When Love Came Calling-Preeti Shenoy

Book: When Love Came Calling
Author: Preeti Shenoy
Publisher: Srishti Publications

Do you think love as an emotion can power you as a person?

When Love Came Calling by Preeti Shenoy is the story of Puja and Arush, two young people who had nothing in common meet in a place where no distractions like social media are there, they start falling for each other and as time goes, fall madly in love with each other. When things take a turn, Puja and Arush face a sudden crisis, their love is put to a test. Puja sees the harsh reality of life, while Arush reanalyzes his image of India. The book explores their lives, love and journeys that can change you in ways more than one.

The book is an exceptionally well-told story that takes us through the euphoria of young love and the pain of a sudden breakup. Preeti has painstakingly created a canvas that is full of colors of the story sketched by her. While the main plot is about romance, Preeti has also explored parental pressures and the very Indian expectations of parents from their children. The story of Puja and how her choices were subdued and yet she musters up the courage to something so unexpected. In the story of Arush I loved how she creates a story of a love so powerful that encompasses not just humans but animals as well. The major part of the story is set in God’s Own Country of Kerala and the story moves from Kochi and the United Kingdom to the beautiful Wayanad, Ernakulam and Mattanchery. The descriptions are vivid and makes for a visual journey and a reader can almost experience what the characters are feeling at that moment. There are beautiful moments in the book, one that a reader would always cherish. The climax is extremely lovable, and the almost filmy ending made me smile wide.

The author has also picked up something that is extremely close to my heart personally, and I cannot complete this without mentioning the emails that our protagonists exchange, something that I love doing and I am glad that I am not the only person who thinks that writing emails is quite romantic and amazing!

Coming to our stars, Puja and Arush are diametrically opposite characters, and that is what attracted me towards the story. they are extremely relatable teenagers who are fussy, messy and yet organized. The character arc of Puja was the best one as through the timeline of the story, we see how she grows and even overpowers her fears. I loved the fact that she took a leap of faith when all she could see was darkness and this was a moment that shone in the book. Arush’s character was a brilliantly sketched one and added the right amount of spice to this sweet story to make it perfect and I could actually read out his parts in the British accent. One character without which the story might not have been this magical is Shanti Chechi and I am extremely happy the way she did what she did and without even flinching. That one scene was just perfect.

A special mention to the amazing sketches in the book that made the story come alive. A very minute detail that came to my attention was the artwork above each chapter which was quite significant with the mirror images of the flight path above Arush & Puja’s chapters, and the stethoscope above Chaitra’s.

The book gets a 4.93/5 from me.

Grab a copy of the book here.

Man Hunt-Priya Kumar

Book: Man Hunt
Author: Priya Kumar
Publisher: BooksThatInspire

Do you believe that we are responsible for anything that happens in our lives?

Manhunt by Priya Kumar is set in the wildlife of Nagarjuna Tiger Reserve and the story is filled with emotions like suspense, drama and divinity. The book addresses issues such as deforestation, genetic manipulation of fauna, corruption in the echelons of powers and media, and a message on the environmental impact of the actions of the humans. The book explores the idea of freedom and to fee alive, one has to embrace the version of yourself that is true. Life cannot be felt in the four walls of your house, and you need to step out to be alive.

The book is written in an interesting manner that tells a fictional tale taking place in the Nagarjuna Tiger Reserve where we meet a mysterious white tiger, a monk and an assortment of people who are lost and might just find themselves in the wild. The storytelling is extremely engaging that will captivate you and keep you hooked till the last page is turned. Priya has also taken up the idea of man-wildlife conflict and how it affects both negatively. She has also highlighted the point that corruption has become a disease that is eating the system from inside. The emotions in the story are quite raw and one would truly feel them as you read the story and journey through the world created by her. Apart from the story, the book also has subtle messages for the reader which can be imbibed in one’s life and the one which I found inspiring was that we need to live in the present and be focused on our own actions, rather than influencing others.

Coming to the characters in the book, I specially adored the characters of Bhikku and the White Tiger and the message they brought to fore. Bhikku’s journey and the way in which he influences the other characters as well as the reader is exemplary. For the Tiger, it symbolized the human-animal balance and that was a message that we need to portray to the entire world. Neil as a character impressed me in the manner in which he dealt with situations and the transformational journey he undertakes. Ram as a character was one of the surprises I did not expect and frankly that was a complete turnaround for me. Sakshi was a character with grit and determination, and Naseer embodied a person who had everything, yet was not ready to let go. Each of the characters, be it Rahul, Jay, Naina, were a specific feeling that we have inside us and Priya showed how each part of us reacts to situations.

Overall, the book was a great and transformative journey that would surely be memorable.

The book scores a 4.5/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here.

Mohini: The Enchantress-Anuja Chandramouli

Book: Mohini-The Enchantress
Author: Anuja Chandramouli
Publisher: Rupa Publications

Do you believe that there is an untold side to every story?

Mohini: The Enchantress tells us the story of the fabled Mohini, who was distilled from the essence of Vishnu himself, like never before. The story journeys from various fables and mythological stories told from her perspective as things happened, that tell us a different side of the Gods we revere. The book explores the story of Samudramanthan and the events that led to it, and what happened after that. Mohini gets to tell her side of the story, and as we wind up, we see how an enchantress gets enchanted and brings forth a god that’s revered by all.

The story of the book is brilliantly told from a perspective that only a few would have known. The stories are commonly told tales, but Anuja has taken them to a completely new level as she gives voice to the characters who had been lost to time and storytellers. She has brought forth a characters that had been pushed into oblivion. The tale is predominantly female-oriented as well as a focus is on gender fluidity and the idea of sexual freedom of an individual. The underlying message in the story was that of being true to oneself which would be one’s liberation. The theme of forbidden love is explored in more ways than one. The author has also taken up the idea of women empowerment through the stories and how exploitation of women has occurred through the ages. In the last story of Ayyappa, Anuja has also brought up the taboo that the third gender faces in our community, and how that is a part of our culture since ages. The climax of the book was amazing and unexpected that tied the complete story with a bow.

Coming to the characters, while Mohini is the central character and we see events from her perspective, each of the other characters, be it the Trimurtis, Shastha, or Chandra, stand on their own. Anuja has painstakingly given an individuality to each character that is in no manner compromised by Mohini’s storytelling. The characters are prominent ones that have featured in multiple tales, yet the way they have been created and the way in which they live a life of their own is commendable. The character arc of Mohini from a celestial being, an enchantress to a mother and feeling emotions is a great one that is inspiring. The one thing that stands out is the powerful feminine characters that bring out a fact that these tales were always overshadowed by their masculine counterparts, and the freedom to express themselves was never there.

The language of the book deserves a special mention as this is one of the most eloquently written books I have ever come across, as it added more than a few words to my vocabulary.

Overall, the book was truly enchanting, and it takes away 4.90/5 from me.

Grab your copy of the book here.

Thoughts Become Things-Sushil Hinge

Book: Thoughts Become Things: Transform Your Life Through Spiritual, Scientific & Practical Approach

Author: Sushil Hinge
Publisher: White Falcon Publishing

Do you believe everything that happens in our lives is a manifestation of our thoughts?

Thoughts Become Things by Sushil Hinge is a quick book that outlines how thoughts can be controlled and directed to invoke positivity in one’s life. A simple and unique book, the book takes up ancient techniques and formulas which can be easily applied in one’s life. The techniques are described with reasons so that a person can get attracted towards the practices.

The book is quite unique in the manner in which it is written. Simply drafted, the concepts are crisp and concise, one of the reasons this is a great book. The concepts of meditation, concentration etc. have been taken up in a very lucid manner, one that would appeal to a reader as well as a non-reader. With bullet points and crisp chapters, once can stop and start at any point in the book. The exercises in the book are quite helpful, and personally, I think I am going to start some of them as well.

The division of the book is primarily into 3 parts: Spiritual, Scientific & Practical. This division makes the reader able to connect the concepts to one another and grasp the message given in the book. the language of the book is immersive, and there are some fables in the book that add credence to the content in the book as well.

Overall, a good book that can form a part of the bookshelf of any person looking to increase positivity in their lives.

Grab a copy of the book here.

When I Find You - Shalini P. Sawkar

Book: When I Find You
Author: Shalini P. Sawkar
Publisher: Srishti Publications

Can anger drive you to extreme actions?

When I Find You by Shalini P. Sawkar is a short thriller that explores the dark side of love and revenge as it explores the story of why Nikhil takes a last minute flight from Delhi to Bengaluru and Vidya is trying to meddle in affairs that might land her in trouble.

The story is a short read that is quite fast paced that is quite engaging. The suspense is kept till the last page of the book that makes it a good read. The core idea is played with till almost the end and that is what makes it a good read. The one thing that didn’t work for me was the length as the story had the potential to be told a bit more, which could have added a bit more spice to it. The timeline is an interesting addition to the story. The climax is left open to interpretation and I am keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel to probably come out.

The characters are good with solid back stories. With Nikhil having shades of grey and the way they are shown is interesting. Vidya as a character seemed quite interesting as well with her snippets. I would have loved reading a bit about Eepsa as well had the story gone a bit more.

Overall, a good book that scores a 3.5/5 for me.

Get a copy here.

To You, With Love-Shravya Bhinder

Book: To You, With Love
Author: Shravya Bhinder
Publisher: Ebury Press (An Imprint of Penguin Random House)

Do you think Forever exists or is it a mirage?

To You, With Love by Shravya Bhinder is the story of Sahil Malhotra and Ayra Sharma who met in school and are completely opposites. Sahil has “new money”, is careless and carefree, whereas Ayra is a sensitive and reserved girl. Their story blooms slowly as the years pass. Though they get separated. Life gives them a second chance when a chance encounter happens. As the story unravels, Sahil discovers something about Ayra’s life that explains the reason of her behavior and they work towards overcoming it when another storm hits their coast and almost tears them apart. This is a story of love, loss and emotions.

The story of the book is something that one would have read before but the manner in which it is presented is quite fresh. The way in which it is present with alternating timelines is quite interesting and that is what gives this book its flavor. Shravya has taken up multiple points in the book that she addresses and each of them form a critical part of the story. The manner in which Ayra’s story is told is almost something that would send shivers down a reader’s spine when one reads it. With moments that would make one smile are peppered across the book, this story is a roller coaster in itself. There is an emotion of love that is primary, but the book also addresses loss in an interesting manner. The short notes from Ayra to Sahil make the book even better! The climax of the story is heart wrenching and would bring the reader close to tears if one is completely immersed in the story.

Coming to the characters which are one of the critical elements of this book. I usually start with the protagonists but in the case of this book, I would love to talk about Sahil’s parents who are almost like a solid foundation holding up the lives of Ayra and Sahil. The way they handle the situations is something I got truly inspired from. Coming to Ayra, the author has beautifully created a character that had a past that was full of horrors and a painful present, yet the hope never left her. Sahil portrayed a character who was capable of unconditional love and as we go through the story, one cannot resist falling in love with both of them. A special mention is needed for Bhanu & Pathak, the LGBTQ characters of the story, who are not just there for the sake of being there but are an integral part of the story.

Overall, a wonderful book that encapsulates multiple emotions and themes into a story making it unique.

The book scores a 4.31/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book here.

Love Un Stuck-Sudha Nair

Book: Love Un-Stuck
Author: Sudha Nair
Publisher: Self Published

Do you believe old crushes don’t disappear; they just remain hidden unless you come across one day?

Love Un-Stuck by Sudha Nair is the story of Kyra, a twenty-two-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a Bollywood, but her mother has taken up the project to get her married. Tired of the usual fights, she decides to make a run for it to Mumbai to attend an audition which she hopes is her ticket to her goal. Things take a turn when she runs into the very person she hates at her friend’s wedding, who unknown to her, might just be her partner-in-crime. Running towards her dream using her friend’s marriage as a cover, little does she know that this is a journey that would change her life completely.

The story of the book is told in an interesting manner that makes it an enjoyable read. The plot maintains a steady rhythm that is good enough to keep a reader engaged. The scenes are quite detailed and the chemistry between Irfan and Kyra is quite interesting. The way they describe each other gives a different dimension to the story. The plot is simple, although has its share of peaks and valleys. The scene at the music festival in Khandala was written extremely well, and I liked the manner in which the story takes a contemporary turn with the later part of the story, with a climax that gives proper closure to the readers. The title is a clever wordplay on the situations in the book, that is an interesting angle that the author has brought in the story.

The book is primarily driven by the characters of Kyra and Irfan as we see the story through their eyes. The character of Kyra is sketched as the dreamer who will do almost anything to fulfill her dreams. Irfan as been sketched as a person who was like Kyra but had mellowed down with age, though acts as a support to the protagonist. The character arcs of both Kyra and Irfan are quite interesting, given the way they started and the place where it all ends. I also liked how each of the characters has their own quirks that made them unique.  

Overall a love story that made me smile wider.

The book scores a 4/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here.