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Book Review - Open Your Wardrobe for Answers

 


Open Your Wardrobe for Answers, published under Notion Press Publications is an enthralling book that covers the rare subject of clothing psychology. Written and penned down by the young teen author Bhushita Ahuja, this self-help book is a must read for teens and the youth who can interpret their personality by their choice of clothes.

Who doesn’t judge a book by its cover? Well, it’s quite agreeable that the first impression is the last impression. The book tell us that it takes merely 3 seconds for someone to form an assumption about you based on what you’re wearing, making it imperative for our clothes to signal the right message. Bhushita throws light onto the answers that are hidden right inside or closets.

The chapters in the book deal with things like ‘The 5 pillars of a personality,’ ‘Color psychology’ and also address questions like ‘Do you dress to impress?’ and ‘How to dress for success?’ There is a chapter in the book that relates clothing psychology to the Vedic and spiritualistic concepts too. Throughout the book, one can find style maneuver tips and there’s a special section that is about everyday wardrobe crisis which has some exciting activities to organizes the mess inside your cupboards.

Bhushita clearly marks the difference between ‘style’ and ‘fashion’ through this book. She expresses that while fashion is ever-changing and in a constant state of flux, style is more permanent and lasting. The book talks about how clothing has transformed and evolved from a mode of survival to an indication of ones character and personality. Her book is a must read for fashion aficionados, growing up teenagers and youth who want to understand their personality and style.

You’ll find many beautifully self-drawn pictures in the book which are also the work of a teen artist, Avantika Rai. You can turn into a new leaf if you tweak you attire, clothing had that power. So pick up this book for a crash course on all things fashion and start using clothing as a tool to express yourself. Fashion is an impactful art and your wardrobe is the key to interpret your style. Bhushita Ahuja’s Open your Wardrobe for Answers’ is easily available on Amazon and other e-commerce platforms and here’s a shoutout to go buy this one-of-a-kind book!

“Do your clothes show boldness or a warm-hearted compassion,
To know more you must unlock the doors of your fashion.” ~Bhushita Ahuja

To buy your copy, click here


Book Reviews - Dozen Pebbles Washed Ashore by Life

 


Title -Dozen Pebbles Washed Ashore by Life
Author - Aura Bhattacharjee
Genre - Fiction
Publisher - StoryMirror
ISBN -978-93-88698-66-5

Aura has created a magic with her debut book. Though the statement may seem like an exaggerated one, once you finish reading the book, you would surely agree to my view. This book is a quick read but each and every story carries so much of feelings and sentiments that would make you attached to it.

The book consists of 12 short stories which were inspired by the author's real life incidents, characters that she has met and the places she had traveled to.

The story talks about being inspired, finding beauty in everything that surrounds us and also how people who are with lesser fortune keep themselves happy and what makes them one.

It also talks about enjoying the life even after getting divorced driving the message that it isn't the end of the world. Author's travel to Chicago also finds a mention in this collection which is a good read. The story which has Maneesha as the protagonist is a thought provoking one.

How one should handle stress and how one should always have will power and the essence of travel and art makes this book a complete package as these stories touches upon lot of aspects which we witness in our life, day in and day out.

As rightly mentioned, this book is certainly a perfect travel companion and you can read it whilst you're on a travel or otherwise....


This book is available on Amazon

Book Review - 52 Red Pills

 

Title - 52 Red Pills
Authors - Eika and Siddharth Banerjee
Genre - Lifestyle
Publisher - Pan Macmillan India
ISBN - 978-93-89109-27-6

No book could claim that it offers simple solutions to be successful which results in good health, wealth and being wise. The reason is simple. The perceptions differ from person to person and so as the application of "Success Mantra". This book "52 Red Pills" doesn't claim it as well but once you start reading this book, you would understand that the concept that were discussed in this book is too good to be neglected. Most importantly, these can be undertaken by any one from Day 1 without having to worry about the consequences since the end result would always be Positive!

Eika and Siddharth takes us on their 52 week journey where they decided to concentrate on one aspect/subject a week and shows us as to how one could achieve the goodness in their life by swallowing the pills. The pills here does not relate to the actual pills but the wisdom or the experience one would come across and grasp it in their life.

The book starts with a Good Sleep and ends with Reflect and Turbocharge.

In between, there are 50 other pills which includes:

The Art Of Thinking
The Science of Food
The Spice of Life : Cinnamon
Power Mornings
Going Organic
On Life Hacks
Be A Super Woman
On Philanthropy
On Globetrotting
Running as a Passion
The Real Social Network
Channeling Energy
On Ikigai
The Science Behind Indian Festivals
Decoding Homeopathy
The Joy of Coffee

to name a few.

Each and every chapter is complemented well with an art/picture in the beginning which automatically evokes your interest to read the chapter.

Each chapter is further sub divided into:

1) The Context
2) The Process and
3) The Learnings

The chapter also has a section called Resources which you shouldn't miss as it takes to you to places which has more information that has inspired the authors to pen down the writings related to that particular section.

The flow is smooth. The writing style and the usage of examples are appealing and would evoke an interest automatically among the readers. The chapter ends with "To Think and Do This Week". This is for the readers to fill it up.

Remember, you have one whole week for each chapter to experience and fill up the blanks. You may not be in a position to follow all or do it in the same order as given in the book. Do not worry. As long as you are putting an effort consciously to attempt few or most of them, you are in the right path. Pills are bitter to taste but it cures the ailment and brings in good health which in turn can be put to good use to build your wealth....



This book is available on Amazon

Review – Tiki Taka – a movie that would touch your heart

The intro scene of this feel good comedy film #TikiTaka starts with a girl and a boy reaching out to Raju bhai who is a taxi driver in Kolkata. They enquire about “Khelechi”. He gets worried thinking that the people were from police department. He then gets convinced and starts speaking about Khelechi Agchubi.

Image Credit - ZEE5

You heard it right. May be for the first time ever, you get to see the lead role being performed by an African. Khelechi lands in India with a football package. All he was told is to handover the package to PK’s man at Gate No.4

The expressions of Khelechi is simply superb. He enacts really well as to how one would feel being lost in a different country and also chased by police. This is where he meets Raju Bhai who picks him up from the airport.

Prankrishna Dan aka PK is the feared underworld drug lord. 

Image Credit - ZEE5

Bonolata Sen aka Bonny is the heroine of this movie. She works in the Press as a reporter and has her own ambitions.

Image Credit - ZEE5

Raju Bhai’s proficiency in English would make you laugh. In one instance, he asks Khelechi “Why..Run your back”, “What inside bag”. Though Khelechi and we (as the audience) could understand the language, the usage of such funny language makes you feel light. Khelechi is no less. He interprets what Raju speaks as it is. On one occasion, Raju says “If I can’t pull you out of this hole, my name is not Raju Bhai” for which PK responds “Is your name not Raju Bhai?”.

There are few short duration songs as well in this movie which is meaningful and compliments well to the story. I particularly liked “I landed from Africa”.

 Just after one of the songs, Raju Bhai meets Bonny. He makes his own story about Khelechi saying he is a top football player from Youth World Cup and has landed in Kolkata just to play a match and promises to arrange an interview for Bonny with Khelechi. He becomes popular across Kolkata and fans from two teams Young Bengal and Notun Bagan starts arguing among themselves claiming that Khelechi would play for their team. While all of these were happening, Khelechi was literally unaware of his popularity.

When things were falling in place, Khelechi gets kidnapped. Raju bhai hatches a plan to rescue him. 

Did his #GoalMaal worked out this time?

Did he manage to rescue Khelechi?

Did Khelechi manage to play the football?

If yes, which team did he represent?

Watch the movie Tiki Taka which is a laughter riot and has proved beyond any doubt that a quality movie doesn’t need a big budget but just the right story with good supporting actors who can live the character and do the justification to the story as well as for the movie.

For many such amazing movies, you may download the ZEE5 app and enjoy it during your leisure time or during travel. Beat the boredom now!!

Book Review - Narasimha : The Maha Avatar Trilogy(Book 1)

 


Title - Narasimha : The Maha Avatar Trilogy(Book 1)

Author - Kevin Missal

Genre - Myths, Legends & Sagas

Publisher - Harper Collins India

ISBN - 978-93-5357-076-7


We all would have heard/read about the story of Prahalad, when we were a kid. There were movies made in various languages as well. Yes, we do know the story but what this book conveys is the same story in a different and fresh approach. Yes, an approach which would make it even more realistic to the present day. As we get to see lot of advancement in our day to day life, it is imperative for us to get accustomed to it and rewrite some of our long standing legends and myths in such a way, that it appeals to the younger generation. Kevin did just that and he did it really well.


If you have read his previous "Kalki" series, you by now would have read this book as well as Book 2 - "Hiranyakashyap". He has clearly mentioned in the very beginning that it is not the accurate tale of Lord Narasimha but has interpreted it in his own style which makes it an interesting read.


Anghrad is the brother of Prahalad but is not as good(read it as soft-hearted) as him. Andhaka is their cousin. Hiranyakashyap, the deadliest king appoints Prahalad as an interim king since he had other unfinished business. They were assisted by Kalakeyas and Poulamos. They were in the quest of acquiring Soma drink from the Devas headed by Lord Indira. The other major target was to get hold of Pashupatastra.


Narasimha, the lead character or the protagonist was too tired to fight the war. He is supported during the times of war by Nagas and Simhas. Narasimha during one of the fierce battle kills Andhaka. However, he comes back ALIVE later. How did he do that?


Also, he wanted to fight the battle for himself and NOT for his uncle? He was least bothered about Pashupatastra. What was his aim/target? He was hell bent against eliminating Lord Bhairav. Why?


Hiranyapur , Kashyapuri, Sonitpur - Places you would find in the story.


Some other characters in the novel:


Dhriti - red haired girl. Was she a part of Vishnusena? 

Holika - mother like figure for Simhika who was in love with Viparichit (Prahlad’s Royal Guard).


This novel will keep you captivated from the beginning till the end. If you haven't read Kevin's earlier books, you must read this so that you would understand that his stories are worth the hype.

This book is available on Amazon and all other leading stores, online and offline.


Book Review - MYTHS of OLD

 


Title - MYTHS of OLD
Author - Krisharjun Bhattacharya
Genre - Horror/Fantasy (Fiction)
Publisher - FingerPrint Publishing
ISBN - 978-9389717860

What should I say about this book?

I am dumbstruck with the sheer brilliance of the book. It would give you a feel of watching the movies like “The Lord of The Rings” and the ever-popular tele-serial called “Super Natural”

I also do not use this statement “Value for Money” that often but for this book, it would perfectly fit the tag line.

Why?

Firstly, it is a great story.

Secondly, the volume. Yes. The story runs for close to 600 pages which means it would take not less than 2 days (if you are a speed reader) to finish reading it and for normal/slow readers, almost a week.

Here, you should note that the volume is close to 600 pages (572 pages to be precise) after the editing. So the actual story would have been not less than 1,000 pages. What a work…

I must give you a word of caution here that you may not get to remember all the characters in the very beginning as there are way too many. If you have a good memory, it is well and good else I would recommend you to take notes. I did the latter not because I have a bad memory but I wanted to go with the flow rather than getting stuck somewhere in the middle.

The story begins with Dhananjay - hunter & the holder of Keeper Piece. He gets followed by a stench smell though he could not figure out what it is all about since his wife Era was with him. They were in search of their son Wodan.

What happened to him?


Then there is this demon Chaya who comes as a messenger of Asag (very powerful demon which is hell chained) seeking help from Adri.

Below are some of the characters/names you might want to remember:

Horsemen of Old – who cannot be killed
Horsemen of the Apocalypse- Death
Kaavsh
Merkan – an angel gets killed by own men
Gael & Virgil - Executioner & Redeemer
MYTH
Maya - Ardak’s(Spider King) descendent
Daan - The Whisperer. Maya learns shadowblink from him.
Aki Asu - Shade (like Maya & Daan)
Darkness

Maya leans shadow blink technique from Daan. She was too good for him.

Adri Sen – the protagonist of the story and the son of Victor Sen who is the first and the only one to break out the unbreakable Bagchi prison. Initially, he was a prisoner along with Gray(Spider Lord),Fayne & Zabrielle.  They were held as prisoners by Sentinent who has promised to help them.

Then there was something which Zabrielle was hiding.

What was Zabrielle hiding?

Even before Adri could figure this out, she gets kidnapped.

By who? Motive?

Captain Brahms - Leader of the Sentinent

Farzaaya - Demon title given on one’s deeds. One could not pick one’s own Farzaaya. 100’s of them. Adri asks for a chalk to summon someone. Why did he insist on using the chalk and who did he summon?

While they go searching for Zabrielle, they heard of someone from a forbidden place who could help them out with some crucial information. Hence, they visit Moonless Dilhi where Martial law was imposed by The Faces.

It is from here; the story takes a lot of twists and turns which would keep you captivated until the end. There is no dearth for unexpected events. The flow was picture perfect. Like I said in the very beginning, the story gives you the feel of old and the new ideas comprising The Serpent, The Dragon, The Tantric, The Horseman, The Blade Saint, The Demigod, The Dark Master coupled with Hammer of Numen and the Paladins of Light.

I am also doubly sure that this story could make it to small/big screen if it finds the right person who is willing to produce and direct and would be no less than the movie/serial, I have mentioned in the beginning.

India’s answer to J.R.R.Tolkien is here……

This book is available on Amazon as eBook and Paperback formats.

Book Review - One Day, Life Will Change

 


Title - One Day, Life Will Change
Author - Saranya Umakanthan
Genre - Romance(Fiction)
Publisher - FingerPrint Publishing
ISBN - 978-93-8971-784-6

This is an excellent and an inspiring fiction novel from Saranya Umakanthan. The protagonist of this novel is Samaira Ranjan. She gets married to Ashish initially and was having high hopes of having a happy and an everlasting married life but was short lived. 

She gets abused verbally and physically which prompts her to apply for divorce. When she reaches home with this news(since she did not reveal it to her parents), she gets another major blow. The series of unfortunate events/incidents that happens after this reminded me of a Tamil proverb: 

பட்ட காலிலே படும்
கெட்ட குடியே கெடும்

I learnt a new word called "GOOGOLPLEX" though many of you might have known prior, finds a mention here with a reference to GOD that the number of requests made to HIM "and why only me?" would have surpassed this number. Those who do not know this word, kindly Google it ;-)

When she thought everything was lost, she meets Vivian Andhera. This meeting was explained beautifully in the novel and I particularly liked this sentence He breathed in her feminine, floral perfume” which highlights the Law of Attraction in a candid way.

Vivian, CEO of Creative Tanks with around 5,000 employees hires Samaira. Samaira had Preeti, Shreya & Praveen as her friends in the organisation. I had an intuition that this novel also gave a feel of watching the tele-serial "நீ தானே என் பொன் வசந்தம்" though the story lines of both of them were entirely different.

Though Vivian liked Samaira very much, destiny had different plans. Gauri Ma wanted him to get married to Kushi. There are few twists in the story which would keep you captivated till the end. There is one more line which would evoke inspiration among the readers which goes like this -> 
“When you are appreciated, don’t be modest... don’t deny it. People praise you only when you deserve it”.
How  true are these words...

Saranya has done a great job by penning a story which has the true essence of Love coupled with tolerance, forgiveness, motivation, inspiration and many other, all packed in one story.

Last but not the least, I wanted to end this review with another favorite line from the novel 
“Samaira saw his dream in her eyes, and Vivian saw hers in his”.

This book is available on Amazon.

Author Focus - Dr Kavita Bhatnagar(Author of the book "Second Chance")

 


1.What motivates you to write?

My motivation for writing comes from a desire to express my thoughts. Writing is something which comes naturally to me and I enjoy it. It is a medium to connect with people and hence

 it is an enriching experience . It is also something which gives me my 'me' time - it is something that gives me serenity and bliss both. It also becomes a stress buster . It is a channel to voice my observations about society and relationships . All these are the motivating factors behind writing.

 2. How did you feel after publishing your books?

There is a sense of satisfaction after publishing my books. Publishing is a corollary to writing. One of the reasons behind writing is to make it reach to people. Publishing makes that possible. It is a logical culmination of an author's journey. It also opens up a whole new world of opportunities  in various forums . It is a fulfilling experience.


3. What are some of your favourite novels and authors?


Having been a student of literature, some of my favourite books and authors are from the classics. I have a fondness for all of Thomas Hardy's works- sp Tess of the D'ubervilles. His characters feel alive even today and the environment that he builds becomes part of the plot itself. Charles Dickens' Great Expectations is another immortal novel . The story of Pip binds you and gives you so many life lessons. Among contemporary writers , I have enjoyed Jhumpa Lahiri a lot, specially The Namesake. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy was a wonderful read too.


4. Is there a specific reason for naming your novel?


Second Chance revolves around the theme of life giving a second chance for love to the main character Ragini. Moreover , she is also determined to get this second chance . Hence it  was an apt title.

 

5. Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beach side or the hills? 


I normally write from home , on weekends. Sometimes I write when I'm on vacations and can  find a relaxed atmosphere to create. I attended a writers's retreat in Rishikesh last year and realized that these workshops are a good way to rejuvenate one's skills. Since I have a full time job , taking breaks is not so easy and I have to weave writing in my daily routine.

 

6. What inspired you to write the books(in general)? Any tales to tell…


The inspiration to write  comes  from a desire to express my observations and to make people think about changing society and issues. But most of all I think its a desire for self fulfillment.


7. What was your biggest learning experience throughout the writing process?


The biggest learning in this entire process is that where there is a will there is a way. Despite time constraints , I have written this novel. Despite initial No by publishers I could ultimately find one . Despite the Pandemic situation, I could have a proper launch and a good event - the way I wanted. So all these just show the importance of not giving up in life.As is rightly said, when you want something from your heart, the whole universe conspires for you to get it.

 

8. Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?


I think I believed in myself and in my words. That honesty is very important to make a project successful. Also as I said, I did not give up. Perseverance is a another good virtue that results in success.


9. Any best piece of writing advice that you would like to share with new or struggling writers? 


From what I can tell from my experience so far is that it is very important to first get the story out. It can be rebuilt, edited , reshaped later but at first attempt , just maintain the flow of thoughts and focus on reaching the end. One may get stuck in between but resolution does come and the quicker one is in finishing the first draft , the better it is. There are many tools and techniques available to writers today but the best way still is to write from your heart. That will never let one down.


10. Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?


It may surprise people to know that I write both in Hindi and English and both poems and prose. Words and language are a medium and should not be a deterrent.

 

11. Any future books that you would like to discuss now?


Yes I have 2 ideas in my mind that I am developing. Writing comes after thinking. So right now I'm in the thinking stage ! Both are works that again focus on relationships but in a different manner. More on this later.


12.What other profession excites you the most?


My own profession - that of an Indian Revenue Service is exciting . It has multiple avenues to excel in- for eg a technical side, a legal side , an enforcement side and an administrative side. very few professions offer such a varied spectrum of roles and I'm fortunate that I have completed 24 years in this service.


13.Any special mention about your reader (be it with reviews/feedback or anything else)


A reader is very important for the writer because ultimately a book is written for the reader. Its vital for a book's success that the reader relates to the story and to the characters. Hence all details about the characters specially should be conveyed to the reader so that they are able to visualize it all clearly. The bond between the writer and the reader is a very special one and i thank all my readers who have read Second Chance and liked it.

14.Do you write the story at a stretch or you take your time to complete it? If you take a longer time, wouldn’t you be forgetting the story? How do you tackle it?

Much as I desire to write a story at a stretch , it is not so simple. I have written Second Chance in two phases itself. One has to ensure that the flow is not broken. So at times when I am not writing, I make my notes and use them later. While at times it is difficult to resume with the same though process that one may have left it at, the art lies in going back to that same thoughts and resuming it. This is a key challenge of writing.


15.Traditional or Self-Publishing? Why?


Traditional publishing . Because that's how it was meant to be. It there is merit in writing it will be picked up sooner or later. Self publishing is  as the name suggests for self! So I believe in the old school and the platform that traditional publishing gives to a book is immense.


16.How is the response so far for the book? 


Its just one week since the book released. The response has been good. Its figuring on the too hot new releases in Amazon. Readers have called me to say that they have not been able to put it down and its quite a page turner. The reviews on Amazon also say that the plot is engaging and the characters relatable. I think the books gives strong messages about the right of a woman to make her choices , her decisions and I thank the readers for appreciating that.

 Dr Kavita Bhatnagar's review of Second Chance can be found here 

Book Review - wine for breakfast

 


Title- wine for breakfast
Author - Tanvi Kesari Pasumarthy
Genre - Poems
Publisher - Xpress Publishing (an imprint of Notion Press)
ISBN - 978-1649832702

I picked this book for few reasons. Firstly it is the unusual title which immediately resonated with a book published by my friend, a while ago. After I did finish reading this book, I must admit that I was thoroughly impressed with the poetic acumen of Tanvi who has brought out an unimaginable way of expression which would penetrate deep into our mind and thought.

I would like to highlight few of the poems and prose from this book. This doesn't mean I did not like the others but I do not want to divulge the entire content of the book.


Title - thank you for holding me

when I fell apart

writing this book was the 

best thing that I could 

do to myself 


Title - gallery  

I offered to you

an entire exhibition

of my body

but you chose

a street art like her


The above lines are an excellent way of expression which shows the feminine character but the same time exhibits the helplessness situation of the person(read it as girl/protagonist).


Title - pick the right book ,chills - shows the inner desires or should I call it dark desires? Do give more attention to these poems.


Title - project, slut - helpless situation of the person being exploited for the desire of the other. This poem is a classic example of "Strong over week"


Title - demonic carols - sophisticated. Author has played with words which is like a rhythm that sounds like a song despite being a poem...


Title - Illustrations - though simple yet elegant 


Title - covert bushes - I dream about me

in your arms

instead of her

about me in between

your lips

and not her


Each and every poem is certainly a class apart. They show the wider perception of the author who showed a great variation which is really noteworthy.


Title - Institutionalization- brilliant prose.There are only a few prose in the book and the rest are poems.


Title - dear bully - is one of the hundreds and thousands of untold stories of sorrow/torture faced by girls while they were in school.


Title - the breakfast club - this poem was short & sweet.


Title - That is love - this poem is splendid with a special mention to the ending lines.


Title - prioritize - it’s like hitting on bull’s eye.


Title - a slap - is a slap for those who indulge in domestic violence and talks about it in 


Title - Rally, fragile - brilliant poems


Title - at the movies - is like a short story.


Title - literary romance 2 - is my favorite poem among all. This is the actual poem:


fall in love

with a writer 

who can love you

with words and

kiss you with poetry 


Poems in this book have emotional connect & appeal. If you love poems, this book is something you wouldn't want to miss. It took little over 2 hours for me to read the book in full. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them all. The main theme is "LOVE" and most of the poems are centered around this but like I have mentioned earlier, each and every poem is unique - be it with words or the message it tries to convey. It is surprising to hear that this is the first book by the author. 


This book is available on Amazon in both Paperback and eBook format. Available for FREE, if you have a Kindle Unlimited plan.