Dance Like a Man by Mahesh Dattani | Review

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Name: Dance Like a Man

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Author: Mahesh Dattani

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Genre: Drama/Play

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Pages: 75 pages

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Format: Paperback

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Publishing Details: 1st January 2006 by Penguin Books

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Summary: Jairaj Parekh and his wife Ratna, aging Bharatnatyam dancers, are engaged in finding a substitute mridangam player to accompany their daughter Lata at her performance at a high-profile dance festival. Lata, in the meantime, nervously awaits the meeting between her parents and Viswas, the young man she wishes to marry. When the four meet, and in the conversations and discussions that follow, the fissures in the relationship between Jairaj and Ratna begin to explode into high-strung battles which lead back to their own youth and the tragedy that lies at the heart of their discord. The younger couple have their own issues to contend with: the obvious mismatch between the two sets of parents, the arguments over Lata’s career as a dancer after marriage and most unsettling of all, Lata’s attempt to balance her parents’ ambition with her own needs and desires. A brilliant study of human relationships and weaknesses framed by the age-old battle between tradition and youthful rebellion, Dance Like a Man has been hailed as one of the best works of the dramatic imagination in recent times.

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Review: This play may seem very drab in the beginning but there are gems of conflict, repression, dedication, feminism, patriarchy, the love for art, prostitution, politics and much more underlying it.
The characters have different voices and opinions. They view the events unfolding in their own perspective.
Ratna, the mother has been through much grief in the past. But what stays prominent is the jealousy she harbors towards the success of her only daughter, wishing fruitlessly that she had the fame that her daughter was getting.
She not only loses something very important to her blinded by the need for fame, she also feels the same pull now. Its difficult being a mother as well as trying to make a name for yourself in that year in India. Even today, its something that not many achieve. Feminism creeps into the story without making an entrance.
Jairaj, the father has lost his will and desire to dance after the fateful events. Even so, unlike Ratna he is proud of his daughter and all that she has achieved. His relationship with his own father has molded him into the ever-supporting father and even though he hates his old man, he can’t help but remember him.
Lata, the daughter is walking down the path that her parents once set on, and then laid out for her to go on. She’s a strong independent woman who does nor back down from her opinions even if her fiance or anyone else for that matter objects to it.
Viswas played a small role. So no thoughts for him.
Overall, a great play.

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Rating:  

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Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli | Book Review

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Title:

Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

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Author:

Becky Albertalli

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Publication Details:

April 7th 2015 by Penguin

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Pages:

313 pages

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Format:

Kobo

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Genre:

YA / Contemporary / LGBTQ

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Summary:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

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Review:

FOR THE LOVE OF OREOS, PICK THIS BOOK UP!

This book is just so cute and heart-warming, I completed the whole thing in one day.
Simon, is basically what every nerd wants to be best friends with.
He likes Harry Potter, Star Wars, and is gay.
Although he does not want to come out and make it a big deal, he’s blackmailed by a guy at school, who allegedly has screenshots of Simon’s email conversation with a sort of almost boyfriend, who calls himself Blue.

Simon and Blue get to know each other, without actually knowing who it is in real life. Life is a bitch, and through ups and downs with blackmail, friend-drama, coming out to the world and the suspense surrounding Blue’s real identity, Simon manages to keep up with so much happening all at once, with school work.

So I guessed Blue wrong, but trust me I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED with who it turned out to be at all. In fact, I felt really happy.

Becky built the characters so well, I almost wished Simon and Blue were real. Sigh.

It was fast paced, cute, funny and well written. Maybe that’s the reason it received such a high rating!

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Quotes:

“Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn’t be this big awkward thing whether you’re straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I’m just saying.”

“The way I feel about him is like a heartbeat — soft and persistent, underlying everything.”

“But I’m tired of coming out. All I ever do is come out. I try not to change, but I keep changing, in all these tiny ways. I get a girlfriend. I have a beer. And every freaking time, I have to reintroduce myself to the universe all over again.”

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

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Rating:

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Before I fall by Lauren Oliver

Title:

Before I fall

Author:

Lauren Oliver

Format:

Paperback

Pages:

470 pages

Published:

2nd March 2010 by Harper

Genre:

YA/Contemporary

Series/Stand Alone:

Stand alone

Summary:

For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—”Cupid Day”—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night.

However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.

Review:

Even though this book has a ton of unnecessary pages, I skimmed through pretty quick, maybe because sometimes it was so boring I skipped a few lines here and there. The concept isn’t new, but is definitely standing out in front of all other YA books. Re-reading about the same day seven times was a pain, and the characters were what they didn’t seem to be every different day. I do wish they had edited and made the book shorter, but it was a good read anyway. It was kind of like mean girls and Sam was as interesting as a character can get in high school. I don’t like the cover though, its just text-slap. And it makes the book look like it has a happier, brighter side, whereas the book deals with death and correcting of wrong doings.

Quotes:

“I guess that’s what saying good-bye is always like–like jumping off an edge. The worst part is making the choice to do it. Once you’re in the air, there’s nothing you can do but let go.”

“Sometimes I’m afraid to go to sleep because of what I’m leaving behind.”

“It amazes me how easy it is for things to change, how easy it is to start off down the same road you always take and wind up somewhere new. Just one false step, one pause, one detour, and you end up with new friends or a bad reputation or a boyfriend or a breakup. It’s never occurred to me before; I’ve never been able to see it. And it makes me feel, weirdly, like maybe all of these different possibilities exist at the same time, like each moment we live has a thousand other moments layered underneath it that look different.”

“That’s the thing about best friends. That’s what they do. They keep you from spinning off the edge.”

Rating:

Life by Rebecca Belliston

Title:

Life

Author:

Rebecca Belliston

Series/Stand alone:

Citizens Of Logan Pond #1

Pages:

367 pages

Format:

Digital ARC sent by the author.

Published by/on:

September 15th 2014 by Crescent Moon Press.

Summary:

The economy crashed, the country is floundering, and Carrie Ashworth struggles to keep her brother and sister alive. She has two jobs in her newly-formed, newly-outlawed clan: grow crops to feed thirty-six people and maintain contact with Oliver Simmons, their local patrolman. Carrie’s life is almost content when Greg Pierce shows up. A man with the ambition to help them survive. A man determined to hate her.

Greg sets to work devising systems to protect their clan from the new regime, but it doesn’t take long to spot the real reason behind their safety. Patrolman Simmons has fallen for Carrie. When a government raid nearly wipes out the clan, Greg takes it upon himself to give the socially-awkward patrolman what he wants. Only Carrie doesn’t like Greg throwing her in Simmons’ path, especially when Greg’s brusque exterior melts, and she catches a glimpse of the real man underneath.

But back in town, Simmons’ coworkers have grown suspicious. A clan the size of Logan Pond couldn’t have simply ‘slipped’ past his patrols all this time. When their hidden loot goes missing, they want revenge, and the one thread holding Logan Pond together is about to break. Carrie is forced to choose: follow her heart or save her clan.

Life won’t let her choose both.

Review:

This book was so bloody good! I was a bit sad because of the cover, it doesn’t do the book justice. However, I loved the way the story unfolded itself in the form of the dystopian, post economic collapse which shook the United States. The characters were relatable,  and it was amazing to read how they struggled to survive in such a condition without being caught. The things the people had to do to survive were heart-breaking and yet so fascinating to read. Carrie is a very strong main lead and having so many responsibilities along with some duties thrust upon her.

Greg being the dashing shaved hero was annoying at first as he spoke rudely about Carrie, but later he opened his eyes to the sweet caring person she was and ultimately fell for her on matter the consequences and the results.

I think the whole concept of even lying about someone’s feelings for the sake of survival is as bad as it gets, and Carrie had to go through hate she didn’t deserve and was supposed to show affection she didn’t feel at all, and suppress her true feelings as well as be brave for everyone, and not just her family.

I seriously cannot wait for the second book to come out. *fangirls*

p.s – The author herself is such a sweet person, I cannot get over how authors can be the world’s best people in the world and yet create such amazing stories which move us emotionally. If you’re reading this Rebecca, I’m so glad you send me that copy. You seriously deserve much more hype than what I can provide for.

Rating:

(If I could give more I would, seriously.)

A quote I love:

Going from the center of their universe,

To the center of no one’s

Was by far the most painful thing

She’d ever experienced.

People say time heals all wounds,

It was a lie.

The longer it went,

The less she could remember.

Their voices,

Their smiles.

The way their hugs felt.

The longer it went, the more it killed.

Black Rose by Kris Thompson

Black Rose

by Kris Thompson

It’s better to die on your feet than beg on your knees.

 

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Release Date: November 13 , 2014

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Genre: Fiction/Romance/Suspense/Thrillers/

ISBN e-book: 978-1-61213-247-1

Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH

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~~SUMMARY~~

Lillian Locke had the perfect life in Boulder, Colorado. She had the boyfriend of her dreams, a wonderful family, awesome friends, and a spot on the track team at a great college. There wasn’t anything life could throw at her that she couldn’t get through . . . until he found her. Lillian never could have imagined being abducted and chained up in the dark. Worse yet, being just one of many girls kidnapped and held captive by a madman. All she can do now is hope that she survives the brutality of their captor long enough to find a way to free herself and her new captive friends. When Richard Haines’ girlfriend goes missing, he makes it his personal mission to find the woman he loves and bring her home to the safety of their loved ones. Seeking the help of friends and family, Richard abandons everything except for his pursuit of Lillian. But when someone else close to Richard goes missing, and the bodies of the abducted girls start showing up in the hills outside Boulder, the only thing he can do is hope that he finds her before it is too late.

Goodreads * Add to Want To Read List

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Review: *This book was given to me by the publishers and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.* I had high expectations after I saw the cover, I mean is absolutely gorgeous! The summary sounded intriguing, however I felt like the story was a bit  predictable. I’ve read the same plot in a story on wattpad, but I enjoyed both of the books. The ending was different and I was really glad, because it was kind of better this way. I liked the strength and will power of the main character, and that she had people who loved her so dearly that they didn’t stop until they found her. The antagonist was extremely violent and mean, however that kind of character was built because of his past. The characters and the setting was so well written, I had goosebumps at certain parts of the book. An interesting read for someone who likes suspense and a bit of horror.

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Rating: 

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~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~

Kris Thompson is a veteran of the US Navy and single mother of three. When she’s not knitting scarves, chasing her children around or baking, you’ll find her enjoying a good book or writing down notes for her own upcoming stories. Writing has been a passion for Kris for many years, and seeing those stories printed on paper is a dream come true.

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~~CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR~~

Twitter * Facebook * Website

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a Rafflecopter giveaway 

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~~Praise for Black Rose~~

“There are just not enough words to describe how great I thought this book was! I completed it in one sitting, refused sleep till I was finished. 

A psychotic killer is abducting women, holding them hostage for days and days while raping and torturing and killing in a most horrendous way. Except you know this by reading the back of the book. What you don’t know is the story inside…there is so much more.”

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A question answered by the Author:

How does the kidnapping affect Lillian and ​Richard​’s relationship? Just like any other couple that experiences a traumatic situation, they’ll either grow closer or apart. Obviously, with just reading the summary of the book, you see that the situation had forced the two of them to realize their full feelings for each other. So in that sense it brought them closer together, but it was unfortunate that Lillian had to be kidnapped for them to realize those feelings. It’s what happens at the end portion of the book that tests their relationship the most, and you see that constant struggle that they go through, that I feel, is a very normal battle that any relationship would endure.