Shonazee's Top 5 reads of 2015

2015 was the year I read all the mainstream novels. All the popular ones that I kept putting off for no reason.

This year I made time for all of these books and here are the one's that I absolutely LOVED in no particular order because I cannot rank them. I tried, okay? Really tried, but couldn't.
Make sure you read these if you haven't because these are definitely worth the hype and high expectations.

The Hunger Games Trilogy:

Genre: YA Dystopia

Add To Goodreads

I'm pretty sure that all the mortals have already read this series and I was prolly the last one to embark on this crazy, badass journey. But if you haven't, then please, please read this series. I mean, this series right here is going to be a YA Dystopian classic someday, you'll see.
There's suspense and thrill and hold-your-breath-moments and awwws (Peeta) and ouchs and basically, it's everything you'd want in a page turner.

Simon vs The Homo sapiens Agenda By Becky Albertalli:

Some books give you warm smiles and tight hugs.  This is one of those. You'll melt into a puddle, you'll be filled with this fuzzy feeling called love. Although it's a light read, I did have a hangover after finishing it. Good stuff. Stuff that made me blush when I recalled a few scenes or dialogues and people around me thought I was either in love o going cray-cray.
So please please do yourself a favour and read this book.
I'm sure you'll love it, if you do however get around to reading it, you can drop me a message, we'll fangirl and swoon over Simon and Blue.

Add To Goodreads.

The Lunar Chronicles By Marissa Meyer:

Book One of The Lunar Chronicles, Cinder

Genre: Sci-fi, Fairytale retelling

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Scifi? Check
Badass female characters? Check
Fairytale? Check
Hot HOT potential book boyfriends? Check
Action and sass? Check
These are the first fairytale retellings that I've read and they are SO GOOOOD!
A little predictable, because retelling, but apart from that, this series keeps getting better and better with each sequel.

Between Shades Of Gray By Ruta Sepetys:

I read this book as a part of the Fictional Fortress's read-along. This historic fiction shows us the ugly and courageous side of humans. This book is full of suffering, pain and truth.
It's sad, yes. But a must read nevertheless.
Cause some voices have been clamped shut and this book brings them out in the loudest of pitches. For the people of Lithuania, for the people who have suffered injustice because of egotistical bastards in power, read this book. Read it.
You can read our review of this book here.

Add To Goodreads.

Fangirl by Painbow Rowell:

Genre: YA FictionAdd To Goodreads

This is a cozy read. When you're sad or depressed, this book will wrap the arms of familiarity around you.

Those were my top 5.
If you're interested in taking a peek at all the other books I read this year, visit my Goodreads.

What about you? Which books moved you / made you laugh / changed you this year?
Tell us in the comments!

Winter Reads & Recs by Readers

Hola!
This December we're reading books that bring out the holiday spirit & joy,
here are some books that our club members are snuggling up with,

Nothing says Christmas like LoTR rereads(and ugly jumpers)🎄🎅📚☕ 

- _slythrns

"This holiday season, I'll be reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I'm so ashamed to say I haven't read Little Women yet and therefore I have decided to read it this winter. ❤" says one of our bloggers Niv (nivthebooklovingnerd )

Sumedha says, "This came in today.. I'm getting so much in the feel of christmas already❤️😍😍

I gifted this to myself😂
Hope you are spending your holidays reading, as i am❤️👻"

1. And according,  to our blogger Varsha: Nothing says Christmas like this beautiful book. My True Love Gave To Me is a collection of cute and perfect holiday stories. All of them take place in the month of December and focuses on different holidays like Christmas, Hanukah and New Years and I love nothing more than curling up in bed with this book to get me into a holiday mood."

"He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to."

- Becky Albertalli, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda///

One of my favourite quotes I've read this year. This is my Christmas read for @fictionalfortress

 By Arzoobibliophile

For mel , Harry Potter is her go to winter read. 

"There's no better place to spend Christmas than at Hogwarts, with the Yule Ball, the Christmas feast in the Great Hall, a trip to Honeydukes in Hogsmeade with a stop at The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer.
No better place to spend winter either, with snow on the grounds and roaring fires in the great fireplace in the Gryffindor common room { or your house common room if you're not a Gryffindor 😉 }.
In fact, I can't think of a better place to spend any day, any time of the year!"

"Winters have Harry Potter written all over them. Don't ask why. That's just how it is. Especially when the copy you own is illustrated. 
Also how cute is the Harry Potter badge? " says another one of our bloggers, Shonazee

@thephotodiary says, "I choose our Bond, Ruskin Bond to define the holiday season. 🙌 I grew up reading Ruskin Bond; I'm still growing on his works. 💚 Everyone who loves Ruskin Bond will agree with me here."

What are you reading this Winter?
Share your reads using #winterswithff
Stay tuned for a vvv important announcement :) 

December Book In Spot-light: Seahorse By Janice Pariat Book Review

The "Book in Spotlight" for December is the retelling of the Greek myth of the seagod Poseidon and his male devotee Pelops - "Seahorse" by Janice Pariat. A beautiful and under-rated gem, I hope you pick this up and love it as much as I did. This book has been shortlisted for The Hindu Prize For Literature 2015.
And here's how I met this beauty and what I think aboot it,

Title: Seahorse

Author: Janice Pariat

Publisher: Vintage, Random House.

Published On:November 21st, 2014

Page count: 294
Review By: Shonazee

Blurb (via Goodreads):
Nem was not like his college classmates. Instead of crowding around a TV set, Nem opted for lonely walks where he could indulge his passion for photography, until the night he saw Nicholas, a young professor from London, with another male student. The affair is passionate and brief. When Nicholas returns to London, Nem must move on. He graduates and soon finds success as a critic in New Delhi’s burgeoning art world. Then comes an invitation to speak to artists in London, and the past is suddenly resurrected. As London's cosmopolitan art scene envelops Nem, he is haunted by the possibilities of a life with Nicholas. But Nicholas eludes Nem, avoiding a reunion with his old student, but leaving clues that lead to someone else: Myra, a woman Nem thought was Nicholas's sister. Brought together by their love for Nicholas, Nem and Myra embark on a surprising friendship.

Janice Pariat explores the concept of emotional memory with the inquisitive mind of a scientist and the prowess of a poet. Rich, immersive prose drives a story with international scope, one that seeks answers to the age-old mystery of what binds us to others, and how we can ever let them go.

"What if that was all we ever wanted? The things that didn't happen."

The Setting & My Introduction To Seahorse:
This November I met one of my virtual book friends for the very FIRST time. Saying I was nervous about the meet-up would be an understatement cause I'm literally Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell when it comes to meeting new people buuuut this girl, we hit it off instantly. No awk- hi's or hugs. We bought books to swap, duh, of course, we did.
I gave her three of my precious, Twenty love poems by Pablo Neruda, The Shadow Of The Wind and our prev club pick, The Illicit Happiness Of Other People.
She gave me Water For Elephants, The Year Of Runaways and Seahorse.
Being the kind of confused soul that I am, I spent an entire week, yes, an entire week and I'm not even exaggerating or kidding - to decide which book I should start with.
I was just going through Seahorse, glancing at the first lines and before I know it, I'm on page 10. Like whaaaat even!

"We are shaped by absence. The places that escape our travels, the things we choose not to do, the people we've lost. They are spaces in trellis on which we trail from season to season."

Review:
This book ranks second on my Fav book beginnings (First being, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts)
And so it began, my love affair with this beautiful book.
This book is the definition of beautiful writing. It's glorious. Yes, glorious.
I literally marked every alternate page for the quotes that I liked. loved.
The author seamlessly shifts between the past and present. New Delhi and UK, leaving us in wonder and awe.
You'll fall in love with Delhi's summers and London's bleak days. That is how good it is.
It is a story about incomplete, open gaping wounds. About the love of your life leaving without a goodbye or explanation. Just vanishes. Leaving you wounded. And forever trapped in past.
All those feels wrapped up in this book.
I did enjoy the story but was too busy admiring the writing to actually connect/relate to the story or characters. Having said that, you should definitely pick this book up. I'm not kidding when I say it has gems embedded in it. So go get your treasure chest in the form of this book.

Bite-sized Review: Beautiful, mesmerizing prose.

Also, click here to check the book trailer out.


"We treasure the incomplete, for it lends us many lives - the one we lead and the million others we could have led. We are creatures of inconsistency. Passionately partial. Unexecuted. Unperformed. Undone. Unaccomplished. And un-concluded."

Club Changes & December Read-along Announcement

Hii guys!
We have made some big and important changes and we want you to be a part of it as we step into the new.
Without further ado, let's jump right into them,

Firstly, we want to clarify that the book club is international. We will not only cater the Indian reading crowd, but our services are available across borders and time-zones. So yes, we're now an online, international book club. Already waiting for the giveaways, are we? :P
From December, instead of having Books of the month, we plan on having a Theme of the month. We will also pick one Indian author book every month for "Book In Spotlight"
You can join us for the theme or book in the spotlight or both.
You are free to choose whichever book you'd like to read as long as it fits the theme. And needless to say, you can read as many books as you want to.
At the end of the month, we plan on having virtual book club meets where we'll all talk about all the books we read and what we liked about them, how our perspectives changed and how our lives changed and how we laughed a lot, cried a little, you're getting me?
Obviously, the meets will have a limited number so you might want to sign up as soon as we put the announcements up.
We're still working on the virtual meet part and are very very excited. More info on that later.
Meanwhile, why don't you get yourself wrapped up in warm blankets, with a big cuppa hot chocolate and sunggle with books relating to our December theme, which is -
"Winter/Christmas/Holiday"



We'll be sharing our FAV winter themed books through the month, so can you.
Use #winterswithff and let us know which book you're planning to read or which book you'd recommend to fellow book members or your current reads or YOUR FAVS.

Also, stay tuned for our Book In Spotlight. More on that tomorrow :)

Are you joining us this December? Would you be interested in a virtual book club meet? Let us know in the comments down below!