Twin Reflections by Elizabeth Joseph (The Maze of Mirrors #1)

 

Title: Twin Reflections
Author: Elizabeth Joseph
Paperback: 170 pages
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.(January 2016)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Read: eBook
Stars: ★★★★☆
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

Summary:

(Goodreads)

The maze of mirrors has been accumulating energy for ages. When Vera and Mark unwittingly find themselves trapped in the maze, its passages prove to be the least of their problems. Its magic can be a great tool or weapon, as Queen Missena is learning, and they are at its mercy. As they travel through, the illusions created by the maze takes them to places unexpected and dangers unforeseen.

But Vera has magic of her own. Will her magic help her and Mark escape the maze? Or will they be trapped inside forever?

My Review:

Note: Thanks to Elizabeth R. Joseph for offering me her book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Simple and childlike.

Paper and font: Easy to read font.

Readability, language: Easy on the mind.

I picked up Twin Reflections on a whim, without much research, so it was only at the end after I’d enjoyed the book, that I got to know the author was a teenager, she’s just 14, I was stunned!

This is a story of another world, with magic, and some people of this world have powers and auras. There’s something brewing in the kingdom, like a rebellion. There is also a Maze of Mirrors that is like AI, created but now out of control.

The Queen of the Kingdom can maybe control it but she’s new and doesn’t know the ropes yet. And there are these twins, a brother and sister pair who stumble into the labyrinth and now have to fight with all they’ve got to get out of it.

I was lost in all the detail and all that was happening at the beginning of the book but as I progressed it started to fall in place. There’s a lot happening in the story as Elizabeth Joseph creates this new world and sets the stage for a promising series.

The characters of the twins, Vera and Mark are well described and I felt like I knew them. All the other characters too evoked emotion as I found myself rooting for them, especially Queen Missena when she has this epic fight in the labyrinth.

That was one of my favourite scenes. Towards the end of the book there is this cat fight between two magicians that I enjoyed ( 😛 the secrets out, I like cat fights). Another scene that I vividly remember is when the pins drops and Vera sees through the labyrinth, understanding it’s workings, a very Matrix like moment.

The cover is simple drawing of a girl looking into a mirror, like those seen on children’s books and that mislead me into thinking this would be a simple book. But it isn’t, this is a complex story with many layers and subplots. I’m amazed that a 14 year old mind could envision all that and put it on words too, at 14 I was only reading books. 😀

This book is for ages 14 and above and I highly recommend it. There are some bits where I felt it got very muddled and unclear but it doesn’t take away from the story and I hope Elizabeth Joseph’s writing gets better through the series, like Christopher Paolini’s in the Eragon series. The story holds so much promise for an entertaining series.

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

 
Elizabeth Joseph is a 14 year old 9th grade student in Kansas City. She has written several short stories, poems and plays during her elementary and middle school years. She started writing Twin Reflections in the 5th grade and completed it 3 years later in 2015.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter
 

Six Degrees by Various Authors, (Edited by BlogAdda)

 

Title: Six Degrees
Author: Various Authors
Paperback: 422 pages
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing and BlogAdda.Com (2015)
Genre: Young Adult/Adult
Read: Paperback
Stars: ★★★★☆
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

Summary:

(Goodreads)

As part of their #CelebrateBlogging initiative, BlogAdda.com, ran the first edition of Game of Blogs in September 2014. Five characters and their descriptions were provided. The objective was to write a fictional story revolving around these characters. Bloggers came together as teams and after three rounds filled with its own set of twists and turns, three stories made it to the end.

The three stories in this book are a fascinating example of how one set of characters can have interesting lives with completely different dimensions. Six Degrees is a result of how collaboration can truly breed creativity in the modern day world of connected living.

My Review:

Note: Thanks to BlogAdda for offering me this book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Simple and pleasing.

Paper and font: Easy to read font, thin paper 🙁

Readability, language: Easy on the mind.

Why did I choose this book: This is a rather unique book, a collaborative effort of many bloggers, each story written by 10 people together.

Many months ago BlogAdda ran an activity called Game of Blogs. Teams of Bloggers were created and all teams was given the same set of characters and rules to create a story. These are the best three stories selected by a panel of judges.

The title isn’t clear at first glance and after reading my guess is that it relates to Six degrees of separation between the characters, stories and the storytellers. The cover is covered with a crowd of various types of smiley faces. A predominantly black and white cover with the title in blue. The colours make for a cover that is simple and pleasing to the eye. The blurb is to the point and explains the creation and objective behind the book.

All three plots were new to me and, so different from each other, they took me by surprise. One a sci-fi, second a murder mystery and the third a thriller-romance with LGBT characters! ❤️

Set in present day, all three stories have Mumbai and Delhi as the setting with Mumbai being the main stage. The cities are used well to support and push the stories forward.

The character set is mostly the same for all three stories, there’s Shekhar Dutta, Tara Dutta, Roohi Dutta, Jennifer Joseph, Cyrus Daruwalla and Arya Ahuja. Across stories these characters have some things about them that are the same, like Shekhar, Tara and Roohi are a family, Roohi is a little girl, Jennifer is a photographer, Cyrus a Law student,… But in each story the characters are also different and it’s was fascinating to see the same characters being different in each story. There were also supporting characters, but they were not common to all.

When I started out I wondered about the writing and my enjoyment of it but my fears in this case were baseless. Even though the writing style keeps changing through the book, between stories and in each story (expected with a large team of writers), the glue holds and it held my attention through out.

Each of the stories is written well but my favourite was the first because the plot was unexpected, the writing crisp and there were no sappy scenes. The last one was slow and melodramatic but I did like it too. It’s the in-between story that didn’t fit my bill, with lots of psycho poetry. But I did really like the Inspector Java character and the climax. I didn’t see that one coming.

With shortish stories, there aren’t many subplots and none that are unneeded. Each story builds well to the climax but once or twice I felt the drag and caught myself checking how many pages were left. There was also the goof up with Inspector Java, who’s brother-in-law is discussed at the beginning of the story but towards the end he’s declared single and a romance is broached.

All said and done, this book is a keeper for multiple reasons. As a blogger, it’s a matter of pride at the work of other bloggers. Then there’s the collaboration of over 30 people in the writing of this book. And lastly the fact that the stories themselves are a good read.

I recommend Six Degrees if you are looking for a hatke light & easy read, it’s refreshingly different [sorry for the cliché 😀 ]. Suitable for all ages except maybe young kids.

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

The Authors:

 
BlogAdda (Editor), Anmol Rawat, Preethi Venugopala, Soumyaa Verma, Tina Basu, Ashutosh Bhandari, Paresh Godhwani, Prerna Maynil , Ramanathan P, Shoumik De, Srilakshmi I, Sneha Bhattacharjee, Hemant, Shamim Rizwana, Nirav Thakker, Tushar Mangl, Ritu Pandey, Sharon D Souza, Oindrila De, Anupriya Mishra, Vaisakhi Mishra, Tinu Menachary, Gauri Kamath, Ritesh Agarwal, Aayan Banerjee, Raghu Chaitanya.

Compulsory Text: 6 Degrees is India’s first book published through collaborative blogging, written completely by bloggers for the Game of Blogs activity at BlogAdda. Know more about Game of Blogs here. You can buy 6 Degrees: Game of Blogs if you liked the review. 🙂
 

How To Get Your Heart Broken by Rose Fall

 

Title: How To Get Your Heart Broken
Author: Rose Fall
Paperback: 398 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Platform (March 21st 2016)
Genre: Young Adult, New Adult
Read: eBook
Stars: ★★☆☆☆
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

Summary:

(Goodreads)

A self-proclaimed cynic, Eli is unsurprised by her boyfriend’s betrayal. Yet, its impact goes beyond what she realizes; a cruel bet, an array of secrets, and a thousand lessons not yet learned teach her how to trust again as an unlikely boy shows her a kind of love she never knew existed.

After Eli finds her boyfriend cheating on her, she seeks an escape. She heads to the beach to spend the summer before college with her two best friends. When Eli is unable to move past the betrayal, the girls devise a distraction; a bet about their handsome neighbor. Yet their thoughtless competition goes too far and their friendships are tested as they began to wonder how much they really know about each other and themselves. In the chaos, they manage to learn the truth about love, self-acceptance, and the journey back from rock bottom.

My Review:

Note: Thanks to Rose Fall and YA Bound Book Tours for offering me this book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Soothing…

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Easy on the mind.

Why did I choose this book: It was the cover that first attracted me, and the premise also seemed promising, so I thought, why not…

Eli who has just broken up with her boyfriend (who she caught cheating) is nursing a broken heart and wants to take revenge on all men out there. Rachel her best friend finds a way to do just that, only it’s one man – their good looking neighbour… Well, the books about that, but its also about 3 best friends, coming of age and finding oneself.

The title ‘How To Get Your Heart Broken’ makes sense but only in a round about manner. The cover is lovely, the mellow colours, the girl with her head on a boys chest, it all makes for a feel good cover, pleasing to the eye. The blurb is promising.

The plot was a new one for me, I never read something like this before. It’s clear quite early in the book that Eli is out to take revenge and break a heart like hers was broken. But, there are sub-plots, twists and surprises as the story goes along, some adding to the story and some adding pages to the story.

The story is set on a beach someplace (I just can’t remember if it was mentioned), the 3 girls are taking summer break before heading off to college and their separate ways. Rose Fall’s descriptions of the houses along the beach and the little beach town have stuck in my mind, the little blue house Eli, Rachel and Ash live in, with Ash’s grandfathers relics, felt so real.

Eli, Rachel and Ash are the main characters and each one’s life is explored as the story rolls along. Each one of them has a troubled past that they have to make peace with before they move on. This to me was the interesting part of the story, more relevant than the broken-heart-revenge bit and I felt Rose Fall did not do justice to the girls and their story.

Jessie the boy who is the target of the revenge, seems like an interesting character but here again Rose Fall falls short as the depth his character would have had is missing.

The story is structured well, I really liked how each chapter has a title that is linked in someway to the story of that chapter. Rose Fall also does not leave any loose ends and ties up the story she is telling well.

For me the story was slow paced (may not be for others), but I think that was because the story didn’t grip me at any point, I didn’t get sucked in and start to turn the pages waiting for what was going to happen next. It all didn’t build up to the climax, and when the climax did come, it felt disconnected. (There is a letter Eli writes at the end, that seems so unlike the girl I’d got to know through the book.)

‘How To Get Your Heart Broken’ is written from the POV of Eli, except for some parts where Ash’s perspective is shown through her diary. Rose Fall uses simple language and sentence structure that makes the book an easy read. I did find a lot of missing words though, mostly prepositions and some grammar errors. But these may not be there in the final book published as I think I read an ARC.

I liked reading the book but I do wish Rose Fall had given it more depth and explored more. I did like her writing style though and would like to see what she comes up with next.

Overall a good book but for the right age or person I think. I would recommend ‘How To Get Your Heart Broken’ to those younger than and in their early twenties.

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

 
 
Rose Fall was born in New York City to Senegalese immigrant parents. She is currently studying Communication and Global Studies at UNC Chapel Hill.
‘How to Get Your Heart Broken’ is her debut novel.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter

Giveaway:

 
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Sherlock Holmes The Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy

 

Title: Sherlock Holmes The Missing Years: Timbuktu
Author: Vasudev Murthy
Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (January 5th 2016)
Genre: Detective, Drama
Read: Hardcover
Stars: ★★★★☆
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

Summary:

(Goodreads)

Still wondering what Sherlock Holmes was doing between his reported death in 1891 and his reappearance in 1894? All the world knew that Sherlock Holmes died at the Reichenbach Falls, tumbling over the jagged cliff in a deadly embrace with his nemesis Moriarty. But for history’s greatest detective, death was only the beginning. Rumors abounded that Holmes had been sighted advising the Japanese emperor, studying with the Dalai Lama, and protecting the president of the United States, but only Dr. Watson knew the truth. From 1891 to 1894, Sherlock Holmes was dead to the world and having the grandest adventures of his career.
It begins when an Italian scholar travels from Venice to 221B Baker Street, to beg the help of the legendary detective. He carries an ancient parchment, written in the hand of Marco Polo himself. It is a rubbing made from a brass disc found in the libraries of Kublai Khan, and it was torn in half centuries ago to protect the world from a terrifying secret, one that, apparently, first Marco Polo, then another great traveler, the Moroccan Ibn Battuta, took dramatic steps to guard. Where, if anywhere, is its missing half?
Holmes springs into action. He fakes his death at Reichenbach, and proceeds undercover to Venice. A murdered scholar, an archivist from the Vatican, British imperial politics and, of course, the dire hand of Moriarty propel Holmes and a surprised but resolute Dr. Watson, playing the roles they assumed in Morocco, on a perilous journey down the Sahara to the ancient city of Timbuktu and beyond. In deepest Africa, Holmes will confront ruthless criminals, an ancient culture, and a staggering surprise.

My Review:

Note: Thanks Vasudev Murthy for offering me his book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Beautiful!

Paper and font: Smellishous…

Readability, language: Requires Time and Attention

Why did I choose this book: I have been a fan of Doyle’s work and Holmes is one of my all-time-favourite detectives. So, this was natural progression, plus it was Doyle who left this back door ajar…

By making Sherlock disappear for a few years Doyle created a space that has been filled by so many and so much. This is Vasudev Murthy’s second book in this space. In this pastiche Sherlock Holmes goes on an adventure that involves eternal life, Ibn Batuta, Marco Polo, Tuaregs, Moriarty and Timbuktu.

The title is clear and sets the right expectations by informing the reader that the book is about Sherlock Holmes during the years he was missing, it also indicates where he was or where this book is set. I really liked the cover which is detailed with well chosen font and colours. The little detail of Holmes pipe was a nice touch. The blurb on the inside of the jacket cover is long and somewhat complex but that is a good indicator of what to expect from the book.

The book I received was a hardcover and I must say after a long time, I’m impressed by the print quality of an Indian Book. The paper smells lovely, the font is well laid out and reads easy, and the binding makes me want to keep this book on my shelf. It’s worth noting though that this book is published by Poisoned Pen Press and printed in the USA, so my calling it an Indian Book, in all aspects may not be correct.

The plot is brand-spanking-new and not like any other Holmes novel I have read. There are clear connects with Watson’s style of narrating but Vasudev Murthy also adds his own style and goes on tangents all his own. The objective is clear right at the start, and we know that Holmes is on a quest. The story follows mostly a linear path with subplots being a part of the main narrative rather than separate entities.

The main story is set in Africa, in the environs of Timbuktu but Holmes also visits Rome and Venice. Set in the 1890’s Vasudev Murthy shines here, no matter anything else about the book, in research he gets full marks. The people, places, time and situation are described in so much detail that it’s clear the author spent good time studying his subject, he also seems to have found good subject experts.

Apart from Holmes and Watson, who to most extents are described and behave as I’ve known them, there a bunch of other characters, each described in detail so that I could imagine each one of them and even felt a fondness for a couple of them. One character though stays through majority of the book – Hasso Ag Akotey the chief of the Tuaregs, he doesn’t play a vital role but plays a constant role. There is also the Pope and Moriarty who make appearances in the book.

The story is structured well and has a streamlined flow but it’s complex. I had been warned by the author and I’m passing on the warning. This book isn’t a light read, it requires time and attention. I had to focus and pay full attention to the book, and reading fast was out of question, as I had to slow down and absorb every bit so that I would be able to put it all together as it drew to climax.

Vasudev Murthy has drawn out an elaborate plan that covers a large time and space but in it all he keeps a hold on all the ends and leaves no loose ends. The pace of the story is constant right to the end, a slow and steady pace that’s more academic than thrilling.

The story is narrated by Watson which is consistent with how Doyle went about it, though at times it’s Watson telling it as it was told to him by key characters, and at those times I felt a break in the flow and a slight disconnect. Vasudev Murthy’s hold on all the languages he uses is clearly good, well, I can’t vouch for the French, Arabic and Tamasheq but his English definitely had me reach out for the dictionary often.

In summary this is a good book but only for die hard Sherlock Holmes fans who have the time to do some intense reading. Deeply researched and well written, this book comes recommended by Roger Johnson, the Editor of The Sherlock Holmes Journal and having read the book I now see why. Pick it up at your own peril, for this is heavy and you’ve been warned. 🙂

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

Vasudev Murthy writes on music, humour, management and crime. A violinist and animal rights activist, Vasudev lives with his family and five snoring dogs in Bangalore, India. He has been published by Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Editora Vestigio (Brazil), Poisoned Pen Press, Sage, Rupa, LiFi, Gamesman (Korea) and Kokushu (Japan).

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

30 Days of Daal by Pragati Bidkar

 

Title: 30 Days of Daal
Author: Pragati Bidkar
Paperback: 153 pages
Publisher: Amazon Digital South Asia Services, Inc. (2 edition, 25 November 2015)
Genre: Cookbooks
Read: eBook
Stars: ★★★★☆
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

Summary:

(Goodreads)

30 Days of Daal shatters the myth that cooking Indian food is complicated. The author has taken authentic daal recipes from the corners and heartland of India and made them simpler.

Whether you are a busy urban cook, or someone who is new to cooking Indian food, 30 Days of Daal will make it easy for you. The book contains attractive photos of the daal dishes and has precise step by step instructions with special notes when needed. There is also a section on how to stock an Indian pantry.

Daal is an essential component of an Indian meal, and is cherished as a source of vegetarian protein. Daal is the very soul of India. 30 Days of Daal allows you to cook and enjoy a different daal every day of the month so you never get bored.

My Review:

Note: Thanks Pragati Bidkar for offering me this book to read, use and review 🙂

Cover: Colourful

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes

Readability, language: Could be better

Why did I choose this book: Daal is my soul food, I could eat it everyday and not get bored of it. It’s what I make when I’m down in the dumps and even when I’m happiest. So, 30 Days of Daal is perfect for my first cookbook review. 🙂

30 Days of Daal is what the title says, 30 different types of daal from across India, in all it’s various styles and varieties. It covers daals from the simple Yellow Moong Daal to the Parsi Dhansak and Oriya Dalma.

This is a review of the first edition of 30 Days of Daal, however there is a new edition available now and things might be a bit different in it.

This book starts of with an introduction to what is Daal and explains why this simple lentil curry is so important to the Indian cuisine. This is followed by 30 recipes of a variety of daals and at the end there are details of all the lentils, rice, spices, oil, and cookware used and where you can get them. This section is specially helpful for Non-Indians or Indians who live in the US.

Daal Methya or Fenugreek Flavoured Daal with Chili Oil and ivy gourd palya as the vegetable dish

I tried out the book on my Kindle and on three ebook apps on my Android Nexus 6. I had hoped that it would be easier to use on the phone, as it would be handy in the kitchen and would be in colour, but I was disappointed by the books rendering on the phone. On all three apps the layout was bad and navigation difficult. Even on the Kindle the layout is a little off, but it worked well and was easy to use. Sadly, that meant I had to live with no colours.

Each recipe has an image of what the daal looks like, the set of ingredients needed and the method of preparation. The instructions are simple to follow and Pragati Bidkar has also added notes to make it easier for the first timer. For e.g. she reminds you that chillies splutter and that you must stand back to avoid getting splattered by oil.

One thing that was glaringly missing for me was the serving size. It meant that in some recipes I landed up making too large a quantity for the two of us and we had to eat the same daal for 4 meals to finish it. I’m not complaining too much about it, only because the daals turned out well. 😉

Smoky Black Masoor Daal with Coconut and banana poriyal as the vegetable dish

For some ingredients that are difficult to source outside India, special notes are added about substitutes. This helped me too (even though I live in India), as some of the ingredients aren’t easily available here too. Like Goda Masala, which is Maharashtrian and isn’t available at most stores.

I tried out the Daal Tadka, Daal Methya, Black Masoor Daal with Coconut and Tomato Daal and they all turned out well. As you can see for trying out, I choose the simplest recipes I could find but I flexed a bit and experimented a bit too with a couple. I’m looking forward to trying out the slightly complicated (to me) ones like – Daal Bukhara, Parsi Dhansak and Panchmel Daal from Rajasthan.

Over all this is a good book to have in the kitchen, as it can add much variety to a simple everyday dish like daal. I recommend it for all who love the Indian cuisine, especially if you like cooking it. 😉

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

 
Pragati is the founder and creator of the vegetarian food blog KamalKitchen.com. She started experimenting in the kitchen at a young age and since then has traveled to many places and absorbed regional cuisines and influences. She focuses on using local produce and selective herbs and spices. Her next book ‘Rice Bowl: Vegetarian Rice Recipes from India and the World’ will hit the stands on March 1st, 2016.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

Love on 3 Wheels by Anurag Anand

 

Title: Love on 3 Wheels
Author: Anurag Anand
Paperback: 161 pages
Publisher: Srishti Publishers (December 6th 2015)
Genre: Contemporary, Drama
Read: Paperback
Stars: ★★★★☆
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

Summary:

(Goodreads)

What Happens When Love and Destiny Come to Loggerheads?
Love on 3 Wheels is a saga of love, lust, aspirations and trickery that unfolds over a period of three days, propelling those in its midst into an unmindful frenzy.
Sargam: A young and ambitious girl misplaces a parcel purportedly containing a large amount of cash. This sets off a turn of events that are certain to leave their imprint on the lives of many.
Sharib Sheikh: An auto rickshaw driver whose fault is that he fell in love with the wrong person at the wrong time.
Dr. Abhigyan Kukreti: A prominent doctor who has more skeletons in his personal closet than a mid-size cemetery.
Ameena: A simple village girl who, like Sharib, finds herself at the wrong end of love.
Junaid: A swindler with his heart in the right place.
A Real Love Story that is bound to make your heart skip more than a beat!

My Review:

Note: Thanks Anurag Anand for offering me this book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Eye-catchy!

Paper and font: Feels good and reads easy.

Readability, language: I didn’t come across a lot of words I didn’t know, but I did find a few.

Why did I choose this book: I’ve read Anurag Anand’s previous books The Legend of Amrapali and Where The Rainbow Ends and liked them, so… well…

This a story of three people (well, actually 5 but three key people) over 3 days. Circumstances change each of their lives drastically and this is the tale of how it all comes about. Anurag Anand explores human emotions and imperfections through the story.

When I first saw the title and read the blurb I kept wondering how much the title – Love on 3 Wheels would tie in to the book, but having completed the book the title makes a lot of sense as it connects up with the auto that plays a big role in the story, it also relates to the unbalanced nature of love, something going along on 3 wheels. The cover is quite different from ones we see these days, it grew on me, plus it reminded me of covers past, of books bought from handcarts on railway stations. The cover and blurb both remind me of the good old Higginbotham days.

The plot is a many time told tale of interconnected lives and how one little thing sets off an avalanche of events in many lives. But the story feels interesting and I turned the pages in haste as I tried to find out what happens to each of the key players. Keeping the story short to events over three days is also a good ploy to keep it tight and fast paced.

Set primarily in Delhi the story moves across the city. I’m not very well versed with Delhi but it did feel like the little I know of the place. Anurag Anand has used the city and it’s people well to add to the story and give it good backing.

There are 3 key characters plus 2 main ones. Each adding to the story and weaving themselves in. The characters are described well and I felt for and against each of them. I really came to like Ameena by the end but found myself loathing Sargam for her selfish attitude and callousness, and feeling something akin to pity for Sharib, the self-absorbed lover with no trace of reality. The characters are flawed, real and I could relate to them.

Spread over three days, Anurag Anand introduces each character in turn as the events unfold. The conflict is clear in the initial part of the book and it resolves itself as the story progresses. The story winds up well too, it’s not a happy ending and yet it felt real and believable. There are no loose ends, all characters are accounted for except Dr. Abhigyan Kukreti, who just disappears.

Written in third person, Love on 3 Wheels is easy to read; there were just a couple of words I didn’t know. The language is simple yet its descriptive and absorbing. The pace of the story is good, it kept me turning the pages as the complications began. It was like watching a magician make a knot and then with a flourish unknot it. I didn’t realise when I reached the end, and after about half-way, I kept on till the end.

I quite enjoyed Love on 3 Wheels, Anurag Anand has done a good job as the book has left me thinking and mixed up in emotion. Each character has endearing characteristics, and frustrating mannerisms, their personal stories and backgrounds make a good backdrop for the choices they make and it’s repercussions.

YA & Above. I recommend this book if your are looking for a good fast read, the kind you want to take on journeys, be its bus or train or plane or even if it’s just a reading evening with coffee or wine in the cosy chair. 🙂

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

About the Author:

 
Anurag is a banker who wrote his first book ‘Pillars of Success’ at the age of 25. After his first two non-fiction books, he has been writing in the fiction genre, and has written over 10 books.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

The Thirteenth Day by Aditya Iyengar

Title: The Thirteenth Day
Author: Aditya Iyengar
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: Rupa Publications (June 1st 2015)
Genre: Epic, Historical, Action
Read: Paperback
Stars: ★★★★☆
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

Summary:

(Goodreads)

It is the tenth night of the great war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Bhishma, the venerable patriarch of the families, lies fatally wounded on the plains of Kurukshetra. On his deathbed he offers Radheya, his nemesis, a chance to rule the Kuru kingdom by capturing Yudhishthira.

In the Pandava camp, Yudhishthira, a reluctant warrior, tries desperately to hold his allies together and escape capture without appearing to be a coward. Meanwhile, his young and impulsive nephew, Abhimanyu, a warrior prince, dreams of glory and yearns for a chance to save the Pandava cause. The lives of these three warriors, Yudhisthira, Radheya and Abhimanyu, collide brutally on the thirteenth day. A story of how stories are created, how fact becomes fiction, how history becomes mythology and how men become legends, The Thirteenth Day re-imagines India’s greatest epic like never before.

My Review:

Note: Thanks Aditya Iyengar for offering me this book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Detailed!

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Easy on the mind!

Why did I choose this book: A different angle to the many times retold story, caught my interest. I’ve read Draupadi’s perspective in the The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and have Uruvi’s (Karna’s Wife by Kavita Kane) point of view lined up. This was a good addition to the list. 😀

This is a retelling of the Mahabharata with the subject as Abhimanyu. This is his story – his quest for glory, his contribution to the war and his death.

As Abhimanyu’s story the title is appropriate for it was on the thirteenth day of the Mahabharata war that his valour on the battlefield made him a known name for ever. A darkish cover, there is something about it that I quite like, it drew me in every-time I walked past, inviting me to peer at the details. The blurb does a quick job of setting the stage and telling the reader what’s coming. Short and sweet.

I remember watching B R Chopra’s Mahabharat on Doordarshan, and the chakravyuh had made such an impact. I found myself cheering the young hero, being filled with indignation at his murder and feeling grief at his death; the emotions searing the character in my memory. So, this plot isn’t new and yet, it felt so because of the perspective.

Set in Kurukshetra the story starts out on day 10 of the war, when Bisma falls to the arrows of Arjun. In a bid to save the Kuru race, Bhishma asks Radheya to take the throne and bring about peace. The next couple of days are all attempts to capture Yudhishthira and it is these attempts that lead up to the chakravyuh. Aditya Igengar doesn’t just describe the war but also all that happens behind the scenes when the war is not on, in the camps and around the campfires, and does a good job of it.

The story is narrated from the perspectives of Yudhishthira, Radheya and Abhimanyu. The story unfolds with insight into their characters, their fears, their motives, their ambitions; I’d never before got to know Abhimanyu’s story this way. Aditya Iyengar has described each character well through the eyes of the main storytellers. The main and support characters are rich in detail and it felt like I knew them.

The story seems to follow a three act structure made up of days – 11, 12 & 13. There aren’t any loose ends but there is an abrupt end, smoothly delivered, such that the reader doesn’t feel all that bad about not knowing what comes after. The pace of the story is good with a build-up towards climax, that kept me glued to the book.

I enjoyed Aditya Iyengar’s style of writing and language. The Thirteenth Day was simple and easy to read both in words and sentences. The paper quality is good and the font makes for comfortable reading. The book is a breeze to read and an enjoyable one at that.

I’d recommend this book if your are a epic fan and even if you are not. For this book has insight into the minds behind the war and action & drama. So if you are someone who likes a good action drama, this is a book to pick up. YA and above.

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

About the Author:

Aditya Iyengar has worked for ten years as a writer in advertising and television. He has been writing fiction for five years now, mostly in the hours between sunrise and ten AM.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

Title: The Bestseller She Wrote
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Paperback: 391 pages
Publisher: Westland (October 28th 2015)
Genre: Romance
Read: Paperback
Stars: ***/5
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

Summary:

(Goodreads)

He was a bestseller She wanted him to make her one.

Paperback king, Aditya Kapoor life is straight out of a modern man’s fantasy. His literary stardom is perfectly balanced by a loving wife and a spectacular career. With everything he touches turning to gold, Aditya is on a winning streak.

Shreya Kaushik is a student with a heart full of ambition. Young, beautiful and reckless, Shreya speaks her mind and obsessively chases after what she wants. And what she wants is to be a bestselling author.

What happens when their worlds collide? Is it possible to love two people at the same time? Can real ambition come in the way of blind passion? Can trust once broken, be regained?

Master storyteller Ravi Subramanian, delves into the glitzy world of bestsellers and uncovers a risky dalliance between a superstar novelist and his alluring protege.

The Bestseller She Wrote is a combustible cocktail of love, betrayal and redemption.

My Review:

Note: Thanks BlogAdda and Ravi Subramanian for offering me this book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Bright and Conspicuous

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Easy on the mind!

Why did I choose this book: I was offered this book by Blogadda. Since this was a deviation from Subramanian’s standard writing fare, it caught my fancy.

Shreya wants to be a bestselling author and she will do anything it takes to get that, even destroy a marriage as she comes between Maya and Aditya. But will Bestselling Author Aditya Kapoor be used and abused or can he save his marriage. Shreya can get all she wants without this destruction so why is she doing this? The answers the climax. 😉

The end justifies the title; it’s appropriate and it caught my interest. The cover is bright and conspicuous, it’s one you can’t ignore. As for the blurb, it’s succinct and simple.

I haven’t come across a plot quite like this one before, a story of blind ambition and it’s repercussions, while also dealing with betrayal. At a lot of points I found myself thinking I knew what would come next but Subramanian surprised me repeatedly.

Set in present day Mumbai, the author has woven the city well in his story and the city is always present in the shadows. He has also woven in a lot of pot-shots and truths about the publishing industry. There were a lot of places where I found myself laughing when I made the connection to real life and many a place I was shaking my head at the sad publishing truths.

The book has a large character set, but they all play important roles in the story and take it forward. Aditya, Maya and Shreya are sketched well. I found myself doing exactly what the author wanted, feeling for Maya, hating Shreya while admiring her guts and feeling both love and hate for Aditya. The only character who left me disturbed was Sanjay, his involvement has me still confused; I can’t find them but there seem to be loose-ends there.

The story is well laid out, though the pace slows down a bit and gets draggy toward the end. Almost as if the author was implementing his advice from the book on words per book. The story builds up well toward the climax and takes you by surprise. All loops are tied up though the Sanjay threads are a little twisted and knotted up for me, his plot didn’t sit too well in the jigsaw for me.

I enjoyed Subramanian’s style of writing, his snide remarks and tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. His Hinglish (which I particularly loved) is simple and easy to read and I didn’t once have to reach out for a dictionary, which was refreshingly nice!

Not just a story of blind ambition and betrayal, The Bestseller She Wrote is also the current state of India’s publishing industry – from author antics to emotional blackmail, Facebook fiascos to newspaper scandals, anything goes and it’s all in the book. For YA and above. Recommended if you are looking for a fast mindless read!

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

About the Author:

Ravi Subramanian is an alumnus of IIM Bangalore and author of seven previous commercial novels. Having been a banker himself, he has a unique insight into the industry he writes about.
Ravi lives in Mumbai with his wife, Dharini and daughter Anusha.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

😛 Compulsory Text: I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Title: The Starriest Summer
Author: Adelle Yeung
Paperback: 377 pages
Publisher: Indigo Platinum Press (December 1st 2015)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Read: eBook
Stars: ***/5
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

Summary:

(Goodreads)

Fifteen-year-old Michelle saves the world on a daily basis…with her trusty video game controller, of course! Naturally, she jumps at the chance to play an experimental virtual reality game.

The beautiful fantasy world of Starrs? Check. The power to mold matter? Check. No reset button? Wait, she didn’t sign up for this!

Turns out Starrs is really real, and to make matters worse, Michelle’s interference awakens the Cycle of the Six Moons, a series of devastating trials that will devour the universe.

Fighting the apocalypse was way easier when danger stayed on the other side of the screen, but Michelle finds a secret weapon in her new-found powers. She uses them to rescue the crown prince of a powerful magic kingdom from their sworn enemies, a technologically-advanced cult that strives to eradicate magical blood.

Michelle starts to fall for Prince Jayse, the only one who believes Michelle to be a savior rather than a curse. But not even video games could prepare her for what the cult has in store for them…

My Review:

Note: Thanks Adelle Yeung and YA Bound Book Tours for offering me this book to read and review 🙂

Cover: Eye-catchy!

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Simple on the mind.

Why did I choose this book: I love watching Che play story based video games, so a book based on getting sucked into a game just had to be read!

Michelle gets pulled into a different world when she starts to play a virtual reality game. Only this isn’t a game but is real and Michelle’s arriving in this world has set of a chain of events that could end the world. She has to team up and save the world.

The title The Starriest Summer is appropriate considering the book is predominantly set in the Starrs world. The cover is attractive and caught my eye. I couldn’t make much sense of the characters on the cover initially but looking at the cover after completing the book makes it all clear. The blurb is enticing and got me interested.

I’ve never come across a plot like this before so it was a refreshing find. I really like the idea of falling into a video game and becoming an actual part of the game. The plot is clear, as in Michelle has to save the Starrs World but the whole thing about the Cycle of the Six Moons was complicated and I’m still confused about it.

The world of Starrs has been created well and I found it very believable. Yeung’s descriptions of the terrain made it easy to visualise the world as I read the book. It almost felt like watching someone play a story-based video game.

The main character is Michelle but she is supported by a bunch of primary, secondary and tertiary characters. The characters are well fleshed out and described rather in detail too but somehow some things just felt odd for me in my head. Some characteristics and even clothes just didn’t suit the characters I had drawn up in my head. That said, I must add that Michelle felt real with her fears and hang-ups. Getting pulled into the game doesn’t make her a superhero and I liked that.

The story follows a three act structure and is split into 3 parts, with the conflict clear in the first few pages. The flow of the story is good and so is the pace, I found myself wanting to read constantly to know what would happen next. But the pace is also constant and there is no build up to climax, it doesn’t feel like a climax, but that might be because it is to be a series?

The language used is simple and easy to read but I think the book could have done with one more proofread. I found quite a few grammatical errors and missing letters. At some points it just felt very childish too, the dialogues were just too cheesy, even if said by teenagers.

Overall I enjoyed the book and definitely recommend it if you are a Young Adult and into video games and that kind of fantasy.

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

Adelle Yeung is the author of The Cycle of the Six Moons trilogy, a young adult fantasy adventure. She is also a voice-over artist who can’t go a day without a cup of tea. When she’s not writing or recording, she enjoys sewing costumes, baking sweets, and escaping on video game adventures.
She lives in California with a cat that dreams of eating the pet bird.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

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