'Criti....que not Criti....cize'

Journey to the Hills and other Stories by Divyaroop Bhatnagar My rating: 4 of 5 stars 'Enjoy the gentle charms of a forgotten time as you turn the pages of this little book.'- Divyaroop Bhatnagar, Author- Journey to the Hills and Other Stories True to what was promised, this book delivers the little nuances that the present generation can only imagine and love! This is the story of a family who visit Mussoorie,India to beat the extreme harshness of the summer.Set in the 1960s and 1970s, it has an old-world charm to it. With a beautiful house named Ida Villa in a place called Camel's Back Road, it is a tale of their adventures, the people involved in the process and of course nature's bounty. The Picture Palace, the Methodist Church, the Bata Shoe Shop, Kwality restaurant and the Rialto Cinema are places that surely create an impact on the reader and make one think about the good old days in a pleasant way. One can observe well that even though the elders of...

The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is one book that maybe everyone of us should read at some point of time in life. Ofcourse women may associate more with the central character Miss. Lucy Silchester but then this poignant tale has got a little bit of wisdom, fun, encouragement and also loads of humour. The novel begins with a description of Lucy's messed up small apartment that she somehow calls her 'home'. The author has given such a vivid description that one can actually feel the repulsion from that little place called Lucy and Mr. Pan's(her cat) home. The best part about the book is that Lucy has an appointment with her own life! Now imagine yourself having such a meeting where you find your life standing infront of you, demanding your attention when all you have been doing is neglecting it! Sounds scary? Weird? Interesting? No matter what your answer would be, this surely remains an essential read. There are some ...

Trust: A New Beginning by Cristiane Serruya My rating: 4 of 5 stars Trust: A New Beginning by Cristiane Serruya 'If' is a word that life doesn't consider. And that's exactly why we should be asking 'why not' instead of 'what if'. The first of the Trust Trilogy, this is more than just a story. It's a journey worth embarking upon with Sophia, the central character of the story. It's the story of a woman with an indomitable spirit, a woman of substance. What else can one call a lady who inspite of losing her husband at a young age, tends to her little daughter Gabriela ( the 'cuteness' element of the story)without breaking down to the pressures of the world.She is young, beautiful,intelligent and has the world at her feet. And yet there is a dark side. She is an awesome driver but she has taken lessons in driving away to safety incase of an emergency. The reasons are untold and makes the reader wonder what could possibly b...

Look Stunning At Any Size by Parimita Chakravorty My rating: 4 of 5 stars Look Stunning at any size ( By Parimita Chakravorty) Publishers: V&S PUBLISHERS( www.vspublishers.com ) Cost: ₹495/- Pages: 172 For all those who think that this is just another self-help book that would not help more than gathering dust in a corner of your bookshelf, then think again! This is one style guide which every woman should have in her wardrobe along with the many other make-up kits she wishes to buy and stock up on. True to what the author says, it has something for every woman. Instead of preaching, it helps you to find out for yourself, the best things that would suit you according to your bone structure, face type and skin tone. The illustrations help to make things simpler and clearer. Instead of wasting big money on a dress that you would never wear but are purchasing just because it looked good on the mannequin - this will stop from now! After reading it, one can b...

Poetic Expressions Vol. V by Carl McKever My rating: 3 of 5 stars Poetic Expressions Vol. V By: Carl McKever It’s a new season, it’s a new day! With the opening lines of the book (in the preface itself) you get a happy feeling. Sit with a cup of coffee, if not, you surely would desire one somewhere in-between the reading session that you would embark upon. Fourteen short stories and three poems await the reader. But before that, it’s the hard-bound cover that attracts you towards it. The feel of holding an amazing book.. Not too heavy, nor too light… Just perfect to carry and even read it on your way to somewhere, it’s worth a read! ‘Vague’, ‘The Masses’, ‘Living in the Moment’, ‘Ambition’ remain my personal favourites. I really feel that ‘Magnolias’ should have been stretched a little more. It felt a little bit incomplete- the beautiful city, a talented woman, an appreciating young teen, an irked mom of a teenager- a perfect combination for an interesting story w...

The Business Parables by Venugopal Gupta My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Business Parables by Venugopal Gupta It is a perfect handbook for any individual or team venturing into the field of business of any kind. It not just provides you with the 'Why' of something being better than the other but also the 'How' of it and that too with interesting stories which make the concepts more easier to grasp and makes it stay in the mind of the reader for a long time. With five sections namely- The Failed Class A Dream Come True The Third Capital The Opportunity Lost The Forgotten Crime each section is a deep analysis of how certain things work in a business, certain things don't. Capitalism works, free markets are good for the growth of a country like India, creating value is sometimes more important than gaining profits and 'proper' ethics should become the backbone when one is venturing out there into the world of Business. A very w...

Shades of Shadows by Pushpam Singh My rating: 3 of 5 stars Shades of Shadow by Pushpam Singh When the author states on the cover itself that it is a 'Poetic Journey' it might not really reveal what awaits you. Turn a few pages and you are already on that journey.. The language transports you altogether to a different world which is usually known as non-existing but then the author does make you feel safe there, amidst a world where the squirrels and all other animals are in peace, the tree blooms, the lake is so clear that one's reflection can be surreal! The poems inside that take the story forward need an applause! The flowery descriptions might sometimes deviate one from the main plot. It might not interest the ones who aren't deeply into poetry. All in all.. it has content worth treasuring. -Divya Nambiar View all my reviews