Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone - J K Rowling (Book)

67/100 of #100bookpact Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone - J K Rowling

So, this was the one that started it all - initially when it came I always thought it was a children's book, never read although I did watch all the movies (I guess). One thing that I could never get (at that time) was - what was the craving for people to line up outside the book stores as soon as they launched the upcoming part? Now after reading the first part I actually realized as half the way I already picked up the second installment and before even I started it - am already on the lookout for the third book. If you have read these books earlier - I am sure you will agree with me that they are engrossing, lively, adventurous and too good to be true. Hats off to Ms. Rowling's imagination - we have a damn good series of books to get hooked up to. I am sure its going to take my whole month to finish them off back to back - unless something equally good pops in between.

The less said about the story or its amazing characters the better - I am totally in love with Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort and Snape in that particular order. WOW! What character sketches - although in the first part Voldemort has hardly any presence but whatever short time he comes over - its chilling - am so much looking forward to the movie again now. Harry's struggling initial days with Dursley's gave me multiple lumps in my throat, admission in Hogwarts, new friends. learning and specially the game of Quidditch was a great change. How he copes with the new environment and the new challenges at Hogwarts was covered amazingly in the first book - all introductory I believe. Visually too it is too good to imagine the Hogwarts Castle, the ghosts, their classrooms, work done by owls, the great common hall where they collect everyday - it all actually takes one back in time to our own school days. And how can I not mention Harry on his broomstick that too a great branded one that everyone else is jealous of. Also the title very well justified and the ending was too good, again leaving it at a point where everyone looks forward to the next part big time - so do I as soon as I finish this and get my hands on the second one. If you haven't read Harry Potter series yet - its high time you started :) - not to be missed by anyone.

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club - Charles Dickens (Book)

66/100 of #100bookpact The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club - Charles Dickens

Another Charles Dickens book which came very highly recommended by friends and I got one of the oldest copies I guess. And again - what an amazing book this one is - unbelievable that this was one of his very first works that too when he was hardly 24 years old. WOW! It is always simply fantastic the way he (rather they) dramatically details every little thing about the story with such superb rich English that it takes me couple of readings of the sentences to really make more sense and put a widest grin on my face. His books are actually like that last sip of a great cup of coffee that you know would be the best even after it gets cold, if you know what I mean. I love the dramatics, I love those crazy use of words that go into my vocabulary with a certain belief that I will never be using them ever in my life - I feel am not qualified enough to use them, howsoever much I love them.

The Book in question is written more like episodes as the Pickwickians go through their various adventures of their Pickwick club founded by Mr. Pickwick who happens to be the Hero of the story. Hilarious are their accounts of various trips - although I believe this one covers up only half a dozen of trips only. But Fantastic they are - quite a few of them are too good and will be remembered by me for quite a long time like the one where they chase a guy who has runaway with their friends sister to marry her, how they follow them, chase them and retrieve the girl is totally Hilarious. Also the episode of one of their club member Mr. Winkle's handling of Gun and Horses is another high time comical stuff. I loved the Duel part, the confusion and the final outcome was totally out of this world stuff - hats off to his imagination and simply superb narrative - had me in splits totally. Back of my mind I was imagining the visuals too the way he has explained the whole thing - too good. Its a must must read for all Dickens fans and a permanent part of anyone's collection. I will now look forward to its movie adaptation that too made way back in 1952, hope it is half as good as the book.

The Girl On The Train - Paula Hawkins (Book)

65/100 of #100bookpact The Girl On The Train - Paula Hawkins

Debut novel from the Author and what a fantastic book n story it turns out to be. I got it long back but had kept it in store as movie based on the book is about to release in September hence picked it up this weekend and because of the pace I had to finish it within 24 hours as told by friends who recommended it. A perfect weekend thriller - its so good and engrossing and written in a way that I had to go back the story to check on the dates the things were happening at a frantic pace. Three parallel tracks or I should call it versions as told by the three leading ladies of the book but of the same episode. How everything leads to where it goes is a fantastic way of writing it - although it takes time to realize whats happening but once the reader has picked up the pace there is no looking back. The main story is told by Rachel who travels daily on the same train to her job in the morning and back in the evening - track runs through one of her old house where her X husband lives with his new wife. It also overlooks another house nearby where a couple lives and she makes her own story about what they must be doing, how their life must be etc - she has no idea what she is going to see one day from the moving train and how it will change her life - entangled with these guys and the chaos after that. Superb! Now I am big time looking forward to upcoming movie with very high hopes. PS: If you have read this one and the "Gone Girl" - do let me know if it made you think of that story parallely. For some reason it kept reminding me of Gone Girl throughout the narrative - although they have no similarities barring one thing but still it kept coming to my mind.

The Painted House - John Grisham (Book)

64/100 of #100bookpact The Painted House - John Grisham

Third from Grisham that I read back to back and this one is totally different from the first two. Just couldn't believe this is from the same guy who gave us those thrillers as this one had no lawyers (his other books almost have em all) no thrills but a superb story told from the point of view of a 7 year old kid that too from early 50's. How life of a kid born and raised on a farm was during those days. He has his own ambitions, inspirations, fears, dreams, struggles, his love of baseball, his lovable uncle missing in action in Korea and even a little love story of his own at that early age, told in such a lovely, simple and heart touching way that I am totally in love with the book and its characters. Story of a middle class American farmer's family around Arkansas, into cotton farming that too in a rented piece of land, their hand to mouth situation yet they were able to just about afford some labors from Mexico and Hills to help them. The whole of the story revolves around their unpainted house and how the kid desperately wishes to have their house painted. Their love of Baseball a game played even in farm with so much passion - one of the most superbly written chapter. Also, the sacrifices made by the kid to save the harvest and the number of secrets he keeps with almost all of his family members at least one each per persons and of his limited number of friends. Its a heart warming book which kept a smile on my face throughout the narrative. Although the story is based in early 50's still I couldn't find it any different from our own life not so long ago, families with no TV or luxury, kids waiting a lifetime to go somewhere they found those luxuries maybe briefly, values and all were exactly same what we had gone thru in our old days. Memory of this story is going to go a long way with me. A very highly recommendable book for sure.

The Thirty Nine Steps - John Buchan (Book)

63/100 of #100bookpact The Thirty Nine Steps - John Buchan

I guess it was time I picked up a murder mystery after a long time - couldn't find one with names like Agatha Christie or Doyle so picked up this lesser known one but what a delightful book this one turns out to be. Unbelievably engaging as the name suggests. Right when Mr. Richard Hanney thought his life was boring as a Mining Engineer after making quite a decent amount of money with nothing much to do in his leisure time in London, an unknown neighbor shares with him a secret that could take his own life. The neighbor plans his own murder in such a way that he wouldn't die but will get a permanent escape from his enemies whose secret he now knows which could lead to a sort of countries at war. What Richard has got to do with all? is more interesting as the very next day the guy is killed and our own Mr. Richard becomes the suspect (Of course he knows the secret now) and not only the police but the "Enemy" too is behind him. He has 20 days to survive and get to the D day before he could confirm the reality of the secret himself before turning in to the right people who could stop it. What happens next is a seriously amazing Cat, Mouse and Dog chase game - simply unputdownable and it gave me another sleepless night as I didn't want my brain to work out the alternates or the endings - so end up finishing it in one straight sitting. Its a must must read if you like thrillers and suspense, too good, not to be missed at any cost.