Let me start by saying, this book has a beautiful cover. From the synopsis, I knew that this would be a heavy read. It deals with religion and honor killings in India. But reading this book was harder than I thought it would be. Not because of the heavy topics but because of the many flaws in the characters and bad plot choices.
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For years, I had heard amazing things about this book from everyone who read it. It also seemed like it was a popular choice for book clubs. I have a tendency to avoid books/ tv shows which seem like a hype because I constantly feel like I will be disappointed because of all the wonderful reviews. So for many years, A Man Called Ove (pronounced Ooo-weh) sat in my bookshelf untouched. Last year, I got stuck in a major book slump. I just could not find myself interested in any book I picked up. I would read the first few pages/chapters and completely lose interest. I was scouring my bookshelf for any book which my mind would like to stick with and be interested in. I decided to try A Man Called Ove.
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I read an article a couple of months ago on the Washington Post which listed every book to read for every year of your life from age 1 to 100. Well, if someone lives longer then they might have to extend this list. Americanah was the book suggested for my age. If you’re curious as to how old I am then you now have a way to find out. I have had Americanah on my TBR list for a long time now. But, because my list only grows sometimes books get buried there and never make it to the top of the list. I took this as an opportunity to bump this up. I started reading it and the first few chapters captivated me. I was eager to know where the story was going and how the characters would develop. The book follows Ifemelu, a sharp and observant girl from Nigeria who moves to America and faces a lot of racism sometimes directly and sometimes in the most subtle ways.
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There’s a book club nearby which I have been trying to go to ever since I found out about it. But, for several different reasons I haven’t been able to make it to any of the meets. Never Let Me Go was the book for the June meet. So I picked up the book, determined to finish it and make it for the discussion at the end of the month. As soon as I got the book, I dove right into it without even reading what it was about.
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One of the longest holds I’ve waited for. So when I got a copy at the library I was thrilled. Let me start by saying that, I really enjoyed every part of this book. Trevor Noah shares stories about his childhood in South Africa which gives us insights into what it was like towards the end of the apartheid and in the years that followed.
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Reading becoming by Michelle Obama was a great start to the year. This book took me longer than I thought it would to read it. Wait, don’t get me wrong. It’s not because it was boring or a drag but because there’s so much to read and reflect on. Sometimes the book made me so emotional that it was hard to go on. Michelle Obama is a wonderful storyteller. She starts her story back to when she lived with her parents in a too small for four upstairs unit of her aunt’s house. As she mentions, “My father, Fraser, taught me to work hard, laugh often, and keep my word. My mother, Marian, showed me how to think for myself and to use my voice.”, you can see how her parents taught her very simple yet powerful lessons and laid strong foundations for her life. Finding your voice is one of the central themes of the book.
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One of the books which has been on my to-read list for a very long time. After having read it now, I understand why it’s a classic. Described usually as a coming of age book recommended to teenagers, I think it can mean something to everyone who reads it at any age. It’s a beautifully written book exploring the mind of a person who rejects the world for what it is.
First, let me tell you this, Holden Caulfield is not everyone’s cup of tea. Sixteen years old, Holden at different parts in the book seems like a wise soul stuck in the body of a teenager. Everybody, Holden says, accuses him of acting like a twelve year old. Read More »
On one of my trips to the library a few months ago, I saw The Rules of Magic in the new books section. It caught my eye because of a bright yellow cover and also because of “magic” in the title. After I got home, I googled the book and read that it was a prequel to another popular book by Alice Hoffman called Practical Magic. Practical Magic was written in 1995 and was made into a movie starring Sandra Bullock Read More »
There are plenty of self-help books out there, this one sets itself apart with a unique voice and advice which strikes home more often than not. I picked this book up without reading the reviews (something I very rarely do) because of its intriguing title. It’s a clever book written with a no frills crude language which talks about the important values to lead a good life.Read More »
The Tiny Storyteller 