Tag Archives: book review

Book Review: OCDaniel

OCDaniel is a book about a lanky 13 year old boy named Daniel who likes to write, hates football, likes to make up stories with his little sister and has OCD, (which he doesn’t know about.) He can’t help but keep on flipping a light switch on and off and keeps trying to avoid writing the number four. He spends a lot of time hiding these ‘strange habits’ which he calls Zaps, because he doesnt want anyone thinking he’s crazy. Until, he receives a note saying: I need your help; signed by a ‘fellow star child’ and his life gets even weirder.

It was absolutely fun to join Daniel as he joins a girl nicknamed PshycoSara on a murder investigation, follow him as he flails at football games, and getting to know about his struggle with his OCD.

Daniel’s voice is very authentic and relatable, and I found myself cracking up, feeling sad, and grinning the whole time I was reading the book.

When I read it for the first time, (yes, I’ve gone back to the book and re-read it at least four more times) and I was nearing the end of the book, I was just praying and begging for it to not end. I loved the characters so much, I wanted to know more and more about them, their stories. But yeah, it ended. (But guess what? There’s a prequel for OCDaniel in the voice of Sara now! It’s called ‘Sara And The Search For Normal!’ I’m so excited to read it!)

This book is about friendship, family, and neurodiversity. It’s about feeling different and finding people who understand you. I totally recommend it.

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That feeling of getting a new book.

I just love getting good new books, you know? It’s so fun, I just get so hyped up while looking for the next few books that I want to order to read, surfing on the net, reading book reviews, and then ordering them. And then the wait starts; days stretch ahead… but then this message pings on the phone: your order will be delivered today.

And I sit there in anticipation and excitement, waiting for it to arrive. Then the doorbell rings and I run to open the door and to me at that moment, the mailman seems just like a celestial messenger bearing precious gifts in his hand.

I always try to hold my excitement in, but I end up grinning so hard, my cheeks hurt. As soon as I sign and stuff, and the door closes behind me, I let out a squeal of joy and go and hug my parents and thank them for ordering the books, then rip the packaging apart and turn the book around in my hands, smell it, run to my bookshelves, put the book up in my bookshelf (colour coded+mood coded) admire it, run back to my family, tell them I’m reading it so they’d better not disturb me, find a corner in the house, fill it with pillows and then sink in to read the book.

That is, if my mom doesn’t take the book away and tell me to finish all my tasks first, because she knows that I wont do anything if I start reading, and that usually ends up in me begging and wheedling her to give me the book. She sometimes gives in and sometimes doesn’t. I just have to hope she does.

I’ll need to write a seperate blog about the actual reading of the book, and one about finishing a good book and one about people interrupting me when I read, that’s just so ugh! Well anyway, stay tuned for that!

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Book Review: The Remarkable Journey Of Coyote Sunrise

Whenever I sit down to make a big art piece, I always like having to listen to audio books, as it makes it even more fun. So, when I sat down to work on a big drawing, and was surfing through Scribd, looking for an audio book, I saw The Remarkable Journey Of Coyote Sunrise, written by Dan Gemeinhart. They say, don’t judge book by its cover. But when I see a funky and/or beautiful book cover, I gravitate towards it, ignoring the others. Which I shouldn’t, but I do. So, when I saw a girl with sunglasses sitting on top of a school bus with a kitten, I just had to listen to it. So, I plopped on my earphones, got my pencil, and hit play.

Coyote Sunrise has been living with her dad on a school bus for 5 years, driving around the United States, ever since her mom and sisters died in a car accident; never going back to their home. never looking back.

Until, Coyote finds out that a park in her neighborhood was getting grazed down. She had buried a memory box there along with her mom and sisters and she just had to get it back before it got lost forever. The only problem was that she had to make her dad drive all the way across the country to the park without him knowing it. As she hatches plans and goes on this one heck of a journey, she is joined by an array of quirky yet amazing strangers, all going through something in their lives.

I was so invested in that story; I loved every single character in it. Coyote. Rodeo. Salvador. Lester. Val. Ivan.  EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. I was rooting for them and smiling and chuckling and tearing up and sighing throughout the whole audio-book. You should definitely read/listen to it.

Written from Coyote’s point of view, this book discusses everything from slushies, kittens and good books to friendship, love and kindness.

Some quotes from the book:

“Losing something can sure make you realize how much you loved it, even if you knew you loved it all along”

“Maybe we’re all a little broken. Maybe we’re all a little fragile. Maybe that’s why we need each other so much.”

“I just wanted everyone to be happy. It’s hard, though, when everyone carries around a heart inside them that is so loud and so strong and so easily broken.”

“Sometimes trusting someone is about the scariest thing you can do. But you know what? It’s a lot less scary than being all alone.”

“And every book ever written is about love, really, whether it knows it or not. So, yeah, I know a thing or two about love.”

There were way too many beautiful lines in this book, which I’m probably going to do note down and put up here someday, when I get a hard copy of this book.

This is the kind of book that makes you happy and sad at the same time, you know, and obviously it made me laugh out way more times than I can count. So yeah, if you are into contemporary fiction, you should DEFINITELY read this book. Its brilliant.

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15 Book I LOVE! (updated version)

So… I was reading my blog ‘20 Books I LOVE!’ and I was like, “my list of favorite books has changed so much, I need to do a new one!” So, here’s an updated version of 15 books I LOVE!

I like reading preteen/teen realistic fiction, the kind of ones where the recommended age is 11-14, you know?

  • Just Like Jackie
  • OCDaniel
  • When friendship followed me home
  • Touching Spirit Bear
  • Inside Out And Back Again

These ones right here ☝ are my absolute faves. They are my TOP 5 picks for my favorite books, and tying very closely with them are these ones right here 👇

  • The Night Diary
  • When You Reach Me
  • Moon Over Manifest
  • The Ghost Of Spirit Bear
  • What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible
  • Ms. Bixby’s Last Day
  • Sadie (this ones a full on YA!)

And these right here 👇 are the books that I’m including from my last list because they are still in my favorites:

  • Wonder (I’ve read it at least 20 times!)
  • Books by Dr. Suess
  • The One & The Only Ivan

Also, I felt like including some books in here because I enjoyed them and didn’t want them to feel left out, so here you go: The list of books that I like:

  • Framed, Vanished, Trapped
  • Summerlost
  • The Zain & Ana series
  • Your Turn Now & YTN 2
  • Soar
  • Ruskin Bond’s Children’s Omnibus
  • Let’s go time travelling
  • The Railway Children and Five Children & It
  • Auggie and me

These ones are great for fun, light reading, and I like taking them along with me on a train rides and stuff like that.

If you’re like me and like reading preteen realistic fiction, then do give these a try and let me know your thoughts about them in the comment section below.

These were all the books I love, I’m going to write separate reviews for them, (the post would be too long otherwise) so stay tuned for that!

 

 

 

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Book review: Ambushed

Ten-year-old gadget geek, Tara is happy sitting and playing angry birds on her Ipad, but her father has other plans for her and her family. An ardent lover of nature, he wants to picture tigers and takes unwilling Tara with him to Ranibagh forest where Tara thinks nothing happens at all. She finds herself mistaken when she stumbles upon a tiger poachers cave hideout. It was then that Tara finds out about the tigers and their plight, and meets Satya, a wily teen, and an ex-poacher. He wants to lead a better life and wants to do some good for his family who has no other job but tiger poaching.
Together the duo, with the help of Mr. Rathore, will they be able to save the tigers? Dive deep into Ranibagh forest, in the world of tigers, and go on to a crazy adventure with Tara and Satya.

Written by Nayanika Mahtani, this book has a wonderful narrative and is targeted at ten-year-olds and above. Published by Penguin Books, it is priced Rs. 199. Grab this copy now and go on for a crazy ride!

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Book Review: Your Turn Now 2

Book Review: YOUR TURN NOW 2

Your Turn Now 2 was recently launched on 27th Feb 2016.

As you see, the book is as interesting as its name. ‘Your Turn Now 2’ has heartwarming stories of random acts of kindness that are really true, inspired by the little blue card.

Just as a stone causes the whole puddle to ripple, this concept of the little blue card has touched thousands of hearts. I love the book from deep down my heart.

Some of my favorite stories are ‘Ssmall Actions-Huge Consequences’ ‘Little People, Big Hearts’ & ‘I Felt Great’. With the blue cards in their hands anyone can do anything for kindness. You can be a kindness patron too; you just need a kind heart.

This book is a must read book for all ages, specially kids because we, kids, have to take forward the kindness for better future.

The concept is by Rushabh Turakhia and is published by ‘FunOkPlease’.  It has beautiful illustrations by ‘Happy Fish’ and is written by Lubaina Bandukwala. Its price is Rs. 250.

So just grab the book now and let the blue magic reveal itself.

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Book Review: Brown like Dosas, Samosas & Sticky Chikki.

 Book Review: Brown like dosas, samosas & sticky chikki.

Hello friends, there is a good book in the world of books “Brown like dosas, samosas & sticky chikki”. This book is published by Funokplease. The book has wonderful illustrations done by Heetal Dattani & the author is Rebecca Manari.

It is an interesting book, about a little girl named Samaira who has an encounter with a- violet lady & has strange adventures with all the colors around her. The book tells us it is OK to be brown.

brownMy mom also told me the same thing. I tell you one incident, one day I went to my mom & said mamma my color is not fair; my mom hugged me and explained,”My dear child you have golden skin & a golden heart. Tell me will it matter if your skin color is white? Their are so many dark colored talented people. Skin color doesn’t matter at all, important is what you are as a person”,  from than onward I never felt ‘less’ for my complexion.

After reading this book I am feeling proud of my ‘golden’ color. I found this book very good, and a must read for all kids. So go grab your copy now, you can order it online. Wishing all my little friends ” Happy reading, Happy growing”.

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