Reviews & Musings

  Staring at the rising sun, listening to the chirping of birds who are raring to spread their wings and fly, a cool breeze ruffling your hair as if to wake you up from the slumber, the warm morning sun rays kissing your forehead...... do you wonder how beautiful LIFE actually is? ~ N    

Do you know what's the best thing about memories? You cannot destroy them. However much you try - burning, tearing, forgetting... there is one part of them that will always be there inside you till your last breath. One small trigger and t ... hey come pouring down like rains. Do you know what's the worst thing about memories? They can destroy YOU. Bit by bit from within making you wonder if you were ever complete before. Rendering you all hollow and empty. ~ N  

Introduction ISBN – 9789383562664 Genre: Fiction/ Drama Publishers: Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd Price : Rs. 95/- (P.S: I got this book for review from the author) 'Maya in search of Tantric Father' is a story of a young and pretty American girl, who is shocked to learn a secret from her deceased mother's diary. Maya comes to India in search of her biological father, who was a Tantric. Out of sheer determination, she travels to many holy places in India, facing numerous difficulties, which any solo woman traveler would face in India. Some mysterious powers help, guide and protect her when she inadvertently walks into danger. Her spiritual pilgrimage is full of miracles and interesting encounters with a Philosopher, an Astrologer, an Ayurveda doctor, a Tantric, a Swami, a Professor, a Music maestro, and a bureaucrat. Some of them fall in love with her but she has no time to reciprocate. Her only mission is a search and she cannot afford any distractions. Co

  Some of the worst things in life always lead to the bestest of the things... like darkness that leads to sunshine... severe heat that leads to sweet rain ~N

  The worst thing for someone who has hurt you is to know that it didn’t. ~N

  Tell someone what they mean to you and they might forget. Do something to express what you feel and you will be unforgettable! ~N

  The world will never tell you should be- they will tell you what they think you should be. ~N

  That moment when the urge to do something wicked is the highest is actually the moment when you shouldn't do it! ~N

  What I mean to you - you need not mean to me! ~N

  At times all you need is a good cry. No amount of words, or special people can soothe that pain. Let it all go in the form of those tears, all that was, all that could be- should be and all that is. For after that the peace that engulfs you is unmatched for! ~ N

  Life is all about making a choice – to do or to not to do. But to un-do is never a choice ~N

  Happiness is more defined by the state of heart than the state of mind~N

  Let the world say all that they want to , what will matter at the end of the day is what you choose to believe.~N

  People - you meet them, know them, embrace them and welcome into your life. You love them and make them bask in all its glory... and suddenly one day one moment one word and one action and they seem to be strangers, someone whom you never knew till now! Strange ways of life .. ~N

Today we have Mr. Jatin Kuberkar the author of the latest book “ While I was waiting ” by Leadstart Publishers.   Take an ounce full of imagination and a scoop of humour. Mix them well. Now put a few teaspoons of feelings and emotions and stir until it smells good. Put the mixture on the pallet of dreams and garnish it with a few peanuts of desires; that is all it takes to be Jatin Kuberkar. A software engineer by day and a passionate writer by night, Jatin wants to experiment with different genres.   When not tangled in software codes, he writes poetry, short stories and essays. He is deeply interested in spirituality, philosophy and observing life as it turns into interesting ways. He lives in Hyderabad, surrounded by his friends and well-wishers. His family consists of his mother, wife (who happens to be his childhood love) and his son, Arya. Jatin can be reached at: itsjatink@gmail.com

  The challenge is not that we don't know what to value and how much to value. The challenge is to be valued! ~N

      Today we have Ms. Jaya Padmanabhan the author of the latest book Transactions of Belonging by Leadstart.   Jaya Padmanabhan has worked as a Copywriter, Sales Manager, Collections Agent, Software Engineer and Television Producer before emerging as a writer. She believes that her previous jobs distinctly inhabit her work.   She has won three Katha Short Story Contest titles, the Lorian Hemingway Short Story recognition and the New America Media award for feature reporting. She lives in California with her husband, mother, twin girls and a Golden doodle. She is the editor of India Currents magazine.  

  The worst thing in relationships is when the "is" become the "was. ~N

Since the time I have been interacting with the author of The Evolutions of God  , Dr. Ajay Kansal I wanted ask to him his thoughts on this topic. Please read on a guest post by the author : Source: Google Images

Nothing is more painful than meaning nothing to someone who means the world to you ~N

Today at Behind the Book we have Dr. Ajay Kansal the author of The Evolutions of God . It is always a pleasure interacting with authors for they teach you a lot of new things and when that author is someone who has written a book that not only is commendable but also one that makes you question your own believes the interaction definitely becomes all the more interesting. I would like to THANK Ms. Nikita Soni who blogs at NJKinny for giving me this opportunity to interact with the author and also review this wonderful book. Moving ahead to hear what Dr. Ajay Kansal  has got to say about his book and allow us a sneak peek into what goes on behind a book:

Introduction   ISBN : 9788184004922 Genre: Non Fiction Publishers: Random House Price : Rs. 562/- (I got this book for review from the publisher) In The Improbability Principle, the renowned statistician David J. Hand argues that extraordinarily rare events are anything but. In fact, they’re commonplace. Not only that, we should all expect to experience a miracle roughly once every month.   But Hand is no believer in superstitions, prophecies, or the paranormal. His definition of “miracle” is thoroughly rational. No mystical or supernatural explanation is necessary to understand why someone is lucky enough to win the lottery twice, or is destined to be hit by lightning three times and still survive. All we need, Hand argues, is a firm grounding in a powerful set of laws: the laws of inevitability, of truly large numbers, of selection, of the probability lever, and of near enough. Together, these constitute Hand’s groundbreaking Improbability Principle. A

Life never gets complicated. It is we who lose our way and blame it on LIFE  ~N

The Evolution of Gods by Dr. Ajay Kansal The Scientific Origin of Divinity and Religions Book Details: ISBN: 9789350294383 Print Length: 214 Pages Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers India Publication Date: August 2012 Language: English Genre: Non-Fiction, Religion and Spirituality, Scientific Study, Atheism

The best reward in the world is to have the people who wrote you off claiming your prowess behind your back! ~N

Let the world say a thousand things and yet not define you in any manner. Let a loved one just say a word and it will more meaning to your entire existence! ~ N

Introduction ISBN – 9781482821024 Genre: Poetry Collection Publishers: Partridge Publishers Price: Rs. 250/- (I got this book for review from BecomeShakespeare.com) Through the verses in his first Book "THE CROSSOVER," Sunil brings out some of his inner thoughts, emotions, feelings and perspectives about what he feels about the current day world and the socio- psychic condition of the human race which has taken us far away from the shrine of inner tranquillity which resides in each one of us.   His spontaneous style of writing in simple words makes it easier to relate to, by people questioning the existing collective belief systems and working towards finding pathways to experience higher dimensions of life. Some of his perspectives on the fabric of life, and the way one can free oneself from the conditionings which are getting constantly accumulated in one's mind, have the power to change and alter the way one perceives the external and the internal worl

At times just having faith in your ability is not enough; you need someone to believe in your faith ~N

Today we have Mr. Anis Bari the author of the latest book Dreams of Mango People by Leadstart with us here at Reviews and Musings where he will take us Behind the book.   Anis Bari , a graduate of the Asian Institute of Management, Manila, and a Computer Engineer from PESIT, Bangalore, worked with Hewlett Packard before co-founding Tantra Consultancy Services, an award-winning start-up.   He was recognized as the most promising Entrepreneur of the Year (2010), by the global organization TiE ( The Indus Entrepreneur ). Anis has won numerous business plan competitions globally and has a deep interest in entrepreneurship and social innovation. He is also a shaper of Global Shapers Community, an initiative of World Economic Forum to bring the change agents together.   He has authored, Brush up Ur Quant, a book for management entrants. Anis is an internationally rated chess player and also mentors students through Yuvolve Youth Forum. He can be reached at: Email   | Bl

At times having a crowd around you makes you feel lonely; while sometimes even a single person can make you feel suffocated!~ N

Source: Google Images This is a book I recently fell in love with. Apart from the cover page and title what piqued my interest was the blurb which read like this:   The short stories in the collection blend emotion and introspection. Moments of urgency and sweetness are fully canvassed and explored. The stories draw out and examine the texture of emotional belonging. In " His Curls ," a mother suffers the anguish of wondering if her son is a terrorist. The ending is left to interpretation and several possibilities.   The reader is forced to teeter between laughter and sadness in the tragicomedy of " An Indian Summer ."   " The Blue Arc " is a redemptive tale of a young woman who shows enormous courage. Each story in the collection is a journey of insights. Transactions of Belonging is a unique, intense and gripping work of short fiction.    

In a relationship - To be used like a tissue paper , to be trampled upon like a door mat or to be held delicately like a priceless treasure - the choice is always ours!!! We decide how to be treated.....  ~ N  

Introduction ISBN –9788184004922 Genre: Non Fiction / Business Publishers: Random House Price: Rs. 299/- ( I got this book for review from the publisher ) The advent of Internet has been a significant game changer for our generation. Mouse Charmers are a new breed of entrepreneurs in emerging India powered by the Internet and the opportunities that it offers to create new markets and to cater to old markets in new ways. Some of them have already achieved success where they can be called iconic and inspiring while others have powerful ideas that put them on the same path. Anuradha Goyal tells the stories of digital entrepreneurs like Flipkart, Zomato,ImagesBazaar, IndiBlogger; how they started out, the innovations and technologies involved, their business models, and unique marketing strategies. Inspiring and useful, The Mouse Charmers is an essential guide for aspiring entrepreneurs   Behind The book Source: Google Images

The world surely needs us. There is no other reason we were sent with some 6 billion people already there around.  ~N

If you could, then you would - not matter what ~N

  The Revenge of Kaivalya by Sumana Khan

Introduction ISBN – 9789351063971 Genre: Fiction / Thriller / Romance Publishers: Harlequin India Price: Rs. 299/- ( I got this book for review from the author) How do you kill a man with no Achilles heel? You cut off his foot Tom Jones.   Set against the serene beauty of Kashmir, Ladakh and Tibet, Kingdom Come is a gripping story of death and loss, vengeance and retribution, love and life. Krivi Iyer is an embittered former spy and bomb defusal expert with only one regret. That he couldn't catch The Woodpecker, a dangerous, mentally unstable bomber who ended his partner's family. He has a second chance to go after his arch enemy with the arrival of Ziya Maarten, the manager of 'Goonj Business Enterprises' in Srinagar, Kashmir, who is alleged to be The Woodpecker's sister. Except, Ziya is a beautiful distraction and not a terrorist's sister. When a tragedy in London tears Ziya's life apart, she can only rely on Krivi to give her the abso

To prove someone wrong, you have to first become right ~N

The difficulty is not in holding on or letting go ; it is in knowing what to do at the right time  ~N

Introduction ISBN – 9788184005189 Genre: Fiction Publishers: Random House India Price: Rs. 499/- ( I got this book for review from the publisher) The future is here. India has just sent its first spacecraft to the moon, and the placid city of Mysore is gearing up for its own global recognition with the construction of HeritageLand – Asia's largest theme park. From behind the formidable gates of Mahalakshmi Gardens to the shanty houses on the edge of town, the people of Mysore are abuzz as they watch their city prepare for a complete transformation. As government officials make plans for the expected tourism extravaganza, Mysore's residents find themselves swept up in the ferment. Susheela, an elderly widow, is forced into a secretive new life. Uma, trying to escape her painful past, learns the lasting power of local gossip. And Mala must finally confront the reality of her husband’s troubling behaviour. Savagely funny and deeply poignant, The Smoke is Rising is

The world need not know the real you as long as you do!  ~N

“Everything I learned I learned from the movies.” ― Audrey Hepburn   Well movie watching is something I enjoy but not to the extent where I am watching everything and anything that comes to the nearby multiplex. I am very choosy about what I watch for I believe in these words by Audrey Hepburn a lot.   This weekend I decided to catch up with Kya Dilli Kya Lahore ( wondering WHY? Read my post here on it ) and added yet another lesson to my book of life. If there is one thing that stared back at me throughout the movie was just one thought – wish the answer to this problem could be as simple as we are so similar yet so different as rightly pointed out by a wonderful fellow blogger Beloo Mehra on my previous post.   Source: Google Images  

Source: Google Images “ Very talkative ” the remarks column in my diary read. My mom kept staring at it long as if there lay my future, stamped and declared to the world.  After what seemed like ages she finally looked at me with a stern face. “ What is this supposed to mean? “She asked. Now this baffled me, I think it was very clear. Still I tried my best to clarify.