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Web of Ties
Rohan has a problem. His girlfriend is in love. He is not. Unable to break poor Annie's heart, he enlists the help of his friend Prateek to break up. But things turn complicated when Prateek falls for Annie's best friend Sana. But Ishita, Prateek's ex, wants him back desperately and will not stop at anything. Well, not if her best friend Abhi has something to say about that! What comes next is a tangled web of lies, chaos, misunderstandings, and friendships, where everyone's life is tied to everyone else's. Follow along as they figure out what they want from life, realize what they truly need, and run into love in this beautiful, crazy world.
261 pages, Paperback
Published June 21, 2022
13 people want to read
About the author
Siddhant Shekhar
6 books23 followersSiddhant Shekhar (1993-) was born in Patna, India. He holds a degree in Physics from the University of Delhi and an MBA in HR from XLRI, Jamshedpur. He has written for several magazines and journals in the past. "Join Me in Death" is his second novel. He currently works in Mumbai and in his free time enjoys Jazz music and taking trips to the sea.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 18, 2024
Reading this took me back to college. I kept smiling throughout the book. Well written and engaging characters!
November 12, 2024
When the author approached me with the request of reviewing his rom-com debut novel, right after he saw me thrash a novel I was reading, I really thought he was knocking the wrong door.
Which sensible being goes knocking on the lions den? Well, he did. What is more, he gave me full freedom to judge and critique his work. "It's so hard getting constructive criticism these days. Because I know atleast you won't mince your words. So no matter how harsh you are, I'm sure I will survive." he said. So this is me, putting my critic cap on and being my absolute candid self, as I unfold before you, what I liked and disliked about the 250 page long novel Web of Ties!
The novel is a story about 6 college going students - Annie, Sana, Ishita, Rohan, Prateek and Abhi. They're all in love, or at least they seem to be in love. But who's in love with whom and why? That's for the reader to discover. You think writing a love triangle is tricky? Try a love hexagon! There's mystery, confusion, misunderstanding, all rolled into one web of yarn that keeps getting entangled the more you play with it. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of all that is happening due to this domino effect. I personally felt like a detective trying to remember all of the superimposition this story has. It was fun!
There is mild situational comedy. The situations and their outcomes aren't outright funny. They're silly at best. But it is subtle and flows naturally with the story. The cussing though, I could do with a little less of it. But I guess adrenaline driven teenagers talk in a constant tone of exclamation. Considering this book's target audience is the college going crowd, it fits the bill. Had I read this book around when it was released, I would've liked it a lot more, I'm sure of it.
What I didn't expect from the book is the emotional depth of each character. Each character's motive, their thought process, their history and their dilemma is explored beautifully. You understand their triggers, you acknowledge their helplessness, especially Abhi's. His internal monologues hit home for me. That's a job well done. I still think he's stupid, but that's besides the point.
The romantic aspect of this novel though, is shallow. And when you see the story as a whole, you understand that it was meant to be that way. This isn't some love story that sweeps you out off your feet. The story is a reflection of the follies of young love. You look at it, you laugh at it cuz it's nostalgic. In the wise words of Miley Cyrus - I know I used to be crazy, Messed up, but, God, was it fun
I know I used to be wild, That's 'cause I used to be young!
Finally coming to what bothered me while reading this book. It's unfortunately the length of the story. And from what I know, the original draft was longer! I found myself struggling through some chapters, screaming - GET TO THE POINT! I loved the story, I was invested in it, but the narration could be a bit more crisp. That one chapter set up on the premise of debate had me struggling. I was never into debating so the technical terms went above my head. And that's the last thing you expect from a rom-com, a fun read.
If I sum up my entire 5 day journey of completing this book, I'd like to settle for the score of 3.8/5. On Goodreads, etc I'll obviously round it off to 4. I will applaud the author for executing the love web of 6 people with perfection. No criticism there, only admiration. I had fun reading this book. I will recommend it to anyone wanting to relive the silly love scandals of college life!
Which sensible being goes knocking on the lions den? Well, he did. What is more, he gave me full freedom to judge and critique his work. "It's so hard getting constructive criticism these days. Because I know atleast you won't mince your words. So no matter how harsh you are, I'm sure I will survive." he said. So this is me, putting my critic cap on and being my absolute candid self, as I unfold before you, what I liked and disliked about the 250 page long novel Web of Ties!
The novel is a story about 6 college going students - Annie, Sana, Ishita, Rohan, Prateek and Abhi. They're all in love, or at least they seem to be in love. But who's in love with whom and why? That's for the reader to discover. You think writing a love triangle is tricky? Try a love hexagon! There's mystery, confusion, misunderstanding, all rolled into one web of yarn that keeps getting entangled the more you play with it. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of all that is happening due to this domino effect. I personally felt like a detective trying to remember all of the superimposition this story has. It was fun!
There is mild situational comedy. The situations and their outcomes aren't outright funny. They're silly at best. But it is subtle and flows naturally with the story. The cussing though, I could do with a little less of it. But I guess adrenaline driven teenagers talk in a constant tone of exclamation. Considering this book's target audience is the college going crowd, it fits the bill. Had I read this book around when it was released, I would've liked it a lot more, I'm sure of it.
What I didn't expect from the book is the emotional depth of each character. Each character's motive, their thought process, their history and their dilemma is explored beautifully. You understand their triggers, you acknowledge their helplessness, especially Abhi's. His internal monologues hit home for me. That's a job well done. I still think he's stupid, but that's besides the point.
The romantic aspect of this novel though, is shallow. And when you see the story as a whole, you understand that it was meant to be that way. This isn't some love story that sweeps you out off your feet. The story is a reflection of the follies of young love. You look at it, you laugh at it cuz it's nostalgic. In the wise words of Miley Cyrus - I know I used to be crazy, Messed up, but, God, was it fun
I know I used to be wild, That's 'cause I used to be young!
Finally coming to what bothered me while reading this book. It's unfortunately the length of the story. And from what I know, the original draft was longer! I found myself struggling through some chapters, screaming - GET TO THE POINT! I loved the story, I was invested in it, but the narration could be a bit more crisp. That one chapter set up on the premise of debate had me struggling. I was never into debating so the technical terms went above my head. And that's the last thing you expect from a rom-com, a fun read.
If I sum up my entire 5 day journey of completing this book, I'd like to settle for the score of 3.8/5. On Goodreads, etc I'll obviously round it off to 4. I will applaud the author for executing the love web of 6 people with perfection. No criticism there, only admiration. I had fun reading this book. I will recommend it to anyone wanting to relive the silly love scandals of college life!
August 29, 2022
This book, 'Web of Ties' is a messy yet sophisticated and intriguing tale of love, lies, heartbreaks, infatuation, rejection, misunderstandings, friendships and a whole lot of hedlem which invariably leaves no scope for the readers to escape once they are into the story.
The theme which this book entails is about the relationships complications these days.
And the most interesting thing about this book is its exhilarating and vivid characters.
It's the characters who make this story full of sweet and sour, exuberant and tragic events.
The story beautifully begins with the developing love story between Rohan and Annie but more often than not the very role of bestfriend creates a mess and spoils everything and one thing that is not missing here is the several riveting points in the story for the readers to enjoy.
Rohan's urge to involve his friend Prateek in his relationship to get his help in his breakup with Annie but things gets all complicated when Prateek falls in love with Annie's bestfriend Sana.
All the more, things get even more complicated when Prateek's ex, Ishita wants him back in her life at every cost nonetheless Prateek's rejection in broad daylight. And there's Ishita's best friend Abhi who plays no less an indispensable role to make this story an absorbing one.
And the next thing which unfolds in the story is full of lies, relationships drama, misunderstandings, ploys, and amid this the lives of all these characters seems connected inseperably with one another.
And to know what actually happens further in the story? Is there any happy ending in the lives of these characters? Are they able to sort out things and bring their friendships back on the track? You will have to delve deep into their lives by flipping through the pages of this book.
Characters sketching, storytelling, plot, dialogues, conflicts all these elements make this book a pitch perfect popular fiction. Written in a lucid language yet the story is full of twists and turns and it will surely leave you agape at several points. I personally enjoyed reading this captivating saga and will definitely suggest this book to everyone who wants to put a step inside the World of modern day's love and relationship.
The theme which this book entails is about the relationships complications these days.
And the most interesting thing about this book is its exhilarating and vivid characters.
It's the characters who make this story full of sweet and sour, exuberant and tragic events.
The story beautifully begins with the developing love story between Rohan and Annie but more often than not the very role of bestfriend creates a mess and spoils everything and one thing that is not missing here is the several riveting points in the story for the readers to enjoy.
Rohan's urge to involve his friend Prateek in his relationship to get his help in his breakup with Annie but things gets all complicated when Prateek falls in love with Annie's bestfriend Sana.
All the more, things get even more complicated when Prateek's ex, Ishita wants him back in her life at every cost nonetheless Prateek's rejection in broad daylight. And there's Ishita's best friend Abhi who plays no less an indispensable role to make this story an absorbing one.
And the next thing which unfolds in the story is full of lies, relationships drama, misunderstandings, ploys, and amid this the lives of all these characters seems connected inseperably with one another.
And to know what actually happens further in the story? Is there any happy ending in the lives of these characters? Are they able to sort out things and bring their friendships back on the track? You will have to delve deep into their lives by flipping through the pages of this book.
Characters sketching, storytelling, plot, dialogues, conflicts all these elements make this book a pitch perfect popular fiction. Written in a lucid language yet the story is full of twists and turns and it will surely leave you agape at several points. I personally enjoyed reading this captivating saga and will definitely suggest this book to everyone who wants to put a step inside the World of modern day's love and relationship.
July 3, 2022
A captivating story by @author.shekhar about six people and their intertwined lives, this book has everything in it to keep a reader hooked - infatuation, love, heartbreak, misery, denial, a bunch of misunderstood people, and a whole lot of drama! With relatable characters and interesting storylines, there are protagonists we can either relate to, or we have known of sometime in our lives, and that makes the entire experience of reading it even more fun.
I read this entire book in a jiffy.
It's engaging, it's unputdownable, it's right up every romance reader's alley!
I loved how the characters' arc changed and matured through the course of the story. The highlight for me was the banter between Rohan and Sana, their competitive spirit and the evolution of their relationship.
I specially love a romance with non-toxic and loyal characters, who despite their humane flaws, are a delight to read about. And this was certainly one of those cases.
Would highly recommend if you don't mind a bit of a romance once in a while.
I read this entire book in a jiffy.
It's engaging, it's unputdownable, it's right up every romance reader's alley!
I loved how the characters' arc changed and matured through the course of the story. The highlight for me was the banter between Rohan and Sana, their competitive spirit and the evolution of their relationship.
I specially love a romance with non-toxic and loyal characters, who despite their humane flaws, are a delight to read about. And this was certainly one of those cases.
Would highly recommend if you don't mind a bit of a romance once in a while.
July 3, 2022
I had pretty much given up on the YA genre since I don't really qualify as a YA anymore and had stopped relating to the sappy / cutesy tropes that formed bulk of the content in such books.
But Web of Ties made for a breezy weekend read with its light-hearted storyline and relatable characters. Even though there are a number of parallel tracks running throughout the book, each character in the book is multi-layered and does not conform to one-dimensional cliches. Even so, it does not take away from the pace of the narration. The author has done a commendable job in making sure that the 'web' never got too entangled for the reader to get lost.
[MILD spoiler alert!]
Apart from the one grand declaration of love (I mean, can it even classify as YA if there isn't any such situation?), the book covers friendship, puppy love, college life and everything in between really well and fairly realistically. This is YA with just the right amount of brains, humour and gravity.
But Web of Ties made for a breezy weekend read with its light-hearted storyline and relatable characters. Even though there are a number of parallel tracks running throughout the book, each character in the book is multi-layered and does not conform to one-dimensional cliches. Even so, it does not take away from the pace of the narration. The author has done a commendable job in making sure that the 'web' never got too entangled for the reader to get lost.
[MILD spoiler alert!]
Apart from the one grand declaration of love (I mean, can it even classify as YA if there isn't any such situation?), the book covers friendship, puppy love, college life and everything in between really well and fairly realistically. This is YA with just the right amount of brains, humour and gravity.
July 24, 2022
What a delightful web the author has woven in this book! No reader in the world will mind getting entangled in this particular Web of Ties! I certainly enjoyed my time inside it, struggling to unentangle myself from its threads, that is, struggling to put down this engaging book! It has all the ingredients of a high-quality romantic comedy and the plot is just so marvelous! I find it amazing that the author has managed to keep a tight control over so many characters and twists and turns while at the same time keeping it serious but funny and humorous at the same time. I found myself laughing out loud, indeed guffawing, at many places in the narration, both because of the situation as well as the writer’s turn of phrase. It was indeed a refreshing and wonderful read!
I do hope a Bollywood producer picks it up – it has everything necessary to become a laugh-jerker like Angoor or Khatta Meetha!
I do hope a Bollywood producer picks it up – it has everything necessary to become a laugh-jerker like Angoor or Khatta Meetha!
January 13, 2026
Web of Ties is a refreshing take on young love and tangled friendships set in a college backdrop. A gentle romance gradually evolves into emotional chaos as the lives of six friends overlap in messy, unexpected ways. The narrative highlights how easily relationships can fall apart when communication fails and feelings are left unsaid.
One of the strongest parts of the book is the realism of its characters. They are flawed, impulsive and often make the wrong choices, which makes them feel human rather than idealised. The emotional depth, inner conflicts and relatable situations kept me invested till the end, making this a heartfelt read for anyone who enjoys nostalgic college-life stories filled with drama and emotions.
One of the strongest parts of the book is the realism of its characters. They are flawed, impulsive and often make the wrong choices, which makes them feel human rather than idealised. The emotional depth, inner conflicts and relatable situations kept me invested till the end, making this a heartfelt read for anyone who enjoys nostalgic college-life stories filled with drama and emotions.
July 3, 2022
The writing style/characters are so relatable that it feels like it's happening as I read. The plot lives up to the title, twists I never saw coming. Super immersive, and refreshing! This subtly avoids clichés and kept me hooked from the first page till the last. Could not let the book go until I finished it. Extremely thrilling and satisfying read. 10/10 would recommend.
August 6, 2022
Had been a long time since I read any YA novel. This one took me back to college days. Loved the banter between the characters. Fun read!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews