Book Review - Three loves and other stories by Lata Gullapalli

 

 

A few years ago, Lata Gullapalli was asked by a friend to write some stories for a book he was publishing. Her stories got such great reviews that she was inspired to write Three loves and other stories. This book contains 'nine' intimate and compelling novellas exploring the pressures Indian women have regarding marriage and family life. Although the stories revolve around Indian culture, these are stories that all cultures can relate to in some way. Each story has a different theme ranging from love to bullying, parenting to long-distance relationships. Each theme is sensitively and compellingly written. The story I liked best was called "Growing Up", about the struggles the older children in a family have when their parents expect them to be more adult than their siblings.

I love the lyrical way that Lata Gullpalli expresses herself. She uses similes to significant effect. For example, on page twenty-two, when Sia explains what it is like to be in an abusive relationship, "It felt like the woodcutters axe heaving blows on the strong trunk again and again, with force and the chips were flying, weakening the tree all the time." Gullpalli uses vivid descriptions of the people and places, and they instantly become real, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I think these are stories that the reader will remember for a long time after they are read.

 

I like that the novellas in Three loves and other stories by Lata Gullpalli are written in such a way that they stay true to their Indian roots, but there are so many errors in grammar and spelling, often several on a page. It shows that this is a self-published book, and the lack of proofreading and editing is so apparent that it impedes the flow of the stories and lets the book down! It was also strange that all the stories had titles except the sixth one. I presume this is an error! 

I want to give this book 3 out of 5 stars as there were grammatical errors on most pages. I was disappointed not to be able to give the top rating as I thoroughly enjoyed the novellas and hope that Lata Gullapalli publishes more books that I could enjoy.

I would recommend Three loves and other stories to anyone who likes short stories, particularly readers who want to know a little more about Indian culture. There is no swearing, but sex is touched upon, so I would suggest it is aimed at an adult audience.

 

 Thank you to Lata Gullapalli for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

Book Review - Tales From The Gray Area by Curtis Stephen Burdick

 

After watching The Twilight Zone, Curtis Stephen Burdick was inspired to write Tales From The Gray Area. This book contains seven intriguing novellas which take the reader on a journey of discovery. Every story has a different theme which means the reader is constantly on the edge of their seat, turning the pages to find out what happens next. Curtis Stephen Burdick is an author who has researched the subject matter of the tales he tells, and each novella is unique and spellbinding. Each story investigates an aspect of universal life that remains unqualified, hidden in the depths of what Curtis Stephen Burdick terms 'the gray area' despite being questioned and theorized throughout human existence. His tales stem from the science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian genres. Each has its fulfilling ending yet leaves questions for further inquiry. In my opinion, the stories Vacation From Hell, Alien Addiction, and Sorceress could easily be made into full-length books as the endings are real cliffhangers.

In Tales from the Gray Area, Curtis Stephen Burdick writes excellent descriptions of the people and places, and they instantly become real, which I thoroughly enjoyed. There are constant twists in the tales, which kept me wanting more up to the end of the story and beyond. These are the stories the reader will remember for a long time after they've been read. The story I liked best was a tale called "Vacation from Hell." This novella revolves around fallen angels who agree with the Devil to go on vacations on Earth. They inhabit the bodies of those who have sold their souls to Satan. A fallen angel named Dwayne begins to love the family of the man whose body he uses as his vessel, and the story is all about his struggles. I like this tale for its fascinating plot and fantastic ending.

The only thing I disliked about this fantastic book was that I was left wanting more at the end of every story! I rate Tales From The Gray Area by Curtis Stephen Burdick a well earned 5 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this to anyone who likes short stories, particularly sci-fi and horror fans. I suggest it is marketed at adults as there is a lot of swearing in some of the stories. This is the first book I have read by Curtis Stephen Burdick. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more books by this author.

Thank you to Curtis Stephen Burdick for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.