Looking for an M & B with a good storyline, intrigue and Indian protagonists? Pick up Metro Reads’ latest offering: Love on the Rocks by Ismita Tandon Dhankher. With all the ingredients of a “timepass read” this novel does full justice to Metro Reads’ tagline – ‘fun, fast and fiesty reads.’

Life promises to be a lot of fun for newly wed Sancha when she joins her husband Chief Officer Aaron Andrews on his merchant navy vessel, Sea Hyena. However less than 24 hours on the High seas she realizes that all is not well aboard the ship. Confronted with a series of disturbing occurences, including a theft and a murder, the inquisitive bride sets about unravelling the multiple mysteries. She soon realizes that nothing is as it seems and no one, including her husband or his best friend First Engineer Harsh Castillo, can be trusted. What does a woman in love do under such circumstances?Disclose her suspicions to the investigationg officer or give her hubby the benefit of doubt? And who is the murderer?

After the first few chapters you will begin to have your suspicions, but Dhankher manages to successfully keep you guessing till almost the end. The needle of suspicion keeps pointing to different characters; each time you pat yourself on the back for playing Sherlock , there is a new development. A die hard mystery lover might be able to nail the culprit way before he is revealed, but most readers will enjoy the little twist in the end; not Sheldonesque but nonetheless interesting.

The real strength of this debut novel is the voice that Dhankher provides to virtually all her characters. The story is told not from the point of view of a single person – Sancha. Harsh, Aaron, Raghav (the investigating officer), Popeye (the Captain) – everyone gets their say. This refreshing style provides the reader with an interesting insight into the mind and emotions of human beings, particularly of those who have to stayed away from land and their loved ones for long periods of time.

Dhankher’s writing is engaging, the language colloquial and humour, refreshing. The setting – a merchant navy ship – is new and interesting and the plot reasonably well developed. The book may not qualify as the best mystery novel of the year but it definitely does full justice to the “new genre” that Penguin has sought to introduce. A genre of books that “don’t weigh you down with complicated stories, don’t ask for much time and don’t have to be lugged around.”

It is a book for the youth of today who have neither the time nor the patience to indulge in “heavier” reads. Love on the Rocks may not give you an adrenaline rush and it doesn’t exactly compel you to burn the midnight oil just to get to the end, but that was never the intention of the series. Love on the Rocks sets a comfortable pace; it allows you to pick it up in between your chores and enjoy slices of it. No compulsions, no information…pure, simple entertainment. And it definitely qualifies as a good candidate for a Bollywood potboiler.

All in all a laudable debut novel and a great “light” read. Pick it up the next time you plan to catch a flight or want to unwind after a crazy workday.

“Abandon” by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot symbolizes with light novels, but her latest novel “Abandon” seems to be in a different league than the Princess Diaries that brought her fame and adulation. In the novel, the main protagonist Pierce is seen engrossed in the battle with the underworld. When she first encounters a dark stranger, she is convinced that he takes life but his methodology in doing so was devoid of any figment of imagination. As Pierce tries to uncover the truth surrounding the shocking death of someone close to her, unexpected secrets spurt up and pose several questions in her heart.

Chick lit, Romance, Mystery and Science Fiction are her preferred genre of writing.

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“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear”   – Meg Cabot`

What it is clearly the flaw in novels like “Nanny Diaries,” and “Devil Wears Prada” is that the protagonist fumbles through the novel lacking any goal or purpose. Instead, the idealists, cute but not too cute young women, lament over the horrors of working for demanding woman and display their own shallowness by painstakingly describing every brand and designer as if reciting some holy mantra.

However the story does have a great deal of truth in it, and parts of it are actually very touching. The main plot deals with the relationship between the main character (called Nan or Nanny by everyone in the story) and her four-year-old charge, Grayer. There’s also a romantic subplot and a few shopping sprees and best friend banter thrown in as well.  As the story progresses, it becomes obvious that the children are the losers, the parents have no business being parents, and the nannies do nothing to help make the family a better place. Instead they whine about mistreatment, go along with abuse, and try to replace the parent with their own immature version of love. The characters include a controlling, neurotic mother, the absent father, the evil mistress and a whole cast of nannies who suffer every kind of abuse from both their employers and their charges.

The writing goes from hilarious to heartbreaking as Nanny experiences every ridiculous aspect of the hidden lives of the super-rich. While the narration is pretty absorbing, it leaves the reader with mixed messages. While it seems to have aimed at a penetrating exploration of the intersection between social class and child-raising, it instead, in a way ends up being about the difference between upper middle class and upper class, and trying to make more out of that difference than there really is.

As both the authors are former nannies turned authors, who obviously have seen their fair share of the nanny business, Nanny, the protagonist, has a great sense of humor and a real down to earth outlook on life. It’s plain to see that there is nothing terrifically complicated about the book, no grand theory of life discussed, and no revelations that would shock anyone.  Yet the book’s most interesting point is how the authors depict the everyday ins and outs and nuances of this dynamic.

This book is not about character development or gripping plots. It is just a book with a very good story told in a most humorous way. However, it is also sad because it gives the impression that wealthy New Yorkers are too busy to actually raise their own children, which makes one wonder why they had them in the first place.

Rent/ purchase The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus from the INDIAreads Online book rental library cum bookstore.

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This is a book which can be finished in one sitting. Even though the prologue pretty much tells you the outcome, the story is quite enjoyable for anyone looking to lay their hands on a warm, light read.

Dr. Matthew Hiller is a brilliant neurosurgeon and a music virtuoso. While on a trip to Africa, he falls in love with his colleague who is the heir of a famous Italian businessman. But then Slyvia, the girl, suddenly disappears from his life without leaving him any reasons or explanation. Years later, his only love, now married to one of the richest men in the world, re enters his life. Only this time, she is one of his patients. But she can still evoke the same feelings in him that she did so long ago in Paris and Africa. Even after all this time, Matthew has not recovered from her unexplained disappearance on the eve of their marriage–and thoughts of her have haunted him ever since. As a doctor, he knows he must try to help her. But as a spurned lover, and a married man, he desperately needs to forget the past. Now, he is faced with the biggest dilemma in his life, and is afraid of the consequences that will follow if he actually succeeds in saving her.

This is an outstanding tale. Though it doesn’t quite match up to the author’s other books such as Love Story or Oliver’s story, it still delivers the warm, touching and sad feelings like the rest of his romance novels do. The narration itself is quite interesting as the story is told from the man’s point-of view. Also music lovers will love the metaphors Segal uses to compare different classical works to points in the book.

Segal shows that he has the skill to put into words, what many feel, but are unable to express into words or are unable to recognize. Many times one sentence alone captures a human’s scale of emotions hitting it right on the head of the nail. And he has nicely crafted every character in the story, each playing his part well, giving some clues of how life is different for each individual. . One cares about the characters, gets to know them and like them. However, the most touching scenes and most emotional moments seem to gloss over a bit, and a bit more detail would add to the emotional impact for the reader.

While it is an outstanding and well written tale, some parts of it tend to get a bit “wordy” at times. Because of this, there are parts which border on becoming a bit unsentimental at the most poignant moments. One can also argue that it is not really a love story, which is true to some extent, but the emotionality with which the characters and events are sketched makes it a touching story if not a “love story”.  Segal also delivers a great backdrop to go along with the tale- with Paris, Ethiopia, and New England, but sometimes the story falls short of making a compelling case for undying love.

All in all, a good work worthy of reading, and one that seems to “stick” in the mind well after the book is finishedand . However, it seems that “Only Love” would be more suited for is for adult readers as compared to Segal’s other books, which are more suited for younger readers such as college students. On a scale of 1 to 10, this book a 7, only because the ending seemed a bit rushed. But it is also the point where is impossible to put the book down.

Only Love by Erich Segal is available for rent and purchase at the www.INDIAreads.com, India’s fastest growing online book rental library.

While Agatha Christie is best-known for her sleuths like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, there are also some hidden gems among her “standalone” novels. Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? Is a thoroughly enjoyable read, anchored by the terrific chemistry between the protagonists – lifelong friends Bobby Jones, son of the local vicar, and Lady Frances Derwent.

The mystery begins when, Bobby Jones, while playing golf with a Dr. Thomas, discovers a man who has fallen over a cliff below one of the holes. While Dr. Thomas runs to get help, the dying man looks at Bobby ,suddenly opens his eyes and mutters “Why didn’t they ask Evans?” he then falls into the chains of death. Soon, the fun loving, adventurous duo of Bobby and Frankie are on a trail to find out the answers. Unfortunately, asking the wrong people sends the amateur sleuths running for their lives.

The first forty pages might leave a few readers a little underwhelmed. But once the storyline gets going, it is sure to leave anyone hooked with the quick pace that rapidly follows. One thing that shows quite clearly is how much of her style JK Rowling got from Agatha Christie. In terms of characters, Christie offers a lot for any contemporary writer to learn from. In fact, the duo of Bobby and Frankie complement each other quite well and their relationship, particularly the way they constantly spar and view their case, portrays Christie’s mastery at creating characters that are well-rounded and deep.

Leaving aside the romance, even the mystery is intriguing and original. The twists and turns are sure to keep readers guessing until the very last page. Unlike some of her other novels, Christie drops little clues here and there in between chapters regarding the villain’s inconsistency in his story. This makes the reader feel that they are on the trail along with the characters, sleuthing along with Frankie and Bobbie.

However, keeping up with how the large cast of characters is related can be a bit confusing if you’re not focused on the story. Though the story takes a bizarre turn three-quarters of the way through, it’s fast-paced and quite humorous throughout. By the end of the novel, the guilty parties have become apparent, but that doesn’t detract from one’s enjoyment of the tale in the least – watching Bobby and Frankie survive their excursion into the detective world is far too entertaining.

This is a novel that promises to keep on the edge of their seats. A pleasant read that doesn’t end up taking too much time to finish, this is one of Christie’s finest.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie is available for rent and purchase at  www.INDIAreads.com, India’s fastest growing online book rental library and bookstore.

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Okay, so if a guy writes chick-lit or offers relationship advice to women, he’s treading on thin ice. Right? After all, there is a very thin line between chivalry and chauvinism. However, this book is not so much the tons of excuses that a guy could make up to validate the behavior of the male sex. Rather, the book serves as a reminder to a woman make sure she is being treated with the respect she deserves.

Okay so the title is a little off. But the idea is simple: why waste one moment of your precious time on somebody who doesn’t think the world of you? In fact, if she/he doesn’t dig you like you deserve to be appreciated, stop wasting your time barking up a lame tree.

Drawing inspiration from an episode of Sex and the City, Greg Behrendt, a standup comedian, co authored the book with Liz Tuccillo, who is in fact a writer for the show. For anyone who has tasted a sample of each author’s previous work, the book is sure to live up to any expectations there may be. The book is certainly fun and upbeat. The authors do a great job at engaging their audience with familiar, quirky experiences to which anyone can easily relate to. Full of hysterical one-liners, tidbits of advice on guys, and most importantly valuing yourself, this is a book which dishes out a lot of common sense. In fact, if you are one to consider gaining knowledge from a book on dating, written  by a comedian and a sitcom writer far too shallow, then after you finish reading this book, you wouldn’t want to be deep at all.

The book focuses on one clear point. Teaching the art of calling a spade a spade. The format itself is pretty easy to get into. It reads as if you are talking to an old friend who listens to your every word, understands all of it, and offers the most obvious, yet eye-opening advice. Of course, this isn’t high literature by any stretch of the imagination. But despite being humorous and breezy, it still is quite accurate on dealing with human behavior when one is not thinking straight.

However, there could have been a bit more about empowering women to promote real change in their relational positioning. Also it sort of diminishes males into simplistic characters that emanate one of two relationship signals: I’m interested, or I’m not. Relationships are not entirely based on Yes or No. There are various other dynamics involved and factors that develop with time. If the book’s assumption is that sex drives the man, then perhaps the book is accurate in that regard. The last few chapters could have also been entirely omitted, as they keep repeating the same idea over and over. Overall, a light read with lots of laughs and insight to offer. This is a positive book which repackages the truth about relationships in a very fresh and original manner. Post break-up manual? Perhaps.

Made into a Hollywood movie by New Line Cinema, the on screen adaptation stars award winning actors such as Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johanson.

He’s Just Not That Into You is available for rent and purchase at the INDIAreads Online Book Rental Library cum Bookstore.

Most people must have grown up with a reading list that included a couple or more of books by Judy Blume. However, anyone who wants to test one of the books she wrote for adults will readily agree that they would have never could stories so involving and complex. The characters come to life on the pages; and the storyline is brilliant in its commonness. Whether it is kids, teens or adults, Blume’s characters have always been real people with real problems.

In Summer Sisters Caitlin and Victoria are two friends who spend almost every summer together and despite their very different social backgrounds. have developed a strong relationship through the years. Even though they are very close to each other, they each want to live the other person’s life rather than their own. While Victoria wants to have parents and richness like Caitlin, Caitlin is jealous and longs for an organized, wealthy life like Victoria’s. Finally a summer comes when the friends are teenagers that Victoria can no longer tolerate Caitlin’s behavior and decides to cut ties with her summer sister. Soon their friendship which has been so pure through all these years starts to become difficult and two of them form a complex friendship of love and rivalry that spans a lifetime for the both of them.

As their story carries us from Santa Fe to New York and then Venice, we come to know the men and women who shape their lives. And as we follow the two women on the paths they each choose, each waits for the inevitable reckoning to be made in the fine spaces between friendship and betrayal, between love and freedom.

The story and characters are quite interesting and Blume explores each emotion in a very real manner. . The book begins with a little mystery which keeps readers interested enough to keep going. If you loved Judy Blume’s writing as a child, you would love her writing in Summer Sisters. It’s a perfect story about friendship, betrayals, first loves, lust, family, and everything in between. However, be prepared to make a drastic shift from the Shielas and Iggies you might be used to. The characters are realistic and credible, so be prepared to be a little shocked if your favorite childhood author starts being a little too ‘bold.’ Yet that is the very reason which sets Blume apart from other writers, her willingness to explore the real, more complicated side of emotions and growing up. So one thing is certain, this book is different from what you get with most chick lit. The writing itself is quick and easy. And while most of the plot is straightforward, the ending had a little twist which is quite unexpected.

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume is available for rent and purchase at the INDIAreads Online Book Rental Library cum Bookstore.

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A lot of people may have already caught up with the movie version or will probably pick up the book because of the film’s popularity. But this is a book which has been around for quite a while, and that speaks more than enough for its honest assessment of single people,along with the author’s success at nailing, though not exclusively female, but English sensibility in particular.

Everyone either has an element of Bridget in them or knows someone like her. Her journal, which takes readers through a year in the life of a British, 30-something, unmarried girl is filled with stories of errant boyfriends, strained family relations, and a search for love in the most clever and relatable manner. Though it is easy to relive many of the scenes with the actors who played the role in mind, the book itself is full of funny, over the top characters who will make readers feel like they are re-living their misspent years at times. While the plot itself has been questioned as being borrowed from another great English classic, the tone remains self-deprecating, self-involved, and completely hysterical.

Bridget is a person who is still coming to terms with her vices. She copes with not having love by drinking and eating, and all the while tries hard to give up smoking and maintaing her weight. Trying her best not to give into temptation, she usually ends up failing miserably. After a few flirty e-mails between Bridget and her boss Daniel Cleaver, the two begin a twisted on and off relationship that ends up as an affair which included benefits and nothing else. Having spent years dodging questions from family and friends who keep asking her when she’s going to settle down and marry, Bridget finally meets Mark Darcy, a rich American lawyer at a party. Though her family urges her to date the recently divorced Mr. Darcy, he seems to be a bit of a snob and dislikes Bridget from the very start. Meanwhile, the playboy boss still seems to have a vice grip on Bridget’s heart, who is still struggling to cope with the fact that he cheated on her, and tries to focus on her career and ending her bad habits instead. As Bridget and Darcy begin to date, she is begins to have a perfect, caring relationship with a man she loves. However, she is still stuck in between choosing to care for Daniel and their secret relationship or following the advice of her parents.

The humor of Bridget Jones’s diary is its strongest point. The main character Bridget is so flawed and jinxed that it is impossible not to fall in love with her.  With this diary form narrative, Fielding provides readers with a quick, entertaining read that chronicles the brave journey of a woman moving from insecure single-hood towards self assertion. Though it is the dairy itself that brings the protagonist love and happiness in the end, there are times when it seems there’s a lot more space to shift a little less focus on the diary itself, especially the details of Bridget’s waging war with her scales and waistline. And while the storyline may be borrowed, Fielding’s treatment of a classic is truly a successful update on an exciting plot twist. Named amongst the ten novels that defined the 20th century, this bestselling chick lit is recommended to everyone, especially people that like biographies and enjoy romantic comedies.

You can rent, purchase or gift a copy of Bridget Jones’s Diary or browse through other related titles at the INDIAreads Online Library cum Bookstore.

Some thoughts…

Before we post today’s review, there’s a confession that needs to be made. If you have limited time and are not interested in the ramblings of reviewers then skip straight to the review, but if you are curious as to why we have picked a “different” kind of book today, then read on.

A few days back we got a mail from one of our regular visitors asking why we never review any romance novels or chick lit books. “Your book reviews are great  and you do seem to cover every genre -fantasy, horror, children’s books, management, self help, current affairrs, management, classics – except one. Don’t you think you are short changing us, readers who enjoy a good sweet romance?” the mail said. And so we skimmed through all our reviews and realized it was true. But how does one review a romance novel? I mean isn’t the plot somewhat similar everywhere. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, some obstacle arises, they are separated and then eventually they fight it, all’s well and there’s your happily ever after. Or Girl meets boy, they hate each other, they are forced to see each other by circumstances, realise they aren’t so bad, fall in love and all’s well with the world. “No, actually romance novels also have plots. They are also good anf bad, but you have this big “pseudo intellectual bias,” a friend I discussed this with said. There, she had said it. The “b” word. We all have our “not that” words and for me it’s definitely bias. So last week, I was on a mission. I picked up half a dozen romance novels, determined to find one which was different, which had to be reviewed and which could prove that I am not “biased.” The first few reaffirmed my belief, but then yesterday I finally found the book I was looking for…One that was entertaining, different and definitely deserving of a review. this review is an apology of sorts, to all romance and chick lit fans. With this, I rest my case.

The Review

It’s the age old problem – the communication gap between the sexes. Men and women speak differently, and hence the misunderstandings, the frequent dinner table clashes and war of words.

Who’s at fault?

The men, obviously because Menspeak is about aggression, showing off and innuendos, while Womenspeak is about feelings, sharing and going over itsy bitsy details like the dinner table menu or the colour of your toenail. So the solution? Train men in the art of Womenspeak, teach them to notice the colour of a women’s dress, sympathise with her weight issues, share their day and feelings and lo and behold you have a success story. Try it at home, at work, in the marketplace…you will be the man that every women gushes over – be it your female clients, your female colleagues or boss, your wife, girlfirend or even your neighbour. This is the Wyman Method, designed by none other than famous linguist Lynn Wyman who btw just discovered that her own marriage is in shambles. Ouch, not good business; no wonder the clients are running way and the Wyman method is losing credibility. So what does ultimate teacher of Womenspeak do? Find the most arrogant man, the alpha male who every woman despises, and turn him around.  And that is what Female intelligence is about.

The book reminded me of a Chick flick, What women want. Was it inspired? No comments. The movie came out in 2000, the book in 2001. There are also touches of the Pygmalion, but of course that is a classic and Female intelligence does not come anywhere near it. Because this book is good if you are looking for a quick, light hearted read that makes you laugh but don’t expect stunning characters that you fall in love with or a great storyline. The plot is hilarious and more intricate than the usual harlequin or romance novels and but the attempt at mystery is poor. The saboteur is almost obvious from the beginning and you keep wondering why the “intelligent female” who teaches men to talk about fashion and weight issues is unable to figure it out. In fact, Heller recognises this herself and the main protagonist says, I know you must wondering why she didn’t figure it out…it’s so obvious….

Pick it up if you are looking for a witty spoof, for that is what Female Intelligence is-  a satire on the “self-help” industry and the relationship therapists that seem to abound nowadays. It is not a mystery novel and it is definitely not a commentary on relationships, though men and women will discover many everyday conversations in here.

All in all entertaining read without the grammatical errors that abound in many contemporary romance novels. A word of warning – many women have taken umbrage at the “stereotypical” portrayal of women. Well, remember it’s a satire.

Buy, Rent Female Intelligence by Jane Heller from INDIAreads Online Book Rental Library cum Bookstore

A follow up to Daphne du Maurier’s classic, Rebecca. Mrs. deWinter tells us what happened to Maxim deWinter and his wife years into the future after the events at Manderley.

The story begins 10 years after Rebecca ended–Manderley has burned, and Maxim deWinter and his much-younger second wife have been traveling in Europe for the past decade. With no children and no place to really call home, the second Mrs. deWinter feels the urge to put down some roots and raise a family. But the old ghosts of the past seem still to possess and control Maxim. The question remains whether the couple will finally be able to settle down and be happy or if the bad karma that still seems to dog Maxim take control of everything again. Whereas the title of the first book referred to Maxim DeWinter’s conniving late wife, the sequel’s title refers to the naive second Mrs. deWinter. The fact that she is still unnamed in this continuation of her story is a commentary on the vapid nature of her character.

Though there is a lapse of several decades between the first book and Susan Hill’s sequel, the book is still reflective of the spirit of the original. Preserving the dark and moody aspects of the original novel, the amorality of the second Mrs. deWinter in Rebecca is astounding and has been captured perfectly by Hill. She brings out the total lack of communication between Maxim and his unnamed wife while keeping to a plot which makes basic sense within the larger context of the original novel. The changes in the characters are well-explained and Hill does a great job at catching du Maurier’s voice as an author. However, though her love and respect for the original novel Rebecca is apparent, the new protagonist spends too much time thinking throughout the book than actually doing something. As a sequel, the book still lacks the intrigue that readers were treated to in the original. Though she succeeds in places, Hill seems to overdo her impression of Daphne du Maurier’s style. Perhaps it would not meet the expectations of die hard du Maurier fans, and the original book is a tough act to follow, but Hill has made the best attempt at what some people may deem the impossible.

You can rent, purchase or gift a copy of Mrs. deWinter or browse through related titles at the INDIAreads Online Library cum Bookstore.