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Showing posts from June, 2017

Lyre

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After a long time I read a story about a warrior princess. The book has been named after the protagonist Lyre. She is a fiesty woman who saw the beauty in combat and became the first female warrior. The plot is about the trials and tribulations, ups and downs in the life of Lyre. It brings out how circumstances can change perceptions, society can influence thinking and how customs and traditions sometimes take priority over relationships. The narration is beautiful. I laughed and cried with the protagonist. Language is lucid. Tina is amazing when it comes to using words. Her descriptions made me feel I was part of the story like a silent spectator. The storyline incites visual imageries to pop up at every stage. The story is all about Lyre. She is one of the finest female protagonists I have read about. She has her flaws but even with her imperfections you will fall in love with her. Tina celebrates spirit of a woman, her steely resolve and never-say-die attitude through thi...

122 Rules

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The story which leaves you wanting more is definitely worth reading countless times. I read this book in one sitting and wished the story hadn't ended. The plot revolves around a prime witness who is forced to go into hiding. It deals with chasers, the victim, mob, name the elements in a thriller and they are all here. Deek has an amazing writing style. His narration kept me on tenterhooks. Throughout the reading I was kept guessing at every page. If I say I was part of a movie unfolding before my eyes I won't be wrong. The imageries were vibrant and touched every corner of my mind. In fact there was not a single sense that was left untouched. Language used did perfect justice to the story. It ensured that I never stopped midway. Two characters stood out. One was the perfect protagonist and the other one was a protagonist with shades of an antagonist, or was he an antagonist with traces of a protagonist? For that you need to read the story. As a reader, I loved every...

Sky Ghosts: The Night Before

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I have read all the stories so far in the Sky Ghosts series and this short story is like bonus. The story is short and  standalone acting as the prelude to this wonderful series. For the what how and why you need to read it. All I can say is that Pain is back in action. Those who have read even one story from the series will understand what I am talking about. Writing style is awesome as usual. There has been no dip in the narration. Every scene feels like a movie that I am witnessing in my mind's eye. Loads of imageries are on offer for every reader. Language is lucid yet a bit stromg. There is graphic violence and black humour as well. Hence it is apt for adult but not for the young young adult readers. The story gives a glimpse into the life of a sky ghost. The characters in this short story would entice you to read the series for sure. Need I say more? To sum up, this prelude is a must read both for fans of sky ghosts series as well as for those yet to be initiated...

The Bad Girl

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There are stories that leave an imprint in the hearts and minds of the readers. This book did just that for me. I read it in one session but the story never left me or my mind for the next few days. The plot revolves around a girl who has to fight every odd that comes her way in order to survive. This story is about vulnerabilities, relationships and finding a home. It is a journey of self-discovery, of goodness and love. Donsky's writings appeal to every sense that exists. It made me feel pain, hear the silent tears, see the scenes in my mind. It brought out every emotion within me. I felt I was a part of the story but in no postion to help out the protagonist. Narration is beautifully crafted and language is simple and easy to understand. The author has worked wonders with characterisation. Every character has an important role to play in the story. The icing on the cake is the protagonist through whom the story is revealed. Life can be strange. People tend to judge ...

Breathing Two Worlds: An Excerpt

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Excerpt: "Oh!" the Mom answered, but could not contain her curiosity with one hand holding the hyper toddler and the other on her hip she could not resist, "You two don't look like brother-sister, hmmm. So, what is your relationship?" she inquired with a slight smile in a soft voice but without any inhibition. A handful of seniors sitting in the same room observed all the drama and nodded to each other while their fingers were moving on the Tulsi neck beads. Neena rolled her eyes and thought to herself, "Jeez! We Indians are always darn inquisitive." Nikhil immediately got up and started walking towards the dining area. This was happening to them for the umpteenth time, and he was now tired of clarifying things. He had lived in this country for half a decade now and still he could never understand the fascination Indians had for marriage and children.  Neena was confused at first because it was unlike Nikhil to be so rude. On the con...

Yes I Named My Daughter Gaylord Focker

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Sometimes some books don't end up the way you expect. I picked up this book thinking there are loads of laughter in store for me. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed.  The concept of this book is unique. This book is an unbook as the author states and has lived up to its promise of being a compilation of lists. Lists of names that are supposedly embarrassing, funny and strange. Also agreed that the author has invested a lot of time in researching and compiling. However, what may be embarrassing and funny to some, may not be so for others. Hence, this I felt, was a demerit for the book. To quote an example, in India it is common to name children after gods. We have Krishna, Shiv, Parvati, Durga and the like. So as per an Indian, there is no harm in naming a child Jesus. It only beings out the tremendous amount of faith in God that the parents have. Maybe as a mark of thanksgiving and devotion they have named their child. Yet again, the pronunciation of names differ from co...

Last Year's Resolution

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First things first, I am not a Christian. Yet as a believer in God I can comprehend the underlying meaning being conveyed by the story. The plot is about how a famous writer finds love and as circumstances change, he uses his writings to help people around him. The storyline brings in trials and sufferings with lots of biblical references. Some of the references were a bit difficult to comprehend because of lack of knowledge about the Holy Bible. However, I am sure there would be similarities in the scriptures world over. After all, all religions are different paths to the same God. The author quotes from the Bible and many of the references have deeper meaning as well. The story does evoke lot of visual and auditory imageries. However, I felt there was a bit of disconnect at some places. May be it is my perception. The characters have been well-defined. Yet, it could have been better. The concept appealed to me but since I am not a Christian it was difficult for me to draw ...

Elphie Goes Trick Or Treating

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I love children's books. They have vibrant, beautiful illustrations. The story is simple and yet has a deeper meaning. I read this book aloud to my daughters and they loved it. The plot is simple. It is about Elphie the baby elephant and how he discovers his confidence. For the what how when and why you need to read this awesome book. What is outstanding is the way the illustrations match the storyline. The choice of colours is so child friendly and uncluttered. The language is very simple and apt for children upto tweens. It is narrated lucidly. It was as if a movie was playing in my head alongside as I was reading. The protagonist is an elephant but represents every child in this world. The emotions of fear, dejection, lack of confidence and subsequent gain, every mood has been well etched. The story also brings out the importance and impact of sharing, friendships and self-esteem. To sum up, this story is a must-read irrespective of the fact whether you have kids ...

Meeting Of The Mustangs

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Some stories have the inate power to make you want to read them again and again and again. This book has been a wonderful reading experience for me. The plot revolves around a mustang who has to face challenges at every step. You have to read the story to find out what those challenges are. It is a book for every lover of horse stories. It is a story on relationships, of courage and being fearless no matter what the circumstances are. What is the most beautiful feature about this book is the fact that it highlights the relationship between man and beast. Cathy has a wonderful style of writing. Her descriptions instantly make the reader go into the land of visualizations. The mental imageries are one of the powerful tools she has used to capture the attention of the readers. The language is simple and can be understood by children and adults alike. Hence, this book is child-friendly. Any reader would fall in love with the protagonist. The mustang lives a life his style. T...

No Rest For The Wicked

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Horror has become the flavour of this month for me I guess. So, my third book chosen also evokes a deep sense of fear in me. The bottom line of the story is that angels are not all sweet and sugary nice. They can be mean too. If I say that the plot deals with how angels ensure there is no rest for the wicked-natured, I won't be wrong. Dane is a master storyteller. His words conjure up imageries that can scare and make you squirm. Language is basically meant for young adults and above. Hence this book is a no-no for children. His weakest area has been characterisation. This is my personal view. It maybe because a single character did not stand out in the entire gamut. Though the antagonists were spelt out and main characters identified, a little bit more of their descriptions would have worked wonders. I had to reduce a star. To sum up, I was compelled to finish the story in one sitting and that speaks volumes about the writing. Dane is an author to watch out for if you...

Tales Of Blood And Sulphur

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First and foremost, this book took me way out of my comfort zone. I must admit I am not too fond of horror or stories that give me the chills. But this book was different. This book is a collection of twelve short stories. Each of them can be read in isolation. Yet, somewhere there was a common thread that ran through each one. If I say that they were similarly dissimilar or dissimilarly similar then I won't be wrong. Clay has a different style of narrating. In fact, the stories have an inherent tone of fear as a backdrop. The way he has used words to create fear in the minds of readers is commendable. However, there are a few places where he has used slangs and that put me off a bit. It is my personal view, maybe since I am not used to hearing such words hence the hesitation. And that is the reason for reduction of one star. Keeping that aside, each story had the power to create mental imageries. In fact, there were two stories that had me so scared that I had no option ...

Change Of Heart

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I had taken a long break from posting reviews. Reasons are personal yet when I decided to restart, I picked up this book to read. Was I elated? Yes, a bit because vampires and werewolves intrigue me. Did this book disappoint me? Sadly, yes, it did. This book is the beginning of a series called The Royal Blood Chronicles. Accordingly, it introduces the reader to a world where a 'huvamp' is created. By the way, Huvamp is my way of calling a hybrid version of vampire who is still human. The best part about this book is narration of storyline through various point of views. Yet, it is this style that has complicated the storyline. An otherwise interesting plot sadly got a bit difficult for comprehension. The language is simple but the constant changes in point of views acted spoilers. Mark did take a risk by introducing and then natrating the entire story through views of his characters. I must admit, if the number of characters had been lesser the narration would have h...