Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 7

Yummy Life On Plate By Samata Dey

Cooking is a passion. If you have it in you, you will go in search of new recipes no matter what. If you are someone who is craving for new recipes to try, then we have the right recommendation for you.
Yummy Life on Plate

I have immense respect for @indiacafe24 for the efforts taken to showcase talent. First, it was a lockdown kaleidoscope. Now this latest book of hers'YUMMY LIFE ON PLATE'
The book is a collection of recipes by professional and amateur cooks. over India.
The highlight of the book is that the recipes are all unique and innovative. This book is in my saved folder so that I can refer time and again for different recipes.
The finesse of editing is the highlight. It is not just a collection of recipes. They are put together with utmost professionalism. Kudos to the editing team.

Rhythm of the Ruins By Mukul Kumar - A Melancholy Pleasure

 Poetry is a genre that connects with the musings of the heart. Only emotional beings can connect with the author's imagery because it is the art of telling a lot in a few words. Due to the same reason, poetry is a genre that has a niche reader base. Being a book lover and poetry lover for that matter, I have always had a soft corner for poets and their works of art. One such piece of literature that touched my heart is Mukul Kumar's Rhythm of the Ruins.

What the book tells us - Blurb

Poetry is truly said to be the rhythmical creation of beauty, a beauty that emanates from enchantment and hideousness, ecstasy and agony, castles and ruins. But the redemptive bliss from the poetic phenomenon of ruins assuming rhythm is a divine experience. As I present the work, my sensibility rings with the words of Oscar Wilde- 'The artist is the creator of beautiful things... No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.

Rhythm of the Ruins by Mukul Kumar - Review

As I was acquainted with the author's craft, through his previous books, I was privy to the finesse of his work. The way he maneuvres, and the plot of his novels, are the pointers of the mastery of words possessed by the author. From the first poem that speaks about his father and his heart-to-heart connection with his father, the author's musings have a captivating magnetic pull that holds the reader's heart lingering to the words. 

Each poem holds a deep meaning to it and each time you read the same poem, you will find a new metaphor or analogy. The author leaves the readers widening the horizons of their imaginations. While each poem urged me to read them again and again, I Spilled The Missing Breast Milk is the one that brought me close to tears. A mother's pain while living a life in the perils of poverty and unable to feed her child is heartbreaking and the author has portrayed it with utmost sincerity. 

Dichotomy and The Cloud of Tears also touched me deeply. The former is a different take on relationships and morality at large. The author has always been bold in portraying different shades of emotions and relationships. Here also the same is reflected deftly. The cloud of tears is a stupendous play of metaphor, which if interpreted literally gives a beautiful take on how we are forgetting our responsibility towards the environment. If we look into the analogy it is a brilliant take on life.

Philosophy and spirituality have been intertwined with the right proportion of each added into the musings are a testimony to the author's creative talent.  However, there were some poems that did not keep up with the impeccable standards set by the author. The eponymous poem is surprisingly one of them. More so because there was a repetition of themes or ideas. However, the name Rhythm of the Ruins has music to itself which tempts the reader to try the book once. The book cover has been set in a subtle tone which makes it a classy piece. 

Secret Book Santa and Book Marathon - Two New Campaigns by Outset Books

 Outset books have been at the forefront when it comes to bringing the readers closer to each other as well as to books and authors. Be it book marathon or top reviewers we have made sure to give the maximum return on the time your invest in our activities. Every year we come up with a new activity in addition to the already going one. This year would not be different. We have a new campaign up for the month of December. Secret Book Santa

Secret Book SantaLike the secrets Santas that we follow in our education and professional institutions we have the same system but with books. You will get a book on your favorite genre from them and also your Santa will get a book on their favorite genre from your end. Isn't that an amazing avenue? Click the button below to sign up
By signing up, you agree to the following1. To send the book to your Book Santa2. To share your book picture on any of your social media channels as a story/post3. Give due credit to Outset Books.
The idea of Secret Book Santa is to bring you back to your childhood, to spread love, and to bring about the feeling of oneness. Our life is short, let us bring the maximum out of it. 
Book Marathon Season 4

The last three years saw the growth of Book Marathon from an attempt of 6 members to 30 people participating in the book marathons. It has always been a pleasant satisfaction to see that the members are finally getting a return in terms of traffic, ranking, etc. An added pleasure is when the members are urged to read more books thereby breaking the reading block too.
So are you ready to run for the books? Click below to sign up

How to participate?You have to post on alternative days (only book review/ author interview)You have to comment (10-word comment) on all entries of the day within 24 hours. You have to put a disclaimer "This post is a part of Book Marathon by Outset Books" with a backlink to https://outsetbooks.comIf you are an Instagrammer, tag @outsetbooks and @rakhijayashankar in the posts instead of backlink.Here are the two new campaigns from us. Participate and connect with fellow bloggers. You can also join our Outset Book Club

LockTheBox in Bengaluru: A Book fair more like a Literary Festival

With the dawn of an early winter already upon it, Bengaluru braces itself for festivities that will extend beyond the New Year celebrations. The garden city which has proudly boasted everything for everyone’s taste will be host to a 17-day-long literary festival in LockTheBox–Reloaded, from the 16th of December 2022 to the 1st of January, 2023.

Having attended its earlier iteration in the city, Lock The Box is a carnival for all the bibliophiles out there, like me. With its upcoming edition already promising to be a much bigger and more worthwhile outing for the brand, book lovers in Bengaluru can rest assured that their literary appetite will be more than just satisfied.

Anyone who enjoys reading will find LockTheBox as the perfect opportunity this December. Genres ranging from adventure, knowledge, classics, love, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and crime to autobiographies, young adults, academics, and so much more will be on offer during the festival.

About LockTheBox

By any stretch of the imagination, it was not my first book fair in the city; however, it was one of my best-ever experiences at a literary sale event. I later realized the brand behind LockTheBox has been around for a very long time, and, in fact, it has been a pioneer in the Indian market for buying and selling new as well as used books. Bookchor.com, with its presence across multiple digital platforms, has contributed much to the changing dynamics of the book market in the country.

Since 2017, when LockTheBox marked its presence in the physical realm, Bookchor has welcomed thousands, if not lakhs, of visitors (who have turned into customers).

The LockTheBox literary festival promises to feature the best literature from around the world, as well as a one-of-a-kind collection and the largest selection of books (which is actually true). As customers, they gave us the choice of selecting a customized box of our choosing and need only consider the size and ensure that it fits in the box and closes flat (that is quite literally the only condition).

LockTheBox is a unique concept where you can buy books, as many as you want to, depending on your budget convenience by having on offer 3 exclusive box categories (No points in guessing that, that’s where the name is coming from… Lock the Box) the ‘Odysseus’ Box, the ‘Perseus’ Box, the ‘Hercules’ box.

For someone like me who will always go for the biggest box, i.e., the “Hercules” Box (which costs INR 2999) that accommodates around 30 books the “Odysseus” Box, which costs INR 1199, can accommodate nearly 10 books, and the “Perseus” Box, costing INR 1799 and which can carry around 17 books, are not a bad deal at all.

… 2022 Edition

We can expect more than just books in this edition of LockTheBox. It literally promises to be a literary carnival with fun, food, fans, and more.

With its previous edition, which had already registered a footfall of over 1 million (I can vouch for it; I was there on multiple days...) One can only imagine how many more people will turn up this time around.

Of course, the lineup of a literary feast is so much more savoring when names like Ravinder Singh (You are all I need fame) and Novoneel Chakraborty (That Kiss in the Rain fame) will be there for an exclusive interactive session on the 17th of December.

The book fair, which kicks off on the 16th of December, is happening at Shubh Convention, Puttenahalli, Phase 7, J. P. Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560078, every day from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. And given the capability of the venue and the Bookchor team, this literary festival will without doubt garner the biggest turn-up of bibliophiles under one roof in the city.

I, along with my friends and family, have already made our plans and are, in fact, eyeing some of our favorite titles.

So, Bengaluru, mark your calendar and pick your time because one of the biggest literary festivals is coming to our city.

How to Write a Book Review in English with Honesty and Professionalism?

The Indian literature scene saw the unprecedented upsurge of book reviewers in the past few years. Eight years back when I started outset books, the number of reviewers was limited and there was no Instagram. But with the onset of Social media especially Instagram, the number has clearly risen but the quality came down. Post a book picture, write 4 lines and that's it. The reviewers have clearly lost the plot (not everyone), much less analyse a plot. Hence I thought it is high time  I post how to write a book review in English with honesty and professionalism. 

How to write a book review in English

So the tips and instructions to be mentioned below are applicable when you are reviewing a book in any language, not just English. 

1. Read the book thoroughly

You can skim through the books and state four lines about it as a review but does that make you a good reviewer? No! Anyone can surmise that you haven't read the book and your review doesn't hold any value. While reading the book you can make notes to begin with. Once you become more and more experienced, you will learn to write the review even without notes. Before learning how to write a book review in English, learn how to read the book deeply.

2. Analyse the overall plot

Your review must analyze the overall plot in terms of the pace of the plot, the importance of subplots if any, and how are the twists embedded. If you genuinely read the book, you will be able to provide a deep insight into the plot without spoilers. Think about the author's perspective and other readers' perspectives. Keep in mind that all books are not for everyone. 

The authors who have come back to me have done so because they believed in me bringing out different perspectives. This, I myself realized only when they pointed it out. 

3. Know the characters

You might or might not like the characters but instead of plainly stating I liked this person or I disliked that person, point out the traits that you liked about the person or disliked for that matter. This gives an authentic perspective on the character's craft and development.

4.  Make it short and crisp

While Google likes long texts, keep your review essence short and crisp and without 300 words but not less than that. You can extend the word length by adding a blurb or connecting any personal instances but the Crux of the review should be kept short and crisp.

5. Never trash the book or author

If you don't like the book as a whole or any particular aspect of the book state it professionally. Your job is to analyze the book not trash the hard work of another person. Show some respect while pointing out the negatives.

6. Climax without spoilers

You can ambiguously state of you liked the climax or the mood of the climax but never give away the spoilers. It affects the books. Don't forget that you have to respect hard work.

Now that you know how to write a book review in English, start reading the book from a third readers' and the author's perspective and start drafting a review with honesty and professionalism. 

Teaspoons Full of Love and Posiivity - Self-Help Poetry That Talks About Your Wellness

 Being positive and living a contentful life is anyone's dream. Peace and happiness have become a luxury that cannot be afforded by everyone in the fast life. As fast as our lives move, we have to equally keep up with our mental health. Self-help books have been a rage of late and naturally, I get gravitated toward anything related to wellness and positivity. One such precious piece of literature is Teaspoons full of Love and Positivity by Swati Munjal. The book took me to a time when I used to relentlessly do my morning cup of positivity posts. That was a time when I was taking care of my mental health and now by making others take care of theirs, mine took a backseat. Thats when the book came to me and reminded me of what I have been missing again.

Value our life

The book reminded me to value my life. While I was reading the poem why are we here, I felt like I am talking to a long-lost friend. End of the poem there is a question, How do you wish to live your life. The answer was already written by my daughter - Happy, famous, loved, freedom, (never marrying), choose what I do, and no hate comments. This is what she had written. See how the book has impacted an 11-year-old!

Next up it is about relationships, and the next poem is about mother. I was thinking about how I had taken my mother for granted. Well, we all do. But at the end of the poem my daughter had written, in the space to write about your mother - brave, best, angry, funny haha. Two days later we had a fight and I saw an addition not friendly to it. Practically the book has become her journal and a way for me to know her better. The next poem the silver lining is something that I copied down in my journal so that I could read it every day. It doubled up as my positive affirmation. End of the poem the question was "who has been your mellow-down inspiration in life when struggling with demoralization? And the answer was written by my daughter - Duh! my mother. A poem before, I was unfriendly - note the point. 

Retrospection about your lifeThe book forces you to retrospect on your past, and introspect about your present to prepare you for a positive future. The poems that come further talk about our pain, anger, judgments, fear, and dreams - It is like attending a counseling session. We talk to the counselor, write down notes, and keep on journaling which helps us understand ourselves. If you are someone who wants to take care of your mental health, if you are someone who loves reading poems, if you are someone whose wellness journey is on the go, this is the book for you. If you are a book lover, join our Outset Book Club and be with other book lovers. We also have Outset Books Facebook Group.

Why Champak - Stories That Shaped Our Nation is One of Its Kind Book About Freedom Struggle.

Our kids learn about our history, freedom struggle, independence, partition, etc through their textbooks. The byhearted lines, the boring lectures - the pictures about independence would be just that growing up. At least that was the case for me. More often than not, we come to talk about patriotism when it comes to friction with Pakistan or when we discuss Cricket. Does the love for our land end there? Champak has come up with an answer to this predicament which is rather addressed decades later. Champak - Stories That Shaped Our Nation, brings out the essence that has been missing till now.

Champak - Stories That Shaped Our NationMy previous statements might insinuate that the storybooks and stories that we have heard growing up about our independence are incapable of the feat. As much as I respect the efforts taken by the writers and storytellers over the years, I must say that this special edition of Champak outwitted every piece of children's literature that aimed at teaching the kids about the independence struggle. 
The illustrations, style of narration, colorful pages, and the book is a feast. It had stories about freedom fighters who remained forgotten as well as the ones who were celebrated. It also tell us stories post independence as well. The activities in between make the book an engaging one that compels the little readers to bump along. Grab a copy for your child for this is a treasure for years to come if you want them to grow grounded and connected to the roots.

Ma - Memoir by Dr. Kisholoy Roy - Book Review

For every woman, a family that supports and understands is very important. Of late women have become aware of their wellness, health, and mental well-being. With awareness about self-love and me-time, women have finally started living for themselves also. But yesteryear women sacrificed their lives for the family due to the continuous and ongoing conditioning from families. One such woman is Namita, the mother of author Dr. Kisholoy Roy.

The phoenix woman

Born to a Bengali family as a third daughter, Namita's life is preset to go through discrimination, judgment, and unfair circumstances. Surprisingly, Namita's paternal grandmother was supportive of having a girl child, which made her life easier than anyone would expect. A bright student who scored high marks in all subjects found Mathematics a tough nut to crack. But she went ahead to finish her education. At a young age, she gets married and then experiences a string of judgemental comments about not having a baby. With a not-so-lovable mother-in-law, her life in the in-law's home becomes tough. But Being the strong woman she is, Namita was determined to wade through the tides. With a complicated pregnancy and delivery, she holds the little life that came into her life. 

A string of shocks

Tough was waiting to come with a child who seldom sleeps, the death of loved ones, toxic relatives, and more. With her son climbing the ladder of educational excellence would Namita's life be any better. The worse was waiting for her when her son's marital life loses breath before being born. This takes a toll on her mental health finally. 

The book is a perfect memoir for a mother by her loving son. The author doesn't mince his words while narrating every unjust situation in Namita's life. It is endearing to read about strong women in a generation when women were objectified without remorse. The author has done total justice to his mother by keeping her memories alive throughout. 

The book is not a unilinear one as to how his mother was subjected to injustice at all steps of life, it also throws light on some of the prejudices of society. How out of the fear of a homophobic society, people hide their sexual orientation and end up spoiling several lives in the process. Nonetheless, one line in the book stuck out like a sore thumb. The line "She was to be relieved to a great extent from her household chores if the marriage lasted" unequivocally states that household chores are a woman's job was uncalled for. It also points to the red tape in the court proceedings due to which an annulment was pulled forward to divorce. 

Overall the book is an emotional roller coaster for the readers. It makes us relive our lives as well.

Book Thief By Markus Zusak - Review

 I have always been wary of reading books that are counted on as classics because somehow they come with a baggage of heightened expectations and mostly fail to work the charm. Contrary to my belief, Book Thief by Markus Zusak turned out to be something that I wanted to read over and over again. When I was looking for a book to read for myself on Bookchor.com, suddenly I came across Book Theif, and that too at a reasonable price. I didn't have to think twice and grabbed the book. And here I am with Book Thief review.

Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Review

The book takes off on a different note wherein we get to see a beautiful amalgamation of prose and poetry. It gives the impression that the author is talking about different people or different aspects of the same person but pinpointing what it would be is difficult. Nor would the author leave a space to guess how the plot is going to take a turn. And there comes the main plot taking us to a realm of pain, despair, and empathy coupled with the excitement of having something that the whole world is looking forward to.

The book is the best I have read of late. Liesel, our book thief holds the string of our hearts and plays with so much ease that we forget whether to sing along or weep for her.

Liesel the fighter

Liesel has been subjected to too many inequitable scenarios, that her stealing the book would create a feeling of amusement in the readers. She doesn't talk to the readers but she communicated much more with her actions.

She doesn't give up but she makes us want her to finally give up and rest. She is a character who would livee with us once we start reading the books. She reminded me of Tess of Drurbrvilles and Scarlette o Hara. Book Thief review is never complete without mentioning them. 

Overall the book is an entertaining, engaging yet painful read.

About Bookchor 

Before we conclude a little about Bookchor. Bookchor is an initiative to bring readers close to the books at a reasonable price. The fact that the books are second-hand doesn't lessen the sparkle. Their quality check is in place and we can rest assured about the books are good in quality. From classics to bestsellers, you get every type of book from their website. I got Book Thief and a Murakami which I would be reviewing later at a reasonable pace and time. 

Looking For a List of Sudha Murthy Books For Your Child? Here Are Three Sudha Murthy Books Every Child Should Read

Getting the kids to read is every mother's dream. While we leave no stone unturned to ensure the indulgence of the child into the world of books, it is all the more necessary to ensure their world of words guides them on the right path. With the splurge of kids' books in the market finding the right one for your child might be a tedious task for every parent. But when it comes to the list of Sudha Murthy books, we can rest assured and buy the books without any investigations. Nonetheless here are three Sudha Murthy Books that you should buy for your child right away.

List of Sudha Murthy Books for Your Child1. The Magic of the Lost Temple
When you think of buying a book by Sudha Murthy and searching for it, the Magic of the Lost Temple would be the title that would pop up first, justifiably so. The book takes the kids to the magical innocent world of Nooni. The author has created magic with words that the kids can enjoy and experience. Moreover, the innocence of the characters is what attracted me the most. Most of the kids' books are about violence, bullying, lying and so many unrealistic ideas planted in the minds of the kids. But when we are talking about the books by Sudha Murthy, we need not worry about any of these aspects. Because quality and credibility are guaranteed.2. Grandmas Bag of Stories

Another classic Sudha Murthy book is Grandma's Bag of stories. The plot takes off with Anand, Krishna, Raghu, and Meena visiting their grandparents. The kids are taken to a world of fantasy by Ajji and Ajja. From mythology to fantasy the book widens the realm of imagination of the readers. With simple language, the book has made sure to bring the kids close to reading. If you are looking for books that could make your child read, this is the one. 3. The Magic Drum and Other Favorite Stories

When her novels are the best on the list of Sudha Murthy books, a collection of short stories would keep the kids entertained and since the plot skips from one story to another, the concentration level of the kids is sustained.
While the list of Sudha Murthy books, like Wise and Otherwise, Three Thousand Stitches, and How the Mango got its magic never ends, these three are my favorites. Which is your favorite?