Review Diaries (Nathdwara Pichwais by Anu Julka)

Book - NATHDWARA PICHWAIS

Author - Anu Julka

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.

My take on the book - 

Ever wondered why Sri Krishna is blue in colour?

Or why does He have a peacock's feather on his crown?

Or may be you wondered who is Radha?

How did it all take place?

Trust me when I say this, this book says it all.

The story of about the peacock's feather was my absolute favorite.

I had goosebumps reading it.

We all have different opinions as far as religion and beliefs are concerned, but someone can give this one a read out of curiosity as well.

There is so much we don't know, I mean I speak for myself when I say for absolute certainty that many things mentioned here will be real interesting to a lot of people out there.

Happy Bhai Dooj.

Lots of love peps.

Review Diaries (Daughters of the Bothel by Deepak Yadav)

Name of the book- Daughters of the Bothel by Deepak Yadav.

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.

My take on the book-

I started reading this book and I kid you not it scared me to tears. I was reading and brawling my eyes out the entire time and the scariest part of it all is that this isn't exactly fiction, but someone's reality.

In the beginning of this year, I was part of a play which was based on the life of a woman of the night. Back then too I cried and lamented the fact that women were tricked and sold like objects.

The book talks about girls are young as 11 year olds being sold off. My heart broke for them and I kid you not it still feels unreal. 

Someone betraying their loved ones and selling them off…

Then the people who buy them force them to grow up in more ways than one.

It's torture, utter true torture.

I am speechless and utterly devastated about it all.

I don't have any question for today.

I don't know how to make things right.

My prayers go out for anyone and everyone who needs them.

Review Diaries (Kuhu Kolotan by Hira Dasgupta)

Book - Kuhu Kolotan

Author - Mrs. Hira Dasgupta

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.

My take on the book-

This is a beautiful collection of poems by not one or two but a plethora of people. Thus this book guarantees that one is spoilt which choice. There is something for everyone and trust me once you start this one you will surely see it too.

All the poems are very interesting.

You can take one poem from one poet and see what they think about a particular situation. There were times when I went to my Mimi and read these poems out. Needless to say she was impressed and very happy to see me read Bengali poems.

Books like these make people of my generation become more interested to read in their mother tongue. Don't get me wrong classics are good and great in their own way, but sometimes reading something with a tinge of your own time familiarity goes a long way.

I personally will ask everyone who can read Bengali to give this one a try.

PS happy Bhai dooj peps.

No question of the day today, I just hope everyone has a wonderful time today.

Review Diaries (Write Feelings by Suresh Pattali)

Write Feelings by Suresh Pattali

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.

My take on the book-

I legit cried after reading the intro of the book. Then the foreword gave me a bit of an idea about the book.

The Author has written about his feelings like literally let it all out in the open in black and white.

He talks about modern day politics to his kids, who are now medical professionals and their love for music - specifically A.R. Rahman.

I read this one, like hell hounds are after me and this book was the only way to save myself.

I really hope people give this book a read.

Review Diaries (Girl Power: Indian Women Who Broke the Rules by Neha J Hiranandani)

Girl Power: Indian Women Who Broke the Rules by Neha J Hiranandani.

Stars given - 1000 on 5 stars and lots of hugs.

My take on the book-

So I loved it, like a lot, like in tons and tons.

Imagine growing up with almost zero women idols to look up to other than my Mimi and Nani and few of my teachers. Essentially, peps I knew and loved and meet almost every other day. Back then very few women centric movies were there and their somewhat idea burned down to that she shouldn't have 'it' and avoided the entire fiasco.

Now imagine a book that let's you in about the great women out there who broke the glass ceiling. This wasn't just a book which made me a little less ignorant about all the great women out there, but also gave me a kick in the right direction. Now I know if I want my neices and nephews to look up to women, I need to be the best version of me and show them how it's done.

QOTD - I am going to make a audio book out of it, anyone wants to listen?

#suchaManalithingtodo

Review Diaries (Why I don't drink milk/ The Milk Theory by Lalthara)

Why I don't drink milk/ The Milk Theory by Lalthara.

Stars given - 4 on 5 stars.

My take on the book-

Growing up I was someone who pretty much lived on milk.

Honestly speaking it is something I never thought I could do without, so when I heard of a book where a person doesn't drink milk I was very curious.

The book was very to the point and informative.

The Author used a very direct and straight forward approach. The book is divided into many chapters which are further divided into sub-chapters which explains the different reasons why one should keep away from milk once they are weaned off.

This book gave me a lot of things to think over, glad I read it.

QOTD- What is that one habit that you can't get rid of?

Review Diaries (Heroine of The Novel by Gopi Nath Pal)

Book - Heroine of The Novel

Author - Gopi Nath Pal.

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.

My take on the book-

I read this one with my Mimi cause that's our bonding exercise of sorts.

Ever heard of the phrase be careful what you wish for, there will come a text me when reading this book one will feel like it.

The language was simple and lucid and very soothing. I have read a lot of vernacular books that had words that were so tough that I had to run to my momma for help, but that wasn't the case with this book. To be honest both me and my Mimi enjoyed it a lot.

I hope there will be more stories like this in the future for me to read and enjoy.

I am a very imaginative person so I can totally see myself in the situation that the protagonist finds himself in.

QOTD - Ever been a situation or scenario, which you had dreamt of or thought of?

Review Diaries (YES IM MAD THE MYSTERY OF WIDOW QUEEN by Amit Kumar Patra)

Name of the book- YES IM MAD THE MYSTERY OF WIDOW QUEEN by Amit Kumar Patra.

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.

My take on the book -

Have you ever read a book cause the cover kinda, sorta, really called you towards it?

Like a siren in the sea, this book's cover called me towards it and so I had to, had to, had to read it.

Pri, bro I love you. Thank you for suggesting this one.

So coming back to the book, the cover and then the name of the book had made me all hyped up to read the book and it was all in the right direction.

The story started with a big jump and went good for sometime and ended with a bang but the middle was a bit ouch worthy. It kinda dragged for a bit and could be edited to be a bit shorter but overall it was a cool read for me.

QOTD- Ever stalked anyone on social media?

Ans- Me? Ohhh I do it all the time...🤭🤭🤭

Review Diaries (Live, Love and Laugh by Manjit Sargam Chawla)

Name of the book - Live, Love and Laugh by Manjit Sargam Chawla.

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars and chocolate from my secret stash.

My take on the book-

I adored this book. As someone who was bullied relentlessly in school, I learnt to know and accept myself very early in life. The day I found my voice was the day those cruel voices stopped having any effect whatsoever on me.

This book teaches it all, the best way and yet the easiest way to love one's self. I really enjoyed it, like a lot. There were times in the book I could relate a few things and I kid you not I teared up a bit. On the other hand some examples resulted in goosebumps as well.

Trust me when I say this, this particular book is now on my re-read list.

QOTD - What's your self heal regime?

Review Diaries (Thoughts that breath by Nemika Sharma)

Name of the book - Thoughts that breath by Nemika Sharma.

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars 

My take in the book-

So no points for guessing that this was one cool read for me… cause it's a poetry book and true to it's name the poet has composed all the poems with the thoughts related to people and influences in her life.

There was one about her father and also her father in law, some where about God as well.

All the poems composed in blank verses were very interesting to read.

The only problem I had with the book was, well my love rhyme in poetry. But these were amazing in their own way.

QOTD- I personally believe it's actor and not actor and actress and poet not poet and poetess.

Any opinions

Review Diaries (Shakuni by P D Gopal Jain)

Name of the book - SHAKUNI (AN OATH FOR REVENGE) by P D GOPAL JAIN.

Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.

My take on the book-

Growing up, we all had heard of the cunning Shakuni Mama.

He was the most hated character in Mahabharata, almost equally if not more than Duryadhan. I still remember having to read Mahabharata and complaining to my Mimi about it. My Mimi, from whom I inherited my love for books told me different side of the story. She said imagine your most favorite person in the world has to suffer for someone else, what will you do. I being me said, I will remove this bad person, Mimi smiled and said that is what Shakuni did. He didn't want his sister to be married to the blind king and promised to destroy the whole of Kaurav, which he eventually did.

QOTD - Do you like any non-heros or anti-heros like I do?

Review Diaries (The Singing Guru by Kamla K. Kapur)

Name of the book - The Singing Guru by Kamla K. Kapur.
Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
I am someone who not only believes in God but also have a deep seated feeling of love for Ma and Baba. Yes, I am one of those fortunate ones who have family in them as well. Both my Mimi and Bapu are athesist and I am a theist with all my heart and soul, so growing up I used to get questions like where did I find this love. I used to say that I inherited it from my Nani, she was a major influencer in my life, but to be honest I too found peace in Faith.
Coming back to the book, it was a fascinating read. I had visited the Golden temple with my parents long back and since then I always dream of knowing more.
This book certainly lived upto the expectations that I had for it.
If someone asks me to describe it in 3 words, I would call it, interesting, informative and heart-warming. I am real glad I get to hold this book in my heart. I believe people should have a say in what they want and need in their lives.

Review Diaries (Rienieian's Tamer by Harlongbi Rongphar)

Name of the book - Rienieian's Tamer by Harlongbi Rongphar.
Stars given - 4 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
I had fun reading this one.
It took me around 2 hours to finish this one.
As someone who grew up reading lots and lots of Nancy Drew and Famous Five I had a big dose of nostalgia visit me. The story was very fast paced and kept me hooked till the last twist.
I am looking forward to making my friends read this one too. For the past few days I was feeling kinda out of sorts but this one reminded me that I have my own peps who will always have my back. They did say and kept their promise of being there for me.
QOTD- Have you ever had squad who had your back, always?

Review Diaries (Timepass-Story of Internet Addiction by Amit Joshi)

Name of the book : Timepass-Story of Internet Addiction by Amit Joshi.
Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
In age where the 'fear of missing out' is a big constant in everyone's life this book makes sure to make it's mark by making you realize that you too have a problem.
Many instances were so tots relatable that I felt bad about my addiction as well. I too have missed Adda sessions and chose to binge watch something over the weekend. I have kept up at all odd hours to watch funny videos over internet. Now that I have seen the cons in black and white I see the problem, loud and clear.
Hoping to overcome it in the near future though.
The story was nice but I feel like a good translation rather than a book in English and that is the only problem that I have with the book.

Review Diaries (The Anonymous By Nidhi Kukreja)

Book - The Anonymous
Author - Nidhi Kukreja
Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
Ever read a book that gave you goosebumps?
Well this one did it for me.
This is not just about a girl who was kidnapped and later brutalized and her journey to get her life back on track, it's a lot more.
This is a thriller, through and through, and anyone who has a thing for them will enjoy them.
This book was one hell of a rollercoaster emotional journey for me. There were times I cried and my heart broke, while at other times I wanted to go inside the book and rip someone's head off.
I just had one tiny problem with the book, and that is that there were times where the language seemed like a direct translation from Hindi and that sorta was a tad bit off putting, but the story and the twists were so good that you will feel free to ignore them.
Kudos to the Author.

Review Diaries (Chalar Pothe Rupkotha by Prabir Basu)

Name of the book - Chalar Pothe Rupkotha by Prabir Basu.
Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
Growing up my Mimi always made it a point to make me read books that were written in my mother tongue. It was a bonding time for us.
This book kinda brought back all those good memories.
The author talks about a lot of important aspects about our lives.
I and my Mimi buddy-read the book and honestly it was amazing.
Every one should give it a try in my opinion.
QOTD - Do you have any special Me and Mom time in your life?

Review Diaries (Door to Hell by Padmakumar)

Name of the book - Door to Hell by Padmakumar.
Stars given - 4 in 5 stars.
My tak on the book -
This book was one rollercoaster ride for me.
As someone who has gone through an acute phase of depression, I heartily vouch for the need to talk about your feelings and also seeking the help needed.
This is a story that talks about the past but all the while stays in the present.
The protagonist is not someone you will like much, you might sympathize in certain cases or even pity him but like will never come.
The story has many short chapters and it's very well written, grammatically speaking but there are times in the book you will want to be edited and made into a single line instead of an entire chapter.
The protagonist's love life didn't need to be so well detailed and that was my major problem with the story.
Everyone needs help once in a while, and you will feel that the guy from the story deserves it too, but trust me on this all those details will stop you from taking that step and lending him some empathy, we will make sure he gets help as human beings but he is too 'jaguar' like to warrant any warm heartfelt condolences.

Review Diaries (When the Haboob Sings by Nejoud Al-Yagout)

Name of the book - When the Haboob Sings by Nejoud Al-Yagout.
Stars given - 5 on 5 stars and a big Go Girl…
My take on the book-
I read this one and oh my heart, I loved it.
Freedom of speech is such a big part of my definition of freedom.
Yes, there are times when peps take it a little bit further and pour out the meanness of their soul. I personally believe that one should avoid that.
But on the other hand, there are situations where people look the other way, instead of raising their voices.
I am someone who is very vocal about things, be it about the good, the bad or the very ugly.
The protagonist faces many problems due to her being vocal about something that the society deems a subject that one should not touch.
There were times when I just wanted to get in the book and beat people up (not that violence is good, they they were mean) and at times I wanted to hug her.
Overall me really likey
QOTD - Have you ever gotten into trouble for raising your voice?
Ans- I was asked to get down from the bus when the girl I raised my voice for kept mum and the creep said I was being cray-cray and people supported him.

Review Diaries (The Growth Hacking Book: Most Guarded Growth Marketing Secrets The Silicon Valley Giants Don't Want You To Know by [Agrawal, Parul, Chaubey, Rohan])

The Growth Hacking Book: Most Guarded Growth Marketing Secrets The Silicon Valley Giants Don't Want You To Know by [Agrawal, Parul, Chaubey, Rohan]
Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
Who wants to make it big in the digital world?
Even though the answer should be I, me and myself I wanna say who doesn't want to make it big?
This book is like a gold mine for peps like me.
It's very straight forward and exactly to the point.
Many industry pros have given us advice, ideas that are not only full proof but also tried and tested.
There had been times when some of my brilliant ideas fell face first and I didn't know what I was doing wrong. Well now I know better and realize what I was doing was not the way to go about it.
There were many things that I was doing wrong or at most differently that was hampering my chances to be aaaaaamazing, you know as amazing as I find myself.
So yeaps, good great awesome future here I come.
Make way for me…
#suchaManalithingtodo

Review Diaries (Pentacles by Sabarna Roy)

Name of the book - Pentacles by Sabarna Roy.
Stars given - 4 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
So this book has one story and has a few poems as well.
The poems we're nice but as someone who really adores rhyme blank verses made a tad bit restless. I read another book by the writer, which was collection of poems and they me really likey.
Coming back to the story, I was kinda underwhelmed by it.
The ending, at least for this particular story, needed to have a proper conclusion, it just ended like a short story leaving me searching for answers. And I really didn't like the protagonist, I understand that we all are the product of our environment and society plays a big role in how we end up growing up but certain things are a big no no for me like physical violence in any way - however big or small.
Overall it was an okay read for me.

Review Diaries (Winter Poems by Sabarna Roy)

Name of the book- Winter Poems by Sabarna Roy.
Stars given - 5 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
QOTD - What's your favorite season?
Mine is winter, cause I hate rain and summer's only saving grace is Mango. And also my birthday is in the winter season.
This book made me very happy today, a day when it was raining cats and dogs and I ended up resembling a drowned rat.
Many a times we feel certain things which we end up being unable to express with the right set of words. But these poems make it's mark.
Me really likey.

Review Diaries (Asoka Book III : Nemesis of Kalinga by Shreyas Bhave)

Name of the book - Asoka Book III : Nemesis of Kalinga by Shreyas Bhave.
Stars given- 5 on 5 stars.
My take on the book-
This one is the third one in the trilogy and of course I started with it. I mean #
But this one was something I would have been upset to miss out on. I am currently reading lots and loads of ancient and modern history, cause exam demands but this one kinda helped make all the paragraphs more alive and interesting.
I know I won't be asked many of the points that we're there cause of creative license, but now I kinda, sorta am looking forward to reading more about those times.
The book starts with a bit of an introduction that made me look twice, it was I won and I lost but after I sorted that out everything else was aaaaaamazing.
Loved reading it.
BTW getting the first two books soon.