24 May 2018

Review #712: The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles



My rating: 1 of 5 stars


“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”

----Elbert Hubbard


Beth Reekles, a bestselling English author, has penned a sweet and pretty entertaining teenage contemporary fiction called, The Kissing Booth that revolves around a female high school teenager, who with her bestie, plans to run a kissing booth for their school's summer spring carnival, sadly, the girl, who has never been kissed or ever dated anyone, falls a victim to her bestie's older brother's Casanova charms and hence in secret, they begin their summer fling, but what happens when her only best friend for life finds out that she is dating his older brother? A cheesy and cliched rom-com drama is what this book has to offer, one time read, but I guess, the story could have been much better. And certainly, please not a movie on this book! It's a total pain.

23 May 2018

Review #711: This House of Clay and Water by Faiqa Mansab



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“But you can only lie about who you are for so long without going crazy.”

----Ellen Wittlinger


Faiqa Mansab, a Pakistani author, has penned an extremely evocative contemporary fiction called, This House of Clay and Waterthat revolves around two women and one transgender searching for love, freedom and identity, set against the repressed yet exquisite backdrop of the city of gardens, Lahore. One is chained and married to a man of extreme political power in a loveless marriage, while the other is a feminist and is destined to be with a man with whom she can't explore her sexual desires and passion and then there's this transgender who knows that God almighty has made him the way he is destined to be and that he must find his love in Allah only, but their lives forever changes when they meet at a dargah (Mosque) and gradually a forbidden relationship begins to blossom under the holy roofs of that dargah.

17 May 2018

Review #710: Lean Days by Manish Gaekwad



My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and to no city”

----Roman Payne


Manish Gaekwad, an Indian journalist turned writer, has penned a heart touching travel-fiction book called, Lean Days which is a very personal journey of an artist/writer across the country through multiple cities and myriad of souls, food, culture, customs and religions to find love, all the while reminiscing about his past, along with that city's significance in his life. A journey that will not only touch millions of souls but will also inspire the souls to express their individuality and sexuality without any fear and also to wander to find oneself.


11 May 2018

Review #709: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Take responsibility of your own happiness, never put it in other people’s hands.”

----Roy T. Bennett



Julie Murphy, an American best-selling author, has penned an entertaining and thoroughly inspiring young adult contemporary fiction called, Ramona Blue that surrounds around a confident white 6 foot 3 in' tall blue-haired high school teenager who has forever been sure about being a lesbian but when a childhood friend who has become tall dark and handsome arrives at the seaside town, her feelings act in a rather different way. Blue-haired Ramona has always been taking care of her good-for-nothing dad, pregnant elder sister and her sister's boyfriend, without giving a second glance to her dreams or ambitions. But will love and the arrival of a new baby save her from all the real-life drama?

9 May 2018

Review #708: The Fates Divide (Carve the Mark #2) by Veronica Roth



My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn, and where we end up is really, in fact, where we always intended to be.”

----Julia Glass


Veronica Roth, the international bestselling author, is back with a bang and with her new book called, The Fates Divide that marks the end of this fantastic duology named, Carve the Mark. Up in the galaxy of stars and lives, two major planets are at war, and the fates of two teenagers who also happen to be in love with one another, are about to change drastically, that might not only bring war but will also divide them. And when a tyrannical ruler comes back from the dead, everyone in that galaxy is fearing for their lives, but can these two teenagers unite with one another to erase their common enemy before it turns into a bloodbath, despite of what their fates hold for them? This is an immensely power-packed ending to Roth's duology about an inter-spatial drama.