Book- The Hidden Children~ The Lost Grimoire (Book 1)

Pages- 407

Author- Reshma K Barshikar

Publishers- Two Ravens Publishing

‘Mom said the heart of the creed lies in the Bile Rath. That, and the family grimoire.’
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Shui’s life was normal with school, crushing on Adyant, having fun with Nalini and Jay, basketball and dyslexia. It was mediocre, she craved for more. But this was before the new girl joined her class. It was still normal until one day she saw Anya sticking a pencil into the cloud without even touching it ! And then she offered to teach her how to talk to butterflies and Shui thought, “The only thing worse than being ordinary is to be mediocre; to live in the grey periphery of life, looking in, wondering what could have been if you had just stretched yourself to find greatness.”
And hence, began her journey of secrets, adventure and magic !
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This book is filled with magic, adventure and more magic !
With lucid narration and beautifully developed characters The Hidden Children is a great fantasy to dive in !
The creation of a whole new world co-existing with our world, with different laws, rules, secrets, dangers and magic by the author was good but really confusing at times. It takes a good 150 pages to finally reveal that this book isn’t just about Shui realising her grace but also about the secret Anya’s been keeping to her.
Since, this is the first book, certain terms and concepts of the magical world are hard to understand and get used to. Good plot but a little confusing (at least for me).
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Rating- 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Thank you The Book Genie for the review copy.

#bookreview

Book- The Inhabitants of the Uninhabited Island. (The Source Code Series, Book-1)

Author- Ekat Rin

Pages- 200 .

“Are you sure that all the thoughts you have in your head are yours?”

The Inhabitants of the Uninhabited Island is such an exciting read ! Maggie, a programmer along with her artist friend Sandy, plans to create a virtual game of isolated and uncontacted tribe. It might sound simple, but has a lot to it. One day Maggie gets a call from her brother and gets an opportunity to visit a land of isolated tribes. Maggie and Sandy alongwith Maggie’s brother George, George’s friend Arthur , Sandy’s boyfriend Paul and Maggie’s dear dog, Bead went on the trip together. Mysterious happenings starts taking place on the island.

The Author has done a great job with the narration and has presented 200 pages full of adventure !
Alongwith the original plot of this story, there are other stories relating to the characters and everything is beautifully linked with each other. Suspense is built on every page and is carried forward smoothly. The end is left in a cliffhanger making the reader hungry for more !
Although there were few grammatical errors, everything else from plot to the character development, the pace of the story, were great. .

I loved how every character was distinctly defined. The humour part was really good. The involvement of Maggie’s dog Bead was so excellent that he was he is counted as a person. Amazing narration and unique plot. .

Want a great, fun, suspense and unique read ? Go for this book !
Absolutely recommend 👍

Rating-🌟🌟🌟🌟.5/5 .Thank you The Book Genie for the review copy.

#bookreview

Book- Three Bargains

Author- Tania Malik

Publisher- @w.w.norton

Pages- 369

‘In Gorapur, Madan would tell Nitasha, There is one place we go first before all others, to the one man with whom, as we all do with the great cosmic giver-and-taker above, I bargained three times—once for my family, once for my life and then for you. He is the beginning of your story and mine.’

By the banks of river Yamuna, in the village of Gorapur, 12 year old Madan lives with his parents, where his father works for Avtar Singh, a powerful man who not only owns the biggest factory in the village but the people there. Avtar Singh, whose authority was undisputed, took an instant liking for Madan. And since then, by and large, Madan became the son Avtar Singh never had.

Madan’s story speaks volumes as to what life is. When Madan’s father, Prabhu commited a heinous crime against his little sister Swati, Madan placed the very first bargain of his life with Avtar Singh to save his sister.

The greatest gift that Avtar Singh could give Madan was the gift of education. Life was good for Madan until he was caught having a forbidden love affair. He bargained again. For his life. But who’s going to save him, for he had no class and was a low caste.

Saved by his friend Jagu, just by few breaths, he fled his own home Gorapur. Only to return after decades, because after all, it was his Home and he had to bargain again, for Nitasha.

A beautiful tale of Madan’s life, teaches what fate is, how inevitable it is. Life’s gonna thrown challenges at you, and you gotta stand up after stumbling, because there’s so much to live.

I love how through Madan’s life the Author conveys the importance of education, the importance of family, love, relationships.And how important it is to own up to your deeds, and that it’s never too late to regret for your mistakes, to at least try and remedy what wrong you did, to listen to your heart and go back to the person you love.These few things are so important in our life and privileged are the ones who can get it without any struggle. But we tend to takes these things for granted. The thoughts of the Author run so deep with her words that she manages to knock senses into the readers about the importance of these valuable aspects of life we take granted for.

It so beautifully teaches how there’s always a beginning after an end, like a day after a night and that life itself is a miracle.

✨With strong characters and plot, with teachings to treasure forever, #ThreeBargains is a must read.

Rating- 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

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Book- Tarikshir- The Awakening
Author- Khayal Patel
Publisher- Westland Books
Pages- 332
Thank you @thebookgenie and @khayalpatel for the review copy.

Tarikshir by Khayal Patel is an amazing fictional blend of history and mythology.

Set in the approaching era of British India, the story has it’s link to the epic story of Ramayana. The author has skillfully and flawlessly entwined his imagination to mythology and history to give his readers an ‘awe-worthy’ thriller !

For Rudra, the young Prince of Devangarh, life changes overnight. The responsibility of handling state affairs, saving his kingdom from the wrath of East India Company and to find the person behind the mysterious murders in his kingdom falls upon his shoulder.

Digging further into the matters he stumbles upon dark secrets and mystical happenings witnessed by his grandfather. In his diary, Rudra’s grandfather warns about the rise of a vile creature, Tarikshir, who would destroy everything and if not stopped would bring the end to this world. And Rudra is the one destined to stop Tarikshir and save the world.

✍️ The plot is unique and amazing, perfectly blending history and mythology on a fictional base.

✍️ The Author has done a great job at the narration part too.

✍️ The characters of the protagonist, Prince Rudra is very well formed, but few other supporting characters could have been defined better.

✍️ The story has a good pace, but certain parts, I felt, were really slow and unnecessarily dragged.

✍️ The ending was great. Albeit there’s a sequel to this book, this book has a complete ending and isn’t left in a cliffhanger.

✍️ The chapters are perfectly linked to each other and the language is simple with elements of mystery and thriller.

Overall, Tarikshir is definitely a good read.

Rating- 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

I received a copy of this book through the Book Genie Review Program in exchange of an honest review.

#bookreview

Book: One Part Woman

Pages: 256

Author: Perumal Murugan

They scanned their family history of curses- was it his great grandfather who lied in front of the God just for a sack of seeds or was it the ancestor who gang raped and murdered a defenceless tribal girl.

The story of a barren couple Kali and Poonaya caused it’s author Perumal Murugan to commit literarysuicide.
It’s rightly said, every ordinary is extraordinary in itself.

Kali and Poonaya’s story which draws the picture of a couple too much in love, will also show you their plight because of childlessness. Taunted to be impotent and barren, this couple tried everything to get a baby.

While Kali and Poonaya were content with their life, working, earning, loving and living, ‘society’ couldn’t stay calm. They taunted them every time. They questioned Kali’s virility to the extent where he stopped hanging out with his group. They threw such harsh words at Poonaya that she stopped attending functions.

And ‘they’ here refers to the epitome of perfection, righteousness and justice oriented ‘society’, which gets pleasure making people’s life hell to the point where ‘they’ with their ‘good will’ push people to be destroyed.

As always this time also ‘society’ succeeded in giving wings to ‘their good will’ .

Kali and Poonaya became desperate to conceive, more than becoming parents they wanted to live a life where they are not discriminated, where the society can accept them and treat them like humans.

What was the level of their desperation ?

How far they can go to conceive a child ?

How the pressure and desire to be parents just to be accepted by society can ruin their lives ?

What happens when somebody lies ?

This story’s ending is gonna leave you in a cliffhanger, unsettled and uncomfortable. You would find it hard enough to believe to even cry.

The impending doom would fall upon you even before you can fathom it !

✍️Amazing plot.

✍️Totally unpredictable ending.

✍️Characters and every scene is so nicely built.

✍️Very well written.

✍️Writing style is very engaging.

Rating- 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

P.S.- When you’re done with this book and desperate to know what’s gonna happen next, then you should know there’s two sequels to this book. With the same beginning but different endings.

One Amazing Story. Two Different Endings.

📘Trial By Silence

📘A Lonely Harvest

Both the books pick up right where it ended in One Part Woman. I’m not giving the blurb of these two books because it’ll ruin the element of mystery in One Part Woman.

Of the two sequels you can choose depending on how much emotional abuse you gonna inflict on yourself. And as for me, I’m not gonna read the sequel. This much emotional torture is enough for me.

Thank you ❤️

#bookreview

Book- Written In The Stars

Author- Aisha Saeed

Pages- 320

Edition- Ebook

💫No review or blurb can ever describe how precious this book is. Written In The Stars by Aisha Saeed is a masterpiece and I regret coming across it so late. I treasure this piece of writing. 320 pages filled with intense emotion about such face of society that’ll send chills down your spine.

A gripping tale of the horrible face of society veiled with ‘love’ has been amazingly penned down by the author.

I doubt if I would ever come across a teenage couple as strong, determined and true like Naila and Saif. In a world where envy, hatred, revenge has started dominating emotions, where every relationship is measured with profit and loss, a teenage couple being so mature and true to each other and surviving all odds together, not letting down the trust and hope on each other to be shaken even for a moment is so so rare and praiseworthy.

💫 Since Naila was a kid her parents have fed her with the view that ‘she can choose which shoes and clothes she wants to wear, which course she wants to take up, she can do whatever she wants to do, but she is forbidden from choosing her husband’ because you know what ? Marrying someone whom her parents didn’t choose would bring shame to her family.

How serious are Naila’s parents about this view ?

Even she didn’t know, until they caught her with her boyfriend Saif at last prom of school.

Are they gonna punish her by just locking her up ? Or are they gonna do something barbaric ?

But they’re parents, right ? They love her, right ?

Do you deceive, drug and abuse your own child just because she fell in love with a guy ?

Oh yes, they did !

Forced marriage.
Marital rape.
Fear of honour killing.

As much as I want to write about each page of this book, like the author I also want everyone to read this book. I want everyone to be caught off guard by the raw emotions of this book like I did.

💫 After reading this book, realizations started overflowing. How people get so much affected by society, how society has some bizzare norms . Who set these rules and regulations, who asked us to follow them ? In a world which is developing at such a fast pace, there are places where people are subjected to such torture and are restricted from enjoying their own life. There are places people aren’t even granted their basic fundamental rights ! What pleasure does society get from torturing someone by imposing their definition of high standard and culture ?

This makes me think how all kind of crimes are heinous but how do we label a crime done by parents on their own children ? Is there any word that can describe such horrifying situation ?

💫 Simple yet strong writing.

💫 Although set in Pakistan, the author hasn’t commented on any religion. (Because crime and criminals don’t have any religion.)

💫 All the characters are formed very well.

💫 You won’t even find a single page unnecessary.

💫 Sequence of events are given the appropriate time they need and nothing is dragged.

💫 I couldn’t find a single thing to criticize.

💫 Incase you’re scared of coming across such deep emotions ending on a heartbreak, then rejoice people, it’s a happy ending.

💫 I loved it.

Rating- Only if I could rate it more than 5 !

#bookreview

Book: The Chapter Black: Scandalous Secrets Of The Scars.

Author: Bursha Rahamani

Pages: 243

Lost her father at the border.

Lost her mother to an ailment.

Lost her innocence to her Uncle’s abuse.

Lost her beautiful face to acid attack.

Lost her sister God knows where.

And her boyfriend, Arzan, who has been by her side like a guardian angel through all these, refuses to recognize her at the hospital. Is she hallucinating or is this for real ?

The Chapter Black by Bursha Rahamani is a gruesome tale of hatred, envy, hunger for authority and misplaced anger resulting in sexual assault, physical and mental abuse and acid attack.

After their father’s death Alishbah and Inayah lived a content life with their mother. Until one fateful day these girls lost their mother and their Uncle Zafar landed in their lives and caused unfathomable havoc .

But who attacked Alishbah with acid and why ?

Are Alishbah and Inayah going to spend their whole life being tortured ?

Is Zafar going to live his life as an undisputed King of #Alishbah and #Inayah ?

✍️ Everything in the book was a surprise. From the very first page to the last page it was unpredictable.

✍️ This book is filled with mystery but you gotta keep patience because the arrangement of chapters and narration is a bit confusing at first.

✍️ A lot of events were unnecessarily described at a stretch.

✍️ Some events which required the attention and description were abruptly put to an end.

✍️ Out of all the characters, only few were properly developed. The portrayal of Alishbah, Inayah and Zephayra’s character as strong women was amazing.

✍️ This book is undoubtedly emotional and you’ll have a great time discovering human nature. The book showed how some people can stake their lives to save yours and some other people can ruin your life just because, you know, they were envious of someone related to you.

Congratulations to Bursha Rahamani on touching such sensitive issues with abundant emotions in her debut novel.

This book hasn’t just touched the sensitive issues like acid attack and sexual assault but also shows the unfiltered face of today’s society. The degrading human values, inhumane nature, judgments based on looks, molestation at every other step, lack of empathy towards fellow human beings are portrayed very well.

P.S.- I would have loved to describe more about the book but that would give away all the elements of mystery and surprise.

Rating- 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

I received a copy of this through the Book Genie Review Program.

‘You mean you knew about being dedicated to the Goddess, but you didn’t know about dhanda.’

Book: Servants of the Goddess-The modern-day Devadasis.
Author: Catherine Rubin Kermorgant
Pages: 396 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5

The Author is an Anthropologist who visits India to research and make documentaries on the people, their tradition and way of living. One such documentary co-directed by her is the Servants of the Goddess. Catherine visited India in 2002 to research on Devadasis of Karnataka which she and her colleague Dilip Patil decided to film. This book is a journey of Catherine researching, filming and describing the life of Devadasis and the hurdles faced by her.
The Devadasi tradition was prevalent in Odisha and the Southern states of India. The Author’s field of research was in Karnataka where she witnessed this bizzare tradition of dedicating girls as young as 6-7 years old to the Goddess Yellamma who after the puberty hit ended up as prostitutes either in the village or at the brothels of Goa and Mumbai. This horrifying tale of poverty, prostitution in the name of tradition, exploitation in the name of caste and still trying to find glory in it depicts the compassion and the strength of women to face their fate and their incomparable dedication towards their Goddess.

✍️ Through interviews of Devadasis you can see their plight and pride in the tradition.

✍️ This indeed is a unique topic but there are places where the Author’s journey overshadows the topic and not in a good way. It kind of ruins the essence of the book.

✍️ There were quite a lot of characters who weren’t that well formed.

✍️ The writing style isn’t interesting enough to pull you into the book.

✍️ The writing isn’t organized and you gotta have to search for the moments.

✍️ The Author has definitely put all her soul into the research and writing, but the description of the history of certain traditions hasn’t been described properly.

✍️ At the beginning of each chapter there are extracts from ancient texts and plays which I believe isn’t related to the chapters continued.

✍️ Reading the book would make you feel more like reading a combination of travel diary and research paper.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton