My Book Reviews

Category: Romance

This category contains any posts published in reference to books of Children’s Fiction genre.

  • Forever is a lie by Novoneel Chakraborty

    Forever is a lie by Novoneel Chakraborty

    Forever

    Forever is a lie by Novoneel Chakraborty
    Release: August 2017
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Penguin
    Source: Amazon

    Forever



     

    Forever is a Lie Synopsis:

    The best thing happened to her, but int he worst way possible

    Eighteen year old Prisha Srivastav is a student of mass communication in Bengaluru. She meets a mysterious man, almost double her age, known as the Mean Monster in the city’s party circuit. Intrigued, she falls for him and pursues him. However, there is one problem. Prisha doesn’t know that whoever the Monster loves, dies.

    From the master of twists, Novoneel Chakraborty, comes yet another beguiling tale of dark romance and thrill that won’t let you put the book down.

     

    Review:

    Watch my video review on Forever is a Lie!

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvcUm6SkPUQ[/embedyt]

    I was disappointed with this book! The plot is supposed to be a romantic suspense thriller, but most of the book is just romance without anything else. Moreover, the protagonist, Prisha is very irritating and I could not stand her for most of the book. Eventually, the book becomes interesting towards the last 50 pages, but it is a little too late. Overall, this was a very average book, but I feel the sequel would be better.

  • Ganga and Shantanu (Epic Love Stories #2) by Ashok K. Banker

    Ganga and Shantanu (Epic Love Stories #2) by Ashok K. Banker

    Ganga

    Ganga and Shantanu (Epic Love Stories #2) by Ashok K. Banker
    Release: July 7th 2012
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Westland Books
    Source: Amazon

    Ganga


    Ganga and Shantanu Synopsis:

    A LOVE STORY WRITTEN ON WATER
    A king of a powerful race in an ancient age falls in love with a woman. What he does not realize is that she is no ordinary woman; she is the incarnation of the great Mother-Goddess River Ganga or Ganges herself. Compelled to take human form for one lifetime as the result of a curse, she must commit a series of terrible unspeakable acts in order to free herself from the curse and return to her true state. The curse forbids her from confiding in her human husband, who is unable to comprehend why she must act so cruelly. Finally, her awful tasks completed, she returns to the natural state of water whence she came.

    But she cannot abandon her human lover without one final gift: the gift of a son, and a most unusual son at that. This story, and the events it sets into motion, sets the stage for the great war and clan-conflict that is at the center of the great epic story-cycle of the Mahabharata. But in itself, it is also a beautiful, heart-breaking yet ultimately inspiring tale of love beyond boundaries and forms. A love story written on water. Retold by Ashok in his Mahabharata Series, this stolen tale of love and loss will break your heart even as it reveals a facet of love rarely witnessed by mortal eyes.

     

    Review:

    While I enjoyed this story much more than “Shakuntala and Dushyanta” (because there’s a lot more happening with the plot here) I really didn’t care for both the characters and their relationship.

    I wouldn’t classify Ganga and Shantanu as an “Epic” love story because both the characters seemed to be more in lust for each other. They were both physically attracted to one another, and Ganga was just fulfilling the promise she made to the Vasus. In fact, majority of this book was bordering on erotica using these two mythological Gods. For example, Ganga throws her first born into the river, and Shantanu grieves for a moment, but the very next minute, gets lusty feelings for Ganga and thrusts his groin against hers! At least in the first book, Shakuntala loved her husband and sacrificed a lot for him. This book didn’t have much character development. Also, because it is a short novella of less than 80 pages, there wasn’t much time to get invested in these characters.

    I always enjoy Ashok Banker’s style of writing. The author can take even a normal mundane story and turn it into a crisp, vibrant tale with rich dialogue. He has recreated this famous Indian tale from the Mahabharat and beautifully described the settings and the characters. He has made the pivotal moments more dramatic and enjoyable. However, I found this book to have a few grammatical errors, and wish that the publishers spent more time proof-reading.

    Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but felt it was not an apt story for this series.

  • Shakuntala & Dushyanta (Epic Love Stories #1) by Ashok K. Banker

    Shakuntala & Dushyanta (Epic Love Stories #1) by Ashok K. Banker

    Shakuntala

    Shakuntala & Dushyanta (Epic Love Stories #1) by Ashok K. Banker
    Release: July 6th 2012
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Westland Books
    Source: Amazon

    Shakuntala


    Shakuntala & Dushyanta Synopsis:

    The classic tale of “Shakuntala and Dushyanta” has enthralled Indians for millennia. The retelling in Banker’s “Shakuntala And Dushyanta” follows a middle path between Vyasa’s and Kalidasa’s versions. Now retold in Ashok’s inimitable epic style, this short novella also forms a part of the larger epic Mahabharata Series. Ashok Banker specializes in retelling stories of great Indian epics and classical works. In “Shakuntala And Dushyanta”, he tells the story of the couple whose son gave the country its original name, Bharata.

    Review:

    This was a nice quick read which I felt could have been better.

    Frankly, I was a bit disappointed in finishing this book. I really didn’t feel it was very ‘Epic’. I felt that Dushyanta was a coward for giving equal importance to his throne as he did for Shakuntala. It didn’t seem like he really risked anything to be with her. In the end, I didn’t feel like he deserved her at all However, I loved Shakuntala’s character and wanted to read more about her. The author has perfectly described the hardships she endures in order to be with Dushyanta. Furthermore, I felt that the novella was too short and there was room for more details. For instance, I really wanted to read Bharata’s point of view of the incidents taking place. I also wanted to read more about Vishwamitra and Menaka.

    One issue I had with this book was there are many mythological words that readers (new to the world of Indian Mythology) may not understand. There are no glossary terms provided for readers to refer to. The author tends to overuse these terms profusely in the beginning of the story, making it look old fashioned. Due to this reason, it took time to get absorbed in the story and clearly visualize the settings. For example, such sentences are difficult to picture if you don’t know what Garuda or khadira is.

    “Despite its ponderous rumbling, the chariot was drawn by powerful bhoja stallions and capable of achieving great speeds, often compared to the swiftness of Garuda by those who observed it from afar.”

    “Magnificent bilva, arka, khadira, kapitha and dhava trees grew in great profusion”.

    While I appreciate the author using such words to build the grandeur atmosphere, it seems clustered and unnecessary at times. However, these words beautifully build the magnificence in some scenes, particularly when Shakuntala meets Dushyanta in his throne.

    Ashok K Banker is a great storyteller for bringing back Indian mythology for the new generation. Somehow, “Shakuntala and Dushyanta” didn’t leave any significant impact, probably because of the above reasons. Kunal Kundu has done an amazing job with the cover design. The cover immediately attracts the readers to pick up the novel. Overall, this is a good start to the “Epic Love Stories” series but I hope the succeeding novellas are better.

  • The Heart Between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List by Lindsay Harrel

    The Heart Between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List by Lindsay Harrel

    Heart

    The Heart Between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List by Lindsay Harrel
    Release: March 13th 2018
    Format: Ebook
    Publisher: Thomas Nelson
    Source: NetGalley

    Heart



    The Heart Between Us Synopsis:

    Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. She spent her entire childhood in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide in her small Minnesota hometown and living with her parents, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.

    When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.

    As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most.

     

    Review:

    A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing me a copy of “The Heart between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List” by Lindsay Harrel in exchange for my review. “The Heart between Us” is a very sweet heart-warming book. The two main aspects I liked about this book is the characters and the travel log.

    Lindsay Harrel has defined the characters wonderfully well and they are all likable. The author has written their development in such a smooth and moving manner. I love how Megan progressively transforms and gain the courage and confidence to fulfill Amanda’s dreams. Not only this, the author also focuses on the relationship development between the two sisters, with her parents and with her loved ones, giving equal importance to all of them. Megan and Crystal’s personalities and story-lines are unique, yet, the author does a good job in blending them at times. I loved how both the sisters are fighting their own battles, but seek help from each other to overcome them. More than Megan and Crystal, my favorite characters in the book were Amanda’s parents. The way they remain so positive and hopeful for Megan even after losing their daughter is touching and inspiring.

    Although I enjoyed reading both Megan and Crystal’s journey, I felt more emotionally attached towards Crystal’s story-line. This is mainly because I could relate to the difficulties she faces in managing her personal and professional life. From whatever I have experienced, it is not possible to allot equal time if you want to progress in both. I hoped the story would show that she can achieve all her goals (personal and professional) in a positive light. Unfortunately, Crystal has to choose between one over the other. The story also doesn’t become too preachy or religious even though it is termed as a Christian Fiction book.

    Moreover, the author has vividly highlighted some gorgeous locations in this book. Ms Harrel has described these places so beautifully that I felt I was experiencing it with Megan. Whether it’s Paris, London or Egypt, the author has showcased all the important highlights worth visiting. After reading this book, I want to do the scavenger hunt in London and run with the bulls in Pamplona. I have longed to see some of these places and hope to tour them sometime.

    The only reason I gave this 4 out of 5 stars is because the book seemed a bit predictable. It was also a bit monotonous at times. During the first half of the book where the sisters travel to a new destination, nothing really much happens other than Megan gaining her confidence. It is only towards the end of their travels that the story-line progresses. However, apart from this, I loved everything about this book! Overall, this is a charming, heart-felt book that I would recommend reading if you are in the mood for one.

  • The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan

    The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan

    Zoya

    The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan
    Release: April 21st 2015 (first published 2008)
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: HarperCollins
    Source: Amazon

    Zoya


    Zoya Factor Synopsis:

    When the younger players in India’s cricket team find out that advertising executive Zoya Singh Solanki was born at the very moment India won the World Cup back in 1983, they are intrigued. When having breakfast with her is followed by victories on the field, they are impressed. And when not eating with her results in defeat, they decide she’s a lucky charm. The nation goes a step further. Amazed at the ragtag team’s sudden spurt of victories, it declares her a Goddess.

    So when the eccentric IBCC president and his mesmeric, always-exquisitely-attired Swamiji invite Zoya to accompany the team to the tenth ICC World Cup, she has no choice but to agree. Pursued by international cricket boards on the one hand, wooed by Cola majors on the other, Zoya struggles to stay grounded in the thick of the world cup action. And it doesn’t help that she keeps clashing with the erratically brilliant new skipper who tells her flatly that he doesn’t believe in luck…


    Review:

    I recently picked up this book on a friend’s recommendation. I honestly did not expect this book to be good when I started reading it. The style of writing seemed to be very juvenile and contained mostly ‘Hinglish’ dialogues. However, the plot was so quirky and unique that it kept me engrossed and made me like it a lot!

    What’s fun about “The Zoya Factor” is that it brilliantly blends the intensity of cricket with romance of the protagonists. The author has written the cricket parts in a captivating manner that keeps you engrossed even if you aren’t a fan. The author doesn’t focus importance of one over the other. This is a welcome change from reading your usual melodrama soapy stories. Hence, this book is not just a ‘romance’ novel, but has something for everyone to enjoy.

    The author’s strengths lies in her plot, character development and the snarky repertoire of the dialogue. She has a talent for keeping the readers glued to the book and had me laughing out loud during the funny moments, to nearly throwing the book during the annoying moments. She has done a wonderful job for a debut novel, as there is never a boring moment in any page. While the book ended the way I thought it would, I admit there were times where I kept guessing what Zoya would do next.

    Even though I found most of the characters to be likable, my only problem with the book was Zoya’s personality. During the latter part, Zoya comes off as an emotionally, confused gullible clown with low self-esteem. She reacts to situations before even thinking it through. She makes really dumb decisions and falls into ridiculous situations based on her mood-swings. We can sum up the second half as “I love Nikhil”, “I hate Nikhil”, “I love Nikhil”, every other page. Perhaps this was done for more sub plots, but I kept rolling my eyes on the situations she got into.

    Most of the Indian authors pen their stories in the hopes of turning it into a Bollywood movie someday. “The Zoya Factor” is no different and has all the ingredients to turn it into a perfect Bollywood film. The main characters meet through quirky circumstances and fall in love during the first half, and go through various turmoil in the second half testing their romance. The added advantage over such clichéd movies is the gripping sports aspect that gives it a nice touch.
    Overall, this was a fun, breezy read and I am interested on how the movie adaptation turns out.

  • It’s All in the Planets by Preeti Shenoy

    It’s All in the Planets by Preeti Shenoy

    It's All in the Planets 

    It’s All in the Planets by Preeti Shenoy

    Release: September 15, 2016
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Westland
    Source:  Amzon
    Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible

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    Meet Aniket, Twenty-seven, techie, Mr. Average. His best friend is Subbu, a nerd who breathes, thinks and lives code. Aniket cannot believe his luck when he starts dating Trish – a stunning, sexy model, who is totally out of his league. But Trish has a list of things she wants him to work on, beginning with his pot belly and his geekiness.

    Then there’s Nidhi, thirty-two, who has quit her corporate job to follow her passion. Her engagement is with Manoj, Mr.Perfect – except for one aspect.

    Aniket and Nidhi meet on a train, a chance encounter, and she agrees to become his ‘relationship coach’. It’s a decision that sets into motion a chain of events that will have a profound impact on the lives of all involved.

    One man, two women, and the trap called Destiny.Some things, they say, are all in the planets.

    About the Author:

    Preeti Shenoy, among the top five highest selling authors in India, is also on the Forbes longlist of the most influential celebrities in India.. Her work has seen translations in many languages. She is India’s most loved author, on life and relationships.

    India Today has named her as being unique for being the only woman in the best-selling league. Brands Academy awarded  her the ‘Indian of the Year’ award for 2017   for her contribution to Literature. She has also received the Academia award for Business Excellence by the New Delhi Institute of Management. Preeti has given talks in many premier educational institutions such as IITs and IIMs and corporate organisations like KPMG, Infosys and Accenture. She is also an artist specialising in portraiture and illustrated journalling.

    Various magazines have published her short stories and poetry such as Conde Nast and Verve.  BBC World, Cosmopolitan, The Hindu, Verve, Times of India and many more have featured her  publication.

    She has a very popular blog and also wrote a weekly column in The Financial Chronicle for many years. She has a massive online following. Her other interests are travel, photography and yoga. Her books include A Hundred Little Flames, It’s All In The Planets, Why We Love The Way We Do, The Secret Wish List, The One You Cannot Have and many others.

    Website | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook

    It’s All in the Planets Review:

    “When it comes to relationships, how many of us are certain? How can we be sure of the person we are marrying? So many things can change. The person we marry might change, we might change. There are no guarantees in life, more so in relationships and there is always some uncertainty. And yet, we all want to get married. We want a happily-ever-after. We see relationships around us breaking up all the time. And we say, ‘No, but we are different. That won’t happen to us.’ Isn’t it strange?”

    This is the first book I read of Preeti Shenoy, and I love her style of writing. The story is simple yet compelling; the characters are charming; and there are some surprise twists and turns that makes the book hard to put down.  Each chapter is written from the point of view of Aniket or Nidhi, the two main leads, so it was interesting to read how the same situation is interpreted from both their perspective.

    The main protagonists, Nidhi and Aniket, are sweet, quirky and down to earth that we can relate to. Even the supporting characters like their parents, Trish, Manoj, Subbu and Darshita are fun to read. In fact, I thought Trish was a very interesting and complex character, and would have loved to have some chapters from her perspective as well to see why she behaved that way. Even though this is considered as romance fiction, there is actually not much romance in it, as most of the book is about the strong friendship developed between Aniket and Nidhi (that doesn’t involve any romance), which is what made this such an enjoyable read. The author also provides some interesting tidbits on relationships such as life-mates vs. soul-mates, compromises etc. through Nidhi’s blog entries, and overlays the story-line with her thoughts on the fates and destiny.

    Overall, this is a fun, easy read that manages to touch on human emotions, and I loved it!

  • Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

    Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

    Master of the Game

    Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

    Release:  August 1982
    Format: Hardcover
    Publisher: William Morrow &amp.Co
    Source:  Amzon
    Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible

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    Kate Blackwell, the enigma behind Kruger-Brent Ltd is celebrating her ninetieth birthday with her dysfunctional family. She starts to recall the scandals, blackmails, murders and ghosts from her past. Flashback to four generations of the McGregor/Blackwell saga, that begins with Jamie McGregor’s entry into South Africa as a diamond prospector. The story unfolds the feud with Salomon Van Der Merwe on the quest for attaining diamonds. And also ,how he raises to power in South Africa with the help of his friend Banda.

    The storyline then continues with Kate Blackwell, Jamie’s daughter who loves the power of Kruger-Brent. And she manipulates David Blackwell, Brad Rogers, and her own son Tony to doing what she thinks is best for the company.  She does this even at the cost of  demolishing their dreams and desires. However, she is no match for her granddaughter Eve Blackwell, whose main aim is to plot devious ways of eliminating her twin sister Alexandra to get complete control of the empire.

    About the Author:

    Best known today for his exciting blockbuster novels, Sidney Sheldon is the author of The Best Laid Plans, Nothing Lasts Forever, The Stars Shine Down, The Doomsday Conspiracy, Memories of Midnight. Also in the list are The Sands of Time, Windmills of the Gods, If Tomorrow Comes, Master of the Game, Rage of Angels, Bloodline. Other popular ones are A Stranger in the Mirror, and The Other Side of Midnight. Almost all have been number-one international bestsellers.  New York Times   acclaimed his first book, The Naked Face, as “the best first mystery of the year” and  he received an Edgar Award. Most of his novels have become major feature films or TV miniseries, and there are more than 275 million copies of his books in print throughout the world.

    Before he became a novelist, Sidney Sheldon had already won a Tony Award for Broadway’s Redhead and an Academy Award for The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer. He has written the screenplays for twenty-three motion pictures, including Easter Parade (with Judy Garland) and Annie Get Your Gun. In addition, he penned six other Broadway hits and created three long-running television series. Thes include  Hart to Hart and I Dream of Jeannie, which he also produced.  As a writer ,he  has delighted millions with his award-winning plays, movies, novels, and television shows. Sidney Sheldon reigns as one of the most popular storytellers of all time.

     Amazon | Goodreads

    Master of the Game Review:

    This was the very first adult fiction book and  I absolutely loved it! This book is truly a page turner and you won’t be able to put it down once you start. The writing is simple, and the pacing of the storylines sweeps you off your feet from the get go. This book literally has everything! You want action and adventure, you get daredevil escapades of guys beating sharks, dodging land-mines and floating across deadly reefs. How about Revenge, Romance, Blackmail, murders, lust, greed, deceit, and betrayal with exotic locations of South Africa and Europe?

    The characters are larger than life ,but well written and makes the reader love or hate them. I felt bad for Tony, and how he loses control when he finds himself trapped in the web of lies. I despised Eve’s character, and kept thinking how low she would go to partner with someone who abused her. However, she was great fun to read her compared to Alexandra, who seemed to be a complete bore. As much as I detested Kate at times, she was by far my favorite in the book. Honestly, I couldn’t help but root for her when she determinedly keeps searching for the next heir to the throne. It was surprising how raunchy some of the subject matter was, considering that this book is in the early 80s. The character of George Miller just made my jaw drop and go WTF.

    Most of Sidney Sheldon’s works from the 80s are over the top, soap opera styled novels. However,  they all keeps the reader hooked, and he truly is a “Master of the Game” in writing this one. Overall, MOTG is captivating read, and has motivated me to pick up the next one in the series “Mistress of the Game”.