Reading Writings

Gone Mother is a book with a very interesting twist. And yes, it is a gripping tale because it kept me hooked till the end. I finished it in one sitting and that too, without skipping pages. I didnt pay attention to the full stops or chapter-scene separators because the narrative had a smooth flow. Karin surely knows how to engage a reader with her vivid imageries. I must admit, as I neared the ending, my heartbeats had increased due to curiosity. Alice is definitely a plucky woman and a lucky kid. A lucky female child would be more appropriate. Karin has subtly highlighted the issue of child abuse. Yes, it is sad but true, child abuse exists in every society. And what is worse is that the paedophiles and predators are generally people known to the innocent victim. These abusers are psychologically sick and take out their frustrations on hapless children. Besides, lack of awareness and trusting the wrong person by parents does allow such abusers to escape unscathed, unnoticed. ...

Lisa Brunette is gearing up for her new release of Framed and Burning: Book Two in the Dreamslippers Series . Release date is November 27, 2015 and pre-orders are being taken now for this new novel. Framed and Burning, Book Two in the Dreamslippers Series Published by Sky Harbor LLC # of pages TBD since it's a pre-order November 27, 2015 pub date Genre: Mystery Book Synopsis: The Dreamslippers are a family of private investigators who have the ability to "slip" into your dreams. The first book in the series, Cat in the Flock, was published to critical acclaim and is trending at 4.5 stars on Amazon with 35 reviews. In Framed and Burning, someone sets fire to Mick Travers’s art studio, killing his assistant, and Mick won't give an alibi. His dreamslipping sister--the eccentric Amazing Grace--is convinced he's innocent, but her granddaughter and the police aren't so sure. Was it Mick, or is something darker behind the fire? ADVANCED PRAISE  ...

I learnt the art of writing flash fiction from Carly Berg through her book by the same name. And from this collection of hers, I have learnt the power that very short stories have. Coffee House Lies is a flash fiction collection of very short stories which can be read anywhere, any time. In fact, each story is refreshingly different, hence you feel like continuing; its like 'let me read one more!!'. Carly has ensured that each story is like a different cup of coffee, differing in taste, aroma and presentation. The stories range from being creamy and hot as a cappuccino, strong as an espresso, chocolatey as a mocha, icy cold as a frappe and at times both hot and cold like Viennese coffee. Well-written, these stories capture almost all variants of an imaginative mind. They also appeal to all possible emotions - joy, peace, sorrow, disgust, anger, courage, love, humour, astonishment, and the like. Left to myself, I could go on and on raving about these stories. To sum...

As children, we get to hear various legends which sound very scary. The Ghost of Normandy Road is one such narrated through the eyes of a ten year old boy Danny. John Hennessy definitely kept me hooked to his book till the very end. The narration is fast paced, purposedly left distorted at few points, a bit gothic and with appropriate language. It gives you the right amount of chills and frights. The book also brings about aural and visual imageries in the mind of the reader. Its like a movie being played with all the sound and light effects needed in a horror movie. The story has the potential to involve the reader as a participant in the proceedings of the story. The icing on the cake was the ending. Totally unexpected and unthought of. In fact, it is the ending which will make the reader go back to the story again and again and again to check out for loopholes if any. There are a few issues, like absence of reasons for the ending, sudden changes in scenes, etc., but once...

The Red Wraith is a story which intrigued me since the very first chapter. Never had much exposure to historical fiction, but this story had the power to keep me glued till the end. Nick has a writing style that can keep you guessing whats going to come up next. His narration is undoubtedly a mix of fantasy, fiction and history, but kudos to him to have kept the historical facts as they were. Definitely well-researched I must say. Especially for me, though I am from India with not much awareness about Native Americans, this book led me on a journey towards discovering a whole new world. What sets this story apart is that, inspite of being based on Native Americans, the descriptions regarding destruction and the way a whole community getting wiped, does ensure development of a feeling of empathy. Naysin is a character who has the qualities of being loved, hated, sympathised and felt sorry for. His character compelled me to think about the younger generation of the modern worl...

Book Description:  When Wisconsin veterinarian Doc dies, his family learns that to  inherit his fortune, they must decipher the cryptic codicil he added to  his will—“Take Doofus squirrel-fishing”—and they can only do that by talking to Doc’s friends, reading the memoir Doc wrote of a Christmas season decades earlier, searching through Doc’s correspondence, and discovering clues around them. Humor abounds as this mismatched lot tries to find time in their hectic lives to work together to solve the puzzle. In the end, will they realize that fortune comes in many guises?     Doc’s  Codicil is a mystery told with gentle humor. It tells the story of a veterinarian who teaches his heirs a lesson from the grave. Purchase on Amazon .     About the Author:  It seems my life has been a testament to questionable decisions and lost opportunities. However, my wife of 39 years says she knows of nothing in the re...

It was serendipity which made us discover the writings by an awesome Author, Tomas Care. In fact, if we say that we owe it all to The Shorthand Prince, we won't be wrong!!! Tomas has oodles of creative imagination which definitely generates envy. Here's a snippet of our chat with him.   GR: Who is Tomas Care in real life? TC: I was born in Salisbury, England in 1980 to an antique book seller and a nurse. I write part time, with the rest of my time wasted on earning and studying.  I have always loved writing. I have been mainly influenced by Raymond E. Feist, Gene Wolfe, Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, C.S. Lewis, George R. R. Martin and (of course) J. R. R. Tolkien. I am also a fan of John le Carré's work. I'm currently reading A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R. R. Martin. You can follow me on Twitter; Follow @jollygreentom . You can also contact me at tc@tomascare.co.uk GR: Wow!!! This is what people call True Dedication!! Now that your books ar...

The Shorthand Prince is the first book in a series called the The Three Cards. To call it a fantasy fiction will be like underrating it. It is like an allegory from which parallels can be drawn in real life situations as well. The book revolves around King Sultes. Its his story all the way. The conflicts between his roles as a king, a husband and a father form up the central theme. King Sultes is a character you will love to love and love to hate at the same time. What he does as a father is well-justified, after all, love for one's child will make a parent go to any extent. But yes, as a king, it is totally unacceptable. A king is a protector of his subjects, hence his turning out to be their silent destructor, is an absolute no-no. When you finish reading the story, it will make you want to forgive King Sultes as a father but not as a king. Tomas Care has an awesome imagination and his creativity has ensured that the world he has created is impeccable. His descriptions a...

Murder in the Bougainvillea is a story that is short, sweet and at the same time compelling. You can't stop once you start reading. The story has all the required elements of a supernatural murder mystery. It has a well-written plot, tight narrative, excellent characterization and above all, absence of jargons. It is a must-read because of the protagonist Natasha Green as well. Natasha is down-to-earth, sensible, practical and very observant. I am sure, her observation skills will come in handy later on as well. As the perfect side kick, Sid does a pretty good job supporting her. I won't give away the plot etc., because you need to read it to love it.The narrative does trigger a mental movie, and the story is like watching it happen in front of you without actively participating in it. To sum up, if you need a feel good story that ensures 'all is well that ends well', and at the same time keeps you hooked on till the end, then this book is definitely your k...

I wish I could give this collection 10 stars instead of 5. Its an awesome read from the start to finish. I cannot specify which amongst the stories are my personal favourites because they all are. Each of the story in this collection has the power to pull the strings of your heart. The stories will make you grieve, cry, smile through your tears, empathize, introspect, in fact, they will make you feel every emotion that exists under the sun. The title for this collection is perfectly apt. The collection is like pottery and each story, each poetry, each quote, like its creation; they are independent but very much connected. The collection has an earthy flavour to it, whereby, every story is like some thing happening in reality. The stories are the real protagonists in this collection. Dan is a wonderful storyteller. His narrative style and choice of words make the stories feel so real, its like seeing real life in print. The stories get you so involved that you can't stop unt...

Read a book which was refreshingly different. A new concept about Sensates - People who have the ability to send customized sensations to others. In simple words, Sensates can feel the desires and sensations of others, imbibe their takents with a single touch and derive their strengths through rides, as in loads of physical contact. The storyline is pretty interesting. Hani, the protagonist is unaware of his immense powers and learns through every new experience. Oblivious to the antagonist's motive, he becomes a victim to her ploys long before he realizes. Of course, there is a damsel who rescues this knight in distress. And this aspect makes the plot all the more worth reading. This book ends with a promise of a sequel. Nicole's book is an out and out adult fiction. There are loads of scenes which are definitely a no-no for kids, but it can't be helped since they are important to the story. However, maybe, a few more scenes like healings, imbibing negativity throu...

  Is there an Afterlife after all? This was the question which kept kept coming on to my mind as I read the story. Ed starts off on a futuristic note when he portrays shortage of food throughout the world. He creates an organization which controls ration supply. Trust me, this situation does appear to be possible, since the rate at which agricultural produce is reducing is alarming. The concent is very good in terms of the storyline however, I found there was something amiss throughout. There were a few elements whose presence didnt add much to the storyline, like the rendezvous between the three clairvoyants abd Jack. Also, there is no stark contrast between the protagonist and the antagonist. It means that I couldn't make myself love to love the hero and love to hate the anti hero. Afterlife, or life after death, is always believed to be Heaven or Hell. This belief is common to all religions across the world. However, though the story did incorporate this but I felt, tha...

Book Blurb: Story of a girl Meera, who is unwittingly drawn into a conflict from where she finds it difficult to emerge unscathed. It's her journey from being a simple, medical graduate belonging to a middle class family to the uncharted territories of corruption and caste based politics. Her path is crossed by the two men, both compelling yet completely contrasting characters, who are forever going to change her life. If it is Aman who can challenge her ideals and defy her resolves, and makes her the person she finally becomes, it is Abhay's sublime love which enables her to go through the vicissitudes of life. It's also the story of her loss as well as triumph against her own demons to find her true self. Pre-order from Amazon About the Author: Dr.Madhu Vajpayee- the writer was born somewhere in those hospital corridors where she has spent the last two decades of her life. Witnessing life at such close quarters pushed her to capture its enig...

Titania Hudson's Red Flag reminds me of the red coloured flag hung at spots or places considered to be dangerous. Add to this, the theme of her book which is distrust in relationships. Just like a red flag, when there are negative interruptions in a relationship, one amongst the couple needs to introspect and place mental red flags wherever necessary. The book is neither a sermon nor an advisory. Titania does an awesome job by keeping the language simple, to the point and seem more like a friendly conversation. Kudos to her for addressing every issue possible under the sun. Abuse, possessiveness, gambling, substance dependency, flings and affairs, you name it and they all find a place in this book. Red Flag deals with anything and everything that can mar a relationship. Titania brings out the Hows, Whys, and Whats very effectively. Being an experienced dating counsellor, she explains witb real examples regarding the pros and cons of each issue. She also acts as a guide by...

At the first ring, Rustam picked up his mobile. It showed Bob’s number on the screen. He put the mobile to his ear and listened. “I’m speaking from the loo…there’s news for you.” “Why from the toilet?” “Because no other place in the house is safe to talk to you,” Bob whispered back. “When can we meet, then?” “In the evening, after my duty’s over.” “Didn’t you say you have day-night duties from now on?” “They are letting me go for now in the evenings. But not at your place. It’s too risky.” “Okay. So, where and when?” “Hello, someone seems to be knocking at the door.” The phone call ended with the roar of the flushing toilet. At eight-thirty sharp, Rustam met Bob at Girish Park. “Why didn’t you get in touch with me the last three days?”  Rustam looked sharply at Bob. “There were problems.”  Bob let out a thick cloud of cigarette smoke. “It’s getting increasingly risky to come out and meet you like this.” Though they stood in close proximity, their...