Author Name: Chandrima Das
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Colleges and universities always strive for exceptional academics, outstanding athletics and impressive faculties and many more. In India we have colleges with rich history but as they say with rich past comes spooky legends, ghost stories, and horrific tales that point to the paranormal. The book Young Blood will give you sneak peak into all of these and much more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chandrima Das has a B. Tech in Computer Science from NIT Durgapur and an MBA from IIM Calcutta, where she was awarded the OPJEMS and Aditya Birla scholarship. After a decade-long career in management consulting that spanned all the way from Wall Street, New York , to rural Bihar, she followed her passion for writing full-time. Her digital debut, The Talking Dead was a bestseller in the horror category. She's performed live at storytelling events with Tall Tales and Kommune, and was published in The Best of Tall Tales. Chandrima was born in Shillong, grew up in Guwahati, and is presently based in Mumbai.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Some colleges are said to be built on ancient burials sites, others were apparently seen some tragic and unexplained deaths. It is quite scary to know that so many colleges are supposedly haunted. Taking in everything from haunted building, to not so friendly wraith are as varied as they are chilling. Young Blood is a collection of ten such spooky and spine-tingling stories that are shared by the people who have encountered them. All the stories happen in well-reputed national institutions from IITs to NITs to other academic centers spread all our India, be it Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi, Shillong, Shimla and Manipal.
Every character in the book from best of friends, to deep in love lovers, unyielding hostel wardens and slothful college security and those uncanny abandoned building are so relatable that you would not be able to stop yourself from remembering your own college haunted stories.
The ending of each story will push you to rethink on "What has just happened"? you would like to know more as to what happen next. I feel every story seems to have an underlining moral thread, be it racism, societal pressure, discrimination based on gender, stalking and so on. Though all the stories are gripping and eerie but there are two stories that kept me spell bound.
"The inner Door" takes place in University of Delhi. It is a story about Sushma a girl from North East and Kanika a girl from Ghaziabad. It started with discrimination against north east people and how both these girls trapped in a haunted PG and get themselves freed.
"Ghost of a Chance" is a story about IIT Kanpur. It is a story about young college boy who tries to commit suicide and the ghost he met thereafter. The end has literally given me goose bumps.
MY TAKE ON THE BOOK
📒Loved the undertones of thrill, dread and suspense in the writing style. The book is what you would call a classic page-turner. From the very start till the very end, it is gripping and compelling.
📒The beauty of the author's writing is the ability of the reader to finish the book in one go. There is no way one can put the book down before finishing each story.
📒I really liked the way she has introduced this book with a beautiful quote by Stephen King which says' If being a kid is about learning how to live, then being a grown-up is about learning how to die.' I agree, we learn to face the real fear and how to deal with it too once we enter the real world and here it's college where you feel the smell of real independence probably for the first time.
📒She has taken a dig on Karan Johar's unrealistic model of Indian Colleges which is true to the core.
📒The author has rightly pointed out that these spooky stories are like cautionary tales, advise students not just what to do but more often what NOT to do.
If you are a fan of horror and thriller and need a quick read this is an apt book to read.
BOOK DETAILS
Page: 336
Publisher: Harper Collins India
Format: Paperback / Kindle Edition
Price: INR 237/ INR 72
Book Availability: Amazon
This post is part of Blogchatter's #BookReview Program
Wow Swati, yes I am a big fan of horror and am reading every review of this book on the internet. Time to go for it now.
ReplyDeleteSpooky stories from college premises..sounds like an interesting concept. would surly love to read this book dear. your review has made me curious enough to know more about these stories.
ReplyDeleteI have never read a thriller based on spooky stories from college.Sounds something interesting and different. I will see if I can get a copy of it.
ReplyDeleteOh spooky indeed.I stay away from horror and thrillers asy life is one horror story.Your review sounds good but I will pass 😊
ReplyDeleteI prefer horror books that gives a bit of the spooky feeling. The book details and review makes me want to buy one for sure
ReplyDeleteI think most hostels have a story or two about haunted rooms. This book seems to take off on this aspect. The stories sound really spooky and gripping at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThe word spooky itself makes everyone intrigue about reading the book further. Love how the titles sound mysterious to make us experience the truth about the stories and also loving the special dig on Karan Johar's unrealistic college model.
ReplyDeleteWhat a concise and crisp review, Swati. I agree with it completely. I've read this book too and am going to review it soon as well.
ReplyDeleteI have never read thriller based stories as I love to read inspirational and short stories . But I am going to share this review with my friend as she loves to read thriller stories
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the review I remembered when I was staying in a hostel we used to make horror stories about our college and hostel and tell these to our juniors, the only difference is that those were not real & we would make them just for fun. I am getting this book since I love reading horror stories.
ReplyDeleteI plan to read Young Blood this weekend, thanks to your review. We all remember college time with great fondness but I'm intrigued now to read ten terrifying college tales. I hope to provide my review once I'm done reading.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks so interesting and I wish to give it a read after reading your review. Will be getting my copy soon.
ReplyDeleteShort stories and that too horror based is surely a good read. From your review we are sure that this is a good read. We are also reading the book and relate with your pointers.
ReplyDeleteThis was not my genre until recently Swati but am slowly giving it a try now. Am sure picking this book upthanks to your exhaustive review.
ReplyDeleteOh wow Young Blood -Ten Terrifying College Tales seem like a very interesting and nail biting story. I am not into horror genre else I would have surely picked this up. However, my friends love such stories and I am surely recommending this to them.
ReplyDeleteTo be quite honest, I am not a fan of horror stories, but this one caught my eye because it is set in a time and phase which is dear to most of us - our college days! Interested in reading this.
ReplyDeleteNoor
I love reading horror genre and this sounds like a good read. I remember when I was in. PG accommodation we used to have horror story sessions - it was fun
ReplyDeleteThe name of the book is very interesting. I am curious to read the book after your review.
ReplyDeleteThe book cover itself is terrifying. You have given a comprehensive review of the book. I totally want to grab the boom now.
ReplyDeletei don't read this genre (horro) books but i liked your review.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading and watching horror genre. I was beyond thrilled to review this book. Loved the way the author handlee each chapter in a different way
ReplyDeleteSindhu
Though horror is not my genre but your detailed and honest review helped me to add this one to my #TBR. Hope I will enjoy reading it.
ReplyDeleteHorror is not my genre at all and I can't either read or see any movies in this genre. But you have nicely reviewed the book.
ReplyDeleteI have never been in the spooky books and novels so not sure if I can pick up the book. But for sure know someone whom I can gift. The author indeed has the nerve of horror on the back of her hand.
ReplyDelete