The 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 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 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
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
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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 hardcore academician, an ace student and a avid, top ranking scholar. Ex-Director of a business school and MBA in both Human Resources & Marketing along with a Ph.D. in Leadership from Pittsford University, our author in the hot seat, is the bestselling author of two absolutely stunning and unconventional books – The Deliberate Sinner and Mistress of Honour. She also trains
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 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 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 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 moreThere is something about Short stories. You get done with them fast. Also if it is a collection of short stories then, you can relish many more stories (10 in this one) in one, which is like extra icing and chico chips on the cake for a reader. I like the fact that at the start of every story a brief
Read moreWe are termed as the Y generation. Science and technology has progressed and reached a level where nobody can function without Internet. Like every coin has two sides, this definitely has it’s own share of cons. Teenagers are feeling lonely. Relationships have become futile. Intrigued to know about their day to day issues, I decided to read this one. Raghu, like
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
Read moreThe most of the memories a person makes is during his childhood, especially during his school life. The book I had been reading for a week – The Last Soul Children by Aman Chougle is a perfect picture of childhood memories depicted through various short episodes that are stitched together in order to create a thread of recollections. The book
Read moreThis is Yashodhara Lal’s third book, after her first two successes Just Married, Please Excuse and Sorting Out Sid. The lady is firmly establishing herself as one to watch out for in the Young Rom-Com space. Her protagonists are career folks sweating out their love stories. Their work, personal and social spaces and the balance (or the lack thereof) in them,
Read moreWe all think everyday, every hour, every minute about things that this universe has created, about our existence and belifs. The questions never have proper answers. A poet on the other hand has a mind that’s a never ending questionnaire, that gives the million minds the answers they seek. Poetry is really different than prose; it has depth and brevity
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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
Read moreWhen The Heavens Smiled is a heart-stopping mystical tale of love by Ritesh Arora which talks about love surpassing all odds and winning. As a reader I read novels as they are, sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes confusing. But as a reviewer I can only say to the publishers that the stories being published in recent times are not maintaining the basic requirement of sharp
Read moreLove is indeed visible in ‘the Corners of a Straight Line’ Life can never be lived while travelling on a straight line, it is indeed the corners that shapes our destiny and our character at large. “I never wanted a straight line to epitomize my life, I preferred corners” Corners of a Straight Line opens the essence of life and love
Read moreFrom the bestselling author of white collar crimes based thrillers, Ravi Subramanian, comes a story of love, deception and revenge – that the book cover promises to be different from the author’s usual offerings. But when you read it, it turns out to be more or less a thriller of a more domestic nature. Paperback king, Aditya Kapoor’s life is
Read moreFrom yet another IT employee turned author comes a surprisingly simple and unpretentious novel – Just six evenings. The novel starts-off with the lead character, Atul Sharma, being arrested by the Haryana police department, for reasons not mentioned and the character thinks about the event that leads to this situation. Eight years ago, while still starting his career, in Bhopal,
Read moreTabrik C’s Prisoner Jailor Prime Minister explores how the twists and turns of fate can play havoc with the life of a man. He is compelled to move between different parts of the world …right from the portals of Harvard to the adventurous city of Mumbai to the political labyrinths of New Delhi. Prisoner Jailor Prime Minister is a fascinating tale
Read moreLove, an emotion which forms the core of our existence can be different but the essence remains the same throughout. This evergreen emotion has transcended ages and brought us together to co-exist peacefully. This has been a popular genre among emerging writers to connect with the masses at large. Frankly when it comes to writing romance the narrative has to
Read moreA simple love story written in an extraordinary manner, Advantage Love addresses the age old issue of love albeit from a different perspective. Madhuri Banerjee’s novel explores the arena of love, life and career through the eyes of the protagonist Trisha Mathur. In a strange way the novel seems to be a search for love – true love as one
Read moreThe one thing that keeps me reading Hussain Zaidi‘s books is the inimitable manner in which he becomes a fly on the wall of Mumbai‘s most dangerous criminals and fiercest cops alike. My Name is Abu Salem tracks the life and times of Abu Salem – the man whose crime career is perhaps best known for Gulshan Kumar‘s brutal murder
Read moreThrillers tend to be either similar to creaking bones oozing with wisdom or strut with the irreverent arrogance of youth that has little to convey. It is rare to come across one that defies these clichés and defines itself as being both young and sane… and I can say with a lot of confidence that Kulpreet Yadav has managed to
Read more“Life for a warrior is filled with challenges… ……..The legacy of our family was written with this sword… As long as you hold it; our family’s name will live.” Ancient Warriors dying for honor and love for their country has always made Indians swell up with pride. Women have always showed their potential in various steps of life down the
Read moreA story when penned down has a life of its own. It is like a journey which draws the readers into it. Showing them at every cross road their own reflection in the shades and situations of life. It can be heart whelming, it can be soulful, it can be depressing and it can be disturbing but in the end
Read moreAuthor Shobhan Bantwal, summarizes in this book what so many Indian American youngsters go through, especially when it comes to striking a balance between the freedom they have, and the need to follow tradition. The Full Moon Bride is a fun-filled, pacy read about Siya Giri, who is a virgin hitting the big three-oh, and her experience with the Indian
Read moreIf I was to judge a book solely by its cover, title and blurb, Sanjeev Ranjan’s third novel—Just the Way You Are, would score out of out in this particular review. But I am afraid the artistry under the covers has got to be just as good, and this is precisely where the book disappointed me big time. That said,
Read moreHalahala – Hindu mythology. Vikramaditya – Indian history. Did I tell you I am a mythological & historical fiction fan. Shatrujeet Nath just went ahead and blurred the lines between the two, and the result is a book that gave me a reason to return to reviewing books 🙂 Coming to the book, The Guardians of the Halahala takes us
Read moreLosing my Religion is a roller-coaster ride — that of exhilaration and dismay, hope and despair, enthusiasm and disappointment. It says the story of life itself. How an individual faces the ups and downs of life and emerges a winner! An oft-told story, you would say. Perhaps, but not in the way in which it is narrated…there is an inspiring vitality
Read moreDoes the title sound gloomy? Perhaps…but life isn’t always about roses and dreams, nor is it about the seven shades of the rainbow. Sometimes we stumble at stark reality, while one’s head tells us this is real the heart refuses to accept it. And that is what this new novel from Anurag Anand seems to tell us. Look beyond the
Read moreMost of us who are devout fans of the mystery genre have a certain degree of fixation with the whodunits. They suck you into its mystery unlike any other sub-genre. They seduce you to have a look into them and before you even know it, you’ll have immersed yourself into the action in the form of an invisible detective—someone who
Read moreDo you like short stories? What do you like about them? The fact that they are short? That they are stories? Not novellas? Or big giant novels? That more often than not, they just deliver a knockout punch smack on your face and disappear? Or, that they are like the cup of coffee early in the morning that makes your day
Read moreOn Love & Sex seems to be one of the umpteen attempts to profit from the literary powerhouse that was Khushwant Singh. Over the past few years I have seen several books get published by various publishers, all somehow seeking to package/ repackage snatches of Mr. Singh’s writing from here or there. The last essay/ short story in the book
Read moreEvery year, come Durga Puja, all my Bengali friends go slightly crazy. Those who can, run back to Kolkata; those who can’t, enthusiastically flock to CR Park – Delhi’s mini Kolkata. If you talk to anyone who has lived in Kolkata for a considerable length of time, they will assure you that there is no place quite like it. And
Read moreLike many, I am a sucker for happy endings and when I was looking for a light read after a exceptionally heavy dose of an autobiography from my previous read, I came across this book. And it turned out to be exactly that – a light read for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Becoming Mrs. Kumar is about Julia Robinson who,
Read moreWith two novels in her kitty, Ruchi Vasudeva has arrived and some. While her first novel Bollywood Fiance For A Day has charming Zaheer swooning the females off their feet, her second novel You Can’t Fight Royal Attraction has gorgeous Saira making every girl want to be her. In short, Ruchi Vasudeva creates some memorable characters. Ruchi Vasudeva is a doctor by
Read moreSet in the 1960s, in the fictitious hill station of Hamara Nagar, Love Potion Number 10 transports its readers to a gentler age and times with its quirky cast of characters. Though touted as a Jana Bibi adventure, do not expect any pulse pounding action. The intrigue that the book blurb refers to is at best muted. But that doesn’t take
Read moreAndy 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 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 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 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 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.
Part 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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