30 Day Book Challenge: Day Nine: A Book You Thought You Would Not Like, But Ended Up loving

For this I would go for Louis De Bernieres’s Birds Without Wings (Click here for book review)

I picked up this book because it was cheap. Very frankly. I got it for ten rupees, and since I had not heard about it before, I thought this is a good risk to take.

But, when I started reading, it was actually surprised at the high quality of the book. The story is so beautifully narrated, each part of the story resonates with other. Truly one of the best reads. I was glad that in this year’s exhibition I got another one of the Author’s book, again for ten rupees (:D), called Captain Cornelli’s Mandolin, I am looking forward to picking it up soon!

Also, on a totally unrelated topic, I got a new job..I used to work with this firm before, and had a blast working there. Now, I will be working there from Monday! So, now since I have fixed working hours (and extra cash 😉 ) I will be able to do a lot more reading!!!

Maya In Search Of Tantric Father: Book Review

Author: Vipin Behari Goyal

Book Blurb:

‘Maya in search of Tantric Father’ is a story of a young and pretty American girl, who is shocked to learn a secret from her deceased mother’s diary. Maya comes to India in search of her biological father, who was a Tantric. Out of sheer determination, she travels to many holy places in India, facing numerous difficulties, which any solo woman traveler would face in India. Some mysterious powers help, guide and protect her when she inadvertently walks into danger. Her spiritual pilgrimage is full of miracles and interesting encounters with a Philosopher, an Astrologer, an Ayurveda doctor, a Tantric, a Swami, a Professor, a Music maestro, and a bureaucrat. Some of them fall in love with her but she has no time to reciprocate. Her only mission is a search and she cannot afford any distractions. Could she find what she was searching for?

Review:

This book had a great story structure. The premise of the story was also very intriguing.

Spiritualism and different customs were explained in a really easy manner, so that even those who have never heard of these concept before can grasp it quite easily. The book is filled with different philosophies, but at no point of time does it become too heavy. One can only write such complex concepts in such a simple way only if one is quite an expert in the subject.

I loved that the protagonist was a single woman travelling through different parts of India. I liked the characterization of Maya, the way she handled the situations that she was put in.

This is a subject that I have not read before in Indian Context, so it was quite refreshing to see a novel concept being accepted for publication.

But, there were minor editing flaws (which I have found that most of the books from this publishing house tends to have). Nothing a good editor could not have solved. I also felt that the book became a bit dull at the moments. I do feel that the cover could have been a bit more attractive.

 

(I thank the Author for sending me a copy of this book)

30 Day Book Challenge: Day eight: The Most Overrated Book

The most overrated book that I have come across is 50 Shades of Grey (Click here for the book review)

I have seen people read it, rave about it, and be all ga ga over it…the book does not even have proper vocabulary

It was even one of the world’s best seller…I read it and frankly it was just too boring for me.

Ana was just an 20 something idiot (with the brains and the vocab of a 6 year old) and I cannot connect to such a character. For God’s sake, woman, when you go to a job, you are paid to DO the freaking job…not fantasize about people. There is a reason you are not a multi billionaire, when you do your job like this…i wonder why you have not  been kicked out yet.

Just read the book review for more rants, I am not going to go rant any more.

Most Unique Valentines Day Gifts

Surprise that someone special with a valentines day gift that would blow their minds! Chocolates, teddies, clothes and such are so passe, this year gift them something they would cherish and not be able to forget for a lifetime!

A lot of mainstream online websites do come up with valentines day special gifts, but they are just too mainstream. Your partner is special to you, and it is the day to go all out to show them just how special they are for you.

There is some premium gifting sites like http://www.cherrytin.com which specialize in providing you with premium gifting options. Log on to the site and see the wide range of unconventional, unique and smart valentines day gifts for both men and women.

Here are some of the gifting options that you can get for your partner:

Pamper your loved one with Spa Treatment

Love is about giving, when we wish the best for the person, it is said to be true love. So this year, let them relax, breath and enjoy a break from their tough schedules with a Pure Indulgence Spa Set, from cherrytin. The spa set contains: Toner and Cleanser, Bath oil and scrub and lotion. The ingredients that are used in this set are chosen with great care to be relaxing as well as rejuvenating your skin as well as body.
Buy it here: http://www.cherrytin.com/pure-indulgence-spa-set.html

Personalized bookmarks

If the one you love is a book worm, then we know just how you feel. They tend to get themselves surrounded with so many books, that you have to constantly try finding places for new ones. The thing that brings the smile to their faces is a brand new book, but they already have so many books that they hold close to their heart, you do not feel like competing with that. No worries! Cherrytin has the perfect gift for you. Gift them a custom bookmark with their name engraved on them, that way every time they lose themselves in their preciouses, they still remember how much you love them.
Choose the one that you like here: http://www.cherrytin.com/personalise/bookmarkers.html?alias=bookmarkers

Simple, Stylish and Unique Key Ring

Can you be practical, yet show your love? Yes you can! Cherrytin offers you Sterling Silver Heart Key Ring to give to your loved one this valentines. Your gift shows them how much you value them, and yet every time they are out, they will have a piece of you with them. Practicality meets love, making it the best of the both worlds!
Check out the key ring here: http://www.cherrytin.com/sterling-silver-heart-keyring.html

These are just some of the gifts that can be found on this nice gifting website. Do visit the website /www.cherrytin.com for even more unique, fun and personalized Valentines Day Gifts.

Hope you and your partner have a lovely Valentines Day!

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Seven: A Book That Made You Laugh

The book that made me laugh out loud was the Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason(Click Here for Book Review). This is the sequel to the Bridget Jones diary, but I have not yet read the first book. Even when I had not read the first book, I had no problems following the story line in this book.

This was the second review that I ever made on a blog, at that time I reviewed only the books that I really enjoyed.

This is such a fun, light and easy read!

Arranged Marriage: The survival of the FASTEST

I met a friend yesterday for dinner, and she and I got to discussing the arranged marriage prospects and the experiences that we had.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) for us, between us we have seen sizeable amount of men. She and I both have a similar idea for marriage, we both come from very liberal families, and we both wish to find partners that we like and are compatible with. We do not have this set idea, nor do we have any income/caste criteria. Except that he should be able to support himself, both emotionally and financially.

But, most of the guys that we have met, are more interested in getting married, and not really that interested in knowing the person.

For example, I met a guy a couple of weeks ago, he had come from the UK. We had a very awkward first meeting, as I usually prefer to talk to the guy first on phone/texts before meeting him in person as that gives a certain ground to talk on. But, that was not the case here. After that very awkward first meeting, I was asked to meet him outside for coffee. In those talks he asked me what were my thoughts on marriage. I said I cannot get married to someone within a span of knowing him for a few days (two days to be precise!). I would want to know him as a person and then take a decision. That was the last that I heard of him. Not even a courtesy message. Just had his dad call my dad to tell that it would not work out. He apparently “short listed” two girls for second meeting, one of them agreed to get engaged in a day, so she was chosen.

Now, call it coincidence, but the day before I met the guy the second time, I met another guy. We again went for coffee. And that’s it. The guy gets engaged the other day.

Of course, not every guy is like these. There have been people who I talked to, but we did not find the compatibility, so decided mutually to just be friends. But these are very rare.

My question is, how can so educated people, who have seen the world choose their life partners like this? I take more time choosing a dress!

Do not they respect their own lives?

How can you leave such an important decision which would affect the rest of your life to chance?

When I get engaged (or should I say IF I get engaged), I want to be able to look at the person’s eyes and see love, contentment, happiness and commitment in it.

People say that it is a beauty of arranged marriage. Love “grows” over time. But does it really? It might, but what if it does not? How many people “fall in love” because there is no other option left to love anyone else but this person, so might as well make the best of it.

Also, even if it does not work out, if differences come up, it would always be the girl who would be expected to “adjust”, “compromise” and just deal with it.

I am glad that these guys got their life partners, but it does hurt some times you know. It just hurts that while I am trying to get to know the person, he is just interested in knowing how fast I can get engaged to him. Like my individual personality does not matter one bit. As long as I am a female, and our basic interest matches in a general way, that is all that matters.

If I like reading, and he likes reading (check!), If I like travelling and he likes travelling (check), good enough to get engaged tomorrow!

Even though he would not know which books I like, love or hate…Or whether I prefer hillsides or beaches…all that does not matter really.

Is it immaturity and a reckless faith that everything might be aright, or is it the social pressure, and people are just too weak to take a stand?

30 Day Book Challenge: Day six: A Book That Made You Sad

Ahh…So many books come to my mind when I see this. So, I will go with the last book that made me turn into an emotional wreck.

The book that I choose for it would be “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini (Click here for book review)

I had read this book a long time ago, and recently picked it up again. So, I was kind of expecting the emotions, but the sheer intensity of the emotions, especially in the ending, took me by surprise.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day five: A Book That Makes You Happy

This question made me realize that I form quite dysfunctional relationship with books. I tend to fall in love with those that hurt my heart, the ones that are my absolute favourites, are on that shelf as I found myself sobbing well into the night while and after reading them.

Note to self: Read MORE HAPPY BOOKS.

The book that I remember making me happy, was Sarika Pandit’s Bucket List of a Traveloholic (Book review here).

The publisher had sent it for a review, and I remember it making me want to lust after all the places I had not yet gone, and missing the places I had visited. Everyone who likes travelling should read this book.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day FOUR: Favourite Book of Your Favourite Series

In the last post, I mentioned that my favourite series was a song of Ice and Fire, my most favourite book of the same would be book two, the clash of kings (Book review here)

This is the book where the story actually takes a lot of turns and the actual war starts. The previous book was just setting the stage, but in this book we know more about the characters, the religions, gods, houses etc.

30 DAY BOOK CHALLENGE: DAY THREE: YOUR FAVOURITE SERIES

I am currently reading the song of Ice And Fire Series, and it is absolutely Amazing. I have completed three books at the moment, but plan on completing them in this year!

(Book reviews for the game of thrones and the Clash of Kings can be found here and here), the third one will be reviewed soon.

Yesterday, on a random trip to the bookstore, I ended up sitting there going through The World of Ice and Fire (Song of Ice & Fire), what an amazing book it was! The illustrations and the information were just awesome.