Book - Dune (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

Book 1 in Dune Series

Author - Frank Herbert

Country - United States

Language - English

Publisher - Ace Books

Genre - Science Fiction

Published - October 2019 (Originally Published in 1965)

This book is a masterpiece in the Sci-Fi fantasy genre and since its publication, it has always found a place on the best books list and loved this book as well not only for the story but also the gorgeous 40th Anniversary version I got. The dust jacket is a work of beauty and the book is also wonderful. The story is set on a desert planet where our hero and his family are sent. And then it covers the story from there and recently an adaptation was released last year and was received very well but that only told half of the story and the sequel is already in the works. 

I enjoyed the story but the truth is that you need to read at least the first four books in the series to get the complete saga of the Dune Messiah and then there are further books as well. There is a total of 8 books in the series and then there are other books set in the world or about the books. I would try to read at least the first 4 books and maybe the further books as well. These are the books in the series:

Dune (1965)

Dune Messiah (1969)

Children of Dune (1976)

God of Emperor of Dune (1981)

Heretics of Dune (1984)

Chapterhouse Dune (1985)

Hunters of Dune (2006) by Brian Herbert & Kevin J Anderson

Sandworms of Dune (2007) by Brian Herbert & Kevin J Anderson

I bought the book because I loved the edition and always wanted to read that but beyond the cover and the illustrations at the start and the end the book doesn't have any other illustrations in the book but at least the page quality is very good. This is an example of a special edition where publishers actually paid attention to make sure that the book is actually a collector's item and it's a beauty to be featured in the bookcases of each book reader who loves the fantasy and Sci-Fi genre.

Book Blitz - Vive La Résistance (Donovan Trait#3) by Seelie Kay

Things are gonna get messy…

An illegal union, a banned birth, a Great Lie, and now, genocide. Vampire lawyer Donovan Trait and his wife, chemically-turned Judge Shirley Magnusen, are battling for their lives and the lives of their children. The Vampire Coalition wants them dead, but now the despots have also decided to expand their net, targeting any vampire whose blood is mixed with human or Were. Half-bloods are already treated like dirt by the Vampire Nation. They have been subjected to centuries of discrimination and cruelty at their hands. As the Coalition embarks on a campaign of terror, destruction, and slaughter, millions of half-bloods emerge from the shadows, ready and willing to reclaim their place in the Vampire Nation. The problem is, war cannot be unleashed out in the open in the human world, battles must be fought in other ways. Even with an island of highly-skilled vampire nuns and a few Weres and humans at that their side, it appears the Traits may be fighting an unwinnable war. Their only option may be to sacrifice their own lives in the hopes of setting all other half-bloods free.


Book Links:
Extasy Books * Goodreads

Read an Excerpt from Vive La Résistance

Donovan shifted on the lounger and muttered incomprehensively, then he emitted a rumbling snore.

“Hey, y’all. So yeah, vampires are real and they’re not above doing the dirty to those who share their blood. Take a look at this.” The Tik-Tokker grinned. “You are not gonna believe it. It’s so shady.”

Video of the Coalition camps rolled across the screen. Occasionally, the camera zeroed in a dirty or bruised Millennial, or a guard pushing a group of people into a building, their ankles locked together with some sort of rope. They were seen eating off of metal plates and lined up to fill a metal cup with something from a barrel. It wasn’t water. The liquid was rust-colored and thick, like blood.

“And the dudes running the place have a Marie Antoinette fetish. You know—” The woman mimicked a knife across her throat. “Off with their heads?” She giggled.

A guillotine appeared on camera. About ten people were in line, each with a black hood over their heads and their arms bound behind them. One at a time, they were pushed onto a stage and forced to their knees, their necks positioned directly under the blade. With manic efficiency, a guard released the blade. Most heads flew into a barrel in front of the platform. The ones that rolled off onto the stage were kicked to their final destination. The headless bodies were tossed onto a pile on the ground.

“Oh, grosss,” the woman complained. She leaned toward the camera. “Kind of like a bad zombie movie, isn’t it?” She sat back in her chair and made a face. “Whatever. I mean, like, are we supposed to believe that’s really happening? Isn’t that against the law or something?” She cackled. “As if.” She leisurely stretched her body, her crop top exposing a belly button ring. “I’m so shook.”

The woman tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled. “Now, I’m not sharing this for the views. It is kind of sus. But if this shit is real, someone needs to get off the pot and do something about it. Aren’t there any woke cops out there who can play the James Bond card? Before anymore—” She swiped her finger across her throat and giggled. Then the screen went black.

Donovan shot up in his chair and blinked. Once. Twice. He shook his head and attempted to gather himself. What the hell? Sure, he had needed the sleep, even if it was only a thirty-minute nap, but the dreams he could do without. It had been less than forty-eight hours since the worldwide kidnappings. Donovan knew preparations for rescue were underway. But he also knew Bengotten and Hannigan were capable of even greater cruelty. He could only imagine the terror and the torture the victims were being subjected to. 

It was difficult to understand how the vampire world was capable of this. He had long prided himself on their natural superiority, their ability to rise up above the petty politics and unjustified violence in the human and Were worlds. Yet overnight, vampires had become the monsters, the tyrants capable of such evil. That astonished him. For the first time in his long existence, Donovan was ashamed of being a vampire. If it was possible, he might very well submit to being turned into a human or a Were. He buried his face in his hands. Yes, he could live as a human. Perhaps he could ask Dr. Alvarez to find a way to turn off his vampirism, maybe using the gene-editing Marilyn could not stop talking about.

 About Seelie Kay:

Award-winning author Seelie Kay writes about lawyers in love, sometimes with a dash of kink.

Writing under a nom de plume, the former lawyer and journalist draws her stories from more than 30 years in the legal world. Seelie’s wicked pen has resulted in nineteen works of fiction, including the new paranormal romance series Donovan Trait, as well the erotic romance Kinky Briefs series and The Feisty Lawyers romantic suspense series. She also authored The Last Christmas, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife, The President’s Daughter, Seizing Hope, The White House Wedding, and participated in the romance anthology Pieces of Us.

When not spinning romantic tales, Seelie ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. Currently, she resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys opera, the Green Bay Packers, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine. 

Seelie is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!

Seelie on the Web:
Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Author's Amazon Page

Review: I am Number Four

 

Book - I am Number Four

Book 1 in Lorien Legacies Series

Author - Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

Country - United States

Language - English

Publisher - RazorBill (Imprint of Penguin Publishers)

Genre - Young Adult, Science Fiction

Published - August 2010

I am number Four is the first book in the Lorien Legacies series which has 7 books. This book was adapted into a movie in 2011 and that was just an average movie that killed the movie franchise for this book series. But let's come back to the book, the book is about a group of aliens who escaped to the earth after their planet is destroyed by a hostile group of aliens. Nine young kids along with guardians leave the planet and there is a charm placed on them which means that they can only be killed in order thus we start with the murder of number 3 and then we meet Number Four. After they landed on the earth all Nine groups moved in different directions and they tried to stay away. And that means that our protagonist leaving for another small town and assuming another identity this time they reach Paradise, Ohio, and assume the names John Smith and Henri Smith and pose as a Father-Son duo. 

Now let's talk about how I felt about the book. I had seen the movie when it was released and wanted to read this series for a long time and wanted to collect the entire series but alas could only collect the 5 out of 7 books I am missing books 5 and 6 in the series. But I had enough and finally started reading the book and I freaking loved the book. This book is very slow yet it was a book that I finished in just a few days and I quickly picked up the second part of the story and I am already 50+ pages in that as well. The book its time as John or Number Four discovers his past and his powers. John is now 15 years old and so he starts gaining some powers. And then the training begins as the hostile race that attacked their planet is also hunting them on the earth. Also as John is a teenager he is attending high school and there is his love interest Sarah and the antagonist Mark. Sarah and Mark used to date but have since broken up. I enjoyed my time reading this book and would recommend this book to all if you love reading fiction and YA books. I am myself love YA books and fiction books. 

My Rating for this book is 5 out of 5

or

***** out of *****

Amazon link for the book I am Number Four 

Book Blitz - Nargis by Hermit Pen

About The Book

The book is a collection of 8 short stories, each unique and different from others, covering various facets of life, inspired by real-life characters and incidents.

The stories address contemporary social issues like loneliness, binge dating, domestic abuse, social media addiction, celebrity worship, and also contemporary environmental issues like pollution, dwindling water resources, declining fertility rate, chemical warfare, etc. 

The stories also attempt to illustrate the pain and wounds of contemporary political issues like lynching, conflicts, refugees, etc

All the characters seem very familiar and we can easily relate to them.

Book Purchase Links

Amazon India | Amazon USA

Book Excerpt

Nargis

It is 2030 and most of the water on earth is polluted.

In the beginning, it was industrial pollution that rendered most of the water beyond human usage, and then the water wars that followed resulted in the extensive use of chemical and biological weapons, which further left the remaining water sources toxic.

In less than 10 years, water had become the currency, and owners of non-toxic water source the new age kings, with their own militias, protecting their wells and supply chain.

Water trading was the most lucrative business now.

Namita

Namita had stopped thinking about resistance or confrontation long back. Domestic abuse and sometimes physical abuse had become part of life for her. She had accepted it. It was no secret either. Most people around her knew. It’s difficult to hide the scars, especially the physical ones. 

Lybched

Since that fateful day, he had wished for only two things. To meet the family of the boy he had killed and the people who had killed his brother. 

He couldn't make up his mind as to what will give him the closure he needed. 

The atonement of his sin or revenge. Guilt and vengeance had been consuming him.

Neha

All she could manage was “Why are you good to me Shoeb? Why do you still stick around when everyone else has given up on me, and now you brought my child to me”.

Neha could not control anymore, tears started rolling down her cheeks. 

Shoeb softly spoke almost in a whisper to Neha “We have taken him out of the shelter and legally adopted him. We will raise him as our own now”

Banaras

He had plans of getting married next year. An arranged marriage. His parents in Hyderabad had already selected the bride for him. He knew nothing about the girl and was not interested to know either. He believed that arranged marriage will ensure that his parents will be taken care of in their old age, which was his prime responsibility, being the only son, as has been repeatedly hammered into his head, by the society, since childhood.

Lipsticks

The night was beautiful, a bit cold though to be sitting in the balcony in only a t-shirt, this had been her ritual, night after night. 

The silence at this time of the night is addictive. It calms the volatile souls and tames the inner demons. 

TikTok

Finally, she read out Waheed’s post aloud “I respectfully decline The Smith Award, which is considered no less than Noble prize, awarded to me for my thesis “Impact of Social Media on the Psyche of Celebrities”, due to the sad and unfortunate demise of a subject during the course of an experiment.”

Oh Syria!

Qasim, on the other hand, was sad, very sad. He had this foreboding that his days on his homeland were numbered and he won’t be able to return, ever. 

This was the home of his ancestors. Their graves were here. His father used to tell him that for centuries his family had lived in this town. 

About The Author

The author Mr. Hermit Pen is a regular contributor to short stories and articles for various anthologies, magazines, and own blog. 

Mr. Hermit Pen is a Business Consultant by profession with a degree in Engineering and an MBA. He is well-traveled, having spent half of his life outside India; he is presently based in Gurgaon, India.

He is a movie buff, music connoisseur, and a cricket fanatic.  He also closely follows politics and current affairs. He is a vocal advocate of education, human rights, and equality, and he occasionally dabble in social activism.

At the cusp of reinventing himself once again, Mr. Hermit Pen with all humility showcases his debut book, Nargis.

Catch up with Hermit Pen On

Email | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Blog

Book Tour - A Barren Heart by Shilpa Suraj

~ Book Tour ~ 

A Barren Heart by Shilpa Suraj

About the Book:

When having it all isn’t enough…

Aman and Rhea seem to have the perfect marriage. They are madly in love - with each other, with their own careers and the home and life they are building in a quiet Mumbai suburb. 

Rhea is a successful interior designer with a thriving business while Aman is a commercial pilot who is at peace with his life, on the ground and in the skies! What could possibly be lacking in their picture-perfect marriage?

A baby. 

Like most women, thirty-plus Rhea Chakraborty wants to hold her own flesh and blood in her arms. And Aman too wants the same. 

Or does he? 

After another unexplained miscarriage that takes a severe emotional, physical, and psychological toll on them, Aman isn't sure if having a baby will complete them or destroy them. 

Suddenly, Rhea and Aman find the fabric of their stable marriage fraying beneath the strain of their failed conceptions. Where once they were a team with a common goal, they now find themselves on opposite sides with shifting goalposts. 

A Barren Heart is set in so-called modern India and is the story of the struggle of an affluent, educated couple who are still fighting the shackles of societal indoctrination and expectations and losing each other in the process.

Book Links:

Amazon * Goodreads

Read an Excerpt from A Barren Heart

“Aman.”
He powered off his kindle at the sound of her voice. He hadn’t yet made peace with the concession he’d made this morning, but he knew it was the only way forward for them. As a couple. As a family.
“Amannnnn,” she yelled out again. He couldn’t miss the excitement in her voice.
“I’m in here,” he called out. She appeared in the doorway of their guest bedroom a second later. Her hair was a mess, her clothes damp which meant she’d gotten caught in the sudden downpour that had hit earlier that evening and she looked…incandescent. His heart throbbed the hurt a silent reminder of how much he loved this woman.
“You are not going to believe what happened today.” She launched herself into his arms. He caught her, the motion more reflexive than anything else. Setting her back, he looked at her glowing face. “What happened?”
“Sakshi Garewal, my client from hell recommended me to a friend of hers.”
It lightened his heart a bit to see her so excited about something as normal as a new project. It had been a very long while since she’d found joy in the simple parts of their life. “Congratulations,” he said.
“Guess who it is,” she squeezed his hand.
“Someone famous?” he smiled, her happiness was contagious. “Bollywood or cricket?”
“Bollywood with a bang.” She flopped back on the bed her arms spread out like she wanted to hug the room. “Amyra Sareen.”
“You’re joking!” A low whistle escaped him. “That is the big-time.”
“Yes, it is.” She pumped a fist in the air. “I’m going to be designing Amyra Sareen’s apartment. I’ve finally broken into the big league.”
“Congratulations,” he said, again. He was so proud of her. She’d worked her butt off to get to this point.
“We should celebrate.” Rhea shot up from her prone position. “Get ready. We’re going out to dinner. My treat.”
She was halfway to the door when she slowed. “Why are you in the guest bedroom?”
It had taken so long to penetrate. Curiously numb, he watched her as she turned to face him, a frown marring the smooth lines of her brow.
“Aman?”
“I just needed a little space.” The numbness was turning icy now that he had finally said the words.
“Space?” she repeated. “Space from me?” Confusion warred with anxiety as she took a step forward. Aman didn’t answer.
“If this is about the appointment with the doctor, we don’t have to go.”
“We do,” he said, gently but firmly.
“Why? It’s obvious you don’t want to go and I won’t force you.”
No, she wouldn’t. Not overtly. She wouldn’t realize it, but it would fester and she’d resent him. And it would kill him to see her love for him turn into something else. To see her turn into a bitter, frustrated shell of the vibrant, joyful woman he loved.
“We’ll go because you want to.” He stood up from the bed and moved towards her. “Set it up for tomorrow. I have a flight to Dubai scheduled day after.”
“No.” She shook her head, tears standing in her eyes, her earlier excitement leaching away. “I don’t want it enough to lose you.”
“You’re not losing me,” he said, his chest feeling like someone had tightened a vice around it. “I just needed a little space to clear my head.” And he couldn’t do that surrounded by her and her emotions all the time.
“I haven’t left home or you, Rhea. I’m right here. Just in another room for a couple of days. I need to think and I can’t do that clearly if we’re in each other’s faces.”
A single tear slipped out, trailing down her cheek. He cradled her face gently and wiped it away with his thumb. “Go get ready. We have to go out to celebrate.”
“I don’t feel like it anymore.” Rhea pulled back, looking lost and confused. “I think I need to clear my head too. I’m going for a walk.” She left before he could say another word. He heard the front door shut a minute later.
Be careful what you ask for, people often said. As Aman stood alone in the silent, darkening room, he realized that he had all the space he’d asked for, but he wasn’t sure he wanted it anymore.
He wanted to call her back. To bring back the excitement, the happiness she’d come home with. He wanted their life to go back to what it had been before this whole baby story began. He wanted his wife back. The wife who’d radiated joy, whose ambition had driven her to reach for the stars, whose love for him had been his anchor.
But he didn’t know how to turn back time. He didn’t know how to recapture that shiny bubble they’d lived in. He didn’t know how to go back to where they’d been before this whole baby story had taken over their life. So, he took the space he’d asked for and used it to think. To figure out where they went from here because they couldn’t go back to the past and the present was a ticking time bomb.

About Shilpa Suraj:

Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler, and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency, and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present-day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

Shilpa on the Web:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Cover Reveal - A Barren Heart By Shilpa Suraj

~ Cover Reveal ~ 

A Barren Heart by Shilpa Suraj

Coming to Your Kindle on 29th May
Pre-Order your copy NOW!

When having it all isn’t enough…

Aman and Rhea seem to have the perfect marriage. They are madly in love - with each other, with their own careers and the home and life they are building in a quiet Mumbai suburb. 

Rhea is a successful interior designer with a thriving business while Aman is a commercial pilot who is at peace with his life, on the ground and in the skies! What could possibly be lacking in their picture-perfect marriage?

A baby. 

Like most women, thirty-plus Rhea Chakraborty wants to hold her own flesh and blood in her arms. And Aman too wants the same. 

Or does he? 

After another unexplained miscarriage that takes a severe emotional, physical, and psychological toll on them, Aman isn't sure if having a baby will complete them or destroy them. 

Suddenly, Rhea and Aman find the fabric of their stable marriage fraying beneath the strain of their failed conceptions. Where once they were a team with a common goal, they now find themselves on opposite sides with shifting goalposts. 

A Barren Heart is set in so-called modern India and is the story of the struggle of an affluent, educated couple who are still fighting the shackles of societal indoctrination and expectations and losing each other in the process.

Coming to Your Kindle on 29th May
Pre-Order your copy NOW!

About Shilpa Suraj:

Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler, and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency, and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present-day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

Shilpa on the Web:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Book Blitz - Karma's Dilemma by Karma

~ Book Blitz ~
Karma's Dilemma
by Karma

About the Book:

Karma, a young man, knows very well who his soulmate is. Or so he thinks.

But, really, who is the one?

The posh Angela who he worships. Or is it Sana, the wild racer, who drives him crazy. Or is it Simi, the sensible psychologist, who puts him back together.

Or maybe there is no one for him because of Karma’s deeds in his all-consuming quest as he scours the world has broken so many rules that, one day, karma, the immortal and unrelenting collector of soul-debt, comes calling for Karma, the mortal, himself.

The novel demonstrates the lengths one is willing to go to, the rules one is willing to break and the soul-debt one is willing to accumulate in the quest for a soulmate. Truly, everything is fair in love, even if not in war.

Will Karma the mortal outwit karma the immortal? Or will karma wipe Karma away...

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon

Read some Snippets from Karma's Dilemma

~ Snippet 1 ~

That night, I had a dream based on a story in Hinduism. A gem of a boy, Prahlad, a favorite of the gods, had a demon for a father, Hiranyakashipu. One day, the gods had enough of the demon and dispatched God Vishnu to put an end to the demon. Legend has it that Vishnu, in his half-man and half-lion avatar, emerged from a pillar in the demon’s palace and, despite the good son’s pleas, disemboweled the demon. So, in my dream, Vishnu emerged from the wall just behind Father’s armchair. As soon as I saw Vishnu, I pointed towards Father and cried out: “There he is! Lingaraja, my father, the enemy of love. End him!” as Father trembled.

“Yes, but, first, where is the Amrutha (nectar)?” Vishnu asked me.

“Which Amrutha?”

“The Amrutha of Angela’s lips; the proof of your love.”

“I…I don’t have it. I mean, I didn’t complete the kiss.”

“What! Then, it is not your father, but you are the culprit. Karma, the coward, the true enemy of love, must die!” Vishnu roared and ripped open my stomach. I woke up with a cold sweat.

~ Snippet 2 ~

“How do I find Angela?”

“I will have to cast a spell to bring her back into your life; she won’t return otherwise.”

So saying, the psychic chanted some mantras for a few minutes, took out a fresh acupuncture needle from a sealed packet, pricked my right forefinger and drew blood to drip on a lamp-flame; it reminded me of the story I once read in school, where the devotee gives his blood to keep the lamp burning for his Goddess. The psychic held my finger over the frame, squeezing firmly, as drop after drop of my blood fell upon and fed the flame.

“Now wish for her, with all your heart.”

“Angela, my dearest, I wish for you more than anything in the world. I love you. Come to me!” I whispered and the lamp flame, fed by my own blood, seemed to burn brighter as I made my wish.

“It’s done,” he said, after some more chanting.

“Supposing that she does return, how will it go?”

“On that, I will be very frank. What I am doing goes against vidhi, the natural order of things; it’s risky. It’s even possible that you might very much regret her returning. But if you have that fear, you shouldn’t love.”

Download a copy on 2nd May!

About the Author:

Dear Readers,

Before I tell you more about myself, I want to answer a question that might arise in your mind. Given there are already so many writers (some might think too many), the question is: Why should I write at all?

Simply, I write because I was not allowed to write. Or read any book which had the word love in it. In my family, it was believed that reading about love lead to rebellion. I myself picked up the pen when my only child was six-months-old. At that time, I was without a job. I wrote because there was a lot that I wanted to tell my child, even if one day in the future, to make sense of this world. Writing also helped me keep hope alive, one page at a time, as I went from one fruitless interview to another.

As my child took the first steps, I reached a milestone of my own. I completed my first book; the story of a young man's quest to find answers to life's questions. A boutique publisher in Paris loved it and translated my work into French. I even found a job soon after.

I am choosing to write under a pen-name because I am at a stage in my life where I prefer and love anonymity. Once my child is older, I intend to write under my own name.

Many thanks for reading my post and I hope you enjoy reading my novels.

Happy Reading!
Karma

Flower Children - Book Review

"Flower Children" is second book by award winning author 'Maxine Swann'. This was first published as a short story in 1997 and it had won many prizes. It was based on author's own experience growing up.

Honestly I had never heard about Maxine as we don't get to hear about many smaller authors in India. I got her book second hand from a book fair. 

I read this book a long time ago in 2013. It's a nice little book and I think this is the best format to convey a story of growing children or it wouldn't be 230 pages but 2300 pages. All stories are good but the overall story suffer because apparently these short stories were written separately and then combined to make this book. All the stories never come together as one. Every other short story would change format from Third Person to First Person. I enjoyed the book but wasn't hooked to it due to these problems. But at the end of the day its a nice little book to pass your time. After all its only very short 230 pages

My final ratings is 3.5 out of 5 stars

Book Showcase - Fire Girl - Matt Ralphs

A Young Witch. A Grumpy Dormouse.

A Magical Adventure

Book Showcase

Fire Girl by Matt Ralphs

This time I thought of showcasing a book which most of you might not know about, at least I didn't so please do excuse my cluelessness if I was the ignorant one here.

Book Showcase - The Gene - Siddhartha Mukherjee

In this new series while reviews may be in short supplies for now I would also like to bring different books to people's notice so these posts for Book Showcase.

The First Book for the Showcase is The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Sick of Being Healthy by Monisha K Gumber

This book was provided to my the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This book is a short and fun read in the mould of 'Wimpy Kid' series meaning there are pictures too with the words (Yay!). The book is about a 14 year old girl Tara who is slightly healthy so wants to lose weight and from there the fun begins. Teenage brings with itself another complications and all are present here in their full glory.

There are one sided loves, cyber affair, sex education and what not.

It was a fun read and like most fun and smallish reads I finished it in two sittings and that was also broken down due to office (Grrrr). The book is littered with good drawings and I must say that author is a good illustrator as well. Keep us the good work. This has the potential of becoming a series as well but let's see how the author proceeds further. 

I didn't think so when I started reading this book but ended up enjoying it much more so that amounts to 4 stars. Keep on reading then my dear friends.

So ratings - 4/5 or ****/*****

This book was provided to my the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Fade to White - Shreya Dhanwanthary

I love how just like the name of the book the cover is also fading to white on the page. This book was definitely a differently told as compared to other stories. This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, so here goes:

This is the story of three people, we have our un-named Heroine and her un-named Boyfriend and her un-named Best Friend. We find out more about all the characters one by one and we find out what makes them tick. The story unfolds slowly and we never know original names of our characters so it's like from the start our main characters want to disappear in the void, like the title but of course the title doesn't mean to disappear it means 'To find the perfect moment'.

We go through the light moments in the present and then the life story of all three characters one by one and then when we think that everything is good and all set, the tragedy strikes and we find ourselves covered in misery and sadness along with the characters on the pages. But as they discover that there's light after darkness and hope after dispair we also find happiness at the end of a sad tale.

This is also not a tale of simple people and simple lives it's a story of world changers and people who study in prestigious colleges and work in wonderful dream worthy places and still find the inspiration to move even further in life.

I love the fact that even Indian authors are now moving away from the beaten path of smaller novels and although this is little bit similar it's different enough to warrant praise in that department. Although it does get a little slower in the start and the middle and I also had little difficulty with the innovative idea of not divulging names throughout the books, most we get are nicknames.

You want an opinion? Do yourself a favor and do read this book, this is worth giving a shot and Shreya is talented enough to be given a chance to write more and more.

My Rating for the book is 4/5 in stars ****/*****

Fade to White - http://www.amazon.in/Fade-White-Shreya-Dhanwanthary/dp/9352015851/ 

Daughter of the Sun (Cult of the Cat series, Book 1) by Zoe Kalo

I received an eARC for review and this is what follows:

Daughter of the Sun is first book in a Fantasy Y/A series by Zoe Kalo. This book tells us the story of a 16 years old Orphan Trinity who is living in a convent who has some mystical powers but is mostly alone save for a best friend Brianna and they are inseparable.

One day Trinity discovers and she is not an orphan and that she has a grandmother who is alive and is super-rich. So it was like the fantasy fulfilled for every orphan but then Trinity finds some more information from her past and she is puzzled and soon she is taken to London and then to a small island near Istanbul called 'Island of the Cats' where there are more cats then the people and Trinity's family is the richest.

As soon as Trinity arrives to the island and meets her ill grandmother, her grandmother dies leaving her alone once again. Thus begins Trinity's struggle for learning more about herself and her family. It was fun reading as Trinity explored her powers along with us and learning a bit more about Egypt and egyptian Gods was fun too. Like I said I flew through the book and I would have finished it in one sitting if only I wasn't sleepy and I didn't have the office next day.

Amazing amazing first book of the series. Really liked it and loved and flew through the screens and would love to read the 2nd part too but who knows how long we would have to wait for that. Trinity and Slugger along with Ara were cool and not to give spoilers but I had realized Slugger's secret when I was around 40% through with the book (Self Pat on the back for me). Rick Riordan has spoiled it for everyone if you try to include gods in the present time but the egyptian angle worked great here. 

The book is fast paced with short chapters mostly and you are forced to read one chapter after other and soon you finish the book,

Uff the pains of a reader when I have to work to buy new books but then get less time due to the job to read those books.

My rating for the book is 5/5 or in stars *****/*****

So below is little bit more information about the book and the author:

Cult of the Cat series blurb

According to ancient Egyptian prophecy, three feline goddesses—Bastet, Sekhmet, and Mafdet—would one day be reborn as triplets during a solar eclipse.

But someone—or something—separated them at birth. Because if ever they were reunited, they would unleash a blistering power that could destroy the world. 

In an adventure where the past confronts the present, and blood, betrayal and secrets abound, the triplets face each other for the first time. And discover they’re the only force able to stop the evil god Apophis from enslaving humanity.

Daughter of the Sun, Book 1 - blurb

Sixteen-year-old Trinity was born during a solar eclipse and left at the doorsteps of a convent along with a torn piece of papyrus covered with ancient symbols. Raised by nuns in the English countryside, she leads a quiet life until she’s whisked away to the Island of Cats and a grandmother she never knew. 

But before they can get to know each other, her grandmother dies. All that Trinity has left is a mysterious eye-shaped ring. And a thousand grieving cats. As Trinity tries to solve the enigma of the torn papyrus, she discovers a world of bloody sacrifices and evil curses, and a prophecy that points to her and her new feline abilities. 

Unwilling to believe that any of the Egyptian gods could still be alive, Trinity turns to eighteen-year-old Seth and is instantly pulled into a vortex of sensations that forces her to confront her true self—and a horrifying destiny.

If you want you can order an e-copy from here

About the Author

A certified bookworm, Zoe Kalo has always been obsessed with books and reading. Reading led to writing—compulsively. No surprise that at 16, she wrote her first novel, which her classmates read and passed around secretly. The pleasure of writing and sharing her fantasy worlds has stayed with her, so now she wants to pass her stories to you with no secrecy—but with lots of mystery… 

A daughter of adventurous expats, she’s had the good fortune of living on 3 continents, learning 4 languages, and experiencing a multicultural life. Currently, she’s working on a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature, which she balances between writing, taking care of her clowder of cats, and searching for the perfect bottle of pinot noir.

Connect with Zoe Kalo on the web: www.ZoeKalo.com / Facebook / Twitter

This Review is a part of the Blogger Outreach Program by b00k r3vi3w Tours

Fluence - Stephen Oram

I was provided an e-Book ARC for review by the author:

What if there is no more any government and everything is handled by mega corporations and everything is not linked with your social media scores think Facebook made more creepy.

This and more is the premise of new Dystopian novel by author Stephen Oram, in this new world there is global appraisal now called Pay Day which changes people's lives by making their life better or worse. People are divided by stratas and colors White being dormant, Blue being lowest and Red being highest.

The next pay day is coming and we get to read about two very different individuals Amber who is young and ambitious and would stop at nothing to achieve her goals  and then there's Martin older and jaded and frustrated with years of struggles.

As the pay day comes closer people and the frenzy increases and this frightful story comes to a close. Frightful because this dystopian world can become real tomorrow. The characters and their frustrations and mentioned really well, I also loved the fluency with which author has set up a world which is advanced as well as frightening. The people would always stay the same no matter what time of the future you are in time stream, there would always be greed, pride and cheaters in our midst no matter how ideal you want to make your world. Another thing stays true no matter how generic your society the super rich would still be the  most powerful.

Something about the book ... a blurb

It’s the week before the annual Pay Day when strata positions are decided by the controlling corporations. The social media feed is frenetic with people trying to boost their influence rating while those above the strata and those who’ve opted out pursue their own manipulative goals.

Amber is ambitious. Martin is burnt out by years of struggling. She cheats to get what she wants while he barely clings on to what he has.

Set in a speculative near-future London, Fluence is a satirical story of aspiration and desperation and of power seen and unseen. It’s a story of control and consequence. It’s the story of the extremes to which Amber and Martin are prepared to go in these last ten thousand minutes before Pay Day.

Links

http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/1781323631

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1781323631/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fluence-stephen-oram/1122120647

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25790116-fluence

Something about the author

I write novels and flash fiction that are designed set off small firecrackers of thought to light the world slightly differently inside your head!

I've been a hippie-punk, a religious-squatter and a bureaucrat-anarchist; I thrive on contradictions and am a great believer in being slightly askew from the crowd. There are all sorts of ways of doing that - by being on the fringes of society, by travelling to other cultures or simply by being tipsy during the day. 

I write contemporary dystopian fiction set in a recognizable near-future. I love taking reality, nudging it out of kilter and seeing what happens.

Like each and every one of us, my perspective of the world has been affected by many people and experiences: as a teenager I was heavily influenced by the ethos of punk; in my early twenties I embraced the squatter scene and then joined a religious cult, briefly; I did some computer stuff in what became London’s silicon roundabout; and I’m now a civil servant with a gentle attraction to anarchism.

Contact Links:

http://stephenoram.net/

https://www.facebook.com/StephenOramAuthor

https://twitter.com/OramStephen

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8461328.Stephen_Oram

This Review is a part of the Blogger Outreach Program by b00k r3vi3w Tours