Read with Chai #1

 Hello everyone! Back very soon just as I promised. I guess you are surprised seeing the title and are wondering what exactly it means. Well, if you’ve known me in real life you know I have loved reading and writing my whole life. But reading often took a backseat whenever other commitments became a priority. Younger Chai would be absolutely fuming if she knew I had stopped reading books for years altogether. I still remember begging my mom to take me to the library as and when she could when I was younger. Some of the best memories I have of my childhood include me picking up a book and getting lost in it for hours together, letting the characters and the plot wash over me. 

However, once I got older and other things like studies, getting a job became a priority, my love for reading got shoved into corner. Until recently, I had forgotten how much I adored reading. It was my little escape from everything and inadvertently it is what has actually shaped my life the way it is. I am who I am because of what I read in my younger days. At the time I might not have realised how much of an impact it would have on my life but now I do. Younger Chai just loved reading because it was fun. She loved getting lost in the pages and being one with the characters but now that I am older I realise how much of an impact it had on me, in shaping my creativity and my thinking ability. 

All this is a huge preface to say I have started reading again and quite voraciously I might add. In April-May alone I have completed 6 books and although my pace was slower than before, I still loved and enjoyed every bit of it. 

All of these books did manage to stirrup something inside me. I have a lot of feelings after reading these books and I needed to talk to someone otherwise I would go absolutely ballistic with the thoughts. What better place to do that than my safe haven! My blog. 

So, I will be talking about all the 6 books I have read and how I felt about them without actually spoiling the plot. Who knows maybe you might find a new read from here if you are an avid reader or might just be intrigued enough to pickup reading. 

So, lets begin shall we.

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - by Taylor Jenkins Reid  

Okay first of all wow! I can not describe in words how much I absolutely adored this book. Seriously, the moment I started this book I was absolutely enamoured by it. The story itself is absolutely stunning but it is the emotion, the way the author painstakingly makes it a point right from the beginning that the main character is not perfect. In fact they are extremely flawed and thats what made them in my opinion more beautiful. The unabashed admittance to the darkness and deceit by the main character is so refreshing.

 Evelyn Hugo is a household name and a bombshell in her own right. She’s in her 70’s and far away from the life of glitz and glamour which she once ruled, yet there’s a sense of intrigue surrounding her. So, why would Evelyn the untouchable diva choose a journalist like Monique who was a no one to share her story with. The book talks about her story through the years and the 7 husbands she married and how none of them were her true love. It talks about the darkest part of the glamour industry. Evelyn isn’t a damsel in distress, oh no ho ho. She’s the heroine, the hero and the villain in her own story. She’s strong, she’s unapologetic and above all she is brave. I was so awestruck reading chapter after chapter unable to put it down for even a second. The plot twists in the story were never expected, they hit me like a bucket of ice dropped over my head and left me in absolute shock. I wish I could go back in time and read the book again like it was the first time. The author did such a wonderful job with the pace and emotions. They made me go through an array of feelings. One second I was sad for Evelyn, the very next I had my jaw on the floor at the outrageous deed she had committed. The author touches a lot of topics in a single novel which include race, feminism, lgbtq+, misogyny to name a few quite effortlessly. To summarise, if anyone were to  ask me to recommend any of these 6 books I have read, I would choose this one with my eyes closed. 

Given a chance I would gush all day about Evelyn but let us get on with the next book in line.

2. Before the coffee gets cold - by Kawaguchi Toshikazu

If I were to describe the book in a single word it would be soothing. Before the coffee gets cold is such an easy to read book and by that I mean literally easy to read. The book has just 4 chapters following stories of different people and different situations in a cafe which has the ability to time travel. Yup! You heard me right. Although the concept of time travel in a book in this time and age might create misconceptions and make you dismiss it away as childish but that is far from the case. The book is very mature yet maintaining its youthfulness. The overall tone of all the stories is slightly melancholic but yet somehow it leaves you feeling light. It deals with topics of grief, regret and our ability of being unable to let go of past. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for something light and easy to read. The book has a sequel as well which I am really excited to read. Overall, I have nothing but love for this piece of literature.

3. Close my eyes - by Sophie McKenzie

I absolutely irrevocably hated this book. I want my 2 days back! Okay that's harsh but this book actually made me angry. If I somehow turn a blind eye to the feeble plot and focus on the main character Geniver Loxley, she makes me want to scratch my eyes out. She’s the definition of damsel in distress. This book is what actually inspired this blog in a way. It made me so mad I wanted to scream at someone or something. The plot, the characters and plot twist everything was so weakly tied. I knew after the first chapter itself that I did not like it. I had to actually force myself to finish the book. I kept hoping that somewhere there might be a plot twist that would make all this worth it, but I was wrong. The plot twist when it did arrive 25+ chapters later I was able to predict it as well and I realised what a waste of time this book had been. The book does not pickup pace till the early 20th chapter, even then in no way was it “thrilling” in any way. Ugh I had not read any reviews before I started reading the book but I wish I had, would’ve saved me so much time. I hate how substance less all the characters are and how helpless the main character is. I get that what Gen went through was really traumatic and there’s no way anyone can fathom her pain but she lacks the determination and grit that I would assume a mother with a lost child would have. I have nothing but anger left after reading this book and I would not recommend anyone read this book. In fact , I actually want to give away my copy of the book. I hated it that much. It was 200+ pages of pure agony, is all I want to say.

Now, last but definitely not the least.

4. The Inheritance Games,

     The Hawthorne Legacy and

     The Final Gambit - by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

When I tell you my mind was blown with this series you best believe it! There is plot twist after plot twist after plot twist and I did not see any of them coming. The plot of all three books in the series is so intricately woven its almost astonishing. Miss Jennifer I am in awe of you. The main character Avery Kylie Grambs or A very risky gamble as she is referred to often in the story is a seemingly ordinary teen dealing with the grief of losing her mom when she suddenly inherits everything from an eccentric multi billionaire Tobias Hawthorne death. The late billionaire we learn is a fan of riddles and mysteries. He has 4 grandsons Nash, Grayson, Jameson and Xander who are all very pertinent to the story. Together with Avery they embark on a journey to uncover all the secrets and the skeletons that lurked in Tobias’s past. Every time a riddle popped up in the story I racked my brain with all the permutations and combinations to try and solve it but alas I failed each time. Each of the puzzles were so well curated and well connected leading upto one large conclusion which was unexpected as well. The last book although it felt a bit rushed was enjoyable nonetheless. The only problem I had was with the slight romance thrown in between Avery and the boys. I won’t lie I ended up cringing at all the romantic scenes. It was all teenager sappy shit. But it wasn’t enough for me to dismiss it from the absolutely amazing plot. Also, I have no hesitation in saying that Jameson is THE standard right now.  From start to finish, each and every chapter is perfectly paced and really well written. Not once, did I feel anything was predictable. Just when I thought I was getting closer to figuring out the answers, boom plot twist. Leaving me hungry for more every time. The story mainly focuses on Tobias’s belief of blood being thicker than water and his penchant for mystery, which is perfect because our main character Avery and the Hawthorne brothers have an unending appetite for it.10/10 would highly recommend.

Phew, that was a review and a half! It might have come across as me ranting as usual but I NEEDED to do this okay? I had too many thoughts plaguing my mind after reading them all. This is just the first part of this Read with Chai series. I have many more books in my To Read list. Hope you enjoyed this blog which was slightly light hearted and unlike my usual topics.

Have a wonderful day ahead reader and I hope to see you soon!