Books Update

I can't believe that already half of the first month of 2013 have passed by. It was only some time back, we were all set to welcome the new year and now already so many days of 2013 have passed and soon it will be time for the next month.

On the blogging front, I have been super lazy. I don't know why but, I feel I haven't had the time to sit down and blog about a new recipe or lie down with a book. I haven't even had the chance to round up my favorites for the year 2012, like the one I did last year. If I go on to make a list of things I wanted to do, but didn't, the list would be really long. Instead, I should start doing what I didn't. That would definitely help to shorten my to-do-list.

There are some books I read last year that I have not reviewed here yet.

First one is 'The Hunger Games' series by Suzanne Collins. I know by not writing about, I am not doing justice to the series. I was a great read. I was literally glued to the series till I had completed the last book. The first book of the series was the best of the series. I would write about it in detail soon, but for now a simple rating should do.

The Hunger Games - 5/5
Catching Fire- 4/5
Mocking-jay -3.5/5

Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat - 2.5/5
I am not a Chetan Bhagat fan, but I have read all his books. I generally read them between serious reads. Revolution 2020 didn't entice me much. You can give it a miss..

Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph - 1.5/5
This was simply not my kind of book. It was rather painstakingly slow and uninteresting. I left it unfinished.

I am keeping my reading list short this year and have only joined GoodReads challenge this year. My target it to read 36 books this year. Currently, I am reading Chanakya's Chant by Ashwin Sanghi. This month I also plan to read 'The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi and Not a penny more, not a penny less by Jeffrey Archer.

What are your reading goals? Any books recommendations? Would love to hear. 
Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Jyoti's Pages on 'Scene of the Blog' and other Books update

Have you ever wondered about the work space area of bloggers around the world?

Ever wondered how their creative corners look like, where they sit and churn out beautiful posts..

Cathy of Kittling Books was intrigued by this question which led her to start a meme -Scene of the Blog where every Wednesday, she features a blogger from any part of the world to share their scene of blog.

This Wednesday, my space is being featured in Cathy's Scene of the Blog series. Wondering how my creative space looks like, go check this out.

Coming back to the books update, about two months back I had made a list of books I wished to read before my India visit in September. Well, in a line I can say that was an ambitious list, These are the books from the list that I have read:

My Friend Jesus Christ by Lars Husum
1Q84 Book 1 & 2 by Haruki Murakami
A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir
Prince of Ayodhya by Ashok K. Banker
Ninepins by Rosy Thornton
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Apart from this I also read Skid Marks of Logic by Divya Diana Dias and 1Q84 Book 3 by Haruki Murakami

I will read the rest of the books from the list after coming back from my India visit. To tell you the truth, I don't really feel like reading a book now. Give it to my excitement of visiting my home country and meeting family and friends or to the numerous chores I have to do before that, I am unable to concentrate on reading anything. So, I am giving my books a rest while I deal with other things in life.

By the way any books you would like to suggest to pick up in India. Suggestions welcome.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Books and Lucky Library Picks update

I have not posted anything about Lucky Library Picks or my To Read List Books for the past 2 months. The reason is simply that I have not been picking up as many books from the library of late. With my India trip only about 2 months away, I want to finish reading the books I already have on my shelf. And I tell you, I have more titles than I can actually read. So, I thought it would be a good idea if I could just make a list of the books to be read in the next 2 months.

To start of I have a few books that I abandoned mid way, not because they were not good but, because I got something more interesting to read. I wish to complete reading them before my awaited India trip. Of course, there will be a whole new bunch of book to buy from India and they will only add to my already long TBR pile.

Here goes the list:

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

I have read more than half of it and hopefully it will not take me long to finish it.

Ninepins by Rosy Thornton

I received this review copy from the author. I had enjoyed her book The Tapestry of Love and I am looking forward to reading her latest book.

The Little Shadows by Marina Endicott

I received this review copy from the publisher. This is one of the book in my priority reading list.

The Difficulty of Being Good by Gurcharan Das and Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph

These are titles I had picked up on my last India trip. I don't know why I have not read them till now. I have to read them before my India visit this year!

Apart from these I have some books from the library that have been sitting on my shelf for rather long. They are:

The Indian Clerk by David Leavitt
One Day by David Nicholls
My Friend Jesus Christ by Lars Husum
1Q84 Book 1 & 2 by Haruki Murakami

Of course, I don't want to return them to the library without reading them!

Apart from all these, I have 2 books that I am presently reading:


A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir. I received a review copy from the publisher.

Prince of Ayodhya by Ashok K. Banker. This is the first book of the author's series on Ramayana. I had reserved a copy of this book long time back in the library. Actually, I was not even hoping to get it as, it was showing missing in the online catalogue. When I received a call from the library that this book has arrived, I was very happy. I am planning to buy next few books of the series from India.

Well, this is going to be my reading list for the next 2 months. Hopefully, I will reach my target.

Apart from all these books there are 2 books that I brought from the library with the thought that I would enjoy them. But when I started reading them, I realized they were not my cup of tea. So, I abandoned them and returned them to the library. They were Ghost Light by Joseph O Connor and The Goddess Village by Nuala Woulfe

Meanwhile, if you could suggest me some good titles by Indian authors it would be great. I need to make a list of my 'To Buy Books' from India :-)!

Have a nice weekend. Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

A List And Some Contrary Proverbs!

Do you ever dig down your old emails?

There was a time when I used to get a lot of forwarded emails from my friends, some about interesting pictures, some with stories, some with less known facts etc. Today is a all different story. The other day, I was trying to get hold of an email and was trying a random search in my inbox when I chanced upon a few of those forwarded emails and as I read them it seemed like I was reading them for the first time! So, I am sharing one of those interesting email which had some contrary proverbs. Thanks to the original compiler.

Proverbs as we all know are about age old wisdom. But what do you do when you have 2 contrary proverbs. Before hopping on to see what they are, I want to talk about a list I am trying to make.

 A Book List by Indian Authors!

Actually, I will be going to India by the end of August (I can't tell you how elated I am) and I have already started to make to list of things- to-bring-from-India. And books forms a part of it. I am planning to bring 5-8 books by Indian authors this time. I can get books by Non-Indian authors easily here (so, no bother about them). I had bookmarked a lot of books from the blogs I follow and from crossword award list (seems like all the books have made it to this list) and to tell you the truth, I am all confused now. So, please suggest me some titles by Indian authors you have read and loved. Please!

Now, you can read on! Let me know what you think of these proverbs:-)!

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All good things come to those who wait |BUT| Time and tide wait for no man.

Doubt is the beginning of wisdom. |BUT| Faith will move mountains. 

Silence is golden. |BUT| The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Too many cooks spoil the broth. |BUT| Many hands make light work.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder |BUT| Out of sight, out of mind.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander |BUT| One man's meat is another man's poison.

You're never too old to learn. |BUT| You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Practice makes perfect. |BUT| All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Great starts make great finishes. |BUT| It ain't over 'till it's over.

Don't cross your bridges before  you come to them |BUT| Forewarned is forearmed.

Birds of a feather flock together.|BUT| Opposites attract. 

Do it well, or not at all. |BUT| Half a loaf is better than none.

Look before you leap . |BUT| Strike while the iron is hot.

Slow and steady wins the race . |BUT| Time waits for no man.

The best things in life are free lunch .|BUT| There's no such thing as a free.

Wise men think alike |BUT| Fools seldom differ.

The pen is mightier than the sword |BUT| Actions speak louder than words.

Hold fast to the words of your ancestors |BUT| Wise men make proverbs and fools repeat them. ( Am I ??)

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Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!