Sharing: REVIEWS OF THE BOOKS I READ IN JANUARY 2016

Books I read in January 2016

With so many reading challenges flying around social media, I told myself that I should read way more than I have been doing over the past 3 years. So, I began 2016 by reading 8 books in January – two of them for The Book Club Blog Tours. I wasn’t keen to write elaborate reviews, though I could not but give my opinion. So, here goes...

Book No. 1: MAGNUS CHASE & THE SWORD OF SUMMER by Rick Riordan

This is my first book by the author and also the first from this genre – mythic fantasy. I purchased a paperback of this book when someone suggested discussing this book on The Book Club. When I started reading, I was shocked out of my wits. The language didn’t seem to fit with mythology. That was until I realised that the “fantasy” part of the genre brings a whole new layer.

Well, this book is best suited for teenagers. Though I plodded my way through the book (I can’t stop midway unless a book is truly horrible), I realised at the end that it is not my cup of tea. But apart from that, I can’t deny that the book has been brilliantly written.

Book No. 2: THE OTHER END OF THE CORRIDOR by Sujata Rajpal

I received an ecopy of this book from the author via The Book Club Blog Tour.

I wanted to read this book from the moment my eyes fell on the cover. It’s simply gorgeous. Yeah, I am like that. I so fall for an eye-catching cover. I filled the form with alacrity when the book came up for blog tour via The Book Club, without even checking out the blurb or genre.

When I started reading the book, I couldn’t understand the first page at all. After finishing the book, I feel it’s been placed wrongly, not giving the right impression of the book. It’s important that the book begins in an interesting way.

The moment I started reading the second page I was hooked. But...

Spoilers galore from here on... click here to read the rest of the review. 

Book No. 3: THE DONOVAN LEGACY SERIES: CAPTIVATED by Nora Roberts

I love reading books by Nora Roberts. She writes quite a variety – romance, romance + fantasy, romance + thriller, romance + history. She’s an author I absolutely admire and would love to emulate. I have read many books of hers and didn’t think twice before picking up half a dozen of her titles from a sale last year. Captivated is the first of this series and is the story of Morgana, a witch and Nash, a famous Hollywood scriptwriter. I so enjoyed the magic that revolves around the protagonists, though I have read better by Ms. Roberts.

Book No. 4: THE DONOVAN LEGACY SERIES: ENTRANCED by Nora Roberts

This is the story of Sebastian, Morgana’s cousin, who’s also a witch. Yeah, I was surprised that he’s called a “witch” instead of “wizard”. I loved his powerful character and the way he works with the police to solve crimes. Mel is a private eye who thumbs her nose at the occult sciences. Imagine the sparks that fly when the two of them come together. The chemistry sizzles and makes for a supremely entertaining read.

Book No. 5: SOUL WARRIOR BOOK 1: THE AGE OF KALI by Falguni Kothari

I have been asked this question in a couple of interviews and a few times on social media: “a book that I wished I had written?” I had a vague answer each time, for the sake of it if you know what I mean. Now I have a definite one. I wish I had written Soul Warrior. That’s how much I loved the book.

When I got to know that this book was a story on Karna, I immediately signed up for the review. It’s only recently that I have been introduced to the genre mythical fiction. I found out that Soul Warrior Book 1: The Age of Kali falls under Mythic Fantasy – a book that draws inspiration from mythology, but is set in present times. Uh, oh! It made me wonder if I wanted to read this one after reading 1-2 pages.

There was another reason for this. I had read Magnus Chase & The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan just a couple of weeks ago and I hadn’t been awfully enamoured. That was more because the book targeted young adults.

Gritting my teeth, I plunged into Falguni Kothari’s latest book and fell in love. I have read Bootie and the Beast by the same author (I had won this during #TornadoGiveaway 2) and thought it okay. But Soul Warrior is something else.

Be prepared for spoilers from here on... click here for full review. 

Book No. 6: THE DELIBERATE SINNER by Bhaavna Arora

This is one of the crappiest books I have read. The language can do with several rounds of editing and proofing (Rupa, do you read me?). I just could not relate to the story. Why did I read the whole book? As I mentioned above, I am determined, like that.

No, I didn’t waste money buying this one. I received a copy from the author.

Book No. 7: THE DONOVAN LEGACY SERIES: CHARMED by Nora Roberts

This is one more book from the Donovan Legacy series by Nora Roberts. This one is about Anastasia, a witch who is also a healer and Boone, an author of fairy tales. He’s a widower with a little kid called Jessie. A lovely book about Ana and Boone falling in love, despite their troubled past. Will Boone be able to accept that Ana is a witch? It’s definitely worth a read. I fell in love with little Jessie and her dad.

Book No. 8: THE LAST DUCHESS by Daisy Goodwin

The copy I bought during a sale is called The Last Duchess and is a paperback. (This was published as American Heiress in hardback) Luckily, I traced it to this book. It's long, well-researched and very interesting. The book has been written from multiple viewpoints and I realise I truly like this way of writing.

I only wish that the end was more rounded off with Cora, the duchess/heiress taking better control of her household. But then, that's just my opinion. If you like reading historical novels, then this one is for you.

Blog Tour: SOUL WARRIOR BOOK 1: THE AGE OF KALI by Falguni Kothari

WIN THE MEDALLION. TAKE PART IN THE RAFFLECOPTER

Soul Warrior: Age of Kali 

by 

Falguni Kothari

MY REVIEW

Disclaimer: I received a MOBI version of this book from the author via The Book Club in return for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for the same.

I have been asked this question in a couple of interviews and a few times on social media: “a book that I wished I had written?” I had a vague answer each time, for the sake of it if you know what I mean. Now I have a definite one. I wish I had written Soul Warrior. That’s how much I loved the book.

When I got to know that this book was a story on Karna, I immediately signed up for the review. It’s only recently that I have been introduced to the genre mythical fiction. I found out that Soul Warrior Book 1: The Age of Kali falls under Mythic Fantasy – a book that draws inspiration from mythology, but is set in present times. Uh, oh! It made me wonder if I wanted to read this one after reading 1-2 pages.

There was another reason for this. I had read Magnus Chase & The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan just a couple of weeks ago and I hadn’t been awfully enamoured. That was more because the book targeted young adults.

Gritting my teeth, I plunged into Falguni Kothari’s latest book and fell in love. I have read Bootie and the Beast by the same author (I had won this during #TornadoGiveaway 2) and thought it okay. But Soul Warrior is something else.

Be prepared for spoilers from here on...

The main character, the Soul Warrior is Karna from The Mahabharata. His modern avatar is all set to make women readers drool. I am fascinated with how the author has brought the epic characters to life in the 21^st century, combining the right people. For example: Lavya & Ash. Hi5!

I thoroughly enjoyed Draupadi’s daughters - Satya, Lushya, Amara, Ziva, Iksa, Yahvi and their escapades.

Asht Dveep, Hidden Isle, Har-di-koon, etc. etc. formed perfect settings for the story to unfold.

The author has done excellent research on The Mahabharata, the different demons and celestials. I loved the guises she has allotted for Yama and his Dhoota. The descriptions were so brilliant that they brought all the characters to life.

I found the last few pages nail-biting and had imagined a number of endings, only to find that it was the most unexpected. It definitely left the reader in me craving for the sequel.

My question to Falguni Kothari: How many books in this series? And more importantly, when? Can’t wait to get my hands on it/them...

Blurb

Fight fate, or succumb to destiny?

In the dark Age of Kali, the Soul Warrior alone stands guard over the Human Realm, protecting its denizens from evil-willed asuras or demons. When a trick of fate appoints him guru to a motley crew of godlings, he agrees to train them as demon hunters against his better judgment. Suddenly, Lord Karna is not only battling the usual asuras with sinister agendas, but also rebellious students and a fault-ridden past. 

Spanning the cosmic realms of mythic India, here is a tale of a band of supernatural warriors who come together over a singular purpose: the salvation of Karna’s secret child. 

Buy @

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kobo | Barnes&Noble

Excerpt

Kuru Kshetra Battlefield. 

Day 17 of the Great Kuru War, seven thousand five hundred years ago.

Death is hot. 

That surprises me. I’d imagined death as cold and brutal. Merciless. But in truth, death is hot as blood, and constant like a heartbeat. 

Thrum. Thrum. Thrum. My lifeblood ebbs to the rhythm. My head ripped from its torso by Anjalika, the arrow of death that burns even now with the energy of the sun. Struck from behind like some novice. Felled in battle by that lily-livered usurper the Heavens smile upon—Prince Arjun. Brother Arjun. 

What have I done? I harness the thought. Cease all reflection and wrench free of my mortal body. I soar up, up into the gloaming, snapping the ties that tether me to life. Dead, I have no use for ties. 

“A matter of perspective, Karna, O son of my godsire.” The unearthly words strum through the air, and I quiver like a plucked bowstring, overcome as much by the voice as its blasphemous claim. “Bonds of devotion nourish the soul, brother.” 

There is that word again. Brother. Unpleasant laughter wells up in me. Alive, I am abandoned, denied my birthright—Celestial or royal. Death, it seems, changes everything. 

A bright, nebulous light brings forth Lord Yama, the God of Death, atop his divine mount. His elephantine thighs ripple beneath a silken dhoti, ochre and crimson of color, as he guides the mammoth water buffalo to a halt. An iron medallion sways against the God’s powerful cerulean torso, its center stone an ethereal blood orange. 

Hypnotic. Pulsing with life. I am drawn to the stone. 

“Piteous waste,” Lord Yama mutters, surveying the carnage of war far below us. 

I trace the trajectory of his gaze and behold the battered remains of my army drenched in the evidence of its mortality. Is it true? Have we died in vain? 

Words form inside me and I will them out. “Shall we go, my lord?”

 “Ha! Impatient to be judged, are you? Anxious to have your fate revealed?” asks the Judge of the Hell Realm. His red-black eyes burn with intelligence and compassion in a blue-tinged face that is long and lean and hard. “Rest easy, brother-warrior. You are not bound for the Great Courtroom.” 

Not bound for Hell? Where then? Fear has eluded me for so long that I take a moment to recognize it. A hollow-bellied feeling it is, as annoying as a bone stuck in my throat. 

“My lord, I have done bad deeds…terrible deeds in my life. I have waged wars, this horrendous bloodshed, and all because my pride could not—would not abide rejection. I have sinned. I must atone for my actions.”

Lord Yama smiles in a way I do not like. “You have redeemed yourself admirably, Karna. You forfeited your life for the greater good today. The deed far outweighs any misguided ones. Be at peace, brother, and enjoy the fruits of your karma.” 

There is but one place to enjoy such fruits—the Higher Worlds. 

I’d rather burn in Hell for eternity. I say so. “I won’t live amongst the Celestials.” Coexisting with the very souls who’ve spurned me is unthinkable. Watching her—for she would surely reside in Heaven soon—will be eternal torture. 

Yama shakes his head, the horns on his crown slashing to and fro. “I thought you might say that. Relax. Your destiny lies elsewhere.”

 “Am I to be reborn then? Am I to begin a new life, and forget the past?” Pain, sharp as a blade, lances through me at the thought. Forget my past? My family? Even her? Was that my punishment? To forget all that made me human? It must be so. For have I not betrayed them as surely as I’ve betrayed my prince regent? 

“Human rebirth is not your destiny, either. You are chosen, brother. Your war skills are needed for a higher purpose.” The God slips off his mount, his garments rustling in agitation. “This unjust war has pushed the Cosmos to the vortex of a cataclysm. Tomorrow, the Kuru War will end. Fearing its outcome, the Celestials rolled the Die of Fate and have unwittingly bestowed on Demon Kali untold powers.” Lord Yama bares his fangs in disgust at the foolish gamble. “Imagine the havoc that asura and his minions will wreak on the weak if left unchecked. The Human Realm must be safeguarded during Kali’s dark reign.”

 I can imagine the horror only too well as I have battled with evil all my life. But I am done with wars. I am done with defeat. I won’t waste another lifetime fighting. 

“With due respect, my lord, I am not the man for this task.”

 “You are not a man at all,” Yama thunders, fists shaking. “You are the son of Surya, the Sun God. Accept that you are no ordinary soul.”

 I say nothing. I think nothing. I feel something but I squash it down. 

Lord Yama’s thick black brows draw together. “Demon Kali will try to pervade every particle of good that exists in the Cosmos, beginning with the corruptible Human Realm. Once he obliterates all of humanity, he’ll set his sights on the Celestials. Kali will not stop until he’s destroyed our way of life. But you can stop him. You are light to his darkness. Do you understand now why you had to betray him? Your beloved humans need you, Karna. I need you. Our father believes in you. Claim your rightful place in the Cosmos.”

 Impatiently, Lord Yama removes the iron medallion from his neck and holds it out. The vermillion sunstone glows as if its soul is on fire. Nay! It is my soul that is on fire. 

Indescribable energy curls through me. I gasp, though not in pain. I shudder and feel myself grow large, grow hot. Was this rebirth? 

I am strong, full-bodied and lethal once more. Then I roar as light bursts forth from my very core and I throb with glorious, blinding power. When I come to myself, my world has changed again. Bubbles of color shimmer all around me: cobalt and saffron, azure and rose. By karma! They are souls. Infinite floating souls.

“Behold the spectrum of life: the worthy, the notorious, the righteous and the sinners.” The God of Death’s soul was a worthy sapphire blue with a tinge of silver. “Your duty, should you choose to accept the office of the Soul Warrior, is to hunt down the red-souled asuras and crush them. Whatever you decide, I wish you a long and successful Celestial existence, Karna,” Yama booms out and vanishes into the purpling sky.

The parley has stunned me. The world of color holds me in thrall. I was dead. Yet, now I am not. A new path lies before me. Unwanted, unwelcome, I insist on principle. I close my eyes. Open them to stare at the medallion cupped in my hand—a golden-hued hand at once familiar and not—and know myself for a fool. I do want this. It’s what I am. 

Bastard-born. Rebel. Son. Husband. Father. Warlord. And protector. I fist the talisman, buoyed by its concrete warmth. This is who I am. 

I am the Soul Warrior.

About the Author  

Falguni Kothari is a New York-based hybrid author, and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a semi-professional background in Indian Classical dance. She writes in a variety of genres sewn together by the colorful and cultural threads of her South Asian heritage and expat experiences. She is published in India in contemporary fiction with global e-book availability, and launches her mythic fantasy series, the Age of Kali, with SOUL WARRIOR. When not writing, dancing or being a domestic goddess, she fools around on all manner of social media, and loves to connect with readers.

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Book Blitz: SOUL WARRIOR: THE AGE OF KALI (Book One) by Falguni Kothari

Cover Reveal:

SOUL WARRIOR - THE AGE OF KALI 
Book One
BY FALGUNI KOTHARI

Blurb 

Twisted myths. Discretion advised.
Fight fate, or succumb to destiny?
In the dark Age of Kali, the Soul Warrior alone stands guard over the Human Realm, protecting its denizens from evil-willed asuras or demons. When a trick of fate appoints him guru to a motley crew of godlings, he agrees to train them as demon hunters against his better judgment. Suddenly, Lord Karna is not only battling the usual asuras with sinister agendas, but also rebellious students and a fault-ridden past.
Spanning the cosmic realms of mythic India, here is a tale of a band of supernatural warriors who come together over a singular purpose: the salvation of Karna’s secret child.

AUTHOR'S NOTE  TO LOVERS OF MYTHOLOGY...
WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH SOUL WARRIOR?

When you grow up in India, you are engulfed in tales of good and evil, gods and demons, karma and reincarnation on a daily basis. India’s myths are as much part of day-to-day life as is bathing. So I wondered if heaven and hell actually exists what would they look like? What are the good or bad souls doing in this Heaven and Hell? Are the souls in Heaven any happier being stuck there than the souls repenting in Hell? Do they want to come back to Earth as humans?

These questions were the basis of Soul Warrior’s mythos, as was Vedic India and the Mahabharata. India has such a rich offering of grand stories, and its people have a thirst to read them. I want to tell these stories, but in my way. I didn’t want to simply retell the popular tales. I wanted to reimagine them. Go beyond the known myths into the realm of pure fantasy.

Excerpt

SHUNYA: NOTHING AND EVERYTHING

Kuru Kshetra Battlefield.

Day 17 of the Great Kuru War, seven thousand five hundred years ago.

Death is hot.

That surprises me. I’d imagined death as cold and brutal. Merciless. But in truth, death is hot as blood, and constant like a heartbeat.

Thrum. Thrum. Thrum. My lifeblood ebbs to the rhythm. My head ripped from its torso by Anjalika, the arrow of death that burns even now with the energy of the sun. Struck from behind like some novice. Felled in battle by that lily-livered usurper the Heavens smile upon—Prince Arjun. Brother Arjun.

What have I done?

I harness the thought. Cease all reflection and wrench free of my mortal body. I soar up, up into the gloaming, snapping the ties that tether me to life. Dead, I have no use for ties.

“A matter of perspective, Karna, O son of my godsire.” The unearthly words strum through the air, and I quiver like a plucked bowstring, overcome as much by the voice as its blasphemous claim. “Bonds of devotion nourish the soul, brother.”

There is that word again. Brother. Unpleasant laughter wells up in me. Alive, I am abandoned, denied my birthright—Celestial or royal. Death, it seems, changes everything.

A bright, nebulous light brings forth Lord Yama, the God of Death, atop his divine mount. His elephantine thighs ripple beneath a silken dhoti, ochre and crimson of color, as he guides the mammoth water buffalo to a halt. An iron medallion sways against the God’s powerful cerulean torso, its center stone an ethereal blood orange.

Hypnotic. Pulsing with life. I am drawn to the stone.

“Piteous waste,” Lord Yama mutters, surveying the carnage of war far below us.

I trace the trajectory of his gaze and behold the battered remains of my army drenched in the evidence of its mortality. Is it true? Have we died in vain?

Words form inside me and I will them out. “Shall we go, my lord?”

“Ha! Impatient to be judged, are you? Anxious to have your fate revealed?” asks the Judge of the Hell Realm. His red-black eyes burn with intelligence and compassion in a blue-tinged face that is long and lean and hard. “Rest easy, brother-warrior. You are not bound for the Great Courtroom.”

Not bound for Hell? Where then? Fear has eluded me for so long that I take a moment to recognize it. A hollow-bellied feeling it is, as annoying as a bone stuck in my throat.

“My lord, I have done bad deeds…terrible deeds in my life. I have waged wars, this horrendous bloodshed, and all because my pride could not—would not abide rejection. I have sinned. I must atone for my actions.”

Lord Yama smiles in a way I do not like. “You have redeemed yourself admirably, Karna. You forfeited your life for the greater good today. The deed far outweighs any misguided ones. Be at peace, brother, and enjoy the fruits of your karma.”

There is but one place to enjoy such fruits—the Higher Worlds.

I’d rather burn in Hell for eternity. I say so. “I won’t live amongst the Celestials.” Coexisting with the very souls who’ve spurned me is unthinkable. Watching her—for she would surely reside in Heaven soon—will be eternal torture.

Yama shakes his head, the horns on his crown slashing to and fro. “I thought you might say that. Relax. Your destiny lies elsewhere.”

“Am I to be reborn then? Am I to begin a new life, and forget the past?” Pain, sharp as a blade, lances through me at the thought. Forget my past? My family? Even her? Was that my punishment? To forget all that made me human?

It must be so. For have I not betrayed them as surely as I’ve betrayed my prince regent?

“Human rebirth is not your destiny, either. You are chosen, brother. Your war skills are needed for a higher purpose.” The God slips off his mount, his garments rustling in agitation. “This unjust war has pushed the Cosmos to the vortex of a cataclysm. Tomorrow, the Kuru War will end. Fearing its outcome, the Celestials rolled the Die of Fate and have unwittingly bestowed on Demon Kali untold powers.” Lord Yama bares his fangs in disgust at the foolish gamble. “Imagine the havoc that asura and his minions will wreak on the weak if left unchecked. The Human Realm must be safeguarded during Kali’s dark reign.”

I can imagine the horror only too well as I have battled with evil all my life. But I am done with wars. I am done with defeat. I won’t waste another lifetime fighting.

“With due respect, my lord, I am not the man for this task.”

“You are not a man at all,” Yama thunders, fists shaking. “You are the son of Surya, the Sun God. Accept that you are no ordinary soul.”

I say nothing. I think nothing. I feel something but I squash it down.

Lord Yama’s thick black brows draw together. “Demon Kali will try to pervade every particle of good that exists in the Cosmos, beginning with the corruptible Human Realm. Once he obliterates all of humanity, he’ll set his sights on the Celestials. Kali will not stop until he’s destroyed our way of life. But you can stop him. You are light to his darkness. Do you understand now why you had to betray him? Your beloved humans need you, Karna. I need you. Our father believes in you. Claim your rightful place in the Cosmos.”

Impatiently, Lord Yama removes the iron medallion from his neck and holds it out. The vermillion sunstone glows as if its soul is on fire. Nay! It is my soul that is on fire.

Indescribable energy curls through me. I gasp, though not in pain. I shudder and feel myself grow large, grow hot. Was this rebirth?

I am strong, full-bodied and lethal once more. Then I roar as light bursts forth from my very core and I throb with glorious, blinding power. When I come to myself, my world has changed again. Bubbles of color shimmer all around me: cobalt and saffron, azure and rose. By karma! They are souls. Infinite floating souls.

“Behold the spectrum of life: the worthy, the notorious, the righteous and the sinners.” The God of Death’s soul was a worthy sapphire blue with a tinge of silver. “Your duty, should you choose to accept the office of the Soul Warrior, is to hunt down the red-souled asuras and crush them. Whatever you decide, I wish you a long and successful Celestial existence, Karna,” Yama booms out and vanishes into the purpling sky.

The parley has stunned me. The world of color holds me in thrall. I was dead. Yet, now I am not. A new path lies before me. Unwanted, unwelcome, I insist on principle. I close my eyes. Open them to stare at the medallion cupped in my hand—a golden-hued hand at once familiar and not—and know myself for a fool. I do want this. It’s what I am.

Bastard-born. Rebel. Son. Husband. Father. Warlord. And protector. I fist the talisman, buoyed by its concrete warmth. This is who I am.

I am the Soul Warrior.

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Meet the Author

Falguni Kothari is a New York-based South Asian author and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a semi-professional background in Indian Classical dance. She’s published in India in contemporary romance with global e-book availability; Bootie and the Beast (Harlequin Mills and Boon) and It’s Your Move, Wordfreak! (Rupa & Co.), and launches a mythic fantasy series with Soul Warrior (The Age of Kali, #1)

Stalk Falguni Kothari @

Website : www.falgunikothari.com

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