War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy (Book).

Book: 23/52.

War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy.

My Rating: 4/5.

What an epic. It has been on my TBR for a few years and on my book rack for exactly one year as I got my copy last year in June hence I had to finish it before the end of the same month this year. Imagine 1350 pages with 60 pages long multiple epilogues. What kept me going was the amazing story with half a dozen lead characters and some 494 scattered here there and everywhere as the story progresses. The best part of the epic is the detailed coverage of Russian royalty from early 19th century followed by Tsar Alexander’s friendship and later animosity with the great Napoleon. I was totally shocked by the way Tolstoy praises Napolean and shoots down his own Tsar Alexander for various reasons, couldn’t believe it but loved the way he called a spade a spade. One on one sessions with Napolean were hilarious to read. Initially I thought this was a Fiction, but later found out (post 75%) that it is actually based on real life events with real life characters, just that he took slight liberty in portraying them in an interesting way. Going by a lot of opinions I was ready to accept that it isn’t going to be an easy read but how wrong I was, it was totally engaging and with chapters as long as 2-3 pages with the longest being 7-8 odd pages, it was a total breeze for me. I still managed 4 odd other books in the same time due to the heavy subect of ongoing war which stretches to no end with so many people paying the price. Heart-breaking is the way few of my favorite characters die or shall I say killed in the course but amazing is the way it kept me glued and I kept looking forward to the finale. My mother told me that I read her copy of War and Peace when I was in 7th or 8th standard, although I have no memory of the same but the only thing I remembered was the bombs that they drop on each other which spin before blasting and how right I was when I read it this time. No doubt this must be one of his best works for obvious reasons. Totally worth your time and effort if you can take that size book in today’s time. The only turn off is the usage of French, almost every page had a line or an anecdotes that I had to translate. 

Do let me know if you have read War and Peace and loved it. I am looking forward to its movie adaptation which I still vaguely remember not from the recent times though but a very old movie made sometime in 80’s. 

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J K Rowling (Book)

Book: 22/52.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J K Rowling. 

My Rating: 5/5.

Third Harry Potter book in a row and I must say again that nothing has changed, I am still as much in love with the whole Harry Potter thing as I was the very first time when I read them back to back a decade or so ago. I was rather forced or the right term to use will be “challenged” to read a few and not read the rest - which as I am sure you can guess, gravely failed. Now the kid who survived turns 13 and some terrific new characters are introduced in this one, I must say this should be my third favourite of the series after Half Blood Prince and the Deathly Hallows being the first two. Totally love Harry’s Godfather Sirius Black and his friends who always come to his rescue while he escapes the great prison and story goes a little more forward. Harry’s friendship with Hermione, Ron & even Hagrid has gone to the next level and so is his animosity with the Dursleys his only known family increased to no ends. Although it was a respite to believe that he won’t have to go to them anymore for summer vacations all thanks to his God Father. Reading the books again after a decade while I have seen the movies multiple times rather recently, I must say books are so much better and they have missed out so much in the movies, hoping against hope that they make a better TV series as that is in works as I read these books and re-watch the movies. It is actually tough for me to keep a one book break between two from the series but I strictly follow the same hence will be starting the fourth one by this weekend hopefully.

I never imagined that these books will work and even age so wonderfully well after all these years. Totally loving the experience and may read them again in next few years too. 

 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris (Book).

Book: 21/52.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris. 

My Rating: 5/5.

After reading quite a few reviews on the book in various book groups and posts, that too almost all positive, I decided to give it a try. I was super glad to find in my library available to be picked up. And I must say it was indeed a page turner, super simple, straight forward and engaging to read, so much so that I was actually looking forward to the ending with bated breath, keeping my thoughts positive for the couple who actually find love in the bleakest of the situations. The protagonist Lale, a guy in his mid 20’s who volunteers to go to the German camp as a prisoner in lieu of them leaving his family behind falls for a girl barely in her teens. For him, with aged parents, a married brother and young sister, he didn’t have any option when the Germans decided that they will take one adult man from every jewish family, no one could guess at that time how it will all turn out for them who were picked or the worst - what will happen to the families they leave behind with the hopes of a better life. He takes the job of the Tattooist to save and make himself more useful. This little gem of a book and the heart touching story throughout kept reminding me of the “Diary of a Young Girl” which of-course was a far better version but that takes nothing away from Lale and Gita’s story. I will recommend this book to everyone as it has so much life in it that too when almost every day so many people are shot dead at point blank range, or burnt alive or killed in gas chambers for no fault of their own but just because one man decided to rid the world of one particular religion. Loved the way life and love find its own way in the darkest of the times and the ultimate victory for all (at least for those who survived it). 

Do let me know if you have read this one and loved it too. Looking forward to the Mini Series based on the book so I could put faces to the characters. 

 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J K Rowling (Book)

 

Book: 20/52.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J K Rowling.

My Rating: 5/5.

My 2016 thoughts on the book: Second book of the series and it is for sure better than the first one - more gripping, detailed, takes the reader deeper into the mysterious world of Wizards and Witches. Hilarious is the start of the book and fantastic is the way his friends let him escape from his terrible life yet again with the muggle family (Dursley's) back home especially the Flying Car. Harry Potter and his friends have now grown a little bit in this one with more knowledge of various tricks from the trade, more newer and wonderful characters are introduced in this one which takes the story one step forward but still "The Villain Voldemort" doesn't make a grand (read detailed) entry yet - still I was actually kept asking for more. This one tells us a little bit more about his dark past, the making of Voldemort and other dark secrets. Seriously books have changed my perception of Harry and his world in totality and thats for good. Movies may be visually more strong than the books but they aren't detailed as how much you can wrap up in mere three hours at the most. There were so many things that they had to skip in the movie in comparison with the book that one would end up loving the book definitely more. And as usual the very smart writer makes this one end right at a moment when one is looking forward to so much more that needs to be covered in the next part. I now very well know how the readers kept waiting for years to read the next part when it was all being written and released as I can definitely pick up the next part tomorrow as its already there in my book rack and thats precisely what I am going to do. One more thing that I noticed in the second book is that - it is written in such a smart way that just in case someone hasn't read the first one - it doesn't make a difference as this covers the most of it in the initial couple of chapters before taking the story forward. But if someone is reading all the books back to back - it’s kind of an irritant. But this things makes all of these books a good individual books.

2025: Nothing much has changed, I still loved it totally the way I loved it in my first read. It all comes gushing back to me as the story progresses. Pity those who still think these books are for kids. Let me see when I read them again :). 

Bridgerton 2 - The Viscount Who Loved Me - Julia Quinn (Book)

Book: 19/52.

Bridgerton 2 - The Viscount Who Loved Me - Julia Quinn.

My Rating: 5/5.

Book 2 from the much loved Bridgerton series of 8 books and I must say I totally enjoyed it as much as the first part and a little more. Julia Quinn has not only surprised me but also impressed big time by her imagination and writing prowess, kept me engaged till the very last page and so much so that I need to go on search of the third from the series at the earliest. This turns out to be the story of the eldest son from Bridgerton family - Anthony as they are all named in alphabetical order so one cannot miss the order at any point of time. The playboy of the family who for reason known to himself had decided that he will get married but will never love his wife. He is still attached to his dad who died about a dozen years ago leaving him as the man of the family. After taking care of all of them and much to his annoyance getting his eldest sister married to a Duke (the first book covers their story), he is now the most eligible bachelor of his own times. Enter the Sheffields family with two eligible daughters, elder one not so beautiful but intelligent but his heart is on the younger one who is beautiful and not so intelligent as that’s what he needs in his wife so he won’t fall in love with her. What happens next is the 350 page novel which superb twists and turns (at times unpredictable) but totally amazing, it was indeed a page turner. To know who he marries and why he doesn’t want to love his wife - you’ve got to read the book. It is funny, romantic, engaging, suspensive and so good that it kept me ploughing forward to know more. 

Do let me know which one is your favourite from the series if you have read them all and I must say that I am not liking the TV adaptation that much as they have taken severe liberties with characters and stories, so much so that I will call it a big screw up.