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Bollywood Invasion
A fantasy novel about a modern-day American boy who wakes up in 1958 India as the reincarnation of John Lennon.
Bollywood Invasion opens when the protagonist, a sixteen-years-old boy from Brooklyn, finds himself with riches and power beyond his wildest fantasies in India, thirty-five years before he was born.
Brooklyn is readily forgotten. Life becomes a constant stream of debauchery, coming to a stand-still only when he meets “the one.” However, love doesn’t come easy. He must become a better man, a pursuit ignited by his memories of Beatles songs on his iPod.
Will these legendary songs change his life?
Can he escape Lennon’s eventual tragic fate?
Will he ever find his way back to Brooklyn?
His fate will unfold in Bollywood Invasion.
_______________________________________
Bollywood Invasion blends Indian cultural experience, time-travel blend perfectly with the legendary songs from the Beatles.
_______________________________________
“An imaginative…rock ‘n’ roll fantasy.” Kirkus Reviews
“An engrossing saga that excels in unexpected turns of plot.” Midwest Book Review
_______________________________________
Book
Bollywood Invasion opens when the protagonist, a sixteen-years-old boy from Brooklyn, finds himself with riches and power beyond his wildest fantasies in India, thirty-five years before he was born.
Brooklyn is readily forgotten. Life becomes a constant stream of debauchery, coming to a stand-still only when he meets “the one.” However, love doesn’t come easy. He must become a better man, a pursuit ignited by his memories of Beatles songs on his iPod.
Will these legendary songs change his life?
Can he escape Lennon’s eventual tragic fate?
Will he ever find his way back to Brooklyn?
His fate will unfold in Bollywood Invasion.
_______________________________________
Bollywood Invasion blends Indian cultural experience, time-travel blend perfectly with the legendary songs from the Beatles.
_______________________________________
“An imaginative…rock ‘n’ roll fantasy.” Kirkus Reviews
“An engrossing saga that excels in unexpected turns of plot.” Midwest Book Review
_______________________________________
Book
- GenresFiction
Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2018
2 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Ricardo Alexanders
2 books8 followersRicardo Alexanders is a descendant of the Great Yyu and an aspiring writer. He is passionate in time-travel fictions that blend fantasy, science, and real history together.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 21, 2019
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
‘Bollywood Invasion’ is a fantasy novel by Chinese-born author, Richardo Alexanders. The story is written in the third person, mainly from the prospective of our main protagonist, John. The chapters are short with explanatory footnotes at the end of each.
Firstly, the reader needs to suspend reality and go with the flow here. John is a sixteen-year-old student has an accident on his bicycle and when he regains consciousness, finds himself transported back in time to India with attendants believing him to be a prince and speaking to him in Hindi. He then discovers he’s not only in the wrong place but in the wrong era because the year is 1958.
Instantly, insignificant John becoming influential Raj and without question or concern, he happily starts a new life surrounded by wealth and privilege. With his memory intact and some sycophantic friends from college, Raj forms a band and sets about pretending to have written many hit singles recorded by sixties pop group, The Beatles. They perform ‘Yesterday’ to an enraptured audience and this starts the band on the road to worldwide fame.
In the early stages, I would have liked more depth. There were strong avenues to explore regarding cultural adjustment and managing without modern technology. From an emotional viewpoint, how would someone cope with an elevation in status, influence and circumstance? Without doubt, taking the plot beyond the superficial would have made the characters more three dimensional and add layers to the story.
This is a fantasy novel so maybe I shouldn’t be too pedantic when the action moves to London and a few factual errors creep in. They are irrelevant to the plot, so I won’t dwell further.
There are some humorous moments and I found myself warming to the tale as it developed. Raj discovers a tender side to his nature and the love story aspect gave the plot a meaningful focus.
I confess to being confused as to the target audience. It reads like a YA book and I think would have worked very well as such. However, there are a few perfunctory sex scenes, so clearly it is aimed at an older age group.
The overall concept is quite quirky, albeit with parallels to a British sitcom from the nineties. Nevertheless, I commend the author for his attention to detail regarding The Beatles’ career and I appreciated the neat twist towards the end.
I liked the cover and found ‘Bollywood Invasion’ easy to read with a good balance between dialogue and description. I’m not a fan of head-hopping in the same segment but the instances were limited and not too distracting. In places this book showed promise but there were definitely missed opportunities to take the tale to another level and the final chapter was predictable. However, if you enjoy a light-hearted, harmless escapist fantasy, then give this book a try. Objectively, I award three-and-a-half stars.
‘Bollywood Invasion’ is a fantasy novel by Chinese-born author, Richardo Alexanders. The story is written in the third person, mainly from the prospective of our main protagonist, John. The chapters are short with explanatory footnotes at the end of each.
Firstly, the reader needs to suspend reality and go with the flow here. John is a sixteen-year-old student has an accident on his bicycle and when he regains consciousness, finds himself transported back in time to India with attendants believing him to be a prince and speaking to him in Hindi. He then discovers he’s not only in the wrong place but in the wrong era because the year is 1958.
Instantly, insignificant John becoming influential Raj and without question or concern, he happily starts a new life surrounded by wealth and privilege. With his memory intact and some sycophantic friends from college, Raj forms a band and sets about pretending to have written many hit singles recorded by sixties pop group, The Beatles. They perform ‘Yesterday’ to an enraptured audience and this starts the band on the road to worldwide fame.
In the early stages, I would have liked more depth. There were strong avenues to explore regarding cultural adjustment and managing without modern technology. From an emotional viewpoint, how would someone cope with an elevation in status, influence and circumstance? Without doubt, taking the plot beyond the superficial would have made the characters more three dimensional and add layers to the story.
This is a fantasy novel so maybe I shouldn’t be too pedantic when the action moves to London and a few factual errors creep in. They are irrelevant to the plot, so I won’t dwell further.
There are some humorous moments and I found myself warming to the tale as it developed. Raj discovers a tender side to his nature and the love story aspect gave the plot a meaningful focus.
I confess to being confused as to the target audience. It reads like a YA book and I think would have worked very well as such. However, there are a few perfunctory sex scenes, so clearly it is aimed at an older age group.
The overall concept is quite quirky, albeit with parallels to a British sitcom from the nineties. Nevertheless, I commend the author for his attention to detail regarding The Beatles’ career and I appreciated the neat twist towards the end.
I liked the cover and found ‘Bollywood Invasion’ easy to read with a good balance between dialogue and description. I’m not a fan of head-hopping in the same segment but the instances were limited and not too distracting. In places this book showed promise but there were definitely missed opportunities to take the tale to another level and the final chapter was predictable. However, if you enjoy a light-hearted, harmless escapist fantasy, then give this book a try. Objectively, I award three-and-a-half stars.
April 26, 2019
I wasn't sure what to expect from Bollywood Invasion. The premise is unique, so I decided to try it. It's a very intriguing story. I could imagine the reality of this story, and what a crazy thing it would be! I found the story refreshing and unique, and I enjoyed it. It's a quirky thought provoking look at an alternate reality. I recommend for anyone who wants something different and entertaining. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2018
The reason I said yes to reading this story was because it sounded so different from anything I've read recently. Romance, fiction, time travel, fantasy, and more is packed into a mere 295 pages.
John is a young sixteen year old teenager in modern-day Brooklyn, NY who winds up in an accident with a bus when he's running late for school one morning. It's when he wakes up that things are significantly... different.
People around him are calling him Raj and he notices everything has changed. From the people, to their dress, to the architecture. It's shortly after waking that he notices he's another person in another time. He's now Raj Scindia, prince of India in 1958. His popularity as prince paired with his fortune and looks means he has tons of friends and endless female adoration.
The eighteen year old heads back to university with his closest guy friends and trips head-over-heels into a world of non-stop partying and debauchery. It's when Raj encounters a girl who changes everything for him that he chooses to turn his life around and prove he's worthy of her love.
He doesn't really have an aptitude or a care for being a prince, nor is he interested in school, so instead, he convinces his friends to form a band. After some failed practices and gigs, Raj remembers his old life and the iconic songs he used to listen to on his iPod. That's when the guys call themselves The Beetos and gain audience attention with the famous song, Yesterday.
Knowing that he's onto something, Raj is driven to bring he and his friends to fame and fortune becoming a sort of reincarnated version of The Beatles. With their fame comes not only all the accolades, but all the difficulties of finding privacy and keeping your sanity.
When Raj encounters a personal tragedy right at the height of his fame, he falls into a void and turns to his old and destructive ways. His friends and family do what they can to help, but something about him is forever changed.
This was an interesting story. As a Beatles fan, I was intrigued by the take Ricardo took with their music and certain phases of their careers that were re-lived through these characters. Also, the summary is slightly misleading saying that John from Brooklyn is reincarnated as John Lennon, unless you take it in a figurative manner. I kept waiting for Mr. Lennon to jump into the story when really it was John from Brooklyn turning Raj into his own version of John Lennon with his knowledge from the future and everything he knew of The Beatles career. The writing jumped a little bit from point-to-point and kept the story from flowing the way I liked, but overall it was a quirky and fantastical sort of read.
John is a young sixteen year old teenager in modern-day Brooklyn, NY who winds up in an accident with a bus when he's running late for school one morning. It's when he wakes up that things are significantly... different.
People around him are calling him Raj and he notices everything has changed. From the people, to their dress, to the architecture. It's shortly after waking that he notices he's another person in another time. He's now Raj Scindia, prince of India in 1958. His popularity as prince paired with his fortune and looks means he has tons of friends and endless female adoration.
The eighteen year old heads back to university with his closest guy friends and trips head-over-heels into a world of non-stop partying and debauchery. It's when Raj encounters a girl who changes everything for him that he chooses to turn his life around and prove he's worthy of her love.
He doesn't really have an aptitude or a care for being a prince, nor is he interested in school, so instead, he convinces his friends to form a band. After some failed practices and gigs, Raj remembers his old life and the iconic songs he used to listen to on his iPod. That's when the guys call themselves The Beetos and gain audience attention with the famous song, Yesterday.
Knowing that he's onto something, Raj is driven to bring he and his friends to fame and fortune becoming a sort of reincarnated version of The Beatles. With their fame comes not only all the accolades, but all the difficulties of finding privacy and keeping your sanity.
When Raj encounters a personal tragedy right at the height of his fame, he falls into a void and turns to his old and destructive ways. His friends and family do what they can to help, but something about him is forever changed.
This was an interesting story. As a Beatles fan, I was intrigued by the take Ricardo took with their music and certain phases of their careers that were re-lived through these characters. Also, the summary is slightly misleading saying that John from Brooklyn is reincarnated as John Lennon, unless you take it in a figurative manner. I kept waiting for Mr. Lennon to jump into the story when really it was John from Brooklyn turning Raj into his own version of John Lennon with his knowledge from the future and everything he knew of The Beatles career. The writing jumped a little bit from point-to-point and kept the story from flowing the way I liked, but overall it was a quirky and fantastical sort of read.
October 27, 2024
A fun exploration of the Beatles if they were an Indian group with a spin on time travel. It was a new dynamic and I actually read this right after I read a graphic novel about the Beatles so it was really fun to see the two different histories of the band and the different things they went through in this different culture. It reminded me of the movie Yesterday.
August 15, 2018
At once engaging and cleverly creative, Ricardo Alexanders’ Bollywood Invasion enrapts readers with a fun and fantastical coming of age story, set in a well posed merging of reality and fiction which surpasses the reaches of time and continents.
Instantly the story draws you in, as initially, we meet John Palmieri living in modern times in Brooklyn; he’s a nerd and Beatles lover in high school and unsatisfied with his lower middle class existence. Things start with him in the throes of a dream, once again being bested by his arch-enemy Frank Castellano. He loathes Frank, who seems to have so much more than John; smarter mouth, bigger house, more friends, better stuff, including, the attention of the girl he secretly loves -Samantha.
The real adventure begins when fate crashes into his life, via an accident, knocking John unconscious. When John awakes, he finds himself in a parallel existence, where he has been transported back in time to late 1950’s, India. He wakes up as eighteen year old Raj Scindia, a prince in the Indian royal family. Naturally, he’s initially confused by his sudden transportation to a completely foreign life and culture with many humorous moments ensuing as he tries to wrap his head around what has happened to him.
Meanwhile, as John acclimates to his new life, he realizes he suddenly has the life he has always dreamed of, a life which now includes money, wealth, eager women and extensive privileges. However, as well as being rich and privileged, the prince whose life John has taken over, also includes several unexpected issues such as being engaged to a young lady through pre-arranged marriage, having the reputation of being a spoiled, adulterous scamp, as well as being a second year student in a mechanical engineering college. Ultimately, deciding to make the best of his new circumstances, John plays his privileged new life to the hilt; he fakes being psychic and parties not really taking his new life too seriously until he meets the best friend of his promised fiance, Ankita and falls instantly head over heels for her which within his new culture gives rise to many issues. While looking for ways to win her over, John forays into the world of music by joining a local band and uses his extensive knowledge of Beatles songs to propel his group “The Beetos” to “Beatles” status making him and his group rock stars, thusly creating a parallel universe with the Bollywood version of the Beatles. Consequently, their new found fame comes with unexpected repercussions, as the story progresses with scenarios that parallel events that really happened with the famed Beatles.
Definitively, Bollywood Invasion proffers readers a compelling read that entertains the imagination with a unforgettable journey into adulthood. This was a winning combination with its twisted melding of Beatlemania, romance, drama, humor, fantasy elements, and intriguing characters, especially Raj/John who seems to a loosely posed reincarnation of John Lennon. This would make a worthwhile read for fans of fantasy or YA reads.
Instantly the story draws you in, as initially, we meet John Palmieri living in modern times in Brooklyn; he’s a nerd and Beatles lover in high school and unsatisfied with his lower middle class existence. Things start with him in the throes of a dream, once again being bested by his arch-enemy Frank Castellano. He loathes Frank, who seems to have so much more than John; smarter mouth, bigger house, more friends, better stuff, including, the attention of the girl he secretly loves -Samantha.
The real adventure begins when fate crashes into his life, via an accident, knocking John unconscious. When John awakes, he finds himself in a parallel existence, where he has been transported back in time to late 1950’s, India. He wakes up as eighteen year old Raj Scindia, a prince in the Indian royal family. Naturally, he’s initially confused by his sudden transportation to a completely foreign life and culture with many humorous moments ensuing as he tries to wrap his head around what has happened to him.
Meanwhile, as John acclimates to his new life, he realizes he suddenly has the life he has always dreamed of, a life which now includes money, wealth, eager women and extensive privileges. However, as well as being rich and privileged, the prince whose life John has taken over, also includes several unexpected issues such as being engaged to a young lady through pre-arranged marriage, having the reputation of being a spoiled, adulterous scamp, as well as being a second year student in a mechanical engineering college. Ultimately, deciding to make the best of his new circumstances, John plays his privileged new life to the hilt; he fakes being psychic and parties not really taking his new life too seriously until he meets the best friend of his promised fiance, Ankita and falls instantly head over heels for her which within his new culture gives rise to many issues. While looking for ways to win her over, John forays into the world of music by joining a local band and uses his extensive knowledge of Beatles songs to propel his group “The Beetos” to “Beatles” status making him and his group rock stars, thusly creating a parallel universe with the Bollywood version of the Beatles. Consequently, their new found fame comes with unexpected repercussions, as the story progresses with scenarios that parallel events that really happened with the famed Beatles.
Definitively, Bollywood Invasion proffers readers a compelling read that entertains the imagination with a unforgettable journey into adulthood. This was a winning combination with its twisted melding of Beatlemania, romance, drama, humor, fantasy elements, and intriguing characters, especially Raj/John who seems to a loosely posed reincarnation of John Lennon. This would make a worthwhile read for fans of fantasy or YA reads.
August 1, 2018
The opening pages of Bollywood Invasion present what first appears to be an ordinary story of John Palmieri, a Brooklyn boy who is leading an average life until he's hit by a bus and awakens in another body as Raj Scindia, a prince living in India in 1958. He's suddenly wealthy, privileged, and living quite a different life from modern-day Brooklyn. Only his intense love for The Beatles has survived his transformation as he adapts to an entirely new culture and timeline; and it's that love which will lead to further changes because it's one he can't leave behind, in his old life.
Driven by the possibilities of love and making a positive impact on his world, he finds the lyrics of the Beatles continue to direct his life, even though in this incarnation, they never existed. And when his choices bring everything he loves crashing into disaster ten years later, these songs and the values they instill in his new identity may be the only thing to link the former John's persona with Raj's struggle to survive.
It would be all too easy to say that Bollywood Invasion is a timeslip novel that centers around a boy's struggle to regain his position and former world; but in actuality it's a saga of a struggle for identity that assumes a special level of complexity when two personas clash and their owner becomes lost between them.
Is he living a lie, or dreaming? Which world is real; and which is his choice? As Raj becomes the incarnation of John Lennon in another place and time, bringing the messages of his future self into the past where they are received and interpreted with much enthusiasm and gusto, he also faces many conundrums, such as two women who love him and the dilemma of one of them being promised to another.
His reincarnation of the music of the 'Beetos' in this timestream leads to many changes as Ricardo Alexanders provides a satisfying focus on love, fame, complicated situations, and the values of Indian girls and the men who pursue them.
The result is a complex and vivid story that leads Raj/John around the world and across time, probing the unexpected consequences of coming full circle with a story that challenges not only the protagonist's true identity, but the circumstances surrounding John Lennon's life, death, and own incongruities (“You wrote songs imagining no possessions but have millions of dollars and properties everywhere.”).
Readers looking for timeslip sagas that go beyond the usual focus on finding a way back to finding the path to one's identity will relish the very different perspectives that make Bollywood Invasion an engrossing saga that excels in unexpected turns of plot.
Driven by the possibilities of love and making a positive impact on his world, he finds the lyrics of the Beatles continue to direct his life, even though in this incarnation, they never existed. And when his choices bring everything he loves crashing into disaster ten years later, these songs and the values they instill in his new identity may be the only thing to link the former John's persona with Raj's struggle to survive.
It would be all too easy to say that Bollywood Invasion is a timeslip novel that centers around a boy's struggle to regain his position and former world; but in actuality it's a saga of a struggle for identity that assumes a special level of complexity when two personas clash and their owner becomes lost between them.
Is he living a lie, or dreaming? Which world is real; and which is his choice? As Raj becomes the incarnation of John Lennon in another place and time, bringing the messages of his future self into the past where they are received and interpreted with much enthusiasm and gusto, he also faces many conundrums, such as two women who love him and the dilemma of one of them being promised to another.
His reincarnation of the music of the 'Beetos' in this timestream leads to many changes as Ricardo Alexanders provides a satisfying focus on love, fame, complicated situations, and the values of Indian girls and the men who pursue them.
The result is a complex and vivid story that leads Raj/John around the world and across time, probing the unexpected consequences of coming full circle with a story that challenges not only the protagonist's true identity, but the circumstances surrounding John Lennon's life, death, and own incongruities (“You wrote songs imagining no possessions but have millions of dollars and properties everywhere.”).
Readers looking for timeslip sagas that go beyond the usual focus on finding a way back to finding the path to one's identity will relish the very different perspectives that make Bollywood Invasion an engrossing saga that excels in unexpected turns of plot.
April 17, 2019
Bollywood Invasion by Ricardo Alexanders is a unique story with a bit of a science fiction parallel universe twist. The author introduces us to a character named John from the beginning. John is a 16-year-old boy who has a crush on the head jock’s chick and he gets picked on. Of course, the jock’s girlfriend sneers at John and things him lower than gum on her shoe. Well, one morning Fate has a little twist in mind for John and with the help of a major accident…he finds himself thrown back in time and inhabiting the body of an Indian prince. It doesn’t take long for him to settle into his new life and let the games begin!
Bollywood Invasion is the first book that I have read by Ricardo Alexanders and it was an interesting story. I will admit that the blurb had me initially thinking that John (from the Beatles) was actually going to show up in the story and raise a stink as to what John/Raj was doing, but that’s not the case. John/Raj wastes little time in utilizing his advantage of knowing things from the “future” to influence his current “new” life. I find the story equally amusing and quite engaging. I will say that I found it a bit odd at how quickly John acclimates to being Raj. I thought that he’d struggle a bit more with it.
There isn’t much that I can complain about really concerning this book. The characters are mostly well done. The story focuses on John/Raj and only gives the side characters a brief time. I do feel that there are some gaps in the story here and there, but nothing so bad that it detracts from the overall storyline.
I am rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is a fun story, but one can barely call it a sci-fi novel. The references to the Beatles are well done overall and help keep the story light as the main character uses them to try to win over the girl who steals his heart at first sight. If you are looking for an enjoyable novel this is a good choice.
Bollywood Invasion is the first book that I have read by Ricardo Alexanders and it was an interesting story. I will admit that the blurb had me initially thinking that John (from the Beatles) was actually going to show up in the story and raise a stink as to what John/Raj was doing, but that’s not the case. John/Raj wastes little time in utilizing his advantage of knowing things from the “future” to influence his current “new” life. I find the story equally amusing and quite engaging. I will say that I found it a bit odd at how quickly John acclimates to being Raj. I thought that he’d struggle a bit more with it.
There isn’t much that I can complain about really concerning this book. The characters are mostly well done. The story focuses on John/Raj and only gives the side characters a brief time. I do feel that there are some gaps in the story here and there, but nothing so bad that it detracts from the overall storyline.
I am rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is a fun story, but one can barely call it a sci-fi novel. The references to the Beatles are well done overall and help keep the story light as the main character uses them to try to win over the girl who steals his heart at first sight. If you are looking for an enjoyable novel this is a good choice.
July 15, 2018
Thanking the author, Ricardo Alexander for sending me a copy of the ebook, in exchange for an honest review. I actually wanted to read this book, since it was completely different from what I have read before. It was actually like watching a Bollywood movie. A well written, wonderful and unique story, filled with love, passion and humour. It was such fun in reading the book. It can be simply put as where the past meets the future.
As I mentioned earlier, I am so glad that I got the opportunity to read this book. It was a totally unique story. The key characteristics that I found, are as follows;
The story is about the future meeting with the past.
We meet our protagonist, John a sixteen year old college student in Brooklyn, who wakes up one day as Raj, to find wealth and power beyond his wildest dreams, but back in time, 35 years, in India.
Beatles being his favorite band, he re-creates the band as an Indian version. His attempts to bring the band to the top, becomes a hideous task, but despite the challenges, he achieves his goals.
The story was amazing and unique, which I think is the reason behind the success of the story.
The characters were created well, which allows the story to flow in a methodical way.
Reading the made me feel and imagine, like I was watching a Bollywood movie. You can feel the story, unwinding in front of your eyes.
The cultural aspects and life styles of each country adds color to the story.
The story is filled with passion, courage, love and humor but ends with tragedy.
The latter part of the story must be discussed. The way the past re connects with the present is unbelievable. It simply made me say wow!!!!
Overall, intriguing story with a unique plot.
As I mentioned earlier, I am so glad that I got the opportunity to read this book. It was a totally unique story. The key characteristics that I found, are as follows;
The story is about the future meeting with the past.
We meet our protagonist, John a sixteen year old college student in Brooklyn, who wakes up one day as Raj, to find wealth and power beyond his wildest dreams, but back in time, 35 years, in India.
Beatles being his favorite band, he re-creates the band as an Indian version. His attempts to bring the band to the top, becomes a hideous task, but despite the challenges, he achieves his goals.
The story was amazing and unique, which I think is the reason behind the success of the story.
The characters were created well, which allows the story to flow in a methodical way.
Reading the made me feel and imagine, like I was watching a Bollywood movie. You can feel the story, unwinding in front of your eyes.
The cultural aspects and life styles of each country adds color to the story.
The story is filled with passion, courage, love and humor but ends with tragedy.
The latter part of the story must be discussed. The way the past re connects with the present is unbelievable. It simply made me say wow!!!!
Overall, intriguing story with a unique plot.
September 19, 2018
John is a typical teenager who loves listening to music and secretly lusts after a girl at school until his tardiness and lack of concentration lead him into the path of an oncoming bus. He wakes and everyone calls him Raj. He's now in India, it's 1958 and he's a prince!
This is probably the most adventurous book I've picked up this year from a reading perspective. It's an intriguing mix of time-travel, romance and history. Unlike anything I've read before, I enjoyed the inventiveness of the narrative which kept my attention for the duration of the novel. I've purposefully not included any clues about the unexpected journey John/Raj make. This is a novel where diving into the text is the way to go, without any preconceived ideas.
Right from the opening page, I was drawn into John's life. After reading the book blurb, I really had no clue as to how the author would spin his idea and somehow against my reader apprehension it works very well. He's managed to pack a lot into the pages and it flows together beautifully as we follow Raj on an extraordinary life exploration where he finds love, loss and success.
The glossary of terms appears at the end of some chapters, is both useful and very convenient for readers unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary used during the Indian aspect of Raj's life. The use of The Beatles lyrics throughout adds a nostalgic feel.
Overall a wonderful and highly imaginative novel with a broad appeal which contrasts between the past and the present whilst incorporating a fascinating blend of culture and snippets of moments in history.
***arc received courtesy of the publisher via Pure Textuality PR***
This is probably the most adventurous book I've picked up this year from a reading perspective. It's an intriguing mix of time-travel, romance and history. Unlike anything I've read before, I enjoyed the inventiveness of the narrative which kept my attention for the duration of the novel. I've purposefully not included any clues about the unexpected journey John/Raj make. This is a novel where diving into the text is the way to go, without any preconceived ideas.
Right from the opening page, I was drawn into John's life. After reading the book blurb, I really had no clue as to how the author would spin his idea and somehow against my reader apprehension it works very well. He's managed to pack a lot into the pages and it flows together beautifully as we follow Raj on an extraordinary life exploration where he finds love, loss and success.
The glossary of terms appears at the end of some chapters, is both useful and very convenient for readers unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary used during the Indian aspect of Raj's life. The use of The Beatles lyrics throughout adds a nostalgic feel.
Overall a wonderful and highly imaginative novel with a broad appeal which contrasts between the past and the present whilst incorporating a fascinating blend of culture and snippets of moments in history.
***arc received courtesy of the publisher via Pure Textuality PR***
July 2, 2019
Description
A fantasy novel about a modern-day American boy who wakes up in 1958 India as the reincarnation of John Lennon.
Bollywood Invasion opens when the protagonist, a sixteen-years-old boy from Brooklyn, finds himself with riches and power beyond his wildest fantasies in India, thirty-five years before he was born.
Brooklyn is readily forgotten. Life becomes a constant stream of debauchery, coming to a stand-still only when he meets “the one.” However, love doesn’t come easy. He must become a better man, a pursuit ignited by his memories of Beatles songs on his iPod.
Will these legendary songs change his life? Can he escape Lennon’s eventual tragic fate? Will he ever find his way back to Brooklyn? His fate will unfold in Bollywood Invasion.
Bollywood Invasion blends Indian cultural experience, time-travel blend perfectly with the legendary songs from the Beatles.
My Review
This is the first book I have read from this author and I can say I was not disappointed. Not being sure what I was getting myself into I based my interest on the summary of the novel and I was quite pleasantly pleased.
It was an interesting read with twists and lively characters.
This book was provided free in exchange for my honest opinion.
Therefore, I can say that I highly recommend this book and give it a 4 star ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A fantasy novel about a modern-day American boy who wakes up in 1958 India as the reincarnation of John Lennon.
Bollywood Invasion opens when the protagonist, a sixteen-years-old boy from Brooklyn, finds himself with riches and power beyond his wildest fantasies in India, thirty-five years before he was born.
Brooklyn is readily forgotten. Life becomes a constant stream of debauchery, coming to a stand-still only when he meets “the one.” However, love doesn’t come easy. He must become a better man, a pursuit ignited by his memories of Beatles songs on his iPod.
Will these legendary songs change his life? Can he escape Lennon’s eventual tragic fate? Will he ever find his way back to Brooklyn? His fate will unfold in Bollywood Invasion.
Bollywood Invasion blends Indian cultural experience, time-travel blend perfectly with the legendary songs from the Beatles.
My Review
This is the first book I have read from this author and I can say I was not disappointed. Not being sure what I was getting myself into I based my interest on the summary of the novel and I was quite pleasantly pleased.
It was an interesting read with twists and lively characters.
This book was provided free in exchange for my honest opinion.
Therefore, I can say that I highly recommend this book and give it a 4 star ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 13, 2019
If you think this sounds a lot like the upcoming movie Yesterday, you’d be right. The concepts are similar, but not quite the same.
Bollywood Invasion mostly stays true to the Beatles success story, yet the romance between Raj and Ankita is very much a Bollywood style love story. This mix may sound strange, but it works well and I had fun reading Bollywood Invasion.
John’s transition to living Raj’s life is coupled with a lot of confusion and he blatantly takes advantage of the privileges of his new circumstances. Raj is popular, rich, and untouchable, and it’s interesting to see how this corrupts his morals in the first part of the novel. It’s just as interesting to read how he turns his life around, even if love at first sight is the catalyst for his transformation. While it does work in the story, I felt Priyanka’s acceptance of Raj’s feelings for Ankita was a little too easy.
Alexanders’ pacing is good as Raj/John uses Beatles songs to raise his college band, the Beetos, to equally phenomenal success. The conclusion is clever and bittersweet all at once.
Bollywood Invasion is a fun and touching novel for Beatles and time travel fans.
Book provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review
Bollywood Invasion mostly stays true to the Beatles success story, yet the romance between Raj and Ankita is very much a Bollywood style love story. This mix may sound strange, but it works well and I had fun reading Bollywood Invasion.
John’s transition to living Raj’s life is coupled with a lot of confusion and he blatantly takes advantage of the privileges of his new circumstances. Raj is popular, rich, and untouchable, and it’s interesting to see how this corrupts his morals in the first part of the novel. It’s just as interesting to read how he turns his life around, even if love at first sight is the catalyst for his transformation. While it does work in the story, I felt Priyanka’s acceptance of Raj’s feelings for Ankita was a little too easy.
Alexanders’ pacing is good as Raj/John uses Beatles songs to raise his college band, the Beetos, to equally phenomenal success. The conclusion is clever and bittersweet all at once.
Bollywood Invasion is a fun and touching novel for Beatles and time travel fans.
Book provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review
September 13, 2018
Bollywood invasion is a fictional story about a boy going back in time and living his dream. John Palmieri finds himself as a prince named, Raj Scindia in India.
I particularly enjoyed where Raj starts his own band. His attempt at gaining the attention and love of his girl was also intriguing to read.
Being a prince is not so bad when he gets to do whatever he wants with an endless amount of money, opportunities, and fun.
The story time is set in 1958. John has some learning to do which causes him some loss in 1968. The conflict between the two characters stands out as Raj and John, trying to understand who he really is. It takes him until 1980 when he finally meets someone that changes his perspective.
The book contains many aspects of storylines covering romance, fiction, and a
little fantasy. There wasn’t much backstory to go with the plot but, instead, it
contained a decent amount of world description. This caused the story and the
concept of the plot to be authentic.
I believe anyone that enjoys a solid read on a fun novel with an added time travel concept would enjoy this book.
I particularly enjoyed where Raj starts his own band. His attempt at gaining the attention and love of his girl was also intriguing to read.
Being a prince is not so bad when he gets to do whatever he wants with an endless amount of money, opportunities, and fun.
The story time is set in 1958. John has some learning to do which causes him some loss in 1968. The conflict between the two characters stands out as Raj and John, trying to understand who he really is. It takes him until 1980 when he finally meets someone that changes his perspective.
The book contains many aspects of storylines covering romance, fiction, and a
little fantasy. There wasn’t much backstory to go with the plot but, instead, it
contained a decent amount of world description. This caused the story and the
concept of the plot to be authentic.
I believe anyone that enjoys a solid read on a fun novel with an added time travel concept would enjoy this book.
July 18, 2018
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I got a copy of this book from the author. I was so happy when it came in the mail. It is a retelling of a tale some of us already know. It follows the adventure of a teen who is late for school that he is hit by a bus and wakes not only in another body but another time. He is a prince in India in 1958. He does not understand it after first and he meets a girl and that changes everything for him. Her father does not approve him and sends her away. He has to do something and he and his friends for a band. It does not go so well at first but then he starts to remember things from his other life and they start to get notice with the song Yesterday. He wants fame and fortune for his friends and that will give him a chance to find the girl. How that all works out you are going to have to read for yourself. I did like who the author put little explanations at the book of the page with a number so you would what things meant. It made the story flow and more enjoyable. A story that is should to become a classic in its own right.
December 8, 2018
Good and unique read
I found that Bollywood Invasion was a truly unique and interesting read. I'm not sure if it's time-travel or some type of incarnation that allows the main character "John/Raj" transform into a new body, back in time. There are some great Beatle's references, but it isn't what I thought it would be. With that said, the story was unique and interesting, and I enjoyed it. Some parts of the story didn't flow well, or were a bit confusing, but I looked at this story as something very new, and I did enjoy it.
I found that Bollywood Invasion was a truly unique and interesting read. I'm not sure if it's time-travel or some type of incarnation that allows the main character "John/Raj" transform into a new body, back in time. There are some great Beatle's references, but it isn't what I thought it would be. With that said, the story was unique and interesting, and I enjoyed it. Some parts of the story didn't flow well, or were a bit confusing, but I looked at this story as something very new, and I did enjoy it.
November 4, 2020
This is a crazy ride. You don't need to be a fan of John, Paul, Ringo and George to enjoy it.
One thing I found REALLY irritating was the translation of Indian words/phrases at the end of most chapters. Whilst ok in a text book it's def. not so good in a novel. The author could have used them in situ without much effort instead of many pages later.
Other than that I'd love to know what happened to the original Raj. Did he find himself in Johns body in modern NYC?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
One thing I found REALLY irritating was the translation of Indian words/phrases at the end of most chapters. Whilst ok in a text book it's def. not so good in a novel. The author could have used them in situ without much effort instead of many pages later.
Other than that I'd love to know what happened to the original Raj. Did he find himself in Johns body in modern NYC?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 18, 2019
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This book is CRAZY! A wild ride involving royalty, time-travel, and the Beatles, Ricardo Alexanders' Bollywood Invasion is wonderfully trippy, like a cup of psychedelic tea. For a Beatles fan who is also a time travel fan, this was the perfect storm of storytelling!
August 2, 2018
Well that was a whirlwind trip I must say. I loved it. This is a must have for any time travelling shelf.
See full review here
https://gszengarden.wixsite.com/mylit...
See full review here
https://gszengarden.wixsite.com/mylit...
August 2, 2020
Quirky time-travel/reincarnation in reverse where we have two lives in one and a Beatles vibe thrown in for good measure. Can both get the happy ending they want or will it be more like souls finding a way back to each other through time? Well it's either that or John has a very creative imagination for an alternate life after hitting his head.
John is a sixteen year old who on the way to school gets into an accident. When he wakes up he has no idea where he is and soon finds out that he is no longer ‘who’ he is either. Seems he is somehow in the body of Raj, an older prince from 1958 (50 years ago for him), but having no clue how it could be. With no way of getting home it doesn't take him long to embrace this new life and soon lose the idea of being John by becoming Raj. A rebellious prince of sorts who is a bit of a ladies man, which helps ‘John’ find a new confidence with friends and the opposite sex. He might take a few wrong turns along the way but soon all changes when he meets Ankita. Love at first sight or kindred spirits?
One sure way to get her attention is with the magic of music and with the help of his school friends they decide to start a band. Might not start well but that all changes after they hear him hum a song they've never heard – that being Yesterday by The Beatles. Seems his knowledge of the future and love for The Beatles comes in handy with “creating” new music for his band Beestos, making the band a success is almost full proof. Nice that some take a bit of a twist with his world and who he wants to be singing for. Can he find a way to woo Ankita, show he’s worthy of her and that he would be true to her alone?
Love all the little nods to The Beatles true timeline when key events happened for them. Raj’s band mates are even asked to pick more industry sounding names for the members – can you guess the ones they choose? Might be tempting fate a little too much with the fact that Raj chooses John. Can he escape John’s fate and get the women of his dreams or has that been all this was, a dream?
Interesting mix of characters throughout and creative story from a new angle with plenty of the true Beatles vibes too. You may start humming along with the tunes when they pop up. A quirky alternate reality within that is worth checking out.
3.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.
John is a sixteen year old who on the way to school gets into an accident. When he wakes up he has no idea where he is and soon finds out that he is no longer ‘who’ he is either. Seems he is somehow in the body of Raj, an older prince from 1958 (50 years ago for him), but having no clue how it could be. With no way of getting home it doesn't take him long to embrace this new life and soon lose the idea of being John by becoming Raj. A rebellious prince of sorts who is a bit of a ladies man, which helps ‘John’ find a new confidence with friends and the opposite sex. He might take a few wrong turns along the way but soon all changes when he meets Ankita. Love at first sight or kindred spirits?
One sure way to get her attention is with the magic of music and with the help of his school friends they decide to start a band. Might not start well but that all changes after they hear him hum a song they've never heard – that being Yesterday by The Beatles. Seems his knowledge of the future and love for The Beatles comes in handy with “creating” new music for his band Beestos, making the band a success is almost full proof. Nice that some take a bit of a twist with his world and who he wants to be singing for. Can he find a way to woo Ankita, show he’s worthy of her and that he would be true to her alone?
Love all the little nods to The Beatles true timeline when key events happened for them. Raj’s band mates are even asked to pick more industry sounding names for the members – can you guess the ones they choose? Might be tempting fate a little too much with the fact that Raj chooses John. Can he escape John’s fate and get the women of his dreams or has that been all this was, a dream?
Interesting mix of characters throughout and creative story from a new angle with plenty of the true Beatles vibes too. You may start humming along with the tunes when they pop up. A quirky alternate reality within that is worth checking out.
3.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.
April 7, 2019
Wow, what a flight of fancy has the author taken in this book. I was really amazed by the concept. To be honest when I picked up this book with Bollywood in its title written by a non-Indian sounding author's name, I was sure I was going to come across some misguided and misunderstood concept of Bollywood but it has nothing to do with Bollywood, the Indian movie industry that churns out movies like there is no tomorrow. Instead, this book is a fusion of East and West in an alternate universe. Just to tickle your fantasy, imagine your favorite movie celebrity(western) or your favorite music band (western) originating from India and what their life would have been in that case. Without giving out too much, in my opinion this book is thoroughly enjoyable and unlike some books that are written with one type of audience in mind and are hard to understand by someone on the other end of the spectrum, this book is sure to be understood by both eastern and western audiences.
April 17, 2019
What an unusual story. This was very well executed as well as unpredictable. This has a good plot, interesting characters, and good dialog, which check all the boxed for me. Recommended for sci fi and time travel fans.
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
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