Noor Chopra

214 pgs First things first, this is not an easy read. The prologue immerses you in deep thought. As you start getting a grip of the storyline, a lot of thoughts start brainstorming your brain. The book begins with an interview of an author whose book is creating ruckus in the society. The author is in a cell due to some criminal activity. Her thoughts, her ideas are just so bewildering! She talks & has written about karma, about God, tries to give reasoning behind the unanswered questions.. like why are some people born in wealthy households & others in poor strata.. why do people face so much pain & wrongdoings.. In her story, a woman kills her sister's child out of jealousy. Later her own girl is raped & made to marry the son of the rapist & this woman, eventually kills the rapist, deciding for justice at her own sweet will. The idea/ storyline is realistic as well as vague & bound to create aa buzz & that's what she states..that when a great amt. of books are released everyday, she needs to write something which makes it stand apart. She is even sought by a political party for her stance against homosexuality in her next book. Although she states to her interviewer that her own stand maynot be same as that of the author in her books. Side by side, the timeline shifts & we time travel to a hostel in Simla where this girl has a cool gang of buddies who are always up to some mischief.. a popular boyfriend.. As the story progresses, the author talks about her life, her mistakes, her life lessons, her experiences, people who wronged her & eventually we come to the end of the book & the story & the book leaves you in a trance, with an after taste you cannot forget for long. A very unique kindof read. I would say it's more of philosophical fiction. I liked reading through it. “Two drifters, off to see the world, there's so much of the world to see, We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' around the bend!" ___ Every teenager thinks they will lead a better life than their parents. Nida is no different.Coming from a broken marriage, she dreams to spend her life in the arms of her lover. Reality, however, has other plans for her. As she goes through different phases in her life, she encounters various heart-wrenching experiences along the way; all in her journey to be a rebellious author. Turning to comfort in everyone she meets, trying to cope up with the betrayals of her most trusted friends, Nida understands what it means to be independent when it’s her against the world. From the late-night escapades with her boyfriend in the chills of Simla, to attending her mother’s marriage, to write about all the outrageous books, to adopting an orphan child; join Nida in Litany of Woes as she searches for love in all forms and to the realization that it is indeed just a word after all.

A CHRISTMAS TREE AND A WEDDING by FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY. #365days365shortstories ______ 🎈"A Christmas Tree and a Wedding" is a short story written by RUSSIAN AUTHOR Fyodor Dostoyevsky published in 1848. 🎈There is SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORK WRITTEN IN THIS ERA..am mesmerized by it & genuinely loving it. 🎈This 👆hashtag has made me DISCOVER SOME BEAUTIFUL WRITINGS which I may have missed other wise. 🎈This story is a simple COLLECTION OF ALL THE OBSERVATIONS MADE BY AN OUTCAST, AT A HIGH PROFILE CHRISTMAS PARTY and how coincidentally, what he observes later, after 5 years brings back memories of that Christmas party. 🔑🎈KEY POINTS; - the DISCRIMINATION prevalent in the society on the basis of status - but the innocence in CHILDREN does NOT DISCRIMINATE - the business/ CALCULATIVE MIND OF HUMAN BEINGS - status symbols - MARRIAGE being treated as a commodity of BARTER SYSTEM - the STATUS OF WOMEN in society, their helplessness & being devoid of any power or say in matters - the WRITING STYLE. I LEARNT SOME NEW WORDS, in addition to phrases. 🎈Some of my FAV. PHRASES are; "recognising the bird 🐦from its feathers".. "waited on him hand and foot".. 🎈I love how SIMPLE AND OBSERVANT, the work is. _______ ❤️ Do you like observing other human beings or even birds & animals❓ I love observing things around me.. Be it human beings, their emotions, actions, reactions, body language, expressions.. Even birds, animals.. their behaviour. . Gosh 🙈I wish I was invisible so as to observe to my hearts content w/out any curtailment. ________ #noorthebookwormreviews #achristmastreeandawedding

Love ❤, Noor. ___ #booktour #netgalley THE SHARP EDGE OF MERCY by Connie Hertzberg Mayo. Release date: 06/05/2022 Genre: #historicalfiction #medicalfiction 356 pgs ___ #qotd Have you noticed a fixed/ stoic demeanor depicted by docs/ nurses? Have you ever wondered what would happen if the medical staff in a hospital would get emotionally attached to a patient/s? ___ "Mayo's novel not only offers a close look at health care at the turn of the 20th century, but also addresses the racial, class, and sexual tensions that existed alongside strict, bigoted Victorian-era standards of morality. Mayo brings her characters and settings to life with deft prose and careful research. Her descriptions of the crowded streets of New York are visceral and authentic...A compelling and diverse historical novel."- #kirkusreviews ___ I am not a huge fan of #historical novels but there is something about the era, the language, the ways which draws me to it. Also the fact that it is an amalgamation of facts & fiction weaved around it, makes me read the last page asap. I could relate to Lillian's struggle..her earlier jealousy & now love for her Lil sis.. her elder bro like cous.. the concept of gay men in that era.. Lillian's zeal to achieve something in life, be a nurse & her inhibitions.. her curiosity.. her humane attitude towards her patients. Her attitude towarda her mother Helen, did make me think twice.. Her problems at the hospital.. amongst her colleagues.. with her seniors/ doc.. her rapport with people below in hierarchy/ Jupiter..made me root for her till the very end. The atmospheric setting of the bygone era & the feel of working in that hospital, did give me goosebumps. I also love the #bookclub questions in the end, they are excellent for #buddyread too. Definately recommend for a seasoned reader of this genre or for anyone who loves reading anything about medicine or related field. ___ Blurb: New York City, 1890: Lillian Dolan is optimistic about her new job at the New York Cancer Hospital after dreaming for years of becoming a nurse. But she struggles to fit in, and her only friend at the hospital is Jupiter, a Black man who runs the crematorium. When the confident Dr. Bauer arrives as the new surgeon and takes a shine to Lillian, she is thrilled to be noticed. Lillian has been warned not to get too close to the patients, but Mrs. Sokolova draws her in, and Lillian wins praise from the nurses for making progress with a difficult patient. But when Mrs. Sokolova’s situation becomes dire, she puts Lillian in an impossible situation-—all while Lillian slowly loses control of her relationship with Dr. Bauer. Her decision to help her patient throws her life into chaos, and Jupiter may be the only person who can help her with an impossible choice: capitulate to Dr. Bauer’s demands or face possible arrest.

am aghast, stunned & #theend left the reader in me, wanting for me. Perfect! a good #psychologicalthriller, a #pageturner , gave me a #spinechilling experience at some instances & repulsive #crime activities at other. All in all, a good one time read. #thegirlintheglasscase by @devashishsardana @penguinindia _____ #ｑｏｔｄ Can you re-read #thrillers ? I am genuinely curious? My main interest in reading 📚 a #crimethriller is nabbing the culprit before the author discloses him/ her. The #readingexperience which makes my heart "racing" is the next priority. So... ______ about this book 📖: the writing ✍ style is plain words is "ultra descriptive" with a good percentage of words used which can add to vocab of the reader. I liked the detailing but at a few instances, I just wanted to say (like Simone & Irshad), let's come to the point! As a reader, I was in a rush throughout the story, anticipating & guessing, what's next! ..which is a good thing. There are two ✌& not 1 psychos involved in this story & the nature of their crime is grotesque! So a #contentwarning is mandatory here🔴; Foul Lang is used in the beginning, not much though. Adult content, yes it's there. #sexualorientation yes present. #childabuse yes. #domesticvoilence yup. #murder yess. #mentalillness definitely. Thrill & suspense? Yes yes yes!! To the brim! ________ the story: A police officer (Irshaf), who has been at the receiving end of gifts from a psycho, post murder 🤔 is at his wit's end for the past many yrs, with almost no clue regarding the crime doer. The name given to the murderer is interesting too🙄. Now apparently this person is rejuvenated with both his crime & fame. He relishes both. But.. recently another competitor (the title refers to his/her crime) has entered the space & is getting all the publicity & is hot in the news. Psycho 1 is jealous & wants his claim-to-fame back. In the process, he breaks off his calculated strategy & does the crime while taking some risks, in the hope to climb back onto the no. 1 position. But alas psycho 2 is a tough competition. Now 2 juniors of Irshad, Simone & Zoya are on the case of psycho 2. With hardwork, desperation & smartness With hardwork, desperation running high & smartness, Simone could guess the modus operandi of psycho 2 & therefore, the police is just 1 step behind him/her. Are they right or wrong and are they able to nab him or stop the next crime? Can't tell you. On the other hand, Irshad eventually makes success of the minuscule mistake done by psycho 1 in his last, impulsive crime. He is nearing in guessing & nabbing him. Will he be able to guess the true identity of psycho 1, catch him & relinquish himself of the all the wrath of these past unsuccessful yrs? You need to read the book for that. ✅But what I can tell you clearly is this- it's a murder mystery, a true thriller, will keep u wide awake devouring the turn of events one by one, a good script by an #indianauthor , a bit filmy yes but what is a fiction w/out a little bit of drama, right?! Will i recommend it, yes. Will i reread it, no. This is my 1st read by this popular IIM Ahmedabad graduate author & i would definitely look forth to reading more of his work. Also I loved the character of Simone. We need more strong women like that! She can obviously work on her shortcomings, impulsiveness & a hot head, we all have some. A good page turner👏.

amazing read vanishme by leematthewgoldberg It's my 4th 📖 book by the author, I think & his ✍ writing style has become so comfortable, a habit. Have you ever felt like running 🏃‍♀️ away from everything, everyone, from yourself..to a place where no one recognizes you? Someday, they’d tell the story of my ghost, this girl named Nico made up of air and mist, who vanished from everyone with the goal of vanishing from the person she most wanted to get away from—herself. 🌸 Have you ever thought about writing ✍ letters to your future self or even better, a journal/ personal diary which you would want you child or maybe grandchild to read one day & understand & remember you.. something special thats only between you & her/ him..a window 🪟 that opens to YOU. I have really pondered hard over this idea & am working on it⚘. I was literally born in the wrong century and there’s nothin’ I can do about it but bathe in nostalgia. 💭 Have u felt that 👆? Got in my car and ran just like I’d done when I was sixteen. We’re guilty of our histories, repeating the same mistakes over and over. This time I’d run away without a destination, without a purpose, only my heart as a guide. Begging for it to beat again like it used to. ___ This story is placed in the late 90's.. a time when a flip phone was a thing & then it moves ahead to 2014. The story is about two teens, a band madly in love, ready to rule the world! But with fame, money, dreams came another responsibility, a child.. something which came into their lives while they were still unprepared. We get to see a girl twisted between having the child or aborting off the little life.. she chooses to give birth to her & named her Love. It is about music 🎶, music that filled their souls. It is about a reluctant mother, a girl who was not satiated with all the love, fame etc etc she had. She wanted to runaway.. runaway from everything..from her & that's what she did.. leaving behind her love & her child. This story is also abt a beautiful father daug bond. It's abt how the girl grows up & finds her mom. Does she understand her? Do they reconcile? It's abt 1st love & a lot more. ❤ Get swept up once more in the tantalizing drama that surrounds Nico Sullivan as Lee Matthew Goldberg’s young-adult Runaway Train trilogy comes to an end. When former singer Nico Sullivan goes missing, her estranged daughter, Love, finds her mom’s old diary. Using each entry as a clue to her mother’s whereabouts, Love takes a trip to L.A. with her best friends Frankie and Caden where she discovers that her feelings for Frankie may run deeper than she’s willing to let on. While diving deeper into her mother’s old life, Love struggles with her own social insecurities and abandonment issues. But as she’s searching for lost parts of herself, Love also discovers something unexpected—a deep-rooted and shared love of 90s grunge music with that of her missing mother. At turns heartbreaking, inspiring and mysterious, Vanish Me is a portrait of a teenage girl desperate to find herself among the cracks her mother left behind.

This story is fiction but it depends on in-depth research by the author, a few facts & names & characters & events weaved by the author as per the story's requirement. It is not only a heart-rending tale about migration, the process & corruption, but also a heartwarming story of human spirit, friendships & women empowerment. The author wanted to explore the idea of what it means to be American, a citizen of the world’s “melting pot” comprised of many cultures, ethnicities, and religions. From the author: "I hope readers may see not only the abuse that took place during that time at Ellis Island and the power differential between immigration official and immigrant, but also that the issue of immigration isn’t cut and dry. The laws governing immigration were, and are still, continuously shifting. I hope my readers were able to get a feel for how difficult and complex the issues surrounding immigration can be." An amazing read. ------ Ellis Island, 1902: Two women band together to hold America to its promise: "Give me your tired, your poor ... your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." A young Italian woman arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life. That same day, a young American woman reports to her first day of work at the immigration center. But Ellis Island isn't a refuge for Francesca or Alma, not when ships depart every day with those who are refused entry to the country and when corruption ripples through every corridor. While Francesca resorts to desperate measures to ensure she will make it off the island, Alma fights for her dreams of becoming a translator, even as women are denied the chance. As the two women face the misdeeds of a system known to manipulate and abuse immigrants searching for new hope in America, they form an unlikely friendship―and share a terrible secret―altering their fates and the lives of the immigrants who come after them. Inspired by true events and for fans of Kristina McMorris and Hazel Gaynor, The Next Ship Home holds up a mirror to our own times, deftly questioning America's history of prejudice and exclusion while also reminding us of our citizens' singular determination. This is a novel of the dark secrets of Ellis Island, when entry to "the land of the free" promised a better life but often delivered something drastically different, and when immigrant strength and female friendship found ways to triumph even on the darkest days.

Commenced my #christmasreading & am so happy I read it!! DREAMING OF CHRISTMAS by T. A. Williams. . . Narrated by Anne Marie Piazza. Saga Egmont Audio. . . GENRE: Holiday Fiction, Gen. Fiction (A), Romance, Women Fiction. SOURCE: @netgalley . . 233 pgs of a heartwarming read 📚. I havenot read something like this, for quite sometime.. something cozy, sweet & realistic with a happy ending which leaves you smiling & teary eyed. The writing is simple but consuming, I read it in one go! This is the story of a girl next-door, ZOE Lumsley, a journalist, who had a 10 year old relationship with GRANT, right from uni days. Her work keeps her so occupied that she fails to notice that Grant is drifting away..so much so that one fine day, just before Christmas, he announces he's leaving.. no explanations..no apologies, no drama, no tears. He says he's in a relationship & is going right away. That was last Christmas. Zoe never could come out of the trauma this sudden breakup inflicted on her. To add to it, she had to leave her 8 yr old job & work at something just for survival. She was struggling..trying to stay afloat when an old batchmate COMPUTER BILLY contacts her for a reunion. Her friend, JULIET pleads her to come along.. When she explores the trip, it's a luxurious all paid trip in the snow mountains which is totally irresistible! To add to it, computer Billy has become THE William Fischer, a mysterious rich businessman who has climbed the steps to fame, pretty fast. Her boss asks her to extract an interview of him. Her ex Grant would also be most probably there. She's all messed up in this dilemma. What will she do? Will she go? If she does, what will happen when she sees Grant? Will she be able to catch an interview? How will this story have a HEA? Such a heartwarming 💕 story.. 🌈 ! Have you attended a reunion? How was it? Do ppl pretend their lives are superb & then gradually open up? Did you have nicknames for batchmates? Are you in touch? What's special abt Christmas for you? What are you reading this December? . . Love ❤, Noor. . . . #bookreview #christmasreads #christmas #dreamingofchristmas #holidayseason #romance #womenfiction

❤️ Do you write ✍️a journal or a diary? Why? 🖤 If yes, do you sometimes feel it is a risky proposition? What if someone lays hands on your secrets 🤫🤐? Do you believe in true love? ____________ ___________ ✨What's more precious than an author signed copy? A little note 📝self scribbled by the author🧡 ✨This book is a QUICK 📖READ, capable of consumption in a single sitting. Pgs-166. ✨VERY SIMPLE WRITING STYLE, apt for beginners. ✨The narrative is from two point 📍 of views, which are penned alternatively. ✨I feel this story is PERFECT FOR A PERSON IN LOVE, OR WHO BELIEVESin the sentiment of love & not otherwise. ✨I loved the BEAUTIFUL FORMATTING/ font for DIARY ENTRIES which are peppered generously over the entire book. ✨The book is INSPIRING in itself. ✨There are LIFE LESSONS conveyed throughout the book, which I really liked. ✨It's a STORY OF love, friendships, long distance relationships, breaks ups, divorce, loss and resuscitation! ✨The BEGINNING GIVES AWAY THE MAIN PLOT but it, in no way takes away from the joy of reading this book. ✨For me personally, it was an average read. __________ 📌 A nice read, if you are dealing with a personal loss, are in love, YA, a beginner reader. #noorthebookwormreviews #thediaryofmylove

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." -George Bernard Shaw. #wildthing : Embracing Childhood Traits in Adulthood for a Happier, More Carefree Life by @mikefairclough_ @hayhouseindia Thankyou so much for this beautiful read, it resonated so much with my being ❤️. ____ ❤️ As an adult burdened with responsibilities, have you left your inner, mischievous, adventurous, filled with joy- child behind or is it still very much alive in you? Do you like playing with kids v/s spending time with adults? I love spending time with kids anyday rather than with boring adults🙃 engaging in serious talk. _____ How do children face challenges, yet remain so happy, elated, even escatic? Their secret is "imagination". ☘️WILD THING is abt reclaiming our imagination & rekindling our enthusiasm for life. Genre: #selfhelp #nonfiction 1. Born to be wild: Live in the present! Have a spirit of adventure. Be lighthearted, creative & imaginative. Let it be a default attitude towards Life. 2. Breaking the Rules: "Bend the rules only if you have learned them; break the rules only if you have mastered them." - Matshona Dhliwayo. There are top tips/ to-do things at the end of each chapter, but ones after this chap. are my fav. 3. Stepping into the magic: It means, fully engaging in the moment. Whatever switches us on & lights our fire, we should embrace it with open arms. 4. Finding Buried Treasure: Spending time in nature. "Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower." I think, I have highlighted the entire book with my pen 🙈, it's sooo good. 5. Building Grit & Resilience: Moving out of our comfort zone & harnessing the chemicals like oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin, endorphins & using the power of positive psychology. Again, the top tips are pretty useful. 6. Gratitude: The key is in the execution. ✅ Infact, every good nonfiction/ self help book would be useful to you only if you follow it religiously. It also talks about doing a good deed for 3 other ppl reminding me of movie #jaiho ____ Loved it🍓 May we always be wild things.