Psmith via Books 2015

[Ahtims]

I am too eager to start off...
Hence this premature account
I will be adding on the books I read on and as and when basis here, starting Jan 1.

[Meera]

Best wishes....will keep an eye on this thread :-D

[Ahtims]

sure, sure.
Thank you so much :)

[dely]

Will follow your thread, as usal ;-)

[Ahtims]

Thanks a lot, dely.
And please do put up your thread too :)

[Parikhit]

All the best Col. As always, you are an inspiration :)

[Ahtims]

8)

[Harsha]

Good luck! :-) I'll be silently stalking this thread. :P

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "Thanks a lot, dely.
And please do put up your thread too :)"

I will but I don't know when! Surely when I will have more time to dedicate to GR.

[Kru]

:D Will drop in from time to time, to fill my tbr ;)

[Carol]

PSmith wrote: "8)"

Your new picture looks very jolly (and rather mischevious!)Hope you will not be leading us all astray!

[Ahtims]

Lol, Carol, that's the intention.

[Tejaswi]

i will b the stalker....

[Ahtims]

welcome, Tejaswi. But you are free to comment whenever you feel like it. :)

[Ahtims]

starting off the year with continuations:
1. A Clash of Kings
2. The Martian - started when Jan 1, 12 am rolled in
3. Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom- slow progress

[Ahtims]

1. The Martian - 4.5/5
What a book it was. My 2015 has started off with a bang.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "1. The Martian - 4.5/5
What a book it was. My 2015 has started off with a bang.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

I've added it to my wishlist, it seems interesting though far away from my usual reads.

[Ahtims]

Yes, that's why I didn't recommend it to you. :-)

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "Yes, that's why I didn't recommend it to you. :-)"

I'm doing a challenge in the Italian group and this would fit with a task: read a book set on a planet.

[Ahtims]

Then go ahead, dely. It's a wonderful read, though a bit technical in some places. It's not my usual genre, still i immensely enjoyed.

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "Then go ahead, dely. It's a wonderful read, though a bit technical in some places. It's not my usual genre, still i immensely enjoyed."

I hope to be able to add it to the other books I must read for that challenge. I know myself, I try to take part to a challenge and then I give up; I add books and then it's never sure if I will read them :D

[Ahtims]

2. The Picture of Dorian Gray -4/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
fulfills the following challenges
1. Classics
2. Globetrotting - England

[Ahtims]

3. The Strange Library 2.5/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
a weird, nightmarish book
fulfills:
Book Riots criteria - male author, translated work

[Ahtims]

4.Purple Hibiscus -4.5/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
fulfills the following challenges
Globetrotter - Nigeria
Bookriots Task 2 - author less than 25 years
Bookriots Task - book set in Africa.
Recommendation by a friend.

[Apoorv]

Its a wonderful start to the year, Smitha Ji !
WTG ! Hope you complete the Bookriots challenge, two times over ! :)

[Ahtims]

Thanks a lot, Apoorv. I am sure that you too will complete the challenge.

[Ahtims]

5. The Divide -3/5
Was an okayish read, though a tad too emotional to suit me better.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Challenges fulfilled:
Globe trotter
Bookriots challenge 16 (Audiobook)

[Ahtims]

6. A Clash of Kings -3.5/5
finished it in longish stretches - was magnificent.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Ahtims]

7. The Illicit Happiness of Other People -5/5
A great start to my 2015 Indian Book challenge. This was one book that I relished from beginning to end. It was so different, so eccentric and full of dark humor and satire, with eccentric and individualistic characters. The narration mesmerized me, made me contemplate ( a rare feat), and I almost became a part of the folie a deux. The plot revolves around the suicide of Unni Chacko, a 17 year old precocious thinker, who leaves behind a grieving younger brother Thoma, perhaps the most sane character in the whole book, parents who are at logger heads, and distinct in their own ways - alcoholic father who loudly abuses all and sundry each night, and a raving mad (with gaps of chilling sanity) mother, who talks to the house and walls. Their next door neighbour, the 16 year old Mythili, who was 13 when Unni died, is also an interesting character. There are many others too, but the book revolves around Unni's suicide and the quest of the family in search of the cause thereof. I sympathized with all, especially Thoma, my favourite. I lived the colony life of the dusty Madras middle class society, I laughed and cried with them, and I was always echoing Unni's family - Oh, Unni, why, why, why??? I met his various friends, even visited a psychiatry professor. I doubted the existence of universe and God, and I was for one moment scared of that blasphemy.
This is one book which I will read again, perhaps savoring each line, and digging for the hidden meaning behind the sentences.
I got another Indian author to admire and gush about, who showed me the depths to which human curiosity and behavior can delve into.

[Carol]

PSmith wrote: "7. The Illicit Happiness of Other People-5/5
A great start to my 2015 Indian Book challenge. This was one book that I relis..."
A wonderful review. Will put it on myTBR list.

[Ahtims]

thank you, Carol. Hope you like it.

[Harsha]

PSmith wrote: "7. The Illicit Happiness of Other People-5/5
A great start to my 2015 Indian Book challenge. This was one book that I relis..."

Have ordered this one, although it might have to wait on my shelf for a while before I can start it. Is it a quick read?

[Ahtims]

I read it relatively quick. In 3-4 longish stretches.

[Ahtims]

8.Lonesome Dove 4.5/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Loved it a lot....
My first by Larry McMurty.
This mammoth took me 3 weeks to read, as I was busy on professional and personal front too, and toppled up my challenges number.. :/
still, no regrets

It fulfills the following challenges:
1. Clear my physical shelf
2. Globetrotting
3. Bookriots Read Hard Challenge no. 9 - to read a book about indigenous people

[Ahtims]

9. The Mysterious Affair at Styles -3/5
Not her best, but still readable
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fulfills:
1. Agatha Christie, a chronological journey
2. Globetrotter

[Ahtims]

10. The Poisonwood Bible
3/5
Reviewed here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fulfils
Randomiser challenge
Globetrotter -Cairo
Bookriots Read Hard challenge -Africa

[Ahtims]

11.Before I Go To Sleep -2/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
okayish

[Carol]

PSmith wrote: "11.Before I Go To Sleep-2/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
okayish"
Interested to read your review as am expecting this book to arrive tomorrow.

[Ahtims]

Oh, Carol. Hope you like it better than I did.

[Ahtims]

12.The Girl on the Train
I am 'wowed'
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fulfils:
Bookriots read harder challenge - read a book published in 2015

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "12.The Girl on the Train
I am 'wowed'
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fulfils:
Bookriots read harde..."

A lot of people are reading and talking about this book here on GR in this last time!

[Ahtims]

13. Lord of the Flies -2.5/5
Hated the story, loved the descriptions
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
fulfils:
1. Clear my physical shelf
2. Bookriots Read Harder Challenge -
Young Adult

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "13. Lord of the Flies -2.5/5
Hated the story, loved the descriptions
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
fulfils:
1. Clear my physical she..."

Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite books! I've read it a lot of years ago, when I was a teen, and just loved it.

[Ahtims]

Lol, dely. We have such diverse tastes when it comes to books. :)

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "Lol, dely. We have such diverse tastes when it comes to books. :)"

Very often, yes. But sometimes we also like the same books!

[Ahtims]

True, that.

[Ahtims]

14. Stone Mattress: Nine Tales -3.5/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Was a good collection. I bow to Atwood.
Fulfils:
BookRiots Read Harder challenges-
1. Anthologies
2 Something written by an author older than 65
Globetrotter challenge - Toronto, Canada

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "14. Stone Mattress: Nine Tales-3.5/5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Was a good collection. I bow to Atwood.
Fulfils:..."

I have never read something by Margaret Atwood. Must give her a try someday.

[Ahtims]

She's good. I have a feeling that it would be one author which we both love.

[dely]

PSmith wrote: "She's good. I have a feeling that it would be one author which we both love."

I will try to read one of her books as soon as possible.