The Official 2018 TBR Pile Challenge

I found yet another interesting Challenge this year - The Official 2018 TBR Pile Challenge.
12 books published before 1/1/2017 to be read in 2018. That is quite easy as it is only 1 book a month! I can definitely do that part.

Here are the 12 books and the extra two to switch with, in case  I can't make to the last page of any of the original 12.

1. Emma
2. Three men in a boat
3. Arushi
4. The second Lady
5. The mistress of Spices
6. The girl on the train
7. Lanka's Princess
8.  Boss, job and the Lady
9.  Kane and Abel
10.  The Prodigal Daughter
11.  Mistress of the Throne
12. Mother of the Bride.

The guardian Angels 

The Kitchen God's Wife

I will post the reviews and also link it up over here. Can't wait to start!!!

Foodies Read Reading Challenge 2018

Foodies Read Reading Challenge 2018- This is one of those challenge that I want to sign up for each year but I end up not doing it or doing it just half way.

With the number of cookbooks that I have around, I am keep my fingers crossed to finish off a few. And also this will be a great opportunity to cook a couple of recipes from the book I read so that I am also able to do the Cooking from cookbook challenge for my food blog - Seduce Your Tastebuds.

Since there are no levels in this challenge, I am hoping I can read a decent number of books for this event.

Creativity Reading Challenge 2018

This year, I am planning to explore other genres and am looking into a lot of non fiction . So since I am doing this, I thought I will take part in the challenge called - Creativity Reading Challenge 2018

This challenge is about reading books on creativity, art, crafts, writing, film making, photography, cosmetology, DIY, cooking, music and any other topic that helps you live a more creative life. 

Books may be nonfiction, memoir, how to, self help, coffee table books, instructional, picture books, and even fictional if they are about people who are creative.

Here too there are no levels or maximum number of books to be read etc. Hence it will be a easier to finish this challenge. 

Here are some of the books from my bookshelf that fit the bill..

• The Queen of comeback
• Adding salt to make it sweeter
• Forgotten English
• Half pants full pants
• Happiness is all we want
• Know your worth
• The Arunachal Motorcycle chronicles
• Temptation- The uncontrollable syndrome
• Whisper my secert - ebook
• Beauty treatments out of your Pantry - Ebook
• Yes, my accent is real
• Learning to fly
• Cookbooks 
• Some books on music

I may have more to add to this list. But no sure if I will read the whole list or a section of it.

As always, I will try to post short reviews on the reads as and when I finish a book.

Author Love Reading Challenge

This also a fairly simple reading challenge where we get to read the author we love. It's called the Author Love Challenge.

I have a whole collection of Jeffery Archer's books . Though there are several authors that I love, I have a big pile of Jeffery Archer's books. So with this challenge, I intend to to finish off those book.

The best part of this challenge is there is no goal but just a minimum of 5 books to be read.

I have the following books in my TBR list...

1. The full series of Clifton Chronicles - 7 books
2. The fourth Estate
3. The prodigal Daughter
4. Kane and Abel
5. To cut a long story short
6. 36 short stories
7. And thereby hangs a tale
8. Shall we tell the President
9. Paths of glory
10. Short stories - 10 e-books

I will try to post reviews of the books. So let me start reading and come back here to see how many I can tick off the list...

Deal Me In Short Stories - Reading Challenge

This year too I am tempted to join a number of reading challenges. But I have restricted myself in joining only those that I will able to complete.

This challenge - Deal me in short stories @ Bibliophilopolis is by far the easiest challenges I came across this time.

The rule is very simple - Assign a short story to every card in the deck and each week draw a random card and read the story assigned to it!

This is my list.Except for a couple of authors, everyone else is new to me.

A♠ Amnipur – A science Fiction short story – Isabella Amaris
2♠ End game – Jeffery archer
3♠ Christina Rosenthal – Jeffery Archer
4♠No room at the inn – Jeffery archer
5♠One man's meat – Jeffery archer
6♠ Clean face ignatius – Jeffery Archer
7♠ Cheap at half price – Jeffery Archer
8♠ The grass is always greener – Jeffery Archer
9♠ In the eye of the beholder –Jeffery Archer
10♠A wasted Hour - Jeffery Archer
J♠The man who robbed his own office- Jeffery Archer
Q♠A mothers day – kaira Rouda
K♠ The wife- F.Poi

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A♦The Text – Claire Douglas
2♦ The tumor - John Grisham
3♦ 1000 yards- Mark Dawson
4♦ The hound of Baskervilles – Sherlock Holmes
5♦ Lightning Strikes Twice – Matthew Felix
6♦ A perfect day for rain – Jala Summers
7♦ Finding Viola – Bo Burnette
8♦ A home in the west – Lori Copeland , Virginia Smith
9♦ The gift of the Mag I – O. Henry
10♦ Kalpana – the daughter of our country – Raibul Islam
J♦ Saffron - https://www.guernicamag.com/saffron/  Mirza waheed 
Q♦ Six geese a- laying – Sophie Kinsella
K♦ Christmas in Venice – Meadow Taylor

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A♣ Never too late – J.C. Laird
2♣ Overshadowed– Vanetta Chapman
3♣ Her last missed calls – A.K. Raj
4♣ Lucent Sylph – RJ Conte
5♣ A moment in time – Lyn Andrews.
6♣ The long Vigil – Rhett C Bruno
7♣ Rikki Tikki Tavi – Rudyard Kipling
8♣ The Apple Orchard – Veronica Henry
9♣ Three men and a maybe – Katey Lovell
10♣ Buy a bullet – Greg Hurwitz
J♣The little boy- Mare Gaitskill 
Q♣ Home to pebble creek - Vanetta Chapman
K♣ Conductor of light – Rachel Mcmillan 

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A♥ Those were the days – Jenny Bravo
2♥ Promising a rose – Jerry S Eicher
3♥ Love at first bark – Dana Mentnik
4♥ The shrine – Ben kane
5♥ The day death smiled – Debashish Chakraborthy
6♥ Murder from newsdesk – Peter Bartram
7♥ Dear Obamaji - Sharon Abimbola Salu
8♥ Inspector Zhang gets his wish – Stephen Leather
9♥ A hero’s promise – Roseanna M. White
10♥ She’s mine – Madison Barlow 
J♥ Dear Monenike – Sharon Abimbola Salu
Q♥ The golden cage – Kaitlyn Davis 
K♥ The parable of Dumbass – Antonio Scottio Di Carlo


Jokers[Wildcards]

The rose and the Brier – Kelly Peterson 
One night is all you need - Kimberly G. Giarratano

So, I will start reading and posting short reviews on these books as and when I finish them each week. 

October 2017 - Book Haul

After a really long gap, I am writing a post here. I have been reading a lot, yet I never come here to write the reviews. As much as I want to, I hardly find time to write them down!!

So, here is the book haul #1 for this month. I will do another post with the books that I won in giveaways and those that came in for review..

This haul is from Bookchor. Though I have been eyeing books on this site since a long time, it was only a few weeks back that I ordered these.

Total books - 7
How much I spent - INR 540/-

Will be back soon with the rest of the haul...

The Crows Of Agra | Book Review

At a Glance....

Title:The Crows Of Agra

Author: Sharath Komarraju

Publisher: Amazing Reads

Pages:218

Genre : Mystery / Fiction

Format : Paperback

ISBN :9-788192-910956

This is an Akbar- Birbal mystery, a book that I had purchased long back.I took this along with me on a road trip and read it all through the way , snatching a few minutes here and there to see where the story was going!

I like historical fiction and I was sure this one wouldn't disappoint me. The author was new to me but the term 'Birbal Mystery was enough to encourage me to read on.

At the very beginning, the note from the author states that this is a work of fiction and should not be related to history!It can be called a murder mystery with a historical flavor or simply a murder mystery.This being said, it is easier to accept the twists and turns in the story!

The story takes placein Agra in the 16th century where Akbar has no inking on what is going on in his empire. 

Bairam khan, who has been gaurding the throne is also said to have been ganging up with other rulers to dethrone Akbar and ascent the throne to rule Agra.Maham Anga ,Akbars foster mother and her son Adham Khan, Empress Ruquiya who has not been able to bear a heir to the throne, Salima, the wife of Bairam khan,who is said to be in love with Akbar, Akbar's elderly aunt Gulbadan are some of the main characters in this book along with Mahesh Das / Birbal .

Akbar meets Mahesh Das when he is captured by a group of dacoits ,Mahesh Das cleverly saves Akbar and takes him to the palace.

Bairam Khan is murdered and there starts Mahesh Das's investigation in finding out who the killer is.

In the end, he solves the mystery and Akbar is very much happy to see his way of investigation and asks him to continue to be with him as his eyes and ears of the palace.

My view on the book:

It is fast paced,especially after Biram Khans death and Akbar asking Mahesh Das to investigate. 
There are some incidents that are fictional yet add a nice layer to the story.
It is written in simple language.
You can get a good glimpse of the Moghul Era and the ways of the King and the people.
All in all it is a quick and easy read that can be finished in one sitting.




Linking this to:

1. 52 books in 52 weeks
2. Mount TBR Reading Challenge
3. Review Writing Challenge
4. Wild Goose chase Reading Challenge for the key word- Species of a bird.

Until next post....