Blogchatter Book Review - "Incredible India Bucket List" by Aditya Sathe

 I came across this book through the Blogchatter Ebook Carnival and am glad that I got an opportunity to read it. 

Early in the book, the author, Aditya Sathe speaks about the greatness of our country and I couldn't agree more. India is indeed a nation full of rich and varied heritage. There are marvelous places in our country that are not so well known but deserve a wider reach. With the global COVID pandemic situation, we are all locked in our homes and this further deters any travel plans for the near future. Luckily, for all book lovers, the best way to travel places is through books, and the book, "Incredible India Bucket List" is an honest attempt to take us through 26 amazing places in our country. 

What's covered in this book?

This book takes us through 26 fabulous places in India and has detailed information on each place along with pictures. The author talks about the origin of the place, the history behind it, and tales related to the place. On the whole, the book takes us on a wonderful tour across India.

What I liked about the book?

I like the fact that all the details listed in this book are so well-researched. Each chapter in this book speaks about a place and you can get all possible information related to it, such as why the place got its name, mythological references, etc. For example, Warangal is my birthplace and I've been to Warangal Fort many a time but I never knew most of the things covered in that chapter. The bonus is the well-captured pictures all presented at the right places. 

I also like the variety of places chosen in this book. In a secular country like ours, it's very easy to find places of worship everywhere and it would be easy to write about them. But, the author chose interesting places of history such as India Gate, Jallianwala Bagh, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, etc.

On the whole, I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to all travel and history lovers out there. Can't wait to read more content from the author.

I thank Blogchatter for creating this amazing carnival where we get to read a variety of books from all over our country and beyond.

Note: This review is part of the Blogchatter Ebook Carnival challenge. #BlogchatterEbookCarnival #Blogchatter #BookReview

Blogchatter Book Review: Patna 80020 by Daisy Bala

 I came across this amazing book through the Blogchatter Ebook Carnival and am glad that I got an opportunity to read it.

Plot: This book explores the dynamics of an upper middle class family based in Patna. The family consists of a father, mother, their 3 daughters and a son. The first two daughters are of marriageable age and the parents, especially the mother is anxious to get them married soon. The elder daughter needs time to get married and you’ll know why when you read the book. The younger daughter can’t wait to get married. The third daughter is a dynamic person and she has very unique characteristics, she’s my favorite character. The son is young, pampered and is a pro of poor jokes. Read on to know how the family fares in complicated and normal situations in their lives. 

What I liked in the book: As soon as I started reading the book, I was immediately drawn into its world. The story is so realistic that despite the fact that it’s based in Patna, every family in India can relate to it. The plot flows very easily and I love the way the story begins with a normal day in the family’s life to a complicated situation to a conflict point to an expected yet well-written ending. I especially liked simple things such as what was being cooked for breakfast/lunch, clothes that they wore and details of the clinic, etc. 

The characters in the story are interesting and they have a nice depth to them. I also liked the mention of dowry and the pressure that the families of a girl child go through in most parts of India. All this is handled very well in the book. 

Overall this is a short and lovely read which definitely has the potential for a sequel. 

What can be improved: For me, the frequent Hindi dialogues were distracting. But, they did highlight the  authenticity of the plot since it’s based in Patna. 

Note: This review is part of the Blogchatter Ebook Carnival challenge. #BlogchatterEbookCarnival #Blogchatter #BookReview