BOOK REVIEW: I AM A HOME TO BUTTERFLIES BY J ALCHEM

Publication Date: December 17th 2018
Publisher: AdProm Media
Pages: 247, Kindle Edition
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 3/5
Source: Review Copy

Blurb: A captain sinks with his ship, then why cannot a lover?This collection of poetry is all about you and me, but I am afraid it will no longer be about ‘you and me’ once a reader picks it up. It will then be about them only.  It will be all about the one they loved like thunder, about the one they struggled hard to keep, about the one who had left them in the middle of their ‘forever’, about their world shattering into pieces, about them gluing together every piece, and about them falling in love one more time. And if you still think it is about you and me, you haven’t loved someone like thunder, yet.

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“Your own love is more than enough for you.”

‘A home to butterflies’ by J Alchem is an ensemble of poems reflecting ruminations on Life, Love, Pain, Obstacles, Break-ups, Awakening, Wisdom and love again. The structure of poetry narration in this book sways far from the regular pattern but it’s successful, nonetheless. The author’s charismatic word-play pleads with his lover’s attention, oozing of reality and digging deep into the souls of the readers. The poetry inevitably leaves a mark in our hearts.

What really stuck with me were the letters, yes, there is a second section comprising of letters to an ex-lover. Delving into numerous areas and leaning towards a much darker side, this part was the clear winner of the two. Like the author’s previous book, ‘Undelivered Letters’ had a power-packed impact on me; this book had quite the same effect. The raw magnetism of the letters call for tears and the heart bleeds for the wounded soul.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed all the pieces, the method felt monochromatic to tell a story through a poem. Maybe some pictorial metaphors would benefit the poetry on a major level. That is probably my only qualm with the poems but the letters have a stormy ending worth waiting for.

My favourite pieces from the book:

“The way
you love people
is how
you actually want to be loved
back.”
…
“Few pieces
Of our souls
Were misplaced
With others
Before
We were born.
And our whole life
We try to
Find them
In every person
We meet.”
…
“Out of the one
She loves
And the one
Who loved her
She chose the one
The society had
Permitted.”
…
“The wrong one
Will teach you
How to spread
Your legs
But the right one
Will teach you
How to spread
Your wings”

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Notes:

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

BOOK REVIEW: SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS BY KARAN SHARMA

Publication Date: December 14th 2018
Publisher: Srishti Publishers and Distributors
Pages: 160, Paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 3/5
Source: Review Copy

Blurb: What happens when two adults with a vast age difference fall in love? 
Gautam is a twenty-five-year-old upcoming professional and Roshni a senior management member working in the same multinational bank. More than a decade apart in age, they cannot help but feel attracted towards each other.
However, can two people with such a vast age difference be compatible?
Sometimes It Happens explores the fun and turmoil as they fall in love, get laughed at by their friends and then develop cold feet, thinking about the repercussions their age difference could have on their relationship.
They say love is blind. So will two smart professionals decide to listen to their hearts or will they listen to their mind to avert what may be the biggest blunder of their lives?

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“Put your heart into all your relationships , not logic. The world will be a better place to live in.”

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Sometimes It Happens is the refurbished version of the existing book, It Happens penned by the business magnet cum writer – Karan Sharma. With a brand new cover launch and a few tweaks in the story, the author is back with the romantic tale of Gautam and Roshni. The age gap between the protagonists plays the villain here and routes their life through many bumps on the road. Will their true love suffice to guarantee a life full of harmony and bliss?

Gautam is a cheeky fellow of twenty-five who gets romantically involved with his senior officer, Roshni, a stunner in her late-thirties. Both of them have best friends who voice the pros and cons of their relationship which bring the couple to a fork in the road.

The characters are flawed and human which guides the plot genuinely. That’s what makes them relatable and connected to reality. We know the hardships of a true relationship and the lengths we would go to, to protect the ones we love and ourselves. The author has reflected the pragmatism that plays into love and other complicated elements of society’s hand in its destruction as well. The ominous and satirical laugh of society makes an appearance here. It destroys pure love in its womb and eventually gets the partners questioning their relationship and it’s worth.

The author’s writing style and wordiness undeniably work in his favour and his knack for story-telling brings a positive vibe to the book. He has created luscious images of food which certainly caught my attention and enriched the reading experience. Also, delightful factoids of the mentioned cities amused me to no bounds.

A heart-warming romance which will enthrall and entertain you throughout the book. Do grab a copy if you’re looking for a light and fun read for the weekend.

 

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Notes:

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

BOOK REVIEW: HOPE AND SUNSHINE BY DEBASMITA NATH GHOSH

Publication Date: June 28th, 2018
Publisher: Power Publishers
Pages: 199, Paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon India
Stars: 2.5/5
Source: Review Copy

Blurb: Naina Grover has an imperfectly perfect life, or is it perfectly imperfect? A Punjabi kudi from Delhi working in the city of joy, Kolkata is joined by her crazy cousin, Arjun and his sober friend Aditya to come of age while at a long – distance relationship which seems to be going nowhere. She knows it is a recipe for disaster but should she let go or not? Should she hope for the best? Hope she will be accepted?Hope she can settle down? Hope she can come to terms with a family secret bothering her for years now? Just hope. Keep hoping? And then, Hope welcomes a ray of sunshine. Naina welcomes you to look at life from her perspective. ‘Hop’e On!’

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“Goodbyes are for those who love with their eyes because for those who love with heart and soul…there is no separation.”

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When the vivacious Naina Grover struggles to balance her long-term relationship with boyfriend, Ved, enter Aditya, flaunting his suaveness and steely greys. How will she handle the pressure of the two men in her life in the city of joy?

Get your hands on Debasmitha’s debut novel – Hope and Sunshine to read more about the crazy life adventures of this dreamy girl.

My Take:

Book Cover:

The author has chosen a simple and chic cover to banner her story and although it might not be very impressive, it is certainly colour coordinated.

Characters:

Naina, Aditya and Ved are the golden trio around whom the story basically revolves. Arjun is the added bonus of a bonehead brother who brings the looney beans of being surrounded by family. Easily, he is that one cousin/best-friend who begs to be strangled and cuddled at the same time.

Naina is pitched as the gorgeous, kohl-eyed and unmatched beauty but we fail to see the description of the character rising to the surface. She could just be any hottie in my head, tall or short, no stress. I don’t know if I find that comforting by novel standards. Contrastingly, Aditya has the irresistible trademark ‘steely greys with a tinge of green’ and a side of the infamous ‘dark past’ which makes the protagonist go weak in the knees. The bland words like hot and handsome don’t do justice to our guy as my imagination begs for more detail to form a complete mental picture. Again, his character construction is so positive that the reader can’t help but root for him from day one which is a flaw and strength in itself because of the prominence of the instant hate for Ved. When these two are viewed from a comparative standpoint, cliched elements like the maturity level of Aditya and the proximity of the relationship between him and Naina play a key role in the development of the story. Ved, on the other hand, has nothing more than the nametag – “Boyfriend“.

Ved introduces a raw and insufferable feeling with his incessant addressing of ‘baby’ and successfully convincing the reader of his destitute nature. He takes little to no interest in what happens in Naina’s life and is hell-bent on shifting the spotlight of their relationship on himself. Through this disconcertingly cheap ritual, he easily becomes the taker and Naina, the giver.

Language and Writing Style:

Colloquialism may entertain the reader when it is rendered in a short dosage. It becomes a problem that cannot be overlooked when transformed into the prose itself. The story appeals to the reader with respect to the writing style as both are symbiotic. That was a major drawback for me as I wasn’t able to concentrate on the content of the book because of the aforementioned flaw. Also, the editing felt incomplete and kept diverting my attention from the story at hand.

Plot:

The simplicity of the overall plot invokes a sense of closeness with the characters as they are in sync with reality. Despite the clichés singing saliently throughout the book, I liked how the characters were relatable and frolicky. Although some loose-ends were hastily tied up in the end, the debut author manages to deliver a heartfelt tale of a girl filled with dreams and sunshine.

Final Note:

Looking for a light read while you travel or slacking at home during the weekend? This book is the perfect pick to just sit back and relax with a mug of cocoa.

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Notes:

• “I got the book as a part of the review program in Outset“
• The blurb is borrowed from Goodreads.

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: 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.