Book Review: The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan
After completing Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella, Cafe by the Sea was a better improvement, though I liked Jenny Colgan’s other book The Bookshop on the Corner much much better. Okay, so since this is another chick lit, so people who do not like this genre, can stop reading this review right away; do not tell me later that you wasted your time.
The book started with someone who has got attuned to a hectic sad urban life but does not want to visit her origins for it is too rustic. Now, does this not correlate with many of us, who are working out there in big cities so so far away from our hometown to make name and fame, or money for ourselves or loved ones? In that way, the book will make you reminisce and be nostalgic of those golden childhood days which we have forgotten. Check out this line: It was like walking into something he was already nostalgic for, without it ever being his, without it even having passed him by.
And since this is a romantic book with a girl infatuated tremendously with her boss, you can very much expect the story-line but with dollops of relationships dose (family ones too), scenic beauty (Northern lights and endless beaches), exotic animals (seals and whales) and the best part, i.e. mouthwatering food (ah the aroma of baked stuffs and pies – you know there are recipes at the end of the book as well, awesome right?). Even though the story is not as strong as I wanted it to be, it talks about finding passion in things you did not even know yourself. Which by the way makes me think, am I missing something from my life? Umm, no no, not at all; I am very happy with my son. But what about you?
However, am I reading another chick-lit or romantic book for a month? Meh! As years have flown by, I have realized that a romantic/ love story book has to be too excellent to pull me into a trance and for me to give it a favorable rating, else according to me, ye love-shab couple waala bakwaas hai (the heightened interest towards love between couples is too much over-rated).
Keep watching my blog for more and more book reviews. Cheers!
Book blurb: But when fate brings Flora back to the island, she’s suddenly swept once more into life with her brothers — all strapping, loud, and seemingly incapable of basic housework — and her father. Yet even amid the chaos of their reunion, Flora discovers a passion for cooking — and find herself restoring dusty little pink-fronted shop on the harbour: a café by the sea. But with the seasons changing, Flora must come to terms with past mistakes — and work out exactly where her future lies… Funny and heartfelt, The Café by the Sea is a delightful summertime novel that puts a modern twist on the classic Seven Brides for Seven Brothers story. |
About the author: Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including The Little Shop of Happy Ever After and Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery, which are also published by Sphere. Meet Me at the Cupcake Café won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of Dreams, which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.Twitter: @JennyColgan Website: www.jennycolgan.com |
| Rating: 7/10 |
| Genre: | Romance, Chick Lit |
| Book Name: | The Cafe by The Sea Summer Seaside Kitchen #1 |
| Author: | Jenny Colgan |
| Pages: | 416 |
| Publication Year: | 2017 |
Book Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
I have read many books just for the reason that they are popular or cast into a popular movie/ TV series. Ok fine, I am charged guilty. But yes, popular does not mean brilliantly written. However, the way Big Little Lies was written by Liane Moriarty, I was happy that I picked it up. In the start, it reminded me of Desperate Housewives (I had watched two seasons of this series once. Now hush) but then the story changed.
This is a story of the mothers whose kids study in kindergarten, a story of domestic abuse and of sexual abuse and of shallowness and of friendship perfectly knit together in a recipe for success. Though my son is very small, I can feel snippets of how it could be relatable when he grows up to be of that tender kindergarten age. The style in which the characters are sketched and interact with each other, though cliche makes it seem like this is how it happens in real world (ok leave the dramatic part aside). The book made me cry at a few places and left me frustrated, check one paragraph for yourself:
Ungrateful bitch. Deserve to be hit. Deserve it. She pinched the flesh on her upper thighs until it brought tears to her eyes. There would be new bruises tomorrow. Bruises she’d given herself. She liked to watch them change, deepening, darkening and then slowly fading. It was a hobby. An interest of hers. Nice to have an interest. She was losing her mind.
Read this if you like women literature. It’s very good, a much better choice than my last read Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella. And I have not given ten-on-ten because I felt the start of the book was slow, otherwise it is just perfect.
Keep watching my blog for more and more book reviews.
Book blurb: Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive. |
About the author: Her breakout novel The Husband’s Secret sold over three million copies worldwide, was a number 1 UK bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of 2013 and has been translated into over 40 languages. It spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list. CBS Films has acquired the film rights. Website: lianemoriarty.com |
| Rating: 8/10 |
| Genre: | Contemporary, Chick Lit |
| Book Name: | Big Little Lies |
| Author: | Liane Moriarty |
| Pages: | 460 |
| Publication Year: | 2014 |
Book Review: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
I remember reading Sophie Kinsella’s other books where the female protagonist was always a strong character, or is it it was so long back that I am now mistaken. I think that sometimes you have such a good view of an author’s writings that when you read her other books, you compare and find the latter ones so much lacking, be it with respect to the writing style or the story-line. This is what happened when I picked this book Wedding Night for I was looking for a light chick-lit and because it was written by Sophie.
While reading this book, I could not help correlating it with Undomestic Goddess all the time, which of course was too too good. But, now to come back to the book in question, the story is a good time-pass, a page turner but only recommended for those who simply love happy ending chick-lits be it what may. The way the sisters Fliss and Lottie (female protagonists) keeps on behaving makes you want to kick them or give a tight slap to them at least once to bring them back to reality. Oops, my bad my bad, no more spoiler alerts. Is the story unbelievable? Yes, but people in love can behave randomly, I know a few who have done what not, yes in real life and not just fictional! And you know the story seems to be based on the idiom doodh ka jala chhachh bhi fook fook ke peeta hai (once bitten, twice shy). But if this is going to be your first Sophie Kinsella, you must give it a skip.
Book blurb: |
About the author: Facebook: @SophieKinsellaOfficial Website: sophiekinsella.co.uk |
| Rating: 5/10 |
Read reviews of Sophie Kinsella’s other books on this blog – Can You Keep a Secret, My not so Perfect Life, Cocktails for Three, Shopaholic on Honeymoon, Finding Audrey and The Undomestic Goddess.
| Genre: | Romance, Chick Lit |
| Book Name: | Wedding Night |
| Author: | Sophie Kinsella |
| Pages: | 464 |
| Publication Year: | 2014 |
Book Review: The Final Empire (Mistborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson
Have you read a book and felt so deeply that where were you missing out on such an amazing epic fantasy series all these years? This was the feeling I had when I was only a few pages into the book Mistborn The Final Empire.
Really, thanks to all those who had recommended this series the past year. Brandon Sanderson has put together this book so brilliantly without using too flowery a sentence or too tough a word for reading to be hampered even a tiny-weeny bit. Though Kindle makes it easy but still checking dictionary again and again breaks the flow of reading; I know most award winning books qualify in this category, but hey, those are not my type.
Here is what I wrote when I completed just 15% of the book:
Reading this much is still a lot for me considering there was no baby sitter today and I was letting baby play with one eye on him and one eye on book. The book is making me wonder when did I read a fantasy series this engrossing. Was it Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K.Rowling when it was released!?! Even Kvothe (a character in The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss) did not reach the level of awesomeness of Kelsier.
And I totally agree to this viewpoint even after I have finished this book. And I am happy that this was my first book of this year. Alas that someone else has borrowed the second book of this series in my e-library, but I am trying to think it is okay if I will get it in 15 days time. In the meanwhile, I will read some chick-lits. But you know, I am so so soooo waiting to read the other books by Brandon Sanderson as well, he is my the current favourite author. So you know, which book you have to pick next? Yes, this is THE BOOK.
Book Blurb:
The Mists rule the night.
The Lord Ruler owns the world.
Once, a hero arose to save the world. A young man with a mysterious heritage courageously challenged the darkness that strangled the land.
He failed.
For a thousand years since, the world has been a wasteland of ash and mist ruled by the immortal emperor known as the Lord Ruler. Every revolt has failed miserably.
Yet somehow, hope survives. Hope that dares to dream of ending the empire and even the Lord Ruler himself. A new kind of uprising is being planned, one built around the ultimate caper, one that depends on the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind and the determination of an unlikely heroine, a street urchin who must learn to master Allomancy, the power of a Mistborn.
About the author:
Brandon Sanderson is an American fantasy and science fiction writer. He is best known for the Cosmere universe, in which most of his fantasy novels (most notably the Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive) are set. He is also known for finishing Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time.
Sanderson was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska before attending Brigham Young University, where he received degrees in English literature and creative writing. In 2008, Sanderson started a podcast with author Dan Wells and cartoonist Howard Tayler called Writing Excuses, involving topics about creating genre writing and webcomics.
Brandon has been serving as a judge for Writers of the Future since 2016. He has hit the New York Times Best-Seller List fifteen times, most recently at #1 with Oathbringer, book three of The Stormlight Archive, which is also Audible’s most pre-ordered book of all time. DMG Entertainment optioned the rights to the Cosmere universe shared by his fantasy novels, and Fox acquired the Reckoners trilogy for Shawn Levy’s production company 21 Laps. Brandon’s books have been published in thirty-five languages.
Website: brandonsanderson.com
Twitter: @BrandSanderson
| Rating: 10/10 |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Book Name: | The Final Empire Mistborn #1 |
| Author: | Brandon Sanderson |
| Pages: | 541 |
| Publication Year: | 2006 |
Book Review: The House that BJ Built by Anuja Chauhan
When the year ends, you complete all the pending reviews of completed books. Though I am finishing off my quota on the last day and why so? Because last few days had been very hectic, what with joining office taking a toll on night awakenings with baby and I am so tired that I don’t even feel like opening my Kindle/ mobile middle of the night but it was good that my book reading slowed to a tortoise pace for this is my last pending review this year. So, here is the book – The House That BJ Built by Anuja Chauhan where the main protagonist Boney is a ballsy female. A fast paced book and a sequel to Those Pricey Thakur Girls, it is an easy to read one with Hinglish (Hindi + English) thrown interchangeably, a characteristic of Anuja’s books. Lots of narration adds to the charm of visualising the dialogues played between individuals. The icing on the cake was that this ebook was available free for Amazon Prime users for the month of December ’18. Awesome no even though I had not yet read the prequel. Anything for free good books! Well, this book is good, but not that extraordinary; a one time read, perfect for your train/ flight/ other solitary travels. Keep watching my blog for more book reviews! And a very happy new year to all you readers 🎉🎊🥂 Book Review: A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George
This is one book which came highly recommended by my book-reading-group-member-turned-new-friend Addy. And I was so happy once I started reading it that I completed it quickly. You know I have a very bad habit of reading two or more books simultaneously but once I started this book, I was so focused on finding what actually happened with the murder and what was happening with the detectives (ok, ignore the part that I was reading in between 1000 Year Old Boy by Ross Welford but very very slowly for it was accessible on my mobile and this one, I was reading on my Kindle. But hey, the one by Ross Welford is another great book whose review here will follow soon, very soon). Though the crude murder mystery solving made me suffer a night or two, if you are not easily affected by murders, you should read this book. And if otherwise, give this book a skip and read the next ones in this series, I am sure you would love Inspector Lynley, the main protagonist of this series.
The way Elizabeth George has described the scenes creates an aura of such great visualization of the country but at the same time not make it feel superfluous at all. In fact, as my dear friend Addy says, the people have such great meat on the bones, such characterization of British times (yes, it is a historical murder mystery) that it feels you are transported as one of the witnesses of what is happening in the book around you. And it also reminds me of the setup of Agatha Christie‘s Miss Marple series (by the way, I am a big fan of Agatha Christie books and as the reviews posted on my blog will show the count of her books being 20+).
Keep watching my blog for more book reviews!
| Book blurb: To this day, the low, thin wail of an infant can be heard in Keldale’s lush green valleys. Three hundred years ago, as legend goes, the frightened Yorkshire villagers smothered a crying babe in Keldale Abbey, where they’d hidden to escape the ravages of Cromwell’s raiders. Now into Keldale’s pastoral web of old houses and older secrets comes Scotland Yard Inspector Thomas Lynley, the eighth earl of Asherton. Along with the redoubtable Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, Lynley has been sent to solve a savage murder that has stunned the peaceful countryside. For fat, unlovely Roberta Teys has been found in her best dress, an axe in her lap, seated in the old stone barn beside her father’s headless corpse. Her first and last words were “I did it. And I’m not sorry.” Yet as Lynley and Havers wind their way through Keldale’s dark labyrinth of secret scandals and appalling crimes, they uncover a shattering series of revelations that will reverberate through this tranquil English valley—and in their own lives as well. |
| About the author: Elizabeth George is the New York Times and internationally best selling author of twenty British crime novels featuring Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his unconventional partner Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers. Her crime novels have been translated into 30 languages and featured on television by the BBC. She is also the author of a young adult series set on the island where she lives in the state of Washington. A longtime instructor of creative writing, she has taught at colleges, universities, writers’ retreats, and conferences internationally. She is the recipient of the Anthony Award, the Agatha Award, France’s Grand Prix di Literatture Policiere, and Germany’s MIMI. She has twice been nominated for an Edgar Award, and she is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of humane letters from California State University Fullerton, and an honorary MFA from Northwest Institute of Language Arts (Whidbey Island MFA Program). Website: elizabethgeorgeonline.com |
| Rating: 9/10 |
| Genre: | Mystery Thriller |
| Book Name: | A Great Deliverance (Inspector Lynley #1) |
| Author: | Elizabeth George |
| Pages: | 413 |
| Publication Year: | 1988 |
Book Review: Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
With the way, I had written the review of Anne of Green Gables, the same way I am penning down the review of Anne of Avonlea this time. Since I am writing a poem or a verse after so long, please ignore the rhyming or such thereby:
Anna with an ‘e’, it seems she has settled down
As the favorite teacher of all
But her imagination still runs wild
Wild in the dreamy sort of way one who knows such things would love
Anne evokes love and respect among most
But is she not still a kid herself at such a tender age of sweet sixteen
And oh my my, what do we see
She has adopted the twins who keeps her hands full
There are friends aplenty, the same ones she had before
And a few new ones enchanted by her
She is vivacious, the charm of all gatherings
With such modesty that is natural to her
She makes her mind at A.V.I.S, you want to know what it is?
And if she will find her prince charming, the image of bookish perfect guy
What, I am not giving any more away
Pick up this one and start right away, but only after you have read Anne of Green Gables
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Book Blurb: At sixteen, Anne is both exhilarated and slightly terrified to be teaching at the Avonlea schoolhouse. But she’s determined to win the heart of every student–especially troublemaker Anthony Pye. After all, she still knows a thing or two about troublemaking herself… With rambunctious six-year-old twins staying at Green Gables, a village “improvement” project that goes disastrously wrong, and her college entrance exams to study for, Anne will more than have her hands full. At least her best friend Diana and tormentor-turned-ally, the dashing Gilbert Blythe, will be there to help see her through. Inspiring the dreamer in all of us, Anne is hailed as a favorite by everyone from Mark Twain to Duchess Kate. |
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About the author: |
| Rating: 9/10 |
| Genre: | Young Adult |
| Book Name: | Anne of Avonlea (Anne of Green Gables #2) |
| Author: | L.M. Montgomery |
| Pages: | 191 |
| Publication Year: | 1909 |
Book Review: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Have you read a book and be blown away by it? Let me tell you this is one such book though I did not know it till I was half-way through it. I had not read the book blurb before and the cover pic of the book made me think that it is going to be kind of romantic, you know something on the lines of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Oh, how wrong I was! But glad too, for my favorite genre is murder mystery and thrillers. And as you must have noticed when I say I realized it was the awesome book mid-way, the book has major twists and turns. In fact, it can give Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn a complex, but in a good way…
Being a new mom (I do not think this feeling will go away soon), the heart-rending accident that kicks off from the starting pages of I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh left me too emotional. The mother leaves the hands of her 5 year old son once they reach their home turn where vehicle movement is at the bare minimum at that hour and a car comes and hits him hard. Gosh, I had nightmares that night. It took me a day more to start turning the pages. But all this is the first chapter. I am not throwing away any spoilers exactly like my other book reviews.
I will simply end this review saying that if you love psycho-thrillers, or murder mysteries, please go and pick up this book. It is a MUST READ. It is a great debut by the author.
Keep watching my blog for more book reviews!
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Book blurb: In a split second, Jenna Gray’s world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever. Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . . |
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About the author: Clare spent twelve years in the police force, including time on CID, and as a public order commander. She left the police in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist and social media consultant, and now writes full time. Clare’s debut novel, I Let You Go, was a Sunday Times top ten bestseller for 12 weeks, and was the fastest selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It has sold more than a million copies worldwide. In July 2016, Clare received the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award, and won the Cognac Prix du Polar for International Novel of the Year that autumn. Clare’s second book, I See You, was published in the UK in July 2016, charting at number 1 in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller list. Clare’s books have been translated into more than 35 languages. Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies. She lives in North Wales with her husband and their three children. Website: claremackintosh.com |
| Rating: 10/10 |
| Genre: | Mystery Thriller |
| Book Name: | I Let You Go |
| Author: | Clare Mackintosh |
| Pages: | 371 |
| Publication Year: | 2014 |
Baby’s 6th sense and Me
Do babies have sixth sense? What do you think? I think perhaps, yes. Because I am not able to figure out why my son is crying unnecessarily since past two days (ya ya, babies do cry at times, they may be teething, would be cold for the weather has changed suddenly in Hyderabad etc etc), but not getting relaxed with his babysitter and immediately silent when I lift him up and coo. So I’m the last two days, he cried when babysitter tried to feed him broccoli (he loves it other times), took him out for a walk (he loves this too other times), tried to massage him (oh, the way he cried then, I had to give him a bear mommy hug to relax him) etc etc. So, what is your take? Ok, I missed out mentioning one point. In ten days time, I am joining office. So has he realised this that I would not be available all day long and that I am trying to distance myself, not that I am able to, but just in thoughts so that he can stay a few hours away from me. Yes, it is difficult for a mother as well, but adults cope up easily (I am consoling myself right now), hey isn’t that so? Please please please, do not say otherwise, or I will be melancholic for rest of my time here at home. Now this is enough drama for this post, time for funny takes as far as I can remember:
So in my office WhatsApp group, a colleague posted a picture and I immediately recognised another guy as my engineering friend. But, the sort of remembrance I have and the way I muddle up faces, I checked the other guy’s Facebook page if the photograph looks similar, and yes it did. However, still just to cross check, I pinged him on FB messenger, and voila it turns out this guy joined the team this week. And this is how the conversation on WhatsApp followed (sharing for proof, in case you do not believe me and there are spelling mistakes too):
Another instance: it so happened that I got contacted by someone very special four times within a week where we do not even connect for months at a row and the last two times, I teased “him” (him is a generic pronoun in a sentence here) and gave some lecture that what has suddenly happened that he is remembering me so many times now, and explicitly mentioning to him that I used to skip this tease (taane maarna) lately for the sole reason that why to waste those precious moments of our conversation when it happens at once in a blue moon basis.
Ok ok, fine, all words I speak, rather write here are not necessarily truth, some can be made up as well. What you take away as fact or fiction is all upto you, my dear. Now this is called too much vella (free) time at hand. And also this is called love for oneself; when others do not express it that freely, it is upto you to keep yourself happy. By the way, I am just practicing writing inspired by the protagonist of Amazon Prime TV series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. What do you think? You like it or the concept of female stand up comedian? Tell me, tell me, tell me all in the comments below.
Wo pehli nazar…
It is only when one is pregnant or has been such that one would know how it feels like for that first feeling of having a baby inside or seeing him/ her for the first time. No, the feeling cannot be equated with that of the spouse, the husband. Because for mothers, it is hundred times more. Ok ok, I will modify. Usually, it is hundred time more. Other times, much much more and well, others, ummm, no comments.
The first time I heard its 💓 (heartbeat) in the doctor’s clinic, it was a feeling out of the world. I mean, I had out of the world feeling before as well, I mean, you know what I am referring to, right? But this. This can not be described in words. In fact, that too, but now I can, I mean I guess so, well because of the effect of too many books being read. Gosh, what am I writing. Am I making any sense to you, tell tell… Please tell me in comments.
So, just few minutes back, I was talking to another friend of mine, she is due in two months and I asked her if they do a 3D scan as well in Patna. She said no, but it reminded me of my times. The baby in foetus felt so shy that we tried this 3D scan 3 different days (not counting the number of times and breaks we took the same day to get baby’s position changed) to see the baby’s face, but every time, he kept his fist in front of him. We were able to see those tiny weeny hands, legs, fingers curling into fists, but it seemed like, as my mom said, baby would give its darshan/ muh-dikhaayi (show) only once he is born.
And the first time I saw him in delivery room, so white, so pink, so soft, so fragile and ah, so so tiny, I fell in love with him. Well, the nurses had cleaned him up and then only gave him to me for the mother’s first touch. Oops I am repetiting what I wrote few months back on my blog of falling in love at first sight, which earlier, I mean, before baby, I never used to believe in, though some of my very close friends (??) were very clear about.
So, what do you think? How was your experience? Or, you are expecting and scared? Or, scared of having a baby? Tell me, tell me all about it. But sach mei (truth be told), this is an amazingly amazing feeling.
