Day 2, June 30, 2015

1:29 pm.

I started reading Out Of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys. It is so hard to pronounce her name. I read about the book on Pretty Books blog. She is a huge fan of both of her books. And this was the one I got my hands on. So far I really like it.

It is based in New Orleans. New Orleans is such an intriguing city. I first came across it in Vampire Diaries and then the Originals because Klaus and his family are from there and the story is based on that town. It is portrayed as such a cultural city with a bit of mystery hanging in the air. And that really makes me want to visit it. Some cities are famous for their landmarks which makes people flock on it from all the over the world. But New Orleans sounds like a landmark itself. It is known for its nightlife and the flow of music.

7:25 pm

I feel much better than yesterday. Still feel a bit woozy, other than that all is well.

I was talking to Abdullah about how the past few months, I have been focused on what clothes to wear to a party, recipe to try out, family feud to sort out or celebrate some occasion. A friend made me see the intellectual person in me after getting in heated discussion. Someone who had opinions about The Stanford Prison Experiment conducted in 1960. Someone who could prove her point. Someone who loved acquiring knowledge. It is not that I don't like makeup or to get all dolled up. Its just that I like being smart much more. I like to balance a bank reconciliation.

We all perceive ourselves in different ways. Some are content with one thing while other spend their lives hunting after dozens of things. It comes down to how you want to see yourself. Do you want to be a pretty face in a friends wedding ? Or do you want to be representing a friend ? Or maybe you want to be both. Maybe you are okay being neither of the two.

11:59 pm

Just came back from polishing off a Stuffed Crust Pizza with a Berry Mohito. The traffic on the roads is insane. Its like Qatar just learnt that there is a thing called having a life. I am going to go into hibernation so I don't have to face the horrific traffic everywhere.

Good luck to everyone who still has to shop for Eid.

Adieu !

SAP
............

Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J.Mass

From Goodread's:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined

Author: Sarah J.Mass
Published: 2012
Pages: 404
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
My Rating: 3.5/5

Assassin + Girl + Crown Prince + Ballrooms + Competitions + Blackmail + Sneaky Past + Corrupt King = One Kick Ass Story

The first half of the story was way more awesome than I expected. I am all for action and I love when the main heroin is strong and has a distinct personality of her own. And when she also happens to be the most famous and feared Assassin of Adarlan i.e. the ruling kingdom, what more could you ask for. I fell in love with her character, her strength and most of all her wit. The way she was able to laugh despite enduring what people couldn't have imagined. Celaena is one beloved heroin. She can kill a man in the time it takes you to drink your juice, loves pretty dresses and favourite hobby happens to be reading books.

I loved the two main guys as well. Prince Dorian is the son of the ruling corrupt king and you would think that he would be his exact replica, that is what he assumes as well. But he turns out to be someone else. Someone who cares about his people. The other guy, Captain of the Guard, Chaol (weird name), has left his rightful position for a better task. The two guys are friends yet the contrast between them is so startling. Chaol being the wise one and Dorian being the fool prince. One thing that really got me confused was the love triangle or lack there off of one. I mean, if you want to put a love triangle in a book. Just do it. One second it is there, the next its not.

When my expectations reached the sky, I literally, fell out of the sky. Because magic and some weird nonsense named Wyrdmarks came between me and my love for the story. Magic and things that just do not make sense to me are such a huge turn off for me. I felt so bad like someone had performed open heart surgery on me. All of that creature leashing from the other side, blah, blah, blah, and the Wyrdmarks protecting her was utter nonsense.

I don't know if I will read finish the series. I wish that the story did not include all that magic nonsense. It would have been such a die hard book. This is one book that I feel sorry for.

...SAP...

A Book A Day

A long time ago, I read somewhere that a woman had read a book a day for an year, mainly reading 365 books per year. Which may sound boring to a stranger but to me, it sounds awesome.

Since that day, it became a dream of mine and went on the bucket list to read one book everyday for an year.

But the obvious thing is that it cannot be done right now considering how busy life is. When the time comes to retire with a bend back and half the teeth missing, I will do this.

Last week, I read 7 books in a week reading one book per day. And I did not even realize that I was doing that.

The only reason I could do that was that I am still on vacation from studies and we just shifted houses so we did not have internet connection. We are so used to watching everything either on T.V or the net that we have literally forgotten what DVDs are.

Following are the books I ended up reading in this week:

1. The Last Don -Mario Puzo
2. The 5th Horseman -James Patterson
3. The 6th Target - James Patterson
4. The 8th Confession -James Patterson
5. Clockwork Angel -Cassandra Claire
6. Clockwork Prince
7. Clockwork Princess

.....

Book Review: Just One Day by Gayle Foreman

Goodreads's Review:

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance ofTwelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Published: January 2013
Author: Gayle Foreman
Pages: 368
Genre: Teen Fiction, Contemporary, Young Adult
My Rating: 3.5/5

I saw this book on one of the lists on Broke and Bookish and then I saw it on the e reader and started reading it.

I loved most of the book. I loved that it was so much about travelling and all the places were described in such an amazing way that if I wasn't already dying to go there, I would have been persuaded. But I saw another perspective on travelling. That if its forced than you don't enjoy it. This is ironic considering how much costly it is to travel and if I am forced, I will happily oblige.

Allyson is a girl who is both idealistic and realistic and is not the kind of girl to believe in fairy tales.  But for one day, she stops considering what she believes in and lets go. She explores the world from a different angle. And that day ends up changing her life. If you think about it, no one is stupid enough to leave everything behind and go on a dare devil adventure in search of a one day love that you had. But then its kind of exhilarating at the same time.

I loved loved loved all of the Shakespeare that was incorporating into the story. At first I was like, OMG ! There is no way I will know what they are talking about but surprisingly, I did remember almost 80% of the plays that I have read (in story form) which were in the story.

I did not understand Willem at all. I did get Allyson's struggle with life and her own personality but Willem, I failed to get him. He was given more importance than he should have. Because in a way, Allyson goes back to Paris to find the girl that she was for one day in that city. Willem was just the guy who made that happen. So in searching for Willem, she was searching for herself.

I love open endings but this ending, I did not like at all. I needed something clear cut to wrap my head around. I wanted to see Willem's reaction and hear his story from his mouth.

P.S. Am I the only one who found the name WILLEM both weird and annoying ? As if its a bad pronounciation of William.

...SAP...

Book Review: Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat

Goodread's Review:

Once upon a time, in small-town India, there lived two intelligent boys.
One wanted to use his intelligence to make money.
One wanted to use his intelligence to create a revolution.
The problem was, they both loved the same girl.

Welcome to Revolution 2020. A story about childhood friends Gopal, Raghav and Aarti who struggle to find success and love in Varanasi. However, it isn't easy to achieve this in an unfair society that rewards the corrupt. As Gopal gives in to the system, and Raghav fights it, who will win?

Published: 2011
Author: Chetan Bhagat
Pages: 296
Genre: Contemporary, Asian Literature 
My rating: 4/5

I loved this book. I loved everything about it. The story is being told by a person whose point of view is changed by life itself and he does not do all good things. But somehow when you are reading it and even when he is handing out bribes to get the work done, he becomes the hero. I realized that being the narrative helps the character share their point of view, justifying their actions.

The main theme of the book was grate. I loved how Gopal struggles to fulfill the wishes of his father and become a big man. I also loved how his only goal was to make money. Ordinarily, I would have thought that that is very materialistic. But I was like, he does not have money to eat. He is right to set that goal. Gopal takes things into his own hands and decides that life will not give him anything by doing the right thing, so he decided how to get everything himself. Screw life. And I agree. 

But somehow, in between this great battle of earning money and being with the girl Aarti, he has loved all his life, he loses himself. He loses what made him, him. Raghav makes him realize what he has lost. And he somehow tries to make things right. He gives the most important thing in his life, which I have to say, I could not have done that. 

I loved the controversy between him and Raghav. Gopal is bribing and doing what everyone else does and Raghav wants to change that exact system. I loved how Gopal asks the writer at the end whether he thinks he is a good man. I mean, the man gave up his most priceless thing and still isn't sure of his goodness.

P.S. I LOVE the cover of this book. The colour combination is so awesome. I have been drooling over it since its been in my hands.

...SAP...

Book Review: I've Got Your No by Sophie Kinsella

Goodread's Review:

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!
 
Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.
 
What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Pages: 433
Published: 212
Genre: Chick Lit, Humour
My Rating: 2/5

I really liked the concept which was a single phone shared by two strangers. It was different and very interesting. And I have to say, it was executed very well. I know, I cannot share a phone with anyone. These days, our phone have become our treasure boxes and instead of holding jewels or money, they hold our life secrets, daily routines and passwords.

I found Poppy very annoying. You do not just pick up a random phone and start using it as your own. And than you do not just start meddling in people's life. But I guess, such people do exist. She was so obsessed over things that do not even matter.

The story itself was not that interesting. Poppy was way too much interested in minor things than the things that really mattered. Although it was interesting to see how two very different people and their worlds sort of connect with each other. It was a disaster in some ways but somehow it worked in the end.

The worst character was Magnus because it was so vague and I knew that he is not going to work out for Poppy. Needless to say, I am very disappointed in Sophie Kinsella. I just wish that she could have done more with the story

...SAP...

Dear Diary

Yesterday, I was studying and I glanced over at Moawiz. He was writing something in a neon green diary. And when I saw what he was writing, I was exhilarated. He was writing a diary. He had written the date at the top and had described his day, all on his own.

I started writing diary when I was in 6th grade. Than I stopped writing. I picked up the pen again in 8th grade when I thought that life was cruel which it really was not. But I guess it was for a 13 year old. Ahhhhh ! The life of a 13 year old.

 Anyway, my diary found me writing in it once again in 9th grade. So my relationship with it is very on and off type. When things seem very hard, I write in my diary. When things are awesome and I cannot contain my happiness, I write it down. And like an everlasting companion, my diary is always there to welcome me with open arms, never complaining for abandoning it. I have to say that I probably have more diaries than I write in. What can I say ? I love diaries. Especially when there is leather, quotes and keys involved.

I am amazed that Moawiz wants to write a diary. Its an amazing habit which contributes to so much when you grow up. I hope that he follows this through. And that someday, I can tell him all about this day.

P.S. Please excuse my horrendous photography. :D

...SAP...

Book Review: The Camel Club by David Baldacci

Goodreads Review:

Existing at the fringes of Washington D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man know as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions. Their efforts bear little fruit --- until the group witnesses a shocking murder ... and become embroiled in an astounding, far reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil --- an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. And all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.

Published: 2005
Author: David Baldacci
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, 

Amazon:


My Review:

I love David Baldacci. So obviously, I loved this as well. I am in awe of him. And my respect has increased so much more for him. I have read a lot of books that have written about Islam and Pakistan in relation to terrorism. And somehow even in books, terrorism and Jihad gets related to Islam and its teachings. This was the FIRST book that I read which was so true. I felt like my feelings were spoken out loud. I could tell how much research has been done by the author and how much knowledge he holds. I have never read or met a person who knows as much about Islam as a Muslim. And being portrayed right in a book for the first time, I was exhilarated. Salute ! 

He has explained Islam first and then terrorism. Not only that he has actually written the truth about USA. We were searching for a debate topic last year when I came to know that US actually has a debt of 3 trillion. And very few people are aware of that. He has explained everything in such an amazing manner that you are shocked to learn the actual facts from the garbage that is portrayed on TV. 

I am a conspiracy thriller lover, so I loved it. The build up of suspense in it, all the action going and than everything falling into place, it was all worth a read. 

I do have a problem with one thing though. And that is Oliver Stones age. He is 62 which is old for me. I get that its not considered old in US but its old. I loved the mix and match up of all the different personalities from the rare books librarian to the computer genius. I would love to meet Caleb and see the Library of Congress. 

After reading this book, I got all nostalgic and now I want to meet Baldacci. I want to tell him how big a deal it is for me to see someone write the truth for something I believe in. Everyone has faults, America is no saint. Than why is it that third world countries get blamed for most of the things ? This book gives you an insider to what actually happens and the fact that half of the wars are inflicted by US itself. We need to see the good and bad in everyone. We only see good in people or bad in the other. 

This was one informative book which I thoroughly enjoyed and I look forward to reading the rest of Baldacci. 

...SAP...

Book Review: Can You Keep a Secret ? by Sophie Kinsella

Emma is just like any other girl with secrets. She is not who she pretends to be. Like she does not know what NATO stands for.  Even her own best friend does not know her. And then she blabs all her secrets to a stranger on a plane ride. And that stranger turns out to be her handsome boss named Jack Harper, the C.E.O. Now, there is one person who knows all about her and every single embarrassing detail.  What will happen if the world comes to know about everything ? Will her life come crashing down onto her ? Or will she be able to survive it ? 
Published: 2003
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Fiction, Chick Lit
Review Ratings: ****

Goodreads Review: Can you keep a secret ?

I am not much of a chick lit reader. But I love Sophie Kinsella's books. I loved Shopaholic series. This one was also amazing in a different way. I am a blabber as well. Once me and my friends blabbed about a debate couch to a guy for like an hour and he turned out to be her brother, which lets just say did not turn out to be the best scenario for us.

I liked how the concept that every one of us has secrets was portrayed. The author turned lies into some of the secrets. But then, having and keeping secrets is another name of lying.

It was interesting to see how Jack teases her about everything and she is the only one who knows what he is talking about. There is a bit of a banter between them which is pretty amusing.

Overall this was a very refreshing humourous read, not just filled with romance and crappy love story but more of how a major weakness of everyone is secrets. And once they are out, there is nothing you can do about it. You have to live with it. And that is what Emma does.

Quotes From The Book:

"“She believes in love and romance. She believes her life is one day going to be transformed into something wonderful and exciting. She has hopes and fears and worries, just like anyone. Sometimes she feels frightened. Sometimes she feels unloved. Sometimes she feels she will never gain approval from those people who are most important to her. But she’s brave and good-hearted and faces her life head-on."

 "I’ve always had this deep-down conviction that I’m not like everybody else, and there’s an amazingly exciting new life waiting for me just around the corner.”

...Sumaica Asad Piracha... 

Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald

Nick Carraway narrates the story, he meets the rich and scandalous Gatsby who throws lavish parties in his huge and beautiful mansion on the East Coast but very little is actually known about him. But that was not the case, always. Five years ago, he was nothing but a poor lad in the army who made the mistake of falling in love with the rich and beautiful Daisy. Unfortunately life did not side with them. They meet in the present, Daisy a married woman, with a daughter and an adulterous husband. Gatsby, a very rich man, still in love and waiting for Daisy. What measures will Gatsby take to get his love back ? How will Daisy react knowing her lost love is back ?

Published: 1952
Author: F.Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Fiction, Classic

Goodread's Review: The Great Gatsby

Amazon: The Great Gatsby

I had been wanting to read this classic for a long time and obviously had high expectations. But when I finally picked it up, lets just say that I wanted to punch Gatsby, Daisy, her stupid husband Tom, his mistress, Scott, pretty much everyone in the book.

Lets start with the adultery in the book. Daisy's husband is in love with a wife of a garage owner who fixes his car. Seriously ? Could not you have a little better taste ? At least have the decency to not fall of your standards. And Daisy knows about it. Yet she does nothing about it. Why ? Why would you let your husband do that to you ? That implies you are not interested in him anymore. Get a divorce for Gods sake and stop the drama. Then her husband is mad when she does the exact same thing he does to her. Something that is right for you becomes wrong for your wife in a second. Shoe salute !

And Gatsby. Lets just say that he is one of the most stupidest and ambitious man I have ever read about. He made Daisy the sole purpose of his existence which is saying something considering he is rich, handsome, has a huge library and a great car. I loved him and hated him. Loved for the hard work he does and the pain he goes to, to get Daisy back. His life was all about Daisy but somehow, he even made his end about her. Which deserves some respect, a lot actually. But it also deserves a hard reality slap to make him realize the obvious that Daisy does not stand up for her own self, let alone for anyone else.

Daisy, I hate her. I never really understood her character or why she does, what she did in the ending. Does not someone who died for your mistake deserves an attendance to his funeral ? I am pretty sure that even the most cold hearted person would have been blown away. So I am assuming that she never had a heart.

I hated the book in some ways and loved it in others. Nick was the only sensible one in the story. His character was brilliant especially his decision at the end. But I found the third wheeling a little creepy. Never have I ever respected a fictional character more. He literally brought sanity to the story. I hope the movie is better than the book because Leonardo DaVinci is in it. I hated the characters but somehow loved the story. Because it was very real. We only see one side of the society, fact is that the other side exists and it still is pretty much how Scott described it. All in all, I kind of had a love/hate relationship with this book.

One of the quotes I loved from the book:

“I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” 

...SAP...

Book Review: The Running Man by Stephen King

Ben Richards signs up for The Running Man. What is The Running Man ? For some, it is an entertainment series and a brutal way of getting rid of the poor population. Or it is a way of earning money and feeding their family for others. But nonetheless, it is a very dangerous game in which you are on the run from the government and you get paid for every hour that you do not get caught. Unfortunately for Ben Richards, he falls in the latter category. He has a 18 month old sick daughter and a wife but no job to support this family. Now the question is, will he survive the games ? More like, how long will he last in them ? 

Published: January, 1982
Author: Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction

Goodreads Review: The Running Man

Amazon: The Running Man

I am not a fan of Stephen King, mainly because I do not enjoy horror . But a friend forced me to read this and I loved it. It is a dystopian novel set in the future. And the way he has written the story is worth a standing ovation. Some authors portray something through meaningful quotes but I felt everything through the story itself.

Ben Richards is just another victim of the government now being used as an entertainment. The guy goes against his beliefs for his family and his whole world shatters in the end. I knew from the start what will happen to him but any other thing I really did not expect. There were so many twists and turns being thrown at me that I was processing the previous shock when I started reading another one.

The story itself is so honest portraying the life of an everyday simple man. And how poverty is really the worse things you can imagine. It is one thing to go hungry yourself but it is entirely another to see your kid starve and wait for death to knock at your door.

I salute Ben Richards courage and guts. Being a very bold girl myself, I loved that he did not give a damn shit about what others think or do, about him. He did what he had to and stuck to it, till the end. It was not a matter of his survival. It was a matter of survival of his only kid and wife.

I have to say, I had no idea how all the action was going on because for one second he is in a car, driving, the next he is threatening to blow the whole place up with a bomb, playing a buff and hijacking a plane. It was that fast but I loved it. I think Stephen King really did justice to this book.

...SAP...

100 Book Challenge 2012

Last year things were a little hard and somehow I could not finish this challenge. My focus was somewhere else, in other things. But I did manage to read a quiet a few amazing books.

January:
1.Kiss The Girls. -James Patterson
2.The Double Eagle. -James Twining
3.The Alexander Cipher. -Will Adams
4.The Doomsday Conspiracy. -Sidney Sheldon
5.The Stars Shine Down. -Sidney Sheldon
6.Master Of The Game. -Sidney Sheldon
7.The Naked Face. -Sidney Sheldon
8.Sea Swept. -Nora Roberts
9. Chocolate Girls. -Annie Murray

February:
10.Slave. -Mende Nazir
11.Saher Aik Isteara Hain. -Umera Ahmed (Urdu Novel)
12. Rapture In Death. -J.D.Robb
13.Ceremony In Death. -J.D.Robb
14.The Worlds Greatest Secrets. -Allen Hall
15.SVU, He Is Watching You -Francis Pascal
16.The Worlds Greatest Crooks And Con men.
17.The Mcgregor Grooms. -Nora Roberts

March:
18.Chicken Soup For Teenage Soul.
19.Towards Zero. -Agatha Christie
20.Along Came A Spider. -James Patterson
21.The Devil Wears Prada. -Lauren Wiseberger
22.I Am Nujood, Age 10 And Divorced. -Nujood Ali/Delphine Minor

April:
23.In Her Shoes. -Jennifer Weiner
24.Refugee Boy. -Benjamin
25.Aik Daag E Nadamat. -Umera Ahmed (Urdu Novel)
26.Zindagi Gulzar Hain. -Umera Ahmed (Urdu Novel)

May:
27.The Thief Lord.
28.Bloodline. -Sidney Sheldon (Reread)
29.Bloodlines. -Rachelle Meade
30.Gossip Girl. -Cecil Van Zeigasar
31.Guilty Wives. -James Patterson

June:
32.My Feudal Lord. -Tahmeena Durrani
33.Digital Fortress. -Dan Brown
34.Picture Perfect. -Jodi Picoult
35.House Rules. -Jodi Picoult
36.The Golden Lily. -Rachelle Mead
37.7th Heaven. -James Patterson
38.Tell Me Your Dreams. -Sidney Sheldon

July:
39.Hunger Games. -Suzanne Collins
40.Catching Fire. -Suzanne Collins
41.Mockingjay. -Suzanne Collins
42.Rising Tides. -Nora Roberts
43.Inner Harbour. -Nora Roberts

August:
44. Bag of Bones. -Stephen King
45. Tess Of The D'urbevilles. -Thomas Hardy
46. Celebrity In Death. -J.D.Robb aka Nora Roberts
47. The Winner. -David Baldacci
48. South Town. -Rick Riordan
49.Lost In Time. Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods 6)

September:
50. Tales Of Shakespeare
51. Amar Bail. -Umera Ahmed (Re-read)
52. F Is For Fugitive. -Sue Grafton
53. Chicken Soup For Teenage Soul 3.
54. Three Times A Lady. -Sarah Webb (re-read)

October:
55. It Had To Be You. -Sarah Webb
56. Total Control. -David Baldacci

November:
57. Sassy Cinderella and The Valiant Vigilante. -Sharon Dunn
58. Brida. -Paulo Coelho
59. Kiss Kiss. -Roald Dahl
60. Casual Vacancy. -J.K.Rowling
61. The Adventures Of Goodnight and Loving. -Leslie Thomas

December:
62. And Thereby Hangs A Tail. -Jeffrey Archer
63. King Solomons Mines. -
64. The Fourth Estate. -Jeffrey Archer

...SAP...

Book Review: Safe Haven, Nicholas Sparks

Katie Fieldman is a 27 year old woman, newly arrived in a small town called Southport. She seems like she is running away from something ? Katie is not even her real name. Than who is she ? And what is she running from ? Alex is a retired army officer, now operating a general store and bringing up his two children after his wife's tragic death three years ago. They both fall for each other but they cannot be together because of Katies' past. What is it ? What will happen when Katie's past will catch up to them ? Will they be able to survive it ? Will Katie be able to get over all the scars left behind by her past ? 

Published: 2010
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Goodreads Review: Safe Haven

Middle East Shipping: Safe Haven

I am not much of a romantic book reader but this was one book that I wanted to read for a long time. But it was a disappointment considering how badly I wanted to read it.

I loved the way he has described Katie's feelings. How she used to manage everything so precisely and tried to be perfect around him. The fact that she loved him too much to just leave. Katie's character has been described as very strong. What she goes through and the way she still manages to hold her head high, looking at herself everyday in the mirror, wondering what she has become. Leaving him seems very simple. But its not so simple when you are in love and you keep hoping that it will not happen the next time. But that next time never really comes. Her belief in him was so strong.

I was looking forward to reading the reason behind Kevin's madness. But nothing was told. The focus was kept on Katie and I felt like the other characters were ignored. Especially Kevin's. Sparks did not explain why he did, what he did. Maybe there was no reason for it. But even that should have been told. And it took FOUR years for his Captain and colleagues to figure out that he drinks a lot. In the books, everytime he hit Katie, he was drunk. And he was a detective. Didn't everyday crimes, adultery, murders, blood that he saw had any affect on him ?

Another thing, Alex was an ex-army officer. I mean come on. I get the fact that Katie would want things to be left alone. But when  she knew that he was looking for her, then why the hell did not Alex do something about it ? He had contacts in the army, her neighbours the Fieldmans could have identified. He was in love with her, wanted to have kids with her but could not think of helping her. That kind of makes him an idiot.

Why? Oh, why did Nicholas Sparks had to create Carly as some sort of a ghost only seen by Katie ? I hated the fact that he created Carly as an illusion which helps Katie and is very much real to her. At first I thought that its a part of Katie telling her something. But Alex's dead wife giving Katie advice and eating dinner with her, that's a bit far fetched.

 

What I Learnt ? 

I was really thankful for the normal life that we have and that we at times take for granted. Knowing that we don't live the life where people hit each other or are sexually assaulted, beaten, even shouted at everyday, makes us sleep peacefully. We take normal as granted. But normal is really extra ordinary. Something that people wish and pray for everyday. 

Quotes From The Book:

"Little girls. They could melt the toughest hearts."

In the end, no matter how hard it is, acceptance helps people move on with the rest of their lives. But sometimes..."

"Everyone lies. Its part of living in a society."

"You see yourself as someone who couldn't get away. I see the courageous woman who escaped. You see yourself as someone who should be ashamed or guilty because she let it happen. I see a kind, beautiful woman who should feel proud because she stopped it from happening ever again."

 " I have come to believe that in everyone's life, there's one undeniable moment of change, a set of circumstances that suddenly alters everything."

 "Maybe I don't want to be defined by what I do. Maybe I would like to be defined by what I am."

 

...SAP... 

Another New Year

December 28, 2012

2012 is coming to an end. And I cannot believe that it is going to be over.  It seems just like yesterday when I was welcoming 2012. Another year has passed and life is still going. Time flies so quickly, it is like one minute you are looking at it and the next minute, you blink and another year stands in front of you. 

Personally 2012 started with a bang and it gave me the biggest news ever. On January 7, 2012, I came in contact with the eldest of my cousins. We had lost contact with him 30 years ago due to a lot of things that happened in our family. But it was definitely the best day to know that the kids who always existed in talks were real. Growing up, I and my cousins made a pact that we will find them when we are much more elder but we never had to do that.

It was also the year I officially started a blog and although I am not consistent at all. I will try my level best to be so. I am not sure of anything in my life at all. And I am confused as hell on so many different things that are life changing and important. But I became sure of one thing. And that was that I can put my thoughts into my words. And that is my strength. No one can take that away from me.  It is one of those things that is just mine. 

The biggest shock that I got was when I was told that Muteeba aka my best friend who I consider as a sister, is going to Pakistan forever to continue her studies. No comments on how I felt. Because it was downright the most unbelievable thing I had heard. But it did happen.  The next shock that I got was when she came back because of our stupid education system. Thank you, education system. But I got to have one more year with her. What could be more awesome than that ?

I lost a lot of battles this year but won a lot of them too. I experienced things I hadn't before and realised that things happen in a different manner than I thought as well. I also made new friends and thankfully didn't lose any old ones.

Honestly, my life is filled with so much drama and things happening all the time that I cannot remember half of the things that have happened this year. One back draw of this year was that I could not finish my challenge of reading hundred books because I fell into a phase where I think, social media engulfed me and I abandoned my poor books. But no problem, I am back on track and they will get full attention. I read 78 books. Not good at all.

The coming year is very important and crucial for me. Because this year is going to decide what my future will get to be like. Where I will stand ten years from now. I will be starting a whole new chapter of my life and this year is all going to be about that. Whatever happens in this year, I hope it happens for a good reason and happens in the best of my interests. I do not know whether next year I will still be able to say that 2013 was an awesome year. But  I hope that I do get to say it and mean it too. 

P.S. I apologize for being such a lazy ass and uploading this after 16 days of New Years start. 

...SAP...

That One Book

You know how there is that one thing in your life, just an ordinary object that reminds you of your whole life. It holds so many memories that your whole life is associated with it and you think that it is the symbol that represents you and your life.

My thing is obviously  a book. But its not just any book. Its the book. It is just a writing book that teaches you how to write in cursive. We have had that forever. It holds a very honourable place in my cupboard so whenever I look at it, all the memories associated with it flood my mind. My mom had always believed that cursive writing is the right or main writing of English. Like it represents English. So, me and my brothers were taught cursive and their were very strict rules about writing anything in simple hand writing. As far as I remember I didn't even know how to write in other than cursive, till like 9th grade. Even now when I write in simple writing, my mom gives me her 'I do not approve of this' look and she goes all like, I cannot believe I taught you cursive and you are writing this. I still remember the first time I wrote in simple font in front of her, she was like, what happened to your writing ? Like she has discovered that I have cancer or something and I felt like I just robbed a bank.

Growing up I always got tons of remarks on my writing and everyone wanted to write like me. I basically used to get Marvellous on my notebooks because of my writing. I remember, before moving to Qatar, there was this National Level Writing Competition in which the style of our writings were suppose to be evaluated and I obviously took part but I knew I won't win because there was this other student who was really good and her writing was simple. Last day in my school, I am handed an envelope and I open it to find that I had won that competition. Thing was everybody had told me that I won't win because I was leaving school and all but I did end up winning and I loved every minute of it.

Its pages are yellow and worn out from age but it just holds that many more memories. Whenever I look at, its like looking back at my childhood. You see now whenever I write something and I get compliments on my articles I think of that book. Because that is the book which had a role in making me who I am today. There is only one thing in my life that I am sure of more than anything and that is my writing. That yes, I have the ability to put my thoughts into words and maybe bring the words to magic. So in future when my first book will come out and I will sign it, I will think of this book. My first book that made me.

I hope that one day I can pass it on to the coming generations of my family and someday it will create another person like it made me. Its one of those things who are always special to you and are near your heart.

...SAP...