Deepa

I cannot say that I enjoyed this book. It started off quite interesting with tales of ancient People and speculations about how they might have lived and migrated in response to events - the author painted quite a vivid picture. But then the author started delving into politics. Criticising the political atmosphere of a country - even though I get the drift - seems unnecessary in an academic reading. It seemed petulant, talking about recent political incidents in the country and dragged on for far too long. But i must say that the earlier chapters were fascinating and I'm glad I read this book. 

This is such a simple book, yet so endearing. It depicts the old-world (maybe 1950s or 1960s) village life in Kerala as experienced by the little Raja. He's the lovable, motherless young grandson of an aristocratic old man. The attitude and lifestyle of the Raja's grandfather are juxtaposed with those of Raja's uncle as a commentary on the social life of the times - as seen through the innocent eyes of Raja. Also illustrated are some deep life truths observed by the little boy. A quick read. Excellent presentation. Definitely recommend. 

This was a re-read, and yet the story was so gripping that I couldn't put it down; finished it in one day. The resilience and courage of the lead characters is awesome. The challenges that they have to go through are gruesome and chilling, to say the least. I usually prefer lighter reads, but this one had me right from the start. Highly recommend, but expect a rough ride. 

Quick read. But I sure don't like it as much as Who Moved my Cheese? The concepts are good, though, if a bit idealistic. The assumption here that people are all the same all the time. I disagree. People sometimes do strange things for entirely personal reasons. But I do agree that this would be a very moral and ethical way of managing people. Wish life were this simple!

Disturbing, to say the least! I roughly knew the Jekyll-Hyde story; so that was no big surprise. What shocked me were the “other tales of terror”. They were far more scarier and sinister, even. The Jekyll-Hyde story itself is quite short, but for some reason, the publishers have included two large chapters at the beginning AND at the end, dissecting the tale. That got pretty tiring, real soon. Overall, the book is a scary scary read. 

Cannot beat Calvin and Hobbes for a healthy dose of philosophy, laughter and just plain chaos. So many stories are so relatable - the one about being the super annoying human echo - I used to do that all the time. Loved the title cartoon too - Calvin finds a few dirty rocks, a root and some “grub??” and he tells Hobbes “There's treasure everywhere!” So true, eh, Calvin? Just gotta look!! Awesome!! 

I had read this book a long time ago. Actually I started reading it in the hopes that I could complete one more book soon. But, boy, was I wrong. Every incident was stretched and pulled until I snapped. But except for its length, I have no other complaints about the book. The story is good, and as the author mentions in the preface, almost a real-life tale. A sorry tale, told with empathy, with a just ending. 

Very gripping story. The author has written several crime series books and I believe that the first book of each series is free. That's how I purchased (?) this one. Also I read it as part of a reading challenge - Magical Readathon. The plot is very interesting, the writing is crisp, it is a short book. I read it entirely in one sitting and enjoyed it immensely. I will purchase a few more books in the series, for sure. 

This is one of my life changing books. I started Bullet Journaling sometime in 2016 and bought this book when it first came out as a bundle along with the official Bullet Journal notebook. This method has been the mainstay of my life since then. It makes me happy, keeps me organised and grounded and is a great place for me to reflect and re-calibrate my priorities. Online, one finds so many complicated versions of Bullet Journals. But this book details the essence of bullet journaling, the mindfulness part. I often need that reminder myself. Highly recommend this book, both for newbies and for seasoned bujo-ers. 

Was an easy quick read. Read the entire book in one sitting. Three new fairy tales I had never heard of. A re-telling, actually. One of these tales, the one about the thieves, was eerily similar to Baddu and Chhotu, one of my favourite ACK titles. Liked the White Wolf quite a bit. Another thing I liked is that the author has included the original story. Comparing the two versions was another interesting factor. I read this book as part of my Magical Readathon - Orilium Academy - Character Creation. Might never have picked this one up otherwise 😀

I'm confused about my feelings for this book. The writing is good, I admit. But the topic has left me confused and unhappy. It is a satire about India - the real life of the real people - both the rich and the poor. I was truly saddened by the life of Balram, our protagonist. But then, he treats his master, the one person in this world who treated him like a fellow human being, so appallingly without so much remorse. It was a contradictory read, to say the least. Interesting,too. But depressing. I will not be reading it again.

This is one of my frequent re-reads. A sci-fi thriller from the master of medical thrillers. A clear departure from his usual storyline. But I find this one very intriguing. An interesting mix of Jules Verne and H G Wells, yet feels quite different somehow. I especially love how human nature is brought to the forefront towards the end. Also interesting how the only female protagonist is the one rooting for peace 🧐

One of the quickest reads. But oh so satisfying. Always leaves me amazed and inspired, with a smile on my face. I love this comic manga format so much more than the original book. The story is short, sweet and jam-packed with all the essentials of the Konmari Method. This book is definitely on my permanent bookshelf. 

I'm conflicted. I loved parts of this book, hated other parts and was discomfited by others. For starters, this is a book for the “ambitious” and I'm not one. That immediately puts me at odds with the author of this book.

The first few chapters seemed like a re-reading of Rhonda Bryne's Secret. Since this book was published much earlier, I presume Rhonda was totally inspired by this book. The next few chapters challenged my opinions quite a bit, and I found myself disappointed with the contents. In contrast,  the last few chapters were quite brutally honest and pricked my conscience far more than I was comfortable with. 

Lots of gems of wisdom throughout the book. I've highlighted extensively and perhaps, I'll someday read the last few chapters once again for a jolt, when I feel the need for one.

Not having read Barbara Cartland books before, I had no idea what to expect. I had read somewhere that she “helps us to escape from our day-to-day...”; oh yes, that she certainly does; to a land of irresistible beauties and admirable gentlemen, who are true, kind, generous, courageous, brilliant and everything good. Every story is the same- it ends perfectly well, all sunshine and rainbows- and yet, every story has a unique element to it. This kept things interesting, even though I was reading 10 stories at one go. I picked this book up under the theme “An author everyone has read except you” and I couldn't be happier about my choice. 

A very captivating read. I found it very hard to put the book down until I had read through to the last page. In Hindi, the book is tilted “Sitayan”, a more apt name for the story,I feel. It is indeed Sita's life examined with an equal mixture of admiration and sympathy. It is so true and so sad that women, over the ages, have been forced to suffer and take blame for men's foibles and failures. It is shocking that this was happening even during ancient times, whenever the Ramayana was initially composed. Growing up, we have all revered Ram as the maryada-purush and yet, he too was immensely cruel towards the one who loved him the most. 

I have a theory - “Great” men, or women, are “great” mostly for posterity alone; people will surely sing their praises for years to come. But “great” men, or women, usually inflict great suffering upon their families. The ones who pay the price of their greatness are the people who love and care for them. 

One of the darker books. Harry is losing so many of the people he has come to trust and love. From the next book on, Harry, Ron and Hermione are mostly on their own. The book continues to surprise me with little gems of wisdom and wisecracks (mostly from Dumbledore, himself) sprinkled throughout the story. The sincere love of Fleur, the tragic courage of Snape, the loss of Dumbledore - in my mind, these are the highlights of this book. 

Another excellent book from Allen Carr. It has definitely inspired me to eat better. I love the author's logic-based argumentative approach to eating healthy. The logic is certainly un-refutable. I'm planning to introduce fruits, vegetables, fruits and nuts into my meals as well as drastically reduce the carb content and overall portion sizes. Book review turned life plans... oh well!

Quite a gripping book. Not very sure about its historical accuracy after reading some critical comments online. But I think no one can deny that the story telling is good. I am glad that the “fool” does finally manage to find a happy life for herself, away from the back-stabbing, life-threatening court. I might continue reading the other books in the series, even though I have read them before. 

This is a picture book! So l finished it much faster than the first one I had read in this series. But it was finished far too soon. The stories were just mini chapters about various lands on top of the faraway tree and it felt a little repetitive after a few ones. The first book in this series is far more satisfying, imo. 

A truly inspiring read. It is quite difficult to put down this book for long. Even afterwards, thoughts of Emma kept intruding into my mind. I especially loved that she kept a “commonplace book”, which was a great help to her in achieving her ambitions. I cannot, in all honesty, say that I relate to her – she is far, far more ambitious and tenacious than I'll never be. But it sure is a great story!

Awesome book. A very quick read too. Just the facts lined up. I think I'll read it a few more times. The author has effectively outlined a list of reasons - all scientific - to avoid eating over-processed, junk food. It is difficult to argue with his crystal clear logic. This might just be the push I need to eat healthier. I only wish I had read it sooner. 

Interesting perspective of King Henry's reign. Have already read so much about this horrifying king, so I already knew what to expect. But to read from the perspective of a woman who knew him as a child, cared for him throughout his youth, on whose lap he cried during his grief, that was different. And the cruel end to which he condemned her was the harshest blow ever. Glad we live in better times. 

A truly interesting book. Lots of food-for-thought here. The wiring did get a little boring at times, but I feel that dividing it into sections and then small chapters helped. Looks like something I have to re-read to fully”get” it. So many parts of the writing struck home. It is so true that Ego truly is the Enemy. Something to keep in the back of my head, always. 

My favourite from my younger days. Love love love everything about this book. The story is so simple but so well written. All the characters have so much depth to them. Also the following books really do so much to fill in the gaps. It is a wonderfully planned series. I am planning to binge on the entire series soon, followed by the movie series,too 😊😍