Nidhi Srivastava's Blog, page 17
June 12, 2021
Book Review – Unparalleled
Book Title: Unparalleled
Author: D.S. Smith
Publisher: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Format: Kindle
Pages: 287
Blurb: Waking up in a strange house, with no memory of how or why he is there, Stuart Milton finds his life has changed beyond recognition. His pregnant wife is missing, but his only living relative, his brother, is incapable of substantiating his claim. Lost in a world of confusion that is spiralling out of his control, Stuart finds temporary salvation in a psychiatrist assigned to his case. Meanwhile, peculiar events across the world lead a team of Oxford scientists to develop top secret technology that will change the future of humanity. Betrayed by double agents, the race to control this technology endangers the lives of all involved, which unwittingly includes Stuart and his psychiatrist. This enthralling journey takes Stuart to the edge of sanity, culminating in an unparalleled climax of kidnapping, betrayal and murder.
My Rating: 4/5
Review: The book has been divided into 70 chapters, describing life of a man Stuart who is a zookeeper, and his wife Lauren. The plot begins with Stuart lying around in a confused state of mind. He recalls hearing his wife announcing about her pregnancy, the thought made him happy. He was curious that Lauren was found nowhere in the house. Even after talking to his brother, David – things weren’t making a lot of sense to Stuart. He screamed at his brother failing to recognize the house he was sleeping the last night. He kept on talking about his wife, Lauren. He failed to recognize his own wallet, clothes, and had an urge to rush out of the house, where he was at present. He got angry on the fact that Dave doesn’t recall about Lauren. How was that even possible?
The plot takes twists and turns, where with the help of a psychiatrist, Stuart tried to figure out where his wife was. Dr. Carson tried to help him piece the missing parts together in his life’s story. He could recall his home address, his profession and other questions asked by the doctor. Then, there are various characters coming in and out of the plot. This is where the parallel universe aspect comes in, has he been living a different life?
A story about a link between different timelines; Stuart has been living different lives or was it just an imagination. Stuart has accidentally switched with himself from another timeline/Earth. The science fiction plots have an energy which makes the readers curious. Here, the curiosity didn’t kill the cat though. As we proceed in the plot, you will be curious to discover the dramatic encounter of Stuart and Lauren.
“He remembered falling. Falling forward into darkness, spinning and tumbling as he fell. No sound, no light, just falling. And the sickness, he remembered the sickness in his stomach. He felt it now. He leaned over and retched but nothing came out. With some effort he pushed himself up onto his knees and onto his feet. His head throbbed and he felt dizzy but he managed to stay standing. He heard another car pass by in the distance. Where the hell am I, he thought?”
I have enjoyed reading this book, wherein it took like ages to finish this one. The author has brought together a fascinating plot. The characters are easy to root for and it is amazing to witness what they go through here. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good sci-fi adventure.
Thank you Don Smith and Booktasters for the review copy
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Book Review – Little Me In Everyone
Book title: Little Me In Everyone
Author: Eddyee Siingh
Publisher: Bluerosepublisher
Format: Kindle
Pages: 276
Blurb: If you want to learn and grow in life, start exploring the world inside you and believe the omnipresent “Genius”. Every human is born with a “genius”, a guardian spirit allocated at birth. Caged in this mind is the ‘Little Me’ helping us, talking to us, questioning us, and nurturing us all along the way. The eternal conversations we have, our struggles for justifications and morals, and our gut feelings are what shape the voice of our ‘Little Me’. It grows inside the spiritual realm of energy and the soul as we also grow with each new experience in life. The Self, the Ego and the Pride evolve from and dissolve within a person’s ‘Little Me’. In this book you’ll find the reflections of everyone’s ‘Inner Self’ and ‘Little Me’, protected by Spirit Guide “Genius” thus guiding us to learn and rejoice every moment of being alive despite the perplexities of life.
My Rating: 4/5
Review: The book – Little Me In Everyone, is one of the self-help books, I have read so far this year. The book starts with the ordinary details of every child’s life. Everyone is born with a conscience, which helps us in the journey of our lives. No one has a perfect life planned, nor did the protagonist Vikas plan his life around. There were various things/feelings to be explored in this very life. The author believes that every one of us has a ‘Little Me’ and every human is born with a genius.
The journey we plan will never be as we think, even if we have the destination in mind, as you never know the obstacles on the route
The book has been divided into 59 chapters, each chapter provides life lessons. The examples in every chapter, every incident is a relatable situation that we would have faced sometime in our lives. There are quotes from the book, which rightfully describe the importance of spirituality, money, happiness, or even opportunities that knock on the door.
“Both poverty and riches are the offspring of our mindful thoughts”
Opportunities are such, they pass too quickly.
During the pandemic, everyone needs some kind of motivation to work or even at the time to breathe. This book provides valuable insights about life and would be one of the motivational reads of the year 2021. One thing which is unique to this book is at the end of every chapter, there is a quote that describes the chapter in a gist. You can pick the book whenever you feel good or even when you are upset. Grab a chapter and read about varied topics covered or rather extracted from life experiences of Vikas.
I would like to thank Vinfluencers for the review copy 
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June 10, 2021
Book Review – All You Need is Josh
Book title: All You Need is Josh: Inspiring Stories of Courage and Conviction in 21st Century India
Editor: Supriya Paul (Editor)
Publication: Bloomsbury India
Pages: 216
ISBN-10 : 938971429X
Blurb: IN A WORLD FILLED WITH CYNICISM, FEW STAND TALL, CARVING THEIR OWN PATH TO SUCCESS WITH COURAGE, DETERMINATION AND GRIT.
All You Need Is Josh brings to you stories of such unique individuals across India – of the aspiring astrophysicist who wanted to walk on the moon; the first person with a disability to top the civil services examinations; the domestic help who is now a published author; the army officer who amputated his own leg; the transgender woman who was expelled from her house; the Dalit child bride who now runs a business worth Rs 1,000 crore, and many more.
Filled with anecdotes and life-changing missives, these stories will remind you that it does not matter the circumstances into which one is born – what matters most is having the josh to overcome all odds and chase your dreams.
My rating: 4/5
Review: “All you need is Josh” brings out 30 inspiring stories of people across the globe. People who found a platform through Josh Talks. Every story begins with an ordinary background, turning it into an inspiration drawn from their own lives. I happen to read this book at the same time as my manager did. It was a wonderful experience reading this book during the pandemic, as we have been at the lowest sitting in front of our laptops. However, we always kept thinking of people suffering from the deadly virus or migrants walking miles and miles, yet this book was a diversion. A diversion towards a ray of hope, these ordinary stories have given us.
Most of the stories had childhood trauma associated with both genders and even transgender. We live in a cruel society where monsters don’t spare children or even animals. Humans are the worst creatures on the planet. Some of the stories would give you goosebumps; you will judge your existence that you couldn’t save people from bruising childhoods, giving a life-long trauma.
It is tough to choose which one is the best story, each one would be an inspiration to the world.
My personal favorite would be narrowed to Captain Raghu Raman (ex. Indian Army). He has drawn examples from his NDA (National Defence Academy) days to service days. Indian Armed Forces have been always a matter of pride, and valor. The army not only trains cadets to be good soldiers, however it teaches them to be human beings first. Right after Captain Raghu Raman, there is the story of Shyam Sunder Paliwal (sarpanch of Piplantri village), who started a movement of planting trees every time a girl child was born. I am a woman and I understand where this initiative came from. It is an initiative to cut down the negatives existing in our Indian society to date such as acid attacks, rapes, female feticide, and dowry. He lost his own daughter in 2006 ailing to severe stomach pain. He mourned for his loss, when he was reminded of horrific stories of female babies being killed in womb or buried right after their birth. Then, he pledged to transform the barren land. Today, everyone recognizes the village on the map.
“Hell and Heaven are here. How you live is what determines what it is”
Shyam Sunder Paliwal
Thank you Bloomsbury for sending the review copy
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May 31, 2021
Book Review – Queen of Fire
Book Title: Queen of Fire
Author: Devika Rangachari
Publisher: Duckbill
Format: Kindle
ISBN13: 9780143453222
Blurb: Lakshmibai, the widowed queen of Jhansi, is determined to protect her son’s right to his father’s throne and safeguard the welfare of her kingdom. Faced with machinations to take over Jhansi, at a time when all of India is rising up against the British, she has to prove her valour and sagacity time and again. But will this be enough to save all that she values?
In this gripping novel, award-winning historical novelist Devika Rangachari brings to vivid life the interior life of this nineteenth-century queen, thrust into a position she does not desire but must assume, and of her son, who is cowed by the challenges he has to face but determined to live up to his mother’s courage
My Rating: 4.5/5
Review: Queen of Fire is a book dedicated to Rani Lakshmibai. We have read stories about her valor during our school days. She was the epitome of bravery in ancient India, who fought the odds to save her home – Jhansi. This book is quite different from what you might have seen or read. It is a quaint depiction of her character, her kingdom, and her love to gain Jhansi back from the shackles of British rule in India.
The book has been narrated in simple language, avoiding storyboarding acting as a plus point while writing historical events. The story breaks a lot of stereotypes dating back then. If she lived in today’s world, she would be called a feminist. She wasn’t afraid of picking up weapons or training her army for war preparedness. English women judged Rani Lakshmibai for dressing like men.
Look how she rides – just like a man
What was the harm in wearing pants and riding on a horse with armor in hand? Her sword spoke for her, as the soldiers in the British army were frightened by war skills.
Those who belittle women are fooling themselves. History can bear witness to that.
The story describes her adopted son, Prince Damodar, who was nourished and loved by everyone. The chemistry between Rani Lakshmibai and her adopted son describes motherhood. Prince Damodar was adopted to be the next heir of Jhansi, however, the British government played their evil cards. Prince Damodar lived at the mercy of pity pension. As every mother would do to protect their child’s future, Rani of Jhansi did the same till her last breath. It is one of the most inspiring stories written about Rani Lakshmibai.
Rani Lakshmibai continued to inspire her son during wartime.
We cannot live in fear, it will kill us before we die
Rani Lakshmibai
I would like to thank Penguin India for providing me the review copy
It is great to have writers inspired by historical women characters.
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May 1, 2021
Book Review: Existential Kink
Book title: Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power (A method for getting what you want by getting off on what you don’t)
Author: Carolyn Elliott (Goodreads Author)
Publisher: Weiser Books
ISBN: 1578636477 (ISBN13: 9781578636471)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Blurb: A smart, sexy guide to embracing the repressed, tabooed, and often unwanted aspects of ourselves so we can discover our inner power and finally live the life we deserve.
“We always get exactly what we want; but often, though we may not be aware of it, what we most want is dark—very dark.”
Each of us has a dual nature: we are light (conscious) and dark (unconscious). The dark side of our personality—the “other,” the shadow side—is made up of what we think is our primitive, primal, negative impulses—our “existential kink.” Our existential kink also drives the dark or negative repeating patterns in our life: always choosing the abusive partner or boss, settling for less, thinking that we’re undeserving, not worthy. But it also is the source of our greatest power.
My rating: 3.5/5
Review: I have reduced my reading time for self-help books, as all of them preach about the positivity we can bring in our lives. We are capable of changing the life we have been gifted. No matter how many books you read on self-love, you can’t change your life’s direction if you don’t move at all.
Coming to the book – Existential kink, as sexy as it sounds, it is one smart move to bring the change in our lives. The author has tried to connect different worlds into one such as Buddhism, Hinduism and various other references drawn. I cannot judge her based on what has been written in the book. All those are her experiences when her life was falling apart.
It is a brave initiative to write about your life and let the world read it. There are stories depicted in the book which claim to address the inner demons. I agree to some part where the author mentioned that we attract our problems. It might stand true for some cases, though it is not true for all.
We indulge in excessive eating while we are depressing that also contributes to our laziness. We have the power to make our choices, that’s the focus point of this book. I loved the exercises mentioned at the end of the book. Also, I am not very much drawn towards the depiction of the tale of Pluto and the Rape of Persephone [Pluto is Roman, Persephone is Greek] was a later invention. I am not sure how are those reference linked to self-help or even attracting problems.
I was pretty confused while I kept reading this book, not sure if the message was out clear if this book was on Kink or self-help. A person who abused, doesn’t attract those abuses. I would like to mention it and rest my case here.
I would like to thank HarperCollins for sending across the review copy.
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April 30, 2021
Book Review – Bollywood Does Battle
Book Title: Bollywood Does Battle: The War Movie and the Indian Popular Imagination
Author: Samir Chopra (Goodreads Author)
Publisher: Harper Collins India
ISBN13: ISBN978935357
Format: Paperback
Pages: 260
Blurb: How do Indians look at themselves and their nation through cinematic representations of war?
War is part of the story of the Indian nation; its presence in India’s past continues to shape the Indian present and future. The 1962 China war, the 1971 Bangladesh war and the 1999 Kargil conflict all play outsized roles in the Indian popular imagination. The Indian film industry’s war movies play an acute role in representing this aspect of Indian history; Samir Chopra’s fascinating book takes a closer look at these movies’ emotionally charged depictions of Indian military history. It examines classics of the war movie genre — from Haqeeqat, Border and Hindustan Ki Kasam to Vijeta, LOC Kargil, Lakshya and The Ghazi Attack to see what they reveal and illuminate about the relationship of the Indian nation to war. Chopra thus enquires into how these movies establish popular Indian understandings of patriotism, militarism and nationalism and reinforce supposed ‘Indian’ values through their cinematic representations of war.
This is a must-read for anyone interested in the relationship of Indian films to Indian culture and history.
My Rating: 4.5/5
Review: The book deserves an elaborated review for the detailed description of war providing in every chapter. Every reader would acknowledge the author’s efforts for the Bollywood comparison. We never think about war veterans and their families while watching a movie adapted from those wars. India’s war history hasn’t been part of history books, though it should reach the masses. We should know our heroes who sacrificed their lives for us. However, it is a disappointment that we bask in the love of actors/actresses who dawn the military uniform.
Indian cinema has long been ‘the defining medium of what it meant to be Indian’
The author Samir Chopra, an IAF brat, has thrown facts and figures on the face of Bollywood. Some of the war movies described in the book are Haqeeqat, Border, LOC: Kargil, Lakshya, and Ghazi Attack. I belong to the generation where some movies did a feature on television. I could relate to war movies such as Border, Lakshya, LOC: Kargil, and The Ghazi Attack. The author has compared movie scenes and brought together facts about that year and the government’s role during those times.
“Every nation fights war for different reasons.”
The author discussed about the shortcoming of war movies, lack of understanding, the politics, propaganda associated with movies, Bollywood issues with the Armed forces. Bollywood has to seek permission in order to make any movie related to the Armed Forces. In the past or even during the present year, we have seen conflicts and orders issued against Bollywood. There is always a reason for these order issued. The author has described the non-cooperation between Indian film industry and Indian Armed Forces.
Bollywood plays an important role in spreading across a message to the Nation. When the author mentioned about how people listen to the radio during Kargil war. As we won the war, the print media was flocked by 100s of pictures of Captain Vikram Batra. Well, that was the first time people of India, saw their heroes.
Many Indians, for the first time, saw Indian Army soldiers and their officers on the news every day
The author also mentioned about problems which are still putting strain on the shoulders of our soldiers. The Chinese Army has not changed, they are ahead in disturbing the world peace and Asia is an easy target.
The Chinese Army wants to dominate Asia, to disturb the world’s peace
One movie which the author has praised by far in his book – The Ghazi Attack. I would agree as the movie had most of things in place. They did have some flaws, though anyone depicting Armed Forces will always be at risk. We are oblivious of military culture and yet mistakes happen. Though, the movie was created to show the world, how modern age war movies can pan out in arms of Bollywood.
The Ghazi Attack pays its dues to cinematic realism
After 46 years the truth is hidden in waters; heroes are unsung but never forgotten
The author also praised URI: The Surgical Strike movie, where the depiction was real. However, the post-mortem of URI: The Surgical Strike movie wasn’t done by the author as it does not fall under the category of an actual war movie.
Uri: The Surgical Strike demonstrate, the contemporary Indian war filmmaker is committed to a far more technically polished ‘product’, with greater accuracy of technical detail
I can write another thousand words on this book, but I will leave it for reader’s experience. I have loved reading this book and I would like to thank the publisher for sending across the copy.
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April 25, 2021
Book Review – Satyajit Ray in 100 Anecdotes
Book Title: Satyajit Ray in 100 Anecdotes
Author: Arthy Muthanna Singh, Mamta Nainy
Publisher : Puffin (19 April 2021)
Blurb:
A collector’s edition to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of Satyajit Ray on 2 May 2021
The book is an easy introduction to the genius of Satyajit Ray with short anecdotes presented in a wonderful package
The book has gorgeous line arts that complement the text to create an engaging book that readers will enjoy reading
Tracing his magnificent life with 100 little-known and inspiring incidents as well as unusual trivia, this collectible edition pays homage to the maestro on his 100th birth anniversary.
A master filmmaker, a remarkable auteur, a writer par excellence and an artist of immense reach and range, Satyajit Ray was an indefinable genius. This book is a classic tribute that celebrates his many accomplishments across literature, music, art and more
My Rating: 4.5/5
Review: Satyajit Ray – An artist, unforgotten to date. A man who has given a different perspective to the cinema. He was born in the land of artists – Kolkata. He has been an inspiration to budding filmmakers across the globe. Satyajit Ray in 100 Anecdotes – is a tribute to a legend born in India.
A book that brings out Satyajit of various age groups to life. Satyajit was fondly known as Manik, similar to every Bengali household, he also had a pet name. His classmates never called him Satyajit, it was used only by his teachers. The book draws details of the child who was born an artist. He was good at everything, he was great at drawing.
The details from his life have been drawn out perfectly, describing moments such as purchasing an autograph book and yearning to get it signed by Rabindranath Tagore first. The event has been described beautifully, where Ray got his notebook back with a Bengali poem written along with the autograph. There are various movies mentioned dating back to the golden era of cinema. A lot of them, young readers wouldn’t be able to recognize. I wasn’t able to recognize them myself (definitely worth Google search though).
People learning fine arts would relate to the fact where Manik’s journey in Santiniketan has been mentioned. Many people wish to turn into commercial artists, but Indians have been hesitant enough to pursue their passion as their career. The Chinese watercolors, miniature paintings, Indian sculptures – it transported me to my childhood days when I was getting my Fine Arts classes. The book describes the artistic influences Satyajit Ray had during his days at Kala Bhavan.
Santiniketan played a role in shaping him further as an artist and for most, his mother was the reason who drew his passion to the doors of an institution perfect in itself. His love for Western music concerts was crazy, he mentioned in letters to his mother. “He asked her to send the newspaper clippings of Western music concert reviews. His journey from a graphic artist to a filmmaker is a historical event.
I do recommend everyone to read about his journey in this book. The authors have done a terrific job, listed 100 anecdotes about the Legend. I am sure there is a lot written about him and found in the National Library, Kolkata, and Film Societies across the world.
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Book Review – The 12 Commandments of Being a Woman
Book title: The 12 Commandments of Being a Woman
Author: Tahira Kashyap Khurrana
Publisher: Juggernaut
Format: Kindle
Blurb: In this funny, wise and outrageously Frank book, Tahira Kashyap Khurrana talks of lying in school about getting her periods, falling in love at eighteen with her future husband, her obsession with having a triple D bra cup, going on the world’s craziest diets and accidentally getting pregnant because of Chinese meal. And in doing so, she touches every woman’s secret heart…..
My Rating: 4/5
Review: The novel is true to the feelings of a reader as well as a writer. I am sure many Bollywood fans would have picked up this book to learn about the details of Ayushmann Khurrana’s life. All in vain! This book would have been a bummer for them. For everyone else (also for readers like me), this book is love.
I think I loved every moment of this story narrated by the author – Tahira. There are moments in the book, which are related to the children brought up in middle-class families. All the middle-class families have the same concept of how girls should behave, how children are supposed to perform well at studies, how your dreams should be just a hobby and not your career option. I have also read the book Cracking the Code by the couple, but I must say this has been remarkably a favorite read.
The book has humor, anxiousness, romance, fights, and enormous love for family. It also speaks highly of women, which is a driving force for the plot. Tahira has addressed the elephant in the room. Women need to keep themselves at priority, just like their family, husband, kids, and job. It is not a sin to take care of yourself. It is absolutely fine to put a brake on your juggling schedule.
In the whole book, the name ‘Ayushmann’ hasn’t been mentioned by the author. I liked the fact that she has addressed him throughout as “my boy” or “Coolio” (still sounds cute). Tahira hasn’t stated about her painful chemotherapy days, yet she has brought a positive angle – being a Cancer survivor. Everyone starts noticing few people due to some mishaps. It was cancer for Tahira when the world tried to pity, however, the Kashyaps and Khurrana failed everyone. I laughed, where she mentioned her reaction in the hotel room on returning from the hospital (Delhi).
Fav quotes:
We were lovers who were often rivals
Friends can make you do that, even though it felt like my last smile before dying
As a middle-class Indian girl it’s my duty to explain myself to every second person, just as it is a random person’s right to question every girl”
We have the power to change our destiny. The reason we are born is not to suffer but to strive to be happy
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April 24, 2021
Book Review – Selfsame
Book Review: Selfsame (Lower Earth Rising #1)
Author: Eden Wolfe (Goodreads Author)
ASIN: B08HS9VQ1H
Publisher: ESN Ink (first published September 3rd 2020)
Format: Kindle
Pages: 382
Blurb:
The Fall of Man. The Rise of Women.
Can Aria win against the new order’s turn to tyranny?
Four hundred years after the Final war, eighteen-year-old Aria is poised to claim her birthright – the throne of Lower Earth.
It’s one of the last pieces of habitable continent left. Men are dying off from the after-effects of the war and women are genetically altered to survived.
But Aria’s blood is more advanced than any of them; she was designed from the genetic sequence of the settler queens.
Queen Maeva, Aria’s pseudo-mother, crushes all opposition. She has no fear of blood on her hands.
And she’s not afraid to do the same to Aria.
The threats multiply from within and beyond Lower Earth’s borders as destruction and colonization by the old men of Upper Earth approach their shores.
Aria has spent her lifetime preparing to take over the throne. Just as she is ready to fulfill her destiny, she’s blindsided.
My Rating: 4/5
Review: Selfsame is the first dystopian novel that I picked up in early 2020. The main character – Ariane (Aria) is quite similar to Arya Stark from Game of Thrones Series (my POV). Aria is a teenage princess, daughter of Queen Maeva, who is being prepared to become the next queen of Lower Earth. Maybe she believed that she is next inline to be the Queen. She has been kept in isolation and trained by the priestesses (Batrasa). Aria has the ability to sense things from far away and gauge the heartbeats and thoughts of people. However, she could never figure out, why her mother has been hesitating about Aria being the next Queen.
Selfsame is the story of a world where biological men are dying out, and women are soon to be the only human inhabitants of Lower Earth. The plot switches across multiple POVs, almost too many to keep track of, with some people only appearing once, and others repeatedly returning throughout the book. Mainly focusing around Aria and Queen Maeve.
Queens died, like Queen Idia. Queens disappeared, like in the ninth generation. Queens deteriorated, like in the second generation. But no Queen in Lower Earth had ever just handed over the throne
Queen Maeve
Aria thought about every possible way to reach to the throne. Yet, her mother was not convinced enough to let her crowned. The Queen kept a close watch on movements of Aria, who she met or even she tried to protect her from Upper Earth. The Queen had some secrets to keep.
The secrets were starting to weigh heavily. She feared
she would give something away.
Queen Maeve
When you start reading the book, you would wish really hard for Aria to be the next Queen. While the plot progresses, Queen Maeve and her fears for Aria would make you wish for the opposite.
The dystopian novel is quite interesting, and if you are a reader looking for a dystopian series, you can excitedly pick this one.
Some fav quotes:
Willing Women are always asked
Fear is a powerful driver to an enemy
The throne is never gifted, the throne is an outcome.
Thank you to the author and Booktasters for the free copy
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April 23, 2021
Ordeal of a Paperback
Recently, I received my royalty payment for the first-ever book I co-authored somewhere around 2019. I would be honest – the year 2020 hit a lot of business during the initial days.
Later, when everyone started supporting small businesses and we managed to bring our lives back on track. I wasn’t expecting people to know about my book. However, I did try and market the book on social media.
I appreciate all friends and family members who came in my support and purchased the book. It added to the part of royalty along with my co-author. I read various posts on social media related to books, book stores in India and abroad. I was sad to witness profits leveraged to websites like Amazon.
Some of the bookstores did UP their game and tried to venture into the online bookstore initiative. It is a sad affair that people are inclined towards OTT platforms than books. It is disheartening for the bookstores who survive when people flock to buy books. I am not sure if I am making sense by writing this blog. But, there are a mere handful of readers out of there, who appreciate a book that they picked up from a book fair or the ones they shopped in order to build a TBR.
None shopped for my book in the past year and that did break me at some point. However, when I read the ordeal of bookstore owners I started feeling less pity about my book. The paperbacks have taken a back seat in the world of Instagram and Netflix.
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