READ AND REVIEWED

 THE LAYOVER                     - Lacie Waldon Should I stop taking book recommendations from Reddit? Probably. Will I stop? Nope. Why do I never learn from my mistakes? 😭😭 I don’t exactly think reading this book was a mistake, but I definitely expected more from it. The book simply does not do justice to the rom-com trope, and that’s probably why I have such strong feelings about it. The book follows the protagonist, Ava, who is a flight attendant (you would've never guessed that). She’s engaged to a lawyer who wants her to quit her job (lawyers, huh 😒). She flies her last trip and guess who she finds there - her nemesis. The guy she can’t stand. The guy every other girl apparently can’t stop staring at 🙄. She ends up spending time with him, and of course, catches feelings. The rest… you can probably guess. And if you can’t, this is a sign from the universe asking you to start reading rom-coms immediat...

 IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER - Laura Nowlin I think I might be cursed. In every film I watch, someone ends up dying. In every book I read, someone ends up dying. This is the second time this month that I’ve picked a rom-com and someone dies in it. This is getting out of control. I picked this book up thinking it was a rom-com and instead went through a full rollercoaster experience. Spoiler alert: the protagonist dies. But now that I’ve finished reading the book, I think that’s what I love most about it. Yes, I’m weird. I love that the protagonist dies. Get over it. The book is divided into three parts: the first is Finn’s, the second Jack’s, and the third Autumn’s. Finn has been in love with Autumn his entire life. Jack, aware of this, is caught in between. This is all that the book blurb would tell you. Absolute deceit, I’m telling you! But here’s where I come in with all my spoilers and explanations - our beloved Finn dies. The book explores themes of love and grief and is anything b...

 REMEMBER ME? - Sophie Kinsella Ironic that the title of the book is ' Remember Me' , and it lay forgotten in my bookshelf for years. Fifteen-year-old me had handpicked this book at a book fair somewhere, and I picked it up again a few weeks ago, but didn’t finish it until I re-picked it up three days ago. Since then, I couldn’t put it down. The book follows Lexi Smart (who is anything but smart), who gets into a car crash and forgets the past three years of her life. She wakes up to find the "perfect" life - she looks like a model, has an amazing husband, and holds the dream job. Five weeks in, she realises that maybe it’s not as perfect as it looks. What follows is her trying to figure out who she is and who she’s become. I found the plot a little cliché (don't ask me why cause idk), but one aspect that I liked about it was how the author portrayed the protagonist as a detective (sorta) as she searched for clues to learn more about the person that she had becom...

 I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL - Natalie Sue I’m feeling way too lazy to write paragraphs long content about a book and my so-called “reading experience.” So, I present to you a much, much shorter version (in bullet points because they rock!!) This is the advantage of having your own blog - you can do whatever you want with it. So here goes my take on this book: - Solid 4 out of 5. Or maybe 4.5. Let’s compromise and say 4.25. Yes, that feels right. - Not laugh-out-loud funny, but still funny enough. - Its corporate themed and I loved that a lot. - If you're into drama (like The Kardashians level drama), you’ll enjoy this. - The plot was amazing - it had everything: chaos, emotion, healing, relationships. Perfect feel-good read. Easily one of the most original and unique plots I’ve come across in all these years of reading. - Unhinged but loveable protagonist. - I loved the writing style. It perfectly resonated with the protagonist. - I found it relatable, which I liked. - Read a goog...

FUNNY STORY - Emily Henry This is the kind of rom-com that made me realize just how much I’d missed this genre. It’s been a while since I read one, and boy, was I happy to finally get super indulged, engrossed, and immersed in it. The plot is unique and kinda funny. The story revolves around Daphne and Miles, both of whose exes cheat on them - leading to Daphne moving in with Miles (her ex-fiancé's new fiancée’s ex-boyfriend - I hope you have a blast trying to understand what I just said, lol). Over time, they become each other's best friends and then get together (obviously, cause it's a rom-com and it always has a happy ending - which is why I love them so much!!). The book follows Daphne's journey of getting over her ex, making new bonds, overcoming her insecurities, and so much more. Although I loved the story and absolutely devoured it in 2 days, I have a few complaints. The sequence of events following the unique beginning became waaayyy too basic and predictable....

THE ALCHEMIST - Paulo Coelho I bought this book a really long time ago at a book fair, and it had been gathering dust on my bookshelf for more than 2 years - until 3 days ago, when I finally decided to pick it up. I think with every blog I write, it becomes more obvious how lazy I am, because somehow, they all start with me saying I bought the book ages ago and only just got around to reading it now, or something along those lines. I definitely regret not having read this book earlier. It taught me a lot about life and fulfilling each of our pre-written destinies. The book follows Santiago, a Spanish shepherd boy whose destiny is to find a treasure hidden in the Pyramids of Egypt. Readers are taken through his journey and how he continues despite the various hurdles that life throws at him. At first, he questions it all, but soon, he realizes that fulfilling his destiny is something he has to do for himself - so he doesn’t end up regretting it later. This book is full of philosophy, sp...

DAYS AT THE MORISAKI BOOKSHOP  - Satoshi Yagisawa The universe had some trouble getting me to read this book. It kept sending me signals, and, as usual, I ignored them into oblivion. I finally picked it up and had a pleasant enough time reading it. This is a pretty popular book, even among non- readers, and I only picked it up out of genuine curiosity to find out why it's as hyped up as it is. Truth be told, I still don't know why. Although I didn't find the story super engaging, and it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat, something about it kept me turning page after page. The plot revolves around a young, working girl discovering her identity and breaking through certain   emotional barriers while working at her uncle’s bookshop in a quiet part of Tokyo. What I liked about it is how easy it is to read, and this might be its charm. The book is like butter; you'll slide right through it. It's short and easy to understand. The characters aren't very complex...

  DWEEPA - Na D' Souza This 90-page book is a delight to read. Honestly speaking, I didn't expect to like it as much as I actually did. It's short, sweet and full of hidden emotions. The plot goes as such - Ganapayya and Nagaveni lead a simple, cheerful life in their village. However, due to the persistent fear of the entire village getting submerged thanks to the constant rains and rising river nearby, all other villagers leave. All alone and stranded in the village without any company, the couple are forced to live in fear as the rain continues to pour, and the threat of floods becomes increasingly real.  This is when Krishnayya, Nagaveni's familial childhood companion is called to this village to help with farming and cultivation. But there is a fierce attraction between Nagaveni and Krishnayya which does not go unnoticed by Nagu's husband. Ganapayya's intense fear and insecurity of being abandoned by his wife creates emotional tensions. Left alone, all three...

COUNTING DOWN WITH YOU -Tashie Bhuiyan  Hi!!!! It's been a while since I wrote a review. Law school's been slowly sucking the living crap out of me. Anyways, I'm back with another romcom suggestion for you. So, be prepared to feel all those butterflies in your stomach and enjoy this rollercoaster of a book. Without further delay, let's dive right into the plot. This book follows a Bangladesh teenager living in America who suffers from severe anxiety due to the countless rules and regulations imposed by her parents. Her life turns around when her parents leave for Bangladesh for a month, and she gets to experience something that she has never before- freedom. 28 days of fake dating later, her anxiety is under control, and she feels happier than ever. But as all good things come to an end eventually, her parents come back with more expectations and restrictions. This time she finds herself at an impasse. Does she continue being her obedient self or does she stand up for h...

YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER - Sarah Hogle I have one word to describe this book - cuteeeeeeee. It took me a while to pick this book up. I'd downloaded the online version months ago, but for reasons unknown I found it off putting. After some much needed self-persuasion to cure my reading slump, I gave it a try. But within a very short span of time, I fell right back into that massive black hole of a reading slump. I left the book to rot on my digital bookshelf. A few weeks later, I saw an Instagram reel recommending this book for a giggly reading experience. I immediately picked it back up and boy, was it good!  The plot revolves around the protagonist, Naomi, and her fiancé, Nicholas. There's no spark or real communication in their relationship prompting the characters to tolerate each other to fulfill familial obligations. Then Naomi hatches a plan - to torture beloved Nicky into calling off the wedding. What follows is hilariously entertaining as they prank each other and, in the ...

WOMAN AT POINT ZERO - Nawal El Saadawi This is a book that I thought I wouldn't like, but I ended up liking. It's the sort of book that I couldn't really have pictured reading, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I stumbled upon it on Instagram while hunting for a short read and honestly, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have picked it up if it had had a summary. But despite a few complaints, it turned out to be a solid read! Based on true events, this book is a first account narrative of the protagonist, Firdaus, who had undergone torture and exploitation at the hands of every man in her life. She had been abused by several men, including her uncle, her husband who had been 40 years older than her, and even by the man who had offered her refuge. The book is on how the protagonist slowly develops an understanding on love, of the way in which the society functions and how men view women.  This feels like one of those feminist books that every MAN should read. I do...

 BETTER THAN THE MOVIES - Lynn Painter If I could sell my soul to read a book for the first time again, it’d be this one. After reading A LOT of rom coms over the years, this one is hands down the best! I love it so much that I’m at a loss for words. Shouldn't it be the opposite? This is the one book I've re-read a bazillion times and have never gotten bored of. It makes me laugh every single time. While rom coms often lean heavily on the romance, this one strikes the perfect balance between the 'rom' and the 'com'. And the ending? Oof! It makes me swoon. It's the perfect mix of enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes—super cute and endlessly funny. The protagonist fake dates her neighbor to get the charming and beloved golden boy, a boy that her late mother would definitely approve of. But oh! The more time she spends with her neighbor, the more she realizes he might be the perfect guy after all, turning the whole situation upside down. This book isn't...

  THE EMPEROR'S SOUL - Brandon Sanderson I've always wondered how people reviewed books without retelling the entire plot. As my first ever written book review, consider this a humble attempt on my part to review this masterpiece of a book without basically re-writing the entire plot. Blame my boredom, not me, if this humble attempt does not succeed. I tumbled into this book through an Instagram reel while desperately scouting for a quick one-day read. I read the digital version which was around 120 pages, and I LOVED IT! The genre would be fantasy novella for adults/ young adults (says Google, not me).  Here comes the challenging part, the plot summary. No promises, but I'll give it my best. The protagonist, like every other fantasy fiction book ever, ends up in prison and brokers a deal with the big shots of the empire, which surprise, surprise she doesn't like very much. In exchange for her freedom, she is tasked with forging a soul for the emperor using her special ...