InklingsInsight

Book Name: The Music Makers Author: Rohini Paranjpe Sathe Publication: Om Figment Genre: Literary & Contemporary Fiction The Music Makers by Rohini Paranjpe Sathe is a novel that explores varied themes through an eye-opening story about the fractured lives of two sisters and their families, with music as a backdrop throughout the sequence of incidents that unfold until the mystery is solved and music ultimately wins. Review The story is set in Maharashtra, primarily in Pune and Mumbai, as the two families involved live in these cities respectively. From the streets of Worli, Mumbai, to Pune, the book follows the life of a man, Kartik, who has grown up with the trauma of not being able to stand up against his father for all the troubles he inflicted on him and his mother. From depriving Kartik of what he loved to separating his mother from her family and manipulating her into believing that her family members were jealous of her status, his father’s actions shape Kartik’s emoti...

Book Name: The Glitch In Our Stars Author: Divya Iyer Publisher: Indie Press Genre: Contemporary Fiction The Glitch In Our Stars by Divya Iyer is a contemporary fiction novel that explores themes like belonging, long-distance love, depression, heartbreak and bonding.   Review The story revolves around two main characters, Rusham, living in London, and Dil from Mumbai, who fell in love amidst the chaos, struggles, and doubts of their lives and existence through an expected conversation that started on Facebook when Rusham reached out Dil thanking her for sharing the review on his book, yes you read it correct, Dil is a book reviewer (and content writer) and Rusham an author. Readers and bookstagrammers out there will relate to this connection and look forward to what will happen next, and maybe this might be an unexpected turn for them, or maybe some readers might fantasize about falling in love with their favorite authors, forming such a connection. No more spoilers about how t...

Book Name: The Namesake Author: Jhumpa Lahiri Publisher: Harpercollins Genre: Contemporary Fiction The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri is a beautiful exploration of immigrant experience, cultural identity and complex bonds of family.   Review The story revolves around the life of Gogol Ganguli (later Nikhil), exploring his experiences while living in the United States with his family, his relationships, his losses, and his identity crisis. Why is this story going to ignite a spark in readers' minds? Because the motive with which it is written is the reason for it to be loved by readers who love to explore stories that follow themes like identity, loss, love, belonging, immigrant experiences, or simply someone living away from home. As for the title, "The Namesake" , the story of Gogol is justified. Starting from the decision of his name, which was to be made by Ashima's (Gogol's mother) grandmother, to deciding on a name based on the author Ashoke (Gogol's fathe...

Book Name: A Little Life Author: Hanya Yanagihara Publisher: Picador Genre: Contemporary Fiction Format: Paperback Print length: 752 pages  Rating: 4/5 A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a contemporary fiction novel that explores serious themes like mental trauma, abuse, unimaginable suffering along with love and friendship. Blurb It is an immensely powerful and heartbreaking novel of brotherly love and the limits of human endurance. When four graduates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they’re broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their centre of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their gre...

Book Name: Vigil Aunties Author: Richa S Mukherjee Publisher: Black Ink Genre: Contemporary Fiction  Format: Paperback Print Length: 368 Rating: 4.5/5 Vigil Aunties by Richa S Mukherjee is a contemporary fiction that challenges societal norms and offers social commentary on issues like women's safety and empowerment. Blurb Secrets, saris, humour and drama! This is one vigil you don’t want to miss Sixteen-year-old Philadelphia aka Philly Waghmare’s carefully curated life revolves around the SAT. The most exciting thing that happens in the crumbling old society she calls home is the weekly meet-up between her mother, Varsha, and her motley group of society aunties. Nothing really changes here—except one day when everything does! A shocking incident leads Philly to trail Tarun Adhikari, the hotshot father of her best friend, Naina. During this quest, her world turns turtle as she not only discovers that her sweet, sanskari mother is the head of a secret society of women, but tha...

Book Name: The Colony Brats Author: Vineed P Menon Publisher: The Alcove Genre: Contemporary Fiction  Format: Paperback Print Length: 298 Rating: 4/5 The Colony Brats by Vineed P Menon is a contemporary fiction with a flair of action and drama taking readers on a journey of seeking justice against discrimination. Book Blurb On Amazon Hi, I’m Niv, though my parents named me Nivrutti Nandan Nedumpilly Nair—yeah, I know, what a ridiculous name. But trust me, the name is nothing compared to the ridiculousness of my life. And here’s why we call ourselves brats in Sawalpur, a town dominated by the cement plant: - As children of wage board workers, we faced injustice and weren’t allowed to enter the officers’ colony. But I had the guts to sneak into my girlfriend’s quarters—don’t ask why. - My best friend, Baiju, had the audacity to have an affair—sorry, a relationship—with the colony’s schoolteacher. - Our so-called ordinary life was filled with mischief, adventures, and escapades....

Book Name: The Homecoming Author: Preeti Shenoy Publisher: Harper Collins Genre: Contemporary Fiction  Format: Paperback/Kindle Print length: 320 pages  Rating: 3.5/5 Preeti Shenoy’s The Homecoming is the sequel to A Place Called Home, that explores further themes and new revelations in the lives of the characters. Book Blurb On Amazon When the past unravels, is love enough to hold the future together? To the world, Alka’s life is picture-perfect—she lives a charmed existence in a beautiful heritage bungalow on her husband Subbu’s coffee estate with their two lovely daughters. But when disaster strikes after Subbu’s near-fatal accident, buried secrets begin to surface, ripping apart the veneer of perfection. Even as Alka struggles to care for her husband and revive the fortunes of the failing estate, she is faced with an agonizing choice: fight for her strained marriage or give in to the long dormant love she feels for her brother-in-law, Krish. Can Alka’s marriage survi...