Bhoomija: Sita by Anand Neelakantan

​"Bhoomija: Sita" by Anand Neelakantan - It’s not her story!

This ebook is published by Westland in 2017 and has 24 pages. 

Although the name of this book is Bhoomija, it’s not the story of Sita. It’s about how Valmiki conceived Ramayan. The actual story in the book is of Krauncha birds that we all know. 

Valmiki composes a shloka spontaneously upon seeing the male Krauncha killed by a Nishada while mating. Here author diverges from the known story and gives it a twist. 

What is right and what is wrong? What’s right for one is wrong for other. In that case which is the one emotion that’s absolute? 

This twist given by the author is endearing and it gives a different dimension to Ramayana. Conception of Sita, though, could have been a little more elaborate. 

Why did I read this book? Author. Length. 

What I didn't like?  Conception of Sita.

What did I like? Everything else.  

Recommend reading. 

A special day by Sourabh Mukherjee

​"A special day" by Sourabh Mukherjee - Poignant!

This e-book is published by Shrishti publishers and distributors in 2018 and has 22 pages. This is a book in ‘It’s all about love’ series. 

Mike gets a deserved career enhancing opportunity of lifetime, but lets it go because he has to be in Goa on that day, a special day. 

Why does Mike decline? What’s the special day?

The story is delivered in first person by two characters Mike and David. Mike lets the Opportunity go. David has difficulty in remembering things. It’s a short, intense, poignant, emotional story that doesn’t let you go. The story never slacks. Although it’s somewhat predictable, it leaves you contemplating and hits you hard. 

Author deserves credit for such a good story. 

It’s a very small short story published as e-book. 

Why did I read this book? Size. 

What did I like? Everything. 

What I didn't like? Umm…

A must read. 

Lynchpin: The best laid schemes of mice and men by Siddharth Maheshwari

​"Lynchpin: The best laid schemes of mice and men" by Siddharth Maheshwari -  Action thriller!

This book is published by One point six technologies Pvt Ltd  in 2021 and has 290 pages. This is author’s debut novel. 

ATC Jaiprakash Mathur causes midair collision of two commercial aircrafts in Mumbai. A group of terrorists sabotages a surrender function of another group of terrorists resulting in death of the surrendering terrorists, two ministers and many others. Chief Justice of India is shot dead. Hindu Muslim riot is instigated in Meerut. Naxal violence erupts in Jharkhand as a Naxal leader is gunned down by people in police uniform. There are bomb attacks. There are Drone attacks in Calcutta.

What is happening? Why is it happening? What is the objective? Who is the Lynchpin?

These are events designed to cause socioeconomic distress in the country. Each one is precise. Either it disrupts social harmony or economic activity. 

Inspector Vikram Aditya Singh from Indian Police sees a link in these unrelated incidents. With the help of his friend DSP Ranbir Roy of IB he convinces the powers to be and they both head the task force. RAW, Army, IB, Police and other agencies collaborate. 

Author doesn’t spend time in travails. The action begins from the word go and doesn’t stop till the end. Although the story is fast paced and action packed, the plot is a little weak. Some of the things are too simple for a plot that has national and international consequences. Especially the recording of confession is naive. 

Author uses names of real life persons from different fields for the characters like Manoj Tiwari, Jagmohan Reddy, Ravindra Jain, Anirban Ghosh for the characters that have no connection to real life person. 

He calls a 3BHK apartment in Worli, modest. Phew! He has never stayed in Mumbai. In Mumbai it’s more than comfortable, lavish. The terrorists travel in black Range Rovers. How difficult is it to spot a Range Rover in India? Shouldn’t they have used a less conspicuous car?

Chapters are titled with colloquial phrases. The titles are Interesting and it’s a novelty. I collected a couple of new/out of the way words like soigné, petrichor. 

What about title? Lynchpin is a pin that keeps the wheel attached to the Axel. Looks like Lynchpin is a famous book name. I found at least six on Amazon. 

Why did I read this book? Cover. 

What I didn't like? Flaws as mentioned. 

What did I like? Action.

Recommend reading. 

The return by Erin Knightly

​"The return" by Erin Knightly - Wow!

This book is published by James Patterson’s BookShots (Penguin Random House UK) digital in 2016 and has 86 pages.  This is a book of Sunnybell series.  

Ashley had fallen for Mack head over heels when she was a teenager. But he broke her heart. Now Mack McLeroy is a professional Bull rider. Ashley Montoya wanted to become a barrel racer (a kind of obstacle horse racing) but couldn’t become professional barrel racer due to terminal illness of her mom. A Bull riding accident brings Mack back to Sunnybell for convalescing. They both need something from each other and it’s not love. They hate each other. 

What is it that Mack wants from Ashley? What does Ashley want from Mack? Will they help each other, kill each other or fall in love?

Book starts with a Bull ride. Man Vs beast. Beast wins! Man is injured badly. Professions of the lovers is the USP of the book. A very out of the way and interesting one. Author takes us to the heart of Texas with Bull riding, ranches, cowboys and horses. The tu-tu-main-main between the protagonist is endearing.  They are hurt, they hesitate in acknowledging the attraction and magnetic pull and shun or insult each other to overcompensate. 

Ashley is beautiful. She is still attracted towards him. She finds him sexy even when he is disheveled. She feels flutter in her stomach when he is around but she can’t forget how he has ditched her and broke her heart and wants to punish him for it. Mack has a reputation of a playboy but this girl still unsettles him. He regrets the way he treated her and considers her the prickliest girl in town. He is probably the most handsome Texan and is also good at heart.

It’s a love story. Being a BookShots book, it’s small and quick read. How to fit the love story in few pages? Do away with the lovers being introduced and attracted towards each other. They already know each other, rather hate each other, when the story starts. 

Author, Erin Knightly, has done a very good job. She has captured the emotions perfectly, be it lovers tiff, lust, love, attraction, insecurity, helplessness, and channeled them to make an effective story. Texan background gives it an exotic feel. Blurb of this book doesn’t do Justice to it. The blurb makes the story look shallow. In reality it’s sensuous. 

I found interesting English sentences worth mentioning in this book. They make the book exotic. Some of them are:

Frozen molasses made more progress than he had. 

Less fun than eatin’ dirt. 

Her sarcasm as thick as mud. 

As surely as a bear with a thorn in its butt. 

This book has little used words, used mainly in North America like Dang, stoked, britches, bronc, limber, daggone. It adds to the exoticism of the book. 

Why did I read this book? Goodreads rating.

What I didn't like? Umm….. 

What did I like? Everything

Definitely recommend reading. 

Sherlock Holmes in Japan by Vasudev Murthy

​"Sherlock Holmes in Japan" by Vasudev Murthy writing as Akira Yamashita- The lost years! 

This book is published by HarperCollins in 2014 and has 288 pages.

Everyone, including Watson, has presumed Sherlock dead. One day Watson gets a letter from Japan with a ticket and a short note from Sherlock. On the boat ride to Japan, his cabin partner is murdered. There is an attempt on Watson. Another murder.

Where will Sherlock meet Watson? What is he doing in Japan? What was he doing for last almost three years? Who is trying to stop from reaching Japan?

It’s a different kind of plot. Yakuza, Japanese equivalent of American mafia has penetrated Japanese foreign service and Sherlock is investigating. What’s different? One, there is hardly any investigation and deduction. Two, most of the story is narrated by a character after the events have happened. Three, a lot of time is spent in travel leaving less time for real detective work. 

They travel from England via Alexandria, Vladivostok,  Aden, Bombay, Calcutta, Angkor Vat, Saigon, Nagasaki, Kyoto, Tokyo. Something happens at each sojourn. Someone is on their trail, some agent of Dr. Moriarty. In Calcutta they meet Prof. Jagdish Chandra Bose. Sherlock develops interest in the Indian and Japanese music. 

This is a Sherlock Holmes novel written years after the original set of novels by Arthur Conan Doyle. This is Holmes’s adventure during ‘great hiatus’. It’s period between May 1891 and April 1894, between supposed death of Sherlock at Reichenbach Falls and his reappearance. 

Author doesn’t copy writing style of Arthur Conan Doyle but still retains similarities with it. Since the author is an Indian, a lot of story unnecessarily happens in India. It’s a slow story. Shaving a few pages off may have been good for it. 

Why did I read this book? Title, cover.

What I didn't like? Lack of detective work.

What did I like? Attention to detail. 

Sherlock Holmes fans can try it, not a must read for others. 

Rudra: The name of destroyer by Hem Raj Jat

​"Rudra: The name of destroyer" by Hem Raj Jat - Don’t bother!

This book is published by Notion Press in 2021 and has 210 pages. 

National Investigation Agency (NIA) agent Captain Shekhar has disappeared six years ago presumed dead. Officers Kevin, Nikhila, Anirudh convince Chief Dr. Kulshreshtha to launch a search mission and find Rudra. 

Who is Rudra? Is he Shekhar? Is he related to Dr. Kulshreshtha? What skills does he possess? Who does he destroy?

The story can at best be called absurd. It starts somewhat promisingly. But then it’s all a journey downhill. It’s narrated in flashback, mostly. The helicopter travels impossible distance. One man possesses power and skills so unique that he kills 40 terrorists armed with machine guns, using a spade. His memory goes and comes conveniently. No bullet touches him. His hands move faster than guns. He moves faster than guns. 

The English used in this book is bad. The grammar is bad. The construction of sentences are not in “appropriate English”. Some times there is a mix up of tense. In one sentence the place is mentioned as there, in next sentence it’s mentioned as here. 

There are continuity issues. e.g. They carried multiple missions to find him and then it says it’s her first time in the Himalayas. People from his previous life calling him Rudra instead of Shekhar. It’s torture. 

Book cover shows a blood covered, battle scarred man with matted hair, wearing Rudraksha sitting on a stone on a snow covered mountain holding something that emits smoke (chillum?). It’s good. 

Why did I read this book? Cover looked good. 

What did I like? Umm…..

What I didn't like? Almost everything. 

AVOID. 

Happy birthday by Danielle Steele

​"Happy birthday" by Danielle Steele - Feel good!

This book is published by Corgi in 2012 and has 416 pages. 

Valerie Wayett is 60. She is a wedding planner, TV Show host and a celebrity. Her daughter April is 30. She runs a restaurant. Jack Adams is a former NFL superstar and now a famous TV sportscaster. He is 50. They were all born on the same day albeit different years. Valerie and Jack dread to acknowledge their age. Mike is 34. He is a snobbish food critique. 

What happens on their birthday? Do their paths cross? How will it impact their lives?

Valerie although 60, looks at least 10 years younger thanks to her healthy lifestyle and plastic surgeon. She is refinement personified. There is no man in her life. On her sixtieth birthday a radio show host announces her true age. Valerie is distraught. Jack Adams is 50 but looks much younger and has a very active sex life with girl’s half his age or less. He is a football legend. His age is also announced on radio. He too is upset. April, Valerie’s daughter, is least bothered about her looks, despite being beautiful. She never applies makeup. There is no man in her life too. She runs a restaurant and is a workaholic. On her birthday she comes to know that she is pregnant. Result of a one night stand and birth control malfunction. She is fully busy with restaurant and can’t really afford to give time to the baby. Mike Steinmann gives April a lousy review. He is also father of April’s baby but doesn’t want any kids owing to parents who are always drunk and a brother who committed suicide. 

There is a crisis in the lives of all four of them. The crisis brings upheaval. The references and contexts change. The priorities undergo drastic transformation. It’s epiphany. 

The story is simple, like most of DS books. You know how it will end after reading first few chapters. Although it’s a feel good story, lack of twists or surprises makes it very predictable. But it’s still enjoyable. 

The strong point of this book is the characterization. They are very well thought. Their personality traits are adorable. Readers can relate to the characters.  You can’t help loving them, especially April: the non pretentious, lovely, workaholic, girl next door. 

As April runs a restaurant, there are a lot of scenes at the restaurant. You get to know names of a lot of American and European dishes. 

Title of the book is Happy Birthday. However, apart from the fact that three characters share the birthday and the story starts with their birthday, it has nothing to do with the story. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Predictability. 

What did I like? Characterization. 

Recommend reading if you like feel good genre.