“Good satire comes from anger. It comes from a sense of injustice, that there are wrongs in this world that need to be fixed.” – Carl Hiaasen Giving words and a voice to our emotions through stories, or verse, is a way to express them without having to directly say what is troubling us. The world around us is not
Read moreShort Stories are always a delight to read. The author, Namrata is a reader, writer and reviewer herself. This got me excited. Normally short stories have a lot of genres clubbed into one. But in this one, all the 20 stories are love stories. Without even giving it a second thought I picked this one up to review. Here are
Read moreSufism has always intrigued me and so have its saints; Rumi being the most famous of them. The serene and subtle learning of the mystic culture is a soothing balm to the urban, modernised soul. Ankit Chadha in his book Amir Khusrau: The Man in Riddles explores the life and thoughts of the 12th century Sufi saint…
Read moreThe trio of journalist Chandrasekhar, historian Meenakshi Pirzada and intelligence officer Syed Ali Hassan from The Shadow Throne is back in Aroon Raman‘s 3rd novel – Skyfire. After dabbling in historical fiction for his 2nd book – The Treasure of Kafur, Raman is back to writing what he started off with and to a very large extent he doesn’t disappoint.
Read moreThe Murder of Sonia Raikkonen is Salil Desai‘s 4th published work and 3rd crime thriller. The book brings back the team of Inspector Saralkar and Constable Motkar from Desai’s debut – Killing Ashish Karve. And thankfully so. After a dismissal 2nd book – Murder on the Side Street, where the author attempted with a group of young investigators, I am glad
Read moreThe title of the book, a combination of three words, did not make much sense to me. I was hoping reading the book would clear that confusion up and bring a magical connection that will reveal the purpose behind the curious name. With the growing influence of vernacular words on the title, I wasn’t even sure if I was reading
Read moreCitadel of Love by Pratibha Ray was first written in Odiya as Silapama and is the winner of Odisha Sahitya Academy Award. Translated into English by Monalisa Jena, if there is one word that can describe the experience of reading this book, it is – brilliant! For one the book doesn’t read like a translation and therein lies the biggest achievement for Jena. As
Read moreNo Safe Zone is Adite Banerjee‘s 3rd fiction and this time she dares to steps out of her comfort zone. Her earlier two books – Indian Tycoon’s Marriage Deal & Trouble Has a New Name were pure contemporary romances but this one is romance with a twist and I am sure Banerjee had a blast plotting this one. With this book the
Read moreWhen Love Finds You is Yashodhara Lal‘s 4th book; a contemporary romance set in New Delhi. Like her earlier three, this one too is set in the corporate world and is an insider’s story with an alpha heroine, a loveable hero and a sly villain to complete the mix. But unlike the earlier books, one doesn’t come away impressed. To
Read moreChetan Bhagat in a recent interview said that many Indian women tell him that he understands them better than most men. If his latest book is anything to go by I think those women are right. I won’t say he understands Indian women completely but whatever he understands, he does understand bang on. So for one, Bhagat has researched really well
Read moreFirst things first. Three things that made me pick the book up: one its a Westland book, my experience says they pick good stories, second Preeti Shenoy is the only woman in the top five best selling Indian writers so I decided to take the plunge and third the cover is decent, not great but not bad either. My takeaway:
Read moreTrue stories are the most difficult to review. Like how can a reviewer say that, this part should have been better or that part needed a little more spunk. I mean, it is reality painted on the canvas. It cannot be a shade lighter or darker!! The critic in me wanted to accept this daunting task and here I am reviewing
Read moreThe book has one of the most interesting titles and cover images. The title is a thought that resonates among millions of engineering graduates across the country. The cover picture is conceptualised well – one of a ‘wasted engineer’ holding a placard that announces her as a photographer, showing that she studied engineering but ultimately ended up following her passion,
Read moreLove makes your world go round. We have all had our own share of ups and downs when in love. You cry and laugh, when in love, but we all want to experience it. I love the feeling of being in love and being loved, and that is why I love to read this genre too. Nothing can beat a
Read moreSome stories need to be told, not because they are exceptional as stories or the author has exemplary narration skills but because some stories ask questions. This is one. Bhaavna Arora‘s latest book Love Bi The Way came to me while it was at the desk of the editors at Penguin as a spiral bound manuscript and later as a
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Writing a book is like having a baby. You nourish an idea for months, feding it from your own blood, sweat and soul (sometimes even tears in case Writer’s Block comes looking) and then, somehow, by some miracle, your baby is conceived – you finish writing it. Now comes the gestation period – the period of sending it off to
Read moreA nurse goes missing when she visits a patient. The investigation further delves into her story, and it begins to unravel. The cover art of this novel, Saanvri, gives the reader an idea of what to expect from the novel, the blurb makes it more interesting as it promises the story of a woman’s transformation from victim to exploiter. Perhaps
Read moreDon’t we all love romance? Well, atleast most of us!! Teenage love stories are even more special. Seeing a happily ever after to a teenage love story captivates me, precisely the reason why I picked U & I. The essence of love stories, for me, lies in how pure they are. This strikes a chord with the reader and in turn helps a
Read moreThe title of the book, thankfully devoid of superlatives, piqued my interest. What could be the qualities of an ideal wife? And was this book about the search for one? The cover is considered attractive in recent times, and as far as modern book covers with caricatures go. But it did not draw me in the way it should. It
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Are you a new mom? Do you think there is no time to do all the things you loved doing? Are you always busy with the baby and think there is no time to read? You love reading but don’t know how to steal time from the busy schedule? Here are few tips for all you bibliophile new moms out there
Read moreA collection of short stories make for interesting reading. I find that it helps when I am stuck in a reading rut, and want to break the shackles. Panorama: A Collection of Short Stories, written by Shilpi Chaklanobis offered such a chance. I had seen the cover of the book earlier, shared by one of my friends on social media,
Read moreIndraneel is a successful bollywood celebrity. He has all the good fortune of life, looks, education, fame, personality and a life that looks well settled. At the utmost peak of his life and career, things suddenly take a complete U turn, totally upending his life. Despair and hurt take refuge in his heart as he tries to see through the
Read more“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is made by the friends we choose“- Tehyi Hsieh Unconventional stories always pull me. They always get me excited. Cabbing All The Way is one such tale that talks about 12 different people coming together for a common purpose. As this was also different than the normal genres I prefer
Read moreIf you have been reading me regularly you possibly, by now, know my love for short stories. Here I am back to yet another short stories collection. Here I go through how each of the 9 stories in this book worked/ didn’t for me: WEEDS: This one is extremely pale. There is no concrete story.It gives a feel that it is
Read moreFantasy fiction, a scarcely explored genre in Indian writing in English; not a genre that Indian readers will pick up easily to experiment for we are badly burnt by the incredibly out-worldly and impossibly illogical stories we are fed on our television, all in the name of fantasy. When Dark Things arrived from Hachette for review and the moment I
Read moreMy Chameleon Soul by Sumit G. Sehgal (an international wordsmith with a literary experience spanning eleven years with twenty-nine eBooks in tow) is a contemporary family sage that will definitely touch some of your own heartstrings. There are some moments which you will certainly cherish. And, some of the instances will shake your thinking cap hard and lead you to
Read moreWomen – We love them, we hate them but we cannot live without them. Whenever I read a synopsis with a woman as the main protagonist, I just want to pick that book up. Also one of the reasons why I am such a huge fan of Sydney Sheldon. This one has 2 women and a transgender. Seemed like a
Read moreOn an amavasya night, a night without the light of the moon, an eight year old girl walks into Saktidham, a sadhanasthal, a place where pujas are conducted. To most people, it would have seemed like Rhea had lost her way and ended up there. But Satya knows that her arrival is not a mistake, it’s more like a homecoming.
Read moreLike most people would probably have assumed, I thought that the Kali in the book’s title meant the name of the goddess, as in Kaali, the female goddess of destruction until realisation struck in that it was Kali, the last yuga as per hindu mythology. A funny misconception that, given I have always been told the Mahabaratha signified the end of
Read moreI have said it so many times that I love reading short stories. It just feels like an opportunity to read 10-15 stories in the same book. I feel it is a reader’s heaven!! That is why I never leave the opportunity of reviewing Short stories. A Walk With A Call Girl – Simple sweet tale. Perfect Feel good kind of a
Read moreYou know, when it works, love is pretty amazing. It’s not overrated. There’s a reason for all those songs. – Sarah Dessen Love is the most interesting topic. To discuss, To feel. It is almost always a favorite genre to read. And stand alone, these novels take you into a dream world, or make you feel emotions that, you, then want
Read moreWhat we know of history is only what the archeologists have so far dug out and a story that historians have written. What is there is a story different from what the historians have written? Because the archeologists haven’t found something so far, does not mean it never existed! This is the thrill of historical fiction. A well researched and
Read moreThis is the story of a year, in fact of a lifetime narrated in the time span of a day. Rajesh Talwar in this novel chooses to not have to do much with dialogues and chooses on a monologue narration. There is only one man who talks in How To Kill A Billionaire, the protagonist himself. This is his story.
Read moreCrime fiction in India especially Indian writing in English (IWE) has always lacked that one awesome, swish-buckling investigator. Barring the ones in regional literature translations like Byomkesh Bakshi or Feluda, our crime fiction is still very nascent as far as looking forward to a rocking investigator and his/ her awe inspiring criminal invincibility is concerned. Though authors like Piyush Jha
Read moreRapes have become the most prevalent topic to discuss these days. Everyday the newspapers are filled with how girls are raped and gang raped. Few days back I read a story about how a 28 day old baby was raped. Apalled as I was, I got the opportunity to review a book which talks about how a woman resurrects herself
Read moreTabish Khair’s latest literary offering is a read for everyone in the times that we live. These days, not a week doesn’t go by without a terror attack being reported. Lives are being ripped away mind-numbingly. And humanity is losing trust and faith, both. Fear is caging hearts and mind, all around. In the name of a religion? In the
Read moreThere is much to like about Ruskin Bond’s Roads to Mussorie. It is like a warm cup of tea on a cold winter morning, something you’d love to have when you are on a hill station. One of the finest Indian authors takes us through his personal memory lanes as he talks about Mussorie, Dehradun (Dehra), Landour, and nearby places,
Read moreMy Father is A Hero and the overall premise behind it, is one I will never fail to be impressed by. No matter how many men she comes across in various capacities and various relationships in her life, a father is always a daughter’s first hero. So the title is not all that surprising. The blurb attracted me in the
Read moreAs soon as I noticed the title of this book, I knew it will be fun. In a society like ours where body shaming is a regular practice and marriage is the only testimonial for a good girl; Shuchi Singh Kalra‘s I am Big So What shows a girl who fights against all odds and succeeds in vindicating an independent woman’s concept
Read moreAn endearing novel of self-discovery, Sutak is a thoughtful look at the way in which flawed human beings are wrong – and right. This story is about two sisters and their ever intertwining lives. Lalitha and Vinodini though appear like two different species at a glance have more in common than they ever cared to acknowledge. They are like two
Read moreThe question ‘What is good fiction?’ would bring different responses from different readers. For some, it would be the believability of the story, which is not necessarily over the top or unrealistic. For some, it would be the ability of the story to transport them into a world unlike the one around them; a fantasy land where there’s magic and
Read morehistorical fiction provides an opportunity to make connections with the past. And, this is what The Counterstroke by Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran offers you. It presents a story that took place during a notable period in Indian history. The book takes us to seventeenth century India when Aurangzeb (the Mughal prince) was planning to forge a bloody path to the Mughal throne and Shivaji (a Maratha landholder) had started creating trouble for the Mughal Empire.
Read moreShreyas Bhave’s first book The Prince of Patliputra (Asoka Trilogy #1) offers an action-packed story-line to the lovers of historical fiction. Taking a well-known personality from Indian history and weaving a gripping tale on his life is not an easy task. The task becomes more difficult when the personality the author is choosing is a well-known name among his possible
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While I got my reading habit from my mother, it was my father who bought me my first sets of books when I was not even two. Yes, they were picture books. Then came the mythological books with pictures, which he who read only technical books, would read out to me. I remember once when I was about 5 or
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A couple of weeks ago, my wife received a message on WhatsApp from the mother of one of my daughter’s classmates. The mother – let us call her Mrs X, for convenience – had heard from her son that Kaavya (my daughter) is one of the better students in school when it comes to writing in English. Mrs X wanted
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If you, like me, are astounded that anyone actually needs to be told reasons for reading humour, then this piece is not for you. Or, maybe it is – for after all, more often than not, one is only preaching to the choir and it would ill-suit me to dispense with my only possible audience. But there I go too
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From the time you had dreamt of writing a book, to finally writing it and getting it published, you have treated your book only with love. And of course, you’ve wanted that everyone does so. But, when you are sending your baby out in the world, for readers to devour and enjoy it, be prepared that it will also be
Read moreDid you know India and French have a literary connection? Lets Explore! Many Indian origin writers have written in French and many french writers have written about India. And we being we, the World of Indian Reads, wanted to celebrate this beautiful connection. What better day than today! It’s the International Francophone Day. 20th March, observed as the International Francophone Day, is
Read more“It’s not right, but it’s okay. I’m gonna make it anyway… Don’t you dare come running back to me… I’d rather be alone than unhappy.” This number by Whitney Houston has been playing on my music system ever since I accidentally discovered it while looking for Anuj Tiwari’s novel of the same name. The song examines a woman confronting her lover about his infidelity.
Read moreWhen I went through the book blurb for the first time I knew the story is going to be something that is totally unlike other thrillers. As the cover of the book hints, the sole theme of the story is based on the significance of the emblem printed on the cover of the book. The story, Borrowed Plumes, revolves around
Read moreLove is in the Air!! Astor Hotel in Shakespeare Sarani of Kolkata was all abuzz with excitement. All in anticipation of a book launching event – Sreemoyee Piu Kundu’s third novel – You’ve Got the Wrong Girl published by Hachette India. Following closely on the heels of her female erotica, Sita’s Curse, this new book has generated considerable amount of interest
Read moreNirbhaya case had taken the entire nation by shock. It was one of the most talked about and heartfelt case in the history of Delhi Rapes. This particular incident has again come to the limelight, due to the juvenile being released free after committing such an atrocious crime. In the midst of all of this when I got the opportunity
Read moreNew Delhi: It is a cold, wintry morning in Delhi but Jain Book Depot, a well-known bookstore in Connaught place, New Delhi is all deck up and business as usual. The chairs are laid out and the stage set for the launching of Anurag Anand’s latest novel – Love on 3 wheels published by Srishti Publishers & Distributors. Slowly people began to trickle in.
Read moreKolkata: BEE Books (a Kolkata based publishing house) and STORY (predominantly a bookstore, previously called CROSSWORDS) organised a reading session on the evening of December 13, 2015 here. The event was of actor-author Barun Chanda who released his thriller, COKE, back in October in conversation with actor-director Churni Ganguly. After going over the basics of the storyline where the young
Read moreYour book is almost ready to be published. Almost. It is out of your hands and with the editors. Once edited and cover of the book okayed, it will go for print. So can you start celebrating? I would say no. You can relax, of course. But to celebrate, you need to have sales. And for sales to happen, people
Read moreWhat does it take for someone to juggle a demanding day – job with writing stories which pan genres, geographies and audiences alike? “Sheer passion,” quips Anurag Anand. “The euphoria of having written yet another book is significantly shorter-lived vis-à-vis the long drawn journey of putting the words together. The trick is to relish the journey itself and not wait
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We love books. We all love books. We love all books. Just like we love to tear open glossy gift packs or those cardboard boxes from online stores, we must learn to (if we still haven’t) gift books to others. Christmas is the season of Secret Santa games and trust me, it won’t hurt to send a few hundreds worth
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Continuing from my previous post on author-reviewer relationship, here is a post on how to be a good book reviewer. Everyone who reads cannot be a good reviewer, let’s be very upfront about this. You need a keen eye for detail, to spot the soul of the story and then write a review. While the present trend is to get
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I have been a book reviewer for a while and been a reader practically all my life. And in the last few years when I have edited books for authors, I’ve come close to knowing about the world of authors and book reviewers, at closer quarters. Which brings me to the need of getting books reviewed, reviewer ethics and author
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So you have a story to tell? Well, you can’t just write a book and expect it to sell. First you need to spend days, maybe months scouting a publishing deal. You’d dreamt that the biggest publishers would crowd around you, begging you to let them publish your book. That didn’t happen and you are settling for whoever finally agreed
Read moreI picked up T. G. C. Prasad‘s The Last Ten Percent skeptically – unsure of whether an Indian author could actually write a good business book. But the foreword was a pleasant surprise. Prasad went from anecdote to anecdote and he finally had me intrigued. I had to read on. The concept of The Last Ten Percent is that companies
Read moreHorror stories! Didn’t we grow up on a lot of them. Shared them in school. Exchanged them in college. Tried Planchits. Stayed up nights under the blanket to watch Aahat. And at times some real encounters too! Let’s hear them Pensievers! Tell us your horror stories and we will put a smile back on your face with the prizes for
Read moreThis month of Love get ready to give us some love stories and WIN love-ly gifts! It’s Love…so it’s SIMPLE. It’s Love so it’… COMPLEX. It’s Love so it’s definitely WIN-WORTHY. Write on… Its’s a new year but the rules are pretty much the same…Read the rules listed below. Write a short story adhering to those rules. Upload the story using the form below. Go
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 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 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 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 moreThis story is honored to be selected as the 2nd prize winner of Creative Writing Competition 2012 India on YourStoryClub. ‘Why didn’t we come in through here?’ I was fending off my best friend’s queries yet again. We are at my ancestral home for two days, for the annual ‘strangling’ ceremonies. It is a wasted weekend for Malavika and me.
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 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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