Thursday 4 February 2016

Masters of Lygrenn - Book Review

Title: Masters of Lygrenn 
Author: Arjun Pawar
Publisher: Frog Books
ISBN: 978-93-52013-09-8
Number of Pages: 211
Price: 150 [INR]
Genre: Fiction


The Blurb:

       In an era dominated by the saints rises a Kingdom where sins are committed regularly. A Kingdom ruled by a noble King but misled by his cruel Masters. Hamish, the cruellest Master with a dream of conquering the world, faces a challenge from an ordinary boy, who in search of his answers finds the reason for his existence. Fire God, the most powerful and loyal Master of the King, is stuck in a dilemma of whether to support the good or the bad. A story of brutal vengeance where there is no space for the good. Will the good rise to power?


My Review:

       The book starts with Xaviallo rebelling against his father, Emperor Zataki, in order to stop the tradition of slavery. Wise and just, Xaviallo forms a new kingdom in the land of Drokas and the subjects love their new ruler. He even gets the Shubhadra's to join hands with his kingdom. But just as everything seems to be going well, someone poisons Xaviallo and his ten year old Marshell is declared as the king. But the dangers haven't passed yet. When the enemy is an insider, it is much more difficult to eradicate him than if he were an outsider. Will King Marshell unveil the evil plans of Master Hamish before its too late? Will he be able to save the kingdom and its people from the cruel fate that is in store for them?


Things I Liked:


  • The story line is something new and different.
  • The whole picture painted by the author is pretty good.
  • The suspense keeps the readers glued to the book.

Things I Disliked:



  • The twists introduced became too much by the end of the story and I became skeptical of the way things turned out.
  • I didn't really understand the ending. So much was happening at once. I was expecting something better but was disappointed by the turn of events.

Verdict:

       All in all, it was an interesting read. Could have been better!!

My Rating:


Until the next review,
Keep Reading :)

Love,
Starry Eyed Reader :)


The Other Side of the Corridor - Book Review

Title: The Other Side of the Corridor 
Author: Sujata Rajpal
Publisher: Mahaveer Publishers
ISBN: 9789350881019
Number of Pages: 238
Price: 150 [INR]
Genre: Fiction


The 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:

Characters:

      Leela is the central character of this novel, as one can predict from the blurb. Being Manglik, life was not easy for Leela. With parents who hate her for the death of her younger brother, an elder brother who treats her like a pariah, a husband who is mentally unstable and friends who are all leading a comfortable life, Leela's story has it all.  

Plot:

       Leela's sole aim in life is to become famous. She wants to earn fame so that she could make her parents proud. But when she is married off at an early age, her dreams of becoming an RJ is squished. Vishal, who seems to be a nice guy in the beginning, turns out to be insane; her mother-in-law who was so meticulous about everything, doesn't say anything about Vishal's behavior either. When things go wrong, it is Leela who is blamed for.

       In this gloomy life of her, she finds out an escape through Elaa. She leads an alternate life through Elaa's medium. She laps up on the praise Elaa gets from her Facebook friends. She loves the attention people give her. But everything changes when Jai, her secret admirer comes face to face with her. What will happen next? How does Leela manage to realize her dreams?

Things I Liked:


  • The narration was pretty smooth.
  • The story is a mix of so many different things. You name it and the story has it. Yet the author has managed to weave it all beautifully into a single story.
  • I liked how Leela emerges as a strong woman in the end. If either of the men in her life had helped her, it wouldn't have been so much effective.

Things I Disliked:


  • At places, the story did seem to drag on a little. But the pace is picked up before it gets too slow and the reader loses his interest.

Verdict:

       All in all, it was an interesting read. Would definitely recommend it.

My Rating:



Until the next review,
Keep Reading :)

Love,
Starry Eyed Reader :)


The Last of the Firedrakes - Book Review

Title: The Last of the Firedrakes 
Author: Farah Oomerbhoy
Publisher: Wise Ink
ISBN: 978-1940014708
Number of Pages: 410
Price: 195 [INR]
Genre: Fantasy 


The Blurb:

       16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn't seem so bad.
       Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms--including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora's arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.
     With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.


Book Links:

My Review:

       I received this book as a part of b00k r3vi3w tours. I couldn't help sign up for this one as fantasy is my favorite genre and I must say the book didn't disappoint me at all. I was dragged into Aurora's story right from page one and I enjoyed reading each and every part of it.

       Young Aurora is in for the surprise of her life when she is kidnapped by a cruel looking man and dragged into a magical world which she didn't even know existed. Hold on, because that is not the only thing. As the story progresses, there are more and more secrets that are unveiled and it just gets better and better. How does Aurora fare in this new world and what will she do to save herself from her evil aunt who seems capable of going to any lengths just to kill Aurora? The book will have you on the edge of your seat for sure!

Things I Liked:

  • I loved the way Aurora's character has been portrayed.
  • The narration was crisp and the attention given to details was picture perfect; nothing more and nothing less.
  • I loved how the story line is developed.


Things I Disliked:

  • There were many instances where I felt similarities between this book and the Harry Potter books. But nonetheless, the story line was great and hence I could overlook it and enjoy it.

Verdict:

       A fantastic book for those who love to read fantasy novels. It will surely keep you glued till the end. Highly recommended.

World of Avalonia




Read an Excerpt:


Chapter 3
Kidnapped

For a second that felt like a lifetime, everything stopped; I felt like I was floating in nothingness. Then I blinked, and, when I finally opened my eyes and focused again through the tears, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I found myself standing at the mouth of a small cave situated on a hill and overlooking a quiet, moonlit valley. On my left, a dark forest stretched out as far as the eye could see, treetops glistening silver in the light of the full moon. The hills around us undulated into wildflower-filled meadows that lay sleeping in the dewy night.
Far down in the valley, I could see a little village, its lights twinkling in the distance. To my right, a waterfall splashed playfully into a small river that ran down into a lake, next to which the little village was built. The moon here was fuller and larger than I had ever seen it, and the night sky was awash with a fantastic array of glittering stars.
Had I passed through the tapestry? Where was I?
I looked around, disbelief clouding my judgment. I was still trying to get my bearings after that strange moment when I had been inside the tapestry and nowhere at the same time. It gave me a funny feeling, as though I had been lifted out of my own consciousness and then put back into my body.
A warm breeze brushed past my face and played with my hair. Gone were the cloudy grey mist and the cold, nipping wind of the English countryside. I drew in a sharp breath—the air was crisp and clear, sweet smelling, and fresh. The moonlit valley was filled with fruit trees, wildflowers, and rolling meadows.
“How did we come here? Where are we?” I asked, still confused.
“You really are ignorant,” said Oblek, glancing at me. “I take it your uncle didn’t tell you anything?”
I shook my head and looked down. Oblek had tied my hands with a rope he had with him while I was still dazed and looking around. It was humiliating, and the rough ropes cut into my wrists, rubbing them raw every time he pulled me forward.
I had to find some way out of this. And, at the moment, the only thing I could do was discover more about where I was. Then, when I got an opportunity, I could escape and find my way back up to the cave on the hill, where we had arrived out of the tapestry.
But then what?
Christopher was probably dead, and Aunt Arianna would doubtless blame me for everything since I had disappeared at the same time. I had no idea what to do. I didn’t really want to go back, and, now that my adoptive parents were dead, I had nothing to return to.
I was starting to panic. I had nowhere to go, and my mind was imagining an array of horrible outcomes of my kidnapping. My palms had become sweaty, and my racing heart was thundering in my chest as I half-walked and half-ran, desperately trying to keep up with Oblek’s giant strides.
“Why are you doing this?” I pleaded with my kidnapper.
But Lord Oblek said nothing. He didn’t even look at me. He just kept walking ahead and dragging me along behind him, with no more explanations as to what he was planning to do with me.
I was terrified, and I had no idea if I was going to survive this. But I tried to be brave. Maybe I could talk my way out of this?
“You do know that this is called kidnapping?” I said, trying to reason with Oblek.
He didn’t bother to answer.
“What will happen to me now?” I squeaked, my voice breaking, as I tried not to cry.
“Queen Morgana will decide what is to be done with you,” said Oblek, finally.
Queen Morgana! The woman from my dream? It was not possible that this, too, was a coincidence. It must be the same Morgana, the one who had tried to kill my real mother.
Who the hell was she?
Suddenly all of this seemed extremely scary. I hoped that I was still dreaming and that there was no way I had actually traveled through a magical tapestry into some strange land. It all seemed very exciting in books. But actually being kidnapped and then hauled around like an animal, traveling deep into a land I knew nothing about, was not my idea of fun.
I had to get away from this horrible man, and fast.


About the Author:
 
For Farah Oomerbhoy, writing is a passion and reading her solace. She is a firm believer in the fantastic and magical, and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest.
When she was pregnant with her first child ten years ago, a story popped into her head she could not ignore. “I was at my grandmother’s house, and as I looked at the image of a beautiful forest with a castle in the distance on a tapestry hanging on the wall, I imagined myself being whisked away into another world,” she said. It was at that moment the world of Avalonia, with its powerful mages and fae and the evil Queen Morgana, was born. Farah Oomerbhoy’s debut novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, was released in the summer of 2015.

Farah lives with her husband and three children in their family home in Mumbai, India. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mumbai. Her first novel is The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of the Avalonia Chronicles.
  
Contact Farah:




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My Rating:


Until the next review,
Keep Reading :)

Love,
Starry Eyed Reader :)