GHOSTS and other VITAL ORGANS: an obituary of echoes

GHOSTS and other VITAL ORGANS: an obituary of echoes by Vincent Hollow

HERE LIES

MY HEART

NOT DEAD, ONLY RESTING

HERE IN

THE DARK

DREAMS RED, WORMS INFESTING

Vincent Hollow is a poetic poltergeist rearranging his hauntings and nightmares into tales of verse and prose.

The book is a collection of dark themed poems. As the author says it’s a book for the living, the dead and the living dead. The book has three parts

I. Carpe Noctem

II. Memento Mori

III. Memento Vivere

Although, the cover and title make it seem like the book only covers the topic of death and life beyond, the poems cover numerous topics from love and life to death and destruction.

The illustrations and the art work in the book is amazing. Props to the author for the title and the cover. I was so intrigued when I saw the book.

I found two kinds of poems in the book. Some were beautifully thought out poems, poems which gave me goosebumps, poems which got me thinking, poems which took me on a trip down the memory lane.

The poem ‘Everyone has an Elm street’ is my favourite so far.

Other kind of poems were, as I call, tumblr poetry. These are poems which seem deep but when you think about it, they aren’t deep at all. They are more aesthetically appealing in the book but they can’t really be considered poems (in my opinion).

I haven’t read many dark poetry books. This book has made me explore more books in the genre. This book is a like a mirror to your dark thoughts, the side you hide from the world. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

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Stay home, stay safe

“Love has a rhythm, learn the dance and you’ll win over the love of your dreams” – Hussein Farah

Rhythm of love by Hussein Farah

𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙩. 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚.

𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙢; 𝙞𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡.

What is the book about, I hear you wonder.

The Rhythm of love is a fiction romantic story about Maria, a 34 years old woman in search of true love. The setting is 2012, in San Francisco – The United States Of America. Throughout her life men have approached her and asked her out. She is ready for change. For the first time, she breaks her rule when she meets Bruce.

In pursuit, she fumbles her first call, leaving her bruised and sour faced but giving up on love or change is not an option. Maria transforms into a woman she never imaged herself to be. To win him over she finally makes a breathtaking call; she’s in control, she is comfortable and enticing. He pursues her and on their first romantic date, they share the most magical and passionate kiss. Her sexy, witty, attractive and alpha persona has him wanting more. The battle for dominance between them is is gripping, thrilling and dramatic.

When these two forces collide, the intimacy is sensual, erotic and intense. But Michael, her ex lover, comes back into the picture!

SELF IMPROVEMENT

Are you in search of the most wonderful girlfriend or boyfriend? Maybe you want to experience a new kind of romance? Or you want a relationship that has all the affection you have been searching for, a love with all the engagement, inspiration and discovery with a worthy partner or future spouse. Then the self help potion of this amazing new release will guide you, inspire you and give you the confidence you need and the necessary tools to attract or keep the right person for you.

Why I loved this book?

When I read the blurb, I thought it was going to be just another love story. The book follows the story of Maria and her unexpected love story with Bruce. But the book is more than just that. The book analyses her relationship, her actions and her growth as a person. The book teaches us how to grow as a person and as a couple.

Doubt and fear can sometimes deny us the best things in life. When we doubt ourselves, we begin to instil beliefs in our minds that we are unworthy. Unworthiness leads to poor self-esteem, which in turn dents our confidence. We doubt others because we are afraid that we are unworthy, or we fear that the person may be too good to be true. Doubt creeps into our minds that they somehow must be deceiving us. We then seek advice from others because we have little confidence in our decision-making, which in turn opens the gates to bad advice.

The romance and the self help parts of the book go hand in hand. Initially, it feels like the author is just giving tips to make a person fall in love with you and it’s superficial. As you continue reading, you will realise that the book is actually about how you can grow as a person while in love and how it affects the relationship.

We learn what to do when we meet a person and want a relationship with them as Maria tries to get it touch with Bruce. We learn that the most important thing is being aware of your strengths and weaknesses.

“Self-actualisation is realising your full potential as a human-being. Your full potential is the purpose or meaning of your existence. This may be your hobbies, interest, activities or career. A person who realises their full potential will have a sense of fulfilment; fulfilment means satisfaction or happiness within you.”

We learn that sometimes confidence is everything.

The confidence you seek has always been there, you just needed to find it and believe in it. Do not let anything or anyone make you doubt yourself.

To find the confidence from within you, you need to dig deep and evaluate yourself as a human being. You need to find your true value — the positives and dreadful negatives.

The best part was referencing the book in the book itself. Maria recommends the book, Rhythm of Love, to her friend in the book as:

𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙. “𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩. 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙄 𝙜𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚?”

The ending with Maria’s story was unexpected and I liked it. Overall, it’s a great book but it takes a second read to understand some of the self help part.

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Thanks Hussein Farah for the copy of this book and the opportunity to review it.

Stay home, stay safe ✨

Fast paced YA thriller you shouldn’t miss – Lie like a Magpie

Lie like a Magpie by Lily Anna

“Bury the secrets. Cover with lies”

𝙄 𝙣𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙮. “𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙨. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙨.” 𝙄 𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙛 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠. “𝙄 𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩. 𝙄 𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙞𝙩. 𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩… 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡. 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨. 𝙄𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩, 𝙢𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙢.”

Maggie Morton is good at pretending. Pretending she can forget the past. Pretending she didn’t make a life-changing mistake. Pretending her identity isn’t faked.If she can hold on to some normality, no one can hurt her again.

Or so she thinks, until, a figure from her past comes back to haunt her. Her front is threatened. Try as she might to remain strong, the new person she has become begins to fall from her grasp. She’s forced to realise you can’t hide behind lies forever. Maybe if you try to, it hurts you more in the end.

Maybe it’s time she faces the truth; the real truth of what happened and who she really is.

The story follows the life of Maggie and what happens when Josh comes up from the past. She had trusted Josh in the past which led to her life falling part. Will she repeat her mistakes? I love the chemistry between the two of them and the mystery of Josh. Every chapter I kept wondering if Josh can be trusted or not. It’s unpredictable.

In the beginning, Maggie believes “Dad said in reality you needed to break the law to enforce the law because a true criminal doesn’t listen to only words. Actions were what stopped people.

Sometimes you have to steal to stop others – an almost motto they had drilled into my brain whilst training.”

Towards the end, she finally realises “We were bad people, and the thing with bad people is, at the end of the day, there’s always going to be someone to fight. Whether that’s the same people or different ones, there’s always going to be someone who you deem as on the bad side coming for you. It’s not always the police against the criminals. The criminals also go after other criminals.”

The narration switches between the past when she meets Josh and the present when he comes back in her life. Towards the end it felt really similar to the show End of the F**king World but with crime families of the two protagonists. Josh and Maggie are part of crime families and share the burden of their families. I just feel that the very last chapter could’ve ended on a higher note. It’s an easy book written in simple language, perfect to read during a stressful time like this.

It’s a fast-paced YA thriller that you shouldn’t miss.

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Thanks Lily Anna for the eARC.

Stay home, stay safe✨

Loopholes in Harry Potter

Plotholes in Harry Potter!

Guest Post by Aanchal Arora.:

Harry Potter is the book and movie which ruled over every heart. We find potterheads everywhere. I’m a potterhead too. The fantastic world of Harry Potter is, without a doubt, absolutely incredible. It’s beautifully crafted, charming, and engaging. Though we know that J.K. Rowling is known for dedication and research but no one is perfect, by any means. So in the case of Harry Potter, we find certain loopholes and questions which are not answered well, till the end of the series. But these loopholes not only brings audience participation but also makes the fantastical world of Harry Potter more mysterious to readers.

1. Does the School of Magic focus only on magic and they ignore Mathematics and other elementary education?

The very first thing which occurs in our mind is the education in Hogwarts, The School Of Magic. Muggles like Harry Potter or Hermione got their elementary education in their Muggle Schools but what about students like Weasley or Malfoy. The school imparts no knowledge regarding literature, mathematics or language. This is why we find Harry Potter and Hermione learn things quickly instead of the others.

2. Why Wesley twins were never able to identify Peter Pettigrew on that magical map prior to Harry Potter.

Scabbers, the rat of Ron Wesley was actually Peter Pettigrew in disguise. But the Wesley twins were never able to locate him around them or with his brother Ron.

3. The Food Scarcity in the final chapter of Harry Potter.

In the final chapter of Harry Potter, we find the trio struggling for the food and was the reason for their frustration besides the failure in searching and destroying Horcruxes. But what is clear is that they can’t bring food into existence with the magic which is one of the five exceptions to Gamp’s Law of Transfiguration. But they can bring food if they know the location or they can increase the quantity of their existing food.

4. The weird laws of Wizarding World.

When we talk about the laws and restrictions what we find ridiculous is the notice which was summoned to Harry who was underage to perform magic in front of muggles. But the Trace who was in charge of detecting such incidents often fail. Like in the case of Dumbledore who summon chair and floating cups in Privet Drive. Also, Mad eye’s Disillusionment charm was also not considered as a lawbreaker.

5. Why Sirius Black instead of hiding and running after breaking the Azkaban, prefer to use Polyjuice Potion.

Sirius Black who ran form Azkaban in order to protect Harry and grab Peter Pettigrew often hid as a dog. But he never brews the Polyjuice potion in order to enter Hogwarts.

6. Veritaserum can be used to impart justice in Hogwarts.

The Veritaserum which was used in order to bring the truth out of a person was restricted to use as per Professor Snape. The serum can be used to bring out many truths or it can help Hogwarts to get a kind of character certificate from the teachers before they are posted but it was used rarely.

These are some of the major loopholes in the Harry Potter series which is unanswered but J.K. Rowling often reaches out to her readers in order to answer them.

There are certain minor loopholes like the relationship of Voldemort and Bellatrix and how spectators enjoy the game during TriWizard Cup as they were never able to see the participants except in the first game.

In Harry Potter and the chambers of secret, Basilisk- the great snake terrified many students and it was hidden in pipes. Are the pipes having this much space?

These are the plot holes I found and I hope you also agree with me. If you haven’t witnessed it till now then watch it again and help me to understand loopholes out it.

Stay home. Stay healthy.

Aanchal Arora.

https://instagram.com/aanchalarora96?igshid=114nloxu9f8nn

Quarantine Reads Part 2

Since the quarantine began, I’ve so much time to read. With all the time on my hands, I got the chance to read and review theses to books. Review copies are always a great way to spend time productively.

1.

A Journey Into Unknown : The Alien Invasion Story by Aditya Kumar


One morning when Mark wakes up, he finds out he has incredible powers and he doesn’t know how he got them. His newfound superpowers makes him feel like he’s on the top of world. For a moment he thinks that all his dreams have come true but little does he know what the future holds for him. He has to face powers far greater than he ever imagined. Will he be able to defeat those insanely powerful aliens and fulfill the dream of everyone? Humans look upto him to save the world and end their suffering. Can he handle the responsibility?


The book follows the journey of Mark, the protagonist. He wakes up to superpowers and now has to take the journey to save the world. The earth is under attack by the Quaiak, the most powerful aliens. The story begins with Aliena finding Mark’s diary. She learns about him and goes to him for help. Can Mark handle the responsibility?
It was an interesting read. I liked the character development and the storyline of Mark and Emily. The book could’ve been edited better and worded better. The descriptions leave you confused. It was a little boring midway. I always like a good scifi with black holes, time paradox, multiverse and all.


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2.

A Marketplace for Murder by Debleena Majumdar

Is murder of human body the only kind of murder? What about murder of a dream? Or, murder of identity? This who and whydunit crime thriller explores the three questions through the unravelling of a web of lies, murder and deceit that threaten to bring crime very close home for Leena, a business journalist. The alternating first person voice of the unknown killer and third person narrative takes the story across a modern-day Bangalore and a strange discovery at an archaeological expedition with characters you would have seen around you. One of them, of course, is not who they seem to be.

I’m a sucker for mysteries and thrillers and for books set in my city, Bangalore. The book ticks off all my boxes. I like the character developed and most ppl who come to Bangalore for IT job and business can relate to the story setting. We follow Leena who had a peaceful life until her cook and her friend mysteriously disappear. What happened to them? The book has also discussed the topic of startup culture very well. The book also covers the topic of privacy breach through social media and the power of the internet. You leave digital footprints literally everywhere you go. What does that mean to the crime world?
Overall, a gripping story.


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3.

Mahaveer by Rupa Srikumar and A K Srikumar .

Every cloud, they say, has a silver lining. If there is one action of India’s 1962 fiasco in the Northeast
that counts as a moment to treasure, it is the battle of Nuranang. Sikhs, Rajputs, Gorkhas and
Garhwalis all fought like tigers. But towering above their stories of courage is a saga of selfless
love and indomitable courage. The actors on this brief stage were a Garhwali solider, and two
anonymous Monpa girls.
This is the story of that legendary soldier, Jaswant Singh Rawat.
Love blossoms, even as the dogs of war are
unleashed. Will Jaswant’s love for his Monpa beloved win the day? Are Noora and Sela’s pristine
affections doomed to be crushed under the boots of a marauding, relentless enemy? Will hate
and jealousy triumph, or love conquer?

The story is based on the real life events of Jawant Singh Rawat during the Indo-China war of 1962. Soldiers put their lives at risk every waking moment for our country. This is story is story of love and hope during the times of war and despair. He is a real life hero and this book is a tribute to him. The narration is gripping and I couldn’t stop reading the book. Definitely recommend to people who like history and war stories.

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Stay home, stay safe ✨

Quarantine Reads

Since the quarantine began, I’ve so much time to read. With all the time on my hands, I got the chance to read and review theses to books. Review copies are always a great way to spend time productively.

1.

A Kind of Commitment by Pratibha Malav

Young Mausami, a slave of the past, was living a life full of regrets. She desired to become a well-known photographer since forever. One unfortunately fortunate day, her life took an unexpected turn and she moved to the city of dreams-Mumbai where she received instant acclaim from her peers but she still continued to feed her past. Then…when she least expected it, he came wafting in, the rising star. The man Mumbai loved!! She hated music. He was a musician. Together they created their own kind of music. Through trials and tribulations, Mausami finally managed to enter the best phase of her life holding his hand,but the worst was yet to come… .

As the blurb clearly indicates, we follow the journey of a young girl, Mausami and how she deals with various problems in her life. She is a teenager, and like all the teenagers, she is going through a lot of confusing emotions and mixed feelings. We see her as she navigates the world to shape a bright future for herself. She falls in love with different people and goes through heartbreaks. She struggles in college. The plot line is a relatable one. We all have dreams we want to fulfill and to find a person who will be with us through thick and thin. The language of the book is simple with a touch of Hindi. The story is predictable but I still liked the book and the message of hope it gives us, especially in these tough times. The book was a little slow in the beginning. Although I think the author can do better, it is a good debut.

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2.

Jim Ozy & the Perils of Algebra by Nathan Pratyksh Khanna


A writer travels to a faraway land to meet his hero. The journey takes him on a trail of suspense and adventure, across uncertain terrains. When the writer finally meets Jim, the subject of his proposed book, he is amazed in many ways, for Jim’s tale is no ordinary one. It is closely intertwined with many complex situations and incredible characters, both good and evil.

Within the larger tale unfolds many a story–stories of a mysterious cult, a serious combat for restitution of order and an eventual fortuitous disclosure.

In a resplendent land that has seen no summer heat, where darkness lurks here and there, something strange has been fomenting for long. Will someone rise to the occasion to safeguard his homeland, even if it means the end of his life?


Firstly, the title and the cover is so intriguing. I was really curious about the creature on the cover and the connection to Algebra. It’s a middle grade fantasy book. I always like a book with a good map. The plot is really unique and the language is simple. The protagonist is the author himself who narrates the adventures of Jim Ozy. The narration could’ve been simpler as I was a little confused in the second half of the book. It could have been better paced. The characters are well developed. Overall, it’s a gripping fantasy and I loved it!


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3.

Rhythm of Remembrance by Samir Satam

your feet dance in the soil of my dreams,
till i wake up in a cold bed to feel
shards of shattered sleep pinching my eyes,
to fill my pen with blues of midnight ink,
till pages weep for lack of whites,
till my poems are tired of heartache,
and yet you dance and dance and dance,
with no scent of sympathy for this sleepless lamp,
that burns the night and blinds me,
till i am left incapable of seeing the dark,
but i never fail to listen to feet dancing in the soil of my heart”

-Samir Satam .

Its a collection of beautiful poems. I honestly don’t know how to review this. It’s a book of raw emotions. It brought back memories of all sorts. It makes you laugh and it makes you cry.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Stay home, stay safe ✨

Why I don’t like The Fault in Our Stars?

Okay fans of the book before coming at me saying that I don’t know what actual cancer patients go through. I know , I know exactly what they go through which is why I don’t like the book. Romanticising cancer or illnesses like that doesn’t bring awareness at all. I don’t like any books in the sicklit genre for that matter.

What is sick lit genre? Well, sicklit is the rising sub-genre of realistic fiction that — at its worst — aims to glorify death, suicide, and cutting; at its best it encourages vanity and shallowness. The Fault in our Stars in one of the most popular books in this genre. Five feet apart is yet another example.

Firstly, this book is overhyped. It’s a good book sure but I don’t think it deserves all the credit it gets. Also getting two beautiful actors to play the cancer patients never does justice to the book. Cancer is not beautiful, romantic and death is not heroic. The book and the movie come nowhere near to even representing what cancer patients go through and their mental state.

Every sicklit book has the same story. A young girl is at the verge of death but doesn’t have any interest in life. A guy comes in out of nowhere, brings joy and love to her life and when everything seems well, the guy dies! I’ve heard people say that they wouldn’t mind cancer if they can be with Augustus Waters. If someone is saying that , it implies the book and the movie fails miserably.

John Green throughout the book suggests the idea of death of author. Death of author is a school of thought that a book should be separate from the author and authorial intent. If you believe in this, you won’t take into account all the trivia added by the author after the book is a success. John Green himself has told us more about the book and why he wrote it inspite of heavily suggesting towards the death of author throughout the book with the help of the fictional book that ends mid sentence and it’s author who won’t tell anything in the book.

Lately it has become common to romanticise illness and call mental illness quirky. I think when one writes a book about serious things like this, they should be careful about what they’re portraying and also try to keep the story realistic. I know the book is already supposed to be realistic but it’s definitely not.

The Fault in our Stars was a huge disappointment.

🌟🌟

What do you think about this book? I’m really curious!

Everything and Nothing, You only live once

Here are two books I recently read and what I felt.

Everything and Nothing by Nilotpal Dutta.

Blurb: In the aftermath of the Noakhali riots, a young Damyanti flees her beloved Bengal to take shelter in an emerging India after partition. Her dreams of a home and flourishing life in Dacca shattered, she strives to forget her past and build anew for herself and her family. Her life blooms with her children and the community she builds around her in Patna, until the Emergency, the Khalistan Movement and Mandal Commission threaten to disturb it all and once again take away what Damyanti has so lovingly nurtured. The Ram Mandir agitation is the last straw. Determined to not succumb to the pressures of a hostile communal environment, Damyanti decides to combat her overwhelming guilt for the lack of strength and a failed sense of judgement and redeem all past wrongs by helping right her grandson’s life. Damyanti, who has blamed outsiders her entire life for discord and division, is finally forced to accept that her own people could just as easily be the outsiders. A heartwarming story of love and redemption, Nilotpal’s Everything and Nothing is a tribute to a generation that found the strength over and over again to rebuild on the foundation of ruins. A generation that loved, lost and loved again, but never lost hope…

I read this in a time when there was communal riots and political unrest everywhere in the country. It was a perfect read. The chaos may happen for any reason but it always affects the lives of common citizens. The lives of religious and political leaders remain the same. No matter what side you’re on , violence was never the answer and never will be.

Mahatma Gandhi says “There are many reason I would die for. There is not a single reason I would kill for.”

The story follows Damayanti, a strong woman who wants to live peacefully but is caught up in hostile communal environments time and time again. We all know that many lives were disrupted due to India Pakistan division, Damayanti is one of them. We know about Emergency period, the Mandal Commission. We only talk about how the side we support was doing it for a cause. What about all the lives disrupted?

It is a beautiful story of friendships, love, redemption and more. It is filled with emotions and the writing is beautiful. I wish the story was better paced because I was bored in the beginning until the story picks up even though there is plot in the beginning. Damayanti is a great protagonist. The language is simple , it’s short book. Definitely a recommended read.

🌟🌟🌟.9

You only live once by Stuti Changle.

Blurb:

Imagine you disappear.

Twenty years later, three people are looking for you.

One is dying to meet you again.
The other wishes you had never met them.
The third wishes to have met you at least once.

You are one person. Aren’t you? But you are not the same for each one of them.

Find answers about your own life in this inspiring story reflective of the youth in India. You will join a broken but rising YouTube star Alara, a struggling but hopeful stand-up comedian Aarav, and a psycho but zen beach-shack owner Ricky. Together, take the journey to seek the truth behind the famous singer Elisha’s disappearance somewhere by the deep sea in Goa.

Will you be able to find Elisha? Or will you end up finding yourself?

I don’t want to spoil anything for this book. It is a great inspirational book by Stuti as usual. I liked her previous book and this one is more interesting than the first. I really liked the characterisation in this book. Finished the book in one go.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Sara Holland’s new YA Fantasy – Havenfall

Maddie loves spending summers at her uncle’s Inn at Havenfall. But the Inn is much more than a Maddie’s safe haven, and life in Havenfall isn’t without its secrets. Beneath the beautiful, sprawling manor in Colorado lie hidden gateways to other worlds, some long-sealed by ancient magic. When a body is found on the grounds, the volatile peace brokered between these worlds is irrevocably compromised. What’s worse is that Maddie’s friend Brekken stands accused of the murder. With everything she loves at stake, Maddie must confront shocking truths about the dangers lurking beneath Havenfall – and discover who she really is.

World building:

Haven is what we know as the human world. It is the only realm without natural magic, which is why people of other realms call it Haven – a safe place, a neutral place. All the other realms intersect at Havenfall, through a series of doorways connected by tunnels hidden beneath the Rocky Mountains. The Inn at Havenfall was built on this spot as was the town of Haven – so named because, to the people of the realms, the town and the inn represents our whole world.

There exists a Peace Treaty alliance of the Last Remaining Adjacent Realms which excludes Solaria. There used to be many more worlds accessible from the inn, but over the centuries some doorways have closed due to the inscrutable forces that govern the realms. Doorway to Solaria has been sealed shut on purpose

The four different worlds are really interesting. I expect Maddie to be able to travel and explore other worlds further in the series. I’d love Sara Holland’s vivid description of the auroras and the blazing suns and two suns and three moons.

Plot:

I won’t talk about the entire story and the plot for obvious spoiler reasons. I liked the story but I just feel like the author could’ve explored so much more with the adjacent realms and earth being a safe neutral place. I wished to see more of Brekken and Taya. I stan Taya and Maddie so much. Ending of this book makes me really sad, especially how it ended for Taya.

“It occurs to me, calmly and distantly, that I’ve thought about things the wrong way. The difference between monsters and people- it’s not a divide between Solarians and humans, or anything like that. It’s what we do.

The main theme of the story revolves around ‘What is evil?’ and how perception matters. Every war has two sides and two stories. The winner decides which story to tell or the side you’re on makes you hear what you want to hear.

Characters:

The story has three main characters: Madeline Morrow (Maddie) Brekken from Fiordenkill and Taya. The important side characters are Marcus, Maddie’s uncle and the Innkeeper, Graylin , Nate. I love that there’s no real antagonist but still a lot happens. Silver Prince and the mystery surrounding him is interesting. I know he will play a major role further in the stories.

The protagonist is honestly such a Mary Sue. You’ve all of the cliches of a fantasy series. Maddie has horrible home life only to escape it all at Havenfall. A perfect guy from another world loves her for who she is. She gets involved in a serious series of dangerous incidents and figures out what to do just like that. There is also a kind of love triangle between Maddie , Brekken and Taya. I stan a bisexual YA protagonist! Her thoughts are like ‘ Nothing is as dangerous as the loneliness that wraps around me sometimes, as cold and real as an iron manacle.’ It also feels like the author is aware of how the protagonist turned out to be Mary Sue. “ In movies, there’s that thing when the main character wakes up the night after a disaster, and they have a moment of peace and not remembering before everything crashes back in. Not for me.”

I wish there was more of Brekken in the story. He is mostly present only in Maddie’s thoughts throughout the book. Taya is my favourite character of them all. We can predict the Silver Prince power storyline. There could’ve been more to that.

Recommended?

In my opinion, this book is not as good as Sara Holland’s debut novel Evermore. I’d still definitely recommend it to all YA Fantasy fans out there!

🌟🌟🌟.8

Thanks for this beautiful ARC Bloomsbury!

Do recommend some YA Fantasies for me .

Bookstagram : How did it affect my reading?

Bookstagram is a paradise for readers. Is it though?

*takes a deep breath*

When I created the account @ah_thebookfeels last year, it opened up a whole new world to me. I made so many new friends and discovered so many new books. I didn’t know things like buddy read and readathons existed. It was surreal when authors or publishers offered me books to review.

Why I’m writing this blog then?

I end up in reading slumps because I force myself to review books that everyone wants to see. I’ve to admit I’ve just clicked pictures and posted about books without actually opening them. *Looks at this picture and cries* 

I still haven’t read The Kite Runner and it’s been almost six months since I posted this. I’ve heard so much and I want to read it, I really do but I just can’t pick it up and actually read it. Beautiful pictures always seem to be the priority. Nothing wrong ofcourse but maybe we can give some importance to what we think about the book?

It’s so hard not to get into the consumeristic side of bookstagram. My feed is constantly filled with awesome hardcovers and collector editions of latest book. Don’t get me wrong, the flat lays of the books are gorgeous. I end up buying the books that people like to see rather than what I’d like to read. Then there are book boxes offering me exclusive editions with oh so beautiful merchandise. Are they really worth it? I don’t know.

YA fantasy books get so much exposure through bookstagram. It’s cool and I love YA but I want to read more books and try new genres and authors but I can’t escape the cycle of buying popular books that everyone would love to see on a bookstagrammers feed.

2019 was a bad reading year for me. I just read 27 books and mostly review copies. They were definitely good books but I just don’t know if I wanted to read them or I just picked it up for everyone else.

This year though I won’t let that repeat. I’m going to read books from my TBR along with new books that interests me. It has been really going well.

I finally read 1984 and it’s one of the best books I’ve read. I’ve decided to post more about the books I read and some in depth reviews of my favourite books. I hope you will stick around and support me.

Yes, bookstagram is awesome and from now on I’ll make the best use of it.