Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 92
January 11, 2016
Contest- Share your forbidden dreams?
Everyone has a dream. Some are colorful, some are dark, some are forbidden. The right to dream is equal for everyone irrespective of cast, creed, position etc. Do you have any forbidden dream?
If yes, do you dare to share it with the world?
Here is a chance to share your forbidden dreams and win a free book ' Forbidden Dreams' by Madhuri Banerjee.
Just do the following.
1. Go to my Facebook Page or Google +
2. Type in your forbidden dream in the comments.
3. Share it in your Timeline or profile page
The best entry will be awarded Forbidden Dreams by Madhuri Banerjee.
Top three dreamers can write a guest post in my blog, if you wish so. If you are a blogger, it is a chance to promote your blog through this opportunity.
January 10, 2016
Review- Lucifer and Indigo Kids by Lord Ra Krishna EL
Book Name - Lucifer and Indigo kidsAuthor - Lord Ra Krishna EL
Publisher - Authorhouse
No.of Pages- 138
Publishing Year- 2014
Edition - Paperback
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Rating : 3.0
Blurb
This "new age" book of poetry refl ects the diverse views and philosophies of it's author Ra Krishna EL. It's an intimate, humorous and thought provoking group of poems intended to evoke strong emotion. To quote the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, this style of poetry can be called "Zukunfts poesie" which translates into "Poetry of the future," where truly original ideas are presented thru poetry. Also known as post Nietzschean poetry. It's subjects include society, pop culture, love, religious dogma, God and the new age of Aquarius. This book was written and published during the false incarceration of its author in Chicago's notorious Cook County Jail, the largest jail in the country.
My review
Lucifer and the indigo kids is a collection of poems ensued from poet's experiences. Readers can feel the helplessness, despair and pain of a person who was subjected to discrimination and prejudice. We can feel love, pain, despair, optimism,music, and passion. Poet's love for Bob Marley and John Lennon is evident in the book. Every poem is preceded with a picture illustration.
The most attractive part of is the poems on the attributes of different colors. They left me wondering why I could not write them
The poems are not written within the meter or did not possess poetic musings but there is something quite appealing in the poems.
Reviewed for the publisher Disclosure 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
Ra Krishna EL is an artist, poet, philosopher and self proclaimed "new age indigo kid" After graduating college with a degree in psychology Ra moved to Germany to play professional basket ball, from there he went on to live in various countries including France, China, Amsterdam and South America. Ra Krishna's studies include hundreds of books on philosophy, metaphysics, Greek mythology, ancient Egypt, Indian and Asian mysticism, religion, occult mysteries and Hermetic philosophies. Ra Krishna currently lives on South Beach in Miami FL where he continues to write and record music. This particular group of poems were written and published during his incarceration on false charges in Chicago's notorious cook county jail, the largest jail in the country.
January 8, 2016
Review -Shakuntala by Utkarsh Patel
Book Name - Shakuntala
Author - Utkarsh Patel
Publisher - Rupa Publications
Number of Pages - 296
Publishing Year - 2015
Edition - Paperback
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Rating : 4.0
Blurb
The story of Shakuntala is well known—her upbringing in the ashram, her meeting with Dushyant, their marriage and subsequent separation due to a curse and their final joyous reunion. What is not so well known, however, is that the gentle, lovelorn Shakuntala immortalized by Kalidasa is very different from the original Shakuntala of the Mahabharata—a strong, fiery woman who stood up for her rights when she was spurned by her beloved.
In this thoughtful retelling of the story of Shakuntala, Utkarsh Patel brings to the fore the original heroine, the bold and beautiful daughter of Menaka and Vishwamitra who fights to get herself and her son the recognition they deserve. She does not surrender to anyone, not even the king of Hastinapur. Retold to suit the modern-day context, Shakuntala: The Woman Wronged is a must-read to understand one of the most powerful yet underrated female characters of the Mahabharata.
My review
Mythological fictions are at its peak these days. Most of them concentrates around Shiv, Vishnu, Ramayana, Mahabharata. Shakuntala's story is a piece of pastry from the big cake of Mahabharata. The book is the gift to the readers who are not satisfied with the Kalidasa version of Shakuntala's tale, which renders that the curse of Rishi Durvasav is a reality and that Dushyant did forget about Shakuntala, the poor, helpless, inable girl. Utkarsh Patel tells us that no, Shakunthala is not an 'abala nari'. She is a fiery, headstrong, powerful, intelligent woman who stood for her rights.
From the beginning of the story, we can see a signature of the author. Instead of blindly reproducing the story from Mahabharata, author made those changes which made the book more conceivable. I liked the fact that he retained Anasuya and Priyamvada from Kalidasa's version of Shakuntalam.
The arguement between Sage Kanva and Shakuntala on the curse of Ahalya provides a new light on the centuries old legend. The way author tried to put forth a forgotten or ignored fact is exemplary.This and many other arguments of Shakuntala will leave the readers wanting more and more. Menaka's character proves that being a human, apsara or god doesn't classify someone in the distinction of motherhood.
Great care has been taken in the character craft. The book cover is quite appealing and in tune with the story.
One of the man issues I had was with the type setting. In many chapters, the dialogues are all clubbed into a single paragraph, which confuses the reader as to who is speaking to whom. Dushyant's hunting spree'could have been cut short into a single chapter.
One Liner
A mythological fiction with a contemporary relevance.
Reviewed for the publisher Disclosure 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
Utkarsh has qualifications in Mythology, both Indian and World from Mumbai University. He is also a faculty on the subject of Comparative Mythology, at the Mumbai University, India. Utkarsh is also a regular trainer and lecturer on varying subjects at private organisations and educational institutions.
Utkarsh has more than 2 decades of experience in Sales and Business Development of IT products and solutions. He has worked with some of the well known IT organisations, some being start-ups, in India. Utkarsh is also a regular trainer and lecturer on varying subjects at private organisations and educational institutions.
Besides his Blog he is also a content provider to a few portals on similar subjects. Some of his short stories have been published in the well known literary story Blog, called LITIZEN.
January 7, 2016
Review- The other end of the corridor by Sujatha Rajpal
Book Name - The Other end of the corridorAuthor - Sujatha Rajpal
Publisher - Mahaveer Publishers
No.of Pages - 240
Publishing Year- 2015
Edition - Paperback
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Rating : 3.5
Blurb
When your dreams are tainted with lies and deceit, you have no other choice but to walk to the other end of the corridor
Leela has nothing extraordinary about her except the dream to become famous. Her desires take wings when she gets married to a handsome boy from a respectable family in Delhi. But her dreams are shattered even before they have a chance to take flight.
She happens to meet two friends from a long forgotten past, which infuses hope and opens new avenues to realize her dormant aspirations.
Leela delves into previously unexplored paths of deception and forbidden passions that only make her stronger.
In an attempt to rediscover herself, she falls in love with life and with herself but her life takes a sudden turn again…
No matter what, Leela will continue to chase her dreams.
Where does this journey take her?
My review
There are three types of book.1- With a unique story line but poorly written. 2- With an ordinary heard about story written with finesse 3- both
The other end of the corridor comes under the second classification. We have read many stories about an ordinary looking girl plunged into an arranged marriage, an abusive relationship, her struggle, rejuvenation, friends, flings etc. But authoress pulled off the ordinary story with an extra ordinary writing style. Every event that happens in Leela's (protagonist) life is connected and rendered coherently. Authoress tells us the importance of education, empowerment, and recognition of women.
The book is the first person narration of Leela, more of a monologue. Leela's dreams and whims are in tune with many girls of the same mould. The reader would say, I know her.
The story is not a fast moving one but not dull. It has the potential to grab the attention of the readers. Nevertheless, I could predict what will happen next, since I have read similar stories. There are a lot of characters moving in and out of the storyline. Each character is crafted well, with the glimpses of people whom we see around.
Another unique quality which I liked is that Leela is not portrayed as a perfect, poor, cold soul, like many female oriented books. Leela too has many flaws and authoress pulled out the cliche by portraying her as a true human being, rather than like a daily soap heroine who could never be wrong.
Leela's daydreaming is an interesting part of the story. It reminded me of how I daydreamed of becoming a famous author, being interviewed by media for grabbing an award. Yes, we all do that.
Highlights
Sincerity Character craftSocial responsibilityExceptional writing style
Drawbacks
Cliche themePredictabilityAppealing book cover
One Liner
An ordinary story from an extraordinary writer.
Reviewed for the book club blog tour Disclosure 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
Sujata Rajpal is a Corporate Communication & PR professional turned a full-time author. She holds an MPhil degree in Economics and has studied Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh. She also writes articles and short stories for publications and journals. Sujata is a yoga enthusiast and enjoys being a Toastmaster. She currently lives in Mysore.
The Other End of the Corridor is her first novel
January 6, 2016
Cover release- Revolution by Jessica Frances
Revolution
Jessica Frances
Publication date: January 26th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Dystopia
I was raised in a world where humans no longer rule.Add to Goodreads
In the past, we made a terrible mistake by creating a new species we thought would serve us as our army, which led to our downfall.
There was a war, we lost, and many lives were massacred. It was the end of life as we knew it and the beginning of a hell we were now trapped in. We became enslaved to what we now called Superiors, becoming pets to them, simply there to entertain.
In a world so miserable, I managed to do the unthinkable: I fell in love. But even that was doomed, because to love a Superior was forbidden.
What the rest of the Superiors didn’t know was how deeply a human could love or how resilient we became when we were hurt.
The Superiors never could have imagined an uprising, which was why they never saw it coming.
Humans deserved to be free, and I would stop at nothing to deliver that promise.
My name is Tilly, and I am still alive with one sole purpose: to begin a revolution.
~
I had been raised to believe humans were worthless. We owned them and controlled them, and when we were done with them, we threw them away. Therefore, I never thought I would ever feel more for Tilly than disinterest. I never expected to want to save her.
It was forbidden for a Superior to love a human. No one had ever crossed that line, but I did. I fell madly in love with her, so it was no surprise how we ended up.
I was raised to be a soldier, and that was what I was always going to be. However, I was not a soldier for the Superiors, not anymore.
I became a soldier for humans, and I would stop at nothing to help them. They deserved to be free, and I would die protecting them.
My name is Johnny, and I am here with one sole purpose: to finish a revolution.
Author Bio:
Jessica lives in Adelaide, South Australia. When she is not writing, you can find her reading, napping or watching excessive amounts of TV. Connect with her on Facebook and Goodreads.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook
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January 5, 2016
Review of Ambling Indian by Aina Rao
Book Name - Ambling IndianAuthor - Aina RaiPublisher - Frog booksNo.of Pages - 189Publishing Year - 2015Edition - PaperbackBuy books from Amazon, Flipkart,and Barnes&Nobles.Rating : 3.5 Blurb"This book, a fun trip through India—with all the peculiar experiences of the country, has the ingredients to intrigue, the spice to savour, and the nuggets of reflection to delight! Meet the characters of Chand TV and Changa Times—Madam Chandni, Mr. Chatu, Mr. Raja Chata, voluptuous Ms. Kitry Kat; and the others—the boyfriend Runny Singh, Tinuji, swashbuckling Mr. Anal Manbee, Jamal and the Mangoman. Watch their lives intertwining with the young and lively Ambling Indian’s, as they navigate through the lanes, bylanes, gallis, and mohallas that make up much of India. Coast through Bollywood, the elite Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Management—hallowed Oxbridges of the East; weddings, politics, and modern offices. Duck and dive as you avoid the cows, potholes, and street dogs. Celebrate the functions and everything else that is the substance of modern India; chaotic yet captivating. Sit back, brace yourself for a quirky, rollicking auto rickshaw ride, and lose yourself in time as you travel with the aam aadmi (the common man). Discover an India like you have never seen before— through the mirror of the Ambling Indian, Aina; who discovers an unknown side of herself too."
My review
The foremost thing that came to my mind is whether the book is fiction or nonfiction. Well, the book is invariably a fictional work for the names are imaginary. Keeping that aside I could see a true portrayal of India. The book is about living in India, living with India and living as an Indian . If you want to enjoy the book, you should know India.
Ambling Indian is not a story. It is a collection of events witnessed by Aina Rao- the ambling Indian. The real aam aadmi. Not a pretentious mangoman.
The book has sarcasm, satire, criticism, reflection and moreover an out pour of the heart feelings. The most commendable quality of the book is the phraseology and uniqueness. Authoress proved that we need not use sleazy dialogues or double meaning to pull off humor. The book might not make us laugh our bowels out but it will surely touch our funny bone.
The book is a simple and light read but with an inherent message that reaches deep inside. The pace is not steady. Some events felt like an unnecessary addition, which stuck out of the whole context of the book.
The design of the book cover is in tune with the book. Rustic, and unique.
Highlights
Unique writing style.Humour
Drawbacks
Inconsistency
One Liner
India portrayed humorously, sincerely and effectively.
Reviewed for the publisher
Disclosure 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
Aina Rao is an alumnus of the Oxbridges of the East (IIT and IIM ), who lived and worked in London before relocating to beautiful Bangalore. She is a Financial Services Professional by training, and a writer ( genre-humour), a singer( Bollywood ) by passion. She writes and sketches as the ambling indian, the aam aadmi, aam aurat, common man or common woman of India, bringing out the fun and the joy of being here.
She is available to write guest columns and speak on various topics, or host sessions with special reference to the Indian context, including “ Innovation”, “ Humour”, “Life”, and “Ethics” .Aina Rao is a silver medalist from IIT Delhi, and has worked in the Financial services industry for several years as a fund and investment manager. She has written for various publications includingFinancial Times Advisor,LondonInmarkets, LondonShe has been a blogger for Msn.in, writing editor’s picks and is now writing a series of hilarious books on India, the first one titled AMBLING INDIAN.She lives with her family, the amblingindians, in the heart of Bangalore – both rural and urban.
January 4, 2016
Review-An end to thrill by Varun Kumar
Book Name - An End to thrillAuthor - Varun Kumar
Publisher - Strategic Book Publishing
No.of Pages - 52
Publishing Year- 2013
Edition - Paperback
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Rating : 3.5
Blurb
An End to the Thrill is a collection of science fiction short stories, each one totally unique in its own way. The build up to the end of every story has been written in a way that will amaze readers, and each story has its own theme, its own genre, and its own different setting. As you reach the end of every story, be sure to expect the unexpected. The plot twists will appeal to readers of all ages. Born in New Delhi, India, Varun Kumar is currently pursuing his Master's in Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas. His next book is a thriller with a touch of romance. Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/VarunKumar/
My review
An end to thrill is a collection of nine short stories. Science fiction, fantasy, romance- The stories are a club of several genres. With crisp and gripping writing style author succeeded in grasping the attention of the readers.
1. If Time Could Kill
This is a time travel story. The story of experiment and experience. Author succeeded in maintaining suspense. Climax was a little clumsy. 3 stars
2. Dtreveni
This is a unique story. A refreshing style of writing. I didn't understand the last sentence quite well. 4 stars
3. The Virus Affair
The story is a candid one. Predictable but interesting. 3 stars
4. The Miracle
Commendable imagery. Gripping pace. Suspenseful climax. 4.5 stars
5. Severance or Adherence
This is the longest story. The most imaginative rendition with an undercurrent of romance. 4 stars
6. Andrew
The story didn't impress me at all. Every moment was predictable and the events weren't connected well.2 stars
7. Repulsion, reverie, reality
Author succeeded in pulling off the figurative language quite well. Plausible imagination, albeit predictable twist. 3 stars
8. Troubled Waters
A poetic story. Author proved his literary excellence. 4.5 stars
9. I seek death
A literary journey to the ultimate finale. Author lost the grip towards the end. Nevertheless, a plausible attempt.
Highlights
VarietyUniquenessImageryCrisp writing
Drawbacks
Inconsistency
One Liner
Nine precious stones with varying lustre
Reviewed for the publisher Disclosure 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
January 1, 2016
The review of Kitchenelves Revolution by Christian Eberle and Katja Vartiainen
Book Name - Kitchenelves RevolutionAuthor - Christian Eberle, Katja Vartiainen
Publisher - Createspace
Number of Pages - 53
Publishing Year - 2015
Edition - Paperback
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Rating : 3.5
Blurb
A ridiculous visual story of peace loving elves getting into a zeitgeist adventure. A picture book for adults(no sex sorry) with fancy color pictures! My husband calls it hommage to Arnie and Dolph- I call it the myth for the new paradigm.
My review
Kitchnelves is a graphic novella. It is the story of elflings who were trapped in the house of humans and their revolution for attaining freedom. The book contains illustrations in one page and the text in the other. The book is a funny read for both children and adults. Kids would love it for the pics and adults will love it for the writing style.I would recommend a paperback edition to get the feel of the book.
Highlights
The book is a simple read.Illustrations are exemplary.The story is funny and interesting
Drawbacks
The book is a little overpriced.One Liner
A funny graphic novella for both kids and adults
Reviewed for the author Disclosure 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
Christian Eberle loves good stories and draws his inspiration from movies. Katja Vartiainen has an art background. She is a painter and does illustrations as well. Her visual inspiration comes from fine arts as well as from the wide cornucopia of comics and graphic novels. Her literary interests are wide and varied. They share a taste for humor, multi-dilettantism, and get inspired by our tragicomic planet and its curious creatures and beyond. For further information: www..artist-katja-vartiainen.de www.beyond-limitations.com
Of Men made gods by Osman Welela -Review
Book Name - Of Men Made GodsAuthor - Osman Welela
Publisher - Smashwords
Number of Pages -
Publishing Year - 2014
Edition - E.Book
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Rating : 3.0
Blurb
"I lied about not finding a way to channel magic from other beings," said Avon, referring to the failure he had admitted to last time he spoke at Hall. "There was a land I visited where magicians grew their power by feeding off their own men. Have you any idea what kind of danger you've brought to our people?"
"We'll be different," said Elizo, the earlier surprise fading from his face as his voice eased back to an uncaring tone. "We are Danu."
Avon made a sound halfway between mocking and despair as he heard his people's name being uttered with such blind fate. "You mean we'll be the first to fall?" he asked, not able to keep the rising anger out of his voice. "The first people to usher darkness into the world?"
Faced with an enemy with superior numbers, the Danu had chosen to flee after decades of endless battles. Years later, as they are getting accustomed to their new home, they find that their enemy is hunting for them again. Chaos follows, as these ancient people are filled with bone trembling fear at the thought of annihilation. In this time of uncertainty, a man, Lucifio Lamourn, turns to the one thing his people had more than any other; magic. He proposes a plan so drastic that it'll literally change the face of the land itself.
More than a hundred years later, news of that same enemy arrives to the now prosperous home of the magicians who call themselves Druids. And just as his ancestor had done in his own time, Avon Lamourn puts forward a radical plan of his own. Now he only has to convince the power hungry, decadent, and egotistic rulers of his people that his way would avert the coming war with the least amount of risk
My review
Of men made gods is a YA Fantasy/ Children's Fantasy. The story takes us to a world of magic, expectations, creation, experiments and imaginations. Author succeeded in enticing the reader with his writing style. Author provides the 3D projection of the imagery to the readers. Unlike several self-published books, this book is exceptionally edited and proofread. Pace of the story is not steady. It drops at some areas and gains momentum later. Author adopted an unconventional style in character portrayal.
The area where author failed to create excitement is the dialogue. The craft of the dialogues could be given more care.
One Liner
An interesting fantasy read
Reviewed for the author Disclosure 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
Osman Welela is a writer living in Ethiopia. He is currently working on two full books with titles of Sunshine, and Kingdom. He usually likes to waste his precious time by obsessively reading any kind of book he could get his hands on, tirelessly watching movies, eating good food, and listening to music
Review-Brian Boru: Freedom within heart by Mark Mahon
Book Name - Brian BoruAuthor - Mark Mahon
Publisher - Self-Published
No.of Pages - 297
Publishing Year - 2015
Edition - Kindle
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Rating : 4.5
Blurb
Mark Mahon is an award winning writer/director, and founder of Maron Pictures.
His first feature film, Strength & Honour my link text starred Michael Madsen, Vinnie Jones and Richard Chamberlain. After notching up 24 wins and over 36 nominations/official selections from film festivals around the world, Strength & Honour was commercially released in over 22 countries.
Mark is a member of the Irish Film & Television Academy and Screen Directors Guild of Ireland.
He currently has a slate of various movie projects at different stages of development and is planning his next feature, based on the novel and graphic novel of Brian Boru - Freedom Within The Heart.
My review
Brian Boru is a story set in the era of AD 919. Story of a boy who knocked off the eye balls of Ivar of Limerick, who killed his parents and tried to murder his brother. Years later, he comes back to take revenge and claim back his kingdom. The history of Brian Boru, which was debated for years by historians is portrayed with utmost conviction and a bit of fictional element. Every character is crafted carefully and with conviction. Each event is linked and interlinked seamlessly. Especially the method adopted by the villagers to get rid off the soldiers in their houses. I don't know if it has happened in history or if its just fiction but it was brilliant.
The love relation between Brian and Saiorse is rendered palpably. The depth of their passion is conveyed without unnecessary erotic build up, which itself proves the talent of the author. I am sure that the movie adaptation of the book will be exemplary.
Highlights
Crisp writing styleCharacter build upFast pace Conviction
Drawbacks
Violence by Ivar of Limerick was eerily inordinate.
One Liner
A gripping fictional adaptation of history of Brian Boru
Reviewed for the author Disclosure 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
Mark Mahon is an award winning writer/director, and founder of Maron Pictures.His first feature film, Strength & Honour my link text starred Michael Madsen, Vinnie Jones and Richard Chamberlain. After notching up 24 wins and over 36 nominations/official selections from film festivals around the world, Strength & Honour was commercially released in over 22 countries.
Mark is a member of the Irish Film & Television Academy and Screen Directors Guild of Ireland.
He currently has a slate of various movie projects at different stages of development and is planning his next feature, based on the novel and graphic novel of Brian Boru - Freedom Within The Heart.
