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Review of the book The Grand Master & other Short Stories by Chinmaya Desai
Book Reviews

The Grand Master & Other Short Stories by Chinmaya Desai

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It’s quite rare that I find a collection of short stories above average. Kudos to the author Chinmaya Desai for writing some of the finest short stories, of which some were really outstanding. Now I wonder, if I would be able to do justice to the book.  The Grand Master & other Short Stories is a collection of 17 stories. Tales such as Mathematician, Mother’s love, The Grandmaster, Who let the Dogs Out, The Woman in The Yellow Saree etc, taught me something and left me to mull over things, long after I had read them. It was like I was living among those characters and feeling their emotions as mine own. Amazing to see how a simple story can transform our perception. The narrative of each of the tale was lovely and very engaging. By using quirky, through imagery style of writing in individualistic prose the author enhanced the drawing strength of each of these tales. What I didn’t like about the book? A few stories in the book were very disappointing, but the good ones made it up for the disappointing ones. Language was used in the book was okayish. Bit of editing could have done wonders. Overall, it is a must read collection of short stories, which is a perfect light read and a best companion while travelling. I relate this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Interview of Supraajha Murali, author of the book Half a Moonstone
Book Reviews

Author interview of Supraajha Murali

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How did you come up with this book? Anything particular that prompted you to write this book? The whole novel was based off one very vivid image of a man and a woman dueling, with half a moonstone embedded on the hilts of both their swords.I got the idea from watching a ring my friend wore every day. I had to do a lot of world building from that image as muse. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? I come up with most of the ideas by visualizing the chapters all day. Since it’s in a historical time period, I check to make sure even the smallest of details are consistent with the setting. What makes this particular genre you are involved in so special? I come up with most of the ideas by visualizing the chapters all day. Since it’s in a historical time period, I check to make sure even the smallest of details are consistent with the setting. I have always been attracted to history and fantasy, most importantly Indian stories about palaces, kings and queens. Half A Moonstone is set in a completely fictional Kingdom with completely fictional characters, something pretty uncommon even among Indian fantasy/his-fic writers. I come up with most of the ideas by visualizing the chapters all day. Since it’s in a historical time period, I check to make sure even the smallest of details are consistent with the setting. If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? Divergent. It is the most fascinating as well as technically sound book I’ve ever read. It continues to hold me spellbound. Do you aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day? Though I don’t write every single day, I try my best to write a chapter every 2-3 days to maintain consistency, as well as give myself enough time to think things through. What do you think was the greatest turning point of your life? I’m very passionate over dance, I’ve always wanted to dance and perform professionally. I had a major injury while dancing a few years ago. Though I managed to recover completely, it taught me a lot about priorities, my love for dance and life itself. When did you first consider yourself a writer? I’ve always been writing, I guess, even before I could spell the words right. I remember falling in love with words when I was all of nine years old. Being a “writer” is a very personal, intimate and happy feeling to me, which comes every single time I create. Often in life, it’s our greatest challenges that make or break us. What do you think is the determining factor between whether we grow by our adversity or are destroyed by it? Attitude. “Growth”, to me, doesn’t always equal “winning”. We grow when we fail, we grow when we succeed. I believe that with lots and lots of patience and persistence, even the worst of situations can be converted into learning experiences. Looking beyond emotions and into the valuable lessons each adversity or conquest teaches us, is what I believe is the key to growth. Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers? Don’t apply undue pressure on yourself. We shouldn’t push ourselves if we’re not naturally inclined towards writing at that moment. Maintaining consistency is important, yes, but forced creativity is simply counterproductive. We aren’t content churning machines. It’s okay to take it slow! Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the book? Most of the characters are parallels of each other. For example, Damayanthi and Pradhyuman are both under the same sort of pressure. Where Pradhyuman submits to the situation, Damayanthi rebels. There is so much more to the characters’ psychology than what readers see in the book. You can find her on my Social Media handles: Facebook : Supraajha Murali Instagram : @purpleearrings123

Review of the book The Leap by Nita Bajoria
Book Reviews

The Leap by Nita Bajoria

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The Leap When you have a toddler around you, Kindle becomes your best friend as paper books are not safe at home. Thanks to Booxoul, it seems after ages I have read a paperback and it was a pleasant experience. As aptly mentioned by various studies around the world and Author Nita, Earth is no longer a suitable place for us or to be precise, way to mention that through our selfishness and greed, we are making this earth unsuitable for us. Thus, in this contemporary science fiction novel, few scientists decide that they need to search new home for humans that is Mars and the journey begins. Though this concept sounds familiar due to various Hollywood blockbuster movies, nevertheless author has ensured that there is far more than just a familiar concept. “Following the light of the sun, we left the old world” For colonizing on Mars few people are selected from various countries and each person has their own motive to be part of this project. This project is a dream come true for few people but for few it’s just an escape route from life complexities and terrible past. Under project The Red Planet, they have to leave this earth and set up a permanent home on Mars, no looking back is possible. However, before leaving earth they have to prepare themselves by simulation. The best part about this novel is that there is a background story for each character which makes them real and relatable for me. But at the same time, too many stories will be baffling for someone who does not finish a novel in a few days. As narration is very aesthetic, it is fun to read and each character story is defining a complex life of an individual. I was rooting for Michael who believed that ‘Life is a one-way ticket to death anyway’ but somehow in the second half his character was non-existent. There were a few times where the story seemed little stretched and predictable. Also, cover page design is not justifying this interesting novel. However, different backstories have made this novel as thoughtful gripping sci-fi creation. I would like to rate this book as 4 out of 5 and I will be looking forward to the next part.

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

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