Less Than Humble Beginnings

I’m back again with another breathless read authored by Chelsea Falin. “Less than Humble Beginnings” is the first book of the many yet to come in the Growing Roots series and surely a book you all will love.

The protagonist is Willamina, a 15 year old girl who hates her name and preferred to be called as Willie. She was not blessed with a fairy tale like childhood, given the facts that her mother is an alcoholic and her father being unknown. But she survives, and makes sure to be a loving and a caring companion to her younger sister Babette in their lonely lives. Her miseries won’t leave her easily, her mother dies in a car accident and Willie and her sister were left to go and live with her maternal aunt whom she had no contacts for five years.  Although she is not happy with the things going on in her life, she really can’t complain, in fact there is nobody to complain but her own fate. She accepts this challenge in her life as she did with the previous ones, not that she was left with any other option. For Willie’s surprise she comes to know that her aunt Jennie is now a mother of five kids and realizes that now she is going to be one of seven. Fortunately the life is not so bad after all. The family welcomes her dearly and her life turns to get better with the time, meeting new friends and belonging to a proper family.

“Less Than Humble Beginnings” is a tale about a young girl coming of age who happens to face many challenges in her life which are not so common compared with her peers. Simple and lucid writing with a charm to tickle your senses and make you wonder “what’s next” with every line your eyes will swim through. It’s a light read with a smooth flow which will keep you engrossed. As in her previous novels, the author has succeeded in making this book too, a real page turn over by her skillful and lively narration and I didn't even realized reaching the very last page of it.

The story is populated with practical characters that are strange and unique in their own ways and also very friendly and caring the same time that you will fall in love with them and find it hard to part with. Just after finishing the story I started missing Willie and her gang of cousins and friends. It’s a book which you will never feel like putting down until the very end. I really look forward in reading the next books to come out in this series. The story not only makes you live in the sweet day today adventures of the teenagers but also discusses the grueling mishaps a child has to face due to drug addict, alcoholic and abusive parents. So, it carries a message for you all to think upon as well.

All in all I can call it’s a story which is “short and sweet”.  If you are a young adult, or anybody who loves to read about loving family bonds and friendship this is definitely a book you don’t want to miss!

You can purchase the book from the following links.

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Can Love Happen Twice?

Chubby Cheek’s Column celebrates her first birthday today! To make it special for her, I thought of reviewing this second book of the same author whose very debut novel, “I Too Had A Love Story” was reviewed as the very first post in our blog last year.

Memories are still vivid in me of that day when I first got hold of the book adorned with an autograph by the author in Bangalore. Although I was certain that this one would be as splendid as the previous, it took me this long to read it as I was waiting for the perfect moment in which I would be absolutely free to take in every bit of the story to my heart’s content.

“Can Love Happen Twice?” is the sequel for the ever so popular novel “I Too Had A Love Story”. Ravin who was still in utter despair after losing his girlfriend happens to visit to Belgium for an on-site project. While he tries to take this chance as a break or a change over in his life, the real change in his destiny comes in the form of beautiful Simar, whom he meets in Belgium and falls in love with. And the question lingers as the story moves ahead, is Ravin really lucky enough to experience the full form of love?

Even though the theme love and the narrator are same, the plot turns out to be quite different and unexpected from the first book. Most of the story was set in Belgium, which I believe is a rare and lovely experience. Also this time the readers are introduced to a girl much different from their favorite and ever loving Khushi.

The opening scene was a brilliant idea and the following three chapters were heart touching, thought provoking and nicely linked with the aftermath of the demise of Ravin’s beloved. The involvement of the three best friends brings in warmth and assurance to the story and needless to point out that it also depicts a good similarity with the previous book, as it started with a reunion of all of them together.

Personally, I didn’t like Simar’s character. Rather say I almost hated her! Obviously, all the credits go to the author for picking up the fine details from the commonly seen girly attitudes and behavior of modern girls and creating Simar’s character in such a natural way that I never felt I was reading a fiction.

On the other hand, Ravin seems to receive much love and sympathy from not only me but every other reader from the very beginning of the novel. Just as he was struggling to recover a severe mental trauma of losing his beloved, he was struck by the cupid again only to treat him with even a bigger blow. His fate is in the course of playing rather a cruel game with his life this time. I sighed and weeped for his great misfortune and the tears outnumbered the moments I was able to be happy for him in the earlier chapters of his love life.

The best thing about this book is the revelation it brings upon the readers and I’m thankful to the author for taking the opportunity to talk about the true but fragile hearts crushed amidst of selfishness. The book title questions whether love could happen twice, but the story questions the real place a pure love would have in these modern days regardless its first or second love. The words “love” and “commitment” has lost its real meaning. People have become heartless and love has become a mere excuse for time pass. Young people would propose another without much strong feelings that it would be quite easy to leave and move to another if a small dispute occurs between them. Love, family and commitment had been forgotten during the race to reach success and other selfish achievements. Hence, the story is not just to cry and laugh with but to think deeply about the message it carries and change one’s self in a way that they would never hurt another soul. The book is a reminder pure love and true feelings which would blossom only in a sensitive heart for another.

Regarding the story and the climax, of course the first book was quite heart touching and sincere to me. Still, considering the presentation of the story – the story set up, blending the past and the present, the flow of incidents and the addition of many remarkable and diverse set of characters all together makes this book out smarts all the other. Yet another masterpiece by our ever loving author Ravinder Singh! This is a truly sensational read which everyone who believes in love should never miss. 

Life of Pi

Life of Pi by Yann Martel, is no wonder a book which is well known among readers worldwide for a decade or so. The book being the winner of Man Booker Prize in Fiction on 2002 wasn't really the reason for it to grab my attention but the number of status updates in my friends' facebook profiles recently. As the book lover in me always preferred to read the book instead of watching the movie. Without wasting much time I got hold of the book and started reading.

The story as the title conveys is indeed about the life of Piscine Molitor Patel, an Indian boy who was born and brought up in Pondicherry, a small union territory in South India. His name would sound rather weird to most of us just like many others who were around him during those days without the slightest interest in swimming to understand that he was named after a famous pool in France. Anyhow it was quite amusing how this smart kid overcame the usual taunting of his friends because of the name by introducing him as "Pi" other than sulking over the situation. Pi's father Mr. Santhosh Patel was the owner of the Pondicherry Zoo and I believe that this fact gave a vibrant start to the story of his life. In 1977 Patel family decides to sail to Canada. Unfortunately "Tsimtsum" the ship they were sailing drowns in the Pacific Ocean on 2nd July 1977 leaving then 16 year old Pi on a lifeboat as the only survivor. The real adventure begins only then as he was to share his life boat with 4 other refugees of the shipwreck who are none other than an injured zebra, a hyena, a female orangutan and a Royal Bengal tiger.

The story is divided into three parts. First the childhood of the protagonist, second the life of Pi in the lifeboat and third a conversation of Pi with two Japanese officials who came to meet him after he landed in Mexico. The narration was mainly done as the flashbacks of Pi, and there were sections in the words of “Visiting Author” at the Pi household many years after the epic adventure, blending the story with alternating point of views.

Stories of castaways’ might be common, but this story has a specialty. The author assures the reader beforehand that it has a happy ending, however, the excitement, curiosity and the uncertainty of reaching a land would never leave the hearts of the readers making them hang on till the very end. The book is a natural page turnover! Unlike many other stories the flashbacks were hardly dated or written in a proper order of events. The author has understood the mindset of the majority, not to bore them with a stack of diary entries but offering a thrilling adventure without killing their interest to read. The very jumbling of incidents made the story more colourful and saved it from being monotonous. Despite the major part of the story being set amidst an Ocean where you could see nothing else other than water, every little incident of survival, the climate and the emotions were described in detail, each and every paragraph was enriched with fresh content. I even hardly noticed the lack of conversations.

The comments and the behavior of the Japanese officials were funny and hilarious, and I consider the third section of the story as an excellent climax because the light humor gives a soothing effect to the senses of the reader after 227 days of a stressful journey.

I highly recommend this book to every reader. It’s a must read and truly a precious piece of writing which every book lover should cherish. As Mr. Adirubasamy says “it’s a story that will make you believe in God”

Ending the note with a context from the book.

“I saw my suffering for what it was, finite and insignificant, and I was still. My suffering did not fit anywhere, I realized. And I could accept this. It was alright. NO! NO! NO! My suffering does matter. I want to live! I can’t help but mix my life with that of the universe. Life is a peephole, a single tiny entry to the vastness-how can I not dwell in this brief, cramped view I have of things? This peephole is all I’ve got!”

A Gathering of Sorrows

The Benson family is back, and they are no more the young adults whom we met in the first book but a bunch of fine young ladies and gentlemen in their twenties and thirties. Their lives have moved ahead many years since Scott, the eldest of the first generation passed away and with the time the family has grown big adding spouses and children when one by one got married and settled down. Willow, the eldest is now thirty two year old and a mother of six, three of her own and three from her husband’s first marriage. Her bliss was multiplied after the grandchildren gifted to her by the two elder daughters. Apart from Emilee every other Benson is now happy and well off with. However, their lives still have its fair share of sorrows and tragedies, sometimes in a way of losing a family member or at times as natural disasters. So, A Gathering of Sorrows – Volume Two of Benson Family Chronicles will welcome you all to join Benson family’s journey for another two years ahead.

I personally enjoyed this book even more than I did the previous one, probably because the family is now large and most of the members were old enough to make their own contribution to the story. The author has skillfully managed to spin a web connecting so many characters and a chain of events together. The story would slide over the pages so smoothly taking us along with the Bensons to experience their happening lives. The narration was perfect that I felt the warmth and comfort while reading the novel which a person would only feel when they belong to a loving and caring family. As the first novel, this again is a great example of victory against all the mishaps and proves the strength of unity. The incidents, life styles, characters and emotions are expressed so beautifully and intensely. Flashbacks of their early lives are blend at right intervals making the story even more touching. It’s a real family story with usual up and downs, tears and laughter. All in all I am sure that this novel would certainly be a wonderful read, especially if you are a family person and enjoys the family moments small or big. 

You can purchase the book from the following link.

Barnes & Noble

Book Review - A Severing of Ties

Here comes my first review on an American novel in the blog and I should say that this work really was a great pleasure and exciting experience at the same time. A Severing of Ties is the volume one in a series of stories to come up in The Benson Family Chronicles written by Chelsea Falin.

The story starts when the Benson kids are quite young, Scott, the eldest being twelve years, followed by the nine year old Willow, seven year old Emilee and the baby Avery of four. Benson family cannot be introduced as normal as a family could be, as both the parents are drug addictive, abusive and savage. They knew nothing other than beating and cursing the poor kids all the time and make their lives a hell at a very tender age. However, as the days pass by not only the kids grow up to be fine young adults but also the number of members in the family. They sail through their lives in unity, caring and being protective for each other until they break off from their miserable fate little by little as the title declares.

Benson family, the children to be precise will touch your hearts from the very beginning of the story. The author has skillfully narrated the incidents, the filthy surroundings in a detailed manner that you would get absorbed to their characters. I went through the first chapters with tears in my eyes as I could feel the endless pain they were bearing and their vulnerability of these innocent souls.

Although it’s a work of fiction, the characters and most of the incidents might obviously the reality among people all over the world. Life is no fairy tale to the Benson family as the miseries that have taken place in their life has out-numbered the happy moments dawned in their whole lifetime. Still, they got strong with each and every obstacle they had to face and cherished every happiness which rarely was bestowed to them. The story is not a bunch of depressing incidents but an eventful journey of the Bensons with courage, love and unity. I would suggest everyone to read it, especially the young readers as this would make you believe that determination and hard work can lead you to success irrespective of whatever the sorrows destiny would throw at you. May this be a story for the teenage crowd who has been gifted with loving parents and comforts realize the bitter truth in the society, that there are thousands of less fortunate people out there, so they would learn to appreciate even the little things offered to them in life. 

Happy reading to you all!

You can purchase the book from the following links.

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Goodreads

Wrong Means Right End

The two best friends, Sneha and Nandini stuck to each other through heartbreak and joy in the bestselling novel, Right Fit Wrong Shoe. Now they are back in a delightful sequel that follows the two women as they begin the next phase of their lives in Mumbai.

Introducing...

Title: Wrong Means Right End

Publisher: Rupa publications

Author: Varsha Dixit

ISBN: 8129120461

No. of Pages: 320



About the Book :

After a failed marriage, Sneha, a single working mom, has no time, or inclination, for love. She resists every matchmaking attempt made by the overzealous Nandini, married to industrialist Aditya. But then the past intrudes in the form of the gorgeous and rich, Nikhil, who brings along Gayatri to break-up her ex-fiance, Aditya’s marriage. Sneha enlists Nikhil’s help to salvage the situation. But how does she even talk to a man who clearly loathes her? As Nikhil and Sneha try to grapple with their egos and combustible chemistry, love blossoms.

Wrong Means Right End, an exuberant story about love and friendship, is filled with surprises and a wicked twist at every turn.

About the Author :

Varsha Dixit is the author of the bestselling novel, Right Fit Wrong Shoe (2009) and Xcess Baggage (2010). She worked in the television industry in Mumbai for a few years before moving to the US with her family.

Varsha loves to write fiction. Suspense, romance and humour are her favourite genres.

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By Losing You I Found How Much I Needed You

Introducing....

Title: By losing You I found how much I needed You

Publisher: Parlance Publishers

Author: Dr Rachit Bhushan

ISBN: 8192480925



About the Book:

It is a story which travels through dangers, it’s something unique as its about two strangers. It is about a girl very sweet whom every heart wanted to meet and a guy who was just simple and shy. For each other they used to care and everything happening in their lives with each other they used to share. But then what happened ahead is a mystery--did their feelings blend or did everything came to an end? It is a common man's story that was made uncommon. Hope it will touch your hearts and make you feel that "yes it has happened with me too”. Some stories end never and I am sure if you read mine, it will stay in your hearts forever.

Excerpt from the book...

This love story started in an unexpected way. This is my story, and I am sure it will touch your heart. This story has some extreme moments of love, passion, desires, fear, and some tiny drops of tears. It’s a sweet and simple—yet complicated—love story of a third year MBBS student, Rachit, and his girl, a final year C.A student.

People ask me to forget her. They think I can never get her. They ask me to come out of it. They ask me to move on . . . . 

But how can I move on when I still remember her favorite chocolate. The only lines I can quote to express my condition are: When I want to hide my tears, I begin to walk in rain.

It was 8th of March, my sister's wedding. I was busy in getting all the arrangements done, receiving the guests, and making them feel at ease. Going back to just two days before marriage, I had to make a visit to the groom's home for a ritual that needed my presence. At the groom’s place, amongst the whole crowd, my eyes came across a girl wearing a combination of beautiful orange and green salwar suit. I was hypnotized by her beauty.

All the people around me were busy in the ritual. Each one of them was looking at the guy who was about to be married. On the other hand, my eyes were searching for the girl whom I saw few moments ago. Suddenly, her face was again successful in seeking my attention amongst the crowd, but within a few minutes, she disappeared in the crowd again. Next time, when I saw her, an idea struck my mind. I took my N70 cellphone out and started clicking pictures of the ritual, though I was trying that the focus remains on that same girl.

I clicked a few pictures of the ceremony and more of that lady in orange suit. To be safe while taking those pictures, I pretended as if I was interested in clicking the pictures of the crowd around and the ritual, but inside my heart, I made sure that the lens had its focus just on the girl. I could notice her pinkish white fair complexion, gorgeous face, glossy lips, and shinny hair. She was cute and gorgeous at the same time.

That night, she wore dazzling sandals and held a white handkerchief in hand. She kept on appearing and vanishing in crowd. My eyes wandered here and there, just to have a glimpse of the lady amongst that crowd, but then, I was not so lucky, and the night ended in her search.

About the author:

Meet a young doctor from Ranchi who writes much more than prescriptions.Rachit Bhushan , the alumnus of St Thomas School who completed his MBBS and now works at the cardiac surgery unit of Ranchi’s Apollo Hospital, is already popular in cyberspace for By Losing You I Found How Much I Needed You, a young man’s take on campus love and career blues. He has a fan following in 21 countries and 150 cities, thanks to the phenomenal reach of the internet.Rachit claimed his book is “not another Mills & Boon imitation”. “It’s a life story, not love story and every human can relate to it in some or the other way” He asserted.“The girl in the story was once a part of my life.” The novel is a true story that has already created havoc in minds of readers not only in India but across the globe. The doctor turned writer has been felicitated by Indian Medical Association for his book and his novel also is recommended by the cricketing maestro Mr.M.S.Dhoni.

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