The Speaking Stone - Book Review

The Speaking Stone
By Ratnadip Acharya
Review By Ila Garg

‘The Speaking Stone’, a novel by renowned author Ratnadip Acharya is published by Aksora Publications LLP. The cover is quite interesting. It shows some ancient ruins and a couple holding hands, walking in its direction. The dark colours used are apt to represent the book as a thriller.

It will be interesting to note here that the author's earlier book reviewed by me, Paradise Lost & Regained, had the same colour combination. The cover designer, Gokul Ram Singh, remains constant as well.

The book begins with a WARNING, insisting the readers to not flip through the pages beforehand as the pictures inside the book might kill the suspense. It's therefore, advisable to read the book page by page to stay with the plot and let the climax come through.

Singapore Under Attack - Book Review

Singapore Under Attack
By Uzi Ellam
Review By Ila Garg

Singapore Under Attack, a novel by Uzi Ellam, is published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. The cover is so apt. The men with guns represent some shooters and can be the attackers. Backdrop shows the city of Singapore. With such an interesting cover, I was sure it would not disappoint me.

You Never Know - Book Review

You Never Know
By Akash Verma
Review By Ila Garg

You Never Know, a novel by Akash Verma, is published by Penguin Random House India. The cover is so apt; you will realise this after reading the book. With a backdrop of red—which is a colour of love, rage, fury, blood and hell. It’s tagline—sometimes love can drag you through hell—says a lot about the plot. With such an interesting cover, I was sure it would not disappoint me.

The Three Psychos - Book Review

The Three Psychos
By Yash Pawaskar
Review By Ila Garg

The Three Psychos, an anthology of three short stories by Yash Pawaskar, is published by Dimple Publications. The cover is quite simple, with no illustrations, nothing. It’s just black with a red frame. It is a little disappointing; the author could have chosen a better cover—something crazy or maybe illustrations of the three psychos that the stories are about.

Jim Morgan and The Seven Sins - Book Review

Jim Morgan and The Seven Sins
By Bharat Madan
Review By Ila Garg

Jim Morgan and The Seven Sins, a novel by Bharat Madan, is published by Notion Press. The cover is intriguing, quite mysterious. An eye directly looking at the readers. A hooded man means something spooky, hush-hush, a lot of thrill. With such an interesting cover, I was sure it would not disappoint me.

Read the author interview here: Bharat Madan

Khel the writings - Book Review

Khel – the writings
By Vishal Goswami
Review By Ila Garg

Khel – the writings, a novel by Vishal Goswami, is published by Frog Books in association with Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd. I found the cover very dull and too gaudy. It clearly didn’t click with me as I was left totally unimpressed.

Vishal Goswami is a MBA-Finance graduate from Boston, U.S.A and is passionate about reading and writing in all its forms, whether fiction or non-fiction and also all other genres. He is active on Twitter as @WritetoFite tweeting about more contemporary topics.

The blurb reads as, “The abandoned Haveli in Brahmdev, a hill station near Mumbai, is known amongst the local population to be haunted. People keep away from it. A group of youngsters decide to explore it and what follows is a horrifying reality they do not live to relate. Sanya Sharma is an investigative journalist, with a shattered life and a grieving past. Having lost her husband and little daughter within a span of six months, her once perfect life is a distant dream. Depressed, unable to concentrate on work and barely paying attention to her ten-year-old son, she takes help in alcohol and regular visits to her psychiatrist. Her last chance at redemption in a case of mysterious deaths on small hill station. What follows is a series of mysterious, eerie and horrifying events that Sanya cannot understand and finally with the help of a local police inspector turned friend, it draws upon her that the Haunted Haveli is not just small town hocus-pocus but a reality that had turned on her. The evil that she encounters slowly affects everything around her and she knows that it will finally consume her. But why? What were the deep, dark secrets of the Haveli's past? What was the Nawab family's past? Who is the old woman haunting her? What are the cards and what is the card game? How is such a horrifying situation merely a game and how is she to play it? Why do the writings on the cards come true and people die? She has to find a way to save herself and her son from the evil and the game of cards that makes everything come true. People around her are dying one by one making her wonder why she is spared. Will she play the final KHEL - The Writings - or will it be the evil that will end the game?”

After reading the blurb, I was instantly intrigued. Opening scene introduces the reader to a group of four youngsters who want to make a documentary. They reach an abandoned Haveli seeking an adventurous story for the same. This Haveli was situated in Brahmdev which is a hill station near Mumbai. As the youngsters begin to explore the Haveli, some unexpected events occur which eventually lead to their deaths one by one.

News of their deaths spread like wild fire the next day. Yeah, almost like a film script! I will give this to the author that he has built up an amazing plot. Writing a horror story isn’t as easy as often thought of!

So soon this news catches the attention of an investigative journalist, Sanya Sharma, whose job is at stake. She sees these mysterious deaths as her only hope to save her job, and jumps into the case. She was already shattered and on the verge of depression as she had lost her husband and young daughter in a very short span of time. This case thus is the best she could have think about to free herself from the thoughts of her lost family.

The story afterwards moves at a slow pace, but manages to send to scare the readers every now and then. The language is simple and easy to comprehend; thus newbie readers would find it readable. Nowhere will a reader feel any disconnect as the author has maintained a smooth flow.
However, I did find some grammatical errors in the book which marred the effect of the plot and made reading this story a bumpy ride for me, especially the misspelt names of the characters. The plot wasn’t too extraordinary as well.

How the youngsters reach the Haveli and decide to explore it, how they die one by one, the unraveled mystery behind the haunted Haveli, the card game and its significance, how Sanya dealt with the case, was she successful in saving her job, was the Haveli actually haunted are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Khel – the writings.

Further, this 140-page book is good enough to keep you hooked till the end. The author could have got it edited in a better way. Rest was good. Best wishes to the author for his future writings!

Ratings: 3/5

Buying Links: Infibeam | Flipkart | Amazon

Rise of the Grey Prince - Book Review

Rise of the Grey Prince

By Arka Chakrabarti

Review By Ila Garg

Rise of the Grey Prince by Arka Chakrabarti is published by Srishti Publishers. The book’s cover is dark and mysterious and gives a look of a thriller. The sword shining bright and the man lingering in darkness intrigued me in an instant and I could not wait to sneak inside.

The author is a twenty seven year old tax consultant and a content writer who resorted to writing to escape the mundane life. The success of his debut novel The Secrets of the Dark, along with the articles that he continues to write for esteemed magazines like Tehelka and the world of professional photography, have paved the way for the second part of the series ‘The Saga of Agni’.

The blurb reads as, “That cursed night at Nisarga had revealed the true reason behind his father’s sacrifice and his own dark past. Each revelation now draws Agni into the sublime world of secrets. With Vrish and Guru Sidak by his side, fighting the daggers from the past and winning over the opponents of the present, somewhere deep down, he knows that his journey has just begun.

The other scarred prince walks the ashes of his reality. Haunted by the glimpses of truth the same night, Yani had but one choice – to survive. His unknowing steps, trapped in cruel games of ancient powers had led him to a truth, a truth which shall mould a good man in the clay of misfortune, hate and lust.

Such is the world of Gaya, and thus shall be the Rise of the Grey Prince – the one torn between the darkness of evil and a lone ray of hope.”

This book is the second part of series - ‘The Saga of Agni’. The story of the series revolves around Agni. Now, I haven’t read the first one in the series so I thought I might not be able to bridge the connection. Though much to my relief, the book has a recap ‘The Story So Far’ and thus, one can read it even if they haven’t read the first one.

The book is set in a fictional land called Gaya, which is further divided into two continents - The Land of The Rising Sun, and The Land of The Setting Sun. The story centers on the main protagonist - Prince Agni, his guru Sidak, his friend Vrish and Prince Yani, whose father took care of Agni during his initial years of childhood.

The story will appeal to all those readers who want to read something different from the mainstream drama. The way this narrative is written compels the readers to read on and get involved with this fantastic tale. The author has managed to keep the story tight knit. The only flaw that I felt could have been worked on is the complexity of the plot. It tends to make the reading experience a little confusing as so many alien names come up and sometimes it gets difficult to establish a proper connection. Also, the initial chapters are a little drab and only a reader who keenly wants to reach climax will have the patience to read through the details. It also gets challenging to read this book in one go as the readers will find it difficult to keep themselves stimulated.

There is a list of characters at the end but it only has the characters introduced in the second part, the earlier characters aren't listed there. The language is easy to comprehend but there are too many details to keep a tab of. So many characters add to the confusion, though the readers of the first part of the series may enjoy it.

The 214 page book manages to be a nice read, though it could easily be more interesting if the characters were kept numbered and given proper space to develop. The plot and thrill kept me glued to this book, although the grammatical errors kept irking the flow.

‘Yay’ Factors: The concept.

‘Nay’ Factors: The too many characters and details. Also, the book could have been edited with a little more precision.

My Verdict: All in all, the concept is well thought of but the execution lacks in a big way. There are too many things happening in this book and the readers might just lose the patience to keep reading. I have high expectations from the next part in the series. I really hope the author will work on the feedback that he gets for this book so that the corrections can be made in the following book.

Ratings: 3/5

This (Unbiased) book review is a part of “The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program”. To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com. 

Buying Links: Amazon | Infibeam | Flipkart | Landmark | uRead | Crossword

Project S.A.I. - Book Review

Project S.A.I.

By Srinivasa Gopal

Review By Ila Garg

Project S.A.I. by the debutant writer, Srinivasa Gopal is published by Frog Books (an imprint of Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd). The book cover is dark and mysterious and gives away no hint about the story which hooks the readers instantly. The teddy bear amidst the gory background looks a little out of place. This novella appears to be an in and out thriller.

The author has always loved writing as a leisure activity. He has also penned a few academic papers that have appeared in well-known journals and have been featured at academic conferences. Like all Indians, he loves Indian food, Indian culture and is a great fan of the Indian Cricket Team. He has worked for several leading multinational firms all over the world and has even set up his own software company. Project S.A.I. is his literary debut.

The blurb reads as, “Sarangan & Lakshman are two brothers, who come from the same pilgrim town in rural Tamil Nadu but who live completely different lives. While Sarangan and his family are content to remain in their hometown, Lakshman raises his sons in the bustling metropolitan city of Chennai. Tragedy strikes when the two families come together for their annual pilgrimage. Now it's a race between Lakshman’s son, Ananth, and the police, to prove whether or not their deaths were really caused by an accident.

‘Project S.A.I.’ is the story of two young men overcoming their own personal grief, to help others discover the truth behind the troubles plaguing them. And all this with the help of a device, whose existence most people would deem impossible - a device that allows a person to have conversations with those who no longer belong to the realm of the living.”

This pocket-sized book is set in Tamil Nadu. Sarangan & Lakshman are two brothers born and brought up in a rural pilgrim town of Tamil Nadu. It is interesting to note that apart from this, they hardly have anything in common - their beliefs, life styles, ambitions, ideologies are all different from each other. While Sarangan and his family are content to remain in their hometown, Lakshman moves to the metropolitan city of Chennai with his wife and kids. The beginning doesn’t give even a slightest hint that where the story is heading to. It is only when the two families come together for their annual pilgrimage that the story takes a turn and turns into a tragic thriller.

The story will appeal to all those readers who want to read something different from the mainstream drama. The way this narrative is written and the plot is woven compels the readers to read on and get involved with this fantastic tale. The author has managed to keep the story tight knit and though it is fast paced, yet it seems comfortable for the readers. The story is kept short and crisp; to the point, no exaggeration is done which is the USP here.

The language is easy to comprehend, with a little use of vernacular words like Adirasam, Puliyodarai, Thambi, etc. All characters are sketched very well and they make the plot even more interesting. Author’s language is really fresh and the narration is entrancing too. Readers will find it interesting and will not be bored.

The 86 page book manages to be a nice read, though it could easily be more descriptive. This book is definitely a page turner and a very quick read. The blurb almost reveals everything, leaving not much excitement to be unveiled. For a debut writer, Srinivasa Gopal has presented a nice book with a different storyline. The plot and thrill kept me glued to this book, although the grammatical errors kept irking the flow.

The downside of this book for me is its editing and the under developed storyline. It left me disappointed. To err is human, but to err and err again is not justified. The narrative has a lot of spelling, punctuation and basic grammatical errors that slipped through the writer's and editor's eyes.

‘Yay’ Factors: The genre.

‘Nay’ Factors: The too many editing errors right from the first page to the last page.

My Verdict: To find out what happened at the annual pilgrimage, was the tragedy just an accident or was it planned, who suffered the greatest and why, who was at fault; you will have to read the novella, Project S.A.I.

Ratings: 3/5

This (Unbiased) book review is a part of "The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program". To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com. Thanks Nimi Vashi for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Buying Links: Flipkart | Landmark | Amazon

When a Laywer walks down the aisle - Book Review

 

When a Lawyer walks down the aisle
By Amrita Suresh
Review By Ila Garg

When a Lawyer walks down the aisle, is a novel by the writer Amrita Suresh, who is earlier known for When a Lawyer falls in Love. The book is published by Radiance Publications. The cover is simple and soothing to the eyes. The title is attractive too. Use of bright colours and image of two penguins in a wedding dress, add to the reader’s interest.

There is no proper blurb. The author’s bio is missing too, as well as the acknowledgement. The presentation of this book is not up to the mark and it left me disappointed. Yet, I somehow began reading and my opinion gradually began to change.

When a Lawyer walks down the aisle, revolves around a young group of lawyers namely Sonali, Ankur, Vyas, Souvik, and Jaishree. From the very first page, the novelist manages to capture the reader interest.

The story begins at a graveyard and the spookiness continues till the end. In that sense, the novel is a blend of serious and comical episodes. It’s a witty ride of culprit-hunting, who was the murderer of an octogenarian lady. An insight into the lives of lawyers working on a case which is full of mysteries and perfectly involves supernatural elements as well as the old forgotten knowledge of Upanishads, Hindu Mythology, Zen Buddhism, and Psychometry. A fresh tale, with a refreshing plot that doesn’t bore you for even a microsecond.

However, not further revealing the plot, I would like to mention that this tale doesn’t involve solely the lawyers. We have several struggling actors too and we have villians, we have common people, we even have a candle light march. It has so many subtle plots woven in it that you can’t help but enjoy the book. Apart from the solving of one major murder case, it has given a balanced space to misunderstandings, life of struggling actors, theatre groups, haunted house, friendship, love, divorce cases, and a message to live life when you can.

The book has more to it than meets the eye. It somehow retains the element of humor from beginning till the end. It makes you wonder about the author’s background and how she managed to say this much in such a short space. The author, Amrita Suresh, in that way seemed well read to me and left me impressed! I was awestruck to read several bold lines and the mention of things like porn. And on top of it, the secret fairy revealed to me that the author is a proud mother of a very naughty kid!

The too many twists and turns in the case, is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in When a Lawyer walks down the aisle. Another reason that would keep you glued to it would be the couple of Souvik and Jaishree and what their future will be.

This 164 page book is not a regular tale. The book has a few grammatical errors, punctuations missing and several spelling errors too. The books lacks in proofreading and a proper typeset. There are major name goof ups too like Aditi Adithi, and Sonu Sonlu. Apart from this, it is very entertaining and brings to forth some real life problems too which we need to understand to live life happily and cherish the rare moments. For me it was a quick read, as I completed the novel in some 2-3 hours. 

‘Yay’ Factors: The story line and the characters. 

‘Nay’ Factors: The presentation of the book. The proofreading and editing errors. 

My Verdict: To find out whether Ankur, Vyas, Sonali and the others are able to solve the case or not, Jaishree and Souvik unite or not, what happens to Mrs. Shireen Lakdawala, who is Tara Bhansal, does Pavan manages to fulfill his dream of becoming the lead actor, and is Vyas able to find his compatible partner; you will have to read the novel, When a Lawyer walks down the aisle. 

I would like to wish the author all the best for future endeavors. 

Ratings: 3.75/5 (I would have given it a 4 or 4.25 if the proofreading was done properly and the presentation was taken care of.)

Buying Links: Amazon | Flipkart | Infibeam

The Unwanted Shadow - Book Review

The Unwanted Shadow

By Bhaskaryya Deka

Review By Ila Garg

The Unwanted Shadow is a novel by Bhaskaryya Deka, and is published by Half Baked Beans. The print quality isn’t up to the mark though, since I found it difficult to read through few of the pages. The book has an apt cover, you will realise this more as soon as you finish the book. The font used for the title of the book could have been modified though. The title is tempting clearly arousing reader interest.

The author, Bhaskaryya Deka is pursuing B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering at Indian School of Mines. He is an avid reader, with particular interest in Literary Fiction. He owns two blogs where he carries on with his writings. When he is not writing, he likes to spend his time listening to music, hanging out with friends, and travelling. His debut book is titled ‘Caught in a Storm’ published by Zorba Publishers Pvt. Ltd. last year. The Unwanted Shadow is his second book.

The blurb reads as, ‘Leaving home and the memories of his past behind was what Mohan intended to do when he left for Delhi. And he is proven right in his decision, because two years later, he sees his dreams shaping up. For some days, it feels to him like he is in a paradise… marrying the girl of his dreams, becoming a recognized writer. What more can anyone wish for?

But this bliss is destined to end soon. For the darkness is almost upon him, ready to engulf everything he loved in its merciless embrace.

Only one person can save him… A friend, an enemy. An Unwanted Shadow.’

Initial impressions of the book from the title, cover, and the blurb – intriguing thriller! And yes, it lives up to your expectation. This sums up the plot well:

Mohan, a small town boy, is nothing but hopeful when he moves to Delhi to complete his education. After all, this is what he had always planned to do, to take a leap towards his big dreams. And for once he finds his new life to be absolutely lovely, like he has often pictured it would be.

But this good phase doesn't last long. His life is soon shattered to pieces when his first relationship meets a tragic end. A sadness like he had never known before overwhelms him, keeping him wide awake at nights. But it is just the beginning, beginning to a terrible chain of events that would lead him to a deadly confrontation with his own dark past.

Will Mohan be able to overcome this darkness? Will he ever get solace? Or will his innocence be lost in the intense color of blood? 

The way the author has developed the story is indeed something to look out for. Indeed, the second half is far more compelling. But the suspense is well built from the very beginning when the characters are just introduced.

It seems plain in the first half but the plot takes a leap mid-way. The story doesn’t go straight. It complicates with every page. Unexpected twists will keep the readers interested to reach the end. The author takes the readers along with him in Mohan’s journey and shocks them with some revelations in between and finally leaves them gasping.

The storyline is captured well and the author hasn’t much disappointed the readers. What happens after he takes a stand against his own father and decides to leave for Delhi makes the base of the story.

The 166 page book is a perfect quick read where readers should be prepared to expect the unexpected. I mainly loved the book because of the plot that is so different from the league. In the scenario where Indian Fiction is flooded with themes of romance, The Unwanted Shadow is a relief by emerging as a thriller that will shake you from within. The urge to reach the climax, kept me hooked all the time. The language and pace is comfortable for all the readers. A satisfactory work by the author.

The too many twists in the plot is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in The Unwanted Shadow. To find out whether Mohan is able to survive in Delhi or not, how he falls in love, is he able to marry her, what obstacles come in his path and how he manages to face them, does he ever return to his hometown, how does the marriage affect him, who is this unwanted shadow that never seem to leave him, what consequences is he subjected to because of this unwanted shadow; you will have to read the novel, The Unwanted Shadow.

The book is undoubtedly a nice read. It kept me glued. Nowhere was I bored, and for this the author deserves an applause. I recommend this book to all those who are tired of reading the usual romance fictions, to those who love this particular genre, and to those who are looking for something to read during their travel time.

‘Yay’ Factors: The cover, story line, narrative, a completely different theme, unusual revelations, title, dialogues.

‘Nay’ Factors: The beginning could have been more appealing, initial chapters somehow seemed lighter.

Kudos to the author for daring to tread the road less travelled!

Rating: 4/5

Buying Links: Homeshop18 | Amazon