Review: Chosen Ones

Name - Chosen Ones

Pages -432

Author -Veronica Roth

Publisher -Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Genre -Sci-Fi & Fantasy, New Adult

Rating -4/5

ISBN -9780358164081

Source -NetGalley

Review no. -33

Synopsis -

Fifteen years ago, five ordinary teenagers were singled out by a prophecy to take down an impossibly powerful entity wreaking havoc across North America. He was known as the Dark One, and his weapon of choice—catastrophic events known as Drains—leveled cities and claimed thousands of lives. Chosen Ones, as the teens were known, gave everything they had to defeat him.

After the Dark One fell, the world went back to normal . . . for everyone but them. After all, what do you do when you’re the most famous people on Earth, your only education was in magical destruction, and your purpose in life is now fulfilled?

Of the five, Sloane has had the hardest time adjusting. Everyone else blames the PTSD—and her huge attitude problem—but really, she’s hiding secrets from them . . . secrets that keep her tied to the past and alienate her from the only four people in the world who understand her.

On the tenth anniversary of the Dark One’s defeat, something unthinkable happens: one of the Chosen Ones dies. When the others gather for the funeral, they discover the Dark One’s ultimate goal was much bigger than they, the government, or even prophecy could have foretold—bigger than the world itself.

And this time, fighting back might take more than Sloane has to give.

Review -

Chosen Ones is a action and suspense-packed book with a unique, thrilling and captivating story. Every theme was new in this book, including the fact that there was no 'one-true-savior-of-the-world' thing. The world building was wonderful.

The book follows the story of Sloane Andrews, ten years after she and her 'chosen' friends collectively brought down the Voldermort-like 'Dark One'. But life isn't as sweet and rosy for them as one would expect. They attract all the media and public attention. Some of them still suffer from PTSD. And Sloane has some secrets of her own that alienates her from her own friends.

But when one of the 'Chosen Ones' dies, their lives turn upside-down, and it seems that the Dark One is not dead after all. They travel to an unimaginable place.

The Chosen Ones has the right amount of Sci-fi and Fantasy. The fact that the Chosen Ones are troubled by media, paparazzi and that some of them still suffer trauma makes the story realistic. And above all the twists were totally unforeseen.

The things that I didn't like in this book is that there were extracts, references and memorandums at the end of almost every chapter which made me forget were the last chapter ended. I think that the author wanted to explore the New Adult genre to its limit as she used the F-word a lot. Also, I felt the story was too slow-paced at some parts.

I thank NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me this amazing opportunity to read and review this amazing book.  

Review: Fractured Tide

Name -Fractured Tide

Pages -336

Author -Leslie Lutz

Publisher -Blink Publishing

Genre -YA, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rating -4/5 (3.5 to be precise)

ISBN -9780310770107

Review no. -32

Synopsis -

Lost meets Stranger Things in this eerie, immersive YA thriller, thrusting seventeen-year-old Sia into a reality where the waters in front of her and the jungle behind her are as dangerous as the survivors alongside her. 

Sia practically grew up in the water scuba diving, and wreck dives are run of the mill. Take the tourists out. Explore the reef. Uncover the secrets locked in the sunken craft. But this time … the dive goes terribly wrong.

Attacked by a mysterious creature, Sia’s boat is sunk, her customers are killed, and she washes up on a deserted island with no sign of rescue in sight. Waiting in the water is a seemingly unstoppable monster that is still hungry. In the jungle just off the beach are dangers best left untested. When Sia reunites with a handful of survivors, she sees it as the first sign of light.

Sia is wrong.

Between the gulf of deadly seawater in front of her and suffocating depth of the jungle behind her, even the island isn’t what it seems.

Haunted by her own mistakes and an inescapable dread, Sia’s best hope for finding answers may rest in the center of the island, at the bottom of a flooded sinkhole that only she has the skills to navigate. But even if the creature lurking in the depths doesn’t swallow her and the other survivors, the secrets of their fractured reality on the island might.

Review -

The Fractured Tide is creepy, action-packed, and thrilling. I definitely do not recommend people to read this book now, during this pandemic, because the story scared the hell out of me as the story was all about surviving and hunger due to scarcity of food.

Tasia is a 17-something homeschooled girl, helping her mom run her family business (diving charter) as her dad goes behind the bars. After an unfortunate dive to a WWII wreck which results in the death of a fellow diver, weird events begin to unfold. They unite with a science club summer fun party only to be attack by a creepy octopus-like creature. When she opens her eyes again, Tasia finds herself stranded in a strange island with a lunatic with a gun. But soon, to her relief, she also finds her 7 year old brother, Felix, and two people from the science club, Ben and Steph.

But things are never normal when one is stranded on a strange island, isn't it? It doesn't take long for Ben and Tasia to discover that things appear to be going on like a loop.

 So, they are left in a island which is god-knows-where, with almost no food resources, a raging lunatic, ruins of their charters, the mysterious creature which wrecked their boats still looming around and secrets buried in the island (literally!). They need to escape. And first and foremost of all, they need to survive. Will they?

What I really liked about this book was that the story was fast-paced, thrilling and creepy. All the twists were interesting and unexpected.  I love the fact that none of the main characters died (oh, oh, did I just spoil something?). I also loved the way family was weaved into this sci-fi thriller.

What I didn't like about the book was that the diving scenes in the book were too technical. I felt my eyes spinning when I came to read such scenes. Also, the ending didn't really strike me, because it confused me.

Overall, it is a good book. But don't  read it now due to the reason that I have mentioned above. But if you do read, then remember that you've been warned!

 

Review: The Shaadi Story

Name -The Shaadi Story

Pages -228

Author -Amita Nigam Sahaya

Publisher -Pan Macmillan

Genre -Non-fiction; Sociology and Culture

Rating -5/5

ISBN -9789389109405

Review no. -31

Synopsis -

What makes the Big Fat Indian Wedding so central to our lives?

The wedding is the most celebrated event in Indian society. It forms the heart of a multi-billion-dollar industry driving fashion, food, music, entertainment and our desire for companionship.

In The Shaadi Story, social entrepreneur Amita Sahaya takes a fascinating look at the history, religious traditions, societal attitudes, industry and modern adaptations of the North Indian Hindu wedding and beyond. Across seven chapters structured like the traditional ritual of the saptapadi, this book illuminates the seven different aspects of the quintessential Indian wedding. Drawing on ancient Sanskrit scriptures, western philosophies, Bollywood movies and the voices of young Indians, this book is an in-depth examination of our evolving ideas of love and relationships through the prism of our society’s most elaborate celebration.

Enlightening and entertaining, The Shaadi Story is a remarkable exploration of Indian weddings and marriages and what makes them tick.

Review -

"What is it about our social and cultural background that makes marriage so central to our lives?" This question is just one of enlightening gems that the Amita Nigam answers in this book. Infact, almost the whole book revolves around this thought-provoking question.

Topping at just over 200 pages, The Shaadi Story unravels an eye-opening and deeply researched analysis about the 'Big Fat Indian Wedding(s)' backed by carefully handpicked references, anecdotes, researches, surveys, interviews etc., making this, by far, the best non-fiction book I had read since a very long time. The book is divided into seven chapters, corresponding to the Saptapadi or the seven Pheras (vows). Each chapter probes and investigates a particular aspect of the Indian Wedding using a pragmatic approach. And at last, there is the epilogue, which poses an optimistic circa 2040 in front of the reader, of 'a better world, a more equitable world to be precise, and a diminished patriarchy.' Last but not the least, the book ends with notes to make sure that the readers understand every single detail of this book.

What made me love 'The Shaadi Story' was the fact that the writing was so elegantly weaved that I never ever felt even a bit bored while reading it. I am not a fan of non-fictions because I get bored easily, but I wasn't bored even a bit while reading this book. Also, the book makes the reader ponder upon the crisis of gender inequality and ignorance.

Overall, The Shaadi Story is pragmatic and erudite as it renders a profound imputation of the ugliness that exists beyond the garish colors of the Indian Wedding. The author's literary artistry and perspicuous analysis propel this book to the top of my list of favorite non-fiction books (which is admittedly short). I recommend it to everybody, especially the millennials and youngsters as they would have to contribute the most for making tomorrow a better world.

Review: The Age of Witches

Name -The Age of Witches

Pages -528
Author -Louisa Morgan
Publisher -Orbit Books
Genre -Historical fantasy, Feminist fiction
Rating -5/5
ISBN -9780356512587
Review no. -30
Synopsis -
A young witch must choose between love and loyalty, power and ambition, in this magical novel set in Gilded Age New York and London.
In 1692, Bridget Bishop was hanged as a witch. Two hundred years later, her legacy lives on in the scions of two very different lines: one dedicated to using their powers to heal and help women in need; the other, determined to grasp power for themselves.
This clash will play out in the fate of Annis, a young woman in Gilded Age New York who finds herself a pawn in the family struggle for supremacy. She'll need to claim her own power to save herself - and resist succumbing to the darkness that threatens to overcome them all.
Review -
First of all, the cover is very appealing and appropriate for the story. The language is easy to under unlike most of the historical fiction novels. Life during of the different sections of the society during the Gilded age in New York has been elegantly described in the novel.
The story is interesting and alluring, told through four different perspective- Harriet, Annis, Frances and James.
A witch named Bridget Bishop was hanged 200 years ago in Salem. Her two lines of legacy through her two daughters, have different motives.
Annis is a strong, vivacious and independent girl who has immense passion for horses against her family's interests and the social taboos. But, her stepmother, Frances, has other plans for her that she wouldn't like.
Frances has always lived in poverty until she met a affluent widower, George Allington. After getting him under her control through some dark magic, she marries him and lives a wealthy lifestyle. She only has one more desire- she wants to climb higher in the New York society, that is, she wants to become one of the four hundred most prosperous families. And acquiring a title in the family would make the difference she had wanted.
Harriet is dedicated to use her power for good purposes like healing. She also keeps an eye on her cousin and her great niece. On seeing that her cousin is up to no good, she arrives to rescue Annis, her great niece.
James's father, the old marquess, has just died leaving James the title and also, debts. The whole estate is in danger due to the debts. James must find a solution quickly or lose them all. To make matters worse, his mother thinks the best way to get out of the problem is by forcing James to marry money.
As all of their lives intervene, the story takes us through a rattling journey of love, power, ambition, feminism and most importantly magic.
I thank NetGalley and Little, Brown Publishing (Orbit Books) for giving me this wonderful opportunity to read and review this book.
P.S.- I would love a sequel of this book.