My Perfect Daughter - Sarah A. Denzil

A gripping psychological thriller!! 

At a Glance:  

• Title - My Perfect Daughter
• Author - Sarah A. Denzil
• Pages - 353
• Format - Ebook
• Publication date - Feb 27, 2022

One Perfect Night - Lorane Hopkins

 A heartwarming Romance!

At a Glance:  

• Title - One Perfect Night
• Author - Lorane Hopkins
• Pages - 184
• Publishers - Cayelle Publishing
• Format - Ebook
• Publication date - March 15, 2022

The Knowledge in the Vedas - Sridhar Chitta | Book Review

 A book worth reading!Very Insightful!

At a Glance:  

• Title - The Knowledge in the Vedas
• Author - Sridhar Chitta
• Pages - 624
• Publishers - Story Mirror Infotech Pvt Ltd
• Format - Paperback 
• Publication date - 3 Jan 2022

Children of the End - Sabra Patni | Book Review

A dystopian read after a really long time! 

At a Glance:  

• Title - Children of the End
• Author - Sabra Patni
• Pages - 193
• Publishers - The Write Order Publications
• Format - Paperback / Kindle
• Publication date - 1 Jan 2022

Winged Flute - G. Sudha |Book Review

 Winged Flute is a collection of 51 poems covering an assortment of subjects and emotions. 

At a Glance:  

• Title - Winged Flute
• Author - Sudha.G
• Pages - 104
• Format - Paperback
• Publication date - Jan 1,2021

Blurb: 

There are often minute intricacies of life that we tend to dismiss as 'trivi- al'. These trivialities are usually the details we need to adjust our focus towards to see how textured our experiences are. The variety of our esca- pades gives us a plethora of tunes that, together, make a melody. Through this book, I wish to take you on a rhythmic journey entailing high notes, low notes, and everything in between. Listen closely.

My Review

The language is simple and suitable for readers who want to dip their feet in this genre. Some of the poems are just a few lines long while some are brief. Many of the poems in the book have the date and time it was written, which shows that creativity and thought flow can occur at any time!

This is one of those books that you can finish off in one sitting. You can spend a couple of minutes on each poem contemplating the inner meaning and yet it can be completed quickly.

Some of my favorite poems are-

·         The Transit

·         Mantle of Illiteracy

·         Seconds Matter

·         Teacher

·         The tide

·         Tailored

·         Old stories

In all, a nice collection of poems and can be read by all -interesting themes written in simple language.

 

Whispers from the dead of Night - Lee Allen

 I chose this one as I have recently started reading books from the Horror genre. And I have to say, the book did not disappoint. Packed with suspense-filled stories, this is the deluxe collection of seven original stories and a bonus of 2 novellas and a novel. So it is quite a package!

Blurb :

Are you sitting comfortably, the fire crackling, a mug of cocoa in hand? Then let us begin…

A journey through fog and darkness, destination unknown…
A sexual obsession spiralling out of control…
A forbidden love…
A killer who preys on the lonely…
An investigation into a haunted monastery…
A visitation on Christmas Eve with diabolical intentions…
A night-time escape through the forest…

Seven tales of mystery and the supernatural for a winter’s evening.

My Review:

The plot for every story is different and they are intense as the author builds it the suspense slowly. You can find plot twists at unexpected places which will throw you off the trail. Once you get started you will be turning the pages faster and faster to see where the story will take you. The stories are spooky and give you goosebumps too! At first, I thought the book is just filled with gothic horror stories but as I read on I felt it was a mix of erotica, paranormal, and thriller as well.

 The writing is detailed. Many scenes are elaborately described and at some places, I felt it led me away from the thrill and suspense. Otherwise, the author gets you on the scene and you can visualize the things happening right in front of you and that’s where you can feel the creepiness.

The vocabulary is slightly advanced but I enjoyed it nevertheless. My favorite was ‘I killed Dorian’ and ‘Bluebell’ comes as a close second. The cover is so apt and justifies the theme for a book of this genre.

In all, it is a spine-chilling collection of stories filled with gothic horror and supernatural suspense with a dash of erotica. This is a one-time read for me. If you love horror stories, I’m sure you will love this one.

About the author:

Born in South Wales, Lee Allen was an avid reader from a young age, already beginning to develop his fascination with mystery, intrigue, crime, horror and the supernatural. He soon turned to creating his own stories and hasn’t stopped writing since. He completed the manuscript for his first full-length novel while still in secondary school, which was later published as his debut crime thriller "Those Crimes of Passion" in 2012.

Heavily influenced by gothic fiction, he later released supernatural mystery "Alone" (2014); horror chiller "The Jack O’Lantern Men" (2015); short story collection "Whispers from the Dead of Night" (2020), a hybrid of horror and multiple sub-genres; and erotic horror crime thriller "Bitten" (2021).

Lee continues to reside in Wales with his feline writing companion, immersing himself in imagination and research.

You can connect with him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @LeeAllenAuthor and on Goodreads (goodreads.com/LeeAllen).

Secrets and Lies - T.A.Rosewood

This is my third book by the author Traci aka T.A.Rosewood and as with her other two books, this too has become my favorite!

Blurb:

Sarah Has Secrets...

Secrets she thought were hidden away for good, only existing in her memory, being too ashamed to tell anyone the truth.

But Secrets Lead To Lies...

Lies that could destroy her new life with Tom, but at the same time, give her a future she never thought possible.

Will The Secrets Be Revealed And Will The Lies Ever End?

Who will stay and who will leave her along the way?

And When Will She Be Free Of Her Secrets And Lies?

My review:

In Reasonable Lies[Book 1] we read about Jane’s secret and this one is about her bestie Sarah’s secret. We see very little of Sarah’s childhood/background in Book 1 but here we get the whole story. Sarah though outwardly looks cool and happy does have her share of secrets that she hasn’t even shared with Jane! Reading her account of her childhood and all that she had to go through is very emotional. This book is more of life from Sarah’s POV.

I have always admired Sarah for being a rock, a pillar of support for her friend Jane. Sarah’s husband Tom is a very loving and caring person and I’m sure Jane would have been so happy to see them together. But now with Jane gone, she has no one to share her secret with especially when a person from the past comes knocking by! After a lot of deliberation, she finds solace in sharing it with Jane’s husband who is now her best friend.

How does Sarah handle the secret and does Tom come to know about it is what this book is about?

The first thing that impressed me about this book is the simple language and the connection the author makes with the readers. The book starts with the prologue where Sarah is getting her Caffeine fix and a timid voice asks if she is Sarah Roberts! That’s when the nightmare starts. The story goes back in time and then comes back to the place where the book started. Hence the suspense keeps building right from the beginning.

Sarah grieves Jane’s death and she is supportive to her kids and the family on the whole. Then comes the real punch when she says she isn’t interested in having kids and the reason is well justified! Just like how Traci handled Jane’s situation in Book1, here she has done a superb job of writing about Sarah!

All the characters are relatable, especially Sarah’s condition where she struggles in telling Tom about her past. There are several places in the book where I felt Jane would have felt so proud of her dear friend Sarah and some places I felt Jane should have been there to hold Sarah’s hand and tell her everything was going to be ok. Sarah’s past and her loss are so unbearable! Was it as emotional Reasonable Lies? Definitely Yes! And a lot more than that, after reading about the tragedies in Sarah’s life.

I also like the fact that the author has maintained all the characters from the first book. They still meet up and hang out with each other and have an important part in each other's lives.

Overall, a good emotional read that I could finish in one sitting. If you have read Traci’s previous books, this one is definitely for you. Even otherwise pick up this book and read about friendship, tragedy, love, and enjoy the roller coaster ride through emotions!

About the Author:

T.A. Rosewood, who wrote her first short story when she was just thirteen years old in a school textbook, which was called, 'Looks Aren’t Everything' was inspired by best-selling author, Jojo Moyes.

During her GCSE English exam, she was supposed to write a two-page short story; but once she’d started writing, she couldn’t stop, ending up with a thirty-page story!

In her twenties, she began writing poetry and to date, has had five of them published in various poetry publications, but, as her family and life grew busy, she found she had to stop writing.

Almost two decades later though, she was inspired to write again, when she met bestselling author Jojo Moyes at the open evening of Harts Books store in Saffron Walden, Essex.

She listened intently as Jojo Moyes described how it felt for her when her bestselling book 'Me Before You' was turned into a Hollywood movie. At that precise moment, she turned to her husband, and said: “I’m going to start writing again” and she did just that.

A month into starting the book, her mother was diagnosed with the same disease as the main character in Reasonable Lies so again, she halted all her writing to concentrate on helping her mother through her ordeal. Thankfully, her mother recovered and told her she had to continue with the book and the rest is history as they say!

Now her debut novel, 'Reasonable Lies' is out and readers are enjoying it, plus it raises awareness for breast cancer which is something very dear to the hearts of her family.

T.A. Rosewood lives in North Essex

Shuttler's Flick - Making Every Match Count - Priya Kumar & Pullela Gopichand

 I just know Gopichand as the Chief Coach for the Indian Badminton team, recipient of several awards and reading this book gave me a greater insight into his life, from his childhood to the person he is today!

Blurb:

'But the return is not always easy, especially when the world has moved on without you when the people who were rooting for you have now found other heroes to sup­port.'

When Pullela Gopichand had to undergo a risky arthroscopic surgery, chances of his full recovery were not great. His return to the badminton court seemed a far-fetched dream. The odds were stacked against him. Then, in 1998, he won the bronze in the Commonwealth Games. His biggest win was yet to come. In 2001, Pullela became the second Indian to win the All England Championship.

This is the story we know. From not being able to walk to winning the most prestigious title in badminton, this is Pullela the player. But his success hasn’t stopped at just him. The Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, set up in 2008, boasts of a host of World No. 1s including Saina Nehwal and Srikanth Kidambi and World Badminton Champion PV Sindhu. What is it about his teachings that propel players right to the top?

In his official autobiography, we meet Pullela the coach. Through his own voice, as well as those of his students, mother, and wife, we get a look at the mind that revolutionized the game. We are shown not only what it takes to get to the top, but also, and more importantly, how to stay there.

With the principles of his play laid bare, we are invited to apply them to our own everyday lives. In doing so, we ask questions, take accountability for our actions and perhaps find the answer to the greatest question of all—what does it take to become a champion?

My Review:

The book starts with the narration of the events of the match between the Chinese Shuttler Chen Hong and Gopichand in 2001 and later moves on to his childhood and the subsequent journey. Two parts are covered in this book – his life as a player and then as a coach

A major knee injury during the 1994 Pune National games left him shattered and had a long road to recovery. But he came back with a bang, becoming the second Indian to win the title at the All England Men’s Singles Championship. The snide remarks from his fellow players and well-wishers after the injury did not deter him and he showed great perseverance in getting back to form and this led to his win.

The book not only tells you the life of Gopichand but also shows us what kind of person he was. His principles and practices, disciplined lifestyle, hard work are what made him the person he is today. He has shared a lot of leadership as well as life lessons in this book.

Gopichands dedication and sincerity have given us a lot of medal-winning champions and he shares with us the secrets to his success and the paths that led to it.  His family, right from his parents sacrificing a lot during his training years, to his wife, who is also a national champion, is the backbone to his success. Though he is a coach, his children train under different coaches at the Academy and he doesn’t discuss the game with them as he wants them to see him as a father rather than a coach.

This book has styles of narration styles that make it an interesting read. A third-person narrative through author Priya Kumar’s voice and a first-person narrative through Gopichand’s voice. This gives us a view of what people around him thought and how Gopichand felt /what his emotions were at that particular situation. Apart from his view, we also get to read the views of his students, mentor, wife, and mother.

There are photographs of his journey through his career as a player and as a coach. The ‘Your serve’ section after each chapter gives the reader snippets of knowledge and leadership goals/ quotes -something to make you a better person. The ‘Your solitude, Your Truth’ section has questions that need to be pondered.

The Bonus Chapters- Physical Literacy and the Role of parents in preparing Champion is the icing on the cake. It is suitable not only for sportsperson but for everyone who is striving to be a champion in their field.

Some of the quotes that I liked are –

•No one can waste your time without your permission.

•Use adversity to discover more of yourself. When everything is comfortable, there is no drive for change.

•Get a coach, mentor, a guru. When in doubt, their timely advice, help, and perspective will save you years of setbacks.

•When on the pedestal of success, work the hardest you have.

•The odds will always be against you.

This book would appeal to readers who enjoy reading about leadership, self-help, getting to know personalities, and someone interested in sports. A wonderful read that will give you a good account of the life and struggles of the Champion and also leave you with a lot of insights on how to be a better you and attain success.

About the Authors:

 Pullela Gopichand is a former Indian badminton player and presently the Chief National Coach for the Indian Badminton team. In 2008 he founded the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy where he trained the likes of Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Parupalli Kashyap, and Srikanth Kidambi. He has served as the official Indian Olympic Badminton Team Coach at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Gopichand is married to former Olympian PVV Lakshmi and they have two children, Gayathri and Sai Vishnu. He has been awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Arjuna, Dronacharya, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, and Rashtriya Khel Protsaha awards.

Priya Kumar is an Indian writer, motivational speaker, and firewalk instructor with over 26 years of corporate training experience. She has worked with over 2000 multi-national corporates across 47 countries and is the author of 15 inspirational books. Priya's work has been featured extensively in the media and she has been a guest on several business businesses, entertainment, and reality shows. Her book License to Live was nominated for Vodafone Crossword Book Award in 2010. In 2019, her novel I Will Go with You was adapted into the web television series The Final Call.

Long Run- A paradise Augmented - T.Satish | Book Review

 Long Run- A paradise Augmented, is a book about Raghu[nicknamed ‘Rags’] who goes from Rags to riches in a very short time. The fame makes him forget everything dear to him and an accident changes everything from his lifestyle to his mentality!

Blurb:

For a moment, imagine that you are twenty-something making tons of money in the stock market. The success is heady, and you're living it up! When out of the blue, your car crashes, horrifically. You go off the spotlight. It takes months to even open your eyes, but you can't see anymore.
A challenge like no other. Your defeat looks certain.
While you were enjoying the spotlight, you slid away from some of your past relationships.
Now, the question: Do you have it in you to make a comeback?
Meet Raghu, a livewire investment manager. Glitz, romance, and euphoric success filled his life, until the day his car and life overturned.
His body was broken; He couldn’t see anymore.
Was his spirit strong enough to overcome?
Come, join Raghu as he narrates his life story, one filled with challenges and some unanswered questions.

My Review:

The book starts with Anjali getting ready to interview Raghu, a visually impaired financial wiz whose name and fame are well known in the financial circle. Set in the ’90s during the dot-com boom, Raghu and his friend Ram make it big in the financial markets. Though Ram is grounded, Raghu is entranced by the big money, life in the States, posh lifestyle that he leaves his parents and even leaves his girlfriend after she casually mentions about marriage! He later understands that it was his age, arrogance, and immaturity that made him lose the love of his life.

After a horrific accident and a lot of physical and mental therapy later, he realizes his deeds and wants to make amends. Does he succeed in winning back Anu? Does his friend Ram help him? All this is for you to find out when you read the book.

The author was inspired to write this story after he saw an interview with a visually challenged stock trader. Through this story, we get to see the things that go on in the stock market/financial world. All this is new to me!

Then there is Raghu who is blindsided by name, fame, and money. His life shows that money alone is not enough to be happy. Other things, like relationships, are what create a balance. Also one should not take relationship advice from others like Raghu did, which I feel was the reason he did not want to get married!

Anuradha[Anu] his college sweetheart and Ram his bestie are the two others who remind him to stay grounded but it falls into deaf ears. Megna, his sister, and their parents help Raghu recover from his injuries and help him return to an almost normal lifestyle.

The story moves between the past and the present life of Raghu. The story starts a bit slow and later gathers speed and the last few pages were unbelievably fast! The ending was not something that I expected but I guess that is how life goes!

The alternating timeline in the story made it interesting for me to read on. The language is simple and easy to follow. The financial terms and the medical terms used for Raghu’s treatment are explained so that they don’t leave the reader confused.  The characters are realistic and we can relate to people with the same mentality. There is a lot of emotions throughout the story – friendship, love, trust, betrayal, heartbreak, anguish, etc. A handicap need not stop one from being what she/he wants to do in life. The theory of ‘attached detachment’ is something we all need to look into. The cover could have been better in depicting the crux of the story.

On the whole, it is a nice book with some life lessons that also give a picture of the financial world. It would be a great read for people interested in the finance sector or anyone who loves to read reality fiction.

Also by this author - Life in the Sunshine - Autobiography of an unknown cricketer was one of my favorite reads. If you are an 80s/90s kid and a cricket enthusiast, you will definitely enjoy this book!

About the author:

T. Sathish is an IIM Calcutta, NIT Silchar alumnus, and an AVP in Cigniti Technologies. His first book Life in the Sunshine (2019), was an immediate Amazon bestseller. His short stories 'Looking for Bond' (Amazon), 'Hang in there (Juggernaut), and 'Am I Free?' (Juggernaut) are all highly rated and loved by readers.

As a diehard cricket fan and expert, Sathish writes on Cricket in The Roar (www.theroar.com.au), a popular Australian sports platform, as TSat.

Sathish is a voracious reader with an appetite for a wide range of topics. PG Wodehouse, RK Narayan, Agatha Christie, Mary Shelly, Bill Bryson, Joseph Heller, Naseem Taleb are some of his favorite authors.

You can reach Sathish on his Instagram @sathispgw or Twitter @sathishpgw

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