sneha
** mixed feelings about this one **
This was my first ever audible original and it was some experience. Not gonna lie, I clicked download on this because Andrew freaking Scott . That man has the most beautiful voice, I can float around my daily life with his voice narrating every bit of it.
The story is a very clichéd MI6 drama chasing the bad boys. They hit all your classic casts of “enemy of Great Britain” starter pack. Bad bad fundamental Muslim? Check. The shady double-crossing Russians? Check. Sneaky spying Chinese that we can't trust? Check. Them bloody labour party members selling away the country to immigrants? Check check check.
At some point I wasn't sure if they were making the story ironically cringy or such was the plot to hit your tired lame terrorism meets assassinations meets destruction of the whole nation plot-line.
All said and then, the ten parter Audible original drama wasn't too painful to listen to as I unpacked the contents of my dorm into my childhood house. Made the process less painful and voice of Andrew Scott as Alex Cartwright was soothing-ish. The end was, argh, so Dan Brown. Like why? That's all I'll say.
I read this book a long time ago. My freshman year roommate and I watched the movie and then I read this book on my laptop. That was in my first year, fast forward five years and here I am re-reading this. A lot of things have changed in that time and I was reminded of how the relationship with a book changes with time. My last read focused on Charlie forming new relationships and finding his tribe, his people and that joy was my takeaway, my desire as a freshman. Now, as all familiar faces part ways at the end of college, I was invested and curious to see how Charlie deals with the distance and having his friends move away from him. The second reading carried a darker tone, a more sober feeling. This wasn't on my 2019 list but I surely was a happy accident. Didn't know I needed to read this again but hey, I am glad I did. :)
okay, did not see the end coming.
the style of the story was pretty cutting edge, especially given that Yukito Ayatsuji wrote this in like 1980s, it's pretty cool. there were a few tiny holes but overall an engaging murder mystery. The writing felt a bit on the nose but I'd chart that to translation. this has def inspired me to read more Japanese murder mysteries. :)
** a perfect book to read in times like these **
It's Day 8 of the self-quarantine journey and this book is the right kind of celebration of solitude, nature and universe that I needed.
It is a collection of musing by Mr. bond over years, encapsulating his love and wisdom on writing, flowers, mountains, solitude, love, friendship and all heartwarming things.
This book is a hardback version of “curling in a warm blanket with candles on while sipping hot chocolate with mellow music in the background”. It is calming - almost meditative.
I have few books in my collection that I call my “forever books”, the ones whose hard copy I would always cherish and keep around to reread. This is definitely one of it.
So let's wrap this whole virus situation quickly so I can go visit Mussorie, spend some time in the mountains, reread this gem, meet him and get it signed by him.
What a wonderful book!
I believe the book is meant for younger audience but as a 20 something I truly enjoyed the adventures of Nobody Owens. The book is “jungle book but in a graveyard” and it doesn't have a single dull moment in it. The cherry on top are he beautiful illustrations - starting from the cover page to the mini portraits before each chapter. Neil Gaiman proves why he is a genius yet again. Short, wonderful read. :)
I really did want to enjoy the book. Altho I entered with a bit of a “this might be hippie-creative stuff from the magic book” skepticism, I tried my best to keep an open mind.
The center ideas were simple
1. Let your fears coexist with your passions.
2. Give yourself permission to create.
3. Keep your day job to fuel your creative affair.
That's it.
I didn't enjoy the writing one bit. The whole “we were friends and lemme tell you secrets and anecdotes from my life like a friend would” style just doesn't work for me. It's a personal preference. I am sure this style and approach might resonate well with some readers but it really didn't work for me.
I appreciate the emphasis that the book placed on showing up, having a routine and grinding to create quality creative work. The book tries to provide a blueprint of how to live a creative life but rely goes into the details for them. The main advice were solid but the content could be more crisp.
I was expecting more concrete actionables and focused discussions on the various challenges and rewards of living a life of creativity.
No, it's not about him just wanted to catch that giant fish and torture the poor creature. It's about a man, losing all his skill and strength, facing an eventual death, being alone with his thoughts and fear all by himself in middle of a sea facing perhaps his greatest achievement clocked as an adversary. Just read it for his stream of consciousness in middle of the ocean.
DNF left at 30%
I have never read his fiction books before because I just couldn't. I thought this might a fun memoir thing that would also help me start running again but nope. Just not for me. I tried.
you know it's a great book when you feel like you just had a lovely conversation with the author over a cup of tea while lounging in a comfy chair. love among the bookshelves is exactly that!
part anthologies, part memoir, this book surely going to leave you all smiles. :)
i read
this book
out of
curiousity
does it warrant
the hate it gets ...
or is it actually
not that bad?
leave the words
look at the pictures
atleast I didn't pay for this
It felt like a self-centred stream of thought while looking at others' lives like a fish in a bowl, hoping to refine your own lie. It's difficult to categorise this book based on my reading experience. It felt too long and short simultaneously. This isn't about the immigrant experience, start-home journey, socialising as adults, or finding familiar ties while growing old. It is a relatable book to the extent that you get mad at characters because they show your flaws and fears, but it gets stuck there – doesn't move further to integrate these feelings and experiences. Does it need no? No, but wouldn't that be more fun?
Do you think it will be weird if I show up to Benjamin Stevenson's house with a bouquet of flowers and balloons and ask to live near him all the time? Will be report me?
I am on a bit of a Keigo Higashino binge. Unlike Devotion of Suspect X, I did not see the ending coming. Higashino takes the foundational ideas of a murder mystery, removes bits of it like a Jenga, and recreates the story upside down. It's unique. I was worried that this work would mirror some elements of Suspect X, but I was glad to be wrong. I devoured this book in a day. The audiobook's production was lovely too.
The book is incredibly frustrating. I can't make sense of the disconnected chapters; there's no rhyme or reason to their organization. It's not linear—neither by her age, her album releases, nor her years in the music industry. It doesn't delve deeply into her lyricism or the lore surrounding her, nor does it explore her personal life or professional struggles in any meaningful way. The entire book feels like a scattershot approach—dabbling here and there without focus.
I expected more from a Rolling Stone journalist. The only way I managed to finish it was by switching to the audiobook version and treating each chapter as a standalone ramble. If you're looking for a deeper dive into the cultural phenomenon of Taylor Allison Swift, I recommend checking out Swiftologist or Evolution of Snake.
The reason my rating is somewhat generous is that I did learn new things about her musical influences, and I've discovered a trove of new music to explore further.
starting the year with Buskin Rond's book
Roads to Mussoorie is Ruskin Bond reminiscing his life in the mountains. Having been in and around Mussoorie for decades, he has a plethora of stories and anecdotes to share. The style of writing is light, as always. You'll definitely chuckle every few paragraphs. He has also managed to share a very bite-size history of the rise of hill stations through the British colonial rule. It's done in a humane, non-white-saviour style. I enjoyed previously unknown stories of Captain Philips and his Irish aloo. Even Proby Cautley's tale of vision and resilience to bring better irrigation showed the civil minded, rare non-abusive side of the British rule.
I am glad this book didn't repackage some of the older stories with a pretty cover. It featured personal tales ranging from hill-side treks to wild parties in the 20s ft. Bhoot aunty and other local folklore.
Don't blame me if by the end of the book you're tempted to visit the mountains and take up a slow intentional life, at least for a week. After finishing the book, I spend the next hour looking up AirBnbs in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand :/
—
a rant about the quality of the printing
Let me just get this off my chest, this is nothing to do with the writing. I have a bone to pick with Rupa publishers. They are consistent by being sh*tty. So many issues with this one - I found 10 typos. So silly, one run through Grammarly would have fixed it. Second, the paper quality. Were you going for that transparent-bleeding-through-the-pages look? Cause you nailed it! Why cut costs so aggressively that the reading experience is effected? Oh, and the good ol' faded pages in the middle. I would have overlooked these issues if it were happening for the first time. But Rupa publishers have time and again produced softcopies that make me want to tear it apart and use it as a kitchen towel. Please do better.
You rarely run into books that feel like sipping iced coffee in a pool by the beach in the soft winter sun. Everything is perfectly fine. This is that kind of book. The concept, characters, pacing, execution, and prose are all just perfect. When I say cosy, fun murder mysteries – this is what I mean. Please take notes and make more of this. The joy I got was unmatched.
** probably the least favourite sherlock holmes collection I have read (so far this year) **
And I have read 6 Sherlock Holmes books in the last 40 days. (is this a cry for help? maybe)
Return of Sherlock Holmes starts with such a bang, we have the elusive and charming detective coming in from the cold. The tempo range of the mysteries seems to have increased. The bad guys are smarter, trying to provide a better match to the detectives genius, and yet the book feels like its written without its soul.
In the foreword, Stephen Fry mentions that one of the reasons Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed Sherly's character was to experiment and focus on his historical fiction writings. He wishes to expand his portfolio but they didn't quite fetch the readership (and revenue) as that of the detective. So the Return of Sherlock Holmes was a bit of fan pandering, of sorts? The writing and mysteries felt a bit repetitive and half-hearted. Or maybe I am overdosing on murder mysteries and find myself unamused.
So soft, sincere, and dreamy—just perfect for a summer beach romcom read. It's rare to find such heartfelt, genuine romance (except for Emily Henry, of course). Abby, you can bet I'll be reading your other books now!
okay, so a few days ago I was talking about this book to someone and I recalled it as a “sweet silly book about a loner shy old man and a bunch of tortoises”. The last time I read this book was waayyy back in sixth grade, in a galaxy far far away.
As a 23-year-old now, I reread this book today (i was stuck in a bookstore due to rain, no I am not complaining) and needless to say, I don't feel the same way about the book now.
Yes, I empathise with the protagonist and his silly adorkable way to win his neighbour over but the whole “lie, steal and deceive the one you love to win affection” as a romantic gesture is something I just can't condone. The whole cutsy “I'll be your slave forever if you help Alfie grow” is just problematic. And before you come yelling “it is for kidss! you lefty calm down, pffff”, no, it's 2019 and we really need to be teaching them better and honestly speaking there are a lot more good books out there (by Roald Dahl himself) that make for a more wholesome read. Also, if there is something I have learnt from the reading of exception authors is to never treat any genre or any audience lightly. Kids are just as serious audience to be respected as grown-ups so work for them should abide by the same standards.
Did I enjoy my hit of nostalgia? Yes, very much but also gave me an idea of how I have grown and how those ideas are better off changed.
A collection of essay that is nuanced yet easy to understand, drawn from everyday life and pop culture. I love how Gay writes and some questions constantly makes you think by provoking the obvious. I created so many highlights while reading this. I look forward to reading more of her work!
Found it to be quite repeative in parts but the themes and humour of of Kurt made it mad fun. Such succinct hard hitting life lessons this packed.