Tag: Books

YA books with Enemies to Lovers trope.

The Wrath and the Dawn: Renée Andieh. (Series)

Each morning brings misery to a new family in a kingdom controlled by a bloodthirsty boy-king. Khalid, Khorasan’s eighteen-year-old Caliph, is a monster. He takes a new wife every night, only to have a silk chain tied around her throat the next morning. When Shahrzad’s sixteen-year-old best friend is murdered by Khalid, he swears revenge and offers to be his next wife. Shahrzad is determined not just to survive, but also to put a stop to the caliph’s reign of terror. Shahrzad seduces Khalid night after night, telling him enthralling stories and securing her survival, despite the fact that she knows each morning may be her last. But then something unexpected happens: Khalid turns out to be nothing like she had imagined him to be. This monster is a young boy who has a broken heart. Surprisingly, Shahrzad finds herself in love. What gives that this is possible? It’s a heinous act of treachery. Even nevertheless, Shahrzad has come to realise that not everything in this marble and stone mansion is as it appears. She vows to find whatever secrets are hidden and, despite her love for him, to kill Khalid in retaliation for the numerous lives he has stolen. Is their love strong enough to last in this world?

We Hunt The Flame: Hafsah Faizal. (Series)

Because she murdered, people lived. People perished as a result of his existence.

When Zafira braves the terrible forest of the Arz to feed her people, she disguises herself as a man. Nasir is the Prince of Death, and he assassinates anyone who resist his dictatorial father, the Sultan. All of Zafira’s achievements would be discarded if she was discovered to be a female; if Nasir showed compassion, his father would punish him harshly. In the country of Arawiya, both Zafira and Nasir are legends, but neither wants to be.The Arz is closing in on the land, smothering everything in shade with each passing day. When Zafira sets out on a quest to find a forgotten item that would restore magic to her suffering planet and put an end to the Arz, the Sultan sends Nasir on a similar expedition to retrieve the artefact and kill the Hunter. However, as their trip progresses, an ancient evil stirs, and the prize they seek may represent a threat bigger than any of them can conceive.

Serpent and Dove: Shelby Mahurin. (Series)

Louise le Blanc ran away from her coven two years ago and found refuge in Cesarine, giving up all magic and living off what she could take. Witches like Lou are persecuted there. They are regarded as dangerous. They’re also charred.Reid Diggory, a Chasseur sworn to the Church, has lived his life by one rule: thou must not allow a witch to survive. His path was never supposed to intersect with Lou’s, but a cruel stunt compels them to marry in an inconceivable way—holy marriage. Lou’s most fearsome adversaries deliver a destiny worse than fire in the ancient fight between witches and the Church. A decision must be made since she is unable to ignore her increasing sentiments and helpless to change who she is.

Tweet Cute: Emma Lord

Pepper is a swim team captain, a chronic overachiever, and a perfectionist in general. Her family may be disintegrating, but their big fast-food franchise is thriving, due in large part to Pepper, who is barely juggling real life while covertly administering Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.Jack, the class clown and a perennial thorn in Pepper’s side, enters the picture. He works at his family’s deli when he isn’t trying to avoid his obscenely popular twin’s shadow. He may have a love/hate relationship with the company that controls his future, but when Big League Burger steals his grandmother’s famous grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to bring them down, one tweet at a time.Everything is fair in love and cheese until Pepper and Jack’s feud becomes a viral Twitter fight. They have no idea that while they’re publicly squabbling over caustic memes and retweet wars, they’re simultaneously falling in love in real life on an anonymous chat app Jack created.People on the internet are shipping them as their relationship grows and their online hijinks escalate? Their rivalry becomes increasingly personal, until even these two adversaries can’t deny that they were meant for an unexpected, uncomfortable, all-the-feels relationship that none of them expected.

The Shadow Between Us: Tricia Levenseller (Series)

Alessandra is fed up with being neglected, so she devised a strategy to obtain power:1) Make the Shadow King swoon.
2) Get married to him.
3) Assassinate him and seize his empire.

No one knows how powerful the newly crowned Shadow King is. Some believe he has the ability to control the shadows that swirl about him. Others claim they communicate with him, whispering his adversaries’ ideas. Whatever the case may be, Alessandra knows what she deserves and will do everything she can to obtain it.However, Alessandra isn’t the only one attempting to assassinate the king. As assassination attempts are made on his life, she finds herself attempting to keep him alive long enough for him to crown her queen—

Thrillers to start your halloween week right.

The Girl On The Train – Paula Hawkins

Rachel takes the same commuter train to work every day. It will always wait at the same signal, overlooking a stretch of back yards, she knows. She’s even begun to feel as though she knows the residents of one of the houses. She refers to them as “Jess and Jason.” Their lives are ideal, in her opinion. If only Rachel could be as content as that. Then she notices something startling. It’ll only be a minute until the train departs, but it’ll be enough. Everything has changed now. Rachel now has the opportunity to become a part of the lives she has only observed from afar. They’ll see now that she’s more than simply the train girl.

The Women in the window – A. J. Finn

Anna Fox is a recluse who stays alone in her New York City apartment, unable to leave. She spends her days drinking wine (perhaps excessively), watching old movies, reminiscing about happier times… and spying on her neighbours.The Russells, a father, a mother, and their teenage son, then move into the house across the street. The ideal family. However, when Anna sees something she shouldn’t one night while staring out her window, her world begins to unravel and its horrifying secrets are revealed.

No Exit – Taylor Adams

Darby Thorne, a college student, is stuck in a terrible blizzard in the Colorado Rockies on her way to Utah to see her ailing mother. She’s forced to wait out the storm at a lonely highway rest stop since the roads are unusable. There are vending machines, a coffee maker, and four strangers inside. Darby returns to the storm, desperate for a signal to phone home… and finds a terrifying discovery. A small child is imprisoned in an animal box in the rear of the van parked next to her automobile. What is the name of the child? Why was she kidnapped? And how will Darby be able to help her?
Darby must find a way out of a perilous scenario in which a child’s life and her own are on the line.

Survive the Night – Riley Sagar

The man behind the wheel, Josh Baxter, is a complete unknown to Charlie. They gathered at the campus transportation board, hoping to split the cost of the lengthy journey back to Ohio. Both of them have valid reasons for wanting to flee. Charlie is torn between guilt and sadness over the murder of her closest friend, who became the Campus Killer’s third victim. Josh’s motivation is to assist in the care of his ailing father. So he claims. Charlie, like the Hitchcock heroine for whom she is named, has her reservations. Josh has a suspicious air about him, from the gaps in his tale about his father to the fact that he doesn’t want Charlie to peek inside the trunk.As they drive along an empty highway in the middle of night, Charlie becomes increasingly concerned that she is sharing a car with the Campus Killer. Is Josh actually a threat? Is Charlie’s suspicion an illusion of her movie-fueled imagination, or is it anything more?What follows is a cat-and-mouse game set on moonlit highways and neon-lit parking lots, in an era when the only way to get help is to dial a pay phone number and there’s nowhere to hide. Charlie just has one chance to win: she must survive the night.

The Guest list – Lucy Foley

Guests assemble on an island off the coast of Ireland to commemorate two individuals combining their lives as one. The groom is an up-and-coming television personality. The bride is a magazine editor. The expensive gown, the isolated venue, the opulent party gifts, the boutique whiskey: it’s a wedding fit for a magazine or a star. Although mobile phone connection is patchy and the waves are rough, every aspect has been meticulously planned and will be meticulously implemented.
Resentments and petty jealousies blend with reminiscences and good wishes when the champagne is cracked and the festivities begin. Then someone is found dead. Who didn’t send their best wishes to the happy couple?

5 feminist books to read.

A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft.

Mary Wollstonecraft’s feminist essay A Vindication of the Rights of Women was published in 1792 as a book-length feminist essay. A Vindication of Women’s Rights campaigned for female equality, especially in the field of education. Wollstonecraft criticised the cultivation of conventional feminine qualities like as submission and service, arguing that women who were not well-educated could not be excellent mothers, spouses, or household administrators. She said that women were supposed to devote too much time to maintaining their delicate look and soft attitude, forsaking brains for beauty and transforming themselves into flower-like playthings for males.

Wollstonecraft addressed themes such as the need of educating women equally, treating women with respect, and giving women with the appropriate training to be excellent spouses and mothers, as well as educated companions for their husbands, in thirteen chapters.Women spend many of their initial years of life accumulating a scattering of achievements, while body and mental strength are sacrificed to libertine ideas of beauty… Can they run a family with prudence or look after the babies they bring into the world?How could women educate, raise children, and maintain a household if they were only concerned with their personal looks and minor achievements such as speaking French fluently, playing the piano, and sketching, Wollstonecraft argued? Such achievements made a woman appealing to a man as a source of entertainment, but not as an equal partner.Although Wollstonecraft recognised that raising a family would be the primary responsibility of many women at the time, she insisted that a husband and wife whose relationship was founded on reason and equality would parent happier and more well-rounded children than families governed by strict discipline and parental inequality. To that aim, she suggested a national education system in which boys and girls would be taught together and all classes would have access to education. Wollstonecraft warned against false sensibility, while writing during the time of Romanticism, a movement renowned for emphasising sensibility/feeling above sense/rational reasoning.

A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf.

Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own is a long essay. The article, which was first published on October 24, 1929, was based on a series of lectures she gave in October 1928 at Newnham College and Girton College, two women’s institutions at Cambridge University. Despite the fact that this long essay uses a fictitious narrator and narrative to investigate women as authors and characters in fiction, the manuscript for the Women and Fiction lecture series, and therefore the essay, is deemed nonfiction. The essay is regarded as a feminist text, and it is notable for its argument for a literal and figurative place for women authors in a patriarchal literary world.

Bad Feminist – Roxane Gay.

How could women educate, raise children, and maintain a household if they were only concerned with their personal looks and minor achievements such as speaking French fluently, playing the piano, and sketching, Wollstonecraft argued? Such achievements made a woman appealing to a man as a source of entertainment, but not as an equal partner.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde’s literary and philosophical personae are brought to life in this collection of fifteen articles published between 1976 and 1984. These articles delve into and illustrate Lorde’s intellectual growth, as well as her long-standing worries about how to increase empowerment among minority women authors and the critical need to define difference—difference in terms of sex, ethnicity, and economic position. Sister Outsider is a title taken from her poetry book The Black Unicorn (1978). Sister Outsider’s poetry and articles emphasise Lorde’s recurring subject of continuity, notably the geographical and intellectual relationship.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

In the Republic of Gilead, Offred is a Handmaid. She is permitted to leave the Commander and his wife’s house once a day to stroll to the local grocery market, where the signs are now images rather than words because women are no longer allowed to read. Because, in an era of diminishing births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable, she must lie on her back once a month and hope that the Commander gets her pregnant. Offred recalls the years when she lived with and made love to her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; and when she had a career, her own money, and knowledge. But that’s all gone now.

PHYSICAL BOOKS VS KINDLE

There has always been this intricate debate among readers about what is a better option – A Physical book or a Kindle. The retail shopping company, Amazon, introduced the first e-reader device into the market on November 19, 2007. This device had an escalating demand within five hours of it’s launch. It remained out of stock for a very long while due to tremendous amount of sales. This blog will attempt to illustrate whether this craze for purchase of Kindles was justified or whether physical books rule the hearts of readers till date.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

  • Charging – Physical books do not require any charging. They can be read as long as a reader wishes to read it. They do not have an internal battery which may drain out. Innumerable people can use it until it gets worn off.
  • No Network Requirement – Physical books can be read without a network connection. There is absolutely no requirement of a wifi connection or mobile data for the same. Content can be read during power cut-offs as well. During prolonged electricity cutoffs people turn to newspapers and books for recreation. Simply opening a book and reading it is what an individual needs to do.
  • Reuse – There are numerous shops in the market which offer second-hand copies. These copies can be bought by individuals at a very cheap rate. Thus, a large amount of paperback books can be read by a person, without having to pay a huge price, by purchasing used copies readily available in shops.
  • Feel and Smell – This might sound very vague to people who are not fond of reading books. Bibliophiles definitely know how heavenly is the texture and smell of a fresh book. Avid readers are really fond of holding a physical copy and reading it in a metro, at the park or while lazing on the couch. It is a different experience all together.
  • Less Safety Concern – Since, a book is less expensive than an electronic device, the chances of it being stolen are few. One need not feel anxious about forgetting a book somewhere. They will find it in the same place where they had left it as thieves generally avoid casting their eye on such commodities.

KINDLE

  • Portability – The Kindle is extremely portable in nature. This one device helps one to carry over a thousand e-books in his/her bag which is otherwise not possible. It is light weight, hence very easy to carry around.
  • Interpret Meanings – The Kindle has a very user friendly feature in it through which we can browse Wikipedia, Translator and Dictionaries. By simple long pressing on a word, the meaning and usage in a sentence for the word appears on the screen. There is also a Vocabulary Builder feature available, through which one can store the list of words that he has browsed for, while reading a particular content. Hence, while reading any story or novel on the Kindle one need not keep a separate dictionary alongside.
  • Light Modification – This reading device has a paper display technology. This means, it gives an experience that is very similar to reading printed ink on a paper. Through the light adjustment feature, it is feasible for anyone to read content in the dark as well. Another bonus element of this device is that, it does not put any strain on the eyes as it is glare free unlike other screen gadgets.
  • Environment Friendly – It is said that, 24 trees need to be chopped down to produce 1 tonne of paper. By using such electronic reading devices, one can contribute in lessening the amount of trees that need to be deforested to make books.
  • Easy to Decipher – In the Kindle, one can easily increase or decrease the Font size according to their convenience. Also, by adjusting the level of brightness, a reader can find it easier to read content.
  • Easy Downloads – It is quite simple to download a book from the Kindle. One need not physically visit a library or bookstore and hunt for the book or wait for it to arrive at home after placing an order. Many cost free books are available in the device if one does not wish to pay an amount to read. While, paid books are at a rate lower than that of physical books.

The debate regarding which one is a better option is a never ending one. Just as every coin has two sides, both the options i.e Books and Kindle have their own merits and demerits. This blog aimed at illustrating the pros of both the options available. A reader can choose a better option for himself/herself by weighing the pros and cons for it according to his/her practicality and convenience.

5 spooky books to read this fall.

Since it is October, it is time for some spooky reads to make this month a little more exciting.

Here are 5 books to read, to satisfy your spooky soul.

  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley:

The  Frankenstein portrays the narrative of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant scientist who triumphs in giving life to a creature he created. However, this is not the ideal specimen he had envisioned, but rather a repulsive creature despised by Victor and mankind in general. The Monster seeks vengeance by murdering and terrorising others.

  • The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson:

Immanuelle Moore’s entire existence is blasphemy in Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law. Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, observe Holy Protocol, and live a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, much like the other women in the settlement, because her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race has brought shame to her once-proud family. A accident, however, leads her into the forbidden Darkwood that surrounds Bethel, where the first prophet once pursued and killed four formidable witches. Their ghosts are still present, and they bestow upon Immanuelle a gift: the journal of her deceased mother, who Immanuelle learns once sought refuge.Immanuelle is fascinated by the mysteries revealed in the journal, but she can’t comprehend how her mother could have mingled with the witches. However, when she learns more about the Church and its history, she understands Bethel’s ultimate threat is its own darkness. And she realises that if Bethel is going to change, it has to start with her.

  • The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring:

An isolated finishing school stands at the very southern tip of South America. According to legend, people who settle on the land will be cursed. However, for Mavi, a fiery Buenos Aires native fleeing the military government that murdered her mother, it represents an opportunity to start a new life as a young teacher to Argentina’s finest girls.Despite cautions not to wander at night, threats from an intriguing young man, and stories of mysterious Others, Mavi attempts to embrace the weirdness of the enormous home. However, one of Mavi’s 10 pupils has gone missing, and when students and instructors alike begin acting possessed, the powers haunting this unholy cliff will no longer be overlooked. One of these ghosts is guarding a secret.

  • Revenge by Yōko Ogawa,  Stephen Snyder (Translator):

After moving into a new flat, an aspiring writer discovers that her landlord has murdered her husband. Years later, the writer’s stepson thinks on his stepmother’s bizarre anecdotes. Meanwhile, a surgeon’s boyfriend threatens to kill him unless he divorces his wife. The surgeon, however, will come across another exceptional woman, a cabaret singer whose heart beats delicately outside of her body, before she can carry out her crime of passion. When the surgeon promises to fix her ailment, however, he piques the interest of another guy who wants to keep her heart in a custom-tailored bag. Murderers and mourners, mothers and children, lovers and bystanders—their destinies intersect in a darkly beautiful web from which none of them can escape. Yoko Ogawa’s Revenge weaves a macabre tapestry of death—and the afterlife of the living—that is macabre, fiendishly brilliant, and tinged with the occult.

  • The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson,  Laura Miller (Introduction):

It tells the storey of four seekers who arrive at Hill House, a famously hostile pile: Dr. Montague, an occult expert in search of strong evidence of a “haunting”; Theodora, the lively assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, vulnerable young woman well-versed in poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. Their stay seemed to be destined to be nothing more than a scary experience with unexplainable events at first. Hill House, on the other hand, is gathering its powers and will soon choose one to claim as its own.

6 books to read for hot book summer (even though it isn’t summer anymore..)

1) The Bastard of Istanbul – Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak tackles her country’s terrible past in a bright and colourful tale set in both Turkey and the United States in her second novel published in English. The “bastard” of the title, Asya, a nineteen-year-old woman who loves Johnny Cash and the French Existentialists, is at its centre, as are the four sisters of the Kazanci family who all live together in an extended household in Istanbul: Zehila, the vivacious, headstrong youngest sister who runs a tattoo parlour and is Asya’s mother; Banu, who has recently discovered herself as a clairvoyant; and Cevriy. One estranged brother, Armanoush, resides in Arizona with his wife and their Armenian daughter. Armanoush discovers the Kazanci sisters and makes close friends with Asya when she secretly travels to Istanbul in quest of her true identity. A secret is revealed that connects the two families and links them to the deportations and killings of Armenians in 1915. The Bastard of Istanbul is a daring, compelling novel full of strong, memorable female characters that will affirm Shafak as a rising star of world literature.


2) 10 minutes, 38 seconds in this strange world – Elif Shafak

Each minute after her death brings a sensual memory to Leila: the taste of spiced goat stew sacrificed by her father to celebrate the long-awaited birth of a son; the sight of bubbling vats of lemon and sugar used by the women to wax their legs while the men attend mosque; the scent of cardamom coffee shared by Leila with a handsome student in the brothel where she works. Each recollection also remembers the friends she made at each pivotal point in her life – people who are now anxiously searching for her.The best-selling author of The Bastard of Istanbul returns with a stunning new novel.


3) Conversations with friends – Sally Rooney

Frances is twenty-one years old, calm, and very perceptive. She commits herself to a life of the mind—and to the gorgeous and eternally self-possessed Bobbi, her best friend and partner in crime, as a college student and aspiring writer. The two young ladies were lovers in high school and now perform spoken-word poetry together in Dublin, where a journalist called Melissa recognises their talent. Frances is unwillingly impressed by Melissa’s elegant home and tall, attractive husband after being drawn into her orbit. Private property is a cultural evil, according to Frances, and Nick, a bored actor who never quite lived up to his promise, resembles patriarchy in flesh.But, as funny as their flirtation seemed at first, it soon gives birth to a peculiar familiarity that none of them anticipates. As Frances strives to maintain control over her life, her relationships with Nick, her difficult and unhappy father, and eventually, Bobbi, become increasingly difficult to manage. Frances’ cerebral certainties begin to give way to something new: a painful and bewildering manner of living from moment to moment, as she tries desperately to reconcile herself to her body’s desires and vulnerabilities.


4) Normal people – Sally Rooney


Connell and Marianne act as though they don’t know each other in school. She is lonely, prideful, and very private, whereas he is popular and well-adjusted, the star of the school soccer team. When Connell picks up his mother from Marianne’s housekeeping job, a peculiar and lasting bond develops between the two adolescents, which they are desperate to keep hidden.They’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin a year later. Marianne has established herself in a new social environment, but Connell remains on the sidelines, hesitant and unsure.Marianne and Connell circle each other throughout their college years, wandering toward other people and opportunities but always magnetically, irresistibly attracted back together. As she descends into self-destruction and he seeks purpose elsewhere, they must decide how far they are ready to go to save the other.Sally Rooney uses her great psychological acumen and flawlessly sparse writing to examine the intricacies of class, the euphoria of first love, and the complicated entanglements of family and friendship in this narrative.


5) Mexican gothic – Silvia Moreno-Gracia

Noemí Taboada travels to High Place, a remote home in the Mexican countryside, after receiving a desperate letter from her newlywed cousin pleading for help to save her from an unknown fate. She has no idea what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a dashing Englishman, is a complete stranger, and Noemí has no knowledge of the area.Noemí is likewise an unlikely rescuer: she’s a stunning debutante, and her elegant dresses and flawless red lipstick are more appropriate for cocktail parties than amateur investigation.But she’s also strong and intelligent, with an unbreakable drive to succeed, and she’s not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both frightening and fascinating; not of his father, the elderly patriarch who appears to be enamoured with Noemí; and not even of the home itself, which begins to enter Noemí’s dreams with images of blood and death.The family’s youngest kid is her lone ally in this hostile environment. He is shy and polite, and he appears to want to help Noemí, but he may also be concealing horrible family secrets. Because there are a lot of mysteries hidden beyond the walls of High Place.The family’s former opulence and defunct mining enterprise shielded them from inquisitive eyes, but when Noemí investigates further, she uncovers tales of brutality and lunacy.And Noemí, fascinated by High Place’s terrible yet alluring environment, may soon find it hard to leave this fascinating mansion.


6) The Song Of Achilles – Madeline Miller

Achilles, known as “the best of all Greeks,” is the son of the harsh sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus. He is strong, quick, and gorgeous, and those who encounter him find him fascinating. Patroclus is a shy young prince who has been exiled from his country following a horrific act of violence. Despite incurring the gods’ wrath, they form an unbreakable friendship after being brought together by accident.They are taught the techniques of battle and healing by the centaur Chiron, but when word arrives that Helen of Sparta has been stolen, all of Greece’s heroes are summoned to lay siege to Troy in her honour.Achilles, lured by the prospect of a bright future, joins their cause, and Patroclus, torn between love and dread for his buddy, follows. They had no idea that the merciless Fates will put them to the ultimate test and demand a horrible sacrifice.




How many husbands is too many?

“I’m under absolutely no obligation to make sense to you.” 

― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

About the book:

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published on: June 13th 2017

Publisher: Atria Books

Genre: Novel, Romance novel, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction

My rating: 5/5

The plot:

Evelyn Hugo, a veteran actress of Hollywood, now in her seventy wants the world to know about her glamorous and scandalous life. For the same, she asks for a writer in a magazine who has never actually reached her true potential at the place she now works. Shocked as to why out of everyone at her company, Evelyn Hugo has chosen her (Monique Grant). Evelyn Hugo then reveals her life in detail which will help Monique use this opportunity to jumpstart her career as her personal life is basically non-existent, with her husband leaving her and her professional life so far was at a standstill. Monique is determined to make the most of this opportunity. As the interview comes to end, Evelyn life intertwines with Monique’s own tragic life.

Review:

To be honest, The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo had not caught my attention, even though every time I was on social media, the book kept showing up on my for you page. Going into this book, I thought it would be a 2.5 or 3 star read for me. None of the books so far, have interested me that much. However, the more I read this book, the more I fell in love with it. For me, the book showed the reader different kinds of love, not just romantic love, it showed platonic love, family love and the lengths you would go to protect your people. The book captures you in a way, with each page showing you the scandalous life of our protagonist. And as the book comes to end, you wonder whether the life she had, was worth the things she done. I still think about this book everyday, looking to find every kind of love there is. Hopefully, when you read the same, you find love in everything other do for you and you do for them.

This book is an absolute beauty, filled with beautiful quotes. Some of the famous quotes which give us a preview of the authors beautiful writing are listed below:

“People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is ‘you’re safe with me’- that’s intimacy.” 
― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

“Never let anyone make you feel ordinary.” 
― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Don’t ignore half of me so you can fit me into a box. Don’t do that.” 
― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

“I’m under absolutely no obligation to make sense to you.” 
― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

“It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly.” 
― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

“When you’re given an opportunity to change your life, be ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen. The world doesn’t give things, you take things.” 
― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

About the author:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an American novelist best known for her novels The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Malibu Rising, and Daisy Jones & The Six.

WHY READING IS IMPORTANT IN TODAY’S WORLD

Amidst our daily lives filled with activities throughout our entire day from the crack of dawn to dusk, we often find ourselves multi-tasking with little to no time for our own wellness. Our constant need for checking social media instead for trying to gather more knowledge and trying to learn new things has not helped much in improving the situation at all. When was the last time you picked up a book and were actually able to finish it? Certainly we may not always have time to read books in our busy schedules. However, trying does not hurt at all. Reading is an activity that might have picked up ever since we were kinds. It is actually a privilege; being able to read and write is a privilege in itself. But sometimes we severely fail to acknowledge this.

Photo of Opened Book

Reading comes with a variety of benefits. Some of them are discussed as follows:-

HELPS IMPROVE CONCENTRATION AND FOCUS

As multi-task away our days into oblivion, when we actually nothing getting done at times, it can be quite frustrating when we are just trying to do our best. We might get distracted by that twitter notification or that whatsapp message from the friend’s group planning a reunion.This results us in losing our focus and make us completely forget what we were actually doing in the first place. However, reading can really help us solve this issue at hand. A number of studies have shown that reading around 15-20 minutes a day can significantly improve your focus and concentration levels to a maximum.

Boy in Gray Jacket Reading Book

So, read a book to focus on your everyday tasks better!

MAKES US EMPATHETIC

Woman in White Shirt Reading Book

Reading a book about the experiences of everyday racism tolerate by African-american people may help us understand the major problem of the world that affects these innocent souls at a massive scale. Certainly, in such cases, books may help us to become more empathetic towards the way we observe and perceive things in our life. We may become kinder and compassionate to our fellow beings, all thanks to our books.

So, make the world a better place by initiating a change and start reading!

MAKES US BETTER AT COMMUNICATION

Readings book can actually make us a better communicator. This is evident through the fact that a we read books, knowing about stories, differing point of views, they offer us common ground for analysing the various side of arguments. This may help us in our everyday conversations as we are often able to understand the situations in better manner, keeping in mind not only our requirements but that of the other parties as well. This helps us communicate without any chances of misunderstandings and makes sure that the conversation is fruitful and productive.

Man Reading Book

Furthermore, reading also makes us an interesting person too. People would often prefer and like to interact with the ones that have knowledge about what they are saying and actually understand the depth of their words.

In conclusion, we can say that reading may be life-changing for the ones who try it. So,try reading to understand people and even yourself better!

10 Greatest Movie Adaptations From Books That You Should Definitely Watch

The adaptation is the ultimate high-wire act in Hollywood. And adapting everything from classic literature to modern pop hits has resulted in the unfortunate debate of “which is better, the movie or the book?” when, more often than not, both the source material and the adaptation are worth the time because they tend to enhance rather than detract from one another.

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1. The Godfather: The novel by Mario Puzo is an engrossing, dark thriller that fascinates, horrifies, and entertains readers. The first two films adapted from the novel by Francis Ford Coppola elevate the tragic storey into operatic successes that are widely regarded as two of the best pictures ever produced. Both films were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay (Part II being the first sequel to do so).

2. Little Women: Regardless of Greta Gerwig’s shocking lack of Oscar nominations this year, there’s no denying that her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel (spoilers ahead!) was outstanding. Gerwig gives the story a simple twist by envisioning Jo as the author of the classic Little Women. This changes the story into one of creative desire and achievement, and it breathes new life into a classic without diluting its essence.

3. The Color Purple:  Steven Spielberg directed a fantastic adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel, one that is both storyline and character accurate to the book. This is a significant accomplishment because Spielberg relies heavily on his actors to express most of the emotional material through their performances, whereas in the novel, we are privy to Celie’s inner thoughts and feelings. This film is a must-see due to the outstanding performances by the actors.

4. Harry Potter: Despite being eight films lengthy, the Harry Potter film series has four directors and two credited screenwriters, and it had to cut J.K. Rowling’s plot down by a bit. The films, on the other hand, remain fairly accurate to both the plot and the character development that is Rowling’s actual genius, following the same progression from a frivolous children’s tale to the darker, more ethically complicated storey found in the later books. They’re perfect adaptations for fans who can’t wait to see the amazing things they’ve just read about.

5. Great Expectations: Charles Dickens’ writings are large, contain a lot of information, and are generally structured in a serial format, so adapting them to the screen is always a challenge. But, even after all these years, David Lean’s 1946 version of Great Expectations remains highly praised; Lean’s script manages to condense the plot and characters into two fast hours without losing anything. The picture feels current and genuine to the text while being more than seven decades old.

6. The Lord of the Rings: In a broad sense, Peter Jackson’s trilogy of films are fairly loyal to J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic epic fantasy novels — Jackson condensed the tale a lot, but few people complained that there wasn’t enough Tom Bombadil in there. With the use of breakthrough CGI, Jackson was able to show the most famous fantasy universe ever conceived in a realistic, plausible manner while maintaining the primary themes of hope, heroism, and despair.

7. The Devil Wears Prada: Miranda Priestly is one of cinema’s greatest villains, and despite Lauren Weisberger’s novel’s success, the picture is a step forward. The novel, which was optioned before it was even finished, finishes on a totally different emotional note, but the film sharpens Miranda’s character to a coal-black point and provides a more satisfying conclusion to the storey.

8. The Social Network: The Accidental Billionaires, a nonfiction book by Ben Mezrich, is a strong, engaging, and well-researched account of Facebook’s birth and the various characters involved, as well as a sharp, critical look at the world of privilege around Harvard University. The screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and the director by David Fincher expand on that great foundation to create an outstanding character study — a film that easily blends remarkable visual flair with modern technology (some people still believe Armie Hammer has a twin) and razor-sharp storytelling.

9. Crazy Rich Asians: Kevin Kwan’s delightful, sarcastic love comedy was released in 2013, and it was transformed into a sizzling motion film directed by Jon M. Chu just five years later. The film was an instant smash, depicting the inner workings, intimacies, and complex demands of Singaporean high society. It was nominated for multiple Golden Globe Awards and received excellent accolades from critics, which piqued people’s interest in the novel.

10. Breakfast At Tiffany’s: Truman Capote’s darker, more brutal novella remains a cultural classic because to the legendary adaptation. Capote’s moving, tragic, and finally beautiful narrative of a woman striving to manufacture glamour out of the ruins of her life is a heart-warming, tragic, and ultimately beautiful story. Despite the fact that the film toned down the sadness, prostitution, and LGBT undertones, it ends on a hopeful note of romance, each scene is dramatic, unforgettable, and kind of genius.

The Girl on the Train – A bewildering tale

 

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The Girl on the train is the story of Rachel Watson’s life, post-divorce. She is an alcoholic who rides on a train aimlessly. On her way, she travels past an old house where she and her then-husband, Tom used to live. However, there is one house that she waits to see each day. She watches Megan in her seemingly perfect relationship with her husband. Then one day Rachel sees Megan cheating on her husband. So, she decides to communicate with her. However, she has a blackout and is awaken with bruises in her apartment. Soon she learns that Megan is missing and detective Rilly interrogates her since she was seen wandering in the area.

The language used in this book is simple, understandable, and subtle which makes the readers get interested in reading the book. The themes of the novel are that of gaslighting, manipulation through questioning or validating a person’s sanity as the three women are abused by the men in their lives. It also deals with a very strong theme that some things are not always what they seem to be. In some respect, the novel is a connectional mystery.

Rachel Watson is the titular girl on the train and novel’s protagonist. She is complicated and an invaluable character. She is a divorced and deeply depressed person because of her impotence and failed marriage. Megan Hipwell is a young, sensitive woman with a dark past. Megan is not at all the model wife that Rachel imagines her to be. Megan begins dwelling into the depth of her trauma of losing her baby. Anna Watson is threatened by Tom’s ex-wife for calling and texting Tom all the time. She fails to see the unearthed trauma and pain in Rachel’s odd behavior and views her as a loser. Tom Watson disguises himself as a loving husband but in reality, he is a liar, cheater, murderer, and antagonist of the novel.

The Girl on the Train is a 2015 psychological thriller novel by Paula Hawkins. The novel debuted in the number one spot on The New York Times Fiction Best Sellers of 2015 list dated 1 February 2015, and remained in the top position for 13 consecutive weeks. In January 2016, it became the number 1 best seller again for two weeks. The book has also sold 15 million copies around the world. The readers of this book loved it warm-heartedly. The author did a really great job with the three character’s voices. It deals with powerful themes all the while weaving the story into a heart wrenching tale of obsession and madness. One cannot help but get reeled into the chaos of it all, questioning oneself at times of who is what, and whether everything is as it is.

There is no need of any suggestions for this novel as it is one of its kind. The writing is quite masterful as the writer gives away only enough with each chapter. Hence, this novel is perfectly paced.

Book Review of The Hound of the Baskervilles

                                                              (Photo: Book Depository)

The Hound of the Baskerville is a book full of mystery and suspense. The story starts when Sir Charles Baskerville was found dead which was believed to be a murder. A friend of Sir Charles, Dr. Mortimer introduces the case to Watson and Holmes, so as to protect his heir, Sir Henry Baskerville. Watson is sent to the Dartmoor, where Charles was killed so as to protect Sir Henry while Holmes remains in London. Many unusual events occur in Dartmoor but later Watson learns that it was Sherlock doing his investigation secretly.

The main theme is superstition, evil, greedy for money and suspense. Holmes believes in science whereas Charles believed in superstition. Many unusual things occur in the Dartmoor which was later found by the Holmes doing the investigation. Holmes uses his intellectual powers to find the murderer. The superstitious theme is set up by the curse, the Baskerville Hall, and the hound. However, after so many suspense, Holmes learns that the murderer is Charles neighbor, Jack Stapleton, a Rodger Baskerville who wants to take over the family estate and plotted a plan to kill his relatives using a hound which he painted with phosphorus so as to make it look haunted. After seeing the hound, Charles got a heart attack. Holmes is a detective who was appointed to find the murderer. Watson is the assistant and friend of Holmes and is also the narrator. Dr. Mortimer is Charles friend and a house surgeon. Sir Henry is the heir of the Baskerville Hall who lived in America.

This book got a very great response by the readers. It’s widely accepted in the society and the popularity is also very high. It is one of the four crime novels written by the Sherlock Holmes. The book is unique and suspenseful in its own way and does not need any other changes according to me. The book is full of mysteries and supernatural elements which makes it very interesting for the readers. There is not a single instance where you will feel bored. Anyone can fall in love with this book who loves crime and suspense.

The god of small things: A Book Review

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A broken marriage can mean a lot of things to a family. Marriages can be broken by a lot of things including laws defined by societies about whom to love, whom to marry and whom not to.

The god of small things is a caricature of human pain and life built on the layers of political leanings, the realities of Indian conservative societies, casteism and of course on how other people exploit it just to feel away and free from their own realities.

A multi-generational family lives in a small village in the state of Kerala – a communist stronghold. A woman from the family falls in love with an Irish priest, despite the opposition of her father, but failing to get any near him, is left bitter and becomes the antagonist of the narrative. Two twins witness a rape and murder wherein this lady, their aunt, the one who once loved an Irish priest is almost implicated for lying about the criminal and she tricks the poor children into blaming their servant. All this happens in the backdrop of a violent and turbid communist politics of which the servant who dies due to police beating turns out to be a member of. The aunt hates the communists because they once forced her to weave the red flag while forcible stopping her car on the road. To save herself of any implications, the lady gets rid of the children – blaming them of the death of the raped girl and the servant, breaks down their family – the mother dying at 31 and the father never really bothered. The twins grow broken, traumatized and never really heard or cared for. And the climax of the story just leaves one crying when the two twins finally meet at 31 – the age their mother died. The girl twin no longer speaks and the boy is just a lost one. They, for the first time realize the meaning of love and warmth and that it is them alone who share it with each other.

This review will and any review will, as a matter of fact, fail to capture the perfection Roy has achieved in this book. The 1997 Booker’s Prize winner is a masterpiece of storytelling and narrative. And it is a wonderful critique on politics, religion and casteism.

Happy reading!

arundhati roy
Arundhati Roy, who might be in news due to her remarks in the present day has penned a beauty.

Metamorphosis – Book Review

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Gregor Samsa is a salesman who wakes up to find himself transformed into a monstrous vermin. Lying on his bed, he worries about himself and while he has time, contemplates upon the consequences of his metamorphosis. He wonders about his life, his family and the way in which his life and career has turned out to be. He thinks about he is struck with his job only because of his father’s debt and that no relationship in his life ever came from heart.

His family is horrified when they learn of this transformation when the office clerk pushes his way into Gregor’s room. The family, no longer financially stable decide to get jobs and when they do, they start neglecting Gregor more and more only to end up using his room as a store room and giving away a room in their house on rent. Gregor’s sister is the only one willing to give him food in all this while. One day, when Gregor’s sister accidentally breaks a bottle of medicine, his father hurls an apple on him, which gets struck in a sensitive spot on his back and he lies in his room in agony. And one day, he scares the tenants who threaten legal action over the unhygienic conditions of the house.

Grete, Gregor’s sister realises that Gregor is but a liability and asks her parents to get rid of “it”. Hearing the conversation, Gregor goes into his room and dies before sunsrise. The family rejoices his death by taking a day off and ride on a ferry down the countryside. Gregor’s mother exclaims that Grete has grown beautiful despite all problems and they must find her a good husband.

Kafka’s metamorphosis is considered to be a classic in literature. It is a story of a changing society and how necessities cause a metamorphosis in households and in society in general.

When are you reading this tale of humanity?

We were Liars: A book review

Cadence is a girl born to rich family that owns large estates and an island. Her best friends are her cousins and the son of the manager. This group together is called the liars. The liars are the best of friends, and enjoy each other more than their families which are bound quite unlovingly in threads of race and economic dependencies. One day Cadence is found unconscious near the shore and is not allowed to visit the island again for the next couple of years. The worst part is she remembers nothing of what happened to her. Her mother even forces her to improve relationships with her estranged father. She returns however to the island only to find the liars living in a far end of the island and her family broken down and her once strong headed and commanding grandfather suffering from dementia.

She roams around the island and is saddened that the liars do not want to get very close to her. She discovers not only the ugly relationships and secrets of her family but also slowly comes to remember and accept the fate that she has given to her friends and her family.

Awarded the Good Reads Book of the year in young adult literature in 2015, We were liars is a book that deals with love, romance, a decaying aristocracy and the decaying state of mind within it, not to forget issues like mental health and defenses.

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Happy Reading!!!

Legal and policy challenges in space technology

 

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“History is agreed upon as an uninterrupted process in time and space.”

India before independence was very different from the India that we see today. Of course, it is common knowledge that pre 1947 India consisted of modern day, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The after-independence chase of India faced major developments and changes that we can see today. India has an impressive array of achievements in the development of space transport as well as aviation industry for various applications. From a humble beginning with a small RH 75 rocket in the sixties to the successful launch of PSLV-D2 with 804 kg IRS-P2 in October, 1994, the Indian space programme has made remarkable progress through a well-integrated, self-reliant programme. On the other hand, the civil aviation industry of India has emerged as one of the fastest growing industries in the country during the last three years. India has become the third largest domestic aviation market in the world and is expected to overtake UK to become the third largest air passenger market by 2024.

Every country’s success depends upon its government. The way it handles the whole economy largely affect its economic environment. In such a globalized environment, the governmental policies act as the key factor in determining its real success, be it in field of aviation, space technology or any other. The government however has reviewed its aviation policies from time to time and tried to make it friendlier however it lagged in certain jurisprudence. In the recent past, the outlook of the government of India has undergone substantial change. It has tried to adopt emerging trends and include different terminologies, ownership of private companies, more new projects, financing, hassle free management and its operations. The government has increased its investment in this sector. Moreover, it has tried to devise the privatization method to solve many problems attached to this sector. Privatization is needed for solving the problem of “distressed state syndrome”. The complete or partial privatization will give positive impact on efficiency, productivity and profitability. Trends of privatization is rising all around the world and it is important to analyze all consequences and specific results, which will be helpful to understand better difficulties and structural changes.

During the COVID time, there was a dramatic drop in demand for passenger air transport. This threatened the viability of many firms, putting many jobs at stake. While the aviation industry has often been a target of government policies, the COVID-19 crisis has precipitated a new suite of loans, loan guarantees, wage subsidies and equity injections, raising concerns about efficient use of public resources. The COVID-19 crisis has hit hard to the economy.

Although the aviation and space sector contribute a lot to the economy, however every coin has two sides. The other side of the story is that we have grown, but grown at the cost of our mother nature. The question that we need to dwell into is: “Do we belong to this earth or does this earth belong to us”. Commercial aviation is experiencing dramatic growth in various regions throughout the world but at the cost of what. It is leading to the pollution of the environment. Over the past 50 years global demand for air travel has risen by 9 per cent per annum. The environmental impact it has caused is very degrading. This has become a cause of concern.

INVESTMENT

According to the data released by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), FDI inflow in India’s air transport sector (including air freight) reached US$ 2.79 billion between April 2000 and June 2020. The government has allowed 100% FDI under the automatic route in scheduled air transport service, regional air transport service and domestic scheduled passenger airline. However, FDI over 49% would require government approval.

India’s aviation industry is expected to witness Rs. 35,000 crore (US$ 4.99 billion) investment in the next four years. The Indian Government is planning to invest US$ 1.83 billion for development of airport infrastructure along with aviation navigation services by 2026.

Key investments and developments in India’s aviation industry includes:

  • In October 2020, Zurich Airport International signed the concession agreement for the development of Jewar Airport on the outskirts of Delhi. The agreement has granted Zurich Airport International the license to design, build and operate Noida International Airport (NIAL) for the next 40 years.
  • In October 2020, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced plan to upgrade runways at seven airports across the country by March 2022.
  • In January 2020, IndiGo became first Indian carrier to have an aircraft fleet size of 250 planes and became the first airline to operate 1,500 flights per day.
  • In December 2019, AAI announced its plans to set up India’s first three water aerodromes in Andaman & Nicobar.
  • As of December 2019, France-based Safran Group planned an investment of US$ 150 million in a new aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit in India to cater to its airline customers.
  • AAI plans to invest Rs. 25,000crore (US$ 3.58 billion) in next the five years to augment facilities and infrastructure at air transport.

THE NEED FOR SPACE LEGISLATION

What we can sketch out is that there’s a greater need for space legislation. With no legal obligation, the dream of ‘DIGITAL INDIA’ can’t be achieved. A robust legal regime would instill investor confidence, attract FDI and new technologies, reduce administrative and regulatory uncertainties, provide clarity on stamp duty, registration requirements, insurance, transfer of property, contractual obligation, space debris liability and intellectual property rights concerning space-related issues, and flourish space entrepreneurship by providing a level playing field to the private entities. 

The policymakers need to resolve the following issues in virtue of requisite space legislation:

·       Single Independent Regulator – In contradiction to the present multiple ministries, agencies and departments, namely, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Space, the satellite divisions of Department of Telecom, the Department of Telecommunications, the Telecom Engineering Centre, the Network Operation and Control Centre, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Defense, a single independent regulator is required to perform regulatory processes including the issuance of a place in orbit to launch a satellite and/or rocket, mandatory licenses to launch it, spectrum to communicate with it, and clearance for the technology and/or space equipment to be used. 

·       Space debris – Space debris or space junk encompasses both man-made and natural (meteoroid) particles that enhance the probability of disastrous collision that may cause damage to space vehicles. Although there is no specific international treaty or convention dealing with the imposition of liability, some long-standing guidelines were issued by NASA, on ‘how to deal with space debris’ which were later adopted by the UN General Assembly and COPUOS. However, well-defined provisions on liability of the launching state need to be formulated to reduce the persisting or potential conflicts among countries.

·       Security measures – With the rising threats to national peace and security by potential space and cyber warfare possibilities, countries need to invest adequately in adopting cyber and military security measures. Rules and regulations on lines with the Data protection laws need to be formulated to ensure that adequate cyber security measures are in place.

·       Granting of license – The process for granting a license is yet to be developed, but section 5 of the Bill envisages that there will be eligibility criteria, and a fee to pay, without giving any detail or indication as to what those criteria or fees might be. In particular, it sets out the obligation to provide a financial guarantee or insurance, which essentially addresses the broader liability question and the principles of liability that flow under the international space regime.

·        Intellectual property rights- Section 25 of the Bill states, “Any invention, or other form of intellectual property rights, developed, generated or created during the course of any space activity shall be protected by any law for the time being in force, with the primary objective of safe guarding national security.“ such a provision might deter the potential participation of the private sector in the Indian space industry and thus needs to be looked into by the policymakers to enable innovation in the space industry.    

CONCLUSION

“Without your involvement you can’t succeed. With your involvement you can’t fail.”

Well said by APJ Abdul Kalam.India’s aviation and space transport are largely untapped with huge growth opportunities. It’s the need of the hour to grab these opportunities and the government should deeply involve in this process by making key changes in its policy and legal framework. A single policy should be adopted. In aviation industry, a lot of digital transformation is required. A big vision and strategy are needed to get through stormy waters. Cost pressure should be taken into account. New technology should be adopted. With the increase in competition and entry of private players, only the companies who do best will be able to survive. On the other hand, in space industry, policy changes are needed to make the space sector more accessible to private players. There’s a need of single space legislation. Changes are needed in New Space India Limited (NSIL). Last year, the finance minister announced the opening up of the ISRO’s facilities to the country’s private sector as part of its COVID-19 special economic stimulus. This was an early but a commendable step. Many a thing have changed since COVID.

As it is said, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” We should also hope for the best. It is at these times when the government was able to realize its incapability and failure and hopefully it has started considering legal and policy aspect that needs deeper consideration