Neelam

An internationally accredited book blogger, voracious reader and the founder of Booxoul, one of India’s leading book and lifestyle blogs, Neelam is a person with a penchant for bringing out the best in people. A website designer, a renowned book blogger and a leading creative influencer on Instagram, here is a lady who is candid, closer to life and sensitive to the softest of emotions…

A Book Blogger, Reviewer, a true friend, honest critique, a relentless benefactor and more…

Book Reviews

Walking with my Soul by Jasbeer Singh

Publication: Amazon Page Count: 46 Review As you all know by now that poetry is one of my most favourite genres. I love reading poetry books because life feels incomplete without poems. A solace I seek every time I am down. So, whenever I get a chance to read or review Poetry books, I pounce on them with both the hands. The reaction I had, when I got a chance to review this book was beyond rejoicing. Walking with my Soul by Jasbeer Singh’s a very nice poetry book, barely 46 pages long. So considering the size, it just took me almost no time to finish it. Furthermore, I like books that are compact in size because they give it a very lucid sense. Now, we’re going to get on with the book. Cover has been very well designed. It looks attractive It looks attractive and pleasurable to the eyes. It’s one of the many reasons why I picked up this book. The title is apt and it sounds interesting. It is justified on the basis of the content provided within. I loved the musings that accompanied many of the poems throughout the novel. The musings gave a general impression of what poetry is to arrive next. It really felt good while glancing through them. The combination of poems & musings on every page was totally new to me. They complimented each other as I progressed further in the book. I loved this concept and had a pleasant experience while reading it. However, I felt editing was needed. A thorough editing would’ve done the job. Also, rhyming & figure of speech needed considerable work to be done. Without a figure of speech, poetry seemed bland. Though the effort put into this book was evident, however, I still felt it could’ve been much better. The concept was good. Overall, a good read – neither too shabby nor too great! Rating I have rated it 3/5 stars. .   .   .   .   . About the Author Jasbeer Singh Born in Chithi singh pora, Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir and bought up in Jammu. Currently working as a software professional. Although he grew up with a dream of becoming a doctor, destiny landed him in the IT field. Traveling to different places and knowing different cultures always amused him. Reading and Writing poetry makes him what we call alive. His debut book is ‘Walking with My Soul‘ a sum up of some poetry and story mix up. Inspired to write more books especially storybooks. A dream to touch many hearts along the globe. Follow Jasbeer Singh on Instagram @iamjasbeersingh .   .   .   .   . If you loved the review, then get your copy of it on Amazon by clicking here and if you want us to review or recommend a book, then do let us know in the comments below or on Instagram @booxoul.

Book Reviews

The Rage Within by Chandrayan Gupta

Publication: Notion Press Page Count: 222 Review One of the Radha Bose Series of Detective Novels by Chandrayan Gupta. Private detective Radha Bose and her associate Aditya Gokhale go about the mundane business of tracking people; usually, disgruntled couples trying to get evidence against their cheating partners in a bid to sue them for divorce. Just as Radha has been contemplating shutting down the Agency, octogenarian Mandira Kapoor steps into their office to get them to take on the 17-year-old cold case of her grand-daughter Sakshi. Allegedly Sakshi was kidnapped only for the burnt body to be delivered at their doorstep the next day, despite her ransom demand being fulfilled. On her last limbs, the old lady desperately wants Radha to help give her closure. As Radha and Aditya go about the case, they connect with retired Chief Inspector Vikram Rathore who soon joins forces with them to find the culprits behind the tragedy. In the bargain, they seem to stumble on way more than they had bargained for as the skeletons come tumbling out of the closet. Can the depressed, complicated detective Duo put aside their own demons and fears as they go about the business of helping out the old lady? Read and find out for yourself as Chandrayan weaves a web so sinister that it leaves you stunned by the end. Do I recommend it? This detective novel was quite a roller coaster ride with so many unexpected twists and turns that I was left reeling after the complex ride. Gupta has managed to lace in so many surprises and shocks that you really want to take up the next one in the series immediately. Rating This one deserves a 5/5. .   .   .   .   . About the Author Chandrayan Gupta A young law student and author. Possessed of an insatiable need to read and write, he published his well-received debut crime fiction novel Birth of a Duo at the age of 19. He is currently pursuing a law degree in Kolkatta and spends almost all of his free time working on his Radha Bose series of detective novels. Follow Chandrayan on Twitter @ChandrayanGupta. .   .   .   .   . If you loved the review, then get your copy of it on Amazon by clicking here and if you want us to review or recommend a book, then do let us know in the comments below or on Instagram @booxoul.

Uncategorized

‘Ram Lalla Virajman’ – Who is he?

Ram Lalla Virajman, Lord Ram’s infant form and litigant in Ayodhya case, has been given ownership of disputed land. In Indian law, Hindu deities are treated as “juristic persons” who can own properties and have the right to sue or be sued. Ex-Allahabad HC judge DN Agarwal received permission in 1989 to become deity’s ‘friend’ and represent him in legal proceedings. Here’s how Indians are tweeting about Ram Lalla Virajman: Words are not enough to express the gratitude , admiration and reverence I feel this moment for the advocate of Ram Lalla Virajman. I wish I could touch his feet. Kodi kodi pranamam ? #AyodhyaVerdict pic.twitter.com/WvACLxxpuX — Sangeetha (@sangeethikaraj) November 10, 2019 Parasaran, the 92-year-old lawyer who stood for hours in courtroom arguing for Ram Lalla is probably the most well versed person in Shāstras after Pandurang Vaman Kāne. Can someone learn at his feet and preserve his knowledge for him. https://t.co/wqFUp5NRt2 — Sanjay Dixit ಸಂಜಯ್ ದೀಕ್ಷಿತ್ संजय दीक्षित (@Sanjay_Dixit) November 9, 2019 Who is Ram Lalla Virajman, the deity who has been given possession of the disputed land in Ayodhya. | #RamMandirInAyodhya https://t.co/zPtioFue0J — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 9, 2019 Read more tweets, here. Source: InShorts, Twitter

Rockstar
Entertainment

My 9 Favorite Lines from the movie Rockstar

“Toote hue dil se hi sangeet nikalata hai, jab dil ki lagti hai, tukde tukde hote hai, tab aati hai jhankaar” Kuch yaad aaya? Rockstar! It’s one of my all-time favorite movies and if you’ll ask me about it, then I would say that this movie can be summed up into these lyrics alone: “Mann Ke Mere Ye Bharam Kachche Mere Ye Karam Leke Chale Hai Kahaan Main Toh Jaanoon Hi Na Tu Hai Mujh Mein Samaya, Kahaan Leke Mujhe Aaya Main Hoon Tujh Mein Samaya, Tere Peeche Chala Aaya Tera Hi Main Ek Saaya Tune Mujhko Banaya Main Toh Jag Ko Na Bhaya Tune Gale Se Lagaya Ab Tu Hi Hai Khudaya Sach Tu Hi Hai Khudaya” Okay, so here are my 9 Favorite Lines from the movie Rockstar:     I can hum the music while reading these lines.   This song trigger your thoughts but soothes your soul.   Though true!   Already missing my ex!   My all-time fav song.   This line ?   The most underrated song according to me!   A song that sums up everything. Jordan, us and Rockstar! .   .   .   .   . I can’t forget this album until I die. Such a great gem by A.R. Rahman, Irshad Kamil, Imtiaz Ali, and Mohit Chauhan is gonna stay with me for my whole life. Every playlist of mine is incomplete without this album. I just can’t tell how much I owe and love this album. Songs which I can’t mention like ‘The Dichotomy of Fame‘ still does something to me… it’s just ineffable. Anyways, those are the 9 best lines from the movie Rockstar, according to me. But hey, I know that I’ve missed a lot in here, so do let me know in the comments about what are your favorite lines and I’ll try adding it up here. Happy Listening 🙂

Book Reviews

N for Nourish by Pooja Makhija

N for Nourish The moment I picked this book up, I was certain that life would not be the same after reading this book and oh boy! Was I wrong? It was amazing to know how so much of the wealth of information can be contained in such a tiny book. If you think Pooja’s ‘N for Nourish’ is a children’s book, then you are mistaken. It is a hands-on encyclopedia for our daily nourishment. It manages the rudiments or rather it gets to the fundamentals of nourishment and our dietary habits. Also, read: You won’t ever ask for the salad after reading this! ‘N for Nourish‘ is not what you call a ground-breaking book. No, It isn’t. However, it does make you realize, what you are eating or rather not eating. Moreover how you are abusing your body and mind with your eating habits. This book is full of fun facts and amazing pictures. Each brief chapter tells you about Nutrition, food to eat and when to eat, Activities, etc., with a short explanation. It takes a gander at the fundamental parts of eating – the amount to eat, and when to eat. This book is a reminder to healthy, which we may have forgotten in our fast lifestyle. And that is why we need a book like this to keep reminding us from time to time, about what we should eat and how. A must-read for people who want to know more about food and its implications and how it changes lives. The writing style of the author is simple yet the effect it has on you incredible. Since reading this book, I have brought about many minor and major changes in my otherwise toxic lifestyle. This book ‘N for Nourish’ is a must-read for everyone, regardless of their age. It has earned a 5 out 5 stars for everything this book contains. .   .   .   .   . I hope you liked this review of ‘N for Nourish‘ by Pooka Makhija and I hope you’ve already shared it on your social media feeds or on WhatsApp. So, just to let you know, we are on Instagram too and by following us, you can get bookish posts directly on your feed. If interested, visit our Instagram profile at @booxoul. Happy Reading! Also, try reading 5 insane (but true) things about Chole Bhature.

Book Reviews

God Chronicles: Of Swarga by Ranjit More

Indian mythology believes that after death there is either SWARGA or NARKA, so we all wonder what SWARGA will be like…is it the same as earth or something beyond our imagination. How gods we worship live in Swarga? Do they have conflicts or it is all just tranquil? The Author, Ranjit More in God Chronicles takes us to the mythology world of Swarga where Indra is ruling with one absolute rule that no one should cross Line of safety. Crossing a mysterious line of safety leads to a penalty as death or ex-communication. But why? Does this rule is for the safety of goods or own convenience?. All of sudden Kratu – general supreme of Swarga, faces betrayal by king Indra. From one of the powerful of Swarga, lover of apsara-Menaka suddenly Kratu becomes nobody. All he is left is to find the truth of ‘Line of safety‘ or die mercilessly in Swarga politics. Somehow if he is unable to find the truth, then Swarga might end with the lower world. Will he be able to find the truth or fate has stored something else for him? My favorite character in ‘God Chronicles‘ will be Kratu for obvious reasons. The story revolves around him and the reader experiences his character growing from a loyal employee to a survivor of Swarga politics, a merciless fighter. But I would have appreciated if his personal life and love interest could have been elaborated little more to get invested with his character in depth. The latter half of the book becomes a little tedious as connecting with ancient names and characters becomes difficult. Also, I felt that it was a bit stretched. For this mysterious mythology novel, I will rate 3 out of 5 stars as it has a different concept. .   .   .   .   . I hope you like my review of ‘God chronicles‘ by Ranjit More and well, if you really did, then please share it na. Also, do let me know in the comments if you want me to review some specific book or write a book recommendation list and I, for sure will try to do that. Happy Reading 🙂      

Book Reviews

Love Courtroom dramas, police procedural series, and thrilling suspense? Then, Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer is a book for you…

Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer I have been asked many times by my friends to read books by Jeffrey Archer. But somehow or the other, I just couldn’t pick any of them. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan as they so graciously sent over Lord Jeffrey Archer’s ‘Nothing Ventured’ my way to review. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have ever read him. So I jumped head-on, with apprehensions in my heart as it was the first time I was reading any of his work. And what pleasant jolt of a surprise it was. Yeah, surprised I was. Ask me why? Firstly, this book was simply incredible! From the first chapter, I was tongue-tied. There was nothing in it to crib about. This page-turning saga ‘Nothing Ventured’ is book one of ‘Warwick Series’. In this book, Jefferey Archer introduces detective William Warwick. I must say this book was a brilliant start to I hope an even better series. Though while reading this book, you have to keep one thing in mind This is not a detective story, this is a story about a detective Indeed, this is a story of William Warwick, who has for the longest time wanted to be a detective, and much to his father, a famous barrister Sir Julian Warwick QC’s dismay joins London’s Metropolitan Police force. Whence starts his journey as a detective amidst all the twists and turns. The master storyteller knows how to keep his readers enthralled through the simple yet captivating storyline. It is so vividly told, extraordinarily engaging and hilarious at times. The brilliant narrative style of Jeffrey Archer is simply going to blow your mind with electrifying courtroom dramas, – I am sure nobody has done it better than Archer. No offense to others – shrouded with mystery throughout. There was so much going on in the story – policing, romance, court proceedings – however, regardless you don’t get befuddled by them. Furthermore, the light easy banter between the Warwick family sealed the deal form me. It worked like a cherry on top of an amazing cake. Characters I loved how the author penned his characters into the story. Each character had a distinct persona. They had so much depth and emotions that at one point, I felt like I seriously got entangled in their events. The characters enriched the story more. Also read: I read this book in one sitting! Do I recommend this book? Yes, I highly recommended ‘Nothing Ventured’ to those who love Courtroom dramas, police procedural series, and thrilling suspense. Sure to raise your hackles and make you breathless. This book has earned a 5 out of 5 stars for the Author Jeffrey Archer’s sheer story writing style and character build-up. .   .   .   .   . About the Author Jeffrey Archer Website: www.jeffreyarcher.co.uk Twitter: @jeffrey_archer Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940) is an English author and former politician. He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and became a life peer in 1992. His political career, having suffered several controversies, ended after a conviction for perverting the course of justice and his subsequent imprisonment. He is married to Mary Archer, a scientist specializing in solar power. Outside politics, he is a novelist, playwright, and short-story writer. Read more… .   .   .   .   . So, that was my review of ‘Nothing Ventured‘ by Jeffrey Archer. I hope you liked it and if you did, then don’t forget to share it with people who you think are going to love this book. Also, we are open to suggestions, so if you have any suggestion for us to make things better here, do let us know in the comments below! Happy Reading 🙂

Book Reviews

You must read this book at least once!

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert What do I say about this book? About the author Elizabeth Gilbert? I am just going to say one thing that I have totally become hopelessly enamored with this book and Elizabeth’s writing style. I recall Apoorv, speaking unremittingly about how ‘Eat, Pray and Love‘ is a delightfully written book and how it resonated with him; after reading the City of Girls, I do now know what he is was talking about. There is a certain smell of the term “beach read,” about this book. The story has an ephemeral quality that slowly soaks you in and devours you at its own pace. I was longing to be on the sand, with the music of gentles waves in the background, with no thoughts whatsoever in my mind. In ‘City of Girls’, the 89 yrs old protagonist Vivian Morris, recounts her life in a letter to Angela, the daughter of her only love. Along with Angela, Vivi will take us on an enchanting ride to the glamorous world of 1940s New York, where we are swept off our feet in the glittering nights and musical comedies in a crumbling theater called Lily’s Playhouse. When I started reading the book City of Girls, I felt that something was missing throughout. I did enjoy Elizabeth Gilbert’s writing, and the overall story, yet the feeling didn’t go. Then I decided to share my feelings about this book with my friend @book_gobbler. She told me that the soul of the book was there, right there in every word you read. I missed it because I did the mistake of judging the character of Vivian Morris, with the moral code of this is right and that is wrong. Hence, I decided to re-read the book, but this time without any judgment clouding my mind. I realized, that this was a tale of embracing the imperfect you, and standing for it, no matter what. Vivian, who was as imperfect as one can be, yet was comfortable in herself, and happy. Gilbert knows how to weave a story with humor and tragedy sewn onto a whimsical set of people. I loved, how I slowly transitioned with Vivi to aging timelines and grew old to be a defined woman. Furthermore, Gilbert ever so passionately and sensibly gives an element of the war and what it does to people. Kudos to Elizabeth Gilbert. Why should you read the ‘City of Girls’? Because it is worth your time and money. And I loved reading this book. It was a change I so badly needed. I say you must read the book at least once! .   .   .   .   . Have you read this book? IF yes, then do let us know in the comments, what do you think of it? Also, if you think that in any way, we can make our reviews or recommendations or articles better, then just let us know in the comments or DM us on Instagram, here.

Book Reviews

The Conspiracy Unknown by Abishek Babu

Two stories and two different timelines running on a path of love, betrayals and the conspiracies unknown. Sounds intriguing, right? Abishek Babu’s ‘The Conspiracy Unknown‘, is set in an imaginary world of two different timelines. Spread in various genres: historical, mystery and fantasy, is a book worth spending your time on. Initially, though, the story is a bit confusing, but as you move further, it will start making sense to you. It is remarkable how the author has so minutely detailed each part of the story and merge them into an epic of a story. And kudos to him for penning a story at such a huge level and yet making sure that the readers don’t feel lost. In fact, past the initial, I loved how the story took shape. Abishek’s narrative was a confluence smooth flowing river. Highly engaging and entertaining. Furthermore, I loved how he through his story tackled a sensitive issue of rape. Though it was a very minor part of the story, the impression it left on me was impactful. Amazing Abishek! Characters talk It can be difficult sometimes for readers to connect with the character of the book. Especially those books which deal with two timelines and many characters apart from main characters, who fleet in and fleet out of the story. However, the author Abishek Babu with his pen has done an amazing job of justifying each character in regards to the storyline of this book. What I did not like about the book? ‘The Conspiracy Unknown’ could have been a 5 on 5 reads, had it not been such a huge book. I felt that it was in some places stretched out a bit. Moreover, the language needed editing. I feel that the publishers should do their part honestly while editing so that the hard work authors do, pay off. Overall, the book is a perfect travel companion. And a perfect read for the thriller, time travel, and fantasy fans. For me, it’s a 3.5 out of 5 stars read. .   .   .   .   . Do let us know in the comments if you liked the review and if you’ve read this book, then what’s your review of it? Also, read: Traveller Inceptio Happy Reading 🙂