Nikhil's bookshelf: all en-US Sat, 28 Dec 2024 01:38:01 -0800 60 Nikhil's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg The Secret History 29044 559 Donna Tartt 1400031702 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.17 1992 The Secret History
author: Donna Tartt
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1992
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Kite Runner 77203 371 Khaled Hosseini 159463193X Nikhil 0 to-read 4.34 2003 The Kite Runner
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Educated 35133922
Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.]]> 352 Tara Westover 0399590501 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.46 2018 Educated
author: Tara Westover
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> A Thousand Splendid Suns 128029
With the passing of time comes Taliban rule over Afghanistan, the streets of Kabul loud with the sound of gunfire and bombs, life a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear, the women's endurance tested beyond their worst imaginings. Yet love can move people to act in unexpected ways, lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a startling heroism. In the end it is love that triumphs over death and destruction.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a portrait of a wounded country and a story of family and friendship, of an unforgiving time, an unlikely bond, and an indestructible love.]]> 372 Khaled Hosseini 1594489505 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.44 2007 A Thousand Splendid Suns
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Beartown (Beartown, #1) 31443394
A victory would send star player Kevin onto a brilliant professional future in the NHL. It would mean everything to Amat, a scrawny fifteen-year-old treated like an outcast everywhere but on the ice. And it would justify the choice that Peter, the team's general manager, and his wife, Kira, made to return to his hometown and raise their children in this beautiful but isolated place.

Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semifinal match is the catalyst for a violent act that leaves a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Hers is a story no one wants to believe since the truth would mean the end of the dream. Accusations are made, and like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.]]> 418 Fredrik Backman 1501160761 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.26 2016 Beartown (Beartown, #1)
author: Fredrik Backman
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Recursion 42046112 Memory makes reality.

That's what NYC cop Barry Sutton is learning, as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.

That's what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It's why she's dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.

As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face to face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds, but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.

But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?

At once a relentless pageturner and an intricate science-fiction puzzlebox about time, identity, and memory, Recursion is a thriller as only Blake Crouch could imagine it—and his most ambitious, mind-boggling, irresistible work to date.]]> 326 Blake Crouch 1524759783 Nikhil 3 sci-fy, audio-books
The plot, while engaging in the beginning, develops slowly. By the midpoint, the repetitive nature of the storyline began to drag, and it was hard to stay invested. Unlike Crouch's Dark Matter, which was a page-turner packed with twists and excitement, Recursion seems to lose its momentum in the middle. It doesn't maintain the same level of suspense or surprise, making it difficult to push through at times.

Despite these flaws, the philosophical underpinnings of the book—exploring how memories shape our reality and our identities—are worth reflecting on. While it may not have the nonstop pace of Dark Matter, Recursion still offers a unique narrative. Overall, I’d give the book 3 stars. The concept alone makes it worth reading, even if the execution falls short in some areas.]]> 4.15 2019 Recursion
author: Blake Crouch
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/04
date added: 2024/09/04
shelves: sci-fy, audio-books
review:
Recursion introduces an intriguing and innovative concept that blends time travel with memory, creating a fresh take on how we perceive reality. The philosophical aspects of memory manipulation and its implications are thought-provoking, making the book stand out in terms of concept. However, the scientific foundation behind this premise feels somewhat flimsy. The idea of time travel being based purely on memory is a stretch, and it lacks the depth needed to make the science feel plausible or immersive.

The plot, while engaging in the beginning, develops slowly. By the midpoint, the repetitive nature of the storyline began to drag, and it was hard to stay invested. Unlike Crouch's Dark Matter, which was a page-turner packed with twists and excitement, Recursion seems to lose its momentum in the middle. It doesn't maintain the same level of suspense or surprise, making it difficult to push through at times.

Despite these flaws, the philosophical underpinnings of the book—exploring how memories shape our reality and our identities—are worth reflecting on. While it may not have the nonstop pace of Dark Matter, Recursion still offers a unique narrative. Overall, I’d give the book 3 stars. The concept alone makes it worth reading, even if the execution falls short in some areas.
]]> Rework 6732019
Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition.?The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a workaholic. You don't need to staff up. You don't need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You don't even need an office. Those are all just excuses.?

What you really need to do is stop talking and start working. This book shows you the way. You'll learn how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank, and tons more counterintuitive ideas that will inspire and provoke you.

With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of "downsizing," and artists who don’t want to starve anymore will all find valuable guidance in these pages.]]> 279 Jason Fried 0307463745 Nikhil 0 to-read 3.97 2010 Rework
author: Jason Fried
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Lessons of History 174713 119 Will Durant 1567310249 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.05 The Lessons of History
author: Will Durant
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.05
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Sherlock Holmes His Last Bow 11914367 1 Arthur Conan Doyle 1408468999 Nikhil 3 sherlock-holmes 3.90 1917 Sherlock Holmes His Last Bow
author: Arthur Conan Doyle
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1917
rating: 3
read at: 2009/05/05
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: sherlock-holmes
review:

]]> Uzumaki 17837762
Kurouzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but by a pattern: uzumaki, the spiral — the hypnotic secret shape of the world. This bizarre masterpiece of horror manga is now available in a single volume. Fall into a whirlpool of terror!]]> 653 Junji Ito 1421561328 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.45 2000 Uzumaki
author: Junji Ito
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Little Fires Everywhere 34273236
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother–daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town – and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at an unexpected and devastating cost . . .]]> 338 Celeste Ng 0735224293 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.05 2017 Little Fires Everywhere
author: Celeste Ng
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)]]> 32758901 "As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."

In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid--a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.]]> 144 Martha Wells Nikhil 0 to-read 4.11 2017 All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)
author: Martha Wells
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?]]> 36402034 258 Philip K. Dick Nikhil 0 to-read 4.16 1968 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
author: Philip K. Dick
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1968
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)]]> 15507958 Discover the love story that captured over 20 million hearts in Me Before You, After You, and Still Me.

They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . .

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?]]> 369 Jojo Moyes Nikhil 0 to-read 4.24 2012 Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)
author: Jojo Moyes
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Swami Chinmayananda Geeta Commentary - Chapters 1 to18 (Pack of 15)]]> 57181593 Chapter 1 & 2 - Arjuna's Grief & Realisation through Knowledge
Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga
Chapter 4 - Renunciation Through Action
Chapter 5 - Yoga of True Renunciation
Chapter 6 - All about Meditation
Chapter 7 - Knowledge & Wisdom
Chapter 8 - The Imperishable Truth
Chapter 9 - The Royal Secret
Chapter 10 - Divine Glories
Chapter 11 - The Cosmic Form
Chapter 12 & 13 - Devotion & The Knower and the Known
Chapter 14 - The Threefold Qualities
Chapter 15 - The Supreme Spirit
Chapter 16 & 17 - The Divine and the Decadent - The Threefold Faith
Chapter 18 - Liberation Through Renunciation]]> Chinmayananda Nikhil 0 to-read 5.00 Swami Chinmayananda Geeta Commentary - Chapters 1 to18 (Pack of 15)
author: Chinmayananda
name: Nikhil
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland, #1)]]> 32075854
When Susan receives Alan's latest manuscript, in which Atticus Pünd investigates a murder at Pye Hall, an English manor house, she has no reason to think it will be any different from the others. There will be dead bodies, a cast of intriguing suspects, and plenty of red herrings and clues. But the more Susan reads, the more she realizes that there's another story hidden in the pages of the manuscript—one of ambition, jealousy, and greed—and that soon it will lead to murder.

Masterful, clever, and ruthlessly suspenseful, Magpie Murders is a deviously dark take on vintage crime fiction.]]> 477 Anthony Horowitz 0062645226 Nikhil 3 audio-books
Atticus Pünd's storyline, with its classic whodunit elements, effectively captures interest. The crime and its clues are meticulously crafted, drawing readers into the intrigue of the murder mystery. However, the transition back to the real-life circumstances surrounding Alan Conway's death feels forced and lacks the same level of engagement. The plot concerning Conway's demise appears overly dramatic and somewhat contrived, detracting from the overall impact.

The aftermath of Conway's death is excessively prolonged, which feels unnecessary and bogs down the narrative. This extended focus on his death diminishes the pacing and causes the story to lose momentum. There were several points where the drawn-out nature of the plot made it challenging to stay invested, and the interest levels waned significantly.

Both mysteries—the fictional Pünd case and Conway's real-life death—fail to deliver satisfying resolutions. The endings lack the punch and cleverness that one would expect from a gripping mystery novel, leaving a sense of disappointment.

Overall, "Magpie Murders" is an okay book. While the innovative dual narrative is a commendable effort and the initial intrigue of the Atticus Pünd mystery is engaging, the execution falters as the story progresses. The lackluster resolution of both plotlines ultimately makes it a middling read.]]> 3.93 2016 Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland, #1)
author: Anthony Horowitz
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/22
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: audio-books
review:
Anthony Horowitz's "Magpie Murders" employs an intriguing "story within a story" concept that initially captivates the reader. The novel follows editor Susan Ryeland as she delves into the latest manuscript of the fictional detective Atticus Pünd, written by Alan Conway. This layered narrative structure is a standout feature and is executed well, adding depth and a unique twist to the traditional mystery genre.

Atticus Pünd's storyline, with its classic whodunit elements, effectively captures interest. The crime and its clues are meticulously crafted, drawing readers into the intrigue of the murder mystery. However, the transition back to the real-life circumstances surrounding Alan Conway's death feels forced and lacks the same level of engagement. The plot concerning Conway's demise appears overly dramatic and somewhat contrived, detracting from the overall impact.

The aftermath of Conway's death is excessively prolonged, which feels unnecessary and bogs down the narrative. This extended focus on his death diminishes the pacing and causes the story to lose momentum. There were several points where the drawn-out nature of the plot made it challenging to stay invested, and the interest levels waned significantly.

Both mysteries—the fictional Pünd case and Conway's real-life death—fail to deliver satisfying resolutions. The endings lack the punch and cleverness that one would expect from a gripping mystery novel, leaving a sense of disappointment.

Overall, "Magpie Murders" is an okay book. While the innovative dual narrative is a commendable effort and the initial intrigue of the Atticus Pünd mystery is engaging, the execution falters as the story progresses. The lackluster resolution of both plotlines ultimately makes it a middling read.
]]> Dark Matter 27833670 A mindbending, relentlessly surprising thriller from the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy.

Jason Dessen is walking home through the chilly Chicago streets one night, looking forward to a quiet evening in front of the fireplace with his wife, Daniela, and their son, Charlie—when his reality shatters.

"Are you happy with your life?"

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason's never met smiles down at him and says, "Welcome back, my friend."

In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that's the dream?

And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human--a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.]]> 342 Blake Crouch 1101904224 Nikhil 5 fantasy, sci-fy, favorites
Plot and Pacing

The plot of "Dark Matter" is one of its standout features. From the very beginning, the story propels forward with relentless energy. Crouch masterfully weaves suspense and intrigue, making it a true page-turner. Every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, compelling readers to keep going to uncover the next twist. While the scientific explanations underpinning the multiverse concept may come off as somewhat flimsy to those well-versed in quantum mechanics and theoretical physics, the brilliance of the plot more than compensates for this. The novel’s primary strength lies in its ability to keep readers engaged with the constant unpredictability of Jason's journey.

Concept and Themes

The concept of traveling between multiverses is not only fascinating but also profoundly unsettling. Crouch captures the inherent fear and disorientation associated with such a journey remarkably well. Jason's bewilderment and struggle to navigate through these parallel worlds evoke a deep sense of empathy and tension. The novel delves into the existential dread that accompanies the realization of infinite possible realities and the implications of choices and identity.

On a deeper philosophical level, "Dark Matter" suggests a poignant message about acceptance and the nature of choices. Through Jason's harrowing experiences, the narrative emphasizes that every decision we make shapes our unique reality. The novel posits that our current existence, with all its imperfections and challenges, is the best possible outcome of countless decisions and possibilities. This theme encourages readers to embrace their lives as they are and to find contentment in their present circumstances, rather than longing for alternate realities.

Conclusion

In summary, "Dark Matter" is an exhilarating and thought-provoking read. Its fast-paced, twist-laden plot keeps readers hooked from start to finish. While the scientific foundation may not hold up under rigorous scrutiny, the story's emotional and philosophical depth provides ample compensation. Blake Crouch has crafted a narrative that not only entertains but also prompts reflection on the nature of reality, choice, and acceptance. "Dark Matter" is a testament to the idea that the life we are currently living, which is shaped by our decisions, is the most authentic and best possible version.]]> 4.13 2016 Dark Matter
author: Blake Crouch
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/18
date added: 2024/07/10
shelves: fantasy, sci-fy, favorites
review:
"Dark Matter" by Blake Crouch is a science fiction novel that captivates readers with its high-octane plot, filled with twists and turns, and a narrative pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story revolves around Jason Dessen, a seemingly ordinary man who finds his life upended when he is kidnapped and thrust into a series of alternate realities. The novel explores the concept of the multiverse—parallel universes that exist alongside our own, each diverging at the point of a different decision.

Plot and Pacing

The plot of "Dark Matter" is one of its standout features. From the very beginning, the story propels forward with relentless energy. Crouch masterfully weaves suspense and intrigue, making it a true page-turner. Every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, compelling readers to keep going to uncover the next twist. While the scientific explanations underpinning the multiverse concept may come off as somewhat flimsy to those well-versed in quantum mechanics and theoretical physics, the brilliance of the plot more than compensates for this. The novel’s primary strength lies in its ability to keep readers engaged with the constant unpredictability of Jason's journey.

Concept and Themes

The concept of traveling between multiverses is not only fascinating but also profoundly unsettling. Crouch captures the inherent fear and disorientation associated with such a journey remarkably well. Jason's bewilderment and struggle to navigate through these parallel worlds evoke a deep sense of empathy and tension. The novel delves into the existential dread that accompanies the realization of infinite possible realities and the implications of choices and identity.

On a deeper philosophical level, "Dark Matter" suggests a poignant message about acceptance and the nature of choices. Through Jason's harrowing experiences, the narrative emphasizes that every decision we make shapes our unique reality. The novel posits that our current existence, with all its imperfections and challenges, is the best possible outcome of countless decisions and possibilities. This theme encourages readers to embrace their lives as they are and to find contentment in their present circumstances, rather than longing for alternate realities.

Conclusion

In summary, "Dark Matter" is an exhilarating and thought-provoking read. Its fast-paced, twist-laden plot keeps readers hooked from start to finish. While the scientific foundation may not hold up under rigorous scrutiny, the story's emotional and philosophical depth provides ample compensation. Blake Crouch has crafted a narrative that not only entertains but also prompts reflection on the nature of reality, choice, and acceptance. "Dark Matter" is a testament to the idea that the life we are currently living, which is shaped by our decisions, is the most authentic and best possible version.
]]> <![CDATA[The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)]]> 26032912 He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy.]]> 321 Holly Black 0316310409 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.33 2019 The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)
author: Holly Black
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)]]> 26032887 The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.]]> 336 Holly Black 0316310336 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.27 2019 The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)
author: Holly Black
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 370 Holly Black 0316310271 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.01 2018 The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)]]> 13206900
When Winter develops feelings for the handsome palace guard, Jacin, she fears the evil Queen will crush their romance before it has a chance to begin.

But there are stirrings against the Queen across the land. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even find the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter claim their happily ever afters by defeating Levana once and for all?]]> 827 Marissa Meyer 0312642989 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.42 2015 Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)]]> 13206828
Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.]]> 552 Marissa Meyer 0312642970 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.40 2014 Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)]]> 13206760
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.

The adventure continues in this fresh fairytale retelling that combines elements of Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.]]> 454 Marissa Meyer 0312642962 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.24 2013 Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)]]> 36381037
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.]]> 400 Marissa Meyer Nikhil 0 to-read 4.11 2012 Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Defiant (Skyward, #4) 43606308 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes the final book in an epic series about a girl who will travel beyond the stars to save the world she loves from destruction.

Spensa has made it out of the Nowhere, but what she saw in the space between the stars has changed her forever. She came face to face with the Delvers, and finally got answers to the questions she’s had about her own strange Cytonic gifts.

The Superiority didn’t stop in its fight for galactic dominance while she was gone, though. Spensa’s team, Skyward Flight, was able to hold Winzik off, and even collect allies to help with the cause, but it’s only a matter of time until humanity–and the rest of the galaxy–falls.

Defeating them will require all the knowledge Spensa gathered while in the Nowhere. But being Cytonic is more complicated than she ever could have imagined. Now, Spensa must ask herself: How far is she willing to go for victory, if it means losing herself–and her friends–in the process.

The final book in the Skyward series will free humanity, or see it fall forever.]]> 420 Brandon Sanderson 0593309715 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.28 2023 Defiant (Skyward, #4)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Watchmen 472331 Watchmen, the groundbreaking series from award-winning author Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, presents a world where the mere presence of American superheroes changed history—the U.S. won the Vietnam War, Nixon is still president, and the Cold War is in full effect.

Considered the greatest graphic novel in the history of the medium, the Hugo Award-winning story chronicles the fall from grace of a group of superheroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the superhero is dissected as an unknown assassin stalks the erstwhile heroes.]]> 416 Alan Moore 0930289234 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.38 1987 Watchmen
author: Alan Moore
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1987
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #2)]]> 23168817 512 Liu Cixin Nikhil 0 to-read 4.39 2008 The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #2)
author: Liu Cixin
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Great Illustrated Classics)]]> 2740568 239 Deidre S. Laiken 0866119574 Nikhil 2 dnf 4.15 1979 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Great Illustrated Classics)
author: Deidre S. Laiken
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1979
rating: 2
read at: 2012/12/23
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #1)]]> 20518872 472 Liu Cixin Nikhil 3 audio-books, fantasy, sci-fy
"The Three-Body Problem" by Cixin Liu offers a mix of captivating moments and dull stretches. While the narrative shines in its exploration of innovative science fiction concepts, it occasionally falters with prolonged exposition on the backstory. The storyline, though intriguing, lacks the expected urgency typical of alien invasion tales, resulting in an overall satisfactory but not exceptional reading experience. I am told that 2nd book of this series is better, lets see!]]> 4.08 2006 The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #1)
author: Liu Cixin
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/25
date added: 2024/04/25
shelves: audio-books, fantasy, sci-fy
review:
Rating: 3.5 stars

"The Three-Body Problem" by Cixin Liu offers a mix of captivating moments and dull stretches. While the narrative shines in its exploration of innovative science fiction concepts, it occasionally falters with prolonged exposition on the backstory. The storyline, though intriguing, lacks the expected urgency typical of alien invasion tales, resulting in an overall satisfactory but not exceptional reading experience. I am told that 2nd book of this series is better, lets see!
]]> <![CDATA[The Redemption of Time (Remembrance of Earth’s Past)]]> 36262251 Set in the universe of the New York Times bestselling Three-Body Problem trilogy, The Redemption of Time continues Cixin Liu’s multi-award-winning science fiction saga. This original story by Baoshu―published with Liu’s support―envisions the aftermath of the conflict between humanity and the extraterrestrial Trisolarans.

In the midst of an interstellar war, Yun Tianming found himself on the front lines. Riddled with cancer, he chose to end his life, only to find himself flash frozen and launched into space where the Trisolaran First Fleet awaited. Captured and tortured beyond endurance for decades, Yun eventually succumbed to helping the aliens subjugate humanity in order to save Earth from complete destruction.

Granted a healthy clone body by the Trisolarans, Yun has spent his very long life in exile as a traitor to the human race. Nearing the end of his existence at last, he suddenly receives another reprieve―and another regeneration. A consciousness calling itself The Spirit has recruited him to wage battle against an entity that threatens the existence of the entire universe. But Yun refuses to be a pawn again and makes his own plans to save humanity’s future…]]> 400 Baoshu 1788542207 Nikhil 0 to-read 3.54 2011 The Redemption of Time (Remembrance of Earth’s Past)
author: Baoshu
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Evershore (Skyward, #2.3) 58465495
With the government of Detritus in disarray because of Superiority treachery, and with Spensa still away on her mission in the Nowhere, Jorgen must work together with the alien Alanik to pick up the pieces. They intercept a strange transmission from the planet Evershore and its Kitsen inhabitants, who say they have some of Jorgen’s people and want to return them—but can the Kitsen be trusted? And can Jorgen learn to master his increasingly erratic cytonic powers before they spiral out of control and destroy all hope of forming an alliance against the Superiority?]]> 234 Brandon Sanderson Nikhil 0 to-read 4.31 2021 Evershore (Skyward, #2.3)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)]]> 40916679
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.]]> 433 Holly Jackson 1405293187 Nikhil 3 audio-books
"A Good Girl's Guide for Murder" is a compelling read that manages to captivate despite its occasional shortcomings. The plot, while engaging, leans towards the childish at times, making it suitable for a younger audience. However, the writing itself is skillfully executed, drawing readers in with its vivid descriptions and well-crafted characters.

Despite its strengths, the novel does suffer from some believability issues, with certain plot holes that may leave more critical readers scratching their heads. However, for those willing to suspend disbelief, the story offers an enjoyable and suspenseful journey into the world of mystery and intrigue.

Overall, "A Good Girl's Guide for Murder" is a worthwhile read for fans of the genre, offering both entertainment and moments of literary excellence.]]> 4.30 2019 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)
author: Holly Jackson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/09
date added: 2024/04/09
shelves: audio-books
review:
An Engaging but Flawed Journey

"A Good Girl's Guide for Murder" is a compelling read that manages to captivate despite its occasional shortcomings. The plot, while engaging, leans towards the childish at times, making it suitable for a younger audience. However, the writing itself is skillfully executed, drawing readers in with its vivid descriptions and well-crafted characters.

Despite its strengths, the novel does suffer from some believability issues, with certain plot holes that may leave more critical readers scratching their heads. However, for those willing to suspend disbelief, the story offers an enjoyable and suspenseful journey into the world of mystery and intrigue.

Overall, "A Good Girl's Guide for Murder" is a worthwhile read for fans of the genre, offering both entertainment and moments of literary excellence.
]]> <![CDATA[Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom]]> 74954965
It is not that people are unaware of Rashbehari Bose, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sachindra Nath Sanyal and Subhas Chandra Bose, but the impression one gets from reading historical accounts is that theirs were individual acts of courage that did not have an impact on the larger Independence movement. However, this is not the entire picture, as the revolutionary struggle operated through a conscious network that sustained armed resistance against the British for over half a century. They had well-developed institutions, thinkers and wide popular support. Indeed, as Subhas Bose demonstrated, they were capable of defeating popular candidates in the Congress's internal elections.

In Revolutionaries, Sanyal examines India's freedom struggle from the revolutionary perspective, how the baton was passed from one generation to the next, and, ultimately, why the British were forced to leave India. The book presents an exciting story that interweaves intrigue, high drama, assassination, global espionage and treachery with the courage and heroism of the revolutionaries.]]> 364 Sanjeev Sanyal 9356295948 Nikhil 0 4.56 Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom
author: Sanjeev Sanyal
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/06
shelves: audio-books, educative, non-fiction, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)]]> 52439531
To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.]]> 386 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1368052401 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.13 2020 The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Silent Patient 40097951
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.]]> 336 Alex Michaelides 1250301696 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.18 2019 The Silent Patient
author: Alex Michaelides
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)]]> 33590260
With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.

Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself―and the promise of a better world.]]> 980 Sarah J. Maas 1619636107 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.63 2018 Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Asura: Tale Of The Vanquished, The Story of Ravana and His People]]> 13563459
The story of the Ramayana had been told innumerable times.
The enthralling story of Rama, the incarnation of God, who slew Ravana, the evil demon of darkness, is known to every Indian. And in the pages of history, as always, it is the version told by the victors that lives on. The voice of the vanquished remains lost in silence. But what if Ravana and his people had a different story to tell?

The story of the Ravanayana has never been told.
Asura is the epic tale of the vanquished Asura people, a story that has been cherished by the oppressed castes of India for 3000 years. Until now, no Asura has dared to tell the tale. But perhaps the time has come for the dead and the defeated to speak.

“For thousands of years, I have been vilified and my death is celebrated year after year in every corner of India. Why? Was it because I challenged the Gods for the sake of my daughter? Was it because I freed a race from the yoke of caste-based Deva rule? You have heard the victor’s tale, the Ramayana. Now hear the Ravanayana, for I am Ravana, the Asura, and my story is the tale of the vanquished."

“I am a non-entity – invisible, powerless and negligible. No epics will ever be written about me. I have suffered both Ravana and Rama – the hero and the villain or the villain and the hero. When the stories of great men are told, my voice maybe too feeble to be heard. Yet, spare me a moment and hear my story, for I am Bhadra, the Asura, and my life is the tale of the loser.”

The ancient Asura empire lay shattered into many warring petty kingdoms reeling under the heel of the Devas. In desperation, the Asuras look up to a young saviour – Ravana. Believing that a better world awaits them under Ravana, common men like Bhadra decide to follow the young leader. With a will of iron and a fiery ambition to succeed, Ravana leads his people from victory to victory and carves out a vast empire from the Devas. But even when Ravana succeeds spectacularly, the poor Asuras find that nothing much has changed from them. It is then that Ravana, by one action, changes the history of the world.]]> 504 Anand Neelakantan 938157605X Nikhil 1 dnf 3.67 2012 Asura: Tale Of The Vanquished, The Story of Ravana and His People
author: Anand Neelakantan
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2012
rating: 1
read at: 2013/10/01
date added: 2023/12/31
shelves: dnf
review:
Disappointing.... I have always imagined Raavana, as arrogant, egoistic, cruel and lusty but also as a scholar, cunning & powerful. This novel depicts Raavana as a foolish and a pessimystic man. After reading this novel (even though only half)I concluded that Raavana just got lucky to be the most fearsome Asura ever known.His Personality told here completely differs from what is told in Ramayana (Rama himself praised Raavana as a Mahabrahman), matches only in his bad behaviors. This novel is going to lie in my half read shelf, don't know till when!!
]]> The Great Alone 34912895 Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.]]> 435 Kristin Hannah Nikhil 0 to-read 4.44 2018 The Great Alone
author: Kristin Hannah
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)]]> 76706470 576 Sarah J. Maas Nikhil 0 to-read 4.44 2014 Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4)]]> 76707900 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.]]> 648 Sarah J. Maas 1639731008 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.64 2015 Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)]]> 76705490 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.]]> 420 Sarah J. Maas 1639730966 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.34 2013 Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die]]> 665 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.56 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Martian 18007564
Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

]]> 384 Andy Weir 0804139024 Nikhil 5 fantasy 4.41 2011 The Martian
author: Andy Weir
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fragile Threads of Power (Threads of Power, #1)]]> 111673828 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and set in the world of A Darker Shade of Magic, V. E. Schwab opens a new door into perilous adventure and tangled schemes with The Fragile Threads of Power.

Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory―Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.

But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years―and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland's absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own―but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead.

And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely.

Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds.

Her name is Tes, and she's the only one who can bring them together―or unravel it all.]]> 648 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387492 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.26 2023 The Fragile Threads of Power (Threads of Power, #1)
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dawnshard (The Stormlight Archive, #3.5)]]> 54511226
When a ghost ship is discovered, its crew presumed dead after trying to reach the storm-shrouded island Akina, Navani Kholin must send an expedition to make sure the island hasn't fallen into enemy hands. Knights Radiant who fly too near find their Stormlight suddenly drained, so the voyage must be by sea.

Shipowner Rysn Ftori lost the use of her legs but gained the companionship of Chiri-Chiri, a Stormlight-ingesting winged larkin, a species once thought extinct. Now Rysn's pet is ill, and any hope for Chiri-Chiri’s recovery can be found only at the ancestral home of the larkin: Akinah. With the help of Lopen, the formerly one-armed Windrunner, Rysn must accept Navani's quest and sail into the perilous storm from which no one has returned alive. If the crew cannot uncover the secrets of the hidden island city before the wrath of its ancient guardians falls upon them, the fate of Roshar and the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.]]> 171 Brandon Sanderson 193857026X Nikhil 4 fantasy, to-read 4.39 2020 Dawnshard (The Stormlight Archive, #3.5)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/11/26
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: fantasy, to-read
review:

]]> The Sword of Kaigen 41886271 A son struggling to grasp his violent future,
A father blind to the danger that threatens them all.

When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?

High on a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire’s enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name ‘The Sword of Kaigen.’

Born into Kusanagi’s legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his family’s fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen’s alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.

Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.]]> 651 M.L. Wang Nikhil 0 to-read 4.46 2019 The Sword of Kaigen
author: M.L. Wang
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)]]> 50659472 The epic third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything-and everyone-she holds dear.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers-both magical and political-and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the fate of Feyre's world is at stake as armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy it.]]> 699 Sarah J. Maas 1635575605 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.47 2017 A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2017
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> I'm Glad My Mom Died 59364173
Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly , she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.]]> 320 Jennette McCurdy Nikhil 0 to-read 4.45 2022 I'm Glad My Mom Died
author: Jennette McCurdy
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't]]> 16144853 Why do only a few people get to say “I love my job”? It seems unfair that finding fulfillment at work is like winning a lottery; that only a few lucky ones get to feel valued by their organizations, to feel like they belong.

Imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work, feels trusted and valued during the day, then returns home feeling fulfilled.

This is not a crazy, idealized notion. Today, in many successful organizations, great leaders are creating environments in which people naturally work together to do remarkable things.

In his travels around the world since the publication of his bestseller Start with Why, Simon Sinek noticed that some teams were able to trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other. Other teams, no matter what incentives were offered, were doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure. Why?

The answer became clear during a conversation with a Marine Corps general.

“Officers eat last,” he said.

Sinek watched as the most junior Marines ate first while the most senior Marines took their place at the back of the line. What’s symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield: great leaders sacrifice their own comfort—even their own survival—for the good of those in their care.

This principle has been true since the earliest tribes of hunters and gatherers. It’s not a management theory; it’s biology. Our brains and bodies evolved to help us find food, shelter, mates and especially safety. We’ve always lived in a dangerous world, facing predators and enemies at every turn. We thrived only when we felt safe among our group.


Our biology hasn’t changed in fifty thousand years, but our environment certainly has. Today’s workplaces tend to be full of cynicism, paranoia and self-interest. But the best organizations foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a Circle of Safety that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside.

The Circle of Safety leads to stable, adaptive, confident teams, where everyone feels they belong and all energies are devoted to facing the common enemy and seizing big opportunities.

As he did in Start with Why, Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories from a wide range of examples, from the military to manufacturing, from government to investment banking.

The biology is clear: when it matters most, leaders who are willing to eat last are rewarded with deeply loyal colleagues who will stop at nothing to
advance their leader’s vision and their organization’s interests. It’s amazing how well it works.
]]> 350 Simon Sinek 1591845327 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.09 2014 Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't
author: Simon Sinek
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Amcha Baap Aan Amhi (Marathi Edition)]]> 53836080 336 Narendra Jadhav Nikhil 2 marathi-books, dnf 4.11 Amcha Baap Aan Amhi (Marathi Edition)
author: Narendra Jadhav
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2023/11/16
date added: 2023/11/16
shelves: marathi-books, dnf
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)]]> 51073510 Alternate cover editions of this isbn can be found here and here

IN THE WORLD OF THE NEAR FUTURE, WHO WILL CONTROL WOMEN'S BODIES?

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable.

Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now... everything has changed.]]> 396 Margaret Atwood 0449212602 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.35 1985 The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)
author: Margaret Atwood
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1985
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Glass Castle 11343642
After pursuing the education and civilisation her parents sought to escape, Jeanette eventually succeeds in her quest for the 'mundane, middle class existence' she had always craved. In her apartment, overlooked by 'a portrait of someone else's ancestor' she recounts poignant remembered images of star watching with her father, juxtaposed with recollections of irregular meals, accidents and police-car chases and reveals her complex feelings of shame, guilt, pity and pride toward her parents.]]> 352 Jeannette Walls 0748115560 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.35 2005 The Glass Castle
author: Jeannette Walls
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor]]> 35510008 Scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt provides a no-holds-barred account of his time on the NHS front line. Hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking, this diary is everything you wanted to know – and more than a few things you didn't – about life on and off the hospital ward.

As seen on ITV's Zoe Ball Book Club

This edition includes extra diary entries and a new afterword by the author.

]]> 285 Adam Kay Nikhil 0 to-read 4.40 2017 This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor
author: Adam Kay
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2017
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done (Harperbusiness Essentials)]]> 48019 208 Peter F. Drucker 0060833459 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.07 1966 The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done (Harperbusiness Essentials)
author: Peter F. Drucker
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1966
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/11
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]]> 7 Secrets Of Shiva 12677794 221 Devdutt Pattanaik 938065863X Nikhil 4 3.91 2011 7 Secrets Of Shiva
author: Devdutt Pattanaik
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2012/08/07
date added: 2023/08/01
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]]> 1Q84 (1Q84, #1-3) 10357575 The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.

A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.

As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s — 1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.]]> 944 Haruki Murakami 0307593312 Nikhil 0 to-read 3.94 2009 1Q84 (1Q84, #1-3)
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2009
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/06/03
shelves: to-read
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]]> The Laws of Human Nature 39330937 From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power comes the definitive new book on decoding the behavior of the people around youRobert Greene is a master guide for millions of readers, distilling ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding and mastery. Now he turns to the most important subject of all - understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves.We are social animals. Our very lives depend on our relationships with people. Knowing why people do what they do is the most important tool we can possess, without which our other talents can only take us so far. Drawing from the ideas and examples of Pericles, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King Jr, and many others, Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control, how to develop the empathy that leads to insight, how to look behind people's masks, and how to resist conformity to develop your singular sense of purpose. Whether at work, in relationships, or in shaping the world around you, The Laws of Human Nature offers brilliant tactics for success, self-improvement, and self-defense.]]> 624 Robert Greene 0698184548 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.35 2018 The Laws of Human Nature
author: Robert Greene
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/03/19
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]]> The Alice Network 32051912
1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie's parents banish her to Europe to have her "little problem" taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.

1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she's recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, code name Alice, the "queen of spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy's nose.

Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth...no matter where it leads.]]> 503 Kate Quinn 0062654195 Nikhil 0 audio-books, to-read 4.30 2017 The Alice Network
author: Kate Quinn
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2017
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/03/19
shelves: audio-books, to-read
review:

]]> The Help 4667024
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women, mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends, view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.


Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here]]> 464 Kathryn Stockett 0399155341 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.46 2009 The Help
author: Kathryn Stockett
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2009
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/12/21
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]]> Where the Crawdads Sing 36809135
But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.]]> 384 Delia Owens 0735219117 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.35 2018 Where the Crawdads Sing
author: Delia Owens
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/12/20
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]]> <![CDATA[The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo]]> 32620332
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.]]> 389 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1501139231 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.39 2017 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2017
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/12/04
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World]]> 28256439 The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests and explains the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the amazing scientific processes behind the wonders of which we are blissfully unaware. Much like human families, tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, and support them as they grow, sharing nutrients with those who are sick or struggling and creating an ecosystem that mitigates the impact of extremes of heat and cold for the whole group. As a result of such interactions, trees in a family or community are protected and can live to be very old. In contrast, solitary trees, like street kids, have a tough time of it and in most cases die much earlier than those in a group.

Drawing on groundbreaking new discoveries, Wohlleben presents the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities; he describes how these discoveries have informed his own practices in the forest around him. As he says, a happy forest is a healthy forest, and he believes that eco-friendly practices not only are economically sustainable but also benefit the health of our planet and the mental and physical health of all who live on Earth.]]> 272 Peter Wohlleben 1771642483 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.06 2015 The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World
author: Peter Wohlleben
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/12/01
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]]> <![CDATA[RAYA : Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara]]> 52668624 264 Srinivas Reddy 9353450977 Nikhil 0 to-read 3.51 2020 RAYA : Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara
author: Srinivas Reddy
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/12/01
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]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)]]> 50659467
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.]]> 419 Sarah J. Maas 1635575567 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.16 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/29
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)]]> 17927395
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.]]> 626 Sarah J. Maas Nikhil 0 to-read 4.60 2016 A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Night She Disappeared 55922299
Kim watches her daughter leave and, as late evening turns into night, which turns into early morning, she waits for her return. And waits.

The next morning, Kim phones Tallulah's friends who tell her that Tallulah was last seen heading to a party at a house in the nearby woods called Dark Place.

She never returns.

2019: Sophie is walking in the woods near the boarding school where her boyfriend has just started work as a head-teacher when she sees a note fixed to a tree.

'DIG HERE' . . .

A cold case, an abandoned mansion, family trauma and dark secrets lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell's remarkable new novel.]]> 416 Lisa Jewell 1982137363 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.05 2021 The Night She Disappeared
author: Lisa Jewell
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/29
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]]> Man’s Search for Meaning 4069 Man's Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books in America; it continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living.]]> 165 Viktor E. Frankl 080701429X Nikhil 0 to-read 4.39 1946 Man’s Search for Meaning
author: Viktor E. Frankl
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1946
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/27
shelves: to-read
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]]> Thinking, Fast and Slow 11468377 Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities—and also the faults and biases—of fast thinking, and reveals the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and behavior. The impact of loss aversion and overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the challenges of properly framing risks at work and at home, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning the next vacation—each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems work together to shape our judgments and decisions.

Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives—and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. Thinking, Fast and Slow will transform the way you think about thinking.]]> 499 Daniel Kahneman 0374275637 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.17 2011 Thinking, Fast and Slow
author: Daniel Kahneman
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2011
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/27
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators]]> 51022071
All the while, Farrow and his producer faced a degree of resistance that could not be explained - until now. And a trail of clues revealed corruption and cover-ups from Hollywood, to Washington, and beyond.

This is the untold story of the exotic tactics of surveillance and intimidation deployed by wealthy and connected men to threaten journalists, evade accountability and silence victims of abuse - and it's the story of the women who risked everything to expose the truth and spark a global movement.

Both a spy thriller and a meticulous work of investigative journalism, Catch and Kill breaks devastating new stories about the rampant abuse of power - and sheds far-reaching light on investigations that shook the culture.

In a dramatic account of violence and espionage, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow exposes serial abusers and a cabal of powerful interests hell-bent on covering up the truth, at any cost.]]> 608 Ronan Farrow 0316454133 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.33 2019 Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators
author: Ronan Farrow
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/27
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch]]> 12067
People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. This time though, the armies of Good and Evil really do appear to be massing. The four Bikers of the Apocalypse are hitting the road. But both the angels and demons – well, one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel – would quite like the Rapture not to happen.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist…]]> 491 Terry Pratchett Nikhil 0 to-read 4.27 1990 Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1990
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/26
shelves: to-read
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]]> A Gentleman in Moscow 29430012 He can't leave. You won't want to.

With his breakout novel Rules of Civility, Amor Towles established himself as a master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction, bringing late-1930s Manhattan to life with splendid atmosphere and a flawless command of style. A Gentleman in Moscow immerses us in another elegantly drawn era with the story of Count Alexander Rostov.

When, in 1922, the thirty-year-old Count is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, he is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. An indomitable man of erudition and wit, Rostov must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors.

Unexpectedly, the Count's reduced circumstances provide him entry to a much larger world of emotional discovery as he forges friendships with the hotel's other denizens, including a willful actress, a shrewd Kremlinite, a gregarious American, and a temperamental chef. But when fate suddenly puts the life of a young girl in his hands, he must draw on all his ingenuity to protect the future she so deserves.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the Count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.]]> 462 Amor Towles Nikhil 0 to-read 4.33 2016 A Gentleman in Moscow
author: Amor Towles
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/11/26
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)]]> 27276318 Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.]]> 367 Colleen Hoover Nikhil 0 to-read 4.21 2016 It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Death's End (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #3)]]> 25451264
Now this epic trilogy concludes with Death's End. Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay. Earth enjoys unprecedented prosperity due to the infusion of Trisolaran knowledge. With human science advancing daily and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations will soon be able to co-exist peacefully as equals without the terrible threat of mutually assured annihilation. But the peace has also made humanity complacent.

Cheng Xin, an aerospace engineer from the early 21st century, awakens from hibernation in this new age. She brings with her knowledge of a long-forgotten program dating from the beginning of the Trisolar Crisis, and her very presence may upset the delicate balance between two worlds. Will humanity reach for the stars or die in its cradle?]]> 604 Liu Cixin 0765377101 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.40 2010 Death's End (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #3)
author: Liu Cixin
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gemina (The Illuminae Files, #2)]]> 29236298 A New York Times Bestseller

Brace yourself for GEMINA—the highly anticipated sequel to the book critics called “out-of-this-world awesome”—featuring journal illustrations by bestselling author Marie Lu!

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.
Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.
When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.
But relax. They've totally got this. They hope.
Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.]]> 663 Amie Kaufman 0553499157 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.53 2016 Gemina (The Illuminae Files, #2)
author: Amie Kaufman
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones]]> 40244063 The instant New York Times bestseller. Over 1 million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.

Learn how to:
- make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);
- overcome a lack of motivation and willpower;
- design your environment to make success easier;
- get back on track when you fall off course;
...and much more.

Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.]]> 306 James Clear Nikhil 0 to-read 4.41 2018 Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
author: James Clear
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)]]> 112537 243 Arthur C. Clarke 1857231589 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.12 1973 Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)
author: Arthur C. Clarke
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1973
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Story of the Lost Child 26125154
Both women once fought to escape the neighborhood in which they grew up—a prison of conformity, violence, and inviolable taboos. Elena married, moved to Florence, started a family, and published several well-received books. In this final book, she has returned to Naples. Lila, on the other hand, never succeeded in freeing herself from the city of her birth. She has become a successful entrepreneur, but her success draws her into closer proximity with the nepotism, chauvinism, and criminal violence that infect her neighborhood. Proximity to the world she has always rejected only brings her role as its unacknowledged leader into relief. For Lila is unstoppable, unmanageable, unforgettable!

Against the backdrop of a Naples that is as seductive as it is perilous and a world undergoing epochal change, the story of a lifelong friendship is told with unmatched honesty and brilliance. The four volumes in this series constitute a long remarkable story that readers will return to again and again, and every return will bring with it new revelations.]]> 473 Elena Ferrante 1925240517 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.38 2014 The Story of the Lost Child
author: Elena Ferrante
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ramayana Unravelled: Lesser Known Facets of Rishi Vālmiki’s Epic]]> 61419158 Though the story of Rama is much loved and well-known, questions prevail. Ramayana Unravelled attempts to address some key concerns: How did his childhood and youth shape Rama? Why did Rama agree to go on vanvas - was it only to obey his father or was there more to it? How was the relationship of Rama and Seeta? Is the Ramayana inherently misogynist, considering the characterisation of Seeta, Shurpanakha, Kaikeyi and Tara? What led to the downfall of Ravan?
Ami Ganatra takes the reader through the events of the Ramayana, resolving conundrums and underlining the reasons the epic continues to be cherished to this day.]]> 236 Ami Ganatra 9354353320 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.32 Ramayana Unravelled: Lesser Known Facets of Rishi Vālmiki’s Epic
author: Ami Ganatra
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[From the Beginning of Time : Modern Science and the Puranic Universe]]> 55690686 320 Ganesh Swaminathan 1648507328 Nikhil 0 non-fiction, to-read 4.29 2020 From the Beginning of Time : Modern Science and the Puranic Universe
author: Ganesh Swaminathan
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/17
shelves: non-fiction, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time]]> 95887 The legendary Eat That Frog! (more than 450,000 copies sold and translated into 23 languages) provides the 21 most effective methods for conquering procrastination and accomplishing more. This new edition is revised and updated throughout, and includes brand new information on how to keep technology from dominating our time.]]> 144 Brian Tracy 1576754227 Nikhil 0 to-read 3.90 2001 Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
author: Brian Tracy
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/01/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Cytonic (Skyward, #3) 57571215
Now, the Superiority—the governing galactic alliance bent on dominating all human life—has started a galaxy-wide war. And Spensa has seen the weapons they plan to use to end it: the Delvers. Ancient, mysterious alien forces that can wipe out entire planetary systems in an instant. Spensa knows that no matter how many pilots the DDF has, there is no defeating this predator.

Except that Spensa is Cytonic. She faced down a Delver and saw something eerily familiar about it. And maybe, if she’s able to figure out what she is, she could be more than just another pilot in this unfolding war. She could save the galaxy.

The only way she can discover what she really is, though, is to leave behind all she knows and enter the Nowhere. A place from which few ever return.

To have courage means facing fear. And this mission is terrifying.]]> 415 Brandon Sanderson 0399555854 Nikhil 3 4.03 2021 Cytonic (Skyward, #3)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/12/31
date added: 2021/12/31
shelves: audio-books, brandon-sanderson, fantasy, sci-fy
review:

]]> ReDawn (Skyward, #2.2) 57903879
“Don’t trust their lies. Don’t trust their false peace.” That is the warning that Alanik of the planet ReDawn gave the human pilot Spensa after Alanik’s ship crash-landed on Detritus. While accepting an invitation to meet with her people’s enemy, the Galactic Superiority, Alanik heard Spensa’s cry for help across the vastness of space, and she used her cytonic powers to hyperjump her ship to the source of that cry. What she found there was a shock—a whole planet of free humans fighting against the Superiority. Were they the allies her people desperately needed?

When she recovered from her injuries and met the friendly humans Jorgen and FM of Skyward Flight, she found that her warning to Spensa had gone unheeded by the government of Detritus, and they were considering a peace overture from the Superiority. Now having returned to ReDawn, Alanik is dismayed to learn that her own people are falling into the exact same trap.

The faction in ReDawn’s government that wants to appease the Superiority has gained the upper hand. With Alanik’s mentor, Renakin captured, she has no one to turn to but Jorgen, FM, and their friend Rig. An ancient technology may have the power to save both of their planets from disaster, but can they discover its secrets before it’s too late?]]> 229 Brandon Sanderson 0593566629 Nikhil 4 4.12 2021 ReDawn (Skyward, #2.2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/30
date added: 2021/11/30
shelves: audio-books, brandon-sanderson, fantasy, sci-fy
review:

]]> Kafka on the Shore 4929 Kafka on the Shore, a tour de force of metaphysical reality, is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom. Their odyssey, as mysterious to them as it is to us, is enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerizing events. Cats and people carry on conversations, a ghostlike pimp employs a Hegel-quoting prostitute, a forest harbors soldiers apparently unaged since World War II, and rainstorms of fish (and worse) fall from the sky. There is a brutal murder, with the identity of both victim and perpetrator a riddle—yet this, along with everything else, is eventually answered, just as the entwined destinies of Kafka and Nakata are gradually revealed, with one escaping his fate entirely and the other given a fresh start on his own.]]> 467 Haruki Murakami 1400079276 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.14 2002 Kafka on the Shore
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Sunreach (Skyward, #2.1) 57903876
When a planet-destroying Delver suddenly appears in the sky of Detritus and vanishes just as suddenly, FM knows that the last free human society got lucky. Her Skyward Flight companion, Spensa, figured out how to draw this Delver away, but it won’t be so easy next time.

The forces of the Galactic Superiority will be back—and if the Defiant Defense Force can’t figure out a way to escape the planet, humanity’s destruction is only a matter of time. Spensa’s mission to infiltrate the Superiority unveiled the secret to their hyperdrives—a cytonic slug species called the Taynix. Now FM’s flightleader, Jorgen, has found a large group of Taynix hiding in the caverns far below Detritus’s surface.

FM and Jorgen must work together with the engineer Rig to awaken the mysterious alien Alanik and unlock the powers of the Taynix, or humanity will be trapped. With Spensa’s friend Minister Cuna of the Superiority stranded at the outpost of Sunreach, they need to figure out how to rescue her—or the Superiority government will be in the sole clutches of those who want to wipe out Detritus once and for all.]]> 208 Brandon Sanderson 0593566610 Nikhil 5 4.11 2021 Sunreach (Skyward, #2.1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/25
date added: 2021/11/25
shelves: audio-books, brandon-sanderson, fantasy, sci-fy
review:
This was better than the second book of the series, "Starsight"... I loved it...
]]> Starsight (Skyward, #2) 42769202
Spensa is sure there's more to the story. And she's sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars--and it was terrifying. Everything Spensa has been taught about her world is a lie.

But Spensa also discovered a few other things about herself--and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to.]]> 461 Brandon Sanderson 1473217903 Nikhil 4 4.33 2019 Starsight (Skyward, #2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/22
date added: 2021/11/22
shelves: audio-books, brandon-sanderson, fantasy, sci-fy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World]]> 25744928 One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results.

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep-spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there's a better way.

In Deep Work, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill.

A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories-from Carl Jung building a stone tower in the woods to focus his mind, to a social media pioneer buying a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo to write a book free from distraction in the air-and no-nonsense advice, such as the claim that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. Deep Work is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world.]]> 296 Cal Newport 1455586692 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.16 2016 Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
author: Cal Newport
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/11/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results]]> 16256798 The One Thing explains the success habit to overcome the six lies that block our success, beat the seven thieves that steal time, and leverage the laws of purpose, priority, and productivity.]]> 240 Gary Keller 1885167776 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.11 2012 The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
author: Gary Keller
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/11/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Skyward (Skyward, #1) 36642458 513 Brandon Sanderson 1473217857 Nikhil 4
Although it is not as good as Sanderson's other fantasy worlds like Stormlight Archive or Mistborn series but it is enjoyable if you are just looking for a straightforward (and may be predictable) sci-fi storyline.]]> 4.45 2018 Skyward (Skyward, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/12
date added: 2021/11/12
shelves: audio-books, fantasy, sci-fy, brandon-sanderson
review:
Captivating read... Sanderson like in all his books, keeps the reader engaged and intrigued...

Although it is not as good as Sanderson's other fantasy worlds like Stormlight Archive or Mistborn series but it is enjoyable if you are just looking for a straightforward (and may be predictable) sci-fi storyline.
]]> <![CDATA[Mahabharata Unravelled: Lesser-Known Facets of a Well-Known History]]> 58457870
While the general storyline is largely known, a lot of questions and myths prevail, such as-What was the geographical extent of the war? Did Drona actually refuse to take on Karna as his disciple? What were Draupadi's responsibilities as the queen of Indraprastha? Did she ever mock Duryodhana? Were the women in the time of the Mahabharata meek and submissive? What were the names of the war formations during the time? What role did the sons of the Pandavas play? Does the south of India feature at all in the Mahabharata? What happened after the war? These and many other intriguing questions continue to mystify the contemporary reader.

Author Ami Ganatra debunks myths, quashes popular notions and offers insights into such aspects not commonly known or erroneously known, based solely on facts as narrated in Vyasa's Mahabharata from generally accepted authentic sources. For a history of such prominence and influence as the Mahabharata, it is important to get the story right. So pick this book up, sit back and unveil the lesser-known facts and truths about the great epic.]]> 408 Ami Ganatra 9354351271 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.31 2021 Mahabharata Unravelled: Lesser-Known Facets of a Well-Known History
author: Ami Ganatra
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/11/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Partition Days: The Fiery Saga of RSS]]> 36244857 620 Manik Chandra Vajpayee Nikhil 0 to-read 3.20 Partition Days: The Fiery Saga of RSS
author: Manik Chandra Vajpayee
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.20
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/11/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Vasudeva Krishna and Mathura 59469425
In the medieval period, Katra Keshavadeva was subjected to repeated devastation, beginning with that by Mahmud Ghaznavi in 1071 CE. However, within a century a temple dedicated to Vishnu was built at Katra Keshavadeva. Thereafter, the story of destruction followed by construction was repeated over and over again.

In the early 17th century, the Keshavadeva temple was rebuilt by Bir Singh Deo Bundela. In 1670, the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb ordered its destruction. An Idgah was built at the site. Later developments at Katra Keshavadeva were recorded in the judicial records of colonial India. In 1815, Katra Keshavadeva was sold by auction to Raja Patnimal of Banaras.

On 8th February 1944, the heirs of Raja Patnimal sold Katra Keshavadeva to Seth Jugal Kishore Birla, who created a trust for the construction of a temple for Shree Krishna. In a surprising development, on 12th October 1968, approximately two bighas of Katra Keshavadeva were handed over to Trust Masjid Idgah.

Many documents pertaining to events at Katra Keshavadeva after 1815 are perhaps being presented to the general reader for the first time. The documents attest to the dogged Hindu commitment to the site.

Meenakshi Jain is a historian interested in cultural and religious developments in ancient and medieval India. Her recent publications include Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples(2019); The Battle for Rama: Case of the Temple at Ayodhya (2017); Sati: Evangelicals, Baptist Missionaries, and the Changing Colonial Discourse (2016); and Rama and Ayodhya (2013). In 2020, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.]]> 234 Meenakshi Jain 8173056587 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.86 2021 Vasudeva Krishna and Mathura
author: Meenakshi Jain
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.86
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/11/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future]]> 18050143
The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.

Thiel begins with the contrarian premise that we live in an age of technological stagnation, even if we’re too distracted by shiny mobile devices to notice. Information technology has improved rapidly, but there is no reason why progress should be limited to computers or Silicon Valley. Progress can be achieved in any industry or area of business. It comes from the most important skill that every leader must master: learning to think for yourself.

Doing what someone else already knows how to do takes the world from 1 to n, adding more of something familiar. But when you do something new, you go from 0 to 1. The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t make a search engine. Tomorrow’s champions will not win by competing ruthlessly in today’s marketplace. They will escape competition altogether, because their businesses will be unique.

Zero to One presents at once an optimistic view of the future of progress in America and a new way of thinking about innovation: it starts by learning to ask the questions that lead you to find value in unexpected places.]]> 195 Peter Thiel 0804139296 Nikhil 4 non-fiction, educative
Finally finished it. It is indeed educative not only on building entrepreneurship but overall life philosophy. Peter Thiel enlightens the reader with relevant corollaries at every step, I liked it.]]> 4.15 2014 Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
author: Peter Thiel
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/02
date added: 2021/11/02
shelves: non-fiction, educative
review:
I started reading it very enthusiastically, it sat on my reading shelf for more than a year finally I lost interest in reading it. May be sometime in future, I will finish it.

Finally finished it. It is indeed educative not only on building entrepreneurship but overall life philosophy. Peter Thiel enlightens the reader with relevant corollaries at every step, I liked it.
]]> <![CDATA[House of Cards (Francis Urquhart, #1)]]> 1408078 An alternate cover for this isbn can be found here.

The bestselling political thriller that introduced the scheming Francis Urguhart - the most memorable politician of the last decade.

Francis Urquhart is Chief Whip. He has his hands on every secret in politics - and is willing to betray them all to become Prime Minister.

Mattie Storin is a tenacious young political correspondent. She faces the biggest challenge of her life when she stumbles upon a scandalous web of intrigue and financial corruption at the very highest levels. She is determined to reveal the truth, but she must risk everything to do so . . .]]> 383 Michael Dobbs 0006176909 Nikhil 3 audio-books 3.95 1989 House of Cards (Francis Urquhart, #1)
author: Michael Dobbs
name: Nikhil
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1989
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/30
date added: 2021/10/30
shelves: audio-books
review:
I guess I had higher expections as this book was an inspiration behind the netflix series "House of Cards" which was very intriguing to say the list.
]]> 葛瑞的囧日记(14)：搬家大作战 28051013 读葛瑞的爆笑成长故事，紓解你的生活压力！
幽默囧爆，让人笑到翻滚喷泪的奇书！
漫画式图像，无障碍学习口语化、生活化英文！

◎全系列书籍全球印量超过200,000,000本
◎全球有73种版本，翻译成61种语言
◎美國《紐約時報》排行榜冠軍作家、富比士公司票選全球收入最高的作家、《時代》雜誌選為世界百大最具影響力的人物……以上榮耀都指向同一個人──傑夫．肯尼（Jeff Kinney）！

奉劝大家参加老太太的葬礼千万不要迟到，小心受到诅咒！

蕾芭姑婆过世了，糊涂的葛瑞一家不仅在葬礼上大迟到，甚至根本跑错场！因為获得了姑婆的一小笔遗产，他们决定用这笔意外之财装修房子，帮妈妈打造梦想中的厨房。

动工之后，葛瑞一家才发现房子问题层出不穷，墙壁木头腐坏发霉，原本躲在墙内的老鼠猖狂的入侵他们的生活范围，还有莫名其妙不知从哪裡冒出来的黄蜂在家中徘徊不去??最惨的是，因為画错建筑蓝图而侵占到邻居的地界，梦想厨房计画被迫喊停！葛瑞妈愤而上网搜寻新房子，决定举家搬离这个伤心地。搬家大作战，即刻开始！闭闭> 224 Jeff Kinney 1419739034 Nikhil 4 wimpy-kid, comics 4.26 2019 葛瑞的囧日记(14)：搬家大作战
author: Jeff Kinney
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/09
date added: 2021/10/09
shelves: wimpy-kid, comics
review:

]]> Peril 58546518
The transition from President Donald J. Trump to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. stands as one of the most dangerous periods in American history.

But as # 1 internationally bestselling author Bob Woodward and acclaimed reporter Robert Costa reveal for the first time, it was far more than just a domestic political crisis.

Woodward and Costa interviewed more than 200 people at the center of the turmoil, resulting in more than 6,000 pages of transcripts—and a spellbinding and definitive portrait of a nation on the brink.

This classic study of Washington takes readers deep inside the Trump White House, the Biden White House, the 2020 campaign, and the Pentagon and Congress, with vivid, eyewitness accounts of what really happened.

Peril is supplemented throughout with never-before-seen material from secret orders, transcripts of confidential calls, diaries, emails, meeting notes and other personal and government records, making for an unparalleled history.

It is also the first inside look at Biden’s presidency as he faces the challenges of a lifetime: the continuing deadly pandemic and millions of Americans facing soul-crushing economic pain, all the while navigating a bitter and disabling partisan divide, a world rife with threats, and the hovering, dark shadow of the former president.

“We have much to do in this winter of peril,” Biden declared at his inauguration, an event marked by a nerve-wracking security alert and the threat of domestic terrorism.

Peril is the extraordinary story of the end of one presidency and the beginning of another, and represents the culmination of Bob Woodward’s news-making trilogy on the Trump presidency, along with Fear and Rage. And it is the beginning of a collaboration with fellow Washington Post reporter Robert Costa that will remind readers of Woodward’s coverage, with Carl Bernstein, of President Richard M. Nixon’s final days.]]> 512 Bob Woodward 1982182938 Nikhil 0 to-read 4.10 2021 Peril
author: Bob Woodward
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Autobiography of a Yogi 639864
Autobiography of a Yogi is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. The author clearly explains the subtle but definite laws behind both the ordinary events of everyday life and the extraordinary events commonly termed miracles. His absorbing life story thus becomes the background for a penetrating and unforgettable look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence.

Considered a modern spiritual classic, the book has been translated into more than twenty languages and is widely used as a text and reference work in colleges and universities. A perennial bestseller since it was first published sixty years ago, Autobiography of a Yogi has found its way into the hearts of millions of readers around the world.]]> 503 Paramahansa Yogananda 0876120834 Nikhil 4
I picked up this book as many famous successful people like Virat Kohli, Rajnikanth and even Steve Jobs have acclaimed this book to be life changing. At heart, I guess "Autobiography of a Yogi" is a amazing treatise on a life journey of a spiritual being in his own words. Although a believer in spirituality, I am at dilemma about how to rationalize this book. Most of the incidents mentioned here are at odds with rational explanation. Yogananda tries to give "scientific" explanations but frankly its hard to buy those, given his rudimentary understanding (in my opinion) of science.

Paramhansa Yogananda has a gift of erudite writing skills. He often uses poetic descriptions to phrase that which also can be stated in very simple sentences, which are simply very beautiful to say the least.

Finally, "Autobiography of a Yogi" engulfs the reader in peace and cements one's belief in existence higher consciousness. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in spirituality. Believing all that is written here as true,, I guess, is up to them. After all, everyone has a right to believe what they want!!]]> 4.22 1946 Autobiography of a Yogi
author: Paramahansa Yogananda
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1946
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/01
date added: 2021/10/01
shelves: audio-books, educative, non-fiction, spirituality
review:
Autobiography of a Yogi is an awesome book in one aspect but a confusing one at another!

I picked up this book as many famous successful people like Virat Kohli, Rajnikanth and even Steve Jobs have acclaimed this book to be life changing. At heart, I guess "Autobiography of a Yogi" is a amazing treatise on a life journey of a spiritual being in his own words. Although a believer in spirituality, I am at dilemma about how to rationalize this book. Most of the incidents mentioned here are at odds with rational explanation. Yogananda tries to give "scientific" explanations but frankly its hard to buy those, given his rudimentary understanding (in my opinion) of science.

Paramhansa Yogananda has a gift of erudite writing skills. He often uses poetic descriptions to phrase that which also can be stated in very simple sentences, which are simply very beautiful to say the least.

Finally, "Autobiography of a Yogi" engulfs the reader in peace and cements one's belief in existence higher consciousness. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in spirituality. Believing all that is written here as true,, I guess, is up to them. After all, everyone has a right to believe what they want!!
]]> Rage 53317913
Rage goes behind the scenes like never before, with stunning new details about early national security decisions and operations and Trump’s moves as he faces a global pandemic, economic disaster and racial unrest.

Woodward, the #1 internationally bestselling author of 13 #1 bestsellers, including Fear: Trump in the White House, shows Trump up close in his entirety before the 2020 presidential election.

President Trump has said publicly that Woodward has interviewed him. What is not known is that Trump provided Woodward a window into his mind through a series of exclusive interviews.

At key decision points, Rage shows how Trump’s responses to the crises of 2020 were rooted in the instincts, habits and style he developed during his first three years as president.

Rage draws from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand witnesses, as well as participants’ notes, emails, diaries, calendars and confidential documents.

Woodward obtained 25 personal letters exchanged between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that have not been public before. Kim describes the bond between the two leaders as out of a “fantasy film,” as the two leaders engage in an extraordinary diplomatic minuet.

Rage will be the foundational account of the Trump presidency, its turmoil, contradictions and risks. It is an essential document for any voter seeking an accurate inside view of the Trump years—volatile and vivid.]]> 475 Bob Woodward 198213173X Nikhil 0 to-read 4.14 2020 Rage
author: Bob Woodward
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, #13)]]> 39304888
It's a fight for survival as Greg and Rowley navigate alliances, betrayals, and warring gangs in a neighborhood meltdown. When the snow clears, will Greg and Rowley emerge as heroes? Or will they even survive to see another day?]]> 218 Jeff Kinney 1419727435 Nikhil 3 wimpy-kid 4.25 2018 The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, #13)
author: Jeff Kinney
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/22
date added: 2021/07/22
shelves: wimpy-kid
review:

]]> Project Hail Mary 54493401
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?]]> 476 Andy Weir 0593135202 Nikhil 5 sci-fy, favorites
This book is awesome.. Hats off to the imagination of the author... I absolutely loved it...

The entire story from start to end is highly addictive, you can't just put it down once started... It has everything action, intrigue, it is emotionally stirring and most of all scientifically sound (almost- after all its science "fiction")...

I highly recommend "Project Hail Mary" to anyone who likes Sci-Fi...]]> 4.49 2021 Project Hail Mary
author: Andy Weir
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/08
date added: 2021/07/08
shelves: sci-fy, favorites
review:
Oh God! I can't wait for a movie adaptation of "Project Hail Mary"!

This book is awesome.. Hats off to the imagination of the author... I absolutely loved it...

The entire story from start to end is highly addictive, you can't just put it down once started... It has everything action, intrigue, it is emotionally stirring and most of all scientifically sound (almost- after all its science "fiction")...

I highly recommend "Project Hail Mary" to anyone who likes Sci-Fi...
]]> <![CDATA[Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson]]> 6900
Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you?

Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live.]]> 210 Mitch Albom Nikhil 0 to-read 4.19 1997 Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
author: Mitch Albom
name: Nikhil
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/07/08
shelves: to-read
review:

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