Book Review: Married Virgins by Rituparna Deshmukh

Married Virgins

Author: Rituparna Deshmukh

Publisher: (Frog Books) Leadstart Publishing

Rating: 3/5

Summary

“Married Virgins” goes very much by the title itself. The story is a love triangle between Akira, Usain and Raghav. Where Usain falls head over heels in love with Akira, she too reciprocates the same feeling for him. But what role does Raghav play in their lives? How does Akira end up marrying Raghav? And what is the sacred promise that the two decide to hold on to?

Catch hold of this book to explore what lies within and decipher secrets in Akira’s and Raghav’s life.

My opinion

Confucius has rightly questioned, “Can there be a love which does not make demands on its objects?” ‘Married Virgins’ is based on a love triangle where the heroine loves a side hero and the hero loves the heroine. The only catch here is that the heroine gets married to our hero. But how- That has to be found out. The cover of the book is perfect. The blurb is apt. The best feature of the book is the division and presentation of content in the form of short chapters that are easy to read and time friendly. The titles of the chapters are not given specific headlines and that is actually a plus point.

The font (style and size) are fine. Happiness lies in smaller things- and this book proves this correct. Another positive aspect of this book is the use of clear and simple language that can be understood by a not-so-avid reader too. Acting like a cherry on the cake is the lucid narration and great execution of the plot. The pace of the story is superb. Every scene has been written properly without skipping the relevant details.

However, the book has a very big limitation and that is the editing and proofreading. From what could be judged after reading, the author himself probably did not give any importance to the use of rich vocabulary. For an instance, “separated us” has been written as “made us separate”, “she was mistaken” has been written as “she was mistaking” and there are numerous other errors. Secondly, the first part of the book is more like “Jab We Met” where Kareena’s extrovert nature is similar to Akira’s nature and Shahid’s introvert nature matches completely with that of Raghav’s. The story line is also same. Akira blabbers about her love in front of Raghav and he decides to unite Akira with her love. The only twist was in the second part when Akira marries Raghav.

Overall, ‘Married Virgins’ is like an old wine served in a new bottle.

Best wishes to the author!

PS: I liked the execution of the plot but the errors and incorrect use of grammar are the main reasons for lower rating of the book.

Drawbacks

This book definitely deserves an overall high rating but there exists a major turn off in the book and that is the editing and proofreading part. With such gripping plot, even if the reader thinks of skipping the mistakes, it is impossible because the frequency is too high. Right from poor vocabulary to wrong tense usage, everything has been overlooked/ ignored. The book lacks editing. Even the basics of punctuation have not been paid heed to.

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Review copy: Provided by the Author

Book Review: Strings of Friendship by Mehul Kaku

Strings of Friendship

Author: Mehul Kaku

Publisher: Self Published

Rating: 2.5/5

Summary

As rightly said by Cicero, “Man’s best support is a very dear friend,” this book highlights the importance of friendship in one’s life. ‘Strings of friendship’ revolves around four best friends, who have known each other from their school days. Life is a continuous process and to meet and part are the part and parcel of life. But it takes a lot of effort and planning to reunite with the ones left in the past, especially school friends. Prabhakar, the protagonist, plans to meet his three closest friends and eagerly waits for the reunion. But he overshoots the mark by assuming that everything will run as clockwork. The planning goes haywire when the three friends get preoccupied with their priorities and cancel the reunion. Will Prabhakar be able to meet his old friends? Will they be able to rekindle the memories of the past?

Grab your copy to know more!

My opinion

‘Strings of friendship’ is a simple and subtle tale of four friends, who try to go that extra mile to meet each other even after being preoccupied with different priorities in life. The main characters are Prabhakar, Reena and three best friends of Prabh. The author has succeeded in giving a perfect character sketch of the characters in the story. I would like to compliment the author’s ability to present this piece of fiction in a language that can be understood by everyone.

The plot is gripping but the major drawback lies in incorrect grammar- missing punctuation, incorrect formation of sentences and wrong use of tenses. The narration is fine. The cover of the book is too simple to be attractive. The font of the Title could have been bold instead of dotted lines. The blurb is apt but it is contained in a chat box which is a little confusing. The arrow should have been directed towards a person. The font (style, size) is fine. The typesetting is perfect. The best part is naming the chapters as ‘Chapter 01’ and so on.

The story might touch the hearts of all the grown-ups, who have left behind their friends and who have been making failed attempts of meeting their friends.

Although the ending is predictable, it is likable. The plot moves at a comfortable pace.

Overall, a good read!

Best wishes to the author!

Drawbacks

The book lacks proper editing and proofreading as one can encounter punctuation errors (tenses, wrong use of apostrophe), missing words, and wrong formation of sentences- time and again. There is frequent use of Hindi words, which might act as a turn off for the ones who prefer reading rich literature.

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Book Review: I Cud Hav Had 17 But I Chose to Have 19 Chapters by Ashutosh Srivastava

I Cud Hav Had 17 But I Chose to Have 19 Chapters

Author: Ashutosh Srivastava

Publisher: Notionpress.com

Rating: 1/5

Summary

Love isn't something you find. Love is something that finds you- Loretta Young

This story is about a boy who meets many people and majority of them play their roles and leave the protagonist. “I Cud hav had 17 but I chose to have 19 chapters” is a chick-lit kind of story that portrays the emotional turmoil that a young boy goes through. Love is never planned. It happens by chance. Rudra wishes to have a partner, who loves him and cares for him. He meets several girls but some or the other kind of intrusion always makes his story end on a wrong note. Will Rudra find his love? Will he become ‘the one’ for someone?

Grab the book to know more!

                                    

                                                                   

My opinion

I am really disheartened after reading this book. Although I never start my reviews on a negative note, this book has nothing constructive to offer. As I have been saying repeatedly, ‘Not everything needs to be told to everyone’, this book is more like a narrative composition where the author is trying to voice out whatever he has jotted in his diary. The story is baffling and vague.

The title of the book is too long. It was not at all required. Longer titles are not always catchy and this one has spelling errors too. The author has explained the reason for using two different spellings for Have  and incorrect spelling for Could but the reason sounds illogical.  The back cover of the book is overloaded with information. Ideally, the author’s photograph could have found a place on a separate page inside the book. But I am still wondering why the cover designers chose to keep the blurb, author's introduction, and his photograph on the same page. Moreover, the author introduction is more like reflective writing. The ink is too light to be legible. The use of different font style also acts as a negative. Overall, the back cover spoils the first look of the book. The blurb is a little confusing. It could have been made shorter and more precise. The cover of the book is alright.

The font (style and size) is fine. But the use of different fonts for the titles and the extensively long chapters makes the botch of it. Another drawback is the inclusion of monologues in the chapters. The reader might end up searching for the plot as the narration is all about why the author is penning down the story. The amalgamation of present tense with the past is a big goof up. This diverts the reader’s attention time and again. And like I said before, the content feels more like a diary narration.

The very first thing the readers opt for reading in the book is either the blurb or the author biography. Once you read the author bio in this book, it is clearly evident that the author is the protagonist himself. This might not be a problem for the majority. But somewhere in the subconscious mind, the usage of different name kept haunting my mind.

The use of incorrect grammar and incorrect sentence formation can be a reason for the dip in interest level.

Overall, the book could have been made better. This book is not the one that you would want to adorn on your bookshelf.

Best wishes to the author!


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Review copy: Provided by Author Paradise

Book Review: YAMA by Kevin Missal

Yama

Author: Kevin Missal

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Rating: 3/5

Summary

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek- Barack Obama

‘Yama’ is a tale about a strong willed man, who disguises himself and works for the benefit of the society. But what is that he does? Why do his actions offend the people? Why is everyone after his life? There are none who appreciate his efforts. Welcome to the dark and gloomy world of a hero, who is anti-hero for some too. With the blend of emotions with mystery, this book is surely for those who prefer suspense. With strong side characters that support the characterization of Yama, this book proves out to be a good read.

Grab your copies soon to unveil the mysterious actions of Yama and the reason behind them!

My Opinion

‘Yama’ is definitely an entrancing read.  The plot revolves around an anti-hero figure- Yama, who has taken the burden of eradicating the wrong from the society on his shoulders. Call it his dedication towards mankind or instinctive behavior, he punishes all the sinners. But his efforts are not appreciated by most. But the best part of the plot is that the reader will be confused between calling Yama a vigilante or calling him a psychopath.

Starting with the cover of the book, it is apt and catchy. The amalgamation of black and red gives due weightage to the protagonist. The title of the book is a little confusing, but in a positive way. The first thought that strikes the mind is that the book probably talks about Yama- the God of death. But mark my words; your assumption might turn out to be wrong for the story is about a normal human being.

The type setting and font (style, size) is not pleasant. The font used for the titles of the chapters, is way too cursive. The blurb of the book could have been better. The print quality is nice.

Coming to the plotting and story- telling, the author has done justice with the theme of the book and has provided a beautiful character sketch for all the characters. The content is engaging. The narration is lucid and understandable. There are no monotonous lengthy descriptions; the setting of the scenes is relatable and gives the readers ample opportunity to experience every moment.

Overall, the story is nice with a well-planned execution.

Best wishes to the author!

Drawbacks

The major drawback is the lack of proper proofreading and editing. There are typing errors too. The short length of the chapters might not leave a positive impact on the reader. The story consist of scenes that can be related with a Bollywood movie- Aparichit.

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Review Copy provided by: Anuj Kumar

HIMALAYAN BLUNDER- TAHER SHAH's MUSIC

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. Albert Einstein

And this is indeed true! 

Taher Shah has broken all boundaries and has emerged as an absolute nonsense. If you do not believe me, then try listening to ‘Eye to eye’ and ‘Angel’- with the most ludicrous lyrics. Few days back, I wrote about the absurdity being spread by Yo Yo Honey Singh, but now I am guilty as no one can outrun Taher Shah’s creativity. 

Let me take you through a harrowing journey of these two compositions:

EYE TO EYE

Sneak peak into the lyrics:

Eye to eye, eye to eye

Essential, sensational eyes

My eyes and your eyes

Dreaming fairies eyes our eyes

Fabulous, exciting eyes

Eye to eye, eye to eye

[Verse 2: Taher Shah]

Keep your love in the soul

Make love with eye to eye

Your fairs and glorius eyes

I can see with my spectrum eyes

It's a genuine classic love

She will feel it romantic love

My bride, eye to eye

Glowing with your sparkling eye

Already gotta special love

Sincere promise, peaceful love

Mr. Shah has sung two songs till date that have actually become blockbusters. The same song has been dedicated by Hrithik Roshan to his buddy Ranveer Singh. The singer has been featured on BBC website too. Call it his utmost dedication or his utmost intention to torture fellow souls, his compositions have been trending a lot.

Keen Observations

Ø The extensive use of ‘Eye’ in the song can be an example of conduplicatio which is the repetition of a word or words in adjacent phrases or clauses, either to amplify the thought or to express emotion

Ø The English is horrible- Dreaming fairies eyes our eyes, Stylish, excellent, human eyes

Ø Taher does it without even blinking

Ø His extended wig and white suit gives us creeps

Ø There is no explanation regarding the presence of his doppelganger

Ø Sad but true- the rhythm of the song has a lasting effect on your mind; you will keep on humming the same tune

Ø Why is the camera so zoomed in?

ANGEL

Sneak peak into the lyrics:

I’ am like an Angel, … Mankind’s Angel

My heart is like a rose, … mankind’s soul

Dearest creation, by God

Heaven on earth, mankind’s Angel

Lonely for you, like an Angel

Your love is, my true Angel

Without you I always, live alone

As the heart beats, without a soul

I fall in love with you, always….

Like Angels, love other Angels

Angel Angel, … mankind’s Angel

Laa, Laa, Laa, Laa, Laa, Laa, Laa, Laa

Nonsense, right? Instead of blowing up in the face, Tahir has brought the house down. He is trending #1 in India and Pakistan and #3 in United Kingdom. Guessing who gave out these facts? Well, none other than BBC channel.

Keen Observation and some unanswered questions:

Ø Why is the pronunciation of ‘Angel’ so weird?

Ø Do angels wear such long gowns?

Ø The starting:

               Angel …… Mankind’s…… Angel……

Angel …… Mankind’s…… Angel……

WTF?

Ø What is the blonde giant with a grotesque mask doing there? Is she Taher’s wife (I mean in the song) or is she a side character. If she is latter, then why the hell is she there?

Ø Biggest confusion: Taher has black hair (rather wig); the blonde has golden hair, the child in purple gown, has golden hair; the child in blue gown, has black hair. Who is whose child? WTF is happening in the video?

Ø The video is extremely creepy- may be because of the dress or hair on the angel’s chest

Ø The entire song was probably shot in the golf course. Taher has crossed all limits by giving us a complete torture of 5 minutes (approx.), raising his hand and shouting ‘ENGLE… MANKIND… ENGLE’

In all, I can only lament on our approach towards a healthy and harmonious life. The issues that make sense are not deemed important but all the babbles become the talk of the town. Lord save the humans!

Book Review: Waves in the sky by Rakhi Jayashankar

Waves in the sky

Author: Rakhi Jayashankar

Publisher: Cyberwit.net

Rating: 3.5/5

Summary

Friends are lifeline. Every moment spent with them is not only precious but essential. “Waves in the sky” is a melodrama, with perfect amalgamation of friendship and mystery. The story is about six friends, who are more like the birds of a feather, flocking together. They see eye to eye with each other and are extremely strong headed. Tied together with the help of their mother Banyan- Ms. Malini, the Canaries are determined to fight all odds and stay together. But a sudden turn of tables, puts them in a quandary. But with the strength of unity, they surpass every storm and solve the mystery.

Grab this book to read the story.

My opinion

“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.” ― Helen Keller

“Waves in the sky” is a subtle yet interesting story about six friends, who support each other through the thick and thin. The title of the book could have been better as it seems a little ambiguous until you read through several chapters. The blurb is apt and precise. The font (style, size) is fine. The cover of the book is gloomy and does not suffice with the plot. The author has successfully crafted the characters of ‘Canaries’ and efficiently portrayed their childhood, teenage and adolescence and the wonderful relationship that they share. The novella is medium paced, with short and to-the-point chapters. The ambience smells of good old days and the plot contains sufficient twists and turns.

The proofreading and editing is fine. The use of vocabulary is splendid. I loved the names used for some of the characters- ‘Raihana’ and ‘Naivedya’. I also liked the way the author has divided each phase of life. The titles are truly amazing.

The mysterious part of the plot has been executed very well by the author. She has, indeed, succeeded in keeping the readers glued to the book. The climax, however, did not quite meet up with the expectations that were raised during the book.

Overall, good effort by the author!

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