Elephants in the Room by Suraj Laxminarayanan
Published by The Write Place on 08/2018
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 600
Format: ARC
Goodreads

What is a better crime fiction novel where a crime revolves around not the detective who tries to fit pieces in a puzzle? A book that focuses on the crime, it’s after effects and the turmoil every individual involved goes through. Such is a book written by Suraj Laxminarayanan called Elephants in the Room.  

Set in Chennai this book is the debut of Suraj Laxminarayanan in the world of crime fiction. The plot revolves around a bank heist that leads to the story of three gangs coming face to face as the events in this book unfold. A group of friends plans a bank robbery which they think to be foolproof. They get into every detail and leave nothing out of their blueprint. It is kind of an Oceans’ 11 but here only 5 members are the mastermind behind it. They try to start their careers as robbers by mugging pedestrians to get hands-on experience. 

Things get interesting when another gang of robbers who have already established roots in the crime decides to rob the same bank on the same day with heavy weaponry. Bonds are developed among criminals but as they say, there is no honor among thieves, things get ugly.  

The storyline is a long one, written in more 590 pages, it intelligently unfolds every event and the reason behind the action taken which helps a reader like me to develop perspective. This also keeps it interesting until the end. The theme does not only revolves around the crime that is committed but every emotion exposure each character go through which leads to a thrilling drama that is lightened by occasional comic moments. 

I never expected this novel to be a thrilling one. The plot did sound interesting at the start and looking at the length of the book, I did wonder how the author will reach the conclusion of this tale which is full of twists and turns. He is imagination and construction of plot did exceed my expectations and so did his writing style. Written from a third person’s narrative there is not a single element I could find the can be said as a dragging one. He even provides insight into Chennai’s culture and its geography which I am nothing but unfamiliar. The characterization could have been better but I do not solely blame the author since there is a huge cast to manage.  

This book is an attraction for crime readers as it does not follow a traditional path of the subgenre but tries to redefine the perspective both of the reader and the writer because of its highly appreciable and well-organized plot.  

4 out of 5! 

The post BOOK REVIEW: Elephants in the Room by Suraj Laxminarayanan appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Unforeseen by Chandan Sen Gupta
Published by Notionpress on 23/03/2018
Genres: Fiction, Thriller
Pages: 340
Format: ARC, eBook
Goodreads

The post BOOK REVIEW: Unforeseen by Chandan Sen Gupta appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Dystopia by Manoj Jain
Published by The Write Place Genres: Fiction
Pages: 146
Format: Paperback
Goodreads

With a peculiar cover Manoj Jain, this is his 5th book release. I have read some of his work in the past and has expressed my views accordingly. I am on a firm belief that writer Manoj Jain’s work is mostly targeted to the length of a novella, he is definitely trying to accomplish something there.

The storyline of his latest novel revolves around the peculiar nature of a child and their parents. The theme of this novella is everything related to a childhood. The pain of growing up, teenage angst, role identities, and parenting. A spirit is constantly present guiding these children and oversees their journey in the beautiful fantasy land of Shambala, a kingdom where children start their travels and are protected and taken care of.

These children continue their journey, skipping along the path till they reach a dark forbidding gate, which like some powerful vacuum sucks them inside and into the next kingdom of Dystopia. The plot starts around the reunion of five friends where they recall the past wounds and a memory to resolve why a young girl had to kill herself at the age of eighteen.

The writing style is up to the mark here. What I liked about this whole storyline is how the author has used the spirit of Dystopia as an expression that closely resembles a parent as an adult who guides a child during their from the young age to their teenage years and helps them to emerge as adults. As a reader, one can clearly observe the psychology from this end. Next, the thing I like about this novella is how Manoj Jain engages a reader like me in his twisting and turning of the storyline.

I read this book in one go and I am sure you will enjoy reading it to. If you are a parent, this might turn on an internal debate with your subconscious mind for the good or the bad but beware, that the message this novella wants to spread, must be taken seriously.

4 out of 5!

The post #BookReview: Dystopia by Manoj Jain appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Caina by Joseph Albanese
Published by Mockingbird Lane Press on 05/07/2018
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 174
Goodreads

Caina is a dark comedy thriller, a light-hearted novel written by Joseph Albanese. The story revolves around two siblings who are born only a few minutes apart. One is highly successful, the other is attracted towards trouble. This opposite nature of two brothers seems like a yin yang situation is what this book about.

Lee Tolan attracts trouble wherever he goes. In debt to multiple gang members, Lee is given a second chance in life to pay back his dues. After not seeing his twin brother for more than a decade, Lee is forced to overcome this strange nature of their relationship only to find that Grant, his twin brother dead but leaves a fortune behind. Soon Lee realizes that to claim this fortune, he has to turn into his brother for the DEA and fight the mob cleverly and do save a little for himself. From this point starts a dark comical thriller of the chase, sympathy, friendship, and love. During these events, Lee learns a lot about his brother and his dark secrets.

The plot is well constructed due to the following reasons. There is a lot in the storyline going in 170 pages that keep the reader on the edge. With themes of dark comedy and crime, this novel is well suited to be read in a seating or two. The timing of the climax is on the mark. However, I did not see any subplot emerging from the shadows of the characters. A subplot could give a reader some breathing space and thinking time as to what will be the turning point. This book does not. As a reader, you keep following the series of events with a variety of characters.

The characterization in this novel is above par. Realistic enough to digest and well suited with the plot. I do like how novel starts and then from there the story builds up. The author does a great job of providing the background of the protagonist in the start. Though in between, I did lose interest due to same nature of events getting repeated. The multiple gang members due was not necessary in my opinion. One such occurrence could have been enough.

3.5! An entertaining read overall.

The post #BookReview: Caina by Joseph Albanese appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

The Last Attractor of Chaos by Abhinav Singh
Published by Notionpress on 04/2018
Genres: Fiction, Mystery
Pages: 332
Format: eBook
Goodreads

If you get a chance to read a Spy novel written by an Indian writer you to read it. It is a like once in a blue moon material that gets out in the market.

The plot starts with a married couple. Ashwin Rathore is killed in a well-planned murder that gets wrong. The murderer was after his wife Shruti Rathore who is a retired R&AW agent. This is just a start of this thrilling storyline as the wife gets arrested by the Intelligence Bureau on the charge of stealing a strategic weapon and killing her associate. Unaware of her wife’s past, and after his death Ashwin meets a strange consciousness appearing in the form of a guide in his afterlife. Both of them try to save Shruti’s life as Ashwin himself tries to fight a dilemma of protecting his wife or choosing what is right to do.

The plot covers an interesting theme and there is a lot from a philosophical point of view on the death and afterlife. I was surprised by this as I expected it to be a traditional spy novel. However, the inclusion of this law of nature as the primary theme of the novel did make things interesting. With glimpses of mysterious nature of characters, this novel has a good pace, and the setting of the novel which includes an Intelligence Agency of India is something altogether new out there for the reader to pick this up.

The characterization is bold but more significant within the plot. They are like a molecule in the shell of the storyline and without it, they won’t exist. The use of sob plot was not much of an intriguing point from me but I think it copes well in the end. The writing style is crisp and lucid. It does help to turn the page at a faster rate. There are many twists and turns that made not to put down this book. A glimpse of realism is there which is what Indian readers are after these days.

Overall, this book is recommended for the sole reason that there aren’t many Spy novels written in India or by Indian writers. Another point that I can add is that this book is highly entertaining due to the way it reaches the climax of the story.

5 out of 5!

The post BOOK REVIEW: The Last Attractor of Chaos by Abhinav Singh appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

A Place Called Schugara by Joe English
on 20/03/2017
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 554
Format: eBook
Goodreads

Sometimes, when reading a book I often feel the characters it consists are the backbone. I do not know if you have encountered this feeling but I have. The storyline can be flawless but there is a lot that depends on the characters. These characters do not just fill up the pages but they tend to create their own illustration in our minds. For this kind of book, I do believe a writer needs to have a seamless ability to develop such characters and give them air to breathe in between the pages. A Place called Schugara by Joe English is one of that type of book.

The storyline is intriguing as it is based in Caribbean islands. It consists of three main characters: a factory owner from Ohio, an insurance investigator from New York and a bookseller from Chicago. Their fate is tied up together on a little island in the Caribbean. Each of them, offering a variety of background and have their own justification for reaching out on the island. One is after the materialistic missing treasure and another arrives to search for a missing person. Each of them discovers a different experience that is rightly justified by the overall novel. The plot covers all these different characters with a gap in between the timeline of their arrival. The main highlight of the plot is that each character brings on a subplot that adds to the major picture and from time it is unpredictable which is how a reader like is motivated to keep reading it.

The characterisation apart from the main cast is well organized and developed. Every character has its own role to play. The author uses dialogue formation well to switch between the different acts but also uses first-person narrative voice with Chicago bookseller. On reading it, I could say there are different styles of narration mixed to enhance the distinct voices of different characters. This is intriguing. The pace of the novel is steady and helps in moving with the plot. The book is 550 pages long so it also gives a lot of time for the main cast to develop to its fullest and at the same time for the reader to cope with them.

Apart from that, there are different themes that the author tries to address in this book. Themes such as drug wars and the scandal related to a Church clergy are the two highlights. The climax of the novel unfolds in more of a classic Russian literature style. Yes, I am referring to the likes of Dostoyevsky and Chekhov. The book is the result of a highly creative energy put in as the effort. I took my time to read it but I can say it was worth it.

5 out of 5! Recommended.

The post BOOK REVIEW: A Place Called Schugara by Joe English appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Inkredia: The Luwan of Brida by Sarang Mahajan
Series: Inkredia #1
Published by Gloryburg on 28/05/2017
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 436
Format: eBook
Goodreads

Inkredia: Luwan of Brida is the first book in the series of four. Written by Sarang Mahajan, it is a fast-paced fantasy novel. Written in the fashion of tell-tale fantasy, this book takes the reader on an adventure that has knights, magic, mystery, and questions that need to be answered.

From start to finish, the plot revolves around the two characters of both siblings. One is a seventeen-year-old Luwan and his sister Meg who live in the mountain village of Brida. Both of them are orphans since there is a little reference for their father or any other relative. The book cover might not seem an attractive one but believe as I started reading it, I could not keep my hands off it. The storyline unfolds at an interesting point. Luwan is facing a penalty, probably one that includes his death as he fails to pay the tax for the first time. He makes a daring choice to flee from the village along with his sister in a world that is full of danger.

His embarkment of the journey nearly gets them killed. Evil assassins called Ghork Riders are chasing him. He possesses a mysterious book given by his mother that is magical in nature. In the form of riddles, the magical book guides Luwan outside of his village where he comes across a drunkard name Kiliarn who is a merchant by profession. Now, I can tell you all about Kiliarn in this review since I found him the most likable character in this book, but I do not want to spoil anything for you. All I can say this, Kiliarn agrees to take responsibility to travel with them to The City in exchange for some silver coins. It is a thrilling adventure until the destination arrives.

The plot is well constructed and organized. There is so much suspense that surrounds these characters which makes it hard to keep an eye off them. A reader who is fond of traditional fantasies will be indulged in this book. Another thing I want to mention that both the storyline and Sarang’s creation of the world of its own seems closer to Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings rather than modern fantasy writers.

There are not many characters revealed in this edition. The character of Kiliarn is my favorite so far. I am sure, I can expect more interesting characters like this in the rest of this series. The author has taken the time to introduce us to the main cast as well as let few others develop along the adventure. Written in third person narrative style, the overall writing style is just amazing and professional.

This book, even though is a start in the series of Inkredia, seems to have a strong foundation established. I managed to finish this book in two sittings. I will definitely be looking out for the next part. Fantasy lovers and fans of Lord of the Rings check this out. I am sure you won’t be disappointed. Highly recommended!

5 out of 5!

The post BOOK REVIEW: Inkredia by Sarang Mahajan appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Super Me by Jessica Dazzo
on 20/07/2018
Genres: Fiction, YA, Supernatural/Paranormal
Pages: 327
Format: ARC, eBook
Goodreads

The post BOOK REVIEW Super Me by Jessica Dazzo appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd
Published by William Morrow on 05/06/2018
Genres: Fiction, Dystopia
Pages: 492
Format: eBook
Goodreads

When I came across Peng Shepherd’s debut work, I was foremost attracted by the mysteriousness of the cover of her book. There is no drug that can give you that much high than a book’s beautifully designed cover on which you set your skeptical eyes.

Imagine if you lose your shadow today, somehow. How will you respond to that? What will be your reaction? Will you overreact? Will you have thought that you have lost something close to you? The storyline of this dystopian novel toys with the idea of human beings losing shadow due to some vibe. This doesn’t sound creepy and weird at all, does it?

After losing the shadow, an individual’s memory starts to fade. For some, it takes weeks to be completely reborn in their mind for some, it happens overnight. I found this concept fascinating and dark enough if you think about it. The storyline revolves around multiple characters majorly Max and Ory, a wife and her husband who are trying to escape the Forgetting disease. Yes, they have the name for it. Heights of creativity! This Forgetting disease is spreading out like the plague and wiping the memory of all those who are affected. Until one day, Max’s shadow disappears.

Knowing that she will forget everything, Max runs away Ory refuses to give up on her and tries everything in his possession to find her before her memory completely disappears. The adventure starts and a series of events unfold. The history of the disease Forgetting is told to us, about its origin, whom it affected first and how it is related to elephants. Ory’s attempt to find Max is another adventure in itself that runs parallel to the background of the theme.

There’s a difference between when the mind forgets and the heart does. #BookReview The Book of M (Peng Shepherd
Click To Tweet

Written from multiple POVs the book shows feelings and emotions of a being so intense that it gave me goosebumps in between. The overall theme of the book makes it interesting to dwell but the characterization is the core of this book. Everything revolves around them. The start, the ending and even the MAJOR climax in the book.

The writing style is mesmerizing and surreal. The genre of dystopia is well displayed here. The organization of the novel along with ever-changing narration is perfect. Various perceptions make it more thrilling and chilling at the same time. There are twists and turns that caught me off the guard and I am sure, on reading it, you will experience them too.

I read this book in two sittings in one day. I could not keep my hands off it. It is gripping, surreal and a delight for fantasy/urban fantasy/dystopian audience. The reason I am giving it 4 stars is that it could have been more mysterious. Sounded like Mad Max in the end.

4 out of 5!

The post BOOK REVIEW: The Book of M by Peng Shepherd appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.

Anon by Bhavani Iyer
Published by Fingerprint! Publishing on 31/05/2018
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Literary
Pages: 312
Format: Paperback
Goodreads

Bhavani Iyer is a screenwriter for many Hindi films and television shows, so when I received this book, I knew I would not be disappointed. Anon is her debut work published earlier this year. The storyline is based in Calcutta of 1960s-70s where Jazz clubs are still lively.

The storyline revolves around two personalities, who are different by a vast amount of surroundings between them yet, they found each other become friends. One is a son of a wealthy landowner and another is born into a fisherman’s family. One is a genius vagabond, another is an ambitious dreamer. However, both of them share a common passion. They both are aspiring writers and have their own share of struggles.

Their friendship is however not only based on the common passion they share. It is actually the different personalities, like two opposing forces attracting each other. It is their story, where one gets the chance to live and other to die.

The narrative style third person and is used very well. The charm of this book is in its characterization. Apart from the two main protagonists of our novel, the characters are lively and cope well with their own roles or the amount of time they are given to appear. The development of the two protagonists can be observed throughout the novel. The writing style is excellent and engrossing. It is because of the manner it is written that as a reader I could observe the emotions that change with time inside a human mind. Crushing memories from past, nostalgic ones from the childhood, this book is full of them.

4 out of 5!

The post BOOK REVIEW: Anon by Bhavani Iyer appeared first on Confessions of a Readaholic.