The Book Critiques

BOOK – The Influencer
AUTHOR – Abhaidev
GENRE – Fiction (Thriller)
PAGES – 312
REVIEW – Aditya, a citizen of a fictional land Scenika was born with some supernatural power about which he has zero knowledge. He used to think that he was cool and everyone just love him but the casanova Aditya become serious towards his life once he came to know about his true identity. Aditya was an Influencer who can influence others and was associated with the World Influencer Society.
His life was sorted as his every dream come true. However, his one careless mistake precipitates into his wife knowing his secret. This put Aditya and his wife’s life in danger and with this began a race between him and WIS.

The story is jam-packed with twists and turns which will keep you hooked till the last page. The author has used riched vocabulary while the overall language of the book is easy which makes the reading journey smooth. The author has aptly worked upon minute details because of which a reader can easily visualise the entire story.

I like reading thrillers with fast pace and lots of suspense and this was one such book.

RATING – 5⭐

BOOK – Duryodhana’s Queen
AUTHOR – Priyanka Bhuyan
PUBLISHER – Bigfoot Publishing
GENRE – Fiction (Mythology)
PAGES – 244
REVIEW – Mahabharata, one of the greatest Indian epics is re-told time and again from various perspectives. There is n number of books on Mahabharata, both fiction and Non-Fiction.
I have heard tales of Mahabharata and read the epic from various viewpoints many times. But even after reading it several times, I feel like reading it again and again and to satiate my craving this time I picked Mahabharata’s retelling from a less known but influential character.

Duryodhana’s Queen by Priyanka Bhuyan is a retelling of Mahabharata from the point of view of Bhanumati, the unheard and unsung hero from the epic. The Princess came into the limelight on the day of her swayamvara when the Crown Prince of Hastinapur, Duryodhana abducted her with Karna’s help. Initially, Bhanumati resisted and didn’t accept Duryodhana but the Kuru Prince’s vow of not having another wife and unconditional love changed Bhanumati’s outlook.
The love between the two was pure and the couple was happy together. However, their lives changed with the arrival of Pandavas. The hunger for ruling the kingdom made Duryodhana do unforbidden acts which lead to the great war.

Summing the entire Mahabharata in approximately 200 pages that too not leaving important events is nothing less than an accomplishment. I like the way how through Bhanumati the author unveiled the different shades of Duryodhana. Duryodhana was evil and did everything wrong but it was his uncle Shakuni’s vengeance which ended up with the great war of Mahabharata.

Though this is the second volume of Chronicles of Kuru Women series yet you can read it without reading the first volume.

Overall, this book gives you different eyes to look into the character of Duryodhana the anti-hero who was not wrong but wronged.

If you love mythological fiction, have read Mahabharata before and want to read the epic again from a different perspective then this book is surely for you.

RATING – 4⭐

BOOK – An Invitation to Die
AUTHOR – Tanushree Podder
PUBLISHER – HarperCollins
GENRE – Fiction (Murder Mystery)
PAGES – 279
REVIEW – Ramsar, a peace-loving town was shaken to the core when a dead body was found in the missing van of Violet Williams and the whole town was stunned after knowing that the dead person was not a local but a guest Deepak Dabral who came to Ramsar to attend a wedding reception.
At first sight, it looks like a suicide, even Police was handling the case accordingly but the local sleuth Colonel Acharya was not positive, he instigated the investigation with ASP Timothy Thapa and their investigation leads them to several suspects but a little clue.
Where the DSP Jang Bahadur Singh was convinced that the killer was Deepak’s cousin, Colonel Acharya’s intuition warned him towards a sinister plan.
Who doesn’t love murder mystery especially when written intriguingly? ‘An Invitation to Die’ by Tanushree Podder is nothing less than a roller coaster ride where you’ll have to rack your mind to unearth the culprit.

Although the author has added all the suspense required yet I was able to predict the murderer which was a turn down for me. However, this doesn’t make this book less approachable or boring, you’ll still hold till the end just to get your guess correct.

There is no doubt that the storyline is effective and the execution is smooth and flawless. And the vivid description creates clear images in mind which help in connecting with the story well.
If you are someone who has not read many murder mysteries and want to try out the genre then this book is surely for you.
RATING – 4 ⭐

BOOK – The Misters Kuru
AUTHOR – Trisha Das
PUBLISHERS – Harper Collins
GENRE – Fiction(Mythology/Comedy)
Review – Who doesn’t know about the great Indian epic Mahabharata and its characters but have you ever imagined what will happen if some of the characters from the epic come back to today’s 21st century? How will they react after seeing the current state of their Indraprastha?
Well, that’s exactly what happened in Trisha Das’s The Misters Kuru. When Subhadra inform Arjuna that his mother, Kunti along with Draupadi and Amba has ensconced in the mortal world, Arjuna talked about the matter with his brothers and the Pandavas decides to go down and bring the ladies of the Kuru clan back to heaven safely.

On the Earth, Draupadi joined NPTV whereas Kunti took charge of an orphanage as a warden and also adopted a teenager Karna( who was the incarnation of her firstborn Karna).
The trio was relishing their stay in the mortal world but the abrupt entry of the Pandava brothers and Narad Muni gives them the shock of life. And what follows is even more laughter and tears as new battles are fought, old fires are rekindled, and the men find their place in the modern world.

I have read retellings of Mahabharata too many times but never in my wildest dreams imagined reading this hilarious version of The Great Mahabharata.
The thing which I liked was that the ladies took charge of their own destiny, unlike the Mahabharata where they were mere puppets in the hands of men.
If you are looking for a witty and light read, do give this book a chance.

RATING – 4.5⭐

#qotd – Do you believe in the magic of love?

BOOK – The Greatest Game
AUTHOR – Greg Rajaram
GENRE – Fiction(Contemporary Philosophical)
PAGES – 232
REVIEW – Divided into two parts The Greatest Game shares a very unusual story of human evolution. The first part starts with the Devi and Shiva, the initial inhabitants of the planet Earth. Then it moves towards Adi, a ten-year-old boy who joins hands to decipher the prophecy of a promised king.
Whereas, the second part shares the story of Krish, an engineer who joins a team of scientists who were trying to develop artificial consciousness in a machine.
In a world, where love was nothing less than some chemical reactions, Krish has full belief in the magic of love but the cruel world was not ready to appreciate his faith.
Will he succeed in proving to the world the power of love?
Read this book to find out.
After a very long time, I read a very unique story, something which hooked me from the very first beginning.
The connection shown between love, consciousness and evolution is no doubt thought-provoking.
However, it also became difficult to understand at a few places and confuses its readers. If you really want to enjoy this book then try to read it in solitude(so that you can grasp things properly).
The cover and the title both do justice with the plot.
And yes, the tricky plotline and execution make this book not so beginner-friendly.

RATING – 4⭐

BOOK – Kunti
AUTHOR – Koral Dasgupta
PUBLISHERS – Panmac Milan
GENRE – Fiction (Mythology)
REVIEW – Kunti, a prominent face from the great Indian epic Mahabharata was the wife of King Pandu and mother of Pandavas.
We all know how her one decision created havoc in the life of Draupadi but it was only she and her teachings that kept the Pandava brothers united till the end.
However, not much is talked about Kunti’s early life, her childhood and the events which shaped her life.
Koral Dasgupta takes this intricate chore upon her shoulders and marvellously unfolds the lesser-known story of Kunti.
‘Kunti’ is the second book in the Sati series where the author explores the lives of the Panch Kanyas from Indian mythology.
And in this book, Koral beautifully illustrates the life of a brilliant girl who was given by her father to her uncle Kuntibhoj ( a childless king). At Kuntibhoj’s Kingdom, Kunti learned almost everything and was given a mathematical equation to solve by Maharishi Durvasa, it was such an equation that if solved then Kunti can summon any God and bear his child. This equation leads Kunti to unwanted motherhood where she gave away her firstborn.
Later Kunti enters a marriage only for the benefits of an Empire. But even after everything her love for King of Devas was intact.

Books like this always excite me, especially when they end abruptly leaving my imagination to wander.

Koral knows very well how to hold her reader till the last page. After reading Ahalya I instantly became a fan of her writing. She has brilliantly described not only Kunti’s life but also gives a new perspective to other characters.

RATINGS- 5⭐

BOOK – Krishna: Greatest Spiritual Wisdom for Tough Times
AUTHOR – Pranay
PUBLISHER – Fingerprint Publishing
GENRE – Non-Fiction(Spirituality)
PAGES – 125
REVIEW – We all need someone in our difficult times who could guide, advise and navigate us through these tough times. But we all don’t have such a person, in fact, we all can’t have such a person as we all are humans and we all have a life to deal with.
However, we have books, which can and are helping us in becoming better people.
And one such book is penned by @, Krishna which is about the teachings of Lord Krishna. We all are fully aware that during the War of Mahabharata, Krishna helped Arjun to fight against his blood and through Arjun he taught the entire world, some life-saving principles.
In this book, the author has simplified those principles and learnings of Krishna and presented them in a manner that even a layman can comprehend effortlessly.
The book is divided into 5 parts viz,
1. Karma Yoga: The Path of Dynamic Action
2. Raja Yoga: The Royal Path to Bliss
3. Bhakti Yoga: The Path of Devotion
4. Gyaana Yoga: The Path of Knowledge
5. Conclusion: Ultimate Warrior – Consciousness

In this book, the author has talked about how one can tackle the crises be it personal or professional by emboding the dynamic teachings of Krishna.

I don’t know how but I always end up on a book at the perfect time. These days I am facing a lot of issues both personal and professional and when my life was in complete chaos, I, out of blue started this book and now I can see the difference, the calmness this book has brought in my life is surreal.

Books on spirituality are always bliss to read and I recommend this book to all those who are seeking some answers from their lives.

RATING – 5⭐

BOOK – I Am Invincible
AUTHOR – Neelam Kumar
PUBLISHER – Fingerprint Publishing
GENRE – Non- fiction
PAGES – 222
REVIEW – None of us has an easy life, we all are struggling, fighting with some invisible demons in our own way. But there are a few people whose lives are far difficult than normal human life, they have too many roadblocks but do they gave up? No Sir. They fight back that too with full vigour and become a true warrior and inspiration for many.

I Am Invincible shares the stories of 13 such warriors who have fought bravely and not only triumphed but gone on to build lives more beautiful than the ones they had inherited.
The book is divided into 2 parts where part I hold 6 Cancer Stories and the remaining part has Inspirational Stories of Adversity Fighters.
Don’t we all think that our lives are difficult or we can’t achieve something because we don’t have enough resources? At least I used to but after reading this book my outlook is completely changed. The warriors mentioned in this book fought their demons single handly and gives a powerful message.

The narration of each story is flawless and lucid. You will find each story better than the last and all the stories will surely have a lasting impact on you.
The author has not only shared the stories of others but she begins the book with her life story and struggle and how she fought with cancer twice and came back strongly.

Overall, this is a must-read for all and am sure you are going to learn some life lessons from this book.

RATING – 5⭐

BOOK – What Went Wrong?

AUTHOR – Shradha Khanna

PUBLISHER – Kalamos Literary Services

GENRE – Fiction(Romance)

PAGES – 134

REVIEW – What if you are asked to choose between your career and the person who love you beyond everything? What will you choose? Will you ditch that person who stands with you even when your parents were against you?
Well, Meera, the Protagonist of What Went Wrong? faced a similar situation. Meera, born with the silver spoon was the only daughter of the Raichand couple and has everything in her life, parents who care, a boyfriend who loves yet her life was incomplete. Being an ambitious person, all Meera ever wanted in her life to be independent, to pursue her dream career but life was not this simple for her. Even after everything, one thing she lacks was freedom, freedom of choosing the life she wants for herself. It was either her parents or her boyfriend who took all the important decisions of her life. But Meera had had enough and finally, she made up her mind that she want more from her life, that marriage is not what she wants. But sharing her feelings with the love of her life was not that easy.
Dive into the world of Meera Raichand to know her full story.

This is my kinda love story, a story full of love and have no lust or obscenity. The story is nothing out of the box but the way it is being narrated touched my heart. What I really like about the book is that the author sticks to the topic throughout the story instead of beating the bush. Its easy language makes this book beginner-friendly. And both the cover and title of the book are catchy and relatable.

What makes a story a good story? I think the plotline and the characters and here both are just perfect. Meera’s character feels so real, it’s easy to feel a connection with her. Even in the 21st-century, grown-up women have to ask for permission from their parents/husbands/boyfriends to do something significant in their life.
There is no doubt that I like the whole story except a particular scene that confused me to the core. In that scene, Meera was talking with her bestie but I don’t know why the author gave three names to a single person and used all those names in the same scene (or maybe I just misinterpreted the whole scene).

Overall, this was a refreshing read for me and I recommend this book to beginners and to those who want to read a pure love story.


RATING – 4.5⭐

BOOK – What Make us Alike?
AUTHOR – Donna Dias Manuel
PUBLISHER – Leadstart
GENRE – Fiction(Contemporary)
PAGES – 200
REVIEW –
Mother, our first teacher, from whom we learn most of the stuff be it speaking or walking. Mother is the only creation of God whose life revolves around others especially her kids. She does everything for them, put them before herself, even before taking a major decision, instead of giving a thought about the effect on her life, she only worry about that whether her decision will make her child’s life better or not.

And that’s the story of What Makes Us Alike? Which revolves around two courageous Mothers who went two steps ahead for their daughters and two adamant daughters who always think that their mothers act only on impulse.
Eira, the main protagonist, get herself pregnant out of wedlock and rather than marrying the father of her child she prefers to become a single mother with a full support from her mother Kanika.

Now, Kanika too has her secrets which have enough strength to wreck havoc in Eira’s life. But Eira never gave enough importance to her mother and always accuse her for something trivial.
After 12 years of being a super mom, Eira was at crossroads, she fell in love but her daughter Zasha was not on her side because of their past ordeals.
Let me leave the rest of the story here for you to discover.

What an elegantly pen down a story this is. A story that has all the potential to make you laugh and cry. Reading it was no less than an emotional roller coaster ride for me.

The characters felt so substantial which make this book more appealing. But the cover and title were what caught my eyes and the minute I saw it I knew that this book is for me and I am glad I give it a read.

Written in simple language, this book is a page-turner. The emotions and the essence of the mother-daughter relationship are so well captured.

I recommend this book to all the lovely daughters out there, go read this story so that you realise the value of your mother’s love.

RATING – 5 ⭐