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Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey

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‘You are so much more than what you think you are. You are infinite. You have the power to achieve bigger things.’

This is a story of a dream; a story of every dreamer.

Shubh is a dreamer. He wishes to become a nature photographer but submits to his parents’ wishes who want a secure future for him. He fears he will disappoint his parents and gives up on his dreams.

Monica is a dreamer. She is a painter who paints the canvas with the inspirational colors of life. She let go of her fears and inhibitions one day when someone helped give her paintings a purpose.

What happens when fate brings these two dreamers together?

A unique tale of love and life in the form of tiny tales about the dreams and challenges we face.

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2018

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24 people want to read

About the author

Surabhi Sharma

5 books106 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Aakanksha Jain.
Author 7 books731 followers
August 30, 2018
The theme of the story is about unfulfilled dreams. The main characters were Shubh and Monica. Shubh is passionate about photography. His sole purpose was to capture nature in his pictures and relive those moments. Monica was a dreamer. She loved the colors. She learns very early that she wants to become a painter.

Shubh is an ideal son. He gave up on his dream of photography because his parents don't want him to pursue it as a career. He moved to Delhi for a job where he met Monica in her first painting exhibition. They both felt an instant connection when they first met. Shubh was impressed by Monica's painting. Shubh's green eyes remind Monica her long-lost lover, Aman. There is one more character Zuni, Monica's best friend. She is the most annoying friend one can ever ask for. A friend who always interfere in Monica's life for her own good or maybe it's just the way she is.

"We spend a greater part of our life in pleasing people. They are the people who are interested in finding faults. They never care about you. So don't listen to them. You are not born to please others."

Shubh's character reminds me a lot of people. Why? Because in India, it is very common that parents manipulate their children. They don't give their kids the freedom to choose their own career. Even some parents are so dominating that they took every decision on behalf of their children. If anyone doesn't do things according to their wish then that person has become Blacksheep of the family. They think you don't respect them. I feel so bad for the character of Shubh. He always taught to submit his wish and dreams for the sake of his parents and society.

Monica was taught to embrace failures and build her own destiny. Her parents always support her. For Monica, failures mean she was trying and not sitting and daydreaming. She was guided by her parents to take challenges and find her own path. She inspired others through her paintings. But her inspiration was her ex Aman. The story revolves around Shubh and Monica where they both help each other and find happiness.

The story is fast-paced. I have so many problems with the technical things like Aman's eye color was green so as Shubh's. In India, it's next to impossible and if it's possible then how can someone meet the two boys in her life with the same green eyes. The author's imagination power is very strong but I can't digest it. Everything is happening so fast. In 10 days they come closer, Monica's ex Aman comes from nowhere.

"Love is an open sky and as deep as the ocean. Love doesn't tie you; Love gives you wings."

The author portrays Monica's character badly. She feels guilty about whatever happened between her and Aman. She believes that Aman is the reason behind her success. It's not an era of Romeo & Juliet where someone cries for 3 years over a relationship that lasts only for a month.

It's an author debut book. But there is a space for a lot of improvement. The characters connect with you because it's a problem of every second Indian. The ideal son who never raise a voice & a forlorn girl who always cry over her ex no matter how douche he was. The grammatical error was noticeable in every chapter. But few lines and paragraphs touch my heart because it inspires me. I recommend this to only who wants a quick read and something to inspire about.

PS - Thanks for providing a free copy of your book in exchange for an honest review.

Read more -
https://bookscharming.blogspot.com/20...
Profile Image for Surabhi Sharma.
Author 5 books106 followers
August 30, 2018
Hope you enjoy reading. Please post a review on Amazon too. It will help me to reach out to readers.
Thank you :)
Profile Image for Apratim Mukherjee.
258 reviews50 followers
August 26, 2018
This is a short story with a message i.e. to follow your dreams which is something orchestrated by Bollywood movies like 3 idiots and Tamasha.But there is another angle to it i.e.love and inspiration which makes the story a new one.The thing which was imperfect was the repeated chapters giving lessons about goals of our life.These chapters were sometimes annoying and breaking the flow of the narrative.These moral science lessons should have been compiled either at the end or at the beginning.
I would suggest its a one time read
Considering,this is the author's first work,I am rating it 3.5 stars.
Profile Image for Yesha- Books Teacup and Reviews.
901 reviews158 followers
September 8, 2018
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews

It was contemporary fiction with mix of drama, love, passion and philosophical insight. It was about two characters Shubh, a photographer and Monica, a painter. Both were dreamer and passionate for art but they have their setbacks. With help of each other, they came out of their fear and lived the dream they were born for. The theme of the story was dream and passion, hurdles in life that one has to jump over to achieving them.

Characters-

Shubh was ideal son and didn’t want to disappoint his parents and so joined a form to earn money according to their wish and buried his dream of becoming photographer. He lacked confidence and courage to go against his parents and listened to all who never understand passion and art. I felt he was a bit too idealistic and weak who feared failure and in a way I blame his parents for feeding him with fear and failure and talked only about importance of money. I don’t appreciate weak characters but I liked the way he filled his emptiness by visiting art exhibitions that gave him strength to move on in life.

Monica was much stronger compared to Shubh as she had a great friend and parents who supported her in time of need. Her ex-boyfriend who showed her path of pursing her dream was no longer with her which robbed her happiness and peace. Painting helped her to come out of depression but she was still stuck in past. When she met Shubh she found direction in life again. I liked her efforts in putting her mind into something that she loved, even though she was grieving she was moving on.

What I liked-

The story was short written from both Shubh and Monica’s perspective. Short chapters made it quick to read. The in between philosophical chapters gave the book mix of contemporary and nonfiction feel. Writing was easy and smooth.

Ships between Monica and Shubh had a touch of innocence. I liked the way they supported each other and how they pulled the other out of their misery and pushed forward in life. Many readers can relate to their life story.

I liked author’s attempt of inspiring reader to follow dream, listening your heart, and motivating to move on in life, to live free and happy. Importance and true meaning of friend, love, and life was nicely represented. Some philosophical chapters reflected my own thoughts, they were relatable and realistic.

why not 5 stars-

Story was nice and sweet with happy ending both characters growing with their passion. But it was clichéd. It was every Indian’s story- parents forcing their children to do what they want and what they feel is right for them, use melodramatic tactics, hurt their feeling and ultimately make them to follow dream they have seen for their children, and if children turn rebellious they break all ties with them. A story and theme that I have seen and heard in Bollywood movies many times.

Another reason is, both characters were okay. Shubh was contrary to my nature. At first, Monica felt good but when the actual drawback of her life was revealed, I felt she was naive. She was crying over something that she looked with narrow perspective. Her ex did exactly the same she was wanting Shubh to do!

Overall, it was straightforward, realistic, inspirational story. It was okay for me.

*** Note: I received e-copy from the author, in exchange for and honest review. ***
Profile Image for Chitra Iyer.
341 reviews62 followers
September 10, 2018


Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey by Surabhi Sharma is like a handbook for dreamers with a story behind it for the readers to relate to. It is not your regular book but one that can be used as a reference whenever one feels inferior or when in self doubt.



Summary

The story is about Shubh and Monica. Shubh dreams of becoming a nature photographer but his parents want him to pursue a regular job where he can earn more. And so he buries his passion and decides to make his parents happy. Monica is a dreamer too. She is a painter and is successful but she owes all that she is today to someone who gave her the courage to follow her dreams.

When Shubh meets Monica, he realizes what he doesn’t have but will he ever find the will to pick up his passion from where he had left it?

What I Liked

I really liked the book. The length of the book is perfect for such a topic. It is full of life lessons. The book has one chapter focusing on the story and the next providing insights on it. It seamlessly flows like so in an alternate manner. There are so many phrases you can use to wake up from the slump that you’re facing. Here is one that I liked:

“Dreams are important; our purpose to be alive. Dreams define us, decide our limits…..Dreams bring out the best in you. They are more precious than gold. Dreams and goals introduce you to your strength.”

What I Did Not Like

I can’t say that I disliked anything about the book. But I did notice some errors, could be printing or otherwise, I cannot say. Also, I thought the language could have been better.

Other Details

Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey reads like a memoir written in the third person. As mentioned by the author, the book is for all kinds of dreamers out there, some bold and some not.

Would I Recommend It?

Yes! A good, short read for people of all ages. Definitely a pick-me-up!

*** This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. ***
Profile Image for Devika Ramadoss.
92 reviews21 followers
September 26, 2018
This book is totally an inspirational journey. I would have got really confused whether I am reading a fictional novel or self help book if the other characters were not introduced. A way too inspirational ingredients and philosophical thoughts. I thought that this is not my cup of tea until I reached the character Monica, Aman and Zuni. After that the story got into the pace and had a good finish too.

I felt the occurrence of characters past story was repetitive which was not needed at times. As the chapter are just one or two page long author could have made it interesting in some other way.

The characters were simple and they are the people who we meet in day today life. It was nice thought to allowing our partner to seek their dreams in their own way. Monica was ready to do that for Shubh but she was whining when Aman decided to go chase his dreams. That was contrary of who Monica is.

The best part about this story is the showcase of two extreme existence of parenting. Shubh’s parents who is against his dreams and Monica’s parents who walks with her along with her dreams. The inspiring chapters in between was really awesome.We could easily relate the philosophical thoughts to our life and author has put that with perfect writing.

Overall ” Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey” is a quick read and author delivered lots of motivational thoughts through her writing which was missing when delivered with the character involvement.
Profile Image for Anshul Goel.
34 reviews
January 15, 2019
Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey is a story about Shubh and Monica. Shubh is an excellent photographer, but submits to his parents wish of not to make it his career and so he does in order to be their ideal son. He leads a very uneventful and depressing life until Monica, a dreamer and artist, comes in his life. Shubh meets her at one of her art exhibitions. He admires her art and praises her as he could find a connect with her paintings. Eventually they become good friends and talk to each other about their lives without inhibitions. Both grew fond of each other. Monica used to love a person a lot, but he left her shattered. Shubh came in her life like a blessing. Monica started liking her and fell in love with him and so did he. She urged him to at least give it a try to achieve what he always wanted to! To become a successful photographer. Read the book to know if he succeeded or not!
This is a beautiful book which inspires one to follow their dreams and to achieve them whatever the circumstances be. The writing style and language used is simple and lucid. I loved reading the book and it did make a difference in my life. Thanks to the author.
275 reviews6 followers
September 13, 2018
Love the beautiful story which is so i inspirational as well as soft and touching that leave your heart with a sweet afterglow. Qudos to the writing style and multiple narations
518 reviews13 followers
September 4, 2018
‘Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey’ is a debut novel by Surabhi Sharma which revolves around Shubh and Monica and the struggle they are going through in their life. Shubh, whose only dream is to be a nature photographer who always used to believe that his parents would support him in his decision. But his parents have different plans for him and want him to settle in a high paying job. Unable to convince his parents he is disappointed and takes up a job as he wants to be an ideal son and doesn’t want to disappoint them. Soon he is promoted and he is expected to shift to Delhi but he is not willing to leave his hometown and go to some other state instead he tries to convince his parents on him pursuing his dreams but his parents like always convince him and show him the positive side of his job. Against his wishes, he ends up in Delhi.

Monica, a young artist who loves to paint and can put colors on the canvas in such a manner that her paintings have the power to mesmerize people. Her aim is to inspire millions with her painting and help them realize their purpose in life and lead them to a life which fearless and everyone strives to get the life which they always dreamed of. But she is dealing with her past – Aman. She tries to keep herself occupied in her paintings but there are times when she is weak and wants him around. It is during her first exhibition that she notices a boy (Shubh) staring at her and clicking pictures. She is angry at him and soon feels bad for getting angry at him. Soon he apologizes to her and tells her that he didn’t see the caution sign. Soon, they start seeing each other more often and they both fall for each other and she notices that somehow Shubh is not happy with the life that he is leading and makes it a point to ask him and help him. Will, they admit their love for each other and will Monica be able to know what Shubh is actually trying to hide from her and will they both be able to help each other? Will Shubh be successful in turning his dream into a reality? To know more read ‘Life is the flower, love is the honey’.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book, the author has done a great work seeing it is her debut novel. The characters are well developed and are totally relatable we get to see how they are struggling in their respective lives and how life throws a ball at you and how everybody needs to struggle to make their dreams come true. The side characters were also well developed. I loved Zuni how she is there for her best friend through thick and thin and tries to keep her away from her past and make her happy. The book shows us that just dreaming is not enough one should try and take steps every day and get a step closer to achieving his dreams. The book is full of motivational thoughts that has can uplift a person’s mood if he/she is feeling low and feels that he/she cannot achieve his goal. Overall, it is a good book and I would definitely recommend it to my friends. I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy of this wonderful novel.

My Ratings: 4.5/5
Profile Image for Aishwarya Rathor.
273 reviews29 followers
September 6, 2018
Shubh is a passionate photographer but his parents are against this profession. So he left photography and moved to Delhi.
He met Monica In a painting exhibition and they instantly fell for each other.
Mostly everyone who reads this book can eaily relate to it, because in India parents dominate their children's choice. They cannot pursue the profession they like. This is the main point of the book.
The story is fast paced with a bit of grammatical errors.
Also, i believe their were a bit of exaggeration about the apperance of the boys in the book. To know further, please read the book.
Profile Image for Pretty Little Bibliophile.
843 reviews126 followers
March 14, 2020
The concept that the author has used to go about the entire narrative is quite interesting. We have one or two chapters, followed by a sort of monologue or just some thought by the author. While reading the story, I think it really helps the reader think and introspect about themselves as well as the characters. I also think that using this formula of short chapters is really beneficial.
The characters are also well formed. Monica and Shubh are two very real and thus relatable individuals. We find so many such people in our everyday life, and so many of us will be able to find some of our own values and qualities in them. The other minor characters also reflect some very modern and individualistic traits.
The themes explored are mostly on human dreams and desires, hard work and love as well as friendship.
One thing that I think could have been more developed was the literary style. I found it very simple for my liking and would have preferred something of a more sophisticated and advanced style. The editing, I feel, was rushed through, as I came across quite a few grammatical errors. There is a scope for improvement for the author, considering it is a debut
This book was a really short and inspiring book. I recommend it to those looking for romance as well as inspiration. I rate the content a 3/5 stars!
Profile Image for Apurba Ganguly.
186 reviews11 followers
September 7, 2018
I thank the author for giving me the opportunity to review her debut novel(la). I am fortunate enough to be a reader of such a book, bestowed with technical innovations.

Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey is one such book that you will be bound to appreciate. The weaving of the contents of the book is unconventional, hence a big attraction in the first place. Also, the narrative is unique and subjective, no wonder why I loved the technical aspect of it!

I will begin with the technical brilliance of the book. Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey has an extremely different sort of a content — the book does not tend to narrate to the reader the whole plot in a chronological manner, i.e. one event following the other. Rather, the book brings forth the important instances of the life of the protagonist and puts forward a brief outline of the material issues, and puts more emphasis on the subjective aspect of it. In other words, the book is less descriptive and more introspective — no wonder why I find it unique! Indeed, introspection of the self is an inevitable realisation after each chapter-end. The chapters, specially, are very short. The author describes each chapter as a tiny tale, though it barely follows the conventions of the latter. A tiny tale narrates a story within a maximum of two sentences. Since the book does not abide by the norms of tiny tales, I would describe each chapter of Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey to be compact tales, for each chapter consist of about ten to twelve lines. Well, whatever the case may be, each chapter is brief and concise, hence turning out to be a comfortable read altogether for professional people as well. Speaking of the contents of the novel(la), the book has an innovative narration from the omnipresent third-person perspective. There are regular intervals of didactic spiritual encouragements after every one or two chapter(s) tracing the life story of the protagonists. Therefore, we come across a special storyline made out of the fictional plot of failures-hopes-loves intertwined with the inspirational spiritual introspection regarding the virtues of life. Yes, such innovative features are hard to find. The serpentine movements of the fictional story and the simultaneous nonfictional quotations, which are wound one around the other, will surely grab the attention of the reader.

However, the pros of the book could not save the fictional part of the storyline at all. The actually plot of the book, concerning the two protagonists, was extremely brief. The choice of theme is beautiful, yet it could not survive very long. The fictional chapters, in fact, felt so small that the reader, after the end of each chapter, will feel dissatisfied. This dissatisfaction stems out from the lack of details. There is an essence of haste in the narration, which was upsetting. Also, the lack of proper dialogues in the beginning, compromised by the use of poetic lines, is a necessary evil; the lines are indeed lovely, but they don't serve the purpose of a dialogue at all.

It is a surprise to realise that the best part of the book lied in its spiritual introspections. Though the focus of the book should have been more on the fiction, one simply cannot ignore the many beautiful quotes that resurface during regular intervals in the book. I felt that the effort and care invested in composing the nonfiction part of the book should have been equally utilised in the composition of the fictional story as well. However, this is a debut novel, and I am very much elated to have come across such a unique manner of technical presentations in the art of storytelling. I convey my best wishes to the author for her upcoming endeavours.
Profile Image for Anuya Patil.
102 reviews
September 16, 2018
Title: Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey
Author: Surabhi Sharma
Format: Kindle Edition
Length:133 pages
Synopsis:
‘You are so much more than what you think you are. You are infinite. You have the power to achieve bigger things.’

This is a story of a dream; a story for every dreamer.
Shubh is a dreamer. He wishes to become a nature photographer but submits to his parents’ wishes who want a secure future for him. He fears he will disappoint his parents and gives up on his dreams.
Monica is a dreamer. She is a painter who paints the canvas with the inspirational colors of life. She let go of her fears and inhibitions one day when someone helped give her paintings a purpose.
What happens when fate brings these two dreamers together?
A unique tale of love and life in the form of tiny tales about the dreams and challenges we face.
Review:
The story is a romantic story as well as a motivational one. The author has beautifully portrayed the dilemmas of a person has is or has ever been in love. At the focus of the story are the two characters Monica and Shubh but the story occasionally drifts to philosophical threads of thought. These drifts can be seen throughout the story. At first the drifts seem to get deeply philosophical, boring and distract the readers from the main story going on. However, towards the end these drifts are a lot more relevant and meaningful. The emotions that the story portrays are true and one can relate their own experiences to them. Through the characters of Monica and Shubh the readers can reflect and get an insight of their own strengths and weaknesses in their relationships and love life. The language and the storyline are easy to understand and likeable. In the book the author also constantly keeps on preaching the importance of chasing your dreams and achieving them. The rationale that the book provides for not letting yourself devoid of the chance to chase your dreams is by far the best one I have encountered. All in all the book turns out to be a good short read. However, I would not say the same in case of those who despise romantic novels but they will surely like the life lessons that the book imparts about a person and their chase of their dreams.
Rating:
3.5/ 5

Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey
Profile Image for Aparna Prabhu.
531 reviews44 followers
August 22, 2018
Thoughts

We all have a dream that renders us sleepless nights. Guarding it close to our heart, we wake up everyday in the sole purpose of protecting it. Setbacks and failures feel as though we are tossed to a faraway land away from our dream. Dejected and not looking back, we tread the remainder of life.

What everyone of us fail to comprehend is that roadblocks are just milestones in the journey. So, drive past them and work towards living your dream.

Plot

Shubh is an accomplished photographer. Nothing gives him happiness than waking up early in the morning and capture the nature in its full glory. Photography was no longer a hobby for him, it was something that woke him up everyday. Wanting to pursue this as a career, he consults his parents expecting a sign of approval. But, destiny has other plans for him. His father and mother termed his career choice as preposterous, which elicited feelings of dejection and sadness in him.

Contrary to his life, a young artist, Monica is living her dreams. Their paths cross when Shubh had clicked pictures of her paintings in her art exhibition which was otherwise prohibited. Monica couldn't help herself but be enraptured with his eyes that reminded her of her past opening raw wounds. Does fate conspire them to be together or has it planned something else for them?

Review and Rating

'Life is the flower, Love is the Honey' is a book which serves as a reminder that it is never too late to live your dreams. It encourages everyone to shed his/her inhibitions and apprehensions to work towards the greater good.

The plot was refreshingly original. The tale of passionate artists getting a grip on life was like a fresh drop of dew on the wee hours of dawn. The author has successfully described raw emotions in length. Pearls of wisdom were interleaved in the narrative. Some of the lines were profound and inspiring.

The book would have been much better if it had undergone a round of editing. As the story was all about breaking the monotony, the cover could have been designed to be a reflection of the same. The pacing was a bit irregular.

Grab this book if you are looking for something short and sweet to read.
Profile Image for Read_&_reviews.
19 reviews3 followers
August 22, 2018
The story begins with shubh who loves Photography and wants to become a professional photographer but due to family pressure he decides to complete his education and after that he moves to Delhi for job. He didn't wants to go to Delhi but for his parents he moves to Delhi. Whenever he finds himself lonely he starts going into art galleries where he finds peace around him. One day while clicking a art picture he mets Monica who is a painter of the exhibition and she stops him for taking pictures. After some time they both stated feeling a connection between them then they started meeting together but Monica had a past.
What changes will occur on her present because of her past?
What will happen when shubh realise by seeing others dreams becoming true and not his due to his parents?
To know all that you will have to read this book

My review
I loved this novel from beginning till end and it motivates me for living for my goals. Specially a character named Zuni who makes me remember my close friend realising me the real meaning of Friendship

Bad point
Nothing everything is good but it would be better if the story had long length

Good point
Everything is perfect characters, plot, emotions, dreams etc.

Characters
Few characters like Monica's Friend Zuni Aman, Shubh's parents specially Zuni's character I love that character

Recommendations
For every person who gives excuses to himself till now and Never actually started forwarding towards own goals

Rating
4/5
Profile Image for RITU MAHESHWARI.
Author 1 book16 followers
August 27, 2018
The debut novel of Surbhi Sharma is a heartwarming and stimulating story of Subh and Monica.

Subh yearns to become a professional nature photographer, but couldn't due to family pressure. The author has wonderfully portrayed the mental strain and inner turmoil Subh goes through for not listening to his heart.

Monica on the other hand is blooming everyday because she is doing things where her heart lies. Her fingers smeared in colours, giving her imagination a life on canvas. Both their stories are inspiring and motivating.

There is also a love story brewing between the two and it is completely enchanting and touching to read about the chemistry between them.

It is a feel good romantic novel with a strong message to listen and follow your heart. Ultimately, it is your life and you have to bear the consequences so why not take decisions listening to your heart rather than to other people.

In between the chapters there are many philosophical and life inspiring preaches. They are good as long as you are in reflective mode, but otherwise they hindered my rhythm of reading. I wished the author incorporated them in the narrative itself rather than writing individual chapters.

Overall, a good read.

Read more about the novel here
https://thebookworld.org/the-life-is-...
Profile Image for Pooja Srivastava.
125 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2018
'Let life celebrate having you. Let death dread to take you. Do something with your life and make it count!'
🔅
°°°BOOK REVIEW°°°
'Life is the flower Love is the honey' by Surabhi Sharma
🔅
#PLOT: It is a contemporary Young adult genre...with a philosophical touch to it! Story revolves around two main characters Shubh and Monica and their struggle to fulfil their dreams! Shubh wanted to be a photographer, but his family for financial stability forces him to do a normal job! He followed their order by burying his dream! Whereas, there is Monica who is a painter ..having a past..which she try to overcome through painting.
This is the story if how Shubh and Monica met..and how their broken pieces got together in each other and how they persue their dreams without any inhibition😇
🔅
#WRITING_N_NARRATION: Writing is simple and philosophical. The in between motivational chapters add a bit extra factor! Narration is simple and lucid! It have a nice pace with no major twists and turns.
🔅
#CHARACTERS: I personally don't really relate with the character Shubh, where he suppress his dreams just for a settled job..and the aspiration is burning inside..but he never shares it with his parents...which is a bit disturbing.
I love the character Monica, she is smart, confident....but have a dark past..which she heals through her painting😇
🔅
#MY_VIEWS: The story emphasize on the point to pursue your dream where your heart is ..without any societal pressure! I like the philosophical touch!
But I think the story is a bit clichéd, where the parents forces their dream on their children.. And the child get bullied...and supress their dreams. We heard this kind of a story a lot..so the plot is a bit melodramatic and predictable! But overall a one sitting nice read😇
Profile Image for Ruchi Patel.
1,151 reviews94 followers
August 25, 2018

Blurb-Its the story of a boy name shubh who wanted to be a photographer but because of Parents’ pressure, he didn’t pursue his career but soon he realised its never too late to chase your dreams.
He met Monica in a painting exhibition. At that point their story begins.

I liked the plot and the story. Well written. Short and sweet and very inspiring story. Language is good. Easily understandable. Its all about our pursuing our dreams and following the passion. I felt like story can be more description. Overall its a great work. I really liked it.
Profile Image for Mani.
187 reviews
September 24, 2018
The book is well written. I loved the author's thoughts. The writing style is unique and lovely. The story was a quick one time read. It could have been edited a little better as there were mistakes. The cover is pretty and stunning. The characterisation of Monica and Shubh are done well. The writing is easy to understand but a little monotonous. The part of Monica's Journal could have been skipped as it only repeated the events of the previous chapter according to me. The author chose a great topic that is to inspire. It was a small sweet book to read. It didn't disappoint me as I never expected much from it but it turned out to be good. The ongoings in the lives of Shubh and Monica looked real and were believable. The advisory part is the star of the story. It helped to hold the interest of the readers. Otherwise, it would have turned boring. All in all, the author created a great story. Looking forward to her future works!
Profile Image for Prateeksha.
188 reviews2 followers
November 2, 2018
Summary:

                       “DREAMS ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD”

Shubh and Monica are two prime characters of the story. Both are dreamers the only difference between them is one fights for passion and another one sacrifices passion for parents. Shubh is very passionate about photography, his aim and dream are to become a photographer. But his parents want him to have a safe job and to settle in his life like an ideal son. So, he sacrifices his passion towards photography for the sake of his parents and joined in a job which he doesn’t like. On the other hand, Monica is very much interested in painting and she has a brilliant knowledge in colours. She decides very early what she really wants to be in life. She moves in a right path to make her dream to come true. Though she is an ambitious person, she is getting depressed every now and then.

Which is disturbing Monica? What happens when these two dreamers meet each other? Will Shubh quit his job and follows his dream?

Review:

Life is the flower love is the honey by Surabhi Sharma is contemporary story which deals with fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams. The storyline seems like a reality because in India most of the parents won’t let their children to decide their career. There are limited characters and it is fast paced. In between the chapters there are some philosophical and inspiring chronicles which justifies the story. At some point I felt like that is no needed. It could be more interesting if the author would have described the story deeply. Apart from these two negatives it is a quick, simple and good read which keeps you engaged. I’ll recommend this book to all the youngsters who are now sacrificing their passion for the sake for the society and their family. I’ll also recommend this to the dream chasers as it a good inspiring read.
Profile Image for Shilpa.
95 reviews150 followers
September 20, 2018
Life is the Flower, Love is the Honey was a short and simple read. The chapters are really small and you just fly through the pages!

I enjoyed Shubh and Monica's journey, their struggles and tryst with the past. Overall, it may not be much of afresh story but the way it is presented makes it different. I especially liked reading the chapters that were like tid-bits of life lessons. What makes it even more cool is the fact that you can read these chapters stand-alone for some life advice as well but they fit in so perfectly with the story. They keep the flow going while making you sit back and ponder for a while.. to come out of the story and relate it with your own experiences!

The characters are real and relatable. Their problems are relatable.. so you kind of feel like reading it just to know how things could turn out had you taken those particular options.. After all, one can dream ;)

I recommend reading this if you want to read something super-fast and light.
Profile Image for Sayantani Das.
102 reviews3 followers
September 8, 2018
A unique tale of love and life in the form of tiny tales about the dreams and challenges we face.
Few characters are very well described. Specially I love the character of Zuhi (Monica’s best friend). Her friendship reflects the image of a true friend.
In between the chapters there were some motivational thoughts which is really nice but sometimes it became an obstacle in between the stories which killed my mood to read.
Some parts were left unfinished like what happened to Subh’s parents who never supported his dreams.
The theme is all about unfulfilled dreams.
Overall it was a pleasant read and light read.
Profile Image for Rohini.
188 reviews7 followers
September 5, 2018
Story starts with Shubh. He has millions of dreams towards his photography profession. But due to the denial of his parents, he started to live a normal life by forgetting his dreams. Though it was very difficult for him, he accepted the fact that he can't go against his parents. Monica is living in the city of Delhi, working to become an artist.

How will they meet? Will Shubh achieve his dreams? If so, how he convince his parents?? Whether Monica help him to achieve that?? Read this story.

I liked the story plot and some inspirational quotes in the book. But what I not liked in the book is the story was very lengthy. Otherwise it's a good read.
Profile Image for Chresann Dsouza.
194 reviews9 followers
September 26, 2018
 

MY RATING: 3.5/5🌟


i had a pretty good experience reading this book, the storyline/ plot was good & on point. The character of Monica was very well developed, I could relate to her a lot, I feel that shubh's characters required  a bit move  crafting. The title and cover were complementing each other really well.
 The message/ theme which the author intended to provide while / after reading the book was quite clear in the first half itself. Now coming to the part where the book required some improvements, firstly shubh's workplace should have been described which wasn't done, I  would have loved to understand his attitude towards his workplace and colleagues and not just his job.
Secondly the story should have ended up with giving a detailed information of the lifes of both the characters and not just ones.
Overall this was a pretty good & a pleasant read,with an inspirational story. Considering the fact that this is the authors debut novel, she has done a really good job.
 I would recommend it if you're a beginner/ if you want a good weekend/ rainy day read.
122 reviews19 followers
September 17, 2018
Even though the length of the title astonishes me I am taken away by the compelling words LIFE FOWER LOVE AND HONEY. I am very much inclined with avidity to read the book at one go. The cover also suits me to enter into it with lots of hope and I am satisfied.


“Life is the Flower, Love is the honey “ by Surabhi Sharma is a fantabulous love story of Shubh and Monica.


Handsome Shubh is a devoted shutterbug not by chance but by choice and his passion for becoming a nature photographer proves that his first love is a camera. In our society parents dominate children to go by their words rather than they follow their ambition when it comes to choosing one's career. Shubh has chosen to obey them and get employed in a company.

In an art gallery, he meets Monica a beautiful charming girl. At the first sight, she develops a love for Shubh. As far as she is concerned her parents identify her acumen for painting and they encourage her to follow what she aspires to do. She becomes a great artist. Zuni is her friend and she helps her run the show.

The social drama goes further to unfurl the first love of Monica. The rest of the story deals with the true love that blossoms between Shubh and Monica and how she helps him to bring his dreams to reality.


The wonderful book carries two parts: one brings the nuggets of wisdom in the form of messages targeting the youth serving as a self-help book for a happy life. The powerful notions and words would definitely make a great impact in the reader's mind.

The language is simple, direct and honest. It gives a seamless read. The narrative prose takes a lot for talking about the passion, vision, and mission of the MCs. in their pursuit of goals.
The pace is even not dragging or fast.
My favorite

I like both the protagonists Shubh and Monica for their work and the dedication and devotion would enthrall you. Also, I admire Zuni as a thoughtful and close friend of Monica.
These philosophical words impress me a lot
Life is for love and love is for the soul.

Let life celebrate having you. Let death dread to take you.

A dream brings out the best in you. A dream should start with your heart and end in your mind.

You need to feel the happiness inside and that is truly living.

When things go awry, count on your blessing.

Today is the best day of your life and you have the power to turn it that way.


What I feel.

Supportive characters are not given due weight. Dialogues can be improved to give a formal look.

The storyteller in the authoress makes the reading a nice one.

Simple language and the decent story makes you finish the book in 4to 5 sittings. It is not only a good read but also a must read by the youth for all the good messages it carries.

I recommend this book to every youth searching for love stories and the millennials should read this book for the motivating and inspiring soul-centric words.

Profile Image for KrisBookishLife.
165 reviews21 followers
September 18, 2018
Synopsis:
Shubh is a photography enthusiast who wants to live his life through the lens of the camera. He has a thirst to click all the beautiful things in nature and capture them for posterity. Stuck in a desk job in New Delhi he is supremely unhappy away from home and the small town. He has no friends in the big city and visits an art gallery to be inspired!
Monica is a successful artist who creates stories with a canvas. She has gone through heartbreak and has channelled all her energy into her art and her shows.
The story takes us through their lives and what happens when they meet!

Review:
The book is divided into two parts - one part is the actual story and the other part are little motivational chapters in between that derive from the story to give life lessons.
I would give this story 3.5 stars but the little inspirational pages in between tended to break the flow of the story and made it feel a lot more like a self help book rather than a work of fiction.
I really liked the way Monica’s character has been crafted. She is strong but has her weaknesses. She is successful and hasn’t been portrayed as needy. I love how real she is.
I found Shubh’s character a little weak both in terms of how he comes across as a person as well as how he has been written. In the beginning it almost seemed like his was a sob story. Not very real though this does change through the course of the book.
This is the story of dreamers and dreams. Of the wish to do something the heart needs. Of finding that person who understands you and your dreams better than yourself. That special someone who can push you to be the best you can be!
It’s a good light read about love and life. The story is also pretty common but be prepared for a bit of preaching in between.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Shrikanth Venne.
289 reviews17 followers
September 23, 2018
Live your dreams

First of all thanks to Surabhi Sharma for providing me with the book for a honest review. This book is about two dreamers one dreamer Shubh who dreams but does not take risk to reach his dream and live it mid way due to pressure from parents and the second is Monica who lives her dreams and achieves her dreams but has a little disturbing past and this story is how these two dreamers meet and romance is kindled. The part where the author gives her own notes related to the story is little out of the way and it seems not required. The other thing is author has divided the story in 124 chapters which is actually too much as each chapter has only 3 pages. These 124 chapters loses the continuity in the story. By reading this book the writing is armature for example same things are repeated in different chapter for example Shubh is a excellent photographer we get to know in first chapter itself but it's being repeated atleast 4 to 5 times which is not required. Overall I would say it's a ok Goodread... 😊
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