Jugnu – Book Review

Before I get into this review, I want to mention something about the star rating right away – this book holds the distinction of being the first indie romance to get 5 stars from me. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that I haven’t ever read anything better than this. I have indeed read some other books which were equally good.

Though for some weird reason, silly-past-me only gave 4.5 stars as the highest rating in this genre. Stupid, I know! But when it came to this book, I just couldn’t do it. Sure I could nitpick (I haven’t lost that useless talent yet), but what would be the point of that? This was a 5 star reading experience for me, and that’s all that should matter.

Now that I have cleared the air, with that super long introduction, let’s finally get to business.

Jugnu (Firefly) – Book Review

I have read most (if not all) of the author’s past books, and Jugnu, is by far my favorite of the lot. Also, because I have read so many of the author’s books, there are some things that I know to look forward to in her stories.

For starters, she always challenges the norm in the genre of boy-meets-girl romances, and takes on bolder subjects while never veering from the dominant theme of romance.

Now I am not going to tell you what are the specific issues she handles in this book, because for one, I don’t want to take away from your enjoyment of discovering it page by page, and secondly, that’s not even the point.

Though I must say that the presence of these themes in her stories always makes for a multi-dimensional, well rounded tale, which is a joy to read.

And while we are speaking of well rounded, I can’t fail to mention the supporting cast of her books. She writes the most interesting side characters, who each have a personality and purpose of their own, and contribute to the story in a meaningful way, and are not just background noise.

In this book, the supporting cast came in many shapes & sizes, though my favorite one was an adorable & vivacious 3 year old charmer.

But as usual, I am getting ahead of myself here. Because I am already talking about the supporting cast without even mentioning the protagonists, whom by the way, I absolutely adored.

Zayd & Ashima are such unique characters, so refreshingly different that they stand out in the maze of hundreds of other characters that I read about all the time.

And Ruchi has etched them out so well, that not only do you come to know them through the pages, but also understand their innermost fears & deepest desires, and then you can’t help loving them and being invested in how things turn out for them.

Moreover, it’s one of those rare romances which is as subtle as it is intense. A bond so strong that tugs at your heartstrings.

Zayd & Ashima’s romance reminded me of this quote by Nicholas Sparks (I can’t seem to enjoy his books, but love his quotes!)

The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds.

All in All

Jugnu is a heartwarming tale of love & loss, of despair & hope, of failure & redemption.

And while there are many twists & turns in this amazing ride that the author takes you on, before you get to the happily-ever-after, it only makes for one pleasantly unputdownable page-turner.

Moreover, as I read this book, I could vividly imagine it unfolding in front of my eyes, as if I was watching this on screen, and this is one story I truly wish gets adapted by Bollywood, because it’s that awesome!

My only complaint with the author is that she doesn’t write nearly enough books. I want more! But on the other hand, if the final product is like Jugnu, it’s completely worth the wait.

GET THIS BOOK HERE:

Amazon One Link | Amazon India

That’s all from my end folks. I would love to hear from you guys. Have you read Jugnu yet? Any other indie book that you recently read and loved? Do share!

Disclaimer: I have beta read this book last year, but as many of you know, that doesn’t impact my rating or my review, as I have even given 3 stars to books that I have beta read in the past. Also I was given a review copy of the finished product by the author in exchange of an honest review.

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