Friday, January 31, 2014

Guest Post- Four Core Themes of It's Never Too Late by Priyanka Baranwal

Hi, guys! Today we have on the blog, author of It's Never Too Late, Priyanka Baranwal. Priyanka has written an absolutely interesting and thoroughly informative guest post based on the four themes of her book. I don't wish to use up this post so I'll hand it over to Priyanka. You can also find all the information you need about the author and the book below. 

ABOUT THE BOOK (GOODREADS SUMMARY): 

In a nation where most women are taught to be submissive atevery stage in life, Maya stands out. In a society that finds fault inwomen for heinous crimes like rape, Maya stands up.Maya and Rajat fall in love while they study at IIT Kanpur;their daughter Sejal only makes the bond stronger even after yearsof marriage. Life is almost perfect when two petty criminalsdecide to make her fairytale life a tale of horror and fear with theirintention of molesting her.Will she be able to fight her fate while Rajat is away and saveherself and her five-year-old? Will she be able to undo all stereotypesand face the male-dominated society after that fateful night?Will Rajat stand up with her as she decides to battle her fears andtake the culprits to their just punishment?It’s Never Too Late is a story of every woman who decides tofight her fears and even destiny; of every human who chooses the right over the easy; of everywife who shoulders all responsibilities of the house; and of every mother who is unwavering inher resolve to ensure that her daughter grows up in a safer world.


BOOK LINKS (BUY THE BOOK): 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 



Priyanka Baranwal is a freelance writer, poet and blogger. She is a science graduate and certified in Diploma in Pre & Primary Teacher’s Training with Specialization in Teaching English from American TESOL Institute, and Textile Designing. She has been a well appreciated teacher and has also worked with a NGO in Bangalore as Corporate Relationship Officer. She loves music, literature, writing, and travelling.
Originally from Mirzapur (U.P.) and settled in Bangalore, Priyanka lives with her husband, Sumit Baranwal and son, Ashmit.
It’s Never Too Late is her debut novel. 

AUTHOR LINKS: FACEBOOK / TWITTER / BLOG




GUEST POST: 

Four core themes of It’s Never Too Late 
 BY – Priyanka Baranwal 

Love & Friendship 

 For me, love and friendship go hand in hand. A romantic relationship infused with friendship as its bridge is way stronger than any other bond in this world. It automatically grows the resilience between the two people connected to it. Love & friendship are one of the strongest core themes of my novel. Maya is only able to do better in Antaragni because of her divine friendship with Rajat. In later stages when she struggles through the horrible night, it is her love for the family that spins the table around. It has always been love and friendship for Rajat and her family that makes Maya pass through every pitfall, every difficulty. 

Fear

 We all face fear, in one or other form. It may be as tiny as a dot and as giant as a monster but fear is always present within us. Fighting to overcome its heart wrenching effect is a task that every one of us has to go through it. Exactly the same happens with Maya when she confounds her biggest fear – Fear of losing her family and dignity. But remember one thing always; a weakness gives birth to strength somewhere within. So when you face fear, realize that the strength to fight with it has also taken birth in you. You just need to find it much like Maya. 

Introspection

 This, I believe, is something we all do on a normal basis but the analysis of wringing ourselves becomes self storming when you face doubts and umpteen times of self-restraints. The life after the night of terror, Maya too has to go through an endless conduit of introspection. She begins to have doubts in herself. She loses faith in herself at many points. The repercussions of the night churn her heart with several hounding memories. But she continues doing her best to keep all the pieces together and finally she makes her way out of the introspection, the self-analysis. 

Faith

 Faith is as diverse as human beings but here with faith I mean, faith in destiny. Have faith in destiny. No matter what circumstances you have to go through, always have in mind that destiny has stored something better for you. Many of you may dismiss it with utter disagreement but I don’t intend to argue at this point. This concept is hard to understand I know but you can trust it as it is coming straight from an author’s heart. I have already mentioned it in my book this way - When every door is closed, there must be a window of opportunity and if that one is closed too, try to change the lock and get out. But remember, you struggle only because of one faith – the faith of finding something better for the survival outside the door frame.

I hope you all liked reading this post just as much as I did. I'd like to thank Priyanka for taking the time out to write it and for sharing it with us. And thank you for stopping by! 

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Review- Of Love & Lovers by Pamela Sinha Mathur

Summary-

WILL SAMANTHA START BELIEVING
IN TRUE LOVE AGAIN?

A rocky relationship with an NRI coupled with a tragic, personal loss has made Samantha somewhat cynical in matters of the heart.

Shipra and Vikas are aware of the consequences of their love.Will their relationship stand the test of time?

Aditya has to choose between his love and his family’s expectations of him. Is he capable of making the right choice?

Spanning across Toronto and Mumbai, the lives of these four intersect dramatically when Samantha comes to India on an exchange program.

Will the power of love assert itself or will it bow 
down under the weight of the obstacles in its path?

Review-

Of Love & Lovers looked like a good read and that is why I picked it up. I think what the author has tried to show through the book are the different facets of love in today's times and how it affects each person differently. Of Love & Lovers turned out to be a good read.

Samantha comes from Toronto to Mumbai for a six month long exchange program. Her sister died in Mumbai because she fell in love with somebody and unknowingly Samantha wants the closure. She also has a rocky relationship with Aditya back home where he suddenly breaks up with her to marry an Indian girl of his parents choosing.

The book primarily is about Samantha's journey is rediscovering herself and her thoughts about love. I liked Samantha. She was a strong and smart girl. I liked how willing she was to learn more about the city without any bias. She was a great friend to Vikas and Shipra and overall a nice character.

The best part about Of Love & Lovers for me, was Vikas and Shipra's love story. These two are completely in love with each other but their families are against them from being with each other due to their castes. I haven't read much about caste discrimination in books but I know that it prevails in India and we got a really good view of it. 

The book has a pretty straight forward story line and makes for a quick read. The writing is simple. The book moves from the third person's pov focusing on Samantha but we get little glimpses of Viks and Shipra as well. The point is, love conquers all. I liked Of Love & Lovers.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Jaico Publishers in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.



Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday #72

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Everlasting Sin by J.S. Cooper
Publication Date- Feb 24th 2014


Goodreads Summary:  

Everlasting Sin

Hudson Blake
Tattooed. Hot. My best friend's brother. Off-limits, except for that one night.

That One Night
Cannot be spoken of. Cannot be thought of. Cannot allow myself to daydream.

Daydream
That I’m going to become someone. That he can see me as someone.

Someone
To love. To forget. To believe. To taste.

To make me forget my everlasting sin once and for all.

This doesn't sound all that good but it's not sounding all that bad either. Let's see how it goes! 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Happy reading, guys!


Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday #18

Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is: 

top ten worlds we'd never want to live in!

My list: 

DYSTOPIANS: 

The Toucan Trilogy: If I were a kid living in this book, I'd probably just cry the whole day. 

The Hunger Games: I'd love to meet Katniss and Peeta. But yeah, thanks, but no, thanks.

Shatter Me: I'm sure I can find a way out to meet Warner without actually being part of the emotionally draining set-up. 

Prophets of the Ghost Ants: All those insects... Yikes. 

Under the Never Sky: Honestly, I'd have a hard time understanding my own surroundings. 

CONTEMPORARIES:

Beachwood Bay and Sea BreezeBecause sex is cool, but I wouldn't want my life to be governed by it.  

FANTASY:

House of Night: The drama would bore me to death. 

Lux: The cheesiness would have me irritated. 

Twilight: Boredom would both bore and irritate me. 

What's on your list this time? Link me up to your posts! 
Happy Tuesday and happy reading, everyone! 




Monday, January 27, 2014

Review- Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Goodreads Summary:

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Timesbestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel MeFracture Me is told from Adam's perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Fracture Me sets the stage for Ignite Me, the explosive finale in Tahereh Mafi's epic dystopian series. It's a novella not to be missed by fans who crave action-packed stories with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu.


Shatter me Series:


REVIEW:

Fracture Me is a novella from Adam Kent's point of view in the Shatter Me series that falls between book #2 Unravel Me and the final installment in the trilogy, Ignite Me. Before I get onto anything, let me just clarify that I am Team Warner. That's the reason why I wasn't as excited about Fracture Me as Team Adam members or as in between about it as readers who can't decide what Team to join. But what I can say is that I hoped this novella would be drastic like Destroy Me, but but but... it wasn't. 

Many readers have not liked Fracture Me as much as they would have loved to like it and I can completely understand why. This book isn't how and what Tahereh Mafi usually writes. I get that. And I also get that Adam seemed really stupid at times for not going after the love of his life the way any sane person probably would, especially since he seemed crazy in love with Juliet in the first book. 

“Losing a parent is excruciating, but somehow, the pain is so much different from losing a child. And James, to me, in many ways, feels like my own kid. I raised him. Took care of him. Protected him. Fed him and clothed him. Taught him most everything he knows. He’s my only hope in all this devastation- the one thing I’ve always lived for, always fought for. I’d be lost without him.

James gives my life purpose.”

In my most sincere and humble opinion, what Adam does is actually really amazing. As a sensible person, he does exactly what is expected of him- he puts family before anything and anyone else and I cannot express how much I admire him for that. It was so good and highly refreshing to see Adam dedicate his life to the safety of his little brother James. Yes, Adam did seem stupid sometimes, but he has responsibilities and come to think of it, a dystopian world is very well capable of making someone mad so I understand Adam.

For such a short read, Fracture Me isn't a five star read like all the other books in the series and it isn't even much content wise, but it was very good whatever it was and I love this series so much. This book has made me respect Adam and at the same time, it has made me realise why I am all for Warner winning the girl in the first place. Adam has a life besides Juliet and he will be happy without Juliet; I know that. 

RATING: 





Sunday, January 26, 2014

Review- The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

Summary-

An all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure from James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, The Eye of Mindsis the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams . . . and your worst nightmares.

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.
And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.
But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

Review-

I have heard a lot about James Dashner's Maze Runner series so when I got a chance to read The Eye of Minds I jumped on it. The Eye of Minds was definitely a unique read. It is set in a world where the VirtNet exists and technology and gamers are all that matters. 

Michael is a gamer. He is an expert in the codes which exist in the VirtNet and is addicted to the thrill which he gets out of it. Even if its not real is pretty damn close to it. The more hacking skills you have the more fun you can have. I liked Michael. He was a typical sixteen year old guy, completely into the VirtNet just looking for his next adventure.

But there are rumors spreading about people disappearing in the VirtNet. A gamer is holding them hostage and they are all being declared brain dead in the real world. So the government hires Michael and his two friends Sarah and Bryson to find out the hacker. I really liked Sarah and Bryson. They were all great friends who always had each others backs.

They Eye of Minds is filled with Michael and his friends adventures to find the hacker in the VirtNet. They go through a series of levels and soon the game becomes more dangerous than any one of them could have imagined. I can see how all this could appeal to a hard core science fiction reader. I liked it to an extent but I can't say I was amazed by the character building.

James Dashner definitely has amazing world building skills. Each level or mission the teenagers were on had a unique setting. I could clearly imagine what was happening, the description was so vivid. I loved the twist we got in the end. It kinda changed the whole game. The Eye of Minds was a good read.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Random House India in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.



Saturday, January 25, 2014

Review- The Great Short Stories by Guy de Maupassant

Goodreads Summary: 

GUY DE MAUPASSANT was a master of the short story. This collection reflects his remarkable diversity, with stories that vary in theme and tone, and range from tragedy and satire to comedy and farce. With a simplicity of style that masks complex philosophy, Maupassant can illuminate an entire code of values by means of a few telling details. He exposes the brutality of war and the hypocrisy it spawns, and depicts the petty limitations, the dissimulations and the vanities inherent at different levels of society. His stories are linked by a trenchant irony and by a preoccupation with the frailty of human nature and the futility of so many lives.


REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of The Great Short Stories by Guy de Maupassant from Jaico Publishing House in exchange for an honest review. We thank the publishing house for the book! 

There's this poster with a bio of Guy de Maupassant hanging in our classroom. With the many French books I've been reading, I thought I might as well give The Great Short Stories a try because short stories aren't that hard to read, although they can be hard to comprehend and this collection, to both, my disappointment and relief, is in English! I thought it was time I gave the author whose picture I keep looking at when I get bored in class, a try. 

The Great Short Stories is a very good collection of some fourteen short stories written by Guy de Maupassant and translated to English. These are predominantly war-themed stories, with take up a different subject line each time. Some stories tell these really beautiful and heartbreaking love stories, while others are brave and courageous stories of friendship, while some others take a look at what goes on in a family and the others take up the general lifestyle of the time gone by. 

I must admit that I didn't quite understand all the stories so my description of them above might be wrong. There were lots of errors I found in terms of translation (yay me, I can figure it out now) and editorial ones as well. The two stories I enjoyed the most were the first and the last stories, titled Mademoiselle Pearl and Useless Beauty respectively. For a time in which these stories are based, I liked how they focused on the situation of women. 

I wish I had understood all the stories in this collection better and maybe someday, when I am in the mood to reread them, I will. For now, I am proud of myself to have started this deep need that I feel to read works of old, famous and most noteworthy authors the world has seen, with a good short stories collection like this. 

RATING:


Friday, January 24, 2014

Author Interview + Giveaway (IN Only)- Mohini by Ramendra Kumar

Hello, lovely readers! Like we do practically every fortnight nowadays, we have another author interview clubbed with a giveaway for our Indian followers/ readers. We're featuring another latest release by the great publishing house, Bluejay Books, Mohini by Ramendra Kumar. Ramendra has done an enjoable interview with us and has generously offered to give away not one, not two, not three, not four, but five copies of his book! So let's take a look at some basic details about the book after which you can read the interview and take part in the giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter. 

BOOK BLURB: 

 A beautiful and charismatic actress, a sensitive and immensely gifted director, a scheming, wily but brilliant manager - Mohini is the pulsating  saga of  three individuals - each driven by an  obsession. Set in the backdrop of the bold and brazen world  of  Bollywood,   it is a tale of passion, intrigue and suspense.  The narrative moves at a roller coaster speed and captures love in its myriad shades: infatuation, romance, commitment, lust and obsession.....

A young girl growing up in the backwaters of Bollywood nurses a burning desire to become the number one star in the industry.  In her ruthless, and sometimes reckless, pursuit she uses and is used by many individuals. However, there are two men in her life who love her to absolute distraction. Each in his own way helps her reach the zenith of fame and success. One she betrays and the other she rejects. Both unleash vengeance  and in a strange quirk of  serendipity are pitted against each other  as the novel hurtles to a throbbing,  thrilling climax…..

Mohini is not merely a saga of romance - the tale offers  an insight  into the biggest film industry on Planet Earth - the  murky manipulations, the dirty deals,  the shameless shenanigans,  the  tears behind the glycerin, the pain behind the paint and  the suffering  beyond the celluloid.  


BOOK LINKS: 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 


Ramendra Kumar (Ramen) is ‘A Writer by Passion’.  An award winning author with 23 books to his credit, he spins yarns mainly for the young and the young at heart. He also dabbles in satire, poetry, fiction and travelogues.  His work has been published by some of the best names in the business and translated into several Indian and foreign languages. His stories have found a place in text books and anthologies published across the world.  Ramen, an inspirational speaker and storyteller, is a regular at leading seminars and literary festivals both in India and abroad.  To know more about the writer you can visit his website or his page on Wikipedia

Ramen is working as Chief of Communications, Rourkela Steel Plant, Odisha. 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 

Hi, Ramendra! Welcome to The Readdicts. It’s a pleasure to have you on our blog and we hope you enjoy answering our questions.

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Well, I am a writer by passion and a communicator by profession.

2) Tell us about your writing career so far.

24 books for the young and the young at heart, 26 awards and loads of unbridled, pure and pristine fun.

3) Tell us about the whole change that went from being a children’s   writer to a mainstream author.

While writing mainly for children, I have  also been dabbling in satire, poetry and adult fiction. Thus the transition from a children’s author to a mainstream writer was, I think, quite seamless.

4) Could you give us a glimpse of  you latest book, Mohini.

Mohini, my first novel for adults, is my most ambitious work till date. It is an eponymous  novel based on the brash  and brazen world of Bollywood. It  looks  beyond the glamour, gloss and glitter to reveal   the  ‘murky manipulations, the dirty deals,  the shameless shenanigans,  the  tears behind the glycerine, the pain behind the paint and  the suffering  beyond the celluloid’.  I have put   my  everything into it and am delighted that the book has been received so well. My publishers have informed that they had to go in for the second impression of Mohini, because of the demand based on pre-orders, almost immediately after its first edition.
Ever since its release on 1st January, Mohini has been  maintaining its position close to the top on Amazon's 'Hot New Releases' list.

5) What inspired you to write Mohini?

I have always been hugely fascinated by Bollywood. My parents too were film buffs   and films and film making were  the few of  the favourite topics of discussion.  I loved watching  movies, reading about films  and collecting trivia. I regularly participated in  Movie Quizzes and  in my college days, at one point of time, my team was the best in Hyderabad.
Thus it was quite natural  that  whenever I would decide to write a novel for adults it would be on films and film stars.

6) What sort of research went into Mohini?

I really didn’t have to do any elaborate research. Like I mentioned, I grew up in an ambience in which  movies were an integral part of  day to day conversation. I absorbed bits and pieces and  retained these morsels  which later helped in embellishing the story line. Ever since I can remember, I was watching films, first with my parents and then with friends. Movies became almost an intrinsic  part of my consciousness.

7) Have any real life incidents found a place in Mohini?

Good question. Yes, I have used a few instances which   took place  in the real world of the reel stars. Raj Kapoor’s brilliant marketing of the film Bobby and a wannabe superstar’s attempt at manipulating the jury of a major award, the blatant interference of a heroine’s dominating mother  are a couple of actual happenings which have found a place in the book.

8) If Mohini were to be made into a Bollywood movie, which female actor would you like to see play the role of the protagonist? And the other important characters as well?

Deepika Padukone as Mohini, Ajay Devgun as Sam and  Sushant Singh Rajput as Vicky.

9) You are  a great fan of  Bollywood? What are some of your favourite movies?

Pyaasa, Jagte Raho, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Anand, Jaane bhi do yaaron, 3 Idiots….

10) Give us a glimpse into any normal day of your life!

My basic professional responsibility is helping the management fine tune its relationship with the external and internal stakeholders. This includes  enhancing the synergy with the media which is  the most challenging facet of my profession. In all this chaos, my creativity is what keeps me sane. So any normal day of my life has chunks of chaos with  ripples  of creativity.

Thank you so much for spending some time with us, Ramendra, and for answering our questions. We hope you had a great time and we wish you all the very best for everything ahead!


GIVEAWAY:

So, like I said before, five copies of the book are up grabs in the giveaway! 
The giveaway rules are simple- 

*The giveaway is open for residents of INDIA only. 
*Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form the giveaway. 
*Once winners are picked, they will be emailed and announced here on the blog as well and will have 48 hours to respond or else we'll be compelled to pick new winners. 
*The book will be sent by the author/ publisher. 
May the odds be ever in your favour! 

I'd like to thank Bluejay and Ramendra for hosting the giveaway and thank you readers, for stopping by! 



Thursday, January 23, 2014

Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway- Unraveled by Jen Fredrick



Summary-

Twenty-five-year-old Sgt. Gray Phillips is at a crossroads in his life: stay in the Marine Corps or get out and learn to be a civilian? He’s got forty-five days of leave to make up his mind but the people in his life aren’t making the decision any easier. His dad wants him to get out; his grandfather wants him to stay in. And his growing feelings for Sam Anderson are wreaking havoc with his heart…and his mind. He believes relationships get ruined when a Marine goes on deployment. So now he’s got an even harder decision to make: take a chance on Sam or leave love behind and give his all to the Marines.

Twenty-two year old Samantha Anderson lost her husband to an IED in Afghanistan just two months after their vows. Two years later, Sam is full of regrets—that she didn’t move with her husband to Alaska; that she allowed her friends to drift away; that she hasn’t taken many chances in life. Now, she’s met Gray and taking a risk on this Marine could be her one opportunity to feel alive and in love again. But how can she risk her heart on another military man who could share the same tragic fate as her husband?

Review-

I am a fan of Jen Fredick's Woodlands series. I thoroughly enjoyed Undeclared and Unspoken. So I was pretty excited to get started on Unraveled. I really enjoyed Gray and Samantha's story. I can't say that its my favorite of the series but I still liked it.

Gray is at a crossroads in his life. He's got forty five days of leave to decide if he wants to stay in the Marine Corps or get out. Gray doesn't believe that relationships last in the Corps when on deployment because his last girlfriend cheated on him. But then he meets Sam and things change. I liked Gray. He was a strong guy. Yes, he behaved like a complete jerk at times but he was still a good guy.

Samantha lost her husband to an IED in Afghanistan. She has been mourning his loss for years and regrets not going after what she wanted. Then she meets Gray and even though Sam is determined not to fall for another military man there's no denying the attraction between them. I liked Sam. You can feel her grief but her feelings for Gray are true.

Gray and Sam's relationship starts off as casual. But truthfully, only they can see whats really going on with each other. Sam and Gray's relationship was kinda cliched but I still enjoyed it. Gray sees Sam as more than a widow and Sam understands Gray. This book definitely had a more mature feel to it. Maybe because Gray and Sam had been through such a lot.

The steamy scenes were definitely HOT. Also, we get loads of Bo, Annmarie and Noah. I loved those parts the most. And I am SO curious to know more about Finn. I hope we get his and Adam's book soon. Unraveled was a really good read and it gets a solid four from me.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by TRSOR Promotions for participating in the blog tour. We thank them.






Author Information:



Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog.  She's been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jen@jenfrederick.com.

GIVEAWAY:

$200 GC to retailer of your choice
Full set of Woodlands print books (5) with dog tags.

Share Link:

THANK YOU!