booksiread

Eclipse - Stephanie Meyer

2010-04-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is the best in the series by far and I am authorized to say that now that I am half way through Breaking Dawn. My heart bled for Jacob through this book and I would have loved for Bella to go with him. Sighhhh! The conversations between Jacob and Edwards while they await the newborn vampires is very interesting and I am desperately looking forward to the movie now:D If possible, please please stop at Eclipse and do not venture to read Breaking Dawn.

The Zoya Factor - Anuja Chauhan

2010-04-19T11:20:00.001-07:00

This was a recommended fun read by my sister and she even told me of her meeting with the author. Although I am not into cricket, this book was such a fun read and my sister and I kept trying to imagine who would fit the roles of all the character if this movie were to be made in Bollywood. It was also fun to read about Karol bagh and Delhi and the typical huge family that Zoya has. The ads and the campaigns they come up with for Zoya are hilarious and so reflective of some messed up marketing campaigns we see in the ad world today. Overall it was a very fun and entertaining read and I would recommend it as a travel book:)

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

2010-01-26T15:53:00.000-08:00

I watched Twilight last year and I loved it. I know some of my friends are cringing as they read this:D:D I will still hold on to my view:D. I couldn't understand what caused the teens to faint and behave abnormally but I thought it was an interesting movie. I then went and bought the second book and only got around to reading it now. The book was very intense and gripping and watching the first movie made it easy to imagine the characters. Jacob is my favorite character and he transitions very quickly from the sweet boy next door to the intense man in this story. Bella is very interesting as well and her clumsiness makes her very likable to me for obvious reasons. Edward always seems like the ethereal and unattainable love to me. The book ends on a promising note and I am excited to read the next one 'Eclipse' as well as watch the movie New Moon. I don't have any company so I will wait for the DVD to come out.

Bombay Girls, Bombay Rains - Anirban Bose

2010-01-26T15:44:00.001-08:00

I read this book right before I saw 3 idiots and my thoughts are all confused and mixed up now. I enjoyed this book immensely and couldn't put it down . It tells the story of a small town boy who gets admission into a prestigious medical college in Mumbai and everything he experiences during those years spent in college. Ragging, friendships made and broken, heartbreaks and every possible life experience that you can imagine and of course all of Mumbai's character put into every single experience. I have read so much about Mumbai by now that I almost wish I was brought up there. Its a city that has a distinct character and this is obvious from every Mumbaite that you meet. Whether I would trade that for my life in Hyderabad is a different story:). This book is a good travel read and I enjoyed my Chennai-Bangalore trip immensely while reading it.

The Storyteller’s Tale - Omair Ahmad

2010-01-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

This book reminded me of Arabian nights and similar tales. Although it wasn't full of magic and spells, the feel of the story was the same. The tale of Taka and Wara heart wrenching. The attraction between the storyteller and the begum is very strong and you can almost feel their chemistry through the stories they tell. Overall a very interesting and quick read. I would definitely like to read more by this author.

Two States - Chetan Bhagat

2010-01-14T14:27:00.000-08:00

This book was very entertaining and funny to me. Especially because I am married to a Tamilian:). The story of Krish, a punjabi boy, in love with Ananya, a tambhram. What more do you need to create a complete book! The only suggestion I have for couples who come from such distint backgrounds is, don't bother convincing your families! Just get married and let them come around to it. This philosophy of trying to have a love marriage that is arranged and accepted, sometimes cause more pain and trouble than just going for it. I would compare it to pulling out a band-aid:D:D. It was fun to read about the wild punjabis and the sober but uptight tamilians. If Krish and Ananya think their struggle has ended with the marriage, well I would say that was the easy part:D:D.
I have a wonderful marriage and very loving and caring in-laws, family and extended family. I wouldn't say that my husband and I lived perfectly with each other after marriage, even though it was a love marriage. There are always new things that you discover and learn about each other once you start living with each other. I think with our 4th wedding anniversary, we have got it together - almost:). However I must say that I have become a staunch believer in the concept of arranged marriages. Our forefathers were smart. All they did with arranged marriages was reduce the differences in culture, tradition, financial background/habits and lifestyle so that after marriage, it results in fewer differences between the husband and wife and I think this was a smart way of approaching it. I don't mean to say that arranged marriage involve no effort in adjusting but probably less because you start with a common ground.

Back to the book, it was a good and light book to read during my travel in India. I definitely liked it better than One Night at a Call Center.

Married But Available - Abhijit Bhaduri

2009-09-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

This book continues on Abbeys story where Mediocre But Arrogant left off. It was definitely an interesting read. I loved some of the marketing and HR gyan that was imparted as part of the story. I kept wondering why he marries Ayesha in the first place when he has always been more into Keya and Keya is such a whimsical character. I found her annoying at times. You do end up feeling a little sorry for Abbey when Ayesha leaves him. Overall it has a good flow and I will definitely read the next one:) Keep it coming Abhijit!

Where are you now? - Mary Higgins Clark

2009-06-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

This book was a big disappointment to me. Either I have gotten really good with figuring out her endings or she has become repetitive. I really wish the ending was something more exotic like Mack being alive. And it wasn't even half as scary as some of her previous ones. Sigh! I will however still read her next one:)

The White Tiger - Arvind Adiga

2009-06-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

This was another highly recommended read by my sister and also a Christmas gift from my husband. I found this book rather depressing and scary. A lot of grim realities that we avoid thinking about in day-to-day life were depicted realistically in this book. My sis even told me that there is a magazine like Murder Weekly that gets published in Delhi. I never got the whole point of the ending and wished the ending was something different from what the story was building up to all along. Also I think the part where he moves to Bangalore and becomes a big shot would have been more interesting to me. But I can see why it won the Booker prize. I do recommend this as an interesting read but do not get your hopes too high.

Monsoon Diary - Shobha Narayan

2009-04-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

How I love books that talk about food! A big thank you to Sindhu for letting me borrow this book from her:) This book is kind of an autobiography of the author where she talks about her childhood and years spent growing up and after but every single description is around food and there are recipes at the end of each chapter. I loved reading about her childhood days in Kerela at her grandparents' home and I really wished I had taken up the offer that my friend Vimi made as a kid to goto her hometown in Kerela. None of the dishes were new to me but it was fun to read about them in the context of her family and life. I really wish there were more pictures in the book but oh well. I recommended it to Asha of foodies hop and to my delight she had already read and reviewed it. This is a highly recommended read if you are a foodie:).

Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

2009-04-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I posted about books that I have been reading. I blame the TV in my bedroom entirely for my reduced reading. Why would I read when I can go to sleep while watching House, 24, Law and Order and the food network shows that I have on my DVR! Its not like I haven't been reading at all but I ahve been slower. Also to blame is the fact that I have discovered the joy of reading during work out and the joy of reading multiple books at a time. The context switch does not bother me, only makes me go slower.

This book was another depressing one like the Kite Runner. The conditions they describe and the life that people become used to left me wondering why people would even continue living like that but I guess if they have not known a better life, they wouldn't know any better. Also I kept asking why the women would take the beating and abuse and not kill their husband sooner. Again, I think people in such situations get used to life the way it is. I would not recommend reading this if you are in a sad place in your life. I am glad I was reading another happy book at the same time.

One Night @ The Call Center

2008-10-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

I simply had to read this book before the movie based on it released. I simply had to read the book where Salman Khan comes and dances bare chested on the stage. I simply had to read the book that writes about God making an appearance in the middle of a call center story. The book was bearable but the movie was horrible. Nothing more to say on this one.

The Three Mistake of My Life - Chetan Bhagat

2008-09-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is an very nice and gripping book by Chetan Bhagat set to the backdrop of the Gujarat riots. I somehow didn't expect the book to go so wild towards the end and it caught me by surprise although according my my sis I should have seen it coming all the time with the build up of the Muslim kid and the fanatic mama. She also told me something interesting - my BIL sent some feedback to Chetan Bhagat, one of them being that the way Govind got close so quickly with Vidya and their sexual adventures on the terrace seemed a little too fast for a place like Ahhmedabad (I agreed with this too) and he responded saying that this is how things are these days even in places like these and not just metros of India. I guess I left India a long time ago:). The other funny thing was that by the time I reached the ending of the book I forgot how the book all started with the suicide note. That must tell how gripping the rest of the story was. I am definitely going to read One Night @ a Call Center soon.

Almost Single - Advaita Kala

2008-08-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

So I have my sister to thank for sending this book with my parents who are visiting....Having just finished an M&B (yeah I still read them and I am ashamed of it but they are fun sometimes:) ), it didnt take much to shift to this chick-lit......This book is an Indian woman meets Bridget Jones meet Sex And The City. Its got elements of clumsiness/cuteness from Bridget Jones and a Charlotte like friend and lots of other similarities. The point where Karan suddenly becomes interested in the protagonist left me a little baffled. There was not much build up leading to that. There were funny moments too and thats what made the book readable in spite of it being a rehas of already written/seen stuff.

Now it has been really long since I read a mind blowing book that kept me awake. Any suggestions?

Can you keep a secret? - Sophie Kinsella

2008-07-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am soooo not ashamed to say that I read yet another chick-lit especially when it is a fun one like this...It took me longer than usual to finish this because chores around the home kept me busy but must say it gave me a few good giggles which annoyed hubby occasionally because they distracted him from the chores:D:D ......Must say that Emma is a totally cute character.......I ROFL when Jack talks about Benhur in front of her parents....I can totally imagine what she is going through.....Imagine what happens when all your secrets are spilled out.........:D:D.....Love the part where she chases Jack and says that she didn't care to know the big secret but wanted to know the small silly secrets of his...:D:D....Thanks to Sindhu for lending me this book and thanks to Sweety for recommending me this one...Definitely enjoyed it better than Undomestic Goddess......Wondering what I'll read next...I started one called Next.....Might get back to that one...:)

A Cry In The Night - Mary Higgins Clark

2008-06-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

"I solemnly vow that I will not abandon any books in pursuit of real suspense and thrill that I get from Mary Higgins Clark Books" - Because this is what I did again. Sorry Adrian Mole, I had to abandon you for this one:) but I promise to get back to you. So I read the first page and was hooked. The only disappointment was that the bad guy was the one we suspected all along. The revelation of his twisted mind did not fail to send chills down my spine nevertheless. I did not think much of Jenny for ignoring all the warning signs so blatantly and couldn't imagine why she would put on the aqua gown. The characters are etched so well in my memory and I can almost imagine how they look when I close my eyes. I simply love love love her books and I am an ardent fan. I read that she lives in New Jersey. If I ever get a chance I'll meet her in person and tell her so myself:). Not sure what I am reading next but waiting for a friend to finish "Can you keep a secret" by Sophie Kinsella so that I can borrow it from her. :)

All Around The Town - Mary Higgins Clark

2008-05-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed reading this book immensely. A must read for any Mary Higgins Clark fans and for anyone who is into psychological thrillers. This one was a page turner and even though I couldn't read it at one stretch due to other obligations, I kept going back to it as and when time permitted. The phenomenon of MPD has always interested me and the more I read about, the more I feel I should have chosen the profession of being a psychologist (Those you you laughing right now may kindly stop laughing:D) . The prospect of being engaged in a science with no certainty seems very challenging especially when it deals with the human psyche. When I was very young, I started off with wanting to be a doctor like most kids but then moved on to the more glamorous professions of genetic engineer (from reading all the Robin Cooks), secretary to a lawyer (from reading all the Perry Mason's), interior designer (from reading one particular M&B), and finally psychiatrist. Sad that I never pursued either of these and ended up being a boring software engineer. Even today I feel like I am total misfit for this job and having pursued my instincts in the culinary arena, I think I might be a better chef than a software engineer. But it pays the bills and gives me a luxurious (by some standards) life. So it will have to do for now. Aaaanywaysss, coming back to the book the characters are etched out well and the pace of the book kept me hooked. The ending, albeit predictable, was intriguing and the many chills and thrills that the book takes you through are a total blessing. I was even scared to read this book while I was alone in the room at some points. Childhood abuse is a grim reality for many and developing MPD due to this is not a new concept but it never gets less interesting or less sad. I admired Sarah's character and was happy with the fact that she develops a romantic interest in Justin. Definitely a recommended read if you are in the mood for a spine chiller.

Arranged Marriage - Chitra Divakaruni

2008-05-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to read this book for long now. I tried borrowing it from the the library but had to return it before I got started. I now know that I am not built for borrowing books from the library. I love owning books and reading at my own whims and fancies too much to depend on the library. Unless of course there comes a time where I cannot afford to buy even second hands books. Keeping my future plan in mind (which some of you know by now), I must buy them all:D:D....The book was a good read albeit it had a sad note to some of the stories. As obvious the stories all revolve around arranged marriages and provide an insight into the Indian woman's psyche both in India and abroad. Chitra Bannerjee got me hooked to her books with her previous series "Sister of my heart" and "Vine of Desire"....I didn't appreciate "Mistress of Spices" and I have heard that the movie starring Aishwarya is even worse....
I can't remember the names of the stories as I write this but I liked most of them especially the one about the lady of the house and the maid she hires told from the perspective of her sister. All in all a decent read.

The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella

2008-05-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

This book was a recommended read by my sister knowing how much I enjoyed "Confessions of a Shopaholic". I enjoyed this book very much as well and the next one by Sophie Kinsella on the radar is "Can You Keep a Secret?".

Samantha like the typical protagonist of Sophie's books is an expert at painting herself into a corner. It is nail biting to read what she commits herself to but there is also an exhilaration in her ability to be a quick learner enabling her to wring herself out of the situation she is in. It was rather frustrating to read the number of times she changes her mind before arriving at the conclusion that she should ditch her life as a high profile lawyer. I did not agree with that wholly either. I feel that there was no need for her to go from being a lawyer to a housekeeper. She could have chosen a life somewhere in between - like becoming a part time lawyer who works in her own time. What a waste all those years of working towards the law degree!! But of course this book is not to be taken too seriously:) It was a fun read and I wouldn't mind reading some thing so illogical if it gives me a few laughs which it did. My hubby caught me laughing out loud in the middle of this one;)

Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai

2008-01-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

I bought this book but haven't had a chance to read it yet. A very dear friend has graced my blog by agreeing to do a guest review. Find his review here.
I will follow up with a review of my own once I have read it.

I'll Be Seeing You - Mary Higgins Clark

2007-12-14T13:29:00.000-08:00

This one delivered on all the chills and thrills that are promised by a Mary Higgins Clark book. I have been trying to get a friend of mine to read these with repeated failure:D:D but the fact that I am hooked is evident from the number of her books reviewed on my blog - all thanks to my sister:) . Bernie is a typical character with a sick mind .....There is usually one such character in almost every book of hers.....The way he/she thinks is probably pitiable but as expected the reader would not feel any sympathy for such a person.....The way he spies on women and makes crank calls is chilling.....I think I almost guessed the wrong doer midway through the book but that didn't spoil the rest of it for me...Meghan and her mom are strong independent characters that don't fail to inspire you....The bit about artificially induced pregnancy leading to cloned identical twins being born years apart is intriguing and I ended up doing some reading online to even understand how it happens.....The scam that is revealed at the end is quite predictable given the nature of the clinic but not less shocking...and of course I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre ......Happy reading!!!

A Death In Vienna - Daniel Silva

2007-10-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

I made the mistake of reading another Daniel Silva right after the previous one. I did not enjoy this one as much. It was the same as the previous one, only less thrilling because it dragged on and on. I would rather not write anything further but I am guessing it won't be half as bad as I say if someone reads it afresh or after a long break from other Daniel Silva books.

Salaam Paris - Kavita Daswani

2007-10-03T12:28:00.001-07:00

Salaam Paris - another book about Paris...Hmm...wonder why I am picking all these books about Paris these days...;).......Besides Paris, what drew me to this one was Amulya Malladi's recommendation and the fact that the author was Kavita Daswani. Her previous work (The Village Bride of Beverly Hills) I must say, I enjoyed immensely:) . Salaam Paris was a fun read too but I didn't quite admire how the protagonist kept reprimanding herself for the choice she made. Now chick-lit is a term I have become familiar with and no matter what anyone thinks, I love it:D:D. Its good to read a chick-lit every once in a while and keep in touch with the "chick" in me:D:D. I can't say I identify with the background Tanaya comes from because, touchwood, my parents were always very liberal and in fact no one would have been happier than my mom if I had gone into the movie or modeling industry;) And my dad has always been the one to push us to be independent and earn our own living. I must say it was a real blessing to have such parents and to grow up with two very independent, smart and confident older sisters. I didn't really have to look outside for role models when I had such strong women around me all my life. I simply abhorred the way Tariq treated her and was surprised that a woman would even be willing to speak with a man again when he has treated her so shabbily. There were instances in the book which left me fuming. Needless to say, I didn't sleep too peacefully that night. But that at least means that the book got me hooked and was a good read. I do enjoy reading about the fashion industry and about the lives of models and this book gave me some entertainment in the form of Tanaya's life as model. It was fun to read of her fake affair and before she becomes famous about her waitressing and one time random ramp stint. I finished this book in two days and have now moved on to another Daniel Silva book. That isn't going too fast as I am now caught up in some personal tasks. It might be a while before i blog again...But keep watching....:)

The Messenger - Daniel Silva

2007-09-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

Museum curator turned secret agents, hidden classic paintings, Arabs with terrorist plots, vivid descriptions of Paris, Rome, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Israel, USA are what make up "The messenger" and kept me hooked.....It was especially exciting to read about Paris since I recently made my first visit to Paris. It really is a magical city and you fall in love with it as soon as you set your foot there. The central character of Gabriel Allon is pretty intriguing. However, I feel that Daniel Silva gives in to stereotypes and sketches the typical image of Gabriel - a guy who rarely shows emotions and always thinks through his head. Sarah is a welcome change in the repertoire of characters - a smart, intelligent and brave woman who takes up the task of being a spy in a hostile environment without fearing for her life. It was exciting to read some of the codes and signals agreed upon for the communication between the spy and her team. Imagining lounging on a ship with the ruthless enemy while pretending to be something you are not gave me goose bumps. I did enjoy the author's style of writing and I will be going back for more of his books:) Shall keep you posted on which ones I pick up. Next up is another book covering Paris - "Salaam Paris by Kavita Daswani"

Reprimanding self.....

2007-09-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

I am kicking myself in the rear right now for not having blogged about some of the books I read previously...I read the Mango Season by Amulya Malladi and I think For MAtrimonial Purposes by Kavita Daswani.....I also remember having some wonderful things to say about them and some wonderful memories that were evoked by some incidents in the books but i never did put them down......Damn my lazy self!!!!

The Anastasia Syndrome And Other Stories - Mary Higgins Clark

2007-09-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Mary Higgins Clark is one of my favorite authors just because she delivers on the thrills and chills when I am in the mood for such a book. The title story "The Anastasia Syndrome" succeeded in scaring me and my hubby will vouch for this. Although it was predictable a couple of times, the concept got me hooked. The story I really liked the ending of was "Lucky Day". The story with the twins would have been amazing if the fib she tells were true. That would have made it a true M.H.C story. I didn't care much for "The Lost Angel" and "Terror Stalks a Class Reunion" but the book made a good read. Next on my list is Daniel Silva's "The Messenger".....

Crisis - Robin Cook

2007-08-30T22:26:00.000-07:00

Updating my blog today has made me so happy:). I actually referred to my own blog to check if I had read a particular book while shopping on amazon today. It made me realise how important it was to: 1. Write a small blog about every book I read even if I don't have enough time. It certainly helps in times when my memory fails me. 2. Not give away much about the book but still write a fair review. Like a few of my friends/family-members know, I plan to buy all the books I read and keep them with me. Once I retire, it will be good to read them all again and by then I assume my memory wouldn't be as good and I wouldn't even remember what the book was about.

I picked up this Robin Cook after a long break. It was rather too non-medically-technical for me this time. I enjoy all the medical details in this books and this was had more about the people involved and the lawsuit. I did find the concept of Concierge Medicine very interesting and while I can see why people resent it, I think it is great for those who can afford it. But I also see why it needs to be controlled lest it becomes difficult for a common man to get medical help.

Craig wasn't a very admirable person from the start. In spite of all the snippets regarding his expertise as a doctor, his other side made me disregard it all. Alexis and Laurie seem surreal and definitely don't react the way we would expect women to. Jack of course was a more likable character and I kind of felt he had a chemistry with the other female doc who helps him;). But then again I was letting my imagination run wild. I also found the subject of hypochondria very interesting. It was interesting to note the kind of attention such patients need. The last word on this book is that it isn't really as exciting as some of his other books like Mutation but will be an ok read if you don't have too many other options. The next one I am reading is "The Anastasia syndrome - Mary Higgins Clark" by one of my most favourite author and I already an engrossed in the book.

Confessions Of A Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella

2006-08-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi All!! Great to be back to blogging after so long. I had to stay away because of my hectic schedule at work and then I just got plain lazy:D:D:D. I have read two other books after this one and that made me realize that I am wayyyyyyyyyy behind in my blogging world. So, here goes....

Beware! This book certainly isn't for those prim and proper people who file all their mail in neat folders, pay their bills promptly, always keep track of their finances and do all that good stuff. It will disgust you to the core to read about this unruly character who splurges on fancy things when she is neck deep in debt **if** you are one of them. It goes without saying that I enjoyed the book a lot and identified with the protagonist totally.:D:D Not that I have been in debt and gone shopping (again, that does not mean I haven't gone shopping and not cared about what costs how much) but I have certainly been tempted to just dump my mail in a cement mixer and forget about it because that is one chore that I thoroughly detest. (My hubby will certainly vouch for it and even produce pictures of piled up stacks of mail that I have been putting off looking at). Hmmm....I am trying to think of the last time I was just wandering around a store when I didn't need to buy anything but was tempted to look anyway and ended up shopping....hmmmm...oh wait! That was yesterday!!!! :D:D And how many times have we decided to curb something or control a habit and been more unsuccessful at it when we actually worked on it. I was ROFL (rolling on the floor and laughing) when I read about Rebecca spending more on the day when she is supposed to be saving and her attempt at making the India curry was just out of this world! These situations were predictable but I enjoyed reading them all the same.

Besides the weaknesses in Rebecca's character the book also shows the innovative and imaginitive side of her that comes up with bright ideas like sale on finance loans and having price tags on art in museums to make it more interesting and as silly as it might sound, I think I would enjoy looking at price tags in musuems too. :D:D:D...This books kept reminding me of Bridget Jonses's Diary throughout and I couldn't help but imagine Renee Zellweger and Collin Firth starring in a movie made out of it. Needless to say Rebecca sounds a lot like Bridget Jones and Luke Brandon was an out and out Mark Darcy. I would recommend this book to all the women who loooooove shopping and whose spouses believe that the world would be better off without SALES. :D:D:D:D

Dancing In The Dark - Mary Jane Clark

2006-07-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much time to do my reading because of my hectic work schedule lately. My favorite time of the day, my ride on the caltrain, gives me the much needed reprieve from the day-to-day hassles to read and lose myself in the book that currently interests me. Oh well! I still managed to squeeze one book and finish it in three weeks. I wish I had utilized my valuable time on a much better book but I just happened to buy this one off the rack at an airport before my flight. Reading about the problems that ail teenagers who have the chance to a wonderful life otherwise is extremely depressing. I would say, chuck cribbing about your body and go grab all the opportunities that you have at doing some amazing things with your life. Its at times like these that I feel that parents derserve to give their kid a tight slap and get them to straighten out their routine. In case you do not understand what I am talking about, this book is the story of teenagers who are anoerexic. A whole web of crime is woven into their life and it is thrown out that one of them is faking her own abduction and returns. Before I blurt out other things about the book let me talk about where it is set. The backdrop is a beach front town in New Jersey where people vacation during the summers. I would give anything right now to just take off for a month to such a place with the beach at my disposal. However I like my comforts of TV, AC, a good bed and good food when I am vacationing and I would not go for the tent living that the family in this book opts for. :D:D. I must give credit to the author(ess) for having used the setting well. I guess it would make a good summer reading for those who aren't put off by the topic. I am already on my next book, and I can surely identify myself a lot with what goes on in it!!!:D:D Any guesses what the next books is??

Mediocre But Arrogant - Abhijit Bhaduri

2006-05-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to get this book from my sister. She sent it to me from Germany. Although the author was kind enough to offer to send me a hardcopy that he had with him, this one came just in time (there are no copies being sold in USA yet). I finished reading it in 3 days which equals about 5 hours of actual reading time on the caltrain. My first impression after reading the initial 10 pages of the book was that like Shobha De (referring to her comment about this book), this one took me back to my college days. For starters, I haven't heard the word "super-senior" in a long time. And it’s been a while since I heard the many slang words and all the very believable nicknames that Abhijit makes liberal use of in his book. It brought the college canteen/hostel back to life in my mind. However, if I weren't an Indian or hadn't gone to school in India, it would be a little harder to place most of them. Being a "day-scholar" I wouldn't have been able to identify with all the hostel life described, had my sister not been generous enough to let me visit her at hostel a couple of times. I'm sure it was a torture for her but I totally enjoyed myself :). Comparisons to "Five Point Someone" (another college caper set in the IIT Campus) are inevitable. Personally, I gave up reading that book after about 4 chapters but this one I had to finish! I could totally identify with Abbey who doesn't really have much ambition and isn't even sure if he is doing the right thing with his life. All my life I have gone with the flow and never really knew if I actually wanted to be doing what I was doing. The only thing I probably couldn't digest was Abbey's love life. His attitude towards all the women was very casual and his sexual encounters are something that I couldn't imagine as being real, especially in the day and age the story is set. But again, student life and teens have changed so much in India that I don't even really consider myself as belonging to the current generation anymore. Abbey really seemed to lack any motivation to follow up on something that he cared about. This is evident in the relationships he shared with the women and their terminations. My favorite character (and also the author's, I hope) was Rascal Rusty. There is always this wise guy in every class who's a know-it-all and this fact never goes down well with most of the students. I also loved reading about the "Kumbhkaran" like roommate who chose sleep over everything else. The ending could have been a little less abrupt. When I finished the book, I didn't really feel like it was the end! All in all, a very good first attempt that kept me hooked (which is a lot more than I can say for the next book that I am reading!)

Here a link to the Abhijit's blog where you can read some more about the book and more....
http://mediocrebutarrogant.blogspot.com/

Sister Of My Heart -Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

2006-05-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

This has been one of the most engrossing books that I have read in a long time. Not because there is a mystery to unveil but more because the way she writes it, the authoress makes you go thyough each and every one of the emotions that the protagonists must experience in this story. I had dismissed books written by Chitra Banerjee after reading "Mistress of Spices" but thank god that I ran out of other books to read at home and had to settle for a copy of "Sister of my Heart" which did not even belong to me(Its my sister's and I thank her for leaving it behind when she moved). The relationship Anju and Sudha share is beautiful and the tumultous situations they go through are very real. Every time you think that you are almost done and the fate of Anju and Sudha is decided and nothing more can go wrong or change, Chitra comes up with another situation for them to face and for the reader go through. It makes you reach a cresendo of emotions and leaves you at the top with a promise for more to come in the sequel "Vine of Desire" which as you have guessed by now will be read by me soon.

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe / The Patriotic Murders - Agatha Christie (A Hercule Poirot Mystery)

2006-05-10T16:14:00.000-07:00

O the good old days when my sis would leave her Agatha Christie collection in Hyderabad and I would get to read them all.....Sigh!!! A big thanx to my colleague Rakesh for letting me borrow this book from him. I had read this particular one years ago under the title "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe". So, it didn't really hit me when I grabbed this copy named "The Patriotic Murders". But the buckle drove the point home :D:D....Neverthless I continued to read it a second time over. You can never tire of a Hercule Poirot mystery if you have forgotten even a part of the mystery. I can't say the same about Miss Marple mysteries but I would read those again too if I had them. The egg-headed detective and his keen acumen are as refreshing as ever. Sometimes I wish I owned the entire collection! I have been told by (lazy) friends and relatives that they won't read my blog because my posts are spoilers if they haven't read the book. I find it extremely hard to write about mysteries without revealing much. Anyways, needless to say the ending was quite unexpected and the last few pages where Poirot explains how he arrived at the conclusions are as usual the best. Agatha Christie makes ample use nursery rhymes in a lot of her books and like this one I am sure a lot of the books have multiple names. What I do everytime I read Agatha Christies is, fix a person in the case as the culprit and read the book keeping that in mind. I might change my suspect during the course of the book if it becomes apparent that the suspected person could not have been possibly involved in the crime. The fun thing about this is that many a times there are atleast 2-3 likely people and this makes it perplexing enough to keep you entertained. Actually this is something you can do with every mystery. Not sure how many others have the same idea but I hope what I am saying makes sense. The day your suspect is the same as the one Hercule Poirot proved to be guilty, you can stop reading them! If I stick to this statement of mine, looks like I will read them forever. No complaints about that!!!!

No Place Like Home - Mary Higgins Clark

2006-05-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

Another author recommended by my sister! It was nice to read a Mary Higgins Clark again. When I read her first one, I found the crime rather gruesome. But the suspense and thrill elements were great and I kept going back for more. I will never think twice before I pick up a Mary Higgins Clark or for that matter books by her daughter Carol Higgins Clark. They all make decent reading. However, by now I can guess the ending in most of their books.

This one pretty much begins like the others with a shocking statement made in the prologue " I cannot believe I am standing in the exact spot where I was standing when I killed my mother.".......The real estate law of New Jersey which is mentioned in this book is pretty interesting and I do agree that it is an important one......Noone would want to live in a house with a bad history. It would definitely give me sleepless nights. I find it hard to write anymore about this book lest I give away the story too much. So for those of you who haven't read it yet but plan to, "you are welcome".....For those who have read it and would like to talk more about it, leave me comments and for those who haven't read it and will never read it, wait for ,my next blog:D:D

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

2006-04-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

This book was recommended by my sister and as always I just had to buy it and read it. This book brings alive the life in Afghanistan in your mind and you will almost start smelling the kababs when Khaled talks about them. Well atleast I did because I was hungry when I read that part:D:D and I ended up eating at a Mediterrenean place that week. The friendship of Amir and Hassan is unique. Though they are inseparable, the class difference and its reflection in their releationship is very palpable. The struggle that Amir and his father undergo on their move to America is pretty much what any individual would experience when forcefully uprooted from their life and re-establised in an alien country. I feel that friendships made in one's childhood are much stronger that those that you develop later in life. That's probably because you long for those innocent days of your childhood once you grow up and when you are a kid there is no selfish motive behind your friendship. Some people I know might argue otherwise saying that friendships you make when you grow up are based on a deeper understanding. The inherent violence in the day-to-day life described by Khaled is something that I found a little chilling. For example the description of the games that Amir and Hassan play be it stringing dragon flies or burning up ants by holding them under a magnifying glass with the scorching sun above, the macabre picture painted by the words describing the killing of the animal for religious sacrifice and many others. Almost everyone would identify with Amir's incessant desire to please his father. Many a times I wished that the urdu words were translated at the bottom of the page. Most of them have explanations right after but some don't. All in all, I learnt a lot about life in Afghanistan, the Taliban and a lot m0re about human nature and child psychology thanx to this book. I mostly do the reading on the train everyday on my way to and from work and a few of the days I went back home with sad thoughts about what I had read. It is great to read such thought provoking books once in a while as it makes you thankful for the life you have and the luxury and ppleasures you enjoy.

I started writing this review midway through the book because I realized that most times I forget to pen down a lot of stuff that I thought of while reading the book. So writing the review while you are still reading the book seemed like a good idea to me. This might seem a little vague when one reads it 'coz there are a couple of sentences written everyday and they might not all gel as well together as they should. But I do believe that this way I will end up saying more than I would otherwise. So, this is definitely what I wish to continue with the rest of my books.

Comments and views welcome from anyone who's read this book.

This Side of Married - Rachel Pastan

2006-04-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

This book as been slated as a modern day Pride and Prejudice. Shameful as it is, I haven't read the original by Jane Austen. However, I do know what the story goes like and it was easy to see that similarities exist. It is the story of three sisters, each as different from each other as day and night. This is not too hard to understand given that we are three sisters in my family who are quite different from each other too. The focus is on Isabel's life which is falling apart but she manages to pick it up pretty soon and get going. The mother is forever concerned about the girls getting married/having kids which is typical. The father doesn't have much of a role to play. Some of the chapters ended rather abruptly and I was left feeling like the author had something more to say but her words were deleted by an editor or something. I liked the frank and straight forward demeanor of Simon. A decent book but don't expect too much.

The Village Bride Of Beverly Hills - Kavita Daswani

2006-03-27T14:14:00.000-08:00

After reading this one, I am definitely going to read some others by Kavita Daswani. The story focuses on newly married Priya Sohni who has just left India and moved to Los Angeles with her husband. She is surprisingly asked to get a job when she does not give any news of a baby coming along in a cpl of months. This opens her up to the world around her and exposes her to what she can do and become. It is sad though that she has to keep her new found confidence and talents to herself and cannot share her day-to-day happiness or sorrows or pressures with any member of the family. She deligently continues to please her in-laws and husband post work and looks forward to the next work day because that is where she is appreciated and understood. This is so unlike most of us where we rush home to our loved ones even if we enjoy our work and work environtment.She befriends her cousin who is married to an American and realises that she does not want to continue living such a dissatifying life with a husband who can never stand up to his parents for her or care for her happiness. Kudos to her for returning to her parents instead of continuing the pathetic sham of a life that she leads. I was also extremely happy to read about her supportive family and the way they take her back with open arms. After all that is what family is for. (I can imagine Sweety pulling her hair for this remark of mine). What I couldn't digest though was her husband's overnight change of character. It was a little hard to believe that he would make such drastic changes so soon especially given his backbone-less behaviour before she left. But all is well that ends well! So Priya and Sanjay reunite and live happily ever after. This book has also enthused me to read other similar books by authors from a similar background. Another author I would like to try is Amulya Malladi. I have heard good things about her books "song of the cockoo bird" and "serving crazy with curry". Not surprisingly I am drawn to books which involve food. I read "Cooking for Mr. Right" which was a fun book and then was "Dress Rehersal" which made me run to the bakery and binge on cake. So be prepared for more reviews of such books coming up......

Books I read

2006-03-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

Starting this blog seems like a good idea for me to keep track of the books I read and share the feelings I underwent while reading them. I mostly read fiction - mystery, thrillers, romance, medical. I have been through phases which got me stuck to one kind for a while. For example, there was the Mills & Boons phase when I was a teenager; the Robin Cook phase when I was trying to live the thrill of being in a medical profession while being stuck in an engineering course; the John-Grisham phase when I would imagine myself abandoning everything I was doing and taking up law; the Danielle Steel phase when i would curl up in bed with my shawl for a good tearful few hours; the Mary Higgins Clark phase where I wanted to read them all before Sweety did; more recently the Dan Brown phase where I was impressed with the Da Vinci Code and dug up every one of his books and read them. There have always been the Harry Potters and romantic novels to fill up the blanks. These days I have been picking up every book that looks remotely interesting from the discount store below my work place. Some of them have been interesting while some others have become home to my pet termites. Anyways watch out for the ones that I write about from now on and feel free to share with me any thoughts that you might have about them.

A special thank you to my beloved dad who used to accompany me to the Sunday book market at Abids and buy me all the books that I could read including Archies comies which I looooooove. He has always encouraged us to read a lot and would never hesitate to buy a book that I asked for. Kudos to him for the voracious readers that we have become. Love you papa!