Romance Shorts by Sourabh Mukherjee: a review

A breather from everything in life, even though romance may be done to death, it is the only thing that can bring you to a world of dreams and you will end up liking every bit of time that you spend with any book that has romance in it. As I came across the title of Sourabh Mukherjee’s anthology, I was intrigued and wanted to read the book. Romance Shorts, as it is titled. The cover of the book, done in pink and shades of it adds to the soothing effect that the title had given. So, it was time that I read the blurb of the book.

According to the back cover- What does destiny have in store for a teenager unable to express his feelings for the girl of his dreams as their paths keep crossing through the years? Sid turns to work and alcohol to get over the pain of losing Sheetal till she walks back into his arms in the after party of a corporate awards function. Is she back for good? What does an advertisement on a billboard try to tell a man who has lost his memory and his wife in a near fatal accident? As Ria nurses her broken heart, she meets a stranger on the internet and finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. Will she find love again? ‘Romance Shorts’ is a collection of four contemporary romantic stories. A brisk read with a lasting impact, it paints love in its various hues that make it the only emotion worth dying for. A slice of life in true sense, Romance Shorts takes us on a soulful journey as we relive loves lost or found or nurtured unprofessed in the deepest recesses of our hearts.

I would start with mentioning the fact that the book has only four stories. Very unusual for a short story collection, the fact that it has only four stories both helps and acts as a con for the collection. Now, the presentation. Given the fact that it is a self published book, there was more that I, as a reader expected out of it. The stories though, make up for the flaw in the presentation of the book. To speak about the stories I have to say that each story has its own essence and still a very invisible thread somehow, to me, binds all the stories together. I would go for every story one by one.

The first story in the book is Nargis through the summers. As you might’ve already read in the back cover of the book, the gist of the story is about a teenager who is unable to express his feelings for the girl of his dreams as their paths keep crossing through the years. But is this story just that? I would suggest that do not be misled through the gist in the blurb because the story has a deeper story into it and you would miss it if you don’t read it. All the questions that might arise when you are reading the story will be answered by the end of it. A wonderful and touching story to say the least.

Mine forever is the second story in the book. Again, the gist of the story is given very well in the book blurb and I would say that personally this is my favorite story of the whole book. I loved the way the emotions have been dealt with in this story. It touches the heart and the concept of the story was totally on point.

The third story on the list is Memories. As the gist on the back cover blurb says, the story is about a man who has lost his memory and his wife in a near fatal incident and there is a billboard which he encounters every day to and from work that reminds him of something which he is unable to remember. Just like all the other stories of the book, this story is also not what it shows itself to be. You will surely be engrossed in the story and in knowing what is to happen next in the story.

The last story of the book is titled Love came calling again. This story is my second favorite in the list. The story of Ria might seem fictional but it does happen in real life and what if I say that it has happened to a very close friend of mine? What happened to Ria, if you ask, then I have to say that you need to get hold of the book as soon as possible and know.

All the four stories make for a delightful read of the whole book. Coming to the cons of the book, the book doesn’t have any such con apart from two major things which I, personally, did not like. The first, as I have already mentioned is the presentation and the second is the fact that there are only four stories in the book. If there were more stories then this book would’ve garnered more stars from me. 

A compact book, I would still say that the author has set up high expectations for himself and so I felt that a few parts of a few stories could’ve been smoothed a bit. For me, looking forward to reading more from the author, this book is 3.75 out of 5. A delightful attempt and a must read book.

Let the game begin by Sandeep Sharma: a review

Let the Game Begin is the second book by author Sandeep Sharma. I would like to comment here that the book looks very interesting from the cover and thus prompted me to pick up the book to know what is there to look forward to the book. I must say this that this book satisfied me, to say the least. The cover gave way to the fact that it is a book which has history and has chess as its background and then I went on to read the blurb of the book to see what does it has to say about the book.

According to the blurb- Two kingdoms, Chaturanga and Sarprakt, separated by a mystic mountain range are at war with each other since ages. Chaturange ruled by King Viratha, is soon bestowed with a dynamic heir, and the whole kingdom is drowned in rituals and festivity. On the other side, Sarprakt is executing a cruel conspiracy. King Viratha, crippled by the conspiracy, urges the mysterious man of the mountain to devise a method to recreate the conspiracy and that gave birth to ‘The Game of Chess’. Serial killings shock the nation as the police are rendered clueless. The killer leaves behind a trail of chess pieces with a strange message. Random people are murdered. Connoisseurs of different fields- History, Chess and the Security forces- have united as the next intended victim is the most powerful person of the country. How is Chess involved in the whole scenario? How will they find a man who dies 4000 years ago? Can a person defy the laws of nature? Does history really repeat itself? Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Looks like a thrilling read, isn’t it? I must say that I wasn’t disappointed after reading the book. It starts with a bang and then continues to keep the readers entertained. I would first talk about the characters and then the story. For me, the characters had their flesh and bones and were on point. Every other character entering and exiting at the time that is being given to them and doing total justice to the character for the time that he or she is in the limelight.

The characters, even though might seem very clear in the beginning, is in real very confusing and twisted. Without reading the book, you would not know what I am talking about. I, personally, would have liked if the author had given the characters enough space to flow on their own. There were many characters introduced together so there are moments where you might have to turn the pages and see who is whom. The twists of the characters and the twists of the story is something that would make you turn the pages of the book in the hope of knowing what happens next. The plot is done well and the fact that it is a series of books and the idea of what might happen at the end of the book is something that is enough to keep the readers on the edge of their seats.

Now the story. If I have to say about the story then first I have to say the fact that the author seems to be highly inspired from the Dan Brown style of storytelling. There are a few elements which I am sure any Dan Brown fan, like me, would spot and that acts as the pro or the con of the book, I would let you as a reader to decide on that. Keeping that factor aside, I need to say that the book has an interesting plot because I don’t think that any such book would’ve had the history of chess or chess as a subplot. Being a person who is fond of the game, I liked the book.

Coming to the cons of the book, I would like to say that hardcore thriller lovers might suffer setbacks in the book because it might not satisfy them. There were not many grammatical errors in the book and that is why it gives a smooth read to whoever reads it. If I have to talk about the writing style then I would have to say that the author could’ve done a bit more. I do not know how to describe the fact that the book was just there but it somehow couldn’t be. Even while framing the plot, the much needed space for the story to flow was missing. The expectations are high and I'm sure the author would give us much more in the future. The presentation could’ve been done a bit differently and that, I guess, would’ve made a lot of difference. The genre that the book is specified in is Romance which I thought could well have been thriller. Apart from these, looking forward to the next in the series, this book is 3.5 out of 5 for me. 

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About Awakened

 Ruby Iyer must save her city, save her friend, save her very soul from being destroyed and only sexy cop gone rogue Vik Roy can help her. Except Vik has a secret; one that will turn her world upside down. Can she still trust him? Criminals run the streets of Bombay. Jam-packed with the worst degenerates. The city is a shell of the pride and joy it used to be. Ruby knows something must be done, but it isn't until her best friend is kidnapped that she knows that she and she alone must save city, save her best friend, save her soul from total destruction. Armed only with Vik, a sexy cop-turned-rogue they are about to embark on a road they may never return from.

What they say:

"Laxmi's stories get you from the very first sentence and never let go" - Rebecca Hamilton, USA Today Bestselling Author

"...A novel that presents so much more than a singular, easy path." - D. Donovan, (Midwest Book Reviews)

Awards

Finalist, 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

2015 Readers' Favorite

Finalist, 2015 IAN Book of the Year Awards

Finalist, 9th Annual Indie Excellence Awards

Excerpt

His tongue flicks out to touch his lips. Can he still taste blood?

His eyes flick to my lips, down to my throat, my breasts, lower, lower still. I'm close enough to see the golden flecks in his eyes shine. Smell that hard man smell of his which tugs at me. Heat from him spools towards me hitting me squarely in my chest, pulling at my stomach, churning my guts and I shudder.

His eyes widen, and as if unable to help himself, he lowers his mouth brushing my lips once, twice, thrice. Teasing me, nibbling at me, caressing my lips till I feel the heat inside twist and glow, till the lighting tree on my back sizzles, sparking fire.

I moan and reaching up capture his mouth with mine, thrusting my tongue against his; and feel the shock run through him.

He's still just for a second, then he's leaning into me, on me till I am surrounded by him, his touch, his skin, that cinnamon smell of his, which is so Vik. Heat from his body pushes at me, begging to be let in, holding me captive and I feel a trickle of sweat running down between my breasts. Breath coming out in short bursts, I strain against him, trying to free my shackled arms, but he doesn't let go. He also doesn't stop there.

His mouth lowers to my throat, pushing aside the bathrobe till he bares the curve of my shoulder, then bites me, lightly.

My heart slams against my rib cage at that, my eyes flutter shut and I bite my lips to stop myself from crying out. At the pain trembling down to my belly.

He kisses the skin, licking his tongue over the exact same spot and this time I shiver, but he's already trailing his lips down to my breasts. His hand grips the flare of my lips and this time, I moan aloud as his fingers splay out over my belly.

And it's as if the sound gets through to him, for he's suddenly leaning back.

My eyes fly open and I look up at his face, want to trace his lips, run my fingers through his hair and once again I arch my back, push against him and this time he lets me go.

Even as I watch a shutter comes down over his eyes and they lose that bright glow I'd seen there just a second ago.

I know then, he's going to leave and walk away and I can't let him go.

Not now, not when I can tell he's feeling something for me.

When my insides are churning as if this is the only thing that matters. When the emotions overwhelming me wipe out all that has happened before this, making me feel clean. When I don't care who he is, or where he comes from or what his real relation is to Dr B. When something inside me senses that deep at his core, where it matters, he is honest at least as far as whatever 'this' between us is concerned.

I want him.

And I want to make him want me.

Make him show me how much he wants me.

About Laxmi Hariharan
I am fascinated by the unseen in the real world and in relationships. I write fast-paced urban fantasy romances, with a paranormal twist. My stories feature intense love-interests, kickass heroines, moody heroes and surprise plot lines. I enjoy nothing better than getting under the skin of my characters and especially when they surprise me. Married to a filmmaker and fellow author, I live in London and am the proud owner of a mononym twitter handle @laxmi. Receive a free starter library of my books when you sign up to my newsletter http://bit.ly/NewsletterLH

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When Arya fell through the fault by Reenita Malhotra Hora: a review

Arya, Raavan, Rama, Ramayana, Fault EVERYTHING has been described so wonderfully in the cover that I cannot get my eyes off the cover. Animated, striking colors, "3D", this cover has  very elements in it to make the readers divert their attention towards it. For all kinds of readers, I'm sure that once you have a look at the cover, even the children would want to read it and why not? This is such a smooth read that anybody can read it and like it equally. The cherry on the cake for me was the blurb of the book. So, here is the blurb for you.

According to the blurb- When Arya Fell Through the Fault is the magical, coming-of-age take of Arya, a twelve year old boy from San Francisco, who is ridiculed by bullies. Another to do with his ethnicity- food, traditions or the fascinating mythological stories he has been raised with- has become the building block of unpleasant school experiences. In the wake of an accident that confines his once vibrant mother to a hospital ward- kept alive by tubes and machines- Arya clings to the only remnant of their bond: an old, battered copy of the Ramayana, India's ancient epic story of Rama's battle against demons. One night, Arya falls through a fault in the earth into the Wild Woods, where Ravana- the demon long-term strategises to destroy his Ramayana- the last copy left- and threatens to rewrite history from his evil perspective. Will Arya be able to save the story of Rama, heal his mother and return home to tackle the demons in his ordinary world?

Quite a big blurb to say the least but I would like to take it from where the blurb ends. Will Arya be able to do what he is supposed to do? That is what the book talks about when I can give it in writing that the book doesn't disappoint at all. All you can do when you open the book is fall in love with the words of the book. They are wonderful to say the least.

As far as the writing style is concerned, such is the flow that you are bound to go with the flow that that book has to offer you. The whole book has something to tell you and along with that, it will give you a pleasant smile throughout the reading time. Speaking of the characters, I love how Reenita has brought to life all the characters (even the vanaras), Raavan, demons, Arya, bullies, Arya's mother and father.

Every character has their distinct characteristic and every character has their special designated role to play. Now, the story. Every part of the story was so conveniently placed that it was a very easy read. You would not have any hiccups. You go back to the days when you were told the story of the Ramayana and that makes this book special. It touches the heart of the children who don't know anything about the epic story and also the people who know about the story.

In such a beautifully blended story, I have a complain. The book is too convenient. I wanted more drama in the book. Even though it is a Young Adult book, it ends up being a children's book. More drama could've attracted the YA audience more than what it would actually do. Apart from that. If I am to speak of the cons of the book then I can say that there weren't much. It was only that the book needed more drama. Apart from that, the book stays with you for a long time and that's what makes the book worth it. For me, the book is a 4 out of 5. Waiting for more from the authoress in the future.