Andy Paula is quite a versatile personality. From a teacher to a corporate trainer to a writer, she has travelled a long road, which few of us dream of travelling or are apprehensive of. After the innumerable essays, poems, articles, editorials, congratulations & condolence letters she wrote for herself and others refused to satiate her writer’s self, she finally put
Read moreWhen I first read the blurb of this book, I expected an emotional drama filled with behavioral and emotional theatrics displayed when a group of individuals, especially those that have migrated to the promised land of generation ‘X’ meet after a decade! I was expecting chapters filled with the display of wealth and success by the main protagonists in true immigrant
Read moreNovels which deal with and describe places of my very own city of Kolkata, always intrigue me. They produce an indistinguishable sense of déjà vu. Given its rich historical parentage, the city never fails to fascinate writers , even when it does not happen to be their hometown. But if it is, then in most cases, a writer’s debut novel undoubtedly is based on/in the city of Kolkata.
Read moreWe all know of Salman Rushdie as the controversial author who has a fatwa hanging over his head for stepping into forbidden territory in his controversial treatise The Satanic Verses. But I had missed out, before I read this book, that he had soon after the fatwa stepped into action in what can be called a lit contrast – from
Read moreThe Sea of Innocence by Kishwar Desai is her third work in the Simran Singh Series. The first one was Witness the Night which dealt with female infanticide while the second one Origins of Love focussed on surrogacy. The only thread linking all these three reads is the recurring protagonist – Simran Singh who is a social worker/ investigator making it suitable
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 As soon as I started reading the first page of Jash Sen’s debut novel, The Wordkeepers, I was instantly hooked by the scene, which drew me right onto the battleground in Kurukshetra, set at a pivotal moment, with Arjun–Ashwatthama about to annihilate the planet, and Lord Krishna trying to prevent it. Thus began a
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 An Incurable Insanity is the story of two people bound by an arranged marriage where one party is all set to start a new life, while the other never wanted to get married in the first place! It is a tale that most of us would have heard before from friends or relatives of those
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 Are you one of those wandering souls longing to have proficiency in English language but the ghost of which continue to scare you away…then English Bites is the book for you. It is surely for all those who swear to have been smitten and bitten by English – smitten as being sincerely wanting to
Read moreWe Get December Exciting For You Pensievers! All yo word-liciously creative amongst Pensievers here comes a chance to be a Proud Pensiever In our outing as an online partner The Tales Pensieve in association with Fablery Publications provides all Pensievers with a chance to attend CARAVAN in their cities at a discounted fee! It’s a Pensiever Privilage. Celebrating the spirit
Read moreAisle Be Damned attracts the reader with the cover and tagline. It is an intelligent blend of pun and posh-ness. The book starts with airports, covers check-in, security, boarding, flight safety, food and all the other steps in separate chapters. There is a little something for everyone – tips to strike useful conversations with attractive co-passengers, a very important section on choosing your seats wisely before boarding, a rather intimidating chapter on flight safety, hilarious anecdotes on captains and cockpits.
Read moreI have never met Anamika Mishra, so when I got the chance to read her book and interview her, I didn’t have any high expectations. Okay, here is another chick lit. Girl falling in love, heartbreak and all the other ingredients. There wasn’t much to be impresssed about. Right? Wrong! For a young girl Anamika’s insight into relationships and human
Read moreA north american with memories of India, returns back after decades to write a fiction based in the country of her childhood memories. Part memoir – part fiction the Jana Bibi Adventure series is back this winter with its second instalment. We get inKonversation with the creator of the vivacious fortune teller Jana Bibi and her intriguing parrot – Betsy
Read moreThis is a FIRST on The Pensieve! A personalised goodie and a gift voucher worth Rs. 500/- to be won . Relive a trip to a World Heritage Site and these could be sitting pretty on your table and in your inbox. Write a post/ writeup about a visit to a World Heritage Site that left you feeling there is
Read moreBringing together hope and humor seems like his thing. Atleast his debut proves so. The debutant author who brought us the very intriguingly titled Smart Phones Dumb People? – Parthajeet Sarma– gets inKonversation with us and we get a sneak-peek into a mind that is equally intriguing. Read on: Tell us a little about yourself and your background Parthajeet? My
Read moreLike any horror fiction, the presence of the supernatural dominates almost every story in the book, but what makes this book scary is the mysterious/ unexplained factor that looms over most of its tales. The lack of a good reason as to why some of the incidents occur will give you a serious case of heebie-geebies
Read moreWelcome to the detective mind(s) of the Two-Headed Man This Halloween The Tales Pensieve & Fingerprint! Publishing bring you a chance to get ALL of your problems solved by the infamous twins. Presenting the protagonists of An.Al – The Origins – Andy and Alfie, who are here, in The Pensieve, all month long to help you with your problems. Somebody messing about
Read moreMeet Sonia Samarth, a private investigator with a twist – she solves cases uses Hindu astrology as a crime solving tool. Within a day of advertising her services her phone starts ringing non-stop. Of course, there are a lot of calls from people asking her if she is an astrologer and can help them with their family problems!
Read moreApurva Purohit talks about the Suffering Sita syndrome and the fortyish syndrome found in Indian women. She points out categorically that these not only hamper their career growth prospects, but also impede their character development. She writes, “Like wine, we only become better with age.” The modern social scenario, according to the author: “It is thus crystal-clear that traditional stereotypes are getting redefined and we cannot slot men and women into airtight boxes any longer.”
Read moreinKonversation with Sundari Venkatraman who felt the happiness of being a published author when Indireads decided to publish her short novella Double Jeopardy. When I got this book for review I was ready for a quick read without much expectations. This small package made me sit up, bite my nails and hold my breath and above all the oomph factor was something I would not have guessed in my wildest dream.
Read moreThere are books which engage us for a short time and some which touch our hearts. Sreemoyee Piu Kundu’s novel lingers on in our hearts even after we have finished reading the book. It is lyrical and very very feminine. Though not a feminist statement, it does reveal an underlying feminine consciousness.
A piercing insight into human emotions, Faraway Music is a wonderful debut creative endeavour.
Once in a while, you come across a book that will make you ponder about the life you have lived – about everything you have learnt and done; and this thought process might trigger a self introspection of your being. This book did that for me – it had me thinking about my journey, things that I could have done better and how I can start making little changes that would make me a better person and take a step closer to achieving my dreams.
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 The fact that the author’s name rhymes with Chetan Bhagat, is not a coincidence. Ketan Bhagat, is in-fact the younger brother of an author who has redefined our reading habits and has proved that best-selling books can also be made into box-office film hits, in an Indian context. As Ketan Bhagat writes, in his
Read moreI met Adite through the blogging world. Her book The Indian Tycoon’s Marriage Deal was about to be out and she was feeling the jitters of an author debutante. But once I read her book I had a strong feeling that this book is not only for the Indian readers but also should be distributed in the International market. While her story
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 Love, Films and Rock ‘n’ Roll explores a different track of life far removed from the preconceived ideas of society. The novel seeks to link the present and the past talking about the changing outlook of the young generation on love, films and music and how they rediscover their inherent cultural values through personal trials
Read moreA chance for short fiction writers amongst our members to get published in a paperback releasing by mid 2014. The winners will also have the rare distinction of being published in the book as the Winning entries from The Tales Pensieve.
Read moreThe genre of self help books has gained immense popularity and readership over the past couple of years. These books help in self –improvement as well as provide useful guidance to enable one to tide over the tumults of life. Readers Digest (yes, that international magazine) had conducted a survey and had found the top ten self help books that have successfully
Read moreMills&Boon (M&B) are books that a girl apparently grows up with but fortunately or unfortunately, my reading group in school – we grew up looking down on M&B. Even though reading wasn’t that cool in the 90s, we beleived we were too cool to be reading about love struck petite heroines and love deflecting hot heroes.
The first time I read a part of a M&B was (preposterous as it may sound) when I was forced to read a chapter during the hostel ragging.
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 Tell us who is your favourite character from The Mahabharata and why? Answer in the form below. The best answer makes you the Reader-Winner of September 2013 and gets fun-express The Average Indian Male by Cyrus Broacha home delivered at your place. Sandipan Deb’s debut novel, The Last War surely is a page-turner. Having a corporate and
Read moreReady for another E.X.I.C.T.I.N.G. contest on The Tales Pensieve! Best Asin-isation Contest (oh no it has nothing to do with the actress orrr…….may be it has 😉 ) This one gets you a Flipkart.com gift voucher worth Rs. 1000/- Plus you make it to the banner on the home page of The Tales Pensieve! What Do You Do: Asinisation – Every institution,
Read moreThere are four (4) questions in the form. Answer those. Submit the form. Rest back. Enjoy a coffee and a book. (the coffee may be bitter but the book better be better) And yes click on the Facebook icon at the top of the page and like us.
Read moreSomethings are change makers, like some people. They can be movies, conversations, books…anything. Even fiction. Yes the make belief can challenge beliefs. This book did it for me. Call me ignorant but being the avid shiva believer Varanasi has, in my mind, remained a city of temples, tourists and tantricks. The Virgins made the city real for me. It put forth on the 318 odd pages a city like any other Indian city, with real people and relatable problems. Siddharth Tripathi in his debut as a novelist presents rare maturity in Indian English writing and a cast that is as entertaining as it is enticing.
Read moreShe has one of the most intriguing author profiles, we have ever come across Indian writers: Ambalika was born during an extraordinary planetary eclipse that had momentarily wiped off the sunshine from her life. When the darkness threatened to take over, she wrote and wrote, and when the eclipse passed, she found that she had authored this book. When she
Read moreCAST AND WIN CONTEST Here’s something to rake the filmi imagination and satisfy the book hoarder in you, Pensievers… Hello Casting Director (Dear Pensiever). Read the character sketches listed below. Cast an actor/ actress from the hindi film industry to the characters. Answer in the form below. Go dream about the movie having a 100 crore weekend, till you get a winner announcement eMail from us
Read moreThrough the story of captain Ranjit Singh, Ahmad showcases one man, at two places – thousands of miles apart, in two situations – set years apart, yet connected like those thin threads of cheese that refuse to break, stretch as much as you may. A word-potrait of emotions with some intriguing secrets and revelations infused in the storyline is what, I would call The Caretaker is about.
Read moreThe ritual is simple. Write a story/ tale around the given collection of prompts adhering to those rules. Upload the story using the form below. Go have coffee, read a book, twiddle your thumbs, celebrate raksha bandhan or go on vacation till you get a winner announcement eMail from us.
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013, South Asian Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads What is the most exotic thing you know about Kumbh Mela in India. Answer in the form below. The most e.x.o.t.i.c. answer makes you the Reader-Winner of July 2013 and gets the laughter riot book The President’s Coming by Anuvab Pal home delivered at your place. A
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Vanity Bagh could be anywhere in India. Any City. Or any town even. It could be the gali you pass through everyday. It could even be the street you may have lived in. For me Vanity Bagh could have been a neighborhood in old Bhopal (my home town) – the characters,
Read moreCertain things when they associate with certain places hold a very different level of excitement. Crime and Mumbai have a similar association. Blame it on the reputation of the city or hindi cinema but the association runs deep and the proposition always excites. Last year when filmmaker Piyush Jha decided to move his mode of story telling from celluloid to pulp he took it upon himself to explore the fascinating yet rarely explored genre ( in India) of crime thriller. And choose his favourite muse Mumbai as the canvas. Mumbai and crime – the stage was set.
Read moreTwo hearts that’s what you have to put on paper. You are free to use any art form; your are free to use any type of colour (crayons, pencils, pens, paints…anything) or even not to use any colour. You are even free to use inspiration. The only condition is it should be done in hand on paper. No computer kalakaari.
After you have art-ed the hearts on paper, click a picture and upload using the form given below.
Read moreHere is something for the realists of the world!
A signed copy of Let’s Talk Money by Akhil Khanna and a personal investment question or question related to the ongoing Global Financial Crisis answered by the author.
Read moreReady for the second contest of the month? Let your imagination loose. Get into the fantasy mode. Acquire superpowers. Be the superhero (or the superheroine) READY? PLAY NOW 1. Theme: Conquer the Valley of Beauty You are at point A and your destination is point V.
Read moreThe ritual is simple. Read the rules listed below. Write a story adhering to those rules. Upload the story using the form below. Go have coffee, read a book, twiddle your thumbs or go on vacation till you get a winner announcement eMail from us.
Read moreTrue Friendship! The chord that comes out of no where and may go into eternity. The connection that is as mysterious as it is deep rooted. The bond that is as strong as it is fickle. Amrita Anand Nayak chooses this complex relationship amidst three girls to debut with.
Read moreThe Karachi Deception starts of with a foiled assassination attempt on Irshad Dilawar – India born, international criminal, most importantly wanted by India for a number of crimes against and in his home country. The action soon shifts to India where, the elite secret group of RAW -Unit Kilo – are selecting a 3-member team..
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013, South Asian Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads A book all the way from The United States of America. Quite literally! This one took four weeks to reach me, is published by an American publication house based in New Jersey and written by an Indian based these too. At 133 pages,
Read moreShe will be the big Three O soon, has a super bitch competitor in business, has the whackiest supporter there too, has the craziest bunch of friends (like all of us) and they are all congregating for her 30th. For a whole week. And yes, she has this filmy deal with her not really buddy friend, that awaits realization at
Read moreThis interview is a dream come true for me. No really! I have said this before, The Pregnant King was a turning point in my realization as a reader and this man made it possible. He opened up a whole new genre for me and honestly there has been no looking back. His articles and books are my one-point reference
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Legend. Secrets. A cult of protectors. A child of destiny. What more does a fantasy fiction fan need? Fantasy fiction seems to be taking some steady, sturdy steps in Indian literature these days. This year at The Tales Pensieve we have had the fantastic Luwan of Brida
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Time does funny things to us. And so do circumstances. It is true for life but fiction just emphasizes it better. Like The Homing Pigeons does. Sid Bahri‘s debut novel is a much needed fresh breath in the stagnating romance sagas that present day Indian literature sees. The book has its
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads I am sure by now anyone who follows this site knows that if there are books that I will pick up by just the genre then they have to be Indian history and mythology. I first saw Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince on Flipkart.com amidst new
Read moreOnce a desi, always a desi – for the heart knows just one beat! We get inKonversation with the very much desi in videsh – Ankita Kapoor. The debuting author and artist talks about her first book, the trials and time pass that writing has become for her. An author published in the US of A, a story about the
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads A crime thriller should have pace. It should have multiple suspects. All suspects should have motives. All motives should be equally compelling. And finally the fun is in spite of all the suspects and their motives, the murderer turns out to be someone we (the reader) suspected
Read morePart 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 moreHello Book Bloggers! We are a week into the Debut Indian Writers Month 2013 and I think it is about time to give way to a mystery that the Best Review Contest (part of Debut Indian Writers Month 2013) has been shrouded in. Remember what the challenge page says: We have on-board 3 avid book lovers and pro reviewers who constitute our judging panel for the Best Review of this
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 morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: A Splash of Love Author: Rajeev Ranjan Publisher: Diamond India ISBN: 978-81-288-3278-9 Pages: 212 Genre: Fiction Rating: 1 of 5 Reviewed for: Author Ever confused infatuation with love? I have; for a very long time. Tell me about that realization moment. Answers
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 morePart of Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads and South Asian Challenge 2013 Title: Jack Patel’s Dubai Dreams Authors: P.G. Bhaskar Publisher: Penguin Books ISBN: 978-0-143-41526-8 Pages: 231 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: Author A debut and this is as fresh as it gets. P.G. Bhaskar writes from his familiar surroundings of Dubai and banking to give us
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 moreHe is the writer on a mission; a frenzied mission. He is the official record holder of the fastest published Indian and looks nowhere in a mood to slow down. We get inKonversation with Joygopal Podder as he gets ready with his 13th novel Goddess. An inspiration and role model to writers all over with his body of work, he
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 moreHe is the classic Engineer-MBA in the IT industry; But he is also the writer who writes on humane emotions and accomplishes a book a year. After a debut in commercial, easy read fiction, he has moved on the darker human emotions and is dabbling in them well. inKonversation with Rohit Gore who believes nothing can stop your passion, not
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 moreThe first interview of 2013 coincidently happens to be the wordsmith who penned one of the best books I read in 2012 – Kunal Mukherjee, debuting author of My Magical Palace and our very own WordMaverick of December 2012. Consultant, traveler, writer and much more, he dons many caps (the one in the picture not counting ;)). A real setting,
Read moreWe celebrate love at The Tales Pensieve as we bid adieu to 2012; in out final post of the year we get inKonversation with an author who is not just an author! He is a certified soft-skills trainer, a three-time post graduate, runs his own academy in Mumbai and is the Founder/CEO of Digi Imprint Solutions, India’s first exclusive promotional
Read moreShe is PhD in Strategic Management yet you know there are no strategies involved, what-so-ever, when she interacts with you. Meet one of the most humble authors I have had the good fortune to be in the company of and the cherry on the cake (for me atleast) is that she writes in my favorite genre. Krishna Udayasankar – one
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 moreThe man who scintillated us with his sensational debut on blurring lines in news reporting in The Newsroom Mafia is back this year end with yet another shocker. This christmas Oswald Pereira takes us, wrapped in fiction, to a less talked about truth concerning Christianity in India. We get inKonversation with the multi-talented wordsmith who seems to be on a mission
Read moreAn engineer turned writer, debuting with a love story? Sounds similar? Tad too much but Rohit Sharma‘s Te Amo….I Love You have been garnering some rave reviews since it hit the literary scene a few days back. In yet another enticing tale of how an artist discovered the storyteller in him; we get inKonversation with the latest debutant about dancing to
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 moreShe took to writing through her blog, justamotheroftwo.blogspot.com, to cope with the pain of losing her father and there has been no looking back. A best selling debut with non-fiction 34 Bubblegums & Candies followed by fiction National bestsellers – Life is What You Make of It and Tea for Two & A Piece of Cake. Preeti Shenoy – the Bangalore based poet, artist and
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 moreA web and social media geek at known brands who dedicates his first book to every computer he has ever used and truly believes in fiction, Jugal Mody, is fun logic-alized. The writer who debuts with marijuana turning savior, zombiefied apocalyptic tale is the WordMaverick of November 2012 and we get to tickle our funny bone once again as we
Read moreFairy tales – Believe in them? Aren’t they are stuff little girls with frilly dresses believe in? A college dropout who went on to become the creative head of a high-profile advertising agency and when he decides to write novels top-of-the-game publishers line-up to publish not one but four of his works. And to top that his debit title is attracting
Read moreAs we remember 26/11 on its fourth anniversary today, at The Tales Pensieve we get inKonversation with an author who brings us a thriller built around the terrorist carnage in Mumbai and a lot of other thrills. Bangalore based Blogger, Corporate Executive, Entrepreneur, Executive Coach and Thriller Writer Prem Rao after a psychological thrilling ride in It Can’t Be you
Read moreShe is all of 12, loves books, opines with her author father on his book covers and is India’s youngest published author. Anusha Subramanian not just loves reading those books but is also the proud creator of the Catriona series – a four book teenage fantasy packed with action and adventure. As she gets ready for the official launch of
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 more…..and he has won quite a few marathons! With a self-made-promise to write a book every year and a disciple to match that Mainak Dhar – Managing Director & Head of Asia Personal Health Care at Procter & Gamble and a bestselling author with 13 books under his belt is a tangy mix to handle, just like his books. He not just meets
Read moreTerrorists create mayhem, Naxals create mayhem and if they come together it is mayhem raised to the power of two! Sami Ahmad Khan is a young debut writer but has decided to flow against the tide and write something that isn’t what sells. He decides to write a political thriller and thus was born Red Jihad -The terrifying thought-in-action of coming
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 morePoetry in prose – that’s Janice Pariat‘s style and what a style! The reader is left wanting to divulge more and discover just one corner more about the world that she paints with her words. One of those brave souls to head dive into writing full time, her debut book Boats of the Land is making a mark allover for her
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
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