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Book Review (Hindi)- October Junction by Divya Prakash Dubey

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  सब ठाठ पड़ा रह जावेगा जब लाद चलेगा बंजारा। This book caught my attention because of its title, October Junction, and after finishing it, I felt the title truly justified its meaning. The book beautifully echoes the idea that every person carries a story within them. But in today’s noisy world, many of those stories remain untold — not because people have nothing to say, but because so many only ask, a few hear, and even fewer truly listen. The novel begins with the meeting of Chitra Pathak and Sudeep Yadav on October 10, 2010, in Banaras. Theirs is an unconventional love story that unfolds over the course of ten years.  Chitra Pathak is a woman who dreams of becoming a renowned writer, while Sudeep Yadav is a wealthy entrepreneur who hopes to retire by the age of 35. On paper, their worlds could not be more different. Yet, when they sit across from each other, those differences begin to dissolve. What fascinated me most while reading this novel was not merely the events thems...

The Dance of Life (Letter to my kids)

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Disclaimer- This post is part of trait-series-for-kids which I began to search and write for my kids in 2019. With this series of blog posts containing knowledge-slash-experience, I pray from the almighty that our kids have a simple but magical life. The contents of the series are the search, several readings, experiences, and self-reflection. Each trait post will end in a mantra to follow. Dear Sons, I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about the world you are growing up in, and I wanted to put a few thoughts down on paper—not as a lecture, but as an honest message from my heart to yours. We live in a loud, fast, and glittering world. With everything moving so quickly and AI changing how we live, it is quite easy to get lost in the noise. There is a new trend : Everywhere you look, people are told to " put themselves first. " While loving yourself is important, somewhere along the way, a lot of people started confusing self-worth with stepping on others. I see people ...

Book Review- Well-Being Zone by GK Rao

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  What makes this book especially meaningful to me is that it was written by one of the first mentors in my professional journey. He began as my boss and later became a true mentor, always guiding me in the right direction. Now, in retirement, he is sharing his dream of creating GEMs, and I sincerely hope this is the first book in what becomes a wonderful series. First things first—having worked closely with him, I can vouch that the ideas he presents in this book are not just theoretical; they are deeply rooted in his own life and practice. One of the greatest blessings of working with him has been witnessing the kind of person he is: genuinely good, deeply grounded, and quietly inspiring. He has firmed my belief that even in a world often touched by negativity and wickedness, the “good” always carries a natural aura of healing, positivity, success, and overflowing joy. Well-Being Zone: Living the Spirit of Gift and Return Gift is a thoughtful and accessible guide to life and spir...

Book Review- The Promise of Rain by Vasundra Tailor

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This is my second read from the author after The Secret of Elephants  . The protagonist, Anna Kotze, finds a long-buried family secret discovered in the form of an engraved necklace, “Indira” — the same name she bears as her middle one. The revelation jolts Anna into action, sending her on a quest that stretches from Zimbabwe’s storm-dark skies to the rain-soaked streets of India. As Anna chases fragile clues across continents, the necklace becomes both compass and burden, guiding her into the hidden corners of her family’s past. With every answer she uncovers, new questions surface, forcing her to confront not only who her grandmother was, but what truths have been kept from her — and whether she’s ready to face the storms they’ll unleash. The read was ‘okay’ is really the most I can say about it. The story was not epic; the characters seemed less developed, but the description of the scenes gets 100% marks. For me, the bright cover page and a few of the diary entries were the hig...

Failure or Professionally Convenient - A reflection

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(Pic-AI Generated) Disclaimer - Read it with a light heart and retain no heaviness. Today, I am not writing a book review —today I am reflecting on the exhausting, hilarious art of being the "Reliable One", as I am experiencing it nowadays in repeated mode. I am a " doer ." I treat professional commitments like blood oaths , often at the expense of my own sanity ( Opinions!! ). Yet the last two years have forced a rethink: the world doesn’t want a problem-solver; the world wants a professional mime—someone who works hard, produces results, and remains blissfully silent when the logic falls apart. My favourite corporate game is "Ignore the Human, Embrace the Bias." Let me explain. When I point out that a workflow/plan of action has some flaws, trust me , I am not being difficult; I am asking for a crumb of logic or a little discussion. But in today’s scenario, asking why is seen as resistance. If I am not immediately convinced by an illogical mandate, my ...

Book Review (Hindi)- Musafir Cafe by Divya Prakash Dubey

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  (Debut review) “ जिनके पास खोने के लिए कुछ नहीं होता वो फैसले जल्दी ले लिया करते हैं। जिस दिन हमको ये समझ में आता है कि यहाँ हममें से किसी के भी पास जिंदगी के अलावा खोने को कुछ नहीं है, उस दिन हम अपनी जिंदगी का पहला कदम अपनी ओर चलते हैं। बाहर चलते- चलते हम करीब- करीब भूल ही चुके होते हैं कि हमारे अंदर भी एक दुनिया है।” This is my first-ever read of a Hindi novel, and thus, my first-ever Hindi book review. As always, let me begin with an honest thought: my first experience of reading a Hindi novel was truly wholesome. Although the book is in my mother tongue, I was a bit hesitant that this read might prove “boring” or that I would not understand due to difficult Hindi grammar; however, this book surpassed all apprehension. The story is about Sudha and Chandar and their life story- together & separate. Without revealing much, the Musafir Cafe is the story of a dream, a promise, a faith, and unbounded love. It touched my heart with its simplicity and the profound beauty of the s...

Book review- Fake It 'til You Make It by Laura Carter

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  “Smart without being a smart ass. Talented without being boastful. Not afraid to roll up their sleeves and clean a floor or cook a meal.” To recover from the hangover of my last read, which was “cold” and “brutal,” I needed something “warm” and “light.” My Goodreads list never fails me, and this time it led me to a laugh-out-loud read with a wonderfully Hollywood-style charm. It was the kind of book anyone finish in one sitting. So, the story goes like this- Abbey thinks she is about to have the best day of her life — maybe even a proposal — but everything falls apart when her boyfriend tells her he has met someone else. As if that is not bad enough, she also loses her job. In a bold attempt to reinvent herself, Abbey spends her wedding savings on an apartment in the building she is always dreamed of living in and builds a new life, complete with a wardrobe to match. But keeping up the perfect new image gets complicated when her family invites her ex, who is still a close family ...