Her Resurrection - Book Review

Her Resurrection
By Soumyadeep Koley
Review By Ila Garg

Her Resurrection, a novel by Soumyadeep Koley, is published by Gargi Publishers. The cover is an absolute delight, however, if you go deeper into the layers – the meaning that it brings out is profound. The eyes that compel you to look into them twice are full of pain and anguish, but is there something more to those eyes? We will find out only when we read this book that is based on sex trafficking.

A Window Seat - Book Review

A Window Seat
By Vishala Katta
Review By Ila Garg

A Window Seat, a novel by Vishala Katta, is published by Frog Books, an imprint of Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd. The cover was the first thing I loved about the book. It’s been quite some time since I saw a cover so beautiful and yet meaningful. It represents a journey of mind and a journey via train – quite an apt cover for the plot of A Window Seat. You will agree with me more as you go on reading this book.

6 Degrees - Game of Blogs - Book Review

6 Degrees – Game of Blogs
By Various Bloggers
Review By Ila Garg

6 Degrees – Game of Blogs, a book by various bloggers, is a result of a unique concept initiated by BlogAdda.com and is published by Leadstart Publishing. Months ago, BlogAdda.com came up with this unique concept under the #CelebrateBlogging where they announced a competition for bloggers to get published. 30 teams of 10 bloggers each took part in this contest and penned down 30 different stories using the same set of characters - Shekhar, Tara, Roohi, Cyrus and Jennifer. As the contest progressed, a panel of 6 judges selected 3 teams as winners - Team By Lines, Team Potliwale Baba and Team Tete-a-Ten. The stories penned down by these three teams are compiled in the book called 6 Degrees – Game of Blogs.

The cover shows a number of happy excited faces, perhaps representing the various bloggers who competed to have a place inside the book. The colour scheme of black and white and the simplicity of the cover is the USP here. It looks very soothing and is clutter-free.

The blurb reads as, “As part of their #CelebrateBlogging initiative, BlogAdda.com, ran the first edition of Game of Blogs in September 2014. Five characters and their descriptions were provided. The objective was to write a fictional story revolving around these characters. Bloggers came together as teams and after three rounds filled with its own set of twists and turns, three stories made it to the end.
The three stories in this book are a fascinating example of how one set of characters can have interesting lives with completely different dimensions. Six Degrees is a result of how collaboration can truly breed creativity in the modern day world of connected living.”

The first story ‘The Awakening’ is written by the team By Lines. It is sci-fi tale with a dash of Hollywood. Elements like aliens and space craft add to the plot. The pace is kept smooth and perhaps this one is the best story among the three with more than 130 pages of length. The second story is by the team Potliwale Baba and is titled as ‘Entangled Lives’. It is a murder mystery with a lot of Bollywood masala to it. Resembling the storyline of a typical Hindi flick, this one is an interesting read. The third and the last one is by the team Tete-a-Ten and is titled as ‘Missing: A Journey Within’. This one is based on the theme of kidnapping where each character is missing something or the other. I felt that this one lacked pace and tends to get boring. It could have been kept more crisp.

Further, this 422-page book is a light read and overall a compelling book. Apart from some minor editorial errors, the book is highly recommended. Check out my video review here:



Ratings: 4/5

Buying Links: Infibeam | Flipkart | Amazon

The Soft Target - Book Review

The Soft Target

By Kalyan Nanda

Review By Ila Garg

The Soft Target, a novel by Kalyan Nanda, is published by Srishti Publishers. The cover shows iron man and in the backdrop is the path leading to a destination that is unknown. As I read the PDF edition of the book, so I can’t say much about the feel of the book, print or cover.

Kalyan Nanda lives in Mumbai with his wife. He enjoys theater and movies of all genres, and is a voracious reader. His favourite authors are Sir P G Wodehouse and George Orwell. He can be reached on kalyan.nanda@gmail.com. The Soft Target is his literary debut.

The blurb reads as, “Is God good? Or is He a manipulative villain who plays with the lives of his creations in the name of karma? As far as Mohan Mishra is concerned, God is a villain. Mohan is God's soft target, for He 'blesses' him with a strange mental problem and kills his support system when he needed it the most. The Soft Target is the story of a boy's journey into manhood, as he takes on God with his mental prowess, defeating Him at every stage, thus making God his soft target. Supported by great friends and a loving wife, Mohan fights an epic battle against the murderous society, the conniving legal system and ultimately God himself, with remarkable courage and spirit.”

The story begins on a familiar note of relatives poking their noses in our personal matters. How parents often try to keep it subtle in front of the relatives is where the story starts finding its first characters. It is then that the readers are introduced to the most astonishing character of the book, Mohan Mishra. He is a brilliant student with an IQ that is much higher than that of any kid of his age. However, he can never say what he wants to say and ends up saying something incomprehensible. People term him as mad because of this but this doesn’t affect him much and only helps him be more determined to prove his mettle.

The author has sketched all the character beautifully, nowhere will the readers feel them to be exaggerated. The plot thus seems quite realistic and successfully portray deep and intricate emotions that children go through and how they handle peer pressure. The language is simple and easy to comprehend. Nowhere will a reader feel any disconnect. It’s so well-written that once you pick up, you cannot keep it down without finishing it off. It took me a couple of hours to complete the book. I found it quite engaging. The subject is tackled beautifully by the skillful author.

How Mohan overcame his disability, how he was the soft target who emerged as strong as iron, how Nikhil’s stammering problem causes him embarrassment, the various date scenes of Brij, the sarcastic one-liners, how Samidha understands Mohan, how Nisha ends up betraying Nikhil and how Revathy who is IIT Mains topper falls in love with Brij are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in The Soft Target. 

Further, this 214-page book is a light read and overall a compelling book. I specially was hooked to Mohan’s character and wished to quickly reach the climax to know what happens with him further in the story. Apart from some serious editorial errors, the book is highly recommended.

Ratings: 4/5

Buying Links: Infibeam | Flipkart | Amazon | Sapna

Movie Review: #Madaari

Madaari
Director: Nishikant Kamat
Language: Hindi
Review By Ila Garg

I have been watching a lot of movies off late. This weekend, I got a chance to watch this socio-thriller movie, Madaari directed by Nishikant Kamat. The movie released on 22nd July 2016 and is presented by Bharat Shah, produced by Shailesh Singh, Madan Paliwal, Sutapa Sikdar and Shailja Kejriwal and co-produced by Nishant Pitti and Kshitiz Bhardwaj.

Irrfan Khan is known for choosing out of the box subjects and this time he chose to do a movie that is based on the present political situation prevailing in India. His onscreen presence took the movie to a different level. No one could have played Nirmal Kumar the way he did. He was into the character – top to bottom. Not only that, the way he portrayed the hard-hitting subject is commendable. The emotions can be felt by one and all, no wonder it is often said that Irrfan Khan has one of the most expressive eyes.

Madaari is a story by Shailja Kejriwal. However, the credit for writing the power-pack dialogues and screenplay goes to Ritesh Shah. Vishal Bhardwaj gave the music to the film. Avinash Arun did the cinematography and Arif Shaikh did the necessary editing to ensure that the movie is well-received by the audience.

Right from the opening scene, the movie was a delight to watch. Indian political scenario has been much talked about, but the way this movie unveils the subject is indeed jaw-dropping! Irrfan’s acting is natural and realistic and did gave me goose bumps. I won’t give you spoilers here as I want you all to watch the movie yourself as good cinema has become a rarity, and when it comes, no one should give it a miss.

The mise-en-scène of the film is great too as the director has chosen perfect setting and time frame to shoot the scenes. Even the montage is done well and looks smooth onscreen.

This complete family film #Madaari is a definite must-watch as it convincingly delivers the message to the audience!

Here's the star cast of the movie:

• Irrfan Khan as Nirmal Kumar
• Vishesh Bansal as Rohan Goswami
• Jimmy Shergill as Nachiket Verma
• Tushar Dalvi as Prashant Goswami
• Uday Tikekar as Nimbalkar
• Nitesh Pandey as Sanjay Jagtap
• Sadhil Kapoor as Cheeku

Ratings: 4/5

Do watch it and share your views in the comment box below. I would love to hear your opinions.

In God's Wishlist - Book Review

In God’s Wishlist
By Pradipta Panda
Review By Ila Garg
 
In God’s Wishlist, a novel by Pradipta Panda, is published by Frog Books, an imprint of Leadstart Publishing. The cover shows a girl who is surrounded by lights, seems like a spirit from some other world. A well conceptualised cover by all means!

The blurb reads as, “In Gods Wishlist’ is a fantasy that speaks of a whole new world order, where there will be no fear of death. Love and beauty will rule the world and spirits will interact and fall in love with human beings and propagate love. This love will transcend everything and be the panacea to all problems. God has a vision and a mission.
He invites humankind to join active politics as it controls their life. He performs experiments to induct his theory. In one of his experiments, he studied beauty with the mind, and released all the spirits to the world, except for twenty-one top leaders of the world, whose beautiful minds were not mapped and programmed. God’s theory is that the two main things that rule the earth are the ruler and beauty that remains true for all ages. Youth have different aspirations, towards their fantasy, the opponent, and society. To inculcate this God inducted a new theory of love, the love between the spirit and a human being. The love between the spirit and a human being will be the panacea of all and this love will transcend human behaviour. Read to find out how and what is in God’s Wishlist…”
 
The blurb did sound interesting to me and that’s why I decided to pick this one up and review it here for you guys. However, the book wasn’t as thrilling as it seemed by the cover and the blurb. Yes, looks can be deceptive.

So, let’s first talk about what I liked about this book. Cover – 4.5/5 and blurb is obviously good. The plot is well thought of and different from the league and yet it could not resonate with me. The concept is nice with God Himself as a protagonist but something goes amiss as the story begins to get a pace.

The author has definitely tried to write something different but without enough research. It could have been a great book to read but honestly, it failed to captivate my interest. So moving on to what exactly I didn’t like or should I say what was lacking in the book.

The book majorly lacked research – it belongs to the fantasy genre, so forget realism here. The readers will also find it difficult to relate to the story and therefore will find it uneasy to make a headway with the story. One of my friends borrowed the book and left it after reading a few pages as the story failed to make any sense to her.

Not giving any spoilers, I will quickly give you a glimpse of the plot to let you decide whether or not you should pick this book.

The story begins with God choosing a young and ordinary man, Sourav who had a breakup recently and ends up spending a drunken weekend. Next, God takes the form of a spirit, Cinderella and meets Sourav to gradually brainwash him and make him and take the place of his lost love. Further, the story sees Sourav working in coordination with God Himself. Sourav keeps moving from one beautiful woman to another and helps them, does something good for them in exchange of sex. Woah! Really? I mean what was the author thinking? So this one is a nay for me as it begins to get absurd as I moved further into the plot.

The language is simple and easy to comprehend, however who was the editor of this book? I wonder! So many grammatical errors – a sure turn off for me! I totally felt disconnected, skipped so many pages, was bored through most of the plot and found myself mostly yawning waiting for it to end.

Further, this 250-page book did give way to a different plot but when the execution fails, everything fails. It was an average read. I will also be reviewing the author’s next book Co-Wife, based on LGBT themes and claims to capture the pathos and problems associated with them. I am keenly waiting to read that since the theme does interest me. I hope the author has improved over time.

You may give In God’s Wishlist a try if fantasy is your genre, but do not keep your hopes too high.

Ratings: 2.5/5

Buying Links: Infibeam | Amazon | Shimply | Flipkart | Pustakmandi

Betwixt Twists and Turns - Book Review

Betwixt Twists and Turns
By Mona Mohanty
Review By Ila Garg
 
Betwixt Twists and Turns, a potpourri of short stories by Mona Mohanty, is published by Penguin Partridge Publications. The cover design shows an abstract art with a human skull. I could make out that the stories would be centered around the themes of what goes inside a human mind from the cover. Interesting enough to tempt me to pick it and start reading.

Mona Mohanty has had a passion for short stories since childhood. This passion gets reflected well in this collection too. She has served as an officer of the Indian Revenue Service for more than two decades and currently lives in New Delhi.

The blurb reads as, “Dragonflies are said to be harbingers of rain, but they may be much more for one unsuspecting woman. A household dog finds a reprieve when Grandma comes to stay. A young man stops by an ATM at night and finds himself encountering robbers-and a young woman who may not be what she seems.
In Betwixt Twists and Turns, author Mona Mohanty presents a series of short stories born from random thoughts that popped up out of nowhere, overheard bits of conversation, parables of family lore, and anecdotes from friends. These tales come from a variety of viewpoints-an older woman who receives an unexpected telegram, a businessman who encounters what might be a ghost, and various animals sharing their impressions of human life. These stories vividly capture the routine of existence-but with a surprising twist.
This collection of short stories set in India features tales with unexpected outcomes from a wide range of perspectives, both human and animal.”
 
Perspectives have always intrigued me, so this one was a must read for me. This anthology doesn’t disappoint you at any point. All the stories are based on the worlds of humans and animals.

There are 25 stories in this 112-page book, so clearly the stories are very short in length and maybe that is there USP. They are lucid and do not drag on. The author has made sure that the stories hit the point bang on and do not get boring. The language is simple and easy to comprehend. I found all the stories quite engaging. The subjects are tackled intricately by the skillful author.

All the stories are accompanied by a related picture at the beginning – something that I liked. I would not give you any spoilers here except for the titles of the stories – here they are: Wandering, In the Mind’s Eye, A Drive, A Meeting, Turning the Corner, Life’s Well, Wind beneath My Wings, Food for Thought, Toy Stories, The Sentinel, Hustle in a Bustle, Memories, The Dark Knight, Spanner in the Works, The Message Trail, The Route, Déjà vu, The Nest, On the Mountain Track, The Open Closet, Watch and Ward, Prayers, The Call, Stop, and Lullaby.

Further, this book is definitely for those readers who want to read some intellectual stuff and not just time pass. It’s a light read and overall a compelling book. You can easily carry it during travel and finish it off in an hour or two. A book that gave me a lot to reflect on! Highly recommended!

Ratings: 4/5

Buying Links: Amazon | Flipkart

Go Clown - #AccheDin for Comedy! - Book Review

Go Clown - #AccheDin for Comedy!
By Shatrugna Vadwlas
Review By Ila Garg

Go Clown - #AccheDin for Comedy!, a novel by Shatrugna Vadwlas, is published by himself in association with AuthorsUpfront. The cover seems quite unusual at first glance! How can you ever relate this picture with comedy? And then there is a game board spread near his feet, which majorly looks out of place. But as you go about reading the book, it starts making sense.

Shatrugna Vadwlas is a Software architect based in the US, with an American Masters in Engineering and an undergraduate degree from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), India. He is a contributor to the Times of India, Huffington Post, Faking News and other Media Portals. He has completed a writer's course at the Writers Center in Washington DC.

His Comedy Novel Go Clown - #AccheDin for Comedy! has created quite a buzz in the Social Media with over 8,00,000 engagements, 2,50,000 views for the trailer on Facebook & YouTube, 5000 hits for the sample excerpt at GoClown.com, on the 1st day itself!

The blurb reads as, “When Baby Kiriti arrived in this world, he was like a lost butterfly in a sea of white. A baby who is born and thrust into the huge sea of humanity called India, rides and steers his destiny ship, as he constantly grapples with the Clown inside him, who meanwhile brings out his own set of funny oars in these troubled waters.
The Clown’s journey continues on from a Karma-Guru to a trader of special water from Europe (thanks to his Made-in-China friend!), and from a music director (the Bad-Boy theme!) to the founder of a school, and a dirty sock to a sex-crazed, horny bunch of young fellas. The colors of the Clown’s comedy are different but he always plays to the circus of life. As Kiriti encounters a wide array of characters from the length and breadth of India, a land as rich as its flavours, the carefree years full of joy and young hopes come to an end, with the sweet smell of Ganja still lingering under the starry nights. The philosophy of Meaning is preached, after a session of holy smokes, on the sides of a dusty highway which sees blood and grime daily.
And finally with the Mystical Game which casts a shadow on Kiriti’s life having been won, everything is laid to rest under a blanket of white, only to be stumbled upon by a Sherpa on the peaks of the mighty Himalayas that wakes up something inside of his adorable son!
Is it a Thief, his Dream or the Clown?”

It’s been long since I read a good piece on magic realism. This book is a humourous account of the life of an Indian student. No, before you start making any judgments, I must say this book doesn’t offer regular humour; it is a book with intelligent humour. It targets almost every aspect of life – paid media, education, caste, creed, hypocrisy of NRIs, etc. From fun to family, Ganga to ganja, Shiva to seclusion, technology to temperament and from the epic tale of the Go Game and the strategies and plans that revolve around it – this book has it all to make it a memorable ride for you!

The use of satire is the USP of the book.

The author has laced out the incidents so beautifully in humourous details. It’s not easy for an author or anybody for that matter to make someone laugh. However, this book easily manages to do that while picking common issues that we all see but choose to ignore in the humdrum of life.

Comedy, Laughter, Clown, A game, Strategy involved, Some splash of colours, Then some more laughter, Discovering inner-self before dissolving in more comedy – this book is nothing short of marvellous! It manages to bring together almost every flavour of India and leaves you laughing like crazy – definitely acche din for comedy.

The language is simple and easy to comprehend. However, I did find some serious grammatical errors, but in the light of a good plot they can be ignored. I found it quite engaging overall. The subject is tackled intricately by the skillful author.

How India is declining on the political front, the double standards of the society we live in, how the house helpers can sometimes be arrogant, are we living in reality or in dream (basically is our life a magic realism after all) are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Go Clown - #AccheDin for Comedy! 

Further, this 340-page book is good enough to expose the reality and the dreams that we tend to mix. We all have a clown inside us that keeps our thoughts clouded and doesn’t let us know our real self. It’s a light read and overall a compelling book.

Ratings: 4.25/5

Buying Links: Shimply | Flipkart | Amazon

2 Peg Ke Baad - Book Review

2 Peg Ke Baad
By Nikita Lalwani
Review By Ila Garg

2 Peg Ke Baad, a collection of 14 short stories by Dr Nikita Lalwani, is published by Srishti Publishers. The cover shows a wine glass with red liquor. The black background is exactly what represents a drunk state of mind. The cover has a very simple feel to it. The title is apt keeping in mind the theme of the stories which talk about what happens in an inebriated state.

A writer/dentist/copywriter/blogger/coffee enthusiast/explorer/arithmophobic, Dr Nikita Lalwani considers herself to be married to writing and is very happy with that. Swimming, spirituality, reading, learning new languages are her other girlfriends. She authored her first non-fiction work Live Life... Stop Analysing It when she was 16. Nikita believes that dentistry happened to be destiny, but writing is where she truly finds herself.

She considers herself a workaholic and loves exploring different aspects of life that stand way away from just text books and desk jobs. Currently she is working as a copywriter with an ad agency in Mumbai.

2 Peg Ke Baad is her second book.

The blurb reads as, “2 Peg Ke Baad brings together 14 short stories that happened after 2 pegs, in an inebriated state. World’s greatest stories are created when people are high – masterpieces are painted, universal truths are realized, models on billboards are befriended, lovers are united, butts are kicked, confessions are made, and relationships are sorted.
The book started as a blog with people from across the world sharing their stories, ideas, confessions and beliefs and the elixir of the 14 best stories is here to reveal what lies beyond a conscious mind.
Though the book does not intend to encourage drinking alcohol in any sense, here’s to celebrate every emotion that kicks after a few pegs. Cheers!!”

The 14 stories are centred on the theme of drinking and the events that occur in the trance state. Intoxication has given birth to a lot of creativity. So many poets have composed their best poems in a trance state. Dr Nikita Lalwani has therefore, managed to unleash her creativity through these stories. Each story is well written.

The fourteen short stories compiled in the book are:

1. A Walk with A Call Girl
2. My Last painting
3. What Happens in Banaras... Stays for a Lifetime
4. How We Got Married
5. Apology! Sex Pays
6. Papier Blanc (The Blank Paper)
7. When All That Mattered Was a Gun
8. Drive-In-Sanity
9. Kicking the Butt
10. Rosita in the Bar
11. It's not a Love Story
12. Epilogue
13. Euphobia
14. Car no. 88


All 14 stories bring out a different aspect even after being based on one single subject.

The author has successfully portrayed deep and hidden realities. The language is simple and easy to comprehend. Readers will find the events quite interesting. I found it quite engaging. The subject is tackled beautifully by the skillful author. You don’t have to be an alcoholic to read and enjoy these stories or to connect with them.

How drinking can affect you, how a drunk person reacts, what happens in an intoxicated state, some moments of fun and that of revelation are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in each of the stories in 2 Peg Ke Baad.

Further, this 168-page book is good enough to expose the double standards of society we live in, the hidden secrets that we all have. It’s a light read and overall a compelling book.

Ratings: 4/5

Buying Links: Amazon | Infibeam | Shimply | Flipkart

In Love with Shah Rukh Khan - Book Review

In Love with Shah Rukh Khan
By Ajitabha Bose
Review By Ila Garg

In Love with Shah Rukh Khan, a novel by Ajitabha Bose, is published by Author’s Ink Publications. The size of the book is so miniscule that I felt I was almost holding a baby book in my hands. So obviously, I was extra careful while turning over its tiny pages and the feel was ‘wow’. Cover design has an illustration by Noriko Kasai which beautifully brings out the star’s personality.

Ajitabha Bose is an author, filmmaker, designer and an entrepreneur. He is a world record holder for publishing the smallest love story book in India. Currently based at Delhi, he was born and brought up in Jamshedpur. He introduced the first pocket love story book in India. He is the co-founder of BDL Studios, a renowned production house based in Delhi/NCR. He has worked in 135+ videos and made 1600+ designs till date. Ajitabha is a graduate from Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad.

Along with that, he has written numerous short stories and edited an anthology, The Untold Love Stories. He has published 5 books – It’s A Love Story (2013), Love: A Sweet Poison (2014), Zindagi: The Story of Life (2014), The Untold Love Stories (2014), and The Pocket Love Story (2014). The Pocket Love Story was featured in India book of records and incredible book of records.

The blurb reads as, “Everyone has a dream. It’s just that some dreams get fulfilled and others remain confined in hearts.
Aanya was a small town girl and Vivaan was a flirt. Life takes a different turn when love brought them together.
She had a dream of meeting Shah Rukh Khan. He promised to fulfill it.
What lies ahead?
Where will destiny lead them?
Read this heart-warming tale of love, dreams and emotions.”

At first glance, I thought it would be a fan telling the world about his/her love for King Khan, but it wasn’t exactly that. It tells the tale of Aanya, who like millions of other girls of her age loves SRK and dreams to meet him someday. Vivaan who is a flirt is the protagonist of the story and he promises Aanya to fulfil her dream.

The story takes a turn when both of them fall in love with each other. The author has sketched both the characters—Aanya and Vivaan—beautifully. The language is simple and easy to comprehend. I found it quite engaging. It’s so small that one can easily manage to read it in 20 minutes!

How Aanya and Vivaan met, how they fell in love, where will the destiny take them, will Vivaan be able to fulfill Aanya’s dream, will Shah Rukh Khan meet Aanya, how tough will it be for Vivaan to get to SRK are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in In Love with Shah Rukh Khan.

Further, this 50-page book is a must read for all SRK fans as it makes you cry and laugh at the same time, bringing you a step closer to the man himself. I also loved the author’s philosophy behind such light pocket books “to meet with the demands of busy generation”.

Ratings:
4.5/5 (Read it immediately!) 

Buying Links: Amazon | Pustakmandi | Ebook

Also read review by Kanika Sharma at TGC - In Love with SRK

Khel the writings - Book Review

Khel – the writings
By Vishal Goswami
Review By Ila Garg

Khel – the writings, a novel by Vishal Goswami, is published by Frog Books in association with Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd. I found the cover very dull and too gaudy. It clearly didn’t click with me as I was left totally unimpressed.

Vishal Goswami is a MBA-Finance graduate from Boston, U.S.A and is passionate about reading and writing in all its forms, whether fiction or non-fiction and also all other genres. He is active on Twitter as @WritetoFite tweeting about more contemporary topics.

The blurb reads as, “The abandoned Haveli in Brahmdev, a hill station near Mumbai, is known amongst the local population to be haunted. People keep away from it. A group of youngsters decide to explore it and what follows is a horrifying reality they do not live to relate. Sanya Sharma is an investigative journalist, with a shattered life and a grieving past. Having lost her husband and little daughter within a span of six months, her once perfect life is a distant dream. Depressed, unable to concentrate on work and barely paying attention to her ten-year-old son, she takes help in alcohol and regular visits to her psychiatrist. Her last chance at redemption in a case of mysterious deaths on small hill station. What follows is a series of mysterious, eerie and horrifying events that Sanya cannot understand and finally with the help of a local police inspector turned friend, it draws upon her that the Haunted Haveli is not just small town hocus-pocus but a reality that had turned on her. The evil that she encounters slowly affects everything around her and she knows that it will finally consume her. But why? What were the deep, dark secrets of the Haveli's past? What was the Nawab family's past? Who is the old woman haunting her? What are the cards and what is the card game? How is such a horrifying situation merely a game and how is she to play it? Why do the writings on the cards come true and people die? She has to find a way to save herself and her son from the evil and the game of cards that makes everything come true. People around her are dying one by one making her wonder why she is spared. Will she play the final KHEL - The Writings - or will it be the evil that will end the game?”

After reading the blurb, I was instantly intrigued. Opening scene introduces the reader to a group of four youngsters who want to make a documentary. They reach an abandoned Haveli seeking an adventurous story for the same. This Haveli was situated in Brahmdev which is a hill station near Mumbai. As the youngsters begin to explore the Haveli, some unexpected events occur which eventually lead to their deaths one by one.

News of their deaths spread like wild fire the next day. Yeah, almost like a film script! I will give this to the author that he has built up an amazing plot. Writing a horror story isn’t as easy as often thought of!

So soon this news catches the attention of an investigative journalist, Sanya Sharma, whose job is at stake. She sees these mysterious deaths as her only hope to save her job, and jumps into the case. She was already shattered and on the verge of depression as she had lost her husband and young daughter in a very short span of time. This case thus is the best she could have think about to free herself from the thoughts of her lost family.

The story afterwards moves at a slow pace, but manages to send to scare the readers every now and then. The language is simple and easy to comprehend; thus newbie readers would find it readable. Nowhere will a reader feel any disconnect as the author has maintained a smooth flow.
However, I did find some grammatical errors in the book which marred the effect of the plot and made reading this story a bumpy ride for me, especially the misspelt names of the characters. The plot wasn’t too extraordinary as well.

How the youngsters reach the Haveli and decide to explore it, how they die one by one, the unraveled mystery behind the haunted Haveli, the card game and its significance, how Sanya dealt with the case, was she successful in saving her job, was the Haveli actually haunted are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Khel – the writings.

Further, this 140-page book is good enough to keep you hooked till the end. The author could have got it edited in a better way. Rest was good. Best wishes to the author for his future writings!

Ratings: 3/5

Buying Links: Infibeam | Flipkart | Amazon

Tamanna - Book Review

Tamanna
By Tejeshwar Singh
Review By Ila Garg

Tamanna, a novel by Tejeshwar Singh, is published by FingerPrint Publication. The cover shows a girl who seems to have an independent streak. It speaks volumes about the plot of the book and manages to attract the readers. The sub-title ‘a true story of forbidden love’ does raise several questions in the mind of a prospective reader.

Tejeshwar Singh is a multi talented person, who runs a software consultancy firm in the heart throb of the country - Delhi. A little late in acknowledging his yearning for creative writing, he confidently pursues his passion now. He has had a keen interest in the mysteries and the truths about relationships and the human emotions associated with them. Tamanna is his attempt to portray what lay in his sub conscious mind. It is not just a book but an emotional journey of a man who fell in love twice!

Tamanna is the second book by Tejeshwar Singh, the first being I’ve had enough… God, which was published by Rupa in 2009.

The blurb reads as, “True love is like a permanent state of madness, one that makes us end up doing things we always thought ourselves incapable of.
The same happened with Delhi-based Arjun Singh. As a teenager, he made fun of romantic movies and love songs. Even when he got married, he only gradually fell in love with his wife—their love was mature and pure and had none of the madness that love stories are made of.
But his story only begins here . . .
One day at a party, he meets Tamanna, who looks breath-taking beside her overweight and pompous husband. Her arrival turns Arjun’s life around. He does everything love-struck teenagers are known to do—from writing poetry and letters to checking his phone every few minutes. He pines, he sings, he cries, he obsesses, he hyperventilates, he regrets, he scolds himself, he broods, he dreams, and he loves—truly and helplessly.
And as time passes, the gradual revelation of Tamanna’s maturity, her thoughtfulness, and her witty personality leave Arjun completely awestruck. But his is not a usual love story, for he is married, and so is she.
Heart-breaking and inspired by the author’s life story, Tamanna is a journey through a man’s heart, exploring, as it does, how it is possible to love more than one person at the same time, and how love heeds no reason and no boundaries.”

So what exactly happens when a married man comes face to face with a wonderful woman in all respects? Well, Tamanna is a story reflecting this side of encounter – a forbidden arena – a love that is a taboo in our society!

A married man and a doting father, Arjun meets this crazy, fun to be with, amazing woman, Tamanna at a dinner party and instantly falls for her. The author has given real details of this forbidden love and how Arjun dealt with these emotions and turmoil, how he curbed them. Tamanna too is a married woman with a child. Dinners between both the families and some friends become a regular affair soon. His friends persuade him that it’s only lust but gradually Arjun realises that it’s pure love. It’s almost like a confession!

The story moves in a flow and nowhere will a reader feel any disconnect. It’s so well-written that once you pick up, you cannot keep it down without finishing it off. I found it quite engaging. The subject is tackled beautifully by the skillful author. It seems a real account, in fact. The language is easy to comprehend. However, some parts seem repetitive marring the reader-interest.

How Arjun met Tamanna, how he discovered his true feelings for her, how he tried confessing his love for her, was he able to tell her about his feelings, did his wife find out about this forbidden love, will Tamanna understand if Arjun comes out clean in front of her are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Tamanna. Another reason that would keep you glued to this book would be the fact that the blurb states the book is inspired by author’s life.

Further, this 240 page book is good enough to expose the different set of emotions that a married man goes through when tangled in a situation like this. What makes it stands out is the realistic approach that the author took in narrating the entire episode. However, the characterization could have been better; it looks very stagnant. It’s a light read and overall a compelling book.

Ratings: 3.5/5

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