Book Review – Kaleidoscope of Cheer and Hope

Book Review - Kaleidoscope of Cheer and Hope

Once the scale of this pandemic began to hit home, I am sure we all expected that a lot many books will be written and movies will be made in the years to come. It’s not everyday we live through a pandemic, do we? So thinking this, I picked up “Kaleidoscope of Cheer and Hope” by Manjulika Pramod.

The blurb goes like this –

This book is born in one of the most unprecedented times of history and it clearly aims to picture reality, create awareness, spread cheer, and convey that we are together in this pandemic. It thrives on authentic illustrations and vivid commentary on some of the most important events of the lockdown. The book promises visual meditation and helps in positive grieving.

The act of making personal notes and capturing the current situation into meaningful drawings gave birth to “Kaleidoscope of Cheer and Hope”. In these times of uncertainty and anxiety, the author felt a dire need to emphasize the importance of taking care of one’s mental health, social distancing, maintaining personal hygiene, expressing gratitude, and manifesting hope for humanity, and thus, she created a world for herself and others. Art turned out to be a powerful tool in this positive campaign.

For years, words and creations have been used as a response to uncertainty and catastrophe. The current scenario is no different. Hope this book helps you to introspect, emote, question, and preserve these unexpected times in more than one way.

These are unprecedented times not only for the current generation but for generations from the past and the future as well. The world hasn’t seen a pandemic of this kind in decades.

The cover of the book perfectly portrays what to expect. There are 50 different illustrations of life during the lockdown with interesting titbits thrown in about the way life went haywire.

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Book Review – Heroes of Kindness

Book Review - Heroes of Kindness

I have also wondered how so many of us are excited to read negative news time and time again. I guess it’s not because we want something bad to happen. But instead negativity seems to simply attract people more than positive acts. Positivity just seems par for the course. I knew that Dr Roshan had been writing about acts of kindness since quite a few years. And that’s why I wanted to download this book from the Blogchatter Library.

The blurb goes like this:

Imagine a newspaper filled only with positive stories. Have you ever seen one? Neither had the author Roshan, which is why he decided to create one himself. Heroes of Kindness showcases 50 acts of kindness and compassion by real-life individuals, acts that are guaranteed to bring a smile on your face and remind you that, perhaps, the world is not such a bad place after all.

The book has a simple title and cover page which goes well with the overall theme of what you are about to read. I like how Roshan mentions on the cover page “50 acts of kindness that will brighten your day”. It surely did brighten my evening.

These acts of kindness are from random people across the world from all walks of life such as doctors, shopkeepers, autorickshaw drivers and more. Each of them did something good without thinking of what they would get in return. With each story you smile or even cry happy tears in the end.

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Book Review – Papa & I

Book Review - Papa & I

Someone has said that only when you become a parent do you know what all it entails to become one. There’s so much we learn from our parents many of which a lot of us truly understand only when they are gone. But it doesn’t always have to be this way. When I saw Pooja’s book, I was quite keen to see what she has penned down.

The blurb goes like this:

“Sometimes I think my papa is an accordion. When he looks at me and smiles and breathes, I hear the notes.” – Markus Zusak

Papa & I is a collection of the author’s writings dedicated to her late father. In the middle of the COVID19 pandemic, many people are experiencing the grief of past losses and anticipatory grief of future fears. This compilation is for anyone who has lost a loved one to death, particularly a parent whom they deeply loved.

The title and the cover truly indicate that this book is an ode to her father and what all she has learnt from him over the years. I am sure so many of us can apply these learnings to our lives as well.

The book is divided into three sections – prose, poetry and random notes. Prose includes a letter and a few thoughts on how Pooja felt growing up around her parents and the way her father took care of her by instilling different values.

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Book Review – Who Killed Nina Daruwalla

Book Review - Who Killed Nina Daruwalla

I have always been a fan of thrillers and murder mysteries. But it’s been a couple of months since I read one. And so when Blogchatter asked me to review this one, I was quite interested.

The blurb goes like this:

Ambitious, a successful entrepreneur, and a divorcee — Nina Daruwalla is all this and more. Her ex-husband abhors her, her lover is mad about her, a reporter wants a scoop from her, and her cousin again needs her help. She ends up dead, her throat slit open. Now, Inspector Yaqoob Ansari and his team need to unmask the killer.

The question is – Who Killed Nina Daruwalla?

The title and the cover page are perfect as the reader knows what to expect. The use of a different kind of font size for the title is quite apt.

Ajit pens a gripping narrative on the murder of a successful entrepreneur – Nina Daruwalla. There are various individuals who play a role in her life and aren’t happy with her for a variety of reasons. But then would anyone actually harm her?

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Book Review – Just US Things

Book Review - Just US Things

I had read a few of Sushmita’s blog posts on her experiences about life in the US. What I liked was the sincerity in the way she narrated her thoughts. And so I was quite curious to download and check out her book from the Blogchatter Library.

The blurb goes like this

Irrespective of the countries, when you immigrate, you expect a cultural shock. Indian millennials are very well adapted to the American culture, thanks to television. But is that enough? Every day is different – even when you have travelled the world and have enjoyed every land and its culture. This book talks about the daily struggles and the existential battle of a new Indian immigrant in the US.

The title and the cover which has an outline of Statue of Liberty and other skyscrapers is quite interesting. Though I felt that rather than a white background, maybe some more colour could have been added.

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