#BookReview : Fierce Femmes & Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom is the highly sensational, ultra-exciting, sort-of true coming-of-age story of a young Asian trans girl, pathological liar, and kung-fu expert who runs away from her parents’ abusive home in a rainy city called Gloom. Striking off on her own, she finds her true family in a group of larger-than-life trans femmes who live in a mysterious pleasure district known only as the Street of Miracles. Under the wings of this fierce and fabulous flock, Dearly blossoms into the woman she has always dreamed of being, with a little help from the unscrupulous Doctor Crocodile. When one of their number is brutally murdered, the protagonist joins her sisters in forming a vigilante gang to fight back against the transphobes, violent johns, and cops that stalk the Street of Miracles. But when things go terribly wrong, she must find the truth within herself in order to stop the violence and discover what it really means to grow up and find your family.

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars is a fictionalized memoir written by Kai Cheng Thom & published by Zubaan Books. The debut author is also a performance artist, social worker, fierce trans femme and notorious liar who loves lipstick and superhero cartoons. She is also a mental health community worker and co-founder of the collective Monster Academy: Mental Health Skills for Montreal Youth.

This book revolves around our fierce Asian trans-woman protagonist trying to find her way in the world & while doing so discover some ‘mystical & magical creatures’. As she leaves her house where she faces constant abuse to start her new life, she comes across several friends & people who became her family. While being with her new family she eventually finds her true self and evolves to attain her actual identity. But as another fellow femme friend gets murder in a hate crime, our protagonist along with her friends decide to fight the hate by themselves & form their own little vigilante group named the ‘Lipstick Lacerators’. But as it happens, things go wrong & our protagonist need to now introspect how should they mend their ways while also protect themselves. Get this book here to get the whole experience,

This is my first fictionalized memoir to start with & honestly I wasn’t that sure about it, but the first paragraph of the book itself made it sure that I am in for a treat. The author made sure that the fictional parts didn’t ruin her experiences and they came out beautifully. Kai Cheng Thom’s story is that of sisterhood, loss and so much more. Her relationship with her sister is endearing and fills you up with joy as you read it. I can go on and on how much I loved reading this book but I will surely give away a lot of spoilers in doing so & hence can just urge you to please pick it up.

#BookReview : A Desolation Called Peace edited by Ather Zia & Javaid Iqbal Bhat

The accession of Kashmir to the Indian Union in 1947 had raised objections both in Kashmir and India, echoes of which continue to be heard even today. At the time, Sheikh Abdullah was the uncrowned king of Kashmir; today, his grave is under security lest it be vandalized. What accounts for this change in attitude? A Desolation Called Peace provides important insights to understand the political aspirations of the people of Kashmir and the change in their perceptions since Independence. Written and edited by Kashmiri authors, this collection of ethnographic essays explores the desire for 'azadi' as a historical and indigenous demand. While the accounts traverse the period from before 1947 to the momentous time of 1989 when militancy began, the essays illustrate how postcolonial politics has impinged on Kashmiri lives and aspirations, thus paving the way for the intractable dispute of today. This anthology of deeply felt essays will enable an understanding of Kashmir beyond the hackneyed tropes that portray the issue reductively as a proxy war, terrorism or a simple law and order situation.

A Desolation Called Peace is an anthology edited by Ather Zia & Javaid Iqbal Bhat and published by Harper Collins India. Ather Zia is a poet & political anthropologist who teaches at University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. Ather is the author of Resisting Disappearances: Military Occupation and Women's Activism in Kashmir. Javaid Iqbal Bhat is an assistant professor in the Department of English, University of Kashmir. He is the author of Scars of Summer and two other books on Kashmir.

 The book consists of 12 different chapters which cover the stories of Kashmir from 1947 to 1989. It tries to make readers understand the wishes & aspirations of Kashmiris. Each essay tells a different perspective pertaining to the lives and experiences of Kashmiris existing since a long time. It deals with the permeating feeling of ‘azadi’ within masses, why it exists & its significance. They also give us a brief idea how militancy permeated through and the post independence politics created a tug of war situation leading to the dispute we see today. Each essay extracts a different shade of pain, loss & suffering. Get the book here to educate yourself about the story of Kashmir,

Kashmir is going through turmoil and the best thing we can do right now is keep talking it and I believe this book serves the best way to keep the conversation going on. A Desolation Called Peace is an excellent collection of twelve essays giving us an overview of the Kashmir Conundrum. It traces down the history of the existence of discontentment within the masses and what lead to the manifestation of militancy and violence. The language used is extremely simple, the cover & the title is apt too. One of the best books out there to read about Kashmir.

#Spotlight : The Magician by Sonia Rao

THE MAGICIAN 
(The Tarot Trilogy Book 1)
by 
Sonia Rao

Blurb

Fashion designer Sasha Kapoor always felt she'd missed out on love as she had an arranged marriage. And when her husband turns up at their 15th-anniversary party with a strange woman, she knows that her marriage is dying. With constant surprises and disasters to contend with, will Sasha ever get a chance at true love?

Shantha is much sought after for her tarot card readings on love, but can’t seem to help her own love life with a string of broken relationships behind her. Now, sparks are flying between her and a sexy bartender but will this relationship fizzle out too?

Young professionals Nilima and her husband are so besotted with each other, they give the word ‘soulmate’ a complex. Theirs is a match made in heaven…till tragedy strikes.

The Magician is a heart-warming story of these three dynamic women as they discover the meaning of true love through loss and longing.

Thoughts from the Author, Sonia Rao

Who is a Magician? If it is a Tarot Card, then it the Major Arcana card in the deck and symbolizes life-changing issues.

 But if it is a person, then it is Sasha, the main protagonist of my novel, The Magician. In this urban, contemporary romance, fashion designer Sasha, who caught within a loveless marriage, now seeks true love. It is also Shantha and Nilima who face their own challenges in love and try to rise above them.

 It is also every woman. This is because, as Shantha says to Sasha in the book, “Imagination is your strength. You have the power to visualize and then manifest what you want. You are the Magician.” Each one of us is The Magician because we hold within ourselves the power to create the life of our dreams.

But how did this cover happen? There is a lovely story behind it. While researching the many tarot decks online, I saw this card on the Attic Shoppe website and I knew at once that this was my “Sasha.”

Go back and have a look at the cover again. Doesn’t it just grip you too? Part practical, part whimsical, part traditional, part digital, this card, like the book, is a labour of love.

The designer, Bethalynne Bajema, created this card for her Black Ibis Tarot card deck.  The love she put in is very evident in the vibe one gets from it. Every time I see it, I am inspired to bring a touch of magic to the everyday routines of mundane life.

Carrying on the serendipity, Bethalynne immediately and graciously agreed to my request to make this card my book cover. Such generosity is hard to come by and I believe it is the Universe’s way of saying “you’re right on track.”  


(Bethalynne can be contacted here: Instagram)

Read an excerpt

 
Grab your copy @

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About the author

"Sonia Rao is a writer, editor, and award-winning blogger. Her fiction has appeared in many prestigious anthologies such as Voices Old & New and Jest Like That (edited by renowned editor-writer Shinie Anthony).

 As NaNoWriMo’s Municipal Liaison for all-India and founder of the Wrimo India group on Facebook, Sonia has motivated thousands of people in India to write a novel every November since 2011. She has also curated and edited the first Wrimo India Anthology, Vengeance—A Sting In Every Tale.

Sonia likes to believe she is ‘high-minded’ but strangely, her fave hobby is thinking up torture devices for those autorickshawallahs who consider the roads to be their personal spittoon. Who knew?"

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#BookReview : Blood Island by Deep Halder

Blood Island is a non-fiction written by Deep Halder & published by Harper Collins India. The author has been a journalist for seventeen years, writing on issues of development at the intersection of religion, caste and politics. Currently, he is the executive editor at India Today Group Digital.

The book revolves around the lesser known event of the Marichjhapi Massacre and how it affected as well as changed the lives of so many people. In the present day when we hear about the Rohingya refugees & the NRC being done in Assam to keep out “illegal immigrants”, Marichjhapi remains a bloody spot on the history of India. The partition of Bengal has been complex & so has been the creation of Bangladesh, while upper caste Bengali Hindus had already migrated to India the Namasudra Bengalis migrated after things got violent for them in Bangladesh. This collection of oral history takes us to their journey on how they were treated by different parties & governments and poses a pertinent question to us. When will we start treating human beings as they should be? Get this book here to know more,

History is a weird thing because in most cases how you perceive history depends upon the narrative you’ve come across hence it is possible to not know many aspects of it. This book gives us a collection of oral histories of one such event which is comparatively lesser known & discussed. The Marichjhapi Massacre is a perfect example of how political parties when in power speak a different language than when in power. The author has successfully captured the very essence of this event & portrayed it as it is. Each chapter makes you revisit the horror people went through & understand the sense of betrayal they must’ve felt. Surely a must read.

#Spotlight ; More Unfairy Tales by T. F Carthick

MORE UNFAIRY TALES
(Carthick's Unfairy Tales Book 2)

by

T.F. Carthick

Blurb

A knight rescues a damsel in distress. They marry, the whole kingdom rejoices, and everyone lives happily ever after. The end.

Or at least that's what Official sources say. But what tales do insiders tell? What secrets lie buried deep inside Davey Jones' Locker?

What, dear reader, about The Unfairy tales?

The stories the Knight-in-Shining-Armour and the Damsel-in-Distress have never wanted you to know. Tales which Fairyland had kept locked up in secret and thrown away the key. Until our rogue bard went back in time and ferreted out skeletons hidden within secret cupboards of desolate mansions.

Our fearless crusader of truth and justice brings to you the second volume of revelations from fairyland.

You will find five more unfairy tales hidden within the pages of this tiny tome, the sequel to Carthick's Unfairy Tales. Stories of elves out to decipher the ways of men and dwarves seeking to reclaim their own histories. Of spurned witches and lost wolves. These stories are going to change everything you have ever believed about fairyland and give you a peek underneath the gossamer threads of glamour and magic peddled by the Fae.

     

Read an excerpt


Grab your copy @

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About the author

T F Carthick is a Bangalore-based writer and blogger who has been blogging since 2008. He is an avid reader of Children’s Fiction, Science-fiction and Fantasy. Enid Blyton, J K Rowling, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams are some of his favorite authors. His paranormal thriller ‘Bellary’ was one of the three stories in the book Sirens Spell Danger, published in 2013. Six of his stories have featured in multi-author anthologies and literary magazines. He has written over 50 short stories, many of which can be read for free on www.karthikl.com.

He is an Engineer and MBA from India’s premier institutes IIT, Madras and IIM, Ahmedabad and currently works as an Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Consultant at one of the world’s leading Consulting Firms.

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#BookReview : The Legacy of Nothing by Manoj Pandey

The Legacy of Nothing is a collection of stories culled from the ennui of modern living. These disjointed tales of dark, disparate, desperate lives entertain, provoke and challenge our empathy. Manoj Pandey’s poetic prose is an insider’s job — a unique exploration of the emptiness inside the eggshell of contemporary existence.

The Legacy of Nothing  is a collection of contemporary short stories written by Manoj Pandey & illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, published by Pan Macmillan India. The author is also an illustrator & is from New Delhi. His work has appeared in Huffington Post, Indian Express, etc. He has also edited a book of short fiction Tales on Tweet which was published in 2016. Yuko Shimizu is a Japanese illustrator based in New York & instructor at the School of Visual Arts.

The book is a collection of 10 short stories written in a poetry format. The stories cover a wide array of topics like that of the spirit of migrants trying to make a living in foreign soil away from their homeland or a struggling musician who is ready to do anything to be famous even if he has to use a rape incident to do so. Other stories indulge in stories like the journey of a man who changes his sex & what led to his decision, or of people who become friends via Facebook & what happens when they meet. Apart from these, there are six more stories all exploring different ideas. Get this book here,

At first look no one can guess that this book is a collection of short stories as it is extremely small & many of its pages have beautiful illustrations. This book has all the ingredients to be a super hit but unfortunately it didn’t worked for me. I understand that the stories being super short is it’s unique selling point but I believe at the same time the stories should engulf the readers into it’s world which didn’t happened for me. The stories lacked depth & sensitivity. The illustrations are to die for. A unique experiment which could’ve been executed a little better.   

#BookReview : But You Don't Look Like A Muslim by Rakhshanda Jalil

What does it mean to be Muslim in India? What does it mean to look like one's religion? Does one's faith determine how one is perceived? Is there a secular ideal one is supposed to live up to? Can people of different faiths have a shared culture, a shared identity? India has, since time immemorial, been plural, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual, where various streams have fed into and strengthened each other, and where dissimilarities have always been a cause for rejoicing rather than strife. These writings, on and about being Muslim in India, by Rakhshanda Jalil one of the country s foremost literary historians and cultural commentators excavate memories, interrogate dilemmas, and rediscover and celebrate a nation and its syncretic culture.

But You Don’t Look Like A Muslim is a non-fiction written by Rakhshanda Jalil & published by Harper Collins India. Apart from being a writer she is also a critic & a literary historian. She is also a well-known translator, with eight published translations of Premchand, Asghar Wajahat, Saadat Hasan Manto, Shahryar, Intezar Hussain and Phanishwarnath Renu.

The book is a collection of 40 essays divided into 4 groups of 10 essays each. Each group has been titled as per the four pillars which affect any community; politics, culture, literature & religion itself. The first essay’s title My Father Did Not Take the Train to Pakistan in itself is a punch to one’s throat, while one can interpret it in many ways but it was enough for me to make sure this book is going to be a hell of a emotional roller coaster. Each essay while includes personal stories of not just the author but of other people, it also contains some detailed historical facts which gives depth to the essays. Get this book here,

I would surely start from the title itself, something which we heard quite a lot more than the number of times we should come across it. How not being recognized as a Muslim from one’s appearance normalizes their existence in the society but definite question that arises is that what happens if one DOES look like a Muslim? The author tries to wrestle with several such topics regarding the identity of a Muslim and gives several relevant references to describe it. The chapters have been interwoven with beautiful poems to sum up the essays and each group gives you a wholesome idea about each of the subject matter. In the current scenario of our country, I believe books with such personal stories need to be told widely because these can prove to be a tool to break the divide between us vs them. A must read.