Skarlet Kiss by Elise Whyles - Book Spot Light

About the Book:

Can one who served the enemy find love in the arms of a condemned man?


Una has spent her life serving Amuliana, the goddess of immortals. Now she stands on the brink of a change, one that can her give back the life she lost to Amuliana's meddling. But the change that comes will shatter the peaceful existence she knows and give her a new understanding of love and life. Unbeknownst to Una, her ancestors were the Forsaken, immortals who were cast out for the crime of a jealous vampire general.


Liam, an outcast among the dragon clans, has spent centuries seeking the one who condemned him for a crime he did not commit. When he comes face to face with Una, he must make a difficult choice - seek revenge or save a pure heart from the darkness threatening their worlds.


The dragon warrior and the human girl will unite to face enemies they've never experienced as a fallen vampire general's army stalks them. As Una gains strength, her immortal gifts are returned and she becomes a threat to the imprisoned general who's seeking power over the immortal world. He can't afford to let Una survive, because her life will ultimately cost him his.


Together, Liam and Una must fight their way back to the vampire world and the safety offered by her sister. Can love survive amid the treachery and danger, or has Liam finally found his mate only to lose her to the evil plaguing their worlds?


Book Link:

Goodreads * Amazon


Read an Excerpt:

Thick, rolling clouds kept the air moist as Liam paced the confines of his home. Ice covered the stone walls, snow swirled and danced along the floor of the cave. He shivered, the rattle of scales music to his ears. After two hundred years, he was finally able to break out of the horrid humanoid form.

Padding to the mouth of his cave, he stared out. White clouds soared around the mountain's peak. Snow danced along the ledge, piling where it was easiest. The air was cold, crisp, sweet, much as it had been when he'd grown up in the Highlands.

He tapped his claws against the stone, his eyes searching through the mist, for what he did not know. The need to search, to find an answer to the elusive want had plagued him for days, disturbing his hunting, his rest. Nights were filled with the image of a female, her hair flowing over her shoulders, wide, trust filled eyes staring at him. Her hands outstretched, reaching toward him. The visage tickled at his memory of another woman, one dressed as a slave, following the footsteps of a vampire…one he'd feared.



Curling his tail around himself, he settled on his haunches, shoulders hunched against the chill as he stared out over the human realm. Faint, his hunger stirred. Soon he'd need to hunt, both for food and for the one who had done him ill. The sharp point of his tail beat a slow, steady rhythm against the floor as he tilted his head, listening to the howling winds, the bitter screams of the winter weather, and the elusive sound of a beating heart.

About the Author:

Born in Northern British Columbia, Elise is a small-town girl. She writes in a variety of genres including paranormal, contemporary suspense, m/m in various lengths. Currently, she lives in British Columbia with her husband and son, one dog, one cat, and a gecko. Elise enjoys reading as much as she does writing, with some of her favorite books being read until they fall apart. 

She is currently working on the next book in the Forsaken Series, Burning Rain. As well she has a new contemporary she’s working on. For more information on Elise, or to check out her books you can find her on Facebook, twitter, and her website.

Contact the Author:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

A Time to Burnish by Radhika Nathan - Book Blitz

~ Book Blitz ~

A Time to Burnish by Radhika Nathan

About the Book:

"Not too long before we can get as many of them 3-D printed."



That pretty much sums up Josh Winslow's feelings about classic artifacts. As a man of science and technology, he couldn't care less about old bronze idols. Unfortunately, his brother Tom has just made one such idol his problem.



Vidya Thyagarajan, a young banker from Chennai, didn't expect to chase the origins of old idols either. But her friend Tom has just entangled her in one such chase.



Along with Vidya, Josh reluctantly embarks on a journey to India to track the origins of a Chola bronze idol. Through the urban maze of Chennai, dusty roads of small towns in deep Chola territory, they discover clues that confounds them every step of the way.



During a short span of a week, the quest quickly becomes personal as the shadow of the past challenges their outlook toward life and love.



Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon



Read an Excerpt:



“What is my area of expertise, Josh?”

Recognizing the question for what it was—an opener—Josh bit back a groan. Tom reminded him of an old modem in a slow network; the connection light had to get steady before the data light started blinking in a measured pace.

He replied, “You know I can answer that question in my sleep! Growing up, it was all that residue hippie stuff, all that ghastly sitar music, thanks to Mom and Dad. Then you had to go pick India as your area of interest.”

There was no answering smile on Tom’s face, just an abrupt headshake of a refusal to rise to the bait.

“What specifically in India?”

“South India.”

“Your brilliant grasp of the specifics never ceases to amaze me,” Tom said with the same maddened note that crept into his voice when dealing with Josh’s indifference toward his profession.

He poured out the warm saké from the flask and took a delicate sip from the cup.

“For the zillionth time, my area of specialization is the Chola Empire, covering roughly the ninth to the thirteenth century.”

“I know,” acknowledged Josh, sensing this was not the time to say “whatever.” He made an effort instead. “The rise and fall of the Cholas, with special focus on that dude who was a great warrior and visionary—Maharajah Chola.”

“You mean Rajaraja Chola.”

“Yes, of course, what was that paper you wrote? ‘The social order under Rajaraja and the later Cholas’,” Josh said with pretentious nonchalance. Tom produced many such papers and was either a member or a fellow or some such on various societies.

Tom laughed for the first time that evening. “There may be some hope for you after all.”

Josh grinned.

Tom rubbed his eyes slightly and then, leaning forward, started talking about the Cholas with the passion and intensity that usually marked him.

“At its peak, the Chola Empire covered the bulk of South India, parts of Sri Lanka, touched Maldives, and even Malacca. The medieval Chola kings were great patrons of art and literature, they made major strides in governance and foreign relations, and they were builders of magnificent architecture... Let’s just say, the height of the Chola Empire, especially the time of Rajaraja, can be thought of as a golden age. Think Italy during the Renaissance.”

“Must I?” Josh muttered, fidgeting a little. Tom ignored it.

“You know, as part of my job, I work on acquisitions of relics of rare value?”

Yes,” Josh nodded. What was it that Tom had acquired the previous summer? Wasn’t it a manuscript of some sort? He wished he could surreptitiously pull his iPad out and do a quick search on his email.

He needn’t have troubled himself. Tom continued, almost ignoring his answer, his brows furrowed.

“My limited budget hardly allows for anything major. A piece of an intricately carved wooden door, an old silk sari, a palm leaf book, those are the kind of things I usually go for. A Chola bronze icon is in a whole different league. You could even say it’s the top artifact of the period. These bronzes are typically delicate, sensual icons of the gods and the saints or occasionally royals. They still make bronze icons in south India, but the Chola bronzes are Yes,” Josh nodded. What was it that Tom had acquired the previous summer? Wasn’t it a manuscript of some sort? He wished he could surreptitiously pull his iPad out and do a quick search on his email.

He needn’t have troubled himself. Tom continued, almost ignoring his answer, his brows furrowed.

“My limited budget hardly allows for anything major. A piece of an intricately carved wooden door, an old silk sari, a palm leaf book, those are the kind of things I usually go for. A Chola bronze icon is in a whole different league. You could even say it’s the top artifact of the period. These bronzes are typically delicate, sensual icons of the gods and the saints or occasionally royals. They still make bronze icons in south India, but the Chola bronzes are antiques—they could be millions of dollars’ worth.” Tom paused for a moment, his face troubled, full of worry.

Josh raised his brows and whistled lightly. “Millions, huh?”

“Yes, millions. Josh, in my enthusiasm, I have made a grave mistake. You have got to help me. I have no one else to turn to.” Tom’s voice took on a strained, and nervous quality.

Josh raised a hand.

“Hang on! What are you talking about?”

Tom sat back, grimaced, and then enunciated slowly. “I need you to help me track a Chola bronze.”

“What do you mean track?”

“Find all the information there is about a particular Chola bronze. I believe I have in my possession an antique bronze that has come into the UK likely through illicit art trafficking. My gut says there has been a major art theft, and if I don’t act now, I am going to be an accessory.”

About the Author:

Radhika Nathan is a juggler, a meanderer and a rolling stone. She believes in the miracle of words and the rain. Her favourite pastimes include reading, listening to podcasts and gazing at monsoon clouds. Her taste in books is eclectic ranging from anthropology to old fashioned murder mysteries, and if pushed she would name Jane Austen as her favourite author for her believable, eternal characters. Travel is something she enjoys and has been to more than a dozen countries- for the love of meeting new people and discovering new cultures. 

Radhika writes for her fascination of human beings, intrigued by their archetypal & atypical behaviour and the differences & similarities in all of us. Writing is a means that forces her to think and re-examine a point of view or a preconceived notion. ‘I grow as a person as I write’, she says and quotes ‘A well written sentence [a rare occurrence] is like soul chocolate.’

Radhika, believes in a spiritual approach to life that welcomes science. She believes in liberty, equality, personal responsibility and fair play.

Author Links:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Until next time,

Cherished by Reshma Ranjan - Book Spot Light

Print Length: 95 pages

Publication Date: March 20, 2018

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Language: English

Available on Kindle Unlimited 

Genre: Romance 

The last thing Sujal Verma had expected while working out that evening was a desperate call for help. 

For Sunanda, life was like a romantic movie, all dreamy and beautiful, until trouble comes from close quarters. 

Was history repeating itself? Will Sujal be able to save Sunanda from the trauma and pain? Will the reality crush her wings or will she hold on to her buoyant nature and not let the smile on her lips fade away?

All actions have consequences. The consequence of Sunaina's actions in A Promise (Book 2 in the series) plays out in her step-sister Sunanda's life in this novella.

Cherished is Book 3 of the Verma Clan’s Sanctum Series and the conclusion of A Promise. It is the story of a girl who wakes up from a nightmare to realize that the world could be as colorful as the movies she loved to watch. 

Cherished can be read as a standalone book as well. 

It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR

Reshma Ranjan is a passionate romantic who loves literature and has been driven by the romance in nature and the serenity and humbleness of this universe, one who made up her own happy endings in her imagination for every movie or every book with a sad ending.

Also a voracious reader but for which she believes she never could have started writing. Pssttt... And is completely addicted to Barbara Cartland romances. 

You can stalk her @

       

                    

  Grab Your Copy From

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Until next time,

Gratitude List for April 2018 #GratitudeCircle

April month has been the most satisfying month of this year so far. I gave one classical dance performance on stage after around 8 years or so. I could read some good books. I have successfully completed #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 and gained some knowledge. I have started my Pinterest account and could see some growth in the first month itself.

I loved this quote and I could relate to it well. Many people think they will be happy with money/ power/ knowledge/ whatever. It leads to unhappiness if they cannot get to those.

Here are a few that I am thankful for last month:

1. Dance Performance
I believe in excellence and not in competition. I try to better myself in every performance and so my competition is only with me. This performance is different in one aspect. After delivering kids and crossing 30, the physical stamina plays an important role in the arts like the dance. I was afraid that I didn't have enough stamina to practice and perform like I did in my childhood/ teenage. Of course, Practice helped me to overcome this and I am happy for that.

2. Books
I stopped accepting more book reviews as I don't have much time to read due to my travel in June. So, all reviews I am doing in April and May are mostly the ones which tempted me to accept due to interesting blurbs. So, I read and reviewed only 3 books in April. Rising from the Ashes by Rubina Ramesh is a lovely take on a small story in Mythology. The Secret of the Lost Pharaoh by Carolyn Arnold is a thrilling and adventurous treasure hunt story. My Body is mine by Kayla is a helpful book to parents to teach about the boundaries of body and sexual abuse to their children.

3. SuperBloggerChallenge2018
I have joined this challenge with fewer expectations. My goal is to write an article every week for 10 weeks. But, I also learned a lot of blogging and social media tips. This helped me to create my Pinterest account and grow my traffic. It was also good to read many good blog posts throughout the challenge. Thanks to Amrita, Bushra and Utpal and my best wishes for their next series of Super Blogger Academy.

Super Social Biz

4.  Blogging Growth
Recently, I have subscribed to the newsletter from Shailaja V of Diary of a Doting mom. This is very helpful with many blogging tips. I have also started my Pinterest account recently. I am loving my experience with Pinterest as I am enjoying to design my pins. As of today, I got 50 followers and 8k monthly views just in one month. I am so happy to have started on Pinterest.

That's a great month for me. How was your April? What made you happy? Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Linking this to #GratitudeCircle hosted by Vidya Sury. Also linking to #WritingWednesdays hosted by Corinne and #ThankfulThursday hosted by Shirley.

Kartikeya by Anuja Chandramouli - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title : Kartikeya 
Author: Anuja Chandramouli
Genre: Mythology
Publisher : Rupa Publications India
Length of the book: 238 pages
Source: A free e-review copy from the author

Blurb:

Unravel the puzzle that is the mysterious and misunderstood son of Mahadeva—KARTIKEYA.
Kartikeya was born from the flames of a desperate need, an ardent desire, and an utmost devastation. In him was distilled the terrible powers of Mahadev, at its fiercest and most deadly. Although he fought many wars and slew many tyrants, yet his gifts to humanity have always been those of mercy, compassion and love. What makes this possible?
For Kartikeya, there have always been more questions than answers. Did he really walk away from his family over a piece of fruit? What about the women in his life—was he the ravisher he is at times accused of being, or the protector of women? Was he the violent warrior who revelled in bloodlust, or a gentle family man? What was his relationship with his more popular sibling, Ganesha?

Anuja Chandramouli weaves together myth, imagination, and folklore while looking to answer these questions, and recreates for modern readers the story of one of the most enigmatic gods—Kartikeya.

Purchase Link: Amazon

My Review :
This is the story of Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva. It is about the events before and after his birth, his purpose, his ability to destroy the demons like Soora padma etc.,I have read many stories about the birth of Lord Ganesha but this story is new to me. So, I enjoyed reading this book.

This is a Mythological fiction where the author tried to keep conversations between Gods very casual. Even though there is a light touch of humor and casual tone, it seemed different to me when compared to other mythological books I read. I didn't like the casual tone of this mythological story. It made me feel like the Gods are mortals too. 

Story-wise, this book covers a lot starting from the demon king Soora, his brothers to the time before the birth of Kartikeya. The vocabulary and language skills of the author are excellent but this dominates the story. Becuase of this, I didn't feel it as an easy read. 

I liked the characterization and the story. I recommend this to someone who loves mythology and want to read more about Kartikeya or Lord Murugan. But, the language might be complex for people who like light reads. 
My Rating: 4/5

PS: I have received a free e-review copy from the author in exchange for a review and this is my honest opinion on the book.

About the Author:

"Anuja Chandramouli is a bestselling Indian author and New-Age classicist. Her previous works—Shakti: The Divine Feminine and Kamadeva: The God of Desire have been highly acclaimed. Her articles, short stories and book reviews have appeared in various publications like Femina, Women's Era, Lonely Planet, The Hindu and The New Indian Express. An accomplished orator, Chandramouli regularly conducts storytelling sessions and workshops on creative writing, empowerment and mythology in schools, colleges and various other platforms. She is a happily married mother of two girls, and is a student of classical dance and a practitioner of yoga. Chandramouli is based in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu."

Until next time,

Corridors of Time by Vinay Krishnan - Book Spot Light

About the Book:

Corridors of Time tracks the story of a sensitive young man who grows from carefree childhood to eventful manhood - one who stumbles before learning to stride through those dark and dense passages.

Set in Bangalore - a city of paradoxes. of gardens and garbage heaps. of technology and traffic snarls. of friendly people and failing infrastructure. when bungalows had gardens and pavements were meant for pedestrians. this is a narrative of the human spirit.

Rohan, an idealistic young sports lover experiences rejection, dark dejection and isolation and hurtles down the path to self destruction.

Shyla, attractive and successful is everything his heart yearns for and his body desires, except, she is married!

Chandrika, simple and devoted fails to understand the man she loves.

The shuklas long for justice denied by the system.

And khalid fears nothing and no one ...anymore.



Buy the Book:

Amazon


Read an Excerpt:

Chapter 1

The raw, earthly smell of the first drops of rain signaled
the onset of the monsoon of 1962. Ten year old Rohan watched it from his window
and inhaled deeply. He felt like he wanted to draw in as much as possible of
this place that he loved so dearly. The rain had washed clean the gardens and
roads of Bangalore. A city of sheer beauty, it was like a large painting
suspended in time, being restored to its original brilliance with one masterly stroke.
Bangalore with flower-laden trees, small lakes and numerous gardens was
wonderful to behold. All was quiet, calm and serene.

But
even his love for Bangalore could not match his passion for playing outdoors.
His face registered dismay when the drizzle turned into a downpour and sheets
of rain hid the verdant trees and the glitter of the rocks beyond the playing
fields. He would lose valuable time waiting for the rain to subside to play
cricket with his friends.

Drizzly
weather or what his dad called ‘English weather’ never hampered him like a
monsoon onslaught did. It was as familiar to him as the streets and their
English names – Lloyds Road, Cline Road, Hutchins Road and Davis Road. The
English had definitely made Bangalore into a ‘Little

England’
and left behind a large community of Anglo Indians. A proud community of mixed
cultures, they were concentrated in the northern part of the city called the ‘Cantt’
(short for Cantonment) along with a cosmopolitan mix of settlers from other
states and countries.

The
southern part, the original old Bangalore was known as the ‘City’ area. The
Cantt area, extending from Richmond Town to Frazer Town, had spacious bungalows
with servant’s quarters, private lawns and gardens. It was a township by
itself, with lakes, gardens, theatres, restaurants, bars and exclusive clubs.
The Cantt area was nothing without the Anglo-Indians whose exuberance and fun
loving nature enhanced the charm of life in Bangalore. They lived for the day
and never gave the morrow a thought. Romantic at heart, partying was their
greatest pastime. A few couples, country liquor, lots to eat and they would
dance till the stars drooped and went down under.

“Rain, rain go away, come again another day,” Rohan whispered urgently, and was gratified to see the
rain gradually stop. Now, he could go out to the beckoning playground and join
his friends for a game of cricket, yet another legacy of the British.

“Ma,
I am going to play”, he yelled.

“Come
back on time, Rohan”, his mother warned. “Or you know how your father reacts!” Rohan
ran out, looking back to wave to his mother at the door.

They
were all there – Peter, Oscar, Roy, Philip, Akbar, Kiran, Akshay, Arun, Joe,
Allan, Mahmud and Inder. The stumps were up, the teams chosen and the game was
on. Cricket was an obsession with Rohan.

“Come
on Rohan, we must win today”, urged Inder.

 “What high hopes”, teased Oscar.

Peter
always red in the face, yelled, “Oscar, shut your bloody mouth and start
batting.”

Praises for the Book:



The book is simple in style and content, for often it is this simplicity that bewilders and rouses

Interest.

~ Shri S . Rajendra Babu, Former Chief Justice of India



The book has excellent literary craftsmanship, passion humour and adventure. Highly recommended.

~ Mr. Namboodiri, former Asst. Editor, Deccan Herald



This charming book about old Bangalore is written in a racy easy-to-read style.

~ Deccan Herald, Bangalore.



About the Author:

Vinay Krishnan describes himself as a ‘complete Bangalorean’. A student of Clarence High School, he graduated in Humanities from St Joseph’s College. Earning a diploma in Business Administration, he began his career at Usha International Ltd and rose to a position of Senior Sales manager. Vinay has now set up a construction firm of his own. He also writes and devotes his time to an NGO assisting people with disability. The city of his dreams, Bangalore, where he stays with his wife and daughter, continues to inspire and exasperate him. He can be reached at – vinaykrshnn@yahoo.com.

Until next time,

Before we visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - [Book Review]

Book Details:
Title: Before we visit the Goddess
Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Genre: Fiction
Length of the book : 225 pages
Source : A copy picked from the local library

Add caption

Blurb:
A beautiful, powerful new novel from the bestselling, award-winning author of Sister of My Heart and The Mistress of Spices about three generations of mothers and daughters who must discover their greatest source of strength in one another—a masterful, brilliant tale of a family both united and torn apart by ambition and love.

The daughter of a poor baker in rural Bengal, India, Sabitri yearns to get an education, but her family’s situation means college is an impossible dream. Then an influential woman from Kolkata takes Sabitri under her wing, but her generosity soon proves dangerous after the girl makes a single, unforgivable misstep. Years later, Sabitri’s own daughter, Bela, haunted by her mother’s choices, flees abroad with her political refugee lover—but the America she finds is vastly different from the country she’d imagined. As the marriage crumbles and Bela is forced to forge her own path, she unwittingly imprints her own child, Tara, with indelible lessons about freedom, heartbreak, and loyalty that will take a lifetime to unravel.

In her latest novel, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni explores the complex relationships between mothers and daughters, and the different kinds of love that bind us across generations. Before We Visit the Goddess captures the gorgeous complexity of these multi-generational and transcontinental bonds, sweeping across the twentieth century from the countryside of Bengal, India, to the streets of Houston, Texas—an extraordinary journey told through a sparkling symphony of voices.

Purchase Link: Amazon

My Review :

Many of my blogger friends mentioned about the books of Chitra Banerjee earlier but I couldn't get time to read any of her books so far. Fortunately, this book is available at our local library. 

While reading the book, I just had one emotion - Wow! The book covers three generation of women and their lives in just 225 pages in a very detailed manner. Sabitri steals our heart as an ambitious person standing against all odds to start and run Durga Sweets and make it famous in Kolkata. Even though Bela is not very ambitious, her interests are different. She enjoys her dance performance on stage and takes her dance dress to the US even when she has to leave the house in a hurry for Sanjay. Tara is this generation girl who loves her freedom and is ignorant of her mother's love until she is married and settled. Bela comes out of her fears and does interviews, food shows on TV and even becomes an author of international cookbooks. Tara comes to know the importance of education after meeting with an accident in an unexpected way. At last all 3 characters are connected at the end dramatically. 

Chitra is a master storyteller for sure as she mesmerized me with the words and the layers of her characters. I wanted to know more about the characters and cannot put down the book without finishing it. The narration is so smooth and detailed that it didn't give me any inconvenience when the timeline moved from present to past and vice versa multiple times. The author could bring out the originality of each character by also highlighting their weaknesses and negative points. The story itself is natural and relatable, unlike fiction. 

I know, I am so impressed with the writing style, story, and characterization that I will read her other books soon. I recommend this to all readers who love good relatable stories. 

My Rating: 5/5

About the Author:

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning author and poet. Her themes include the Indian experience, contemporary America, women, immigration, history, myth, and the joys and challenges of living in a multicultural world. Her work is widely known, as she has been published in over 50 magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker, and her writing has been included in over 50 anthologies. Her works have been translated into 29 languages, including Dutch, Hebrew, Hindi and Japanese. Divakaruni also writes for children and young adults.Her novels One Amazing Thing, Oleander Girl, Sister of My Heart and Palace of Illusions are currently in the process of being made into movies.

Chitra currently teaches in the nationally ranked Creative Writing program at the Univ. of Houston. She serves on the Advisory board of Maitri in the San Francisco Bay Area and Daya in Houston. Both these are organizations that help South Asian or South Asian American women who find themselves in abusive or domestic violence situations. She is also closely involved with Pratham, an organization that helps educate children (especially those living in urban slums) in India.

Until next time,

A Different Kind of Reunion by Joanne Guiodoccio - Release Blitz

Cozy Mystery

Date Published: Spring 2018 (will send exact day later)

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

While not usually a big deal, one overlooked email would haunt teacher Gilda Greco. Had she read it, former student Sarah McHenry might still be alive.

Suspecting foul play, Constable Leo Mulligan plays on Gilda’s guilt and persuades her to participate in a séance facilitated by one of Canada’s best-known psychics. Six former students also agree to participate. At first co-operative and willing, the camaraderie is short-lived as old grudges and rivalries emerge. The séance is a bust.

Determined to solve Sarah’s murder, Gilda launches her own investigation and uncovers shocking revelations that could put several lives—including her own—in danger. Can Gilda and the psychic solve this case before the killer strikes again?

About the Author

In 2008, Joanne Guidoccio retired from a 31-year teaching career and launched a second act that tapped into her creative side. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes cozy mysteries, paranormal romance, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Contact Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Goodreads

Purchase Links 

Amazon (US)

Amazon (Canada)

Barnes & Noble

The Wild Rose Press

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,

Bharat Ane Nenu - [Movie Review] #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

This will be my last post for #SuperBloggerChallenge2018. It has been a wonderful journey with a lot of learning by participating and reading many good blogs in these 10 weeks. Thanks to Dr. Amrita, Dr.Bushra, and Utpal for organizing this. 

In this post, I am going to share my opinion on the latest Telugu Movie #BharatAneNenu. I am not a movie critic and also not someone who watches all movies. I am not a fan of Mahesh Babu but I consider him one of the handsome actors in Tollywood.

Bharat Ane Nenu movie is a political drama. You, of course, remember Rana's "Leader" and Arjun's "Oke Okkadu" movies while watching this, but the way this is filmed and the issues it raised are different than those 2 movies. 

Pros:

1. Mahesh Babu
He is the hero of the movie and you see him in almost every frame. His charisma is visible throughout the movie and it is a treat for Mahesh Babu's fans. He is getting younger day by day and has good style quotient in him. If you are a Mahesh Babu fan, don't even read this review, go to the theater and enjoy. You will be satisfied 100%.

2. Concept and Issues raised
The hero becomes the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh unexpectedly but uses his common sense and intelligence to solve the basic problems of the state. The movie raises good points about the development of villages, traffic problems, and self Governance. 


Cons:

1. More heroism dominating the story
Sometimes, it doesn't seem natural for hero fighting numerous villains and taking decisions on his own without fear. Of course, when we see other Telugu films, it doesn't look odd though. But, less heroism might have been good to connect to the character. Even though they show hero as a Super Man, he is a human too with follies. So, it won't connect with me much when a movie is far from the real world.

2. Music
The Background music and the title song are very good and enjoyable. 'Vanchindayya Sami' is good too. But all other songs fall flat. We might forget the other songs immediately after stepping out of the theater. 

3. Love sequences
When the concept is good, we don't need a romance angle much. If it is there, it shouldn't be incomplete and incomprehensible and it should blend with the story. But, this is not the case here. The love scenes look more like infatuation and there are no scenes to show their understanding or closeness in their relationship. There is not much shown about the heroine and it feels like a gap.

In my opinion, if taken well without more focus on commercial elements, the concept of the movie and acting are great. The characterization of Prakash Raj is superb as always. 

My Rating: 3.5/5

Did you watch the movie? Do you like it?
Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.

Rising from the Ashes by Rubina Ramesh - [Book Review]

RISING FROM THE ASHES: 

A Short Story: Prequel to Knitted Tales 2 

by 

Rubina Ramesh

BLURB

She was one of the most beautiful woman Asura Sambara had laid his eyes on. 

Possessing a beauty of this magnitude became his passion. Sambara kidnapped her and whisked her off to his palace. 

Mayavati knows she has no option but to bow down to his wishes. But what about the young man who always haunts her dreams? She had no clue why she was in this palace but after speaking to the mischief making Sage Narada, it all started making sense to her. 

Who was Mayavati and what was she doing in Asura’s palace? 

Was Sambara her destiny? 

Disclaimer: This short story is a mythological fiction and should be treated as such. The author does not claim it to be a retelling of the Puranas. This piece is a product of her unbridled imagination. 

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My Review

This is one of the shortest books that I read. First of all, I didn't know that it's a mythology by seeing the book cover. I love mythology and those numerous small stories that come in the middle of the epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. This book covers the story of Goddess Rati after she is cursed by Lord Shiva to become ash. Thus, the title of the book is apt.

The story is interesting as the characters are not very popular in our epics but known to some extent by their names. There are not many characters in the story and the focus is more on Mayawati. The story ends abruptly with Mayavati realizing her past life. I think, without reading the sequel 'Knitted Tales 2' , it cannot be said a complete story. So, have to wait for the sequel. 

The narration with twists is good. The book cover might have been different. Characterization of Mayawati is good and the author is successful in bringing Mayawati's thoughts, confusion, her pride, enchanting beauty and power clearly to the reader. 

Overall, I would recommend this to a Mythology lover. 

My Rating: 4/5

PS: I have received a free e-review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion on the book.

About the author

Rubina Ramesh is an avid reader, writer, blogger, book reviewer and marketer. She is the founder of The Book Club, an online book publicity group. Her first literary work was published in her school magazine. It gave her immense pride to see her own name at the bottom of the article. She was about 8 years old at that time. She then went to complete her MBA and after her marriage to her childhood friend, her travel saga started. From The Netherlands to the British Isles she lived her life like an adventure. After a short stint in Malaysia, she finally settled down in the desert state of USA, Arizona. Living with her DH and two human kids and one doggie kid, Rubina has finally started living the life she had always dreamed about – that of a writer.

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