Cover Reveal of The Witch's Curse

After a very long time of being inactive here (don't ask, looong story!), I still hope you're all as tuned in as you were when I started it out here. This cover reveal is something I had to do, not only as a book aficionado but also as a friend, for a friend -David. You guys must remember the cover reveal I'd done on this blog before for The Light of The Moon. David's out with a prequel novella to his next-in-series book and yep I'm excited!

The Witch's Curse, as I mentioned before is a prequel novella for the series which will be available in e-book format, come December 12th. So all you peeps out there, mark your calendars to catch up on this amazing read. Now moving on to the synopsis 

"Before Kate met Calum in Light of the Moon, Magda met Samuel. Magda cannot stop her heart from running rampant with the beating drum of love. Whenever her eyes find Samuel, she can feel the pull of strings so vividly alive against her heart. But for Magda, love goes against fate; her destiny as a witch forbids her to need anything but the dark binds of magic. Soon, the witch's curse begins to call to Magda. To deny her love for Samuel would be unthinkable, but to defy her destiny would be impossible. Before the curse can consume her, Magda must decide between Samuel and destiny, and her heart may beat too savagely for anyone to stop."

So how do you feel about this novella? Are you or are you not going to read this novella? If you're do comment with your reviews on the blogpost. 

In the meanwhile, you can also follow David on twitter or like his facebook page and even follow him on blogger :)

P.S. He really DOES write!

Twitter: DJamesAuthor

Facebook: http://facebook.com/davidjamesauthor

Blogger: http://djamesauthor.blogspot.com

Review of The perks of being a wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

This is one book that I wish I had a chance to read before the motion picture was released because, the only reason I took up this book was Emma Watson. This book deserved to be known for more than just that, in my opinion. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a wonderful coming-of-age novel unlike other "Dear diary" girly entries I've read.

This is the goodreads blurb of the book :

Standing on the fringes of life... offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

Since its publication, Stephen Chbosky's haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion has received critical acclaim, provoked discussion and debate, and grown into a cult sensation with over one million copies in print.

It is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates, family dramas, and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, where all you need is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Chbosky has created a deeply affecting novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

source - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22628.The_Perks_of_Being_a_Wallflower

Here's the youtube video of the trailer of the movie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5rh7O4IDc0

The Perks of Being a Wallflower stands out because of a couple of things:
1. A not-so-novel premise narrated in a very crisp manner. The plot is one emotional rollercoaster of a masterpiece right till the end. 
2. Well-sketched out character backgrounds for roles other than that of the protagonist's. Normally books of this genre revolve around the central character and theme, hardly concentrating on developing the plotline for other characters pivotal to the story, as well. 
3. There is a personal feel to Charlie's letters and ,as the audience, I could empathize with him on most grounds. Hardly any of the situations were far-fetched or out of context.

After putting down the book, I am even more psyched to watch the movie.  I'd give The Perks of Being a Wallflower a full 5 on 5 because there actually is nothing in the book, that I disliked. What are your views? On the movie and the book? 

Review : The Maltese Murders (David Brooks)

There's nothing like a good crime fiction to keep me engrossed for days on end! I have been a fan of the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, Dashiell Hammett and the likes since tenth grade. It truly comes as no surprise then, that this book figured on my reading list. To be frank, I hadn't read any of the other books in the series and was apprehensive about taking this up. But I came out pleasantly surprised.

The Maltese Murders is the third book from the David Brooks series of detective/crime fiction written by author Jerry Labriola M.D. The premise of the book is the presentation of a nasal inhaler at a bio-terrorism summit in Malta, due to which a series of murders take place in the quaint little town of Howerton in Connecticut. Dr.David Brooks who previously had investigated the Molina murder, alongwith his fiancee Kathy, sets to see the spate of crimes at Brent University to an end for once and for all. Does he succeed? Well, for that question to be answered, you HAVE TO pick up the book.


First off, it is brilliant because of the interspersing of various elements - bio-terrorism, mafia, mobs, politics, genetic engineering and plain human emotions like greed and revenge. Dr.David Brooks and his Musco are the new-age Sherlock Holmes and Watson. A riveting plot, well-developed characters and an absolutely mystifying set of murders are the elements of this book that worked for me. The meeting with Saltanban was an absolute piece of brilliance. The book is aptly summarized by the last conversation between Musco and Dr.Brooks. What didn't work for me is just one thing : the ending. Maybe it's because I haven't read the other books or maybe because of the gruesome murderous trail I expected it to be a bit more violent. But the ending to me was a dampener through and through.


That said, I'd recommend this book who wants a good taste of modern contemporary fiction or even is a fan of the Dashiell Hammett style of writing(I, personally, found them very similar). Also since my risk has borne sweet fruit, I am definitely going to read its predecessors(and successors). My rating for this book would be a 4.5 on 5.

-Divya

Cover Reveal : Light of the Moon

My very first cover reveal and boy, am I psyched! (More for the author, David James than me) Well here it goes

"One night long ago, a constellation disappeared and fell from the sky in the form of a boy. 

Secrets are being kept in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, Colorado. Nothing but pools of blood and dripping words are left where bodies once were, and no one but Calum Wade seems to be worried. Life unfolds in shades of red for Calum, until a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrolls at his school and everything changes. Suddenly a dangerous world of dream demons, elemental enchanters, and blood witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars have forever held his destiny, and that the constellations above are much more than what they seem. As Kate and Calum sink deep into a paranormal war, they realize that an ancient prophecy might hold the answers they seek. But life is not so easy for Calum, and he can feel his heart beat faster whenever Kate is close. Worse, Kate's blood holds a dark secret even more dangerous than the war between the demons and enchanters. Soon the two find that there are worse things than loving someone you shouldn't. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny

BOOK TITLE: LIGHT OF THE MOON 

SERIES: LEGEND OF THE DREAMER (BOOK ONE)

RELEASE DATE: 11/06/12

COVER DESIGNER: KEARY TAYLOR (http://www.kearytaylor.com/)

AUTHOR BIO : David James writes books about stars and kisses and curses. He is the author of the YA novel, LIGHT OF THE MOON, the first book in the Legend of the Dreamer series. A novella for the series, THE WARRIOR’S CODE, as well as the sequel, SHADOW OF THE SUN, will be released in 2013. Living in Michigan, he is addicted to coffee, gummy things, and sarcastic comments. Be sure to visit David’s blog to learn more about his various addictions and novels.

MY BLOG: http://djamesauthor.blogspot.com/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DJamesAuthor

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/davidjamesauthor

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16058646-light-of-the-moon

This is one book that's marked on my goodreads to-read list for sure! The cover and the synopsis together have created a mysterious aura regarding the storyline. What are your views? Do leave a comment below and let me know what you feel.

-Divya

God's Debris- Scott Adams

This was another one of the books that randomly popped up during a heart-to-heart conversation between  me and a very dear friend, Esha. I've always been interested in thought-provoking books or any book that atleast claimed to do so. Most of them fail at one simple point, they lack the effectiveness.


God's Debris is written by the brains behind the comicstrip "Dilbert" - Scott Adams. He has managed to drive the point home with a simple narrative and some brilliant quotes.


The protagonist of the story is a package delivery man. While delivering one such package, he engages in conversation with the recipient that changes his viewpoint towards science, religion and life, in general, completely. The author touches upon various sensitive issues with great ease while remaining absolutely neutral. Like for example, while discussing how men choose religions, the recipient(an old man) wisely states, "The best a human can do is pick a delusion that helps him get through the day." Pearls of wisdom like these enliven the conversation to a very large extent and cause you to ponder on the eternal question "What is life?"


Though it was an amazing read, I do have grouses with the book. The ending was way too hurried. Like the rest of the book, I'd have liked a healthy discourse on the levels of consciousness instead of the five sentences mentioned for each of the level. The chance encounter and the ending both, borrow a lot from another book of the same genre -"The Monk who sold his Ferrari". Also, the conversation got a bit too repetitive for my tastes when related topics were debated upon.


Despite all these negatives, I'd recommend this to everyone - an atheist, a god-fearing churchgoer, anybody with a willingness to actually think and reconsider what we know. I'd give this book a 3.5 on 5 and yes, I am excited to read and review the sequel of this book!

-Divya

Anna and the French Kiss : Stephanie Perkins

Dreamy, romantic France. *sigh* . I've been enamored by the culture, the language and the people of this country ever since I took up French as the optional language in eighth grade,. Getting back to the book review, Anna and the French Kiss is one book I'm glad to have stumbled upon. Not just for it's French connection, but also for some good chicklit(anybody who's clued into the scene knows how hard it is to find a good one!).


The YA chicklit, authored by Stephanie Perkins, is set in modern-day Atlanta where the protagonist Anna Oliphant lives. Her parents are separated and she lives with her mother and little brother, Seany. Her father is a wealthy novelist who has major motion pictures based upon his books. In order to prep his daughter up to become more of an international citizen, he forces her to pursue her senior year in France. After overcoming the initial melee of overwhelming emotions and unfamiliar cultural and linguistic barriers, our protagonist falls in love. Like every love story, this too has the cliches of villains, difficulties and fights. But in the end, Love does conquer all. At least in books.


What I like about this book was that the backdrop of France was used effectively and not just as a stupid prop to support characters. The storyline has twists and turns and progresses smoothly. It doesn't overdo the romance, even though it is supposed to be hugely mushy. What didn't work for me though were the sidekicks. The characters barring the lead ones aren't sketched out too well. Especially Meredith, Josh, Rashmi and Ellie. Considering the former four are the people she hangs out with, there could be a little more of history introduced through conversation is what I personally felt while reading the book. There isn't much to grumble about because this book is supposed to be feel-good. It achieves that on many levels and I'm sure the targeted audience and others, as well, will find it a light hearted read.

I'd recommend this to anyone who's a fan of this genre or has been too loaded with all the dystopian fantasies inundating the literary universe these days. My rating for this book would be a 4 on 5

-Divya

City of the falling sky(The Seckry Sequence, #1) : Joseph Evans

First off, when I looked up on the net about this book, it didn't impress me much. It was touted as the next big thing after Harry Potter and I'm a complete Potterhead. I detest comparisons to a series that defined my generation's literary interests and imaginative abilities. This book surprised me!

City of the falling skies is a Young Adults fiction novel by Joseph.C.Evans. It is the first book in a trilogy named The Seckry Sequence -after the protagonist Seckraman Sevenstars. Seckraman Sevenstars is your average-next-door-Joe living with his family in Marne. He is forced to relocate, preceding and following which, a series of bizarre events take place. The book ended on a cliff-hanger and frankly? I'm excited for the next book.


What didn't work for me was the convenient placement and entry of characters. Also the book, at first, seemed like an absolute rip-off of Harry Potter. The similarities are too many and I ended up drawing too many parallels between the two. Like for example, Snibble is quiet like Draco Malfoy and Eiya like Hermione Granger, the headmasters are eerily very eccentric and the list is endless. But despite these similarities this book is a winner. The contrast between the picturesque Marne and the concrete paradise Skyfall has been beautifully depicted. The author has effectively succeeded in creating a whole universe set in a different time. Coming to the romance angle, there were absolutely no sparks or chemistry between the lead protagonist and his significant other. It was tepid and wasn't something that was progressively obvious. To be honest, it caught me off-guard when it was mentioned towards the end.


Even with all it's pitfalls and jarring similarities, I'd rate it a 3.5 on 5. It is  a must-read for everyone who's enjoyed the Harry Potter series. I'd recommend this book solely because of the brilliant, imaginary world the author has created with exemplary word play.

-Divya

Review : Divergent (#1) by Veronica Roth

This is one of those books that would have sneaked up on me as a movie like "The Hunger Games", hadn't it been for a Twitter friend ( Thanks Nat!). The third part of this trilogy is due for release the next year. Additionally, Warner Bros have already purchased the rights and are in the screenplay-writing stage of the first movie. One hell of a dystopian year this is turning out to be!

The premise of this Young Adult fiction (YA) is pretty much akin to "The Hunger Games" in terms of a dystopian society. It is set in present-day Chicago where the female protagonist, Beatrice Prior, and her family live under the governing forces of "The Reestablishment". Based on their latent behavior, the masses were required to choose one of the five factions namely Dauntless, Abnegation, Amity, Candor or Erudite on turning 16. Beatrice's choice and her struggles thereafter, form the crux of the storyline.

 First off, I found this book mildly engaging and the characters very well-defined. The storyline is progressively predictable. So what was supposed to be the element of surprise, didn't quiet strike me as surprising. The concept of factions is eerily similar to J.K. Rowling's concept of houses in Harry Potter. The faction names, well, didn't work for me because they were way too commonplace. Probably, the authoress intended them to be that way, because of the targeted age-group. The romance angle is underplayed and balanced. It doesn't end up hogging all of the print space, like some YA's do and I'd give the author points for keeping it just right.The climax though, did leave me kind of surprised because of two main things :

1. It was abrupt and hurried. The authoress seemed to be in a hurry to finish off the first part and there's no actual thrill ebbing, once you put the novel down. The meatier parts are reserved, I guess, for the next two books of the trilogy.

2. I even found Beatrice's behavior, towards the end, a bit strange. Considering the way, Veronica builds her character to be brave, yet, servile the climax doesn't justify either of the two.


I'd give this book a 3/5, considering the authoress was 22 when she penned the trilogy. It is refreshing because of the crisp definitions of characters and the very-well balanced storyline and makes for a very good one-time read.

-Divya