The Da Vinci Code ... By Dan Brown

A highly debatable story of the century, this book is exceptionally popular not only because of its controversial content but also because of the author's meticulous writing.

It is an extremely addictive book with innumerable suspense and ingenious puzzle solving from our favorite symbologist and Harward professor, Robert Langdon. It also provoked a major interest in speculation concerning the Holy Grail legend and Mary Magdalene's role in the history of Christianity.


                      I awoke, only to see that the rest of the world is still asleep!

                                                                                      - Leonardo Da Vinci

Dan Brown is a perfectionist in terms of storytelling and his ability to blur the lines between facts and fiction always amazes me. And to read a suspense thriller which has symbols, codes, secret societies or conspiracies are the best sources of fascination for me more than anything else.

Da Vinci Code is a 24-hours mind-boggling puzzle-solving ride with the Harward Symbologist, Robert Langdon, who is in search of the Holy Grail whose secret location might just be hidden in the meaning of Mona Lisa's mysterious and knowing smile.

Well, I couldn't get enough delight even if I read this book a hundred times over. I absolutely adore this book and has kept it as a crowning jewel in my library.

Some might call it insane love, but I personally endorse this book to all who love English fiction at its best.

Happy Reading!!!

The Cuckoo's Calling ... (Cormoran Strike Series # 1) By Robert Galbraith a.k.a.. J.K. Rowling

Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym used by J.K. Rowling to publish the Cormoran Strike series and this is the first of the saga. She has again proved her worth as a fiction writer with this marvelous tale which could easily be regarded equivalent to Sherlock Holmes.

It is a superbly exhilarating tale of Cormoran Strike, an ex-military private detective with a prosthetic leg and a troubled family, who is hired to investigate the death of a supermodel, Lula Landry, who jumped from her balcony three months previously. This sharp detective with his quick-witted assistant, Robin, probe into the case with determined fascination over the work they have been assigned and bring us a chilling truth behind the so-called suicide of the famous model.

The book is a well-written mystery with intense characters and beautiful imagination. There is no hint of J.K. Rowling's magic world at all, other than her brilliant writing itself. From the genre of writing children's fantasy novel to adult fiction was a great wager she took against critics and what's wonderful is that it paid off big time.

I would also like to quote a beautiful poem from this book, which hints at the truth all along that when the snow was falling and when a "Cuckoo" fell off her balcony to her tragic death, the paparazzi gather around her body just as they did when she was alive....

Why were you born when the snow was falling? 

You should have come to the cuckoo’s calling, 

Or when grapes are green in the cluster, 

Or, at least, when lithe swallows muster 

For their far off flying From summer dying. 

Why did you die when the lambs were cropping? 

You should have died at the apples’ dropping, 

When the grasshopper comes to trouble, 

And the wheat-fields are sodden stubble, 

 And all winds go sighing 

 For sweet things dying. 

                                                                     --Christina G. Rossetti, “A Dirge”

I am going to continue down the road and bring you all, the review of the following books of this series as well- The Silkworm and Career of Evil.

Till then keep your eyes peeled for my next review which is an International Bestseller and an exceptionally controversial book of all time.

Happy Reading!!!

The Zoya Factor .. By Anuja Chauhan

I can't believe this is the first time I am writing a review of a book written by an Indian Author! Having read many Indian authors' published works, I can't help but feel that many young writers these days are bringing love stories that are so cliche and can't really do justice to English literary readings. Yet, they still bring some credibility to our minds as an Indian romance follower. 

Many will say that this book is no different when it comes to "girl-next-door" love story, but I will have to disagree on account of the tale that Anuja Chauhan has put forth. It is an absolute delight to read this book. Witty and full of entertainment, it gives you a refreshing cross-breed of cricket and Bollywood, that we as Indians are absolutely fond of.

This story is of a girl named Zoya Solanki, who was born at the very moment that India won the 1983 World Cup. When the Indian cricket team learns about it, she ends up becoming the lucky charm for the Men in Blue and is forced to have breakfast with the team before every match followed by a victory. Soon the cricket-crazy nation declares her as a goddess, all to the annoyance of the Indian Skipper, Nikhil Khoda, who is a great disbeliever of luck, which creates a love-hate relation between him and Zoya.

The Zoya Factor is Anuja Chauhan's debut novel which was published in 2006. It was well-received and was ranked among the Top-5 of many newspapers in India. 

I would definitely recommend this praise-worthy book to anyone who likes a jaunty and humorous story that is surely going to tickle your funny-bone.

Happy Reading!!!

The Vampire Diaries .. (The Awakening) .. By L.J. Smith

The Awakening is the first novel of this supernatural teen drama book series by L.J. Smith. The story revolves around its three main protagonists; a human girl, Elena, who finds her heart torn between two vampire brothers, Stephen and Damon.

This series was released long before the Twilight saga of Stephenie Meyer and I have had very mixed opinions by different readers on both the series. And after reading both the sagas, I have my own personal slant on both. However, I am not going to make an elaborate comparison on the books, as one being one of my favorites. But truly speaking, this does feel like an influence for Twilight.

In my opinion, I didn't really enjoy reading Vampire Diaries and now completely understand why the story and the portrayal of the characters from the TV series have glaring differences from the book version, especially Elena's character from the book is immensely annoying and the story itself is rather dull compared to the show.

I hate to say this, but I would recommend you all to watch the television show instead of reading this series which turned out to be an absolute trash.

In the meantime, keep watching this space for my review on Twilight saga!