Book Review of Encounters by Sumana Khan

FEW REVIEWS... Encounters consists of 5 stories with a paranormal theme. Sumana creates such vivid scenes from the very first page that the reader is sucked into the stories. All the five stories are beautifully woven, with intricate details, believable characters and goosebumpy endings. It is hard to point at one story as a favorite. This one is a page turner you should not miss if you are a fan of paranormal tales. -Amit Sharma, Author of False Ceilings Those who have read Sumana Khan's The Revenge of Kailavya will understand when I say that this is one book I will pick up without even thinking or reading the blurb. I was a bit surprised that she went for an anthology. Her description in describing scenes always has proven picturesque and more than often eerie. -Rubina Ramesh WHAT IS THE BOOK ALL ABOUT  ENCOUNTERS is a potpourri of five sumptuous stories involving a motley crew of protagonists. Skating along the borders of fantasy and paranormal themes, the stories track incredible and poignant journey of self-discovery, tracing the cathartic aftermath of fleeting encounters. My Review Encounters is a book with five stories that will keep you engrossed while making you ponder over the ending. Each of them has a distinct flavor to it, and I should commend the author, Sumana for being able to keep that thin line of balance under the same theme--Encounter! First Love takes you on the coaster wheel of life of a woman who is independent, well established but still stressed out by her parents and society cause she is single. The drama unfolds after that, and it is gripping yet sensuous until the end. I absolutely loved the angle to this story.  The Storyteller is a meetup of a typical agarbatti salesperson who encounters a handful of people running an NGO, and the impact of those footsteps trailing along him when he cleans the bench will give you goosebumps! Reminiscence is an absolutely touching story of a middle class retired family giving a peep into his daily life. The narration is earthy giving a clear picture of all the scenes thus, making the reader feel the depth of each enjoyment, sorrow, and socializing.  Happiness Clinic provided an unusual angle, and it's amazing how the subconscious mind can actually help change the mindset of a man's dynamics if it is talked to.  Best Friends Forever had a twist, which is hard to believe esp with today's times. No doubt the author presented it flawlessly, but a soul to unite with her parents and the drama behind it is hard to digest. Overall, an enjoyable read but some words would pause my read since difficult to understand. Example: homa, mangalya, ghatam, ammouru, vatara,  etc. Also sometimes the necessity of words slowed down the pace such as: cream-geem, embroidery-seroidry, software – geeftware, finance – ginance, etc. It was fun to read in the beginning, but to have it again was losing its charm.  GRAB YOUR COPY HERE YOU CAN GET THIS BOOK DIRECTLY FROM THE PUBLISHER ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Sumana was born and raised in Bengaluru, Karnataka, where she went on to graduate with a BSc in Electronics, much to the surprise of her teachers, and relief of her parents. In what can only be described as a quirk of fate, she ended up as an IT consultant - a role she essayed for more than a decade. She then moved to the UK where she quit her job and pursued academic and literary interests. The result of this pursuit has been two Masters, one published book, quite a few manuscript drafts, and above all, being stone-broke perpetually. She currently lives in the UK with her husband and several books.   STALK HER @ Follow Us +Pinterest ​

Cover Reveal: Encounters- Someone's Always Waiting by Sumana Khan

Encounters by Sumana Khan 

Blurb 

Someone Is Always Waiting 

EXCERPT FROM THE NOVELETTE “THE STORYTELLER” IN ENCOUNTERS COLLECTION

I stare at the cement bench covered in pigeon shit and spot the dim outline of the granite slab embedded in the backrest. Years ago, when the bench was new, the granite slab was a shiny black mirror inscribed with the words ‘Dedicated to the courageous people of Thirukadal’. Four cyclones and many pigeons later, the words have disappeared. The place is so choked with weeds that the bench appears to rest on the thorny plants. Behind me, beyond a muddy track, the Bay of Bengal hisses and sighs in a treacherous language.

I look up at the sky, as if to decode the time. My watch says it is half past seven in the morning, but the sky, clotted with grey clouds, remains secretive. It could be evening as far as the heavens are concerned. A depressing form of rain is assured; the kind that only occurs in this eastern coast of South India—skies that sob continuously for forty-eight hours, increasing humidity, mosquitoes and the stench of choked drains, damp walls and wet clothes. I wonder if the sky had been just as morose on the morning of 26 December, 2004.

I tie a handkerchief around my face, covering my nose and mouth, and hack away at the weeds. Swarms of mosquitoes and flies rise in a static buzz and hover over my head like a satanic dark halo. It takes me an hour to clear a small area around the bench. The sky starts its weeping just as I scrub the bench with a coconut husk and Vim detergent powder.    
After half an hour, the granite slab gleams into existence once again. I’ve got my memorial ritual paraphernalia in a Food World plastic bag. I bring out a strand of jasmine that I loop around the granite slab, its fragrance weak in the rain. I crouch under my umbrella that won’t open fully and light a couple of incense sticks. I’ve forgotten to bring the incense holder, so I stick the smouldering incense into a banana that was to be my breakfast. I place it on the bench in front of the granite slab and hold the umbrella over it. I close my eyes in an attempt to pray. All I can think of is the angry allergic rash that’s spreading on my legs and hands thanks to the weeds and that the incense smells like a cheap aftershave.

I give up and sit on the bench, still holding the umbrella over the incense. The rain stings my skin like the rash. The hard, wet seat numbs my thighs instantly and a dull arthritic pain blooms in my knees and lower back. I squirm, shifting my weight from one butt cheek to the other. I wait, just as I’ve waited in vain for the last seven years, for the storyteller to show up. The incense is all ash now. I may as well eat the banana and tell you the story of how I met this mysterious man.    

About The Author 

Sumana Khan was born and raised in Bangalore and currently lives in the UK. She is a blogger and a student. Her debut novel was The Revenge of Kaivalya. 

Author website: http://www.sumanakhan.com​

Join the Giveaway  +Goodreads 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Encounters - Someone's Always Waiting

by Sumana Khan

Giveaway ends December 11, 2015.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Spotlight for The Revenge of Kaivalya by Sumana Khan

The Revenge of Kaivalya by Sumana Khan

The Blurb

Deep within the womb-like forests of the Western Ghats, an entity manifests itself at the malevolent moment when the ocean rises to devour hundreds of thousands. Kencha, an unwitting witness to Its birth, is soon found dead – his body branded with a strange message written in HaLegannada, an ancient version of modern Kannada. Even as Dhruv Kaveriappa, Chief Conservator of Forests - Hassan division investigates Kencha’s death, he senses an unseen danger in the forests of Kukke, Bisle and Sakleshpura. Animals drop dead; plants wither away and just as he feared, the forest claims its first victim. Shivaranjini, on vacation in Sakleshpura, suffers a devastating tonic-clonic seizure moments after she returns from a visit to the forest. Soon, she begins to exhibit a bizarre personality disorder. Perhaps there is an outbreak of an unknown rabies-like disease? Or, as ridiculous as it seems, could it be a case of tantric witchcraft? 

The truth unfolds in a dizzying maelstrom of events - a truth far too terrifying to comprehend

Buy @

Flipcart | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | 

         

Watch it

Meet the author

The Author's Thoughts

In the early stages of my manuscript, I knew the title of my novel had to be the name of the principal character. And it could not be just any name. It had to fit into the storyline - from a time perspective, as well as setting the atmosphere. It had to sound ancient and also define the character. Tall order!

As I read up on the history of Vijayanagara, I hoped to come across a good, strong name...but history, largely, is about men and their wars and conquests. I hoped to select a name from our puranas. But nothing clicked. What about our stotras? Maybe the lalitha sahasranama? Or ashtalakshmi stotra? One evening I sat mulling on 'Kausalya'...thanks to the most famous line 'Kausalya supraja Rama purva sandhya pravarthathe' from the Suprabhata :) I went to bed with that line in my head.

The next morning, somehow, ‘Kausalya’ had transformed to ‘Kaivalya’. I did not remember coming across the name in any of my previous research. Curious, I looked up what ‘Kaivalya’ stood for. And was fascinated.   Read More ........

   

Stalk her @