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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

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

Reminiscences of a Seeker- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the author first.
Kapil Kumar Bhaskar was a successful businessman whose interest in spiritualism led to the World of Dark Arts. The book is his recollection of the innumerable experiences he went through on his way to seek enlightenment. He is now a full time Counsellor and Spiritual Master.

The Book
As it proclaims is a true story based on the first hand encounters of Kapil in his quest for spiritualism. Having experienced some divine encounters from an early childhood he is literally attracted to the unknown and goes on a journey that pulls him the the world of Dark Arts. He is pitched in a battle of drama, greed and betrayal.
So deep is he sucked into the depths of never ending trials and tribulations where his whole being is at stake. It is a real engrossing battle between the good and the evil. Makes for a fascinating read and at the same time gives me the goosebumps just to think what Kapil,the protagonist had to go through in life. An excellent insight it gives us into the real world of Tantrics n Aghoris. The way the author shares his experiences it becomes very easy to believe in this OTHER DARK WORLD.

But as they say eventually Good wins over Evil. A must read for everyone,and I assure you it willbe difficult to put away the book. Get your copy now and go through a fascinating journey of deceit, fear, greed and last but not the least FAITH.
Eagerly awaiting for his next.

The book is available on Amazon for Rs 250/-

My Rating 4.5/5 stars

Harappa- Curse of the Blood River- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the author first.
Vineet is a very successful entrepreneur. At the young age of 22 he started his company Magnon from a shed. Magnon is among the largest digital agencies in the subcontinent and part of the a fortune 500 Omnicom Group. He was the youngest ever CEO of a multinational advertising agency TBWA as its India CEO. Much acclaimed and awarded in his field he was recently listed among the top 100 Most Influential People in India’s Digital Ecosystem.
He has authored three best selling management and inspirational books:
Build From Scratch
The Street to The Highway
And
The 30 Something CEO


The Book.
The most amazing fiction which gives you the feeling of being more real than real. The main protagonist Vidyut is a character one easily falls in love with. The story spanning a 3700 yrs from ancient Harappa to the modern day Kashi is a roller coaster ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The author has a wonderful vision and complete hold on the vivid canvas which he spreads across distinctive time zones.
The events unfold at breath taking speeds and keep you mesmerized. Really difficult to put down the book. Vineet’s style of narrative and backdrop does remind of Dan Brown but Vineet has surpassed it in terms of vision and imagination. Its so glad to see that our Indian writers are now experimenting with topics, style of writing and giving many shades to their characters. They are no more caught up into traditional thinking, and that for readers like me is a very good news.

Get yourself a copy NOW and relish the superlative storyline.
Kudos Vineet
Anxiously waiting for Pralay!

Grab your copy here, available on Amazon for Rs. 130/-

My Rating – 4/5 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

Book Review- Looped by Munmun Singh Nagpal

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

A word about the Author, her love for writing started in standard six while writing essays. She also started writing novels for her friends when in tenth class. She has four unpublished novels before getting published with this book.
An MBA in marketing she helps out her husband in his dairy business .

Now Looped that’s what I got when I started the book.
The book is based on Time Travel to the past and it took me time to get used to the technical mumbo jumbo.
But then came an absolutely fascinating story of the Time Traveller, Toby Sezoe, falling in love with a woman from centuries past.
An intriguing story of what the future or past holds for Toby forms the crux of this endearing tale of love.
She cant see him, he can’t feel her and still the author weaves together a wonderful bond of love between the two spanning across time. A really superb must read.

Grab your copy and find out does Toby find his love,is there a way the two could get united???

My Rating 3.5/5

Its Available on Amazon for Rs 150/-

Book Review- Life and The Grey Notes by Mayank S. Singer

Posted on by Sunil Malhotra

A word about the Author first,Mayank Sengar is from a family of culturalists based in the holy city of Varanasi.
He is naturally blessed with a keen eye for the human factor and a fine sense of appreciation for life’s varied experiences which also reflects in his work.
He has an uncanny talent of connecting with people from all strata of society and that in turn is evident of his very real characters in his stories.
Mayank currently lives in Gurgaon with his wife and two lovely kids.

Life and the Grey Notes is a collection of short stories, 10 to be precise.

1. Inside Bermuda Triangle
A story of a modern day confused youth looking for answers to chart his future.
And answers he does get but in a very surreal manner.
Was it God himself leading him or???

2. The Evening Call.
The story of a just retired ever happy and helpful man and his quest for peace in this modern techno savvy society.
A really moving and telling story of the make believe virtual world which all of us are caught up in.

3. Hoping for Hope.
The story of Hope against all odds epitomized in the form of one person:Bhoop Singh,who has a solution to every problem and is the living symbol of inspiration and hope for all around him.
Is he for real or is he too fallible to the vagaries of life??.

4. Who’s the Pet?
A fascinating view point from the author vis a vis the pet that we keep.
Do we provide him with all the security,love and affection or is it actually the vice versa??

5. The Golden Fear.
Another little gem from the Author regarding our love for the yellow metal.
Is it to be bought and put safely in bank for future security or can it be enjoyed by the female members of the family???

6. The Religious Atheist
A story of a young man not very bright in studies and being constantly compared to other bright students.
His gradual dependence,like most ,growing upon praying to God for a miracle.
His subsequent loss of faith.
Does he regain his faith???

7. Blood Group H+
A superb story of an hard working man trying to achieve his small dreams with honesty.
Is it possible in today’s opportunistic world?
Or does he fall prey to the tryst with dishonesty???

8. Lets Judge
As the title clearly suggests we in our day to day life are always more than keen to be judgmental of events and people around us.But a chance encounter of the protagonist with a fellow passenger leaves a mark on him.
Should we Judge???

9. The Unlucky Betrayal
Again the title really says it all.
You may be having the time of your life in everything you do right from childhood to your growing up,lucky you.
But does luck betray you when you least expect it????

10. The God Particle
In this fast paced crazy lifestyle of today one is not able to find answers to so many of life’s riddles.
But somehow one remark from someone gets right into you and becomes the answer to your myriad questions.Right????

Well a simply beautiful collection of short stories touching upon the various facets of life.
A wonderfully simple narrative style that holds your attention.

Highly recommended.

Grab your copy now!!!!!!!

Its available on Amazon for Rs 134/-(paperback)

My Rating 4.5/5

Unns, The Captivation- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the Author first.
Sapan Saxena a software engineer by profession is an Author by choice. Born in Lucknow he got his Engineering degree from MNNIT Allahabad. While coding for a complex algorithm he realized that writing fiction would make more sense.
His first book was the highly acclaimed Finders. Keepers.
Currently based in Nsshua, New Hampshire UNNS -The Captivation is his second book.


UNNS traces the journey of its main protagonist Atharva Rathod and his love Meher Qasim.
Atharva hopelessly in love with Meher from adolescence is seperated from her in a sudden change of heart and circumstances which he is totally unable to comprehend.
Time passes and fifteen years down the road he still pines for her not knowing what prompted her change of heart and subsequent disappearance.
But as destiny would have it Atharva who is now an intelligence officer with R A W is sent on a secret mission to Germany and yes runs into Meher.
A chance meeting or something planned???
Atharva’s love for Meher which was buried deep down surfaces again.
Will Meher return his love?
Is she a threat to Atharva’s mission?
Read the book to find out and watch the gripping trailer here

The author has narrated the story beautifully. It is a fast paced racy Rom-thriller. Edge of the seat excitement from cover to cover. Difficult to put down the book once you start reading.
Be prepared for a shocking end to the story.
Absolutely a must read.
Go pick your copy and enjoy the drama unfold!!!!

The book is available on Amazon for Rs 189/-

My Rating 4/5 stars

Becoming Assiya- Book Launch and Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

The book was formally launched on 21st February, at Office Office CP, attended by a select few invitees and family and close friends.
It was a small intimate affair to laud the efforts of a young twenty year old girl whose efforts had borne fruit in the shape of her maiden book, BECOMING ASSIYA.


A word first about the young debut making author, SIMRAN KESHWANI.
She is a Final Year literature student at the Lady Shri Ram College for women, University of Delhi.
She is actively involved in several social causes and is working selflessly to change the world for good, one word at a time.

Kudos to Simran for choosing a very sensitive subject for her very first book, few dare to do so.
It is a tormenting story of a misplaced Syrian refugee and her trials n tribulations encompassing a world full of hatred.

Her journey right from her birth through the ravaging War and it’s bone chilling consequences to the tireless effort to reclaim her lost identity form the crux of this spellbinding tale of a physically and mentally ravaged young Assiya who amidst all the bloodshed,violence and extreme torture still manages to hang on to HOPE!!!!!!
HOPE for herself, her fellow human beings and the COUNTRY she belongs to SYRIA.

The canvass is a horrifying story of people of a war ravaged Syria and Simran’s portrayal of the same is captured in all it’s blood n gore. Fabulous writing which keeps you turning pages but also makes you stop inbetween and makes you think hard at what kind of a world are we a part of?
What kind of a legacy is this world going to leave for generations to come!!!!!

A really commendable piece of writing from this young upcoming author.

I am sure she is here to stay and make a name for herself in the literary world.

A MUST READ.

Available on Amazon

My Rating 4/5 Stars

Figmented Reality- Book Review

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

A word about the author first, Zuko a.k.a. Siddarth Sabari is a blogger and writer based in Chennai, Born in Mumbai he spent his growing years schooling in Mumbai and later in Chennai.
He was diagnosed with Dyslexia at an early age and found it difficult to follow language, but despite his limitations and the support of his mother he passed out from Vellore Institute of Technology in the year 2013 as Mechanical Engineer specialising in Energy. He was awarded the First Indian Dyslexic Writer by the K.L.University,Vijaywada.
He worked for a couple of years in a Public Limited Company before joining his father’s business in Chennai.


Figmented Reality is a psychological book which forces the reader to analyse answers to certain fundamental questions in our lives.
The protagonist is a boy who at a very young age is sexually abused by an elderly woman. He is unable to get over the pleasure he derives from that one sexual encounter so much so that it engulfs him completely.
The encounter leads him to ways of self attaining methods of sexual pleasure.
As he grows up he is always on the look out for elderly women to satisfy himself but fails and in the process he offends women his age as the only thing he seeks from them is sex.
He is generally perceived as a pervert and avoided.
He goes deep into the dark world of drugs and constant state of wanting sex which he is unable to get.
Then enters Veena, a mother of two, and he falls for her head over heels to the point of obsession.
But his mind has so degenerated by this time that all lines between a figment of imagination and reality have blurred.
The author has really woven a brilliant narrative taking us through the dark dingy world of addiction and hallucinations.
The climax of the book is most unexpected and shocking.
A must read, I just enjoyed reading my copy, you go grab your copy now!!!!

Available on Amazon for Rs 150

My Rating 4/5

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