Review #720: I Didn't Expect to be Expecting by Richa S Mukherjee

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It's a great thing about being pregnant - you don't need excuses to pee or to eat.

----Angelina Jolie

Richa S Mukherjee, an Indian author, has penned an extremely hilarious and a captivating tale about motherhood and its mistakes in her new book, I Didn't Expect to be Expecting. This book revolves around a happily married, cool couple who amidst of their busy jobs, meeting deadlines and tackling weird bosses and colleagues in office, they always find time for each other and also for their crazy set of friends, and a kid is no where close in their 5 years blissfully married life's radar, until they become pregnant, and gradually their perfect life takes a slippery road and so the protagonist's body and mind.

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Review #716: The Last Watchman of Old Cairo by Michael David Lukas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature.”

----Antoine François Prévost

Michael David Lukas, an American bestselling author, has penned a compelling historical fiction called, The Last Watchman of Old Cairo that revolves around an American part-Jewish-part-Muslim student exploring the roots of his father's side family in Cairo where his father's forefathers used to be the watchman of an ancient synagogue, protecting its secrets and faith with their courage and sacrifices. The author has spun this tale around three shifting timelines about a young Muslim boy, two twin sisters from Cambridge on a mission to Cairo and a young American student picking the clues his father left for him after his death.

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Review #715: The Bitter Pill Social Club by Rohan Dahiya

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

----Leo Tolstoy

Rohan Dahiya, an Indian author, has penned a satirical contemporary fiction called, The Bitter Pill Social Club that revolves around a family based in Delhi, India, who lives for their selfish reasons and most importantly for their social status amongst their friends, relatives and Instagram followers. The sarcastic yet very vivid portrait of a filthy rich family who lives on their own terms, without realization that they are destroying lives as they go on with their Insta worthy life. But soon tragedy strikes this family and it is high time for the family as a whole to realize their mistakes before they lose themselves to the social media frenzy.

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Review #714: I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“These terrorists are the antithesis of Islam. They’re not Muslim. Violence has no place in religion, and the terrorists are responsible for their own crimes, not the religion and not us.”

----Samira Ahmed

Muhammad Khan, a British author, has penned a very intriguing debut YA novel called, I Am Thunder that revolves around a teenage Muslim girl living with her parents in Britain where everyday she wakes up to find a new challenge or bully to overcome with, but her life drastically changes when her family moves to different part of the city and she is admitted to a posh school, and there she meets a charming Muslim boy. Little did she knew that behind that charming smile, a sinister motive is awaiting for her and that would not only ruin her life but would ruin the lives of millions of souls, if not taken care of.

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Review #712: The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”

----Elbert Hubbard


Beth Reekles, a bestselling English author, has penned a sweet and pretty entertaining teenage contemporary fiction called, The Kissing Booth that revolves around a female high school teenager, who with her bestie, plans to run a kissing booth for their school's summer spring carnival, sadly, the girl, who has never been kissed or ever dated anyone, falls a victim to her bestie's older brother's Casanova charms and hence in secret, they begin their summer fling, but what happens when her only best friend for life finds out that she is dating his older brother? A cheesy and cliched rom-com drama is what this book has to offer, one time read, but I guess, the story could have been much better. And certainly, please not a movie on this book! It's a total pain.

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Review #711: This House of Clay and Water by Faiqa Mansab

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“But you can only lie about who you are for so long without going crazy.”

----Ellen Wittlinger

Faiqa Mansab, a Pakistani author, has penned an extremely evocative contemporary fiction called, This House of Clay and Waterthat revolves around two women and one transgender searching for love, freedom and identity, set against the repressed yet exquisite backdrop of the city of gardens, Lahore. One is chained and married to a man of extreme political power in a loveless marriage, while the other is a feminist and is destined to be with a man with whom she can't explore her sexual desires and passion and then there's this transgender who knows that God almighty has made him the way he is destined to be and that he must find his love in Allah only, but their lives forever changes when they meet at a dargah (Mosque) and gradually a forbidden relationship begins to blossom under the holy roofs of that dargah.

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Review #709: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Take responsibility of your own happiness, never put it in other people’s hands.”

----Roy T. Bennett

Julie Murphy, an American best-selling author, has penned an entertaining and thoroughly inspiring young adult contemporary fiction called, Ramona Blue that surrounds around a confident white 6 foot 3 in' tall blue-haired high school teenager who has forever been sure about being a lesbian but when a childhood friend who has become tall dark and handsome arrives at the seaside town, her feelings act in a rather different way. Blue-haired Ramona has always been taking care of her good-for-nothing dad, pregnant elder sister and her sister's boyfriend, without giving a second glance to her dreams or ambitions. But will love and the arrival of a new baby save her from all the real-life drama?

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Review #708: The Fates Divide (Carve the Mark #2) by Veronica Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn, and where we end up is really, in fact, where we always intended to be.”

----Julia Glass

Veronica Roth, the international bestselling author, is back with a bang and with her new book called, The Fates Divide that marks the end of this fantastic duology named, Carve the Mark. Up in the galaxy of stars and lives, two major planets are at war, and the fates of two teenagers who also happen to be in love with one another, are about to change drastically, that might not only bring war but will also divide them. And when a tyrannical ruler comes back from the dead, everyone in that galaxy is fearing for their lives, but can these two teenagers unite with one another to erase their common enemy before it turns into a bloodbath, despite of what their fates hold for them? This is an immensely power-packed ending to Roth's duology about an inter-spatial drama.

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Review #707: Fall from Grace by Danielle Steel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“There is scarcely any passion without struggle.”

----Albert Camus

Danielle Steel, the #1 bestselling author, is back with her new adult fiction book called, Fall from Grace that revolves around a mid-aged woman whose perfect life shatters when her husband dies but the worst part is that, after his death, she finds herself homeless and jobless. With little luck, she gets in the fashion industry, only to be falsely incriminated in a legal case by a trustworthy friend, despite her daughters' several warnings about her friend, but can she pick up the pieces of her life and rebuild it? Steele's new book will leave the readers heartbroken, as the protagonist's life is struck by one bad luck after another.

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Review #706: Shambuka Rama: Three Tales Retold by Mukunda Rao

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“If you are unable to find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?”

----Dōgen

Mukunda Rao, an Indian writer, has penned a compelling mythological book of short stories called, Shambuka Rama: Three Tales Retold, inspired and taken straight out of the great Indian epics namely, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The stories are about Bhima who chances upon the female rakhshas (monster), Hidimba and decides to stay back in the forest of Maya, Duryodhan who ponders on the Great War and the pain that it brought upon the world and about Rama who during his exile meets Valmiki and Shambuka Rama, forcing him to quench for the truth.

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Review #705: My Old Faithful by Yang Huang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related for better or for worse...and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum.”

----Rick Riordan

Yang Huang, an award winning Chinese writer, has penned a handful of short stories about a family in China in her new book called, My Old Faithful. The stories explore the lives of each family member and their secrets, desires, dreams and passion beyond the facade of a society stirred up due to China's one-child policy. Each family member opens up their heart about certain events of their lives that either affect the lives of their close ones mostly in an emotional way. The every day life and the struggles attached to it for a very simply family of five consisting of a mother, father, and three children, against the backdrop of China and America.

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Review #704: Flamingo Boy by Michael Morpurgo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Close friends are truly life's treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves. With gentle honesty, they are there to guide and support us, to share our laughter and our tears. Their presence reminds us that we are never really alone.”

----Vincent van Gogh

Michael Morpurgo, a bestselling English writer, has penned a delightful children's historical fiction called, Flamingo Boy that revolves around a young teenage boy, who after finding the real artists behind the painting in his room, journeys to the north of France, where he stumbles upon a family of an old woman and a strange old man living in a farm, and gradually the old lady narrates the story of that strange old man, who was once known as the Flamingo Boy, a story that involves the German invasion, the playful song of a carousel, friendship, laughter, even grief, a boy with healing powers and lots and lots of flamingos.

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Review #701: The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“If you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul.”

----Drew Barrymore

Nadia Hashimi, an internationally bestselling author, pens a heart wrenching and extremely intriguing tale about two kids' fearless adventures around the city of Big Apple to get to an address in her new book, The Sky at Our Feet. The story revolves around a young Afghan-American boy, goes on a quest to find his beloved aunt in New York City along with a friend whom he met at a hospital, when his mother is taken away by the police on the pretext of illegal immigration issue. But on their way the two kids face a lot of challenges and dangers, and how they overcome that has been brilliantly portrayed by the author.

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Review #700: A Closetful of Skeletons by Tanushree Podder

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


“Unfortunately, the clock is ticking, the hours are going by. The past increases, the future recedes. Possibilities decreasing, regrets mounting.”

----Haruki Murakami

Tanushree Podder, an Indian writer, has penned an interesting and slightly intriguing thriller called, A Closetful of Skeletons that revolves around an actress of yesteryear who escapes the silver screen glory to a quiet life at a sleepy hamlet somewhere up on the hills, but her life drastically changes when she meets an ambitious and mysterious young woman, whom she asks to ghost-write her autobiography. But little did the actress knew that her birthday party with her guest list of ex-lovers would go so terribly fatal when she announces about her tell-all autobiography.

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Review #699: Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“A liar is always lavish of oaths.”

----Pierre Corneille

E. Lockhart, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned an interesting young adult part-thriller and part-contemporary book called, Genuine Fraud that revolves around a teenage orphan girl, who is on the run, and in probably impersonating myriad identities, but why is she on the run? And for that, you need to trust the author as well as the story and not compare with some other book from where the author has found her inspiration. So kindly respect that and let's stop comparing the two and two, and rather talk about this book in particular. Debates can be taken up elsewhere, review is not the right place to talk about it.

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Review #696: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face.”

----Jim Butcher

John Green, the international best-selling author, created yet another masterpiece and this time it is called, Turtles All the Way Down and no trust me, this isn't a book about turtles, so sit tight while reading this book, as it might spiral you down to the soul's and mind's curious world about the existence of your own "self" within you. Sounds philosophical?! Yeah I know, this book is going to hit you hard in the right places and will awaken you from the deep slumber of your ignorance about the very existence of your own "self" with the help of the 16 year old teenage anxiety-stricken, OCDed female protagonist.

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Review #695: Murder in a Minute by Shouvik Bhattacharya

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“You can only be jealous of someone who has something you think you ought to have yourself.”

----Margaret Atwood

Shouvik Bhattacharya, an Indian author, has penned his debut thriller called, Murder in a Minute that revolves around the murder of a young and ambitious woman, who is the chairperson of her father's company, inside her own room and in the presence of her step brothers and sisters, along with her colleagues and her college boyfriend. And surprisingly each one in that mountainside cottage has an alibi, even though the initial investigations point at the killer being present in that house. Now the question is who or why, is it out of jealousy, ambition, greed or out of love, that the poor lady had to give up her life in such a tragic way?

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Review #694: The Fisher Queen's Dynasty by Kavita Kané

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“If you want to see the brave, look at those who can forgive. If you want to see the heroic, look at those who can love in return for hatred.”

----Krishna Dharma

Kavita Kané, an Indian bestselling author, has penned an inspiring and extremely compelling mythological tale inspired from the characters from the Indian epic mythology, Mahabharata in her new book called, The Fisher Queen's Dynasty that revolves around two key protagonists, one ordinary woman, denied of her royal birth-right who grows up under the care of a meager-fisherman, and later claims to the throne of Hastinapur by her clever tricks, but sadly she becomes a pawn to the dirty politics of the state, turning her into a bitter and wicked queen and the other, a handsome prince, who is the true heir to the throne to Hastinapur, but he sacrifices away his chance to become the king in order to fulfill his father's romantic wishes to marry a fisher-girl. The woman is known as Satyavati, the grandmother to Pandu and Dhritarashtra and the man is known as Bhism, the son of Ganga.

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Review #693: The Nine-Chambered Heart by Janice Pariat

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Love, it never dies. It never goes away, it never fades, so long as you hang on to it. Love can make you immortal”

----Gayle Forman

Janice Pariat, an award winning Indian writer, has penned an evocative and mesmerizing "fictional" biography through love called, The Nine-Chambered Heart that narrates the life story of a woman through nine characters, who has previously loved her or whom she has loved, either briefly or longwindedly in her life. The readers will only get to know this woman through the varied perspectives of the nine characters. And the one thing is clear from reading this book, that love never stays permanently in reality, but it lives on inside one's heart for as long as time goes on, and that is aptly captured by the author in this book.

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Review #692: A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“If I were asked to define Motherhood. I would have defined it as Love in its purest form. Unconditional Love.”

----Revathi Sankaran

Amulya Malladi, a bestselling Indian author, has penned a thoroughly refreshing and alluring contemporary fiction called, A House for Happy Mothers that surrounds around two women, one wants a baby desperately thus choosing the surrogate route to India away from her posh Silicon valley life with her darling husband and aristocrat friends, and the other is desperate to provide a good schooling and education to her highly intelligent son and also to keep the wolves away from the doorstep of her poor household by selling her womb. A journey that connects two mothers in different yet in emotionally similar ways that is vivid, raw and extremely heart-touching to read about.

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