DEATH IN COLABA BAY: A Colonial Bombay Mystery by Ambika Subramanian

I love Dan Brown books but haven't read one in recent times. I adore Ashwin Sanghi but have listened to his latest release instead of reading, one of the main reasons is length. You need to read almost 400-600 pages long book to enjoy a mystery thriller written for mature age reader. I have tried many short thrillers but rarely I found something as interesting as "Death In Colaba Bay: A Colonial Bombay Mystery" by Ambika Subramanian. 

This 140+ page books can be your best companion due to following reason

1. It will take you to the historical era of the late 1890s.
2. It will give you a story based on historic Bombay culture and city 
3. Story filled with twists and turns
4. Not a shallow crime sequences but a well-planned theme

The Sherlock Holmes of our story are Tara and Arun. Tara is a young widow who wanted to help young girls pursue education in modern schools. But recent kidnappings of young girls from school posed a huge threat. Whereas Arun found something similar in recent cases which reminded him of a few previous incidents/crimes. Things became more challenging and problematic when one of the kidnapped girls was found dead. And just like other murder mysteries race against time started ticking.

The story writing is smooth and fast-paced. You will get a good grip within 15 minutes of staring at the book and then it will become un-put-able. Languages usage is simple and can cater larger reading audience. You can read this book in 2-3 sittings. My concerns are:

• Less importance on strong character building
• Lesser exploration of cultural era

Overall 4 out 5 to this book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Five Reasons Why One Should Read - Rajinikanth a Life by Vaasanthi

Your taste needs to be special to read & enjoy biographies. Otherwise, you have to wait for special occasions it is about the character you follow or from the field of your interest. From time to time you may find some inspirational biographies which are adored by the larger group. Rajinikanth a Life by Vaasanthi is one such book. 

Five of my favorite reasons why one should read this book

1. Though the book is a biography, it is written as a story.
2. The story of a superstar covered in this book is an inspirational one.
3. Simple and fluid writing style makes the book the lightest read.
4. Language usage is simple and caters larger population.
5. The book not just covers the life of Rajnikanth sir, but the social and economical aspects of the southern states of India.

Coming to the content of the book, it started from the childhood of Shivaji a.k.a. Rajanikant sir. It shows his struggle throughout his childhood and his relationship with his brother & sister-in-law, his liking for stage, and theatrics. Then comes the portion of his life as conductor and side by side theater performances. Then comes the portion which I liked the most. It is the section explaining social, emotional factors which had helped Rajinikanth to get a fan following, even though till his entry Tamil film industry was majorly dominated by actors with a fair complexion. The author has a deep understanding of the industry and social scenarios of Tamilnadu which is prevalent in her writing. The remaining portion might be more common because that covers his life after he became a known celebrity & later superstar.

One can get much eye-opening Information not only about the film industry but about the whole culture through this book. A must-read for movie buffs. 

I can give 4.5 out of 5 stars to this information as well as an entertaining read.

Book links - Amazon and Goodreads 

Fitness Habits: Breaking the Barriers to Fitness by Amaresh Ojha, Subhra Moitra

There are millions of people who want to be fit and slim. And they all wanted to cultivate healthy habits. We all know that if you make a habit, it will last longer. But activities become a habit when one does it regularly. People who give advice may talk about habits and their benefits. But how to cultivate a habit that too also fitness-based is a bigger question.

The book is divided into 8 chapters. The book starts with the topic of why don't we find exercise as easy as other activities. The next two chapters cover how to convert fitness into a habit and how long efforts are needed to convert an activity into a habit. The last four chapters cover benefits and other important facts about fitness habits. 

The book is filled with many motivational quotes. The one that changed my view the most is "Fitness is a lifestyle to be lived, not a goal to be reached." The book is a short read but filled with proper exercises, theories, pointers, etc. The writing is simple and engaging. Most of the topics were explained with at least 1-2 real-life examples. The language is kept simple for readers to enjoy and cope with the content. You may need a marker while reading this book so that you can easily revisit points while implementing them.

The book deserves 4 out of 5 for sure.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

The Oracle Of Karuthupuzha: A Novel by Manu Bhattathiri

Three reasons why I selected "The Oracle of Karuthupuzha" by Manu Bhattathiri

1. Attractive cover design.

2. Interesting plot description given in the blurb

3. Story based on the local culture of Kerala

The book presents a unique plot. The protagonist of our story is Sasaru, the girl portrayed on the cover picture, the girl in yellow with devious laughter. The story goes like this Sasaru's family was very poor, her father was a milkman, struggling to meet days end. Their life changed when Sasaru was possessed by a demon god. The personality that was possessing Sasaru was known as Chaathan in their locality. This incident brought the opportunist mindset of Nareshan (Sasaru's father) out. He wanted to take benefit of this opportunity by earning quick bucks by making goddess out of his daughter. The situation was not as simple. Things would turn out more than just opportunity. Read the book to know more.

The cover depicts the first possession of Sasaru, and just like the cover picture you will feel like you are watching the story on tv while reading the book.

This is my second read based on local Kerala village life, the first one was Cliffhanger, and just like that book, Karuthupuzha also gives a real-life picture of the local culture. The book is a journey rather than a destination. I loved the way things were described in the book. Though the book is just 300 pages long, you will feel that you have taken a long ride. The pace of the story is medium. Writing is intriguing even though a little bit slow at certain points. Choice of the word is simple, and easy English makes the book a smooth read. The book also delivers a social message. It wonderfully shows how people are ready to earn extra money in name of faith. 

An enjoyable read, deserving 4.5 out of 5.

Book links - Amazon & Goodreads

Teaching a Horse to Sing: Tales of Uncommon Sense from India and Elsewhereb by Delshad Karanjia

I selected Teaching a Horse to Sing: Tales of Uncommon Sense from India and Elsewhereb by Delshad Karanjia due to the following reasons

1. Attractive cover design and hardcover format

2. Collection of witty and wisdom-filled short stories

3. Recollection of stories of Mulla Naseeruddin & Birbal

4. Introducing these wonderful characters to my kid.

I finished the book in few sittings. Though short and sweet stories can be finished within 3 sitting with ease. 

The book is divided into three segments: Mulla Naseeruddin, Akbar & Birbal, mixed section. In the last mixed section, you will find stories from multiple cultures, countries, mythologies. There are 150 stories, each story is a page long except a few which were also 1-3 pages long. The stories deliver different messages or learnings to us. My personal best is the first story of 3rd section covering emotions-related stories. 

Lot of learnings, happy moments, and smiles were delivered to me by this book. I know my kid is not mature enough to understand all witty jokes (especially covered in the Mulla Naseeruddin section) but I can read this book to him once a year.

A must-buy, must-have, and recommended read.

I will give 4.5 or 5 to this book.

Book links - Amazon & Goodreads

Faceless: The Mystery of the Carved Arrow by Ashwin Karthik

I am a big fan of the thriller based on ancient cultures, be it Dan Brown, be it Ashwin Sanghi, or Christopher Doyal. I have read many books in this genre from debut authors as well. That was the read I have "Faceless: The Mystery of the Carved Arrow by Ashwin Karthik"

The story starts just like any of the books in this genre, the murder of a scientist by a mysterious method. This time instead of a researcher we have an inspector chasing the murderer. The protagonist of our story is inspector Abinay Chaturvedi and his subordinate Lance. Abinay was already facing challenging times with this murder case when he came to know about another murder in similar situations. But the second murder brought some actionable clues. He also got help from a lady working on the theory of "unknown nine cult of Ashoka times". Read the book to know more.

My observations

1) Book pace is super duper fast. A line skip may change plot settings for you.

2) When I say fast plot, I mean it. At places, it was difficult to see when the situation shifted our conversation changed.

3) for many such fast paces is a good option, but there should be some space to breathe as well.

4) I found the historical angle shallower than expected. You will not find anything new which is not there in the first 3 pages of Google search of these topics. In my opinion, a little bit of research would have given a boost.

Otherwise a short and quick read. Enjoyable for one-day trips.

I will give 3.5 out of 5 to this book.

Book links - Amazon & Goodreads

Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir

"Murder at Mushaira" by Raza Mir has attracted my attention the moment I saw the cover photo. I was attracted to the Detective nature of Mirza Ghalib portrayed in the book. 

As the name suggests, the story is based on a murder investigation that happened after a mushaira. Let me give you a little gist. One of the royal houses in Delhi had a tradition of holding mushaira during the month of Ramazan. The royal house is Iftikhar, and Miya Iftikhar had an unspoken grudge against Ghalib as Iftikhar's wife had a crush on Ghalib before her marriage. Murdered entity here is Khairadabaadi, who was a spy for Angrez and was killed just before he was supposed to give his report on newly introduced Kartoos. The story is strongly linked with the 1857 independence movement, and murder was making things more mysterious. Multiple people's lives and wealth were at stake if the case was not solved within a week. Readout how Ghalib with his unique style works on the case.

I was expecting a thriller based on simple historical fiction. But the book has much more to offer, it presents cultural fit, socio-economic scenario, slow death of Mughal Empire and rise of English rule, people's state, etc. e

Everything is portrayed wonderfully. The language is appropriate for the culturally-driven novel. The pace is medium too fast based on the plot's demand. Characters like Iftikhar & his wife, Umrao (Ghalib's wife), Inspector were given good space to get mature. You will find a strong flavor of historical facts while reading. The mystery behind the killing will keep you to edge. 

I will say the book is a masterpiece. One may give time to enjoy this book. If you are a ghazal or poem lover you will find multiple stanzas throughout the book.

This wonderful book deserves 4.75 out of 5.

Book links - Goodreads and Amazon