My Thoughts:
The Good Boy Syndrome: A peculiar feature of being a man in the Indian context is a book that brings together observations and psychological thought to paint a picture of Men, specifically The Good Boy in the Indian context (as of course mentioned by the title).
The book is not an absolute explanation for the behaviour of The Good Boy, rather, it sets up a framework that provides ample food for thought. The book provokes the reader to pause and think, contemplate on the ideas and sometimes even derive their own conclusions, based on the facts presented. The author seeks to provide context in different settings and scenarios while also touching upon TA and other concepts of psychology.
The author’s style of writing is unique in that it is conversational, as though the author and the reader are talking to one another, discussing the various topics in a comfortable setting. The various examples help to clarify the various trains of thought. With a focus on The Good Boy and the qualities of TGB, the author also introduces the reader to the different alternatives and variations, for example, The Ungood Boy, and so on. This provides a contrast to the different qualities and natures, bringing to us a more concrete picture in a context that is so familiar and relatable.
The chapter that spoke to me the most was the one focused on The Good Boy in corporate settings and the ways in which he would navigate the different levels of the corporate structure. This chapter, uniquely expressed through conversations with different people, brings together diverse points of views. Together, they express different opinions which when brought together, demonstrate an overall picture of who The Good Boy is in the corporate world, and the kind of changes needed in the future to fit into the context of today’s world. Being in a corporate setting myself, my immediate thought was to put myself, the people around me and even those I interact with, in the different scenarios and imagine how they unfold and even evolve.
It is easy to relate to this book and there is a lot to learn from it. For me, personally, it helped to take a step back and look at people with a little more understanding, to pause before reacting and perhaps be a tad bit more sensitive to a person’s situation. The book helps to set context to people’s reactions and in the end could help foster better relationships. It is not easy to answer the why to behaviour, nor is it ideal to generalize the same, but setting a context or framework to understand certain behavioural traits helps to recognize and perhaps even empathize before reacting. This, in my opinion, is how The Good Boy Syndrome can bring about positive change and more simply provoke conversation and change of thought!
About the Book:
What do you get if you mix Harry Potter with Fourth Wing, Zodiac Academy, a dash of Arthurian legend, and lots and lots of vampires? Bloodwing Academy.
PLEASE NOTE: Bloodwing Academy has dark themes and content interspersed with lighthearted moments. Please consult the full Trigger Warnings list found inside the book.
I didn’t sign up for this.
A half-fae in a school of highblood vampires? That’s a recipe for torment.
I’m Medra Pendragon—last of the dragon riders, or so they tell me. Funny thing is, there are no dragons left. Not a single one. But somehow, that hasn’t stopped the vampires from deciding I’m worth capturing. Now I’m stuck at Bloodwing Academy, where the highbloods run everything and blightborn like me? We’re just blood in their veins, pawns in their games.
But that’s not even the worst part. Enter Blake Drakharrow. Cold, arrogant, and way too gorgeous for his own good. He’s been tormenting me since the moment we met, and now, thanks to some ancient ritual, we’re betrothed. He acts like he owns me, but I’m not going down without a fight.
Bloodwing isn’t just a school—it’s a battlefield. Highbloods fight for power, and if you’re weak? You’re dead.
Between deadly competitions, lies that could get me executed, and a dragon-shaped secret looming over my head, all I have to do is survive. Easy, right? Except I’m starting to think the real danger isn’t the academy—it’s what I’m becoming in this twisted game of power.
And Blake? He might just be the one who pushes me over the edge.
They think they can control me. They think they can use me.
But they have no idea what they’ve awakened.
Bestselling epic fantasy author Briar Boleyn returns with a new series perfect for fans of hate to love romance, heart-pounding action, and dark magic.
On Wings of Blood is a dark academia fantasy romance featuring a bully villain with Draco Malfoy energy who (eventually) gets the girl, all the tension and banter, and a tantalizingly dangerous blend of court and school intrigue all set in an intricately crafted world with unique vampire and dragon lore. If you’re a fan of original mythology, unique world-building, and character-driven romantasy books such as Crowns of Nyaxia, From Blood and Ash, and A Court of Thorns and Roses, you won’t want to miss out on this riveting new saga.
My Thoughts:
A new series that follows the ending of the Blood of a Fae series, where we left Pendrath at the end of a war and the hope that it was saved in the end and everyone is safe.
On Wings of Blood starts off following the events of the previous series, Medra Pendragon awakes to find herself in a completely new world, one inhabited by Highborns (vampires) and blightborn (including humans, dragons, and dwarves). Thrown into an unknown world, having to deal with an unexpected connection with her mother, Medra is forced to navigate the friendships, relationships, and hatred of the people around her. This is a story of unexpected meetings, intertwined fates and a FMC who kicks ass whenever possible.
This new series from the author has reminders of so many of our favourite tropes and stories brought together with a fresh outlook. This makes the start of this series more interesting and engaging. The characters in the story are interesting and each is different from the other, making it a wonderful ensemble. They each add a new dimension to the plot and provide wonderful support to Medra. The story is filled with adventure, mystery, magic, romance and of course the supernatural. The story is engaging and will keep the reader hooked until the very end.
I have enjoyed reading books by the author and love her style of writing. Her books are written in a way to draw the reader in and keep them waiting for more. The endings are perfectly set up to usher in the next book in the series, giving the reader just enough information to know what to expect but throwing in one or two twists that they didn’t see coming.
About the Book:
Not all is as it seems
Not every dream is meant to be
Sometimes the monsters dwell within
A Chimeric Vampire’s Tale is a New Adult urban fantasy story. It is Book 2 in The Origin Chronicles.
Chimera—a mythical being of incongruous parts; an organism of different genetic components; a thing hoped for, an unrealizable dream
True Blood vampires have existed since the dawn of Man, but Mel is the First Chimera. A vampire who was made, not born. Long thought dead, he’s back for vengeance with an agenda fatal to all who stand in his way.
His goal? Evolution.
The price? A mass culling, to force this change upon all vampires.
Henry is a True Blood. Cheng is an ancient Chimera.
Brought together, they must fight Mel. Or the world as they know it will be altered forever.
What lengths will Henry and Cheng go to achieve their agendas? Will Mel attain the vengeance he thirsts for?
Or will all their goals prove to be a chimera?