Travel With Books!

  I literally lumbered with "Linger". All my grand expectations went down the drain. MS for me is a queen of writing-in-contrasts and "Linger" justified, but the plot wasn't stirring! This sequel based on shape-shifting covered more of the prequel's details(maybe the objective was to keep the first-timers riveted) and treaded wearily on the current plot of Sam and Grace advancements. It couldn't enliven my romantic soul! The only relief which "Linger offered" was with the budding chemistry between Isabel and Cole. Had it not been for them, this would have been a complete flop for me! When I picked up the novel, I had an inkling that I might not "fall in love" with it and would have have intermittent bouts of yawning, and bang on, my intuition didn't fail me but this book did! After reading "Bravely" by MS, I expected her to outdo herself, she is indeed a crafter of words.(I do not know which one was released earlier). He...

A garland of simple, endearing, gleaming pearls. I can't say that each of this pearl is distinctive, but one can wear this garland, or hold one of these pearls, whenever you are knocked down by the humdrumness of life. I found it much better than the Brothers Grimm. A 5-star for this one, for the sensitivity and calm-me-down effect.

  *No-spoiler Alert* This was an endearing and delightful read. I read it at a snail-slow pace (there were few parts that turned stagnant). It was an overall enticing read. Merida, a loving responsible soul gets  sandwiched between 2 Gods- Cailleach(God of Life) and Feradach(God Of ruin). She is endowed with a task of saving Dunbroch from destruction. In short, she got to save her family and land from   Feradach's wrath. She strikes a bargain with the Gods to save Dunbroch within an year ! This is my first Maggie Stiefvater's read.  I am giving 4 stars to this novel because it is irregularly paced but has an intriguing storyline.  The USP of the book is the push and pull between Merida and Feradach throughout their journey of the bargain and the heroic year ahead.  I wasn't expecting a lot but it has overtly exceeded my expectations. After finishing this, I have placed an order for the much-talked about and the successful "Linger" .

  *No-spoiler Alert* My first read on anthropomorphism. Having read novels using literary devices as various personifications but none on anthropomorphism, Black Beauty was a cathartic reading journey for me.  Anna Sewell, deep-rooted love for horses and deep-rooted dejection against ill-treatment towards animals, douses the novel with sensitivity, love, kindness and compassion. This novel educates the  public about horses, love, prevailing empathy and apathy towards them. Myself being an ardent animal lover, Black Beauty rendered an emotional yet an invigorating reading experience. The journey of Black beauty from a colt to a stallion, from an empathic caring owner to an apathic cruel one. Being introduced to different hostlers, horse-friends and experiences from the paddock, open meadows to being stranded in a stable, from facing a fire incident to being shifted to another cleaner one. There is not a single page which I would want to skip or ramble throug...

"No-Spoiler-Alert" It was a pure delight to enjoy the atmospheric detailing of the Prince Edward Island. For someone like me, who gets deep into the non-tangible details of sight and smell of a setting before discerning the  personality perusal, Anne of Green Gables is a bulls-eye ! I personally related to Anne Shirley's character personification in totality. Her penchant for larger-than-life words, spark and zest for life, optimism and seeing the  glint in the worst, describes our protagonist. She is funny, curious and full-of-life.  Her style of answering to her own questions in the most flamboyant style possible, takes the reader deep into the atmospheric setting she builds-up. Before picking up the book, I was dubious if Anne is one of those hyperbolic characters which fades away as the novel progresses, but LM Montgomery  has woven her with grit and determination, vivacity and childishness. Anne deepens the interest of the reader, as the novel progress...

  Title of the book is apt " Falling in Love Again ", Ruskin Bond reminisces all the episodes of love in his life with a current-mature-mindset. Presumably, he wrote this one to heal himself through all his numerous life-episodes of unrequited love! Touching the delightful cover, with swarming colorful butterflies hovering all over, my search for Ruskin Bond's definition of love started. This evenly-paced book is all about love forbidden, so I couldn't take it as a tongue-in-cheek writing ! It is flooded with insidious emotions.  Again I presume, one cannot count Ruskin's financial strain as the only cause for him not taking the plunge into marriage, but the ache of unrequited love ! The introduction includes Ruskin Bond's favorite writer PG Wodehouse's quote - " You know, the way love can change a fellow, is truly frightful to contemplate ".  I agree, guess we all have undergone aggressive transformations in some way or the other. This ...

I am not a literature student but an engineer. I am someone who easily falls in love with books from fantasy and fiction genres, specifically magical realism. I love to dangle in both the primary and secondary worlds (trust me I do that whole day long, that's my happy space). Most of the reviews I have given till date are positive, be it for classics or the genres I mentioned. My heart melts like hot chocolate whenever I pick up books belonging to aforesaid genres , and not being a literature student or a stern critic, I overlook atmospheric, character or plot settings seldom going askew. ( I eat, drink, breathe the non-tangible before drifting to the tangible). This one is definitely not my taste. Maybe because greater emphasis was laid upon in the start for building the somber setting for justifying reasons of depression and suicide (and this eats away a greater part). The rest is breathable as it ensues into improvisations and meeting/rectifying/ justifying the old. But all in a...