Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 46

The Blue Moon Day by Santosh Sivaraj- Review

Book Name          - The Blue Moon Day Author                 - Santhosh  Sivaraj Publisher              - Invincible PublishersBuy books from Amazon



Review

Self help  books have always been looked upon as impractical lectures about life. We read them but forget how to apply them in our life because we read for the sake of it but seldom put ourselves in a scenario or relate to the scenario that we are in. The Blue Moon Day is tagged as a self help book in  Amazon. Apparently it is not a mere self help book. It is an anthology. Stories of completely different background and protagonists.

The first story is that of an engineer who is not able find the right job. Eventually he lands up with his future boss who comes to live with him, Through several experiments, the boss teaches him the most important lessons of his life. The idea of Zero thinking is the highlight of the story. How the engineer becomes pizza engineer is the crux. The twist in the climax makes it interesting. The second story is of a man who falls in love and marries a girl who is unable to cope up with the different background in his home. Eventually he loses his mother, wife, sister and job. But the novel attempt by his friend to bring him back to life is the further development. The third story is about a professional who has been workaholic. Amidst the busy schedule, he decides to go on a trip with his family. Even during the trip, he is immersed in work. Later he is abducted and lives away from his family when he learns the most important lesson in his life. Two more stories in the book gives the finishing touch. Let the readers find what these two stories are about.
The diversity of the stories makes sure that people from various walks of like could relate with them.

The style of narration is exemplary. Author has shown versatility in the narration to match the mood of the stories. Within the limited space, the characters are also crafted well. With the capability of becoming a best seller, the book scores cent percent.


Verdict

Scenario:   5/5Narration    :  5/5Character   :  5/5Entertainment Quotient:5/5
This review is in return of a free book from the author

Malhaar by Ambica Uppal- Review

Book Name          - Malhaar Author                 - Ambica Uppal Publisher              - Notion PressBuy books from Amazon



Review

Malhaar- The name reminds of the rains. The romantic downpour, the sensuous wetness and the cool embrace. Rain has two faces- the happy one and the ferocious one. While in Kerala, our lives are haywire with the flood, the book shows the rain that acts as someone in our life. The personification of rain is interesting to read.
Love and rains are intertwined so much so that the depth of love as well as varying moods of rain are analogically connected. To write a poem is the toughest since the writer has to channelize their thoughts to give away the precis of words which are saturated with emotions. Toughest is the job to write poems that are short and simultaneously convey the thoughts. Ambica Uppal has mastered the act and hence we have a collections of pearls. Most of the poems are quite short but has a multidimensional approach. We can see romance, suspense, pain, spirituality, philosophy and many more in the book.
The words and theme of the poems has the power of magnetically connecting the readers to the book. If taken on a light note, the book could be finished in half an hour but given the time and effort to read through the lines, the book proves to be a porridge of imagery. There were a few repetitions which were not repetitions as such but some ideas or thoughts were duplicated in different words.
Verdict

A porridge of enchanting and engrossing imagery.

Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

If We Ever Meet Again by Shabaz Qazi- Review

Book Name          - If We Meet Ever Again Author                 - Shabaz Qazi Publisher              - Notion PressBuy books from Amazon



Review

Love is never simple. We have come across several love stories both fictional and real life ones. Some of them are similar some of them are unique, some are simple, some are complicated. However it is, love stories have never failed to entice us. Shabaz Qazi has penned down a beautiful tale of relations which are complicated yet lovely, confused yet deep.

The plot takes off with the meeting between Lisa and Naina. Naina, the protagonist is shocked to know that the man who she called 'Bhai- sa' is no more. Yet she is not willing to forgive him even posthumously and refuse to accept what Rehan has left for her in his will. While the readers are intrigued to know why a woman is unable to to forgive her 'bhai-friend' even after his death, the book takes us to the past. Yet another beginning from the past is shifted with ease. Thenceforth unfolds the deep yet confusing relation between Rehan and Naina. 

The plot is a unique one and has the power of holding the readers to the book. Unlike the superficial relations that we see these days both in books and real life, Rehan's feelings for Naina is platonic yet believable. Author has portrayed both Naina and Rehan as human beings with black, white and grey shades, so does their relation. The style of narration is lucid. The chronological shifts are inconsistent confusing sometimes. Nonetheless author's effort in experimenting a novel narration style is commendable. A reshuffling off the structure could have made the book an excellent one. Some of the characters like that of Yuvaraj who is Naina's admirer needed more space to develop. Though a short one, the character has a deep impact on steering the plot like a superstar cameo. The cover image could have been better.

The story is a short one but not a shallow read. The depth of the emotions is palpable and stays with us for long. 

Verdict

Deep, complicated and lovely.

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :  4 /5Character   :   4/5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

Let You Be My Puppet Once by Preetika Mehra- Review

Book Name          - Let You Be My Puppet Once Author                 - Preetika Mehra Publisher              - Notion PressBuy books from Amazon



Review

It has been a preset notion that political thrillers are men's forte. Here we have a lady who has proved it wrong and pulled off an excellent political thriller.

It is the story of 4 professionals Vedica, Josh, Saima and Karan, who were unknowingly affected by the political gambling. Uprooted by the death of Saima's sister, and a molestation attempt, the four friends decide to pull down the mafia by an ingenious plan which puts the investigating officers in deep trouble. Unable to find the real intention and plans of the four friends, the officers are confused to the core. Further unfolds a thrilling tale of tricks, blood, and brain.

Author has pulled off a very complicated scenario in the most comprehensive fashion. The characters are crafted well. Author has taken great care and given enough space for the characters to develop. The pace of the book is fluctuating but once the four protagonists are on the run the story becomes interesting and the pace gains momentum. The subplot with the romantic scenes were seamlessly merged with the plot. It takes off like an easy read which is a YA romance and further changes shape into a hardcore investigative thriller

The character of Pratap's brother stood out like a sore thumb without development and even a name mentioned. Another fact that is questionable is the common use of lie detectors. 

Verdict

Great mix of romance and thriller

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :   4/5Character   :   4.5/5Entertainment Quotient: 4.5/5
This review is in return of a free book from the author

The Myth of Hastinapur by Rahul Rai- Review

Book Name          - Myth of Hastinapur Author                 - Rahul Rai Publisher              - Educreation PublishingBuy books from Amazon


Review

All Indians have grown up hearing the stories of Mahabharata. There have been numerous books on different versions of Mahabharata. Myth of Hastinapur is an Anthology of stories about different parts of the Kurukshetra war.

The uniqueness of the book is that it concentrates mostly on the uncelebrated chunk of the mythology. The protagonists of the stories are unsung heroes like Ghatotkhacha, Barbarik, Ashwathama, Shalya etc. The book reminds us that while we say about Mahabharata we often forget Nakul and Sahadev. Shalya's dilemma in seeing their nephews as background characters is depicted with finesse. The infidelities and polygamy in the history of Kuru dynasty is mercilessly mocked in the bcakground of the discussions between two maids. 
Author has shown another side of the picture when we highly believe that the Kurukshetra war was the victory of Dharma. The readers get to see a different picture that no war gives you winners and end of the war it is the defeat of humanity. The story of Barbarik was a compratively unknown one while that of Ashwathama was changed a bit or the details were omitted when he sent the Brahmastra to Uttara's womb and the further developments.
The language and narration is above average. The readers would be engrossed in the stories and since it is a collection of short stories, the various parts of the Mahabharata could be addressed. The book is a very interesting account of the unknown tales of Mahabharata.

Verdict
Good Narration and interesting account of Mahabharata

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :  4 /5Character   :   4/5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the author

Book Blitz- Home is where the bark is by Stella St.Claire

Home Is Where the Bark IsBy Stella St. ClaireGenre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the book from HERE
Willow Wells is officially an entrepreneur. With the first phase of her dog gym’s renovation complete, and a success, Willow is ready for more. A doggie spa to be exact. The plan is to win an upcoming dog show, not only giving her the funds for the expansion but a national advertising campaign with the winning dog, Lady Valkyrie. Everything is going according to plan—and Willow can see the future in all its gold medal and dog grooming glory—until Terry Gib, Lady Valkyrie’s owner, is accused of murder.

Willow thought that Terry had come to Pineview just for training, but it turns out Terry has ties to the town; a painful past that links her to a local bed and breakfast owner. And now that owner is dead. As Willow races to clear Terry and save their chance at victory with Lady Valkyrie, the rest of her life begins to fall apart too. Wednesday is distracted, her father is anxious, and Griffin, the man she’s coming to depend on, is threatening to leave her—so he can woo her.

Now Willow is forced to make some big decisions: about who she trusts, who she should believe, and who she should date, before she loses it all forever.


About the Author
Stella lives and breathes cozy mysteries! With her head always buried inside these books, it’s no wonder that she would put pen to paper to bring her own cozy mysteries to life. The words flew onto the page, and she’s already teeming with ideas for the next cozy mystery series.

With her trusted canine by her side, it seemed only natural to be inspired by her beautiful beagle Doogle and the many hours they spent walking through scenic New England villages. When Stella’s not reading books, she’s off on road trips, exploring every nook and cranny in neighboring towns, seeking inspiration for her next book. She’s keen to see what her fellow cozy critics think of “Happy Tails Dog  Walking Mysteries,” so please leave a review and share your thoughts on Stella’s Website, Facebook, Bookbub or Goodreads!

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/stellastclaire/
Website: www.stellastclaire.com
On Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/Stella_StClaire 
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stella-st-claireq

"Writing wasn't a one day thing", Abhinav Singh gets candid.

To interview an author whose book impress you is any blogger's desire. Abhinav Singh is one such author and I feel privileged to host him in Outset. Please meet Abhinav Singh, the author of The Last Attractor of Chaos.

Let’s start with a brief intro about the physicist Abhinav and writer Abhinav.
I am not a physicist. I mean, I don’t have any published research of my own, I just love teaching Physics. Over the years the field has been tough on me. It became more about marketing skills and student feedback than the knowledge in the subject. I have tried to keep up with it and became exceedingly better at it but it dawned on me that this field won’t let me survive with age. It was about three years back that I was introduced to Robert Kiyosaki’s  books by amway guys. I didn’t have a knack for amway business but I loved the book and the word ‘asset’ got fixed into my head like crazy. So starting this book was purely a financial decision to start with, like people buying real estate. It may not sound very poetic but the basest things in life, like survival, can turn out to be a strong driving force. 
When did you decide to sit down and write something?
It wasn’t a one day thing. I wrote a chapter ( it’s not even in the book) and asked a few people to review it. They were mostly relatives with some reading experience, worse than my own. I knew it was not enough, so I decided to buy every book on writing that I could get my hands on. The one that I liked the most was ‘Stein on Writing’ by Sol Stein. The next step was to find a mentor. Somebody gave me the contacts of Frank Krishner. He is an ex Times Of India editor and a social activist. He was reluctant initially and wanted to get rid of me at the first place but finally saw the ray of light in my initial work. The last step was most difficult. Learning to write dialogues. A few people but noticed that this is a dialogue oriented book as opposed to narrative oriented, and help came from a very unexpected source- the master of dialogues- Quentin Tarantino!I watched almost all his movies like Kill Bill, Inglorious Bastards, Hateful eight and five more, all in a single day!   And then I decided to sit down and write a novel. Which is your favorite genre?
I never went by genre to read books. I am more interested in knowledge I can gain. So I have read books in almost every genre. Psychology, Crime, History, Self help, marketing and more,  excluding sports biography or autobiographies.  How do you manage time to write the book?I borrowed the hours from my family time and this puts me in a feeling of guilt, whenever I think about it. Gladly my wife has been very supportive. 
Do subatomic particles possess the powers mentioned in the book?
Yes they do! A lot of common sense breaks down at subatomic scales like, cause and effect, the essence of time, wave particle duality. The only problem is about harnessing their powers. 
Are you planning another book?
Two actually. One of them is the sequel to this book. 
How was your publishing experience?
It was a smooth one actually. The NP guys were very supportive and professional. As for traditional publishing, I  never went for it. Fear of wasting time haunts me more than the fear of rejection. 
How can the readers reach you?
Readers can reach me through my  Website, Facebook page and e-mail
Abhinav Singh for you. The author of the Last Attractor of Chaos. In case you missed my review of the book please check here . Last Attractor of by Abhinav Singh- Review 

Stepping Stones by Lubhna Dongre- Review

Book Name          - Stepping Stones Author                 - Lubhna Dongre Publisher              - Notion PressBuy books from Amazon



Review

It is heartwarming to see young talents being nurtured in the right path. Lubhna is a highly talented girl who is channelled in the right path.

For a fourteen year old girl to write a book like this is unbelievable. The book is a self-help book with everything covered. Being a teenager herself, it would be easy for her to recognise the teenager issues but to find the right solution with the right choices is practically impossible for even the ones with years of worldly experience. The book is well constructed. She has addressed the issues that could be applicable in different walks of life. The part where she has written about parents would leave us wondering how she could fathom a parent's side.
Lubhna is obviously a well read girl. Each line of the book speaks highly of how she is influenced by the books she has read. However, the theoretical knowledge has influenced the practical knowledge or it seems so in some parts of the book. But this doesn't take away the fact that this girl is unbelievably talented. The narration oozes maturity with a club of innocence. Lack of prejudice is fine quality of the narration.

This little girl's perseverance is what we all should learn from. The testimony from the top Indian leaders itself is the review of the book. If taken as yet another self-help book,  it is an ordinary book but if you take it as a book written by a teenager, it is excellent. The book is an ideal example of the fact that there is nothing impossible in the world.


Verdict
Excellent effort by a teenager.

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :  3.5 /5Relevance   :   4.5/5Research     :4.5/5
Entertainment Quotient:4 /5
This review is in return of a free book from the author

Chess without a Queen by Virag Dhulia

Book Name          - Chess without a Queen Author                 - Virag Dhulia Publisher              - Notion PressBuy books from Amazon

Review

If we talk about a movie we watched or a book we read, the first question would be who is the hero and heroine. Because we have always be conditioned such a way that we are unable to fathom a book without both. Hence the title Chess without Queen itself is intriguing. The title is the representative of the whole plot since the book is a political chess.

The review of the books of this craft is tricky because chances of spoilers are more. The plot begins with Rishabh who is planning to return to India to follow his father's footsteps in politics. In the background of political rivalry between Lok Sewa Party and Pradesh Jan Dal, the whole plot is the crux of Indian Politics in nutshell. Uttarpradesh is a state that has always had more representatives and influence in the centre. Hence no other area could be selected for this particular story. The subplot of the slum dwellers in Daliganj and the blood thirsty media has added more spices to an already spicy plot. Author has got a very thorough knowledge about Indian politics and it's internal discords. Like the title suggests, each+ character is a part of the chess and plot is the chess master. The characters are crafted quite well and in sink with the plot. 

At some point, too many characters seemed confusing but later the pieces fall in place like in a game of chess. The book is indeed an entertainer that can engage those who are interested in political thriller. Due to the niche political topic, the book could have thin target audience. At some point, the lack of queen in the chess seemed irrelevant.

Verdict

Entertaining political thriller

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :  5/5Character   :  4 /5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the author

Bluemoon Day by Santosh Sivaraj- Book Spotlight

Book Spotlight~ The Bluemoon Day by Santosh SivarajBuy the book from Amazon

Blurb
Things were never the same for five ordinary individuals who got struck at cross roads and there was no way they can run back. They had no other choice but to take a plunge into their deepest fear and leave the rest to destiny. Their characters was tested out of their comfort zone and it witnessed abstruse results; a PhD scholar fights to win a pizza making contest and a tennis prodigy running for his life in a war torn , bloodied Island. 
Extreme circumstances and their consequences made these ordinary individuals extraordinary . Was the test imposed on them by someone? Or did they invite it on themselves. The Blue Moon Day is that Once in a Blue Moon day story which questions an individual’s priorities, ridicules the worldly routines and finally redefines happiness.
About Author

Santhosh Sivaraj , a banker based out of Chennai ,started his career as a sailor and eventually ended up wearing many hats in life including that of a teacher, entrepreneur and a trainer. He considers the journey of life to be the destination in itself and that pushes him to seek newer avenues in life every now and then. Absurd Economics interests him and he loves doing standup comedy. He laughs at his own mistakes and loves life unconditionally.
He believes in seeing with the mind , writing with the heart and living through others. This way he says one can live more life per life.



Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/authorsanthoshsivaraj/Instagram : @santhoshsivarajTwitter       : @santhoshsivarajWebsite     : www.santhoshsivaraj.com