Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 79
September 23, 2016
Review of Mythbreaker by Seema Singh
Book Name - Mythbreaker:Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and story of Indian BiotechAuthor - Seema SinghPublisher - Harper CollinsNumber of Pages - 280Publishing Year - 2016Edition -PaperbackPrice -599Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 5.0
BlurbA consummate businesswoman who managed risk or a plucky entrepreneur who took chances to try new things? Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is both, by turns.From an industrial enzymes and commodities small molecule company to a research-driven biotech enterprise that aspires to be global, Biocon has been Mazumdar-Shaw's tinkering ground for over thirty-seven years. Unlike biotech companies of the West which started with science, Biocon started with technology, adding science as a backend which neatly illustrates why it has been tough to build a de novo ecosystem for biotech in India. A fearless business leader who speaks her mind, this evocative biography gives us an in-depth understanding of Kiran's tech start-up journey, her struggles and her victories.
My Review
In an era where women empowerment is a topic of greatest interest, the book Mythbreaker is quite relevant. Being a Biotechnology masters holder, I coild really relate with the book. The period when Biocon started, it was an unbelievable venture.
With strong willpower, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw attained the impossible.
Authoress through her exemplary narration shows the readers that nothing is impossible citing the life of Mazumdar Shaw. What women need is not reservation. What they need is freedom. The hassles and obstacles she faced and how she overcame them is brilliant.
The narration could have been a little more concise. Apart from that the book is great.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Seema Singh is a journalist. Until 2013, she was a senior editor with Forbes (India). In the past she has written for The Times of India, Mint, IEEE-Spectrum, Red Herring, Cell, New Scientist and others. She has been a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a MacArthur Foundation research grantee.
Review of Babies and Bylines by Pallavi Aiyar
Book Name - Babies and BylinesAuthor -Pallavi AiyarPublisher -Harper CollinsNumber of Pages - 272Publishing Year -2016Edition -PaperbackPrice -350Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 3.0
BlurbBabies and Bylines is a parenting memoir of a working mother of two young boys in three different parts of the world - Beijing, Brussels and Jakarta. Witty, irreverent and honest, it highlights the battles a mother must fight with herself, and the world, as she struggles with issues that seem to stubbornly remain the same, generation after generation work-life balance, negotiating marital equality and taming toddlers.My Review
I carried you in my womb for 10 months' would be the lines said by 99% mothers. But after delivery I used to wonder why didn't mothers mention about travail and babysitting while counting the sacrifices. May be they still have chills while thinkingof the nightmare.
Pallavi Aiyar, through her book Babies and Bylines opens a new worlds of parenthood for the readers.
Having reviewed a couple of books on the same topic I was expecting the same from the book. But, authoress has her signature with the unique narration.
Parenthood doesn't end up with a mother. Fathers too have their role. Showing the father's side is the USP of the book.
Now stop feeling guilty about what you did or could have done. It's okay, every parent makes mistakes.
Being a mother, I find this boo, perfect.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Award-winning journalist Pallavi Aiyar has spent several years reporting from, and parenting in, China, Europe and Indonesia. She is the author of Smoke and Mirrors, Chinese Whiskers and Punjabi Parmesan. Pallavi is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, and a former Reuters Fellow at Oxford University.
Review of No safe zone by Adite Banerjie
Book Name -No Safe ZoneAuthor -Adite BanerjiePublisher - Harper CollinsNumber of Pages -200 pagesPublishing Year -2016Edition -PaperbackPrice -199Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.0
BlurbQiara Rana will do anything to save her mentor and their non-government organization from ruin. Even if it means visiting the city she had vowed never to return to. But within a few hours of landing in New Delhi, she is being chased by a gunman and is a potential suspect in the murder of a high-profile businessman. The only person she can turn to for help is Kabir Shorey, the man who stood her up ten years ago. Past and present collide in a deadly plot of crime and greed that moves from the cosmopolitan streets of Delhi to the bazaars and villages of Rajasthan.My Review
Being tired of the cliched love stories. I had reached a point where in I seriously thought of giving up the genre itself. But No Safe Zone proved that there are still some love stories which are unique, and sincere.
The relation between the protagonists is depicted such a way that the readers get involved. Authoress proved that it is possible to portray romance without being filmy. The narration is exemplary. The title of the book itself is a suspense. The book takes off in a slow pace but gains the momentum and towards the end the story becomes thrilling.
There is still true love in literature.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Adite Banerjie's first short story was the winner of the Harlequin India Passions Aspiring Authors Contest (2012). Her debut title, The Indian Tycoon's Marriage Deal (December 2013), was based on the winning entry. No Safe Zone is her third book.
Review of Peshwa by Ram Sivasankaran
Book Name - PeshwaAuthor -Ram SivasankaranPublisher - WestlandNumber of Pages - 356Publishing Year - 2016Edition - PaperbackPrice - 350Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.5
BlurbIt is the 18th century and despite the dominant Mughal rule, the Maratha Confederacy has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the Indian Subcontinent. The fragile peace between the two powers is threatened when Balaji Vishvanath Bhat, Peshwa of the Confederacy, foils the plans of Nizam Ul Mulk of the Mughal Empire, and asserts the power of the Marathas. However, little does the Peshwa know that he has dealt the Nizam an unintended wound—one with roots in his mysterious past and one that he would seek to avenge till his last breath.When the Peshwa surrenders his life to a terminal illness dark clouds gather over the Confederacy as it is threatened by a Mughal invasion as well as an internal rebellion.All the while a passive spectator, the Peshwa’s son, Bajirao Bhat, now needs to rise beyond the grief of his father’s passing, his scant military and administrative experience, and his intense love for his wife and newborn son to rescue everything he holds dear. Will the young man be able to protect the Confederacy from internal strife and crush the armies of the Empire all while battling inner demons? Will he live up to his title of Peshwa?My Review
After watching the movie Bajirao Mastani, I wanted to know more about Bajirao the ruler rather that the lover. The wish was granted when I got hold of Peshwa.The life of Bajirao is depicted in a different light. A prologue which provides a peek through the past is exemplary. The narration is the main highlight of the book. It enables the reader in visualizing the events. It's refreshing to see the protagonist's passion towards his wife.
The historical events depicted with the chronological account is praiseworthy.
Overall I loved the book and I recommend this to all Ancient Indian History lovers.
Reviewed for the Writers melonDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I waas not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Ram Sivasankaran was born in Madras, India, but has spent most of his life abroad, largely in the Middle East and the United Stated of America. He was brought up on stories from Hindu legend and the great epics and classics of both India and the West. In addition to being a passionate student of history in school, Ram has built a keen interest in stories of valour, heroism, chivalry, beauty, and romance.A daydreamer of sorts, Ram believes deeply in the power of imagination---the mind being the canvas on which even the seemingly talentless can create new universes, resurrect eras long gone, bring the gods to life and even revive heroes and damsels of yore. Ram makes his debut with a historical novel on one of the greatest and yet, to an extent, less known figure from Indian history---Bajirao Bhat, Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, mighty warrior, hopeless romantic and one of the most dazzling examples of wartime courage, military readership and battle strategy.
September 18, 2016
Review of the association of small bombs by Karan Mahajan
Book Name - The association of small bombsAuthor - Karan MahajanPublisher - Harper CollinsNumber of Pages -288Publishing Year -2016Edition -PaperbackPrice -499Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.5
BlurbWhen brothers Tushar and Nakul Khurana, two Delhi schoolboys, pick up their family's television set from a repair shop with their friend Mansoor Ahmed one day in 1996, disaster strikes without warning. A bomb - one of the many 'small' ones that go off seemingly unheralded across the world - detonates in the Delhi marketplace, instantly claiming the lives of the Khurana boys. Mansoor survives, bearing the physical and psychological effects of the bomb.
Karan Mahajan writes brilliantly about the effects of terrorism on victims and perpetrators, proving himself to be one of the most provocative and dynamic novelists of his generation.
My Review
There have been a surge of patriotic books lately but this book is something at a different level. It is one of those books that depict the version of repercussions in the lives of victims, survivors, kins and terrorist equally. With the splendid narration author has set a benchmark for himself. The characters are all constructed brilliantly. Readers can relate with the feelings. It's about moving on, coping up and above all resurrection.
Bomb as a human being is an ingenious metaphor.
In an era of restlessness and anarchy, the book gains an inexorable importance. It would be a surprise if we don't see the book among award winning ones. Not only the subject but the palpable narration makes the book stand out among the similar ones.
The cover page shows justice to The dark yet relevant subject. Lack of cover image is surprisingly appealing
The switch from present to past and vice versa was a little confusing though.
I highly recommend the book to everyone.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Karan Mahajan was born in 1984 and grew up in New Delhi, India. His first novel, Family Planning, won the Joseph Henry Jackson Award and was a finalist for the Dylan Thomas Prize. It was published in nine countries. The Association of Small Bombs is his second novel.
September 17, 2016
THE SECRET OF GOD'S SONbyUsha Narayanan Blurb‘The seas wi...
THE SECRET OF GOD'S SONbyUsha Narayanan
Blurb
‘The seas will devour the glorious city of Dwaraka. People will forget your name and your Gita. May the world perish! May the world perish!’
With this cruel curse on Krishna, Queen Gandhari plunges mankind into the unspeakable evil of the Kali Yuga.
It is up to Pradyumna to try and reverse the dire prediction. To journey into terrifying realms, confront Yama and Shiva, and to vanquish the Kali demon. In order to do so, he must shed all that holds a mortal back—his arrogance, his fears, his baser instincts… He must lead his people out of the swirling vortex of greed, disease and misery. And there is one powerful weapon still…the secret surrounding Pradyumna’s origin.
Will he uncover it in time to fight off the cataclysm?
In the answer lies the destiny of all humanity!
Grab your copy @
Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Flipkart
Win the Game of Rafflecopter and win 3 prizes of Fab India Gift Card worth Rs. 1000 INR
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author
USHA NARAYANAN
Usha Narayanan had a successful career in advertising, radio and corporate communications before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of The Madras Mangler, a suspense thriller, and Love, Lies and Layoffs, a light-hearted office romance. The Secret of God’s Son is the sequel to her bestselling book, Pradyumna: Son of Krishna, which was published in July 2015.
When she’s not juggling travel, writing and interviews, Usha reads everything from thrillers to romances, provided her cat isn’t fast asleep on her Kindle. She would love to hear from her readers here: author@ushanarayanan.com
You can stalk her @
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Follow the tour @ Pinterest
Media mentions
Praise for Pradyumna: Son of Krishna:
“Usha Narayanan has taken a quantum leap . . . to the outright spine-tingling narrative from the leaves of a time before. This book is Indian writing coming of age" Femina
"Like the best of our mythological tales, this too, is a multilayered one . . .There is valour, there is cowardice, there is glory, there is shame, there is sex, lies and deception" The Hindu
"This engrossing tale takes readers on a mythological saga" Times of India
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
');
September 14, 2016
Review of Second lives by Anish Sarkar
Book Name - Second LivesAuthor - Anish SarkarPublisher - WestlandNumber of Pages -362Publishing Year - 2016Edition -PaperbackPrice -350Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.0
BlurbThree old friends Sara, Neel and Omar reunite in Goa after the sudden death of Rachel Fernandes, a member of their group. Discovering that Rachel, a sports journalist, had been doing a story on the brutal killing of a foreign tourist, they are puzzled by her interest in such a grisly crime. It emerges that Rachel’s investigation went far beyond a single murder and their lives are soon under threat too.
With a traumatic event from their teenage years coming back to haunt them, the trio realises that the mystery has its roots in their own past. In the midst of battling their personal demons, they make a desperate plan to flush out a sadistic killer in the sylvan setting of their old boarding school in the Himalayan foothills. With the body count rising and long-buried secrets tumbling out, will they succeed?
My Review
Well, I had chill down my spine while reading the book. Not that I haven't read serial killer type thrillers before but may be the style of narration or something else. I had this eerie feeling creeping in my mind while reading the gruesome murders.
The depth of friendship between Sara, Neel and Omar was successfully portrayed by the author. Somewhere down the line it was disturbing to see that almost everyone had some or the other mental or psychological demons to handle. Author has succeeded in maintaining the intrigue till the end. Narration is alternative between Sara, Neel, Omar and the culprit. The sudden switch between narrators can be confusing. The book has cliff hanger in every chapter.
Overall, the book is a fast paced thriller with the capabilityof hooking the reader till the end.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Anish Sarkar is a part-time author and full-time corporate slave. He works for a multinational consulting firm and lives in Mumbai. His interests include travelling, cricket and wildlife. Second Lives is his second book.
September 13, 2016
Book blitz -The Broken Home
THE BROKEN HOMEEnglish Translation of Rabindranath Tagore's NastanirhbyLOPAMUDRA BANERJEE
Blurb
The Broken Home (Nastanirh), the novella, takes place in late 19th-century Bengal and explores the lives of the aristocratic Bengali gentry who were part of the Indian Renaissance. Within the peripheries of such a distinct, culturally liberal society, the world of Charulata, Bhupati and Amal unfolds. Charu, the dreamy, melancholic young woman dreams of an idyllic literary world where she and her brother-in-law Amal, a budding writer would remain two discreet, indispensable entities. However, Amal’s estrangement destroys her creative passions and creates an ocean of turmoil in her life that turns her marital world upside down. Her husband, Bhupati, despite his liberal ideas, is blind to her loneliness and dissatisfaction. It is only with the appearance of his cousin, Amal, in their lives, who incites passionate feelings in Charu, that Bhupati realizes what he has lost.
Nastanirh is the basis for the noted film, Charulata (1964), by Satyajit Ray.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.in | Amazon.com
About the Author
Lopamudra Banerjee is a writer, poet and translator, currently based in Dallas, USA. She is the co-editor of ‘Defiant Dreams: Tales of Everyday Divas’, published by Readomania in collaboration with Incredible Women of India. Her unpublished memoir Thwarted Escape has been First Place Category Winner at the Journey Awards 2014 hosted by Chanticleer Reviews and Media LLC. She is also the Creative Editor of Incredible Women of India and a resident editor with Readomania.
Her poems, stories and essays have appeared at numerous literary journals and anthologies, both in India and the US. She is a regular contributor for Café Dissensus, Different Truths, Readomania.com. She has received the Reuel International Award 2016 for translation also a Certificate of Merit as part of the Reuel International Award 2015 for Writing and Literature.
You can stalk her @
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
');
The fence -Stories from HBB workshop by Various Authors
Book Name - The Fence (stories from HBB workshop)Author - Various AuthorsPublisher - Half baked beansNumber of Pages - 100Publishing Year - 2016Edition - PaperbackPrice - 159Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.0
Blurb
Dan Trilok is a millionaire whose only aim is to see that he die. A driving force called as the 'Cosmic' is there to support him in his mission. A widow is gifted by her son a Smartphone. Her relationship with the device soon turns to obsession. Mr. Mistry's story is a light-hearted account of his life and his own folly which led to his tragic end. Romancing with his favourite brand of whisky while cursing his job, a grumpy post-master finds a letter addressed to no-one. A man wants to confess his guilt . Stopped by his friend but to no avail. Just before going ahead he contemplates his actions and questions himself. Read Mirnalni's and Anil's story and come to know that Love is not just a four letter word but a way of being there for each other. 'Runaway' is a story weaved around Pratik and Radhika waiting for a miracle in the city of dreams. Sujata Mahajan wants to apologize to the people she had ignored in her life. When she is close all her plans backfire. "The Fence" is a collection of short stories compiled and edited at a workshop conducted by Half Baked Beans in Mumbai
My Review
The anthology , 'The Fence' provides a platform for budding writers to showcase their talent. Variation of topics is the highlight of Thu book. Infedility, sibling rivalry, phone addiction, Euthanasia - the book deals with all those topics which holds high relevance in current scenario.It's overwhelmingly to see that talents of high quality is coming to the spotlight these days. The authors shows that Indian literature is way beyond the boy meet girl erotica.
Some stories were average in the uniqueness of the topic handles but stood out with the hallmark narration.
There were a few grammatical errors which made the comprehension difficult. The cover image is splendidly done. But, I was not quite impressed with the font and type setting and also the quality of the inside pages. For a paperback book this can be a turn off however good the stories be.
'Smartphone' is my favourite story. The story opens the dirty reality behind the smartphone and social media addictions.
Overall the book is a collection of high quality stories. If you are not someone who judge a book with the quality of the print, just count on me and go for it.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I waas not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
September 9, 2016
Rightfully wrong wrongfully right by Varsha Dixit
Book Name - Rightfully Wrong Wrongfully RightAuthor - Varsha DixitPublisher - Rupa PublicationsNumber of Pages - 288Publishing Year -2016Edition -PaperbackPrice -Buy books from Amazon, Flipkart
Rating : 4.0
BlurbLove is in the air again… and this time it’s steamy, bold and manipulative!
Gayatri, a rich, spoiled diva, is fighting to establish herself even as her tyrant father pushes her into a life not of her choice. Viraj is a genius and a con who shuns society and its hypocrisies.
Gayatri sees Viraj only as a means to an end. For Viraj, Gayatri is the epitome of all that he despises. So when their paths cross, it is a battle of feisty wills and desire.
Will Gayatri and Viraj prove to be each other’s salvation or annihilation?
From the best-selling author of Right Fit Wrong Shoe and Wrong Means Right End comes Rightfully Wrong Wrongfully Right. All the unforgettable characters of the earlier two bestsellers make a comeback in this unforgettable story of hurt, hearts and hope.
This is a tumultuous journey of two Wrongs who might just make everything Right!
My Review
Author has kept the best for the last. The third book in the sequel is better than the first two. Presumably as a rule, in the third book also, the relationship between the protagonists starts as a love hate one. What I like here is that too much negativity between the protagonists in the prequels is mellowed down here. Viraj's character portray seemed confusing in the beginning but once the suspense is revealed, the character is clarified. The blurb worked as a spoiler this time since it will force the reader to expect a twist.
As before, the coolness of the friendship between Sneha and Nandini is again the highlight of the story even though the storyline is revolving around Gayatri and Viraj. I expected to see more of Viraj's mother as a surviver of domestic violence. In the second book, while using obscene words, Nandini and Sneha changed a word, I order to avoid Advey picking up The profanity. This time not even once did such an attempt was done. This showed the lack of continuity.
The delivery sequence in the end did not create the intended impact which in turn spoiled the feel of the whole story.
Well it's my job to say the positives and negatives but in spite of the negatives, I liked the boom and that is what matters.
Reviewed for the publisherDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Varsha Dixit is the author of the bestselling novels, Right Fit Wrong Shoe (2009), Xcess Baggage (2010), Wrong Means Right End (2012) and Only Wheat Not White (2014). She worked in the Indian television industry before moving to the US with her family.
Varsha actively interacts with readers through her website www.varshadixit.com and Facebook author page. Her Twitter handle is @Varsha20.
