Cynosure Talents

15/07/2023

That Night - Nidhi Upadhyay - Review

Does true friendship exist? It's always a question worth reflection. This story revolves around 4 college friends who play a prank on a fellow student which supposedly results in that student's death the next morning. Guilt takes over the four of them and they don't speak about it for twenty long years. But the secret comes to haunt them in the form of a blackmailer or is it the student's ghost herself? The book covers various colours of friendship where they love each other so much but also suspect each other with the same intensity. Again the style of the author of covering everything in detail is a nice move which should be applauded. This book doesn't rush into twists and turns but takes its time to reach the conclusion. Overall it's a nice read.

04/07/2023

I Hear You - Nidhi Upadhyay - Review

It was one of the refreshing reads I read in sometime. So beautifully it portrays the love and connection between the mother and the unborn child within her. This story shows that up to what level a mom can go to save her child from the evil forces around her. But what if evil is within her? This book can be binge read but my suggestion is to go through it slowly and devour each character. It's totally worth it. I loved the references to mythology within the book about Shiva ,Bhagwad Gita and Rudra . The content shows that a lot of research has gone into it. The plot has a brilliant twist at the end. You will love this book if you like multiple viewpoints and multiple timelines . Traveling to the past , present and maybe the future in the book is quite interesting. Very much recommended.

26/06/2023

Kalki Purana - BK Chaturvedi - Review

Kalki is said to be the tenth and the final incarnation of Vishnu who appears in the Kali Age to end the atrocities of this yuga to further bring Satya Yuga into existence. This book takes us through the chronological events in Kalki's life namely his birth, education, marriage and different wars he fights along with some words of wisdom finally ending with Kalki retiring to his heavenly abode i.e. Vaikuntha. This text could have been a bit detailed but because it covers everything so superficially it failed to catch my interest. This book suits someone who's looking for just an introduction to the Kalki Purana. For a better understanding a more detailed book will be ideal.

17/06/2023

Grihabhanga - SL Bhyrappa
The author has weaved a beautiful tale of tragedy which will make your heart shudder. It's the story of a daughter -in -law Nanjamma who strives to live her life amongst the abuses of her mother in law and husband for her kids. This story is based in the pre-independence era. From writing the accounts for the government on behalf of her worthless husband to earning a side income to feed her family, she manages to build her own house with her own clever mind and wits. Her struggle to save her kids from the plague which attacked the village from time to time and to keep them alive during the famine is heart rending. The characters are beautifully designed and my curiosity takes a high notch when I think maybe these characters really existed and all this would have really happened. It's a must read.

31/05/2023

Mom n dad's 38th marriage anniversary celebrations 🎊🎉

27/05/2023

Hats off to this beautiful movie 🙏🏻🙏🏻

05/05/2023

April at a glance 📚

05/05/2023

Orphaned - SL Bhyrappa

Some books are meant to be read word by word and also between the lines and shouldn't be rushed. This is one of them. It speaks about our Hindu tradition regarding cows as deities and how we are born for their utility. But tension arises when the protagonist Kalinga after studying agriculture in America brings India an American wife whose conviction regards cattle as being used for only human utility. This book talks about finding a balance between the scientific and traditional way of farming, between profitability and charity, between true relationships and commercial relationships. Some instances make your heart shudder, like human losses, cow slaughter, birthing a baby without medical assistance , baby feeding directly on a cow's teat, to name some. It's emotionally written and it amazes me as to how the author can so effortlessly convey two opposite views for us to understand clearly.There are a couple of debate conversations in the book between Venkataramana, the Pujari and Hilda , the American wife which is so interesting and gives you food for thought. So much recommended.

17/04/2023

And then there were none - Review **Spoilers**

Ten normal persons of various professions accumulate on a deserted island. Each of them has been lured to come and they have taken the bait . Slowly they start dying one by one. The suspense remains till the last page literally as to know who is the murderer. It's a short and crisp book. The exciting thing was their discussions about who the killer can be and how they suspect each other. At some point it was comical but at some point fearsome too. I now understand how so many other books movies and series have been based on this 1939 plot. Some which I can remember are movies "Vadh" and "sshhhh " . And the most popular series is "Squid Game". I bet there are many more. This book is about fighting our own demons and how to fake them. But the "Big Boss" knows it all. A must read.

15/04/2023

14/04/2023

The Silent Patient - Review
What a masterpiece of a psychological thriller! It contains all the ingredients of a page turner. This book portrays the relationship between a therapist and a patient who has not spoken for 6 years, and how the therapist is eager to cure the patient. But why? If you have liked "Rock Paper Scissors" by Alice Feeney this is your book. It contains multiple timelines , well spun characters with secrets ,gory pasts which create mental agony , a hidden diary and of course a thriller is incomplete without illicit relationships. I loved the mention of a Greek tragedy in this book called " Alcestis" and how the author has very intricately compared his characters with the tragedy's characters. The author has given us a sneak peek of what happens inside a psychiatric institute.It has a twisty plot with a lot of plot turns. Overall an entertaining read.