Exploring the Bookish World

Hello everyone! Hope you all are doing great. I am back with another Author Interview Session. And today, we have with us the National Bestselling Author, Kevin Missal. He is the author of 'Kalki Trilogy'. I loved the first book of the series, Dharmayoddha Kalki. Here's the  link to my review of the book for those who haven't read it yet. And I am really eager to read the next book, Satyayoddha Kalki . Check out the Cover Reveal post on my  blog. Dharmayoddha Kalki by Kevin Missal Satyoddha Kalki by Kevin Missal So readers, get ready for an interesting 'Author Interview Session'.  Me: Hello and welcome to my blog. Congratulations on your new book.  What started you on the path to writing? Kevin: I read a lot of Archie comics then I read these unabridged versions of the classics at the age of 12 that kick-started my writing.  Me: Tell us something about your new book. Kevin: It’s the seq...

The Diary on the Fifth Floor is Raisha Lalwani's debut novel. The story is gripping and thought-provoking. I was hooked to the book until I finally finished reading it. The book is totally unputdownable. The plot revolves around a lady named Savannah Khanna. As the story begins, we see that she came to a hospital to visit Dr Rama Berry, a psychiatrist. Initially, she was a little hesitant to talk to the doctor about her problem. But the doctor made her feel comfortable and made her open up. Savannah ends up giving her personal diary to Dr Berry. In her diary, Savannah wrote her thoughts and various incidents which she came across. But, all her writings had one thing in common - each one of them began on a pleasing note, but the ending shows the unpleasant side of humanity, cruelty, selfishness.  All of her diary entries had negative vibes in them. To know what happens next, read the book! The writing style of the author is absolutely amazing. The language is lucid and it...

Oxford Bookstore on 16th of November 2018, opened the fourth edition of Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob at Jorasankho Thakurbari, the birthplace of Gurudev Tagore, inaugurated by eminent writers Shankha Ghosh , Samaresh Mazumdar and Mazharul Islam  from Bangladesh . India’s first festival debuting in 2015 exclusively dedicated to Bangla literature, ABSU is presented in association with Patra Bharati Group and supported by Rabindra Bharati University. The opening ceremony of its fourth edition held in the courtyard of Jorasanko Thakurbari was graced by Prof Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Rabindra Bharati University; Tridib Kumar Chattopadhyay, MD Patra Bharati Group of Publications and Swagat Sengupta, Director Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob and CEO Oxford Bookstores. The inauguration was followed by the launch of Tagore’s ‘Golpo Guchcho O Shob’ by Shanka Ghosh with a keynote address on ‘ The Future of Bangla Literature’  by Mazharul Islam .  ...

Shillong Times: A story of Friendship and Fear by Nilanjan P. Choudhury tells us the story of fourteen-year-old Debojit Dutta also known as Debu and his growing up in Shillong. The story is set in the 1980s when the calm and serene Shillong was experiencing a rise in hostility and intolerance towards the residents who are not natives of the place. This coming of age story takes us back in time and reminds the readers of their childhood days and presents before us a vivid picture of the beautiful and strong bond of friendship that the protagonist shared with his friends, Clint Eastwood and Audrey Pariat. Together they experience many fun things, which introduces Debu to a completely new and different life. With them, he feels the joy of certain little incidents happening in life - the Chinese restaurant forbidden by his mother, the revolutionary music of Pink Floyd. The three of them embark on many adventures. But, the tension between the Khasi and the Bengali communities ...

Gurgaon Diaries by Debeshi Gooptu is an amazing book where the author presents before her readers some of the incidents she experienced in Gurgaon. The sarcasm and humour in each and every account of hers is something that I absolutely loved about this book. A few months back, I attended a fun-filled session at the Oxford Bookstore, Kolkata where the author herself talked about the book and her experiences in both the cites, the one where she was born and raised, Kolkata, and the place where she lives, Gurgaon. And, after the session, I was absolutely sure that 'Gurgaon Diaries' is a hilarious book. So, I bought a copy of the book and got it signed by the author!😊 So, when I read this book, it was as good as I expected it to be. I could not stop myself from laughing while reading the anecdotes about different people and situations in Gurgaon. The book is divided into three major sections - Life, Work and Play. Each of these sections contain a number of short sketch...

Tides Don't Cross  by Simar Malhotra is a beautiful book. The cover is so pretty and vibrant. Also, the plot is just perfect! Unlike regular romance novels, it will keep you captivated till the last page and the turn of events that take place are quite unpredictable. The book tells the story of three extremely interesting characters as their lives cross in surprising ways. Rukmani is fierce and assertive. She is completely opposite of her elder sister Mrinalini in nature. Mrinalini is meek and cannot even think of defying their mother Neelam. And on the other hand, Rukmani constantly has a tiff with her mother. The story is divided into three parts. The first part is about Mrinalini's life. She marries Surya according to her mother's wishes and struggles to cope up with her life. In the second part, we are introduced to the character of Ayaan. When Rukmani and Ayaan meet in the magical city of Paris, they immediately connect with each other. We witness some mind...

Debasmita Nath Ghosh's debut novel, Hope and Sunshine, fits the genre of a typical romance novel. It tells the story of a Punjabi girl, Naina Grover, who is from Delhi but is working in Kolkata. She is in a long distance relationship with Ved. However, Naina couldn't be in the relationship wholeheartedly. Although their interests and tastes were similar, something was amiss in their relationship. Also, Ved did not want to inform his parents about their relationship as he feared it won't be accepted by them. Things change for Naina when a handsome Bengali boy, Aditya, joins her office. She is attracted to him but tries to brush off her feelings as she is already in a relationship with Ved. Later in the story, Naina comes to know that Aditya is her cousin Arjun's best friend. The three of them bonded really well and often hung out together. Their hangouts at different restaurants and places was the fun part of the story. One can get the Kolkata-vibes while reading...

Author Kevin Missal's Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma is the sequel to the National Bestseller Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu.  Read my review of the first book in the series  here . About Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma: After a defeat at the hands of Lord Kali, Kalki Hari must journey towards the Mahendragiri mountains with his companions to finally become the avatar he is destined to be.  But the road ahead is not without peril... Not only is he trapped by the cannibalistic armies of the Pisach, he is also embroiled in the civil war of the Vanars. And in midst of all this, he meets a face from the legends. Meanwhile, Manasa, the sister of the late Vasuki, plots to overthrow Lord Kali by bringing a massive war to his kingdom. But Naagpuri, her homeland, has been infiltrated by their sworn enemy, the Suparns. Not only does she need to protect her kingdom from the Suparns, but she must also protect her close ones from the league of conspir...

Richa Lakhera has penned a gripping crime thriller in her latest book, 'Hungry Gods' . The plot is dark and bold. Dark themes like sexual abuse, rape, trafficking, chemical drugs and illegal activities are dealt with in this book. The plot is set across two timelines - the first in the past in 1993 where a young child witnesses the rape and murder of his mother. And the second in the present times, where we come across Dinesh Thackrey, a powerful film director, who is shooting his new film, Healers, produced by Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs. Neville Valentine is the superstar brand ambassador of Medici and the lead actor in the movie. As the story moves forward, there is a series of murders and almost all the characters have a dark side to them which they are secretive about. The story is gripping and full of suspense.  You have to read the book to see how all the secrets unravel and what happens next. 'Hungry...

'Unlocked Silences' by Mukhpreet Khurana is an anthology of beautifully written abstracts, poems and excerpts, which are heartfelt and emotional.  Each one of them has positive vibes and has the capacity to captivate the readers. The black minimalistic cover of the book is as beautiful as the poems are. Each one of the poems is relatable and some are deep and insightful. The poems are not very long and it did not take me a very long time to complete reading this book. All the poems and abstracts are written in a lucid language which makes it easier for the readers to read and understand them. My favourite piece from the collection is 'Life is Beautiful'. It has a positive vibe in it which I absolutely loved. 'If Everyone Cared' is another poem which I really liked. Altogether, this book was a nice read. If you are a poetry lover, this book is for you.  About the author  :   Mukhpreet Khurana has been fond of literature, poetry and pr...

'The Undying Self: Vedic Wisdom in the New Millenium' by Anthony Duart Maclean is a book that talks about the power of Vedantic knowledge in present times and it explores several dimensions of Indian philosophy. The book is divided into three parts. The first part is 'Yoga and The Bliss of Being'. It talks about India's Vedic Civilization, Key Concepts and Principles, India's Perennial Four Paths of Yoga and Vedanta. The second part is 'Manifesto Spiritual'. It discusses in detail about our inner self, identity,  the essence of spirituality, philosophy and leadership. The last and final part is 'The Primacy of Consciousness'. All the topics are extremely insightful and discussed in great detail. This book on spirituality is a great book which invites self-enquiry and also encourages the reader to reflect deeply on peace and inner well-being. In modern times when peace is hard to find, and inner peace is very rare; when most of the ...

'Where Three Empires Meet' by E.F. Knight is a travelogue set in the colonial times, when India was a colony under the British Empire.  It is a very captivating read about a region that still is a focal point of international discourse as a result of its geo-political significance, i.e., the area of Kashmir, Tibet and around. The author, in this book, talks about his year-long journey in the year 1891 into the region in and around Kashmir and Tibet, where the 'three great empires' of that time - the British, the Russian, and the Chinese - came together on the map.  This book presents very interesting details and also vivid descriptions of the local people, their lifestyle, festivals, arts, and tradition. The beautiful photographs and illustrations make the book all the more interesting. This is really an amazing book and I enjoyed reading it. Travelogues have always fascinated me and I was very excited to read this book. The authentic and detailed descript...

HarperCollins India to launch Shweta Bachchan-Nanda’s debut novel , Paradise Towers , on 10 th October 2018 HarperCollins India is delighted to announce that Shweta Bachchan-Nanda’s debut, Paradise Towers , will release on 10 th October 2018, with a book launch event in Mumbai . A heart-warming slice-of-life novel set in an apartment building in Mumbai, Paradise Towers , is a riveting read brimming with the drama and intrigue of everyday lives. The book is now available for pre-order on major online retail sites. About Paradise Towers : Dinesh opens the door to the Kapoor flat to find Lata, the enchantress who works at Mrs Aly Khan’s, carrying a hot case with freshly made gaajar ka halwa. On the first floor, the inquisitive Mrs Mody wipes the dust off her precious binoculars to spy on the building’s security guard. The Singhs open the doors of their SUV, their four boys creating a ruckus – they are the newcomers, the outsiders. Through the p...