"Writing is the best way to give vent to your feeling" says bestselling author Vikrant Khanna in a chat with Timid Fingers

Here we present a candid chat with the bestselling author Vikrant Khanna. After writing three successful novels, he has come up with his new title 'Love Lasts Forever'. A sailor by profession and a writer by passion Vikrant Khanna opened up how he formed stories while sailing, what inspire him to write his fourth book and a lot more.

Timid Fingers: At first I would like to congratulate you on your new book! Looks like readers are loving it?

Vikrant Khanna: Thank you. I get a lot of mails and messages from my readers and there is a common thread running in all of it – “You’ve given love and relationships a new meaning.” That sort of a response is very overwhelming.

TF: Tell us something about yourself, because your printed author bio is too short for your readers.
VK: I’m a Captain in merchant navy, been sailing for the past decade. I love a great story be it in the form of a book, a movie, or theatre.

TF: It is pretty unusual to see a sailor writing a love story, how come you find your hand in writing?

VK: Being a sailor, I have all the time in the world, both literally and metaphorically. Once during a long voyage crossing the Pacific, I thought of giving a shot at writing, since I have always admired the art of good storytelling. The first draft of my first book was completed in that one month voyage.

TF: First a debut author then a national bestselling author and now author of three successive novels, can you brief us about your journey?

VK: It was a very simple one. Since I loved writing and stories, writing novels came naturally to me. It wasn’t about getting published or belting out bestsellers, rather doing what I loved.

TF: Let’s talk about your new book now, what made you write about the bitter side of marriage?

VK: A friend of mine got married to his girlfriend of seven years. They were the ideal couple for marriage. “This is exactly how a couple should be,” we all would say before their marriage. And a month after the marriage, we’d say, “This is exactly how a couple shouldn’t be.” And then I knew I 

got my idea!

TF: Being a known face in the writing industry, what is your advice to those struggling authors who are yet to publish their work?

VK: My advice would be to not get into this field if you do not completely love writing and if you cannot dedicate 3-4 hours every day to reading and writing. But if you love writing, then read a lot, write a lot, and just don’t quit.

TF: As your previous book was a national bestseller, what expectation do you have for your new title?

VK: My readers should enjoy the book. If that happens it will automatically become a bestseller by word of mouth publicity.

TF: How is experience working with Srishti for the third consecutive time?

VK: Srishti is a very old and established publishing house. They have a good reach and a wide distribution network. It’s always good to work with them.

TF: When we are going to have your forth coming title?

VK: I’m in no hurry for the fourth one. Sometime next year.

TF: According to you writing is?

VK: The best way to give vent to your feelings.

TF: Let’s not bore you more, few words for your readers and obviously few words for Timid Fingers blog...

VK: Please read the book and Timid Fingers is doing a great job in promoting good books. J  

Giveaway of Love Lasts Forever by Vikrant Khanna

WordBite and Timid Fingers presents #1 Giveaway l Author signed copy of LOVE LASTS FOREVER by Vikrant Khanna

• Summary of the Book 
So you think your love can last forever…? Get married! 

Eighteen year old Ronit falls madly in love with Aisha the moment he meets her at his graduation day from a naval college. He believes he has found his perfect soul mate, and come what may, his love for her will last forever. Seven years later, he gets married to her. Big mistake!
A week later he completely hates her and believes she has turned into a devil.
But his perception about love and life change when he hears the poignant love story of Shekhar, his Captain, on a ship that later gets hijacked by the pirates of Somalia.
As they are left fighting for their lives they confront if love truly can last forever…? But does it get too late?

• About Vikrant Khanna
Vikrant Khanna is a captain in the merchant navy. When he is not busy working or penning down his ideas, he likes to capture the beauty of nature on his camera. He was brought up in Delhi and studied at Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar. His first book "When life tricked me", published in 2011, is a national bestseller and has been widely appreciated by young readers. His interests apart from writing include playing the guitar, composing songs and cooking.

Participate in this competition. 
Follow the link embedded in the beginning of the post.
A lucky winner will be chosen and he will be gifted an author signed copy of the book 'Love Lasts Forever' bestselling author Vikrant Khanna

Crumpled Voices - Shades of Suffering: A review

Blurb: Crumpled Voices – Shades of Suffering is a collection of short stories based on social issues. A common thread of the prevailing societal evils and injustice binds them together. This anthology comes directly from heart and life. These days, humanity is suffering to such an extent that we found it difficult to stay quiet. So, this is our small beginning towards awakening the masses.

The fiction level is nil as each day we all witness horrendous crimes like Rapes, Acid Attacks, Domestic Violence, Honour Killings, etc. We all have been a witness to such heinous crimes in our day to day life, our near and dear ones might have experience them closely too. We have almost grown up among them, felt them following us. We constantly live in fear of the unknown, fear of being the victim to any of the criminal activities multiplying around us. These days when no place is safe, including the web, our voices need to be heard.

Protest must begin from somewhere, and we have used our pen which is mightier than the sword to express our anguish. An echo of many unimaginable atrocities lurks within us, engulfing us in its shadow. Through each of the story in this book, we have tried to highlight one such aspect of horrifying crimes. This is an initiative that can also work as a boost up for all those who have been suffering but have chosen to stay quiet so far.

Verdict: This anthology comes in our hands in the exact time when we have to raise our voices against all the odds. The name ‘Crumpled Voices’ perfectly suits the theme which represents the different shades of suffering. The wonderfully written blurb will encourage the youth to make this book a immediate pick.

Down The Way – Ila Garg
This poem gives this book a well needed kick start. The author has very efficiently crafted her words to portray the feeling of a tree. This poem ends up with a noble message which makes this poem one of the best of the series.

This is Who I am – Ila Garg
A story about a boy who finds himself a bit different at a very early age and gets attracted towards his best friend. This story shows us that side of our society which bounds us to convey our own feelings. A nice story with a sad ending.

Karma Returns – Pulkit Gupta
The story starts on a usual note with Devika and Rajesh enjoying their happy married life.  The end will leave the readers in complete awe. In the middle I felt the author has stretched a bit while describing the scenes in Kashmir.

The Last Whisper – Tanya Srivastava
This is a perfect name for a story like this. The narrating style of the author will catch the reader’s attention. This story tells us about how Shalini has to face the wrath of her husband and the end teaches us a lesson to all those women who are keeping mum in these situations.

It is Honourable – Abhik Chakraborty
Readers can witness a very horrendous crime while reading this. The gripping narrating style and the wonderfully framed plot will help the readers to visualize each and every part of the story. Honour killing is a conservative topic to write about and the author had done proper justice to it. The end will break the readers into tears.

The Curious Case of Missing Brahmins – Abhishek ‘Atul’
When all the stories are showing us about the sufferings or the problems, this story tells us what can show us the light. The way Keshav has described what we are lacking in our society now will definitely ring a bell among the readers. 

Color of a Butterfly – Promilla Qazi
This is the story of Megha, how she grew up, how she faced the wrath of his father when her mother chose to elope, how she found Nitin and at the end what made her well-settled world upside down. I felt the storyline is a bit weak comparing to the earlier stories but the narrating style protects the flow.

Indira’s Story – Smita Salins
This is one of the most inspirational story of this anthology. The most interesting thing of this story is the author has kept everything true and clear without using fictional characters and sequences.  Every reader is going to learn a lot from the journey of Indira.

The Corrupt Me – Nitesh Chitranshi
The author has done a great job by delivering an effective message through this story. The story line is simple but the end will leave readers thinking. The author note is written very efficiently and perfectly suits the theme of the book.

The Fatal Pride – Sreelekha Chatterjee
A nice story with a catchy name which will definitely drag the reader’s attention. The author has adopted a very likeable narrating style decorated with simple words. I appreciated the author for making such an unanticipated ending.

The Paradise – Prachi Priyanka
This story will show the readers a different side of a girl. Unlike others; this story, revolves around a husband who slowly finds the bitter side of his wife. In the league of stories about raising voices, this stands alone with its unusual aspect. Kudos to the author for such an attempt.

Nature’s Revenge – Shruti Mall
The storyline of this story can a bit weak but it carries a memorable message which readers are going to find after reading the last paragraph of the story. How Parihar lost his family in a same way in back to back incident and why it's called ‘Nature’s Revenge’ is the main prospect of the story.

She Was Raped – Nitin Soni
In an anthology like this readers eyes always search for a poem like this. This poem tells the condition of our country. It is the prestige of our country which is getting raped. I appreciated the compiler for putting this poem in the perfect possible place.

The Crescendo of a Grand Symphony – Harsh Rai Puri
The storyline is nice and gripping but the narrating style was a bit confusing. The author had mentioned the timeline in almost each paragraph to clear things but I felt the frequent jump from past to present will confuse the readers.

A Letter to God – Sandeep Sharma
The author has portrayed the feeling of a 10 year old girl named Radha in this story.  Readers will love the matured narrating style. The letter will bring tears and the end will bring a smile on readers face. This story will leave a lasting effect on readers hearts. 

Eighteenth Birthday – Nibha Gupta
After reading the first paragraph, readers are going to anticipate what this story has to offer. How a sister protects her sister by leaving her in an orphanage and she herself took all the rage from her drunkard father.  The end will leave readers with tears in their eyes and smile on their face.

The Indecent Profession – Durgesh Shastri
If you do something wrong it will definitely haunt you down sometime in the future, this is the main message lying inside the story. A wife was forced to kill herself in front of her husband just because she denied the indecent proposal of the husband. Readers will love the last paragraph where lies the punishment for the husband.

Light – Shrruti Patole Clarence
This story teaches what one should do if someone becomes a victim of these horrendous crimes. Instead of keeping mum to protect the image in the inhuman society one should raise the voice, this is what the author has tried to portray through this story.

Freedom – Ketaki Sane
A beautiful story line with a mesmerizing narrating style. The narrating style is so smooth that only after completing the whole story readers can make out that this story has a very deep inner meaning and a wonderful flavour of freedom.

A Second Chance – Gayatri Aptekar
The author has very efficiently narrated two stories at a time. How two girls got neglected by their parents at  a very early age, one- because she was born as a girl and the second- because her parents are busy chasing money. One should read the story to know who got the second chance and how.

The Newspaper Reader – Chandrapal Khasiya
This is one unique story. I value the author’s imagination power to frame the story in such away. How difficult it is for a blind woman to answer those innocent questions of 12 year old baby who is finding it tough to gulp down the tragic headlines of the newspaper.

Together We Can Make a Difference – Priyanka Bansal
This author has chosen a very trendy topic to write about. Maximum people of our society are unaware of HIV+ and this story will definitely make the difference. As the title says, after reading this story, readers will definitely think of making a difference.

Don’t Decolorize Me – Priyanka Bansal
Applauds to the author for writing such a fascinating poem in such a delicate topic and choosing such an appropriate name. Acid attacks are so much in the news now and reading this kind of poem will surely give a hard time for reader’s brain cells. This is the best way to end a book like this. 

Final Words: This is one of those rare kinds of anthology which comes up with such wonderful stories and poems. Each and every write-up is showing a different side of our society, different shades of suffering. I appreciate the initiator for coming up with this theme. For me The story of Abhik Chakraborty and the poems of Ila Garg and Priyanka Bansal are the best of the series.

Title: Crumpled Voices – Shades of Suffering
Publisher: Gargi Publishers
Page Count: 208
My Rating: 4.25/5

Love lasts forever and the cycle goes on... About the author and the book...

Love lasts forever… the name in itself gives much about the book! The tagline-Only if you don’t marry your love adding to the feel of the title. Bestselling author Vikrant Khanna, in his third book has proved how an author is able to improve his writing skills over the time. The book talks about two stories at one time. A story of a captain and of Ronit takes every reader on a wonderful ride. Love, is an uphill climb which needs to be nurtured with loads of love and kindness, the author is able to show that throughout the book in a very subtle way. As the story floats through the river of Somalia, the readers feel a very deep connection with the characters throughout the book. Vikrant, himself being a sailor in real life has indulged his whole experience in the form of words and the book is a witness to his success.

The whole form of putting feelings into words and then making it presentable to the readers has been a treat to read throughout. Through the writing skills, it is wonderful to see the author connecting so well with the readers at every stretch of the book from first till the last. In the contrasting era of clichéd stories, the story Vikrant has offered has been a very engaging tale to watch and know. The author, through his previous novels also had shown love through new eyes and so the same with this novel too, taking it to a whole new level. Given the emerging new competition in the readership market, this book is surely going to keep the readers glued to it emerging as a new light.

Wishing the author loads of luck to the author for this book and for much more after that, we would like to congratulate the author for a very bright future ahead.

Available At -

Flipkart - http://www.flipkart.com/love-lasts-forever-only-if-you-don-t-marry-your-english/p/itmdw2qfemzfkd2r?pid=9789382665175&otracker=from-search&srno=t_4&query=love+lasts+forever&ref=65cdd664-1046-4521-a725-bfc825d072e1

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lasts-Forever-Only-marry-ebook/dp/B00LK1UZ94/ref=sr_sp-atf_image_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406128255&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=love+lasts+forever+by+Vikranth+Khanna

Author can be reached at - 

Website - www.vikrantkhanna.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vikrant.khanna.948?fref=ts
Twitter - www.twitter.com/_vikrantkhanna

The Twisted Twenties by Deepali Junjappa: A Review

Blurb: As Baz Lurhman once said: “The most interesting people are the one who still don’t know what they want to do.”

It’s okay to be confused in your twenties. It’s okay to NOT know. Are we screwed? The hell we are. Mimi Hittalmani navigates the twisted twenties and finally concludes that it’s ok to goof up, jump courses. Change careers, chat up four guys and bloody well get wasted in life!

Manual for the Twisted Twenties
Stop thinking you are SPECIAL
Don’t tell you parents “Every Damn Thing”!
Date as many people as possible
It’s okay to be a NON-listed person
The Twenties are a rehershal for the Thirties
Get Over yourself

Verdict: ‘The Twisted Twenties’ is the debut work of Deepali Junjappa aka Dipu Darko. This book is all about what a twenty something guy/girl faces, what he/she has to go through. The author has created a character and told his readers how to react to situations through her journey.

The name totally suits the content which shows how twisted twenties are. The blurb of the book reflects the author’s narrating style, which is unique.

From the very first page the author has narrated the whole story in a conversing style, like she is talking to her readers and she can hear them as well. If one is going to check for spellings or rules of writing, they can never get the essence of this writing style. This book is written for those twenties who spells dog as dawg and please as phuleeze to sound it more classy or stylish. This is a reflection of the author’s imaginations and her way of judging matters which many of twenties aren't able to do. The words selected by the author is a treat to the readers eyes and the injected humor will make the book more interesting.

The book is a journey of Mimi Hittalmani (the main protagonist). At first Mimi has to face the drama from her parents then the confusion of choosing careers then dilemma of taking the right decision and a lot more. Through the whole struggle of Mimi the author has explained what actually happens when one enters the twenties and how they find themselves twisted. This book is going to break all those thoughts of teenagers that ‘this happens only with me’. The whole plot is framed keeping in mind a very practical situation and society.  This story has everything for twenties, from their dreams, their dramas, their goof ups, their chats, their social life and finally the free fall.

In the beginning, I felt that this book is all about girls, how they feel or how they react but as the books goes, the thought faded a bit and I realized that this book has something for boys too. Though after completing the whole book I felt that the author talks about girls a bit more or there the feelings expressed in a girly way.  This book is written on the life of teenagers or twenties so people over twenties can found this book a bit boring, because the misery explained in the book, can imagined by twenties only. As a debut work this a good effort put by the author.

Final Words: The narrating (read conversing) style of the author will force readers to turn the page to explore each and every chapter with new lessons. If you are a girl and in your twenties this is the perfect grab for you.

Title: The Twisted Twenties
Author: Deepali Junjappa
Punlisher: Half Baked Beans
Page Count: 188
My Rating: 3.5/5

Love Lasts Forever by Vikrant Khanna: A Review

Blurb: So you think your love can last forever…?
Get married!

Eighteen-year-old Ronit falls madly in love with Aisha the moment he meets her at his graduation day from a naval college. He believes he has found his perfect soul mate, and come what may, his love for her will last forever. Seven years later, he gets married to her. Big mistake! A week later, he completely hates her and believes she has turned into a devil.

But his perception about love and life change when he hears the poignant love story of Shekhar, his Captain, on a ship that later gets hijacked by the pirates of Somalia.

As they are left fighting for their lives; they confront if love truly can last
forever…? Or does it get too late?

Verdict: ‘Love Lasts Forever’ is the third novel of the bestselling author Vikrant Khanna. The name itself gives a feeling that this book is going to be a love story. Wasim Helal has done a great job by making the cover look catchy.

This story tell us how couples behave before marriage, when they first fall in love, when they roam around the city hand-in-hand and how couples behave after marriage, the first day after marriage, first meeting with relatives and the list goes on.

The book starts in a different note which will definitely make the readers turn the page. Unlike other love stories this story unfolds inside a ship which is passing through Somalia. As the story moves and the ship gets hijacked by the pirates, the story gets more interesting. The male protagonists falls for Aisha and marries her after seven years of continuous attempt just to find out the bitter sides of the marriage.

As the author starts to portray the regular arguments between the husband and wife, the story drops its speed. Readers may find the middle part of the book less interesting just because of the nagging situations and conversations between Ronit and Aisha. But the story of the captain has a bit different angle and as the story ends it will leave a smile on the readers face and a positive thought on readers mind about married life.

The most interesting thing about the book is the author’s narrating style. The author has narrated the whole story in a way by conversing with his readers and will make them laugh with his efficiently written one liners. But I felt the story line is weak and can be decorated in a better way. Overall this book is a nice read and a definite read for married men.

Final Words: The author has framed a quite interesting story to show his readers what happens after marriage and what they need to keep the relations going. The author have the capability to make his readers laugh even in the most difficult situation.

Title: Love Lasts Forever… Only if you don’t marry your love
Author: Vikrant Khanna
Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors
Page Count: 248
My Rating: 3.75/5

Available At - 

Flipkart - http://www.flipkart.com/love-lasts-forever-only-if-you-don-t-marry-your/p/itmdw2qfemzfkd2r?pid=9789382665175&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=love+lasts+forever&ref=42bddac7-88eb-429c-b2f2-e39cffb35a2c

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Anti-Social Network by Piyush Jha: A Review

Blurb: When college students across Mumbai are murdered one after another in gruesome ways, Inspector Virkar from the Crime Branch called in. As Virkar Investigates, he stumbles upon a ruthless gang of young, tech-savvy miscreants who use social networking sites and the Internet for blackmailing and sextortion. But how are the two cases linked? And who is the mastermind behind these killings?

As the case grows murkier, the computer-challenged Virkar finds himself greatly out of his depth, chasing a killer who always seems to be one step ahead, and a group that soon trains its sights on him. He must race against time to unmask the gang and to find the murderer before his reputation is ruined forever.

Thick with suspense and layered with grit, Anti-Social Network brings to you Inspector Virkar’s toughest case yet.

Verdict: ‘Anti-Social Network’ is the third successive book by Piyush Jha in the Inspector Virkar Crime Thriller series. Needless to say that the name and the cover complements each other and if the readers haven’t read the previous installments of the series, they won’t hesitate much before picking up this book to start with.

After completing the whole book readers are going to find the real cause of spotting a girl in the front cover holding a knife dipped in blood, though in middle the author was successful to distract his readers’ attention. A speedy thriller with a lot of surprise elements.

This book is a treat to those readers who are searching for a quality crime thriller. The way the author has narrated the whole story, is wonderful. Each and every chapter will open a few gates in the readers mind to solve the case and will block the previous one. Every character was introduced in the exact place and described in well-maintained words. No unnecessary description or no stretched scene which keeps the speed going. The way the author has divided the story im short and crisp chapters is appreciable.

The story unfolds in the streets of Mumbai, where Inspector Virkar was called from the Crime Branch to inspect unusual murders of college students. From the very first page the author catches the reader’s attention with his story telling style and efficiently framed plot. As Inspector Virkar finds a clue to reach out for the mastermind of the ‘Anti-Social Network’, readers will experience a same feeling along with the main protagonist. The author, like his previous novels, is able to keep the suspense till the end and haven’t left any clue for the readers to antedate the end.

This book is one of the best in its series but certainly not the best of its series. Comparing to its earlier parts, I would like to say that this book can be a bit better but it is definitely one of the best in its genre. I along with the fans of Inspector Virkar will wait for its next instalment.

Final Words: Piyush Jha has the ability to fasten his readers reading speed by his narrating style. The author will keep his reader on the edge of a knife while reading this book. Murder mystery at its best.

Title: Anti-Social Network
Author: Piyush Jha
Publisher: Rupa
Page Count: 193
My Rating: 4.5/5

Note: The book was received as part of Reviewers Program on The Tales Pensieve

Dolmens In The Blue Mountain by Kandathil Sebastian: A Review

Blurb: Most of us still dream and hope to find ways out beyond violence and corruption. Using dolmens (single-chambered tombs constructed, dates back to Neolithic period 4000 to 3000 BC), as a metaphor, Dolmens in the Blue Mountain explores the meaning of life and death in the context of migrations of Kerala’s Syrian Christian community, and the struggle for survival of tribal communities in the Western Ghats mountain ranges.

The story revolves around the lives of three brothers. One of them migrated to Canada. The second one joins a Delhi based NGO, bogged down by a corrupt and callous system, was forced to quit his job on moral grounds. The third one stayed back in Kerala, but got into conflict with the radicalized tribal community.

Will the brothers, inspired by the dolmens, which taught them the meaning of living in harmony with nature, without compromising the resource needs of poor people and future generation, be able to fulfill their dreams and aspirations?

Verdict: ‘Dolmens in the Blue Mountain’ is the first book of the mountain Trilogy by Dr. Kandathil Sebastian. This piece of fiction revolves around the growth of Kerala, the life of tribal communities, the political growth and the Maoist growth. This book has a covered a lot starting from the early days in Kerala around 1950 and then it moved towards the turning process described in well-crafted words.

I loved the cover of the book which has the picture of a Dolmen which is the essence of this story. I was a bit disappointed with the chapter names but I loved the way the author has divided the story in beautiful chapters. I felt few names of those chapters could have been given in an interesting way.

The storyline of the book is wonderful. As I said earlier it has covered a vast area and will give readers an experience of witnessing the change from 1950 to 2013. As the story moves on and the author concentrates on describing the story by those three brothers, the story starts to pick its speed. The author has very efficiently narrated every part of the story. In this time from past to present how this politics makes his way to our lives, how people misuses the beauty of nature, how this effects the tribal communities and how Maoists are born, is the main prospect of the book. The author also gives a hint of the current corrupt system by describing a few incidents which one of the protagonist have to face in Delhi. The story ends in a good note, giving everything the exact needed climax.

After completing the whole book I felt, the author have a wonderful command on the language but lacks the emotional touch. There were a lot of scenes where the author could have touched the emotional chord with his narrating style but he couldn’t. A few editing errors were also spotted which can be ignored.

Final Words: I appreciate the author for jotting down such a wonderful story by showing various sides of our society from past to present. Readers will escalate the author for the amount of research he has done for this story. Overall a nice read.

Title: Dolmens in the Blue Mountain
Author: Kandathil Sebastian
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing
Page count: 210
My Rating: 4/5

Available At - 

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Not Yet To Be Disclosed by Arpit Dugar: A Review

Blurb:What if you do everything again for the first time?

What if you are planning your wedding and you realize that the girl had died before your birth?

This story is about Avnish whose brain works at different frequencies but who never realizes that he feels the eerie sensation of remembering an experience or situation that never occurred. He is an acute victim of Déjà vu.

Déjà vu is a French term which means realization and familiarity with situation with same setting that has never happened before, Avnish experience it.

The urge to know the reality of his Déjà vu experience forces him to explore various places of the world. His explorations drive him to hear-throttling tragedies and come backs. One such experience results fruitful and makes him meet the girl of his life. Avnish sees the turning point.

The story dramatically changes at every stage and keeps the nerves on fire as to what will happen next.

Will Avnish’s Déjà vu experiences lead him to complete his journey for the quest of his love? Or does the reality lie somewhere else?

Verdict:‘Not yet to be disclosed’ is the second successive novel by ArpitDugar. This book is on a very unique concept. The main protagonist Avnish is a victim of Déjà vu which means already seen. The author had done his part of research wonderfully and made a delightful execution.

Any reader can easily guess that this book is going to be a love story by its cover and a different one by its name. The blurb looks appealing and would definitely create an urge among the readers to read the book.

The author had already gained accolades by his narrating style and in this book he is able to keep his standards. While reading the book I felt like I am standing at a corner along with the author and the whole scene is playing right in front of me. The simple words used by the author to portray this story catches the perfect atmosphere. The characters of this story are so familiar that any reader could easily relate with them and the name of those are unique and uncommon. From Avnish to Garvita, Nischay I loved those names.

The story has everything, thrill, love, drama and comedy. Sometime this story will make the readers laugh but at the end it will bring a smile on their face. The Déjà vu concept is very well described by the author. When the readers will be nearing the end they will find out a different prospect where the author had shown the bitter side of the society. But the most interesting part is how the main protagonist deals with such hallucinating disease Déjà vu.

After reading the blurb and the way the book started, readers might feel that the Déjà vu concept can be injected a bit more. At the middle of the book when the love story between Avnish and Garvita starts to pick speed, I felt the author got distracted from the main concept of the book, Déjà vu. A few editing errors might also called as the flaws of the book.

Final Words: Arpit Dugar once again created magic among his readers with his new novel and efficiently introduced a fresh concept of Déjà vu. I would recommend this book to all my readers who in search of a good but different love story.

Title:Not yet to be disclosed
Author:Arpit Dugar
Publisher:Flying Pen Publications
Page Count: 272
My Rating: 4/5

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And We Remained by Asad Ali Junaid: A Review

Blurb: It is Bangalore in the late 1990’s. There are tremendous socio-economic and cultural transformations taking place as a result of liberalization. How would these changes impact the thinking of a group of friends in their late teens? How would they cope, find opportunities and what of their original identities would they be left with, after western ideologies are brought in and bombarded into their awareness by cable TV?

Told through emails and first person account of events, And We Remained is a light and entertaining read of these friends as they experience love, heartbreak, prison, politics, drunken binger, strip clubs, sexcapades, US and Europe during their journey into adulthood.

Verdict: ‘And We Remained’ is a debut novel by designing professional Asad Ali Junaid. I loved the cover of the book because the cover says everything about the content of the book. Designed obviously by Asad Ali Junaid. This is what happens when a designer, design for himself.

The story is described in a different and unique way. At the very beginning it struck to me that the narrating style is a bit confusing but as the story goes on I find this style unique and innovative. This story is narrated in the voice of four friends. The author has very efficiently managed to keep the two side of the story going simultaneously, one is narrated by those four friends and one is by numerous numbers of emails with their dates, which helps the readers to keep the track of the time. This smooth and different narrating style will definitely catch readers’ attention.

The story unfolds around the late 1990’s when there is neither internet nor mobile phones. In the era of love letters Sahir (the main protagonist) and his friends Gopal and Sandeep falls for the new girl in the college, Wardha is how the story starts. On the other hand, the author keeps showing how these friends lives are moving on after completing Engineering through numerous mails. In the Engineering part, readers can enjoy the flavor of late 1990’s and the way of blooming love and friendship in that era and In the email part readers are going to see  what the conversation between teenagers and about their journey to the adulthood. Few scenes will leave readers laughing while at the end readers are going to cherish about the friendship described in the story.

This book is a light read. Readers may feel that the content could be much better and the end of the love story inside the book can be described in a better way. The ending is predictable as well. Overall this book is a nice and fresh read apart from this nominal flaws.

Final Words: Interesting story told in a different style. As a debut author Asad Ali Junaid has done a good job and hope he keeps growing in his future projects.

  Title: And We Remained
  Author: Asad Ali Junaid
  Publisher: Asad Ali Junaid
  Page Count: 270                                                                                                             My Rating: 3.75/5

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Metamorphing by Kunal Pancholi: A Review

Blurb: 28TH APRIL, 2000: Flight No. 9x4876 bound to Srinagar has crash landed into the Everest Base camp. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the flight mysteriously went off the radar for few minutes and missed its landing. All passengers are feared dead… except for three bodies that are yet to be recovered.

8TH DECEMBER, 2050: This, without doubt is the most gruesome murder in recent times. Early this morning, an unidentified woman was found mutilated at the western gates of the abandoned Victoria Terminus Station in Mumbai. Authorities report her head was … well … semi-decapitated and she was drained of all her blood. The shocking part - the crime scene was devoid of any signs of blood spatter…

ROHAN: He was shorter than the shortest girl in school; he had to be ahead in the game!

RUDRA: A man without a past, coaxed into a murder investigation; will he ever grasp the true nature of the crime?

A thrilling tale about two men bound by an untraceable yet undeniable fate - One running away from his past, another unaware of his own.

Verdict: ‘Metamorphing’ is the debut book of Kunal Pancholi. The name itself portrays that this story is going to be an unusual one and the cover perfectly resembles that this is a murder mystery. Any readers can easily pick the book by the cover and the interesting blurb.

This book has been narrated in a different way or I would rather say in a different time line, one is on 2000 and another on 2050. This is not usual to see authors write about what we are going to see in the future, but this debut author has shown the courage to do so, which is appreciable. The story is narrated by two prime characters, Rohan and Rudra. Writing a thriller is indeed a commendable job and the author is able to keep the suspense till the end. The book is divided and short and crispy chapters  will force the readers to complete it in one go.

The story starts with Rohan’s inferiority complex because of his short height and he being strong from inside to resist those taunts. Rohan survived a plane crash and opens his eyes after five long years. As he returns to his family and starts to realize the changes in his body, the story picks speed. On the other hand, there was Rudra, a character who was found in the bank of a river and had lost all his memories but remembers his name. Within days, he found himself indulging in solving a murder case as a private detective in the year of 2050. The description of those places and gadgets in 2050 is a wonderful reflection of the author’s imaginations. Main prospect of a thriller is to keep in the guessing game with readers, which is very much visible in this story and at the end author wins the game. I loved the end and I can easily say that the unanticipated end will make readers bewildered.

The beginning of the story is a bit slow. This story is narrated by two protagonist in alternative chapters, which at times becomes confusing. There are few scenes which can be described in a more delicate way. There are some unnecessary sections which are dropping the speed of the book. But the author is able to end the book in such a way that readers will close this book with a positive response.

Final Words: An appreciable effort by a debut author. There is enough elements of mystery and suspense to keep a reader hooked. Overall an enjoyable read.

Title: Metamorphing – The Hunt Begins

Author Name: Kunal Pancholi

Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

No. of Pages: 252 Pages

My Rating: 3.75/5

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Note: This review is a part of Readers Cosmos Book Review Program. 

Four Corners of the Circle by Mohit Jain and Amita Sood: A Review

Blurb: Ever heard about the four corners of a circle? Since Childhood, it has been taught in school that the circle has no corners. Life is a never-ending marathon. It keeps on revolving in circles, and everyone is in search of a final destination, a corner, that they never reach. This book is a small initiative to throw light on different aspects of the education system and how could we join hands to make it more productive.

It guides the aspiring students to follow a right approach, take correct decision, and overcome distractions in their career. It advocates that the educational institutions should focus on enlightening the lives of the students by providing quality education, quality learning ambiance, practical grounds to implement class room theories, and by helping students convert their black cat into a white one. The book is neither biased toward students nor educational institutes; the sole purpose is to provide their individual perspectives and reach to a common conclusion.

The book contains five theories, which Mr. Mohit Jain has discovered in his sixteen years of teaching experience and which would help the youngsters reach closer and closer to their goals.

This book is about us.

Verdict: ‘Four Corners of the Circle’ is the first book of mentor, teacher Mohit Jain and Amita Sood. With this book Mohit Jain has started a very appreciable initiative to improve the way of teaching or the way of thinking.

The name itself gives a hard time for reader’s brain cells and the cover reflects exactly the same thought. How could a circle have four corners, to know the answer one must read this book. In this book the author has scripted his fourteen years of experience in the field of teaching and mentoring, which I think is price-less.

From the prologue the author has stated that this book is going to change the way students think or I would rather say the management student think. Being a management teacher himself the name of the first chapter of the book is ‘should not do MBA’. The author had faced a lot in his life and learned a lot from his experience and by reading this book readers can also learn from his experiences. Students are going to love the way the author had described his thoughts by giving wonderful examples which is familiar to relate. The book will surely motivate students and help them to take the right foot forward.

I would like to congratulate Amita Sood for framing this book in delightful words and yes there is difference between author and writer. The content is divided in small chapters which are easy to read and understand. Readers are going to love the names of the chapters and those words of the author printed in bold and italic. Being a non-fiction/self-help, this book does perfect justice to its genre.

While reading this at times I felt that the author have described a bit more than needed about his journey or his struggle. In the first half readers might find the book a bit boring but the author has made up for this in the second half of the book. I can very easily say that the book and the ‘Nine Point Theory’ will leave a lasting effect among the readers.

Final Words: This book should be prescribed to each and every student who are about to take decision for higher studies or are about to enter in the corporate field, even parents and teachers should learn and support Mohit Jain for this noble initiative. A field guide for students.

Title: Four Corners of the Circle
Author: Mohit Jain with Amita Sood
Page Count: 225
Publisher: Partridge
My rating: 4/5