Sundari Venkatraman's Blog, page 43

Travel: NATURE TRAIL @ MEENMUTTY RESORTS

The nature trail beginsEarly morning, we woke up to the background music of flowing water and bird call. There’s a waterfall that’s within the property and one can hear the water flowing 24/7. It’s the most beautiful and refreshing sound that I have ever heard. Though there were a lot of insects – mostly moths – around; luckily for us, there were no mosquitoes.

Viggy and Vinny harassing the guide about a way to jump into the waterfallAfter breakfast, we decided to go on the nature trail within the property along with a guide. We walked on a slope with grass on either side, mountain on our right with a valley on the left. There was a gentle waterfall running along in the valley as we walked to the Bamboo Island.

Isn't that lovely!Trekking skills were required to walk down the steeper slope to reach the island and water. I refused to go while Venkat went with the others up to a point. I walked further to a clearing, clicking photographs. Venkat came back after a point and joined me on a wooden platform that had been built at a height giving a perfect view of gushing water.

Have they convinced him yet?In the meanwhile, Vinny and Viggy had the time of their lives swimming in the water and trekking in Bamboo Island. They came out after almost an hour and joined us on the wooden platform.

That stone bench sure looks comfyVinny had two leeches sticking to her right foot. We had been warned about this and the guide carried salt to drive them away. Leeches hold on strongly to one’s skin and cannot be pulled off. When salt is sprayed on them, they let go and fall off by themselves. Fortunately, they don’t cause any harm.

On their way to Bamboo IslandThe guide told us of a health treatment with leeches that is quite popular in Kerala. Leeches tend to suck bad blood from a person I believe. They place a leech against the sick person. It takes about 20 minutes for the leech to suck blood and become bloated. When too heavy, it falls off by itself. It brings about a tremendous change in the person’s energy levels. It sounded great. But I definitely didn’t want to try that kind of a treatment.

I veered away and clicked more picsWhile the kids were keen to walk more, Venkat and I decided to get back to the main building. We took a different direction – with sign boards at strategic points and many women walking around cleaning the property, there wasn’t any chance of getting lost – to walk back to our room.

Got on the wooden platform for a better viewBut the slope that Venkat walked up was rather slippery. I went halfway and didn’t have the guts to carry on further. I came down and walked back the way we had used before, while Venkat went by the new way. I reached the reception and took a break before going back to the room.

The view couldn't get betterIt was truly a walk in nature with blue skies, grey clouds, tea plantation terraces, a variety of trees and gushing water. Simply awesome!

Vinny & Viggy finally got into the waterfalls

Travel: MEENMUTTY RESORTS @ WAYANAD, KERALA

Our rooms on the first floor at the topmost point @ Meenmutty ResortsWe left home at 9.45 am on June 13, 2015 to catch our Indigo flight to Coimbatore at 12 noon. The flight left half an hour late for whatever reason and we finally landed at 2.15 pm. The car that Meenmutty Resorts had arranged for us was already waiting for us.

Inside the roomWe left for Wayanad that is 6-7 hours travel by road. While the distance is about 240 km, most of the travel is done on mountain roads via Ooty. That’s why it took so long to reach the place, especially as we stopped on the way a couple of times.

Another section of the room @ Meenmutty Resorts The scenery on the way was some of the best that I have seen; with mountains and valleys lush and green due to rains. Though the weather was wet, it only drizzled most of the time. The route goes via Ooty and further towards Kerala.

The view from our balconyWe finally reached Meenmutty Resorts at 10.30 pm through thick mist. We could see barely five feet in front of our car as the driver skilfully traversed the hilly terrain to reach the hotel. We had to drive more than a km after reaching the gates.

View from the reception @ Meenmutty ResortsThe resort is set in a large property of 12 acres, predominantly of tea plantation terraces. There was a bit of coffee plantation, a few jackfruit trees, many flowering plants and a variety of other trees.

Tea plantation that's part of the propertyWe finally arrived and were taken to our rooms that were set at the topmost point of the property. One room was regular in size and the other was three times as big. Venkat and I were lucky enough to take the larger one. There was a huge balcony – a common space – in front of our rooms. Unable to see much due to the mist, we had a bite of dinner before crashing for the night.

Venkat, Vinny & Viggy on their way down to Bamboo Island Vinny making coffee in the gardenIt was only the next day we got to see Meenmutty Heights. It was truly a jaw-drop moment. Stepping out of our rooms, we could see that we were high up on a mountain with a valley at least a 1000 ft below. Across were more mountains, all surrounded by clouds. In between, we got to see the clearest of blue skies in small slits. Sigh... loved it. The background music of water running down a rocky slope along with bird and insect twitter was the most beautiful sound I have heard. This was on 24/7.

On the way down to the dining room @ Meenmutty ResortsWe had to walk down a gentle slope for 15 minutes to the restaurant. That’s where they served the buffet breakfast every day. It was possible to order all other meals to our rooms. The service was excellent. Young boys use a motorbike to deliver our orders – towels, blankets, coffee, water and more – within 10 minutes of placing the order. Of course, food took a little longer.

It was such fun walking through the cloudsSaajan is your guy there. A hotel management graduate, he’s been in the industry for five years. It was difficult to believe that he had joined Meenmutty Resorts just a couple of months back. He had all information at his fingertips and was completely organised. For almost a day and a half, we were the only guests. Saajan went through the menu with us, checking what we were interested in eating, making suggestions and giving us the best.

Shahid the cook making masala omeletteWe stuck predominantly to Kerala fare. They made the softest of Idlis that I have ever had. The yummy Sambar – though also made at our Tamil abode – was quite different with a variety of veggies thrown in. There was Idiyaappam and Veg Stew with a dash of coconut oil that gave it a flavour that I have never tasted – too delicious. They served us a Kerala Mini Meal for one afternoon and Kerala Thali on another day. Both were awesome with non-veg side dishes thrown in for Venkat and Viggy. They served fish, chicken and mutton for different meals.

Saajan @ the dining roomDinners mostly consisted of North Indian or Chinese. The Paneer Makhani; Mixed Vegetable; Dal and Phulkas were to die for. Gobi Manchurian and Veg Fried Rice were also yum. Shahid is the cook at Meenmutty Heights. He used to step out of his kitchen during breakfast to make the most delightful Masala Omelette on a huge iron skillet.

Vinny and Viggy ready to swim in the waterfallsThe resort offers an Ayurvedic massage facility. Set in those sylvan surroundings, I expected it to be the best experience there. Alas, it was pretty mediocre.

That's how it was most of the time :DThe brilliant blue swimming pool set deep down a valley appeared like a jewel from the top. Venkat, Vinny and Viggy had a blast there despite the cold, wet weather.

Venkat walking through the clouds @ Meenmutty ResortsThe best experience was walking through clouds. We could see clouds floating down from the skies and passing us by. Walking through them was just amazing.

I found this cute antique cupboard @ the receptionAll in all, it was a wonderful trip amidst nature; comfortable rooms; excellent service and delicious food that I didn’t have to cook. I couldn’t ask for more.

Travel: FAMILY TRIP DOWN SOUTH INDIA

Inside the Indigo flight - Vinny, Viggy & VenkatIt’s been years since the four of us in the family got to go on a long trip. As all of us are working, it took us a lot of planning to ensure that we could get away for a full week together. Venkat had been keen to go to Ooty for a while and that’s where we decided to go.

Yours trulyVinitha booked us on Indigo to and from Coimbatore International Airport, well in advance. She even pre-booked our meals. The plan was to leave Mumbai on June 13, 2015 and return on June 20, 2015.

Landed @ Coimbatore International Airport. Managed to click this pic before one of the attendants shooed us offOnce the tickets were booked, we checked out the hotels and sightseeing options in Ooty. That’s when we realised that there wasn’t much to do in the place unless one is ready to rush from one point to another. It was definitely not our cup of tea. 6D/7N in Ooty would have been too much.

I was lucky with this random click when we stopped on the way to WayanadLuckily for us, a few of Vinny’s friends visited our home. When they heard that we were planning a trip down south, Nitin suggested that we should go to Meenmutty Resorts / Meenmutty Heights (both are names of the same place), a resort owned by his uncle.

Scenic Route from Coimbatore to Wayanad via OotyWe checked their website, the distance needed to be travelled, etc and decided to go ahead. Meenmutty Heights is in Wayanad, Kerala. Though that’s a different state altogether, the property is actually very close to Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. We needed to travel only half an hour into Kerala before we reached Meenmutty Heights.

Tea Plantations - a close-upCoimbatore Airport to Ooty is 3 hours by road. Meenmutty Heights is another 3-4 hours further. It made sense to visit Wayanad first as longer hours of travel before a return flight from Coimbatore to Mumbai at 2.15 pm made no sense. That’s how we ended up planning to go to Wayanad first.

Luckily, there wasn't much rain despite the grey skies. Doesn't that look awesome?We booked two rooms at Meenmutty Heights paying a token amount in advance. This was for Bed & Breakfast from June 13-16, 2015. The plan was to leave Wayanad and travel to Ooty and stay there till June 20.

This is the view from behind Hotel Lakeview, OotyAfter checking out TripAdvisor and the respective websites, we zeroed in on three hotels in Ooty. Finally, it was Hotel Lakeview that we liked. We called the hotel and had two cottages booked, paying an advance there too.

The garden @ Hotel Lakeview, Ooty. The building houses the reception and restaurantYeah, Hotel Lakeview has only cottages – beautiful and comfortable. Since we booked three months ahead, we got two of the best cottages that were quite close to the reception and restaurant in the 8-acre property.

The tree with white flowers outside our cottages @ Hotel Lakeview, OotyIt was a week of fun, frolic, rest and rejuvenation with family. I must say that it was one of the loveliest trips that I have ever had.

SPOTLIGHT: THE DOVE'S LAMENT by Kirthi Jayakumar

..... IS A JOURNEY THAT TAKES YOU AROUND THE WORLD, BRINGING TO LIFE THE HUMAN SIDE OF CONFLICTS THAT TEAR PEOPLE APART.





EXCERPT 
The haunting images of people falling dead, as the flames of life were extinguished in a puff of smoke, danced before my eyes. I wanted to run. I wanted to shout. I wanted the pain coursing through my veins to end in a deafening blast. I wanted the dead back. The silence around was too loud for me. I couldn’t cope. Slowly, my dead-still surroundings started stirring and I became aware of the voices around me … some begging for mercy … some calling out to their loved ones … and what seemed perhaps, newly orphaned children crying piteously. I heard Death’s cape swish and flap in the sick winds that Murder blew. Images of corpses with a permanent scream locked into their faces were etched in my memory forever.
‘Habimana, Habimana, are you one of those faces?’ No!It cannot be.Pain shot up my left arm.I fell back in a stupor.Habimana … I know you are not dead … I will find you,wherever you are …Blood dripped somewhere.Blackness.
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About The Author
Kirthi Jayakumar is a writer, artist, activist and lawyer based out of Chennai, India. She is the founder of The Red Elephant Foundation and the A38 Foundation of International Law. Driven by the goals of peace and equality, Kirthi indulges in different mediums to express her dreams for the world around her. An optimist by ideology, an idealist by thought, a humanist by religion and an equal-ist by nationality, Kirthi is a global citizen. Her first book, Stories of Hope, earned her a nomination as one of among six Indian authors to watch out for, alongside the likes of Devdutt Pattanaik and Lavanya Sankaran.
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Book Launch: SCION OF IKSHVAKU by Amish

Read the first chapter Here
RAM RAJYA. THE PERFECT LAND. BUT PERFECTION HAS A PRICE. HE PAID THAT PRICE.

Scion of Ikshvaku 
by 
Amish Tripathi 

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Blurb 


3400 BCE. INDIA

Ayodhya is weakened by divisions. A terrible war has taken its toll. The damage runs deep. The demon King of Lanka, Raavan, does not impose his rule on the defeated. He, instead, imposes his trade. Money is sucked out of the empire. The Sapt Sindhu people descend into poverty, despondency and corruption. They cry for a leader to lead them out of the morass. Little do they appreciate that the leader is among them. One whom they know. A tortured and ostracised prince. A prince they tried to break. A prince called Ram.

He loves his country, even when his countrymen torment him. He stands alone for the law. His band of brothers, his Sita, and he, against the darkness of chaos.

Will Ram rise above the taint that others heap on him? Will his love for Sita sustain him through his struggle? Will he defeat the demon Lord Raavan who destroyed his childhood? Will he fulfill the destiny of the Vishnu?

Begin an epic journey with Amish’s latest: the Ram Chandra Series.

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Excerpt


Nilanjana sighed. She wasn’t even sure if the child would be a boy. But she wouldn’t risk the merest flagging of her mistress’ spirits. She administered some herbal pain relievers to the queen and bided her time. Ideally, the doctor wanted the birth to take place before midday. The royal astrologer had warned her that if the child was born later, he would suffer great hardships throughout his life. On the other hand, if the child was born before the sun reached its zenith, he would be remembered as one of the greatest among men and would be celebrated for millennia.
Nilanjana cast a quick glance at the prahar lamp, which measured time in six-hour intervals. The sun had already risen and it was the third hour of the second prahar. In another three hours it would be midday. Nilanjana had decided to wait till a half hour before noon and, if the baby was still not born,she would go ahead with the surgery.
 Kaushalya was stricken with another bout of dilatory pain. She pursed her lips together and began chanting in her mind the name she had chosen for her child. This gave her strength for it wasn’t an ordinary name. The name she had picked was that of the sixth Vishnu.
 ‘Vishnu’ was a title given to the greatest of leaders who were remembered as the Propagators of Good. The sixth man to have achieved this title was Lord Parshu Ram. That is how he was remembered by the common folk. Parshu means axe, and the word had been added to the name of the sixth Vishnu because the mighty battle axe had been his favourite weapon. His birth name was Ram. That was the name that reverberated in Kaushalya’s mind.
Ram… Ram… Ram… Ram…


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About 
Amish Tripathi
Amish is an IIM (Kolkata)educated, boring banker turned happy author. The success of his debut book, The Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Shiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen-year-old career in financial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history, mythology and philosophy, finding beauty and meaning in all world religions.

Amish has most recently written the Shiva Trilogy (The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas & The Oath of the Vayuputras), which have sold over a million copies in the Indian subcontinent since 2010. The books that he plans to write in the future are also in the areas of mythology & history.

Amish lives in Mumbai with his wife, Preeti and son, Neel.

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Film Review: DIL DHADAKNE DO

I am going with 6 stars for Dil Dhadakne Do!

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra, Shefali Shah, Anushka Sharma, Farhan Akhtar, Rahul Bose
Director: Zoya Akhtar

We wanted to go to this film as a family together and finally managed the 11 pm show last night at PVR Sion. The theatre was completely packed.

THE STORY

Kamal and Neelam Mehra are keen to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. A self-made Delhi businessman, Kamal’s company AyKa is facing problems. And their marriage is not what it appears to be. They had their daughter Ayesha (Priyanka Chopra) married off when she was 21 to Manav (Rahul Bose), a businessman from Mumbai. Ayesha sets up her own travel agency and is extremely successful. Kabir (Ranveer Singh) is the Mehras’ son who’s more interested in flying than in the family business.

The Mehras organise a cruise and invite their relatives and friends for a 2-week trip to Greece and Turkey. That’s where they plan to get Kabir’s marriage fixed to the Sood heir Noorie (Ridhima Sud), hoping that her father (Parmeet Sethi) would finance their business in return. But is Kabir or Noorie interested? What happens when Ayesha wants to divorce Manav? Watch the film to find out more.

MY PERCEPTION

The film is 2 hours 50 minutes long. It’s been a few years since I watched such a long movie. But I really don’t know where the time flew as the story kept me hooked from beginning till end. I was actually sorry when the film ended. It was a simple family drama with a bit of romance thrown in.

Anil Kapoor was perfect in his role as Kamal Mehra – a shrewd, self-made businessman; fitness freak and flirt. He has always been a good actor and this is probably his best performance.

Ranveer Singh brings a lot of energy to his roles. This one was no less and he was impressive as the Mehra heir and Ayesha’s younger brother.

Anushka Sharma was also good as dancer Farah who is Kabir’s love interest.

Farhan Akhtar has a small role that he has performed extremely well.

Rahul Bose’s character was completely irritating and he fit the bill to perfection.

Priyanka Chopra was amazing as Ayesha. Her eyes spoke volumes in the scene when she silently watches her brother telling their parents off for their self-centredness. The way she quietly puts up with the attitudes of her parents and mother-in-law while becoming a truly successful businesswoman is beautifully portrayed. A special kudos!

The cruise was lovely, the music perfect, the cinematography beautiful while all the other actors did their parts very well. The directing and editing have been done to perfection.

Aamir Khan narrates the film in the background as the voice of Pluto, the Mehra family dog. It was a cute and novel way of presenting the story. I liked it!

I have saved the best for the last. Shefali Shah – I have been to her reading of the book Gandhi, My Father before the release of the film by the same name. She was present at the book reading at Oxford Book House, Churchgate along with Akshaye Khanna and Gandhiji’s grandson Tushar Gandhi. Shefali Shah played the role of Kasturba in the film. I was too impressed by her reading a few pages from the book. I think she’s a very good actor.

But in Dil Dhadakne Do, her performance as Neelam was exemplary. The way she portrays high-society arrogance, her sarcasm towards her husband, her affection for her son, her frustration, her overeating nature because of the unhappy life she leads – I can go on and on. Shefali Shah deserves First Prize in this film.

Special congratulations to Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar for conceptualising such a wonderful film!

VERDICT: I am going with 6 stars for Dil Dhadakne Do while 5 stars have been the maximum I give my film reviews. Need I say more?


*Silly
**Shaky
***Smart
****Snazzy
*****Super
******Super-duper

Book Review: TAKE 2: SECOND CHANCE AT HAPPINESS by Ruchi Singh

I received a copy of Take 2: Second Chance At Happiness from author Ruchi Singh two days ago. The plan was to read the book during my holiday next week and give her a review on return. But I was hooked, the moment I opened the first page after downloading the book on my phone. I just read and read till I finished the book at 2.10 am.

THE STORY

(Courtesy: GoodReads )

Priya’s idyllic world turns upside down when she realises her husband considers her dead weight after stripping her off her inheritance for his ambitions and lavish lifestyle.

Instantly attracted to Priya, Abhimanyu knows getting involved with a married woman is inviting trouble. But despite common sense, cautions and hesitations, he is drawn to help her.

Happily ever after has become a myth for Priya and trying to keep the relationship platonic is becoming more and more difficult for Abhimanyu.

In the tussle between ethics, fears and desires... will Priya embrace a second chance at happiness?

MY PERCEPTION

I have read a number of short stories by Ruchi Singh on her blog I luv fiction and loved them. I had been keen to read her full length novel for a long time, but only got the time now. As I mentioned above, it was unputdownable once I began to read.

Priya is very young when her husband Sameer insists on divorcing her. He’s been cheating on her with other women and living off her earnings for a long time. But innocent Priya trusts him completely. Even when she finds out that he’s sleeping with model Jessica, Priya believes that it’s Jessica who’s got her claws into him and doesn’t realise Sameer is a selfish bastard.

While out with her friends, she meets Abhimanyu. He’s attracted to her from first sight and is shocked when he finds out that she’s married. Drawn to her despite the circumstances and everyone’s advice, Abhi helps Priya when she sets out to woo Sameer back.

Abhimanyu is a hotshot guy working in advertising; has won an award recently, is chivalrous, can cook and is a complete hero. He's simply adorable. It's no wonder that he plays a big role in healing Priya who has had a tough life so far.

The relationship between Abhi and Priya has been built beautifully. Priya seems weak in the beginning, but soon we realise that it’s because she’s young. She grows up fast and realises what kind of a cad her husband is. That’s when she files for a divorce.

I am not going to say much from this point on as I will let out spoilers. But the characters, sequences and the story has been built very well – from the good guys, to the bad guys, to the supporting characters, including Kitkat.

For a first novel, I must congratulate Ruchi Singh on spinning a wonderful story.

VERDICT: A must read if you like romances

Disclaimer: I received a free EPUB version of this book from the author in return for my honest review.



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About the author


Ruchi Singh is a novelist, and writes in two genres; romance and romantic thriller. She has a degree in Electronics Engineering and is a freelance IT Quality Consultant. She began her writing career writing short stories and articles, which have been published on various online forums. She has been a contributing author to many anthologies and has published her first book Take 2, which is a contemporary romance with a spice of social drama.

A voracious reader, her favourite genre is 'romantic thriller'. Besides writing and reading, her other interests include dabbling with Indian classical dance forms.

Check out Ruchi's Book Reviews on www.iluvfiction.com

To know more, visit her website: www.ruchisingh.in

Book Review: THE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND by Shilpa Suraj

I was very thrilled to receive a paperback of The Girl He Left Behind by Shilpa Suraj from the author on her birthday. She sent me a signed copy when I won it as part of a contest on Shilpa Suraj’s birthday.

Having read Shilpa Suraj’s second book Rescued By Love , I so looked forward to this – her first book.

THE STORY

Young Sia is heartbroken when Ryan leaves her suddenly – just when their love begins to blossom. It looks like he has disappeared from his life forever. Six years later, Sia is working as Romantic Fiction Editor at Trends Now; has been married and divorced too. Out of the blue, Ryan comes back into her life, all grown up, handsome and successful. Will the sparks fly yet again? Will ‘The girl he left behind’ accept him?

MY PERCEPTION

I loved the main characters – Sia and Ryan. Sia is a determined woman, keen to make a successful life for herself, despite a broken heart and a broken marriage. She’s definitely not going to allow Ryan to trample over her heart all over again. Her character is as real as can be – careless with her keys, changing her car tyre, having nightmares about her ex-husband, and more.

Ryan is your TDH hero that the reader can drool over. He has a horrid past. But despite that, he has made a successful life for himself – stuff dreams are made of. I love him. His anger and frustration at not being able to make Sia see his view point has been written beautifully.

Sia’s friend Minty is adorable and our heart breaks when her fiancé treats her abominably. Adarsh is extremely endearing. Of all the satellite characters, I liked Leena best. Sia’s mother Leena is your typical loving mother who helps heal Ryan. Don’t understand? Read the book to find out more.

The sequences, scenes and dialogues are all written very well and make the book an interesting read. But towards the end, I found the book dragging a bit. And considering that it’s a book published by a famous publishing house, I was surprised at the number of errors.

VERDICT: I will definitely recommend this one by Shilpa Suraj to all romance book lovers.



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Blog Tour: DELIRIUM By Sowmya Aji

Deliriumby Soumya Aji

A Harper Collins Publication
Sports, Love, Steroids... Will love win? 




My Review


The story is narrated in first person by Anjana Narendra. Anjana is in her early thirties and works as a journalist with National TV in their Bangalore office. She’s a go getter and is crazy about cricket. While trying to interview cricketers, she comes face-to-face with the Indian team’s vice-captain Avinash Katagi who’s also from Karnataka. They hit it off from the first meeting, despite his being a few years younger than her. And there is the small impediment – she’s married to Narendra.
She decides to forget him and get ahead with her life when her boss Mangal sends her after the cricket team to get a story on some of the members being drug addicts. Unable to get anything out of Avinash, Anjana chases a few other cricketers when one of them agrees to give an interview on the promise of anonymity. 
All hell breaks loose when the interview is relayed on National TV. What begins as a scoop of the year, takes on the makings of a nightmare for Anjana as the BCCI calls her for an interrogation. Unable to shake her up, they decide to threaten her company. Will the bosses let her continue in her job? And what about her relationship with Avinash? Is it worth breaking her marriage? What about him? Does he love her or is he just using her?
Delirium hooked me from the word ‘go’. Well thought out storyline, excellent narration and very real characters – the best combo a book could offer. And do not forget the apt title and lovely, colourful book cover.
SPOILER ALERT!!! – If you haven’t read the book , please do not read beyond this point.
Anjana is an independent woman who has always had her own way. She loves her job and is adventurous too. One is not surprised that she has an affair with Avinash, especially as she falls in love with him. She has a good relationship with her husband Naren, though it’s more of buddies than of a romantic nature. Naren is too nice to add much spice to her fun-loving life. 
Anjana is a powerful character who I could so relate to. The author probably based a lot of her mannerisms on her own experience as a journo. Kudos!

The scene I liked best was when she takes on the BCCI:
       ‘I am willing to swear an oath that Avinash Katagi was not my source. I have never discussed drugs or any cricketing matter with him. But I cannot tell you who my source is; that would be completely unethical.’       The board looked grim. I continued: ‘I will not give in to blackmail. I want to tell you all that it is against every journalistic ethic to reveal a source who has trusted you to keep his name under wraps.’       Then I fired one last salvo. Why should they be the ones to do all the firing? ‘I would also like to tell all of you respected board members that if you go ahead with your plan to suspend Avinash Katagi, I will call a press conference and say on record that his suspension is the blackmail tactic you tried against me.’       There was a stir in the room. The asses hadn’t thought that I would strike back. I continued, ‘I will tell my media friends that you tried to force me to reveal my source. I will tell them how you are aiming to destroy an innocent man without any proof, merely as a means to your ends. Then we’ll see who is right and what the country says.’
Avinash is real too! His relationship with Anjana that comes under question again and again – is so probable. As we read more and more of the book, we get to understand why he is what he is. 
The affair and love scenes between Anjana and Avinash have been handled very well. It would have been so easy for them to slide into a sleaze fest. I must congratulate the author for presenting them with class. 
Ratan Ghadge, Kartik, Mangal, Junaid, BCCI members, other cricketers, the hotel clerks, the taxi drivers and many other little characters that go into making a story complete, have all been fleshed out perfectly – not too much, not too little. 
What happens in the end? Well, the story has no end per se. It makes the reader reach her own conclusion about what happens to Anjana and Avinash and I think that’s the best way the novel could have ended. 
VERDICT: I am so glad that I got my hands on Delirium by Sowmya Aji and got an opportunity to read and review the book.  



Disclaimer: I received a PDF copy of Delirium by Sowmya Aji from The Book Club in return for my honest review
Blurb 


I was addicted. To him. 
Anjana Narendra just can’t keep her head straight when it comes to the nation’s heartthrob, cricket vice-captain Avinash Katagi. The mere sight of him sets the heart of this thirty-one-year-old television journalist pounding, and fills her stomach with butterflies. He seems smitten too – taking her out for romantic walks in the botanical gardens, appearing by her side when she has a road accident, knocking on her door in the middle of the night. Even as Anjana is swept off her feet into a whirlwind romance, the reporter within her sniffs out the biggest scoop of the season. All too soon, she is neck-deep in trouble with her bosses and the cricket board, struggling to make sense of the sordid world of steroids and celebs. Will Anjana give up the delicious young man she is hooked on to? And does she even want to? Sinful and alluring, Delirium is a heady cocktail of intrigue, temptation and betrayal.

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I love day-dreaming and my close friends in this endless activity include Hamlet, Howard Roark, Absolem, Miss Marple, Elizabeth Bennett, Katniss Everdeen, Holly Short, Sirus Black, Gimli and Septimus Heap.. occasionally, Saphira also :) Otherwise, I am a serious hard-nosed print journalist who writes about politics, social issues and culture.

I've spent most of my life reading and writing. I also love movies, dance, theatre, music, trekking, yoga. I tried my hand at Russian and French and remember Rooski Izink Nimnoga and je sais un peu de Francaise (I bet I got that wrong); but the latest language I picked up, Spanish, is very close to my heart, as I want to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Yellow Butterflies in Espanol. I speak, read and write three Indian languages - Kannada, Hindi, Tamil - and my masters is in English, so I obviously love language and communication.

I also love knitting and I hate cooking :) I'm trying very hard to be good at a new job - parenting - to my three-year-old, but boy, is that the toughest job!
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Author Interview: RUBINA RAMESH

Rubina Ramesh - Author, Blogger, Reviewer, MarketerHi Rubina,

Welcome to Flaming Sun - my blog; my space. I am glad to have you here and feel proud that I will be the first one to interview you.

To my readers,

Rubina Ramesh is ace reviewer, promoter. She has reviewed 300+ books on her website - www.rubinaramesh.com and interviewed 150 authors (including Yours truly).

Ms. Ramesh’s The Book Club  exists because “We promote so that you can write…” Since The Book Club was launched in November, 2013, they have conducted blog tours for 45 books from different genres. As we talk, TBC fan page has 1834 Likes - all of them organic. They have a pending list of 36 books that have blog tours lined up.

While a number of bloggers come together to read and review the books, TBC otherwise is a one-woman show, where Rubina Ramesh creates the spotlights; co-ordinates with authors & bloggers; promotes book reviews; guest posts and author interviews across 200+ social media platforms.

I bring you Rubina Ramesh….

Rubina: Thank you Sundari. This is my first official interview. Needless to say, I am damn nervous :) But also very excited.

Sundari: Tell us something about yourself - where you hail from; where all in the world you have lived in; your education; your work profile; your family…

Rubina: I am a world citizen. Originally from Ranchi, I think from the day I came out of Ranchi, I have never stopped travelling.  Before marriage it was within  India from Guwahati to Karnataka.

Then I married my childhood friend. We both come from different cultural backgrounds - him being Tam Bram and me a Bengali. It was an interesting, learning experience for both the families :D Now blessed with two kids,  Ritika and Ritvik, we have finally settled down in Phoenix, Arizona after travelling from UK to The Netherlands; and then Malaysia to Phoenix. Often I am asked why I don’t write a travelogue. Frankly speaking, if I don’t see another plane for the next ten years, I won’t shed a tear.

I always wanted to be a journalist and ended up in IT. After I completed my MBA from Liverpool University, I had envisioned a dynamic career but due to the H4 Visa rule, I had to say goodbye to my web designing career too. During one of my lowest moments in life - the writing bug revisited me. Thank god for that.

Sundari: “WAKE ME UP” is part of the anthology Marijuana Diaries - a collection of short stories based on addiction. I find yours very different  than the rest of the stories. How did you come up with the idea? Was it written exclusively for MD?

Rubina: Thanks Sundari, for appreciating my story. It was originally written for another anthology where fear was the theme. But when they asked me to pay for the story, I decided to withdraw. I have nothing against paid publication, but during that time I did not feel comfortable. When Paulami Duttagupta came up with this wonderful concept, I showed her my story and she did the honor of accepting my story. I kept the addiction as 'superstition', though some reviewers do feel that I did not comply with the theme. To me it was an addiction of superstition. The father’s addiction to superstition makes him sign a contract in blood. Which means - you part with your soul by giving the object you love most. In this case, it was his daughter.

Sundari: This is not the first story of yours that’s been published. Can you tell us about your other published works?

Rubina: My first story was published in an anthology called Writings From The Heart by Beth Ann Masarik. That story I first wrote when I was eight years old. It was once published in a local magazine. I remember an anecdote here. One army colonel wrote to me after reading that story, and asked me why I was so sad; if my mom was my stepmom. I was aghast and my mom was horrified. But today, when I look back, I think it was the biggest compliment I got as a writer :P

Then there were two short stories named Let me Go and You stole my Heart, both were part of Indireads first published anthology Long and Short of It . For personal reasons I hold Let Me Go very dear to my heart. Both the stories, I am turning them into novels. Fingers crossed :)

Sundari: You wrote your first work of fiction when you were eight. I am amazed. You are truly a born storyteller as I always believed. You review and promote other authors. But more than that, you are also a great storyteller. When should we expect to see a whole novel in your name?

Rubina: Haahah.. As soon as the publishers realize they cannot live without me :P and if they don’t realize it soon, Amazon will adopt me :D. But definitely by 2016.

Sundari: Please give us a short excerpt from your story Wake Me Up .

Rubina:

       Thinking the morning sunlight would disturb her sleep, she got up to close the window. The rusted latch was difficult to close but finally, she managed it. Turning around, she gave a scream of terror. Holding a lantern, her white face looking menacing, Swagata stood in the doorway, glaring at Arya. 
       “You didn’t come for dinner?” She asked, as if this action of Arya had cost her to fall into some kind of problem.
       “I wasn’t hungry.” Arya managed to say.
       “At this stage, you should eat properly.” Swagata looked up and down at Arya, her face a clear mask of disapproval at what she saw. 
       “You are too thin!
      This ashram was a madhouse. Arya couldn’t understand what Swagata meant by her statement. But then, nothing till now was making any sense either. 
       “I’m not hungry.” She murmured. “But I would like to meet your Acharya.” 
Swagata looked scandalized at this suggestion. “You can’t meet the Acharya so late at night.” 
      “But it’s urgent,” protested Arya. Moreover, she was planning to leave by morning. And she needed her answers before she left. 
       “No,” stated Swagata almost rudely and turned to leave. Then as if a thought occurred to her, she turned and looked at Arya, a look of regret making her face more grotesque. 
       “I wish it could have been different. I wish you could go away.” 
       Arya felt a cold shiver running down her spine. The ominous words played in her mind as she watched the retreating back of Swagata into the oblivion. 

Sundari: It’s not just Arya who must have felt a cold shiver down her spine. I am sure your readers will feel it to. I, for one, felt the heebies jeebies after reading your story. :D

Thank you so much Rubina Ramesh for gracing my blog and answering my questions. I am looking forward to reading your full-fledged novel. Inshallah, it will happen soon!

You can get in touch with Rubina Ramesh here:
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Buying Links for Marijuana Diaries: Stories of Addiction
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