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Showing posts from 2019

Review: Grandmaster

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Grandmaster by सुरेन्द्र मोहन पाठक My rating: 2 of 5 stars "Grandmaster" is second and final part of "Makadjaal" the thriller. Part 1 was very good. There are only four characters Punekar the Don who is aged and has a young sexy wife. His young wife is a sex and money maniac. She married for money. Kothari a shady lawyer who handles only one client, Punekar. Doctor Singla who is Punekar’s wife’s lover. Dr Singla agrees to kill Punekar on his wife’s insistence. The story is good and the end is a cliffhanger. Part 2 starts from where part 1 ended and the story goes haywire from there. The second part was unnecessary and it has no rhyme or reason. There are so many plot holes and that even potboiler tag can’t help it. It was even worse than the normal lugdi novels of other novels. There are so many twists the story lost relevance and the most irritating part was the lawyer of wife. Police detectives and the lawyer were like fortune t

Review: Makadjaal

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Makadjaal by सुरेन्द्र मोहन पाठक My rating: 4 of 5 stars "Grandmaster" is second and final part of "Makadjaal" the thriller. Part 1 was very good. There are only four characters Punekar the Don who is aged and has a young sexy wife. His young wife is a sex and money maniac. She married for money. Kothari a shady lawyer who handles only one client, Punekar. Doctor Singla who is Punekar’s wife’s lover. Dr Singla agrees to kill Punekar on his wife’s insistence. The story is good and the end is a cliffhanger. Part 2 starts from where part 1 ended and the story goes haywire from there. The second part was unnecessary and it has no rhyme or reason. There are so many plot holes and that even potboiler tag can’t help it. It was even worse than the normal lugdi novels of other novels. There are so many twists the story lost relevance and the most irritating part was the lawyer of wife. Police detectives and the lawyer were like fortune tel

Review: The Weirdest First Date

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The Weirdest First Date by Tarang Sinha My rating: 4 of 5 stars Unrequited love is painful. People fall in love all the time but the same is not reciprocated most of the times. Many reasons may be there but the real problem starts when nice people fall for someone bad. Nikhil got a call from his friend after midnight to meet him. When he reaches his society, he meets a girl who lives in the same society. Incidentally they are trapped in the lift and develop a bond. The story is sweet and cute though a bit sad. It can be my fantasy too to be trapped in the lift with a beautiful girl. View all my reviews

Review: Unholy Tales from Banaras

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Unholy Tales from Banaras by Anuj Tikku My rating: 2 of 5 stars “Unholy tales from Banaras” is about holy city of Kashi. Anuj Tikku gave a lot of details about the holy city of Varanasi. This is the city of lord Shiva. Hindus come here for cremation as it is believed that we get moksha if cremated here. A pujari is killed in the temple in a mysterious way and soon thereafter his wife is also killed. There is ray ban baba who is suspected of the crime. The book is not well written and there are countless spelling mistakes. It seems there was no proof reader and editor for the book and it is printed in a hasty manner. These put me off from reading and the book is below average. View all my reviews

Review of Blahman and The Attack Of The Wicked Zombies by Srijan Kabra

There is dearth of good kids books in India. This is written by a child himself. This is Srijan’s second book after “Journey to space with Blahman ”. The creativity of Srijan is admirable and the book is quite funny. The friends Aven and Steven read in school. Funny things happen there as the primary kids are asked to play cricket with 9 th standard children. The flight of fancy of Srijan is praiseworthy and it has very good illustrations also.

Review: Yes Sir I Killed My Dad!: A Sons Grief

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Yes Sir I Killed My Dad!: A Sons Grief by Anuj Tikku My rating: 3 of 5 stars There are lots of strugglers in Bollywood. There are many who doesn’t want daily grind of the life. Completer the B. Tech and then MBA, get a secure job, marriage and kids. That is the script every middle class wants their children to follow. Our hero didn’t stick to it and the this led to killing of his father. The book is thriller. Pace slacks at many times. A tighter editing could have helped. View all my reviews

Review: Random Subterranean Mosaic 2012 – 2018 - Time frozen in myriad thoughts

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Random Subterranean Mosaic 2012 – 2018 - Time frozen in myriad thoughts by Sabarna Roy My rating: 3 of 5 stars “Random Subterranean Mosaic 2012 – 2018 - Time frozen in myriad thoughts” by Sabarana Roy is indeed random. This is fiction or non-fiction or poetry or all of the above; difficult to say. The stories/ poems are short and easy to read. This is semi-autobiographical too. It’s a commentary on politics and current affairs. It has random musings of author. This is a mixed bag. Good, bad and ugly. You may read some and skip some. View all my reviews

Review: Pentacles

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Pentacles by Sabarna Roy My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Pentacles” is book of loss, longing and love. Sabarna Roy created a world which has emotions, betrayl and heartbreaks. The hero is scarred from childhood due to his family circumstances. His father was an architect and mother was an artist who never got along. They separated and this left an ugly impression on him. He was seeking comfort in Rohini. The book brings about tribulations of a kid who is raised by a single parent. Love assumes a different meaning for him. The book is a breezy read but somewhat sad. View all my reviews

Review: Winter Poems

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Winter Poems by Sabarna Roy My rating: 3 of 5 stars “Winter Poems” is a collection is poems written during mild winter of Kolkata. The poems deal with various issues are in free flow. Sometimes they rhyme sometimes don’t. That is not important I guess. I am not a poem person so could not appreciate fully. One sample ""They forgot to put my body on fire On freshly chopped logs of wood On oil cracking and boiling They forgot the charm of cotton ball plugs, the sight of wetted white petals of fecund flowers, the absent-minded twirl of smoke chains, incense sticks, the sonorous trail of holy hymns, crackling sounds of earthen pots and above all, the communal mourning around a corpse"" The book is short read but takes time to understand. The language is beautiful. View all my reviews

Review: Frosted Glass

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Frosted Glass by Sabarna Roy My rating: 4 of 5 stars Love is a complex emotion. It is supposed to be selfless and dedicated but sometimes it is not. At least Rahul was none of that. Rahul lost his father in childhood and his mother brought him up. He is a mountain climbing enthusiast and when he goes to college, he meets his love. But then he wanted variety and, in the process, lose her. There are many stories and poems and the common character is Rahul. The narration and English are good. It explores sexual desires and existential conflict in life very well. View all my reviews

Review: Honeymoon

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Honeymoon by James Patterson My rating: 3 of 5 stars Femme Fatale intrigues everyone. Do they need money or sex or thrill of kill? A psychopath. Or all of these combined. Even the psychologist in the book was confused. Nora Sinclair is an interesting character. She lives many lives. I mean literally. She herself is an interior decorator and get hefty cut on each deal. Still she likes to marry rich men. She is gorgeous and that helps. She likes company of affluent and suave men. She has a troubled childhood in foster homes as her mom killed her father and went to prison and later to a mental asylum. Perhaps this explains her murderous tendencies. Or it was just plain greed. In any case she can’t settle with one men. Her husbands are just props in the story. FBI agent O’hara is another colorful personality. He goes in to solve the case and is sucked with the sext siren. Who could resist the charms of our sexy Nora or can we say Olivia of Cayman island’

Review: Abyss

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Abyss by Sabarna Roy My rating: 4 of 5 stars Writers and industrialists usually don’t go together. Former are practical and latter are emotional. In this play these are shown to get along or do they don’t? Debasree is a strong woman and after the death of her hubby she took over the greedy family and business both. Her daughter Oindrila loves a writer named Mriganka. He is very emotional and rebellious. This is a two-part play and a thriller. I loved the play and I recommend it. View all my reviews

Review: फिफ्टी फिफ्टी

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फिफ्टी फिफ्टी by सुरेन्द्र मोहन पाठक My rating: 5 of 5 stars Snakes fascinate and frighten us. Shobhna is a small time dancer and a prostitute. Dharmesh was her pimp who later on fell out of touch. One smuggler used her services and now she is in Mumbai. One fine day he sends her a letter in the hands of a crook. Then all hell breaks loose and people start trying to kill her. She feels that there is money to be made but doesn’t have the courage to follow the clues alone. So she hires Dharmesh to help her find the money. Will they get what they want as they are not alone in the quest? This is a high octane thriller where they are chased by assassins at every step. But due to intelligence and quick thinking of Dharmesh they manage till the luck runs out. Highly thrilling fun ride. View all my reviews

Review: The God War

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The God War by Kabeer Ess Kay My rating: 2 of 5 stars Religion can be a boon and curse both. It can set us on path of peace or path of violence depending upon the circumstances and our inclination. the protagonist visits many places of interest and finds about the motivations of men. He goes to Swarna Mandir in Amritsar and finds about the history of the Sikh religion. How the Mughal emperors killed the 10th Guru of Sikhs along with his sons? The fanatics of all religion are same. The basic premise of book is good and pertinent to today’s India’s condition. However, I find the narrative very disjointed and basic. There was no connect with the story. It seemed like a documentary and simple narration. View all my reviews

Review: Because I Promised

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Because I Promised by Anupriya Gupta My rating: 3 of 5 stars College is a place for love to blossom. There are no responsibilities except studies, age is such that hormones are surging and youth is beautiful and adventurous. Sushant proposes Varnika and she rejects in a humiliating way. She had a difficult childhood due to her mother’s responsibilities towards her family. Will she get back the love of her life? Love is in the writing big time in India. The Indian writing scene is replete with romance authors. especially the first-time authors play it safe with romance. This one is one more in the long line of romantic books. The language of book is crisp with a generous dose of Hindi. It is a one time read for lovers of romance. View all my reviews

Review: Switch in Time

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Switch in Time by Rajesh Shankaran My rating: 4 of 5 stars Switch in time is a thriller set in gargantuan business world of Mumbai. These is Lallan Ajmera business empire which is huge. He believes in expanding by hook or by crook. The one fine day Kamsin Ahlawat comes along like a hurricane and takes it over by force. Nobody in the family is amused. Bushra Khokhar is given investigation of murder of Ajmera’s rival. Can she unravel the mystery? The novel is interestingly fast paced and amusing. The business world and the inner family feud is shown beautifully. Kamsin is one character which hold my attention. Bushra is fighting on two fronts; her office and home. Her lover ditched her and left a child in her custody. The novel is must read for lovers of mystery and thrill. View all my reviews

Review: SREEDEVI TALKIES

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SREEDEVI TALKIES by Karunakaran Shaji My rating: 3 of 5 stars Movies are part of the life of any small town be it any part of India. The extinct single screen theaters are now a thing of past in metros. But in small towns they still exist. The book is written around one such small town of Kerala. Sreedevi Talkies is in small town of Kotta in Kerala. This is a sleepy place and the only thing alive is the talkies. Mythical movies of Gemini Ganesan are a big draw. James Bond Rajan is frustrated and is married to Devika. He doesn’t want the marriage but he has no choice. Even after 5 years of marriage Devika is unmarried and then she strays. There is communist movement, wars, caste discrimination and all. The canvas is large. Language is beautiful. See the sample of Devika’s sexual union: “Devika knew that the lips which were drawing out her soul, were not of the James Bond. But she did not feel the need to resist them. She let herself be carried to the

Review: Who Killed the Murderer?

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Who Killed the Murderer? by Moitrayee Bhaduri My rating: 4 of 5 stars Murder is hating in the worst form. Maybe the victim deserved it but still it cannot be justified. Whodunit has quintessential charm. This is once more in the long list of mysteries. Shagun has been through a traumatic experience in childhood which scarred her for life. When she grew up, she is bitter and ambitious. Her husband Chetan is not happy in marriage and they are heading for divorce. So, when she is killed in mysterious circumstances police first choice as accused is Chetan. Chetan’s brother approach Mili Ray to prove him innocent. However, Mili is dealing with her own demons. Can she help him? The book progresses at breakneck speed and engrossed me. I completed it quickly. Though I didn’t like Mili at some points and found her too moody and uncontrolled. She maybe a good detective but bit eccentric. She also has visions. There are many red herrings and some secrets of sho

Review: GRIEVE WITH UNDERSTANDING : WE WILL MEET AGAIN…

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GRIEVE WITH UNDERSTANDING : WE WILL MEET AGAIN… by FARZANA SARUP My rating: 3 of 5 stars “Maybe we were merely actors who were supposed to enact our destiny in our form.” Death is the ultimate reality of life. This is the full stop of our story. The end. The dead are gone but their left behind beloved has to deal with this catastrophe. How they do it is very important. If it is not dealt properly and grieving is not done it can harm the psyche irreparably. Mona is an independent, single, modern woman who likes to live independently. His father was terminated from his job and he took the insult to his heart. His brother and mother tried to console him but he died from this assault on his integrity. Now Mona’s mother who is living with his brother abroad is diagnosed with cancer. When Mona sees her mother suffering form cancer, she gets the realization of our mortality. The book tells about the story of Mona and his brother dealing with illness and dea

Review: The Light in Black-out

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The Light in Black-out by Dr. Farah Naqvi My rating: 3 of 5 stars Desolate heartbroken and miserable. I hate to be weak and vulnerable. Ambulance hospital and dim lights Unexpectedly the seizure arrived. Like an eclipse, it turned the day to night. As you stood by me all this while, I cannot help but smile. Have I been blessed with true love? I have been thinking all this while. Epilepsy is a horrible disease. It is cruel as it can hot you anytime and the person lives in the shadow of fear. Alizah is a bright kid and very studious. Then the nemesis of epilepsy strikes. She is heartbroken and afraid. But she doesn’t lose courage and gets admission in prestigious IMI, Bangalore and popular management college. Here she meets Sahil who adores her. She is afraid of commitment due to her medical condition… The book is simple and follows a linear narrative. The story is told in crisp, simple and clear manner. Although this kind of story is done to death man

Review: Nothing Lasts Forever: No Secret can Stay Buried..

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Nothing Lasts Forever: No Secret can Stay Buried.. by Vish Dhamija My rating: 3 of 5 stars The book had promise but lost the way midway. The premise was good. Staged murder to get away from troubles. But the final conclusion was not good. View all my reviews

Review: Conman

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Conman by Surender Mohan Pathak My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a racy murder mystery. It starts with a con. The method of the conman is simple. He traps single middle class girls who has money. He romances them and then makes his move. One fine day he is killed. Sunil comes to rescue of the girl who is prime suspect. Can he save her? This is typical Sunil novel. I liked it immensely. Unputdownable. Vintage SMP. View all my reviews

Review: Qatl ki Paheli

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Qatl ki Paheli by Santosh Pathak My rating: 4 of 5 stars The murder of the wife of a millionaire is done and he is arrested for the same. All the clues are against him. He hires Vikrant to prove him innocent. Can Vikrant do it? This is typical murder mystery on the lines of great SMP. This has added elements of a con game also. The novel is interesting and unputdownable. Please read. View all my reviews

Review: Dus June ki Raat

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Dus June ki Raat by Santosh Pathak My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is one fast paced novel by Santosh Pathak. The protagonist is Vishal Saxena who is called Panauti i.e. bad luck by his friends. wherever he goes bad luck follows. But he has a sharp detective mind which is like Sherlock Holmes. The story starts with a simple road accident which turns into a tale of political and police corruption and drugs. He is very honest and doesn't back down even with the threat to his and his GF life. I saw glimpses of SMP in Santosh Pathak. Please read. View all my reviews

Review: धब्बा

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धब्बा by Surender Mohan Pathak My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is one hell of a novel. It has all the elements of a typical Sunil Novel. A damsel in distress, murder and multiple red herrings. Sunil Khemka is a so called editor which sells a cheap magazine and publishes some advertisements in it. Someone is threatening that they will sue the magazine because of fake ads and he seeks help of Sunil to prove that the ads are genuine. What happens next? The story is engaging and pace is breakneck. It is another breathtaking and unputdownable novel from evergreen SMP. View all my reviews

Review: Hatya Ki Raat

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Hatya Ki Raat by Surender Mohan Pathak My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is of the book in initial phase of Sunil Series. This has the glimpse of elements which later on became trade mark of the series. Lovers of series can read it once. View all my reviews

Review: The Captive: Psychological Thriller

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The Captive: Psychological Thriller by Lavanya Nukavarapu My rating: 5 of 5 stars “So be who you really are. Embrace who you are. Literally. Hug yourself. Accept who you are. Unless you're a serial killer.” ― Ellen DeGeneres, Seriously... I'm Kidding Serial killers are normal looking people with abnormal brains. They derive pleasure in sadism. This is like a drug for them. “The Captive: Psychological Thriller (1)” by Lavanya Nukavarapu is one such book. The story starts with a captive girl who is being raped and tortured continuously by sick persons. Kruthi Shah somehow finds courage and kills one of the captors. She runs away and police takes her to hospital. The hunt begins and many skeletons start to appear. The premise is simple but the execution by Lavanya is novel. The story moves at a brisk pace and we don’t get time to stop and think. The police investigation is relentless. The backstory of all the killers and rapists is given in det

Review: A Night at Achanakmar

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A Night at Achanakmar by Paromita Goswami My rating: 3 of 5 stars “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown” ― H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature The supernatural is fascinating and terrifying. It is fear of the dead or unknown which draws us but at the same time make us squirm with terror. “A Night at Achanakmar” by Paromita Goswami is one such novella. Couple of families are trying to get to a reserve forest. The are lost and somehow reach there very late in the evening. They are hungry and tired and then a village boy helps them to find the forest guest house. All sort of strange things start happening there. The story is a quick, breezy read and can be finished in one sitting. The atmosphere is creepy and the tension is real. However, I expected something more in the guest house. Recommended for horror enthusiast. View all my reviews

Review: The Speaking Stone

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The Speaking Stone by Ratnadip Acharya My rating: 4 of 5 stars The allure of mysterious chase is always fascinating. The chase and thrill are always there. The cryptic clues and linking the puzzle pieces is enthralling. This is tried and tested narrative which is interesting provided the story is engaging. The “The Speaking Stone” by Ratandip Acharaya is a classic treasure hunt. The story starts in Bombay when Saikat buys a stone from a hawker. The stone mesmerize him and it is only half portion. He becomes determined to find out the story and mystery behind it. Shuvashini is a history scholar who wants to do something original in the historical research. They two meet in Tripura. The story also takes place in year 1900 in the princely state of Maharaja Radha Kishore Manikya. He is building a palace for himself and that is parallel story. Saikat and Shuva keeps on probing and what they find??? The story is spellbinding and keeps you engrossed. The la

Review: I Also Slept With Rashmi Verma

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I Also Slept With Rashmi Verma by Love Thon My rating: 4 of 5 stars Everyone had fun at campus. At least I hope everyone had. The college life in hostel was fun. This book reminds one of that. Title is catchy but misleading. This is not an erotica. This is fun college life book. Hero is narrating in first person and he is in love with Rashmi Verma, not the college whore. Language is hinglish which breaks the flow. Editing could be better. Overall a fun read. View all my reviews

Review: Muhammad Bin Tughlaq: Tale of a Tyrant

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Muhammad Bin Tughlaq: Tale of a Tyrant by Anuja Chandramouli My rating: 3 of 5 stars “I go into any movie that's historical fiction thinking, 'OK, I'm here to watch a work of art, something delivering a series of opinions, and if it's a good work of art, these opinions become so deeply embedded in complexity and richness that I won't even be bothered by the opinions. I'll make my own mind up.” Tony Kushner MBT is an enigmatic ruler and has divided opinions about him. Some say he was a visionary way ahead of his times. Others say he was a mad man. The history is made up most of the times by the rulers. Even in present day and age this holds true. Media is managed by the rulers. The story of MBT is lesser known but most of us know him as a ambitious, visionary but a mad ruler. “Tughlaghi Firman” even today is used for an outlandish order. Some say he was way ahead of his times and other say he was a maniac. The book starts with

Review: CHAKRAVYUH - Through the Eyes of the Young Warrior

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CHAKRAVYUH - Through the Eyes of the Young Warrior by Aniket S. Sharma My rating: 2 of 5 stars “...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably. They don’t deceive you with thrills and trick endings. They don’t surprise you with the unforeseen. They are as familiar as the house you live in. Or the smell of your lover’s skin. You know how they end, yet you listen as though you don’t. In the way that although you know that one day you will die, you live as though you won’t. In the Great Stories you know who lives, who dies, who finds love, who doesn’t. And yet you want to know again. That is their mystery and their magic.” ― Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things “Chakravyuh” by Aniket Sharma is another one in the long list of Mahabharat retellings. The great epic inspired many authors and poets and it is perfec

Review: क्रिस्टल लॉज

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क्रिस्टल लॉज by Surender Mohan Pathak My rating: 5 of 5 stars SMP has his own unique writing style. This novel is no exception. There are very few court room dramas in Indian Hindi novels. This is one of them. Mueskh Mathur has opened his new office just above his former boss Mr Anand’s office. Anand is not amused. Then there is a murder of Abhay Rajpuria and Kamlesh, his poor ex-employee is arrested by police. Mukesh has no case at the moment and his partner convinces him to take the case of defense. Unfortunately for him Mr Anand takes up case of prosecution just to tach him a lesson. The novel is very intriguing. There is even a character just like SMP. He is writer who lives in front of Mr Rajpuria’s home. He gives vital clues to Mukesh. There are sufficient red herrings planted throughout. SMP keeps us guessing till the very end and the suspect is as usual least suspected person. I enjoyed it fully and finished in one sitting. Unputdownable. 5/

Review: बहुरूपिया

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बहुरूपिया by Surender Mohan Pathak My rating: 3 of 5 stars SMP has his own unique writing style. This novel is no exception. Sudhir Kohli the “Lucky Bastard” detective is in action from the word go. He is banging a beauty and then he lets her go. Wife of a filthy rich businessman comes to him with a strange request. To protect her and her family from a madman who has come back from dead. This is a multiple murder mystery case. The book moves forward very fast and there is no time to think for Sudhir, Inspector Yadav or anyone else. Dead bodies keep piling up. The murderer is elusive and is a master makeup man. Hence the name of novel. The book has all the typical Sudhirpanti. The book moves at such a fast pace that there is no time to think. However, the climax was disappointing for me as so was the premise. The motive also was not big enough for all the mayhem. One of the weak novels of SMP. However still very satisfying as I am a fan of SMP. 3/ 5 s

Review: The Clockmaker: Supernaturalsuspense paranormal Indian Drama

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The Clockmaker: Supernaturalsuspense paranormal Indian Drama by Paromita Goswami My rating: 3 of 5 stars There is a deluge of books in fantasy genre. This takes us away from humdrum life and gives the author freedom to use her imagination to utmost. The only boundation is the limit of her imagination otherwise anything is possible. Time travel is not a new idea but still it has its appeal because the endless possibilities. These is an old clockmaker who worked for Rajas and Nawabs. A mysterious hooded man gives him a magical watch. Ashish is his descendant who is also doing the same work of clockmaker. But now the times has changed and there is not enough money in that trade anymore. His wife Lata is from a rich family and is unsatisfied due to his modest income. There son Vicky has a girlfriend Kavya. Then one fine day Ashish stumbles upon this magical clock. The premise is good though the idea a old. In time travel books interesting thing is how th

Review: One Step at a Time

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One Step at a Time by Venkat Iyer My rating: 3 of 5 stars Life is a mix of happiness and sadness. Successful people are those who keeps calm during both. Yhis book is an homage from a son, Venkat to his father, Visu. Visu life was tragic from start. His siblings and father died early. Then he became differently abled in an accident. Still he did not lose hope. This is the book of hope, bravery and determination. This shows that nothing is impossible. 3/ 5 stars. View all my reviews

Review: The Sleepless Beauty

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The Sleepless Beauty by Rajesh Talwar My rating: 3 of 5 stars Fairy tales are taking us in dream land. But if you can not sleep how can you see dreams? This is a medical condition also named insomnia. Sleep is required for body just like air, food and water. If we cannot sleep our body face adverse consequences. In the lap of Himalayas there is a kingdom where princess Ramya can not sleep. She was not always like this but somewhere down the line this insomnia gripped her. the king is worried as there are enemies lurking in the neighbourhood and he is getting old. Ramya has to take over the reins but she is not able to sleep and work effectively. Then he ann0ounces a competition that whoever makes her sleep will marry her. Many princes from neighbouring kingdom come with there out of the box remedies and try to cure her. will she ever be ok again? The story is interesting and keep your interest going. The remedies suggested by some prince are hilariou
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~Book Blitz~  Scepters of Empyrea A Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy by Vignesh Ravichandran  About the Book: Empyrea, an island in the Andromeda galaxy belonging to planet Vathura is serene. Everywhere your eyes turn, you will feast on the lovely birds singing their heart out in the lush green vegetation. Osiris Mysterio ruled the regions of Empyrea with his brother Tyrant Seth and with their children Pitheceus Babi, Kraity Wadjet, and Horus Mysterio. 5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were the only humans to receive the invitation to enter Empyrea. They gladly on-boarded into a Pegasus chariot and took their journey to Empyrea. Their journey is indescribable. Empyrea by itself was like a fairy-tale garden, an ocean of flowers and exotic trees. As the Egyptians went further inside Empyrea, they saw its netherworld. They had mixed feelings when they saw the triangle shaped tombs and the bizarre headhunting people. Empyrea also had the blood-curdling
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~ Book Blitz ~ Physical by Mari.Reiza   Women's Psychological Fiction About the Book: A feminist read that won’t disappoint.  In a small town in Italy, Kiki feels worthless and angry when her longtime partner finds a new cool girl to ride on another decade of easy existence. Meanwhile in London, Fátima, the wife of Kiki’s best friend, is losing her selfhood after giving birth to twins and being made redundant. Both heroines are determined to rebuild the passion and impunity of their youth, vitalizing desires that will bring them to risk everything. Book Links: Goodreads * Amazon Read an Excerpt: ‘I have some news,’ I try to smile. I see his mood changes immediately. The wrinkles in his face swap direction, they become menacing. I have the unpleasant impression that he has been through this before. ‘I’m pregnant.’ Eventually, Beppe says the news is surprising. The next thing he says is that he has no money but that he’s okay to be the dad, ‘if your p

Review: Ghost on the Ledge

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Ghost on the Ledge by Krishnamoorthi My rating: 3 of 5 stars “Nothing in this world can torment you as much as your own thoughts.” Anupama is a 12 year old girl who lives in a group housing society with here family. She starts to see things in her balcony. A albino like ghost comes to her balcony. Her parents think she has epilepsy and started to have hallucinations. She is referred to doctors and psychiatrist who find nothing wrong with her. Her Mausi also had similar problems. Is she having psychological issues or something more sinister at work here? The book is a teenage investigation story. this is told in a plain straightforward way. The story of her mother and Mausi is over hyped and nothing much is there. Similar is the case of final solution of the ghost issue. Too simplistic and plain book. 3/ 5 stars. View all my reviews

Review: Fear Is the Key

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Fear Is the Key by Juggi Bhasin My rating: 2 of 5 stars “Sometimes the worst place you can be at is in your own head.” Rahul and Suhail are IIT buddies. They start YUMMIMAGE which is a media company. They use every dirty trick in the book to become successful. Simone is there colleague and Rahul’s girlfriend. She has a tiff with Suhail. Rahul keeps a party at his home to cool the matters. Simone goes missing in the party and Rahul starts hallucinating. The story started well and give a peek into to world of TRP hungry media. There are many steamy sex scenes throughout the book. Then it told about trolls also. But after Simone goes missing it loses direction and wanders aimlessly. I find the book very boring and stretched. So many useless characters were introduced without any rhyme and reason. By climax I lost all interest and it was neither surprising nor ingenious. It was a very long boring psychological thriller. There was no thrill at all. 2/ 5 s

Review: Remember Death: An Arjun Arora Mystery

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Remember Death: An Arjun Arora Mystery by Ankush Saikia My rating: 4 of 5 stars Never trust a man who doesn't drink. Winston Churchill I like an old style thriller cum murder mystery. A private eye is an time tetesed hero for this kind of novel. Arjun Arora is an ex Indian Army office turned private eye. His personal life is in doldrums but he is good at his job. Vikas, a mysterious man comes to him with a case for which he has to come to Mumbai. He goes there and meets Vishwanath who gives him twice his fee to trace a girl Agnes Pereira who is a murder suspect. What happens next? The book takes you to different parts of India: Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Himachal, Lucknow .. the journey is defined in details and the suspense is uncovered slowly. He has vey few clues to work on: a photos and pair of earrings. The story spans a long time from British India to modern period. It covers Bollywood, politics, cricket betting, fake swamis, tawaifs and much more

Review: Ganga: The Constant Goddess

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Ganga: The Constant Goddess by Anuja Chandramouli My rating: 4 of 5 stars “According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves.” ― Plato, The Symposium This quote is obviously an allegory which is about how man and woman are incomplete without each other. Or how humans are incomplete no matter what we do? Mythology is an interesting way to know not only about our past but also about our present and future. Anuja always does a great job in mythology with her sharp new insights and impeccable language. “Ganga the constant Goddess” is another one of these. Ganga and Parvati both daughters of Mena and Himvan are unlike each other. Where Parvati just wants to get married to Shiva, Ganga can not be domesticated. She is a wild force of nature which cannot be still or

Review: The Retreat

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The Retreat by mari reiza My rating: 3 of 5 stars “Money is a necessary evil,” Marie’s mother would say, “and to earn much, unfortunately, one has to devote an excessive amount of time to it, more than reasonable. These words struck a chord with me. How true is that? Money is necessary but its pursuit takes away a lot from us. Mari Reiza’s Retreat is story of Marie (Mari??? Or I am just wondering). Marie is a young girl who is feeling suffocated by all the rules by her family and society. She wants to break free, but will she? The struggles of Marie will feel familiar to every girl. This is a story of grit and determination. The book is a bit long and could have be edited tightly. 3/5 stars. View all my reviews

Review: Opera

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Opera by mari reiza My rating: 3 of 5 stars Death is a certainty. Our death is as inevitable as our birth but that doesn’t matter. Real thing is how we live before dying. Mari Reiza’s Opera is tribute to the triumph of human spirit. Ivanka is a rich lady who is dying, then she received a letter. This introduces her to Maria and they start work on opera again. Will she be able to live again before dying? The story is moving and inspiring. The way Ivanka fight with her illness is gratifying and a lesson for all who are defeated by life. The story becomes somewhat boring and stretched at places and you need patience to finish. 3/5 stars. View all my reviews