Reading Writings

This book kept me engrossed till the last page. To be frank, I am not very fond of ghost stories, simply because, a few have literally scared the daylights out of me. But this book was not frightening and was more of paranormal encounter. The plot revolves around several themes - love, pain, loss, exploration, revenge. In fact, there are so many point of views that you end up getting different impressions regarding each scene.  This story is about an individual's ability to cope up and react to situations beyond one's control. The basic lesson that can be derived is that we all have two wolves within us. It is up to us to feed them with goodness or sin. Also, every end definitely has a new beginning and losses can become major turning points in our lives. It is the multiple POVs that enhance this story. Hats off Francine. It is very difficult to craft a brilliant story with so many viewpoints. And what marvellous writing. It took me two days to complete this...

Book One was a bit of a disappointment. The Caretaker failed to impress me even though he had immense powers. But Book Two is a improved version. The Guardians have a challenging task. Here also, the plot revolves around Ethan, the former Caretaker, now a Guardian. However, the story addresses a few socially relevant issues such as unemployment and income equality. The best part is that these are depicted in an alien world.  Josi definitely is a writer to watch out for. She has expressed herself more creatively in this sequel than the first one. Her narration is like watching a movie. There are still a few glitches here and there. But the marked improved style has made me want to read the next book in sequence. In this story, there are many more characters as compared to Book One. Though initially their introductions might confuse the readers, the later half of the story manages to bring out the unique characteristics and a better understanding of the characters. ...

I was advised to read this book first before I proceeded with Book Two - Guardian. Frankly speaking, the plot concept was unique, however, there was something missing in the storyline. I am not a avid sci-fi reader, but, my basic requirement is that the story should keep me hooked onto it. Sadly, after a few pages, I had to make a deliberate attempt to concentrate. Josi can conjure up imageries with the words she chooses to write with. Hence, the language used justifies this. It is also a known fact that a story which focuses on two or less than two characters definitely needs a gripping narration to retain the reader's attention. However, I personally felt a disconnect between the characters, or rather, in their descriptions. Also, the ending is too abrupt to put two and two together. Coming to the protagonists, the concept could have become the real hero, but instead, we have two characters who could have had spark but turned out to be average. The thought of br...

The first thing which attracted me towards this book was its blurb. Believe me, it is really not easy to open up your deepest wounds to the entire world. Hats off to Karin for being so brave. The plot revolves around the theme of sexual harrassment at workplace. It is a fictionalised narration of real happenings. Yet, but for the names, everything else is as real as can be. Sexual harrassment is something which many employees undergo irrespective of caste, creed, religion, country and even gender. Sadly, it goes unreported most of the time. The victim either keeps quiet for the fear of humiliation when incident is brought to light, or for repressing the pain associated with such trauma.  Karin's narration is a lifesaver for everyone who is likely to be a victim or is already one. The comparions through a tosti is one of the best part of her writing. The language is hard hitting; it will make you squirm and feel helpless at the thought of not having been there to pro...

Read this book with the hope of discovering something new about medical professionals. Though didnot exactly unearth something novel in the plot, the story was readable. The plot revolves around love and friendship between students of a medical college and later, its interns. The love story is sadly predictable, even though it revolved around the medical profession. I really was expecting something different. Hence, absence of a novel storyline cost a star. Garima has a good grip over narration, hence, inspite of a predictable storyline, you can read the book from start to finish without a break. The dialogues are well written and keep the reader engaged. Luckily, usage of medical terms are limitted and are apt for the situation being described. The best part about this book are the characters. They are doctors who are shown as any normal human being. They emote, they express and they have their beliefs. The story also brings out their vulnerabilities and the issues...

Few authors can churn stories that take you into a magical realm. Here are snippets of our serendipity with an awesome award winning writer. Meet Sharon Ashwood.  GR: What description will fit you in real life? Please give a brief Bio about yourself. SA: Sharon Ashwood is a novelist, desk jockey and enthusiast for the weird and spooky. She has an English literature degree but works as a finance geek. Interests include growing her to-be-read pile and playing with the toy graveyard on her desk. As a vegetarian, she freely admits the whole vampire/werewolf lifestyle would never work out, so she writes her adventures instead. Sharon is the winner of the RITA® Award for Paranormal Romance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and is owned by the Demon Lord of Kitty Badness. GR: How does it feel to be a published author/writer? What are your preferred genres? SA: It’s a great honour to be a published writer and have the opportunity to connect with readers far and wide. Knowin...

Its been a month since I finished reading this book. I knowingly did not post my review back then because it inspired me to do something crazy, which was, planning a surprise party for my mother. The story is about a mother-daughter duo on a crazy adventure. Reading their story was like living precious moments spent with my mother all over again. The plot brings out the complexities and all possible shades which exist between a mum and her girl. Lily has a way with words. She has ensured her narrative descriptions emote as much as her characters. Her scenes have a life of their own; it was like reading the story and viewing its movie on a big screen simultaneously. Her sentences are simple even when she expresses a complex idea. The two protagonists are perfect constrasts, like yin and yang!!! The mother and daughter are absolute opposites, yet together they form a wonderful team. Through them, Lily has also subtly expressed that age is just a figment of one's m...

The life of a military brat, the term by which a child of a defence personnel is known in the civvie street, is never easy. Being a parent of two such brats, I could easily appreciate the story by Tom and Nancy. The story is based on a set of kids whose parents are posted to a marine corp base at Quantico Cave. I will not elaborate further since I fear I might give away too much in the bargain. Let me simply say that military service across the world and irrespective of arm (Army, Navy, Air Force, even Paramilitary forces) are bound by a common thread - love for one's country.  The personnel directly functioning in it as well as their families live a life which is not exactly a bed of roses. Military brats, are also one of the most teased group of kids because to many people in the civvie street (in many countries), these set of children supposedly belong to a privileged class. But let me place it on record, our military brats are not a spoilt lot but solid pillars ...

The stories in this book kept me thinking, so much so, I read it again after almost a month. And yes, such smattering of darkness kept me glued to it. The anthology is divided into three parts - short, shorter and shortest. Believe me, as I progressed, my excitement kept increasing. I simply loved the shortest stories, not because of the word count or length, but these very few liners were so simple in expression but so complex in thought.  The stories are not the usual kind. They are dark, sometimes gothic, and not the kinds with happy endings. But still, the themes are diverse, relevant and definitely thought provoking. They have the power to make you feel, make you emote as you progress.  Alisha has a distinct writing style. Its almost as if lesser the word count, deeper the symbolism and meaning. It is definitely not easy to capture a reader's attention till the last story, especially when some have the power to make you squirm and cringe in your seat. ...

Sometimes, in order to understand a particular culture, you need to wear the shoes of the author in case he or she happens to be a part of it. I happened to read the ARC of this book, thanks to Rakhi. I must admit, the plot is marvellous. The story is about friendship. The plot revolves around six friends, their separation and finally, reunion. I must add that interconnections between characters add on to the plot. The narration conjures up lovely visual imageries. Rakhi has attempted to address various social issues - adoption, child abuse, family outcasts, divorce due to mistrust. Yes, fitting in all issues in a single story may seem a bit extravagant, but since this is first in a series, I guess, proper introduction of characters vis-a-vis their background is vital for future stories. The characters address emotions - love, empathy, kindness, friendship, anger, hatred, mistrust. All these elements have played an integral part to the story. Each canary has a distinctive ch...