Shivani- a legend... Gaura Pant

I remember those days when i started reading books... the one writer i could never miss reading was SHIVANI... even today i love to read, re-read, and so on... किसी ने मुझसे कहा... कभी किसी author को देखा है book reviews लिखते ?

मेरा जवाब क्या होना चाहिए?

भाई ठीक है आज मैं एक author हूँ... पर क्या इसके पीछे वोह सारी  किताबें नहीं जिन्हें पढ़ने के बाद मैं इस तरफ आई...? 

बचपन से ही पढ़ने का शौक था... हिंदी, English , Bangla बहुत पढ़ा है... तोह क्यूँ न लिखूं उन किताबों के बारे में जो मुझे अच्छी लगी?

शिवानी जी की शायद ही कोई किताब है जो मैंने नहीं पढ़ी अब एक एक करके  सबके बारे में शायद ही कभी बैठ कर लिख पाऊं पर उन पुरानी diaries  में जो scribble किया था वोह ज़रूर शेयर करुँगी...

कैंजा - मेरी पहली read हिंदी में... एक माँ की कहानी - अगर एक दूसरी माँ सच में इतनी अच्छी हो सकती है तोह क्यूँ न माँ शब्द के सामने से ये adjectives अलग कर दिए जाएँ ... माँ तो माँ ही है न...।

चौदह फेरे- विवाह बंधन का एक अलग ही स्वरुप... एक स्त्री के जीवन की कुछ ऐसी घटनाएँ... जो शायद और कोई शब्दों में बयां नहीं कर पाता।

कृष्णकली- मेरे लाइफ की all time favourite एक लड़की की कहानी, जोसुख दुःख सभी देखती है जीवन में... उसका जन्म और उसकी जीवनशैली के उतर चढाव के बाद एक मर्मस्पर्शी अंत.. किसी के जीवन  के तार कैसे जुड़े होते हैं अपने जन्म दाता से.... एक अद्भुत कथाशैली. कालो शे जोतोयी कालो होक देखेची तार कालो होरीण चोख ।

उप्रेती - एक माँ जिसने मौत के बाद बच्चे को जन्म दिया... एक बेटा जो समाज के नियमों से जूझता रहा, और एक रुढ़िवादी समाज जिसमे हम रहते है... एक छोटी सी घटना का हृदयस्पर्शी चित्रण ।

कृष्ण वेणी - एक दक्षिण भारतीय युवती की कथा, एक घटना जिसमे लाइफ के सारे phases दर्शा दिए हैं, शान्तिनिकेतन के परिवेश में कला साधकों की साधना का जिवंत चित्रण ।

बाकि बुक्स जो मैंने पढ़ी है उनकी - चरेइवेती, अतिथि, पूतोंवाली, चल  खुसरो  घर  आपने, वातायन, एक  थी  रामरती, झालक, आमादेर शान्तिनिकेतन , मानिक, श्मशान  चंपा , सुरंगमा,  मायापुरी, भैरवी, स्वयं  सिद्धा, करिए छिमा, चिर स्वयंवरा, विष कन्या, अपराधिनी, रति विलाप, सुनहु  तात यह  अकथ  कहानी, हे  दत्तात्रेय। 

सभी कि खासियत है कि यह किस्से , घटनाएं हैं,  उनकी सारी कहानियां कुमाओं के गाँव की सौंधी महक को पढ़ने वालों के मन में उकेरती हैं... शायद उनकी किताबें ही एक वजह है कि मैं खुद उन पहाड़ों के बीच जाना चाहती हूँ.. सच में उस nature के magic का एक्सपेरिएंस करना चाहती हूँ... कभी न कभी मौका तो ज़रूर मिलेगा...

I will definitely recommend all her books to people who love reading...

Reality Bites- Anurag Anand

About the book: A sneek peak into life within the boundaries of a co-ed bostel; a compelling search for love-driven not by the callings of the heart but the anxiety of peer pressure; a passionate scandal; a hair-raising brush with certain doom and a plethora of unforgettable incidents weave together the fangs of reality – a bite that can alter lives.

In pursuit of ambitions thrust upon him by his zealous father, Atul finds himself transported to a world very different from the one he had known – the Delhi High School hostel. Amid the cacophony of curious characters, bizarre rituals and peculiar circumstances he decides to pursue an interest of his own – Ayesha, the quintessential femme fatale.

What happens next?

Does Atul succeed in his pursuit for love?

Who is 'She' the mystery girl?

What becomes of him and Bengali and Senti when they step out into yet another unknown world – the one beyond the confines of the hostel walls?





I picked this up a few days back... a must read with a coffee-mug, pouring rains... and good music... my types... The story is about Atul’s hostel life and all that he faces and learns there, well etched charachters, a beautiful word picture of an engineering college and hostel life,family expectations, all very finely carved.
ALok, swati, bengali and of course Senti keeps the pace ... finished it in one sitting,  for some hours i went back to my college-days...with a smile on my face... the bits of humour and wise thought makes it all in all a good read.. willl recommend this for sure... 4.4/5

In Course of True Love! ...I am left with nothing! by SANJEEV RANJAN !!!

All love stories are same. Or is it?

A Boy and a girl meet and fall in love. Stroy ends, Is it?

If so, then what about its journey. Its meaning, its feelings?

What could love mean to anyone?

Just a time pass or a reason to live?

What if he who remained untouched from love so far in his life, will love be a time pass for him?

What if he loves someone truly and deeply, who completes him, will he be able to see other side of love?

In Course Of True Love! Destined to be a true yet unusual emotional love saga of Aarush, a reticent boy, falls in love amid unfavorable situations, crunch moments, will make reader to think and leave them pondering Does love happen at an age of sweet sixteen? Or is it mere a passing infatuation?

Sanjeev Ranjan's debut novel stirs to unfold the reality of puppy love, and plumbs its depth, its warmth, and its meaning.

About the Author
Sanjeev Ranjan (21 years) is a final year Engineering student at Sastra University. He had spent most of his life in a small town of Bihar, Siwan. He did his schooling from DAV Public School but quest for quality education took him to Bokaro where he completed his 12th education from Chinmaya Vidyalaya.

A Non conformist and voracious reader of novels, He spends the rest of his time in either thinking news ideas or listening music. 

I picked this book a couple of days back, and finished it in one sitting, interesting, being a debut from a 21 years old, the story comes clean.... though a couple of questions are mind blogging when u start reading but by the time you finish the book, u are left thinking, certainly a good attempt. the story holds the reader from the beginning to end, a must read contemporary fiction. I will rate this 4/5

Autumn In My Heart by Saptarshi Basu !!!

Book Summary of Autumn In My Heart

Does love really end when you have a break-up? Does love always mean you have to be with the opposite sex? Can online friendships of today's generation lead to a lifelong relationship?

Ayantika longs to become independent by becoming a bank officer whereas her mother wants her to settle down in an arranged marriage. She meets Deb online and friendship blossoms into love.

In Autumn In My Heart, the author explores these areas and tries to find answers to some questions. The characters of Deb, Ayantika, Saurav, Tina, Vinod and Sagarika are finely etched and their changing relationships keep the reader spellbound.

About The Author
A Gold Medallist in Mechanical Engineering, Saptarshi Basu has worked with top IT MNCs in india. He has subsequently lived in London, Toronto, Dubai and san Francisco before moving back to his native place, Kolkata. A prolific blogger and an avid traveller, he has been into written for long, having published his poems and stories in different magazines of his earlier organizations.

I picked this book after reading the synopsis for sure, but the story can not be termed great, it is just another description of phases in life, the writer for sure has a lot of potential, and the characters are well etched, but too many twists made the story quiet complicated than necessary, at few places the descriptions are really great, the catchy title, and a good way of narration makes the story worth reading, can be read at one go... all in all recommended, i rate it 4/5.

Why Did I Fall In Love? by Vinod Pardhi

Revolves around the enigma that reasons with the necessity for love. The question grows into prominence only when love goes unrequited, unnoticed and misjudged by situations. A fateful query that few can answer perhaps. The question is powerful, drawing you to the deepest corners of a maze, where the walls look alike and where surviving is suffocating, escaping is never an option - perhaps cutting of the link with Divine providence is the last resort. Yet alas, destiny has other plans. Unless Life finds a new meaning, the magic wand continues to play havoc with your stars and provides you with a living angelic apparition - an object of adoration. Living through triumphs and failures, making promises under the mistletoe - all the rosy dreams of togetherness, stumbles over the final word of authority.

The story narrates a love saga, he begins with the essential meeting, the growing of likeliness, the vows being whispered as the years roll and the bond strengthens. No matter, how the years treat them, love makes them stronger in finding their aspirations. The union of hearts and the connection of mind are possible- but fail to survive the tirades of society. It is the differentiation in the glaring social eyes that creates the issuing troubles in relationship. And therefore Shewta and Vinod could never claim their own realms.




 I finished the book in one sitting, though there are grammatical errors and the story contains not so necessary discriptions, the story is catchy, a must read for the youth who think about ending  their life if they fail in love. there are some points at which a reader may think why has this happened... all in all a good read, as the writer has been able to communicate to the world what he needs to... unlike contemporary sex obsessed fiction, definitely a good attempt.  i will rate the book 4/5.

That Thing Called Love by Tuhin A Sinha

Mayank thus lives in disillusionment, aspiring, with diminishing hope, to fall in love in all Utopian earnestness and with his 'perfect woman'. The irony eventually arises when he identifies the image of his 'perfect woman' in an older happily married woman. The dreamer in him sets aside ground realities to flow with natural impulses, leading to a dangerously complicated relationship between the woman and him. That Mayank's relationship with Revathi unfolds during the course of one Mumbai monsoon, the first that an anticipating Mayank, experiences of the city, only makes this Utopia an even more surreal experience.








Not just one story but a mix, showcasing almost all aspects of a life in a metro, well etched characters and incidences, while Rewathi is strong, Mayank a dreamer, and rest of them revolving around spun well in words... i personally did not like the particular comments about the dusky girls, the gay part is somewhat unrealistic for the small town genre, but the story brings out the realms of the psychology... a book to keep the reader involved from start to end... the vocabulary coulkd have been easy... all in all a good read, i rate it 3.5/5

Life isn't all ha ha hee hee- Meera Syal

On a winter morning in London\'s East End, the locals are confronted with the sight of a white horse skidding through the sooty snow, carrying what looks like a Christmas tree on its back. It turns out to be a man covered in tinsel, with a cartoon-size turban on his head. Entrepreneur Deepak is on his way to get married. As he trudges along, he consoles himself with the thought of marrying Chila, a nice Punjabi girl (a choice which has delighted his surprised parents) does not mean he needs to become his father, grow nostril hair or wear pastel coloured leisure wear.\n\nLIFE ISN T ALL HA HA HEE HEE is the story of Deepak s bride, the childlike Chila, and her two childhood friends: Sunita, the former activist law student, now an overweight, depressed housewife, and the chic Tanja, who has rejected marriage in favour of a high-powered career in television. A hilarious, thoughtful and moving novel about friendship, marriage and betrayal, it focuses on the difficult choices contemporary women have to make, whether or not they happen to have been raised in the Asian community.
I picked this up for the title. Funny and sharp.,A superbly crafted, page turning comedy which isn't afraid to tackle the big subjects. wonderfully insightful a big ambitious book with serious points to be made about the choices women face today Syal mixes her message with hilarious set pieces.,The story surges along on a rip-tide of wisecracks and wisdom excellent.,A magical mosaic of friendship, betrayal and cross-cultural incongruities. By turns spicy, hilarious and sad, it unfolds the ties that bind young women to their East End Punjabi roots even as they head west for trendy careers, café bars and sexual freedom.,An engrossing and provocative book, both funny and sad. couldn't finish it in one sitting, will rate it as 3/5

The notebook- Nicholas Sparks

About the book: Noah Calhoun has just returned from World War Two. Attempting to escape the ghost of battle, he tries to concentrate on restoring an old plantation home to its former glory. And yet he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met there fourteen year before, a girl who captured his heart like no other.

But when these memories begin to slide into reality, the passion that had lain still is ignited once more though so much is in their way the miraculous force of their love refuse to fade.




A soft book, typical NS, but another amongst my all time fav. even the alzimers... could not fade away the traces of true love... A must read for the people who understand the magic of true love.... what a  quality of fiction can be.... i would rate it 5/5.

Gone with the wind- Margaret Mitchell

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the American Civil War, Margaret Mitchell's magnificent historical epic is an unforgettable tale of love and loss, of a nation mortally divided and a people forever changed. Above all, it is the story of beautiful, ruthless Scarlett O'Hara and the dashing soldier of fortune, Rhett Butler. 


My all time fav. might have read the book about 20 times now but each time i read it the magic of love... fills my soul, Scarlett... so strong yet so soft.... a romantic classic... i rate this 4.5/5.

The Secret Of The Nagas- Amish Tripathi

Much awaited Book 2 in Shiva Trilogy after the huge success of The Immortals of Meluha

Today, He is a God.

4000 years ago, He was just a man.

The hunt is on. The sinister Naga warrior has killed his friend Brahaspati and now stalks his wife Sati. Shiva, the Tibetan immigrant who is the prophesied destroyer of evil, will not rest till he finds his demonic adversary. His vengeance and the path to evil will lead him to the door of the Nagas, the serpent people. Of that he is certain.

The evidence of the malevolent rise of evil is everywhere. A kingdom is dying as it is held to ransom for a miracle drug. A crown prince is murdered. The Vasudevs Shiva s philosopher guides betray his unquestioning faith as they take the aid of the dark side. Even the perfect empire, Meluha is riddled with a terrible secret in Maika, the city of births. Unknown to Shiva, a master puppeteer is playing a grand game.

In a journey that will take him across the length and breadth of ancient India, Shiva searches for the truth in a land of deadly mysteries only to find that nothing is what it seems.

Fierce battles will be fought. Surprising alliances will be forged. Unbelievable secrets will be revealed in this second book of the Shiva Trilogy, the sequel to the #1 national bestseller, The Immortals of Meluha.

About the Author

Amish is a 36 year old, IIM (Kolkata) educated boring banker turned happy author. The success of his debut book, The Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Shiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen year old career in financial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history, mythology and philosophy. He believes there is beauty and meaning in all world cultures and religions. The Secret of the Nagas is the second book of the Shiva Trilogy.

Amish lives in Mumbai with his wife Preeti and son Neel. He is presently working on the third book of the Shiva Trilogy, The Oath of the Vayuputras.

the synopsis says it all...Right from the beginning, the book is wonderful, having a good start and a great end keeps the readr busy throuout, a good vocabulary and a great way of narration, have been written after a great deal of research for sure, magical and simply what's called fantastically expressed. A must read for the adventure lovers.... i rate it 4 on the scale of 5.

A Bowlful of Butterflies- Ritu Lalit

About the Book:This is the heartwarming story of an inseparable threesome, Chandni, Amrit and Soma. The girls are an exciting bunch, but have a rather uneventful life in the sleepy town of Majhi Nagar. They are completely focused on their impending Class-XII boards, until Chandni’s handsome cousin Jogi comes to live with her family. His presence brings to the surface many hidden truths the girls must deal with, like Chandni’s attraction for her cousin, her jealousy when her best friend and cousin fall in love, and the fact that her eldest brother is gay. The story spans a period of four months, in which Chandni and her family deal with many complex modern day relationship issues. A Bowlful of Butterflies deals with serious issues but is written in a lighthearted vein. It is an engrossing tale dealing with the transition of Chandni and her friends from schoolgirls to womanhood.


Author- Ritu Lalit

I enjoyed reading this book, i picked this up looking at the title, i thought it to be some kind of children literature initially, but flipping through the 220 pages i realized, what actually can be the connecting factors for the teens, even i might have come across some queries in my teens but at that time our perceptions were not so clear... more or less the well etched mordern day relationship issues and Chandu's description throughout the story keeps the reader busy... i recommend this to the mothers of teens... so as to get a broader insigt into the world today i'll rate this 4/5.

The Incredible Banker- Ravi Subramanian

A new Expat CEO, a bank riddled with losses in its Retail banking business, mind numbing politicking amongst the honchos, aggressive loan sales guys battling the listless credit folks Greater Boston Global Bank(GB2) seemed to be like any other foreign bank. 
Till it all changed one day when Ronald McCain, CEO of GB2 is hurriedly pulled out of his morning team huddle and summoned by the RBI Governor. What ensued thereon was something Ronald was least prepared for. How could something as catastrophic transpire in an organization, considered to be the Mecca of banking? Ronald has no answers. 
And when the CBI lands up at Deepak Sarups doors trailing the scent of a the same scandal, Ronald decides to distance the bank leaving Deepak, a senior executive, to fight his own battles. Will Ka ran, Deepak's one time adversary and now a Journo, bail him out? Will Savitha, his girlfriend, stand by him? And will his family; the CBI and more importantly the country believe what he says?
With the media and CBI in hot pursuit, Ronald can't help but wonder what his fate has in store for him an intriguing tale of love, politics, unbridled aggression and money laundering, "The Incredible Banker" is the last in the trilogy of banking chronicles Sometimes future can only be seen in fiction. 
"The Incredible Banker", a tale of corporate politics, deceit, relationships, frauds and money laundering releases in August 2011 raises some interesting and some worrying aspects of living life the foreign bank way. 
A crucial question, to answer which the reader will have to navigate his way through this 300 page blockbuster, is - What does the embedded "Red" in "The Incredible Banker" signify?. Read the book to un ravel the mystery.




What made me pick up the book was another story from the banker's mind, the well etched characters and the well engraved wordpictures presented to the readers keep them busy flipping through the 300 pages, Deepak Sarup, the central character has been a combination of many things at the same time, Savita leaves an impression on the reader's mind,  a must read for the bankers... for those who appreciate plain romance this may be a tricky affair... but for those who understand office politics this is a good pick, moreover the story gives a clear expression how India's remotest parts are eyed upon for money laundering... and social evils that exist...
I rate this book 4/5

Devil in Pinstripes- Ravi Subramanian

About the book:Devil in Pinstripes takes you behind the scenes through the power-packed aisles of New York International Bank (NYIB) and the sharpest of its minds. It is the story of Amit, an ambitious MBA who joins NYIB and thereby, the world of high pressure competitive foreign banking and the current crisis that engulfs this sector. As life throws its curves, Amit finds himself stuck between the lives of three others - his wife and later colleague, Chanda; Gowri, a power-hungry political maestro par excellence and Amit's arch rival; and above all, his mentor Aditya, who plays devious power games with almost everyone in his quest for success and fame.


The catchy title made me pick this book, I guessed it was about some office politics. The introduction was quite interesting with the protogonist , Amit Sharma getting into a mess, and he starts recalling the older days... caught attention, but a few pages later all that seems to fall flat as the rest of the plot is the common corp-politics, may be uninteresting for the non-corpos. Amit as his biotechlogist turned banker wife Chanda face some rough phases while working for the same company...(that may be the reason why spouse must not work for the same company). 
Ofcourse,there were little flashes of humour like the funny description of the way people try to talk in loud voice on a ISD call(as if their voice should reach the other party directly) etc. All in all an average read, recommended to the banking and NBFC persons for sure but definitely not a Mass read. I rate this book 3.5/5 

I bought the Monk's Ferrari- Ravi Subramanian

About the Book: Excited and nervous, a fresher of twenty-three, takes his first career flight from Bangalore to Delhi. He peeps out of the window as the flight takes off- and presto! He sees on the road below, fast fading from his vision- an immaculate bright red Ferrari, begins the quest of his life . . . for his own FERRARI. In this thought provoking book, the author, Ravi Subramanian provides a step-by-step approach towards begins successful and acquiring ones own Ferrari. The Ferrari here is not a mere luxury car; it is way worthier than that . . . it is something that even the monks wouldnt want to relinquish. Inspired by he lives of Individuals, who dreamt big and achieved big, whom the author has comes across in his career and from his own personal experiences, Subramanian pens down the Ten Commandments to motivate readers in acquiring the success they have always wished for. A must-read for those who dare to aspire and achieve nothing but the best. After all, the FERRARI is something worth dying for!!!



Another Book by Ravi, can term it as a self help book, the ten commandments may definitely be steps to succeed, I found the language good, honestly the vocabulary is strong and the book keeps you busy... and one can get to learn alot from the experiences that the author has shared, with the definition of Ferrari, the author has proved his writing skills, but I personally feel, Ravi's fictions are better than his commandments. I rate this Book 3/5.

If God was a Banker - Ravi Subramanian

About the Book:Two Young Management Graduates, With Nothing Similar In Family Backgrounds And Temperament, Join The New York International Bank On The Same Day And Take Two Entirely Different Routes To Success. Both Rise Up The Ranks At Breakneck Speed: The Fast And Aggressive Sundeep, Who Will Stoop To Anything To Get Ahead, And The Mature And Sensible Swami, With A High Regard For Good Old Ethics. The Racy Narrative Set In The High-Pressure Milieu Of Competitive Banking Carries The Undercurrent Of A Clash Of Values, In The Intermeshed Realms Of The Personal And The Professional. This Is A Story Peppered With Ambition And Frustration, Deceit And Malevolence, Love And Lust, And The Desperate Struggle For Status And Power. And, Above All, There Is A Top-Notch Banker Who Plays The Benevolent God Whenever Crises Loom Over The Young Guns??? An Insider???S Fictionalised Account Of How Indian Professionals Experience The World Of Foreign Banks, The Story Spans Three Continents

About The Author: Ravi Subramanian, An Alumnus Of Iim-Bangalore, Batch Of 1993, Is Currently Working With A Leading Foreign Bank In Its Retail Banking Unit. In A Career Spanning Close To 14 Years, He Has Worked With Various Mnc Banks And Now Lives In Mumbai With His Wife And Daughter.

Why I picked the book was firstly it was written by my senior, secondly because the title was catchy... what i thought the story to be was very different when i was ordering it on Flipkart, later i completed it in one sitting... the well etched characters and the way that they have emerged, really worth a praise but what caught my attention was the character of Sandeep... actually a person from a corporate world may find such characters around... but do we really have Gods around us? Well i will recommend this book for sure... specially to all those who have big dreams... the ratings 3.5 on  5. 

Thanks.