Book Vue

Title: Kaash Kashmir: A Play on Love and Loss in the Valley of Fear Author: Rajesh Talwar Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction Pages: 218 Rating: 3.2/5 KAASH KASHMIR   by Rajesh Talwar is basically a retelling of the purging of the Hindu Kashmiri Pundits in the year 1990. The book is set in Srinagar and is in the form of a play. It has been long since I read one but I love reading plays as, in my opinion, they get straight to the point and also work up one's imagination in a different, albeit interesting way. The play begins as Rohan, the son of a Hindu Pundit expresses his love for Ayesha, the daughter of a Muslim, on the sprawling lawn of Rohan's ancestral Kashmiri house. Rohan's and Ayesha's families are close friends and have been neighbors for many years. As the play progresses, the setting shifts from Srinagar to Pakistan where a plot is being hatched to remove all Kashmiri Pundits from the area so that Pakistan can claim Kashmir a...

Title:  Semmanthaka - The Second Quest Author: Dr. Syd K Genre: Fiction, Literature, Mythology Pages: 262 Publisher: Zorba Books Rating: 4/5 Semmanthaka: The Second Quest   by Dr. Syd K is a mythological fiction that enthrall the readers in the quest of the fabled magical gem, Semmanthaka. Although there have been mentions of the Semmanthaka in our ancient texts, this book has brought its story out for us to dwell on it once again. After a series of recreations of the Mahabharata and Ramayana and other epics, this book directs us to a new treasure that, in my opinion, has not been in the limelight much. Dr. Balaan, a freelance marine archaeologist, along with his assistant, Yogi, are summoned by Stalin Malhotra, a wealthy treasure seeker, to find the Semmanthaka gem. With an ancient text for a clue, the duo begins their journey towards finding this age old treasure but soon hit a dead end. What happens next transpires to be a magical, unbeliev...

Title:  The Nikah Author: Andaleeb Wajid Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 21 Publisher: Juggernaut Books Rating: 4/5 Juggernaut Books always have something interesting for us readers. I have always enjoyed reading books published by them in the past and still do. They have maintained their standards with their quality content as is the case with this book. The Nikah by Andaleeb Wajid is a short story but heart tugging, nevertheless. A married woman visits her hometown in Vellore for a wedding. With guests surrounding her, she is conscious of her presence but also of all the past memories that rush towards reminding her of a previous love. She is happily married now with a child and moved to Hyderabad soon after and have always avoided travelling to Vellore for this very reason. What if she spots him here? Would all her emotions burst out of her deep well of a heart and show? The Nikah is a short story, all of 21 page...

Title:  Quarter Life Crisis Author: Anshuk Attri Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 304 Publisher: Maple Press Rating: 4/5 Quarter Life Crisis  by Anshuk Attri is a quick and heart touching tale of  two people in love and how they handle life's challenges and learn from their mistakes. It is a decent rendition of the confusions caused when faced with premature responsibilities and also of the chaos, as a result. Prachur is a college student in love with Neera since his school days. They both belong to Shimla and the parents are aware of their relationship. Neera has big plans for her future whereas Prachur still lacks clarity, as far his career decision goes. Neera loves Prachur's poems and encourages him to write and make a career out of it. All is hunky dory when suddenly, their lives take a nasty turn when Neera finds that she is pregnant with Prachur's child. Although Prachur is not too sure what to make out of this new development, Neera is certain she wants th...

Buy from Amazon.in Title:  Bhrigu Mahesh, PhD - The Return Of Damayanti Author: Nisha Singh Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller Pages: 450 Publisher: Partridge India Rating: 3/5 Bhrigu Mahesh, PhD: The Return of Damayanti  by Nisha Singh is the second book featuring the detective, Bhrigu Mahesh. I received the book from Blogadda as part of their Book Reviewer's program. Let me summarize the story for you and then we'll get to my thoughts on this one. Bhrigu Mahesh, an ex policeman but now a private detective, is visited by one Nataraj Bhakti who hails from a village, Krishna Dwar. Bhakti fears that he is being haunted by the spirit of his dead wife, Damayanti. Hence he is at Bhrigu's door for help. Bhrigu and his confidant, Sutte, travel to the village known for its temples and are accommodated at Bhakti's large ancestral home, which is in a pitiable state. The haunting continue but soon a tragedy takes its place. A woman from Bhak...

Buy from Amazon.in Title:  Just Me, The Sink and The Pot Author: Sudesna Ghosh Genre: Fiction, Literature Pages: 96 Rating: 3.5/5 Just me, the Sink & the Pot , an aptly titled book by Sudesna Ghosh , is a story of an overweight teenage girl Pamela and her struggles thereof. It is a witty take on the challenges faced by a 'fat' and 'ugly' person who is mostly lonely, due to this predicament. Pamela is a fat kid with an Indian mother and an American father. Due to her size, she has been ridiculed since childhood and has no friends. Her only 'friends' are those in her bedroom - her dolls. Pamela discusses everything with them and they are the only ones who offer some comfort to her dreadful life. Her own sister, who is skinny, hates her and is ashamed of Pamela as her sister in public. As Pamela grows up, she is eager to have a boyfriend but then, who would want to talk to a fat girl? But when she does find one, it doesn't last long. Agai...

Buy from Amazon.in Title:  The Girl Who Loved A Spy (Andy Karan #1) Author: Kulpreet Yadav Genre: Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Mystery Publisher: Rumour Book India Pages: 175 Rating: 4.5/5 There are some books you wish wouldn't end. And for me they almost always fall in the mystery/suspense category. I can't get enough of the thrills they provide, I guess. Well,  The Girl Who Loved A Spy  by Kulpreet Yadav  is one such book. Let's discuss it further after the summary. Andy Karan (you'll get to know the story behind the strange name in the book) is a journalist working for the New Delhi Today magazine. He is asked by his attractive boss, Monica, to go to Tilakpur (a small village near Delhi) to enquire about a death that had occurred there. But when attempts at his life are made, both Monica and Andy become alert as they find themselves stuck in this murky business of murders and politics. Andy had b...

Today we have Rahul Mitra, the author of The Boy From Pataliputra , with us for a casual interview. Love the cheeky photograph he sent! So, without further ado, let's get started. Book Vue : Welcome to Book Vue, Rahul and congratulations on your book. Please tell us a little something about The  Boy From Pataliputra . Rahul Mitra : Thank you. The Boy from Pataliputra is the story of Aditya Vikram, a young boy from an aristocratic family of Pataliputra  who is forced to escape from Magadha under dramatic circumstances. It’s basically about his life in exile, his  journey and experiences, the friends he makes and his gradual transformation from a brash, selfish spoilt  brat into a balanced and mature person. At least, that’s the story on the surface. Underneath this basic narrative, it’s also a powerful story about India and the formation of a nation. You  must remember that the Mauryan empire, which came into being under Chandragupt...

Buy from Amazon.in Title:  Warjuna (Book 1 : Mrithsau Rising) Author: Krishnaraj Genre: Fiction, Mythology Pages: 314 Publisher: Notion Press Rating: 4/5 Warjuna is the first book in a series of a mythological tale set in an alternate universe called The Age of Atulya. The author, Krishnaraj, has borrowed some characters from the epic Mahabharata and used it in his book to create, what definitely is, a sophisticated series in the making. The earth and it's inhabitants are recovering from Pralaya but peace is far within reach. The Hayacrees, a ruthless army of unimaginable power, have been spotted marching towards Bharata. As one by one the kingdoms succumb to their atrocities, there seems no hope until a prince from the kingdom of Wagharr seems to appear out of nowhere to provide complete support to these kingdoms. Arjuna was sent by his father, the king of Wagharr, to safely provide passage to their women and children to avoid the Hayacree...

  Buy from Amazon.in Title:  The Boy From Pataliputra Author: Rahul Mitra Genre: Historical Fiction Pages: 384 Publisher: Fingerprint! Publishing Rating: 4/5 *** Spoiler Alert! *** The Boy From Pataliputra by Rahul Mitra is a book set in the 4th century BC. It is about the journey of one boy, from Pataliputra, and his personal transformation through new experiences and affiliations that he comes across. The story is adventurous and straight, and at many places thought provoking. The book begins with the introduction of two brothers, Ajeet and Aditya. Being the elder of the duo, Ajeet is the responsible one, pushing the care free Aditya to steady up and make something out of himself.  But Aditya learns it the hard way when Ajeet is framed and executed for a crime he did not commit. Shocked and resentful, Aditya is sent away to Takshashila under the guidance of Pandi, a merchant with excellent swordsmanship. Takshashila opens up a n...

Title:  Sita - Warrior of Mithila Author: Amish Tripathi Genre: Fiction, Mythology Pages: 376 Publisher: Westland The second book in the Ramachandra series by Amish Tripathi is up for pre-order. It is expected to release somewhere towards the end of May, 2017. Although the first book was a tad bit disappointing, I do hope this one makes up for it. Pre-order your copy from Amazon.in   here . Book Blurb She is the warrior we need. The Goddess we await. She will defend Dharma. She will protect us. India, 3400 BCE. India is beset with divisions, resentment and poverty. The people hate their rulers. They despise their corrupt and selfish elite. Chaos is just one spark away. Outsiders exploit these divisions. Raavan, the demon king of Lanka, grows increasingly powerful, sinking his fangs deeper into the hapless Sapt Sindhu.  Two powerful tribes, the protectors of the divine land of India, decide that enough is enough. A saviour is needed. They begin their sea...