Poetic pen

Tell a Tale

Thursday, December 28, 2017

My Year 2017 in Books

Another year is coming to an end. Like always, by intention or by chance, we tend to ponder and look behind over the year we have spent. We all have our own moments – While some make us sad, there are others which make us smile out of nowhere. Through all the lenses, there is one which never fail to bend my lips upwards in to a smile – “My lifeline: the kiddos” and then “BOOKS”.

Talking about the lifeline, kiddos are growing fast. While the elder one is learning to read – believe or not, I can-not be more proud when he shows interest in reading, the little one is learning to speak.

When it comes to my year in books, Goodreads did the work for me and gave me a decent view:


Of all the books, I read in the year, I posted the review on this blog for some of them (I know I should have done for all). Below are the links for the same.

Click to read review



What I Liked About The Book:
1. Letters: The title made it impossible for me to pick it up.
2. Travel Story: The author has very easily managed to present life learning in form of a journey. All teachings were beautifully blended in the locations and their bearers.

Read the complete review here - 


I must mention that there is something about horses that almost all writer capture very easily. I could not help but imagine the "beautiful black stallion" at every mention.

I found the plot very crisp and the author did not took much pages to get to main scene. I could not stop reading ahead after that. The story has background of long long time back and thus I could very easily identify the generation gap in all areas - society, dressing up, studies, occupation and many other things.

Read the complete review here -
Book Review: Thicker than Water by Lexie Conyngham




Click to read review

The imaginary sarcastic conversation with regard to lawyers statement derived from his own marriage when he tries to prove that the old servant had physical relations with the teenage girl was hilarious. I cannot stop smiling with surprise every-time the concept comes to my mind...

Read the complete review here -
Book Review - The Killing of Aarushi and The Murder of Justice by Rajesh Talwar








Click to read review

What I Liked About The Book:
1. Short Book and thus short chapters having big font: Yes, the really like the books with font big enough to be read with naked eyes without much concentration. Full marks to the publishers for it.
2. Failure Scenarios: Generally, book like this skip the hardships people face while applying the underlying strategies or techniques. I really liked the part where Wes had trouble applying Whale Done Principles in his office. The detailing could have been better though.

Read the complete review here -
Whale Done!: The Power of Positive Relationships by Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D., Thad Lacinak, Chuck Tompkins and Jim Ballard



Click to read review

It was the title which attracted me to the book. I had no idea what "Pigeon Blood Red" meant until I found it's meaning in the book. The author has describe it in detail. It was only then I went to Google and searched for the precious Gem. According to WIKIPEDIA - "The brightest and most valuable shade of red called blood-red or pigeon blood, commands a large premium over other rubies of similar quality".

Read the complete review here -
Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan





Click to read review

I am absolutely clueless about the content of Vedas. Thus, for me it was a pure fiction without any reference to compare to.
Reading about an era much older than we ever know stories about was quite interesting. Even the custom of marriage was not formalised! It was fun to read the pros and cons. The human nature has always been the same and there are may instances in the story which although belong to very very old times, but so aptly fit even today.

Read the complete review here -




Click to read review


I could also relate many instances of five-year-old Misry to my own kids. I could sense the pride of parents when they see their kids learning small things by themselves and the sad feeling when they realize that they are learning the lessons of life as well meaning, they are growing up.

Read the complete review here -
Book Review: Grow Up Messy by Paromita Goswami







Wait I am not done! The little one is not far behind from joining the book club. This is how he browse through the book shelf to choose the book he wants to see pictures in and then always settles on his – ‘tataa’ (Disney/Pixar Cars - "Mater's Tall Tales" and "Heavy Metal Mater and Other Tall Tales")

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Book Review: Grow Up Messy by Paromita Goswami

About The Author:
Paromita Goswami is a storyteller and also the founder of reading club that enhances book reading habit in children. Follow her Official website to know more about her - Paromita Goswami

The Blurb Says: Childhood is considered to be the best time of one’s life. What if you get a chance to live it once more with a five-year-old? 
Misry, a naughty five-year-old girl, lives with her parents in a B.S.F border outpost near Indo-Bangladesh border. But with no schools and friends she feels very lonely. She tries to befriend some local village kids. But they find her incompetent in their rural antics. They nickname her Messy as most of the time she messes up their plan. Can Misry really be a part of the gang? 
Set in the early eighties, join Misry in the adventures of her life.

About the Cover:
I think that the cover page for a children book is crucial factor which might decide its fate to be landed in a kid’s hands. The Book studio has done a fairly good job in designing the cover page. A naughty little cute girl with equally mischievous friends in the back ground along with the army man did full justice to the story of the book. For a five year old, it gave enough reasons to peep inside or ask their parents to read it out to them.

About the Book:

This book got mixed reactions from me.

I loved it when I read it as a parent since it brought back many memories of my own childhood. The way Misry pretended to sleep till her mother fell asleep only to flee and play reminded of my own childhood afternoons. It was exactly the same scene at my house during my childhood.
I could also relate many instances of five-year-old Misry to my own kids. I could sense the pride of parents when they see their kids learning small things by themselves and the sad feeling when they realize that they are learning the lessons of life as well meaning, they are growing up.

At the same time, It was an average read considering a child inside the reader.  The children would obviously love the mischievous pranks, courage and presence of mind of little girl. But, I found it bit heavy in terms of language used and learnings embarked in for a child less than 10-year-old.

The story ended without a conclusion. Some sort of plot would have justice to the hours spent while taking the journey with Misry.


It’s not very good but not a bad attempt from the author. I do hope to read more of her work in future.

Buy the Kindle edition of  book from Amazon: