Probably my first picture here on litsy.
Major updates:
1. Have been in a major reading slump after I finished 'A little life.'
2. Getting back my reading pace finally, and hopefully.
3. Settling into a new job (read: first job).
4. Trying to add a little more personalized touch here.
Thank you for reading through my updates.

Three women. One man.
Three dates. One occasion.
Siobhan. Miranda. Jane. And Joseph Carter.
A romantically confusing and confusingly romantic story about Joseph Carter who apparently stood up three women on a single day. Is everything as complicated as it seems or is just super simple?
My second book by Beth. Quick paced, simple, yet an interesting story about how particular events shape our entire lives. A short and sweet no brainer book.
4/5🌟

When writing a book, it's hard to top a book that's so well written. The writer has done such a brilliant job at every aspect of it. Clearly one of my favourites, and a must must read.
It continues exactly where the first part ended, and brings us to the end of Vladek and Anja's sad sad story.
5/5🌟

For my first graphic book ever, it was wonderful. It has been on my TBR for so long and I just happened to pick it up after watching some stuff on the holocaust.
Coming to the book it has amazing illustrations, loved that the writer used different animals to depict the hierarchy of people involved. I can't even begin to describe the atrocities, but I'd like to mention how good are the minute details, which are easily missed in a sec.
↩️

For all the people who've read it -
I finished this book like an hour back and I didn't even wonder about how sad can this book make me?
But, then I realise something super freakin' weird.
It is 12th June today.

PS - Will probably take some time before reviewing it here.

This is the most accurate description of me reading 'A little life' rn. There's so much that has happened, there's so much that's gonna happen. And it's a huge ass book. Also, wtf is wrong with Caleb!?😑

It has been on my TBR since so long, but I never knew this to be a non-fic. The writer follows the events (special focus on sex life) and life of three women namely Sloane, Maggie and Lina.
I expected so much more, considering the fact the author did 8yrs research for it. Also, I expected the book to be more feminist, but contradictory to the title their lives are majorly controlled by the men in their lives. An average read, sadly.
3/5🌟

A weird title to read in public, even weirder if your family reads the title.
I Iove me a slightly psychopathic protagonist, and it definitely has that. Simple language, page turner (I was gliding through them), decent plot, overall a super fun read.
It has some great twists, especially the biggest one towards the end. A bit disappointed by the ending though. I still have to make my mind about it, if it was utterly brilliant or silly.
4/5🌟

"When my mother was a young woman, a man used to follow her to work every morning and masturbate, in step behind her."

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl
PS - Doing first line friday for the first time, on a friday. ?

Discussions about sex are a taboo in general in many societies, India being one of them. And I feel so happy and proud to say that times are changing.
A great attempt at sex education, with topics ranging from human anatomy to various contraceptives available and their pros/cons.
Simple language, decent medical insight by a professional and overall a quick read.
Great book for beginners as well as teens.
4/5🌟

A super rare occurrence for me, where the movie was actually done better than the book. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Nolan, etc. What do you expect from a movie that has them all - you're right, absolute magic.
One of my all time favourite movies to watch and I've shamelessly done that quite a lot of times.
Coming to the book, everything was great, the premise, the characters, the rivalry, the secrets, ⬇️

Just focus on the above horizontal image. It reads:
'All 12 of our household were given now to live in two and a half small rooms.'
Behind it on the board:
'REWARD - For every unregistered Jew you find : 1 kilo of sugar'.
That was a single life's worth then. History has been through a lot of dark times and this surely has been one of the darkest.

I started this book yesterday before going to bed and literally had to force myself to sleep somewhere like 60% in. Otherwise I'd have had completed it then only. It had been in my TBR since so long.
PS - Quite ironic, came through this quote today. Beautiful analogy 😍
Gotta finish 'Maus I'.

It's a funny story how I got into this book. I really enjoyed the Amazon show 'Modern love', through that I got to know about the podcast, then the episode by Terri and then finally her book. Bipolar disorder has interested me for various reasons and honestly it's a really good account of her experience. A vivid and overwhelming account of something that is so common yet unknown to people.

As for the book, I definitely liked it.
4/5🌟

What's the rush?
A little something I like to remember myself on days that aren't great.
PS - also started this book about which I've read amazing reviews.

The sequel to 'Full tilt'. It's about how Kacey learns to love, to smile and basically to live after what happened in Full tilt. It's a beautiful conclusion to all the characters' lives. It's difficult to match the previous book, it isn't as heart wrenching as that, but the writer did her best.
A good full circle by the end. Quoting something I loved from the book.
“Love had no boundaries, no rules, no favorites. And no limits.”
4.5/5🌟

An absolute gem. I have no idea why so few people know about this. It absolutely sucked me in and I completely hogged it down as soon as I could. I immediately wanted to re-read it the moment I finished it. A beautiful book about love, loss and life. Beautiful characters with great character development. I had been craving a good romance book and it just came and hit me right in the face.
I love Jonah. Who wouldn't, actually?😭
4.5/5🌟
⬇️

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives and Wholesome Stories.
I think now the title seems complete. A short stories collection by an amazing writer, woman, social worker and business person above all. Very relatable if you're a fellow Indian. I love that the stories have deep thoughts and feelings behind, yet are so simply penned down by the writer. Loved each and every story.
4.5/5🌟
#indianauthor

#unpopularopinion
Have been hearing so much about this Litsy find. Too slow for my taste, didn't sit well with me. DNFing it for some other beauty.💞

I love me a story with a strong dysfunctional female protagonist. Follows Irina, a photographer with an eye for innocent (read feminine) looking men for her explicit looking photos.
The plot and pace were good, disliked some teeny tiny bits here and there. But, the ending covered for everything. Definitely an unexpected one. A must must read.😍
4.5/5🌟
I'd love to try more by Eliza Clark. Any recommendations?

I literally read the book in 2 days. Second by TJR, and I definitely enjoyed it. Interesting yet relatable characters, definite page turner, great plot, wholesome relationships, lots happening at once yet still manages to keep you hooked.
It's a story of losing family, of gaining support, of fame, of scandal, of past, of present, of marriage, of divorce, of infidelity, of love. Above all, of betrayal and yet loving until the very end.
4.5/5🌟

I'm like 70% through the book. Already loving it. There's so much happening in every chapter and still TJR seems to manage the overall pace. Had no idea that I'd enjoy it this much. Meanwhile did some mandala after so long.

The synopsis made the book sound really interesting. But, actually a mediocre use of a decent setup. Decent for an utmost beginner. Simple language, super average characters and many fillers. Just a book with lots and lots of bad decisions by every character. Nothing in particular stayed with me. There are better books with good plot and thrill. Any other recommendation by the author?
2/5🌟

Confused regarding my next read, 'Malibu Rising' or the tagged book. Or should just focus on my chai!😍

Definitely a psychopath, until the very end. Think of a book coming out of 150+ hours of interview with a serial killer. I was excited to read it. But it wasn't a good one. You get to see how his mind works, and what a weird place it is to be in.
I'd suggest the books on Bundy by Ann Rule and Elizabeth Kendall if you are looking for something insightful and interesting.
2/5🌟

Just me catching on some reading and chai (tea) on a lazy morning. Recharging my soul slowly and steadily.🥺😍

As a true crime junkie and fan, I was excited about the book. It's about a series of murders of little girls and whether they are related or not. And obviously, who did it? I was generally hooked but it was a lil bland here and there. Also, I felt that some details were missing. I liked Margot as a character. Definitely disappointed with the ending.
3.5/5🌟

For a debut novel, it's really good. An intergenerational family trauma, miscommunications, weird mother-daughter relationship and a bunch of trigger warnings. A definite page turner, gave me 'Baby teeth' vibes too. The flashbacks took a lil while to get used to, also the insufferable husband who just wouldn't listen. I felt pity for Blythe who was in the middle of it all. Also, I wanted little more from the ending. Must read.
4/5🌟

It's a bit difficult to review. Mostly I really enjoyed it. To be very honest, the ending disappointed me. The characters were really good, enjoyable and definitely relatable. I loved the writing style & it was very wholesome. Kate was just too much, the writer thought of all the talents and qualities in this world and decided to put into her. Overrated but worth reading. I think I expected too much.
PS- I love and adore Gus.
4/5🌟

I have no idea where the story is going, but it's so damn wholesome. And just when I thought it couldn't get better, Kate went and met Gabriel. I have really high hopes with this one. 🙈

I definitely enjoyed the book a lot. The Trinidad dialect took a few pages to get used to. I loved the amount of substance the book touched and how it was nicely paced out throughout the book. Tbh, I was a bit annoyed by the protagonist's tendency to justify everything in present for the mere sake of 'love'. Please read the trigger warnings before reading. The ending and the side characters made the book enjoyable. Definitely a pick.
4/5🌟

I read this in 2022. The synopsis interested me a lot but it wasn't the case with the actual book. I didn't like the protagonist and his thought process but the pace kept me going. I liked how all the stories were interrelated. Also, I really enjoyed a few quotes here and there. Overall, a quick read but not a must one.
2.5/5🌟

"This is how I does see the world: by reading books. I does go to London, Hong Kong, Siberia, even, when I read a book. I does meet all kind of people. Learn all kinds of words. Live all kinds of lives."
- Althea
PS - Ending the year with this lovely lovely quote.

Halfway through this book and I'm still waiting for it to get dark. Also, it has so many fillers which hamper the pace. I don't think it'll be a good one.😑

My 2nd book in satisfying the TB curiosity. After I knew Anne's pov in 'the stranger beside me', I moved to Liz's and Molly's. To say it was eerie would be an understatement. Anne really undermined Liz as a character. There were few really creepy facts and instances. And to top it all was Molly's POV at the end. It gave me chills, the whole creepiness of the person TB was and the life he led. A great insight and a good read.
4/5🌟

I found this book through a random pinterest post. I must say I had really high expectations from it but those didn't come out to be true at all. A decent read for absolute beginners. I loved a few scenes here and there. But, absolutely adored a couple of side characters.
3/5🌟

As much as I don't like this trope, I started reading the book with an open mind. 3 chapters in and I couldn't let it get off my mind. Boyfriend's father, seriously?
I like me some forbidden romances, but not this. DNF'd it after the 3rd chapter.🙈
Any other recommendation from the author?

I was excited after reading the synopsis but the book just didn't sit well with me. I even struggled with relating with and/or enjoying the main character's thought process and actions. Some other time with some other intention probably. Had to bail out after finishing like 40% of it.
Also, don't wanna rate a book I didn't actually finish.
Your thoughts?

The typical 'from hate at first meeting to loving you forever' trope. As much as I dislike cliche romance tropes, the book was decent enough to not 'DNF' it. A mix of a couple of relatable and a couple of absolute jackass characters. A quick casual yet enjoyable read.
3.5/5🌟

How creepy can you make the cover!
I get it, it was the 80s. I just went on a TB curiosity spree and got hold of this. I loved some of the never known insights and specifications of the whole phenomenon. Some details creeped me out, but I anyway wanted to know the psyche of TB. Also, as much as Ann denies it, I could totally see her weird attachment with TB. Currently reading Elizabeth's perspective to know the differences. Let's discuss?
4/5🌟

"I can appreciate my body in a bikini and still want to set fire to the patriarchy." - Olive Torres

I found this book through Litsy. And to say that it was actually scary to read is huge, especially coming from me. As far as I remember I haven't been scared while reading any book. It is very well written and gives a ton of insights into how everything works. I'd love to go into details but that'd be spoiling the book. Specific details of a number of cases by the Warrens were mind-blowing. Do share your thoughts/experience in comments
4/5🌟

The synopsis that they never met for so long intrigued me and I was curious to find out how the story would proceed. The characters of Tiffy and Leon were too extreme, I understand the author wanted it to be that way but just didn't sit well with me. Also, the writing style and slow burn was a lil off. But, the notes, Richie, Rachel and the actual substance it touches made it stand out. Overall, a great feel-good read.
4/5🌟

A book on the inner workings of the biggest jail of India. A book by a long term Tihar Jailer, Mr. Sunil Gupta. A book on the various black warrants issues in his career. A book about corruption, confessions and criminals.
It was a good read, honestly I just had too much expectations with the potential setup.
A quick read with probably a bunch of interesting revelations.
3.5/5🌟

I read this a long time ago so don't remember much details. I discovered this when I was researching on infamous serial killers in the east. Found a man who killed 100 children. It goes into the details of the crime and criminal quite nicely but got a bit too scientific for my taste. Overall, a decent pick.
3.5/5🌟

"Stability allows a person the freedom of choice, my friend. People can pursue their dreams only when they are living in a society where survival is not threatened on a daily basis."

Something to think about.

I have always been fascinated (read obsessed😁) by the Mughal Empire of ancient India. And the moment I came to know that there's an exclusive series covering their reign, I just had to read it. Follows the journey of Babur, the first ruler of the Mughal Empire and how he came to establish it. Watch 'the empire' online to see the characters come to life. This is a friend's copy and I decided to continue the series after I get my own set.
5/5🌟

Just came back on litsy after years.🙈
Started the year with this one, and of course the internet recommended it to me. Personally, I really enjoyed the book. The dynamics between the protagonists, the silly banter and the progress, I loved it all. As much as I liked the book, the movie just didn't cut it for me. Any other Sally thorne recommendations?
4/5🌟

"Apart from the ring, I'm not hugely one for sentimental relics (of course, I was never immune to keeping a few prized tokens after a murder, but it could hardly be called sentimental)."

I read this book long back, just didn't get time to review it. The synopsis was gripping and that's what made me read the book. Overall the book is an okayish read, makes you turn pages, but turns out to be a cliche as it ends.
3.5/5🌟
#thriller #suspense #mystery #newyear