Get ready to enter the world of micro-financing corruption!, May 10, 2015, by Richard and Liz

This review is from: Where Angels Prey (Kindle Edition)

Review Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RZAEHA37L0NHH/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=9384439371

Starting in September 2010 and ending in August 2011, you will read a story that could actually be truth not fiction. For the reader who has no previous knowledge of micro-financing you might find this all a little tough to follow. At times, I felt the storyline got a little bogged down with all the details, sometimes reading more like a history book. On the other hand it was essential to understand the past in order to comprehend what was going on in the present. There are also a great number of characters introduced in this book in varying parts of the world.

As to the story, the stock of SAMMAAN Microfinance is now officially listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, a cause for great celebration or is it? Bob, a senior economics correspondent for the New York Post sees a story coming out of all this. As he plans a trip to India, he gets a chance to be present at a speech given by Prasad Kamimeni, Founder Chairman of SAMMAAN in Boston, before he leaves. Bob is skeptical as to whether the micro-financing is actually changing lives. He arranges to meet Prasad in India. Once he has arrived, Bob is surprised to see his journalist friend Chandresh whom he has been trying to get hold of for the last two weeks. What can they uncover together?

Throughout the book the reader is taken to India and into different homes and situations which allows you to see the corruption and thus desperation first hand. Pressure begins to mount as more and more suicides are reported. Can Bob, Chandresh and other upright people make a difference?

This is a well-written, clean book that is not too long of a read. It is not what I would call a thriller as it really doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat. In some ways I would like to class it as historical fiction but as the story only occurred in the last few years and could still be going on today that is not the right genre either! Well worth a read and may give you the desire to look into the truth a little more closely.

Please note that I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thanks, Liz

Thriller in the world of finance.., May 9, 2015, by Amazon Customer

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This review is from: Where Angels Prey (Paperback)

Review Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2SKP2GR4MHYVZ/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=9384439371  

Where Angels Prey is a thriller set in the financial world of microfinance institutions in India. Set during the latest financial crisis in 2010, journalist Robert Bradlee is looking for a story and investigates why the world of microfinance institutions is so lucrative while other businesses are failing. What he finds blows the lid off of these micro loan companies that are unregulated and use less than honourable methods to collect on the debts. The poor citizens of India take out small loans for various reasons from these companies, mainly SAMMAAN, and when they can’t pay the loans back they are so harassed that many are driven to suicide. The closer the truth is to coming out, the more desperate the microfinance companies become and people’s lives become endangered. I know very little about microfinance institutions. Before reading this book I thought they were a good idea for the poorer countries but this story made them seem scary. The story itself is fast paced and entertaining and the fact that it has me wondering if things like this are happening has me intrigued. Some of the financial terms were over my head and it’s obvious the author knows his topic. The characters are well rounded and thought out. The characters exhibited the differences between the Indian culture and the Western culture in very subtle ways which also added to the complexity of each one. This I also found quite fascinating. The writing flows quite well and the story moves from chapter to chapter easily with no confusion. Formatted for both an ereader and a paperback, the digital version worked well on my ereader. The cover was neither here nor there but I loved the title. This is an exciting book to read and I think it would be especially enjoyed by those familiar with the world of finance.

Great Global Finance Drama, May 9, 2015, by Ebienic

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This review is from: Where Angels Prey (Kindle Edition)

Review Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R3429GHBEYYGF7/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=9384439371

Bob has a nose for a story, and something about Prasad Kamenini doesn’t smell right. Sure, his company, SAAMAN is hailed as the cure for poverty in India, thanks to his microlending program and innate ability to help foreign investors part with hefty sums to aid the poverty relief for some of the poorest of the poor, but Bob is convinced there’s more than he’s telling. Maybe even more of the extra-legal variety, and not particularly helpful to the poor, to the point of hurting the most vulnerable. Armed with a global list of contacts and aided by his good friend and Indian reporter Chandresh, Bob dives into the world of microfinance, and what he finds is about as far from angelic as you can get.

Where Angels Prey tells an intricate tale of corruption, and one the Western world needs to hear. While there is nothing inherently wrong with microfinance, it is not always monitored and distributed properly, and can sometimes replace a broken system with an even more broken one. While a sometimes complicated story, it is worth it to delve deeper into the issues, particularly from a non-Western perspective. I know that it opened my eyes to issues and practices I was not aware of, and I appreciate that immensely. Overall the story was very compelling and the issue very real in the modern world.

The microfinance industry’s founding principle was to ensure access to affordable finance for the poor of India., May 4, 2015, By, Julie Baswell

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This review is from: Where Angels Prey (Kindle Edition)

Review Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RSL52CQKDLOFC/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=9384439371  

The microfinance industry’s founding principle was to ensure access to affordable finance for the poor of India. Trouble was, the ones in office abused their power by giving loan after loan, with no care that the poor were increasingly unable to repay. This in turn caused hopelessness and a rash of suicides. Unknown to these leaders, they were being investigated by two reporting correspondents, as well as the District Magistrate. Even with proof, the DM is held back from making arrests.

This made for an entertaining fictional story, loosely based on true events. I felt sorrow for the devastatingly poor people. Their hopelessness had me depressed, and I couldn’t wait to see them get justice. The smooth writing style had me reading nonstop to the end. The plot was easy to follow, with strong characters. I really liked the DM in particular. She had spunk. And of course, the climax was totally unexpected. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick, interesting read.

Amazing, March 26, 2015, by Renita

This review is from: Where Angels Prey (Paperback)

Review Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2I2DYLZNEK35U/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=9384439371  

Wow, what an amazing, engaging, honest, searing tale! I absolutely adored this book. I started to read it and I was hooked. I could not put it down until I reached the end. A completely believable and mind boggling eyeopener of a tale of greed, corruption and altruism and its effect on the desperately poor. Beautifully written, with not one word out of place, it gives a very clear and scary picture of what could and does go wrong in India today. An amazing book which will stay with me.