Book Review: Hurry Om Hari

Book: Hurry Om Hari

Author: Parul Tyagi

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Pages: 130

Price: 175 INR

Blurb: "Hurry up or be left out!"

Haven't we all heard this at least thousand times in our lives? (Okay you must have heard more.) The point is we are all in a hurry to make something. Be it careers, relationships, excuses, success, cover ups, babies, lives.

Om and Hari.

Their dreams may be at the far ends of a rope, their journeys may be markedly different from each other's but their desire is common - to make it on their own!

What makes this even more tedious is their race against time in doing so. They are the dreamers, the strugglers, the under dogs, the go getters, the nerve wreckers, the charmers and....... they are You!

 

My Rating: 3.75/5

 

My Review:

 

It's not that often that you come across two fictitious characters in a book who seem so endearing, likeable and relatable that you cannot help falling in love with them as you read the book. Well, one such book is Hurry Om Hari and the characters I am talking about is Om and Harini.

 

The story begins with Om and Harini who are compelled to meet each other by their families so that they can know, like and eventually marry each other. Although Om and Harini are markedly different from each other, the thing that binds them is their individual dreams which are locked inside the innermost chambers of their heart. Both of them act as catalyst in reaching each other's dreams and hence their most difficult journey starts...the journey towards their individual dreams.

The author has used these beautiful lines to describe the bond between Hari and Om:

Love is not always about finding the person who completes you and then living a life that is fulfilled and perfect. Love could also be about two people's journey in exploring on the way what they didn't know existed, which they haven't yet experienced and being instrumental in each other's exploration of one's own self. 

 

The author is gifted in story telling. She has managed to create two lovable characters, Om and Hari which is the strength of the book. Once you start reading the book, you won't feel like putting it down. All the other characters in the book such as Harini's Dad and Mom, Om's Dad, Bobby Bhabhi and Om's friends have their unique traits which make the story so interesting. The book is fast paced and there is not a single dull moment in the 130 page book.

 

Harini's intense passion for her dreams and Om's charming personality make them so endearing. The way they support each other's dreams, motivate each other from time to time and bring out the best in each other is extremely heartwarming.  

 

On the downside, I felt the climax was a little rushed. Apart from that, there were no flaws in the book. The title of the book is indeed very catchy and the dollops of humor sprinkled throughout the book makes it a perfect read for a lazy weekend.

Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a quick read.

You can buy the book here

Book Review: Sweet Temptations

Book: Sweet Temptations

Author: Meena Nair | Bernard Dsa

Genre: Poetry

Publisher: Raindrops Company

Price: 160 INR

My Rating: 3/5

My Review:

"Sweet Temptations" is a journey which you would definitely like to take with your beloved. Romance and poetry has always blend beautifully and the poets, Meena Nair and Bernard Dsa took special care to ensure that their readers get tempted by their verses.

All the poems in this book unravel the deep love, passion, insatiable longing and the other physical aspects of love. With the magic of words, the poets have managed to create a beautiful world in each of their poems. "His muse", "Tips and tricks", "Something sweet that I love you", "Bare Essentials" and "Ultimate Submission" are some of the best poems of the book. Some poems are so picturesque that you can feel that you are able to see two lovers lost in love through the verses.

To undress for you is like dressing in your attire

Oh! How much I had wished to embrace your desire

Well, perhaps we were meant to be together

Like a moon and star shining forever.

Some poems are short and sweet, overflowing with love and warmth whereas some other poems are intensely sensuous. 

The love of my lover has united my roving soul

Together we make love as my passion overwhelms

We satisfy the yearnings of the other

And together we move into a motionless journey.

The poems would surely ingnite love and passion for the person you love truly. The beautiful poems are accompanied by a couple of amazing sketches and some of the best love quotes which makes the book all the more romantic. It is definitely a perfect gift for your loved one. 

On the downside, there are a couple of editing mistakes in the book which are a turn-off. Somewhere in the middle, you might get a feeling that the poems are slight repititive. Apart from these, the little poetry book is a wonderful read.

Recommended to all poetry lovers whose idea of romance is poetry!

You can buy the book here

Book Review: The Essence of Eternal Happiness

Book: The Essence of Eternal Happiness

Compiler: Bernard D'sa & Shonali Dey

Genre: Poetry

Publisher: Raindrops Company

Pages:100

Price: 160 INR

My rating: 4/5

My review: 

The title of the book and the cover has a beautiful tranquility to it. Anyone holding the book will think if he or she can really know the meaning of eternal happiness by reading the book. And honestly speaking, the pages of the book will really teach you the art of living and the true meaning of happiness. 

The compilers of the book have done a commendable job in selecting 27 poets from different corners of the world who have weaved magic with their pen. Each and every poet has a new definition and a new hue of happiness which made the book so colorful. Optimism, peace, love, freedom, hope and reminiscence are some of the colors of happiness which are depicted in the form of some beautiful poems in this book.

Th poems such as "Journey of Eternal Happiness", "Promise of the Messiah", "Bliss", "Wake up seed" and "Monday Blues" are bound to make you sanguine and positive.

The another name of optimism is hope. The beauty of hope is demonstrated perfectly in the poems such as "Where I want to be" and "Freedom at last".

When I read the poems "To be or not to be", "Once eternity and I" and "Freedom at last", "Word of soul" and "My journey" I was totally spell bound. These are the poems about attaining freedom and peace which are an integral part of eternal happiness.

There are some poems in this collection which painted reality in the perfect shade such as "To time and fate", "The Perennial Abyss", "Essence of Life", "The Red Apple", "I am not me", and "Crossing Over". All these poems leave the reader with an array of thoughts within.

There are some beautiful poems on relationships and love as well in this book such as "Mother my first love", "When I saw you", "Me and you", "An eternal bliss from heaven", "Those beautiful eyes" and "O-mate your love I breathe".

Each and every poem in this collection has a unique taste to it. It made me have slight gooselflesh when I read "A halcyon companion". It made me think when I read "An artist". It made my heart wrench when I read "Child Labour". It made me feel divine and peaceful when I read "Radha Krishna the definition above love". It left me with a saccharine feeling when I read "Connoisseur of Aroma" and "My favorite pen".

All the poems are praise worthy but out of all the 27 poems, if I have to select only one favorite, then it will be "To Time and Fate". This poem has tremendous depth, a beautiful message and a wonderful structure. I couldn't resist myself from reading this poem more than one time.

Here are some lines of this poem:

Like a growing plant I stand

Feeling thy sun and wind in sand

Hey time thou made me calm

O' Fate, Thou art hidden in palm.

Recommended to anyone who loves to read poetry or who wants to search a little happiness and peace through words.

You can buy the book here

Book Review: My Clingy Girlfriend

Book: My Clingy Girlfriend

Author: Madhuri Banerjee

Publisher: Westland

Price: 295 INR

Pages: 249

Blurb:

What is a clingy girlfriend?

A clingy girlfriend will go through your phone.
She will destroy the contact numbers of every other girl on your phone.
She will delete your Facebook profile.
And will give you forty-five missed calls in the sixty minutes you put your phone on silent for an office presentation.
A clingy girlfriend will say:
'Carry two sets of fully charged mobile batteries so you can be in touch with me. Always.'
'In my dream, you were flirting with some other girl and then ended up in bed. Dreams are a manifestation of some act that is carried out in daily life. Are you cheating on me?'
'You have issues. You need to get therapy. Are you cheating on me?'
And the worst one: 'Why aren't we married yet?'
Obrokranti Banerjee's girlfriend ticks all of these and more. Caught between wanting to break up and the fear that he'll never find another girlfriend if he does, Obrokranti finds himself doing things he never imagined: watching Shah Rukh Khan movies, having to fast with her on karva chauth and perhaps worst of all, having his girlfriend join him on a boys night out!
Bestselling author Madhuri Banerjee brings to you an uproariously howl-arious account of a simple Bengali boy in Mumbai who copes, mopes and hopes to find logic and reasoning with his clingy girlfriend. It's writing Madhuri's never done before and promises to change her name if you don't laugh at least five times while reading this book!
You know you have one too. This is your story. My Clingy Girlfriend.

My Rating: 3/5

My Review: 

When I read the blurb of this book, a huge grin appeared on my face. I thought it to be an absolutely hilarious book and yes, it truly is. I couldn't control laughing every fifteen minutes when I was reading the book. It has plenty of funny moments which can easily lighten up a dull day.

However, there is no story in this book. You can predict what you can expect next by reading the blurb. The book is like a man's diary who has an excessive possessive and clingy girlfriend. The book gives an account of the daily troubles that the man, Obrokranti has to face because of his girlfriend, Radha.

His girlfriend stays in his house in Mumbai, eats up all his money and tries to control him in every possible manner. She is not at all independent, has no friends and hardly talks to her family who lives in Pune. She doesn't let him enter his own house when she is angry at him and doubts him even when he is talking to his cousin sister. Despite all the torture, Obrokranti, the protagonist doesn't break up with her. No, not because he loves her, but because he is afraid that he will never find a girlfriend and never have sex again in life. Also, because he wants to outdo his cousin, Shubir who has plenty of women flocking to him. Most of the chapters of the book tell how Obrokranti deals with his clingy girlfriend who makes sure that his life is always in stress. 

The narration is witty, humorous and entertaining. It is the narration that made me hooked to the book till the end. It must have been challenging for the author to write about a messy relationship from a man's point of view and she has done a commendable job in this respect.

The hilarious guides included in the book also makes it an interesting read such as "Five Ways to get out of discussing marriage", "Five ways to be a good lover" etc. 

The character of the protagonist and his girlfriend did not appeal to me. I couldn't relate to the characters, especially that of Radha. Moreover, the book had a weak and predictable storyline. However, the hilarious moments and the wonderful narration ensured that I had a good time reading the book.

Recommended for people who want to read some light-hearted fiction. 

P.S. If you have a clingy girlfriend or a clingy boyfriend, then you should definitely pick up this book at once. Trust me!

You can buy the book here

Book Review: A Walk in the Rain

Book: A Walk in the Rain

Author: Udai Yadla

Publisher: Revelation House

Price: 190 INR

Pages: 326

Blurb: Love is elixir that keeps you alive. Love is poison that kills you. Unreciprocated love keeps you alive but kills every day.
Heartbroken Sunny lives a reclusive life, trapped in the past, living in his memories. He has no complaints about his life but refuses to embrace the present.
Saloni is a prostitute who is desperate to earn money by any means. She does not care about exploiting others to fulfill her purpose.
Fate unites the loner and the prostitute to embark on a life changing journey of retribution and self discovery.

Lovelorn Sunny turns misogynistic after Sandy, the only girl he loved walks away from his life, unannounced. He suffers painful solitude for almost two decades with the relentless haunting of her thoughts. A distressed friend Imran, vows to change his life forever. A surprise planned for his birthday turns into a tragedy that claims the life of his dear friend, triggering a series of unbelievable events. As Imran gets killed by a stranger, Sunny's calm life suddenly turns into a turbulent storm. With nothing left to live for, vengeance becomes his ultimate mission. His reluctant alliance with a prostitute to trace the killer sets him onto a nerve racking adventure of life and death.

Both are bound to a common goal with different motives but destiny has its own motive. A walk in the rain is an intricate tale of intense emotions, driven by hair raising twists and turns.

 

My Rating: 3.5/5

 

My Review:

 

I loved the prologue of the book. It ensured me that I am in for a great reading experience and I am in no way, disappointed.

There are two primary characters in the book. The first character is Sunny who is a lovelorn and lonely person after his childhood sweetheart, Sandy left his life unannounced. Even after two decades, he couldn't get over the girl he loved in his childhood. The other important character is Saloni, a prostitute who has been a victim of malicious fate. 

When their roads cross in an uncanny circumstance, both of them don't realize that they are getting entwined more and more in each others lives. Although they hate each other, but they could feel a deep sense of familiarity with every passing minute. Sunny wants to seek revenge for his best friend, Imran's death and Saloni is the only one who could help Sunny in finding his prey. In return, she demands a huge sum of money. Sunny loathes her nature for the sheer greed she exhibits.

Will the hatred on the surface and a deep sense of familiarty within give way to some unbelievable revelation? What is that thread which is binding Sunny and Saloni everytime, irrespective of their wants or whims?

You have to read the book to find it out.

 

There are some extremely heart touching moments in the book, which would make your eyes clammy if you are an emotional person. The childhood love and friendship between Sunny and Sandy is something that will stay with you even after you finish the book. There are also some incredible twists and turns that makes this book an absolute page turner.

The only downside of the book is that some places in the book are overly exaggerated which makes you want to skip a few pages. If the book would have been a little more compact, it would have been nearly flawless. However, it's a commendable job by a debut author. I would definitely like to read more from him.

These thought provoking words that Sandy told to Sunny touched my heart:

It's beyond your consciousness that your soul lingers with the person you love and hence your mood will affect the one you love. This is the reason why you sometimes sense your mood changing mysteriously with no reason.

 

Recommended to all who loves to read romance with a little thrill and adventure.

 

You can buy the book here 

 

 

Book Review: Shattered Dreams (Ramayana: The Game of Life #2)

Book: Shattered Dreams (Ramayana: The Game of Life #2)

Author: Shubha Vilas

Publisher: Jaico

Price: 350 INR

Pages: 387

Genre: Religion and Philosophy/ Self-help

Blurb: Shattered Dreams is the sequel to the national bestseller, Rise of the Sun Prince, in the new spiritual and motivational series Ramayana - The Game of Life. Twelve joyful years have passed in Ayodhya since the wedding of Rama and Sita at the end of Book 1.

Now, in Shattered Dreams, Shubha Vilas narrates the riveting drama of Rama’s exile. Through tales of Rama’s unwavering and enigmatic persona, the book teaches us how to handle reversals positively; through Bharata’s actions, it teaches us to handle temptation; and through Sita’s courage, to explore beyond our comfort zone. This complicated family drama provides deep insights on how human relationships work and how they fail.

With Valmiki’s Ramayana as its guiding light, Shattered Dreams deftly entwines poetic beauty from the Kamba Ramayana and Ramacharitramanas, as well as folk philosophy from the Loka Pramana tales, to demonstrate how the ancient epic holds immediate relevance to modern life. Experience the ancient saga of the Ramayana like never before.

My Rating: 4.5/5

My Review: 

Shattered Dreams is the second book in the spiritual and motivational series, Ramayana. This book starts from the juncture when Dasaratha decides to coronate Rama and ends at the point where Rama, Lakshmana and Sita head towards Dandakaranya after spending the first year of their exile in the mighty Chitrakoot mountain.

Despite knowing the story of Ramayana by heart, what hooked me to the book is its beautiful and lucid narration. The dialogues are exceptionally beautiful. Some scenes are so beautifully described that it fills you up with reverence and wonder. The scene where Bharata pleads Rama to go back to the kingdom of Ayodhya touched the innermost chords of my heart. The dialogues that were exchanged between the righteous Rama and the faithful Bharata would not fail to mesmerize the readers. I have always admired the character of Bharata in Ramayana and this book further enhanced my admiration. As told by a Guha, a friend of Rama to Bharata in the book : 

"Blessed are you, Bharata! You are one in a million! In fact, you are the only one. No one can be like you. What Rama did is not as big as what you plan to do. He abandoned the kingdom because he was asked to do so. In order to remain an obedient son to His father and stay compliant with the rules of Dharma, he took to a life of austerities. It is easy to forsake tasty food taken off your plate, but it is extremely difficult to resist the temptation of something that is available within your legal reach"

The emotional turmoil faced by each character was desribed aptly. The words that Rama said to Bharata when he compelled him to return to Ayodhya will provoke the readers to think deeper:

"Human beings are pawns at the hands of higher powers. My forest life, too is destined by Higher powers, Daiva (the hands of God). As far as death of our Father is concerned, it is the act of Time, kala kritha. When destiny and time are not in Our hands, what purpose does blaming anyone serve? People are just instruments of destiny and time."

The beautiful bond between Rama and Sita is definitely one of the best things in this book. The delicate moments, dialogues and emotions shared between the couple don't fail to amaze the readers. Similarly, Lakshmana's devotion towards Rama is perfectly depicted in the book. There is a chapter in the book which shows the egoistic nature of Ravana. The antagonist of the epic will be playing a significant role in the next book of the series, so the introduction of Ravana was rightly done in this book. 

Throughout the book, there are several mythological stories sprinkled on it that makes it more interesting to read especially the stories about Anasuya Devi. The book ends with Rama, Sita and Lakhsmana leaving the hut of Atri muni and Anayasuya Devi. Anasuya gives a subtle warning to Sita about her fate. 

What makes this book a beautiful self-help book is the footnotes in each page which contains beautiful nuggets of wisdom. I can surely go back to this book again and again for the wisdom it contains. 

Highly recommended to people who love to read books on mythology, philosophy and spirituality.

You can buy the book from here

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Book Review: Wisdom of the White Mountain

Book: Wisdom of the White Mountain

Author: Kandathil Sebastian

Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

Price: 145 INR

Pages: 183

Genre: Fiction/ Self-discovery

Blurb: Some powerful men-including performers of black magic, underworld gangsters, sleuths, extremist zealots, and sellers of spirituality-chased a powerless, low caste man from a Kerala village through Mumbai, Karachi and Delhi till he finally escaped into the mountain ranges of Himalayas. All of them wanted to capture this man alive and keep him with them! 

However, none of these men could catch and keep this elusive man, as he always found his way to freedom. In the process of working out his escapes this man also unearthed some important mysteries of human life! Why did some powerful men continuously chase a low caste man? How did the man always find his way to freedom? What are the riddles he solved while he was trying to escape from his captors?

 Wisdom of the White Mountain is a suspenseful and adventurous story told in the cultural, spiritual and philosophical context of the South Asia. It is also about Karma, Kama and Jihad! It ultimately unravels greed and selfishness of powerful men who mix religion and politics to manipulate common people for advancing personal interests. 

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: 

There are some books that compel you to go on a journey with the protagonist and experience every victory and defeat of the protagonist deeply. You embark on an adventure with the protagonist and your mind constantly wanders with him even when you are taking breaks during reading the book. One such book is "Wisdom of the White Mountain". When the protagonist finally found freedom, I literally could taste that feeling of liberation.

The story begins with Thomas who is a low caste boy, always abandoned by people in his village and used by the powerful people for their own benefits. Being born to a schizophrenic mother and considered as an illegitimate child, his childhood was full of difficulties and drudgeries. He never received love or respect from anyone and he could realize at every juncture of his life that he was not a free man. He was captivated and enslaved for a lifetime.

His belief intensified when the rich Shivaraman Nair who was his real father tried to use him as an offering for the Tantric Puja. When he managed to escape there with his best friend Balu, he was captivated by a local goon. His journey continued from one bondage to another with several masters trying to use him as per their requirements. Though he was a Christian, he was converted to Muslim and later he was trained to be a mujahidin in Karachi to sacrifice his life in the Republic Day parade in Delhi. Despite plenty of masters trying to use and captivate him, he managed to escape every single time. Despite not being a free man and being totally powerless, a higher Power always guided him.

That Higher Power took him to The Himalayas where he gained the true wisdom of life. He understood the riddles and mysteries of life there. He became a saint and then a Godman when a Swamiji was highly impressed by his profound understanding for life. However, even after becoming a Godman, he found that he was being enslaved again.

The protagonist lived plenty of lives with plenty of names and embarked on countless journeys but he got the real freedom when he dared to walk the journey that he chose, not the journeys that other people chose for him. 

In the words of the protagonist: "To be myself in a world which constantly tried to make me something else is indeed my greatest achievement."

"Wisdom of the White Mountain" is a beautiful journey to freedom, to self-discovery and to hear that inner calling that beckons us constantly. The narration is beautifully embellished with excellent language and smooth flow. The author has done a commendable job in his second book.

Recommended to people who likes to read good literature and who loves books on self-discovery.

You can buy the book here