Wednesday, 2 November 2016

Book Review : The Three Wise Monkeys by Jeet Gian



Book- The Three Wise Monkeys

Author- Jeet Gian

Genre- Fiction

Publisher- Leadstart Publishing

Price- 299

Pages- 400


Blurb-

Amar, Akbar and Anthony are trying there best to make a name in the wide industry they are in. Making contacts, getting clients and having some money is all the trio is trying to doing whole heartedly.

Sarah, Meghna and Farah are settled but there is much more in their lives then what Amar, Akbar and Anthony really know.

Raj and Suhas are big business tycoons but are not on talking terms but somehow they are in a web, together.

Will the mayhem come to a standstill? What happens when police is after the culprits? Who are the real culprits?


Title and Cover-

The title and the cover both could have been much better because I felt that the author didnt itch his nerves much while deciding them because he has just put in front what his novel has substantially, nothing literary is present. The cover is a perfect elaboration of an incident which I thought was not a nice idea. and the name well that is an another story.


Characters-

There were umpteen characters in the book. There were different people, bad, good some jsut there not in any party or side. I liked a few and I thought many were just not doing anything and just there names were used here and there for making different connections and making up the stories.

The three boys Amar, Akbar and Anthony were nice, simple, straight and plain. The girls were just like Bollywood heroines. They were just adding some pages and feelings and not doing much till the climax. I loved Raj and Suhas, they were a great picture of middle-aged men. The supporting characters were of a lot of help for bridging the gaps and passing on information from one end to the other. I liked Tukaram and Damu a bit. I also loved Ruma and Rex for being so irritating.


Narration-

The chapters were short, clean and crisp. There were perfect breaks and the incidents were neatly divided according to different person who was heading the mass. Third person narrative was a perfect choice for such complex web. Easy language was a plus point to complete this long and entangled tale.


Review-

This is the second book written by Jeet Gian and I have been consistent in reading his works. “The three wise monkeys” is a suspense novel and also one of its kind. The author has carry forwarded the concept of showing the lives of Chartered Accountants in this wide world, which I thought was not a very promising idea. I was not expecting a carry forward mode in the new book.

Though the idea was somehow relatable but the story was not. There was a lot of freshness in the tale and that was brought due to the normal dialogues and the easy lifestyle shown by the author of the three leads Amar, Akbar and Anthony. I was hoping the same till the new characters the big business tycoons were introduced. From there the story became very loud.

The author tried his best to form a great beginning but somehow I felt that he was not up to the mark because the things were so highly predictable that I was scratching my head and tried to move a little fast from that phase, specially the award ceremony sequence. That was a really low phase in the book.

It was so refreshing to read  the middle portion in the book because it had a complex tale and I was enjoying the dog rush very much. Every page had something new and entertaining. The best thing that the author did was avoiding romantic sequences between the couples. Though I really enjoyed the concept of Sex Deprivation and the final outcomes, that was really hilarious and it was giving a break from the never ending chase.

I felt that few characters could have been avoided easily. There names in the middle were creating chaos because they were not much involved in the story at any point of time.

The most hilarious and enjoyable part was when Amar, Akbar and Anthony visits different places due to there work. The Suma Dairy, the journey to Kutch and the encounter in the hotel, everything was lightning up the mood.

I found a lot of over doing and extra make-up in a lot of parts but somehow that gelled well with this Bollywood Masala type book.

With such a great and interesting middle, the ending was very horrible. I wish the author could have came up with a little more ideas for the climax. I felt that things wrapped up just like that, without much happening in real. It was like that comedy movie which has a stupid ending and that does not relate in any terms with the whole novel.

Summing up- The three wise monkeys was a really enjoyable book because of its simplicity and inspiration from Bollywood tales. There were different characters who were meant to entertain the readers only and their presence brought up the whole phase in the book very efficiently. With a great middle and a great chaos created, the author couldn’t match up the level in the end. But still the book was a light read with equal amounts of everything like friendship, struggle, lust, love and the everlasting need for success and fame.


Recommendation-

A reader who is new to reading can give it a try for an easy and light read. this book can be a nice start. But its a long book so patience is needed.


About the author-

Jeet Gian is a Chartered Accountant and the founding partener of JCA consulting group based in Dubai (U.A.E). at present he lives in Dubai with his family.


Connect with the author-




Buy the book-

  • ·        Amazon link- http://www.amazon.in/Three-Wise-Monkeys-Jeet-Gian/dp/9352016181/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478083036&sr=1-1&keywords=the+three+wise+monkeys+by+jeet+gian

Book Review : Ashvamedha by Aparna Sinha



Book- Ashvamedha

Author- Aparna Sinha

Genre- Fiction

Publisher- Srishti Publishers


 Blurb-

Ashwin Jamwal wanted to help his country. Thus he became an IAS. But little did he knew that there are people who will never let him go his own way, distractions is the key to depression.

New fields he tries to opt, the game has changed but the motive is same. But there are hidden truths and logics that only few people know. But will they be able to tell the rest?

What happens when a man has some deadly goals? Will all the nations come together to solve this mysterious issue which is in front of them?

Characters-

The characters of this book are high officials, politicians, speakers and what not. The extravaganza is in full form. I loved the deep secrecy of some characters, which was maintained nicely till the very end. Also I liked the supporting people because an office can’t be run by just the CEO.

The main leads Ashwin and Adya were really mesmerising and that is not because of their positions but because of the bond that never keep them far. There is no lust in the book, there is just longing.

Also I loved Arun and the secret hidden behind these two friends who are together since childhood. Well the antagonists were planned nicely but I didn’t find them extraordinary because maybe we see these kinds of people on regular basis.


Narration-

The book was written in third person narrative. For the first time I felt that there was a need of chapter names because it would have become more interesting to decipher the meaning of the chapter from the name.


Review-

Ashvamedha strongly depict the real sense of power in one form or the other. The subtitle strongly recommends some trauma and hasty moves but there is a lot more in the story. The author has surprised me from the very start in a positive sense.

The book starts at a very fast pace and all the cards are opened in front one by one making it a really nice page turner for any kind of reader, irrespective of his or her genre choices. I was so involved in the life of the lead Ashwin that I felt all his worries in a deeper sense. The way he wanted to spend his life and all the hard work that paid in the end is really inspiring.

His life is not very different from what we inspect on the day to day basis and thus this makes the reader sit and continue this reading venture for long. The dirty game of politics and an unknown source behind all the movements continues to make things more spooky and dark, raising the level of suspense.

But wait things are never too easy, isn’t it? The story topples over and a very new face has emerged. Every person has to make choices at one point of time but how the story moves ahead is quite a show.

What I liked about the book are the breaks that the author gave in the form of Arun and Adya. Friendship and love are the key factors for one to succeed and I liked the fact that the author has tried to imbibe everything and thus succeeded in keeping the book away from ripples.

There were a lot of incidents after the middle portion and I felt that a little bit of overdoing was done. I liked the crisp plans and the hideouts but all the nations were on the same platform yet things were moving so smoothly without any hints, loopholes, umm, that was a little too Bollywoodish for me.

With a great beginning, nice middle, the ending was a bit okayish. I think the showdown; the secrets were all really not going with the story. It was like the building up of suspense was much better then what the real suspense was. Or maybe the author penned everything with such high precision that an easy end was just not easy to swallow.

Summing up- The book was a great attempt by Aparna Sinha. With a great storyline and crisp plot the book has set a benchmark. I really liked the planning and plotting, the dark and mysterious characters and the movement of the story. I didn’t find any problems in connecting with the book at any point of time. Only if the author could deliver equal amounts of chills till the end, the book could have been a great read for me. But still it was a very nice book.


Eye-catchers-
  • ·        “We need an honest man with a gun to run this country.”
  • ·        “All the dreadful criminals of the world are humble people in real life.”

Recommendation-

A complex web is waiting for you if you are planning to pick this book. It will be a mixture of an easy read and a great story.


About the author-

Aparna Sinha wrote her first poem when she was eleven, which she recited on All India Radio. Since then, her literary work and industry specific articles have been published in various media, including reputed business magazines across Asia.


Buy the book-
  • ·         Amazon Link-http://www.amazon.in/Ashvamedha-Game-Power-Aparna-Sinha/dp/9382665765?ie=UTF8&keywords=ashvamedha%20by%20aparna&qid=1478082412&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Tuesday, 1 November 2016

Book Review : Love Bi the Way by Bhaavna Arora



Book- Love Bi the Way
 
Author- Bhaavna Arora

Genre- Fiction (Young Adult)

Publisher- Penguin Books


Blurb-

Rihana is a well known painter and Zara has taken over her dad’s business. Both of them are successful and leading their lives in their own way.

Rihana is always surrounded by men but Zara is on the shy line. They both are off for a vacation and that turns out to be a little alarming bell for both of them.

What will happen when the dark secrets of Rihana and Zara will haunt them? Will they be able to cope up? Will they find solace in love?


Title and Cover-

I really liked the title and the cover and that is the sole reason for picking up the book. They both were very creative and elaborative. The background, images, etc were all working in sync to make a nice appearance.


Characters-

The bright characters were the lifeline of the book. The author has been really precise in penning really strong people in her book. Let it be the maid of the house or the driver, the doctor or the dog, every character was nice, soothing and well crafted.

Rihana and Zara were nice, very nice, really polished. I also liked the different males who were supporting the story in one way or the other like Harish, Zubair, Shaurya and Saif. And from all Tiger was my favourite.


Narration-

The narration was simple and clean. I didn’t find any flaws in that. The vocabulary was very easy and that made the book a quick read.


Review-

Love Bi the Way is quite an expressive novel. And that can be easily seen from the cover itself. The book is not about some people, the book is not about what one desires; the book is about what one discovers and feel. I liked the idea behind this book, exploring things to the fullest.

Starting from the start, well both the ladies were radiant, dynamic and successful. What I liked about it was that there was no way the author tried to victimize the girls even though they both had very dark backgrounds. There strength was in there friendship and it was in full swing till the end. There inclinations were shown nicely, without any hesitations and that brought up the characters more nicely and in a refined manner.


The starting of the book was perfect. The difference between the two leads, Rihana and Zara were shown fully, including their weak and strong points and how they have moved in this harsh world without support and sympathy. The book will fill you with admiration for these two young girls who haven’t compromised much to reach where they are and how they have fought with the inner demons and ruled the outer ones.

I found the beginning of the book really interesting because I was getting to know more but then things were repeated, habits were shown more than what was really required, in short there was less of a story and more of incidents as we progress ahead. This was major drawback in the book. It made the book boring and not at all adventurous.

The only time I felt that something will happen is when the two ladies are out on a vacation. I felt that it was shown in a more dramatic way then required. I didn’t find any place in the whole episode where I could wait and think for a minute because there was nothing to think at all.

In the whole book the author has talked about the likes and dislikes of the two girls not to forget their dark pasts, not even at a single place the emotions ruled the characters. I felt that doing that all of a sudden at the end was not a good idea. There were a lot of places where things could have reached another point but author killed that hope by shrugging off that thought which she ignited in her characters.

Coming at the dark pasts which the girls have been traumatized from, well that was not at all original for Rihana. I liked the revelation of Zara because that came in the former part of the novel where the story was much fresher then the latter section.

I liked the part which the dogs played in their lives. Those incidents and the unbreakable bond were delightful.

Summing up- The novel was a nice attempt in order to touch a different subject. But no doubts there were loopholes because many people have started commenting and writing on social issues so things have become really general. If and only if some different incidents could have been merged with the tale, things could have come up more refreshingly. Still a nice attempt.


Eye-catchers-

  • ·         “Gone are the days when women were responsible for everything bad that happened, and men took credit for all god.”

  • ·        “...the best thing to do when you feel out of place is to make others feel out of place.”

  • ·        “Then they both sat down to watch Aphrodite play. When she got tired, she slept on Tiger’s grave as if fondly hugging her father.”


Recommendation-

If you are looking for an easy read on LGBT issue then you can give the book a try.


About the author-

Bhaavna Arora is the bestselling author of The Deliberate Sinner and Mistress of Honour. Before her foray into writing, she was heading a business school as a director; she also trains students and professionals in leadership. She holds two management degrees and a PhD in leadership from Pittsford University.


Buy the book-
·         

  • Amazon Link- http://www.amazon.in/Love-Bi-Way-Bhaavna-Arora/dp/0143425293?ie=UTF8&keywords=love%20bi%20the%20way%20bhaavna%20arora&qid=1478016996&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1


Book Review : No Safe Zone by Adite Banerjie

Book- No Safe Zone

Author- Adite Banerjie

Genre- Fiction (Romance/Thriller)

Publisher- Harlequin: An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers


Blurb-


Qiara Rana will do anything to save her mentor and their non-government organization from ruin. Even if it means visiting the city she had vowed never to return to. But within a few hours of landing in New Delhi, she is being chased by a gunman and is a potential suspect in the murder of a high-profile businessman. 

The only person she can turn to for help is Kabir Shorey, the man who stood her up ten years ago. Past and present collide in a deadly plot of crime and greed that moves from the cosmopolitan streets of Delhi to the bazaars and villages of Rajasthan.


Title and Cover-

The title and cover both are satisfying the genre of the book but not telling anything much about the story or the plot in particular. The cover is soothing but it surely lacks detailing.


Characters-

The characters of the book were crisp and to the point but that can only be said for the protagonists and the supporting characters. From the leads both Qiara and Kabir were cool but they failed to show something extra-ordinary by actions and speeches. From the other cast I just liked Bholu; he was one of a kind.


Narration-

Adite was showing her true colours while narrating the tale. She left no loopholes at least in her writing. There were great twists and turns and the crevices were like negligible. If and if the plot was of the same level, the book would have been another story altogether.


Review-

“No safe zone” made the expectations a lot higher due to the names attached to it and also due to a very promising blurb. It is a romantic thriller which can be guessed a bit by the cover and the title itself. From the very start there were spine chilling incidents that were bothering the leads and from there itself the novel picked up a steady pace.

There were no confusions about the intentions and the duties that were assigned to the different leads and thus without any fussy friction the story was moving. Qiara is a mixture of a cute and confident girl who has cut all strings with India and the mystery behind it is not dragged much by the author which helps the reader a lot in connecting with the leads quite easily.

As some truths are opened the novel becomes more and more exciting. There is not a long stretched suspense but the story has some small breaks within which is more comforting then solving the long mystery that often happens.

I liked the transitions that came due to the story in the characterization of Kabir. I was ready to yawn after reading his charms and ethics because that is so old school but then there is a lot more to be said, to be shown that helps in evolving him to a greater height. So I liked the fact that there were no simple articulations.

The tale was in its full form only in the beginning and the middle. The middle portion was so interesting that I was only thinking about the ending and it was making me so very high. There was everything a good story must have, love, affection, revelations, attacks etc, etc.

But everything fell from the top floor and reached the ground level just because of a very plain and extra decorative ending. It felt highly made up and so Bollywood type, where anything was happening just for the sake of a showdown. If and only if equal levels would have maintained throughout, then the book would have surpassed many levels, reaching a zenith.

Also I felt that things were moving a bit fast and that is not good for suspense novel. More layers could have helped in making a complicated and serene book.


Recommendation-

If you are looking for a quick suspense book then No Safe Zone can be your pick. It is a clean and easy read.


About the author-

After a fulfilling and exciting career as a business journalist Adite Banerjie turned to writing fiction. She has written The Indian Tycoon’s Marriage Deal and Trouble has a new name. When she is not grappling with her current work in progress, she enjoys spending time with her husband, spoiling their Irish Setter silly and watching back-to-back movies.


Connect with the author-

• www.aditebanerjie.com


Buy the book-

• Amazon Link- http://www.amazon.in/No-Safe-Zone-Adite-Banerjie/dp/9351777758/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478004909&sr=1-1&keywords=no+safe+zone


Book Review : Dangle by Sutapa Basu


Book- Dangle

Author- Sutapa Basu

Genre- Fiction

Publisher- Readomania


Blurb-

Ipshita is a travel show host and she likes living her life on her own terms that is why she does freelancing. She is on the top of the world due to her supportive family and a very nice friend.

She crosses three places and encounters some really different surroundings.

What is happening in her life? And why is she different from others? Will there be any love connection in this trip she has taken?


Title and Cover-

The main reason for liking the title as well as the cover is mainly because they are showing a phase, a reflection of emotions, situations etc and not describing the complete tale.


Characters-

Well the characters in the book were very distinct and powerful. Every person had a stand and I liked the fact that the antagonists were also presented as a normal person which actually happens in the real life. The book showed really important characters i.e., the Indian army and all the people whom Ips met while visiting Manipur have made a special place in my heart. Whenever I will remember the story of the book I will surely remember all of them.

I liked Ipshita a lot. She was a complete package and was emotionally down at a lot of points and that added a bit more spice to the situations. I found her to be a complex mixture of being jovial and wasted, mixed nicely in one. Also I liked Adi due to his patience and never-say-never mantra. Steve was also a nice character because of all the complexities he drew.

Some minor characters were also amazing like Mrs. Singh and her real self in the alone room, Jassi’s grandmother and her heart throbbing tale and of course Ips parents.


Narration-

With smooth narration Sutapa Basu has took the book to a very different level. There were absolutely no errors in her writing. She was at her best in this book. The chapters were clean and there were perfect pickups.


Review-

Dangle is a very subtle and serene novel. Without any hints of obvious points the book touches different heights altogether. The book sounds promising from the very first step i.e., the blurb. I love stories which revolve around the lives of very few individuals and they are away from the chaos and extra friction.

The suspense was at its peak from the very first chapter. A lot of hints were given by the author, telling that this book is not about love, it is not about passion but it is about a lot of other things as a whole. I loved the settings in the first part of the book. I thought that the author has done quite good homework in explaining the beauty of the alien lands.

What was nice is the fact that nothing was hidden. The author was very open with the readers and she was open enough to tell us that there are some things that bother everyone at one point or other but there are people who get affected by certain incidents to a very greater level. The inferences drawn and the calculations made further are impeccable.

The most lovable part was seeing Ips in Manipur. I thought that a lot was shown in that phase. And the hardest realities were open at that time only. I really liked the fact that the author was building up a great ending in the form of a soothing middle portion. And due to this portion only I forgot the loose ends that I felt in the first part. There I felt that the author focussed on a lot of things and not the main concerned area.

I loved the hardships that were shown in the form of Manipur. The hard facts and the real difficulties which people face are really shocking and highly enjoyable. This was the point that the novel really became very catchy and strong. Maybe that was because of national pride and patriotic love, who knows.

The terror and the beauty was managed well at every twist and turn and it was really shocking to inspect a different scenario altogether after hearing good things about the weather, lakes and people surrounding the main leads.

Final part of the novel is set in a different place. and there I thought that the author was ready to wrap things up and thus there was more of story in this part and less of details, which I felt was like breaking a strand. But authors call definitely. It didn’t harm the story anyhow. Noteworthy is the darkness that was prevailing in the full form and the intensity to know the final result was making me high.

I liked the unfolding of events but I thought that this could have done a bit slowly and not all at once in the end. It was hard to swallow all the details in a single conversation at one certain situation.

Summing up- Dangle is a one of a kind book. With a different storyline and an interesting subject, "dangle" hit my nerves a lot of times during the whole reading venture. I found the story and the characters very powerful and mesmerising. I loved the fact that there were lot of connections made which fulfilled the title in more than one ways which was really provoking. A little more suspense and well distributed revelations could have helped things more according to me. But all in all a nice and different read.


Eye-catchers-

  • ·        “When a man and woman in love come together, become one in body, heart and soul, they are the closest to God. That is what I feel, the bliss of Nirvana!”

Recommendation-

Those who are waiting to meet a strong female lead can surely pick Dangle; I highly recommend it for regular bookworms.


About the author-

An author, poet and publishing consultant, Sutapa Basu also dabbles in art and trains trainers and is a compulsive bookworm. As a publisher, Sutapa has developed and published around 400 books. Recently, her short story was awarded the First Prize in the Times of India “Write India contest”, under author, Amish Tripathi.


Connect with the author-
·         

  • Twitter- @sutapabsu20

Buy the book-
·         

  • Amazon Link-
    http://www.amazon.in/Dangle-Sutapa-Basu/dp/9385854011/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478003035&sr=1-1&keywords=dangle+by+sutapa+basu