Book Vue

Here's wishing every reader, writer and book worm a very happy and exciting new year! Hope the coming year adds more to our life's vocabulary and we get to be a part of many great writings to come.                                                                    HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! 

Rating: 3.5/5 Buy From Amazon.in Title:  The Second Coming: A Love Story Author: Scott Pinsker Genre: Fiction, History, Religious Pages: 238 Publisher: Scott Pinsker Publishing ASIN: B00KT6B3G0 Let me begin by saying that this is my very first 'requested' review.I received a free copy of this book from Scott Pinsker, the author, and was asked for my honest opinion. So here goes. The story is about two people, Joe and Israel, both claiming to be Jesus Christ. They are here to save mankind from the apocalypse and are forming their own group of followers for the same. But in reality, one of them is Satan. Both Joe and Israel, convince people to believe in them by presenting their own divine perspectives which, by the way, are totally opposite. The book is about how each of them represent their school of thought, one very modern and liberal, while the other with conventional theories of Christianity. When put across, both seem to be preaching the right way and the

Rating: 3.5/5 Title:  Half Girlfriend Author: Chetan Bhagat Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 268 Publisher: Rupa Publication India ISBN-13:  9788129135728 I missed out on reading Revolution 2020 , Chetan Bhagat's previous book. So, I decided to preorder this one and as predicted, it was at my doorstep on the 1st of October, delivered by the ever efficient, Flipkart. Moving on from my ramblings, on to the summary. The story begins with Chetan Bhagat narrating about a visit he makes to Patna where he meets, Madhav, a forlorn lover who urges the author to read what looks like journals of his dead girlfriend (or half girlfriend, as he describes her). Our author is intrigued and asks Madhav to narrate his love story. Riya, the girl in question, is from a rich and flamboyant background who joins college, where she meets Madhav, whose English in nowhere near perfect due to his educational background. Their common love for basketball brings them closer but since Riya want

Chetan Bhagat is back with his new book, Half Girlfriend, scheduled for release mid October this year. It is up for pre order on Flipkart. Click on the link below to pre order. Buy Half Girlfriend

Rating: 3/5 Title:  The Treasure Of Kafur Author: Aroon Raman Genre: Fiction, Literary, Indian History Pages: 400 Publisher: Pan Macmillan ISBN-13:  9789382616122 After reading the Shadow Princess ,  I felt the need to divulge in more of Indian history and therefore, called for this book. This is the first time I was reading Aroon Raman and was waiting to find out if we had another Amish Tripathi in our midst. Here goes the summary of this book. The story is about a boy named Dattatreya, who sets out on a perilous journey to save his grandmother, Ambu, whom the cruel  king  of Khandesh, Asaf Baig has kidnapped. The people of his kingdom are suffering due to his selfishness as he continues to demand more taxes to fill his treasury. He is also looking for the "Treasure of Kafur" which would enable him to take over the current emperor Akbar.  The treasure  was hidden years ago by  Lieutenant  Malik Kafur after  raiding  south  Indian  kingdoms.  Ambu has known

This is a post from my personal blog I,Me,Myself . Since it was about Agatha Christie, thought I should share it here too. Tu Mera Hero, Poirot! David Suchet as Hercule Poirot Image courtesy: http://www.agathachristie.com/christies-work/detectives/poirot/1 All my life I have been reading and re-reading Agatha Christie's books. I absolutely love them. She has this ingenious capability to create some of the most flawless and complex plots and characters. But Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective with his distinguishing egg shaped head and stiff mustache, is Christie's masterpiece. Just yesterday I was watching a Poirot movie. The Mystery of the Blue Train. Although I always maintain that nothing can beat the experience of reading, I was curious. Seeing David Suchet portraying him just made me smile. Oh, what an excitement to watch the clever, hot chocolate loving neat freak on screen! He looked exactly the picture I had always imagined. And so immaculately repres

Rating: 3.5/5 Title:  Shadow Princess Author: Indu Sundaresan Genre: Fiction, Literary, Indian History Pages: 380 Publisher: Harper Collins India ISBN-13:  9788172239978 'Shadow Princess' is the third book in the Taj Mahal trilogy. I haven't read the previous two books and I'm glad that this book does not have a continuing story line. So if, like me, you have no idea what happens in the prequels, it is absolutely  fine  because this book starts anew and is a story in  itself . The story opens with the delivery of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan's  fourteenth child. When she passes away due to  compilations  in childbirth, the powerful emperor is reduced to a forlorn figure as he struggles to come to terms with the tragedy. So great is the void that he considers giving up the mighty throne. It is then that he decides to demonstrate his love for his most beloved wife by building a luminous tomb in her honour. With the death of Mumtaz Mahal their elder 

Ruskin Bond's new collection of stories The Writer on the Hill is up for pre order on Flipkart. Pre Order   here .

Rating: 1/5 Title:  First Sight Author: Danielle Steel Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 310 Publisher: Transworld Publishers ISBN-13:  9780593063170 It was sometime during my college days that I read the one and only Danielle Steel book that I read (befire this one). Sadly, I dont remember the name of the book. But it was a good one and since then I have been wanting to try her books again. Her stories are usually about women and their conflicts with romance. Atleast that's what I have come to know. First Sight is about Timmie O'Niell, a highly successful and renowned fashion designer from New York. Despite the fame and riches, Timmie has had more than her share of hardships. The early stages of her life were spent in an orphanage and as if that wasn't cruel enough, she ends up divorcing her husband after their son suddenly dies. Since then she has been totally devoted to her career and her fashion shows. On one such trip to Paris, her favorite city, she m

Rating: 3.5/5 Title:  Chennaivaasi Author: T.S. Tirumurti Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 270 Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers ISBN-13:   9789350291016 Chennaivaasi is a book by the author T.S.Tirumurti. I read the summary and since it mentioned a TamBram boy, I thought I should give it a go (TamBram meaning a Tamil Brahmin). Being one myself, I found the story and its instances empathizing and closer to home. The story is about Ravi, a TamBram boy from Chennai and Deborah, a Jewish girl from America who fall in love and want to to get married with the parent's blessings. While Deborah's parents agree Ravi's father, on the other hand, is enraged. The tradition-bound and adamant man that he is, Appa (as Ravi calls him) is unmoved by the countless pleads and reasoning by his son and shuns him out of his home and life. Nevertheless, Ravi and Deborah take up jobs and shift base to Chennai hoping to resolve the matter. Subsequently as Ravi's mother come

Rating: 3.5/5 Title:  Wise and Otherwise : A Salute to Life Author: Sudha Murthy Genre: Fiction Pages: 232 Publisher: Penguin Books ISBN-13:   9780143062226 Yet another splendid book by Sudha Murthy, this time with real incidents out of her experience closet. As is the case with the rest of her books that I've had the pleasure reading, this one too leaves the reader with a distinct humbleness and sometimes, with a disturbing truth. This book is a set of short stories (true occurrences), that took place with the author herself. As the strong, open minded and always-ready-to-help woman that she is, Mrs. Murthy's stance in majority of these stories highlights the plight of the common man/woman in India. Whether it is a rank holder with a poor financial background or an educated and working married woman, the height of helplessness is so prominent that it moved me to tears. On the other hand, there are also tales of those helped by the author reminiscing and bei

Rating: 2.5/5 Title:  Fifty Shades Of Grey Author: E. L. James Genre: Fiction, Romance, Erotica Pages: 528 Publisher: Random House ISBN-13:  9780099579939 I had heard so much about this book being on the bestseller list and all, and one of my friends explicitly suggested reading this one too. I put it on hold because I had to finish reading the other books in hand. But when I was finally done, I thought to explore this particular trilogy. I seriously thought this would be somewhere in the lines of a Mills and Boon but I was astonished! Not sure in a happy way, though. The story is about Anastasia Steele, a university student, who interviews an immensely rich (and insanely handsome) businessman, Christian Grey, for her college newspaper on behalf of her roommate. From the moment they set eyes both are drawn towards each other. Although Grey displays his affection, he is distant and mysterious especially when he says that he cannot touch her unless she signs a contrac

Rating: 3.5/5 Title:  Falling In Love Again Author: Ruskin Bond Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 208 Publisher: Rupa Publications ISBN-13:  9788129120434 I have always associated Ruskin Bond with ghost stories and haunted houses in the hills, but a romantic book? I had to try this one out! The books contains several short stories of romance and love. The emotions bared by the author are surprising to someone like me because, as I said earlier, I have never come across this  other side to him. All stories expose the colorful sentiments of a lover. Sometimes as a forlorn one waiting for a glimpse of his girl and at times as a passionate boyfriend stealing a kiss. But in all, he is the sincere lover. One who, when loves, does so wholeheartedly. And when there are the Himalayan hills, the oak trees, the little knolls and streams of clear running water in the background, these tales get even more amusing. Well, I am pleasantly surprised and glad that I chanced upon this

Rating: 2.5/5                                 Title: The Reluctant Detective Author: Kiran Manral Genre: Fiction, Humour Pages: 184 Publisher: Westland ISBN-13: 9789381626115 To begin with I would like to say that I had high hopes out of this book. Why? I liked the cover of the book and the summary seemed interesting but that was about it. The story is about Kay (Kanan Mehra). She is a housewife who loves to interfere in people's business. A murder takes place in her neighborhood and she, along with the help of Detective Runa, tries to solve the case. That's about it. Really. Although I wouldn't deny there are a few light moments in this story, the overall book wasn't fascinating enough. This is not a book to read when you want a simple, if not hardcore, murder investigation that will race your mind and move you to the edge of your seat. The characters and circumstances created by the author are sloppy at times and as one can judge by the cover of t

'Be Careful What You Wish For' by Jeffrey Archer is the next book in the Clifton Chronicles series. It is due for its release mid March 2014 and is up for pre order on Flipkart for a discounted price of Rs. 299.

Rating: 3.5/5 Title:  Take One Arranged Marriage Author: Shoma Narayanan Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 192 Publisher: Mills & Boon ISBN-13: 9789351060536 The best part about Mills and Boon is that no matter how many times I read similar stories of romancing handsome hunks, there is always an excitement that does not permit me to just put the book down. On the contrary, I managed (I say managed because of my obligatory baby breaks that I had to take) to finish the book in half a day flat. The worst part? Well, the books always finish too soon! This story here is about Tara Sundaram, a south Indian girl whose parents are looking out for a suitable boy for her to marry. Enter Vikram Krishnan. The typical Mills and Boons hero who is tall, well built, and needless to say, ridiculously handsome. Although Tara is instantly attracted to Vikram she settles for an arrangement to marry him and move to Bangalore so that she could pursue her PhD there. And Vikram needs a wif

Rating: 4/5 Title:  Inferno Author: Dan Brown Genre: Fiction, Adventure Pages: 528 Publisher: Random House ISBN-13: 9780593072493 After 'The Lost Symbol' I was a little skeptical about buying this book, but I went ahead and bought it anyway in the slight hope that it might have something interesting inside. Dan Brown didn't disappoint me this time. The story unfolds with the famous Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon, waking up in a hospital having absolutely no memory of his whereabouts. He soon finds out that he is in Florence and is still in a confused state when an attempt to assassinate him is made. With only Dr. Sienna Brooks by his side and a vivid memory of a silver haired woman telling him to 'seek and find', Robert Langdon has to unravel the mystery behind all the chaos occurring around him. As clues lead him from Florence to Venice and then to Turkey, he realizes he has only a little time left to save the world from a