Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 66

Blinks in the blackout by Dr. Hari Parameshwar-Review

Book Name         - Blinks in the blackoutAuthor                  - Dr. Hari ParameshwarPublisher              - Good Times BooksNumber of Pages - 216Publishing Year   - 2017Edition                  - PaperbackPrice                     - 168
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Rating : 3.0

My Review


Vikram finds himself caught in the web of life and death. A fall , unconsciousness and a relay of memories. For everyone, Vikram has either boarded a flight to Goa or already in Goa when he lies unconscious by the  stairs of his house, when the whole world is unaware. Glimpse of his past flashes through his mind. 

The book is a club if genres - It can be counted as a pshychological thriller, spiritual fiction or a literary fiction. We can see author's foray into psychology, spirituality, literature, spirituality, suspense, familial relations, love and so on and so forth. 
There are a lot of observations, though not as per theory standards, that touch a chord in the reader. It would not be more if I say again and again that the language of the author is exemplary. Nevertheless, the climax killed the fun. It was quite expected and predictably cliched. 
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

Dangerous Games by Danielle Steel- Review

Book Name         - Dangerous GamesAuthor                  - Danielle Steel Publisher              - PAN Mac MillanNumber of Pages -400Publishing Year   - 2017Edition                  - Paperback Price                     - 399
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Rating : 4.0

My Review


A girl who gets pregnant with a boy whom she barely knows, while in school, and wanting their child to be born in the wedlock, they get married and months later he dies. Rejected by the guy's family, the girl returns to her windowed mother with her infant daughter. Any reader would expect the scenario to be that of a woman who finds second love or settles for a 9 to 5 job or thriving for a living. But Danielle Steel never make her women give up on their lives. Alix Phillipe completes her studies, leaving her kids with her mother and becomes a seasoned television correspondent.


Characterisation is the USP of the book, especially that of Olympia Foster. There is another dimension of relations portrayed beautifully. Contrary to what we see in thrillers off late, there are no squeezing in of unnecessary romantic or making out sequences. A glimpse of geo political scenario is given with subtlety. 

In spite of being a wonderful book by a talented, experienced and bestselling author, some of the glitches could not be overlooked. The switch between dialogues and narration was not smooth. The suspense behind Bill Foster's murder was pretty obvious and lacked the shocking element. The climax is different from normal thrillers. It's more of an extended epilogue.

The game set by Tony Clark is quite dangerous with a varying graph.
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  
About the author

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's most popular authors, with over 650 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Property of a Noblewoman, Blue, Precious Gifts, Undercover, Country, Prodigal Son, Pegasus, A Perfect Life and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina's life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood. Danielle is famous for her powerfully emotional and inspirational stories about family, life and love. Her novels will be enjoyed by readers of Jodi Picoult, Penny Vincenzi and Diane Chamberlain.

Book Spotlight - Season of Hope

When Amanda Jarvis prays that a special friend will move into the vacant house near her isolated mountain home, she isn't upset when God sends a boy instead of a girl. But Amanda's not the only one receiving unexpected answers to her prayers. After fleeing with his mother from an abusive father, Tyler Armstrong finds much-needed love and acceptance with Amanda’s family over the next ten years.
​As high school graduation nears, Tyler is shocked when one carefree afternoon with Amanda churns up an inner turmoil he would have never imagined; he’s crushing on his best friend. And for the first time in his life he’s hiding a secret from Amanda. Convinced the timing is all wrong, Tyler pushes his feelings aside as he and Amanda prepare for the future. He will soon begin training to pursue his dream of becoming a Navy Seal, while Amanda makes plans to spend the summer in Manhattan with her aunt and then return home to the community college.

​When Amanda’s summer job catapults her into a modeling career, she readily accepts the much-needed distraction. Tyler’s impending deployment is turning her world upside down. Along with the fact that she’s falling for her best friend. And, for the first time in her relationship with Tyler, she’s hiding a secret, too.
​Phoebe Garrison, Amanda’s controlling aunt, is thrilled when she is given the power to act on behalf of her underage niece. Bored with her Fortune 500 advertising agency, becoming Amanda’s manager is just what she's been looking for to rekindle her aspirations. But as Tyler becomes aware of Phoebe’s obsession to push Amanda into supermodel status, tensions rise. As the three of them become entangled in a mass of concealed ambition and desire, each will make decisions that will send ripples of turbulence across their futures.
Buy the Book: Amazon  ~  Add to GoodreadsAuthor's Bio:
I began writing as a hobby while raising my two children. In 2015, I dusted off my stories and my dreams to see if I could turn my hobby into a career. My first story, Season of Hope, was inspired by summer vacations which always included a trip to Franklin, North Carolina, to visit family and explore The Smoky Mountains. When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with family and most anything that involves being outdoors, especially camping and hiking. I currently live along the Emerald Coast of Florida and never complain about the hot, humid summers, because that's exactly how I like them! ​
Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook ~ Pinterest  ~  Instagram

Giveaway:​
Win a $10 Amazon gift card (5 winners total, open to USA & Canada)Ends April 22a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Contest -Dangerous Games by Danielle Steel

Last week I had apprised you about the Giveaway contest of Dangerous Games by Danielle Steel

Here I am with the set of questions. You don't have to do much. 
-Just answer the questions 
- Share this post on your page
You can either answer the questions in the comment box below, or message me or e-mail me

Winner will get a copy of Dangerous Games
Impatient for the questions? ? Here we go

Q1.What’s the crime location in Danielle Steel’s Dangerous Games?


A. AirportB. White HouseC. Church
Q2. Which country has Danielle set her novel, Dangerous Games?
A. IndiaB. PolandC. United States of America
Q3. What’s the profession of the protagonist Alix Philips inDangerous Games?
A. ActressB. Television Correspondent C. Home Maker
Quite easy questions, aren't  they? So what are you waiting for? Share you answers ASAP and grab your copy.
*If there are more than one right answers, winner will be selected randomly. The decision made by the selector will be final.

Not Just Another Story by Subhash Chandra -Review

Book Name         - Not Just Another StoryAuthor                  - Subhash ChandraPublisher              - Lifi Publications Number of Pages -170Publishing Year   - 2017Edition                  - Paperback Price                     -225
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Rating : 4.5

My Review


The deep realities of life are bizarre. Coming face to face with the demons is a painful task for the writer as well as readers. It is like jointly facing the trouble and suffering the trauma. Not Just Another Story is an anthology of seventeen heartmelting , painful, yet close to heart stories.

There are a few books which leave me wondering the criteria behind a book becoming a bestseller. I can declare hands down that this book possesses the qualities that make a bestseller. It is difficult to choose my favourite story among the 17 incomparable works but if I have to select one, I would definitely go for tha last story "Sibling". Author has apparently kept the best to the last. On looking back, the story of the boy with a catapult, the man who detests his father, the sisters who run a vegetable shop etc cannot be neglected. The climax is the cherry on the cake. Each story ends with a twist that is conveyed with imaginatory prowess. The cover image could have been reflective of the theme of the book. This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

Spell of Tiger by SY Montgomery -Review

Book Name         - Spell of the TigerAuthor                  - SY Montgomery Publisher              - Rupa PublicationsNumber of Pages - 250Publishing Year   - 2016Edition                  - Paperback Price                     -399
Buy books from Amazon
Rating : 4.5

My Review
After reading Man eaters of Kumaon, I was wondering if ever I could lay my hands on any book which is as engrossing and appealing as that. But yea, Montgomery proved to the world that there is nothing as ultimate. There is always a chance for more.


Sundarbans has always been a mystery forest with their swamps and unaccounted Tiger population. Extending from Bangladesh to  West Bengal, the forest repress a lot of secrets. From eerie killings to beautiful landscapes, we can see a variety of magical experiences throughout the book. Some of instances left me wondering if what I am reading is a fiction or reality. Authoress divulges a lot of inexplicable and seemingly illogical and apparently real incidents. Had I been apprised of these events by anyone else, I wouldn't have believed the same. That much is the strangeness of the real incidents occured in the swamps of Sundarbans. 
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  
About the author

Part Indiana Jones, part Emily Dickinson’, as the Boston Globe describes her, Sy Montgomery is an author, naturalist, documentary scriptwriter and radio commentator who has travelled to some of the world’s most remote wilderness for her work. She has worked in a pit crawling with 18, 000 snakes in Manitoba, swum with pink dolphins in the Amazon and has been undressed by an orangutan in Borneo. She is the author of thirteen award-winning books, including her bestselling memoir, the Good Pig. Montgomery lives in Hancock, New Hampshire.

The Four Patriots by Sumit Agarwal- Review

Book Name         - Four PatriotsAuthor                  - Sumit AgarwalPublisher              - Rupa PublicationsNumber of Pages - 306Publishing Year   -2016Edition                  - PaperbackPrice                     - 250
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Rating : 3.5

My Review

Varun, an NRI software engineer; Salman, CEO of Coffee Moments; Raghav, a virtuous politician and Aditya, an altruistic businessman, under the guidance of Dr. Sabarwal brings the change that we carelessly branded as impossible.  The plot sprouts with the tale of four boys, who are crestfallen with the lack of system and moreover absence of governance. 


Filled with suspense, action and nail biting , edge-of -the-seat moments, Four Patriots is a dream that every Indian grudgingly tries to ignore staying "Is Desh Ka Kuch Nahi Ho Sakta'. If you have a tiny place in your heart that thinks someday something will happen, you will definitely enjoy the book. There are a lot of thrilling instances throughout the book. The first day in the parliament is depicted in such a way that readers can apparently see four guys in Black Kurta and Jeans coming  forth. It was a brilliant idea of the author to set the story in 2022 so that some of the mismatches can be justified. The cover image perfectly blends with the storyline. Some of the events in the plot were too imaginative that it was difficult to relate it with reality. Author failed  convincingly potray the love lives of the four boys in the patriotic canvas.

Overall the book is a not bad entertainer.

This review is in return of a free book from author paradise.
About the author
A graduate from IIT Kanpur, Sumit Agarwal is a successful businessman. He is also a music composer, lyricist, singer, actor and writer. His music videos can be viewed on his YouTube channel, or on his website www.sumitagarwal.net. 
Sumit runs an NGO, Prerna (www.prernaa.org). Among its many social welfare initiatives, the NGO has adopted ten government primary schools, in order to facilitate quality education. He is also the founder of Kasauti, a consortium of NGOs formed to aid clean and answerable politics.

India by Debra Schoenberger-Review

Book Name         - IndiaAuthor                  - Debra SchoenbergerPublisher              -Number of Pages - 168Publishing Year   - 2017Edition                  - HardcoverPrice                     -$81.07
Buy books from Amazon
Rating : 3.0

My Review


When I was first asked to review the book, I thought it would be an easy task by just going through the pictures. But to my astonishment, those were no just pictures. Those were stories. Each picture tells us different stories.

The pictures were taken in Agra, Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Ranthanmpore Tiger Reserve, Khajuraho, Jojawar, Jaipur and Udaypur. Through her lens Debra portrayed the picture of crude, India with a rich heritage, flora and fauna, climate and what not.

What disappointed me is the lack of versatility. A sophisticated version of  India was missing. Moreover the variety would have been flawlessly expressed if some pictures of South India was also there. 
Nevertheless the book left me wanting lay my 
This review is in return of a free book from the iRead book tours 
About the author

born in marville, france
my dad always carried a camera under the seat of his car and was constantly taking pictures. I think that his example, together with pouring over national geographic magazines as a child fueled my curiosity for the world around me.
street photography is my true passion, having a slightly off-kilter sense of humour helps keep me looking for the unusual.

awards and recognition:
banana split at dairy queen when I was 8
intrepid travel photography award for 2010
editor's favourite (8 images) by national geographic 2014 and one image on exhibit in Washington at the National Geographic Museum

Watch out for the contest

Book Spotlight and Author Interview- Xenogenic by Lance Erlick

Book Description:
Xenogeneic is a science fiction thriller about first contact with an alien race that lost their civil war and wants to take over Earth.
Dr. Elena Pyetrov’s father vanished in space 18 years ago while searching for extraterrestrial life. As an aerospace engineer, Elena travels into space to search for answers and continue his work. Her ship is pulled off course and crashes. She suspects extraterrestrial interference.

The alien Knoonk lost their civil war in a distant star system and fled to Earth’s neighborhood to hide and regroup. They seek a new home—Earth. Unable to live in Earth’s toxic environment, the aliens kidnap and use humans to genetically modify their species to adapt.
Surviving the crash, Elena and her shipmates are transported to a closed cave system where the Knoonk monitor and control everything. Elena tries to make a connection with her hosts and find ways to work together, but Knoonk leaders rebuff her and force the humans to submit as slaves. The aliens use illusions, distractions, and social experiments to learn from their hostages and keep them off balance. Resistance by captive humans brings swift punishment to break the human spirit.
While Elena continues to look for ways to cooperate with the Knoonk, it becomes apparent that there can be no compromise. The Knoonk want to capture Earth for their species. It is winner take all. With time running out, Elena must dig deep to uncover the alien plan and find a way to stop them before the human race faces enslavement and extinction.
Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Add to Goodreads
Interview with Lance Erik Can you share a bit about your journey to becoming a writer/published author? My first writing adventure began at age eleven after reading an enjoyable adventure story I thought I could write. I learned a lot from trying, including that it was much harder than it seemed. The result was disappointing, but good experience. The inspiration to write kept coming back and each time I wrote another piece I could see my writing improve. Years later, I wrote a full length novel, thinking I would write the most fearless tough guy, but no matter how much I tried to bring the story to life, it fell flat. From that, I learned that for a story to jump off the page, the characters have to have passion. They have to be motivated toward something and to care. Nonchalance is not a workable story element. After that, I wrote short stories, but kept coming back to novels. Theres something about having the time to develop characters and explore them in action that has been quite satisfying for me. When I got the inspiration for the Rebel series, I first wrote Rebels Divided. Annabelle Scott was one of the co-protagonists and she insisted I write her own story, which became The Rebel Within. The ideas for the Regina Shen series and for Xenogeneic: First Contact had been percolating in my mind for years before they turned into novels. I hope the passion I felt for these stories and for the characters comes through. Do you write every day? I try to write every morning, which I find as my most creative time. I get very possessive about my mornings for this reason and feel let down if I get distracted and cant at least contribute something. Unfortunately, last June my older brother suffered two strokes that have left him in a nursing home. Ive had to set aside writing in order to help him relocate and get situated and then to help my mother. Have you ever rewritten a story because it strayed from your original plan? Yes. In fact, Ive just rewritten a space/first contact story I wrote a while back which became Xenogeneic: First Contact. I didnt like how the original story turned out. The basic idea was good, but one of the characters kept getting in the way. If it was just a matter of the character taking the story somewhere I hadnt anticipated, that would have been fine, but he was undermining the story itself. It took a while to figure out and accept what I had to do with this character to make the story work. Did you base your characters off people you know or just let them grow as you wrote? Inevitably, my characters arise from aspects of people Ive met, read about or conjured up in my mind or as some combination. Sometimes they arise from the situations in which they find themselves. Ive always been around strong women and Im sure their influence rubbed off on Elena Pyetrov (Xenogeneic: First Contact), Regina Shen (from her own series), and on Annabelle Scott (Rebel series). Beyond that, my stories come together in my mind with a what if situation and what type of character might be interesting in that situation. However, there has been no intent to base any of my characters on real people. As an author, what do you enjoy most about writing process? What feels like a chore? What is most enjoyable to me is exploring new ideas and situations with interesting characters, in other words, the creative process. Even my first rewrite is fun in that I get to expand upon my initial thoughts and enrich the story. Editing is definitely a chore. I wish I could do the creative writing and development and telepathically order the draft to clean itself up based on my experience with editing. Part of the problem is each time I read, I come up with more things to change. In fact, sometimes Ill change it one way and upon rereading change it back to what I originally had. It can be frustrating, but its also necessary to make sure the story flows as well as I can make it. What advice would you offer to people wanting to write or considering giving up? I believe theres something fundamental in the human spirit and heart to want to communicate stories. Writing is hard work and a solitary activity, but if you have a burning desire to bring a story to life, then you owe it to yourself to give it a try. If youre considering giving up because its hard, ask yourself why you wanted to write in the first place. Often what blocks us is pursuing our writing for the wrong reasons, such as fame, recognition or success. Write because you have a passion to tell stories and it fulfills you on a personal level and then see how it connects to readers.


Author's Bio:
Lance Erlick writes science fiction thrillers for young adult and adult readers. He is the author of The Rebel Within, The Rebel Trap, and Rebels Divided, three books in the Rebel series. In those stories, he explores the consequences of Annabelle Scott following her conscience. He authored the Regina Shen series--Resilience, Vigilance, Defiance, and Endurance. This series takes place after abrupt climate change leads to the Great Collapse and a new society under the World Federation. His latest novel is Xenogeneic: First Contactabout encounters with an alien race aiming to take over Earth.
Connect with the Author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest