Book Reviews

Review of the book Walks Through Life: Stories by Santhosh K. Komaraju
Book Reviews

Walks Through Life: Stories by Santhosh K. Komaraju

I am the kind of person who is a habitual fictional novel reader. Normally many of us prefer lengthy novels that walk with us like a friend. For a change, I came across a book or better way to say compilation of a few short stories of Author Santhosh and it was a delight reading it. It reminded me of Sunday Newspaper short stories which give us some insight into people’s journey through tough times and their life stories. Pages: 136 Publishing House: Notion Press ‘Walks Through Life’ is a collection of 9 stories. I can’t classify them as short stories as each story is 20-30 pages long. Santhosh has ensured that every story has its own era and morals. There are many characters about whom I still think as if they are my long-lost friends. These stories take us to different phases of life as if every story is defining a new emotion. The stories were so poignant that I was swept off in the wave of the melange of emotions showcased throughout my reading. Few imperfect characters are helping the story to become perfect. I am mentioning all 9 titles as they are the first to witness the unique creation of Author Santosh Komaraju. The Hidden Kingship Divine Ax Blessing From a Curse A Letter From the Well Beyond the Bar Of Humanity Rise Of Motherhood Two Misjudgments King Of All A Gold Message For young readers, this book is a good start to their reading journey. As the debutant author Komaraju mentioned, somewhere these stories hint about Hindu mythology beliefs. Author Santosh believes that mythology stories not only describe historical events but also they teach us valuable lessons somewhere. Narration is like a descriptive and creative journey to ride on. Compelling, smooth and very intricately woven. But while reading, I sometimes felt that a few stories or a particular few segments were unnecessarily written or a bit stretched. Overall, this was a book, I enjoyed reading a lot. ‘Walks Through Life’ is a book, I’d like people to read it at least once. I would like to rate this imaginative creation, 4 out of 5 stars. I will be looking forward to the next book by Author Santosh Komaraju. .   .   .   .   . Love reading Short Stories? Also, read: Kaleidoscope of Love Or explore more of short story gems like ‘Walks through Life’, here. And hey, do let us know in the comments below if you have any recommendations. Happy Reading 🙂  

Review of An Extreme Love of Coffee by Harish Bhat
Book Reviews

An Extreme Love of Coffee by Harish Bhat

I never thought that a tea aficionado like me would write a review of a book with a pen in one hand, a cup of hot coffee in another. Yeah, I’m a tea enthusiast, through and through, and an occasional coffee drinker. I am one of those people who believes that good things happen only to those who have a cup of hot tea in one hand and a good book in another. But this time, my idea shattered into a million pieces, as I embarked on a treasure hunt in the Coffee lands, unknowing what I’m going to bring back from my adventure. I am still reeling in the throes of reading this magical coffeelicious book ‘An Extreme Love of Coffee’ written by Harish Bhat. It’s still hard to imagine how the Custodian Guardian of the Tata Sons Group and the Chairman of Tata Coffee LTD. can overwhelm readers with their very first fiction book, an adventurous coffee travelogue. An Extreme Love of Coffee’ is a uniquely conceptualized India’s first Coffee Book with a heady mix of adventure, travel, a bit of soft romance scattered here and there and no doubt loaded with loads and loads of Coffee. At the beginning of the book, I couldn’t get in touch with the plot for two reasons I think: first, it was a little slow (obviously, it needed time to take shape), and second, I couldn’t figure out the’ Heads and Tails’ of where the story was taking me (needs patience, baby). But after 30 or so pages, I stumbled down in the wonderland of delicious coffee and beautiful places. I was totally lost in the story, with only the aroma of roasted to perfection coffee Beans guiding me to my destination. I applaud Mr. Bhat heartily, the master-storyteller, for penning a story, for I could never have dreamed before that a tale could be spun around coffee in such delicious words and woven intricately into a book. I was enamored with the writing style, so sensuous and delectable. I could feel the genuine love and passion in every word he wrote. Published by Penguin Publishers, this novel ranges across the beautiful places where Coffee is worshipped and can be found in every nook and cranny. The descriptions of weather, landscapes, and coffee were done passionately and in loving detail. Reading the novel, was like sitting on my comfy chair, tucked under the warm and soft quilt in long winter nights at my Nani’s place and filling my lungs with the smell of the nutty aroma of walnuts, mild but deliciously bitter coffee. On this journey to discover coffee and treasure hunt, the characters of the book became my best buddies. Slowly but certainly between Rahul and Neha, I could literally feel the electricity of growing love. I could also feel the happiness of my Coffee Ghost found in the company of those two. So many characters flitted in and out of the story, each with their own little tale to tell. What an incredible experience reading this book has been. I miss my old friends already. I could go on and on about how amazing the book ‘An Extreme Love of Coffee’ is, but I got to stop somewhere, so to give you chance to check out the book for yourself. I say, go on, do read this potently heady Coffee book. Especially in this chilly season. Also, don’t forget your coffee while reading this book, or you will definitely going to regret it. My Rating: 5/5 stars .   .   .   .   . What do you love more? Chai or Coffee? Do tell us in the comments below and also, you can follow us on Instagram @booxoul and get book reviews & recommendations straight to your feed. Happy Reading 🙂

Review of the Book Rose's Bent Stem by Nomita Khanna
Book Reviews

Rose’s Bent Stem by Nomita Khanna

This year has been really good in regards to reading good books, compared to last year. I got to read some of the finest books by Indian writers, which is to be quite rare. Nomita Khanna’s book ‘Rose’s Bent Stem’ is one of those books that kept me hooked throughout. In fact, it turned out to be a completely well-executed surprise for me. Why a surprise, you ask me? Well, for one, I had thought it to be an average love story kind of book, but rather it turned out to be a psychological thriller. My favorite genre, you see… So imagine my delight when the book started taking shape in front of my eyes. I was in complete awe of her writing style. Intricate and executed well. The writing and the narrative of the book blew my mind off the walls. It was gripping, heart racing, a complete thrilling drama that gave me a jolt of shock so strong that I was rendered speechless. Furthermore, it was smooth as a flowing river and eerie as the nursery rhymes used in the book, which gave goosebumps. I could literally feel my hair standing on end. Moreover, loved the language used in the book, fresh, easy and free-flowing. I was lost in the story that was a maze of twists and turns so intense that at the end of the story, one had to remind herself to breathe deep and have a cup of hot tea. Though at some places, I thought it was stretched a bit long, and that kind of was off-putting, otherwise no bother. It is an amazing job done by Nomita. Penning a real-life story, that could have gone either way. It was a risk she dared to take. As I reckon writing a psychological story needs lots of details taken care of. The book is very vividly written in a diary form. Very graphically detailed. Ergo, not everybody’s cup of tea. I highly recommend this book to all who like Crime/Thrillers. This book has earned a 4 on 5 stars for its gripping story and strong plotline. .   .   .   .   . Love reading suspense thriller, then definitely check this book out and also, visit more of our suspense thriller book reviews and recommendations. Happy Reading 🙂

Book Reviews

In a Conversation with Arun Batish, the author of EKA – Rendezvous with your life forces

From his childhood to the journey of writing ‘EKA – Rendezvous with your life forces’, here we are, in a conversation with the author Arun Batish. Here we go: Q. How did you come up with this book? Anything particular that prompted you to write this book? A. I live and experience emotions like – Admiration, Adoration, Aesthetic Appreciation, Amusement, Anxiety, Awe, Awkwardness, Boredom, Calmness, Confusion, Craving, Disgust, Empathetic pain, Entrancement, Envy, Excitement, Fear, Horror, Interest, Joy, Nostalgia, Romance, Sadness, Satisfaction, Sympathy, Triumph every day and this is what prompted me to write this book EKA – Rendezvous With Your Life Forces. Q. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? A. I am strong believer that, if you do not have these in your life you are useless and deserve to die today itself ” experience, happiness, inspiration, life, love, mistakes, pain, philosophy, reality, sadness, smile, truth, life-lessons, beauty, family, nature, heart, humanity, friendship, Betrayal, freedom, ditched, wronged, change, fantasy, motivation, dreams, spirituality, motivational, people, peace, power, courage, joy, future, world, learning, motivational-quotes, soul, money, self-help, passion, mind, creativity, purpose, prayer, love-quotes, psychology, insults, belief, depression, spiritual, relationship, desire, friends, trust, loss, humorous, forgiveness, loneliness “. This is where I get all the information and ideas to write my book EKA – Rendezvous With Your Life Forces. Q. What makes this particular genre you are involved in so special? A. I think the reason this particular genre that I am involved and write-on is so, special, is for the fact that it can help people learn self-help skills and live an independent, meaningful and fulfilling life. I am a strong believer that the Self-help genre is extremely empowering, it means having a customized plan of your life events, making other people feel good about you and by reading books of Self-help genre one becomes a better and wiser person. Q. If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? A. Rhonda Byrne’s, The Secret. It is wonderful to read that sold bazillion copies and bulldozed through a few million people’s wallets but that does not change the fact that I just don’t like it. It is nothing but a book that describes the (in) famous ‘Law of Attraction’. Had I been the author of the same, I would have added realistic emotions and credits to human thinking patterns that more or less say the same thing: mind your thoughts, stay positive and focused on your goals, ignore self-doubt and criticism, visualize and concentrate on what you want and you will eventually have it. Q. Do you aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day? A. I do not aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day, though I do write every day for 30 minutes. I allow no interruptions, no beeps, no notifications, and nothing to check for 30 minutes straight before my house gets lured by the smell of freshly brewed Himalayan coffee wake me up and I start my day of being a Corporate Executive and act as a Human Resources professional. Q. What do you think was the greatest turning point of your life? A. After, leaving school in the beautiful city of Shimla. I strongly considered joining the Indian Army and so one day on a practice hike in the Himalayas, my life took a bad turn. Whilst negotiating a treacherous crossing between two narrow cliffs, I slipped and took a free-fall into the deep gorge underneath. As I tugged open my parachute, the canopy ripped on the jagged edge of the jutting rock face and he plummeted to the ground from a height of 4,000 feet. The damage to the canopy allowed for only a partial opening of the parachute, causing me to land hard on the ground below, with the parachute pack crashing onto my back. I lay unconscious for several minutes before I was finally rescued by my team. I was rushed to the nearest hospital where the doctor reported that four of my vertebrae were crushed, nerves were all compressed and when the reports came out, it was stated that I had come “within a whisker” of being paralyzed for life. During the recovery phase, doctors told me that it was questionable whether I would ever walk again. This was not just a shock for me, but also a turning point in my life. As a young man who had envisioned the life of an army officer ahead of him, I felt pained. And I fell into a period of deep heartbreaking pain as I spent the next eight months in and out of rehabilitation. As I healed I spent time meditating in a trance of deep introspection. What saved me ultimately was my faith which grew stronger day by day as I started reading many of the ancient Indian texts like the Bhagavad Gita and other books on philosophy which made me realize that when the Divine gives us such life and death moments – it is because our soul seeks a greater understanding of life. Within a year of tenacious dedication and determination in the rehabilitation center, hard work in the physiotherapy room, I bounced back to new adventures that have hence taken me forward in life. This was when I realized my potential life forces and turned my life forever. Q. When did you first consider yourself a writer? A. It was in 7th grade when I wrote a love letter to my class teacher. In fact, it was her response to let me know that I’ve written a beautiful letter. This ignited a fire of writer, which I only realized later post overcoming my hormones change dates. This answer might sound funny to many, but like an innocent prisoner, I stand by it. Q. Often in life, it’s our greatest challenges that make or break us. What do you think is the determining factor between whether we

The review of the book The Apple by Devashish Sardana
Book Reviews

The Apple: History’s greatest mystery. Mankind’s greatest theft. – Devashish Sardana

We all know the story from the bible about the Garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit apple. Author Devashish takes us further on the same thought, what if the Garden of Eden and apple still exist? ‘The Apple‘ is a perfect blend of ancient and modern life and their related mysteries. This is the story of Queen Azura and her sacrifice to fulfill her ancestors’ only mission, to safeguard Eden and tree of immortality from evil eyes of selfish outsider-humans. On another side, Dr. Costello wants an apple from the tree of immortality. A team is given the job to find and steal from Sentinels – first homo sapiens who walk the earth. One fateful night Queen Azura finds an intruder in Eden, a man with no memory and bullet wound in his head. But the larger concern is an apple is missing from Tree of immortality. Azura believes that intruder is the culprit but without his memories, she can’t find either apple or his true intentions. To find apple, Azura has to join hands with an outsider but can she trust him? Outsider also has the same question can he trust Queen Azura or for that matter himself. ‘The Apple‘ is a unique concept novel with answers to our what-if questions about the Garden of Eden. Despite being the first novel by Author Devashish, this book is an imaginative creation. “History’s greatest mystery. Mankind’s greatest theft”. This cover page beguiling tagline itself hints towards one more selfish reality of mankind. However, while reading a few times language seems to be less naturalistic. Also, few twists were a little predictable but due to the unique concept, I didn’t mind it much. My favorite character is Queen Azura who is a sharp, brave and responsible queen. Her dedication towards her people is admirable. On the other side, I detested the predictable character of Michelle. This novel can easily qualify for movie or TV series rights as there is a tremendous scope of thriller entertainment. Overall, I would rate this mystery and adventure novel 3.75 out of 5. Also, I will be looking forward to the next book as there was a definite hint towards the next part. .   .   .   .   . About the Author Devashish Sardana is the acclaimed author of 10×10 Thrills, a Facebook and Instagram blog where he writes 100 Word Thriller books for his fast-growing community of 75,000+ followers. Devashish is a small-town boy from India who grew up with big dreams and an even bigger imagination. After graduating from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A), he sharpened his storytelling skills as a brand builder in a Fortune 100 company for 8+ years. Devashish lives in Singapore with his wife and college sweetheart, Megha. He currently flits across the globe selling hope in a jar (beauty creams). .   .   .   .   . I hope you loved the review and hey, if you really did then please give us a comment below na. Tell us which book do you want us to review next or if you need some book recommendations? Happy Reading 🙂

Book Reviews

The Camphor of Night by Samir Satam

It’s been quite a while since I last read a poetry book that managed to strike chords in my heart. Little did I know that this short book of merely 118 pages will have such a devastating yet lingering effect on my mind, heart & soul. Words seem to fall short in describing my emotions at this moment. All transcendental feelings seem to perish when I think about writing a review for The Camphor of Night. This is a very good poetry book of hardly 118 pages. So considering the size, it took me a little over an hour to finish it. Now let me get down to the facts which will help me justify my point accordingly. The cover has been designed very well. The backdrop looks very good, it’s simple yet vivid. The dark and white theme along with the rider and trees enhances the overall picturesque presented here. It looks attractive and pleasant to the eyes. One of the very reasons why I picked this book up. The title is another important aspect that captivated me. It’s apt and sounds interesting. It gets justified with the content over the passage of time. From the very first page where the author leaves a note for the readers under the headline, ‘ode to an unfinished coin‘ to the ending page describing art as a loved child of restlessness and insanity. Samir Satam has a very unique, lucid and vivid approach to things. Let it be short notes, messages or poems throughout the poet. This fact gets accomplished effectively. It also gets accompanied by the sheer tenacity of the poems which are capable of capturing the underlying emotions lying dormant within our heart. The figure of speech and rhyming has been incorporated well in some of the poems in the book. Though I felt this compilation could’ve been added at many other places of the book as well. Nevertheless, it was a really good read. It’s been ages since I read such a fine piece of art. Overall, The Camphor of Night is a lovely read. My Rating: 4/5 stars .   .   .   .   . Also read: A poem that will fill you up with the nostalgia of your first time in Mumbai Do you guys love poetry? If yes, then I’m sure that you’re going to love this book and our section of poetry in Booxoul’s bookshelf, check them out here. Also, do let us know your favorite poetry book in the comments below!

Book Reviews

A thriller to keep you on your toes – The Correctors by Rahul Vishnoi

2019 was a good year of reading. I’ve discovered a lot of great authors, and some of them are Indian authors. One such author, which I have recently discovered, is Rahul Vishnoi, a professional dentist and an amazing hobby writer. ‘The Correctors‘ is his second book. What an amazing book this has been! ‘The Correctors‘ is a story that has kept me on my toes from the beginning to the end. It’s spread across three genres: Suspense Thriller Comedy The story revolves around the most eccentric characters, such as the Bride, The Correctors, Ayan Bakshi, the protagonist Saayan Bakshi, and so on. The characters were so eccentric that they left a huge impression on me, and they shadowed my thoughts long after I read the book. No matter how you try, you just can’t turn off their strong personality. The style and narrative of the writer fascinated me mightily. Moreover, every nook and cranny of the narratives is polished to perfection, spell-bindingly gripping and smooth as butter. This pushed me to read on the run for hours to the limit. The beginning shocked me, Thenceforth, I was invested in the story. It was a maze of sudden twists and turns full of laughter and unpredictability, jolting me out of my senses. But the climax was shocking. What an ending author gave to this book. Though I have an inkling, that there might be a book 2 in the future, seeing how it ended. Furthermore, the language impressed me. Neither simple nor hard hard to understand. One can see clearly the command of English the author has in the book. Rahul’s book ‘The Correctors‘ has earned 5 on 5, for its high entertainment quotient and writing style. I recommend this book to every reader, who don’t mind reading graphically detailed suicide and torture scenes.⁣ What an incredible journey this has been. Reading this book. .   .   .   .   . Love reading thrillers? Then, don’t forget to check out our Thriller section. Also, do let us know your favorite thriller book in the comments below! Happy Reading 🙂

Book Reviews

The Mind Game By Devika Das

Publication:  Blue Rose Publishers Page Count:  203 Review: Another Non-fiction book by this Author. Which I really enjoyed reading, because of its fast pace, non-repetitive and to the point writing style. Devika’s The Mind Game is a fairly straightforward Self-Help book on mastering emotions to achieve success. It is divided into 6 main sections that deal with the following: Emotions and their Management Understanding Behavior of People Recommends Simple Living Staying Happy despite the Circumstances Anger Management Promotes a Good Work Environment Do I recommend ‘The Mind Game’? I’m absolutely not a fan of Self-Help books. In fact, I tend to gravitate towards Fiction rather than Non-fiction.  Ergo, I had my doubts about this book too… as I have for countless self-help books. Needless to say, against my better judgement I started with this book. In the beginning, my mind kept wandering every now and then while reading, but after like 30 pages in, I kind of started enjoying the book. To be frank, I did not discover any great epiphany or find any major information that would transform my life, but then again, I guess it’s nice to be reminded of the small ways in which you can get back on track in case you need a reassuring hand. Probably those looking for a simply written book that gives basic insights might find this one useful. I loved the simplistic way of writing of the author. It was what kept me hooked to the book. Also, the points in the book were relayed in a simple manner. Overall, it is a good read. Readers who like to read Self-Help will surely love this book.   My Rating: 3.5/5 stars .   .   .   .   . About the Author Devika Das is simply described as a Passionate Writer, Theatre Artist, and Poet. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on her website. .   .   .   .   . Also, read: Finding your G-Spot in Life Do you guys love self-help? If yes, then do let us know your favorite self-help book in the comments below!

Book Reviews

A Wonder Book For Girls and Boys: A Retelling of Greek Myths by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Publication: Rupa Publications Page Count: 208 What do I think of this retelling of Greek Myths? A Wonder Book For Girls and Boys is essentially an Anthology of short stories based on Greek Myths. It features the well-known Greek characters of Medusa, King Midas, Pandora, Hercules, Pegasus etc. Nathaniel has very cleverly woven these myths into lovely stories adding his own special touch. As they are written as a narration by the 18-year-old Eustace Bright to the children of Tanglewood, he can get away with poetic license or rather what I would call the mythological license. Do I recommend it? Somehow, felt quite appropriate to read this book on the occasion of Children’s Day. It was like being transported straight back to my childhood Gulmohar Days. I thoroughly enjoyed this bit of a blast from the past and immediately recommended it to my Kid who is currently enjoying it. Now need I say more? It’s a 5 out of 5 stars read. .   .   .   .   . About the Author Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, and is known as one of the best fiction writers of America.  He was a master of prose style, especially of allegorical and symbolic tales, and this is clearly reflected in the characters he crafted and the psychological depths he imbued them with.  In his sketches, tales and romances, Hawthorne drew especially upon the history of colonial New England, and Salem during the time of his early American ancestors.  However, as a struggling writer during his lifetime, he had to resort to working as a customs officer in Boston and serving as the US consul in Liverpool, Lancashire.  He is known best for The Scarlet Letter (1850) and The House of the Seven Gables (1851). .   .   .   .   . Loved the review? Then, don’t forget to share it with friends who love books and trust me when I say, to everyone who shares this post, may your crush marry you someday.