Book Review: The MAGIC of FRIENDSHIPS by Shubha Vilas.

About the Book
Author	Shubha Vilas.
About the Author	Shubha Vilas is a TEDX speaker, lifestyle coach, storyteller and author. He studied patent law after completing his engineering degree. But, finally he chose the path of spiritual seeker. Ramayana: the game of life is his bestselling series. He’s also the author of open-eyed meditations and the chronicles of hanuman.   The focus of his work is the application of scriptural wisdom in day to day living, addressing the needs of corporates and youth through thought provoking seminars. He has delivered more than 4000 lectures across the globe. He is also a visiting faculty at the Indian institute of management.
ISBN	9780143446552
Price(INR)	INR199
Pages	204
Main Plot given	Do you have numerous friends on social media, but hardly any in real life? Do you find that your relationships don’t last? These and similar questions have now become the part and parcel of our lives. Today, more than ever, friendship has become more important than any other relationship. The warmth and companionship that a good friend can provide is unmatched and each one of us craves for that special friend to whom we can unburden our heart or seek help from in troubled times. But not all of us are that lucky! In his book, Shubha Vilas discusses, in a simple and straight-forward manner, what is missing in our friendships today and the various scenarios that prevent people from making and maintaining good friends
	The book is divided into seven segments. Aptly in right order. Friendship should bring joyHow good a friend are you?Friendship and empathyFriendship is a responsibility, not a competitionPeer pressure and self esteemCreating value of friendshipFriendships beyond friends.
Tone of writing	Simple and elegant.
My take on the book	A thought-provoking book. It makes us rethink about ourselves and people around us. The way the book is narrated, it feels that you have experienced most of the things on your life without much thought about it. I always like the examples which the author gives from ancient times and mythological characters. Be it about Krishna and Sudama, or from Mahabharat. What was new in this particular book was the activities given at end of each chapter, which makes us analyze lots of things.   I feel this is more a book for the younger generations, who only seem to understand gadgets and not people. There are certain quotes which I liked from this book: Learn to be a true friend by adding value to your friendship. Make friends with people who do the same for you. Understand the value of empathy, to put yourself in the others shoes.
Do I recommend the book?	Very much.
On the other hand	my rating: 4.5/5.

Have you read this Book? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts and if you haven’t Read it yet, read it!!

Finally I would like to thank Author Shubha Vilas for sending me the copy for reviewing.

Love Retake by Shivnay Sabharwal- Book Review.

About the Book
Author	Shivnay Sabharwal
About the Author	A sleepy-eyed copywriter, who woke up one fine day to write this novel. Shivnay Sabharwal has been a creative bohemian (with a couple of creative trophies) moving to 5 cities in the past decade. Goa being his latest base camp. His musings, the flow of waves at the beaches and the caffeine flowing into his veins (Beer too cliché). Follow him @TheQwertist on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
ISBN	978-9352019922
Price(INR)	INR275
Pages	200
Main Plot given	Truth is stranger than fiction. There’s something even stranger – Love. Being an Assistant Director and scriptwriter, Karan never knew that fate would make him fall in love with his most unpredictable script in the form of a woman – Kashish. And just like a riveting script, this one too had plenty of drama, passion, twists and turns, and yes plenty of surprises till the very end. The only question remained, whether this script would be a perfect – The End?
Characters	Karan- A newbie Assistant director in Bollywood from Delhi. Ambitious person, who falls in love with Kashish.  He is guy who tries to balance between the career and love life. Kashish- A free spirited Mumbai girl, who is into Hospitality. She is full of emotional outbursts with ups and downs, which make her highly unpredictable.
Tone of writing	Simple and straight.
My take on the book	The title and the titles given to each chapter is interesting. It takes us down the memory lane of Bollywood movie names and few famous songs. The titles aptly goes with the content of the parts written. The characters are well evolved in Bollywood style of course, with twists and surprises before interval. it ends with a surprisingly unexpected climax. I like the fact that, the book shows the varied emotions of today’s generation, who make love complicated with unnecessary egos. A part of the book reminds of mills and boons, but not exactly that heart throbbing. A cheers to debutant Author, who’s love for Bollywood is seen in every word penned.
Do I recommend the book?	Very much. A complete Bollywood masala..
On the other hand	my rating: 4.3/5.

Have you read this Book? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts and if you haven’t Read it yet, read it!!

Finally I would like to thank Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd for sending me the copy for reviewing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Perfect Gentleman- Coffee table series-1- Book review

About the Book
Author	E L George.
About the Author	El George is an excellent observer and writer of life in all its essence. A person who believes in the saying: If life throws you a lemon, go ahead and not only make a lemonade but also share and enjoy it with life kind.
ISBN	9789352010998
Price(INR)	INR149
Pages	125
Main Plot given	The Perfect Gentleman- Observations, perceptions versus reality. Who is a Gentleman? Who can be called a Perfect Gentleman? What does being a Gentleman really mean? Are we looking at appearances or something more?
Characters	This is a collection of 14 short stories. Each revolving around one person, and how he becomes a gentleman.
Tone of writing	Simple and straight.
My take on the book	The books takes us through varied emotions. At a point it makes us smile, cry in pain, wonder and also rethink. Each story in book is kind of an observation of a particular incident, bringing in a new perspective of how we look at certain community of people and how they helped the society in crisis. I also like the fact that the author has tried to bring across the stories from different cities, different time frames, thus making is complete in all aspects.
Do I recommend the book?	One time read.
On the other hand	my rating: 3.3/5.

Have you read this Book? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts and if you haven’t Read it yet, read it!!

Finally I would like to thank Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd for sending me the copy for reviewing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perfect Love by Shubha Vilas: Book Review

Story telling is like colouring wax. First it melts you, then it adds colour to your lie and then it shapes the new you.

About the Book
Author	Shubha Vilas.
About the Author	Shubha Vilas is a TEDX speaker, lifestyle coach, storyteller and author. He studied patent law after completing his engineering degree. But, finally he chose the path of spiritual seeker. Ramayana: the game of life is his bestselling series. He’s also the author of open-eyed meditations and the chronicles of hanuman.   The focus of his work is the application of scriptural wisdom in day to day living, addressing the needs of corporates and youth through thought provoking seminars. He has delivered more than 4000 lectures across the globe. He is also a visiting faculty at the Indian institute of management.
ISBN	9789387578562
Price(INR)	INR350
Pages	203
Main Plot given	Happily ever after are easier said than done. Love can be painful, it can lead to disappointments. But love is also the most precious gift we have- to give and to receive. How do we chose the right partner, and how do we sustain that relationship so it lasts a lifetime? Spiritual life coach Shubha Vilas tells you how, with the help of six scintillating stories from the scriptures. These are tales of adventure and intense love, love that’s tests the limit of patience in lovers who find the faith in unconditional trusts, compassion and forgiveness. Nala and Damanyanati, Krishna and Rukmini and Vasavadatta,Satyavan and Savitri,Draupadi and the five Pandava brothers- these are accounts we may have heard many a time but have not had the opportunity to understand in such a depth and detail, and with such empathy. But why 5.5 ways and not 6? Because the sixth way is a half-truth, which can be twisted either way. Combining powerful story-telling with deep philosophical truths, perfect love is a treasure trove of scriptures wisdom for the modern age.
Characters	Nala and Damanyanati, Krishna and Rukmini and Vasavadatta,Satyavan and Savitri,Draupadi and the five Pandava brothers.
Tone of writing	Simple and elegant.
My take on the book	I always loved mythological books and love stories. When this came together in one book, it was a pleasure. I always read books on Krishna and Radha’s love, but not on Krishna and Rukmini, which came in as a surprise for me. I like the way how the story is narrated with Quotations in between summarizing what we read, and the end detailed analysis of the story in author’s perspective. Key essence of all love story is nothing but,” trust”. Each story takes you through the experience of tragedy, love, trust, forgivingness, sacrifice and thrill. For me, the book was more a reminder of friendship (between Arjun and Krishna), family ( Nala and Damayanati), elopement ( Krishna and Rukmini). Love is there everywhere, only in time of crisis we realize it.
Do I recommend the book?	Very much.
On the other hand	my rating: 4.3/5.

Have you read this Book? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts and if you haven’t Read it yet, read it!!

Finally I would like to thank Author Shubha Vilas for sending me the copy for reviewing.

 

Autumn concerto- Drama Review

Picture courtesy: viki.com

About the Drama
Genre	Romance
Starring	Ady An Vanness Wu Ann Hsu
Language	Taiwanese drama series
No of episodes	34
Year of Release	2009 ( I saw the drama almost after a decade, it still fits into this generation)
Main Plot	The rich- smart-heartless Ren Guang Xi, who constantly dates women because of  bets in college. He ends up falling in love with the Cafeteria girl Liang Mu Cheng opposing his mother, the Director of the college. Guang Xi findsout out that he has brain tumor, and agrees for treatment after a lot of cajoling from Mu Cheng and his mother. Guang Xi’s mother forces Mu Cheng to leave for the benefit of Gunag Xi. Guand Xi forgets everything after the surgery and loves Yi Quan his Doctor. Guang Xi and Yi Quan decide to get married. Mu Cheng leaves Guang Xi on the surgery day. She later realizes that she is pregnant with Guang Xi’s child,but decides to raise him on her own. She gets help of Tuo ye, who has one sided love for her. After 6 years, Guang Xi end up fighting a law suit for a village where Mu Cheng lives. Though they stay under the same roof, he doesn’t remember Mu cheng nor knows Xiao le is his son. After sometime when he regains his memory, he tries to take revenge on Mu Cheng assuming she betrayed him 6 years ago by marrying her. Later he feels that Mu Cheng keeps betraying him for Tuo ye and decides to divorce her. But Guang Xi and Mu Cheng end up together because of their love for each other and their son Xiao Le.
Characters	Liang Mu Cheng-  the female lead, a warm person ,who becomes orphan at young age and is raised by step mom and a pervert step dad. She faces many challenges in life. Becomes a single mother because she had to save her lover Guang Xi’s life upon her mother-in-law’s demand. Ren Guang Xi- the male lead, he suffers from brain tumor, which makes him forget his past after a surgery. Though sub-consciously he keeps thinking of Mu Cheng. After remembering the past, he loses trust on Mu Cheng as she left him before the surgery and always gives priority to Tuo Ye. He yi Qian- A doctor, who loves Guang Xi and takes care of him. Hua tuo Ye- The male second lead, who loves Mu Cheng and always by her side taking care of her and her child Xioa Le. He keeps waiting for his love to be Reciprocated. Xiao Le- Cute little child of Guang Xi and Mu Cheng who keep waiting for the Alien dad to return to his family.
Characters worth mentioning	Xiao Le- the kid really acted well. We end up loving the character so much, that every time the kid cries, your heart breaks. He yi Qian- though looks negative, a positive character, who is always helping the people around except for the selfish love. Gary- Secretary of Ren Guang Xi, a good looking flower boy.
Random thoughts	**May Contain Spoilers. Read with caution** The drama kind of reminds me of Winter Sonata, but thank God this has a better cheerful and Romance in this. I never thought they would should so much skin- ship unlike Korean drama. It’s a regular drama with rich boy falling in love with a poor girl, and the mother of the son trying to separate them. The girl realizes that she is pregnant and decides to raise the child on her own. The boy and the boy’s mother comeback because of their love for cute little grandchild. At least every episode has scene showing Abs of Guang Xi, attracting more female fans I Suppose. No complaints though 🙂 The last 3 episodes were really dragging, wish the killing part and court scenes didn’t happen. loved the final episode. worth re-watching .
Do I recommend the Drama?	Yes, very much for all the romantic drama fans, this is worth watching. It shows a progressive love life, starting with infatuation, misunderstanding and finding the true love again.
On the other hand	my rating: 4.3/5.

Have you seen this drama? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts and if you haven’t seen it yet, watch it!!

 

W- review

Synopsis :

Cardiothoracic surgeon Oh Yeon joo’s (Han Hyo-joo) father mysteriously goes missing while writing the last chapter of his webtoon “W”. Yeon joo goes to his office and is shocked to see a scene of the dying Kang Chul (Lee Jong-suk), the main character of W, on her father’s computer. While reading a note left behind by her father, a hand from the monitor pulled her in and she finds herself on the rooftop of a building next to a bleeding man. She manages to save him and realizes that the person she saved was Kang Chul. Yeon joo later discovers that she can only leave the webtoon based on Kang Chul’s change in feelings. When that happens, the words ‘to be continued’ will appear and she will teleport back to the real world

A story with in a story…

I really found this series very thrilling with proper twists. the plot in every episode takes new unexpected turn making a person wanting to watch the next episode. the story itself is unique, with a person travelling from real world to the world to webtoons, falling in love with the protagonist of the webtoon.

The parts of the drama which i found interesting:

1. The scene where Ms.Oh is pulled inside the monitor and tries to save the webtoon character, in spite of the confusion of being in a different world, meeting her favorite webtoon character Mr.chul in pool of blood, she treats him with her best efforts as a Doctor.
2. The way the ” to be continued ” comes behind making Ms.Oh disappear from the world of webtoon. Later, when Ms.Oh realizes that she has to put Mr.Chul on a surprised expression to make “to be continued ” occur, so that she can get transported back to the world. She tried to use different logic’s to surprise Mr.Chul from slapping to kissing to getting naked in front of him.
3. What ever happens between Ms.Oh and Mr.Chul gets updated in the webtoon automatically.
4. The way Mr.Chul thinks to put back the problems to send Ms.Oh back to her world.
5. I liked the conversation between Mr.Oh and Mr.Chul. where he tells that he cant shoot as he created the character in such a way, where Mr.Chul has to be righteous to his actions.

 

To be continued……..

Jealousy Incarnate- Review

This is a Korean Drama, which i watched in Viu app.. Recently I have become a big fan of Korean Dramas. I must have watched more than two dozen of them by now. I realized that I have so much to talk about it, but unfortunately didn’t get anyone who watches these dramas as crazy as me.  hence i decided to put in my views of each drama here. Though i wanted to write it episode wise, but no time.. so let me make it as simple as possible.

Synopsis: Weather caster, Pyo Na-ri (Gong Hyo-jin), and news anchor, Lee Hwa-shin (Jo Jung-suk), are long-time colleagues at SBC broadcasting station. Na-ri has had a crush on Hwa-shin three years ago but things change when she meets the perfect man Go Jung-won (Go Kyung-pyo), a rich heir and close friend of Hwa-shin.

Pyo Na-ri : She is an hard working Anchor , who wants to become an reporter. But unfortunately at the interview she becomes an contract employee, ends up doing weather report which is part of the news. though it is not considered so much important by others, Na-ri does it with all passion. she considers it to be the best part of news, and feels proud that she can let people know if they need to carry an umbrella, will it snow or is it going to be windy??. She does all the menial jobs to get paid, so she can make her younger brother go to medical college.

this is image of Na-ri doing a weather forecast. she is given butt pads and asked to bend to make the news more interesting.

Lee Hwa-shin: A true reporter in all sense. He would tell the facts and truth without considering the outcome of it.He even exposes his Brother’s malpractice in food market, which makes his family go bankrupt. He is most confident when he is in front of camera, can deliver the news without any error. He is worshiped be all his Juniors and makes his boss worry of the kind of remarks he would make when he is reporting news live.

Go Jung-won: A rich business man, only friend of Lee Hwa-shin. He sponsors dresses for the news channel. A dream boyfriend for many.He is engaged to a news reporter , but calls off his engagement after he starts liking Na–ri.

Episode -1: Na-ri is sent for a project to Bangkok,which is her first travel abroad. Jung-won happens to take the same flight with Na-ri and is amused by her talking. he tells her that he is a fan of her, for which she is completely smitten. after landing, Na-ri meets her long time crush Hwa-shin who shuts her off with his cold attitude. During the make-up before the shoot, Hwa-shin gets cut on his chest. while trying to treat it, Na-ri feels is chest and says something is odd. Hwa-shin assumes that she still has crush in him and is trying to feel him.

Episode-2:Na Ri suspects Hwa Shin to have breast cancer, so she tells him to go for a check-up. Hwa Shin gets angry and curses her. Meanwhile, Na Ri somewhat continues to pop into Jung Won’s head, so he heads to SBC to see her. this episode certainly has weird scene of Na-ri not missing out any opportunity to feel Hwa-shin’s chest, be it office or in public on road. it is kind of gross.

 

 

 

 

 

Aeklavya- I’m your shadow- book review

About the book
Author	Amit Gupta
About the Author	Amit Gupta was born in Katihar, Bihar. He has completed B.Tech. in Civil Engineering from SIEM, Siliguri. He is doing PG in Construction Management from NICMAR, Pune. He firmly believes in god and religious principles but not in social barriers His aim is to serve the nation through his writing and to inspire the youth of India to eliminate social disparity prevailing in the society which is ruining the young generation. Author’s 20% profit will be donated to ‘Human Support’ NGO which is directed by Mr. Baban Jha. For details visit: http://www.balikavidya.org
ISBN	978-93-52017-52-2
Price [INR]	Rs. 225
Pages	226
Main Plot given	Traditions and customs are our cultural identity but when they challenge intimate relationships, they become a curse. Aparna takes the toughest decision of her life, the consequence that will change her destiny. Aeklavya’s losses evolve him into a public figure. But past knocks his door again… They meet in the most unexpected way. Aparna wants to come back in his life, but Aeklavya remains focused in his work. Determined to walk in his footprints, she becomes the voice of many, eventually putting her life at risk. Will her lost love come to her rescue? Will their present rewrite and conjunct their past lives?
No. of Characters	Aeklavya : the main lead, who is in love with Aparna and moves out of the village for a job. He end up missing an entrance exam because of a communal riot. Loss of his mother and to break up of the love birds makes him lose his mind for a while, later He gets his wisdom in a Buddha temple, and writes a novel. He gets famous making it easier for Aparana to find him. Aparana: a simple girl, who falls in love with Aeklavya in simple Bollywood style. But later portrayed as a strong individual who fights for women rights and makes Aeklavya fall for her.
Tone of writing is	It is simple. A different kind of love story, adding a value to life.
My take on the book	I loved the book. It gave a fresh insight to the regular love stories. It just echo’s my thoughts, where both the individuals should have their individuality and yet be together in love. Love can happen twice with the same persons. Personal happiness is also part of a couple’s happiness. Though the book says, I am your shadow, I feel that Aparana means a lot more to Aeklavya.
Do I recommend the book?	Yes, very much. A fresh story.
On the other hand	my rating: 4.0/5. Finally I would like to Thank the Leadstart Publishingfor sending me the copy. It will be kept safe along with my other treasured books.

 

 

From Yesterday by Anupam Dasgupta-Book review

Author	Anupam Dasgupta
About the Author	Anupam Dasgupta writes contemporary fiction largely based on his personal experiences and observations. He firmly believes in the adage, “truth is stranger than fiction” and is of the opinion that the world around us is full of interesting events and colorful characters. “From Yesterday” is Anupam’s second novel. His debut novel “Salsa!” was released in May 2013 and was subsequently re-published as “Salsa World is a small place” in February 2014. His interviews and articles related to the book were featured in leading Indian dailies like “The Times of India,” “The Hindu,” “The New Indian Express” and “Deccan Chronicle.” Anupam has done his Bachelors in Engineering from Jadavpur University and MBA from IIM Indore. He has worked for more than a decade across roles in Business Development, Consulting and Strategic Planning. He currently works and lives in Bangalore, India. Besides his passion for writing, Anupam has an ear for soulful music and loves singing. He is also an avid follower of Latin dance forms and a keen social dancer. Anupam can be reached at dasgupta.anupam@ ymail.com.
ISBN	9789352015924
Price [INR]	Rs. 225
Pages	224
Main Plot given	Adi and Anita meet in Chennai and instantly fall for each other. However Anita’s past comes back to haunt her. The sequence of events that follow, leave Adi heart-broken. Adi moves to Chicago for work and happens to meet Christina. Christina is instinctively attracted to Adi. On the other hand, Adi distinctly senses the presence of Anita around him. ‘From Yesterday’ takes us into the world of love as Adi, Anita and Christina brush each other’s lives in the beautiful city of Chicago. Does Adi find his true love? Does he find Anita in Chicago? Does Christina lose in love? Adi unravels the answers to all these questions, as he gazes at the Bean, on a cold evening in the Windy city.”
No. of Characters	Anita, a make—up artist blessed with name, fame and fortune, yet cursed with a lonely and loveless existence. Adi, a young, ambitious and jet setting management professional, yet nursing a broken heart. Christina a bright, young and independent individual, brimming with optimism.
Tone of writing is	The story is kind of in flashback mode as the title suggests. With a touch of suspense and mystery. There are more of colloquial words used making it a light read.
My take on the book	The book kind of gives today’s scenario, where people are carrier oriented, try to seek their soul mates through social media sites and where age doesn’t matter. The characters are well etched, showing the goodness of each character, evolution of a person from bad past to not able to accept someone because of the age difference in case of Anita shows her tenderness. Adi seems to fall so deeply in love with Anita, making him not accept Christian, shows his sincerity. I feel if I write more, it would be a spoiler. Being from Chennai, I loved the parts best where he describes about the city and Chicago too.
Do I recommend the book?	Yes, a light read.
On the other hand	my rating: 3.5/5. Finally I would like to Thank the Leadstart Publishing for sending me the copy. It will be kept safe along with my other treasured books.

 

Fables from India by Uday Mane – Book Review

Author	Uday Mane
About the Author	Based out of Mubai, Uday Mane is an entrepreneur, script writer and a digital marketing professional. He started his writing career with fables, several of which are featured in this collection. His debut novel, the helpline, was released in 2014 to rave reviews. INR5 per book was donated towards child welfare through Rotary club and NGO Vidya. Uday Mane volunteers for storytelling and English speaking sessions for the underprivileged through Vidya. He is avid reader and admires the writings of Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry and Charles Dickens among others. He loves to Travel and explore places, watch movies, and collect( and read) classic novels.
ISBN	978-93-52016-26-6
Price [INR]	Rs. 175
Pages	168
Main Plot given	A king’s negligence costs the prince his eyes, How will the kind make amends? A farmer is torn between resurrecting his wife and uphold his duties, What will influence his choice? A jester lives tow lives. Masked for others. Unmasked for himself. His masked side brings happiness to everyone, but what brings happiness to h is unmasked side? A magnificent tree bears fruits of different kinds, but the kings wants it to be cut down to serve justice. How will the tree defend itself? An orphan boy is in search of the world’s bestselling book. Will he eventually find it? A dog struggles to uncurl his tail. Will he break the curse that curled his tail in the first place? A young boy and his pet lamb are separated from each other. Will their friendship stand the test of time?
No. of Characters	It a book of collective stories, hence can’t say no of characters.
Tone of writing is	It is simple.
My take on the book	After so many years, felt like reading a good bedtime story with a moral. Its best part is, its not fox and lion of Panchatantra, but its reading little bit of history with certain value added it. Sometimes it makes me question the reality. It’s a pack of 22 short stories, which makes a month’s read for the kids as bedtime story. Over all, it’s a good book.
Do I recommend the book?	Yes, very much.. I loved reading it and have been reading to my kids too.
On the other hand	my rating: 4.0/5. Finally I would like to Thank the Leadstart Publishing for sending me the copy. It will be kept safe along with my other treasured books.