Why I look for the Chicken Soup Series in Every Bookstore

I went to a book festival yesterday and like any other book lover, had a great time. There were tons of stalls with old books at reduced prices (yes, a total paradise). This is where I found a stack of books of the Chicken Soup series. For anyone who doesn’t know the Chicken Soup series, it is a great series of books that has a collection of real life stories and poems. These stories are sometimes funny, sad and sometimes purely inspirational. There are books for almost every kind of soul: Mother’s soul, daughter’s soul, teenage soul, dog lover’s soul, bride’s soul…

I started reading these books when I was probably a teenager. And I’m grateful for having read them when I did. When I read the Mother’s Soul, I caught a glimpse into the lives of mothers all over the world. There were stories about mothers, being a mother, loving a mother and the unconditional love that a mother has for her little ones even when they’re not so little anymore.

When I read the Teenage Soul, I could see that being a teenager is not always easy. Yes we are young but we are also experiencing so many things for the first time. Reading and knowing about teenagers all over the world going through similar things makes the journey easier.

When I read various books of the Chicken Soup series, I read simple poems that spoke about the importance of never giving up no matter how long a race is and how many times we fall. We win the race just by getting up again. I read a story about how you can change the lives of several people with just one smile. I read the story of a teacher who brought about positive influence in the lives of many of her students. I read several love stories and realized the importance of handwritten love letters, of caring for one another and of being there for each other through thick and thin.

There is a reason I still look out for the Chicken Soup series when I go to the bookstore. I love picking up one of these books at the end of long, hard day and reading refreshing stories about humans all over the world. I like the fact that on this platform, many people come forward to become a writer and share their stories on a global level. I like gathering inspiration from other people’s lives in order to lead my life in a better and more positive way.

Favourite Quotes:

1)      “Get up and win the race!” – The Race

2)      From a child to his mother: “I need a hug. I used up the last one.” – An illustration in one of the books

The Perennial Reader :)

Only Wheat Not White – Varsha Dixit

Image Source: Goodreads

Genre: Contemporary Indian Romance

Back of the Book (Source: Goodreads)

What if the one you completely love is the one you simply can't! Twenty-six-year-old Eila Sood moves to America to mend fences with her estranged older sister, Sheela. Eila and the rest of the family in India had cut off ties with Sheela after she married Steve Jacobs, 'out of caste, and out of color'. Elia soon realizes that Sheela's marriage is on the rocks. To help pay Sheela's household bills, Eila takes a second part-time job. When she crosses paths with the owner, the handsome Brett Wright or 'blue-eyed ogre' as Elia calls him, he both infuriates and fascinates her. Brett turns out to be her reluctant and unquestionably sarcastic knight in shining armour. As Eila and Brett spend more time together, their liking for each other builds. However, when Brett discovers the true reason for Eila's refusal he storms out of her life, accusing her of being a prejudiced coward. Will Eila find the courage to break stereotypes and embrace her love? Will Brett find solace in the arms of his ex-girlfriend Cate? Will Sheela and Steve divorce? All of these questions and more are answered in Varsha Dixit's latest and humorous love story.

What’s it about?

Eila has come to the US to patch things up between her family and her estranged sister. At every turn, she bumps into the vexing but amazing Brett Wright. She knows why her family cut off ties with her sister. Will she risk the same in the name of true love?

The Review Part:

I picked up Varsha Dixit’s Right Fit Wrong Shoe ages back at an airport as I usually do. I enjoy buying books at the airport and I have found some entertaining reads along the way. Right Fit Wrong Shoe was one as well. Ever since, I have been a fan of Varsha Dixit’s work and I make it a point to keep an eye out for her work. Her romances are adorably cute with lovely characters.

I had read Only Wheat Not White once when it came out and I am reading it again for the second time now. The best part of the book according to me is the conversation between the main characters. It is both funny and witty.

I adore the character of Eila. She is fierce, loving, independent and always ready to help. She goes against the tide to be there for her family and friends. Brett and his irritation around Eila provide for some highly entertaining moments in the book. He also secretly dotes on her which is charming to read. He is definitely a great character to read about.

The story is fun from start to finish with lots of ups and downs not just for the main characters but also for the supporting characters. I am looking forward to reading Varsha Dixit’s next! :D

Favourite Character: Eila and Brett (Both make this story super fun to read. I really can’t pick only one. :P)

Until the next book,

The Perennial Reader J

Anna and the French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins

Genre: Young Adult

Back of the Book (Source: Goodreads)

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

What’s it about?

Anna is shipped off to a fancy French boarding school and she’s not happy. The school also houses British accented, French speaking, American citizen Etienne St.Clair. With a name like that and a charm that wins over everyone within a five mile radius, Etienne may be able to make Anna’s senior year in magical Paris a worthy one. The only problem is he has a girlfriend. L

My Review:

So I found the review of this book on my favourite Young Adult review blog and honestly, the review itself was cute. It didn’t take me long to download the book onto my kindle and excitedly dive into the magical story that is set in Paris. And boy did I like it!

Anna enters SOAP (School of America in Paris) with a less than excited attitude as she has left behind a baby brother, a best friend and a potential boyfriend back home in Atlanta. What does she have to look forward to in Paris where she doesn’t know the language or the people? Right? Wrong! She becomes friends with Meredith easily on the first day. But things become a lot more interesting when she runs into the gorgeous school sweetheart, Etienne St.Clair.

There are several winning aspects to this amazing book. I’ll start with the characters. Anna is sweet, relatable, self-conscious and caring. Etienne St.Clair takes the cake though. He is one of the best characters I have read in the latest list of YA books. Right from his unusual name to his adorable imperfections to his easy charm, it is nearly impossible to not fall in love with him. There are a host of other supporting characters who are all well written. Among them, I really like Meredith and Rashmi. Meredith is really sweet and I can see why anyone would want to be her friend. It takes time for me to warm up to Rashmi but she’s an interesting character with her heart in the right place.

The book has the advantage of a beautiful backdrop of Paris with fascinating encounters all over the city described in enriching detail. The conversations totally won me over. Whether it was in person or in electronic form, I would always have a smile on my face while reading.

Stephanie Perkins’ writing is probably the only thing that is more beautiful than Etienne St.Clair. As a writer myself, I aspire to be able to capture the essence of first love in such an elegant and evocative manner in a book.

I would suggest Anna and the French Kiss to readers of older age groups as well. It is both good writing and a great romance. I have read Lola and the Boy Next Door as well and Stephanie Perkins is easily the latest to join my “PLEASE READ NOW!” list of recommendations.

Favourite Character: Etienne St.Clair (Duh)

Favourite Quote: There are so many. I will make a little list.

1)      “I wish friends held hands more often, like the children I see on the streets sometimes. I'm not sure why we have to grow up and get embarrassed about it.”

2)      I'm a little distracted by this English French American Boy Masterpiece.”

3)      “Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?”

Onto the next book!

Until it’s done,

The Perennial Reader J

I met Anuja Chauhan!!!!

You know one of those awesome moments when you get to meet one of your favourite authors? Being The Perennial Reader, I had surprisingly never met any of mine. And then one day I saw a way to remedy that. Anuja Chauhan was the author of the month for Reading Hour in Atta Galatta, Bangalore. I grabbed my best friend and rushed to this fascinating place on the set date.

Now, Anuja Chauhan is one of those authors whose works I recommend to all my friends. You can ask them. If they know me, they would have read her books. :P I have already written an entire post as to why I think her books are awesome and I actually got the chance to tell her this in person. *Pause for jumping around in glee*

The evening began with my friend and I entering this paradise-like place which is both a bookstore and a café. They also hold a number of literary events. Totally my kinda place right?

Andaleeb Wajid, the author of Kite Strings, Blinkers Off, My Brother’s Wedding, among others hosts the Reading Hour every month where she interacts with various authors, latest being Anuja Chauhan.

The event was to begin at 6.30. My friend and I had reached at 6 just so we wouldn’t miss any part of the event with my copies of her books in tow. Who misses such a golden opportunity for an autograph, right??

Anuja Chauhan walked in (my friend and I are star-struck) and greeted the storeowners and Andaleeb Wajid. She sat at a table where people started handing out books for her to sign. My friend and I joined the queue. As soon as she looked up at us when it was our turn, she gave us a big smile and said “Hi!” I think it’s safe to say that both my friend and I began gushing about being huge fans ever since she started writing and that we’re still in love with Dylan Singh Shekhawat. She laughed and said “Thank you so much!” and signed all my copies happily. We also got to pose for photographs with her. :D

We took our seats for the chat session right after. Andaleeb Wajid asked super interesting questions and Anuja Chauhan gave both witty and some hilariously funny answers. It’s so easy to see how she comes up with such great humour in her books. When the audience could ask questions, I mentioned how her books always feature high on my reread list and asked which books appear on her list. She said that it is the highest compliment for an author to be reread and that A Suitable Boy, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Catch 22 and Meg Cabot’s books feature on her list. The audience posed other really interesting questions to which she happily replied.

My friend and I got some more pictures with her at the end of the session and we walked out of the store with stars in our eyes and happiness in our hearts.

Until the next time then,

The Perennial Reader J

Saris and the City – Rekha Waheed

Back of the Book (Source: Goodreads):

Love, lingerie and family loyalties collide in this sexy, sassy tale of chasing success - but at what cost?

When ambitious City analyst Yasmin Yusuf's hope for a traditional 'happy ever after' in the romance stakes is shattered she decides there's only one course of action: get smart, sexy and successful. And what better way to achieve it than by turning around a failing lingerie company? Swept head-first into her glamorous new job by suave private banker Zachary Khan, Yasmin is soon clashing with snobby fashionistas, pedantic accountants, her culturally conservative Bengali family and, worst of all, Hannah Gibbs-Smythson, Zach's indomitable senior advisor. With the odds stacked against her and her attraction to Zach complicating matters even further, the stakes for Yasmin have never been higher... Is she prepared to risk everything for the success she craves?

The Review Part:

This is one of the books that I hold under people’s noses if they ask for a book recommendation (sometimes they don’t even need to ask). It ranks very high on my reread list.

The highlight of this book is certainly the characters. I loved the strength of Yasmin’s character. Her zest for life, her need to keep moving on and not wanting to compromise in any area of life is what makes me keep going back to this book. She has a beautiful family and a strong set of friends. She is smart, sassy and unapologetically herself in every page of the book. She is one of my favourite lead characters ever!

Another stellar character is Zachary Khan. Every once in a while, there comes a character who stands out from the rest and Zach is one of them. He is reason enough for girls to pick up this book without a second thought.

The story is as strong and fun as the lead character. Rekha Waheed gives descriptions of Yasmin’s professional as well as personal worlds in a way that you root for her throughout the book. Refreshing and smartly written conversations between the characters is another reason I adore this book.

If I haven’t mentioned it enough, I totally recommend this book if you’re looking for a great romance novel.

Favourite Character: Zachary Khan ( <3 )

Favourite Quote: “Enjoy being you: not a wannabe younger or innocent you; enjoy being you now.”

I can’t believe it’s been this long. I have been rereading a lot nowadays. So the Rereader section is going to be full again. Do post suggestions in the comments. I’m always on the lookout for a good book. J

Until then,

The Perennial Reader J

The Rereader - I've Got Your Number - Sophie Kinsella

Genre: Contemporary Romance

The Back of the Book (Source: Goodreads):

I’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

What’s it about?

Poppy loses her ring and her cell phone in the same day. Fortunately for her, she finds another phone in the dust bin. Minor detail: It just belongs to someone else. Spoiler alert: Not such a minor detail. :) 

My Review:

I remember my brother asking me what I wanted for my birthday a few years back. Like a good book lover, I said “Boooooook!!” Being a major Sophie Kinsella fan, the latest standalone novel “I’ve Got Your Number” was the obvious choice for a birthday gift. So I walked back home with a shiny new copy three years back and a smile on my face. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I still smile whenever I read this book. And I’ve reread it quite a few times.

This book just cannot fail in anyway. The strongest point for it would be the storyline. I mean who would have thought of writing a story about sharing a phone? The very idea of sharing something as intimate as a phone is a little scary but Sophie explores this phenomenon in a fascinating and hilarious manner. She does it in a way only Sophie Kinsella can.

I have a weakness for books with email/SMS conversations so naturally this book wins on that count as well for me. It has some exceptionally funny conversations between the main characters. I have actually been found laughing every time I read this book.

As for the characters, Poppy Wyatt is like a breath of fresh air with her charm and naivety. She exudes warmth for everyone and is a truly lovely person. It is certainly tough to top a character like that. Yet, Sophie manages to do that in the same novel with Sam Roxton. He is brutally honest yet sweet, serious yet has a smile that could disarm a reader let alone Poppy and always, always goes for what he wants! He remains one of my favourite Sophie Kinsella characters of all time.

In case I haven’t reiterated it enough in the review already, I’m going to say it again. This book is not to be missed. It is AMAZING! :)

Favourite Character: Sam Roxton (Nuff said)

Favourite Quote: There are so many! But this one honestly cracks me up every time:

“We're playing Scrabble. It's a nightmare."

"Scrabble?" He sounds surprised. "Scrabble's great."

"Not when you're playing with a family of geniuses, it's not. They all put words like 'iridiums'. And I put 'pig'.”

I know it’s been too long since the last review. I’ll keep up with the books and write some more super soon. :D Thanks for reading!

Until the next one,

The Perennial Reader :)

What Happens in London – Julia Quinn

Genre: Historical Romance

Back of the Book: RUMORS AND GOSSIP ... THE LIFEBLOOD OF LONDON

When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancee, she doesn't believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits ... and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something.

Sir Harry Valentine works for the boring branch of the War Office, translating documents vital to national security. He's not a spy, but he's had all the training, and when a gorgeous blonde begins to watch him from her window, he is instantly suspicious. But just when he decides that she's nothing more than an annoyingly nosy debutante, he discovers that she might be engaged to a foreign prince, who might be plotting against England. And when Harry is roped into spying on Olivia, he discovers that he might be falling for her himself ...

What’s it about?

She looks out of the window to spy on him. He knows she is spying on him. Thus begins a war of words between the two characters until it turns into something else. J

My review:

I picked up this book from an old bookstore and I’m really glad I did. I am on a mission to work through my TBR pile that I have already invested in and it’s safe to say that I’m doing really well, thank you for asking. J What Happens in London by Julia Quinn is the first of many such wonderful gems.

To begin with, I must warn you, I haven’t read too many historical romances. I think it’s just that I haven’t picked up too many of them in the past and there is no real reason for it. My favourite historical romance is Nicola and the Viscount by Meg Cabot (Just in case you were wondering. :P) However I digress.

Julia Quinn is an author I am totally going to look out for from now on. She proves that she knows the old timey world of London like the back of her hand with the lovely use of rich language in this book. This was one of my favourite parts of the book. I found myself thinking in the same style as well even after I kept the book down. :P

I adored the dialogue between Olivia and Harry. Their conversation is what makes this book sparkle and their chemistry crackle. The characters have been written well. I like how Olivia knows that she’s pretty but doesn’t enjoy all the perks of being beautiful. She is also intelligent and well read. Harry is smart, teasing, and a loyal friend: all the characteristics you’d need to like a hero. J His friend Sebastian provides many a hilarious moment as well.

The storyline as such is fairly usual but has been written really well and that’s what makes the book fun to read. I laughed quite a few times and heard my friend who read the book after me do the same. J The book progresses really well until the end which I feel could have been slightly better. However, the first three quarters of the book more than make up for it.

I am certainly going to read more of Julia Quinn’s works and I’m glad to see that there are quite a few to be read. J

Favourite Character: Olivia Bevelstoke (Her mental lists are hilarious!)

I know it’s been a while. I hope the next review is sooner rather than later. J

Until then,

The Perennial Reader :)