Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 34
April 22, 2019
Finding Utopia by Ruhee Advani- Review
Book Name - Finding Utopia Author - Ruhee Advani Publisher - Become ShakespeareBuy books from Amazon
Review
We need not write long essays or boring scripts to convert the philosophical ideologies. Ruhee Advani proves that's it is possible through a short play, through her book Finding Utopia.
It is a one act play. The protagonist is a girl na.ed Jiya who is about to graduate. On the graduation party with her friends, she meets Arjun over a drink. The conversation with him changes her life forever. She finds the answer the questions she had in mind for a long time. He helps her find her Utopia.The overall mood of the play is philosophical cum contemporary. It could be played in colleges. The whole mood is for the teenagers. It gets interesting but the the monologue of Jiya after the graduation and her discussion with her parents sounded repetitive. It could have been worked on to make it more interesting.
Overall the book is an interesting play.
This review is in return of a free book from the author.
The Right Time by Danielle Steel- Review
Book Name - The Right Time Author - Danielle Steel Publisher - Pan Macmillan UKBuy books from Amazon
Review
Danielle Steel never fails to endear the reader with her effortless narration and touching storyline. The Right Time is the tale of Alexandra a.k.a Alex.
Alex is born to a young mother who is not ready to accept her child much less her husband. Her father brings her up post the separation of her parents. Despite being not available, Alex loves her mother and is shocked to learn the news of her demise. Alex tries to bring the pieces back together with the help of her father, who introduces her to the world of crime thrillers. Slowly she gets absorbed to the world of gory crimes and starts writing herself. Her happiness doesn't have much life as her father is diagnosed with Alzheimer and she is left to take care of her dad and at the age of fourteen she is orphaned. Next innings of her life starts at a convent under the guidance and care of the nuns. Alex starts writing under the pen name of Alexander Green because she didn't want to compete the prejudistic world to think that hers books won't be good as she is a woman. Further the readers are taken to the dream world of thrills, love, passion and the excitement of leading a dual life.
The style of narration, character craft and the pace of the book don't need much mention as it is Danielle Steel and she has that mettle which give minimum guarantee in the book. Nonetheless the too good to be true, 'Miss Goody Two Shoes' protagonist in the book, like many of her other books is a put off. Her various relationships with different shades are depicted well. Author has taken a dig on the judgmental mentality of the world towards the female authors who write crime thrillers. The challenges that Alex go through are also thrilling as well as engaging. The pace of the book drops after her marriage and struggles to gain momentum and further it seems like author is trying hard to harness the whole plot into the climax.
Verdict
Overall the book is a decent entertainer
Scenario: 4 /5Narration : 4.5/5Character : 4/5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher
Spark by Prof.M.S. Rao - Review #BlogchatterA2Z
Book Name - Spark Author - Prof. M.S. Rao Publisher - Wiley IndiaBuy books from Amazon
Review
It's all about your inner strength. To become big, to overcome your troubles, you need to know what are your strengths and weaknesses. Prof. M.S Rao, through his book Spark brings forth easy and self sufficient way of finding the internal strength for your growth.
Author reinforces that the power to grow is within you. Author has put forth a systematic routine of twenty one steps with which you could attain the ultimate strength. Acquiring self awareness, discovering your biological clock, exercise, memory, yoga, meditation- Author has a package of activities that will help you emerge as a whole new individual.
The USP of the book is its comprehensiveness. The book targets the laymen who are light readers. Predominantly, the self help books have tough language that are unfathomable both in terms of vocabulary and language, for the laymen. Hence the bounce rates would be high. But Spark is one book that stands out with both its simple narration and good quality layout.
There are several tips that the author share with the readers which enable them to have a fresh new outlook about the outside world. For instance, holding your thoughts for 21 seconds. Tougher as it is, the method, once mastered helps in channelizing your thoughts.
Verdict
Easily comprehensible
Scenario: 4 /5Narration : 4/5Relevance : 5/5Research :4.5/5
Entertainment Quotient: 4.5/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher
April 19, 2019
Reaching for Kloud9 by Ruskin Bond- Review #BlogchatterA2Z
Book Name - Reaching for Kloud9 Author - Anthology Publisher - Srishti PublicationsBuy books from Amazon
Review
A collection of prize winning short stories of teenagers- The book will never disappoint anyone.
Reaching for Kloud9 is the collection of stories by kids who have won the competition under the Junior and Senior level from 2015 to 2017. The stories are all innocent yet with good language. Some of the stories that got third prize were better than the ones that got first prize. When it comes to XI std it is evident that the emotional quotient goes high.
The mastery over English of some of the kids was amazing. The book is an asset to your collection as it could be enjoyed by all age groups of readers.
The forward written by Ruskin Bond is used to promote the book. Writing his name in big fonts so as to create an illusion that he wrote the book is a little tricky
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher. The book is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z
April 18, 2019
Queen's Birthday Telegram by Jeffrey Archer- #BlogChatterA2z
Book Name - Queens Birthday Telegram Author - Jeffrey ArcherBuy books from Amazon
Review
Albert Webber is celebrating his hundredth birthday and is so happy to get a birthday wish all the way from Buckingham Palace. Albert looks forwards to his wife's hundredth birthday which falls after three years but surprisingly Queens Telegram fails to come. Why didn't it come? Will Albert find out why?
Queen's Birthday Telegram is a micro novella. It is so short but conveys a full fledged storyline with the magic of words. It is astounding to see how the author plays with the words. The experience leaves the readers wondering about the level of talent that the author possess.
Author's background and biography is put forth through the Mayor's speech.The twist in the end is portrayed in a single line where years long secrets are unveils without going on paragraphs after paragraphs.
Verdict
Short and Smart
Scenario: 4 /5Narration : 4/5Character : 4/5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
The review is a part of #BlogChatterA2Z 2019
April 17, 2019
Rewind and Play by Tarun Gautam- Review- #BlogChatterA2Z
Review
What if life comes to a standstill? What if you lose your corporate job overnight?
Raghav Diwan, an NRI, receives an award for his product which later becomes the reason for his losing the job. While he fails to find the balance in his life, he meets his college friends in a get together where he reminisces his college life, The get together changes his life all together.
Rewind and Play could be categorised in contemporary fiction, romance, self-help and YA. The book comes under all the genres and hence the target readers comes under different age and gender groups. Unlike many books that we see recently, the book takes off very fast and makes the readers flip the pages to see what happens next and how Raghav tackles his problems. Once the get together happens, the mood shifts and so does the plot. Further the readers get to read and out and our college story. Apparently the major part of the book is the college life unlike the mood of the blurb. After the get together the mood shifts again and the readers get to see how Raghav changes his outlook and picks up the pieces to restart his life, how he Rewinds and Play the button of his life.
The book is equally light and thought provoking. Those who like it will love it and those who don't will not be able to finish it especially if you don't like YA and college stories.
Scenario: 3.5/5Narration : 4/5Character : 4/5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher. The review is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z
One Enduring Lesson by Jamal Merchant- Review #BlogchatterA2Z
Book Name - One Enduring Lesson Author - Jamal Merchant Publisher - Rupa PublicationsBuy books from Amazon
Review
There are a few Romance books that provides the readers the satisfaction of reading something with substance. One Enduring Lesson surely comes under this list.
Rahul comes to Mumbai with the dream of learning film making. But what awaits him is alife that he has never imagined. Beneath the glitz and glamour, there is another Mumbai that is for the rat infested alleys and down trodden humans. Unfortunately Rahul fell into this part of Mumbai and had to work as a rat killer. Later he gets a reputed job which was reputed only on the periphery, which in turn lands him up in jail. From there, in need of money and decent life, Rahul becomes Radium, the Male Escort to ladies and starts living a dual life. Meanwhile love knocks the door to his heart. Will his dual life affect his lover life? Will Rahul continue his identity of Radium?
The male escorts are not a secret anymore. After a magazine article this is known to almost everyone. It could or could not be viewed with judgement. Author has brought forward a very tricky subject which if not handled properly will make the book look like a sleazy erotica. Nonetheless the book is surprisingly as good as a classic. It could not be read as a mere romance book or the life of an escort. The lives of the clients that Rahul meets call for another book itself. To coin so many subplots is commendable on the author's part. He has subtly brought forward several issues like changing religion to Muslimhood just to have Polygamy, threatened marriages, bias towards AIDS patients, Gay men etc. The book in itself is a social awareness lesson.
Rahul's love life is quite matured and how it affects him is portrayed beautifully and authentically. The style of narration is impeccable. The characters are crafted with utmost perfection. The plot is quite unique. Compared to how excellent the whole book is, the climax seems dull but doesn't affect the overall mood of the book.
Verdict
Could be a classic
Scenario: 5 /5Narration : 5/5Character : 5/5Entertainment Quotient: 4.5/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher
April 15, 2019
No Matter What I Do by Devanshi Sharma- Review #blogchatterA2Z
Book Name - No Matter What I Do Author - Devanshi Sharma Publisher - Srishti PublicationsBuy books from Amazon
Review
What is happening in medical colleges. Are they service institutes or business centres? Devanshi Sharma knows it all.
In the background of SVS Medical College, Bhopal, author brings forth to the readers as to how the medical colleges are not able to draw the line between service and business. It's the story of Kabir, Samaira, Kushank and Suhani. How they find themselves, how they find love and how they deal with their lives.
The reflection of the inside story of the management of the medical College as well as the realities of ragging going on clandestinely in colleges is commendable. The book proves that the author is privy of the deep secrets that are stuffed inside the golden platter.
The style of narration is different and not tried by many. The informal vernacular language is the uniqueness of the book and simultaneously it could be a put off as the serious readers would be disappointed. The story as such lack depth.The target readers are teenagers only. Anyone beyond that age would not be able to enjoy the book with repeated cliches and shallow characters.
VerdictFor teenagers
Scenario: 3/5Narration : 2.5/5Character : 3/5Entertainment Quotient: 3/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher The review is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2019
April 14, 2019
Murder in the Monastery by Barun Chanda- Review #BlogchatterA2Z
Book Name - Murder in the Monastery Author - Barun Chanda Publisher - Rupa PublicationsBuy books from Amazon
Review
If we should judge a book with its title, this be it. Murder in the Monastery is what the title says. The whole plot revolves in a Buddhist Monastery and the murder its circumstances to revolve around it.
Avinash Roy, a detective takes a break from his career and visits a hillstation in Sikkim to stay at a secluded monastery. With his idenity under cover, Mr. Roy lives there in peace and solitude with a reconnected relation with his wife. But no longer does the peace stay with him and he is sucked into the mysteries surrounding the monastery. Little did he know that he will have to investigate a murder there. Who is murdered and will Avinash find the killer?
The book takes the readers to a different zone of intellect. The serene calm ambience of the monastery is not lost to the readers. Despite the murder, author has successfully sustained the mood of the monastery in the psyche of the readers. The characters aren't given time to develop. Despite the lack of space, the characters don't fail to appeal to the readers, which in itself is the USP of the book. The mystery is sustained quite well and without too many suspects and complicating plot, author has managed to pull of the suspense well.
The book reminds of Agatha Christie, wherein the murder takes place in a simple plot but creates ample suspense.
Verdict
Simple plot and good suspense
Scenario: 4 /5Narration : 4/5Character : 4/5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher
The reason is you by Nikita Singh- Review
Book Name - The reason is Yoy Author - Nikita Singh Publisher - HarperCollinsBuy books from Amazon
Review
Mental illness is always something that has been ignored by everyone, especially if someone loses their loved ones. It is more so in India. I we look into the lives in western countries, they make sure the bereaved consult a therapist so that they could overcome the trauma. But in India it isn't so.
Nikita Singh, through her book conveys a message of mental illness awareness as well as the need to stand up for yourself and not forcing anything into yourself out of sympathy or duty.
Siddhanth and Akriti goes for their first date but Akriti is heartbroken to hear the demise of her father. In an attempt to give her support Siddhanth makes sure that he is always with her and in a moment of confusion he Confesses his love to her just to realise later that it was a momentary feeling. But Akriti's depression makes it nearly impossible for Siddhant to turn back. Things get complicated when Siddhant's ex-girlfriend comes into the picture. What happens afterwards is the rest of the story.
The plot takes off in a quite slow pace. Akriti's depression take time to register in the minds of the readers. Siddhant's unrealistically submissive character seems exaggerated. Nonetheless once Mahira comes into picture, the pace accelerates and it gets impossible for the readers to put the book down.
Nikita's impeccable language is not a new information for the readers. Nonetheless it deserves special mention. The climax was expected though.
Overall the book is an engaging read to the romance lovers
Verdict
Indian Nicholas Sparks
Scenario: 4 /5Narration : 4/5Character : 4/5
Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher .
