Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 13

Write Me A Love Story by Ravinder Singh - Review

 The romantic scenario has changed drastically. It is fast and ephemeral. The contemporary literature reflects the superficial relations that hold no base whatsoever. Write me a love story by Ravinder Singh narrates a relationship that is common among the millennials - Peripherally deep yet shallow. 

Masala for the teenagers

The book is clearly written for readers in their late teens and early twenties. A couple that starts sexting on the second day of real acquaintance could very well be entertainable for the readers in this bracket. I am probably too old for the plot. The love-hate relationship trope has been the latest favorite of the authors, It has the flavor of the attraction that is held back and repulsion that is manipulated. Nonetheless, the author did not hold on to the rift between the protagonists for long. In a snap the readers see them pouncing on each other. This, while sounding abrupt could be merged with the plot had the author not connected the two romantically.

The inside tale of publishing houses

The author has portrayed the tug of war between publishing houses to get hold of a bestselling author in no uncertain terms. This has enhanced the flavor of the spices. The character of Maya is realistic and the author has portrayed her with utmost conviction. Every corporate firm would have a Maya who is empathetic and does whatever it takes to push the firm up the ladder.

The plot that is laid way before

The author has laid the twist in the plot way before. The moment Asmita meets Abhimanyu's(protagonist) competitor the readers know that this is the plot that is laid for the twist later, which sounded way too obvious. The antagonist's character craft is predictable as well. This array of cliche kills the spirit. 

Commendable climax

The climax of the book is a breather for the readers as opposed to the predictable climaxes that we have been witnessing of late in the romantic books. Hence the stand of Asmita is a celebration of self-esteem. 

Outset Books Top Reviewer Awards Nominees

 When we announced the Outset Books Top Indian Reviewer Awards, we were not expecting a huge response as we were not concentrating on the marketing side. Nonetheless, we received an unrelenting response from the reviewers, which continued way past the due date. The waiting time is over and finally, we have the nominees for the different categories. Without much lengthy introduction, let's meet the nominees.

Nominees and categories:The following are the nominees for different categories for the Top Indian Book Reviewer Awards by Outset Books.Best Senior Blogger
1. Samatha Dey Bose - https://www.indiacafe24.com
2. Simran Sardana - https://simreviewss.blogspot.com
3. Arti Sathe - https://geekyovernerdy.wordpress.com
4. Suzan Khoja - https://wp.me/paT5cI-1ld
5. Venkitesh - http://vrvdynamicreviews.blogspot.com
Best Newbie Blogger
1. Anasua Basu -  https://soulfulbookparadise.wordpress.com
2. Kaustav Das - https://digitalfictionophile.wordpress.com/
3. Priya Bhasin - https://thebibliophilicworld.wordpres...
Best Blog Design


1. Sruthy Pisharady - https://shadesoflavender.home.blog/
2. Samata Dey Bose - https://www.indiacafe24.com/
3. Arti Sathe - www.geekyovernerdy.wordpress.com
4. Priya Bhasin - https://thebibliophilicworld.wordpress.com/Best Instagram Images



1. Muskaan Fatima https://instagram.com/blithe_soul._?utm_medium=copy_link
2. Shreyasi Basu https://instagram.com/ladythor_bookblogger?utm_medium=copy_link
3. Kaustav Das https://instagram.com/nffictionophile?utm_medium=copy_link
4. Ashima Satya https://instagram.com/the_worldofwords_?utm_medium=copy_link
5. Varsha Dubey https://instagram.com/idreamofbooks9?utm_medium=copy_link
Apart from these, we have a popular category for Bookstagrammer. The nominees are listed on Outset Books Instagram Page

The winners will be announced in the last week of July, once our judging panel analyses the profile. Who are the members of the judging panel?
The judging panel - Outset Books Top Reviewer Awards 2021


Vish Dhamija

Vish Dhamija is the bestselling author of ten works of crime fiction, including Unlawful Justice, Bhendi Bazaar, The Mogul, The Heist Artist, and Doosra. He is frequently referred to in the Indian press as the ‘master of crime and courtroom drama’. In August 2015, after the release of his first legal thriller, Déjà Karma, Glimpse magazine called him ‘India’s John Grisham’ for stimulating the genre of legal fiction in India. Vish lives in London with his wife, Nidhi.

Shabnam MinwallaShabnam Minwalla has worked as a journalist with the Times of India. Presently, she writes food columns, book reviews, and features for newspapers and magazines. Her first book, The Six Spellmakers of Dorabji Street, was critically acclaimed and won the Rivokids Parents' and Kids' Choice Awards. She is also the author of The Strange Haunting of Model High School, The Shy Supergirl, and Lucky Girl.


So, now the last lap is on. With a few days left to announce the winner of the Outset Books Top Reviewer Awards, we are having nail-biting moments. Are you? Stay tuned for the results which will be announced soon.

Love to Hurt You by Rahul Saini - Review

How can an author write about true love in one book (The Part I Left With You) and simultaneously sketch the earliest scariest gruesome blood-chilling affair in another? Here is Rahul Saini, an unpredictable author with a plethora of varieties in his craft. Love to Hurt You, the latest dark romance by Rahul Saini is a foray into the deepest crevices of the human mind.

Before continuing further: Trigger warning - The book and the review have graphic details and mentions violence, suicide, murder, rape, substance abuse, etc.

Love to hurt you:

How can someone love to hurt another person? Having personally dealt with so many people who have expressed love in the most unbelievable fashion in real life, I could totally relate to it. The book is a dark romance with a twisted love triangle. Garun loves to kill, Sasha loves to hurt and Maya wants to die. After a suicide attempt, Maya is trying to recuperate and come back to life when hallucinations hold her life and play with her psyche. When Garun meets Maya, he wants to make her fall for him just for the thrill of it. Knowing that she is in a fragile state of mind, he exploits it. While on another side, Sasha is living a life finding comfort and happiness in hurting men and beaming in the thrill of dominance that's she gets from it.
Characters rule the plot:The book has an extremely niche target readers. The book is exclusively for those who love to read and could handle dark romance and the extremities in the book. The book cannot be judged by the thoughts and dialogues of the characters as the characters are intrinsically cruel and abnormal. Hence the rule book of misogyny and misandry doesn't apply to them. Garun's character is a chauvinistic self-indulgent one while Sasha is deprived of love and is vindictive towards men who are infidels. The character of Sasha is a classic serial killer craft. Maya is the most fragile of the three but her vulnerability failed to be established in the audience's mind or so I felt. In some instances, the effort by the author to establish the character craft of the three characters seemed forced. The climax creates the adrenaline rush till the last four pages but further the graph drops drastically as Garun's part seemed cliché. Nonetheless the last part gives a hint of mystery.
Hallucinations, revenge and  murderous desire As mentioned earlier, the book deals with the deepest and darkest of the desires. A lack of trigger warning and an age criteria could land the book with the wrong reader. Love to hurt you is a brave attempt by the author. Dealing with such complicated emotions and relations is not everyone's cup of tea.
Overall it is a dark complicated romance for the readers who love to read the genre. For the type of genre it falls in the book is a perf ct fit.

Tête-à-tête with Shabnam Minwalla

 An author is someone who lives the story he/she writes. The characters, plotline, twists and the climax are born out of unending intellectual tug of war. Today we have one such author who voyages with the characters. She has written numerous childrens' book which are rich in language, plot, and character. 

Shabnam Minwalla

Shabnam Minwalla, in her candid interview talks about the about the birth of 'Saira Zariwala is Afraid' , about the character and how she derives the climax. She jumped back to her childhood when she told us how the reader in her was nurtured. The author also shares her publication journey.
It has been indeed a candid interview when the author selflessly shared her knowledge and experience about writing and publishing.
Tune in to Tête-à-tête with Shabnam Minwalla at Ouset Books Podcast

A Pleasant Escape By Piyush Rohankar

 The lives of civil servants have always been a subject that aroused the curiosity in the readers and layment at large. How do they prepare? How do they clear the toughest exam? How is their life post clearing the exams? Will beaurocracy bring luxury along,? These are the questions that are often asked. Nonetheless, their life post retirement has never been a subject that is mulled over. Pleasant Escape by Piyush Rohankar throws light to the colourful and not so colorful lives of civil service aspirants. 

Piquing the curiosity

From the first page, the author has succeeded in creating an intrigue in the readers. The protagonist is attending the Civil Service interview after clearing UPSC.  After a 'not so pleasant' attempt when he steps out he realises that the interview panels has Sakshi's father. Sakshi, about whom he mentioned in the interview. 

Expectedly, the readers set on a cliché trip expecting Sakshi to be his lady love. Further plot proceeds and time and again arouses thr question - Who is Sakshi? Where is she? The intrigue keeps them hooked to the A Pleasant Escape.

Diversity of characters

A USP of the book is that the author has conentrated on the parity of character space. Each character develops with the traits that enables the readers in visualising them multi dimensionally. 

Except Sakshi, all other characters would have established their craft by the second half of the book, which is rarity in a supposedly romance book. Sakshi's character develops late in the plot, justifiably, which could be explained in the climax. 

Misleading cover

The book deals with several historical as well as current affairs. Author has actively and passively addressed several social evils. Nonetheless the book cover creates an impression of a baseless romance. This is one of the reasons why I procrastinated 'A Pleasant Escape', which later I totally forgot about. But the moment I started reading, i realised that putting this off was a mistake.

Simple yet endearing narration

The style of narration is simple and hence comprehensive for beginners as well. Nonetheless, the language and grammar are all in place. The book emanates the aura of an autobiography. The author has transformed into the characters with each word written. 

If you are looking for a book which is rich in literary metaphors, this is not for you. But if you are looking for a decent read without the usual cliché puppy romance and unnecessary making out sequences and cringefest, you will love ' A Pleasant Escape by Piyush Rohankar'.

Always A Foreigner By Ashwini Devare - Review

 A girl was born and brought up in a village, in a small state in the southern corner of India. She has never stepped out of her state. She reads the book about another girl who is born in one country, spent her childhood, teenage and youth in several countries. This is me reading Always A Foreigner by Ashwini. I picked the book for the fancy of living in different countries. But, was it so?

Always a Foreigner

Born to a diplomat father, Ashwini has lived in India, Burma, the US, South Korea, the list goes on. She is a reservoir of knowledge for the fact that she has an anthropologically enriching upbringing. 

The book doesn't merely touch the snippets of her life but gives a glimpse of the political scenario in the country that she lived in and the repercussions in India.

The reality

Indian Foreign Service is often connected with the perks of living in the developed countries, opportunities to travel around the world, and the peripheral materialistic gains. Little has been thought and spoken about the diplomats assigned to third-world countries. 

The life of the seasoned officer in Burma is a shocking revelation in 'Always a Foreigner'. While it makes us proud of how privileged we are to live in India, it equally pains to know that such highly qualified officers have to go through pains of this extent and never acknowledged. This somehow made me reflect on how ill-informed we are about the sacrifices of our civil servants. 

Facing racism

I have heard of experiences with racism in the US, Australia, etc but never about Switzerland. I would have snubbed it as an imagination without research had this been a fictional work. A child who is being uprooted over and over again would naturally develop identity issues but Ashwini on the other hand is enriched with the cosmopolitan life she has been exposed to.

Knowing our historyThere have been several speculations about the demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri but Ashwini's account gives a close-range testimonial to the incident. Likewise, several politico-social incidents like the democratization of South Korea, emergency in India, merging Sikkim to India, and several other historical incidents are witnessed by this talented writer.

Ashwini's narration is impeccable. She is highly talented and enriched with knowledge gained from her life across the world and hence 'Always a Foreigner' represents her life in different countries. Overall the book is a lucidly written reservoir of knowledge delivered with finesse. 

Listen to the audio interview in Outset Books Podcast.

Infinity Reaper By Adam Silvera - Book Review

 Fantasy has never been my genre of interest. However, when I got Infinity Reaper from Simon and Schuster, I knew that it is something unique. The next step was to get the prequel Infinity Son, to imbibe the essence of the book. The series infinity cycle is the story of two brothers Emil and Brighton. The first part of the book is wrapped around Emil and the secrets surrounding his birth. In continuation of the first part, the author grabs the readers with a completely different scenario in the sequel.

Phoenixes aned humans:

Emil acquires some powers which he realizes later. The spell walkers and specters are the two rival entities in the world of phoenixes. While spell walkers have an inherent power of magic, the specters are the vile groups that acquire their power through alchemy.

The imagination of the author is commendable. While fantasizing about the human amalgamation of phoenixes, he made sure not to lose the thriller essence.

Brighton, the infinity reaperBrighton's transformation on attaining power is analogous to what we see in a common scenario. While Emil became all the more grounded and kind, Brighton transformed into someone whom no one could connect to. The presence of Brighton like a snake in the lake, all through the movie is brimful suspense that urges the readers to keep reading to know what happens next.
However, the size of the book is exhausting. The events are happening simultaneously and continuously, that the readers would be confused about where the plot is headed to. Nonetheless,  the author has managed to maneuver the plotline back on track.
The book has ended at a cliffhanger keeping the readers at the edge of the seat till the next part makes it to the bookstore.
Keep reading Outset books for more reviews. 

The Part I Left With You By Rahul Saini -Simple Yet Enviable Craft

I am not a romance lover - precisely Indian Romance. To narrow it down, Indian bestselling romance because for some undecipherable reasons, romance in Indian literature needs cheesy sequences, puppy love and unwanted lovemaking scenes. Still I went for The Part Left With You for the sole reason that I have liked the craft of the author's previous book. Did Rahul Saini disappoint this time? Let's analyse.

The not so perfect protagonist: The Part I Left With You is the tale of Ratna, Ronit and Natasha. Natasha and Ronit have been head over love with each other but gradually the blue eyed boy transformed into someone who Natasha could not recognise. Falling out of love is what they saw later. When Ratna, a mass communications student approaches Ronit, the bestselling author with for a interview as a part of her project, she expected the handsome hunk who adorned the back page of his books. Nonetheless, the one who opened thr door to his house and a few days of life is a deteriorating shadow of the great writer. In an attempt to save him and pull him out of the impeding depression she decides to stay with him at the pretence of losing her belongings.Realistic picture of romatic indulgence:As I mentioned before, what puts me off has been the unrealistically filmy and too good to be true pefect love life that has veen portraying the most skewed definition of love. But Rahul Saini leaves me in awe of the depth with which he has analysed love. A relationship can be at a point where the lovers cannot wait for a chance to end the trauma but still continue loving each other madly. The reason pinned for the break up between Ronit and Natash is shallow but it somehow projects the gravity of the issues they were dealing with .The underconfident and exuberant female protagonist:Ratna's character somehow failed to create the impression. The cliche of underconfident female character who tries to hide her insecurity with strange idiosyncrasies has been an over worked trope. Hence it hinders the flow of the plot that is otherwise a perfect craft.Even though the author has substatiated with Ratna's personal life and what led to her present state of mind, the similarity of her character with several others kills the sport.A narrative to admire:Having said that, nothing can take away the aura created by the author's impeccable narration. If you are a beginner, you have much to learn. If you are a seasoned reader you have much to rewind. Because the author has maneuvered the plot with finesse.

Overall The Part I Left With You by Rahul Saini is a fresh breeze amidst the stinking cliches. To sum it up, a simple yet enviable craft.

Revive Your Passion For Reading During The Pandemic With Audio Books

If you have been following Outset, you know that I am an avid reader. I have a world of books where I have created an imaginary castle. However, of late my reading pace has come down drastically due to the busy schedule. As much as I try to continue reading, the number of books I read is less than half of what I used to. That's when I decided to give audiobooks a shot.

The pandemic has introduced us to the new normal. Our entertainment is restricted to the OTT platforms, Youtube, and other video apps and channels. The apprehensions surrounding the couriers on one side and unrelenting screen time on the other pushes reading to the lower spectrum of priority. I used to get numerous messages asking for tips to revive the reading. The current scenario being unpredictable, the safest and the most practical substitute for reading is listening to audiobooks. 

Why try audiobooks?

You can now have somebody narrate a story to you or read out your favorite book while you go about you every day. Consuming books is not restricted to just reading them, stories can now move with you. This is such a boon for somebody like me who is missing the constant company of stories 

Benefits of audiobooksReduced screen time

We are constantly on screens straining our eyes. Unlike ebooks that could strain your eyes in the long run, audiobooks could be your digital detox tool. Extending your gadget-free time, in turn, relaxes your eyes.

Develop listening skills

With three kids, I was struggling to keep them occupied and entertained. The storytime with them turned out to be difficult when I was depleted of story ideas. Listening to audiobooks was a solution to this hassle, with the added advantage of seeing their pronunciation getting better!. Their listening time improved and this in turn helped them in their academics as well.

Time management

The most notable benefit of using audiobooks is time management. You need not dedicate a specified time for listening as you can play it and go about the most boring chores around the house. Nowadays, I am enjoying listening to health-related audiobooks during my walks.

Better sleeping experience

Studies have proven that sleeping while listening to stories will give you a night of better sleep with a relaxed brain, which in turn improves your overall emotional quotient. Make sure to listen to the books that are inspirational or positive during your bedtime.

Learning experience

If you are someone who reads non-fiction, audiobooks could be your easy access to knowledge.

Enhanced reading experience.

When the narrator inculcates the emotions while reading, it gives a listening experience over and above what you might perceive while reading yourself. But it is imperative that you listen to good quality audiobooks like the ones on Storytel, I see they are extra careful about ensuring they deliver the finest quality narrated books.

My experience with audiobooks:

I tried several apps but to my dismay, the narrative was delivered in a staccato tone and I failed to grasp the essence of the books. After a long search, I got introduced to Storytel and I started listening to their audiobooks, which not only has the kind of narration I was hunting for but also with this busy schedule. My quest for a relatable audiobook ended with Storytel, They have a plethora of choices for audiobooks. More than 2 lac audiobooks available at a reasonable price is a steal on any day

Being a mother of three, I am particular about screen time, both mine and kids'. Hence Storytel has come as a boon to let me connect with books while I'm busy with household chores.  My bedtime story session has shifted to bedtime 'Storytel' sessions as they have the option of having the kids' mode.  It helps me filter out audiobooks that are best suitable for kids. The narration does not feel like a robot is narrating a story to my kids, it’s a real person narrating the story with all the emotions which makes one connect a lot more to the audiobook. 

For you to have and experience the same luxury, I have a special offer where you can enjoy a 90days of Storytel access at just 375rs, this offer is a limited period one, I would suggest for you guys to grab it as on a paperback we would spend at least 400bucks, but here you can access unlimited books for 90 days, which is a great deal! All you have to do is, use this link to sign-up for Storytel

A few notable features of Storytel:Regional languages

In Storytel, the books are available in 12 languages. Isn’t that awesome? English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and many more. I am a Malayali and I am excited to listen to Malayalam audiobooks which I have never seen anywhere else

2 lac plus audiobooks

Storytel has a collection of 2 lac+ audiobooks available in numerous languages and genres. 

They have books in various genres and the narration is tailored to suit the particular genre that you would like to listen to.

Endearing narration

The style of narration is the USP of the books by Storytel. The previous experience with audiobooks being disappointing, the narrations that inculcate the emotions without dramatizing and simultaneously bringing out the feelings is fresh.

Celebrity narrated books

If you want to listen to the books in the voice of your favorite celebrity, they have celebrity narrated books for you.

Sleep timer

The App has an option for setting the timer so that the narration stops at the scheduled time so that you could go to sleep while ensuring the gadget-free hours are followed. The books ‘for complete relaxation’ could be the best choice to listen to before bedtime. They have a section ‘Sleepwell with Storytel’ that relaxes the brain and provides much-needed rest.

Customized bookmarks

I am someone who likes to make notes while reading. Storytel enables me to make notes while listening and create bookmarks manually.

Offline Book

One of my absolute favorite features is that you can download their books offline and enjoy them whenever you are in a no-network zone. How amazing is that? You can always carry a partner, Storytel with you and as it is, one is never isolated with good audiobooks! 

Books by Storytel:  

The range of books available in Storytel is unprecedented in the history of audiobooks. From Kite runner to Alchemist, Kabuliwala to Les Miserables, this streaming app has a selection of audiobooks that suits the readers in all niches. 

The section ‘only kids, no parents allowed’ has a collection of audiobooks. The books tailor-made for the kids narrated enticingly. The style of narration is the highlight of Storytel as the emotions are imbibed without losing the original feel. 

Missing

Missing is the first book that I listened to in Storytel. While there were my favorites available, I wanted the App. I deliberately selected the book as I wanted to try a Storytel original, which proved to be the best decision. Storytel Originals are the stories or audiobooks that are exclusive to Storytel and you would not find the same audiobook on any other application. 

Missing is the story of a womanizer, who finally gets married and the wife goes absconding later. His quest for the truth behind the disappearance of his wife lands him in experiences which he has never experienced. Character craft is the highlight of the book. The narrator has brought a personal touch and the same connected me a lot to the story, almost like I was driven to a different dimension of the line. Sounds fascinating right? More about this audiobook, Missing would be shared in my next review, stay tuned! The story and experience only get better! 

I am amazed by the section of thrillers available on Storytel. To know about how to have the thriller listening experience, check out my next post on audiobooks.

If you would want to experience this and many many other audiobooks Storytel has to offer, don’t forget to sign-up through the link - http://mooimoments.in/campaigns/englishoffer

Grab your audiobook from Storytel and share your listening experience with us.

Warwick And Faulkner Rule The Plot - Hidden In Plain Sight By Jeffrey Archer - Book Review

 The legacy that Harry Clifton left behind, the character in the shadows of Clifton chronicles - William Warwick. Readers were eagerly waiting for the detective to come to life and then came"Nothing Ventured". Jeffrey Archer once again proved that any character, any plot is safe at his fingertips. With a cliffhanging climax, readers kept waiting for the sequel. Hidden in Plain Sight is the sequel of crime fiction which is evolved from the character created by the character in his Historical fiction series Clifton chronicles. 

Warwick and Faulkner again:The protagonist-antagonist duo is the USP of Nothing Ventured and  Hidden in Plain Sight. Miles Faulkener's wretched character passively creates interest in the readers. Hence the plot drives the readers with utmost force with the intrigue created by mentioning Faulkner at places. William Warwick is promoted and is in charge of the drug cell. Pursuing the leads about a drug lord named Viper, he crosses path with Faulkner again. As much as it excites the readers who have read the prequel, it is equally entertaining for the readers who approach the book as a stand-alone. The character of Faulkener is enticingly wretched.  Warwick and his personal life:The relationships of Warwick with Beth, Christina and his colleagues see a different shade in the sequel. To see a different shade of Warwick's character is a fresh change from nothing ventured. Nonetheless, Hidden in Plain sight sees a drop in the pace compared to the sequel. The lack of consistency in the plot, in turn, affects how the characters develop. 
The sequence where Warwick meets Faulkener and the subsequent scenarios pique the excitement of the readers manifold. But further, the pace drops to a point that the readers would be forced to skip a few pages.
Venturing into other characters:
Hidden in Plain sight sees the development of the perspective to the lives of the characters who were in the background in its prequel. This gives a feeling of developing a subplot for another sequel and the nailbiting climax confirms the same. The book ends at a note where the readers would be left impatient for the next books. Click the link to read the review of Nothing Ventured