Love Bi the Way - Book Review

Love Bi the Way
By Bhaavna Arora
Review By Ila Garg

Love Bi the Way, a novel by Bhaavna Arora, is published by Penguin Random House India Private Limited. The cover shows a woman’s partly bare back with a hand of a woman and a hand of a man embracing her, claiming her– quite an apt cover for the plot of Love Bi the Way. You will agree with me more as you go on reading this book that deals with bisexuality.

The Tantric Curse - Book Review

The Tantric Curse
By Anupama Garg
Review By Ila Garg

The Tantric Curse, a novel by Anupama Garg, is published by Rupa Publications. The cover shows two well-defined eyes and the fire symbol on the forehead is much noticeable. Next, I can see a white silhouette of the girl in the centre. Huge eyes amidst geometric patterns creates an hypnotising effect. The colour combination of red, black and white is appealing and at once, transverse you into the world of tantra.

I had recently interviewed the author Anupama Garg, immediately after reading the book. If you missed it, you can read it here.

Relationships: Wows, Vows and Woes!

Relationships are strength. Relationships are weakness. But whatever they may be, they are essentially indispensable. These days it is all the more necessary to keep nurturing these relationships every now and then. Be it a boyfriend-girlfriend relation or a husband-wife relation, fights, arguments, and whatnot are integral part of the bond.

It is also a typical notion that the guys in relationships are forgetful; they don’t remember dates and special occasions. But then the lady heart wants to be pampered on such occasions for she cares, understands and loves.

In Conversation With Anupama Garg :)

Anupama Garg is a post graduate in chemistry, and has received a Diploma in Business Management and completed law thereafter. She currently conducts programs under the name and style of “Life by Choice” with corporates, educational institutes, hospitals and organizations. The focal point of all the programs is self-awareness and self-cultivation leading to holistic wellness.

Here, she lets her readers know a little more about herself and her journey so far. Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring to you Anupama Garg:

Bollywood Actress Zeenat Aman walked the ramp for Jewellery Designer Akassh K Aggarwal at India Runway Week

New Delhi, September 19, 2016: Bollywood diva Zeenat Aman dazzled the ramp as a showstopper for Jewellery Designer Akassh K Aggarwal. The Muse Room by Akassh K Aggarwal is a celebration of Being a Queen Beyond her Peers.

Anya's Lyric - Book Review

Anya’s Lyric
By Nikhil Kumar
Review By Ila Garg

Anya’s Lyric, a novel by Nikhil Kumar, is published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. The cover shows a shadow of a girl with a halo of light in the backdrop. Her hair is spread high representing the power of her thoughts and imagination. It totally intrigued me to flip through the pages quickly.

Go Organic, Stay Fit: Rahul Dev

The beautiful hotel, Park Plaza Faridabad is a unit of Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. It has a well-equipped spa, a swimming pool, and a gym to ensure a luxury stay. It recently celebrated the first anniversary of Breathe on 3rd September 2016, the gym chain introduced and led by Rahul Dev, which was graced by the actor himself.

Chit-Chat with Aditti Gaur :)

Hi Aditti Gaur,

Hope this finds you in good spirits!

It’s a pleasure to take your interview today. So let’s start:

1. I know it’s cliché, but tell us something about yourself.

Aditti: About myself! It’s always been a tricky question for me. But I’ll try to describe myself to you (laughs). I am a graduate who has an ample experience of working with a leading DTH brand for almost half a decade. Later, I quit that 9 to 5 corporate culture job, got married and moved to Gurgaon. I was born in Delhi but my complete up-bringing was done in Meerut (U.P.). Presently, I am living in Gurgaon with my husband and a 11-month old baby girl. Apart from that I am an introvert person, an observer, music and book lover and a live cartoon to my little kid.

The Rigveda Code - Book Review

The Rigveda Code
By Rashmi Chendvankar
Review By Ila Garg

The Rigveda Code, a novel by Rashmi Chendvankar, is published by Partridge India. The cover shows a picture of an archer and no wonder a reader who picks up this book will be instantly transported to the mythological era where Arjuna and the likes were creating history. So is this a book on mythology then? Let’s look at the author’s bio and blurb before we venture further.

Hygiene First with Pee Safe!

Hey lovelies,

Today I have a question for you all… Are you comfortable using public toilets or you tend to avoid them? If hygiene is your concern, there’s a solution for you: it’s called Pee Safe!

Recently, I received samples from the brand to test and say no to germs forever!

1ka3 Bundle of Joy - Website Review

Hi lovelies,

So today, I am gonna tell you about this awesome website that I recently came across. This works on the philosophy of ‘the more you buy, the less you pay’.

Yes, you heard it right. First, let me tell you how this site works. You can select any product from the wide range of quality stuff that is listed on the site. Once you choose your product, you can fill in your shipping details, choose whether to pay online or opt for COD and simply relax.

The site’s delivery is pretty fast. They deliver in 3-4 days of the order receipt. Also, the packaging is such that the products that reach you are not damaged in the process. Once you receive your parcel, open it with bated breaths because you are in for a surprise. Of course, a good one!

In your parcel, you will find the product that you ordered, packed very neatly. Along with that, there will be two freebies. Voila! And these two bonus products wouldn’t be trash, they will be useful and equally worth it. Your primary product (the one you ordered) can be a little expensive in comparison to the two freebies that you got but see you bought just one and got three! Isn’t it a delight?

So eventually the product that you bought wouldn’t feel so costly. This is therefore a cost-effective way of shopping as well. So what are you waiting for? Grab on the opportunity and #Karo1ka3

Le Creuset – The Iconic French cookware brand

Le Creuset – The Iconic French cookware brand hosted a Gastronomical Affair with Chef Ranveer Brar at Select CITYWALK, New Delhi

New Delhi, 29th August 2016: Le Creuset, world’s leading cookware brand famous for its cast-iron products, hosted a live gastronomical session with renowned celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar, who curated recipes that were beautifully prepared in Le Creuset cookware at Select Citywalk, New Delhi.

Will You Be My Dirty Little Secret? - Book Review

Will You Be My Dirty Little Secret?
Edited and Compiled By Nehali Lalwani
Review By Ila Garg 

The anthology comprising of 10 short stories, Will You Be My Dirty Little Secret? is published by Gargi Publishers.The printing quality of books by this publication house has always been its strength. All the stories are well written and deal with the hidden desires that one keeps covered up.

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.

CHOICE Life Insurance introduces Investshield

Life is very precious and sometimes, our loved ones too are dependent on us. Their lives are connected to us. But we must not forget that nothing in this world is permanent and thus, we need to be insured at all times – we need to make sure that our finances are well organized and keep protecting our dreams along with securing the lives of our near and dear ones.

When a life ceases, other lives are affected too – their dreams are crushed in a jiffy with a looming aim of sadness surrounding them. CHOICE Life Insurance understands the connected lives that we live. They know that we always want the best for our family and would not want to leave them saddened ever – the least we can do for them is insuring their dreams and happiness. With #InvestShield we can now do that in simple and easy steps.

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.

Male Gaze in Indian Cinema

It is to be observed that the male gaze has always been predominating the films. From the time when cinema began, it was the male who held the camera in his hand and viewed things with his perspective. He directed and he decided the way he wanted viewers to see a particular scene. It was his world that was showcased in the films starting from short silent films to talkies to the long narrative films. Females had no freedom to voice out their opinions and they were totally ignored as spectators for a long time. In fact, they were not even allowed to act in the beginning days. Then, gradually women did come to be associated with the industry but they were not considered good and their character was always taken to be shallow.

Thus, when men operated the camera, they depicted women either in stereotypical roles of a good daughter and a dedicated traditional wife, or they objectified them through exposing certain parts of their body to excite the male audience. No wonder, the pioneer actresses were seen as whores and were considered outcasts. As a consequence, the women on screen were treated as the women of public. After all, prostitutes are referred as women of bazaar and bazaar (or the market place) implies outside space that was not meant for good cultured women.

“Tawaif ke aangan ki mitti mila kar hi Durga ki murti ubharti hai…” (In the soil at the courtesan’s doorstep is moulded the idol of the Goddess Durga). This dialogue by Chandramukhi (a character played by Madhuri Dixit in the film Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali in 2002) is quite significant. On one hand, especially in Bengali culture, it is believed that the idol of Goddess Durga requires a handful of soil from the prostitute’s courtyard and on the other hand, they are exploited and treated badly. Even the lower caste women were not given equal platform. What was even more astonishing was that the upper caste women often threw remarks at the lower caste women. Even marriages were not possible in case of caste differences. In Devdas, when Sumitra Chakraborty (Paro’s mother) proposes the nuptials of Devdas and Paro in front of Kaushalya Mukherjee (Devdas’s mother), she had to bear insult for her societal status despite not being a courtesan. “Arey jab kuye ka paani hi kharab ho toh ghade ki jaat kya dekhni Sumitra. Bas tumhari ada mei reyaas nhi lekin khoon toh wohi hai… nautanki wala. Hum zamindar hai, machi khate hai lekin kaatein ko halak mei phasne nhi dete kabhi. Ek toh padosi ka ghar, upar se neech kul… Chalo bhul jao ki tum neech kul ki ho, thodi der ke liye bhul jao ki tum neech kul ki ho. Lekin apni aukaat ka toh khayal rakhti. Apne khote sikke ko yahan chalane ki koshish mat krna, Sumitra.” (Why to draw water from poisoned wells, Sumitra? You may not practice the traits, but your blood remains the same as the dancing girls... We are landlords, we may eat fish but we won’t let bones stick in the gullet. For one, you are a neighbour and on top of it, as a family, you are disgraced... Even if we momentarily forget your disgraced state, but what about your standing? Don’t you try to palm off your bad coin here, Sumitra!)

The legendary love story of Devdas and Paro could not be fulfilled because of this societal dogma that clutched the mind-sets. Women were thus, confined within the boundaries of the home and thus there was a stark contrast with which the women at home and women on screen were looked at. At both places, women were not treated with respect though and led an undignified life.

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

Celebrate one-month anniversary with us: ‘कला’ Sisters at TGC

Holla Cocktails!

At TGC, we have completed exactly one month of cocktailing and it has been a tremendous ride so far!

You guys have been an amazing support throughout. Your likes and comments were encouraging, and here we are hosting a giveaway for you all. This is our first giveaway, be assured that there are many more coming your way!

What are we giving away?

Of course, you would want to know about the prize. Since TGC started off with book reviews, we have decided to keep a romance book as a prize for this contest. We love reading and hope you do too. This book tells a love story that would touch your heart… at least, we hope so! We love surprises! So we won’t disclose the name of the book right now, but we assure you that you will find it a good read.

What do you have to do to win?

Well, winning is simple. All you have to do is enter the contest and get going. Please follow all steps to win the surprise book:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND:

• There will be only 1 winner chosen by ‘कला’ Sisters.
• Winner has to contact us within 48 hours through an email to claim the prize. This is our email id: thegeminicocktail@gmail.com
• If the chosen winner fails to contact us in the given time, another winner will be drawn.
• You have to follow all the steps to win.
• The giveaway is for India residents only.

Simple, right? Still, if you have any questions, shoot us an email here:thegeminicocktail@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The decision of ‘कला’ Sisters would be final. Images in the blog are taken for http://www.google.com for representation purpose only. They are not the actual prizes.

Excited? So are we!

ALL THE VERY BEST GUYS! CHEERS!!

Happy Reading! Happy Cocktailing!

Team The Gemini Cocktail

We love you! xoxo