Six Degrees - Game of blogs (Book Review)

Book details

Title – Game of Blogs

Genre – Fiction

Publisher – Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd.

No of pages – 422

Primary characters – Shekhar, Tara, Roohi, Cyrus, Jennifer & Aryan

Interesting fact – The whole book revolves around the same characters with a different story each unfolding the excitement and thrill.  

About the book –

First of all, congratulations to Blogadda and the team for their daredevil act and doing such unique experiment. I know bloggers must have enjoyed and felt privileged to become a part of such experiment. Certainly, the outcome turned out really well.

The novel is itself a unique production where Blogadda brought several bloggers together to write new blog post everyday that eventually becomes a story to tell. I enjoyed reading each story with its twists and turns and here I’ve reviewed each story elaborately. 

• The Awakening by Team By Lines

The plot

The story goes around six characters Tara, Shekhar, Roohi, Aryan, Cyrus, & Jennifer though they remain in all stories as primary characters. Shekhar, Tara, and Roohi live in a close-knit family. The arrival of Cyrus in the family and followed by a series of incidents turns their lives upside down.

Shekhar, a freelance writer and work-from-home dad shares a great fancy about aliens and so his best friend Jennifer. Unaware of the fact that their fancy soon going to be a reality when Cyrus makes shocking revelations about Shekhar’s wife Tara and many other facts such as when they encounter to real aliens.

Will the family remain unaffected with the test of time? Will Tara, Shekhar and Roohi be capable of changing the future of entire humanity?

What I liked?

As the name suggest the story certainly has an eco-friendly angle and social message to it and to know what it is you should read it. The story has an alien element to it where it elaborates our old fancy about aliens. Unfortunately, the story failed to hold the attention of me but yes, the attempt was good.

My Rating 

3/5

• Entangled lives by Team Potliwale Baba

The plot

It’s either murder or the ghost that stirs a human curiosity really well and the team Potiliwale Baba has certainly outsmarted by inserting a murder angle to the story. A small, happy family’s happiness goes out of the window when the strangers intrude in the house and the murder takes place. A family of Shekhar, Tara and Roohi spend their lives under the terror as the police keep interfering and interrogating each day.

The murder somehow leaves no traces behind only to baffle the police, challenge their interrogations, the family and the strangers Cyrus and Jennifer more.  

What I liked?

Like I said the characters remain same but with a different story and each with lots of twists and turns. Somehow the bloggers have also kept the main characters’ professions as same in all stories. Or maybe they were instructed.

Anyways, long story short I really liked Entangled Lives written by team Potliwale Baba. They have successed in order to keep the excitement and guessing game high leaving readers to guess the murderer. The murder mystery neatly weaved with a psychological angle making this story a truly intriguing psychological thriller.

I really liked the tragic end of the story though we Indians aren’t used to it but this story stands out. Entangled lives, the story deserves the praise.

My rating

4.5/5

• Missing a journey within by Team Tete-a-Ten

The plot

Being missing is a journey to find out what is missing in our life. The story touches many sensitive issues shedding a light on practical problems and promises to deliver more than expected.

The story starts when a 9-year-old girl Roohi goes missing from the school and her parents’ world shatters. They try to find her by taking the help of social media such as Facebook and friends & family. On the other hand, there is Cyrus who goes missing leaving behind harsh revelations only to discover more. During this entire period when Roohi’s parents try to find her, they get closer when the career and family responsibilities strain their relationship. In the hope of finding their daughter they explore more of the life. It is a story among stories as it talks about Cyrus and his relationship with his friend Fanus Mistry, Aryan’s relationship with Sneha and more.

Now its readers how to find out whether Roohi’s parents find her or not? Do they get to reunite with their daughter? Do Cyrus parents accept him after knowing him as a gay?

What I liked?

The story is a journey of hope & love, patience & understanding, ambitions & prejudices and a perfect summary of life. The story has justified each character well and brought many social topics in order to shed a light on their seriousness.

This literary piece certainly made a lot of efforts to talk about same sex relationships, connecting a story with a psychological disorder, rape and ragging and also discovering ambitions and facing the fears. The story is simple yet it compiles many issues in a story to bring the right impact and contributing its share to the society.

My rating

3.5/5

Writing style

All the bloggers have done a fantastic job by pouring their creative juices into it to bring something unique yet creative. The writing style in all the stories is simple and easy to understand. It was definitely a literary feast. 

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

When dad shed a silent tear! (Happy Father's Day Special Short Story)

He pulled out an old album from the shelf. It had dust all over it. He carefully dusted it off and flipped the cover of it. On the first page of it stated boldly ‘Avanti Weds Kumar’. He flipped another page of it and a number of memories ran through his mind….

He held his doting daughter in his arms and his wife smiled at him. He was the father of that tiny joy of bundle. He was very happy about having his first child and it did not bother him at all whether she was a girl child. All he knew that he became a father.

Avanti started her first footsteps and he would record everything which was related to his daughter. He would buckle her shoes and would drop her to the school. Slowly and gradually his daughter was growing and she left the delicate years of her life behind and became a teenager. His unconditional love never changed throughout all these years but his daughter was certainly growing through major changes in her life.

She was no longer a teenager but reached to the marriageable age. He silently fulfilled all the responsibilities bringing the best of world to his daughter.

He fixed Avanti’s marriage to one of the relatives’ son. Everything was going smoothly until one day her would-be in-laws demanded 10 lakhs as a dowry. For the first time in his life he felt completely helpless and the tear rolled down to his cheek.

He was standing as if in a shock. He came to the senses when he realized Parvati’s (his wife) hand on his shoulder. He explained the plight and they both cried in each other arms unaware of the fact that Avanti was listening to their entire conversation.

Next morning Avanti stepped out of the house. She came to home in the afternoon and handed over a printed wedding card to her dad’s hand. He was surprised to see the name printed on the front page of the wedding card. It said ‘Avanti Weds Kumar’. She then explained the whole story that her best friend Kumar was secretly in love with her but could not gather courage. Today morning when she met him and told him about the dowry thing, he immediately proposed her. She also told to her father that it was his idea to quickly print the wedding card.

Avanti’s dad was speechless by the pleasant surprise and both embraced each other. Finally, his daughter made the whole burden feel like feather-weighted. The big day arrived and Avanti got married.

At Avanti’s house….

Avanti opened her wedding album. After turning some pages she was stuck on one image and kept staring at it. It was her father taking her in his arms. She realized how much her father had shed silent tears while bringing her up and giving her best of everything. At this moment, she was glad that she heard one of the heaviest silent tears of her dad!

Her dearest dad who gave the best of the world while he shed a silent tear!

‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’

The above story has been voted as a WOW post by Blogadda

The seat beside her was empty (short story)

The seat beside her was empty

When she reached to the airport, she dropped her baggage on the carousel and went ahead. Her flight was as usual late. She took a seat in a front row of the waiting area and she idly played with her mobile phone. Soon she realized the seat beside her was empty that took her back in the flashback.

It was one of the busy afternoons at the airport. Announcements were continuously made on the speaker; flights were taking off and landing and travelers were rushing from one point to another. The whole scenario was a common routine for people at the airport but something new was about to happen in Ruchi’s life.

“Hi, is anyone occupying this seat?”

She looked up and found a well-dressed guy approached her asking about the seat.

“Huh, oh yes! Why not?”

After giving her approval she thought the guy was trying to make a conversation with her. The seats weren't her property she spoke to herself and she was right. After few minutes, the guy made her almost comfortable with the way he talked to her. Finally, he was successful to get her phone number as well. After exchanging the numbers they crossed their paths to take their respective flights.

She thought this was the end of it. After few days, she received a call from Rahul asking her to meet for the coffee. Slowly and gradually before she even realize, Rahul captivated her life and their started seeing each other more often.

He taught her how to make Maggie while she taught him how to be more polite towards elderly people. His touch was nice and gently but he was still brash. She needed him when the toughest times came and he needed her when he would cry like a baby. They complemented each other very well and their relation each day was blending with new shade of life.

Unfortunately, Ruchi was yet to see the harsh side of life. Rahul’s heart was now ruled by someone. She was a flawless beauty working as an air-hostess. She caught his attention when flying thirty thousand feet above while Ruchi was completely floored on the ground. There was no one to grab the empty seat beside her and no one to take care of her empty heart. She never thought a random encounter at the airport would end up such way. She felt she should have left the seat empty and not to occupied by anyone not a seat, not in her life!

‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’

The Above post has been a WOW Post by BlogAdda!

Smoking is injurious to health – What it actually meant? (#WorldNoTobaccoDay)

Meme made by me 

Traffic jams, constant horns, crowded trains, cut-throat competition, never-ending family demands and then there is a continuous dissatisfaction in our personal life. A large chunk of working class who spend more than 13 hours outside of their home slogging for hours and they work under constant pressure. So what’s the solution for it?

Some people work with focus and make sure that they eat on time and have proper sleep. On the other hand, I have seen a good amount of people ensure that they take frequent smoke breaks in order to keep themselves on their toes. It’s their solution or trick to fight against work pressure or any family or personal problems. Most smokers say they feel relieved or experience their burden getting lightened when they smoke. Wow, what an unhealthy way of dealing with pressure!

All right! I am not being judgmental here. Everyone has their own way to deal with mental pressure or life’s complexities and I am sure these smokers, if objected will argue enough that they aren’t doing any wrong or some of them will agree they find difficult to get rid of this unhealthy habit. Some smokers will say very casually, Chalata hai, yaar.

Smoking a life away!

If you’re reading this article and you’re a smoker then I would like you to be patient enough what I want to say. I am not here to tell someone what is wrong or right. Of course, some smokers will definitely have an opinion of one cigarette wouldn’t harm them. Smoking is injurious to health seems a proverb only to say and not implement in real life. But there is a deep meaning to this warning and smokers have been ignoring for ages.

So what exactly it meant?

What is the first word comes in your mouth when you get hurt? It’s mom. Just imagine, you’ve been smoking for 20 years. You were in love with someone deeply. You get married to the love of your life and you’ve two children and your parents are now grandparents. Everything is hunky-dory until your reports suggest that you’ve a mouth cancer. Now tell me you were the one smoking for years but you injured everyone. You hurt your entire family with this deep wound.

We know the dangerous effects of smoking and there are people like you who have been smoking away the life. We never take birth alone and we’re connected to many people. Your one cigarette may end one life but injure several lives for lifetime.

I hope so, my message convey to those smokers. It’s neither wrong nor right but your act of smoking is certainly not an apologetic one!

Above post is a part of Kolkata Bloggers activity in association with MANT for their celebration of #WorldNoTobaccoDay

Mad Monday to Monster Monday - “Chronicles of Monday”

Dear Monday,

Tomorrow you’re going to arrive, knocking me off badly and telling me to get up from my sweet sleep. I wonder many times why do you like to torture me like anything and it reminds me that you’re not only manic Monday but you’re also a Monster Monday. 

Yesterday that means Saturday I woke up late, had a shower and got ready in my best clothes. I spent Spicy Saturday with my friends, played with my nieces and had a sumptuous meal with my family. Additionally, Saturday night was amazing. We gate crashed in one of the clubs, hit to the dance floor and spent few more hours counting the stars in the sky. Around 1am I went to the bed and slept like an angel. 

Me on Saturday Night

Then I woke up this morning dreading the fear that half Sunday is already past. This afternoon I glanced through some of the office files but quickly kept them aside and thought that it’s my Sunday. No matter what, I wanted to spend quality time with myself. When I looked myself in the mirror I saw my eyebrows were twisted and two pimples formed on my forehead. It actually scared me by looking at my own reflection. It’s because it made me realize that I spend more than 12 hours in the office everyday and I give myself hardly any personal attention.

Of course, Saturday was all fun! But what about my personal life that some time ago I promised myself that I will give more time and will look after myself?

Do you understand Monday what I am trying to tell you? I am talking about the deadlines; I am talking about the efforts and dedication I put to serve best on Monday; and I am talking about the promises that I made to myself that it’s not always about the work but ‘me, myself’ as well.

Me on Monday Morning

Monday morning I don’t feel like waking up from the bed but I still drag myself. I brush my teeth, take quick shower and I don’t take much time on what to wear. I forcefully prepare myself mentally and physically. Unfortunately, every Sunday night I force to sleep but my eyes become heavy only after 1 or 2 am in the night. I keep fighting whether who is taking revenge. Whether it’s Saturday when I rest more than usual and party late night or its Sunday that reminds me the Monday is nearby or it’s you Mad Monday who soaks my energy.

Sometimes I wish Monday you should be generous enough to let me work in a peaceful manner. I guess by this time you must have understood my pain and my struggle. But again it doesn’t bother you, does it?

While I was typing this personal letter to Monday, Stephaney called me in the cabin. I wasn’t even finished cribbing with Monday but I had to leave my desk. I sighed and I spoke to myself ‘Monster Monday’. 

Monster Monday

‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’

This Post has been Wow post by BlogAdda

Know why your blog needs URL shortner & which one to use?

Url Shortner App

As a blogger we all need to share our stuff on various social media platforms including Twitter and that’s where the challenge comes when Twitter has limited characters. That’s when URL shortner service comes in picture. URL shortner allows you to fit your urls in limited characters and make your tweets tweetable enough and can be easily shared with others.

“URL Uncover supports not only short url, monetized links but any website on the web.”

However, another challenge that comes is which URL shortner service should we choose in order to have safe transaction. That’s where URL Uncover comes into play. There is a growing turmoil that any shortened link will send you to a malicious website or take you to a place you really don’t want to be at. The reality is that thanks to all these url shortening tools on the web (of which there are hundreds), no link is what it appears to be. There have been numerous occasions in your life where you had to choose second guessing on whether or not I should click the shortened url. Scammers and hackers use different kinds of methods to steal your information using methods like phishing, spoofing, key-logging etc and detection of it is almost very hard but URL Uncover can make that easy for you. 

URL uncover is a web service which allows you to check the legitimacy of the link without ever having to visit it. All you do is paste the shortened URL and URL Uncover will run it through its system and show you the original decrypted url and also will check if the remote domain is or has been blacklisted or not. It also scans the link on 6 external online antivirus scanners like Google, Avg etc to make sure the url is absolutely safe to visit. It will also generate a screenshot of the website that the URL links to, and pull the title, description, and keywords of that page from its metadata.

This is how it shows the entire data after inserting the targeted link in URL Uncover Tab

URL Uncover also offers browser tools for Firefox and Chrome and a handy book-marklet for easy url decryption.

Not to mention, URL Uncover is a highly reviewed security startup featured on major tech sites like CNet, Techcrunch, Lifehacker and many more.

Uncover the Deep Dark Web with URL Uncover

App Websitehttps://urluncoverpro.com

In Between (Short Story)

My life stuck in between

I was pacing in my bedroom while my thoughts were racing in my mind. I was trying to make an agreement with my mind that I should not peek into his life when he isn't.

Even after 7 months of separation, I was still checking his Facebook profile, giving blank calls from unknown numbers and worst I was still thinking about him.

My mind was still not ready to let go of things but today I gave a hard shot to my feelings. I sighed and went to drink a glass of water. I tried to calm down my nerves.

I should stop thinking and doing these activities when I knew my life was stuck in between! 

Did you enjoy above short story? Want to read more? Check out below links:

Incompletelove story 

Anabandoned warehouse

A game of seduction

Promisesare meant to be broken 

A separation