Review of "Because... Every Raindrop is a Hope" by "Sankalp Kohli and Mansi Sharma"

Blurb: Caught in the turmoil of an Underrated Love and an Overrated Infatuation, raj today is at the cross road of life, where every road ahead leads to nothing but a Dead-end.

A thwarted soul with the guilt of not having been forgiven by Mahek, his frustration leads him into seclusion.

With no ray of hope, just when Raj is about to give up on life, a note “Never give up Raj… Because… Every raindrop is a Hope” brings Raj face to face with his own self.

Why Love that makes Life beautiful, turn into Satan? Why friendship one fine day loses all its meaning? Why on the crowded roads of Mumbai city, Raj finds himself walking alone?

Will Raj challenge life and fight back with the sword of Hope or will he take the easy way out by succumbing to the arduous tests of time?

Verdict: ‘Because… every raindrop is a HOPE’ is the debut novel of Mansi Sharma and Sankalp Kohli.  A drop of rain means a lot to many people, from farmers to animals to people in deserts, a drop of rain always brings hope with it and this story line proves it.

This is the best possible name for a story line like this. How a note where this name was written can change the course of events in the protagonist’s life, shows how prominent this name is. Though I feel the cover can be designed in a better way. The cover looks simple and will fail to drag the reader’s attention in the crowd of romantic novels.

This is the story of Raj (the main protagonist) a small town guy, who landed up in Mumbai to fulfill his dream of Engineering with his two childhood friends Rahul and Rohan. This story tells us about how a simple boy slowly guided by his ego took his step towards the wrong, how Raj started to misbehave with his friends, how he took a step after which he himself became down in his own eyes and how he came back from his miseries, how he showed the ray of hope, how he fought with the situation with the only weapon- hope.

The story reaches a new height when Mehak (the female protagonist) enters the story. The author has quite efficiently described his characters and is able to make them visible to the readers. Raj, was one of the studious guys of the college, who slowly falls for Mahek the girl with an unmistakable personality. As their love started to blossom, Raj felt that his happiness knows no bound. He feels the bite of the cupid is the best thing ever happened to him until he saw Shruti after a long time. After this Shruti incident, Raj took some drastic steps that lead to major changes in his life. As Raj starts to go deeper in his wrong path, readers will start to think how he will be able to come back.

The author has stated quite an effective message towards the youth in their own language. How often we mix infatuation with love and true love with just an infatuation. Here in this story, Raj’s life became miserable just because he under rated his true love and over rated his infatuation. The author, at the end, has wonderfully described the whole part why the main protagonist took those wrong steps, what was he feeling, how was his ego taking the front seat.

I loved the flow of the story and that is all because of the author’s effortless narrating style. The chosen words are perfect for these kinds of stories which were neither simple nor complicated. In the middle I felt that story became a bit slow and was losing his charm but as I said earlier the narrating style keeps the flow alive. Some editing errors and spelling errors also pull the story in some scenes. But the end will make the reader close this book with a smile on their face.

Final Words: A nice inspirational love story which will redefine the meaning of love and friendship and will hook the readers till the end. A must read for youths.

Title: Because… Every Raindrop is a Hope
Author: Mansi Sharma &SankalpKohli
Publisher: General Press
Page Count: 182
My Rating: 3.75/5

Available At –

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Review of "The Sales Room" by "R.T. Manu Ramesh"

Blurb: Rajesh Iyer, a young, ambitious salesperson, returns to The Sales Room of Oregon Software Technologies after an aborted attempt at getting into a business school in the US, only to notice the metamorphosis of the software start-up which he had earlier been an integral part of. What used to be a rat-infested hole in the midst of a vegetable market is now a swanky, state of the art facility owned by an upcoming Bollywood star. The enthusiastic and compact team firing on all cylinders is replaced by a sclerotic and bureaucratic set up. Sales review meetings, once rife with passionate discussions, are now replete with profanities. The ill-tempered angel investor's scream can be heard all the way from his villa in New York.

Rajesh, now shunted into an innocuous role finds every effort made to alleviate the condition of the demoralized sales team, met with resistance. As revenues dwindle and tempers rise, Rajesh realizes he is running out of time and options. He either toes the CEO, Venky's line and becomes party to a sham or quits citing a host of plausible reasons. This hilarious narrative takes the reader from plush corporate boardrooms of Bangalore to the seedy hotels in Delhi as Oregon meanders in search of illusory customer wins. Rajesh meets several interesting characters ranging from the busty Polish graphics designer to the loquacious pimp masquerading as a taxi driver.

Verdict: ‘The Sales Room’ is the first work of R.T. Manu Ramesh. The Sales Room is a book that will give the readers a chance to know how things work with the sales persons or will make them see how the sales department works. From his own experiences the author has very successfully jotted down a hilarious novel.

The cover is exactly what the storyline is. What we non-sales persons know about sales is that the most important matter is to make profit and the cover says it all and will surely attract more non-sales people like me. The name seems perfect to me because it won’t make the reader confused about the content but will give them the exact feel for the book.

Any reader can easily dump the book by concluding that this book is all about sales but I would like to tell them not to, because this book has a lot to offer rather than just the word ‘sales’. The main protagonist Rajesh Iyer came back to Oregon Software Technologies to give his career a new dimension after his failed attempt at MBA. The life of Rajesh will take the readers to a journey where they can notice what a sales person has to do to seal a deal, how much struggle he have to do to save his job (read ass) and that too in a funny way which will keep the readers entertained. From the wire-chewing rats to the vastu savvy boss everything is presented in an interesting way.

The readers will appreciate the author’s observation power because of the way the he has described his scenes and formed his characters. If you leave a bunch of guys in a sales room with loads of target to achieve, the main topic of their discussion in off time will be sex and girls, these scenes are so real that any reader can easily relate to the scene and can visualize everything happening right in front of them.

I would have called this book a perfect entertainer if the author would’ve concentrated a bit more on creating his characters. The extra number of characters in the story line will end up confusing readers. At times the story line fell weak but the author’s humorous narrating style keep the things going. The most important point of the book is, it is different, something out of the box which will force the readers to turn the pages till the end to know what this author has to offer. I spotted a few editing errors and spelling misstates too which can be ignored if compared with the flow.

Final Words: The observation power of the author has taken this book to a new level. This book has the capability to inspire people and will entertain them too. A unique in its genre.

Title: The Sales Room
Author: R.T. Manu Ramesh
Publisher: Leadstart Publication
Page Count: 196
My Rating: 3.75/5

Available At –

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Review of "Twice Upon A Time" by "Anjali Bhatia"

Blurb: Is a man’s past set in stone, or can it be changed? Rewritten and reshaped?
Is time a reality, or a construct of the imagination? Fleeting and fragmented?
One man is about to find out…

Meet Arpit, a bitter young man who embarks upon an incredible and seemingly impossible journey to right the seven wrongs that shadowed his life, all in a quest to be together with Mannat, the love of his life.

When Arpit meets Nishimaya, a modern-day mystic, little does he know his life is about to change. In entirely. But change comes with effort. And Arpit has to lose himself in order to resurrect his past and set thing right. With every past mistakes he corrects, he finds a corresponding change in his present life…but not all changes are easy to make. And as Arpit travels further back into his own life, he’s forced to dig into frightening depths and fight against his own self to dredge up the truth from sediments of folly that litter his world.

Unknown to him, however, Mannat is supporting his striggle from halfway across the world even if she tries to gather her own life together. And Nishimaya, as she takes Arpit through the swirls of time, has to confront ghost of her own as well.

As their lives get caught in the web of karma, dreams, memories, and destinies, Arpit, Mannat and Nishimaya must stumble and fall if they are to reach the end. But Time still holds a revelation none of them had expected…

Verdict: ‘Twice upon a time’ is the first work of Anjali Bhatia. The debut author has framed quit a different plot and executed it wonderfully. The concept of time-travel is always fascinating and this is why the readers should pick this book.

I do judge a book by its cover because it creates the first impression and I appreciate the designer for making such a wonderful cover. From the font to the soothing background color everything looks remarkable. The name suits the concept of time travel perfectly.

This is the story of a guy named Arpit (the main protagonist), who has lost his love Mannat for his own deed. His immature decisions and his misplaced words took his love away from him and left him to regret his past. After the entry of Nishimaya aka Nishi, a modern day mystic, Arpit starts to see a hope to get Mannat back because of her powers to take him to the past by re-dreaming. As the process starts and Arpit goes back to make up for his mistakes the book becomes interesting.

Apart from the love story of Arpit and Mannat the author has presented few sub-plots too, the fright of the villagers against the evil corporate companies to save their holy lake from polluting, Arpit’s relation with his father, who is the main culprit to bring those companies to those villages and the past of Nishimaya. The characters are created with such proficiency that it leaves a lasting effect on the readers. Every character has a story to tell and a role to play. At times I felt the author was dragging the story unnecessarily by focusing on the sub plots which drops the speed.

The author have a beautiful command over the language and have chosen her words very carefully. At the beginning, the readers might find this bit a boring because of the puzzle created by the author. The slow speed at the start could make the readers drop the book. If the readers can go through the first few chapters till the start of the re-dreaming process then they will find this story interesting. I would have loved the book more if the author would have concentrated more on the time travel or the re-dreaming process without confusing the readers with numerous characters and stories. Though at the end the author was able to tie all the loose ends and complete the story with a good note and an effective message. Overall a nice effort by a debut author and this book can be picked over a cup of coffee as a different read.

Final Words:  The author has efficiently mixed up science fiction with mystery which will help the readers find this story interesting. The fluent narrating style of the author the best part of the book. A decent effort by a debut author.

Title: TWICE upon a time
Author: Anjali Bhatia
Publisher: Fingerprint Publications
Page Count: 312
My Rating: 3.75/5


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Review of "As Life Has No UNDO" by "Abir Mukherjee"

Blurb: Campus interviews are around the corner for the final-year students of Burdwan Engineering College. Everyone is busy honing their skills at the last minute except Ankit who wishes to see his parents for the last time.

Ankit, a simple boy and mediocre student from a lower middle class Bengali family has only two aims in life – to become a computer engineer per his parent’s wish and to spend his entire life with Shreeja, the lady love of his life. Shreeja is pretty, ambitious and career oriented. What happens when Debdeep walks into their lives?

Does Ankit have more things to lose than he ever imagined? Have you ever loved someone more than yourself? Have you ever felt the need of an undo button in your life?

This may be your story...

Verdict: ‘As Life has no Undo’ is the debut novel of Abir Mukherjee. Undo is such a key that can give us the option to take a step back but life can never give the chance to take a step back. How often we think that if we can go back and re-write that scene in our life, but unfortunately life has no Undo.

The name is so practical and interesting that it is bound to grab the reader’s interest. Every person dreamt of having an Undo button in their life, so what made this author write a whole book on this topic will be the reader’s center of attraction. The book has everything in its jacket that had played an important role in the story.

The story starts with Ankit (the main protagonist) narrating his story to a senior of his in a hospital lounge. Ankit was a normal Bengali boy who unwantedly falls for a girl for whom he had a bet with his friends. Everything was going perfect and they got admission in an average engineering college together. Like all clichéd love stories, Ankit also compromises his chance of getting admission into a reputed government engineering college, to study with the love of his life. Ankit’s life turned upside down in the last year of the engineering when Debdeep aka Deba entered into their life. The readers should read this story to know what made Ankit take the ultimate decision of leaving the earth. Is it because of his love Shreeja or his best friend Deba or the expectation of his family or something else?

I found the story-line very common and already told. The presentation style was good but the narrating style is so simple that it couldn’t help the book to stand high in the crowd of romantic novels. I would like to appreciate Abir Mukherjee for jotting down the truth which is very much visible from the story but the lack of description were making the scene hazy and tough to visualize. The author has concentrated a lot on describing his male and female protagonists and by doing that unintentionally he kept all his other characters in the dark.

The author has described the mental state of Ankit in the end quite efficiently and that can make the readers complete the book in a good note. The author could easily replace a few unnecessary details with few more described scenes and that will make the book all more interesting.

Final Words: A love story that unfolded on the streets of Burduwan has a flavor of its own and can give the readers an overview on how love stories blossoms in Bengal. Overall an average read. 

Title: As Life Has No UNDO
Author: Abir Mukherjee
Publisher: Blackbuck Publication
Page Count: 301
My Rating: 3/5

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Review of 'Daughter by Court Order' by 'Ratna'

Blurb: A seemingly innocent remark over an innocuous cup of tea. Aranya discovers that her family has been fighting a decade-long legal battle over her grandfather’s expansive estate, all the while not only keeping her in the dark, but also keeping her very existence out of the court’s knowledge!

A cesspool of emotions, half-truths, betrayals, and the unspooling of long buried dirty family secrets threaten to overpower Aranya and disrupt what modicum of peace and balance she has in her life as a single mother of two children. At the center of this storm is the one woman who, ever since the day Aranya was born, has had nothing but curses and abuses for her; who has deliberately kept her name out of the court; who has wished her dead for every day of her life; who refuses to now remember her birth. The woman who is her mother. Her own mother.
This is the story of a woman fighting against power, money, deceit, and treachery for her right to be recognized as a daughter.

A daughter by court order . . .

Verdict: ‘Daughter by Court Order’ is the debut work of Ratna Vira. This story is the need of the hour. How a woman struggles for her identity, how she fights for her rights is what this book is all about. This book perfectly shows what most of the women in India has to face.

The cover looks simple but will definitely push a reader to pick it and read the blurb. And the blurb is so interesting that I believe readers can hardly put it down. The name very much suits the content. When the main protagonist fight for her rights, her identity against her own family and drags them to court, no title suits better than this.

It is pretty tough to believe that how a mother abuses her child, how she curses her and doesn’t want to get her out from the incubator but that is how this books starts. Kamini the mother of Aranya aka Arnie (the main protagonist) always abused and cursed her daughter. The start was a bit indefinite and can make readers a bit unsettled but as the story moves on and starts to juggle between past and present, it becomes interesting and pacey.

The story reaches a new height when Arnie finds that her mother had deliberately left her out from the benefactors. Let alone inform her about her grandfather’s will, they had hidden her existence from the court. Arnie decides to take a stand and fight for her right or fight for her existence or fight to prove that she is the daughter of the reputed Dhari family of Delhi. The way the story sails by describing how Arnie fights in the court for her identity and still manages her two children and a house loan approaching her head.

The narrating style is good crafted with beautiful words. But at times readers might feel this book is a bit prolonged. The characters are very well described and very much relatable.  After completing the book the readers can easily say that they know each of them well.

The story line is good but can be shortened at few places. The author has chosen a direct narrative style which makes the main protagonist very much visible but I felt the rest of the characters lacked spotlights. But the wonderful message that lies behind this story line will force the readers to ignore all the flaws and complete the book in one go.

Final Words: Ratna has presented a very delicate plot in her debut work which will take readers in an emotional journey. A book that tells about child-abuse, woman-empowerment can easily be called as need of the hour.

Title: Daughter by Court Order
Author: Ratna
Publisher: Fingerprint Publishers
Page Count: 370
My Rating: 4.75/5

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Review of 'Happily Murdered' by 'Rasleen Syal'

Blurb: ‘Who killed GulabSarin?’

The radiant new daughter-in-law of the influential Mehta family dies mysteriously on the very next night of her wedding. The murder is an inside job, the police are certain. It could be anyone – the adulterous husband, convincing in-laws, jealous friend or the love struck ex-fiancé.

With an aim to save themselves and incriminate other, it is not long before these suspects turn into armature detectives, hunting for clues and delving into hidden secrets only they can unearth. They coerce, pry and blackmail in an attempt to get the bottom of the mystery.

Will one of these nine unlikely sleuths finally unravel the mystery behind Gulab’s death and avenge it? Or will the truth die as viciously as Gulab?

Verdict: ‘Happily murdered’ is the debut work of Rasleen Syal. Happily and Murdered, both are so different that even Microsoft word can’t bear them sitting back to back but here the debut author has chosen this as the title for her crime thriller.

Not only the name but the cover will also give a hard time to the reader’s brain cells. Bridal attire drenched in blood, how interesting is that and after reading the blurb readers are bound to pick the book.

The book is written in a well-crafted manner. The narrating style perfectly matches the need for this piece of story line. As the author says I can very much relate her style of storytelling with the veteran thriller writer Agatha Christie. I appreciate the author for framing the chapters in such a beautiful way by putting Gulab’s version too.

The story starts with Gulab Sarin, the new bride of Sid Mehta, found dead in the Ratnagiri Palace of Uttaranchal. After the initial investigation police declare, this murder is work of an insider from the renowned Mehta Family. As the story moves on and the family members starts to find clues to save their own back, readers will witness a breath-taking journey. This story is full of surprise elements and the thrilling story line will hook the readers till the very end. I personally feel the success of a crime thriller is, if the author can distract the mind of the reader from the main culprit and in the book I can easily say that Rasleen Syal has been able to do that. As all effective crime thrillers, this book’s end will also make the readers smile at the efficiency of the author.

At the middle of the book I felt the author was getting distracted from the main course. But soon the author made up for this by introducing another twist in the tale. Few printing errors are also spotted. But overall these errors can easily be ignored and this book can be called one great thrilling read.

Final Words: The smooth narrating style and the efficiently framed plot will keep readers hooked until the mystery solves and when it solves, readers will smile with teary eyes.

Title: Happily Murdered…
Author: Rasleen Syal
Publisher: Srishti Publisher &Dristributors
Page Count: 246
My Rating: 4.5/5

Available at -

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Review of "Cheer Up! The worst is yet to come..." by "Ila Garg"

Blurb: Ishani, a young, pretty and multi-talented girl with a carefree attitude, lives in a world of her own. A girl with small, little dreams; she carries a happy-go-lucky nature. Always surrounded by friends, she loves to help people and is a quick learner. When she gradually tries to find a place in this messed up world, everyone around her starts to lure her, as she trusts easily and can't discriminate between right and wrong. She often falls for masked personalities and camouflaged individuals but it is life, right? It has its own ways to teach its disciples. She makes efforts to bring a smile on every face and wishes someone would do the same for her.

Things come to a halt when she falls in love with an over-possessive guy, Abhay. They part and they meet again. In the meantime, she forms a bond with another girl. Her sole respite is her best friend, Armaan, but then, she has already been hurt, deceived and broken beyond repair. This book is all about her journey of love and friendship; a story of innocence, guilt, pleasure, mistakes, break-ups, success, failure and frustration.

Can a completely broken girl emerge as a winner at the end? Will she be able to unveil the masks? What does it take to judge right from wrong? What surprises life holds in its box for her? Is it ever going to be easy for her to choose or will she continue to stay in her dilemmas?

Verdict: “Cheer Up! The worst is yet to come…” is the debut novel of Ila Garg. As the title suggests the story tells us about a girl whose life is full of surprises and up downs and when she concludes that nothing can be worst then she hears life’s call to cheer up because the worst is coming.

The cover looks catchy with a girl living her life to the fullest without knowing what lies ahead and the purple effect suits the atmosphere perfectly.

This debut author has chosen a very simple style to narrate this story. The whole story is narrated in such a simple way that any reader can easily complete the book in one go. The eye-friendly words and familiar phrases makes this book a light read. I felt a few scenes could have been described in a better way which could help readers to stay glued.

This story starts with Ishani (the main protagonist) enjoying her days in her college with her friends. The author had spent quite a few pages in describing Ishani’s friends which I think was a bit exaggerated. As the story moves on and Ishani falls for a guy named Abhay, her life starts to turn in a different way. The author has very efficiently presented what a girl has to face in a relationship with such guys. This story is all about keeping hope alive. How Ishani deals with the worst situation of her life and comes out with a smiling face will attract readers. One of the beautiful parts of the book was its poems. I would like to appreciate the author for including such wonderful poems.

The story line is common and presentation is also simple. There are quite a few scenes which can drop the speed and readers would have loved it if the author had chosen her words a bit more wisely. Overall this book is an average read. I hope the author will make up for these mistakes in her next work.

Final Words: This story teaches how to keep hope alive after surviving through the worst time of your life. A story of love, friendship, betrayal and the way to move on.

Title: Cheer Up! The worst is yet to come…
Author: Ila Garg
Publisher: Gargi Publisher
Page Count: 190
My Rating: 3/5

Available at –

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Secrets and Second Chances by Anita Shirodkar: A Review

Blurb: Suddenly, the world was upside down and there was only one person who could set it straight. But Nandita was not sure if he wanted to…

Nandita Dharkar, a strikingly beautiful and talented architect, relocates to Mumbai from Delhi, seeking new horizons and compelling explanations about ghosts from her mother’s past.
As she revels in her newfound independence and forges new friendships, her job at a prestigious architect firm brings suave hotelier Aryan Rai into her life—and she falls hopelessly in love with him. But when her best friend, the carelessly handsome Aditya Arora, suddenly lands on her doorstep, Nandita realizes how fickle the heart can be.
In the midst of it all, she is unable to forget the mysterious letter she had discovered in her mother's jewelry box. When she embarks on a quest to find out the identity of the letter writer, shocking secrets about her mother’s past come to the forefront. 

Will this shatter Nandita or will she heal through forgiveness? Tender, bittersweet and moving Secrest and the Second Chances examines the fragile threads that bind a mother and daughter, and the brave choices a woman makes to follo9w her heart.

Verdict: ‘Secrets and Second Chances’ is Anita Shirodkar’s first work of fiction. As the name says, this story has a lot of secrets and when those secrets start to reveal, this story reaches new heights.

The cover features a woman relaxing in her own way, looking deep and a sealed letter which I think perfectly resembles the primary importance of the story-line. This story is of a girl named Nandita Dharkar, her love life, social life, friends, her miseries and her secrets.

 The author had adopted a very strong narrating style which makes the story going. From the very beginning the author’s wonderful narrating style will catch the reader’s attention. The wonderfully chosen words complements the storyline neatly and those are very much reader friendly too which I think is very hard to find.

The story starts with Nandita Dharkar (the main protagonist) moving to Mumbai from Delhi to make her social and academic life a bit better. Everything was falling in place when she found herself touching the success at her designing firm, finding a perfect partner in a rich and handsome hotelier named Aryan, and having a perfect social life with her new friends. But as things starts to move ahead she got the reason why her mother Amrita was reluctant to her decision to move to Mumbai. Maximum of the story unfolds around Mumbai and the author has very efficiently described the life in Mumbai. The book becomes unputdownable when Nandita starts to find the hidden secrets of her mother in Mumbai. As everything becomes normal after suffering from the crisis at the end, readers will close this book with a lasting smile.

 I found the storyline a bit weak in the middle. The author’s strong narrating style binds all loose ends but in the middle when Nandita was enjoying the freedom and the success, I felt the speed was dropped. Apart from those few scenes this book is as smooth as silk and will create an impact on the readers mind before they know it.

Final Words: Anita Shirodkar in her debut book described one year of a lady of our time, the bond between mother and daughter and the crisis she goes through, which is more than appreciable. An entertaining read for all book lovers.

Title: Secrets and Second Chances
Author: Anita Shirodkar
Publisher: Rupa
Page Count: 308
My Rating: 4/5

Available at –

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The Deliberate Sinner by Bhaavna Arora: A Review

Blurb:Is there an acid test to gauge the success of a relationship?
Is it right to carry on in an unhealthy relationship with no conjugal bliss, or look for an alternate path?

Rihana is an adventurous and free-spirited girl, until she marries Veer, an eligible bachelor who comes from a wealthy family. While they appear 'happily married', their strong personalities are at odds. Veer, for the most part, is insensitive to Rihana's physical and emotional needs, straining the relationship and leaving her feeling incomplete.

 Caught between the devil and the deep sea, Rihana has to now decide whether to walk out of her marriage and be a victim of society's ridicule or compromise on her physical needs, which for her are the foundation for a healthy marital bond.

Can they work out their differences? Will Veer give her what she desires or push her to do something desperate and scandalous?

Verdict: ‘The Deliberate Sinner’ is the debut novel of Bhaavna Arora, which talks about a very controversial topic of our society. How women are made to hang on to the marriage for the sake of the society even if she doesn’t get the much needed mental, emotional and sexual satisfaction.

The name and the cover is enough to turn heads of the readers and after reading the blurb this book will be an easy choice for readers. The lady on the cover standing with a ring on her hand perfectly states that there is a marriage which is not working but still she has to hang on that. Kudos to the designer.

The book starts with the female protagonist Rihana finding tough to gulp down the fact that her ‘best man’, her grandfather is taking his last breath. Soon the story picks speed and moves on to show how the world around Rihana changes. After reading few initial chapters’ readers might judge this book as an erotica but the story has a lot to offer at the second half of the book. The author has very efficiently portrayed the condition a girl has to face from her society concerned parents, spineless love and over possessive uncaring husband. Not only men but the women also need to be satisfied on the bed, to make a marriage going, is one of the main message of the story. But I felt the story a bit short and end a bit anticipated. The story contains a controversial but true message but can be decorated in a better way.

The narrating style is simple. The author has the special quality to describe those love making scene in a delicate way which will make readers visualize every part of the scene. Few punctuation errors are spotted which make readers confused where the conversation ends and where the narration starts. Keeping in mind that this is the work of a debut writer I would like to say that this is a brave and appreciable effort.

Final Words: This story contains a very strong message towards the conditions of a woman in our society, told in a different way. A must read book for everyone from men to women.

Title: The Deliberate Sinner
Author: Bhaavna Arora
Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors
Page Count: 148
My Rating: 3.75/5

Available at –

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Halfway Up The Mountain by Kiran Khalap: A Review

Blurb: Kiran Khalap’s first novel is a poetic work, in which prayer, spirituality and reality are interwoven, a village girl, Maya, fights her fate in a traditional Indian family. She makes steamed pancakes and turmeric leaf fragrance and skips school. Her fate is tied to Ravindra, in an arranged marriage that falls apart when Maya meets the poet, Krishnarao, and is forced to spend the night in his house marooned by a torrential storm. Ravindra refuses to believe that their son Sharan is his own, and leaves her. The young girl is undone by men closest to her, abandoned in an Indian society that places no value on woman on her own. A tale of snakebites, separation and liberation.

Verdict: Halfway up the Mountain, the debut book of Kiran Khalap centering around a woman ‘Maya’ this book is sure to catch the reader’s eye. The most eye grabbing thing in the book is the cover of the book and the the work of the designer who drawn this art makes it all the more interesting and fascinating.

When the book starts, one cannot get enough of complimenting the quality of the book. When in hand, it fits perfectly well and the book is also written in a very easy to read font. From the first scene till the last, the book has something special hidden it.

I would like to compliment the author for having efficiently described the minutiae of a woman’s life, her needs-desires, her life and love with such ease and comfort that every reader seems to be a part of the life of the central character.

I particularly loved the concept behind the whole story circling around Maya, the main protagonist. The relationships she had with the men of her life, starting from her father (who left her as a kid) to her elder brother, her husband, father-in-law and finally her son.

There are so many things one can learn from the life of Maya and the way she fought the world and all this teamed together makes this book one life turning one for many reader. The way the author has narrated all these makes the reader fall in love with the protagonists. A new and fresh narrating style also gives this book a whole new feeling. Kudos to the author for putting the glossaries at the end, which will definitely help the readers.  

As far as the flaw in concerned, the only thing I felt was that at the end of the book, all readers would want to read more and more of the life of Maya’s life and thus it is the only way why I would like to deduct a few points. Apart from that, I really loved the book; waiting for much more by the author.

Final Words: This novel has an absorbing flavor which is going to mesmerize the readers from the core. The unique narrating style and the efficient characterization helps this book to stand out from the crowd.

Title: Halfway Up The Mountain
Author: Kiran Khalap
Publisher: Amaryllis
Page Count: 232
My Rating: 4.75/5

Available at -
Flipkart – http://www.flipkart.com/halfway-up-mountain-english/p/itmczznz3yezfrjz?pid=9789381506417&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=halfway+up+the+mountain&ref=cf7a916e-6c05-41ef-98b4-3f1f73d9db17

Amazon - http://www.amazon.in/Half-Way-Mountains-Kiran-Khalap/dp/9381506418/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407573781&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=halfway+up+the+mountain+by+Kiran+Khalap

Bad Romance by Harshita Srivastava: A Review

Blurb: Life is a bitch and I’m one of its victims. I had the perfect life. I was blessed with the perfect boyfriend, a perfect best friend, the perfect set of girlfriends and perfect choice of career. There were some loopholes but then they went beyond my perspective. Overall, I had the kind of life people would ideally like to have but happy times aren’t meant to last forever.

Sometimes we feel that we have figured life but that’s something that is never going to happen. You know why? It’s because it has this habit of kicking us right in the middle of ecstasy. No wonder, it did the same with me.

This is my story, my story of that exploration within, my feelings, my emotions, my thought process, my priorities, my conflicts and my journey into the temptation of love, lust, lies and betrayals. This is the story of Kritika and a man who gave her life another dimension, Tanishq. This is a story of the complexities of relationships and the trap that a simple idea of sensuality, pleasure and euphoria can put you into. This is a story for everyone who has loved, lost and fought for survival and love, together.

Verdict: ‘Bad Romance’ is the second novel by the

Harshita Srivastava. This story is about a girl named Kritika, her love, her affection and how she faces the betrayal and the lies.

A romance is always associated with the word good, if not then it is not romance. The title Bad Romance sounds catchy and the wonderful cover and the quality makes the first impression wonderful for any reader.

The author started the story in a bit different way. She had raised quite a difficult question to her readers that ‘What is love’. The story starts with a hint of the end and then revolves around a girl named Kritika when she entered the college for her graduation and got attracted by a guy named Tanishq. Within days they became friends and within months they became best of friends. Away from Lucknow, Kritika found a perfect friend in Tanishq until she met Vikrant in a workshop. In an instance she got attracted towards him and soon they were head over heels for each other. The story is not new but somehow able to make readers turn the page to know what lies ahead. The way the author crisis at the end is significant. To know what made Kritika try to erase the memories of the two boys from her life, one should read the book.

The author narrated the whole story as a female protagonist and readers will see what a woman can feel when she faces love for the first time, when she experience her first sex, when she found her arrogant boyfriend abusing her and how does it feel to be on the losers side in a relationship. A well edited version would have kept readers interest in this story a bit more.

The story is not new or fresh and I felt it loosened up interest in few chapters but the end is good. Readers will close this book with a smile on their face. The narrating style was simple but this story can be told in a more interesting way.

Final Words: This book has everything friendship, love, sex, lies, betrayals and finally the way to move on. A nice entertainer.

Title: Bad Romance
Author: Harshita Srivastava
Publisher: Gargi Publishers
Page Count: 159
My Rating: 3.5/5

Available at –

Homeshop18 - http://www.homeshop18.com/bad-romance/author:harshita-srivastava/isbn:9788192960913/books/fiction/product:31835485/cid:10916/?pos=1

"My works are not just love stories but a source of inspiration to keep moving ahead in life." says Arpit Dugar in an chat with Timid Fingers

Timid Fingers: First I would like to congratulate on your new book. Tell me something about yourself which your readers can’t find from the printed author bio.

Arpit Dugar: Publishers have done a decent job in writing about the most of me. The few things left are that I am fond of eating and reading, I love riding bike and I am making my own videos on making mathematics simpler.

TF: As your new book has already hit the stands, what made you write about the Déjà vu concept?
AD: Déjà vu is something that surrounds me once or twice a day, so there is a personal attachment to the theme. Also that it happens with everyone, it becomes a generic theme to write upon.

TF: As your first book ‘Nothing For You My Dear’ was a national bestseller, what expectation do you have for this book?

AD: I am pretty confident about the reader’s feedback on this work, they will love the thrilling and romantic ride of this book. I am in conversations with production houses to get it converted into a Bollywood script.

TF: What do you think, are you able to fulfill the expectation of your readers by this book? What kind of response you are getting from your readers?

AD: Till date around 3000 copies have been sold and the feedbacks are good. Readers are loving the plot and the characters.

TF: In the huge crowd of love story writers, where do you place yourself?

AD: My works are not just love stories but a source of inspiration to keep moving ahead in life. Setbacks are there in everyone’s life but that must not stop you moving ahead for larger goals. 

TF: Your first book was published in 2009 and second book is in 2014, can you share this journey with your readers?

AD: The journey had been highly interesting and difficult at the same time. Interesting because of the immense response of the debut work and the expectations to read the next from me. And was difficult as to I am a person who can never write under some pressure or timelines.  So I took my time to complete the script and which took almost 5 years.

But the love of readers and friends was ecstatic and that served as a source of energy for me to give more time to writing.

TF: When you look back in time, do you have any regret or anything you want to change if you are given one chance?

AD: I love challenges in life as without which life becomes meaningless. There is nothing in the past that I regret about, I would rather observe the present more and work for a better future.

TF: Can you enlighten about the ‘www.practiceguru.in’?

AD: Practiceguru.in is my child. Started with this venture way back in 2006 with a niche idea of providing test series and study material at very minimal costs to the students in the remotest corners of the country.

 Today the idea has turned into a company of 30 employees, 800 corporate clients, 1million+ users, delivering them 400+ products in different languages for competitive and entrance exams.

TF: First it was Srishti, and now it is Flying Pen, any specific reason for changing the publisher?

AD: The lack of trust and no communication with the previous publishers set me off completely. I had no option but to switch. But I will always be thankful to them for giving me the initial start in my literary career.

TF: If you are asked to write anything except love story, what genre will you choose?

AD: The Idea of India

TF: Hope your this book hit the chords among your readers and became a bestseller as well. Few words for your readers and for Timid Finger’s blog…

AD: I love you all and would keep writing for you. Keep reading and do share feedbacks as they help me a lot to mould my ways while arranging the plot of the story.

 Timid Fingers is doing a great job, keep the good work going.

Author can be reached at-

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/arpitdugar

Book Page- https://www.facebook.com/groups/465984863538638/

Fusion - A Mingled Flavour Mocktail: A Review

Blurb: It is an anthology which consists of 25 such stories that will steal your heart away. It is not just a book but a journey of emotions that will take you for a roller coaster ride. With every page you turn, words will strike the chord of feelings and emotions will grip you in a manner that you won't feel like keeping the book aside till you reach the end.

Verdict: The wonderfully designed cover will definitely turn the heads of the readers and the name suits the theme of this anthology. 

The Heir - Renuka Vishwanathan
 The story of the heir was something that I believe to be the perfect start to the book. Along with the pain and agonies, it surely shows what in real a society is. How we base and conclude everything on the basis of pure assumptions. It left me speechless at the end.

Dance of Life - Shreya Kumar
The story meant for every girl, Shreya has done her best in writing the story. It teaches everyone to stand up and fight the world for their well-being and not being selfish. It surely is the dance of life.

Telephone - Ayaan Basu
The third story of the book. The story of a ‘stranger’ calling another ‘stranger’ and talking to her on a rainy day is quite interesting to read. A blend of emotions, the feeling inside the story remains one of its plus points.

Strings - Mehek Bassi
the most eye catching thing about the story was the narrating style. The thought process behind the story has been commendable. I would salute the writer for penning down a story of a physically challenged mother and daughter. Undoubtedly one of the best.

Affair @ Online - Neelam Chandra Saxena
A story that also shows us what the evil side of the social networking sites can be; it teaches us that one should not trust someone so easily. Written in a very lucid language, the story gives us a wonderful moral at the end.

Twilight - Purba Chakraborty
This story of Anand and Shalini is mostly about long lost love in the hands of society and their coming back on one fateful journey, how the twilight is of importance and what happens thereafter is what the story is all about. I liked the narrating style of the author.

The Red Lahori Dupatta - Paromita Bordoloi
Having read so many love stories in the book, this story just added to the feel. A very wonderful story of a guy from Lahore, Nayontaara and her best friend. This story is bound to bring brings tears. Just a few errors were avoidable.

Love - a Vague Puzzle - Nehali Lalwani
The story has done its best in defining love with the wonderful and meaningful couplet in the beginning of the story. Though I felt that so many conversations marred the feeling of the story.

How to Kill Boredom - Arjun Pereira
This story, though a light read has much to offer. In comparison, a bit low but still it gives the readers a nice time with it. I felt that it could’ve been written in a much better way.

Unsaid Words... - Swarupa
Lost love? Love that was left unsaid. The story of Raksha and Rajeev is this and much more. Full of emotions and strong feelings, a nice describing style adding the cherry on the cake, it is a must read.

The Housewife and the Goon - Renu Sethi
Another form of love written in a very unique and interesting way, this story has a lot to offer in one plate. Rajbeer and the housewife- the story has different things to teach. The presentation is the main attraction.

Slaves of Soul - Heena Ahuja
The story where good prevails over evil, the fight of injustice and justice. The way the story has been described was really well. Though I felt that even more drama would’ve made this story a potboiler.

The Blind Fold - Shalini Katyal
blind folded in love? What happens then? The side effects of not telling anyone about it and the consequences. This story has it all. In a nice narrating style, there were some silly mistakes in it; but a nice one time read.

Anesthesia - Manshi Bhatia
The lost ‘male’ support after the death of her father and finding solace in new ‘social networking’ friends, was the story of Nikita. Akshay was different in itself. What happens when they meet is something the readers would love to know. A few punctuation errors marred the feel of the story but above all, a nice read.

The Angel - Ishita Bhown
To me, I would like to term it a page turner. A daughter in need of help in a big city and an unknown stranger helping her in it. Yes, the story shows human nature in two sides. A one stretch scene with an exceptional description leaves the readers wanting for more.

Stone Cold - Nikhil Chandwani
Given the title of the story, it is yet an unusual story with a very different approach. A perfect page turner, it gave me Goosebumps while flipping the pages. Through the eyes of old parents, it is undoubtedly the best and a must read.

That Unexpected Encounter - Elora Rath
Such encounters can happen any time in our lifetime. That incomplete love; or the person who left you, without saying anything. The writer gives this and much more. There were a few typing errors; but apart from that a nice read.

Its Forever… Its Love!!! - Vinita Bali
I liked the way the story has been etched in a wonderful way. Written in a very precise way, the story was also a very nice one. Though I felt that a bit more interesting plot would’ve enhanced the feel of the story.

Simplicity - Col. Mahip Chadha
Simplicity is a very important form of human kind. The kanchas being one of the simplest people around. The story depicts the simplicity of those people. If written in a more interesting way, it could’ve grabbed the reader’s attention for long.

Born under Bad sign - Warishree Pant
First of all, I would like to congratulate the writer for opting for such a topic. The feeling of homosexuality is very nicely written in the story. One surely has tears at the end.

Play 4 Change - Roshan Kumar
A story which does its best in promoting both music and politics. In an enriching and whole new format, this was one great read. Though, I personally dislike the use of any particular party’s name; apart from that, a nice read.

This Was Written - Surabhi Thukral
The anguish by an unwanted relation, the trauma of divorce, unsaid love, and friendship. This was the story of Anu and Sarthak in a few words. The end, though, was predictable. All in all, it was a nice read.

Love, Lust and Loot - Anjali Vasvani
I always have had a fetish for murder mysteries and this writer has given us just that. In a very sweet and simple way, it surely gives the mystery a nice touch. I really liked the narrating style.

Will you cross the skies for me? - Neha Zahir
This is probably one story which I don’t want to speak much about. Sitting here I am speechless after reading it. Everything was so perfect about it. The narrating style, descriptions. It stays with you much after keeping the book down.

Menaka - A lost Apshara - Simsom Biswal
The story of Menaka. Prostituon. How two lives are 2 sides of the same coin? Everything is written here. I would term it as an answer to all questions. What happens when they meet and at the end? This story brings upon a perfect end.

The fusion of wonderfully etched stories have given this book a whole new meaning.  Mehek Bassi, Nikhil Chandwani and Ishita Bhown being the star attractions of the book. The punctuation and grammatical errors were few but they weren’t able to mar the feel of the book.

Title: Fusion - A mingled flavour mocktail

Publisher: Dream House Publiscation

Page Count: 215

My Rating: 4/5

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Kingdom Come by Aarti V Raman: A Review

Blurb: Krivi Iyer is an embittered former spy and bomb defusal expert with only one regret. That he couldn't catch The Woodpecker, a dangerous, mentally unstable bomber who ended his partner's family. He has a second chance to go after his arch enemy with the arrival of Ziya Maarten, the manager of 'Goonj Business Enterprises' in Srinagar, Kashmir, who is alleged to be The Woodpecker's sister.

 Except, Ziya is a beautiful distraction and not a terrorist's sister. When a tragedy in London tears Ziya's life apart, she can only rely on Krivi to give her the absolution and vengeance she needs to move on. Between training to be an anti-terrorist squad member and finding The Woodpecker, Ziya uncovers the secrets of Krivi's tormented past.

But will two tortured souls find the courage to love?

Set against the serene beauty of Kashmir, Ladakh and Tibet, Kingdom Come is a gripping story of death and loss, vengeance and retribution, love and life.

Verdict: ‘Kingdom Come’ is the second work of Aarti V Raman. This book is an acute mixture of romance and thrill. Each and every time the reader turns the page while expecting the next scene, the author opened a whole new chapter. This book is one of those which offers twist in its every chapter.

At a glance the name ‘Kingdom Come’ can bring an unfamiliar feeling but while reading the content and after completing the book readers will have all their queries answered. The cover looks perfect to me with two main protagonists walking towards the kingdom come.

There are a few books which would make the readers think that the language is very easy to write but the readers are going to read this book with envy in their eyes. The way the author has narrated the whole story is admirable for a debut work. The words are chosen so brilliantly that they give this story the perfect atmosphere needed. From choosing the names to framing the characters, everything has been done so well that readers can easily visualize everything.

The story starts with Krivi Iyer, the male protagonist, a bomb defusal expert and an efficient spy, defusing a deadly bomb and rescuing a hostage. A breathtaking scene to start a book and described in such a way that it will grab the reader’s attention. After the introduction of Ziya Marteen, the female protagonist; the book turns in a different way, offering readers a different side of the story. The love story unfolded in this book is one unique and different one, I have read in a long time. As The Woodpecker, the terrorist, starts to show his skills, this book becomes more interesting. There are a few scenes where the readers will have to narrow their eyes in anticipation and a few where the readers will enjoy wholeheartedly.

At few chapters I felt the author has unnecessarily stretched few scenes by describing the feeling of Krivi or what is going on in the mind of Ziya. When the book was heading towards the end the effort of the author to keep the suspense going is visible and the twist in the end was not good as the beginning. But the fluent and smooth narrating style of the author can cover up all the flaws and readers are going to enjoy the whole journey on the edge of their seats.

Final Words: This romantic thriller can hook the lovers of both genre. The rich content and the gripping narrating style will take readers in a journey of a lifetime.

Title: Kingdom Come
Author: Aarti V Raman
Publisher: Harlequin
Page Count: 311
My Rating: 4.5/5

Available at -

Amazon- http://www.amazon.in/Kingdom-Come-Aarti-V-Raman-ebook/dp/B00KM0ZQ2U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406888603&sr=1-1&keywords=Kingdom+Come+by+Aarti+V+raman

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