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The Mohammeds #1
Twice Blessed
Trapped between a crime and an enemy, she must choose justice or self-preservation. She can’t have both, it seems.
Tamannah, the youngest member of the Mohammed family, in her final year of college, is all set for the last semester break of her college life. She and her friends have planned a fun-filled week together. Her family can’t stop teasing her about it.
What she hasn’t signed up for is tragedy, and defeat. Both strike as bolts from the blue.
Within the blink of an eye, her circle of friends is one member short. Nobody has a clue why it happened. Her family, his family, their friends, their mentor, everybody wants to bury the incident and move on.
But Tamammah can’t move on, not before she knows why.
She sets out to find answers. Following leads and unearthing clues she stitches the puzzle together one piece at a time. Her enemy tracks her every move and stays one-step ahead of her. She doesn’t even know that she has an enemy.
What will Tamannah unearth?
- GenresSuspense
209 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2017
12 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Rani Ramakrishnan
7 books25 followersRani Ramakrishnan writes contemporary thriller novels. In another lifetime, she was an entrepreneur, a management professional, a trainer, even an author of study materials for distance education. She is an occasional blogger and a regular bookworm. Two things influence her writing: people she met and the places she has visited.
She lives in Coimbatore, a picturesque city on the foothills of the Nilgiri Mountains, in South India. She loves the outdoors and of late, she has developed a healthy passion for marathons.
She lives in Coimbatore, a picturesque city on the foothills of the Nilgiri Mountains, in South India. She loves the outdoors and of late, she has developed a healthy passion for marathons.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 23, 2017
The journey to seek justice and unearth the truth is very hard fought and lonely. Twice Blessed at best captures the journey of such a kind. A fast-paced thriller that thoroughly grips the reader's mind, it has all the elements of loyalty and betrayal, sensitivity and imperviousness, chaos and confusions, and grit and give ups.
The thriller gives a bird's eye view of the most prominent issue, yet considered a taboo and an understatement, that men face. The author has managed to carefully prod this sensitive issue by highlighting the pain and mental agony they face in a balanced manner. The characterization of Tam is very powerful and compelling. The struggles that she faces within herself to secure her identity, the lonely path that she is treading, and the metamorphosis from the next-door girl to more socially inclined and responsible person is palpable from the jargon-filled narrations that are witty and enhance the mood of the book and the reader.
The spoiler is the easy prediction of the criminal. There were few characters that had very little say, but can be overridden considering the flow of the book. Twice Blessed is a lot more than a thriller. It highlights about lots of issues that we as common man face in the society.
The thriller gives a bird's eye view of the most prominent issue, yet considered a taboo and an understatement, that men face. The author has managed to carefully prod this sensitive issue by highlighting the pain and mental agony they face in a balanced manner. The characterization of Tam is very powerful and compelling. The struggles that she faces within herself to secure her identity, the lonely path that she is treading, and the metamorphosis from the next-door girl to more socially inclined and responsible person is palpable from the jargon-filled narrations that are witty and enhance the mood of the book and the reader.
The spoiler is the easy prediction of the criminal. There were few characters that had very little say, but can be overridden considering the flow of the book. Twice Blessed is a lot more than a thriller. It highlights about lots of issues that we as common man face in the society.
November 11, 2018
A one-time good read. (All mysteries are one-time reads per se.)
The narration is good. The spirit of fickle-minded defiant youth is captured well in Tam's character. The author is good at throwing us, at least me, off the scent of the murderer. For a moment there, I thought there's a . The theme and plot are very good. The story discusses some issues in the society that needs to be addressed.
Coming to the things I'm not too happy about, the language seemed too flowery, not the style of a twenty-year-old college girl. It might have best suited for a third person narration. And it would've been great if the author gave a reason for the first person narration (like explaining the past to someone or the story is a diary etc..). A good thriller builds suspense slowly initially and reaches a crescendo at the end. The author got the first part right. But the story was flat for a major part of the second half. There were a lot of flashbacks introducing new things, things that have no major contributions to the storyline, after a high point in the story. Why does the audience need to know these now? Why weren't they told earlier? It looks like the author wants to spend some time in between the two high points in the story. Some may say that Tamannah was moving on with life, but I wasn't convinced. There were certain characters like Sophie, Mahesh and team without whom the story would've been just fine. Looks like they were just used to talk about another good societal cause. The Gang and The Elders, pictured as the most important parts of Tam's life, weren't properly explored in the story, except for Shikhar and Kabir from each group, and maybe Radhika and Arman. There were minor loose ends like Kabir and Sophie, . It would've been nice to know what happened to the above parties at the end to give the reader a closure.
One more thing that bothered me is that . It initially seemed odd to me that the author chose Tamannah to be the protagonist when she could've concentrated on the victim or the perp, especially since she's writing about this particular cause. Later I realized that this was meant to be from the perspective of a person who lost a loved one to something she couldn't imagine in her wildest dreams and coming to terms with it. I didn't feel the close relationship between Tam and Sanjeev from the story.
My opinions aside, every author has his/her own style of writing. And I enjoyed reading this book, that's the important part.
The narration is good. The spirit of fickle-minded defiant youth is captured well in Tam's character. The author is good at throwing us, at least me, off the scent of the murderer. For a moment there, I thought there's a . The theme and plot are very good. The story discusses some issues in the society that needs to be addressed.
Coming to the things I'm not too happy about, the language seemed too flowery, not the style of a twenty-year-old college girl. It might have best suited for a third person narration. And it would've been great if the author gave a reason for the first person narration (like explaining the past to someone or the story is a diary etc..). A good thriller builds suspense slowly initially and reaches a crescendo at the end. The author got the first part right. But the story was flat for a major part of the second half. There were a lot of flashbacks introducing new things, things that have no major contributions to the storyline, after a high point in the story. Why does the audience need to know these now? Why weren't they told earlier? It looks like the author wants to spend some time in between the two high points in the story. Some may say that Tamannah was moving on with life, but I wasn't convinced. There were certain characters like Sophie, Mahesh and team without whom the story would've been just fine. Looks like they were just used to talk about another good societal cause. The Gang and The Elders, pictured as the most important parts of Tam's life, weren't properly explored in the story, except for Shikhar and Kabir from each group, and maybe Radhika and Arman. There were minor loose ends like Kabir and Sophie, . It would've been nice to know what happened to the above parties at the end to give the reader a closure.
One more thing that bothered me is that . It initially seemed odd to me that the author chose Tamannah to be the protagonist when she could've concentrated on the victim or the perp, especially since she's writing about this particular cause. Later I realized that this was meant to be from the perspective of a person who lost a loved one to something she couldn't imagine in her wildest dreams and coming to terms with it. I didn't feel the close relationship between Tam and Sanjeev from the story.
My opinions aside, every author has his/her own style of writing. And I enjoyed reading this book, that's the important part.
November 23, 2017
Book Title: Twice Blessed
Author: Rani Ramakrishan
Format: E-Book
Number of pages : 156
Publisher: Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited
Publishing Date: 2017
Printed Price: INR 99
ASIN: B075C9GJZD
Book Title:
The title of the book 'Twice Blessed' is interesting and gives the reader a very vague hint of the story.
Book Cover :
The book cover is very simple but very mysterious. Image of two women, one in black and white, one in color that too in puzzle pieces style might hint the reader that the story is a mystery.
Plot:
Even in this generation, there are some things which are looked from a gender biased eyes and thus resulting in taboos . Also, the community that is now prevalent also deals with many issues like caste, judgmental attitude, basic amenities etc that result in underlying hindrance to the society. These are very nicely scripted in the story.
The plot of the story also deals with mainly with a death that leads to uncovering of many intertwined tales of the above said issues.
The main and the supporting characters throughout the plot are well plotted. Though the story at the end was a little predictable, it holds the grip of the reader's interest till the end.
Characters:
All the characters are very nicely plotted.
Narration:
The narration is good.
Language and Vocabulary:
A fine usage of fine grammar and vocabulary.
My Final Verdict—.
A onetime read for a mystery lover !
Book title: 3.8/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Plot: 3.8/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 3.8/5
Language and Vocabulary: 4/5
I personally rate the book 3.8 out of 5
Author: Rani Ramakrishan
Format: E-Book
Number of pages : 156
Publisher: Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited
Publishing Date: 2017
Printed Price: INR 99
ASIN: B075C9GJZD
Book Title:
The title of the book 'Twice Blessed' is interesting and gives the reader a very vague hint of the story.
Book Cover :
The book cover is very simple but very mysterious. Image of two women, one in black and white, one in color that too in puzzle pieces style might hint the reader that the story is a mystery.
Plot:
Even in this generation, there are some things which are looked from a gender biased eyes and thus resulting in taboos . Also, the community that is now prevalent also deals with many issues like caste, judgmental attitude, basic amenities etc that result in underlying hindrance to the society. These are very nicely scripted in the story.
The plot of the story also deals with mainly with a death that leads to uncovering of many intertwined tales of the above said issues.
The main and the supporting characters throughout the plot are well plotted. Though the story at the end was a little predictable, it holds the grip of the reader's interest till the end.
Characters:
All the characters are very nicely plotted.
Narration:
The narration is good.
Language and Vocabulary:
A fine usage of fine grammar and vocabulary.
My Final Verdict—.
A onetime read for a mystery lover !
Book title: 3.8/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Plot: 3.8/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 3.8/5
Language and Vocabulary: 4/5
I personally rate the book 3.8 out of 5
December 28, 2017
I thank Rani RamKrishnan for the free copy of the book .
Positives
1 . A racy thriller. You are right into the plot within first few pages .
2. Author does not waste your time with unnecessary descriptions. Plot takes shape and moves quite fast.
3. A breezy read for about 60% of the book
4. Suspense is well carried till the end with plot twists
5. Appreciate author for the job as this being her first novel .
Cons
1. The characters are two dimensional. They lack depth . Consistency in personalities of characters is missing.
2. Found it hard to relate to any character in the book. This limits the experience to vast extent
3. At quite a few places felt as if both characters n author were clueless about how to take the story forward. These were the moments I felt bit bored.
4. At various places felt this would be apt book for senior school kids and young adults.
5. A good plot , could have expressed/ handled it better .
Would have given 2 stars had it been experienced author. Good effort , all the best for future .
Positives
1 . A racy thriller. You are right into the plot within first few pages .
2. Author does not waste your time with unnecessary descriptions. Plot takes shape and moves quite fast.
3. A breezy read for about 60% of the book
4. Suspense is well carried till the end with plot twists
5. Appreciate author for the job as this being her first novel .
Cons
1. The characters are two dimensional. They lack depth . Consistency in personalities of characters is missing.
2. Found it hard to relate to any character in the book. This limits the experience to vast extent
3. At quite a few places felt as if both characters n author were clueless about how to take the story forward. These were the moments I felt bit bored.
4. At various places felt this would be apt book for senior school kids and young adults.
5. A good plot , could have expressed/ handled it better .
Would have given 2 stars had it been experienced author. Good effort , all the best for future .
May 31, 2022
First of all thanks to Rani for sending me the book for review. This book being published before Treacherous Bloodline which is also based on Arif Mohammad Family. This story is also of the same family but giving a center character to his daughter tamannah Mohammad. A lawyer and a dancer Arif and Leela Mohammad family consisting of the couple, 3daughters and 2 son. In this story Tamannah's best friend Sanjeev dies due to suicide. A jovial and a happy to go person suddenly take this decision does not go well with his The Gang that is Tamannah and sanjeev's friend. What was the reason he took this decision and what affect it takes in the life of Tamannah is the story. Overall its a very good Goodread... :)
October 5, 2018
Blessed
Frankly speaking i wasn't sure about reading this because it looked boring to me but there's a saying 'Don't judge book by its cover' so, i was wrong and i'm grateful for that. Its not for everyone though but it contains reality that society should be aware of. Message was clear and out don't lose hope and more importantly trust your parents, siblings and gang.
Thank you and Be happy
Frankly speaking i wasn't sure about reading this because it looked boring to me but there's a saying 'Don't judge book by its cover' so, i was wrong and i'm grateful for that. Its not for everyone though but it contains reality that society should be aware of. Message was clear and out don't lose hope and more importantly trust your parents, siblings and gang.
Thank you and Be happy
September 24, 2017
I thank Rani Ramakrishnan for sending me a free soft copy of her 'Twice Blessed' for review, and it was a pleasure to read. You need to read the entire book to appreciate the aptness of the title. Well-written with young adults as the target audience, it builds up the suspense and has the standard ingredients but no smut or porn. Some minor editing corrections are needed, else it is a good read.
September 14, 2018
"Twice Blessed" is different from the usual suspense novels. In fact, the culprit gets known in the middle of the book. It is about the battle that the chief protagonist wages against the world at large to bring him to book. Pretty absorbing though the end is a trifle abrupt.
January 3, 2018
இந்த பிரச்சினையை பெண்கள் சந்திக்கிறார்கள் என்று சில நாவல்களில் படித்துள்ளேன். ஆனால் ஆண்களுக்கும் இந்த பிரச்சினை இருக்கிறது என்று நான் படித்த முதல் நாவல். பிராமணர்களின் சாதி வெறியையும் தொட்டிருக்கிறார். இடையில் சிறிது மெதுவாக செல்வது போல் தோன்றினாலும், விறுவிறுப்பான கதை (சில மலையாள படங்களை போல).
குறிப்பு: 1. பள்ளிகளில் மதிய உணவு திட்டம் தமிழகத்தை சேர்ந்தது.
2. மலையாளி என்பதால் மலையாள வார்த்தைகளையோ இல்லை தமிழ் நாட்டில் வாழ்வதால் தமிழ் வார்த்தைகளையோ பயன்படுத்தி இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் தேவையே இல்லாமல் இந்தியை பயன்படுத்துவதால் தான் இந்தி பேசுபவர்கள் இந்தி இந்தியாவின் தேசிய மொழி, உலக மொழி என்று இன்னும் ஊசிப் போன வடை சுட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.
குறிப்பு: 1. பள்ளிகளில் மதிய உணவு திட்டம் தமிழகத்தை சேர்ந்தது.
2. மலையாளி என்பதால் மலையாள வார்த்தைகளையோ இல்லை தமிழ் நாட்டில் வாழ்வதால் தமிழ் வார்த்தைகளையோ பயன்படுத்தி இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் தேவையே இல்லாமல் இந்தியை பயன்படுத்துவதால் தான் இந்தி பேசுபவர்கள் இந்தி இந்தியாவின் தேசிய மொழி, உலக மொழி என்று இன்னும் ஊசிப் போன வடை சுட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.
October 12, 2017
3.5/ 5
It has all the markings of a good thriller but fell a little flat in the end and how the characters evolved. Kudos to the author for highlighting such a sensitive issue so maturely and covering all different angles of the same.
Details - http://www.a-lotofpages.com/2017/10/r...?
It has all the markings of a good thriller but fell a little flat in the end and how the characters evolved. Kudos to the author for highlighting such a sensitive issue so maturely and covering all different angles of the same.
Details - http://www.a-lotofpages.com/2017/10/r...?
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December 14, 2017This is a story of a strong bond between some friends.The world does not understand.One of the friends commits suicide,that too in mysterious circumstances.Now the other friends make hell to find out the real culprit,That is a mystery and keeps the reader glued to the story.
Well done,good mystery and emotional handling.."
Language is simple and absorbing, I would recommend it for a read.
Well done,good mystery and emotional handling.."
Language is simple and absorbing, I would recommend it for a read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews