Best 10 Books I read in 2018

As every year, I feel that I should mention the top rated books by me. The list does not have any thing to do with the year in which the book has been published. It's just that I got my hands upon them in 2018. Out of 58 novels that I read this year, few books which I am recommending are below. It has nothing to do in the order in which they are listed. You can start any of them to read in the New Year if READING is one of your resolutions:-

1. The Mastery Manual by Robin Sharma (Read the Review here)

2. The Kaafir’s Love by Abhisar Sharma (Read the Review here)

3. F?@k Knows: Dead or Alive by Shailendra Singh (Read the Review here)

4. Freedom from the I by Shashank Kasliwal (Read the Review here)

5. Happiness Is All We Want by Ashutosh Mishra (Read the Review here)

6. Ashwatthama's Redemption: The Rise of Dandak by Gunjan Porwal (Read the Review here)

7. Eleven Gods And A Billion Indians by Boria Majumdar (Read the Review here)

8. In a Cult of Their Own: Bollywood Beyond Box Office by Amborish Roychoudhury (Read the Review here)

9. The Essence of Bhagwad Gita by Atul Sehgal (Read the Review here)

10. Unmet Needs of Entrepreneurship by S. Parthasarathy (Read the Review here)

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

This Time by Reshma Joly (Book Review: 4.25*/5) !!!

What a co-incident it has been reading two books from the erotica genre back to back where I don’t even remember when I read a book from this genre in last few years! The last book that I read was more from boy’s perspective and how nasty boys are when it comes to having sex with girls. The book that I have completed now is written by a girl from girl’s voice which makes this a totally different reading experience. This is what reading gives you- multiple experiences, approach, thought processes being just that one simple person that you are. The 58^th book that I have completed reading this year is “This Time” written by Reshma Joly which is also her 2^nd book. This is probably the last book I have read this year. Now it’s time to get out of the pages and enjoy the last few days of 2018 enjoying and celebrating.

The book is written in such a poetic sound that never ever did I feel that I am reading a book which has conversations, scenes, story involved. What a wonderful way of putting one’s story of relationship with another person which has intense romance and union of bodies involved. The best part of the book is the way authoress has kept the chapters short still being able to describe whatever she wanted and making you feel the same emotions and feelings that she needed to convey. Amazing!

Another incredible part of this book is that it involves only two characters and there is not even a mention of any third person. Can you believe this? I can still not believe it. These 123 pages are an experience to read which shall take you in the world of intimacy and love which shall take you in a different world altogether where you would want to meet your partner or if you have broken up, get back to your partner, or if you are still not committed ever, will make you die to get into a relationship. This is how beautiful the love making scenes and conversations between the characters are narrated.

Authoress is quite nervous in the beginning of the book where in her note she says that the book is a huge risk as she is writing about sex. And I had assumed this book to be raunchy involving dirty talks and sex scenes but surprisingly, I ended up reading a book which was not about sex but the way two people get together with doubts if it’s love or infatuation and then get into physical intimacy and how they level up their physical intensity with days is what this book discusses and makes you think a lot about yourself, your choices and your love relationship. I am scared to say that I found the reading experience of this book quite meditative and felt that it got over quite sooner in just 123 pages and should have continued for same number of pages more. Kudos to the authoress for revealing her heart so beautifully without getting vulgar and indecent and portraying sex so generously. I give this book 4.25* out of 5.

To buy the book, CLICK HERE

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA 

I also slept with Rashmi Verma by Sexthon (Book Review: 2.5*/5) !!!

I have read books from almost all the genres though most of them have been by Indian authors only. Well, to be frank, 99% of them as it has been my personal choice to promote Indian authors as very few Indian readers pick up a book by Indian and I wanted readers to give the same respect to the authors of our country too. The one genre that I believe I haven’t read is erotica but it has also begun finally with the latest book I have read by an author whose pen name is “Sexthon” and the name of the book is “I also slept with Rashmi Verma”. Yes, the title itself says it all.

This book is written in a very entertaining way which ensures that you do not feel that you are reading a pornography content nor do you feel the book going nowhere. The book is divided into chapters and each chapter deals with a different situation in the life of the protagonist though few chapters are interlinked with each other for sure. The narrative of the book is designed such that you would want to know what happens with the protagonist, his crush- Rashmi Verma and his other friends who are either mad about sex or completely sexually deprived. The way author describes and discusses funny tales of protagonist’s friends is highly entertaining and the dialogues used between them is something makes reading the chapters hilarious.

The book starts with how the protagonist is also dreaming to get laid with Rashmi Verma who has slept with almost everyone he knows but only he has been neglected for years and later in the chapters, the desperation and disappointment of the character is discussed. The book also discusses about different genders, different sexual orientation and different approach towards Sex by people in a humorous manner. The brave thing that I could easily decipher while reading the book is author’s guts to discuss Mahabharata’s stories and inter-relating it with these sexually charged characters.

Now talking about the drawbacks of the book, 113 pages are too short for fulfilling the readers’ expectation when the book consists of so many characters. Author just could not talk much about them because he had already set a limit on pages that he wants to complete this book in. Secondly, the conversations written in Hindi are not in the correct accent which makes it difficult to read them and hence you read the English translation provided for them which does not have the same fun that the Hindi dialogues have. It would have been more interesting if author could have added the female perspective too but he focused more on the desperate males. In the 2^nd half, few chapters are boring and does not have quite a meaning to them which makes this book weak. Overall, this book is a light fun content to which I am rating 2.5* out of 5.

Thanks.

Abhilash Ruhela!!! 

Of Aakash and Aarti by Govind Sharma (Book Review: 3.25*/5) !!!

The last book that I had read of Mr. Govind Sharma is “State vs Amrit Kumar” and I had liked it a lot considering it was of only 150 pages and covered a wonderful story where the cop fought against corruption getting against his own seniors and officials. I was very much impressed by the author that he could narrate a wonderful story in such limited words. I picked up his latest book last week named “Of Aakash and Aarti” which is again been limited under 194 pages and author has again impressed me as a reader the way he narrates this story in as less pages as possible which includes multiple characters with different emotional sets.

The backdrop of the story is very well described and narrated which makes it easier for the readers to understand the characters of the lead- Aakash and Aarti. Both the characters are so distinctly different from each other yet gets along well is what becomes a wonderful read initially. And then the ambition of a poor girl is so beautifully portrayed that you fall even for the wrong things that she gets into. It takes guts to confuse readers with what is right and wrong with a character despite knowing that everything done is nothing but completely criminal and immoral. On the other hand, the way Aakash’s association with drugs is shown tells the readers about the ill-effects of getting addicted and what it does to a very good person.

The way the importance of being away from drugs is narrated tells the good intention with which the author has put this novel out for his readers. I just felt as a drawback after a point of time not making his character leave drugs made the story rotate around the same cycle of sub-plot again and again thus making it monotonous and boring after a point of time. The characters of Basant and Rajeshwari Devi is again an interesting set-up. I liked how the author has worked upon the background which makes his characters sound real and happening. Talking about another drawback, I felt that author could not maintain the relationship of Aakash and Aarti regularly in the book. He would either discuss Aarti’s life or Aakash’s but could not take their story forward simultaneously. That could have made the book more evolving. Rest, I feel only the title of this book would prevent readers from buying it as it sounds like a cheese love story though it’s not. Rest, it’s a fine story to which I give 3.25 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Blogging for Gold: A to Z of Blogging by Anuj Tikku (Book Review: 4*/5) !!!

The way of communicating with an audience is changing gradually since years and there have been new players in each of the mode that becomes prevalent according to the contemporary time. Earlier, people had only radios to communicate then came television. Post television became prominent, new terms of communicators started getting invented such as VJs, hosts, anchors who started influencing people with their shows. And finally, Internet entered and the whole dynamics of communicating changed. Earlier it started with digital magazines owned by an institution which got its own revolution where a person started speaking by himself through his own website which gave a new term to the mankind- Blogger. And the latest book that I have just completed reading is about how a person can enrich his blog and increment his performance as a blogger written by Mr. Anuj Tikka named “Blogging For Gold”. The book also has the tagline that says “A to Z of Blogging”.

The book is divided into 60 chapters which sounds like 60 tutorial classes being given every day on how a person should approach Internet as a blogger should and ensure that his efforts does not go into vain but he is able to earn something out of it- both monetarily and personally. I am glad that people like Anuj Tikka exists who rather than keeping their findings on how to make the craft successful with themselves spread it with their contemporaries ensuring that everyone grows together in a field that can provide lot of opportunities to both- the creators and the audiences. Anuj has written a really no-nonsense book keeping all the chapters and advices crisp with no diversions or non-clarity in thoughts. You can only bless him after reading this book as I, myself, being a blogger since last 10 years learnt a lot from this e-book which is written by someone who has explored the field for just 3 years.

The author has not only given tips on how to increase the readers, subscribers and views on the website but also given solutions on how to write better contents and how a blogger can go beyond just blogging. Not only has he spoken about the benefits one can get by just being a Blogger but taught how a person can earn through integrating their portal with other social media platforms, similar blog sites, affiliate programming e-commerce websites etc. The book opens a great dimension for a person looking out for being a Blogger letting him know the various options he has to explore and convert his hobby into a full-time stuff. Not only talking about just Blogging platform, author has also discussed about being a Youtuber, content creator, self-published author, story-teller, social media influencer, collaborator and what not.

The book is very impressive with its well research and self-experienced content. Though I would like to point out few drawbacks over here- The author has in some places just given references of what to be done but does not give a descriptive solution of how it needs to be done. Secondly, the chapters are not divided into sections which has scattered the chapters belonging to the same subject across the book which confuses the reader if he has completed knowing everything about this one topic or he might get a chapter afterwards on the same stuff. Third and the last, I believe author ended up repeating the same thing quite often to ensure that the reader remembers the same but it becomes monotonous after a point of time. It could have been wonderful if author could have given a summary of all the information in the end as Important Tips that the reader could keep it with himself to refer in future. 

Overall, this is a great book for people wanting to create some stuff online and share with people or get popular. I give this wonderful effort 4 star out of 5. A must read.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

The Chapter Black: Scandalous Secret of the Scars by Bushra Rahmani (Book Review: 4*/5) !!!

 Not the experience of reading every book is delightful and entertaining, some are boring whereas some are thought-provoking whereas some keep hitting you for being negligence towards people who need your attention and concern. The book I have just finished belonged to the latter category written by Ms. Bushra Rahmani namely “The Chapter Black: Scandalous Secret of the Scars”. The book is currently available only in its Kindle edition and I wish it released in paperback version too as it is something you would want to gift few people who have no sympathy with the victims of the society who are dying to make you hear their pain. The cover page of the book is itself very dark portraying a girl sitting with her head bent down speaking about the plight she has been suffering for some while and the story is written in the same tone itself.

I had believed the book would have two different shades of happiness and then the sadness but since the first page of the book, the author has maintained a serious and sincere effort of keeping the victim’s story as much focused as possible so that readers could feel the pain a person who has suffered molestation, rape, kidnapping and acid attack goes through. And the good part is that even when the book is not written in the first person’s voice, it is able to make you feel what is in the mind of the fearful and helpless character who is scarred of every moment of her life. The protagonist’s character is so well built up that even after hours of completing the book, you would keep thinking about her sufferings and pain.

The book is written in a very good English language and as a debutante, I am very much impressed in the way the language has been used in a narration so strong and powerful. The story does not have much happenings, twists and turns but is still able to make you excited to know what happens with the character in the end is commendable. The research the authoress has gone through to understand the circumstances and feelings of an acid attack survivor is evident in every sentence which is applaudable. The way the book ends giving hope to any such survivor reading this book is how the climax of this book should have been rather than keeping everything dark till end.

Talking about the drawbacks of the book, I must say that the book is quite stretched in some parts where the authoress has gone into the same kind of detailing for the same condition of the character rather than trimming down few sentences from those segments where it kept getting repetitive. Secondly, except protagonist, her sister and Zafar, all the other characters are not given due importance. They keep disappearing from the story time and again which does not let the reader connect with the story at times. Overall, the book is a great effort and I rate it 4 out of 5. This is recommended for the people who can bear reading tough violent descriptions suffered by a female character.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA 

Vyom And The Royal Weapon by Tripty Bhardwaj (Book Review: 3.5/5*) !!!

Reading book of any debutante is a different experience altogether considering that they pour in everything that they have as an author in their first book and does not hold back any idea or potential that they have. This exposes the author in his/her first book itself which is why the first book is very important for anyone in his literary journey. The book that I have completed reading last week is written by another debutante, Tripty Bhardwaj, with the name- “VYOM AND THE ROYAL WEAPON”. As I have already read many books from the same genre, I did not have much expectation from the authoress to write anything different from those books but I must say, the story of the book is unique in its own way.

The 1st book generally have references from many classics as it’s obvious that authors have their own favorite authors whom they have kept reading until they themselves start writing but I found that Tripty’s story isn’t influenced as there are ups and downs in the storyline which tells how strong and yet vulnerable the authoress is. The command over English is great which ensures that authoress is successful in communicating her imaginative story to the readers as most of the scenes in the book are created in highly fantasy-based world. Not generalizing but mostly the contents related to science fiction is interesting for boys than girls but it is surprising to see Tripty writing such a story covering elements that make the book genuine and thrilling. The only problem that I have felt in Tripty’s writing is the way she narrates the story. It is quite boring. It could have been interesting if the book had little less seriousness in its approach of story-telling and less description of segments which did not actually required detailing.

Talking about the characterizations, this book has many characters in it and almost all of them are widely discussed which doesn’t let the reader feel that he is not aware of the character’s background or mindset. As this book is based on an organization which has some values and morals, authoress had to ensure it is reflected in the conversations between characters which is done with pitch-perfectness. The two different groups of people are nicely portrayed to make you differentiate between them just in the first few chapters itself. It could have been great if authoress could have made some table describing the characters as their group so that readers could refer it when they are reading this book with lot of breaks the way I did.

The way the whole fantasy world is described does justice with this book. The blend author has ensured in the book with sci-fi content, kind of a mythological aspect, and also being philosophical in few parts of it through the characters is wonderful. The book is divided into many chapters which makes it easy to remember the many sub-plots happening in the story one after another. I just felt that the book could have been edited well as 250 pages are too much for the limited number of instances shared in the book. As already stated above, over-description kills the soul of the chapter sometimes. Overall, as a debut authoress, Tripty has made a respectable entry. Vyom and the Royal Weapon gets 3.5 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!