Goa, India

Best Lifestyle Blog of Goa

Tag: Book

The Tree with a Thousand Apples- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

“If the criminal was once a saint and the saint was once a criminal, then who is a criminal and who is a saint?”

Some lines just hook you, isn’t it.. these lines printed at the back cover of this book made an instant connection with me, and all I wanted to do was grab the book, a cup of coffee and just sit down in leisure to read through it, and thats exactly what I did.

Based on true events of the mishaps in Kashmir, its one of the most sensitive books I have ever read in regards to Kashmir and the issue people face there. Though the start of the book is slow and doesn’t go as expected, but if you manage to hold on for sometime, the book starts gripping you and taking a very enthralling shape.

The three main protagonists tie you in an emotional tale and take you through the ups and downs of both their relationships and life in general. How they meet after 20 years after their respective lives have been shattered, makes for an interesting yet sensitive read. From being a beautiful valley to a bloodshed valley of unpredictable circumstances, the author has beautifully captured the essence of Kashmir. Reading the book one can very well imagine and relate to the changes Kashmir has gone through over a period of time and also how it has affected the lives of people who once lived there or still continue to.

Unlike the beginning, you may find the climax of the book little rushed up, especially when the story shifts its base to Bombay. The ending also may seem slightly filmy, but yet the overall experience of reading this book has been a pleasant one. Though a work of fiction, but one knows exactly when the author has depicted true events. Normally the books that I have read in past which focus on Kashmir miseries, haven’t encapsulated a story in them, they have been pure work of true incidents much like documentaries, but this book by Sanchit, will satiate both your needs as a reader. It will give you a beautiful and emotional story to connect with and also give you a gruesome insight into the realities of Kashmir.

Definitely a must read.

My Rating 4.5/5 Stars

Its available on Amazon

Spirit Flows Power Glows- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Keerthisinghe is a Sri Lankan by origin and is an Entrepreneur, Speaker, Politician, and T.V. Presenter based in India.
He is a firm believer in God and holds great knowledge of Buddhist philosophy.
Having lost his father at the tender age of eight he faced numerous challenges in life and despite his adverse circumstances managed to enter the University of Colombo and graduated as a Bachelor of Law and became a professional lawyer in 2000.
He became an early rupee millionaire and then lost it all.
Being the fighter that he is, his quest has not ended despite going through many failures.
He had firm belief in God and his own never say die attitude to rise again n again. He went through personal and professional set backs always to bounce back even defying death.


The Book as the name suggests is a work of art, a seriously motivational book with a nice and refreshing outlook to really inspire you to achieve your dreams.
A simple narrative interspersed with some truly inspiring stories and personal experiences gives you an ample window to look through the Author’s up and down journey and his strong will and belief in the Almighty to cross all hurdles and move towards the Goal. The book really takes you on a roller coaster ride and leaves you infused with positive energy and high spirit. One gets a sense of belief and feel all charged up to take on the world.

An absolute cracker of a book for all. Very Inspiring. Very Motivational. An absolute must read.

Grab your copy now, you will not regret your buy.

Its available on Amazon for Rs 270/- for paperback.

My rating 4/5 stars

Book Review- Second Chance by Sandeep Jatwa

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the author first.
Dr Jatwa by birth is from the holy city of Ujjain and did his M.B.B.S. from M.G.M. Medical College, Indore.
He has a passion for writing and since 2006 has written two novels, with Second Chance his Second Book is the first one to be published.

Second Chance is based on the phenomenon of Near Death Experience which it’s main protagonist Shekhar Kapur goes through. Shekhar is a ruthless businessman with absolutely no scruples,intent only on taking his Aerowalk Shoe Company to the top irrespective of the means.

Despite subtle warnings from an unknown third force of the consequences of following his inglorious ways he continues on his path least caring about the number of people he hurts on the way.
He has no qualms about how many people despise his very being and barring a couple of people who love him despite his erring ways. Shekhar meets with a near fatal accident and during that period he experiences death and it’s aftermath.

The author has used great imagination in describing the after world,Hell to be precise.
He paints hell and the subsequent punishments an inmate has to go through in vivid detail and it really gives you the goosebumps.

Does Shekhar return to life as it gives him a second chance? Does he atone for all his wrong doings and how?
Go grab your copy and find out,makes for a ver interesting read.
One thing I would like to bring to the author/publishers Attention:
Proof reading leaves a lot to be desired.

You can buy your copy from Amazon, for Rs 190/-

My Rating 3.5/5 Stars

Chronux- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the author first.
Sagar Kamath teaches History and International Affairs at Symbiosis International University.
He is a Masters in History and Philosophy and has almost a decade of teaching experience. He has lectured extensively on a wide range of subjects and specializes in issues of religion and politics.
In his free time he loves to explore ‘off the beaten track’ locales which hold a sense of mystique about them.

Chronux is the story of Time or let’s put it this way that Chronux is a story which time tells us about of times past to times in the far future and the times spent inbetween.

The story which starts from a a small village of Aruhu, in the Himalayas takes you on a roller coaster ride through a span of more than 3000 years BC to more than 3000 years in the future,not to forget the time in the present.

It’s a wonderful Juxtaposition of the long past events mingling with the present and the future.

Although a work of fiction a tremendous amount of research has gone into the making of this absolutely rivetting story of Time.

The events described whether in the past, present or future are so realistically portrayed that at times you pause and find that yes all this could be very plausible and true. Really a remarkable piece of storytelling wherein you feel you are a part of this journey. The events described from the past,present and future are beautifully intertwined and does leave one dazed at the aouthor’s imagination and the finesse to put things up so brilliantly.


A must must read for everyone. Go grab your copy now and enjoy a never before experience of fiction/reality. Find out for yourself.

Its available on Amazon for Rs 475 for paperback and 283 for the Kindle version.

My Rating 4.5/5 stars

Tall Order by Kapil Pathare-Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the Author first.

Kapil Pathare (Director – Maxwell Industries Ltd.) was a young and dynamic leader introduced to the Board ofvDirectors, of this VIP Group Company.He impressed the whole company with his situational leadership style, spot decision making abilities and asan effective communicator of management decisions. With his innovative marketing strategies and a global vision he has taken the Company to being the leader in the inner wear sector. He earlier wrote a book Cricket to Corporate in 2014 which was launched by India’s Ex- wicket keeper Kiran More, who said “Cricket is not just a game,but a field where corporate strategies are planned and executed live”
3237294_meiba-1639_tn-16-03_kapilpathare_gallery
Now about the book, Tall Order

51znu73h9sl-_sx310_bo1204203200_

It is a compilation of Ten of the Star Indian Cricketers of the Golden Era of Indian Cricket.
Each of these stars namely: Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh And M S Dhoni, brought laurels to India in their own unique ways.
The book is a humble tribute to these demigods of Indian Cricket.
The book takes you through the trials and turbulations of each from the budding start of their careers to the sad end of the careers of some of these greats.
I on the personal front feel, the book could have been made more interesting with a few personal anecdotes or not commonly known features about these greats.
All in all a commendable effort and a treat for cricket lovers.
Buy your copy and enjoy.

Available on Amazon for Rs 200 for a paperback

My Rating: 3.5/5

Kashmir 90- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the Author first, Vineet started his journey from Dehradun having done his schooling there before moving to Bangalore for his engineering from B.M.S.College. Having completed his engineering he joined the Corporate World and since then has been working at various locations in India n Abroad. He completed Executive Program in Business Management from IIMC and is also a PMP certified professional. He is presently settled in Mumbai and is working in the field of Project Management. This is his second book having written,Vinu, I am getting married earlier and working on his third book titled Twin Trouble.
Apart from writing fiction, Vineet Mishra has other hobbies including his passion for riding.
He is also a proud HOG (Harley Davidson Owner) and enjoys long rides.

9789352017423-500x500
Now about the book Kashmir 90 ,as the name suggests it relates to that horrific period in our modern history which is really a shame on our country.
The book traces the the journey of its main protagonist Shiv Pandit, a Kashmiri Pandit who lives a carefree life in the Jannat of our country Kashmir.
His life from the age of 18,living in a well to do family, loved by all and popular among his friends to the devastation. He and the family go through that darkest of dark periods forms the crux of this book.
The book has been beautifully written and the life n journey of Shiv Pandit unfolds in a simple but riveting manner.
The life in College with friends, the faint sensibility of finding love to the kindness and love of the family to losing it all in a sweeping series of events that follow the unrest and subsequent exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley.
How he goes through all the losses and almost losing his sanity to again joining the mainstream of the society with some semblance of success with the one regret of losing his college crush/love Maya.
Does Shiv manage to find Maya? Makes for a fascinating read. Highly recommended.
Go grab your copy and feel the trauma of the in numerous people who went through this sad ordeal of being outcaste from your own land n people.

My Rating 4/5

Available on Amazon for Rs. 225 for paperback.

S.O.A.R Success Over Adversity Reigns- Book Review

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

51XrWef8VYL._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_

This is the second book by the author Abir Mukherjee who is an IT professional based in U.S.A.
The backdrop of the book is related to the IT industry.The three protagonists who come together in the book namely Uday, Adhyayan and Rajasekaran take you through a roller coaster journey of friendship, love, ambition and deceit.
The story rests on Uday’s dream of making it big. He hits upon a brilliant idea and leaves his job to pursue his dream. He ropes in his two friends Adhyayan aka Adi and Rajasekaran aka Raja to join him.
The three embark upon the journey which takes them through disappointments and trials and turbulations and breakups.
Then comes a huge shock as Uday gets embroiled in a case of cheating and is arrested.
Hearing the news Adi and Raja leave everything to be at his side forgetting the differences they had in the past.
The ensuing married life of Adi which suffers immensely due to the project and the new found love of Raja make a compelling parallel story.
Will Uday be cleared of the controversy, Will Adi’s married life get back on track and will Raja be able to marry his love, an outcaste marriage?
Grab a copy and find out. The book surely has some editing errors and could have been better in that area, nevertheless it makes a very interesting read for sure.

About the Author:

8185940

Abir Mukherjee was born and brought up in Bardhaman, a small town of West Bengal. He is currently based in U.S.A having completed more than 8 years as an IT Professional. He has completed his B.E. in computer science and engineering in 2005 and started working in different software MNCs. ‘S.O.A.R’ is his second novel.Blackbuck Publication has published his first novel, ‘As Life Has No Undo’. He loves to sketch and write in his spare time. He writes to entertain people, not to teach them how to live life, how to be successful in life or any other philosophical lessons

Book Price: Rs 175/- available on Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Her Resurrection- Book Review

Her Resurrection- Book Review

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

her-resurrection-cover

The book has been very aptly dedicated to Jyoti Singh and all the innumerable victims of sexual violence.
It takes you through the tragic journey of Maya,the protagonist of this highly moving and poignant tale.
The author has beautifully captured the ethos and pain of Maya tracing her journey from a young eight year child,a burden,as referred to by her father. From child sex abuse to the rape of a teenaged Maya.The hatred and ridicule of the Society which still considers women as the weaker sex to be lorded over and abused by the so called superior species of man, this book discovers many shades of her persona, beautifully captured in words.
The centre of her strength through these early disasters in life of Maya is her mother who installs a sense of purpose in her.
Maya from a remote village who despite all opposition sets out to realise her dream of education.
The journey takes her to Mumbai where she is forced into prostitution and her subsequent getaway from a brothel to further deceit and abuse at the hands of men to her eventually overcoming her utmost desire to kill herself and redeem and reclaim her dignity form the crux of this moving story. The book literally showcases the cruelty that our society has to offer especially when it come stop rape victims and women involved in flesh trade. But it also shows the power and strengths that every woman possesses and the fact that she can overcome any challenges life throws at her and emerge as true winners.
A very beautifully penned story capturing the pain, the grief and the undying underlying grit of Maya. Its a tale of survival and reclamation of one’s own identity.
A must read.
Grab your copy today.

Available on Amazon

Price Rs 150/-

Book Review- Once in a Lifetime;Happens Again

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

once-in-a-lifetime-happens-again

The book is co authored by Mr Ashish Kumar Mall and Ms Lovely Kumari both third year students at KIIT University,Bhubneshwar.While Ashish is pursuing Electronics Engineering Lovely is a Computer Science Engineering student.
The one word the book after reading evokes is Nostalgia.
One can very easily relate to the hero of the book Ashwin and his best friend Ankita.
The book traces the teenhood journey of Ashwin. The adolescent age when one is constantly ready to fall in love at the slightest chance. Each girl who passes your path seems a Princess and the one you happen to get close to a queen.
Those teenhood infatuations,friendship,love,breakups,love lost,new love found makes for an interesting read.
I think most everyone will be able to connect with the situations and lead characters of the book be it Aswin his friend Mitu and the three girls mainly involved Ankita,Bhawana and Ria.
You will find an interesting twist at the end of the book.
Go ahead grab a copy and re visit your teens.

Price: Rs 169, available on Amazon

 

Book Review- The Soft Target

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

51jXT0WZw0L._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_

The book traces the life of the lead protagonist Mohan.
Born in the Village of Bolangir,Odisha to very timid parents who have literally struggled through life.Mohan is blessed with intelligence beyond his young age but at the same time he is cursed with a rarest of rare disease.He is mind is hyper active bordering on genius.But what the mind dictates his tongue cannot relate.Let me give you a small example here.You ask Mohan How are you? His reply would be The Sun is shining bright.But despite this handicap he was a brilliant student topping in the school as well as state level. His parents were worried and garnering all their savings take him to Madras for treatment.The Doctor there is really at wits end and tells them that there is no remedy for this rare ailment but advises the parents to give him psychiatric counseling.
As they return to their village Mohans resolve to excel gets stronger.
He loses his parents in an accident and blames God for everything in his life.
But he challenges God that he will no longer be his soft target and to negate his one weakness he is determined to excel in academics.
From here on the author very skillfully takes you through to Mohans journey from a village to the prestigious IIT Bombay where three other protagonists join him by coincidence and how they form a formidable friendship.
The trials and turbulations at IIT and subsequent success for the four and then the murder and political intrigue in which Mohan gets involved lead to an absolutely fascinating tale.

A perfect weekend read.

Price: Rs 249/-  and available on Amazon

 

Theme: Overlay by Kaira.  Copyright @ikreatepassions 2024
Goa, India