Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi | Book Review

Before the Coffee Gets Cold
by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
#BookReview

An unassuming basement café in Tokyo - Funiculi Funicula - lets you travel in time.

But the opportunity comes with certain conditions.

Only one seat in the café allows the time travel.

No matter what you do when you go back, your present will not change.

You must return back before your coffee turns cold.

With time travel at its heart, Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a thought-provoking exploration of time, regret, and the human longing for second chances, served in four delicately crafted short stories.

I'd been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Book after book failed to capture my attention, leaving a trail of unfinished books in their wake.

I was on the lookout for something light, comforting, and engaging, when I picked up Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It proved to be the perfect antidote to my reading fatigue. The book is easy-going in its narrative and endearing characters had my attention from the very first page, making it a breeze to read.

‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini | Book Review

‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini  #BookReview

I had read ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini long time back – almost 10 years ago after it came highly recommended to me by my college bestie GD. I remember I had found it a heavy read – maybe I wasn’t fully ready to understand the complexity of the story and all that it had to offer. This January when I went to my hometown, I found this book in one corner of my bookshelf there and I picked it up again. And I must tell you what a fabulous read it has been and I am so glad to have read it again. It is an emotional and heartbreaking read, one that will need you to stop and reflect deeply about the grey shades of human behaviour. If that is something that piques your interest, you should definitely pick this book next (in case, you have not already, given the popularity of the book).

The story in ‘The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini’ is complex and layered and spans over decades; it explores the themes of loyalty, friendship, betrayal and redemption. Set in Afghanistan that is on the brink of political upheavals after the fall of the Monarchy, the story walks the readers through the political scene in the country over the years – the Soviet military intervening, the fleeing of refugees to Pakistan and the United States and ultimately the rise of Taliban.

At the heart of the novel are two main protagonists – Amir and Hassan. Amir is the son of a rich Pashtun businessman in Kabul and Hassan is the son of their servant – Ali, a Hazara. Even though they are a class apart, Amir and Hassan grow up together to become pretty good friends. Both of them love flying kites and are experts in their own right. Amir in a bid to win his father’s attention and love ramps up to win a local kite festival with the help of Hassan. Hassan is unflinchingly loyal to Amir and can go to lengths to stand up for him. However, Amir (often painted as timid) comes with his shades of grey and is unsure about his feelings for Hassan. So, when a time comes where he should have rescued and stood up for Hassan, he cannot muster the guts. This incident haunts Amir for the rest of his life and is instrumental in deciding the course of events later in his life.

I will not dwell on the storyline here as it is the thing to read in the novel. Hosseini is a master storyteller and just knows how to keep the readers hooked with a brilliantly constructed plot, an unwavering narration and beautiful prose. The characterization is superb – each one of the characters painted in various shades shines in their own space and as a reader, you can empathize with them. The story has all the elements in the right balance – there are tales of friendships, drama, romance, and suspense and with all that is happening throughout the novel, there is also a sense of hope in the end. That makes it all worthwhile. In the final chapter, many loose strings in the novel come together which personally makes it a gratifying read for me.

Throughout the book, I kept bookmarking lines worth quoting in this review. I think I should do a separate post on the quotes from this book because there are so many of them worth sharing here. But for now, I am going to quote a few of my favourites here.

If you read this book, do share your thoughts with me on my Facebook Page, Twitter Handle or tag me on Instagram @jyotibabel using the hashtag #jyotispages 

“People say that eyes are windows to the soul.”

“I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.”

“For you, a thousand times over”

“It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime...”

“And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.”

“There is a way to be good again...”

“It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn't make everything all right. It didn't make ANYTHING all right. Only a smile. A tiny thing. A leaf in the woods, shaking in the wake of a startled bird's flight. But I'll take it. With open arms. Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting.

“Not a word passes between us, not because we have nothing to say, but because we don't have to say anything”

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means, that if you make a purchase through the link, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

You can purchase the book through the link below. 

If you are on social media, take a minute to follow me there to stay updated about my blog posts. 

                             Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie | Book Review

And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie #BookReview

“When the sea goes down, there will come from the mainland boats and men. And they will find ten dead bodies and an unsolved problem on Soldier Island.”

- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.

Somewhere around last year, DH expressed his desire to read some good books. He specifically said he would like to read something thrilling and interesting. So, I suggested him to try Agatha Christie books and since then he orders a new book every other month.

To give you some background, he has had his fair share of reading books during his school days, but he never graduated to become a serious book reader. He religiously goes through the newspaper every day and reads financial stuff online, but reading books has not been his cup of tea. But, now whenever the reading bug bites him, he picks up one of Christie’s work. So, courtesy him, I have a good number of Agatha Christie titles at home.

I have read a few of Christie’s work in the past and had thoroughly enjoyed them. So, I again started off with her best-acclaimed work - ‘And Then There Were None’. And truly, it turned out to be as exciting and riveting it promised to be. This is among the first books I read this year, but I am getting around to write the review only now.

Karna's Wife - The Outcast's Queen by Kavita Kane | A Book Review

Karna’s Wife – The Outcast’s Queen by Kavita Kane #BookReview

Karna’s Wife – The Outcast’s Queen by Kavita Kane tells the story of the unsung hero of Mahabharata – Karna – the sutaputra through the eyes of his wife – Uruvi. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the epic saga – Mahabharata. In a way, it is re-telling of Mahabharata in the voice of Uruvi but with Karna at its heart.

Indian Mythology happens to be among my most favourite genres when it comes to books. There was a time when I would pick any interesting title themed around Indian mythology. Apparently, that was why I picked up Karna’s Wife by Kavita Kane a couple of years back. I had even started reading it back then, but left it midway due to reasons I don’t remember now. Early this year when I scanned my bookshelf, I was appalled at the number of unread titles I had and then and there I decided some of them need to be read before I bought more books. So, it was time for Karna’s Wife – The Outcast’s Queen by Kavita Kane to be read.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green | A Book Review

 The Fault in our Stars by John Green
#BookReview

Reading ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ by John Green was an emotional rollercoaster ride for me. A book that has the backdrop of cancer certainly cannot really be an easy read, but was it fulfilling? Yes, it was and it was well worth my time and tears. As the story unfolds before you – the characters will seep into you and so will their emotions – their tales of love and loss, their triumphs and defeats and their laughter and tears. While reading the book the hopelessness of the fragility of life got me often, but it also gave me the sense that life is what you make of it. The author has done a great job in taking the readers on a journey that is filled with despair and yet is hopefully beautiful.

The Fragile Thread of Hope by Pankaj Giri | A Book Review

The Fragile Thread of Hope by Pankaj Giri
#BookReview

The Fragile Thread of Hope by Pankaj Giri is an emotional, heart-wrenching tale that explores various facets of human emotions – love, loss, struggles, grief, loneliness and hope. It shows us that one must hang on to the fragile thread of hope despite all the hardships and struggles life throws at you. Essentially, it is the story of two grief-stricken people, Soham and Fiona and how they move on in life and finds solace in each other’s company. But, it is not as simple as that. I am quoting the blurb of the book to give you an idea of the plot.

In the autumn of 2012, destiny wreaks havoc on two unsuspecting people—Soham and Fiona.

Although his devastating past involving his brother still haunted him, Soham had established a promising career for himself in Bangalore.

After a difficult childhood, Fiona's fortunes had finally taken a turn for the better. She had married her beloved, and her life was as perfect as she had ever imagined it to be.

But when tragedy strikes them yet again, their fundamentally fragile lives threaten to fall apart.

Can Fiona and Soham overcome their grief?

Will the overwhelming pain destroy their lives?

Seasoned with the flavours of exotic Nepalese traditions and set in the picturesque Indian hill station, Gangtok, The Fragile Thread of Hope explores the themes of spirituality, faith, alcoholism, love, and guilt while navigating the complex maze of family relationships.

Inspirational and heart-wrenchingly intimate, it urges you to wonder—does hope stand a chance in this travesty called life?

Little Maryam by Hamid Baig | A Book Review

Little Maryam by Hamid Baig # BookReview

Little Maryam by Hamid Baig is a beautiful, poignant, and heart-wrenching love story that takes you on a journey of emotions – happiness, heartbreak, love, separation, betrayal, sorrow, heartache and so much more. As you turn the pages of the book, you will surely be in for a roller coaster ride – with many highs and as many lows. When I finished reading it, I kept down the book with a heavy heart and I literally cried. It is not some cheesy romantic love story, but a story of love, loss, redemption and sacrifice.

Set in Dehradun for a good part, at the heart of the story are two central characters, Maryam and Saadiq. Maryam is the daughter of a Colonel and Saadiq is the son of the Colonel’s gardener. Love blooms between these two since the first day they met as kids and as years pass by their feeling for each other just gets stronger. Under the crudest circumstances, the lovers are separated and their love remains unrequited. However, this is not how the author introduces us to Saadiq or Maryam in the story.

Stand Strong by Shubha Vilas | Book #4 of Ramayana- The Game of Life Series

Stand Strong by Shubha Vilas #Book Review
 Book #4 of Ramayana - The Game of Life Series

Stand Strong by Shubha Vilas is the fourth book of the Ramayana –The Game of Life Book Series. Since I have read the first 3 books of the series; I was elated when I got the opportunity to read this one. Stand Strong is a modern retelling of the Kishkindha Kand of Valmiki Ramayana - it tells us all about the events occurring in the monkey kingdom of Kishkindha. Like the previous books, this book too doesn’t just narrate the stories from Ramayana but also imparts insightful life lessons to the readers. The book is motivational, enlightening, and encouraging, all in the same breath.

Harnessing the Windmills of the Mind by Abraham Thomas | Book Review

Harnessing the Windmills of the Mind by Abraham Thomas
#BookReview

In the pell-mell of life, who has not sometimes felt overwhelmed? The mind seems to be in an endless churn...leading us in circles of despair, anger and frustration... Where do we turn when we are floundering? The answer lies within. Windmills offer practical and sustainable ways forward through Effective Mind Control (EMC).

How to control your temper

How to cultivate patience

How to face grief

How to deal with guilt

How to escape from the well of sudden disappointment

How not to feel dissatisfied with life

How to avoid despair over the lack of meaning in your life

These pages abridge the behavioural aspects of the AI thesis about the mind on the Effective Mind Control website. EMC has drawn keen interest from around the world, logging over half a million page views from over 150 countries. EMC assumes that IA, an intuitive algorithm, enables the mind to apply inductive reasoning to manage attitudes and behaviours. Windmills suggest simple mental and physical exercises, followed by wise men across the centuries, to change our own views and actions...pointing the way towards a positive life experience.

The review of this book has been long due. I had received a review copy of the same from Leadstart Publishers. Actually, I had chosen this title from a list of books they had to give way for review. The reason why I was interested in this particular book was the tagline of the book – achieving effective mind control. Well, who doesn’t want to have a full control over their minds? All of us and we all know that it is a herculean task.

As I read this book I realized that you cannot read it in a go. The book is thought-provoking and you have to slowly soak in the nectar of the book. And also unless you apply what you have learnt through the book, you can’t give your opinion about the same, right? That is one of the many reasons (travel, blogging block, Diwali, etc., among others) why it took me so long to write about it here.

The author has described the human brain as a composition of millions of windmills that control how we are, how we behave and how we live our lives. If we can guide and have control over these windmills we can take charge of our lives. And this can be done by following some mental and physical exercises. Sounds easy, right? But, to be able to practice them in everyday lives needs a person’s willingness to change, patience and above all discipline.

The author has touched on every aspect of our lives, the problems and dilemmas we face – sadness, guilt, fear, disappointment, anger, impatience, low self-esteem and more. All these take a toll on the quality of our lives and make us show the futility of our meaningless lives. The irony is that the solutions to all our problems lie within us. But we do not know how to go about it. That is what the book shows us - with the help of breathing exercises, mindfulness exercises the book shows us some ways that can help in fostering positive thinking and a positive attitude towards life and help us fight our own demons.

While I can say the content of the book is great, I wish it was written in a different way. At some point, it starts to sound boring. If it had been written like a practical workbook, it could have been utilised better by the end users.

You can check out the book in Amazon

Thank you for stopping by. Cheers!

Book Review | Return of the Trojan Horse – Tales of Criminal Investigation by Amit Dubey

Return of the Trojan Horse – Tales of Criminal Investigation 
by Amit Dubey #BookReview

The blurb says:

Hello Amit, don’t waste your time; you can’t hack my system. But we will hack your country! Ameen.

They know me! This wasn’t good. The greatest fear a hacker has is having his identity revealed. During investigative operations, I always guarded my identity like the Kohinoor diamond. Then how could they have reached me? It was a-l-m-o-s-t impossible. 

A young software engineer, who, as a hobby, starts helping the Police in solving criminal cases, turns into a critical resource for the Force. He becomes entrapped in the system. Return of the Trojan Horse is the riveting narration of how he is compelled to draw inputs from his personal life and use sharp thinking and advanced technology to solve the criminal cases he is brought into. Based on real life, the book reveals the next generation methodologies used in crime investigation.

With the advent of internet and technology, our lives have changed drastically. We cannot imagine living a day without internet and our gadgets. Every facet of our lives is touched by technology; from the way we shop our groceries, plan our holidays, to how we book our cabs, movie tickets, etc. Whatever we do on the internet, we leave our digital footprints behind. While technology has made our lives easier, it has also made us more vulnerable.

We live in a world where criminals and terrorists are using hi-tech methods and equipment to plan their acts. And hence it is no surprise that those involved in criminal investigations also use advanced technology and next generation methodologies to crack crimes cases. Return of the Trojan Horse – Tales of Criminal Investigation by Amit Dubey gives us a sneak peek into the world of crimes and criminal investigation and how big a role technology is playing in today’s time.

Before I talk about the book, here is something about the author Amit Dubey that you should know. He is a well-known persona in the field of Crime Investigation in India and helps various police departments and security agencies in India to solve criminal cases. He is an IIT alumnus and a software engineer by profession. He speaks regularly at international conferences on cybercrimes and ethical hacking. He has also been featured by CNN-IBN as a National Security Expert.

Given the author’s background, I had high expectations from the book as I felt that the author will be drawing in from his rich experience in the cybersecurity field and will have something interesting to share. The book didn’t just meet my expectations but surpassed it. There are three different fictional case studies in the book - one dealing with a terrorist attack, one involving a kidnapping case and one revolving around a hit and run case (although I do feel somewhere they do have some resemblances with real incidents). All of them are narrated in simple and easy to follow language. The author doesn’t aim to preach or educate you about anything – he just narrates you a story of criminal investigation and how with the help of technology he helped in solving them. The use of technical jargons is minimal and hence the storytelling never feels overwhelming at any point in time.

As you go through the pages of the book, you will know how easy it is to track anyone who uses a smartphone and is connected to the internet. It is quite scary in a way that we are all oblivious to how vulnerable we all are in today’s time connected by technology.

The narration in the book is crisp and to the point. Yet, it often evokes many emotions in the reader– at some point, you will feel angry, sometimes anxious and helpless and often you will feel a strong sense of patriotism. A good pick for anyone interested in reading stories from the field of cybersecurity, criminal investigation and ethical hacking.

This book makes for a great gift for any book lover. So, this Diwali you can gift it to a book-loving friend of yours.

I received a free copy of the book from Leadstart Publishers in lieu of an honest review.

Jason Cage (Jason Cage Series #1) by aKay Brothers – A Book Review

Jason Cage (Jason Cage Series #1) by aKay Brothers 
#BookReview

Books can make you travel places and that is one way it helps in breaking the monotony of life. Last few months things were quite busy at my end and I was hardly getting any time to read anything worthwhile. All the titles I had at hand were not looking very inviting and were pushed away with the ‘read later’ tag. And then I got a mail from the authors of this new book ‘Jason Cage’ for a review and as I read the blurb I was instantly interested.

The authors of this book call themselves aKay Brothers – a pen name under which they are writing a series of books centering around the life of the protagonist named Jason Cage. The book review I am posting today is for the 1st book that has been published recently.

What an interesting and exciting read this book has been! And now I can’t wait for the next book in the series. At first instance, I felt it was a crime thriller, but then there are elements of paranormal fantasy and also some sub plots in historical settings. The best thing about the book is the pace of the story – it builds up interest in the readers and gets them hooked. Even when the settings in the book change, the pace is maintained and that I believe is one of the hallmarks of a good writer.

But, then there is something that needs to be worked upon. I came across a number of editing errors and spelling mistakes in the book that needs to be done away with to enhance the reader’s experience. A tighter editing is recommended for future books.

Jason Cage is a man with a mysterious birth and has a life that is far from normal. He is tormented by his dreams – they are the precursor of events that are about to happen in someone’s real life or in some cases have already happened. But one thing is common - his dreams bring bad tidings. After losing his parents to unnatural deaths and after a stint at a Medical school where he befriends Lisa and Bill, he finally seeks solace in a Buddhist Monastery in Ladakh. Jason knows that his stay there won’t last forever, so he tries to make the most of his time there by keeping a very low profile. But, little does he knows that his dreams will strike him again and he will not have an option but to follow them.

Don – a peculiar creature resembling a lion is Jason's companion and has been by his side most of the time since his birth. The uncanny and peculiar thing about it is that it is visible only to Jason. The author takes us places through Jason’s dreams – sometimes to a time more than half a century ago where a doctor is trying to frame his friend as a blood sucking vampire and then to place where a man meets his death in the most mysterious circumstances after opening a parcel. There is again a sub plot with the settings in ancient Egypt where a man’s folly leads to the rising of the devil.

Amidst all this, there is this dream where Jason sees that Lisa’s (who used be his crush in his college days) life is in danger. That’s when he decides it is time to venture out and save Lisa. But how is he going to do it? He has no idea where Lisa is and to top it, he has no money. How will Jason embark on his journey to save Lisa and will he be able to do it?

Another plot running through the book is that of Dr Dhristi from RAW. After a successful mission of capturing LeT head (seriously that reminded me of the Akshay’s Kumar starter movie –Baby), she deploys her best man to get hold of Jason Cage. Why? That’s a question I am hoping would be covered in the next books.

Just as is expected from books where the story is revealed in a series, there are too many unanswered questions in the first book of the Jason cage series.

What has the Egyptian devil from centuries ago and RAW from the present times got to do with Jason?

How all of these are going to converge to Jason is a thing to read in sequels as and when they get released.

This is a book outside my frequently read genres and it was a welcome change for me. Anyone who is interested in crime thrillers or books on paranormal fantasy will surely find it a great read. If you want to know more about the book, you can visit the author’s website. www.akaybrothers. You can grab a copy of the book on Amazon too.

I received a free r-copy of the book from the authors for an unbiased review.



Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Book Review - Half Pants Full Pants by Anand Suspi

“This is a book about childhood, best enjoyed after you have left it behind.”

What the renowned filmmaker RR Balki has to say about the book:

"After Malgudi Days, I could never imagine that somebody could create another childhood classic for adults to regain their innocence even for a few hours. Suspi’s tales would have made R K Narayan smile. Oh! That beautiful Kannadiga gene!"

'Half Pants Full Pants' by Anand Suspi is an endearing read. It is the author’s debut novel where he recounts his real-life childhood tales from Shimoga, a then sleepy town in the state of Karnataka.

This book was sent to me by paperboatdrinks (Hector Beverages) and was with me for over 2 months before I picked it up to read. Well, as the adage goes – better late than never; I am so glad to have read it. Reading it was such an amazing experience. As I turned pages after pages of this book, I often got transported to my own childhood days and to my own stories. A wave of nostalgia often hit me and I wished if I could relive my childhood again. It is perhaps our lives' biggest irony - when we are kids, all we want to be is grow up and when we do, we wish we could travel back in time and enjoy the pleasures of childhood again.

There are altogether 38 stories in the book – some from the half pant days and other from the full pant days of the author. And each one succeeds in evoking a sense of nostalgia in the readers. In some way of the other most of us – from the pre-internet and gadget-free childhood days, will be able to relate to these real-life childhood tales of the author in some ways or the other.

The first story in the book revolves around a popular idea that did the rounds in my school days too – when a coin in put on railway track and a train passes over it, it turns into magnet! Back then, I didn’t have any mean to check it. The author being the son of a railway employee had the opportunity to find out the truth of the idea first hand. But, instead of a magnet what he got was a 5 paisa badly shaped chapati!

The author has had a fair share of adventures in his childhood. Some of them are exclusive to him – how many of us can boast of driving a train? I guess none of us can boast of that. But, there are so many other anecdotes - on fighting mosquitoes to imagining self to be some sort of detective (most of us must have been thorough that phase after reading famous five books), to climbing trees, saving pocket money, to delving deep into philanthropy, to detesting gourds (same-pinch), and so on. One thing that is sure this book will do to you - it will make your revisit your childhood.

Thank you Anand Suspi for crafting a book of your childhood tales; and thank you paperboats for publishing it so that it could reach the readers.

Highly recommended. You can buy it on Amazon or Flipkart. It makes for a great gift to friends and family.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

We Will Meet Again by Tarang Sinha | Book Review

We Will Meet Again by Tarang Sinha 
#BookReview

The blurb says:

Paridhi Mathur, dusky, beautiful, and (determined to be) single, is doing everything to keep her academic records high and her love life nil, but lady luck keeps frowning at her. When she meets Abhigyan Ambastha, rich - devastatingly handsome, intense and sometimes curt, her resolve wavers. Despite regular warnings from her ever-suspicious heart, she inexplicably gets attracted towards him. But she would not let him trespass her soul. Why? Is she scared of mendacious face of love her past has inflicted on her? Can Paridhi really trust Abhigyan? Will a blissful breeze of love ever kiss her heart? A heart-warming saga of dreams and desires, We Will Meet Again promises to make you smile and cry at the same time. Hold on to your hearts before embarking on this roller coaster ride of emotions!

If I could describe the novel in few words it would be – light and breezy romantic read. I had downloaded the book on kindle when it was available for free one fine day and soon forgot about it. After a few days, I had to take a flight journey with my toddler and luckily my baby boy slept most of the time during the travel. That’s when I started reading this book (these days I get to read only when my baby sleeps) and when I was home I utilized every opportunity to finish the book.

The story is infectious; once you start reading it you feel the need to know what happens next. I must add here that the story line is not something out of the box – in fact it is quite predictable and the plot is linear too. But, there is something about the book that connects it with the readers instantly. It is the author’s writing style and the characters in the novel which struck a chord in my heart and made the reading very enjoyable for me. I strongly have a feeling that the author is inspired by people around her to build all of them.

One thing that could have been done away with in the book are the typos and editing errors – they can ruin an otherwise good book.

Paridhi is a simple and down-to-earth girl. Her character is very well sketched by the author. The way her relationship with her father, sister, her best friend, etc., is portrayed, various shades of her character bloom. Various incidents throughout the story also bring out the finer details - how protective she feels for her family, how it hurts her self-esteem when someone not from the family offers her monetary help, etc. However, I was hoping for a stronger reason in her past which makes her determined to stay away from Abhigyan.

The character of Abhigyan is like every girl’s dream hero. I did feel at times that he was too good to be true; such gentlemen are hard to find. Paridhi’s sister and her best friend Geet are very likable characters. The story is quite fast paced – lots of things happening and no dull moments. While it might not work for many – it did work for me as I was looking for a quick, breezy read. If you are looking for a beautiful romantic story for a journey or a light ready in between some heavy reads, just go for this one.

Typically, I do not include bio of the authors in my book reviews. But, since this book is by a fellow blogger I feel inclined to include it here. You can also check her blog:
http://tarangsinha.blogspot.in

About the Author:

Tarang Sinha is a freelance writer and editor. She is an avid reader and active Blogger. Her works have been published in magazines like Good Housekeeping India, Child India, Woman’s Era and Alive, and a bestselling anthology “Uff Ye Emotions 2”.                 

A science graduate, she holds a Diploma in Creative Writing in English from IGNOU. 'We Will Meet Again...' is her first novel.

You can buy the book here.

Note: 

This post contains affiliate links which means that if you buy on the site through the links, I may earn a referral commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.

The Gods, Demons and People of Kunhimangalam by Sunil Kumar K N ~ A Book Review

This space has been silent and deserted for months now. Well, I have no excuses – it is just that whenever I think about penning down thoughts about a book I read or a recipe I tried, words do not pour out. I think I am going through an extreme case of blogger’s block (or is it writer’s block?). Anyways, so what am I doing here today? Well, I accepted a book review request from Leadstart Publishers and I am going to rant about the same here. I must apologize to them first as I took ages to read and review the book.

The Gods, Demons and People of Kunhimangalam by Sunil Kuman KN is an unusual book for me to pick up – to be frank it is not the kind of genre I frequently read. But, I just wanted to read something different, something intriguing and something that is not run-of-the-mill. Well, I think the book mostly fits the bill – but still there is something missing.

Kunhimangalam is the name of a small village located in the Kannur district of Kerala. The author through his book takes you on a journey by chronicling the various folklore, old tales and historical events associated with the place. Every chapter in the book takes you through a different story – each with its own flavour – some are rich in myths, some tell you about the traditions of the place and some dwell on the historical happenings that shaped its destiny. But, there is a problem in the way things are narrated – I did feel the flow of the book was not smooth and it didn’t connect with the readers as it should. After I was done with one part, I didn’t feel the tenacity to read the next part right away. I do feel if the legends and tales of the place were interwoven with a fictional story, it would have made a more interesting read.

To sum up my opinion on the book - it makes for a good slow read for those who are interested in knowing about the legends and folklore of not-so-popularly-known places in the country. I do admire and commend the author for his choice of premise and the efforts he has made for his debut book.

Metamorphing by Kunal Pancholi

I should have posted the review of this book months ago. But, as fate would have it, it got postponed indefinitely. I received this book as a review copy from the publishers and hence, I have been feeling guilty for not taking out the time to post the review here. Finally, I am penning down my thoughts about it and I am feeling good. 

The 'metamorphing' in the title of the book is essentially 'metamorphosing'. I guess the author used metamorphing' for sheer convenience. 

When I first had a look at the cover of the book - Metamorphing by Kunal Pancholi, I gave me a eerie feeling. The cover depicts a murder site and it says - The Hunt Begins. It had been a while since I read a murder mystery, so I was really looking forward to find out what this book had to offer. Before delving further deeper into the story in the book, I must share what the blurb of the book has to say.

28TH APRIL, 2000: Flight No. 9x4876 bound to Srinagar has crash landed into the Everest Base camp. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the flight mysteriously went off the radar for few minutes and missed its landing. All passengers are feared dead… except for three bodies that are yet to be recovered.

8TH DECEMBER, 2050:This, without doubt is the most gruesome murder in recent times. Early this morning, an unidentified woman was found mutilated at the western gates of the abandoned Victoria Terminus Station in Mumbai. Authorities report her head was … well … semi-decapitated and she was drained of all her blood. The shocking part - the crime scene was devoid of any signs of blood spatter…

ROHAN: I was shorter than the shortest girl in school; I had to be ahead in the game!
RUDRA: "Was I a private detective? What kind of sinister case am I getting into?"

"A thrilling tale about two men bound by an untraceable yet undeniable fate. One running away from his past, another unaware of his own."

 
If you think you have an inkling of what is happening in the book, then you are likely in for some surprise. As is evident there are two main characters of the story - Rohan and Rudra. The story is narrated in first person by these two characters in alternate chapters. That can get quite confusing if not done right, but in this book the author has done a commendable job in maintaining the clarity in the narration. The language used in the book is simple and easy to understand. The two narrations, although completely different seem to complement each other quite well and build the tempo in the story.

I would not want to reveal anything about the story than what is already revealed in the blurb, as that would definitely be a spoiler. I would not be surprised if the author came up with a sequel of the book in future.

This book is a good choice for reading in journeys - it will surely keep boredom at bay.

5 Soul Searching Short Stories by Shailesh J. Khatri - A Book Review

Quoted from the blurb -

“Five stories with five critical messages on life… Five situations with the protagonist making a decision that changes his life... Five circumstances that show you that life is never fair and yet… one needs to make the critical decision.

Amar, a promising stock analyst, gets the job of his dreams. However, circumstances lead to his failure. What does Amar do?

Uma is looking for the purpose of his life. He wants to give up the luxuries of life to find the truth. Does he eventually succeed?

Ravi loses his job one fine day and befriends those who tell him that the rich should sacrifice for the poor. He believes them. Does he benefit?

Vikas is shocked and annoyed when his parents decide to take him to their native village instead of Switzerland. What does he learn?

Pratap, a gold medalist in law, gets the job of his dreams in a well-known law firm. He faces a trying case. How does he respond?”

I received the book from BecomeShakespeare.com in exchange for an unbiased review.

When I first heard about this title, I expected that this book will be packed with 5 stories told in an extra-ordinary way. The word ‘soul-searching’ in the title of the book is what got my attention. Now, Lets find out if the book live up to my expectations?

Consisting of a bare 115 pages, this book 5 Soul-Searching Short Stories by Shailesh Khatri falls in the type of book that you can finish reading in a short reading session. The plots of the story are such that you can relate to it – they are picked from the everyday happenings in an ordinary man’s life. However, the way the stories are written and narrated doesn’t make the desired impact. There is something lacking in the narration which makes the stories easily forgettable.

All the stories start well and have the capacity to keep the reader’s engaged, but somewhere in between the narration falters. The plots are good, but depth in characterization is lacking. Another minus point was that the stories were quite predictable. So, the reader had nothing to look forward to at the end of a story.

I understand the author has put in a lot of effort in his maiden book. I hope my review will help him in doing away with these drawbacks in his next work.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!