Book Review: Find someone to love by Divya Sood

Find Someone to Love by Divya Sood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The review contains spoilers.

I came across this book in Netgalley and I immediately requested a copy because I was intrigued by the synopsis. I am really glad that I got an opportunity to read this book mostly because it's so honest. Divya Sood touches human emotions in a way that the story stays with you for a long time.
The protagonist in the film, Priya works as an optician in New York. She has a simple, quiet life and her helpful and friendly nature earns her a good rapport with her colleagues, Sam and Ed. She is an average person having a steady job, staying in touch with her family in India, going for work lunches, nothing too dramatic happening in her life until Dr.Ibrahim joins their clinic as the new ophthalmologist. The entrance of Dr.Leyla Ibrahim unfolds various layers that Priya has been hiding for a long time and you’ll slowly realize that she’s been through a lot. She’s loved someone unconditionally in the past and she continues to love her and its none other than Dr.Leyla Ibrahim. However, Leyla is married to a man and treats Priya as a best friend, occasionally taking her help. As the story unfolds, we know that Leyla is aware of Priya’s feelings and more complications arise in their relationship. By the time the story ends, you’ll have experienced everything that Priya has gone through and you are relieved with the practical ending.

Though this book is sad and emotional, it keeps the reader engrossed because the characters are quite real and the journey is heart touching. The pain of unrequited love and loving someone unconditionally even after a sad past is depicted very well in the book. The fact that no one including her family knows about Priya’s orientation and the way she’s been handling it brings a vulnerability to the plot. In addition, the recent demise (suicide) of her favorite cousin and the reason behind it makes it all very tragic.

The book is very well written and the author has a gift of giving the readers an emotional experience. It’s the kind of book which brings back old, wounded experiences in your life and gives a perspective on handling emotions. Looking forward to reading more of her books.

Book received from Netgalley and Riverdale Avenue Books for an honest review.


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Book Review: The Girl in Room 105 by Chetan Bhagat

The Girl in Room 105 by Chetan Bhagat
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Immensely enjoyed reading this book and am glad to have picked this one to read. For starters, this is not “the usual” Chetan Bhagat kind of book and I was pleasantly surprised by the never-ending plot twists. With an interesting narrative, realistic characters and dialogues, this book has it all. True friendship and honest camaraderie between the leads, pining for a loved one & heartbreaks combined with finding oneself, strong will power, issues of the country all lead by a murder mystery keep the readers engrossed. Knowing more about Kashmir, including ‘kahwah’ and other lingo is also a plus. I couldn’t put down the book and the ending was fantastic too.
This is one of Chetan Bhagat’s best books and I am looking forward to more of ”Z Detectives” in the future (wouldn’t that be great !!).


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Book Review: "I Owe you One" by Sophie Kinsella

I am a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella's books mostly because she writes what she believes in and what she's going through or rather what an average person goes through in their everyday life. Her books might not be science fiction/crime thrillers; they are simple stories, light-hearted and relatable which make you smile. Also, she's definitely among the few authors whom the readers can rely on. She promises one book a year and she delivers. You need not wait endlessly to read more from her. She's been releasing a new book each year in February for three years (or more )and I always preorder her books around Christmas. Its become a part of my life now. I now have a Kinsella weekend in February and I love it.

Her new book "I Owe You One" is a delight. I love how the story takes the reader through the life of a woman who wants to safeguard the family store but also touches the delicate sentiments and pangs of growing up with sibling rivalry. On top of that, we also get a touching love story which also brings up many aspects of a fulfilling and enduring relationship. Throughout the book, the emphasis on keeping up family values and bonding in spite of the many differences you have with them starts getting to you. Misunderstanding between siblings, building up your confidence is very well portrayed. "Family comes first" is what you'll be agreeing to because no matter how different you are from your family, no one else understands you more than your family. Believe in your family, they'll be there for you no matter what.

On a lighter vein, as always, Kinsella treats the readers to something new: the hustle and bustle of managing a store & employees, retaining customers; in short, a guide on how to manage a business successfully. The way she portrays it all is fabulous and you actually get involved in the store accounts and the schedule they run.

The only downside is that this book is a slow read but maybe its because I was a little distracted. All in all, it's a wonderful book. Please go read it :)
              

The Mediocre Mantra

If there's something that people have been battling for ages, it's the struggle of being a mediocre person or an "average" human being. I am sure this is also the key to all those "Thug Life" quotes and memes on social media.

Falling in the "average" range means that you finish your daily chores, earn enough to support yourself and your family and lead a moderate life. You do not excel at your workplace, but you are not an underperformer. You are not an overachiever either. You do not hold a burning passion for anything. You are in your comfort zone and you are playing safe in everything you do. You always plan things, book tickets in advance and never do anything impromptu in life. You think twice to take a vacation because you want to save up for something you might/might not do in the future. You have to work hard towards everything you do. Am sure reading so far has given you either a sinking feeling or a relief that you are not any of what has been listed above. I congratulate every person who feels the latter. The mediocre lot, please read on:

A wise man once said that success comes to only those who work "hard". But what if you don't excel even though you work hard? What if hours of solving a problem don't give you a solution or a new perspective? Maybe, at the end of the day, you solve the problem by yourself or take help from someone. And then you would move on feeling relieved that you have overcome the situation. It's great that you got it solved but did you realize where the whole thing became mediocre? It's when you moved on from the solution/problem without learning anything in the process. When there is no take-away. When you just have the experience of solving it but do not care about the actual solution.

Another thing to consider is your perspective on the whole thing. You're solving it because you should solve it. As you ought to pay your bills. But do you actually want to solve it? Are you passionate about solving this problem? If given a choice, will you solve it? Question yourself. Little questions like these change how you approach problems. Some research on: what's the crux of the problem -> scale of the problem -> how bad are its effects will genuinely pique your interest in looking at the possible solutions. Trying one or more solutions will take you deeper into the problem. And once you are almost about to solve it, nothing will stop you from solving the problem. This will change your entire perspective on problem-solving and even if you don't solve it, you are a winner already, for not giving up!

Remember that nobody can make that one great leap to success (unless its stock market). Start small, have patience and faith, work smart to step out of this mediocre life. Become special by working on your strengths. If you want to challenge yourself, always question yourself: what am I going to be in 10 years .. If long term goals are not working out, create short term goals. Work on them like never before. Keep going and never stop working. You may fail but you'll never repent. Success is on your way.

Hoping to see all of you in flying colors. Hoping to see you all succeed. And hoping to step out of my own mediocre life by this attempt at blogging.

Dear Long Lost Best Friend,

Dear Long Lost Best Friend,

Its been ages since we spoke and I know things are not going to change.  I really wish we had never been friends. I wonder if we were ever friends!

If not always, at least once in a while, I wanna find out how you are doing. Or how things are going on at your end. Even though I gather from social media that everything is okay, just a word from your end that things are okay will be so good.
I know I can't fix your troubles/ be there for you morally.. But just for the sake of old times and also because I genuinely care for you, can't we talk once in a while without making it a big deal?!
Maybe we can longer be best friends but,

Can't we be acquaintances and not strangers?!
Can't you visit me when I finally have a home of my own ?
Can't there be one proper birthday wish?
...
Can't there be at least one phone call a year?

I meet new people every day.. I spend time, 'hang out" with them.. But I confess that there are very few friends like you.

If I tell you this, I am the weaker one. The one with no self respect...
But if I don't, there will be regret and remorse - one day when I am old and have nothing else to do, I'd wish I'd tried one last time.
If you were in my place, what would you do? Now tell me, what should I do?

Many a time, I gave up on you. Many a time, I crossed you off my list. Many a time, I don't give a damn..
But all the time, you pop up : over simple conversations, those casual outings.. just that fraction of second where I wish you were there along with the others..

And here's the truth. I finally realized something. I was never the best friend you always claimed me to be..
I am whom I am - just someone whom you "hung out" with..

Take care...

Sincerely,
Your Friend (??)

Book review: The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

To be honest, I did not understand what the title meant when I saw the book in Barnes and Noble but the moment I came to know that wallflower is a person who is shy, awkward and someone who is usually overlooked, my curiosity increased. Now what can be the perks of being such a person ? - actually none; such people often tend to be lonely with low confidence and insecurities but this book changes this opinion.

Charlie, the protagonist is a very shy and sensitive teenager  who has problems because he is unpredictable, easily traumatized and can break into tears which is a little unusual for boys his age. But as we all know that all people have both pros and cons, his pros are - he is very intelligent, respectful, understanding, sincere, honest and places other people before him.

The book contains letters addressed to a friend whom we do not know - but it can be assumed to be anyone, even you or me. It starts with the death of his best friend Michael and we immediately get introduced to the sensitive side of Charlie where he breaks into tears in a counselling session and this is when he starts going to a counselor to talk about his feelings. Incidentally, he is still mourning over the demise of his favorite aunt, Helen, who stayed with his parents, brother, sister until recently. School year has started and  he is in his first year of high school without any friends and is alone most of the time. His claims that his only friend in high school is his English teacher who is friendly and encouraging. But this changes when he gets introduced to Patrick, his classmate and Sam, with whom Charlie falls in love at the very first sight. They bond instantly and this is when Charlie's life changes in a good way. He starts getting party invites and despite being a wallflower his sincere and understanding nature appeals to all. He becomes a part of the senior group and starts hanging out with them, performs in theater with them : The Rocky Road Show, gets introduced to smoking, alcohol and "brownies". All the while, he grows more in love with Sam even though Sam treats him like a friend and goes out with other guys. If that's the scene with friends, at home, he gets busy watching out for his sister who starts dating good guys, sometimes -bad guys, helps her out during an abortion, becomes the peace maker in family reunions. Reading novels and writing becomes an integral part of his life too when his English teacher notices his potential and assigns him a new book to read and review every week. In addition, he also passes his licence test and begins driving - which means more independence. But he also has his share of bad days where he cries violently, sits depressed for hours, gets addicted to smoking and keeps visiting his aunt Helen's grave every now and then. The story thus takes us through his life until Sam and Patrick graduate and Charlie is still in his high school. But it ends with a shocking revelation - the reason why Charlie is disturbed, shy and I don't want to say anything more because I don't want to give away any spoilers. Please find out yourself.

Its been 5 hours since I completed the book but I can't get Charlie and his world out of my mind. As I mentioned earlier, Charlie is a selfless person and it shows in everything he does -  running errands, buying gifts for friends and family, always listening to people , understanding their emotions and actually being there for them. He also stands up for his friends by fighting a group of senior friends to defending his friend, lands in detentions for them and helps them through breakups. But in spite of being there for everybody, there are many occasions where he has nobody to talk to even when he badly needs company - but he never complains nor does he expect which I think everyone ought to learn. He is a real giver and I haven't come across such a selfless and kind character in any book I've ever read. He also has a strong control on his mind and easily gets out of bad habits when he chooses to. Kudos to Charlie.

Reading the book has been an experience. Over the last 3 days, I have become a friend of Charlie and he took me through the most crucial part of his life - his coming of age story. Knowing that people like Charlie still exist is comforting and I am very pleased to have gotten to know him. Anyone who has read the book can "really" understand and know his family and friends . This shows how well written the book is. Its not a 500 pager but just a 200 pager with life and soul poured into the pages of the book.

I recommend everyone to read this book as it wallows over emotions and touches your heart like never before. If you are not a book person, you can watch the movie which got released with the same title in 2012.

(Now, in Charlie's style):
Love Always,
Padmini

P.S: I wish I actually got all those letters from Charlie.

New found love: Korean Dramas

I've never wanted to learn a new language so much. After watching 5 Korean dramas and 2 of them for an unlimited number of times, I HAVE to learn Korean. The beauty of the word "Sarang" (love), the gratitude while saying 'Kumawa' (Thank you)  is all what's on my mind right now. I just know about 10 Korean words properly but these 10 words make place in all my conversations, especially with my husband, who now understands and knows them as much as I do. If you think my obsession is just about the language, you are mistaken. Of late, I have been obsessed with Korean stars, especially Kim Hyun Joong and Lee Min Ho.  

Kim Hyun Joong

Lee Min Ho

I was in disbelief when I first caught my roommates watching K-Dramas after college hours. When there are umpteen series in known languages such as English and Indian languages, why watch a series in Korean? One day, my roommates forced me to watch a Korean drama during dinner and I'd obliged grudgingly. But 10 mins into the drama, I fell in love with the essence of K-Dramas.  For one thing, the dramas are so relevant to your life and capture the tiniest bit of emotions you have ever experienced in your life. Also, they are all just 12-15 episode dramas of one hour each with each scene more interesting than the previous one which makes the whole watching part satisfying. You could just watch it over tea/lunch for one hour and you are closer to reaching the end of the plot by one hour. As much as they are relevant to your life, the stories can completely take you by surprise through twists in the plot. To top it all, the K drama heroes are very handsome and though initially, they all seem similar (and in some cases like girls), you can't stop crushing on them.  

The leading ladies are all quite bold, strong, independent women with great strength of character and amaze you with their performance. I have come across such strong characters that I actually wondered why I was never like one of them when I was a teenager/even now. 

Of all the K dramas, the impact which the drama "Boys Over Flowers" made on me is the highest. The name sounds funny but trust me, the drama is very popular. The story revolves around 4 rich guys who are are called F4 in their high school. Though initially they are depicted as heartless, rude, and spoilt, as the drama unfolds, you can't stop gushing over the good-natured, kind, and understanding side of these guys. As two of the guys fall in love with the daughter of a dry cleaner who is a strong-minded, bold girl, the drama takes us through interesting series of incidents with a beautiful love story. 

Though it's a routine rich boy-poor girl story and the hardships they face, this drama provides you much more than that. Especially, the emotional quotient of this drama is so high that you can actually feel what's going on with the characters. The lead actors Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun-joong are fantastic and you can't stop wondering whom you are falling for: One moment, you are in love with Gu Jun pyo and the very moment, you can't stop thinking about Yun Ji Hoo. The brownie points you get are the melodious, addictive songs and background score which I am addicted to. Some of the songs in the Drama are actually sung by one of the lead actors, Kim Hyun-joong, and once again, you can't stop wondering how talented a person can be. 

I recommend everyone to watch "Boys Over Flowers" and in general, K Dramas. You will not regret the experience.

P.S: "Boys Over Flowers" was made into a popular Hindi soap that was aired for more than a year.