Saturday 25 March 2017

Book Review: The Stolen House by Kailash Amesur

The Stolen House - Book Cover

Book Name: The Stolen House

Author: Kailash Amesur

Publisher: Educreation Publishing

Blurb:

Milind is a no hero, he's a maverick cop whose relentless pursuit of truth has earned him some dangerous enemies but when he is about to get promoted he comes across the most mysterious case of his life "The Stolen House". Atypical small town in Goa is famous about 2 things clean beaches and criminal lawyer Roy. Roy has fought more than 100 criminal cases and won all of them, winning has become his hobby now. A suspense conflict between maverick cop and insolent lawyer… Every page of this novel will open door for a new suspense, get ready to read the best suspense novel of the year.

Story in a nutshell:

Milind, the protagonist, is one of the best police officers. There hasn't been a single case in the records which he hasn't solved. He has a 100% record of solving the most complicated cases. Milind is assigned a case of stolen house. Mr. Roy, a famous lawyer, has filed a complaint for the theft of his bungalow. Milind takes this case to be a simple one and is assured that he would solve it in one day. A series of events occur and Milind is booked on murder charges. The police has found evidence that Milind had killed his wife. Is Milind guilty? How does Milind prove himself innocent? Is the case of stolen house solved? 

Review: 

The title - The Stolen House is intriguing and so is the blurb. You will feel like digging into the pages of the novel and reading the entire book in one go. The plot isn't a common one. There are many surprise elements sprinkled all over the novel. There are moments when you, as a reader, feels that you will solve the case. But it is at this time that the story takes a drastic twist. The narration is done in third person narrative and is done well. The characters - Milind and Mr. Roy are interesting. The pace of the story is fast. I felt that more incidents could have been added. It would have increased the surprise factor of this novel. The manner in which the incidents have been narrated towards the end is confusing. It seems like the author was in hurry to finish writing the climax. Apart from that, the novel is really engaging. It will be a perfect choice for crime lovers. 

I rate:
Cover: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Story: 4/5 

My overall rating for 'The Stolen House' is 3.5/5 stars. 

You can buy your copies on Amazon.

Monday 13 March 2017

Book Review: In Love and Free by Jagdish Joghee

In Love and Free - Book Cover
This book is provided by Arudha Club in exchange for a genuine review.

Book Name: In Love and Free 

Author: Jagdish Joghee 

Publisher: Notionpress 

Blurb

Shruthi has everything going in her life with great education, incredible romance, a wonderful husband, and two adorable kids. There is plenty of laughter, joy, and love in the cosy nest that Shruthi has carefully built. 

All is well till that fateful Diwali day when passion gets the better of reason. One momentary lapse threatens to uproot the entire foundation of her beautiful life. The stakes are too high as Shruthi runs the risk of being abandoned by her husband and losing her children too. 

And there is no one to blame but herself. 

Caught in a cesspool of blackmail, ransom, revenge and remorse, Shruthi is on the brink of collapse. She can run but cannot hide. 


Story in a nutshell

'In Love and Free' is a story of Shruthi, a lady who is blessed with everything required for an easy life - a loving husband, caring in-laws and two kids. She has got everything she has wished for in her life. Life has always been perfect for her. It is said that it doesn't matter if you've everything, there's always something missing. A series of events occur and Shruthi finds herself in an extramarital affair with her neighbour, Rahul. What begins with an attraction takes the form of love over time. Shruthi is in love with two men at the same time. She keeps wondering about her situation when she receives the greatest shock of her life. She learns that Rahul was playing her lover only to get a hold on her money and her property. What does Shruthi do when Rahul blackmails her? How does Madhan, Shruthi's husband react? 


Review

In Love and Free is a story about Shruthi and her extramarital affair. The word 'extramarital affair' strikes the chord and you will be wanting to read this book as soon as possible. I can't categorise this reaction as good or bad. Extramarital affairs are taboo and I believe reading about taboo topics has been an interest of many. The story starts with a brief introduction about the characters - Shruthi and Madhan and their love life. It slowly traverses through their married life and ultimately, talks about Shruthi's affair. The pace of the story fluctuates here and there. There is a part where the incidents are described in detail and some where they are rushed. Also, there are few incidents that are narrated as a part if flashback. They weren't presented well. The narration is done in first person narrative and is engaging. The simple language makes this book a lucid read. The characters are sketched well and the story has been thoughtfully plotted. Overall, In Love and Free is a good read. The story will keep you hooked on to the book. 

Likes:
  • Shruthi and Madhan's relationship.
  • Shruthi's understanding father.
  • Shruthi's bravery. 

Dislikes:
  • A few incidents (especially in the beginning of the novel) appeared stuffed. 

I rate:
Cover: 2.5/5
Characters: 3/5
Story: 3.5/5 


My overall rating for 'In Love and Free' is 3.5/5 stars.

You can book your copies on Amazon.

Sunday 12 March 2017

Book Review- The 365 Days by Nikhil Ramteke

The 365 Days - Book Cover


Book Name: The 365 Days 
 
Author: Nikhil Ramteke 
 
Publisher: Write India Publishers 
 
Blurb
 
This is a story that falls through the crevices of pitiless anonymity, yet miraculously waits to be told. 
 
Shijukutty, a Malayali fisherman, leaves his tiny hamlet of abject poverty in the coastal village of Vizhinjam on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, that picturesque vignette of searing beauty on the southwestern coast of India. Shiju, like millions of other Malayalis, seeks his destiny in Dubai, that gleaming global hub of fortune on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf. What unfolds is a stirring story of distilled hardship, exploitation, identity, and friendship, and the heartbreaking choices Shiju is often forced to make. So what he sees is not what he experiences when he lands in a world of glimmering towers, fast-paced life, and unabashed opulence. For what he was not prepared for was the dark underbelly of Dubai beyond the shimmering mirage.
 
Shiju's life is no more the same. But he holds his ground, drawing on ancient instincts of his seafaring ancestry. As things settle down around him, he is inexorably pulled into the canyon of recession... Will Shiju be able to hold on to his dreams? Will he able to pull out himself from the whirlpool? Will he survive against all odds? Will he redeem himself? Nikhil Ramteke unfolds an extraordinary saga about Indian expatriates, their struggles, their alienation, and their dreams. The 365 Days is more than a story of a year in Shijukutty's life. 
 
 
Story in a nutshell
 
Shijukutty is a fisherman from Kerala. His earnings are enough to feed his family. The other luxuries of life seem distant to him with his present earnings. He wishes to provide his family with all modern amenities. He learns that working in Gulf not only fetches money but also, status and respect in the society. He decides to leave Kerala and go to Gulf to make money. The 365 Days is a brief encounter of his life in Gulf. 
 
 
Review
 
The cover of the book doesn't appeal to the eyes. But as they say never judge a book by its cover. This book falls into that category. I read the blurb and I knew that it is going to be an amazing read. The story is simple and I felt that it is written straight from heart. The frank narration will find a way into your heart. The book instantly makes you a part of it. You'll find yourself getting attached to the book as you proceed with your reading. The book makes you realise few hard truths about life. It tells you that hardwork is the only way to success. Discrimination prevails in each and every sect of life. 
 
Likes:
  • The character of Shijukutty.
  • His love for his wife and his son.
  • His struggle to give his family a quality life. 
 
I rate: 
 
Cover- 2/5
Characters- 3.5/5
Story- 4/5

I rate 'The 365 Days' with 4/5 stars.
 
Book your copies on Amazon.

Wednesday 1 March 2017

Book Review: An Ode to Shimla by Sanjeev Bansal

An Ode to Shimla - Book Cover


The book is provided by Arudha Club in exchange for a genuine review.

Book Name: An Ode to Shimla

Poet: Sanjeev Bansal

Publisher: Virgin Leaf Books

Price: Rs. 150

Blurb:
Sanjeev Bansal's exquisite poems are epistles to the past, reflections upon the future and heartbreaking meditations upon the metaphysics of daily transcendence. One of the most subtly imaginative poets, Bansal bravely transcribes his love for the hilly terrains of Shimla into the charged intersections of love and rejection, nature and religion, loss and renewal. His poems are lucid snapshots developed in a subtle amalgam of memory and intuition. Lyrical and linguistically inventive and yet faithful to poesy of European gloom, Bansal investigates complex personal history, family and romantic love in carefully sculpted lines, thereby making his poetry an odyssey at once metaphorically and emphatically real.

Review:
'An Ode to Shimla' is a beautiful collection of 54 poems. As the name suggests, the poems are centered around Shimla. The place, Shimla has been described so well that you can visualise it at some places when reading. The poems are written from heart which gives them a personal touch. The emotions have been portrayed well. Some poems of this collection are of the kind where you read it, close the book and feel/think about it. The only thing that I didn't like was the book dimensions. I found it small.
An Ode to Shimla will be a good sunday read.

I rate:
Cover- 3/5
Poems- 3.5/5 

My overall rating for 'An Ode to Shimla' is 3.5/5 stars.

Watch the video trailer of the book here.

You can buy your copies on Amazon.

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