Mysterious Realizations!

  Author: Shalini P Sawkar Buy it here: Confession of an IT Employee Publisher: Kalamos Literary Services LLP Genre: Contemporary Romance   Before I begin, I would like to thank the author for sending me a complimentary copy along with a lovely handwritten note. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and what made it even more special was its timing. The book reached me during a particularly demanding phase of my professional life. Reading it felt like sitting across from a friend who simply understood the emotional ups and downs that many working professionals experience. Sometimes a book arrives exactly when you need it, and this was one of those books. One of my favourite aspects of the book is its simplicity. The language is easy to follow, the pacing is smooth, and despite being a short read, it manages to leave a lastin...

 Ours was an arranged marriage. Before our families introduced us, I had never even heard his name before. From seeing him as a quiet, reserved man and wondering if I was about to marry a complete khadoos , to slowly admiring and being fascinated by him, it was a long journey filled with confusion, assumptions, and emotional gymnastics. At least on my side. To this day, I have no idea what goes on inside that head of his! In those early days, when everything felt uncertain and I was stepping into unfamiliar territory, we often went on long drives. We'd find random spots on the outskirts of the city and sit there for hours, enjoying the view. One of the first things we discovered was that we both loved escaping the city without any real destination. On one of those drives, I told him how obsessed I was with Prateek Kuhad's Cold/Mess . The song had been on repeat for weeks, and the singer was quickly becoming a favorite. Since the song wasn't on his pen drive, I played it...

  Name: Buildit     Author: Albinder Singh Dhindsa Publisher: Harper Buisness Genre: Business Memoir   Blurb Blink It is the inspiring story of how Grofers transformed into Blinkit, one of India's most recognized quick-commerce brands. Through candid storytelling, founder Albinder Dhindsa takes readers behind the scenes of building a startup, navigating failures, solving unexpected challenges, and adapting to a rapidly changing market. More than a business memoir, the book is a journey of perseverance, innovation, and continuous learning. As someone who has spent years thinking about starting a small business, I found Blink It to be a refreshing and highly engaging read. The book is written in simple, easy-to-understand language that keeps the pages turning. Rather than feeling like a traditional bus...

  Name: Laugh with Me         Author: Ruskin Bond Publisher: Harper Collins Genre: Humor   Blurb: Funny things have happened to me all my life, and I find them exhilarating!" says Ruskin Bond, one of India's most loved authors, who supposedly has not one but several funny bones in his body! 'Laugh with Me' is Ruskin Bond's invitation to all readers to join him on a crazy, fun ride through a book that is funny, witty and funny again! From swimming escapades, train adventures and courtroom dramas to mistaken identities, school episodes and much else, each anecdote will have you rolling with laughter. "If you can see the humour in your life, and if you can laugh at yourself from time to time-- you will be a happy person." The bright, lively pages will have you laughing with Ruskin Bond from beginning to end! My Thoughts: Reading the name Ruskin Bond instantly took...

Name: All Roads Lead Here     Author: Suchita Agarwal Publisher: Notion Press Genre: Fantasy / LGBTQ+ Fiction   Blurb: Parth has always been different: a gifted earth elemental with a power that defines explanation. But beneath his popularity and magical prowess lies a secret he’s kept buried for nearly a decade: the magical explosion that separated him from someone he once held dear. Now seventeen, Parth is caught between a crumbling relationship with his boyfriend Faizal, a growing friendship with Manvi and a mystery involving Saurabh, Faizal’s academic rival. And then there is Division Bright. The Government department has ignored Parth since he was eight but after an extraordinary display of magic Infront of his friends, they’re suddenly interested. As buried secretes resurface, Parth and his friends find themselves caught in the middle of a government cover-up: one that could change everyth...

  Name: Shadow Town (Buy it here)   Author: Sreemati Sen Publisher: Locksley Hall Genre: Horror Book Cover Designed By: The Book Bakers Blurb:Dr. Deesha Arrives in a remote tribal village where legends abound, superstitions rule, and local deities flourish. Questions arise in her mind. Is Bensho a spirit or just a prank by a villager? Why is everyone steering clear of the beautiful pond? Who is lighting up the dark, marshy land every evening? Aren’t curses a belief of fools? Deesha dismisses them all. Soon, a crisis erupts, and she comes face-to-face with a long-dormant legend. Forced to confront reality, Deesha realises that the line between science and the supernatural is thinner than she imagines! My Thoughts:  The Shadow Town  positions itself within the tradition of atmospher...

  Recently, I found myself caught in what feels like a never-ending search for a nanny. Almost everyone in my family has, at some point, said, “Dikri to amari bov j dhayi che, jate j rami ley che, khali koi akho divas ene joya karee evu joiye” “our daughter is sensible, she plays on her own; we just need someone to watch her through the day .” My daughter is two. Her world is measured in nap times, picture books, and carefully cut fruit. Her biggest worry is whether her stuffed toy is within reach. When we began looking for someone to stay with her full-time, it felt like a practical, even ordinary decision; something urban families do. That is how we landed in that living room. The family we were visiting had a “house help” who mentioned that she had a friend willing to come stay with us 24/7 for ₹5,000–6,000 a month. A “Too good to be true” deal. As we waited, the girl, about twelve or thirteen walked in with chai and biscuits. She moved with the quiet efficiency of ...

  Inspired from True Story: Rekha had never been popular in the village. In fact, “foul reputation” was the polite phrase the villagers used for her. She was the kind of woman who asked inconvenient questions, enforced rules that people preferred to bend, and interfered where silence was the easier option. “The school was built for the children of this village,” Appa Seth thundered during the village meeting. “Who is she to make her own rules? It is our right whether we send our children to school or not. Let us file a formal complaint to the center!” Murmurs of agreement rippled through the gathering. The meeting consisted of one male representative from each part of the village. Women, as always, were conspicuously absent. Each man had his own grievance against Rekha. “She pokes her nose into private matters,” one complained. “She thinks she knows better than us,” another added. “And now,” Appa Seth said bitterly, “she has crossed all limits. The other day she forcibly ...

  Name: The Turning         Author: Shannaaya Chopra Publisher: Harper Collins Genre: Fantasy The Turning marks an impressive debut by Shannaaya Chopra, a 19-year-old psychology student who ventures confidently into the realm of werewolf fantasy. Written with youthful energy and emotional sincerity, the novel explores identity, destiny, and inner conflict through the journey of its protagonist, Kiara Sharma. What begins as a light, almost familiar coming-of-age story gradually transforms into a high-stakes fantasy filled with danger, discovery, and moral dilemmas. The Turning succeeds in capturing the reader’s attention and establishes Shannaaya Chopra as a promising new voice in the fantasy genre. The novel opens on a relatively gentle note, rooted in the everyday life of Kiara Sharma, a schoolgirl surrounded by a close-knit group of friends who love and support her deeply. Li...