Parvatibai-Sutapa Basu

Book: Parvatibai
Author: Sutapa Basu
Publisher: Readomania

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

Have you heard the story of Parvatibai before?

Parvatibai was the brilliant and dynamic Baisaheb and wife of Sadashivrao Bhau who commanded the Maratha forces at the Third Battle of Panipat. She was the witness as well as survivor of the entire siege and battle at Panipat between the Marathas and Afghan invaders led by Ahmad Shah Abdali. Observed through Parvatibai’s eyes, this historical narrative counters some common controversies… Why were the valiant Marathas defeated at Panipat? Was it treachery of the Maratha sardars or a nefarious infiltrator that stabbed them in the back? Despite losing the battle, how did the Marathas succeed in their mission? Unprecedently told from the perspective of the vanquished, this tale explores the causes, strategies, and consequences of this great endeavour to safeguard India for Indians.

Sutapa’s book explores the life and times of Parvatibai and how her life shaped up. She has beautifully captured the development of a young woman into the fierce warrior and astute strategist that we come to know her as. The storytelling in the book is quite captivating and keeps you hooked and interested in the events that are occurring. The research in the book is also quite detailed and the descriptions of the places and events is quite accurate which helps you understand and relate to the book as well. The writing is emotive and quite easily manages to convert a historical story into a gripping narrative that keeps you interested. Another aspect of the book that was interesting was the fact that it is not a one-sided narrative, rather each character is given their own space and you get to see a wholesome narration of the events as they occur. The language of the book is easy-to-understand and Sutapa has retained the conversation in Marathi in places along with the English translations which adds to the overall reading experience. The climax of the book has been treated well and the manner in which she leaves it open to pique the reader’s interest to research further and read more about Parvatibai is the true mark of a storyteller.

Coming to the characters, Parvatibai’s story has been explored in detail, right from the struggle of childhood to the challenges of her marital home, Sutapa has taken her time to build her story and give due credit to the valiant nature that she possessed. The other characters are also given due time and space to develop so that it does not feel like glorifying one person. Another aspect of the character development which I liked what that the strengths and weaknesses, both, have been explored and rather than a historical enigma, everyone is shown with their virtues and flaws.

This is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone who likes to read historical fiction and is interested in the modern Indian history. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

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

Heartstrings and Harmonies-Manali Desai

Book: Heartstrings and Harmonies
Author: Manali Desai
Publisher: Self Published

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

Have songs inspired some important moments in your life?

Think of a time when a song made your life easy. Was it when you wanted to confess your love? Was it when you were at a low point in your life, and that song worked as a balm? Was it a song someone dedicated to you, or vice versa? Is there a song you associate to a person or a memory? Do you have a specific song set as a ringtone for the special people in your life, and a story behind doing so? For music lovers, there would hardly be a day that goes by without listening to their favorite tunes and melodies. They travel, they work, they workout, they cook, and do almost every activity imaginable, with their best friend, music, by their side. Heartstrings and Harmonies is a book for such souls, written by one such soul. Each tale in this collection is woven around a song. So how many such tales are we talking about? Since it’s a Valentine’s special book, that too released in a leap year (2024), that number is significant as well. Did you guess it yet? Yes, it’s 29.

The book is a collection of 29 interesting stories which are divided into 4 sections-Romance, Friendship and Hope and Revelation. Each story has been paired with a song that plays a crucial role in the storytelling. Manali’s writing in the book is quite fast paced and as a reader, you are compelled to keep turning the pages. Another aspect which I loved about the book was that the songs have been memtioned in the text in Hindi and then translated which gives a nice experience as you start humming the songs while reading, adding to the experience. The stories have are quite crisp and yet the message that she wants to send across is duly received, partly because of the audio-visual jugalbandi and partly because of the short yet expressive narrative. There are stories that would make you laugh and there are a few stories that would definitely wet your eyes with emotion. Manali’s twists at the end of each story is something I did not expect in a few of them, and to be honest, were the highlight in some of them.

The characters in the stories are very common people you might encounter in your lives (except for Aman, Anjali and Rahul) and that relatability plays a crucial role in the overall experience of living the stories as Manali tells them. The characters are not detailed out, presumably because of the shorter format, however you don’t feel the need of much descriptions as the plot itself suffices and you visualize someone you know into that story.

My favourite stories from the book are:

• The Rain Falls Pitter Patter
• Don’t Go Just Yet
• Oh, Something Strange is Happening
• O Mates, I’m a Wanderer

Overall, this is a book I would recommend to anyone who is skeptical of reading because of the long form and for aficionados of music and fine storytelling. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India

Also, if you want to enjoy the music with the reading, check out the Spotify Playlist here!

The Wandering Star (The Shifter's Trance Series #1)-S.P. Mittson

Book: The Wandering Star (The Shifter's Trance Series #1)
Author: S.P. Mittson
Publisher: NuVoice Press

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

What if you had the power to travel between realms?

Eloise Hector, the princess of Murkwood, who has always been hidden and suppressed was born with a mysterious glitch. When her mother dies in an accident, she loses control over her powers. Unintentionally, she shifts her friends to Shadowland— a moonless realm of hallucinations, with shadows lurking in the clouds of mist—clueless about how to rescue them. Kayden Parsons is an obnoxious jerk who thinks of himself as the King of the Murkwood. When he finds Eloise in trouble, he offers his help, knowing she considers him her nemesis. As they join forces, sparks fly, aiding Eloise in harnessing her powers during a thrilling and mystic adventure filled with tension and flirty banter. Together, they must find a way to thwart the Forsaken and rescue her friends from the darkness of Shadowland before it’s too late.

The author has created a wonderful world where the light and the dark exist together, with a chosen few having the power to travel between them. Mittson’s storytelling is quite powerful and keeps you hooked as you keep turning the pages. The plot is quite engaging and the author has used the idea of love, family and relationships to build the narrative and how it becomes the strength of the characters. The author has drawn a few concepts from Hindu mythology and strategically placed them in the centre of the narrative. What I liked about the book was that the storytelling does not lax at any point and the pace is maintained right till the end. The climax of the book is very well written and the epilogue puts the entire storyline into a different perspective.

The characters are the centre of focus in this book as Mittson introduces her world to us and shows us the people who inhabit it. Eloise as a character impressed me with her grit and feisty nature. Her character has been nicely penned and the character arc is beautifully spread across the book. Coming to Kayden, I liked the shades of him that she has created and how his chemistry with Eloise shapes out in the book. The other characters in the book are also quite detailed and I am excited to see how their stories play out in the upcoming books.

Definitely recommended for anyone who likes to read fantasy and is looking for a new world to delve into. Overall, this is a wonderful start to a fantasy series and this book gets a 4.63/5 for me.

Get a copy on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!