Inane Murtaza

Title : Braised Pork Author : An Yu Genre : Contemporary Fiction I decided to finally expand my reading horizons this year by picking up books from different regions so as to gain more knowledge on newer topics everyday. So, when I got the opportunity to pick up Braised Pork by An Yu, I was pretty intrigued about the cultural importance of China and the knowledge it would impart and here is my take on the book. Braised Pork is the story of Jia Jia who one day suddenly finds her husband dead in the bathroom after his meal. Eventhough their marriage wasn't as happy as it used to be before, their mutual understanding of each other did not deter them from each other. It came as a shock to Jia Jia when her husband drowned himself. What was even more mysterious was the drawing of the fish man that he had been intrigued with since his visit to Tibet. The novel explores the story of Jia Jia and her journey to solve this mystery. I was pretty much attracted to this book because...

Title - The Truants Author - Kate Weinberg Genre - Coming of Age Fiction Agatha Christie has always been one of my most favourite mystery authors and her books have always been my first recommendation to people who are looking for books in the genre.So when I found out the book 'The Truants' is a book where the plot involves Christie's book, I didn't hesitate even once to pick it up and here is my take on the same. The Truants is a story mainly revolving around three people. Jess, Alec (Jess's friends boyfriend) and Lorna. Jess arrives at the university mainly bcoz she is in awe with Lorna and wants to take her classes. Though initially disappointed with the course she was enrolled in (Agatha Christie's course) she makes her way to one of Lorna's favorite student. A twist in tale involving them all puts their life upside down and what happens next forms the rest of the story. While the book was pretty intriguing, you do keep going chapte...

Book : Pan's Labyrinth Author : Guillermo del Toro, Cornelia Funke Genre : Children Fantasy We have all heard about movies being made from books and at times criticized them for leaving out so much from the books but there are extremely less cases when we see movies translated to books and the one we are talking about here was a major success garnering critical acclaim all over the world. Pan's Labyrinth was a 2006 fantasy film which even made Stephen King squirm in his seat and we finally have the literary adaptation of the same. Pan's Labyrinth is the story of Ofelia who moves in with her mother to her stepfather's place. A gullible girl who still believes that magic exists in the world looks at the people in the same frame of lens. Her surprise knows no bounds when she meets a Fawn who tells her that she is a princess of the Underworld and gives her three tasks to return back. A book based during Spanish Civil War needs no introduction to readers who are f...

Title : Spinning Silver Author : Naomi Novik Genre : Fantasy The book Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik  has been one of my most sought after book since the time I saw it with a subscription box providing it to readers. . Tried really hard to get my hands on it then but it took me months before I could get my hands on this beauty. What I felt on reading the book is that the book was truly worth the wait and was one of the best books that I have read this year. The book revolves around three women, Miryem, Wanda and Irunishka. Miryem who is a daughter of a Russian Moneylender who himself have fallen into debt owing to his failure in recollecting his money. Irunishka, daughter of a farmer who has borrowed money from Miryem's father and is now being forced to work for Miryem to clear the debts. Wanda, daughter of Duke who is forced to marry the Tsar in a turn of surprising events. Their lives gets entangled within one another with Miryem being forced to be the queen of the Wi...

Title : Beast Author : Krishna Udayasankar Genre : Fantasy I'm generally quite reluctant to pick up Indian authors since in recent times I have had experiences that were from bad to disastrous. Hence, when I finally decided to pick up this book, I kept my expectations at an pretty average but I did expect a good storyline as she has written a few books earlier which had pretty rave reviews. Read ahead to find out whether the book did meet my expectations or not. The plot revolves primarily around Enforcer Prithvi who has been assigned to find out about the gruesome murders that had taken place in the suburbs of Mumbai. ACP Aditi Kashyap, the investigating officer had been hearing weird theories about the murders which she ain't ready to believe but as the plot moves on, the circumstances does allow her a hint of doubt on the legend of Saimhas or as we call it Werelions. With deep buried secrets that would be unveiled, we are put on a roller coaster ride of twists that prom...

I consider myself extremely lucky when I had received an Exclusive Proof copy of the book 'French Exit' by Patrick Dewitt. This was my first book by the author and from the various praises that I had heard about the book online, I was pretty much excited to read it. Bringing out something new in my review this time, hope you guys like it. What is the book about? The story is primarily focused on three main characters Frances, Malcolm and their little cat Little Frank. Frances believes that the cat hosts the spirit of her late husband whose death had led them to take down a voyage which led them to Paris. The various adventures that occur during their journey to Paris and their stay at Paris makes up the rest of the plot. My Take on the book: What pretty much attracted me to the book was the fresh and intuitive plot that seemingly the author was known for. The book is has its own humorous moments and takes up serious matters in a pretty light hearted manner. The autho...

Ever been to a movie whose trailer was pretty meh but since you have been asked to still watch it, you do it just for the sake. At times this proves to be a pretty good decision but at times this could lead to disastrous results (I still remember cringing at Jai Ho). On the Open Road by Stuti Changle was a similar experience for me where the blurb just didn't excite me much but I still went ahead and picked up the book and here's my take on how the book fared on my charts. Blurb (From Amazon): Myra wishes to  break free  of her cubicle. Kabir wonders what life would be to  build  on his own. Sandy drops out of college to work on the  next big startup  idea. Ramy inspires millions of his generation on his  travel blog - on the open road.  on the open road - THREE LIVES, FIVE CITIES, ONE STARTUP, revolves around the lives of these restless and dreamy 20-somethings as they battle their inner demons and the societal taboos to live life on thei...

I have so many reviews pending at this moment and have been procrastinating for quite a while on when to post the same. A lot of contemplation and I finally decided to take charge and go ahead on doing what is right which is helping people around chose good book. It has been a pretty long time since I picked up a Non-fiction book and this book turned out to be the perfect contender with everything that goes around the world. Read ahead to know my take on the book. Blurb: 'Islam began as a stranger,' said the Prophet Mohammed, 'and one day, it will again return to being a stranger.' The gulf between Islam and the West is widening. A faith rich with strong values and traditions, observed by nearly two billion people across the world, is seen by the West as something to be feared rather than understood. Sensational headlines and hard-line policies spark enmity, while ignoring the feelings, narratives and perceptions that preoccupy Muslims today. Wise and authorit...

It's been a pretty long time that I have posted a review. I have completed a lot of books in these days but procrastinating the reviews for quite a while but I had to start somewhere. Enters 'The Bitter Pill Social Club', Rohan Dahiya's take on the high society life of India and how a dysfunctional family works which looks happy on the outside but broken on the inside. Blurb: The Bitter Pill Social Club takes a look at the lives of the Kochhar family, who find themselves drifting apart in the city of gins and fake friends, wrapped in cigarette smoke. As one of their own gears up to tie the knot, three siblings come home to the neurotic parents who raised them. Meanwhile the parents face the family patriarch's constant judgment. Divorce, disappointment, and disasters ensue as the entitled Kochhar brood dodges old lovers and marriage proposals. What's good about the book: 1. The author here does not dwell much into the introduction of the characters. T...

I have been suffering from a reading slump for quite a while and hence finishing a book has become a huge task for me these days. So, I wanted to make sure that I would start with a book that could make me get over this slump. Chakravyuh was one of those stories that has a lot of promises in store. Read on further to find out whether it stays high on its promises or falls flat. Blurb : Arjun Sud, A 42 year old, CA lives a stressful corporate life working for an MNC with his family in Mumbai. Their adventure holiday turns into a brutal battle when the innocent family gets surrounded by the tribals. In the middle of the jungle, Arjun is faced with the tremendous horror of fighting the mighty Paharias at the same time solving the complicated puzzle (CHAKRAVYUH) to free his beloved family. Racing against time the family has a daunting task of cracking a meticulously designed ancient maze against unknown scavengers in uncharted territory. The story unfolds as the family finds the secrets...

This was my last read for March and since then I have been in a kind of reading slump. I had received this book in exchange for an honest review. These days it takes quite a lot of effort to read a book by an Indian Author especially when the genre is romance. When Opposites Meet has been termed a bestseller and here is my take on the book. Blurb: What happens when opposites meet? When two completely different people find themselves drawn to each other? Can they really find happiness together? Can wheelchair-bound Ritwika find a chord that connects her to national-level athlete Chetan? Will Aditi's irrepressible cheerfulness restart Jayant's life, put on indefinite pause since his parents' death? Does Indu, happily divorced, rediscover her faith in love with the reclusive Lokesh? When Opposites Meet is the story of three unlikely couples and the differences between them. It's the story of love, and the possibility of finding it in the most unlikely of places. My...

I remember sitting in a cinema hall and looking at the screen in awe when Steven Spielberg brought the dinosaurs to life in his movie Jurassic Park. Years later, when I finally got my hands on the book I was quite impressed by the way Spielberg had kept the spirit of the book alive while making changes to the book at quite a lot of places. Imagine my excitement when I finally came to know when he was directing yet another movie based on a book and I geared myself up for it. So what was the book all about which garnered so much attention. 'Ready Player One' is a story set in dystopian future where the entire population is obsessed with a Virtual Reality game 'OASIS'. When the creator of the game dies announcing his heir to be the one who finds the easter egg hidden in the game, a mad rush engulfs the world. Wade Watts a.k.a Parzival is one such gunter (a person looking to find the easter egg) who incidentally becomes the first person to solve the first clue and thu...

Picture Courtesy: Instagran (@siri_s_book_14) So, after a very disappointing start to February with Keepers of Kalachakra, I decided to pick this one up for a bit of light read. I was provided this book in exchange of an honest review and I would try my best to be as honest as possible. I chose this book for the sole reason that it did not promise any cheesy romance that Indian authors churn these days and the blurb provided quite an interesting read about a serial killer. Did the book live up to the expectation? Here is my take on it. Blurb (From Amazon): Over a span of ten years, he killed forty pregnant women and then vanished without a trace. After five years of silence, he is back again, seeking his next victim. Only one man can stop him - Professor Black. Maher was found unconscious in the middle of the highway and later, in the hospital, she revealed that she had escaped from a killer's house. All the details and patterns matched the serial killer 'Kansa,' ...

So, this was my last read of January. I know I'm a bit late in posting the review but I promise, I'll do try posting one regularly. To be honest, this was my first book by Marquez and I had literally picked this up for the sole reason that the cover of the book attracted me to the book. A very short read that one could finish within a day, here is my take on the book. Blurb (From Goodreads): Fridays are different. Every other day of the week, the Colonel and his ailing wife fight a constant battle against poverty and monotony, scraping together the dregs of their savings for the food and medicine that keeps them alive. But on Fridays the postman comes - and that sets a fleeting wave of hope rushing through the Colonel's ageing heart. For fifteen years he's watched the mail launch come into harbour, hoping he'll be handed an envelope containing the army pension promised to him all those years ago. Whilst he waits for the cheque, his hopes are pinned on his prize...

Agatha Christie is one of those authors that needs no introduction. She is the queen of thrillers and over the years she had spanned out numerous thrillers with Hercule Poirot being one of her most famous characters. Recently, I had chanced upon one of her books 'The Crooked House' which is a non-Poirot mystery and once again Christie has delivered a page turner. Blurb (From Goodreads): In the sprawling, half-timbered mansion in the affluent suburb of Swinly Dean, Aristide Leonides lies dead from barbiturate poisoning. An accident? Not likely. In fact, suspicion has already fallen on his luscious widow, a cunning beauty fifty years his junior, set to inherit a sizeable fortune, and rumored to be carrying on with a strapping young tutor comfortably ensconced in the family estate. But criminologist Charles Hayward is casting his own doubts on the innocence of the entire Leonides brood. He knows them intimately. And he's certain that in a crooked house such as Three Gables...

By now, almost every one of us would have somewhere or other seen the cover of the book with a weird face or a boy with a spacesuit alien. For those who haven't, you guys should immediately Google the word 'Wonder' and I hope this jogs your memory. The book deals with a boy with Treacher Collins Syndrome and how his life is affected when he finally decides to join school after years of home schooling. Blurb (From Goodreads): Ten-year-old August Pullman wants to be ordinary. He does ordinary things. He eats ice-cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But Auggie is far from ordinary. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, he has been home-schooled by his parents his entire life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, Auggie's parents are sending him to a real school. Can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all? My Take on the book: What attracts you immediately to th...

Ahh!! The book that gave me jitters and creepers. So, this one was on my Amazon wish-list for real long time and I had finally received not one but two copies of this book as my Secret Santa gift. To be honest, I never knew there was a movie coming out based on this book but found out almost a few days later. The book talks about the sensitive issue of coming out for a closeted individual and brings out a question that we need to answer? Do Straights ever have to come out too? Blurb (From Goodreads): Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised. With some messy dynamics emerging in his once ...

After hearing quite a lot about Leigh Bardugo on my bibliophile communities, I finally decided to pick up this one from my treasure. Being an ardent Potterhead, I was a bit reluctant to involve myself in another magical world since I felt that there is nothing whatsoever that would be able to create the magic of J K Rowling. Leigh Bardugo's World of the Grisha was first introduced in Shadow and Bone Trilogy and with Languange of Thrones, a set of short stories set in the sam world, Leigh Bardugo has just started expanding her kingdom. Blurb: Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price. What's good with the book: 1. First and foremost, before I even talk about the story, the book has beautiful illustrations for each of the stories. The ...

"For The Night is Dark and Full of Terrors". This is the very first quote that strikes me these days whenever I hear the word burn or fire. Though Melisandre is nowhere related to this book, but this quote did make a brilliant start. So, here I'm with a review of my friend's latest book, a fantasy novel set in Dimakiya and brings in interesting elements involving the readers in a roller coaster ride of its own. Blurb (From Amazon): This novel has a superhero, but it's not about him. It's about his best friend-Rehan Saxena. He couldn't even pass class XII, but his mother wants him to become a "dactar". Thanks to a duplicate marksheet, he's sent packing to Lala Purabnath's Medical College Here Rehan befriends Namak, who happens to be a superhero in the making. Namak doesn't wear a back-hanging dupatta like Superman, but he does have this kickass-looking burning moon between his tits and he can fly, too (occasionally though). So ...

“She looked like a wild thing new-caught and just barely groomed into submission.” This quote aptly described not just the main character in the book but somewhere it also describes the actual book and the way it progesses. The Bear and the Nightingale is the first of Winternight trilogy by Katherin Arden, a beautiful book based in Russia which revolves around Vasilisa and her family and the way their lives tangle with elements of superstitions and Gods. Blurb: In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church. But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods... What's good with the book: 1. The beautiful plot. The ...