Book Review : Ramayana The Game of Life – Stolen Hope (Shubha Vilas)

About the Book

In the evil labyrinths of Dandakaranya forest, human values are put to test. Rama’s righteousness, Lakshmana’s loyalty and Sita’s endurance reflect our own sense of values and judgment in difficult times. The story unfolds the facets of human life – the conflict and trickery, the praise, the slander and above all, the hope and the despair in the eventful forest life of exiled royals.

Stolen Hope is about extreme deception and extreme love. It is about arrogant power and deep devotion. With every twist and turn, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana find themselves robbed of whatever and whoever they valued the most.

Exploring the dynamics of human relations – between father and son, husband and wife, teacher and disciple – and the complex game of power and greed, Stolen Hope mirrors our own dilemmas in the modern world and teaches us how we must overcome them.Seek courage when everything, including hope, is stolen.

What I think about the book ! 

Did you know why the custard apple is called as Sitaphal or why don’t squirrels get hurt when they fall from heights or why the snakes have a forked tongue… Well! I know now… All this and much more wisdom in the third book of the Ramayana The Game of Life…

                

Aptly titled as the Stolen Hope, it takes you on a mystical journey with Ram, Sita and Laxman and stops at a point where you are craving to read more - a point where Ram's hope, his wife is stolen from him and he starts his journey to find her.

I haven’t read the first two parts and let me tell you, it’s a big miss. As the author writes –

If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, it doesn’t matter. When you bite into a cake, it hardly matters where you begin.

But believe me when I say this, you’d really want to read the whole series, now that you have read this one.

The book describes how being in exile shapes the lives of Ram, Sita and Laxmana. The descriptions are beautiful. You get a peek into the lives of sages and demons together. There are short stories about different people stitched together. Not just is the writing good, what also adds to it are the explanations or the hidden meanings which you can actually apply in real life. Initially, I found the tag-lines and references a hindrance to the fast reading I do, but a page or two later, I was looking forward to read them.. to read between the lines.

What also needs a mention is the deer in the footer of the book.. On the last page of the book the deer is shown with a struck arrow portraying Maricha…

I am happy to get this autographed book.. and beyond doubt I am reading the first two books and getting the other as soon as they are published… A must read guys! 

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for IndianBloggers. Participate now to get free books!

The borrowed tag!

Borrowing the borrowed tag from Princess Butter!!
Thanks to all the blogs, I wake up from my coma every now and then to write!
Without much ado -

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What are you wearing?

Black pants with the perfect white wash, white sweater and white sneakers and my favorite pair of gold studs which Daddy dear got me when I was born!

How tall are you?

Am not tall, am just 5'4''

How much do you weigh?

A lot !! Is that enough ..120 lb, 60 kgs... desperately wanting to weigh less :(

Any tattoos?

Nope! The hubby doesn't allow me to get one... :( If only!

Any piercings?

1 piercing on each ear.

Favourite show?

Changes every now and then. Not much of a TV person... But I enjoy Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Impractical Jokers and any other show which talks about food !!

Something you miss?

I miss the slim trim me!! The fat isn't just helping!

Favourite song?

Currently it is Yahin hoon mai by Ayushmann Khurana! Changes every now and then!

Zodiac sign?

Libra.

Quality you look for in a partner?

Love, respect, some one who can make a good cuppa coffee!!

Someone who loves me inspite of all my weirdness..

Favourite actor?

Currently it is Deepika Padukone and Farhan Akhtar!! Changes each time I see a movie or a show :)

Favourite colour?

Blue and white!

Loud music or soft?

Depends on my mood... but if I do have to choose then, something with beats, I can feel and lyrics, I can understand!

Where do you go when you’re sad?

To one of my cozy corners - my bed or my bean bag with a book and a cuppa coffee/ hot chocolate

How long does it take you to shower?

If I am late for work then 5 minutes,else 15 minutes and if washing hair then 25-30 minutes... If I forget about the global warming and saving water and have an awesome shower gel... till some one shouts out for me to come out of the bath!

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

 Around an hour.. to wake up, to wake up the others! Pack lunch boxes, tidy up the house, get ready and run to the bus stop.

Ever been in a physical fight?

Yes! But don't wanna go back and remind myself that it ever happened!

Turn on?

A good perfume, some one who can eat and appreciate food - the way I do, some one who can talk about books!!

Turn off?

Smoking , B.O.!

Fears?

I fear going to the hospital, fear losing people I love... 

Last thing that made you cry?

Memories...

Last time you said you loved someone?

Yesterday!

Last book you read?

Gray! A pending read after the Fifty Shades trilogy! 

The book you’re currently reading?

The lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri.

Last person you talked to?

The cousin, N! We discussed about the upcoming wedding in the family!

The relationship between you and the person you last texted?

Sibling, I texted my brother..

Place you want to visit?

Too many.. But to begin with Bali, Seychelles, Paris.... and the list goes on and on!

Do you have a crush?

Well! Too many pretty faces and hot bods!! John Abraham, Arjun Rampal, Ashton Kutcher...

Favourite piece of jewellery?

Still finding that one piece... Amongst the ones I already have, gotta be my Kenneth and Cole rose gold watch!

Last song you sang?

Main rahoon ya na rahoon....

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Takes a bow!!

Cake Love!

What is there in a cake not to fall in love with it!
So many flavors, so many shapes and sizes!
Frosting, Fondant or chocolate coating - there's one for everyone out there!!

If you know me, you'd know of my love for cakes!
Bake them, eat them, love them - do everything but smear them on the face on birthdays - such a waste of cake!!

Finally, I tried my hand at baking egg less cakes! And boy! did it turn wonderful :)
Had to keep myself away from it so that I do not finish it up! The cake was yummy, chocolaty and the chocolate icing made it more heavenly.. No cake left to share pics though!

As if one cake wasn't enough I baked three teeny tiny cup cakes yesterday.Who said you cannot bake cupcakes if you do not have the muffin mould... do not let it stop ya! When are the microwave safe bowls gonnna be of any use! I wanted to try the surprise cake, where the cake has a heart or some other cake inside.. I did not have a cookie cutter to make that pretty heart shape, so I just ended up cutting circles... cute baby pink vanilla cake circles inserted in dark brown chocolate cup cakes! Dressed up in dark chocolate frosting with some white chocolate for my sweet tooth! Cutting the cake and finding the pink cake inside was sheer bliss!!

Pics coming up soon.. that is if I go home and find the cup cakes :) Hope the naughty elves haven't finished it off already :)

Bbye till then!!

Book Review - The Best Seller She Wrote (Ravi Subramanian)

About the Book

He was a bestseller… She wanted him to make her one.

Paperback king, Aditya Kapoor’s life is straight out of a modern man’s fantasy. His literary stardom is perfectly balanced by a loving wife and a spectacular career. With everything he touches turning to gold, Aditya is on a winning streak.

Shreya Kaushik is a student with a heart full of ambition. Young, beautiful, and reckless, Shreya speaks her mind and obsessively chases after what she wants. And what she wants is to be a bestselling author.

What happens when their worlds collide? Is it possible to love two people at the same time? Can real ambition come in the way of blind passion? Can trust once broken, be regained?

Master storyteller Ravi Subramanian, delves into the glitzy world of bestsellers and uncovers a risky dalliance between a superstar novelist and his alluring protégé.

The Bestseller She Wrote is a combustible cocktail of love, betrayal and redemption.

What I think about the book !

Not many times do I sit with a book and finish it end to end in a go. When I do so, there are two reasons - one, the book is too good and keeps me stuck to itself and the second is when I just need to finish it off. This book is a bit different.

   

Aditya is a famous author and an IIM passout. He has an almost-too-good-to-be-true life. He is a perfect father, a perfect husband, a best seller novel writer and has a great job as a banker. He is loved by all and has a fabulous wife, who stands by him through thick and thin. He is confronted by Shreya when he gives a speech in the college and they disagree over the representation of novels as a product. Shreya makes it up to Aditya by reading his books and meeting him over during a book reading session. And they eventually fall in love. Aditya's conscience mocks him as he had a perfect life otherwise too... but Shreya has all the right moves to keep him hooked on to her. He helps her write a best selling novel when she brings his personal and professional life to a stand still.

The book proceeds to show Shreya in the negative light when she is too selfish to be launched by Aditya and goes on to the extremes of black mailing him to get her job done. In between of no where, Aditya's wife gets Ebola! Now this is too extreme... and when she is on her dying bed Aditya feels bad about falling for Shreya. The climax is entangled , cut out straight from a Bollywood movie... when suddenly the hero's best friend is the one helping the villain, Shreya in this case, to ruin the hero's life. But at the end, the family ends up together - a happy family, after all it's not the end if it's not happy!!

No more spoilers, get your hands on the book to read it. It is a light read, will keep you hooked on, but don't expect too much from it. Short chapters , some well described characters and a good but predictable ending!

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Just good friends!!

They called each other just good friends!
She was his friends's ex. The gentleman code didn't allow him to think of anything more of her but as a friend. After they broke up, she confided in him. They went on to become good friends from friends, but the feelings were same. She was his friend's ex, so no !! She found herself enjoying his company and so did he. Available yet commitment free! They knew they couldn't be a couple, the families wouldn't agree. She wasn't ready for a relationship and he was just having fun! Before they knew, they started sharing a relationship which better not be names. They were the best of friends, comfortable, free, no bindings!
Times changes, she moved on, got into another relations. He started looking for love, though nothing changed the late night calls with each other. He could feel her pain. He knew her time of the month and he knew she'd need to be comforted, and he did! He knew what she liked and made it a point to meet her/ gift things to her. Then he found some one, some one whom he could confide in, spend time with. The long time calls with the good-friend reduced, but every now or then, they found time for each other.
Then one day, he wanted his love to meet his good-friend. She saw what he didn't see! The love, the care was far more for the good-friend. She asked him, but he never agreed. But deep down the good-friends knew that was true! They had fallen for each other, no rules, no code of conduct can stop two hearts from falling in love, can they! But now what?
So they continued being just-good-friends! Hurting their partners!

Questions!

Sitting here
Tears dripping down my eyes
Cheeks wet, eyes red...
Thinking about our times together
And then the time you hurt me!
Unable to draw a reason why?
Why the physical pain, why the emotional disturbance, why the ignorance, why the partial behavior?
No matter how much I try, I cannot forget and forgive.
Don't know what is more painful - the thought of parting and moving ahead without you or the pain of being with you!
Life can be tough at times, nobody ever said it was easy though!
When the world fights for bigger causes, causes which make me feel stupid, I cannot still put this pain out of my heart and soul.
Should I go on and live in the moment?
Should I put my foot down and fly away?
Should I run away from everything on the untrodden road?
Will it affect you?
Will you look for me if I am lost?
Will you feel bad, will you miss me when I am gone?
Will you find it difficult to look in your partner's eyes and not think about the love you never tried seeing in mine?
So many questions and absolutely no answers...
Cannot lean on you as you are the reason of my pain.. cannot lean on anyone else coz its my pain, not to be shared, not to be distributed.. all mine!
Why did you change? and if you say you haven't then was I blind?
Sorry means nothing if the mistakes are repeated?
Did I make a mistake?
Is this karma completing a cycle and getting it all back to me?
Have I committed a sin?
Questions! questions!
How can I with so many doubts in my heart and mind, think of a new beginning then?
How can I bring some one in this world, when I don't know if I want to live here.

The woods are dark, lovely and deep,
But I have miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep!!!

Oh! for that sleep! that peaceful sleep!

Just for laughs!

Get a haircut done, hubby doesn't notice,
Change your hair dresser!
Get a haircut done the second time, hubby doesn't notice,
Change your hair dresser again!
Get a haircut done the third time, hubby doesn't notice,
Change your husband!! :P