Amogh
I like small town stories. They're usually engaging, very descriptive, and are overall very enjoyable to read. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about Osman's book. The premise about being set in a really nice retirement village in England paints a beautiful picture in the head, but the book is let down massively by the way Osman chooses to tell the story.
First of all, there is the fact that Osman has chosen a very weird writing style that makes it hard to immerse oneself into the book - most of it is told in first person present tense. But sometimes, mid-paragraph, it switches randomly to first person past tense. There are certain chapters that are diary entries of one of the many characters in the book, and this is written in first person past tense. However, when chapters focus on other characters, this is written in first person present tense, often switching between present continuous, present perfect, present conditional, or simple present. It made me reread sentences oftentimes, making me lose out the context of the rest of the paragraph, and slowly waning my interest in getting to know the full story.
Then there is the fact that most of the chapters are short. I found one chapter that was literally only one sentence...why?! Short chapters are fine, but wouldn't it have been a better choice to simply make use of scene breaks if the entire purpose was to switch between different characters' points of views?
Osman also felt the need to introduce many different characters. In fact, the very first few sentences of the book introduces you to 2 different characters! There was no real attempt at world building whatsoever. There are very many characters, but there's so little depth or character building for all of them that you never connect with any of them. It's hard to get sucked into a book when you can't root for, or relate to any of the characters.
The title of the book has the word “murder club” in it. We are introduced to 3 different murders throughout the course of the book - and the murder that you'd think was the main one and the pivotal point of the whole story remains unsolved even at the end of the book. The murder club has its version of events, and the police have their own version of events. And then, another new randomly introduced character that previously we were never even introduced to, or had point of views from, gets to know that actual story behind the murder, but this isn't passed on to the police or the murder club.
Osman dives into so many subplots that it makes it hard to keep track of the main plot. I think Osman himself encountered this, because the above resolution to the main murder seems to have been added at the last moment, as Osman's editor was going over the draft and realised that Osman had forgotten to add a real end to the main plot of the book.
Overall, this is a book I'd not read again, and is a book that took me a long while to complete mainly because of the very non-compelling style of story and story telling.
I was recommended this book on a Reddit thread when I asked for recommendations for stories set in a small town. Having never read Russo before, I was a bit doubtful going into this book.
The story is mostly set over the course of a couple of days, but does go back and forth between different timelines to shine more context on certain things.
The story is told from the perspective of a temporary chair of the English department, who is as surprised as anybody else that he has gotten the position of chair. The story starts off very slowly, with the protagonist reliving his childhood memory of his first pet, and building up from there about the forgetful, easy going English professor that is also a published author.
I found the story to be enjoyable, and most definitely funny, but I only finished this book after over 2 months of reading it. It's a very very slow book and won't grip you with the story until the last page.
TL;DR – Great book, great set of characters. Suspense builds towards the end.
I remember picking this book up a year or so ago, but I never really got around to reading it – not because it was boring or anything, but because I'd totally forgotten about the book. I came across the eBook on my Kindle shelf while searching for a PDF document a couple of days ago, and I had made it a point to read the book soon.
The perfect opportunity arose a couple of days ago. It's currently the rainy season here, and it's been raining quite heavily – which does mean I can't go out and socialise when I'm free. I picked up the book on a bleak, gloomy, and overcast morning, and figured I'd be done before the end of the day.
The start is really good. Just about enough mystery about the entire situation to keep your curiosity piqued, and when that starts to fade, Stewart peppers the story with puzzles and riddles to keep your attention from waning.
The book has a great set of characters. The world building isn't as much evident – probably because it's still set in the 2000s of our current world – but how the author seemed to constrict the world to just two places while merely referencing the greater world in passing is brilliant. It helps keep the attention of the young readers on just the happenings on Nomansan Island and the mainland.
As the story progresses, the suspense increases gradually, and towards the end, it becomes more like a thriller and suspense novel than a mystery or fantasy novel. But that's not so bad. The author has a gift in capturing the readers' imagination and holding it for a long while after.
If you were looking for a quick read, but still something you want to remember down the lane, then The Mysterious Benedict Society is just for you! It might be a children's story, but as an adult, I had no issues enjoying the book thoroughly.
Nothing as far as I can see from Ruskin Bond. All the stories are from authors like Sir Doyle or Poe, and the quality of the book from Rupa Publications is truly atrocious! Random numbers have made their way in between paragraphs, and I think this book is more of a last minute thought than a planned release.
The Silkworm is a really gripping read...from halfway through. When I first started reading The Silkworm, I expected a lot from it like it's predecessor, “The Cuckoo's Calling”.
There were times when the story dragged so much that I wanted to put the book down, but Galbraith has artfully managed to keep your attention drawn to the story by dropping in carious clues across the pages that make you sit up straighter in the chair with excitement.
The twist to the entire story at the end was what surprised me, as I had drawn different conclusions from the smattering of clues. Galbraith makes you keep guessing the culprit until the very end and kudos to her for that amazing piece of literary genius!
It's definitely worth a read for any mystery and suspense junkie out there.
It isn't often that I find recommendations for books on Twitter. But when I do, I don't usually buy the book or even add it to my “want to read” list. But this time around, when I was randomly browsing through my Twitter timeline, I came across this book recommendation from one of my followers. The title sounded interesting; Paper Towns by John Green had me hooked by the time I was ready to head to bed.
The story starts off on a very weird note. It's only further on in the tale that you realise that the narrator was talking about a time in the future, a part of the story that had yet to happen.
As an avid reader, I keep no hopes on books when I start to read them. I just pick up a book and plough on relentlessly. I'd never read a book from the author before, so the characters were completely new and fresh to me.
Unlike other mystery stories, Paper Towns didn't seem to be predictable. It had me guessing till the end what exactly was going to happen, and I'm not ashamed to say that I got all the guesses wrong. I'm drawn to emotional stories (but not exactly romance) such as “Who Wrote Holden Caulfield” and this story pretty much struck a chord with me too.
Margo as a character reminded me of another of my favourite fictional characters - Jesus of Suburbia from the punk rock opera “American Idiot” by Green Day.
It is so hard to leave—until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world.
I came across this book at a local bookstall while I was perusing the fiction stand, liberally choosing books to read at a leisure time. What really caught my attention was the mention of J. K. Rowling on the book jacket. While I have been a fan of Ms Rowling as far as I can remember, the idea of her having written a detective story was a bit weird. Having added the book to my to read list at the shop, I came back home and bought the title on my Kindle.
Galbraith takes us around on a tour of celebrity filled London,
I didn't have great expectations when I first came across this book. I was searching for fantasy titles for my friend to read and Goodreads recommended me this.
I'm not new to fantasy novels, per se; I have read many titles over the past few years when I finished the Harry Potter series and most of them were excellent.
The Alchemyst gave off the wrong vibe. The description sounded mature and I was happy that I had actually found a serious fantasy book to read. Alas! The happiness was short lived to say the least.
The twins in the book aggravated me to no end and even some of the Mary Sue's I come across in Harry Potter FanFiction seemed like heaven compared to these two. Scott's characterisation is very weak. While he may have a talent for writing excellent scripts for movies, I reckon he should stay away from writing further books.
It's a strangely empty book throughout. I liked the fantasy elements a lot, but the story lacked imagination. The author has NO characterisation whatsoever throughout and he seems to have gotten down the entire book in a single sitting. I say that because everything seems to be rushed, as if the author is harried and wants to finish it off as quickly as possible. Perhaps he thinks writing is a sin and wants to wash his hands off the dirt.
When I was pressured into reading the Percy Jackson series, I didn't hold high hopes for it. Essentially, it was a book about some boy who was like half-god half-human. But then, I really started getting into the book because of the easy and simple way it was written in.
My mom made blue waffles and blue eggs for breakfast. She's funny that way, celebrating special occasions with blue food. I think it's her way of saying anything is possible. Percy can pass seventh grade. Waffles can be blue. Little miracles like that.
Rick Riordan (2008-01-01T18:30:00+00:00). The Sea of Monsters (Kindle Locations 46-48). Disney-Hyperion. Kindle Edition.
The Lightning Thief... Hmmm... I was pretty skeptic about this series at first, before I started reading it. I came across this when I was going through Harry Potter fanfictions. I held off from reading it for a few more years though, when I was sure that I'd out grown my Harry Potter mania. When Goodreads recommended this book, I figured it was finally time for me to pick it up and start reading.
The story is told in a first person kind of way. Many of the ideas are pretty much synonymous to the Harry Potter series. Small scrawny hero-check; intelligent girl-check; loyal friend-check. This book has been marketed as a children's book, and when I was reading it, I was pretty much wondering if children would understand half of what they were reading. The book has a lot of Greek Mythology; stuff that people from other cultures, like the Indian culture, would not understand unless they read about Greek Mythology. That is not to say that I haven't heard about Zeus or Poseidon or Athena or Hades; I had. I just don't know their...positions, for lack of a better word...in the real world. Riordan obviously didn't want this to be just a children's book. He has aimed for a bigger audience.
So, like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson is a half-blood. Of course, in Potterworld, this has a completely different meaning. Percy is the son of a god and a mortal; he is the son of Poseidon, the God of the Sea. He is impulsive, suffers from dyslexia, ADHD and is labeled as a bad kid in every school he has ever been in. He changes schools like we change bracelets; the kid had changed six schools in six years!
So, Percy is carted off to Camp Half-Blood, after he is almost roasted alive in his step-fathers Camaro. Camp Half-Blood is the safest place in all of world for other half-bloods like him. Yeas, others. There are many. You would be surprised by the amount of children that the gods have sired.
The adventure part is very well written out. Riordan must deserve his credit for that. Also, Riordan has been very creative with the titles of each chapter and has made a conscious effort to make the starting of every chapter unique. Throughout the book, I was anxiously anticipating the start of a new chapter and I was never once let down.
The book is fast paced and enchanting. Never before have I imagined Gods in human form, but Riordan made that possible. If you're looking for a good bed-time story to read to your children, this is perfect for you. Percy is heroic, modest and humble. All things that children want in a literary hero.
I give this book a 4 star rating.
I was on my couch, e-reader in hand, reading a book, when my Dad announced, “Your J.K. Rowling has written a new book. I hear it's an adult book.” I was curious. Of course I was. Harry Potter was a part of my childhood and I highly anticipated a new novel from my favorite childhood author. I held off from buying the book immediately though. I went through a few Goodreads reviews from people who had completed the book, and I made my decision.
The book starts off slow. I'm a sucker for small town stories, and if you threw a British one at that, I was all ears. Anyway, the small town of Pagford in England is the primary location of this novel. I was a few pages into the book and just when I felt it was pretty good, I came upon ‘flirt'. I was shell-shocked. I mean, I wasn't a stranger to cuss words, much less this being a term I heard used everyday. Hell! It was a term even I used. But when it came from the pen of the woman who was a major part of my childhood, I was pretty shaken up. The story telling is typical of JKR. Slow and steady; with just the ample amount of description to kick your imagination into high gear.
When I heard JKR was writing an adult book, I wasn't really convinced. Then, when I got the book in my hands and started reading it, I knew it was true. She uses a lot of cuss words...liberally. I couldn't go through a page without coming across half a dozen swear words. While she discusses the matter of sexuality pretty openly, she does fail at using the appropriate cuss words.
Apparently, JKR has a problem with the c-word; she uses it liberally and she hasn't perfected its use. I haven't come across a single person using it as liberally as I have across JKR using it. In a book, no less. Oh, I have come across them using it in erotic novels, but then, if they weren't, would it even be considered an erotic novel these days?
JKR takes up the same issue she took up in the Harry Potter series - the fight between good and evil. It's a constant source of new books and most of them tell you the same thing in between two thick cardboard bounds and 700 pages of words; good wins, evil loses. I'm not saying it's the same, obviously it's not. But, it's the same content and people have to realize that. Now more so than ever.
The rich and the poor fight. The town dwellers look down upon the slum dwellers. All common, right? Yeah. Absolutely! Rowling is pointing out the reality of the situation here! If most of these people had bothered reading through the entire book, it does tell a good story; a story with a moral. A moral everyone should follow.
I won't tell you what it is. You should read it and find it out for yourselves. Think of it as a quest.
At the end of the day, when all is said and done, and you're getting ready for bed, just think: “Would it do for me to think of people who have the same money as me as my equal and look down upon those with less money as my lesser?” Think about it and tell me what you honestly think.
If politics is your forte, then this book is for you. JKR has already shown us how manipulative she can be in her Harry Potter series. She shows a bit of that here too, in the form of court-room politics. Politics is all over the place. It's the second thing that suffocates you about the book, after the cuss words. Personally, it has been really well executed by Rowling and I have to take my hat off to her for that. The book has an amazing plot, though not as amazing that it should span seven books, but amazing enough to proclaim proudly that, “Yes, I have a right to be voted for in the Goodreads Choice Awards!” So what are you waiting for? Read it and vote for it!
I was pretty impressed with the second book in the Deadwood series. It's got the same flavor as the previous one; spooky (though not much), Violets stubbornness and hotheadedness when it comes to customers... It was all there. I was surprised that Doc and Vi actually became an item in this book. I was expecting Charles to drag it out a bit more. But yeah, Violets still not told Natalie, her best friend, who has a crush on Doc and has staked a claim, about her relationship with the same man.
Elvis makes lots of appearances again. I sometimes wonder if Charles was a huge fan of the King of Rock-n-Roll when she was a teen, or if she's just using his name because she likes it. Another thing that has been looked into is Violet's daughter's match making scenario. The kids or Kelly, who is Addy's best friend, don't feature much at all in this book.
While I was going through the review of the previous book, I noticed one review that said that Natalie wasn't really her best friend as she never was there for Violet when she needed her. I took extra attention while reading this book and made a note of all the places that accusation held true. Charles has used her as a character who is disposable. She can be in the limelight for a chapter, but in the next, she's gone completely. Either Charles doesn't know the meaning of the term “best friend”, or she's doing it purposely.
There are times in the book where I would have liked to just strangle Violet and Doc. They're both thick headed. Violet gets me very frustrated at times and I just feel like closing the damn book and picking up another one for a while.
Overall, the plot is okay, though pretty predictable at times. The only thing that is making me want to read the next book in the series is the environment surrounding Deadwood and Leads. Charles has done a great job in bringing out my wildest imaginations about the locations and I've even drawn a picture of Aunt Zoe's house! It's an okay read; gripping at times, interesting at others and totally frustrating at times. It's not exactly a casual read; you can find lots of romance novels for that.
I've heard a lot about a certain Stephanie Plum, but I never considered her books would keep me awake at ungodly hours at night, guessing what would happen next. Evanovich has certainly done a good job on this book. There were times in the story where I just wanted to throw my Kindle away and start reading a different book, but the ending really had me hooked. This certainly isn't your Sherlock Holmes kind of story. And it doesn't even compare to a grown-up version of Nancy Drew, either. Somehow, I just can't imagine sweet-talking Nancy carrying a gun and mentioning her first sexual exploits.
The book isn't perfect. The author has left no room for the readers to connect with any of the characters. There are so many that are introduced, but hardly any of them stay in out mind because the author lacks to mention small tidbits. As an author, concentrating on the small and trivial things go a long way in making the characters seem more real. This book is has been written with absolutely no feelings.
Moreover, there are very small things that the author fails to keep in account. The fact that Plum could've intercepted Morreli any time during one of their encounters is one thing. She never explains the deal with Ramirez, for another. All these may seem trivial, but I hate reading stories that are left unfinished, and this is one such story.
Overall, the story was very predictable and except for the twist at the end, I don't feel very drawn to the book. Maybe Evanovich should've stuck to writing romances. She seriously doesn't write these mystery stories well.
I was a bit apprehensive when I bought the book from the Kindle store. I didn't start reading it immediately; I guess something about the book kept putting me off. I'm a great fan of stories set in the Wild West of American legends. I haven't stayed or lived in Wyoming or Dakota, but everyone have heard of Wild Bill Hickok, right?
The starting of the book leaves you wondering if the rest of the book is going to be the same; full of laughter, more of Vi and Bessie. Well, it is...sort of. One of the things that struck me as odd was the fact that the main character worked at a real estate agency - Calamity Jane Realty. Calamity Jane is well known. I mean, who doesn't know her? Her claims of being an acquaintance of Wild Bill and her professionalism as a woman scout is well known. That is what gave her fame. I found it odd that Charles would put two Wild West legends in a book that's not completely Wild West. But well, it was set in Deadwood, South Dakota.
The book takes you on a roller-coaster journey that spans the whole of around two to three weeks. Charles has done an amazing job of stretching the book to 300+ pages and made it so interesting. She has touched upon a few fantasy elements such as people being able to see ghosts. Of course, she doesn't make that the center of attention; rather it's one of the small mysteries that keeps you reading the book till the end.
Charles has a really great way of keeping the readers in the dark until she deems it necessary to revel the information. It's one of the many things that defines a best-selling author. Every new character, every new clue, keeps you guessing until the end. What Charles does is that she magnifies a single situation and makes it the center of th whole story. She keeps accusing the wrong person of the crime until the very end, where Vi is almost burnt alive. That's where her true genius lies.
Vi is certainly a great character and reading the story through her point of view gives you the impression of someone just out of her adolescent years, trying to make her mark in the world. Charles has written Vi in such a way that it makes you think she's a bratty teenager and is rebelling against the world. Characterization is really great and amazing.
All in all, this book has kept me very occupied and I sure do hope the second book does the same!
I'd first heard the name Holden Caulfield when I heard the song “Who Wrote Holden Caulfield” by Green Day on the internet radio. I thought to myself then, ‘ Holden Caulfield must be a book or song or something'. How wrong I was!
The story in this book is one which many of us have come across ourselves at some point or the other. It's a typical adolescent issue, and many of us may not want to give up our childish innocence. I remember when I was an adolescent, I used to constantly be at war with my parents. They'd tell me to study and I'd be a rebel. I'd do something else; like play a game on the computer or text my friends or read a book.
The narrator had done an excellent job in depicting scenes astute in adolescent life. Smoking, underage drinking. Salinger has done an excellent job in bringing about the life of a character that will remain dear to us years after we've grown up and look back to our teenage years. There was an excellent review above mine that depicted exactly this.
As teenagers, we find this novel to be entirely too accurate to be true. Salinger has done an excellent job in striking a relationship with the character in the novel such that they become true. There are times in this novel that you'll think the book has been written by Holden Caulfield and not Salinger. Certainly, Salinger was a very gifted author. It's a pity he chose not to publish any more books.
The moment that you pick up the book, you'll get the feeling that you're going to love this, no matter what. I'm not such a great fan on classics, but this one sure is going to be favourite of mine, no matter what. The simple and casual language used in this novel helps us settle back more comfortably into our recliners and read with a more casual approach, knowing that thinking would not be required much for this novel.
At the end of the day though, when all is said and done, and you're out there wondering if you should run away or do something equally stupid, think again. Caulfield chose the right thing in the end. Many of us that perceive the world to be black and white isn't sadly so. It doesn't revolve around you, and you shouldn't let that get to your head. So what if someone ignores you for a time? Certainly they have bigger and better things than worry about your silliness 24/7.
Read this a few years later; maybe when you are 50, when you are more mature. You will understand why Caulfield didn't runaway then. Salinger has thrust maturity upon Caulfield's years in the end. That's his way of getting across the message. And maybe it should be yours to read this.
You'll need to get a move on and start reading the book if you haven't already.
I remember the first time I ever read this book. I was young, foolish, stupid and thought I was cool. Zoom forward a few years later, and much of that is still true, except that I have seen and done a few things since then, and know a thing or two about life.
I remember my feelings when I finished this book originally. I was a bit sad, and a little bit teary eyed because I'd just finished what I thought was the greatest biography I'd ever read (and it probably is) and the feelings are the same this time around as well...
Ayers takes Osbourne's myriad of takes and knits it together in the form of a neat little book. While he does this, he still keeps Osbourne's voice from shining through the words, and that kind of sucks everyone into the tale. There are all kinds of tales on this book too! Band politics, alcoholic adventures, drug tales, stories of meeting other stoned or pissed rock ‘n' rollers... You name it, you'll find it here.
Osbourne captivates us with tale after tale of his drunken debaucheries, regaling the various encounters he's had with his father-in-law, the good times he's had with Bill, Geezer and Tony and later on, with Randy Rhoades... I'll be lying if I said that I never once cried while reading the book.
Because, all through the funny anecdotes, Osbourne also shines out as a brutally honest person and he has some brutally honest things to tell us as well. The stories of the passing of his mum and dad, the story of his split up with Thelma, his ex-wife, and not to mention the least, the story of Sharon fighting cancer and surviving.
Throughout the course of the book, you'll soon come to realise that there's probably not a single drug that Osbourne has not tried. Toward the closing of the book, Osbourne questions himself, asking how the fuck he lived through it all with hardly anything going wrong with him, health wise. Being a drug junkie and an alcoholic, Osbourne recounts how he overcame both and has been on a clean slate ever since... I applaud you, John!
The thing that really tore me up though, were the photos towards the end. Just seeing them there... I don't know, they made me realise that the book was now done and that I had to go on with reading other stuff.
But I shall read the book again, and yet again, I shall come and edit this review to reflect my feelings then.
Please do read this book even if you've never heard of Black Sabbath or Ozzy Osbourne before. Honestly, this book is more like a chicken soup for the soul than anything else.
I've read a lot of Fan fics, but this series has gotten stuck in my head. Maybe its the author's style of writing. This book is as intense as the other two. James' love for Petra is taken a step forward, and another person is brought into the romantic life of James Potter the Second.
Rather than the traditional Quidditch matches, this book introduces us to a completely new Wizarding sport. Zane is once again a prominent character in this book and we get to experience a brand new Wizarding school!
Its a well thought out book and deserves applause. If you haven't read it, then start doing so and you'll see for yourself.
This is the second book in The Clifton Chronicles series. It follows the story of Harry Clifton impersonating Tom Bradshaw and the main plot is moved away from Boston, London. Set in America, it shows the life in an American prison, which I didn't expect to be much different from Archer's Prison Diaries. Where this book excels though, is the way Archer has depicted the second World War, though not as much in detail as he has in Kane and Abel. I expected this series to end with this book, but in an unexpected twist, Archer has extended the series for another book, most probably. The book is well written, but the plot seems to be dragging too much.
Jeffrey Archer has been one of my favorite authors ever since I was introduced to his Path's of Glory. This book marks the starting of the new series, “The Clifton Chronicles”. Much like Archer's other works, this story is set in the 20's and 30's London and takes us through much of Harry Clifton's life as a young boy and later as an impersonating American sailor Bradshaw, who escapes to America faking his own death. Upon Clifton's arrival there under the guise of Bradshaw, he is arrested. This is the last part of the book and the story is continued on in the the book in the Clifton Chronicle's series, “The Sins of the Father”. Archer touches upon incest(not proved, that is the basic story throughout The Clifton Chronicles) in a surprising move, but the suspense and imagery make it worth the read.
For anyone who wants to know how the world was during the World War II, this is an excellent choice as it follows an excellent storyline while keeping in line with the war.
The Seven Minutes is a book based on defending the book “The Seven Minutes” by J. J. Jadway, a fictional book that describes a woman's mind during the seven minutes of sexual intercourse. The book is republished and then, all hell breaks loose. There is a murder after the purchase of the J.J. Jadway book and the murderer cites the book as the reason for his crime. Barrister Mike Barret is called into the scene by the publisher of the book to defend the “piece of art”. This book is an excellent display of the corruption that runs in the system. Basically, this can your inspiration to start the “fuck the system!” way of thinking and it really has an excellent display of court suspense. Recommended to all above 16.