MellowDrama

This post is brought to you by the cyclone Yaas, raging outside my window, shaking up the trees as if puppets and forcing rain to dance in every direction. Did you stay in an area where power cuts weren't the norm? Have you ever shuddered at the thought of an electricity cut? Did you completely abhor the fact that when the lights went out, you had nothing and I mean absolutely nothing to do? Well, well, well, save yourself the time and quit right here because this is an ode to the glory of windy or rainy days and rainy, windy and sultry nights when there would be a power cut, rendering the whole area, the whole house in darkness. This is in praise of all the times when there would be an electricity cut in various cities I have lived.  In Palampur that meant and if I am not wrong, till this day means, no electricity on Mondays from roughly 10 AM to 5 PM.  It also means that if there is hard rainfall or gusts of wind breaking the speedometer, the house might turn dark at any mom...

Flamingo Fashion is an audiobook written by Samantha Hunter and recorded in an impeccable style by Crown actor Michael Maloney. The very bright and nice  cover for the audiobook has been illustrated by Maggy Roberts. It is an interesting book in itself as the author has chosen to publish it as an audiobook rather than go the traditional way. I would say that this has been a might good thing for me. We will find out how, just in a bit! More on the Book Flamingo Fashion is the story of two fashionistas. make that two fabulous fashionista flamingos Fiffi and Freddie. One fine day these two fine flamingo fashionistas decide to give the other residents of the Savanna a touch of their glamor. To find out who visits them and what do they manage to do for their clients and whether or not the clients are happy with the end result, you will have to download the book for yourself. The book is aimed at small children in the ages between 3 to 6 years but hey when has that ever stopped us from e...

We have put International Women's Day behind us just yesterday but I am sure some people are just waking up to it. Literally and metaphorically, both! So in continuation to the point that I was trying to get across yesterday I am here to speak about the bitter half. No, you read that correct. The bitter half has been complaining why no Men's Day (BTW it falls on Nov 19th, if I am not mistaken), give us an entire day to celebrate. Ask them what and I don't think they have a concrete answer yet. It is better to leave certain things just as they are and move on like Sahir Ludhianvi wrote: Wo afsana jise anjaam tak laana na ho mumkin, usse ek khoobsurat mod de ke chodna achha. Coming back to the main idea of today's post. I have a son and a daughter, so it has fallen on my broad shoulders to bring to your kind attention a very important thing.  Let me first make a thing clear, I am not here attempting to bring this point out for conversation and debate because either I am b...

In my school group today morning, someone posted  Strong women do not have an attitude. They have standards and boundaries. I wrote fab to that in my comment. And then it happened. I analysed the statement quite unintentionally because I am not the one to keep up with gender tropes.  Well, well, well ain't that food for thought! Come let us dig deep(err).  I think this must have come from a man and there is an obvious problem with the first part of the statement but we will get to it later. Hear me out  first, So, strong woman- who is this creature? A mythical being or a character from folk lore? Does she exist beyond the realms of imagination of feminists- both male and female? Let's turn the question around.  Who isn't a strong woman, rather? You are my friend. Yes you too, gentlemen! Remember the concept of Ardhanaareshwar? The coexistence of the feminine and the masculine. The naari form before the eshwar.  Every man and woman, every human being on the ...

I just saw a tweet asking people why they read YA or middle grade fiction and this made me contemplate my recent choices ahem ahem!! I have been reading some (or maybe a lot!) thanks, mostly to Dave and the fantastic book tours he organises, as well the fact that I have a teen in the house. So it is just sheer cleverness on my part that I read YA and try to see what goes on in the minds of today's young generation. Well, to read Bad Habits by Flynn Meaney was one such attempt. Which mother of a teen can resist going through a book titled THAT? Enough of jokes, let's get to the serious business of reviewing this book. So, first things first, an introduction to the book and the protagonist. Alex goes to a strict Catholic school and wants to be expelled from it. Her story is an attempt at gaining some shock value and getting the school authorities to chuck her out. What actually happens is a tangential growth in Alex's character and discussions and debates on topics which have...

  The Cousins by Karen Mc Manus is delightful, young, involves a mystery and is a very very readable book. Read on to find why I found it "very very readable". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BLURB The Storys are the envy of their neighbours: owners of the largest property on their East Coast island, they are rich, beautiful, and close. Until it all falls apart. The four children are suddenly dropped by their mother with a single sentence: You know what you did. They never hear from her again. Years later, when 18-year-old cousins Aubrey, Milly and Jonah Story receive a mysterious invitation to spend the summer at their grandmother's resort, they have no choice but to follow their curiosity and meet the woman who's been such an enigma their entire lives. This entire family is built on secrets, right? It's the Story legacy. This summer, the teenagers are determined to discover the truth at the heart of their family. B...

First Date by Sue Watson is an extremely interesting and readable psychological thriller. The book releases today and I can't stress enough that if you are a reader with a special place in yo ur  heart for mystery/ thrillers, you must get to it ASAP.  Book Blurb First Date is the story of Hannah who has  done everything to make sure her life is safe and secure. A long way from her unstable childhood growing up in foster care, she’s content with her sweet, little, messy apartment and her satisfying job as a social worker. She quietly worries that, aged 36, she might never fall in love. But otherwise her life is where she wants it to be. Until, encouraged by her best friend to join a dating app, she meets  Alex  who is  irresistibly handsome, loves the same music as her and the same food as well. Both of them would love to own a Labrador one day. It’s like he’s made for her.  It’s like he’s too good to be true. Hannah’s friends aren’t so sure about him. ...