Book Review : Encounters "Someone’s always waiting" by Sumana Khan

Book- Encounters “Someone’s always waiting”

Author- Sumana Khan

Genre- Fiction (Horror)

Publisher- CinnamonTeal Publishing

 

Blurb-

Have you ever encountered something strange in your life? Something which has left a deep mark? Or have damaged things beyond limits?

Five stories dealing with completely different aspects of life and experiences. The characters range from a retired fussy old man to a very strong headed woman. The stories work in flashback and also take you on a walk with them in the present time.

 

Title-

The title of the book starts making sense from the very first story. It was nice to see that the title is related to theme of the book and not just to something which is less substantial when talking wholly. The title was a perfect mirror image of the stories and its content.

 

Cover-

The reflection of the scenery and the lonesome man on the boat, with dark details is raising the level of curiosity. The first two impressions are great. The hidden truth and the external details of the stories can be equated with the aura created by the elements shown on the cover.

 

Characters-

Vast characters and very unique qualities each of them possess. Every person is bound in some chains or some happenings which make them look beyond the normality. Well, I was impressed with the number of people which came in front to express their expression towards something unexplainable.

The strong woman in the “First Love” or a normal girl from “Best Friends Forever”, a doctor from “BFF” or a doctor from “Happiness Clinic”, all the characters were shining bright at their places.

I have a lot of favourites to pick. From the major characters I loved, “Ratna”, “Vrka” and “DR. Shrinidhi”. And from the minor characters I adored “Andal” and “Alice”.

 

Narration-

Every story was narrated perfectly and the plot moved smoothly. The author has done a great work to make the tale an easy grasp. The flashbacks came at many times but author managed things pretty well, avoiding any sort of confusion that might have occurred.

 

Reviews-

"Encounters" was a book which can be remembered for a longer span of time because it had elements which can make one go crazy. The stories were normal but the way the author presented them was extra-ordinary. At times the stories sounded heard but then there was another page in the end which lifted things beyond the normal posture.

Starting with the first story, “First Love”, the author has tried in all the stories to bring in front the people who were different, in one way or the other. This story was woven around a woman who was strong enough to break the strands which were suffocating her. The story was great mixture of suspense, feminism and darkness. The story was mixed up, in a good way of course. It was nice to witness so many changes within the scenes. They ranged from a normal household to wilderness, which was catchy enough to hold an individual’s attention.

Next in cue is “Reminiscences”. It was a short and sweet tale. But when you start with a story like “First love” which have created a sensation in your head then something below the line can’t work. The details mentioned in the story were precise and very normal which made the story very light and easy going.

The third tale is “The story-teller”; the base of the story was very impressive. It was unusual and prolific. The pastoral images which the author has penned are noteworthy. Flashbacks always work and it touched another height with this story.

“Happiness clinic” is the second last tale of the book. The best part of all the stories is the characters. In happiness clinic we see two protagonists, the man and the woman. They are poles apart from each other but still they try to move hand in hand. The difference in their personalities is expressed with brilliance. The lessons learnt are though heard but still they had that shine in them, to create an unforgettable effect on any reader.

And finally we have the story of two friends, “Best friends forever”. The story is the highlight of the book because it contains enough spooky images and advancement than any other story of the book. The story is a mixture of love, friendship, separation, hatred and envy. I was so moved when I read the closing pages that I had to stop for a while to inhale all that was happening. Such was the magic created by the author.

The stories weren’t horrifying, instead they were meaningful. The book can be read again and again and the author has made sure that every reader leaves with something in hand after completing the book. At least that happened to me. I have never seen so much variation in my reading experience ever.

I would really like to form an order according to my liking of the stories which are part of this collection:

1. Best Friends Forever
2. First Love
3. The Storyteller
4. Happiness Clinic
5. Reminiscences

 

Eye-catchers-

· “Was I just a pair of breasts and a womb to everyone?”

· “To have loved Radha, and to have been loved by her- yes, that has been the purpose of my life.”

· “This mental imprisonment is the greatest tragedy of our society.”

· “In her words you will find yours.”

 

Turn-on’s-

The best part of the book lies in every part of the book. The narration, the characters, the topic, the handling of the plot everything was a big turn on for me. I haven’t read a short story collection like this in a very long time.

 

Turn-off’s-

I was expecting more spooky stories and more elements of horror. I signed up for that only but nothing such happened. The stories were meaningful and fulfilling but were not horrifying.

 

Recommendation-

A great book. Anybody can pick it up without any second thoughts. The book is a gem.

About the author-

Sumana khan was born and raised in Bangalore where she pursued a career as an IT consultant. She currently lives in the UK and is a full-time writer and student. She holds a Master of Letters in Creative Writing from University of Glasgow and is pursuing her M.Sc. in Psychology. Her first book was “The revenge of Kaivalya”

Connect with the author-

· http://www.sumanakhan.com

Cover Reveal : The Prince's Special Bride by Devika Fernando

Cover Reveal

ROYAL ROMANCE, BOOK 1: 

THE PRINCE'S SPECIAL BRIDE

by

DEVIKA FERNANDO

Sneak Peek

Marie doesn’t believe in fairytales and needs no handsome prince to rescue her from misery – but everything changes when she falls in love with Crown Prince Christian of Taragonia. When his sister invites Marie to the palace, their lives collide and leave them both fighting their forbidden attraction.

Prince Christian has no place in his life for love or for a woman who doesn’t fit into the royal scheme of things. But vivacious Marie steals his heart and puts all he has lived for at stake. When the media gets wind of their affair, he has to make a difficult decision. 

Will the unlikely couple have a chance at a happy ending?

About the Author

Almost as soon as Devika Fernando could write, she imagined stories and poems. After finishing her education in Germany and returning to her roots in Sri Lanka, she got a chance to turn her passion into her profession. Having lived in Germany and in Sri Lanka with her husband has made her experience the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds – something that influences her writing. Her trademark are sweet, yet deeply emotional romance stories where the characters actually fall in love instead of merely falling in lust. She draws inspiration from everyone and everything in life. Besides being a romance novel author, she works as a self-employed German web content writer, as a translator, and as a faithful servant to all the cats, dogs, fish and birds in her home. What she loves most about being an author is the chance to create new worlds and send her protagonists on a journey full of ups and downs that will leave them changed. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or thinking about writing.

You can follow the author here:
Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Excerpt from the book

Marie blinked some more, her feet automatically carrying her close. “What…what are you doing here?” Belatedly, she curtsied and added a weak “Your Highness”, remembering that they were not alone. 

His smile widened. For a moment, he seemed to be drinking her in, his gaze roving appreciatively over her body clad turquoise capris and a white polo shirt. She felt his gaze like a physical caress, driving her out of her mind, increasing the heat.

“This is my family’s property. Surely I have a right to be here,” he joked mildly. For a moment, it looked like he wanted to touch her, but his hand fell back down to his side, clenching into a fist once.

“Yes,” she replied, still dazed. “But you’re a crown prince, not a winemaker.”

He laughed, and the sound traveled straight to her heart. “That is correct, but I do know a thing or two about wine. My duties encompass everything concerned with my kingdom.”

She nodded. Of course. And wasn’t that what made him the perfect regent? His interest in anything and everything, his willingness to learn and his readiness to get his hands dirty?

He ushered her into the building, her entourage trailing behind and exchanging looks.

“I came here this morning with the dignitaries from England and Germany to give them a private tour.” Christian raked his hands through his hair, as if the time spent with them hadn’t exactly been fun. “My sister told me you’d end up here sooner or later, otherwise I’d have traveled through the region, visiting some other vineyards and villages.”

Marie swallowed. So he’d stayed behind because of her. She felt thrilled and anxious at the same time. As keen as she was on every minute spent with him, this would lead nowhere and should not even get a chance to bloom. Why nurture something that was doomed to be cut off at the stem before it could blossom?

Are you ready?????

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This Tour is Hosted by 

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We Promote So That You Can Write 

   

Book Review : Ponytail- The love for Revenge by Pradip Chauhan

Book- Ponytail “The Love for Revenge”

Author- Pradip Chauhan

Genre- Fiction (Romance/Suspense)

Publisher- HRC Publisher

 

Blurb-

Prabuddh is famous for his flamboyant avatar. His big hair is a very hot topic of discussion amongst his office folks. But he has some desire which keeps him burning from inside.

Three women, Tapasya, Kaumudi and Amita, make Prabuddh reach different sections of his life.

Which way his destiny takes him? What effect the trio has on his life? Does it end on a normal trip? Or something really big lies in front?

 

Title-

The title isn’t literary suiting anything but it has some strong connection with the story. The subtitle says a lot and hides equal proportions and thus instigates the desire to know the story. For me the title was not bad (to mention it particularly) and also not great (to be remembered for a long time). It basically lied somewhere in the middle.

Cover-

Book cover was bland. It didn’t work in any way, further it didn’t describe anything in particular too. Not at all impressive.

 

Characters-

Well the story was short so if I judge solely on that basis then the characters were enough. But the traits were not mentioned clearly of any character. I like characters which are influential and demanding. I also felt that just one character author had in mind and every minuscule detail about him (Prabuddh) was exaggerated. Like, I was not interested in knowing which car he was driving, duh. These details didn’t help the story in any way.

It’s sad but I couldn’t find any character worthy enough to be cherished till the very end. But if still I had to point out some of my favourites or near to be my favourite then the trio of ladies, Tapasya, Kaumudi and Amita would be my pick. Still I thought that they were like those heroines of South Indian cinema who were just added in the story for the sake of adding them. They didn’t have much to say or do. And if they had something to add then it was just to carry forward the story.

Narration-

First person narration becomes boring after one point of time and same happened in this story. The author tried his best to keep the tone easy and smooth but the fault was in the loose plot. Talking about the narration then I felt that author can be given credit for making the read easy and extra mentions for his ability to keep the flow intact till the end.

 

Reviews-

Book is divided into three sections. The first section of the book is very simple and as expected only the base is built in the initial pages. The new characters come in front from time to time and just help in moving the story ahead. The extravagant life of the protagonist “Prabuddh” is shown at large. I found the story in the start very plain and nothing special caught my attention for a very long time. There was no moment in the first section which was catchy or emotional or exciting. The first section thus had less of story and more of unwanted details.

The section two is the only hope of the book. This section fills all the gaps which were created by the first section. Story starts making sense and every pawn reflects its importance from time to time. In a very nice way the author brought in front all that is happening, has happened or is about to happen. But don’t be judgemental till the last. The best authors are those who keep the best for the last and Pradip has tried to play his ace accordingly.

A lot of expectation was build up in my heart but sadly I was again in the trap of exaggerated facts. This part of the novel didn’t have much to say. I loved the wrap up but it could have been much-much better and no excuses can work for the climax. If I keep my head aside for a while then only I can give some credit to the author for building up things which didn’t go with the flow. But sadly that can’t be done.

At the end, the story was nice and the book was an easy read. The writing was smooth and clear. The story was a little away from leaving an everlasting impact but still the author tried his best to present things well.

 

Eye-catchers-

· “Love spreads peace in the world while revenge begets hatred.”

 

Turn-on’s-

Twists and turns in the middle part were the highlight of the story. I liked the way things turned and the essence of suspense in the story can make a person still, till he/she reaches the very end. The editing of the book was fine too. It allowed a super fast and easy reading experience.

 

Turn-off’s-

The plot was the main turn off because it didn’t have anything fresh. The novel can only be counted as fine because of its smooth writing. The author tried his best to add turns but then at the end they were predictable, except some major ones.

 

Recommendation-

It is one time read, the readers who are in the initial levels of their reading experience can give it a try.

 

About the author-

Pradip Chauhan is from Gujarat. He has a medical science degree (MBBS, MS, CRM) from Saurashtra University. Presently he delivers lectures of Anatomy subject in PDU. Govt. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat. His first book was in Gujarati which received good response. Other two books of published by him are- “Love stories” and he wrote first book series “On the Earth: in the light if the sun”. His area of interest is paranormal, science fiction, romance, suspense and thriller.

 

Connect with the author-

· http://www.amazon.in/Prajwalit

· Email- ontheearthbyprajjawalit@gmail.com

· Twitter handle- @Prajwalit2015

Book Review : Con Kabir by Vinod Gairola

Book- Con Kabir

Author- Vinod Gairola

Editor- Cora Bhatia

Genre- Fiction (Suspense/Thriller)

Publisher- Leadstart Publishing and Frog Books

Blurb-

Whenever evil rule, God comes as a saviour and if he can’t, a messenger is sent. There are a series of cons happening in different areas which have created quite a buzz in the society.

Everyone is searching the conman who is described differently by everyone.

There is a whole new face which is needed to be revealed but how things will be sorted in this complex situation? How the reality will come in front? When the series of suspense will end and what will be the end result?

Title-

The title must be a mirror to the story and Con Kabir suited things pretty well. Anyone can get abundant hints from the name that what and where the story will take them but the name is just a part. I was really excited with the name itself and I was not disappointed as I edged ahead. An apt title I must say.

Cover-

The images on the cover are very fresh and exuberant. They have all the elements which are mentioned in the book. The leading face of the cover, the man with beard and glares is quite impressive to look at. He symbolizes the protagonist well (if that is what it is meant to). The two young boys were the much needed faces because they are the source of things. I was highly impressed when I added two and two to make four.

Characters-

There are so many characters in the novel that one gets highly involved in the tale. It’s just like that long suspense movies in which every small character helps the main leads to take the story ahead. The story reached its peak just because of these small characters that were always eager to play their part and didn’t hesitate coming in between from time to time. Apart from these, the main leads were doing their part extraordinarily well, they had a lot to show the readers and thus they were given the main stage quite openly. I liked one fact about the characters that the minor and major leads changed roles when it came to different chapters, in one chapter you have one person taking the story ahead and in the other chapter there is a whole new face. This made the story very fresh and serene.

If I were to choose some unforgettable characters then they would be Kabir, Ali and Sandy; I chose these characters because they were the most versatile ones.

Narration-

The narration being in the third person suited the suspense quite well. It was smooth and even the change in scenes within the chapters were superbly handled due to this. The different days and years were mentioned to avoid any confusion and thank God for that. The story was clear in front of the author and that is the sole reason of such a book.

Reviews-

A great starts leads to best results. Con Kabir had the potential to tell the readers from the very start that there are better things in the book which have the power to hold your interest. It makes you sure that you are going to read something interesting. There are vivid characters. There is a vast difference when it comes to characterization. The two leads which are introduced in the start are two different poles.

The book has a lot of things which were unheard for me. If the world functions in the way the author mentions then we need a lot of conman like Kabir in our locality. It was a treat to read a lot of fresh things in the coming chapters. The book had external information at many turns, but the author had incorporated things in such a manner that even newness felt nice. New ideologies and a perfect base to build up something big, is done by the author, which worked for him in the long run.

I loved the two con incidents mentioned in the book. The con of Punjab was hilarious. Sharpest brains can also fall in holes; the message was quite clear from the story of Sandy. Well, I haven’t read much stories of a conman thus I found all this really nice. The next con showed the doom of a NRI. It was well written and executed by the writer like the first one. So, it was great show to watch.

Mr. Malik proves to be the perfect strand. He was responsible for the completion of the story. So I found his character of great importance in the tale. I was in doubt when I was reading the last chapters of the book. I really needed to know how some things happened and why they happened in the first place. Like the plane crash, what happened exactly after Kabir met Mr. Shah? I can decode things my way but I really wanted the author to tell me that but he/she didn’t bother to write even a line indicating what all he meant. My fantasies are running wildly to find the answers.

The character of Ali has a lot to say in the end. I was in shock to read what he had to say. Sometimes you think that you know the story as you are on the last chapter but the writer has planned more than what you can imagine. The story was a treat to read, as it had some unique wow factors. But at the same time it created questions in my mind which I don’t want, after the novel is completed. The sub-title of the novel- Experience the other side of terrorism was well played within the novel. It was an intelligent book with a lot of fineness and richness.

Eye-catchers-

· “Set priorities, have patience, add passion and aim for perfection.”

· “...until the time people do not respect the religion of others, there will be no peace.”

Turn-on’s-

The best part about this book is the subject matter. Very rarely you see a novel covering such topics which Con Kabir has covered. The hard work of author is visible in the book; he might have put a lot of stress while making such complex plan. The small details (no matter they are true or not) were really holding the book together.

Turn-off’s-

The only problem I have is with the ending chapters. If and only if the author had tried to make things a bit more clear while telling the ending, things would have reached different tangents.

Recommendation-

No matter you like suspense or not, this one is worth giving a try.

http://www.amazon.in/Con-Kabir/dp/9352015541

Connect with the author-

· Conkabir@india.com

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