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Neelam

An internationally accredited book blogger, voracious reader and the founder of Booxoul, one of India’s leading book and lifestyle blogs, Neelam is a person with a penchant for bringing out the best in people. A website designer, a renowned book blogger and a leading creative influencer on Instagram, here is a lady who is candid, closer to life and sensitive to the softest of emotions…

A Book Blogger, Reviewer, a true friend, honest critique, a relentless benefactor and more…

Review of the book It’s Up To You by Anju Dhawan
Book Reviews

It’s up to you by Anju Dhawan

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It’s up to you Whether you focus on the roses or thorns, It’s up to you. Whether you focus on the falling leaves or the new buds, it’s up to you. When I got this book for review, by the look of the book I really thought it’s another rom com book. The synopsis revealed something else and the book came out to be of self-help genre. To start with, I disagree with author’s view that this is a unique book on this topic. I have personally read or seen at least 10-20 books on this topic myself in many bookstores. The methods or activities might be new but the essence of the book is same. Law of attraction. What you think you become or so. Though I was really disappointed to get yet another book on this topic, but I really liked the way she made this topic easy to understand & implement in day to day life for our young generation. Her activities & techniques are good and doable. “Be at cause” is a technique that I think will really stay with the readers for a long time. She also gives case studies, revision points that makes it really easy for anyone to understand what she is trying to explain & helps in retaining the lessons. Her language is simple & fonts of the book goes easy on your eyes. She also touched upon few fears/issues that are very much relevant today. Like FOMO (fear of missing out) and cyber addiction. Its really a good idea to include it in this book. I really appreciate all the work Author Anju Dhawan is doing in the field of education & social work & wish her luck with her book.

Review of The Last Dawn by Shyam Kumar
Book Reviews

The Last Dawn by Shyam Kumar

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The Last Dawn The Last Dawn by Shyam Kumar This is a tale of love, hope, family and the never ending wait. The Last Dawn is a story of Raj, and his love for one woman. A woman he craved most in his life. Anjali. The story spans across thirty seven years of Raj’s life, where he meets many women but falls in love with only one. But fate rudely intervenes and forces him to sacrifice his one true love and marry someone else. And so the year trickle by and so does his hope of finding his love that is Anjali. What do I think of the of the story? Shyam’s The Last Dawn was a beautiful and an emotional read. A different experience altogether. It was a melancholic journey of waning hope. The author narrated the story in his own pace.It was neither slow nor fast. It was smooth as flowing river, I was being swept in its every way. Author took his own time weaving such intricate emotions we humans go through into a beautiful quilt of a story. Furthermore, language used in book is easy to understand and crisp although I felt it needed more editing otherwise it was all good. What do I think of characters  The characters were taken from our everyday life. I could relate to their life in so many ways. So humane and had a very middle classy vibes to them. One can see author’s hardwork in crafting the characters. The most incredible thing about the book was that it had only 3-4 characters to focus on, rest were shadows that flitted in and out of story for just a few secs. Do l recommend this book  Yes, l highly recommend this book. Though this book is for mature readers  and don’t mind reading a book laced with heavy emotions. I give it a 3.5 stars out of 5.

Book Reviews

Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer by Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Chauhan⁣⁣

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Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer Publication: Roli Books Page Count: 208 Review: Crime Where do I begin with? And what do I say about this book? Tihar Jail, Asia’s largest prison has been a muse of my fascination forever. And I always wonder, what is the life like behind those prison walls? Were they tortured, left to rot in dark prison cells, forever lonely. And whatever I heard on the Television felt like the garbled version of half-truths, half-lies that left me scared and bewildered most of the times. But when I read this book ‘Black Warrant’, all the notions I had were unravelled each layer at a time and torn into millions of pieces. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Sunil Gupta was an officer at Tihar Jail for more than thirty years. He recounted tales of such horrifying magnitude that I literally keeled over in overwhelming emotions. From the first man he met as soon as he joined, the notorious criminal Charles Shobhraj. To his first prison hanging to the formation of Janata party in 1977 behind walls of the jail and to his last hanging of Afzal Guru, he poured his out in a no holds barred confession in stark and honest words, which were then penned by Sunetra Chaudhary.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Sunetra with her pen turned the words into swords. Each blow cut me through my heart. I felt a prisoner of her words. I was riveted, shackled and petrified. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I must say that to tell such imagery stories are no mean feat and I applaud both the authors for allowing us a glimpse of a different world altogether. Where rich and mighty are the kings and poor were the slave, where loneliness is scarier than death itself and where laws are the means of convenience. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Black Warrant is a book that needs to be read in one’s leisure time so that one could soak up the emotions of each story and grasp the magnitude of life it holds. I highly recommend this book and implore you to read it at least once.⁣⁣ I give Black Warrant 5 on 5 stars .   .   .   .   . Let us know what you think about Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer in the comments! No spoilers on this page, please! Love reading Fantasy Fiction? Then, do let us know your favorite fantasy fiction reads in the comments below. Also, don’t forget to read : Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer, if you love courtroom dramas

Review of Unholy Tales From Banaras by Anuj Tikku
Book Reviews

Unholy Tales from Banaras by Anuj Tikku

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Unholy Tales from Banaras Some novels have the potential to be a star, a bestseller. Unfortunately, the idea behind the story doesn’t get executed well and hence this becomes the downfall of the novel. One such book that I am talking about is Anuj Tikku’s Unholy Tales from Banaras. This tale of deaths on the land of Banaras is a disappointment on all forefronts. Though I wouldn’t say that everything in it was disappointing. No. The best part I loved about the book was the detailed description of Benaras done lovingly. I could see that the story had the power to shake me and move me, but the author did not believe in editing thoroughly. If he had, the book would have been a 4 star, no doubt. Should you read it? It was overall an okayish short read, so I leave it up to you. I give it 2 stars .   .   .   .   . So, that was our review of Unholy Tales of Benaras. Love reading Fantasy Fiction? Then, don’t forget to read this: The Conspiracy Unknown What are your favorite fantasy fiction reads? Do let us know in the comments below!

Book Reviews

99 Nights in Logar by Jamil Jan Kochai

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99 Nights in Logar There are some stories that stay with you forever. Stories that have the power to move mountains inside of humans and work wonders. One such story ‘99 Nights of Logar’, had me going back to my days spent with my cousins in my Grandma’s house. Oh, what days they were! I was overcome with emotions unnamed, and hidden deep inside my heart’s many spaces. This book paved way for them – my emotions – to run amok in the very core of my being, jolting me awake to the tidbits of my deeply buried memories. Memories of me vacationing the two months of summer every year in my maternal home. Those 60 days were nothing short of an adventure to us cousins. ⁣ This book reminded me of the many tales we told sitting under the open sky at night – Even the stars, I felt listened to us in rapt fascination – though not all tales got their ending. No. Some were left halfway through, for the new ones came tumbling out of the mouths of my folks. Ahhh! Now I can only sigh in the ache of those beautiful days long gone by. Now you see, how a good story affects us, unbeknownst, creeping into our soul. ⁣ Jamil Jan Kochai’s ‘99 Nights in Logar‘ is a well-crafted tale of a 12-year-old Marwand and his adventures with his cousins in a little village of Afghanistan. But this book is more than Marwand’s story. This is also a story of Afghanistan’s past. Some beautiful and some dark.⁣ Kochai with his art of storytelling takes us on a journey to a culture that is as different as ours. He very skillfully uses various shades of characters and blends them smoothly with a narrative that is poignant and compelling and bewitching as my Grandma’s stories were. ⁣ This coming-of-age story is going to take you on a trip to the memory lane. Because memory is what it is made of.⁣ For me, it’s a 4 out of 5 stars read. .   .   .   .   . Do suggest some stories in the comments below that you think are a must… a must-read. Also, we’re sure that if you love this review, then you’re also going to love: ____ Happy Reading 🙂

Review of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Book Reviews

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

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The Starless Sea Publication: Penguin India Page Count: 512 Review: Fantasy Fiction Some books, as they say, are not meant for the faint-hearted. They are meant for the readers, who don’t mind diving into the very depths of the dark Starless sea.⁣⁣ Reading Erin’s yet another masterpiece ‘The Starless Sea’ was an experience magnificent, and which, in my opinion, could not be defined, however much I try. It was a dream come true for an insatiable reader like me. A fantasy, which was nothing short of a pilgrimage to me. It was a voyage, I and THE SON OF THE FORTUNE-TELLER took to the honey-shored island of Owl King’s kingdom.⁣⁣ You ask us, how did it start? The Journey?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣And I say, it started with turning of the pages, BUT for THE SON OF THE FORTUNE-TELLER, it started with just a turn of the doorknob. Isn’t it amazing to see, how each reader has a different perspective, and a different story to tell of the same journey?⁣⁣ So let’s focus on me, as it’s my story to tell, but we can’t forget the other person too. As it is him ‘THE SON OF THE FORTUNE-TELLER’, who with just a turn of the doorknob, change the direction of the path and threw us into the world, where fate was helpless and bound to the time. Where Time – waiting in an endless limbo for his fate to return back – was the keeper to the place, where stories were kept. And what a remarkable place it was… You could find stories everywhere. On every turn, you will find them Scattered, or stacked neatly on the shelves. And there were stories, one could pop them into their mouth and suck on them for hours at an end like candies. Stories within stories, of love lost in time and left halfway, untold, and in search of endings.⁣⁣ However transient the journey to the land of the ‘The Starless Sea’ was, it took its own time to find the ends of the end, meandering in its own pace. It was beautiful. Filled with flawless and sweet as honey narratives and imbued with words that were calm and poetic to my exhausted mind. I fell in love with it. An adventure that I wouldn’t hesitate to take one more time. Maybe soon, or whenever I feel the time is right.⁣⁣ It is a 5 star read .   .   .   .   . Let us know what you think about The Starless Sea in the comments! No spoilers on this page, please! Love reading Fantasy Fiction? Then, do let us know your favorite fantasy fiction reads in the comments below. Also, don’t forget to read this: The Conspiracy Unknown

Review of Breaking Philosophy by Nishitha Bujal
Book Reviews

Breaking Philosophy by Nishitha Bujala

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Breaking Philosophy Publication: Notion Press  Page Count: 323 Review: Poor little rich girl Sophie seems to have it all but in reality is one lonely child who yearns for a normal life.  This motherless girl who is the daughter of the mayor of the town finds solace in her books and her cat, Smelly. The sudden death of her father finds Sophie in a turmoil when kidnapped and confronted by a secret government organization; the CSES that claims that her dedicated father was a spy and a traitor. Filo Hardy, the daughter of an Indian father and Irish mother is left to fend for herself and her younger brother Sebastian who is her life.  Constantly singled out for being different, she finds an unlikely friend in the handsome Phil and a loving mentor in Indigo, who helps her get a job in his Yoga class at the Cen Tournament Training Academy. However, when Sebastian is detected with cancer, a visibly shattered Filo finds herself reluctantly accepting a fatal offer by the CSES. After all, it’s a question of life and death for Seb. The two young girls who are thrust together in an unknown environment find friendship, love, and support in each other. Faced with the humongous task to lead a team of 20 volunteers, Filo and Sophie discover their inner strength when forced to confront their common enemy. One so wily that this is definitely going to be a fight straight to the finish. Do I recommend it? Breaking Philosophy is an interesting book with a Game of Thrones meets Indian mystique feel. The young Author Nishitha manages to keep the whole taut roller coaster ride going right till the very end. The numerous characters and intriguing premises all add to the interesting mix with an additional romantic track for the two main protagonists- Sophie and Filo. Plenty of ups and downs in this book that keep you engage d till the very end. Rating:  5/5 stars .   .   .   .   . Don’t miss out: Music Men Also, do let us know in the comments if you want us to review a book or recommend some specific books. To get our bookish updates straight to your Instagram feed, give us a follow at @booxoul.

Review of Music Man Volume 1: Badoga by Pankaj Saini
Book Reviews

Music Men Volume 1: Badoga by Pankaj Saini

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Music Men Volume 1: Badoga Publication: Notion Press Page Count: 298 Review: Fantasy Fiction As a child, though I enjoyed my comics and onscreen superheroes from He-Man, SpiderMan, SuperMan, Mandrake, Chacha Choudhari, Flash Gordon, Phantom et al; I soon outgrew them moving on to other stuff. Needless to say, when I opened up this one to discover it was a fantasy novel of a superhero named BADOGA, I wasn’t really keen on it. However, I’m so glad that I persisted in reading it. The first book in the Music Men Series introduces us to the Superhero BADOGA. Sartaj, an engineer from Haryana who shows streaks of violence during his teens, moves to Bangalore along with his best buddy, Vishal in a bid to stay out of trouble despite his doting rich dad’s protests. The boys strike up a friendship with Bangalore babe, Ranjana and soon the trio are inseparable. The story builds up further with other situations and characters being introduced until finally, Sartaj transforms into BADOGA, the reluctant vigilante. Question is can he really take on the burden of responsibility after realizing his childhood dream? As they say, be careful what you wish for. Do I recommend it? Pankaj Saini has managed to get to me with the build-up of his slightly flawed yet lovable protagonists Sartaj, Vishal, and Ranjana. I thoroughly enjoyed the back story of our superhero. The music and song lyrics add a nice touch. A promising novel that left me asking for more. I can’t wait to read about the next adventure. Taking inspiration from Clark Kent, Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne, etc. Pankaj Saini’s introduction of our very own desi geek Sartaj aka BADOGA does manage to impress. Behold another Superhero is born. This one has a million questions and doubts about his existence at that. Rating: 5/5 stars .   .   .   .   . So, that was our review of Pankaj Saini’s Music Men: Badoga. Love reading Fantasy Fiction? Then, don’t forget to read this: The Conspiracy Unknown What are your favorite fantasy fiction reads? Do let us know in the comments below!

Review of The Patriot’s Legacy: Forbidden Treasure by Apurva Bhuta
Book Reviews

The Patriots Legacy: Forbidden Treasure by Apurva Bhuta

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The Patriots Legacy: Forbidden Treasure Publication: The Write Place Page Count: 302 Genre: Historical Fiction A fabulous treasure is amassed by the Rulers of the Kingdom of Allegiance. However as the kings succumb to greed and corruption, the secret group of Patriots is born. Over the centuries the bloodline of Patriots ensures that their secrets are successfully passed on through the subsequent generations. A motley group of seven youngsters from all over the world is brought together at the Convention Centre at Geneva where they meet the enigmatic Priscilla.  Identified as the Young Patriots, they are mobilized to be sent on a treasure hunting quest. The quest that will take them all over the world facing the most incredible situations that challenge their very limits. All this and more for a breathtaking sum of money. The Young Patriots pool in their resources and intellect in a bid to achieve the ultimate treasure. Hey, this could be their adventure of a lifetime. Of course, they have Priscilla and her secret organization helping them every step of the way. What they hadn’t factored in is the greed of the greatest Mafia lord of all time. Zuraan will stop at absolutely nothing to get his hands on the ultimate treasure. He waits to strike when the time is right. Will the Young Patriots survive in this cat and mouse game or have they taken on way more than they can chew?  Is all the wealth in the world worth playing with and even losing their life? Can they really outplay Zuraan in this game of life and death and truly getaway? Read and find out for yourself. Do I recommend it? An interesting book about a bunch of super-intelligent youngsters on a treasure quest. Forced to learn on the job, they track clues in the most amazing ways. Just as I started off wondering how the random 7 scattered all over the globe got together for this treasure hunt, Bhuta managed to pull me back and give insight about the background of the Young Patriots. It turned out to be quite an interesting and informative read with glimpses of the seven new wonders of the world. I’m sure it will be quite a Hit with the Target Audience- Teens and Young adults.  Rating: 4/5 stars .   .   .   .   . Love reading historical fiction? Then, here’s a book you shouldn’t miss: Traveller Inceptio Do let us know your favorite historical fiction reads in the comments below 🙂

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