The Brave Little Dinosaur Achoo: Inspiring Dinosaur Stories | A Beautifully Illustrated Picture Book by Armaan Farid

 The Brave Little Dinosaur Achoo: Inspiring Dinosaur Stories | Moral Tales of Bravery, Exploration & Growing Confidence | A Beautifully Illustrated Picture Book by Armaan Farid

Usually every mother tries to teach her child good habits and keep him safe. But this quality is also predominant in animals. One such animal is dinosaurs. I liked the efforts and inspiring Achoo, who loves to explore the world around him.

This is a story of a little, brave Achoo who lives with his mother. He is a sweet and obedient child, but he loves to explore the forest and feels like running and climbing the trees. On such a trip of climbing, he hurts himself and is scolded by his mother. His mother warns him of any such adventures, and he agrees like a good son.

But one day, his mother, Blessey, did not return home, and this made Achoo very worried. But he remembers the warning of his mother not to go out and explore the forest. It is intriguing to read how he overcomes the fear of losing his mother, not adhering to the wish of his mother and the responsibility of taking care of his mother.

Will he be able to find out his mother? Will he be scolded or rewarded by his mother? Who will come to help him out?

The author has well penned the fear and emotions of a child when he does not see his loved ones for long. The way Achoo overcomes the scare of the forest and takes up his responsibility is commendable.

Overall, it is an inspiring and heartwarming read.

The Velvet Hotline by Arsh Verma

 The Velvet Hotline by Arsh Verma

Mental health is becoming crucial these days. But every time one feels suicidal, is anyone there to help or not? This question strikes me whenever I think of it. In such thoughts, my eye struck on the book "The Velvet Hotline."

The Velvet Hotline is an intriguing story about a hotline that helps persons trying to commit suicide with some positive thoughts and stops them from suicide. It explores the dark and complex realities of suicide and mental health.

The story revolves around Ayingbi, a compassionate and courageous woman who works as a primary teacher. As a volunteer, she is working at a suicide hotline, hoping to make a difference in people’s lives.

However, she soon discovers that her job is not as simple as it seems and that she is entangled in a web of mystery, danger, and supernatural phenomenal scenarios. One such day, a phone call gets disconnected, and even her boss acts weird. She finds herself helpless. Something happens with the cats of the locality. This is just the beginning of the real encounter.

I was intrigued to find out the difference between her helpline and Dr. Rastogi's helpline. Her face-to-face reality that she can't save everyone breaks her but not her wit to outdo others and save humanity.

Verma's writing style is funny, bringing readers into Ayingbi's universe with a rich tapestry of surrealistic imagery and thought-provoking philosophical underpinnings. However, sensitive readers should be informed that the story explores major topics of suicide and sadness, which may be upsetting to some.

The advanced vocabulary and literary depth may challenge some readers, but they will ultimately enrich the reading experience for those who are willing to delve into its complexities.

Overall, it is a thought-provoking read.

Still She Rise: A Tale of Resilience by Sahar Quaze

 Still She Rise: A Tale of Resilience by Sahar Quaze

"Still She Rises" is a powerful, unflinching tale of defiance and resilience. It makes you ponder on this male-dominated society and how women, if they collaborate, can bring about a difference in society. This is filled with raw humour and thought-provoking facts.

The story revolves around three women, Kaali, Bhrami and Chakori, who are controlled by men. It begins with Kaali crying for pity from her mother, Bijli, in the stormy, thundering night. She was kicked out of her home as she started with her menstruation, and instead of guiding her or consoling her, she was heartlessly abused by her mother.

Kaali's only comfort was her friends. She used to stay out in the menstrual hut during her menses. But this is just the beginning of this village, Palanpur. Here girls are married off as they hit puberty to avoid any complications. The ones who are educated are considered of no value, as they could not satisfy their husbands well.

The complications of the trio begin when they are in their teens and raped and no justice is provided to any of them. But it is intriguing to read how Kaali faces off against Jagan, the uncrowned prince of that village who mistreats women as if they were tissue paper. Her journey to attain respect in her village is worth reading.

Quote from the book that piqued me:

💘 "Challenging nature was easier, as nature had its intrinsic rules, unlike humans who would change like the nasty chameleons."

The author has well penned the emotions and pain behind women's faces. Her innovative and peculiar way of depicting ideas and challenging the generations is commendable. It is a rollercoaster journey of women's empowerment.

Overall, it is a fierce and haunting journey of women towards freedom.

Power Play: Video Games, Politics, and the Battle for Global Influence by George E. Osborn

 Power Play: Video Games, Politics, and the Battle for Global Influence by George E. Osborn

In today's scenario, video game and social media influence is becoming a part of daily life. Every person wants to find out how to become more influential. In this book, how technology developed for entertainment became a way for political campaigns and regimes to influence millions.

It is a great book that introduced me to the most important cultural technique of this century and how it is used by our adversaries to corrode and undermine our democracies.

The author has well captured the need of each sector and how it played an essential role in building the consumer market for computing products. He depicted vividly how in mid 2000's, games hardware built a player base that was ready to be reached to communties as they needed high speed internet access to congregate, communicate and create content.

The main side effect of the adoption of video games hardware is that it created the conditions upon which the ownership of a cheap, high- powered computer shifted from the dream of consumers in a few wealthy nations to a part of life for billions of people across the world.

Even the democratization of video game development has built the architecture of a video game information revolution; those games still needed a way to reach an audience.

The author has well penned each phase in detail and explained in simple language the need and evolution of video games. His well-researched details added to my knowledge and enhanced my focus.

Overall, it is an insightful read. 

Purchase here.

Unrelenting Gravity of Love by A Llahd

 Unrelenting Gravity of Love by A Llahd

A. Llahd’s romantic novel Unrelenting Gravity of Love is full of emotions. It looks at the unseen gravity that draws two people destined, or cursed, to keep orbiting each other's lives.

Suri is a corporate lawyer and the story is narrated from her perspective in two different time frames. In 2018, she meets a new coworker and what begins as a professional relationship becomes a meaningful one. In the meantime, the story cuts to 2026 and a surprise encounter with her ex-husband at work, which brings up feelings she thought were long gone. Caught between two men who awaken different sections of her heart, Suri must determine not only who she wants to be with, but also what love truly means to her and the type of life she wants to live.

It’s a story that juggles the bittersweet weight of past choices with the intoxicating hope of second chances. I could sense the tension in the two when they are in agreement, arguing or just standing in the same room. All these misunderstandings and conflicts are caused by emotional baggage, career ambitions and inner conflicts.

The author does a nice job of keeping up the momentum. The internal monologues seem real and the dialogue is natural, not stilted or over the top. A few chapters felt dragged but soon enough was the emotional dilemma presented.

Unrelenting Gravity of Love is a great read about how love is not always easy and convenient, it can be an inescapable force. This pick is a must-read for fans of second-chance romance, emotional character dramas, and complex dynamics of modern relationships.

If you enjoy contemporary romances with deep emotional stakes, realistic relationship friction, and a touch of drama, this one will keep you turning pages well into the night.

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Finding Shankara: A Dramatized Biography of Adi Shankaracharya by Divya Narain Upadhyaya

 Finding Shankara: A Dramatized Biography of Adi Shankaracharya by Divya Narain Upadhyaya

"Finding Shankara" by Divya Narain Upadhyaya is not a typical biography. This book immerses in the wisdom and intellectual growth of him. I could find the journey of how he transformed from a child with pretty good questions to a person with clarity in his beliefs.

In this book, the author portrays him not merely as a saint but a seeker who is always seeking the reason behind every task. He provides logic and reasoning, and the related shlokas and stotras from the Vedas make it more engrossing and insightful.

I appreciate the part when Shankara made the Dakshinaamnaya Sharda Peetham and installed the idol of Maa Sharada. He sang praises of the goddess of learning, and he received a request to train Aanandagiri. He taught him as he appreciated the simplicity of heart, unquestioning loyalty, and devotion towards his guru. Later he miraculously transferred all the knowledge of the Shastras to Giri.

What makes the book particularly poetic is that the author finished it while in Kedarnath, the same sacred site where Adi Shankaracharya was last seen before disappearing from public view. It eloquently maps his voyage across the length and breath of India, from the banks of the Narmada river where he met his guru, 𝐺𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝐵ℎ𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑝𝑎𝑑𝑎, to the spiritual cities of Kashi, Varanasi, and Kashmir.

The wording is lively without becoming unduly elaborate. The inclusion of the holy Sringeri Sharada Peetham sholakas and their translation in English at the end is commendable. Here each stotra and its meaning in simple language at the end of each page make it easy to understand about the Bhagavad Gita and other included holy wordings.

By the conclusion, I realized I had not only learned about Adi Shankaracharya but had also walked beside him. Whether you're interested in Indian philosophy, Advaita Vedanta, history, spirituality, or simply compelling storytelling, Finding Shankara provides something more than just knowledge.

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In Love with Bollywood | A story of struggle and making it big in the city of dreams by Sourabh Mukherjee

In Love with Bollywood | A story of struggle and making it big in the city of dreams by Sourabh Mukherjee

To dream is easy, but to chase a dream completely heartily is not everyone's task. This book made me realise to never let go of your dreams, whatever the reaction by your nearby ones.

"In Love with Bollywood" is a gripping novel that makes you ride through a roller coaster of twists and turns. It follows the story of Bejoy, aka Joy, who is a 21-year-old unemployed graduate. His father is usually found concerned about his future and doubting his capability, but his mother always believes in his capability. He has a beautiful girlfriend, Shree, and he follows Bollywood superstar Amitesh Bhardwaj. 

When Amitesh launches a quiz show, Joy sees it as an opportunity to improve his life. He didn't have enough money to move from Kolkata to Mumbai as he was recently duped by a fraudster. Even his family could not support him. So to make his appearance at the show, he works hard and encounters unforeseen hurdles, heartache, and disappointment.

But to his despair, he loses the quiz and his love too. But he discovers a new opportunity when Amitesh finds his ability to write hilarious stories. It begins as a voyage to self-discovery and achievement.

I was amazed at the story of dreams, hard effort, and how life has grander intentions than we realise. Even the conflict between Joy and his family was genuine. Their concern about him and his future felt relatable. The story investigates the conflict between cultural standards and personal wants, making many of its topics accessible.

I also appreciated the sense of nostalgia woven throughout the narrative. There is an undeniable affection for cinema that shines through every page, making it an enjoyable read for anyone who has ever looked at the screen and wondered, “What if?”

Overall, it is a delightful and thought-provoking read.

Purchase here.