Exploring the Bookish World

An anthology of short poems, Deepika Bhardwaj's Subtle explores the theme of love and its afflictions.  The book is divided into two sections - The Fall and The Rise. As is quite evident from the titles, the first section 'The Fall' is about the sufferings, despair. 'The Hope' is all about rediscovering oneself and emerging stronger - it's about being hopeful.  The poems trace the emotional journey of romantic love - from falling in love to falling apart. The illustrations that accompany each of the poems are really beautiful. They are in perfect sync with the poems.  A very short and easy read, you can complete reading the entire book in a few hours.  If you enjoy reading micro tales and haiku, this book is for you.  About the author:   Deepika Bhardwaj can usually be found reading a book, and that book will more likely than not be a poetry book. She is an MBBS student and has written various articles and poems on topics crucial to gender equality, co...

A collection of a hundred short poems - Rushali Mukherjee's Moon Child is a simple, yet wonderful read. Poignant and powerful, each one of the poems is soul-stirring.  The author has brilliantly described a host of feelings and emotions through her poems. The poems reflect a myriad of themes - ranging from love, loss, yearning, to nature and so much more. In her book, not only has the author given words to the diverse emotions, she has wonderfully portrayed them through her sketches as well. The hand-drawn sketches that accompany each of the poems are aesthetic and exceptionally beautiful.  Moon Child is the first book that I've completed reading in 2021. And I am so glad that I picked this beautiful book as the first read of this year. Written in simple and lucid language, this book is a very easy read. It took me just a few hours to complete reading this book. And I thoroughly loved reading it. Overall,  Moon Child by Rushali Mukherjee is a lovely read, that I absolutel...

  A collection of 101short poems, Neeraja Kona's  Waves, Sand & Magic  is a thought-provoking read. Life and love are the two main themes on which the poems are based.  This book is not just a collection of poems. Each poem is accompanied by a beautiful photograph. The presentation is wonderful. The author has brilliantly depicted the emotions in very few words, through her poems. It seems like the author has captured a moment, a feeling in words. Each one is unique in its own way. The words echo love, pain, disappointment, gratitude, - that constitute the journey of life.  The title of the book-  Waves, Sand & Magic  - perfectly captures the theme of the book. Among the hundred-and-one poems, some of my favourites are -Becoming, Within, Bridge, Airport, Paradox, Flirt, Chase, and Signs.  It is a very short read. It took me just a few hours to complete reading the entire collection. I not only loved reading the poems but also the beautiful...

An anthology of poetry, Samir Satam's recent book, Rhythm of Remembrance, portrays an emotional journey of the author; reminiscing the memories of past. The deep emotional impact memories have is reflected in each of the poems in this collection.  Short, yet deep and meaningful, the poems have an emotional tone. As is quite evident from the title of this anthology in each one of the poems, the author rediscovers and reminisces the past memories; he is dancing to the 'rhythm of remembrance' through the poems.  "not from any country, but we come from our stories, from fragrance of memories, of unknown cities and villages, that we live in and carry with us, in breezes, in steps, not our own,  but of places that flourish in our souls." (Rhythm of Remembrance, 68) There are a total of seventy-five poems in this collection and each one is unique and fresh. It is a short and easy read. Also, the photographs included between poems and they are absolutely beautiful.  Altog...

Aparna Upadhyaya Sanyal's Circus Folk & Village Freaks is an extraordinary book in which stories are told as narrative poems in rhyming couplets. This book stands out from the rest not only because of its innovative narrative style but also for the beautiful illustrations. A collection of eighteen twisted tales, this book is an absolute gem. Each of the tales talks about important social issues and paints before the readers a true image of typical Indian society. The quirky tales of the circus folk and the people who live in the adjacent village will leave the readers intrigued and astonished. A man bitten by a crocodile becomes a God. A clown finds his place in Hollywood. A Devadasi woos the entire village with her culinary skills. These are a few of the people whose tales are narrated in this book. Read the book to know more about the lives of the Circus folk and the village freaks! With lucid language and beautiful rhyming couplets, the author has done a brilliant...

'Unlocked Silences' by Mukhpreet Khurana is an anthology of beautifully written abstracts, poems and excerpts, which are heartfelt and emotional.  Each one of them has positive vibes and has the capacity to captivate the readers. The black minimalistic cover of the book is as beautiful as the poems are. Each one of the poems is relatable and some are deep and insightful. The poems are not very long and it did not take me a very long time to complete reading this book. All the poems and abstracts are written in a lucid language which makes it easier for the readers to read and understand them. My favourite piece from the collection is 'Life is Beautiful'. It has a positive vibe in it which I absolutely loved. 'If Everyone Cared' is another poem which I really liked. Altogether, this book was a nice read. If you are a poetry lover, this book is for you.  About the author  :   Mukhpreet Khurana has been fond of literature, poetry and pr...

' Indeliberate Deliberations' by Shivansh Umatt is an anthology of heartfelt poems.  The book contains twenty poems in total. The poems are divided into four broad categories - Latency, Abyss, Frost and Froth, and Gory Musings. The poems have no fixed structure and are in the form of free verse poetry. The poems are deep and genuinely felt from the heart. Some of them are very relatable. I really loved reading some of the poems. They were indeed good! My favourite poem from the collection is 'Hollow Memory'. It is from the 'Latency Section'. The poem is really well written. The author has penned down his feelings and emotions beautifully. All the poems are written in easy language and makes it easier for the readers to read and understand the poems. Overall, the book is a nice read. Poetry lovers, you can definitely try reading this book. You won't be disappointed. About the author  :     Shivansh Umatt is a student of Bal Bharati Public ...

'Fragile Strings' by Arushi Vats is a collection of heart-warming poems. There are total 66 short poems in the book and each one is equally moving. The emotional turbulence felt by the author is very well depicted in the poems. The poems reflect how a girl battles her own feelings and sorrow due to heartbreak; and in the process, she discovers herself and emerges stronger. The first few poems begin on an sad note; but as we proceed reading the book, the poems show a gradual shift towards positivity. The author has beautifully portrayed her feeling through her poems. The poems are based on the themes of heart-break, love, dejection and self-realization and self-love. Arushi has also shown realistic approach towards life. The following lines are an excerpt from the book which shows her practical view-point. "This is how life is   you dream about   could have's and should have's   and it slips   from your hand   like grains of sand." Depth ...