Blog Tour, ARC Book Review and Giveaway: The First Life of Vikram Roy (Ruby Iyer Series #1.5) by Laxmi Hariharan
Welcome to the excerpt tour and release event for The First Life of Vikram Roy by Laxmi Hariharan! The First Life of Vikram Roy is book #1.5 of the Ruby Iyer Series, but can be read as a stand alone novella.
All proceeds in September got from the selling of the books in this series go to Save the Children charity.
About Ruby Iyer Diaries (Book #0.5):
Read my Review of Ruby Iyer Diaries: Click Here
With over 100, 5 and 4 star reviews across Amazon, Goodreads and Netgalley, don’t miss this chance to get your copy of THE MANY LIVES OF RUBY IYER. At 99p/c & Rs 69 for this week only.
This is BOOK 1 in the Ruby Iyer series. A YA ACTION THRILLER with strong dystopian undertones, and a kick-ass protagonist, taking you on a white knuckle ride through a disintegrating Bombay City. It’s also placed as FINALIST Indie Excellence Awards 2015 & as YOUNG ADULT FINALIST in the 2015 IAN Book of the Year Awards.
A girl desperate to rescue her best friend. A cop willing to do anything to save the city he serves. A delusional doctor bent on annihilation. A terrifying encounter propels Ruby Iyer from her everyday commute into a battle for her own survival. Trusting her instincts, she fights for what she believes in, led on a mysterious path between life and death on the crowded roads of Bombay; and when her best friend is kidnapped by the despotic Dr Braganza, she will do anything to rescue him. Anything, including taking the help of the sexy Vikram Roy, a cop-turned-rogue, on a mission to save Bombay. The city needs all the help it can get, and these two are the only thing standing between its total destruction by Dr Braganza’s teen army.
As Bombay falls apart, will Ruby be able to save her friend and the city? Will she finally discover her place in a city where she has never managed to fit in? And what about her growing feelings for Vikram?
His family is being held to ransom by a deadly mastermind.
Vikram never should have left his family, but when Vikram’s father bring his half-brother Vishal home, life will never be the same.
Vikram thinks things will be better now that he’s gone. He’s met the love of his life, his future looks bright and then everything is shattered.
Now, his family’s life is hanging in the balance, and only Vikram can do what needs to be done to save them.
From the bestselling dystopian fiction author with over 200 reviews and ratings of her dystopia books across Goodreads, Amazon and other retailers.
“A killer ending and the pacing of the story and the build-up is really good. I related to Vikram, really liked it.” Richard Sheehan, Author and editor
“I raced through the book… And the killer ending! Oh my God! It left me with a hangover, and makes me want to physically push the author to write the next book in the series faster.” Ritesh Kala, Book reviewer & blogger
If you’re looking for books like Hunger Games, then this dystopia romance, The Ruby Iyer Series.
My ARC Book Review of The First Life of Vikram Roy (Book #1.5)
The First Life of Vikram Roy is the backstory of Vikram Roy before he met Ruby in The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer. In this book, the readers get an insight into Vik’s childhood and the events in his adult life that shape him in to sharp cop-turned-rogue that we meet in The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer book.
I loved reading this book which very efficiently filled gaps in my understanding of Vik’s nature and helped me understand his actions in the other book. Just like Ruby Iyer Diaries that shed light on Ruby’s childhood and her life before the events of The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer book, this book too is like a prequel to the main book.
The story is crisp, expertly narrated and had me engaged throughout. I felt connected to the emotions felt by the characters in this book and empathetic to Vikram’s plight when he saw his parents fighting, his stepbrother drifting away and the mysterious events that are rapidly changing his life.
Laxmi’s writing skills have definitely sharpened from her first book and I enjoyed her style of telling the story where she brought the sights, smells and the feel of Bombay right to me through the book. The scenes had me intrigued, glued to the pages and eager to know what happened next.
The characters are multi dimensional and I loved reading about the relationships and the gradual development of these relationships that shape the story and take it forward. There are layers to the characters that had me analyzing and assessing their behaviour which is quite fun and a definitely additional appeal to this book.
After reading this book, I think I’ll reread The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer because now I think I have a better understanding of the protagonists Ruby and Vikram.
So if you havent started on this series yet then I suggest you start with Ruby Iyer Diaries and then go to The First Life of Vikram Roy and The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer.
However, despite being part of a series, the book can be read as a standalone story.
A very interesting Dystopian thriller that I heartily enjoyed reading, I give this book 4 stars out of 5 and recommend it and the series to all mystery, thriller, adventure and Dystopia lovers. I am eager to next the book and can’t wait to know what happens next!
Laxmi is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
I received the ARC of the book from the author and the tour organizers and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
to unbutton my shirt, Ash looks at me with raised eyebrows.
fist and use it to break off the jagged pieces of glass on the pane. Then,
pushing my arm through the square, I open the lock of the window from inside.
Opening it, I grab hold of the window ledge and heave myself over, falling over
promptly on the other side.
dust which streams over my face, I tell Ash, “Come on to the front
door.”
which is placed across it. Pleased when it comes away in my hand, I open the
door, panting with the exertion of pulling at the heavy wood. Then, grinning, I
bow to Ash, who is standing at the threshold.
It’s gloomy inside but the moon is bright enough to light up the way. Ash
follows me as I walk past an overturned chair, a large settee covered in
plastic, and take in the paintings on the wall.
moving any of their possessions out,” she says. Holding my hand, she drags
me to the staircase.
steps, then, I hear something.
the building.
unmistakeable noise of nails dragging on the wooden floor. We look at each
other wide-eyed. A chill runs up my back, and the hairs on my forearms spring
upright.
wickedly, Ash leaps ahead and runs, dragging me along.
admit.
door leading to the room on the far side. Once again, there’s the sound of
dragging footsteps. I swallow nervously in the darkness, but chivalry gets the
better of me and I walk ahead, pushing Ash behind me.
as unafraid as she makes out to be. We slip into the room. The shadows here are
darker, and it takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust. Then I hear a low
growl and the padding sound comes towards me, a flash of black and yellow
spots.
with my body just as a leopard leaps past us, making for the door.
look up to the door and am relieved to find there’s no sign of the leopard.
Ash’s body is shaking below mine. Her heart, too, is thumping hard, slamming
against me. I can’t tell where her pulse stops and mine begins.
seizure, or worse. Her face is scrunched up.
high-pitched.
finally and I realise she is laughing, silently. At me. Again.
Not today.
completely.
of my legs is between hers. My thigh brushes against her frock-covered midriff.
The heat rushes at me through the cloth. I am surrounded by her smell.
Awareness comes into her eyes at the same time. Her laughter dies and the blue
of her eyes dart fire at me.
up.
to taste them, slant my lips across her mouth. Bending down, I touch my lips to
hers. Her breath tastes like oranges. And chocolate. She flings her arms around
me and rams my body to her’s with fierce strength. It feels as if she’s
vibrating, as if the shudders are running up her body and down mine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
She almost died. But when dystopia romance author Laxmi Hariharan had a near death experience, she was told to write. Laxmi is the creator of dystopian romance series, RUBY IYER SERIES (The MANY LIVES OF VIKRAM ROY – FINALIST Indie Excellence Awards, the bestselling The RUBY IYER DIARIES , The FIRST LIFE OF VIKRAM ROY, The SECOND LIFE OF RUBY IYER & VIKRAM ROY, PANKY’s FIRST LIFE), and the Amazon bestselling, eLit Gold winner, The Destiny of Shaitan (Bombay Chronicles, 1). If you’re looking for books like Divergent and Angelfall, you’ll love the RUBY IYER SERIES.
Laxmi writes books similar to Hunger Games while listening to electronica & progressive rock, and downing innumerable cups of extra sweet ginger-chai. She is also an avid photographer of street art and believes she was a tree — a redwood — in her past life. London is where she creates. Bombay is what fires her imagination.
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