Part of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Magic could be so magical!! (don’t get your hopes high, this book is not a magic propagating fantasy fiction) But it is definitely about the magical stories that entwined our growing years – with a twist. The Arabian Nights – what a fabulous collection of stories it was. Fascinating, intriguing and magic
Read moreA science graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from the Harvard Business School, an insatiable interest in the religious history of India, spirituality and mythology and one who claims to have spent his entire life researching for his debut book Tantra – Adi is the WordMaverick of April 2013. We get inKonversation with the shy wordsmith who gives us not
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 Books have strange relationships with the readers. I like to call it something akin to eating. We try out a lot of dishes before we know, yes, this is what I like. On the same principles readers read (try out) different genres and books before they can put a finger on some genre/s and say,
Read moreThe Shiva Trilogy by Amish for me will always represent that whiff of freshness that stormed the Indian literary scene that was nearly choking with louveeee in 2010! (not that the scene is any different now [after 3 years] but the winds are definitely changing). The mythological – historical – adventure – fiction series is all but immortalized as one of the trend changers amongst Indian books and Indian publishing
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads So, a parrot green cover – a white clock – 30 over it – and a hookah, a lipstick, a ladies handbag and sunglass among other things splashed around! With a cover like that I don’t think I had any illusions about what I was getting into when Milan Vohra,
Read moreRoll of Honour is without doubt one of the best books read and reviewed on The Tales Pensieve so far and a journey into the mind of the wordsmith behind the book was yet another wonderful experience. In again one of the best interviews here, Amandeep Sandhu gets inKonversation about capturing the stories in our lives, peeling yourself to write and some
Read moreWelcome to the Pensieve special giveaway of April 2013! How Do You Win the Copy? Simple just answer the question in the form below: What was that one signal that told you he/she is the one, the special one? And Vola! The best answer wins the copy. Giveaway Ends: May 3, 2013 | Open only to residents in India. I
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads This review is honoured to be on the author’s website. I had earlier interviewed Amandeep and his answers were the major push behind me wanting to read the book. I was born at the end of 1983 in Bhopal. Two major events happened in Bhopal around my formative, childhood years
Read moreIT guy turned into a love story writer. Heard that so often, no? IT guy turns into a fantasy fiction writer!! that’s a new one, right? Meet Sarang Mahajan – our very own WordMaverick of March 2013 on The Tales Pensieve. First he wrote Visual Basic and Java codes, then all those ish-wish web designing codes and now fantasy fiction
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: Tantra Author: Adi Publisher: Apeejay Stya Publishing ISBN: 978-81-908636-2-9 Pages: 335 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.5 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com I am going to let you on a secret. Many may tsk tsk me after they read this especially the ones amongst you who are
Read moreHe is the proverbial banker-cum-writer, a breed so up and kicking in the Indian writing scenario today; but thankfully he doesn’t write books that look like bollywood films on pulp! inKonversation with the WordMaverick of February 2013 we meet the man behind the funny yet sensible Jack Patel – P. G. Bhaskar. The Dubai based private banker talks about Indian
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: Luwan of Brida Authors: Sarang Mahajan Publisher: Periwinkle (Imprint of Popular Prakashan) ISBN: 978-817991-671-1 Pages: 272 Genre: Fantasy Fiction Rating: 4.5 of 5 Reviewed for: Author A Debut book. An Indian. A fantasy fiction series! I have always been a lover of a bit of
Read moreThe Stopover has been one of the most exciting debut books I happen to read in the past six months. It not only introduces a talented photographer and two exciting story writers but also a genre itelf – Photofiction. The art of story telling through pictures was somewhere lost to children books; we adults after a certain age think it
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 Title: Cold Feet Author: Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan Publisher: Penguin Books India ISBN: 978-0-143-41720-0 Pages: 234 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.5 of 5 Reviewed for: Mysmartprice.com Chick Lit – Yes, that very insulting word for literature by any woman writer who dares write a story on fellow gender friends. Yes Cold Feet is a book by
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 Title: Blood Red Sari Author: Ashok Banker Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers ISBN: 978-93-5029-321-8 Pages: 283 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: Mysmartprice.com Ashok Banker is a name I have always associated with mythological re-tellings having read his Slayer of Kamsa, The Forest of Stories and The Seeds of War, finding a women centered thriller
Read moreTitle: The Seeds of War Authors: Ashok Banker Publisher: Westland Publishers ISBN: 978-93-81626-86-3 Pages: 345 Genre: Fiction/ Mythology Rating: 4.5 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com Ashok Banker is back with what he has been doing for years and what he does best. As the cover of this book claims, he is India’s ‘epic’ storyteller and he takes us forward on
Read morePart of Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: When The Snow Melts Author: Vinod Joseph Publisher: Amaryllis ISBN: 978-93-81506-11-0 Pages: 202 Genre: Fiction Rating: 2.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Author Afghanistan is on the creative radar for a horde of Indian writers and it is a pleasure to read different angles to a definite chapter in modern history. After Red Jihad,
Read morePart of Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: Alchemy: The Tranquebar Book of erotic Stories II Authors: Various | Edited by: Sheba Karim Publisher: Tranquebar Press/ Westland Ltd. ISBN: 978-93-82618-03-4 Pages: 229 Genre: Fiction Rating: 2.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com A different genre from what has ever been reviewed on The Tales Pensieve – Erotica – and all thanks
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: Chasing Maya Author: Rohan Gogoi Publisher: Global Vision Press ISBN: 978-93-80707-36-5 Pages: 142 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Global Vision Press They say fiction is the only truth that exists! How apt and true atleast in the case of this book by Rohan
Read moreStart of this week we get inKonversation with a writer from the heart of India. Aarzoo Sharma, lives in a small village Chahlan in distt. Ludhiana, Punjab and writes about life in english novels and in punjabi poems. Read the reclusive young author talk about how writing as the safest mode of unleashing his wrath for certain things in life and
Read morePart of 2013 Reading Challenge: First Reads Title: Beaten by Bhagath Author: S.V. Divvaakar Publisher: Frog Books/ Leadstart Publishing ISBN: 978-93-82473-3-9 Pages: 193 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Author A book for the writers by a writer. That is what Beaten by Bhagath is. A book that is in the past, present and the future. An inside
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: The Stopover Author: Ram Prakash & Deepa Pinto Publisher: Krab Media ISBN: 978-8-1908421-6-7 Pages: 198 Genre: Photo Fiction Rating: 3.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Authors An exotic travel with four places on the itinerary into the exotica synonym – India – and a foray into four
Read morePart of 2013 Reading Challenge: First Reads Title: Return of a King Author: William Dalrymple Publisher: Bloomsburry Publishing Plc ISBN: 978-1-4088-1830-5 Pages: 487 Genre: Non-Fiction Rating: 4.5 of 5 Reviewed for: MySmartPrice The line between fiction and real blurs as one digs more into the real. History exploring is one such real digging and unbelievable are the treasures that pop
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Once Upon The Tracks of Mumbai Author: Rishi Vohra Publisher: Jaico Publishing House ISBN: 978-81-8495-305-3 Pages: 266 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Author Some books are like A.R. Rahman’s music, first you are struck and then you are awestruck; they just build on you as you go forward.
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: My Magical Palace Author: Kunal Mukherjee Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers ISBN: 978-93-5029-119-1 Pages: 372 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4.75 of 5 Reviewed for: HarperCollins Publishers A nizam’s palace in Hyderabad, the exotic Bengali culture and the pangs of first love – that is where Kunal Mukherjee’s debut saga takes us.
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Wrong Means Right End Author: Varsha Dixit Publisher: Rupa Publications ISBN: 978-81-291-2046-5 Pages: 311 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Author Varsha Dixit is back with her brand of Indian Romance and how! She returns with the sequel to Right Fit Wrong Shoe in this book with some old and new
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: The Edge of the Machete Author: Abhisar Sharma Publisher: Westland Publications ISBN: 978-93-81626-67-2 Pages: 333 Genre: Fiction/ Thriller Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com Islamic mendicants centric novels seem to be on the rise with The Edge of the Machete by Abhisar Sharma being the third one, after Red Jihad and Zombiestan,
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2012 and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Toke Author: Jugal Mody Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers India ISBN: 978-93-5029-340-9 Pages: 214 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: INDIAreads.com This review is honoured to be on the author’s website. Three facts I bet you did not know about marijuana and getting stonned: 1. We know
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Zombiestan Author: Mainak Dhar Publisher: Duckbill Publications ISBN: – 978-93-81626-92-4 Pages: 248 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com This review is honored to be on Duckbill Publication’s Official Page and the official page of the book. I confess, while agreeing to review this one I had never been this wary
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Krishna Coriolis 1: Slayer of Kamsa Author: Ashok K. Banker Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers ISBN: 978-93-5029-000-2 Genre: Fiction Pages: 325 Rating: 4 of 5 ‘VISHNU, I AM COMING FOR YOU.’ – your uncle, ‘Child Slayer’ Kamsa What do you do when the last page of a book screams those six words in caps? Can’t
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Red Jihad Author: Sami Ahmad Khan | inKonversation Publisher: Rupa Publications ISBN: – 978-81-291-1987-2 Pages: 263 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com This review is honored to be on Rupa Publication’s official page and the official page of the book. Lives have been held to ransom
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: What Young India Wants Author: Chetan Bhagat Publisher: Rupa Publications ISBN: 978-81-291-2021-2 Pages: 181 Genre: Non-Fiction Rating: 3.5 of 5 Ok, before anyone jumps on me let me confess I am a fan of Chetan Bhagat’s columns, if not of his books (though I loved 2 states; it is his best fiction work
Read moreEntry no. #10 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: The Aryavarta Chronicles Book I: Govinda Author: Krishna Udayasankar Publisher: Hachette India ISBN: 978-93-5009-446-4 Pages: 444 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.75 of 5 Reviewed for: Hachette India
Read moreEntry no. #9 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Boats on Land Author: Janice Pariat Publisher: Random House India ISBN: 978-8-184-00074-0 Pages: 283 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: Random House India
Read moreEntry no. #8 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Untruly Yours Author: Smita Shetty Publisher: Leadstart Publishing ISBN: 978-93-81836-29-3 Pages: 146 Genre: Fiction/ Romance Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Leadstart Publishing
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: The Bankster Author: Ravi Subramanian Publisher: Rupa Publications ISBN: 978-81-291-2048-9 Pages: 358 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: Author This review is honored to be on the official page of the author.
Read moreEntry no. #7 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: The Shadow Throne Author: Aroon Raman Publisher: Pan Macmillian ISBN: 978-81-923-9800-6 Pages: 329 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Pan Macmillian
Read moreEntry no. #6 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: 3 Lives: In Serach of Bliss Author: Srini Chandra Publisher: Self-Published ISBN: 978-1-4637-6255-1 Pages: 128 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: Author
Read moreEntry no. #5 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Death in Mumbai Author: Meenal Baghel Publisher: Random House India ISBN: 978-8-184-00065-8 Pages: 231 Genre: Non-Fiction Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Random House India
Read moreAll of my growing up years the first sounds that I heard everyday had been my mother urging me to get my sorry back (or stomach, depending on whichever side I slept on) out of the bed and the first sight unchangeably over the years as I would walk into the kitchen had been her back, bending over the gas
Read moreEntry no. #4 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Mumbaistan Author: Piyush Jha Publisher: Rupa Publications ISBN: 978-81-291-2017-5 Pages: 239 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Rupa Publications This review is honored to be part of the official page of the book.
Read moreEntry no. #3 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Thundergod Author: Rajiv G Menon Publisher: Westland Ltd. ISBN: – Uncorrected Proof Pages: 384 Genre: Fiction Rating: 2.5 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com
Read moreEntry no. #2 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Quarantine Author: Rahul Mehta Publisher: Random House India ISBN: 978-81-8400-135-8 Pages: 248 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Random House India
Read moreEntry no. #1 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: An Idiot, Placements and IntervYOU Author: Toffee Publisher: Times Group Books ISBN: 978-93-80942-87-2 Pages: 189 Genre: Non-Fiction, Self Help Rating: 1 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com
Read moreThe festivities are back in Mumbai, with the queen of Arabian Sea bedecked as a bride and all around are sanskrit chants, blaring loud speakers, feverish dhol beats, out of tune aartis on mikes and ganpati bappa moriya. Every year, September reminds me of my first meeting with Mumbai’s favourite bappa. My first week in Mumbai and my aunt dragged
Read moreTitle: The Stopover Authors: Deepa Pinto, Ram Prakash (co-author & Photographer) Publisher: Krab Media ISBN: 9788190842167 Pages: 208 (All color) Genre: Photo Fiction Previewed for: Krab Media This is the very first time that I am writing a preview of a book (I love my books whole and stories with a The End) but I just loved this innovative concept
Read moreTitle: I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced Author: Nujood Ali, Delphine Minoui Publisher: Random House India ISBN: 978-0-307-58967-5 Pages: 176 Genre: Memoir Rating: 2 of 5 Reviewed for: Random House India
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Poor Little Rich Slum Authors: Rashmi Bansal, Deepak Gandhi, Dee Gandhi (Photographer) Publisher: Westland ISBN: 978-93-8162-618-4 Genre: Non-Fiction Pages: 187 Rating: 4.5 of 5 The book cover with blue colored low roofed, sandwiched shacks sprawled all over its front and back, against a background of white with a blue airplane taking off over
Read moreA child in Mary’s hand in a church where she is prayed to as a Virgin and this child is not a gift from god! The story seeker is on the quest again, on how did Virgin Mary end up with a child in her hands and this time it is an urban legend, not very far, actually right next
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: 1888 Dial India Author: Anuvab Pal Publisher: Random House India ISBN: 978-81-8400-158-7 Pages: 230 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.5 of 5 Reviewed for: Random House India
Read moreWhat would you do if your ‘only’ friend is murdered and you were witness to the act, hidden on the other bank of the river – scared, helpless and heartbroken? When all your waking senses will remember is the silhouette of the murderer under the moon against the dark of the night with blood on his hands amidst the gurgle of
Read moreTwo huge blue colored doors, possibly wooden, vedic flower designs splattered over them in a matrix pattern, bells hanging from each of those flowers, golden pegs, an ornate lead lock that brings them together with a single beam of light between them hinting at the other side and golden words underneath the huge lock proclaiming The Krishna Key. The cover
Read more‘The wind blows this way and goes. The same wind blew yesterday. After wandering about it will return as the wind of tomorrow.’ – Father Roy Francis Karikkan Tucked away in a corner in crossword, the book with a blemished female face and the yellow round patch declaring it as the winner of ‘Vodafone Crossword Translation Award‘ of 2009, the book
Read moreEach day of my childhood had begun listening to my father read out of his Ramayana, Mahabharata or Bhagvatam. Each day had begun with pulling the pillows over the ears to block out the words, that debuted sounding as gibberish but eventually with passing years started making sense, atleast to the story lover in me. Amidst the magic, myths and magnanimity,
Read moreDid gods create mankind, or did mankind create gods? The back cover screams this question at the reader with the preamble concluding that this book by Ajay Kansal deals with establishing the fact that anthropologies and histories lead to one conclusion – mankind created gods! The writer starts off with a very arresting question in the preface – Why are
Read moreThe bright yellow cover with a painting depiction of the blue god Krishna on it, is eye-catching enough to get added to any book collection. The cover design by Dhaivat Chhaya completely justifies the title and contents of the book – 7 Secrets of Vishnu. The god who is said to be draped in yellow silk has a book cover
Read moreWho was Jesus? A divine soul who led humanity to spirituality or a mortal who led himself to divinity on the path of spirituality? ‘Do what you will, Father but if you love me, bury me yourself when it’s done.’
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