Deepa
An excellent book. One which I reread once in a while. I'm intrigued by the mysterious Madame Chic. Truth be told, there are such ladies all over the world. There are quite a few ladies in my acquaintance who are very polished and classy. In our families too, furniture is maintained for generations - Ikea is nearly unknown. Household purchases are limited to fresh ingredients for cooking, clothing during special occasions and repair works. Also in most households, food is made from scratch - though that's fast changing in urban locales. I love recognising the old world charm of such attitudes halfway across the globe. Also it motivates me anew to be a better person everyday.
A book about a strong lady, daughter of a God and yet, not valued by the men or the women in her life - mostly ignored, often ridiculed for her appearance, her actions, even her voice - but one who endured. If one thing can define her, it would be endurance. I read up on the myth of Circe once I started getting into this book. The author has explained most of the stories convincingly. It was definitely a good read.
I have read this book several times. I reread it whenever I feel like I'm slacking on the ‘living consciously' department. It is a very practical guide on how to improve your-self in just a few extra hours a day. It is perhaps one of the earliest books on “time management”. A really quick reminder to be more mindful and intentional with time, imho
This was one of the most hyped books I have been seeing around. And the hype is totally real. It is a very warm, fuzzy book. There's quite a bit of magic, there's some baking, there's a lot of ‘gardening', there's a lot of simple-village-folk kinda care, there's a heart-in-the-right-place hero and a timid-yet-courageous heroine. A lovely tale that did become a little intense at one point, but ended up all-good-and-fine in every possible way. One of the best books I've read.
A really good book. Very practical tips - there's quite a bit of the French fascination that comes through. However the book is a nice compilation of the author's tips for graceful living. It covers different areas of life - such as dressing, cooking, relationships and more. A great book with lots of real life talk - recipes, included.
Another one of my childhood favourites. Loved the beautiful ladies dresses and used to swoon over the illustrations as a kid. The story of the kind and forgiving Vidyutprabha (and how awesome is that name - I used to imagine it meant the Light of the Lightning) is one of the best from the Amar Chitra Katha series, imo.
The book was a riot, as are most of Wodehouse' books. It is old-fashioned humour, but I love it. Totally my favourite author. Utterly hilarious complications abound at Blandings Castle, where yet again, lovers are sent to exile. The Honourable Galahad Threepwood, golden-hearted and wily in equal measure, saves the day. I am, however, always feeling sheepish reading Wodehouse, because I burst into uncontrollable laughter quite a few times.
A great book about the power of unwavering faith. I love the simplicity of the characters and their inherent goodness. I am not sure when I first read this; it must have been one of my first ever reads as a little child. The original paperback comic is now a tattered mess. I'm glad ACK Comics are now digitally available as an app and on Kindle as well. Almost all my knowledge on Indian history and mythology comes from these books.
Every page is a masterpiece. It makes me laugh, makes me think. The story about the burglary, the camping trip - hilarious, yet eye-opening. Susie's Valentine's Day card to Hobbes is chef's kiss. The optimism of Calvin - when the beanie he'd worked so hard for disappoints, but the cardboard box it came in makes up for it - is so endearing. Calvin's life-view and Hobbes' perspective are both relatable and entertaining. The most thought-provoking comic I've ever known.
This was such a cozy read, and so much about how a garden heals the people who love and care for it. Love how the story made me emotionally invested in the characters right from the beginning. This was indeed an emotional read. The Indian representation made the tale even more personal somehow. It does drag a little bit, but I did enjoy the feel-good vibe of the story.
A lovely, heartwarming tale about the power of friendship. The story moved very smoothly, but after about the fifth mission, I was too eager to find out what happened to Queen Blossom to change her attitude so much. Several puzzles are dotted throughout the book. A few easy recipes are also thrown in. A fun read at any age.
Reading the original versions of these familiar tales was interesting. So many of these stories have a very similar Indian counterpart, too - I'm surprised. Or maybe these tales were modified to better suit today's world. Also the popular Fairy Tales from this series are very much different from the original version. Now the disappointing part - I hadn't expected this book to be so long and boring. Actually, it has nothing of the charm I expected of Fairy Tales. Several of these stories feel so unfinished, they have no sensible ending at all. Most of the stories are quite ‘Grimm' too, too cruel for no apparent reason. Several of the stories are almost copies of others. Trying to read the entire book at a stretch was the biggest mistake, I feel. I wanted to DNF this book so badly.
A good book. Easy to read. The story is a very heart warming one too. Even though there are so many dangers involved, Em's adventures with Wendell were somehow delightful. The simple love of the villagers and the imagined life rules of the faeries were quite enchanting. I would definitely love to continue this series.
Awesome book. Really couldn't put it down. Now I see what the hype is all about. The world building is done really well, the characters are well etched out too. It was an easy read and I feel quite invested in the lives of the characters. I shall definitely be purchasing the remaining books in the series. A relatively clean read too and I appreciate that.
One of the most gripping books in my library. The lengths to which the Boleyns go for power, the utter callousness of their ambition, their mercurial rise and fall from the King's grace, the sheer selfishness and vindictiveness of the King and Mary Boleyn's lucky escape from the tower - it is a cautionary tale for all times. “She has made her bed and she must lie in it.”
An excellent book. I read it in one go, almost. It was easy to read, fast-paced and kept me interested throughout. The story runs along the lines of King Arthur's and the Sword of Excalibur tale - but a very different story still. Also the explicit passages were minimal, that was a tolerable amount for me. I would like to continue this series, very much. Glad I snagged this nice book for free from Kindle.
An all-time favourite. It humanises the God Shiva and rationalises his actions. Love the quick pace and the crisp writing, too. The book ends on such a cliffhanger, I cannot wait to get to the next book in the series. I read some reviews online that talked about how the author was disrespecting Lord Shiva. Personally, I consider this story a completely new tale, one that “borrows” heavily from Hindu mythology. Several snippets of Lord Shiva's story from the Puranas are taken as the “base” for this entirely different re-telling, one that can resonate and identify with the current generation and lifestyle. And that is fine, by me. I shall be re-reading the remaining books in the series, too.
Another book I would not have even thought of, if it weren't for the reading challenges. The best parts - the story was definitely good and the lead pair were super cute people. The worst parts - the book was too long and too trashy. Frankly, if only ask those explicit scenes were cut out of the story, it would have been just perfect. I definitely don't appreciate the use of explicit language in books. I'm more of a “clean” reader. The romance is sweet, very sweet, but I could do without all the TMI. It is as if authors feel compelled to add in a few steamy scenes every few chapters and stretch the story awfully far.
A fun, easy, quick read made even better, by the antics of the Siamese. This story in particular, had a slightly grisly twist at the end. But Qwilleran and Koko and Yum Yum are familiar territory... I've read several books from this series and enjoy them a lot. Particularly these days, I appreciate the clean writing without steamy passages ever more. I also love that the cat plays detective and that his hooman respects him for it.