Siddhant Kataria

Many want to be a leader. But people often confuse a boss with a leader, a manager who wants to be the centre of attention and a manager who inspires their team to improve. The Power Of Humility by PV Ramana Murthy is a debut work written with precision and command over the language. This work is comprehensible and speaks to the readers. The way the author explains the framework for humility and concludes his work is plausible. Every chapter is an outcome of research, and the explanation is worth your time. I didn’t find it repetitive or dragged. The author discusses three attributes in all the chapters- these attributes are of the qualities discussed. These qualities are the title of the chapter. The transition between the book chapters is simple, but the concluding line of each chapter tells us what we will explore in the following chapter. Discussing the title- the title is justifiable as the author discusses the attributes of humility with examples. However, how to develop it is also shared in this book. The one thing I liked the most was that he discussed situational arrogance. I want to share the details but will keep it for another post, hoping this will pique your curiosity. This is one of those books that will stay on my recommended shelf for a while. This is something that I shall read again. Business leaders, people in managerial positions, organisational psychologists and anyone who is working with guiding people in top management positions may go for this. Follow @b00kscom on Instagram for more book reviews.

There are stories that inspire you to act on your situation, and then there are stories that let you understand the sad realities of life. This Love That Feels Right is one such story. The story begins with our protagonist bumping her car into a stranger’s car, and he lets her away with it. Why did he let her go away? She meets him later as her gym trainer. Why did she join the gym? For these questions, you may have to read the story. She came from a reserved family and was married into another conserved family, and the author has discussed the plight of a daughter in such families. The concept of the story is good, but the execution didn’t excite me because I have read better works by Mr Singh. While reading, I felt the book was written to familiarise people with the concept. The characterisation was fair, but the story was predictable and seemed a bit dragged. There were moments where I felt that this could have been avoided, but then those chapters seemed necessary for the plot- one of the struggles the authors go through while writing the story. The story could have been a short story, though. Anyway, the title is justified. If someone is looking for a thought-provoking subject, they may go for this. It is a slow and light story.

Read kids' books from time to time. It is a good change, and these stories are- mostly- profound in nature. Besides that, these stories serve as a visit to childhood and assist in accomplishing the Goodreads challenge. The Blue Umbrella is one such book. Ruskin Bond enlightens us with the experience of a little girl who trades her lucky bear claw for a blue-coloured posh umbrella. People envy her because of that umbrella- humans find it arduous to digest others' happiness. And Lala of the town is disheartened and envious of not having that umbrella with him. Will he do something? Well, he got money and that gives him some power. The story discusses themes like greed, envy etc. How avarice is harmful is also a part of this story. The scenes are beautifully portrayed, and the characterization is plausible. The story is intact, and the hilly setting- iconic of Ruskin Bond, is visited here. It is a great story and can be a good bedtime tale for kids and you.

‘Career breaks aren't good.’ ‘You are doing so good why do you want to take a break?’ ‘You have a good salary and a good home; why do you want to disrupt your life?’ People make all these statements but fail to fathom that happiness doesn't lie in a good salary or a job that society admires. These are not the days of the industrial revolution- when you needed a job for survival because there were only a few options. The times and the perspectives have changed, and so has the mindset. So before we proceed, are you happy with your current job? Reboot- how to manage career breaks and return with success is the debut work of Issac John that explains career breaks, how and when to take them, why they become a necessity, how these breaks don't disrupt your career, and how to make the most out of them. He also discusses how you can plan them, how to come out to the family about that and your plan. I appreciate the inclusion of taking care of mental health while on the break as a different chapter in this book. The insights discussed here are worth your time. In the third part, the author discusses the comeback and encourages you to join the same work profile if that is what you excel in. It is not a failure but a chance you took and is an act of courage. He also discusses how you can minimise the chances of a salary cut. The book is well-crafted and covers almost every aspect. Yes, he has discussed financial planning, too. The book speaks to you. The writing style is comprehensible, and the pace is smooth. If this were not a debut work, it would have been worth 5 stars, but I shall go for 4.5 out of 5 stars for now. Anyway, this is a book that I shall recommend to every working individual. I hope you find this book well and that it encourages you to think about taking that awaited step. Whenever you do, just come here and comment your views below.

Have you ever witnessed authors that try to write in different genres? I am curious. I read A Touch Of Eternity, written by Durjoy Datta, lately. I love to try different genres, and this book has been on my shelf since September 2021. The book begins with two lovers- Dhruvan and Anvesha, wanting to write their story. Dhruvan and Anvesha were born on the same day to the two neighbours. These babies would cry and not sleep when separated, i.e., they seemed contended and slept when they lay next to each other. Dhruvan’s dad believes them to be soulmates. The story begins at a slow pace to build up the plot. Mr Datta takes sufficient time to unfold the mysteries, but he does discuss three chapters in between to hint to the readers about its concept. Reading a science-fiction-themed storyline written by a romance writer could be puzzling, and that confirms why a few readers didn’t go forward with the book. There were instances when I felt he was trying to rush through to bring in the actual plot because there were a few inconsistent sentences. Anyway, the pace changed as we entered the principle scenario. It seemed like a thriller imparting dystopian vibes. It amazed me that he was going to try something different this time, and I wish that had been the case. I wish there was a way to share the details without giving spoilers to his fans, but all I can offer is that I found the ending to be the obvious solution for him as he tried to keep his known-for genre intact. One can categorize the story as a Romantic Science Fiction Thriller. The title has been justified on both metaphorical and literary grounds. Also, the titles of the chapters were appropriate. I suggest the concerned people at Sony Liv or Zee 5 ask the author to alter the ending and direct a web series with this plot because the thriller part was enthralling. Anyway, I admit that I was impressed with his imagination and the intricate details of the few violent scenes in the book, which include a few deaths. Nevertheless, Mr Datta must try his hand at the science fiction genre with not so cringe ending.

Have you ever known someone who joined their family business or started a business, and you designated them as Lala because of their behaviour? Well, some characteristics are interpreted as that of a Lala, specifically, a huge belly. P.S.- There is no intent of body shaming. The Good Indian Employee's Guide To Surviving A Lala Company is a book that summarises the struggles of the employees who are a part of the company supervised by a Lala. The malpractices of Lala, how they justify them, and why it becomes necessary sometimes- have been shared in this book. Anyway, the majority focus is on the malpractices of Lala, how that disrupts the growth aspects of the company, and what an employee can do to survive in such situations. The book carries an informal tone and comprises case studies that share many instances which may assist anyone aiming to expand their business, even those working as distributors of various so-called brands, to familiarise themselves with the tariffs of efficient work culture. Besides that, it discusses the red flags of the owner for the workforce. The employees are not your servants but the teammates who will take your business to heights when treated well. Yes, there are some exceptions, and you may learn some tips on spotting and tackling them. The various instances shared may assist in predicting the workforce future in such a company and help them plan their decisions and alternatives accordingly. In some cases, the aftermath of the company has been deliberated under the wisdom nuggets section of every case study or chapter. Having interacted with Lala companies and shrewd employees before let me relate more to the content. I wish this book got published years ago when I went into an expansion drive of my family business. I would have learnt about the malpractices of the employees and ways to challenge those shrewd salesmen. In a nutshell, this book is not limited to the survival of employees but allows the owner to redeem their growth in the market.

It’s strenuous to write a book, and it is disheartening to write a review of a book that didn’t enthral me. Anyway, the deed needs to be done. Between The Hearts is a debut novel by Pradeep Neelakandan. It is a story that portrays the daily events of the protagonist Madhumita. The story begins with Madhu reminiscing about the old times. The story involves all the events that led her life to reach that moment. The author attempts to portray the life of a girl from a reserved family and her struggles of being beautiful and woke in this society and not letting the heart-wrenching events destroy her confidence. The story could have been crafted well. Some scenes changed immediately, without any warning or preparation. Had these flashbacks been worked upon, they would have done well in grasping my attention. Like there should be a smooth transition. When I encountered that sudden change in the beginning, I read the page thrice to see if I was at fault, and later in the story, this crossfading seemed to be forced to appear like a smooth transition. The friendship of Madhumita and Deepika involved discussions about boys; he portrayed that their life revolved around boys since they developed a sense of infatuation or relationship. There may be a few girls that may have such conversations, but trying to generalize over a large population is something indigestible. The author could have worked on being more aware of that for this part of the plot. No doubt in that the concept from a holistic view seems worth reading, but the overall formulation- the flashbacks, the need to visit old memories, the twist that seemed to be forced, the need for those conversations revolving around the guys, the progress of the story etc. needed to be worked upon. The author may try his hand at short stories; his writing style may be used for that(maybe).

Sometimes authors pick intriguing topics to write upon. What was one such topic you read lately? I read 2034 by Bruno Beaches- a futuristic, dystopian novel. The story is about the aftermath of the pandemic. It revolves around the narrative of the side effects of vaccines and the takeover by artificial intelligence. The new world order gets established, i.e., one government ruling the world. However, China is not a part of this because it is way ahead in development. The population gets divided into two groups- those who get vaccinated and those who abstain from vaccines. The money system has been abolished, and a social credit system is used to assess the various activities, going outside, food and all. This system has a variety of bands determining their allowances. The story is set in 2034 and begins with Samantha narrating to some kids how life used to be. She is a part of the group referred to as anti-vaxxers; they had to leave the safe zones to continue living in the wild. Simultaneously, the author discusses the couples living in the safe zone. The topic is really intriguing. I appreciate how the author used his imagination to give rise to this dystopian science fiction. However, it could have been better. The beginning was good and made me want more, but later in the story, I witnessed redundant repetitiveness. In this book, the author discusses three stories that carry different emotions, making it difficult for me to connect. The sentences are comprehensible, and the effort is splendid, but the way of delivery needs to be worked upon. One of the things that irked me is that characters are too concerned about their orgasms, and I figured it's because they had a lot of time to spare. The story ended with a cliffhanger, and the way it ended makes me believe the author will have a better setting to appreciate his artistic fervour. And I hope it is better.

I professed before how we should read trending books with the least expectations; read them like you stumbled upon that book while surfing online or in a bookstore. I said that to avoid a biased review, but I forgot my biases towards the stories discussing some grave topics. It Ends With Us is another such book. Lily is sitting alone on the rooftop for fresh air, but a handsome guy with bulging arms disturbs her solitude. His name is Ryle, and he is going to be a neurosurgeon. Lily’s father had died that day, but that didn’t seem to disturb her. The scene ends with Ryle accepting his lust for her. (It is fine. Hot and rich guys don’t get imprisoned.) They meet after six months when Lily goes on to knock on her dream to open a floral business and ends up hiring Ryle’s sister, who is married to a billionaire yet wants to work her day off. What could be the reason? By the way, there was this guy named Atlas in her past. He was homeless, but Lily was his home. The story discusses the plight of the women victim of domestic violence. Mrs Hoover discussed how it is easy to judge those victims from a distance, but no one discusses why they are still in that kind of relationship. She also questions society for never deliberating why men behave like that. The writing style is comprehensible and easy to read in one sitting. The author has written this novel sharing optimal details. The steamy scenes within the scenes are conceivable, and caution is issued about the traumatic past of the characters. The title is justified in a way that one can’t think of a better one. The students of psychology may go for this. And anyone who isn’t affected by the trigger warnings may go for this book. Remember- not for the hype, but for the story.

The mystery lies in the hands of the people living their life. Success can be attained with the right mindset. You know that, right? Your desires may come true; therefore, you are asked to aim for the sky. But how do you do that? The Secret discussed the law of attraction and the ways people followed it. But what about the detailed version of those exercises? How to make that your routine? This is what The Magic delivers. No, you are not required to be familiar with The Secrets to start reading this one, as the author has shared ample examples to familiarise you with the context. The author has shared the techniques to formulate gratitude as a part of your life and every task. There are reviews on their website, and if you scrutinize the interviews of various people successful in their fields, you will find how their mindset let them be what they are today. If you understand that gratitude is harmless and that your thoughts play a crucial role in your life, you may read this book. However, I warn you that a few activities might seem incomprehensible to you, and I am still reading more on that subject before I can give a firm statement. The title is appropriate as the discussion of the events is referred to as some magic because it is difficult to understand its existence. Besides, if you do not agree with some points, you can always stay curious. Anyhow, I do believe the point that our thoughts play a significant role in our lives. Because if you can’t think about it, there will be no vision, and what will you work for? Those who read self-help books and are curious about the law of attraction and gratitude may try reading this book. The writing style is comprehensible, and you may finish this in one setting, but I advise you to savour what you read and not rush through it.