Review of 'Letters from an Indian Summer' by 'Siddharth Dasgupta'

Blurb: A love story between an Indian photographer and a French artist, Letters from an Indian Summer is suffused with a strong sense of serendipity and spiritually liberal doses of the things Arjun Bedi and Genevieve Casta hold dear in this world. The past, though, lurks constantly around every chosen corner. Will the secrets they harbour end up destroying them, or will the unspoken belief in their entwined cosmic paths be much too strong a force . . . ?

Verdict: ‘Letters from an Indian Summer’ is the debut work of Siddharth Dasgupta. The most unique thing of this book is the author’s story telling skills.

After holding the book physically the first thing that left my mouth was the word gorgeous. It is one of the best cover I have seen for a story like this till date. The font in which the name is written, the color of the back ground, the dry rose and leaves scattered all over the cover, makes this look blissful. The name is different as the cover and will invite the readers to grab it. The blurb is small but gives a glimpse of the plot. The first look of the book is so good that it will definitely attract the reader’s eyes.

The books starts with Arjun Bedi (the male protagonist), an Indian photographer, meeting a French artist Genevieve Casta (the female protagonist) in a café in Pune. The first thing the readers will notice is the author saying Pune as Poona, but as soon the author describes why, it starts to sound perfect. The story moves on with their first meeting in Kathmandu and with describing exotic places like Kathmandu, Paris, Istanbul, Banaras and of course Pune, in small and charming chapters. The readers are going to like the way the author has framed the whole story and specially the end.

The thing that takes this book to a new height is the effortless describing style of this debut author. The narrating style is poetic and expressive. From describing scenes to conversations all through the story, the delightful words will keep the readers hypnotized. The chosen words are a treat to the reader’s eyes and they will appreciate the author for the rich literary touch. When the author describes outlandish scenes the readers will feel an urgent urge to visit the places or witness the beauty. The author has the ability to mesmerize the readers by his beautiful and calm narrating story telling style.

The way the author created his characters is perfect for a story like this. I loved the names of the characters because those names suits their personality and doesn’t confuse the readers.

There are a few scenes which can make the readers feel a bit bored because of the continuous descriptions and the slow speed. The speed being the one and only drawback of the story and I would say a story and a narrative like this should be enjoyed slowly by sinking himself totally under the author’s brilliantly created atmosphere. A story that will be loved by all those who can appreciate good literature and are in search of a wonderful and pure love story controlled by fate.

Final Words: The serenity and the composure of the author's narrating style and the author's command over the language will enthrall the readers to the core. Kudos to the writer for writing such a book in his debut attempt.

Title: Letters from an Indian Summer
Author: Siddharth Dasgupta
Publisher: Fingerprint!
Page Count: 317
My Rating: 4.75/5

Available at:

Flipkart – http://www.flipkart.com/letters-indian-summer-english/p/itmefgecsxgmxeyh?pid=9788172345495&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=Letters+from+an+Indian+Summer+bu+Siddharth+Dasgupta&ref=b7b64bff-c32b-4c37-8034-f1bd31a0f2ce

Amazon – http://www.amazon.in/Letters-Indian-Summer-Siddharth-Dasgupta/dp/8172345496/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418398949&sr=8-1&keywords=Letters+from+an+Indian+Summer+by+Siddharth+Dasgupta

Review of 'Life in a Rectangle' by 'Sujit Sanyal'

Blurb: Author Sujit Sanyal rambles down the memory lane in his candid memoir and narrates some revealing, some intriguing and other wacky stories about the advertising world from his Clarion days, his first agency, which he joined as a trainee and whose Kolkata branch he later went on to head.

Verdict: ‘Life in a rectangle’ is a yet another wonderful novel by Sujit Sanyal. This book has a charm of its own which makes this special to the audience.

Any reader are bound to fall for the book at the very first glimpse. The hardbound cover with a colorful jacket looks fascinating. The mention of the compliments this book has got from various eminent personalities on the cover completes the look and will attract the readers. The thing I loved the most is the feeling which one will get after opening the copy, lasts till closing of the book.

Only the author with such credibility can narrate a story like this. The author has narrated a story of that time which created history. Being a memoir of his own life, the author’s detailed description of the condition of advertising industry in seventies and eighties and the life of people of Calcutta is appreciable. Sujit Sanyal’s journey from an employee to the head of the company is definitely worth reading. The mention of the Bengali words inside the story and the constant presence of Calcutta in the backdrop helps me connect with the book but I can very well say that any reader with the urge to read something different can connect with the book.

The narrating style chosen by the author is not a trendy one but goes with the flow of the story. The words are wonderfully chosen and added to the charm of the book. The chapters are short and delicate which will help the readers complete the book in one go. Being a non-fiction, this book makes its way to the reader’s heart because of the flawless narrating style.

The characters are equally well described and came alive at times. The mention of well-known persons of that time will entice the readers to read more.

The eloquent descriptions and the way the author framed the whole plot, reflects the authors command over the language. The book is error free and there is not a single thing to point which disturbs the flow. The teenagers might not like the book because of its different content but apart from that this book is definitely one fascinating read.

Final Words: This book will take the readers to a journey down the memory lane filled with nostalgia. An absorbing read.

Title: Life in a Rectangle
Author: Sujit Sanyal
Publisher: Fingerprint!
Page count: 260
My Rating: 4.75/5

Available at:

Flipkart – http://www.flipkart.com/life-rectangle-world-around-55b-mirza-ghalib-street-english/p/itmdepn4rbgahrcf?pid=9788172343989&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=Life+in+a+rectangle&ref=26b8856e-37e5-42cc-932b-acb9996335a8

Amazon – http://www.amazon.in/Life-Rectangle-Sujit-Sanyal/dp/8172343981/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418202359&sr=8-1&keywords=Life+in+a+rectangle

Review of 'Killing Ashish Karve' by 'Salil Desai'

Blurb: Senior Inspector Saralkar is back at his desk after spending a rather annoying week at a Secrets of Living course, especially for police officers and he is itching for some action now. Luckily, an exciting new case turns up right away!

The body of Ashish Karve, a local businessman has been found in the back seat of his car. To PSI Motkar, Saralkar's diminutive assistant, it seems to be a straightforward case of suicide. But Saralkar's sharp mind is agog with the dark possibility of murder. As the case unfolds Saralkar finds enough motives for people, be it Ashishs business partner, his wife, his brother, his friend, his brother-in-law or even strangers to want to do away with him!

Is the senior inspector becoming too fanciful in his imagination or is he on the right track in assuming that Ashish was killed?

Delve into this deliciously thrilling whodunit and walk along with Senior Inspector Saralkar and PSI Motkar as they set out to sift the truth from lies and half-truths.

Verdict: ‘Killing Ashish Karve’ is one of the two crime novels written by Salil Desai. This book can be called as a perfect murder mystery, written in a perfect way and the suspense was alive till the last page of the book.

This book was previously published by the name ‘The Body in the back seat’ but the author correctly changed the name in its new edition which sounds more interesting and will definitely drag more readers towards it. The cover is exceptionally designed and one of the best cover design I have seen in murder mysteries. The blood, the body on the back seat, everything looks perfect and I can feel the author saying after seeing the cover, ‘just the way I want it.’

Like any other Indian thrillers or murder mysteries, this book also have been written in a very simple language which can attract a vast number of audience. The author have the capability to turn things with his narrating skills. The sarcastic comments made by the main protagonist or by his assistant and the ghoulish humor injected by the author only makes the book all the more entertaining. I appreciate the author for choosing such a narrating style which helps him describing every scenes in details without revealing much. Though I felt few characters can be described in a more detailed way but then in a murder mystery the author can’t describe everything.

The characters were planted very efficiently and made very delicate according to the story line. The reader can never feel that there is one single character who doesn't have a vital role to play in this story. Unlike other thrillers, which often introduce numerous characters to confuse the readers, this story have limited number of characters and one can very well start his own investigation based on the given information without missing one. As I said earlier if there was a bit more description about the characters, it will help the readers to visualize more clearly.

The storyline is very well framed and described in a similar disciplined manner. The author hasn't lost any time and have jumped into the main course from the very first page of the book without giving the readers much room. Once the main protagonist Inspector Saralkar and his assistant PSI Motkar starts their investigation one can’t put the book down. At one time I felt that all the characters in this story have the motive to murder Ashish Karve, where I think the author is successful. Kudos to the author for choosing such uncommon names which sounds familiar in this particular scenario.

The narrating style is very smooth and will help the readers to go with the flow without noticing any flaws. But after knowing the culprit at the end, I felt this a bit unacceptable and disappointed but the motive is though genuine and can lead to murder. May be if the culprit was someone else the ending would have been more thrilling. The book has a much maintained speed and the author was effortless in keeping the twist till the end. Apart from these minor draw backs I loved the book.

Final Words:  As the title suggest, this book is one unique murder mystery novel which will give the readers a nail-biting experience till the last page and will also keep them entertained all through the journey (read investigation).

Title: Killing Ashish Karve – An Inspector Saralkar Mystery
Author: Salil Desai
Publisher: Fingerprint
Page Count: 259
My Rating: 4.25/5

Available at –

Flipkart - http://www.flipkart.com/killing-ashish-karve-inspector-saralkar-mystery-english/p/itmdy89yvbunftaspid=9788172345310&sid=bks&affid=INAmanblo&query=8172345313&q=8172345313

Amazon - http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/8172345313/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=goodreads_in-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=8172345313&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Review of 'Bucket List of a Traveloholic' by 'Sarika Pandit'

Blurb: While her B-School batch mates are busy scrambling for top jobs and grades, a restless Sarika dreams of putting on her running shoes and having all the pages of her passport stamped by the age of thirty.

What follows is a frenzied quest of not just collecting stamps but ticking off items off her ever-expanding bucket list: From learning the local language in Spain to an alcohol trail through Greece; from a tryst with Shakespeare and Jane Austen in the United Kingdom to an encounter with the Vampire in Romania; from straddling the border between two countries in the Middle East to a road trip through Morocco to the Sahara; each experience bringing her just a little closer to reaching that final destination on her passport.

A journey of falling in love with globetrotting--this one promises to be one of the best roller-coaster reading experiences you will have this year.

Verdict: ‘Bucket List of a Traveloholic’ is the first novel by the avid traveler Sarika Pandit. This is one unique book which will drag the hidden traveloholic among the readers and will make them see the places through the eyes of the author.

One look at the book and the readers knows that this book is not a fiction but a travel book. The name, the cover everything fits perfect in the genre of this book. Even the back cover features some interesting photographs, which will definitely make the readers sneak a peek inside the book.

I always thought that travel books are boring, just because they don’t have a story to tell. But this book turned my thoughts upside down and after completing this book, I became a fan of this genre. 

Each and every chapter have a new story to tell and a new scene to show. The name of the chapters are make those all the more exotic. After reading first two chapters I turned the pages and started to discover through the index, which countries or how many cities I would visit through this book.

Being a non-fiction book the author haven’t care a lot on the narrating style and go on telling her experiences which I think the best thing of the book. One can feel by reading this that these incidents are true and these words are original. There are cities which we have seen in movies, read in books and there are few which are not. From learning Spanish in Spain, to trying chocolate in Brussels, from testing alcohol in Greece to the wonder country Slovenia, each and every chapter is so beautiful that the readers can literally feel the atmosphere. I envy the boss of Sarika and her luck of finding the perfect partner every time. My favorite chapters or places was United Kingdome and Florence. The clicked pictures at the end of every chapters completes everything.

I loved the way the author described each secnes with perfect amount of humor but I couldn’t deny the fact that there is few chapters also which are not that interesting. May be the place was not so interesting or can be described in a better way. Apart from those few boring chapters this book is roller coaster ride and the more important thing is this book will entertain everyone without caring for age.

Final Words: Being my first in the genre of travel this book made me a fan of this genre. I felt if I could see more places through the eyes of the author, after completing the book. This book will definitely drag out the traveloholic inside you.

Title: Bucket List of a Traveloholic
Author: Sarika Pandit
Publisher: Fingerprint
Page Count: 240
My Rating: 4.5/5

Available at –

Flipkart – http://www.flipkart.com/bucket-list-traveloholic-english/p/itm9788172344979?q=Bucket+List+of+a+Traveloholic+%28English%29&as=on&as-show=on&otracker=start&as-pos=p_1&pid=9788172344979

Amazon – http://www.amazon.in/Bucket-List-Traveloholic-Sarika-Pandit/dp/817234497X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411716502&sr=1-1&keywords=bucket+list+of+a+traveloholic

Review of "Twice Upon A Time" by "Anjali Bhatia"

Blurb: Is a man’s past set in stone, or can it be changed? Rewritten and reshaped?
Is time a reality, or a construct of the imagination? Fleeting and fragmented?
One man is about to find out…

Meet Arpit, a bitter young man who embarks upon an incredible and seemingly impossible journey to right the seven wrongs that shadowed his life, all in a quest to be together with Mannat, the love of his life.

When Arpit meets Nishimaya, a modern-day mystic, little does he know his life is about to change. In entirely. But change comes with effort. And Arpit has to lose himself in order to resurrect his past and set thing right. With every past mistakes he corrects, he finds a corresponding change in his present life…but not all changes are easy to make. And as Arpit travels further back into his own life, he’s forced to dig into frightening depths and fight against his own self to dredge up the truth from sediments of folly that litter his world.

Unknown to him, however, Mannat is supporting his striggle from halfway across the world even if she tries to gather her own life together. And Nishimaya, as she takes Arpit through the swirls of time, has to confront ghost of her own as well.

As their lives get caught in the web of karma, dreams, memories, and destinies, Arpit, Mannat and Nishimaya must stumble and fall if they are to reach the end. But Time still holds a revelation none of them had expected…

Verdict: ‘Twice upon a time’ is the first work of Anjali Bhatia. The debut author has framed quit a different plot and executed it wonderfully. The concept of time-travel is always fascinating and this is why the readers should pick this book.

I do judge a book by its cover because it creates the first impression and I appreciate the designer for making such a wonderful cover. From the font to the soothing background color everything looks remarkable. The name suits the concept of time travel perfectly.

This is the story of a guy named Arpit (the main protagonist), who has lost his love Mannat for his own deed. His immature decisions and his misplaced words took his love away from him and left him to regret his past. After the entry of Nishimaya aka Nishi, a modern day mystic, Arpit starts to see a hope to get Mannat back because of her powers to take him to the past by re-dreaming. As the process starts and Arpit goes back to make up for his mistakes the book becomes interesting.

Apart from the love story of Arpit and Mannat the author has presented few sub-plots too, the fright of the villagers against the evil corporate companies to save their holy lake from polluting, Arpit’s relation with his father, who is the main culprit to bring those companies to those villages and the past of Nishimaya. The characters are created with such proficiency that it leaves a lasting effect on the readers. Every character has a story to tell and a role to play. At times I felt the author was dragging the story unnecessarily by focusing on the sub plots which drops the speed.

The author have a beautiful command over the language and have chosen her words very carefully. At the beginning, the readers might find this bit a boring because of the puzzle created by the author. The slow speed at the start could make the readers drop the book. If the readers can go through the first few chapters till the start of the re-dreaming process then they will find this story interesting. I would have loved the book more if the author would have concentrated more on the time travel or the re-dreaming process without confusing the readers with numerous characters and stories. Though at the end the author was able to tie all the loose ends and complete the story with a good note and an effective message. Overall a nice effort by a debut author and this book can be picked over a cup of coffee as a different read.

Final Words:  The author has efficiently mixed up science fiction with mystery which will help the readers find this story interesting. The fluent narrating style of the author the best part of the book. A decent effort by a debut author.

Title: TWICE upon a time
Author: Anjali Bhatia
Publisher: Fingerprint Publications
Page Count: 312
My Rating: 3.75/5


Available at -

Flipkart - http://www.flipkart.com/twice-upon-time-english/p/itm9788172345099?pid=9788172345099&sid=bks&affid=INAmanblo&query=9788172345099&q=9788172345099

Amazon - http://www.amazon.in/Twice-Upon-Time-Anjali-Bhatia/dp/8172345097/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408951682&sr=8-1&keywords=Twice+Upon+A+Time

Review of 'Daughter by Court Order' by 'Ratna'

Blurb: A seemingly innocent remark over an innocuous cup of tea. Aranya discovers that her family has been fighting a decade-long legal battle over her grandfather’s expansive estate, all the while not only keeping her in the dark, but also keeping her very existence out of the court’s knowledge!

A cesspool of emotions, half-truths, betrayals, and the unspooling of long buried dirty family secrets threaten to overpower Aranya and disrupt what modicum of peace and balance she has in her life as a single mother of two children. At the center of this storm is the one woman who, ever since the day Aranya was born, has had nothing but curses and abuses for her; who has deliberately kept her name out of the court; who has wished her dead for every day of her life; who refuses to now remember her birth. The woman who is her mother. Her own mother.
This is the story of a woman fighting against power, money, deceit, and treachery for her right to be recognized as a daughter.

A daughter by court order . . .

Verdict: ‘Daughter by Court Order’ is the debut work of Ratna Vira. This story is the need of the hour. How a woman struggles for her identity, how she fights for her rights is what this book is all about. This book perfectly shows what most of the women in India has to face.

The cover looks simple but will definitely push a reader to pick it and read the blurb. And the blurb is so interesting that I believe readers can hardly put it down. The name very much suits the content. When the main protagonist fight for her rights, her identity against her own family and drags them to court, no title suits better than this.

It is pretty tough to believe that how a mother abuses her child, how she curses her and doesn’t want to get her out from the incubator but that is how this books starts. Kamini the mother of Aranya aka Arnie (the main protagonist) always abused and cursed her daughter. The start was a bit indefinite and can make readers a bit unsettled but as the story moves on and starts to juggle between past and present, it becomes interesting and pacey.

The story reaches a new height when Arnie finds that her mother had deliberately left her out from the benefactors. Let alone inform her about her grandfather’s will, they had hidden her existence from the court. Arnie decides to take a stand and fight for her right or fight for her existence or fight to prove that she is the daughter of the reputed Dhari family of Delhi. The way the story sails by describing how Arnie fights in the court for her identity and still manages her two children and a house loan approaching her head.

The narrating style is good crafted with beautiful words. But at times readers might feel this book is a bit prolonged. The characters are very well described and very much relatable.  After completing the book the readers can easily say that they know each of them well.

The story line is good but can be shortened at few places. The author has chosen a direct narrative style which makes the main protagonist very much visible but I felt the rest of the characters lacked spotlights. But the wonderful message that lies behind this story line will force the readers to ignore all the flaws and complete the book in one go.

Final Words: Ratna has presented a very delicate plot in her debut work which will take readers in an emotional journey. A book that tells about child-abuse, woman-empowerment can easily be called as need of the hour.

Title: Daughter by Court Order
Author: Ratna
Publisher: Fingerprint Publishers
Page Count: 370
My Rating: 4.75/5

Available at - 

Flipkart - http://www.flipkart.com/daughter-court-order-english/p/itmdw7cfudybbmy5?pid=9788172345211&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=daughter+by+court+order&ref=47a3a77b-6671-4222-9667-f8556afcdf8d

Amazon - http://www.amazon.in/Daughter-Court-Order-Ratna-Vira/dp/8172345216/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408426050&sr=8-1&keywords=Daughter+by+Court+Order

The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti: a review

Name: The Almond Tree

Author: Michelle Cohen Corasanti

Publisher: FINGERPRINT

Page Count: 352

Back cover says: Against a background torn from the pages of today’s headlines, The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti recasts the Palestinians in Israel and Gaza, a people frequently in the news but often misrepresented and deeply misunderstood.

This stunning debut conveys a universal story of human courage and resolution. Comparable to Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, this novel delivers an inspirational story of unfathomable pain and incredible perseverance.

Gifted with a mind that continues to impress the elders in his village, Ahmed Hamid struggles with knowing that he can do nothing to save his friends and family. Living on occupied land, his entire village operates in fear of losing their homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, the people fear losing each other.

On Ahmed’s twelfth birthday, that fear becomes reality. With his father imprisoned, his family’s home and possessions confiscated, and his siblings quickly succumbing to hatred in the face of conflict, Ahmed begins an inspiring journey using his intellect to save his poor and dying family. In doing so he reclaims a love for others that was lost through a childhood rife with violence and loss, and discovers a new hope for the future.

The Almond Tree humanizes a culture and brings characters from a distant land to life.

On the name & cover:

The name itself sends a tickling sensation down the spine. After completing the whole book I can very easily say this is the best possible name for this piece of art. The role the tree has conveyed in this book makes the name perfect.
The font in which the title has been printed and the chocolaty shade in the cover makes this book an instant hit among the readers. The cover gives the book an intense feeling which is very much needed for the book. Overall the name and the cover creates a fabulous impression among the readers.

On the narrating style:

While reading the book I forgot that this is a debut work of an author. The narrating style reminds me of the legendary writer KHALED HOSSEINI, very simple way to narrate a story which will definitely force the readers to complete the book in one go. The wonderfully crafted words are the second thing that will catch readers’ eyes after the smooth narrating style. It is added to the credit of the author that I can visualize each and every scene of the book. I loved the way she described each and every character from Amal, Abbas, and Hani to Ahmed and Sara. This is the way a story should be narrated.

On the story-line:

The whole story evolves around the main protagonist Ahmed Hamid, how he lost his land, his sisters and how he saved the rest of his family. The very first chapter starts with the death of Amal (sister of Ahmed), leaving the readers bewildered and making them realize that this book is going to be one wonderful read. As the story goes on and Ahmed’s twelfth birthday comes, the story picks up its speed. Ahmed’s baba was arrested by the police for storing arms illegally on the same date by the militaries, leaving Ahmed struggling with his family. The story will make readers laugh, cry and will take them to a startling journey. The author has very efficiently framed the conflict between Palestine and Israel. At first I was shocked to see an America based author writing a story about the conflict between Palestine and Israel. The story is wonderfully framed without pointing at anyone but showing the actual state of the conflict.

+ Point: The simple yet smooth narrating style and the gripping fast paced storyline.

- Point: I don’t think this work of fiction have anything to point out which can be called as the drawback of the book.

Final Words:

This debut work of Michelle Cohen Corasanti is definitely something which readers are going to cherish for decades. A lovely story of suppleness, faith and compassion which I am going to recommend to all my readers who are in search of a fascinating read.

A+  (Is there any thing more)

A+ (Excellent)    A (Very Good)      B+ (Good)        B (Average)      C (Below Average)