Month: July 2022

26 Verses and 26 Prose Notes on 26 Lofty Topics- Book Review

Reflective poetry cum prose by Rajeev Moothedath

0PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by Rajeev Moothedath

” A poem is the very image of life expressed in its eternal truth.”

~Percy Bysshe Shelley

A collection of 26 poems along with a deeper insight into the verses, in prose, this #BlogchatterEBook by Rajeev Moothedath makes you reflect on life and the myriad experiences we go through on a day-to-day basis.

In my experience of writing poetry over years, I have come across various types of readers, especially regarding verses. While one set of readers prefer lyrical verses loaded with vivid imageries and metaphors, the other set prefers straightforward lines that may come as a close contender with prose. The best part is every reader finds a book and every book finds its reader.

Now, this book, which is a mix of poetry accompanied by prose will have a greater appeal to those who prefer straightforwardness in verses with perspectives held within.

Delighting in the good, no matter where and to whom it happened
Ignoring the evil, not dwelling on it to give it power
Is perhaps the sure fire way to be happy, peaceful, contented

The author has chosen a particular word for each letter of the English alphabet and reflected upon it in verses of 5 lines in each poem. It amazes me to see how well he has managed to maintain the same structure all through his poems.

Suggested Read:

To make it easier for the reader, he has shared his insights on the verses as in what experiences got him to this and his perspectives in prose. This is an added advantage for those who are taking to poetry freshly. It helps them comprehend the poetry well.

I particularly loved the way the poet has connected the pieces with examples from real life. Like the one on ‘Delight’ where he points out that in the newspapers of Israel the first few pages are always about positive things, emphasising on a state such as,

Anything, as long as the front page of mind is always in delight!

His perspectives are fresh when he pens on the topic- ‘Ethereal’, finding power and strength in things delicate or when he writes about winning over ourselves.

Open your window to aesthetics- Love for art, poetry, music, culture


But he has also not shied away from talking about the cliched ‘money’ or ‘religion’. Despite being a cliched topic, it does catch the reader’s fancy, because no matter what, a few things need to be hammered on our heads to get the impact, no matter how many times.

One of my favourites from the collection is this poem, on ‘Karma’, where the poet expresses that Karma acts as an anchor for living life in moderation.

Do not fear Karma, nor pooh pooh it
To the extent of declaring "I just don't care..."
And give in to indulgences and cruelty
Just be sufficiently aware so as to not take
Two steps forward and then four steps backward!!

Also, not to forget the piece on “X-ray” that came as a surprise towards the end of the collection with a very fresh dimension to it. I really look forward to the M-ray (keep guessing or just grab the book!).

I just wished a little more time and attention could have been given to the cover design. A single stand-alone pic/graphic/abstract art would have looked better than a collage. Anyways, that didn’t hamper the reading experience though.

Cheers to the reflective poems with perspectives old & new!

To grab a promotional copy of the book, click here.

You may also like to read:

This review is part of the #BlogchatterEBook carnival, 2022.

‘I’m participating in the #TBRChallenge by Blogchatter’.

ஹைக்கூ கவிதைகள்-தொகுப்பு 1

© Promising Poetry

வெவேறு தருணங்களில் எழுதிய ஹைக்கூ கவிதைகள் உங்கள் பார்வைக்காக. இதில் உங்களுக்கு எது பிடித்தது என்று ‘கமெண்ட்ஸில்’ சொல்லவும்.

ஹைக்கூ

இரு தனி வரிகளாய் இருந்த அவளும் அவனும்  
இணைந்து- ஒரே பொருள் தரும் 
குழந்தையாய்-ஓர் கவிதை! 

உறவு

உயிர்களை இணைத்து, பின்
பிரிவினால் பிணமாக்கும்,
 பாசக்கயிறு !

மின் விசிறி

தலைகீழாய் தொங்கி
நடனமாடும் 
கழைக்கூத்தாடி!

தினசரி காலேண்டர்

பிறருக்கு பலனை சொல்லும் அவளுக்கு,
ஏனோ தெரியவில்லை,
 தனக்கு விதித்தது மரணம் என்று...

HAPPY ENDINGS-BOOK REVIEW

An uplifting fiction by Suchita Agarwal

PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by Suchita Agarwal
PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by Suchita Agarwal

“If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.”

~Orson Welles

Happy Endings, who doesn’t look for it right? Every one of us does. But what matters is who is more resilient to wait, work and witness it come true. The author Suchita’s #BlogchatterEBook, Happy Endings, is a collection of short stories of hope and resilience.

The 5 stories are titled after the protagonists of each story and I must say that each one of them is so different. The character sketches of each one of them are so unique and mind-blowing with the only common thread between them being their strength to fight their battles, relentlessly.

While it is easier for each one of us to get lost in the failures or the battles of life, this book comes as a ray of hope to always look for the light at the end of tunnel.

Suggested Read:

I must confess that I’m not much of a fiction reader but the early reviews of the book gave me a feeling that the stories and the characters may give a sense of real life than an imaginary one and I was right in my guess. What spoke to me much is the hardships that the characters face looked so real and one can very much relate to them. That instantly evokes a sense of empathy for them and knowingly or unknowingly we start being a part of their journey and I guess that’s where the victory of the author’s writing lies.

Be it Sameera’s fight against cancer, Mayank’s struggle to get out the rut of his mid life crisis, Avantika’s search for purpose in life, Urmilla’s reflections aftermath her sister’s death or Pranjal’s coping up through a psychological disorder, each one is a story of victory with a happy ending. The best of the book is its uniqueness in its characters, plots and the conflicts. They are so diverse and hats off for that.

The writing, the choice of words are sure to make you introspect and reflect your own journey too. Here are some of my favourite lines:

What does the sea mean to you?

Who knew? Maybe the future.

But you did choose this life.
She grimaced, “That doesn’t mean I can’t hate it from time to time.”

What is real? How does one define it? Do you define real by what you can see?

“Happy Endings” definitely makes for a great read that is sure to help you strongly resolve to seek the happy ending of your lives. I hope you find your way too 🙂

P.S. I absolutely loved the neat and intriguing cover page of the book!

To grab a promotional copy of the book, click here.

This review is part of the #BlogchatterEBook carnival, 2022.

‘I’m participating in the #TBRChallenge by Blogchatter’.

COOKING WITH SHAIL- BOOK REVIEW

A Cookbook by Shail Thosani

PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by Shail Thosani
PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by Shail Thosani

Food is our common ground. A universal experience.

~ James Beard

Intrigued by the cover page, I pick up this book only to find out the author, Shail Thosani is a lawyer by profession and a home chef out of passion. With an enticing list of 15 vegetarian recipes in the index, this book got me hooked right then. Right from the crispy bread wada to the innovative stuffed idli, it was a drool-worthy read.

With simple yet drool-worthy recipes, this handy EBook has recipes that are beginner-friendly. All the recipes come with detailed step-by-step instructions with necessary bonus tips here and there.

Also, the recipes are made with commonly available ingredients and cooking utensils easily available in an Indian kitchen. Also, each recipe is accompanied by a picture of the dish so you know what to expect before starting to cook.

There is a mix of breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes and most of the recipes can be had any time of the day, like the broccoli paratha or the masala bhakri.

Suggested Read:

The potato fingers, quinoa patties and stuffed idli are going to be sure hits amongst kids. There are also easy-to-make dessert recipes like chocolate fudge ice cream, rava mango cake, etc to satiate your sweet tooth.

What I loved about the book is the clear step-by-step instructions and neat presentation. I would have loved to see more recipes though. Also not to forget, if you are looking for non-vegetarian recipes then you will be disappointed. But I’m sure the spicy veg recipes will make up for the disappointment though.

P.S. My hand is itching to try the potato fingers, stuffed idli, rava mango cake and broccoli masala, right away!

To grab a promotional copy of the book, click here.

This review is part of the #BlogchatterEBook carnival, 2022.

‘I’m participating in the #TBRChallenge by Blogchatter’.

LESSONS FROM NATURE-BOOK REVIEW

Concise Environmentopedia Goodies by MeenalSonal Mathur

PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by MeenalSonal Mathur
PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by MeenalSonal Mathur

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

~Khalil Gibran

How often do we take time to be in the loving embrace of nature and enjoy its blessings consciously? Not very often, isn’t it? In this fast-paced life where we are all chasing goals after goals, we make schedules to embrace nature by planning a vacation by the beach side or camping or hiking. This being the bitter truth, the book, “Lessons from Nature” by the sisters cum duo bloggers, Meenal & Sonal comes as a gentle reminder to embrace nature and learn its language to understand the wisdom it has got to enlighten us with.

Floral blush steps down
Paving way for novice hopes
Unwrapping new stories

Written in a mix of prose and poetry, the book evokes optimism at every turn of the page. From flowers to moons to droughts and eclipses it invites the reader to view life through the lens of optimism and hope.

Suggested Read:

What may be considered the fierce face of nature like drought or quagmire is also shown in a new perspective that holds essential life lessons for us to learn. Before I forget, I should mention the beauty of the book cover.; it aptly evokes a sense of gentleness.

I particularly loved their portrayal of an eclipse as a power nap of the mighty celestial bodies.

A power nap of celestials
Working round the clock
Time to replenish

Another highlighting part of the book is the way each writeup ends with questions to reflect upon. That’s a very thoughtful way of adding more value to the book and the reader as well.

Though I understand the topics are arranged in alphabetical order, I wished they had been organised in a different way to make the flow seamless. But otherwise, the book is worth reading and reflecting on.

To grab a promotional copy of the book, click here.

This review is part of the #BlogchatterEBook carnival, 2022.

‘I’m participating in the #TBRChallenge by Blogchatter’.

Parenting Tweens-Book Review

A guide book on parenting tweens by Jyoti Kaur

PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by Jyoti Kaur
PC: ©Blogchatter | EBook by Jyoti Kaur

“The thing about parenting rules is there aren’t any. That’s what makes it so difficult.”

~EWAN MCGREGOR

While there are so many books out there on raising toddlers, handling teens and self-help books for adults, tween literature didn’t get much attention. The term tween in itself may surprise many thinking that it is just teen misspelt. Well, let me get it clear right away. While teen refers to kids in the age group 13-18 years, tween refers to the age group 10-12 years.

Parenting tween by Jyoti Kaur bridges that gap present in tween literature and makes for a resourceful guide for the parents raising tweens.

Being a parent of a tween I had the urge to pick up this book instantly. I was assured a few pages into the book that the author has written honestly from her parenting experience and not some random theoretical piece of writing. The book is a practical guide on parenting tweens and it just spoke to me at different levels.

The book is organised, and the chapters are arranged in a manner such that it flows effortlessly. The titles are intriguing as well as indicative of what to expect; a balancing act, I would say.

Starting from defining a “tween” with the typical changes they go through physically, mentally & emotionally, this book held my attention right from the start. All along I was just nodding my head in affirmation of the author’s words.

It can be difficult in understanding the sudden mood swings, changes in interests, dressing style and communication patterns in tweens and parents need to be aware and ready for these changes to avoid conflicts with them. This book allows parents to be prepared to help their tweens understand themselves and sail through this phase smoothly.

What I liked best about the writing is that it isn’t preachy and is more like a fellow parent, a friend, sharing her parenting journey which makes the book more authentic.

I’m sure one look of the contents of the book (pic below) will give you enough reason to download the book immediately if you haven’t done it already.

Contents of the book “Parenting Tweens” by Jyoti Kaur

All the chapters have a strategic approach with crisp conclusions and actionable points. The chapters on standing up to bullies and understanding cyber-bullying are a must-read. I feel more empowered (really, if you know how it feels handling a tween!) and less anxious about the parenting journey after reading this. A must-read for every parent of tweens.

Only an empowered parent can raise an empowered kid. So, to grab a free promotional copy of the eBook, click here.

“Remember you are not managing an inconvenience. You are raising a human being.”

~Kittie Franz

This review is part of the #BlogchatterEBook carnival, 2022.

‘I’m participating in the #TBRChallenge by Blogchatter’.