Welcome to My Blog - The Reality Checks and Reviews

      T oday, let's review the book B order Crossers by Bhaskar Roy . This book falls under the contemporary genre.  The title of the book is more suitable and apt for its content. The cover image and the color choice of the cover both are well suited for its story. I don’t know why, but whenever I read a book with an image of iron border fencing, it resonates deeply with me and often leaves me with sleepless nights. For example, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and Man's Search for Meaning had a profound impact on me. I’d like to add Border Crossers to that list as well. Although this book has a different plot, it explores themes of identity and focuses on the challenges faced by people who migrate undocumented. Though the story features many important characters, the main plot revolves around Rita, an immigrant from Bangladesh living as an undocumented refugee in Delhi. Her life is fraught with poverty and struggle, but she finds a glimmer of hope when Arijit, a ret...

                     W henever I open YouTube, the suggestion videos will be like enhancing your aesthetic, aesthetic home, aesthetic decor these words were surrounding recently. I know these were popular even before a couple of years ago, but these days everyone is trying to fall and follow the same. What is really aesthetic? Why does it become so popular? these were the questions that arose in my mind all of a sudden in my midnight bed thoughts. Which eventually became a topic of the next day's dinner topic with my family. So, here I am going to summarise all the points that we spoke about along with my verdict about the same. Shall we dig in now The aesthetic was not something that arose all of a sudden, my granddad said it was at a peak, especially in the 1970s as well, but was majorly it was followed by the rich and high society people, and also only they could afford the same. It was called fashion at that ...

 I was a phone buff even before the COVID-19 lockdown. Since I have a dusky complexion (which I now embrace), I wanted to change it and ended up following YouTube beauty gurus (as they call themselves). I followed their skincare and haircare tips religiously, which resulted in severe hair fall and transformed my oily skin into dry and sensitized sensitive skin. After trying many of their DIY remedies, I ended up with serious hair and skin issues that led me to visit a dermatologist. I underwent treatment for over a year. When they asked what I had been applying to my skin, the list included: Rice flour Potato Tomato Baking soda Aloe vera gel Lime juice Orange juice Papaya Besan, atta, milk, and the list goes on The only comment the dermatologist had was, " Instead of taking care of your skin, you’re cooking food in it. Why didn’t you include salt, sugar, and chili powder? "   My response was, "Except for chili, I applied the other two on my lips." I spent close to ...

          I know I know, I know that all my previous blogs were about books and book-related topics. I also know that you guys love to read just like I do, but in this blog, I’m going to focus on my second preference for entertainment, right after books.  Yes... Yes, your guess is correct: Movies and Series . Though I love books and reading, there is always a special place in my heart for movies and series. Before becoming an avid reader, I was a movie buff (an honest confession here). Disclaimer Disclaimer.... Let me be very clear: these are all my own opinions and preferences. Please don’t draw conclusions about me based solely on the movies and series I mention. Also, don’t feel disheartened if your favorites aren’t included. I know my readers are noble and sweethearts, but this is just a slight and humble disclaimer from my side. Let’s start with the list: Bad Cop series (2024): There are several reasons why I chose this series. Reason number one ...

           I was traveling on the local train this Friday when something quite startling happened to me. I had to travel approximately 30 minutes to my destination. Since the train was not crowded, I took a book from my bag and started reading. About ten minutes later, an elderly woman sitting next to me leaned over and asked me to close the book out of concern. When she made this request, I looked up from my book and noticed a few people glancing at me and judging me based on what I was reading. The book I was reading is a tamil book named, "Sivappu Vilakku Erikkirathu", translates to "The Red Light Is On" in English. The cover of the book only had text and no images. Despite this, people around me began to judge me for the genre of the book. This book explores the life of a prostitute, detailing how they are trafficked, and tortured, and the challenges they face. It describes the reactions of the police when they attempt to escape, the punishments t...

  I  Want A Boy  written by  Dr Aruna Kalra . This is an autobiography book with an enlightening and realistic topic as its central theme. The cover image and title are more than enough to briefly explain the book's content. The picture and color choices on the book cover are perfect for the book's theme. Let us be true to ourselves and answer the question: Do you prefer to have a boy or a girl baby? I am sure most of you will answer 'Boy'. Although we are living in a modern world with greater education and technological advancements, the obsession with having a boy has not faded yet. It is a default error that most of us were affected by. I would argue that due to the increasing rate of infertility, people are more accepting of any child regardless of gender. However, if you ask them their preference, I am confident that more than 75% would choose a boy over a girl. In this book, the author, an experienced gynecologist, shares her personal experiences regarding the ...

         I am a reader who enjoys books in both English and my regional languages. Yet, I often find myself feeling uncomfortable with translated books, such as those translated from Tamil to English. This unease prompts me to reflect on why this might be the case and what happens to a book's impact when it is translated. In this blog, I’ll share my thoughts on the impact of translated books compared to their original language versions. The Choice of Words: One key issue is the choice of words. Translation isn’t just about replacing words from one language with another; it’s about capturing the original meaning, tone, and nuances. Sometimes, the translator’s word choices can change the subtlety and depth of the original text. Words or phrases that are powerful in Tamil might lose their impact or become less effective in English, which can affect how readers experience the story. Preserving the Emotions: Another challenge is keeping the emotions in the tex...

A Kiss in Kashmir: A Timeless Tale of Love written by Monica Saigal . Of course, this book clearly falls under the romance genre. The title of the book looks so bland and common. The cover is simple but not very attractive to me tbh, and for this story, it could have been even better. I don’t know why, but lately, I’ve really enjoyed stories involving long-time crushes, second chances, and mature love. It might be because I find this kind of love more genuine, or perhaps I’m becoming more mature myself. Whatever the reason, I like these kinds of stories, which is why I chose this book. The main charcters of this story are  Sharmila and George.   George and Sharmila visit Kashmir for different personal reasons. They have a shared experience in both suffered the loss of their loved ones long ago and went through significant emotional pain. But somehow they both started to spend their time together, and a beautiful love began to blossom between them. Then the story moves with its...

I am not someone who hates or is against new books. However, I love the authentic old books to read. The coffee-stained color of the golden pages, the old paper smell mixed with the naphthalene ball scent, the illustrations, the story flow—this list could go on forever. Whether it’s a thriller, romance, horror, or any other genre published between the 1970s and 1990s, these books often feature simple, contemporary stories without modern technology or the internet. Stories published from the late 1980s onwards might include telephones, but they are often 'Rotary Dial Telephones' that dial slowly. Until all those six-digit numbers are typed, I can’t sit still and might hit the edge of my seat. Sometimes, I might scream inside, thinking, "Quick, he’s going to come!" Yes, that’s the element I want in a story—rather than fast-chasing GPS, internet, tracking, phone recordings, and so on.                          ...

A pplying Darwin's Theory of Evolution to Love written by Anup Jetty. This book falls under the romance genre. The book title looks quite unique and unexpected, which is the main reason why I chose this book. The cover image is good-looking but the cover is somewhat flimsy, although this doesn't bother me too much. The main characters of the story are Mohan and Megha (with their rhyming names). The book is set against the backdrop of Kolkata and focuses on their love story, its challenges, and how it evolves. The love presented in the book felt so real, despite its dramatic storyline.  I’ve previously read the story "Howrah Bridge" by the same author, so his work is familiar to me. I know that his love stories are often intense, and this one is no exception. Like his earlier work, this book features a deep emotional connection and romance.   The book's title suggests it’s about the evolution of love. It explores the different stages and challenges of love, especia...

Book Name:   Timeless Thoughts Author:   Shashikala Gadepally Reading some books just doesn't feel like reading at all but more like taking a pleasant stroll through a park. That's what this book was like. It's a short volume with about thirty poems but they are as profound in their message as anything I've read in the recent past. Each poem is well thought out and each picks up some crucial points. There's no doubt that the author thinks deeply about a variety of issues and that comes clearly to the fore here. From time to love and the injustices of society and the path on which the world is headed, each poem says an important thing and says it beautifully. Will urge all poetry lovers to read it. You won't be disappointed. #reading #bookworm #read #books #bookstagram #book #bibliophile #booklover #bookish #booknerd #igreads #bookaddict #reader #instabook #bookaholic #bookphotography #literature #bookstagramfeature #library #instabooks #booknerdigans I'm par...