Today’s blog post is on the poetry collection Let’s Talk About Love, by Ajay Ramanathan.
I received a Review Copy of this book from the author in exchange for a written review.All opinions expressed are my own.
Never has something captured our imagination more than the four-letter word- ‘LOVE’. While the idea of love has been portrayed in pop culture throughout the years, it has also been a source of confusion, disappointment, depravity and even violence.
Via prose, this book attempts to examine the concept of love and the various ways in which it is manifested in our daily life.
The poetry book I ended up reading in between the transition from January to February was this one. And I have a few conflicting thoughts on this.
Let’s Talk About Love, by Ajay Ramanathan
The overarching theme was of love in its various degrees and shades – the poet wrote of platonic love of romantic love, of darker versions of obsessive and controlling love, fidelity or the lack thereof, death of friendships, and so on. However, while I did try to keep an open mind, some of the poems just came off as sexist and misogynistic and almost bordering on abuse. I was unsure if the poet believed it to be so or simply tried to portray what he imagined to be the manner of thinking of some people in the world. In this matter, I tried to give the poet the benefit of the doubt. Some of these poems really made me uncomfortable. Nevertheless, they then evolved to the love a mother has for her children, and the love a people have for their mother nation.
On the Writing in Let’s Talk About Love
Coming to the writing, I think it could have gone through another round of editing. I found the language used to be abrupt and lacking in sync. There was a lack of cohesion that could have been looked into. Overall, I am not sure if I would recommend this to anyone without further revisions.
Today’s blog post is on the recently released thriller novelCoincidence of Spies. By Brian Landers, it is Book 3 in The Dylan Series! Spoiler Alert: I totally loved it!
I received a Review Copy of this book from the publisher as part of my participation in their tour.All opinions expressed are my own.
Coincidence of Spies I Blog Tour
Winter 1981. Poland is in turmoil. The Communist regime is close to collapse and the CIA wants to help it on its way. They ask for MI6 assistance but insist the MI6 Station in Warsaw is not involved. Why not? And who will the Americans accept? MI6 agent Thomas Dylan is sent from Moscow. His wife has just witnessed a murder and the Russian authorities want her out of the country. But when Thomas and Julia arrive in Warsaw the bullets start to fly. Two American agents disappear near the Polish lakes, a terrified Polish sailor jumps ship in Middlesbrough and a Polish peasant claims to have found the lost crown of a medieval King. Somebody needs to work out what’s happening. And quickly. Because back in London a KGB killer is on the loose.
Over the past few days I had to opportunity to delve into what I had always thought of James Bond’s world. In the political thriller Coincidence Of Spies I went on interrogation runs with Dylan Thomas, saw the world and inner workings (also internal politics) of the legendary agencies such as the MI5, MI6, CIA and so on, in various degrees! Thanks to RedDoor Books for having me on this tour!
Coincidence of Spies
Okay first off, Landers has done a lot of research! The historical events from the time are intertwined with the storyline and it adds a layer of authenticity to the story. As a reader, I also had great fun reading about these spies, the agencies and the way they worked. The hierarchy, the internal pecking order, the internal politics, it just made it all look very real. As I read the book I realized that I had always viewed these agents (of whatever agency they hail from) as robots, devoid of feelings and stone cold operatives. But this book really opened my eyes and made me change my perspective. They are normal humans like us (but of course can defend themselves, maybe shoot a few times without a sweat, and are actually trained in diplomacy as well apart from espionage) and as such the emotions they have are very humane. This book truly helped humanize these people in my eyes.
As for the plot, oh my my! It was really well done. Oftentimes thrillers tend to have abrupt pace change and it muddles the reader. But COS hit the nail on the head. It was perfectly paced, with sufficient time to let the mystery boil amidst the interrogations, the discussions, the diplomatic talks, household discussions and of course the action sequences. Overall, I cannot gush enough about this book. I would advise the reader to go slow because all the agencies and the names can get a bit confusing but I assure you, one soon gets the hang of it. But do pick it up soon!
Today’s blog post is on the recently released romance novel More Than We Bargained For. By Fiona West, it is Book 4 in her Timber Falls series! Spoiler Alert: I totally loved it!
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from the publisher and Caffeine Book Tours as part of my participation in their tour.All opinions expressed are my own.
More Than We Bargained For, by Fiona West
More Than We Bargained For, by Fiona West
Wanted: renter for rural Oregon mountain lodge. Single mom divorcees named Starla preferred.
Starla Moore despises a mystery, and there’s no bigger mystery than Sawyer Devereaux. He comes into the library on Thursdays like clockwork, but rarely talks to anyone else. Not that she despises him; after all, he’s easy on the eyes, quick-witted, and that Southern accent makes her swoon. But in the midst of a divorce, her only romance is the bookish kind. Worst of all, crashing with her bestie won’t be an option soon, especially since her final fling with her husband had one very specific unintended consequence…
Regaining consciousness with his head in the cute librarian’s lap was a rude awakening; Sawyer thought his health problems were under control. Sans driver’s license, there’s no way he can live in his little cabin alone…or keep up with the anonymous book donations he’s been leaving to make Starla smile. When he finds out she’s struggling financially, he proposes a trade: his housing for her driving. Surely he can keep his feelings a secret for a few more months…
He’s given up on his dreams; she’s just figuring hers out. When the rumors start, will it push these two misfits together…or drive one of them out of Timber Falls for good?
With perfect banter and writing, West’s fourth novel in the Timber Falls series, More Than We Bargained for, pulls you right in.
For a person who has recently found discovered a love for adult romances, More Than We Bargained For, was a welcome surprise. I loved the small town setting, the meddling neighbours, clingy ex, and the temperamental children! It was their loveliness (and annoying nature, at times), that truly made the difference and gave this book such a a heartwarming vibe.
Starla is a recently divorced mom of two young kids. Unfortunately, she is now down on her luck. As such, all of the difficulties she faces, and the way she reacts to them, makes her so real. As I read on, I couldn’t help but chuckle remembering the impulsive decisions I have made in my life, all the meddling I’ve had to face from my relatives and friends. And it made me feel so close to Starla!
Here is a peek at the picture I clicked for this book – Giving Starla a desi twist in my purple sari! To see more such pictures, check out my Bookstagram account!
More Than We Bargained For, by Fiona West
Sawyer and depiction of a chronic illness
As for Sawyer, he is a lovely man. I think More Than We Bargained For has to be the second book I have read, which features a protagonist with a chronic illness, the first being in The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. There are so many layers to him and I loved getting to know him more and more, as I read on. Well, to be perfectly honest, I was moping and indulging in self-pity, totally jealous of Starla for landing this wonderful man, hah!
Let’s talk about another aspect – the kids. In many books, the kids are either too obedient and hardly ever cause any trouble (so not realistic), or not in the picture at all! I was quite happy with the way they were portrayed in this book – sweet, often surly, and naughty. Having raised almost 10 cousins and a sibling, I should know! I quite enjoyed their bantering too. And their relationship with Sawyer – oh my my! My ovaries were cooing.
Verdict:
Before I turn this blog post into a love letter for Sawyer, I shall take my leave. But not before stressing on how much I enjoyed reading More Than We Bargained For! I am thinking of picking up the first book in this series so stay tuned for that one too! I rather More Than We Bargained For a 4/5 stars.
Today I am talking about the much-awaited sequel in The Burnt Empire Saga, by Ashok K Banker. An epic-fantasy based on our very own epic – the Mahabharata!
A Dark Queen Rises, Book 2 of The Burnt Empire Saga
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog post also contains a review copy that was sent to me by the publisher. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
In a world where demigods and demons walk among mortals, the emperor of the vast Burnt Empire has died, leaving a turbulent realm without a leader. Two young princes, Adri and Shvate, are in line to rule but birthright does not guarantee inheritance: Any successor must sit upon the legendary Burning Throne and pass The Test of Fire. Imbued with dark sorceries, the throne is a crucible that incinerates the unworthy.
Adri and Shvate are not the sole heirs to the empire, there is another with a claim to power, another who also survives. When this girl, whose father is the powerful demonlord Jarsun, is denied her claim by the interim leaders, Jarsun declares war, vowing to tear the Burnt Empire apart – leaving the young princes Adri and Shvate to rule a shattered realm embroiled in rebellion and chaos.
I read the first book in this series quite some time ago and from what I remember, that book concentrated quite a bit on the world-building aspect and the construction of the setting. It revolved around the princes and the royal families and their relationships with each other. In Part 2, the focus is given instead on the backstories of the characters, their pasts, and their emotional buildup – all culminating in the ultimate war.
The question about retellings: A disclaimer (?)
In the Burnt Empire series, the author has given a fantastic retelling of the epic Mahabharata, but has altered a few essential aspects of it, so as to keep it entertaining. But while this may be a controversial point, I do think that retellings, especially in fantasy, do not have to remain completely true to the original story – if it does, where is the scope for imagination?
A more humane version of the divine characters
The BURNT EMPIRE SAGA is a kind of retelling of the Mahabharata for today’s readers. Banker’s world is full of a cast of diverse characters, and you often find various parallels between these ones and the original Vyasa’s cast. However, Banker’s characters although inspired from the original demigods and such powerful and revered ones, are more human and as such much more realistic. I believe it is this very fact that makes this fantasy series, so steeped in reality – because of the gray nature of humanity. It is never only black or white, but rather somewhere in between.
An epic setup!
And as is expected of epic fantasy – A DARK QUEEN RISES brings about yet more characters into the foreground and sets the stage as the author goes about letting the reader know of this vast world. Like the previous books, this one too kept me excited and just awed by the majestic world-building of Banker. Where the previous books were set in Hastinaga (Banker’s version of Hastinapur) with the characters of Adri, Shvate, Vida etc, A DARK QUEEN RISES is set in the sandy The Reygistan Empire (literally, the Desert Empire). This time around, it follows the sibling duo Drishya and Krushita, both of whose aim is one – to kill Jarsun.
The writing
It is very rich, and so reflective and inspired by our own mythology that I was really impressed by this retelling. The complexities that Banker lends to this story is simply on another level and is perhaps one of the many such engaging bits about this series that keeps the reader hooked on. I am so happy that my brother has expressed interest in picking it up – he will be reading Book 1 after he is finished with his current read! I am also quite distressed by that cliffhanger ending and look forward to the next book (The Blind King’s Wrath) to come out! Any guesses as to who the Blind King is? 😉
Verdict:
A dark Queen Rises was quite an enjoyable read for me. I rated it 4/5 stars.
Today I am talking about a much-awaited final book in The Angelheart Saga! Beyond Forever, by Annie Woods has been a long time coming and I was consumed with it as soon as I picked it up!
Beyond Forever, The Angelheart Saga, Book 3
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog post also contains a review copy that was sent to me by the author. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
True love is a promise you keep forever. But what if there’s a difference between first love and true love?
Picking up the pieces of her broken heart, Erica Lindell has started to believe in a future again. A future together with her former archnemesis Tyler, who has not only married her to keep her safe, but has taken on her son as his. Only to find her whole world being turned over again when her lost love, Sasha, aka Prince Alexandre, suddenly returns from the dead and forces her to make an impossible decision. A decision that will break hearts and change lives forever.
In the heart-wrenching finale to the enchanting Angelheart Saga trilogy, dark secrets will be revealed, devastating choices must be made and the fate of Erica, Tyler and Sasha will be determined once and for all.
Beyond Forever has been a much-awaited final book in a trilogy for me and I was surely not disappointed by the time I finished it. In fact, I was left hungry for more with that intriguing epilogue!
One of the major happenings in this book was the inner workings of Erica’s mind and heart. The prince of her dreams and the father of her child has returned, only as she is learning to live and make house with Tyler. It is therefore perhaps expected that she should be facing a dilemma now.
But it is Woods’ magical writing that makes the whole difference. With wonderful words, the author was able to portray the feelings and emotions of Erica so well that I found myself crying and laughing with her. The angst was on point in this book and I was left with a hurting heart so often.
Political intrigue and royalty
Sasha brings with him the royal drama was a long coming for the three, or rather, four of them – Erica, Philip, Tyler and of course, Sasha as well. For a long time I resented both the men in her life for making her choose and just putting her through literal hell. The angst that she felt, cut me deeply often and I was very glad when she put herself and her child first.
The enemy returns strong and this final book wraps it all up very well. I thought the author did a stunning job of bringing an end to all the different edges of the web and therefore the complete plot was a masterpiece.
Relationships and diversity
It was a definite that Woods’ writing has improved tremendously and I as a reader, largely benefited from it! There was much more diversity in this book and I thought the romance angle was created very well for the characters of Henri, Christina, Charles, Elijah, and Magdalene. I felt that the relationships, romantic and otherwise, also took a different and further deep undertones and it just made it so easy to connect with the characters.
The End – Who does Erica choose?
Well, first things first, you have to read the book to find out!
Although I was kind of rooting for the other guy in the beginning, I thought the endgame couple was actually quite a better one. It felt realistic and ofcourse, by the latter parts of the books, I started to pine for them to be together as well! I also think that the other guy’s romance story was quite beautiful! And I am so not going to end this bit without talking about that epilogue! I mean, oh my god?! A chance at further intrigue and a romance? How can I not? And now you can imagine a desperate reader, hoping that a possibly standalone novel comes out soon!!
My final thoughts
I thought that Beyond Forever was a really very interesting story and I was hooked from the very beginning! I rate it 4.5/5 stars! Do pick it up!
Today I am talking about one of the most interesting books I have read this year! Anamika, by Meghnad Desai, was a fantastic story set in the days after Aurangzeb’s fall.
Anamika, by Meghnad Desai
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog post also contains a review copy that was sent to me by the publisher. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
He was a powerful man, as she could see from his hands and his stature. And again, those penetrating eyes. Something had happened in Anamika’s dull daily life. What did it portend?
It is the eighteenth century. Emperor Aurangzeb has fallen, the Mughal Empire is a shadow of its former self, and India is rife with civil war. In these times of gardi, you’d have to be a lion to win power, and a wolf to keep it. When the beautiful Savitri, the only daughter of the Chief Minister of Purana Zilla, marries into a rich merchant household in Ranipur, she becomes Anamika. Her future seems assured—she is to bear her loving husband Abhi many children, eventually becoming the lady of the house and perpetuating the family’s fortunes.
But a tragic accident on their wedding day renders Abhi paraplegic, seemingly dooming their perfect future. Anamika still finds bliss in her love for her husband, but her in-laws’ unfulfilled dreams of progeny threaten to consume and destroy her.
The intrigue that appears
But into her life enters Abdul—the illegitimate son of Shah Ahmad Khan, locked in a deadly war with his brother Hassan for the throne. This powerful, magnetic stranger upsets the balance of her everyday life, thrusting both Anamika and Abhi into a newfound world of intoxicating freedom, conflicting desires, and deadly deceit. Crossing paths with the enigmatic courtesan-turned-bodyguard Nadya, the motherly Niloufer, the spirited young warrior princess Sonal, and a wide and motley cast of soldiers, assassins, courtesans, eunuchs, princes, and queens, Anamika must make bold choices and adopt many names for the sake of both desire and survival.
Anamika: A Tale of Desire in a Time of War a simply a stunning read – full of sensuality intertwined with the duty of necessity. It was especially stunning for its vivid portrayal of women as nuanced and real figures rather than the usual tropes of ‘angel of the house’ or the ‘madwoman in the attic’ that are often used in both English and Indian English literature set in those times.
And because it is the female sex that so thoroughly engrossed me, let me talk about it first!
Womanhood and its various layers
In Anamika, we have the eponymous Anamika who is a mature and independent woman (well, as independent as a married woman in those times can possibly be). She is a loving wife and the way she navigates her life in her married home, around her mother-in-law and a particularly lusty father-in-law was quite well written. Her resolution and will power especially after the accident that rendered her husband a paraplegic.
But then, with the arrival of Abdul, there is a sexual awakening in her. Her very first view of Abdul brings up thoughts in her mind regarding his “penetrating” gaze and the way his hands and stature denoted power. I thought this particular aspect of Anamika’s growth was also empowering in the fact that she is personally growing and looking after herself, after the time she has spent looking after others around her.
Show of strength
Then comes Nadya, who was a courtesan but is now Hassan’s bodyguard. The very fact that she masquerades as Nadeer and stays by his side to protect him, again brings to mind another nature of a woman – that of the more physicality of her strength. I loved the portrayal of Nadya although she wasn’t an absolute favourite all the time. Despite that, I do admire her resolution and strength.
Lastly, a few lines about two other female characters in the book. Hassan’s mother was a truly formidable (and a bit scary) woman who rules the zenana. Princess Sonal is another wonderful woman who does not let anything stop her from learning what she wishes – strategy and warfare, and that too from a French general!
Political intrigue, wars and royalty
Because of what I could infer from the synopsis, it was pretty clear that there would be some interesting political intrigue, seeing as to how it was set in the days after Aurangzeb’s downfall. And surely, a great tussle was at the center of it all. Hassan is the legitimate son of the king, while Abdul is the illegitimate son of Shah Ahmad Khan. And thy are each other’s greatest adversaries striving to bring the other down o their way to claim the throne.
My final thoughts
I thought that Anamika was a really very interesting story and I was hooked from the very beginning! I rate it 4.5/5 stars! Do pick it up!
Today I am sharing my thoughts on THE SUPER SECRET BOOK, a fantastic adventure full of superheroes and supervillains!
The Super Secret Book, by Tian En
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(This blog posts also contains a review copy that was sent to me by the author. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
Violet Vivien is your not-so-typical seventeen-year-old girl. Better known as the sharpshooting superhero KOOLARA, she has dedicated her life to defending Diamond City alongside the city’s teenage crime-fighting team, the SUPER SECRET! These six young superheroes have always made taking down bad guys look like a breeze with their high-tech gadgets and unparalleled combat skills, but when a powerful, mysterious diamond falls into the hands of a vengeful supervillain, the Super Secret is forced into the biggest fight of their lives and must reconsider what it means to be a superhero before it’s too late…
Check out my reading vlog for this book!
The Super Secret Book was truly an amazing sci-fi, fantasy read. I loved how innovative and yet at the same time, realistic the author was with all aspects of it – the superb high-end gadgets, to the various nuances of human relationships among the heroes themselves.
The writing was great as well and I was hooked from the very beginning. With the turning of every page, it just got more and more thrilling and it is therefore, no wonder that I finished it so soon!
My favourites!
I have to say that my personal favourites were Lady Damage and The Mystery and I look forward to seeing more of them, and learning more about them in the next book! (I am so happy this is going to be a series!)
Overall, I think it was a wonderful middle-grade fantasy read. I rated it 4/5 stars and will probably pick it up again!
Today I am sharing my thoughts on THE MOST NOTORIOUS JAILBREAKERS, by Abeer Kapoor, an astounding look into the most daring escapades by some infamous criminals of India.
A definite must-read for fans of MIND HUNTER, CRIMINAL MINDS, and just every other true-crime fanatic out there!
The Most Notorious Jailbreakers, by Abeer Kapoor
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog post also contains a review copy that was sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
Did you know Sher Singh Rana, Bandit Queen Phoolan Devi’s killer, walked out of prison with his friends dressed up like the police officers who were to escort him to Roorkee for his hearing? India’s most notorious conman, Natwarlal, who was sentenced for an incredible 113 years by various courts, promised to pay a police officer a large amount of money if he helped him to escape after which the entire bundle of cash just caught fire all by itself.
In The Most Notorious Jailbreakers, journalist Abeer Kapoor helps you meet some really ‘infamous’ people, all of them criminals, who have escaped the gated walls of prisons all over India. From a math and computer teacher who is actually a rapist on parole, to a backward caste gangster famous for his bloodshedding escapade, and a former PM of a princely state who will do anything to con the authorities; Abeer pieces together the escape plans of 16 such notorious convicts who gave authorities hell, every time.
The Most Notorious Jailbreakers was a truly very interesting book! I was hooked on from the very start getting to know the ins-and-outs, the thoughts, and planning that went behind every escape. The whole idea of writing a book about these daring escapades was just so amazing that the premise was enough to hook me in.
First Impressions
From the synopsis itself, one can understand how these infamous criminals of India made out of the dreaded prisons. Apart from the entire criminal nature of it all, one is compelled to really applaud the ingenuity of these criminals. I mean, damn, were they super clever and sly! Could we do the same if we were locked up? Haha!
Writing style
I also think the writing style of the author was just very intriguing. Instead of making it into a list of actions and plans and such, the author weaved an intricate plot, much like the amazing money heist movies that draw us in from the very start.
Reading about these criminals was just such a cool time! It was like I fell down this rabbit hole once I picked up this book and ended up finishing the book in like three hours. With just 181 pages, this book was a real stunner. I really enjoyed this book (if that hadn’t been obvious so far)! The only thing it lacked was perhaps a few pictures of these prisons, and these criminals. I rated it 4/5 stars!
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog post also contains a review copy that was sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
Everyone talks about falling in love like it’s the most miraculous, life-changing thing in the world. Something happens, they say, and you know.
That’s what happened when I met Kit Godden. I looked into his eyes and I knew. Only everyone else knew too. Everyone else felt exactly the same way.
This is the story of one family, one dreamy summer – the summer when everything changes. In a holiday house by the sea, our watchful narrator sees everything, including many things they shouldn’t, as their brother and sisters, parents and older cousins fill hot days with wine and games and planning a wedding. Enter two brothers – irresistible, charming, languidly sexy Kit and surly, silent Hugo. Suddenly there’s a serpent in this paradise – and the consequences will be devastating.
From Meg Rosoff, bestselling author of the iconic novel How I Live Now, comes a lyrical and quintessential coming-of-age tale – a summer book that’s as heady, timeless and irresistible as Bonjour Tristesse and The Greengage Summer.
One of the best new literary fiction of contemporary times, THE GREAT GODDEN is a beautiful story of a summer set by the sea, a summer that leaves devastating scars on the people of this family.
The Great Godden and The Great Gatsby
I loved how reminiscent it was of THE GREAT GATSBY. The title even, for that matter, felt like wordplay on this modern tale. Very much like how Jay Gatsby has put Daisy Buchanan on a pedestal and made this huge illusion of her, so much about the charming and enigmatic Kit Godden is all about illusions, all smokes and mirrors.
The characters
I loved the way the author let us know about the characters, all these players in the play, bit by bit. The relationships that bind them all are also explored in nuances. I believe that THE GREAT GODDEN is as much a study in human psychology as it was a tale of a family in the throes of summer before school starts again. While it wasn’t that strong on the psychology point, there were certain shades of it and I often wondered about why the characters did what they did. In the end, you are left to wonder, who is the ‘Great Godden’ – Kit or Hugo.
Verdict!
Overall, I loved this book and I definitely will be going back to it again! I recommend all to pick it up again and again! A definite 5/5 stars!
Today I am sharing my thoughts on UNDERTOW, by Jahnavi Barua, a new and stunning story of family, love and Assam.
Undertow, by Jahnavi Barua
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Loya is twenty-five: solitary, sincere, with restless stirrings in her heart. In an uncharacteristic move, she sets off on an unexpected journey, away from her mother, Rukmini, and her home in Bengaluru, to distant, misty Assam. She comes looking for her beloved Asian elephant, Elephas maximus, but also seeks someone else-her grandfather, Torun Ram Goswami, someone she has never met before.
She arrives at the Yellow House on the banks of the Brahmaputra, where Torun lives, not knowing that her life is about to change. Twenty-five years ago, Rukmini had been cast out of the family home by her mother, the formidable and charismatic Usha, while Torun watched silently. Loya now seeks answers, both from him and from the place that her mother once called home. In her quest, she finds an understanding not only of herself and her life but also of the precarious bonds that tie people together.
A delicate, poignant portrait of family and all that it contains, Undertow becomes, in the hands of this gifted writer, an exploration of much more: home and the outside world, the insider and the outsider, and the ever-evolving nature of love itself.
Check out the reading vlog I made for this amazing book!
Set in Guwahati, Undertow has been a gem of a book and I was in love from the very first page. It was our first ever Book Of The Month for our very new venture – Assam Book Club.
Reading this book during this time in history (as I am self-isolating during the Covid crisis) is probably the reason why this book hit me as it did. I saw my beautiful state, or rather, my beautiful city from the eyes of Loya, who is visiting here for the first time. I was travel-sick in a way and at the same time, home-sick, and I wanted to roam about the city as I did once upon a time.
Undertow was also included in the longlist for the JCB Prize in Literature and it felt so good to be represented. In mainstream Indian literature, which is also mostly of Central India, we Northeasterners hardly figure except as token characters. So this was a refreshing and welcome change. I felt represented, my culture and my way of life felt represented. This representation of Assam, taking into consideration the time period it is set in, was actually very apt and I myself could remember various scenarios I faced as I grew up (particularly the political aspects).
Check out these pictures where I dressed up as a typical Assamese bride. This was special because my Mom lent me her own bridal clothes for this photoshoot.
I also made a spread for this book where I took for my inspiration the vibrant blue of the cover. And here is when we spend a few moments to admire the symbolic cover (I’m a lit major after all). The girl felt solid and at at the same time, a lone figure amidst the blue swirling around her.
Undertow, by Jahnavi Barua – a Bujo Spread!
I also think that just like the beautiful cover, the writing too was full of stunning imagery. And it so was. I felt like I was a tourist here, but then again, the representation of Assamese life is so true and realistic.
The relationships among the people were also well portrayed, including all the various nuances and undertones of emotions. Anger, spite, love, sadness, guilt etc. were all shown via the actions of the characters. I think it was all so beautiful in its wholeness. The author also delves over the lines that can separate families, orthodox ones; over choices in one’s spouse, job etc. It was true in the case of Rukmini (spouse) as well as Loya (job).
Talking about the ending, which has understandably divided the readership into two, I have to admit that I am quite satisfied with it. It felt like the story has in some way come to a full circle. I would like to reiterate that I really do believe that ending was necessary and that it was justified.
Overall, I thought it was a gem of a book and you should definitely pick it up! 5/5 stars!
Today I am sharing my thoughts on BHAIRAVI: THE RUNAWAY, by Shivani urf Gaura Pant, an era-defining Hindi author, whose works are often paralleled to Jane Austen’s.
Bhairavi: The Runaway by Shivani
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog post also contains a review copy that was sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
A still, dense, ancient forest. A dark cave deep within. And in it a woman-child whose beauty can move the most pious to sin. Who is she and why did she jump from a moving train to land in the biggest cremation ground teeming with Aghori Sadhus?
In this story spanning generations and redolent with Gothic imagery, Shivani urf Gaura Pant tells the story of a woman’s life, her moral and mental strength, and her resilience. She also examines the choices women have in her beautiful, descriptive prose. With an erudite foreword by her daughter and scholar, Mrinal Pande, and a preface by the translator, this book is Shivani for the 21st-century reader.
Bhairavi was a stunning book and I loved it in its entirety. Even during the parts where the characters were not particularly likable or the situation they were going through was not entirely conducive, I thought that it was so real and something that could have perhaps happened to someone we know.
Narrative technique in Bhairavi
Talking about the writing style and the language used, I think it was very earthy and very Indian in the sense that even though it was in English, it really had an essence that was essentially that of a particular people and their cultures. It also had a very folktale-ish vibe as if it is an oral story that is being narrated to you. I think this is because of the ways in which the author has incorporated the folktale traditions of India into her writing – for instance, when narrating the anecdotes or talking of the relationships between people and so on.
Mother-daughter dynamic in Bhairavi
Then comes the most compelling and riveting and at the same time, the off-putting relationship of the mother-daughter duo. Chandan is a beautiful girl, an ‘apsara’ and that is the reason and excuse for why her mother binds her in the way she does. Rajeshwari is an over-protective mother and when one learns of her past, it is in a way the reason why she is like that. But then again, having gone through what she had as a young girl, I believe she should have been more understanding of her daughter and her wishes.
In that case, I suppose the saying is right – we grow up to be like our parents. But is that justification enough? Is it even right? While I believe it is certainly getting better in contemporary times, I cannot deny that there are still some parents who unjustifiably coddle their daughters. Let me rephrase that, they are over-protective and downright oppressive. Wouldn’t that explain why so many of the kids we know nowadays, are good at sneaking and lying? I think a certain bit of leniency is needed so that both the kid and parents learn to trust each other’s decisions and not lie and sneak around.
Human prejudices in Bhairavi
There are also various prejudices that were shown via the thoughts of Rajswari in this book. Westernized people do not get any respect from her; rather, she curses her meat-eating neighbour and then is surprised by the way modern women live. All in all, I do believe it is a good reflection of the times that the book is set in, but I do hope we take a lesson from it. Just because it used to be that way in that past, doesn’t mean we do not change the way it goes.
Bhairavi in the end
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and Chandan’s journey was a long and learning one. Of course when the book ended, she still had a long way to go. However, she finally was in control of her fate and life, as it were. Beautiful writing and real-living characters, with an honest portrayal of the various issues that plagued society then (and in some ways, even now)!
Today I am sharing my thoughts on DEATH BY SHAKESPEARE, an amazing analysis of Shakespeare’s unique methods of killing off his characters!
Death by Shakespeare, by Kathryn Harkup
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog post also contains a review copy that was sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
An in-depth look at the science behind the creative methods Shakespeare used to kill off his characters.
In Death By Shakespeare, Kathryn Harkup, best-selling author of A is for Arsenic and expert on the more gruesome side of science, turns her expertise to Shakespeare and the creative methods he used to kill off his characters. Is death by snakebite really as serene as Cleopatra made it seem? How did Juliet appear dead for 72 hours only to be revived in perfect health? Can you really kill someone by pouring poison in their ear? How long would it take before Lady Macbeth died from lack of sleep? Readers will find out exactly how all the iconic death scenes that have thrilled audiences for centuries would play out in real life.
In the Bard’s day death was a part of everyday life. Plague, pestilence and public executions were a common occurrence, and the chances of seeing a dead or dying body on the way home from the theater was a fairly likely scenario. Death is one of the major themes that reoccurs constantly throughout Shakespeare’s canon, and he certainly didn’t shy away from portraying the bloody reality of death on the stage. He didn’t have to invent gruesome or novel ways to kill off his characters when everyday experience provided plenty of inspiration.
Shakespeare’s era was also a time of huge scientific advance. The human body, its construction and how it was affected by disease came under scrutiny, overturning more than a thousand years of received Greek wisdom, and Shakespeare himself hinted at these new scientific discoveries and medical advances in his writing, such as circulation of the blood and treatments for syphilis.
Shakespeare found 74 different ways to kill off his characters, and audiences today still enjoy the same reactions–shock, sadness, fear–that they did over 400 years ago when these plays were first performed. But how realistic are these deaths, and did Shakespeare have the science to back them up?
Death by Shakespeare was such an intriguing read! From the name itself, I knew that it had to obviously do with the deaths that occurred in Shakespeare’s plays – the hows mostly. And being a literature major with fair dabbling in the Shakespearean arts, I was of course very intrigued and my interest was piqued.
What was better though, was how the author built it up. England in those days was full of pestilence, and personal hygiene was an almost non-existent thing. So it was inevitable that various diseases flourished. Now all of these are facts. However, I have to applaud the author for the amazing fiction-like way in which she has given us a glimpse of this England. And it was a great build-up to the actual 74 ways Shakespeare used to kill if the famous (well, mostly infamous) characters from his various plays.
The historical context in regards to the wholeness of death was the most intriguing factor to me. England then was not like today – many people today go on for years without witnessing a death happen in front of their eyes (I haven’t, touchwood) but then, it was pretty much an everyday happening. Public executions were common, plagues often plagued the people (wordplay there), and wars, battles, uprisings were common, sudden street fights (as one sees in Romeo and Juliet) were also common happenings. As such, death was one of the threads that weaved the everydays of the people. And so, Shakespeare did not have to look far for inspiration.
There is also a lot of conjecture in this book, too. And in a way, it again only imbibed in me the scientific temperament and I would think and think if it was possible, coming up with ways in which it was, and counter-ways in which it was not possible. Needless to say, I had a lot of fun reading this book and I hope you all read it too and moreover, take your time with it!
Today I am sharing my thoughts on CIRCLES AND SQUARES, a book on the Hamstead Modernists who were indispensable in the Avant-Garde Art Movement.
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog posts also contain a review copy that was sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
Circles and Squares, by Caroline MacLean
Hampstead in the 1930s. In this peaceful, verdant London suburb, Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson have embarked on a love affair – a passion that will launch an era-defining art movement.
In her chronicle of the exhilarating rise and fall of British Modernism, Caroline Maclean captures the dazzling circle drawn into Hepworth and Nicholson’s wake: among them Henry Moore, Paul Nash, Herbert Read, and famed émigrés Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus, and Piet Mondrian, blown in on the winds of change sweeping across Europe. Living and working within a few streets of their Parkhill Road studios, the artists form Unit One, a cornerstone of the Modernist movement which would bring them international renown.
Drawing on previously unpublished archive material, Caroline Maclean’s electrifying Circles and Squares brings the work, loves and rivalries of the Hampstead Modernists to life as never before, capturing a brief moment in time when a new way of living seemed possible. United in their belief in art’s power to change the world, her cast of trailblazers radiate hope and ambition during one of the darkest chapters of the twentieth century.
CIRCLES AND SQUARES was more of a biography of some very iconic Modernists, wrapped in a novel format. As a person who is not especially fond of biographies, I thought this now was actually done quite well. The narrative blurs the lines between fiction and nonfiction, and the reader is left waiting on the various events and escapades (sometimes scandalous) of these people.
I also loved the inclusion of the pictures – it felt like I was reading about people who are alive. The touch is reality is always kept tangible via the photographs. I quite enjoyed this book and I think any Art History Major would love to have this book!
Today I am sharing my thoughts on AHALYA, a feminist retelling of Ahalya, one of the Pancha Kanyas in Indian mythology.
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog posts also contain a review copy that was sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
Ahalya, by Koral Dasgupta
It is known that Ahalya was cursed by her husband, Gautam, for indulging in a physical relationship with Indra. But is there another story to Ahalya’s truth? Who was Indra anyway? A king? A lover? A philanderer? The first book of the Sati series, Ahalya hinges on these core questions, narrating the course of her life, from innocence to infidelity.
In the Sati series, Koral Dasgupta explores the lives of the Pancha Kanyas from Indian mythology, all of whom had partners other than their husbands and yet are revered as the most enlightened women, whose purity of mind precedes over the purity of body. The five books of the Sati series reinvent these women and their men, in the modern context with a feminist consciousness.
Ahalya was a fairly new take on a character who has unfortunately not been explored much – and to the extent that, her story is often relegated to the backseat. I admit I myself first was truly intrigued by her when Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni explored her characteristics and actions in THE FOREST OF ENCHANTMENTS, another feminist retelling of the Ramayana, from the female (Sita’s) gaze. Prior to that my knowledge of Ahalya was limited to what I knew of her thanks to all the stories I had listened to, growing up.
Initial thoughts
When I came to know about this book, thanks to PAN MACMILLAN INDIA, I was very excited to read it and delve deeper into her story. Unfortunately, this was an overhyped read, and although I enjoyed it, I am afraid it fell short of what I was expecting. I felt that this book was very philosophical in a way (overtly so) and it was the one thing that I was not extremely fond of.
Redeeming factors
However, I also cannot deny that it is due to this wordplay the author uses, that the utter beauty of the prose was rendered. There is a fantastic intertwining of the philosophies of life along with Ahalya’s own growth. This is the contradiction at the heart of it – while I did not particularly like the philosophizing much, I shudder to think what the narrative would have been like without this lyrical and poetic hand that the author has used.
Realism
The characters have also all been really humanized – no one is really good or bad. They are humans (although admittedly with some godly qualities) like us, and therefore not entirely black or white. There is so much of the gray area in their beings. I felt really touched by the insecurities and fears that hindered them in their pursuit of growth and knowledge. After all, isn’t that what happens with us too?
It is a wonderful undertaking by the author and I look forward to the other works in this series. I rate it 3.5/5 stars.
Today I am sharing my thoughts on THE LONELINESS OF HIRA BARUA, a collection of Assamese short stories that ooze the essence of my beautiful motherland Assam.
(This blog post may contain affiliate links. That meansI get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. It does NOT COST you EXTRA)
(This blog posts also contain a review copy that was sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
The Loneliness of Hira Barua, by Arupa Patangia Kalita
Hira Barua, an ageing widow living in a conflict-ridden region of Assam with her beloved Tibetan spaniel fears she is beginning to resemble a lonely Englishwoman from her past. A vicious sexual assault by the invading military drives a group of women into a shelter home. On a fateful night, a group of prostitutes make an extraordinary sacrifice for the safety of their companions.
In these, and thirteen other piercing, intimate portraits, women navigate family, violence, trauma, ambition and domesticity with caution, grace and a quiet resilience.
Originally published as Mariam Austin othoba Hira Barua, this remarkable collection by one of Assam’s finest living writers won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2014. In this brilliant English translation, Arupa Patangia Kalita’s powerful voice is brought to fresh and vivid life. Written in a variety of styles, from gritty social realism, folklore to magical realism, The Loneliness of Hira Barua is a modern classic of Indian literature.
Check out my reading vlog for this book here!
The Loneliness of Hira Barua is a collection of 15 short stories by Arupa Patangia Kalita. It was translated from the original Assamese মৰিয়ম আষ্টিন অথবা হীৰা বৰুৱা, by Ranjita Biswas. It is a collection of tales set in the beautiful land of Assam and a wonderfully visual one at that. Thank you to PanMacmillan India for sending me a copy of this amazing collection!
The Women in these Stories
At the core, these stories all revolve around women in various stages of life – young Mainao, the outspoken and righteous Surabhi Barua, married Nibha-Bou, to Kuntibala who showers love blindly upon her son, Brinda khuri, and ending with the eponymous Hira Barua. Along with the diversity in their ages, these women face various problems and Biswas’s translation sets a beautiful motion for the storytelling. The reader is ensnared by this lyrical and poetic writing, which is often interspersed with these various serious and sometimes tragic issues.
Themes
These women all face oppression in different ways – from archaic rules of society, and the patriarchal bonds that clip their wings, to blind emotions that bind them and make them blind to some perhaps not so right things. These stories deal with the militancy that once ravaged the state and at the same time, the loneliness that grips so many people especially in the late stages of their life.
It is also because of these serious topics that reading this collection was an intense affair for me. I would put it down and take a break for a while because my heart would break reading these stories. But then I would always go back to it because such is the allure of this beautiful collection of store. There is an astounding depiction of my dear motherland. Assam and her beauty are unfurled as if Bohagi has let open her voluminous hair leaving behind a beautiful aroma.
The Loneliness of Hira Barua, Books-as-Outfits Challenge
Overall, I loved this book and am surely going back to rereading it soon! 5/5 stars! Check out my Youtube reading vlog for this book here.
On the occasion of Independence Day, I am sharing a few literary fictions, non-fiction, poetry and other works by Indian authors that YOU NEED TO READ ASAP!
(This blog post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at NO EXTRA COST to you)
(This blog posts also contain a few review copies that were sent to me by publishers. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external parties)
Indian Authors You Need to Read ASAP!
According to Wikipedia, Indian English literature (IEL), also referred to as Indian Writing in English (IWE), is the body of work by writers in India who write in the English language and whose native or co-native language could be one of the numerous languages of India.
While I believe in the importance of reading works in your own mother tongue, I cannot overlook the vast and wonderful oeuvre of IEL that the children of the Motherland have birthed. So in today’s post on the momentous occasion of the 74th Indian Independence Day, I am going to share with you all 10 books by Indian authors, that are either recommendations based on my reading experiences or books that are in my immediate TBR piles!
Indian Authors You Need to Read ASAP!
BOOKS BY ASSAMESE AUTHORS!
I am an Assamese so can you blame me for including this whole category? Haha! But seriously, these are two books I have included in my immediate TBR and I am super stoked. Do share your thoughts if you have read these and I would love to share them on my Instagram!
UNDERTOW by Jahnavi Barua
Set in Bengaluru and Guwahati, UNDERTOW is a heartwarming tale of how relationships can face a myriad of changes in the face of love, opposition, and societal norms.
THE HOUSE WITH A THOUSAND STORIES by Aruni Kashyap
Set in Mayong, THE HOUSE WITH A THOUSAND STORIES is a “bleeding and triumphant” tale surrounding a fateful wedding where secrets are unearthed, and bloody acts of violence almost lay a people to ruin.
A book that has remained a personal favourite ever since the first time I read it, AN ATLAS OF IMPOSSIBLE LONGING is a hauntingly beautiful story of love and real estate, in a house set on the verge of decay on the banks of a once-mighty river. Check out my review here.
A quintessential reading when it comes to IEL, THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS is a household name today. If you still have not heard about it (and even if you have) it is time to pick up this book and maybe join me in a buddy-read if you can!
PATH OF THE SWAN: THE MAITREYA CHRONICLES part 1 by Charu Singh
Two words: Buddhist Fantasy! I am super proud to say that PATH OF THE SWAN is a book by my professor and the copy I own is a personalized signed one! I am really looking forward to reading it and since I also have the sequel, I have no worries of being left high and dry on a cliffhanger!
Another fantasy that is inspired by the epic Mahabharata, UPON A BURNING THRONE, takes a unique perspective on this classic tale we have all grown up with. Suffice it to say, it was an adult fantasy that I loved reading! Check out my review here.
(Thanks to Simon&Schuster for proving me the review copy)
POETRY
CIRCUS FOLK AND VILLAGE FREAKS by Aparna Upadhyaya Sanyal
CIRCUS FOLK AND VILLAGE FREAKS is a truly unique collection of poetry that I read and enjoyed a lot. I loved how quirky it was with an amazing rhyming and poetic skill by the poet. Check out my review here.
(Thanks to the poet for providing me with a review copy)
SAFRAN by Aishwarya Nir
Another poetry collection which was a wonderful union of love as well as spiritual poetry. I am so proud that it is a personalized signed copy as well! Check out my review here.
(Thanks to the poet for providing me with a review copy)
NON FICTION
CITY OF MY HEART by Rana Safvi
CITY OF MY HEART was a beautiful translated work of Urdu narrative, which surrounds the famous Revolt of 1857, as well as the decay of the once-mighty Mughal Empire. It is a beautiful book and I loved the vivid imagery! It felt like I was in ‘Dilli’ and I couldn’t bear to leave! Check out my review here.
(Thanks to Hachette for proving me the review copy)
SEX AND POWER by Rita Banerji
SEX AND POWER is a definitive look at the powerful relation between sex and power (pun intended)! The author explores the idea of sexual morality, social perceptions of sex, and also modifies Nietzsche’s slave versus master morality theory! Another book on my TBR!
And that’s it, my wonderful readers! I had a lot of fun compiling this list. I hope YOU have great fun (hah!) reading these books! Do share any books you think should have been included in this list! There is a huge gap and selecting only 10 books from across the breadth and length of India may not have been a just act by me. Nonetheless, as time goes on, you and I will enrich each other and keep on adding more books to our TBR piles!
Hex, by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight, was an astonishingly original and sensual book, with bountiful imagery.
Hex by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight
I received an arc of this book from Bloomsbury. All opinions expressed are my own.
A contemporary stream of consciousness
I admit towards the first like 50pages of the book I was rather scatterbrained and it took me some time to get into this quirky, yet what I now consider a contemporary form of an academic stream of consciousness, writing style. That is to say, it grew on me. The fourth wall felt like it was being broken down, but then the reader realizes that it is Joan who is being addressed by Nell. However, as one reads and delves into this terrific narrative, one cannot wonder but think if some of the words are directed at our own cores.
A reflection of our selves?
I was not comfortable with how it started with a seemingly compulsive obsession of a Ph.D. student towards her dissertation tutor, but this book was not aimed at making you feel comfortable. It was a restless read and it made me thoughtful and ponder over the various aspects of the life we live – be it within our own minds and hearts as apart from the life others perceive us to live.
Of balance, equilibrium and a letter to oneself
I felt that the idea of the binary or the dichotomy was very prominent here – how one thing balances the other is portrayed again and yet, subtly most, if not all of the time. The narrator Nell is also the protagonist and the whole story is rather her compendium, a collection of notebooks where she pours out her thoughts and honestly, lives, and ponders over most of her actual living. In the beginning, when I was still getting into the narrative, I found her obsession bordering on psychotic, but as we went on, I found that it moved towards self-acceptance, so much so that in the end, we could see that the characters were finally on the right path to correct themselves or to straighten out their lives for a start.
The idea of poison and how humans can be poisonous to each other is also explored. In the beginning, I wondered and this is what I wrote in my notes, “Is Nell a poison to herself and to Joan?” I found it comforting when this idea was brought up towards the last few pages – between Joan and Nell, of how in a marriage, the person marries oneself but poisons the other. It again brings to the fore, the idea of balance and of equanimity between the two parties in the relationship (of whatever kind).
The end
While the book felt very unsettling towards the beginning I have to admit that it ended on a note of hope, with the characters finally turning over a new leaf(except maybe Barry) and at peace with themselves. I wouldn’t say I was pleased reading this book but my grey cells were thoroughly intrigued throughout, more so post the first 50 pages of the book. On that note, this is a stunningly original work. Definitely recommend as I ended up rating it 4/5 stars!
Secret Crush Seduction is another one of Jayci Lee’s adult romance in The Heirs of Hansol series and my love continues to grow for these characters and Jayci Lee’s writing!
Secret Crush Seduction
She’s done waiting for what she really wants. Aspiring fashion designer Adelaide Song wants to prove she’s more than just a pampered heiress. All she needs is a little courage—and the help of deliciously sexy Michael Reynolds, her childhood crush and her brother’s best friend. But when her secret crush turns into an illicit liaison, Adelaide realizes mixing business with pleasure spells trouble for all her plans.
Another day, another novel by Jayci Lee in the Heirs of Hansol series (or rather a night of twisting and turning in my bed as the skies turned light outside and by the time I was done reading it was literally 5.30 am outside!) and I could eat my heart out.
I read the first book in the series TEMPORARY WIFE TEMPTATION (read it if you haven’t already!) and I loved it. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to read the sequel. Also, Lee says she has finished writing the third book as well, in the Acknowledgements, and I CANNOT KEEP CALM!
Stunning fleshed-out characters
Dare I say how much I loved ADELAIDE?! She is this fiery spirit and I loved her independence, her work ethic, and her will and determination to turn her life around.
The adult romance
Also, I found this relationship VERY VERY mature. Of course, there are miscommunications but they are not for the silly reasons that are used as tropes in various romance novels and you as a reader are left screaming at the characters to JUST TALK IT OUT!!! In this book, they do talk it out and I just honestly think it is very very mature and realistic compared to most books in this miscommunication or lack of communication trope.
Amazing use of tropes or Classic Lee
Also, the friends with benefits trope, and the friends to lovers trope are very much common but Lee’s way of twisting her story into a perfect conglomeration (I use big words now after reading about this heroine who has an MBA) of romance, friendship and the huge WORK PROJECT at the core was fantastic. Dare I say that it was also a bit of an office romance?
Verdict on this amazing adult romance (it’s clear isn’t it?)
Whatever I am trying to convey with these seemingly calm (I hope) and logical paragraphs is that I love Jayci Lee’s writing and ahh!! I am so eager to read Colin’s story!! But I dread the end of this series too! Anyway, I rated it 4/5 stars!
Anyway, READ THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVEN’T (in case I haven’t made that clear so far, which I sincerely hope I have) and then ALSO READ TEMPORARY WIFE TEMPTATION! If you need more of a push (or a kick to your behind really) read my review of TEMPORARY WIFE TEMPTATION too!
Hey guys! I hope you had a wonderful week. I for one, was transported into an entirely different world. Or rather, worlds. The last week (July 20 to 26) I participated in the Reading Rush Readathon and had the time of my life!
Reading Rush Wrap-up
What is the Reading Rush?
The Reading Rush is basically a readathon and the time when we drop everything else and read. There were a few prompts and one could either opt to choose one book for each or stack up.
Being me, I was of course super ambitious, and although I could not read every book I wanted to, it did go great and I read 6 books! So without further ado, let me tell you all about the different prompts and the books I read.
You can also check out the TBR video I made where I go over all the books and the synopses.
You can also check out the VLOG I uploaded on Youtube today!
Prompt 1: Read a book that is the same colour as your birthstone
Being an August baby, my birthstone is Peridot, which is lime green in colour. So I decided to pick up SEA PRAYER by Khaled Hosseini.
It was a sad and intense read. It was so poignant; despite the short length, it was full of immense longing and pain and nostalgia. I was very much moved. I had previously read A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, and this book with Hosseini’s impeccably strong and conducive writing just got to me. The illustrations were superb as well! It was a solid 4star read for me.
This was a tale very twisted. It was mysterious and yet as I read it, I unconsciously knew the secret that haunts the Roanoke Girls. And I know this because when this stunning secret is revealed, I was not really shocked. Rather it was a confirmation of what I had already known all along. It is full of the hidden and repressed longings of the girls [due to the dominant and yet cunningly manipulative and seductive patriarchy that grants the man supreme hold over them all. This hold is not forceful but rather groomed into them since their birth. It is a twisted tale of love and oh, what love. It is brilliantly executed and well placed. I loved it and definitely recommend it to all. It was a 5star read for me.
Prompt 3: Read a book that inspired a movie you have already seen
For this prompt, I decided on ATONEMENT by Ian McEwan.
I had already seen the movie and it remains, to date, one of the best movies I have ever seen. However, I did think that the writing style of this book was unnecessarily long and twisted as well as unnecessarily descriptive. I think perhaps the fact that I have already watched the movie, may have affected my understanding and viewing of the novel but that is not to say I did not enjoy it. It was certainly wonderful but could have been way shorter. Overall, it is a beautiful tragedy and I could definitely pick it up again, albeit after some time. I am not ready for my heart to be completely broken again. It was a 5star read for me.
It was also the second Ia McEwan book I picked up, the first being the book for Prompt 4.
Prompt 4: Read the first book you touch
For this prompt, I chose my first ever book by Ian McEwan – ENDURING LOVE.
It was as much a psychological novel as it was a literary masterpiece. McEwan has a superb mastery of language, seamlessly binding together utterly contrasting worlds of the entities of psychology, literature, and the hold over the readers’ catharsis. I was hooked from the very beginning by the story and the wonderful and seductive mix of literary fiction and psychology. It had a wonderful quality of the mystery of the unknown and fear of the known. It was a terrifying and exhilarating read. I rated it 4stars.
Prompt 5: Read a book completely not in your house
For this prompt, I picked up a wonderful anthology and read it on my grandma’s balcony.
FEARLESS LOVE was a superb anthology of works revolving around the LGBTQIA lives. These poignant and close-to-the-heart pieces from a variety of writers, in the ways that they expressed them in (short story, poetry, song lyrics, research essays, etc), throbbed with the resonance of their lives and the ways in which they matter, despite how society says otherwise. I rated it 5stars.
PROMPT 6: Read a book from your least read genre
Now this is where I started to stack up. Literary Fiction is a genre in which I have only started to dive in. As such, I believe the books ENDURING LOVE and ATONEMENT, were apt for this prompt as well.
PROMPT 7: Read a book set in a different continent than the one you are in (Asia)
Since I am in India (Asia), I felt that all the other book excepting SEA PRAYER and FEARLESS LOVE were apt for this prompt too. However, I did have an audiobook of PERSUASION from Netgalley and so I decided to pick up this classic set in Europe.
Like all of Jane Austen’s other works, this one too was a social commentary wrapped within a romance at the core. However, as is classic Austen, there is a superb intertwining of the social with the private. It is as much a social commentary as a journey into the minds of the characters and the psyche of theirs, all of which were affected so much by the social norms and expectations. The narration was a fantastic one however I do believe the narrator could have included a bit more expression in his narration. Other than that, it was a perfect couple of days that I spent with this short yet significant read. I loved the classic Austen story and look forward to reading more of her works including Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. I rated it 5stars!
My Reading Rush Experience
I had a lot of fun this time around and if you haven’t participated in a Rush before, I definitely recommend you do. It is the best time you can have as a bibliophile, chatting and connecting with other such book lovers during this readathon!
Hello dear fellow book lovers! Today I will be sharing my book choices for this MID-YEAR BOOK FREAKOUT TAG!
Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag 2020!
June has come and passed us by, tipping us into the second half of this astonishing year. I’m sure you can easily decipher this both ways – half the year has passed by so fast and yet one wonders where the six months went. As a person from Assam, India, I have seen my own share of ups and down since December of 2019 when the anti-CAA protests shook my motherland and many of us Gen X to Gen Z realized and lived through ‘curfews’. Many of us went out and took to the streets to protest and ever since then, as these state-wide protests delayed finals and pushed them into January 2020, we were convinced that that was it. We had seen our fair share and it was enough. But it was not so. The movie wasn’t yet over.
It was the 15th of March, Sunday and I was lying on my bed, sad as I had just bid farewell to my friend who had come over for a weekend sleepover. That evening things took an unbelivable turn. It was declared that all educational institutions would be closed off from the next day, i.e., the 16th of March. And that’s the way it has been so far. It is July and I can see so end to this lockdown, what with the numbers going up everyday.
I think that was a pretty long introduction for this blogpost, or a rant, rather, but the word ‘freakout’ in the title itself perhaps sanctions that. And as we all know, 2020 is no ordinary year.
Nonetheless, today I want to share my books for this awesome tag created by Chami and Ely.
T A G Q U E S T I O N S
1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2020 – SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Tomas Jedrowski.
2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2020 – THE VANISHING STAIR by Maureen Johnson.
3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to – A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN by Roseanne A. Brown.
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year – THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones.
5. Biggest disappointment – none, tbh…
6. Biggest surprise – AGNES AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Kelly McWilliams.
7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you) – Sarah J Maas!
8. Newest fictional crush – Jason from THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST, by Abby Jimenez.
9. Newest favourite character – Bryce Quinlan from CRESCENT CITY: HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOF, by Sarah J Maas.
10. Book that made you cry – THE TROUBLE WE KEEP by Cara Devlin.
11. Book that made you happy – APHRODITE MADE ME DO IT by Trista Mateer.
12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received) – A FORT OF NINE TOWERS by Qais Akbar Omar.
13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year? – NINTH HOUSE by Leigh Bardugo, ATONEMENT by Ian McEwan, THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tartt, and FIND ME by Andre Aciman.
Trust the Universe by Dhiraj Taneja is a book that really puts forward the law of attraction. As long as you work hard and wish for something, the universe surely grants it to you.
You are the universe.
Our strongest, most powerful connection to all the stars, the cosmos, and everything else around us that can guide us, is actually within us. So often, when we get caught up in thinking that we need to “trust the universe,” we somehow think some external force is going to swoop into our lives and save us from all the challenges we are experiencing.
You know those moments when you tell yourself, “I just gotta trust the universe.” Whether it’s because things in your life feel chaotic or just plain overwhelming, sometimes you just know you need to surrender and learn to trust that things will work out.
In this book, the author wants to tell you that the universe indeed is a wish-granting machine. This universe literally gives you what you wish for.
I was looking forward to picking up this book as I had previously read another one by this author ( Master the Money Game – Financial Freedom ), which was comparatively different – on finance. So, of course, I had to pick it up and see how it goes for myself.
What I learned
Here are some valuable lessons I took from this book: 1. You should always practice gratitude and the art of giving. (This is also something that the author stressed upon in FINANCIAL FREEDOM)
2. The author also begins by talking about assets and liabilities. Having read both these two books, I found that this particular aspect of repetition dragged the flow, a bit. As such, I do think you should read this book first before you pick up FINANCIAL FREEDOM.
3. The importance of learning. As my father keeps on telling me, knowledge is like an inverted pyramid and there is no end. As such, always keep learning.
4. The author also talks about budgeting, how expenses should be lesser than income, etc. He also included some helpful debt repayment tips and tricks, which I am sure will be helpful for many.
5. Planning ahead – and I personally agree with this because having a bullet journal has really improved my life.
6. He also stresses a lot on the importance of lifestyle changes. It is very important and beneficial for us to surround ourselves with people who will inspire us and push us forward in life, instead of dragging us down.
Other aspects of the book
The author also talks about how one can grow his confidence, avoid procrastination, understanding perseverance, etc. Overall, the book is divided into concise 9 chapters, each of which delves deep into the various topics which will undoubtedly be helpful to many of the readers. Honestly, if you are looking for some short inspirational read that instead of boring you will actually propel you forward, then definitely go ahead with this one.
What did not work for me
However, having read FINANCIAL FREEDOM, it is easy to see that the ideas he shares in that book pretty much evolved from this book itself. And as such, I found it a bit repetitive and that is where the problem came in for me. However, apart from that, I do think it was a very good book that was beneficial in its essence.
Verdict:
It was an interesting read overall and I rated it 3/5 stars!
Videos!
Youtube video review of TRUST THE UNIVERSE
Youtube video review of MASTER THE MONEY GAME: FINANCIAL FREEDOM
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“What a Time to be Alive” by Ajay Ramanathan is a fun yet introspective poetry collection, reflective of modern society.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the author. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external forces.
what a time to be alive
This book may make you smile or this book may make you sigh. This book may make you ponder or it may force you to surrender. This book may challenge your convictions. It may even change your mind. But in the end, this book will make you say- ‘Ah! What a time to be alive’
From the very beginning “What A Time to be Alive” grabbed my attention and I was thoroughly touched, amused, introspected, was despondent, and also laughed. This is a collection of poems that are varied in their subject matter, and their seriousness (or lack thereof), but are all interconnected by the same voice which seems to the recite the poems in the same modernist detached tone, while also imperceptibly talking about emotions.
Diversity of topics:
That is to say, I was buoyed by the sheer diversity of the range of topics of these pieces. The poet makes references to global warming, sexism, and rape culture, survival versus living, social media as a boon/bane, the resolute nature of man in the face of hardships, anxiety, modern afflictions and addictions, illusions that mock us and our desires, and so on. But then, there are also quite a few really funny poems that will make you laugh out loud and just have a good time.
My favorites!
Before we continue,
here are a few of my favorite ones. They are the weird but oh-so-real kind,
that as a reader who liked them, I need to question what that says about
myself! So in no particular order, my favorite poems from this collection
include,
I want to
Conveyor Belt
The Ideal Relationship
Just Can’t Find the Feeling
Bags
Writing style
The writing style, like I mentioned before is kind of at a stark contrast with the emotions the words portray. In that, I believe that author has been able to well portray the kind of modernist emotional detachment of the modernist man from his emotions. Even when he talks about these deep thoughts, the modernist man is at least superficially, if not emotionally as well, is shrouded by a layer of detachment.
There is also a rhyming scheme present at times which makes the tones and the recitation a delight to thrive in. I would recommend perhaps reciting out loud the poems for that is a different experience altogether!
Title
The title is an apt
one for this collection I believe. Despite the seriousness (or lack thereof) of
the poems, they are all emotions and experiences we all go through, albeit at
different points in our life. In that, the author has hit the nail right on the
head! I love that on one level or the other, the reader is able to connect with
them, just because of this relatable nature of each of these poems.
Verdict:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this poetry collection and it is one I definitely recommend to all the readers out there. I rate it 4.5/5 stars!
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Read on to find out what I thought about the popular new work by Sally Rooney, Normal People – the book and the series. Or if you’d rather just watch the video, check this out!
At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school soccer team while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers – one they are determined to conceal.
A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years in college, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.
Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.
First Impressions for NORMAL PEOPLE: book vs the series
The first impression I got from the book was that the author informs us simply of what has been happening, and what the characters feel. But then, I quickly realized that it was not indeed so – because along with the protagonists, the reader also introspects and philosophizes with them, essentially moving closer to the question of ‘normality’ in relation to human relationships.
This is one of the best adaptations ever. It was just so visually stunning. I was in love with the cinematography, the actors, and the utter depth of emotions they portrayed so well.
Significance of the title: Normal People
I believe that the title of the book is a paradox. On the one hand, it tells us that it is about normal people that society is filled with, for instance, Marianne and Connell’s friends, as opposed to them both who are weird. But when we look at it from that perspective, we see that it is not really so. Because, when together, Marianne and Connell are ‘normal’ with each other. As such this implies that in the way they different or weird from others, it is a degree of measurement which affects every individual of society – perhaps many of these hide it better and assimilate easily compared to the protagonists. Thus, who are normal people? Everyone and no one, both at the same time.
What I disliked about Normal People, the book:
I feel that perhaps the way in which the story has been written sheds Connell in a much more negative light than it does Marianne as if he deliberately and continually turns to hurt Marianne. He is shown as someone on whom lies the course of the relationship if one could even call it that. Whatever it was, I think that in this regard, the author may have done Connell an injustice in the way he was portrayed. Bringing about the mental health angle seemed like a convenient excuse for that.
Once Marianne tells Connell towards the middle, “You’re definitely drunk if you’re flirting with me.” The idea that Marianne now inevitably thinks that Connell has to be drunk to flirt with her, as if he wouldn’t do something like that (he doesn’t) when he is sober, does not sit well with me. Why does he so need alcohol to lower his inhibitions with her?
As for Marianne, I believe that the author could have let us know a bit more about her family life – to show why she is the way she is. Her family is not the best – she has an abusive brother who hits her (“sometimes”) and who is continually passive-aggressive, tormenting her emotionally and psychologically. The mother is no better, to be honest. When Alan, her brother spits on her face, the mother fails to reprimand her wayward son and instead questions Marianne how she could deal with the real world outside when she could not deal with “a little sibling rivalry”. She then continues to mock her saying, “You think you are special, do you?”
The writing style and narrative structure of Sally Rooney
As Rooney describes the scenes, the reader gets spectacular imagery as if a literary montage.
I feel like the book solely relies on emotion and catharsis it can erupt in the reader.
There are narrative skips and jumps, meaning that the timeline is not really linear. In the beginning, these jumps are not between very different stages, but as we move further into the narrative, these jumps are considerably disconnected as if snippets of memory that assault the protagonists as they live their life, characteristic of the modern fragmented soul, inevitably coming closer and closer to each other.
The story is also written in a rather episodic format, and now that I look back and introspect, this is how we humans, ‘normal people’ like us look back and retrospect.
Important themes in the book
Isolation/detachment/aimlessness – there is a sense of detachment which is weird but then so reflective of normal modern society. Marianne feels that she is not part of the life in Carricklea.
“Really she has everything going on for her. She has no idea what she’s going to do with her life.”
The lack of rootedness/a sense of not belonging/transience –
“Marianne had the sense that her real-life was happening somewhere very far away, happening without her, and she didn’t know if she would ever find out where it was and become part of it.”
Connell really thinks of the transient nature of things when he is on the Europe trip. I was really reminded of Holden Caulfield at this point and how he was absolutely disgusted with phoniness.
Originality as something deviant of ‘normal’ behavior –
Marianne appreciates beauty in its raw and primal form when she wants to see Connell having sex.
Connell is originally unwilling to let others know about his ‘relationship’ with Marianne because since she was not considered a ‘normal’ person in their circle, any association with her would taint him as ‘weird’ like her, and not a normal person, something that Connell desperately wants.
“Do we ever say what we mean?”
Identity – The imposter syndrome was brought in well, in this aspect. As Connell grapples with his identity in college, the threader also starts to question these issues that plague all humans.
Stability – In the beginning, I also feel that both these characters, as actual human beings with relation to each other, are lacking in conviction. Why cannot they assert and say that they want something rather than saying, and I quote from the book, “Say you want me to stay and I will”.
Then, I feel like Connell truly feels stability when he rescues Marianne from Alan and then confronts him, threatening to kill him if he ever hurt Marianne again. That is the point of change for him, I believe and he starts to work on himself, truly. He is really open to her at the moment.
“Trust me. I love you, I’m not going to let anything like that happen to you again.”
The excellence of the series!
I loved the Italian countryside the most. The reflections on the pool as Connell calmed Marianne after the fight with Jamie was also stunning.
I think that the book is also a very emotional one and the series has done fantastic in that it was able to bring onto screen those emotions. I did not cry when I read the book but I sobbed while I watched the grand acting of these two actors.
The subtle changes that were in the series (from the novel) just made it more heart-wrenching. The way Connell was kind of a passive person who went with the flow and denied his relationship with Marianne was again heart wrenching on screen.
Also the way Connell sobbed after the Debs party – that just got to me.
Moreover, in the book Marianne never really says ‘I love you’ to Connell (in the series she does), and so you have to ask who is the more repressed person here.
The portrayal of when Connell was disgusted with the phoniness of university students who do not read the books but act as if they have, was also on point. This bit was better portrayed on the show. The imposter syndrome stuff was done well here.
The series also delves more into the mental health issues of Connell and the deplorable family conditions and relationships of Marianne – the abuse and everything.
Regarding Marianne’s trauma (from the abuse she has suffered at the hands of her brother), she has come to believe that she deserves the bad treatment she often gets. In this context, I do have to say that the overlap that was done in the series – Lukas and her in the photoshoot session, while Connell reads his email in the background about what he thinks about this – that just because bad things may have happened to her, doesn’t mean that she deserves them, was very insightful and amazing. Something that the book was unable to do.
The disconnect from life was shown very aesthetically via the slow sequences, for Marianne and Connell.
The series also did well with the portrayal of other characters especially that of Niall and Lorraine.
The series also better explored the character of Niall. In the book, I honestly didn’t care about him enough – he just wasn’t there enough.
The mother-son dynamic was awesome in the book and it was just as awesome in the series. I loved it.
The endings!
The end of the book left me dissatisfied because it felt like they had not learned a lesson that they need to communicate! Instead, Marianne just pushes Connell away yet again yet simply telling him that she loves him.
In this regard, I think that the series does better. It establishes the two characters as two individuals on their own, yet with an undeniable need and want for each other. They are bound forever and in a way, they are in this healthy relationship that shows them their value based on their individual selves. In a way, it is a new beginning for them.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the author. However, all opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by external forces.
This is the story of a woman who had everything yet who lost everything and rose when everyone gave up to finally lead the empire of Bharatvarsha. For the first time, take a sneak peek into the life of the sister of the God who shaped Mahabharata to become the progenitor of the Kuru race after everything was reduced to nothing in the battle of Kurushetra. Krishna’s sister is a mythological fiction of the life and story of Princess Subhadra in the backdrop of the great Mahabharat war and the sacrifice and pain that she went through. It also explores the relationship she shared with her brother and mentor Lord Krishna as well as her husband Arjuna and co-wife Draupadi. Subhadra is also worshipped as a deity in the Jagannath Puri, one of the holiest shrines in India.
KRISHNA’S SISTER is the story of Subhadra (sister of Krishna and Balaram, and wife of Arjun). The reason that this book is interesting is that it brings forth a story and gives a voice to this (yet another) lesser-known woman from the Mahabharata. Recent mythological fiction novels have become a popular source and stronghold for the feminist viewpoint, with the help of which, the female characters are given a chance to bring their stories to the forefront. We all know that the Mahabharata is full of a multitude of related stories, but often they are ignored so as to not confuse the reader. However, this was a great attempt by the author to share the story of Subhadra, a sister of a God, but also a warrior and an independent and strong woman, on her own terms, as well as a goddess herself, worshipped in the Jagannath temple at Puri.
Krishna’s Sister (ebook)
The story was an emotional one that tugged on my heartstrings. It is about Subhadra – her life, her struggles, and the utter tragedies that befell her. But most of all, it is about how she overcame them all to emerge victoriously.
The author has written the story in a fluid way – we see the elements of family brought in, along with the love shared among brothers and sisters, the romantic love and subsequent pining she finds with Arjuna, and her later strife as a woman in society. The narration was on point, because despite the fact that all of this happened in the epics, thousands of years ago, the reader cannot help but relate with Subhadra. I cried with her, her pain, and her sacrifices. And like her, I too questioned the ways in which women have to sacrifice so much.
The author also explored her journey from being a Princess of the Yadav clan to being a queen in the Kuru dynasty, her relationships, and the dynamics among the Pandavas, with Draupadi and Kunti. Her relationship with Krishna was an adorable one and I loved the glimpses we got of the Lord.
Like all epics, the theme of destiny and fate is very powerful and prevalent here. Just like in the Greek dramas of West – of Sophocles, Homer, and Euripides – the inevitability of fate catching up to you, or the human strife (and further inevitable failure) to outrun it and escape it is very powerful in the Mahabharata as well. Especially if you consider the end of the Yadav clan but the fateful continuation of the Kuru clan with the help of Krishna’s intervention.
The author with her concise writing has kept the reader intrigued and engaged until the very end. I truly enjoyed reading this book and I hope the author comes up with the rest of the books in the series soon! I rated it 4/5 stars!
Nika with Krishna’s Sister
Corporate Communication professional, an avid travel blogger, foodie, and movie buff all rolled into one, Priyanka Bhuyan has been doing freelancing since her college days. Her debut book-Kaleidoscope of Love, a collection of short stories is on the varied emotions of love was published in the year 2019 and was adjudged among the top 100 debut authors by Literature Light. She hails from the beautiful green state of Assam and Guwahati is where she calls her home. Currently in a workaholic phase, she has her parents, brother and her dog as her family. For more info you can follow her on girlsliketotravel.com
This post is part of #Birthdaybloghop by Vidhya Thakkar and Neelam Sharma should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. Hosts are not responsible for any infringement caused.”
“And since a novel has this correspondence to real life, its values are to some extent those of real life. But it is obvious that the values of women differ very often from the values which have been made by the other sex; naturally this is so. Yet is it the masculine values that prevail. Speaking crudely, football and sport are “important”; the worship of fashion, the buying of clothes “trivial.” And these values are inevitably transferred from life to fiction. This is an important book, the critic assumes, because it deals with war. This is an insignificant book because it deals with the feelings of women in a drawing-room.”
– Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
women-centric literature
I recently compiled a list of booksfrom my bookshelf, and the main theme that seemed to bind them all was the fact that they were either written by women or were about women in different spheres of life. Needless to say, many of these books, when they first came out, were often subject to various controversies, specifically because they also dealt with the themes of female independence, sexuality, intellectualism as well as female interrelationships.
Although these books all belong to various genres (literary fiction, nonfiction, bildungsroman, Post Colonial studies, dystopian, graphic novels, contemporary literature, etc), they have a common thread of continuity running through these. These follow women who are growing in one way or another (physically, emotionally, mentally, etc) and as such are often placed in contrast against the largely conservative and patriarchal society. All of these women are rebelling, in either a small or a big way, against the society that strives to repress them and their beings.
These are books that I have either read or am planning to read, specifically because of the subject matter. I believe that in one way or another, these can be great references when studying feminism, because like I have reiterated continually, they all deal with women and their rights, in various degrees. So, here is my book list of 25 books, including 3 special mentions, which I think every person should read.
Women-centric Literature
Delta of Venus by Anais Nin – A rich and exotic collection from the master of erotic writing!
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – The trials and tribulations of the March sisters during the American Civil War.
The Ages of Lulu by Almudena Grandes – A groundbreaking novel of sexual exploration which was an overnight sensation and sparked international controversy!
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde – A cyclical chronicle of the author’s coming-of-age and the different women who shaped her.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – A dystopian novel that is utterly convincing in its representation of a society that does not let women read and uses them as breeders.
The Loves of Faustyna by Nina Fitzpatrick – A sexual odyssey across the social and political scenario of Communist Poland.
Orlando by Virginia Woolf – A love-letter to Woolf’s lover Vita Sackville-West, Orlando is a journey across three centuries.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys – A retelling of the Jane Eyre story from the eyes of the madwoman in the attic!
The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir – A powerful analysis of the Western notion of “woman,” and a groundbreaking exploration of inequality and otherness.
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf – A feminist text that argues for the need for literal and figurative space for a woman to flourish and dedicate time to herself.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin – One of the key first-wave feminist texts, that portrayed the stifling cage the institution of marriage was for one woman, who found respite in an extramarital affair.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath – An intensely emotional read about a young girl suffering from mental health illness.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker – An empowering story of a Black woman who faces multiple hardships, until she takes charge of her own destiny. Narrated via a series of letters.
We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – A seminal nonfiction work that serves as the most basic and relevant modern reason why one should be a feminist.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel – A graphic novel that explores sexuality, literature, and the effect of shame of closeted homosexuals.
Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi – Often described as a Middle Eastern version of Sex and the City, Embroideries deal with female sexuality, the concept of virginity, and independence.
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert – A fun read set during the years before and after the WWII, City of Girls is an exploration of one’s identity and sexuality, amidst the glamour of fashion and showgirls. Also, narrated by an old woman looking back on her life.
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert – The only book in this list, written by a male author, Madame Bovary is much like The Awakening in the sense that it follows a married woman trapped in her marriage, seeking emotional fulfillment in reading, spending and ultimately in adultery.
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett – One of the best-loved works in Victorian and children’s literature, it is about resilience and hope in the face of extreme hardships and sadness.
Emma’s Secret (A Woman of Substance series) by Barbara Taylor Bradford – The Woman of Substance was a book that my aunt loved and heavily annotated, and as many would agree, a story of the indomitable spirit of a woman who with a mean entrepreneurial streak became the richest woman in the world.
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni – A reimagining of the Mahabharata from the eyes of Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandavas.
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery – A book series that was a childhood favourite of many, and was again relieved via the Netflix series Anne with an E.
Special Mentions:
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
women-centric literature
This post is part of #Birthdaybloghop by Vidhya Thakkar and Neelam Sharma should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. Hosts are not responsible for any infringement caused.
My God! This was an astounding read. I have never before come across a novel that so well threaded together the lines of literary fiction and crime. So well did this weaving take place that I was facing a dilemma – do I hurry up and finish the book at one go (like I would for any crime novel), or do I savour it and live through it a day at a time (as I do for literary fiction). That is to say, I was torn between my love for it as a crime novel, and contrastingly as literary fiction.
AFTER SHE WROTE HIM is a pioneer in reaching for what has never been reached out for (at least in my humble reading career). If there are more books in this particular niche, I owe it to this, my first such novel, for introducing to this world.
Literary fiction novels have the capacity to make me think and introspect quite a bit. On the other hand, I am a criminal psychologist, trying to figure out the mystery when I read crime fiction. Bringing these together was an utter delight to my mind fortress and I applaud the writer for her superb skill in doing so.
The characters are alive – they jump out of the novel right at you – both with their realistic subtlety and also with the fantastic phantasm that the author creates. I lived through Madeline and I breathed through Edward. And may I just say that this twists your mind? You are left grasping for straws as you oscillate between deciding what is real and what is not.
My only reason for rating this book a 4.5 star and taking away the 0.5 was for the ending which left me pining for a more solid end. But that is not to say that I did not like the ending – in fact, I did. It was, at the same time, more solid and real than it could ever have been. But the book transforms you and you are left, longing to be a part of the lives of these two main characters.
I have really loved this book and can only try my best to persuade you to read it soon! Please do! It is a tour de force! Thanks to #netgalley for #AfterSheWroteHim !
Check out the book on Amazon, or add it to your Goodreads TBR list!
Audiobooks are one heck of a way to get into reading, to be honest! I love that they make me free to do other household chores. I am often listening to audiobooks while I wash the dishes, water the plants, or take a walk. However, I do understand that audiobooks can be daunting for many of us, especially non-native speakers of English. So today, I’ll be sharing a few tips and recommendations and I hope you will all find them beneficial!
Delving into audiobooks!
Here are the 8 tips which will probably help you all, just as they helped me when I was starting with audiobooks!!
Audiobooks: How-to Pt. 1
Begin with a light read – like a poetry collection, or conversely, begin with a fast-paced thriller! For me, it was the fast-paced thriller/literary fiction that did the job – Long Bright River by Liz Moore.
Often as a beginner, listening to an audiobook can distract you if you are doing something that requires you to be actively focused on it, as opposed to doing the job by mere muscle memory. That is why I personally recommend you to first start with doing such muscle-memory jobs while listening to audiobooks.
This tip is especially for non-native English speakers, myself being one such example. Obviously it is difficult to understand someone who is speaking very fast. As such, I would recommend you to perhaps start with 1x and then increase the speed as you grow comfortable. I personally have become accustomed to 2x now.
The way a particular narrator narrates the tale, can make it or break it for the reader. Of course, this is subjective for every reader, and so if you have perhaps heard someone say that a particular audiobook (that you have been meaning to listen to) is not really great, don’t simply give up. Check it out! On the same note, always try to listen to the sample track before buying the audiobook for the same reason. Check it out before you commit to it or before you completely push it aside.
Audiobooks: How-to Pt. 2
If you are struggling to get into a physical book, then try to read it while also listening to the audiobook. This is a way of active learning, so perhaps you can also do it for college/school/work readings.
Always try to look at it in a positive manner. If you go in, thinking you won’t enjoy listening to audiobooks, chances are, you probably won’t. So keep an open mind!
Do not get discouraged. Since it is your first time delving into an audiobook, chances are there might be a couple of misses before the hook clicks in!
Lastly, check out my Audiobook Playlist on Youtube where there are quite a few audiobooks. Moreover, Librivox.org is a good source to get audiobooks!
Here I am also sharing recommendations of fabulous audiobooks (based on my personal experience, as well as recommendations I have come across!) I hope you all fall in love with audiobooks too! Here’s to a happy journey into a new world!
With the lockdown seeming indefinite now, classes that had been postponed, are back in full force with their online counterparts. While we might not have as many scheduled online classes in a day as we had at university, the pressure has been undeniable there these days. I figure it is due to the fact that for most of us, the home environment is not at all what we would like a work environment to be – perhaps it is just not conducive with all the distractions around. Being a final year student, it has become my priority to stay on top of my classwork and self-study. So today, I’m going to share a few tips with you all, ones that have been helping me stay one step ahead, of this pressure that comes with the online university lifestyle!
This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links (at no cost to you, of course! 🙂)
Regular sleep and exercise!
Regular Sleep and Exercise
A healthy mind and a healthy body are so important at this time. The basic logic here is if you are not keeping well, how do you expect to stay on top of your game? I have been working out every day so that is really helping towards a regular sleeping time. Otherwise, I had hardly any physical activity during the day so I was not tired and couldn’t fall asleep at a decent hour. I would stay up with 3 or 4 am and it hampered me the next day, and so on. But ever since I have started to work out regularly, my sleeping has become so much better!
Have a planner and a daily schedule
Have a planner and a daily schedule
A planner just makes life so much easier. For instance, the most obvious thing you can use it for, is to keep a note of your class schedule, so that you do not end up missing any. Moreover, it also helps you keep a track of your reading progress, assignment submission dates, etc. along the same lines, it also helps if you make a schedule for yourself. I like to get up early and help my mother with the household chores before I take a bath and get dressed and put on some makeup. This helps me psychologically and puts me in the study mindset. Acting as if it is a normal workday really helps. Here’s a link to buy the planner I use: https://amzn.to/2y4CD2R
Have a designated study/workspace
Have a designated study space
I cannot stress this enough. The mind is programmed in such a way that you will inevitably fall asleep if you work on your bed. Therefore, having a separate space and going to it regularly only to work, will condition your mind into automatically starting to work. Besides, posture plays a key role in this. If you’re leaning back and lazing about trying to work, chances are you probably will not be able to really concentrate. However, if you are sitting up straight, you will also be aware and less prone to daydreaming!
Take breaks
Take breaks
Breaks are really important to rejuvenate yourself. I have been using the Pomodoro technique for ages and find that it is really helpful. In this technique, schedule yourself to work for 25 minutes and after it is over, take a five-minute break. This is your first set, you could say. Do this three more times, so that you have done 4 sets in two hours. Take a half/one hour break now. I like to hydrate myself during these breaks. Despite the fact that most of us are at home, we often forget to drink enough water. Perhaps, going and chatting with your family members, or doing a couple of easy exercises will also be great.
Set deadlines for yourself
Set deadlines
Deadlines
really help me to actually get work done. When you know you have tons of time
on your hands, chances are, you will
probably end up procrastinating. I usually set huge assignments in a 2/3 day
schedule and work my way through well. This has worked for me. However, if this
does not work for you, you can also try actually finishing the job at one go. The
most important thing is, to separate the entire task into smaller ones and
complete them one by one.
Make study groups
Make a study group
If you are a competitive person like me, or someone who is too laidback (this works either way), make a study group. I have one with two of my friends and we work well together. We set our goals for the day/week and work our way through slowly while sharing updates. In this way, if one of us actually slacks, the fact that you are accountable to the rest of your study buddies will make you want to finish your tasks. Most importantly, I would like to note here, that it is advisable to make study groups with only the classmates who you know will be serious and will not just laze about procrastinating.
So these are a few short tips to make sure you ace your online classes. At the end of the day however, your own discipline and desire to ace are what will matter and push you. These will simply help propel you further, the main engine being your own will and determination. I hope these tips will help you.
Half-Fae, half-human Bryce Quinlan loves her life. Every night is a party and Bryce is going to savour all the pleasures Lunathion – also known as Crescent City – has to offer. But then a brutal murder shakes the very foundations of the city, and brings Bryce’s world crashing down. Two years later, Bryce still haunts the city’s most notorious nightclubs – but seeking only oblivion now. Then the murderer attacks again. And when an infamous Fallen angel, Hunt Athalar, is assigned to watch her every footstep, Bryce knows she can’t forget any longer. As Bryce and Hunt fight to unravel the mystery, and their own dark pasts, the threads they tug ripple through the underbelly of the city, across warring continents, and down to the deepest levels of Hel, where things that have been sleeping for millennia are beginning to stir … With unforgettable characters and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom – and the power of love.
“LIGHT IT UP, BITCH!”
I was yelping at this point. This book gave me all the feels – I was cackling like a manic and my dad just popped in and asked what the hell I was laughing about at 2 am. I was also a sobbing mess, bawling my eyes out – somehow saying “I can’t do this anymore” to my sister, who just laughed her ass off. I was happy and ecstatic and sad and feeling all the in-betweens!
“It was joy and life and death and pain and song and silence.”
SJM is an auto-buy author for me and I have been trash for her ever since I first read ACOTAR and TOG. And so, knowing that she is coming up with this humongous tome had me on the edge of the seat. I thought I would be able to rest once I got the book in my hands. But did I? NUH UH!
Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood artwork
“She was sea and sky and stone and blood and wings and earth and stars and darkness and light and bone and flame.”
The reading experience was sensational! I love the urban setting – with laptops and phones and internet, and cap-wearing angels, badass party princesses, and a swaggering Fae prince. The union of technology and magic, as well as the “in-between” (thumbs up in you know what I mean!), was on point.
The plot twists were unexpected and sudden and would make me put down the book and stare vacantly for a few moments. The politics among the different cliques (for lack of a better term) was intense but also peppered with witticism. The bonds that the characters shared were also so heartfelt and real that as a reader, I felt every bit of happiness radiating from them as well as every loss they were dealt with too. SJM is amazing at character development and the interpersonal drama aspects.
What is classic SJM is that her characters –
both the males and the females – are fighting demons of their own. None of them
have it easy and it is in their struggle that countless readers have found
hope. I know I certainly have.
However, I do think that certain characters were
similar to the ones we have come across in the earlier books as well. I do
think SJM pulls a Sam Cortland unfortunately. And I do believe that SJM hints
at the fact that she will do what she does, further on in the sequels:
“If she’s smart, she’ll lie low and not attract the attention of any other powerful immortals for the rest of her life.”
(If you know, you know!) Also, that cover is smashing!
5/5 stars, without a doubt!
Thank you, Bloomsbury for sending across a copy of this riveting book!
This was a
modern-day marriage-of-convenience story that was a beautiful combination of
tradition, romance and family values. I love how the author has given an
Eastern twist to it – since most of the stories that follow this trope are set
in the western world. I feel that when it comes to the Eastern side of the
world, it just gets a lot more complicated. We have a family to deal with, we
have extended family to deal with and so on.
I loved how these characters were well rounded. Apart from the budding romance, there are also the subplots – mostly the hurdles the two characters are trying to overcome. Garrett and Natalie are two people who are goal-oriented and know what they want. Garrett was the perfect alpha male – he was so encouraging and applauded Natalie’s business acumen.
I also loved that he was not the obsessive possessive lover that seems to be the equation nowadays. The way they blossomed was great – both as a couple as well as individually. The power imbalance, however, surprisingly was not much of a deterrent in their relationship and I huffed in satisfaction at that. Also, the sexual build-up was great although they did seem to have instant chemistry.
However, one thing that I did not particularly like was how each chapter would begin suddenly. There was no thread of continuity there and I would have appreciated it if there were. However, it was a quick and interesting love story! I rated it 4/5 stars!
SWIMMING IN THE DARK was incandescent!! It is perfect for fans of #callmebyyourname and #aristotleanddante and also #redwhiteandroyalblue ! It was also my last read of February and my second 5⭐ read of the month!
The book is a beautiful and evocative story set in the early 1980s Poland. As such, the political scenario is quite an intricate part of the narrative and it also shapes the thoughts and actions of the characters. The story is told by Ludwik Glowacki a Polish man living in America. The whole novel is actually him reminiscing about his past, and more so, as if writing it for his former lover Janusz. Janusz is addressed in the second person and it really made me remember Call Me By Your Name. Ludwik’s story starts from when he was of 9 years of age and met and fell in love with his neighbour Beniek, a Jewish boy, to his early 20s romance with Janusz.
The book’s central themes include Ludwik’s realisation of his sexuality, the way he deals with it, especially in a society where this is frowned upon, and thus, the aspect of shame associated with it; discovery of his selfhood as well as the tumultuous political times of Poland wrought with various trials for the people.
There is a beautiful sense of the bittersweet that envelops Jedrowski’s writing. I am entirely in love with it and am looking forward to a follow up to this fantastic debut. The way the author has portrayed the conflicting feelings that Ludwik has for Janusz because of their differing political ideologies etc, is also great. With such a lyrical prose and tragic undertones, this was a truly unique read, that will leave it’s warmth with me, like a dying hearth of fire, for a really long time.
When it comes to Norse Mythology, I admittedly know very little. Ofcourse, Loki, Thor and Odin seem to be the most popular guys and so I went in knowing only these three. But the mythology of their culture is so rich! I am so glad I got the opportunity to delve deeper into it. . The stories are very intriguing and like every other culture, Norse Mythology too has its own explanation and stories for the various natural phenomenon. I love that these stories are also inspired from the actual texts, but with certain twists by the author. They were full of adventure and drama and I was hooked throughout! . And Loki was a constant source of trouble and mischief. I hate that he helps towards Ragnarok and I hate that I do not entirely hate him because he is just the fun factor that was needed. . The gods are also portrayed as very human and selfish. They make promises without the consent of the other gods they have bound into their promises and it causes such a ruckus! . Anyway, I really loved reading this book and also, this was my second #neilgaiman after #thesleeperandthespindle
I finally started reading the graphic novel from 2019 and it honestly has been a great journey so far. In my 5th semester, I decided to pursue a Visual Studies elective. I was lucky enough to have a great teacher under whom I explored this genre and saw what fun it is!
Graphic novel: Pumpkinheads
I recently picked up Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks and it was my first graphic novel of the year. To be very honest, I was suffering from a terrible reading slump and so I wanted to read something fun and not very intense. That is the reason why I decided to pick up Pumpkinheads, about which my bestie Gayatri had been raving about from the time she read it. and I really enjoyed it. It certainly helped me get over my slump.
However, on that very note, it span over the time period of just a few hours. It is not a book with a lot of depth, so if that is what you are expecting it to be, you might be disappointed. I found it be a fun and flirty read. Moreover, it has great LGBT representation and it definitely broke free of the generic stereotypes of boys and girls. Lastly, I was blown away by the amazing art. The predominant colours were that of orange, burnt ochre, and all the autumn colours, which made the book an art piece to feast on. I certainly enjoyed every bit of it. It was a 3.75 star read for me.
Vyasa and Pumpkinheads: a glimpse
Graphic novel: Vyasa
After that I was so in love with pictures that can take over your imagination, that I decided to go after another graphic novel and this time, I picked up Vyasa. This book is on the Indian epic Mahabharata, a personal favourite. The story is by Sibaji Bandyopadhyay and the art is by Sankha Banerjee. The way this book was written was amazing. I loved the recurrent jumps in time and the overall framing structure that combined the stories within the story. However, it was only the first part and I was left dangling.
Now I am eagerly waiting for the sequel to Vyasa: The Beginning. The art in this book is stunning as well and I was spellbound throughout. The fact that I finally have pictures that can accompany the stories I, and we all, grew up with, was a wonder in itself. I absolutely loved this book and I rated it 4.5 star read for me.
Good Girls Lie by J. T Ellison was my first read of 2020. I really enjoyed this book and it ended up being a 3.75 star read for me. It was an amazing thriller!
Good Girls Lie by J. T. Ellison
In my stop today for this blog tour of GOOD GIRLS LIE, by HarperCollins, I’m sharing my review of this amazing read!
An atmospheric thriller
The synopsis was very interesting firstly and drew me in with a moth to a flame. On that note, there are many spider metaphors in the book that kind of creeped me out. Moreover, I love the atmospheric setting of the book.
Shifts in narration
However, when there were shifts between certain two figures (I dare not give any spoilers but if you have read the book you will understand) and I would get kind of confused as to who is who. This specific thing took me some time to get used to and when they happened I admit I get a bit frazzled and confused.
A thrilling setting
Apart from this small fact, I enjoyed this book. The whole private boarding school, which is exclusively for girls – all of them privileged – was a delicious setting. The dynamics and hierarchy among the girls – both good and bad – felt very real and in a way, a bit sad. Why do girls see other girls as competition and create problems for them? Why not build each other up?
Character growth
I think that the character of Ash could have grown a bit more. Compared to the length of the novel and the time span in it, she could have been a bit more developed by the end. I love the secret societies vibe that permeates throughout. SInce I have always wanted to be a huge old mansion full of secret pathways and tunnels and hence, I lived through each and every moment while those girls were traveling along with them. Of course, the hazing was cruel and unfair and extreme.
Verdict
The truth kept dangling just in front of me and I tried to grab on to it but only towards the end did I finally start to piece together what was actually the situation here. I really enjoyed the book and the whole secret societies vibe makes me want to pick up Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo ASAP!
And today I share with you all my final post of 2019, which is like a follow-up to my other post (Top 10 Books on my 2020 TBR!) In today’s post I have tried to compile a very ambitious list, of all the fantasy books I want to get to in 2020! Are you excited about any of these fantasy books?
Top Fantasy Books on my 2020 TBR!
Books mentioned:
The Mortal Instruments
Percy Jackson
And I Darken trilogy
Rebel of the Sands trilogy
A Darker Shade of Magic trilogy
His Dark Materials trilogy
Carry On, Wayward Son
Children of Blood and Bone, Children of Virtue and Vengeance
Ninth House
The Empire of Gold (Book 3 of The Daevabad Trilogy, with The City of Brass, and The Kingdom of Copper)
Aurora Burning (Aurora Rising)
Starsight (Skyward)
Throne of Glass
Lord of the Ring, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion
The Cruel Prince trilogy
Shatter Me trilogy
I have also made an IGTV video regarding this topic and I would love it if you could check it out. Click here to go to my Instagram!
I remember reading Aurora Rising sometime in mid-2019 and I really enjoyed it. It was then and there that I had made up my mind to read Jay Kristoff’s independent works. No wonder I ended up binging on the entire trilogy of the Nevernight Chronicles. The books in chronological order are Nevernight, Godsgrave, and Darkdawn.
Many many thanks to HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read this awesome series! This series ended up on the Best Fantasy Reads of 2019 video! Check this out!
Nevernight as adult fantasy
Firstly, Nevernight was an adult fantasy series – my second one after the Daevabad Series (The City of Brass, and The Kingdom of Copper) which I read in 2019 as well. Being pretty new to the adult fantasy genre, I did not know much about what to expect. But I was in for a treat. There are a lot of adult themes in the Nevernight and I for one was left reeling ever time a chapter ended. The entire series is a very fast-paced one and with full of action, it was definitely one of the best fantasy series I read in 2019.
A quirky writing style
Regarding the writing style, I very much am in love with the one the author uses. It is witty and laugh-out-loud funny and so very interactive. The swear words were so very imaginative and I was hooked to the way he writes. I think apart from the characters and the plot, it is this unique writing style that made it such a bestseller. The sarcastic tunes at the time had me rolling my eyes and the banter that the characters share was on point. The repetitive manner at times, make a staccato-like beat which gave me goosebumps at several points.
On-point world-building
The inclusion of the footnotes was another plus point to this series. It helped make the reader know a lot of the world – the political system, the social systems, the history and various other things in general. I have personally not come across this style ever before in fantasy. It just makes everything feel so real. The imagery throughout is on point. Kristoff has a stunning way of conjuring these amazing scenes right in front of your eyes and I was a sucker for that. It felt like I was right there, although at a safe distance from the weapons!
Maps and illustrations!
The maps are also very detailed and I love tracking Mia throughout. The overall content of the series is deliciously dark and written with a compelling voice. The themes of revenge, violence, tortures, ambition, etc., along with friendship, family, etc, were really well interwoven.
Setting and Characters
The setting was very much like Rome and Venice into the middle ages and the magic system was amazing. I love the power that Mia has and her relationship with Mister Kindly. I love the characters although I do not like Ash much, to be honest. Not even as the novels progress. I just found her character to be unbearable unstable and she was just not someone I liked.
Darkdawn
However, compared to Nevernight and Godsgrave, I think Darkdawn did not fully reach the potential. I was a bit bored at parts although I did enjoy it overall. I think it could have been a bit better especially with the plot and the pace.
Verdict
Overall, I love this series and it ended up in my Top Fantasy Reads of 2019 list! I rated Nevernight 4.5, Godsgrave 4.5, and Darkdawn 4stars.
I finally made a list of the top 10 books I want to read in 2020. These books belong to a variety of genres such as historical fiction, non-fiction, magic realism, contemporary, literary fiction, etc. What are the top books on your 2020 TBR pile?
Top books on my 2020 TBR!
You can check out my list of the top Fantasy Books I want to read in 2020 by clicking here!
Embroidered Life, by Sara Barnes, follows the craft of embroidery as practiced by Sarah K. Benning. And it is the ultimate craft inspo!
Embroidered Life
Craft of Sarah K. Benning
From beautiful botanicals to bold affirmations, the work of self-taught fiber artist Sarah K. Benning gives any embroidery enthusiast, art lover, or plant fanatic a new appreciation for the craft of needlework.
I absolutely loved the art that is this book in itself. It sheds light on Benning’s embroidery process and her successful business model, while also offering behind-the-scenes insights that really inspired me to pick up the needle and thread after almost a decade.
Aesthetics of this craft
There are also some amazing pictures of the various embroidery works done by Benning and they are so lush and beautiful! A lot of her works feature nature and plants and the colour green overall, and it was no wonder I was so very attracted to it. Following each picture, the author has also included notes to explain the meanings and processes behind the stitches.
How it inspired me
It also obviously pushed me to make my own embroidery piece and so I too ended up embroidering my personal logo. I had a great time making it and I realized that it is a kind of meditation. It just feels so good to sit down in the warm sunshine every morning and do the stitching. I really felt at peace doing it.
Craft for life!
Moreover, the book is so aesthetic, and the addition of the die-cut case with actual stitching on the front cover just amps up the aesthetics! Like the embroidery which is a very physical thing, the inclusion of this stitching on the front too is iconic for emulating that sense of touch.
A smashing book!
I think by now it’s obvious I think it is a 5/5 star book, don’t you?
2019 is almost at an end and I can definitely say that it has been an awesome reading year for me. I have finished reading 250 books so far and I know that that number will only increase until the 31st of December. So as a part of my Bookmas series, I decided to compile a list of the best books I have read in 2019! And in no particular order, the books are:
You Will Be Safe Here, by Damian Barr – An extraordinary debut that explores legacies of abuse, redemption, and the strength of the human spirit–from the Boer Wars in South Africa to brutal wilderness camps for teenage boys.It also talks about the feminine issues – both social, and historical – the suppression of women and the masculine power play over them, their objectification, etc. The diary entries make you cry – just reading of the utter inhuman situations that they, along with so many other people were subjected to. The flashback method was also great and gives great depth to the story. One of the major themes that I saw throughout Part 2 is that of toxic masculinity. For instance, seeing Willem cry in desperation once, Jan had turned away – after all, boys do not cry. We also see domestic abuse scenario in this part. (See full review)
City of Girls, by Elizabeth Gilbert – A delicious novel of glamour, sex, and adventure, about a young woman discovering that you don’t have to be a good girl to be a good person. City Of Girls is part memoir, and We see Vivian as a very practical, matter-of-fact woman, who accepts things as they are. Easter eggs in the book were the mentions of Gone With The Wind as well as the people associated with it. Dealing with trauma is something that is shown multiple times in the book, although very subtly as undercurrents that determine the actions of the characters. When we see Vivian and Celia get punished for their actions, we confront the hypocrisy of the society, just as the character mentions, the women are always punished but the men get away scot-free with it. (See full review)
We Should All be Feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Despite the tiny size of this book, the content was a vital key towards understanding what feminism is and why we should strive to be feminists ourselves. Feminism is such a controversial term and I honestly do not understand why. Why wouldn’t you want to be considered equal to the person standing next to you? We are living in the 21st century and as we move into the third decade, this issue continues to rile up so many. The book is illuminating specially if you want to understand what feminism is without going through theory books, and why we should seek for it and live it every day. I also loved the easy and interactive writing style of the author and am looking forward to reading more of her novels in the coming year.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, by Alison Bechdel – The second graphic novel I ever read, and one that will rally stay with me, Fun home was a brilliant tour-de-force. While an autobiography, this work also brings to the fore, the concept of autobiofictionality – of what happened in the past and of how you actually remember things happening. The minimal colors used were juxtaposed against the complex matters in the book. We see the author coming to terms about her own sexuality while also realizing that her father had been a closeted homosexual man. There are also many repercussions to this – the mother stuck in the loveless, while convenient marriage; the father always trying to fix up the house in a way he cannot ‘fix’ himself, etc. There are also a ton of literary allusions in the book which truly establishes this as a seminal work in modern literature.
Suncatcher, by Romesh Gunesekera – Suncatcher was a beautiful and poignant coming-of-age novel.Set in the 1960s Ceylon, erstwhile Sri Lanka, and it is a time of great political change all around. We follow the protagonist Kairo, a normal young boy whose life takes for an exciting turn when he meets the worldly and confident Jay. For all his dreams and hopes, Jay reminded me of Fitzgerald’s famous character Jay Gatsby. Another character who was very interesting was Uncle Elvin. If Jay reminds me of Jay Gatsby because of his visionary ways, Elvin seems to embody Rhett Butler in his manner of living. As for the writing, the language is descriptive and wholesome. One of the important themes was that of illusion. Be it the adults or Jay himself, everyone seems to be deliberately altering the way he or she perceives reality. (See full review)
Circus Folk and Village Freaks, by Aparna Upadhyaya Sanyal – Sanyal has played with magic to deliver to us a tale of absurd and unbelievable men and women, monsters and pets. The transformation from man to animal, man to monster etc. run rife throughout the “18 twisted tales” and provides an enjoyable and funny read. Under these trivial and funny stories though, lies witty undertones, which are deep and metaphorical in the essence. The various themes I interpreted in the book include, but are not limited to, issues of abandonment and finding one’s true calling, homosexuality, society’s reaction against this ‘perversion’, and suicide, identity, love, mental illness, etc. The verse is lyrical and rhyming and thus, sounds so musical. I definitely recommend reciting these out loud. It’s a magical experience. My absolute favorite poems from here are The Unlikely Love Story of Lingam, and Jeeva, The Elephant Man. (See full review)
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe – Anther book I read as a part of my course, Things Fall Apart is a seminal work in African literature. It follows Okonkwo, a man from the Igbo society living his daily life, until the advent of the colonizers. The book is also a microcosm of not just all of Africa, but also of all the people and countries, which have been colonized by the western powers. The writing style is simple and yet powerful. The fall of the people – as they slowly lose their own ways and culture under the pressure and influence of the English – is sad to read about. The story climbs up to a crescendo and the climax is a potent one, that left me reeling. This is a masterpiece that everyone should definitely read.
The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison – The Bluest Eye was Toni Morrison’s first novel, published in 1970, and it is a controversial novel still, for showing themes of incest, child molestation, racism etc. By the time I had finished reading the last page, I was blown away by the lyrical quality of Morrison’s writing. The repetitions sometimes sound like a mantra that beats at your mind as you read of the terrible beauty that is this book. What is important, is the psychological implications the book also portrays throughout the shifting perspectives. It is a wonder, that Morrison wrote things that still affect the human race today – in that she is a writer on the human tragedies that are eternal and everlasting. The mental space is a big motif in this book. Replete with the truest essence of humanness, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye is one of the best books ever. (See full review)
Becoming, by Michelle Obama – I read this book as an audiobook and while I absolutely loved the sound of Michelle Obama’s voice and her enunciation, the content blew me away. I still reiterate that this book should be included in school curriculums because of its powerful and inspiring story of the first black First Lady of the USA. And I am not kidding when I say that this book motivated me a lot. I could relate myself to the author as I have been quite competitive all my life – but competitive with myself. It has always been a very serious game for me- I always try to be better than I was yesterday and to see the same attitude in the author, really reinforced this belief I have in myself. This is a grand gift, this time of the year, for any young cousin or sibling.
Lord of the Butterflies, by Andrea Gibson – One of the best poetry collections I have ever read, Lord of the Butterflies deals with issues such as homosexuality, being a transgender person, dealing with this as a child, and accepting this about oneself; bullying, rebellion; familial love, family drama, etc. The poet uses beautiful lyrical lines that just drive the knife deeper into the heart, so to speak – because all of the poems are so poignant and meaningful and relatable in today’s context, that you cannot help but be sucked in, to the magic. Crying while reading a fiction book is pretty common for me, but I even cried while reading these poems for myself. The poems I absolutely loved was ‘Orlando’, followed by ‘Boomerang Valentine’, ‘Thankstaking’, etc. (See full review)
Lost Transmissions is a lavish storehouse on lost or under-appreciated works of sci-fi and fantasy, in various fields like fashion, music, literature, etc!
Lost Transmissions
I received a review copy from the publishers in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sci-fi and fantasy storehouse!
This book is an amazing collection of essays, interviews, etc. If you are into sci-fi/fantasy, this is definitely a book you need to pick up. It also has been specifically divided into segments of Literature, Film & TV, Architecture, Art & Design, Music, Fashion and Fandom & Pop Culture.
Why pick up this sci-fi/fantasy book
I personally have been interested in fantasy for quite some time now. However, sci-fi is a genre that I need to explore more, and so this was a perfect revelatory starting point for me. Whatever your interests might be, it covers the wide ground. That is why, I believe, this book has something for everyone! The content is very expansive and since it covers a myriad of different topics, it also throws light on how sci-fi has affected broader culture. Not only is this a very informative book, but it is also really fun to read.
My likes and dislikes:
While the literature segment was my favourite, I skimmed through the fashion and music segments. I am sure that for some others, those two might be interesting. One of the pieces worth mentioning is ‘On Fantasy Maps’! A mention by me about a piece on the Voynich Manuscript was enough to make Dad eager to read the book too!
A superb cover and apt title!
The cover, as well as the whole presentation of the book, is superb. The illustrations also help make this a definitive book in the genre. The title was also very apt – as the book does talk about forgotten sci-fi related stuff – “transmission” is a really well-chosen word.
The Sleeper and the Spindle is an intertextual retelling comprising both the tales of Sleeping Beauty as well as Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The Sleeper and the Spindle
An Intertextual Retelling
This is a new retelling, combining the fairytales of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. I did not really know that going into it; I just thought that it was a Sleeping beauty retelling. However, the author has given an entirely new spin to it!
Female empowerment in intertextual reads
However, sleeping beauty, as it turns out, is not actually who we think she is. This is where the author brings in a delicious and dark new twist and it is quite interesting to see the turn that this story takes. This story however, does establish the two women as independent women with their own rights, pursuing what they want to, whether good or bad. They do not depend or long for a prince to save them and are neither pawns at the hands of others. They are makers of their own destiny and that was a good point added to the story.
Illustrations
The Sleeper and the Spindle
I think that this is a good fairytale on its own rights, to introduce kids to – not everything is as it appears and not everyone is as helpless as they might seem to be. The artwork was quite different from the one I am generally used to but I loved it. I came across Chris Riddell’s illustrations once before in Summer With Monica by Roger McGough.
What I did not like
However, I would have liked the book to be a bit longer than it was. Because of this reason also, I think that it was a bit overhyped. It could have definitely provided more and I just think like there was something missing.
Verdict:
Overall, a really interesting read and I rate it 4/5 stars.
A truly atmospheric read, I Will Miss You Tomorrow by Heine Bakkeid, was a strange and compelling read. I quite enjoyed it!
I Will Miss You Tomorrow by Heine Bakkeid
A Stephen King heir?
Firstly, I have never read anything like this before. But seeing as to how the author has been called Stephen King’s Norwegian heir, I will take that as a sign to go pick up King’s book soon.
Unreliable narrator
Moving on, this book is also the epitome of a thriller with an unreliable narrator. Recently, ‘domestic thrillers’ seem to have taken the reading sphere by storm and something that is common to them all is the unreliable narrator trope. So perhaps if you have been a fan of Gone Girl, The Girl On The Train, Into The Water, The Woman in cabin 10, etc, this is the book for you. And another thing that I have not come across before is an unreliable male narrator. So it was quite a new angle.
An atmospheric and thrilling edge-of-the-seat plot!
The overall plot takes place roughly across two weeks but the terrible weather makes it feel much longer. The details are vividly written and in its realistic portrayal, this book was novel for me. I really enjoyed reading it a lot.
A realistic atmospheric sense
There were weird paranormal/supernatural segments which were another twist added to the tale. I think this has been the perfect book for me to read, in order to expand my reading in this genre.
Characterization and timelines
The character is one of real interest – Thornkild Aske has many dimensions and the way his mind works was unique. His experiences and the way they have shaped him into the person he is now is quite a journey. The shifts in timelines were also a great addition to the narrative style that the author has taken up.
This classic poetry collection is an intensely private reflection on Walt Whitman’s attraction to and affection for other men.
The classic poetry collection is an intensely private reflection on Walt Whitman’s attraction to and affection for other men.
One of the most beautiful books that I have ever owned, Live Oak, With Moss, is simply filled to the brim with the poet’s haunting love for the beloved. Whitman’s longing just soaks the page and flows to your heart. The way the poet has combined nature with these poems is stunning. It made these so much more potent, real and raw. Apart from this burgeoning sense of longing, these subtly erotic poems are filled with the hope for a distant time and place when there will be a wholesome space for all these men to gather and simply be themselves.
I am reading Song of Myself from Leaves of Grass, for a class this semester. So, reading Live Oak, With Moss was illuminating in a way I never thought possible. I was overwhelmed by the words and the emotions they swelled up in me.
Live Oak, With Moss, is without a doubt, one of the best collections I have ever read and felt.
2019 is almost at an end and I am somewhere drifting amidst anxious, excited and apprehensive for the new decade. However, it was quite a good year for me. I believe I have improved tremendously and am at a great place right now. My words for 2019 were DISCIPLINE and HARD WORK. Although I could have done better with the first, I can say that I did work hard this year.
2019 accomplishments!
I will be done with my 5th semester of university in a few days, I am done with 4 internships and currently doing my 5th, I have a good GPA, I have worked on my relationships with my friends and relatives this year, and I have read a ton! I also finally shoved aside my shyness and anxiety and started uploading on YouTube – something that I had wanted to do for a long time, and I have also worked on my expenses, and I am happy.
So since it is the end of November, I thought its time I uploaded a companion post to my End of The Year Book Tag YouTube video that I just uploaded. I am tagging a few of you, and even if I haven’t, feel free to do this tag yourself, and I think it is a great way to come across new books that might interest you as well! As of November 29th, I have read 240 books in total this year.
Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish? JANE EYRE
Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year? NINTH HOUSE
Have you already started making reading plans for 2020? YES! Stay tuned for that!
This tag was started by Ariel Bisset (check out her video here). I am also planning on doing bookmas maybe so stay tuned for that, and Bookmas was established by Hailey (check out her announcement video here).
A consuming historical fiction novel, The Orange Grove is set in 18th century France. This historical fiction is full of suspense, rivalries, and secrets!
The Orange Grove, by Kate Murdoch
Historical fiction
A thoroughly entertaining and delicious read, The Orange Grove by Kate Murdoch, is a historical fiction set in 18th century France. From the synopsis itself, I could imagine that it would be full of political rivalries, power plays, secrets, etc. So I had high hopes for the book. I am glad to say that it definitely exceeded my expectations.
Synopsis
With a glorious world-building, the plot largely takes place in Blois, in the chateau of Dux Hugo d’Amboise. Inhabited by the Duc, his wife the Duchesse, and five mistresses, it is a regal world. But this aspect itself was baffling for me – for a modern-day woman like myself, this is a curious living situation. As one would aspect, the women, although living in a more or less harmonious existence, often have certain insecurities brewing between them. The Duchesse is acquainted with the ways of her world – any respected nobleman could have mistresses. However, Charlotte is only okay as long as the Duc loves only her. But when the Duc takes on a new mistress, a young noblewoman. He seems thoroughly besotted with her and so, Charlotte feels threatened. And it is from this insecurity that rises, that the story really starts.
The setting
The author portrays the tense environment well. It is clear that the author has done extensive research on this subject and this historical era. The women resort to underhanded means and ways to gain favour at the Duc’s hand. There are various secrets which, if revealed, may shake the roots of the power relations. The setting and plot have been well constructed.
Characterization of Henriette
The character of the protagonist, Henriette, is a morally sound person, I feel. She too has secrets to keep, just like everyone else, but I admire her willingness to help and support another woman instead of viewing her as the enemy. I think this has been the root cause of disharmony among women throughout history. Women are raised to perceive one another as competitors. However, in recent times, this has definitely changed I believe.
Characterization
The characterization when it comes to the others too is well done. We see the characters escalating toward a certain point, the climax so to say, and then follows their rise or downfall. What is also commendable is how wonderfully the author has kept the reader engrossed throughout – whether it is in the case of Henriette, her daughter Solange, Solange’s cute friendship with Tomas, the other mistresses, the tarot reader Romain, etc.
Themes
The themes of friendship, enmity, status and power, morality, loyalty, etc. have been thoroughly played through the characters in the book. In the end, it was thrilling to see how these people support and hate or pull tricks on one another all for the sake of power. Fashion, culture, sexuality, entertainment, culture, etc have also been shown throughout the lives of these characters. It has been a consuming read and I enjoyed each and every page of this novel. I rate this 4.5/5 stars.
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys is a retelling of 6 popular stories from Greek mythology. The author lends his humourous spirit to this collection!
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys
Greek Mythology: Stunning art pieces
First off, I want to just spend a moment to rest my eyes on the stunning cover! I love the yellows and the browns and it is just so aesthetic! The warm tones provide the perfect spot of colour in this dismal weather.
A Wonder Books for Girls and Boys
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys is basically a retelling of 6 popular Greek stories – The Gorgon’s Head, The Golden Touch, The Paradise of Children, The Three Golden Apples, The Miraculous Pitcher and The Chimaera. Most of us have already heard of Medusa and Midas in some morality play or moral stories, in one way or the other. This, Hawthorne’s method, too, proved to be a hearty experience.
Writing style
The stories are written in the story-within-a-story format and in this way, the author has involved a brilliant framing device. ‘Cousin Eustace’ a bright lad of 18, is telling these stories to his younger cousins, adding his own flavours to the curry, so to speak. Hawthorne’s blend of humour abounds this collection.
The stories are not truly ‘faithful’ to the actual Greek legends, but instead, Hawthorne has added his own spirit and essence to these. He has rewritten these stories in a gothic or a romantic style. Although essentially the same, there are many funny instances that will make you laugh out loud at times. Each of these stories provides an exceptional experience to the reader and makes for one hell of a time!
Although there are also morals clearly thrust forward, it is not overbearingly so. Thus, it proved to be an interesting read and not preachy at all! I rate this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to you all. It is quite short and you can read it in an hour. You could also read it out to your children or siblings and I am sure that they will love them as well.
An absolutely beautiful and poignant coming-of-age, Suncatcher is set against the political unrest in the 1960s Ceylon and it is a coming-of-age which I definitely recommend to you all!
A coming-of-age novel!
This was my first Gunesekera book and by god, am I a fan now! Suncatcher was a beautiful and poignant coming-of-age novel, or a bildungsroman, as we lit grads like to put it.
Setting and background:
The story is set in the 1960s Ceylon, erstwhile Sri Lanka, and it is a time of great political change all around; the reverberations of these political happenings resonate throughout the book and control how the adults act or what they say.
Themes of illusions and traps
One of the important themes that I could figure was that of illusion. Be it the adults or Jay himself, everyone seems to be deliberately altering the way he or she perceives reality and moreover, an entire section on the construction of the cage and the way how Jay perceives it towards the end is reminiscent of the way the system has caged the people. Society, class, economic situation, language, etc are all dividing lines.
Coming-of-age: The protagonist
At the center, we have the protagonist Kairo, a pretty much normal guy whose life takes for an exciting turn when he meets the worldly and confident Jay.
The similarity to The Great Gatsby
For all his dreams and hopes, Jay reminded me of Fitzgerald’s famous character Jay Gatsby. Jay is a boy whose personality greatly mesmerizes and influences Kairo and he comes off as an idealistic visionary, a talented naturalist and a rebel. There are many layers to his personality, however, and as the story progresses, we learn more about him.
A coming-of-age: Jay and Kairo
However, as Jay seems to be oblivious to the unstable situation all around him, Kairo seems to be a more emphatic and emotionally intelligent boy who takes stock of the things going on around him, although at the time he may not understand their significance. Jay and Kairo as a pair, seem to be a juxtaposition of two vastly different worlds; where Kairo belongs to the bourgeoisie, Jay can be said to belong to the ‘landed gentry’, for lack of a better term.
The similarity to Rhett Butler!!
Another character who was very interesting was Uncle Elvin. If Jay reminds me of Jay Gatsby because of his visionary ways, Elvin seems to embody Rhett Butler in his manner of living. I do not know why, but I somehow saw Clark Gable, more specifically his persona as Rhett Butler as Elvin, which is full of fast cars, girls and his extravagant ways.
A realistic writing style
As for the writing, the language is descriptive and so wholesome! The author has been able to well portray the thinking of youngsters burgeoning in their pre-adult years. There is a sense of rivalry that seems to be present, the need to be the leader and to dominate, etc. The use of the native words adds a very original flavor to the book.
Verdict:
I absolutely loved this book and I hope I can pick up more from the author’s milieu. I rate it 5/5 stars. Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy of this book. Also, the postcard is so aesthetic!
Impossible Causes was an atmospheric thriller and it was one hell of a ride, and when I first picked it up, I had not expected it to take the turn that it had.
Atmospheric
setting
The whole idea of a secluded island with a tightly knit religious community was very interesting, hence, no wonder I pounced on it as soon as I could. However, I have to admit that the synopsis did not do justice to the actual story.
The world-building, so to say, was on point and could give you goosebumps because of its excellence, and the book has an atmospheric feel. The fogs on the island made me feel claustrophobic and such was the imagery presented by the author.
We have two-time lines – one is the current one where we follow Viola after the ‘discovery’ of the body, and the other is a past timeline from the time of Viola’s arrival on the island; but the continuous jumps between the two timelines and the narrators were a bit abrupt and took me by surprise. It took some time for me to get used to that.
The beginning was a bit slow and I had to push myself; however, contrarily, I was hooked on in a strange way. The thing was that in the beginning, there were bits, which were unnecessary and yet, I kept reading on because I wanted to resolve the entire issue. In was only towards the latter half that I was actually on the edge of my seat trying to wonder where it was going. For all the hype, I think that this book falls short and I wasn’t that very excited to know much about the actual death, but apart from these issues, I think the story was well made.
Themes
The book covers themes such as secrecy, the power of voice, collective conscience, rape culture, misogyny, sexism, etc. The way in which the author has written the plot to encompass the universal issues that plague us was mind-blowing. The themes were excellent. I could not really guess what was happening until quite a bit past from the midway point.
Overall, it was quite an interesting read and I rate it 3.75/5 stars.
Nonfiction November is here and I have got some amazing nonfiction recommendations for you all! I hope you all have a blast reading these books!
NonFiction November recommendations
Reading nonfiction is hard!
I feel like 2019 has gone by so fast. November is here; half of it is already gone and it is only now that I am making the #nonfictionnovember recommendations post! I know from personal experience that reading this genre can be quite intimidating for some of us. But for those of you who read non-fiction very often, I applaud you!
How to ease into this genre
Since easing into this genre may take some getting used to for many of us, I decided to compile a list of some non-fiction reads, which do not really read as such. So without further ado, here are some books I have read and some that are on my radar!
Craft!
Embroidered Life: The Art of Sarah K. Benning – a splendidly created coffee table book, Embroidered Life follows the work process of Benning. Benning is a self-taught embroidery artist nad this book is a wonderful book to leaf through. If you are looking for something creative to pick up to while the harsh winter months away, this might just be the book for you. I for one, am currently working on an embroidery project of my own, which I hope to complete and show you all soon! (Goodreads)
Sci-fi!
Lost Transmissions: Science Fiction and Fantasy’s Untold, Underground and Forgotten History – a book which I am absolutely thrilled to pick this month is this insightful behemoth. It is rightly regarded as the bible of science fiction and fantasy’s most interesting and least-known chapters. I have very high hopes for this mixture of essays, interviews, and stunning visuals! (Goodreads)
Memoirs!
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body – Roxane Gay’s searingly honest memoir of food, weight, and self-image has been described as being intimate, vulnerable, and bracingly candour. Having read excerpts of Bad Feminist, I am pretty excited to see how this much-acclaimed memoir will be for me. (Goodreads)
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft – Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft. I decided that no matter what I write could trump this brilliant description of the King’s book. I have yet to read any of his books so I think I will change that situation by picking up this one. (Goodreads)
I’m Not Here to Give a Speech – Garcia Marquez is already a much well-acclaimed author. And I think it is an ironically named book! This is his collection of speeches span from his high school days to his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize. If you have not yet read any of Marquez’s words, perhaps this could be great for you to start with. (Goodreads)
Important works!
City of my Heart – a 4 star read for me, this book is a translation of four texts that talk about Dilli (or Delhi, as it is now known), following the downfall and the fate of royalty following the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, with the capture of Bahadur Shah Zafar. (Goodreads)
I am Malala and We Are Displaced – Malala is the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the fact that I have yet to read her books, meant I just had to get to them this month. Both of these two books are a conglomerate of the global issues of terrorism, the utter destruction it causes to the innocents of lives all around, immigration crisis, etc. It also speaks of the displacement issue that crops up with it, war, the refugee situation, border conflict, etc.
Feminist works!
Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More and Live Bolder – a 5 star read that I’d recommend to all! It was a fundamental and impactful read that I loved. It talks about the unexplainable need for perfectionism (which is prevalent in all of us), albeit a bit more obsessively in girls. Please pick up this book! It would be a shame if we fail to read it and realize the way most of us limit ourselves. (Goodreads)
Feminist Rani – Can I brag that I have already met the author and got this signed? Shamefully, I haven’t read it yet! Perhaps there is no better time than this November! It shares the stories of 15 women – women who have strived to fight for their own rights to stand as equals to men. They talk of issues such as identity, the need for the realization of selfhood, etc. (Goodreads)
City of Screams was my first horror anthology in a long time. It was full with some amazing horror-filled stories that left me spooked!
A horror-filled experience
Reading it was a pleasure especially because it contains stories from various authors and as such with different writing styles included, the book was an amalgamating of some of the best horror stories in the Indian scene out there.
There are a total of 15 different short stories in the book, all adding a fresh new take on the topic we all love. The synopsis was compelling enough to draw my attention to it when I was first approached to review this book. And it goes…
Horror genre:
Lonely mall corridors, stuffy hotel rooms, that always-locked apartment in your building— Horror lurks in your city at every bend, and it is waiting to leap at you in your solitary unguarded moment. And when it does, all the commotion of the city wouldn’t be enough to stifle your screams. These 15 stories come from the grisly and ghastly underbellies of our cities. From a young man fighting his mortal fate to a foreigner encountering a ghost in a hotel room, from an urban legend that comes alive by repetition to an online game that seeks real blood, from a demon causing an infectious sleeping illness to a salon that pampers the living daylights out of its clients — these are stories that will make your skin crawl. Dive into this horrific world then… But know that your city isn’t the city of dreams that it is touted to be… In truth, it is the City of Screams.
Themes and plots
With the supernatural theme underlying all these stories, the book proved to be an absorbing read. I was thrilled throughout. Being an Assamese I could also relate to the tale by Nilutpal Gohain ‘Namu Ne?’ on a personal level. It assured me that I wasn’t the only one with the fear of the false ceilings so often found in the Assam-type houses found in the region. The stories are also set in urban areas and as such, urbanity is a theme in itself as well. Perhaps, being a dweller of the urban region of Guwahati, and reading this book at night, made me a tad bit jumpy and easily spooked. Is it laughable if I tell you that I got scared a couple of times during the day when I was home alone?
My verdict
Nonetheless, this has been a great initiative by Half Baked Beans. I myself have not come across very many horror anthologies In India. It is less frequent although not completely rare. I hope they also come out with a second volume soon so that I can get spooked again. I rate this book 4/5 stars and look forward to a sequel. Fingers crossed!
