Book Review - Daitya Diaries - Blood and Vengeance by Aditya

I am not lying but "Daitya Diaries -  Blood and Vengeance" caught my attention the moment I saw the book launch invitation in my mailbox by publishers. Let me tell you frankly, I haven't checked the blurb of the book at that time, I liked the cover so much I just wanted to read the book. The next thing I did was grabbed the copy. Though I read the book a little late, I am happy that my selection was not wrong. It is indeed a good book. Let me give more details.

Book Blurb

A man arrives at the temple town of Srisailam. He carries with him a warning to the gods. A cosmic war between the Devas and the Daityas has spilled over into the mortal world.

A few years ago in the same temple town, a tour guide named Mallikarjuna finds himself being unjustly punished and sent to Naraka. At the same time, a mysterious figure challenging the Devas has been gathering resources from the annals of time to bring forth a monster that will fulfil his promise for revenge.

Daitya Diaries is an exciting blend of Hindu mythology and world history. It’s an adventure that takes you on a fantastical journey, through time and space. On one hand it’s a story of an innocent man, punished through no fault of his own. And on the other, it is a story of a Guru, seeking vengeance after the slaughter of his students before his very eyes. It is the story of a battle against the prime forces of power, of greed and lust that rule our world today

Before I start, let me tell you Daitya Diaries is not a simple Mythological Fiction using Indian Myths. The author has taken freedom and made many modifications. So don't get confused while reading.

Coming to the story part, there are two major characters who shape the plot. Mallikarjuna, a Srisalem's temple guide, and Daitya guru Shukracharya. Mallikarjuna was given a task to take three mysterious guys to a nearby forest. These mysterious guys were none other than Indra & his companion Devas. In the forest, Mallikarjuna was supposed to guard the area and stop trespassers, failing to which he was sent to a prison in Yamaloka. On another end, Shukracharya is trying to bring an Asura to life, who can destroy thousands of lives. Mallikarjuna survived his punishment, freed Yamaloka from the grip of greedy Devas. And now he was given the task to stop Shukracharya. The Shukracharya part also covers some historical characters/incidents, like Genghis Khan/accident of Chernobyl disaster. Read the book to know more.

My points / observations about the book

1. Easy to follow language usage
2. Jumbled flow, which creates interest to readers to know what next.
3. Part action, part thriller, full of entertainment
4. Light in size. Good for a short trip
5. Ideal for beginner. That doesn't mean season reader cannot enjoy it.
6. Nice cover. That is the main reason why I am writing this review
7. Characters of Mallikarjuna & Shukracharya are really portrayed well.
8. Good choice for your mythological bookshelf (and nice color shade if you are arranging shade wise :) )

Recommended to YA as well. A person above 14 can read this book.

I would give 4 out of 5 to the book.

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Book Review - Prisoner of Yakutsk: The Subhash Chandra Bose Mystery Final Chapter by Shreyas Bhave

Death of Subhash Chandra Bose was, is and will be one of the most controversial topics of India. A global leader who was declared dead one fine day. And the investigation of the same was kept secret for 50-60 years. Even the details provided were leading to more conspiracy, in such cases a rightist (not exactly but less believer of Congress propaganda) I wanted to read a book on this topic. One fine day I saw a post of Shreyas Bhave about "Prisoner of Yakutsk: The Subhash Chandra Bose Mystery Final Chapter", a book dedicated around Subhash Chandra's death. The book series  "Asoka Trilogy" by Shreyas is one of the favorite series of mine, so I simply grabbed the opportunity.

Book Blurb

What exactly happened to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? In 1945, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Leader of the INA leaves Singapore to take a series of flights, and dies in Taiwan after his plane crashes near Formosa. Or so it seems. In 1947, Mr & Mrs Singh, an illustrious army couple, both veterans of the Indian National Army, are last seen in Delhi, and then never again. In 1949, the plane carrying the first deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, mysteriously disappears for seven hours. In 2012, following the fall of WikiLeaks, a female hacker of the notorious X group is on the run as most wanted by everyone from Interpol to the KGB In 2015, the millionaire CEO of a Fortune 500 company suddenly resigns and vanishes from the public eye. A set of seemingly unconnected disappearances emerge to be woven into a single fabric as the answer to one leads to another… In this riveting narrative, bestselling author Shreyas Bhave, takes the reader on a thrilling adventure to solve the greatest mystery the Indian nation has known.

I won't reveal more details of Netaji's death or surrounding facts given in the book. But our story started with 3 generations. The first generation was Mr. & Mrs. Singh, who directly served under INA (India Nationa Army - conceptualized by Netaji to fight against Britishers). They were later on given the task to do the detailed investigation by Nehru, Gandhi, and Sardar. The third generation was Jay (maternal grandson of Singh couple). He came to know about her missing mother. The second generation, the daughter of Singh couple, Azadi had left Jay with her lover and then didn't come back. In short, three generations went after one mystery, would Jay succeed in finding truth or not. Read the book to know more.

The book is an amalgamation of 3-4 writing styles. The documentary, Historical fiction, Drama and Mystery. The major portion is written as a mystery. Some points/observation

1. Fast-paced story
2. Jumbled plots in different generations at different timelines
3. Good use of broken facts and controversies
4. Nice conceptualization
5. Awesome cover (it's good to see my upvoted cover in print)

Advice for next reprint - Try to work on better word spacing. Current text settings were giving stress on the eyes.

4 out of 5 stars to this wonderful book.

Book can be found at - Amazon

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Book Review - The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

I don't have to tell why I chose this book. "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" is written by one of the most praised and read woman author, Agatha Christie. Also, the book is a mystery thriller which makes it a better proposition. When I discussed with Vishnu about which book I start with, he selected this book as in general people like such books. So I went with his advice.

Book Blurb

Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp, who helped him to his new life. His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home. When the woman is killed, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery.

Talking about story brief: A mysterious murder of Mrs. Inglethorp recently married Alfred 20 years younger than her. She had been poisoned with strychnine. She is a wealthy woman sho got the manor and large portion of wealth from her first husband Mr. Inglethorp. Her household includes her husband Alfred Inglethorp, her stepsons John and Lawrence Cavendish,  John's wife Mary Cavendish, Cynthia Murdoch, the daughter of a deceased friend of the family and Evelyn Howard, Emily's companion.

Mr. Poirot, a refugee retired Belgian officer of the yard and Mr.hastings (writer) who came to visit styles in his sick leave.  Mr. Poirot asked to investigate the case by his old friend Hastings. 

Mr. Poirot comes to know that before the murder of Mrs. Inglethorp had an argument with either suspect john or Alfred. even the case where she kept all her important documents are opened and all the documents were missing. Mr. Poirot also comes to know that John has inherited manor as per his father's will whereas the money will be distributed as per Mrs. Inglethorp will. Mrs. Inglethorp changes her will every year. Recently the will is in favor of Alfred.

The prime suspect Alfred has left early the manor and stayed overnight at the village. he denies that he purchased the strychnine even though his sign was present at chemist register. Mr. Poirot found that the signature was not matching with Alfred's handwriting.

The second suspect John who's handwriting matching with the signature made at chemist register. Also the beard same like Alfred found at the manor.

A must-read book for the ones who like detective suspense stories. It is well written to keep you attached to the story. A book which gives you thrills to know the murderer at every moment. It is a story of a murder mystery with so many characters which makes you keep guessing the suspect. Agatha Christie has justified each character and flow of the story to keep momentum.

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Book Review - Yoddha: The Dynasty of Samudragupta by Rajat Pillai

The first time we heard about Rajat Pillai when we read the review of his debut book, "Chandragupta - Path of a Fallen Demigod", by Sheetal Maurya on Halo of Books. We were thoroughly impressed by the review. And that book is still part of my wishlist. So when we saw the author's post about the giveaway of "Yoddha: The Dynasty of Samudragupta" we participated that moment itself. (Due to book we are getting, we have not participated more than 4-5 giveaway in last one year). We were lucky enough to get the review copy. So here I am to present the review of the book.

Book Blurb

AD 379. The Gupta dynasty is stepping into its golden age

But the past holds many dark secrets... After long and bloody wars, Samrat Samudragupta sits on the pinnacle of an empire. yet, close to his throne are hearts filled with revenge, scheming to bring him down.

Into this gathering storm arrives Chandragupta, the king’s long-lost son. As he settles into his new life devastating family secrets surface, old wounds are reopened and Chandra can no longer trust anyone – least of all those closest to him. Bizarre and sinister incidents abound as palace conspiracies unravel plunging Rajgriha into a pit of chaos. 

Will the son pay for the sins of his father?

Yoddha: The Dynasty of Samudragupta unfolds the murky loves and lies of one of the most illustrious clans in history.

The story started with Samudragupta. He was the emperor of Magadha, the biggest empire of Aryavarta (Ancient India). Due to security issues, he had sent his sons to undisclosed locations for upbringing. His elder son Ramagupta was raised in military camp as a normal soldier, where in his younger son Chandragupta was raised in a village as a farmer. Ramagupta was brought to the public by Samudragupta ceremoniously. He was announced as future king - Yuvaraj. But Chandragupta's entry was rather unplanned due to his foster mother's (guardian) death. King welcomed him well and decided to give the responsibility of the army and intelligence. Chandra also got engaged with two ladies. And when things were supposed to get good, it became sinister. Chandra started hallucinating and got insane. On the other hand, an assassin entered into Royal guards, his motive was to kill the king or Rama. Read the book to know more.

Good points about the book

• A flawless and fast-paced story
• Awesome characterization (Chandra, Samudragupta, and Ramagupta)
• Light read (even though 330 pages long book didn't fell heavy)
• A clear understanding of the plot
• Awesome cover art
• Easy to follow language usage
• Good for beginners as well as experts
• Fewer characters and concentration on the storyline

I would say a sure shot page turner. I don't mind reading other books by the author. Once again sorry for little bit late review.

Ratings

1. Cover - 5/5
2. Concept - 4/5
3. Characters - 4.5/5
4. Content - 4/5
5. Overall - 4.5/5

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Book Review - Once upon an IAS exam by K. Vijayakarthikeyan

I liked this book because of its interesting cover and the title of the book "Once upon an IAS exam" by K. Vijayakarthikeyan. Being a teenager hearing the word exam always rings a bell in mind. Also, there were more than 100 positive reviews of the books on Amazon & Goodreads that made my decision easy. So I finally read this book.

Book Blurb

It's about a 25 year old Vishy who is trying to crack the UPSC Civil Services Exam, while he balances the tugs and lurches of love and family. Will there be a happily ever after?

This book follows the story of a boy named Vishy Who aspired to become an IAS officer, after failing the entrance exam once his will to become IAS officer got even stronger. And everyone in his family and his girlfriend encouraged him to do so but the ride to the exam was tough. His positive attitude got him through it and finally, he became IAS officer. In between 1st failed attempt and 2nd successful attempt lies the story which will keep us engaged till the last page. Read the book to know more.

I really like the character of Vishy and his attitude towards life and Civil service exam. His character is seen in the light of witty, courageous, positive and little humorous. By the journey of Vishy through his IAS exam, I have remembered my journey when I was giving my board exams. The memory, the anxiety of the exam, the hype around scoring the exams well all came rushing back to my memory. Besides Vishy, the character of his girlfriend is also kind and supportive. After reading this book every boy is gonna want to have a girlfriend like her.

I think this book is written beautifully and all and all if you want to read a soft book after reading an intense thriller or heavy mind blown stuff than this book is perfect.

Ratings

1. Cover :- 3.5/5
2. Content :- 3.5/5
3. Character :-4/5
4. Concept :- 3/5
5. Overall :- 3.5/5

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

We would like to thank HalfBakedBeans & ReachoutToRicha for providing us the review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review - The Heist Artist by Vish Dhamija

A mysterious man walking towards the tunnel light in the cover, the mention of a heist in the title itself and the well written colophon enough to get anyone interested in what lay inside. It had been a long time that I had read something wherein the protagonist was portrayed in a grey shade.

Book blurb

Vagh Pratap Singh aka the Captain is a conman extraordinaire. From transporting illegal merchandise and stealing cars to breaking safes, he's done it all. But now, in his fortieth year, he's ready to retire. So when Udham Kumar, a crooked politician from Uttar Pradesh, commissions the Captain to track down and steal Poppy Flowers, a Vincent van Gogh's painting that has been smuggled into India after it went missing in a museum in Egypt in 2010, the Captain knows that he's found his last, and biggest case. But the painting is now in possession of a dangerous gangster, and the Captain is being followed by Udham Kumar's ruthless associates, greedy for both money and power. As the odds against him begin to stack up, the Captain realizes that his last heist might not be as easy as he'd imagined.

“The Heist Artist” revolves around the planning and execution of an art theft of a lost but precious Van Gogh painting by the sneaky Vagh Pratap Singh, aka “The Captain” and the complete chaos that follows afterwards wherein each character has a double-crossing plan of their own. 

The book is written in third and first person narratives. Its light on the eyes and the unwanted details are kept to the bare minimum. Yes, it does lack the element of powerful suspense, but makes up for it by keeping the story well paced and interesting. The chapters are short well placed and connected. The use of simple language aids the plot as the readers can actually focus on the story and keeps them engaged. Most of the story is on the roads, and the author successfully is able to implant the city and highway scenes in the readers mind with a use of very few words.

Captain as a central character sticks to the plot and portrays his role flawlessly. His planning, on-the-feet thinking, dark humour and his self-justified “steal to survive” ideas are depicted superbly. 

The female protagonist Sylvia’s depiction as a beauty-with-brains aides to the plot and supplements it nicely. Uddham Kumar and Bipin Patel as real world rich and powerful goons play their antagonist parts well, but personally I felt could had been more villainous. Damodar Yadav, Sheena as a supportive character are used only when needed during the plot so that the story stays oncourse. 

Personally, I found the ending to be a little bit of damper. But overall, the author delivers us a story which is quite light for a criminal fiction genre. Inspite of its not-so-new plot, the book successfully captures the readers interest. Its not nail-biting, but it’s something.

For Vish Dhamija’s simple yet lucid criminal fiction thriller, my overall rating would be 4/5.

Overall Verdict:- Light, Interesting and Uncomplicated Heist

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

We would like to thank WritersMelon for providing us the review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review - In Love with Simran by Kulpreet Yadav

We are following Kulpreet Yadav on social media, ever since we have seen praise of his book "Murder in Paharganj". Later on, we read and reviewed that book. It was an awesome read. So when we saw Kulpreet's tweet about the next book, we expected it to be an action or thriller. Later on, we found the title "In Love with Simran." Don't blame me, but the title made me visualize DDLJ kind of story. But I was proven wrong by the author.

Book Blurb

Sanjana’s best friend at college is murdered. She was in love with a business tycoon named Nik Sethi, and Sanjana is certain that he killed her. In an effort to find proof, she decides to get close to him. 

Good looking and rich, Nik falls in love with Sanjana instantly, but a month later, when he accidently discovers her real agenda, he throws her out of his life. Determined to nail him, Sanjana’s desperation exceeds all limits when she realizes that she too, like her friend, has fallen in love with a killer. 

After she escapes an attack one night, Sanjana quits college and goes into hiding. Now her only ambition is to punish the killer and her only weapon is her body. In a last, desperate attempt, she uses herself as bait and pursues her best plan. There are only two options: she becomes a victim or she becomes a victor. 

Through the story of Sanjana and Nik, In Love With Simran explores the boundaries of the basic instincts of the young: love, sex, trust and survival.

Before I start, tell me how far you can go for your friends. The protagonist of our story is Sanjana. She found her friend Simran in love with a high profile business tycoon, Nik. But within in a short duration, Simran was found dead. Unable to accept the situation, Sanjana wanted to find out the truth behind Simran's death. She took the chance and decided to go near Simran's boyfriend. But things didn't work out as she expected. Nik came to know about Sanjana's true motive and left her. At the same time, Sanjana also started feeling for Nik. The situation became grave for her as powerful hands of Nik made her life difficult. Determined to go to any level to solve the mystery, Sanjana took help of her body. (You may relate it to Hate Story -1's protagonist) Read the book to know more.

My observations

1. A bold book, which shows what a woman can do if she decides to take revenge.
2. Easy language and fast pace
3. A simple & straight storyline, you may take it as positive or negative. Depending on your reading preferences
4. Light in size. Good for trips

I think certain places that spark was missing or not touching upto the mark, especially if written by an author like Kuldeep. But not a big issue, I still enjoyed the book.

I would give 3.75/5 to "In Love with Simran"

Book can be found at - Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads