Bhrigu Mahesh PhD: The Return of Damayanti – My review

Published: March 15th 2017 by Partridge India

Purchased: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

I give it ☆☆☆☆/5 stars.

Review:

This is the second book by the author Nisha Singh. Though I haven’t read the first one, this one came as a pleasant surprise to me. Detective Novels are my favorites and I could not lose any opportunity to let go of this one. I received the book from Blogadda as part of their Book Reviewer’s program. Let me put down my review for the same.

Bhrigu Mahesh, an ex-policeman turned private detective, is visited by Natraj Bhakti, who resides at Krishna Dwar. This retired clerk is deeply disturbed by the phantom of his dead wife, Damyanti, hence calls for help from Bhrigu. Bhrigu and his right hand, Sutte, travel to his ancestral home to solve the mystery and to save the man from this ghost. Even after his arrival upon the scene, the haunting continues. As Bhrigu and Sutte work to untangle the mystery, a lot of secrets come to light and a woman in Bhakti’s family is murdered as well. The case progresses, but not without throwing a few challenges in Bhrigu’s way. Is there a ghost? Who killed Bhakti’s sister? It’s worth knowing if he is able to find out or not.

Now, coming to the specifics of the novel, the plot was brilliant, clear and thorough. The characters are been given appropriate detailing, and a new reader wont feel that its the second book  by Singh. The Sherlock and Watson-sque touch adds to the whole detective-mystery novel feel, with the brilliant, sharp Bhrigu, just like Sherlock and his oppo, jovial and compulsive wise-cracker, Sutte acting as Watson, keeping the readers hooked till the end. Add in the other characters like Manjunath, Bhakti’s good for nothing brother, his sharp tongued wife Premkala, and a ‘learned Pandit’ who we realize doesn’t likes being in a debate about his impractical belief system. We thriller lovers expect the book to be enjoyable from start to end in one go, and I must say, save the pace of the story, that was a little lax, the book passed with flying colors. The language is free flowing, engrossing and entertaining.

What I loved-

Bhrigu’s ways to get the true facts out of anyone, anything

Bhrigu and Sutte’s cute banter

Depicting the complexities of a marriage, materialism and relationships

Portrayal of society and how it’s adept in manipulating a sane man’s mind

Savita, who acts a token of women empowerment in the novel

Final verdict-

Nisha spaces out the characters and plot very nicely. If you are a mystery fan, then this book is the one for you. I would recommend this book to all those who understand and would like to grasp some more of the various aspects of our living culture and the aspects surrounding it. A very interesting read, and should be enjoyed at night or sitting at the window, with rain pouring sown and a mug of hot chocolate.

The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman : Brady Stefani – My Review

Published:   June 7th 2016 by Spark Press

Purchased: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

I give it ☆☆☆/5 stars.

Review:

I was provided a free copy by the author for this novel. Its about a 15 year old girl, Courtney Hoffman, who seems like a normal teenager but in actuality, she is dealing with big things like aliens, is unable to talk about them to her mother and friends, for the fear that they wont understand and would term her lunatic. This connect with aliens comes to her from her grandfather, who died all those years back in quite mysterious circumstances. Her mother, who is separated from her father, never supports and believes her, but Courtney being a strong and determined girl, though a little whiny, faces it all, and gets to the root of all that’s happening with her, with the help of a friend, Agatha.

Its a thrilling read, that isn’t easy to perceive until we read further. There were moments when I felt it was getting too many twists, and with Courtney being too independent and not listening to anyone most of the times, I had a hard time controlling my frustration with her. At times I also felt that some characters weren’t developed properly. I don’t read sci-fi fiction much since they have a lot of characters, who are usually not real, in a way I mean, plus I get bored with such context, but this book had a lot of scope. The plot was solid but mixed up at times. The end came quickly. I would also say, its one of those books that come under the category of, don’t judge the book by its cover. Read it to know the thrill unfold.

All in all its an interesting read for young readers, but I am sure almost everyone can enjoy this book. Its a book full of twists and turns that would keep you on edge till the very end. Have a happy read!

Thank you to Booktasters on Twitter (@BookTasters) for providing me the introduction to this book. Thank you to author for providing me with a review copy!

 

The Wolf of Dorian Gray: A Werewolf Spawned by the Evil of Man– My Review

Published: October 23rd 2016 by BRIAN S. FERENCE

Purchased: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

I give it ☆☆☆☆☆/5 stars.

Review: We may call this a somewhat modern version of the original i.e The Picture of Dorian Gray. The only new addition is the wolf. And though the original cannot be compared with any of its kinds, this version may give it a tough competition. It’s a lovely book.

The story, set in 1800s, takes us through the life of Dorian Gray, whose fate is irrevocably linked with that of a pack of wolves, due to the ancient herbal-magical skills performed upon his picture. As he gets in touch with Sage’s friend Lady Helena, he experiences the many appetizing moments of his life that continue to grow him as a person but lower the quality of his soul, just like the wolf, that starts getting bigger in size, as well as his attacks. The hunger is like, never easing and very consuming, in spite of Dorian’s awareness, that his inner being is morphing into something more sinister, day by day.

What follows is a series of deaths and heart breaks, but Gray, who is well into himself cannot fathom what, in actuality, is going around. Taking no notice of the events and the consequences, leaving behind his valuable friendships, Dorian keeps indulging himself, until he gets fed up of the nagging guilt and decides to kill the wolf, now knowing that he was the one who fed him up to the brim and the very wolf can be dangerous to himself.

The story is very well said and engaging. The writing is very clear. I have supreme respect  for Lady Helena, and at the same time, cant stop wondering that how can a single person’s words influence ones’ whole life. The book has everything, action, romance, horror, thrill, complete entertainment. The climax was totally unpredictable, which is another point that I love about this tale.

I would recommend this to all those who love historical fiction and wolves.

Thank you to Booktasters on Twitter (@BookTasters) for providing me the introduction to this book. Thank you to author for providing me with a review copy!

The Wind Whistles Wicked By Patty Fischer – My Review

Published: August 9th 2016 by Page Publishing, Inc.

Purchased: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

I give it ☆☆☆☆/5 stars.

Review: This is the first book I have read by Patty Fischer. It was a very interesting read. After long, I got to read a thriller/horror book that wasn’t just vampires. It was different and definitely full of twists.

This is the story of an ancient legend with magical traits, a shape shifter that lurks in the area of Big Sur in Central California. Detectives Luther Charles and Glenda McMahan are the main protagonists in the book, who have dealt with this creature in the past and are probably destined to deal with this evil for the times to come. We can say that the detectives have a personal interest in getting rid of the creature as it would affect their generations to come. As the books catches on, more characters keep adding up, who play a vital role in handling this gory business.

The book was fast paced and full of thrill. With not even a single dull moment, I read this book in one go. The plot is straight. Characters are nicely developed, a tad dramatic, and I did not like the kid Rodolph, and the fact that Glenda got attracted to men quite easily. Though there were some grammatical errors and the climax was abrupt, the book is really good and a must read for thriller/fantasy lovers. Eagerly waiting for the next one in the series to come out.

The book isn’t reviewed much, it seems, and I would recommend the book lovers out there to give it a sure shot. I am sure its a great book, but those who haven’t read it, get a copy soon and make it a big hit!

Thank you to Booktasters on Twitter (@BookTasters) for providing me the introduction to this book. Thank you to author for providing me with a review copy!

Naliyah – My Review

Book : Naliya

Author: Shauna Kelley

Published: October 1st 2014 by Create Space

Purchased: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

I give it ☆☆☆☆/5 stars.

Review: This is the first book I have read by Shauna Kelley. It was an interesting read. After long, I got to read a YA/ Fantasy book that wasn’t just vampires. It was different and definitely full of twists.

Lenora and her father were almost always on a move and shoe could not remember a lot of her childhood and details related. Her father, her only companion, is somehow reluctant to let her know her actual identity. I wasn’t sure if he was protecting her or protecting himself. Lenora is an innocent yet strong girl. She meets a blue eyed man, but was he going to be the best part of her life? The romance is sweet, but uncertain.

The first half of the book was slow for me, and the suspense was too great, and I am a person with shortage of patience, but by the half of it, I was unable to put it down. The plot is intriguing and dark. Lovely thrill. I loved it till the end, and am looking forward to read the next on the series.

This book is absolutely recommended to the lovers of YA, fantasy genre. Check out more from the author at this site: http://mmshaunakelley.blogspot.com

Thank you to Booktasters on Twitter (@BookTasters) for providing me the introduction to this book. Thank you to author for providing me with a review copy!

THE EXORCISM OF LITTLE BILLY WAGNER – My Review

Book : THE EXORCISM OF LITTLE BILLY WAGNER

Author: Francis J. Flynn

Published: January 1st 2013

Purchased: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

I give it ☆☆☆☆/5 stars.

Review: The cover looks scary. Right? But trust me, as you turn the pages, you’ll see that its anything but scary.

This book was funny. Really. I had much fun reading it. Never ever has been exorcism done the way it was done to Billy Wagner. The writer included everyone, the priests, the demon, the mother, the husband(less of a father that he was), the stripper, the husband’s philandering ways, the romance, the thrill and what not. I caught myself chuckling out loud many times.

It was a quick read. The author managed to poke fun at the christian ideology, the age old opinions and processes about exorcism. It would make you question your spiritual beliefs.  Though at times there was unwanted description about various scenarios in the life of the characters, even the room had a two page description to it, but one would eventually get past it to the exciting on-goings in the book. Father Leo was superb, as was Father Kerbs, not forgetting the stripper cum Wicca priestess Eve, or was it Veronica? 😉  The exorcism was intense and the chaos afterwards was detailed just perfectly. Along with the bursts of fun one liners, the book made easy transition to some emotional swerves as well, which was really affecting.

Reading this book was an experience in itself. Mind you, this is not a horror book. I would highly recommend this book to all the book lovers. It’s the attempted expulsion of a supposed evil spirit from a person brought to you in a fresh, fun way. Hoping to read more from Flynn.

Thank you to Booktasters on Twitter (@BookTasters) for providing me the introduction to this book. Thank you to author for providing me with a review copy!

 

An Empire of Traitors by Serban V.C Enache – My Review

Series: Of Hate and Laughter #Book 1

Author: Serban V.C Enache

Published: August 14, 2014 by Smash words Edition

Purchased: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

I give it ☆☆/5 stars.

Review:

An Empire of Traitors is the first book of the series titled Of Hate and Laughter. The story is about a place very far away, that is ruled by royal families. Sun Throne is something that everyone wants to possess. There are five empires, some of which are loyal and respectful towards the throne, others are power hungry and willing to do anything to gain it.

To be honest, it started quite good, but as I went on reading, a bevy of characters kept adding up and it got really difficult at one point, to keep a track of all of them. But I wanted to give this book a chance. I normally don’t take more than 3 days to complete a book, but this took me more than 10 days to finish, the plot was good but confusing too. By the end, it got a little hard for me to keep going, but I did finish it, since I received it from the author.

To tell the truth, this book could have been excellent, but I discovered that I got bored. The characters talked a lot, and there was very little action. I could not find the characters connected to each other while they spoke. Somehow, they could not open up to each other and a lot many times they just thought or spoke about stuff, to themselves only.

The writing was very descriptive and it was clear that the author has put in major efforts to bring out what he wanted to, but it could not mix up well. The fights were less of fights and more of description. I read a lot of positive reviews on Goodreads and other forums and was really thrilled to read it but was a little disappointed. I feel this book didn’t hold up to my expectations.

Of course these are my personal thoughts about the book. I would still recommend it to readers who love long descriptions of war, politics and treachery in their books and try it for themselves since they would like it for sure., even if I didn’t as much as I wanted to.

Check out more from the author at his site: http://serbanvcenache.blogspot.ro/

My Review : 6 Degrees – Game of Blogs

Blogadda came out with a very noteworthy approach with 6 Degrees- Game of Blogs. Its a compendium of 3 exciting stories that have different plots, but same characters and a jus the perfect twists that hold them all together. The stories are written by 30 bloggers, who were chosen after a series of rounds and who then came together to spin these beautiful yarns.

There are three stories which complete the book. They are:

1. The Awakening – A science fiction
2. Entangled Life – A murder mystery
3. Missing – A Journey Within – A thriller

I would not reveal much about the stories as I suppose the genre says a lot as to what the tales are all about.

The characters remain the same throughout the book. They comprise of:

Shekhar Dutta – Stay at home dad and freelance writer

Tara Dutta – Shekhar’s wife and works in media company

Roohi Dutta – Shekhar and Tara’s daughter

Jennifer – A laid back person who loves to click pictures

Cyrus – Law student

Aryan Ahuja – Shekhar and Tara’s neighbour

Location of all the stories : Mumbai and Delhi

As far as my opinion is concerned, I loved the book. The characters don’t mix up at all. Out of all the stories, the first one became my favorite, which was a marvelous blend of mythology and science fiction, even though sci-fi is not something that I usually read. This tale was very gripping and interesting.

The second story is murder mystery which remains unsolved till the end, but its plot is very strong and all the untold action makes Mr.Java work like hell 😉

The third tale is thriller, but involves a lot of sentiments and acknowledges one the most important social issues. In spite of the happy ending, it left me thinking about a lot many points like where we are leading our lives, individually as well as socially.

I enjoyed the book. It’s a very commendable effort on the part of Blogadda, that brought together so many bloggers to weave such an intricate book. So many creative minds jointly presented a single idea into three story-lines that were well crafted, developed and written. Language of the book is easy to read and keeps the reader glued to the plot. All the stories are steady paced with just the right amount of drama and thrill in them. The book is not age or gender specific, which is another plus point, and I am sure anyone would enjoy it.

Its not easy to come by such books, but when you get a chance to read them, you mustn’t let them go. I would definitely recommend this book to people out there as its a very unique concept that they must experience and be a part of. I would give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I am looking forward to more such initiatives with more people getting added, and kudos to all those who were a part of this immensely innovative endeavor.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Gangs of Wasseypur – Movie Review

Hello Everyone! I am back after a month..almost. Never knew June would turn out to be such a busy month for me. Anyways, the month ended and with the start of July, I managed to treat myself with a brilliant brilliant movie. Gangs of Wasseypur. Aha! What a movie. Excellent! Rarely does a Hindi movie excites me so much as this one did. Anurag Kashyap’s movies do that to me usually. Take any of his movies and you’ll see that typical thrill factor making those never ending circles in your head.

Anyways, back to the movie. Here we go..

Featuring a fight between Qureshis, an ambitious clan of butchers and Pathans since the time Britishers ruled India, the movie introduces us to Shahid Khan, who loots the british trains under the name of legendary Sulatana Daku. Soon Sultana comes to know about this and Shahid has to leave the village. He then starts working in the coal mines owned by Ramadhir Singh and soon becomes his confidant. But after a shocking revelation from Shahid, Ramadhir gets him killed. Shahid’s son, Sardar Khan somehow escapes when his uncle senses that something has gone wrong. Sardar Khan grows up with his cousin under the guidance of his uncle, bearing in mind the revenge he has to take from Ramadhir Singh for killing his father. Nagma, Sardar Khan’s wife is a strong lady who doesn’t shies away from the kind of life her husband leads. As they say, she is actually the boss of their home, when Sardar is the boss on fields. As the years pass, Ramadhir becomes powerful landlord and Sardar becomes a ruthless and most feared ganglord of Wasseypur. This tale of revenge, a mix of social and political rivalry goes on for generations between both the parties.

Manoj Bajpai has come up in one of his best performances ever. As Sardar Khan, he has displayed his multidimensional character, who inspite of being a merciless man, is beaten up by his wife when she catches him cheating upon her. The movie also shows him as a womanizer who thinks that Allah has allowed 4 marriages only for a purpose, and goes on to marry another woman, Durga, whom he lusts after. Richa Chaddha as Nagma has done brilliant acting of putting up with his husband and never fearing to say the ugliest of cuss words. They, as a couple have some of the best scenes in the movie. Other characters have also played their parts flawlessly. The direction is brilliant. The music is one of its kind, Sneha Khanwalkar did a superb job at it. A nice blend of rural and loud beats. The lyrics are totally mind boggling. This movie is immensely enjoyable, but only for those who are comfortable with the real Indian people, and the language that they use in day to day life. If you are averse to the rough language, please don’t watch it.

———————————-

5/5 stars to Gangs of Wasseypur. Dont miss it! A must watch movie, in fact all of Anurag Kashyap’s movies are a must watch. Fabulous direction and the way his characters come up so real on the screen is just awesome. This movie actually fed my soul. We don’t make much movies of this kind. No extra effects, short and crisp scenes, to the point dialogues that are rich with dark humor, that reaches deep inside and are tough to forget. The movie is everything I always love to watch. Typically raw, real and witty. I am eagerly waiting for the second part of the movie, that’ll put an end to the fire that has spread on to the coming generations of Sardar Khan.

All those who have not watched it, go and watch it. All those who have, watch it again! 🙂

Tc and have a nice week ahead!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtfmK5iPwIk – Keh ke Lunga – brilliant composition – theme song of the movie.

 

Book Review : The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

“How to Commit the Perfect Murder” was an old game in heaven. I always chose the icicle: the weapon melts away.” ― Alice Sebold

Mathematics is a subject that once mastered can take our brains to those heights which we can never ever imagine. Love, on the other hand can make us do all kinds of things in this world, even murder. Well, that happens all the time. People cross all the borders to attain the object/person of their love, including saving their lives by taking their blame on one’s own head.

Now you would be wondering what is the relation of love and murder. That, my dear readers is the whole suspense and is uncovered in the brilliantly written novel The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. I am one of all the fortunate people who got an opportunity to read and review this book. When I saw the title of this book, I was a little confused as to what it actually conveyed. But now when I have read it, I am in awe of the author who came up with this title in relation with its content. It’s just perfect. Before we move on to the plot and other details of the book, I would like you guys to ponder upon one thing : Do you love someone so much that you’ll sacrifice your whole life for covering their one mistake?

Plot : Insular and intense, Ishigami is a mathematical genius and one of life’s great observers. What truly absorbs his attention is his next door neighbour, Yasuko Hanaoka, who works at a local food shop. Although they hardly speak to each other, Ishigami is devoted to this single mother of a single daughter, Misato. The drama arrives suddenly in the shape of Yasuko’s violent, sponging ex-husband, Togashi. Yasuko snaps, but not before Misato attacks her stepfather in order to end up his episode from their lives.. Convinced that Togashi is about to murder her daughter, Yasuko tries to save her daughter from doing such an act and ends up killing him herself with an electrical cord.To the rescue of Yasuko comes an unlikely knight in armour, the stocky stolid Ishigami. He calms them by saying that his words of logic and exact calculations will evade suspicion of murder if the police starts their investigations. The premise takes 48 pages to narrate; the remaining pages describe the ingenious cover-up and the police investigation lead by Inspector Kusanagi, with a little extramural help from the brilliant physics professor, Manabu Yukawa. There are some other key characters that add to the mystery and lead the culprit to confessions.

The books starts on a slow note. Very slow note. Me being an impatient reader was left wondering in between that how come it sold two million copies with such a slow speed? But as I moved ahead, I found myself unable to put the book down. The plot is so intense that it really became hard for me to read the full book page by page in order to reach the climax. Higashino’s fictional universe is so carefully constructed and his plot so perfectly paced that some small bumps in the road are quickly flattened. All the characters are entwined with each other in a typical but interesting way. Bonded by faith and deception, love and mistrust, the characters circle each other in elaborate patterns. In the final pages, twist follows twist, turning everything on its head. The finale is both chilling and moving, and confronts emotions that crime fiction rarely covers. You realise that The Suspect of Devotion X is not simply an extraordinary and exciting thriller but a love story. I would give it 4.5 out of 5 marks. And as always I would recommend this book to all those who love their novels with high levels of wit in it.

My weekend well spent I must say! 🙂 Tc people!

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