My Review:
Precision is the order of the day. Brevity is a trait to be revered. Succinct descriptions and crisp endings are attractive to a reader pressed for time.
Haikus are all the rage.
It is the era of nano tales and micro tales and flash fiction.
And with that point in mind, as the book blurb says too, "In this fast paced world where no one seems to have time to read a book with a precious tale, here's an anthology of micro tales for all types of readers. In a few words these tales will feed your soul in the modern way.", the book acts like a Social media page on paper: A Terribly Tiny Tale, or a Scribbled Stories.
A lot of the micro tales have been laced with that wit that makes it endearing to the reader. For instance, the book begins and ends with these tales, respectively: My mind suffered from indigestion, writing was the only antacid available for me. And thus began my pen, spilling ink... and And my pen pauses, the indigestion I talked about is cured.
It is this sort of attention to words and thoughtful messages that make such a book worth reading. There are many tales that have a surprising twist, leaving the reader emotionally evoked.
That said, there are an equal number of stories that are predictable too. There's an equal number of witticisms that seem forced as there are the ones that appear fluid.
The best micro-tales are the ones that end in a cliffhanger. But even the ones with a natural conclusion are sweet and palatable.
She told everybody, except me, that she loved me
I told everybody except her that I loved her.
Both spent sleepless nights thinking about each other,
Until a cupid helped us.
What makes this a good read, is the fact that after an overdose of this genre on social media, it was surprisingly refreshing to read this on paper.
Paperback, First, 426 pages Published January 2011 by Mahaveer Publishers
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4/5
Blurb: When Naina is set the daunting task of finding her Mr Right, her siblings and best friend offer to help. But after sending every man she meets to the hospital, she finds herself falling for the one she cannot stand. This is the intriguing and hilarious love story of Naina Kashyap and her arch enemy.
About the author
The author bio is from Juggernaut, the app where I read this book! They are a mobile-first publishing company started by Chiki Sarkar and Durga Raghunath, aiming to give authors and books a physical as well as a digital platform.
My Review:
This one was a couple-hours long read. And a thorough entertainer nevertheless.
While the plot was a giveaway right from the blurb, it was interesting to see how the plot panned out.
There is an uncanny pleasure (sadistic?) I derive from stories that revolve around finding THE ONE. Any story around this theme inexplicably cracks me up, and there's no dearth of humor in them either. The world has been very dynamic and the approach to relationships has undergone a huge change, but a section Indian parents have not moved even a bit from their concerns. And that's nothing short of hilarious. Because it is so painfully real to life, there's some fun involved in casually reading these tales. The plots are a treat always, in that they are always interspersed with jokes, amateurish frustration and healthy banter. The protagonists Naina and Aditya were endearing right from the start, and the other characters were just as pivotal as they were a good company.
There was a slight need of lubricants in the scene that linked the plot to the opening lines, rest was all a thorough joyride.
Bonus: I loved reading it on the Juggernaut app, which is super-comfortable and convenient.
Expected publication: July 26th 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Genre: Literary Fiction, tinge of Magic Realism
Rating: 4.5/5
Blurb: Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heat wave scorched Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.
Sal seems to appear out of nowhere - a bruised and tattered thirteen-year-old boy claiming to be the devil himself answering an invitation. Fielding Bliss, the son of a local prosecutor, brings him home where he's welcomed into the Bliss family, assuming he's a runaway from a nearby farm town.
When word spreads that the devil has come to Breathed, not everyone is happy to welcome this self-proclaimed fallen angel. Murmurs follow him and tensions rise, along with the temperatures as an unbearable heat wave rolls into town right along with him. As strange accidents start to occur, riled by the feverish heat, some in the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be. While the Bliss family wrestles with their own personal demons, a fanatic drives the town to the brink of a catastrophe that will change this sleepy Ohio backwater forever.
About the author
Tiffany McDaniel is an Ohio native whose writing is inspired by the rolling hills and buckeye woods of the land she knows. She is also a poet, playwright, screenwriter, and artist. The Summer that Melted Everything is her debut novel.
Find the author here:
My Review:
Rarely do you come across a book that makes you excited about it, right from the title. The title reeked of a metaphoric significance which is when I took an uncanny yet immediate liking to it.
So the story is unlike anything I've read before.
I was obviously searching for metaphors throughout, and wasn't disappointed. The metaphors existed in the very structure of the characters, places, setting, and elements. The town, for instance is called Breathed (pronounced Breath from "He breathed" plus +ed)
The novel says about the place, "I once heard someone refer to Breathed as the scar of the paradise we lost. So it was in many ways, a place with a perfect wound just below the surface"
And the metaphoric characteristics do not just end there, the entire narration is replete with metaphors much to my sheer delight.
The story, I have to admit is quite different from what one might expect in the first, innocent instance. Different, as in, not a slight difference in tone, or language, but a major departure from the expected cliched plots. It is refreshing and new, and the new-ness takes one with surprise, because the imagination applied by McDaniel is active, pleasing and engaging.
Since the language is full of metaphors and words and phrases which aren't slang, it becomes difficult at first to draw a hold on the book. But once you're 30 pages into it, it becomes a test of patience not knowing what happens next.
And to an avid reader, nothing sounds better than quotable quotes, and this one is flooded with those.
Before picking it up, you may evaluate it, but it is worth a read!
Links to the book:
Book Trailer:
Quotes from the book:
"It's a waste of time to live better when you have got no one to care for and no one to care for you"
"It's a miraculous thing, how a ship floats. Always a tragedy when it sinks"
"He knew the resilience of a seed, and the vulnerabilities of it also"
“The heat came with the devil. It was the summer of 1984, and while the devil had been invited, the heat had not. It should've been expected, though. Heat is, after all, the devil's name, and when's the last time you left home without yours?” “A foolish mistake, it is, to expect the beast, because sometimes, sometimes, it is the flower's turn to own the name.”
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Paperback, First Edition, 254 pages
Published May 20th 2016 by Rupa Publications
Genre: Fiction (Corporate Thriller)
Rating: 4/5
Blurb: An insider’s view into what goes on behind the glittering facade of corporate stardom, DESTINY of SHATTERED DREAMS is a fast-paced tale of a brilliant young man’s meteoric rise. It is also a moving portrayal of the fallibility of love.
Ambition, passion and raw courage are Atul Malhotra’s key aides to realizing his dreams as he learns the art of gambling for high stakes. What follows is a game of treachery, infidelity and murder.
The book lays bare the sordid corporate-politico nexus that compels this once middle-class boy to deftly learn the ropes and negotiate a world where dirty deals and power plays can make or break lives, where one wrong choice could be fatal.
A tale of yachts and hidden Swiss accounts, sordid affairs of lust, intrigue and exhilarating highs, Nilesh Rathod’s Destiny of Shattered Dreams is also the story of innocence forever lost.
About the author
Nilesh Rathod is a businessperson, writer and poet. Co-founder of Ensemble Infrastructure India Limited, Nilesh’s company currently employs over 2000 people.
Destiny of Shattered Dreams is his debut novel. Nilesh is currently working on his second novel. He lives in Mumbai, you may email him at nilesh@nileshrathod.in or visit his webpage http://www.nileshrathod.in You may also follow him on twitter @authornilesh or at http://facebook.com/authornilesh
Find the author here:
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My Review:
Plot:
I will begin by telling how this book is built on its strong plot. The entire book, with all its life-like characters, is standing on its racy and flawless plot.
The themes and issues it touches are the the corporate debauchery, political vile, moral turpitude, emotional depravity which has become so characteristic of an unfettered ambition now a days.
The plot open where Atul malhotra, our protagonist has been jailed for his crimes. It also reminded me of The Bet by Anton Chekov. Of course, the plot is in a different setting, with contemporary jargons and engagements.
Rathod carefully weaves the story, giving it a realistic setting, turns, twists and end. Which is what makes him a master story-teller. He has set out his characters in the corporate arena, and unfolded the story in a very clever fashion.
It starts out with the celebrated rise of a start-up and then,, its maligning by political influence and force, not to mention blood. All of this ends up in court, with everyone getting what they deserve.
Characters:
Atul, the protagonist is a risky character. Risky, because there isn't really anything to like about him and with the story revolving around him practically, it is difficult not to react to his presence.
Example of the consequences of talent gone greedy, risk gone awry and ambition gone haywire, his life, both in its personal and professional aspects is a lesson in the making.
His partners: Rakesh, Qazi, Prem were all predictable, on the other hand. They were those typical partners who complete each other, bringing their own expertise to the table
Roshni and Aarti were the romantic interests of Atul, the former his now-estranged wife and the latter could be termed easily the reason for estrangement. The matrimonial tangent has been messy for this mess, and rest assured, he will be spending the rest of his live atoning his sins.
Book-aesthetics:
Brownie points to the book for the infusion of snippets of poetry within the pages. Those were a welcome respite in the plot, and were certainly good ones.
The cover page is more symbolic, and does give away the corporate feel of the plot.
About the book: No strings attached ... or so she thought. Following years of sacrifice and struggle, Jessica Mason now co-owns a successful marketing agency in Sydney. All Jessica wants to do is focus on growing her business and maintain the lifestyle she's worked so hard to achieve. But everything changes when her agency wins a major contract for the opening of the new Somers Hotel and she has to take on the account. Nate Somers is a workaholic trying to please his retiring father. When he meets captivating, go-getting Jessica, the prospect of a short-term love affair sounds like a proposition he'd be crazy to decline. But when Jessica spends a weekend away at her favorite vineyard retreat, she runs into Troy Smith, the ex-boyfriend who left her broken and vulnerable years ago. Things don't go to plan when the well-kept secrets from her past are revealed and Troy starts weaving his way back into her life. With her business at stake and hearts at risk, Jessica's future is destined to change. Who will end up making Jessica a proposition she simply cannot refuse? About the author: Tania Joyce is an Australian author of Erotic, Contemporary and New Adult romance novels. Her stories thread romance, drama and passion into beautiful locations ranging from the dazzling lights of Sydney Harbour or the glitter of New York, to the rural countryside of the Hunter Valley or Darling Downs. She’s widely travelled, has a diverse background in the corporate world and has a love for shopping, shoes and Shiraz. She’s rarely seen without glitter, sparkle and stilettos. Her quirk is she collects key rings everywhere she goes and often has an intriguing tale about each one.
Tania draws on all her real-life experiences and combines them with her very vivid dreams to form the foundation of her novels. She likes to write about strong-minded, career-oriented heroes and heroines that go through drama-filled hell, have steamy encounters and risk everything as they endeavor to find their happy-ever-after. She grew up loving books like Anne of Green Gables, reading the classics like Pride and Prejudice, and getting lost in the world of fantasy, like The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan, before finding her home in the romance genre. Only unearthing the desire to write after having children, Tania now shuffles the hours in her day between part-time work, full-time family life and never-finding-enough-time to write. One day she hopes to find balance! She lives in Queensland with her husband and two boys. When she’s not writing, she enjoys camping, hot yoga, and the company of friends and family – especially if it’s over a glass of wine! Life motto: If in doubt – add more glitter! (Kylie Minogue, 2011) My Review: It’s just another client. Just another event. Clear the head. That’s it. Let’s go. If only it was that easy. Welcome to the not-so-simple lives of our endearingly stubborn yet professionally ambitious, and emotionally damaged characters: Jessica and Nate. To have a female protagonist who is not a weak female, and one who accords just as much importance and priority to her work as her male counterparts, is such a refreshing change. For it is not often that books written in the erotica category cater to women readers while keeping their respect and professional life intact. It could have turned out to be just another Fifty Shades parody had it not been for Joyce's creative twist of characters and tale. Thankfully, the twists were convincing and imaginable. Both our hero and heroine share commonalities in the past: Nate is divorced, which happened because he apparently married a pest who was after his wealth, Jessica's past is even more complicated with a string of flings. So much so, that at a point, even she remarks, "I will have two kids with three fathers". She says it is insane, and oh, how right she is. I'll have o admit though, the book was very similar to FSOG trilogy when it comes to the crucial points. But, the narrative is fresh, which gives the book brownie points. It is a simple read and can be finished in a day, it so glues you too! No mysteries, but there is a sense of tension which breaks at points which most suit the reader. The best part to look out for in the book are the business meeting. They are amusing, hilarious, professional, utmost business-like, and yet bring the edgy angle into the plot. The ending is the best part. The woman is not a timid human being who will give in to the man's will. She refuses to let go of her will and ambitions, after all it was this ambition and common passion towards their professions that brought the couple together! And again, the narration is so good! Even if you aren't a regular reader of this genre. this book might just strike as a recommendation.
Fraudster
: The Story of Corporate India’s Black Sheep:
Fraudster
is a suspense thriller from R. V. Raman set in the world of corporate finance.
Summary
of the Book
Some
people will do anything to silence anyone they think are obstacles. They won’t
stop at anything, not even murder. In this thrilling novel, a young banker
deposes before a commission investigating large-scale financial fraud. She is
found dead the very next day. Meanwhile, a leader of corporate India falls to
his death from his South Bombay flat. In a multinational accounting firm, the
high-security server room is hacked. The hackers want more than just company
secrets. Illegal finance, high-profile crimes and brutal manipulation combine
in this tale of greed, treachery and corruption amidst corporate India’s worst
members.
About
R. V. Raman
R. V.
Raman is an Indian writer and the former head of KPMG's Consulting Practice and
the co-head of their Risk Advisory Services. He was also partnered with A.T.
Kearney and Arthur Andersen, and boasts an experience of over three decades and
covering four continents. Currently a faculty member at the Indian Institute of
Management, Trichy, he teaches Business Strategy. He is based in Chennai and
this is his first book.
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