Happiness (The Birthright)-Jasmin Thakar

Book: Happiness-The Birthright
Author: Jasmin Thakar
Publisher: Notion Press

Happiness-The Birthright by Jasmin Thakar is a fictional story that tells us the story of Muskan who has suffered a great tragedy in her childhood, and hadn’t spoken to anyone in the last 7 years. Focusing on the life of the 16-year-old, the book takes us on a journey of searching for a meaning in one’s life and her quest of finding happiness and the meaning of true self.

The storytelling in the book is quite impressive with a lot of details provided. The book has a preface in which an idea how to consume the book has been provided and that is something quite unique about it. The language of the book is simple, and easy to consume, and the message that the author wants to put across is very well received. The pace of the story was good in the beginning with one-act-a-day practice, which somehow gets mixed up in the middle, however that is not much of a flaw, considering the overall plot construction. The concept has been well thought, and well executed. I would have loved to see one more character’s perspective in the story if that could have been done so as to reinforce the point a bit more. Another thing that could have been improved if a summary of the message could have been put in the end, and that would have improved the transfer of the message more.

I loved the way the character of Muskan and Khushi has been traced through the book, and a proper context is present. The author has focused more on the message, than the characters, and that is something that tells the reader that the story is more important.

Overall, a very well-done book that scores a 3.63/5 for me.

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Excess Baggage-Richa S. Mukherjee

Book: Excess Baggage
Author: Richa S. Mukherjee
Publisher: HarperCollins India & Black Ink

Have you ever taken a solo trip?

Excess Baggage by Richa S. Mukherjee is a story of discovering one’s own self, and the value of relationships in life. Lately, things have been going wrong in Anviksha Punjabi’s life. She has almost ended her second marriage, barely has any friends, and gets into major trouble at work. Adding to this, she lives with her sexagenarian mother, who is overbearing to a fault. On the edge of a breakdown, she takes a decision to take a trip to discover herself across Europe. However, like all things in Anviksha’s life, this one also turns into something unexpected when her mother insists on tagging along! With an unlikely pair travelling across Europe filled with nudists, past that comes face to face in the unlikeliest of places, and a British dog named Bhindi, this trip turns into a life altering experience for the two of them.  

Excess Baggage is a very different kind of a story that explores an interesting relationship. As Richa notes in the book as well, the mother-daughter relationship is usually not a tumultuous one, and that is what this makes the story quite engaging. The storyline is simple but explores a multitude of topics and has a liberal sprinkling comments on societal taboos and stereotypes. With Anviksha and Smita, we get to see two perspectives on similar situations, more than once. The backstory of the friction unveils slowly, and it was quite interesting to see that each of the characters has their own baggage of the past, and hence the title is very suited. The storytelling is something that has become almost a signature of Richa’s with some moments in the book that’ll make you laugh till the stomach hurts, all the while driving a point home. The first part of the book is quite pacy and is quite fast, the latter part becomes a bit slow and heavy with emotions as things start coming together. The book is quite well researched and there are a few scenes that have actual sources and footnotes. The climax is good and something that made me smile.

Coming to the characters, and the soul of this story. Richa has brought together an unlikely set of characters and some of the craziest ones. Starting with the Punjabis, who are not Punjabis, Anviksha as a character impressed me with the different layers that she possesses and the internal battles she is fighting. It was quite easy to relate to her, and I think she was an interesting representation of the people of that demographic today. Smita, with her overbearing yet protective nature, was the representation of the classic Indian mother who will say what she wants to her kid, but will bite the head off any outsider trying to cast aspersions on her offspring. With packets of home-cooked food being carried, and the emotional blackmail, it was very amusing to see the character come to life. Aakash as a character was interesting, though we see mostly of him through texts, but was an integral part of the story. Peter, Tully Masi, Preeti and the extended family were the icing on the cake and just made the story alive with their antics, and how I can I forget the amusingly named Mutton and Bhindi, two names for pets I have never come across, and probably won’t again.

Overall, Excess Baggage is a story of love, emotions, relationships, and how history which might seem to be some useless excess baggage being tagged along, is something to be cherished, and is something which makes us what we are today.

The story scores a 4/5 for me.

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Tick-Tock, We’re 30 -Milan Vohra

Book: Tick-Tock, We’re 30
Author: Milan Vohra
Publisher: Westland Books

Do you think reunions are a good idea to relive the heydays?

Tick-Tock, We’re 30 by Milan Vohra is the story of Lara Bagai who is about to turn thirty, and her old gang is planning to meet as per a pact they made when they were in their twenties. The catch in this reunion is another pact that Lara made one tipsy evening with Nishad, that is to marry each other if both of them were single till the time they turned thirty. To avoid giving him the satisfaction that he was right about Ranndeep being wrong for her, she plans something crazy, and so Perzaan, a Turkish dude enters the picture. As the weeklong celebrations of the past begin, we see audacious hook-ups and crazy things happening, all building up to Lara’s birthday. With late night drives to karaoke and some crazy stuff, it’s almost impossible to predict who ends up with whom, and most importantly, does the gang still stick together after what happens?

TTWT is an interesting book, one that explores relationships and friendships to the core. A group of friends coming together to celebrate a milestone years later might seem very mundane, but the way things pan out make the things extremely interesting. Milan has told the story in a very relevant voice, with simple language, and emphasizing accents and situations, adding to the flavour of the storyline. The sub-plots of the book be it Daniel-Maneka, or the curious case of Reeti, each of them have been given due importance despite the main story being about Lara and her birthday week. With extreme details of Tommy, the Dog, or the Pajama wala uncle, and Aunty Nair’s scenes, the story is very well written, and it has both serious, as well as humorous moments. With comedy of errors by various characters, and also some very heady decisions, TTWT is an interesting book. The climax of the book is quite filmy, and with reference to the book, quite fitting, in the way things unfolded.

TTWT is what is because of the ensemble cast that is a part of the SN Gang. Lara as a person was very well sketched, with her clear hatred for a set of people almost dripping from her. Her love-hate relationship with Nishad was quite interesting and I enjoyed the arc it develops over the book. Maneka as a character was a very catchy, and the way it develops with each member of the gang slowly was a revelation and something that adds a lot of flavour to the story. Nishad, with his very gentlemanly nature, was a study in himself, and reading him till the last page to predict his actions was utterly impossible, and almost everything predicted went down the drain.

Overall, a good book if you are looking to relive your days of being together with your gang, and I am pretty sure that it will excite you to plan a reunion.

The book scores a 4.19/5 from me.

P.S. Take a note of all the songs from page one of the book. It makes for a great playlist.

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Catch of the Day-Milan Vohra

Book: Catch of the Day
Author: Milan Vohra
Publisher: Self Published

What is your take on standalone short stories?

Catch of the Day by Milan Vohra tells us the story of the horror that can happen when the parents come to know that their baby that has been just born, is not theirs. Minal and Manohar are still processing the facts that Narayan Kaka has put forth in from of them. While they are debating about raising an alarm or not, little do they realise that their decision can almost change the course of history.

This is a standalone short story that borrows itself from some real incidents. The story has been penned in an interesting manner, with a lot happening in the 9 pages of the book. The language is simple, yet hooks you, despite the twist not getting revealed until the very end. I loved the fact that this story has a story in itself, and I would love to see the back story come to light someday. I was definitely awed by the last moment in the story when the things get revealed. There is one short scene in the book at the Vada Pav stall which I love, specially because of the level of detailing that went in it.

This is definitely recommended if you love to read bite-sized stories.

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Death in the Cloud-E. J. Simon

Book: Death in the Cloud
Author: E. J. Simon
Publisher: Simon/Zef

Do you believe Artificial Intelligence will one day take over humans?

Death in the Cloud by E.J. Simon is the fourth book in the Michael Nicholas series. The book begins with a commercial airliner which goes missing over France. Two days later, it turns up in the USA, heading towards the White House. Barely saved by the plane, some days later, the nuclear missiles are aimed at Russia when the launch codes are breached. With a reciprocal attack by the Russian President in place, the world comes to the brink of a nuclear apocalypse. Alex Nicholas, who has been living in the cyberspace, after his murder in Queens has a decision to make. Facing the President of the USA in his underground bunker, he can save the world from annihilation, but will he be willing to sacrifice himself in return?

The book is very well crafted with the plot having the right number of ups and downs to keep a reader engaged. The technology of AI has been very well integrated into the story, and yet it is readable for the people who might not have much idea about how it works. With interesting twists and turns, there are very few dull moments in the book. I loved the way the plot moves ahead, keeping the thrill of the story alive till the last page. With real names used, imagining the situations does become easier. While the book is a part of a series, the plot stands out in itself, and since I am yet to read the earlier 3 books, I can attest to the fact that it can stand its ground as a standalone book. there are almost no loose ends in the book, and I loved the manner in which the suspense for the next book has been kept hanging.

The characters are well crafted, and the level of detailing is something to be admired. For me, Alex and Michael do stand out as characters in the way they handle situations and how they react to situations. Secondly, Heidi as a character was quite interesting and I would love to see how her role changes in the upcoming books with the way things unfolded in the end. Sindy and her stiletto deserve a mention even they did only have a short role in the book.

Overall, an interesting read if you like technology-based fiction and scores a 4.06/5.

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I Didn’t Expect to be Expecting-Richa S. Mukherjee

Book: I Didn’t Expect to be Expecting
Author: Richa S. Mukherjee
Publisher: HarperCollins India & Black Ink Books

Do you think that we need a little bit of humor in our lives?

I Didn’t Expect to be Expecting by Richa S. Mukherjee is the story of Tara and Abhimanyu who live in the Maximum City, and have a great life with promising careers, great friends, and a love for travel. Things take a turn when one morning Tara discovers that she is pregnant, and she suddenly gets a completely different perspective on life. With a husband who is equal parts jittery and supportive, a foul-mouthed best friend, a maid who is expert in burning food, and a bunch of friends, Tara juggles her life between work, friendships, and herself as she navigates the anxieties of parenthood.

The book is an excellent work of storytelling as Richa explores the different aspects of pregnancy and how different people react to it, from the expecting mother, father, and the entire gamut of the Great Indian Family. The book is filled with humorous situations from the very first page and it is very difficult to not laugh till your stomach hurts with some extremely funny situations that develop in the book. The journey of Tara as she explores motherhood has been explored in an extremely detailed manner, and this is actually one of the best things about the book. Another thing that I loved about the book was the abundance of puns and comebacks that just lifted the story to a completely different level. Apart from the fact that it explores the journey of unexpected parenthood on Tara and Abhi, the story has multiple sub plots that explore friendship and love, and it was a wonderful icing atop the cake that the main plot is. Richa also covered the cultural dissonances between Tara’s and Abhi’s family, that added to the comedy of errors that was already happening. The language of the book is simple, and has some very character specific idiosyncrasies. The climax scene of the book is one of my absolute favorites from the book, and believe me this has a lot of them.

Richa sketched an entire ensemble of characters that have their own quirks and it’s very difficult to not mention them all here. The characters are very life-like, and the emotions felt very real, almost as if I were a part of the party crowd at Kabir’s wedding, or a part of the Richard & Davis Advertising Agency when the scene with Pamela unfolds. But if I have to pick, Abhimanyu will top my list of characters. With an anxious yet supportive stance, he came across as a perfect guy to compliment Tara with all her quirks. I loved the short fight in the end, and how the moping happens, almost like a kid. Tara was another gem with her foot-in-the-mouth moments and some extremely great sarcasm. Had she been real, I would have probably asked for a class or two. Mira, with her Mr. Moo Moo business, and choice of guys was a story in herself, and probably I would like to read her story someday. Radha and her moments in the book were just epic to a fault that I could actually imagine something like that unfolding in my home as well. Last, but a very creative character, Raool, and his changing character was just fabulous.

Overall, a sure shot recommendation from me if you are looking for a book to accompany you while snuggling inside your bed this winter! Since I was laughing through all the 328 pages of the book, I cannot resist but give it a 5-star rating!

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Loves Lost-Sourabh Mukherjee

Book: Loves Lost
Author: Sourabh Mukherjee
Publisher: Self Published

Do you prefer short stories or a long novel?

Loves Lost by Sourabh Mukherjee is a collection of five short stories that deal with the overarching theme of love, and each of the stories deal with a specific aspect of it. My Summers with Nargis is the story of unrequited love of a man as he watched the girl he loved get down from the bus, day after day, but could never go up to her and express his feelings. Mine Forever takes us to meet a young entrepreneur as he is felicitated, and almost unexpectedly the love of his life walks back into his life. Memories of Another Day is the tale of remembrance by a man who lost his wife and memory in an accident. In The Lies We Tell Ourselves, we come across our protagonist who is a bit too shy and almost loses the woman he loves just because of his fear. Love Came Calling Again is a story that will reaffirm one’s belief in love as we go through the journey of finding second chance at love online.

The way the five stories have been structured is quite amazing. While all of them are love stories, each of them have a track that shows that while the love might go away, it comes back in one form or another. The stories are told in an interesting and lucid manner, one that can keep the readers hooked. Each of the story has its own flavour that is quite amazing and that adds to the experience of reading this short book. The language is simple and easy to understand and with them being short stories, one can take a break and read, or binge it all together. The climax of all 5 stories is unexpected and quite innovative in the way it unfolds. My favorite among the stories is Love Came Calling Again as it was simply too cheesy to pass on to.

The characters are well crafted and well suited to the situations they have been put in. With just the right amount of detailing, they are what drive the story forward and it helps grasp the plot easily. In the characters that are a part of the book, the level of detailing is quite interesting and that is something which needs to be commended.

Overall, a good collection that scores a 3.88/5 for me.

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Daughter’s Duty-Namrata Patro

Book: Daughter’s Duty
Author: Namrata Patro
Publisher: Self Published

Daughter’s Duty by Namrata Patro is the story of the Mishra Family who live in an area called Mohan Bagh. Pari Mishra is the elder daughter of the family, and is gifted with exceptional beauty and brains. Her charm is so irresistible that there is a line of people waiting to woo her, and she is equally brutal in rejecting their overtures. In her heart, she seeks true love, and when she finds it, she realises that she has to make a choice between her love and the family that supported her. This is a story of sacrifice, and how far one can go for people they love.

The premise of the novella is quite interesting, and the subject chosen is quite relevant in the Indian context, however I felt that the story lacked a certain depth which could have made it a wonderful read. The setting of the book, and the first half of the book set a good tone for the plot to unravel but towards the end, it becomes a tad bit rushed that reduces the charm that it cast in the first half. The second thing that could be improved is the fact that the language of the book could have been improved. The storytelling is good, and I would love to see more pieces coming from the author.

Being a short novella there are very few characters, but Pari as a character did exhibit promise. Her strong will and the ability to take hard decisions is commendable. The second character that deserves mention is that of Pari’s father because of the choices he made, and his decision to stand by his daughter, no matter what.

Overall, a good book that can be improved which scores a 2.94/5 for me.

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Ark (Return of the Templars Book 1)-P J Humphreys

Book: Ark (Return of the Templars Book 1)
Author: P J Humphreys
Publisher: Self Published

Have you read stories about the Knights Templars?

Return of the Templars (Ark) is the first book in the series that is plotted around the legend of the Knights Templar. Set in 2008, the book explores the story of what happens when the murder of a woman sets things in motion which puts her brother, a priest, on a course of collision with a ruthless criminal who is on the quest of looking for the Ark of the Covenant. Starting in Washington DC, to a castle in Scotland, the story spans geographies as it tells the tale of revenge, love and faith as a society tries to maintain its secrecy and guard a charge they have been guarding for hundreds of years. The responsibility lies on the five Templars who try to thwart the plan and save the world from an apocalypse.

The plot of the book is quite interesting, and the storytelling is engaging. The author has taken the central idea of the Knights Templar and built it into a modern-day thriller that hooks the reader from the very first page. Paul has taken the basic question of faith and through the Priest, we actually see that getting tested time and again as the plot unravels. A lot of historical references have been tapped and I would have loved to read a bit more in detail about them and a bit less detail of the operations conducted because at places it did become tiresome. The back story of the Fallen Knight could have been better utilized, and I am hoping that it does come to light in the subsequent books. The first part was quite pacy, but the second half of the book did seem a bit rushed and that sort of went against the book.

The characterization and the level of detail in the characters is amazing. I loved the fact that the author dedicated a part of the book setting the past of the main characters so that their motivation in doing what they do becomes apparent and easy to comprehend. For me, the character that stood out was that of Jonathan and the manner in which his part unravels. I am quite sure that he would form a pivotal role in the books to come. The anti-hero, Saladin, also did intrigue me because he had a certain feeling of heroism in what he did, and while it was wrong from a perspective, his courage and determination was amazing.

Overall a good read that scores a 3.81/5 for me.

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Just Missed -Himanshu Bhatia

Book: Just Missed
Author: Himanshu Bhatia
Publisher: Fingerprint Publications

Do you think love stories take time to chart themselves out?

Just Missed by Himanshu Bhatia is the story of the intertwining lives of Siddhartha, a perfectionist who is married to his job and strives for nothing less than the sky, Shreya, the quintessential girl-next-door who is a prospective bride for Siddhartha, and the annoying Shivam who is a flirt and a Casanova by nature. The plot begins on Siddhartha’s birthday when he is coaxed into looking for prospective brides and he meets Shreya through a matrimonial site. Over cups of coffee and meetings, they start getting close and our “married-to-the-job” Sid finds himself attracted to her. Things start getting complicated when Shreya meets Shivam on a flight to Bangkok and develops a hatred almost immediately. As it happens in a love story, things take a turn and slowly this hatred starts ebbing out and situations become tangled. With the wedding in a short while, the question remains, what happens next.

The plot of the book is very well crafted in the sense that the complexity of modern relationships has been captured beautifully. The story initially talks about Siddhartha and Shreya and one is lulled into believing that the story is about them, but only till the moment till the flight to Bangkok happens. I loved how the relationship between Shreya and Shivam is explored. The fights seem extremely natural and that is something that establishes the storytelling prowess of Himanshu. The romance has been beautifully crafted between the characters, and it actually feels natural. The best part about the book for me was the really long date and the way it sets the characters rolling for the climax. While it was super cheesy, I could actually relate to it. The climax of the story was super filmy and yet somehow tied up everything with a bow.

Coming to the characters, Siddhartha as a character was no surprise, specially today where fancy titles and long working hours have become a measure of success. His attention to work was commendable, but it was a mirror that actually shows that we have forgotten that one also has a personal life. Shreya was a bit of an interesting character. Career-driven yet focuses on relationships that are in her life. Romantic to a fault, she was for many purposes, one that balanced out Siddhartha’s lack of interest in relationships. Shivam, on the other hand, was a character that focused on others, rather than on himself. This is evident through many incidents, first with Kanika, and later with Shreya, when he changes his own life just so that others are not inconvenienced.

Overall, a definite recommendation from me if you love reading modern-age romance stories and it scores a 4.25/5 for me.

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