Cyber Privacy: Who Has Your Data and Why You Should Care by April Falcon Doss

I selected "Cyber Privacy: Who Has Your Data and Why You Should Care" by April Falcon Doss because I am a data scientist myself and I wanted to see to what extent the author shares the power of data. After reading the book I can say the author has done a pretty good job.

I don't want to share much about the content, for that you can refer blurb or others' review. But the author has taken proper ways including historical importance and implementations to explain things. Starting from most common and more specific I.e. individual data theft (I.e. financial information), to more information-driven such as your likes & dislikes. Everything can be derived easily. 

But it is also equally difficult not to leave a trail behind. Every damn digital thing we do leave footprints behind. Let's say you don't use a smartphone or even a phone. But the content you watch on your television leaves a trace behind. Examples are many I have quoted only one. Many such examples and few steps to reduce risk at your side were quoted in this book. As the author is a lawyer you will also find many citations of cyber law.

Am sure opening the book, language is somewhat semi-technical at places. But enjoyable read which deserves 4 out of 5.

The Girl Next Door by Arpit Vageria

Lockdown was that once in a lifetime experience for all the people where it was imposed by authorities. For many, it was bonding time that they missed the moment they entered in professional lives. For many families, they had more members in the house than that of Diwali or New Year. So it was obvious when small and medium-sized cities and towns are packed with full population, there are chances that few find their life partners. On the same notion the book, "the girl next door" was written by Arpit Vageria.

My reasons for selecting the book was not nostalgia around Lockdown, but the author Arpit. I had missed reading 2 of his last bestsellers, so I didn't want to miss the chance this time. Frankly speaking, I didn't check the blurb when I said yes for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

As I mentioned, the hero of our story is Ishaan, an RJ, settled in Mumbai for the last 15 years. He was intentionally away from his family in Bhopal to avoid family confrontations. But his mother emotionally blackmailed him and he came to home town. And when he was frustrated and thinking about what to do for the next 3-4 weeks, he saw a beautiful girl. That beautiful girl is Ruhi, the heroine of the story. Then follows a cute love story covering family issues as well. Read the book to know more. 

I know I have covered not much in the blurb, but I think you can always refer blurb of the book for the same. Coming to my impression of the story, it's a perfect light romantic story written keeping the Bollywood audience in mind, a classic Bollywood romance. And just like Bollywood movies don't go with facts about the pandemic that the author visualize in the book, just enjoy the story. 

Coming to writing style, the book is written with easy to understand language with fast pace storytelling. A good recommendation for beginners and Mills & Boon's lover. The cover photo is catching. 

On a general note, the book was missing that unique touch of Romance. I am not able to put it in words but apart from pandemic & lockdown novelty in character or dialogues is missing.

Overall a nice entertaining book that deserves 3.5 out of 5.

કૃષ્ણનું Modern Management by તિર્થક રાણા

કૃષ્ણનું મોર્ડન મેનેજમેન્ટ એક નાનું પણ પ્રેરણાદાયી અને રસપ્રદ પુસ્તક છે. મારી વાત કરું તો મારે ઘરે આવેલા કાકી જે પંદર-વીસ મિનિટ બેઠા તેઓ પણ કહી ગયા કે તારું વંચાય જાય તો મને આપજે. મને આ પુસ્તકમાં રસ પડ્યો છે. આમ પણ અનુભવે હું એટલું જરૂર કહી શકું કે જે પુસ્તક શરૂની  દસ મિનિટમાં રસ ન જગાવી શકે એ પુસ્તક પછી આગળ વાંચો તો પણ કંટાળો જ પ્રદાન કરે છે.

કૃષ્ણને સમજવા આજની પેઢીને એમની ભાષામાં સમજાવવા પડે છે, જે કામ તિર્થક રાણાએ સુપેરે કર્યું છે.  રોજિંદી વાતોને, ઘટનાઓને જીવન સાથે જોડી જો ઉદાહરણ આપવામાં આવે તો વાત ઘીથી લચપચતા શીરાની જેમ ગળે ઉતારાવી શકાય. આ પુસ્તક બસ એ રોજિંદી ઘટનાઓ, વાતો, નિર્ણયોને કૃષ્ણનાં ત્રાજવે તોળી આ આધુનિક સમયમાં કૃષ્ણ હોત તો એ શું કરત કે આ સંદર્ભમાં કૃષ્ણનો શો અભિગમ કે ઉપદેશ હોત એ વિષે વાત કરે છે. તિર્થક રાણાનું પુસ્તક પણ આ જ સમજાવવાની અને તેમના ઉપદેશો આજના જીવનમાં કેટલા અને કેમ પ્રસ્તુત બની શકે એ માટેનો પ્રયત્ન કરે છે.

આજના કળિયુગમાં બધાં દેવોને સમજવા કે પૂજવા અઘરાં લાગે છે. પણ કૃષ્ણને તમે સારી સમજી શકો એટલે જ તેને પૂજવા સરળ થઇ જાય છે. એ કોઈ ચાલુ ચીલે ચાલ્યા જ નથી. એ  અંતરથી બળવાખોર છે અને એટલે જ કદાચ આપણને સૌને એ અત્યંત પ્રિય છે.  

દરેક લેખના અંતે મૂકાયેલ ‘ખળભળાટ’ એ ઉત્તમ વન લાઈનરનો સમૂહ છે. વન લાઈનર એ જમ્યા પછીનો મુખવાસ છે જે ચગળવાનો ગમે છે. રાણા સાહેબના આ વન લાઈનર ખરેખર ખૂબ સરસ છે.  આ ઉપરાંત, મને વ્યક્તિગત રીતે ગમેલી ટિટોડીનાં બચ્ચાનાં સંદર્ભમાં લખાયેલી વાત કે બધી વિષમતાઓ વચ્ચે ‘એ’ જેને બચાવવા ચાહે તેને બચાવે જ છે અને એ જેનો વિનાશ નિશ્ચિત કરે તેનો વિલય નક્કી જ છે. આ ‘આ’ એટલે ભગવાન નહીં પણ તમારાં અંદર રહેલો તમારો અંતરાત્મા. લેખકનાં શબ્દોમાં, “જીવમાત્રનાં અંતરમાં રહેલો આત્મવિશ્વાસ.”

કર્મ વિષેની વાત લેખકે એક યા બીજી રીતે દરેક લેખમાં કરી છે. કર્મયજ્ઞ પેટાવવો એ જ આજના સમયનો તકાદો છે. અને લેખકના શબ્દોમાં જ કહીએ તો “ભગવાન પાસે દયાની ભીખ માંગવા કરવા અથાક કર્મોની બંદગી તેને વધુ પસંદ છે.”  

The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson

 I was going through English Audiobooks available for review on Netgalley when I saw the title "The Cul-de-Sac War" by Melissa Ferguson. The very first thing I checked was the language settings in Netgalley. Then I google the word "Cul-de-sac", what I gauged from the title was the book must be around neighbors. And that was described in the blurb. Based on these few things, I applied for the review copy in exchange for an honest review, and luckily I won it. So here I am discussing the sweet love story.

Written in settings of a cure rom-com (you may say sitcoms), the story revolves around the personal & professional lives of Bree & Chip. I don't want to discuss the plot once again as the blurb is more than enough. Let me talk about things I liked about the story

1. Pranks between Bree & Chip

2. Gentleness of Chip in all situation never losing his temper

3. Characters of the girlfriend of Chip & boyfriend of Bree. Both were caring and marriage material.

4. Fun-filled incidents ( I know the very first point was a prank, but I feel I should mention it)

Coming towards good points about the book

1) Light read

2) Language is easy and age-appropriate

3) The pace of the story is fast and will maintain

4) To the point story

Overall I enjoyed listening to this book. The book deserves 3.75 stars out of 5. 

A Must-read - The Cowherd Prince by Krishna Udayasankar

If you have read my review of books based on Mahabharata, you must be aware that I rarely skip book that is remotely related to epic. The very first retelling I read was from Krishna Udayasankar, and I was delighted. Unfortunately, I missed a chance to get two more books from that series. The God was gracious; I got 3rd party of that trilogy and was impressed by the author's work. And when I came to know that prequel to the series is about to get released, I didn't want to miss the chance. I like to thank the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Those who have read Mahabharata or any book on Krishna avatars knew most of the author either stretch Krishna's childhood days or after he met Pandavas. Rarely you will find a book which talks about what happened during his younger days, how he became a prince from a common cowherd. Thanks to Krishna (author), I got a chance to read a novelty. This book is more focused on that part of Krishna's life. 

As usual, the book started with the background/prologue of firstborn v/s firewrights. Those who have read the series are aware of the concept. For first-timers, the author has shown two knowledge sects, which makes the building block of the plot for 3 books. As I mentioned, the story covers the part of Govinda's life that gave him the title of a great leader and politician. The author has introduced suspense and thrill by bringing Govinda's missing family and his revenge into the story. Few major characters apart from Govinda, who has shone brightly, were Balbhadra, Yuyudhana, and Nanda. Each chapter brought a new set of characters or plot; you won't find repetition. Throughout the book, you will enjoy changes that come with a new chapter.

There are thousands of authors trying to recreate or Hindu mythological stories. But only a few got success. It requires a good combination of plot conceptualization, political inclusion, connection with original epics, theological or philosophical aspects. I have read more than 100 books on mythological fiction, but if I have to recommend the top 5 books series, Aryavarta Chronicles has made its place along with Meluha by Amish & Ajaya by Anand. 

Coming to writing style, the story progresses at a medium to fast pace. Krishna's usage of language is mixed type, I mean not too plain at the same time not too difficult. If you are a fan of such books, I strongly recommend this book to you.

The series is good enough to be adopted. I think I saw the news that screening rights were auctioned to Sonam Kapoor, but I haven't seen any further news. If time permits, I will make a video for this series.

Overall 4.75 out 5 to this wonderful book.

Book Review - THE MOST NOTORIOUS JAILBREAKERS: Untold Stories of Escaped Convicts by Abeer Kapoor

"THE MOST NOTORIOUS JAILBREAKERS: Untold Stories of Escaped Convicts" how can I say no to this title? I was so intrigued with the title, I took the book within a week of its delivery and finished it in 2-3 sittings. I read it around 6-7 weeks back and unfortunately, I forgot to write a review of the book. So I am trying my best to give you a full review (even though I read 3-4 more books in between)

You may consider this book as a collection of non-fiction short stories. Each dedicated to one notorious jailbreaking. But storytelling is different, it is not mere documentation. Those who have seen the prison break series must have seen the level of planning required to escape from jail. You may think the Indian system is corrupted but most of these prisoners were famous enough to escape just by paying bribes. Each chapter describes how meticulous planning and patience helped them.

Well, those who wanted well-documented articles may find content shallow. But for those who are satisfied with a newspaper like stories or short articles will find the book very entertaining. The language used is simple to follow and easy for the 14+ age group. As the book is hardly 200 pages long and content divided into 16 chapters, the content demands a very very fast pace narration style. If you get bored or dislike any chapter you can easily skip it. You will find many interesting villian's name that you might have heard in movies, for example I thought Natvarlal was a fictitious character only. 

Overall I will give 3.5 out of 5.

So You Had to Build a Time Machine by Jason Offutt

I wanted to listen to something light during the festive season of Diwali, so I selected "So You Had to Build a Time Machine" by Jason Offutt, after checking its blurb. I selected the book based on the title and blurb, as the cover design has only a title with cockroaches (later on, I came to know why cockroaches were portrayed). As per the blurb, the book was a comedy based on time-travel, so I thought of having a different experience this time. 

Though the blurb says about time traveling, it doesn't say much about narration style. There are 5 main characters in the story, four of them are on the good side, and one of them on the bad side. Skid, David, and Brick took a major role, their time-traveling scenes were given in different sequences, initially, I found them too random and haphazard but later on, I understood that it was done to keep the interesting quotient intact.

The author has taken the liberty and used the style of a scary movie to make the book a light-hearted comedy. In the scary movie, you find comic scenes based on different movies, here the author has taken plot-based characters from various fantasy books. You will find dinosaurs, golems, mantis, ogres, giant cockroaches, and whatnot. Things will pop out at unexpected corners and make you laugh. 

An enjoyable book. But it could have been better. 

I am giving 3.25 out of 5 to this book.

21 Fantastic Failures by Sonali Misra

The title "21 Fantastic Failures" is the lone reason for me to select this book by Sonali Misra. And as the title suggests, the USP of this book is lessons for readers from 21 successful personalities. 

Every self-made man/woman has his or her experience. It's a common fact that a single failure teaches us more things than multiple successes can. One of the most famous teachings of Chanakya was "Smart people learn from their mistakes, but the real champ learns from mistakes of other." ( I haven't used exact wording, so spare me from your wrath). In short, this book allows us to learn from these great people's failures.

Coming to 21 stories, let me warm you. If you are looking for some unheard stories of these personalities then you might feel disappointed. Because much is said and written about the life of these celebrities. Your next question would be "then what is new in this book?". Well, it is structured such that you will get an idea of what steps these people have taken (which in turn you may take) to get out of dire situations. 

One chapter is dedicated to each celebrity. The structure of these chapters go like this

1. Paths that the person could take.

2. Lessons learned.

3. ‘Extra mile’ that the person in question chose to go

Overall, a good motivating book. If you have read many books in this genre, then you may find it about average, but for once-in-a-while or first-time readers will find the book good.

The cover of the book can be improved, you may consider that as a weak point from my point of view.

Overall 3.75 out of 5 stars to this book.

The Warrior's Progeny (Heaven & Earth Series #2) by Jeny Heckman

 I was not aware of the auto approve concept on Netgalley. So when I was auto-approved by "Backlit PR", I was very happy. The book with which I got this approval was "The Warrior's Progeny" by Jeny Heckman. I was a bit skeptical while applying for the book because it is the second book in Heaven & Earth Series. But I was relieved of that tension once I started reading the book. Accept the initial 2-3 chapters, the book was somewhat independent. 

The usage of peacock feathers in cover design gave me the impression that there might be a reference to Indian God Krishna. However, the story is based on Greek Mythology. As I have already mentioned, this is a second book in the series, though it is part of the grander plan, the book is focused more on Colten, a football player, notoriously known for sleeping with his colleagues' wives, and Lilly, a single parent. Though their personalities were opposite, their attraction towards each other was as strong as magnetic opposites. Apart from mythology, this book covers a mature love story as well. Read the book to the know-how on a grander scheme Colten and Lilly would be helpful to ancient Gods.

Coming to writing style, Jeny has used easy-to-read and easy-to-comprehend language. I found no difficulties following the storyline of Lilly & Colten. I accept I faced difficulties while reading the first few chapters as they influence the first book. The tempo of the writing was high, so is the pace. You will hardly find a dull or boring page during the story. I enjoyed it. 

Overall I will give 3.75 out of 5.

By Sea & Sky: An Esowon Story (The Sky Pirate Chronicles #1) by Antoine Bandele

I am reading and following manga since 2008. And my most favorite is "One Piece" a Japanese comic based on a fantasy world where Pirates rule the world. So when I saw "By Sea & Sky: An Esowon Story" I was very excited. I am happy that I got its copy in exchange for an honest review.

"By Sea & Sky" is my second audiobook from Netgalley honest review copies. I was glad that I waited for app updates because, by the time I started this book, the forward/backward option started working.

The book belongs to "The Sky Pirate Chronicles", a fantasy world. Our two major characters are  Karim and Zala. Karim was from the Vaji empire and was stationed on the first-ever sky Shop built by Vaji Empire. They were given tasks to prove the ability of the ship. On their voyage, they apprehended some notorious pirates, one of the key prisoner was Zalani, Zala's husband. Zala and her husband joined pirates to make some quick money so that they can buy the required ingredients for remedies for Zalani's cursed disease. But in that process, they got separated. Zala with 3-4 other members from her crew was stranded on a lone island. Read the book to know whether she was able to reunite with her husband or not.

The plot and storyline have good potential but the portrayal was shallow. The author had sprinkled every bit of things he had in mind for this fantasy. Many of those bits were used or referred to just one time. For the first book in the series, it would be too much for a reader to attach so deeply. I was expecting more details if possible for a few topics. 

Coming to characters, though Zala might be the protagonist of the story, I found Karim more interesting. Zala's character was part selfish and filled with folly. Usually, in this kind of book, the author portrays such that the reader gets attached to one side either pirate or marine. But here the author has used an unbiased approach, when I was listening to Karim's part I wanted marine to win, and when I was listening to Zala I wanted pirate to outsmart.

Coming to the audio book, the narrator has done a good job, voice modulation and tone were proper. In many places, background music is also given.

Overall an okay book still deserves 3 out 5.

Manmatha Nath Dutt: Translator Extraordinaire by Bibek Debroy

There were three main reasons why I selected "Manmatha Nath Dutt: Translator Extraordinaire" by Bibek Debroy

1. The author Bibek Debroy 

2. Wonderful cover design in a hardcover edition

3. Wanted to read a biography as the last I read was around a year back.

Due to a positive case in the family, reading of the book was delayed. I am happy to share the review now.

As I mentioned, it is a kind of biography, of Manmatha. But the author had not personally met or interviewed Manmatha to write the memoir-style biography. It is more of documentations-based biography, I mean, the author has taken various references and cross-references related to Manmatha and given the shape to this book. Taking just an example of how biography started, the author has taken a reference from Manmatha's grand daughter's autobiography. The tone of the book is neutral, you may feel like following a documentary. The author has tried to stick only and only the professional life of Manmatha. It is like reading a complete work-life journal of a translator. Bibek had taken all major and minor references when Manmatha's is mentioned. 

Coming to the overall feeling, for me, the book is more of historic records than a biography. You will find an exhaustive list of books translated or written by Manmatha. It also covers a list of patronage for some of his major works. The language used in the book is pretty simple. You can easily read it within 1 day of the subject interests you.

Not completely up to my expectations, but I liked to know about this forgotten personality. Overall I will give 2.75 out of 5 to this book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

 

Book review - Blood & Ash (The Jezebel Files #1) by Deborah Wilde

I was sincerely waiting for Audiobook review copies by Netgalley. I started checking out books within a month of audiobook launch. But my selective choices have delayed my Netgalley audiobook experience by 2 months. The very first book for which I applied and received a review copy in exchange for an honest review was "Blood & Ash" by Deborah Wilde. I could have reviewed the book within 15 days of approval, but a month was wasted as due to some technical issues in the app, I was unable to download the book. For another month, I waited for a technical bug to get resolved, which I was facing in the app. The bug was about forward and backward buttons, these buttons were kept playing chapter from the beginning. Also, the app was forgetful many times where I left last. One more thing I found was that this issue was with a certain set of audiobooks only, and unfortunately, Blood & Ash was one of them. Anyway, I don't want to downrate books because of technical issues.

As mentioned in the blurb, the story is portrayed in today's world. But magic is added as a fantasy flavor. The world is having two kinds of people mundane the normal humans, and the Nefesh, human with magical powers. There are separate rules and houses for wizards. The protagonist of our story is Ashira Cohen, a mundane private investigator. All she has in her life are her job as an investigator and her roommate/best friend Priya, a cybersecurity expert, and somewhat space for her mother. Things are changed when she discovers a hidden tattoo on the backside of her body, and she realizes that she can do magic. As if these complexities are not enough, she starts seeing mysterious shadows attacking wizards. She also learns that kids are disappearing from different locations. Read the book to know how things are related. 

Coming to writing style, the author has covered multiple aspects in the book, but my favorite are

1. Badass female protagonist

2. Satirical dialogues

3. Action sequences

4. Suspense behind situations

The character of Ashira is unique. She is intelligent, kind-hearted, too much introspective, less friendly, to the point in nature, and last but not least bad mouth at times. Throughout the book, you will see Ashira's way of seeing her surrounding like you are living through it. Suspense creation in the book was good, but I was expecting more in the climax. 

Anyways a good book series to follow.

I will give 3.75 out of 5 to this book.

Book Review -When Love Came Calling by Preeti Shenoy

"When Love Came Calling" is my 3rd read from Preeti Shenoy, and my expectations from Preeti were matched in this book. I was a little bit skeptical after reading "Wake up, Life is calling". Though the "wake up" was presented as an inspirational book, for me, it was a similar experience that I felt with "Veronica decides to die" by Paulo Coelho. I felt too negative while reading both books. Surprisingly when Love Came Calling was a refreshing, cute, and light read in this pandemic depression.

The protagonist of our story is Arush and Puja. Arush was born and brought up outside India. He was a kind of self-made man who was deciding his life based on his passion. He was selected for a paid assignment to work with an NGO based in Kerala, India. Puja, on other hand, had was a kind of lazy girl who felt her life was not in her hands but her parents. She was not happy with the career path set for her by her parents, at the same time, she didn't want to divert from that path.

When the two met, a bond was created instantaneously. Though both were opposite, their different nature brought them nearer. They wanted to know more about each other. The feeling was mutual, but things were not smooth for them. Puja got up in a mess, and unknown to the depth of the consequences Arush tried to help Puja. Do read the book to know whether Puja was rescued or Puja had to rescue Arush.

Apart from the love story, the book brings us two wonderful things to us,

1. As author Preeti is herself a Keralite, she has wonderfully described nature's bounty of Kerala, proving the phrase " God's Own Country" true.

2. Preeti has a good control over bringing an inspirational story without leaving the story. You are bound to learn good things by reading the story itself. You cannot disintegrate the invitational discussion from the story. 

Coming to writing, as usual, Preeti has used a simple narration style. The usage of English is easy for any level of readers. The choice of words makes interest intact. This book hardly falls under DNF, I finished it in 3-4 sittings but can be finished in 1-2 sittings as well. 

Overall I will give 4 out of 5.

Book links - Goodreads and Amazon

Poe Dameron: Free Fall by Alex Segura

 I was checking out available books on Netgalley when I saw an upcoming book from the Star Wars series. I haven't read comics or previous books in the series. My only exposure to Star Wars was 6 movies under the Skywalker saga. I know for Star Wars fan it is a crime but for me, that's the fact. Since 2016 I have reduced my visual content consumption very very low, I am spending maximum free time in reading. So when I saw this book, I thought of taking Star Wars in my reading experiences. Here I am discussing the book "Poe Dameron: Free Fall" by Alex Segura 

Don't get confused between Dameron & Doremon. It's is the first non-cartoon character.

Jokes apart, Poe Dameron is our protagonist. He is living with his father on Yavin 4. Both of Poe's parents had an adventurous life, they have participated in the war against the Empire. His mother, Sarah, wanted Poe to become a pilot like her, but after she died his father wanted Poe to stay close to him. But Poe wanted to travel, to visit new places, and to get an adventure. His rebellious nature made his join a notorious group called spice runner of Kijimi. His good upbringing made him stick to his basic values. But his attachment to Zorri may lead him to danger. Read the book to know more.

Talking about the story built up, I found the plot plan. Expected few more turns but from point, Poe joined spice runner to his capture, things were in bits and part, and before I realize half the book was done. Narration and language usage is simple and to-the-point. Basic knowledge of Star Wars is recommended. Overall a nice content for Star Wars fan. Even non-follower can have a good one-time read.

I will give 3.5 out of 5 to this book.

Book Series Review - 4MK Killer by JD Barker

I have read the first part of "4MK Killer" "The Fourth Monkey" by J D Barker three years back. That time, I have received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. But later on, I missed applying for the second part's "The Fifth to Die" review copy. During the lockdown, I found that a half-year back, I have applied and have received a review copy of "The Sixth Wicked Child". But I couldn't read that last part without reading the 2nd part. So I took the help of Storytel, there I found 2nd part as an audiobook. And finally, I read the 3rd part on Kindle Unlimited. I took 3 different sources for 3 parts: Netgalley, Storytel, and Kindle Unlimited. 

When I read the first part, I was under impression that the 4MK killer was a serial killer like the Dexter series central character. Somehow author has changed that impression in the 2nd part. The 2nd part shows a completely different pattern of a serial killer, it also introduces a new character apart from Anson Bishop. Along with this new character, Anson spread chaos. At the same time, Sam Porter came under FBI radar. The FBI takes over the case from Sam's team and strictly forbade Sam to interfere. But Sam goes against the FBI's wishes and went ahead. By the end of the second part, we came to know about know things turn out completely different. The third part started with the FBI and metro team doubting Sam also behind the 4MK murders. Along with tracking Anson and Sam, Central hospital is supposedly infected with the SARS virus. How will special agent Poole and Sam will sort out things, is the climax for readers. Throughout the series, Anson's diary has provided equal suspense factor. 

The book is written in a very peculiar style, Barker reveals the only fraction of information at a time, leaving rest for future endeavors. This style keeps suspense and thrill intact. The complete series is more than 1600 pages, but I never felt reading so many pages, instead, I felt traveling the journey. Even when I applied for the first part's review copy, it was written that screening rights for the series are sold, but I haven't heard about the production of the same yet. I request to whichever party has got the rights, please work on the series, it would be a great show.

The choice of the word is easy to apprehend and to facilitate smooth gliding through the story. I suggest the book is strictly for the 15+ age group, due to violence.

Overall a must-read for thriller lovers. I will give 5 out 5 to the series and all the books.

Book Review of Popular Indian Fairy Tales by Stuti Gupta

When I selected "Popular Indian Fairy Tales" by Stuti Gupta, I was expecting either panchtantra or mythology-based stories. But I was completely surprised by the stories of the book. Stuti has brought out stories that are not based on both of these genres. She had prepared and presented a fresh way of storytelling.

The book contains multiple stories. Few are based on magic, few on wisdom, few based on bravery, but all of them are full of learning. It's not just stories for your kid but a full set of moral values. Literally, after each page author has provided questions that will help you and your kids to linger upon. Let me share with you my experience while narrating stories I was asking these questions to my kid. He was thinking up to his level of understanding. At many places, he was able to separate good from bad, the difference in a situation which was a good experience for both of us. Due to this question-answer process, I couldn't use the book for bedtime stories. Asking questions and expecting answers will keep the child aware and awake, which defeats the purpose of bedtime stories. So I took the book slowly, one or half story at a time. For my kid, it was entertainment with learning.

Regarding language usage, it is plain and simple. The wording was age-appropriate. The selection of stories and characters were also engaging for the age group of 5 to 10. Few activities like the color picture, find the path, connect dots, etc are also provided in between chapters. 

Overall it is a nice concept and deserves 4.25 out of 5 for the age group.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Being Gay by Sandeep Sharma - Book Review

I took up this book because I support the LGBTQ community whole-heartedly, and that everyone has the right to be who they are without any prejudice. I expected a coming-out story like "Simon v/s the homosexual agenda" or "call me by your name" but this book came out with a completely unexpected storyline.

This book is about a guy who has a feminine personality but is still straight. And in his definition, the gay is just another word for Happy. Sahil is an amazing character. His struggles, his morals, his relationship, and everything that he has gone through along with the way he came out even stronger is shown in the book and been inspirational. The book also touches the influence social media have on people's lives both in a positive and negative sense. And how social media cripples creativity. It shows thoughts of a social media star who had become a brand. I know that you're thinking what's social media has to do with a book called being gay, but I won't reveal that you'll find out once you read the book.

Now, if we come to story writing, the begging of the book, where there is a description of naga baba on the bank of river Ganga is attention-grabbing.

The story, in middle, did get a bit haywire, but the end is thrilling, astonishing, and unexpected in a way that you will feel spellbound. 

So my last thoughts about this book are:

It is not what you're expecting from the title. It's definitely worth reading even if you belong or don't belong to the LGBTQ community.

I will give 3.5 out of 5 to this refreshing read.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Mohini: The Enchantress by Anuja Chandramouli - a Book Review

Anuja Chandramouli is one of my favorite Indian authors in the mythology genre. She is also in my list of favorite 5 Indian female authors. Her books belong to a completely different league. You need to develop patience and taste to enjoy her books. I never take her books in haste, and that's the reason I usually come back somewhat late with a review of her books. Her last book I read was "Muhammad Bin Tughlaq" that book has shown a neutral face of a king who was known as a tyrant.

Around 2 months back, I saw Anuja's post about her latest mythological book that also has an LGBT touch, and then came cover release. I was completely enamored by the cover design. I wanted to read the book, and my luck was in my favor. I was provided the book in exchange for an honest review. 

I knew a limited portion of Mohini Avatara's story. I was aware of Samudramanthan and about the lord Ayyapa being the son of Shiva & Mohini. But this book opened other stories in front of me that I was not aware of. It takes us through the curse of Rishi Brighu due to which Lord Vishnu had to take incarnation in female form. It also covers other stories connected with the Mohini avatar. Though being the incarnation of a male god, the book shows Mohini's independent female emotions. 

Anuja's choice of words makes you fall in love with literature. If you want to challenge your vocabulary, I strongly recommend you Anuja's books.

As usual, storytelling is fluid, almost poetic. But that has affected pace in some places, where the pace became medium to slow. Maybe many of you knew all stories covered in the book, but Anuja's style of narration is the real beauty. One more thing you need to keep in mind when you select this book, you need to develop taste for Anuja's style.

Overall I will give 4 out 5 to the book.

Book links - Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review - Madhuleena: a novel by Govind Sharma

I have read most of the books by Govind Sharma. His stories are usually simple with fluid pace. You can read his books on your short journey or trip. When I saw his upcoming book, I pre-ordered it. The book reached me almost after 20 days. Unfortunately, it took me almost 10 days to take the book in hand but I finished in 2-3 sittings.

The protagonist of our story is Aakash. Aakash is shown as a young man who had been to a juvenile home but wanted to have a normal life. But things didn't go smoothly, he was framed in a bank robbery. Our story started with Aakash running away from the police. He was desperate to go away from the small town Rajapur so that police wouldn't catch him. He almost left the town (almost). On that last day, he met a girl named Madhuleena. You may call it love-at-first-sight or infatuation, but he came back. He took the help of two of his friends and arranged his hideout in Rajapur. He befriended Madhuleena also. But little did he knew about the case he was entangled in. Read the book to know more.

As usual, Govind has maintained his fast-paced storytelling. His way of sticking to the story keeps you reading books. The word choice and sentence framing make the book an ideal choice for beginners. Govind may want to have the cover matching character of Madhuleena but the girl on the cover page looks way too young to suit the said character.

I am giving 3.5 out of 5 to this book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Boons Curses: Legends of the Mythological Mother by Yugal Joshi

I have read many books based on mythology and my thirst for the same is still strong. Every book I read in this genre brings a new piece of information. Just a week back I read the book "Arjuna - Journey to the heaven ends in hell" and now it's the turn for "Boons Curses: Legends of the Mythological Mother"

by Yugal Joshi. Things that made me select this book.

1. Attractive cover

2. The relevance of title and cover

3. Mythology Genre

4. Perspective of Kunti

Till now I have read more than 20-30 perspectives or points of view from which Mahabharata was portrayed. And in those narrations, I have hardly found a version where Kunti was shown as innocent or a person without higher hopes. She was shown as a shrewd and a calculation woman. She was shown as a person with a determination of instilling her son as a monarch. Her desires made her took some dubious decisions. Many of us knew these dark facts, whether we accept it or not. Let's not go into that discussion. 

After the war when Kunti had introspected the outcomes, she found them very costly. She wanted to discuss her confusion with someone and who could be a better person than Krishna. The book contains a conversation between Kunti and Krishna. Very patiently and with thorough examples, Krishna had attempted to give answers to all questions of Kunti. His answers are not just theosophical or conceptual in nature. He has taken the proper support of other mothers who had been through tough times. And that's why the book subtitle is "Legend of mythological mothers"

Yugal has used references from various stories. You might be knowing many of these stories, but the difference is stark from normal narration we have heard or read. Yugal has focused more on the mother's role in those stories be it Diti-Aditi, Ruma-Tara, or Kunti-Gandhari. Each story shows why they have made some difficult choices. 

I found the book refreshing, as it brought around half novel stories or narrations to me. The language is easy for a fast read. The pace is fast but the grip on the story and conversation between Kunti Krishna continues. I have thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I will give 4 out of 5 to this wonderful book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

ARJUNA : Journey towards Heaven, Ending in Hell - A book review

I am a great fan of the Mythology genre. Those who follow our reviews know this fact, and even if you are new, you may check categories, maximum books fall under the mythology category. The number went so high we have further split it into two subcategories Ramayana & Mahabharata. So when I received an offer of a review copy in exchange for an honest review of "Shree Arjuna" I said yes. Another reason for the selection of the book was my discomfort for the question of why Pandavas went to hell and why Kauravas went to heaven. I always want to know more reasoning behind it, not just one explanation.

I am not aware of what are authors view of the cover. Butt let me share what I gathered from the design. The cover photo shows Arjuna's bloodied hand with his bow, Ghandiva. If you look closely you will also find a cloth (I assume Saari) in his hand, and the cloth is not his own. I assume this depicts his intention to stop disrobing Draupadi's Saari which was linked with one of the weakest moments for Pandavas. Looking at the circumstances of Arjuna at the beginning of the book, the cover picture portrays his confusion. 

Let's go to the plot, as the subtitle mentioned, when Arjuna, the mighty warrior, who followed all pieces of advice of his mother, elder brother, Shri Krishna, and fought many wars on the name of Dharma was expecting a grand entry in heavens. Instead, he was in front of the doors of Hell, and that too alone. He wished that if he went to hell, at least he would have company. That loneliness mixed with confusion made him introspected his life and all characters associated with him. 

The story is more of his remembrance. These events are part sequential and part random which seems obvious. Because hardly people retrospect in the same order, they try to courier a few events more relatable than others. The same happened with Arjuna. Few points that brought out very sharply to us

1. Arjuna respected Duryodhana's more than Yudhishthira. He found Duryodhana a better brother and a better friend. 

2. Arjuna respected Karna. He envied Karna of many things.

3. Though considered eunuch, Shikhandin was a very sharp mind, more dangerous than Ghandhar Naresh

4. The only mole as per Arjuna in Kaurava brothers was Duhshashana, he was shown, drunkard, and drug addict.

5. Arjuna regretted and felt guilty of giving more priorities to his main wives and Abhimanyu only.

There are many more character-specific traits that Arjuna observed in his life's span. Read the book to know more.

The writing is simple yet engaging. The randomness with a storyline keeps you interested till the last page. Each chapter brings a good drawing of characters/incidents. The content is appropriate and good for beginners as well.

I think the book deserves 4.25 out of 5. 

Book links - Goodreads and Amazon

Another Story by themarsbeing - a Poetry Book Review

Though I use poetry as an escape from my emotions, this is the first that I am reading a poetry book. And surprisingly, each and every word is written in this book has hit home. It took me a long time to read this book as I have to stop after reading each poem to process it cause the writing is so deep and emotional. The poems written in this book has real, pure, unfiltered, dark emotions. All the emotions that people generally hide from others and yet it's written so beautifully and recklessly. I am saying it again I had to take a break after reading each poem, as for me the words felt like staring into a mirror.

The book contains a lot of poems about suicide, heartbreaks, depression, and mental illness in general. So at any point of time in your life, if you have suffered through any mental illness, you'll be able to connect to most of the poems.

In my opinion books like this should exist more, just to start a conversation about mental health causes in some parts of our life. Everyone has gone through difficult times which affects our mental health. And especially in India, because mental problems and discussions on the same considered taboo, nobody talks about it. Books like this can at least start a conversation about it and at the same time provides a way to escape the chaos as well.

If talking about the structure and rhyming some of the poems could have done better in that department but the emotional story behind the poem reciprocates for that.

I liked all the poems in the book but some of the poems which I liked and I relate to more are Maze, End of the story, Impulse, Dream scrapes, Anxious mind.

I think the book deserves 4 out 5.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Fix it with food by Kavita Devgan - Book Review

The author Kavita Devgan is a nutritionist and her books are not mere some textual content, but properly designed training material. I have read and reviewed both of her past books "Ultimate Grandmother's Hack" and "Don't Diet". She preaches healthy habits and nutritional food and strongly opposes dieting and other harsh measures. Her books are like a pedagogy where she covers every aspect of a said topic using only food. Starting from the selection of food to prepare and schedules etc. In our home, many of her suggested recipes are taken under regular food items. So when I saw the book, "Fix it with Food" I didn't wait for a moment and I selected it.

As usual, Kavita has divided the book into segments. There are three segments in this book

1. 40 superfoods to get super insights. List of superfoods, their nutrition level, benefits, and usage. Not just the myth of fasting, in this part author, has also explained myth around these foods. These chapters cover more than 75% of the book. The good part is "fun facts" and "at glance" pointers. If you feel lazy to read the whole book, you may point down these pointers and that's also enough. This segment also contains mini-chapters and covering 100 fixing tips for various conditions.

2. 10 Tools - I would say confusing titled but cleared with the subtitle "foods to become healthier" Again eye-opening section for me.

3. 40 quick and healthy recipes that you should add in your daily diet plan. This section will be found in most of Kavita's books and one for which I look forward the most.

Not just physical ailment that Kavita has covered, but problems related to mood swings, mental stress, hormonal imbalance, fighting pollution, and the hottest topic immunity boosting. Read the book to know more.

The ingredients covered in this book don't burn your pocket instead most of the ingredients are available to the majority of the population with minimal cost. The language is simple and straights. Advice is practical and easy to use. The structure of the book will make you engaged until the last page, rarely a self-help book deliver such content.

I will give 5 out of 5 to this book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Must-read Scientific Book in Layman's Language - Clues to the Cosmos by Shohini Ghose

Shohini Ghose that was the word I catch when I saw this books detail. I googled about her and came to know she is a TEDx speaker. Then I went through the blurb of the book and I came to know that this book is an effort to explain facts of the universe in simple language, something that a normal person can understand, something which is full of both the equations and theories. So I had high hopes when I received this book. Unfortunately due to lock down the book review was delayed and I am really sorry for the delay. Unlike normal fiction where my expectation from the book was to entertain me or lighten my mood, from this book, I was expecting more information that I can understand or grab faster. I am from a science background and I have been introduced many of these theories during the studies, I always wanted an easy explanation of the concepts so that if someone, who is not from a science background, asks me about them then I can explain it with ease.

The content of the book is divided into eight chapters. Each chapter covers the aspects of the proper methodology. The author has started with early beliefs about the existence of the universe. And how those beliefs were broken down by different theories with different methodologies with different measurement tools how everything unravels to your mankind. It explains how a various scientist has explored these facts and brought us the modern day's knowledge to us. If you want to read these points from the scientific view you will find a book on each of these topics and a lot of theorems but when it comes to getting crux in layman language then this is the book. The author has taken chronological order of various inventions and facts. She has also shared many hidden faces behind these discoveries whose recognition is still due or recognized after years of the invention. 

Those who are reading this book, take my advice and give time to read this book. Don't rush towards the end. If you like to write down facts then take a marker and keep noting points after each chapter as there are many things to note down. The author has used plain English to reach the maximum audience. Still, the topic related scientific discussions so maybe many souls find it difficult to digest, not due to complexity but due to the nature of readers. 

I will give 4.5 out of 5 to this book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Colorblind by Aditya Chowdhury - Book Review

There are few genres where Indian authors seldom venture. Dystopian is one of them. I have read and seen only a single digit of such books to date. Maybe my knowledge of the field is limited but if such books didn't get my attention means they were not tried with proper efforts. That's why I always give a chance to such books by an Indian author. "Colorblind" by Aditya Chowdhury was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. I plunged into the book within 5 days of adding to my shelf. 

I would like to start my review with this line I got from the book. 

"Sometimes, to get some real insight, you need to risk a complete change in your perspective.”

I am not aware of how many of you know about the book blurb. But the book brings us a world where color blindness is a norm. A person can see three colors black, white, and one more color. The last color decides everything for a person. People are divided as per their color. Also, an ability to see more than one color is considered an illness and it is a capital crime to hide this fact. In such a world, the above line makes a good context whether you are willing to get real insights or not. 

The protagonist of our story is Lohit. He belonged to the red community. All his life he was connected with only red people. But one fine day he found an interesting girl who was not red but applied red lipstick, which was rarest of the rare. When he met that girl she told him something which I found true even for our normal world. She said

"We become the lies we tell ourselves daily, it won’t be too late for us to change.” 

She gave him a strange spectacle which had changed Lohit's life forever. Anything more from my side and it may spoil your reading experiences. Read the book to know more.

Coming to writing style, the author has used simple language and kept content engaging for readers. With its medium pace, the book provides a sweet read that won't bore you out. A book which you can take on your short trip. Though the book is dystopian in the genre, it is different for the normal dystopian category which usually goes around action and thriller sequences. Instead, the author has delivered a good message. The author's intention of telling people to venture out and experience something new is very well delivered. 

I will give 3.75 it of 5 to the book. 

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

The Saga of Shom and Raima by Tapan Ghosh - a book review

"The answers to our questions are all there in our mind but we choose not to notice them. The trouble is, we don’t know what to look for unless we have a problem." 

I think it's one of the best pieces of advice I read in recent times. The line I read from "The Saga of Shom and Raima" by Tapan Ghosh. I have recently read poetry books by Tapan and added many stanzas into my Kindle clipping collection. So I took "Shom and Raima".

As clearly mentioned in the blurb, the story revolves around Shom and Raima. They are having a relationship that we cannot explain in simple words. In the usual world which people may say adultery, is a lifeline for them. Though they have their normal life and priorities, they have kept their feelings unaffected towards each other. The story started in 2018 and traveled from 2008 to 2018 about how their relationship developed over 10 years. Apart from Shom and Raima, we have two more companions who understood their relationship, like Harry, Khush, Natasha, and Swapna. Each character is portrayed with a unique brush of traits. The most eye-catching of the character was Harry. The title given to Harry was Love guru, but he was more than that. He was a spiritual guide, mentor, poet, successful entrepreneur, and whatnot. He was always there to help his friends. Below is one dialog between Harry & Raima

"Bad experience teaches you a lot because you have to deal with it. It disciplines you. Good experience teaches you nothing, it just makes you happy and lethargic. No challenges and you take life for granted."

Coming to writing style, just like it's characters' writing style is also different. The author has used mixed writing styles. At places, he used play style dialog exchange, at some places he has used poems and some places he has used normal writing. It will keep you entertained. If you like to read something new, this is a good recommendation. One thing that I found lacking was the relatability of characters in real-life. They are shown so carefree, you will find such people in only Osho-camp.

Fun apart, a nice story deserves 3.75 out of 5.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Must-read Mythological Fiction - Firekeepers of Jwalapuram by Vamsee Juluri

I had finished "Saraswati's Intelligence" almost a year back. I was completely awestruck by Vamsee Juluri's imaginations. The first part of the book shows how civilized monkeys and other animals actually fought barbarism humans. And help them civilized. This novel concept itself made me liked the book. Though the book started in some cryptic ways once I got grip on the story it was a smooth story. I think in February I saw the post of WritersMelon that review copies of the book are available in exchange for an honest review. I was glad that I had finished the first part a few months back at that time. I instantly applied for the review copy. Keeping finger crossed I came to know that I was selected to review the book, but then COVID happened and started a long wait. I think after a long long wait of 4 months, I got my copy in the last week of July. And I finished it within 2 weeks. And here I am discussing my experience.

The sequel "the Firekeepers of Jwalapuram" started after 7 years from the war with Creatures. Creatures (human) were taken as new Kishkindhans under the care of Kamdhenu's. Hanuman and Vaishnavi were about to enter their third ceremony when nature took its destructive form. A gigantic volcano erupted somewhere in the depth of the ocean, which brought Tsunami and black clouds with it. Following which came sticky and polluted rain. This rain was followed by sickness not just within animals but in trees as well. Hanuman and Vaishnavi took things in their hand and divided rishis into groups and went to Fire temples. On the other side, Riksharaja who was already was depressed volatile due to loss of Vali, took extreme steps and went on unknown adventure after prisoning her own son Sugreeva. Things were becoming scarier each day with a scarcity of food. For many following Parma Dharma became imminent death. How will Kishkindha survive? Read the book to know more.

I loved the story, not words to describe it. I liked this part more than the first one. It took me 1 month to finish 1st part but I finished this part within a week in just 4 sittings. 

I will give 4.75 out of 5 to this book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon