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Book Review: Unfulfilled Desires by Rachi
Unfulfilled DesiresAuthor: RachiPublisher: Half Baked BeansRating: 2.5/5 It is said that if it does not involve walking on fire, it is not love. Love tests your endurance, it tests your loyalty and it also tests your willingness to give up your most prized possession. When you truly love someone, it might be difficult expressing it in words. But your actions compensate for those unsaid words, for you do not even think twice before putting everything at stake for the one your love. Unfulfilled Desires explores the pathos associated with love and its aftereffects. It is a poignant tale of affection, sacrifice and loss. Caught in a whirlpool of turbulent emotions,…
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Book Review: The Incredible Adventures of Mr Cheeks by Tasmeen Amna
The Incredible Adventures of Mr CheeksAuthor: Tasmeen AmnaPublisher: Puffin Books (Penguin) Knowing that the brain of a child is under development during his childhood days, it wouldn’t be wrong to teach the norms of the society right from the very beginning. Tasmeen Amna takes up this responsibility to bring forth the importance of ‘being you’ and not changing according to the expectations set by society. Her words are magical and they have the power to influence children by taking them into a wonderful world where even the animals seem more sensible than humans! The Incredible Adventures of Mr Cheeks is a novella that narrates the story of three friends who…
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Book Review: Naked Beneath the Midnight Sun by Kamalini Natesan
Naked Beneath the Midnight SunAuthor: Kamalini NatesanPublisher: Olympia PublishersRating: 3/ 5 Knowing that experience is the best teacher it would not be wrong to say that a lot of risks come along with new experiences. While one might expect to continue looking at life with rose-tinted glasses, the reality is quite different. ‘Naked Beneath the Midnight Sun’ is more like a self-help book than fiction. It explores the journey of a young girl named Suchareeta, who embarks on an unplanned adventure. Believing that freedom is her chance to become better, she decides to take the plunge and head Norway for further education. Little does she know that freedom is actually…
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Book Review: Diversion of Death by Thalorh Balram
Diversion of DeathAuthor: Thalorh BalramPublisher: Leadstart PublishersRating: 2/5 It is said that pain eases with time but the wounds do not disappear. The scars still tell a story. ‘Diversion of Death’ is a love story that is not only clichéd but also predictable. Revolving around Arjun, a resolute young boy who hails from a middle-class background, and Aananya, whose mind is befuddled with the concept of class distinction, this story is about how their paths cross in the journey called life! Believing in the saying that fortune favours the bold, Arjun decides to burn the midnight oil and ace the test given by life. He works his way up the…
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Book Review: Loggie by Sapna Kappal
LoggieAuthor: Sapna KappalGenre: Children’s bookPublisher: Leadstart Publishers Plot SummaryOne of the most common problems of adolescence is fitting into society and dealing with bodily and environmental changes. This is not only limited to humans but also animals. ‘Loggie’ is a story of a young turtle for whom adjustment to the new life after a mishap becomes the bane of her life. The story, though short, has many life lessons that will help deal with loss and also encourage the children to value their family and friends. Area A: TextUsing rhyming quatrains as a medium of communication along with structured sentences, the author presents the conflict of the plot neatly and…
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Book Review: Twice Upon a Time by Payal Kapadia
Twice Upon a TimeAuthor: Payal KapadiaGenre: Children’s bookPublishers: Penguin Publishers Who doesn’t love Princess’ stories? The idea of getting everything done at one’s beck and call and living a luxurious life hypnotizes every young girl. But we have mostly seen this concept arise in movies. ‘Twice Upon a Time’ is one such chick flick novella that traces interesting lives of Nyla and Keya. Much like ‘The Princess Switch’ and ‘Monte Carlo’, this book also describes a bizarre encounter between the twins and explores the plethora of problems that follow. Area A: Text The best part about this story is the witty narrative that is quick to grasp. The satire is…
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Book Review: The Fork, the Witch and the Worm by Christopher Paolini
The Fork, the Witch and the WormAuthor: Christopher PaoliniPublisher: Penguin PublishersRating: 3/5 Tales of Eragon have always fascinated me and when this book came all the way to my doorstep, I could not wait to read it. A sequel to the Eragon series, ‘The Fork, the Witch and the Worm’ comprises of tales of Alagaesia. The book has three short stories and amidst those stories, the readers can also read about Eragon’s quest to build Dragon hold for the unhatched dragon eggs. After a long haul, the joy of reading about Paulini’s imaginative world is boundless. The stable, extensive epic fantasy spreads across acres of land and also transports the…
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Book Review: Murder in the Monastery by Barun Chanda
Murder in the MonasteryAuthor: Barun ChandaPublisher: Rupa PublicationsRating: 3.5/5 (Spoilers ahead) When Avinash Roy, an adroit detective from Kolkata, sets his foot in Sikkim, he is welcomed by unadulterated beauty and fresh air. Along with the natural miracles, he is also greeted by the series of mysteries that have been swept under the rug in Dengziang Monastery. Lama Phunsok requests Roy to investigate the case of the missing Issah Manuscript and urges him to stay back in the monastery. Bidding adieu to his wife, Roy decides to look behind the veil of unspoken secrets and embarks on a life-threatening journey that takes him to the far corners of Sikkim. A…
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Book Review: Flip the Single Switch by Bonny Albo
Flip the Single SwitchAuthor: Bobby AlboPublisher: Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private LimitedRating: 2.5/5 It has been rightly said that love is like a rumor, everyone talks about it, but no one truly knows. Though it is sublime, yet it is difficult to understand the antagonistic side of it. Often we end up having those people in our lives that are emotionally unavailable and are there for short term. They disappear leaving your heart sore and aching. Bonny Albo, in her book ‘Flip the Single Switch’, deciphers the secret of finding the right partner by sharing five tricks with her readers. With an interactive narrative and to-the-point instructions, the author succeeds in…
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Book Review: Lucknow Diaries by Partha S. Sharma
Lucknow DiariesAuthor: Partha Sarthi Sen SharmaPublisher: Rupa PublishersRating: 3.5/5 ‘Lucknow Diaries’ is a pot-boiler with all the necessary elements of love, greed, politics and revenge. The plot is new and revolves around the lives of three major characters- Rahul, Feroz and Dinesh. The story is set into motion with the assassination of the young, former prime minister. The religious sentiments are hurt and the blame game is on. Amidst all this chaos, the life of three good friends unfolds. Conceding to their circumstances, Rahul, Dinesh and Feroz begin treading on paths that looked quite unfamiliar sometime before. While Dinesh follows his father’s footsteps and plunges into diplomacy (politics), Rahul and…
