Neelam's Book Blog

  Yuyutsu: Rise of the Last Kaurava Author: Aniket S Sharma We all must have read or seen Mahabharat at some point in our lives, but reading the Mahabharat from another character’s point of view is an entirely different experience.  Yuyutsu: Rise of the Last Kaurava by Aniket S Sharma introduces us to Yuyusu, a character which is often overlooked we talk about the great epic. Being Dhritarashtra’s son but born to a maidservant or handmaiden, Yuyutsu grew up as someone who belonged to the Kaurava family, yet never completely belonged to it.  What I really loved about this book is the way it makes us look beyond the regular heroes and villians of the Mahabharat. Through Yuyutsu’s eyes, we see get to see the confusion, the struggles, the relationships and how the moral dilemmas that existed behind the events that took place. Yuyutsu’s decision to stand with the Pandavas, despite being a Kaurava himself, makes his story very interesting. His story definitely will make the rea...

Last Train to Snarksville  Author: James Robinson, Jr.  This was my first time reading a work by James Robinson Jr., and I must say, it was an absolutely delightful experience. From the very first page, his humor drew me in, and I found myself laughing uncontrollably throughout the book.  In one of the standout stories, “So, I See You’ve Got a Passenger on Board,” Robinson recounts a particularly awkward yet hilarious encounter. He describes a time when he innocently assumed a woman was pregnant and, in an attempt to make light conversation, said, “So, I see you have a passenger on board.” To his horror, the woman stared at him blankly before clarifying that she was, in fact, not pregnant. The author captures that instant of paralyzing silence that followed — a silence so thick it could be felt. In that moment, Robinson realizes that no matter how well-intentioned you are, some attempts backfire. This story perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the collection. The book ...

 Grythwood Chronicles Author: Jeffrey A. Campos       Grythwood Chronicles is a beautiful mix of imagination, courage, and magic. From the first page, it pulls you into a world where fantasy feels real and adventure waits at every turn. The detailed writing makes you see the characters and places clearly, almost like you are right there with them.        The story has both strength and heart. The characters are brave, emotional, and very human even though they live in a magical world. Xucca, Kaeleos, and Rigor stand out for their depth and connection to one another.         This book is perfect for readers who love long, detailed stories that grow richer as you move forward. It takes some patience, but once you are in, it becomes an unforgettable journey. Rating: 5/5

 The Orphanage on Cheswick Court: The Hollowbloods Author: Haule Voss This book is a captivating mix of gothic fantasy, heart, and emotion. It takes readers into a world where every shadow tells a story and every secret carries a price. Thaddeus’s journey begins in sorrow but unfolds into something truly powerful. Raised by wolves, haunted by dark magic, and drawn toward a mysterious orphanage, his life is full of questions that lead to even deeper mysteries. The author has created a world that feels both old and new — full of wonder, yet heavy with sadness. The forest, the enchanted animals, and the strange children of the Haven all feel like pieces of a living puzzle. As the story moves forward, we see Thaddeus learning about trust, love, and the meaning of family, even when surrounded by fear and uncertainty. What makes this story special is how it blends darkness and light so beautifully. It is filled with loss, yet never loses hope. The friendships formed in the orphanage feel...

Consumed with Fire  Author: Theresa Gage   This book offers a truly distinctive reading experience. Although it is the fourth installment in the series, it can easily be enjoyed as a standalone. Cassie emerged as one of the most relatable characters. The immense responsibilities she carries mirror the struggles many of us face when weighed down by expectations. While she remains a pillar of strength for her clan, her quiet longing for companionship and understanding made her feel profoundly human and easy to connect with. On the other hand, King Roark—with his ruthless reputation and lingering bitterness from past choices—served as a striking foil. The dynamic between these two layered characters, clashing and evolving amidst a high-stakes plot, added great depth to the narrative. Consumed with Fire is a compelling exploration of leadership, sacrifice, and the universal desire for connection. I found myself resonating deeply with the author’s words. Theresa has crafted a ...

 Shaggy's Cheeseburgers Author: Ron Ladner When you think of a cheeseburger, you probably think of comfort food, not a life story. But this book flips that idea upside down. It uses the cheeseburger as a symbol to explain deeper truths about happiness, loss, and resilience. It’s a surprising but effective approach, one that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The mix of Katrina survival stories, community rebuilding, and personal memories makes the book feel layered. It’s emotional without being overwhelming, funny without being shallow, and inspiring without being cliché. It leaves you with a sense that even ordinary things—like food—can carry extraordinary meaning when tied to human experiences. Rating: 5🌟

Every Ornament has its place Author: Vincent Verrico It starts with a missing ornament and turns into a heartwarming family adventure. Every Ornament Has Its Place tells the story of little Matthew, who realizes his favorite Christmas ornament—a mouse in a rocket ship—is missing just as the family starts decorating the tree. What follows is a sweet, slightly chaotic, and very relatable search through attics, basements, and old boxes, as everyone joins in to find it. The story might be simple on the surface, but it beautifully captures that feeling of nostalgia and how much emotional weight tiny traditions can hold—especially through a child’s eyes. What really stands out is the message: that even the smallest things can hold deep meaning and bring people together. As a parent, I found it touching to see how the family didn’t just brush off Matthew’s worry—they made it important, which is a beautiful lesson in empathy. The illustrations are lively and engaging, and my kids were totally ...

 Legacy of the Golden Bird Author: Lainey Miles This book has the kind of magical vibe that pulls you in from the very first scene. A warrior finding a golden bird in a spiderweb deep in the forest? That instantly got my attention. It’s mysterious, kind of emotional, and makes you curious to know what’s going to happen next. The writing feels smooth and easy to follow, which I liked a lot. You don’t need to be a hardcore fantasy fan to enjoy this story. It has that classic "hidden power" and "unexpected hero" feel to it, but with a nice fresh twist involving a bird instead of a person or a sword. What stood out most for me was how that tiny moment—just a bird opening its eyes—completely changes the direction of the story. You just know something big is coming. It’s the kind of fantasy that makes you wonder what else is hiding in the forest and how one small creature could change everything. I’d definitely keep reading. Rating: 5🌟

 Miles and Simon are preparing to travel back to 1999 with one goal: to alter their grandfather’s career path and, in doing so, prevent the trauma that continues to haunt their mother in the present. For the mission to succeed—and for everyone's safety—it was crucial that Miles keep their plans a secret. But everything is jeopardized when Miles confides in his girlfriend, Maisie. Hoping to protect her from Omni, he invites her to join them. Things take a dangerous turn when Maisie is captured by a spikey-haired woman—someone who may be after Simon’s time machine. This story reminds us how a single mistake can change everything. Through its twists and turns, it explores relationships, trust, and the powerful role family plays in protecting one another. With its emotional depth and thrilling plot, this time travel story would make an incredible movie.

 Miles in Time Author: Lee Mathew & Goldberg Whenever I come across a YA time-travel mystery, I jump at the chance to read it — and Miles in Time by Lee Matthew Goldberg was no exception. The first book in the Miles in Time series shares its title with the series itself, and it immediately pulled me in. Matthew’s storytelling is sharp and focused. From the very first chapter, I connected with Miles Hardy. Despite having little support from his family or classmates, Miles remains determined to follow his dream of becoming a detective — and I found myself rooting for him throughout. When his older brother Simon is tragically murdered, Miles sees a chance not only to solve his first real case, but also to use time travel to save his brother. But with so many layers of mystery and danger, Miles must navigate whom he can trust — all while keeping everything a secret and stopping the killers in the past. The plot is gripping and full of tension. YA mystery stories like this one help ...

This memoir tells the heartfelt story of Mary Ann Manning—a beautiful woman, devoted wife, and loving mother. It begins with how Stephen met Mary Ann on a bus ride to his new job in Chicago, instantly feeling she was out of his league. Yet, fate brought them together, and he eventually married the woman of his dreams. The author shares their journey—highlighting both the joys and the challenges they faced as a couple. Together, they navigated life, built a family, and created lasting memories. Despite early medical hurdles, Mary Ann went on to have children and embraced motherhood with warmth and care. This touching memoir is a page-turner. I found myself completely engrossed and moved by many emotional moments. If you enjoy stories that celebrate love, marriage, family, and the deep bond between a mother and her children, this is a must-read.

                      'Your Home is in my Heart' by Neka Shah is a heartwarming story about two families the Gundechas and the Kanakias. Both these families have been friends with eachother for over a decade now but now with our Protagonists Jeevika and Shivaay this friendship is about to be turned into a relationship. Just when everything felt like correct life turns upside down for Jeevika and Shivaay and they are forced to part ways. Admist all this there are some family members who really want the best for both but will it be possible for  misunderstandings to be resolved? Will they finally overcome all the hurdles and be together? To know more 'Your Home is in my Heart'. What I liked about the book: • This is a really unique book in itself wherein we get to see pictures also a special playlist curated according to the scenes of the story • As the title of the book suggests it is a story wherein we really get to exper...

 Chandigarh The Backstory & The City it Couldn't be Author: Vibhor Mohan  Pages: 286           'Chandigarh The Backstory & The City it Couldn't be' by Vibhor Mohan gives us an in-depth knowledge about the history of Chandigarh. The book is divided into two parts:  • Part I: Chandigarh Unravelled • Part II: The Backstory                The first part shows us the pre-chandigarh how the earlier years of Chandigarh were, how the name Chandigarh came to be. It gives us an in detail idea of the early planning of Chandigarh, the letters  exchanged, the Government housing done by three European Architects Pierre Jeanneret, Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew the pictures of the housing etc gives us a clear idea of their thinking and planning. The author has also given us the statistics of the house type and the sector(s)               The second part tells us about th...

 Things you know when you read 2000 books Author: Ella Yoon        'Things you know when you read 2000 books' by Ella Yoon is a book where the author shares her own experiences in reading books. How our society is getting far from the habit of reading and in some it is very important to read. Reading can take a person away from the harsh realities of the world and carry one in the blissful world of fiction and also learn a lot of things from brilliant minds.           Reading can be the best thing one can ever have as a hobby. We get to travel so many places sitting at our home also get to know more about the other places which might be a little difficult to travel. We just can't imagine a world without books what a colorless world it would be.             Overall, this book surely talks about her experience in the library and all the people she could meet there and get to know their experiences a...

  The Webs of Lies Author: Sourabh Mukherjee Pages: 198      'The Web of Lies' by Sourabh Mukherjee is a murder mystery revolving around a movie star named as Hiya Sen. Hiya Sen a popular movie star with lots of fan base who had just got married to Manav Chauhan was ruthlessly gang-raped and murdered. ACP Agni Mitra is appointed to solve this mystery and search the culprit. As the story moves ahead we notice how the story is tangled into other murders which have taken place right after Hiya's murder and many suspicious activities are also noticed. Who is causing these murders? Why is Hiya Sen murdered? What is the motive behind all these killings? To know more read 'The Web of Lies'. My Thoughts:          The plot was engaging. I really loved how the author didn't really reveal who the main culprit was till the end. The suspense behind the murderer was made in such a manner that it will keep readers excited to find him...

Dancers in the Dark Author: Ejaz Ahamed Pages: 298               After reading this book, the very first thing that came to my mind was, ‘Is there humanity?’ If yes what is humanity? This was a very emotional read for me. The story revolves around Kalki, her brother Karthi, and Shreyas whom we will meet later in the story. Karthi is a seven-year-old who is suffering from a skin condition that makes her skin dark compared to other dark people. People are constantly making fun of her calling her a ‘darkie’ and some even call her ‘ugly’. This has affected the poor girl to a very great extent to the point that instead of playing and having fun she is constantly thinking about how she can turn her skin fair. Her brother Karthi, is always there by her side trying to save her; and protect her from these kinds of people. However, one guilt is still constantly peeking its head out from time to time for Karthi. Karthi was once le...

  I Kick and I Fly Author: Ruchira Gupta Pages: 336                      “I Kick and I Fly” by Ruchira Gupta is a book that revolves around our protagonist ‘Heera’. Heera is a fourteen years old girl who belongs to the Nat Community. India used to be and is still described as Sujalam and Suphalam country. But after the British invaded our country, they started exploiting our country’s people started losing their jobs, divide and rule started. One such community which was exploited was the Nat Community. Nat Community were involved in selling Medicines, performing rope bridges acrobatics, doing wrestling shows, iron utensils, etc. But after the invasion of the British people, they were forced to stop all these work as they used to make these commodities in their own country and sell them here in India. They were forced to live in a very compromised manner in their own home country and were fi...

  Book Name: ‘Millionaires Island’ Author: Priya Kumar Pages: 244                  ‘Millionaires Island’ by Priya Kumar is a book that revolves around Ronnie who is on his way to Mexico for an assignment. On his way to the airport, he is contemplating on several things like how he has led his life so far, how his parents have done so much for him and are proud about him. However, there is something which he is not satisfied about and that he feels like he has the potential to achieve everything but so far, he is being led to do things that no one wants to do. As he reaches and takes a seat in his economy class a person comes and asks him if he can exchange his seat with him which is there in the First-Class Section. Ronnie finds it difficult to digest this information but apparently says yes as he really wants to experience the life of a person who is rich and achieved something. As he moves on to hi...

  The Girl in the Crystal Capsule Author: Anusha Das           'The Girl in the Crystal Capsule' by Anusha Das is an adventurous story of two sisters Crysta and Clara set on a mission to find their missing sister Ani. On this journey to finding their sister the two sisters meet many mysterious creatures and animals and their finding something rather suspicious after talking to them. Together they all are determined to solve this mystery and get their loved ones back. What is the mystery? Will Crysta and Clara be able to find their sister? How did Ani go missing? To know read 'The Girl in the Crystal Capsule'. My Thoughts:            I really loved how Anusha has wonderfully created this mysterious magical world with different monsters and animals. The thought process of how we should all be equal in this world that as this is our home so it is also for the wild creatures and animals. ...

Granny's Chulha  Pages: 104           'Granny's Chulha' is a compilation of authentic recipes and stories behind how the recipes came into being. What I really liked about the book is that they don't just mention the recipes but the team has also taken the pain to interview all the grannies giving us a glimpse of these strong willed and determined ladies.            The recipes are easy to follow and the instructions are given clearly. The notes and tips are very helpful especially for complicated things wherein the person following the recipe can mess things up or use something else as a replacement to the ingredient.            The illustrations are really cute and adds to the attractiveness of the book. Overall, I must say that this is not just a recipe book but also an encouragement for all the ladies out there who feel that they are lagging behind or cannot achieve anything. Thus book will sur...