Anjly Pahwa

I've been watching a lot of SK interviews lately. In one of those he said I write because I like it. I want to entertain my readers. I want them to sleep late, to be late for meetings, not complete their chores because they wanted to read just one more chapter. I want my books to be that much interesting everytime. This is how this book was really. It kept me up till five. It was with me everytime. In my mind I was always thinking about Luke, worrying about him and other kids. Imagining worse scenarios for the Institute people. If you pick up any of my SK reviews they'll probably be the same. I'm running out of adjectives for his books. The plots that this guy has are never ending. Usually an author has one or two good books in his basket. Rest are okayish but its just the opposite with King. Its turning out to be more of a King appreciation post rather than a review. Go read it everyone. Its a really good book. My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Follow on Instagram: @anjlyay

How do you define a good book? The one that stays with you even if you're not reading it, busy with cooking the characters are there with you. Conversing with someone and thinking how the protagonist will react to this certain situation. One such book for me is If It Bleeds BY Stephen king. The book compromises of four short stories. Each more interesting than the other. But there were two stories that Kept me grounded to the book. • If it Bleeds: It was lovely meeting Holly Gibney again. With a new tenure and her faith in God and her willingness to protect the everyone even at her own cost. • Mr Harrigans Phone: The phone was an intriguing plot and the repercussions that come after that, were marvellous to read. I didn't have much knowledge about the I phone in the starting. That was a smooth introduction for Mr Harrigan and me as well. • Rat: The story of a wanna be novelist and what it took from him to reach there. I learned about the someone's writing process. That was a plus. • The life of Chuck: Everybody dies but this one has a twist to it. This is the story I wasn't able to get much. So if anyone who got it. I'll love to discuss. My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Follow on instagram: @anjlyay

After finally a long period of waiting, I finally got to read 'Midnight Sun'. It is basically Twilight only but from Edward's perceptive. As a teenager I was quite fascinated by Edward. I was really excited for this, an actual chance to meet Edward It was great knowing a lot of things from Edward's view. I already excepted a bit of similarity because of the same story but something new was also expected. In that aspect the book failed for me. Everything got a bit too explanatory and a lot of scenes were far too stretched. It may be a good choice for YA readers but I guess I've passed that stage. My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 P.S.: I thing I loved about the book was the mention of all those books. Follow on instagram: @anjlyay

Kafka on the shore Written by Haruki Murakami in 2002, translated in English by Philip Gabriel in 2005. It is a strange book, but it was likeable strange. Murakami has a habit of gripping the strangest things and making them interesting. I love that about him. . The book starts with a chapter called 'The boy named Crow', which intrigued me instantly. There is a boy who is trying to run away from his home. The reason was never clearly mentioned, which was a set back for me. With Murakami there is always a thing that happens with me. There will always be things that I'll strongly and there will be things that I'll not like much. It's never in the middle. For instance in this book • The best was he was living in a library • Mr Nakata and his talking with cats were just adorable. • Johnnie Walker, Colonel Sanders, only Murakami can accommodate these wonders in his literature. • The boy named crow was an interesting aspect too. • Loved the cabin in the mountains The things I didn't liked • Why did the boy run away from his home? No specific reason was mentioned. • Oshima's character was a bit stretchy. I don't think his gender details were much required. The book is based loosely around the Greek mythology Miss Saeki's character was a bit puzzling and I got confused by the end. Mother and her child shares a very special bond. If Miss Saeki was his mother than why the intimacy? It got a bit odd for me there. Why she said he was Kafka from the picture, was he reborn? Why was she struck on soemthing that happened thirty years ago. She had advanced more than double in her age since the incidence. There were knots I thought they'll be resolved in the end but didn't not. Why did Miss Saeki send him back, if he was the boy from the picture? . . The book worked on a subconscious level and I thought you'd have to keep to common sense aside and just flow with the flow with the book to love it. And I was enable to fathom it. It was strange but it was an interesting strange kept me waiting for how the events would turn out to be. My Ratings: 🌝🌝🌛2.5 Follow on instagram: @anjlyay

"Expectations are like hidden rocks in your path-- all they do is trip you up". Mahabharat whenever read/watched has always given me goosebumps with the majestic story and fascinating characters. The palace of illusions is Mahabharat from Draupadi's point of view. 👏First of all kudos to Chitra Banerjee for completing the whole story in 350 pages. I don't think she missed anything, be it Vasu's story or Shikhandi's. The story starts with Draupadi's birth, how she came to existence and her special bond with her brother Dhrishtdyum. Brother and sister growing up in king Draupad's palace. Then enters their brother Shikhandi, his whole story as lady Amba. Till here the story managed it's uniqueness. Being Mahabharat and yet being different. I was attracted to the book till here. After that the story turned out to be repetitive. Soemtimes it felt like I was watching a Indian TV soap or I was the reading exactly the script of BR Chopra's Mahabharat. Draupadi's element getting lost. A lot of expectations from this book, turned into dullness which later on turned into irritation. Yes! Irritation!! It's the first time ever I think I have been irritated by a book/plot. When I read that the book was from Draupadi's point of view. What was going though the minds of ladies of Mahabharata. I thought women empowerment. Women being behind the curtain playing with coyness and cunningness. What irritated me was Karan and Draupadi's angle. He mocked you in front of the court. Still you are thinning of him?? Being a petty teenager. Her infatuation with him was absurd. Kunti offering Draupadi to Karan. That's was just heights. I thought this book wants to uplift women in Indian mythology not belittle them. When the battle began, everybody knows what happened on the battle ground. What peeked my interest was what happened to the ladies left at the camp. But Draupadi ran off to the mountain with Vyasa's power to watch it at her own accord. With a mere mention of the ladies. There was this last chapter of Draupadi dying, and Krishna appearing at her side, which was beautifully written I loved it, till the mention of Karan. It felt like an unrequited irritating romance featured in Indian daily soaps. All and all a disappointing read for me. My Rating: 2.5🌟 Follow on instagram: @anjlyay

"A man can be destroyed but not defeated ." The story of an unlucky old fisherman, who went eighty four days in the sea without catching any fish. He had a boy who used to work with him but after forty four days of no fish. His parents removed him from the boat and got him transferred to another boat. But the boy grew attached to the old man and started taking care of him by bringing him meals, newspapers, baits for fishes in the morning. All this is the side story. The real short story begins when the old man goes to the sea alone one morning and catches a big fish. The real trouble begins when fish shows him strength and persistent and he reciprocates the same. Waiting patiently for his turn at the fish. This is simple story of a fisherman, who spends three days and three nights in sea, catching a fish, managing his dinner and warding off sharks against his found treasure. Filled with ninety nine pages of persistence, optimism, achieving the best with what you have with a lot of deliberation. Hemingway's writing is simple yet filled with excitement. My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Follow on instagram: @anjlyay

Does this happen to you as well? One book by an author you cherish and adore and other leaves you in questions!! Wise and Otherwise was my first novel by Sudha Murty and she has earned one of the highest place on my shelves and that would always be there. No matter what I'd always be suggesting Wise and Otherwise to others. Now coming to 'The mother i never knew'. My second book by Sudha Murty. The title seemed intriguing but I never knew the stories would take such turn. Published in 2014. A fiction comprising of two short novellas. Venktesh and Mukesh. Both of them sharing one of a kind relationship with their mothers. Each story had it's ups and downs. In each novella, the protagonist is trying to find his antecedent relations. Though Mukesh's story was digestible. Venktesh's story had a bollywoodish touch. I wanted to more dynamics of Venktesh and Shanta's relationship. Overall a quick read. I'll suggest reading her non fiction work than fiction. . . Raeding about all her philanthropic work in Wise and Otherwise. It doesn't feel right, saying any thing but good about her. So I'm not reviewing it. Follow on instagram: @anjlyay

I've always had a soft corner for mythological fiction. Mythologic magic has always been special. Circe is a story about of a lesser God. Daughter of Helios and the nymph Perse. Being a misfit in her world. When punished to exile, discovers her own strength as a woman and as a sorceress. The book starts in a fascinating way, introducing all the characters, the Gods and their power, their greed for offerings from humans. The fascination dulls almost after fifty pages when focus shifts to our Heroine. And Circe becomes more and more of a tedious character. The story got stretched and pushy at certain points. There were so many scenarios which I found were incomplete hence played quite an insignificant part in the story, making it more wearisome. Prometheus for one, Glaucos, Scylla, Helios, Trigon. All these tales started off great but the graph got lower and lower. There were so many times where I wanted to pick a new book but I kept going for the sake of my #goodreadsgoal The only part I found interesting was where Circe depicts her feelings as a new mother. I think I enjoyed this part because it is resemblant of my current situation. My Rating:🌟🌟 The moral of the story, I shouldn't give in to instagram hypes and trust my instincts. But I discovered a lot of authors which features Circe in their works. Looking forward to read them in the future. Follow me on instagram: @anjlyay .

Mrs Funnybones Perfect diary of a modern Indian married woman. Recently being a mom, it was so relatable. It is all the things I want to say but couldn't say out loud. It reached out to me. So many things about Indian families, the same niche we all share. The members of the family are referred as third person Man of the house, prodigal son, which were quite funny and apt to the situation. Mummy ji herself was another take. Though it took a few chapters to get into the book. It is sarcasm with optimism. The writing is trifle but has a unique blend. The book has 26 chapters. A to Z all depicting differ incidents of Twinkle's life.All in the format of a diary log with time. I was a little cautious at first about picking this book. Being written by a celebrity, it was already highlighted. It was definitely worth the time. A quick read, I finished it in one day only. One thing I haven't said about a book. The font size and a lot spacings, irated me a little. It was a surprise book for me which connected with me at so many levels. But I would have rated it a star up if not because of the layout. My Rating :🌟🌟🌟 Follow on instagram: @anjlyay

I love Cecelia Ahern. She weaves magic into her stories. Her magic got a spell this time. Postscript the sequel to PS I love you didn't work for me. The story of Holly after seven years of Gerry's death. Holly does a podcast for her sister on Grief. People discovers the PS I love you club. Now they want Holly's help to write letters for their loved ones. Her personality took a bold turn. She is seeing things through different perspective, taking lead in her decisions towards life. The story had emotional touches in between but the book seemed too predictable. Gabriel and his child, Ginika and her Jewel. It all seemed too obvious. Its a sequel to a story that touched millions of hearts. The expectations were quite high and it didn't live up to it. Even Ginika's story didn't match. She is an illiterate in the story but Holly sees Ginika's picture in a school uniform at her father's driving counter. The details didn't not match properly. That was a huge let down for me. Follow on instagram @anjlyay How can a sixteen year old, who got pregnant in school can't read or write!!!! For me it was another After you and I'm thinking I shouldn't buy sequel to the books. They destroy the magic of the stories. . . . My Rating 🌟🌟