Book Review: The Rude Tenderness Of Our Hearts

Book: The Rude Tenderness of Our Hearts

Author: Saket Suryesh

Publisher: Partridge India

Genre: Fiction | Short Stories

Pages: 110

Price: 350

Blurb:

Smith studying art at Yale, with a bright future ahead of him. He is not a man of half-measures. What happens when he falls in love? And who does he fall in love with? How much love is too much love? Surprise yourself with Love in Yale.Shiva is a man in mourning, an asocial man, even if great. What will a father do whose daughter falls in love with an ascetic and a warrior? How would she win in love if not by losing herself? Read to find how the story of Shiva and Shailputri ends. Sarthak is a modern man, with a modern family, trapped in the modern world. This day has seen him coming out as an undisputed winner in corporate warfare. He is rushing to meet those he loves- his wife, his daughter. What happens then? Will time bring solace or will he be Betrayed by Time? A soldier is beheaded on India- Pakistan border. His headless body comes back. Will his soul find its salvation in the patriotic reception he gets as a martyr, having served his country? He is an Indian soldier, he could belong to any country. Where is the resolution to the people who die in such conflicts? Are they great men destined for divinity or are they human, all too human, like me and you? Discover a different perspective of territorial conflicts in The Death of Soldier. These and three other stories are placed in different time, different worlds, with nothing but one common thread that runs across them, connecting them is a human heart beating across the book. Surrender to the magic of human heart.

My Rating:

Plot: 3/5

Writing Style: 4/5

My Review:

"The Rude Tenderness Of Our Hearts" is a collection of 7 short stories, each of which has a profound sadness and an air of melancholy concealed in its bosom. I really liked the choice of the title of the book and how it perfectly matches with the stories in the book.

The first story "Love in Yale" is a story of an artist's love for his creation. This story has thrill, longing and sadness in equal proportions. I loved the way the author has narrated the story, describing each and every emotion of the characters in a subtle yet beautiful way. This is one of my favorite stories of this collection. I found the plot unique and the writing unadulterated. 

The next story "Betrayed by Time" is a story of a person who has always been busy with his work, thereby neglecting his family. And just when he decides to rectify his mistake, he is betrayed by time. I have read stories on this theme recently, therefore the plot did not sound very unique to me. 

The third story "Shiv and Shailputri" is a mythological story about the timeless love of Shiv and Parvati. I liked the way the author has sketched the characters of Shiv and Shailputri. This is another favorite story of mine from this collection. The divine and pure love of Shailputri for Shiv is a delight to read. 

"A bloody broken moon" is a heartbreaking story of the helplessness of a poor father. "What Honour" is the story of honor killing which is equally heartbreaking to read. The author poignantly talks about the 2 social issues that are prevalent in our country. 

"A Sad Christmas" is another heart wrenching story on poverty. The last story of the book is "The Death of a Soldier" which is one of my favorite stories of this collection. This story makes us realize how we seldom acknowledge the sacrifices of the soldiers. Inspired from real incidents, this is a sad story of a soldier who gets beheaded while protecting his country. 

Here are some quotes from the book that I liked: 

"In love, we conquer by first surrendering the self"

"Time is so cruel, only love can make it bearable."

"Some nights are very heavy on human soul. Once we live through them, we can look back at them and laugh at our silliness." 

All the stories begin with a few poetic lines from famous poems that enhances the reading experience. The writing style of the author manages to touch the heart, Although I found the plot of some stories very simple, what I liked about every story was the narration. 

However, the turn off for me was the editing mistakes and typos in some stories that affected my reading pace. Typos like leave in place of leaf, by in place of my could not be overlooked. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading short stories that deal with human emotions. For me, it is a 3.5 out of 5. 

Book Review: Metro Diaries 2

Book: Metro Diaries 2

Author: Namrata

Format: Kindle

Genre: Fiction| Short Stories

Pages: 151

Price: 49 INR

Blurb: Give life another chance. Laugh a little longer. let go of your past. Hold onto what you love. In short LIVE rather than just exist! 

Some told, some untold, some heard and some unheard - this collection of stories will make you look at life in a different light and make you ponder over its definition of it till now

My Rating:

Plot: 4/5

Narration: 4.5/5

My Review:

Metro Diaries 2 is a collection of 20 life stories that will surely make you think and introspect. Unlike Namrata's first book Metro Diaries which is a collection of love stories, this book reflect the various shades of life, both colorful and grey.

The book starts with the story "Charlatan" which is about a girl who stood up against injustice when she found about the truth of her husband. As I read the first story, I was totally impressed by the author's storytelling skills. The way she has captured the shades of human beings leave you surprised, delighted and sometimes shocked.

When I read the story "The Filch" which is a tale of betrayal by a best friend, I couldn't help but cringe. So real that it almost shakes you, if you have ever gone through a betrayal in your own life.

'The Cursed Existence", "The Plummet" and "The Last Kiss" are heartbreaking tales on the plight of women of our country. 

Namrata doesn't only showcase the dark side of life, but she also delights you with feel-good and heartwarming stories like "Stain of Love", "The Keepsake", "A Pinch of Love" which makes you smile.

My favorite stories from this collection are "Epoch" which is a brilliant story about the healing power of forgiveness, "A Rare Sight" which shows how kindness and empathy can heal the most painful wounds and "My Last Goodbye" which speaks about how sometimes a stranger can redefine the meaning of life for you.

Kudos to the author for such powerful narration that tugs at your heart and for weaving some stories that leave you with an array of thoughts. Here are some quotes from the book that touched my heart:

"Life they say is like a jigsaw puzzle and we are all like those pieces trying to find where we fit in. It is strange, but sometimes a wrong piece shows us the way to our right place."

"Not all journeys of life take you somewhere; some are meant to mislead so that you know what the right path is."

"I had forgotten that I am not like other birds that hide when it rains. I am the eagle who soars above the clouds and still continues to fly high."

"People make memories and then reach a phase where memories make people."

However, Metro Diaries 2 is not totally devoid of blemishes. Though most of the stories touched my heart, there were a few stories that seemed repetitive, trying to convey the same message again and again. There are also a few typos or editing mistakes. 

Barring that, Metro Diaries 2 shine bright and its glimmer reaches straight to your heart. I will go with a 4.25 stars.

Highly recommended! You will cherish the reading experience.

I got a review copy from b00k r3vi3w Tours for an honest review. The opinions are my own.

Book Review: Panorama (A collection of short stories)

Book: Panorama ( A collection of short stories)

Author: Shilpi Chaklanobis

Publisher: Notion Press

Genre: Fiction | Relationships

Pages: 134

Price: 150 INR

Blurb:

A turbulent relationship between a mother and a daughter takes a sudden turn when the daughter stumbles across a past that she never knew.....

The golden period of a professor’s life is tainted by questions about his purpose until one night gives him all the answers he needs........

Desperate times test us all but when hunger drives a girl to do the unthinkable, her life changes forever..........

Woven around the lives of the people around us – the shy girl on the metro, your domestic help, your neighbors and perhaps even you – this collection of short stories will take you on a bittersweet journey that explores the spectrum that is part of any human relationship and all the complexity and chaos that secretly dwell within the homes and hearts of India.

Often laced with an element of introspection, the stories are sure to change the way you see the world around you… 

My Rating

Plot: 3.5/5

Narration: 4.5/5

Writing Style: 4/5

My Review

Panorama is a wonderful collection of 15 short stories penned by Shilpi Chaklanobis. The stories are about people we see around us every day. The author has captured human emotions like vulnerability, anxiety, love, fear and hope in a perfect way. 

The first story of the book "Wok" is a beautiful story of a mother-daughter relationship where the mother who works as a domestic help gives the excuse of not having a wok to her little daughter as she cannot afford to make potato curry every day. This story captures the innocence of a little girl who is oblivious to the difficult circumstances of her life and the love of a mother who is trying hard to protect her daughter from facing the harsh realities of life.

The second story "Peanut" moved me to tears. If you ever had a pet, this story will make you extremely emotional. 

The third story "The Thirst" is about how love can blind us from seeing the dangerous intentions of the people we love the most. It is about a daughter who thirsted for her mother's love all her life. 

Each and every story of the collection is rich in emotions. The way the author has delicately captured the nuances of human emotions are praiseworthy. One of the stories of the book "The Second Tsunami" shows how hunger can overpower love at times. Realistic and extremely hard hitting, this story made me think for hours after reading it.

In the story "The Example", we see how the success of a student made a retired professor believe in the success of his career. 

The only constant in life is change. When you see your best friend and soul sister completely changed in the flow of time, it can break your heart, especially if you have held on to the memories of your bond. The story "Meeting" is about one such meeting of two best friends after more than two decades. 

In the story "Before It's too late", the author beautifully shows the importance of living in the present moment. Here are some lines from the story:

In the process of winning the race of life, he had forgotten the basic rule of living. You have to catch the spring before it's too late. You cannot expect the freshness and aroma from a flower after it has dried. A dried flower ceases to spread fragrance.

I savored each and every story of this collection. The plot of the stories might be simple and ordinary, but the narration is definitely extraordinary. Panorama captures the various slices of life and leaves the reader with an array of thoughts. 

I would like to congratulate the author for doing a great job in Panorama. For me, it is a 4 out of 5.

Recommended to anyone who loves reading stories on human emotions and relationships.

Book Review: Wreath and Other Stories

Book: Wreath and Other Stories

Author: Sangeeta Mahapatra

Publisher: Notion Press

Genre: Fiction| Horror/Suspense

Price: 250 INR

Pages: 215

Blurb: What is it that we fear? An evil presence around us, watching and waiting for a small slip, or the realisation that the malevolence is within us and has already made its move? 

Wreath and Other Stories will take you into a world that is slightly off its hinges- a bizarre, eerie realm. In short, a world much like our own, if only we would notice it. 

A dangerous obsession of an artist, a broken childhood promise, a birthday gift gone horribly wrong, a soldier trapped in a nightmare, a warning from beyond the grave, a writer's new lease of life in a "suicide central", a patient's struggle with insanity, a terrible crime in an idyllic artists' town, a man's record of his last moments, a bride haunted by her past... 

With grey characters, a creeping sense of dread, and a twist at the end, it will ensure that you go to bed satisfied, having had your fill of a world of wickedness and terror... until that world engulfs you in your dreams. 

This book will enthral lovers of horror and suspense.

My Rating:

Plot: 5/5

Narration: 5/5

Writing Style: 5/5

My review:

Let me first make an honest confession. I loved reading this book. The stories bewitched me, thrilled me and took me to a different world.

Now coming back to the review, "Wreath and Other Stories" is a collection of 10 short stories based on the theme of horror and suspense. The cover of the book definitely attracted me and so I applied for reviewing it on Writers Melon, but I was not expecting to have a great reading experience. I had read quite a few anthologies (based on horror and suspense) in the recent past and didn't enjoy them. 

The first story of this book "Red Moon" is about a broken childhood promise. After I completed reading it, I got totally hooked to the book. The best thing about the stories of this book is that you cannot guess the ending accurately. The author manages to surprise the readers 10 times in the book.

You are introduced to a character or a beautiful place in the starting of each story. You are then pulled into the world created by the author and then at the end of the story, you are surprised and shocked by the revelation.

Each story is very different from the other one. The author has experimented so much with the plots. She has woven a story based on a remarkable case of past life regression that enchants you totally. You also get to read a story about an artist's obsession on an advanced actroid. The writing is powerful and witty. The author has used different types of writing style in the book.

For example, in the story "Tick tock", she has used first person narration because it was necessary for the readers to understand a person's struggle with insanity. In the story "Deja vu", she has used third person narration so that the readers can empathize with all the characters in the story. 

I enjoyed reading all the stories, but my favorites from this collection are "Deja vu", "Red Moon" and "Malevolent". I couldn't find any such drawback in the book. So I would like to rate it 5 out of 5 especially for the author's storytelling skills and at the same time congratulate Sangeeta Mahapatra for writing this book. 

If you love reading tales of horror and suspense, then this is the perfect book for you. Get ready to be enthralled and bewitched by the ten tales.

'I received a free copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.' 

Book Review: Dare To Defy The Destiny

Book: Dare To Defy The Destiny

Author: Roma Gupta Sinha

Genre: Short Stories [Non Fiction]

Format: Kindle Edition
Price: 200 INR

Pages: 75

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: 

"Dare To Defy The Destiny" is a collection of 26 short real life stories of Indian women, trapped in unavoidable, difficult circumstances. In some stories, the protagonist dare to defy the destiny and emerge as a winner despite her brutal surroundings compelling her to accept her fate. In some stories, the protagonist is clueless about how to escape the acerbic circumstances and chose to bear everything silently.

The author, Roma urges the readers to be the "Face of Change" and not to tolerate any situation or circumstance that threatens to take away her happiness and self-respect. In the stories where the woman is unable to defy the destiny, the author voices her helplessness and enlightens the reader to not suffer in silence.

Out of the 26 stories, I would like to mention some of my favorites that left a long lasting impact on me:

End of roads sometimes masks a new beginning: This is the story of a school teacher married to a psychopath who hurts and torments her every now and then. It is how she starts a new life and says no to the everyday torture.

Dare to defy the destiny: This is a very inspiring story of a speech therapist who dares to defy the destiny.

Failed Marriages: Should they be given a second chance? Though this is an open ended story where the author asks the reader what she should have done in a similar situation, this story deeply pained me. The narration was so heart touching that you can feel the suffering of the wife who discovers about her husband's extramarital affair and her husband keeps on denying it.

Justified? You're not a woman if you can't bear a child: This is another painful story of a woman who feels like a reproductive machine. Just because she cannot bear a child, she is subjected to every inhumane treatment.

Only if everyone loved everyone else, the world would be such a beautiful place: This is a very touching and heart warming story about a mother in law who loves her daughter in law like her own daughter after her son's demise.

Role Reversals: Behind every successful woman, there is a man too: This is my most favorite story of the collection because it made me feel so good. It is the story of a supportive husband who plays the role of both mom and dad for his daughters so that his wife can fulfill her dream.

Salary Saga: What if a wife earns more than her husband: This story is about a woman whose husband starts creating conflicts in their lives and ultimately gives her a divorce letter, when she is promoted to a higher designation.

The author has poured her heart and soul in narrating these 26 stories. Most of the stories contain poetic lines at the beginning of it. Overall, it is a wonderful collection of real life stories of Indian women that should be read by everyone.

I would have given the book a 5 out 5 because of the author's sheer honesty in voicing these stories and portraying the emotions of the women, but the only thing the book lacked is editing. Since there are some editing mistakes, I am rating it 4 out of 5 and wishing Roma all the best in her future endeavors.

Buy the book here:

Book Review: Postcards from Memory

Book: Postcards From Memory

Author: Samir Satam

Publisher: First Step Publishing

Genre: Poetry

Pages: 132

Price: 180 INR

Blurb: Every moment that passes is not coming back. Yes, there might be moments in future, like the one you just experienced. But it's not going to be the same again. The one that was, was one like itself. It cannot be replaced. It's gone... Long gone... Dissolved in this crazy tasting, highly intoxicating drink of life. In an attempt to capture these bits and pieces that keep dissolving to give their distinct flavors to this colorful cocktail, I end up scribbling on my pad. This book is a bouquet of such moments that started with my mindless scribbling and ended up in verses. Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Sublime... Each piece has a taste of its own.

My Rating: 3.5/5

My Review: 

There is a beautiful poetic touch to the title of the book "Postcards from Memory". As poets, we all try to capture moments and preserve them in our poems so that we can look back at them again and again. So in this book, the poet has tried to capture the most memorable and savory moments of his life in a delicate way.

The book is divided into ten sections: Idle Morning| Temptations | Love, lies and a little nostalgia | Ramblings | A point of view | Stolen Moments | Lost Moments | Longing | One for the road | Flirting with Death

I especially loved the poems under the section Idle Morning, Temptations, A point of View, Flirting with Death and Longing. The observation skills of the poet are definitely worth applauding because he has written about everything under the sun. His emotional quotient and simplicity are the added plus points that make this book a soothing read. 

You can find poems on coffee and cakes that will literally make you hungry. There are poems on serious subjects such as global warming and honor killing that will make you think. You will also get to read beautiful, emotional poems on love, life, self-discovery and death.

The language used in the poems is simple and lucid. Therefore, no one will find any difficulty in comprehending the meaning of the poems. There are crisp, short poems as well as longer ones.

Here is a short poem from the collection under the section Longing that can give you an idea of the depth and simplicity of the poet.

Embroidered on her mind is a calm face,

Un-weaving its threads, she weeps in pain,

Nicks, 

Cuts,

Twists,

Pulls at stitches on the surface,

Until the face is completely erased,

Leaving back a faint trace,

Like the violence of an incomplete poem on a poet's page... 

However, on the flip side, there are quite a few poems in the book that could have been much better. There are some incessant long poems that aren't impactful or touching. 

Overall, the book is a mixed bag comprising some very good poems and some average poems. 

If you are fond of poetry, you can go for this book. The wide range of poems will give you a nice reading experience.

Buy the book here!

Book Review: A Little Chorus Of Love

Book: A Little Chorus of Love

Genre: Fiction/Romance/Short Story

Compilers: Preethi Venugopala| Anmol Rawat| Tina Basu| Soumyaa Verma

Format: Kindle

Publisher: Anmol Rawat

Pages: 276

Price: 49 INR

Blurb: What is love? The question brews a million different answers. Love is not an entity. It is an emotion that embraces several hues and shades within. 'A Little Chorus of Love – Love through Ages' simply follows the same idea and assembles 24 different writers portraying love in a form they acknowledge the best. 

Immerse yourself into the most powerful emotion with 24 different stories set in different time periods and feel your heart beat for that one special person in your life.

My Rating: 4.5/5

My Review: 

"A Little Chorus of Love" is a bouquet of 24 love stories that will surely mesmerize you and warm your heart. The recent anthologies that I have read usually consist of few very good stories and some average stories. Most of the time, it is a mixed bag of good and not-so-good stories. However, this book is different. I cannot pinpoint even a single story and say that it did not touch my heart.

Yes, all the stories in the book are delightfully beautiful and refreshing. Kudos to the compilers of the book for providing readers with such a wonderful collection of love stories. 

The love stories are of various flavors and therefore, you won't get bored to read the stories one after another. The book starts with Magic of Mask which is a love story of a magician and the ending of it brought tears to my eyes. There are some love stories in the book during the pre-independence era, such as Love through ages and My Red Knight that are beautifully written. 

In the story Timeless love, the author has perfectly depicted how love is stronger than death. In this story, the wife feels the presence of her husband even after years of her husband's death. The story The Recap will warm your heart as you will read the love letters of childhood sweethearts who have spent a lifetime together.I'm all yours is another story about childhood sweethearts and I think it is the sweetest story of this collection. 

There are also some wonderful twilight love stories in the book such as About Time and Beyond Eternity that shows that there is no perfect age for love. There are also some tragic love stories in the book which can make your heart a little heavy. The Eternal Wait is a tragic story where the man doesn't even have an idea about where his beloved is, and yet he keeps waiting for her, year after year with unconditional patience and love. A journey of choice has a tragic ending, but the story will surely touch the innermost chords of your heart. Que Sera Sera, The Partition of Love and Perhaps we could have been also have somber endings. 

I wanna grow old with you has many twists and turns and although it seems that the story will end on a sad note, it has a beautiful, surprising and happy ending. I felt that this is the most romantic story of this collection. When you are by my side is a very soulful story that compels you to think beyond the physical. Prerna is a very different story which has a heartwarming ending. 

All the stories of the book have a unique flavor and that's what makes this book so beautiful. In some stories, the narration is exceptionally beautiful whereas in a few stories, the narration could have been better.

I would like to congratulate all the authors of the book for penning such beautiful, heartwarming love stories. My favorite stories of this collection are I wanna grow old with you, When you are by my side, My Red Knight, The Eternal Wait, Timeless Love and Magic of Mask.

If you are a romantic at heart, then buy a copy of the book right away and let yourself drown in the magic of love once again, 

Recommended to anyone who is fond of love stories. 

Download the book here

Book Review: Emotions Unplugged

Book: Emotions Unplugged

Author: Vishal Anand

Publisher: Moments Publication

Pages: 157

Price: 88 INR (Paperback) 49 INR (Kindle)

Blurb: Emotions Unplugged is a collection of 15 short stories based on different genres. Diksha travels through the roads of Mumbai a day prior to her divorce with her husband, Virain; Gauri steals the money from her master’s locker and runs to her village; Rizwan works as a laborer in construction sites at Dubai in spite of being the son of a rich man from Bangladesh; Samar gets last gift of love from his grandmother after her death; Patrick believes after visiting a state that he has visited a country, he still had to visit 27 more countries in India; Rajat spends the night in different bars with a friend to meet a lady, Palak; an old lady who believes in her religion and hates Muslims finds an indigestible truth when she visits her daughter’s home; Vinit falls in love with a veiled girl while travelling in Delhi metro to reach his office everyday and a lot more.

Numerous emotions pluck in to bring a thought provoking cocktail. Indeed pen is mightier than sword, and words have potential to bring the change. And surprisingly you never know when it does… 

 

My Rating: 3.5/5

 

My Review:  

Emotions Unplugged is an anthology of 15 short stories and every single story is fed highly with emotions. Sometimes, the emotions produce a beautiful symphony of words, whereas at some other times, it fails to produce the perfect melody.

Nevertheless, there are some stories in Emotions Unplugged that are so beautiful, heart touching and profound that they will surely leave an imprint in your heart. 

The first story of the anthology “A day before my divorce” is definitely one of the best stories of the book. The emotions of the to-be-divorced couple Diksha and Virain are beautifully captured in the story. I couldn’t help but admire at the story telling skills of the author when I read this story.

“Let’s turn oldies” is a story that would teach you a deep lesson and make you smile. “Granny’s last gift of love” would fill you up with affection or nostalgia for your loving grandparents. “The first love” beautifully captures all the emotions when our heart starts beating for a stranger. “A country with 27 other countries” carries a very true message that we often fail to see. 

“Theft” is another golden story of this anthology. It tells the story of a poor little girl who falls in a quandary while saving her ailing father. The narration is beautiful.

“Karma returns” is the last story of the anthology that stresses on the saying What goes around, comes around.

The remaining stories of the anthology were mediocre and failed to impress me because the narration was somewhat weak. Though the theme or moral of the stories were good, the impact was somewhat lacking.

However, Emotions Unplugged is a book that everyone will relate to as we all are enslaved by emotions...aren't we? Therefore, if you want to read a couple of short and sweet stories filled with emotions, pick up this book right away.

You can buy the book here

Book Review: When Cupid Struck Its Arrow

Book: When Cupid Struck Its Arrow

Compilers: Bernard D'sa || Shonali Dey

Publisher: Raindrops Publishing

Genre: Poetry

Price: 114 INR

Blurb:  "When Cupid Struck its Arrow "is an international anthology of love poems compiled up by Bernard D'sa and Shonali Dey. The book has 21 eloquent poets across the globe venting out their heart-rending verses. As the title itself depicts the intensity of love, passion and magical spell, the book contains. Smooth-flowing verses in the book directly hits your heart. Bollywood actor "Aamir Khan" reviews "When Cupid Struck its Arrow "as a peppy collection of passionate love poems- A perfect book to gift your beloved one! So what are you waiting for? Grab a copy & Let the Cupid hit you soon.... 

My Rating: 3/5

My Review: 

"When Cupid Struck Its Arrow" is definitely a pleasant read. The 21 poems that comprise this anthology will surely strike a chord with the readers who are in love or who adores the feeling called love. 

Love is innocence. Love is peaceful. Love is pleasure. Love is pain. Love is a beauty. Love is a melody. The blend of several flavors of love together create this poetry book which can be relished by every romantic heart.Some of the poems talk about the innocence of love, some others talk about longing and passion whereas some others talk about the pain of love.

The book begins with the poem called "The scent of silence" which is definitely one of the best poems of the book. Profound and heart wrenching, this poem perfectly sets the mood to delve deeper into the poetry book. Here are some of the verses of the poem:

Songs help me somehow

Because they know how I am feeling now.

Ray of happiness whispers in the form of death

An old friend it is who seeks my permission.

But I close the door

And emotions flood my core.

Some of the poems in this book are sweet and simple whereas some poems have a lot of depth that will provoke the readers to give it another read such as "Reflections" and "I will find you". Some poems such as "Mystic hang-on" and "Love that keeps me alive" will fill the heart of readers with joy and romance. Here are some of the delightful verses of the poem "Mystic hang-on"

And then...

Before the twilight

Our whimsical dreams came 

real in a glance

The muses of our naive love-story

Danced in eternal trance

Although the theme of the book is love, it has various flavours which will surely amaze the readers.The two compliers have done a fabulous job in selecting the poems which are versatile.  On the flip side, the book has a few editing and proofreading mistakes and some of the poems are a little too simple for my taste. Nevertheless, it's a good, enjoyable and delightful book that celebrates love.

You can buy the book here