Title : Jugnu

Author : Ruchi Singh

Genre : Romance (Second Chance)

Blurb :

Zayd Abbas Rizvi, out on parole, wants to escape the suspicious eyes of the world and concentrate on rebuilding his future. He zeroes in on Kasauli, a small, quaint hill town.

Contrary to his expectations though, he is unable to find peace in the skirmish around the guest house, the antics of a three-year-old, and the deep, sad eyes of his mother. As he battles the demons of his past, falling in love is not in Zayd’s plan…

Ashima’s life is a long, tiresome struggle, until a tall, tattoo flaunting stranger registers in her guest house. Hoping against hope for a ray of sunshine in her life, unbridled attraction to a stranger is not what Ashima bargains for…

Will Zayd and Ashima be able to forego their past and embrace their present, even when they know that if things went wrong, all they’ll be left with is a broken heart and painful memories?

My Take:

Life always gives a second chance and one should accept it with open hands. Jugnu by Ruchi Singh is also an emotional roller coaster ride of two people who lost their first love in tragic incident. In the awesome hill town of Kausali the two people meet and their relationships blossoms amid so much constraints. I loved the way the author had touched each aspect a woman goes through before taking the plunge.

The character of Ashima, a mother, a daughter-in-law, a manager, a wife has been portrayed so naturally. Even Zayad’s character will make you fall in love.

Recommend for all romance readers who are looking for a second chance in life.

 

Book Title :  The Inimitable Chaos Of Life 

Author : Maliny Mohan

Genre: short stories collection.

Blurb :

A naive girl of eighteen is trapped in a dungeon, which changes her and her capturer’s life forever. Afar, tucked away in the sleepy terrains of a town in Kerala, a married woman is determined to revisit a forbidden part of her past. A model-turned-MBA aspirant is scourged mentally for a decision she almost made three years back. Back in the less happening village of Kanyapuram, an aspiring author loses a copy of her very first manuscript.
True to its title, ‘The Inimitable Chaos of life’ is an amalgamation of enthralling stories borrowed from the chaotic pages of life, which allure you to relive the multitude of unique emotions humans are made of.

My Take :

Life is a beautiful journey. And Maliny’s Book The Inimitable Chaos of life present the journey in a beautiful roller coaster ride. The book is a collection of short stories about the chaos in people’s life. Each of the stories are different and touch a new string of life. The author is very descriptive in her narrations and paints the picture of the scene very well.

Some of the stories like Sara and Second Chance I especially enjoyed reading. From  sibling bonding in the first story to the betrayal and revenge in the later story, the author has made a mark in my heart.

This book is recommended for short metro reads and anyone can pick it up.

Title: The Money Lender Tales from a small town in South India

Author :  Manju Nambiar

Genre : Collection of short stories

Blurb: Short and Fun read! Truly Entertaining and Witty.

The book is a collection of short stories, narrated through the eye of a small town money lender. As the story unfolds, we get introduced to the unique characters in the town and their bizarre issues. How the money lender provide solutions to their problems in the most humorous and practical manner form the crux of the book.

My Take:

The book is a collection of short stories from the perspective of the money lender at Gulf Town, a small town in Kerala. The author succeeds in weaving  great stories based on turmoil of relationships of people in this small town with the money lender in a pivotal role. Most of the stories are a small pack of surprises.

The book is recommended for anyone enjoying short read.

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Title : The Adventures of Ernie Fish

Author : Sudesna Ghosh

Genre : YA cat story

Blurb: Say hello to Ernie Fish, the famous cat expert and his two cats Giri and Garby. And there’s a dog too. Join them on their adventures as Ernie Fish’s own cats prove his theories wrong, give him advice, and even sing! Every short story in this collection is full of meow.

My Take:

So you love cats?

Great! Then this book is meant for you. With cat expert Ernie Fish the author takes you to a roller coaster hilarious bumpy ride mentoring cats with the help of his pets. Of course Ernie Fish knows his job as an cat expert however, he faces many embarrassing situation because of his pets Garby and Giri. And joining in the gang of cats is Gugulu, the friendly neighbour dog.

The language of the book is narrative and is a collection of short stories. A very short read recommended for anyone who loves to interact with furry buddies.

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My Take:

I am not much of a reviewer but would surely love to write my thoughts on the book I read. The princess of a whore house was a nice read. The book was part of blog tour organized by The Book Club. The title of the book attracted me as I love to read dark stories or stories based on social issues.

The author has picked up the plot which is very sensitive in a way that such topics where the life of a sex worker and her dreams are not usually discussed. The story talks about the plight of a widow, a young mother, who is trafficked and ends up in a brothel in Delhi. Can she succeed in changing her daughter’s life is what the book is about?

The story is very realistic and touching. Author has managed to show all the hardships an woman can go through under such a circumstance. However, there are few things which made the flow of the story very confusing. The point if view of the characters in some part of the book is not categorized properly. The description of the city is too elaborate in some places. I would have enjoyed them if it were a romance scene but here it was a turn off sometimes. Nevertheless, the book is a first attempt of the author and has managed to strike the chord of the community and a reader in a very positive manner. It was a good short read and I would like to recommend it to those who enjoy reading social issues.

 

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THE PRINCESS OF A WHOREHOUSE: THE STORY OF A 

SWAMP LOTUS

by

Mayank Sharma

 

 

 

Blurb

 

Aparajita is a tenacious go-getter. Her name means unconquerable in Sanskrit, and she lives up to its meaning. 

 

Just like any other ambitious girl, she desires to fulfil her dreams and become an independent individual. Far and wide, the shadow of her melancholy past chases her passage. The fact that her widowed mother is a former sex worker irks the community. Nonetheless, she is not ashamed to reveal her mother’s past. 

 

Will she lose hope, or will she defy an enigma that is centuries-old? Will she ever conquer the hearts of a prestige-obsessed community? 

 

See the world through Aparajita’s prism in a tale stirred by some real life events.

 

Grab your copy @

 

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About the author

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayank Sharma is a computer engineering graduate with post-graduation in business management. He works with a leading technology multinational in Delhi. He has authored a number of articles and white papers on software technology and processes. For the first time in April 2014, his article was featured in Better Software magazine published in Florida, USA. Writing has become Mayank’s greatest passion when he observed how it can trigger the winds of change. He is gradually transforming from a “left-brained” writer to a “right-brained” writer. Besides writing, he is passionate about sketching, painting, and making sculptures since childhood.

 

 

 

 

India is the fifth-largest economy in the world with the Gross Domestic Product growth at 7.1 percent. Contrary, India ranks 118 out of 157 countries in the happiness index. The fact seized Mayank’s attention towards social problems affecting social support, freedom of choices, and generosity, to name a few. Having travelled across continents and associated with people with diverse beliefs and values, he became more curious about the social riddles curtailing liberties across societies. He penned his debut novel, The Princess of a Whorehouse, when he came across some real life incidents that quivered his soul.

 

 

 

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Book Title – The Kite Runner

Author –  Khaled Hosseini

Genre – Literary Fiction

Blurb – The New York Times bestseller and international classic loved by millions of readers.

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.
My Ratings –

My Review – The book left me in tears.
I felt a strong bonding with Amir Aga, the protagonist, who had to flee his country, his home, his comfort, his memories, and his ancestral land due to turbulence in the country. How does it feel to land up in an alien world leaving everything you ever owned behind? My folks have boar the bruise of Indo-Bangladesh partition. I have heard the stories so many times from every mouth I visited in my grandparent’s place. How lavishly they lived and then one day out of the blue they were rendered homeless. The author had depicted that very well in his book.
This is the first book of the author that I have read and I am not regretting it at all. The narration of a war trodden country, the lives of people, the helplessness, the frustration and above all the submission of oneself, to accept what is happening around, just to survive is very well presented. It would be understood by the people who have faced a situation likewise.
Maybe the meanness of Amir Aga, the legitimate rich class, selfish boy of upper class society is not very well accepted as a reader, for one would feel more for the Haazra boy instead, but Hosseini had not tried to portray him in white. His grey shades were more prominent for that matter.
I enjoyed how the author, at the end of every chapter, lures the reader with his one liners to grab the next chapter. Many a times, he even leaves them wondering what could possibly have happened, how it had happened, where it had happened mode, so that the reader is bound to turn pages and reach there, to see what really happened.
The story is told in first person and unlike many other books I read, the author never attempted to outgrow his POV. It always flows in present situation.
His using of local dialect is another good point I enjoyed where he had put the meaning too in the same line without any commas. I learnt quite few Afgani words too.
What I would have enjoyed more is the little history of Afghanistan as well. Since the book is based on the political scenario of the country if little more information is given on the situation there, it would have left me the trouble of goggling the internet.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy cultural fiction, emotional roller coaster drama in a political turmoil backdrop.

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The Book Title – Love and Other Enchantments

Genre – Anthology

Author – Fictious Five (Anuj Kumar, Tanima Kedar, Maliny Mohan, Ishan Dafaria, Akash Deep Gupta)

Blurb – Short stories are magical. They take you on a walk through the liveliest of alleys, a few resplendent, while others torn between the subdued shades of white and black, to finally melt away, leaving your mind smeared with the most vibrant of hues, like a richly flavoured delicacy dissolving into the hidden recesses of one’s senses, all in a matter of few minutes. The beauty is enhanced further if the theme reflected upon is love, for no feeling has conquered human minds like love in its multifarious forms.

Here we, a group of five writers, knit together by the bond of creativity and a passion for writing, present before you ‘Love And Other Enchantments’ a short story anthology, showcasing fifteen stories that depict, with much ardour, the depth and sheer poignancy of unrequited love.

My Ratings –

My Review – I thank the author, Anuj Kumar for giving me a review copy of the book.

First of all, I really apologize for delaying my review. It should have come long back.

The book title says it all. This book is an anthology based on the theme of love. For a first timer or pretty new, the authors have done brilliant job. The stories are about love from a different angle. Indeed it was a sheer surprise for me.

I will only review the work of Anuj Kumar in the book. The author has stories – So Mad in Love. In the short story the author talks about faith in God. What happens when you lose your trust? Its Not Soothing Every Time is about a psycho lover. The author tried to show the gruesome torture. Known Unknown a one sided affair. In all the stories the author played with the dark side of the character. Somewhere he even succeeded in raising the expectation. However, there is more to be done for bringing out the best. I wish I had known the characters a little more. I really enjoyed the poems in between the lines that fitted ao well with the storyline. A good attempt for a short story.

Ideal for those who love to read dark romantic stories.

 

Book Title – Mistress of Honour

Author – Bhaavna Arora

Published by – Penguin India

Genre – Romance

Blurb – A tale about passionate love and finding your soulmate . . . only to realize you will always come a close second
When Potnis, a captain in the Indian Army, meets Pansy during Operation Blue Star, he knows he has found the love of his life. Their passionate romance leads them to the altar and blossoms into a beautiful child, Rihana.
History repeats itself when Advik, a wayward boy from a broken family, catapults into Rihana’s heart as smoothly as he conquers the skies as an Indian Air Force pilot. What follows is a night of unabashed love, transporting the couple to heavenly bliss. Where will their unbridled love lead them? Will Rihana remain a mistress to Advik, for whom the love for his country comes first, or will she be able to make a place in his heart that is second to none? This heartbreaking saga of love, courage and sacrifice will leave you asking for more.

My Rating –

I won this book in a giveaway organized by The Book Club.

The blurb attracted me from the very beginning. I love reading about uniform men. The book has all the ingredients of Army life – fun, hard work, family, misson, love. It gives a deep insight into the life of an Army family. The author has brilliantly painted, their share of love, anxiety and togetherness.

Over the nights when the nation sleeps at peace how can one forget to thank the guardians of our borders who are ready to take a bullet in their heart to keep us safe. And a million thanks to the mother, sister, wife and daughter of an Army personnel who have never once allowed their fears to show up on their face even in the toughest situation. They are the true heroes.

The author has done full justice to portray the emotions of an army family throughout the book. It also has a detailed narration of NDA which many of us have got a glimpse in many Bollywood movies and still crave for more. Indeed our officers are polished through the toughest hands to be what they are today. I completely enjoyed the zest of the book.

But even after saying it all, I am craving. Craving for more as it was not what I expected. May be my expectation from the book was more in terms of story which I find lacking in the narration. The tough life of an Army officer is very well portrayed but it lacked the soul. As a reader I could not connect with any of the characters and the plot. In fact, I still could not figure out whose story I was reading after all.

I would recommend it for those who love to read about lives of uniform men. You will get it all here.

Title : Latte Cafe

Author : Amit Shankar

Genre: Short Stories

My rating : 3.5 on a scale of 5

My Review:

I did take a long time to review this book. The language is very easy and the cover is very simple but catchy. Yet the reason  for coming late is, you have to let the stories sink in before you start with a new one.

Yes that’s what I have to say about this beautiful collection of eighteen unusual short stories or rather very short stories. The stories are off beat with a twist in the end which I enjoyed very much. The last story, Writer’s Block, Down Express, Smart TV and many more will leave you asking for more. Each one of them is close to life yet so different.

However, I did wish the other stories too tickled my bone likewise. They were some what a little predictable. But that does not stop me from praising the author. In fact I would love to read his books in future.

I would also like to mention the two other stories, A Rose for Her by Kartikey Sharma aged 16 years and A Highway Called Life by Vasundhara Goyal ages 10 years, need an applause. Thanks to the author for the contribution.

I would recommend this book to all those who love to read off beat stories. The best part is you can finish the stories in one or two sitting only (for a slow reader like me).