The Mountain of Light by Indu Sundaresan

Foreword:

It was during the release of this book, it hadn't yet hit the market. There was a huge campaign of marketing going on about this book. Almost every book-reviewing site I knew was marketing/advertising about this book.

In fact, the author was hailed like some very well known author, when it was the first time I had heard of this author. I didn't even hear of her most acclaimed work, The Taj Trilogy - consisting of The Twentieth Wife, The Feast of Roses, Shadow Princess.

Having very high expectations, I liked the author's FaceBook page.

After the book hit the market, I saw a post by the author, herself, announcing a huge giveaway to readers in exchange to a book-review. Well, I dropped in my e-mail ID.

The following day, I was contacted for the shipping details, which I provided. A month or two passed since then. I even forgot that a book like this even got published. All of a sudden, there was a courier at my doorstep. I was wondering who sent the book, as I had stopped accepting books for reviewing during that time.

To my surprise, it was this book. Then I left the book as it is for a very long time, until day before yesterday...

Krishna by James H. Bae (Jaico Mini God Series)

Foreword: 

This is a part of Jaico publishers, Mini God Series, which also contains...

• Kali
• Ganesh
• Hanuman

I want to start by thanking Shrey Mehta for sending such awesome the very moment I requested to review them.

I also thank Jaico Publishers for being a very vital part of our blog. Without them, this blog would've been only half full.

Krishna had always been a object of fascination for me.

Ganesh by James H. Bae (Jaico Mini God Series)

Foreword:

This is a part of Jaico publishers, Mini God Series, which also contains...

• Hanuman
• Kali
• Krishna

I want to start by thanking Shrey Mehta for sending such awesome the very moment I requested to review them. 

I also thank Jaico Publishers for being a very vital part of our blog. Without them, this blog would've been only half full.

There were not many tales of Ganesh that I have heard. I knew only one: the story of how he was born and got his elephant-head.

Hanuman by Joshua M. Greene (Jaico Mini God Series)

Foreword:

This is a part of Jaico publishers, Mini God Series, which also contains...

• Kali
• Ganesh
• Krishna

I want to start by thanking Shrey Mehta for sending such awesome the very moment I requested to review them.

I also thank Jaico Publishers for being a very vital part of our blog. Without them, this blog would've been only half full.

I pretty know Hanuman's story from the animation movie, Hanuman, which I had seen when I was small. It is really interesting to read that movie in textual forms. Also, this book had some other things which were not briefed in the anime.

Kali by Sarah Caldwell (Jaico Mini God Series)

Foreword:

This is a part of Jaico publishers, Mini God Series, which also contains...

• Hanuman
• Ganesh
• Krishna

I want to start by thanking Shrey Mehta for sending such awesome the very moment I requested to review them. 

I also thank Jaico Publishers for being a very vital part of our blog. Without them, this blog would've been only half full.

Why chose this book?

Well, it is simple. It is due to my love for mythology that I chose these books. And especially this one, because, there are various tales making rounds about the other Gods, but about Kali ma, there are fewer tales. As per me, I knew not even one tale of her power, so I chose this book.

A Country for Men by RKSJ

Foreword:

Out of our usual stackers, I have received a mail from BlackBuck Publishers. Heard of them before? Neither did I, until then.

They were new into the publishing industry. Their first book was, Life's Like That by Prashant V. Shrivastava, which clearly bore the signs of immaturity. It was poorly edited and was boring in more instances than one.

The mail from them contained with the request to review their books the details of four books. Each book's cover design was uniquely assembled and I was right away tempted to accept the offer.

So they sent four of their books over. The other three of the books are,

• SUDHI-KANNAN: An Elephantic adventure
• LOVE @ AIR FORCE
• THE RELUCTANT MESSIAH

The reviews of these books are yet to follow...

Supertraits of Superstars by Priyanka Sinha Jha

Foreword:

I have received this book from Reshmy Pillai (of thetalespensieve.com).

The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve.

Blurb (from the jacket):

Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Vidya Balan, Karan Johar. Each of these celebrities are adored and looked up to by millions who aspire to emulate their success stories. But what is it that separates them, and other Bollywood stars, from the rest? Which is that one defining trait that makes them stand out, and how can you benefit from knowing it? 

In this one-of-a-kind book, Priyanka Sinha Jha looks at eleven luminaries from Bollywood, and the attribute that is perhaps most responsible for their success. She details their stories, their struggles, their efforts to overcome setbacks, and what it is about them that made them not just reach the top of their game, but stay there. Be it Amitabh Bachchan’s discipline, Aamir Khan’s perfectionist nature, Salman Khan’s generosity, John Abraham’s enterprise or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s grace—each star has one unique quality that others can imbibe to reach greater heights in their own lives. With pithy observations and inspirational conversations, Supertraits of Superstars will show you how to live life star-size.

"Supertraits of Superstars could be a guidebook to a lot of youngsters out there who want to reach out for the stars and touch the sky." - John Abraham

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Foreword:

Another off the tbr list.

Another author and book recommended by Srinivas, the other author of the book.

One of its kind I've read yet. A new scope of genre in books, I've never ventured into.

In short, everything about the book is magnificent. Its black and red cover. The name of the author - Haruki Murakami. Especially, I like his name. The genre - Magical Realism.

After reading this book, I think every reader must try and read a book of this genre at least once. There won't be any person who wouldn't like this sort of books. If not for its story, its narration, or maybe the magic thing about it might did the trick.

Overall, it was fresh and a one of its kind read...

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

The Temple of Avinasi

by

Ayush Pathak

                

The Edge of Power by Tuhin A. Sinha

Foreword:

I didn't read many books from this author. I read his other book, perhaps the prequel of the book in discussion, The Edge of Desire and right away noticed something ablaze in him.

By the very choice of the plot for his stories, we can tell that he is not just any other author, struggling to write a college romance. There is always a message, a sensitivity, a potpourri of emotions in his books.

Like I have said, even this book had got some very sensitive topics, like Delhi Rape incident, Indian politics, etc. If you ask me, they are pretty tricky topics.

Even if I try, I wouldn't be able to write a story based on Indian politics. It is a deep mess I can't get myself sorted off, once if I try and get in.

If I don't stop here, I would keep on ranting about the various off-topics. So I would end the foreword and move on to write the review of the book.

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

Marvels & Mysteries

of the

MAHABHARATA

by

Abhijit Basu

Oh, man. I love hardcovers!!!

                

Blue Is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh

Foreword:

If I had to thank someone for making me read this book, that would be Srinivas, the other author of the blog. Who was the person that injected the words Graphic Novel into my reads and also for asking me to read this one.

The other Graphic Novels, I had read,

• Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
• Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

To compare the three Graphic Novels, every aspect of them differ widely. While I admire Asterios Polyp for the illustrations, I love Persepolis for its witty narration and this one for its story.

Like I mentioned in other novels too, it is a very unique experience to read a Graphic Novel. It is like you are watching a movie with subtitles and on mute.

Definitely a experience every reader must try...

Buddhist India Rediscovered by Aruna Deshpande

Foreword:

The very moment I laid my eyes on this book in the catalog sent by Jaico people with their new releases, I thought to myself, I have to read this!

Buddhism has always had this mystic effect on me. In fact, although being an Hindu, one will find more Buddha idols and posters in my room than any Hindu deity. Buddhism always had this ascetic impression on me.

In short, I loved everything about Buddhism. Their monks. The tonsure-headed children. The idols of Buddha. Their way of living. Various tales floating around Him. The tranquility that blankets one, who visits a Buddhist monastery. And the list goes on. Like I have already said, I just love everything about Buddha and Buddhism. In fact, I even love Siddhartha (by Herman Hesse) - Buddha has a small guest appearance in this piece of fiction.

Like various books from Jaico Books, this book is also sent by Marina.

To look at the list of the book sent by Jaico books, click here...

Blurb (from the jacket):

INDIA IS THE GUARDIAN OF a rich and ancient culture, and the seat of Buddhism. Mystic monasteries on Himalayan slopes, richly carved stupas amid lush gardens, cavernous dwellings with exquisite paintings –India is home to all these and more.

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

AJAYA

Roll of the Dice

by

Anand Neelakantan

             

Colours of Life by Ashwani Tyagi

Foreword:

Well, I don't know who sent this book. Of course, I didn't buy it. Someone must have sent it for reviewing. But I don't know who.

There was no mail asking for whether I will review. No mail asking for my address. But the courier was addressed to me. So someone who knew my address must have taken liberty to send the book without prior information. Someone, who had send many books earlier.

This book is published under Frog Books, an self-publishing imprint of Leadstart Corps. Well, then it should have to be from Leadstart Corps. The same people who sent the book listed on this page...

Firstly, I thought of not reviewing this book. Later, I was mellowed and considered reviewing the book for the sake of the author, if not for the publishers.

Blurb (from the jacket):

Rishi is a fun - loving, happy - go - lucky guy with no particular ambition. The professional college changes many things. He gets into all those habits which are perceived negatively by society. He goes so deep into those activities that it starts affecting not only his health but also his studies. During the course he is also acquiring the skill sets which may be useful to him in future. 

Life's Like That by Prashant V. Shrivastava

Foreword:

They were the first of the days, I was rejecting books for reviewing. The days when I started to read non-review books, books of my choice, for a number of books review-books I read. Like, I read a book of choice (non-review-book) for every three review-books. 

Due to this addition to my reading regimen, the books to be reviewed (tbr) stack was elevating to a level that, I couldn't keep up with it. So I was rejecting new books. However, dueing that time, I accepted a few books, too, but only if they had a very interesting plot.

That is about the time, when I received a very short mail from the author of this book. Its subject read, Review request for Life's Like That.

Even the content of the mail was very short. It said, that he had got his first novel published and a link to know more about his book and a question, whether we would review his book.

Later, we accepted to review his book on the term that we couldn't commit to a time before when we could review his book. Well, finally, now, I am reviewing it.

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

Today, we have received a special couplet from BecomeShakespeare.com.

BecomeShakespeare.com is a self-publication facility, or rather a facility that promotes self-publications.

When I first received a mail from them, they sounded pretty virgin. I never heard of them before. I presumed they were new to the industry. Well, they have a very limited catalog, which, I believe, is to expand and flourish pretty soon.

Well, to review, I had chosen the following books and unexpectedly, they landed up at my doorstep.

A Cupful of Aha!

by

Anandaa

~

Potluck

by

Various

                          

                 

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Foreword:

Clearly, I had chosen this book for the reason that it had won Man Booker (Back when this book won it, it was called Booker Prize). And also, due to the provocative probing of Srinivas, the other author of the blog.

He rated the book all five stars and knowing him pretty well for quite a long time, I know that he doesn't easily give a book five stars. There must be something special about this book for him to do that.

Though, the title and the proud declaration - WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE - were encouraging, I had this feeling laziness ever since I started reading it. Maybe it is due to long gap during which I hadn't read a word, during my vacay. Or maybe I am going through a phase of life, like 'Readers' Block'.

Whatever may be the reason, I finally completed this book, which more or less took more than 2 week - 16 days, to be precise. 

Hope you will enjoy the review as much as I did reading this book...

Blurb (from GoodReads):

"They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all tampered with the laws that lay down who should be loved and how. And how much."