"It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live." ― Victor Hugo Why I’m Reading this Book? Back in 2012, when Les Misérables musical movie came out, I went out with my roommate to watch it. I knew nothing about this story. Half an hour in, and I was so bored out of my… Continue reading Les Misérables
Botchan
"To get a genuine apology from somebody, you're going to have to keep beating them until their regret is genuine too." ― Sōseki Natsume Why I’m Reading this Book? For those who play 'Word with Friends' , they would know that every level you achieve in this game, is labelled with a classic book name. First… Continue reading Botchan
Undistorted Distortions
Only in still waters do things reflect undistorted. This painting is my pride and joy as this was the first painting I created when I started taking my art 'seriously'! So, I didn't want to let go of it for a very long time, but being a creator also means loving your creations so much that… Continue reading Undistorted Distortions
Hope!
then she beckoned the flower... and asked if they can bloom together.. Flower smiled and they kissed .. and there was hope once again in their world! . Oil painting on 16x20 canvas! Available to purchase. Message me in interested. Check out more art at https://richa-versatile.myshopify.com/ Happy being an artist - Richa Sharma
Brave?
She was feeling brave. So she published a post on Instagram without any hashtags, not even a single one. She got 1 like. That was the end of her bravery, next time she used all 30 hashtags. She got 0 like and 3 bots approached her to send a DM for more likes/followers. This was… Continue reading Brave?
WordPress.com Receipt #ABCDEFG
Another ding on her phone which means a charge on credit card. Description says WordPress premium yearly charges.... That reminded her she wanted to be a writer long long back. She usually writes after every charge and eventually she stops. First time, it was a frenzy for 3 months, next time, 2 weeks, last time… Continue reading WordPress.com Receipt #ABCDEFG
Meevie – First Separation!
Previous Post My planned vacation dates soon came fast and I had to leave Eevie for 1 month. I got her on 10th October and I left her in a trainer's care on 20th. Only 10 days she was with me and I was on an immense guilt trip. But I was also looking forward… Continue reading Meevie – First Separation!
Meevie – Dark days…
Previous Post Soon Harmit and Piyush left, and Eevie and I had each other for company again. Eevie was not a shy one anymore, at least not with me. Her full personality was in complete bloom. And like a puppy, she was naughty, curious and prone to get in troubles. I was reading and learning… Continue reading Meevie – Dark days…
Chasing….’What?’……
Very few times in life you have feeling of elation. Usually it comes with some kind of achievement. When you are young, there are many occasions to get to this feeling. You are new to this world, learning new things and people encouraging you all the way. I remember for me it came when I… Continue reading Chasing….’What?’……
Four Past Midnight
"And didn't they say that, although curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought the beast back?"― Stephen King Why I’m Reading this Book? I don't need any excuse to read Stephen King . Whenever I'm disappointed in books and have strings of bad books in a row, I turn to Mr. King. Only reason I sometimes hesitate… Continue reading Four Past Midnight
Meevie – Dancing to your tune…
Previous Post So, now it was established beyond any reasonable doubt that I'm the go to person for Julia. While she was shy of my brother (Piyush) and sis-in-law (Harmit) , she willingly comes to me. And my heart was filled with joy. While my heart was filled with proper substance, our noses were filled… Continue reading Meevie – Dancing to your tune…
The Promises We Make in December
"I was just a kid , and I didn't understand yet that dying people say things they don't mean, and they make promises they can't keep."― T.W. Grim Why I’m Reading this Book? I'm a long time listener of NoSleep podcast. It's a horror podcast and sometimes some story really strikes a note. Story that I… Continue reading The Promises We Make in December
Meevie – And I’m in the pack now…
Previous Post So one day with Julia has passed and I was second guessing my ability to parent a puppy. She did not seem to like me, I didn't seem to connect with her at a deeper level, she couldn't go out since she wasn't fully vaccinated yet, I couldn't go out as she was… Continue reading Meevie – And I’m in the pack now…
Lore Olympus: Volume One
“Hades, all the fine suits in the world won't change the fact that you stink of death.”― Rachel Smythe Why I’m Reading this Book? I'm incorrigible in my quest of reading Goodreads choice award winners for this year. Even though , two of them, "Beautiful world, where are you" and "The final girl support group" disappointed… Continue reading Lore Olympus: Volume One
Meevie – What have I done?
Previous Post After bringing Julia home, I was at a loss for next few hours. She just sat where I put her and seemed depressed. After some time, she went to the dark gallery where bathroom is and sat at the mat in front of bathroom. I thought she liked the mat, so I brought… Continue reading Meevie – What have I done?
The Judge’s list
“Fierce obsession with anything, and especially something as traumatic as a murder, was not healthy.”― John Grisham Why I’m Reading this Book? This was the book which prompted me to read Whistler first. I kept seeing its promotion on kindle and I thought the premise was intriguing. Whistler wasn't interesting enough, but I'm getting on with… Continue reading The Judge’s list
Meevie – Depressed dog?
Previous Post After finishing the formalities of adoption and with tons of instructions to take home this 9 week baby, Julia and I were on our own. Rescue gave me some food for her. And I had like thousands of questions. Has she eaten yet? Can I feed her now? How many times? Can she… Continue reading Meevie – Depressed dog?
Broken ( in the best possible way)
“Becoming your own friend means taking care of yourself the way you would someone that you love. And that’s hard. But it is necessary.”― Jenny Lawson Why I’m Reading this Book? This is my third attempt in reading award winning books (Goodreads choice award winners for 2021), which so far was fruitless with Beautiful world where… Continue reading Broken ( in the best possible way)
The Whistler
“And it’s often the one you trust the most who’ll cut your throat for the right price.”― John Grisham Why I’m Reading this Book? When one read books on Kindle, they inadvertently sees new books in the market in ads. For last couple of weeks, a book was coming in this category, "The judge's list". This… Continue reading The Whistler
Meevie – Stars are aligning
I've decided to document funny/not so funny stories of me with my dog, who is named Eevie. Meevie is the collection of me+eevie stories. She is my first dog, so this is like first love. She is constantly in my mind and my friend says I'm an obsessive dog parent (guilty as charged). Already there… Continue reading Meevie – Stars are aligning
The Final Girl Support Group
“Sometimes you need the money more than you need to live with yourself.”― Grady Hendrix Why I’m Reading this Book? This book is the Goodreads Choice Awards winner in Horror category. Other award winning book I read was beautiful-world-where-are-you and it was a total bust. But I still naively believe that there must be something in these books… Continue reading The Final Girl Support Group
Beautiful World, Where Are You
““That's the thing about work, if it was any good you'd do it for free.””― Sally Rooney Why I’m Reading this Book? This book is the Goodreads Choice Awards winner in Fiction category. Last year Midnight library was the winner and I liked it, so I thought to end the year with an award winning book.… Continue reading Beautiful World, Where Are You
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
“All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time.”― Mitch Albom Why I’m Reading this Book? This is another book from the list I’m following, https://www.listchallenges.com/bbcs-top-100-books-you-need-to-read-before-you-die . It did seem interesting as it’s talking about life after death, also it was a small book, so I started... Synopsis Story of Eddie, who is maintenance… Continue reading The Five People You Meet in Heaven
The Arrival
― Shaun Tan Why I’m Reading this Book? I’m reading this book as part of my Omaha public library challenge for 2021 under the ‘about Refugees or the Immigrant Experience’ category. Synopsis This book is without words. An immigrant story is told in pictures. But story is so poignant that words really don’t feel necessary. My Review…… Continue reading The Arrival
West with Giraffes
“Life is life no matter who or what is living it, boy—a thing to respect,” he said. “You don’t get that, then you’re just a waste of skin."”― Lynda Rutledge Why I’m Reading this Book? If you follow my blog, you must have got by now that I read a lot of books recommended by my… Continue reading West with Giraffes
The Nickel Boys
“because for him to do nothing was to undermine his own dignity.” ― Colson Whitehead Why I’m Reading this Book? I’m reading this book as part of my Omaha public library challenge for 2021 under the ‘Award Winning book’ category. Also, my brother Piyush Sharma has read it and recommended it as a very good book, so there… Continue reading The Nickel Boys
Neuromancer
“The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.”― William Gibson Why I’m Reading this Book? This book was in the surprise bundle I received from my library. Based on my reading activities, this book was recommended to me. It is a small book, but I'm not that much into… Continue reading Neuromancer
The Birds: and Other Stories
“I saw myself, for the first time, as a very worthless, very trivial human being, traveling here and there about the world to no purpose, doing unnecessary business with other human beings as worthless as myself, and to no other end but that we should be fed and clothed and housed in adequate comfort until… Continue reading The Birds: and Other Stories
12 years a slave
“Life is dear to every living thing; the worm that crawls upon the ground will struggle for it.”― Solomon Northup Why I’m Reading this Book? This book popped up in some book club reading challenge for a month. I forgot which one, but I got the book from the library and after 1 month of delaying… Continue reading 12 years a slave
The Ardent Swarm
“Once again, man, in search of land, gave the plague to his fellow man in the folds of his offerings.”― Yamen Manai Why I’m Reading this Book? This book was recommended by my brother Piyush Sharma and our tastes usually match, and it was a small book, so I decided to give it a chance. Synopsis… Continue reading The Ardent Swarm
The Beauty in Breaking
“thank you to the ground that relentlessly rises up to meet us as long as we’re willing to take the next step.”― Michele Harper Why I’m Reading this Book? This year I’m following most notable books list from New York times (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/books/notable-books.html), because sometimes I get bored reading classics all the time and need to know… Continue reading The Beauty in Breaking
A town like Alice
“It’s no good going on living in the ashes of a dead happiness.”― Nevil Shute Why I’m Reading this Book? This is next book from the list I'm chasing, https://www.listchallenges.com/bbcs-top-100-books-you-need-to-read-before-you-die . I grabbed it on Kindle as it's a classic and off I go... Synopsis Novel follows the interesting life journey of Jean Paget from World… Continue reading A town like Alice
American Dirt
“She sticks her hand through the fence and wiggles her fingers on the other side. Her finger are in el norte. She spits through the fence. Only to leave a piece of herself there on American dirt.”― Jeanine Cummins Why I’m Reading this Book? I wasn’t aware of this book until it was recommended to me… Continue reading American Dirt
All my friends are dead. (Series)
“I’ve 3,284 friends...I’ve just never met any of them face to face.”― Avery Monsen and Jory John Why I’m Reading this Book? These books are from second category (Illustration) in the Omaha public library challenge for 2021. Name of these books were very fascinating considering these are children’s books. And that’s what made the choice for… Continue reading All my friends are dead. (Series)
Dune
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will… Continue reading Dune
The Midnight Library
“The only way to learn is to live”― Matt Haig Why I’m Reading this Book? This book is Goodreads choice award winner in Fiction section for 2020. This year I've set the goal of reading all these choice award winner. This is my second book from the list. Synopsis Nora Seed is a depressed person. All… Continue reading The Midnight Library
I am Legend
“Full circle. A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever. I am legend.”― Richard Matheson Why I’m Reading this Book? I'm a fan of Stephen King. So one day I was browsing who is the favorite writer of Mr King and in one article I came across the name… Continue reading I am Legend
The Guest List
“In my experience, those who have the greatest respect for the rules also take the most enjoyment in breaking them.”― Lucy Foley Why I’m Reading this Book? I first came to know about this book when it was announced as a Goodreads choice award winner in Mystery and Thriller section for 2020. Then I signed up… Continue reading The Guest List
The Wasp Factory
“The madder people. A lot of them seem to be leaders of countries or religions or armies. The real loonies.” ― Iain Banks Why I’m Reading this Book? This was one of the books from the list ’99 books that were too disturbing to finish”. Some very good books (Mostly from Stephen King) were in that list… Continue reading The Wasp Factory
Pygmalion
German and Spanish are accessible to foreigners: English is not accessible even to Englishmen.― George Bernard Shaw Why I’m Reading this Book? Pygmalion is a very known play written by George Bernard Shaw. As usual with a play, it's small and since it has been adapted in musical and movies, it's no doubt a good one.… Continue reading Pygmalion
The Short Fiction of Nella Larsen
She has spoiled his life; first by living and then by dying.Nella Larsen Why I’m Reading this Book? I’ve read Passing and Quicksand first and found them amazing. So, I have to read other works by Nella Larsen. It’s amazing that she has such a short collection of published work, but each of her stories… Continue reading The Short Fiction of Nella Larsen
Quicksand
“These people yapped loudly of race, of race consciousness, of race pride, and yet suppressed its most delightful manifestations, love of color, joy of rhythmic motion, naive, spontaneous laughter. Harmony, radiance, and simplicity, all the essentials of spiritual beauty in the race they had marked for destructions.” Nella Larsen Why I’m Reading this Book? Quicksand is… Continue reading Quicksand
Bombay Stories
I've noticed that when sincere people laugh, they always cry.― Saadat Hasan Manto Why I’m Reading this Book? My brother Piyush has recommended me a movie 'Manto'. He had high praises for it, so I watched it. It was about troubled writer 'Saadat Hasan Manto' and his few selected stories. I was so impressed with his… Continue reading Bombay Stories
I, Claudius
“I am supposed to be an utter fool and the more I read the more of a fool they think me.”― Robert Graves Why I’m Reading this Book? I've had this book so long in my digital library that I forgot why did I get it in first place. But it must be from time, when… Continue reading I, Claudius
Perks of being a Wallflower
“He's a wallflower. You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.” ― Stephen Chbosky Why I’m Reading this Book? Came across this story through movie first. Didn’t find that exceptional, but in movie review, people were crazy about the book it was based on. I forgot all about it before I see the the… Continue reading Perks of being a Wallflower
The Martian Chronicles
“We earth men have a talent for ruining big, beautiful things.” ― Ray Bradbury Why I’m Reading this Book? I’m smitten by Ray Bradbury’s writing since ‘Fahrenheit 451’ . This book is also mentioned as one of his good books. So, time to read. Synopsis Book details the accounts of inhabiting Mars by Human over the period… Continue reading The Martian Chronicles
Candide
“Optimism," said Cacambo, "What is that?" "Alas!" replied Candide, "It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst.”― Voltaire, Candide Why I’m Reading this Book? This book need no introduction. It’s a classic. But since it was written in French, I was biding my time to come to it. Finally one day… Continue reading Candide
Night of the Rat
"There’s always something with everyone. There’s always something you have to accept, overlook, or dismiss. No one is the whole perfect package. No one comes without kinks." -- Tanya Thompson Why I’m Reading this Book? I’ve been referred to this book by my brother Piyush Sharma. He came across it as one of his reading… Continue reading Night of the Rat
Bunner Sisters
“...they who exchange their independence for the sweet name of Wife must be prepared to find all is not gold that glitters...” -- Edith Wharton Why I’m Reading this Book? This was the last story from the Edith Wharton’s collection I purchased online. I liked her in Ethan Frome and Summer, her stories touch a… Continue reading Bunner Sisters
A ‘Normal’ day in lockdown…
This quarantine period is pushing me to find myself in various mediums. I’m involved in reading, writing, sketching, painting and now I tried expressing myself in comic medium. What else is required for us to see through these sad times? Below is a page from my life these days. If it makes you smile, it… Continue reading A ‘Normal’ day in lockdown…
Criticism
Last week one of my very good friends told me my art is just not that unique, it never attracted him and I should stop wasting my time posting socially as I'm only feeding to the social media monster called Instagram without any hope of getting anything in return. If its just a hobby, keep… Continue reading Criticism
Musings of a Book Savant 