A Letter for Gigglepot-Ambalika

Book: A Letter for Gigglepot
Author: Ambalika
Publisher: Become Shakespeare

What if you get a letter one day that changes your identity?

A Letter for Gigglepot by Ambalika Bhat is the story of Ashima, or Gigglepot as she is fondly called, and how her suspicions about her family get confirmed once she receives a letter from a distant relative. As she starts a journey to uncover the truth behind her family, she finds more than what she bargained for. Traipsing the gossiping villagers, truant college students and chatty colleagues, would Ashima find the answer to the question which always bugged her?

There are some stories that just follow a linear storyline and the protagonist gets their 15 minutes of fame, and then there are stories that speak to you, one that tell you and make you imagine things as they happen. A Letter for Gigglepot is one such story. The manner in which it has been told is quite interesting and Ambalika has this flair of telling stories that enchant you and keep you gripped to the story. The premise of the story was quite simple, one where the protagonist goes to find her roots as she wants to get away from the confusion that her identity gave her, but the way things take place make the village of Imry sound extremely inviting. With parallel mini stories that added a tangy twist to the plot, the reader cannot afford to slack and skip parts as things connect to each other in the end. The descriptions are extremely vivid and paint a wonderful picture of things as they happen- a cow on the road, an overloaded mazic and what not. There is a rustic charm in this book, and anyone who had loved the tales by R K Narayan would definitely enjoy this book. The one thing that could have been better is about some places where the story lost the connect in a couple of pages. The climax of the story was truly and utterly unexpected.

The characters in the book are created with utmost care. With nosy colleagues who are compelled to peek into the lives of their colleagues to the chatty rickshawwallahs, these are the characters we would encounter in our daily lives. Ambalika took these ordinary characters and put them into this extraordinary situation to weave this wonderful tale of whodunnit. I liked Ashima’s character in the manner it was sketched, specially her inquisitive nature and her eagerness to explore museums. Another character that was interesting was that of the village of Imry, as it felt as it had a life of its own with the description of the places and the people.

The one thing that stood out for me and deserves a mention is the language of the book, that is very indigenous and there were places where it fit the bill perfectly. Another mention to the author’s bio, which I would implore one to read.

Overall, the book gets a 4/5 for me.

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Three Impossible Wishes-Anmol Malik

Book: Three Impossible Wishes
Author: Anmol Malik
Publisher: HarperCollins India

Do you believe that if we do something we love, it becomes something more than a profession?

Three Impossible Wishes by Anmol Malik is the story of nineteen-year old Arya Mahtani who has been accepted at the University of Westley but there is a nagging feeling inside her that she does not belong there. Her life at Westley is a comedy of errors as she is stuck doing a course she does not understand, has a crush on Sahil Malhotra, which seems to take its own curvy path, ego-crushing lectures by her over achieving father and her actions have placed her in the way of a peer, Vladimir Petrov, the one person who can save her from deportation, but has no inclination to help her. This is Arya’s story of finding herself, and how she realizes her true calling in life.

The book is an extremely honest writing, one that is written in a language that fits the plot perfectly with slangs and common words. Set in a college backdrop, it chronicles the journey of our protagonist Arya, who seems to attract unwanted attention wherever she goes, and her life is just a collection of some unfortunate events. The storytelling is interesting with some cleverly crafted plot points and well thought out twists which make this journey even better. The book has a strong connection to food and each of the chapters bear a title corresponding to a particular food or drink, one that forms a crucial part of that chapter. The underlying idea of how parents influence their children’s life is explored efficiently and while that is not apparent in the beginning, that is an interesting tone that the story takes. From friendships to one-sided love to social acceptance of non-binary orientations, quite a lot has been covered, and this is one story that is guaranteed to keep you smiling. The climax of the book is amazing, and the last chapter just ties up the entire life of Arya in a bow.

Coming to the characters, Anmol has picked some people that can be found in our college lives or we would have met such people for sure. The easy-going person who loves everything apart from studying, the heartthrob of the college who has a line of people swooning behind them and so on. I loved the character arc of Vladimir and the nuances of the character that he carries. With different perspectives of him presented in the story, it was interesting how each thing linked his personality. Arya as a character did attract me, but only because of the zeal that she exhibited in her pursuits. Other characters such as Sahil, Simran etc. were crafted well. A special mention to Simran and the DDLJ reference, which was a grinning moment for me.

Overall, the book is a great read that is going to brighten up your day and leave a wonderful taste in your mouth once you finish it. The book scores a 4.06/5 for me.

 Grab a copy of the book here.

Mother of All Parties-Padmini Sankar

Book:Mother of All Parties
Author: Padmini Sankar
Publisher: HarperCollins India and Black Ink

Do you think that societal expectations create undue pressure on us to be a version of ourselves that is not authentic?

Mother of All Parties by Padmini Sankar is the story of Pam, who lives in Dubai and moves in the high circles of the city. With the battle of one-upmanship in full force, the challenge to throw the biggest and the most glamorous party falls on her. Adding to her woes is the fact that a week before her 20^th anniversary is the 20^th anniversary of Honey Sarin, who is proficient in cutting barbs and snide comments, directed prominently at Pam. Adding to the mix, an ex-flame turns up and raises the temperature by a few notches, her husband who is blissfully unaware of what is going on in Pam’s life, a daughter who is up in arms against her mother and to top it up, a construction worker who she has to shelter. Jiggling all this, would she be able to throw M.O.A.P.?

Mother of All Parties is an excellently crafted story that talks about multiple issues while maintaining its primary theme all along. Padmini has taken up the idea of a party to show how we, as humans, have made everything a competition, a race that has to be won, no matter the costs. She has taken up issues such as marital incompatibility, teenage tantrums, bond between a parent and a child, and most importantly the book talks about the simple joys of life. Initially, I was a bit confused as to what the plot was trying to tell and how are these seemingly unrelated incidents going to come together but Padmini manages to tie them in a bow in a beautiful way. There are some interesting scenes in the book, full of wit and sarcasm, and it was almost as if I could hear the people bicker around me. The one thing I would really like to complement the author is for the effort taken into detail things. The dresses, the locations, the happenings-all of them have been described in detail, which added on to the joy of the story. The one thing I would have loved in the book was the perspective of one of the male characters as well so that we could have had a better experience of the situation.

Coming to the characters, Padmini has sketched some of the most amazing characters that seem to have been picked up from real life. From the catty Honey Sarin to the flustered Pam, each one of them added a different flavor to the story. I liked the development of the character arc of Tikky and how that put the entire book into a different light. Pam’s perspective of the ensuing events was quite interesting, and her situations brought out the best in her.

Overall, the book is a roller coaster ride of emotions and it is truly the M.O.A.P. with a score of 4.19/5 for me.

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Kaizen: A Fateful Redo-Shweta Desai

Book: Kaizen: A Fateful Redo
Author: Shweta Desai
Publisher: Amazon Kindle

Would you walk away from the life as you know it to save humanity?

Kaizen: A Fateful Redo by Shweta Desai is the first book in the five-part series set in the future. This book tells us the story of Dr. Leah Bellmore who is living the perfect life with a husband who is a software mogul, and with her daughter. Dr. Bellmore is poised to win a Nobel but what transpires that might motivate her to commit a murder? On the other hand, we have Harry, who is a hard worker and is committed to his work, with a perfect record. His latest mission- to travel back in time and prevent Leah from committing this heinous crime. Would each of them succeed in their endeavors and save humanity?

The story is a sci-fi story that talks of an interesting concept called equifinality and the story is woven around it. Shweta has broken down the plot into 5 parts and this book is the first of the five. The storytelling is interesting with intersecting timelines and some quite futuristic concepts being discussed. The things are discussed in detail and explained whenever a new point gets introduced. The story is a short read, but it has the ability to engross a reader in the plot as it moves ahead. Some of the scenes are quite emotional and a reader can actually sense the emotions of the characters at the point in the timeline. The one thing that could have been improved was the addition of dates of the happenings in the story so that relating to the timeline becomes easier. Another thing that could have been added was the perspective of Andy or Nina so that a bit of mystery could have been introduced. The climax of this book is interesting and keeps the reader wanting for more.

Coming to the characters, the book focuses primarily on Leah and her reactions to various situations. This book sets up the baseline for her character and her quirks. Her character is an interesting one with various facets such as love coming out. Her focus on motherhood is one of the interesting things that I found about her in the book. the character of Harry seems quite interesting and I hope he would be dealt with in detail in the upcoming books.

Overall, the book scores a 3.75/5 for me, and I am looking forward to the upcoming books in the series.

Get a copy of the book here.

Rise of Dharma (Samrat Yudhishthira Trilogy Book 1)-Semanti Chakraborty

Book: Rise of Dharma (Samrat Yudhishthira Trilogy Book 1)
Author: Semanti Chakraborty
Publisher: Self Published

Do you believe each character in a story has a unique perspective of the story?

Rise of Dharma (Samrat Yudhishthira Trilogy Book 1) by Semanti Chakraborty tells us the story of the great epic, Mahabharata as it happened, albeit from the eyes of Yudhishthira. The book 1 of the trilogy starts from the moment the Pandavas arrive in Hastinapur after the death of Pandu and tells us the story till the point the Rajasuya yagya is conducted by Yudhishthira in Indraprastha. This is the story which has been told and retold since time immemorial through various prisms, and in this book we see it from one of the most pivotal characters.

The story of the book has been well researched, and the author has taken her time to collect the ideas from multiple sources as duly referenced in the book. since it draws itself from multiple sources, it gives an interesting perspective to the story that essentially all of us know. With Yudhishthira as the narrator, there are many scenes that gain a completely new angle in the story. Despite being a known story, Semanti has made it quite interesting and engaging. From the story of the rivalry of the two clans and the scene with Shishupala in the court of Indraprastha, each of them was amazingly written. The language is east to understand and Semanti has focused on the story, rather than use complex words and this is another charm of the story. The one thing that stood out for me was that the references were given at the end and I did check out a couple of them as well!

Semanti has given a strong character to Yudhishthira as we go through the story. it is not about copying that the scriptures say about him, but she has developed his persona in the book, which is quite commendable. She has sketched the characters of the rest of the people in as amazing manner as Yudhishthira. There is a thought process behind the actions of the characters and sometimes it is shown literally, which makes it even more interesting.   

The book gets a 4/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book here.

Sunset by the River-Sameer Saxena

Book: Sunset by the River
Author: Sameer Saxena
Publisher: Flipping Pages

Can love cross the highest of hurdles?

Sunset by the River by Sameer Saxena is the story of Ayaan Vaidya, a successful engineer, working for one of the largest MNCs in his field, when one day a call from an unknown number threatens to change his life forever. The call opens the wounds from his path and opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that he had walked away a long time ago. A story spanning from New Delhi to Japan and to Jaipur, this is a story that is quite different from the usual love story.

The plot of the book is extremely engaging, and the story is something that would connect with a lot of people across ages. While the story seems like a regular love story, it is a lot more than that. The story deals with something extremely important and disclosing that here would be akin to revealing the plot. Sameer has woven a tale that would make you rethink friendships and the importance we have for them in our lives. The story also questions some age-old superstitions that we have and how then can force people to take extreme steps. The story is extremely well researched with the author taking his time to detail scenes, emotions and plot, so much so that one might just turn to the internet to look for more. The idea behind the story is commendable, and yet it is not very fact heavy to make it a difficult read. The climax of the book was unexpected and took the plot to a different level. The title of the story and the cover are an integral part of the story and when that happens, it is completely an aha! moment.

The book focuses on 3 primary characters-Monisha, Ayaan and Tripti and how their lives intersect and impact each other. Sameer took his time to detail out the characters and that added a different charm to the story. the characters are simple, yet have an interesting touch to them. The element of friendship and love between the characters was quite emotional and there were scenes that were quite magical.

Overall, a definite recommendation from me that scores a 4.13/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here. 

HBB Microfiction Anthology (Horror)

Book: HBB Microfiction Anthology (Horror)
Author: Multiple
Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Do you remember the one story that gave you the chills the moment you dived into it?

HBB Micro Fiction Anthology (Horror) is the result of a competition organized by Half Baked Beans where each entry was limited to 500-words and the theme was horror. The book is a collection of 50 selected entries with various storylines and plots. The foreword of the book has been penned by Neil D’Silva. 

As he says, “Micro-fiction works best for horror, because this genre is more about the unstated than the stated. An intelligent reader would find enough material in a 500-worder to set wings to their fancies and get terrified of the ghosts that are born in their own imagination. I have always found micro-fiction horror to be quite fun as well as challenging to write; and in this collection, it is done just right by this merry band of authors”

The stories in the book are a mixed bag, with most of them leaning towards being excellent. Each of them is engaging and there are moments where a literal chill ran down my spine. Finding good horror stories, penned by Indian authors are a rarity and I was pleased to find some gems in this book. with vivid descriptions and spooky endings, the tales are gripping and one would actually prefer reading them in the dark. There were some stories that could use another round of editing as there were some language and proofing issues. I liked some of the stories specifically such as The Fall of Major’s House, They Still Walk, Trapped and Delusion. Bombay Nights by Rahul Bhandare stood out for me as it had a completely different flavor as compared to the rest, and the way in which it unfolded. The cover could have been a bit catchy, which could have attracted more readers as well.

If we talk about the characters, each of the authors have crafted interesting characters that seem quite real. Though the genre is horror, the stories sound quite relatable as they progress. The locations are interesting as well and there are some famous places covered as well.

Overall, a great anthology that scores a 3.63/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here.

Love Shorts-Shashwath Sanil

Book: Love Shorts
Author: Shashwath Sanil
Publisher: Notion Press

Love Shorts by Shashwath Sanil is a book that has 4 stories that encompass emotions such as marriage, friendship, destiny, dreams, revenge and more. We meet a girl whose name meant that she was born to fly, and how one meeting changes her life forever. We meet Nabha who is stuck in the wheel of looking for grooms in an arranged marriage system and how leveling her score of rejecting 3 prospective grooms and being rejected by 4 is important for her. Sometimes a meeting a person just once is not enough, and when destiny intervenes, you realise that existence of some people is for a larger purpose. When 4 people take a short, accidental trip from Delhi to Dharamshala, they don’t realise how this trip is going to change their lives forever, a story that is all about realizing dreams, overcoming one’s fears and experiencing love.

The storytelling is interesting and the across the 4 stories, time plays an interesting role in all. The language is quite simple and easy to understand. The first story, Kullu-Manali was a heady journey of wordplays that exhibit the thought process that Shashwath has. The story of love and revenge was quite interesting though the story became a bit confusing towards the end. From an Arranged Marriage Diary was a heady story of Nabha and Akash as they battle the intricacies of the arranged marriage system and how they come out of the maze and find what they are looking for. A Handful of Love was the favourite story of mine in the book as it dealt with quite a lot of topics in one plot. Dilli-Dharamshala as a story did not work much for me as I felt it was quite confusing with a lot of unnecessary details. Overall, the book gives a good feeling when you read it and the stories have moments that would make you smile as well.

Coming to the characters, each one of them had their own individuality and were quite fresh yet relatable. From Kuldeep to Nabha to Taksh, as a reader, associating with them was easy and one could definitely take a lesson or two from their actions.

The book scores a 3.13/5 from me.

Get a copy of the book here.

A Goan Holiday-Anitha Perinchery

Book: A Goan Holiday
Author: Anitha Perinchery
Publisher: Self Published

What would you do if your past came calling with a secret that you always wanted to bury?

A Goan Holiday by Anitha Perinchery is the story of 3 people-Dr. Anjali Joshi, Dr. Rishabh Rastogi and Dr. Joseph D’Acosta, whose life is a rollercoaster. The story spans almost a decade of their lives as we get to journey through the ups and downs in their lives as they work towards disentangling their tangled life. A complete mess, each character has their own secrets to hide, and things become murky when the INTERPOL gets involved and accuse them of committing a heinous crime. With an assortment of characters that have their own quirks, this book is an interesting holiday journey.

The storyline of the book is quite complex though the author’s language is quite simple and easy to understand. The plot is catchy, and the element of surprise is maintained till the end as the plot unravels. There are multiple layers to the story and as it progresses, it becomes meatier and interesting. From New Delhi to Goa to Kochi, the story spans many places. The descriptions are quite vivid, and the author has an extremely good command over the art of storytelling. The timeline is interesting with some important historical moments of our times meshed with the plot, and the diversity of the characters is something that held me. The climax of the story was quite touching and interesting. The thing that didn’t work for me was the title of the book and the cover of the book which are completely misleading as to the content of the book.

The characters of the book are quite interesting with diverse backgrounds and preferences. I loved the character arc of Anjali as she develops through the story and how her feelings mature. The character of Joe was amazing and the way his side of the story unravels completely takes the story away. The character of Dr. Rishabh Rastogi was good but it could have been a bit more interesting as well. Ms. Braganza was a welcome fun element in the story.

Overall, a good story and worth reading that takes a 3.63/5 from me.

Get your copy of the book here.

Sofia on the Balcony-Himanshu Goel

Book: Sofia on the Balcony
Author: Himanshu Goel
Publisher: Amazon Kindle

Do you think going back to your roots can help you get inspired?

Sofia on the Balcony is the story of Rajiv Arora, who is a painter par excellence. With his breathtaking paintings in the 15 years of his career, he was a prodigy, but he suddenly dropped out of the world for 2 years looking for an inspiration for his next painting but however hard he tried, he couldn’t paint another piece. The book explores his journey to Majuli in Assam as he tries to rediscover himself.

This is an extremely bite-sized read of just 26 pages that is quite inspiring. The author has taken up the concept of how we hold on to things and in absence of a closure live in the past, whereas our present is much more beautiful. Himanshu has also highlighted the importance of a muse in an artist’s life and how that is an integral part of his process. The story also goes on to subtly say that when a person is stuck, asking for help and going back to one’s roots can prove to be an effective solution. The storytelling is crisp and engaging and the climax is good.

Overall, a good read that scores a 3.5/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here.

Kaleidoscope of Cheer and Hope-Manjulika Pramod

Book: Kaleidoscope of Cheer and Hope
Author: Manjulika Pramod
Publisher: Srijan Digital Collections

What are your feelings towards the lockdowns that were imposed due to the Pandemic?

Kaleidoscope of Cheer & Hope by Manjulika Pramod is an interesting book that compiles 50 sketches that the author made, with reference to multiple events in the lockdown from a period of 16^th March 2020 to 19^th June 2020 as she puts her thoughts that led to the sketches. A set of musings, it has authentic illustrations which help in visual meditation.

The book has some amazing illustrations that highlight the various facets of the national lockdown that was imposed in the country. The author has taken up some key moments of the period and created a visual tool to emphasize and bring home some very poignant points related to the lockdown, personal hygiene, physical distancing and the general feeling of someone stranded away from home in this crisis. Accompanying each sketch is a musing that tells is the idea that went behind the art, along with the style of artwork used in the sketches. I loved each of the instances that the author has taken up to put her point forward, and in very little words, she manages to convey her message to the reader. The language is fairly simple yet effective in terms of the purpose. I liked the manner in which each style of drawing also has a story and how she relates the sketches to the location or the theme of that particular musing. The only thing I believe could have been improved is the size of the sketches. Being an book that tells its story visually, the sketches should have been larger so as to properly appreciate the craft.

Overall, it was a good read that scores a 3.88/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here.