Atomic habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Author: James Clear

Genre: NonFiction, SelfHelp, Productivity, Personal Development

Rating: 4/5

Verdict: Very engaging and derives from simple everyday examples, which makes it very convincing to read and follow.

This book was on my list for 2022, but I couldn't get to reading it last year. Many times in the past, I have taken several new year resolutions only to break them a month later, like many of us do. This year, I really wanted to make a change in how I develop habits like working out, eating healthy, not procrastinating so that it becomes second nature and I am glad I chose this book. The author goes into stating almost right away that habits are an identity change. How we think of ourselves is a key change in making habits last and it brought an "Aha!" moment for me. The main idea of the book is that you can start small and build lasting habits. I also realized that many of my good habits are exactly how the author suggests doing them and is something I already do without realizing - like folding the blankets on the couch right away after relaxing in the evening or change your mindset to saying "I get to cook dinner for my family" instead of "I have to cook dinner for my family". I also liked the fact that the book is not philosophical like many other self help books but there are so many common scenarios we encounter everyday in every chapter of the book and how to deal with them. It makes the reader connect so easily and keeps it intriguing. 

My main takeaways from the book:

- Exponential progress is hard to see, initially

- Patience is essential

- Focus on systems more than goals

- Never miss twice

I think this book can be life changing if one is willing to apply these concepts and be patient until the results start showing up. I am glad I read this book and I'm sure I will refer to it when I need a reinforcement. 

Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Author: Mark Manson
Genre: NonFiction, Self help
Rating: 1/5
Verdict: Don't give a f*ck about this book.

I have been quite wary of self help books and staying away from reading them mainly because most of these books are never one-size fits all. This book was another reaffirmation to that fact not because it was good and just doesn't fit everyone, but this was just a boatload of self-indulgent rubbish, extremely sexist and random pieces of content put together. The writing was abysmal as well. I cannot believe this topped the best seller's list at some point. After reading the first 25 pages, I was in complete rage. Getting life advice from a 30 something slacker of a dude who takes pride in being a complete "f*ckboy" during his youth rather than being remorseful and objectifies women as material possessions isn't exactly something I would call a deserving best seller. Casually saying he has a wife and there is nothing glamorous and exciting about it reeks of arrogance, misogyny and entitlement. It was quite an irony that there is a chapter about relationships and giving a f*ck about them in the book. That aside, the content in the book isn't remarkable, just felt like a bunch of blog posts thrown together without any research whatsoever. Most of it was just 'duh' and things you learn naturally in life as you grow older and wiser. I'm annoyed at myself for having fallen for picking up this one to read. The only reason I gave it a 1-star is for some chapters that there is actually value in reading it for. 

Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery
Rating: 3/5
Verdict: A novel that starts out interesting and bizarre, but a tad too long and disappointing when it ends!

Synopsis:
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.
A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

This is my second YA novel in a row. I found the start to be quite intriguing and creepy/bizarre exactly how it was supposed to be. I really loved the plot - that there are special species in the human race, the "peculiars" who have strange abilities including time travel. The pictures throughout the book were super cool and the visual effects added to the charming storyline. It was great until the point when Jacob goes to Wales to dig up his grandfather's past. After that, the story was all over the place during the second half. There were really no twists and turns nor any suspenses except for the one with Dr.Golan. I took a really long time to get through the second half of the book and I found myself struggling to stay interested. I was happy to just finish the book.

It wasn't as spine chilling nor was there anything related to horror. It was just bizarre at best but fails to live up to its expectations. But this was my first peek into the world of fantasy, I think I will give a few more books in this genre a shot before deciding if its my cup of tea! 

Book Review: Climbing the stairs

Author: Padma Venkatraman
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Cultural, War,
Rating: 3.5/5
Verdict: A wonderful YA novel about Indian freedom struggle and brings Chennai right to your living room!

I have to admit, I am a sucker for Indian authors and stories that are set in South India. I just love novels that talk about places and the customs that I grew up with. I hope that bias doesn't cloud my review here, I've tried to be honest :)

Climbing the stairs is the story of a 15 year old girl, Vidya living in Bombay around the time of WWII. She has a loving family and dreams of going to college which her parents approve of. Her life turns upside down when a tragedy strikes their family and they are forced to live in her grandfather's house as a joint-family with her aunts, uncles and their families. Vidya and her mother are ill-treated by everyone in the house, but they don't have a choice to go elsewhere. Vidya finds solace in the form of books in the upstairs library in the house. As days go by, she gets to know Raman, a young man who lives in the house who treats her as an equal and encourages her dreams. Just as Vidya finds comfort, her brother makes a shocking decision to join the British in the WWII. How Vidya deals with the consequences of the decisions of the men in her life forms the rest of the story.

I really enjoyed the book because it spans through an entire year with various Hindu festivals and the customs and rituals. The first part of the book is set in Mumbai and the second part in Chennai. The description of both these places were absolutely wonderful and brought back so many memories of Chennai, especially. I could relate really well to it and I think that is one reason I have given this a 3.5 because I feel not everyone can relate to the Brahmin customs/rituals. The parts about Vidya's father's freedom struggle and what happens to him is heartbreaking and painful. I also liked the fact that Raman's character was not sketched as this perfect man and how Padma has rather portrayed him as a man who makes mistakes like everyone else and accepts it too at the end. Would have loved to know more about Vidya's brother, father and Raman - all the men in her life!

A wonderful story about the determination and strength of a young girl who wants to pursue her dreams beyond what her cultural traditions and society would allow!

Book Review: Madhorubhagan (One part woman)

Author: Perumal Murugan
Genre: Fiction, Cultural
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A powerful book which captures the taunts aimed at the childless by the society.

About the author:

There was a huge controversy surrounding this book last year, and the author Perumal Murugan decided to quit writing after the controversy broke. His Facebook page said:

"Perumal Murugan, the writer is dead. As he is no God, he is not going to resurrect himself. He has no faith in rebirth. As an ordinary teacher, he will live as P Murugan. Leave him alone."

While I am not sure why there was a huge deal made about it 4 years after the book was published, I read this book to show my support to the community of authors and freedom of speech. The controversy and the book is about a ritual that was practiced in Tiruchengode, Namakkal district a century ago. As per the ritual, a woman could go with any man on the night of the festival and a child born out of this relation is treated as a child or a gift from God. In the novel a couple is childless for 12 years and the wife and the entire family (with the exception of her husband) wants her to take part in the ritual. It is the sexual permissiveness that was protested against.

Now about the book - 

Kali and Ponna live in the Tiruchengodu area enjoy and a happy and fulfilling marriage but are childless. They yearn for a child and are subjected to open attacks, heated arguments, cruel taunts and the society pinpointing their barrenness at every possible juncture. They are deeply hurt by this and recede to their own shell after a while.  One night when both their mothers construe a plan together, Ponna is curious to know what it might be and it is at this moment the ritual and the details about it are revealed. The entire family is in support of Ponna going to the 15th day of the chariot festival, while Kali is opposed to it. Ponna after going through 12 years of insults and insinuations is ready to oblige if Kali agrees to it, but Kali is shocked when he hears her readiness. What happens after that and the emotions and turmoil they undergo on the 15th day of the festival forms the rest of the story.

Perumal Murugan has pained quite a picture with his description of the lives of people in a certain time period. I read the book in Tamil and really enjoyed the local dialect throughout the book. 

I was expecting more about the Arthanareeshwarar temple and the chariot festival itself when the pages moved to the 15th day but he focused more on Ponna and Kali's feelings which may have been the right thing to do to think more about it. While some may think of Ponna's acceptance and the final few chapters of the book as her new found liberation and happiness, I cannot come to terms with her decision, even though it was to procreate. While Kali vehemently disagrees to his family's plans of his second marriage because he thinks Ponna would be wounded by it and Ponna has expressed the same multiple times, I didn't see any such feelings from Ponna about how her decision would make Kali feel. I could not accept the fact that her childlessness has overwhelmed her to such an extent. I could perfectly understand Kali's pain and anger when he comes home on the night of the the festival and find the entire family has gone to the festival. The last few scenes in the book were bizarre and when you close the book you are left with so many questions and wanting to know more about these traditions/rituals! A very poignant read and we need more bold authors like Perumal Murugan. I wish he gets back to writing soon.

Book Review: Gone Girl

Author: Gillian Flynn
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A brilliant narration that does not fizz out

I hadn't really forayed into thrillers before 'Gone Girl'. I have heard of too many plots starting well but fizzing out at the end and is utterly disappointing. I am glad my introduction to this genre was through this book. I couldn't have picked a better one to read. After hearing so much about the film and the reviews, I decided to pick this up, mostly because I wanted to read it before I watched the movie.

Synopsis:
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?  

The plot starts kind of slow, with the initial part of the book building up the characters and it almost sounds like a romantic novel. Then comes the start of the twist and it starts to get interesting after this. I really liked the way of narration - alternating between Nick and Amy, Amy - through the pages of her diary.  I somehow liked Amy's narration more than Nick's, it had a lot of humor and sarcasm intertwined. By the time you get to the part where Nick is the prime suspect, things start to unfold rather quickly and this is where the book becomes un-put-down-able. I liked the way Gillian handles subtle hints/leads in some chapters sprinkled throughout the entire plot which becomes very important evidence/clues later on - Amy's fear of blood and needles for an example. By the time you reach the tail end of the book, you can't help but wonder who is the lesser of the two evils. I cannot imagine living with someone who is so vile like Amy, but Nick is an equally selfish prick too.
What is good and what is bad/evil? - This question is still haunting me a good 12 hours after I finished reading the book. The answer is "There is really no line, its grey".

The final few chapters of the book are chilling and the closing lines will haunt you for a very long time. 

Book Review: Me Before You

Author: Jojo Moyes
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A tear-jerker with a bittersweet ending. Totally loved it.

I don't think I have mentioned before that red is my favorite color and there is something about anything red that I am immediately attracted to it. I am a sucker for all things romantic and the goodreads blurb along with the cover of the book was totally enough for me to start reading this book. But, boy was I mistaken - The cover gives an impression that it is an out-and-out romantic story, but the romance is only a very small part of the story. It is all about emotions, pain, life and deals with a fairly controversial issue.

The story revolves around a 35-year old wealthy, angry and miserable man - Will Traynor whose once adventure-seeking life has been constrained to four walls now after an accident that left him a quadriplegic and a young woman Louisa Clark, who lost her job at a cafe and has taken up the job of being Will's caretaker out of desperation to support her family. Predictably, Will and Louisa gradually get along and become friends, and I was expecting Jojo to lead us to a different storyline that would be apt for any romantic story. But, here is where the plot begins to take a twist and all that follows is a painful, emotional and heart wrenching series of events. The ending was totally unpredictable for me, up until the last page, I kept hoping the ending wasn't what it was going to be, as naive as that may sound.

Of all the characters, I totally admired and could relate with Will and his behavior towards anyone he encountered. The story opens with a glipmse of what Will's life was before the accident and there are incidents all through the story about his life before. After all that, I could totally understand his anger, misery and acid remarks to anyone trying to cheer him up or help him. Although I kept hoping for a happy ending, I did like the way the story ended and I wouldn't change a thing about it. On the other hand, Louisa's character didn't click quite well for me and seemed a bit unrealistic. But, who cares when the story is as emotional as it was and how Will pushes Lou to broaden her territory and spread her wings and fly! Some of the quotes will stay with me forever:

"You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.” 

"Push yourself. Don't Settle. Just live well. Just LIVE.” 

Will's final letter to Louisa was the last straw for me. I broke down after that and wept like a baby. 
Will and Jojo - I will always hate you for that!

A story that will keep you turning pages until the very last word. I bet you cannot put this book down. Hats off to Jojo for dealing with an extremely difficult and disturbing topic with great poise and balance. I cannot forget this book. 

Book Review: I've Got Your Number

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Chick-lit, Romance
Rating: 3.5/5
Verdict: A light-hearted, warm and fun read with a few dragged parts. Go for it for some mindless chick-lit fun!

Ok, I have to admit it - This is my first of Sophie Kinsella's books! I've never read her famous Shopaholic series which everyone's always raved about. I must admit that off late I have been totally sucked me into the world of headstrong women, romance, humor and the "happily ever-after" stories with twists and turns and a perfect happy ending. This book was sent to me by my Secret Santa for the holidays. The book cover is so appealing in itself and given Sophie Kinsella's popularity,  I couldn't wait to read this book.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead!

The story begins with Poppy Wyatt, a physiotherapist living in London. Up until now, Poppy's had the perfect life, which is anybody's envy - A good job, a genius fiancé, Magnus with whom she will walking down the aisle in a few days and the wedding preparations in full swing. Poppy's dreams come crashing down when she loses "the" heirloom engagement ring in a hotel fire drill one day. As Murphy's law would have it, her mobile phone gets stolen on the same day, rendering anybody's attempts to contact her regarding the ring useless. After all the trauma, lady luck begins to smile at her when she finds an abandoned phone in a trash bin and begins to use it as her cell phone until she finds the engagement ring. 

Poppy finds out that the phone belongs to a business consultant Sam Roxton's PA who's disposed the phone in the bin after quitting her job. Sam and Poppy begin talking, while Sam learns that she's using the phone and isn't quite pleased with it. Poppy manages to convince Sam that she will return the phone as soon as she finds her ring and promises to forward all the texts/messages and emails to Sam until then. Having access to someone's phone, messages and inbox could be very personal and soon Poppy begins to know and learn all about Sam's daily life and begins to form an opinion about him. This is when things get very interesting and the book holds you captive. What follows is a series of interesting text exchanges between the two, some twists when Poppy fills in the role of Sam's personal assistant and how technology brings two strangers closer and even get them married ;)

What I liked...

I absolutely loved Sam Roxton and his personality. He was my favorite of all the characters in the book. Sam's intelligence, tight-lipped nature, his stoic, calm demeanor and sense of humor was quite a turn-on and leaves you with a "my kinda guy" feel. It was quite contrasting Poppy's - who is a nervous wreck, people pleaser and a chatterbox. The text exchanges between the two was fun to read and made me smile a lot of times. I loved how Sophie developed the intimacy between the two - the slow progression from strangers to acquaintances to friends to something more - All this without spending much time together, in physical proximity. The chemistry between Poppy and Sam was electric and I was so rooting for them towards the end. And the moment I read:

“Lover? I don't know. I don't know if she loves me. I don't know if I love her. All I can say is, she's the one I think about. All the time. She's the voice I want to hear. She's the face I hope to see.” 

I was floored right then and couldn't wait for the two of them to get together.

What I didn't like quite very much...

A few parts of the book felt very unrealistic when Poppy responds to Sam's emails signing up for a trip to Alaska, a charity run among the others. I mean, who in their right mind would do that?! Some parts also felt dragged towards the end and I was beginning to get a tad bored. The whole thing about Magnus cheating on Poppy and Sam's undefined relationship with Willow felt like a justification for Poppy-Sam's romance. Not that I am complaining about the romance, but those two incidents definitely made it feel like they were forced to make the plot work out.

Barring the lengthiness of the novel and a few unrealistic parts, I quite enjoyed this book. The romance was adorable and the text exchanges was so funny and very entertaining and kept me hooked till the end. A perfect indulgence for a cozy afternoon with a hot cup of tea! Pick it up and you will not regret it! I've become a fan of Kinsella and I sure am going to pick up the Shopaholic series very soon!

Book Review: If today be sweet

Author: Thrity Umrigar
Genre: Multi-Cultural, Fiction
Rating: 2.5/5
Verdict: A slow-moving and predictable read.

Goodreads blurb:

"Tehmina Sethna's beloved husband has died this past year and she is visiting her son, Sorab, in his suburban Ohio home. Now Tehmina is being asked to choose between her old, familiar life in India and a new one in Ohio with her son, his American wife, and their child. She must decide whether to leave the comforting landscape of her native India for the strange rituals of life in a new country...."

The blurb was enough for me to pick up this book at the library, the reason being the dilemma that the main character, Tehmina in this story is faced with is the one question that has been haunting me for years now - To choose between living in the US or to go back to India for good. Where do I belong? Where should I raise my kid(s)? Will I be happy whichever path I choose? What if I don't?
I am sure anyone who is an immigrant in the United States or any foreign land have been haunted by these very set of questions at least once in their life. As of today, I have been unable to choose between the two. But, I just know that I have to make that decision before its too late. So, I was quite intrigued to find out what path Tehmina chose and her reasons for doing it in the hope that someday it will help me make my decision when I arrive at the crossroads. I also loved Thrity's "The Space between us" - It was a perfect portrayal of the divide between the rich and the poor and it was dangerously close to reality. I was held captive by the book right from page 1.

I started reading this book with high expectations for the above mentioned reasons. The book is about an elderly Parsi woman, Tehmina who has recently lost her husband, Rustom and is visiting her son Sohrab, daughter-in-law, Suzanne and grandson, Cavas aka Cookie living in Ohio.  Sohrab is the only child to Tehmina and Rustom and he has asked her to relocate to the United States and live with them. Tehmina is in a quandary. The story revolves around the challenges, dilemmas and the struggles of an old widow who has lived all her life in India and is faced with so many changes to accept and compromise upon if she were to move to the United States. We get to see the life in the US through the eyes of a sixty five year old woman and the cultural differences faced by older people whose children live in the US. This part of the book, I felt was very well captured. I see it often in my own life whenever my parents visit US, they are unable to come to terms with certain things being done the way they are here even if it has been their tenth visit. They have learnt to accept it and live by it when they are here, but, nevertheless, will never be completely happy with it. Its hard for me to understand that sometimes, given how easily me and my husband have adapted and adjusted to the life here. But, I suppose it gets harder as you age. There is constant comparison on life here versus life in India throughout the book and how things are done in a better way in India. Crossing the roads without fear, not having to wear seat-belts to name a few. I felt this part was a bit judgmental and cliched, but again, well portrayed and is very much the reality.

I also really liked the portrayal of the relationship between Tehmina and Suzanne. There is friction, unpleasantness and a few bitter incidents between the two, but how they get past beyond all of that and still manage to co-exist in the same house without any major disruptions was very well written. Tehmina is not the typically portrayed Indian mother-in-law who is possessive of her son, constantly complains about her daughter-in-law, nor feels the need to be dominating. She is an independent, courageous and resilient woman who loves and adores her son and grand-son and cannot imagine a life without being near her loved ones.  When we get to the incident which is a turning point in helping Tehmina decide, it feels too dramatic, unrealistic and forced. It never made an impact on me and I could never understand the reasoning of introducing the incident about the two boys and the depth of it. So was the part about Rustom talking to her and the book/poems he reads to her. This was very disappointing and I would have rather enjoyed reading more about Tehmina's relationship with some of her friends/family back in India.

As I moved towards the end of the book, it became predictable. Tehmina decides to choose to live with Sohrab in the US. But why? Wasn't that what the book was supposed to be about? I felt that question was never answered or even if it was it wasn't quite impactful. May be, it goes to say - live with your loved ones, the place doesn't matter? - I don't know. I expected this book to be an emotional roller coster, all about love, relationships, heartfelt conversations and much more. But, it fell far short of my expectations. I would give it a miss.

Book Review: Take This Man

Author: Brando Skyhorse
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 5/5
Verdict: An unforgettable, poignant memoir. Full five stars from me! Read it right away.

Note: I received an Advanced Review Copy (ARC) of this book from Simon and Schuster through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I stumbled upon this book in one of the book blogs listed as one of the most anticipated reads of 2014 and I had marked it on my to-read list a while back. I usually read the synopsis before starting on any book, but for this one, I didn't and I am glad I didn't. After finishing the book, I went back and read the blurb. I don't think it would have made an impact on me as much because this book is so much more than what is contained in those few words that attempt to describe it.

"Dysfunctional" childhood doesn't even begin to explain what it means to be abandoned by your own father at a tender age of three and growing up with a tough grandmother, a delusional mother, and five stepfathers. That is just too bizarre to even comprehend it, but Brando Skyhorse has actually lived this life for real. A Mexican-American by birth, his mother Maria decides to reinvent herself and Brando as a Native American and renames herself as Running Deer Skyhorse. She lies to young Brando about his father's identity and heritage (he was told his father was an incarcerated Native activist named Paul Skyhorse). This marks the beginning of the pattern of Maria trying to find a suitable father figure and brings home one man after another who all just come and go at their own will. A man is brought home without room for any questions, Brando is made to accept him as a father and begins to get attached to him only to find the man leave without a trace. Each so-called-father's abandonment fills Brando's life with a void bigger than life that becomes irreplaceable and Brando is left questioning his own ability to be a father himself.

Maria is drowned is her own world of delusion and is emotionally abusive. She is a mess and takes it out all on Brando in ways cruel than you can even imagine. She runs her own phone-sex business and keeps moving from one man to another without batting an eye. Her justification for her actions - "At least it never gets boring" pretty much sums up her life. Her attitude towards Brando and his Vietnamese girlfriend was brutal and the mother in me wanted to choke her for all the cruelty. There just cannot be any justification to her actions, she was just a really sad person inside. It was distressing at times to read all about the suffering of Brando in the hands of his mother, yet he couldn't leave her because she was all he had. It was really heart wrenching and brought tears.

Maria's mother, June was a tough yet soft woman who took care of Brando through his early years when Maria was busy searching for a suitable surrogate father. When it came to Maria, I felt that she had a soft corner for her daughter, even after witnessing all the pain inflicted by Maria and when each man came by, they both got together to make sure he cannot find his ways around them and he plays by their rules in the house. Brando finally accepts himself as a Mexican and after both Maria and June eventually die, he goes in search of his biological father and begins to make peace with one of his stepfathers and the birth father.

With such a mother and stepfathers, it is amazing to think about how Brando Skyhorse survived and I was even more impressed when I found out he is a brilliant Stanford graduate. That is a true testament to how resilient he is and that was one thing I was most looking forward to reading towards the end of this book. During the closing chapters, Brando writes about how he tries to find closure, but all those childhood incidents and upbringing has left a lasting effect on his relationships. I doubt if he will find complete closure ever. The final few chapters were the strongest in my opinion and has impacted me very much.  Being a mother myself, I know the importance of a family and more importantly a functional one. I cannot imagine how one can stay sane and alive being raised in a totally dysfunctional family. Reading about it made me so grateful for my family and ideal childhood, and equally sad at someone not even knowing what a loving family is.  Brando has given us honest peek into the darkest secrets of his life and the harrowing experiences and trauma he has endured all through his life. I sincerely wish he finds peace with his inner-self and begins to live a normal life.

This is a fabulous book and held me captive right from page 1. I finished it in 5 hours straight and would recommend it to anyone without a second thought. You cannot miss this!

Book Review: Cutting teeth

Author: Julia Fierro
Genre: Family, fiction, Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A perfect portrayal of the complexities, dilemmas and vulnerabilities of early mid-life and the challenges of modern-day parenting. Highly recommended albeit the slightly over-dramatized characters.

Note: I received an Advanced Review Copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads:
One of the most anticipated debut novels of 2014, Cutting Teeth takes place one late-summer weekend as a group of thirty-something couples gather at a shabby beach house on Long Island, their young children in tow. They include Nicole, the neurotic hostess terrified by internet rumors that something big and bad is going to happen in New York City that week; stay-at-home dad Rip, grappling with the reality that his careerist wife will likely deny him a second child, forcing him to disrupt the life he loves; Allie, one half of a two-mom family, and an ambitious artist, facing her ambivalence toward family life; Tiffany, comfortable with her amazing body but not so comfortable in the upper-middle class world the other characters were born into; and Leigh, a blue blood secretly facing financial ruin and dependent on Tenzin, the magical Tibetan nanny everyone else covets. These tensions build, burn, and collide over the course of the weekend, culminating in a scene in which the ultimate rule of the group is broken. 

I was looking to alternate my travel reads with something light and easy to read, since the travel-writing books tend to get a bit boring at times and I am glad I received this book at the right time. 
First off, I'd like to mention that, if you are a parent there is more chance you can totally relate to many of the characters/parents and incidents in the story. Julia does a great job of focusing on almost all of the pitfalls of modern-day parenting and the conversations that happen inevitably when parents meet, ranging from nannies, to the best private schools to organic-vs-non-organic food debates. At the outset, it might seem like you are introduced to a lot of characters and makes you think its going to be hard to keep track of what everyone is up to, but Julia makes it a point to juggle their stories around perfectly and the transition between each chapter is seamless.

Cutting teeth is about a group of upper-middle class Brooklyn parents who are joined together as part of their children's playgroup.  Each character is portrayed as a high-drama and a super complex one with each having a unique issue of their own, the children included. Nicole - the super obsessive and paranoia mom who turns to her secret stash of marijuana to prevent her from going insane. Leigh - the former debutante who has a high needs child, Chase and often seeks the help of her Tibetian nanny, Tenzin, who is referred to as the "Tibetian Mary Poppins" to calm Chase down. Rip - The stay-at-home daddy, the only man in the playgroup, often calls himself "mommy" who is desperate to have another child to feel necessary and wanted. Tiffany - the know-it-all mommy who has a 4 year old diva, and is desperate to prove she is not white-trash. The pregnant lesbian mom - Susanna with her twin boys and her partner, Allie.

For the most part, the novel seems to chronicle the frustrations of the parents that have them trapped in a terrible emotional quagmire. The story gives us an honest peek into the lives of these complicated characters and their interactions. As a reader, we get to witness the secrets, the troubles and the desperation that pushes people to act a certain way which we normally don't get to witness in day-to-day life as an outsider. Despite all this, they are still loving parents who want nothing but the best for their kids. Although I could not relate to their lifestyle and the problems these parents face, I could empathize with most of them and often found myself vigorously nodding my head along while reading their conversations. 

Cutting teeth is an absolute no-nonsense book about a bunch of parents who could very well be the parents and people we meet in our day-to-day lives minus the pleasantries and the superficial smiles that entails our discussions. It is brutally honest, it is straight and portrays the ultimate harsh truths about parenting and the challenges associated with it. Julia is a terrific writer and has shaped each character's personality well that it remains their "tagline" or something that comes to your mind first when you think of them after finishing the book. I can't pick any one character as my favorite since you are bound to dislike all of them at various points in time throughout the story.  My only gripe being the fact that almost all the characters were over-dramatized and the ending was rather abrupt and rushed.

Cutting teeth is a perfect juicy beach read, you will find yourself rapidly turning pages anxious to find out where the story leads you. I can absolutely see it becoming the hit of the summer. 

Book Review: In a Sunburned Country

Author: Bill Bryson
Genre: Non-fiction, Travel
Rating: 4/5
Verdict:A delightful read about the land Down-Under but a tad long.

In a Sunburned country is a fascinating read about Bill Bryson's travels throughout Australia with a lot of humor sprinkled all throughout. It is full of funny stories, anecdotes, fascinating facts and a lot of unique details about the different cities and a whole lot of detail on the natural and scenic wonders of one of the largest islands on earth.

Bryson starts with a brief introduction to the history of Australia and the fact that Britain originally used Australia as a prison camp - Fascinating, right?! You get to read so many such unique and interesting trivia all throughout the book -  like his story about the building of the Opera House, the anecdotes about the parks and the city plans of Adelaide and Canberra, the sharks, snakes, spiders and other lethal creatures which can kill you in a single bite and the plants, flora and fauna that do not exist anywhere else on the earth but Australia. One common theme that has been mentioned by Bill often in the book is that Australia is HUGE. He makes great efforts to travel all throughout the country but fails because of the vastness of it. To me, Australia has always been all about the different cities - Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and the usual tourist spots - Opera House, Great Barrier Reef, Darling harbor. But I liked how Bill spent very little time on those and instead spent more time in the emptiness of the Outback. It was fascinating and intriguing to read about the trekkers across the Outback and the Aborigines who settled in it and the animals that still inhabit in there.

The one thing that I loved the most about the book is Bill's writing - This is not the usual "Day 1 - Went to X, ate at Y and stayed at Z" travel guide. This is not a book about what to see and do while in Australia. Instead its a book about the people, places, culture and the natural wonders that Australia has to offer. Some of the facts are so bizarre, but that's what makes it a truly wonderful read. If you want to know about where to stay in Sydney or the sight-seeing places in Adelaide, look else where. If you want to know what it is like to stop in the middle of the Outback or kangaroos hopping across the horizon, then this book is for you. I still recall Bill's narration about visiting the Great Barrier Reef. While one would have expected a "It was beautiful, exotic and vibrant" message, No, that's not what Bill talks about. He tells you about an American couple who got left behind when the boat departed without them and were never seen again, probably eaten by sharks, he speculates. It is at that moment you truly realize and marvel at the natural wonder!

I must admit that I got a tad bored while reading certain sections of the book, but Bill totally makes it up by balancing that with his witty anecdotes, funny incidents and some hilarious moments. My only gripe about the book was that it was a bit longer than I had expected and I was waiting to get to the end which is never a good thing for a book. Despite that, this book is a keeper. Australia has been on my must-visit list forever now and the book only made me yearn for a trip down under sometime very soon!

Book Review: The sun also rises

Author: Ernest Hemingway
Genre: Fiction, Travel
Rating: 2/5
Verdict: A dull story with a bunch of incidents just strung together. A disappointing read.

 April and May are travel-writing genre in my book club and this is my first of the lot I have planned to read for the next couple of months in the travel-writing series. I have always had pretty strong emotions about bull fighting in Spain and that was the single reason for me to pick up this book. I had pretty high expectations given Ernest Hemingway's reputation. Despite the raving reviews about this book, I found it really boring and disappointing when I finished it.

The first part starts with an introduction to the various characters, and is narrated by Jake Barnes, a writer for newspaper and an expatriate living in Paris. The story is set right after when World War I ends and we learn that Jake is made impotent from the war. He copes with his life through fine dining, heavy drinking and excessive partying in Paris.  Then we get introduced to various other characters, Robert Cohn, a friend of Jake, who is a Jewish writer and an amateur boxer and Brett Ashley, who loves Jake and he loves her too, but they both know that the relationship cant get anywhere due to Jake's impotency. Brett is engaged and soon to be married to Mike Campbell. Then there is a Bill, who is another friend of Jake's, a rather minor character in the book who joins them on the trip from Paris to Pamplona. I found the first part pretty dull and boring and the description about all the characters was lacking depth. There was too much information on things I thought were unnecessary which distracted me from absorbing and concentrating on the plot. It was very distracting to say the least. 

In the second part, all five of them decide to go to watch the Fiesta (bull fights) in Pamplona, stopping over for a fishing trip in between. We get to know more about Brett (Lady Ashley) in this part. She is described as a femme fatale and a promiscuous woman, who openly sleeps with several other men. She is in love with Jake Barnes and brushes him off because he is impotent. When she is pursued by Robert Cohn, she goes to San Sebastian with him even though she is engaged to Mike.During the fiesta, she runs off with a 19 year old bull fighter Pedro Romero. She seduces every man to fall in love with her and somehow it totally damages her character rather than portraying the liberated woman of the 1920's.

I must admit that as much I was disappointed by the first part, I did enjoy the third part very much. The description of fishing trip and the fiesta season was wonderful. Hemingway's detailed description of the settings around the fishing and his portrayal of the remote town was simply awesome and when the story moves to Pamplona, only he could have written so beautifully about the fiesta for something as horrific as the bull fighting. The climax was much better and well-written in comparison to the other parts.

I think the story perfectly portrays the weakness of the characters and how leading a life filled with just aimless drinking, too much partying and jaunting around can be quite harmful. But, overall, the book fell pretty flat for me. I could never connect with any of the characters at any point in time during the entire plot. It was definitely not gripping nor appealing. May be its just me, but the book fell much short of its expectations.

Book Review: Little Beach Street Bakery

Author: Jenny Colgan
Genre: Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A warm and enjoyable read which will make you want to live by the sea and eat lots of bread.

Ever since I read Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe, I've become a huge fan of Jenny Colgan's writing, so needless to say, I had been waiting to read this book. A huge thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for sending me an advanced review copy of this book.

Blurb:
Polly Waterford is recovering from a toxic relationship. Unable to afford their flat, she has to move miles away from everyone, to a sleepy little seaside resort in Cornwall, where she lives alone above an abandoned shop.  
And so Polly takes out her frustrations on her favourite hobby: making bread. But what was previously a weekend diversion suddenly becomes far more important as she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, and each loaf becomes better and better. With nuts and seeds, olives and chorizo, with local honey (courtesy of local bee keeper, Huckle), and with reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she had, she bakes and bakes and bakes . . .
And people start to hear about it. 
Sometimes, bread really is life . . . And Polly is about to reclaim hers.

First things first - The cover of the book is adorable, much like all of Jenny's other books. It matches the storyline perfectly and there is something really warm about the cover that it puts you in such a good mood the moment you look at it. The story begins with Polly Waterford and her boyfriend's business failing and declaring bankruptcy, their flat is for sale and their relationship is at its end. Polly struggles to find a place to live and moves to the small sea-side town of Mt. Polbearne. She is forced to live in a place above an old abandoned shop because that is the only one she can afford in her current state. She gradually begins to warm-up to the new place - living close to the sea, the fishermen around town and the local beekeeper. She finds solace in baking bread and spreading the joy and comfort of her baking among all the people and it helps her make friends. The rest of the story is about how Polly uses her skills at baking in starting a new life for herself in Mt. Polbearne, with some super-sweet romance along the way.

I must admit that I was not held captive after reading the first two chapters unlike what I had expected. May be because, the lowest times of the story were all contained in the first two chapters and the story opens up with a failing business and relationship. I put the book away and got back to it after a few days. Once I got to the part where the story moves to Mt.Polbearne, I really started enjoying the book. One of my dreams is to live by the beach/sea-side and this was a perfect story in that sense, it made me long for the day when I can just open my windows and there is nothing to look at but the waves splashing against the shore. I could totally picture the cozy and beautiful town of Mt. Polbearne from Jenny's descriptive writing. Her description of the different breads sounds sinfully delicious and totally leaves you mouth-watering much like in all of her other books. Only she could have made me want to get some flour and start kneading the dough.

I admired Polly's character all through out - the no-nonsense woman, cool as a cucumber during life's toughest times and always looking forward to moving on to something better in life rather than sitting around and sulking. Her stubbornness when Huckle asks her to move in with him in Savannah and her determination and courage with which she tackles the landlord lady totally made me cheer for her at every step along the way. Though at first, I couldn't feel any chemistry between her and Huckle, as I turned the pages, I was looking forward to their romance and the spark between them.

The other characters that stand out are Huckle, Mrs. Manse, Tarnie and Reuben. I was disturbed for quite sometime learning about Mrs. Manse's past, and the image of her standing on the edge of the sea at nights waiting for her loved ones still haunts me. I really liked both Tarnie and Huckle's characters, Jenny's description of both the men is lovely so much so that you almost drool over them ;) The conversations between Reuben and Polly's best friend Kerensa are really hilarious and had me in splits.

Oh! how can I forget the cutest character of all - Neil the puffin - An adorable sea bird and Polly's best friend when she was all alone during her initial days at Mt. Polbearne. He sure is everyone's sweetheart! The puffin and the Polly-Huckle romance are two of my most favorite picks from the story.

One thing that I loved in both Meet me at the Cupcake Cafe and this novel is about how an important event happens that makes everyone comes together and support each other during tough times! It always brightens up my day knowing and thinking of all the people who are out there looking out for me. It leaves me with a warm and fuzzy feeling to be blessed and associated with so many good people.

I loved this book and I am sure any Jenny Colgan fan will not be disappointed with this book. This is a perfect spring read with a very simple and sweet story line. It will leave you feeling extremely comforted and satisfied when you finish the book. I highly recommend it.

Book Review: Oleander Girl

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Genre: Literary Fiction, Cultural Fiction
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A thrilling novel about finding one's true identity with a bit of suspense and romance. Read it!

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has become one of my favorite authors of Indian origin in the recent times. Ever since I read her Palace of Illusions, I have started following her and her books in detail. I really loved Palace of Illusions and Sister of my heart, both for Chitra's style of writing and the way she handles the plot.

Oleander girl is the story a young Bengali woman, Korobi (Bengali for the oleander flowers) who lives with her maternal grandparents after being orphaned at birth. She is the apple of the Roys (her grandparents) eye and lives a fairy tale life in Kolkata, soon to be engaged to the love of her life, Rajat. The story begins with Korobi waking up from a dream involving her mother on the day she is getting engaged to Rajat. Korobi is disturbed by the dream and feels strongly that there is a message behind it. In a series of incidents that follow, Korobi's grandfather dies and she learns about a shocking family secret about her parents from her grandmother that throws her completely on to a different path and she sets off to find her true identity. What follows is a gripping tale about race, identity, tradition, heritage and class.

The first half of the story is set in Kolkata, revolving around Bimal Roy, the stern grandfather of Korobi, her grandmother Sarojini and Rajat, her fiance, while the latter half is in USA, where Korobi travels to learn more about the family secret. Like in all of the other novels by Chitra, the female characters in the book are very strong and admirable - Korobi meek and subdued at first but she stands out when she sets her heart on traveling out of the country to find out her own identity, Sarojini - her grandmother who has pretty much always stood by her husband's words and secrets, even though she knew it would bring a lot of pain when they come to light, Jayashree Bose - Rajat's mother who runs the Bose's business and is a wonderful mother. Kudos to Chitra for showing the depth of each character, not just the lead ones. I could almost feel the anger on Korobi's grandfather for his silence and stealth actions all though the years and the helplessness of Rajat when he sees Korobi off at the airport and waits for her calls all night long for days together. Korobi and Rajat's love was also very well portrayed and the strength and maturity of it was pretty evident all throughout the story.

The first few chapters seemed to move really slowly, but once Korobi lands in the US, the plot becomes absolutely gripping. Warning - It becomes a real page-turner at this point and you will not be able to put the book down until you are done. I have always felt Chitra's books were easy to read and follow and although the story here was narrated by multiple characters, it all integrated seamlessly and that gives the plot an additional interesting touch. There are subtle messages sprinkled here and there all through out the story which I loved reading and one of my favorite quotes was: "Never choose something because its easier". One more thing I was really interested to find out when I started reading the book was, why the name "Oleander girl". I got my answer towards the end: "Because the oleander was beautiful - but also tough. It knew how to protect itself from predators".

Near the end of the book, K

Near the end of the book, K

Near the end of the book, K

Near the end of the book, Korobi learns the meaning behind her name: “Because the oleander was beautiful—but also tough. It knew how to protect itself from predators. Anu wanted that toughness for you because she didn’t have enough of it in herself.” - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Oleander-Girl/Chitra-Banerjee-Divakaruni/9781451695656/reading_group_guide#sthash.WxqaYKht.dpuf

Near the end of the book, Korobi learns the meaning behind her name: “Because the oleander was beautiful—but also tough. It knew how to protect itself from predators. Anu wanted that toughness for you because she didn’t have enough of it in herself.” - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Oleander-Girl/Chitra-Banerjee-Divakaruni/9781451695656/reading_group_guide#sthash.WxqaYKht.dpuf

Near the end of the book, Korobi learns the meaning behind her name: “Because the oleander was beautiful—but also tough. It knew how to protect itself from predators. Anu wanted that toughness for you because she didn’t have enough of it in herself.” - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Oleander-Girl/Chitra-Banerjee-Divakaruni/9781451695656/reading_group_guide#sthash.WxqaYKht.dpuf

Near the end of the book, Korobi learns the meaning behind her name: “Because the oleander was beautiful—but also tough. It knew how to protect itself from predators. Anu wanted that toughness for you because she didn’t have enough of it in herself.” - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Oleander-Girl/Chitra-Banerjee-Divakaruni/9781451695656/reading_group_guide#sthash.WxqaYKht.dpuf

In a lot of places, it did feel like a typical Bollywood movie as the story progressed and a bit cinematic and melodramatic, but I must say I really enjoyed reading it and it took me all of 5 hours to wrap up the book when I got to the part when Korobi leaves to the US, I was turning pages as fast I could. This is my second favorite of the books I've read of Chitra's, Palace of Illusions still takes the cake. Oleander girl is a close second.

Book Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Authors: Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Verdict: A classy novel set during WWII and a real page-turner. Read it right away!

From the website of Annie Barrows: (www.anniebarrows.com)
 January, 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, Dawsey Adams, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name in a book?
     As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of Dawsey and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—a book club born as a spur-of-the- moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts an outstanding cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

This book is as charming as the title is. I really like books and stories set during the World War 2 and that by itself was enough for me to pick up this book. Its divided into two parts - the first part where Juliet is in London corresponding with all the members of the Guernsey Literary club and the second part when she actually lands in Guernsey. The book had me by the neck right when the second part began until the very end. The epistolary format of a novel is new to me where a story is told through a series of letters. When I first looked through the pages in the book, I thought of it as a jumbled, fragmented collection of letters in some random order, but I was completely wrong. This ended up being a real page-turner and left me wanting to know more and more and what is going to happen next at the end of each letter. It was heart-breaking to learn about the German Occupation of the Channel Islands and the atrocities inflicted by the Nazis on the people of the Island during WWII, especially on women. But it is also a hopeful novel on how people can come together during times of hardships and bounce back from painful pasts. The unique name of the club and how it came into existence was very interesting to read and no wonder you are left thinking about how a potato peel pie actually tastes!

The writing is really classy and each character born out of this novel feels so real. I felt like I was literally living in Guernsey and I had developed a real affection for all the characters by the end of the story even though this is the first time I am reading about Guernsey. I felt comforted and satisfied at the happy ending after all reading about all the pain and suffering brought by the war. I love this novel as much as I love all the members of the Guernsey Literary club, Amelia, Dawsey, Eben and Ibola - to mention a few. The epistolary format gives it a completely personal touch and the writing paints quite a picture about the island, the people and the potato peel pie society that you almost dont want to come back to real life after the story ends. The telegrams in big block letters scattered in many places across the novel perfectly conveyed the urgency of the messages and I really enjoyed those bits. Oh and when the book ends, you cant help but think about the lost art of letter writing and how much you are left longing for it in this completely-digital age.

Book Review: Meet me at the cupcake cafe

Author: Jenny Colgan
Genre: Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A light, fun and lovely read!

After reading a couple of dark and serious novels about immigrants, I was looking to pick-up something that was really light-weight and fun. I came across this book on a couple of book review blogs and given my huge addiction to all things-cupcakes, I just had to pick this up and I'm glad I did.

From goodreads:
 "Come and meet Issy Randall, proud owner of The Cupcake Cafe. Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that - Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe's bakery, she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. When she's made redundant from her safe but dull City job, Issy decides to seize the moment. Armed with recipes from Grampa, and with her best friends and local bank manager fighting her corner, The Cupcake Cafe opens its doors. But Issy has absolutely no idea what she's let herself in for. It will take all her courage - and confectionery - to avert disaster"

This is a wonderful story about a woman finding the courage to follow her dreams, keeping faith and pursuing her passion in life while developing wonderful friendships and finding true happiness and love along the way! The central character Issy Randall grows up with her grandfather, who is a baker. After getting laid off from her job at a real-estate agency and being ditched by her boss-boyfriend on the same day, she decides to use the redundancy money from her lost-job and the time off to pursue her dream - running her own bakery. This is a huge step for Issy and the rest of the story is about how she uses her skills and talent to transform her life and in the process finds a network of supporters and friends who all come forward to help her become successful in her venture. The recipes found in this book sound absolutely delicious and mouth-watering. Each chapter starts with a recipe for a cake/pastry and beware - by the time you finish reading the book, you will be left craving for some thin-as-air fluffy cupcakes with lip-smackingly yummy buttercream icing. 

All of the supporting characters in the book were really endearing and lovable. Jenny makes it a point explain much detail about each of them that in the end, you want all of them to succeed in their lives. All of the characters leave a special mark and touch your heart and bring a smile to your face when you think about each one of them. Be it Helena, Issy's best friend, or Pearl who helps Issy in starting her cupcake cafe, or Caroline who was deserted by her husband. The strength with which all of the women stuck together in running the business during times of crisis and support each other was very heart-warming. I really enjoyed the romance and the spark between Issy and Austin, the cute banker guy. Al though the story is very predictable, nevertheless, it doesn't stop you from turning the pages to know what is Issy's next move. Even the death of Grampa Joe was really well-handled by Jenny and not as emotional as I thought it would be. As I turned to the last page, I really wanted to step inside the cupcake cafe and have a nice long chat with all of the women in the book over a nice cup of coffee and some of Issy's adorable cupcakes. 

This is a really feel-good book and if you are a chick-lit fan, I strongly recommend this. Its a delightful read best enjoyed munching on some yummy treats!

Book Review: The Good daughter - A memoir of my mother's hidden life

Author: Jasmin Darznik
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3.5/5
Verdict: A wonderful memoir filled with strength and endurance and rich details about Iran. Read it!

I received this book from my Secret Santa during the holiday book exchange. I read it through the holiday season last year and the holiday mood definitely did cheer me up when some incidents detailed in the book were unbearable. When I read the title, the first thoughts that came to my mind was it was going to be a book detailing the relationship between Jasmin and her mother, their connection and their life experiences and such. I read the first few pages and realized I was totally wrong :)

The book opens with Jasmin discovering a photograph of her mother, Lili as a child-bride only that she doesn't recognize the man standing next to her in the photograph. When she confronts Lili about this, Lili doesn't want to speak about it. Later, Lili sends Jasmin a series of tapes in which she herself narrates her family and life in Iran. The first tape talks about Lili's grandmother and then moves on to her mother, Kobra and gradually goes on to detailing Lili's life in Iran. Married at 13 to an abusive husband and bearing a child at 14, the details from Lili's past are very painful and disturbing.
But Lili is a pretty srong and amazing who divorces her monster of a husband (but had to give up her child in this process) and goes to Germany for education and becomes a midwife, where she meets her husband-to-be. The book spans across three generations, and we can see the traditions gradually shifting from one generation to the next. Throughout the book, we get to see the endurance and strength of the women and their attempts to keep the family intact and its very moving. Towards the end of the book is when we learn about Sara, the good daughter who Lili had to give up who still lives in Iran. The good daughter reads so much like a intriguing fictional story, while its not. I had to remind myself many times that this was a true story. When I finished the book, I really wanted to meet Lili - the strong and ambitious woman with a lot of resilience.

This book is a must read - there is so much I didnt know about Iran until I read this. When I think about Iran, the first thing that comes to my mind is war and revolution, but Jasmin takes us through so many rich details about Iran - the women, food, culture, marriage customs and clothing that you finally get to see Iran in a totally different angle through her narration. One thing I would have loved to see and hear were pictures and the audio cassette tapes that Lili had sent to Jasmin. I would have also liked to read more about why exactly Sara is considered the good daughter while, Jasmin was not.

In short, A very moving memoir!

Book Review: The Buddha in the Attic

Author: Julie Otsuka
Genre:  Literary fiction
Rating: 3.5/5
Verdict: A small jewel of a book. Dont' miss it!

I had never heard about this book nor read any reviews of it until one of my friends posted the following link to our reading group:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/30/obama-does-some-small-business-saturday-shopping/?hpt=hp_t2
We all looked through the list and this book sounded really interesting! Needless to say, I picked it up right away. Its a really short read, 125 pages in total.

Buddha in the attic is about the plight of Japanese mail-order picture brides who sail in hundreds to San Fransisco holding photographs of men who they believe are their new husbands and who they have never met, some of the brides as young as 14 years.

A photograph of Japanese picture brides,.
Photo Courtesy, CA State Parks Collection

When they arrive, they are shocked to see a crowd of men who are bald, old and don't look one bit as in the photograph. Only then the women realize all the photographs they were holding were 20 years old. These men are not bankers, teachers or silk merchants either as represented in their letters, rather they are farmers, fruit-pickers, gardeners or laundry men struggling to make a living.
The book walks us through the plight of the Japanese women through various stages in their lives with these men. Starting with chapter 2, "The first night" where they recount the harrowing experience of the physical consummation, the pain, the suffering, Julie takes us through various stages in their immigrant life divided into eight chapters, from getting jobs to having a child to establishing their own J-colonies in America before they are relocated back to Japan right after the pearl harbor attack. There are even some moments of joy well captured when they move from working on farms to being farm owners and their children going to school. Then comes the world war II, when they are forced to leave the country, abandon whatever they have built so far, with children in universities, their noodle shops, their laundries and sell them to white neighbors. The book ends with the white neighbors thinking a lot about their disappearance and not able to come to terms with it but then it slowly fades, memories erased and a whole colony of ethnic group has been forced out of the country.

All through this review, I've been mentioning the collective term "they". Yes, that is how the book talks about the women indeed. There is no single protagonist or lead character like in a tranditional story. The main character is "we", plural, instead of taking up a single family or Japanese woman.
Julie's style of writing is a worthy-mention here. A few pieces from the book:

On the boat, we often wondered: Would we like them? Would we love them? Would we recognize them from their pictures when we first saw them on the dock?

On the boat we carried our husbands' pictures in tiny oval lockets that hung on long chains from our necks. We carried them in silk purses and old tea tins and red lacquer boxes and in the thick brown envelopes from America in which they had originally been sent. We carried them in the sleeves of our kimonos, which we touched often, just to make sure they were still there.

Almost the entire book follows this style of narration making it almost close to poetry. The rhythmic prose feels like a conversation. The structure of the book is very different from the traditional story and that makes it a very interesting read! Definitely read it for the language and the breath-taking details of the lives of Japanese immigrant women!

Book Review: Americanah

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5 
Verdict: Read it right away!

I picked up this book after reading and hearing rave reviews about it, and it didn't disappoint me one bit. I LOVED it. This is my first of Adichie's books and I was hooked right from page 1 and she had me reeled in till the very end. Americanah is about love, race, color, hair and so much more!

The novel begins with Ifemelu, a Nigerian woman, who decides to return to Lagos after living in the United States for thirteen years. The story then goes back to Ifemelu's teenage days in Nigeria where she and a boy named Obinze meet and fall in love. They both are bright, motivated and equally frustrated with the chaos and corruption surrounding the Nigerian government. Ifemelu goes to the United States and as fate would have it, Obinze is denied a visa to the United States post 9/11.
Meanwhile in America, Ifemelu tries to come to terms with surviving in America through humiliating jobs that she cuts off all communication with Obinze. After lots of struggle, her life takes an upward turn. She starts a blog about being black and race in America, which becomes very popular, she earns readers, gets paid to speak about it and along the course of it, begins dating a Yale professor. Obinze goes to England on a tourist visa, does menial jobs to get along and he even tries to marry a English woman to get a legal status right when he is discovered and deported back to Nigeria. After returning to Nigeria he reinvents himself as years pass by, his world changes. He marries another woman, Kosi and has a 2 year old daughter. Adichie has perfectly captured the immigrant experience of both Ifemelu and Obinze, right from their early days in United States and London, although, Obinze's stint at London was way too short.

I felt that Adichie's biggest strength throughout this book was the depth she brought to the character of Ifemelu. She has given so much life to Ifemelu's character that it all seemed too real. Be it the time during the initial days of Ifemelu in the United States when she learns what it is to be black in America, the shame when she is asked to do a humiliating job for the sports coach to earn her living, the desperate attempts of trying to straighten her hair for a job interview, and how she falls into depression during the early stages - I could empathize completely with Ifemelu and her feelings.
At the onset, Ifemelu seemed too innocent, a happy-go-lucky girl who is happy with her life and the romance between Obinze and her is heart-warming. But, as I turned pages, it hit me hard on the complex personality Ifemelu is. An intelligent woman, very self-centered and brutally honest most of the times! With relationships with multiple men, I couldn't really get a feel for why Ifemelu broke them in the first place. I felt that the bulk of the book was dedicated to Ifemelu, her thoughts, her actions, her immigrant experience thereby overshadowing every other character in the book. I would have loved to know more about Obinze and his mother.  Throughout the book, I couldn't help feel if Ifemelu's character was just a shadow of Adichie herself, and if this infact was Adichie's story!

Obinze is one of the very few male characters in the book who has at least some part of the story dedicated to and we know why. Through his immigration experience in the United Kingdom and reasons why he was denied a US visa, Adichie is able to hit the nerve on how hard the situation is for black and brown men intending to go to the USA or UK. Throughout the book I felt that Obinze was far gentler than Ifemelu, but he was never into Kosi (his wife) at all right from day-1 of their marriage. He still longed for Ifemelu even though she cut off all contacts with Obinze for a very long time. I felt like I always had a special respect for Obinze, very matured and a man with integrity.

The part I really really loved was the last one when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, transformed into a complete "Americanah"! The transition was I felt, extremely well portrayed. Of course, I was itching to find out if she and Obinze will meet and get back together. The changes in the two of them when they finally meet brings a smile. Although I was a little frustrated at how Obinze could immediately leave his family behind and come to Ifemelu, and how quickly Ifemelu gets angry on him on not leaving them earlier (Ifemelu really being the one who cut Obinze off for years together) well, I guess that's the power of love. The love story was really satisfying and its still very fresh in my mind!

Americanah is one of the BEST books I've read so far!