The Secret of God's Son - Book Review

THE SECRET OF GOD'S SON

by

Usha Narayanan

Blurb

‘The seas will devour the glorious city of Dwaraka. People will forget your name and your Gita. May the world perish! May the world perish!’

With this cruel curse on Krishna, Queen Gandhari plunges mankind into the unspeakable evil of the Kali Yuga. 

It is up to Pradyumna to try and reverse the dire prediction. To journey into terrifying realms, confront Yama and Shiva, and to vanquish the Kali demon. In order to do so, he must shed all that holds a mortal back—his arrogance, his fears, his baser instincts… He must lead his people out of the swirling vortex of greed, disease and misery. And there is one powerful weapon still…the secret surrounding Pradyumna’s origin.  

Will he uncover it in time to fight off the cataclysm? 

In the answer lies the destiny of all humanity! 

My Review:

I love mythology and mythological fictions. Though I have read so many books, never had I read about story after the reign of Pandavas and Krishna. Never had I given a thought about what would happen after this. That is exactly what prompted me to read the first book in the series "Pradyumna, The Son of God' I must say I loved it and couldn't stop myself from signing up for this blog tour! I wasn't disappointed. 

The story starts with Bheema telling Vikarna to take their side in the battle to which Vikarna refuses. He is slayed by Bheema. Post battle, Pradyumna wants to save the world from Gandhari's curse and he wants to bring Vikarna back. While he does succeed in bringing back Vikarna, the problem starts when Gandhari couldn't revert the curse. The story gets more and more interesting as it progresses and comes the major surprise in the final chapters where the secret will be revealed!

The major plus point of this book is Usha Narayan's narration. The way she has written the story is beautiful! There were many WOWs in the story which made me fall in love with the book. The scene at Kailasa was one of them (which is my favorite). One more scene which stayed with me was Lord Krishna leaving the earth. I didn't want to continue reading but I couldn't stop either! Kudos to Usha Narayan for writing such a beautiful piece.

Highly recommended for those who love Mythological fictions!!

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About the author

USHA NARAYANAN

Usha Narayanan had a successful career in advertising, radio and corporate communications before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of The Madras Mangler, a suspense thriller, and Love, Lies and Layoffs, a light-hearted office romance. The Secret of God’s Son is the sequel to her bestselling book, Pradyumna: Son of Krishna, which was published in July 2015. 

When she’s not juggling travel, writing and interviews, Usha reads everything from thrillers to romances, provided her cat isn’t fast asleep on her Kindle. She would love to hear from her readers here: author@ushanarayanan.com 

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Media mentions

Praise for Pradyumna: Son of Krishna: 

“Usha Narayanan has taken a quantum leap . . . to the outright spine-tingling narrative from the leaves of a time before. This book is Indian writing coming of age" Femina

"Like the best of our mythological tales, this too, is a multilayered one . . .There is valour, there is cowardice, there is glory, there is shame, there is sex, lies and deception" The Hindu

"This engrossing tale takes readers on a mythological saga" Times of India

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Rightfully Wrong Wrongfully Right - Book Review

RIGHTFULLY WRONG, WRONGFULLY RIGHT

by

Varsha Dixit

Blurb

Love is in the air again…this time it’s steamy, bold and manipulative!

Gayatri and Viraj both are products of childhood trauma. Yet they were able to survive, one because of her shrewdness and the other because of his genius. Rightfully Wrong Wrongfully Right, the final part in the best selling ‘Right and Wrong’ love trilogy is the story of these two damaged souls.

Gayatri Dutta, the poster child for rich spoiled diva is fighting to escape a life of servitude her tyrant father is hell bent on pushing her into. Her past string of failures have her backed against a wall. Lonely and desperate!

Viraj is a con who uses his genius to perpetuate his isolation. His life once of violence and abuse has left him cynical and cold. He shuns the society and its hypocrisies. 

And then Gayatri and Viraj cross paths. She needs him and he despises her.

To Viraj, Gayatri, is the epitome of all that he despises, shallow, manipulative and the kind who uses her beauty as a weapon. Or is she?

Gayatri sees Viraj only as a means to an end. She is sure that Viraj with his nerdy demeanor, owlish glasses and crude behavior will be easy to manipulate and walk over. Only he isn’t!

My Review:

I had read 3 books of Varsha already, and all I can say is, the author is just getting better and better at weaving stories. Rightfully Wrong, Wrongfully Right is the story of Gayatri. If you have read the first two books in the series, you will remember this lady who was all set to spoil Aditya's marriage! Making you like someone you dislike is no ordinary task and Varsha has sone just that in this book! (If you haven't read the first two books, that's perfectly fine, You can still start with this one)

The story begins with Gayatri hunting for a job in a desperate attempt to free herself from the clutches of her dominating father. That one chapter makes you feel sorry for her. After all, she isn't as bad as we imagined! And when Viraj enters the scene, things just become fun. The mad scientist who behaves rudely with everyone else, cannot seem to do the same with Gayatri. Thus begins the dance of push and pull. What will happen in the end? Will they be able to find a happy ending? Read the book to find out more!

I totally loved the narration and the way the story is built. Humor induced in regulated dosages makes sure that the novel doesn't get boring anywhere in the middle. The characters from the first two books are there too. Finished reading this book in one sitting and totally loved it! Highly recommended if you like reading love stories with a punch of humor.

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Excerpt from #RWWR

‘I can do this, I can do this, I can...’ Gayatri wound her fingers tightly around her cellphone as she made her way to the cubbyhole Viraj called his office. I did not expect a freaking hug, but a polite ‘how are you’ wouldn’t kill that man. She rapped her knuckles on the door.

Viraj swung the door open. ‘What?’ His brows were furrowed and his lips, pursed.

Gayatri remembered what Nikhil had said to her once. Dr Viraj owns and runs this lab. He was the only one you needed to impress! ‘It’s my first day here!’ Gayatri could hear her voice shake. ‘Could you tell me...’

Gayatri scuttled out of Viraj’s way as he leaned out. ‘Find an empty room, do your work there. You are free to leave any time you want. You are free to come or to not come.’ The door shut on her face.

Flabbergasted, Gayatri kept staring at the door. What just happened? She cleared her throat. I should not piss him off anymore. ‘Thank you for this…this job.’ Her voice was as uncertain as the look on her face.

Viraj tugged the door open again. Gayatri flashed a smile at him and opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her short. ‘I don’t like talking. Find a room and stay there.’ He shut the door on her again.

 Asshole! Gayatri fisted her hands and retreated. I can do this! I am doing this! Bigger picture, please! Gayatri paused and peeped inside the first lab that she stumbled upon. The place was quiet except for a low hum of machines. Gayatri pushed the doors open and walked inside the lab. It was empty. ‘Does anyone else work here besides the mad scientist?’ She leaned against one of the steel racks. The door flew open behind her. With a big grin she turned to greet the person coming in. ‘Hi! I—’ she froze. It was the mad scientist with a bunch of papers in his hand.

Viraj noticed Gayatri at the same time. A familiar irritation flashed in his eyes. ‘Not this room. Not my lab! Find another room!’ He spoke with cool authority.

‘I was just looking!’ Gayatri smoothed her ponytail trying to mask her nervousness. He had her in knots.

Giving an indifferent shrug, Viraj walked past her. Gayatri got a whiff of his aftershave; it smelled clean and crisp, like water with a twist of lemon. At least he doesn’t stink like his manners! Gayatri stood there quiet and confused.

A loose paper slipped from Viraj’s hand and landed on the floor.

‘You dropped some paper!’ Gayatri said, her voice friendly.

‘Ignore it. Like you, it is not going anywhere.’ Viraj pulled a portable stool and took a seat in front of an electronic panel fixed to a bigger panel.

Gayatri gritted her teeth and grinned with the ferocity of a wild animal that could pounce any moment.

Unknown to her, Viraj gave a similar smile except his was more like the wild animal that had pounced and won.

‘I’ll go and find a room. Thank you!’ Swiveling on her heel, Gayatri headed for the door.

Something stopped her—her father’s face and the realization that two weeks ago she had physically fought for herself, and now she had to fight again but with her mind instead of hands. I have to win over Mr Madness. Maybe I could wear a beaker over my head and tattoo the periodic table on my arms!

‘If you are trying to open the door telepathically, let me be the first to tell you it is not working!’ 

Gayatri exhaled noisily. Scathing and sarcastic, what more could a woman ask for? Taking a few calming breaths, she slowly pivoted to face Viraj, specifically his back as he sat hunched fiddling with the panel in front of him.

 ‘I’m sorry if I have offended you somehow. I really need this job. And also, I’m qualified for it. I can show you my degrees. I can really make a difference here.’

Hearing Gayatri’s words and her apologetic tone, something melted inside Viraj...again. But to keep up appearances, he turned rude. ‘I’m busy!’ he barked.

 ‘Please Mr Viraj, give me—’ Just then, without warning, someone swung the door open. Gayatri wasn’t prepared for the push. ‘Ouch!’ She toppled. Her desperate hands grabbed the first thing in the vicinity—a steel rack. The rack shuddered violently and some of its contents landed on the floor.

‘What the hell!’ Viraj bellowed jumping to his feet.

Gayatri winced. A large electrical component had crashed into her hand ‘The door just opened, pushing me in,’ she said shaking her arm in pain.

 Viraj glared at the door. He instantly lost the frown and his mouth eased at the ends. ‘Oh it’s you! Come inside!’

Huh, Hyde turns Jekyll! Gayatri spun around.

A timid, bespectacled, five-foot-nothing girl, her long hair in a tight braid, clad in a pastel-coloured salwaar kameez, stood at the door. Her skin was smooth and her hands kept tugging at the dupatta around her neck ‘Sorry to interrupt! Dr Kalra wanted to show you some tests he is about to run in lab 2.’ She then glanced at Gayatri. ‘I’m sorry if I hurt you. It was an accident.’

Gayatri was about to speak but Viraj cut her off. ‘She’s fine. Let’s go!’

Viraj went out with the girl, not even sparing a glance at Gayatri.

Astounded, Gayatri watched them leave.

Urghh…the shit-faced scientist actually smiled and that too at that girl! Gayatri kicked the steel rack. It shuddered again! Shoot! Before anything else would fall on her, Gayatri went after the scientist and the simpleton.

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About the author

Varsha Dixit

Varsha Dixit, the bestselling author of four successful contemporary romance books. Her debut book, Right Fit Wrong Shoe was a national bestseller for the year 2010. Varsha was a part of the Indian Television Industry and worked as an assistant director and online editor. She considers herself a dreamer who thinks deep but writes light. Even though creativity is gender free,Varsha feels blessed and enriched to be a woman. Currently, with her family, Varsha resides in CA, USA.

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Glitter and Gloss - Book Review

Title: Glitter and Gloss 

Author: Vibha Batra

Publisher: Bloomsbury

ISBN: 978-93-85936-36-4

Number of Pages: 183

Price: 199 [INR]

Genre: Fiction/ Chicklit

The Blurb:

       Imagine if you truly, madly, deeply loved a boy. And he loved you back. Imagine if the only obstacle standing in the way was his hard-to-please older sister. What would you do?

a. Crib and bear it

b. Care a damn

c. Undergo a personality change

d. See a shrink

Meet M.A.C Misha.  The lovestruck Laila who does all the above (in that particular order). She is (according to her Didi-in-law) everything a Bahu shouldn't be: garrulous, geeky, gawky, gainfull employed (especially the last bit). 

The apple of her friends' eyes. The love of Akshay's life. The up and coming bridal make-up artist. Misha is so many thins. But all she wants is to be accepted. Will Misha win Didi over with her Stepford Wife Act? Will she continue to be the poster child for the inherent evils of the Bahu Brigade? Or will she learn to love herself before the whole world and its wife can do the same?

My Review:

Characters:

       Meet M.A.C Misha. Misha is a makeup artist who works at M.A.C store in a mall. She knows this is what she wants to do in life and her biggest dream is to do brides. According to her its the most beautiful thing to make a bride look perfect on her biggest day. Misha also has a masters in getting into awkward situations and no one can beat her in this. Love struck laila, Misha's character is the one that will have you rolling with laughter.

       Meet Akshay, the heir of Agarwal Jewellers. Akshay is tall, lean, handsome (Young Kamadev - the God of Lust, if you ask Misha) and successful young businessman. 

Plot:

       The story begins with Misha bumping into Akshay at a fashion show where she is the make up artist and Akshay is the sponsor. And they both end up meeting in a very hilarious way. In the very beginning we learn two things about Misha - she has to help those who are in trouble and she has a tendency to get into 'Foot in Mouth' situations easily.

       When Misha meets Akshay, sparks fly and she acts as the perfect love struck Laila. But then Akshay also seems to be interested in our heroine and thus begins the love story (that will make you ROFL thanks to Misha). Now that Misha and Akshay have both declared their love for each other and want to tie the knot, comes our Didi. 

       Akki is more like a son to Didi as she is the one who brought him up. Didi is in search of a Bahu and Misha is everything she doesn't want her bahu to be like. Now Misha does so many things to convince Didi, things which may not be right. But will Misha ever be able to convince Didi? Does her love has enough power to overcome every obstacles that come in her way? Read the book to find out.

Things I Liked:

• The Humor!! Totally loved the way Vibha has mixed romance with humor, making sure the reader will never lose interest.
• The story starts right from the very first word, engaging the reader. The fact that you don't have to wait for the story to build up till it gets interesting makes it a perfect read.
• Though Misha is portrayed as a blabbermouth and someone who gets into trouble often, there is a side of Misha which I found very likeable. Her dreams, her determination to fulfill them and Akshay's support - I loved these parts even more.
• Definitely a page turner. With Misha and her never ending ways to get into an awkward situation, thanks to her blabbermouth, you will only want to keep reading to know what happens next.
• I loved Vibha's writing style. It will never let you get bored even the tiniest bit. The fast pace of the book suits perfectly for the story line.

Things I Disliked:

      There are way too many hindi phrases used. While most of the readers would love it because it makes it more realistic, some may not. And also, the book is definitely not for grammar nazis!! It has extra letters added to the words for effects which some people may not like! Also, the story line is a bit predictive. If you have watched enough Bollywood movies, then you will definitely have an answer but nonetheless, the book has the potential to keep the readers engaged till the end.

Verdict:

       I have read some of Vibha's previous books and I loved her writing style, the way she effortlessly mixes humor in her narration. So I was naturally curious when I received this book. I decided to read it while travelling to office. As soon as I boarded the bus, I used to pick a seat, take the book and start reading. And thanks to Misha, many a times I giggled and Guffawed in the bus while reading, earning 'is-she-crazy' looks from those around me! Also, I was so immersed in the book that I almost forgot to get down when my stop came.

       Yes, this book is that hilarious and engaging. You will love it! Fast and quick read, it will definitely have you rolling with laughter.

My Rating:

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Starry Eyed Reader :)

Dancing with Demons - Book Review

Title: Dancing with Demons 

Author: Nidhie Sharma

Publisher: Harlequin India Pvt. Ltd.

ISBN: 978-93-5106-493-0

Number of Pages: 288

Price: 299 [INR]

Genre: Fiction/ General Fiction/ Drama

The Blurb:

Karan Pratap Singh is on the brink of winning the Amateur Boxing Championship, when in a moment, he loses it all. His fall from glory seems fuelled by ruthless arrogance and an out-of-control anger management problem. That, however, is just symptomatic of a deeper issue. Buried under layers of his fractured subconscious lies a childhood secret he cannot come to terms with.

Sonia Kapoor is a beautiful, volatile young woman with a secret that torments her at night but a secret that she feels no guilt for.

When fate throws Karan and Sonia together in Mumbai, their personal demons and pasts collide and stir up trouble in their fragile and uncertain present. But, is redemption possible without forgiveness?

Dancing With Demons is a fast-paced action drama of love, loss and resurrection.

My Review:

Characters:

Meet Karan Prathap Singh, the short tempered boxer who has fallen from glory, the person who seems fearless but is tormented by his own personal demons deep inside, the person who invariably gets into trouble by being in wrong place at wrong time. Karan is also the man you could fall in love with - tall, well built with those boxer looks and a roughness with a dash of tenderness that is so sexy!

Meet the beautiful Sonia Kapoor who doesn't want to stand out from the crowd but blend in, who always seems on the run, hiding from someone or something, who is so strong on the outside but still so fragile. With her courage and looks, she is definitely the girl one can easily fall in love with.

Plot:

       The story begins with Karan losing the most important match of his life when he gives in to his anger. He is banned from boxing for 4 years and his coach, Jerry, deserts him. Life seems over for Karan.

       Fast forward 4 years. Karan has involved in all sorts of things which would make Jerry very angry. And somehow, he always manages to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, thus falling in trouble at every step. This is when he meets Sonia.

      Sonia who is looking for a hideout lands up at Karan's place. In desperate need of money, Karan lets her be his paying guest. And this is where the sparks begin. Living so close, their lives are meant to collide. And when that happens, how will they react? Will they be able to make peace with their demons and give love a chance? Will they be able to leave behind their past and lead a Happily Ever After?

Things I Liked:

• The Suspense!!! I loved the way the author has maintained the suspense till the very end. The curiosity keeps the reader going till the very end without taking any breaks.
• The pace is perfectly maintained, which makes this book a page turner.
• The characterization is also done beautifully, doing justice to each and every character.
• The story is written without leaving much loopholes. The narration is also good, making the story easier to read.

Things I Disliked:

      The only thing I can say is it took me a while to understand what is happening in the beginning with too much suspense maintained. But as the story progressed, this suspense is the thing which kept me going.

Verdict:

       A perfect novel to read on a weekend. It keeps you hooked till the very end and you are going to enjoy deciphering the secrets of both Karan and Sonia's past. The cover says 'Soon to be made into a Bollywood Film'. And seeing how this book ends, I can say it perfectly matches the Bollywood style.

My Rating:

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Starry Eyed Reader :)

Love Aptually - Book Review

Title: Love Aptually

Author: Pooja Nair

Publisher: Frog Books

The Blurb:

"Can real love ever blossom amidst a plethora of virtual chat apps and widgets? Can the mechanical swipes and eager clicks on the phone ever substitute the pleasures of a real-life chance encounter? For Aayushi, it all begins with an idle flickering message on her app's inbox, from a guy named Ayaan. This leads to an affair where the two discover a deep attraction for each other. However, Aayushi ends the relationship rather abruptly. Three years later, Aayushi unexpectedly bumps into Ayaan in her Singapore office. His changed behaviour perplexes her and she tries to find out if Ayaan had ever loved her the way she imagined love to be. She ends up uncovering revelations galore, and is finally led to a simple truth. Will this change her romantic notions forever or reaffirm her faith in love? " 

My Review:

       Aayushi was in a relationship when her paths first crossed with Ayaan. She lies about being in a relationship and continues chatting with Ayaan on the app where they became friends. Slowly the bond between then grows deeper and Aayushi grows attached to him. When they finally met, Ayaan professes his lover for Aayushi and Aayushi leaves him as she couldn't cope up with the guilt of lying to him.

      Fast forward to the future: Aayushi is in the middle of a business meeting when she sees Ayaan for the first time after so many years. She is shocked, confused and out of words due to his sudden appearance in her life. As she contemplates various possibilities of why Ayaan could be there, she finds out that he is a team mate and they have to work together. This paves way to the bubbling up of a new love story or rekindling of the old relation. The road though, is not easy. Will Ayaan and Aayushi make it work? Read to find out!

       The story is simple and relatable. The language used is simple. There were some typos which could be over looked. The characters seem real and thus maintain the interest of the readers in the story.  The pace was medium and sometimes I lost interest in between the story but the pace was picked up soon. Overall it was a light read. I recommend it to youngsters who like reading love stories.

My Rating:

3.5 / 5 Stars!!

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Starry Eyed Reader :)