2015 Reading Challenge

Oh hello there! No, i haven't fallen off the face of the earth, as some would like to think of my whereabouts. I know the previous book challenge i took up was an utter failure. Failure is just a lesson learnt here for me, to not set unrealistic reading goals.
Therefore, as a part of my New Year 2015 Resolution and under the subsection "Intellectual Goals" of my "Life Goals", I'm taking up the 2015 Reading Challenge!
Whilst scrolling through Pinterest, I found this list and even before my mind could process it, i knew the answer to, "Should I do this?" was "YESSSS!"

I shall keep a track of the books i read this year, here! It's going to be just like Julie & Julia except, there's no Julia at all and the "recipes" I'm trying will feed the hunger of my mind! 

A few of my friends are also joining in and it's going to be a book rave if you ask me! 

Join in the fun if you like! 

With this, i start The Bookworm Saga 2015! :D 

The Bookworm Saga | Of Mice and Men

I've been procrastinating  updating of The Bookworm Saga and with a legitimate reason. I had decided to read One Hundred Years of Solitude. Unfortunately, halfway through the book I stopped. I am apparently not one of those people who would find the book influential in my life. 

I initially picked up this book to read because i'd heard a lot of praise for it. Initially i liked the writing style and thought i would like the book like everyone else. But i have to be honest, i started reading it with the most distinct form of confusion. I was waiting for a concrete storyline. It has everything within the first hundred pages, gypsies, magic, alchemy, insomnia disease(??), inappropriate relations, creepy little girls, overdone love proclamations, incest and im sure ive missed a quite a lot more.  Then it got very very confusing, thanks to the parents naming all their offsprings after their grandfathers.

I returned the book immediately as I did not want to waste precious days on it anymore. As I scanned through the library shelf(yes one shelf of English fiction, just one) my eyes fixed on John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men". I am a huge fan of the band Of Mice & Men as a matter of fact and that is how I learnt about the book as well. So I picked it up immediately along with another book by Gabriel Marquez ( how daring!) The General in His Labyrinth.

Just now with steaming tears and a running nose, I finished reading the book "Of Mice and Men" . I knew there was a controversial ending, but did not expect it to be this. No spoilers of course, but if I you haven't read the book yet, please do. I made the mistake of reading it a bit too late. But hey, better late than never!

My eyes fill with tears even as I think about the story, to re-narrate it here. It starts with George and Lennie by a beautifully described river-side. For all you know, they could've been hiking. The real weight of the situation is only revealed much later. George and Lennie are childhood friends, but their closeness could qualify them as brothers I would say. Lennie is the big guy with a brain of a kid and George is the caretaker. George seems frustrated and annoyed with Lennie's antics (spoiler material, yeah) , he admits to it as well but he would never consider for a second about abandoning his friend.  The characters are so well written that you start to imagine them as they are and feel as they feel and when tragedy of sorts strikes, take my word, you will also be stricken as I was. George and Lennie dream about working up a stake and buying a place of their own where Lennie can pet his rabbits and be answerable to no one. This sets off the story and the events that follow are casual, if not normal. But they are subtle that gives the sense of unpredictability to the story. They work in a ranch owned by a man who has crazy self-esteem issued son, wife who "gives eye" and a bunch of other men all of whom have a story and nature of their own. Their well intertwined stories is a brilliantly written masterpiece by Mr. Steinbeck. Lennie is so well described that your heart goes out to him and any unlikely thing he does seems normal to you, because it's normal for Lennie. You start to make excuses for his actions to be acceptable, because he's poor little(ironically cus he happens to be a big guy!) Lennie. Innocent Lennie who know nothin'! 

I kept wondering why the book was called Of Mice and Men. Boy was I surprised! Lennie here was always given mice to pet, as he was extremely fond of petting things, by his Aunt Clara. Lennie being the book ruffian taken over by "aggressive love" would end up killing the tiny mice by squeezing them too hard. This IS why it's so named right? Let me know if I'm wrong!

Now, as a tribute to the brilliance of the book, I shall listen to "Of Mice & Men" the band and fall asleep without having another teary flashback of the book! 

Bookworm Saga: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I just found my new Heroine! Lisbeth Salander. Badass-punk-chick with an in-your-face, up-your-a$$ attitude who is an excellent researcher with a photographic memory who gets what she wants and how! The book title is about my Heroine, and is the first in the trilogy by Stieg Larsson. 

The book was originally written in swedish and the swedish title actually translated to 'men who hate women'. It was translated from Swedish to English, by one Reg Keeland, thank heavens for that! It is one of the most exciting books i have read. The initial parts of the book was honestly, to me a bit boring but once the plot took-off i could not take my eyes off the pages and my fingers from turning the pages. It is all based in Sweden apart from being exotic (to me) it literally gave me chills in the middle of the night when i read certain parts of the book. (wont type out those parts, you should read it!)

I have to show-off here and say i could deduce who the 'culprit' was. If most of you could also do it then....well.....alrighty then. 

I particularly liked Lisbeth's action plans, her attitude towards everything and everyone, her action and consequences analysis and most of all her tattoos and piercings. I just love the fact that Stieg Larsson thought up a punk heroine while most authors would make a tall slender red-head who's the society's version of 'attractive'. I know that is not the central theme or whatever but different people learn and think differently and this is what appealed to me the most ok? Ok. That is obviously apart from the brilliant storyline, which i shouldn't type out, because where's the fun in reading my version of the story right? So if you've not read the book, READ IT! And if you have, lets fangirl about it!!

I can finally watch the movie now, because i would not let myself watch the movie without reading the book first. Daniel Craig's jawline, here i come! 

Next on my Bookworm Saga List: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Can't wait! 

The Bookworm Saga

What is The Bookworm Saga?

If you are an active Facebook user, you should be aware (no pressure) of the so called 'Bookbucket Challenge' or whatever name it goes by from where you're around. As a person who has made it pretty clear that she loves books, i was tagged, obviously. But lets rewind a bit here. When the book challenge started initially, i was in awe of the kind of books people had read and also to see some people being unable to choose from the 'hundreds of books' they'd read. HUNDREDS!
My face was burning, i was mortified. For a self-proclaimed book lover, the number of books i've read is indeed a shame. I don't think all the books i've read in my two decade old life will add up to a hundred (unless you count all the nancy drew books and the Goosebumps books huh?) and to think about the hundreds, hell, thousands of books i haven't got my chubby fingers on yet makes my head whirl.

So, the solution has been thought of! I challenge myself to a book reading challenge. Every week i will choose a book or an author and read it. Then i review it, probably. Or declare the accomplishment of the challenge into the void, that is the internet. If there are actual humans reading this, do not hesitate to join me! We can have a book club and everything! (fun fun fun!)

The Bookworm Saga Goal: The month is september. Four months till its 2015. (THE FUTURE)
I will exclude my exam month of october as i dont think i acn do much reading then SO, based on rough estimation, with ingenious mathematics,
3 months x 4 weeks = 12 weeks.
12 weeks. 2 books a week (minimum)
That is, 24 books.
Small number. But then again, rough estimates and unwelcome exams.
Therefore, Book Goal by New Year 2015, 24 books atleast!

Let the Saga commence! 

Book Therapy!

I am halfway through J.K. Rowling's Casual Vacancy and as I was reading a rather plain line in the novel, I realised how deeply involved I was in the story. It was like i was running down the stairs with the character and splashing through the rain with him to see what he was upto. Not only that, i had completely forgotten all the things i have to worry about for tomorrow, which includes organising  a photography competition, participating in another competition myself, getting my attendance slips signed by untrusting teachers, writing a script for the class play and not have a breakdown. Even as i typed that sentence out, i felt a giddy feeling of anxiety rush through my body. But reading a book, not only makes me forget my troubles in my conscious mind, it somehow rearranged itself in my subconscious mind, making it less troublesome and scary. It gives me a very strong feeling of confidence and "I can do anything" attitude. Very irrelevant. But calming. Soothing almost.

I also have a goodreads account, which i hardly log into and for a good reason. It gives me 'Book Anxiety'. A feeling of "so many books, so little time". If i could have one job (that i would never ever resign from), it would be the task of reading all the books that have ever been written. In my opinion, there can be no 'bad book'. So even the books that have poor reviews will be cherished by me. That is probably how the one who cannot meditate for days without food and water, gains divine knowledge to attain nirvana, by reading all the books that have ever been written. Could someone invent this job for me? Thanks!

Books I recently purchased | Book Club

My exams have just come to an end and i went out book shopping. I am currently reading The Shining by Stephen King. I sometimes feel ashamed that i haven't  read classic books till this age. But the important part is that i am now. Does anyone else feel that? I dont know.
This post is going to be about my short-term reading list. Books i have bought and hope to read ASAP (gaaah)

Currently reading:

On my list:

(in no particular order)

1) An Abundance of Katherines - John Green

2) Salem's Lot - Stephen King 

3) Cujo- Stephen King

4) The Bourne Identity- Robert Ludlum

5) A Song of Fire and Ice - Book 1- Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin

6) The Secret -Rhonda Byrne

I am extremely sorry about the terrible pictures. But hope my hand gives it a personal touch. It was an impromptu thing because i thought the blog would look more colourful! 

The Shining is the book i am currently reading. it was a gift from my aunt. I  actually started reading The Shining a month ago. No i am not a slow reader, but my rotten exams got in the way and *sigh*. It is considered to be one of the most scariest books written. I might just do a review soon, for the people like me who're late readers of good old books.

So, An Abundance of Katherines was also a gift from my friends because they know how much i love John Green writing. I am a fan of the vlogbrothers (much lately though) and i must say the Green brothers really make me happy ok!  

I may come across as a Stephen King fanatic. That's because i probably am. I do not understand how i missed the opportunity of falling in love with the best thriller writer and his books much earlier in life. I just do not know how! I have always been fascinated by the supernatural, horror movies and things alike. And to not be a fan of Stephen King? WOW! But i am there now, i am here. Catching up on the lost time by binge reading Stephen King books! I found Salem's Lot and Cujo at a local bookstore that sells books at really really really low prices. The books are quite old though but that makes it even better doesn't it? Cannot wait to read these!

A few years ago, at the annual Book Sale that is held in my city i bought the entire Bourne Series- except one. The FIRST ONE! Can you imagine the heights of my stupidity? And for a long time i have hunted for the first part. And finally i found it in the local bookstore where i found Cujo and Salem's lot! Now the ball can be set in motion eh? If you're thinking, "Woman just watch the movies!", I say, 'Kind person, i will after i read it, thank you'. I actually have watched The Bourne Identity. I don't remember it though so...yeah. 

Aaah! The Game of Thrones. Now a major HBO original series. Yes. Believe it or not i haven't started watching the series. The same reason i haven't watched the Bourne series. Yes I am THAT person!

The Secret. I have read it a dozen times but seem to lose the message of the book a lot. Hence, my habit of re-reading it again!

I will probably review these books once I've read them. Or lets put it this way. Express my humble opinion. Because i am honestly no reviewer and cannot call my juvenile opinions reviews! So stay tuned bookworms! 

Books books books | Book Club

If i were to describe to you how much i love reading books, i wouldn't be able to express it with words because it is the best feeling in the world and i would just stand there with a pursed mouth, with my hand in mid-air, sighing with a wordless tongue because that feeling of reading books, living the characters life and going through what they are going through, crying with them, laughing with them, and journeying from the start to the end, cannot be summed up into a few letters or a few sentences.

For the above reason i have dedicated a page on my blog for the books i have read, i am currently reading and will want to read in the future. I will review the books (? Probably) and if there's anyone out there who is interested, we could make an actual book club (Such FUN!)

Hope nothing stands in the way of my love for books and me!

Book Challenge!

I'd like to think of myself as an intellectual being as i have an affinity for book reading. But most of the times im left staring at the numerous or rather the innumerable number of books i own, dont own, but would like to know what is in them. Read them completely and know what the best books in the world contain. So many books to read, so little time. Due to this i have challenged myself to try and read one book per day. That is a bit on the extremely impossible side of possibility so i'll stick to three books a week? Hopefully i can do this and learn the wise words of the wise men of words!   Pray that i do read all the books the world has to offer! I need the world of fantasy than the world of reality! I'll post reviews and thoughts about the books as an incentive for me to read more efficiently! 

bookworm sign off