Emotional Fool - Book Review

Emotional Fool

By Selva Ganapathy

Review By Ila Garg

Emotional Fool is a book by the debutant writer Selva Ganpathy is published by Notion Press which is a self-publishing firm. The cover of the book is designed by Preeta Suresh. The cover and title are appealing. The cover is an image and a mirror image of a joker, which in combination with the title indicates at the emotional aspect of the novel. It signifies sadness and mockery of love, maybe!

The blurb reads as, ‘The protagonist, Selva narrates his life story - His childhood, his upbringing, friends, travels, college life, career and Priya. The story revolves around Priya, his best friend and confidante who he eventually falls in love with & attempts to court. His sensitive nature leads him to take actions that are a typical & abnormal for people around him. What happens when he continues to let his heart rule his head?’

It is short, precise, to the point and gives the readers a glimpse into the story of the book Emotional Fool. The book is a reflection of the author’s own experiences of life. He has penned down his own good, bad, and indifferent experiences that he went through. The long lasting effect of them can be felt in his words.

The protagonist of the story is Selva himself, and he narrates a tale of his journey of finding his first job from IIT Delhi, his friends, his active work for AID New Delhi and then his own drastic family problems. It also gives a deeper insight into the love and support he got from people around him which helped him to form a certain outlook towards the future. It further moves to his attempts to woo a girl he got attracted to on social networking medium which fails and then finally he comes across Priya.

The 132 page book comprises of 8 chapters, and a prologue. The reason that made this book readable for me is perhaps the innocence with which the author has written about his own life. He has made no attempt to hide anything and spoken about the incidents which occurred with honesty.

He has boldly claimed in his book that the story is not fictional; it is his own story which is a less treaded step too. The straight forward and simple narration makes it reader friendly but the grammatical flaws become an eyesore. Few spelling mistakes further made me despise the book towards the end. It took me around an hour to finish it off. It ends of a hopeful note.

The too many dilemmas of Selva’s life is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Emotional Fool. To find out whether Selva gets a decent reply from the girl he tries to woo through social networking or not, whether Priya and he get along well or not, their friendship blossoms or shatters; you will have to read the book which Selva Ganpathy claims to be a blook (where a personal blog is reformatted into a book), Emotional Fool.

Ratings: 2.5/5

In conversation with an Architect!

Your name and age? 

Ar. Anubhav Goyal D.O.B. 11/02/1986

INTRODUCTION

Ar. Anubhav Goyal received his Bachelor’s Degree from Aayojan school of Architecture, Jaipur and Masters in Urban Planning from MNIT, Jaipur. Also did P.G.P.M. from NICMAR, Pune. He also worked in Holland (Rotterdam) for half a year to experience architecture globally.

He has been responsible for the design, engineering and implementation of a wide variety of projects. He has also been taking guest lectures at private architectural institutes and NITs. 

    

1. Why did you choose to become an architect? How and where did your career in architecture begin?

It was a very natural choice. Several teachers and friends of our family noted that I seemed to have interests that included both science and art. The project-based nature of the profession makes everyday new and different – with new projects and new challenges. Also I chose it because it’s a very creative profession, plus the fact that you could have something that you’ve designed realised in real life. As time progressed, I began to be intrigued by how buildings could affect the way we live, our mood and behaviour. We spend most of our lives in buildings – through architecture you can influence the way people live their lives for the better.

I began working in a local architecture firm during my architectural education and gained a first-hand perspective on the practice of architecture. Second major opportunity I got while working at 24H Architecture BV in Holland where I learned designing/ analytical and professional approach to architecture.

After returning from Holland, I found myself looking for the next professional challenge, and the idea of starting a new practice appealed to me. Since then, I enjoyed the four years of independent practice in designing various projects. 

2. What is an average day in your life like? Take us through it.

I spend around 40 hours per week on my workstation for designing and developing ideas/ concepts for my projects. The work activities involve discussions with colleagues and interns on varied projects to achieve a design output as per owner’s requirements. I also like to spend few hours on sites and sometimes taking guest lecture for students of architecture. 

3. What has been the most memorable or exciting event in your career?

The rewards are many indeed. There is great satisfaction as a project comes to fruition – knowing it will have a positive effect on the lives of many people.

Architecture responds to our human condition in many, many ways. It is about people – from its purpose, to its process, and its products. Without the needs, relationships, and appreciation of people there would be no rewards in the practice of architecture. Simply stated, the great reward in the practice of architecture is our participation in the transformation of the world, for the better, for others.

4. What is the Indian architectural industry like - in terms of pay, people and lifestyle - can you give students an idea of what to expect?

Architects create design, and in co-ordination with engineers, they endeavour to make the drawings a reality. Both these fields should operate in tandem but can never replace each other. Unfortunately, more and more engineers are now trying to perform the work of an architect. A pathetic situation has come about wherein architects are not being given a free hand. 

An architect is a creator. One cannot put a price tag on his creative energy. 

Right now, the real estate market is in a slump, so the ratio of architects to job opportunities is uneven. 

Students should be prepared for a low income when they graduate. You don’t make a lot of money out of it, not until later. It’s not as well-paid as everyone thinks – not for the hours you do. Secondly, be prepared to work hard and play hard. It’s a very social career and very social at university – you form a very close-knit group of people simply through being in the studio all day. Also, get experience whenever you can, like on a construction site, or in an office, and read books, visit buildings – just really throw yourself into it.

5. What in your opinion, makes an exceptional architect? What quality should he or she possess?

Architects must get engaged in the needs of the larger community rather than esoteric few. An architect must be aware of all the parameters of planning and adhere to the planning rules and regulations laid down by the authorities. He should co-ordinate with other professionals, like the contractors, engineers, decorators etc, in order to complete the structure. In this field, practical experience is very important. 

I personally feel that an architect must be given complete autonomy in his field of designing. Anybody who employs an architect should brief him about his needs and financial constraints, and it is the architect's responsibility to fulfil the needs of the employer and design within the stipulated fee.

6. What are the challenges, if any, faced by architects today?

The architect’s role changes throughout the course of the project. At the outset the primary role of the architect is to assist the owner in envisioning the possibilities for the future of their built environment. Then each project requires decisions to be made which eliminate some of the possibilities, and the owner rightly depends on the advice of the architect in this narrowing of the options. Then the architect brings all the necessary engineers and other design experts into the project and coordinates their aspects of design work. The architect brings together all of the project requirements and the design efforts of multiple engineers into a cohesive, integrated whole. All of this occurs under the guidance of the architect who guides the project, ensuring that the final design meets the requirements and goals set forth in the early stages of the design process.

7. Do you have any criticism about the average buildings you find in India today?

I have a real appreciation of buildings that A) utilize authentic materials, and B) serve a public, communal, or ritual purpose.

8. What is architecture school like -- or at least how was yours – could you describe it a little for students interested in joining? Is entrance very difficult (high cut off marks)?

Architecture can be defined as the science of building. It is both an art and a science and combines art and technology to create monuments. Architecture is a profession, which has been practised from times immemorial. Architecture, as a profession, has thrived in India for centuries and all the magnificent monuments are testimonials. 

As a curriculum in colleges, it started sometime during the British rule, with the establishment of JJ School of Arts in Mumbai, which offered a diploma in architecture. Many years later, the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi was started, and by 1957, there were around seven to eight colleges in the country. Other colleges like REC Trichy, started offering architecture as a course of study in the 1960s. Gradually, many of the self-financed, private colleges began offering the subject. Right now, there are around 100 schools in India, with Maharashtra topping the list with 30 schools. Karnataka comes second with more than 18 schools. Premier institutions in the country are IIT Kharagpur, School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, JJ School of Architecture in Mumbai, JN Technological University of Hyderabad, Anna University, Chennai and REC Trichy.

The entrance exam (NATA) for architecture is not very difficult to clear. All it requires is an aptitude towards art and creativity. 

9. Which architects have inspired you? Can you name some buildings in India and outside that have inspired you?

I am in love with Frank Lloyd Wright. Modern architecture is incredible. Howard Roarke from Ayn Rand's Novel ‘The Fountainhead’ would have been my crush if he was real.

The Parthenon [Athens], Hagia Sophia [the Byzantine church that later became a mosque in Istanbul], the Chrysler Building [New York City], Grand Central Terminal [New York City], and Amiens Cathedral [Amiens, France].

10. Beauty and art is subjective and trends are always changing. But what is your personal idea of *good architecture*?

Simplicity. Making complex programs and requirements appear simple is incredibly difficult and at its essence, that is why I appreciate modern architecture as much as I do.

You can contact him at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anubhav.goyal.79

I Played A Game With Life - Book Review

 

I played a game with Life

By S. Richardson

Review By Ila Garg

I Played A Game With Life, a novel by the debutant writer S. Richardson is published by Parlance Publishers Pvt. Ltd. The cover designer Jimmy Eric, has well portrayed life in the cover. The front representing day and the brightness while the back contrasting it and depicting night, darkness. The moment I saw the cover, I knew I have to read this. The title is intriguing equally, tempting me further to own this book. So when Richardson sent this book to me for reviewing, I was glad.

The blurb reads as, “Will one young man’s hurts, disappointments and pressures lift him up to greatness or will he submit to mediocrity?

Sam, a typical guy, living life happy and carefree, but has an ambition that far exceeds what a normal Chennai boy can aspire to. Encountering ‘Life’ itself in a dream, he’s convinced into playing a game with it. A game that ends when Life's travails get so hard that Sam is pushed to tears.

A girl enters Sam’s life when he least expects it. The moment he sets eyes on her he knows she’s going to play hard to get. Sparks do indeed fly and before long the two find themselves in a world of romance.

Though Sam’s attitude about living life is to be happy and cool, he finds all of that being tested. Circumstances push him into a world of discomfort, guilt, heartbreak and confusions.

Amidst such emotional turmoil, he manages to grip on to hope and still enjoys life. One event after another pushes him to an edge.

Does Sam find a way to win the game? Or will he spiral into what so many people who've given up the fight have fallen into? You simply need to be part of his life to find out.”

As I read through the novel I played a game with Life, I could actually feel as if I am watching a movie. It has a great potential. The story moves on a comfortable pace, easy language ensures that readers will not find in difficult to read.

Prologue of the novel is written with a clear vision, enhancing the interest of the readers. And this interest is maintained well till the end.

Initially there is nothing different that Richardson offers us in the book. It’s the same old tale with slight twists. But gradually it captures. The Hindi words used could have been a little crisper. The flow of words was good yet the incidents and character introductions were a little fragmented.

The story revolves around the main protagonist, Sam his never ending woes with his family, his newly found love Amritha, an uber cool super rich girl, his friend Harish & his girlfriend Preethi and some relatives and his professional life which is in a terrible mess as no one is in favour of him becoming a Hollywood Actor. A person with big dreams and ambitions to fulfil finds himself at crossroads when his father doesn't supports him in the cause and his struggle to set things right becomes a tough task. Some sparkling revelations later on turns his life upside down and then people around him set out to make life easier for Sam, especially his best friend. It's a story about lost hopes, fading ambitions, silence of an innocent soul, intense love for a girl and in the end the price he pays for each and everything. But somehow it’s worth it.

This 245 page book contains 46 chapters. Well written yet dragging at some points. Readers might find the end too predictable. At some phases, I felt the story is going way too beyond reality. It was more of a melodrama created for the readers to enjoy.

The too many insecurities in Sam’s love life is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in I Played A Game With Life. Another reason that would keep you glued to it would be to discover if he actually wins the game with life or not.

To find out whether he survives the absence of his ex-girlfriend and moves on with Amritha or not, will he be lucky in his career despite the turmoil, how he sets everything right towards the end; you will have to read the novel, I Played a Game with Life.

Ratings: 3.2/5

In Conversation with Dayal Madan :)

Born in a small town of Nainital District, currently residing in New Delhi, he is twenty two, and currently single. He graduated from Dehradun Institute of Technology, and currently works in finance domain. He founded 'Rhythm Books' along with a friend Gurinder Arora. Besides writing novel, he loves to play poker and write raps too.

Here he lets his readers know a little more about himself and his journey as a writer:

1. Tell us something about your book?

Millionaire, is a story of crazy love, expectations, sacrifice, passion towards your goal, and above all, the commitment and emotion. The story talks about aspirations and ambition towards your goal. People usually ask me if it’s something related to business, finance and all. But it’s not; it’s a puppy college love story of Dev Arora and Visha Kapoor, a tale of two lovers who begin their journey of togetherness. It’s true that life doesn't guarantee you happiness without any sorrow; all it matters is rising above it. Millionaire talks about those ups and downs in life and the commitment towards your love and the passion to be a millionaire.

2. 'Rhythm Books' is a new publishing house, how did you come up with this concept?

Talking about two years back, I considered myself the last person to write something, or even read any book. But things changed gradually when someone suggested me some books to read. To be honest, I started to write just to impress that person, and slowly and slowly, it became my hobby. The idea of 'Rhythm Books' came to my mind when my first draft got rejected from three publishers; although it’s true that my first draft was pathetic. So when I started up with my second draft, I made up my mind that I would be going to do everything by myself, no matter how much painful it may be. On the same day, I called my cousin (and my business partner) Gurinder Arora and told him about the plan. 

And believe me, it feels great to work as a driving force behind 'Rhythm books'. We only follow one simple plan, no outsourcing. We write, we edit, we typeset, we design cover, and we make trailer videos. In fact, if we had enough funds, we could have bought a printing press also.

3. What inspired you to write this book ‘Millionaire’ and publish it through 'Rhythm Books'?

Well, nobody inspired me to write a book. As mentioned earlier, it started as a show-off, and slowly turned as a hobby, and will remain a hobby. And 'Rhythm Books' is just a beginning, I have a lot of venture ideas piled up in my mind.

4. What do you think is your biggest strength when it comes to writing?

It’s patience. Writing something requires a lot of patience. There may come time when you sit idle in front of your computer screen thinking what to write, or how to start. And at the next moment, you shut down your system and start doing something else. Writing is something in which you’ll always miss the deadlines. And once you get struck at something, it may take days to come out of it. It’s true that it takes only a small idea to start writing something, but it takes a hell lot of patience to complete it.

5. Share some of your interesting memories you lived while writing this book?

I barely had any time when I started up with Millionaire. I was fully occupied with my day job, and during weekends, I was at my native town resting on the couch in front of the TV. The only free time I had was when I was travelling. My work place was at a distance of two hours, so I used to utilize that time imagining characters and writing chapters on my phone. More than eighty percent of the book has been written on my phone during travelling, and the rest twenty percent is taken from my previous draft. So it was a nice experience for me hiding my phone screen from the people who kept on staring at it.

6. What are your views on co-authoring? Would you like to co-author your future work with someone? If yes, then who?

One plus one is surely not eleven, but is greater than two. Every person has a different perspective, so combining different views and working as one can lead to a great product. Plus, it helps marketing. So I believe co-authoring a book can overshadow your weakness with someone else’s strength. And I'm not picky about people. If given a chance, I would love to work with practically anyone on a book as far as he/she is willing to accept my weird concepts.

7. Some words for the budding writers who might be penning down their debut books. 

A friend of mine once said to me, ‘if there’s a book that you want to read but hasn't been written yet, then you should write it.’ So I would like to pass these words to all the budding writers. Everyone has a story and anyone can be a writer, all we need is to push our limits.

8. What are some things you like to do when you’re not writing?

I like to listen and write raps. I'm a great fan of Eminem, not only because of his songs, but also because of his struggle in his early life. It was only because of his passion and sacrifices he dealt that he’s now considered as the king of hip-hop. It reminds me of the fact that nothing is impossible once we decide to do anything.

Apart from it, I like to watch sitcoms, especially ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S.’, I like to drive (although not in Delhi’s traffic), I like to try new things to eat, I like to work, I like to think and most importantly, I like to sleep.

9. How do you envision your book will impact your readers?

Millionaire is a story of love and passion. People who have been in love can easily relate the story to themselves. The book’s primary motive is to entertain people, and I believe I may server its purpose. But there are many incidents from which readers can take inspiration, say it loyalty and commitment. The message Millionaire tries to give to its readers is that, where there is a will there may not be a way, but it’s you who has to find the way.

10. What is your least favourite part of the writing process?

It’s editing. The book is edited by us only, and it was a painful task. We used to be awake till late to find errors in the book and correct them, and once a chapter was checked and corrected completely, we used to celebrate making noises and banging walls. Still, it took us a month to completely finish the process. Although when the book was printed, we found few more errors; see nobody is perfect. We could've hired a professional editor to do the same, but then, it would have hindered out learning capabilities. Here at 'Rhythm books', we follow no outsourcing and learning is fun rule. Project Rhythm does not intend to make money out of it, but to enhance our capabilities and grasp as much as we can. 

Description

Billions of people, with zillions of dreams. Dreams that say I want to be rich, I want to see my favourite car in the garage of my beach-house, I want to have everything I want. Its true that money cant buy happiness, cause it is happiness. But do dreams really turn into reality? Can an ordinary life be deciphered to extra-ordinary?

Bank balance of hundreds of millions, colossal apartment, resplendent black car, and retirement in the early twenties; he had everything. But it all appeared void to him. He was incomplete without his first and very last vish. The happiness couldn't buy him his vish. Can love be ever so strong that it can overshadow all the luxuries? Is the love he lost ever coming back? What about the promises he made? When he had nothing, he wanted everything. When he had everything, he felt nothing. He was Dev Arora, a multi-millionaire.

Millionaire - Book Review

Millionaire

By Dayal Madan

Review By Ila Garg

Millionaire, a beautiful novel by the debutant Dayal Madan is published by Rhythm Books Publication. It’s a self-publishing firm largely and Dayal Madan happens to be the co-founder. I also browsed through the official book trailer on youtube which was made with a lot of creativity. This is the first book by this publication house and the way it is presented to the readers is noticeable. Both the publication house and the book, Millionaire, seem to be promising!

The blurb reads as “Billions of people, with zillions of dreams. Dreams that say I want to be rich, I want to see my favorite car in the garage of my beach-house, I want to have everything I want. It’s true that money can’t buy happiness, ‘cause it is happiness. But do dreams really turn into reality? Can an ordinary life be deciphered to extra-ordinary?Bank balance of hundreds of millions, colossal apartment, resplendent black car, and retirement in the early twenties; he had everything. But it all appeared void to him. He was incomplete without his first and very last vish. The happiness couldn't buy him his vish. Can love be ever so strong that it can overshadow all the luxuries? Is the love he lost ever coming back? What about the promises he made? When he had nothing, he wanted everything. When he had everything, he felt nothing. He was Dev Arora, a multi-millionaire.”

The title Millionaire indicates the book must be about monetary aspects, a corporate world, precisely all about money. But the cover of the book gives a slightly clearer picture. It shows three distorted hearts with Euros, Pounds, Dollars, Rupees, & LOVE.

The story is written in romance genre. I was amazed while reading it as I thought a guy will never be able to pen down the depth of emotions with such a seamless effort, but Dayal Madan proved me wrong. He did a wonderful job with emotions in his book, Milionaire.

Initial story was more or less repetitive and thus predictable. The story revolves around the central character Dev Arora, who has some ambitions and aspirations pre-set for him. He then fell in love with Visha Kapoor, the girl who changed his life completely and then suddenly vanished completely from his life. He was all aloof and then time made him realise his aim to be a millionaire.

But gradually the story started taking twists and turns.

The story in a nutshell, is about sufferings, hurt, undying love, achieving success, be a millionaire, commitment, and many more such themes. The madness of Dev in his love story is a main crux of the book.

The 3-4 poems in the book are well-written and add to the beauty of emotions. The author has good narrative skills. The 203 page book takes you along with it and makes you realise that every love story is not an easy affair. The story is meaningful and the main reason that I loved this book is the dedication of Dev towards Visha. The story had a filmi touch, I almost felt as if I am watching a Hindi flick.

Dayal Madan managed to keep the reader’s interest maintained throughout! The pace of the story is smooth too. The language is easy to comprehend and there would be no difficulty in understanding the plot of the novel. It is an inspirational tale of love adding to its USP.

The too many turmoil of Dev’s love life is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Millionaire. To find out whether he survives the absence of Visha in his life, will he be lucky in love, who is Naina, will Naina be able to replace Visha in Dev’s life, happiness in just money or love is essential too; you will have to read the novel, Millionaire.

For a debut writer, Dayal Madan has given a good start to his career. The story line and absence of Visha without any concrete reason kept me glued till the end. Some of the dialogues in the book were actually so touching and close to my heart that I eventually ended up taking snapshots and whatsapping them to a friend of mine. Kudos to the writer for writing such an emotional tale… I recommend this book to all the love birds.

Ratings: 3.7/5

The Caretaker - Book Review

The Caretaker

By A. X. Ahmad

Review By Ila Garg

A.X. Ahmad’s ‘The Caretaker’ has been published by Harper Collins. So one can easily trust this book as a quality product, both in terms of editing as well as paper quality. Printing is of a good quality too. I stared at the book for about 15 minutes before I began reading, quite impressed by its outer beauty.

By the time I reached the middle of this book, my heart was throbbing. This is therefore, a truly amazing suspense thriller novel which takes you into its realms to provide you with an unparalleled sensory experience.

This 294 page book, ‘The Caretaker’ by A. X. Ahmad, belongs to the genre of suspense and thriller. I love fast-paced thrillers with plot twists and mysteries or questions that drive the novel and keep the interest intact, but I find that most of those types of books are light on character development, beautiful prose, etc. On the other hand, I find that most literary novels can be a bit too slow and thus boring and often monotonous.

A.X. Ahmad’s book is one of the few books I can think of that combines the best of both worlds. It’s a fast-paced, exciting, and fun page-turner. I read the whole thing from cover to cover, at one point holding the book with one hand and reading while brewing a cup of coffee for myself. It held my undaunted attention as it’s written beautifully, with gorgeous descriptions and insightful social commentary sprinkled throughout. In that sense, A.X. Ahmad’s ‘The Caretaker’ does not disappoint as a suspense novel.

The cover page is simple, not distracting. Blurb is to the point and precise, hinting at the story line and arousing reader’s interest. I am very much content with this debut novel.

The protagonist and flawed hero is Ranjit Singh, a disgraced Sikh former army captain now living as an undocumented worker struggling to make ends meet as a landscaper on Martha's Vineyard. Things are not going well but begin to look up a bit when he is offered the opportunity to work as caretaker during the off season for a famous senator and a list of other well off folk looking for someone to watch over their summer homes. But then in desperation he makes a bad choice and what follows is a well written and good standard thriller as he tries to figure out and resolve the mess he find himself and his family entangled in. 

Besides Ranjit Singh there are a number of other immigrant characters in Ahmad’s novel, including the Brazilian ferry operators and a particularly wise and helpful Arab shopkeeper who did his bit in helping Ranjit too. The various immigrant characters in ‘The Caretaker’ are clearly aware of their differences, and as many of them are in the United States illegally they are forced to acknowledge the precariousness of their position.

In a book that on the whole is more interested in its potboiler suspense plot than in making complex sociological points about race, Ahmad manages to say quite a lot about the status of immigrants in the version of America he is creating in ‘The Caretaker.’

The things I most enjoyed in this story were the glimpses into Ranjit's Sikh religion and lifestyle, life as an undocumented immigrant trying to fit in - especially in the post 9/11 world, the under-the-average-American's-radar look at relations between India and Pakistan and the political power brokering scene. I loved Ranjit's relationship with his daughter too.

I must say the author is highly intellectual and has written an intelligent piece of writing. The second half took me by surprise. The author has marvellously woven a brilliant climax into the story that keeps the readers glued till the very end.  The characters are well chosen and described. Overall it’s a very challenging plot.

This is a very well-written and page-turning thriller, one of the best kinds of its genre. I enjoyed it thoroughly. A gripping tale of hidden histories, political intrigue and dangerous attractions, A. X. Ahmad's The Caretaker introduces a new hero for our times: an immigrant caught between two worlds and a man caught between two loves.

I feel the breath-taking end will keep the readers engaged. Cheers to the author for penning down such a challenging plot.

Ratings: 4/5

This (Unbiased) book review is a part of "Indiblogger and Harper Collins Get Published Opportunity".

A Wild Rose - Book Review

A Wild Rose

By Uzma Jafri

Review By Ila Garg

A Wild Rose, firstly, the name of the book itself attracts the readers. It has kind of mysterious touch to it. Secondly, the cover design is so provoking and kind of magnetising. It somehow manages to indicate the hidden miseries embedded into the story ahead.

The blurb reads as, “Ritu Anand. Vivacious television anchor envied by many, makes the biggest mistake of her life. A man is at the center of it all. Who is he? And why is he after her?

Ritu Anand is a strikingly beautiful and wealthy divorcee, all of 25 years. None but her parents and best friend in life, Sumbul, know the truth of her divorce. Her career too, had gone to dust thanks to her failed marriage and traumatic ill-health. To the rest of the world, Ritu maintains a façade of still being married. In an effort to piece her life together again, she goes back to being an anchorperson after 3 long years… 

And a very important part of this new life becomes the enigmatic Anshuman Sinha.  Not very tall and with an average physique, deep hazel eyes and sharp intense features, Anshuman is dangerous and irresistible – he is the very picture of 'Ritu's Man'. The devastatingly dashing ‘casanova’ soon has the ‘love starved- Ritu’ eating from the palm of his hand and dreaming of a picture perfect life with him.

The gullible Ritu is soon weaving the tapestry of a picture perfect life, of a happily ever after with her lover. But there is her hidden past to deal with. What was the truth behind her sordid marriage? And coming to the present, what did she know about Anshuman at all?

Will this new life be the chance Ritu was hoping for? Or is this some deep, dark hell?

Has she fallen from the pan straight into the fire?

Is love blooming or have the sinister thorns torn the petals to shreds?

Watch the bookshelves for this fascinating book, a look at a different side to love. After all, are there really any guarantees in love for a happy life ever after?

The lyrical Urdu poetry of greats such as Ghalib and Momin adds an ethereal passion to the heartfelt prose of Uzma Jafri. A truly spellbinding book, a truly impassioned effort.”

Needless to say it is a story of love; a different shade of love. Ritu, the protagonist desires her prince charming like every other girl, but fate has only disappointments in store for her. She is gullible enough to get into traps laid down for her.

Her best friend Sumbul stands by her through thick and thin. Later, she helps remove the blindfold from her eyes. In the journey of the book, Ritu suffers and is deceived despite of her intelligence and beauty (a rare combination). The way Uzma Jafri has penned down this particular story is really appreciable. The author has described every emotion very beautifully. There are episodes in the book that make you feel so anxious for Ritu. You almost develop an unsaid bond with her.

As evident from the title of the book, A Wild Rose, the Rose plays an important part in Ritu’s life as the story of her love life begins with the red, red roses. Love happens to bump into her life as Sarita Bai keeps getting roses for her every morning as per the instructions and ironically it disappears with the roses too. Uzma Jafri has skillfully used this element to create such a beautiful and heart-melting story. In between the story, the readers will find some really interesting Urdu couplets too.

The 264 page book takes you along with it and makes you realise that all that glitters is not gold after all. The story is quite meaningful and the main reason that I loved this book is the apt use of roses in it. They keep the reader’s interest maintained throughout! The narrative is tactfully written and the readers wouldn’t find it difficult to keep up with the pace of the story. The language is easy to comprehend and there would be no difficulty in understanding the various twists and turns in the novel.

One thing I exceptionally liked besides the already mentioned things is the ‘Editing’. Uzma Jafri has managed to give her readers a flawless book both in terms of vocabulary and editing. Plus, the emotions are intrinsic to the book.

The too many turmoil of Ritu’s love life is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in A Wild Rose. To find out whether she survives the misery of love and after a failed marriage, will she be lucky with Anshuman, what role do roses actually play in her life, how a red rose can bring love in her life and a wild rose can snatch not only the love but the life out of her, how strong is her friendship with Sumbul, when the time comes who will she choose: Sumbul or Anshuman?, will she get her Prince Charming; you will have to read the novel, A Wild Rose.

For a debut writer, Uzma Jafri has done it; she has proved her mettle and yes she is an excellent writer. The way she has captured all the intricate emotions of a dejected heart, kept me glued to this book till the end and also the added suspense in the form of the roses.

The author Uzma Jafri, belongs to an affluent Muslim Family, and brought up in the most cosmopolitan way. She is a feminist at heart, which is reflected in this women centric fiction, A Wild Rose.

Ratings: 4/5

You can buy this wonderful piece of writing, here:

FLIPKART-

http://www.flipkart.com/search?q=a+wild+rose+by+uzma+jafri&sid=search.flipkart.com&as=off&as-show=off&otracker=start&ref=49f39a03-d987-4e0b-ad9d-dce3b7a85f4c

INFIBEAM-

http://www.infibeam.com/Books/wild-rose-uzma-jafri/9789350880630.html?trackId=india_bookstore

HOMESHOP-

http://www.homeshop18.com/wild-rose/author:uzma-jafri/books/fiction/product:30924389/cid:13167/

BOOKADDA-

http://www.bookadda.com/books/wild-rose-uzma-jafri-9350880636-9789350880630?position=1

Happy Birthday & other Short Stories

Meghna Pant’s “Happy Birthday”

The success of Meghna Pant’s debut novel, “One and a Half Wife”, increased the expectations of both readers and critics from her. The award winning author, Meghna Pant’s second book titled, “Happy Birthday” is published by Random House Publications.

After Dubai and Delhi, she is currently residing in Mumbai. She was much appreciated after the release of her first novel and won the Muse India’s Young Writer Award. Not only this, but the novel was also long listed for the Cinnamon Press Novel Writing Award; it made it to the top ten in Word Hustler’s Literary Storm Novel Contest too, and also reached the second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, adding more feathers to the cap.

Her second book however, is a short story book and not a novel. The book, “Happy Birthday” is a collection of thirteen stories depicting different facets. The subjects are vivid which range from a woman married in money, yet unhappy with her life, to the Mumbai-slum girl who wants to say words which are valuable enough to be translated in English.

All the thirteen stories are heart-warming, introspecting, emotional stories which are eye-openers. When I ordered the book, the name suggested that these would be happy stories but they were realities of life, realities we often run away from, realities we close our eyes to. Even the cover of this book is beautiful at the first glance but if you look at it very carefully, you will realize that the balloons have something printed on them, and these are all related to something or the other in the stories.

Happy Birthday is gathering praises from every corner of the publishing world. Some of the most celebrated authors have appreciated the book and the online community has followed suit. In the official review by Flipkart, they said, “When you read a collection of short stories, you expect it to be wide-ranged and almost close to perfect. The writer for one cannot hide behind layers of plot, as sometimes in a story there is just one layer. At the same time, it isn’t easy for a writer to move from a novel to writing short stories for the second book. Meghna Pant achieves this to some extent in her new book, Happy Birthday and Other Stories.”

Meghna Pant by profession is a TV anchor and also a finance journalist. She has recently quit her job to become a full time writer, listening to her passion. She is currently working on her third book is titled ‘Sons Of God’.

“Meri Aankhon Mein Mohabbat Ke Manjar Hain”

Dinesh Gupta’s “Meri Aankhon Mein Mohabbat Ke Manjar Hain”

It’s a fact well known that if you go out of the set norms of the society; you will emerge out as highlighted. Dinesh Gupta, a debutant writer, decided to follow the same rebellious attitude as he started off his career as a writer with a Hindi poetry collection titled, “Meri Aankhon Mein Mohabbat Ke Manjar Hain.”

The title makes the readers feel that it is about love. Although it is about two different aspects of love namely: love for your beloved and love for your country.

Inspite of being the mother tongue of Indians, Hindi, is losing its place these days. It is being replaced by English at a fast pace. In such a scenario, Dinesh Gupta’s “Meri Aankhon Mei Mohabbat Ke Manjar Hain” tries to give a new life to Hindi language through the medium of Hindi poetries and shayaris. It is great news that the first three editions of the book have been sold already. It seems like his small effort to revive Hindi has worked.

Hailing from a small town of Madhya Pradesh, he has proved his mettle through his debut book and also stated that he will set his own trends. He is a computer engineer by profession, currently working in Amdocs. His poetry reflects his passion of emotions and the extent to which he feels them.

His book revolves around topics like love, dreams, Indian against corruption and other such things. The mixture of romance and patriotism is the striking feature of his book. Although he has a keen interest in writing about love and bravery but looking at the plight of his fellow countrymen, he decided to write about the turmoil our country is going through, which is a very determined step. The poems of corruption and patriotism have appealed to the readers. The poems have been appreciated by not only the members of the publishing industry but also the readers.

His book is like a fresh breath of air in the industry. It’s a respite for the Hindi lovers. It’s a must read for the poetry and shayari enthusiasts.

Stuck In The Moment - Book Review

Stuck In The Moment

By Shradha Nanchahil

Review By Ila Garg

Love Stories are ruling the market now - a - days.  It’s a favorite subject among both readers and writers. Love stories vary in their flavors, some are happy, some are sad, some are complete, while others are left incomplete unfulfilled. Whatever may be the end or beginning, the genre of romance is always on top! Stuck in the Moment, is yet another story of love.

The 63 page book, Stuck in the Moment, has been published by Notionpress which is a self-publishing firm. The writer Shradha Nanchahil’s debut book, ‘Stuck in the Moment’ is a very quick read as you can make out from the number of pages.

It is not always he left you or you left him, it's simply some times, destiny left us. There comes a time in relations that you just *don't* or *can't* be together. There may be family problems OR there can be future insecurities OR when you have had too much of each other OR fading trust OR even long distance troubles. The reasons of breaking apart are a lot more than one can imagine. Love is a wide term, where in you may still love the person but you just cannot opt for being together with them, for the betterments in future of lives the departure seems better. Those make as incompletely, complete love story. Where you are still in love but just not together. You have an assurity that the other person will listen to all that u say, you still know just a text and all would be back on track, you still know how late it gets in night your one call and they'll receive, you still know the restrictions would still be accepted, you still know how hard it gets they'll still care. But you know an extra point, that you still have lost all the rights over that person.

At this point it's better to back off for the happiness of the other and a complete belief that the love was so pure. Those all love you's were the most honest and from the bottom of the hearts. It's better to part with a feeling that no one could love you the way he did and vice versa than to face the destiny's call. The more you'll be together the more tough it will get to move on. Not that this reduces the moving on *pain* but it surely gives you courage to know you cared more for his happiness then your happiness in him. True love never dies. And it’s all fine to have an ending where it’s not happily ever after but happiest for whatever you shared together.

I loved the cover and the title of this book. It attracted me in the first look as I tore off the courier package. I was eager to read it at that very instant because of the cover which has a mysterious touch to it and the short length of the book. Plus the blurb sounded interesting too.

But as I began reading I was disappointed at first. Initially the book that seemed to be so extraordinary from its cover had nothing new to offer in the inside. First few pages are a bit dragging as it had several poems which didn’t seem original. But slowly as the actual story began, it felt good.

The story revolves around the two lovers, Shivi & Paras, describing how they fell in love at first sight which transformed into a life time commitment to each other. But soon the problems grip them as the old beliefs force them to separate from each other. Shivi being a manglik decides to part ways from Paras in order to save his life but ends up changing everyone’s lives. It's about incessant love for each other, strong bond and commitment as someone dreams of when they arrive on earth. It's also about pain and moments which haunt you for life when the person you love the most leaves you altogether and you are left all alone. 

I liked the book, the story, cover, title, blurb, but the only thing that made me cringe and acted as a turn off was the poor editing. The book is full of errors; grammatical errors, use of sms language, missing punctuations, spelling mistakes, for e.g.: diary is spelled as dairy. It made it very difficult to read.  The poems could have been easily spread out at various places in the book instead of putting them all together right in the beginning. Also, the word count could have been increased. The descriptions should have been longer.

It's the shortest novella with a good story line and nice poems. It explores human emotions with a lot of simplicity. The Punjabi added in between give it tinges of reality. Just one suggestion: Please hire a good editor next time. Best wishes for your future ventures!

Ratings: 3/5