Rebecca's Rampage Part 2

[Rebecca]

:-D

[Girish, The Good cop]

Thanks to this thread and your reviews, got to know about Lebrivox. Must try my first audio book!

Always worried if it would be the same as reading..

[Ahtims]

Girish, reading is best, but audio books are useful in circumstances where we can't read. like travel, ironing, jogging, cleaning the house etc....

[Girish, The Good cop]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Girish, reading is best, but audio books are useful in circumstances where we can't read. like travel, ironing, jogging, cleaning the house etc...."

Ok, since I don't seem to be doing of any of these, I think I should stick to reading :)
But still curious to try

[Srividya]

Girish wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Girish, reading is best, but audio books are useful in circumstances where we can't read. like travel, ironing, jogging, cleaning the house etc...."

Ok, since I don't seem to b..."

ROFL!!!! Nice reply! :P

[Ahtims]

I would retort with - try ironing and cleaning, juzt for audiobooks sake. Family khush, aap khush :-P

[Ahtims]

I would retort with - try ironing and cleaning, juzt for audiobooks sake. Family khush, aap khush :-P

[Rebecca]

I am a great fan of Librivox. it is an awesome site. I have listened to many books Jane Eyre , Pride and Prejudice , A study in scarlet , The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Thirty nine steps. Loved them all. Listening can never replace the pleasures of reading. But for mammoths which daunt me nowadays I prefer listening. Sometimes when there are lengthy descriptions your attention may waver. But ut as Syl has said for those of us who toil hard it makes mundane tasks enjoyable.

[Rebecca]

Cinnamon and Gunpowder

My Rating 4/5

I love cooking and better still eating. To me a pleasure equal to the above two is reading about them. So when I read the blurb of this book I jumped into it. And I should say it has certainly quailed my hunger regarding the foodie aspect. It was indeed delicious!

Apart from the food references I loved the rather unusual plot. A personal chef is kidnapped by a female pirate - The Mad Mabbot- the terror of trading ships. He is forced to cook for her in exchange for his life and so the tale begins. From hatred his feelings change to admiration and then love. But even before Owen Wedge ( the chef) started having thoughts about Mabbot I fell in love with her. She had style , wit, power, passion and was fighting for a cause she believed in. What a spunky heroine ! I loved the parts where her bonding with her son is portrayed . She is just like any other mother. All in all a satisfying read. But I took off a star because towards the end I thought the story had steered off its path and the numerous references to a ship's structure which had my head whirling.

[Ahtims]

an unconventional storyline :-)

[Girish, The Good cop]

Sounds like a good experimental read! Nice review :)

[Rebecca]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "an unconventional storyline :-)"

I loved the reversal of roles.

[Rebecca]

Girish wrote: "Sounds like a good experimental read! Nice review :)"

Thank You.

[Rebecca]

Pauline's Passion and Punishment

My Rating 3/5

An emotional tale of Revenge and the havoc it wrecks on all the people involved especially the instigator. Not bad but I think I enjoyed it mostly because of the reader and her expressive voice more than the plot. Listened to from Librivox,

[Rebecca]

The Secret Garden

My Rating 4/5

This was a carry over read from last year. I listened to it from Librivox read by Karen Savage. She has a clear voice that is very pleasing to the ears. This is the story of a sulky and sour girl who in discovering a secret garden finds happiness and health. She touches some lives along the way including that of her invalid cousin. It is beautifully narrated, is optimistic and a feel good book. It carries some lessons but is not too preachy and I think I would have loved it better had I read it as a child.

[Srividya]

I am yet to read this one! :O

Hopefully I should get to it sometime this year! :)

[Rebecca]

Eat, Pray, Love

My Rating 4/5

My entry into this book was all of a sudden without reading the blurb or reviews. It was only after the first few pages that I realized it was a memoir. An interesting memoir ..... It is the story of one very disturbed woman's search for spiritual peace and a balance in life. The search is conducted through her travels to 3 countries Italy, India and Indonesia. The first part ie Italy was charming all those food and architecture descriptions .It is a wonder I did not pack my bags for Italy the very next day ! So I was eager to srart on the Indian part feeling I could identify with it being an Indian myself.Alas I was disappointed -it was one continuous series of meditation and yoga. Not being a very spiritual person I just could not get into it and it would have been rally drab were it not for the entry of Richard from Texas. He added the much necessary spice into it. The third part the Indonesian story was original with many snippets of information about Bali culture and society. (view spoiler)[ The romance also lacked the groove though I am happy that Liz finally found her true love. (hide spoiler)] . I was amazed to find that Americans too had a guilty complex regarding enjoyment of the pleasures of life. I thought it was something we Indians reserved for ourselves.

[Ahtims]

I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony

[Rebecca]

Srividya wrote: "I am yet to read this one! :O

Hopefully I should get to it sometime this year! :)"

You will surely love it Sri.

[Srividya]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony"

Hi - 5, Syl! I also felt the same way and abandoned it long back! However, looking at Rebecca's rating, I feel that I might have been a tad too judgemental once again! ;) :P

Looks like it's time to see if this older and more mature (????) me likes it! :P

[Srividya]

Rebecca wrote: "Srividya wrote: "I am yet to read this one! :O

Hopefully I should get to it sometime this year! :)"

You will surely love it Sri."

Will get to it soon and will go the Librivox way! :D

[Rebecca]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony"

Ha ha ha! I read this because I badly wanted to see the movie by Julia Roberts. Simply love her. It is not that bad Syl. I loved the Italian part.

[Ahtims]

Srividya wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony"

Hi - 5, Syl! I also felt the same way and abandoned it long back! However, looking at R..."

Hi 5.... then when both are in the mood for it, we will buddy read it.
Not now, perhaps sometime in future.. :)

[Rebecca]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Srividya wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony"

Hi - 5, Syl! I also felt the same way and abandoned it long back! Howe..."

I buddy read this with my sis in law. She too loved it though she hasnt finished yet.

[Ahtims]

Envying you Reb, for having a relative who reads and discusses books. I sometimes thirst to talk ... but I have no one other than GR folk.

[Srividya]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Srividya wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony"

Hi - 5, Syl! I also felt the same way and abandoned it long back! Howe..."

Now that's a plan!!! :D :P Any time in the future, say 10 - 100 years down the line! :P

*runs away before Rebecca whacks me* :P

[Ahtims]

Srividya wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Srividya wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony"

Hi - 5, Syl! I also felt the same way and abandone..."

LOL, after 100 years - this is a deal. _/\_

[Srividya]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Srividya wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Srividya wrote: "Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I hated that book - Eat, Pray, Love... dont know why, but first pages itself were phony"

Hi - 5, Syl! I also felt the same..."

We have IJ and then Wolf's Hall to overcome first and if we survive these two, only then can we get to Eat, Pray and Love for we will need it to rejuvenate us, hence the 100 year program! :P :P

[Ahtims]

ha ha..... yes. :)

[Rebecca]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Envying you Reb, for having a relative who reads and discusses books. I sometimes thirst to talk ... but I have no one other than GR folk."

Yes Syl it is indeed a blessing to have a bookie sis in law . Between us we simply amass books. And another point in support of the author she has a great sense of humor I found myself chuckling at times.

[Rebecca]

Jeeves in the Offing

My Rating 4/5

It was mayhem all around and I lived it through with Bertie. But this time around Bertie unfortunately failed to make a mess of it as much as he is capable of. And Jeeves was a late entry as the saving saint. Enjoyed this one immensely best of all the Jeeves Ive read so far.

[Rebecca]

The Secret of Chimneys

My Rating 4/5

I finished it in one day. The amount of suspense and intrigue and the innumerable suspicious foreign characters had me racing through the pages. This was the first Superintendent Battle and he is the epitome of the British stiff upper lip- an impassive mask of a face in the most disastrous situations . The hero Anthony Cade with his nonchalant humor simply steals the show( I was reminded of Bertie Wooster of P.G.Wodehouse.). But the end left me with a tinge of disappointment. I sort of anticipated it. Still a highly enjoyable read and hats off to the Queen of Mysteries.

[Rebecca]

The Shadow of the Wind

My Rating 4/5

This was some tale! It ruined my sleep and disrupted my daily routine. What an amazing narration! The wordplay was brilliant that I imagined myself walking in the streets of Barcelona a place I have never seen even in pictures.I can still see the Aldaya mansion and its dilapidated marble statues and even the angel's accusingly pointed hand.
The story begins when Daniel a ten year old motherless boy is taken to The Cemetery of forgotten Books a huge library of forgotten books by his father . { I wish such a place really existed.!} Daniel gets to choose a book he can keep for himself. He chooses The Shadow of the Wind by a hitherto unknown author Julian Carax. Daniel is mesmerized by the book and embarks on finding more about the author whose life is enshrouded in mystery. Through the years as Daniel unravels the mysteries of Julian's life he finds his own life in tumults . He meets many characters along the way some enemies ,some friends. Each of the character is portrayed so well with all their flaws and merits. Each one is an original. All in all a highly satisfactory read. I am tempted to learn Spanish just to read this in the original

[Ahtims]

Still, one star less than I have given :-P
I didnot feel like learning Spanish, but the rest is true in my case too.
This is one book that I am going to read again some day. :-)

[Srividya]

I know a little Spanish. Or I should say I knew it when I studied it but now my mastery (???) of the language is the bare minimum! :P

Nice review! What did you think of the ending? Anticlimactic much?

[Rebecca]

Yes Sri The end was a bit of an anticlimax and Syl I deduced 1 star because I sort of guessed the secret about Julian and so it failed to surprise me.

[Srividya]

Rebecca wrote: "Yes Sri The end was a bit of an anticlimax and Syl I deduced 1 star because I sort of guessed the secret about Julian and so it failed to surprise me."

I thought as much! :) The end was predictable as I said in my review as well but the journey was so beautiful that I couldn't reduce a star, despite that predictable ending. However, I do agree with your rating. Today, after the passage of several months after reading that book, I think I was over generous like I usually am with books. :)

[Rebecca]

Totally agree with you Sri.

@ Aparna where have you reached. ? Do give your views.

[Aparna]

Done..4 stars it is..Liked the narration and characters...as you said the end was getting more and more predictable..and I felt there were far too many details revealed towards the end..would have loved it more if it would have been a little more gradual and spaced out..Overall a very satisfying read though!!

[Ahtims]

The end was predictable and not up to mark, but I remember liking the epilogue.

[Rebecca]

Mrs Funnybones

My Rating 3.5/5

It was a fun read. Though some of the gross jokes made me cringe there were parts which made me laugh. I loved the way the author looks at life, marriage and children. There were some inferences she had drawn from her experiences in life and they were warmly expressed. Such a short book and it was a surprise to learn that bollywood actresses think so deeply. A little more of polishing and pruning would have made it better.

[Ahtims]

Appearances are deceptive. Even I tend to club actors into only beaten or beauty/ no brain. category.
Do you know that So am I spoke is a prolific reader?

[Ahtims]

So I am spoke = Sonam Kapoor.
ufff

[Srividya]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "So I am spoke = Sonam Kapoor.
ufff"

ROFL!!!!! Your autocorrect is truly a legend!! :D :P

[Srividya]

Rebecca - I have this book with me and have been told that it is a good one. Hopefully I shall get to this soon! :)

[Rebecca]

@ Sri It is a quick one. I finished it in 2 days. You will take only minutes.

@Syl I unintentionally classify all actors along with Alya Bhat. So it was a pleasant surprise to see Twinkle Khanna doling out profound words of wisdom. And I did not know that of Sonam Kapoor.

[Rebecca]

The Convenient Marriage

My Rating 3/5.

A historical Romance with some fun was my expectation when I started on this . To be frank it fulfilled my expectations but it created too much of dejavu from the same authors Friday's Child which I had read some time back. From the marriage of convenience to the amused hero, the innocent and spendthrift heroine to even the well meaning but confused sidekicks. Had this been my first Georgette Heyer I would have enjoyed it more.

[Ahtims]

As I said earlier, it happens. [same author - same setting]
So I usually give a long gap between a author, so that my porous brain has conveniently forgotten the former book. :)

[Rebecca]

Yes Syl. It will be a long time before I pick up a Georgette Heyer again.

[Aparna]

Nice Review Rebecca..I am planning to read Grand Sophy later this year..