The Secret Wishlist - Preeti Shenoy

The Secret Wishlist

    Author - Preeti Shenoy

·        Genre : Fiction

·         Price: Rs. 175/-

·         Pages: 256

·         Publishers: Westland Ltd

a   About the Author - 

I  have been a regular reader of Preeti Shenoy's work.Has read all of her books. Life is what you make it is my personal favorite  I was very excited and was eagerly waiting for her latest book 'The Secret Wishlist" , that  came in with a very promising blurb and trailer and it doesn't disappoint at all. I was hooked to it whole night. Preeti is known for her simple and easy-to-connect characters which make you feel they are so existent. They could be you, me or anyone of us for that matter. 

About the Book - 

The secrest Wishlist is  the story  starts off in Chennai, Diksha – a daughter, a sister, a wife, a daughter-in-law, a mother – all this and much more but herself. Diksha is married to a Sandeep, who earns well and is giving all the pleasures of life to his wife and son. The only problem with Sandeep is, he is too insensitive towards Dikhsha and whenever she tries to share her life with him, he snaps out of it (as most of indian husdand do) . This book is a story about her journey of finding her own self. 

Apparently, Diksha got married when she was 19. At the age of 16, She was like any other typical teenager. She and her best friend Tanu spend hours and hours of time studying, discussing the latest crushes and gossiping. Then, enters  Ankit, Diksha’s elder brother’s friend.Apparently, She falls in love with Ankit and was caught while kissing him. A mistake ( according to her family ) that she made when she was 16 and that laid the foundation of her boring and non-eventful life ahead.One delicate mistake and her life takes a U-turn.

However, a unexpected event in her cousin’s life seems to shake her out of her existence and  makes her realise the importance of living life and her desire to be happy. Thus,she decides to try and take some control over her life and makes a wishlist – a list of things which she truly wants to do in life.

My Thoughts - 

Whenever someone asks me to recommend a non-fiction book, Preeti's books are always in the list Reasons are -  firstly, all her books are simple,easy to read and  the reader instantaneously connect with the story from the very first page . Secondly ,She always manages to keep the reader hooked  till the end. And last but not the least, they are damn interesting like a bollywood masala movie.

The Story of Secret Wishlist is too real. Something which anyone can relate to ,especially if you are a woman.And more especially if married one, struggling with mid-life crisis that most women go through nowadays- both housewives and career women.The plethora of opportunities and the quest to live life to the fullest leaves many of us feeling lagging behind in living our dreams.If you're a woman in your 30's - It will definitely take you down memory lane to re-live your school days, childhood friendships, fun times, silly laughs, cheap thrills, gossips, first-crush excitement.


Rating - A+

Verdict - All you pretty ladies go and grab this one.Your book shelve will definitely be proud to own one.Book that every women must read for sure :)

Yamini Asoor

What Young India Wants

Book Review: What Young India Wants

Author: Chetan Bhagat

Publisher: Rupa Publications (2012)  

After a series of 5 masala novels full of the typical Modern Indian drama, sex, sensationalism, cricket, politics, wealth and youth Chetan Bhagat gives a chance to realism. (And yet, reading Chetan Bhagat is sheer fun.)

I’ve read all his works, enjoyed reading the masala bit, but had nothing to take away from them. All of them have been just another Dabangg or Rowdy Rathod on the Indian bookshelf, definitely unworthy to be termed as literature or even anything close to it.

Now my question is WHAT DOES CHETAN BHAGAT WANT? (Apart from wealth and popularity of course!) His previous works of fiction that made him the best selling Indian author have been all about the crooked Indian youngsters, indulging in everything against the social norms, be it sleeping with the dean’s daughter, making out in public, stealing exam papers, encouraging corruption or well simply being immoral for selfish needs. And woaah! With an attempt to realism he turns all idealistic?

It wouldn’t be wrong to say Chetan Bhagat’s What Young India Wants? Was not a best seller because it had no masala, rather it is filled with overdose of realism.

I started reading the book because I liked the underlying statement of the book- Young India wants a good life! But living in a country where nothing seems great- politically, economically and even culturally these days, the explanations, advices, and description of all that is ruined or can be improved and all that talking about the drawbacks is no less than a torture. Ram Raj is over and it won’t be coming back. And I wonder if the congress or the BJP have already approached the Mr Bhagat to decorate their false promises, aah! I mean their 2014 election campaign speeches.

Bhagat reflects his depth of thought, knowledge and exposure to the world and India through- ‘What Young India Wants?’ But it is way too preachy and idealistic to connect with the Young India. Mr. Bhagat should probably join the likes of Team Anna. All that fasting shall hopefully lessen all that idealism.

And I’d still say this one is the best by Bhagat so far for the attempt, the depth and insight! Read it for what it’s worth.

But the question still remains ‘WHAT YOUNG INDIA WANTS?’