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The Art of Being Grateful & Other Short Stories
Aashna receives a mysterious phone call in the middle of the night. The caller is a girl who says she has been kidnapped and will die if Aashna doesn't help her. Before Aashna can get details about the girl and her whereabouts, the phone gets cut off. Who was she and why did her voice sound eerily familiar? Will Aashna be able to help her?
Maanvi's life has always been about making everyone around realize that she is worthy too. From her test grades to her body type, everyone always had a piece of advice to give or some judgement to pass. How does Maanvi get affected by these? Does she manage to prove her worth to the world?
These and six other stories in this collection covering a range of genres including romance, mystery, horror, thriller and much more. Delve in for a delightful reading journey!
Maanvi's life has always been about making everyone around realize that she is worthy too. From her test grades to her body type, everyone always had a piece of advice to give or some judgement to pass. How does Maanvi get affected by these? Does she manage to prove her worth to the world?
These and six other stories in this collection covering a range of genres including romance, mystery, horror, thriller and much more. Delve in for a delightful reading journey!
- GenresShort Stories
62 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2020
8 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Manali Manan Desai
11 books56 followersManali is a full-time freelance writer and editor cum blogger. Currently, apart from her ad hoc writing and editing assignments, Manali runs a blog where she shares poetry, short fiction, book reviews, and personal stories. She is a co-host for a monthly blog hop under #EveryConversationMatters, which has a different social message theme (sustainability, mental health, politics, et al) for each hop. She also hosts a weekly show #AuthorCollaborative every Friday on Instagram, which she has been doing for the past four years, having completed 140+ episodes and interviewed 100+ authors on it. In her authoring journey, Manali has had eleven books published under her name. Manali’s short story, The Walls Have Ears, helped her bag the Best Short Story Award in 2019 at Stories from India by Ukiyoto Publishing. She has also won the Best Author: Fiction Award at Cherry Books Awards, and the Book of The Year title in 2021 at BeTales Magazine Annual Awards, for her debut novel, Love (Try) Angle. Her short story titled, The (Un)Blind Date, which is a part of her Christmas special anthology, Under the Mistletoe & Other Stories, won the best story prize in an online contest by smitawritespen.com. Her second novel, Love & (Mellow) Drama helped her win Best Author of the Year at Authoropod Magazine Annual Awards '23. She also won the Best Romance Author at Authoropod Annual Awards’25, for her short stories collection Heartstrings and Harmonies. You can find Manali on all socials as A Rustic Mind.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 146 reviews
March 5, 2021
A bunch of flowers as in the cover
This is a cherished collection of short stories with the delight add on of some best poems of the times.. the ones related to the pandemic...
This is a cherished collection of short stories with the delight add on of some best poems of the times.. the ones related to the pandemic...
January 20, 2021
A short read with stories that will engage & enlighten you to the prevailing back drop of every individual life. Every story will leave you pondering over the depth of the narrative and you may relate to some of them definitely.
Burdened against the unrealistic moral compass of society we often forget that it is our journey & battles not the society’s that we care for so much. Choosing our happiness over others seems criminal enough as it is ingrained in our consciousness through our upbringing.
Here the author through her short stories,some anecdotes, thought provoking questions and my favourite part of the book the couplets in form of tiny tales/poems urges you to look beyond the boundaries/borders we have set for ourselves. Some stories may seem cliched but so are the norms we are living by. Must read book if you prefer to read short stories.
Burdened against the unrealistic moral compass of society we often forget that it is our journey & battles not the society’s that we care for so much. Choosing our happiness over others seems criminal enough as it is ingrained in our consciousness through our upbringing.
Here the author through her short stories,some anecdotes, thought provoking questions and my favourite part of the book the couplets in form of tiny tales/poems urges you to look beyond the boundaries/borders we have set for ourselves. Some stories may seem cliched but so are the norms we are living by. Must read book if you prefer to read short stories.
October 9, 2020
This was an eclectic collection of short stores where some of them hit me hard and twisted my heart with its poignancy and some left me wanting it to be developed further.
My first book by this author, human psyche and the emotions surrounding it was explored. Subtle and blatant and the shades in between were well captured by the author.
Each story had a surprise in it interweaved with its emotions. Snippets of life were captured each of them had something to say.
It was obvious the author was an observer of life as it was reflected in the stories. An easy read at 60+ pages, it was clear in its prose and poignant in its emotions.
My first book by this author, human psyche and the emotions surrounding it was explored. Subtle and blatant and the shades in between were well captured by the author.
Each story had a surprise in it interweaved with its emotions. Snippets of life were captured each of them had something to say.
It was obvious the author was an observer of life as it was reflected in the stories. An easy read at 60+ pages, it was clear in its prose and poignant in its emotions.
October 13, 2020
Book- The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories
Author- Manali Desai
Format- Amazon Kindle
Length- 63 pages
Rating- 4/5
Review-
Manali Desai’s “The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories” is a collection of 8 short stories that will finish just when you get connected to the story. The stories are based on contemporary love, semi-thrillers, self-help and one on LGBTQ.
Title of the stories are:
1. Warned in Love
2. The Art Of Being Grateful
3. Unlike in movies
4. Self-happiness over all
5. As you please
6. A fairy tale Christmas
7. Love is in the air
8. No witnesses
Each stories were equally good at their own level. I liked the way the author has added quotes at the end of each story, it makes the stories more beautiful. Thumbs up to the cover of the book. I feel the title could’ve been something different. Nevertheless, you would finish reading the book at one sitting. The way of writing of the stories were lit! The language used were easy to understand. If I had to choose one from the 8 stories, I would definitely vote out ‘The Art Of Being Grateful’.
‘Gratitude’ to Manali Desai for giving me a chance to read this. It’s an amazing light and quick-read that I finished over a cup of evening coffee. Have a read!
Author- Manali Desai
Format- Amazon Kindle
Length- 63 pages
Rating- 4/5
Review-
Manali Desai’s “The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories” is a collection of 8 short stories that will finish just when you get connected to the story. The stories are based on contemporary love, semi-thrillers, self-help and one on LGBTQ.
Title of the stories are:
1. Warned in Love
2. The Art Of Being Grateful
3. Unlike in movies
4. Self-happiness over all
5. As you please
6. A fairy tale Christmas
7. Love is in the air
8. No witnesses
Each stories were equally good at their own level. I liked the way the author has added quotes at the end of each story, it makes the stories more beautiful. Thumbs up to the cover of the book. I feel the title could’ve been something different. Nevertheless, you would finish reading the book at one sitting. The way of writing of the stories were lit! The language used were easy to understand. If I had to choose one from the 8 stories, I would definitely vote out ‘The Art Of Being Grateful’.
‘Gratitude’ to Manali Desai for giving me a chance to read this. It’s an amazing light and quick-read that I finished over a cup of evening coffee. Have a read!
July 24, 2020
Review of The art of being grateful and other stories by @a_rustic_mind
Thanks, @a_rustic_mind for the review opportunity of the book
The art of being #Grateful is a collection of short stories which talks about trust, adoption, faith, and others.
The book talks about the real difference between friendship and love between the opposite genders.
The importance of self-love and happiness over others such as satisfying people.
Gratefulness is very important especially in a critical situation such as #COVID19. Being #Grateful and expressing #Gratitude is an art.
Thanks, @a_rustic_mind for the review opportunity of the book
The art of being #Grateful is a collection of short stories which talks about trust, adoption, faith, and others.
The book talks about the real difference between friendship and love between the opposite genders.
The importance of self-love and happiness over others such as satisfying people.
Gratefulness is very important especially in a critical situation such as #COVID19. Being #Grateful and expressing #Gratitude is an art.
February 11, 2021
It is a short story collection of 8 beautifully crafted tales of love and loss, suspense, insecurities etc. Then there is a bonus read at the end, which is even more interesting.
All the stories were so honestly presented that you will be transported to that world. Each story starts with a poster, which is in line with the theme and there is a blurb. So it was really exciting even before you hop into any story.
Though I loved all the stories, "As you please" stuck with me. I mean it was such a simple story with a simpler narration between a mother and her daughter. But it was so powerful. I really felt that I need to stop this practice that we, women, always focus on only others happiness and we are left behind. It made me a little sad and guilty.
All the stories were so honestly presented that you will be transported to that world. Each story starts with a poster, which is in line with the theme and there is a blurb. So it was really exciting even before you hop into any story.
Though I loved all the stories, "As you please" stuck with me. I mean it was such a simple story with a simpler narration between a mother and her daughter. But it was so powerful. I really felt that I need to stop this practice that we, women, always focus on only others happiness and we are left behind. It made me a little sad and guilty.
December 1, 2020
Name : The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories
Author: Manali Desai
Format: Kindle E-book
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“THE ART OF BEING GRATEFUL & OTHER STORIES” is an anthology of eight short stories and a few microtales and poetry. Each of the stories had me thinking and I found myself reflecting upon those. The message conveyed through the short stories helps us reflect upon our own beliefs about love, friendship, happiness, expectations etc.
At the start of each of the short story there is a summary of it. Although each of the stories won’t take more than a few minutes but by the end of it you would be left thinking about the message coveyed through it. I personally loved “Self happiness above all” which made me realise that we often do things what others expect of us not what makes us happy. We lose ourselves in the process of shaping ourselves to other people’s expectations. What I love most about the book is that in the end of every story there are a few lines outlining the message in the story.
The language is simple and writing is lucid. The stories are fast paced and keeps you engaged. I love the fact the author has used simple english which i think is very efficient for short stories as it keeps the reader hooked without having to search meanings of unheard words.
I quote one of my favorite lines from the book:
“The problem is that we always feel that when something good happens it is because of us, but if something goes wrong, we immediately jump in to blame people or circumstances”
Author: Manali Desai
Format: Kindle E-book
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“THE ART OF BEING GRATEFUL & OTHER STORIES” is an anthology of eight short stories and a few microtales and poetry. Each of the stories had me thinking and I found myself reflecting upon those. The message conveyed through the short stories helps us reflect upon our own beliefs about love, friendship, happiness, expectations etc.
At the start of each of the short story there is a summary of it. Although each of the stories won’t take more than a few minutes but by the end of it you would be left thinking about the message coveyed through it. I personally loved “Self happiness above all” which made me realise that we often do things what others expect of us not what makes us happy. We lose ourselves in the process of shaping ourselves to other people’s expectations. What I love most about the book is that in the end of every story there are a few lines outlining the message in the story.
The language is simple and writing is lucid. The stories are fast paced and keeps you engaged. I love the fact the author has used simple english which i think is very efficient for short stories as it keeps the reader hooked without having to search meanings of unheard words.
I quote one of my favorite lines from the book:
“The problem is that we always feel that when something good happens it is because of us, but if something goes wrong, we immediately jump in to blame people or circumstances”
August 21, 2020
I read this beautiful little book, The Art of Being Grateful and Other Stories a few days back. It's a short book which can be read in about an hour. The short stories touch diverse topics, but are woven around the Core Topic of Relationships. They are short and crisp, yet effective in conveying the message. I love reading short stories because they are able to satisfy us in lesser number of words and the stories in this book just that!
Although it's a quick read, it makes us contemplative at times.
Perfect book for people looking for an easy yet good read!
Although it's a quick read, it makes us contemplative at times.
Perfect book for people looking for an easy yet good read!
August 29, 2021
Hey, everyone
I’m the author of this book. I hope you guys enjoy reading it. Do give it a try. I look forward to your thoughts about it.
Take care, stay safe. And happy reading:)
I’m the author of this book. I hope you guys enjoy reading it. Do give it a try. I look forward to your thoughts about it.
Take care, stay safe. And happy reading:)
April 9, 2021
QOTD: Which was the book which helped you immensely in building reading habit? See my answer in the comments below.
Book: The Art of Being Grateful and other stories
Author: Manali Desai
Genre: Short Stories
Format: Paperback
Pages: 65
Rating: 4.5/5
This book is a collection of short stories and very very short stories. I really appreciate that through every story has a very positive message which can help the reader become a better person and shape the personality for betterment. I feel author has shared her musings by writing such pensive and thoughtful stories. I enjoyed all the stories. Especially, the ‘bonus reading’ section at the read was like a cherry on the cake.
“Gratitude is riches, complaint is poverty”
I really appreciate the efforts of author of writing such engaging stories which make a deep impact on the lives of readers by molding the personality in a positive way.
The language is really easy, flowy and lucid. The writing style is engaging. The story telling is such that it raises the curiosity of reader and keeps glued. Characters are well sketched. Dialogues beautifully penned down. The pictures given at the beginning of each story are really cute and need special appreciation. The blurb given at the beginning of each story made the story even more interesting. The words of wisdom are beautifully weaved in short stories.
The cover page is really attractive and it has a calming effect too. The Title is also very captivating. The book is named after one of the short stories in the book. The Paperback quality is really good. Moreover, the way whole book is designed needs a special appreciation.
I would like to read more books written by the author.
If you love to read and appreciate short stories, with a zing of poetry, which have little suspense and something good to teach , which will help in forming very positive personalities, then this book is for sure for you! Happy Reading!
#bookreviews #bookstagram #bookreview #books #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booksofinstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #booknerd #bookish #bibliophile #reading #bookreviewer #booksbooksbooks #bookblogger #book #bookcommunity #booklovers #bookshelf #bookaholic #goodreads #review #bookrecommendation #bookclub #reviews #bookreader
Book: The Art of Being Grateful and other stories
Author: Manali Desai
Genre: Short Stories
Format: Paperback
Pages: 65
Rating: 4.5/5
This book is a collection of short stories and very very short stories. I really appreciate that through every story has a very positive message which can help the reader become a better person and shape the personality for betterment. I feel author has shared her musings by writing such pensive and thoughtful stories. I enjoyed all the stories. Especially, the ‘bonus reading’ section at the read was like a cherry on the cake.
“Gratitude is riches, complaint is poverty”
I really appreciate the efforts of author of writing such engaging stories which make a deep impact on the lives of readers by molding the personality in a positive way.
The language is really easy, flowy and lucid. The writing style is engaging. The story telling is such that it raises the curiosity of reader and keeps glued. Characters are well sketched. Dialogues beautifully penned down. The pictures given at the beginning of each story are really cute and need special appreciation. The blurb given at the beginning of each story made the story even more interesting. The words of wisdom are beautifully weaved in short stories.
The cover page is really attractive and it has a calming effect too. The Title is also very captivating. The book is named after one of the short stories in the book. The Paperback quality is really good. Moreover, the way whole book is designed needs a special appreciation.
I would like to read more books written by the author.
If you love to read and appreciate short stories, with a zing of poetry, which have little suspense and something good to teach , which will help in forming very positive personalities, then this book is for sure for you! Happy Reading!
#bookreviews #bookstagram #bookreview #books #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booksofinstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #booknerd #bookish #bibliophile #reading #bookreviewer #booksbooksbooks #bookblogger #book #bookcommunity #booklovers #bookshelf #bookaholic #goodreads #review #bookrecommendation #bookclub #reviews #bookreader
July 21, 2020
Book Name - The art of being grateful and other stories
Length - 64 Pages
This book is a collection of short stories and a quick read which has 8 beautiful short stories along with a bonus reading where language is lucid enough for any reader to understand. Let me first tell you that this book is for the readers of all age group.
Cover page and other photos in this book is very creative and beautiful. I would like to mention and appreciate the effort of Khushi Chauhan for this. It is very creative, amazing and thoughtful.
Apart from those 8 short stories, there is something called “bonus reading” which I have throughly enjoyed reading. It was like an icing on the cake. Very thoughtful and a brilliant idea. It shows the different creativity of author.
Out of those 8 short stories, which is based on different story line, background, characters etc, I personally liked “Unlike the the movies” because it was totally a different and a fresh idea, “self- happiness above all” as this is much relatable story in the society and reader can easily connect to them, and “No Witness” because I was speechless the way this was narrated or written. It shows the strong will power of author to develop such a powerful character. Amazing. Simply brilliant!
I liked this line from the book “We’re all so result-oriented and hesitant to take blames.”
Only thing which I didn’t like in this book is the typo or some small mistakes like error in chronology of year in the story “Self - Happiness above all” and typo in the name of protagonist in “Unlike in the movies” but never mind, this can be ignored and heard it is getting corrected in latest version/edition.
It was a great and quick read. Best wishes to author for next book.
Length - 64 Pages
This book is a collection of short stories and a quick read which has 8 beautiful short stories along with a bonus reading where language is lucid enough for any reader to understand. Let me first tell you that this book is for the readers of all age group.
Cover page and other photos in this book is very creative and beautiful. I would like to mention and appreciate the effort of Khushi Chauhan for this. It is very creative, amazing and thoughtful.
Apart from those 8 short stories, there is something called “bonus reading” which I have throughly enjoyed reading. It was like an icing on the cake. Very thoughtful and a brilliant idea. It shows the different creativity of author.
Out of those 8 short stories, which is based on different story line, background, characters etc, I personally liked “Unlike the the movies” because it was totally a different and a fresh idea, “self- happiness above all” as this is much relatable story in the society and reader can easily connect to them, and “No Witness” because I was speechless the way this was narrated or written. It shows the strong will power of author to develop such a powerful character. Amazing. Simply brilliant!
I liked this line from the book “We’re all so result-oriented and hesitant to take blames.”
Only thing which I didn’t like in this book is the typo or some small mistakes like error in chronology of year in the story “Self - Happiness above all” and typo in the name of protagonist in “Unlike in the movies” but never mind, this can be ignored and heard it is getting corrected in latest version/edition.
It was a great and quick read. Best wishes to author for next book.
October 3, 2020
Detailed written review of " The Art of Being Grateful and other stories " (@a_rustic_mind )
Genre - Fiction(Short stories)
Rating - 4.5/5
Are you grateful for your life? And what does being grateful is meant to you?
This book is a collection of eight short stories. These short stories are fictional, yet when you are reading all of these stories, you feel like you've heard something like this has happened or you might have seen or it might happen to you!.
.
.
All of these eight stories talk about self-love, being grateful for your life that you are living, about pleasing others, and a lot more.
.
.
The author's writing is lucid. There are just sixty-eight pages in it so, it is a short and sweet book. You can read this book in an hour.
.
.
The author maintained the plots of all the stories balanced. The content in the book is on point in the sense it is not too fast-paced nor slow-paced so, you will enjoy it alot.
Manali Desai(@a_rustic_mind )is an Indian Author. Trust me!She made me fall for her writing.
.
.
I liked these short stories from this book:-
.The Art of Being Grateful
.Unlike in The Movies
.Self-Happiness Above All
.As You Please
.A Fairly Tale Christmas
.Love in the air
.No Witnesses
These are my favorite short stories from this book out of all.
.
.
Each story is so beautiful, absolutely no words about it.
As I already told, the author amazed me with her writing style.
The narration is also good.
.
.
The format of the book is Kindle (e-book). If they had the physical copy, I would grab it immediately.
I want to appreciate the designer of the cover page of the book and not just that before every chapter there is a picture related to it.
They had designed them so beautifully.
.
.
Overall an incredible read for me in terms of the narration, writing style, stories, e.t.c
An incredible book
so do an outstanding buy!
Follow @priyaraosaladi on Instagram for more
-Reviews under a minute
-Detailed written reviews
-Book sales updates
-For motivational and inspirational posts with an element of fun into them
DM for queries!
#FABbyPriyasaladi❤️
Genre - Fiction(Short stories)
Rating - 4.5/5
Are you grateful for your life? And what does being grateful is meant to you?
This book is a collection of eight short stories. These short stories are fictional, yet when you are reading all of these stories, you feel like you've heard something like this has happened or you might have seen or it might happen to you!.
.
.
All of these eight stories talk about self-love, being grateful for your life that you are living, about pleasing others, and a lot more.
.
.
The author's writing is lucid. There are just sixty-eight pages in it so, it is a short and sweet book. You can read this book in an hour.
.
.
The author maintained the plots of all the stories balanced. The content in the book is on point in the sense it is not too fast-paced nor slow-paced so, you will enjoy it alot.
Manali Desai(@a_rustic_mind )is an Indian Author. Trust me!She made me fall for her writing.
.
.
I liked these short stories from this book:-
.The Art of Being Grateful
.Unlike in The Movies
.Self-Happiness Above All
.As You Please
.A Fairly Tale Christmas
.Love in the air
.No Witnesses
These are my favorite short stories from this book out of all.
.
.
Each story is so beautiful, absolutely no words about it.
As I already told, the author amazed me with her writing style.
The narration is also good.
.
.
The format of the book is Kindle (e-book). If they had the physical copy, I would grab it immediately.
I want to appreciate the designer of the cover page of the book and not just that before every chapter there is a picture related to it.
They had designed them so beautifully.
.
.
Overall an incredible read for me in terms of the narration, writing style, stories, e.t.c
An incredible book
so do an outstanding buy!
Follow @priyaraosaladi on Instagram for more
-Reviews under a minute
-Detailed written reviews
-Book sales updates
-For motivational and inspirational posts with an element of fun into them
DM for queries!
#FABbyPriyasaladi❤️
October 28, 2020
Lovely collection of short stories
Short stories are so charming, aren't they? In a couple of pages they are able to grasp you in their world but one does feel sad, when the stories are so good but they had to end quickly since they were short in nature!
Manali Desai's collection of short stories titled "The Art of Being Grateful and Other Short Stories" , contains tales and anecdotes, which are exactly like that.
This book contains eight delectable short stories with a bonus reading section containing a number of thoughtful snippets. All the stories are based on ordinary circumstances of human life and act as a mirror which reflects the changing nature of time and emotions.
But as the title suggests, the eight main stories focus mainly on gratitude, it's inculcation and misconception that we have. The most common one being that we need to have something good happen to us to be grateful. We aren't grateful just for the sake of it. Also when something good happens we attribute it to us but when something bad happens we blame the circumstances and people, don't we? So yes, talking about gratitude is easy but practicing the art of being grateful is a bit tough.
All the stories are complete in itself and I was satisfied with the way the author ended each of the stories. Also, she had attached some additional links at the end which redirected to some of her other writings and those acted like a cherry on top.
The bonus reading section which had some snippets of 3-4 lines each were also interesting to read. Some made me think while some made me laugh. They were just wonderful!
Ultimately I loved reading this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend this to anyone who loves reading and is the perfect read for winters with a nice cup of hot chocolate maybe.
Short stories are so charming, aren't they? In a couple of pages they are able to grasp you in their world but one does feel sad, when the stories are so good but they had to end quickly since they were short in nature!
Manali Desai's collection of short stories titled "The Art of Being Grateful and Other Short Stories" , contains tales and anecdotes, which are exactly like that.
This book contains eight delectable short stories with a bonus reading section containing a number of thoughtful snippets. All the stories are based on ordinary circumstances of human life and act as a mirror which reflects the changing nature of time and emotions.
But as the title suggests, the eight main stories focus mainly on gratitude, it's inculcation and misconception that we have. The most common one being that we need to have something good happen to us to be grateful. We aren't grateful just for the sake of it. Also when something good happens we attribute it to us but when something bad happens we blame the circumstances and people, don't we? So yes, talking about gratitude is easy but practicing the art of being grateful is a bit tough.
All the stories are complete in itself and I was satisfied with the way the author ended each of the stories. Also, she had attached some additional links at the end which redirected to some of her other writings and those acted like a cherry on top.
The bonus reading section which had some snippets of 3-4 lines each were also interesting to read. Some made me think while some made me laugh. They were just wonderful!
Ultimately I loved reading this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend this to anyone who loves reading and is the perfect read for winters with a nice cup of hot chocolate maybe.
August 10, 2020
Book: The Art of Being Grateful
Author: Manali Manan Desai
Pages: 62, Ebook
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟3.7/5
The Art of Being Grateful is a collection of 8 beautiful short stories and then threre are some poetry and quotes, as bonus reading, in last some pages. I thought they were really good. I especially liked the moral written at the end of each story.
I loved two stories in particular, titled as "Warned in Love" and " No Witnesses". The first one had a thrill in it and I'm always a little up for them. No Witness was emotional. Self-Hapiness Above All was also amazing. We sometimes forget about the happiness of our loved ones and ourselves just so we can please others. Each story has a lesson to teach us.
I read the author's previous book and comparably, this one was a great improvement. There were only few errors but overall it was an enjoyable read.
Author: Manali Manan Desai
Pages: 62, Ebook
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟3.7/5
The Art of Being Grateful is a collection of 8 beautiful short stories and then threre are some poetry and quotes, as bonus reading, in last some pages. I thought they were really good. I especially liked the moral written at the end of each story.
I loved two stories in particular, titled as "Warned in Love" and " No Witnesses". The first one had a thrill in it and I'm always a little up for them. No Witness was emotional. Self-Hapiness Above All was also amazing. We sometimes forget about the happiness of our loved ones and ourselves just so we can please others. Each story has a lesson to teach us.
I read the author's previous book and comparably, this one was a great improvement. There were only few errors but overall it was an enjoyable read.
September 17, 2020
"The Art of Being Grateful & Other Short Stories" offers you some food for thought. By her fluid writing, Manali Desai gives us some bite-size everyday philosophies conveyed through recreations in the fictional world. Dealing with a range of subjects, each story has something profound in terms of the content it offers. The best surprise of her writing is not the fictional stories themselves but the corresponding research behind the topics chosen. And for all the poetry aficionados, she has a short poems for readers, making the read soothing and pleasurable.
If you are looking for a light yet interesting read, something which provokes you to think life through a different lens, then definitely pick this one up. A small read but extremely impactful.
Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:
1. "And in that practice of gratitude and acceptance of what comes along, whether success of failure, and of the support of people, lies the key to gratitude and being grateful, which is everything, but rarity."
2. "Had I burdened my own with expectations of those who themselves had no expectations from me?"
If you are looking for a light yet interesting read, something which provokes you to think life through a different lens, then definitely pick this one up. A small read but extremely impactful.
Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:
1. "And in that practice of gratitude and acceptance of what comes along, whether success of failure, and of the support of people, lies the key to gratitude and being grateful, which is everything, but rarity."
2. "Had I burdened my own with expectations of those who themselves had no expectations from me?"
December 25, 2020
In the times we live, it has become quite difficult to look for positivity even in the worst of situations. And that's where our character is determined and tested to the core.
The book is a collection of various short stories with the central message of being grateful to what we have and power of self love. It conveys to its readers how essential it is not to rely on others and being independent and complete in his or her own self.
Just like other books of author, I find the creativity quotient quite high in this work as well. Before the initiation of every tale, a picture with a little summary of what is going to come is given. Also at the conclusion, links are mentioned that reverberates similar kind of sentiments. Surely, a smooth read.
The book is a collection of various short stories with the central message of being grateful to what we have and power of self love. It conveys to its readers how essential it is not to rely on others and being independent and complete in his or her own self.
Just like other books of author, I find the creativity quotient quite high in this work as well. Before the initiation of every tale, a picture with a little summary of what is going to come is given. Also at the conclusion, links are mentioned that reverberates similar kind of sentiments. Surely, a smooth read.
October 10, 2020
From the beginning of my journey as a reader – I read short stories and then made my way towards novels. This book is a collection of numerous short stories. These stories speak about many issues of the society that needs to be addressed - coz its high time now.
I liked how the language and words used were lucid Brilliant morals and some amazing plot-line left me awestruck. The genre of these stories were - Thriller, Suspense, LGBTQIA+ and Self help.
Some of my favorite story was Love is in the air. Oh boy, I didn’t see that kind of ending coming my way!
If you are in mood for some light reads / are looking for short stories – this is definitely something you should try.
I liked how the language and words used were lucid Brilliant morals and some amazing plot-line left me awestruck. The genre of these stories were - Thriller, Suspense, LGBTQIA+ and Self help.
Some of my favorite story was Love is in the air. Oh boy, I didn’t see that kind of ending coming my way!
If you are in mood for some light reads / are looking for short stories – this is definitely something you should try.
November 3, 2020
Contemporary short stories
This book is a collection of fifteen to twenty short stories and micro tales. Each story is different from the other and are set in the contemporary society. They are mostly taken from the life of ordinary people who took baby steps towards a better future. Each story ends with a moral and they take hardly 2 to 3 minutes to read. Recommended to everyone who wants to read something short and light. Can be best enjoyed after a crisp thriller or a dystopian fiction.
This book is a collection of fifteen to twenty short stories and micro tales. Each story is different from the other and are set in the contemporary society. They are mostly taken from the life of ordinary people who took baby steps towards a better future. Each story ends with a moral and they take hardly 2 to 3 minutes to read. Recommended to everyone who wants to read something short and light. Can be best enjoyed after a crisp thriller or a dystopian fiction.
October 21, 2020
A beautiful read.
The art of being grateful & other stories by Manali Desai is definitely a must read if you love reading short stories. The books also contains some tiny tales.
Every story has a dedicated art associated with it which is beautiful. All stories have a positive and hopeful ending.
The art of being grateful & other stories by Manali Desai is definitely a must read if you love reading short stories. The books also contains some tiny tales.
Every story has a dedicated art associated with it which is beautiful. All stories have a positive and hopeful ending.
February 13, 2021
A well written stories and stuffs for readers of all kind, irrespective of gender, age, likes etc.
Almost all genres like romance, thriller, mystery etc are included. This is a beautiful if u read it with an active mind.
1. Warned in Love
2. The Art of Being Grateful
3. Unlike in Movies
4. Self happiness above all
5. As you Please
6. A Fairy Tale Christmas
7. Love is in the Air
8. No Witnesses
And some things called "bonus readings".
All the book has a beauty that could be explored by the reader.
However, I personally loved all the stories.
For a book lover, the matter of sélection is not only the content but also, the cover, its style etc. I must say, it's cover is beautiful. The work is very aesthetically created one. Don't miss this.
Almost all genres like romance, thriller, mystery etc are included. This is a beautiful if u read it with an active mind.
1. Warned in Love
2. The Art of Being Grateful
3. Unlike in Movies
4. Self happiness above all
5. As you Please
6. A Fairy Tale Christmas
7. Love is in the Air
8. No Witnesses
And some things called "bonus readings".
All the book has a beauty that could be explored by the reader.
However, I personally loved all the stories.
For a book lover, the matter of sélection is not only the content but also, the cover, its style etc. I must say, it's cover is beautiful. The work is very aesthetically created one. Don't miss this.
October 7, 2020
"The Art Of Being Grateful" is a collection of 8 short stories with around 65 pages.
Each story has a blurb at the start which gives you a brief idea about the story. There are different genres ranging from thriller to romance. The stories are written in a very easy language which makes the reading even quicker. The characters are so simple and we can connect to them easily.
The cover could have been a little better but overall it doesn't matter since the stories grab all the spotlight.
Though this was a short one, it was really a good and engaging book!
Each story has a blurb at the start which gives you a brief idea about the story. There are different genres ranging from thriller to romance. The stories are written in a very easy language which makes the reading even quicker. The characters are so simple and we can connect to them easily.
The cover could have been a little better but overall it doesn't matter since the stories grab all the spotlight.
Though this was a short one, it was really a good and engaging book!
January 27, 2021
This book is a small read with 7 short stories of different genres. There were many small write ups featured in the book. I really loved each story and enjoyed reading it.
One of my favorite stories is The Fairy Tale Christmas. I recommend this book to everyone who loves reading short stories.
One of my favorite stories is The Fairy Tale Christmas. I recommend this book to everyone who loves reading short stories.
March 13, 2021
The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories by Manali Desai is a collection of eight micro tales. The very first story will make readers know the beauty and thrill of reading short stories. The author has a way with words that can keep readers hooked. The narration is lucid and the language used in the book is easy to understand and intriguing.
~The author has written beautiful poems at the end of each story.
~Each story starts with a beautiful picture and a little blurb of the story itself.
~My favourites from the collection would be-
🌻Warned in Love
🌻Self-Happiness Above all
🌻No Witnesses
~Towards the end of the book there is a section called "Bonus Reading" where the author has in very fewer words narrated a story equivalent to a full-fledged novel.
~The author has written beautiful poems at the end of each story.
~Each story starts with a beautiful picture and a little blurb of the story itself.
~My favourites from the collection would be-
🌻Warned in Love
🌻Self-Happiness Above all
🌻No Witnesses
~Towards the end of the book there is a section called "Bonus Reading" where the author has in very fewer words narrated a story equivalent to a full-fledged novel.
July 25, 2020
Manali's new anthology is a fun lunch-hour read. The author calls them short-stories, I'd beg to differ and call them anecdotes. That doesn't take away the feel-good factor from them, by any means!
She deals with various themes like family, love, friendship, parenthood, etc. The book also has a bonus read section of flash fiction and poetry, leaving the reader with a smile. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to read something light, cheerful, and uplifting during these dark times.
She deals with various themes like family, love, friendship, parenthood, etc. The book also has a bonus read section of flash fiction and poetry, leaving the reader with a smile. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to read something light, cheerful, and uplifting during these dark times.
July 20, 2020
This book is a collection of 8 short stories
As an add on there are also some very short stories at the end of the book for bonus reading.
Every story begins with a blurb giving the Readers an idea as to what they can expect from the stort. They are also accompanied by very beautiful pictures.
There are also poems at the end which make the experience even more enriching.
The stories are all different ranging from a wide variety of genres.
There's Romance, thriller, lgbtq and much more.
The language used is simple and is very comprehendible.
It's the beauty of manali's writing that she projects the most ordinary things in the most Extraordinary ways.
These stories are visible to the naked eye but don't leave an effect on their hearts.
To manali these things mean the most and that's why she writes about them - to make it more presentable and attractive through her words.
As an add on there are also some very short stories at the end of the book for bonus reading.
Every story begins with a blurb giving the Readers an idea as to what they can expect from the stort. They are also accompanied by very beautiful pictures.
There are also poems at the end which make the experience even more enriching.
The stories are all different ranging from a wide variety of genres.
There's Romance, thriller, lgbtq and much more.
The language used is simple and is very comprehendible.
It's the beauty of manali's writing that she projects the most ordinary things in the most Extraordinary ways.
These stories are visible to the naked eye but don't leave an effect on their hearts.
To manali these things mean the most and that's why she writes about them - to make it more presentable and attractive through her words.
July 22, 2020
Quotes:- “So, one last time, I need to be the one who takes you home”
▪
“As the heir to billions of years of life perpetuating itself, you can perpetuate life in turn. You have been endowed with a sense of sympathy-the ability to like, love, respect, help, and show kindness”
▪
Instead of thinking, “I am what I am today, because of me, my good deeds and my hard work” we should rather think, “I am what I am today, because of me, because of my good and bad experiences and because others helped me along the way”.
▪
" We’re all so result-oriented and hesitant to take blames"
▪
Book:- The Art Of Being Grateful and other Short Stories
▪
Author:- Manali Desai (@a_rustic_mind)
▪
Page count:- 61
▪
Book Description: The book contains of little stories in the end and the 8 amazing main short stories in the start :-
1. *Warned In Love* This story has a weird title but it turns out to be super mysterious in the end. The story made me think so much and left a few unanswered questions in the end. It us basically about Aashna, a girl who was sleeping peacefully at night when she receives a mysterious call of a girl which had the same voice as hers!
Grab the book to know more!😁
▪
2. *The Art Of Being Grateful * This story just changed my perspective about gratitude and life.
It revolves around the protagonist, Sakshi who starts thinking about her life after seeing a tweet of an old couple who travel a lot of countries just by running their tea shop. Things get awkward around herand she feels like she us not grateful towards what life has given her but you know, parents always make us feel better and so her parents told their story to make her understand what gratitude to life actually means.
▪
3. *Unlike In The Movies* This book was so sweet! The title is so apt! What can I even say!
So,this is about the two childhood bestfriends, Tanvi and Mayank who did everything with each other from playing to studying. All their relatives teased them that they may have feelings for each other but everytime they said a big NO. Because they didn't want to ruin their friendship. Read the book to know more!
▪
4. *Self-Happiness above all* This story's cover is just sooo pleasing!
Talking about this story's plot,it revolves around a girl Maanvi's life and what she experiences throughout her life. She always realised that people around her were very judgemental which made her feel uncomfortable. But in the wnd when she has her child, she burdens her up with her expectations.
▪
5. *As You Please* This story talks about always how women sacrifice themselves and change their tastes when she gets married. This story, starring Ria, a girl who loved Gajar Ka Halwa with a lots of ghee and garnishing, easily changed her taste when she got married. But then her mother realises that she also adapted herself quickly as she got married and that's the reason why the title is AS YOU PLEASE.
▪
6. * A Fairy Tale Christmas* This story has a little boy, Kris who enjoys the fairy tales and stories which were read out by her mother and he thoroughly enjoyed them. But this christmas night, Kris wasn't able to believe himself and was totally shocked.
▪
7. *Love In The Air* This story starring the protagonist, Prerna,who was a complete introvert and was about to travel her first solo trip. Though she didn't want anyone to even see her, someone unexpected taps on her shoulder. Lets read to know more!
▪
8. *No Witnesses* This is a story pointing out Abhay's 18th birthday when Sumit,his father shares something which kept him shocked.
•
•
•
Point of view:- The stories were in a very simple and lucid language which makes the book meant for every age.
It just took half an hour to read it and it was totally worth of time. The stories were pleasing and the titles and the covers given to the story were just ADORABLE.
▪
“As the heir to billions of years of life perpetuating itself, you can perpetuate life in turn. You have been endowed with a sense of sympathy-the ability to like, love, respect, help, and show kindness”
▪
Instead of thinking, “I am what I am today, because of me, my good deeds and my hard work” we should rather think, “I am what I am today, because of me, because of my good and bad experiences and because others helped me along the way”.
▪
" We’re all so result-oriented and hesitant to take blames"
▪
Book:- The Art Of Being Grateful and other Short Stories
▪
Author:- Manali Desai (@a_rustic_mind)
▪
Page count:- 61
▪
Book Description: The book contains of little stories in the end and the 8 amazing main short stories in the start :-
1. *Warned In Love* This story has a weird title but it turns out to be super mysterious in the end. The story made me think so much and left a few unanswered questions in the end. It us basically about Aashna, a girl who was sleeping peacefully at night when she receives a mysterious call of a girl which had the same voice as hers!
Grab the book to know more!😁
▪
2. *The Art Of Being Grateful * This story just changed my perspective about gratitude and life.
It revolves around the protagonist, Sakshi who starts thinking about her life after seeing a tweet of an old couple who travel a lot of countries just by running their tea shop. Things get awkward around herand she feels like she us not grateful towards what life has given her but you know, parents always make us feel better and so her parents told their story to make her understand what gratitude to life actually means.
▪
3. *Unlike In The Movies* This book was so sweet! The title is so apt! What can I even say!
So,this is about the two childhood bestfriends, Tanvi and Mayank who did everything with each other from playing to studying. All their relatives teased them that they may have feelings for each other but everytime they said a big NO. Because they didn't want to ruin their friendship. Read the book to know more!
▪
4. *Self-Happiness above all* This story's cover is just sooo pleasing!
Talking about this story's plot,it revolves around a girl Maanvi's life and what she experiences throughout her life. She always realised that people around her were very judgemental which made her feel uncomfortable. But in the wnd when she has her child, she burdens her up with her expectations.
▪
5. *As You Please* This story talks about always how women sacrifice themselves and change their tastes when she gets married. This story, starring Ria, a girl who loved Gajar Ka Halwa with a lots of ghee and garnishing, easily changed her taste when she got married. But then her mother realises that she also adapted herself quickly as she got married and that's the reason why the title is AS YOU PLEASE.
▪
6. * A Fairy Tale Christmas* This story has a little boy, Kris who enjoys the fairy tales and stories which were read out by her mother and he thoroughly enjoyed them. But this christmas night, Kris wasn't able to believe himself and was totally shocked.
▪
7. *Love In The Air* This story starring the protagonist, Prerna,who was a complete introvert and was about to travel her first solo trip. Though she didn't want anyone to even see her, someone unexpected taps on her shoulder. Lets read to know more!
▪
8. *No Witnesses* This is a story pointing out Abhay's 18th birthday when Sumit,his father shares something which kept him shocked.
•
•
•
Point of view:- The stories were in a very simple and lucid language which makes the book meant for every age.
It just took half an hour to read it and it was totally worth of time. The stories were pleasing and the titles and the covers given to the story were just ADORABLE.
July 26, 2020
THE ART OF BEING GRATEFUL AND OTHER SHORT STORIES BY MANALI DESAI
It's a collection of 8 short stories each unique on their own, skimming with different topics.
I love how each story begins with a short blurb so you know what to expect and ends with a lesson so you can carry something with you. The best thing about short stories is that they convey so much in few words. I also love the pictures in the beginning of each story. The language is simple and easy, writing style engaging, and the stories are all fast paced. It's a short read, took me hardly two sittings to finish it.
1. W A R N E D I N L O V E
Do you like thriller? If yes, you will like this one. It's a story about Ashna who receives a mysterious call from a girl who has been kidnapped and the realisation of who the girl is. The climax is sort of an open ending which makes it even more thrilling.
2.T H E A R T O F B E I N G G R A T E F U L
How much I relate to the story can't be put together in few words. Being Grateful is so important and we often forget to it. We are always complaining about silly things and forget to live life. The story is about Sakshi and how she learns to be grateful.
3.U N L I K E I N T H E M O V I E S
Hands down my favourite story in the book, it's about two best friends whom the whole world thinks are in a relationship but they are just friends, good ones. It reminds me so much of myself and my best friend Ari. The only thing that bothered me was the typo in the name of the protagonist, nothing huge.
4.S E L F - H A P P I N E S S A B O V E A L L
Isn't this what happens to all of us. We are constantly being judged by the society and somewhere along the line we start judging ourselves by the same bars the society puts in place. The story is about Manvi who is always unhappy because she can't measure upto the society's standards, and how she learns to be happy again.
5.A S Y O U P L E A S E
We often see our mothers sacrifice in their daily lives, the last slice of pizza or the bowl of Kheer for her children. I have seen my mumma do it countless times. The story is about Ria who adjusts her tastes according to her husband after marriage.
6.A F A I R Y T A L E C H R I S T M A S
I love Christmas stories, I have no idea why. They just have this charm which captures me. The story is about Kris who loves fairytales and is in for a Christmas miracle.
7.L O V E I N T H E A I R
The story is about Prerna who is this shy girl and is on her first solo trip when she meets her old flame.
8.N O W I T N E S S E S
The story is about Abhay's 18th birthday when he gets to know a secret which leaves him spellbound.
The story leaves me spellbound too. I got tears in my eyes reading these two pages.
PS- There are links to different short stories in the end which was just like cherry on top of a cheesecake. Loved each one of them. There are also some bonus Microtales for me to enjoy.
It's a collection of 8 short stories each unique on their own, skimming with different topics.
I love how each story begins with a short blurb so you know what to expect and ends with a lesson so you can carry something with you. The best thing about short stories is that they convey so much in few words. I also love the pictures in the beginning of each story. The language is simple and easy, writing style engaging, and the stories are all fast paced. It's a short read, took me hardly two sittings to finish it.
1. W A R N E D I N L O V E
Do you like thriller? If yes, you will like this one. It's a story about Ashna who receives a mysterious call from a girl who has been kidnapped and the realisation of who the girl is. The climax is sort of an open ending which makes it even more thrilling.
2.T H E A R T O F B E I N G G R A T E F U L
How much I relate to the story can't be put together in few words. Being Grateful is so important and we often forget to it. We are always complaining about silly things and forget to live life. The story is about Sakshi and how she learns to be grateful.
3.U N L I K E I N T H E M O V I E S
Hands down my favourite story in the book, it's about two best friends whom the whole world thinks are in a relationship but they are just friends, good ones. It reminds me so much of myself and my best friend Ari. The only thing that bothered me was the typo in the name of the protagonist, nothing huge.
4.S E L F - H A P P I N E S S A B O V E A L L
Isn't this what happens to all of us. We are constantly being judged by the society and somewhere along the line we start judging ourselves by the same bars the society puts in place. The story is about Manvi who is always unhappy because she can't measure upto the society's standards, and how she learns to be happy again.
5.A S Y O U P L E A S E
We often see our mothers sacrifice in their daily lives, the last slice of pizza or the bowl of Kheer for her children. I have seen my mumma do it countless times. The story is about Ria who adjusts her tastes according to her husband after marriage.
6.A F A I R Y T A L E C H R I S T M A S
I love Christmas stories, I have no idea why. They just have this charm which captures me. The story is about Kris who loves fairytales and is in for a Christmas miracle.
7.L O V E I N T H E A I R
The story is about Prerna who is this shy girl and is on her first solo trip when she meets her old flame.
8.N O W I T N E S S E S
The story is about Abhay's 18th birthday when he gets to know a secret which leaves him spellbound.
The story leaves me spellbound too. I got tears in my eyes reading these two pages.
PS- There are links to different short stories in the end which was just like cherry on top of a cheesecake. Loved each one of them. There are also some bonus Microtales for me to enjoy.
October 31, 2020
Rating: 3/5
This is a book of short stories, reminiscent of those in magazines like Reader’s Digest.
The ideas were amazing, and some are essential for people in the current age to think about, like self-care, LGBT acceptance, adoption, and so on. I also enjoyed the picture before every story. My favorite was A Fairy Tale Christmas, it made me nostalgic for Enid Blyton.
Warned in Love - A woman gets a phone call in the middle of the night.
The Art of Being Grateful - self-explanatory
Unlike in The Movies - friends without benefits?
Self-Happiness Above All - A people pleaser gets taught a lesson from someone unexpected.
As You Please - similar to self happiness
A Fairy Tale Christmas - a child's adventure before Christmas
Love in the Air - plane meet cute
No Witnesses - Adoption
My major gripes with it are that the voices in all the different perspectives were very similar, there was a LOT of telling (no showing) and the dialogue was a little stilted (i.e. people don’t speak like that). And probably too many blog link (that I thought were other stories in the book itself.)
Spoilery things:
Warned in Love - This story could have leaned in a little more to the creepy elements. “Being scared out of one’s wits” and “positively alarmed” in the same sentence for example takes me out of the story. Probably more showing of the character’s thoughts and feelings would have helped here.
The Art of Being Grateful - In this one, the conversation with the parents could have been so much more had the author included the non-verbal interactions also! Maybe could be structured as a diary entry/conversation with the reader?
Unlike in The Movies - This is the story where I had the most fun. I really wanted to see an example of the reactions of someone who saw a fake proposal. The dialogue seems the most natural here and the characters feel more real as they have a sense of humor.
Self-Happiness Above All - Contains an irritating people pleasing character (who I see much of myself in). ALso, I feel that children know what expectations are intuitively, but no child is that articulate. The mother does not change after, but the child is forced to speak up for her. Her behaviour forces her kid to grow and see the cutting remarks that unhappy people make and be witty enough to respond. No character growth is immediately visible, although there are signs at the end.
As You Please - Too similar to Self-Happiness to comment much.
A Fairy Tale Christmas - This story feels like an Enid Blyton story. I guess the gotcha of the story was that the kid did not see those people but was just opening the packet. This was confusing to me because the previous stories were all very to the point, this seems to be in a different style. Not sure if the kid imagined the toys to life or they were actually living, but it was a nice story, and made me nostalgic.
Love in the Air - It plays on perceptions but comes off preachy because of the footnote.
No Witnesses - The whole explanation was a little rushed. and there was again a lot of telling and not showing so in my brain I understood the feeling, but I could not feel it in my body. Like smelling coffee but drinking water, it feels incomplete.
Bonus reading notes:
Momma’s boy was a weird one. A guy got his roommate in trouble with a hostel warden to make him feel at home there. The intent is good but the execution is weird and I don’t know why someone would feel better when scolded. I also didn’t know anything about the boy’s personality to see why he took that so positively. What is a 'my-mother-scolded-me- again' face?
Accomplished - has a cheap twist that feels like it started in a riddle.
The poems are mostly poignant one sentence descriptions of painful/nostalgic life events. If you like Rupi Kaur, you will like this section.
This is a book of short stories, reminiscent of those in magazines like Reader’s Digest.
The ideas were amazing, and some are essential for people in the current age to think about, like self-care, LGBT acceptance, adoption, and so on. I also enjoyed the picture before every story. My favorite was A Fairy Tale Christmas, it made me nostalgic for Enid Blyton.
Warned in Love - A woman gets a phone call in the middle of the night.
The Art of Being Grateful - self-explanatory
Unlike in The Movies - friends without benefits?
Self-Happiness Above All - A people pleaser gets taught a lesson from someone unexpected.
As You Please - similar to self happiness
A Fairy Tale Christmas - a child's adventure before Christmas
Love in the Air - plane meet cute
No Witnesses - Adoption
My major gripes with it are that the voices in all the different perspectives were very similar, there was a LOT of telling (no showing) and the dialogue was a little stilted (i.e. people don’t speak like that). And probably too many blog link (that I thought were other stories in the book itself.)
Spoilery things:
Warned in Love - This story could have leaned in a little more to the creepy elements. “Being scared out of one’s wits” and “positively alarmed” in the same sentence for example takes me out of the story. Probably more showing of the character’s thoughts and feelings would have helped here.
The Art of Being Grateful - In this one, the conversation with the parents could have been so much more had the author included the non-verbal interactions also! Maybe could be structured as a diary entry/conversation with the reader?
Unlike in The Movies - This is the story where I had the most fun. I really wanted to see an example of the reactions of someone who saw a fake proposal. The dialogue seems the most natural here and the characters feel more real as they have a sense of humor.
Self-Happiness Above All - Contains an irritating people pleasing character (who I see much of myself in). ALso, I feel that children know what expectations are intuitively, but no child is that articulate. The mother does not change after, but the child is forced to speak up for her. Her behaviour forces her kid to grow and see the cutting remarks that unhappy people make and be witty enough to respond. No character growth is immediately visible, although there are signs at the end.
As You Please - Too similar to Self-Happiness to comment much.
A Fairy Tale Christmas - This story feels like an Enid Blyton story. I guess the gotcha of the story was that the kid did not see those people but was just opening the packet. This was confusing to me because the previous stories were all very to the point, this seems to be in a different style. Not sure if the kid imagined the toys to life or they were actually living, but it was a nice story, and made me nostalgic.
Love in the Air - It plays on perceptions but comes off preachy because of the footnote.
No Witnesses - The whole explanation was a little rushed. and there was again a lot of telling and not showing so in my brain I understood the feeling, but I could not feel it in my body. Like smelling coffee but drinking water, it feels incomplete.
Bonus reading notes:
Momma’s boy was a weird one. A guy got his roommate in trouble with a hostel warden to make him feel at home there. The intent is good but the execution is weird and I don’t know why someone would feel better when scolded. I also didn’t know anything about the boy’s personality to see why he took that so positively. What is a 'my-mother-scolded-me- again' face?
Accomplished - has a cheap twist that feels like it started in a riddle.
The poems are mostly poignant one sentence descriptions of painful/nostalgic life events. If you like Rupi Kaur, you will like this section.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2020
Beautiful and touching
#📖𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘📚
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: The Art of Being Grateful
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Manali Desai
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Short Stories Anthology
𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕: Kindle
𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 63
𝑴𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔: A book of 8 tales of different genres, each with their own quirks!
𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: This is a compilation of short stories, but wait, have you heard of interactive short stories? These stories are a version of that. You have individual posters for each story, you read the blurb of the story, you proceed with the story, and as you are thinking about it, you come across poetry pertaining to the point of the storyband that's not all. At the very end you will find links to articles that the author has written on the subject or something similar to the essence of the story.
The stories are not your traditional ones with a basic beginning and a firm ending. Rather most were open ends and I believe that with the content of the stories, an open ending was the best choice because if we come across such a situation in real life, it is hardly justifiable to ask for a rigid ending. Even the ones, like "Self-happiness above all", you may think that was the end, but look carefully and read the article associated with it, those thoughts that culminate from reading the stories stay with you even after you have finished reading the book.
Another interesting fact about the book is that the author has not stuck to one genre. She has included romance, thriller, feel good, mystery, etc. This has kept the book interesting and I could finish it in one sitting.
The structure of the stories is inconsistent, i.e there is no set pattern to the body of any story. They are written in sort of a conversational tone that makes it seem like someone is narrating the story. With just 63 pages it may seem that you can get through the book quickly but with the links to the articles, it will take some time. Even if you want to finish the book as fast as possible, I suggest you don't. This is one of those books that needs to be read slowly, taking the time to process each and every word and then the aftermath of the impact of the stories needs to be acknowledged. There are only 8 stories but I felt like I have traversed the lives of many people. And not to forget the bonus tales. My favorite story was "Unlike the movies" because that has happened to me, word to word. And then "A fairy tale Christmas" because I am a sucker for Christmas tales! I absolutely love the cover!!!
Definitely recommended to all readers irrespective of their preferences.
#📖𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘📚
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: The Art of Being Grateful
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Manali Desai
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Short Stories Anthology
𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕: Kindle
𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 63
𝑴𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔: A book of 8 tales of different genres, each with their own quirks!
𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: This is a compilation of short stories, but wait, have you heard of interactive short stories? These stories are a version of that. You have individual posters for each story, you read the blurb of the story, you proceed with the story, and as you are thinking about it, you come across poetry pertaining to the point of the storyband that's not all. At the very end you will find links to articles that the author has written on the subject or something similar to the essence of the story.
The stories are not your traditional ones with a basic beginning and a firm ending. Rather most were open ends and I believe that with the content of the stories, an open ending was the best choice because if we come across such a situation in real life, it is hardly justifiable to ask for a rigid ending. Even the ones, like "Self-happiness above all", you may think that was the end, but look carefully and read the article associated with it, those thoughts that culminate from reading the stories stay with you even after you have finished reading the book.
Another interesting fact about the book is that the author has not stuck to one genre. She has included romance, thriller, feel good, mystery, etc. This has kept the book interesting and I could finish it in one sitting.
The structure of the stories is inconsistent, i.e there is no set pattern to the body of any story. They are written in sort of a conversational tone that makes it seem like someone is narrating the story. With just 63 pages it may seem that you can get through the book quickly but with the links to the articles, it will take some time. Even if you want to finish the book as fast as possible, I suggest you don't. This is one of those books that needs to be read slowly, taking the time to process each and every word and then the aftermath of the impact of the stories needs to be acknowledged. There are only 8 stories but I felt like I have traversed the lives of many people. And not to forget the bonus tales. My favorite story was "Unlike the movies" because that has happened to me, word to word. And then "A fairy tale Christmas" because I am a sucker for Christmas tales! I absolutely love the cover!!!
Definitely recommended to all readers irrespective of their preferences.
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