Sundari Venkatraman's Blog, page 40

Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 24: THE EMPEROR'S RIDDLES by Satyarth Nayak

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 23 Check all the Books Here




Name of the Book: THE EMPEROR'S RIDDLES
Author: Satyarth Nayak

Read some reviews:

1. Rubina Ramesh
2. Shalini
3. Shree

The Story:

Carrying quotes from Amish Tripathi & Ashwin Sanghi on its cover, this new mystery thriller, described by Hindustan Times as 'a gripping tale of intrigue'and by The Hindu as a 'heady mix of history & mystery', has already made it to several Top 10 Bestseller charts.
More terrifying than the savage murder of historian Ram Mathur on the ghats of Ganga, are the questions that follow. Desperate for answers, Sia turns to esoteric writer & friend Om Patnaik. But what begins as a hunt for the killer, becomes an extraordinary trail of riddles strewn across the country, that must end at the gates of an enigma.
An ancient enigma so powerful that even gods would kill for it!!!
In another time and space, rules an Emperor who plays with phenomenal forces that make him supreme…who faces these very forces when they threaten the survival of the human race. An Emperor who must ultimately pay homage to the enigma…
As Patnaik and Sia race from one riddle to another, towards a royal secret that has remained alive for centuries….will the final truth, save them or destroy them forever?
The path beckons. Can you solve The Emperor’s Riddles?
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About The Author 


Satyarth Nayak 
Satyarth Nayak is an author, script-writer & journalist based in Delhi. Holding a Masters Degree in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, writing has always been a prolific passion. His short story ‘Eve’ won the prestigious British Council Writers Circle Prize in 2006. In 2011, two of his stories ‘Music and Lyrics’ and ‘The Opportunity’ were selected for the celebrated Chicken Soup for the Soul series. As a TV journalist, he has worked with premier news channels like NDTV and CNN-IBN. Working for CNN-IBN as a Health Correspondent, he was felicitated with the SAARC Heal Honour for Excellence in Health Broadcasting Award in 2008.

His newly released debut thriller ''The Emperor’s Riddles'' is a tribute to his uncanny interest in the esoteric. This is his first full length novel.

Stalk him @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 25
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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 23: KALEIDOSCOPE: THE CHANGING COLORS OF LOVE by Rachna Gupta

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 22 Check all the Books Here

Name of the Book : KALEIDOSCOPE: THE CHANGING COLORS OF LOVE
Author: Rachna Gupta

Read some reviews:

1. Kritika Narula
2. Anand
3. Tamanna Naik

The Story:

"Every beating heart will confess that once, at least once in their lifetime they were in love."
The collection of poems in this book talks about an emotion so strong that it has the potential to create and destroy! Love in all its capacity has that aura around it; it needs to be felt and when it resides in your soul you find it giving rise to feelings never experienced before. There is passion and tenderness when being together, estrangement and pain when two souls are apart and then there is joy and relief when bound together again. The 37 poems in this book talk about this amazing feeling as seen through my eyes and felt in my heart!
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About The Author 


Rachna Gupta 
If poetry to you means a quest of meditative solace in the realms of nature's beauty then, inscriptions by Rachna Gupta is your gateway to a mystic appreciation of emotions and individuality.

Being brought up in the picturesque city of Siliguri - a little haven cozily tucked at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas; seeking inspiration from nature came spontaneously to Rachna. Blessed with a childhood that's reminiscent of untouched rural bliss, she would often sit under a mango tree writing in her diary with the wind rustling her hair and whispering sweet nothings in her ears. It is no surprise that her writings depict intense reverence to the power of nature; a divine unifying spirit that runs through everything she pens on paper.

An avid reader and traveler; Rachna breathes a nomad's soul which loves meeting people, understanding new cultures and absorbing the vibrancy in aesthetics that various geographies have to offer. She is also fond of music and cooking. Rachna has spent the last few years writing a variety of articles for Buzzle.com and InfoJug.com. Her poems and short stories can be found on Writing.com and her page on Facebook. Since 2013 her work has begun inviting recognition on well-regarded websites like, Fablery and Wordweavers.com. She has published two of her poems in the December 2013 issue of 'Taj Mahal Review'.

In a novel initiative beginning July 2014, Rachna brought to life her dream of sharing book reviews and personal rendezvous with authors to her readers through her blog. The blog so far has reviews of books written by acclaimed authors such as Paulo Coelho, Khalid Hosseini and Gulzar to name a few. It also invites Guest posts by other authors to add to the novelty of its offerings.

Rachna’s penchant also lies in teaching English language to primary children and draws inspiration in them by inculcating values of literature in budding years. Despite everything that keeps her busy throughout the day, she religiously makes notes about little things that capture her attention. At the end of day when the rest of the world sleeps, these notes are transformed into poems and stories for the world to read!

A doting mother to her son, Rachna now lives in Pune with her husband and son.


Stalk her @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 24
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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 22: REUNITED FOR THE BILLIONAIRE'S LEGACY by Jennifer Hayward

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 21 Check all the Books Here




Name of the Book : REUNITED FOR THE BILLIONAIRE'S LEGACY
Author: Jennifer Hayward

Read a review:

  Dottie


The Story:

Diana Taylor's marriage to playboy Coburn Grant was short, passionate and blazed brightly until the reality of their different worlds set in. Now, years later, Coburn has finally agreed to a divorce. Except one last pleasurable night together seals their fate—with a baby!
Diana knows Coburn will never sign the papers now—he will have his wife and child. And, whisked away to a tropical island paradise, it's increasingly difficult to ignore their primal hunger for each other. With his legacy growing inside her, can Diana deny the one man she could never resist?
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About The Author 


Jennifer Hayward 
Award-winning author JENNIFER HAYWARD has been a fan of romance since filching her sister's novels to escape her teenaged angst.

Jennifer's career in journalism and PR, including years of working alongside powerful, charismatic CEOs and traveling the world, has provided perfect fodder for the fast-paced, sexy stories she likes to write, always with a touch of humour.

Jennifer emerged on the publishing scene when she won Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write global writing competition in 2012. She is the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Best Harlequin Presents of 2014 winner for her book, The Magnate's Manifesto.

A native of Canada's gorgeous East coast, Jennifer lives in Toronto with her Viking husband and young Viking-in-training.


Stalk her @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 23
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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 21: MARIJUANA DIARIES by Paulami DuttaGupta, Rubina Ramesh, Janaki Nagaraj & Others

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair   by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 20 Check all the Books Here




Name of the Book : MARIJUANA DIARIES
Compiler : Paulami Duttagupta
Edited by : Nethra A.

Read some reviews:

1. Sundari Venkatraman
2. Nikita Jhanglani
3. Ruchi Singh

The Story:

Marijuana Diaries, an anthology on addiction and obsession, has 17 stories by new and established writers. As writers introspect and celebrate addictions of various forms, the pages of this diary fill up.





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About The Authors

Contributors: Gulzaar, Raghuvir Shekhawat, Deepali Junjappa, Meera Bharadwaj, Priyaa Trippayar Sahasranaman, Subha N Nivedita and Dr. Tahmina Khaleel Rochelle Potkar, Paulami DuttaGupta, Reshma Ranjan, Rubina Ramesh, Nehali Lalwani, Nethra Anjanappa, Janaki Nagaraj, Aparajita Dutta, Brindaa Lakshmi and Ahana Mukherjee.

About the EditorPaulami DuttaGupta 
Born in Shillong, many moons ago, with schooling at Loreto Convent, and an English Honors from St. Edmunds College, Paulami Duttagupta started her career with All India Radio Shillong. She had written and also given her voice to a few shows there. Later she came down to Kolkata and got a post graduate degree in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University. She had also taken up a fancy to learning Spanish, but today confesses that she has forgotten most of it.

She has written for ‘The Times of India’ in the ‘Guwahati-Shillong plus Edition’ and also ‘The Shillong Times’. Television had always attracted her and was connected to the Bangla TV industry for about 6 years. She was associated with ETV- Bangla, Akash Bangla and Sony Aath in this period.

Having left her day job in 2012, Paulami took up full time writing. Her first novel, “Pinjar” released in early 2012.

Her second novel “Unplanned Destiny” released in 2014. She is also the screenplay writer of the national award winning Khasi film – “Ri Homeland of Uncertainty”.

“Ri” has been adapted into a novel and is releasing in Sepember’14.

She is currently working on her next project as movie script writer.

Apart from writing full length novels, she has written several short stories and articles. She has also contributed to the “Minds@work Anthology” and the “Family Matters International Anthology” in 2013.

Recently she has contributed to the “Learning and Creativity Anthology” , “Her Story Anthology”, and “Celebrating India – Love across Borders Anthology”.

When she is not writing or watching movies, Paulami is either reading biographies or classic pieces of literature. Cricket, food, cinema, books and music are an integral part of her life.

Stalk her @ Twitter | Facebook 
Go to Book No. 22
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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 20: SITA'S CURSE: THE LANGUAGE OF DESIRE by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair   by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 19 Check all the Books Here



Name of the Book : SITA'S CURSE: THE LANGUAGE OF DESIRE
Author: Sreemoyee Piu Kundu

Read some reviews:

1. Rubina Ramesh
2. Sridevi Datta
3. Priyanka Batra Harjai

The Story:

Somewhere, behind closed doors, in her solitary world; somewhere, under the sheets with an indifferent lover; Somewhere, is a woman who will not be denied. Trapped for fifteen years in the stranglehold of a dead marriage and soulless household domesticity, the beautiful, full-bodied and passionate Meera Patel depends on her memories and her flights of fancy to soothe the aches that wrack her body; to quieten an unquenchable need. Until one cataclysmic day in Mumbai, when she finally breaks free... Bold, brazen and defiant, Sita's Curse looks at the hypocrisy of Indian society and tells the compelling story of a middle-class Indian housewife's urgent need for love, respect, acceptance and sexual fulfillment.

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About The Author 


Sreemoyee Piu Kundu 
Sreemoyee Piu Kundu is an ex lifestyle editor and PR vice president, and now a full-time novelist based in Delhi. She is the author of Faraway Music and Sita's Curse.

Stalk her @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 21
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Blog Tour: EQUINOX by Madhuri Maitra

Equinox by  Madhuri Maitra


MY REVIEW

I found the premise fascinating – very different from the stories that I have read. Curious, I jumped into the book on the day I received it. 
The author’s language is good and her characters come alive. Rambler AKA John Kutty from Kerala – who’s been around the world, is very real. 
The reader cannot help feel bad for the lonely ex-army man Vikram. The way he tries to write a book about his life is truly fascinating. 
Maria & Jerry Souza face trouble when one of their foreign guests dies on their hotel premises. Will that make a good story? Depends how it’s written.
Ruchi is a young woman on the threshold of having her marriage arranged. As she works hard to write a story for the Equinox contest, her mother steamrollers her into taking a babysitting job. With a boyfriend who’s fast losing interest in her, will she find happiness in an arranged match? Or will she go on to win the short story contest?
There are more such characters who are doing their best to write a short story of 3000 words. The author has shown how all of them – from different backgrounds – run through many different ideas. 
Some of them can write, while the others are more interested in the cash prize than the art of creating a story. Very realistic premise, beautifully articulated by Madhuri Maitra; making the book so interesting a read that you don’t want to put it down.
I found a couple of sequences that didn’t gel – the judges start to list the finalists at one point and we still see someone writing the contest story after that. 
I wish more care had been taken while using fonts in creating the book. I noticed at least three different fonts in various sizes. It truly grates! Though it’s no fault of the author’s.
VERDICT: Go for it if you like a light, fun read. 


Disclaimer: I received a paperback of this book from the author via The Book Club in return for an honest review.

The Blurb
When Indus Publishers announces a short story competition, it affects the lives of the ensemble cast in unexpected ways. A jaded journalist, a bored housewife, a starry-eyed ambitious girl, an army colonel, an impoverished divorcee-all enter the competition for pressing reasons of their own. They emerge with only slightly deeper pockets than they had but far richer in experience. Social issues are explored in an engaging manner, entwined in the lives of the characters-this is indeed the way of life. The novel also promises an enchanting look at the diversity in India; the characters belong to different Indian states and embody the peculiarities of the people of that region. Equinox and its checkered characters step to music of their own; many readers will find that it resonates with their own inner music.


Buy @
Amazon.in 

Meet the Author




Always an avid reader, dreaming of delighting her own readers someday, Madhuri published her first two books in 2014. Haiku and other Micropoetry is a collection of short verse on nature and on life; while Equinox is a novel dealing with urban realities. While the former is pithy and thought-provoking, the latter is a simple reflection of modern lives.
Madhuri lives and teaches in Pune. Films are as close to her heart as books are; she teaches Film Appreciation in addition to Creative Writing. She enjoys bringing her favourite authors and films
to young minds. She also conducts workshops for children and adults. She has also written and published papers on films and on writing. Visit her website http://of-prose-and-poetry.com/#/otherpublications for details.
She is currently enjoying the monsoon, immersing herself in her personal library and nurturing
ideas for her third book.


You can stalk her @

                              
         

Check out The Book Club Tour Schedule 




This Tour is Hosted by 

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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 19: SOCIAL POTPOURRI: AN ANTHOLOGY II by Sulekha Rawat & 16 others

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair   by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 18 Check all the Books Here

Name of the Book : SOCIAL POTPOURRI: AN ANTHOLOGY II

Author: Sulekha Rawat & 16 others

Read some reviews:

1. Privy Trifles 
2. Arvind Passey 
3. Kriti Mukherjee

The Story:

Social Potpourri continues to promote new and talented authors by providing them a platform for showcasing their creativity. This is our second anthology of short stories and poems with contributions by some very fine writers in their own right. With Anthology II, we have brought yet another group of unnoticed yet brilliant writers to you. The hopes, aspirations, thoughts and emotions, of the writers of this anthology will move you beyond words. When you open this book and turn the pages, you will see their flights of imagination take wing.

You can also buy @


About The Authors

Ed. by Sulekha Rawat  and Kirti Mukherjee 
Sulekha is a dreamer, healer and writer; loves drinking strong and sweet tea, listening to music, watching movies, spending time with her family and friends, and pouring out her thoughts on the pages of her notebooks. She was born and brought-up in Mumbai and now lives in Delhi/NCR with her husband, Vikram Rawat, and now grown-up children, Shloka and Kartik. Sulekha also has a side-kick named Sparky, her 11 year old Dalmatian who listens to her read out her rough drafts and gives her suggestions for improving them with a shake of her adorable head.


Authors of the book - Social Potpourri – An Anthology II
Priscilla Prerna Rai, Bushra Alvi Razzack, Meenakshi M Singh, Prachi Priyanka, Joslyne 
Decker, Deviyani Pathak, Privy Trifles, Dayeeta Roy, Ron Reed, Sulekha Rawat, Sukhvinder 
Kaur, Arvind Passey, Tapas Mukherjee, Roshan Radhakrishnan, Nupur Govila, Rishabh 
Malik and Willow Rose.

Editors - Kriti Mukherjee, Sulekha Rawat
Stalk her @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 20
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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 18: LOST IN LONDON by Aditi Chopra

Go to Book No. 17 Check all the Books Here



Name of the Book : LOST IN LONDON
Author: Aditi Chopra

Read some reviews:

1. Desere
2. Maria
3. Chai Time

The Story:

Rahul, a young and charming consultant who works in San Diego, California, goes on a business trip to London where he meets beautiful Priya. They feel an instant attraction towards each other; However, Priya being shy and un-trusting, holds back her emotions when Rahul returns to San Diego. Rahul also finds himself getting attracted to Mona, a co-worker in his office. As the story progresses, Rahul is torn between his feelings for Priya as well as Mona.

As we follow the two love stories, we wait for the inevitable reckoning to be made between love and true love. Lost in London is an exploration of finding and recognizing true love.

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About The Author 


Aditi Chopra 
Aditi Chopra was born in India and now lives in Texas with her family. She writes NRI (Non Resident Indian) fiction and non-fiction books.

Aditi has an engineering background but she has found her creative bone in fiction writing. Her stories range from Contemporary Romance to Women's Fiction. You might see a glimpse of Bollywood in her stories and will definitely enjoy the emotional ride.

Aditi focuses on leadership skills in her non-fiction books. Her readers get practical take-aways that they can utilize in their career.

Aditi is also a member of Women's Fiction Writers Association.

Stalk her @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 19
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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 17: SIREN'S CALL by Debbie Herbert

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair   by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 16 Check all the Books Here


Name of the Book : SIREN'S CALL
Author: Debbie Herbert

Read some reviews:

1. Devika Fernando
2. Inderpreet Kaur Uppal
3. Swathi Shenoy

The Story:

Lily Borsage is the ultimate siren: gorgeous, aloof and irresistible to all the men in Bayou La Siryna. All of them, that is, until Nashoba Bowman comes back to town. The Native American kid whose innocent first kiss Lily remembers fondly is now all grown-up, hot as an Alabama summer and immune to Lily's charms. What self-respecting mermaid could resist finding out more?
But Nash has a dark history that puts any woman he loves in grave danger, and a heritage of power he isn't ready to accept. And Lily has a secret that no mortal man can ever know. When a mysterious enemy starts menacing Lily, they will both have to risk everything and embrace their deepest destinies if they want to survive.
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About The Author 


Debbie Herbert 
Debbie Herbert writes paranormal romance novels reflecting her belief that love, like magic, casts its own spell of enchantment. She’s always been fascinated by magic, romance and gothic stories.

Married and living in Alabama, she roots for the Crimson Tide football team. Unlike the mermaid characters in Siren’s Secret, she loves cats and has two spoiled feline companions. When not working on her upcoming book, Siren’s Treasure, Debbie enjoys recumbent bicycling and motorcycle riding with her husband.

A past Maggie finalist in both Young Adult & Paranormal Romance, she’s a member of the Georgia Romance Writers of America. Debbie has a degree in English (Berry College, GA) and a master’s in Library Studies (University of Alabama).

Stalk her @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 18
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Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 16: LOSING MY RELIGION by Vishwas Mudagal

Coming soon...  The Madras Affair   by Sundari Venkatraman
Go to Book No. 15 Check all the Books Here

Name of the Book : LOSING MY RELIGION
Author: Vishwas Mudagal

Read some reviews:

1. Jaideep Khanduja
2. Mamatha Kamireddy
3. Ravi Jain

The Story:

Racy, unpredictable, romantic, and inspiring, this is a novel that is bound to get you addicted and stay with you forever.
When gamer and entrepreneur Rishi Rai sets out to revolutionize the gaming industry, something somewhere goes terribly wrong and, like dominoes, the blocks of his life fall down one after the other.
An unexpected meeting with Alex, an unpredictable, crazy American hippie, changes his life forever, as he decides to quit everything and join him on an unplanned, uncharted journey across India.
From getting irrepressibly high in the mysterious Malana Valley in the Himalayas to starting a shack on the bewitching Om Beach on the West Coast, they do it all. But their adrenaline-charged adventure takes a turn when Rishi meets Kyra, a beautiful and enigmatic gamer. As passions surge and sparks fly, Rishi gets drawn to Kyra . . . unaware of who she is and where she comes from.
What follows next is something nobody could have ever dreamed of . . .
Who is Kyra and why are the paparazzi after her? Can Rishi connect the dots in his life to protect the love of his life? While the world becomes a spectator, can he mastermind the fall of a ruthless giant to become a global icon or will he become the biggest loser?
You can also buy @

About The Author 


Vishwas Mudagal 
Vishwas Mudagal is a serial entrepreneur and a CEO with a history of building innovative technology brands and companies. An alumnus of RV College of Engineering, Bangalore, he started his first company at the age of eighteen to educate students in rural Karnataka. He is currently the CEO and co-founder of GoodWorkLabs, one of the hottest technology firms.

Writing is his passion, and he has embraced storytelling as his parallel career. Losing My Religion is his debut novel, which has become a national best-seller.

Stalk him @Website | Twitter | Facebook
Go to Book No. 17
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