Not sure if the end of the year was the right time to read this book, especially after the disastrous November that we’ve had. More of a 4.5 I think.
Not sure if the end of the year was the right time to read this book, especially after the disastrous November that we’ve had. But I had the audiobook and I just wasn’t in the mood for any SFF book.
Turns out, this was even more rage inducing than our current reality, but it also felt cathartic in a sense. Very informative about the historical origins of the lack of research/care for women’s health issues. So many resonating moments throughout. And also a very well narrated audiobook.
If women’s health or the effect of misogyny in the lack of women’s healthcare is an interest of yours, then this is an unmissable book....more
I’m unsure what I was expecting from this book and what I ultimately got. Maybe it just wasn’t my kind of writing. It’s still pMore of a 3.5 I guess.
I’m unsure what I was expecting from this book and what I ultimately got. Maybe it just wasn’t my kind of writing. It’s still poetic and beautiful, though the disjointed timelines didn’t really work for me....more
A love letter to King Khan SRK. I don't think I can review this book except saying it's special, made me feel happy and joyful and nostalgic and all kA love letter to King Khan SRK. I don't think I can review this book except saying it's special, made me feel happy and joyful and nostalgic and all kinds of nice. If you are a fan, don't give this a miss....more
I like the idea of the book. It’s simple and sweet but profound, and makes for a joyful read. Though the whole exposition about astrology felt a bit rI like the idea of the book. It’s simple and sweet but profound, and makes for a joyful read. Though the whole exposition about astrology felt a bit repetitive and boring at times, it was overall nice and feel good. Would have loved to know more about the characters’ future in the epilogue....more
25th anniversary of my all time favorite tv show, a book written by cast members about the behind the scenes of the production and the legacy of servi25th anniversary of my all time favorite tv show, a book written by cast members about the behind the scenes of the production and the legacy of service it has created, and an election looming over our heads - frankly it’s a perfect season for binging The West Wing again for the nth time but I’m in India now and apparently it’s not available to stream anywhere ...more
While this was fun to read at times, and the audiobook narration was fine as well, it just didn’t have that captivating quality to keep me interested While this was fun to read at times, and the audiobook narration was fine as well, it just didn’t have that captivating quality to keep me interested for long periods of time. I kept dropping it and took me a long while to finish. Maybe it just wasn’t for me. ...more
It took me a long time to finish this book because my baby celebrated his first bday recently and I’ve been very busy with hardly a minute to spend onIt took me a long time to finish this book because my baby celebrated his first bday recently and I’ve been very busy with hardly a minute to spend on reading. But I finally got to binge it and turns out, it’s such a sweet and heartwarming tale and I can totally see why every one of my blogger friends has adored it.
While the world building as a whole isn’t much of a concern here, the setting of the magical zoo is delightfully presented, introducing us to each of the amazing fantastical creatures and their lovely caretakers, the ecosystem of the world concerning these animals and the beautiful camaraderie between everyone working in the zoo. The ever anxious introvert Aila, supportive bff Tanya, maybe comes off as bitchy but is secretly softhearted Luciana, the gorgeous but mysterious Connor - and ofcourse the phoenixes and griffins and kelpies and more - all make for a great team to follow along on their daily adventures involving budgeting to feeding to answering stupid questions and even fighting off smugglers.
It’s a delightfully cozy story of the bond between humans and animals and sweet tale of the beauty of friendship. I also really enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Stephanie Bentley. Definitely recommend. ...more
It’s been a bit since I read the second book of this series and enjoyed it, but haven’t found time to get to this coz I don’t have an audiobook. I wenIt’s been a bit since I read the second book of this series and enjoyed it, but haven’t found time to get to this coz I don’t have an audiobook. I went into this not knowing who the characters were going to be, so it was a pleasant surprise and I had so much fun binging through this in a single sitting.
Cherry has been lonely for five years due to being kidnapped by dragon and doesn’t wanna trust a new one who proclaims that he will save her. Dante instantly knows she is his mate but also has enough decency to defer to her that she needs space and time to decide about a relationship. It was a little less instalovey than the first two books, so it was nice to see the developing bond between the two. Dante taking Cherry on an adventure trip to make her happy was sweet. There’s obviously some hot sexy times in the second half of the book. We also meet Alexis who was a nice little addition to this delightful story.
The writing in this book was as funny as expected, with its share of heartwarming, tear jerking and gory violent moments. I breezed through it very quickly, squealing when we get glimpses of the past characters. I think this is the end of the series but I feel like I wouldn’t mind if the author stays in this world and writes more romances for the rest of the side characters. Overall a very enjoyable trilogy, and definitely the kind of cozy romantasies I want to read more of in the future. ...more
I’ve never actually watched the Cdramas based on the original legend of the white snake but I was always excited to know more about the story, and it I’ve never actually watched the Cdramas based on the original legend of the white snake but I was always excited to know more about the story, and it was natural that I gravitated towards this retelling. And this felt so easy to read that I didn’t even realize that I finished it so quickly.
The writing just flowed beautifully and I felt carried away by the prose. It’s also a very simple tale of love - familial, platonic, romantic and more - made heartbreaking and angsty by the little twists of fate, destiny playing with the hearts of our beloved characters. The romance between our leads might come across a tad bit instalovey but it’s also a fated connection, so it’s not too unbelievable. I also adored the way the author depicted friendships in this book, full of trust and genuine affection for each other.
The characters are also very easy to love - Xian the dutiful prince who just wants to save his mother, Zhen the snake spirit who wants to experience a human existence and also save his adopted sister, Qing who will do anything to protect Zhen, and Feng the ever dutiful bodyguard who is equal parts exasperated and fond of his prince’s antics. They all make for a great story, making me smile and blush and cry at various times.
I thoroughly enjoyed this queer retelling of a famous legend and can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next. ...more
After reading Sonora Jha’s memoir How to Raise a Feminist Son, I’ve been looking for similar parenting books by feminists and specifically about raisiAfter reading Sonora Jha’s memoir How to Raise a Feminist Son, I’ve been looking for similar parenting books by feminists and specifically about raising boys, so I was very excited to read Boymom. I ofcourse waited until I could get my hands on the audiobook and it turned out to be a very eye opening experience.
The author covers a broad range of topics about raising boys from birth to about college age, talking about - nature vs nurturethe aggressive play and roughhousing among young boys in contrast to more seemingly disciplined girls, the desire of boys to become strong and masculine men leading to less emotional intelligence and vulnerability, how that affects interpersonal relationships in the long term, how screentime and exposure of what’s online leads to both positive and negative outcomes, and the corresponding effects on sexuality, understanding consent, and the rising incel movement. The author mingles her research with the narrative of her own life with her 3 boys of various ages, and how she feels about raising them as a feminist in this world which focuses on such narrowing definitions of what it means to be masculine. I liked how the author is open about her own biases and how it affects her worldview, and how thinking of issues from her son’s POV has her questioning some of her own strongly held beliefs.
While the book is very well researched and has lots of information and thought provoking content that I will need to go back to again and again, it also made me feel scared as a very new boy mom and the thought of raising a strong but sensitive and empathetic boy in this world which seems to be turning more and more divisive everyday has me anxious. Nonetheless, this is an important book that covers the various fraught issues with delicate nuance, that is strongly necessary in our current times when everyone is ready to condemn stuff with a very black and white lens of viewing the world. ...more
While I’ve read a couple of books in the last year about the female reproductive system, the parts and even about periods, this is the first book I’veWhile I’ve read a couple of books in the last year about the female reproductive system, the parts and even about periods, this is the first book I’ve read from a purely gynecological perspective, written by a specialist, and I’m so so glad that I’ll always be able to refer back to this book in the future.
This is written in layman’s terms and is really helpful to women of all ages, from menarche to post menopause. The book is organized in a manner that lets the reader pick the chapters to read which maybe related to the conditions they suffer from or just pick any topic which is of interest to them. The book starts off with the dubious history of how women’s health has been sidelined for ages, how some very breakthrough gynecological procedures came to be, and how even now research dollars invested in finding out about conditions specific to women are very very less.
The second part of the book is a very informative encyclopedia of the various issues women/peope with uteri face including PMS, periods, fibroids, endometriosis, abortion, cancer and more. The author gives a helpful explanation of the various symptoms of each condition, how they can be diagnosed, the detailed procedures involved and pain management, the available treatment options available and how to choose among them. The chapters on birth control and abortion were quite detailed, busting some of the common misinformation about them which even prolife politicians and judges make liberal use of to get their desired outcome. The final part of the book is about how to advocate for ourselves when we meet a healthcare provider, what we can ask and how we can arrive at the treatment that best suits us, and also what to do when the providers don’t take our condition seriously.
Overall, this is a brilliant and one of a kind book that can work as a quick reference guide for everyone, maybe including medical professionals. The author also does a great job of being inclusive of transgender men and non-binary people, dedicating chapters to the importance of gender affirming care and how providers can support such patients. I’m glad I read this and I’m sure I’ll find it helpful for years to come. ...more
This one has been on my tbr since I first realized I was gonna have a baby boy. While I’ve always felt that I’m inadequately mProbably more of a 4.5.
This one has been on my tbr since I first realized I was gonna have a baby boy. While I’ve always felt that I’m inadequately maternal in nature, I atleast want to strive to teach progressive values to my son and I’m always looking for guidance in that regard.
This book might not be an exact how to guide about raising a feminist son but it’s a very thoughtful memoir plus manifesto by the author, telling us that ways she has tried to raise a feminist son, the ups and downs of the process, the failures and introspections and so much more. While I might have felt things were a bit repetitive initially, the book got really engaging as it went on, making me think about so many aspects of parenting I’ve never given a thought to before.
I really liked it overall and I can confidently say that this is a book I’ll be going back to again and again whenever I might need a bit of help, and I’m especially thankful for the extensive resources section towards the end as well as the many books and authors and researchers mentioned throughout the book. A definite must read in my opinion, for moms trying to raise young boys in this day and age. ...more
A very interesting perspective of the Ramayana from a woman we hardly know anything about. The author gives great depth to all the four sisters marrieA very interesting perspective of the Ramayana from a woman we hardly know anything about. The author gives great depth to all the four sisters married to the princes of Ayodhya, making them not just names mentioned in the epic. I also enjoyed the well done audiobook narration. ...more
Absolutely delightful read. And even better full cast narrated audiobook which brings out the tone of this letter collection perfecMore of a 4.5 star.
Absolutely delightful read. And even better full cast narrated audiobook which brings out the tone of this letter collection perfectly. It gave me so much joy throughout, learning about the lives of these almost strangers just connected through their love of books, but the ending did leave me feeling sad and empty. Very heartwarming read overall though....more
It’s been a while since I’ve read an Aliette de Bodard story set in the Xuya universe, so I picked up the smallest one on my tbMore of a 3.5 I think.
It’s been a while since I’ve read an Aliette de Bodard story set in the Xuya universe, so I picked up the smallest one on my tbr. And this turned out to be so different from the ones I’ve read before.
A mix of sci-fi and horror, this was more on the creepier side, giving us a look into what the mindships can become if they go over the deep end. The usual themes of the universe including dealing with war trauma, complicated family relationships and deciding between being filial or doing the right thing are present in this story as well. Though I also always enjoy the author’s sapphic love stories, this one came out to be very instalovey, not surprising in a book less than 100 pages.
Overall, I went into this pretty ignorant of the premise and got a sneak peak into the more darker side of this war torn Xuya universe. It has definitely made me want to get back into it and pick up the rest of the novels I still have languishing on my tbr. ...more
Sweet cozy vibes, with too many indulgent food descriptions and the nostalgic associations we feel with specific food items. Perfect read when you jusSweet cozy vibes, with too many indulgent food descriptions and the nostalgic associations we feel with specific food items. Perfect read when you just crave some warmth....more
To be honest, I'm not sure what to say about this book and the author's life story. All I hope is that she is in a better place and atleast a bit awayTo be honest, I'm not sure what to say about this book and the author's life story. All I hope is that she is in a better place and atleast a bit away from her toxic family members....more
Megan Bannen’s debut was a book I picked up unexpectedly and had a good time of, so I was much more excited to read this sophomore novel set in the saMegan Bannen’s debut was a book I picked up unexpectedly and had a good time of, so I was much more excited to read this sophomore novel set in the same universe. Promise me dragons and a romance between middle aged characters and I was all here for it.
This book is slow paced and can get repetitive at times coz we are only following the POV of Twyla, but listening to the very sweetly narrated audiobook by Nicol Zanzarella was a quite fun experience. I really empathized with Twyla’s feelings about her marriage and kids, her dissatisfaction at not being appreciated enough, but also unable to set any boundaries because she does adore her children and grandkids. Frank on the other hand is a great friend of hers and I loved their relationship with each other, though I did wish that the realization of Twyla’s feelings for Frank had happened in a much more calmer way than like a train wreck. But this is still a well done story of my favorite trope - best friends to lovers - and I enjoyed this journey.
The supporting cast was also quite fun, especially Pen with his own relationship woes and little quips all the time. Quill was a charming guy who left an impression, though he could be thick headed at times, and I don’t think I would have minded if Twyla ended up with him either. Ofcourse the highlight for me has to be Mary Elizabeth - just so adorable and cute - pls don’t ask me more, coz you need to read the book to see her shenanigans, but I did wish she had more page time.
Overall this is a fun novel, with the right amount of cozy and angst, lovable characters (and other adorable creatures) and a bad guy I absolutely did not see coming from any angle. The epilogue was also too cute and I enjoyed finishing the book on a high note, with the right amount of warm and fuzzy feelings. Can’t wait to see if we’ll get more books set in this world. ...more
I’ve been so excited to read this book since I first saw the cover, but more so since the author gave details about the historical chaA 4.5 for sure.
I’ve been so excited to read this book since I first saw the cover, but more so since the author gave details about the historical character inspirations and I’m such a sucker for fantasies which take some inspo from Chinese history. I waited till I managed to get the audiobook, and I have to say, it was a very enjoyable experience.
I love how this book is a great combination of very easy breezy prose, all the super fun YA tropes, fast paced plot progression, a very cool world with inspirations from the rise of the Qing dynasty but with steampunk elements, well fleshed out main character who is easy to root for supported by an interesting ensemble cast, great audio narration, and an end I did not at all see coming. I particularly enjoyed listening to this while working out because despite the high stakes for our main character, it’s not too much on the angsty side, just like I prefer.
Aihui Ying is a rebel at heart, determined both on her path to find the truth behind her father’s murder as well as about exploring her true love of being a part of the engineering guild. She maybe naive and sheltered in some aspects, but mostly has a good head on her shoulders, resilient in her goals and a good friend to others. I really enjoyed following her every step of the way, learning the secrets of the guild, her father, and the High Commander’s family, right alongside her. Her story is made more enjoyable by her equations with Aogiya Yeyang, a Prince with high ambitions who is equal parts supportive and mysterious: Aogiya Yekan, another prince who comes across as arrogant and snobbish but is a secret softie who values his friendships and wants to be something other than what’s expected of him; the other apprentices who start off a bit hostile but become reluctant comrades as the trials go on; the various eccentric guild masters who range from outright vindictive to indifferent to intrigued; and her sister Nian who just wants a happy and fulfilling life.
Some may find this book a bit predictable because of the common YA fantasy tropes in it but that’s precisely why I really enjoyed it - the trials to become a member of the engineering guild, the eventual camaraderie between the apprentices, the impossible romance between characters of varying backgrounds, and a deadly secret - it was all familiar ground but in a very unique silk punk setting, making it a fresh entertaining voice in YA fantasy. I thoroughly had fun and can’t wait to see what the author does next in the sequel. ...more