Just For You by Rahul Saini (Book Review-3.25*/5)!!!

      Rahul Saini's new book "Just For You" is out by Penguin Publishers. As the promotion is in full swing, even I got myself attracted towards the book and I am happy that I picked up a very interesting book that discusses what an aspiring author goes through. The specialty of the book is that it not only discusses this but also about what established authors and even the developing ones are going through in the literary industry. Reading this book will change your outlook towards the book-publishing industry. A fictitious version of real scams, you can say. Haha! Kudos to authors for attempting something as gutsy as this.
      
          The book tells how writers play foul against each other. How innocents become victims while the corrupted ones end up winning the race of Bestseller's List. As I have also closely watched the industry from 3-4 years, I could understand exactly what Rahul Saini wanted to speak through this book. This book could have become talk of the town for writers if Rahul would have added "Inspired from true events" on the cover page. Haha! Because I have myself observed a publisher who's quite gay in approach, an author who always writes love stories and a team that organizes award show themselves and feature all their friends and everyone walks away with a trophy. :-)

         Coming to the writing style, Rahul Saini has provided an insight into his own industry very cleverly with usage of right words and phrases. You can sense how big and real things are spoken gently so that it doesn't offend someone directly and even the truth is spoken. Many characters could have jumbled the tale but the way author have set graph for each of them states their version of story perfectly. Writing as a first person for several characters in a book is very challenging but author has done a phenomenal job. Although characters are based in same working environment, the power of characterization and uniqueness gives distinctness and face value to each one of the characters and thus, all seems to be protagonist after a point of time. The bit of love story plays its part well. Several emotions displayed are also realistic and touchy. In all, the nature that the author has created with this book towards world, relations, dreams, emotions and competitions is applaudable. 

 The first half of the book isn't very fast and hence you find it very unconvincing to read but as soon as Nisha leaves Rohit, story accelerates and many events that takes place between authors excites you to know what happened and how did your favorite character manage to survive. Karun's character is wonderfully portrayed. I also liked the way climax is handled because it could not have been easy considering the way narration progressed with display of each character's proceedings. I also liked a particular scene of a book fest because I have found many a times that authors try to pull down their competitor by counter-attacking them and getting personal. (I call it the famous Number Page 177.)This book is certainly a fine attempt by Rahul Saini. Overall the book is readable and light in words and length which makes it easy to read. I give it 3.25*/5. 

 Thanks.

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Kingdom Come by Aarti V Raman (Book Review: 3.75*/5)!!!

    "Kingdom Come"- Isn't it an unusual title for a book? When I heard it first, I was sure that this book can be skipped but the good reviews made me go for it and thus, I picked up Aarti V Raman's Kingdom Come which is published by Harlequin publication. The book is 310+ pages and thus, you enjoy a ride that takes quite long to end. It's smooth but gets bumpy at times. The best part about the authoress is her command over the language and the way she explains the philosophies of the contemporary scenario between the characters at every specific points. Also her narration is good and the characterization is done very well which ensures that you get attached with almost everyone- Right from Krivi, Ziya, Noor, Sam to Woodpecker and Tom. That's the magnificence of each character.

       

            Cover page and synopsis promises some great action and thriller in the story which authoress delivers every now and then. Book even starts with a scene where Krivi Iyer is diffusing a bomb. Another commendable part is Aarti's research behind the lives of the people in army, terrorist groups and the way bombs, arms and ammunition are dealt with. The jargon that she has used many times regarding gadgets, machinery, bombs etc shows the kind of knowledge she ensured in herself before scripting this manuscript. 

     

     Well, out of everything, the best part has been The Woodpecker. I have read many books where a villain is introduced in a latter half and not given the kind of importance he/she deserves to make the hero of the book more macho. Author has definitely won brownie points here. She has discussed Woodpecker as stronger and better than Krivi and his whole team many a times. Even in the pre-climax, it is narrated as if The Woodpecker is a step ahead of Krivi and company. If for one point, I would ask you pick this book up, it would be to read about the villain here. I also feel that the title of this book should have been "The Woodpecker". Yes!

           Coming to the drawbacks:- I found it hard in getting into the story initially as author tries to introduce us with too many things and hence we don't get attached with any character except Noor's. It's only after some time that the book becomes alive and active. Also, I found too many love-making sequences every now and then once Krivi and Ziya patches up. It slows down the story and also adds up to your irritation. Book could have been 50 pages thinner easily. Too much time has been given in discussing of how Krivi and Ziya are confused with each other because of the same problem again and again. Also, few scenes where the narration could have been more exciting and thrilling, author has kept it flat as if just another scene. Else, I must say a good book indeed. Definitely, one-time read. I give it 3.75*/5. 

 Thanks.

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Cafe Latte by Amit Shankar (Book Review:3.75*/5)!!!

     I haven't read the 1st book of Amit Shankar but I was surprised to find another author with a big potential after reading Chapter 11 and Love is Vodka. Chapter 11 was a hilarious book which made me laugh and entertained throughout. Love is Vodka was quite sensuous but it was a fine attempt considering the genre in which it was written. Amit Shankar has just come out with his 4th book that's an anthology named "Cafe Latte". The 190-pages anthology is out by his home publisher- Vitasta and the cover page of the book promises "eighteen unusual short stories". These days, many small publishers are coming out with their respective anthologies back-to-back and hence, when I came to know that Amit Shankar has done the same, I was quite doubtful because reading short love stories aren't something new for Bloggers like me. But as the book promises, I really got to read some unusual tales and happily, there wasn't a single love story. Yes. Do you get it, new and small publishers? This is what an anthology is. Not the shit you are publishing these days.

     

          Every story begins as if it's just another tale but as soon as the half of it ends, you realize that the end is not going to be predictable. By the time you reach the end, you find your mouth open in surprise and shock. This anthology is been attempted seriously without any casual approach. Every story is written in a way that might want you to read more such stories which can leave you with lots of questions, thoughts and interpretations. The kind of messages and outlook these story provides, it assures that you aren't having the same opinion about the discussed topic anymore. It gives you an insight that you could have never known if not read these stories or faced those situations yourself which is quite unlikely to happen.

          Temple of the King, the 1st story itself makes you sad knowing what happened to one of the protagonists. Even the last story with which the book is ended is upon an unusual happenings between a publisher and writer. The book consists story of emotions of a boy who's father owns a lingerie shop, a girl who confesses to a Father before committing suicide, a child beggar who sells a rose daily to a schoolboy of the same age, a jazz player who feels he has no existence etc. All the protagonists are such about whom we don't think much as they aren't given much damn because of their own sad lives or presence. But Amit Shankar, though his stories, gives those characters a presence that makes you think time and again how problematic life can be and how wonderful our lives are.

        Coming to the author, I would say that Amit Shankar has once again impressed me with his writing and the kind of stories he selected for this anthology which is surely one of the bests I have read. But I would suggest him to continue with the full-fledged novels that he writes because I didn't feel the same excitement in this book when compared to my happiness and reviews after I finished reading 2 of his novels. It would be fine publishing one Cafe Latte kind of a book after every 3 full-fledged novel but continuing with anthologies and short stories won't be a good idea for a wonderful talent like him. He has an amazing story-telling skill that he shouldn't limit with anthologies. I give this attempt 3.75*/5 considering it to be a bizarre sort of anthology. :-)

 Thanks.

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!