Book Review : Confusingly Interesting or Interestingly Confused by Pravin R. Rathod

Book- Confusingly Interesting or Interestingly Confused

Author- Pravin R. Rathod

Editor- Cora Bhatia

Genre- Fiction

Publisher- Leadstart Publishing and Frog Books

 

Blurb-

Four friends are in Goa, enjoying their reunion after a long time. When alcohol hit their nerves, the stories of their loved ones is one there lips.

But before all this Tik’s life has experienced a lot of confusion which make his life quite complicated from the very start. He is confused for his education, career, friends, love and even his interest.

Will things sort out in their lives? Where there confessions and confusions will take them?

 

Title-

Well the title surely has the two most important things that are showcased in the book i.e., confusions and interests of all the individuals. But was it literary working? I didn’t feel that. The title was plain and it didn’t work to create that aura which is required to be formed after one reads the title. Though it’s related but it still misses the hue of perfection and serenity.

 

Cover-

The cover is better than the title. The colours are radiant and catchy. The four main leads are shown in the front with a posture of comfort and relaxation which goes well with the story. I first thought that the falling star has some important feature in terms with the book but sadly nothing like that happened. But still, the cover worked for me.

 

Characters-

The characters are the lifeline of the book. The people seems seen and heard. There are studious ones, then pranksters, alcoholic; it was nice to see so many people associated directly or indirectly to each other. The author has planned the characters well and has presented them nicely from time to time.

The most interesting characters in the book were NP and VJ. They took my attention especially because of the story they narrated. The minor characters were many and were complimenting the story well. The best minor characters were Pratiksha and Bishikha. They were contrasting in every way and were well created.

 

Narration-

The narration was done by Tik while the stories of Kash, NP and VJ were narrated by themselves. Everything was in first person which worked well. It was a nice move to change the narrator when the stories were to be told, otherwise things wouldn’t have come out the way they were in the book. The narrator kept things easy to handle while reading. The chapters were well divided. There were perfect ends and perfect pickups.

 

Review-

The story presented in the book seems quite monotonous in the start. The former chapters contain a simple story of few friends who are on the mission to experience more and more. Well, the starting was a quick base to show the readers what the characters are like, what they have in an out. If the incident mentioned in the very start was a bit different then things would have been interesting and worthy but the same old recipe is presented again with new faces and names.

There is movement in the story and new characters are framed. It is always nice to see contradictory characters. It gives a little amusement because when there are two heads with different poles then conversation and actions of these two collide and something interesting is always built up. Same happened here.

Story had a lot of flashbacks from time to time. Author had distinctively penned them, making things easy to grasp.

Nothing special happened until the group of four friends decided to mark their attendance on the beach of Goa. Well, the story of Tik was moving and moving without any awestruck factor. So there was nothing special before Chapter 8 came. The effect under which the guys are speaking makes you also a live spectator of their narration. The author has kept the whole novel very simple and easy to read and the best advantage of this thing can be seen in this particular part of the novel.

Excitement hits your vision when people dictate there tale one after the other. The word confusion creates witty situations. Every person is in some kind of chaos. So, it was well thought of factor which allowed the author to write things which seem quite relatable.

When the stories are being told, author has kept in his mind one thing; the person and his narration. Thus, we don’t see much cross-questioning and this helped a lot in making the chapters smooth. At first I was wondering why Tik’s story was handled alone and the rest stories are told later. If all the four stories were told together then the book would have been much better. But then how author used the tales with the narrator Tik’s life was really intelligent. Because it is Tik only who is always in mess. So I quite liked the way things preceded. It was another start to what just ended.

The story was quick and easy; also the bond of friendship was well shown by the author, making it a story worth sharing among different circles.

 

Eye-catchers-

· “If you are confused, it means you can think.”

· “Alcohol is really good for one reason, whatever you think, you feel, you say it honestly without even giving your brain any chance to tamper with it.”

· “No one talked, no one asked, no one proposed yet the answer was yes from both of us.”

Turn-on’s-

Kash’s story of friendship worked as a cherry on the top of the book. It was really inspiring. These ending stories were really great and they are the sole reason for holding the book. Some stories had pain, some had lessons and some had love. Simplicity was also another great factor of the book.

 

Turn-off’s-

The story never had any such moment which can be remembered always. It was just a tale without any wow factors. So, it makes it only a one time read and it can’t remain in the list of favourites.  

 

Recommendation-

It is a book for those who like stories within stories. It can be in your list for a one time read.

 

About the author-

Pravin R. Rathod is an MBA graduate and a SAP consultant by profession. He is also associated with an NGO named LAKSHYA: Changing lives, and contribute towards various social activities. This book is his very first attempt to let his thoughts appear on paper in the form of words and in a year’s time, even to his surprise, it took the shape of an entire story. He is 26 years old and apart from writing, he loves to visit new places and to lose his mind to music.

 

Connect with the author-

· reachpravinrathod@gmail.com

Book Blitz : My Last Love Story by Falguni Kothari

My Last Love Story 
by 
Falguni Kothari

Blurb 

Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes’s, Me Before You, My Last Love Story is a heartbreaking and poignant tale about the complexities of trauma and whether love can right a wrong.

***
I, Simeen Desai, am tired of making lemonade with the lemons life has handed me.

Love is meant to heal wounds.
Love was meant to make my world sparkle and spin.
Love has ripped my life apart and shattered my soul.

I love my husband, and he loves me.
But Nirvaan is dying.
I love my husband. I want to make him happy.
But he is asking for the impossible.

I don’t want a baby.
I don’t want to make nice with Zayaan.
I don’t want another chance at another love story. 

Grab your Copy @

amazon.com | amazon.in|amazon.co.uk 

or grab this book free at #KindleUnlimited 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

 Falguni Kothari is a New York-based hybrid author, and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a semi-professional background in Indian Classical dance. She writes in a variety of genres sewn together by the colorful and cultural threads of her South Asian heritage and expat experiences. When not writing or dancing, she fools around on all manner of social media and loves to connect with readers.

My Last Love Story is her fourth novel.

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Book Review : The Justified Sin by Harpreet Makkar

Book- The Justified Sin

Author- Harpreet Makkar

Genre- Fiction (Romance)

Publisher- Petals Publisher (2nd edition)

 

Blurb-

Jay is crowded with love from all over. But what use he makes out if it? He has all he wanted but still there is void, there are confusions, there is mess. All that one need in life to sustain peacefully is love. Then why Jay is so adamant to accept it?

What role does the trio of ladies, Saloni, Prachi and Varsha play in his life? Why even after so many extravaganzas in life he is tormented by his dreams?

Title-

The title might sound relevant to some readers but it didn’t work for me. I am still thinking that as to where and how it suited the story. It just matched the level of curiosity and its attachment with the tale was not of high quality. So it was ok but didn’t touch me deep. It didn’t make me fall for some realizations at any point of time during this novel, not even at the end.

Cover-

The cover was much better than the title. The image of a person entering the life of a couple says a lot and also creates a lot of anticipation to know more. The name of the book on cover has three elements to enhance the reading experience. The stiletto, the glass of wine and a gun, represent very important parts of the novel in their own way. I was truly amazed after I completed the book and discovered this fact, which remain unnoticed at first. Great work.

Characters-

Major characters were really nice; they ruled every line, every phase and every page, without leaving any place for the minor characters. Frankly speaking, I thought that some characters were suppressed, like that of Jay’s father, he was a really great lead to reach some ends and his emotions were not completely shown when the major turns arrive in Jay’s life. He just come and passes by. I didn’t notice anything about Piya too, not even Shaurya was of much use.

Anyways the characters worth remembering are, Varsha and Saloni. They were pretty, smart and had so much to show and tell. They had very sharp characteristics and were really clear in their heads. I could sense a strong woman in them, no matter what part they played in the book. And this judgement is solely on the basis of what I saw. It might not be the same for others.

Narration-

First person narration suited the tale. This type of narration doesn’t open much gates for the author but Harpreet used his pen wisely. There were no places where things were confusing so I wasn’t bothered much anywhere. It made things easy to understand. The flashback always works and the same happened in “The justified sin.”

Reviews-

The justified sin shocked me at first, adversely. I was not expecting such overpowered high talks. The way the things were presented in the start gave me a feeling that I was watching Karan Johar’s “Student of the year”, where students do everything, except studies. I was amused to see how much pampered the little kid was. The part which Saloni played in the life of Jay was very interesting to read. It had the entire factor which a spicy tale needs.

I was happy to see that author didn’t aim to right a simple romantic tale. The book showed how complex human mind is and how much confusion one can face when things are not going the way we want them to. But does one really gets late in getting what one wants and desire and also deserve? The novel beautifully explains this facet.

The novel moves as expected in the start there are no fast movements and similarly there are no slow ones too, which help in maintaining a flow. The starting chapters are easy to grasp. The problem arise when the situation and characters changes dramatically. I was not ready to leave Saloni in the middle and over that I was not settled to accept a new entry. I needed some answers but author had different plans for that and thus I had to wait for the finale.

But before moving there, Prachi stand in the way. She represents the same class of women who like to be heard. To say in the terms of Jay, it would be:

“It was always about her”

From the very start I made a thinking about her. And I was not disappointed at the end by how I judged this character. She is the same girl with whom people can talk to, miss them in their absence. But does she really went deep within Jay? I don’t think so. And I am not surprised with the way she was handled. This might sound weird but a judgment once formed can’t be moulded.

Next, the author has to introduce Varsha. Now how Jay and Varsha meet is not very impressive. I mean was that incident really necessary, which made Jay reach such place. And if that scene was to be incorporated for the movement of story, then couldn’t there be switching between the characters that made this scene possible. It would have sounded more realistic then. But it is completely author’s wish at the end.

Moving ahead, I loved Varsha and her part in the book. She was a surprise package and the kind of life which Jay faces after meeting her is very fresh. The incidents and the last few days which are specially mentioned at the closing of the book steal the show. They are really nice. It’s really hard to hold the excitement till the end.

Overall the book was nice, with very vivid characters and a nice moving plot. No matter what hitches came in between, no matter what changes came in between, the story didn’t left its pace.

Eye-catchers-

· “...the right things are not always that easy to accept.”

· “It was always about her, though she asked me about my life but she hardly cared for my answers.”

Turn-on’s-

The simplicity of the book is the major advantage. It truly depicts the hard work of a new writer. There were minimal or negligible errors which made the reading smooth. Author has tried his best to make best use of conversations whenever the story was going pale.

Turn-off’s-

I was really disappointed to see extremely high profile life of a mere 12th class boy. I kept on thinking that as to where all these details were useful for the story or the book. There were repeated phrases and words. The fact that Jay was becoming insomniac due to the moving story came a lot of times in front of my eyes. I wasn’t impressed by his personal details. Otherwise there were no such flaws in his nature and his part in the book.

Recommendation-

Looking for a twisted romance tale? The justified sin can be your pick.

About the author-

Harpreet Makkar, born and brought up in Ludhiana was a senior design engineer in one of the top MNC’s of the country till the moment he decided to quit and devote his time to the family and pursuing his passion of writing. Currently working as a financial analyst by profession and a publisher by choice, and being an avid reader, he fins ample time to work on his passion o reading and writing.

Connect with the author-

· www.facebook.com/harpreet.makkar.14

· md@petalpublishers.com

Book Review : Rukhsat- The Departure by Sujit Banerjee

Book- Rukhsat- The Departure

Author- Sujit Banerjee

Editor- Cora Bhatia

Genre- Fiction (Short-Stories)

Publisher- Frog Books, Leadstart Publishing

Blurb-

26 short stories, each imparting something valuable. What can be someone’s darkest secret or wish? Who have hurt you the most? Whose movement in/out of your life made things harder?

Such daily life concepts, with some very different turns constitute this collection.

Title-

It happened for the first time that I judged the title after the cover. So whatever I feel about the aptness of the name is due to what I feel about the cover.

Cover-

Beautiful cover and very meaningful. Well, the fallen leaves depict everything which the blurb says. People coming and going, but life never stops moving. I was spell-bound totally. The effect of sketching and the black-white contrast worked well for me.

Note (For title and cover)- Now, how it is related to all the stories or the concept? I read the blurb of the book and then realized what the name is all about. Frankly speaking I couldn’t connect with it in the first encounter.

Characters-

That’s what the book is all about. There are 26 different characters, each having so much to say and do in life. They are in between chaos of different kind.

 

Reviews-

Very rarely it happens that you come across a book which has elements of all kind. And expecting that from a collection of short stories is a hard task. I took this book because I love short stories. Coming on the book, the concept is unique and so are the stories. I was about to handle every story personally but then I realized that darkness is a common factor in all of them.

When there is likeness, there is a chance of boredom but thanks to the author, I remained away from that zone. I loved the darkness which came in front with every story. The source of despair and dismay was different every time. Every story had something unusual to gift. Every story increased my assertiveness, it had that power. Every story has something beyond the usual norms to share with its reader.

A very intelligent approach is used. The story is told to you and not explained. You have your wild imaginations with you to deal with them. But that happens only in well constructive stories. Stories which were regular were easy to grasp indeed.

Stories like “Gustav” and “Eklavyya” were normal but affective. They can tell you the normal mistakes people tend to do. But time which is moved, never returns. Such small messages make the book handy and boastful.

I loved the story “Hemakshi”. It was a very searing story of continuous loss. What a woman desires and how her loss moves her to unimaginable levels. The story was a treat. This line in the story is worth remembering...

“The sky was an iridescent orange. All around otherwise was pitch dark, but not darker than her inside.”

I also liked the twists of story “Indu”.

Many stories had unrealistic and unexpected turns. It enhanced the story unmistakably. Many stories were intelligent, regular reading, with half attention can’t decode the real meaning for you. Some stories gave you grief in the start and smiles at the end. No story was below any other. They were all on the same ground, complimenting each other and also this book.

Turn-on’s-

The main turn on is the idea behind this book. It was unique and it flabbergasted me. Who can think that 26 letters can create such magic not just in penning the sentences but also in framing an idea for these stories? Well thought.

I really loved the fact that there was barren land everywhere on the cover. It clicked me (I don’t know if that was intentional or not). It seemed close to the story in one way or the other.

 

Recommendation-

Short story readers can pick this book without any hesitation. It has all the elements to entertain you, if you are ready to read it with proper care.

About the author-

Born to Bengali parents in Lucknow, Sujit grew up in Patna, where he finished his post-graduation in Psychology, from Patna University and ended up becoming a tour operator instead of a Psychologist. His work took him all over the globe and introduced him to the worlds of Mayans and Aztecs. He started getting interested in Shamanic ways, in healing and joined Pranic healing courses to become a certified healer. Today, he both heals as well as reads Tarot cards. He continues to work in tourism and lives in Delhi. This is his first work of fiction.

Connect with the author-

· Twitter handle- @sujitrukhsat

Book Review : A Thousand Unspoken Words by Paulami DuttaGupta

Book- A Thousand Unspoken Words

Author- Paulami DuttaGupta

Genre- Fiction

Publisher- Readomania

Blurb-

Musafir, the idealist writer is finding hard to move in life. Tilottama is an ardent follower of his work. But till when can idealism win in this not so friendly environment of haters?

Tilottama and Musafir move ahead in life. But till when they can face the differences of opinion?

Till when can things go right for them?

How will they move ahead without harming things much?

Title-

The title is stupendously well. I kept on thinking for a while and then it clicked just like that when I was on the last few pages. It made a lot more sense than earlier. And I fell in love with the book once again after it ended in such a pleasurable way.

Cover-

The cover has different elements. But the main focus goes on the face of the man and I see Musafir in him. The relentless facial expression makes me think all that he went through, all the duality in his life and his immobile thinking which isolates with the moving story.

Characters-

There were no external links in the book. The characters are same throughout. The supporting characters are very helpful in constructing this bridge. The main characters take all the limelight. They have so much to show, so much to tell. The people have a lot moving in their lives. They themselves seem infected due to all that is happening. There are constant changes in people but Tilottama was a constant character, doing what she like and loving what she longed for.

If I had to pick some characters for their awesomeness then they will be- Tilottama, Musafir and Mimi. Mimi played a very important role being a supporting character; she helped the main leads to cross the line at various places.

Narration-

The author’s narration shows expertise. There was no such place where she left some crease in my mind. It felt she filled the canvass with pure sincerity. The chapters were properly maintained and framed. There were proper breaks and perfect pick-up. I didn’t have to think twice or turn the page to know where the story is headed. My reading found a perfect balance with every new chapter.

Reviews-

The story is about Musafir and his continuously changing life. It starts with a very long and properly penned Prologue. It gave me a spontaneous insight. Judging the characters was very easy in the start. A very harsh scenario is in front. You feel sympathetic, curious and adventurous at the same time. Splendid writing results in the formation of such trio.

Well, I was not able to adopt the changes at first. I was angry as the things moved. Yes, I was that much into the book. Thank you author. But then things changed. I understood why things were moving that way. Why the source was exciting the hues of unwanted parameters? My all Why’s were resting in peace, as soon as a good amount of chapters were done.

The prologue and the initial chapters were mind-blowing. There were new things, situations and characters, treating you well. But what the middle part had for the readers? Just realizations, plain, but effective. To be frank there was not much of story in between. There were just some connected things which took the book ahead.

Also, there was a time when some chapters came, where in a hidden corner was a hope, a hope for a light of newness. Some turns had the same contents which made the story predictable. And at times the required doors didn’t open which loosened the strand. Thus sadly the middle was not that helping.

Thank God the ending had some difference in its womb. No matter how much the story is dragged, a climax can’t be mundane. A thousand unspoken words had an end which can be remembered for days or even months. It had so much to offer you, like love, depression, desire, self-control, losing control and last but not the least the never ending hope of finding the true meaning of oneself, for oneself.

The book had a deep discovery of human mind-set, notions and preaching. It had turns which were not usual yet relatable. It had verses of flexibility with stiffness. Every turn had a perfect blend, every character had a lot to express and every situation had radiance of its own kind.

Eye-catchers-

· “Change must come or it shall lead to arrogance.”

· “Popularity had given him what ideology couldn’t.”

· “Pain is a very inspiring thing.”

· “...idealism wouldn’t fill my stomach or buy me wine. My pen will.”

· “...for you alone know where I reside.”

· “Silences don’t feel empty, they are companionable.”

Turn-on’s-

The confined situations, the work of Musafir, the idealistic approach, a strong woman and definitely the last two letters need a special mention. My heartbeat rose with all the nightmares that arrived in the story and it sank as the end was approaching without something substantial but things were sorted quite well.

Turn-off’s-

Nothing noteworthy the book has which can be written in this section. Apart from the middle part which was monotonous, as compared to the start and end.

Recommendation-

If you haven’t read a book lately which have a reversible impact of things, or you need something more than a story in a novel then this book can be in your 2016 reading list.

About the author-

Paulami DuttaGupta is a novelist and screen writer. She shuttles between Kolkata and Shillong. She has worked as a radio artist, copy writer, journalist and a television analyst at various stages of her life, having been associated with AIR Shillong, The Times of India—Guwahati Shillong Plus, ETV Bangla, The Shillong Times, Akash Bangla and Sony Aath.

As an author, her short stories have appeared in various anthologies and literary magazines. A Thousand Unspoken Words is her fourth book. Paulami also writes on politics, social issues and cinema. Her articles have appeared in Swarajya, The Forthright and NElive.

Paulami is associated with cinema and her first film, Ri- Homeland of Uncertainty received the National Award for the Best Khasi Film. Her second film Onaatah—Of the Earth is at post production stage and will release in 2016. She is currently working on her third screenplay. A short film tentatively titled ‘Patjhar’ is also in the pipeline.

 
Connect with the author-

· Twitter handle- @ShillongGal