When I found You ...I found myself by Sankalp Kohli: a review

From the bestselling author of “Because...every raindrop is a hope”; this book had a lot of rising expectations from its readers. In a time where the cover page of the book plays one of the most important roles in picking it up from the stores, this book is special. A very simple and plain cover page of the book seems to catch every reader’s attention to its own.

The blurb gives the readers a very interesting insight of the book. Teenage love or rather childhood love turning to the love of their life is a story very well portrayed by the writer. The story of the novel is a very common story. By common story I mean, it can be connected in everyday lives very well.

The writing style of the writer is very simple and the story is written in a very layman’s language. The way the situations are depicted with the two main protagonist’s point of view is a very interesting thought by the author. The reader can very well relate to each and every situation. What happens in the end, if the two people meet or they depart again is a question, which is answered in the end of the book.

The drawback of the book is a bit of grammatical and spelling errors. It seems that at parts the writer had lacked the connection of the story to some events. All in all, the book is a nice one time read and congratulating the author for the book, I would like to give it 4 out of 5.

Inferno

To hell i am coming
For the chthonic monsters await
The dark souls of the underground
Bring you to your horrific state
Aloft the earth lies all at stakes
For the mankind has witnessed the catastrophe,
It would take a moment for you to comprehend,
that my friend the would has come to an end
The journey you started of agony,
battling memories that brought you melancholy,
nailed in the wall read the plaque,
for i am the man that caused the plague
It has always been this way,
first the birth followed by death
To reach paradise, you just pass the inferno
For this is truth that you seek,
and strive it to try.

The Stranger talks about his books and more

This interview is something special not because it is an interview with a bestselling author but just because this is an interview of THE STRANGER. Yes, THE STRANGER or THE STORYTELLER as we call him, here is K Hari Kumar in conversation with Ayan Khan.

Before starting the interview let me give you a brief glance as what The Stranger really is. K Hari Kumar is a story teller by heart. He likes telling stories in all possible formats. His passion includes, Photograhy, writing, directing. A few of his works have been nominated for International Awards. When Strangers Meet is his debut novel which is also an interpretation of his first short film- My Name Is Iyer. So, here is how the interview goes-

Ayan- Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

Hari- The name is Hari, a social outcast living in a south India Countryside.

Ayan- How were you like at school?

Hari- More of a studious type until tenth grade. A change in school brought the better out of me, High school was the best time of my life.

Ayan-What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Hari- I too had a love story, in fact I had five of them... but I won’t be writing about that. I like and wish to keep writing extraordinary stories of ordinary people that entertain and inspires, nothing more, and nothing less.

Ayan- Which writer inspires you?

Hari- Dan Brown and Paulo Coelho concentrated on my passion while it was Dahl and Doyle who paved my initial path as a child.

Ayan- If you weren’t a writer, what would u choose to be?

Hari- A human being (not an outcast :D )

Ayan- What does the title of your book suggest?

Hari- Suggests the premise of the story. We encounter strangers in our everyday life, however, very few leave a lifetime impact. The story is about one such encounter.

Ayan- Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Hari- Iyer, the protagonist, is a wise cracking, quick witted middle aged south Indian. He’s special coz he’s an ordinary human.

Ayan- What genre are your books? What draws you to this genre?

Hari- I like commercial thrillers mostly. The very chill of a thriller drags me.

Ayan- Does your book contain any social message for the readers?

Hari- Depends on the reader. However, my book talks about generation gap and problems faced by our youth. How immature decisions can mess up your life and why we should respect the experience of our parents.

Ayan- What do you have to say about the critics and how do you handle personal criticism?

Hari- I am my worst critic. I am sure, any other criticism will come second to my own.

Ayan- Does film making draw your attention more than writing?

Hari- Its just another medium of storytelling.

Ayan- What are your short films about? And what do they convey to the viewers?

Hari- Mostly they are thrillers, with just one love story. However the first one remains my favourite, the one that because my book later.

Ayan- Any specific message or advice you want to give to your readers?

Hari- Keep reading and stay blessed. Life can be a short story or a long saga... whatever it maybe, make it worthwhile.

As a conclusive note, I would like you to share with us a few words for the blog.

I am glad that you began your blog with an honest review of WSM and although I am not a regular blog follower but I do come back here once in a while. You guys are doing a great job and good luck.

We are really glad to have had the golden chance of conversing with The Stranger. You can also grab a copy of his book from leading online and offline stores.

 http://www.amazon.com/When-Strangers-meet-Hari-Kumar-ebook/dp/B00DA06W6I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1387696150&sr=8-2&keywords=When+strangers+meet

Good Americans by Tejas Desai: a review

 “Good Americans”, interesting name, isn’t it?

This cutting edge short story collection by Tejas Desai gives every reader a very unconventional approach to the contemporary American world which is overflowing with people who are liars, racists and cheats. 

America is also filled with people who are doing their best in emotionally manipulating people and getting on their nerves.. 

All the stories jotted down by the author have a great detailed research done and the way the stories are penned shows it all. 

All stories are different to each other in their own way and they have a feel of their own. Stories starts from An Italian-American racist receiving his retribution from a Hispanic teenager; a blonde runaway from Florida being forced into prostitution on her road; a Dominican-American professor being involved in the politics of the academic world; and much more.

A very different novel as compared to the chicklit love stories of today’s time, Good Americans does its best in solving its purpose. The author of the novel has made it more interesting with the use of the perfect ingredients at the perfect place. Good Americans is the first book in The Human Tragedy series. Looking forward to more such books, I would like to rate this piece of work 5 out of 5.

Spicy bites of biryani by Ashwina Garg: a review by Ammu S Nair

Characters: Aditi, Sanjay, Mayank and Jayshree 

Description: The story revolves around what happens when Aditi meets Sanjay who are completely different from each other. Will their love sustain? On the other hand, there are Jayashree and Mayank who are completely in love but what happens when others gets to nosy on their relationship? 

The book is completely dependent on how Aditi and sanjay met, fell in love and afterwards what happened in their life. The second half of the book carries immense amount of love and emotion which completely binds the reader. 

Negative aspects:
The book felt very dull in first half. 
Jayashree and mayank, though there problem are highlighted, which were pretty good. The valid points needed to complete the novel are not seen in the later part of the book which were important to the book.
And few(negligible) spelling mistakes were seen.

Nonetheless, Overall The book has all the masala to make it a spicy biryani. I would like to rate it 3.5 out of 5 and congratulate the author for the book.

An evening at the Ganga ghat....

Cool wind, cold weather, a pinch of moistness in the eyes and the evergreen- Ganges, this is how I describe my evening at the Ganga ghat.

Visiting it for the first time just to sit and talk, with buddies old and new, the day was quite memorable. The cold breeze and the wintry feel adding to the excitement. We sit and talk, of yesterday, of today and of, maybe, tomorrow (if tomorrow exists at all). One look at the Ganga water and it seems to drift away all the worries, the tensions, the pain of your life.

The water, in its deepest within seems to hide so much. It is witness to so many deaths, so many lives, so many paths unturned. It is the purest of everything and yet the most impure water. People store the water in the containers for holy purposes but the Ganga itself wishes to drain away its water and be guilt free forever.

Sitting by the bank of the Ganga, I looked at the guy beside me. Yes, a friend of mine, this was the second time I was meeting him, though I talk to him a lot on “social networks”. There was this weird cuteness in him; his eyes are witness to the deepest secrets of his heart, though he doesn’t show it. The sudden awkward yet special touches give a weird calmness to the soul.

We were a bunch of people from different backgrounds. Different people, different spheres of life yet so same thought processes. Being with them was a wonderful enlightening experience altogether. The feeling of being close to people sharing the same mentality has always been a good feel for everyone.

The steamy tea and hot ground nuts in such an ambience acts as special effects in the wintry weather. Pakoras made from Pulses and chocolates help to calm the hunger down. Going hand in hand, the support, the love, the care all teemed in one, together. I wish I could say more. I wish I could have words with me to describe the evening.

Eight crazy friends, one special evening, this is how I describe my evening at the Ganga ghat, because, goodbyes are not meant to be forever...

Rahul kapoor, the author of Scientist sister Sleeping brother in conversation with Ayan Khan

Hello guys,
We’ve decided to throw our hat in the ring and do some author interviews on our blog.
As a start we have with us Mr. Rahul Kapoor who marked his foray into the world of literature with his book "Scientist sister sleeping Brother"

So, here's how it goes--
Hi Mr. Rahul, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Before we start the interview I would like to take a moment to congratulate you for your new book.
Now coming to the interview, lets start with a question about yourself.

 
Ayan- What were you like at school?

Rahul- I was as strange in school as I am today. I was a rebel in all sense. I was good in studies and used to take part in most of the co curricular activities. I did not have many friend though as I like to be alone or may be it would be right if you call me a loner. 

Ayan- Were you good at English?

Rahul- I don't consider marks as a benchmark to judge if a person is good in English or not and I am saying that after I scored 98 in English in class 10th and 95 in English in class 12th. I don't even remember when did I learn English. I used to hear my teachers converse in English and it just came to me there. I am not a very big supporter of English. I would definitely talk in English if I am talking to a foreigner but I don't switch to English if it is not needed. I respect my mother tongue and I am very happy conversing in Hindi most of the times.

Ayan- What inspired you to write your first book ?

Rahul-  I read a headline in a newspaper "Teen with 'Sleeping Beauty Syndrome" wakes up after 180 days and I freaked out as I did not know what sleeping beauty syndrome was, then I asked people around me and nobody knew about this peculiar neurological disorder. It was then I decided that I would write a novel on this syndrome and spread awareness about it and then I did what needed to be done, I wrote a love story and presented 'Sleeping Beauty Syndrome' with love.

Ayan-  Do you have a specific writing style?

Rahul- I don't have any specific writing style. I write what I imagine.

Ayan- How did you come up with the title?

Rahul-  Well the title 'Scientist Sister Sleeping Brother' summarizes the story of the book. The book is all about a Scientist sister and her sleeping brother ... Oops did I not mention her lover ?

Ayan- What genre in your book ? And what draws you to this genre ?

Rahul-  My book is a romantic science fiction novel. It is a very unique genre and not many Indian writers have written on it but did not I tell you in the beginning itself that I am a rebel in my own way.

Ayan- Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Rahul-  Well the name of the main character is Rahul. He is a researcher and has a very unique profile. He loves nature and is romantic at heart but at the same time he is emotionally a very strong character. Radhika on the other hand is the most beautiful girl in the world for Rahul.

Ayan-  Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Rahul-  My book is all about a message. I have tried to spread awareness about 'Sleeping Beauty Syndrome' through my book. I want people to know about this rare neurological disorder and I also want that one day some one finds a cure to it.

Ayan-  How much of the book is realistic?

Rahul-  Well you write what you are. So although the book is and will be always be inspired by what I see and how I feel about things but at the same time it is a fantasy fiction and not real at all.

Ayan- Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Rahul- Well experience will always be inspired from real life figures and so is the case in my novel also.

Ayan- How much research do you do?

Rahul- I had to do a lot of research while writing. I don't even have a passport and in my book I am off to Amazon river so I hope you understand :)

Ayan- When did you decide to become a writer?

Rahul- I was always a writer. I think what you want to ask is when did I decide to write a full fledged novel. The answer is the moment I came to know about 'Sleeping Beauty Syndrome'.

Ayan- What was the hardest and the easiest thing about writing your latest book?

Rahul-  The hardest thing for me was to achieve a stress free mind as only a stress free mind can create a master piece. The easiest thing was that while I was writing I neither had a girl friend nor a job so it was not that difficult to achieve a stress free mind.

Ayan-  Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Rahul- No, I did not learn anything. I am here to preach and not to learn

Ayan- Any specific message or advice you want to give to your readers ?

Rahul- Don't start this book on a working day as you won't be able to keep it down once you begin reading.

Thank you Mr. Rahul for giving us your precious time and answering our questions. As an end note please share with us few words for blog.

My best wishes for your blog and your books . All the question which you have asked are very engaging. Thank You !!!

 It was a moment of bliss for us have interviewed a budding author, and I know that you people are enthusiastic to read the authors book. 

So, what are you waiting for?
Grab a copy, Just click on the link http://www.snapdeal.com/product/scientist-sister-sleeping-brother/1371441762

Chakra- Chronicles of the Witch Way by Ritu Lalit: a review

Deciding to read Chakra-chronicles of the witch way by Ritu Lalit, have been one of the toughest decisions of my reading life. To be very frank, I, personally, don’t like to read these kinds of novels mostly because I don’t believe in them but there was surely something about the book that made me read it.

 Firstly, I would seriously like to congratulate the author, Ritu Lalit for the book she has written, the publisher, Authors Empire; for publishing the work and of course to Amol Karambe, for the wonderful cover for the book.

Maa Kundalini, is one mythological part which was never attempted by any writer, though we see Lord Shiva in most of the mythological novels. The book is a great example which shows how much research an author has to do in order to write a book this good. A wonderful story-line and great use of words along with an engaging topic to write makes this book a must read.

The author has weaved words in such a beautiful form that it makes the book a captivating read for any reader. The novel has been written with an art of perfection which not many people have. In the 21^st century where people are too ‘practical’ in their lives, this book makes every reader believe in the presence of supernatural powers in and around them.

Making a book unputdownable is a trait not found in many authors but the author of this book has proved that a saga of power plays and supernatural elements can be made unputdownable. There is always a constant urge in the reader to know what is going to happen next in the book while reading it. And with the end of the book, a reader is left, craving for more.

To all the readers’ happiness, it’s a great decision by the author to write more on The Witch Way. The book does its best in educating the readers about the Japas and Japnis and many more clans along with their respective perspectives. All in all, I would like to give this book 4.5 out of 5 with a hope of reading more on The Witch Way by the author.

The adventure of the missing dancing girl by Sunila Gupte : A review by Ammu S Nair

Characters: Kaveri, Kartik, Namami, Xerses and Amu

Description: The story revolves around the robbery which took place in Mohenjodaro and how a few kid helps are a part of the adventure. Written in a very lucid, easy to understand language, the story is kept simple and describes the detail of their adventure. The story starts with their journey and ends with it.

Negative parts:
the ending of the book was as expected. As per the theme of the book, no thrill was there.
A little dragged upon in places. This book did not rise the hopes of the readers in any way.
but overall a nice read written by the author. Congratulating the author and wishing luck for more books to come, I would like to rate this piece of work 3.5 out of 5.

Syahi, The Power of pen: a review

10 wonderful writers, one successful anthology, edited by Aman Sharma and Nehali Lalwani, foreword by Vinit K Bansal (I am heartless, Wo chali gayi and uff ye emotions fame), yes, I am talking about Syahi- The Power of Pen. A beautiful saga of short stories, and an aptly chosen name, this anthology is undoubtedly one of its kind in this genre. The concept of bringing all budding authors at one place in itself is a very nice concept. Coming to the book, the book has two very beautifully designed covers designed by Sunill Kaushik and the covers are very wisely designed according to the book. Each and every story has a charm of its own. I would like to go one on one for this book.

Starting with the very first story by Apoorva Arora, An odyssey of Discovering life... again- This story is indeed one of my favorite

stories from the book. Very beautifully penned and described story, Apoorva has done a really good job in penning this down.

Better Late than never by Hitakshi Bawa- The feel of sweet, innocent and successful love of Aakriti and Viraat is an inspiration to many such lovers who feel nervous before proposing anyone. It has a very moral to the story which tells the readers that one should never let a moment of happiness go and one should always listen to his/her heart.

Letting Go and It’s never too late by Aman Sharma- Apart from editing and compiling the book, Aman has penned down two very beautiful stories for the book. Letting go deals with the pain in the heart when one decides to let the love of his life go but for the betterment of their future. It’s never too late is a beautiful story of love which has a moral that it is never too late to be with the person who you loved forever. Both the stories have very strong feelings described in them that too in a very beautiful manner.

26/11-A dark twilight and A lesson for life by Nehali Lalwani- Editing the book might have been a very hectic work but still she has written two very strong stories for the book. 26/11 is the story of maybe just another life whose family was ruined in the incident of 26/11, whose life can never be the same after that. Both her stories portrays life in a very strong form.

Life a vague mystery by Khushi Gupta- At times in life, we make decisions according to what we see or what we feel to be right, but it is not necessary that what we decide is always correct. We should always see the other side of every story. Khushi, here, shows the very concept in a very beautiful form with an example of a family. The story leaves your heart filled with emotions.

Shattered Tatters and You amaze me by Ayush Agarwal- Both the stories show what life is all about. I would term Ayush as one of the finest writers of this anthology. These two stories being my super favorite. Having a very beautiful flow of writings, the writer can show even the hardest of emotions in a very subtle form.

Sometimes its not simple and That night @ 12 by Neoni D’souza-Again, one of the strongest writers of this book, Neoni has done a commendable job in both the stories. The revenge portrayed in her first story was well executed in a written form whereas the pure beautiful soul in the second one was worth a read. Her writing style being very simple yet sober, she knows what magic words can do.

The survivor- U’khand food disaster and To be hanged till death by Omung Goyal- Depicting humanity in the form of words is a very difficult task to take over but still, Omung has done a wonderful job in both the stories. The incident of U’khand food disaster in the words of a survivor was a beautiful read. The second story shows that humanity actually exists in the world. Both the stories have a wonderful mix of human emotions which makes them a good read.

3 Sins by Salli Shah and It all Started with a key by Shrutee Parekh- The sins of being a girl child, life this is what the theme of the story 3 sins is. The truth of many household in today's time of being a girl child is very well described by Salli in her story. It all started with a key by Shrutee also deals with one of the important part of the society. The pure love of a person is very rarely found in today's time but love still exists above all, this is what the story is about.

Among the negativity of the book, I would say, one more round of editing was needed because there are a few grammatical errors in the book. Nonetheless, I would like to congratulate all the authors for writing such a beautiful work and to Aman Sharma and Nehali Lalwani again for compiling a beautiful collection of stories. I would like to give this anthology all in all a 4 out of 5 and wish them luck hoping for many more to come.

The Flight of Hilsa by Amit Shankar: a review by Ammu S Nair

Characters: Avi, Sunny, Captain, Shweta and their respective families.

Description: 

Judging from the cover of the book all we can find is a sea and a fish is taking a leap on it. I wasn't aware of the meaning Hilsa but at the beginning the author states its meaning and importance.

The story, however revolves around Avi and her passion for painting its all about her ups and down in life and how the relationships takes specific turns. This is the debut book of Amit Shankar. 

Basically its divided in three portions, the first half is a little dragged on but when it enters the second stage it keeps the reader hooked.

The strong point of the book is the relation between sunny's mom and Avi and then relationship between Shweta and Avi. 

one of the disappointing part of the book is the dragging first half which will bore the reader to some extent till the second parts comes up.

Overall a good read and I would like to give the book a 4 out of 5.

EX by Novoneel Chakraborty : a review

The title of the book, ‘EX’, the catchy subtitle, ‘a tw!sted love story’, the authors name, ‘Novoneel Chakraborty’ and attending the launch of the book in Kolkata acted as catalysts that made me buy the book. One look at the cover and one has the urge of buying the book. A very different take on relationships, on love, EX is surely a must read for any reader. Suspense, the thrill of knowing what is going to happen next, makes this book quite a page turner.

According to the back cover- The Jaipur literary festival begins to slowly become an interesting affair for Neel who runs into Nivrita, a beautiful girl. What Nivrita reveals shocks him, as she claims to be a girl from his past, something he doesn't have a clue about. Her advances become hard to resist and Neel is filled with guilt as he is betraying his present girlfriend, Titiksha. Things spiral out of control along with Neel's mind as Nivrita makes an irresistible proposal.

The author has been known as a writer who uses quite interesting names for his female protagonists, this book being no different. Nivrita and Titiksha being the women behind the story grab the reader’s attention to the very last line. Writing from a female point of view, the author has done a commendable job in maintaining the flow of the writing. “Women come to me, I don’t go to women”- says the author, and he has surely lived up to what he says.

Attempting such a book in the era of chubby teenage romance and gaining such a huge readership fan base with the art of storytelling is really appraisable. Use of real locations in the book has made the book all the more believable. The characters of the book leave a strong effect on the readers and everyone can very easily relate to the characters and locations of the storyline. Well knitted plot, perfect use of words, spices and condiments in the perfect places makes the book a treat to the eye.

There are very few books in today’s time with such an interesting plot and unusual turn in the story. To know the real story behind EX one surely needs to buy the book. However, I personally feel, the story has been stretched a bit at places. But, as the author says, the term ‘reality-fiction’ has played a very important role in the success of the book. The author calls himself a sadist writer where he wants his readers to be hooked to the book till the very last line and surely he has worked pretty hard and the hard work shows in his book.

I would wish that may many more stories come to him and he keeps on writing such things again and again and give his readers with a fresh read every time giving this book 4.5 out of 5. Once again, I want to congratulate Novoneel for the book and for many more to come!

Spread the love

Being alone always feels miserable,
No one beside you to pull you up,
Whenever you are feeling down,
Everyone doesn’t like a person with a frown.

The dark begins to consume you,
Its chilly hand inches away from your hollow soul,
Just waiting to take a grasp,
So you can forever lay on the ground, cold.

My story would have ended this way,
If it wasn’t for that mystical hand,
That pulled me back up,
And helped me till I could stand.

With a face that would make the stars blush,
And eyes which made gold lose its glitter,
Lips that made a rose lose its colour,
And with such a wonderful smile,
That made living worth while.
Alas, now I am a happy man,
For I have found that essential gland,
And I promise never to leave your hand,
And every challenge together we shall meet,
For you make my life complete.

- Ayan khan