Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Motivational Quotes, non-fiction, Self-Help

Gut healthy by CW Piper|Book review

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Title: Gut Healthy

Author: CW Piper

Pages: 45

Genre: Health and Nutrition

 

They say, Health is wealth and it is absolutely true considering our current worldwide scenario. In these days of self-isolation and home quarantine, we should think more about our health. Developing a good immune system is an absolute necessity for all humans now. We should gain more knowledge about the human body for this. For that, Gut healthy is a good book to know more about our own body.

The author explains all the basic and advanced knowledge about our body in simple and easy to understand terms. It is written as simple as that anybody who is interested to know more about the human body can understand everything in this book easily.

When I saw the title, Gut healthy, I thought that it will only talk about our gut. But he begins with gut and gradually moves to all other sections of general wellbeing. It is quite interesting to know about what is happening inside our system. From the introduction of the book itself, he clarifies that the gut is not an unimportant part of our body as we think. The gut produces more than 20 important hormones that control our appetite to mood swings. The gut microbiome is the single most important thing which maintains the health of skin, brain, weight, ability to absorb nutrients and more. By reading the introduction of this book itself, we can understand that gaining more knowledge about our gut is essential to improve our health.

After the introduction, the author unravels everything about the gut in a systematic manner. First, he introduces digestion in general and then the role of the microbiome. After he explains all the facts about a healthy gut and its abnormalities. After giving a basic knowledge about the gut he then concentrates on the diet that we can adopt for improving our gut microbiome. It includes what to include and what not. After that, he gives a brief idea about the diseases we may encounter due to an unhealthy gut too. This is an amazing guide for a beginner to understand and modify their system for better health and lives.

The standout in this book is indeed the writing style. A structured, well crafted with accurate information conveyed through simple language. This is a must-read for all because it deals with the single most important thing in our life, health. The valuable information provided in the book will help every reader to understand and modify their gut microbiome for better health.

Rating:5/5

 

 

 

Amina Thajudeen Uncategorized

Sniper’s Debt by Mainak Dhar|Book review

A good survival-thriller story indeed. Sniper’s debt is the second book of 7even series thriller by Mainak Dhar. A gripping tale and a pure entertainment. Anybody can pick it up and read effortlessly. Author’s storytelling technique is the main factor which is helping the reader to sail through the pages. Because the plot is an age-old story which is told by many filmmakers and authors. So what makes this an interesting read? The answer is it’s second half portion. We will witness some twists and fast paced thriller from here. I personally felt that the book picks up its thrilling speed only after 60% of the story is done. The author manages to end it well. Also there is an interesting epilogue which hints to his next book.

The portrayal of traumatized ex-military protagonist is done in a perfect sense by the author. Major Aditya Ghosh thinks and act like an elite para military soldier because he never let go his past. He is a battle hardened soldier who is trapped in the civilian life. He wants both but he can choose only one by sacrificing one for other. However at the beginning and somewhere at the middle, the story became monotonous in nature. But you can gladly pass those pages for the good climax. The author really concentrated on the multilayered personality of the protagonist. Other than that, all other characters has very shallow depth. Perhaps, it is written in that way. Because in thrillers, usually the main story moves along with the protagonist only.

Overall, it is a nice thriller read. Recommended.

Rating:4/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Indian Authors, Self-Help, Thriller

Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal

Rape- a word which carries a lot of weight, emotions and pain. Over the years, rape and rape stories become a common headline in the media. They lost news value, because they became a consistent column in newspapers. Our patriarchal society judge this unforgivable crime as a mere deed. Over the years there has been many voices which came out to demand justice to the victims. But unfortunately many struggles end up in vain.

The victim, a more accurate word is a ‘survivor’, has to live the rest of her life in pain and disgust because of this societal attitude. The society will never stand with the victim. So this story has to be told over and over again until it is heard by everyone.

Rahul Satyabhagi is a wealthy businessman who exploits the judicial loopholes and escapes after committing a grave crime, raping Avni Rambha. Will he able to stand behind a thin veil all the time?

The emotions which a survivor goes through in different stages of life cannot be expressed through words. Because it is that much intense and complex. The author has done a sincere attempt to portray these struggles. Justice can be denied if you have influence and wealth. But the justice will be served at last. The author ends it in a positive note hugging hope.

Rating:4/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, non-fiction, Uncategorized

Daughters of The Brothel: Stories from Delhi’s Red-light District

Title: Daughters of The Brothel: Stories from Delhi’s Red-light District

Author: Deepak Yadav

Publisher: Bigfoot Publications Pvt. Ltd

Pages: 224

Few words

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“My nath utrai (Taking off the nose ring) was performed when I was twelve or thirteen. The initial days were tough but now it gives me pleasure. I have inherited the art of making love from my grandmother.”
-Roopal, a sex worker from the Bedia community in brothel number 56.

Nath Utrai ceremony is nothing but the auction of the girl by the highest bidder near Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

“Everyone believes that all hijras are castrated, but this is not true. We call it nirvana. Castration is usually optional. It cannot be forced upon a hijra.”
-Sharmila, a eunuch from the streets of Varanasi

The narrator spends a considerable amount of time in G.B. Road, the famous red-light district in New Delhi during his stint with an NGO. He records the narratives of the sex workers of brothel number 56, insights of their daily lives, local lingos, quarrels, and the ins and outs of their business with an honest stoicism that does not dilute the terrible pathos of their lives.

Through this voyage within the walls of pleasurable cells, the writer learns that the G.B. road is an inexorable web…but only because the women trapped in it believe it to be so.

Review

From the title itself, it is evident that this is not a book for everyone. This is not a story of romance and love. These are the real-life stories of a lesser-known section, often termed as taboos of the polished society we live in.


The author gives insights into the daily lives of sex workers, prostitutes, and transgenders of the G. B road, the infamous red-light district of Delhi. These are not just stories. The author has written this as a mix of conversation and his own thoughts. The writing style is captivating.


Every account is unique. We can either read this book for leisure or for gaining knowledge. Knowledge about the hard life of girls, how they are treated at home and how they end up here and there bitter experiences. You can’t close this book without a heavy heart.

Rating:4/5

Buy here: Amazon

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Indian Authors, non-fiction, Self-Help

“Jaiva krishi pattikkals Samyojitha krishi nallathinu Nalla krishi naleykku” by Dr. A M Ranjith

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Title: Jaiva krishi pattikals, Samyojitha krishi nallthinu,Nalla krishi naleykku

Author: Dr. A M Ranjith

Language: Malayalam

Pages: 81

Blurb

“The common perception of anything branded “organic” being truly so, is not always true. The belief that the presently followed organic agriculture practices are pesticide-free is also turning out to be a farce. There are many outlets that simply put a label organic on their products, to sell them at a higher price. None of us have ever asked whether they have been properly certified as organic. A recent study has shown that most of the so-called ‘organic’ products had an equal amount of insecticide residues as in their non-organic counterparts.
However, organic culture is still being practiced. An international example of organic agriculture are the practices followed in Cuba. In India, it would be Sikkim. The author explains with ground realities of Cuban agriculture and that of Sikkim, why going blindly organic is not a panacea for our problems. The future of agriculture that benefits both the farmer and the consumer is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The action plan to reach this goal is explained in the book.
The next step in quality food production is Good Agricultural Practices or GAP. The third chapter of this book is a guideline on how GAP can be practiced. This book is a must-read for the “organic extremist” to understand the facts as they are. This book is an ideal reference for the toiling farmer on producing a healthy crop while maintaining productivity and sustainability with profit.”

My review

The book was written by Dr. A. M. Ranjith details the agricultural practices which are prevailing in Kerala. He explains how the organic culture and farming is not a feasible solution at industrial scale in Kerala. He advocates a new method incorporating Integrated pest management (IPM). This could be considered as a reference text in this subject. He covered every process in IPM and presented in a lucid manner to help every farmer. He also includes a chapter about Good agricultural practices (GAP) and how they’re revolutionizing the agricultural sector in the US. Adopting GAP to our farming lands might be the game-changer for farmers in Kerala. A must-read for every farmer.

“ജൈവ കൃഷി -പറ്റിക്കൽസ്, സംയോജിത കൃഷി -നല്ലതിന്, നല്ല കൃഷി -നാളേയ്ക്ക് “-മണ്ണിൽ പൊന്ന് വിളയിക്കുന്നവന് ചില നല്ല പാഠങ്ങൾ……. ഡോ. എ. എം. രഞ്ജിത്ത്. …………………………………………………………………
കൃഷി എന്നത് മനുഷ്യന് മാറ്റി നിർത്താനാകാത്ത സാമ്പത്തികവും സാമൂഹികവുമായിട്ടുള്ള മേഖല തന്നെയാണ്. ഇന്ത്യയുടെ സാമ്പത്തികാവസ്ഥ ഇന്നും കൃഷിയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള വരുമാനത്തെ ആശ്രയിച്ചു തന്നെയാണ് നിൽക്കുന്നത്. ഡോ. എ. എം. രഞ്ജിത്ത് രചിച്ച ഈ പുസ്തകം പക്ഷെ വ്യാവസായികാടിസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ കൃഷി ചെയ്യുന്നവർക്ക് വേണ്ടിയുള്ളതാണ്. ഒരു ഹോബിയായിട്ടോ നേരംപോക്ക് ആയിട്ടോ കൃഷി ചെയ്യുന്നവർക്ക് വേണ്ടിയുള്ളതല്ല എന്ന് രചയിതാവ് തന്നെ ആദ്യത്തെ പേജുകളിൽ പറഞ്ഞു വെക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. എന്നിരുന്നാലും ജൈവവൈവിധ്യത്തെയും കൃഷിയെയും കുറിച്ച് കൂടുതൽ അറിയാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവർക്ക് നല്ലൊരു വഴികാട്ടി തന്നെയാണ് ഈ പുസ്തകം. പ്രധാനമായും മൂന്നു ഭാഗങ്ങൾ ആയി തിരിക്കുന്നുണ്ട് ഈ പുസ്തകം. ആദ്യത്തെ ഭാഗം ജൈവ കൃഷി, സംയോജിത കൃഷി, നല്ല കൃഷി എന്നിവയെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള ആമുഖമാണ്. ജൈവ കൃഷിയുടെ ഉത്ഭവവും ക്യൂബ മോഡൽ കൃഷി, സിക്കിം മോഡൽ കൃഷി എന്നിവയെക്കുറിച്ചും ഇതിൽ പറയുന്നു. ജൈവ കൃഷി എന്തുകൊണ്ട് വ്യാവസായികാടിസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ നല്ലതല്ല എന്നു സമർഥിക്കുകയാണിവിടെ. സംയോജിത കൃഷിയിലെ ഏറ്റവും പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ട സംയോജിത കീട നിയന്ത്രണം (Integrated Pest Management )നെ കുറിച്ച് അതിനു ശേഷം പറയുന്നുണ്ട്. ഷഡ്പദങ്ങളെ എങ്ങനെ ഇതിലൂടെ നിയന്ത്രിക്കാം എന്നതിന് ഒരു റഫറൻസ് പുസ്തകമാണ് ഇത്. രണ്ടാമത്തെ ഭാഗത്തിൽ ലതാഗൃഹങ്ങളിലെ (green house)ലെ IPM നെ കുറിച്ച് വിശദീകരിക്കുന്നു. ഏറ്റവും അവസാനം നല്ല കൃഷിമുറകളെ (Good agricultural practices, GAP)കുറിച്ചും വിശദീകരിക്കുന്നു. കൃഷി വിഷയങ്ങളിൽ താല്പര്യമുള്ള എല്ലാവര്ക്കും മനസ്സിലാകുന്ന രീതിയിൽ സരസമായി കാര്യങ്ങൾ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. ഇപ്പോൾ ഇന്ത്യയിലും കേരളത്തിലുമുള്ള കൃഷിരീതികളിൽ നിന്ന് ഭാവിയിൽ എന്തൊക്കെ മാറ്റങ്ങൾ വരുത്തിയാൽ മാറുന്ന ലോകത്തു കൃഷിക്കാരന് പിടിച്ചു നിൽക്കാൻ കഴിയും എന്നുള്ള ഉൾക്കാഴ്ച നൽകുവാൻ ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിന് സാധിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.

Rating:4/5

 

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Indian Authors, Motivational Quotes, non-fiction, Self-Help

Garage to The Globe

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Few words: Garage to The Globe is a unique story of an exemplary venture that started five decades ago from the humblest of the beginnings. The book serves as an inspiration to every budding entrepreneur by defying the common belief that big businesses can only be fueled by fat investor cheques. The Entrepreneur turned author, Mr. Ravinder Nath Khanna has revealed 51 simple success mantras which he calls his ‘Tools of the Took-Kit’. The simple language of the book without the heavy sermons and preachy lessons allow it to be easy to understand and implement in every reader’s life

My Review: To those who are aspiring entrepreneurs or budding entrepreneurs, this book will be a guiding light for you. Mr. Ravinder Nath Khanna is possibly the first graduate from IIT Kharagpur. He immersed himself in building a company amidst so many difficulties. He narrated his whole journey through this book. The cover itself inspires people with ‘Make in India’ emblem. Every reader can learn something from his journey. I felt that he included all his wisdom in this book. The book also includes many pictures from his childhood to adulthood and success on the front and last pages. This makes it an even more interesting read.

 

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors

The Things We Do for Love by Raunak Agarwal

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Book title: The Things we do for Love

Author: Raunak Agarwal

Language: English

Blurb

Love is not just about being in a relationship, it’s much more than that…

What would you do if you were caught up in a love triangle, but without the love? What if this love that you keep seeking, never really left?

Rudra, who thinks that he has started developing feelings for Ruhani, is aghast when she chooses her best friend over him – simply because her best friend is jealous. Set out on a task to bring Ruhani to her senses, he decides to go all in for the only girl in his life.

But, when things go too far, and he finally gets a choice, will Rudra continue to be Ruhani’s savior? Or will he find his own happy ending?

Narrated by Rudra, The Things We Do for Love, first of a two-part romance, dramatizes his quest for companionship.

My review

“The things we do for love” by Raunak Agarwal is a typical love story presented with a unique and improvised narration. The story is not offering anything new at all apart from the cliffhanger introduced at the end, particularly because this is a two-part novel. But I’m greatly impressed with the unique narration of the story. The author juggled words and the timeline of the story. The entire story is told from the point of view of Rudra, the protagonist. This gives the author the flexibility he needs to change the story to past, present, and future abruptly. When I first encountered this change of timeline, it was quite difficult to understand, but soon this became an interesting feature of the entire story. Apart from this, I liked the choice of words in the entire story. The author gives a feel of poetic touch from beginning to end. The occasional quotes included in the story are also very good. Basically, the author is trying to differentiate the two important bonds in everyone’s life, love and friendship. We may even get confused about one over others. If we join them together, it may work or maybe not, depending entirely on individuals.

Altogether it is a good romance read. You can pick it without any expectations and read without any hassles.

Rating: 3.4/5

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, Indian Mythology

Queen of Hearts by P.G. Van

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  • Title: Queen of Hearts
  • Author: P.G. Van
  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • Print Length: 223 pages
  • Buy now: Amazon

Blurb

Waking up in a strange place and not remembering anything, not even her name, she remembers him, not as her husband as she is told, but something about him seems familiar!

Why does her mind remember only him and nothing else?

In an unexpected change of circumstances, he has to bring her home as his wife. She becomes vital for him to close a deal, and he needs to make her believe she is his wife until the contract is finalized on his dream project.

What happens when the temporary set-up starts to seem real for him?

When she realizes what he had done, will he still be able to hold on to her?

My review

“Queen of Hearts: An Indian billionaire romance” by P.G Van is a typical romance story with the pinch of suspense throughout. From the title of the book, it is evident that, the story will be something filled with cheesy and steamy romance. But the blurb truly excites me to dive right into the book. It is because they’ve given a good blurb with a hint of suspense. I really liked it. The strength of this story is it is woven on the strong plot. The plot is somewhat seen in typical Bollywood films but I felt this plot is strong. The characters are framed well for a romance story. The usual anti-hero image at the beginning for the protagonist. His character changes to a good one because of the influence of female lead so and so. Every romance novel is filled with a turn and twist towards the end of the story and here also no escape from that. But overall, this novel gives a good reading experience. Altogether it is an easy to read and recommended for all romance lovers.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Motivational Quotes, Quotes, Self-Help

Winning over life by Arun Malik

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Title: Winning over life

Author: Arun Malik

Format: Kindle edition

Pages: 189

Rating: 4/5

About the book

‘Winning over Life’ is a collection of quotes written by Arun Malik. Known as the master motivator, Arun Malik has filled the book with inspiring quotes on topics as wide as happiness and parenting to interrelated subjects such as success and achievement.
The book has been penned in a clear and concise manner which makes it quite universal. So, whether you are a student or a working professional, you can relate to the words and personalize your relationship with each quotation.
‘Winning over Life’ isn’t meant to be read in a go. The book is written to inspire you and to brighten your life with every sunrise. So, read it slowly, savor every sentence and fight with the worse times to rise above!
Other popular books by Arun Malik are ‘Courting Happiness,’ ‘Inviting Abundance’ and ‘Unfolding Dreams.’

My words

“Leaving your mark in a field involves going into an unchartered territory and emerging out of it as a winner.”

“Winning over life” by Arun Malik is a collection of motivational quotes which will help readers in their everyday life. Life is like this, sometimes happiness and sometimes sorrow. But everybody has to overcome their own challenges and complete their own mile. Sometimes there will be people who care about us will help to overcome sorrow, but most of the times we have to look inside and the power has to come from within our mind. This little book is a path to that inner inspiration. These quotes touch many aspirations of life. A must-read for everyone.

Buy now: Amazon

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, Indian Mythology, Science Fiction, Thriller

The Last Avatar (Age of Kalki #1) by Vishwas Mudagal

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  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins India
  • Language: English
  • Buy here: Amazon

Blurb

In the not-so-distant future, India has fallen, and the world is on the brink of an apocalyptic war. An attack by the terrorist group Invisible Hand has brutally eliminated the Indian Prime Minister and the union cabinet. As a national emergency is declared, chaos, destruction and terror reign supreme. From the ashes of this falling world, rises an unconventional hero – a vigilante known only as Kalki. Backed by a secret society called The Rudras, Kalki, along with Nushen, the Chinese superhuman spy, must do the impossible to save his country, and the world. But who is Kalki? A flesh and blood crusader with a mysterious past? Or the Messiah the world has been waiting for? The future of human survival depends on a single man. Will he become the living God prophesied as the last avatar of Lord Vishnu, or will he fade away as an outlaw?

My take

Kalki is a topic which is overused over time by many prominent writers in India. Still, it is a good subject to let your imagination build on. Mainly because of the mythological and modern background of the character. That’s why this topic never goes off the style.

First things first. Iwas really intrigued by the cover of the book at first sight. The depiction of Kalki with the touch of Lord Hanuman wielding a mysterious but seemingly powerful weapon. The curiosity built by the cover alone deserves an honorable mention.

Coming to the story, this one has everything for every kind of readers. I was absolutely fascinated by the plot and sub-plots in the story. The subplots are the main highlight. Because the author has woven many stories in a single string and connected them well to build an absolutely massive plot. This plot holds together every character in the story. This is also a well-built foundation for his upcoming books in this series.

The world is on the edge of an apocalyptic war. An attack by the terrorist group Invisible Hand in the Indian parliament has eliminated the Prime Minister, Union ministry and cabinet. The national emergency is declared and the subsequent chaos paved the way for destruction and terror. From this total terror, an unconventional hero has risen who is know as The Kalki. The protagonist Kalki, who has a double life as Neel who leads the Astra Group which manufactures most modern technological types of equipment. He is backed by a secret society known as Rudras.

What is the intention of this terrorist group led by Master Zar and what is his hidden motive to attack Indian parliament in one go? Who is Kalki and what is his intention behind saving the world? Who is the secret society known as Rudras and are they have some hidden agenda?

There are many more questions are arising from each page of the story. Every page creates suspense. There are too many different characters and the imaginary world which the author bought to the reader is absolutely magical. This suspense along with twists and addressing the geopolitical situation of India and China, the author never leaves any stones unturned.

The protagonist has no flaws. He has superhuman strength and abilities makes him the reincarnation of God. But I felt the character of the villain is slightly underdeveloped. The strength of the villain has a huge part in making a hero.

Altogether, it is a very good story and worth your time. Every mythological-historical fiction reader ought to try this book.

Rating:4/5