The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad by Twinkle Khanna

This is the second book by Twinkle Khanna also known as Mrs. Funnybones in her weekly article in TOI and that was also the name of her first book which I have yet to read.

Now coming onto this book, it's a short stories collection consisting just 4 short stories. 3 of the short stories are fairly smaller if compared with the 4th one which is easily the size of a novella.

The title of the book is taken from the first story where in a young girl takes it upon herself to change the societal norms

Second Story tells the story of two old widowed sister out of whom the elder one embarks on a love affair with a fellow senior citizen.

Third story tells the story of Elena a free spirit who is unluckly is love and despite being married five times she is alone.

Forth and the final story is the biggest of all and like I said easily the size of a novella. This tells us story of Bablu who works to develop a cheaper alternative to the senatory napkins.

All the stories are simple and focusing on the human emotions also the movie Padman starring Akshay Kumar was based on the 4th story which itself is a fiction account of real person Arunachalam Muruganantham from Tamilnadu.

I finished the book in a single sitting and it was thoroughly enjoyble. Give it a chance as it's a easy read so enjoy the time and Keep on Reading.

My Final Rating for the Book:
4/5 or ****/*****

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

Figmented Reality by Zuko

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

What is addiction? How does it impact your life? Could you yourself stop your addiction? This and many more questions are not answered in this book. This is fiction and not an academic book. 

        This novel has the author as the protagonist but this is not his autobiography as promised by the blurb. This is the story of Sidharth who starts his story by listing two of his main addictions as per him.With this realization Sid goes to join an addicts anonymous group. He meets with his first love there who happens to be 16 years his senior. This book is about addiction and how it can wreck your life and how you can become dependent and lose sense of yourself and your own reality when stuck in your addiction.

        The author tries best, and most of the chapters start with a speech which the main character gives at the Addiction Group Meetings but they make the book kind of preachy and I honestly don't like self help books and the author tries but the character is a creep and he turns that way at the end of each little story arc.

        The story is not your normal story which is its USP but the small errors and the erratic flow of the story coupled with the above mentioned preachy voice kept me slightly far from the story. The story starts at the beginnings and then moves through the days and then like normal romance and then bizzarre land. 

           The book is nice and since it is short you would even be able to finish it in one go, now it may get better with repeated reading when you can find may be few hidden meaning or understand the characters better but for now once is enough for me. I wish the author all the best.

My Ratings for the book 3/5 i.e. ***/*****

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

Against Ambedkar, Against the World - Harsh Trivedi

I was given this book by the publisher in exchange on an honest review, this is that review:


Well the title should tell you something if not everything. It's the tale of a Brahmin boy Mayank with a North East Indian Girlfriend Baboi and two friends called Kamlesh and Shiv. Kamlesh being SC and Shiv being fellow Brahmin.

Even though the blurb promises an India of 2030 it's only present in very few pages that too towards the end, all the abuses and the revolutions happen during the first two parts of the book. It's fiction and the main character is openly against the entire reservation and talks in general about how easy reservation made it for the undeserving guys from SC/ST. 

I am also from SC but I have never used the quota because whatever I did it didn't matter there and I believe that the best reservation would not be on the basis of the caste but rather on the basis of financial situation. But let's leave my personal ideas and thought and come back to the book.

Mayank writes a book and it spirals into a huge controversy and which culminates in a bleak vision of future India. The book start and stays on a comedic path but towards the end moves towards something sad but totally valid as per the narrative. Very nice book and totally worth reading I liked it and finished it in few sittings.

I would advise everyone to read this at least for quick fun.

My rating for the book stands at 4/5 i.e. ****/*****

Against Ambedkar, Against the World - http://www.amazon.in/Against-Ambedkar-World-Harsh-Trivedi/dp/9352015819/

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/ 

First look at The Conspiracy at Meru (Vikramaditya Veergatha # 2)

First look at The Conspiracy at Meru (Vikramaditya Veergatha # 2)

Guardians of the Halahala (Vikramaditya Veergatha # 1) has a new look as well!

The deadly Halahala, the all-devouring poison churned from the depths of the White Lake by the devas and asuras, was swallowed by Shiva to save the universe from extinction.

But was the Halahala truly destroyed?

A small portion still remains – a weapon powerful enough to guarantee victory to whoever possesses it. And both asuras and devas, locked in battle for supremacy, will stop at nothing to claim it.

As the forces of Devaloka and Patala, led by Indra and Shukracharya, plot to possess the Halahala, Shiva turns to mankind to guard it from their murderous clutches. It is now up to Samrat Vikramaditya and his Council of Nine to quell the supernatural hordes – and prevent the universe from tumbling into chaos!

A sweeping tale of honour and courage in the face of infinite danger, greed and deceit, The Guardians of the Halahala is a fantastical journey into a time of myth and legend.

Goodreads * Amazon * Flipkart

Reviews for Guardians of the Halahala

The story is inter knitted with action, brilliant storytelling, and insightful of mythological and legendary elements that get under your skin and challenge the way you perceive history, as only few of the talented authors can. ~ Shreya Ganguly @ The Notepad Reviews

I am intoxicated, drugged, and floating in a world that has come to conquer my senses since the last few days. The world of Vikramaditya. The world carved by author Shatrujeet Nath. ~ Amrit Sinha on Goodreads

The quality of writing is powerful and beautiful, almost surreal. ~ By Manish Mahajan on Amazon

In fact the only disappointing thing about this book was that the second part isn't ready yet. ~ Srikanth Sarathy on Amazon

About the Author

Door-to-door salesman, copywriter, business journalist & assistant editor at The Economic Times; Shatrujeet Nath was all this before he took to writing fiction full-time. He debuted with The Karachi Deception in 2013, followed by The Guardians of the Halahala and The Conspiracy at Meru, the first two books in the Vikramaditya Veergatha series. At present, he is writing volume three of the series. Shatrujeet lives in Mumbai, but spends much of his time in the fantasy worlds of his stories.

Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Also by the Author;

(Click On the Cover for More Details)

This Cover Reveal is powered by b00k r3vi3w Tours

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

Introducing Avalonia Chronicles Book Tour

★.•**•.★★.•**•.★ The Avalonia Chronicles Book Tour ★.•**•.★ ★.•**•.★

My Review for this book live on Monday 1st February 2016

About the Book:

16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.

Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever. 



Book Links: Goodreads I Amazon I Flipkart

World of Avalonia

Read an Excerpt:

Chapter 3

Kidnapped

For a second that felt like a lifetime, everything stopped; I felt like I was floating in nothingness. Then I blinked, and, when I finally opened my eyes and focused again through the tears, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I found myself standing at the mouth of a small cave situated on a hill and overlooking a quiet, moonlit valley. On my left, a dark forest stretched out as far as the eye could see, treetops glistening silver in the light of the full moon. The hills around us undulated into wildflower-filled meadows that lay sleeping in the dewy night.

Far down in the valley, I could see a little village, its lights twinkling in the distance. To my right, a waterfall splashed playfully into a small river that ran down into a lake, next to which the little village was built. The moon here was fuller and larger than I had ever seen it, and the night sky was awash with a fantastic array of glittering stars.

Had I passed through the tapestry? Where was I?

I looked around, disbelief clouding my judgment. I was still trying to get my bearings after that strange moment when I had been inside the tapestry and nowhere at the same time. It gave me a funny feeling, as though I had been lifted out of my own consciousness and then put back into my body.

A warm breeze brushed past my face and played with my hair. Gone were the cloudy grey mist and the cold, nipping wind of the English countryside. I drew in a sharp breath—the air was crisp and clear, sweet smelling, and fresh. The moonlit valley was filled with fruit trees, wildflowers, and rolling meadows.

“How did we come here? Where are we?” I asked, still confused.

“You really are ignorant,” said Oblek, glancing at me. “I take it your uncle didn’t tell you anything?”

I shook my head and looked down. Oblek had tied my hands with a rope he had with him while I was still dazed and looking around. It was humiliating, and the rough ropes cut into my wrists, rubbing them raw every time he pulled me forward.

I had to find some way out of this. And, at the moment, the only thing I could do was discover more about where I was. Then, when I got an opportunity, I could escape and find my way back up to the cave on the hill, where we had arrived out of the tapestry.

But then what?

Christopher was probably dead, and Aunt Arianna would doubtless blame me for everything since I had disappeared at the same time. I had no idea what to do. I didn’t really want to go back, and, now that my adoptive parents were dead, I had nothing to return to.

I was starting to panic. I had nowhere to go, and my mind was imagining an array of horrible outcomes of my kidnapping. My palms had become sweaty, and my racing heart was thundering in my chest as I half-walked and half-ran, desperately trying to keep up with Oblek’s giant strides.

“Why are you doing this?” I pleaded with my kidnapper.

But Lord Oblek said nothing. He didn’t even look at me. He just kept walking ahead and dragging me along behind him, with no more explanations as to what he was planning to do with me.

I was terrified, and I had no idea if I was going to survive this. But I tried to be brave. Maybe I could talk my way out of this?

“You do know that this is called kidnapping?” I said, trying to reason with Oblek.

He didn’t bother to answer.

“What will happen to me now?” I squeaked, my voice breaking, as I tried not to cry.

“Queen Morgana will decide what is to be done with you,” said Oblek, finally.

Queen Morgana! The woman from my dream? It was not possible that this, too, was a coincidence. It must be the same Morgana, the one who had tried to kill my real mother.

Who the hell was she?

Suddenly all of this seemed extremely scary. I hoped that I was still dreaming and that there was no way I had actually traveled through a magical tapestry into some strange land. It all seemed very exciting in books. But actually being kidnapped and then hauled around like an animal, traveling deep into a land I knew nothing about, was not my idea of fun.

I had to get away from this horrible man, and fast.

About the Author:
 

For Farah Oomerbhoy, writing is a passion and reading her solace. She is a firm believer in the fantastic and magical, and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest.
When she was pregnant with her first child ten years ago, a story popped into her head she could not ignore. “I was at my grandmother’s house, and as I looked at the image of a beautiful forest with a castle in the distance on a tapestry hanging on the wall, I imagined myself being whisked away into another world,” she said. It was at that moment the world of Avalonia, with its powerful mages and fae and the evil Queen Morgana, was born. Farah Oomerbhoy’s debut novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, was released in the summer of 2015.

Farah lives with her husband and three children in their family home in Mumbai, India. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mumbai. Her first novel is The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of the Avalonia Chronicles.
  

Contact Farah:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Wattpad

Giveaway:

One Amazon Gift Voucher worth 1000INR

One Amazon Gift Voucher worth 500INR
Three Signed Paperback Copies of The Last of the Firedrakes

a Rafflecopter giveaway


My Review for this book live on Monday 1st February 2016

An Abundance of Katherines - John Green

This is my attempt to try to complete my own A to Z April Challenge 2015. First post for letter 'A'.

An Abundance of Katherines is second book by John Green. John Green of course is very famous now as the author of 'The Fault in Our Stars'.

So this book follows a washed up former child prodigy Colin Singleton who is trying to get over his break up from his girlfriend Katherine and Colin always dates girls whose name is Katherine and Colin always gets dumped this being his 19th dumping. In order to get over his sadness Colin decides to go on a road trip with his best friend Hassan. And go on road trip they do.

The books tell about how they wind up in a small town, meet Lindsey and her mom and how Colin deals with his sadness. Like all John Green books this one also deals with questions about life and the meaning it holds. Colin tries to work on a theorem which can predict all the relationships, because he wants to be remembered for doing something important.  

Eventually book deals about how Colin learns more about life and his own place in the grand scheme of things. Another big part of book is Colin's love for anagrams, he spends many lines busy making anagrams.

The book is well written with funny bits here and there but for me the book never clicked completely. I liked the book and for me it was a resounding middle ground.

My Ratings - 3/5 i.e. ***/*****

My own A to Z challenge

Well Well Well I have been so busy with not doing anything this year that I totally forgot that April is Blogging from A to Z April Challenge month and so couldn't register too. Also Its already 17th of the month. And I am waking up now. But I intend you take care of it now and jump head long in to my own challenge. I would be covering my book blog this year. Last year I covered my fiction and photography blogs under this challenge and completed it for both of them.

So since I am doing my own challenge, would be on my own term. In case I can not post the review for the book by the title, I would be posting details about the books from that letter. 

Worry not child for I wouldn't be straying away from the books, after all this blog was created for the love of books and that love is eternal. So do whatever you want but don't forget to Keep on Reading.

The Room - Jonas Karlsson

What would you do, if your reality is different than everybody else's reality?

What is reality? Can an entire office be trying to keep a secret?

All these and more questions are at the base of this quirky book. 

Bjork is our protagonist in this book written by Jonas Karlsson who is also a Swedish actor.  Well this book is certainly different and quirky. The book is very short at around only 140 pages long for my advance e-book review copy. Many chapters are very short as well.

The story starts as Bjork joins a new office at the 'Authority', he starts thinking that the new office would be better for his future. Bjork has a different way of working and thinking. Bjork considers himself superior to most of his colleagues. When he finds a room where he finds everything to be immaculate and clean, his life changes. He feels invincible and clarity of the mind in the room, problem is that nobody else seems to notice or know about the room. 

Everybody denies the existence of room and treats Bjork like he is a madman. 

But what is real and if the room really exists or is it part of Bjork's imagination? well this and more answers are provided in this super odd book. I loved it and probably you would too. 

Ratings - 4/5 (****/*****)

Note - I was provided an advanced E-Book review copy by Blogging for Books in exchange on an honest review.

Book Review - Love Kills by Ismita Tandon

Love Kills by Ismita Tandon is a murder mystery where there's a dead girl and a dead man but it's not your normal whodunit. Admittedly it's a little slower but slow burner of books are also good.

The story begins with Johnny Will who runs a de-addiction center called 'Thy Will' where he treats rich and famous of country.

The story begins when Johnny's girlfriend Mira is found dead with an overdose of Morphine and a drawing with the exact replica of crime scene near her dead body. Johnny is the prime suspect in the murder, who naturally claims innocence. Then who killed Mira and why?

The books is told from different perspectives where in each chapter is told through perspective of different characters and which instantly turns this book into a very interesting read because every voice has a different style and almost everyone appears  to have a motivation to be the killer. 

All the characters have their motivations to be vicious and we don't know the identity till the very end. My only concern with the book was slightly slow pace which wasn't up to my taste, so I have deducted one star for that otherwise it has been a wonderful book which every book lover should give a try.

My Ratings for the book 4/5 i.e. ****/*****

Book Review - Henni

I was loaned/provided this DRC e-Copy for an honest review by NetGalley 

This is kinda a YA graphic novel about a girl called Henni who lives in a world of Cat-people. Using cat-people the author has drawn a wonderful world which tells the story about two societies. One where Henni grows up is filled is religious zealots and when she grows up run away from her village she reaches another village which is filled with cat-people who are ruled by fear and forced in submission and agreeing with their wish. This graphic novel tells us about Henni's continuous journey to different villages. 

This time we cover two of them and promise of continuous story. Very nice and different presentation. Very good read for all. Will wait for next installments and like most I will post full review once the book is published.


My rating for e-ARC of this Graphic novel is 4/5 stars or ****/*****

Book Review - The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman is a story about childhood. It's fantasy, YA, Horror, Drama its everything our childhood was. I admit I wanted to read this or any of Neil's books for a very long time so I was very happy when it finally became possible.

The story starts with a middle aged man attending a funeral and then he goes to look at his old home which is no longer there and then he goes to the end of the lane to the place where he had whale of a time when he was 7 years old. This book starts as a simple memoir and jumps head first in the world of supernatural and all powerful beings and an ocean which is just a duck pond. But he was convinced by Lettie who was 11 that it was an Ocean.

This is truly a magical book which would take you back to your childhood which was filled with magic and the moments which you can no longer believe to be absolutely true or may be that would happen to me and you when we are little more older. Till then enjoy the ride again its a fairly small book but you would wish that it would've been longer. But as all things perfect it is the way it was supposed to be neither too short nor too long, it is just right. If you get a chance by all means do read this book you won't be disappointed.

My Ratings  - 5/5
In Stars        - ***** / *****


Since this my first book by Neil Gaiman it would go for First Reads Challenge 2014.

Book Review - Girl Alone by Rupa Gulab

'Girl Alone' is a book by Rupa Gulab. At 204 pages it's a fairly small book.

Our protagonist  Arti moved to Mumbai from Kolkata for a job and lives in a hostel with her best friends Monica and Jo. Together they go through life and relationships. But its all the way through Arti's story and thus her snobbery and cynicism rules over. 

Arti's solution for life's tests and troubles is simple Cough Syrup. You are alone - Cough Syrup, Break-up - Cough Syrup, Feel like crying - Cough Syrup, you get the idea. As a voice Arti accepts that much and she really is a snob who feels that she is so superior to all the other less read people. Though I must say that I really liked the numerous references and quotes from classic literature and rock songs.

In all I liked the book enough to finish it and didn't feel like throwing it across the room. It is an enjoyable read so if you feel like it go for this Chic Lit.

My Ratings - 3/5
In Stars      - *** / *****


My review for this book is part of IQRC 2014.