I am thrilled to read and review a book written by an author I admire as a person and a friend.
What can I say about this powerhouse of a woman that you don't already know?
Rubina Ramesh is the superwoman who runs The Book Club and tirelessly promotes books and authors. She takes her commitments very seriously and sometimes, I wonder if she sleeps at all-because no matter when I message her, she replies, even though she lives in a different continent.
When I learned about the release of her book Knitted Tales A collection of emotions, I was delighted. I quickly headed over to Amazon and bought the book.
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What forces an innocent girl to become a sex symbol? Her desires? Or cruel fate? Is a lifetime enough-for avenging a betrayal? How do you hide secrets that never stopped haunting you? Can vengeance and secrets of your past devastate your present? How can long-buried crimes of yours suddenly raise their head? Can sinning be saving? Is your spouse your soulmate? What if they never understood your feelings? Can you still live with them? Lastly, does life give only two options? Live or die? What if there is a third? In her debut anthology, Rubina Ramesh tries to find answers to these questions that are often from the heart and yet makes the mind ponder over the solution. Or is it the other way round? Either way, Knitted Tales is a bouquet of emotions that is bound to touch both your head and your heart. My review:Rubina has a unique talent for combining humor with raw emotion and can convey life-truths without mincing words and you can see this in full force, in her writing.
I believe that writing short stories could be tougher than a full length book. And writing really short stories that hook you, a real challenge.
Rubina's Knitted Tales grabbed me by the collar and held me in its grip until I finished the book. And when I did, I missed that grip.
Knitted Tales is a collection of eclectic short stories. Diverse, and tackling a number of scenarios including reality, myth, fantasy, humor, pain, abuse, murder-all interwoven tightly and glued together with feeling and emotion, making for an absorbing read. In fact, Rubina is equally adept at speaking in diverse voices: lonely, disillusioned, playful, disturbed, counseling... all with a clever play on words. She's like a chameleon, exploring life situations, personalities and emotions with ease and sensitivity, taking on the role of every character she portrays with elan.
Some of the stories are charming, while some chill and thrill. Some bring on a smile at the twist in the tale. And yes, plenty of takeaways from each story.
For example, "The Little Godmother" takes us through the emotions of a little girl on the arrival of her brother, and how beautifully the parents help her bond with him.
"A secret in their closet" proves that crime never pays.
"Betrayal" is all about a male chauvinist who can't stand the truth that his wife might actually be an individual with feelings!
"Lolita" breaks your heart.
"SuvarnaRekha" where love conquers all, lovingly imagined by the author.
There's much more here-and I really do not want to post any more spoilers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories, and look forward to more from Rubina-she has established herself as an author to watch for! Even the forewords and the author acknowledgment make good reads!
Knitted Tales-A collection of emotions, will keep you feeling warm and cozy, even as the author wields the knitting needles skilfully and nudges you, often with the uncomfortable truths of life-yet, never a stitch out of place.
I urge you to buy the book and enjoy it.
About Rubina Ramesh
Rubina Ramesh is an avid reader, writer, blogger, book reviewer and marketer. She is the founder of The Book Club, an online book publicity group. Her first literary work was published in her school magazine. It gave her immense pride to see her own name at the bottom of the article. She was about 8 years old at that time. She then went to complete her MBA and after her marriage to her childhood friend, her travel saga started. From The Netherlands to the British Isles she lived her life like an adventure. After a short stint in Malaysia, she finally settled down in the desert state of USA, Arizona. Living with her DH and two human kids and one doggie kid, Rubina has finally started living the life she had always dreamed about - that of a writer.
'Home is where Love is' a short story in the anthology Writings from the Heart. Ed. by Beth Ann Masarik.
'You Stole My Heart' and 'Let me Go'. Short stories as a part of the anthology Long and Short of It by Indireads.
'Wake Me Up' as a part of the anthology Marijuana Diaries by Fablery Publishers.
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Writer, editor, blogger, social media enthusiast. Love DIY, Coffee, Music, Reading, Photography, Family, Friends and Life. Mantra: Happiness is a DIY Project. In my free time I play with my dust bunnies and show my diabetes who's boss. Tweet as @vidyasury
