Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors

Bestseller by Ahmed Faiyaz

Title: Bestseller
Author: Ahmed Faiyaz
Publishers: Rupa Publications
Print Length: 196 pages

Blurb: Akshay Saxena, an out of work editor of a defunct literary magazine in the UK, is told to move to India for a year to help shore up the value of Kalim, an ailing Indian publisher.
Akshay finds himself in a job where he has to do the impossible. Angus Lee, the new owner of Thomson Lee Books, wants at least five bestsellers in the coming year, failing which the business would be wound up.
He has to find a way of making a success out of books he would never publish or would never even read. To complicate things further, he has to contend with motley crew of has-beens and misfits working for the publishing house as well as wannabe writers, dealing with their follies and derisive tactics, and battle his own affections for Zorah Kalim, the impulsive daughter of his former boss.
Will he succeed in bringing out that one ‘bestseller’ from his publishing house? And what about his own life and love in office? Find out in this riveting read.

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My Review

The story revolves around Akshay Saxena, who is recently returned to India after he has been fired from his job in the UK. He joins ailing Kalim publications as an editor in a mission to revive its fortunes. As an editor, he is thrown to an almost an impossible challenge of producing 5 best sellers in a year. Gradually this challenge changes Akshay from an honest editor to a manipulative and cunning editor who is determined to achieve his goals. How and what transforms him back to being a honest one is the backbone of the plot.

This book really gives an insight into the drama behind publishing books. How they are manipulating books to make them well-intended bestsellers, deserving or not.
This is a very interesting book solely because of its plot. The author has picked up a subject which is almost untouched for years. Using his remarkable ability to craft good stories, he turned this plot into an engaging one. This “bestseller” has the ability to become a bestseller. It is quite an irony that a book which is dealing with writing and publishing become a “bestseller”. The thing which got me fascinated is, how brilliantly he crafted a story out of this unique background.

Though this is short-read, I’m satisfied because the novel is crisp and not in one point it became flat and unenthusiastic. The intent of the author to make this a fast-paced story is indeed to make the book more engaging. The narration is good because it gives the reader a complete visualization of the scenes. If the background is carved this good, a story based on it will come handy. The story also has some hints on real-life publicity stunts that we’re all familiar with like celebrity-who-writes-the-autobiography and a banker who is now broke and writes inspirational books etc.

I believe the  primary aim of a book is to provide entertainment as far as laymen concerned. In that sense, this is one of the best book released in 2018. The author has given a sarcastic touch all over the story to make it much more interesting. I found this is a growing trend in India, telling a story in the capsule of humor. I like this capsule because it breaks monotonous narration in many books.

The cover is truly amazing, Rupa publications have done a good job in designing it.

Overall, it is a very good engaging story to all the readers who are curious to know what is going on behind in the publishing industry.

Rating: 4.5/5

Purchase here: Amazon

 

 

 

 

Amina Thajudeen Motivational Quotes, Quotes

[Quotes] Think and Grow Rich- Part 2

Sometimes a single post never be sufficient for some things! One of them is ‘Think and Grow Rich” book by Napolean Hill. This is because this book is a treasure for every seeker. There is no shortage of ideas here in this one.

So here are some more personal favorites from my collection:

“person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat. Only by so doing can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win, essential to success.”

“The turning point in the lives of those who succeed usually comes at the moment of some crisis, through which they are introduced to their “other selves.”

“Love may come and go, times without number, but there are no two love experiences which affect one in just the same way.” 

“Riches, when they come in huge quantities, are never the result of hard work! Riches come, if they come at all, in response to definite demands, based upon the application of definite principles, and not by chance or luck.”

“Our only limitations are those we set up in our own minds.” 

“One of the main weaknesses of mankind is the average man’s familiarity with the word “impossible.” 

“Face the facts squarely. Ask yourself definite questions and demand direct replies.”

“Faith is the element which transforms the ordinary vibration of thought, created by the finite mind of man, into the spiritual equivalent.”

“If you are influenced by the opinions of others, you will have no desire of your own.”

“Do not wait. The time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand, work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”

“The great leaders of business, industry, finance, and the great artists, musicians, poets, and writers became great because they developed the faculty of creative imagination.”

“Failure comes to those who indifferently allow themselves to become failure conscious.”

“DESIRE for money, and actually”

“Man can create nothing which he does not first conceive in the form of an impulse of thought.”

Part one of these quotes: read here

Purchase this Amazing book here

Amina Thajudeen Motivational Quotes, Quotes, Self-Help

[Quotes] Inspirational Quotes from Think and Grow Rich {Part 1}

“Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill is originally written and published in 1937. This book is inspiring millions of lives since then. It is one of the best books ever written and which is able to change millions of lives still today. The concept in this book traveled time because of its pristine nature which makes people change their thoughts and find success in their lives.

I have hand-picked some of the best quotes from “Think and Grow Rich” which is happened to be my personal favorites.

I hope this will helps anyone who is having a down-time in their life. After all, make you smile is the best thing a human being can contribute to this world!

“A quitter never wins-and-a winner never quits.”

“Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing.”

“More gold had been mined from the mind of men than the earth itself”

“To win the big stakes in this changed world, you must catch the spirit of the great pioneers of the past, whose dreams have given to civilization all that it has of value, the spirit that serves as the life-blood of our own country – your opportunity and mine, to develop and market our talents.”

 

“I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism, by developing the love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me because I will believe in them, and in myself.”

“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”

 

“There is a difference between WISHING for a thing and being READY to receive it. No one is ready for a thing until he believes he can acquire it. The state of mind must be BELIEF, not mere hope or wish. Open-mindedness is essential for belief.”

 

“Helen Keller became deaf, dumb, and blind shortly after birth. Despite her greatest misfortune, she has written her name indelibly in the pages of the history of the great. Her entire life has served as evidence that no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as reality.”

“TELL THE WORLD WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO, BUT FIRST SHOW IT. This is the equivalent of saying “deeds, and not words, are what count most.”

“All achievement, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea!”

Read part-2 here

Purchase here Amazon link Think and Grow Rich

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Indian Authors, Poems

Unlocked Silences by Mukhpreet Khurana

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Title: Unlocked Silences

Author: Mukhpreet Khurana

Publishers: Notion press

Blurb: Unlocked Silences is a collection of abstracts, poems and excerpts written on tissue papers over a couple of years. It is a dive deep into the circles of emotion, empathy, acceptance, healing and insights into a different perspective towards life. In the voice of a budding adolescent, the book cascades into day-to day-shortcomings, carved into poetry and at the same time, embraces you in silence and stillness of thought. The book is an attempt to connect with the reader, to reflect upon them, unbiased and together and embrace a new beginning. With simplified use of grammar and vocabulary, this book seeks nothing but the companionship of all. With this debut book, the author aims to connect to one and to all in the message and purpose of existence, the aid of spirituality and an ode to a beautiful journey called life.

My Review

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“…Take the fall, for once and for all…

Know that you need nothing,

You need no one;

Lay in peace, sometimes

Lay in endless pain,

Celebrate every gain, dear one,

Thank every effort that went in vain….

I remember my flaws by a dominating perfection,

I remember life as a journey to be celebrated…”

 -The journey (Unlocked Silences) Mukhpreet Khurana

Unlocked Silences is a collection of poems, abstracts, and excerpts by Mukhpreet Khurana. I can’t start this review without praising the cover. It is unique and beautiful. Black and white combination is one of my favorite because it basically represents the tantrums of our own minds.  A book should be like that, bringing whiteness in the darkness. This color combination makes perfect sense with the title.

Every writer has struggled with their creativity. The unanswered questions and turmoil of emotions will be the cause to sprout creativity. So this is the breaking of silences. But this is not a mere breaking, it is unlocking. The author may have thought that this is an unlocking of his thoughts and he has to spread them in this world. Like that, this collection contains his thoughts ranging from healing, motivation, positivity to embracing fears.

This is actually like a rollercoaster ride, sometimes high, sometimes low. I think this is purely a reflection of the human mind including all our lives. All the lines are written with a meaning to reinstate belief in oneself and the rest will follow.

These deeper ideas are expressed through simple and smooth language but yet succeeded in producing an influence on one’s own mind. This book offers a path of healing, from hatred to peace.

Somehow, some lines are seem to be repeated, but it is aligned with the flow, so it never bothers the reader much. I felt this is like a walk of all the ill-emotions in our mind which keeps inner peace away, to the wisdom of our own mind.
I think this is a book for everyone because it is a collection of thought-provoking, light, and easy lines written to address one’s inner-self.

Rating 4/5

I received a copy of this book through the BOOK GENIE REVIEW PROGRAM

 

Amina Thajudeen Fiction, Indian Authors

Amma and I by Trishna Damodar

 

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Title: Amma and I
Author: Trishna Damodar
Pages: 204
Genre: Family Drama
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

Blurb: You are unique in your own existence Kripa and Maya live in a small town in Kerala. Surrounded by greenery, streams, a vast rubber estate and a palatial home, they had it all. Maya enjoys listening to the radio and reading books and magazines as it offers her a chance to connect to the world outside. She wanted to do so much more in her life, but a sudden marriage proposal from a man based in France gets her anxious at the possibility of her dreams fading away like smoke.

Kripa has been the dutiful daughter, wife and mother. All she knew was her life and family in Kuttiadi. But she wants more for her daughter, Maya. So, when a proposal from someone in France came along, she jumped at the opportunity, hoping that this would give her
daughter a chance at a bigger and better life.

Maya, so lost in her own world, was unaware of certain shadows that lurked in her own backyard. What hides behind the constant smile on Kripa’s face? Read the journey of Kripa and Maya, set in the 1970’s, as they struggle to be heard in a society that is fixed in its norms.

 

My review

Amma and I is a heartfelt story of beautiful love and affection between a mother and daughter. I cannot begin this review without saying a few words about the beautiful and yet adorable cover of this book. It is one of the best covers I have ever seen. The adorable representation of mother and child with the touch of the iconic boat race of Kerala gives me goosebumps at the very first site. Also, the representation of the boat race gives a hint of the background of the story.

Like the title suggests, this is a story of a mother, Kripa and her daughter Maya set in the ’70s at a small town in Kerala. Maya is an ambitious girl in her 20’s and she wants to live her life in her own terms. Her parents start finding a suitable groom for her as they think she is at the marriageable age. The story goes very smooth until this stage with a perfect detailing of the dreamy life of Maya. The author introduces only one side of every main character until this stage. A clever introduction of twist at this point changes the lives of Maya and Kripa drastically from here onwards. This is where the story picks up pace and intensity.

The characters are gradually developed from the beginning to the end. The character of Maya was evolved from a small town girl with ambitious dreams to a stronger, confident, career-oriented woman at the end. Also, the character of Kripa was developed over time. The author never loosed the lovable nature of Kripa when she was developing this character throughout the story.

Basically, I always liked the story revolving around the strong female characters. Also being someone from Kerala, I felt the emotional attachment at the very first moment when I started the reading.

I will always think that the most emotionally bound relationship in every person’s life is with their own mothers. The care and selflessness of every mother are surely unreplaceable. We all got the first sight of true love from our own mothers. Because of this delicate nature, I think the portrayal emotions related to motherhood will be so difficult. Throughout the story, I felt the true emotion of the affectionate love between a mother and daughter. This is because of the immense command of the author on her storytelling skill.

The language used is simple, yet it is powerful to express all emotions of characters. This is a well-constructed plot from that point of view. This is a must read for everyone who loves a family drama.

Rating: 4/5

Amina Thajudeen Fiction, Indian Authors

Ready… Steady… Exit by P.C. Balasubramanian

 

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Author: PC Balasubramanian

Publishers: Srishti Publishers & Distributors; First edition (12 May 2015)

Blurb: Gautam completed Chartered Accountancy after several attempts and to his luck, landed up with Anand a close friend and brilliant CA, to launch an Accounting Services company named FAB. He finds love in the same profession, without much ado. Can life really be all that simple and straightforward? Can mere accountants build a valuable, visible, scalable and glamorous enterprise that could also grab business from across borders? That’s when Vimal comes in with a delectable package, an impressive consulting profile and his smart and very beautiful sister Ruchi, who agrees to support these starry-eyed entrepreneurs with her marketing acumen. FAB grows but relationship depletes. Some pull the strings, while others become puppets. Should they continue with the current arrangement or exit completely? Ready.. Steady.. Exit is a humorous, dramatic, romantic, enlightening and entertaining read. This story and narrative will inspire every reader, even more so if you are an entrepreneur or a Chartered Accountant or someone associated with financial services.

My review

‘Ready…Steady…Exit’ is a unique story of two best friends and their entrepreneurial journey from scratch. This is essentially a character-driven plot because the entire story revolves around two main characters, Gautam and Anand and their life. In the beginning, the author introduces Gautam, an ordinary guy with a passion to achieve his goals. He is not a ‘so-called’ hero that we are familiar with. He has his own battles to fight like any other ordinary man in his life and his first battle was clearing the CA exam. After many attempts, he is finally able to clear the exam and founded a start-up company with his best friend Anand. Here onwards the story picks up the pace and energy. Owing to the change of storyline, The author P C Balasubramanian introduces some other characters, Vimal and Ruchi to the life of these two friends. The smooth-flowing life of Gautam and Anand got a fierce stir after the entry of these new characters. The rest of the story unfolds around the life of these two youngsters and how they survive the cut-throat business world with their luck and intelligence.

The pace of the story is the main highlight. The story is told as in a nutshell, completing a circle at the end. I felt this is a very unique story because it deals with a rather rare and untouched topic, the struggled life of entrepreneurs, capturing their failures, dreams, small victories and emotions.

In the first part of the story, the author narrates struggles of getting CA, perfectly through the eyes of an ordinary student who has nothing but dreams. This is truly a good inspirational story to whoever wants to be a CA and then an entrepreneur. The book offers a lot to learn and I often felt the story as a personal experience of someone. It is a must-read for every budding entrepreneur.

Often the authors who are writing these kinds of success stories knowingly or unknowingly omit the personal life of the protagonists to highlight the struggle and passion towards their dream. Due to this, these stories lack plot completeness in the fiction genre. But here the author has taken care of the personal life of the protagonist, which is a good gesture.

The climax of the story has a nice twist which is essentially appropriate with the plot. I have read two of the other books by the author PC Balasubramanian which was published after this book. Due to this, I felt the drastic change in the narrating style and language he was using now. The hard work of the author is clearly visible if you read them. This shows, how much is the efforts he is putting in writing better novels.

Rating: 4/5

Amina Thajudeen Indian Authors, Self-Help

The Journey: Traveller With In by Tarun Deep Singh

“… Know him the True Warrior, who fights for the meek, Even being severed to pieces he does not leave the battlefield…”  – Gurbaani

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Book Name: The Journey: Traveller with in
Author: Tarun Deep Singh
Genre: Self- Help
Publisher: Become Shakespeare

Blurb: Every human is a seeker of ‘Truth’. But almost all give up in the middle since they are threatened by their alter ego, ‘The Fallen One’. The first step is to accept that yes, ‘I’ am ‘The Fallen One’ and then proceed for soul searching. This is unstable equilibrium so the caution has to be practiced. So, I would like to reach ‘Youth of India’ in particular by presenting them what ‘search for self realization’ has to offer. It is not easy, perhaps the most difficult task to be undertaken, but the persistence is the key. The book also contains few concepts related to science and mathematics which should interest logical minds. It is also meant for those who have gone under the same set of experience while performing soul search.

My review

“The Journey: Traveller with in” is a pure philosophy of mind and body. This book cannot be merely classified into a self-help book as it is more than that. The author has flourished this book inside out with his years of wisdom. I have read many self-help books in the past and all of them are written in a peculiar style of commanding which is right and which is wrong. That’s why I can’t include this one to that category. The author never tells us what to do or what not to. This book hardly has any pieces of advice. It is a journey of self-realization.

When I progressed the reading, I have the feeling that this is truly the journey of the author Tarun Deep Singh from denial to ultimate wisdom and spirituality. Anyone who reads this book will surely feel the turmoil of various emotions.

Highlights

  • The synopsis given at the beginning of each chapter gives a glimpse of the idea expressed in the following lines. Throughout the book, the author gives footnotes and explanation of the idea he wants to convey. This really helps everyone to grasp the concept to its deeper meaning.
  • The book is divided into six different chapters, each of them dealing a particular point of his journey. The book touches various delicate aspects like Karma, Greed, Ego, Depression etc. Sometime or another we all felt these emotions. On that sense, it is truly a journey within ourselves.
  • The flow-charts and diagrams included at various points of the journey help to simplify a rather deeper concept to every layman.
  • The quotes from various spiritual masters such as Guru Nanak, Kabir, Buddha and from religious books like Gita makes the books even more interesting. At certain points, these quotes break the monotonous narration.
  • To make this one more interesting, the author has used science and mathematics explanations at appropriate places. This is undoubtedly a  unique combination. All these features make it more interesting than any other self-help books.
  • The narration style of the author is very unique and this book deserves a large audience.
  • I liked the cover and printing quality of the book. The title and the cover absolutely go hand in hand because this is a journey from darkness to light. Like the river depicted in the cover, the journey is from turmoil and storm to the calmness of enlightenment.

Rating: 5/5

Amina Thajudeen Uncategorized

You Begin Where I End by Sarang Jairaj

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Title: You begin where I end
Author- Sarang Jairaj
Publisher: Srishti Publishers

Blurb: Nafisa is dealing with beers, periods, heartbreak, and dating apps, when she meets her new uniquely average boyfriend. But is he the love of her life? Before Nafisa can figure that out, her life is turned upside down. Her mother Tamanna dies in an accident. In trying to come to terms with her loss, she finds solace in the company of a charming painter. Her life takes a retro turn, with diaries, handwritten letters, and music trying to heal her.

Tamanna is busy simply existing and complaining, when a gorgeous poet takes her on a whirlwind philosophical journey, teaching her to appreciate art, nature, human existence, and love. But is he the love of her life? Before Tamanna can figure that out, her marriage is arranged with an extraordinarily ordinary guy. Amidst arranged marriages, honour killings, letters of blood, and melting ice-golas, Tamanna shall discover her brand of love.

You Begin Where I End spins two unconventional love stories, set two decades apart – 1991 and 2015 – trying to find an answer to the eternal dilemma of darlings – What is love?

My Review

“You Begin Where I End” by Sarang Jairaj is a romance fiction with a unique touch of humor. The story is revolving around the two main characters, Nafisa and Tamanna. At the very beginning of the story, Nafisa is portrayed as a care-free girl and who is dealing with a break-up due to her over-weight. Her nature is that she overcomes every life hurdles rather quickly than others. She then starts dating with another broken-heart, Amar, whom she found in a dating app. Their relationship suffers a sudden jerk when she met Kiaan, a painter on Quora and finds more comfortable with him than Amar. But when her mother Tamanna suddenly dies in an accident, she was immersed in a heartbreaking sorrow. The uncertainty of death is well portrayed in these parts. How the death of beloved ones affects us is well narrated at these points. To find solace, she found her mother’s diary and started reading it to overcome the pain. Through Tamanna’s journal entries, another complicated love story unfolds. Tamanna was in love with Jai, a poet but she chose Kailash, Nafisa’s father, over him and married. Why Tamanna chose Kailash over Jai who was her love of life? The confusing and clue-less tale of minds which yearning for love thus begins. When the story unfolds, we can see how Tamanna distinguishes true love and her comfort level and how she teaches her daughter about love and life even after she was gone.
The diary entries by Tamanna dealing art, rebellion, love, honour killings, and marriage is the core of this novel. The author has blended the life of mother Tamanna and daughter Nafisa perfectly to make sense that their lives are not two but one and all the dilemma they are facing are the same.

I found that the character of Tamanna was deeper than her daughter. Because she is patient, mature and cares for the people she loves. Like that, I can say she is quite opposite to the character of her daughter.

This book is perfect for a light read and anyone can read it in just one sitting. Except for some points where emotions prevail over happiness, it is happy to go read. Another thing I loved about this book is, it quotes some thought-provoking lines from famous people.
The irony and sarcasm used throughout the novel are worth noticing. This is the main feature that makes this book interesting.

The title and cover are unique and eye-catching. “You” and ”I” supposedly means daughter and mother respectively and it is a hint to how their lives crossed each other. The cover basically represents the character of Nafisa in a nut-shell. The care-free nature and what are the things she is dealing with. Also, the funny epilogue at the end perfectly winds up this beautiful romance story.

Rating: 3.5/5

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors

I am Always Here With You by Himanshu Rai

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Title – I Am Always Here With You
Author – Himanshu Rai
Genre – Romance Fiction
Publisher – Srishti Publishers & Distributors

Blurb: Kartik fell in love with Ashima the very first time he saw her. She was everything he had ever imagined in his dream girl, his Angel. As their friendship bloomed into deep love, culminating into marriage, he became her Teddy, her confidant and an eternal support. But in trying to be with her, Kartik made a choice that broke his father’s heart and hopes. As Kartik and Ashima gear up to step into the next phase of their relationship, life seems like an overload of joy and love. He is confident his love for Ashima will win over all odds, even his father. Little did he know that things were going to change drastically, forever. Why does Ashima marry someone else? Why does Kartik accept it silently? And why is life so unpredictable? This is a story of deep love that knows no bounds, relationships that break all barriers, and a promise – I am
Always Here with You.

My review

Love is eternal. No matter how far two people are, it will stay the same in their heart. No distance matter in love. Like that, this is a beautiful love story from the author Himanshu Rai with a genuine touch of reality. The story is 100% true to the beautiful cover of this book. The title and cover are apt for this romance fiction.

There is a magic in these words “I am always here with you”. It is not pronounced from the mouth, but from the heart. Irrespective of age, these words can bring very delicate emotion in human beings, which is love.

This is the journey of a couple Ashima and Kartik, how they met, how their friendship sprouted and how their love unfolds. Kartik, who has fallen in love with Ashima at the very first sight and he considers her as his dream girl, an Angel. Also, Ashima finds his Teddy in Kartik as her strong support and confidante. True love is bound them so hard that Kartik marries Ashima against his father’s wishes, whom he considers as his hero. Everything was going smoothly in their life and soon they will be blessed with a baby. But life is not that dreamy in reality. Their seemingly perfect life gets a twist and turns soon after. How their life is changed so drastically?

What makes Ashima marry someone else?

The rest of the story unfolds to answer these questions.

The author captures every emotion in a relationship and describes them from the heart. I think every love story should be written like this, that it should be told from the heart, not from the mind.  This is a short read and one can easily read it in a single sitting or feel the rain of love in a short time.

Another best part of the book is the description of parental relationships. The author narrates in a very good manner how these relationships that we are bound by birth affects one’s life and decisions. Also, the story has a beautiful ending which the author has written with a touch of reality, satisfying every romance genre lovers. I believe every reader can relate this story some or other parts with their lives because of the beautiful storytelling by the author.

This is a good romance read, which never disappoints any romance-fiction lovers.

Rating: 4/5

Amina Thajudeen Uncategorized

In Love With Simran by Kulpreet Yadav

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Name – In Love With Simran
Author – Kulpreet Yadav
Genre – Fiction
Pages – 220
Publisher – Srishti Publishers

Blurb:-

Sanjana’s best friend at college is murdered. She was in love with a business tycoon named Nik Sethi, and Sanjana is certain that he killed her. In an effort to find proof, she decides to get close to him.
Good looking and rich, Nik falls in love with Sanjana instantly, but a month later, when he accidently discovers her real agenda, he throws her out of his life. Determined to nail him, Sanjana’s desperation exceeds all limits when she realizes that she too, like her friend, has fallen in love with a killer.
After she escapes an attack one night, Sanjana quits college and goes into hiding. Now her only ambition is to punish the killer and her only weapon is her body. In a last, desperate attempt, she uses herself as bait and pursues her best plan. There are only two options: she becomes a victim or she becomes a victor.
Through the story of Sanjana and Nik, In Love With Simran explores the boundaries of the basic instincts of the young: love, sex, trust and survival.

My review

In love with Simran is a murder mystery with a slice of romance. The best thing about this book is the impressive writing style of the author. The language is not too hard or not too simple but have optimum. The words are flowing smoothly even to portray rather many complex characters of the story. The beauty of writing is absolutely remarkable.

The cover of the book is designed as a beautiful one but the title of the book is not entirely true to the story but a reader can interpret the title in different ways. Simran is the best friend of the main character Sanjana, who then set herself on a journey to unravel the mystery when the former is murdered. The story begins with describing the love between Simran and Nik Sethi. Simran is not one of the main characters in the novel but she is the one who links the main characters. The friendship between Sanjana and Simran is portrayed exceptionally well because Sanjana is the character who risks her life for her best friend.

At sometimes this story was slipped to a movie script which is quite predictable. But the climax is the best thing about this story. The story came into the climax rather abruptly which I liked most. No hint was there. But the saddest thing about this novel is, it leaves the certain holes in the story at the end. The author leaves a vague explanation through the words of Sanjana connecting the mystery holes which does not leave me satisfied. At this point, it again seems to be a movie which leaves much to be the viewer’s imagination.

The character of Sanjana is quite delusional. At one point she is described as strong, independent and goal oriented person but she is slipped into a stereotypical girl character when the author introduces the romance again to produce complexity in the plot. I’m not at all convinced the rather speedy change in the character of Sanjana and how she is fell in love with the murderer of her best friend in a short time. This change was abrupt in my view.

But this is a good one time read because of the good employment of suspense element in the story. The entire story was told in the first person point of view which makes the reader clueless about the character of Nik. This is a clever thought from the author side, as this doesn’t leave any imagination to the reader about Nik which eventually makes this a good thriller. Every event related to Nik is happening all of a sudden, which I think a good element for the thriller. Overall this is a good murder mystery novel.

Rating 4/5