Book Review : Hooked,Lined & Single

Book Review : Hooked, Lined & Single

Hooked, Lined & Single is written by Rashmi Kumar and published by Srishti Publications. I have received this book for Blog-A-Ton - 55 winning post The Monsoon Pain. This book is an fictional account of a girl's efforts to find a right match after a failed marriage. 

Cover : It fails in the sensual look it is trying to give. Although the hints at loneliness in narrator's life from both aspects emotionally and physically is conveyed through this picture. This I think not one of the best to go with the story but an apt one.

Plot: A divorcee author in her 30's Alafia Singh is desperate to find a perfect match and is taking help of a matrimonial site for the same. The many men that came in her life through this means only add to misery to her all ready troubled life. She was used by those men either sexually or emotionally thus to hurt her from the core. After her younger sister's marriage she decided to take a firm decision on her marital status. The story revolves around the path she took to find a right destination for her.

Highs : The rawness in the narration impressed me. The character of open minded independent girl came out superbly with the narrative. The marriage scene of Alafia's sister presents the true image of Indian marriages. All men characters were different from each other giving a humor to the narrative in anecdotes about them. 

Lows : The story was stagnant and moved an inch only in the end to give a one line message of the book. I feel the narrative was coming back to the same point after each change of scene without adding much to the story line. The author seems confused in building the plot. The way it ended lives the reader cheated. Even philosophically it has not much to offer.

Verdict : A good read to know an open minded independent girl's psyche who is in her 30's and is a divorcee. 

Rating : I give it 1 out of 5. 

You can buy this book Here. 

Book Review : Curse of The Red Soil

Book Review : Curse of The Red Soil

Curse of The Red Soil is written by Durgesh Shastri who is a Computer Networks Engineer, currently working as an Asst. Professor in GNDEC, Bidar, Karnataka which is also the place where all actions are happening in this book. I have received this book being the winner at Blog-A-Ton for my post It Was Just A Dream. This book is published by Red Ink Publishers and belongs to the thriller genre. 

Cover : Cover shows a newspaper page with the book title as headline and a story about missing Bidar Statue with image of that statue. I will not rate it as a brilliant sort of cover as it fails to ignite the curiosity about the story inside but yes it mystifies the things inside.

Plot : Aradhyaa and Suhasini returns to their hometown Bidar in Karnataka after completing their engineering in Bangalore. Before the end of the last year in college Aradhaya has also confessed her love for Sachit who thus accompanied her to the railway station with his best friend Ritesh when she was going to Bidar. Aradhaya was disturbed with a dream about her maid Manorama whom she hasn't seen in last four years. In order to inquire about her she visits her family where she knew about her father's linkup with Manorama,  Pratap, Manorama's brother also believed that her father Vaikunth Patil has killed her and stopped them to registered any case with use of her power. Sachit and Ritesh also came to Bidar to investigate his fathers involvement in all this. This investigation not only strengthen love bond between Sachit and Aradhaya but also brought Ritesh and Sachit to Jail. Aradhaya's love, her trust on her father whom he also find involved in smuggling of antics from Bidar fort, her friendship, her past all is at stake in this express ride.

Thriller : I like the way author has used flashbacks, the description of previous scenes in thoughts of the character have maintained thrill and excitement in the narrative. Detail information about Bidar's history, geography, archaeological sites, etc creates involvement of reader in the narrative. You keep guessing what's coming next which is a good thing for this genre. Although the book is a thriller , romantic scenes are also narrated appropriately. Simple language adds a cherry to the cake.

Spoiler : I don't have much complains about this book except the end. The revelations in the end is a surprise element which is fine but the climax before that lacks emotional value looking at the relationships of the character involved in that scene. That could be done differently and could be much better.

Verdict : A fast paced thriller with emotional backing and a fantastic narration is a must read for everyone.

Rating : I would give it 4.5/5.