A Hundred Little Flames

Set in the picturesque settings of Kerala, this is a very enjoyable book. It is Preeti Shenoy's maiden fiction, and is a perfect balance of her imagination and personal experiences as a child.

The book begins with a sharp twist of events, when the protagonist, Ayan loses his job for no fault of his. He is sent to visit his grandfather who had a fall recently, in a far flung village in Kerala, a village so small that it is not identifiable on Google Maps.

He arrives to his ancestral home where his grandfather Gopal Shanker stays, only to find that there is no internet connectivity even in the idyllic village.

The story progresses as Ayan gradually falls in love with the slow life, making local friends and his interactions with his grandfather. He is kept in dark by his father who stays in Bahrain about his wish to sell off Thekke Madom, their ancestral home- something old Gopal Shanker would never have allowed. Ayan's father, Jairaj tricks his father into a mental asylum to achieve this; but Ayan rises to the occasion and rescues his grandfather with the help of his friends and presence of mind.

This book discusses human relationships in a subtle way but the characterization is very strong. You would almost be able to see the story unfolding in your mind's eyes, it is so well written.

There are very few things that I didn't like, but that can be overlooked.

I will confidently give it 4 stars. 

My Father is a Hero

For a little girl, her father is her first hero, whatever his shortcomings may be. 

This book is a story of how Vaibhav, a young father, becomes a hero in the eyes of his eleven year old daughter, Nisha. Things seem to going on smoothly with Nisha doing well in her studies, and also getting groomed to become a professional singer one day. Her role model is Rihanna, the pop star.

Suddenly, their low-on-luxuries life changes drastically. Nisha seems to have transformed into a completely different person, behaving inexplicably - skipping classes, doing miserably in studies, missing music lessons, entering into fights with her friends, and more.  

A ray of hope is seen when Vaibhav comes to know about an upcoming concert of Rihanna in Sydney. With his limited means, a trip to Australia seems impossible, but he chooses to go for it, for his daughter.

However, they miss the concert as Vaibhav had misread the timings on the tickets.

What will they do now? Will Nisha get to meet her role model? Will she return back to normal? Will Vaibhav be able to rise to the occasion? Read this book to find out answers to these questions, and many more.

I found this book to be written in simple English that portrays the relationship of father and daughter, and varying emotions very well. I will give it 3 stars out of 5, but will recommend for a light, enjoyable read.  

The Flip

Let me set the mood for the book, before I tell you what I thought about it. Julie and Brad Evans are a couple who buys and sells properties in order to earn some money for a better future. The author uses the term "flip" in this sense: flipping of houses. Life for them continues to be mundane until they buy an ancient mansion, Bedlam House. What will they find in there?

The author puts forward an idea - although a house may have been vacated, the energy of the previous owners stay imprinted in the building; and the artifacts remain silent witnesses to many events.

As it happens, Bedlam House was not empty- there were spirits of Tessa Hemmings and Gerald Kanning who had not left the premises even though they had died quite a while ago. Playful and teasing by nature, Tessa not only enjoys teasing Gerald who had always been in awe of her, but also scaring human beings off the property. She takes fancy to Brad, and needless to say, hates his wife Julie. She tries to harm Julie while she was alone in their home, but the tables are turned when Brad and Julie decide to shift to Bedlam House as they have nowhere else to go to.

When I read the blurb, I was sceptical about the book for I am not very fond of paranormal settings. However, this book is quite enjoyable. The relationships between Brad and Julie, their friends and associates Sal and Willy, Tessa and Gerald have been portrayed beautifully. The confusion felt by each character as they individually feel that something is not so normal in there is vivid. 

Read the book to discover the secrets of Bedlam House and how "The Flip" turned out for Brad and Julie!
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Buy links: Amazon/ B&N

Second Lives

“Second Lives” by Anish Sarkar is a gripping tale of murder, emotions, friendship and relationships. Although narrated from different angles by the characters, the story progresses at a rapid pace. The story begins when three school friends, Omar, Neel and Sara get together at Sara’s plush bungalow to find further details about the death of another member of their group, Rachel, although the police had already closed the case, terming it as suicide. 

Their investigation not only re-opened the case, but went on to reveal one shocking detail after another. This was a case of a serial killer, who kills brutally for his own sadistic pleasure and yet manages to get away with it. The story swings to flashback, twelve years ago and lifts the covers off the past, which gradually add up to the present… and 75% through the book, however unwilling you may be, you would have guessed who this psychopath was.

From this point onwards, it should have been a story of tracking down the criminal and stop him before he spreads the massacre any further. However the real identity of the murderer is a big surprise!

The language is simple and easy to grasp even if you are reading while travelling or in a noisy environment. It is the narration of events that keeps you glued to the book, and you would put it down once the mission is accomplished.

Although there may be a few loose ends, and too much adult content according to me, the focus on string of deaths does not waiver, which makes the book an enjoyable read.

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Published by Westland Publishers

The Homing Pigeons

Do you believe in love? Then, this book is for you.

The two protagonists, Aditya and Radhika, had always been in love with each other..call it destiny, or circumstances, or sheer stupidity, move in different directions in life. 

Homing pigeons have an uncanny ability to find their soulmates... so its imperative that Aditya and Radhika would unite, even if it takes failed marriages, heartbreaks, estranged relationships and loads of time.

The setting is during the economic slowdown when Aditya loses his job. In one fateful night, his life changes - he finds a source of income, but, at the cost of morality. Radhika, in another part of the country, finds herself at a crucial juncture - she is the widow of a rich man, free to live on her own terms, now that her step daughter is married.

The book is written in an interesting style - its in first person, but the narrator is Aditya in one, and Radhika in another. So, the reader gets the perspective of both. There are times when you would wish you could scold either one of them, for thinking in the wrong direction. The story swings from the present to past, telling you about turbulent childhoods etc., bringing the reader and characters at the same platform. 

The language is surprisingly simple - and maybe because, we all are romantics at heart, you would find yourself glued to the book till you finish it. You'd draw you breath many times towards the end, when Radhika and Aditya's paths come dangerously close, but do not cross, much like a Bollywood movie.

I'll give it 3.5 stars.    

Wise Enough to be Foolish

If you havent read a good book for some time, this one is for you.

Its a light read; but written in a stylish manner.

The introduction tells you that this is an autobiography, and you'll love the journey right from her childhood.

I felt its a bit bold and requires guts if all of it is true - telling the world that includes your relatives and friends about how you felt about your parents, siblings, friends, crushes and more. But on second thoughts, why not?

You will identify with Gauri or her friends as she narrates her life, and how they see the world. Its not a hilarious book, but it'll bring a smile to your face.

I'll give this book a 3.99 out of 5... not exactly a 4. Somewhere I felt there are too many men - there is a portion where she meets a person named 'Kamal' - I closed the book after that sentence, for I needed a break. But Kamal turned out to be a woman, and although her role is small, it is critical. 

The ending is nice, albeit a bit sudden.