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Review of Finding Our She compass by Helen Owens
Book Reviews

Finding Our She-compass by Helen & Jo Owens

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15 Life Lessons for Women Voyaging Toward Restoration, Reconstruction, and Renewal I am a fictional novel reader who avoids motivational, self-help books all the time. In fact, this is my first self-help book reading experience and reason is my own hair. After my pregnancy, my hair texture got changed from wavy to frizzy curls. Though it seems a petty issue it still bothers me. Most of the time I am in the same bun hairstyle. So, while my visit to the trichology center, I saw someone who was literally half bald. I didn’t talk to her but I wondered if with only texture change, I am so conscious then how she must be feeling and that is how I started reading the famous book “Finding Our She-Compass: 15 Life Lessons For Women Voyaging toward Restoration, Reconstruction, and Renewal”. Love is the compass of life As per my understanding, this is a motivational story cum self-help book. It’s about Author Helen Owens who is a hair-restoration professional who helps people who had lost their hair in special circumstances. Helen is giving us insight into her own life and career experiences which includes a few of her client’s stories. These stories reflect all-important relationships of our life like family, love and friends and all issues with these relationships like heartbreak, over self-analysis and trust. ‘I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship’ – Louisa May Alcott While reading this book many times, I have recognized that there is some part of me in those troubled women’s life or another way around. Helen teaches us many lessons like embracing self-power, self-priority; ignoring own negativity; avoiding toxic relationships and many more. This book is worthy of all your time and energy as stories are not only relatable and inspiring but also interesting. As a reader, you don’t get bored or feel bloated with over motivation lessons. Subtly this book changes somethings within us. I can confidently recommend this book to all age groups from 16 to 60. Also, this book is not only for women; anyone can read as there is plenty of takeaways. I would like to rate this inspiring book 4 out of 5. .   .   .   .   . Love reading self-help? Then, don’t miss this: Finding your G-spot in Life Also, do let us know in the comments, what’s your favorite self-help book? Happy Reading 🙂

Review of Unknown Trail by Vinayak Jawalkar
Book Reviews

An Unknown Trail by Vinayak Jawalkar

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Title: An Unknown Trail Publication: Goya Publishing Page Count: 105 Genre: Spiritual Fiction The story starts off with the graduation of two unlikely friends Aditya and Sameer.  Aditya is the clueless drifter while Sameer the fitness freak seems to have a firm goal with his life all mapped out ahead for him. As it happens in life, both go their separate ways of getting busy with their respective careers and families. Five years later, a sudden encounter in the rain, has the two buddies reconnecting.  On a whim, they plan to take off on an impromptu trip to disconnect and regroup. They decide to embark on this journey of self-discovery by trekking to the Himalayas. The different people and situations that they face leave an indelible impression on each of them as they return transformed after their trip; each having found what they didn’t even know they were really searching for. Do I recommend it? A simple straightforward book by Vinayak Jawalkar who seems to have taken inspiration from his own experiences while penning this story adding a personal touch. Though there don’t seem to be any really intriguing or heart-touching moments as Vinayak drifts ahead while adding moments of mystique and spirituality, it does manage to capture the simplicity, kindness, and chivalry of the villagers. At times ‘An Unknown Trail‘ reads like a literal regional translation which was unfortunate and the typos add to the whole jarring effect.       Rating: 2/5 stars .   .   .   .   . Don’t miss: I married a Sanyasi  Also, if you’re on Instagram, then you can get bookish updates straight to your feed just by following us at @booxoul. Happy Reading 🙂  

Swapped by Neeha Gupta Book Launch
Book Reviews

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra launches ‘Swapped’ by Neeha Gupta, published by Leadstart

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Mumbai, 12th December 2019 Soha Ali Khan, Evelyn Sharma, Pooja Chopra and Tenaaz Irani share videos titled “whom would you swap your life with” which were played at the launch. 17-year-old Neeha Gupta’s Swapped was launched at Title Waves Bandra yesterday. Published by Leadstart, the book is a gripping tale of teenage dilemmas and friendship. The book was launched via a panel discussion between award-winning filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and author Neeha Gupta and moderated by film critic and senior journalist Aakanksha Naval-Shetye. The discussion veered towards friendship, teenage ambition and the quest for personal growth. “Friends are those who get you into trouble,” joked Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who added gravitas to the book launch. He also added, “ youngsters must be allowed to discover what they’re meant to become, over time.” Aakanksha Naval-Shetye deftly guided the discussion towards Rakeysh Mehra’s own reading habits- to which he said, “I read 15 pages here and there. I like to explore parts of various books, unlike my wife and daughter who are voracious readers.” Neeha Gupta shared, “I would like to explore Swapped as a web series.” The event also saw the launch of a song ‘It’s a big world out there’, which is part of the book “Swapped” sung by Neeha Gupta and Sidharth Bhambure, also a student of standard 12th, Neeha’s classmate and a budding musician who has already uploaded albums on Spotify, iTunes, etc; Actor Maninee De Mishra and designer Archana Kochhar were present for the book launch. ABOUT SWAPPED Reserved, resilient Rachel and free-spirited fashionista Harleen are two regular high-school girls, who lead completely contrasting lives. Their lives chug along like those of most; nothing remarkable or out of the ordinary. Then one wild night, on a rocky beach, destiny intervenes. They discover that their innermost desire is to live each other’s lives. Family and close friends notwithstanding, they take a leap of faith and commit to a crazy scheme. Will their secret be revealed? Or will fate be in cahoots with their plan? About the Author: The versatile author, Neeha Gupta, is a valedictorian in her tenth grade. She has had a keen interest in writing from a very young age. Her first book “Different” was received by the Hon. President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. Neeha, who is also a TedEd Speaker, has gained praise for her writing skills through which she inspires youngsters to not harbor negative thoughts and encourages them to think positively about their future. About Leadstart Leadstart is one of the leading publishers in India. The company’s portfolio covers a wide range of genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Children, Business, Management, Finance, World Affairs, Politics, History, Self-Help & Empowerment, Health & Fitness, Spirituality & Religion, Philosophy, Cookery, Reference, Biography, Travel, Poetry, Activities, Hobbies, Crafts & Sports, etc. Leadstart has offices in India and the US and operates around the world in association with global partners. Several Leadstart authors have won major literary prizes such as the Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award, Vodafone Crossword Awards, various State literary awards and the Jnanpith Award, as well as regularly being longlisted for other awards including the Man Asian Literary Prize. Testimonials for Swapped Two books at the age of 17 are commendable and by writing for her own age and peers, Neeha Gupta has contributed her bit to sparking the reading habit; Good young adult fiction can be a foundation for more evolved reading choices later in life. ‘Swapped’ is a simple engaging story for all ages, as it taps into the universal themes of friendship, love, relationships, parent-child conflict, and self-discovery.” Meghna Pant, Author and Journalist Swapped is a delightful example of new-age writing. The visual narrative style almost seems like you are watching a Netflix series. The conflicts showcased in the story grip you right from the word go. At every stage, one gets tempted to experience the thrill and risks experienced by Rachel and Harleen. When a reader is constantly compelled to enter into the shoes of the fictional characters, one can safely assume that a writer is born. Ashish Jaiswal, Oxford scholar, bestselling author. Swapped by Neeha Gupta conveys not only the voice of a young author but also the promise of a potential future literary career. Writing for her age-group, Neeha encapsulates in a charming story, with its own little twists and turns, the preoccupations, dreams, anxieties, and ideas of India’s youngest generation. Bristling with energy, enthusiasm, and not a little mischief, Swapped will appeal to Neeha’s contemporaries as well as those readers a little older, who with a chuckle will remember their own time as young students, filled with all its defining misadventures. Manu Pillai, award-winning author. FOREWORD FOR SWAPPED Rama Devi, Dy Speaker of The Lok Sabha I am delighted to know that Neeha Gupta has shown a keen interest in writing from a young age. Her writing is well-intentioned as it inspires youngsters to not harbor negative thoughts and think positively about their future. It is this leadership quality and spirit of service that has made her write two books with simple stories but deeply positive messages. I am confident that her books will benefit the youngsters of today. I wish that Neeha achieves her dreams in the future.

Review of Supercop of Aryavrat by Mithilesh Kumar
Book Reviews

Supercop of Aryavrat by MIthilesh Kumar

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I’ve been a huge fan of mythological fiction ever since I came across this genre. They have some deep meaning and they engrave different possibilities of all kinds. They make me want to explore all the nuances involved so that I can learn about ancient people, epics, wars, and cultures. This book is a retelling of Mahabharata as narrated by Lord Krishna himself. The symbolization of Vishnu in the form of a narrator marks a very good beginning to the book. And the author has justified the things thoroughly with the help of witty writing style along with contemporary storytelling. The writing style incorporated is very good along with a nonchalant flow of narrative that makes it quite compelling and easy to finish it quickly. Also, the presentation of each minor detail in a vague manner makes the pace quite good. Mithilesh’s ‘Supercop of Aryavrat’ felt like an autobiography, told by the Lord himself as he reminisces the various instruments and instances of his past life. The greatest testimonial proof and embodiment is the great war of Mahabharata. The insurmountable level of the scale of this war spans over the whole world itself. No wonder it’s been called the greatest battle of all time, the greatest of epics. The only drawback I felt was the inconsistency of the facts written here. I felt the writer modified & used them as per his own whim without paying many deeds to the actual reality of what happened exactly in the past. So I felt the overall portrayal was a tad bit biased. Additionally, Lord Krishna and other great warriors have been portrayed a bit sexually in the form of perverted beings which kind of irked me and it kind of irked me. Do I recommend this book? Overall, it was quite an interesting read and can be read once. My Rating: 3/5 stars .   .   .   .   . Love reading mythology books? Then, also read: God Chronicles- Of Swarga Also, do let us know in the comments below about your favorite mythology book. Happy Reading 🙂

Review of the book Walks Through Life: Stories by Santhosh K. Komaraju
Book Reviews

Walks Through Life: Stories by Santhosh K. Komaraju

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I am the kind of person who is a habitual fictional novel reader. Normally many of us prefer lengthy novels that walk with us like a friend. For a change, I came across a book or better way to say compilation of a few short stories of Author Santhosh and it was a delight reading it. It reminded me of Sunday Newspaper short stories which give us some insight into people’s journey through tough times and their life stories. Pages: 136 Publishing House: Notion Press ‘Walks Through Life’ is a collection of 9 stories. I can’t classify them as short stories as each story is 20-30 pages long. Santhosh has ensured that every story has its own era and morals. There are many characters about whom I still think as if they are my long-lost friends. These stories take us to different phases of life as if every story is defining a new emotion. The stories were so poignant that I was swept off in the wave of the melange of emotions showcased throughout my reading. Few imperfect characters are helping the story to become perfect. I am mentioning all 9 titles as they are the first to witness the unique creation of Author Santosh Komaraju. The Hidden Kingship Divine Ax Blessing From a Curse A Letter From the Well Beyond the Bar Of Humanity Rise Of Motherhood Two Misjudgments King Of All A Gold Message For young readers, this book is a good start to their reading journey. As the debutant author Komaraju mentioned, somewhere these stories hint about Hindu mythology beliefs. Author Santosh believes that mythology stories not only describe historical events but also they teach us valuable lessons somewhere. Narration is like a descriptive and creative journey to ride on. Compelling, smooth and very intricately woven. But while reading, I sometimes felt that a few stories or a particular few segments were unnecessarily written or a bit stretched. Overall, this was a book, I enjoyed reading a lot. ‘Walks Through Life’ is a book, I’d like people to read it at least once. I would like to rate this imaginative creation, 4 out of 5 stars. I will be looking forward to the next book by Author Santosh Komaraju. .   .   .   .   . Love reading Short Stories? Also, read: Kaleidoscope of Love Or explore more of short story gems like ‘Walks through Life’, here. And hey, do let us know in the comments below if you have any recommendations. Happy Reading 🙂  

Review of An Extreme Love of Coffee by Harish Bhat
Book Reviews

An Extreme Love of Coffee by Harish Bhat

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I never thought that a tea aficionado like me would write a review of a book with a pen in one hand, a cup of hot coffee in another. Yeah, I’m a tea enthusiast, through and through, and an occasional coffee drinker. I am one of those people who believes that good things happen only to those who have a cup of hot tea in one hand and a good book in another. But this time, my idea shattered into a million pieces, as I embarked on a treasure hunt in the Coffee lands, unknowing what I’m going to bring back from my adventure. I am still reeling in the throes of reading this magical coffeelicious book ‘An Extreme Love of Coffee’ written by Harish Bhat. It’s still hard to imagine how the Custodian Guardian of the Tata Sons Group and the Chairman of Tata Coffee LTD. can overwhelm readers with their very first fiction book, an adventurous coffee travelogue. An Extreme Love of Coffee’ is a uniquely conceptualized India’s first Coffee Book with a heady mix of adventure, travel, a bit of soft romance scattered here and there and no doubt loaded with loads and loads of Coffee. At the beginning of the book, I couldn’t get in touch with the plot for two reasons I think: first, it was a little slow (obviously, it needed time to take shape), and second, I couldn’t figure out the’ Heads and Tails’ of where the story was taking me (needs patience, baby). But after 30 or so pages, I stumbled down in the wonderland of delicious coffee and beautiful places. I was totally lost in the story, with only the aroma of roasted to perfection coffee Beans guiding me to my destination. I applaud Mr. Bhat heartily, the master-storyteller, for penning a story, for I could never have dreamed before that a tale could be spun around coffee in such delicious words and woven intricately into a book. I was enamored with the writing style, so sensuous and delectable. I could feel the genuine love and passion in every word he wrote. Published by Penguin Publishers, this novel ranges across the beautiful places where Coffee is worshipped and can be found in every nook and cranny. The descriptions of weather, landscapes, and coffee were done passionately and in loving detail. Reading the novel, was like sitting on my comfy chair, tucked under the warm and soft quilt in long winter nights at my Nani’s place and filling my lungs with the smell of the nutty aroma of walnuts, mild but deliciously bitter coffee. On this journey to discover coffee and treasure hunt, the characters of the book became my best buddies. Slowly but certainly between Rahul and Neha, I could literally feel the electricity of growing love. I could also feel the happiness of my Coffee Ghost found in the company of those two. So many characters flitted in and out of the story, each with their own little tale to tell. What an incredible experience reading this book has been. I miss my old friends already. I could go on and on about how amazing the book ‘An Extreme Love of Coffee’ is, but I got to stop somewhere, so to give you chance to check out the book for yourself. I say, go on, do read this potently heady Coffee book. Especially in this chilly season. Also, don’t forget your coffee while reading this book, or you will definitely going to regret it. My Rating: 5/5 stars .   .   .   .   . What do you love more? Chai or Coffee? Do tell us in the comments below and also, you can follow us on Instagram @booxoul and get book reviews & recommendations straight to your feed. Happy Reading 🙂

Review of the Book Rose's Bent Stem by Nomita Khanna
Book Reviews

Rose’s Bent Stem by Nomita Khanna

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This year has been really good in regards to reading good books, compared to last year. I got to read some of the finest books by Indian writers, which is to be quite rare. Nomita Khanna’s book ‘Rose’s Bent Stem’ is one of those books that kept me hooked throughout. In fact, it turned out to be a completely well-executed surprise for me. Why a surprise, you ask me? Well, for one, I had thought it to be an average love story kind of book, but rather it turned out to be a psychological thriller. My favorite genre, you see… So imagine my delight when the book started taking shape in front of my eyes. I was in complete awe of her writing style. Intricate and executed well. The writing and the narrative of the book blew my mind off the walls. It was gripping, heart racing, a complete thrilling drama that gave me a jolt of shock so strong that I was rendered speechless. Furthermore, it was smooth as a flowing river and eerie as the nursery rhymes used in the book, which gave goosebumps. I could literally feel my hair standing on end. Moreover, loved the language used in the book, fresh, easy and free-flowing. I was lost in the story that was a maze of twists and turns so intense that at the end of the story, one had to remind herself to breathe deep and have a cup of hot tea. Though at some places, I thought it was stretched a bit long, and that kind of was off-putting, otherwise no bother. It is an amazing job done by Nomita. Penning a real-life story, that could have gone either way. It was a risk she dared to take. As I reckon writing a psychological story needs lots of details taken care of. The book is very vividly written in a diary form. Very graphically detailed. Ergo, not everybody’s cup of tea. I highly recommend this book to all who like Crime/Thrillers. This book has earned a 4 on 5 stars for its gripping story and strong plotline. .   .   .   .   . Love reading suspense thriller, then definitely check this book out and also, visit more of our suspense thriller book reviews and recommendations. Happy Reading 🙂

Book Reviews

In a Conversation with Arun Batish, the author of EKA – Rendezvous with your life forces

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From his childhood to the journey of writing ‘EKA – Rendezvous with your life forces’, here we are, in a conversation with the author Arun Batish. Here we go: Q. How did you come up with this book? Anything particular that prompted you to write this book? A. I live and experience emotions like – Admiration, Adoration, Aesthetic Appreciation, Amusement, Anxiety, Awe, Awkwardness, Boredom, Calmness, Confusion, Craving, Disgust, Empathetic pain, Entrancement, Envy, Excitement, Fear, Horror, Interest, Joy, Nostalgia, Romance, Sadness, Satisfaction, Sympathy, Triumph every day and this is what prompted me to write this book EKA – Rendezvous With Your Life Forces. Q. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? A. I am strong believer that, if you do not have these in your life you are useless and deserve to die today itself ” experience, happiness, inspiration, life, love, mistakes, pain, philosophy, reality, sadness, smile, truth, life-lessons, beauty, family, nature, heart, humanity, friendship, Betrayal, freedom, ditched, wronged, change, fantasy, motivation, dreams, spirituality, motivational, people, peace, power, courage, joy, future, world, learning, motivational-quotes, soul, money, self-help, passion, mind, creativity, purpose, prayer, love-quotes, psychology, insults, belief, depression, spiritual, relationship, desire, friends, trust, loss, humorous, forgiveness, loneliness “. This is where I get all the information and ideas to write my book EKA – Rendezvous With Your Life Forces. Q. What makes this particular genre you are involved in so special? A. I think the reason this particular genre that I am involved and write-on is so, special, is for the fact that it can help people learn self-help skills and live an independent, meaningful and fulfilling life. I am a strong believer that the Self-help genre is extremely empowering, it means having a customized plan of your life events, making other people feel good about you and by reading books of Self-help genre one becomes a better and wiser person. Q. If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? A. Rhonda Byrne’s, The Secret. It is wonderful to read that sold bazillion copies and bulldozed through a few million people’s wallets but that does not change the fact that I just don’t like it. It is nothing but a book that describes the (in) famous ‘Law of Attraction’. Had I been the author of the same, I would have added realistic emotions and credits to human thinking patterns that more or less say the same thing: mind your thoughts, stay positive and focused on your goals, ignore self-doubt and criticism, visualize and concentrate on what you want and you will eventually have it. Q. Do you aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day? A. I do not aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day, though I do write every day for 30 minutes. I allow no interruptions, no beeps, no notifications, and nothing to check for 30 minutes straight before my house gets lured by the smell of freshly brewed Himalayan coffee wake me up and I start my day of being a Corporate Executive and act as a Human Resources professional. Q. What do you think was the greatest turning point of your life? A. After, leaving school in the beautiful city of Shimla. I strongly considered joining the Indian Army and so one day on a practice hike in the Himalayas, my life took a bad turn. Whilst negotiating a treacherous crossing between two narrow cliffs, I slipped and took a free-fall into the deep gorge underneath. As I tugged open my parachute, the canopy ripped on the jagged edge of the jutting rock face and he plummeted to the ground from a height of 4,000 feet. The damage to the canopy allowed for only a partial opening of the parachute, causing me to land hard on the ground below, with the parachute pack crashing onto my back. I lay unconscious for several minutes before I was finally rescued by my team. I was rushed to the nearest hospital where the doctor reported that four of my vertebrae were crushed, nerves were all compressed and when the reports came out, it was stated that I had come “within a whisker” of being paralyzed for life. During the recovery phase, doctors told me that it was questionable whether I would ever walk again. This was not just a shock for me, but also a turning point in my life. As a young man who had envisioned the life of an army officer ahead of him, I felt pained. And I fell into a period of deep heartbreaking pain as I spent the next eight months in and out of rehabilitation. As I healed I spent time meditating in a trance of deep introspection. What saved me ultimately was my faith which grew stronger day by day as I started reading many of the ancient Indian texts like the Bhagavad Gita and other books on philosophy which made me realize that when the Divine gives us such life and death moments – it is because our soul seeks a greater understanding of life. Within a year of tenacious dedication and determination in the rehabilitation center, hard work in the physiotherapy room, I bounced back to new adventures that have hence taken me forward in life. This was when I realized my potential life forces and turned my life forever. Q. When did you first consider yourself a writer? A. It was in 7th grade when I wrote a love letter to my class teacher. In fact, it was her response to let me know that I’ve written a beautiful letter. This ignited a fire of writer, which I only realized later post overcoming my hormones change dates. This answer might sound funny to many, but like an innocent prisoner, I stand by it. Q. Often in life, it’s our greatest challenges that make or break us. What do you think is the determining factor between whether we

The review of the book The Apple by Devashish Sardana
Book Reviews

The Apple: History’s greatest mystery. Mankind’s greatest theft. – Devashish Sardana

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We all know the story from the bible about the Garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit apple. Author Devashish takes us further on the same thought, what if the Garden of Eden and apple still exist? ‘The Apple‘ is a perfect blend of ancient and modern life and their related mysteries. This is the story of Queen Azura and her sacrifice to fulfill her ancestors’ only mission, to safeguard Eden and tree of immortality from evil eyes of selfish outsider-humans. On another side, Dr. Costello wants an apple from the tree of immortality. A team is given the job to find and steal from Sentinels – first homo sapiens who walk the earth. One fateful night Queen Azura finds an intruder in Eden, a man with no memory and bullet wound in his head. But the larger concern is an apple is missing from Tree of immortality. Azura believes that intruder is the culprit but without his memories, she can’t find either apple or his true intentions. To find apple, Azura has to join hands with an outsider but can she trust him? Outsider also has the same question can he trust Queen Azura or for that matter himself. ‘The Apple‘ is a unique concept novel with answers to our what-if questions about the Garden of Eden. Despite being the first novel by Author Devashish, this book is an imaginative creation. “History’s greatest mystery. Mankind’s greatest theft”. This cover page beguiling tagline itself hints towards one more selfish reality of mankind. However, while reading a few times language seems to be less naturalistic. Also, few twists were a little predictable but due to the unique concept, I didn’t mind it much. My favorite character is Queen Azura who is a sharp, brave and responsible queen. Her dedication towards her people is admirable. On the other side, I detested the predictable character of Michelle. This novel can easily qualify for movie or TV series rights as there is a tremendous scope of thriller entertainment. Overall, I would rate this mystery and adventure novel 3.75 out of 5. Also, I will be looking forward to the next book as there was a definite hint towards the next part. .   .   .   .   . About the Author Devashish Sardana is the acclaimed author of 10×10 Thrills, a Facebook and Instagram blog where he writes 100 Word Thriller books for his fast-growing community of 75,000+ followers. Devashish is a small-town boy from India who grew up with big dreams and an even bigger imagination. After graduating from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A), he sharpened his storytelling skills as a brand builder in a Fortune 100 company for 8+ years. Devashish lives in Singapore with his wife and college sweetheart, Megha. He currently flits across the globe selling hope in a jar (beauty creams). .   .   .   .   . I hope you loved the review and hey, if you really did then please give us a comment below na. Tell us which book do you want us to review next or if you need some book recommendations? Happy Reading 🙂

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