Yahoo India with Dove present Fab & Fearless Woman: Madhuri Banerjee

Yahoo India and Dove made a series of Fab & Fearless women mini documentaries.
The one on me was made last year when I was a few pounds heavier and hadn't signed on my 4th novel Advantage Love or my trilogy series Scandalous Housewives or my comedy genre My Clingy Girlfriend.

The core values still remain the same. And my daughter Ariaana makes her debut.

Check it out as their PICK OF THE WEEK!

https://in.news.yahoo.com/video/madhuri-banerjee-084409376.html

Advantage Love video. Guaranteed to make you smile!

To know more about what happens read it here: http://goo.gl/RW3VQ1
Leave a rating or a review!
Also on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD3aC3q8CkQ 

10 Chick Lit Novels To Read During Summer

Summer vacations are starting and we all need a break! Since reading is such an intrinsic part of my life I wanted to share some novels I completely love. I'm a hard core romantic and love stories inspire me. I hope you make your own list by the end of summer and share it here. Happy Reading!

 

1.    Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert – This novel will change a woman’s life. She will start getting a new perspective to what she wants and who she is. I loved reading it the first time and do so often when I need some encouragement. A story of a woman who leaves her husband to find her way through Eating in Italy, Praying in India and finding Love in Bali will make you laugh, cry and understand life better.

2.    40 Rules of Love by Elif Shafaq – The story of Rumi and Shams, the love that no one understands and relationships that stay strong through centuries is one that has stayed with me, long after I turned the last page. Not a typical chick lit but a book for the intelligent woman.

3.    The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sunderasan – Passion, adventure, history, and the inner world of the Mughal emperors and their love lives makes the book a great chick lit. Actually several men have loved it too because of the intrigue of the Mughal court and the history behind the love affairs.

4.    Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding – A woman who tries desperately to lose weight, find love and makes a fool of herself wherever she goes is so identifiable! The fact that she writes a diary about it relates it to my life entirely. Bridget Jones is the quintessential modern day woman struggling like everyone else to become thin, find love and achieve some recognition.

 

5.    The Hindi Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan – A book on family, food, relationships, men, marriage and mothers. A lovely tale of how women bond over the simplest of things and always need each other.

6.    Unaccustomed Earth – Jhumpa Lahiri - The title refers to the first story in this collection of stories and a motif that dominates throughout. The book is about a world unaccustomed to the constant changes of life, traumas from natural disasters and conflicts in relationships because of this. Beautiful heart wrenching stories. I also loved The Lowland. Amazing tale of a family torn apart because of one man's ideology and another man's sense of morality. Must read!  

7.    Sister of My Heart and The Vine of Desire by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni – A love triangle between two cousins and a husband. Complete potboiler that makes you look at your own life and the judgments you pronounce every day.

8.    The Good Daughter by Jasmin Darznik – An autobiographical tale of a daughter who discovers her mother’s past life through tapes and realizes the sacrifices she has made for her family. Sweeping, poignant and enchanting story.

 

9.    Leela: A Patchwork Life – Leela Naidu with Jerry Pinto – An autobiography told in memories Leela remembers. An extraordinary life lived in the times of great change in Indian history. Evocative and unforgettable.

10. Losing My Virginity And Other Dumb Ideas by Madhuri Banerjee – It was my debut novel and will remain my favourite chick lit. Not because I’m being a narcissist but because it is identifiable, true and extremely tender. About a girl trying to find love and gives up her virginity to a married man, only to get her heart broken. A story of self-respect, finding love and believing in one self. A story of every woman, wherever she lives in this world.

Order books online and save yourself a trip in the heat to a bookstore! Start here: http://goo.gl/gFCvMQ 

A Message for the Youth of India before elections

Soul Space magazine

The Life of Young India.

“Whatever!” drawled the teenager sipping his iced latte, which was worth more than a maid’s daily wages. He was referring to my telling him how coffee shops and vegetable vendors were using too much plastic. Is this the new generation? They show angst on Twitter, break up with each other on Facebook, and give up after trying just once. But they seem to have enough money to buy endless cups of coffee and eat out every night. I sincerely hope not.

I agree there are too many issues to tackle. From corruption to environment, food prices to petrol, education to employment, the country is ridden with such a heavy burden that the “whatever” seems to be the easiest way to deal with it. I have just one thing to say to the youngsters of India: Don’t give up!

“Why should we clean up the mess your generation has made?” snapped the youngster. I sighed thinking he might be right. It has been our and an earlier generation that has encouraged the evils to live. The forces of power that could have changed for good have used the money to better their own lives with careless disregard for the younger generation. And there have been many who have tried and failed to make that change. The youngsters have a point.

But maybe you’ve heard it before. Maybe it seems like a cliché. Maybe you are just too tired. But you know there is a nagging feeling within you to do something. Anything. Start small. See the change in you. You don’t need to join a movement. You don’t even need to preach. You just need to believe in the change. You’re not “cleaning up” our mess. You’re doing it for yourself. Don’t you want a better life? So what if the earlier generation was stupid? Does that make you one as well? You have two choices: Either you can sit on your ass and sip that latte until things blow up in your face or you can start using that bit of time and money for a fund that could move the government and mobilize people to hear you. You can make that difference.

“Koi nahin suntan hai (No one listens,” said the teenager trying to wiggle his way out. You know what? I’m not convinced! YOU start caring again. Maybe you won’t drink in that plastic glass. Maybe you can give a lift to someone in your car that’s already guzzling gas. Maybe you’ll donate to more charities, give more of your time to old age homes or do something more than just make money.

Life does change. You make it change. Because YOU are our hope. We are too old to fight. You need to do it for us, for yourself, for an unborn generation. You need to believe that you will be the Prime Minister. Believe that you are already. Don’t give up. Don’t let brickbats change you. See the larger picture and start changing the details. I have full faith in you. I will join your movement. You have my vote.

Storizen on Advantage Love and Stupendous Authors!

Storizen is an online magazine that covers authors, writers, poets and fans. For all those who love to read and those who want to know what goes on in the publishing world, this is the platform that tells you all.

March issue of Storizen covers me talking about Advantage Love, my new book but also some interesting stuff I've never shared before.

I also love the article by Ravi Subramanian on Can Indian Authors Afford to Pursue a Writing as a Full Time Careeer.
I've been asked that several times and Ravi writes about it beautifully.

Also to check out Sreemoyee Piu Kundu as an author who isn't afraid to write about sex. For all those loving erotica and compelling story telling, the article would be a great read.

Have a great week. Let me know which one you liked. Read it here:
 http://issuu.com/storizen/docs/feb2014

 

Get Advantage Love here: http://goo.gl/ZvydB5 

'Advantage Love' is all about love and what it does to you' Review by IBN LIVE

by
Vivek Tejuja, IBNLive.com

Madhuri Banerjee is always ready, with a new book round the corner. This time again it is about what she does and knows best - Romance and yet it is out of the ordinary with all the ordinary elements to it.

"Advantage Love" is all about love and its workings or perhaps not the workings, given the story and the way the characters behave at times. Trisha Mathur comes to Delhi with dreams in her eyes and the promise of a brighter and better tomorrow. She falls for a politician, Vedant Kirloskar (the name is well-suited I think) and all hell breaks loose (of course that is what you get for falling in love with a rising politician). Trisha then decides to stay away from love, till Abhimanyu - a tennis player (and that is more or less about the title) enters her life. And before you can sneeze, Vedant is back - asking for another chance and Trisha is all confused, all over again.

That in short is the plot of the story. The writing fits the plot. Madhuri does not give you time to ponder or mull over scenes or situations. The book is that well-written and that racy. The characters are human and that is what is needed. Readers do not need over-the-top characters who would not behave rationally in situations as perhaps most of us would.

"Advantage Love" is all about love and its workings or perhaps not the workings, given the story and the way the characters behave at times.

Trisha, Vedant and Abhimanyu are well-rounded characters. The writing is crisp and precise. At no point does the reading experience feel strained or monotonous. Banerjee's language is simple and lucid for any reader to understand and to me that is one of the hallmarks of good writing.

"Advantage Love" is all about love and what it does it to you and the decisions one has to make irrespective of it. A read for a lazy weekend and will sure enough have you smiling and nodding your head in all familiarity.

Get it here: http://goo.gl/t2e1Nu

Read From Link: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/advantage-love-is-all-about-love-and-what-it-does-to-you/456255-40-101.html

Advantage Love: Book Review

Blurb On the Book : When Trisha Mathur leaves Lucknow for Delhi with stars in her eyes, little does she realize how drastically her life is about to transform. In the din and drama of college student politics, she meets debonair politician-in-the-making Vedant Kirloskar, who sweeps her off her feet with his poetry and rakish charm.

When irreconcilable differences drive them apart, a broken-hearted Trisha becomes wary of love and men. That is until the dashing tennis star, Abhimanyu, comes along and fills her life with love and laughter. All at once she finds herself in the midst of the glamorous tennis circuit which is in stark contrast to her small-town moorings.
Even as Trisha embarks on a path of love and self-discovery, fate brings Vedant back into her life, asking that they rekindle their old romance. Will Trisha dare take a second chance with Vedant or move on to play match point with Abhimanyu?

Review : The book has an apt title and a beautiful cover with a lush green Tennis court that I feel goes well with the plot but acts as a spoiler in its own way. The beauty of the cover could have been enhanced if the title of the book and author’s name were written in a slightly smaller font and without the tilt that seems to bite on the charm of the cover.

Advantage Love is a compelling and passionate contemporary Indian romance that explores the complexities of love, friendship and career in a woman’s life. A book that I could relate to in many ways.
The plot is simple, language lucid and narration impeccable that beautifully paints pictures in words. The beauty of the book lies in the sensitivity with which the thought processes, emotions of love, heart-break and making compelling choices in life has been touched upon.
Without being preachy the author has highlighted many grey areas that people searching for love after a heart-break fail to take note of; hence accentuating their fear of relationships even further. Besides the love story that makes heart flutter passing on the passion in the story to the reader, the book also talked about the importance of family dinners, the dilemma faced by students who never studied in a co-education institute and much more.
The book subtly offers relationship advise that goes beyond the book in its logic, simplicity and ability to clear a confused mind helping it to seek answers. I’d like to congratulate the author for the many wonderful quotes throughout the book that made this book a literary delight.

“Your worth cannot be measured by how important you are in someone else’s life. It needs to be determined by your place in your life”

The book makes for a heart-warming, breezy read that left a smile plastered to my face to last for a long while after I’d put the book down.
I’d highly recommend the book for everyone who enjoys reading contemporary romance that serves passion draped in logic. This book is a treat for travel reading or relaxing on a weekend.

Rating: 4/5

http://theerailivedin.wordpress.com/tag/madhuri-banerjee/

Get it here: http://goo.gl/GmK0jl