Manali Manan Desai's Blog, page 54

In Conversation With Asfiya Rahman

Mike Singletary says,

“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.”

Though I have never been inclined to play any sport myself, I do boast of being an avid fan of cricket and everything around it. This is majorly why, when I come to know of any book based around cricket, I’m immediately drawn to it. Having said that, I do feel that I’ve let myself down as a reader because I have never ventured into any sports book, whether fiction or nonfiction, which talks about any other sport besides, cricket. So, when I heard about a three-part-book, Wild Card, which is a sports fiction story around Tennis, I thought why not?

So far I have read just the first book of this trilogy series and I have loved it very much. When I reached out to the author of this trilogy, Asfiya Rahman, and asked her to be a part of the Author Collaborative segment on my social media, she graciously agreed.

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So, before we did this live session, we read each other’s books (Wild Card and The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories). Here are our thoughts around them.

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Naturally, after reading them, we had ample questions to ask each other. Here’s what our questions list to each other consisted of.

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Rather than sticking to just these long form questions I thought of adding some spunk to these Author Collaborative sessions. So, from this time around, I have introduced a fun rapid fire round. Below is the rapid fire questions list that Asfiya and I asked each other.

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Sounds like a fun conversation, doesn’t it? Here’s the video link if you’d like to check it out.

In case that conversation and this blog post made you curious about our writing, here’s where you can check out our books.

Amazon India link to Wild Card 1Amazon.com link to Wild Card 1Amazon India link to The Art of Being Grateful & Other StoriesAmazon.com link to The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories

Piece of Poetry by Raviraj Mishra

Book blurb:

We were introduced to poetry right from a young age. We were made to sing and recite poetry in groups. The rhyming words somehow would bring a sense of enjoyment, and they won’t leave our mind even with the passing days. Poetry holds magic. A magic to change the moment and bring out the joyous hidden self. We all in some point or another had come across a poetry that either taught us the unlearned or brought back a memory or just a smile. Piece of poetry is an effort to share some thoughts through prose. Each poetry was written with a story in mind, willing to be talked about. The thoughts that didn’t need sophisticated words, but they were craving for rhythm. The idea was to point out some of the feelings and emotions that were desperate to be shared. Some untold words, a certain perspective that was always doubted by self and others. Piece of poetry is an honest attempt to format these feelings into a song, hoping that it would stick with everyone who decided to read it.

Genre: Fiction/Poetry

Pages: 73

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 49 INR/$0.99Paperback (available only in India): 100 INR

My Ratings: 4.3/5

“All of us, at some point or another, have come across poetry that either taught us the unlearned or brought back a memory or a smile.” These lines on the introductory pages of this poetry collection not only resonate with poetry lovers but also aptly define the poems contained in this charming collection.

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What I liked about the book:
–> All the poems aim to motivate, inspire and leave behind a moral.
–> Some poems told a beautiful story,
–> The poems are long rather than those short 4-5 lines short poems which are trending these days. Being a lover of longer poems, these were a much needed sigh of relief for me.
–> My favorite titles include I Saw a Knight, Ignore, Concrete, Nothing will break your flight, You!, It’s Okay!, The way I walked!, Changing me, who am i?, Not You!, Abundance in me, A blank Canvas,

What I did not like about the book:
–> Most poems carried a similar theme and message.
–> Some poems felt dull and did not leave any impact on me, emotionally or as a reader.

Quotable quotes:
—> We search the whole world for so many of our needs – the need for love, the need for care, the need to be found, and the need to be heard. However, in this never-ending search, we forget to appreciate and understand ourselves.

—> The importance of our own selves is lost somewhere between our expectations from the world and what we get from it. But if we don’t know who we really are, we can’t appreciate the real world, let alone love it.

—> The idea of rain gave me hope.
—> What silence couldn’t give, was given by my words.
—> He no longer wanted to be a knight –
a shining armor for him
was cheaper than the dream of his life.

—> The structured world was
paying me a slight,
to live a life,
they had designed.
The comfort they provided
was irresistible.
But it killed passion,
and spark that was irreplaceable.
—> Enough time
I had wasted already,
leaving the comfort
was my only choice.

—> the broken ones
always curse!
They curse for their pain.
They curse,
for there is nothing broken
but them.

—> Ignore the missions
given to you
by people who want you to fail.
Ignore the easiest ways,
for nothing worthy happens there.
Ignore the senses,
and your mind,
and listen to what your heart says.
For intuitions are born there,
and they somehow know
what you really want.

—> No one cares who I am,
everyone believes
what I present.

—> Have you ever
found yourself looking at the ocean waves
trying to tickle the rocks
and the sands on its bay?

—> Expert in nothing
but experienced in everything.

—> Believe in yourself,
because that’s how
you would fight.
And then nothing
in this world
will ever break
your flight.

—> It’s not wrong,
if, once in a while,
your heart calls out
for just you!

—> It’s okay!
A new way to say,
it’s not okay.
A way to tell you,
that it’s bad to lose.
Maybe it is.
it’s not the winners
who got an opportunity to prove.
It’s the loser
who gets the chance to win anew!
It’s okay,
if I have lost…
It was me performing,
not you!
It’s okay,
if I slipped…
It was me running,
not you!

—> In the process of
finding the world,
looking out for those who thought
it was easier to let me go,
I somehow had forgotten
how it really felt
to be with myself.

—> I know it was hard,
to walk on that path
that you think lead you nowhere.
Well, it brought you here!
Here you are!
Stronger than ever,
wiser than the people
you left behind.

—> I follow the clock.
I follow the orders.
I follow the nuisance.
Why do I do what I do?
Am I really supposed to?
Why can’t
I just rule myself?
Why am
I not the owner of my decisions?
Why do
I have to feel helpless
most of the time?
Why can’t
I lose myself
in something that I love?

—> Pick yourself up,
decorate your scars,
make your steps count.
The noise they make
should be loud.

—> I am beautiful,
and
I don’t need
a compliment.

—> They would ask you
to settle
like it’s the best choice.
You don’t allow
your dreams to settle down.
Don’t let them
make you doubt
your abilities.
You have something
they surely don’t.

—> If you think following rules
is stopping you
from moving forward,
break those God damn rules.
No one cares how you
reached the top.
They either get inspired or jealous.
All they want for you
is to stop.

—> Let’s change that one habit
that makes us feel rejected.
Rejected by our own vision,
our own true self.
Let’s try to love
the imperfect us.
Let’s be unapologetically us.

—> So, what’s about all this
complaining and blaming?
I wanted to fly –
I must undergo the pain
of growing wings.
—> I find it amazing,
how beautifully the mind thinks.
It’s like a box full of spells.
We need to learn,
how the wand swings.

—> What stops you
from getting into action?
Is it your nature?
All this procrastination.
Remember,
life is a long journey.
And excuses
would make for a nasty ride.
Do yourself a favour
and don’t look behind.
Because what’s gone
is history,
what’s ahead
is a mystery,
and what’s right now is LIFE.

—> Talk to yourself.
But don’t over analyse.
It’s alright if you have
a different definition
for everything from what’s
believed otherwise.

Your words should be
first respected by you,
before you find people
who would agree with you.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK ~ The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories

It gives me immense to let you all know that my book The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories (which I have been raving about since the past 5 months!!!) is now available in paperback version as well.

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How is it different from the Kindle eBook version?

-Currently, A LIMITED EDITION CARRYING MY DIGITAL SIGNATURE IS AVAILABLE (only the first 100 copies will carry this signature)

It has a foreword by popular and bestselling author of multiple books, Kevin Missal.It has words of praise by many known authors, including a few lines on the book cover itself, by popular author, Ajitabha BoseSome of the story covers inside the book have been updated.

Here’s the link to the paperback version of the book :

Ukiyoto India

Please note that the paperback version will be available on Amazon India after a week to ten days. However, the digitally signed copies will only be available on Ukiyoto India platform.

If you would like to check out and purchase the Kindle eBook version of the book, follow the links below:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

As always, I look forward to your support and love .

Thank you

Accidentally Educated by R. V. Dadhe

Book blurb:

3 Friends. One Semester. An Adventure of a Lifetime. The story sketches an experience of three Indian students who are selected for an exchange program in Canada. The semester of their dream gets underway! Amidst the various stumbling blocks of problems – academic and personal, they find themselves in situations that test their temparaments and characters. The exchange experience changes some of their deeply rooted perspectives. Suddenly, one plate starts becoming too many. Will they thrive? Will they succeed in this lifetime opportunity? Find out a story of how three run-of-the-mill Indian students innovate a whole new world for themselves and break the shackles of what the world calls education.

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary Drama

Pages: 200

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 100 INR/$5.00Paperback (available only in India): 250 INR

My Ratings: 4.5/5

A fictional, philosophical and insightful take on the education system. Rhushikesh, Sahil and Parth get the opportunity of a lifetime to study in Canada for one semester. What more could three best friends want than getting to spend a six-months long vacation together in an unexplored land? Yes, that’s what they think it is only to realise soon that the education system there isn’t just about rote learning and cramming up theory to pass the exams easily. Read to know how these three fare in the exams, and in much more beyond the curriculum. 

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What I liked about the book: 

—> All the little anecdotes (calling the Babaji, learning to do laundry, the cooking mishap, going skinny dipping, etc) are so hilarious and relatable. We’ve surely done similar things with our own friends or would love to pull of such pranks and experiences together with them, after reading the book. 

—> How Parth, the one who is considered the lowest scorer back in India, turns out to be the dark horse in Canada. 

—> The management course and the professor who was teaching the subject. 

—> The skydiving incident and the scene right before jumping off the plane is straight out of my own life ( I did skydiving in Australia in 2016)

—> Hamza’s character – how he readily agrees to help the boys with their plan, how he saves Rushi from failing a test and the fact that he was a Pakistani did not matter at all to the boys in Canada, because there they’re all the same (desi) 

—> The differences pointed out between the Indian and Canadian education system but not belittling the Indian system in the end. 

—> The quotes at the beginning of most of the chapters. 

—> There was no unacceptable and impractical magical end to the semester; the boys got the grades they deserved. 

—> The whole jet spray idea was completely genius and relatable for me (as I’m an NRI)

—> It was like a virtual and theoretical ride through Canada and its many quirks. 

What I did not like about the book: 

—> I would have liked to know more about Sahil’s and Parth’s experiences in the semester. We only got to know about Rushi’s experiences. 

—> Maybe a chapter or two about what happened after they returned to India would have added more depth and given a better closure to the story. 

Quotable quotes: 

—> Our mind is a powerful ally – it can sense things before experiencing them. 

—> Life finds a way of coming together that most people don’t even dream of. 

—> It is one thing to study to earn, and another to study to learn. What most Indian students miss out on is this tiny differentiator. Most tend to know that a job is the safest bet when it comes to earning. So, they study – and no one can challenge Indian students in that aspect – they study immensely well. Without getting into the debates of rote learning or conceptual learning, one thing is very clear, learning can be accomplished. But this intent to learn is aimed only at eventually earning “more” … whatever that means. So learning is contingent on getting more out of their jobs, more out of their careers, lives. 

—> Ask an Indian student if they study to learn, and you will find a disproportionate minority of them live up to that ideal. 

—> Whenever I see someone reading a book, I have this curious urge to find out the book’s title, wonder about its contents, and relate that with the reader’s mental disposition.  ( this is totally me!!!) 

—> You won’t always get what you want so learn to adapt to things that you can’t change.

—> This is how peer pressure worked. Without any real rationale, one simply starts running the rat wheel because the others are. And once you are in, you feel the need to keep up. 

—> One thing I learned from Mr. Chandler Bing is that you don’t joke around the airport. 

—> My skin color is such that I start feeling guilty in front of any white security officer for no reason. You know, I start salivating excessively, and I get that nervous urge to swallow. It’s racist with me on the victim-end, but somewhere, I have come to terms with it. No wonder, I was asked to step aside for a random check.There’s nothing random about it. 

—> The biggest disappointment of the flight, and writing in hindsight, of any foreign country, is the tea. Tea, as per the global standards, is just a black tasteless, watery liquid that is barely made drink-able by the whitener cream and sugar. Tea is not chai. And for a chai-addict who gets all grumpy without this basic morning beverage, I was grief-stricken to be served such a dull “tea” for the first time in my life. I wanted to eat my heart out. I mean, a Benadryl cough syrup would excite my taste buds more than that tea. 

—>I always thought that spending Rs.125 for a coffee at Starbucks or CCDs in India was ostentatiously costly. But there’s something about spending the same amount in Loonies and Toonies, which makes it sound very cheap in Canada. It took me some time to get over my conversion-mania. But I realized that if I kept thinking in rupees, I would be living like a miser. I understood why “Earn in dollars, spend in Rupees” becomes such a popular Indian dream. A thousand rupees become just twenty bucks over time. (Again completely relatable for me as an NRI)

—> It was always better to focus on “what now?” rather than “whose fault is it?” 

—> It is always easy to socialize when there are friends alongside you. Even if you mess up your words or don’t find them, you can always resort to some internal joke and avoid an awkward silence. 

—> I always thought that the over-crowdedness, the rush with time, and jostling for space were signature attributes of Mumbai locals only. But then, in that morning rush-hour of Toronto, this Union station felt just like a tad-polished version of the Dadar station.

—> If the people on Dadar platform stopped splitting around, throwing litter and embodied a little courtesy for others, there wouldn’t be much of a difference left between India and Canada. 

—> But what good are those grades, if I couldn’t apply the learnings and solve such problems in real-life scenarios? This is what happens when one studies simply for the sake of passing. You learn but don’t assimilate. You get the hang of a subject, but don’t apply yourself. You identify problems but find yourself incapable of solving them. Currently, the world needs problem-solvers. But our education system is mass-producing a bunch of knuckleheads. 

—> Jealousy is just a lack of self-confidence. 

—> The world is an easier place if you are pretty-looking. It’s easier to get attention. It’s easier to find romance. It’s easier to find that magic in life. 

—> Travel is always a pleasure – be it solo or with a group. But the thing is – traveling with new people is like flirting with life. It’s like saying I would stay and love you, but I need to go. However, when you share it with friends or a special someone – it becomes an unforgettable memory…that stays. It builds onto the relationship and brings you closer. 

—> Outside India, it is uncommon for anyone to take up their education without any interest in it. Regardless of whether its passion or not, they are at least committed to it. 

—> A man is at his best when he does something with passion. 

—> The simple fact that someone understands your jokes and laughs with you is the best thing in the world. 

—> “There are two kinds of missing. One, where you miss having someone with you.The other where you miss that someone within you.” – Quilled thoughts 

—> “Its never too late to correct mistakes that setback rather than to move forward without correction” -Success Song 

—> It made me understand, if not condone, the reason why so many students opt to end their lives after academic failures. It is never just about the marks, but it stems from their environment – the environment of loneliness and cut-throat fierceness, the misplaced perception that one’s future is a consequence of one’s marks and most importantly, the lack of a support system to simply tell them that “it’s okay to fail, do better next time.”

—> “If today was the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do today?” -Steve Jobs 

—> Don’t give cash to any beggars, they will spend it on alcohol and drugs. If you want to give something, give food.

—> When I was choosing my field of study, the point of debate was which stream yields the best placement package? Which stream has a better scope of the jobs? …But do I like that field of study or not? That was insignificant, or at best, secondary. 

—> The problem with us is that we look at education as a means of earning or securing income. We don’t value any passion for learning. We don’t value the “learning component” of education at all. All we care about is to what extent does a degree translates into money. 

—> Was getting an education the only way to earn money? 

—> “Problem Solving is like hunting. It is a savage pleasure, and we are born to do it.” – Thomas Harris 

—> Earning money and education aren’t necessarily relevant. But what is always relevant is solving a problem. 

—> The world needs problem solvers more than degree holders. A degree may get you a job. But problem-solving will get you business.

—> It’s easier to talk in hypotheticals; I could have done this, I could have done that – rather than taking charge and grinding for one’s calling. It’s convenient to do a half-hearted B.Tech/ BE degree, which assures a sense of security in the society rather than, let’s say, toiling on the field without the assertiveness of getting in the national cricket team. Everyone likes the end-result, but no one wants to work for it. We tend to settle for what looks safer and easier. The choice is convenient, maybe even practical, but not always correct. Perhaps, there’s an underlying issue with us – not the education system. 

—> You can’t control everything and everyone. Sometimes, it’s better to just let go.

—> When life gives you a hundred reasons to break down and cry, show life that you still have million reasons to smile and laugh.

—> Pizza has always been a life-saver. 

—> The chapter remained unfinished. It’s the worst place to be. 

—> The right person will come along when the time is right.

—> “Talent won’t make you rich. Education, by itself, won’t make you rich. Only two things, Investment, and Inheritance can make you rich…” – Grant Cardone 

—> Had I been rich, I would have never discovered my passion for teaching. Had I been poor, I would have never risked investing in a business. I don’t know if I am successful, but I am surely happy with where I am. 

—>If you don’t have to worry about your very survival – managing your rents, food, and electricity, I think you have a perfect poise for entrepreneurship. 

—> You know where middle-class person goes wrong? It’s when they start earning some extra money. No sooner we are handed our first pay-check than we spend it on unnecessary things. 

—> Invest money in creating real assets and cash flow. Take calculated risks. Invest in a life of “Oh well”s than “what if”s…” 

—> Higher the risk, higher the reward.

—> When someone tells me, I can’t have an ice-cream, I start wanting an ice-cream even if I would have preferred a milkshake before. 

—> One’s reaction to a situation can change the situation itself. 

—> As an investor, one should look at the person instead of the idea.

—> “Dreams without goals, remain dreams.” – Denzel Washington 

—> Good communication skills meant conveying the necessary information effectively. As long as the information was correct, and I looked confident presenting it, the people on the other side were responding well. 

—> What mattered was the content. If I could make the content more appealing, I could convince them to invest in it. 

—> The feeling that someone does not like you can shake your sense of self. 

—> Eventually, I learned to let go and be myself simply. I stopped trying to change their minds or conform my nature to their perception of how I ought to be. 

—> You will work hard on your passion, and you will eventually get tired.The impulses will fade away no matter how badly you wanted it first. But the million-dollar question is – will you push through it?

—> “Any dream or goal that has been planted in your mind also comes with the power to make it happen.” – Rhonda Byrnes, The Secret 

—> The Fall season was at its peak, and there were fabulous colors spread out everywhere. It was the most beautiful time to be in Canada. (Seriously the Fall season is the best time to be in any cold region) 

—> Any foreigner who hasn’t tried Bhakarwadi always ends up with a newfound love for it. 

—> Why would you waste your young age doing the same things over and over? Life is short. You are going to die!

—> Life is meant to be spontaneous. Life is meant to be magical. Sometimes, we let this magic fade away in the pursuit of structured living and planning careers. We work for a piece of paper for years and seek stable monotonous jobs that engage the rest of our lives. We live in fear and never take chances. Why do we keep forgetting that we are not immortals? We prepare answers for questions like – Where do you see yourself in five years, or ten years? But what about the present? Are we making the most of today? We plan our careers with bachelors, masters, and even PhDs. We become an asset ourselves – an asset that needs to work for the rest of our lives. 

—> Legacy will last even after a person is gone. Even entrepreneurs can create this legacy. Business is something that one can inherit. Assets that provide a cashflow are something that one can inherit.They become a strong foundation for anyone’s pursuit of passion.While degrees and jobs – they fade away with the person or make the person himself an eternally working asset. 

—> Death could be the most inspiring part of life. The degrees and jobs that I was grinding so much for – they would be useless after I die. Everyone’s replaceable in this world. So, instead of being afraid of death, I should be taking more chances and be more creative with my life. I should aim to be happier. I should explore more. Importantly, I should work towards creating more and more assets and cash flows that would give my kids and me the freedom we all crave for. 

—> “Success is where preparation and opportunities meet.” Bobby Unser 

—> The problem is not the education system at all; the problem is with how we utilize our education system. Everyone has a particular set of skills and intelligence – something that they are good at. Passion is nothing but working hard on honing those skills and becoming great at what you were already good at. Education should simply be seen as a tool for it. No one can teach you creativity and no one can do the hard work for you. It’s an individual’s responsibility to identify their calling, work on developing their skills, and try to solve problems that they can. Education should simply be seen as a tool for it. 

—> When you hang in there for just enough time, work hard for what you really want, and try persistently to get there, Destiny is obliged to give in. It doesn’t have a choice. 

—> “It’s important in life to conclude things properly. Only then you can let go. Otherwise, you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse.” – The Life of Pi 

—> It’s pertinent to know that innovation and creativity are some basic human traits. Capitalizing on them should be appreciated, but it should also be expected. We should be looking out for problems to solve. We should be overcoming our fear of failing. We should be discussing more ideas. We should be encouraging innovations. We should be experimenting more. Above all, we should realize the potential in us. If everyone starts living up to their full potential, imagine how resourceful the world would be! 

—> There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends that become family.

—> “Opportunity is always knocking. The problem is that most people have the self-doubt station in their head turned up way too loud to hear it.” – Brian Vaszily 

—> Making a bold decision in life was much like the skydive. The toughest part is getting out of what you perceive to be safe and comfortable. Much like the airplane, life takes you up to a certain point where you are in a kind of comfort zone. It is all cozy and seemingly safe. But then, suddenly, a door of opportunity opens up. You know that you want it, your heart wants it. But it can look overwhelming at first. Your rational brain gets too worried and tries to make excuses. Why would you leave your comfort zone? Why would you try to break out of your easy-going life? But at that moment, you need to ask yourself, is this what you signed up for? Is that what your life is about? Or were you meant to explore a world of new and better possibilities? Remember, ships are safe in harbor, but they aren’t meant for it. You need to… you must take a leap of faith at this point. If you don’t, it would likely become a regret of “could have”-s and “if only”-s. Invest in the essentials you need for this big step – like the parachute or the goggles. Try to have people around who push you rather than pull you back.The toughest part is only the first step out of that airplane, that comfort zone. Once you seize this opportunity – it becomes a fantastic journey ahead. As you enjoy this new journey and the freedom it entails, you keep thanking yourself for that first step you took. 

—> Education is an opportunity. An entrepreneurial idea is an opportunity. A new concept for a book is an opportunity. Life is full of possibilities. Seize them.And yes, luck does play its part. Some things are out of your hands and without any luck, you may not even get started. But it is your job to bring about a situation where luck can play its part. Be it the first time like us, or the third time like that couple – every dog has its day eventually. You must keep looking and trying. Take that first step! 

—> Every time, the first step proved to be the hardest, but eventually, worth it! 

—> “You often meet your fate on the road you take to avoid it.” – French proverb 

—> “The most beautiful turn of events is when the obstacles that were meant to tear you down, end up strengthening you in ways you never could’ve imagined” – FAIRYSFORUM 

—> You always find a way to remain associated with people that you connect with. 

—> There are these people who simply wouldn’t connect with you, no matter how many associations you find. It’s good riddance from such toxicity. 

—> The education system is as it is. It is up to us to evaluate what we want and how we want to do it. It cannot be solely the duty of the education system to imbibe attributes like innovation, creativity, and vision. Yes, there are some changes which the education itself can do. But the whole point of getting educated is to discover yourself. Experiment with yourself. Build a vision for yourself.Then, commit to yourself. In the end, you are responsible for your life, and education is just a tool to get the best of you. 

—> Education, in its pure element, is supposed to be about gaining knowledge, learning something that you like, finding a passion, and meaning to life. The job and the opportunities – those are peripherals. 

—> The oil-well of engineering has already been over-mined. There is no easy oil nowadays. A combination of skills and talent is needed to draw any more oil effectively. There is no space for mediocrity. 

—> No human on this earth was meant to be mediocre. We all have a set of talents. They need to be honed. And they could be really honed – if unemployment and education are treated as separate issues. 

—> If you are passionate about a subject, you make it a point to work hard for it. “Excellence” entailing dedication, hard work, and quality come hand in hand with passion. But when you are disconnected from the career that you are taking up, it is natural to see that these character traits are missing in our graduates. Unemployment is collateral of not taking up education with the purpose of learning. 

—> More often than not – the source of one’s earning and their education has nothing to do with each other. 

—> If you take up a stream of education with the sole intention of earning, you are likely to miss out on the opportunity of finding your real talents, honing them and excelling to what could have taken you to the hall of fame. 

—> You are meant for excellence not to stay in a shell. 

—> If you blindly follow an institution for its job prospect, you are likely to remain mediocre and insignificant. The future will belong to talents – talents honed by relevant education and motivated by strong passion. 

—> Educate to Learn, not just to Earn.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

That Thing About You by Abhaidev

Book blurb:

What if co-incidences in our lives are nothing but a result of a dice thrown by some higher being? What if, to the heavens, our lives are nothing but rows of dominos ready to be put into action? What if we all are mere pieces of pawns carefully played upon by a cosmic chessmaster? ‘That Thing About You’ is an uncommon story of a common man rejected in love. This is a story of a man walking on the path of self-discovery. Subodh, a regular IT employee, is perceived as an immature man by everyone, but he isn’t bothered until his love interest rejects him citing the same. Although dejected and crestfallen, he soon befriends an unusual, mysterious woman who knows everything about him and seems to have all the answers. Soon, his life goes through a lot of unexpected turns—from doubting his sanity and visiting a psychologist to a failed arranged marriage attempt made by his parents. Everything in his life seems to be in fast-forward mode. One thing that does not change, however, is this unusual “friend” of his who refuses to reveal her identity and chooses to appear at her whim. Who is this mysterious woman? Why is she prying into his life? Where will this strange friendship lead him? Is some impending danger awaiting Subodh or is it something else altogether?

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary Romance

Pages: 170

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 49 INR/ $3.00Paperback (available only in India): 198 INR

My Ratings: 4.4/5

A simple story with an unexpected twist. Subodh is your normal everyday guy who takes life too seriously, without thinking beyond his 9 to 5 job. Like most people, he has his flaws which he knows about, but is unwilling to accept or work upon. All this changes with the entry of a certain girl. But wait, there’s something off about this girl. Why can’t anyone else but Subodh hear her? Is she even real? Read this book to find out the secret and the answer is definitely not what you think. 

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What I liked about the book: 

—> It begins with the right note to get your curiosity hooked.

—> Subodh’s character is a highly relatable one; meaning he is either like us or like someone we personally know. 

—> The conversations between Subodh and Kalpana which are so insightful. 

—> The subtle changes in Subodh after the entry of Kalpana, especially his decision about why he needs to let go of Kalpana. 

—> Makes us realise that we need to listen to our subconscious mind and follow it more consciously,because deep down we’re all aware of what our flaws are and what we need to changes in ourselves in order to grow and become a better person but lack the motivation or willingness to do so. 

—> The twist in the end which was seriously unexpected.

What I did not like about the book: 

—> Despite Kalpana telling Subodh about his misgivings, Subodh continues to be an immature and indisciplined guy, which I found annoying as a reader. 

—> Some scenes and dialogues could have been done away with. 

—> The ending was a little confusing and left some questions unanswered. 

—> The equation between Subodh and his flat mate could have been explored more. 

Quotable quotes:

—> It is curiosity which is driving this whole universe.

—> “Do you know what is the biggest enemy of humankind? It is boredom — the monotony. The mundane life of ours which passes day by day uneventfully without any special moments of joy or pain is dreadful.

—> Even a pawn makes a move, sometimes two steps in the beginning. How small or limited it may be, it can never be overlooked. Remember, it is a pawn and only the pawn which gets promoted once it reaches the other side of the chessboard. If a pawn, saddened by its abilities, stops making any move, it can never evolve into something greater. We have to make moves, my friend, to progress.

—> Men and water shouldn’t stay at the same place for long.

—> As a crowd, humans are indeed predictable, but as individuals they are different.They are all different, my friend. They are all unique.

—> Seeing things as they are from up close is different than watching it from far away.

—> Being dissatisfied is good. Ninety percent of the people are not happy with their jobs. The remaining ten percent don’t deserve their jobs in the first place.

—> No matter how much you travel, it is never enough.

—> The vast mountains, the sublime scenery made me realize how petty, small and insignificant we humans are in the grand scheme of the universe.

—> Some people feel more deeply than others even with less exposure. People are hard to predict. The same music which moves one person to tears has little or no effect on the other.

—> The process of becoming is of greater consequence than being.

—>Life is a journey, my friend. And we never know whether we will reach our destination. So we shouldn’t care about that and enjoy the view while we are still travelling.

—> Most of the times, things never happen the way we expect it.

—> Reaction to every action? It doesn’t work that way with a human heart. Human mind resembles the quantum world. Always uncertain. Beyond any explanation.

—> It is our expectation of how things should be, it is our anticipation of the future, which puts us in a state of misery. Of all the kinds, the worst heartbreak is that which is caused by unrequited love.

—> It is the first heartbreak that wounds us the most. Heartbreaks at a young age prepare us for the future. They make us practical. They are, in fact, absolutely necessary.

—> Pottery is just like love. One needs to be patient and soft.

—> Only in works of fiction, the stories have a happy ending, but in real life, it is not so, is it? These stories give us a false account of life. It’s always the bad that prevails in the end and not the good as we are often made to believe.

—> We are nothing but just puppets in this world. The strings are in the control of a cosmic puppeteer who is none other than the divine God himself. We are here on Earth just to play the roles assigned to us. In the end, everything is destined.

—> There is no such thing as free will then it means there is no need for police, judiciary and legal system. No free will means the criminals and law offenders can’t be held responsible for what they have done. No, it can’t be. Free will is real. It should be. People must be held accountable for what they do. Otherwise, this world doesn’t make any sense. And if God is really out there, then there are all the more reasons for free will to exist. If everything is predestined, what’s the fun in that? Humans must surprise the Almighty at times.

—> To feel is good. In fact, the problem with this world is that people think too much and feel too little.

—> Those were the days. Eat, sleep, play, study, and repeat. Life was so simple when we were children.

—> With each piece of work, a writer blossoms into a different person, and re-discovers himself further.

—> Is there a rulebook that says adults can’t enjoy swinging during the night time? We all adore pictures of Krishna and Radha sitting on a swing made up of flowers. Don’t we?

—> There are many things which we can’t perceive, but still we believe them to be real and true.

—> God is an idea. It prevents us from insanity. Moreover, it is satisfying to believe that this universe has an order.

—> Work always moved slowly during Mondays and Fridays. On Mondays, people spent their time on accustoming themselves and getting back to the workaholic routine from the chill weekend that had just ended. On Fridays, people were busy speculating about the coming weekend and left the office as soon as they could. It was the Wednesdays and the Thursdays, which were the busiest, and when the tensed employees including him worked to their full potential.

—> Walking every day has the same hormonal effects as eating up a bar of chocolate.

—> A habit is stronger than love or even hate. 

—> The problem with you is not whether you are really an immature person. The problem instead is – you are deeply concerned about the perceptions of others.

—> What is love if not a fairy tale meant for adults? You idealise about it, just like you do it in other aspects of your life. Love is not just something that happens. Love is what one decides to offer to someone.

—> Ask a five-year-old or a person who is just going to step into a grave. Everyone is eager to tell what love is.

—> Everyone,at some point in time, experiences love and experience is a better teacher than just books.

—>I know life is not rainbows and butterflies, but I’d rather die delusional than being a mature cynic.

—> A man is not mature unless he gets a certificate of maturity from a woman.

—> When one loves a person, one doesn’t wish to control or possess them. Instead, one wants to be by their side all the time. Whereas when one likes someone, one wishes to own or have control over them, just in a way a child is obsessed with a toy he likes.

—> A person has two personalities. The first that is real that is what a person really is. And the second is what one projects in public.

—> “But how will I know if I really fall in love with someone in the future?” 

“Don’t worry about it. When it happens with the right person, you will automatically come to know. It will be as easy as breathing is.”

—> I can understand people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs. These substances alter the state of one’s mind. But smoking, on the other hand, does nothing. It results in only one thing—which is, damaging one’s body. Smoking is just plain stupid. It is a result of people not being strong enough to give up their pointless compulsion.

—> “We all have been disciplined in our childhood days by our parents, our teachers, or our elders. It is only during our teenage years that we are truly free. But this teenage state of freedom comes at a horrifying price.” 

“And what is that?”

“The price of being lost in the perpetual state of confusion, uncertainty, and a world of endless possibilities.” 

“Okay. How do human beings deal with it?” 

“We deal with it by reinforcing the discipline, but this time, by ourselves. It is we alone who are responsible for keeping a check on ourselves. The teenage years are times of confusion, uncertainty, and horrifying freedom. Sooner or later, we all understand that this total freedom is not worth having.”

—> At some point in our lives, we all unknowingly realize that the discipline we freed ourselves from during the adolescent years is the only thing that keeps us sane.

—> “You want to suggest that all great men were, in fact, immature?” 

“Some are mature enough that they don’t speak their minds. Some are so mature that they know they are not mature.”

“Those who made a difference in this world, they were all immature. Right?” 

“Not exactly. But yes, they were indeed immature in the sense that they refused to adapt themselves according to their surroundings. They refused to be like others. They chose to be rebels.”

—> Not all the things in the world are done out of one’s liking for it. A mature man does things out of a sense of responsibility, irrespective of whether he likes doing it or not.

—> Changing one’s personality, especially after a certain age, is almost impossible.

—> Only those who are intelligent can change their minds. The rest are damaged permanently due to indoctrination. A lower IQ makes a person less malleable.

—> Change is possible only if one knows what has to be changed.

—> People prefer to remain in the dark than to accept the harsh truth about themselves.

—> At the beginning of any change, one’s life is always in chaos.

—> People look beautiful when they smile.

—> What one finds beautiful, the other finds it repulsive.

—> How can someone fall in love with a person who is whining all the time? Forget how the face looks, —hideous or attractive.

—> It is impossible to fall in love with a person who complains all the time.

—> This is the problem with the youth of today. They are all in haste. Reach a seven and eight-figure income before others do. Buy a big car first. Be the first one to book a  three-bedroom flat in a posh society. The youth of today are racing each other to a never-ending horizon and want to be the first ones to get there. 

—> The problem with the world is that people are busy searching for keys but don’t know the locks that they would open.

—> A soulful woman loves a man not for who he is, but for what he may become.

—> It isn’t true love if it doesn’t arouse extreme emotions.

—> What do you think all of us are here for? Certainly not to seek happiness. We are not here to enjoy. We are here to feel. Experiencing emotions is what human minds are made for. Emotions of every kind. A full gamut. A life spent on experiencing sentiments that lie at only one side of the spectrum is no life at all.

—> We shouldn’t avoid grief. Instead, we should welcome despair in our lives with open arms. For it makes us who we are. It makes us complete.

—> One day you will realize that the best kind of love is the one that results in the profoundest level of melancholy. Longing for someone whom you have never been with or desiring someone, who, for some reason, can’t ever be yours, are the kinds of pain that must be embraced and endured. It’s a privilege to feel sad because of love. For it means the love has served its purpose. As it evoked the emotions in us that we were never ready for. It’s a privilege to feel. And misery, my friend, is necessary. Otherwise, happiness would lose its charm.

—> It isn’t love if it doesn’t make us happy.

—> True love evokes extreme emotions. 

—> You are afraid of making a choice, for you lack convictions. 

—> Unless we make a choice, everything seems to be possible. This possibility, this freedom is so horrifying that people eventually choose wisdom over knowledge. They choose what is really worth knowing about, rather than just knowing about everything.

—> Isn’t a person who doubts better than a person who has strong blind beliefs?

—> We all need convictions. We need strong convictions to remain sane. They are shells that protect us and in which we all hide. A person without strong convictions is a confused one. A confused person, in turn, bears the characteristics of an immature person.

—> It is good to be curious, but too much curiosity without a direction is as harmful as being uninterested. The problem with this thirst for knowledge is—it’s unquenchable. The more one learns the more curious one becomes. It’s a never-ending quest.

—> Not every kind of knowledge is good. One must confine one’s curiosity to a single direction.

—> Not everyone is meant for greatness. You have to be a cog in the system. 

—> An ordinary life without any chaos is much more fulfilling. You need to have strong, unbreakable beliefs. It doesn’t matter whether your beliefs are right or wrong. Strong opinions and strong beliefs bring stability to a person.

—> As Nietzsche said, the question shouldn’t be ‘What can we know?’ rather, it should be ‘What is good for us to know?’

—> With time, people understand that it is more important to be wise than honest.

—> If you still can’t lie, at least be silent and tactful about it. If you can’t fake your emotions, at least be devious about it.

—> Office is not the place to be what you are. At the workplace, people team up together to accomplish a task that is given to them. At the workplace, one is expected to hide one’s emotions and work along with even those people one doesn’t like at all.

—> A man who has got accustomed to the pestering of a woman is indeed ready for marriage. 

—> No one wants to listen to any advice from others, especially after a certain age.

—> Everyone has personal commitments. But, at times, we have to give priority to our work over those commitments. 

—> At times, there are things which have no meaning at all. Don’t bother much about it.

—> Despite so many advances in science, how our mind works is still a mystery. We don’t have the faintest idea why we see elaborate dreams.

—> We humans liken this life of ours to an exam. We believe that our life is nothing but a test. And no one but God or some higher power is behind it. We all have to pass this test. Failing is not an option. What you see in your dream is the literal representation of your view of life.

—> It is such a horrific experience, failing in the exam of life.

—> Exams, be it our schools or our college, were the most stressful times of our life. Not only you but also people who are in their late sixties too see dreams of such sorts. As long as you feel that you are not faring well in your life, you will have dreams like these. Age doesn’t matter. A student’s life is tough. No matter how much old one gets, one still fears to fail in the exams.

—> It is not the knowledge, lofty thinking or intelligence which makes someone a mature person. It is the number of responsibilities one is burdened with which decides if a person is one. There are people who at their early age when they were children, were overloaded with lots of responsibilities. Such precocious children are far more mature than many of the adults who have few or little commitments.

—> The only key to greatness is humiliation; self or public.

—> Everyone hates crowded places, but we all bear with that because this is how Mumbai life is.

—> There is nothing eerier than a boy dejected in love. 

—> India is still not a country where people voluntarily take the step of coming alone to psychologists.

—> Perhaps if everyone listened to troubled people, tried understanding them, no one would have to come to these psychologists. 

—> Staying alone and doing nothing makes a person have random thoughts.

—> A secret is what everyone knows but refuses to admit it in front of others.

—> I am that fool who is paying for being a responsible and disciplined person. If being disciplined is synonymous with being a boring person, I am happy to accept that title. If only you had a little sense of maturity, which you label as boring, you would understand what taking responsibilities in one’s life is. 

—> Sometimes, the very foundations which support us are wrong, and the only way left is to obliterate it altogether and rebuild from scratch.

—> Like everyone, he hated the middle seat, for the armrests never belonged to the person occupying it, and one had to stand whenever the person at the window seat wanted to use the loo. Also, the world outside the plane window was less accessible to the person sitting in that unfortunate place. All in all, everything about the middle seat was worth complaining about.

—> We are just specks of dust in this whole universe.

—> Death finds its way through different means and with different excuses.

—> There are times when even simple words and remarks hold much deeper meaning and questions that are difficult to evade.

—> Old people have nothing much to ask about except the weather and the food.

—> Only after leaving one’s hometown, one realizes the importance of it.

—> It is unusual for a father and a son not to quarrel and not to show disrespect to each other.

—> If a son has a peaceful relationship with his father, if neither of them ever shows contempt for the other, then either the father is a fool, or the son is.

—>  Marriage is the beginning of a relationship, which is not just between two people but between two families as well.

—> Life is not a list of checkboxes that we have to tick off sequentially one after another. Got a degree? Tick. Booked a house under my name? Tick. Got married? Tick. Had Children? Tick. All this sound too cliché, too depressing. These are acts which people do under the influence of peer pressure, mimicking each other, and not willingly as a genuine choice of their own. 

—> Why do you think people still like to listen to music on the radio? Because there is an element of surprise in it. One listens to songs which one hadn’t planned on listening to.

—> It’s funny how a single decision, how insignificant it may seem, changes one’s life forever.

—> One shouldn’t do things just because one feels an inclination for it.

—> Life isn’t about possessing the things that one desires.

—> One doesn’t need a person to be perfect so as to fall in love with. People fall in love with each other accepting each other’s quirkiness and imperfections.

—> “You can do it. You are just afraid of a change in your life.” 

“Probably you are right,” 

“You will overcome this. It is normal. Everyone in this world is fearful of changes,” 

—> There are certain things which we should never question in life.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Dhi’s Parables of Divine Transformation by Saudamini Mishra

Book blurb:

Do you wish to transform yourself akin to the way alchemy transforms lead into gold, surprisingly using your inherent flaws as the catalyst? Can a flaw in our personality be a part of a larger cosmic design to be the cause for our divine transformation? Can organic human emotions like resentment, jealousy or even love, be mere matchsticks that are preordained to ignite the fire of wisdom and transcendence in each of us? Well, Dhi the narrator of these stories and the alter ego of the Delhi based author and the artist Saudamini Mishra (the word ‘Dhi’ in Sanskrit translates to ‘understanding’, ‘mind’ or the ‘intellect’), shares a collection of riveting, character-based true stories based on people Saudamini has had the pleasure of interviewing or simply knowing. Each eponymous story bears an illustrative portrait of the protagonist, modelled by ‘Dhi’, the narrator, herself. Saudamini Mishra is an award-winning, internationally exhibiting artist and author.
Her work, ‘ Dhi’- A Self-Portrait’, a depiction of her alter ego, won a prize in Florida in the year 2018 and along with some of her other creations, designed as book installations that amalgamate the visual art of painting with text, are displayed at the IGI Airport, Terminal 3. Her artworks are a part of numerous esteemed private collections and a sculpture created by her was presented to the Civil Aviation Minister in the year 2014. She has also been an art interviewer, having interviewed various illustrious figures from the Indian world of art.

Genre: Fiction/ Short stories

Pages: 117

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Paperback (available only in India): 199 INRKindle eBook: 99 INR/$2.99

My Ratings: 4.4/5

If you’re looking for short reads with thought provoking and impactful messages, pick this one right away. Also, the title of the book is so on-point with the stories this little collection holds, that you will be left in awe.

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What I liked about the book:
–>Each story is named after a character, which prepares us to expect the most action around that person.
–> Each story has a colorful portrait, or rather a photograph depicting the lead character and their defining traits.
–> Almost all the stories are female centric.
–> The characters are relatable, strong and so lifelike that we feel drawn towards them all.
–> Each story is further divided into segments which makes the reading smooth and consistent.

What I did not like about the book:
–> The narrative style has a slightly matter-of-fact tone which makes the reading boring at times.
–> Some incidents in each of the stories did not feel like they important to the overall plotline.

Quotable quotes:
–>Your mind could fool your conscience but your conscience will never fool your mind
–> When God loves one too much, he punishes them right away for their ill deeds and follies, here on Earth, so that in their afterlife, he can bless them with the joy of heaven.
–> Our desire for something is no more stronger than our desire to get it our way.
–>Marriage, love, romance were things that only occurred when one’s survival was ensured. And education and ambition were a means to that.
–> Grief of an emotional nature doesn’t stand a chance before that of an economical one.
–> Anger is a bad thing. Learn to endure.
–>Never get into fights, especially into one between others.
–>The cosmos never gets personal with you. It’s more mathematical than emotional. You sinned, damaged had been done and hence you got punished, you had also repented it, tried to undo it with sincerity of feelings-you will be rewarded. That’s the cosmic law.
–>Tragedy has a way of catching hold of you at your unguarded best, so it can ruin you all the more.
–>It was so easy for a child to relate one person to another in their mind. Just a common hairstyle could evoke the same feelings in them.
–>Blessings born of contrition and gratitude, never go unfulfilled.
–>Privilege is supposed to serve as suit of armor to attacks perpetrated by the underprivileged, so that you grin and bear it.
–>There was nothing more humiliating than to see one’s reflection as that of one who was worthless in the eyes of the man one loved to death.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

In Conversation with Shilpa Suraj

Jane Smiley says,

“Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book.”

This quote defines me completely. And even in books if it comes to romantic comedies, I’m sold right away! This is why when I came to know about Shilpa Suraj, a writer who is touted the Indian Mills & Boons author, it was obvious I would want to read her books.

I read, Love, Truth and Taking Chances (which happens to be the second part of a trilogy series by her) and absolutely loved it. After reading it, as always, I had so many questions that I thought of inviting her to the Author Collaborative segment.

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Being gracious and kind, she agreed to it and even read my book The Art of Being Grateful to be prepared for asking me some questions as well.

Before we move on to the questions and answers, here’s a look at what we both thought of each others’ books.

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And here’s a look at the Q&A that happened between us in today’s session.

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In case you’d like to check out our answers to these questions. have a look at the video of our chat below:

You can check our books via the links provided below:

Amazon India link to Love, Truth, and Taking ChancesAmazon.com link to Love, Truth, and Taking ChancesAmazon India link to The Art of Being Grateful & Other StoriesAmazon.com link to The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories

आत्महत्या क्यों ?: इसे कैसे समाप्त किया जाये by अमित मिश्रा

Book blurb:

प्रिय पाठकों आजकल की भाग दौड़ भरी ज़िंदगी में पैसे के पीछे भागना आम बात है| किसी को कहाँ किसी की परवाह है,कोई पैसो का मारा , कोई प्यार का मारा तो कोई अकेलेपन से परेशान है| ये पुस्तक मेरी समाज में आत्महत्या जैसे अभिशाप को रोकने की एक कोशिश है | इस पुस्तक में मैंने आत्महत्या जैसे कदम को आखिर एक इंसान क्यों चुन लेता है ,और इससे कैसे बचा जा सकता है इसके बारे में बताया है| आशा करता हूँ की मेरे इस प्रयास से इसमें कुछ कमी देखने को मिले,और मै आप सभी प्रिय पाठकों से भी अनुरोध करूंगा की इस पुस्तक को खुद भी पढ़े और लोंगो को भी पढ़ने को जरूर कहे,क्योंकि इसमें हर उस विषय को छुने का प्रयास किया गया है जिसकी वजह से लोंग आत्महत्या जैसे रास्ते को चुनते है| अगर वो इस सबके बारे में पहले से अवगत रहेंगे तो वो एैसे कदम की नहीं सोचेंगे और यही इस पुस्तक को लिखने के पीछे मेरा मकसद है|इस पुस्तक में आत्महत्या के सभी 20 कारणों के बारे में बताया गया है जो सीधे -सीधे 4 मुख्य कारणों से जुड़े हुऐ हैं |

Genre: Nonfiction/Sef-help

Pages: 48

Language: Hindi

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 0 INR/$0.00

My Ratings: 3/5

Reasons for suicide and how to get over them. If you have ever felt like you’re not good enough or that the life you’re living needs to end, then read this book to find why and how this thinking can be overcome.

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What I liked about the book:
—> It covers all the major reasons as to why a person would feel like ending their life.
—> It gives some great examples to make valid points.

What I did not like about the book:
—> The author refers to the readers as ‘Bacchon’ which can makes adult readers feel meh.
—> Tends to be preachy (but this might be because I’m not a fan of self-help and nonfiction books)

Quotable quotes:
—> ‘’ व्हाई बॉयज हैव आल दा फन’’ वाली सोच से बचे ये फन नहीं अपराध है|
—> प्यार एैसी चीज़ जो सबको एक ना एक बार हो ही जाता है |
—> क्या किसी भी परीक्षा मे असफल हो जाना आपकी जिंदगी में असफल हो जाने के बराबर है,इसके लिए आपको सफलता की परिभाषा को पहले समझना होगा|
—> आत्महत्या का रास्ता आप चुन रहे है तो दोषी आप होंगे|
—> यूँ ही समाज से भागते रहेंगे तो आप हमेशा भागते ही रहेंगे|
—> जिंदगी हर डगर पर परीक्षा लेती है|
—>कोई काम छोटा बड़ा नहीं होता आत्महत्या कर लेना सबसे छोटा काम है|
—>दो मछली तालाब को गंदा कर सकती है पर बाकी बची सारी मछलियों के दिलो को वो ख़राब नहीं कर सकती|
—> करियर दूसरों को देख कर नहीं अपने दिल दिमाग से सोच कर चुने|
—>ये भगवान की बनाई दुनिया सबको सुख दर्द दोनों देती है| किसी को भी केवल सुख ही सुख नहीं मिलेगा जीवन में ऐसी कल्पना नहीं करनी चाहिए क्योंकि ये सिर्फ कल्पना मात्र ही है|  हक़ीक़त यही है की आपको दुःख जरूर देखने को मिलेगा आपके जीवन में और आपको उसका सामना करना पड़ेगा| आप को दुःख को भी सहन करना आना चाहिए |
—> पैसे फिर से कमाए जा सकते है  लेकिन जिंदगी नहीं |
—> पैसा कभी जल्दी नहीं  आता,जल्दी आता  है तो वह उतनी जल्दी  वापस भी चला जाता है ,क्योंकि  गलत काम में आपको किसी न किसी दिन पकड़े जाना है और आपकी सारी धन दौलत वापस ले ली जाएगी|

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The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan

Book blurb:

When the younger players in India’s cricket team find out that advertising executive Zoya Singh Solanki was born at the very moment India won the World Cup back in 1983, they are intrigued. When having breakfast with her is followed by victories on the field, they are impressed. And when not eating with her results in defeat, they decide she’s a lucky charm.
The nation goes a step further. Amazed at the ragtag team’s sudden spurt of victories, it declares her a Goddess. So when the eccentric IBCC president and his mesmeric, always-exquisitely-attired Swamiji invite Zoya to accompany the team to the tenth ICC World Cup, she has no choice but to agree. Pursued by international cricket boards on the one hand, wooed by Cola majors on the other, Zoya struggles to stay grounded in the thick of the world cup action. And it doesn’t help that she keeps clashing with the erratically brilliant new skipper who tells her flatly that he doesn’t believe in luck…

Genre: Fiction/RomCom

Pages: 466

Format: Paperback/Kindle eBook/Audiobook/MP3 CD

Price:

Paperback: 327 INR/ $16.50Kindle eBook: 31 INR/ $2.99

My Ratings: 4.5/5

This was like a dream combo for someone like me, because it combined two of my favourite hobbies into one good story, aka, cricket and reading. Anuja Chauhan’s dry humour comes with a desi tadka, which is almost always chuckle worthy throughout the book. Zoya’s character comes with so many flaws that we’re immediately drawn to her rather than despising her. The nitbits about cricket are quite well researched and written.

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Anuja Chauhan uses Indian English but also tries to avoid flowery expressions. Also, after reading shelves and shelves of books and articles on romance, page 3 sagas and so on, I was happy and relieved to finally have a book that made me laugh and also gave me butterflies.

For every girl (or even a guy who also happens to love reading) who is a cricket enthusiast, this is THE BOOK! The story line isn’t outstanding but the way in which the scenes are portrayed is amazing. The characters are drawn well and the readers can easily relate to them.

My only problem was with Khoda’s character, who seemed a bit too snooty and confused. Nonetheless, I did develop a crush on him,because duh! He’s the captain and he reminded me so much of VK, my real life crush.

I love the style of writing. The wordplay is simple yet engaging. Some of the lines that made me burst out laughing, were

“You don’t look like a blossoming bougainvillea yourself”

“If you could move your hands to either side, you’ll have substantial proof that I’m a big girl”

“When you hit a small round object with a piece of wood, it travels very far indeed”. 

Not a must-read but would surely recommend because its a complete chick lit which you can finish easy breezily in a day or two.

Buying details:

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The Best Friend by Akash Verma

Book blurb:

I was his best friend. He became my worst enemy. Nakul met Samir, three years his junior in school in the year 1985. Samir looked up to Nakul, his best friend. Samir showered all that he had over Nakul: his comics, chocolates, gifts, and all of his innocent love. It happened then, an ugly incident, that broke Samir’s heart and the unflinching trust that he had, in his only friend. Many years later, a student is found dead in a school, where Nakul’s’ daughter Anna studies. Samir enters Nakul’s life yet again. Not as a friend anymore but as an enemy who would go to any length to destroy Nakul’s life. The Best Friend, is a dark and edgy thriller where everyone hides a deadly secret. It is a journey inside the deep crevices of the human heart that rests those wounds which lie dormant. These wounds don’t cause you pain anymore but are a ticking reminder of your past. And at such times, how you wish you could turn back the clock and undo those things that you shouldn’t have ever done.

Genre: Fiction/ Crime & Thriller Mystery

Pages: 184

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 49 INR/$0.99

My Ratings: 4.6/5

Karmic murder mystery and thriller. Nakul and Samir are best friends in school but get separated after a haunting incident. In an unbelievable twist of fate they’re brought together again as adults under similar circumstances; however this time someone has died. Are they able to forgive and forget? Amidst all the haunting memories of the past, can they unravel the mystery of the death? Read the book to know and enjoy a story that will leave the thriller lover in you satisfied.

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What I liked about the book:
—> Starts with a bang (I was reminded of The Kite Runner which happens to be one of my all time favourites)
—> Samir’s gullibility and adorable dedication towards Nakul.
—> How Samir grows up to be an adult with trust issues (among many other major problems) because of what happened with him in his childhood.
—> Few chapters dedicated to Anna’s (Nakul’s daughter) PoV which helps build curiosity and adds more thrill to what went around the death incident.
—> The difference between how Anna reacted to a tragic incident involving her best friend vs how Nakul reacted to a similar incident in the past.
—> Sandhya’s turnaround from being the revengeful to becoming a woman in love and how her actions and choices are justified throughout the book.
—> How a piece of clothing plays such an instrumental role in the whole episode.

What I did not like about the book:
—> I wanted to know more about Nakul and Ginny’s love story after school; like how they managed after Samir left and how they got married.
—> Sandhya’s involvement was kind of a predictable giveaway for me (thanks to having read umpteen murder mysteries)

Quotable quotes:
—> Hasn’t education become one big business these days?
—> None talk to each other, staring into their phone screens, engrossed, as if their real world lay on the other side.
—> The world is converging into three screens: television, computer, and mobile phone. If he were to rephrase it now, with the way it is going, it would come down to one single screen rather than three. The world converging to this one screen of our mobile phones.
—> Young death is a wasted life, whoever’s it might be.
—> Losing someone you know and care about is never easy in life.
—> Work has taken a new meaning these days: just like you can work from home, you can work from your phone as well.
—> It’s the pent up emotions which weigh you down a little more every passing day.
—> You can’t be ungrateful to someone who has just fed you awesome food.
—> I have a fetish for names. I like holding them like pieces of puzzle in my hand, turn them around, look at them closely and then visualising what the person with that name would look like and be like in real life (this is so relatable for me!!!!!)
—> Your life on this earth is limited; don’t have attachments while you are here. Instead, focus on creating value and doing good deeds as long as you live.
—> A happy customer is always a delight.
—> No life is perfect; there is something that’s broken in each one.
—> Bad memories can come to haunt you sometimes.
—> When someone you dearly love walks away, never to return, it is a terrible feeling.
—> It’s strange to see, that someone who was a stranger till a few weeks back suddenly feels so close now.
—> To see your child happy takes away all the stress that life offers you during the day.
—> But then it’s never about what you want, life just happens.
—> There is no point in rewinding a film when one is not keen to watch it all over again.
—> You can’t wash away your sins that easily. Life makes you pay for them.
—> It’s good to be prepared. However sharp the questions are, you have already thought their answers through.
—> I don’t know what these gadgets are turning our kids into? They are making them a non- communicative, self-absorbed species.
—> The makeup that you wear is washed off by the pain that life grants you sometimes.
—> Time changes us, it turns us into different people than what we used to be.
—> If you fight a pig in shit, it is you who will get dirty, the pig will only enjoy.
—> It isn’t a lie when they say that love is a much stronger emotion than hate.
—> I chose my happiness over everybody else’s. I knew it was selfish of me but then for how long could I let my life be run by others, and for others. We have just one life to live. If I am not happy now, I won’t ever be.

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