BOOK REVIEW: WHEN LOVE HAPPENS BY MANISH KUMAR

Publication date: November 6th, 2017
Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors
Pages: 138, Paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 2.5/5
Source: Review Copy

Blurb: True love never dies. It is redefined every time you feel it. When Nish falls in love, little does he know the impact it is going to have on his life. Hailing from conservative backgrounds, love is
nothing less than war with the world for the lover and his beloved. Albeit limited communication, they still dare to dream of a life together. But with the pressure of attaining stability in life, he finds it
impossible to chase his dreams endlessly.
An unassuming man from a modest background, he fights helplessness
and challenges thrown at him by life, only to learn precious life lessons.
His faith in God gives him the strength to move on and find his calling
in writing and poetry. When Love Happens… is a tale of shattered dreams and redemption, of fear and fortitude, and above all, of the indomitable human will.

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“If you are no longer important to someone, make yourself precious in your view. Let go.”

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The Plot:

‘When love happens’ is Nish’s journey of falling in love and battling against all the obstacles life throws at him and a persistent quest to find peace and harmony.

My take:

The story opens to a window of forbidden love and the gruelling spell it has on Nish’s life. Love works in mysterious ways as he is torn between the million macabre thoughts that might cloud the minds of his family and the fact that he would give anything to be with his childhood love – G. It’s an ongoing war of raging hearts as we get to see the protagonist’s sacrifices and sufferings while he is in this wanton relationship.

The tone of the book goes on to be unidimensional from that point. All sorts of recklessness befall him and if I continue down this path I would end up telling you the plot-twist. But it’s mostly how uncertain life can be and the brutal unfairness of being in love and feel it’s the nastiest sting. Nothing is certain and a dark shadow of incertitude engulfs you in the worst possible manner. The protagonist faces a somewhat similar situation and the tale is of how he surmounts those hindrances.

As a reader, I was disoriented because of how brittle the plot-twists and the character developments proceeded. I think it’s only fair that the previous point is stated as I don’t want to sugar-coat my review with only the good stuff. Next time, maybe tweak the plotline a bit to the liking of the reader and infuse an element of surprise? (Just saying)

Writing style:

Coming to the best part of the book, he nailed the poetry (Shayari) with such precision that it honestly moved me. The author’s métier is poetry and he’s flaunted it in the right spots and serviced a great tenderness to it.

Woh thi koi oas ki bunde ya phir aag ki chingari,
Jala gayi dil mere phir se koi aag,
Mahsoos kar gaye hum kudarat ki is rachna ko…
Ye parwat, ye hawayaen, ye badal, ye jharne, ye panchhi…
Ye dhoon banaya jisne, phir se zinda kar gaya ek sangit…
Utar rha mere dil me phir se chhukar guzar raha koi…

Final note:

If you like any type of romance stories that you’d like to finish in one sitting, then this is your kind of book. No muss, no fuss, just a linear tale impregnated with beautiful poetry/Shayari.

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Notes:

• I was given a copy of the book by writersmelon for an honest and unbiased review.
• The blurb is borrowed from goodreads.

BOOK REVIEW: MANTHAN (THE KALKI CHRONICLES) BY UTKARSH PANDEY

Manthan By Utkarsh Pandey

Publication date: September 23rd, 2017
Publisher: Aarahan Publishers
Pages: 231, Epub
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 3/5
Source: Review Copy

Time is a wheel that turns in circular motion. During this circumnavigation, The Earth according to mythology has undergone four Yugas, Satyuga, Tretayuga, Dwaparyuga and Kaliyuga. Hence, at the end of Kailyuga, Time and Earth return to the start of Satyuga.

Vishnu, the Preserver of the universe has the responsibility to maintain and sustain the Earth in this journey. He ensures that the world does not fall apart. To do so, his Avatars on Earth, guide humans to a new paradigm to ensure they tread on the path defined as per the laws of nature.

It is believed that we are in the fourth leg of time, the Kaliyuga. The Vedas and Gita mention that at the end of Kaliyuga, Vishnu will return to Earth as his tenth and final Avatar, Kalki and free the world from the shackles of Adharma. This is a fictional work, describing the journey of Kalki in the era of Kaliyuga and the challenges he faces in this journey. The characters and references in this book have been chosen from the ancient mythologies, however the story and the journey of Vasu is a work of fiction. ‘Manthan’ is the first in the series of books, ‘The Kalki Chronicles’. A journey of faith with all its highs and lows. I hope you enjoy being part of the Manthan that Vasu undergoes in order to become the great Avatar, Kalki!

Plot:

When the Gods (Devas) banter and bicker amongst themselves, fearing the wrath of Adi Parashakthi (Supreme Goddess) would befall them, they bank on a young boy named Vasu to vanquish the ultimate threat to Prithvi – Kali! Believed to be an Avatar of Vishnu himself, Kalki would rise to take charge, prevent the destruction of mankind and obliterate the dark ages or Kaliyuga.

My Take:

The first book of the Kalki Chronicles, Manthan doesn’t fail to keep on your toes as it draws you into the trio’s (Vasu, Padma and Bhairav) invigorating journey to save mankind from the clutches of Kali (Basically a good God gone bad). There are intricate stories within the actual tale itself which is a fanatical load of information. You might want to persistently pay attention to those details as it aids with a better grasp of what the author is attempting to convey as a whole.

Being embodiments of the Gods from Hindu Mythology, the characters are embedded with their essence and thus blessed with incredible powers (Some unbeknownst to them). Bhairav was one such character who possessed the potential of a five-hooded snake, gifted with shape-shifting and compulsion powers and so much more. The ingenious amalgamation of fictional and mythological elements make this book all the more special. Although I found the base of the story to converge with that of the Harry Potter and the Percy Jackson series (Face it, they are going to be pillars of comparison for a lifetime), the author manages to steer the reader’s attention to the core of the story.

There were a few faltering episodes but you have got to hand it to this brave attempt to tell an amazing story of the Gods (Hindu Mythology). I’ve always been fascinated by this genre as and my very first book was Dark Things…by Sudha Kuruganti. It made me realize the potential of this genre in particular and the possible fictional reiterations it can produce. And thus, I began my quest to seek out these fruitful gems to feed my reader’s soul.

Writing Style:

The author has a no-nonsense tone and a pen full of gusto. The pleasing eloquence of the narrative and the subtlety in his language makes it a compelling piece you don’t want to miss. I think he has narrowed down the perfect modulation to relay this piece as it’s a combination of comfort and awe.

Final Note:

If you are fascinated by the texture of Lord Shiva’s hair then this is the book for you. Just kidding! It’s a tale of intensified mythological facts and stories, peppered with a generous serving of magic and lore! Oh and did I mention that there are DRAGONS! YES – DRAGONS! Pick this one if you are an ardent fan of Indian Mythology.

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PUSTAKMANDI

Utkarsh is a Software Engineer, based out of Noida, India. An avid reader and photographer right from his school days, this is his first foray into writing. Utkarsh spends his time reading, watching movies and traveling. He lives in Delhi with his wife and newborn son.​

LINKEDIN

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AARAHAN PUBLISHERS (IN THE WORDS OF THE PUBLISHERS)

At Aarahan Publishers we have a talent-oriented approach. If your work is good, we believe you should never miss that opportunity to get it published. We are on the lookout for people with a flair and passion for writing. It is our passion to champion unheard voices and stories. We love to listen to the voices that are not heard owing to lack of opportunities, and provide them a platform to be heard.

For a talented but new author finding a good publisher is a difficult task. If you have the talent all you have to do is knock on our door. We will assist you in every way possible to provide you the opportunity to have your say and make your dream of getting published a reality.

In today’s world, fierce competition among publishers lead them to focus only on big author names and bestsellers. Aarahan focuses only on two essentials – find good writers and help them get published.

If writing is your forte, publishing is ours. At Aarahan we give wings to new writing talents, aid them during their writing journey and give their work maximum publicity so that it will reach a global audience. We follow a professional approach towards our work. If you have poured your heart out writing your masterpiece that no publisher has time to look at, come share your original creation with us and together we will make the world listen to you.

Aarahan Publishers, based out of Pune, is on the lookout for aspiring authors. We offer a forum for you to express yourself and be heard. If you have a quality product we will make sure you get the right guidance to get it published. Aarahan Publishers would love to work with gifted writers and make their work reach thousands of readers.

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BOOK REVIEW: GLITTER AND GLOSS BY VIBHA BATRA

Publication date: October 18th, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury India
Pages: 190, PDF
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 4/5
Blurb:
Misha is a make up artist who, after a series of mishaps and twists and turns, falls madly in love with Akshay who reciprocates her love with ardour. The only hitch in this perfect romance is her prospective sister-in-law who thinks Misha is everything a Bahu shouldn’t be: garrulous, geeky, gawky, gainfully employed (especially the last bit). The questions is will Misha win Didi (and the Kha-Pee Panchayat) over with her Stepford Wife Act? Will she continue to be the poster child for the inherent evils of the Bahu Brigade? Or will she learn to ‘lau’ herself before the whole world and its wife can do the same?

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“My only superpower however, is to get into all kinds of shit.”

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Plot:

24-year-old Misha( a.k.a Mishkin, Kishmish) is passionate about her job the M.A.C store and aspires to be a bridal make-up artist one day. What will happen when she bumps into the country’s most eligible bachelor with disarming delectable features and not to mention heavily loaded with the green stuff?

My Take:

Misha’s individuality is marked by her overzealousness for her job and she’s easily lovable, funny as hell and relatable as a character. She’s got the kick-ass bestie who says and does what is anticipated and a hunky guy friend who loves her and practically pampers her to death. Not forgetting the eccentric mom dating a hot younger dude and that’s just a given. So yeah, you can check off all the elements pertaining to the crazy factor. Despite all the predictable plot-twists and affable characters, this book took me on a delirious ride and I loved every bit of it. The perfect rom-com which tickles your funny bones in the right spot. As expected, the protagonist’s failed attempts to “fit in” to get her happily ever after escalates things to a point beyond repair. But that’s just one part of this wonderful reading journey and this pick is bound to emanate positive vibes. Encompassing cleverly written humorous details in Hindi and pop culture references which make you nod in acceptance (like I see what you did there and that’s brilliant), the author makes this chic-lit click.

“Mamma’s like Jon Snow. Mamma knows nothin’.”

The leading man is your ultimate dream guy – caring, loving, protective and understanding, well, you know the drill. Remind me to get an ‘Indian’ guy like that in the future or just any guy for that matter. He’s plucked out of the ramp with the looks of a model, a Greek god incarnate and possesses the demeanour of a devilishly delicious Adonis. So yeah, the main man, Akshay Agarwal (a.k.a Akki) is the hottie with a swimmer’s body. Mishkin’s constant sexual comments about the hottie is a laughing riot on its own (my favourite was – loin-warming smile). I couldn’t help but picture Siddharth Malhotra the whole time because he’s definitely my version of an Indian Adonis. He gives you the Edward-y feels as far as the caring department goes for lack of better comparison. Admit it, we all wanted a partner like Edward at one point. Not a vamp specifically, just him as a person never failed to lose appeal. His sister, on the other hand, begs to be hated to infinity and beyond. The incidents that ensue in the coddling and consoling of this character takes up about a quarter of the book as she’s basically a stand-in mom-in-law and a super psychotic control freak (deep breaths).

“I give him my hand. HIs grip is strong and warm and soothing. Just like his voice. My womb positively quivers.”

Writing Style:

The strongest suit of the book and affirmatively it’s saving grace despite an unsatisfactory finale. With all the rampant drama going on, one would expect a drift in regularity or a sudden change in the course of the plot-twist, so, that turned out to be a bummer. However, the protagonist was portrayed to perfection and written with great precision on the thought-process front.

Final Note:

Perky, vivacious and hell of a lot of M.A.C product information that can save lives. I had a great laugh reading this one and you must give it a go. Overall, her writing style and the unimaginable comparisons infused with clever terminology (Hindi and a little bit if Sanskrit, I presume?) makes it a fun read.

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Notes:

• I received a copy (ebook) of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. 
• The blurb is borrowed from goodreads.