Tropical Girl Reads

Going La La La!!! Book Review Going La La by Alexandra Potter

Hello all! Welcome to the blog! I know I haven’t posted for three days but I am back today! So usually, I would post a book review based mainly on literary fiction but today, I decided to post a romantic genre. Going La La is a romantic comedy book written by Alexandra Potter and so I cannot wait to share my views about the book!

Image result for going la la alexandra potter

What do you when your boyfriend tells you he wants space?You give him six thousand miles of it…Frankie’s life is falling apart. In less than a week she’s gone from having everything – a great job, lovely flat and gorgeous Hugh – to having nothing at all.Devastated, dumped and on the dole, she packs her bags and flies to Los Angeles to stay with an old friend. Her goal? To sort out her life and get over Hugh. She does not, repeat not, go to LA to fall head over heels for an American photographer called Reilly and to run away to Las Vegas.But what happens when Hugh wants her back? Who will she choose? And is it really true that whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?Alexandra Potter’s deliciously funny romantic comedy is for every girl who has ever dreamt of running away to Hollywood… or just wished she could reach for the stars.

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (February 1, 2012)

Language: English

Genre:- Romance/Women’s Fiction

Alexandra Potter is the best-selling author of ELEVEN novels that can be described as romantic comedies with a magical twist. Born in England, she has lived in London, Sydney, Australia and New York and LA, and can currently be found clocking up too many air miles travelling the globe researching ideas for her new book…

I have become fascinated with Alexandra Potter’s novels after reading Love Detective (which I will do a review soon) that I started reading her other novel, Going La La and this is her second novel that I am reading.

Like the Love Detective, the outline story is similar–the main protagonist in this case Frankie loses her boyfriend, Hugh who broke up with her because he needed space (even in the love detective, the main protagonist Ruby Miller was dumped by her fiance). But unlike Ruby Miller in Love Detective, Frankie not only loses her boyfriend but she also loses her job all happened on her birthday (yikes how do you feel when your boyfriend dumps you on your birthday?). And like Ruby Miller, Frankie jets off to Los Angeles to live with her best friend Rita until she sorts her life out ( In Love Detective, Ruby flies off to India to join her sister Amy). Her best friend Rita is an aspiring wannabe actress living in Hollywood and helps her friend to settle down in L.A. And while in L.A. she meets a photographer Reilley and falls in love with him (like Ruby who meets an American while in India and falls for him). So the story outline is a little similar compared to the Love Detective and Going La La but in Going La La, Hugh, Frankie’s ex boyfriend plays a minor role in the novel while in the Love Detective, Ruby’s ex fiance is extinct after the breakup.

Potter brings us into the glamorous world of L.A., living among Hollywood’s top celebrities and uses vivid and imaginative descriptions makes you feel like you are actually in L.A. As such, her writing is excellent and makes the reader feel glued to the story and be a part of the story. As usual, like in the Love Detective, her stories are all comical although for me still, Going La La is not as comical as the Love Detective.

Overall, I rate this book as…

Book Review – The Apartment by Danielle Steel

Today is the Romantic Genre Book Review day and so I chose The Apartment by Danielle Steel. So here is my book review about the book.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This vibrant, tender, and moving tale pulses with the excitement of New York City, as Danielle Steel explores twists of fate, and the way that sometimes, in special places, friends can be the family we need most.

They come together by chance in the heart of New York City, four young women at turning points in their lives. Claire Kelly finds the walk-up apartment—a spacious loft in Hell’s Kitchen. But the aspiring shoe designer needs at least one roommate to manage it. She meets Abby Williams, a writer trying to make it on her own, far away from her successful family in L.A. Four years later, Morgan Shelby joins them. She’s ambitious, with a serious finance job on Wall Street. Then Sasha Hartman, a medical student whose identical twin sister is a headline-grabbing supermodel. And so the sprawling space, with its exposed brick and rich natural light, becomes a home to friends about to embark on new, exhilarating adventures.

Frustrated by her ultra-conservative boss, Claire soon faces a career crisis as a designer. Abby is under the spell of an older man, an off-off-Broadway producer who exploits her and detours her from her true talent as a novelist, while destroying her self-confidence. Morgan is happily in love with a successful restaurateur who supplies her roommates with fine food. At her office, she begins to suspect something is off about her boss, a legendary investment manager whom she’s always admired. But does she even know him? And Sasha begins an all-work-no-play residency as an OB/GYN, as her glamorous jet-set sister makes increasingly risky decisions.

Their shared life in the apartment grounds them as they bring one another comfort and become a family of beloved friends. Unexpected opportunities alter the course of each of their lives, and as they meet the challenges, they face the bittersweet reality that in time, they will inevitably move away from the place where their dreams began.

No of Pages :- 432 pages

Publisher :- Dell (Published on January 17th 2017)

Language :- English

Categories :- General Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Family Saga, Contemporary Women

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with over 650 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Property of a Noblewoman, Blue, Precious Gifts, Undercover, Country, Prodigal Son, Pegasus, A Perfect Life, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children’s books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.

OK, to put it this way, I hardly read contemporary fiction or even women fiction or romantic fiction but I have read Zoya, a book written by Danielle Steel and I truly enjoyed reading the book. So I decided to give it another go plus the book cover looks interesting and so I decided to buy this book. However, even though I manage to read the book, I have mixed feelings about this book.

So I will divide into positive and negative comments.

POSITIVE

Overall, this book paints a picture of what friendship really looks like, the bond that these girls/roommates shared with each other and how they are able to help each other out while one is in trouble. My favorite moment was when Claire Kelly, one of the main characters in the book is having issues with her old fashioned boss and aim to work in a leading shoe designing company as well as when her wealthy boyfriend dumps her unexpectedly that all her roommates started being there for her. Truthfully, this actually teaches us girls to be with each other and help each other out when one is in trouble.

The other positive thing about this book is the sheer determination, women power that highlights in the book without depending on the men. Morgan Shelby, another character in the book is a good example of this as she clearly is a professional working woman and even Claire Kelly also shares the same determination that she manages to open her own shoe line thanks to her mother and her help. Danielle Steele has done a good job, outlining these characters into bold, professional and strong willed and able minded women that clearly sets a good example to us women.

NEGATIVE

OK, here are the negative points that I had to outline

Writing–overall, I didn’t really like the style of writing. Some parts of the book, I felt like a fifth grader had written the book or something. There were too many unnecessary parts, not relevant to the story line
Unnecessary characters–OK so I felt Danielle has written so much cliche stuff about the character, Sasha’s identical twin sister Valentina. Valentina is portrayed as a glamorous supermodel unlike her nerdy gynecologist twin doctor and had lived in a life of luxury dating wealthy and dangerous men. Sasha is one of the important characters and in some parts, I felt Valentina was given more attention and that story line sounded cliche
There were repetitive parts in the book that I thought it was odd.

Overall, I liked the book as it kind of teaches us women to never give up our dreams and hope. If Danielle Steele could improve her writing style more and that if there were no cliche stuff, I would have truly given this book a four star!

All right so that’s all the review, so what do you guys think? Do you disagree with me or agree? Feel free to give a comment below!

Rating:- Three stars!

Top 5 Books Everyone likes but you hate….

Hey all! Today’s topic is slightly different. I will be listing out top 5 books, which have become popular among some people and even made into blockbuster movies but the books which I actually hated reading and never finished reading.

Fifty Shades series

Am I the only one here who hates Fifty shades? Well, I read first Fifty Shades of Grey since the book apparently listed out as most sold out books of that year or something so curious me, I read the book. I am not a fan of erotic fiction so maybe that’s why this book is not for me. I hated the book–the plot line is vague, writing is poor and is disgusting to read. I just don’t understand what the fuss is made about this book. Even my friends loved the series!

2. Twilight series

This is one of those series I can’t stand. I don’t understand the hype on this book. The first book was OK but later on, it got boring to me. I don’t really fancy much on vampires so maybe that’s why I hated the series.

3. The Host

Maybe I am not a fan of Stephenie Meyer but I didn’t even finish this book when I started reading it.

4. Wuthering Heights

We have to do this book for our English Literature class and boy, this book actually put me to sleep! Though the first few chapters were interesting, later on it got boring and well, I started not paying any attention in class. Luckily I got through though 🙂

5. Two By Two

Image result for two by two nicholas sparks

There are good Nicholas Sparks books, like A Walk to Remember and The Longest Ride, and Dear John, but this book is not one of Nicholas Sparks’ greatest books. I didn’t enjoy reading the book and I didn’t even finish the book.

This is completely my opinion and I know some of you might even like these books I have mentioned as worst reads but feel free to tell me about your view as well!

Who is the 55th victim? Book Review 55 by James Delargy

Hey all! I know yesterday I posted a book review on thriller, The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan so today I will be posting another thriller–55 written by James Delargy.

*** There were 54 victims before this. Who is number 55? ***
A thriller with a killer hook, and an ending that will make you gasp!

Wilbrook in Western Australia is a sleepy, remote town that sits on the edge of miles and miles of unexplored wilderness. It is home to Police Sergeant Chandler Jenkins, who is proud to run the town’s small police station, a place used to dealing with domestic disputes and noise complaints.

All that changes on a scorching day when an injured man stumbles into Chandler’s station. He’s covered in dried blood. His name is Gabriel. He tells Chandler what he remembers.
He was drugged and driven to a cabin in the mountains and tied up in iron chains. The man who took him was called Heath. Heath told Gabriel he was going to be number 55. His 55th victim.

Heath is a serial killer.

As a manhunt is launched, a man who says he is Heath walks into the same station. He tells Chandler he was taken by a man named Gabriel. Gabriel told Heath he was going to be victim 55.

Gabriel is the serial killer.

James Delargy was born and raised in Ireland but lived in South Africa, Australia and Scotland, before ending up in semi-rural England where he now lives.

He incorporates this diverse knowledge of towns, cities, landscape and culture picked up on his travels into his writing. He would like to complete a round-the-world series of novels (if only for the chance to indulge in more on-the-ground research).

His debut thriller, 55, will be published in June 2019 by Simon & Schuster and 17 other international publishers.

The plot line for the book actually made me want to read the book as I found it intriguing and interesting.

One of them is lying…two suspects, two victims with the same story…there were 54 victims and who is the 55th?

I mean that would make you want to read the book right?

So I’ll start as usual with the things I like about the book

The book was fast paced–the author has written perfectly that would make the reader stay up all night to see which of them is actually the serial killer and which of them is an innocent victim.
The book is quiet a page turner–that is a good thing in thriller books.
The author has shown the relationship between two ex- best friends–Mitch who is now the inspected and Chandler, the main protagonist and the Sergeant of the Wilbrook Police Station clearly well.
I like the vivid description that the author has used to describe about the wilderness in the western part of Australia as well as the background of the deserted and boring small town of Wilbrook. This makes the reader also feel that they are also in the part of the story
The book was well written, with twists, many unexpected twists in each chapter, that will make the reader want to know what is going to happen next. It’s like the reader is also solving crossword puzzles in the book. I also like how religion is briefly associated with the book.

Now I’ll start with the thing that I didn’t like

OK, I didn’t very much like the ending–I mean after all the twists and the book getting intense and intriguing, to me, the ending was a bit vague, though for some people, the ending might be good for them

So I recommend this book to anyone, who loves to read a fast paced thriller that will keep you up all night–55 book is no exception!

I give the book a rating of four stars!

The Nanny– Book Review

Hey all! I know today is not the thriller day, but I have just finished reading the book, The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan and can’t wait to share my thoughts about the book!

Image result for the nanny gilly macmillan

When her beloved nanny, Hannah, left without a trace in the summer of 1988, seven-year-old Jocelyn Holt was devastated. Haunted by the loss, Jo grew up bitter and distant, and eventually left her parents and Lake Hall, their faded aristocratic home, behind.

Thirty years later, Jo returns to the house and is forced to confront her troubled relationship with her mother. But when human remains are accidentally uncovered in a lake on the estate, Jo begins to question everything she thought she knew.

Then an unexpected visitor knocks on the door and Jo’s world is destroyed again. Desperate to piece together the gaping holes in her memory, Jo must uncover who her nanny really was, why she left, and if she can trust her own mother…

In this compulsively readable tale of secrets, lies, and deception, Gilly Macmillan explores the darkest impulses and desires of the human heart. Diabolically clever, The Nanny reminds us that sometimes the truth hurts so much you’d rather hear the lie.

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (September 10, 2019)
Language: English
Genre – Psychological Thriller

Gilly Macmillan is the New York Times bestselling author of WHAT SHE KNEW (previously published as BURNT PAPER SKY in some territories), THE PERFECT GIRL, ODD CHILD OUT & I KNOW YOU KNOW. THE NANNY is out 10 September 2019.

Gilly is Edgar Award nominated and an ITW award finalist. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages.

She grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

Gilly lives in Bristol, UK with her family and writes full time. She’s currently working on her sixth novel.

The Nanny was one of my want to read book list last year and so when I got the hands on this book, I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to read the book.

So in a nutshell, the story starts with Jocelyn “Jo” who returns back to the Holt house with her daughter, Ruby after her husband, Chris died in accident back in California. She is having a distant and estranged relationship with her mother Virginia and was supposedly very close to her nanny Hannah Burgess, who mysteriously disappeared back in 1987. Then things began to change when a human skull was found in a lake at the back of the Holt house and an unexpected visitor turns up at the manion.

So let’s start with the ones I like about the book (not there are some Spoiler reviews in this list)

The story is told from the perspectives of Jo (the daughter) and Virginia (the mother) so the reader can have an insight of what both the mother and daughter think of each other, and their different opinions about the nanny, Hannah.
Starting from the middle, the story starts getting interesting, particularly about the scenes (confrontation scene) between Hannah and Virginia and Jo.
I also like the way author chronicles the events starting in 1973 when Linda Taylor gets a new identity.
The chapters about the police was short which was OK.
The writing was simple and understandable and not very complicated.
The author did a good job keeping the reader hooked into the book.

Now the things I didn’t like in the book.

Some parts of the book was confusing.
Sometimes when Virginia was reminiscing memories of her late husband, Alexander and about what she and Alexander did that night, it was a little confusing to know which is the past event and which is a present event.
The story was too direct so kind of gave in who the villain is and the ending was predictable.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book–it was a good thriller. I give this book a four star rating!

Baked Goods and Cupcakes! Book Review Summer at the Little Beach Bakery – Jenny Colgan

Hey all! Today is the Romantic Book Review Day and I will be doing a book review on Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery!

Image result for summer at little beach street bakery jenny colgan

Summer has arrived in the Cornish town of Mount Polbearne and Polly Waterford couldn’t be happier. Because Polly is in love: she’s in love with the beautiful seaside town she calls home, she’s in love with running the bakery on Beach Street, and she’s in love with her boyfriend, Huckle. And yet there’s something unsettling about the gentle summer breeze that’s floating through town. Selina, recently widowed, hopes that moving to Mount Polbearne will ease her grief, but Polly has a secret that could destroy her friend’s fragile recovery. Responsibilities that Huckle thought he’d left behind are back and Polly finds it hard to cope with his increasingly long periods of absence. Polly sifts flour, kneads dough and bakes bread, but nothing can calm the storm she knows is coming: is Polly about to lose everything she loves?

Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (March 22,

2016)

Language: English

Genre–Friendship/Romance/Women’s Fiction/Contemporary

Jenny Colgan (born 14 September 1972 in Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland) is a writer of romantic comedy fiction and science-fiction, and has written for the Doctor Who line of stories. She writes under her own name and using the pseudonyms Jane Beaton and J. T. Colgan.(courtesy of Wikipedia)

I bought this book from Big Bad Wolf book fair a couple of years ago and read it. It wasn’t bad as I thought it would be–the story is cheesy and romantic (though I am not much of a romantic fan )

I’ll start up with a list of things I liked

OK, I know this is a second book in the Little Beach Bakery series but I like the title–Summer at Little Beach Bakery seems cheesy and eye-catching. That’s why I immediately decided to buy this book when I was at the book sale because the topic was cheesy
I like Jenny Colgan’s writing style–can keep you at paced and also there are vivid descriptions of the lighthouse “which Polly the main protagonist” lives in with her American boyfriend Huckle, and even though I have never been to the southern coastal areas of England, her descriptions made me think that I was actually in that area.
True woman power! This book is also a good example how Polly was thrown out of her bakery shop and she was virtually bankrupt and had literally no money until her sheer determination (and also support from her boyfriend) made her to open up a bakery van, thus earning herself a name and also earning favors from the villages.
The description of the storm is intense that I feel like I am in the storm with Polly
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book–delightful to read, talks about hardships and how to overcome them, there were certain parts where it was comical that it makes you laugh out loud! Plus Jenny Colgan has shared some recipes at the back of the book which I think I might try!

OK, so here are the negative things

Same old story blah blah blah–Huckle goes back to America to help out in the farm after his brother literally ditched the farm and then unite together. Not that it’s a bad thing or anything
It was predictable because you know in the end, Polly will succeed in getting her bakery shop back!

Overall I will rate this book as three stars!

Thriller Tuesday! Book Review The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

Hello all! Today is Tuesday and Tuesdays mean it’s thriller time! Today I will be doing a book review on The Butcher, written by Jennifer Hillier.

A rash of grisly serial murders plagued Seattle until the infamous “Beacon Hill Butcher” was finally hunted down and killed by police chief Edward Shank in 1985. Now, some thirty years later, Shank, retired and widowed, is giving up his large rambling Victorian house to his grandson Matt, whom he helped raise.

Settling back into his childhood home and doing some renovations in the backyard to make the house feel like his own, Matt, a young up-and-coming chef and restaurateur, stumbles upon a locked crate he’s never seen before. Curious, he picks the padlock and makes a discovery so gruesome it will forever haunt him… Faced with this deep dark family secret, Matt must decide whether to keep what he knows buried in the past, go to the police, or take matters into his own hands.

Meanwhile Matt’s girlfriend, Sam, has always suspected that her mother was murdered by the Beacon Hill Butcher—two years after the supposed Butcher was gunned down. As she pursues leads that will prove her right, Sam heads right into the path of Matt’s terrible secret.

A thriller with taut, fast-paced suspense, and twists around every corner, The Butcher will keep you guessing until the bitter, bloody end.

Jennifer Hillier writes about dark, twisted people who do dark, twisted things. Born and raised in Toronto and a proud Canadian, she spent eight years in the Seattle area, which is where all her books are set.

She loves her son, her husband, the Seahawks, and Stephen King. Not equally, but close. She’s the author of five novels. Her newest psychological thriller JAR OF HEARTS, is available now from Minotaur Books.

So this is the first time I have read Jennifer Hillier’s books and I have wanted to read one of her another psychological thriller books, Jar of Hearts. But I cam across this book on E-book, The Butcher, written before the Jar of Hearts and so started to read it.

So in a nutshell, Edward Shank is a retired police chief who moves into the Retirement house. He is well known among the community as he was the one who caught Rufus Wedge who was the notorious serial killer nicknamed as “Beacon Hill Butcher”. His grandson, Matt Shank, also a well known chef owning a fancy restaurant moves into the family home after his grandfather retires into the house. Matt also has a girlfriend, Samantha who is an author and who is convinced that her mother was murdered by the very same Butcher, two years after the police caught the real Butcher. Then the story begins to get interesting when Matt discovers something, he shouldn’t have.

So let me point out the things that I like about the book.

We already know who the serial killer is in the beginning but we do know that the other characters in the book are clueless about it–I like that concept.
There were twists in each of the chapters, particularly the ending–the ending was unexpected and literally put me at the edge of the seat as I was reading it.
This is not a typical thriller book–this has more family drama, the turmoil unfolding the drama and of course the relationship between Samantha and Matt.
I like Hillier’s writing style and so her style also kept me hooked into the story as well.
I like how Hillier had made many of the main characters in the book sound more complex — particularly with Matt and his anger management issues (won’t spoil too much about it), Edward Shank’s facade (again not too much spoiling about it). Some of those characters sound like real people as well as how real people would be dealing with the situation

Now I’ll start with the things that I didn’t like.

It was slightly disturbing, particularly the ending, though it didn’t really matter
There were some violent parts but again it didn’t affect the story much either.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read a good thriller with more family drama. Four stars!

US AGAINST YOU–Literary Book Review, Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

Hey all! Last Monday, I did a book review on Beartown, written by the Swedish author, Fredrik Backman. Us Against You is the sequel of Beartown, also written by the same author. I have just finish ed reading the book and can’t wait to share my thoughts about it!

A small community tucked deep in the forest, Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don’t expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times get, they’ve always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it’s a cruel blow when they hear that their town’s ice hockey club might soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in the neighboring town of Hed, take in that fact. But the arrival of a newcomer gives Beartown hockey a chance at a comeback.

Soon a team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; always dutiful and eager-to-please Bobo; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a huge challenge, especially as the town’s enmity with Hed grows more and more acute as the big game approaches.

By the time the last goal is scored, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after everything, the game they love can ever return to something as simple and innocent as a field of ice, two nets, and two teams. Us against you.

Here is a declaration of love for all the big and small, bright and dark stories that give form and color to our communities. With immense compassion and insight, Fredrik Backman reveals how loyalty, friendship, and kindness can carry a town through its most challenging days.

Series: Beartown (Book 2)
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Atria Books (June 5, 2018)
Language: English
Genre – Sports Ficiton

This is the sequel to the book, Beartown, written by the same author, Fredrik Backman (so for those of you who haven’t read Beartown, read Beartown before reading Us Against You). The story follows the aftermath of Maya’s rape and Kevin Erdhal leaving the Beartown. The story follows the tension between the two rival towns, Beartown and Hed and would also involve politics, relationship struggles and…death of loved ones.

So as usual, let me start out with the ones I like about the book.

Each chapter of the book starts with some sort of a comment about the life in general with bits and pieces of advice about life.
The book explores the struggles of relationships and marriage and the author does a good job outlining those such struggles.
The book is realistic when it talks about how politics seem to pave its way and play a role in the sports, and in this case how politics play a role in hockey. Corruption of politicians also have been outlined.
the author manages to outline how the sport, in this case hockey affects the whole community in general,. whether you are form Beartown or Hed.
I also like the way how the whole community would get together as a team in the moment of an event, in this case, particularly when the Bearskin the pub was on fire.
The book was emotional and sad towards the end as author cleverly says how certain lives were destroyed and certain people’s lives will be affected just because of a hockey game.
the book was cleverly written and the author does a good job making the reader hooked into the story.

I am not really a fan of sports fiction but this book was actually enjoyable to read as well as emotional at certain times. Overall, I rate this book as five stars!

History Review—Book Review The Tattooist At Auschwitz

Hey all! Fridays are going to be historical fiction day. To be honest, I love reading books related to 1930s, holocaust and World War II era so most of the historical fiction books I read are based on those topics. Today I will be doing a review on The Tattooist at Auschwitz by Heather Morris.

Image result for the tattooist of auschwitz

In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.

Imprisoned for over two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism—but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. Risking his own life, he uses his privileged position to exchange jewels and money from murdered Jews for food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.

One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.

A vivid, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful re-creation of Lale Sokolov’s experiences as the man who tattooed the arms of thousands of prisoners with what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is also a testament to the endurance of love and humanity under the darkest possible conditions.

Heather Morris is a native of New Zealand, now resident in Australia. For several years, while working in a large public hospital in Melbourne, she studied and wrote screenplays, one of which was optioned by an Academy Award-winning screenwriter in the US. In 2003, Heather was introduced to an elderly gentleman who ‘might just have a story worth telling’. The day she met Lale Sokolov changed both their lives. Their friendship grew and Lale embarked on a journey of self-scrutiny, entrusting the innermost details of his life during the Holocaust to her. Heather originally wrote Lale’s story as a screenplay – which ranked high in international competitions – before reshaping it into her debut novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Though the work is a fiction, it is based on a true story of Slovakian Jew named Lale Sokolov who comes to Auschwitz camp in 1942. Due to his ability to speak in many languages, he becomes a Tatoweirer meaning tattooist where he will tattoo the numbers of the prisoners coming to Auschwitz. Despite the darkness and atrocities that is happening around one of the well known concentration camps in, there is also a love story that was blossoming between Lale and another Slovakian Jewish girl named Gita Furman.

I have always been fascinated with the stories of Holocaust survivors and so this is no exception. I truly enjoyed reading this book–even admired the bravery and courage of Lale, who smuggled gems and jewelry in exchange for some food like chocolates and sausages. This story is a story of courage, brave and how to survive in a place filled with death and darkness.

I enjoyed reading this book and give it a five star rating!

Book Review– Half Girlfriend by Chetan Bhagat

Hey all! Today is Romantic Review Day and so I decided to a book review on Half Girlfriend, written by Chetan Bhagat. So here goes my review!

Once upon a time, there was a Bihari boy called Madhav. He fell in love with girl called Riya. Madhav didn’t speak English well. Riya did. Madhav wanted a relationship. Riya didn’t. Riya just wanted friendship. Madhav didn’t. Riya suggested a compromise. She agreed to be his half-girlfriend. From the author of the blockbuster novels Five Point Someone, One Night @ the Call Center, The 3 Mistakes of My Life, 2 States and Revolution 2020 comes a simple and beautiful love story that will touch your heart and inspire you to chase your dreams.

Series: D9 Shops (Book 10)
Paperback: 260 pages
Publisher: Rupa Publications; 3rd edition (September 30, 2014)
Language: English
Genre–contemporary/romance

Chetan Bhagat is the author of nine blockbuster books. These include seven novels—Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011), Half Girlfriend (2014) and One Indian Girl (2016) and two non-fiction titles— What Young India Wants (2012) and Making India Awesome(2015). Chetan’s books have remained bestsellers since their release. Four out his five novels have been already adapted into successful Bollywood films and the others are in process of being adapted as well. The New York Times called him the ‘the biggest selling English language novelist in India’s history’. Time magazine named him amongst the ‘100 most influential people in the world’ and Fast Company, USA, listed him as one of the world’s ‘100 most creative people in business’. Chetan writes columns for leading English and Hindi newspapers, focusing on youth and national development issues. He is also a motivational speaker and screenplay writer. Chetan quit his international investment banking career in 2009 to devote his entire time to writing and make change happen in the country. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Anusha, an ex-classmate from IIM-A, and his twin boys, Shyam and Ishaan.

So I have always thought of reading one of Chetan Bhagat’s books since I have seen most of his books turned into Bollywood blockbuster movies (kind of like Nicholas Sparks) so I would say he is the Indian version of Nicholas Sparks. I got this book at the book fair and so thought of reading the book. I even saw the trailer of the movie and it looked OK.

So let me list out a couple of things that I liked in the book.

Really love the style of Bhagat’s writing–it makes the reader engrossed in to the book. The vocabulary and English is simple and understandable.
The story is interesting to read and I manage to finish reading the book in a matter of few days!

So here are the things that I did not like

The story is way too predictable–we know that someday, Madhav (SPOILER ALERT!) will one day reunite with Riya Somani so it is a typical cheesy Bollywood styled themed romance.
I hate to admit it but I did not like any of the characters in the book. Madhav is a star-struck lover who refuse to move on without Riya ( even though Riya like dumped him twice) and I feel his love is more obsessed and stalker love–as he continues “stalking”her.
I slightly got confused as Chetan Bhagat mentions himself in the book as that writer where Madhav talks to and since the first person narrative is used in the book, I had a hard time at first identifying who is talking who.

Overall it is an OK book. I think I will give three stars for the book.

Has anyone watched the movie with Arjun Kapoor as Madhav and Shraddha Kapoor as Riya? Check out the trailer below.