My Beautiful Memories-Irshad Thalakala

Book: My Beautiful Memories
Author: Irshad Thalakala
Publisher: Invincible Publishers

Do you think about your school days fondly?

My Beautiful Memories by Irshad Thalakala is the story of Anwar who had a wonderful childhood even though his family struggled because of financial issues. He enjoyed his school life and had many good friends. But as he grew older the pressure to succeed mounted on him. To get his family out of financial crunch, he lost touch with most of his childhood friends. Many years later, to help one of his close friends to overcome depression, Anwar and his best friend organized a reunion back in their old school. It was an important day for Anwar too. To understand its importance, you need to know about Anwar and his life. This novel takes you through Anwar's life. His happiness, his struggles, his wishes, his regrets and so on.

The book is crafted in an interesting manner as the primary character goes back in time and recollects his journey through the years and the struggle that the family undergoes to help Anwar get where he is today. This is a story of how trials make a man and how situations shape the person that he becomes. The concept of the book is quite wonderfully planned and the idea of recollecting memories is an interesting one, but personally, I felt that the tone is quite flat and the entire story is told on the same level, without much change in the pitch or feeling. There are times when the emotions do come into play, but that moments are quite rare. Secondly, the viewpoints feel eerily singular and while there are a couple of chapters from other perspectives, it is too little too late. The climax is nicely done and closes the stories of all the characters we meet.

Coming to the characters, Irshad has introduced multiple characters in this story and the paths of each of them cross Anwar’s story at some point or the other. From his childhood to his marriage, we see various people and the story moves through their interactions and how Anwar reacts to each one of them. I liked how Irshad has picked his characters, almost real-life and the descriptions are very well done, however the conflicts are either long drawn, or fragmented which causes a loss of relatability for a few of them.

Overall, a well-planned story, but the execution and the storytelling could have been polished a bit with a bit more of conflict and drama introduced to add more flesh to the characters and the plot. The book scores a 3.75/5 for me.

A copy of the book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India here.

Ruin of the Scarred (Sting of Love Book 1)-Medha Nagur

Book: Ruin of the Scarred (Sting of Love Book 1)
Author: Medha Nagur
Publisher: Self Published

Do you think love can make you do unexpected things?

Ruin of the Scarred by Medha Nagur is the first book in the Sting of Love Duology. This book tells the story of Bidisha, a 17-year-old braveheart who has lived all her life in hiding since she is the daughter of the most wanted woman in Bishnupur. In the calm of the British Raj, she embarks on the quest to free her mother from the false accusation. But for that, she needs to challenge the royals who dare not stand against the British. And when she enters the palace, she encounters the power-hungry Yuvaraja Trinabh and his twisted mother, the Rani Maa. Rani Maa despises her dutiful but meek step-son Yuvaraja Prabir and his hound Debesh Das, a Yodha who is his master’s protector. And so, she assigns Bidisha a job to spy. But hearts entwine, and love meddles their path in the most unpredictable and adventurous ways. Furthermore, things become dicey when Bidisha slits off her lover’s thumb, the Yuvaraja himself. Her dream to live free becomes a farfetched nightmare as her hiding in the jungle is not an option anymore. When the deadly romance and the moral complexity are only a superficial part of the deep-rooted dark conspiracy, will Bidisha survive her sinking ground? Will she emerge a warrior, save her own heart and win her love? Or, will she succumb to the royal politics, lose her mother and lose herself too?

The book is set in the early period of the British era, and when the influence of the royalty was on the wane. The story starts off on an interesting note as we encounter Bidisha and her life in the woods. The first encounter that sets off the story of Bidisha and the royal family is wonderfully described. As the story moves ahead, the storytelling is so powerful that it keeps you hooked. The good thing about the book is that the intentions of the characters are so beautifully crafted and concealed that until the very end of the book, one is unaware as to why things are happening except for what the author chooses to reveal. The book is very visual and Medha takes her time to set up the premise and her focus is on setting up the plot for the second book. The book is a long read, but never for a moment, does it bore you or lag in its storytelling. The point where this book ends is quite interesting and I would surely be waiting for the second and the last part of the duology to see what it has in store for us.

Coming to the characters, I was pleasantly surprised by the characters that are the soul of this story. Medha takes her time to set up her primary characters, and I choose this term over protagonist because I am yet to figure out who she considers the protagonist. While it is Bidisha’s story, it is equally the story of Debesh, Prabir and Trinabh. The characters are the ones that drive this story and it is their actions which act as fuel to propel the tale as it moves. Personally, I liked the way Bidisha’s character has been shaped and the multiple layers that come to the fore as the story progresses. I am also looking forward to see how Prabir’s character shapes out because while we see not much of him, I hope to see him playing more of a role in the upcoming book.

Overall, this is a story I would definitely recommend for anyone who loves to read a well written romance with complicated threads. The book scores a 4.69/5 for me.

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Get your copy of the book on Amazon India here.

Sahyadri Adventure (Koleshwar’s Secret)-Deepak Dalal

Book: Sahyadri Adventure (Koleshwar’s Secret)
Author: Deepak Dalal
Publisher: Penguin India

Have you experienced trekking in the Sahyadris?

Sahyadri Adventure (Koleshwar’s Secret) takes the reader on a journey to the Sahyadris in the second and concluding part of this riveting tale where history meets adventure in one of the most beautiful locales of India. Far out in the Sahyadris rises a mountain called Koleshwar. Amidst its caves and rumbling streams lie many secrets, secrets that Anirudh discovers when he wakes from a strange dream. Vikram, Aditya, Chitra and Anirudh are now tasked with trying to make sense of his dream. How does Anirudh inexplicably recognize not just every contour and ridge of the lush, monsooned hills but also know every minute detail of the vanished Fort of Mumbai? Will this group of budding adventurers decode the forgotten legacy, buried in the ancient slopes of the Sahyadris, before tips goes over the edge?

The book takes off from the exact moment the first book ends and tells us what happens after we explore Anirudh’s dream. The storytelling is even crispier in this book, specially as the events are fast paced and have to be correlated with the ones explained in the first part. The book stays true to its theme of love, family and friendship and how the people we meet in our lives shape our past and present. I liked how the author uses the history of Mumbai and the Sahyadris to set the tone of the book, and the details are so vividly explained that I could actually picture myself along with Vikram and Anirudh as they trace the events of Anirudh’s dream. The revelations made in this book were quite awe inspiring and while reading the first part, I did not fathom that the ending could be in the manner that Deepak executes. The last patrt of the book is emotional and brings the true essence of the story to light perfectly. The climax is well done and is a wonderful close to the story.

Coming to the characters, while I did talk about them in detail in the review of the first part, and most of it stands true in this book as well, I want to highlight that Deepak’s idea of a true friendship is quite amazing and I loved how he shows it through multiple people in the story. Another thing that is unique to the book is that Deepak has used the landscape of the Sahyadri’s as a character itself and there are plot points that actually hinge on the very manner in which the Sahyadri’s are created and located. My best moment from the book is not something I can reveal in the review, simply because it would be a spoiler, but believe you me when you read this book, you would get what I am hinting at.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this pair of books for anyone who is looking to read a well crafted young adult story. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Read my review of SahyadriAdventure (Anirudh’s Dream) here.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!

Vyasa-Katha: Fables from the Mahabharata-Nityananda Misra

Book: Vyasa-Katha: Fables from the Mahabharata
Author: Nityananda Misra
Publisher: Bloomsbury India

Have you read the fables in the Mahabharata?

Vyasa-Katha by Nityananda Misra presents fifty-one fables from the Mahabharata. These fascinating and instructive fables are a treasure-trove of practical and political wisdom, moral values, universal truths and philosophy. Animals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, trees, rivers, directions, life forces, death and time intriguingly teach ancient Indian wisdom. With vivid descriptions and colorful expressions, the fables exemplify the advanced art of storytelling in ancient India. He contextualizes the fables and presents a faithful and unabridged translation. Carrying insights from Nilakantha's commentary and numerous Indian texts, with a beautiful collection of twenty-four illustrations, this is a must-read for children and adults alike.

When you talk about fables, the primary idea is to get the message across using allegories and symbols so as to keep readers across ages interested. The stories in this book are well chosen and each of the fifty-one fables has a wonderful message that conveys the wisdom of the great epic in a simple manner. The way the book has been structured is quite interesting with each story having a prologue, the main story, an epilogue and lessons learnt. In some cases, the author has also introduced trivia which makes it even more interesting. All said and done, there are a few issues with the book that I felt reduced the overall reading experience. First, there are some terms for which citations have been mentioned, but turning to the end of the book just to check them is quite cumbersome. Secondly, the stories have been translated and reproduced, and at times the language sounds more like a sermon than a fable which might discourage people from reading further, which infact happened with me as I had to take long breaks to finish the book. I would have preferred if the author had actually used his tone to tell the stories which would have actually made them even more enjoyable.

Overall, this collection of fables is not for everyone, but recommended for people who have a keen interest in the Hindu mythology and can devote attention to read these fables. The book scores a 4.06/5 for me.

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review by the publisher.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your local bookstore!

The Car with a Soul: A Four-Wheel Drive Adventure-Ruchira Khanna

Book: The Car with a Soul: A Four-Wheel Drive Adventure
Author: Ruchira Khanna
Publisher: Amazon Kindle

What do you think is required to balance our life?

The Car with a Soul: A Four-Wheel Drive Adventure by Ruchira Khanna explores the story of four people who cross paths in an unexpected manner. Rahil is a car geek and attributes his desires to the four wheels of the car; Amy is hungry for happiness as her career has hit the brakes; Joan is on the lookout for a meaningful relationship as her unpleasant past gives her nightmares & Tara was living a fulfilled life until her wheel of health gets a puncture. When the four of them go on a journey of a lifetime, can each of them endure the travel while keeping their wheels balanced, or will their car lose its momentum along the way? The Car with a Soul is an emotional, uplifting story of love, heartbreak, laughter, and friendship.

The book is an interesting story that talks about how a balanced life is important for one to be happy. Through her 4 main characters, Ruchira brings to light how each aspect of our life needs to be in sync for us to live a fulfilled life. The book has a nice storytelling graph and the story moves ahead with a pace that seems slow in the beginning, but picks up after a while. Ruchira takes her time to set the premise as each of the characters’ backstory is critical to the climax, which becomes apparent only when you turn the last page. The idea to use a fictional story to drive a message home is interesting, but I would have preferred if one of the characters would have actually explored the concept of the car in detail. We see them talking about it and the snippets are there, but the overall idea is not explained in detail. Another thing that could have been improved is that the language at times seems disjointed and another round of proofreading could have improved it. The climax is nicely crafted and brings a nice close to the story.

Coming to the characters, the way they are sketched is commendable, and I liked how she uses the past of the characters to set up the plot of the book. The intersection of the paths of these characters is another thing that stands out about the book and is one of the great things about it. The interactions between the characters are what drive the story forward and personally, I felt that those could have been structured in a better manner so as to make clear distinction of the moods of the characters.

Overall, a story I would definitely recommend and the book scores a 4.31/5 for me.

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India here.

Warlord of Ayodhya (Rebellion)-Shatrujeet Nath

Book: Warlord of Ayodhya (Rebellion)
Author: Shatrujeet Nath
Publisher: Jaico Books

Do you think that not a lot has been told of the Ramayana from Bharat’s Point of view?

Warlord of Ayodhya (Rebellion) by Shatrujeet Nath explores the story of Bharat, whose carefree life in Kekeya is turned upside down by the death of his father Raja Dashratha and the exile of his brother and crown prince Rama. Untrained in statecraft and unsure of himself, Bharat begins his rule over Kosala by tackling an audacious rakshasa attack on Ayodhya. But that is not all. There’s more trouble brewing. As the magic that sustains the kingdom starts weakening and a drought looms over Kosala, Ayodhya’s citizens begin to disappear mysteriously. Ambitious aristocrats manipulate the inexperienced king to their ends, while fickle allies seize the opportunity to assert their independence. And unknown to Bharat, the Lord of Lanka has put a cunning plan into action that will break the back of Ayodhya’s resistance.

The book explores an interesting perspective of Bharat into the events of the Ramayana after Rama has been sent into exile. The book starts off on an interesting note and as the story progresses, we get to see how he takes the hurdles in his life and faces each day to keep the kingdom up and running. The idea to use the Ramayana as a base and weave a story of magic and lore that is quite enthralling. Another interesting aspect of the story is that in this book Shatrujeet creates and plots a world that promises to deliver a wonderful series that is something different from the usual mythological fiction stories that can be seen these days. The plot moves at a great pace, and the blend of mythological magic with technology is something that I loved, specially the way it fits in with the overall storyline of the book. The point at which this book ends is another good thing about the book that sets the tone for the next one perfectly.

Coming to the characters in the book, I liked how the basic characters are drawn from the Ramayana, but Shatrujeet gives them his own shades and hues to create the world where this book becomes alive. The characters are crafted in detail and the best thing about the characters that they have been created with inherent human characters that make them relatable as well. The way that the characters’ arcs are transforming, I am hooked for the next part because there are a few characters that I have my eye on, and I would love to see how they turn out.

Overall, this is a wonderful start to a series and I would look forward to further books as we explore the world of Shatrujeet’s creation. The book scores a 4.81/5 for me.

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review by the publisher.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!

Zero Day-S. Hussain Zaidi

Book: Zero Day
Author: S. Hussain Zaidi
Publisher: HarperCollins India

What if all the traffic signals across the city stop working?

Zero Day by S. Hussain Zaidi starts on a day when Mumbai is in a state of chaos and all traffic signals across the entire city have stopped working. Shahwaz Ali Mirza, head of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, receives an anonymous email claiming it to be a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. He quickly puts together a crack team that includes his protege, IG Cybercrime Vikrant Singh, and gets to work trawling the dark web for more information on this mystery attack. However, a move to bring forward the hacker backfires, leading to a second, deadlier attack on Mumbai's lifeline, the railway system. It is their first brush with cyberterrorism: a zero-day vulnerability in the Indian government's system that could bring the country to its knees. Racing against time and investigating a case unlike any other, in Zero Day, Mirza and Vikrant face the most dangerous mission of their lives.

The book is an interesting read because the book explores an idea that is quite new and a crime that is a bit different from the usual ones we come across in books and stories. The plot starts off on a good note and it kicks off in the highest gear. The storytelling is imaginative, and Zaidi uses the idea of DDoS and plugs in age-old border disputes to up the ante. Another interesting thing about the book is that the technical details are just enough to set up the plot, but not enough to bore the reader. The idea of a cyber attack in the maximum city is a true nightmare, and Zaidi just brings it too alive with the concepts of botnets and darkweb. There are sub plots which are in play, and I liked how they keep the story alive. The things that didn’t work for me was that the second half of the book seems too simple and moved quite faster as compared to the first half. I would have loved a bit more build up before the reveal. The climax is well planned and closes the story beautifully.

The characters that form a part of the story are quite interesting as well and I liked how each of them have been given specific roles in the story. Another interesting aspect of the character development is that the detailing is something that Zaidi has focused upon and there are minute details that make an impact later in the story.

Overall, Zero Day is a book that I would recommend to anyone who loves a technology-driven crime story. The book scores a 4.69/5 for me.

This review is powered by the Blogchatter Review Program, and I was provided a media copy in exchange of an honest review.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon or your nearest bookstore today!

Verity-Colleen Hoover

Book: Verity
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Hachette India

Do you think as a writer, you might be living different lives?

Verity by Colleen Hoover is the story of Lowen Ashleigh who is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already-grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her.

The book is an interesting read that will make you question the very idea of truth. The plot of the book is wonderfully crafted and the plot twists and turns at all the right places. Colleen’s storytelling is powerful and engages you at all levels. The concept of the book is quite unique and I loved how Colleen uses the psyche of a writer to set the tone of the book. Another interesting aspect of the book is that the tension in the book is constant and the critical thread of the plot doesn’t break at any point. Colleen uses various situations in the book to hammer in the idea of the person that Verity is and each one of those is horrific, yet drives the point home. The climax of the book is mind blowing and is a perfect close to this roller coaster of a book.

Coming to the characters, the book is focused on 3 primary characters-Lowen, Verity and Jeremy. Starting with Lowen, I loved how Colleen creates her as a stark contrast to Verity and how she uses Lowen as a prop to propel Verity’s story forward. Her idea of a lesser-known writer discovering a secret about a well-known one and how the glass is shattered. Jeremy’s character is an interesting study and I would have to loved to read about his perspective on the events in the book as well. Verity is a character that speaks primarily through her words, but is the most powerful one in the book.

Overall, this is a book that I would recommend to anyone who loves a well written thriller. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your local bookstore today.