Seconds Later-Vani Kaushal

Book: Seconds Later
Author: Vani Kaushal
Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications

What would happen if you had not one, but two stalkers?

Seconds Later by Vani Kaushal explore the story of Nikita, stabbed and lying in a pool of blood next to her killer, she never imagined an end like this. A talented VJ, popular talk show host and national darling, the cruelty of it cut through the pain she was feeling. She scanned her falling memory for answers. Who was this young man lying next to her? Where did he come from? Why did he stab her?

Seconds Later is an interesting book because of the premise that Vani explores in the book. The story covers a variety of topics such as the impact of fame that can have on a young person, and shines a light onto the dark side of the glittery world of the silver screen. The plot is basically a flash back and explores the events that lead to the climax of the story. The plot is quite crisp and keeps you on the edge, specially in the second half. The story keeps you hooked and as you turn the page, you realise that Vani’s storytelling has a charm that make you wonder what is the next card that she has up her sleeve. Some of the images in the book are very powerful and make you empathize with the characters as they occur. Another interesting aspect of the story is how each of the 4 primary characters have a reason for their actions, which is meticulously planned and shown as a part of the plot. The climax is well baked and it is a fitting end to the story and the title of the book.

Coming to the characters, I liked how Nikita’s character has been crafted, and while she is shown to be a young girl in her late teens, her power and strength is described extremely well. The antagonists have been crafted extremely intricately (not putting names to avoid spoilers), and their presence in the plot is powerful and drives the story forward. Cyrus’s character stands out for me because of him being the “adult” in the entire story, and yet his vulnerabilities have not been hidden. I would have ideally wanted to read a bit more about his background to understand his reasons for doing what he does.

Overall, this is a fast-paced thriller that’ll keep you hooked. The book scores a 4.63/5 for me.

Get your copy of the book on Amazon India.

Happy Endings-Suchita Agarwal

Book: Happy Endings
Author: Suchita Agarwal
Publisher: Self Published

Do you think there are happy endings to stories?

It was the best thing that had happened to her. Who knew? Maybe the future. You do not go after dreams – but after goals. She let her tears fall. He was the unlikely hero of this fantastical tale. Sameera, Mayank, Avantika, Urmilla and Pranjal have nothing in common – except a tragedy that leads to a happy ending. Happy Endings by Suchita Agarwal is a collection of 5 short stories.

Reading short stories has always been something I have cherished because the ability to tell a story in so many words is quite rare. Suchita’s stories have a charm that pull you into it and keep you hooked. Each of the 5 stories is unique and I loved how she develops a curve of emotions in the time that passes in the stories, culminating in a happy ending. Sameera as a story is an inspirational story of a young woman fighting against odds and not letting it affect her resolve to live, and see beauty in all things. The thing I liked about this story was the fact that there are no over the top affirmations or positivity, rather the focus is on how Sameera looks at her situation and reacts to it. Mayank as a story is interesting because it is a story of self-discovery and how perspective can be important in one’s life, and how a support system is crucial for a person. Avantika as a story was the best of the lot for me simply because of the subtle and innocent romantic thread that develops in the story along with a message to the reader to make a distinction between dreams and goals, and how to approach them to be happy. Urmilla was a powerful story, however it did not work for me because I felt the theme of family could have been explored a bit more and the spotlight could have been a bit more focused. Pranjal as a story was impressive and I liked the focus on child psychology and the impact that events in our childhood can have on our present.

Suchita’s stories are character focused, as is evident from the titles, and each of the characters is distinctly created and they stand out on their own in a wonderful manner. Be it Sameera, or Mayank, or even Avantika, they possess a life of their own, and their own world which comes our very clearly in the storytelling. I specially liked the example of Mayank, and how she uses the interior design of his home as a window into his psyche.

Overall, a book that I would definitely recommend if you like to read short stories that are crisp and engaging. The book scores a 4.56/5 for me.

This review is a part of the #BlogchatterEBook Carnival 2022 and Powered by Blogchatter. You can download your copy from here.

I also interviewed Suchita and the same can be seen on my Instagram Profile!

A Place Called Home-Preeti Shenoy

Book: A Place Called Home
Author: Preeti Shenoy
Publisher: HarperCollins India

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “Home”?

A Place Called Home by Preeti Shenoy explores the story of Alka who lives in the cramped servant’s quarter at Mrs. Shetty’s house in Delhi, where her mother works as a maid. On the look out for an escape from this closed in life, she gets a chance when Mrs. Shetty sends her to the same school as her daughter Tanvi. As the time passes, she marries Subbu, who has a four-hundred-acre coffee estate, and as she starts settling into her life with her heritage home, two daughters and her mother-in-law, and all seems well, but things take a turn when secrets about her life that she had guarded start tumbling out, they threaten to destroy all she has made of herself. To protect all that she has, Alka must fight her demons and travel back to the world she worked so hard to leave behind.

Preeti’s writing has always been powerful, and as with all her books, this book has layers that keep you hooked from the very first page to the last. The book explores the idea of family, relationships and the idea of home and how they can mean different things to different people. The first half of the book moves at a pace that slowly and steadily builds up Alka’s character and life, and sets the tone of the plot for the second half. Preeti explores a variety of ideas and weaves it into the plot. From social stigma to the social idea of “marriage”, the characters in the book endure all of that and that is the story that emerges from the struggles and their reactions to it. When we come to the second half, the pace of the book picks up and things start falling into place and at times more than one you have an aha! moment as your mind goes back to that one tiny bit of information that came across in the first half. The descriptions in the story are vivid and paint a wonderful picture of events as they occur, especially the coffee estate and it was as if I was walking into the estate myself, and to be honest, this has inspired me to now take a vacation to Sakleshpur as soon as possible. Most importantly though, as we come to the end of the story, the title starts making sense, and not just in the obvious manner, but for multiple characters as they explore the idea of home and what it means to them, and while not giving out any spoilers, the visual comparison that Alka makes is such a wonderful summary of the idea being shared.

While the plot of the book is powerful, the characters are equally important, specially the three main people who form the crux of the plot. Alka’s character has been crafted in detail, as we see her grow up as the story moves two decades in time. Preeti makes clear distinctions in her life, and the 4 parts of the book are very clearly marked. From innocent questions as a kid, to exploring her life as a teenager, her life as an independent woman and then her life in the estate, the character grows leaps and bounds and yet there is a certain part of her character that keeps you intrigued. I liked her steadfastness and her perseverance to achieve what she dreamt of. Coming to Krish and Subbu, I liked how they have been created as opposites, not just physically, but emotionally as well. When the contrasts emerge, you realise how their characters have been subtly giving hints to the buildup. Apart from our three primary characters, I liked how the other characters have been built in to provide context to the plot and how they have been detailed just enough to make fiction seem real.

Detailed analysis done, I have a few more observations that make this book a worthy read. The first and the foremost is the focus on food and how Preeti has built in the local cuisine and I believe that this was something very important for me, specially to build up the second part of the story. Secondly, the quotes that serve as section dividers are quite apt and set the tone of the section perfectly.

If you are looking for a book that is layered and makes you think about the concepts of love, family and the idea of home, then this is a book that you should definitely pick up. The book scores a perfect 5 for me.

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

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

The Assassination of Rajat Gandy-Anurag Anand

Book: The Assassination of Rajat Gandy
Author: Anurag Anand
Publisher: Readomania

What do you think makes a good political thriller?

The Assassination of Rajat Gandy by Anurag Anand takes place in the most populated democracy in the world is going to vote. Stakes are high and the contest is intense. Afsha Khan, a political correspondent with a leading TV news channel finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy of devastating proportions. Sumit Anand, an officer with the Economic Offences Wing, is on the trail of an industry lobbyist who could lead him to the men behind one of the most notorious scams in the history of independent India. A road accident in New Jersey, USA, a communal uprising in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh; a troll attack in cyberspace Are these a series of disparate events or do they link up to something else, something far more sinister and viler? It is a gripping political thriller that can alter your views on politics and the political establishment.

Anurag takes up the contemporary political scenario and builds a gripping narrative that is quite thrilling. The plot moves at a decent pace and the story being linear helps keep the readers’ focus on the story. While the story is completely fictional, there are scenes that would make you revisit some of the things that are happening around you. I loved how Anurag brings various issues such as biased news, social media trolling etc. into the story and weaves it into a complex and convincing story. The language used is simple to understand and instead of heavy sounding language, it is something that is commonly used. The climax is well planned and the idea of how he brings it to fruition was quite interesting. However, there are somethings that could have been improved. Firstly, the writing could have been a bit crispier. I felt that there were points where the scenes seemed disjointed, specially in the second half. Another aspect I wanted to see was a bit more of the political aspect in the story which was present but the undertones were quite subtle and the focus was more on the media.

Coming to the characters, Anurag has brought to life some very interesting characters in this story. I loved Afsha’s character, mostly because of her zeal and grit that she displays in the face of adversity. Another interesting character was that of Sachin Jaywardhan and how his role in the story evolves from the first page to the last. I felt that the character of Rajat could have been explored a bit more as well so as to add a bit more of substance to the plot. Apart from that, what I really loved about the characters are their character descriptions and how easy it was to picture them as the events take place in the book.

Overall, a book I would definitely recommend to anyone who liked to read fast paced political thrillers. The book scores a 4.63/5 for me.

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

Lachit: The Indomitable-Aneesh Gokhale

Book: Lachit: The Indomitable
Author: Aneesh Gokhale
Publisher: Bloomsbury India

Have you heard about The Battle of Saraighat?

Lachit: The Indomitable by Aneesh Gokhale is a tale of valor. It is the story of Lachit Barphukan, the Ahom commander who led the Assamese to victory over the Mughals. Having lost control of Guwahati to the invading forces of Diler Khan and Mir Jumla, the Ahom monarch Chakradhwaj Singha begins a campaign to retake what rightfully belongs to the Assamese. The land has been ravaged by war, the treasuries are empty, the armouries barely exist. Not to speak of a despondent populace. He elevates Lachit to the status of Barphukan, and makes him the Senapati. When Lachit Barphukan recaptures Guwahati, Aurangzeb sends Ram Singh with a huge army to Assam. In this unputdownable novel, Aneesh Gokhale describes in rich detail the epic defence raised by the Assamese under the leadership of Lachit Barphukan, culminating in the famous Battle of Saraighat, a battle fought entirely in the river Brahmaputra.

The book explores the lesser-known story of Lachit Barphukan, the Assamese commander who took on the Mughals. Aneesh explores the story of the Ahom dynasty and how they plan to retake Guwahati from the Mughals. The story is told in a wonderful manner and it goes back in time to bring to light one of the lesser-known stories of our history. The plot is engaging and fast paced. The book focuses on the story of Lachit, and rather than make it a larger-than-life story of a war. I liked how the author has kept the human aspect of the person on the forefront showing both the strengths and weaknesses of the characters. Another interesting aspect is that he brings to light the fact that Lachit was a contemporary of Shivaji Maharaj and that while living on opposite sides of the Indian subcontinent, both were fighting a common enemy. However, there are things that need to be relooked into the book, especially the proofreading as there are some grammar issues and spelling errors that need to be corrected. Secondly, I felt that the plot is not quite smooth and there are gaps that reduce the overall reading experience. When there is a change of scene inside the chapter, there are no clear markers to denote the same and thus the reader has to go back and reread to get the grasp of the change.

Coming to the characters, I liked the way Aneesh structures his characters and develops them over the course of the story. The idea to keep a focus on all the primary characters was interesting and while the book is about Lachit, he develops all the other characters as well so as to not keep the narrative one sided. The character descriptions are detailed and Aneesh keeps the minute details so as to help the reader visualize the characters while reading.

Overall, the book is recommended for anyone looking to understand more about Lachit Barphukan. The book scores a 4.38/5 for me.

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

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

The Heart Asks Pleasure First-Karuna Ezara Parikh

Book: The Heart Asks Pleasure First
Author: Karuna Ezara Parikh
Publisher: Picador India

What do you understand by the idea of Love?

The Heart Asks Pleasure First by Karuna Ezara Parikh is set in 2001 and tells us the story of Daya, a ballet student who is sitting in a park in Wales far away from her home in India, and Aaftab, a young Muslim lawyer from Pakistan, who meet in that very park and fall inexplicably in love. Even as Aaftab battles his heart, their relationship transcends the divides of religion, nationality and language. They forge profound bonds but the cataclysmic events of the year will have dangerous ramifications and push them to confront the most difficult complexities of their lives.

There are very few books that make reading them feel like a meal that needs to be savored rather than gobbled up, and this was one such book for me. The story is written in a tone that makes you one with the characters and be it Aaftab, Daya, Wasim, or even Asha, connecting with them becomes extremely easy. The storyline moves in a non-linear fashion at some places where the focus on past becomes important, otherwise the timelines are easy to configure and align. The book is meticulously researched, and I was sold on the research the moment I read the names of the varieties of mangoes that are such a minute detail but are very crucial at that moment to help me, as a reader, understand the character I am painting a picture of. The book addresses the idea of love, boundaries and how the lines become an important part in our lives, sometimes to the extent that they start dictating the way we are supposed to live.

Reading this book was an extremely enriching experience, especially because of the language, and to be honest, I will have to now look at the book Wasim refers for collective nouns. While on this point, I would like to highlight how Karuna actually weaves these collective nouns into the plot is another thing that impressed me. There are moments in the book that make your eyes well up, and that is the extent of the impact that her storytelling has on you. The shayaris, the calligraphy and the poetry are something I truly loved and somehow all of this came together in a climax that I did not imagine while reading the story. The way Karuna ends the story is heart wrenching and somehow brings a sort of closure to all our primary characters.

Coming to the characters in the book, the thing that stands out about the characters is that the level of detail that has gone into the creation of the characters of Daya, Aaftab, and all the others is quite interesting. Each of them has been crafted exquisitely and they get their individual spaces to grow and develop throughout the story. I personally loved how Karuna keeps the focus on the meaning of people’s names, and I loved the story behind Daya’s name.

Overall, this is a book that is definitely recommended, and the book scores a 5/5 for me.

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

We’re S0 H@cked (Hacker Series #2)-Gautam Mayekar

Book: We’re S0 H@cked (Hacker Series #2)
Author: Gautam Mayekar
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

In this age of digitalization, do you think you are safe online?

We’re S0 H@cked by Gautam Mayekar is the second book in the Hacker series. Rudra, an ethical hacker, Lily, a cyber-crime lawyer and Mohseen, a journalist, are all by night a part of ICD – Indian Cyber Defence, an underground hacking forum that defaces Pakistani Government websites and spreads viruses to attack them. @shok, introducing himself as a RAW agent, joins the forum, and makes an irresistible offer – crack the puzzle of Chakravyuh to get a chance to do something truly worthwhile to serve the nation. Cracking various stages of Chakravyuh, they are lead deeper and deeper - into now developing cyber-weapons for a great war. Fighting their personal demons, dealing with confusion & rebellion within the group, they race against time to hack their next target – CRAWL, a secret division of RAW itself. But what could be the motive? Who is @shok really? What is he leading them into? Are they really serving the nation or is there something more sinister going on?

The book is an interesting read into the life of 3 seemingly unrelated people who are brought together by circumstances. The story has an interesting arc and Gautam uses his background as a cyber security professional to bring authenticity to the plot by explaining the various technical aspects of hacking that he brings into the plot. The storytelling is gripping and it keeps you turning the pages to discover what the group is up to. I liked the technical details that Gautam incorporates into the plot to make it seem authentic. Another interesting aspect of the story is the pace of the story which moves steadily, but becomes fast-paced towards the end. The idea to use the Mahabharata as a plot point was quite imaginative as well. While the story reads nicely, there are some things that did not work for me. The main point for me is that of editing. There are a few grammar issues here and there, but most importantly, the Kindle version could have been formatted better in terms of readability. The climax is something I did not expect and it is in line with Gautam’s style because just like the hackers, he likes a bit of show and awe.

Coming to the characters, Rudra, Lily and Mohseen are three people who wouldn’t have normally crossed paths but for their common interest in the Darkweb and cyber security. I liked how Gautam creates three distinct people and gives all of them something to hide, and how their history impacts their decisions in the present time. The characters are given sufficient time to develop and get their stories in line with the plot.

Overall, the second book in the series is an interesting read, and irrespective of the fact whether you have read Book 1, this book can be read independently, but reading the first part is highly encouraged. The book scores a 4.56/5 for me.

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

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

Ready my review of Book 1: !M S0 H@CK3D

GRIP: The Art of Working Smart (and getting to what matters most)-Rick Pastoor

Book: GRIP: The Art of Working Smart (and getting to what matters most)
Author: Rick Pastoor
Translators: Elizabeth Manton & Erica Moore
Publisher: HarperCollins India

Do you struggle with organizing your life and tasks?

GRIP: The Art of Working Smart (and getting to what matters most) by Rick Pastoor is a fresh, no-nonsense guide brings clarity and direction to even the most hectic workweek. Using tools you know – like your calendar, to-do list, and email – GRIP walks you through working smarter, thinking bigger, and clearing the way for what matters most. And GRIP’s pick-and-choose structure makes it easy to dive in and start applying what you like straightaway.

Translated from the Dutch Original, the book is an interesting guide into organizing your life through specific tools and advice that are easy to implement. The book is divided into 3 major parts and each of them starts small and goes on to help you organize your week, year and life. Rick condenses his experience and his learnings from his readings and comes up with a set of helpful advice that is not just your usual self-help served on a platter, but rather a set of tools that help you understand your own life and create a plan that suits your own self. Rick enumerates a set of online and offline tools that can be of great help when you have to manage work and personal life, especially in this time when activities have become fluid and we are looking at multiple work options. 

The book is written in simple language and it focuses on the content rather than the flowery language. The pace of the book is quite interesting and it reads like a fiction novel, rather than a non-fiction self help book. The way the book has been structured is quite helpful and since there are specific sections of the book to deal with weekly life, a year and also restructure your life. Rick’s suggestions for digital tools are good and having tried a few of them, I was quite amazed. Rick has also given some templates to be used which help the reader convert the message into actionable advice.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the book to anyone looking to enact real change in their lives and organize it better to be effective. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

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

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

Liberty After Freedom-Rohan J. Alva

Book: Liberty After Freedom
Author: Rohan J. Alva
Publisher: HarperCollins India

Liberty After Freedom explores the origins of what is today considered the most important fundamental right in the Indian Constitution - the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed by Article 21. This is the article which in recent years made the right to privacy as well as the decriminalization of homosexuality possible. Without a doubt, Article 21 has had the most outsized influence on the progressive development of rights in India. But the story of how this important right was birthed is deeply controversial and its passage in the Constituent Assembly divided opinion like no other feature of the Constitution. Liberty After Freedom explores the intellectual beginnings of this paramount fundamental right in an attempt to decode and unravel the controversies which raged at the time the Constitution was being crafted.

As India was journeying into a new era after the colonial rule, the leaders of the day were tasked with an important task-the task to draft a constitution of the country which would act as a foundation of the times to come. In this book, Rohan explores the history and the development of one of the most crucial rights accorded to us by the Constitution of India-The right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21. The author goes on to explore the events that took place in the years the constitution was adopted, and goes into the nitty gritty of the idea of Due Process that was initially envisaged to be a part of this right. I liked how Rohan uses the debates of the Constituent Assembly and the Drafting Committee so as to make the reader understand why and how things took place. He compares and contrasts the guiding documents that the framers of the constitution referred and how it affected their understanding of the concepts and why they framed the document the way they eventually did.

The book is replete with examples from the debates, direct quotes and references. As expected, this is excellently researched and provides a unique insight into the workings of the Constituent Assembly. Rohan starts from the baby steps of the constitution in 1946 and comes right till the present to show how the concepts have evolved. The book might seem to be a heavy read for people who are not very much into the concept of polity, but for anyone who is interested in reading about the history of how our rights came into being, this would be a wonderful journey.

Definitely recommended for anyone looking to explore and know about the history of Article 21 and the Indian Polity. The book scores a 4.63/5 for me.

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

Get a copy of the book from your nearest bookstore or Amazon India.