bookschharming's reviews
478 reviews

High School Queens by Zachary Ryan

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5.0

High School Queens by Zachary Ryan is the first book in the trilogy. The plot based on American high school drama and a life full of secrets. I am in love with the cover page. It's striking. This is my first read of this author, and I must say I am impressed.

The main characters are a bunch of high school students. Aman, Calvin, Danielle, Andrew, Delilah, and, Jasmine. They all come from a different section of society. They all have different dreams, but one thing is common which connects them all. They all try to hide their secrets. Living double lives. In order to keep their persona intact, they can cross any line.

Aman comes from an Indian Muslim family where he is not allowed to live a life of his choice. Calvin is a star baseball player, but he is struggling to come out and accept his real self. Danielle loves her social standing, but her dreams and life shattered when her parents got divorced. Andrew is an alcoholic trying to live a sober life. Delilah has no self-esteem. She just wants to hurt herself. Jasmine in a desperate need of love and approval from others.

Their lives turn upside down when someone named The Marked Queen claims to know all their dirty secrets. She warned them that she will destroy all of them at prom night. Everyone is frightened, and the backstabbing begins. Zachary Ryan narrates the story smoothly involving every necessary aspect. All the characters get their space to grow and establish their connection with the readers.

The story is full of twist and turns. It hooked me from start to an end. It leaves me with the thoughts that why the needs for love, attention, and affection turns a human into a whole different person. We all hide our tears because we don't want to see how messed up we all are or we can't afford to see our scars to others. The whole story is based on this. All the characters are fighting with their inner demons to find their right place in school or in society.

This book proves to be a refreshing read. It is fast-paced. The author did an incredible job. At some places, there are spelling mistakes, but they are avoidable. Zachary Ryan describes body shaming, gay's perspective, low self-confidence, suicide attempts, social standings, abusive parents, catfights, sexual need, lies, and the importance of accepting the truth. This book covers almost every topic which a teenager goes through in their life.

I really like how the characters make peace with themselves. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. The Marked Queen agenda is quite clear from the starting, but I am looking forward to reading her dirty secrets now. I recommend this book to young adult lovers, newbies, and those who enjoy reading high school drama.

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Encounters of a Fat Bride by Samah Visaria

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5.0

Life is difficult if you're a girl. No matter if you are thin or fat. Encounters of a fat bride by Samah portray the hardship and struggle of a fat girl endure. The plot is based on the mentality of Indian society towards stoutness. The cover page is simple, and the title attracts the readers.

The female protagonist Madhurima Pandey is an MBA student, loving, caring, and chubby. She is twenty-five years old, and like every Indian parent, they start groom hunting for their dearest daughter. Madhurima's overweight bothers her. She has low self-respect and looking for one person to say yes to her for marriage. She is jealous of her thin friends, and always looking for ways to avoid social gatherings.

No one wants a fat bride. She goes through so many rejections, but one boy agreed to meet her again. His name his Harsh, he works in IT company. She starts suspecting that why a thin boy wants to marry an overweight girl. The story revolves around them and the pain or trauma they suffer. Soon Madhurima finds the hidden secret of Harsh which turns their lives into more chaos. The story further unfolds the hidden emotions of Madhurima and Harsh.

Samah Visaria is bona fide in her story. She narrates the truth of Indian society and their endless expectations. The groom parent's demands are considered as God's wish, and if it is not fulfilled by the bride side then the marriage is called off, or the worst case scenario is they taunt or torture the girl lifetime. Every parent of the girl has to go through this crap, and they bow down for the sake of their daughter's happy future, but they have to understand that gifts or unnecessary expenses will not guarantee a lifetime of happiness.

This story is an eye-opener for every girl. I like Madhurima's grandmother character so much. It's very difficult to find an open-minded woman. The story is filled with self-realization. It concludes many taboo topics. The most important thing one can learn from this is to never lose your self-respect and be happy in your own skin, accept who you are. This book makes you laugh. I really enjoy reading this book. I recommend it to every reader.

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KAVACH OF SURYA by Surendra Nath, Surendra Nath

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3.0

Kavach of Surya by Surendra Nath is a sequel to Karna's Alter Ego. This book embarks on the journey of a man named Vasu. He is in search of Karna's divine Kundal and Kavach. Karna is a mythological character of the great epic Mahabharata. Before the bloodthirsty war between Kaurav and Pandav's starts, Lord Indra asked Karan to give his divine armor and hide it on the different parts of Earth.

In the previous book, Vasu met with Karna and become his disciple. Now the story revolves around a hidden mystery, facts, and fiction. According to the myth, only a true believer will find Karna's Kavach and Kundal. In Vasu's deadly search he met with different immortals and learns about life and death. It is important to find a purpose in life, Vasu is struggling with that.

He begins his expedition with the blessings of Karna, and other immortal people like Vibhisan, and Guru Parashurama. Vasu proves his worth throughout his journey. If he finds the precious weapons, he can wear it, and protect the world, but if terrorist finds it first then, everything will be shattered. The fate of the world depends upon Vasu.

Surendra Nath tells the story in a fascinating way. It is fast-paced. It spellbinds me all the time when I read about any legendary character and the different eras. Sahar and famous scientist prove to be great allies to Vasu. I feel the Vrishali's character, Vasu's wife is clumsy. The villain of the story is quite an interesting person. Overall, this book proves to be worthy of my time. I recommend this book, but only if you're interested in mythology.

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Nocturne: Poems of Love, Distance, and the Night, a callous and disinterested lover by Phil Slattery

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3.0

Nocturne by Phil Slattery is a beautiful collection of poems based on love, distance, and the dark night. The verses were written from about 1985 to 1993. I like the simplicity of the cover page. This is my first read from this author.

The author portrays his feelings very well. The emotional, geographical, and romantic change in the author's life is shown in his writing. I read this book in one go. Every word penned down by Phil Slattery shows his thoughtfulness. The verses are straight forward which makes it easy to read. It reflects the author's raw emotions. The collection of his work shows a specific journey and the image of a lover.

The poem is not in chronological order, and only a few of them have a title. The language is simple and easily understandable, but this book needs serious formatting. The book is self-published, and the author uses different pictures to supplement his message. I recommend this one.

Read more about this book here - https://www.bookscharming.com/2019/05/book-review-nocturne-by-phil-slattery.html
Life in the Sunshine: Autobiography of an Unknown Cricketer by T. Sathish

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4.0

Life in the Sunshine is a fiction story written by T. Sathish. In his debut book, he talked about the passion and love for the sport, Cricket. The simple cover page and title create curiosity. This is not an autobiography, the title misleads the readers.

In India, Cricket is not just a game, it is a religion and the players considered as Gods. Sat and his two best friends Sam and Trib connect with this sport at a very early age. Their dream is to play for India, and the motivation for this is an Audi car. The book embraces their journey and struggle. The way the author narrates childhood memories of the characters is mesmerizing. I like Sat's act of becoming a religious preacher of Cricket, or at least he tries to until his parents know. The boy named Abdul who is considered as a ghost because he only appears at India-Pakistan match and that too cheer for Pakistan boils the blood of Sam, Trib, and Sat. The chemistry between these three friends is remarkable.

The story revolves around different matches India played and the players for their good and bad performances. Sat, the protagonist learned some life lessons from real-life players and uses it in his college matches. As the title suggests, this book is not a story of some world famous cricketer. It is a story of ordinary boys who adore this sport, and their love for Cricket is undying. The book consists of the story of three childhood friends who share memorable moments with each other.

The book is fast-paced. It will definitely put a smile on the reader's face. The language is simple. I like the imaginary conversations of teenage boys after matches. As a reader, I wanted to know why Abdul always cheer for Pakistan Cricket team and his family background. I also wanted to read about the Sat relationship with his family which is missing. But overall, this book makes me smile a lot. I like the way the author makes it humorous at a few points. I recommend this book.

Read more about this book - https://www.bookscharming.com/2019/04/book-review-life-in-sunshine-by-t.html
Snake in the Meadows by Ayaz Kohli

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5.0

In his debut book Snakes in the Meadows the author Ayaz Kohli narrates the tale of terror in a village of Pathri Aali, situated in Jammu and Kashmir. The cover page painting is beautiful and full of emotions.

The main characters of the story are Ashwar and Aslam. They fall in love at the tender age of sixteen, but they were separated because of their family ego. Ashwar forced to marry a widow Hanif, father of two children, Manzoor and Shamma. Aslam ran away from his marriage, leaves his family to suffer the consequences of his cowardliness. The time flies and once again their path cross, but this time the situation is far worse. Their village, their beautiful Eden is now filled with snakes. It is captured by militants (Mujahidin).

The people live in utter misery, but no one cares. The army and police deny helping. In this difficult situation, Ashwar takes charge, and with the help of villagers, they formed a committee to protect themselves. The story revolves around different folk tales of the village, family rivalry, politics. It is a perfect blend of facts and fiction. The women were raped, children were molested, men beaten by militants. They all were shattered from inside, but still, they don't lose hope. They stand against all the demons.

This story gives me a lot to think about. We live in our nest without giving any thought about the people who live near borders, and we are unaware of their sufferings. Ayaz Kohli is a master storyteller. He penned every word carefully, and it touches the reader's heart. With a pinch of optimism, anything is possible; this proves the people of Pathri Aali. The characters are placed very well, and they grow with time. The narration is smooth as silk. I highly recommend this mesmerizing book.

Read more about this book here - https://www.bookscharming.com/2019/05/book-review-snakes-in-meadows-by-ayaz.html
SHAHAR ME SHAYAR by Anshuman KUTHIALA

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4.0

Shahar Me Shayar by Anshuman Kuthiala is a collection of ghazals (lyrical poems). The book is divided into three parts. I like the title and its resemblance to the content. The cover page also portrays an artistic approach.

Anshuman's writing is inspired by Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Dushyant Kumar, and Rahat Indori. Every word penned down by the author has a deep meaning. The message is simple yet powerful. The poems are multilayered with the pain of forfeiture or detachment and the beauty of that agony. It compelled me as a reader to read the author's work again and again. The theme of rhyme revolves around endearment, fighters, politicians, nationalism, and real-life incidents.

The language is simple and easily understandable. Anshuman Kuthiala uses some English words which didn't work well for me. As per Urdu words are more spellbinding and enthralling. The author provides Hindi meaning for a few Urdu words. This is the first time when I read a Hindi language book, and I must say I am glad to read this beautiful piece. This book ignites love towards Hindi literature in me. I recommend this to everyone.

Read the detailed review here - https://www.bookscharming.com/2019/05/book-review-shahar-me-shayar-by.html
Men and Dreams: In the Dhauladhar by Kochery C. Shibu

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2.0

Men and Dream in the Dhauladhar is the debut book of Kochery C Shibu. It is a work of fiction based on a dam project. The cover page and the title definitely attract the reader's attention.

Plot - The dam was being built on two rivers name Aher and Matora in Dhauladhar range, also known as Outer Himalayas. It's named after the first letter of these two rivers AM Hydro Project. The constructor of this million dollars project is LLC. The story revolves around the worker's lifestyle and their day to day struggles. The dam is important for the nation, and that's why a terrorist organization wants to blow it on the day of the inauguration.

Characters - There are so many characters in this story. By the end, one can lose keeping track. The Nanda is considered to be a male protagonist. He ran away from his hometown Kerala due to gang rivalry. He is an engineer and lay low for sometimes working on the dam project away from his family.

Khusru lost his family in the partition, and become ISI operative. Rekha is a well-known dancer and looking for love. In his search of true love, he falls in love with the terrorist. Sanjay Rathore is an investigator of the national terrorist threat. He keeps track of all the characters and solves the mystery.

I have a lot of problems with the characters, especially female ones. The author portrays them in a weak and misogynistic way. I feel that Indumati and Rekha have the potential to stand out, but they didn't. I didn't even like or connect with any of the personality. They didn't grow with time. I feel like Kochery C Shibu didn't do justice with the characters.

Language - This book is definitely not written for the international reader's perspective. The dialogue includes Hindi, Malayalam, and what not. It breaks the flow of reading. There are no grammatical errors to be found.

Narration - It is slow-paced. The author's professional background helps him in his writing. He gives an illustrative comprehension of everything. It reminds me of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. One needs to be patient while reading this book. At some points, I felt the awe because of twist and turns of events.

Overall, this book didn't work well for me, but I know it will definitely work for those readers who love slow-moving and detailed circumstantial stories.

Read more here - https://www.bookscharming.com/2019/05/book-review-men-and-dreams-in.html

The Big Switch: It's never too late by John Thomas

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4.0

We all have dreams, but only a few have the courage to endure them. The Big Switch by John Thomas is all about hope and dreams. It's the author's debut book. The cover page and title make sense after a certain point in the story. I really like the idea of a man walking on the rope. It portrays the main lead's lifestyle in a suitable manner.

Plot - The male protagonist Keith is 24 years old lives in Mumbai. He's a software engineer and a corporate slave; works late night without any job satisfaction, only to fulfill his duties towards his family. His life changed when his girlfriend Maya left him and, he met Ramesh in Bangalore for work purpose. They two soon create a bond, and Ramesh's positive attitude affects Keith so much that he starts believing in his dreams. Keith tries football but somehow ends up with writing. The story revolves around Keith's transformation into a more sophisticated and enthusiastic person.

Read the full review here - https://www.bookscharming.com/2019/05/book-review-big-switch-its-never-too.html
For the Smile of Your Eyes by Aarish Nandedkar

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4.0

For the smile of your eyes is a debut book written by Aarish Nandedkar. The cover page has a gently calming effect. The author has woven a simple love story into a beautiful and perceptible manner.

The main characters of the story are April and Riley. April has a slender figure, but she is headstrong. She lives in an abandoned railway yard, running from her past. Riley has a charming personality. He used his ability to gain some advantage from a girl named Ami, but in a process, he ends up in a dead end.

April and Riley have a different set of principles. Riley is ambitious, and no matter what the price is, he wants to win an award which he thinks will eventually change his life. He wants to achieve his goals. April has no ambitions, she is a caring and introvert person. She just wants to live peacefully, but when they crossed each other paths, it proved to be a turning point in the story. They share their sorrowful past with each other. A journey starts from a stranger turns out to be much more, but do they end up together? Are their dreams fulfilled? You need to read the book to find the answers, where April and Riley fought so hard to make the right decisions.

Read the full review here - https://www.bookscharming.com/2019/05/book-review-for-smile-of-your-eyes-by.html