Book Review : A Wild Rose

Book:  A Wild Rose

Author:  Uzma Jafri

 ISBN:  9789350880630

Genre:  Fiction/Romance

Price:  150 (I received it from Author)

Pages:  263

Publisher:  MAHAVEER PUBLISHER

Introduction:  
 If you are one amongst those who is always curious about- ‘why all bad things happen to good people’ then I must say this story would leave no stones unturned. A passionate story about love that reflects the true picture of teenagers/youth specially females who up till the age of late twenties grow up with the dreams of prince charming coming and sweeping them off their feet. A riveting must read for the fairer sex and an eye opener for all.

Cover page & Title:

If anybody wants me to generalize the story in one line I would say ‘A Wild Rose   love blossoms… until the thorn pricks’. Title is as aptly named as the cover page and therefore there should be a special mention of inkstudious and Sunil Kaushik for their outstanding work as any person who has read the story can acutely flash back through the entire story just by a glance.

About the Author:

Though she belongs to an affluent Muslim family, Uzma Jafri has been brought up in the most cosmopolitan way. A commerce graduate from Delhi University with a keen interest and active participation in public speaking, helped her to chisel a career in the media world. A television anchor by profession, she glows as a human being due to the unconditional support and love of her husband and child.

‘A Wild Rose’ is her debut humble attempt. Being a feminist at heart and in her actions, Uzma wrote this woman- centered fiction so that she could share her views with her readers. She is also a patron of the Non Profit Serve humanity foundation NGO which solely aims at serving humanity irrespective of colour, religion and culture.

She hands over the book to you and says “I hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!”

Website : www.uzmajafri.com
Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/awildrosebyuzmajafri

Compositional Report:

The first and the foremost thing that comes to my mind while writing about it’s compositional report is the panache at which the Urdu shayaris have been used and therefore I would suitably state a shayari which clearly defines the state of  the main character Ritu Anand –‘Doodh ka jala, chhaachh bhi phook phook kar peeta hai’ (Once Bitten Twice Shy).  

If the lessons of one’s first debacle is understood and analyzed properly the outcome of any recurring incidence would be sound. Though we often see a person who is being deceived once undergoes the pangs again and again if he/she doesn’t learn from their past experiences. Furthermore their wounds deepen when they start believing a person whom they know only for a certain time over the ones who know them from their childhood. This is the baseline over which the entire story revolves.

This story reminds me of one of the common question we often ask ‘Why do good people always suffer ?’ It’s not because they are genuinely good it’s because they are unable to differentiate between gold and the dust (good and the bad). 

Ritu Anand tries to salvage her lost possession (Name and fame) by returning to media after 2 years a consequence of the brunt of traumatic divorce which she has kept secret to the rest of the world. It’s said a person who has everything but not love is missing a huge chunk from their life…same was the case with Ritu, in the urge to find love she met a dashing, Casanova Anshuman through her new job in DAG (Dharma Agni Group).
Initially Ritu was weary of Anshuman though she was attracted to his looks but when Anshuman played his cards…it was too much to handle for Ritu and she gave in. Unable to control her crave for love she even curtailed her relations with her best friend Sumbul Siddiqui thus ignoring her warnings. This was the beginning of the path to downhill, Blinded by love she could only feel the passion of the wild rose until she was pricked by the merciless thorn. By then it was too late for either her best friend or her parents as the damage was beyond control.  

 

The best part of the story according to me is the way Uzma handled emotions. Though it’s a fiction but I believe there would be many who would relate their thinking with that of the main character Ritu and the dilemmas surrounding her.

I had one question right by the time I went through this Story. I am not taking anything away from her BFF (Sumbul Siddiqui ) and her efforts. She knew in and out about her friend…She knew it very well that Ritu was going down the wrong road then why didn’t she come up to rescue her friend before? Why was she not making efforts to contact Ritu for 2 months? 


This indeed is the charisma of the writer who made me feel helpless going about this riveting story. Full marks for the way she handled a rather difficult theme. Mesmerized with precise and engrossing story and now am eagerly waiting, crossing my fingers for the 2^nd Part as I believe almighty can never be so harsh to people who are genuinely true with their feelings...!!!

Rating:

I would rate ‘A Wild Rose’ 4 out of 5

Life Adjudication of the book: 

Though a fiction but a true eye opener which narrates the truth of about every second teenager/youth. This book shouldn’t be read for mere enjoyment but for a social upbringing.

Book Review: because every raindrop is a HOPE

Book:  because every raindrop is a HOPE

Author:  Mansi Sharma and Shankalp Kohli

ISBN:  9789380914435

Genre:  Fiction/Romance

Price:  125 ( I received it directly from Writer)

Pages:  182

Publisher:  GENERAL PRESS


Introduction:

One should never let one’s ego to vouch the center stage in Friendship and should always let trust to overhaul all misunderstanding in close friends. When am speaking about ‘because every raindrop is a HOPE’ Trust and Ego would be the two words which would lead up to mearstones.  Mesmerizing plot that will compel you to believe – ‘There’s always time to forget your past and start a new beginning.’  With a power pact moral –‘People say we die when we stop breathing but the truth is we die when we stop Hoping’.  This book is a must for all bachelors who more often than not are carried over by infatuations thinking its love thus ruining their life. A book which will motivate you to have a clear sight of Friendship, Love, Jealousy, Lust, Ego and most importantly Hope, when you are all set to give up. ‘because every raindrop is a HOPE’ is wound around college life but am sure it will give enough leads not only about life at college but Life above all…!!!

Cover page & Title:

With a rather somber looking cover- A man facing backward looking over the woodlands in a mist, readers might think this to be a serious read. Title also gives an indication of something even brainstorming but mind your thoughts as this is as entertaining and fast paced as you can get. This book falls in one of those rare categories where I can profoundly say-‘Never Judge a book by its cover.’

About the Authors:
Mansi Sharma Having a zeal to sail the vessel, till the river runs dry in the chase of her dreams; Mansi is a person who takes the challenges and surprises that life and destiny throws at her, with courage.       
Nesting big dreams from her childhood in the Beautiful City of Chandigarh, post her Graduation in Physics (Hons.) from PU, she moved to Pune for her Masters. An MBA Graduate from SCIT, Pune, Mansi is presently working in one of the top Indian Telcos.       
With a slice of painter, dash of an avid reader, a writer and an unexplored poet, she is an emotional and sensitive person.              
Sankalp Kohli Born and brought up in Kanpur, Sankalp is an MBA Graduate from NMIMS, Mumbai. 
An entrepreneurial soul with an imprint of a perfectionist, he is a workaholic, who believes in turning every single moment of life into something constructive and fruitful. Being an avid reader since the beginning, he eventually began giving his thoughts and ideas, the wings of words in the form of blogs.        
He is a person who holds his parents above all, especially his mother. All his dreams and aspirations are driven by his wish to make his parents feel proud

Compositional Report:
As I said earlier this book will thrust you off-guard by the time you finish the first few pages as you would realize you are about to read about bachelor life, a life in college…And college life can never be dull no matter what kind of person you are…!!!

The story revolves around a teenager Raj Malhotra as the main lead who sets off along with two of his childhood friends Rahul Bhatia and Rohan Awasthi from a small town Kanpur to a fast paced Metropolitan-A city which never sleeps- Mumbai for his higher studies at Mumbai College of Engineering and management studies (MCEMS) for a five year integrated course. Story is divided into 15 chapters and an epilogue but I would categorize it into three Parts.
First part of the story deals with Raj settling in one of the Hostels of MCEMS near the Juhu beach with a windup of his 1^st love Shruti and how he lost her. The story moves forward with the echelons of Ragging night, First day at college, falling in love with a rather simple looking girl Mahek, Cricketing heroics, Exams, Jealousy about a friend reaching a milestone, Ego clashing and all the cliches of about the college life… but the real difference would the way each of this topics is handled… freshness of plots woven around an interesting subplots guiding the story forward. One would feel as if there’s someone whom you know sharing the same traits as its portrayed…whether it’s about the true love Of Mahek, Ragging Blurs, relief of achievement or jealousy of a friend taking over…This part is as entertaining as it could be.

Second Part…or I should say the turning point of the story where Shruti met raj coincidentally. Raj felt as if his lost love is back and in the process ditched Mahek but very little did he knew that Shruti didn’t come to stay and she got rid of him the same way she left him on the first occasion. Unable to bear the brunt and the feeling of ‘None can ditch him’ Raj implied the same for Mahek and Mahek struggled to keep herself up to it and struggled to move on. Meanwhile in a quest of love or I should say lust raj ended with one night stand with a German Cera in his trip to Goa with Rohan, Rahul and Rahul’s girlfriend Preeti . In strive to forget his past (Shruti and Mahek) Raj took to drugs which he himself condemned all his life but that was just a day’ affair and he needed something that could bury his past. He eventually hooked up with Debonita, a foreign exchange student and Rohan’s girlfriend…more for jealousy of being single amongst the three friends and for the growing concupiscence for the NRI Debonita. Debonita held the weakness of Raj perfectly and tuned his ego to hate his friends and thus forced Raj to grow his distances from his childhood friends. She even forced raj to commit a theft in the Funds of college that was meant for the college fest and finally sided her way out of Raj’s life.



The Third and the Best part according to me was the final part where Raj seemed hopeless…everything was lost for him…No friends, No one to share a moment with though he was the General Secretary of the college he had no one by his side. He had already lost Mahek whose love was genuine. Once A topper and a person who had grabbed the best package flunked and his low attendance did come up to his savior. His Impression also demeaned in front of Professor Tripathi whom raj looked up as a fatherly figure as Prof. Tripathi found about his theft though he saved raj from landing in jail…but till then everything was over for him…and it was only of the trio
 1) Rohan’s word before he met Prof. Tripathi. (A friend’s Concern)
2) Prof Tripathi’s realization words for Raj (Realization of what he was and what he is now)
3) Old Villager’s Retrospective speech of hoping and striving against all hope (To get over his past and start with a new hope)




The retrospective realization and hope was very carefully intertwined with the rain drop falling and its importance to  hope of a new beginning with Prof. Tripathi’s Word- “Life Doesn’t End when Every Rain drop is hope”

As for the loose straps it was hard finding out but I believe the start was a bit- beat around the bush as it was concentrated on the college happenings  rather than the main theme. But above all it was a fantastic read both from entertaining and motivating point of view and one can’t get any better plot as this one which was focused on a bachelor life…a life where we often chose the wrong compartment for our destination as such this book is right up there for motivating people to realize the worth of many ethics I described above which if forgotten would lead to a life…better not lived. ‘because every raindrop is a HOPE’ is a book which will surely out number your expectations.

Rating:

I would rate ‘because every raindrop is a HOPE’ 4 out of 5
Life Adjudication of the book:

A Book to read when you are not at your best and striving to get back at life as this will not only entertain you but will motivate you to give your best.

Book Review: The November Note

Book:  The November Note

Author:  Sanchit Goel and Prateek Verma

ISBN:  978-81-926780-0-9

Genre:  Fiction

Price:  100 ( I got it from Author himself)

Pages:  176

Publisher:  PepperScript

Introduction: A real friend is someone with whom you can confide yourself without worrying about the consequences of your indifferent past or your probable future.  A friend with whom you Share, Fare and Care about life and most importantly learn to live life with all the happiness and unhappiness around. ‘The November  Note’ is a journey of two unknown people  who met anonymously, led friendly and shed tears affectionately until they become inspiration for each other’s life. A grueling fictional story depicting hostel life, life in general and special of two about to be engineers which am sure will touch every reader’s  heart more so for all those who come from engineering background like me.
So here I go with ‘The November Note’ relieving some of my old memories as I felt I could see those incidences right from my hostel window, like waiting for something miraculous to happen…this November…!!!

Cover Page: Sometimes the look of it gives you the impression that yes…this would be something you would be interested to vouch about. Cover page itself will instigate you to go through the book in one go. Two friends sensing the aroma of leftover leaves sprawl over their arms while looking over the city, with one sitting on the bench and the other holding a guitar makes you believe … they do have a story to tell and the car on the back page encompasses the journey they are going to cover together.

About the Authors:  Sanchit Goel and Prateek Verma are authors turned entrepreneurs who co-founded a Delhi based publishing unit PepperScript.
Considering the positive response and love received by their debut novel, they decided to republish it in a whole new avatar as ‘The November Note’. It’s the most awaited revised edition of 'The Bachelors Theorem'

Compositional Report: ‘The November Note’ is a story of two acquaintances Midhansh Bharadwaj and Sidhesh Aggarwal who through the companionship of each other changed the direction of their life…to be exact their love life.  This book is divided into 6 parts or I shall say 6 episodes each having an importance is if a different story to reveal.

Midhansh narrates the 1^st part briskly on how he came up to his college and met various people and finally settled in to form a mushrooming group of punters with all punctuations including hostel life, Ragging blues, Exam fear, Partying and not to forget sorting out ways to get a girl go along with you.

2^nd part was about the growing friendship of Midhansh and Sidhesh as it was the moment when Sidhesh revealed about his life, the first time when he met Jiya, His instant falling in love with her, proposing her, Celebrating a grand Birthday, talking overnights, 12^th exam Blurs, their quarrel… in short Sidhesh lived his life the way he wanted but still wasn’t happy because of the uncertainty of his relationship with Jiya in future.

3^rd part again swayed back to the hostel which included their growing friendship with other hostel
mates, their whooping, freaking Wassail, horrendous results and their passing up with girls around in college…which shows the true colors of jealousy, rage, misunderstanding and fooling around.

4^th part continued from where 3^rd part ended and revealed the characteristics like revenge, Astuteness and mischievousness. While this part was also the turning part of the story as it also exposed true friendship and the way Midhansh reacted after their loss in the sports events was the highlight of this part.

5th part was all about finding the hidden trails and it divulged the truth about Midhansh which no one knew including Midhansh’s parents and this to me was the best part of this story when you get to know about the hidden secrets and you tend to look at your friend with ingenuity as if a soul sent to you by god to wipe up all your troubles in spite of having a world complexities in his own personal life. 

6^th part deals with the impishness of a true friend and truly speaking any person who would have been there in place of Sidhesh would have done exactly the same…to try your best for a glimmer of hope for the person who led his life for you…for your happiness.

As for the negativeness…the third part which swayed from the personal life of Sidhesh didn’t go well with the flow of the main theme. The end of the 3^rd part was equally lose as it was written as if it was a conversation about two people Midhansh and Sidhesh whereas up-til now it was Sidhesh who was narrating the story…the ending too didn’t seem to have a conclusive ending as the epilogue promised with a suspense starting. It was an abrupt ending nothing was mentioned about Midhansh and his current situation and the focus shifted towards the other part of hostel life with Grand Pa’s (Anubhav Goel) Story.


Overall a story where every engineer can identify themselves as if it’s something they have faced or have seen their friends going through. A story I believe everybody would like as stories about college and hostel are worth reading and going for in your leisure time…'The November Note' is a story about True Friendship, Love, hatred and the rest is up to you to find yourself.
Rating: I would give it 3 out of 5

Life Adjudication of the book:

This book is best read to live in those sweet-sour moments of your life which you yearn to live again and again…!!!

Book Review-Wrong Means Right End


Book: Wrong Means Right End
Author: Varsha Dixit
Publisher: Rupa
Price: Rs. 140
(i got it from Blogadda for Free in a review program)


How often you find a romantic story equipped with genuine friendship which overcomes all mishaps and misunderstandings, only to find her to fight all out to save her best friend’s marriage while taking help from someone whom she dislikes the most and then falling in love with that very person. In the meanwhile doing the best she can for the person she loves so dearly as such he can start a new beginning, only to find herself distanced and cursed for life. The climax, for instance required a brilliant display of willingness coupled with raw feelings to forge his (from her counterpart) Love back, all these and more thespians to find a partner for life… This story is for all those people who love to  read a story of Love, Lust, Hatred, Jealousy, Revenge, Friendship  and true Love;  This story is for you all …!!!

Wrong Means Right end is a Sequel of ‘Right Foot Wrong Shoe’ one of the best sellers published back in 2009, which marked the debut of Varsha Dixit into the Writing world. Wrong means Right End is centered on a Single Working Mom (Sneha Gupta) and her utter disinclination towards love after her failed marriage…

 
The main plot of the story is carefully wound around a series of incidents  which were focused on Sneha, a Divorced ,Single mother, Hardworking and belligerent person finding a True love in Nikhil (Nikhil Chandel) whom she surely doesn’t like, She Loathes him to be exact. 


The First part of the story revolves around Nandini Sharma (Sneha’s Best Friend) trying to find an ideal Match for Sneha enforcing further strains on Sneha. Sneha on the other hand though with her extreme unwillingness is laid back with her BFF efforts to find a man, though invariably finds pleasures in her plight.
Nandini Sharma married to industrialist Aditya Sarin (Also a closed friend of Sneha), found herself clutching to a narrow thread of marriage after distancing herself from Sneha thanks to a self proclaimed friend Mona and her lustful school friend Gayatri. At that moment Nandini required a person (Sneha) who has intense attachment to Aditya and Nandini’s wellbeing to come to their rescue with the help of Nikhil Chandel.


Nikhil Chandel, emotionless, astute,  handsome and a rich industrialist who hates Sneha to its prime in a view to do good (to Nandini and Aditya) falls in love with Sneha through a series of incident and couldn’t back out from the feelings that were growing within him, finally revealed the dark secret of his life to Sneha. Sneha in her dignity of always doing the best thing took Nikhil to meet her ex wife Alisha only to find herself losing the only love she had in her life.


With all those minute details and the realistic view of the characters where one could always identify oneself fitted in the script anywhere and everywhere…The best part according to me was the climax which was well framed one where Nikhil Chandel  finally came berserk to justify himself and his long lasting love to Sneha.  Though Sneha was hurt beyond repair, it needed the helping hand of Nandini, Aditya, and Gayatri to play their part to conclude a well knitted love Story.



If there’s anything I didn’t like in this book is it’s mundane and terrestrial events before the final concluding part…if it were any longer it would have really took away the main jest of the story…yes I know there has to be mysteries before the climax but the story went coherent with non responsive array of incidents. Few more twists molding up to the climax would have been ideal.


In spite of plot which is being overused…it was a good read as it touched the feelings as one could always identify oneself in it. With enduring storyline, realistic characters and many heartfelt events this is a book to read…For More Read Wrong Means Right End by Varsha Dixit
 

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