Nagasravika's Book Reviews Blog

 The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom #1) By Rachel Gillig  Published Year: 2025 Page Count: 385 pages  Medium Used: Paperback  Genre: Romance, Romantasy, High Fantasy, Gods and Magic Objects, Young Adult, 2026-read.  Rating: 4.5/5 😎 😄😀😏  The writing is compelling. The story has traction and reads solid. One corrupt human turned God. She is not benevolent. She makes five fake gods called Omens and keeps them chained to her gifts of gold and divine offerings for centuries. They have got used to having power that they don't want to relinquish. She takes on young orphan girls and trains them at the arts of divination. They can get signs and portents from these omens and use them to guide/control people and kingdoms. One such diviner is Sybil Delling, also called 'six' because she is the sixth and most noted diviner in her batch. These diviners are on a rotation cycle of ten years - every ten years new ones take the roles of diviners. There are f...

 The Ministry of Time  By Kaliane Bradley  Published Year: 2024 Page Count: 288 pages  Medium Used: Paperback  Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Time Travel, Science Fiction, Debut Novel, 2026-read. Rating : 3/5 😎 😎 😎  Winner of Sci-fi Goodreads Award 2024 .  This is the kind of book you either totally love and vouch for or toss it aside and carry on with next read. I somehow made it till the end because its my motto to not DNf a book unless its so damningly frustrating and hopelessly boring. This is a convoluted story that made me scratch my head quite a bit and then ponder, ponder until I settled on an acceptable narrative. I don't mean to imply that there are more than one possible interpretations but there might be for all I know. The author has mashed together elements of time travel, spy thriller, romance and suspense to churn out this meal that, to to be honest, is not entirely sumptuous. I will explain a bit of the plot and give out my poi...

 Oracle  (Robert Grim #2) By Thomas Olde Heuvelt  Published Year: 2021 Page Count: 460 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6, Moon Reader  Genre: Horror, Thriller, Supernatural, Gods and Sacrifices, Fantasy, Young Adult, 2026-read. Rating : 3.85/5 I very near DnFed this book while reading the last 30 percent. I wish the author has written it a bit differently than the mundane fight between good and evil, played out through a clueless kid and an evil bureaucrat. And once we know what's gonna pan out, he makes it even more boring by dragging it. I wanted to bang my head to the floor to make the pace go fast so I  can wrap the book or get to some better stuff which might be interesting in the later chapters. This book has a great start and good going till the revelation of the mystery behind the events. Then its all predictable.  A small kid becomes the Oracle for an old, crippled, cursed and long forgotten God who is trying to fight another evil God who w...

 One True Loves  By Taylor Jenkins Reid  Published Year: 2016 Page Count; 327 pages  Medium Used: Paperback Genre: Drama, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Suspense, Coming of Age, 2026-read. Rating : 4.85/5 😎 😄 😄 😄  A woman torn between two true loves. She has to choose whom to spend the rest of her life with. One of the guys was her former husband, her sincere and best friend for over ten years and whom everyone thought perished in a helicopter crash. The other is someone who had crush on her before she met her husband and with whom she rekindles an affair after all this time. I wonder what would have happened and whom she would have chosen and appeased if they both wanted her equally. But as it happens, they are both kind and smart enough to let go when it mattered and hand the choice to her alone. I loved that the most about this book. It is not everyday that a woman gets two incredibly amazing guys, both rooting and wanting her. Her husband, J...

 The Devil Knows Her Name  By C. N. Vair  Published Year: 2026 Page Count: 384 pages  Medium Used: OnePlus Nord Ce6, Moon Reader  Genre : Horror, Devil, Thriller, Murder Mystery, Gothic, Magic, Young Adult, 2026-read.  Rating: 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  Wow. What an amazing read. The factor that stands out in favor of this book is how damn good the prose is. It baited me and had me clinging to the hook till the end. The eerie atmosphere is present all through, giving chills down the spine. Very original, freakishly scary. This comprises of all the usual and unique scaring elements like making deals with the devil, eternal youth, mind control magic, binding the devil and his power among other things. There is desperation and violence resulting from that. This is the first person narrative of a woman Tess and she tells her story of how far she went and how many sacrifices she made to save and secure the most important thing to her! A woman - a witch - actually,...

 The Time Traders  (Time Traders/Ross Murdoch #1) By Andre Norton  Published Year: 1958 Page Count: 220 pages  Medium Used : Oneplus Nord Ce6, Moon Reader  Genre: Fantasy, Time Travel, Aliens, First Contact, Science fiction, Adventure, Classics, 2026-read.  Rating : 4.5/5 😎 😄 😄 😄  This is my introduction to the author and she simply blew my mind. To club together elements of time travel, scientific war between USA and the soviets(called Reds here) and aliens with unknown, mysterious intentions towards humanity is no ordinary feat. And Andre Norton shines while describing jaunts and fight scenes which also is not an easy task. Despite being published in the year 1958, some scenes in the book are simply irreplicable and indelible. Like the scene where the main character manufactures an escape strategy to pull himself out from over a burning pyre. It gave me the shivers and proved once again how hostile - even into the past - time travel can be. ...

 Hekate -The Witch (Goddesses of the Underworld #1) By Nikita Gill  Published Year: 2025 Page Count: 384 pages Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6, Moon Reader  Genre: Mythology, Gods and Goddesses, Titanomachy, Poetry, Adventure, Greek Gods, 2026-read. Rating: 4.5/5 😎 😎 😄 😄  This is first person account of the coming of age story of a Greek Goddess, Hekate. As a child, she struggles to find the fates of her parents who are defeated gods in the titanomachy, then to learn her skills and talents. Then as a grown up, she puts her powers into action to bring peace to the world and humans,then relieve some burden for her imprisoned father. She defies her relatives and also Gods at every step to seek and get what she aims for. She is guiltless because what she does is listen to the strings of her heart and follow them. I liked the character and there seemed no break between the child and adult - like I could see the bold, inventive adult emerge from the child that she once w...

 Hex  (Robert Grim #1) By Thomas Olde Heuvelt, Nancy Forest-Filer  Published Year: 2016( English version )  Page Count: 384 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6, Moon Reader  Genre: Horror, Gothic, Supernatural Horror, Psychological, Thriller, witches, Gore and Macabre, Mob madness, Mystery, Fantasy, 2026-read. Rating: 5/5 😎😎😎😎😎  This is a strong, unwavering 5 pointer for me. I mean, gosh. This has all the elements that always raised my hair on end. I have always feared falling a victim to mass madness, mass hysteria. I have feared coming in touch and falling on the bad side of a supernatural,evil entity. I always feared being made to choose between those of my family. Its like this book is written by taking all my fears into a mortar and beating or churning out a psychological thriller that is not just addictive but unforgettable. This book is very immersive. The writing/translation from dutch is flawless and brilliant. This story places a hook i...

 The Miserable Mill  (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4) By Lemony Snicket  Published Year: 2000 Page Count: 197 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6, Moon Reader  Genre: Children's Fiction,Middle Grade, Young Adult, Science fiction, Hypnotism, Horror, Humor, Psychological, Fantasy, Siblings, 2026-read.  Rating : 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  Some people have comfort food to go to in case they are feeling unwell or in need of something soothing in their tummy. These books have become my comfort go-to series when I feel low or disconnected while reading something else. Although the overall logic and execution in the book remains the same, there are some interesting twists and addictive surprises added to make the story unmissable. This book has added some very memorable characters other than the main, recurring ones - like Sir the Boss, Charles, Shirley etc. Also the author has flipped the roles of Klaus and Violet - here, Violet reads and Klaus invents! Sunny jo...

The Wide Window  (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3) By Lemony Snicket  Published Year: 2000 Page Count: 220 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6  Genre: Children's Fiction, Science fiction, Fantasy, Siblings, Adventure, Brilliant Prose, Middle Grade, Young Adult, 2026-read.  Rating: 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  This is the third book in the sensational series that hasn't failed me yet. It kept getting better with each sequel. I mean the prose is simply rivetting and great. I like how the author inserts his voice into the narration at times to clarify some situation or add more meaning to it. It feels like the author is narrating the tale to each reader in a very cosy and comforting tone and setting.  This book has two important things going for it. One is the amazing plot and the second is amazing, humorous yet realistic characters. The character of Aunt Josephine is perhaps my favourite one in the series. She is afraid of everything and wants to dig herself i...

 The Reptile Room  (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2) By Lemony Snicket  Published Year: 1999 Page Count: 190 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6 Genre: Children's Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Snakes, Adventure, Heroes and Villains, 2026-read. Rating: 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  These books are turning into an incorrigible addiction for me. I was on four other books when I picked the first book in the series but set them all aside to forge on with these books 1 and 2. I think I am gonna continue this ride with the next books in the series too. The author has not only written these books with his reader - a young child of above 8-9 years - in mind but also blended it with novelty, imagination and great character development. The three children along with other characters Mr.Poe, Count Olaf and the hook handed man are back in the game bearing the hallmarks of their natures but also with subtly different personas - because they are playing at impersonation. There is o...

 The Bad Beginning  (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) By Lemony Snicket  Published Year: 1999  Page Count: 151 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6  Genre: Children's Fiction, Horror, Disturbing Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Fiction, Evil Characters, 2026-read. Rating: 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  This is a very small book that felt like it has finished too soon. I was immersed into the tale so much that I failed to note the passing time or the flipping pages. Though this is a children's book,it is written with such a deft hand that it took me back to my own childhood. I started wondering how it would be if I was placed in the stead of those three unfortunate children. Their parents perish in an accidental fire and they are left alone with no friend or guardian. As the story progresses and we are introduced to the characters that want to steal their fortune and leave them penniless or worse, dead, I couldn't help becoming a bit paranoid. I started seeing conspirac...

 A Gathering of Shadows  (Shades Of Magic #2) By V. E. Schwab  Published Year: 2016 Page Count: 512 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6  Genre: High Fantasy, Fantasy, Action, Magic and Sorcery, Multiverse, Romance,Romantasy, LGBTQ, 2026-read.  Rating : 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  Absolutely digged this! Schwab is a gifted, brilliant writer that her prose and narration kept me hooked through out. In the first book, there was too much happening. We were introduced to this world of magic and sorcery. We saw the main characters - Kell from Red London and Lila from Grey London - overtake evil kings and queens and save a world from consumption by black magic. Then Lila leaves Kell in pursuit of an adventure and thrill. She doesn't want to be bound to anyone or anything and wants instead to have some risk in her life. Doesn't want to be saddled to a boring and secure life. She is a different creature as everyone agrees. A girl cast from a different mold. At the end ...

 The School for Good and Evil  (The School for Good and Evil #1) By Soman Chainani  Published Year: 2013 Page Count: 488 pages  Medium Used: Paperback  Genre: Fairy Tales,Middle Grade, Children's Fiction, Fantasy, Dark Academia, Young Adult, Humor, Action, Adventure, 2026-read. Rating: 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  Just wrapped this. What a wild ride! Where do I start?! There is so much happening in every chapter it is very tough to keep track of it all. So I stopped trying after a while and just sat back and enjoyed. On the whole, this is a book with a message. With multiple messages actually. 1. Looks and beauty can betray the actual nature of a person. Sweet and beautiful looking Sophie is vile and cruel at heart and ghoulish, raven looking Agatha is the best of persons there ever would be. 2. A person need not be completely good or evil - there can exist a balance or mixture of both traits. Cruel Sophie too wanted joy, happy ever after, prince charming and all th...

 The Eyes of the Dragon  By Stephen King  Published Year: 1984 Page Count: 430 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6  Genre : Horror, Fantasy, Thriller, Action, Demons, Dragons, Suspense, Young Adult, 2026-read. Rating : 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  This book is just so amazing and gripping that I couldn't put it down. Its fast paced. The character development is just amazing. Only thing is I felt the author has made even 16 - 17 year old teenagers sound like children. He is very good .. no absolutely phenomenal .. in writing young kids going on adventures and if we choose to overlook the ages and such  details, we can enjoy the story thoroughly. Reading from the title, I assumed this story is gonna be surrounding or involving dragons. I postponed picking the book on this account. But now having finished it, I know the title is very misleading. The only dragon in the story is the head of a killed dragon mounted on a hook in the king's private room. The king Rola...

 The Divorce  By Freida Mcfadden  Published Year : 2026 Page Count : 380 pages  Medium Used: Oneplus Nord CE6 phone Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Thriller, Psychological, Twists, Suspense, Mystery, 2026-read. Rating: 3.75/5 😎😎😎😎 The main characters in the story are Naomi Roth the wife, Jeremy Roth the husband, Veronica the mistress and Teddy the child. Right off, I felt Jeremy and Veronica's characterization is not realistic. They seemed forced and melted to fit the mold of the story. While reading the Veronica's version of the tale,I was rushing through it and stifling a yawn. Its hard for me to see her in the light of her projection. The first narrative from Naomi showed her in a negative light so her own ought to show her in an exact opposite and pink light? I would have believed if there was some deception or weakness in her nature but the absence of it made me uneasy. And Jeremy - his story doesn't add up. He married so his kid can have two parents but he had...

 Storm Front  (The Dresden Files #1) By Jim Butcher  Published Year: 2000 Page Count: 370 pages  Medium Used: ipad Air  Genre : Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Magic and Wizards, Action, Detectives, 2026-read.  Rating : 4/5 😀😀😀😀 I really enjoyed this book. I really liked the character of Harry Dresden, a wizard detective that helped the cops on the side. Dresden's character was introduced in this book and I felt that there is so much more to know about him, which was not laid out in this book yet. There were many sequels in the series and I would definitely like to check them out. I thought the pacing is fast and the narrative really hooked me. It was a typical detective story - with magic involved. Someone had been murdering people through black magic - blowing their chest cavities and ripping their hearts out. There was a White Council which oversees the practitioners of magic and ensured that a set of rules be adhered to. The cops with whom ...

 The Book Of Doors  By Gareth Brown  Published Year: 2024 Page Count: 436 pages  Medium Used: ipad Air  Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Magic, Magical Books, Action, Suspense, Thriller, Science Fiction,Time Travel, 2026-read.  Rating: 5/5 😀😀😀😀😀 I couldn't put this down. I started it as a means to break my boredom and sleeplessness by reading one or two chapters in a well received work of science and speculative fiction. This book hooked me right away. It kept me up way longer than I expected. The first chapters I read on my phone but then i had to switch to a bigger screen. I couldn't leave out the time I was charging my phone. That good this book was. Definitely try it if you happen to like all the magic books could deliver.  The first thing that came to mind as I kept devouring this book was how thorough the author was while writing it. He was very careful and thoughtful about not having any loopholes, flaws and weaknesses in his plot. Had a qu...

 Twelve  (The Naturals #4.5) By Jennifer Lynn Barnes  Published Year:2017 Page Count: 125 pages  Medium Used: Paperback  Genre: Mystery, Murder Investigation, Thriller, Psychological Profiling, 2026-read. Rating : 3/5  I would have to say that this book didn't give me the high from reading something novel. Its just that the killer and his motivations, needs for influencing his victims were different. But because this is a novella, I didn't expect much too. Its short and undeviating from the author's style and set up of the previous Naturals novels.  A new girl of twelve with natural talent for identifying and seeing things out of usual perspective got recruited into the Naturals programme at the end of the book. This girl was also the targeted victim for a psychopathic killer. Cassie and her friends saved the girl from literally the brink of death. The girl, Mackenzie McBride, caught the attention of FBI by threatening to jump off a high tower. She had...

 Bad Blood  (The Naturals #4) By Jennifer Lynn Barnes  Published Year: 2016 Page Count: 375 pages  Medium Used: Paperback  Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Cults and Secret Societies, Young Adult, Blood and Gore, 2026-read.  Rating: 4.5/5 😀😀😀😀😀 This series is so much fun to read! Hands down. I had formed various threads in my mind of how this book would unravel and how the ending would play out. There are many twists and surprises in the story but the one that came in lieu of Cassie's mother's dual nature felt redundant. Why can't she justify herself as someone who wanted to survive against all odds because she wasn't someone who would give up easily ? Why introduce this new element into an already twisted and mind bending story? I also felt that the author had not laid enough groundwork for establishing a solid timeline ( because so much was happening all through) to the succession of Masters and their apprentices - like the relation...