Book Review #80 : The Dead Girlfriend

Not really the best R.L. Stine book, I had expected lots of excitement, lots of horror or creepy things.

This is one of the earlier R.L. Stine books. It is an easy read, really meant for preteenagers who are looking for a little scare. If you take it at face value, it is a very entertaining story about a new girl who comes to town and meets a good looking guy whose last girlfriend recently died under mysterious circumstances, and perhaps she is next.

Sadly, the cover is pretty much the only horrific thing, that and some event that happens near the end. Other than it, it is a pretty tame and calm story. Sure there are some events happening that could give you a case of small goosebumps, but mostly I was wondering when the real excitement would start, and as the pages went by, the end was coming nearer, I wondered if a few threats, a few arguments here and there would be all to the story.

Sure, it kept me excited to find out who did it. I had a list of people who could be possible suspects, but I can say that finding out who did it for real was quite a twist for me. The plot, as I said, was pretty boring. I was expecting lots of ghosts, lots of horror and hauntings, but well, meh.

The ending was pretty decent, but it felt like it was cut off short. 
 

Would I recommend this book? On the one hand, yes. But it is also quite a bit of boring and blandness. If you are looking for a scary book, I would recommend other books by this author. He has written some amazing stuff. But this book can be skipped.

Book Review #79 : The Baby Trail

Early thirtysomething Emma decides it's time to have the baby - but it just doesn't happen to order. Emma goes through a funny, touching and ultimately moving journey as she struggles to accept the reality that maybe it's never going to happen. The Baby Trail is a novel rich in texture, light and dark, and humour with a biting undercurrent.

On the fertility meds you can go from placid to full out rage in a split second! If you haven't dealt with infertility this book is still a good read, although you may not understand why Emma acts like she does. Infertility takes a toll on your self worth & sanity, but it helps to know you are not the only one who feels the way you do.

All Emma wants is a baby but she has 'unexplained infertility'. She goes to great lengths to get a baby. Parts of the book are laugh out loud hysterical, and other times you want to give the heroine a big hug!!

The title of The Baby Trail kind of says it all – this is a book about the trials and tribulations of a couple trying to get pregnant. It’s a very easy read – It handles a sensitive subject with humour and sometimes a little irreverence.

As Emma and James’ story develops, it does tug on the heartstrings. As the months go by and Emma takes one negative pregnancy test after another, it’s hard not to feel bad for her. As she watches her friends conceive seemingly effortlessly whilst she undergoes inconclusive tests and invasive procedures, the layer of humour becomes a thinner and thinner mask for a fairly heartbreaking situation. I think any reader – particularly female readers – will feel her desperation and hopelessness.

I loved this book. I laughed out loud & cried my eyes out too. I wish I could give this book to everyone suffering through infertility & to those who want to understand what a loved one who is struggling with it goes through. This book should be available in the waiting room of every fertility clinic.

Book Review #78 : The Deliberate Sinner

Author-Bhaavna Arora

Publisher- Srishti Publishers & Distributors

Genre- Fiction

Pages- 165

ISBN-13 – 9789382665205

The Deliberate Sinner has a wonderful cover that screams for attention and gets it. The story raises some important questions.

This book is a story of Rihana- free spirited girl yet confined in emotional turmoil about family and society, Veer- A product of a typical patriarchy society who firmly believes in receiving everything in relationship but giving is out of his dictionary. Rihana puts up with Veer’s extreme behavior and also try to work out the marriage because of the family and society. When she realizes Veer’s infidelity, she decides to walk out of the marriage but again it wasn’t an easy way out, as the world around her firmly believes that a dishonest husband deserves to be forgiven which makes her to become a deliberate sinner.

This book is close to reality of many women’s life.  I appreciate an author for her bold approach in the novel and her ability to deliver the message in a right manner. Bhaavna has done a tremendous job in delivering the exact emotions of a Rihana about the sexual preferences and equality in sexual act to the readers and explicitly stated woman’s point of view on sex in a relationship without making it sound vulgar or exaggerated.

Raj was an important character in the first half, but soon disappears only to come back later to disappoint. But all of it falls flat on the weak story line. Then ending of the book is what disappoints the most. If she wanted Veer to catch her in bed with another man, just so that he understands what she felt, she could have slept with Raj again. Or should have told Veer about their one night stand that happened when she was engaged to him. But instead she decides on staging an act with a random friend of hers who conveniently agrees to be a part of this mindless drama. Why the book gets its title is explained in the last line of the story.

Language and writing have kept consciously simple by the author, the person who reads is never over laden with witty lines and idealistic terminologies. It has quite a few graphic sex scenes as well.

In this story the author has explained various relationship issues like – Domestic Violence, Marital Rape, societal problems (premarital sex), Indian Mentality regarding Marriage (Dowry, man’s dominance) and consequences of Divorce in a womanly way. However, Rihanna’s character is designed as an empowered and self-respecting woman and she doesn’t consider herself as a sufferer but a survivor and crusader.

Overall, this story has portrayed the relationship blues in a feminist way, projects men negatively though. It is a good read to understand sexual nuances of a woman; however fails to take care of the relationship issues in an objective way.

Rating : 3/5

Fishbowl Lives

There is nothing groundbreaking about this post, since everyone is aware of the dark side of the glamour world…the desperate struggle that newcomers go through, the compromises they have to make and the drugs and the partying which can take its toll.

The fashion industry is choc-o-bloc with debauched people and that it is tough to get ahead without making compromises, the competition is fearsome and the going is tough.

Successful models are often sad, lonely, broken people, addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes. Godfathers are cruel, manipulative, exploitative.

Only those who maintain their honour, dignity, identity in a cruel world that spills over with grime behind the glamour manage to sail. Many fall prey to the hazards of their fishbowl lives.

Love That Stays Forever.. Until The Hour Of Separation

“Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” ~ Khalil Gibran

What is death and life? What is body? It is the soul connection you have with someone, that is not going to be with anyone else.

I love the song Chaandaniya from Two States ~~

“Jism ye kya hai, khokhli seepi. Rooh da moti hai tu.
Garaz ho jitni teri. Badle mein jindadi meri.
Mere saare bikhre suron se geet piroti hai tu..”

This will be a man who will entirely embrace my real, flesh-and-blood body that mellows, changes and ages, that reveals a lifetime of pleasure and pain and does more than merely “represent” me—the body that is me.

This will be a man who will understand that my body tells my stories, holds my secrets and reveals what I have grieved over, hoped for and dreamed about. Of the spectrum altogether, he will claim that it didn’t matter to him at all what I look like, saying, “I love you, not what you look like.” What I look like is me. It’s all of me, and that’s what he loves unconditionally.

All of me.
Exactly as I am.
And his love is my safety net.

And the feeling, stays forever with you, until the hour of death, even if the person doesn’t.

The Silent Silence

 Avoiding each other's eyes,

Unintentional touches,

Long gaze outside the window,

She tried to search something that was lost and would never be found.

He gobbled the tasteless food without commenting, something he rarely did.

Neither did she pass any snide remark on this unusual happening.

With teary eyes, she ate her food with full concentration,

Like it was the most important thing in the world.

Is silence always silent? 
Not all the time...

10 Signs That Show You're A True Bibliophile

A bibliophile is someone who breathes, sleeps and eats books. Someone who dreams about letters and texts and everything bookish. Being a bibliophile isn't easy because there's something that is constantly on your mind - So much to read, so little time!

1. Your idea of paradise and ultimate fantasy is having your own walk-in library.

2. An unfinished book does not let you sleep in peace.

3. You would rather curl up and read a book than go out partying. Reading is your partying.

4. The smell of a book brings you immense pleasure.

5. You never move past a bookstore without going in.

6. A book is like your go-to person for coping up with all tragedies in life.

7. You treat books like they are your babies.

8. It is annoying when someone interrupts you while you’re in ‘the zone’.

9. Unexpected endings may leave you unsatisfied, intensely angry, or simply saying, “what the heck was that?”

10. When you try to bring along that big, heavy book on a family trip and, you always get told to leave it behind.