Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Science Fiction, supernatural, Thriller, Young-Adult

Midnight City by J.R. Manga | Review

Charlie James is part of a special agency created by the UN to deal with the demonic threat that has infected the world, using the “fight fire with fire method.” With his training complete and his Spectra status confirmed, he has been sent on his first solo mission. This mission is linked to his traumatic past, and he must find someone dear to him. But his discoveries become more alarming as the investigation goes on, and the truth with what is happening takes a darker turn which may not bring him any peace.

Title: Midnight City

Author: J.R. Manga

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 105

My review

Midnight City by J.R Manga is a perfectly crafted dark fantasy thriller. The story follows a young federal agent Charlie James who is assigned to investigate the increasing missing cases in Seattle. Soon he finds out that his first solo mission is to investigate the missing of a woman named Latoya, with whom he shares a traumatic past from childhood. As the story unfolds, we can witness how these seemingly unrelated incidents leading us to a bigger picture where they all make sense.

The plot is surprisingly fresh, especially for a fantasy genre book. This is not a usual recipe that is flooding in the book market. The author has created a stunning world with a touch of reality. This makes the story captivating and engaging.

The narration and writing style deserves all the praise to carry a good story without losing its charm till the end. We are moving with Charlie as he finds clues one after another. This creates enough suspense to stick with the story.

Undoubtedly, this is one of the best fantasy thrillers I ever read. Highly recommended.

Rating: 5/5

Purchase here: Barnes & Noble

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Thriller

Criminally Crocheted: Book Four of the Fiber Mavens Series by J. Traveler Pelton| Book review

Welcome to Lyonsville, a serene village where English and Amish shops draw tourists by the busload for the atmosphere, food, and handmade crafts. Brad’s been promoted, Casey is expecting, and the Yarn Sisters are yarn-bombing the town. The new pastor’s little boys have a tendency to go streaking. When the yarn-bombing gets out of hand and half the Yarn sisters go missing, Casey and Brad have to find the culprit before someone gets hurt or she has this baby in the squad car. You are going to enjoy book four.

Title: Criminally Crocheted: Book Four of the Fiber Mavens Series

Author: J. Traveler Pelton

Pages: 124

My review

Criminally Crocheted is the fourth installment of the Fiber Mavens mystery thriller series. Lyonsville is a small settlement of English and Amish groups. The closely-knit families are leading a quiet life with mutual love and respect. Brad is a young, intelligent detective, who is recently promoted. His wife Casey is expecting. Their quiet life is suddenly disturbed by a new crimewave. The crime rate of the town starts going upwards. Brad has to solve this mystery very soon because things are getting too personal and complicated.

Criminally Crocheted is not a typical mystery thriller. Although this plot is too built upon crime and investigations, the background is very pleasant and colorful. The people are very cheerful. They are mostly engaged in their businesses. The mutual bond between families is so strong. All of them are dependent on each other. The helping mindset provides peace in this community. There is no room for any kind of crime in this town. Because of this nature, if something horrible happens, the entire town will fall into jeopardy. This makes the story even more interesting.

This thriller is written in a way that, the mysteries will add up, once you delve deep into the story. You need patience to unwind the whole mystery. The author keeps the suspense till the last chapters.

Altogether, this was a very enjoyable read.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Thriller

Office Pool: Orientation by D. L. Blackburne|Book review

41cMuzKUfJLOffice Pool is a coming of age story of an underachieving ink pen named Arthur “Arty” Bickerson. As his unique journey is chronicled as he navigates the ups and downs of “The Office” and it’s complexities. Arty experiences new success, love, peer jealousy, classism, along with high expectations and self doubt.
Office Pool is a fictional world with many layers. With humans set as the backdrop, these common everyday writing utensils deal with universally relatable issues and themes.

Title: Office Pool: Orientation

Author: D. L. Blackburne

Pages: 56

My review

Absolutely creative!

I have rarely come across stories that made me give a standing ovation to the creativity. This story is one of its kind. I never ever saw this kind of witty tale crafted around the everyday writing utensils. Set in the fictional world of Pens, the story has everything a reader hopes for. It has a shy and lighthearted protagonist, a mentor/ father figure, romance, and gripping flashbacks. The story even ends in a cliffhanger. How the author has managed to craft a story like this, I really don’t know.

The story has every element identical to everyday human life. Yet the story has no major role for any humans. But all the characters want only one thing in their life, a purpose. Through fulfilling their purpose they yearn to achieve fame and attention from their owners. They even fear their death, replacement, and uselessness. They all have their own fears to overcome and villains who are dedicated to making others life miserable. This world also welcomes leadership and heroics.

Although the author carefully placed humans in the backdrop, he constructed a world of human emotions and struggles with pens as characters. It is a small world, identical to humans inside our everyday life. Highly recommended to everyone who likes to delve into a different kind of story for a change.

 

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, historical fiction, Memoirs

Slaves, Masters and Traders: Historical Fiction by H. Ann Ackroyd|Review

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Title: Slaves,Masters and Traders: Historical Fiction

Author: H. Ann Ackroyd

Pages: 546

“Slaves, Masters, and Traders: Historical fiction by H. Ann Ackroyd is a novel which is written in the background of true events of the slave trade which was prevailed in the 18th century.  Slave trade was one of the most disastrous events in the history of mankind. It was an unjustifiable crime by all means. If we look back to history, we may encounter that the slave trade was done by the noblemen of the society. The Africans were dragged from their home and transported to faraway lands to be a slave for the rest of their lives. The people who are born free in their native land were captured, abused, and forced to work and serve without any justice. Through this book you can relive these events. It is a story that has to be told over and over. Because it is the living evidence of the extend of racism in people’s minds.

I always love to read historical fiction books because they are always the perfect blend of creativity and history. This one also didn’t disappoint me. The book is comparatively thick because the author has narrated the story in-depth through these pages. These kinds of large books need a compelling narrative and unputdownable story to successfully lead the reader through these pages. In my opinion, this kind of beautiful narrative alone can drive the story. The author is narrating three main storylines in parallel. Three different backgrounds, three different cultures, and very different humans too. It was a perfect pleasure to delve into a historical fiction book that is sailing through smooth storylines.

From the story of black tribal family to the life of a black slave family and their masters in Lousiana, it was a journey that a reader can cherish in their whole life. The book is also a treasure of insights from history. A reader can learn many things through this book along with a heartfelt story.

Another highlight of the story is character built-up. Strong characters can only drive the story forward. Here, the characters are created to perfectly blend with the storyline. Each and every character is unique and attention-grabbing. Again the beauty of powerful writing skills.

Recommended for every reader who likes to read historical fiction.

Rating:5/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Memoirs, Self-Help, short story

My happily ever after by Sanjay Sharma| Book review

Title: My happily ever after 

Author: Sanjay Sharma

Blurb

Keshav is a small-town guy, who lands up in Delhi for his engineering degree in a well-known college. The twist in his tale is – he does not want to be an engineer. He wants to be an author. When fate brings him face to face with Aditi, he is stumped by her beauty and heavenly voice. Like him, her dreams lie elsewhere. She aspires to be a singer, and not an engineer.

They bond over their dreams and passion, and a deep bond is forged. But just when things are going great between the two, a turning point pulls them apart. While she leaves him to pursue her dreams, he plunges into depression and anxiety.
My Happily Ever After is a heartwarming tale of electrifying friendships, life-altering dreams, and everlasting love which will motivate you to live the life of your dreams.

My review

Romance stories always bring calm and gratitude to everyone’s heart because it is a story that we can relate to. The peace that they pour to our hearts is unmatchable. Keshav and Aditi’s love story is indeed a beautiful one. It is also narrated passionately. Everyone can pick up this book and read them without any hassles.

I must say, it is not an entirely a love story. I liked this plot very much because it is more relatable to our lives. We all are trapped and living a life that others want to. We have dreams and we bury them because of unbearable stress and expectations. But some will stand straight until they achieve their dreams. This is the story of that someone.

An inspiring read indeed. The simple yet powerful language is the biggest plus point. Overall a good and nice story.
Rating:4/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, Indian Mythology, Science Fiction, Thriller

The Last Avatar (Age of Kalki #1) by Vishwas Mudagal

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  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins India
  • Language: English
  • Buy here: Amazon

Blurb

In the not-so-distant future, India has fallen, and the world is on the brink of an apocalyptic war. An attack by the terrorist group Invisible Hand has brutally eliminated the Indian Prime Minister and the union cabinet. As a national emergency is declared, chaos, destruction and terror reign supreme. From the ashes of this falling world, rises an unconventional hero – a vigilante known only as Kalki. Backed by a secret society called The Rudras, Kalki, along with Nushen, the Chinese superhuman spy, must do the impossible to save his country, and the world. But who is Kalki? A flesh and blood crusader with a mysterious past? Or the Messiah the world has been waiting for? The future of human survival depends on a single man. Will he become the living God prophesied as the last avatar of Lord Vishnu, or will he fade away as an outlaw?

My take

Kalki is a topic which is overused over time by many prominent writers in India. Still, it is a good subject to let your imagination build on. Mainly because of the mythological and modern background of the character. That’s why this topic never goes off the style.

First things first. Iwas really intrigued by the cover of the book at first sight. The depiction of Kalki with the touch of Lord Hanuman wielding a mysterious but seemingly powerful weapon. The curiosity built by the cover alone deserves an honorable mention.

Coming to the story, this one has everything for every kind of readers. I was absolutely fascinated by the plot and sub-plots in the story. The subplots are the main highlight. Because the author has woven many stories in a single string and connected them well to build an absolutely massive plot. This plot holds together every character in the story. This is also a well-built foundation for his upcoming books in this series.

The world is on the edge of an apocalyptic war. An attack by the terrorist group Invisible Hand in the Indian parliament has eliminated the Prime Minister, Union ministry and cabinet. The national emergency is declared and the subsequent chaos paved the way for destruction and terror. From this total terror, an unconventional hero has risen who is know as The Kalki. The protagonist Kalki, who has a double life as Neel who leads the Astra Group which manufactures most modern technological types of equipment. He is backed by a secret society known as Rudras.

What is the intention of this terrorist group led by Master Zar and what is his hidden motive to attack Indian parliament in one go? Who is Kalki and what is his intention behind saving the world? Who is the secret society known as Rudras and are they have some hidden agenda?

There are many more questions are arising from each page of the story. Every page creates suspense. There are too many different characters and the imaginary world which the author bought to the reader is absolutely magical. This suspense along with twists and addressing the geopolitical situation of India and China, the author never leaves any stones unturned.

The protagonist has no flaws. He has superhuman strength and abilities makes him the reincarnation of God. But I felt the character of the villain is slightly underdeveloped. The strength of the villain has a huge part in making a hero.

Altogether, it is a very good story and worth your time. Every mythological-historical fiction reader ought to try this book.

Rating:4/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, Memoirs, Self-Help

Zero Not Out by Vamshi Krishna

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Blurb

Varun Krishna, hailing from a middle-class family, works hard to realize his dream of getting into one of the top IITs. During his four years of college, he would go on to make friends and mentors for life. He would also meet his first love Nitya Iyer during his first year in college.Due to some unfortunate turn of events, he had to part ways with her as soon as he finishes college because of which he would go on a self-destruction mode. How life takes him forward from such a miserable state to building a startup aimed at curbing suicides forms the rest of the story. Riding high on emotions while emphasizing the role of family during crisis time, the novel illustrates the theme of how a father is looked up to as a real hero by his son.

About the Author

Vamshi Krishna spends most of his time writing – code or stories. He says he is a software engineer by chance and a writer by choice. Apart from writing, he reads a lot about cricket, love, women, and stories of failures. He is also a fitness enthusiast and a huge fan of MS Dhoni.He says his 4 year journey at IIT-BHU is the best time of his life. He strongly believes that every student, for at least a couple of years in his early 20s should experience hostel life.’Nobody dies a virgin, life fucks everyone’ is the motto he believes in.’Zero Not Out’ is his debut fiction novel and prior to this, he authored a coding related book. This novel is inspired by his real-life incidents (and accidents).

My review

A nice story which is written in the backdrop of College life. The author presents Varun, the protagonist who struggles through career choices, love, heartbreak and recovery. This story ends with a positive note. Actually, the positivity and fight back start when Varun goes through the heartbreak. How he fought back and realizing the true purpose of his life is the core of this story. When we accept ourselves, every other thing will fall into its deserved place.

 

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, Indian Mythology

Ashok and the Nine Unknown by Anshul Dupare

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Title – Ashok and the Nine unknown
Author – Anshul Dupare
Publisher – Rupa publishing
Genre – history/fiction
Pages – 224
Format – paperback

Ashok and the Nine unknown written by Anshul Dupare is a novel coming under the historical fiction genre. The beauty of historical fiction is they never lost the charm. Writing a story on the backdrop of a historical event defines the quality of a writer. Here the mystery of nine unknown is crafted on the life and rule of Ashoka.

The title and cover are beautifully designed to create mystery at the very first moment you hear about. I was curious to find out what really is the nine unknown. That drives me to read the story in a single stretch. The book is designed to be compact and that is another quality I liked most about this book.

Ashok, the King of Kings became devastated due to the aftermath of the Kalinga war. The death and destruction of war change him. He wants to rebuild everything and he decides to venture on a new path. The king then assembled nine prodigies from different fields to prevent him from wrongdoings and help him to restore peace and humanity in the country. This is the background and the challenges build on it in the rest of the story.

The language varies from simple to complex throughout the story. The author built the protagonist, Ashok very strong in the story. The character development was good throughout the plot. From beginning to end, this is a well-narrated story. The author keeps alive the mystery through the plot and subplots. That makes this book more enjoyable. Altogether, it is a good historical fiction which any reader can enjoy without any complications.

Rating: 4/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, short story

The Untold Stories by Maheshwar Narayan Sinha

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  • Title: The Untold Stories
  • Author: Maheshwar Narayan Sinha
  • Paperback: 164 pages
  • Publisher: 24by7Publishing

The Untold Stories is a collection of 6 short stories and one long story. The stories included are:
1. The Genius
2. The Deal
3. Kaala Dupatta
4. God in Chain
5. A word of Silence
6. The Guest

and the Long story is “The Untold Stories”

The variety in the themes used in each story is the main highlight. The author has explored many themes such as love, sorrow, education system, child abuse, unemployment, etc. The similarity of the themes of the stories with real-life will help the reader to connect with them.

Among the stories, I liked God in Chain most. The subject which is taken by the author for narration is absolutely good.  There is no similarity between the stories which is a good trait of short story collections. This will help a reader to read smoothly without the fear of getting lost if you take a break in reading.

The language used to express the plots are largely good except some typos here and there. Though the author has tried to tell a new plot in each story, some may fall in already written subjects. The effort taken by the author to innovate his writing style through these plots is appreciable.

The design of the cover is something that has to be appreciated. The unique design in the shade of green is perfect for this book. Altogether, it is a good short story collection for a weekend reading.

Rating:3.5/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors, Thriller

The Red Line by Tanmay Dubey

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Book title: The Red Line

Author: Tanmay Dubey

Language: English

The Red Line by Tanmay Dubey is a thriller story inspired by true events. The story starts with the sudden demise of  Rakesh Kumar at Red line metro station in Delhi. At first, everything seems to be normal about death. But an honest police officer Hanumant became suspicious about the death of his superior officer and starts investigating. The story becomes more curious and twisted when Hanumant finds out that all the fellow passengers in the train are either murdered or attacked. Who is behind all these dreadful crimes. The rest of the story is the journey of Hanumant to unveil the mystery behind all these murders.

From the cover to the last page it is a thriller genre book. The suspicious title and splash of red color in the cover is too good. If you closely look at the cover, you can see all the plot-making factors in the cover. The cover design is apt for this book.

For a 300+ pages book, there should be a gripping tale to make the reader stick. And here it is. The story has every element consciously embedded to create curiosity. You can’t help to think constantly that “what happens next?” every time you turn a page over.

The plot twists were unpredictable. I think that twists were the core of this story. The author has cleverly placed them at appropriate sections. Another highlight of the book is its take on the life of an honest police officer. The author attempted to show to the readers that what are the sacrifices a police officer has to do for keeping his moral and ethical values. The braveness of the protagonist is commendable. He gives first priority to his ethics let alone his family. His sacrifice has to be mentioned.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Highly recommended for the readers. This story will not disappoint you.

Rating: 4/5