Movie - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

#Movies

For quite sometime I have been looking for a light-hearted children fantasy movie which is nothing but entertainment. I have watched Harry Potter, Narnia, LOTR etc. multiple times and wanted something new and 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' was most definitely what I wanted. :)

Although released in September 2016, I got the chance to watch it only now and I am disappointed that I couldn't watch it on big-screen.

Talking about plot, it revolves around Miss Peregrine (played by Eva Green) and Jake (played by Asa Butterfield).  It begins when Jake finds his grandfather mysteriously murdered and it changes everything in his life. From childhood his grandfather has told him stories about 'Peculiar children' i.e. children with some special abilities. And now, he sets on a path to find these children.

Miss Peregrine herself is a 'peculiar' and can manipulate time. The way it is shown is rather impressive. 

There are many other characters in the movie as well and they have special abilities like one can float and manipulate air, one little girl can lift boulders, one boy is invisible etc.

The primary antagonist of the story is Mr. Barron who - how should I explain - is a rather dangerous man and travels with hollows. Honestly it is very difficult to explain this side so it will be better if you watch :P

Overall it is very good movie and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. 

My rating to the movie - 4.5/5.

Do watch it and let me know how you found it.

Love and Cheers

Quick Titbits - Granny's Prescriptions #8

#QuickTitbits  #Tried&Tested

Dadi Maa ke Nuskhe ~ Leg Cramps

Two tried and tested things to avoid leg cramps especially in middle of the night or early morning

#1

Drink something sweet & salty like Electrolyte powder or lemon water with sweet & salt first thing in morning to replenish sodium & potassium deficiency in the body

#2

Whichever leg is more prone to cramps, tie 4-5 rounds of black thread around ankle. It pinches some nerve or so I understand which help resolve this issue

Its TRIED & TESTED. 

Not sure which one works but I did both together and got rid of cramps permanently. Yay!

Love & Cheers

Book: 31 Miles - Story that showcases conflicts of 'What We Want' and 'What We Should Do'

#BookReviews

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Title: 31 Miles: Can We Ever Win Against Ourselves?
Author: Vinita Bakshi
Publisher: Rupa Publishers
Pages: 234
Price: Rs. 233
My Rating: 4.5/5

Blurb:

Mansa has the perfect family life—a husband, two daughters and a big house. But she feels that something is missing. Her frustration with being just a homemaker intensifies. After shifting to a major city, she decides to take the reins of her life in her own hands, she decides to step out and seek a career.While enjoying the new-found freedom and confidence, she completely immerses herself in her work and her new life. Till one fateful day when she finds herself embroiled in a passionate affair—with an online lover. And then everything falls apart!

31 Miles is the story of a woman who finds her own worth after marriage and works towards self-emancipation. Will she give it all up for the elusive mirage created by the stranger? What turn will her life take next?

Review:

Some books are meant to touch your heart and some books force you to relate to your life (past or present) and 31 miles is one of them.

Set around the life of Mansa, it is a simple yet interesting tale of a woman who decides to do something with her life and not just be a homemaker. As she takes first steps towards her career, she finds herself entangled in an online affair. It sounds stupid I know but many people commit this mistake of trusting someone blindly.

The story simply displays whom to trust and to whom not. In a way it is also a lesson for everyone (especially teenagers).

The characters are very well written and are bound together well.

The dialogues are also nicely written and some romantic themes come out beautifully. Read to know what I am talking about.

Overall it is a nice read and my rating to the book is 4.5/5

You can grab your copy here.

The review copy of this book was shared with me by Kalamos Literary Services

Love and Cheers

Meet Kamini Kusum: Author who touches feminist issues...

#AuthorInterviews

• Hi Kamini, please tell us something about yourself. 

Ans- I am a management professional by day and a writer by night. Story telling has always been my passion and I intend to do it lifelong

• You are a writer, professional and a mother of 2, how do you manage?

Its actually difficult but if you crave for something and become restless if you don’t get that, then you design all the ways to achieve it. Passion is always the driving force.

• Your book revolves around women and their issues. Any specific source of motivation?

All the five characters in my book are inspired by some real life incidences. Story “Madam Bureaucrat” is more or less the life of one my close friend, though a writer’s imagination too has gone along with it. Strong women characters were always there in my mind which had to be brought out to the world.

• Which part of publishing process is most difficult for you? Writing/Editing/Publishing/Marketing? And Why?

For me, now it is marketing. A new product from a new brand definitely faces difficulty to some extent but that’s fine. I believe in my work and hope it would find its place.

• What kind of books do you read? Any favourite authors/books?

I read both English and Hindi Novels- anything that touches the emotions. Among Indian writers, I prefer reading Shobha de, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mridula Garg(Hindi), Nirmal Verma(Hindi) and among foreign writers, Danielle Steel, Nicolas Sparks, John Grasim.

Daniale Steel is my favourite and I wish, someday just like her, I could churn out 3-4 novels a year.

• Traditional vs. Self-Publishing? Which one is better as per you? Why?

My first book “Secrets, sins and struggles” is self published through Zorba Books .I self published because I didn’t want  to wait for ages to bring this work of mine out to the world. Moreover there was greater control in my hands throughout the publishing process. Zorba has been really good. But in future I would look forward to work with good literary agents and established traditional publishers.

• What were the key challenges that you face while you write? 

 Nothing specific. Stories have always been there in my mind for years and I don’t hunt for words. I don’t add ornamental or fluffy words. I write whatever naturally comes out as a part of storytelling. Yeah, sometimes when I look for twists , I do pause for some days.

• Are there any words of wisdom that you would like to share with other authors?

I am still a fresher in this industry with my first book just out .I am myself still learning. But one thing I must say, let’s not follow or try to mimic a success. Let’s be ourselves and pen down what we are good in. Success finds its own path and no need to follow the beaten route.

• Any other projects you are working on? Yes, what are they?

I am midway my next book. That’s an emotional and inspiring novel centered around a male protagonist. Should be out hopefully by the last quarter of 2017.

• Lastly, if you have to describe your book in few lines, how will you do it?

“Never say die” is the attitude of those five women who fought all the odds in their lives to live their dreams.

I wish Kamini all the very best in her present and future endeavors.

Get to know Kamini here.

Please do leave your comments and if the book intrigued you, do grab a copy from following link:

Love and Cheers

Book: A Girl in Love with a Beggar - A Philosophical Romance

#BookReviews

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Title: A Girl in Love with a Beggar

Author: Anuj

Publisher: Kalamos Literary Services

Pages: 160

Price: Rs. 175

My Rating: 3.5/5

Blurb:

She wants to know on what bases life is measured; is it on the bases of sacrifice you made to make people happy around you or on the bases of fights you fought to get the things that made you happy. And the question is what the limit to this sacrifice or to this fight is? He wants to relinquish this world. He wants to die. He has reached the place where dreams end and desires die. Where questions become unworthy of answers. Where life becomes dear and death becomes new life. They shared life. They shared fate. They become each other's moksha. They fall in love to complete each other. They fall in love to play their part in this eternal game.

Review:

If you are into masala romance then this is not the book for you. 'A girl in love with a beggar' is one book that takes romance to next level and engulfs it with philosophy.

This is the second book by Anuj and it is very safe to say that he is very passionate about philosophy and likes to treat his readers with not just romance/common story but instead he likes to educate his readers. Additionally, he motivates them to think about life and beyond materialism.

As the title suggests, the book revolves around a girl named Shona who finds herself mesmerized by a beggar - Kabir. It is story about how they meet, get together and how their relationship takes turns and reaches a complete new level.

The characterization in the book is decent and you can feel linked to each character. The story flow is decent too.

What I didn't like was certain grammar/spell mistakes. When reading with such engrossment, sudden editing issues prove irritating. Also, at some places the philosophy was a little to much for me at some places. I had to read it in three-go's as I was like 'enough for one sitting' LOL.

Overall, it is a pretty good read and teaches one many things. 

You can grab your copy here.

PS: The review copy of this book was shared with me by Kalamos Literary Services

Love and Cheers