karthikhebbar's reviews
173 reviews

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

2.75

Had heard a lot about this book. Its interesting, but did not speak to me! I was consumed by its repeatetiveness. 
I am sure people would loved it for its element of time travel etc but this coffee is not my cup of teA. 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What a fantastic read! What setout like a murder mystery, turned out to be an epic saga of the HUMAN CONDITION! BEAUTIFUL descriptions of nature, its creatures, genetics, evolution and ecology woven into a tender tale of love and loneliness. An unusually haunting portrayal of the soceity. 
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Little streams of goodness thriving, nestled under a wilderness of selfish, judgmental humans are at the heart of this story.   These stories of unadulterated love that could fill your heart! Many scenes in the movie, kept taking me back to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD! 
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There is so much we can learn from nature, INCLUDING feminism! In every academic debate, there is this argument that "naturally" women are weaker then men! It irks the hell out of me to read it every time! The description of the female species in nature in this work, might just illuminate those dull minds. 
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Also in this story is a enquiry into education and how we can learn so much more in life rather than from school, which only feed us with stereotypes! 
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Like most stories, again, in this, we learn how empowering love can be and how much we all need it! 

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

challenging emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

THIS BOOK!!!!!! Hit too close to home! 
I am devastated and heart broken. This is the story of so many people, who are my family, my community! Dancing with death every day in a world that finds it easier to hate, than love! 

I couldn't drop the book down and had to read it in one go! Even though i anticipated what was coming, i was not ready! None of us have to be ready or anticipating this!

This is a story of unconditional love from a community that lets you smile and breathe, while the conditional love from your blood family smothers you for your identity. It is also a story of shame and it undeniable shadow on our existence. 

Akwaeke writes so beautifully. It is a delight to read such an original style of writing and I can't wait to read her other beautiful books. 

The traditional ibgo name that haunts the end of the novel for me seemed like embracing our indegenious pasts and descarding the CULTURE OF HATE and MORALITY that Colonization has tragically imposed on our cultures. 

The lines between love and guilt are blur!!! How real. 

The "BEAUTYFUL" Vivek and their spirit will stay with me! 

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

BEAUTIFUL WORLD WHERE ARE YOU
SALLEY ROONEY

at this point I don't have to elaborate on the point that I really love her writing. I love all those emails and intellectual conversations and stream of consciousness that forms the bulk of this book. 

But what I love most is the focus on class disparity and privilage in her stories. 

What moved me in this book was her unabashed declaration that underneath all our intellectual point of views and political differences, what we all want, is to be loved! 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

THE AUDIO BOOK ON AUDIBLE IS INSANE!!!! PLEASE CATCH IT WITHOUT A MISS!

My Policeman by Bethan Roberts

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Marriage of covariance? Marriage of Denial? How does a Gay man married to a woman  ope with the marriage? How does the woman who constantly denies the reality and chooses to keep her honour and safety intact eventually ruin everything for everyone? Is choosing to be in denial or an agreement in such situations healthy at all? This books draws the picture of devastation and psychological avalanche that such relationships create and how in the long run, it has no positive spin to it and everyone in the equation is emotionally destroyed and left in shambles! Youth, virility fades eventually and in old age the guilt of choices you made come and consumes you completely and overwhelmingly so. 

This book is painfully beautiful and it is characters seem so real and life like. In the society we live in, many queer people chose the marriage route as a safe outlet, but is it really safe? What is safety and honour? What about the double life lived and the trail of heartbreak and pain left in its wake? This was extremely moving at places and at times, a reminder of what homophobia can do and how reluctance and denial can kill! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Gaslighting

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green, David Levithan

5.0

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

5.0

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

5.0

Ulysses by James Joyce

5.0