It's All About Books!!!: April 2017

Tuesday, 25 April 2017

Winning Like VIRAT: Think & Succeed Like Kohli by Mr. Abhirup Bhattacharya (Book Review-3.5*/5) !!!

If there is one personality about whom the Indians want to know as much as possible, it is no one other than Virat Kohli. After the retirement of Sachin tendulkar from Cricket, if there is one name that has managed to hold Indians to Cricket, it is the consistency and excellence of Virat Kohli. Any article or video about him gets million views just because people are eager to know even little things about him. How could I not have picked a book when it is 141 pages of talks and discussions only about Virat Kohli? I am talking about the book named “Winning Like VIRAT: Think & Succeed Like Kohli” which is written by Mr. Abhirup Bhattacharya and published by Rupa publication.

The book talks about what makes Virat Kohli the special personality and player that he is. The book tells about many things that Virat Kohli does on and off field that makes him so desirable for every person who is a fan of this game called Cricket. What is making Virat Kohli better himself with every match and what makes him so powerful even in challenging and stressful situations is widely discussed in this book. The book discusses even the latest phenomenon till March 2017 which makes reading it more interesting as you feel that you are reading a newspaper article that has got published just after yesterday’s match.

The way author integrates Virat Kohli’s style and methods with corporate world is worth commending. After every instance, author shares a learning tip that we can keep with ourselves to succeed in our life. How to be a good individual performer, team player, a leader and an inspiring figure even for those who haven’t worked with us is taught giving real examples of how Virat Kohli has managed situations in Cricket on and off the field. This book isn’t a biography of his but shares some specific moments from his career to prove some points that we, as human beings and corporate professionals, should always keep in mind and work accordingly.

Overall, the book is a great read and especially if you are fan of Virat Kohli. I give this book 3.5* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU!!!

Monday, 24 April 2017

3 And A Half Murders by Salil Desai (Book Review- 4.25*/5) !!!

It has been the 2nd time that I have read a thriller by Salil Desai and now I can claim that I am his newest fan in the list. What an author! When you write a thriller, you have to make your reader crave to know what’s going to happen next and make him/her die to reach the climax of the story. Salil Desai makes you tempt for this with his new book “3 And A Half Murders”. The journey of reading this book has been one of my best reading experiences because of the way Salil has treated the plot. The role of Inspector Saralkar has made this series one of the most awaited for Salil’s fans. The way the character has been executed by the author is incredible and delighting.

Salil Desai’s writing style is very convenient for any reader to read. The book is a great package that can be completed successfully in a single sitting despite it being 330 pages thick. The way author narrates a chapter and by the time the section reaches an interesting level, he changes the chapter and starts talking about a totally different scenario. This makes the narrative more interesting and intriguing. The built-up of every character is nicely done which makes you understand their psyche and intellect. Right from the chemistry between the dead couple to Saralkar and his wife to Saralkar and Motkar etc., every conversation that takes place between these characters are worth reading.

The best part about the book are the one-liners and punch lines that Saralkar keeps on making sarcastically either to Motkar, his wife or the suspects. Even the scenes of the interrogations are nicely written which makes them sound real. The way one or the other clues leads the Police department to their next investigations makes the story nail-biting. The anti-climax and the climax are nicely executed unlike the last book in the Saralkar series where the climax was quite predictable. The unpredictability and the backdrop of the criminal make the climax unbelievable and astonishing. The book impresses the reader with the final revelation. Overall, 3 And A Half Murders is a book that is in my recommendation list for the readers. I give it 4.25* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU!!!

Monday, 17 April 2017

A Thousand Times Over by Sudhanshu Bisen (Book Review- 3.75*/5) !!!

One of the few authors whom I always look forward to read is Novoneel Chakraborty because his books are so strange and the plot is so different and scary that it makes me think about the story day and night. There have been times when I have not slept whole night because of his book and yet attended college or job the next day with sleepless eyes and mind. I found another author speaking the same language as him in this latest book I am done reading named “A Thousand Times Over” written by the debutante, Sudhanshu Bisen. The book is published by Fingerprint and comes with the tagline “Never lose hope in true love”.

The book is of just 225 pages or so but its after-effect is wonderful and if an author succeeds in doing that, there can be no better compliment for him/her. The narrative is so apt that the author manages to hold you right from the first page itself. The book starts with describing how a character is ending up seeing the same dream again which is incomplete and scares her off. After which the book becomes an emotional and regular stuff of a family and by the time the 2nd half begins, the book takes the thrilling posture at its reader’s face. This is what makes this book glorious, readable and one of your new favorites. As a debutante, the magic woven in this book in terms of narration, language, emotions, characterization, pre-climax, climax, twists and turns is commendable and clap-worthy. There is nothing that the author has left in writing this book. His passion for this ambitious book is quite evident in all the pages. Yes!

The way two different stories are narrated one after another and the way it gets connected together in the 2nd half scares the reader’s mindset who never imagined that this is how the two different stories will get woven into one. The teen love story is handled with such maturity that it never sounds cliché. Similarly, the strange relationship of a married couple is also described with subtlety. And later on, when the husband discloses the reason of why he ends up sending a divorce request to his wife and the way story changes after that mesmerizes the reader in you which searches a good package in every book that he picks up. The thriller part in the end does not do the justice to the whole of the book as it becomes quite cliché at that moment but still as a debutante, this is a great stuff. I give this book 3.75* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU!!!

Sunday, 16 April 2017

My Jiffies by Priyanka Sharma Kaintura (Book Review- 3.5*/5) !!!

I am not a great fan of books that are in form of anthologies or short stuffs. But few books are really magical which are written with pure heart and feelings. One of such books is written by Priyanka Sharma Kaintura with the name “My Jiffies”. The book is published by Notion Press and comes with the tagline- Narration of moments, Unadulterated and Unpackaged. The book is divided in 7 different categories: Orations, Eclogues, Monologues and Dialogues, Stories, Pathos, Satire and Sarcasm and Life Aphorisms and Epigrams.

The book looks like an extract from authoress’ personal diary which makes you imagine if these are just few percentages of the whole work, then what amount of great stuffs would be still hidden in the full diary. I had never read 4 or 5 sections mentioned in the above paragraph that are major parts of this book but still after reading them, I understood and enjoyed them enough that after the completion of each section I felt like reading more of them. The vocabulary power of the author is clearly evident right from the first page itself which is a boon for the author most of the times but also makes few of her work not understandable to the regular readers of Indian fiction. Her command on the language makes it easy for us to decipher that she is hugely inspired from overseas English writers.

I found the mythology chapters written by the author more intriguing, detailed and captivating than the others. Even the short-stories in the first half are interesting with good endings and deep meanings. The Eclogues is another thought-enriching section in which author shares some of the very beautiful poetries. With each section, the book only grows upon you. The only drawbacks that I find in the books are: The vocabularies at most of the times make it difficult to comprehend what author is trying to say. Few chapters in between of the many beautiful chapters look totally clueless and out of the context. Otherwise, this is one of the few books in this genre that has made me feel comfortable as a reader. The authoress’ jiffies did work for me satisfactorily. I give this book 3.5* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU!!!

The Jeera Packer by Prashant Yadav (Book Review- 4*/5) !!!

It’s not always that you come across a book by a debutante which makes you sit at one place in your bedroom and go on reading despite IPL running in the other room. That’s the magic Prashant Yadav’s “The Jeera Packer” does upon you! If you ask me what I did for 8 long hours- read a book or watched a movie, the way this book has been written, my answer would be- I watched a wonderful movie which never felt stretched or boring. It only made me appreciate the protagonist and become his heart and understand his body language and mental state in each and every page. I have not read many political thrillers but reading this one makes me want to read from Prashant Yadav only as I do not think any other writer can do such justice to the genre. If there’s any, do let me know.

The writing style is intriguing which makes you turn page as fast as you can. The book didn’t have much twists and tales but yet, it made you watch out for what is going to happen next. The characterization is so beautiful and perfect that even when a character disappears and reappears after 50 or so pages, you remember him clearly. For few characters, you just desire them to appear as soon as possible as you want to know what their thoughts are at this point of time in the story. The best part of the writing style of Prashant Yadav is the way he has narrated the story of protagonist as first person while switched to second and third person for narrating the sequences taking place with other characters. I also liked how the two different scenarios are integrated in middle of the story with a plan that protagonist decides as his ultimate goal of life.

The first half of the book is little slow but it is mostly spent in developing the characters hence it is also fun in reading as we get to know a new person every now and then. The backdrop of each personality is described in detailed so that the reader gets to know why they take a certain step later in the book and do not find it weird. The background of Uttar Pradesh is also treated perfectly and very well in the book. I, being from North India, could really relate with many parts of the story. It also made me remember the movies like Wasseypur, Revolver Rani etc. The family of both, the protagonist and the CM, is very nicely maintained throughout the book.

The pre-climax is very nicely treated as author closes down each and every chapter intelligently making it sure that he does not miss out on something. The climax is predictable and not that boomerang but still it makes you smile that the protagonist did not have to go through the kind of severity you kept predicting since the start of the book. The humor level in the expressions of the characters during few scenarios does refresh the mind of the reader who is awaiting a thrilling scene. Another treatment for which I would specially like to quote author is for the character of Lal Mani. What an incredible work done on this part! Overall, this is a book that can really enrich your mood. I give it 4 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU!!!