Vitamin H by Abhishek Thakkar

Author : Abhishek Thakkar 

ISBN-13 : 978-8193844694

Publisher : GURJAR SAHITYA BHAVAN 

                    (1 January 2020)

Book Blurb:

Filled with capsules of optimism and hope, Vitamin H is a collection of thoughts, suggestions and advice for the young at heart to nurture their minds and refresh their spirit. It aims to elevate the lives of people by fostering inner confidence and strengthening their faith. In a turbulent and chaotic world, people are in dire need of words of motivation and inspiration. Vitamin H provides the much needed therapy which will successfully cure the diseases such as negativity, pessimism, cynicism and envy. It will awaken the dreamer within you and help you achieve the seemingly impossible.

My Review:

Vitamin H by Abhishek Deepa Thakkar

"Filled with capsules of optimism and hope, Vitamin H is a collection of thoughts, suggestions and advice for the young at heart" sums up the whole book. With 111 life changing quotes, this book will make you feel relax and might activate your nerves to see the world differently. Personally, while reading this book I realized, "if I follow what's written in some of the quotes, my life could change in a better way".

The author seems to be inspired by Robin Sharma and Swami Vivekanandaji as he has mentioned them as his guru.

Some of the quotes that I liked are:

"Whosoever said that money can't buy happiness must never have experienced the pleasure of a good book and a great cup of tea or coffee"

"Take as much time as you need. Life is a marathon and not a hundred metres sprint".

There are other quotes too but I can't mention all those here. Do read to know more and I can assure you, you would definitely like the book. One more thing, just look at the cover of the book, great right? You will feel like you're reading this book on a mountain top with serenity.

Grab Your Copy:

Click on the image provided-

                                                               

Interview with Author of Forever Mine

Hello and welcome to my world of Author Interview. 

Today I got a chance to interview the Author of the book FOREVER MINE. 

Without wasting any time, let's start the interview:

1. Before I ask anything else, could you enlighten us giving an insight about your book and the characters?

Naisargee: Forever Mine - A lost & found love story. 

It was their last day at college - their graduation celebration when Arnva had gone to London to save a hotel business from bankruptcy leaving Deeya behind. After 5 years he comes back and tries to make it up to her. In these 5 years Deeya has started her event management company and works as a financial analyst at Mehta group of companies. She also runs a charity fundraiser to help different institutions who are in need of money. 

Arnav & Deeya come along in the same office work area and their friendship progresses. Arnav learns how much Deeya has achieved in these past 5 years. Deeya works at an old age home on Sundays. She helps the grandpas to manage their wealth and inheritance. She also learns karate at an institute that helps rape victims. She works here a volunteer. She is also associated with a numerous other NGOs.

Deeya's anger slowly fades away after being persuaded by Arnav. It's a matter of a few days when they become inseparable. Arnav's mother invites her best friend's daughter and declares Arnav's engagement with her. Being this new girl Arnav's ex, it becomes easy for him to disclose her true identity in front of everyone. Arnav proposes Deeya for marriage and she says yes. 

One evening they fall into a situation where a gang of drug addict boys surround them in a trap for an attempt to rape Deeya. Deeya being a black belt in karate and Arnav being a boxing champion easily handle the bad guys. After this incident Deeya asks Arnav to join her at a fort where they spend the night in a tent and Arnav shares his kissing list with her.

Time passes and they decide they want to get married ASAP. One evening Arnav receives a call from London that his Uncle’s daughter’s son - Neil is in bad condition and the caretaker asks for help. Arnav asks the court to transfer the boy’s custody on his name and breaks up with Deeya thinking she might not want to take his responsibility. Realizing what Arnav has done she quits from her job and goes on a trip to the Lakshadweep islands. She owns a small house there. Aaditya and his other family members soon make Arnav realize his mistake and ask him to go get her back.

After reaching the island Deeya works for the Coral reef restoration lab where they plant new corals at the depth of the Arabian Sea. Arnav reaches the island after a few days and tries to persuade her. He finds her passed out after drinking a bottle of wine and helps her get better in the next couple of days. Red crabs attack the lab and Deeya rushes to help the site once she was feeling better. Deeya forgives Arnav after he explains what he thought before taking such decisions. The story ends when Arnav asks her to make love that night.

2. The book is obviously a fictional book but do the characters have any resemblance in real life?

Naisargee: Yes it's fictional & no the characters don't have any resemblance in real life.

3. This is your first book, so what made you to step up into the creative world of writing.

Naisargee: I have these imaginary episodes in my head and 1 day I thought this could be a nice story. After being totally pathetic at my first draft I started learning how to write scenes & dialogues. Draft after draft I evolved in my writing. The final draft that you can see published on Amazon is the outcome of 6 months of editing and improvising.

4. Are you a writer by ‘choice’ or by ‘chance’? and how it feels to be an Author?

Naisargee: I am a writer by choice. It feels special when an Author is called an artist. Truly intrigued by the response. White paper & black ink is what I have to add color to the imaginary world i have in my brain.

5. What are your favorite books and who is your favorite Author?

Naisargee: HP series by JK Rowling & Music of Souls by JJ Kendricks. 

6. Apart from writing, what are your other hobbies?

Naisargee: Gardening. Senseverias are my favorite. They give oxygen at night. Followed by the howarthia collection I have. Flowering plants are a lot to take care of but I love it when they bloom. 

7. Can we expect another book of yours in near future?

Naisargee: Yes. Already forming the plot in head these days. It's a murder mystery. Planning to name it - "Her dead sister." Spooky isn't it?

8. There are many aspiring writers trying to get their story published, any advice for them?

Naisargee: Yes, read a lot of books before publishing your final draft.

Forever Mine by Naisargee Shah

Author: Naisargee Shah

Published By: Self Published (Kindle)

Pages: 280 pages

Price: Rs. 99/-





Connect the Author:


FACEBOOK         INSTAGRAM


READ MY INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR 

HERE


Book Description:

She had her dreams locked up in a box with chains, buried deep down in her heart. Only he had the key but he was far away. He never bothered to move on. He was still waiting to go back to his secret love and ask her for forgiveness.

Deeya won’t be waiting at the airport with a name board in her hand. Arnav will have to find her. He will have to start over. Maybe ask her for coffee. What if she’s already with someone else? What if she’s not? He’s not going to let her go. He will do everything in his power. What if she doesn’t want to? He has dreamt of a happy future with her. What if he wasn’t the person who would make her happy? He has money. Enough to feed a small town for over 10 years. But she wouldn’t be in his dreams if she was a Gold digger.

What does an average working girl do on weekends? Goes shopping? Parties at the club? Sleeps in? This 26-year-old Gujju investment trader loves to spend her weekends with some special friends. Deeya had learned to balance her personal life along with her social work while growing up. These friends have trust in her. She fears, if her parents would find a guy to get married in their hometown then she would no longer be able to support her friends.

One day he showed up to be the solution to all her problems. She thought he might be engaged already and he thinks the same. Buckle up, the restraints will be pulled down, hold on tight and get ready for this roller coaster ride. Come join them in the journey that will take you 10 or maybe 15 years ahead from today. Will Arnav pull up the courage to ask her? Will Deeya say yes?

My Review:

Before writing what I felt about the book, let me tell you this book was something that I was looking for since many days. Unlike the teenage love stories book this book has a matured love story. The protagonist Deeya and Arnav are pretty clear about their lives. I loved Deeya’s character; she is strong, mature and independent.

Apart from the main plot, the author has also spoke about Shreya/Shruti, a rape survivor. You need to know her story too. Can't tell everything here. I cannot give you spoilers.

The Story has everything in it, love, emotions, pain, making the reader goes through a roller coaster ride. It is set up in a futuristic world which makes the book even more special. Even while writing this review, the protagonists are hovering over my mind. 

Likes: Easy reading, Strong Characters, Matured Love, Happy Ending, A complete package

Dislike: A little bit boring in the middle parts but it can be ignored when you are reading such a beautiful story. 

Overall, a nice and beautiful read. Would recommend if you are looking for some nice love story.

My Ratings: 4.5/5


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Her Resurrection

Author: Soumyadeep Koley

Published By: Gargi Publishers

Pages: 260 pages

Price: Rs. 225

ISBN: 978-93-843-8208-7

About The Author:

Soumyadeep Koley is the author of ‘Her Resurrection – A Survivor’s Journey of Emancipation, Reclamation and Redemption.’ 

This debut novel won worldwide critical acclaim, due to its literary style and portrayal of society’s harsh realities. His paranormal thriller,’ The Hitchhiker,’ was awarded the Best Short Story of the Year 2016 by SalisOnline Literary Magazine. As a women’s rights activist, Soumyadeep has worked with Jason Jayology Jeremias, the Founder and Artistic Director of Price of Silence, New York, which employs Performing Arts to bring the global struggle for women’s rights to life. 

Soumyadeep is a counselling psychologist, and has four years of experience in psychological counselling of domestic violence and rape survivors from India and abroad, through unique mystical and metaphysical techniques.

Book Blurb:

So begins Maya’s story in the picturesque countryside of Maharashtra, where she grows up amidst cruelty and domestic violence, being an unwanted girl-child. Yet, like a lonesome beacon beset by sinister wilderness, she pursues her dreams of reaching the stars with her tiny wings. One night, a twist of fate triggers a series of incidents, when she loses everything she had—even her virginity.

Severely traumatized after her father’s death, her mother’s imprisonment, and her own gang-rape, Maya finds herself all alone in the streets of Mumbai, with wolves lurking around for raw flesh. She’s weary, but not wary. She has no sense of the fate that awaits her. What follows, would change her life forever, as also yours, as her heart wrenching, yet inspiring story echoes through time.

My Review:

I don't know what to say about this book. As I was reading I was able to visualize each and every incident mentioned in the story. The Author has done a tremendous work. I am not sure whether Maya (the protagonist) is a fictional or a non-fictional character but surely she is just like any other girl whom we see in our daily life.

Born in a village, Maya's life was never easy. A drunkard father who considered her as a burden tried to make her marry at an age of 8. How cruel, right? Well even before that, at a tender age of 5, Maya was sexually tortured. Anyways she get saved from the marriage but life made it even more difficult for her to live.

Well to know her story, you know to read the book. I can't narrate the entire plot line here.

The way the book is written, it will keep you hooked till the very last page. The Author has made complete research on Women and their plight in our society before writing the book. Full credits to the Author, don't remember the last time I had read such a wonderful book. 

We often see a Raped person as a victim but we hardly read any story of Rape survivor. This story is about a girl who never loose hope. Even after getting sexually abused, even after getting raped, even after losing her mother, Maya chased her dreams. This story is about a girl's struggle and will take you in a journey of Mays's life. 

Trust me, you can't miss reading this book. I don't know whether you will cry at the end but trust me you will be a different person after reading this book. 

My Ratings: 4.5/5

( 0.5 less only because of an abrupt ending or else the book really deserved full points)

Jai Maa Durga

A police barricade was covering the entire garage area. No one was allowed to enter the garage. The people outside had no clue what was happening inside. A few police vans, an ambulance was placed just outside the garage. Few policemen were restricting others to enter inside. Even the media personnels weren't allowed to enter the garage. They were waiting for the Police in charge to come out and narrate the entire incident. 30 minutes later, the police in charge made his way out from the garage. He was carrying a red and white colored saree and a few female attires. As it looked it was a simple case of rape and murder. 

In India nowadays the rape has become quite common. Every day around 10-15 girls are getting raped and are brutally murdered. 

Inspector Savarkar was about to answer the media but the media's camera was now pointing towards the garage. 3 man were being carried in stretchers, they were dead. Someone killed them yesterday night. The murder was gruesome. A man was missing his leg, while the other 2 had no hands. Someone didn't just kill them, the person cut them into bit and pieces. It looked very scary. The foul smell of blood covered the entire area. 

But who killed them and why? What was the saree doing in the crime spot? A lady can't kill someone the way those 3 persons were killed. Something was missing. Everyone was clueless, even the inspector was clueless. He promised everyone that everything will be investigated soon and the culprit will be arrested. 

The city was in a state of dismal. Everyone was in a state of fear. Nobody knew who was the killer. The bodies were still lying in the hospital.

Inspector Savarkar was scared. In his term of 20 years of police service he had never witnessed such murder. The bodies were cut into pieces. A human can never be so cruel to kill someone the way those persons were killed. Can it be an animal? Many questions were disturbing Savarkar. He was clueless. What was the Saree doing in the garage which was closed for many years. He was still in a state of shock, so was the city.

The investigation started. Savarkar with his team began searching for clues. He asked almost every person who were living near the garage but nobody knew the answer. 3 days passed but still there were no clues. Savarkar was an honest police officer. He was sincere and completely dedicated towards his job. Such police officers can never sleep peacefully without solving the case. He was desperately searching for some clues. 

After finishing the day’s work, he went back to his home. He opened the bottle of whiskey and gulped a peg from it without adding any water. This case was tormenting him. He was frustrated. 3 pegs down, he took out his bike and went straight to the murder place.

It was around 11 in the night. Though Durga puja was celebrated in the city, the murder made the entire city scared. Nobody dared to come out at such late night. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and puffed a few smoke. He was still scratching his head, the whiskey wasn’t working. May be he needed few more pegs. Just then he heard a laugh, a girl’s laugh. He looked here and there but he could see nobody. Maybe the alcohol was playing its games he thought and brushed away his thoughts. But he heard the laugh again. He threw away his cigarette and went straight towards the point from where the sound was coming and what he saw was something he couldn’t believe. 

He saw a girl wearing the same saree which was found at the murder place. The girl was smiling as if she was in complete happiness. The saree she was wearing was red and white colored, the one girls wear during the festive seasons. Before he could utter any words, he saw 3 man following the girl. And what he saw, it shook him again. Those men were the same men who were killed in that garage. They were chasing the girl, the girl was running in fear and inspector Savarkar was chasing them. Everything was happening so quickly that Savarkar didn’t think that he was chasing the guys who were already killed.

The 3 man grabbed the girl. The girl was crying for mercy but nobody came to help. A few people even closed their doors but no one came for the girl’s help. Before Savarkar could help the girl, those men dragged the girl to a nearby garage and closed the door. Savarkar with all his power tried to break the door but it wasn’t easy. He tried a couple more times but failed. After many powerful blows, the door finally broke. He went straight inside but found nobody. The only thing he could see was the same red white saree which he had found a few days back. The saree was at the same spot from where it was found. 

Savarkar finally solved the case. Joining both his hands in the form of Namaskar, he said “Jai Maa Durga”.

P.S. Wish Maa Durga could come to save every daughter who are being raped and killed.

A Bike Tour of 4200 Kilometers- Mumbai to Goa (Part-3)

Day 8/9/10 : GOA...GOA...GOA

Yeah! I stayed for 3 days in Goa. Goa was always my dream destination. From the days of engineering I wanted to go Goa. And finally I was at my dream place. To be honest, even now when I'm writing this post (a month later) the memories of those days are flashing by. Those 3 days were the best days of my life. 

The first I did nothing except boozing. GOA is famous for boozing. The alcohols rate are quite cheap. You can get a Kingfisher (330ml) only at rs.40/-. My room had a swimming pool and I spent almost the entire day in the swimming pool boozing. I know it's not good but the rates at which the beers were available made me to drink. 

The next day I went to Baga Beach. This beach is famous for its night life. Pubs and Discos are lined up in the streets and it is quite crowded. I saw a huge no. of people dancing and enjoying their heart out around the beach side Bars. I don't think anywhere else in India you can enjoy the way you could enjoy in Goa. 

I also visited few Churches and Forts. Even the heavy rains couldn't stop me from enjoying. 

I made a list of few places which you must visit if you are in Goa:

• Tittos' Club
• Baga Beach
• Panaji ( A great place to see the old vintage architectural beauty)
• Bom Jesus Basilica
• Grand Fort of Aguada

There are many other places too, you can just Google it. 

And then it was the time to return back.

From Goa, I drove towards Mumbai - Nagpur - Raipur - Jeypore (hometown)

My Journey's summary:

Total money spent: Rs. 28,000/- (Bike's Petrol, Room charges, Fooding, everything included)

Total Days: 14 days

Total Kilometers: 4169

And last but not the least, memories for the lifetime.

Sharing few pics of Goa

And that's the end! :'(

 

A Bike Tour of 4200 Kilometers- Mumbai to Goa (Part-2)

If you're looking for Part-1 of this series, do CLICK HERE

Day 4 : Hyderabad to Bangalore (600kms)

22nd June 2019, I started my journey from Hyderabad around 8AM and reached Bangalore around 5PM. Hard to believe, right? It took me only 9 hours for a journey of 600kms. Usually I take a stop every 70-80kms to have a cup of tea. That's the secret of my energy: TEA.

The roads are just awesome. The highway roads are simply beautiful. You can easily ride at 100-120kmph without any trouble. And when you ride a Dominar the journey becomes even more easier. 

Dominar is not just a bike, it's a BEAST. 

I have friends at Bangalore so there wasn't any need to book rooms. I went straight to my friend's room, saved few bucks.

It was raining

Day 5 : Sight Seeing- Nandi Hills & Lepakshi

So it was my 5th day and Bangalore has some awesome places to visit. So early morning, I took a bath and went straight to Nandi Hills. The climate was a bit on the hotter side but still the view mesmerized me. Sharing some pics of Nandi Hills and Lepakshi

Day 6 : A Day in Bengaluru #BangaloreDiaries

6th day of joureny and it began with the cool Bengaluru climate. Bangalore's climate which is something you can't find anywhere else. I don't think you need AC in your room if you are residing at Bangalore. A friend of mine joined me and we went to see Bangalore Palace, ate delicious Biryani at BTM layout and had some cool bike rides in and around the city. With every passing minutes I was falling in love with Bengalore.

Panoramic View of Bangalore Palace

.

Day 7 : Bangalore to GOA (600kms)

I was so much in love with Bangalore that I didn't want to leave that place but the show has to go on and trust me that was the most difficult part. Though I was really excited to go GOA but leaving Bangalore was really difficult.

Bangalore to Goa roads are nice but only till 450kms. The next 150 kms you need to ride along the forest roads and in the state highway

NOTE: Don't cross the road after sunset because the forest roads are damn scary. If you are in car then there won't be any issue but the bike ride is scary.

Adding salt to my wounds, it rained. I had to ride in the rains for around 100kms and that was the most difficult part in my entire journey. I'm sharing some clicks and video and you can imagine the rest.

The scary roads 

I reached Goa around 9PM, went straight to my hotel room. Thanks to OYO again. 

Finally I reached my dream place, GOA. 

For the next part CLICK HERE