Mayank Kashyap's Blog, page 3

THE BAFFLING STRIKE- Part II

Aditya announced the name of four employees, including Ankita and Sana, who were being considered for promotion. He informed them that the candidate would have to give a presentation and whoever’s presentation would be the best, that candidate would get the promotion.

This was the moment Ankita was waiting for, a chance to define herself as a successful working woman with a prestigious post.
She started working day and night behind her presentation. Everyone was in awe of her hard work. For new joiners, she was an inspiration and for successful old horses, she was a mirror.
Her mind was so occupied that her past stopped troubling her. The sleepless tormenting nights were changed to sleepless hard working night. She heard praises about her every now and then. By the time the official started comparing her with the icons of the company because comparing her with any other would have been a disrespect for her talent.
“Hey, where are you going?” Ankita asked Sana.
“Coffee”
“Bring a cup of coffee for me too, will you?” Ankita requested. Sana looked at her for a while.
“What?” Ankita inquired.
Sana shook her head, smiled and said, “Don’t you think you are torturing your mind and body. You need to relax.”
“This is important for me.”
“Wow, as if it’s a game for the rest of us.” Sana said, mocking at Ankita and giggled.
“In the meantime, I’m going to washroom.”
In the washroom she washed her face. She was tired because she had been working continuously for the past two weeks without many breaks. She deserved a good cup of coffee. She looked at herself, she looked old. Her skin looked dull and her eyes were encircled by prominent dark black rings. She looked at the eixtra layers of fat on her waist and thighs. In short, she was looking terrible. Her continuous hard work was taking a toll on her body.
“Just a matter of few days, soon my pretty face would be back.”She was happy with the way her presentation was progressing. Her presentation was going to be the best and she was sure. She was not over confident but she had actually worked really hard for it.
She looked at her image in the mirror and said,“I’m going to be a successful woman, a successful working woman.”
When she returned to her table, her eyes were filled with terror and she was aghast. All the papers of her presentation were missing. She looked all around her table but she found nothing. She started looking all around in panic like a lunatic.
“Shit, what’s wrong with you?” Sana asked in panic and hurriedly put the cup of coffee over the table and ran towards Ankita. She told her everything. They started looking at every possible place all around the office but it was a futile try. Finally, Ankita broke down. She leaned on Sana as she hugged her.
Suddenly her eyes fell on Roshan, there was a smile on his face.
You are making a mistake.Roshan’s line roomed inside her head and she knew who was behind the missing papers. Just one more day was left for the presentation and she had to do it. Thankfully, she had raw data saved on her laptop. She worked furiously whole night, a cup of coffee after a cup of coffee and so on. She turned into a machine which was working continuously and consuming coffee like its fuel. Till the morning almost eighty percent of her work was done. She was ecstatic, all over again.
“I still have the whole day.” She released a breath of relief. Suddenly her mind set changed and her eyes were filled with rage.
“That rascal will pay for it.” She thought.
In the office she went near the coffee machine and as she expected Roshan emerged with a crooked smile on his face. With a fraction of second Ankita threw her dupatta away and loosen her hair and started screaming on her loudest voice. She pulled Roshan towards herself and shouted,
“Help! Help! Move away you bastard.” 
Roshan was shell shocked and was unable to react. He was numb. Entire staff assembled within seconds. Seeing their condition no one asked anything they simply grabbed Roshan and started dragging him towards the manager’s room. Female staffs slapped him and males abused him. He was fired on the spot.
Though there was a guilt inside Ankita for her misdeed but she knew that this man needed to be stopped. He always tried to harass her and now he was trying to restrict her from the promotion.
Later in the evening Ankita cheerfully informed Sana that her presentation was completely done and she was ready to rock. Finally, after so many days she was not indulging herself into work instead she was standing in front of mirror grooming herself for the big day. The charm was back on her face though the extra fats needed time to go away. She googled local gyms for women so that she could enroll herself, work out and shed some fats.
The day of presentation,

Ankita practiced her presentation in front of the mirror and she was splendid. Her confidence was high. She applied mascara which complimented her green eyes. Her pink lips were decorated with magenta colour lipstick. She deliberately wore a push up bra to make her breast look more firm and attractive. Though she had put on some extra fats but still that was not looking bad. Her fair and flawless waist looked delicate when she wore a low waist saree. She looked majestic and sexy. She knew today every man was going to get hard inside their pant after seeing her and those rascals would also piss in their pant after seeing her presentation.
The four candidates were sitting on their respective chairs. Ankita was given the third slot whereas Sana got the fourth one. Sana looked terrified.
“What’s wrong? Don’t get so nervous you’ll be great.” Ankita assured Sana.
“Actually, there is a reason why I’m scared.” Sana said and Ankita raised her eyebrows.
“You know number four is very, very unlucky for me. This number has always troubled me. Can we exchange our slot? Please.”
Ankita smiled and said,“That’s it. You are worrying for no reasons.  Let me talk to Aditya sir once. I have no problem.”
Ankita knew she was prepared and her slot is not going to matter anything.“You still behave like a small girl.” Ankita teased Sana.
“By the way you are looking hot today.” Sana said and winked.
“Does your boyfriend know that your sexual preferences are swinging?” Ankita said, narrowing her eyes and they giggled.
Ankita asked the manager to change her slot with Sana.
“Are you sure?” Aditya quizzed.
“Yes, sir”
“Ok then if you don’t have any problem then why should I have any?” Aditya said with a smile on his face.
Sana was ecstatic, excited and most importantly, she looked different as if she was possessed. Her eyes sparked and looked completely different. Ankita was confused after seeing a sudden change in Sana but she decided to concentrate on her presentation.
The presentation of the second candidate got over and it was Sana’s turn. Ankita wished her luck and she smirked. Ankita was taken aback by her behavior. As soon as Sana started her presentation Ankita was frozen and shocked. Ankita kept looking at her with her numb eyes. Sana was giving the same presentation which was stolen from her.  She felt stabbed and felt a jolt inside her as if someone has punched her hard. She felt helpless and slowly tears started flowing from her eyes.

Sana’s presentation was over and no wonder everyone was impressed. Everyone was clapping for her and the same claps felt like a slap in the face to Ankita. 
To be continued....

THE BAFFLING STRIKE- Part I

Rascals! All men are rascals.
The only reason why Ankita started doing a job was to move on in her life, to forget her past though it was not easy. After all, when someone’s husband tries to rape his wife along with his friends, it gives severe wounds. Thankfully, she escaped that day but what about the wounds of her heart. Even law was not an option. She knew that bustard will get away with it. If you rape your wife then that’s your right but if you slap her then that’s home violence. Ankita was still to find out the logic behind this theory given by the Indian government. Is slapping more hazardous than rape?
Before joining the office, she knew that she would face more rascals there and she was not entirely incorrect. Some men were rude and arrogant, some were nice gentlemen and some were pervert. She believed that those who were rude think women as an inferior race and a slave. Those who were nice gentlemen were fake and they just wanted to get inside her panty after inpressing her and those who were pervert being looking for a chance to rape her.
On the top of the list of perverts lies Roshan Mehra, her immediate supervisor. He never left any chance to peek inside her cleavage while standing next to her table, sometimes he used to rub his body against her body and sometimes he brushed his hands against her back. Ankita felt disgusted. She wanted to slap him hard but the way he used to touch her always seemed accidental and it was difficult for her to pinpoint something.
The number of females were less in the office and out of then there was only one with whom Ankita was close, Sana. They used to sit next to each other. The only reason why Ankita was befriended to Sana was because she was a female. They used to talk in the break time and sometimes between the works too. Ankita even told her about the obnoxious behavior of Roshan and Sana felt pity for Ankita. She always gave her mental support and was always by her side no matter what happened with Ankita.
Amid these things Ankita kept doing the thing which she did the best, hard work. Among all the employees Ankita’s position was always highly rated and she was regularly praised for her work and determination. Two months ago, she even won half yearly best employee award. ....The board room filled with the sound of clapping and all the seniors were on their feet as soon as Ankita finished her presentation.
“We all are very proud of you. You are the future of this company.” Aditya Saxena, the manager of the company said.
“Thanks a lot sir but to be honest, Sana has helped me with the data of the production unit. This was not possible without her.”
“Oh! I see but that was just a small part the major things were done by you, all alone” The manager went on,
“Anyway, congratulations to you too Sana. If you continue working under her like this even you will shine.”
“Sir, but we have same rank.” Ankita interrupted.
“I know that and I was not exactly talking about the rank. It’s something else. I hope you guys understand what I mean to say.”
Ankita looked at Sana and passed an apologetic smile.
“It’s ok and you don’t have to feel sorry about this.” Sana replied happily and hugged Ankita.
Promotions were round the corner and Ankita’s hard work made her the top pick between authorities and every single employee.
Ankita was taking a cup of coffee just then she realized that Roshan was standing behind her. This was the place where Roshan tried to touch her most of the time.
“You know promotions are round the corner.”
“Yes, I know, sir.” Ankita replied and started walking away.
Roshan immediately held her hand and said,“I can make sure you get the promotion only if…”
“I don’t need anybody’s help I’m working hard for it and I know I’ll be rewarded. If not this time, then certainly the next time.”
“You are making a mistake mind you.”
“How will you guarantee a promotion, sir?” Sana, who was standing near the entrance said in a harsh tone.
“That’s none of your business.” He shouted back.
Sana looked deep into his eyes and softly said,“Please enlighten me, sir” and Roshan walked away.
Ankita immediately hugged Sana and started weeping.
“Thank you so much.” Ankita said and Sana brushed her hairs to comfort her.
To be continued.......

OPERATION JAI MATA DI ~ BOOK REVIEW

Genre:       Thriller
Publisher:  Smashwords edition

Book Jacket:

In a daring midnight operation by armed men, over 10,000 pilgrims are taken hostage en route to the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi, a popular Himalayan religious-tourist destination in the troubled state of Jammu & Kashmir in Northern India. The hostage-takers threaten to shoot pilgrims every day, unless the incumbent Government accedes to their demands.

With the largest Hindu festival of Diwali just around the corner and elections less than six months away, the Government at the center is under immense pressure to act. What will the Government do? The army? The intelligence agencies? The common man?

No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Who are these men? Is there a larger plot? Faced with such unprecedented events, will the country descend into unimaginable anarchy or will it rise above the issues of collective apathy and greed that have plagued it since Independence?

Book Review:

Operation Jai Mata Di is the debut work of Pratik Shah. For his first published work the author has done a reasonable job. Though, there is a lot of scope for improvement but still it’s qualified to be called as a decent work. His writing is to the straightforward and crisp. The author has tried his best to make an impactful debut but I believe he falls short.
The story gyrates around the mountains of Maa Vaishno Devi, where almost 10,000 pilgrims are being held captive by terrorists. They want the government to fulfil their demands or else one by one they will shoot down the devotees. Which terrorist organizations do they belong to is still a mystery or are they?
The story line is intriguing and will keep the readers bounded. The description of the place is up to mark and I can say this because every year without fail, as a true devotee, I have visited this place for the last ten years and this was also one of the reasons why I was looking forward to read this book.  Author’s command over the story was great and admirable.
Nevertheless, even if the narrative is honest and intriguing, the spot is practically inconceivable. The restriction and norms will never permit such a great number of devotees at the sights. Some of the scenes are disturbing or I should better say degrading. There are minor loop holes in the story here and there but then you can easily ignore it.
I would not say that it’s not a good book but yes, it could have been better. For me it doesn’t fall in the fiction genre because I would categorize it as a Fantasy.  Readers will not be disappointed after reading this book. Read this book for its description and thrill.

RATED: 3/5 

Circle Of Fate By Prita Warrier - BOOK REVIEW

Publisher: AmaryllisPages:       288Genre:      Fiction
BOOK JACKET:
Devaki lives in Kerala, confident in the hope that one day her only son Naresh will return from the States. Instead she gets a call from her granddaughter Sheela informing her of Naresh's death. Sheela comes to India to visit Devaki. This is Sheela's first visit to India. 
She knows that her father has been estranged from Devaki and is determined to know the reason.

BOOK REVIEW:


To be very honest with all my readers, there are few publishing house whom I really trust and Amaryllis is one of them. It’s not that I have read every book of this publishing house but so far there is no bad experience.
Circle of fate written by Prita Warrier is her debut work and for her first book, she has done an exceptional job. Her writing is mature, calm and beautiful. It’s hard to believe that it’s her debut book.  She has successfully blended various emotions  in the story.
The story starts with Sheela, who lost her parents were killed in a road accident. She started to feel alone in her own country i.e. America and so she decided to come to her grandmother, Devika in India. Devika on the other hand was waiting for her son Naresh unaware of the fact that he was dead. The America-returnedhad a tough time in adjusting in a small village in Kerala.  Just when the two women were getting comfortable with each other, in the course of finding her root, Sheela stumbles upon some informations and after knowing Devika’s story she was disturbed further.
The story revolves around Devika, the protagonist. Her character is intense, mysterious and composed. Her character is well bounded and her representation is perfect.  Sheela on the other hand is aggressive with her emotions and sometimes flow away with the situation. Though the character of Naresh is not alive from the very beginning  but he has given a considerable amount of footage and his parts are good.
The story is a perfect blend of sorrow, anger, hate and redemption. Though these are all negative emotions but in this story it really works well. The descriptions are perfect, especially the way the author has shown the village. The way she describes the places and character is as good as real. Though this is a work of fiction but it looks real. The way this book ends will definitely leave the readers thinking for a while, that means this is going to stay with you.
The pace of the story is slow and sometimes it proceeds with a crawling speed which may be not liked by many readers. The story is very serious and not all readers will find this handy.
Overall, I believe it’s a kind of book which you would like to read when you are relaxed and want to spend a day reading book but if you are looking for fast read with some fun and romance then this is not your book. Though this book is slow but it’s effective and capable enough to stay with you for a long time.  It needs courage to write such stories and the author has done it with perfection. Definitely worth reading. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the book.

RATED: 4/5

An Interview with the Best- Selling Author of Half-Life : M H RAHMAN

KNOW HIM: M H Rahman, 24, is many a thing at the same time. Primarily a blogger and a hobbyist writer, he wrote a fan-fiction called The Vampires In My Diaries (of the original US TV SHOW, The Vampire Diaries). Rahman's debut international fiction/thriller, HALF LIFE, was released on September 1, 2014 and is now a BESTSELLER on NewsHunt.Rahman recently laid the foundation of his very first Start-up called B' Busters N Busted. Being the Founder/CEO of B' Busters N Busted- an e-media outlet, Rahman will be personally interviewing some rare talents of the world while narrating their success stories in a different way.He also started his band recently called The B.A.N.N.E.D Indians and on Januray 1, 2015 they released their first music album called HALF LIFE (named after Rahman's debut novel) on soundcloud. The music album is based on the theme and characters of the bestselling novel. INTERVIEW:
1) What inspired you to start writing this book?
Ans. JK Rowling inspired me to write stories. She gave us the best childhood fantasies through Harry Potter. As for this book (HALF LIFE), let me first clear the doubt that many have... this book was not inspired by the popular computer game by the same name or Chetan Bhagat’s Half Girlfriend :P ;) 
Back in 2008, I was watching this movie called HALF LIFE (which I couldn’t finish by the way), which got me thinking all about this term “HALF LIFE”. From that day onwards, I have had long, deep thoughts about what all it could mean: an incomplete life, a ghost, a half living-half dead human and that’s when the supernatural theme struck me and I spun the whole story around it.
2)What is “THE B.A.N.N.E.D INDIANS”?
Ans. THE B.A.N.N.E.D INDIANS is my musical band that I co-own with Sheen Shamshad. I’m essentially the song-writer for our band while Sheen is the composer and the singer. We formed this band when he approached me with a proposal to create a Music Album on my novel's (HALF LIFE) theme and characters. And let me tell you that this guy is really talented.
If you listen to this Reborn song music (which is the theme song/music for HALF LIFE book as well as HALF LIFE music album), it gives you these goose-bumps. When I had first listened to it, in that very moment I had made up my mind that I had to work with him on this project.
For the past few months, we have been busy with our first music album which is also called HALF LIFE after my bestselling book. We have released the first song, “Reborn” on soundcloud, reverbnation and youtube. The other songs will be released soon. Besides, our band has decided to create music and songs for all my books in the future.
3) Writing or Music, which one you prefer most?
Ans. That’s a pretty tough one to answer. I can’t choose. I have been singing even before I started writing. If writing is my heart, music has been my soul. And I would not be alive without either of them. This was one of the primary reasons why we formed THE B.A.N.N.E.D INDIANS so that I could stay connected to both at the same time J
4) Do you have any nightmare?
Ans. Yes, I guess it’s odd but I have nightmares quite often. There’s this one which I have since childhood. I watch myself falling from the top of a giant  ferris-wheel. And just before I am about to hit the ground, I wake up... panting for breath.
Besides, sometimes I also have nightmares where I’m trying to outrun vampires and werewolves who are trying to hunt me down. And a year ago, I had a weird nightmare and it intrigued me so much that I’ve decided to turn it into one of my stories. Well, now you know it’s not just the protagonist (of my book HALF LIFE) Parker Williamson who has trouble sleeping due to nightmares ;) :P
5) Parker dreams of his property but what does M H Rahman dream of?
Ans. Hahaha! I see where this is going ;) I dream of The Vampire Diaries actress, Nina Dobrev :) <3
But on a serious note, Mayank... DREAMER is that ONE word that could describe me entirely. I have reveries, dreams and often nightmares too. I dream of a lot of things. HALF LIFE was my dream. THE B.A.N.N.E.D INDIANS was a dream for me too... to be able to contribute to the music world. And now, I dream of this world being a much better place to live than it is now. I dream of making some contribution to the society and this is where my start-up, B’ BUSTERS N BUSTED comes into play.
6) How long it took you to write this book?
Ans. HALF LIFE took me just about a year to write but I had been working on the plot since I was in the 12thgrade(2008). All this time I spent on researching about the supernatural background of the plot... also the locations I would set the story in and with each passing year, the twists kept piling up, the number of characters grew. And then I spent an awful amount of time eliminating the loopholes the story might have and perfecting the narration.
7) You recently launched your 1st start up- B’BUSTERS N BUSTED, www.bbusternnbusted.com What is it really all about?
Ans. B’ Busters N Busted (3B) aims to share the FAILURE STORIES as our tagline goes, Behind every SUCCESS, there’s a FAILURE. Apart from such stories, we cover the stories of women in our society who are paving their own path of success but do not get recognized for the same. Most people are scared of failure and this stops them from even trying. We aim to take away this fear by telling the world that it’s okay to fail… you only have to be successful once.
8) B’BUSTERS N BUSTED’s tag line says "Behind every success, there is failure”. So, how many times you faced failure in the process of getting this book published?
Ans. Fortunately or unfortunately, I just applied to 3 publishing houses and two of them rejected it.
9) Your blog, www.thevampiresinmydiaries.blogspot.in received a great response, especially from the lovers of “The vampire diaries”. What pushed you to write a parallel and different version of “The vampire diaries: Season 5”?
Ans. Yes... to my amazement it has received a really great response and what delights me even more is the fact that it all started out as part of an experiment. The Vampire Diaries (TVD) writers regularly have long discussions where each of the writer shares his/her own idea as to how the story could move forward. And that one storyline or theme is selected which is in accordance with or more relevance to the ending of the show that the creators of the show have in mind.
I moved in the direction where Silas isn’t Stefan’s doppelganger and I sent it over for the production crew. Obviously, they were clear with their own idea of TVD Season 5. So, I put up this alternative plot/storyline as Fan-fiction in public domain for my friends and the TVD fans to enjoy a parallel version of TVD Season 5.
10) Any plans to take this blog further?
Ans. I’m so delighted that the blog and it’s official Facebook and Google Plus page have been doing so very well. Besides, I am often asked questions like- is The Vampires in my Diaries (TVMD) returning? Are Stefan and Damon dead? Will you write a TVMD Season 6? Well, it’s too early to make promises but YES, I am definitely woking on it’s NEW SEASON. To all my friends and fans out there, I just wanna say that 'guys, you never know what surprises 2015 has in store for ya'!!
11)Any plans for the next book?
Ans. Of course, I do want to keep writing more books because there are so many Supernatural Thrillers yet to be told. But as of now, I can’t tell you exactly when my next book would come. I have been busy with two book projects right now.

One of them is a story of a cursed town named CROSSVILLE (which is also the title of the novel). And the second one is a quartet (four book)-series titled, IMMORTAL BLOODLINES (#1.The Hunt #2.The Chase #3.The Feed #4.The Kill) , which I like to call my dream project.
12) Advice to budding writers?
Ans. To all those budding writers out there, I just want to say that please don't write for others, please don’t write for money or fame... but write it for yourself because that is what will keep you going even in the face of adversity, rejection and/or skeptic reviews. Additionally, I'd like to quote what one of my author friends once told me, "write the story the way you want to hear one". I wish ya all the luck in the world! :)
Connect with MH RAHMAN:Facebook: www.facebook.com/authormhrahmanTwitter: wwww.twitter.com/authormhrahmanEmail: dropyourloveforrahman@gmail.com

HALF-LIFE By M H Rahman : Book Review

Publisher:      Frog BooksNo. of Pages: 198Genre:            Fiction-Thriller
Book Jacket: Parker Williamson has a dream to win back his lost property which had been allegedly seized by his Uncle, George Williamson, a few years ago. But besides this dream, a nightmare troubles his night s slumber quite often. 

In his nightmare, he sees two kids playfully drowning a ten month old baby in the swimming pool. Parker believes this nightmare to be one of his childhood memories but his father, Stanford Williamson, persistently denies. 

Meanwhile, this frightening nightmare is finding evidences of reality. New enemies have emerged all of whom have their own motives to want Parker dead. On the fateful day, when Parker is on his way to the courthouse to fight his dream case against his uncle, he meets with a major road accident.

Half Life is a one of its kind story of Lies around Truth, Betrayal around Trust, Vengeance around Honor, Enemies around Family and Envy around Love. 
Book Review:
Half Life written by M H Rahman is the debut book  of the author and  for his first book he  has done an exceptional job. His writing is edgy and impactful. I hold no qualms in declaring that M H Rahman has arrived in a great way in the literature world.  The way in which he has handled the story is almost perfect and the way in which he has described everything is praiseworthy.
The story gyrates around Parker Williamson, a lawyer by profession, who had a dream to win back his lost property.  Just like a coin, his dreams also had two faces and the other side is a nightmare. He sees two kids playfully drowning a ten month old baby in the swimming pool.When everything thing was falling in its place suddenly  a major accident happens and he loses everything. When his mission to win back the property was successful, he comes face to face with his nightmare.
The character of Parker is bang on. He  is perfect and engaging. The entire book revolves around him. He is a lawyer, friend, son and a lover boy in short a complete package. Nyah is sweet and adorable. She sleeps with her teddy which makes her more lovable. The other characters like George and Roselyn are also good in their places.
The pace of the story is perfect and the plot is arousing and will definitely keep the readers on their toes. It’s nor entirely a love story neither a thriller completely. This book is a perfect blend of emotions, love, thriller, rage, trust, pain and vengeance. The descriptions are so perfect that you can actually imagine each and  every scene in front of your eyes. The length of the book is just perfect and the readers will be forced to turn pages one after another. For me the best part about this book is that the story is constantly progressing with twist and turns. There was NO LOW POINT in the story.
There is nothing wrong with this book. Just a little more finishing at some part and brush up and then this author can do wonders.
I believe this “Half” is better than the other “Half” which is storming in the market these days, just because the writer of that “Half” is famous beyond limits. Half life will surely not be a disappointment for any reader.  Read it for the suspense and emotions filled inside the story and most important read it for the honest and extra ordinary efforts of the author, In short IT’S A MUST READ.
Rated:4.5/5

Dear Rainfall

My dear rainfall,Please allow your first dropTo fall on my beloved’s face.It shall bring colossal pleasureAnd a sense of freedom to her.She is as pure as your first dropAnd her heart is as luminous as you.In her ecstasy lies my happinessAnd in her smile lies my life.I beg you to fulfil my wishA wish which shall bring exhilaration in my life.When you fall on her faceTravel along her soft cheeksTo touch her lips.So that she can even taste youAnd I shall find my sanityAfter kissing her contented lips.Just like you bless these leavesJust like you bless these landsBless my beloved and wash away her sorrows.My dear rainfall,Please allow your first dropTo fall on my beloved's face.

HAPPILY MURDERED - Book Review

I don’t know but am I the only one who is thinking that the market is getting flooded with murder mysteries these days? Well to be honest I’ve no qualms atleast the market is not flooded with college romance. So, coming back to the point, among this crowd of murder mysteries, “Happily murdered” is like a breath of fresh air.
Happily murdered is the debut book of Rasleen Syal and for her debut book she has done an exceptional job. Her writing is lucid and sharp. This book is a perfect blend of narration and storytelling and the author’s grip overt the story is commendable with no beating around the bushes and bang on approach.
Gulab sarin was ecstatic but later she was found dead on her wedding night. Prime suspects of her murder are her in-laws, her husband, her friend and ex-lover, all living under one roof. Where some have a solid purpose other have some small issues with Gulab but what makes the whole case complicated was the fact that everyone is having their own reason to kill Gulab.
There were too many characters and all of them had their own share of limelight and every one was convincing. The characters looked culprit and innocent at the same times. For me the character of Ned and Sara were the most interesting one.
The best and the most unique part of the book is that it doesn't focuses on police investigation or some sharp minded over the top intelligent detective (which is common in every single book). The command in the story is in the hands of the suspects and they are the one who are finding the true murderer among them. The story line is engaging and conspicuous. The language is perfect and so as the flow. I loved the parts in which the soul of Gulab was talking to the readers though it always reminds me of “I am red” which was my first murder mystery but then these are two different books and no comparison.
There are too many characters and there is inter-personal relation between all of them. At times it looks deliberate and but it added a lot in the suspense factor. The story goes little dramatic at times and the reason behind that murder is not very convincing but it doesn't mean it was senseless or ineffective, it was indeed on an emotional side and perfectly manages to convey the pain hiding behind. There are some minor flaws which can be ignored easily.

Overall, I believe it’s a very entertaining book with every possible element inside it, be it pain, romance, thrill or confusion. This is a must read book for thriller fans and even not-so-thriller-type-readers will find this book interesting. This book is definitely worth reading.  
RATED- 4/5

Break-up to Make-up

A blemished relationship is the most hazardous thing one can have in their life. It’s better to have no relationship rather than having a spoilt one. But then no relation means, no loved ones. No matter how much we curse, no matter how much we fight but if it’s a true love than there is no way we can stay apart. Practicality and logics, you can go to hell.Call it amateurish, bond or whatever you want to but then even a contemplation of break-up is tormenting. After all, true love is all about being vulnerable and surrendering yourself.Love is a bond which ties two heart or may be, just may be it’s a disorder which makes us weak, as we are not strong enough to part away or to live alone.So, here are some ground rules that I've laid down for myself when fighting with my loved ones:     v  Silence kills, it is the most annoying thing according to me. Whatever it is, just talk it out rather than suppressing it. Someday, it will burst like a volcano, destroy everything and will leave no scope of reunion. Remember, whenever you speak your mind, there will be a clash, one more fight but that would be the last one and after that there will be love and only love.Talk about your problems and issues and give your partner a fair chance to understand you in a better way. So, just talk it out. Unless, you are drunk, of course.
   v  Before saying anything ruthless, just remember that you are confronting the person you admire and love the most, you can’t afford to lose them.
   v  Don’t divert from the objective. Focus on the present topics rather than pulling out topics from the past between the fight, it will do nothing good except to complicate the whole thing. Try not to give references from the past. So, just let bygones be bygones.
   v  Don’t take your partner for granted. Never ever in your wildest dream try to think that you can say anything or do anything with your partner and he/she will take it. Never forget your partner may walk away if you are crossing your limits. Love is not about being a punching bag or a full time slave.
   v  You may never know but your gesture and posture, may be intimidating. Don’t push your partner or point finger or stomp towards him/her.  That’s rude and scary. So, always check your body language.
   v  Listen. Listen what your partner is trying to say. Atleast, give him/her a chance to explain. Don’t do all the talking by yourself. May be your understanding is partially or may be completely wrong. Just because you think it’s wrong, it doesn’t mean that it’s actually wrong.So, listen to your partner for once atleast without being judgmental.

Dead In A Mumbai Minute - Book Review

Genre: ThrillerPages: 320Publisher: Pan Macmillan India
Book Jacket:
Reema Ray is a rare combination of beauty and brains. She is a brilliant sleuth who had once impressed the eccentric security professional Shayak Gupta. Reema is given a case in Mumbai – a murder case, of an Ashutosh Dhingre, a former assistant of the Bollywood superstar Kimaaya Kapoor, whose fame is on the decline. Ashutosh was found dead in Kimaaya’s private island. The suspects happen to be the house guests and Kimaaya herself. Reema also learns that Kimaaya was in a relationship with Shayak in the past. Shayak keeps disappearing very often and Reema finds this very unusual. This case is assigned to Reema by the firm Titanium, where Shayak works in. How is all this intertwined? Does Shayak have anything to do with the murder? Will Reema be able solve the case of the year? Find out the answers and more in this page-turner mystery novel.
Book Review:

It’s the season of murders and arrival of this book is like adding more cream on the cake. Dead in a Mumbai minute is the second book of Reema Ray mystery series written (wonderfully) by Madhumita Bhattacharyya. It’s very rare to see a narrative in a murder mystery and I believe it’s not an easy thing to do but the author has done a near perfect job. Her writing is engaging and lucid and the book is written in a very comfortable English.
A murder takes place in a private island of Bollywood diva Kimaaya Kapoor. Security expert Shayak Gupta along with his new recruit Reema Ray jumps on the scene to find the murderer. When Reema was slowly getting attracted towards her boss, she learns of Kimaayas’s past relationship with Shayak.
This book is not a riot of events. Initially the pace is slow but as the story progresses the flow gets going. The narration looks effortless and praiseworthy. There is a lot of suspense which will keep the readers intact with the story.
This book is an unfinished business and this is the biggest drawback for the “impatient and curious” readers (like me). Now I have to wait for the second part to know who was the murderer, why it happened, etc. etc. There are some low points in the book but then it doesn’t last for more than two or three pages every time it comes.
The character of Reema Ray is well built. She perfectly resembles a low grade detective who lands in the case of the year. She was foody and with foods comes her intelligence. Shayak was sharp and mysterious, nowhere near to any real person but intriguing indeed.
Thankfully the number of characters were well controlled and there was no unnecessary crowding unlike make other thriller book. If you can handle a murder mystery in parts then go for this book.
Overall, I believe it’s a good book with fine blend of mystery and humour at parts and worth reading. (HELL! I WANT THE SECOND PART. HAVING A TERRIBLE FEELING IN MY STOMACH. SECOND PART PLEASE.)

Rated- 3.5/5