Book Review: Ask me no questions & Spicy bites of biryani

This is a book review post for 2 books that I read recently....finally I get to post it :)

1. As me no questions by Marina Budhos :

This is a story of Nadira a Bangladeshi living with her family in New York city with expired visas living with a dream of being permanent citizens of the Unites States. But after the 9/11 incident everything changes for them, being a muslim means you are the next  suspected terrorist. Every muslim men from certain middle eastern countries are required to register with the US government providing valid ID documents. This leads Nadira and her family to drive down to the Canadian border to seek asylum where their documents are checked and her father has been detained by the US government and not allowed to enter Canada. Nadira's mother stays back at the shelter house to be present at the trails her father goes through and Nadira along with her sister Aisha return to the country and stay with their aunt and uncle acting and continuing their life as normal. 

Thus beings the tryst of getting their father out of jail and getting their documents in place. Nadira's sister Aisha is a brilliant student and has been nominated to be her high school valedictorian. But she slowly falls apart where she completely breaks down and Nadira who is always considered the fat and lazy girl decides to do something about the situation and try and put her family back together. 

This is a very well written novel describing immigration issues of hard working innocent people who struggle to give the best to their family with a constant fear of being an illegal. A very strong book that I would recommend to all.

2. Spicy Bites of Biryani: Because Life Needs a Little Masala by Ashwina Garg

In this book the story revolves around Sanjay, Aditi, Mayank and Jayashree....Sanjay a US returned millionaire who is looking to marry and settle down, Aditi who is a commitment phobic who keeps having flings and dumping guys with different reasons and Mayank and Jayashree the perfect couple dealing with their not so perfect family and project deadlines at work.

The characters are very well defined and makes the story line even more stronger. 

This is a well written fiction different from the usual casual college romances that are doing the rounds. Its mature, witty and humorous too. The book gets interesting once Sanjay and Aditi start seeing each other. This is Ashwina's debut novel and its a pretty good one at that. Anyone looking for a light read can definitely pick this one. Lets see if we get a second one from the author. It is surely a change from the same old romance novels that we get to read from the budding authors. 

My blog My blog...I have missed you so much

I hope I finally end up publishing this post....it has been happening in the recent past where I have started typing out a post and then saving it for later and then it just ends up as an addition to the long list of drafts ....aaarghhh...I just hate that!!!

Ok yesterday morning I almost dragged myself to work, I dont know why but lately I have sort of been low on energy...not that I am a power puff girl but yeah I just wasn't finding anything interesting at all. But when I walked to my work desk I noticed that my florist had placed some beautiful flowers on my desk and in an instant my mood was so much better that I could sing a song and do a slow motion dance.....No, I didnt do that of course else my boss would have sent me home citing mental reasons....(grinnnn)

Here is a pic of my work desk....look how beautiful they are.....

And today when I walked in....oh my god....just look at the picture below....the flowers had bloomed and they looked even more prettier. i had no idea those flowers would bloom...I am every 5 seconds looking at them and feeling so calm and nice. And its friday....that day of the week employees wait for just like the parched earth waits for that drop of rain.... :-)

Here have a look.....

I am so glad finally I am posting this....and have a nice weekend friends...until next time this is chirpy Avina signing off....

Book Review : The Secret Wishlist by Preeti Shenoy

Book Summary :

Does true love really exist or is it just a cliche? Can a single kiss really change your life? 

At sixteen, Diksha like any girl her age, finds her life revolving around school, boys and endless hours of fun with her best friend. But one day, all that changes. 

What starts as an innocent crush explodes into something far beyond her control. Eighteen years later, she finds herself at the crossroads of life. Urged by a twist of events, a wish list is born. But can a wish list help her piece back her life together? Will she succumb to the tangled mess of an extramarital relationship? Once again, Preeti Shenoy brings an extraordinary story that tugs at the heartstrings, with insight and wisdom, as she explores the delicate matters of the heart. 

The Secret Wish List is a captivating, engrossing, racy tale about following your heart, chasing your dreams and the meaning of friendship. 

My Review :

An ardent fan of Preeti's work I was delighted to find a copy of this book at my library and jumped to grab it before it was gone. The Secret Wishlist is Preeti Shenoy's fourth book and was a delight to read.

It is about a girl called Diksha who when a teenager was caught kissing her boyfriend and that one incident changed her entire life with her parents taking control of her life and getting her married off at an early age and a boy of their choice. She started living a normal life with no complaints until she was made to realize by her close cousin that she is nothing but a maid to her husband and her son. She is not living her life for herself but for her family. 

Certain events happen which gets Diksha to prepare a wishlist....things that she would want to do. And from there on her life changes completely where even without her knowledge she ignorantly completes each wish written on her list. 

There is a change in the writing style from what I have seen or read in Preeti's previous books. But nevertheless the story is good and I was turning pages to know what next what next and before I knew I had finished the book in just one day! Preeti sells dreams through her books....her stories....dreams that involve alot of love, life and above all hope. Through her stories there is one message I have always derived.....never lose hope! 

Every woman and for that matter every man should read this book. The women cause we at times let people take us for granted and also there needs to be some self searching to be done. Some women get so engrossed in their mundane house-office work they forget what it is to actually live. And all the men so that before they start considering their wife to be just a "housewife" realize that she too is a human who has her own dreams and life.

The Secret Wishlist is a good read and I would rate it a 4 on 5. 

Goodbye 2012....Welcome 2013!!!

Its the last day of the year....there is something about this "last day of the year" feeling that is totally not explainable. People get all emotional, make up resolutions and get into an all party mood to ring in the new year with great gusto.

What I don't get is if we have to set a resolution why not do it any day of the year or if we have to party why not party on any day and enjoy just as much as we do on new years eve...we always need a reason for change and sometimes not, right? I am not killing the new year spirit here but just emphasizing how great this feeling of new year's eve is!!!!

I am down with bad cold and a headache that just doesn't want to leave me but I am not going to let it kill my excitement for my party tonight. I am at work and have my meds and cough syrup right on my table next to the warm soothing lemon tea. I am making all efforts to feel alright so that I can enjoy myself. Really its just the feeling that is not letting me succumb and keeping me going through the day.

There is indeed this feeling on 31st December where I am sure all would sit and think about the year gone by and are engrossed in planning or wondering what the coming year has in store for us. There are many things we have learnt from life and there are many things we are yet to learn.Personally I have had a splendid year....truly enjoyed it be it good times or bad. Cause I know good or bad....it will pass, all we have to do is hold on to ourselves and be strong.

I cant wait for January 2013 to begin as I have a short trip planned to one of the loveliest place on earth...Goa!!!

So here is wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!! Let bygones be bygones and bring in the new year with new hope and luck for everything you do!





Let the party begin!!!!

Book Review : The Bankster by Ravi Subramanian

This is the long overdue review of The Bankster by Ravi Subramanian which I received from blogadda as a part of their Book Review Programme. Struggling with many assignments at hand I have finally managed to come back to my loving blog and get this review published. This is the first of Ravi Subramanian that I have read although this is the fifth of the five Finance related books he has written and now I know why Wall street Journal has labeled him as the John Grisham of Banking!

Book Summary:

Bestselling author Ravi Subramanian, a master storyteller of financial crime and winner of the Golden Quill Readers Choice Award, returns with his most gripping thriller yet.

Bankers build their careers on trust, or so everyone thinks, till a series of murders threaten to destroy the reputation that the Greater Boston Global Bank (GB2) has built over the years. Who is behind these killings, and what is their motive?

When Karan Panjabi, press reporter and ex-banker, digs deeper, he realizes that he has stumbled upon a global conspiracy with far reaching ramifications a secret that could not only destroy the bank but also cast a shadow on the entire nation. With only thirty-six hours at his disposal, he must fight the clock and trust no one if he is to stay alive and uncover the truth.

About the Author:

Ravi Subramanian an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, has spent two decades working his way up the ladder of power in the amazingly exciting and adrenaline-pumping world of global banks in India. It is but natural that his stories are set against the backdrop of the financial services industry. He lives in Mumbai with his wife Dharini and daughter Anusha. In 2008, he won the Golden Quill Readers Choice award for his debut novel, If God was a Banker. 

My Review:

As this was the first time I was reading one of Subramanian’s books I was pleasantly surprised as not only the story is gripping but the characterization is also too good. There are three parallel plots running together, as you read each chapter, your mind swings from here to there and back again. It is a complete page turner, which keeps you hooked to it.

The book opens with a man who lands up at Angola and strikes a deal to exchanges weapons for the world famous blood diamonds of Africa. The plot shifts to a family in Kerala, where the head of the family is accused for a crime that he has not committed. The person is concerned about a social cause till some opportunists get involved with the whole thing and things take an ugly turn. A parallel plot runs in Mumbai at the GB2 bank, where their key employees get mysteriously murdered one after another.

Overall, The Bankster is an interesting read. The language is quite simple and does not have complicated banking terminology, which makes it easy to understand and follow. There is not a dull moment in the book. A totally unexpected twist as to who the real culprit is!  I would definitely recommend the book to all readers who love fast moving thriller plots.

I would rate this book a 3.5/5.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com . Participate now to get free books!

Book Review : Of Love & Lovers

Book Summary :

A rocky relationship with an NRI coupled with a tragic, personal loss has made Samantha somewhat cynical in matters of the heart. Shipra and Vikas are aware of the consequences of their love.Will their relationship stand the test of time?

Aditya has to choose between his love and his familys expectations of him. Is he capable of making the right choice? Spanning across Toronto and Mumbai, the lives of these four intersect dramatically when Samantha comes to India on an exchange program.

Will the power of love assert itself or will it bow down under the weight of the obstacles in its path?

My review :

Just as the title goes the book is about love and lovers. Samantha who comes to Mumbai on an exchange program and more so ever to try and find closure from the haunting fact of her sisters mysterious death in Mumbai. She goes through a heartbreak which is nursed by the undying spirit of Mumbai and the loving embrace of her new friends Shipra and Vikas. She tries to find answers to true love and she finds them in her friends love story and through her own love story. 

This is the author Pamela Sinha Mathur's first book. The language is easy and the story well written. It is okay for a one time light read. 

Book Review: The Krishna Key

Title : The Krishna Key
Author : Ashwin Sanghi
Published : by Westland Ltd
Pages : 464
Price : Rs. 250/-

Book Summary : 

Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age—the Kaliyug. 

In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar. 

Only, he is a serial killer. 

In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret—Krishna’s priceless legacy to mankind. 

Historian Ravi Mohan Saini must breathlessly dash from the submerged remains of Dwarka and the mysterious lingam of Somnath to the icy heights of Mount Kailash, in a quest to discover the cryptic location of Krishna’s most prized possession. From the sand-washed ruins of Kalibangan to a Vrindavan temple destroyed by Aurangzeb, Saini must also delve into antiquity to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice. Ashwin Sanghi brings you yet another exhaustively researched whopper of a plot, while providing an incredible alternative interpretation of the Vedic Age that will be relished by conspiracy buffs and thriller-addicts alike. 

My Review :

The first thing I would like to emphasize here is that the book will seem so much like a Dan Brown work but nevertheless it is excellently written making me want to grab the earlier two books written by Ashwin Sanghi. The Krishna Key starts as a thriller and murder mystery and progresses towards a more philosophical end. There is a lot of hardwork and research that has been put into bringing this book together. It’s a marvelous fast paced book that keeps you glued to it. The Krishna key is a very different kind of book, with two differrent but similar stories running parallel to each other and at times are interconnected to each other as well. Some people who love action or excitement filled ending may find the ending of this one not that impressive. Every chapter starts with a paragraph of Krishna's life, which was very helpful for a person like me who doesn't know much about Krishna. There are a few printing mistakes which could have been avoided. The author could have worked a bit more towards character development in order to help the reader put a face on each name that appeared. The story takes so many twists and turns and you really need to be focused so as to not lose the grip so ensure you have ample of time with very less disturbances or breaks. The use of pictures and images, enhances the reading experience at the same time indulges you into the story. But it is one in all a good read and recommended as well. For people who are into ancient history and love thrills and knowledgeable books this is highly recommended. My rating would be a 3.5 on 5 for this one. 

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!