The Celebrity CEO-Tomson Robert

Book: The Celebrity CEO
Author: Tomson Robert
Publisher: NuVoice Press

What would you do if you had the power and the means to change people’s lives?

Just a year ago, I was on top of the world. I was the CEO of Neo, my revolutionary tech-based startup in Dubai. I was the coveted Speaker for all major corporate conferences, and a powerful member of the investor and Business communities. I could transform the fate of startups with just one tweet. But that one fateful day changed it all. .. I wake to find myself in a hospital bed in Goa, kept in Police custody. But I have no recollection of how and why I ended up here! Fired from my own company, hated by my own employees, cut-off by the Business community - I am reduced to just another meme on social media. Does life offer second chances? I am Ariyan, known as 'The Celebrity CEO.'

The Celebrity CEO is an interesting book that explores the idea of self-identity and how in the pursuit of success, our relationships have become transactional. The book explores the life of Ariyan, a celebrated CEO of a startup developing a smart glass technology in Dubai. Ariyan had everything someone could wish for-a successful career, lavish life, a partner-until it all comes crashing down one day due to his choices. Tomson has used the character of Ariyan to highlight the issues that have become a part of our lives as we live in this continuous race to accumulate wealth and fame, sometimes at the cost of our health and our relationships. The book has been written akin to a fable where you relate to the protagonist and the end goal is to take away a message from the story. The book is a comfortable read and Tomson has made sure that the message which he wants to put across is not preachy, rather woven into the plot to bring it out slowly. While the first part is about Ariyan and his celebrity status, I was quite impressed by the way the second half of the book is planned. The evolution of the story becomes evident in the conversations Ariyan has with the other characters in the story. The multiple call backs to conversations which seemed trivial in the first half suddenly make sense in hindsight. The climax, however, was a wonderful piece of plotting, which is something the reader would definitely not be able to guess, considering its link with the initial chapters of the book.

Ariyan as a character seems quite relatable because we have seen the concept of success change in the recent times with social media playing a crucial role in propelling successful businesspeople to the level of celebrities. I liked how Tomson has used the character of Vijay to throw light on the stress at workplace which has become a major issue today with this ever-connected world. Neha’s character had a small part in the story, but again was wonderfully penned to highlight the impact of chasing professional success on one’s personal life.

Overall, this is a book I would definitely recommend you to read as it highlights a major issue of motivation today. The book deals with some important real-world-issues and talks about prioritizing what is important in life. The book scores a 4.48/5 for me.

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

The Mars Conspiracy-Dr. Razi Ahmed

Book: The Mars Conspiracy
Author: Dr. Razi Ahmed
Publisher: Treeshade Books

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

Do you believe that there is life on other planets?

A man dreams of colonizing Mars. His quest has a connection with a great ancient civilization and the mysterious Pharaoh Ankhenaten. 1300 BC, Ancient Egypt: The great Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty—Amenhotep III, takes help of the 'visitors from the sun-disc,’ to save his dying son—Ankhenaten. He will change, they say, and he does! 2021, Simdega, Jharkhand: A mysterious creature attacks and kills a villager near the Space Tech Facility, where three social media influencers discover a crop circle. Dr Daniel Soren joins the Mars Colonisation Project headed by the enigmatic Noel Minj, unsuspecting of what’s brewing within. Noel is preparing for the inaugural unmanned rocket, 'The Starship’, to carry the resources for human survival to Mars. All eyes are on this mission. Nothing must go wrong! But what happens when Noel's secret starts to slip away? How are the Pharaoh Ankhenaten and the ancient Egyptian civilization connected to the mission of colonizing Mars? Are we alone in this universe? Is the first unmanned flight to Mars really unmanned?

The concept of the book is quite interesting and it brings together science fiction with history and creates a narrative that keeps you guessing about the motives of the characters. What I liked about the book was its writing. The storytelling is simple and easy to understand. The author has taken time to establish the plot and given due importance to the science bit as well as the fiction bit which keeps you interested in the events and not run to google each and every small thing. Razi has also explained the Egyptian history in detail as it pertains to the story and woven it into the fiction part of the story seamlessly. Another interesting aspect of the story is that the author has taken a real-life event and built the story around it which helps the reader relate to it a bit more. However, while the story works exceptionally at a concept level, the execution of the same in the second half didn’t work for me. The first half of the book is spent mostly in building up the research, science and the concept part of it, and the interest keeps rising as you turn the pages. However, as the second part of the book starts, it starts resembling more like a Bollywood romance movie rather than a science fiction novel. I felt that the focus on the relationship between Ankhenaten and Nefertiti was too much and the way it unfolds in the climax was something that definitely did not work for me. I felt that the science fiction part of the book got lost in focusing on Ankhenaten and his role in the climax.

The characters in the book are created in detail and I liked how a proper introduction of each character has been provided. I liked the character of David and the manner in which his story evolved right till the end. Another character that I liked was that of Dr. Daniel and how he brought a perspective to the entire story and acted as a reader to explain the things in the story. The character of Noel Minj seems to be inspired from a famous personality and was an easy one to guess.

Overall, this is a book with an interesting concept that could have been better executed to focus on the core story. The book scores a 4/5 for me.

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

Fool Me Twice-Nona Uppal

Book: Fool Me Twice
Author: Nona Uppal
Publisher: Penguin India

Do you think you can love more than one person romantically?

Since school, Sana has been the popular girl with excellent grades, beloved by both teachers and parents, living an enviable life. Sana and Ashish have been dating since the eleventh grade, sharing the kind of teenage romance that makes it to the bestsellers list, sells out theatres and causes their loveless friends to gag. Nothing, not even long-distance, can tear the two apart.  Except, maybe, a handsome, overachieving, book-reading senior from Sana's college? Pranav is the typical 'cool guy' sought after by the entire college. He also happens to be Sana's new friend, Aanchal's, brother. But he's nothing more than a friend! Sana already has the best boyfriend in the world! Set in New Delhi, Fool Me Twice is an unconventional story that will stump readers expecting a good, old romance trope. We meet and fall in love with a young couple planning their futures together when life rudely hijacks the steering wheel.

Fool Me Twice is a story that explores the various aspects of love-filial, platonic and romantic through its various characters. The story has been told in a simple but engaging narrative without any dull moments interrupting the narrative. The idea to anchor the story somewhere in the middle and explore the earlier life of Sana through memories was a nice way of showing the various aspects of her relationship with her family, Bani, Ashish and Tanya. Building up in the first half of the book, you connect so deeply with Sana, Bani and Ashish that when the first half of the book ends, you suddenly sit up in shock, no matter if you had expected that incident to happen from the back blurb because of the relatability quotient of the characters. Another aspect of the book that I liked was its treatment of grief and loss. Each of our characters in the book deals with a loss that impacts them significantly and through the book, we see how each one of them gets through the situation, helping the reader understand and connect with them. Nona’s writing is descriptive and you are transported and held in the scene she describes, presenting a wholesome reading experience. One thing that I want to highlight is the manner in which she brings out the power of friendships through the story is truly remarkable. Right from the basic ground rules between Bani, Sana and Ashish, to the discussions between Pranav, Aanchal and Sana, Nona’s presentation of love, friendships and everything else in between is just so perfect. Interestingly enough, the book also dwells upon 2 other societal stigmas that the author has explored which add another layer of complexity to the plot. The climax of the book is wholesome and a wonderful way to end, because if there is no happy ending, then there is always more to the story.

Coming to the characters, I simply love the way the author created characters with such unique characteristics, yet you would find your friends some way or the other in Bani, Ashish, Pranav and Aanchal. Apart from the relatability, the character flaws have been presented nicely and how they deal with them forms a critical part of the story. Of the characters that form a part of the story, loved the small but such a pivotal character of Professor Sarin, especially the doorway conversation between her and Sana, which highlighted an aspect of our relationships which a lot of us miss-that of a student and a teacher-and how that can impact a lot of our lives.

Overall, this is a book I would recommend not just because it is a wonderfully penned romance, but for the manner in which it talks about the idea of love, relationships and life. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

P.S. the Bollywood and the Harry Potter references were quite the cherry atop the cake.

I got my copy of the book at the New Delhi World Book Fair!

Get your copies of the book at your nearest book store or on Amazon India.

The Velvet Hotline-Arsh Verma

Book: The Velvet Hotline
Author: Arsh Verma
Publisher: Penguin India

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

What if a phone rings and you hear something you never expected to hear?

Ayingbi Mayengbam, a well-meaning primary school teacher, wants to take on some part-time work over the summer, ideally a job through which she can help people. When her first day as a volunteer at a suicide hotline ends in her finding a dead body, she is done with this line of work. But soon, she is approached by the winsome Dr Rastogi, a man who runs another suicide hotline with a more altruistic approach, and she is unable to say no. While initially shy and uncertain, Ayingbi learns quickly, her warmth and sincerity enabling her to connect well with callers, her fierce determination to save lives compensating for lack of experience. Over time, however, Ayingbi is confronted with an unfortunate realization: when working at a suicide hotline, you simply can’t save everyone. On top of that, there is something sinister afoot at Rastogi’s agency, least of which are the three phones in Ayingbi’s cubicle, one of which begins to ring without being plugged in.

The premise of the book is quite interesting and the first few pages of the book really set the tone and draw you into the plot. I was quite excited as the events were quite unexpected and the thrill of discovering things was adding to the joy of reading. The storyline has been planned well and keeps you engaged throughout, even though the interest starts dropping a bit towards the end. What I liked about the book that the themes have been planned well and the book is quite structured in the manner it is presented. The author has given time for the concept of the hotline to set in and understand its machinations, however this buildup is what affects the reading experience. The climax seems quite hurried, compared to the initial story and with all the details told in the story, the climax falls flat due to its swiftness and lack of a rush that should have developed after being a part of Ayingbi’s journey. The mystical element of the story was explained hurriedly towards the end, just before the climax and that somehow brough down the pace and the fun I was having with the book until that point.

Coming to the characters, Arsh has created interesting characters that fit well into the story’s mould. Ayingbi’s character as a schoolteacher contrasts nicely with her experience over the summer and the climax, which according to me, was a nice character arc. I also liked the eclectic and secretive nature of Dr. Rastogi and his character also rounds up nicely towards the end. I felt that the characters of Chaitanya and Hardeep could have been explored a bit more.

The book is a good read and a definite recommendation for anyone looking for a chilling read. The book scores a 4.38/5 for me.

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

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Razor Sharp (A Kutta Kadam Thriller)-Ashwin Sanghi

Book: Razor Sharp (A Kutta Kadam Thriller)
Author: Ashwin Sanghi
Publisher: HarperCollins India

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

Do you like reading crime fiction?

A ruthless serial killer stalks the streets of Mumbai, leaving behind a gruesome trail of tortured victims. As the city reels in terror, the authorities grapple with a vital question: What links these seemingly random targets? Enter Prakash Kadam, once a decorated cop but now an angry, bitter wreck of a man haunted by his past. Summoned to put an end to the madness, he finds himself neck-deep in an investigation mired in police sluggishness and antiquated forensics. As old enmities resurface and perplexing twists in the case push him to the limit, can Kadam find the killer before it is too late? Or will he lose someone close to him---again? With Razor Sharp, the first book in an exciting new series, Ashwin Sanghi demonstrates yet again his undisputed mastery at weaving complex, gripping thrillers that keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Having been an ardent reader of Ashwin’s books since the first one, I was eagerly waiting for Razor Sharp since its announcement and I must say it did not disappoint at all. The storytelling is quite interesting and the book keeps you hooked. The idea to introduce a recurring character as a renegade ex-cop dealing with alcohol abuse and family troubles is nicely explored. The story explores a serial killer whose MO is gruesome, and it falls upon Prakash kadam to figure it out before the killer strikes again. The description on the victims is graphic and as you read ahead, you realise the reason why there are specific details that have been left behind. I like how the book is inherently Indian and while we have an adept investigating team, the author has retained the idea of how it functions in our country. Another aspect I wanted to highlight here is how Ashwin leaves seemingly random clues and keeps your mind whirring because everyone seems to be the killer and everyone seems to have motives, even Prakash Kadam.

In true Ashwin’s style of writing, there is an element that pops up as the pieces start adding up and the MO is identified, and while I cannot and will not reveal anything here, the moment the reveal happens is the place where you stop, place a bookmark and stare in silence for a full moment before moving ahead with the book. That was the moment when I decided that this has to be my first 5-star read for 2024 just for that crack-of-the-whip scene.

Ashwin has created a flawed yet wonderful character in Prakash Kadam who has the potential to continue this series quite some time. Slowly revealing his backstory, we come to realise why he was estranged from his wife and why was he removed from the force. The moment when his past is revealed was very emotionally penned and you start empathizing with him and how life was treating him. Ketul’s character is another one which I liked for her steadfastness and her relationship with Prakash as well as her will to fight for what she knows is right. Then we have the other characters who have shades which you get to know, but aren’t really sure if you’ve got the pulse right and you keep on reading to find out more.

This is a book that every crime thriller enthusiast must read because it exhibits mastery of the craft and some extremely fine writing. The book scores a 5/5 for me.

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

Midaash & Maitreyi’s Magical Mayhem-Shobhita Narayan

Book: Midaash & Maitreyi’s Magical Mayhem
Author: Shobhita Narayan
Publisher: Scholastic India

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

Are there any fairytales from your childhood that you remember?

There is no magic in the village of Gol Gumbad or that is what everyone believes. That is until an old mage appears and grants magical wishes to little children. Midaash falls for the words of the mage and sets off a chain of events which change the lives of all the children in Gol Gumbad. Together with his sister, Maitreyi, and friend, Chittaa, Midaash sets out to make things right. But magic is never so simple, is it? A delightful read with six magical stories and lively characters inspired from your favorite fairytales.

My first introduction to reading was through fairy tales and comics that used to accompany me on the train journeys. Shobhita’s book brings back memories of those stories which we have all heard growing up. Shobhita has created this wonderful world in which these six-interlinked stories take place. Each story has been inspired from a popular fairy tale to which Shobhita has given a wonderful spin. With magic and mayhem running amok in Saluka and Taluka, Midaash and Maitreyi form the protagonists who start off the book. As we journey through the stories, we encounter the triplets-Rohini, Bharani and Ashwini, Shatranj and Queen Sheeth who tell us their stories. What I loved about the stories was their freshness and how the author’s writing keeps you interested in the stories, and after you read the first story, you have a sense of familiarity and you rack your brains to find out what was the thing you recognize, and that becomes quite a game in the other 5 stories. Another thing that I loved was how the links between the stories are present and despite these being short stories, Shobhita manages to create an entire story arc and backstories of the characters that help you relate to them. What stood out for me in her writing, specifically, was the last story and the call back that ties the stories beautifully.

The characters who inhabit this magical world have been beautifully crafted. I liked the quirkiness and the mischief that she builds into all the characters. My favorite of the lot was Shatranj because of 2 reasons. The first being his adeptness at chess and the second being the backstory and the reveal we get towards the end of his story. The triplets were another set of characters who impressed me with the mischief and the trouble they get into.

Overall, while this is a book targeted at a much younger audience, I would highly recommend it to people in the 20-30 years age group for the nostalgia and to enjoy the experience that the book brings. The book gets a 4.94/5 for me.

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