6.
Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman- I am in awe
of Neal Shusterman’s stories ever since I read SCYTHE . He comes up with
interesting dystopian/utopian concepts that are relevant and something I
foresee playing out in the near future.Dry is a frightening tale focusing on
the deadly effects of water crisis in a town. It shows how an otherwise
peaceful family friendly town converts into a war zone of sorts in the event of
a disaster. Just like his other stories, this too felt very close to reality
and something that could potentially happen to us someday.
It followed four different characters with
their respective perspectives on this tragic situation. While reading , I was
constantly trying to put myself in their shoes and wondered if I too would go
to such despicable lengths in order to survive?
The other thing that stood out for me was
how realistic it all felt because I remember literally being thirsty while
reading some scenes depicting people getting parched.
Overall, it was an enjoyable reading
experience which also made me think about being mindful when it comes to the
usage and conservation of natural resources.
RATING- 5/5
7.
With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo- Any
novel with food/cooking as its theme is a must buy for me. The story is about a seventeen year old
single mother who aspires to become a chef. She does a million things at once-
she goes to school, takes care of her baby with a little assistance from her
grandmother and also works at a food court. But the thing that truly defines
her is her cooking skills . Despite the hectic schedule , she manages to
whip up delicious food which touches people’s heart and soul.
I adored the family dynamic which kind of
reminded me of the TV show Jane The Virgin. The supporting cast of characters
were also adorable especially her best friend Angelica. The love interest in
the story was a sweetheart. There was a smile in my face every time he was
around.
With contemporaries like this, we come
across a lot of recent pop culture references which is something I enjoy in
books.
The food/cooking scenes were absolutely
gorgeous and some recipes were worth trying. The beautiful cover page and those
nice food illustrations further added to my enjoyment.
But the thing that stood out for me was the
easy breezy writing style . I had a great time with this one.
RATING- 5/5
8.
Heartstopper: Volumes 1 & 2 by Alice Oseman-
Lately there has been this craze for Graphic novels and Manga. When I found out that Heartstopper written
and illustrated by Radio Silence fame Alice Oseman is available on the internet, I decided to give it a try. It is a LGBTQ+ graphic novel about two best friends
Nick and Charlie falling in Love. But the story is much more than just that. It
covers hard hitting issues like mental health , sexuality, abuse and more. I
had a good time but I believe I need to read a couple more graphic novels to rate this
one. As far as my enjoyment level goes, it was ok for me.
9.
Kafka On the Shore by Haruki Murakami – It seems
like Murakami is the current sensation in the fiction department. Back when I
was in college, everybody was obsessed with Paulo Coelho. Further back, Khaled
Hosseini with his Kite Runner was the flavor of the town. Anyways, Kafka on
the Shore was my first time reading Murakami. There is no specific reason why
of all his books , I chose this one. The synopsis at the back is so bizarre and
outlandish that I kept this book on hold for a long time before finally
gathering the courage to pick it up. The story follows two main characters-
Kafka and Nakata. At the beginning of the story, a 15 year old Kafka runs away
from his home due to his father’s dark prophecy ( and this is one gross
prophecy involving incest, murder and more). Nakata is an old man with a
strange ability to talk to cats. This is due to a freakishly bizarre childhood
incident.
What I liked?
a)
The story has everything from talking cats to
raining fish to ghosts . All these weird elements and the whole
unpredictability of the plot kept me going.
b)
I love a book which is so outlandish and twisted
that I come up with my own set of theories while reading. And it gives a sense
of accomplishment when some of my predictions come true.
c)
The writing style sprinkled
with some beautiful quote worthy lines was quite easy to follow.
d)
I found myself caring deeply about the
interesting cast of characters.
What I didn't like?
a)
I was grossed out by certain contents involving
incest and some pretty graphic descriptions of sexual acts. It’s a personal
preference which makes me cringe and uncomfortable while reading any such content.
b)
The open ending climax frustrated me. I expect
at least a satisfying ending when I read a 500 page long dense book . I even had to
google to figure out what the ending implied.
Overall it was an average reading
experience . Either Murakami or Magical Realism isn't for me. I also read on the
internet that this book should be re-read at least once more to fully grasp the
story which I am in no mood to do.
Rating- 3/5
10.
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey Mcquiston –
Everyone has been raving about this book ever since it released . It is touted
as the best LGBTQ Rom-Com novel ever written. Unfortunately I didn't share this
emotion and decided to quit it a little over halfway mark. I was enjoying the
banter between the two main characters – Alex and Henry . The cast of charming and superbly funny
supporting characters engaged in some extremely hilarious conversations made me LOL. For some reason, Alex reminded me of David from the TV show
Schitt’s Creek. I kept picturing him mouthing Alex’s dialogues. Henry as a
royal prince of sorts was portrayed stereo typically. The thing that hindered my
enjoyment was all the talks of politics and other administrative stuff which
went over my head to even care. Also, I think it is a bit longer than required. It was taking me ages to read. I don't wish to rate a book that I haven’t
finished but if I have to then it was close to a rating of 2/5 .
Happy Reading..!!!
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