkar
name: Simran
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2016/06/24
date added: 2016/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> 6711348 Each of the twenty-one stories in Matchbox, carefully selected from Ashapurna Debi’s extensive body of work and brilliantly translated from Bengali to retain the original flavour of the language and Debi’s style, highlights the tensions inherent in a society of close-knit and interdependent families.
In ‘Poddolota’s Dream�, a young girl returns to the scene of a harrowing childhood, magnanimous and victorious for reasons quite her own; in ‘Grieving for Oneself�, a midnight scare shows an ailing man precisely how he fits into the world he has worked his life to build; in ‘Glass Beads Diamonds�, a woman attends a wedding reception at her estranged in-laws�, bearing a gift that has cost her far too much. In other stories, a family rues an unexpected disappearance of one of their own, two friends come to terms with a lost friendship, and a couple’s relationship is interrupted the sudden appearance of an old flame.
Written with singular insight, often shocking and always compelling, the stories in Matchbox reveal in brilliant sparks the universal verities embedded within narrow domestic walls and present a literary genius at work.]]> 147 Ashapurna Devi 8129104490 Simran 0 to-read 4.00
author: Ashapurna Devi
name: Simran
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 26226079 776 CICCARELLI 8131713873 Simran 3 4.33 2005
author: CICCARELLI
name: Simran
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 2015/12/19
date added: 2016/06/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 29200216 swaggering boy, at heart just a middle-class, hard-working,
risk-averse, un-creative, strait-laced, routine-obsessed
conformist. In case I forgot to mention it, I’m also
prudish to the point of being puritanical.


But at eight, Nira had only one over-powering wish—to pee
standing up like a boy. In fact, to be a boy.
Join Nira as she steps into her brother’s clothes and becomes
the self-appointed Al Caponesque gang leader of the neighbourhood
boys. Her oddball yet madly loving family shapes her
personality, and a poignant relationship with her brother’s best
friend shapes her life.
She uses uninhibited candour to detail her coming-of-age journey
from Calcutta to London, from tomboy to reluctant woman-
in-progress . . . always trying to fit in, but always failing. She’s
a laugh a minute, and yet she breaks your heart with her subconscious,
percussive yearning for the one person who is always too
old, too far, too married to be hers.]]> 240 Sonia Bahl Simran 4
What I liked?

Well, let’s start with the outlook. The book cover is quite attractive and goes well with story-line. Blurb written on the back cover is crisp and sums up crux of the story. I would like to appreciate author’s attempt to present a common story in an uncommon style. It was quite a surprise to read a balanced duo of humor and romance. And not to forget the creative title for each chapter. My personal favorite chapters are (not mentioned in a specific order)-: Dinner for 2+22, Boys will be toys, The truth over kebabs and Eight to eight in ten seconds.

What I disliked?

Initially pace of the story was a little slow and stretched but as it progressed I wished it to never end. Use of jargons at a few places could have been avoided but that certainly does not take away the credit for such a brilliant piece of writing.
]]> 4.19
author: Sonia Bahl
name: Simran
average rating: 4.19
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2016/06/05
date added: 2016/06/05
shelves:
review:
The Spectacular Miss by Sonia Bahl is an un-put-down-able story written on a fresh note to take you on an unimaginable adventure. What if a girl live and act like a boy? The story revolves around Nira and her best friend Bir who is almost ten years elder to her. Nira is a girl who thinks out of the box and acts like one, too. She is genuine, bold and her self-depreciating humor is commendable. I really wish I could be like her. Bir is a kind of guy anyone would like to have. Bir has been there for Nira throughout her thick and thin days. So promising, sensible and patient. Later Bir gets married to Dipika who has her own personal priorities which greatly affects their married life. The amazing description of Nira’s teen days in Calcutta is vivid and powerful enough to get carried away. There comes a time when Nira has to leave from Calcutta to London. Despite hard times Nira doesn’t miss out to write to Bir once in a while, because nothing could take them apart. Nira has a set of nine wishes which Bir had once encouraged her to pen down. It’s so endearing to see them all come true, especially the last one. Somewhere in hearts of both this friendship is more than that. Nira’s journey is full of challenges and odd pieces of puzzle. Will she be able to put missing pieces at place and win over them? Will she be able to express her feelings for Bir or would simply mask them? Will Bir be able to sustain his married life? There are many instances in the book which will make you laugh out loud and melt your heart. I was in happy tears reading the last chapter. Still I can’t stop admiring the positive transition which took place in Nira’s character from an eight year stubborn boy to a twenty-seven year old graceful lady. The intriguing and impressive writing style make this book a master-piece.

What I liked?

Well, let’s start with the outlook. The book cover is quite attractive and goes well with story-line. Blurb written on the back cover is crisp and sums up crux of the story. I would like to appreciate author’s attempt to present a common story in an uncommon style. It was quite a surprise to read a balanced duo of humor and romance. And not to forget the creative title for each chapter. My personal favorite chapters are (not mentioned in a specific order)-: Dinner for 2+22, Boys will be toys, The truth over kebabs and Eight to eight in ten seconds.

What I disliked?

Initially pace of the story was a little slow and stretched but as it progressed I wished it to never end. Use of jargons at a few places could have been avoided but that certainly does not take away the credit for such a brilliant piece of writing.

]]> 4865
Since its release in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 30 million copies. Dale Carnegie's first book is a timeless bestseller, packed with rock-solid advice that has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.

As relevant as ever before, Dale Carnegie's principles endure, and will help you achieve your maximum potential in the complex and competitive modern age.

Learn the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.]]> 288 Dale Carnegie Simran 0 to-read 4.22 1936
author: Dale Carnegie
name: Simran
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1936
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/05/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25870749 235 Twinkle Khanna 0143424467 Simran 2 3.44 2015
author: Twinkle Khanna
name: Simran
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2016/05/10
date added: 2016/05/10
shelves:
review:

]]> 475193 208 Ruskin Bond 0670057983 Simran 4 3.98 2004
author: Ruskin Bond
name: Simran
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2016/05/07
date added: 2016/05/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 11465025
One of the most controversial and celebrated Indian authors, she combined in her writings rare honesty and sensitivity, provocation and poignancy. The Kept Woman and Other Stories explores the man-woman relationship in all its dimensions. Deprived, depraved, mysterious, mystical and exalted, each character, culled from experience and observation, is an incisive study of love, lust and longing.]]> 163 Kamala Suraiyya Das 9380069278 Simran 3 3.70 2010
author: Kamala Suraiyya Das
name: Simran
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2016/04/28
date added: 2016/04/28
shelves:
review:

]]> 29410020
Come and explore the various shades of life - from the lighter tones of friendship and love to the murkier hues of revenge and murder - of human beings, of how their personalities and their situations mould them into their real selves - in this anthology of prose and verse, from authors across the world, Shades of Life.

Pre-order now on ]]> 326 Saravanakumar Murugan 8193166655 Simran 0 to-read 4.24
author: Saravanakumar Murugan
name: Simran
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/03/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 28389860 318 Sheeja Jose 8193047931 Simran 0 currently-reading 3.80 2015
author: Sheeja Jose
name: Simran
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/02/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 22151696 Love & Misadventure, Lullabies continues to explore the intricacies of love and loss.

Set to a musical theme, love's poetic journey in this new, original collection begins with a Duet and travels through Interlude and Finale with an Encore popular piece from the best-selling Love & Misadventure. Lang Leav's evocative poetry speaks to the soul of anyone who is on this journey.

Leav has an unnerving ability to see inside the hearts and minds of her readers. Her talent for translating complex emotions with astonishing simplicity has won her a cult following of devoted fans from all over the world.

Lang Leav is a poet and internationally exhibiting artist.]]> 248 Lang Leav 1449461077 Simran 5 3.98 2014
author: Lang Leav
name: Simran
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2016/02/26
date added: 2016/02/26
shelves:
review:

]]> 17061
In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.

The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.

Only it's different.

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

Critically acclaimed and award-winning author Neil Gaiman will delight readers with his first novel for all ages.]]> 176 Neil Gaiman 0061139378 Simran 4 4.13 2002
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Simran
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/24
date added: 2016/02/24
shelves:
review:
Yet another wonderful book by Neil Gaiman. Somewhere deep down I so wish to become an explorer like Coraline. She is brave, wise and kind. The exciting world to which Neil takes us through the story is phenomenal. It definitely was an un-put-down-able book. Also, I loved illustrations by Chris Riddell, making the reading experience all more real and fascinating.
]]> 29009036
The heart listens to no one. It hums its own song. This is primarily the reason why love and music are so much interrelated. When a person falls in love, his heart becomes an orchestra of emotions which churns out a beautiful song, audible only to the heart of his lover.

There are different kinds of love stories, but one thing is same in all of them. In every love story, there is a melody. It might be sweet or passionate. It can also be transcending or heart wrenching.

In this book, you will be able to taste 35 distinct flavors of love. Delve in the verses, catch a glimpse of the 35 love stories unfolding before you and hear the melody they produce.

The heart listens to no one because it is governed by love. Then, why try to control it? Let it produce its own melody. Let it hum its own song.]]> 83 Purba Chakraborty Simran 5 This book is a sure delight for all poetry lovers :)]]> 4.21
author: Purba Chakraborty
name: Simran
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2016/02/22
date added: 2016/02/22
shelves:
review:
"The Heart Listens to No One" by Purba Chakraborty is a collection of 35 heart touching poems based on themes like longing, romance, separation, memories and love. Each poem has a little story in it conveyed through beautiful verses. After reading this book I feel, there can never be finite writings on love and its aspects. I would like to mention some of my favorite poems: Colors of love, Unsaid, You are my poetry, Kiss my Name.
This book is a sure delight for all poetry lovers :)
]]> 26109098 144 Amisha Sethi 938266548X Simran 0 3.69 2015
author: Amisha Sethi
name: Simran
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2016/02/08
date added: 2016/02/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 27187624 294 Sulagna Chaudhury 9352013867 Simran 3 3.50 2015
author: Sulagna Chaudhury
name: Simran
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2016/01/03
date added: 2016/02/02
shelves:
review:

]]> 5439 Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

Navigating between the Indian traditions they've inherited and the baffling new world, the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri's elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the barriers of culture and generations. In "A Temporary Matter," published in The New Yorker, a young Indian-American couple faces the heartbreak of a stillborn birth while their Boston neighborhood copes with a nightly blackout. In the title story, an interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors and hears an astonishing confession. Lahiri writes with deft cultural insight reminiscent of Anita Desai and a nuanced depth that recalls Mavis Gallant.]]> 198 Jhumpa Lahiri 0618101365 Simran 5 4.18 1999
author: Jhumpa Lahiri
name: Simran
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1999
rating: 5
read at: 2016/02/02
date added: 2016/02/01
shelves:
review:
Once again Jhumpa Lahiri's writing won my heart. Her sensitive take on relations are vivid with long lasting impact. It's a compilation of nine short stories. My personal favorite stories are: A temporary matter, Mrs. Sen's and The treatment of Bibi Haldar. Worth buying and reading this book :)
]]> 24903807 I have decided to give myself a birthday gift - JUSTICE
My enemies are rich,powerful and dangerous.
If I want to be alive, I'll have to kill them before they kill me.
I do not care if I die in the process.
At least I will die knowing that I am not a victim anymore.
I am a survivor.
I am going to open a real world,scarier than fiction.

Will you walk with me ?
Because if it can happen to me, it can happen to you too...]]> 412 Sheeja Jose 8193047907 Simran 0 to-read 4.29 2015
author: Sheeja Jose
name: Simran
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/01/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 24838407
A Book of Simple Living is a gift of beauty and wisdom from India’s most loved, and most understated, writer.]]> 160 Ruskin Bond Simran 0 to-read 4.49 2015
author: Ruskin Bond
name: Simran
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/01/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 13402447 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B006ROK1UM

Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is descended from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business. Which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her it's next fairytale victim.

To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.]]> 235 Chanda Hahn Simran 0 to-read 3.89 2011
author: Chanda Hahn
name: Simran
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/01/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23357458 388 Jennifer Niven 0141357037 Simran 0 to-read 4.08 2015
author: Jennifer Niven
name: Simran
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 14836 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India’s independence. Greeted by fireworks displays, cheering crowds, and Prime Minister Nehru himself, Saleem grows up to learn the ominous consequences of this coincidence. His every act is mirrored and magnified in events that sway the course of national affairs; his health and well-being are inextricably bound to those of his nation; his life is inseparable, at times indistinguishable, from the history of his country. Perhaps most remarkable are the telepathic powers linking him with India’s 1,000 other “midnight’s children,� all born in that initial hour and endowed with magical gifts.

This novel is at once a fascinating family saga and an astonishing evocation of a vast land and its people–a brilliant incarnation of the universal human comedy. Twenty-five years after its publication, Midnight� s Children stands apart as both an epochal work of fiction and a brilliant performance by one of the great literary voices of our time.]]> 647 Salman Rushdie 0099578514 Simran 0 to-read 3.98 1981
author: Salman Rushdie
name: Simran
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1981
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 4671 The only edition of the beloved classic that is authorized by Fitzgerald’s family and from his lifelong publisher.

This edition is the enduring original text, updated with the author’s own revisions, a foreword by his granddaughter, and with a new introduction by National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published by Scribner in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.]]> 180 F. Scott Fitzgerald 0743273567 Simran 0 to-read 3.93 1925
author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
name: Simran
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1925
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 13023 This is an adaptation. For the editions of the original book, see here .

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English mathematician Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre. Its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre.]]> 96 Jane Carruth 0517223627 Simran 0 to-read 4.03 1865
author: Jane Carruth
name: Simran
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1865
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17470674
Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.

The classic dystopian novel of a post-literate future, Fahrenheit 451 stands alongside Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.

Bradbury’s powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which, decades on from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.

--back cover]]> 227 Ray Bradbury 0007491565 Simran 0 to-read 4.01 1953
author: Ray Bradbury
name: Simran
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1953
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 77203 371 Khaled Hosseini 159463193X Simran 0 to-read 4.34 2003
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Simran
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 320 417 Gabriel García Márquez Simran 0 to-read 4.10 1967
author: Gabriel García Márquez
name: Simran
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1967
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 18405 1037 Margaret Mitchell 0446365386 Simran 0 to-read 4.30 1936
author: Margaret Mitchell
name: Simran
average rating: 4.30
book published: 1936
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 16299
"Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none."

When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.]]> 264 Agatha Christie 0312330871 Simran 0 to-read 4.28 1939
author: Agatha Christie
name: Simran
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1939
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 11486
Then her husband's lover, a flamboyant blues singer, barreled into her world and gave Celie the courage to ask for more - to laugh, to play, and finally - to love.]]> 295 Alice Walker Simran 0 to-read 4.22 1982
author: Alice Walker
name: Simran
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1982
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 13723140 142 John C. Goodman 0986965723 Simran 0 to-read 4.05 2011
author: John C. Goodman
name: Simran
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 6720210 264 Kaul Aseem 8189975455 Simran 0 to-read 4.15
author: Kaul Aseem
name: Simran
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 768496
John Brown, a successful yuppie living in 1980s San Francisco meets a romantic interest in Liz, after placing a personal ad in the newspaper. From this interaction, John meets a variety of characters, each with their own values and ideas of "self-actualization." However, Liz begins to fall in love with John's best friend, and John realizes his journey of self-discovery has only just begun.]]> 307 Vikram Seth 0679734570 Simran 0 to-read 4.02 1986
author: Vikram Seth
name: Simran
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1986
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 21853621 In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.]]> 564 Kristin Hannah 0312577222 Simran 0 to-read 4.63 2015
author: Kristin Hannah
name: Simran
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 108623 182 Ahdaf Soueif 0307277216 Simran 0 to-read 3.46 1996
author: Ahdaf Soueif
name: Simran
average rating: 3.46
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 821872
'When her grandmother learned of Ashima's pregnancy, she was particularly thrilled at the prospect of naming the family's first sahib. And so Ashima and Ashoke have agreed to put off the decision of what to name the baby until a letter comes�'

For now, the label on his hospital cot reads simply BABY BOY GANGULI. But as time passes and still no letter arrives from India, American bureaucracy takes over and demands that 'baby boy Ganguli' be given a name. In a panic, his father decides to nickname him 'Gogol' � after his favourite writer.

Brought up as an Indian in suburban America, Gogol Ganguli soon finds himself itching to cast off his awkward name, just as he longs to leave behind the inherited values of his Bengali parents. And so he sets off on his own path through life, a path strewn with conflicting loyalties, love and loss�

Spanning three decades and crossing continents, Jhumpa Lahiri's much-anticipated first novel is a triumph of humane story-telling. Elegant, subtle and moving, ‘The Namesake� is for everyone who loved the clarity, sympathy and grace of Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize-winning debut story collection, ‘Interpreter of Maladies�.]]> 291 Jhumpa Lahiri 0007258917 Simran 5 3.95 2003
author: Jhumpa Lahiri
name: Simran
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at: 2015/12/01
date added: 2015/12/01
shelves:
review:

]]> 18683689 194 Madhu Vajpayee 9383416327 Simran 3
When a country's political system starts taking a toll on the lives of innocent people. So much, as to nearly threaten all aspirations, opportunities, rights and even peace from their lives. Their only mistake is being a part of that vicious cycle. But then, from a league of common people only, there are revolutionaries too. Who courage to rebel and fight against the system. Has sacrifice been that easy? Yes. Only when your dream and sacrifice are entwined together, adding will and perseverance to it.


Simran’s Desk�


Seeking Redemption by Madhu Vajpayee is a deliberately written book in context to social issue which still persists strongly in the roots of contemporary society and that is - a combination of politics and increase in the number of reservation quota for backward class.


 The story revolves around Meera Mishra, a charismatic, intelligent, diligent and courageous doctor, who earns her M.B.B.S degree despite all the odds that her family face in terms of financial condition. Her mother constantly prob her to get married in a well-to do family whereas, her father be there to support her  during all her ups and downs. He believes in Meera's capability and encourage her to apply for post graduation. Aman Sharma, who is pursuing MD in medicine from the same college  admire Meera's beauty and falls in love with her. He starts contacting her and seek ways to meet but Meera being goal oriented ignore him. Though he is arrogant and demanding but gradually, she starts liking and accepts the way he is. Unfortunately, Meera being hard working and intelligent fails to qualify the post graduation medical entrance exam whereas, her best friends Priya and Kiran Mala who are comparatively less deserving  candidates, clear the entrance with the help of reservation quota. Meera is surprised and bewildered thinking what destiny holds for her in future and suddenly, her father gets terribly hit by an attack which paralyze one side of his body. He is the sole earning member in the family. Meera's younger brother, Raghav is an average student who aspire to study engineering. He doesn't qualify entrance for a government engineering college but his mother pester to get him admitted to a private college instead, that are expensive. In parallel to this, the government and the officials such as Prof. Rajaram, Samir Saxena, Rajesh Kumar and Rahul supports increase in number of reservation quota for their own benefits and agenda of winning votes whereas, on the other side, Aman, his father, Dr. Sanjeev and Dr. Abhay Bharti are against it, as they believe the gap between lower and upper castes has been filled and there is no more need of privilege. Meera, even after scoring well in her M.B.B.S doesn't get to work in her own college which she should have had got it by default. That's when she realize, the vicious cycle of politics and the system that runs blindly solely for its own benefits.


 Will Meera be able to get a job and continue her studies or would be married off to someone? Will her parents would agree Aman- Meera relationship? Will she be able to arrange funds for family and expense for her brother's higher education? Will Abhay Bharti and other rebellions get justice or will the vicious cycle would get stronger? Read the book to find it out.  


What I liked?

The author has well defined all the characters in the story. She has nicely narrated the story and has put almost every aspect of the situation (reality) very wisely. The story goes on more like a debate which I found interesting. The ending is quite justified and has not been hurried. 


What I disliked?

Repetition of dialogues and grammatical/spelling errors were a bit irritating. Other than that, I felt the story lacked surprise element and it was a slow read. 


Why should one read this book?

Are you too against the reservation system? Have you too been deprived of opportunities because of the ongoing reservation system? If yes, then it's a book you can relate yourself and realize how deeply it's affecting so many dreams and lives. ]]> 3.95 2013
author: Madhu Vajpayee
name: Simran
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2015/11/30
date added: 2015/11/29
shelves:
review:
The Review: 

When a country's political system starts taking a toll on the lives of innocent people. So much, as to nearly threaten all aspirations, opportunities, rights and even peace from their lives. Their only mistake is being a part of that vicious cycle. But then, from a league of common people only, there are revolutionaries too. Who courage to rebel and fight against the system. Has sacrifice been that easy? Yes. Only when your dream and sacrifice are entwined together, adding will and perseverance to it.


Simran’s Desk�


Seeking Redemption by Madhu Vajpayee is a deliberately written book in context to social issue which still persists strongly in the roots of contemporary society and that is - a combination of politics and increase in the number of reservation quota for backward class.


 The story revolves around Meera Mishra, a charismatic, intelligent, diligent and courageous doctor, who earns her M.B.B.S degree despite all the odds that her family face in terms of financial condition. Her mother constantly prob her to get married in a well-to do family whereas, her father be there to support her  during all her ups and downs. He believes in Meera's capability and encourage her to apply for post graduation. Aman Sharma, who is pursuing MD in medicine from the same college  admire Meera's beauty and falls in love with her. He starts contacting her and seek ways to meet but Meera being goal oriented ignore him. Though he is arrogant and demanding but gradually, she starts liking and accepts the way he is. Unfortunately, Meera being hard working and intelligent fails to qualify the post graduation medical entrance exam whereas, her best friends Priya and Kiran Mala who are comparatively less deserving  candidates, clear the entrance with the help of reservation quota. Meera is surprised and bewildered thinking what destiny holds for her in future and suddenly, her father gets terribly hit by an attack which paralyze one side of his body. He is the sole earning member in the family. Meera's younger brother, Raghav is an average student who aspire to study engineering. He doesn't qualify entrance for a government engineering college but his mother pester to get him admitted to a private college instead, that are expensive. In parallel to this, the government and the officials such as Prof. Rajaram, Samir Saxena, Rajesh Kumar and Rahul supports increase in number of reservation quota for their own benefits and agenda of winning votes whereas, on the other side, Aman, his father, Dr. Sanjeev and Dr. Abhay Bharti are against it, as they believe the gap between lower and upper castes has been filled and there is no more need of privilege. Meera, even after scoring well in her M.B.B.S doesn't get to work in her own college which she should have had got it by default. That's when she realize, the vicious cycle of politics and the system that runs blindly solely for its own benefits.


 Will Meera be able to get a job and continue her studies or would be married off to someone? Will her parents would agree Aman- Meera relationship? Will she be able to arrange funds for family and expense for her brother's higher education? Will Abhay Bharti and other rebellions get justice or will the vicious cycle would get stronger? Read the book to find it out.  


What I liked?

The author has well defined all the characters in the story. She has nicely narrated the story and has put almost every aspect of the situation (reality) very wisely. The story goes on more like a debate which I found interesting. The ending is quite justified and has not been hurried. 


What I disliked?

Repetition of dialogues and grammatical/spelling errors were a bit irritating. Other than that, I felt the story lacked surprise element and it was a slow read. 


Why should one read this book?

Are you too against the reservation system? Have you too been deprived of opportunities because of the ongoing reservation system? If yes, then it's a book you can relate yourself and realize how deeply it's affecting so many dreams and lives. 
]]> 17678810
Whether evoking an abiding nostalgia for yesterday (The Heart Seeks), lamenting the lack of time to spend with a beloved (A Day to Spend), or composing an elegy for a tree uprooted by a storms (Amaltas), Gulzar poetry reflects his keen observation of life and the environment around him.

Without in any way compromising on artistry or lyricism, his poems incorporate the mundane and the everyday to create vivid images, like in Clothes, where the act of washing and drying clothes becomes a metaphor for a relationship gone wrong, or Monsoon which draws an unforgettable parallel between the rainwater gushing through streets and young children returning home victorious in a match.]]> 116 Gulzar 0143418211 Simran 5 There is a feel, there is a pinch and then a balm...as you read it.]]> 4.26 2008
author: Gulzar
name: Simran
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2015/11/12
date added: 2015/11/12
shelves:
review:
Most of my childhood days had been spent listening beautiful songs written by Gulzar Sahab and composed by R.D. Burman. This duo has a special place in my heart and memory that will remain evergreen. Infact, Gulzar sahab's deep and meaningful lyrics inspired me during initial days of my writing and it still does when I feel sombre. This book is definitely a treat to all poetry lovers. I wrote down my favorite ones in a diary :)
There is a feel, there is a pinch and then a balm...as you read it.
]]> 26241567
In today's world when we are slowly and steadily moving towards everything short and crisp, Kolkata Bloggers and BEE Books joined hands to launch a book of short stories with illustrations.

20 story tellers and 20 illustrators have come together for the first time to bring a collection of short stories.]]> 120 Devpriya Chakraborty 938092528X Simran 4 4.17 2015
author: Devpriya Chakraborty
name: Simran
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/11/10
date added: 2015/11/09
shelves:
review:
"Tales to Tell" is an interesting book consisting 20 crisp and heart touching flash fiction. The book also has an illustration for each of its stories. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the stories, but my personal favorites are "Creatures of the Night", "Multiple" and "A Diwali Gift". It's quite difficult to frame up and conclude a story within just 500-1000 words. But what these authors did is really commendable!
]]> 13057939
For seven-year-old Raami, the shattering end of childhood begins with the footsteps of her father returning home in the early dawn hours bringing details of the civil war that has overwhelmed the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Soon the family's world of carefully guarded royal privilege is swept up in the chaos of revolution and forced exodus.

Over the next four years, as she endures the deaths of family members, starvation, and brutal forced labor, Raami clings to the only remaining vestige of childhood - the mythical legends and poems told to her by her father. In a climate of systematic violence where memory is sickness and justification for execution, Raami fights for her improbable survival. Displaying the author's extraordinary gift for language, In the Shadow of the Banyan is testament to the transcendent power of narrative and a brilliantly wrought tale of human resilience.]]> 322 Vaddey Ratner 1451657706 Simran 0 to-read 4.04 2012
author: Vaddey Ratner
name: Simran
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/11/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17830123
Born in 1941, Eileen Tumulty is raised by her Irish immigrant parents in Woodside, Queens, in an apartment where the mood swings between heartbreak and hilarity, depending on whether guests are over and how much alcohol has been consumed.

When Eileen meets Ed Leary, a scientist whose bearing is nothing like those of the men she grew up with, she thinks she's found the perfect partner to deliver her to the cosmopolitan world she longs to inhabit. They marry, and Eileen quickly discovers Ed doesn't aspire to the same, ever bigger, stakes in the American Dream.

Eileen encourages her husband to want more: a better job, better friends, a better house, but as years pass it becomes clear that his growing reluctance is part of a deeper psychological shift. An inescapable darkness enters their lives, and Eileen and Ed and their son Connell try desperately to hold together a semblance of the reality they have known, and to preserve, against long odds, an idea they have cherished of the future.

Through the Learys, novelist Matthew Thomas charts the story of the American Century, particularly the promise of domestic bliss and economic prosperity that captured hearts and minds after WWII. The result is a riveting and affecting work of art; one that reminds us that life is more than a tally of victories and defeats, that we live to love and be loved, and that we should tell each other so before the moment slips away.

Epic in scope, heroic in character, masterful in prose, We Are Not Ourselves heralds the arrival of a major new talent in contemporary fiction.]]> 620 Matthew Thomas 147675666X Simran 0 to-read 3.69 2014
author: Matthew Thomas
name: Simran
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/11/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23417396
Buried secrets rise to the surface as their father—the victim of humiliating racism and perpetrator of horrible violence—remains unconscious. As his condition worsens, the daughters and their mother wrestle with private hopes for his survival or death, as well as their own demons and buried secrets.

Told with forceful honesty, Trail of Broken Wings reveals the burden of shame and secrets, the toxicity of cruelty and aggression, and the exquisite, liberating power of speaking and owning truth.]]> 370 Sejal Badani 1477822089 Simran 0 to-read 3.81 2015
author: Sejal Badani
name: Simran
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/11/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 27398860 Zayn has been shuttled from city to city when he was growing up.
She is comfortable watching her life from the sidelines.
He wants to feel rooted to a place he can call ‘home�.
They meet each other quite by chance.
And both seize the chance to be someone they both need in their lives:
For Zayn, it’s a 'Partner-In-Crime'.
For Akriti, someone who just knows how to be there for her�
When their worlds collide,
It is not what either of them expected it to be.
Zayn has a steady girlfriend. And Akriti has a crush on him.
What happens when these two become friends?
The biggest adventure of their lives? Or the road to heartbreak?
What happens when two completely different people collide?
Do they become friends? Or, is their friendship doomed from the start?
'When Our Worlds Collide' is the story of two twenty-three-year olds, Who are finally growing up and finding their feet in the world.
A tale of friendship and love, crushes and betrayals, messes and second chances,
Marriage and divorce� and the elusive happily ever after!]]> 114 Aniesha Brahma Simran 0 to-read 3.65
author: Aniesha Brahma
name: Simran
average rating: 3.65
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/11/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 2521466 232 Kamala Suraiyya Das 0865781990 Simran 0 to-read 3.78 1973
author: Kamala Suraiyya Das
name: Simran
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1973
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/10/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 22038325 132 Samir Satam 9383306157 Simran 4 4.19 2014
author: Samir Satam
name: Simran
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2015/10/24
date added: 2015/10/24
shelves:
review:

]]> 17172479 168 Ruskin Bond 8129120097 Simran 4 4.02 2012
author: Ruskin Bond
name: Simran
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2015/10/21
date added: 2015/10/21
shelves:
review:

]]> 25841792
With every revelation, it seems the truth is far more twisted than Rivanah can imagine. Wickedly plotted, All Yours, Stranger—Novoneel Chakraborty’s gripping follow-up to his hugely popular Marry Me, Stranger—will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

Book two of the Stranger trilogy]]> 241 Novoneel Chakraborty 8184006853 Simran 0 to-read 3.91 2015
author: Novoneel Chakraborty
name: Simran
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/10/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 9777
Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they fashion a childhood for themselves in the shade of the wreck that is their family—their lonely, lovely mother, Ammu (who loves by night the man her children love by day), their blind grandmother, Mammachi (who plays Handel on her violin), their beloved uncle Chacko (Rhodes scholar, pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom-pincher), their enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grandaunt), and the ghost of an imperial entomologist's moth (with unusually dense dorsal tufts).

When their English cousin, Sophie Mol, and her mother, Margaret Kochamma, arrive on a Christmas visit, Esthappen and Rahel learn that Things Can Change in a Day. That lives can twist into new, ugly shapes, even cease forever, beside their river "graygreen." With fish in it. With the sky and trees in it. And at night, the broken yellow moon in it.

The brilliantly plotted story uncoils with an agonizing sense of foreboding and inevitability. Yet nothing prepares you for what lies at the heart of it.

The God of Small Things takes on the Big Themes—Love. Madness. Hope. Infinite Joy. Here is a writer who dares to break the rules. To dislocate received rhythms and create the language she requires, a language that is at once classical and unprecedented. Arundhati Roy has given us a book that is anchored to anguish, but fueled by wit and magic.]]> 321 Arundhati Roy 0679457313 Simran 0 to-read 3.97 1997
author: Arundhati Roy
name: Simran
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/10/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 15783514
Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.]]> 181 Neil Gaiman 0062255657 Simran 0 currently-reading 4.00 2013
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Simran
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/09/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 18242289 232 Sudha Murty Simran 4 3.84 2013
author: Sudha Murty
name: Simran
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2015/09/23
date added: 2015/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> 2410506
How can you know someone you’ve never met?

Joyce Conway remembers things she shouldn't. She knows about tiny cobbled streets in Paris, which she has never visited. And every night she dreams about an unknown little girl with blonde hair.

Justin Hitchcock is divorced, lonely and restless. He arrives in Dublin to give a lecture on art and meets an attractive doctor, who persuades him to donate blood. It's the first thing to come straight from his heart in a long time.

When Joyce leaves hospital after a terrible accident, with her life and her marriage in pieces, she moves back in with her elderly father. All the while, a strong sense of déjà vu is overwhelming her and she can't figure out why …]]> 373 Cecelia Ahern 000723368X Simran 0 to-read 3.71 2008
author: Cecelia Ahern
name: Simran
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/09/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35354
In Remember House, an eighteenth-century landmark with a sinister past, strange incidents force Menley to relive the accident that killed her son, and she begins to fear for Hannah's safety. Then Adam takes on a client suspected of murder when his wealthy young bride of only three months drowns in a storm -- and the family is drawn into a rising tide of terror. A confrontation on a dark, rain-swept beach leads to a harrowing climax that only Mary Higgins Clark could have created.]]> 304 Mary Higgins Clark 0743484363 Simran 0 to-read 3.96 1994
author: Mary Higgins Clark
name: Simran
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/09/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 26183118 Anoop, a crazy lover, struggling to lead a normal life and slowly moving towards it too, meets Ritu, the girl he loved. On seeing her after three years, he is confused whether she will recognize him or not. Her sudden reappearance drags him into the past. Friendship, love and betrayal had left him blank and completely stranded, but the way she reacts on seeing him gives him a ray of hope. It seems as if nothing had gone wrong between them. They hug each other and burst into tears unmindful of the people around them. Anoop repents for the dreadful mistake he had committed in the past and now wants her back in his life. He requests her for a permanent relationship. But will Ritu come back into his life again? Will she forgive him? And, will their life start over again?

Buy it here:
Infibeam.com :
Amazon.in :
Flipkart.com : ]]> 120 Raj Singh Simran 0 to-read 3.50 2015
author: Raj Singh
name: Simran
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 24466957 Note - Draupadi's narrative is denoted by *** symbol.

I knew there was nothing poetic about death.
I knew not that the most horrific battles are fought off the battlefield.
Arjun: The idealist in a non-ideal world; the warrior whose deadliest opponent was his conscience.
History forgot his voice, but misquoted his silence.

My self-esteem originates from me and ends in me.
Why does your honor depend on me? Find your own.
Draupadi: The untamed tigress, the fragrant flame, the unbridled spirit.

Power does not justify sin. Power is not virtue.
Virtue is that which lasts in spite of power.
Krishn : The enigma whose unique ideology churned the battlefield into a quest for Truth.

The Missile …The Trajectory � The Vision.
The trio that makes for the core of The Mahabharata.

This is their saga.
Insightful, visceral and candid .

Find ‘o³Ù³ó±ð°ùâ€� famous Arjuns; compare Arjun vis-a-vis Achilles and Alexander; Explore Myths of Mahabharata.

All this and much more in ‘Arjun: Without A Doubt�.]]> 306 Shinde Sweety Simran 4 My Review:
For all the Mahabharata lovers- It's a book that you would cherish getting back to, each time. An enthralling read that will lead you to the wise insights of past, present and future.

The reader' s heart...
I apologize to the author for keeping the review copy for almost six long months. There are so many things I missed out and unfortunately this wonderful book too. Thank you so much Dr. Sweety for being kind and patient with me. Getting back to the review.

Arjun Without A Doubt by Dr. Shinde Sweety, is significantly about three very powerful characters of Mahabharata- Arjun, Krishn and Draupadi. Through this book she has retold the essence of myth and our beliefs attached to it. I appreciate the author for such an excellent and smooth narration. As I started reading, I was moved with the characters right from the very first page. It was beautiful to read from Arjun's perspective and then Draupadi's perspective. I especially loved Krishn's dialogues with light humor and effectiveness; the all time savior. I felt bad for Draupadi for being shared as a common wife among Arjun's brothers. At the same time I was happy that the love between Arjun and Draupadi didn't fade but get stronger with each new challenge thrown over. Draupadi, a rare combination of beauty, brain and courage was the most appealing character. For all her life she sacrificed to sacrifice. I was almost in tears reading the reunion part of Draupadi and her sons. There are so many instances in the book that have become close to my heart, I found myself involved and connected it. If someone come and say what's so hard to tell an old known epic? But wait... this is not just an epic but a work of sheer brilliance. There are some books you read and forget but there are some special books which had kept you hold till the end when you first read them, you feel getting back to them again and again. ''Arjun Without a doubt'' undoubtedly stands in the latter category.

What I liked?
The author has masterfully worked over the main characters and events with beautiful description. There are many inspiring and awakening quotes in the book. It's the first time I read a mythological genre and I must say this book has open a way to this particular genre, for me.
* ''Don't underestimate your triumphs. Leave it to the enemy.''
* ''Silence too, can be misquoted�
* ''Peace is the first casualty in every ambition.�
* ''I learnt that no matter what names they give you, nothing applies until you wish it to. No insult, no barb yours to bear unless you want it to. Use it, if you want. Make it into a weapon and let it boomerang back to those who uttered it. Just don't let it overpower your life.�
* “Ask yourself if I'm capable of contradictions, Draupadi.
Some missions succeed only by their spectacular failure. - Krishn�
* �..war doesn't decide who is right - it just decides who is left.�

What I disliked?
What I disliked in the book was, at a few places I was confused whether the statement was by Draupadi or Arjun. It was a bit irritating to go through the previous lines again but it doesn't take away the credits for writing a wonderful book.

Why should one read this book?
Whether you are a Mahabharata fan or not, doesn't matter. I bet you won't deny in accepting it to be one of the best reads. I won't say that you ''should'' read this book. In-spite, I would say, ''Must Read It''

Stars...
To this mesmerizing reading ride full of wisdom and insight with an exceptionally moving narration; I give a four-star rating.
]]> 4.20 2015
author: Shinde Sweety
name: Simran
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/09/15
date added: 2015/09/20
shelves:
review:

My Review:
For all the Mahabharata lovers- It's a book that you would cherish getting back to, each time. An enthralling read that will lead you to the wise insights of past, present and future.

The reader' s heart...
I apologize to the author for keeping the review copy for almost six long months. There are so many things I missed out and unfortunately this wonderful book too. Thank you so much Dr. Sweety for being kind and patient with me. Getting back to the review.

Arjun Without A Doubt by Dr. Shinde Sweety, is significantly about three very powerful characters of Mahabharata- Arjun, Krishn and Draupadi. Through this book she has retold the essence of myth and our beliefs attached to it. I appreciate the author for such an excellent and smooth narration. As I started reading, I was moved with the characters right from the very first page. It was beautiful to read from Arjun's perspective and then Draupadi's perspective. I especially loved Krishn's dialogues with light humor and effectiveness; the all time savior. I felt bad for Draupadi for being shared as a common wife among Arjun's brothers. At the same time I was happy that the love between Arjun and Draupadi didn't fade but get stronger with each new challenge thrown over. Draupadi, a rare combination of beauty, brain and courage was the most appealing character. For all her life she sacrificed to sacrifice. I was almost in tears reading the reunion part of Draupadi and her sons. There are so many instances in the book that have become close to my heart, I found myself involved and connected it. If someone come and say what's so hard to tell an old known epic? But wait... this is not just an epic but a work of sheer brilliance. There are some books you read and forget but there are some special books which had kept you hold till the end when you first read them, you feel getting back to them again and again. ''Arjun Without a doubt'' undoubtedly stands in the latter category.

What I liked?
The author has masterfully worked over the main characters and events with beautiful description. There are many inspiring and awakening quotes in the book. It's the first time I read a mythological genre and I must say this book has open a way to this particular genre, for me.
* ''Don't underestimate your triumphs. Leave it to the enemy.''
* ''Silence too, can be misquoted�
* ''Peace is the first casualty in every ambition.�
* ''I learnt that no matter what names they give you, nothing applies until you wish it to. No insult, no barb yours to bear unless you want it to. Use it, if you want. Make it into a weapon and let it boomerang back to those who uttered it. Just don't let it overpower your life.�
* “Ask yourself if I'm capable of contradictions, Draupadi.
Some missions succeed only by their spectacular failure. - Krishn�
* �..war doesn't decide who is right - it just decides who is left.�

What I disliked?
What I disliked in the book was, at a few places I was confused whether the statement was by Draupadi or Arjun. It was a bit irritating to go through the previous lines again but it doesn't take away the credits for writing a wonderful book.

Why should one read this book?
Whether you are a Mahabharata fan or not, doesn't matter. I bet you won't deny in accepting it to be one of the best reads. I won't say that you ''should'' read this book. In-spite, I would say, ''Must Read It''

Stars...
To this mesmerizing reading ride full of wisdom and insight with an exceptionally moving narration; I give a four-star rating.

]]> 4214 460 Yann Martel 0770430074 Simran 0 currently-reading 3.94 2001
author: Yann Martel
name: Simran
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/08/27
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 19501
Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned thirty, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. She had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want—a husband, a house, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love, and the eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be.

To recover from all this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world—all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way—unexpectedly.

An intensely articulate and moving memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment and stop trying to live in imitation of society’s ideals. It is certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change.]]> 368 Elizabeth Gilbert 0143038419 Simran 0 to-read 3.64 2006
author: Elizabeth Gilbert
name: Simran
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/08/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25939463 168 Smarak Swain 9382665471 Simran 3 3.29 2015
author: Smarak Swain
name: Simran
average rating: 3.29
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2015/08/20
date added: 2015/08/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 1774836
Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. Narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahabharat, the novel gives us a new interpretation of this ancient tale.

The Palace of Illusions traces the princess Panchaali's life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war involving all the important kings of India. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her strategic duels with her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands' most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is a fiery female redefining for us a world of warriors, gods, and the ever-manipulating hands of fate.]]> 360 Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 0385515995 Simran 0 to-read 4.20 2008
author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
name: Simran
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/08/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25678223
Trish is twenty-eight. She’s unemployed, overweight, single and snarky. She knows all that. And if one more person � just one more person � tries to fix her, she might explode. Sahil is thirty-five. He has superpowers. Well, kind of. He seems to think so, anyway. He’s also hot (okay, in a geeky kind of way, but still). And he plays the guitar, helps the underprivileged and talks about his feelings. Aren’t guys like that supposed to exist only in fantasies?

When Trish and Sahil meet, magic happens. Real magic, you know, like fireworks, electricity, that sort of thing. But here’s the problem. Trish doesn’t want anyone in her life. She has enough to deal with � dependent parents, flaky neighbours, bitchy editors, the works. And yet, Sahil is determined to be in her life.

From the bestselling author of Just Married, Please Excuse and Sorting Out Sid, here is another zinger of a book.]]> 268 Yashodhara Lal 9351771997 Simran 3
Overall it was a nice read. I liked Trish's and Lisa's characters. The narration was good but the story was quite predictable.]]> 3.56 2015
author: Yashodhara Lal
name: Simran
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2015/08/17
date added: 2015/08/16
shelves:
review:
"There Is Something About You " by Yashodhara Lal is about Trish, a thirty year old obese, self conscious, sarcastic and unemployed woman. Her father is an Alzheimer patient who is fond of playing chess and even at the dullest of the days, playing chess cheer him up for some time. Trish and her mother are bonded emotionally but always end up with little fights. She has a sweet and helpful neighbour, Akansha. Who usually leave her seven year old girl, Lisa at their home under the care of Trish. Lisa is a sensitive and smart child. Sahil Agarwal belongs to a very famous "Agarwal Sweets" in the city. He doesn't want to end up following his elder brothers in family business. In pressure, he tries to commit suicide. Trish successfully save him. One day she just express her frustration writing a column in the newspaper and it gets hit among the readers, unexpectedly. She receive an invite from the newspaper to work on board offering handsome salary. She accepts it as a part time job until she get a stable job. She write the column being "Amy". Initially it is easy and interesting for her to read and revert back to letters with sarcastic yet sensible tone but as people start coming up with their serious life problems, it gets difficult for her being sarcastic. From nowhere a stranger enters into her life, Sahil. He help her to break the inner walls she had created around her and help her in linking with her parents more strongly. He has some weird power to look in people's future. This unnatural ability disturbs him. Being around Trish he feel relieved of it.

Overall it was a nice read. I liked Trish's and Lisa's characters. The narration was good but the story was quite predictable.
]]> 25712108 148 Kirthi Jayakumar 8192997561 Simran 0 to-read 4.67 2015
author: Kirthi Jayakumar
name: Simran
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/08/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 10746542 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here

By an acclaimed writer at the height of his powers, The Sense of an Ending extends a streak of extraordinary books that began with the best-selling Arthur & George and continued with Nothing to Be Frightened Of and, most recently, Pulse.

This intense novel follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he has never much thought about - until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance, one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. Tony Webster thought he'd left all this behind as he built a life for himself, and by now his marriage and family and career have fallen into an amicable divorce and retirement. But he is then presented with a mysterious legacy that obliges him to reconsider a variety of things he thought he'd understood all along, and to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.

A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single sitting, with stunning psychological and emotional depth and sophistication, The Sense of an Ending is a brilliant new chapter in Julian Barnes's oeuvre.]]> 150 Julian Barnes 0224094157 Simran 3 I found the story was too dragging and repetitive. At times I felt like leaving it in the middle but I continued, hoping for better. The last para of the book seems like an outcast. On the other end, I liked the philosophies of life mentioned.]]> 3.73 2011
author: Julian Barnes
name: Simran
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at: 2015/08/16
date added: 2015/08/14
shelves:
review:
The story revolves around the life of Tony Webster, the protagonist of the novel, his past girlfriend Veronica and Andrian's diary. It starts with the chaotic lives of teenagers and suicide of Andrian, the prodigy boy. In later years, Tony express his ownership to read his friend, Andrian's Diary. Veronica, who is Andrian's wife has refused to keep any contacts with Tony. There were so many questions that worried Tony. So, he get in touch with Veronica's brother and gets her mail id. After a couple of exchange of mails and vexing questions of Tony, Veronica decide to meet him. She handover him a page from Andrian's diary and say that she had burnt his dairy long time ago. By the time, all negative presumptions about Veronica in Tony's mind turns meaningful and quite natural, when he come to know about physically challenged child she has, about the painful death of her parents.
I found the story was too dragging and repetitive. At times I felt like leaving it in the middle but I continued, hoping for better. The last para of the book seems like an outcast. On the other end, I liked the philosophies of life mentioned.
]]> 131449
Time Period of Osho's original Discourses/Talks/Letters
from Mar 12, 1987 to Mar 26, 1987

"Talks given to the Rajneesh International University of Mysticism"
Distributed in the United States by Chidvilas Foundation, Inc., Boulder, Colorado.
Distributed in Europe by Neo-Sannyas International, Zurich, Switzerland.
Printing by Mohndruck, Guetersloh, West Germany
Introduction: Ma Deva Sarito, Poona, India, September, 1987]]> 310 Rajneesh 3893380191 Simran 0 to-read 4.08 1987
author: Rajneesh
name: Simran
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1987
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/08/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23033647 The Sun, the Moon, and Maybe the Trains

With her senior year looming, Tess McKinnon has two goals: hanging out with her best friend, Liz, and avoiding her judgmental, alcoholic mother. Then yummy John Bartley arrives—to tell Mrs. McKinnon that her daughter is dead. Distinctly still alive, Tess is baffled by John’s tales of 1800s time travel, rewritten lives, and love. She knows she’s never seen him before, but her feelings refuse to be denied.

When Tess and John discover an aged newspaper clipping that indicates John’s uncle was hanged for Tess’s murder in 1875, John decides to return to his time to save his uncle’s life, but when Tess checks the article after John’s departure, she is horrified to discover that John has been hanged instead.

Armed with determination and modern ingenuity, Tess must abandon her past and risk her future for a chance to catch her own killer and find her first love for the second time.]]> 325 Rodney Jones 1940215366 Simran 0 to-read 4.31 2014
author: Rodney Jones
name: Simran
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/07/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 9220164 As Mukunda and Bakul grow, their intense closeness matures into something else, and Mukunda is banished to Calcutta. He prospers in the turbulent years after Partition, but his thoughts stay with his home, with Bakul, with all that he has lost—and he knows that he must return.

]]> 319 Anuradha Roy 1451608624 Simran 0 to-read 3.74 2008
author: Anuradha Roy
name: Simran
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/07/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25882541 140 Ganga Bharani Vasudevan Simran 5
A Minute To Death by Ganga Bharani is a thrilling journey of Riya, an aspiring writer and her boyfriend, Rohan; a cop. The story starts with a crime scene at Raghavan Colony in Chennai. Riya is working on her debut novel. She wants the crime scene in her book seem real and effortless. For this, she makes the best use of her boyfriend, a cop. He agree to let her accompany him on a suicide case. Avanthika, a young and pretty girl who was happy and hearty till previous night suddenly found hanging from the ceiling of her apartment. Below her lies a mystery, a wrist watch that stopped exactly at 5:00 AM. Riya find the case amusing for her novel's plot and join Rohan in the investigation. When they think, they have hold on the case's grip, another mysterious suicide case comes. This time, Reema. She is found hanging on the ceiling, in her house. Something that was common in both the cases is, the wrist watch which struck at 5:00 and the girls hanging.

Will Rohan and Riya be able to unmask the mystery and find if it is actually a suicide or not? Will Riya be able to get a perfect plot for her novel? Who stopped the wrist watches at exact 5:00? Does the book hold some secret behind their deaths? Read the book to find it out.

What I liked?

Ganga Bharani has masterfully worked on the plot, background and characters. Every chapter ends with a suspense. The racy narration and logical dialogues will keep you hooked till the end. I especially liked the twist brought with Febbon's anonymity.

Why should one read this book?

It's rare to read a good thriller from an Indian contemporary writer. Ganga Bharani comes up with an exceptional skills of telling a story keeping mystery, suspense, thriller and romance balanced. This book is sure to give you goosebumps while reading. Quite worth the book price.]]> 3.95 2015
author: Ganga Bharani Vasudevan
name: Simran
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/07/20
date added: 2015/07/28
shelves:
review:
Have you ever imagined how it feels before "a minute prior to death"? This book will take you on a spellbound venture from suspected suicide cases to a mystery to a passionate suicide. ''A minute to death'' of all the victims holds the secret and unveil only in the end.

A Minute To Death by Ganga Bharani is a thrilling journey of Riya, an aspiring writer and her boyfriend, Rohan; a cop. The story starts with a crime scene at Raghavan Colony in Chennai. Riya is working on her debut novel. She wants the crime scene in her book seem real and effortless. For this, she makes the best use of her boyfriend, a cop. He agree to let her accompany him on a suicide case. Avanthika, a young and pretty girl who was happy and hearty till previous night suddenly found hanging from the ceiling of her apartment. Below her lies a mystery, a wrist watch that stopped exactly at 5:00 AM. Riya find the case amusing for her novel's plot and join Rohan in the investigation. When they think, they have hold on the case's grip, another mysterious suicide case comes. This time, Reema. She is found hanging on the ceiling, in her house. Something that was common in both the cases is, the wrist watch which struck at 5:00 and the girls hanging.

Will Rohan and Riya be able to unmask the mystery and find if it is actually a suicide or not? Will Riya be able to get a perfect plot for her novel? Who stopped the wrist watches at exact 5:00? Does the book hold some secret behind their deaths? Read the book to find it out.

What I liked?

Ganga Bharani has masterfully worked on the plot, background and characters. Every chapter ends with a suspense. The racy narration and logical dialogues will keep you hooked till the end. I especially liked the twist brought with Febbon's anonymity.

Why should one read this book?

It's rare to read a good thriller from an Indian contemporary writer. Ganga Bharani comes up with an exceptional skills of telling a story keeping mystery, suspense, thriller and romance balanced. This book is sure to give you goosebumps while reading. Quite worth the book price.
]]> 22628 offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see
what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being A WALLFLOWER

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that the perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

(back cover)]]> 213 Stephen Chbosky Simran 4 4.24 1999
author: Stephen Chbosky
name: Simran
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1999
rating: 4
read at: 2015/07/27
date added: 2015/07/27
shelves:
review:
A modern classic book showcasing the tender emotions, chaos, confusions that every teenager goes through. The book is written in format of diary entries by Charlie. He is an ardent learner, speedy thinker, caring, sensitive and self destructive when it comes to harm others. In first few pages I didn't enjoy reading it, but as I continued, I was fallen in love with the innocence of Charlie. Like him, I feel myself a wallflower. The one who understands and perceive things well. I am glad and thankful to a friend who suggested me to read this wonderful book. A must read! :)
]]> 23852426 "Avoid SpEaR, adopt ESS"
"Loan for Loan is Suicidal."
"It's always the first step that matters; the rest will follow."]]> 53 Uttam Kumar 9383952288 Simran 3

The author's approach was quite nice to guide the youngsters but I felt he couldn't do justice to his book. At many places he has discussed about the problems he encountered in his case or the others' but he hasn't shared the complete details which makes it less convincing. Also, I felt the book cover is comic-like rather than a sophisticated one. I hope the author works well one his weak points and come up with something better for the readers with his upcoming books.]]> 3.60 2014
author: Uttam Kumar
name: Simran
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2015/07/21
date added: 2015/07/21
shelves:
review:
''1st Job and 10 Mistakes'' by Uttam Kumar is a guide book for people who are to get their first job and tips on how to make a judicious use of first salary.  The author has discussed about ten very common mistakes that we usually commit in the beginning of professional life. Those are Loan for Loan; here author has shared an example from his real life encounter with a friend, who took loan after loans to pay previous one and how he was held up with six loans from six different banks. I wanted to know what solution the author suggested him that helped him get out of the situation  in 24 months. First Get First Join, talks on a very relevant ground. It's quite common to see people working in a field different from their qualification. The job offer might seem good but it proves to be a deal of loss in a long run.Stop Learning; with the first job in hand one becomes reluctant to learn new things. The author has suggested to keep ourselves updated with new technology and to read at least two magazines related to your respective field. You can't sit being dependent on your destiny solely. Goal Planning; our parents and teachers keep telling us about the importance of goal planning. Without goals we are simply a wanderer. Goals give us the reference points which show whether we are on the right path with right speed or if we need to take corrective measures. The books also talks about Equity Market, SpEaR theory (Spend, Earn and Repay), Credit cards, Launch paid, No goals and tracking.


The author's approach was quite nice to guide the youngsters but I felt he couldn't do justice to his book. At many places he has discussed about the problems he encountered in his case or the others' but he hasn't shared the complete details which makes it less convincing. Also, I felt the book cover is comic-like rather than a sophisticated one. I hope the author works well one his weak points and come up with something better for the readers with his upcoming books.
]]> 25649666 A self help book 46 Uttam Kumar 9385137069 Simran 3 3.72 2014
author: Uttam Kumar
name: Simran
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2015/07/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 25946281
Immerse yourself into the most powerful emotion with 24 different stories set in different time periods and feel your heart beat for that one special person in your life.]]> 237 Anmol Rawat 9385137212 Simran 0 to-read 4.18 2015
author: Anmol Rawat
name: Simran
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/07/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23911468
What happens when a 10 year old child, who claims to be your future son, comes to you to help you find a perfect match for his mother? What happens when eventually you start to doubt on his intentions? What happens when a girl starts to turn your dreams into nightmares? What happens when your ‘Future son� starts to haunt you? What happens when your FUTURE starts to bleed in your PRESENT through your PAST?

‘Hey Dad! Meet My Mom!!!� is nothing less than a roller coaster ride of comedy, fear, love and don't forget to expect the unexpected!]]> 160 Sandeep Sharma Simran 5
The reader’s heart�

"Hey Dad! Meet My Mom" by Sandeep Sharma and Leepi Agrawal, is a story of a bachelor guy, Puneet, an SBI Branch Manager in his late twenties with no interest in marriage. His mother is a strong lady with a calculative mind whose only concern is the marriage of his workaholic son. One day, Puneet see a young and pretty girl from his cubicle and lose his heart. While lost in trance, he finds a 10 year old boy sitting in front of him, with a lolipop in one of his hands and smiling at him. Soon after that incident, the little boy with lolipop starts appearing everywhere.When Puneet inquire him where his parents were and who was his dad. He get a shock of his life listening to the child's reply who addressed Puneet, his father. It irritates Puneet but the innocence on his face melts his heart to be friendly. The child introduces himself as Rishi and future son of Puneet who has come to find his mom. Puneet find it amusing only till the time he doesn't know that Rishi can be seen, heard and felt by him only. Soon dad and son gel up with each other and begin their "Mission Mom". Puneet is shy and an introvert guy. Rishi is a smart kid and guides his dad to impress the girl, his dad had seen in Bank the other day. With the help of Rishi, Puneet and Myra's love story starts flourishing. Puneet starts seeing weird dreams which haunts hell out of him. Every time he see a re-occurring dream of Ahmadabad railway station, a lonely girl in despair, children playing in the park. He become insomniac and develop dark circles under his eyes. He starts behaving abnormally. Maya, his best friend and Myra, his love stands by him in his hard times. Puneet's mother suggests him to consult a Psychiatrist. He attend sessions with his psychiatrist uncle but the cure seem to have no avail. One day Puneet overhear a conversation between his mother and his doctor uncle which reveal the darkest of the secrets from his past. A memory of past which had been erased from his memory! There was someone in his life before Myra. It was Roshni, his college friend and his wife but he didn't remember. His dream guides him way to Roshini, to a hospital in Ahmadabad. Now he is in middle of two precious people of his life. Roshni and Myra both of them are his love for life. Will Puneet be able to choose his love between past and present? Will Rishi help him sort out in this riddle too? Will Puneet be able to do justice to three of their lives and promises he made? Read the book to find it.

What I liked?

The book title was intriguing enough to catch my attention. I appreciate both the authors for their hard work in matching up with each other writing style. At no point I felt that the book is written by two authors. Poems in beginning of chapters were like icing on the cake. I liked Roshni's diary for unexpected twists and surprises. The book has been edited with sheer excellence.

Read full review:]]> 3.90 2015
author: Sandeep Sharma
name: Simran
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/07/16
date added: 2015/07/20
shelves:
review:
If you are expecting it to be yet another mushy- romance novel or a boyfriend- girlfriend love tale then wait! This book comes up with a unique story, the one you would have never read or heard before.

The reader’s heart�

"Hey Dad! Meet My Mom" by Sandeep Sharma and Leepi Agrawal, is a story of a bachelor guy, Puneet, an SBI Branch Manager in his late twenties with no interest in marriage. His mother is a strong lady with a calculative mind whose only concern is the marriage of his workaholic son. One day, Puneet see a young and pretty girl from his cubicle and lose his heart. While lost in trance, he finds a 10 year old boy sitting in front of him, with a lolipop in one of his hands and smiling at him. Soon after that incident, the little boy with lolipop starts appearing everywhere.When Puneet inquire him where his parents were and who was his dad. He get a shock of his life listening to the child's reply who addressed Puneet, his father. It irritates Puneet but the innocence on his face melts his heart to be friendly. The child introduces himself as Rishi and future son of Puneet who has come to find his mom. Puneet find it amusing only till the time he doesn't know that Rishi can be seen, heard and felt by him only. Soon dad and son gel up with each other and begin their "Mission Mom". Puneet is shy and an introvert guy. Rishi is a smart kid and guides his dad to impress the girl, his dad had seen in Bank the other day. With the help of Rishi, Puneet and Myra's love story starts flourishing. Puneet starts seeing weird dreams which haunts hell out of him. Every time he see a re-occurring dream of Ahmadabad railway station, a lonely girl in despair, children playing in the park. He become insomniac and develop dark circles under his eyes. He starts behaving abnormally. Maya, his best friend and Myra, his love stands by him in his hard times. Puneet's mother suggests him to consult a Psychiatrist. He attend sessions with his psychiatrist uncle but the cure seem to have no avail. One day Puneet overhear a conversation between his mother and his doctor uncle which reveal the darkest of the secrets from his past. A memory of past which had been erased from his memory! There was someone in his life before Myra. It was Roshni, his college friend and his wife but he didn't remember. His dream guides him way to Roshini, to a hospital in Ahmadabad. Now he is in middle of two precious people of his life. Roshni and Myra both of them are his love for life. Will Puneet be able to choose his love between past and present? Will Rishi help him sort out in this riddle too? Will Puneet be able to do justice to three of their lives and promises he made? Read the book to find it.

What I liked?

The book title was intriguing enough to catch my attention. I appreciate both the authors for their hard work in matching up with each other writing style. At no point I felt that the book is written by two authors. Poems in beginning of chapters were like icing on the cake. I liked Roshni's diary for unexpected twists and surprises. The book has been edited with sheer excellence.

Read full review:
]]> 25664163 Satyapal Chandra Simran 0 to-read 4.30
author: Satyapal Chandra
name: Simran
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/07/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 865 197 Paulo Coelho 0061122416 Simran 5 Loved it to the core. A book I'd love to read again and again. ]]> 3.85 1988
author: Paulo Coelho
name: Simran
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1988
rating: 5
read at: 2015/07/09
date added: 2015/07/13
shelves:
review:
An extra-ordinary-and-life-changing-book that shouldn't be missed! It's a story of Santiago, a shepherd who is exceptionally wise and intelligent. He sees a reoccurring dream of hidden treasure in Egyptian Pyramids. His quest and dedication for his dreams lead him to a venture. At times he feel lost and giving up on his idea of finding a hidden treasure but a little meet with the king of Salem, Melchizedek and later an Englishman and an Alchemist guides him throughout his journey to his destiny. Being a philosophy lover, this book was a perfect read for me and it highly inspired me that, ''we shouldn't stop dreaming no matter what''. Keep going and don't ignore your inner call :) It was the first time I read Paulo Coelho's book and I must say, he is indeed an amazing writer.
Loved it to the core. A book I'd love to read again and again.
]]> 20870877 220 Neelam Saxena Chandra 817273820X Simran 4 4.43 2014
author: Neelam Saxena Chandra
name: Simran
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2015/07/07
date added: 2015/07/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 25648043
Have we wondered how these relationships are made? What connects people around the world? What is it that bind us together?

Love, sentiments and feelings keep us linked to each other, till our feelings are alive, our relationships are alive; our love is alive. No one can teach you this emotion, except life. And with every couple, there is a story. Shades brings you few of the love stories around us.]]> 0 Aditya 9384180157 Simran 4 A book that will make you fall in love with love stories and wanting you to read more and more because ''true love stories never have endings''. - Richard Bach

The reader’s heart�

Love Stories Around Us published by Shades Publications comprises of twenty-five love stories, penned by twenty-five different writers, inspired by real life incidents. Some of the stories made me teary-eyed, some made me happy and delighted and a few of them disappointed me. I am going to share my favorite picks which I felt were savior to the title of the book.

1) "But... why it has to be you?" by Saravana Kumar Murugan, is a beautiful and a modern love tale of Irene and Shiv. Irene is sure about her love for him but deep inside she wants an answer, "Why only Shiv?". So, she decides to leave it on their destiny . Shiv, for whom Irene is breath; his life, goes through every possibility to find her amidst all the odds. The story depicts love across the globe, love beyond fate and love conspired by the destiny. I had a wonderful time reading this fast paced story with some interesting twists. You never fail to amaze me with your stories that conveys, "Love is beautiful, love is life and love is what that keeps us alive".

2) "Love Beyond Rules" by Ankit Jain, revolves around the two passionate lovers, Ankit and Aashi. They work as a team for a leading company in Mumbai. Ankit falls in love with Aashi and soon the Aashified effect takes a toll on his mind. There comes smart tactics that one should follow to impress a girl and I completely envy your ideas, Ankit. I loved every bit of it. From your first meet, tricks to impress her, win her heart to a cute attempt to make Aashi fall in love with Ankit. Amazing!! It was a page- turner read. You said so much about Aashi and now I am tempting to meet her.

3) "Sunaina" by Barun Bajracharya, is a teenage love tale of Siddhartha and Sunaina. Their story starts with a kiss that Sunaina gave Siddhartha in an unconscious state. That incident erupt intense emotions in Sid and he starts liking Sunaina. But, every time she refuses to be friends with Sid. An incident changes everything for good. Sunaina accepts Sid's friendship but for love, she choose someone else over Sid. A heart warming love story. Enjoyed it to the core. Siddhartha never lose his hopes on Sunaina. And like a sincere lover he is happy to have Sunaina around him though just as a friend. I liked the use of local terms and chirpy- innocent Sid. His imagination at tender age, it all seemed so real.

4) "Memories" by Shravya Gunipudi, is a sensitive story and quite a general issue in today's time. Neha and Akhil, the made for each couple suddenly realize that there is nothing more left in their marriage and thus, decide to give divorce. Neha is firm on her decision despite knowing it will make their lives worst. She and her friend, Pallavi when start collecting things from room before the separation, each and everything in that place reminds Neha of the beautiful moments she had shared with Akhil and those promises of love. She is in dilemma but restrict herself to be carried away by his memories. Her ego is break when she find Akhil's longing to be with her and give their marriage a second chance. It's ending uplifted my mood.

5) "I Am A Killer" by Akash Srivastav, is a story of two childhood friends who get separated by the time but in hearts their love and friendship remain fresh as ever. Ramesh, a contract killer is quite efficient in his job. This time he has to kill a pretty -innocent looking girl, Sanjana who was travelling to Kolhapur. Sanjana's husband marries her not for the sake of love but to take away her wealth and thus, he appoint Ramesh to make his way simple and clear. The simplicity on Sanjana's face and sparkle in her eyes push away Ramesh's intention. Every time he tried killing but ended up saving her. And, a moment come when they realize they are old childhood friends, separated by the destiny but united by hearts. The backstabbing by her husband was shocking for her but having Ramesh at her side, it didn't last long. The story ends on a happy and justified note.

6) ''Payal, I Promise You...'' by Divya R. Bandodkar, depicts of a love story where a girl is not sure of commitment in relationship. Payal and Atul love each other passionately and know well, they are pairs made in heaven. The root cause of it is, Payal grow up seeing the hardship and failure in her parents' marriage. Her father being there never stood to support or even love her , he assaulted his wife. And all this while her mother did her upbringing, playing all the possible roles. The sweetest part of this story was, Atul while listening her sad story types a long text message on his phone, he make promises to fulfill all the values which were missing in Payal's parents' marriage and send her the message as soon as she leave the place. The simplicity in the story touched my heart.

What I liked?

The book cover is exceptionally beautiful with pink- orange shade and silhouette of couples. Also, the stories in this book spotlight on various aspects of love, relation and friendship rather all mushy stuffs. It was a fresh read.

What I disliked?

I believe, a good editing adds life even to the dumbest of books. The spelling and grammar mistakes in some of the stories were quite irritating. I am sure a bit of editing will turn out this book into a splendid one.

Why should one read this book?

Some of the stories are breathtakingly beautiful but if I talk about a complete book, it doesn't stand up to my expectations. And I feel, there is a serious need of working on some of the stories and editing the entire manuscript. Read here : ]]> 4.45 2015
author: Aditya
name: Simran
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/07/03
date added: 2015/07/03
shelves:
review:

A book that will make you fall in love with love stories and wanting you to read more and more because ''true love stories never have endings''. - Richard Bach

The reader’s heart�

Love Stories Around Us published by Shades Publications comprises of twenty-five love stories, penned by twenty-five different writers, inspired by real life incidents. Some of the stories made me teary-eyed, some made me happy and delighted and a few of them disappointed me. I am going to share my favorite picks which I felt were savior to the title of the book.

1) "But... why it has to be you?" by Saravana Kumar Murugan, is a beautiful and a modern love tale of Irene and Shiv. Irene is sure about her love for him but deep inside she wants an answer, "Why only Shiv?". So, she decides to leave it on their destiny . Shiv, for whom Irene is breath; his life, goes through every possibility to find her amidst all the odds. The story depicts love across the globe, love beyond fate and love conspired by the destiny. I had a wonderful time reading this fast paced story with some interesting twists. You never fail to amaze me with your stories that conveys, "Love is beautiful, love is life and love is what that keeps us alive".

2) "Love Beyond Rules" by Ankit Jain, revolves around the two passionate lovers, Ankit and Aashi. They work as a team for a leading company in Mumbai. Ankit falls in love with Aashi and soon the Aashified effect takes a toll on his mind. There comes smart tactics that one should follow to impress a girl and I completely envy your ideas, Ankit. I loved every bit of it. From your first meet, tricks to impress her, win her heart to a cute attempt to make Aashi fall in love with Ankit. Amazing!! It was a page- turner read. You said so much about Aashi and now I am tempting to meet her.

3) "Sunaina" by Barun Bajracharya, is a teenage love tale of Siddhartha and Sunaina. Their story starts with a kiss that Sunaina gave Siddhartha in an unconscious state. That incident erupt intense emotions in Sid and he starts liking Sunaina. But, every time she refuses to be friends with Sid. An incident changes everything for good. Sunaina accepts Sid's friendship but for love, she choose someone else over Sid. A heart warming love story. Enjoyed it to the core. Siddhartha never lose his hopes on Sunaina. And like a sincere lover he is happy to have Sunaina around him though just as a friend. I liked the use of local terms and chirpy- innocent Sid. His imagination at tender age, it all seemed so real.

4) "Memories" by Shravya Gunipudi, is a sensitive story and quite a general issue in today's time. Neha and Akhil, the made for each couple suddenly realize that there is nothing more left in their marriage and thus, decide to give divorce. Neha is firm on her decision despite knowing it will make their lives worst. She and her friend, Pallavi when start collecting things from room before the separation, each and everything in that place reminds Neha of the beautiful moments she had shared with Akhil and those promises of love. She is in dilemma but restrict herself to be carried away by his memories. Her ego is break when she find Akhil's longing to be with her and give their marriage a second chance. It's ending uplifted my mood.

5) "I Am A Killer" by Akash Srivastav, is a story of two childhood friends who get separated by the time but in hearts their love and friendship remain fresh as ever. Ramesh, a contract killer is quite efficient in his job. This time he has to kill a pretty -innocent looking girl, Sanjana who was travelling to Kolhapur. Sanjana's husband marries her not for the sake of love but to take away her wealth and thus, he appoint Ramesh to make his way simple and clear. The simplicity on Sanjana's face and sparkle in her eyes push away Ramesh's intention. Every time he tried killing but ended up saving her. And, a moment come when they realize they are old childhood friends, separated by the destiny but united by hearts. The backstabbing by her husband was shocking for her but having Ramesh at her side, it didn't last long. The story ends on a happy and justified note.

6) ''Payal, I Promise You...'' by Divya R. Bandodkar, depicts of a love story where a girl is not sure of commitment in relationship. Payal and Atul love each other passionately and know well, they are pairs made in heaven. The root cause of it is, Payal grow up seeing the hardship and failure in her parents' marriage. Her father being there never stood to support or even love her , he assaulted his wife. And all this while her mother did her upbringing, playing all the possible roles. The sweetest part of this story was, Atul while listening her sad story types a long text message on his phone, he make promises to fulfill all the values which were missing in Payal's parents' marriage and send her the message as soon as she leave the place. The simplicity in the story touched my heart.

What I liked?

The book cover is exceptionally beautiful with pink- orange shade and silhouette of couples. Also, the stories in this book spotlight on various aspects of love, relation and friendship rather all mushy stuffs. It was a fresh read.

What I disliked?

I believe, a good editing adds life even to the dumbest of books. The spelling and grammar mistakes in some of the stories were quite irritating. I am sure a bit of editing will turn out this book into a splendid one.

Why should one read this book?

Some of the stories are breathtakingly beautiful but if I talk about a complete book, it doesn't stand up to my expectations. And I feel, there is a serious need of working on some of the stories and editing the entire manuscript. Read here :
]]> 25395407 Another differentiating feature of this book is that the authors haven’t gone for the usually read and clichéd commercial plotlines. Each tale that is told in the further pages is a well-chiselled work of art by the respective writer. We chose this topic after analyzing that the excitement about horror tales among the readers/audience is declining, owing to the fact that the creators are consistently failing to give the readers something fresh. That’s where Neelam Saxena Chandra and Nalini Srivastava came up with the idea of coming up with a compilation of such stories.
All the authors have made the best use of available sources to conduct a stern research on the theme. Selecting or inventing the backdrops has been time-consuming, as many modern story books have already used the regular ones. Nevertheless, we stuck to a self-chanted “Feed Them Fresh�.
Unlike other genres, horror runs through a different pipeline and is viewed with a completely different perspective. It requires an extravagant mindset and sense of creativity to pen stories on such a genre as the readers expect avant-garde level of novelty when it comes to horror. Keeping this in mind, we five authors, viz. Neelam Saxena Chandra, Shail Raghuvanshi, Nalini Shrivastava, Nikhil Katkar and Sagher Manchanda, have joined hands and resolved to bring out our best through this book.
]]> 192 Neelam Saxena Chandra 9385137964 Simran 4 Pluck out the Heart, an anthology comprises seventeen freaking horror stories that are sure to add fiery to your wits. Stories written by Sagher Manchanda stands different because of its classic touch and thrilling suspense. The first five chapters are sure to blow out your mind. His stories are mostly based on ''As you sow, so shall you reap''. However, I enjoyed reading 'The Last Act'. One of the best stories in the book.
Nalini Srivastava's stories has beautifully weaved emotions. The story 'Think Before You Wish' depicts life of Rhea, who once had been a beautiful, bubbly and confident girl, now struggling hard in marriage with all her charms lost. Gautam, her husband plays a trick on her but with the help of her best friend, Avani; Rhea's spirit find justice. Nikhil Katkar, who made his debut in writing career with two of his splendid stories in this book. His stories, 'The Granny' and 'Visible To The Eye and Yet Invisible' are the work of sheer excellence. His writing style was simple with a well planned plot, and that's make his attempt a remarkable one. It would have been wonderful to read more stories from Nikhil Katkar rather than just two. Shail Raghuvanshi's 'The Gift'and 'The Last Concert' won my heart and stands distinct in the book. 'The Gift' revolves around Shivangi and an special event, her sixteenth birthday. She falls in love with Vipin, her maid's son. By the time, Vipin holds a special place in her heart and is reciprocated by the present that Vipin gifts Shivangi on her birthday...isssh, that's a secret. Read it to know. 'The Last Concert' is all about a husband's insecurity of a husband about his wife, as she is flat on a popular singer, Shafiq Ali. The mysterious events in the story will leave you astound. Neelam Saxena Chandra, one of my favorite authors never fails me. All of her stories were a sip of delight. With horror as its main ingredient she has conveyed valuable message for the society. 'The Hand of Fate' is about two immature college boys, Kaushal and Ramesh. Kaushal's young heart falls for Shweta. But Shweta being a goal- oriented girl doesn't accept his proposal. Out of ego, the Kaushal and his friend Ramesh plan to teach her a lesson by an acid attack. Shweta indeed teach them a better lesson and that gave me goosebumps. 'The Scent of the Mogra' and 'The Visitor' were like an icing on the cake. Read in deatil: ]]> 4.07 2015
author: Neelam Saxena Chandra
name: Simran
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/28
date added: 2015/06/28
shelves:
review:

Pluck out the Heart, an anthology comprises seventeen freaking horror stories that are sure to add fiery to your wits. Stories written by Sagher Manchanda stands different because of its classic touch and thrilling suspense. The first five chapters are sure to blow out your mind. His stories are mostly based on ''As you sow, so shall you reap''. However, I enjoyed reading 'The Last Act'. One of the best stories in the book.
Nalini Srivastava's stories has beautifully weaved emotions. The story 'Think Before You Wish' depicts life of Rhea, who once had been a beautiful, bubbly and confident girl, now struggling hard in marriage with all her charms lost. Gautam, her husband plays a trick on her but with the help of her best friend, Avani; Rhea's spirit find justice. Nikhil Katkar, who made his debut in writing career with two of his splendid stories in this book. His stories, 'The Granny' and 'Visible To The Eye and Yet Invisible' are the work of sheer excellence. His writing style was simple with a well planned plot, and that's make his attempt a remarkable one. It would have been wonderful to read more stories from Nikhil Katkar rather than just two. Shail Raghuvanshi's 'The Gift'and 'The Last Concert' won my heart and stands distinct in the book. 'The Gift' revolves around Shivangi and an special event, her sixteenth birthday. She falls in love with Vipin, her maid's son. By the time, Vipin holds a special place in her heart and is reciprocated by the present that Vipin gifts Shivangi on her birthday...isssh, that's a secret. Read it to know. 'The Last Concert' is all about a husband's insecurity of a husband about his wife, as she is flat on a popular singer, Shafiq Ali. The mysterious events in the story will leave you astound. Neelam Saxena Chandra, one of my favorite authors never fails me. All of her stories were a sip of delight. With horror as its main ingredient she has conveyed valuable message for the society. 'The Hand of Fate' is about two immature college boys, Kaushal and Ramesh. Kaushal's young heart falls for Shweta. But Shweta being a goal- oriented girl doesn't accept his proposal. Out of ego, the Kaushal and his friend Ramesh plan to teach her a lesson by an acid attack. Shweta indeed teach them a better lesson and that gave me goosebumps. 'The Scent of the Mogra' and 'The Visitor' were like an icing on the cake. Read in deatil:
]]> 22554140
The radiant new daughter-in-law of the influential Mehta family dies mysteriously on the very next night of her wedding. The murder is an inside job, the police are certain. It could be anyone, the adulterous husband, conniving in-laws, jealous friend and the love struck ex-fiance. With an aim to save themselves and incriminate others, it is not long before these suspects turn into amateur detectives, hunting for clues and delving into hidden secrets only they can unearth. They coerce, pry and blackmail in an attempt to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Will one of these nine unlikely sleuths finally unravel the mystery behind Gulab's death and avenge it? Or will the truth die as viciously as Gulab?]]> 246 Rasleen Syal 9382665188 Simran 3 3.70 2014
author: Rasleen Syal
name: Simran
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2015/06/20
date added: 2015/06/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 25656023
As it often happens, the path of true love never runs smooth. Circumstances force them apart even though they were madly in love. She becomes a victim of depression. When everything fails to return her to normalcy, help arrives from an unexpected source. Will she ever find happiness again? Will time allow her heart to heal and forget Arjun? What indeed is true love? What is that strange secret that locks all the circumstances together?

Travel with Ananya to the picturesque Sreepuram, face the chaos of Bengaluru, and relish the warmth of magical Dubai in this heartwarming tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and miracles.]]> 208 Preethi Venugopala 938418019X Simran 5
Without You is a racy promising love tale. The author has brilliantly worked on each character with a well planned plot. Intriguing narration and beautiful description will make you hooked to the story till the end. The cover of the book looks decent with a girl's back side image, lost in thoughts. I find the book title very apt. Without You, depicts life of Arjun and Ananya without each other.

What I liked the most?

Without You assures of an enduring love in its purest form. I especially loved Colonel RS Nair's character as his revelation brings the wanted crux of the suspense. Ammamma, Ananya's grandmother is an open minded lady with a loving heart. Her sweetness and simplicity won my heart. The best part is, story-line doesn't get predictable at all.

Why should one read this book?

Without You runs on a realistic line, a part of which each of us come across at some point of time, those raw emotions. If you believe in true love then this book promise to make your believe stronger.

Stars...

To this romantic reading ride that will compel you to smile, laugh and cry with its characters, I give this book a five- star rating. ]]> 4.11 2015
author: Preethi Venugopala
name: Simran
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/11
date added: 2015/06/19
shelves:
review:
Without You by Preethi Venugopala takes you on an exciting venture of Ananya's love story. During her vacation to Sreepuram on her grandmother, Ammamma's home she meet Arjun and falls in love with him. She holds a soft corner for Arjun and leave no opportunity to make him feel special. The story takes a sweet turn when Arjun expresses his love for Ananya, unexpectedly. We believe in testing everything- friends, relations and family. Here it is no exception. On an occasion when Arjun instead of shielding Ananya respond unassertive, it break Ananya's believe apart and every expectation she had from Arjun's side. She decides to end it then and there. She leaves for Bangalore, back to her paternal home with her broken heart and shattered dreams. The emotional trauma turns her life upside down but her best friends, Khushi and Poornima leave no stone un-turn to bring back the bubbly, perky and happy go Ananya. By the time she overcome the pain of betrayal but her love and memories with Arjun remain fresh as ever. Did Arjun ever loved her sincerely? Why he didn't stand in protection of Ananya when she needed him the most? Will he ever return in Ananya's life again or will remain just a sweet-bitter past? Will Ananya be able to forgive him if ever he confronts her?

Without You is a racy promising love tale. The author has brilliantly worked on each character with a well planned plot. Intriguing narration and beautiful description will make you hooked to the story till the end. The cover of the book looks decent with a girl's back side image, lost in thoughts. I find the book title very apt. Without You, depicts life of Arjun and Ananya without each other.

What I liked the most?

Without You assures of an enduring love in its purest form. I especially loved Colonel RS Nair's character as his revelation brings the wanted crux of the suspense. Ammamma, Ananya's grandmother is an open minded lady with a loving heart. Her sweetness and simplicity won my heart. The best part is, story-line doesn't get predictable at all.

Why should one read this book?

Without You runs on a realistic line, a part of which each of us come across at some point of time, those raw emotions. If you believe in true love then this book promise to make your believe stronger.

Stars...

To this romantic reading ride that will compel you to smile, laugh and cry with its characters, I give this book a five- star rating.
]]> 11827808
4000 years ago, He was just a man.

The hunt is on. The sinister Naga warrior has killed his friend Brahaspati and now stalks his wife Sati. Shiva, the Tibetan immigrant who is the prophesied destroyer of evil, will not rest till he finds his demonic adversary. His vengeance and the path to evil will lead him to the door of the Nagas, the serpent people. Of that he is certain.

The evidence of the malevolent rise of evil is everywhere. A kingdom is dying as it is held to ransom for a miracle drug. A crown prince is murdered. The Vasudevs Shivas philosopher guides betray his unquestioning faith as they take the aid of the dark side. Even the perfect empire, Meluha is riddled with a terrible secret in Maika, the city of births. Unknown to Shiva, a master puppeteer is playing a grand game.

In a journey that will take him across the length and breadth of ancient India, Shiva searches for the truth in a land of deadly mysteries only to find that nothing is what it seems.

Fierce battles will be fought. Surprising alliances will be forged. Unbelievable secrets will be revealed in this second book of the Shiva Trilogy, the sequel to the #1 national bestseller, The Immortals of Meluha.]]> 371 Amish Tripathi Simran 0 to-read 3.98 2011
author: Amish Tripathi
name: Simran
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/06/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25579926
1 1. The darkest of secrets do not dwell in locked vaults... They are artistically hidden in plain sight. And the dark ones are the ones we choose to overlook. We choose to believe what history wants us to believe. A secret bigger than any lives amongst us, breathing and biding its time. Get ready to come face to face with the dark truth...

2. Buckle up and travel back in time and experience first hand the rise and fall of a massive empire, and who knows, on the way, you might stumble onto a treasure so huge, it will put Smaug to shame.

3. Before he was a saint and a monarch, he was a young man in love with a woman scarred by the aftermath of war. A love that broke his own virtuous beliefs and yet seemed to make him a better person.
So why was everyone in the palace out to kill the woman?

"The Woman of the Night", featured in this anthology, shines an alternative light on one of Europe's most famous kings while also making you ponder on a question relevant even today in our society- "Who is the real victim of a moral crime?

4. The story of the first financial scam surrounded by revenge, betrayal, suspense and shrewdness.


These stories from across the globe swear to paint the black and white history in modern day colors. After the overwhelming success of their previous book, ‘Ten shades of Life�, this anthology does seem to be a reader’s magnet. Priced at Rs 150 only(pretty affordable) it definitely would serve us with 4 different flavors of the olden day world.]]> 0 Trippayar Sahasranaman Priyaa 9384315028 Simran 0 to-read 4.62 2015
author: Trippayar Sahasranaman Priyaa
name: Simran
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/06/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 24022998
21 Ways of Being Happy is written with the aim of bringing you closer to yourself. It is a book that will help you charter the course of your life, your own way.]]> 234 Shama Patel 9381841209 Simran 5 4.21 2014
author: Shama Patel
name: Simran
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/07
date added: 2015/06/12
shelves:
review:
21 Ways of Being Happy by Shama Patel is a sensitive approach towards comprehending human nature, better understanding towards life and some effective ways of being happy in wherever you are and whatever you are - you are here with a purpose. So, focus on that. The cover page is breathtakingly beautiful. The author has shared her real life experiences and clear examples which makes reading all more interesting. The book where deals with various problems that we encounter in everyday life and some of us for many many long years such as anger, grudges, shame, self pity, helplessness, ego, etc. also suggests some valuable tips to sort them out with continuous practice based on inner quest to cope with them. It also share some beautiful life mantras like, to live in a moment, appreciate little things in life and importance of gratitude. My favorite chapters are: Be a miracle for someone else, Take a stand... And Stick To it! and Power of Mindfulness. I had a wonderful time reading this happy go book and it's a book I would love to gift my friends.
]]> 7774956 138 Rashmi Kumar Simran 3 2.54
author: Rashmi Kumar
name: Simran
average rating: 2.54
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2015/06/10
date added: 2015/06/09
shelves:
review:
"Stilettos in the Newsroom" by Rashmi Kumar is a story of Radhika Kanetkar and her career as a journalist. The author has skillfully presented people; unpredictable behavior and politics inside the Newsroom. The story goes plain with least twists and turns. I liked its simple and pacy narration. Use of indigenous terms and well brought emotions keeps reader connected to the central character of the story, Radhika. She is hard working, innocent, dependable, bubbly and too smart. I especially liked "journalism rules" at the end of each chapter. Life of journalists is not so easy, is all I would say after reading it.
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