Bad Romance - Book Review

Bad Romance

By Harshita Srivastava

Review By Ila Garg

Bad Romance, is a special book for a number of reasons, one of them being the authoress is a good friend of mine. Published by Gargi Publishers, a fast progressing self-publishing house, the book has an amazing cover. The colors and sequence is so perfectly chosen by Amol Karambe. It’s a big turn on and you know that yes this is a good book without even flipping the pages. The quality is obviously one of the best in the recent book industry. The title is well chosen and reflects the turmoil that awaits you! 

A full-time writer, Harshita Srivastava is known for her debut novel ‘One in a Million’ published by Mahaveer Publishers in April 2013. Read the complete review here. In addition to her various achievements, Harshita is an avid reader and a prolific blogger. She loves reading classics and is a die-hard Mills and Boons fan. Apart from writing, she loves travelling, reading, listening to music and spending time with friends and family. At present, she resides in Gurgaon and works as a Content Writer with a leading e-commerce group. Bad Romance is her second book.

The blurb reads as, “Life is a bitch and I’m one of its victims. I had the perfect life. I was blessed with the perfect boyfriend, a perfect best friend, the perfect set of girlfriends and perfect choice of career. There were some loopholes but then they went beyond my perspective. Overall, I had the kind of life people would ideally like to have but happy times aren’t meant to last forever.

Sometimes we feel that we have figured life but that’s something that is never going to happen. You know why? It’s because it has this habit of kicking us right in the middle of ecstasy. No wonder, it did the same with me.

This is my story, my story of that exploration within, my feelings, my emotions, my thought process, my priorities, my conflicts and my journey into the temptation of love, lust, lies and betrayals. This is the story of Kritika and a man who gave her life another dimension, Tanishq. This is a story of the complexities of relationships and the trap that a simple idea of sensuality, pleasure and euphoria can put you into. This is a story for everyone who has loved, lost and fought for survival and love, together.”

With an apt tagline ‘Love, Lies, and Betrayal’ the novel moves at a comfortable pace and narrates the plight of a young girl, Kritika who moves to Greater Noida with dreams of becoming an RJ and to pursue her engineering. The story has a good grip and justifies the tagline perfectly. Harshita has used a very harsh narrative to convey the story of her protagonist’s life at the hostel. Her friends and the betrayal she suffers in her love life add to the spice.

‘Bad Romance’ is a quest for true love and like her debut novel, the plot of this book remains the strongest point. The characterization of Kritika and Tanishq and the realistic descriptions score the brownie points here. Harshita is an experienced author and may be this came to her aid when she penned down this beautiful but tragic story. It well exposes the gory details of a relationship in this fast paced ignorant world.

The only thing that irked me throughout was so many errors in the script. The name goof ups and paragraph repetitions were a big put off or perhaps I had high expectations after reading the debut book. Anyway, if readers just focus on the story and are ready to be oblivious of these mistakes here and there, they will definitely enjoy this one.

The 159 page book takes you along with it and makes you vividly see all the events taking place in front of you. The story is quite touching and the main reason that I loved this book is the sheer realism with which Harshita makes her way into the readers’ heart.

The book has some more drawbacks as it gets predictable towards the end. However, Harshita doesn’t let her readers down as there’s never a dull moment while you are reading this book. Every word arouses your interest in the story and you become one with the protagonist as you keep turning the pages.

‘Yay’ Factors: The plot, the realism, the characters.

‘Nay’ Factors: The minute errors as mentioned above.

This is a very quick read, probably 2-3 hours would be enough to read it. Perfect during travelling or late nights! I recommend this book to all those who have suffered betrayals in love or have lost hopes in the face of lies. Harshita has once again proved her mettle. The way she has captured all the intricate emotions of a dejected heart, kept me glued to this book till the end and reminded me of the similar style in her debut book.

Ratings: 3.25/5

Buying Links: Infibeam | Amazon | Flipkart 

And Let There Be Light - Book Review

And Let There Be Light

By Binduu Chopra

Review By Ila Garg

And Let There Be Light, a beautiful novella by the Binduu Chopra is published by Shambhabi Publishers – The Third Eye Imprint. The cover art is attractive and also gives a glimpse into the plot of the novel. It is photographed by Rathish PK and conceptualised and designed by www.tamojit.com. The interesting thing about this cover is that it was selected via a contest. The title is very involving as well. Who doesn’t want a ray of light in this dark, evil world, after all?

First impressions: Good cover, could have been a little better. A nice engaging title. The book size and paper quality could have been better too. Editing is done well, though I did find 2-3 proofreading issues, which can be easily neglected.

The blurb reads as “There is nothing that can hold you down. The limitations are only in the mind, and if the mind is kept open, you will have the freedom to enjoy & celebrate life. The insights shared by Binduu Chopra in her book ‘And Let There Be Light’ can naturally change lives in a simple way. The book on self-development talks about a journey from mundane life to living an awakened life. Various topics like peace, joy, death and wisdom keep the reader engaged and opens the door to embark down a path for inner freedom.”

Binduu Chopra, Author – Poetess, Clinical Hypnotherapist & Aura reader calls herself a mind designer. Having travelled extensively within India & in different parts of the world gave her a chance not just to learn about various cultures, but to understand relationships better. She is warm & vivacious. She wants to finally retire with street children.

P.S. When you buy this book, you help a person with psycho-social disability. (Indeed a noble thought, isn’t?)

Coming to the book, I felt it to be an enlightening experience. The depth of insights shared by the author with such a seamless effort engages the readers instantly. It is a book that will be your bible for self – development skills. The author has good writing skills, as she has managed to keep the language crisp and clear which adds to the beauty of the book.

‘Self-discipline’ is the key word to deal with in this book. It will make you feel aware of your own strength and how to bring it to the fore. It begins with a prologue that introduces us to the origin of the idea behind this novella. It also tells us how paying it forward is such a rewarding experience!

Quoting from the book, “I am happy with my life as it is a mirage. I am blessed to hold an empty cup and stretch my hand, for if it was full – I would not seek to quench. I would be called born, but would have lived dead.” The author has definitely made ample efforts to put together so many varied instances that will lead the readers to a whole new perspective. Like no two fingers are same, the route will not appear to be the same to everyone. It all depends on how you take it, which path you choose to tread on.

Life is an endless cycle of beginnings and ends. Do we find answers to all the questions that life raises before us? Are all our prayers answered? Are all our desired fulfilled? These and many such questions are given way here. The leading light of Guru is our prime focus, once we find this light life won’t seem to be harsh. The book is all about finding the ‘Ignition Key’. It will lead you to your self-discovery!

Through her experiences, the author tells us how it is important to love. She also shares episodes on how we should not let hatred reside in our hearts and the necessity to forgive! It talks about an inner journey that will help us to improve ourselves as individuals. The book engages with several topics like pursuit of a Guru, desires, emotions, discovering self, love, forgiveness, freedom, death, discipline, truth, wisdom and inner journey. It’s a struggle to find deeper meanings…

A spiritual quest, it’s an aspiration to transform yourself from the ordinary to become a beacon. It tells us that there is nothing wrong in having desires as long as one is able to conquer the temptations by timely withdrawal. Heart, Mind, Soul, and Intellect should be in harmony to tread on the path of enlightenment!

The 50 page book, divided in 14 chapters and a prologue and introduction is a quick read, recommended as one of the best pick for reading during your travelling time. It will just take an hour of your time. However, the impact that it leaves behind can be long-lasting depending on your interest to change your life for the better. It leaves you with a hope to aspire for happiness, to venture in pursuit of peace…

Binduu Ma’am has done a wonderful job with it. Everyone must read it because life is too short, one must not die unhappy! The affirmations can help in transformation to a great extent. This book is therefore, for all those who seek their inner freedom. It’s like a key to open and come out of the confinements of the doors. Best wishes!

“I continue to grow beautifully on my inside while those wrinkles take care of my outside” – Binduu Chopra

Ratings: 3.75/5

Buying Links: Flipkart | Infibeam

Love Chameleon - Book Review

Love Chameleon

By Nidhi Saxena

Review By Ila Garg

Love Chameleon, a beautiful anthology of some magnificent poems by the debutant Nidhi Saxena is published by Partridge India – A Penguin Random House Company. Both the poetess and the book, Love Chameleon, seem to be promising!

The blurb reads as “Love Chameleon is an anthology of contrarian poems penned over 20 years wherein the poet uses the metaphor of the "Chameleon" to elucidate the complex themes of love, lust, loss, longing, sexuality and outdated social mores. The book is paradoxical in that it blends several contradictory elements to make a powerful whole - it is at once intrepidly bold and sensual, movingly sensitive and absurdly hilarious. The poems are further multi-layered in that they exist at the level of words but also convey higher meaning at another, more metaphysical level. In the end, the book truly captivates by its sheer candidness matched in equal measure with a witty and vibrant play of words.”

The title Love Chameleon indicates the book must be about the changing colors of love, and indeed the poetess left me in awe with around 80+ poems centered on one metaphor of Chameleon. It explored the various facets of love from desires to longing.

I was amazed while reading these poems as Nidhi Saxena has managed to pen down the depth of emotions with such a seamless effort. She did a wonderful job with emotions in her book, Love Chameleon.

The book starts with a short and sweet prologue that gives this anthology the necessary kick start. The poems are then divided in 5 parts – Love Chameleon, The Irreconcilability of Parting, Longing Sutras, A Heady Concoction with a Queer Mix, and Et Al.

All the poems are so well written that it gets difficult to pin point my favorite ones. Yet, I want to quote few lines from the poem titled ‘Love Chameleon’:

“Love, the Chameleon,

        Changes color,

        Every Now and then,

        To suit the terrain.

         It can elude or delude,

        Agitate or pacify,

        Yearn or satisfy,

        Make or destroy.

        The mellow yellow of togetherness,

        A burst of violet when impassioned,

        Turning green with ravenous chameleon envy,

        And with betrayal, a full-blooded vermilion,

        The bright orange of frivolity,

        The beautiful romantic crimson,

        The deep blue of longing,

        The ashen grey of separation.”

The 150 page book makes you feel connected. You can’t help but visualise the words that you devour while reading. I finished this book in one go, though I kept picking it again and again and re-reading few poems. It’s one of the best poetry collection I have read in recent times.

Nidhi has created a masterpiece. After all, it took her 20 years to give it this form. And believe me, it was worth it. I must say the vocab and choice of words added to the plus points of the book, making it stand out. It also gave it the necessary flavour. I'm enchanted by the poetry in Love Chameleon. Every poem is penned down gracefully. Many congrats to the author for coming up with such a delightful read.

Nidhi Saxena managed to keep the reader’s interest maintained throughout! The pace of the each poem is smooth. The language is easy to comprehend despite the enriched vocabulary. The readers won’t find it difficult to read through the poems and comprehend them. The USP of this book is not only the beautiful cover and the sketches inside, but also the captivating emotions imbibed in the poems.

For a debut writer, Nidhi Saxena has given a good start to her career. I recommend this book to all the poetry lovers. Also, I would like to applaud the courage of this author to come up with a poetry anthology in such times where poetry is almost losing its essence.  

Ratings: 4.25/5

Buying Links:   Flipkart | Amazon | Landmark

21 Things About Romance - Book Review

 

21 Things about Romance

By Shomprakash Sinha Roy

Review By Ila Garg

21 Things about Romance, is a self - help book written for everyone out there who was, is or will fall in love. Penned down by Shomprakash Sinha Roy, earlier known for books titled, ‘The Pink Smoke’ and ‘Life Served Hot’ this book is published by Grapevine India too. I am a little disappointed with the paper quality which is thinner than a newspaper. The printing is okay-ish! However, I found the cover beautiful and vibrant. The matt finish looks nice and the colours are appealing. The cover designed by Saurav Das is attractive and hooks the readers. It will instantly make you want to grab the book and read on.

Shomprakash Sinha Roy was born in New Delhi, spent all of his childhood in Chhattisgarh, and presently works as a Content Developer for Dell Inc., in Bangalore, Karnataka. He has an MBA in Marketing & Media Management from the Indian Institute of Business Management, New Delhi. His nativity is a tougher nut to crack – his family tree traces its roots in Rajasthan, and for the last few generations, they’ve been good-natured Bengali people.

The blurb reads as, “For more than a decade, we’ve had exposure to love stories in the form of novels, movies and more. We have fallen in and out of love, and we have been riddled with questions about the origins of love, our emerging sexuality, authenticity of people that we love, and so on. Our parents & society don’t always sync with our ideas of being romantically involved with people of our choices. Indian culture discriminates without discrimination, which in itself a very sad predicament for the new, evolving generation. Plus, there hasn’t been a single platform where all our troubles have been heard and voiced out at the same time. Not until 21 Things About Romance came into existence. This book, written by acclaimed young author Shomprakash Sinha Roy, clubs the viewpoint of an entire generation with his own ideas about romance in the twenty first century, through poignant essays, conversations and articles about love as we know it today. Be part of the romantic revolution with this radical book which is set to answer all your questions about love & change the way you look at romance, forever!”

Needless to say it is not a romance fiction but an interactive book that will help you in the course of your past, present and future relationships. A set of facts that the author shares with the readers through his experience and interactions with the winners of the Lovesteps Contest organized by Grapevine which will help you to tread on a path of self-discovery. These 21 chapters on romance will change you as a person if you are willing to take the helping hand that the author is offering. It will make you realize where your relationship is going and how you can improve it. And that’s not all, it also helps you to unveil your own short comings, and alters your perspective of judging the person from other sex on the basis of height and weight or even looks for that matter! In short, it is one of the best guides to a healthy and successful relationship and also tells you know when you should take a break and/or move on.

He gives ample examples in the book to help you understand the various stages of your relationship and provides instances from his love life too. In the journey of the book, he interviews the contest winners and shares excerpts from their stories. It is a different book, almost like a blog compilation.

The way Shomprakash Sinha Roy has penned down this particular book is really appreciable, he hasn’t only taken one side but has given insights from female point of view too. His advices are valid for both genders. The author has described every emotion that we normally go through in a relationship very beautifully. There are episodes in the book that make you feel so connected and read carefully. Every reader can connect with at least one point in the book and that will act as a life changer.

The 216 page book takes you along with it and makes you realise that you can modify your love story at any point. Some of the things are very meaningful and actually make you want to share this book immediately with your lover or parents too. Yes, you read correctly, parents should also read this one to understand why love marriages are not all that bad after all. The language is easy to comprehend and readers won’t find it boring. Contrary to that, this book 21 Things About Romance is quite engaging.

You should read this book if you have ever been in love or would be in love, to know what she wants or what he is looking at, to discover who can be your Mr. Right or who can you live happily ever after with, to see beyond his bulging tummy and her flaws, to see when it’s not working and it’s time to move on, to understand how you can continue your friendship if the relationship fails; you will have to read the book, 21 Things About Romance.

Still could not find a reason to read it? Well, the secret fairy tells me that you should pick it because it has two great tips to naturally reduce your tummy. Intrigued? Go ahead and pick this one. Highly recommended!

Ratings: 3.5/5

See this compilation of caricatures from the book to get tempted all the more!

Buying Links: Homeshop18 | Amazon | Flipkart