Book Review 8 : Swapping Lives

Book Review for August..

Title : Swapping Lives
Author : Jane Green
Published by : Penguin Books
Type : Chick-lit
Genre : Fiction
Pages : 410
My Rating : ***

My Review

The base theme for the book : The grass looks greener on the other side!!

Vicky (Victoria Townsley), 35, single, lives in London and is the features editor at Poise! magazine has the perfect life or as it may seem to people but inside Vicky wants to be married, wants to live in a comfortable country home and have kids..

While all the way across in US is Amber, a housewife in Connecticut , married to a handsome loving wall street broker, has 2 adorable kids. She manages events for a local women's league. She too seems to have the most perfect life with designer shoes and clothes in her wardrobe and getting what she wants for herself and for her family.. but is tired of keeping up with the Joneses and wants to live the "single" life again.

So, when the Poise! magazine comes up with an article, inviting people for a life swap, Amber writes in, not thinking that she will be the one selected for the swap with Vicky..

The author goes on by telling what all changes each women experiences, how each of them miss their own life and what they did... They realize what they should or would do to make a difference in their lives to make it better that it already is..

Overall the book was "OK", Although the concept is good but its already :out there", if you know what I mean.. Both the characters failed to make a connection. The author explained the characters thoroughly though but the swap only happened after more than half of the book was finished.. which was kind of " what took away the interest"..

I liked that the language was simple and easy to understand.. So basically a light read..
But I do have another Jane Green book lined up.. Let's see how that turns out to be...

Linking up with BBC 2012 at the Overflowing Library!!

Book Review 7 : The Clocks

My Book Review for July..

Title : The Clocks
Author : Agatha Christie
Published by : Berkley
Type : Mystery / Detective Novel
Genre : Fiction
Pages : 257

My Review

First of all, i would start by saying that I have heard a lot about Agatha Christie's novels, so I had to read one.. and this became my first... Lets get on with the review...


Shiela Webb, A typist for hire working for the Cavendish Bureau is specifically requested for a job at Wilbraham Crescent.. following the instructions given to her, she gets into the house, where she is absolutely shocked and dumbfounded to find a decently dressed man dead on the floor, or rather murdered!! She runs out of the house screaming and bumps into Colin Lamb ( the "hero" of the novel), who happens to be a spy.

Here comes the twists when Detective Inspector Hardcastle who is working on the case finds out :
1. the dead guy has no way of identification
2. the owner of the house Mrs. Pebmarsh is blind and had not called/ requested  for any typist services
3. There are 5 clocks in the room where the body was found and 4 of them showed the time 4.13
4. To give it a more twist these clocks did not belong to Mrs. Pebmarsh

The novel started out strong with a complex mystery murder and introduction of the characters but lost its momentum as for a number of chapters there was no development.. Till there is another murder and introduction of the most interesting character of the book "Hercule Poirot"..

The book is written by narrator aspect and Colin Lamb's aspect..
All in all I did not find the book very interesting.. in the end I felt as if all the characters who were working on the case are presented as "fools" (sorry for being harsh) as they had no clue what was going on and the whole case was solved by Hercule Poirot. The end was overwhelming with a lot of "revealing" and "solving" all at one time!!

I am still not giving up on Agatha Christie and will definitely be picking up another book by her.. I also found out there is a TV series on this novel which now I really wanna watch.. By reading more about it I also got to know that it was one of the "newer" works of her and the old ones are more interesting.. So I'll definitely be picking one of her books again...

If you've read any of her book you found interesting.. Please do suggest...

P.S. : Next up : Another Outfit Post

Linking up with BBC 2012 at the Overflowing Library!

Book Review 6

My 3rd and the last Book Review for June 2012. I've read more books this month than i thought I will.. Well  I guess that's an accomplishment.. Don't you think so??

Here it goes:

Title : As the crow flies
Author : Jeffrey Archer
Published by : Harper Collins
Type : Novel
Genre : Fiction
Pages : 738 (original)
            234 (condensed)

My Review

This is my second read from Jeffrey Archer.. It was totally different from the first one.. No suspense or tortures but there was drama for sure..

The book starts off with the narrator telling a story about an innocent boy Charlie Trumper ( the main character), who lives with his grandfather and his 2 sisters, in the whitechapel area of London's East end. A talented boy who dreams of becoming an honest barrow boy who's best in the business of selling fruits and vegetables just like his grandfather.

When his grandfather dies, Charlie becomes the sole breadwinner for the family, he drops out of school before he hits his teens to handle his grandfather's shop and quickly turns out to be better and brilliant than him.

The story takes you through a journey of  Charlie's life from an eight year boy to a soldier fighting for his country in the World War II to becoming Lord Charlie Trumper, who owns a large empire consisting of shops and businesses from every walk.

The story moves through a span of 60-70 years(hence should be called a saga) of Charlie's life, including a feus with the Trentham's, friendships which grow into relationships.. As I mentioned earlier.. Drama at it's best!!

The author has written the book from a number of different viewpoints of the various characters in the story making it all the more interesting. It's like getting into the head of these characters and knowing what they are thinking..

The story has an interesting ending that brings a smile to your face and leaves you asking for more!!

P.S. Next up : Denim and Lace!!

Book Review 5 : A Matter of Honor by Jeffrey Archer

Starting with this one, I am giving my book reviews a little bit of a makeover.. Giving a bit of more details and making a little bit more "Nerdy".. but I kinda like it..

So, here we go..

Title : A Matter of Honor
Author : Jeffrey Archer
First Copyright date/year : 1986 ( I was born in that year)
Type : Novel

Genre : Fiction - Political thriller
Pages : 429

My Review


Jeffrey Archer has written a number of books including novels and short stories that topped the bestseller lists all around the world. This one however is my first read from the long list of books from him. It is a fiction novel set in mid 1960's and starts of in Moscow, Russia with a KGB officer being briefed about a mission. In the next chapter it turns to London and the "Hero" of the novel makes his entrance as Adam Scott, Adam and his family are gathered for the reading of his father's will. Adam is bequeathed with an envelope. According to his father it was up to Scott, whether to open the envelope or not, but if he chose to do open it he should never reveal the contents to anyone.

With curiosity and caution he reads and unravels the mystery written on the piece of paper he has inherited but not without KGB officer Romanov, the "villain", CIA and his own countrymen after him. Thus the chase begins, with every page giving way to new mystery and answers.

There is mystery,drama, action and even a detailed description of a torture by the Russians. You feel as if you are watching a James Bond movie. You can't help but turn page after page to know what happened next.

What did Adam discover?
Did Romanov come to know about it?
Who was that man listening to Adam's conversation?
Will Adam be able to escape?


There are two other interesting characters in the book Lawrence and Robin.
I love the way Robin's been described and the conversations between her and Adam as well as Romanov, it makes you laugh.


It is a great Political thriller, set 45 years back in time with an intriguing plot. It's an easy read with a balance of both imagination and reality


I'm onto my second Jeffrey Archer book and I must say his way with the written word is amazing!! :)


P.S. Next up : Weekend Edition III And a new Outfit Post


Linking my 2nd review with the BBC 2012 June Reviews

Book Review :The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern

British Book Challenge 2012 : First Review for June


I picked up this book during my trip to India.. I really liked the concept the book is based on so I went ahead and gave it a try...

Lucy, a messed up girl who hates her job, lost her boyfriend 3 yrs ago but still stalks him, hides behind a mountain of lies.. She nicknames all her colleagues, is a misfit in her family and only wants to be shut in her small post breakup apartment with her illegal per.. A cat named Mr. Pan.

One day, she receives a letter in a gold envelope asking her to schedule a meeting with LIFE!! Yes, LIFE!!!
She had been ignoring these letters for a while but it was about time to go and actually meetup with her life.. which was actually a "HE"..

Life entered her life to make Lucy realize that she can find peace and love again.

Cecelia Ahern has written it beautifully, capturing each and every thought and the little moments that makes you more attached to the main character, Lucy and all the others surrounding her.. While reading the book you might be able to relate some events from your own personal life, I know I could. It makes you laugh with some silly things that she does.. and makes it a light read..

The concept of personification of life is original.

I really love the lines with which the book ends, so I quote it directly from the book :

As long as you're around, life is too.. so just as you shower love and affection and attention on the husbands,wives,parents,children and forever friends who surround you, you have to do so equally with your life, because it's "your's", it's you and its always there rooting for you, cheering you on!!!

So, go ahead give it a read!! It's language is simple, easy to understand and won't be leaving you reaching for your dictionary!!

Now for the FabFitFun Challenge my latest pics for their challenges:

Day 5 : Planking it

I did the plank pose during my yoga routine also known as Uttihita Chaturanga Dandasana

Day 6 : Munch with a tropical punch

I added coconut milk, pineapple and banana for a smoothie or rather i should say Virgin Pina Colada!!!

Husband and I enjoyed it thoroughly.. it was slurrppyyy yumm with no fat at all!! 

Book Review : Remember me?

Book Review for May




Remember me? by Sophie Kinsella

Remember me? is a story about a twenty eight years old Lexi Smart who wakes up one morning to find out she is in a hospital with a head injury, thinking that she fell down on slippery stairs while running to get a cab for her and her friends outside a pub in 2004. Only to realize that she is suffering from amnesia and its 2007. The three years of her life from 2004-2007 has been completely wiped off. She has a completely different life from the one she remembers.. She no longer has frizzy hair, an underpaid job and nobody calls her "snaggletooth" anymore. She's rich, has a great job, she has a toned up body, great hair and to top that married to a multibillionaire with dashing looks.. but wait a good looking boyfriend too..

Trying to piece together her life she lost, the book covers the emotions and adventures of Lexi in a funny and clever way.Lexi has been potrayed as a women every chick lit heroine has a love-hate relationship with. The book keeps you engaged as to what did she come to know next.. and keeps you looking for more.

It's a lighthearted quick read with simple to understand language. The idea behind the book is interesting and thought provoking. The characters are well written, may be, keeping a movie in mind.

Book Review

My second book review for BBC 2012..


The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

This has become one of my favorite reads.. being easy to understand, hillarious, potraying the life of a young attorney who makes a huge mistake bringing down the name of the firm she is working for and costing them millions of dollars. She runs away to the outskirts of London and feeling tired, exhausted stops by a house to ask for water and is mistaken for an interviewee for the housekeeper, going with the flow, she accepts the job with no clue as to how to cook or clean. Day by day she encounters how to deal with the house work, and starts to realise that she had been missing this part of life by working day in and day out, she also finds love during his stay as a house keeper and never felt better in her entire life.. Only to discover in the end that the mistake was planted and she had nothing to do with it, the firm also offers her partnership in the firm... to know what happened to her and did she take the position, went back to her old job.. Do read the book!!

Loved reading it.. though I did finish it two weeks ago, I did not have time to write the review...

You must be wondering what happened to the time machine by H. G Wells... It has been sitiing in my IPad. I am planning to finish it next month..

Book Review : Sense and Sensibility

This is my first book review for the BBC 2012...

Jane Austen's Sense and sensibility..

Being Austen's first published books.. It portrays her brilliant talent in displaying the lives of two daughters Elinor and Marriane Dashwood.. who after the death of their father are left with liitle money and no home.. The property of Norland is being inherited by his eldest son who has no say of his mind in front of his wife. Fanny( his wife) is not very fond of the fact that John wanted to fulfill his dying father's wish of helping his sister's and convinces him to think about himself and his requirements first!!

The house is soon taken over by John and Fanny and the three daughters( Elinor, Marriane and Margaret) and their mother are forced to look for a house elsewhere. In the mean time Fanny's brother (Edward) comes to stay with them on his way from Plymouth. Elinor, the eldest of the daughters, a down to earth and sensible girl becomes really fond of Edward..But being practical enough to know that she had no chance with him, moves on with her life to live in a cottage in Devonshire which was given to them by one of the relatives of  Mrs. Dashwood and suited their little amount of money.. The Dashwood's were welcomed cheerfully and both Elinor and her sister Marriane wins over the hearts of people in Barton Park (Devonshire).Marriane soon attracts two handsome gentlemen, Colonel Brandon and Willoughby. During their lavish parties Marriane falls in love with Willoughby and does not restrain herself from expressing her love for him in front of other people unlike her sister Elinor.

The story then dictates the events of their lives which takes a turn when right on the peak of love between Willoughby and Marriane, Willoughby leaves her and goes to London, and she does not hear anything of him. On the other side Elinor comes to know about Edward's engagement with a women for the past 5 years and is heartbroken.. The reaction of both the sister's to the situations presented in front of them are vastly different. Marriane is devastated when she comes to know that Willoughby s marrying another women but Elinor keeps her composure and tries to deal with the situation.

All in all, the novel is about two sisters, who struggle to find love, however different be their nature and their approach to it.. It portrays the love that the sisters share among them and how they handle all the situations that arise during this course with the help of each other.. It is their road to finding long lasting love..


This is my first ever review of a book and might not be really good.. But I hope to get better in time.. I did watch the movie starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant among others..



Image taken from Google images

BBC 2012

I have always been a fan of books... but lately the only books I read are the magazines that I subscribe to... To tell you the truth, even they've been piling up...

So here I was browsing the internet and I bumped into this amazing website: The Overflowing Library  

They are hosting an interesting challenge called "The British Book Challenge - 2012"

The challenge is simple, read books written by British Authors and review them on your blog. You must read at least 12 books by end of the year. 

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED...

I thought this was my chance to revive my long lost reading habits and of course enjoy reading some new titles.

Have already decided on 2 titles that I wanna read:

1. "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen.

2. "The Time Machine" by H. G. Wells.

I am looking forward to read some really interesting titles and will be reviewing them on my blog.

I may be a little late, but I know I can catch up.... :)

If you are interested as well, you can signup here.