Review- Patna Blues by Abdullah Khan

                                                                    BOOK SUMMARY:

Arif is the son of a sub-inspector in Patna. His once prosperous landowning family has slipped low down the class ladder. Arif ’s sole ambition in life is to crack the civil service examination and become an IAS officer. He believes this will restore the family’s fortunes and works hard at his studies.

Until his first glimpse of Sumitra, a voluptuous long-haired beauty. Married, Hindu and several years older than him, she is wrong for him in every way. It is the beginning of an infatuation that will consume his life.

‘Reading Patna Blues is like pedalling your way through a littleknown India. It is certain to fill you with inexplicably candid and absolutely stunning tales. Patna Blues marks an impressive debut and brings us an important voice.’

—Anees Salim

‘I am familiar not only with the places where this novel is set, the cramped rooms, the names of shops, or the streets, but, it seems to me, even the people, their little joys, their struggles, their often irrational hopes and desires, their guilt, and their beauty. Part literary novel, part-pulp fiction, Patna Blues is a report from a rarely seen world in Indian writing in English, the contemporary lives of provincial Muslims.’

—Amitava Kumar 

Release date: 31st August 2018

Published by: Juggernaut

Page numbers: 296

REVIEW: 

I take pride in proclaiming my love for reading books that focus on Muslim families and Islam in general, but Patna Blues made me realise that I haven’t read many books that revolve around an Indian Muslim family. This was an eye opener which helped me understand the struggles of a lower middle class Indian household and gave me a fast paced yet meticulous glimpse into the bustling and wondrous city of Patna which has me tempted to visit it. This was a perfect book because it had everything I look for in one- in-depth glimpses into places, mentions of appetising food, importance of family and friends with the right amount of drama that makes it believable, a romance cooking on the sidelines, poetry, incredible character development and a plot that kept me engrossed.

Patna Blues is the story of Arif Khan who struggles day in and day out to fulfil his loving Abba’s dream of seeing his son become an IAS officer. From his childhood to adulthood, we follow this hardworking, respectable, at times unconventional and incredible man as he keeps trying to make it big while life keeps testing him. Living with his family of eight stupendously developed characters added charm and profundity to the novel. Arif falls in love with an elder Hindu woman who he can’t let go of. The way this romance was portrayed was so impressive that even though it screams wrong from the get-go, it seemed right, even to the reader. That’s when you know you have stumbled upon a gem.

Abdullah Khan has written a charming and terrific novel, many parts of which reminded me of the works of Khaled Hosseini. The writing was ravishing and the storytelling so sensational, it made me want to keep reading the book. Although Patna Blues perfectly well for me, I see how some readers would be unsatisfied with it. I, for one, was left teary-eyed and smiling at the same time- which is magical. The minute I laid my eyes on this book, I knew I had to read it without even knowing the title or the author, so when I was contacted me to review it, I was overwhelmed. What a wonder it is when a book ends up being more than what you thought it’d be!

If you have admired The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, or if like to read about Muslims, or you love to read about someone who is way different from you yet you have a deep connect with on a personal level and if you love to explore literature from different parts of India, do consider picking this one up.

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

Review- Handcuffed to Love to Yuktha Asrani

                                                                    BOOK SUMMARY:

Saanvi Vijay Malhotra is a woman with a dream. She is feisty, smart, and witty, but her privileged life in New Delhi, India, doesn’t match her ambitions. She moves to New York to pursue a career in journalism with stars in her eyes andher heart on her sleeve. Sean Roger Wilson is a ruthless NYPD detective. He is a charmer to the T, and he is any woman’s dream man. A New Yorker to the core, he never plays by the book and believes in living in the moment. It Takes Two To Tango! As fate has it, Sean handcuffs Saanvi — figuratively — in a whirlwind of passion, romance, and seduction. Sparks fly whenever they are within two feet of each other, leading to an overwhelming and alluring pursuit. Sean knows Saanvi spells trouble, but he loves living on the edge. Despite his roguish facade, Saanvi is determined to capture his heart. A tragic episode threatens to rip them apart. Will Saanvi meet her fate with Sean, or will she leave New York brokenhearted?

Release date: January 1st 2020

Published by: BookMedia

REVIEW: 

It is not a surprise anymore that I don’t really like to read romance novels. So while I was hesitant to pick up Yuktha Asrani’s Handcuffed to Love, the author’s persistence and the promising premise of an interracial love story made me give in and read the book. It was quite a refreshing change from the books I normally pick up, and I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this fun, fast-paced, fabulous and extremely well written book. The writing is what made me want to keep going back to the book- it was simple, flawless and simply awe-inspiring.

Handcuffed to Love is the love story of Indian girl Saanvi who goes to New York to study journalism, while at the same time working an internship there and forming a circle of friends who are supportive and close-knit. She meets the handsome detective Sean in a diner once. Sparks begin to fly and love happens. While the story is pretty predictable from here, the romance was well portrayed. It wasn’t slow burn, nor was it face paced- it was the right amount of meaningful conversations, interesting dates and some very hot scenes which will leave a lover of romance novels feeling like they have invested in the right book.

While each and every character from Saanvi and Sean to their friends and family was well developed and had a unique personality of their own, I did find the plot itself- especially the side story of the detective and his enemy to be a tad dramatic and exaggerated. Conflicts are great in books but sometimes, a clean slate especially when a certain aspect gets predictable- works really well. Other than this, however, the book was quite a good and enjoyable read.

Desi household drama, desi girl meets a foreign boy, a detective running behind a murder, sweet and hot romance... this book pretty much has it all. I can see how it would seem like the same old to a regular romance reader, even I found it rather predictable in some ways, but it was still quite an action packed, interesting and enjoyable read.

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

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- Olive Beans by Reeti Kalia

Olive Beans on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Olive Beans is a collection of short stories inspired by real-life events. The stories unfold in a café. Maya, the café owner narrates them with deep compassion as she accidentally stumbles upon them. The stories are heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. They make a compelling narrative as they are nuanced with a range of emotions. The stories are sure to stir the reader and make it a one-sitting reading delight.

Release date: 2020

Published by: Evincepub Publishing

Page numbers: 150

REVIEW: 

Author Reeti Kalia's Olive Beans is a collection of short stories that center around the café of the same name as the book title and its lovely owner Maya who is an army wife. The main theme of the collection is love and how it creates the magical, purest bonds between people from literally all walks of life.

Olive Beans is packed with delightful stories about love lost and found and in some cases, just the feeling of love was enough to make the story stand out. Some of the stories were very heart-touching in the sense that they portrayed how each and very one of us has so much going on than what meets the eye. Some of the stories could have been longer with more details, but then it wouldn't be a short story, would it?

Every story ends with the recipe of a dessert mentioned in the story which was mouth-watering. Another aspect I really appreciated about this book is that for a lover of desserts but a non-baker like me, I was honestly quite impressed by the simplicity of the ingredients and methods of the deserts, which has me tempted to try making one or two on my own. 

Overall, Olive Beans does its work of keeping the reader engaged, curious and content with its crisp, well written, simple and precise stories which make this one a quick, interesting, entertaining and pleasing read, which is perfect for the weekend or for when you want to lose yourself in another world. I would not have picked this one on my own, so I'm thankful the author sent me a copy as this was a nice read.

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

Review- Smörgåsbord of Musings by Rathnakumar Raghunath

 Smörgåsbord of Musings on Goodreads

                                                                 BOOK SUMMARY:

Smörgåsbord of Musings is a collection of poems, anecdotes and random thoughts expressed from the points of view of different people - men, women, non-binary persons, kids, teenagers, adults - all going through different things in life. People living happy lives, some not-so-happy lives, people in love, hopeless romantics, people dealing with heartbreak, the ones who believe life is better with a bit of whimsy, this book, hopefully, has a little something that resonates with everybody, lets the reader find the silver lining when needed and discover the joie de vivre even when times are hard.

Release date: October 27th 2020

Published by: Goya Publishing

Page numbers: 233

REVIEW: 

To be honest, the reason I decided to read Smörgåsbord of Musings is because the author Rathnakumar Raghunath is a friend of one of my closest friend and favourite person, Aditi, so I was a 100% sure that the book and the person behind it would both be inspiring and incredible. While we started interacting with each other, I realised Rathna is a genuinely kind, supportive and just an overall splendid human, which made me extremely curious about his book. Reading a book written by someone you know is always a challenge because somewhere, there is that slight pressure of being truthful and nice. I knew I would like Rathna's book because I liked the person behind it, but I had no idea that reading the book would made me appreciate and look up to the person even more. 

Smörgåsbord of Musings is a collection of a variety of stuff written by Rathna. Now I always say that I love books that make me feel- what it is that they make me feel, doesn't matter, as long as I feel something, you know? This collection had me go from ah to oh to aw to ugh to what not in a matter of some 200+ pages, and I love when a single book makes me experience the plethora of human emotions. Rathna's writing was simply awe-inspiring. He has presented the world with an exquisite collection of his writing that is so relatable, it will take the reader on a journey of their own life. Trust me, each and every part of the book made me feel belonged in the sense that it gave me a sense of comfort knowing that there is something that I have been through that is put down so terrifically in words by someone who has been through the same. It's just so magical, isn't it, how simple words connect us?

I had told Rathna that I wanted time to devour his book. I had actually meant to say savour because I wanted to feel each and every page. I got so hooked on to the author's writing though, that I ended up devouring it anyway, in less than 3 hours! This is one book I know I will keep going back to. With all my favourite parts marked with a post-it... that's the one sign for me that what I'm reading is not just going to stay with me, but that I will go back to it for that same sense of belonging, comfort and oneness that I felt while reading it. If your book makes me run to grab my sticky notes and makes my review seem endless, your writing just made me experience euphoria, so thank you, dear writer. 

A book like Smörgåsbord of Musings is a rare masterpiece that encompasses the profuseness and richness of feelings and an assortment of themes- touching on literally each and every one of them. The one and only downside to this book was that I wish there were more handwritten works. There was one and it was enthralling to read something in the writing of the writer- there's always something very charming about it that makes the reader connect with the writer in a personal way. Another negative I have is that the adorable bookmark I got out for this book was of no use as the book was unputdownable. 

I don't suppose I have done justice to the book with my words, but hey, I tried. As someone who has been following Rathna for quite some time now, I know it in my heart that he has written this with all his heart and it shows. His book is literally him in all his sincere, grand and simply majestic glory. I often get asked for book recommendations and I find myself getting confused as to what book to recommend to someone without really knowing what they like. There are books that make the reader happy, sad, anxious, depressed, angry, elated and just a basketful of emotions. But they have to pick different books to feel one or two of these. With Smörgåsbord of Musings, the reader will feel all of these and I know that henceforth, I will recommend it to everyone whether they ask me for recommendations or not. This book is like a one time investment for it explores the vastness of human emotions and experiences in one single read. 

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

Buy the book: AMAZON

Review: Bitten by Love by Vijaya S

Bitren by Love on Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“WHEN LOVE BITES, IT BITES HARD. ONCE BITTEN BY LOVE, YOU WILL BE FOREVER SMITTEN BY ITS SWEET PAIN.”
ANU is young, simple and carefree, gearing up for her first job at Oasis Ltd. She gets paired with ABHI, a mature and an unassuming boy, in her first assignment with the Indian IT giant. Little does she know that the pairing is not a mere coincidence, but a plan by destiny. Abhi does not have any inkling that the beautiful girl he was smitten by at a traffic signal, would end up as his pair programmer for whom he would eventually be ready to give up everything in life.
What will happen when Anu’s protective family gets to know about their love?
Will Abhi keep up the promise he makes to Anu’s family?
How will Anu cope with this drastic change in Abhi’s priorities?
Come, fall and rise in love as Bitten by Love takes you through an exhilarating and heart touching journey of friendships and love, driven by destiny, hope and determination.

Release date: September 14th 2020

Published by: Srishti Publishers

Page numbers: 224

REVIEW: 

As someone who does not normally read or enjoy romances, I must say that I was slightly sceptical about picking up Vijaya Sandireddy's Bitten By Love, but I thought I should give it a go and see how it turns out. Turns out, the book is fast paced, emotional, funny in some places and overall a good read that for a change, had me wanting to know more about the story. 

Bitten By Love is the story of Anu and Abhi who meet as colleagues and eventually fall in love. The way Vijaya showed the progress and growth of their relationship was beautiful. It wasn't the whole "oh boom- we  in love", nor was it a slow burn romance. The relationship progressed quietly steadily from colleagues to friends to lovers and the overall characters and story were well balanced. 

With any romance set in an Indian household, family plays a very important role. In this aspect as well as the workplace front, the book had a very 2 States vibe to it, which was good because that's a story I enjoyed. Anu being the youngest in the family is protected, cared for the most as teased by her family, which was very relatable. Abhi's family was refreshing to see as he is brought up by a single mother, without any siblings. 

I don't have much else to say other than the fact that this book was a genuinely good read. I won't be reading it again for sure, but I know that the story will stay with me for it had both the innocent and pure aspect of love coupled with the heartbreaking and taxing part of it. Pick this book up as your weekend read, and you're bound to have an enjoyable time. 

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

Review: The Diary of My Love by Deesha Sangani

 The Diary of My Love on Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Anushkaa is young, dynamic and deeply passionate, with her goals clearly set out. Fresh out of college, she has just stepped into the corporate world, chasing her dreams. Life seems perfect.

Ayush meets Anushkaa on her first day at work, and feels a spark of liking rush through him. Torn between his heart and mind, he is sure he is smitten by her magical charm. A chance conversation with Anushkaa evokes emotions he hasn’t felt in years. She seems to be perfect.

But does a perfect life exist?

When they meet again four years later, their hearts are broken and their will to love is lost. They heal each other’s hearts and help each other achieve their dreams. Finally, when they start living for themselves and each other, life plays a cruel card.

Anushkaa’s diary is her only true companion, holding within the pages the secret that nobody else will ever know. Join Ayush and Anushkaa on this rollercoaster of emotions, and take a peek into the secret Anushkaa has buried in The Diary of My Love.

Release date: October 12th 2020

Published by: Srishti Publishers and Distributors

Page numbers: 176

REVIEW: 

The plot of The Diary of My Love sounded very intriguing to me, especially the whole "life plays a cruel card" part. Call me morbid, but I love such stuff because you know what? It's reality. Anyway, that single line was the reason I requested a copy of the book for review and I am not kidding when I say that I don't remember the last time I read a book so fast. 

The Diary of My Love is the story of Anushkaa- right from her college days to her training days to her work and love life. I found Anushkaa's character to be very relatable as she was mature for her age, well balanced and knew exactly what she had to do to get what she wanted and for her own peace of mind. Problematic protagonists are my favourite, but it was refreshing to read about one who was trying her all to be physically and mentally fit. I could connect with Anushkaa on a whole new level, which helped me understand and appreciate her better. 

Aside from a few little things in the author's writing here and there- like the repetition of words and thoughts in one single paragraph and a slight disarray of the timeline- I found it to be uncomplicated. Deesha Sangani has written a very good story about experiences that we have all been through, especially the incidents recounted from Anushkaa's college life took me back to my own college days which left me feeling both nostalgic and surreal. 

One thing author Deesha Sangani did really well was portray Anushkaa's emotions and family in the most realistic matter. We all go through our share of ups and downs in life and not all of us find it easy to express ourselves in both happy and sad situations. The author did it very beautifully. It was the complicated story of a simple girl who believed in the world around her and most importantly, in herself. 

As I am writing this review, I realise that I haven't said much about the plot, but that's the beauty of it. I would rather the reader discover this relatable, heartbreaking and beautiful story on their own. I finished this book in two days which shows how engrossing and good it was. If you ever want to get a peek into your own mind and all the emotional baggage we carry with us, do pick up this book. 

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