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Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Sunday, 14 August 2016
SHAMSUDDIN'S GRAVE
BY
PAROMITA GOSWAMI
BLURB
Latika's wrecked personal front leaves her completely shattered. So when her ailing father reveals his desire to go back home, she doesn't think twice and moves to her hometown. She joins an NGO and comes across a teenager rape victim. Much against her TL, Debjyoti's wish she sets out to trace the girl with Shamsuddin's help. Will she succeed or end up in big trouble?
Shamsuddin, a daily labourer, somehow manages to thrive in the city. Meanwhile, flood devastates his house in the village. His family takes refuge in a relative's place where his wife has a tough time resisting to the advances of her brother-in-law. Can Shamsuddin arrange for an accommodation before it is too late?
Set in Guwahati amid the backdrop of flood and ethnic turmoil, "Shamsuddin's Grave", is the story of migration towards big cities for a better life.
Check out the book trailer:
Review: Shamsuddin's Grave is a story told with lots of emotions and love. It is a story which deals with the plight of homeless people in the north east state of Assam. The story deals with people and their emotions and it is what caught my attention first which made me to read the book.
The story shows how caste and religion matters when it comes to extremely poor people and how are they used and abused by people with power in their hands. Shamsuddin is a person who has lost everything in floods and tries extremely hard to make ends meet. His only dream is to own a house and unite with his family. On the other hand, Latika is a woman with modern thoughts, battling her own setbacks. The two meet and a bond develops between them over time. A case of teenage rape victim comes across Latika and the NGO she works for and she is determined to solve the case and help the victim with Shamsuddin's help.
The story feels real. It shows what is exactly happening in some interiors of our country. It depicts the sad state of affairs when it comes to homeless people. The two characters, Shamsuddin and Latika are poles apart when it comes to thinking and education, and they are nicely brought out. This contrasting characters is what made me hooked to the book. Also, I loved the ending. The simple narration hits hard at the right places and pinches you.
Although, the narration is good, it could have been tight. At times, I felt the lack of editing hamper a good narration and the story. Elimination of few typos, grammar and editing check could have helped the story, but it still is a wonderful one time read. I say one time because of the heaviness of the topic.
Overall: Shamsuddin's Grave is a brave attempt by the author to put forth the plight of homeless people and the author succeeds at it.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.in | Amazon.com
Read an excerpt
Read an excerpt
It was 2.00 a.m. in the morning and Kalapahar woke up to the cries of people. People didn’t know what was going on. There was no electricity and all they heard were the cries of women, children and men for help. Stampede of people running across the roads towards the uphill area shouting for help.
Latika too woke up hearing the cries. She switched on her night lamp but there was no electricity. She stepped down from her bed and landed into knee deep water soaking her pyjamas. Terrified, she reached for the torch on the night table and switched it on. She was traumatized to find her room flooded. The water level almost reached her bed wetting the mattress. She didn’t waste time and waded through the water to check on her father’s room. It was similar situation there too, with the only difference that the old man was sound asleep due to medication. She woke him up and went to check the other rooms.
It was similar sight all around. Dining chairs, gas cylinder, utensils, tables everything floating across the rooms. She turned off all the switches and whatever valuables she could lay her hand upon, she collected in a bag. Then she pulled a chair on top of her father’s bed and made the old man sit on it with the bag. She checked the water level outside through the glass window with the hope of evacuating the house. But it was worse and riskier to wander out with an old man in flood water at night. She knew she could not make it.
Help was unreachable as of now, as everyone was fending for themselves. She heard the neighbors crying for help but no one listened. Even the cell phone network was jammed. She knew she could not do anything but wait. At last she pulled a chair on the bed and sat down beside her father clenching his hands in hers. Both prayed eagerly for all this to be over.
Latika too woke up hearing the cries. She switched on her night lamp but there was no electricity. She stepped down from her bed and landed into knee deep water soaking her pyjamas. Terrified, she reached for the torch on the night table and switched it on. She was traumatized to find her room flooded. The water level almost reached her bed wetting the mattress. She didn’t waste time and waded through the water to check on her father’s room. It was similar situation there too, with the only difference that the old man was sound asleep due to medication. She woke him up and went to check the other rooms.
It was similar sight all around. Dining chairs, gas cylinder, utensils, tables everything floating across the rooms. She turned off all the switches and whatever valuables she could lay her hand upon, she collected in a bag. Then she pulled a chair on top of her father’s bed and made the old man sit on it with the bag. She checked the water level outside through the glass window with the hope of evacuating the house. But it was worse and riskier to wander out with an old man in flood water at night. She knew she could not make it.
Help was unreachable as of now, as everyone was fending for themselves. She heard the neighbors crying for help but no one listened. Even the cell phone network was jammed. She knew she could not do anything but wait. At last she pulled a chair on the bed and sat down beside her father clenching his hands in hers. Both prayed eagerly for all this to be over.
About the author
Paromita Goswami
A nomad at heart and a rebel by choice is the best way to describe her. Paromita Goswami had always believed in making her own path. She says life is full of stories that are waiting to be told.
Author of Shamsuddin’s Grave, published in 2015, an offbeat social drama based on critical social issue, Paromita Goswami loves to write about life and relationships. She has written many short stories for online magazines. Her upcoming works are, Grow Up Messy, is a humorous collection of short stories of a mischievous five year old girl. The book is a ride down the childhood days. It was part of blogging challenge, #atozchallenge2016 and second is The Jungle Series, a collection of short stories #paranormal, based on the jungles of Chhattisgarh.
Besides writing she is also the founder of Raipur Little Minds Book Reading Club that has a major objective of developing the book reading habit in children. She is also the founder of Book Studios that makes book trailer, book covers and banners. Making travel documentary is her other passion.
Paromita is married and lives in Raipur with her family including her pet cat and dogs. She loves to connect with her readers and can be easily traced on all social media sites.
You can stalk her @
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Wednesday, 3 August 2016
DANCING WITH DEMONS
by
Nidhie Sharma
Blurb
Karan Pratap Singh is on the brink of winning the Amateur Boxing Championship, when in a moment, he loses it all. His fall from glory seems fuelled by ruthless arrogance and an out-of-control anger management problem. That, however is just symptomatic of a deeper issue. Buried under layers of his fractured subconscious lies a childhood secret he cannot come to terms with.
Sonia Kapoor is a beautiful, volatile young woman with a secret that torments her at night but a secret that she feels no guilt for.
When fate throws Karan and Sonia together in Mumbai, their personal demons and pasts collide and stir up trouble in their fragile and uncertain present. But, is redemption possible without forgiveness?
Dancing with Demons is a fast-paced action drama of love, loss and resurrection.
Review: Dancing with Demons is a love story of a sportsman. What
kept me intrigued is the lovely book cover to start with and then the amazing
plot.
The story is about Karan Pratap Singh who is touted to be
the next big thing in the boxing world. But, things went wrong during his biggest
match. He lost the match and even got a four year ban from
boxing. Here, the chemistry between the coach and the protégé is brilliantly
brought up and somewhere I could feel the pain of his coach, Jerry.
Sonia who has her past and Karan who has his demons to fight
are put together, as she turns up as a paying guest in his apartment. Life is
not easy for both of them as they somehow strive hard to earn a living and make
ends meet. Here, the love –hate relationship between them is very nicely
brought out and it is one of the factors that kept me turning pages.
Subsequently, both of them decide to face their demons and
set ahead in life with right foot forward.
The plot is superbly etched and each and every character is
so nicely brought out that it had a lasting impression on me. I could easily
visualize everything right from the start and it shows how good the narration
and plot is. I could not find even a single dull moment in the book. The other interesting thing is that, the book
will soon be made into a motion picture.
Overall: The book is simply difficult to put down and it
kept me entertained right from the start. I would recommend this book to one
and all and especially to those who love reading romantic fiction.
Grab your copy @
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Wednesday, 13 July 2016
About the author- Nivedita N, a Hyderabadi has taken the yatra called poerty in 2007. He journey along with walks with poetry books include conversations with her muses over cups of chai or sitting near the Hussain Sagar Lake and a rendezvous with thehistorical figures. She currently resides in Milwaukee where she meets her muses over Caramel Coffee during Spring and Fall and hiberantes during Midwestern winters.
On the jacket- This book is a collection of the poems that have been read in poetry groups. Blame the group members if you find these ramblings nonsensical. Written in her journal, the poems are sign posts along the journey called ‘everyday’. This is an attempt to recapture the thoughts over a period of the years she lived away from home yet moved closer to it.
Review: Poems are a way to express the inner most feelings and bring out those feelings and emotions like an aroma of a freshly brewed coffee. In the book 'Aerogramme and other Poems', the author Nivedita N, has brought out such feelings and emotions through some wonderful poems. The feeling after reading the poems stays for a time and this shows how the choice of words and writing has an affect on the reader. Poems such as 'We Never Knew' and 'The Refugee' made me nostalgic, remembering the old days whereas 'Two Cane Chairs' and 'Aerogramme' hit me hard.
Overall: I would recommend Aerogramme and other Poems to each and every aspiring poet and also readers in general. This breezy poetry book will have a lingering effect once you have finished reading it.
Ratings: 4/5*
Sunday, 10 July 2016
About the author- Karan Shah is a corporate lawyer and a freelance writer. A poet at heart, all his writings have a beautiful rhythm and rhyme, even the most prosaic ones. Co-editor of the college magazine, scribble is his blog where he makes the arguments he usually can’t make in Court. If not seen arguing at either of the places, often trekking and travelling, exploring new places.He is from a small valley town of Roha in western Maharashtra and currently he stays in Mumbai.
On the jacket- Some of us put up a brave fight and try and live life on our own terms, while sadly the majority resigns to the fact that they have to accept whatever life throws at them and keep moving. Here author attempts to dissect human lifetrying to reason that even if people have to accept the fate it has to be with dignity and not with a sense of defeat.
Review- We all have some ideal characteristics that define us. It is these characteristics that take us long in this journey of life. But, there comes a time when our ideals, our characteristic is put to test by the life's various challenges and situations. It is our behaviour during the distressed time, that truly define us. This behaviour stems from the ideal characteristics that define us. The book 'Human Being' details those very characteristics in present life situations.
So characteristics such as 'Acceptance', 'Boastful', 'Insouciant', 'Nonjudgmental', 'Quaint' and many more which we at most times fail to exercise, the author brings them to limelight. The author uses short stories to explain the importance of such characteristics and in a way brings them to life which had been left far behind in this journey of life.
The author rightly puts the need for being human not by words, but by character.
Overall: I would recommend everyone to read this wonderful and place it as a guide for being a better human being.
Ratings- 4/5*
About the author- Chandni Moudgil is a working mother trying to attain the nonexistent professional and personal balance. She took up blogging as a means to build her life in the third dimension. As she marches on to create something that she terms as ‘Digital identity’,she’s found her first book along the journey. Open to criticism or conversations albeit over coffee, you can find her tweeting about her LifeInTechnicolour or blogging about everything under the sun at her alternate reality space.
On the jacket- Every Day Stories about some extra ordinary women. A bored housewife plans the perfect escape, an ambitious top performer gets double crossed by life, a young girl harbours a secret that’s eating her up inside. Turn the pages to discover the world of Everyday Women and don’t be surprised if you see someone you know in there.
Review- Got Me For Life is a collection of 26 short stories where the protagonist is a woman in each story. Women play an important part in our lives and the small things which they do rarely gets noticed. Along with that, her dreams, her aspirations, her wishes also gets suppressed in the male dominated society. However, the author through her stories has brought back the dreams, the aspirations, the wishes of thousand's of women. Stories such as Beauty With Purpose', 'Dreams', 'Half Past Thirty Five' Isn't It Ironic' and many others bring out the hidden pain and hidden wishes which dwells within a woman.
While reading the book, it felt as if the author has lived through some of the situations, if not all while penning the stories. Or as it is said on the jacket, 'dont be surprised if you see someone you know in there'. The stories took me through the realities of life and the way we as human beings mold ourselves accordingly. Some of the stories are so simple yet hard hitting whereas some of the stories will make you think.
Overall: I enjoyed reading the book 'Got Me For Life' for the wonderful stories which it has in store. I would recommend this book to each and everyone who loves reading.
Ratings: 4/5*
Saturday, 18 June 2016
Author: Urmila Deshpande
Published by: Frog Books
ISBN: 978-93-52015-79-5
Genre: Fiction
Price: INR 180
No. of pages: 147
On the jacket: Her real parents were dead by the time she was five years old. Her grandfather said she was cursed. Raised by adoptive parents, Ananya became a swan from an ugly duckling, with the help of her mother.
Then suddenly one day, she finds herself going through a transformation. What follows is a series of mysterious incidents, a strong force of destiny, propelling her towards the unknown, something that is beyond logic or reasoning.
In this journey towards light, she meets people who intorduce her to the loving devine energy and also the dark energy of the devil.
Ananya, an intelligent, logical young girl, finds herself on the verge of insanity. She cannot understand these mysterious forces. Is the divine pouring her love on her or is it her mind which playing tricks at the behest of the devil?
Review: I choose to pick up this book after finding the blurb interesting and different from some of the books that I have come across. Initially, the story hold me through, as I simply kept on turning the pages with more eagerness to what will happen next. To start with, I found the story intriguing as I was eager to know what the story will lead to. And finally, I came to know the story is about reincarnation, life cycles, chakra and all things which most of us do not believe into.
I decided to give it a read at one go. I found the first person narration helping me to understand better from each and everyone's perspective about the story, about the life of Ananya and what is it that is troubling her so much. After flipping the pages, the author lets us to the another world, the world of astrology, chakra etc. The author tells us that there are some things, some solutions to inner problems which only can be cured with the help of occult sciences.
To some extent, the author has done a fair job in explaining it to the readers. I went with the flow, as the narration style and the plot kept me hooked. I felt that a thorough research has been done on this subject. But, somewhere it became an information overdose for me. I felt it too repetitive to my understanding with respect to the story. But, that is fine as long as the book kept me entertained.
I did not find any proof reading errors as such and the writing style is pretty simple for everyone to understand the story.
Overall: I would suggest to pick 'Ananya- A Journey Towards Light' for it brings to the table a fresh story told in a different perspective. So grab your copy now!
Ratings: 3/5*
KALEIDOSCOPE - COLOURS OF LIFE
A LIVING SERIES: BOOK 3
BY
INDERJIT KAUR
Blurb
"Patience helps you endure all the troubles and issues that bother you. When you reach a stage, where the only remaining option is to release the things that are clinging on to you and pause your life, you feel enlightened and feel the positive impact of the change, and you no longer see yourself a victim of life.
Kaleidoscope - Colours of Life is a of inspiring stories, suggestive poignant thoughts and ideologies that serve as a guide in every stage of life. Interlaced with threads of experiences of life and the lessons learnt from them, the book depicts seven inspiring stories weaved into the magnificent array of a rainbow. Charting the various shades of life, the book further highlights the ups and downs of each of the characters, who are embedded here as a metaphor for a rainbow, in the patio of a plethora of circumstances.
By sharing wisdom, experiences and insights, Kaleidoscope - Colours of Life intends to deliver a message that will inspire and empower the readers to sense happiness and contentment, and help them to navigate life as a truly confident individual."
Grab your copy @
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Inderjit Kaur
Inderjit Kaur is an author, motivator with a powerful voice of spreading positive words through her writings. A highly influential blogger and inspirational guide who with her tag line ‘Keep smiling, keep shining’, has brewed up with the original concept of living through her books of A living series.
Review: There are plenty of self help books in the market that helps us in various topics but there are only a few that helps in bringing positivity in our lives and that too with some lovely stories to start with. The book is divided into 2 parts; Part A: Rainbow and Part B: Contrast and Hues. What amazes me is the author's capability to bring positivity, motivation and colours together to explain things that can help us to stay positive when the chips are down.
The author chooses the colours of rainbow to bring to us seven wonderful stories with a dash of hope and positive outlook towards life. Along with that, the stories have an undercurrent of plenty of emotions with fizz that are waiting to spilled out, just as the reader starts reading the book.
The Part B can be summed up as an ultimate guide to look up to when you are in search of some motivation and positivity in life. I started reading quickly but then decided to go slow, absorb what the author has to say, and only when I am sure that I have understood it correctly and brought some things into practice, I started reading further. Along with motivation and loads of positivity, the Part B also teaches us things to do, to stay committed and focused on the goals.
So what I liked in the book is:
1) Giving hope to the readers that no situation will stay the same. Things will take a turn for the good. So all you have to do is stay afloat and wait to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
2) The way the author has put across all that she had to say by comparing the colours of rainbow to stay optimistic and positive, along with a mini guide on staying motivated is commendable.
3) Using some simple stories that speak about strength, positive outlook and having a lovely quote at the end is what I could easily connect with.
The only thing that some may not like is that there is way too much of positivity and motivation throughout the book. So, my advice will be to read slowly, imbibe what the author has to say and then move forward.
Also, I did find some proof reading errors but that in no way takes away the charm of reading this lovely self help book.
Overall: I liked reading this book and will come back time and again to help me stay motivated in some difficult situations and trying times.
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Saturday, 14 May 2016
Encounters
Someone's Always Waiting
Someone's Always Waiting
by
Sumana Khan
Blurb
ENCOUNTERS is a potpourri of five sumptuous stories involving a motley crew of protagonists. Skating along the borders of fantasy and paranormal themes, the stories track incredible and poignant journeys of self-discovery, tracing the cathartic aftermath of fleeting encounters.
Review: I am reading Sumana Khan for the first time and I was left spell bound after reading Encounters - Someone's Always Waiting. There are very few authors which you read for the first time and fall in love with the writings and Sumana Khan is one such author.
The book is a collection of five different short stories revolving around the themes of fantasy and paranormal themes and each one of them are unique in their own ways. Everything right from the stories, the characterization, the narrative and the climax with superb twists, left me spellbound.
The author has narrated the story from the first person perspective which has provided that edge in all the stories. I, for once felt as if, I, myself am narrating the story and floating through the various characters mentioned in the stories.
All the five stories somewhere has managed to touch my emotions and that shows how wonderful the stories are. 'First Love' left me enthralled, 'The Storyteller' gave me goosebumps, 'Reminiscence' and 'Happiness Clinic' filled me with lots of emotions which did not subside easily and finally 'Best Friends' made me feel happy. Usually the readers tend to forget the story but with Encounters it is different as I simply cannot forget the stories, They are so nicely written. Kudos to the author for that.
Overall: Grab this book and get engrossed in the varied stories as you Encounter one thrilling ride of myriad emotions! A definite read for all the book lovers.
Grab your Copy @
You can get this book directly from the Publisher
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumana was born and raised in Bengaluru, Karnataka, where she went on to graduate with a BSc in Electronics, much to the surprise of her teachers, and relief of her parents. In what can only be described as a quirk of fate, she ended up as an IT consultant - a role she essayed for more than a decade. She then moved to the UK where she quit her job and pursued academic and literary interests. The result of this pursuit has been two Masters, one published book, quite a few manuscript drafts, and above all, being stone-broke perpetually.
She currently lives in the UK with her husband and several books.
Stalk her @
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