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Friday 28 November 2014

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

My Review: 5/5

This is one of those books I wish I had written instead. I wasted many precious minutes now and then thinking and asking myself why I didn't read this book before and then realised instead of wasting all those precious time thinking why I didn't read, I should have spent it reading. You see that's the problem with small brain. When I say small brain doesn't mean I am stupid or so. I am talking about age. I didn't read it because this book is for adults only. At least I wouldn't let my children read it until they are 18. Oh please, when I say this book is for adults only, don't bring dirty thoughts into your mind. Its nothing like that. Its just that I am more concerned about the languages used in this book. So, now since I am adult or so (mentally), this book came in perfect time. You know someone said the way its meant to be. Normally, things don't happen if they don't want to happen. I think this time, it wanted to happen. Boy, this is crazy life. I think I am going mad here. I tell you beforehand, I am a madwoman.

When I write this review and you read it, I assume that you all are adults and that means you have all experienced your teenage life and you know what I am talking about. Now lets all go back to our teenage time. Do you remember when things were better and you were smarter? when I say that, it doesn't mean I mean to say you are not smart and things are not better now. You are but there are times when you think you are smart even though you are not. You believe you know everything. You are annoyed with people around you. You make rules for yourself. You want to be rebellious. You may or may not be wrong but even if you are wrong, you don't care. We have all been there and we have all seen that sort of things. 

So, this book talks about the mind of teenage people. Holden Caulfield, our main character has just been expelled from a school. He has his own meaning of life but the thing is he doesn't know what to do with his life. He decides to leave home for change but later changes his mind to stay home just for his little sister. Holden is very protective of his younger sister even though he himself is bit careless about the life. He is worried about her future. That certainly reminded me of my teenage time. I don't remember much about my teenage time apart from some things such as I was always worried about my future. I was always nervous about it but when I was not nervous, I used to get nervous thinking why I was not nervous. I tell you what, teenage people are the most vulnerable people. When you become parents, you have to make sure to handle your teenage child well. Wish there was some formula on how to do that, where you can just substitute something and find the value of 'x' and you know what to do like 'tadaaa'. I had a bunch of close friends I used to hang out with all the time. You see this was the thing, some of my close friends had elder brothers and sisters. When I read about Holden and his sister, I remembered them. Whenever we wanted to go out, we either couldn't go out or even if we did, we had to come home early just because my friends were scared of their elder siblings and because they were scared, I was scared too. Boy did that annoy me. Thank God, I don't have elder siblings. Oh may be its bit harsh. To tell you the truth, there were some times when I wished I had elder sister or brother, specially those times when I needed guidance in my career and those times when I needed a family talk about my problems. You can't discuss everything with your parents. Most of the time, you are scared you will be grounded. The funny thing is, I totally understand those siblings of my friends because I am also an elder sister of two brothers. I tell you what, one of my brothers is already married but I still worry about him. I swear even when we reach to the age when I can't walk on my own, I would still worry about them. Its hard to be an eldest child. Parents always blame you for your siblings' mistake. Once in a while, I went crazy and wished I had elder siblings just so that I could blame them for all my and my brothers' mistake. Boy, am I madwoman.

Once I was asked a question, "how do you decide what is wrong and what is right?". Boy do I know that answer or does anyone know that answer. You see the way I see is, we have our one life, and in this life, there are so many ups and downs. Sometimes you have to be strong but sometimes you have to let it go even though you are strong. Sometimes you have to be harsh but sometimes, you know one of those times when you don't want to do anything but sit by the river and stare at it flowing or sit on bench in the park and watch people passing by? Just let your life pass it like that. Sometimes, we make decision ourselves but sometimes we make decision based on our surrounding. Its not a sin to be rebellious. Specially in the place where humans are ruled by the society, where you have to think about the society before you think about yourself. But what I don't understand is, some crap man made rule just because it was convenient for him that way, now everyone has to suffer for that. I mean obviously I don't mean to go against everything. There are obviously things which are good but there are also bad things. The funny thing here is, the things I find bad may not be bad for other people and vice-versa. I don't mean to sit here and give lecture on what the societies should be, the thing is you have to first think about yourself and families, then society because you make the society not the other way round. But the problem here is, people make the rules but they don't obey themselves. What I say is, no one knows your life better than yourself. You have to work on it yourself. You have to decide what is wrong and what is right yourself. When I say this, I didn't mean to disobey our parents. Family is important. I am just talking about general things here.  

I was meant to write a book review but I think I got carried away. Boy, was I bored. Just don't sit here reading my hopeless crap. Go and get this book! I warned you right? I am a madwoman. I mean it and I mean it when I mean it.

Saturday 22 November 2014

The best of me by Nicholas Sparks

My Review: 3/5 

Ok, This is Nicholas Sparks' book. So, the first condition is, it should be a love story. Second condition is, the story should be heartbreaking. The book is mainly based on:

Can fate give us second chance ? 

The high school lovers: Dawson Cole, comes from a family of hooligans while Amanda Collier comes from a wealthy and high class family. So, you can get the picture: their relationship was unfavoured by her parents. At that time, Dawson and Amanda both become society victim who seems to decide who they should marry. Although my society is also similar to this, I never understood why people decide on how you should live your life when you yourself have never interfered on theirs. I am sure the person himself or herself is more capable than other people in choosing their life partners. Oh well, this is how society rules and once you don't stand for yourself, you will be the victim forever. 

Anyway, going back to Nicholas Sparks' book, after nearly 25 years of separation, Dawson and Amanda have been given second chance by fate by bringing them together in their mutual friend's funeral. In that long separation, Amanda is married with 3 children whereas Dawson has never been able to think about another girl than Amanda. He is still waiting for her (Aouch!). So what happens when they meet? Will they come back together? Will Amanda leave her family to be with Dawson?

The story is great and there are some scenes where you can't hold your tears. I mean it's just unbearably tragic but c'mon! you don't always have to end it in sad way. I think Nicholas Sparks has this mentality that unless the story is sad, it won't be hit. They say unsuccessful love stories are remembered forever. May be that's how it works around here. On the other hand, this is the love we are talking about. Its blind and stubborn at the same time but love itself is not always ruled by ourselves. Its the society sometimes and its the families. Dawson and Amanda did get second chance and this time, they knew how to become one forever. They struggle with themselves and then with fate and then with destiny until Dawson's heart is forever with Amanda.  

Line that touched my heart:

 "Sometimes, though, she wondered what he felt when he thought of that year they spent together, or if he ever marveled at what they'd shared, or even whether he thought of her at all."

Wednesday 12 November 2014

A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks

My Review: 3/5

I liked it but it was a very uncomfortable read. I remember when I read Dear John, I was completely in love with the characters, John and Savannah. I was completely engrossed in the book as if Nicholas Sparks was telling my own story. A bend in the Road, however was different and I confess, as much as I was sympathetic towards the characters' situations, I didn't fall in love with them.  


It is the story about the true love and forgiveness. Miles Ryan, a local sheriff's life has turned into hell since his beloved wife, Missy was killed by hit-and-run vehicle. What is making Miles' life worst is, the driver of the vehicle is not known yet. Then he meets his 7 years old son's teacher Sarah Andrews, who has recently moved in the town after a terrible divorce. Through his son, Miles meets Sarah and before they know, they are in love. 


So far, story sounds good. Now, let me tell you what was the thing that was making me uncomfortable throughout the book. Miles, who was deeply and madly in love with his wife is not letting her memory go off. So, even when he is with Sarah, he is remembering her, talking about her. I understand he wants to find the killer but thinking about Sarah, poor girl was not even getting a full attention from him. When I think about Sarah, I go like 'Who would want a guy like that?' but when I think about Missy, I go like 'Awww, he is so cute. Missy was so lucky :D'. Anyway, this is a girl talking but whenever I read Nicholas Sparks, I keep wondering "Are there really guys out there who would love one girl forever?" All of his male characters are like this :). Anyway going back to being uncomfortable, so throughout the whole book, Missy is remembered but he is dating Sarah. Obviously he wants to move on. He wants to find someone new but seriously, it was just too much. I felt really sorry for Sarah. Oh! by the way, the book was quite predictable as well. The killer is kept suspense until last minute but before half way through I knew who the killer was. Not many characters in the book. So, it was an easy guess. Anyway, one thing is for sure, Nicholas Sparks certainly knows how to describe love.


Here is my favourite paragraph from the book:
'We used to spend hours just talking about everything, or about nothing. It didn't really matter. She loved books and she used to tell me all the stories she was reading, and she could do it in a way that made me want to read them, too. I remember she used to read in bed and sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night and she'd be sound asleep with the book on the end table with her reading light still on'.

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Memoirs of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon

My Review: 1/5

Very disappointing that book was!

A typical Sidney Sheldon book about love, revenge and jealousy but I hate to say this book didn't live up to my expectation and author's reputation. More than anything, I definitely didn’t like the ending at all. 

It starts off interestingly with a girl who has a mysterious past. I thought Sidney did it again. The interesting thing about this book is, you have to read it till the end to know how bad it is. I was completely glued to this book just to be disappointed at the end. 

Constantin Demiris (known as Costa) is eager to get a revenge on Catherine (our female character) after her ex-husband (Larry) nicked Costa's mistress (Noelle). He had framed both Larry and Noelle for killing Catherine and because of that, they were executed. Now he is determined to kill Catherine but before that, he wants to do the same thing to her that Larry did to Noelle but in revenge way. Then he starts treating Catherine like a princess claiming to be her ex-husband's boss, and she blindly follows him without any question. And OMG! she is super boring and crying all the time. I have read almost all of Sidney's books but never found a woman like her. All of the sudden he decided to make the woman the weakest character. 

Finally Catherine finds out that Costa is behind all her trouble and he is the one who killed her husband. I thought then bang!! Now something interesting is going to happen. Now she will do something. Now she will be real Sidney's heroine that we have always known but NO!!! Nothing happened there. They didn’t even encounter and the climax of the story is something surprising but in disappointing way. 

But this is Sidney Sheldon. It’s his writing. He can make black white and white black. He has that magic to glue his readers to his books. So, I was there reading anxiously that something good will come up. The one thing that kept me reading was I wanted to find out what Melina Lambrou (Costa's wife) was going to do to her husband, after everything he put her through. What she did was expected and clever but her stupid brother ruined it. What I don’t understand is how come Sypros Lambrou saves Costa from going to jail after knowing that he is the main reason for his beloved sister's death. Obviously there is wealth involved and Sypros got greedy. This was totally displeasing. Why Sidney?? Why Why Why?? My heart goes out to Melina. I am probably reading too much of Sidney's book. I guess I need a break!

Sunday 2 November 2014

The Naked face by Sidney Sheldon

My Review: 5/5

Dr. Judd Stevens is a successful psychoanalyst in Manhattan. Listening to people and helping them out by connecting with them mentally and psychologically is his job. Talking about emotions, he is also falling in love with one of his mysterious patient: Annie. 

Suddenly, John Hanson, one of Judd’s patients was mistaken for him and murdered. The same day, Judd’s secretary, Carol is found killed in the office. Two detectives, Angeli and McGreavy are assigned to the murder cases but to McGreavy, Judd himself is the prime suspect. To prove his innocence and track down the real killer, Stevens hires a detective Norman Z. Moody but before he could prove his innocence, Moody is killed and series of attempts are being made to murder Judd. 

Now, Judd has a big job ahead: save his life, track down the real murderer, prove his innocence and find out why he is being the target. 

Is it one of his patients? or someone from outside world? He doesn't know. There is no evidence, no clues and no witnesses. All Judd can do is go deeper into the maze of murder mystery and use his knowledge of human behavior to imagine the killer from the way people are murdered and the attempts made on him 

The book is very well written. As the story progressed, all I thought about is who the murderer is and why he or she did it? I was biting my nails throughout the book. The story is splendid and the way Sidney writes, Oh my God! We need more writers like him on this earth. 

Manchester Derby: Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United

Holly suffering cats!!! No idea what on the earth was on Smalling's mind. At 39th minute, United was down to 10 men. 

Still the game didn't go as bad as expected. It was a typical Derby game. Very competitive and very enjoyable. The game we always know about. Everyone was doing their best but just that it was an unlucky environment. Rooney was great too. Anyway, it was nice to see him after long time. On the other hand, I was hugely impressed by De Gea. Some magnificent saves he made there. So proud of the team!! What a test for United and they carried it out perfectly well!!

Without a doubt, my man of the match is De Gea. 

The Doomsday Conspiracy by Sidney Sheldon


                                                                
 My Review: 5/5

The Aliens are invading! The world is dying! They are killing us!
World's industrialization is the problem for Aliens. They think people are destroying  the earth due to all chemicals  released from the industry. So, Aliens have demanded the nuclear and manufacturing industries to be stopped. They have warned that unless people agree to do so, they will invade the earth. Now, the secret agencies from the strongest countries of the world have come together and formed the secret organisation 'Operation Doomsday' to fight against the Aliens. The operation is hidden from the world in order to avoid public panic.

One day, while making a trip to the earth, UFO consisting of 3 aliens crashes in the Alps of Switzerland. 2 out of 3 aliens die and one gets lost. The incident is witnessed by 10 people. Now, the Operation Doomsday is eager to find those 10 witnesses and stop them from spreading the news. Commander Robert Bellamy of US Naval Intelligence  is temporarily recruited by NSA for this assignment. His job is to find those 10 witnesses without consulting with anyone. Dutifully, Robert innocently finds those witnesses one by one but after each time Robert locates, the witness is mysteriously killed. Robert is unknown about this fact until he hands them the final witness and his own life gets in danger.  

Now, Robert is trying to save his own life. His own friends have become enemies. There is no place to go to and no person to trust to but the only thing he has is the skills and intelligence. Robert once had training in US Naval Intelligence to avoid the circumstance like this. Now, whatever he learnt from them, he tends to use on them.  

I felt deep pain for Robert when he unfolds the story of the only woman he ever loved and will ever love. He had her but because of too much of work away from home, she slowly slips out of his hands and ends up marrying someone else. The annoying thing is, she comes back to him at the end. Robert should have found someone else. She should have suffered as much as Robert had. Oh well, it feels nice to read about happy ending though. 

After reading almost all of Sidney's book. I kind of knew beforehand that this book consists of suspense with many twist and turns but never ever expected Aliens, UFOS and scientific fiction from him. It totally blew my mind! Without a doubt, he did a great job. 
  
ps. Do you know what inspired Dan Brown to write thriller fiction? The Doomsday Conspiracy. Just wondering if Dan Brown named his character Robert Landon because of Robert here. Sidney is getting another point for this.