Category: From My Bookshelf

There are lots of books stacked on my bookshelf. When I pick one of them, I dive into the amazing world created by an author as soon as I open the cover. However, there is always “the end” written on the last page of the book. Have you ever felt that you are in the same world with those characters? Witnessing those scenes written on pages in your hand, hearing voices of characters speaking dialogues scripted for them? There are a few books which have taken me in their world. And I must say, they are magnificent. Valentia created by Rajamayyoor Sharma is on top of my head as far as Indian fiction is concerned while James Clavel has taken me to mediaeval Japan. I have roamed around London with Sherlock and Poirot.

And yet, the journey in those realms, started from the cover page, has its end marked. The author takes the characters by hand and takes them to their destination by the end of the book. They fulfil their destiny. If a writer chooses to give happy moments at the end, we enjoy them. If it’s a tragedy, characters at least get closure at the end. Many times, I wish to ask the author if he or she has forgotten to write something for me? What about my destiny at the end? What about my share of the closure? Haven’t you thought about me as an uninvited traveller on this journey when you wrote a book?

Here you will find my reflections on my readings. Hope you will also enjoy these stories as much as I did.

  • Zero Day: Masterpiece of Thriller Mystery

    Zero Day: Masterpiece of Thriller Mystery

    You guys by now must have understood my liking for good mystery, crime and thrillers in the book world. I enjoy reading a good fiction novel or a story having crime, investigations, espionage and all the thrill attached to it. This new book by S. Hussain Zaidi is a masterpiece and sheer pleasure for any bibliophile who enjoys these genres. 

    What makes this masterpiece unputdownable?

    Any mystery or thriller works on three points, what crime is committed, who committed it and why? Generally opening with a crime scene story or novel moves through the maze of clues and challenges to reach the pinnacle where investigators reveal the identity and motive of the perpetrator. But hold on, Zero Day beats this stereotype. You know who the criminal is as well as why he’s doing what he is doing. Yet you will just keep reading to know the missing links. This is a very unique style of writing crime fiction.

    Language used by Zaidi is so simple and the narrative so fast paced, readers just get hooked on to the story. Once you start reading it, you won’t put it down until you have the answers to all the questions by the end of the book. I have finished this book with little over 200 pages in 6 hours. That too because I have to keep completing my tasks for the day on my job. If I could, I would have loved to finish it in one go.

    Blurb

    Mumbai is in a state of chaos. All traffic signals across the entire city have stopped working.

    Shahwaz Ali Mirza, head of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, receives an anonymous email claiming it to be a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. He quickly puts together a crack team that includes his protege, IG Cybercrime Vikrant Singh, and gets to work trawling the dark web for more information on this mystery attack. However, a move to bring forward the hacker backfires, leading to a second, deadlier attack on Mumbai’s lifeline, the railway system.

    It is their first brush with cyberterrorism: a zero-day vulnerability in the Indian government’s system that could bring the country to its knees. Racing against time and investigating a case unlike any other, in Zero Day, Mirza and Vikrant face the most dangerous mission of their lives.

    About the book

    Title: Zero Day
    Author: S. Hussain Zaidi
    Publisher: Harper Collins
    Pages: 216

    Where to Buy

    Should you read it?

    I think I have found the first 5 star book of the year 2022. I can not recommend it enough for you guys to read. If you are a sucker for good investigative stories, you should not miss zero day. I have given you the link to grab your copies above. Do let me know how you like it if you have already read the book!

    This review is powered by the Blogchatter Book Review Program. Also read more book reviews penned by me here.

  • Tongue of Slip- a subtle humor that life brings

    Tongue of Slip- a subtle humor that life brings

    When an Indian person comes across the name of Coorg, one can only think about beautiful weather, rolling hills and coffee plantations spread across vast lands. However, today I am introducing you to one gem of a person who has dipped his toes in many areas of life. He holds a masters degree in Chemical Engineering, manages his a coffee plantation. And has also written a few books on the history of the region. Meet, Mr. C. P. Belliappa. I recently came across his book called Tongue of Slip while browsing through kindle stores. This one is full of humor

    Humor is spread everywhere in our lives. This is the thing which makes our lives better and he has managed to bring it all in this book. It has a humor from his work, funny things happening around the game of golf. In addition, there is a whole section in book which accounts situations when one literally have experienced tongue of slip or teek in chongue.. (fumble intended)

    If you like to have a good laugh on subtle humor that life brings in. Tongue of slip is your book. I simply loved this good humors book written by C P Belliappa. The way he narrated various funny events, anecdotes and memories is incredible! You should not miss this one…

    Blurb

    In this collection of over fifty anecdotes, well-known humour writer C. P. Belliappa showcases, with his trademark wit, warmth and wisdom, the funny side of life. These slice-of-life stories, drawn from his personal experiences, cover topics such as the wonder years that is childhood and hilarious cultural bloopers, and are replete with pithy observations on everyday situations. From embarrassing diplomatic gaffes committed by State dignitaries to the authors language misadventures in Paris and China, from It Happens Only in India to other rip-roaring social blunders, this book has it all. Sit back and enjoy the eloquent wit and sublime humour contained in Tongue of the Slip this is Indian satire at its best.

    About the book

    Title: Tongue of Slip

    Author: C. P. Belliappa

    Publisher: Rupa Publications India

    Pages: 182

    Where to buy

    You can read more of my reviews here. I am very happy to be a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRChallange.

  • Lahore – Poignant and rattling story of 1947 partition

    Lahore – Poignant and rattling story of 1947 partition

    The Partition of India is a saddest time in the whole Indian history. India was about to get her independence after paying a huge sacrifice of blood sweat and tears of her sons and daughters, many of whom remained unsung. And at the same time, Jinnah’s direct action plan was creating a mayhem in areas which were going to be East and West Pakistan. Stories around Lahore particularly were distressing. Jinnah’s plan disrupted life in the region. During this time, young ones lost their parents, youth lost their job and love interests. Many families left their home behind and took the leap of faith to reach safety from the massacres happening around. Undivided Punjab was a thing of past. Lahore, was on the other side of the border. Those were the dark days indeed with a tiniest silver lining of Indian independence.

    Magnificent characters from history and her mind

    Writing anything about this period needs to be researched with the highest possible depth. There are so many movers and shakers of the Indian subcontinent’s history involved.  Manreet Sodhi Someshwar had taken up that herculean task to enter into the labyrinth of historical events. And she emerged triumphant out of it. Her research about facts and stalwart figures like Sardar Vallabhbhai, Pandit Nehru, Jinnah, etc. is thorough. 

    But, this is not a history book. Lahor, Book 1 of the partition trilogy, is a novel. It’s a story of people whom Manreet has conjured. She had done such a wonderful job of making them equally real as these historical giants. Manreet is a master storyteller. Her story is engaging. It keeps you reading through its pages until you feel burdened by the emotions her characters are going through.

    Cover is so colourful – Just like Lahor

    I just loved the colourful cover of this book. Vibrant red with yellow flowers and the iconic building of Badshahi mosque on the cover catches your eye at a first glance. I have heard stories about how colourful and lively Lahor and other historical cities have been. This cover design has done justice to those glorious tales.

    If you like historical fiction, you should not miss this book. I am so much looking forward to Kashmir and Hyderabad, the next two books Manreet has planned for this partition trilogy.

    Blurb

    In the months leading up to Independence, in Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel are engaged in deliberations with British Viceroy Dickie Mountbatten over the fate of the country. In Lahore, Sepoy Malik returns home from the Great War hoping to win his sweetheart Tara’s hand in marriage, only to find divide-and-rule holding sway, and love, friendships, and familial bonds being tested.

    Set in parallel threads across these two cities, Lahore is a behind-the-scenes look into the negotiations and the political skulduggery that gave India its freedom, the price for which was batwara. As the men make the decisions and wield the swords, the women bear the brunt of the carnage that tears through India in the sticky hot months of its cruellest summer ever.

    Backed by astute research, The Partition Trilogy captures the frenzy of Indian independence, the Partition and the accession of the states, and takes readers back to a time of great upheaval and churn.

    About the book

    Title: Lahor

    Author: Manreet Sodhi Someshwar

    Publisher: Harper Collins

    Pages: 313

    Where to buy

    This review is powered by the Blogchatter Book Review Program. Also read more book reviews penned by me here.

  • Nice to be acquainted with A to Z’s of Tilottama

    Nice to be acquainted with A to Z’s of Tilottama

    Jibanananda Das, a Bengali Poet once said, কোলকাতা কোনোদিন তিলোত্তমা হবে meaning, Kolkata will one day be Tilottama. Kolkata, our own city of joy, music, art and culture has always fascinated me. It is still very illusive for me as yet I haven’t set my foot on her soil. It keeps intriguing me through the references I see in movies, and read in stories. Recently, I got an opportunity to get acquainted with the A to Zs of this Tilottama through the lens of a book called Tilottama at a glance, written by Sreeparna Sen.

    Unique way to introduce Tilottama

    When you pick up a book which started as a part of a blogging project, you kind of go in with the preconceived notion about the book. However, this particular book will break your assumptions and will make you read it through and know about this wonderful city in one go. It has been a really long time that I have finished a book in one sitting. This short read of just 68 pages, takes you on a journey through the streets of Kolkata taking you to meet its people and their quirk.

    I really appreciate the author for not making it a typical A to Z about a city. It’s not a list of famous places and tourist attractions. There are a couple of iconic locations like Howrah Bridge and Victoria memorial that are part of this book. However, I loved the way Sen has introduced the culture of Kolkata and habits of her citizens as quintessential parts of the identity of the city. The strong passion for food, music and art shared by the people of Kolkata is evident in many pages of this book. 

    My Rating

    I will definitely recommend this book if you want to get acquainted with Kolkata and the people of the city of joy before going in for your maiden visit to the city. Sreeparna Sen has done a great job in introducing her readers to the quirks of her city.

    Content: 4/5

    Writing style: 4/5

    Cover Design: 4/5

    Blurb

    Tilottama At A Glance is not merely the A B C’s of Kolkata for a casual traveller. This book allows you to acquaint yourself with the heart and soul of a rather unusual Indian city with loads of quirks. It is a journey through the culture, history, architecture, idiosyncrasies and other endearing or astonishing traits of Kolkata, that make this city unique.

    About Author

    Sreeparna Sen is a banker and finds her solace in writing. She has authored the book Tales of Wizardencil. Sen is a part of 10 anthologies including an international project Until Dawn.

    About the book

    Title: Tilottama at a glance

    Author: Sreeparna Sen

    Publisher: Ukiyoto Publishing

    Pages: 68

    Where to buy

    This review is powered by the Blogchatter Book Review Program. Also read more book reviews penned by me here.

  • An Invitation to Die – Captivating Murder Mystery

    An Invitation to Die – Captivating Murder Mystery

    I have observed that as I approach mid-October, I naturally gravitate towards mystery and thrillers. Maybe this is the motivation I need to keep reading till the end of year. I have mentioned in my earlier posts about how much I love a good mystery or thrillers. They keep me glued to the pages or screen if I am reading them on Kindle. This year, thanks to the Blogchatter’s Book Review Program, I got an opportunity to review a captivating murder mystery written by Tanushree Podder.

    An Invitation to Read

    Harper Collins is famous for their wonderful books and this one surely keeps up to that tradition. An Invitation to Die is the third mystery that Col. Acharya, a local sleuth of Ramsar solves ASP Timothy Thapa. I suppose, I was living under a rock till date. I haven’t read the earlier two books. And yet, Tanushree is successful in grabbing my full attention in this third one. She has done a wonderful job as a storyteller. Plot goes on thickening as you keep turning pages.

    With a lot of mystery reading, you kind of become sleuth yourself. It becomes a curse when your little grey cells start working when you pick up a mystery novel. You start guessing the plot in advance. But hold your horses my fellow sleuths. Podder has lots of twists and turns which will leave you surprised whenever you start guessing the next step. 

    I am eager to go back and grab other books from this series and read them. Tanushree Podder has captured a spot on my favorite authors list with this book. I highly recommend this one to you. I am sure you won’t regret your decision.

    Blurb

    It begins with a simple mystery – elderly widow Violet William’s van goes missing after her granddaughter Pia forgets to lock the door when using it to cater for a wedding reception. But this is Ramsar, and soon, a simple case turns sinister when ASP Timothy Thapa finally finds the missing van, and promptly discovers a dead body inside it. Enter Colonel Acharya, Ramsar’s resident amateur sleuth, with his merry band of bridge-playing Watsons. As the detective begins his investigation, he finds that things are not what they seem, and with few clues, several suspects, and no leads to go on, Colonel Acharya might be facing his most challenging case yet.

    My Ratings

    Story: 4/5
    Writing style: 4/5
    Cover Design: 5/5

    Overall rating: 4.5/5

    About the book

    Book: An Invitation to Die: A Colonel Acharya Mystery
    Author: Tanushree Podder
    Publisher: Harper Collins
    Genre: Crime Fiction
    Pages: 288

    Where to buy

    P.S. This book also marks the completion of my TBR Challenge. I had pledged to read 25 books in the year of 2021.

    This review is powered by the Blogchatter Book Review Program.

  • Eye On You – Chilling Thriller by Kanchana Banerjee

    Eye On You – Chilling Thriller by Kanchana Banerjee

    Good thrillers, crime and investigation are the most engaging stories for me and they are pretty rare to find. But when you find one. You just can’t stop until you reach “The End”. Anita Nair, Salil Desai, Sujata Messi, Vaseem Khan and Abeer Mukherjee are a few names which are setiating our hunger for Indian thrillers. Today I want to add one more name to the list. Kanchana Bannerjee has given us her second crime thriller “Eye On You” and man, it’s a gripping tale.

    My favorites from “Eye On You”

    Eye On You is the story of Myra, a leading sales head of a reputed company and social media influencer on the side. It revolves around the event of her getting raped in her own bedroom without any signs of forced entry in the house, no signs of struggle and no forensic evidence. The story is set in today’s Gurgaon with all of its problems like overcrowding, worsening air quality along with many others. New found glamorous career of being a social influencer plays an important role in the story to take it forward through various plot points. It connects with the reader because of the contemporary settings and events which we read and hear around us.

    The style of writing is fluid and fast paced which makes the book interesting to read. The way of narrating a story with the perspective of different characters takes it to a next level. Grab your copy to enjoy a gripping thriller story.

    Blurb

    You’re seen, tracked, and followed everywhere you go. Every line & picture you post; someone is watching. All that information in the wrong hands is a recipe for disaster.

    You have a smart door, a CCTV; everything is controlled via an app on your mobile phone. All they need to do is to hack into your phone. Anyone can get in, anyone can see you inside your home.

    How safe are you inside your home?

    Myra is a young, independent, single working woman living in Gurgaon. After a party in her home, she wakes up the following morning and discovers that she has been raped. But she was at home, surrounded by her friends.

    Who could have done this to her? Was it one of her friends or a stranger?

    My Rating

    Book Cover: 2/5
    Writing Style: 4/5
    Story: 3/5
    Overall: 3/5

    About the book

    Book: Eye On You
    Author: Kanchana Banerjee
    Publisher: Self Published
    Genre: Crime Fiction
    Pages: 188

    Where to buy

    I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa. My current ranking is 272,112. This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program.