Books/Shows you’ll love if you loved “Normal People” by Sally Rooney

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Normal People by Sally Rooney is, without a doubt, one of the best books I’ve ever read to discuss intense relationships with such deep character study. It captures the raw complexities of young love and the ways relationships shape us. The slow yet realistic approach of the book is what made it an instant fan-favourite and later had its own show as well. So if you’re a fan of works of Sally Rooney as such , then I believe you’ll also love these books/shows :

1. Lady Bird (2017) –
Directed by Greta Girwig, Lady Bird remains to be one of my all-time favourite movie. For someone who might have watched the movie, this could seem a bit sad—but truth be told, I’m a sucker for movies with that kind of sad, slow-burn plot.
Lady Bird is a coming-of-age drama directed by Greta Gerwig, following the journey of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (played by Saoirse Ronan), a high school senior with a rebellious spirit and big dreams. Set in Sacramento in 2002, the film explores Lady Bird’s complex relationship with her strong-willed mother, as well as her desires to escape her hometown and attend college away from it. As she navigates friendships, first loves, and family tensions, she faces the struggles of self-identity, financial hardship, and adolescent insecurities.


I personally felt that Lady Bird and Marianne had similar ideologies about a lot of matters. Apart from the romantic aspect of their storyline, both of them had this intense desire for independence and escape and shared identical complex relationships with their families. Though we mostly get to see Lady Bird’s high school life with a very short glimpse of her in college, I can TOTALLY see Lady Bird and Marianne being best friends in some universe.

Honestly, would love to do a deep-dive on complex mother-daughter relationships on my blog someday.

2. Before Sunrise Trilogy (1995-2013) –
The Before Sunrise trilogy consists of three films — Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013) follows the evolving relationship between Jesse and Celine as they meet by chance on a train and develop a deep connection over the course of nearly two decades. Each film takes place in a single day, several years apart, capturing their raw and philosophical conversations as they navigate love, longing, and the passage of time. Known for its exploration of intimacy, the trilogy offers an honest look at the complexities of modern relationships at different life stages.

Literally love this trilogy because of its raw portrayal of emotions and the fact that it has been shot over a span of 18 years to retain the realistic feel. Jesse and Celine resemble Connell and Marianne who are bound by a connection that keeps drawing them back to one another even after decades. The candid conversations between Jesse and Celine captures the complexities of love over the passage of time and the dying feeling of missed opportunities as life changes its course. It’ll DEFINITELY make you cry if you’re a sucker for sad movies.

3. Perks Of Being A Wallflower –
Written by Stephen Chbosky , The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age novel that beautifully captures the complexities of adolescence and self-discovery. The novel was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film, starring the amazing Emma Watson and Logan Lerman, and remains to be one of the best book-adaptions till date.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is about Charlie, a shy high school freshman who struggles with the recent loss of his best friend as a result of which, feels like an outsider. As he writes letters to an anonymous friend, we see him navigate the ups and downs of teenage life. The movie portrays friendships, who help him come out of his shell and experience life more fully and how he confronts his past traumas and learns to embrace his true self. The story explores themes of identity, belonging, and the bittersweet nature of growing up.

I’d recommend this movie because of the similarities between Connell and Charlie . The book captures the essence of feeling lost in your teens and dealing with past traumas, so so well. Both storylines tackle themes of mental health like anxiety, depression and identity issues in very identical ways . Though I’d definitely say that Perks of being a wallflower, resonates to more of a comparatively fun theme – more of a lets-watch-it-on-a-sleepover vibe – than Normal People , so this might be a good pick for you if you’re a contemporary romcom lover.

4. Fleabag (2016) –
Fleabag is a dark comedy-drama which features a young woman in her 20s facing the complexities of life. As she processes the recent death of her best friend, the strained relationship with her family, and her chaotic love life, Fleabag’s journey is both hilarious and heart-wrenching. The series explores themes of loneliness, loss, and the search for connection, all while showcasing Fleabag’s struggle to cope with her emotions. Fleabag offers a raw and honest portrayal of modern womanhood, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fan base.

I CANNOT emphasize on the amount of Fleabag scenes/edits that have popped up in my feed over the past few years. To be very honest, I haven’t completed the show myself but I recommend this quite often because of the representation style and the slow yet humor filled approach of the series. Filled with intense emotions, emotional turmoil, yearning and dark-humour, Fleabag will definitely remind you of Normal People and it’s beautifully narrated adult relationships and personal chaos.

5. Cleopatra And Frankenstein –
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors would be one of my no.1 book recommendations if you loved Normal People.
You can read my detail review of the book here. (it’s reall good I promise!! )

Amazingly narrated, I can guarantee that you will LOVE this book if you love Rooney’s works. It follows the same slow narration as Normal People and discusses many mental health topics like depression, eating disorder, self harm, etc. Cleo and Frank’s relationship in this book is something I can see Connell and Marianne growing up to have later in their life. Which I do agree is sad, but well that’s reality and isn’t that what we love about Normal People in the first place? The rawness of it all.

And that’s all for my recommendations. Honestly thought I had a few more movies and books I could write about here but yeah its definitely difficult to catch the vibe and essence of Normal People.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVVEE all the recommendations I mentioned here. Not to pick favourites, but you HAVE TO watch Lady Bird and Before Sunrise Trilogy !!
Do let me know if you know any other books/shows that resonate with Normal People, in the comments. Or just let me know whatever you’ve been enjoying recently in general (I’ve been binge-watching Office. And yes I have been miserable for a while now and it keeps me sane)
Until next time, bubye! :))

Book Review : Cleopatra and Frankenstein

Jennice Mishra1 Comment

I recently completed Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors and here are my thoughts on it.
Before diving into my review, here is a short excerpt of the book :

Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank’s life is full of all the excesses Cleo’s lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could’ve predicted.
Each compulsively readable chapter explores the lives of Cleo, Frank, and an unforgettable cast of their closest friends and family as they grow up and grow older. Whether it’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender queerness in the wake of Cleo’s marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates to support herself after being cut off, or Cleo and Frank themselves as they discover the trials of marriage and mental illness, each character is as absorbing, and painfully relatable, as the last.

My thoughts :
Coco Mellors has done a fabulous job considering this was her debut book. Set in New York, it captures the essence of the city and furthermore deviates from the stereotype of the fast life of it. The book very beautifully navigates through the relationship of Cleo and Frankenstein and definitely stands out from any other romcom book. The slow life of Cleo and the ever-so-happening life of Frank creates a paradox , leading to the core plot of the book that shades light on the reality of adult-relationships in this career-driven world. Additionally, the novel features a few impressive side characters, each with strong personalities and intricately woven storylines, adding further depth to the narrative. These elements make the book a truly captivating read.



Personal Notes –
For someone who enjoys reading works of Sally Rooney , Ottessa Moshfegh and Meiko Kawakami, I heavily enjoyed the book and it had me hooked! I loved Cleo’s character and was genuinely amazed by the rawness of the storyline. Mellors has done an incredible job in explaining the multiple issues of adult-relationships and life in the city. Though I’d say there are a lot of trigger warnings in the book (which I’ll mention later), I’d say those topics being covered added that final touch in the book that elevated the novel from good to exceptional.
Additionally, I just loved the side characters a lot and would love to see more of them in her upcoming works.

Cleopatra and Frankenstein is not a book you read everyday. Its one of the few books which you read and it stays with you for a while.
Mellors’ recent book “Blue Sisters” is out now, and I’m sure it’s just as brilliant!

Trigger warnings for the book-
-Substance Abuse
-Self harm and suicide
-Infidelity
-Toxic relationships
-Body image issues

Book Review of “Breathtaking” by Courtney T. Bond.

Jennice Mishra1 Comment

Long time no see, huh? Well I’m back again after a long reading slump. I don’t know why, sometimes I just don’t feel like reading but I keep on buying books. Am I the only one? Do let me know in the comments section.

Okay. So now to business 😉 Let’s talk about the thing why you actually clicked on my blog post. So, I read “Breathtaking” By Courtney Turcotte Bond and here are my thoughts about it!

The Plot

Cara Ecrivain and Adam Aethhers are just neighbours. Well, let me rephrase it – They are soulmates and best friends since they were babies. They’ve always known each other. Always. And may be the window by their rooms was their connection point. Cara loves to write and since childhood has written stories and shared it to Adam in those tiny talks through their windows. But this set up is not as cute as it sounds. Cara’s father is alcoholic and her mother would rather clean their house and wear her best dresses for the people to look at her, rather than caring for her daughter. To the outer world, Ecrivain family is all – Fancy and Perfect. But inside it, are dark hidden secrets and Cara is stuck in those. Adam and her journalism class are the only escape for Cara. ….. But not every thing is the same forever. Things change, people do. Adam suddenly takes football in his high school and well Cara is left with herself. How far will she go as she starts losing her loved ones one by one and most importantly– HOW does she deal with these…. ?

Pic credit : Buzzfeed; Pic editing : Me

Stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My Thoughts

Okay. Oh my god. This book… It’s pure art. I just don’t know how I’ll express my feelings in this section but I’ll try my best to put my thoughts together and jot down those feelings in the best way!

What I liked about the book–

1. The characters

Courtney Turcotte Bond has done an amazing job with the characters. Truly speaking, these characters were so realistic that you can actually relate to them and the author just puts life to them!

2. The concept

Seriously, every YA books I read, the protagonists end up together. (Don’t worry it’s not a spoiler) But here I just loved the vibe Cara and Adam had with each other. Like authors please understand that – girls and boys can be friends without having to be couples godamn! (I’m sorry I had to get it off my chest.) And Ms. Bond has just understood the point and maintained that funky and cheerful vibe between the characters!

3. The Flow

The flow according to me is the most important part of a book. No matter how amazing the main idea behind it might be, but it’s the flow that intrigues the reader to actually complete the book. And Breathtaking had that flow we all love. It starts from Cara and Adam being kids and takes us through a journey from junior grade to high school and more. Their were substories that were so beautifully presented that makes you want to drop everything and crawl back to the book!

4. The Ending

Don’t worry. We don’t have spoilers here. I’ll just say that the ending was – realistic. Even if it broke my heart, I’ll say, the author did justice to the characters. I believe, that the books that can make me cry and laugh at the same time are pure gold! I was shattered. Yet, I loved the book.

I seriously don’t know how to put my thoughts together at this point. I just completed that book yesterday and had to sit for 1 hour straight trying to analyse everything I just went through in the past days with the book. And I also learnt a great amount of things, which I can’t share as that’ll ruin your reading experience.

I would recommend this book to anyone reading this. It’s beautiful. Also, I’m having an author interview with Ms. Courtney Bond shortly, so if you have any questions please feel free to drop those in the comments or just reach out to me through Twitter DMs (@MishraJennice). Make sure you’re following the amazing author, Ms. Bond at (@courtney_t_bond) and I’ll meet you guys soon in the next review. Until then, byee~ 🤗💜

Disclaimer- I was sent a free copy if the novel in exchange of an honest review on my blog. But this doesn’t affect any of my views and all my opinions hold true.

Disclaimer 2- Some pictures are directly taken from Pinterest and edited. The credits go to Charllete from writtenbycharlotte.com and Buzzfeed.

Book Review: Trick of Spotlight (A crazy review by a kpop stan)

Jennice Mishra3 Comments

Disclaimer: The following review is the result of a maniac writing at 2 am in the night coz she couldn’t resist to express her thoughts and went feral after finishing the book. Any kind of mistakes or cringeyness expressed by this crazy kpop stan (aka ME) is highly regretted and your acceptance is highly appreciated! At times I’ve added my CURRENT thoughts in brackets because I didn’t want the excited feelings of a kpop stan to die out.

Hello people! I completed this book, “Trick of Spotlight” By ML East this night and I can’t wait to tell you how much I loved it!!! Oh my god! Here goes the review–! (Here I go. Fangirling self has entered the chat)

Plot —

Vortex. The group that rules the kpop industry and has millions of fans worldwide….and Kit Allister is just another Vortex fan in the kpop industry put in the same entertainment company as her biases. A complete Rookie and she gets a chance to have a joint interview with her idols in the Kpop industry’s most well known talk show. Kit can’t just accept the enormity of the situation. Her bias, her idols sitting next to her, given the same position as her and they were talking to her! And may be she fainted when one of the Vortex member, Oh Saichi, reveals that he is a Kit-Kat (Kit’s fandom name) ! Later, the Vortex members (Oh Saichi, Ryo, Jaeyoon, Mino and Namgi) invite her to their party later that night. On going to the party Kit gets to see the side of kpop idols she never knew existed. The night was bizarre! She gets to know that her bias, Oh Saichi, has a crush on HER and if anyone is pissed off by this is, Ryo. He takes pictures of Kit and threatens her to stay away from Saichi or he would leak the pictures in the internet. Over the time, Saichi and Kit get closer and even get a chance to collab. On the same time, the fans of the ship (OTP), Minchi (Mino+Saichi) go wild as they almost kissed onstage! Everything is just so perfect for Kit that it’s hard to believe the fact that now she was friends with Vortex! She even starts having these lil conversations with Mino and Saichi and her feelings for Saichi grow even more. But why is Ryo so eager to leak the pictures? Will he actually leak them? What happens when she gets to know about all these hidden scandals? What will happen if she violates the ‘dating ban’ of her company? Is Minchi real? Above all, how far will she go for Vortex….?

My Ratings —

It’s definitely a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ book and no one should fight me! This book is everything a kpop stan can ever dream of! (The current not-maniac self agrees with this too!)

My thoughts —

I absolutely LOVED the book and I just can’t put it to words how interesting it was. What’s sad is I can’t just tell you what I loved the most as that’s the climax of the story! Believe me each and every sentence will keep you hooked up and you’ll find yourself stealing time between your schedule to read what happens next! Here are some thing I LOVED about the book —-

1. The characters—

As a kpop stan myself, I will say the way the idols are represented in a book is the most important component. And I believe the author, ML East, did a completely awesome job in doing that! The characters were so real that it’s hard to believe that in real life Kit and Vortex don’t exist. It still amazes me how badly I want them to exist! (What’s with all these exclamatory marks?? Like girl… Calm down 😂)

2. The plot —

In most of the books, some chapters in the middle are kept just for fun. Like they have some sub stories or back stories but what I absolutely loved about this book was in each chapter something or the happens that you want to scream out lungs! ( I told you….the review is crazy)

3. Representation of the characters

Now look, no matter if you’re an idol, if you stan a group, you forever will. I was so impressed by how the author represented Kit. The way she giggled when she saw Minchi flirting or how she internally screamed seeing them shirtless 🤭 I mean that is what any fan would do and I’m so glad she was presented as a fan no matter how famous she was! At times I found myself getting shy over(cringe alert! This is what happens when you’re a kpop maniac writing a kpop book review at 2am in the night) by imagining what if it was me instead of Kit and BTS instead of Vortex (I’m so sorry you had to read that. Now don’t hate me. I’m just another fangirl)……There was always this spark of fangirl in her that made it so very RELATABLE!

FINAL THOUGHTS —

I badly want to share my feelings with someone about this book. This is a dream book of every kpop stan and I bet they can relate the Kit on a spiritual level. Moreover, I really felt that the way the author represented the ‘other side’ of the kpop industry, might be true. They’re just not idols, completely perfect in their life and living there bests. They too have a life….which is somehow more complicated than ours. Although it was hard to accept the climax of the story as that is what the whole freaking novel is about! Each of their actions are this related! And about the cliffhanger at the end? I couldn’t sleep a half a night because of it.

Believe me guys the plot might sound dry as I can’t just let out any more details as if I say you even 1 more your reading experience will get ruined. But trust me you will LOVE this book and thank me for recommending it to you! They’re just so much I love about this book that it’s just hard to explain what. It’s definitely my favourite book that I reviewed and I can’t wait to read more from the author. For a debut book, her writing style is simply mind blowing!

Anyways, leaving alone my ‘fangirling-over-a-book-self’ , I just wanted to saw thank you for reading till the end. If you’re a kpop stan make sure you read this. I hope you’re having an amazing day and are safe with you and your family… Until next time.. Bubye!

(So ladies and gentlemen finally we came to an end of the review of a crazy kpop stan going wild. I’m so sorry you had to read that 😂 But trust me, the now-self which ain’t a maniac holds the same opinion of the book being amazing! 😉)

Love,

Jennice 💙 ( a kpop stan)

Me Fangirling over ‘Fangirl’ | Book Review

Jennice Mishra5 Comments

If you’re reading this you’re either one of these 3 people —

1. You’ve read the book

2. You have heard about the book.

3. You live under a rock and haven’t even heard of the book at all!

you belong to the 2nd and 3rd category — Allow me to start my presentation. 😆

PLOT—

The novel follows the story a girl named Cath and her twin sister Wren. Apparently, they had been doing everything together; starting from sharing a room to writing a fanfic. But gradually Wren wants to socialise and make new friends in their new session of college. With multiple requests by Cath to share a room and Wren advising her to ‘get to know the word‘, Cath finally shares a room with a badass girl Regan. They never got along. Their room was like a station for Regan, to change clothes between going to classes, work and parties. But what bothers the most to Cath is Levi, Reagan’s Boyfriend (or that’s what she assumes) who stays in her room most of the time ‘waiting’ for Regan. On top of that, Cath doesn’t know where the dining hall is and has to live on Protein Bars she brought from home. Whats more? Her boyfriend with whom she was in a relationship With for over 3 years dumped her for someone with higher grades. And there is this boy named Nick in whom she finds some interest but fears if she in right in doing so. She’s also inconsistent in posting chapters on her fanfic page where thousands of her fans are waiting for her. With all these uneasiness can Cath survive her College life?

What I liked about this book –

This book was recommended to me by many of my YA lover friends also my favorite booktubers who absolutely loved this so I had to give it a try. Turns out that it’d my favorite book as well! Here are some reasons why —

1. The Flow

There are some books which freak the hell out of me. The whole point of writing a book is ‘gradually’ moving to the end not that you’ve gotta complete it in a rush or linger the story so much that you lose interest. And what I loved about this book was there were sub stories no doubt, but on top of that each story told me more about Cath and explained reasons of the unanswered questions in the beginning of the book. I really enjoyed the book throughout.

2. The characters

This book is just what you need in high school. There was this character Abel, Cath’s boyfriend who dumbed her and another one Nick who was in Cath’s English class, who I bet people can relate to on a spiritual level. Just everything they do is so accurate to what we see in daily life. So I think the author, Rainbow Rowell, did an amazing job in giving life to these characters!

Stars –

I’ll give it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ because this is something I don’t get to read everyday. I really think it taught me things plus gave me an amazing experience that I’d want to experience again and again.

There’s just so much I want to write but there are some things which I can’t put into words. This book holds a special place in my heart and I’ll forever love it. So if you’re more of a YA person, then I promise you’re gonna LOVE this book! 💙

I pretty much have this much to say because I absolutely loved the book. Funny how I can write an essay on something I hate but can’t write much about things I like.

Anyways, thank you for taking out some time and reading the thoughts of someone sitting opposite from you on the globe 🤗 I hope you’re having an amazing day. Also, DMs are always open on Twitter for bookish talks and more. Until next time, goodbye! 🤗🤗💙💙

Love,

Jennice 💙💙

Interview with Miss Brooke Ellis, the author of “The Closeted Princess”

Jennice Mishra3 Comments

Heya people! This is Jennice and I have a very special guest today who is non other than Miss Brooke Ellis, the author of the most intriguing kids novel, “The Closeted Princess”. In this interview Miss Ellis will be talking about her writing experiences, the challenges she faces while writing a book, advice she’d give to young and new writers , and at the end we have some fun questions to know more about the author and her preferences! 😆

JM : Hello Miss Ellis. Thanks a lot for agreeing to be a part of my June-interview spree! How have you been lately?

BE : I am doing great, Jennice! Thanks 😁

JM : Your new debut novel “The Closeted Princess” is out now. What do you expect from it? And what do you want to young mass to learn from it?

BE : I’d like for it teach children that it is ok to be themselves and to love who they love, regardless of gender. I hope that it can help to normalise different sexualities and create a more accepting, open-minded generation for the future. No one should be made to feel ashamed of who they are, or made to feel that something is ‘wrong’ with them. It’s so important for young kids to see representations of themselves in the media as they grow up, and know that their feelings are normal and valid. So, I hope that there will be more and more stories like this in the future.

JM : That’s some really good thought there! Here’s a question I’ve been longing to ask you – What comes first – Plot or Characters?

BE : For me, the plot comes first, but the characters come very soon after. They’re very much interlinked. As the character’s evolve, the story does too, and vice versa.

JM : Writing a novel for children is quite hard as you’ve to imagine things from the perspective of a 10year old. So, how did you develop your plot and characters?

BE : Mostly daydreaming; I think up a lot of ideas in my head, long before I write anything down. I often know how the story will end before I start writing, and then I figure out all the details in between. With characters, I try to think of a flaw for them to overcome throughout the story.

JM : While writing a book, the plot and characters are really important. But many readers get attracted towards a book just by its title. So title obviously plays an important part in a book. How did you come up with your title?

BE : To be honest, there wasn’t too much of a thought process behind it. Once the idea for the story came to me, the title followed very quickly after. The title is very simple, but I think a lot of the time, the simpler the better.

JM : The book beautifully describes the LGBTQ COMMUNITY. This is something that all kids should be taught from a tender age. What made you think that you could introduce such characters in your book? Is it because you wanted to teach young kids some moral values or is it because of something else?

BE : I think it’s important that everyone gets a chance to feel included in fairytales. For both children and adults, seeing a character or someone in the media that represents you, can massively boost your self-esteem. Stories and characters like these are needed in society, to show young kids that it is completely ok to be who they are and to love whoever they love. It’s a story that I wanted to see, and so, it’s the story that I decided to write.

JM : “Before finding your true love, you must find yourself”
This is one of the most beautiful lines of the book. What significance does this line hold for you? Is it based on a true life experience?

BE : I think it’s just important for young kids to know that finding ‘true love’ isn’t the ultimate goal in life. We all need to allow ourselves time to figure out who we are and who we want to be.

JM : Now moving on to some writing related questions that I assume, most of our readers are expecting. There are a lot of young writers and some new ones. So probably your answers will help them a lot. But firstly I would love to know more about your writing space… How is it like?

BE : At the moment, I just sit on my bed with my laptop and write. Nothing special at all haha 😊

JM : I must say that’s a very cozy place to write! I don’t know about others but personally I love listening to music while completing my homeworks. Is it the same with writing? Do you listen to music while writing? If yes, what kind?

BE : I don’t often listen to music whilst I’m actually writing. But, I listen to music all the time when I’m thinking up ideas in my head. It helps me to imagine different scenes throughout the story. E.g listening to a sad song, will often help me to create and develop a sad scene.

JM : We got to know a lot about your writing preferences and I am quite sure a lot of people will be inspired by it. Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts with us. Now it’s time for some fun! It’s “Rapid fire question round! ” Ready?

BE : Sure!

JM : Morning person or Night owl?

BE : Morning Person 😊

JM : Tea or Coffee?

BE : Tea (and biscuits!)

JM : Paperback or EBook?

BE : Paperback! I much prefer holding and reading from a physical book.

JM : Moving on to our final question – What is something you’d advice to all the young writers or new self-published authors out there?

BE : I’m still learning a lot of things myself to be honest. I would just say to keep going and believe in the story that you want to tell. Though, It’s easier said than done. I always struggle to find the motivation to actually sit down and write, but that’s ok! Everyone goes at their own pace.

JM : That was a fun interview with Miss Brooke Ellis. Thanks a lot for your time Miss Ellis. And to all the readers out there, Miss Ellis’s book is out NOW! Do check it out by clicking HERE as it’s FREE till June 5 . So what are you waiting for?! Grab your copy NOW!

Hoping you all are doing well. Until next time, stay safe and look out for more interviews during the June-interview spree!

[In the above Interview JM refers to me, Jennice Mishra]

Brooke Ellis is a profound author . She has published her book “The Closeted Princess” On 1 May 2020. Connect —

Some places where you’ll find Brooke Ellis –

Twitter – Take a look at Brooke Ellis (@_BrookeEllis_): https://twitter.com/_BrookeEllis_?s=09

“Keys to the Kingdom:Mister Monday” Book Review

Jennice Mishra7 Comments

It’s been a long time since I last posted. Mainly because I was too involved with books….? Yes! I was so into books that I couldn’t bring myself to write a book review. Anyways guys, I just read this amazing book by Garth Nix and here are my thoughts on this book!

Plot —-

Arthur Penhalington is just another school boy. It’s his first day on his new school where he gets another of his Asthma attacks and faces a hard time breathing. That’s when he sees a rather old looking person on a cart being pushed by a man who has long hair and a black robe. He overhears them to find that their names are Sneezer and Will.

“We can pass on the key to someone and not worry for the next ten thousand years”

Arthur believes it’s just a part of his hallucination during his asthama attacks. But little does he know that these people will be handing him some kind of key that’ll lead to a series if unexpected actions.

The key is nothing but a minute hand of some clock. And surprisingly the key helps Arthur breathe. Like ACTUALLY BREATHE LIKE ANY OTHER NORMAL PERSON. So he considers the key as a boon. But he doesn’t know what to do with the little book of maps that was handed over to him. He experiments with it and finds out that the key has some magical powers like any other fantasy book would have!

I assub

So gradually he notices a building that was quite not there at his locality but it appeared suddenly out of nowhere. Interestingly, only Arthur can see it.

The story continues when some dog faced creatures start following him in school and every literal place possible.

The story finally comes to it’s main theme when his school is set on fire and he discovers there’s some kind of sleeping disease being spreaded so everyone is in quarantine. Arthur learns that it’s is only him who has to get a cure and save the world by fighting creatures and facing some unexpected things.

My Thoughts —

This book was lying around my house since I was like in 6th grade and I finally decided to read it out of boredom during this quarantine. Am I glad I did? Hell yess I am! I had this bad notion about fiction ever since I read a bad fiction book but this book just opened the doorway to my interest in fiction again. Now I’ll just sort out the pros and cons of this book in the next section.

What I liked about the book –

1. Characters

Seriously, after the Harry Potter series I didn’t quite find any good fictional book. So partly it was my fault for judging a complete genre based on a single book, but this book has such amazing characters that it’s just like you are watching it’s movie. Believe me, every character has some speciality and some unique power! I loved it because this adds some extra details to the book.

2. The Setting

If you read my blogs you probably would have figured out by now, that I give utmost importance to the setting. My point is, I find it difficult to read a book without getting to imagine where the characters are actually in. And in this book, author Garth Nix, has marvelously presented the setting by specifying the surrounding of each scene. What’s more interesting is that each scene is like COMPLETELY different from the other one. If you are a Harry Potter or Charlie and the chocolate factory’s book fan, then you’d definitely love this book

3. The Flow

Seriously, this is the MOST IMPORTANT thing in a story. I tend to loose interest in the first 10 pages if the story doesn’t have a flow. And this book, just like any other Good book maintains an amazing flow.

What I didn’t like about this book —-

I will be honest here. I judge a book a lot. Like a hell lot before dropping a review or suggesting it to someone . So in this section I will express my true and honest Dislikes about this book.

1. The Description of characters

I said in the above section that the characters were described well. But they were described more in their abilities. I didn’t quite get to imagine them properly. Meaning, the author didn’t give me a description of the physical appearance of the characters.

2. Predictable

The story was simply predictable since the beginning. I knew what was going to happen at the end and who was going to turn out as what. Yeah, at some point I just turned over a few pages without reading and found myself reading what I predicted.

Final Thoughts—

You must be thinking I am probably crazy as I was continuously flipping my thoughts but this is what I felt reading this book. I enjoyed it coz it gave me a good experience but talking about the plot, I was highly disappointed with the predictable thingy. I guess it is solely not meant for my age group but I would recommend it to my younger cousins so that they get to read an amazing fiction novel!

It’s probably one of the longest book review I ever wrote . So if you are still reading this, thanks for sticking along and reading this whole thing. If you have Twitter, you can find me Fangirling over books, there as well. So if you expect more bookish content, you can follow me there by clicking on the menu bar just right above on your screen. Do let me know your thoughts on this book if you’ve ever read it and what you are reading currently. Feel free, to leave any feedbacks . Lastly I hope you are doing well and you and your family are safe! Until next time – Buh-bye!

If I were a Rose….

Jennice Mishra29 Comments

If I were a rose  —-

You pluck me with your tender hands
And adore me with your lovely eyes.
You pull off all my beautiful strands
And caress me in your beautiful disguise

You fiddle with my petal and leaves
And say you’d never give me up
But at a certain point you just leave,
When my parts start withering off…

It’s just my fear and just a bad dream
For I’ve made myself stronger
I’ve grown out my thorns, fixed myself so firm
So that no one can pluck me like you traitor.

“Book Thief” book review

Jennice Mishra6 Comments

Great! So before you even THINK of reading this book… Make sure you get a box of tissues and loads of handkerchiefs for you gonna cry your eyes out!

Hello guys! It’s Jennice and I am back with yet another book review! Yay! (I will make it sound like a YouTube video intro coz I don’t have one) . So, a lot of you guys have requested it’s review and it’s finally heeeree! Thats it. Thats my intro. I won’t make you feel bored. So without any delays, leets get into the book review! 😁

Plot —-

The book is narrated by Death(just so you don’t get confused who the narrator is) So, the story revolves around a nine year old girl(as she is in the beginning of the book) and her experiences in a Foster Family during the Nazi Rule. Leisel, loses her brother on her last train journey before getting into her Foster Family and thats when Death met Leisel for the 1st time. She is devasted and neither does she want to live with foster parents. But she doesn’t know the series of happenings that’ll follow her from that moment when she attends her brother’s funeral. She notices that one of the graveyard diggers dropped his book manual. And that’s the first time when she steals a book. Of course, she couldn’t read it but it’s a matter of fact, that she always treasured it until her Foster father(Hans Huberman) decided to read it to her every night.

Things get better when she finally gets adjusted in her Foster Family and gets a friend – Rudy Steiner. Then death describes all the fun had over the years. But suddenly, Rudy Steiner is asked to get himself enrolled in one of the Hitler Youth. And thats not all. A jew, Max Vandenberg, is hiding in Leisel’s house while the Nazis check each and every house of the country to find the Jews….. Can Leisel survive these situations? Can she avoid the meetings she has with death? Will she learn something or just get shattered?

What I love about this Book —

1. It gives a character sketch of each character.

To explain this point, I will say you have to READ this book. Like, the book gives each character some speciality and each one of them contributes to the story in some or the other way. Everything makes Leisel realise ber faults, weaknesses, strengths etc. So, it reminds me of how each person in our life has some special significance when it comes to learning something from them.

2 . The way of writing

I completely loved the way the story was described. There are some books that I don’t like because some things are explained a bit too much…. But it wasn’t the same with this one. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every part of it and each sub-story left an everlasting impression on me.

3. The setting

Yeah, the setting is what I look forward to most of the time. I mean, you can’t imagine a story without knowing WHERE it is happening or what’s the vibe there… Here the author, Markus Zusak, has clearly explained every situation in a lovely way. He has explained the 19th century in a way we can’t imagine. Everything is just perfect!

In short, I’ll come conclude that I LOVE this book from my whole heart ❤(and body and mind and hands and legs and from ever part of my body!) It’s a must read (as I included in my 5must read books during lock down post!) . I wish I could read this over again with the same enthusiasm I had when I read it for the first time.

That’s it. I will keep this book review a bit short coz I am at loss of words to express my love for this classic! In case you wanna know more or have book recommendations, you can always comment them down and I’ll reach out to each one if you. Here are some of my handles if you would like to have a look at them —

Twitter –https://twitter.com/MishraJennice?s=09

Goodreads- https://t.co/6MF6u78BJM?amp=1

Amazon – https://t.co/accvGPzFUr

And if you are an author and want your book reviewed, feel free to contact me anytime! I hope you guys have a great weekend or weekday and are safe with your family! Have an awesome day! Thanks a loot l

“This Time Next Year” Book Review

Jennice Mishra2 Comments

Heya! So finally you found my post and thought of reading it… Thanks! Well before, I get in to the book review, I just wanted to say – Thanks – to all the people who have followed me. These months have been hard in a quarantine. But your love and support makes my day brigeter and happier ☀😁❤

Now let’s get into the book review where I discuss about the pros and cons of the book!

Book Review in a few words —

Minnie Cooper is a 30year old and all her life she has been pitty-ed by her mother for having a bad luck because someone stole her name…. Someone who took her luck. She faces business losses and relationship problems. It’s a perfect YA read!

Plot —-

So there is this girl named Minnie who is 30year old. And guess what? Her bday is on the New year’s Eve! Now tell me how many of you have a jinx on your bday?! How terrible would be that? Well Minnie has it. She is scared of her bday and the New Year’s eve coz that’s the day when nothing can get more worse! 😖 She runs into things, looses her precious coats, gets vomitted on and what not!

And Minnie’s mom considers thatvit happens because she was born with a wrong name! The name which was supposed to ber hers was stolen! As she grows her luck becomes worse and worser than ever! She faces a huge loss on her pie 🍰 business, looses her best friend, breaks up with her boyfriend AND meets the person who stole her name! Can she forgive the man? What will she do?

What I liked about the Book —

Its ony favourite list now , so it will be kinda hard to jott down only SOME points! I can write a complete essay on why I love that book 😆. But here are a few reasons why… (Do I sound like 13reasons why?😂) —–

1. This is a book which you read and feel that the book has been written AFTER the MOVIE is released. Like really. Why? Because the author, Sophie Cousens, has so perfectly described each and every detail of each person’s life that you just can’t get that book down and it feels like you are watching a movie , having a peep into everyone’s life!

2. Did you like “DaVinci Code” By Dan Brown? You did? Then what are you waiting for?! Go and buy this book NOW! This book makes you travel back in time. Like, now you are in 2020….and then bbom! Welcome to 1993. Then again-2015. By this way, the author by this way has given a clear view of what the life if each character was and how they met.

3. The story has been described in such a way that you can’t put it down. I love the way the characters have been linked. You won’t even realise it’s just a story unless you complete it. It like, you are that invisible creature having a peep into everyone’s life!

But it was the opposite with this book. My mouth was hanging open all the time 😆😮

What I didn’t like about the book —

This will be hard….. I have brain-stormed about this for over an hour and I still don’t find anything that I didn’t like about the book. Every page, every chapter, every character has some uniqueness which just binds you into the story!

Final Thoughts —

I personally LOVED the book! It’s really rare for a person like me who judges a book a thousand times before writing a review, but I must admit that it’s just AWESOME! 🥳 You HAVE to read it man! I am eagerly waiting when it will release so I can buy it’s physical copy!

That’s it. It was my book review of “This Time Next Year” by Sophie Cousens. I had a great time reading this ❤ I hope you do too! Anyways, I hope you and your family are safe and in a GREAT SPIRIT! Enjoy your quarantine with your family and do let me know your thoughts about this review.😁 Until then.. Bubye 🤗

In case you want me follow me on social media sites , here are some of my links –

Twitter – Take a look at Jennice Mishra (@MishraJennice): https://twitter.com/MishraJennice?s=09

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Amazon – https://t.co/accvGPzFUr

Disclaimer- I got the free EBook of this book in exchange of an honest review.