Manali Manan Desai's Blog, page 40

April 28, 2021

SEVEN COLORS OF LOVE : Love conquers by Pramod Rajput

Book blurb:

Raj turned back to look at Gauri. Her hair was disheveled. Her face was not glowing as before. For the first time, he saw a common girl in her and no longer an angel. Gauri was unable to see the tears in his eyes from that distance. Raj cried his heart out all the way home. The road was deserted except for his sobs which reverberated against the surrounding hills and rocks, turning into an echo that only his soul could hear. It was the echo of a broken heart that Raj heard for the first time.

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary Romance

Pages: 326 pages

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

My Ratings: 3.6/5

Raj moves to Pittorgarh owing to his father’s transfer. He is unhappy because he had to leave behind his old friends and more importantly, his love interest. But he soon find himself drawn to his college classmate, Sanjana. They fall in love and get married after facing a lot of challenges. Will their love stand the test of time and many other hurdles that destiny hurls their way, especially when Raj keeps coming across his past?

Book cover taken from Amazon

Love in all ages and stages of life.

What I liked about the book:
-> The gorgeous cover.
-> How the lead characters are high achievers, and deeply driven regarding their studies and their professional lives.
-> Raj and Sanjana’s story is very sweet, as to how they fall in love, try to convince their families, and ultimately take a decision on their own.
-> The twists in the second half of the book keep the interest of reader at peak.
-> The school memories of Raj are very nostalgic and will make one remember their own first crush or love.

What I did not like about the book:
-> The narration is very matter-of-fact and conversational, with unnecessary descriptions. It felt like someone describing a scene line to line like: This is a man. He is 17 years old. He is wearing a blue shirt. and so on.
-> It felt like the story was justifying infidelity and having multiple lovers.
-> The way Sanjana just blindly trusts Raj.

Quotable quotes:
->Talking it out is the best way out of certain situations. It is better than staying in a cloud of constant confusion.
-> The power of love has the ability to transform people with its beauty and surreality.
-> It is high time people evolved from ancient traditions and dated social practices.
-> Time passes as it always does. It doesn’t stand still for anyone, however important that person might be.
-> How can a mother’s heart be at ease when her offspring suffered before her eyes?
-> Small sacrifices have to be made to achieve big goals in life.
-> Their struggles had taught them a lot and played an important role in making them better human beings.
->It is true that the path of true love is not easy, but true love gives you the courage to walk on difficult paths with a smile because your partner stays by you.
-> One can have far superior qualities than being proficient in the English language. After all English is just a language, a means to communicate.
->As a teacher, one’s job is not only to give knowledge but also to guide the students properly in their troubles.
-> What you see from outside, do you call it beauty? Anybody can look beautiful from the outside because of branded clothes and make-up because it hides the dirt inside. Real beauty lies inside.
-> It is very easy to die in love. But it is difficult for to live for the people you love and to do everything you can to protect them and make them happy. True lovers can live in pain but they cannot let any harm come to the people they love.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media presence:

LinkedIn

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 28, 2021 06:30

April 27, 2021

Between Us : Of Love, Longing and More by Sanhita Baruah

Book blurb:

Old-School Love Notes in a Modern World.
A short and comforting read.
Chapters-
Last Page of My Notebook
Modern Love
Not Meant for Each Other
Love in Abundance

Genre: Fiction/Poetry

Pages: 53

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 99 INR/$2.99

My Ratings: 3.6/5

Divided into 4 sections (The Last Page of My Book, Modern Love, Not Meant for Each Other, and Love in Abundance), this poetry collection makes for a perfect short read over a weekend or at the end of a tiring workday.

[image error]

An easy-breezy one-time read.

What I liked about the book:
-> Reading the poems under “The Last Page of My Book” was so nostalgic. It makes us recall our love life during our educational time period. Like about our crushes during school, how we used to write our unsaid feelings and thoughts on the last pages of our books.
-> The author has expressed unsaid feelings in a deep and relatable manner.
-> Each section in the book depicts different shades of love. The poems are emotionally sound and even though they appear simple, the reader will find themselves immersed in their depth pretty fast.

What I did not like about the book:
-> As someone who likes more classic poetry, this one didn’t match my taste much.
-> It doesn’t leave behind much and I’m someone who likes thought-provoking reads, so I guess it’s just okay for a one-time read.

Quotable quotes:
->Some call it traveling as I tire myself,
Some call it wandering as I find myself.
->This is how we live now.
This is how we end.
Same field. Same cage.
One room. Different beds.
->Kiss me goodbye and set me free.
->Of everything love could be
It shouldn’t be hard work.
->He would admire the sky
I would touch the sand
->Life isn’t about falling in love
As much as it is about learning
To get over hatred.
->You looked like almost everybody I have ever loved.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media handles:

InstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedIn
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 27, 2021 06:30

April 26, 2021

STONED! The Untold Story of CO-Weed-20 by Gautam Mayekar

Book blurb:

Amar- the man from the future, is narrating his story into the Voice Data Recorder of Time machine through which he has traveled back in time. He is alone & stuck in the machine with no expertise or knowledge to operate it. With Mohit – the one who built this Time Machine, having tested CO-Weed-20 positive and gone to sleep permanently, just like the entire population of Mumbai city; Amar is left only with a stash of weed and wait of twelve hours until the machine disintegrates.
Before it does, Amar will reveal the secrets behind the production of the deadly drug – CO-Weed-20 and how it all went awry.
Who is Amar?
Will he survive & eventually save the world? Or will he get beaten by the mysterious Thakur from his dreams again?

Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller

Pages: 89

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

My Ratings: 3.8/5

Amar, the protagonist of this story, considers himself a superhero. He goes back in time to ‘save the world’. But he loses his only companion and also the builder of the time machine. Will he be able to save himself and the world in the 12-hour deadline?

Book cover taken from Amazon

Fly high with this quirky time-travel tale

What I liked about the book:
-> This is the first Indian-based time-travel book I’ve read so that’s definitely a catch.
-> How the protagonist considers himself a superhero because of (or rather despite) what he does, which in hindsight might be looked upon as shady.
-> The inclusion of popular artists and media like Nucleya, Thug Life meme, etc, in the story, that made it a fun read.
-> The quirky and sarcastic narration and action of the characters. This had me chuckling through most of the book.
-> The C0-Weed Valentine’s Week twist. I was laughing my head off in this chapter, where the characters celebrated each day of Valentine’s week like Rose Day, Chocolate Day, in their own manner by inculcating their stoned *ahem traits in it.
-> The satirical take on the current political scenario in India.

What I did not like about the book:
-> There were instances that left me confused and I had to read some bits multiple times to understand what the author was trying to convey.

Quotable quotes:
-> Scientists like to believe in outer space theory and ignore the ground reality.
-> It’s funny how only the drug peddlers are arrested when the whole country is busy peddling and making shady deals over all the infrastructure projects.
-> I find women strolling around with party dresses and skimpy outfits. Nothing new. People do it in malls anyway; they roam around as if they have come for partying and not shopping.
->It didn’t make sense. Right. But, then most things in life don’t make sense either. And yet, we carry on with a glimmer of hope and our lives at stake.
-> We are all animals, after all, mating and wanting to be each other’s mates.

-> That’s the beauty of being a stoner; your apologies are always rolled in.
-> The Swades or Rang De Basanti style revolution only happens in movies. In real life, changing the world and the people is not as easy as baking your cake and eating it too. When people question your rational thinking, you ignore it; you run. That’s the harsh truth.
-> Love and infatuation can make you ignore your God.
-> We are in a country where the sarcastic humor by our PM is considered derogatory.
-> Being in love with someone is like being high daily. And when that person likes you high and stoned, numerous possible permutations and combinations are running through your mind, and all end up converging on only one thought. That you got to love them daily, till the end of your life.
->For the first time in my life, it wasn’t the way someone smiled that attracted me towards her; it was the way she took the last drag of that joint, slowly and then all at once.
-> A famous Urdu poet once said, “Hazaaron milengi tuze sanskaari auratein, asli pyaar wahi hain jo dilaayein tuze yeh botalein” and then he raised his whisky bottle, drank from it, and went on to write some of the greatest love shayaris, truly an inspiration.
->When you are high as f*ck, everything around you talks and feels “bollywoody”.
-> Mohit, Joana and I, came in a straight line like Hrithik, Abhay and Farhan from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. I could hear someone mutter Javed Sahab’s shayari, “Dilon mein ladkiyon ke liye betabi leke bhaag rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum”
-> That’s what bonding over alcohol and joint does to people. Their emotions don’t collide, they converge. And the sacrifices and respects grow larger.

->I don’t get the concept of a marathon; you basically just have to run, but why run early morning in the darkness? Guys don’t purchase sleeveless, and girls don’t buy hot yoga pants to run in the darkness.
->No matter how emotionally weak a guy you are, when a girl says “ouch”, your “what happened?” is expected as firm as iron.
->Bereft of ideas, I Googled it but was presented with the most impractical tricks. Google can be a bitch sometimes.
-> Adding a quote at the beginning of any narration gives it a weightage.
->People should not talk about riots because they don’t have an optional side to choose from. If you are neutral, you are one of them; you are one from the opposite side; that’s what they assume.
-> It’s funny how you just find things when you are high.
-> A farmer’s son is hailed as a hero only if he dies as a terrorist in this country. If a son of a farmer or school teacher dies of an overdose, no news channel will hail us.
-> It’s kind of become a thing for superheroes to save America every time and yet go on bragging, “The whole ‘world’ is in trouble; we saved the world.”
-> Cartooned characters and superheroes are nothing but stoned versions of ourselves.
->Humans like living in denial always.
-> Karma proves to be a bitch always. It shows you the best possible way to figure things out for yourself and make the world a better place. And then, it slaps you hard on the face just moments before you are about to reach your happy place.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media details:

InstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedIn
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 26, 2021 06:30

April 25, 2021

Mist – Cry of A Soul by Nigama R.V.

Book blurb:

The wind is so still, the Earth stopped spinning, Gravity lost its control and the world held its breath, but then I realized its just me feeling your heart beating in mine…

Mist – Scattered thoughts collected to a place.

Genre: Fiction/ Poetry

Pages: 77

Format: Kindle eBook

My ratings: 4.5/5

A short read of poems based on the experiences and emotions that we all go through in our lives. Pick this one for a day when you feel like your feelings need an anchor.

[image error]Book cover taken from Amazon

Love and feelings in beautiful poetic motions.

What I liked about the book:
-> The images with each poem. They set the mood of each poem perfectly, like a cherry on top of the soothing words.
-> The poems are written like a soliloquy meaning a monologue or talking to self. The 60 poems in this collection are of this type and the poet brings out variety of human emotions into picture (quite literally) with panache.
-> I have read many poetry books and can say with confidence that is one of a kind because of the backdrop of images. And, also because all the poems are very well written laced with emotions and feelings. A added bonus is that the poems touched on various themes right from love and heartbreak, desire and emotions, bravery and break-ups, and nature and life.

What I did not like about the book:
-> The mixing up of words ‘breathe’ and ‘breath’ and usage of ‘it’s’ instead of ‘its’

Quotable quotes:
-> The bleeding heart, my armour…
The chaotic mind, my weapon…
The scars, my wings..
My demons, my army…
-> What’s a poet with emotions?
What’s a music without tune?
What’s a paint without colors?
What’s a life without love?
What’s me without you?
Dead…
……I’m just dead!
->How would I rise with the Sun
When my soul wails in the dark.
->I find solace in your arms
Only to realise
My world is lost
Without your indifference….
->Warriors are born,
From the ashes
Of trust & hope..

Buying links:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

InstagramTwitterFacebook
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 25, 2021 06:30

April 24, 2021

In the City of Clouds by Sweta Rani

Book blurb:

15th Century.
Place: Somewhere in Northern India.
A mighty king falls for a common girl, only to realize that she was anything but
common. While fighting the odds and learning their differences, they choose love to write scripts of history. Centuries later, the kingdoms are long gone. But the will to accept challenges survives through a modern story, which is weaved around the
central characters, Hridya and Aarav. They are familiar yet strangers to each other.
From the young streets of college to the history-stricken alleys of an ancient fort,
following the twists and turns of fate, the characters of this book are rallying through memories and time bridges. Their life as students, personal little victories, rebellions of the heart and constant unlearning for self-discoveries braids their story of lost and found. Walking through every stage in their life, they wander in the city of clouds, while finding suns, will they reinstate clarity? Will Hridya be able to fight Aarav who endangers her alleged heart? After crossing a wall of time, will Aarav’s choices repeat history? Is a tale from centuries past returning in the form of modern love?

Genre: Fiction/Romance Drama

Pages: 252

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 49 INR/$2.99Paperback: 249 INR/$15.99

My Ratings: 4/5

Hridya is someone who has been led to believe that she’s never good enough. Despite an inferiority complex deeply ingrained in her personality, she grows to be a beautiful and successful woman. While struggling, surviving, and enjoying her college life, she even finds herself a secret admirer, who later becomes one of her closest friends. But, will her identity crisis and beliefs allow Hridya to consider her feelings to be beyond just friendship?

Book cover taken from Amazon

A love that stands the test of time and fate.

What I liked about the book:
-> It tells the story of a girl who is a typical Indian girl in a rat race to become the best because. Why? Because her father expects and demands so. She’s a girl just like any of us, whose mind goes through a lot of ifs and buts.
-> The depiction of college life that made me remember my own teens and campus days.
-> The way the past and present generations have been interwoven in a distinct yet similar manner.
-> The character of Aarav and how he struggles to be a part of his family wherein he feels thoroughly misplaced.
-> The dance sequence/performance by Hridya and the way it has been described.

What I did not like about the book:
-> Some of the scenes and chapters felt unnecessary and dragged.
-> Hridya’s character comes off as selfish and frustrating at many points in the story.

Quotable quotes:

-> There are some moments that cannot form a part of reality, but they still play with the nerves of our minds and still try to corrupt the unarmed heart. They form unforgettable dreams and create the most uncomfortable sleep from which one wakes up becoming fragile overnight. In size and span, they might be small, but when played again and again in the circle of memories, they almost redeem themselves as an invincible and lasting thought, that stays, always, like glue.
-> It is always required, howsoever calm one tries to be, to make efforts for the heart not to get affected by the uncertainties.
-> In a country of more than a billion people where there are different and several types of system framing the socio-economic mindset of a citizen, the topmost priority is usually given to financial security.
-> A question asked in a primary school regarding a dream job may strike a number of answers, almost all unique. But as we grow and reach the gateway of our school where we are supposed to take a leap beyond our family into an unpredictable, precarious world, answers get limited to one or two, preferably engineering and medical services.
Dreams get customized and result in storming competition in which, every year, a number of lives are changed, some as planned and some, unexpectedly.
-> Time sometimes testify patience. It not only plays with eagerness, but it also rather competes with it.
-> No stone should be left unturned when it came to putting your efforts in something that was going to change the course of your life. Whatever be the result, it’s okay. Whether or not any stone was left was not a left was not a decision to make at that time.
-> Praise infects an artist.
-> Everyone is bound by stories, the story of their lives, and the stories of others.
-> Failures are designed ftake the plunge and awaken the best in us.
-> It is all about time. Things happen at their own time when they have to. No matter how much we write or whatever we write, unless we have readers in the same sync, we won’t be successful in this field. So I guess, good writers, bad writers and average writers are just the contemplation of collective readers and it’s not really about their quality of writing or choice of language.
-> If in this material world, the issue of pass or fail, more marks or less are nothing but a delusion, life could have been easier.
-> Hmmmm is actually equivalent to human buffering.
-> Sometimes, we don’t want to know the unknown. Sometimes, there is a pleasure in being ignorant because we fear that our imagination, our guesses, our act of construing random thoughts, the drama of our life would end.
-> Silence works well in situations when you want to hear more. Say nothing. The person in front will.
-> When questions are answered with questions, issues at hand often need long, detailed explanations.
-> Love, care, compassion are some delusive concepts whose charm fade away with time.
-> Every Why opens up a new episode, ending with many revelations and despite the fact that the answers are not completely satisfactory, these revelations offer a little help in analyzing difficult things, which looked big at the first place.
-> Whenever a joke is cracked in a group, laughs are based on various factors. Some laugh because others are, some because they really find it funny and some could only giggle in a confusion that whether they should laugh more or not.
-> They can easily relegate, easily delegate and easily instigate a woman who is the product of years of sexism and objectification. The worst part is that most of the people around us don’t even get it when they are actually participating in such acts, which might be hurting their women. Or maybe they do not care.
-> Marrying someone you know is less frightening than getting hitched to a complete stranger even when there are multiple doubts needling your heart.
-> Emotions and their quantity within a person is finite. One cannot spend more than that. Every emotion has its claimer and it can only be rightfully showered if it meets that person, else, it is compromised and once it does, it cannot be repaired.
-> Generation gap, it works in reverse gear.
-> There are times when moments look like a rain dance, when they bloom like an imperishable flower in our memory soil, filling our hearts with fragrance forever, healing our bruises from time to time. They are usually short-lived, but even after they are long gone, they often appear as a breath of fresh air, taking us back to when the moment was alive. Clinging to such moments, one finds solace during hard times.
-> A small detail from a moment undead has the power to wake up every sleeping cell of nostalgia, that prickles until we accept the fact that it’s all in the past and maybe, we should not trust the sudden reappearance of feelings. But it’s just a theory.
-> Most of the times, we believe what we want to believe, even if reality places itself like a mirror.
-> It is all about acceptance and making decisions. Accepting that our heart has made ties without our notice and deciding to allow its defiance. When we actually stop fighting it, we realize its power to transform a person from an indecisive, irrational, fearing naïve to a dauntless explorer, soaring into the sky full of clouds, in a hope that a thousand splendid suns are waiting for the arrival of the brightest day.
-> When we make decisions to prove a point that would affect someone whose attention is our ultimate reward, such decisions enormously affect someone about whom we might not be even thinking.
-> Life is about loving, leaving and loving again for living.
-> Monarchy always has a way even when it is non-existent.
-> Emotions are built on memories, with passing years, as memories fade away, emotions too depart, only to give way to new ones.
-> Sometimes, we are lost only because we have no idea what are we finding. We don’t even realize that we were completely adrift until we find that thing.
-> The mind is capable of putting thoughts on hold until we can’t escape from its swirls.
-> We might have different forms, different lives, different purpose but the way each of our souls is connected, irrespective of the time or place we belong to, is surreal. It could not be felt until felt.
-> if someone is speaking at length, without giving a chance to the other person, it means they have come to only speak.
-> If you have these three attributes, success would never shy away—grit, intuition and ability to take timely course actions.
-> Just love that has a history of faded moments, and is on the test of time, wouldn’t be enough for you two to summon upon a future, if at all there is one.
-> Time is the greatest teacher, but if pupils are unwilling to learn, ask yourself whether the traditions would really get impaired if someone wants to live life on their own terms?
-> Love only can feed your soul but the belly has its own needs.
-> The right person who had left at the wrong time was now waiting to make things right.
-> The man-made system of leading life with economic and social differences eventually sublime to an egalitarian world where love, respect and freedom to each other pillar the paradigm.
-> Everything that seems inevitable are just the victims of time, that faded with years, except a few things that remain, glued, unmoved.
-> Life can’t be left on the mercy of time because it doesn’t take care of everything.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media handles:

InstagramFacebookLinkedIn

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 24, 2021 06:30

April 19, 2021

The Sleepless Beauty by Rajesh Talwar

Book blurb:

In a small kingdom somewhere in the Himalayas, the beautiful young Princess Ramya cannot sleep. It all started soon after her mother, the queen, passed away, when the princess was only twelve. Her father, the king, tries everything to make his little princess sleep, but nothing works. The princess develops such an inability to sleep that she becomes known in her kingdom and far beyond as the Sleepless Beauty. The king wishes Princess Ramya to marry and take over the reins of government, but the princess is determined not to marry till such time as her sleep is restored. Eventually, the king announces a competition whereby whichever prince succeeds in getting Princess Ramya to sleep will win her hand. Meanwhile deadly foes of the kingdom wait and watch in the wings, planning to launch a surprise attack. This exciting, romantic tale, with comic interludes, will appeal to readers of all ages.

Genre: Fiction/Children’s Stories

Pages: 89

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 70 INR/$1.00

My Ratings: 4/5

Princess Ramya is a beautiful soul, inside and out. Her family and the subjects love her dearly too. However, since her mother passed away, the young princess has been unable to sleep well. In a bid to find a suitor and a solution, her father calls princes from all over the world. The one who successfully puts Ramya to sleep will become her husband. Will the beautiful princess finally be able to sleep?

Book cover taken from Amazon

Sometimes the solutions are right in front of us.

What I liked about the book:

Tells us a simple, yet charming and inspiring story.It lends an important message that the solutions to most problems, whether big or small, are generally right in front of us.This is the first instance (for me at least) where a fairy tale is based on Indian culture as opposed to the mainstream western culture tales most of us have grown up reading.It teaches us that there should be no restrictions or judgments on the way one showcases their love.It highlights an underlying problem about age-old beliefs and customs, as to how and why they must have been brought into practice, and how these need to be modified over time, as per the change in societal norms.

Quotable quotes:

-> Travel expands the mind.
-> People are often fixed in their habits and customs and resistant to change.
-> External beauty is only one thing, what is really of value is inner beauty.
-> The true worth or beauty of a person lies beneath the skin, in his or her innermost qualities.
-> To become truly refined and educated you have to learn a lot about the world people live in.
-> Nothing in the world can ever replace a mother’s love.
-> There is something so special about a mother’s love that nothing in the world can really make up for it.
-> Even the most courageous among us sometimes carries secret fears within them, that they may not be fully aware of.
-> One needs to be rested and refreshed to properly savour the gift of life.

One needs to be rested and refreshed to properly savour the gift of life.


-> Sometimes we can resolve big problems, while a solution to the smallest problem eludes us, try as we might.
-> During the course of the day, there are always some things that happen that give you cause for concern.
-> Our body takes what our mind feeds us.
-> If you yourself have never faced a particular problem, you may not have the ability to put yourself in another person’s position, unless you have a caring nature and a sensitive heart. Only the wearer of the turban knows if it is too tight.
-> There are some things in the world, such as a good night’s sleep, that simply cannot be bought with money.
-> Wars have been sparked off through small and seemingly irrelevant pieces of information being revealed.
-> If you agree to marry someone, do so because you like what you saw in them, and not because of the size of their purse.
-> Love manages to communicate itself somehow, such is its fragrance.

There are some things in the world, such as a good night’s sleep, that simply cannot be bought with money.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

FacebookTwitterLinkedIn

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 19, 2021 06:30

April 17, 2021

Footprints: Live . Love . Lead by Santhosh Sivaraj

Book Blurb:

A young man left the shore, leaving his people behind.
An old man reached the shore, leaving his loved ones behind.
The young man was all alone.
The old man was accompanied by sages.
One had fear in his mind, and the other, rage.
One had the strength, and the other, wisdom.
Will the youth be wasted in the young, and the wisdom drained from the old?
They were awaiting their destiny, unaware that it was, in turn, awaiting their union.
The Deep Blue Sea can be the only witness of this spectacle; their interwoven destiny.
Live . Love . Lead

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary Lifestyle

Pages: 153

Format: Kindle eBook/ Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 99 INR/$2.99Paperback (available only in India): 192 INR

My Ratings: 4.6/5

Ramji is a restaurateur residing in the USA. He has a son named Karam who he raised as a single father after losing his wife. Currently, he is ticking off things from his bucket list. One of these is visiting his homeland after many years. He visits it with a few saints and reminisces his past while also noticing how the changes in his town aren’t positive. He communicates with his son about all this through a diary. Can Ramji do something to help the people of his once happy town?

A tale of redemption and nostalgia.

What I liked about the book:
-> The bonding between Ramji and his son, Karam.
-> The diary entries Ramji writes for his son are so epiphanic and mesmerizing.
-> Ramji’s interactions with the saints, that make us understand the world a little better.
-> It teaches us how our outlook and perspectives change with age, and life seems to be different with every passing day.
-> It is not only a philosophical and wisdom-filled book, but it manages to be thrilling and suspenseful as well.
-> It sheds light on political and corporate corruption, and also on the plight of gullible, as well as hardworking villagers and poor people of the country, who easily fall prey to the selfish means of such politicians and businessmen.
-> The most important message delivered by the book i.e. of one’s actions, deeds, and memories through which one can live more than their lifetime.

What I did not like about the book:
-> The identity of Ramji was kind of predictable halfway through the book.
-> The philosophical and truthful statements coming out of the wrongdoer’s mouths.

Quotable quotes:
> Humankind has been trying so hard to conform to the perpetually changing societal standards that they forgot that they had become slaves to their civilization.
-> Man is made to believe that adding importance to his work will result in adding importance to his life.
-> It’s become a misunderstood status symbol in our society – if we’re busy, we’re important; if we’re not busy, we’re almost embarrassed to admit it.
-> Although being busy can make us feel alive than anything else for a moment, the sensation does not sustain for the long term.  We will, inevitably – whether tomorrow or on our deathbed – come to wish that we had spent less time in the buzz.
-> Today’s society has evolved to find mistakes more than solutions.
-> The world around you is based on your introspection of the world or maybe yourself. Even you are your interpretation based on ‘others’ interpretation of you. Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is our perspective, not the truth.
-> There are hundreds of beauties out there, living a life away from all the limelight, and eventually dying without being seen.
-> Rather than experiencing something which is already there, is it difficult to imagine an experience from something empty?

Rather than experiencing something which is already there, is it difficult to imagine an experience from something empty?


-> The sea lets you create your art on its empty canvas. Its emptiness pulls you out, and makes you witness yourself in total serenity amidst its waves and noise.
-> “What do you think I should become when I grow up?”
“Whatever you feel like, but not what others make you feel. This society is good at tricking you with its manipulative ideas to make a perfect customer out of you. It would insist you must impress everyone, while others are busy doing the same with you. You must be agile enough to understand what’s important for you, and courageous enough to build a life around it.”
-> Whatever you do in life, there will be a struggle. So you need to find the struggle that’s right for you.
-> The world doesn’t owe you anything just because you’re good at heart.
-> When everyone has their own space to resort to, Vishwa had his deep sea. To him, it was another house where he has the liberty of living the way he wants, in all solitude, with no one to judge him.
-> Age brings in all sorts of complications.
-> At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did Vishwa. They will remember how you made them feel.
-> No matter what the stories are, people always connect it with themselves.
-> If it is something which experience teaches you then it is to take that passionate leap even if you have no idea where you’d land.
-> Your impatience just the way I see that of people in temples. Restless in offering their dakshana rather than wholeheartedly making their prayers.
-> No matter how wise we become, the world keeps creating  idiots to question our wisdom.
-> As individuals, we can’t do everything. We must function in groups, that’s agreed. But most importantly, we should only do what is within our capabilities.
-> Moksha is a subjective term.

No matter what the stories are, people always connect it with themselves.


-> That’s what the world needs. They speak of all the rationality, and yet succumb to the supposedly sturdy, colourful threads on their wrists.
-> It’s happiness as long as it’s inside you.
-> A leader’s aim must be the goodness and welfare of his people.
-> Language and heritage belong to the individual or his community. If talks get derived from it, then the leader is trying to strike a chord with the people’s emotions to benefit himself or his intentions.
-> By default, people overthink.
-> With an emotional talk people can be driven to irrational thoughts and actions, especially when they are in groups.
-> When pride gets aroused, egos get kindled. With ego comes the differences and with differences begin the cycle of further evil.
-> This is how politics happens – by selfish leaders – not just in India but across the globe. The identity tricks these cowardly leaders try are too hard to escape.
-> Don’t forget The difference between urgent versus important. Family is important, and job deadlines are just urgent. A walk in the park is important, whereas rushing to the meeting is merely urgent. Sleep is important, and high-intensity training is just urgent. Remember this difference, and you will do well in life.
-> Appreciate how extraordinary your life is, both socially and biologically. Your exact experience has never existed before you, and it will not exist again, either. You were born with a unique biological makeup, and are living in a unique social circumstance. This results in a life experience that can never be recreated.
-> As a life form, not just every person, but every living thing holds equal value. And yet, humanity had evolved so much that it now has no natural species to challenge or threaten its existence, making people end up challenging themselves by drawing arbitrary borders around themselves.
-> All are equal. If the individual’s differences come because of their age, then it’s only the body that ages, while holding the ageless soul. If the difference comes from wisdom, then that’s an illusion, as wisdom is merely a perception. If it’s because of money that a person has to their name, then everybody will accept that it’s just a temporary advantage which can also go away in is merely a perception. If it’s because of money that a person has to their name, then everybody will accept that it’s just a temporary advantage which can also go away in a flash. And finally, if that difference comes out of ego, then, believe me, even that is not meant for the self. Simply put, all are equal – no matter what differences they perceive amongst themselves.
->It’s easy to make someone’s day just by being uncommonly pleasant to them, like how I did now. Everyone needs this, including him, you, or even me. This need not be about money always.
-> When you visit your birthplace where you have spent most of your growing years, and that too after such a long time, you will realise that you can never get enough of it.
-> Maybe that’s what life is all about – where we overestimate our present difficulties and underestimate the past ones.
-> This is what happens to people with difficulties, who have no one they could trust and no one to help them. They are so deprived of their essential needs that their ego had died a natural death.
-> It’s better to smile at the past pains and dust them away rather than losing the present by reliving it all.

When pride gets aroused, egos get kindled. With ego comes the differences and with differences begin the cycle of further evil.


-> Religious artefacts, historical structures, and vintage buildings have been central to our lives for millennia. They remind us of an eternal truth: the promise that we, in some way or the other, will live on forever through what we create and enjoy. Well, it doesn’t mean that the structures have to be monuments; even a small teashop holds significance.
-> If you keep thinking that your years have made you feel that you understand more, perceive more, and have better intellect than these people, then you must be making a grave mistake. The feeling of superiority is imminent in people who hope others should understand them while they repeatedly fail miserably in understanding others.
-> It is rightly said that today the demography determines the destiny of a person.
-> The finest teachers have always been invisible in their personality. Their impact is invisible, but also invincible for a long time to come.
-> Sometimes, you have to remove certain people from your life, even if they’re family.
-> When you feel bored or even sick of your own life, then remember it’s a good time to pick up a book. Like I have always said, it’s a chance to live another life, for, everything ever happened finally ends up in a book.
-> Whenever you smile, things get happier for you. You must realise that whatever you seek in life is temporary. And remember that men are not disturbed by the things themselves, but by the views which they take of them.
-> In life, you either become rich, or you become a philosopher.
-> It’s effortless to forgo everything. It’s either this way or that way. The transition is the only pain, which can be overcome by wisdom. It’s not like changing clothes or being naked. You can thrive in the middle of both; continuing to do your duty and still being a sadhu. This transition can happen if you are mentally and emotionally unattached with everything around.
-> The life of a commoner is nothing but to imitate others. Indulging in desires does not represent loving yourself, and what you own is not what you are.
-> Liking without wanting is heaven, but wanting without liking is hell.
-> The knowledge about our death is what separates us from all other life-forms. More than the death, it’s the departure from our loved ones that hurts people. Sadhus by way of renouncement of family bondages, try to attain moksha. And this means we try to never get back into the life cycle.
-> The soul of a dead person, if it had not rested in peace, integrates with its loved ones.
-> Destinations and pathways are the same for everyone; it’s the perceptions that differ. Choose yours wisely.
-> Live by the philosophy that you can’t own everything, and yet experience things beyond what you own.
-> There is no delight in owning anything and not sharing it. You share your resources, and they share theirs.
-> People must be proactive when it comes to deciding the standard of their living. Managing one’s wants is the most powerful skill a person can learn.
-> People resort to luxury or, for that matter, even religion, to hide from an indifferent and meaningless reality.
-> Anything given free makes people lazy. This eventually makes it difficult to get them to work, which is a colossal waste, not just to their family but also the nation.
-> No matter who you are, if your leader is a slave, then you are a slave, too.
-> When emotions like stress and negativity can cause diseases, why can’t other emotions like gratitude and positivity cure those?
-> Don’t discuss the past. It’s over. What’s the point of doing a post-mortem of the past?
-> When someone leads a selfless life, he slowly loses his convictions. He never disagrees with anyone, and his thoughts practically make him a servant to others.
-> Without identity, you can’t even love someone truly, because altruism doesn’t allow you to prioritise yourself.
-> Love isn’t a selfless act.
-> That’s the problem with youngsters today. No patience or forethought.
-> You either worry  or do something to make a difference.
-> Businesses is not about targeting a big market with a maximum resource. It’s about targeting a small market with optimal resources.
-> You gain something only by losing something else.
-> When a boy becomes a man, he will end up either wanting more or giving more.
-> One always misses something which he doesn’t have with him at that time. It might be the silence amidst the noise, or even the noise amidst the silence. So, to put it in perspective, you just can’t have everything every time.
-> The worst part of being lonely is that even a petty issue looks enormous like a life-threatening disease and until you come to terms with it, you might end up doing something absurd for which you suffer still more.
-> Are loneliness and boredom just the same? Maybe the timing matters. Whether it is boredom or serenity, it’s all up to us and the conditions we live in.
-> I had gone into depression, and yet I was smiling. You know depression even produces Oscar-winning performances. I realised there has to be someone – even if it is just one person whom you should allow changing your life. For me, that person was myself. More than anyone, it was vital for me to be kind to me. I had to love myself to achieve all that I had done. I started seeing myself through my eyes rather than through the eyes of those who didn’t value me. I started cutting out the toxic influences and populated my life with good forces. In other words, I added people who provided me with the wings to soar, not anchors that weighed me down.
-> Life comes only in moments, and there is no point worrying about it as a whole.
-> As a man, if one decides to live to prove it to others, then, alas, it’s too big a world to deal with. The proving part must be restricted to oneself.
-> The world is full of opportunists. If you are positive, some people will make use of your positivity. And if you are negative, then there will be people who will make use of your negativity. They extract something from you no matter what your state of mind is. Sad, happy, cautious, or fragile… it doesn’t matter.
-> The future of humanity is sustainable only if this greed gets eliminated. Man lives as if he lives for eternity. He owns things to last forever, and yet hardly uses those. Even if there is utility, there is more of pride to it than delight. Many thanks to death, if not for that, immortality would have made this world come to an end a long time back.
-> One must not trust a lean chef and a fat sadhu. They both are messing up somewhere.
-> The human body and mind work better when they are nearly empty.
-> I’d rather die as a poor man in my soil than live as a rich stranger in a foreign land.
-> The people around him were impoverished, and yet there was some kind of happiness that bonded them together. He always knew that money alone was not everything, but today he felt that money wasn’t worth much.

The world is full of opportunists. If you are positive, some people will make use of your positivity. And if you are negative, then there will be people who will make use of your negativity. They extract something from you no matter what your state of mind is. Sad, happy, cautious, or fragile… it doesn’t matter.


-> Planting trees is not for damage control. It is man’s way of showing gratitude to nature for the free oxygen, water, and the free food he gets through it.
-> The death of nature doesn’t need to arise from global warming or something majorly catastrophic like a volcanic eruption. It can start with things as small as the elimination of some valuable microorganisms from our soil. With today’s short-sighted lifestyle, I don’t think we stand far away from eventual collapse.
-> Man needs a wakeup call before he ends up sleeping all his life on a corporate bed.
-> When the world dies, everyone has to die, irrespective of their wealth, intellect, or wisdom. However, as long as the world thrives, these differences will thrive too, making man’s life complicated. Don’t be harsh on yourself. Sometimes, you have to witness life as a spectator. This could keep you calm, composed, and even help you think better.
-> Life is truly unreliable. Things change, often spontaneously, but life doesn’t stop for anybody. It rushes from calm to chaos and back in a matter of seconds. It’s up to us to be ready for it.
-> You can’t control the events happening to you, but you can always decide not to be cowed down by them. You can strive for something new which life has to offer.
-> Every good thing takes some time.
-> When someone is good with fishing, it doesn’t mean he is good only at that. It means he could also be good at anything he puts his mind on.
-> It is the dirt which ends up getting more dirt. It is the poor people who end up suffering the most.

You can’t control the events happening to you, but you can always decide not to be cowed down by them. You can strive for something new which life has to offer.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebook

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 17, 2021 06:30

April 15, 2021

Moon Light Proposal by Sayali Arora

Book blurb:

Have you ever fallen in love, with the idea of love?

In the era of live-in relationships, failed marriages, Ishika, a charming modern girl, has grown up witnessing the blissful arrange marriage of her parents and is looking for a similar fairy tale.

Destiny bestows on her two choices of elusive love.

Will either of them persuade Ishika?

Or will she deny both in the quest of her idea
towards love?

A tale that will compel you to rejuvenate those fond memories of your life.

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Pages: 119

Format: Kindle eBook/ Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 99 INR/$2.99Paperback (available only in India): 220 INR

My Ratings: 3.5/5

Ishika has grown up seeing her parents’ successful arranged marriage. Their love and relationship is idolized so much by her that she makes a vow to go for an arranged marriage herself. When she meets Aditya through her parents, she doesn’t feel that spark her mother always talks about. But they do become good friends and she thinks her feelings might grow with time. However, when she goes to Mumbai for a work assignment and meets Siddhant, she feels an instant connection. Is Aditya the one for her, or it is Siddhant?

Book cover taken from Amazon

When you’re meant to be together, you will be together.

What I liked about the book:
-> The absolutely charming and breath of fresh air type of character of Ishika, which makes her instantly likable.
-> The way it talks about Mumbai and some of my own favorite spots.
-> It delivers an important message that it doesn’t matter what kind of marriage you opt for, whether love or arranged, as long as your feelings are true.
-> Ishika’s relationship with her parents and colleagues.
-> The absolutely adorable book cover.
-> The inclusion of music and Bollywood songs (I’m Bollywood and music buff so this was like an icing on the cake for me)
-> The questions and statements at the end of every chapter that make us think and wonder about what’s to come next.

What I did not like about the book:
-> The typos and grammatical errors. A round of editing would have made the story so much better.
-> The very predictable plotline.

Quotable quotes:
->Sometimes I wonder why certain situations and people happen to you, and when you look back, you know the exact reason for it. Such people and these relationships become such an integral part of your life that life feels complete with them around.
->It’s not the institution of love or arranged marriages that knits two people but the people themselves.
->In the hustle-bustle of our busy city lives, we hardly get time to come close to nature and enjoy peace.
-> Are dreams a mirror to our inner feelings?
-> Friends are always missed when away.
->Bidding adieu is always difficult, especially when it starts with a SIMPLE HELLO and ends with a COMPLICATED GOODBYE.
->Life keeps running at its own pace, day in, day out, throwing its own challenges at the personal and professional front along with fun and happy times.
-> Successful marriages are not the outcome of arranged marriage. A successful marriage is a result of mutual understanding, cooperation, and respect towards each other.
-> Her parents’ marriage was an outcome of love. It had nothing to do with arranged marriage as a concept. It was their destiny that they met via their parents.
->Life has a peculiar way of taking twisted turns when you feel everything is just falling in place.
->At times happiness lies in seeing others happy.
-> Love is boundless; it cannot be conquered by the idea of falling in love with your brain or beliefs. It runs with no logic. It’s a beautiful thread that ties the destinies of two people who are meant to be together.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media handles:

Instagram TwitterLinkedIn

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 15, 2021 06:30

April 13, 2021

Shaadi Ka Ladoo by Chaitali Hatiskar

Book blurb:

Content with a successful career and comfortable lifestyle, life was going great for Ved Arora. He had no intention to either date or marry; much to the dismay of his meddling family. Until one day he crossed paths with Akira and all hell broke loose. He found himself getting pulled into the chaos because of Akira. Akira was everything that he hated and Ved’s mundane existence did not excite her. Will the battle of sexes continue or will Ved finally succumb and devour the proverbial Shaadi ka laddoo?

Genre: Fiction/Romantic Comedy

Pages: 242

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 149 INR/$2.99

My Ratings: 4.7/5

Ved Arora is a 29-year-old, achingly handsome, and surprisingly single, businessman. He has been given a one-month deadline by his (extremely dramatic and hilarious) mother to find a suitable girl for himself. When Ved reluctantly agrees, little does he know that the coming one month would lead to the drama of a lifetime. In comes Akira, who belittles, irritates and challenges him and is poles apart from him, in every possible way. Will they get to eat the Shaadi Ka Ladoo?

A laughter ride through and through.

What I liked about the book:

The book is much more than just a love story. It is about family, forgiveness, accepting each other, teasing each other, and second chances.The relationships of the lead character (especially of Ved) with every secondary character, right from Ved’s mother, to Ved’s brother and even his extended family, including his grandmothers. cousins and uncles, and aunts.The portrayal of the quintessential crazy, funny, unbelievably over-the-top, Indian family, that knows no boundaries about privacy or what to speak when.The way the entire family pulls each other’s legs, especially Ved and Vedika (siblings) but are fiercely protective of each other beneath all the arguments and relentless teasing.There is a hilarious banter or scenario at every page and in every chapter that makes the reader go ROFLing.None of the scenes or conversations felt out of place, forced or just used as a filler.

What I did not like about the book:

It’s a bit too long for my taste (this is totally a me thing because I’m lately not very keen on reading books that go beyond 120 pages)For the amount of time and appearance given to the side characters, I wish we could learn more them, like the story of how Vedika and Kabir fell in love, or what happened between Abhay and Tanya, etc.The end monologue by Vedika felt a bit stretched.

Quotable quotes:

>Ved stared at his cup of coffee. As it is, he liked very few things in life. A strong cup of espresso was one of them.
->This is real life! You won’t magically bump into a girl one day and fall in love with her.” 
->For someone who didn’t even watch romantic movies, it was homicide to see his mother openly discuss his love life.
->Even when people buy ice creams, they taste all the flavours first.
->You test drive cars before buying that special one that suits your needs.
->Bosses didn’t need to worry about getting late.
->There was something so wonderful about coffee that never failed to put him in a better mood.
-> Friends are forever until they get in a relationship.
-> Love does not happen to geeks in college. Romance also does not happen in board rooms and office cubicles with strict deadlines.
-> “What do you want from a relationship?” 
“All the good stuff. Like morning walks. Eating peanuts on the promenade. Random movie dates. Midnight long drives. Watching the rain fall. Filing taxes together. Cooking together. Stargazing. Travelling together. Reading each other’s favourite books and comics. Just…just living a beautiful life together.”
->One broken nose had transformed the Adam’s family into a Rajshri Productions family. 
->The Earth had probably stopped rotating on its axis. Pigs were flying. Mumbai’s metro was up and running. Anything could happen now that this phenomenon had taken place. 
-> “If you don’t completely feel for someone, what compels you to stay with them? I haven’t felt such a thing. Ever. What makes you stick to them?” 
“Sometimes, it is more out of habit and familiarity than love.” 
-> “No one cares for good things or habits.”
“People and habits are not the same things. It’s difficult to let go of someone and move on like nothing happened.” 
“Sometimes, I guess, people become our habit.”
->Most of the time, people stayed in a relationship out of habit and not love. It wasn’t a great place to be in. 
-> “You know if all the humans were flavours, you would be a vanilla flavoured human being. A good vanilla flavoured human being!” 
“You make being a good person sound like a crime.”
-> Maybe the people were right. Time did fly when one did their favourite thing. 
-> “My eyes are where they should be. Thank you very much.” 
“Unlike your nose which is always in my business.” 
-> “Where did you find him?”
“On the second rack, seventh aisle of the general assorted Indian men section at Big Bazaar.”
-> When you are in love, you sit and resolve things. You don’t get drunk and speed around the town.
-> Unless you haven’t experienced something, you cannot have an opinion on it.
-> Don’t speak shit about things that you have no idea of.
-> Love truly made people do crazy, unreasonable things. God forbid if you fell for the wrong person, life turned into a personal, customized hell. What is supposed to be a celebration becomes a thorn in the side.
-> Was it better to love and loose or was it better to just wait for the right person? But how does one know who is the right person?
-> “Emperor Akbar called. He wants his joke back.” 
“The sarpanch from Harappa called, he wants the whole of you back…”
-> “We don’t have yoghurt for the dahi sakar ritual in the house right now.” 
“So vanilla ice cream?” 
-> “Different does not count as a reaction!”
“It does! Different means amazing. Different means intriguing. Different means unique. Different means you!” 
-> It is tough, but you have to compromise a lot when you are in a relationship. It’s like any other relationship in your life. They are a lifetime of work.
-> Love makes people do fanatical, out of character things. It changes a person.
-> “I think you will look sweet with a little more weight.” 
“Exactly, little weight! Not the hello, I am Ved; part-time businessman and full-time whale kind of weight.” 
-> You can hear your thoughts more clearly in silence.
-> There are no accidental meetings between souls. When two souls fall in love, there is nothing else but the yearning to be close to the other. Two people who were destined to know each other would meet sooner or later.  
-> Sometimes, one does things for the people we love even if we don’t like them.
-> You don’t need to be similar to be in a relationship. All you need is love and mutual respect for each other.
-> There is a line in every relationship that no one should cross. Even if the person is family.
-> You won’t get relationships that easily. One has to work for them, nurture them. You can’t turn a blind eye to the truth because it suits you.
-> Your contribution to this story is as much as Trump’s contribution to the USA.
-> Anger isn’t an excuse for questionable behaviour.
-> Because sometimes even an inch matters. One inch is the difference between complete sukh and complete dukh.
-> Not all lies are vicious and spoken with bad intent.
-> Sometimes, you need to have faith and wait. Sometimes, you need to wait for that one thing to happen. When that one thing happens, a lot of things fall into perspective. Then, you know what is truly important for you and you get all your answers.
-> Don’t worry. You are not supposed to have everything under control.
-> You cannot push people to do things they don’t want to.
-> Perhaps, that is how affection worked. One went out of their way to do things for the one they liked.
-> It’s funny how all your morals fly out of the window when it comes to self-preservation.
-> Families will love you no matter what. The people who share a bloodline with you are biologically programmed to love you. The surprise is when a stranger likes you.
-> I went to chat with her and she ignored me like non-vegetarians ignore paneer.”
-> We are bonkers. Everyone is completely reckless and stupid. But we have always done one thing right. And that is, we have always loved passionately. Its either absolute love or nothing. There is no in between for us.
-> We aren’t saying that work is not important. But if that works comes at the cost of your dignity, your family’s dignity, then what is the use?
-> Love needs patience, my child. There are always going to be things that you dislike, completely hate about your partner. But you can always choose to talk the differences out.Fight them out. Together. Or laugh at them together. “Good people come by rarely. And when you find them, you hold on to them.
-> That’s what partners do. Help each other. Protect each other. Stand up for each other.
-> Love was supposed to be simple. It was supposed to make people happy. It was not supposed to leave people bruised and crying.
-> There is nothing like a good moment. One has to make every moment a good moment.
-> When you love someone, you don’t let anyone hurt them. You protect them. You cherish them.
-> I know that I made a mistake. I will continue to make a lot of mistakes. But the one mistake I am never making again is letting you go.
-> When you find someone special, you hold onto them. Tightly. You don’t fight with them. You fight for them.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

InstagramFacebook

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 13, 2021 06:30

April 11, 2021

To The Bravest Person I Know by Ayesha Chenoy

Book Blurb

From growing up with dysfunctional families to coming of age, from dealing with heartbreak, pain and grief to learning to accept and forgive, To, the Bravest Person I Know is your guide through every difficult situation. It is modern therapy delivered to you through a series of poems and a letter in verse that runs as a footnote from the beginning to the end of the book.

The poems explore the whole construct of ‘normal’, of that which was created to make people feel less normal if they don’t fit in, to make them feel ‘abnormal’. The book tells us that depression is normal, as is fear; feeling insecure is normal, as is hurting people. And bravery is about facing all of this-it’s about facing everything life
throws at you every day.

To, the Bravest Person I Know cuts through rainbows and self-righteous dross to provide a vaccine of truth, liberating and reminding us that we are all in a tunnel, and that it’s normal to feel like we may never get out. But there is light at the end of it.

About the author:

Ayesha Chenoy is currently CEO and founder of one of India’s largest independent digital advertising agencies, RepIndia. The agency has launched brands like Burger King and Gap on digital, and works with P&G, Canon, Suzuki Motorcycles, FabIndia, JSW, Tata Trusts, Adani Group, etc. Prior to this, Ayesha had started India’s first-ever Wine Investment Fund and the first-ever dating website where only women could send friend requests.

She studied economics at Cambridge University, where in 2001 she was awarded the Adam Smith Prize for Economics, previously awarded to Amartya Sen. Post that she went to the London School of Economics. She moved back to India in 2009 after a long career as an investment banker. Her only dream is to write.

Genre: Fiction/ Poetry

Pages: 147

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 188 INR/$14Paperback (currently only available in India): 250 INR

My Rating: 4/5

Coupled with cute illustrations and tiny quote like poems that tug at your heartstrings and evoke a range of emotions, this book is a must-read for millennial readers.

Simple words that touch your soul.

What I liked about the book:
->Each poem is beautifully written with an apt illustration, which makes it visually appealing, besides also of course touching your heart with the words.
->The poems are short, simple, and speak about almost all genres and themes one can think of, right from love and friendship to the many bitter truths of life.
-> The book would definitely be a source of comfort for those feeling down or battling mental health issues.
-> It reminds at with each piece and word that we are not alone to be thinking, feeling and experiencing whatever emotions we are going through at any point in our lives.
-> It is a truely liberating read and a touching experience to go through each of the poems because reading them feels like it’s your own story.
-> The poems give a a deep insight for self realisation leaving us highly motivated and inspired to face the challenges that life may throw our way.

What I did not like about the book:
-> The illustrations felt daunting and taking away the charm of the written words at some points.
-> It ends rights where I was warming up and expecting it to explore more themes.

Quotable quotes:
-> You are more than your mistakes, and that no matter what, you are brave, for just trying, to make it through the day.
-> Bravery is so many different things.
-> Never were more dangerous words
Spoken than ‘but he loves me’.
-> You walked all over this bridge;
You just didn’t cross it.
-> Sometimes the greatest
Love stories
Aren’t of lovers.
-> ‘You used us.
How could you?’
And she whispered,
‘So did you.’
-> You will always be someone’s love song.
-> What I learnt through hate,
You made me unlearn through love.
-> You make me sick,
But you’re also my
Only medicine.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

RepIndia InstagramInstagramTwitter
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 11, 2021 06:30