Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 85

Release Day Blitz- My Last Love Story

About the Book: Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes’s, Me Before You, My Last Love Story is a heartbreakingly romantic tale about the complexities of trauma and whether love can right a wrong.
I, Simeen Desai, am tired of making lemonade with the lemons life has handed me.
Love is meant to heal wounds.Love was meant to make my world sparkle and spin.Love has ripped my life apart and shattered my soul. 
I love my husband, and he loves me.But Nirvaan is dying.I love my husband. I want to make him happy.But he is asking for the impossible. 
I don’t want a baby.I don’t want to make nice with Zayaan.I don’t want another chance at another love story. 
Book Links:Goodreads * Amazon US * Amazon IN
Conversation with Zayaan Khan from My Last Love Story.
Introduce yourself to our readers.
Hey! I’m Zayaan Khan—Zai to my friends. I have two younger sisters and a mother, and we live in London. I’ve come to Carmel-by-the-Sea to be with Nirvaan and also to finish my dissertation in Islamic studies.
You’re a nerd, huh. Then, this question is perfect for you: If you could do something dangerous just once with no risk, what would you do?
Zai: Nirvaan and I have pretty much covered all the risky and dangerous things men can do. As of this moment, I’d try any risky experimental medical procedure on Nirvaan to rid his head of tumors once and for all.
What’s the biggest lie you told in childhood?
Zai: That I love my brother. That he was redeemable in Allah’s eyes.
Which of your ancestors would you most like to meet?
Zai: My eight-times great grandfather who was a Sufi saint. I’d love to meet him and discuss philosophy.
Is it more essential to develop beliefs or gain knowledge?
Zai: Gain knowledge, of course. Belief without knowledge is a waste and an error. Knowledge is reason. Belief can be unreasonable.
Heavy. Let’s end on a fun note, shall we? What’s the most fun party you ever attended?
Zai: My—our—fifteenth birthday party. It was at Dandi Beach back home in Gujarat. It’s where we—Nirvaan and I—met Simi.
And that’s our five questions done. Thanks for being a sport. And I wish you find that experimental procedure for Nirvaan too.


Advance Praise:
At once heartbreaking, delightful and completely unexpected. A must read! ~ Sonali Dev, author of The Bollywood Affair
In My Last Love Story, Kothari examines love and loss, desire and desolation, with a deft, wry touch that kept me reading late into the night and moved me to tears. ~ Julia Tagan, author of Stages of Desire

About the Author:

Falguni Kothari is an internationally bestselling hybrid author and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a background in Indian Classical dance. She writes in a variety of genres sewn together by the colorful threads of her South Asian heritage and expat experiences. When not writing or dancing, she fools around on all manner of social media, and loves to connect with her readers. My Last Love Story is her fourth novel.
Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads




Giveaway1 Copy of My Last Love Story by Falguni KothariPaperback Copy if the Winner is US or Indian Resident / eBook for other International Winner.
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Review of Exploring India- Kings and Queens by Subhadra Sen gupta

Book Name         - Exploring India- Battles and Warriors
Author                  - Subhadra Sen Gupta
Publisher              - Rupa Publications India (Red Turtle)
Number of Pages - 64
Publishing Year   - 2016
Edition                  - Paperback
Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.5


Blurb

The Exploring India series of books are delicious, bite-sized portions of history that will interest every reader who wants to know more about various facets of India.
Kings and Queens takes the reader on a journey through the lives of four important kings and queens of India: Chandragupta Maurya, Krishnadeva Raya, Razia Sultan and Nurjahan.
Find out about the fascinating lives of these men and women who were great change makers of their times. Read about how they came to power, what they accomplished during their reigns, what life was like for the ordinary people under their rule and why do we still remember them to this day. Concise yet filled with relevant details and accompanied by attractive colour illustrations, the Exploring India series will make history fascinating and unforgettable for every reader.



My Review
History has always scared me. As a child I have always wished for a book that will help me understand history better. Exploring India is a series of books that fits into the void perfectly.

Kings and Queens in the series gives a glimpse of four great warriors in Indian history.  Chandragupta Maurya(called by the name Sandocrotos by the Greek), Krishnadevaraya, Razia Sultan and Nurjahan are the four important kings and queens the book. The uniqueness of the book is that the four rulers are unconventional and the books shows an unforeseen picture of their lives. 

The narration is simple and easily comprehensible, yet gives the minutest details.  One should never forget to mention the contribution Tapas Gupta, through the illustrations. Through illustrations we can see the various weapons, shields and armour during th medieval period.The books is a treasure for centuries since history never gets outdated. The books helps in developing the reading habits in children without making them bored. 

Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Subhadra Sen Gupta has written over thirty books for children including mysteries, adventures, ghost stories, comic books and books on history. To her surprise, the Sahitya Akademi thought she is doing a good job and gave her the Bal Sahitya Puraskar in 2014. Right now she is waiting for a time machine so that she can travel to the past and join Emperor Akbar for lunch. She loves to travel, flirt with cats and chat with auto-rickshaw drivers.

Review of Exploring India Battles and Warriors by Subhadra Sen Gupta

Book Name         - Exploring India- Battles and Warriors
Author                  - Subhadra Sen Gupta
Publisher              - Rupa Publications India (Red Turtle)
Number of Pages - 88
Publishing Year   - 2016
Edition                  - Paperback
Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.0

Blurb

The Exploring India series of books are delicious, bite-sized portions of history that will interest every reader who wants to know more about various facets of India. 

Battles and Warriors takes the reader on a journey through the events that led to, and the descriptions of, five major battles that took place in India: Alexander vs Porus, Ashoka vs the Kingdom of Kalinga, Rajendra Chola vs the Kingdom of Srivijaya, Babur vs Ibrahim Lodi and Siraj-ud-Daula vs the East India Company.

Find out why these battles occurred, the strategies that were employed, the arms and armour used by the warriors, the after effects of these battles and how they shaped the course of Indian history. 

Concise yet filled with relevant details and accompanied by attractive colour illustrations, the Exploring India series will make history fascinating and unforgettable for every reader.
My Review
History has always scared me. As a child I have always wished for a book that will help me understand history better. Exploring India is a series of books that fits into the void perfectly. Battles and Warriors take us back to the five battles in our history. The battle between Alexander and Porus is a historical event, that was forgotten by the Indian historians but surprisingly the greek historians give us more details. There is a systematic approach which suits the purpose of the books.  Ashoka vs The Kingdom of Kalinga focusses mainly on the transformation of Ashoka. Rajendra Chola vs Kingdom of Srivijaya brings forth a forgotten tale. Babur vs Ibrahim Lodhi is the first battle of Panipat. Siraj-ud-daula vs East India Company is the battle of Plassey (Palashi).

The narration is simple and easily comprehensible, yet gives the minutest details.  One should never forget to mention the contribution Tapas Gupta, through the illustrations. Through illustrations we can see the various weapons, shields and armour during th medieval period.The books is a treasure for centuries since history never gets outdated. The books helps in developing the reading habits in children without making them bored. 

Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author

iRead Book Tours- Book Blitz- The five truths about work-life balance

Book Title:  The Five Truths About Work-Life Balance by Jae Ellard

Category:  Adult non-fiction, 102 pages

Genre:  Self Help

Publisher:  Simple Intentions

Release date:  November 7, 2014


Book Description:  

Work-life balance has nothing to do with work. Really. It also doesn't matter what words you use to describe it. The fact is, most people share a similar desire to create easy joy and meaningful engagement across the roles, relationships and responsibilities that make up life.

Our current habits and perceptions often get us stuck and prevent us from creating the life we desire. Get unstuck, learn the truths about work-life balance.


Buy the book: Amazon,  Author Website

Meet the author:  

After years in senior communication roles crafting content for executives, Jae collapsed from stress-related adrenal fatigue. This life-altering experience propelled her to research human behavior, neuroscience, mindfulness, and organizational relationship systems.

In 2008, Jae founded Simple Intentions and developed the Mindful Life™ Program, which includes four group coaching workshops to generate reflection, awareness and action at the organizational and individual levels. Jae has taught the skill of awareness to thousands of employees at multinational corporations in more than 50 countries including China, Russia, India, Japan, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Germany, United Kingdom, Norway, and the United States.

Jae contributes to the Awareness at Work column for Mindful Magazine, the Healthy Living section on Huffington Post as well as the Simple Intentions blog. Jae has a master’s degree in Communication Management from Colorado State University and a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communication from Metropolitan State College of Denver. She holds certificates in co-active coaching and organizational relationship systems coaching and is the author of seven books.

Connect with the author:   Website   Twitter   Facebook

Interview with Jae Ellard Author of The Five Truths about work-life balance

Hi Readers
Please welcome to Jae Ellard, CEO and Founder of Simple Intentions and the author of The Five Truths about work-life balance to my virtual tete- a tete
Hi Jae
Welcome to the chit chat 
1. In The Five Truths you say that work-life balance has nothing to do with work. Can you speak more about this? 
What I’ve observed in thousands of conversations on the topic is most imbalance comes from the conversations we avoid having about our values as well as our feeling about the impact on our lives when our values are threaten or challenged. Sometimes these conversations we avoid are with others and sometimes these conversations we avoid are with ourselves.
2. Communicating is also a key point in your book. How can we overcome our fear of having tough conversations?
When we are speaking our truth with context and compassion there is nothing to fear. That said, practice is key as many of us want to please others and we fear potential rejection if we let others down, when we offer context and deliver the message in an authentic way most times you will be meet with support over rejection and might find that your relationships deepen.
3. What's your writing ritual? 
My favorite place to write is my kitchen table in the morning sun, pen on paper, looking out at the trees and listening to the birds chirp away. In recent years I’ve also found international flights as great place to let the words flow. I’ve been writing each morning for at least an hour for the last 2 decades.
4. Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it? 
Sometimes there is just nothing to say so I don’t try and force it. Meditation, yoga or walking are go to’s get connect back to what is emerging and get the message flowing.
5. Who are other writers that inspire you?
Elizabeth Gilbert, Brene Brown, Jack Kornfield, Eckort Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Seth Godin, Malcom Gladwell, David Whyte, Pema Chorden, Mark Nepo and Rumi  
6. What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
At an after party in Atlanta for an event where I had led a meditation for 250 finance managers from around the world, (as night went on and the alcohol flowed) people started making toasts “to meditation”. The contradiction was hilarious!
7. If there is one thing you want readers to remember, what would it be?
That the choices is yours for how to live your life – so make intentional choices about how you want to show up, what to say and the life you want to create.

Review of I am the lord by Ezhuth Aani

Book Name         - I  am the lord
Author                  - Ezuth Aani
Publisher              - Frog Books
Number of Pages - 250
Publishing Year   - 2016
Edition                  - Paperback
Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.0

Blurb


This unique novel explores the world of religious conversion without actually condemning any particular religion. Set in the 1990s, the story travels to many countries including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Spain, Canada, and Sri Lanka. It delves into the philosophies of several religions while entwining an interesting story of adventure and love. Many of its predictions made two years ago when first published in Tamil are now playing out in the Middle East. The recent developments in Iraq and Syria, and the worldwide ramifications including events in France, Egypt and Mali bear testimony to the deep understanding of the historico-political landscape described in the novel. With religious proselytizing becoming a major issue in India, this novel is a must read for the discerning Indian reader. ""A very different novel which is also a philosophical enquiry"" Indra Parthasarathy (Sahithya Award winner) ""An experimental Creative Writing"" KS Sivakumaran (Daily Mirror) ""A gripping saga of cultures and religions"" Thuraiyuran (Daily Mirror)
My Review
Written two years back originally in Tamil, I am the lord is a philosophical journey of Jagan, the protagonist. Author has conveyed a great philosophy with the support of a fictional background. Readers are enlightened with the history of different religions, without hurting the feelings of anyone. 

The book is a different spiritual, philosophical and intellectual experience. With a highly targeted audience, the story might not go well with those looking for an easy read. 

Jagan, who had to migrate to Australia during the 1983 riots , comes to India and explores the historical places. Never did he foresee that his unexpected landing in Sriperumbathoor at a wrong time will make his life topsy turvy. Getting converted from one religion  to other and shiting places and countries over and over again, Jagan realizes a great philosophy of life. What is the philosophy? Which religion does he end up following?
You should read I am the lord for the answers.


Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author

The author is a medical practitioner in Australia. He has published an anthology of poems, and two novels (enthaiyum naane - I am my father (2014), Angaharam (2015) in Tamil. In addition, he has published many short stories, poems, and articles in Tamil and English. This is the translation of his debut novel in English. Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, the author has seen the ravages of the civil war in that country. He has lived and worked as a medical doctor in five countries in four continents. He has worked with or treated people from over 95 countries. Drawing from his unique life experiences, his writings reflect an international perspective.

Review of Karachi Deception by Shatrujeet Nath

Book Name         - Karachi Deception
Author                  - Shatrujeet Nath
Publisher              - Rupa Publications
Number of Pages - 258
Publishing Year   - 2016
Edition                  - Paperback
Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.5

Blurb
Three commandos of the Indian Army s elite Unit Kilo Major Imtiaz Ahmed, Captain Shamsheer Suleiman and Lieutenant Rafiq Mehmood are chosen for a one-of-a-kind ops mission: to enter Pakistan and eliminate dreaded underworld don, Irshad Dilawar. However, somehow, the Inter-Services Intelligence and Dilawar always seem to be one step ahead of them, foiling every plan they make. It doesn t take long for Major Imtiaz to realize that something is amiss the operation has been compromised. Will he be able to successfully complete his mission, or are he and his men, like Abhimanyu, entering a trap they cannot make their way out of? Set in the world of covert operations, where double-crossing and diabolical mind games are the norm, The Karachi Deception will keep you hooked till the very end.
My Review

Three commandos assigned a task to assassinate a terrorist in a clandestine mission- The plot itself magnetically attracts the readers. Inciting inquisitiveness is the prime quality of a thriller, which, Karachi Deception possesses full throttle. The chronological order of the narration helps the reader comprehend the otherwise complicated story.
Commandos Major Imtiaz Ahmed, Captain Shamsheer Sulaiman, and Lieutenant Rafiq Mahmood, who sets out to accomplish the most prestigious mission, have to face unprecedented surprises and betrayal. Author succeeded in pulling off the story with utmost conviction.
Never for a second does the book gives us the impression of a debut attempt. A glimpse of David Baldacci and Frederick Forsyth was visible in the framework of the book, though the narration is comparatively simpler. The twist and turn of events in the story are maneuvered seamlessly.
The character galore in the book is a bit confusing chiefly due to the similarities in the names. As the story proceeds, readers are acquainted with the names. The build of the events could have been robust.
As I had mentioned in my review of Kashmir House, I have an affinity towards stories which incite the Indian emotion in me. Whenever a terrorist is arrested or incarcerated, fed with our tax amount, like most fellow citizens, I too wished if there were someone who could eliminate these rotten beings. Hence, the idea of assassinating a terrorist leader enticed me. This idea gets my special brownie points.
And yes, the twist in the climax is interesting.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author

Shatrujeet Nath has sold ice-creams, peddled computer training courses, written ad copy and reported on business as a journalist and assistant editor at The Economic Times. The Karachi Deception is his first book. He has also written The Guardians of the Halahala and The Conspiracy at Meru, the first two volumes in the epic fantasy series on the legendary king, Vikramaditya. Shatrujeet is also the co-founder of JokerStreet, an IP & content-creation company.

Another Nirbhaya; How many more will be there?

The pain inflicted by Jyothi Singh's predicament is still subsisting in the hearts of every Indian with even an ounce of humanity. After mulling over the reasons and reasoning, we concluded that girls should not go out of the safety of their houses at night. They should remain at home after the safety of sunlight leaves them. Girls should not have boy friends or friends who are boys for that matter. Nor should they go out with them. Oh yes, they should not fight back when they are being raped? Isn't that the valuable cosmic law taught by the Great Rapist? Had she co-operated, we wouldn't have been cruel? Huh!!!

Well abiding by these rules, did anything change. A girl was brutally murdered and raped in daylight in her own house. So what rules applies here? What was her mistake? How could she handle a man or a living being who raped her corpse. Not even animals do such a heinous and repugnant act. So what cultural lesson should we give our kids?

I always opined that we should teach our boys to respect women. We should train them from childhood. But, what happened in Attingal proved that all these are pure B**l S*iT. My so called behavioural knowledge was shattered by this incident. Nino Mathew was the Son of a highly self righteous father, who kept on advising him to stay away from sin, a father who stood by the wronged without even a second thought. His paramour was also not different. I would not prefer calling her name. These sort of women should be called by the name Attingal woman, Twin murder woman. Not the victims.

It has been a regular practice to go after the immigrant workers while investigating a crime. Perumbavoor being a hub of immigrants, it is quite natural to point the suspicious fingers towards them. We are forgetting two factors-
1. If the immigrant workers are the reason for all the crimes, how  can we stop them. Both men and women from North-eastern part of India have been exploited and stamped as delinquent, irrespective of their education or pedigree. Tagged by the pet name 'Harries' they are not given solace in even the most coveted educational institution. So it is that, the conditions of unskilled laborers are far from human, and hence the inhuman acts from them. They smuggle weeds and similar intoxicants without any constraints, usage of which make them incorrigible. Are we doing anything to improve their living conditions? Oh he is Bihari. He can work in any condition. They are all of a different make. They are subjected to live like animals that they don't find any difference between human and animals. The so called labour unions and associations do nothing for their betterment.

2. Keeping the shadow of the incorrigible immigrant workers, innumerable crimes are being done. Poor living condition or financial instability is not the reason why Attingal Twin Murder happened. It was pure lust and quasi-respect from the society.

So what is the solution for all this? No action has been taken regarding the analysis of the real reason behind every crime.

The saddest part is to witness the political jugglery related to such incidents. Why this shoddy show? To gain votes! Sorry we are way beyond this. So please stop blaming each other and use your so called investigative commissions to study the deteriorating human values. Citizens would happily shower their tax money to implement the measures to assure safety for their daughters and sons! Yes, our sons are also in danger. If someone can fornicate a corpse or even an animal, will he find a difference between man and woman, boy and a girls and worse of all infant and grown up?

So, please stop blaming each other and conducting useless talk shows, start acting.
PS:: Can we implement castration?

Book Spotlight: Wrong Means Right End by Varsha Dixit

Wrong Means Right End  by Varsha Dixit 


Blurb Readers fell in love with Sneha and Nandini, two best friends who stuck to each other through heartbreak and joy in the bestselling novel, Right Fit Wrong Shoe. Now they are back in a delightful sequel that follows the two women as they begin the next phase of their lives in Mumbai.

After a failed marriage, Sneha, a single working mom, has no time, or inclination, for love. She resists every matchmaking attempt made by the overzealous Nandini, married to industrialist Aditya. But then the past intrudes in the form of the gorgeous and rich, Nikhil, who brings along Gayatri to break-up her ex-fiance, Aditya's marriage. Sneha enlists Nikhil's help to salvage the situation. But how does she even talk to a man who clearly loathes her? As Nikhil and Sneha try to grapple with their egos and combustible chemistry, love blossoms.

Wrong Means Right End, an exuberant story about love and friendship, is filled with surprises and a wicked twist at every turn.
Grab your copy  amazon.in | amazon.com

About The Author 

Varsha Dixit, the best selling author of four successful contemporary romance books. Her debut book, Right Fit Wrong Shoe was a national bestseller for the year 2010. Varsha was a part of the Indian Television Industry and worked as an assistant director and online editor. She considers herself a dreamer who thinks deep but writes light. Even though creativity is gender free, Varsha feels blessed and enriched to be a woman. Currently, with her family, Varsha resides in CA, USA.
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The review of The Committed Sin by Leema Dhar

Book Name         - The Committed Sin
Author                  - Leema Dhar
Publisher              - Frog Books
Number of Pages - 264
Publishing Year   - 2016
Edition                  - Paperback
Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 3.5

Blurb


"#Test 1: Carry the bowl of love and pour a drop of the venom of distrust. Does it survive? #Test 2: Best friends forever, really? Put her in a cobweb of mysteries and see if she bleeds with a smile. #Test 3: It's simple. There are no rules in the game except to commit SINS. But you'll be served death for dinner. Are you still ready to play the sinful game? She's an agnostic. She survives on my own terms in a metropolitan city. She sees around. She sees the puddle of human abhorrence everywhere. She's knocking at the door of answers that her mom refuses to open. She loves a guy who plays with heart beats. She has a best friend who rules death. Her dad rules the island of enigma. And then there's a man who binds them all in a single thread- the thread of the game. The rule is pretty simple. They need to commit sins, one after the other. Take revenge, be sinful, break the rules, forget the morals of relationships but if they try to escape...they'll be thrown...in the land of the unknown from where none can return. So shall we begin the game? The Committed Sin is a STAND-ALONE romance that you cannot afford to miss. This time Metro Kolkata has an untold story which vehemently explores the sphinx of mortal relationships. Experience the journey of nightmares like never before. The bestselling novelist of Till We Meet Again and You Touched My Heart Leema Dhar weaves love, revenge, hatred, mystery and despair--all in a single thread. "
My Review
The story line need not be mentioned in this review since the blurb itself is a synopsis of the book. The story and narration are promising and engaging. Right from the prologue, authoress succeeded in leaving the readers inquisitive and forces them to hook to the book to know what next. Each chapter comes up with a new twist which traverses seamlessly from chapter to chapter.

Great care is taken in characterisation. Noteworthy fact is that Authoress could convincingly help the readers in visualizing not only the outward look but also the inner worth of the characters. The first person narration of  Seya comes off in  a matured fashion, while maintaining the liveliness of a teenager.

How Pakhi became the protagonist's best friend, is not conveyed well since very few instances of togetherness is manifested.  During the emotional voyage with the characters, grammatical errors served as eyesores in some areas, since it would leave the readers confused as to what exactly did the writer intended to convey. The climax did not keep up with the level of the the rest of the book may be because of the predictability or abruptness. 

Overall the book is a great read with a strong story line and outstanding narration. With a little more care and rework in the Grammar side as well as the climax, we can expect a great piece of literature.

Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.