Review- Charcuterie of Thoughts by Rathnakumar Raghunath

 Charcuterie of Thoughts on Goodreads

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Charcuterie of Thoughts is Rathnakumar's highly anticipated sophomore collection of poetry. Much like its previous iteration - the bestselling and critically-acclaimed Smörgåsbord of Musings - this book is a concoction made of love, life, laughter, anger, joy, despair, romance, disgust, yearning, pain, wonder, and hope.

It's a tribute to the full spectrum of the human experience, with each poem offering a unique insight into the beauty and complexity of our existence, showcasing the richness of our shared humanity.

In essence, Charcuterie of Thoughts is a celebration of all that makes us human.

Release date: June, 17 2023

Published by: Ukiyoto Publishing

Pages: 239 (Paperback), 217 (Kindle)

REVIEW:

Author Rathnakumar Raghunath’s highly anticipated second collection of poetry, Charcuterie of Thoughts, has truly been worth the wait.

The writer created magic with words with his début, Smörgåsbord of Musings. A book that is a warm hug and filled with everything relatable, Smörgåsbord of Musings is an extraordinary marvel that the author gifted the world during Covid, when all we wanted to feel was loved and hopeful, something this book will never fail to provide us, even years down the line. It has indeed found a permanent place not only on the shelves of readers, but in their hearts too.

Coming to Charcuterie of Thoughts, this collection of poetry is reminiscent of Smörgåsbord of Musings in many ways, and yet, stands as a unique, proud and grown up collection all on its own. Just like he did with his debut, Rathnakumar Raghunath has created even more magic and proven that he is the epitome of a writer of our times who is a class part yet one with us, with his new book. If Smörgåsbord of Musings is a warm hug, Charcuterie of Thoughts is like knowing you have an umbrella on a rainy day to protect you from the rain, while being fully aware that it is capable of flying away, out of your hands, at any second, if your grip is not firm. At the same time, however, and most importantly, the book pried that it’s okay to let go of this umbrella sometimes and simply make the most of the rain. It is a reality check about the fragility of life, that sometimes seems like a slap in the face, in a manner that is raw, real and relatable.

While reading any work of art, it is difficult to entirely separate the creator from his creation, and Charcuterie of Thoughts proves that Rathnakumar Raghunath has grown immensely, as a person and as a writer. That growth is something many readers might also have experienced, given the times we live in, which makes the book a true contemporary masterpiece. With the right amount of bitterness, betrayal, cruelty, darkness and disgust, balanced with the right amount of love, hope, loyalty, sweetness, fun, humour and so much more, Charcuterie of Thoughts has something for everyone. It is a well curated, meticulously thought of and immaculately written collection of poetry that speaks to the heart and the mind alike. This book romances you in way that is both loving and dangerous, which takes it to the next level, making it an extraordinary and remarkable work of art. It consumes you in a way that will leave you coming back to it and wanting more.

Rathnakumar Raghunath’s writing is reminiscent of great French poets, but he does what they could never - he puts down what’s on his mind and in his heart, in a manner that is easy to comprehend and easier to relate to. He pays tribute, in the most incredible ways, to everything he is passionate about, and he proves, that above anything else, love will always win, and there is so much peace in simply knowing that. He has the magical ability to make you believe, to convince you to never lose hope, and to simply keep carrying on, experiencing the entire spectrum of human emotion.

RATING:

BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Odyssey

Review: Les Cicatrices by Rathnakumar Raghunath

  BOOK SUMMARY:

Le livre de poésie « Les Cicatrices » parle de ceux qui ont ressenti cette douleur particulière que seul l’amour peut infliger à quelqu'un, et leur cheminement vers la guérison.

Release date: October 27th 2021

Published by: Self-published

Page numbers: 31

REVIEW: 

Les Cicatrices by Rathnakumar Raghunath is a gorgeous collection of French poetry that is all about giving yourself a reality check every once in a while, sadness, hope and happiness. What takes it to the next level and makes it even better is the multi-talented writer’s French, which as a language is in itself extremely pleasing and poetic, and Rathnakumar’s knowledge of it takes it further ahead, making it even more gorgeous. His writing that is straight from the heart is very touching, comforting and soothing. The stunning cover designed by Reshma Dhanraj deserves a mention and a huge round of applause for the unique purple and the intricate and stunning illustrations. Overall, if you know even some amount of French, give this lovely collection a go for it is simple, pure and simply stunning.

Review: Lost Girls Go Everywhere by Azzurra Nox

Lost Girls Go Everywhere on Goodreads 

BOOK SUMMARY:

Where do lost girls go? Everywhere.

In an attempt to find a place to call home, a heart to call their own, lost girls have traveled far and wide in search of the ever-elusive, "happy ending" to an often tormented tale. These emotional vignettes cast a light into the search that spans years and ever-changing cities.

Where do lost girls belong when they meander through life as outcasts not quite fitting in? This is a journey of self-discovery, a road map of heartbreak, and the struggle to hold a tiny grain of light when darkness is all that surrounds you.

Release date: October 6th 2020

Published by: Twisted Wing Productions

Page numbers: 135

REVIEW: 

Author Azzurra Nox's captivating, dark and unique storytelling and extremely flawless writing have always mesmerised me. Her work is always meticulous, savvy and breathtaking. Trust me when I say this because I have read her Doll Parts, Cut Here, My American Nightmare and Bleed Like Me. Her book that I read itself was enough for me to jump onto the next ones, so naturally when Azzurra told me about her latest, Lost Girls Go Everywhere, I knew I had to read it without even knowing what it was about. 

Lost Girls Go Everywhere is a collection of Azzurra's graceful and resplendent poetry and her very grievous and genuine prose. I have said this in the past, and I will say it again: I don't quite know how to review poetry. Sometimes I even find it hard to read, let alone understand. But in the case of Azzurra... Wow! I was left feeling speechless at the sheer paragon of her words. Each and very poem was so well written, unflawed and made me both love and hate the word "love". Some of my absolutely favourite poems from the collection are: First Date, Ageism is Fascism, Love Lost to Routine, Beautiful, A Danger to Herself and Others, The Lessons We're Taught, Nobody's Wife, I'm Not Okay, Flirting With Death, Mother of Art, The Quitter and One Day. 

I know that seems like more than half the poems in the collection, so you're able to imagine just how astonishing the poems are. And if you thought the poems would take you into a deep spiral of thoughts and feelings, wait till you read the prose. Each and very story took with it a piece of my heart and carved a place in it. While most people might immediately say that Azzurra's stories are all about hating men, THEY ARE NOT. They are stories that you and I have both experienced but will probably never be able to express in such exquisite words. Whether it's first crush, lustre vulnerability, pleasure, enjoyment, heartache or heartbreak, Azzurra Nox has you covered. There is literally everything and so much more in this collection. 

As always, I would highly recommend this and every other book by the author simply because dark, deep, deadly, dangerous and dainty is a rare, attractive and hypnotic combination that you have to read in order to experience. Do you know all those memes that go... Sex is great, but have you? Well I'll just say that sex might be great, but have you read an Azzurra Nox book? If you haven't, what are you waiting for? 

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

Review- A Rational Boy in Love by Himanshu Goel

A Rational Boy in Love on Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Can a rational boy fall in love? Isn't love just a chemical response? The boy knows all about how neurons work but can't help falling in love. He tries to use the tools of logic and science to make sense of what he feels, will he be successful or will love forever remain a mystery to him? A rational boy is a collection of poems by Himanshu Goel with illustrations by Arushi Gupta.

Release date: September 29th 2019

Published by: Kalamos

Page numbers: 180

REVIEW: 

When author Himanshu Goel first contacted me to review his poetry collection, A Rational Boy in Love, I was slightly apprehensive because both poetry and romance aren't exactly my cup of tea. But then again, poetry collections are easy to read and I had been looking for something light which I why I accepted the offer and I am glad I did because this collection has some incredible poems that I know will stay with me for a long time to come.

A Rational Boy in Love is divided into three parts- a rational boy in love, looking through a telescope and daughter of the moon. While all the parts are unique and lovely in their own way, my most favourite was looking through a telescope as it was an intrinsic medley of space and romance. I almost felt like I was reading a story because of the magnificent flow and transition from one poem to another. Some of my favourite lines are:

why do you

try to paint

me in water

when I belong

to the sky?

maybe this year

winter will have

mercy and

leave us alone

maybe this year

summer will

shine and we

won't be cold

she is

made up

of a

warm soul and

necessary demons

Of course, these are just a few of many that I loved and felt a deep connect with. But I would highly recommend this book to all readers, whether you're into poetry or not. Available at a very affordable price, the reader will finish this book in a couple of hours but it will stay with you for a long time. It sure had me hooked! Author Himanshu Goel has made his mark with this brilliant book and I look forward to more from him.

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

Buy the book: AMAZON

Review- Bleed Like Me by Azzurra Nox

 Bleed Like Me Review

BOOK SUMMARY:

This is how you draw a broken heart:
Dip your fingers in blood and don't
Hesitate to botch the final project.

This is a book about love and the wounds that it can bring. It explores the exhilaration of first love, the damage of unrequited love, and the distress of abandonment. The poems are little memories that come alive, a journey between reality and fantasy, often mingling as one. Fragments of life depicted in words. This is a collection of poems both cruel and sweet. The poems depict the difference between how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. But most of all, this is a kaleidoscope of emotions that are multiplied and amplified as the reader looks into the window of a young woman's heart.

Release date: February 12th 2019

Published by: Twisted Wings Productions

Page numbers: 303

REVIEW: 

I have previously read and thoroughly devoured Azzurra Nox's Doll Parts- which you haven't read, let me just quickly point out- is an absolutely incredible collection of three enticingly gorgeous and dark stories. I have also read the author's collection of horror stories written by female authors, titled My American Nightmare which has stories that are so eerie and dangerously dazzling that they will- as the title aptly suggests- give the reader nightmares. 

I don't normally read poems, but after reading these two gems, I knew I had to read Azzurra's poetry collection, which is a lovely blend of darkness and some amount of hope. Bleed Like Me is a collection of dark and deep poems, which if at all I read poetry, is exactly the way I want poems to be. So on a very selfish level, I savoured the collection. But I totally see how someone who looks for hope and brightness in poetry might find it to be rather average. What is not to be missed, however, is Azzurra's superb writing. 

Poetry is, of course, something you need to read and understand in order to decide whether you like it or not. Which is why, I am sharing a few lines from the collection that truly spoke to me: 

This is how you draw a broken heart; 

Drip you fingers in blood and don't 

Hesitate to botch the final project 

(from Paper Monsters) 

Puncture another vein, 

Watch the red blood stains. 

Varnish my nails with a scarlet hue, 

With every stroke, I feel new. 

Rip my eyes from their sockets, 

A queer fetish have in your pocket. 

(from Betrayed) 

Death is my trusty companion, 

For it knows of my desperation. 

Of my yearning to reach the end,

Before I even start. 

(from Unmotivated Soul) 

I would want to seduce you 

So that I could use you up. 

I would want to reduce you 

To tiny shreds of insignificance. 

I would want to deduce you 

From all my insanity. 

(from Butterfly) 

These are lines that I have shortlisted from a bunch of highlighted notes. Some of my favourite poems from the collection are: Ice Princess, Mademoiselle Elise, Princess Shadow, Marie Antoinette, For Eva Marie, Zura's Hysterical Realm Kills the Innocent and 60 Seconds. 

Bleed Like Me has poems about betrayal, heart break, lust everything in between. If you are looking for dark poetry that is easy to follow, then I highly recommend this book! 

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

Buy the book: AMAZON

Review- Inertia by Yashodhan Burange

 Inertia on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

A poetry collection by Yashodhan Burange

BOOK COVER: Not available

Release date: Not available

Published by: Self-published 

Page numbers: 100

REVIEW: 

Inertia is a collection of poems by Pune based author Yashodhan Burange. While I am not the biggest fan of poetry, I sometimes step out of my reading comfort zone; which is why I decided to give this collection a try. I was pleasantly surprised at how well written the collection was and how it spread across a vast variety of themes. While both the points are equally important, the latter outweighs the former because it ensures that the reader will find something or the other that interests them. 

A collection of 63 poems with interesting and unique titles, each poem is accompanied by a song name. Now this comes as a nice twist. I did recognise a few of the singer and band names, but for those readers who are equally passionate about music as they are about reading, this will be a treat to the ears, eyes and brain. 

There's not much else to say about a poetry collection but it's very subjective and I would recommend readers to pick up the book and see for themselves how well put together the collection is. And do trust me when I say that you will find something of your interest in there- whether it's a song or a poem or a new word. 

Some of my favourite poems from the collection are To the Artists, Gallantry, Difference, Structure and Calamity. Here are some excerpts: 

The things we do to look brave 

Are the things which 

Scare us the most. 

(Gallantry) 

Loving a poet 

Does not make you 

A poem 

Leaving him does.   

(Difference) 

Such incredible lines. And these are only a few lines from two poems. There's so much more to this collection which I would highly recommend. 

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

Review- Thousand Unspoken Thoughts by Prerna Khatri

Summary-

Thousand Unspoken Thoughts’ Brings Together The Collection Of Poetry Of An Amateur Poet Who Uses Words To See Through The World. Prerna, Though Being An Advocate By Profession Believes That Writing Is Where Her Heart Lies. The Collection Is A Passage Through Her Mind, Where Innumerable Dreams And Aspirations, Are Brought Down To Ink. Her Writing Is Not Confined To Any Age Group; Hence, No Censor Certificate Is Required. Keeping That Thought Aside, She Believes In The Power Of Ink, And Her Poems Stand As Witness.

Release date: July 29th, 2015

Published by: Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd

Page numbers: 97

Review-

I have to start by saying that I'm not a poetry reader by any means. This is one of the first few poetry books I've read. Thousand Unspoken Thoughts by Prerna Khatri is a compilation of 50 poems which range from diverse topics. Luckily, I had an opportunity to read this book and I was curious to read a poetry book, especially by an Indian author. I liked reading Thousand Unspoken Thoughts.

I couldn't identify a definite theme in the book except that all the poems are in some way or the other related to life and emotions. Prerna Khatri's writing style is simple and engaging. The simplicity of the words she weaves definitely made it easier for me to understand her poems. I think this would be a great read for someone who is just getting into or trying to get into poems like me.

Prerna Khatri clearly expresses her thoughts on different topics and I'm sure everyone would be able to relate to at least one of the poems out of the fifty present. Frankly, I don't know what else to say about this book. It was a quick read but a few of the poems definitely packed a punch for me. A few that I enjoyed were Let's Talk!, On Change, My Voice and A Blessing. I'll leave this review by giving an example of one of the poems I liked from the book-

8. On Change

In the rising and falling of the waves,
In the waxing and waning of the moon,
In the constantly varying mood swings,
Realization struck; nothing stays constant.
And change is in constant motion.

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

Review- One by Sarah Crossan

Goodreads Summary:

Grace and Tippi are twins – conjoined twins.

And their lives are about to change.

No longer able to afford homeschooling, they must venture into the world – a world of stares, sneers and cruelty. Will they find more than that at school? Can they find real friends? And what about love?

But what neither Grace or Tippi realises is that a heart-wrenching decision lies ahead. A decision that could tear them apart. One that will change their lives even more than they ever imagined…

From Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Sarah Crossan, this moving and beautifully crafted novel about identity, sisterhood and love ultimately asks one question: what does it mean to want and have a soulmate?

REVIEW:

How do I review a book that is one of a kind? 

How do I review a book that is so rare? 

How do I review a book that is such a gem? 

How do I review a book that developed in me, feelings that I have never felt before? 

How do I review a book that isn't anything like what I've read before? 

How do I review a book that played like a movie in my dreams once I finished it? 

How do I review a book that had such a huge impact on me? 

Basically, how do I review this precious, poetic and painful book called One? 

How, how, how? 

I know how. 

Buy, beg, borrow or steal. 

I don't care what you do. 

Just. Read. This. Book. 

Two reasons to read One: 

It will make you wish people were better towards other people. In free verse. 

It will make you want to be better towards other people. In free verse. 

One reason to read One: 

It will melt your heart. If you are lucky enough to have one, that is. 

Thank you, Sarah Crossan.

*A copy of One by Sarah Crossan was provided by Bloomsbury India in exchange for an honest review. We thank them for the book. 

RATING: 

Review- Where Souls Grow Warm by Laura Lee

About Where Souls Grow Warm by Laura Lee (in the author's own words):

After finishing  a long, difficult novel, I always enter a phase of poetry.”-Joyce Carol Oates

Back in 1996, I published my first collection of poetry, Invited to Sound.   It was a mix of poems generally on the themes of meditation and unrequited love.

Since then, between books and when inspiration struck, I have written poems and tucked them away.

Now that e-publishing is a reality, I’ve decided to compile a collection of poems from my files.  I’m calling it “Where Souls Grow Warm.”  It is a reference to the honest poetry that people write without thinking about it when they speak from the heart.

The poems in the collection span a 17-year period of my life, including some from the print only Invited to Sound.  Because of this, it is much broader in scope and theme.  My Eastern influence and poems of unrequited love are there, there is also some nostalgia, observations of things that exist outside my skull, some further musings on God, mature love, absurdity and some love songs to dead poets.

REVIEW:

I loved reading Laura Lee's Angel (my review of which can be read here). It was an enlightening and splendid read and Laura Lee's writing was captivating, charming and had a poetic flow to it. 
I felt extremely surprised and esteemed when author Laura Lee informed me about Where Souls Grow Warm, her self-published collection of poetry. I like reading poetry simply because it is easy to read but difficult to understand. There is a certain kind of profoundness and bottomlessness that comes with poetry and although hard to figure things out, everything just flows and sits in place. 
The poems in Where Souls Grow Warm are beautiful. Each and every poem had depth to it but was easy to comprehend because it is nothing but honest observations made by the author that are easily relatable and understandable. Two poems that I really loved were Literary Appreciation and Identity. 
It is really challenging for me to review Where Souls Grow Warm because I am finding it hard to express the sheer beauty of all of Laura Lee's poems. 
I will share two of the most precious and beautiful lines from the poems titled  Pondering My Poetic and Married respectively. 

my prison of loneliness 
built of my own guilt stones 
I have raided myself in captivity 
pondering my prison 

Give me you hand 
tell me I'm wrong 
beg me to stay 
take me along 
who would have thought 
this day would come 
the dream would remain 
you would be gone? 

The poems in Where Souls Grow Warm made me realise that all of us have similar experiences in life, but only the few talented ones can actually describe it in the form of poetry and make it look uncomplicated when in reality, it isn't so. I am so elated that author Laura Lee went ahead and published her personal poetry collection. Her writing is really heavenly and lovely. 
The introduction at the beginning of the collection is simply stunning. It is always such a pleasure to get to know authors that you truly admire and look up to, on a more personal level. 
In conclusion, Where Souls Grow Warm is a truly moving, wonderful and awe-inspiring set of poetry. 

RATING:

Sarika