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It has been an year that I left the city which I loved more than my hometown. As I boarded the flight from Melbourne to Singapore, tears came automatically as the flight took off. I never felt so bad in life as much leaving Melbourne.

I have loads of Australia travelogues coming up in November and December. Watch out this space!

Time flies so quickly and this blog has also grown along with me. Silver Lining has completed eight glorious years and now entering ninth. Happy Birthday to my baby!
XOXO
~manasa~

It scares most young women to commute alone during the late hours, reading the shocking and scary news of how women are raped or eve teased, be it the lonely places and the crowded areas when people keep watching the tamasha don't bother to come for help. 

Nisha got down the company bus at 8 PM and headed towards a mall. It was a Friday and the mall was few distance away from the bus stop. As she walked on the crowded foot path looking around the street, a biker hit her hard with the helmet on her head behind and snatched away her handbag. She fell there unconscious until a colleague who was walking the same path saw her a few hours later and took her to a hospital. Unfortunately, the mobile phone which she had in her palm, was stolen when she fell on the ground. It was indeed sad note that none of the un/educated even bothered to help her. Nisha was shocked by that incident and dared not to walk alone even in the crowded places. She wished she had Smart Suraksha with her.

The above is a true incident of my colleague who wished someone could have come to her rescue immediately.

Dark Matter India has introduced an Android app Smart Suraksha that sends the alert to the 5 pre-listed contacts and the police, at the press of a button.

What the app claims?

Install Smart Suraksha, a mobile application, that can track your whereabouts and at a single touch will send an sms to the pre-listed 5 simultaneously and also the police. An additional feature of this app, is that if you are in a situation where you are able to give details of the would-be offender, you can even record info like model of the car or clothes he is wearing, in your sms.

Yes, use this app as a weapon that can prevent you from becoming an unfortunate victim. Stay safe with Smart Suraksha.


Smart Suraksha will be the rescue angel providing safety to women and protect when the need arises.

I am participating in the Seeking Smart Suraksha contest at BlogAdda.com in association with Smart Suraksha App. 



Drafted 26-Jul-2013
The Homing Pigeons
Author: Sid Bahri

Title: The Homing Pigeons
Author: Sid Bahri
Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors
Pages: 328
Price: 150/-

Blurb:

In the middle of the catastrophic 2008 recession, Aditya, a jobless, penniless man meets an attractive stranger in a bar, little does he know that his life will change forever…..

When Radhika, a young, rich widow, marries off her stepdaughter, little does she know that the freedom that she has yearned for is not exactly how she had envisioned it…..

They say Homing Pigeons always come back to their mate, no matter where you leave them on the face of this earth. Homing Pigeons is the story of love between these two unsuspecting characters as it is of lust, greed, separations, prejudices and crumbling spines.

My review:

When I flipped through the pages of the book, I noticed that the book is about the two characters, Aditya and Radhika. When I began to read the book, I felt that there are two different stories, of Aditya and Radhika.

The story starts with Aditya Sharma, banker from Citibank, losing his job due to the recession and how much he relies on his wife's income. Though legally married, love has vanished between the couple. He meets a young lady at a bar that twists his life forever. Who could imagine, he would take up a profession of a gigolo and become famous among the young women.

Radhika is a young widow, earlier a divorcee who is bored in life after the death of her rich husband and marrying off her step daughter.

As the story proceeds, Sid explains how Aditya and Radhika met during the school days, how love blossomed, how they were separated due to the misunderstandings that forced them to make wrong decisions and both their families opposing their wedding. It makes an interesting juicy read and Sid has well woven the two stories together, as a climax. I know most readers might dislike this.

I liked the punch line printed on the cover page of the book:

Not all love stories are perfect, but then, neither are people. 

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

A hotelier by education, an ex-banker and a senior executive in the outsourcing industry, Sid gave up a plush career in the outsourcing industry to follow his passions. Based out of Ranikhet, he is now a struggling entrepreneur and a happy writer. A self- proclaimed eccentric, he is an avid blogger who loves to read and cook. Cooking stories, however, is his passion. The Homing Pigeons is his debut novel.

He can be reached at sidd.bahri@gmail.com

This book review is a part of "The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program". To get free books log on to www.thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com.

XOXO
~manasa~
Title: The Guardian Angels
Author: Rohit Gore
Publisher: Grapevine India Publishers Pvt Ltd
Pages: 328
Price: INR 125

The Guardian Angels cover page
Blurb

The Guardian Angels is the epic and tumultuous story of two star-crossed lovers who werent just soul-mates but were also each others protectors.

The fates of Adi Mehta and Radha Deodhar are deeply entwined when within days of their first rendezvous they save each others lives.

Despite their vast sociopolitical differences, they are drawn to an uncertain future fraught with contrasting ambitions, personas and ideologies.

he is the son of a billionaire, she is the daughter of a socialist.
he is quiet and unassuming, she is a firebrand and spirited.

However, the unexplained phenomena ties them forever whenever they are in peril, they are each others only saviors.

Over the following two decades Adi and Radha live through hope and despair, joy and sadness, and try to decipher their relationship. As the truth of their bond is revealed, they must confront the true nature of love, and ultimately, their destinies.

My Review:

The story dates back to early 1990s from Radha's daily journal. The story has been narrated with third person (author) and from Radha's. Adi hails from an affluent family of four who lives in a twenty storeyed house. Radha comes from a simple middle class family with high moral values. Radha saves Adi from getting beaten up at school and friendship turns into love.

I liked the flow at which the author narrates the lives of Adi and Radha, how they communicate via emails, long to see each others reply. There is lot of emotions expressed though both are hundreds and thousands miles apart.

The language is simple and easy to understand, but the vocabulary is bland and could have been much better. I felt the narration of the book is very similar to The Homing Pigeons, written on the similar lines.

Rohit Gore, the author of this book has written bestselling novels, Circle of Three, A Darker Dawn and Focus, Sam. I haven't read any of these and plan to pick them.

Verdict: 3/5

About the Author

Rohit Gore grew up in a number of towns in India. At various times in his childhood, he wanted to be a theatre actor, an architect and a bookshop owner.

After his engineering degree, he was based in Mumbai. An MBA from S P Jain Institute followed and since then he is in the IT industry.

He loves sports, specifically the discussing and watching part of it, since the playing days are long gone. He has travelled a lot a consequence of living in Mumbai and London. His greatest passion is reading and it inspired him to write. He is a frequent contributor to many online writing forums and wishes there were more writing groups.

He has a keen interest in history, especially the history of music and arts. One of the things he would like to get better at is photography.


He currently lives in Pune, a wonderfully vibrant city with his wife Pranita and son Sahil.

This book review is a part of "The Tales Pensive Review Program". 

XOXO
~manasa~
Drafted 26th Jul 2013

Title : A Maverick Heart : Between Love and LifeA Maverick Heart

Author : Ravindra Shukla


Publisher : Frog Books

Pages : 383

Price : Rs 195

Genre: Fiction/Drama


Blurb

Resonance – We often use the term, “frequency matching” in our daily life to define compatibility. Our frequency does not match, we do not get along? We are not in sync? We are not on the same page etc.?

When people of similar frequencies (wavelengths or within the same range) come together – output is not a simple sum of individual work, but exponential. In science we term this phenomenon as resonance. Output at this stage is beyond any logical limit.

Three young kids, with different family backgrounds and outlook meet during their graduation days at IIT-Bombay campus and become close friends. Although, individually they are in sync, but the same is not true for their interaction with the world.

How will their relation withstand the conflict of family and society pressure?

How do their characters shape out, as they traverse from an educational environment through the corporate world to the realm of the socio-political world?

Inspired by the real events across the globe from the last decade, Ravindra Shukla brings you the characters based story – struggle and triumphs of a young generation and their relevance in the current socio-eco-political era.

My Review:

The story is about three friends Rahul, Richita and Neerav which revolves at IIT and IIM. Richita hails from an affluent family but values the Indian values who has been brought up listening to the brave stories of Shivaji and other great warriors. Rahul wants to do something for the society and is ready to sacrifice his love, Richita. Neerav is Rahul's good friend who also hails from a rich family.

I found the stories is much beyond the their lives at IIT and IIM. The author has included incidents about recession, corruption. The vocabulary is simple, would've been much better. If you are a first time reader, it is extremely easy to follow without looking up the dictionary. I felt the book lacked editing and has too many long dialogues which is unnecessarily. The author should have focused on the editing.

Follow what your heart says and not what mind wants, is the message, thus A Maverick Heart

Verdict: 3/5.

About the Author

Ravindra Shukla is an engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He has been working in emerging technology and business analytics in IT software technology. His professional experience includes working with consulting firms – PWC and IBM in USA for 15+ years. He is a member of the Film Writers Association, Mumbai. His interest includes – writing fiction, literature and movie scripts apart from sports, movie and travelling across the globe.

Author can be contacted at ravindra.shukla@gmail.com or www.ravindrashukla.com



This book review is a part of "The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program". 
XOXO
~manasa~
During Dasara, on Saraswati Puja, I worshiped my divine Veena with the roses and Parijata. All reading materials, including books, pens and musical instruments are worshiped this day seeking the Goddess blessings for studies and learning.

Veena
Tanjavur Veena

XOXO
~manasa~
I know its late to blog about Vellvette October bag. The parcel came in a big carton but the contents did not surprise me this me.
IMG_4917
I was rather unhappy to see the “blue” bag which looks like a toiletry kit unlike the fuchsia, black or red bag which they sent earlier. 
IMG_4918



The contents inside the bag:
1. Vantiv Moisturizing Shampoo & Refreshing Lemon Shower Gel
2. Brocato Actives Hair Infusion Serum
3. Florelle Wet & Dry Blush – Marmorized
IMG_4921
IMG_4922
Vantiv Shower and Bath Gel does not have a good fragrance and smell like a toiler cleaner. It is an Indian brand unlike Vellvette promised to send the international brands. It is a full size product and cost Rs 214 for 180ml. Vantiva Shampoo is a full size product Rs 187 for 250ml. I would prefer lesser quantity of a great quality than such full size cheap products.
IMG_4923
The blush is a combination of blue and pink which I did not like personally. Would you prefer Blue colored cheek?
IMG_4925

IMG_4926

IMG_4928
I had renewed 3 month subscription from Oct-Dec but I am disappointed to see this month’s bag. I have to wait and watch what’s in Nov bag.
Dasara begins today and most of us celebrate by arranging the dolls till the last day of Dasara, which is Vijaya Dashami (Vijaya means Success and Dashami is tenth day). I was looking at the photos of the past two years. I did not want to the miss the grand festival and celebrated, by arranging the souvenirs I bought in Melbourne's Victoria Market.

Melbourne Dasara 2011
The article on Souvenir Dasara was published on Club Mahindra website here: http://www.clubmahindrablog.com/a-dasara-in-melbourne
Melbourne Dasara 2012
In the traditional Dasara dolls arrangement, the wooden couple doll is placed at the top, above all the other dolls. I bought an aboriginal wooden couple and placed it above all the other dolls. The painted masks, the peacock, turtle, elephants, fishes made out of glass, Holland's kissing couple and bell formed my Dasara 2012 dolls collection. They now are in my showcase at home in Bangalore.

Coming to Dasara 2013, another item added to my collection during my visit to Mysore in July this year. Watch my blog for updates. ;)

XOXO
~manasa~
 
Romancing His English Rose
Lady Lancaster Garden Society
Book Two
Catherine Hemmerling

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Entangled Publishing.
Date of Publication:  9-9-13

ASIN: B00EMTDL4C
Number of pages: 174

Amazon


Book Description:

Rose Warren and Simon Trumbull may have been betrothed since birth, but that doesn't mean they have to like each other. Rose is sure the notorious playboy Simon will never willingly settle down, and Simon, well... he agrees. Never one to be forced into anything, he'd rather drink and gamble with his mates than spend time with the bookish, bespectacled Rose.


When the two are thrown together to investigate a potential poisoning mystery, neither expects the sparks that fly. Simon discovers that Rose is, in face, a brilliant sleuth and - even better - hides a delectable body beneath her flowing skirts. Suddenly, falling into bed may be the best idea either has heard, but can Simon convince Rose his romancing is forever?

My review:

The book is a juicy one and you cannot keep it down until you finish it. I liked the pace which the author has written and the way the story starts off. Rose would call Simon "Mine" instead of addressing him by name. 
This is second book in series and I did not find any difficulty reading this book though I haven't read the first one. I would appreciate both mystery and romance put together in a book. 

Verdict: 4/5

About the Author:

Catherine Hemmerling has been a technical writer in the software industry for nearly twenty years and has published many user manuals and technical documentation in that time. She has always had a love of writing fiction but has never pursued publication in that genre until now.

Hopefully it is the beginning of a long new journey with Lady Lancaster and the Garden Society girls. Certainly historical romance (especially the scandalous kind) is more fun than writing technical documents!

This author happily resides in Tehachapi, California (near Bakersfield - home of her Alma-mater!) with her family.

Catherine writes for Entangled Publishing's Scandalous historical line and is thrilled to be part of their family of writers!

Website: http://www.catherinehemmerling.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinehem

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CatherineHemmerling 



Tour Wide Giveaway

$25.00 Amazon Gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway


XOXO
~manasa~
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ABOUT ME

I'm a quintessential Bangalorean living in Sydney, Australia. I love photography and blogging that goes very well while I trek or travel. I'm an outdoor person and play tennis and swim whenever I find time. I enjoy reading books during daily commute. I enjoy cooking and prefer spice over sweet. I do love music and blessed to play divine Veena. I'm an amateur flautist.
...I have been blogging since 2005.

I update blog every Monday and Thursday

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