#Rashu_Reads

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐔𝐬 - 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

First, I need to tell you why this prompt was chosen. Funnily enough we came across a book in our 2022 reading journey that was titled 'How To Kill Your Best Friend'. This was a hilarious shocking title we found intriguing and we instantly signed up for the readalong.

This book was read in March, which incidentally is Anjali's birth month and here we were besties reading this book together. This title is one we won't forget. Hence the prompt - 'Title with a twist or that shocks'.

#ReadWithUs

#ReadWithUs2023

#ReadWithUs2023Apr

Here are some amazing books we have curated for you and some more we have come across; some obscure, some hilarious:

How To Kill Your Best Friend by Lexi Elliott

Free Food For Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

The Third Twin by Ken Follet

Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas by Tom Robbins

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Driving with Dead People by Monica Holloway

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Send Nudes by Saba Sams

Other People's Husbands by Elizabeth Noble

Lunatic In My Head by Anjum Hasan

The Manatee Did It by Kay Dew Shostak

Let's Not Be Friends by Phoebe MacLeod

My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood (short story)

Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid (short story)

The Mother I Never Knew by Sudha Murthy

Five Parties With My Worst Enemy by Elle Sharp

The Never Have I Ever Club by Mary Jane Baker

My Year of Saying No by Maxine Morrey

Worn Out Wife Seeks New Life by Carmen Reid

Q: What do i do to participate for this month?

Step 1: Choose 1-2 books that suit this prompt. Hop onto the Instagram post and leave a comment about the book you plan to read (which you can change your mind about).

Here are our shortlists! Anjali's and Rashu's - What we might choose to read for this month's prompts. Have you made your own unique short list and shared it on the chat group yet? 💖

Why Anjali shortlisted these three books for the April prompt?

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
This title simply caught my attention. It sounds so controversial, and yet I can also relate... Because my memoir could easily have read - I'm glad my dad died... But I have a great therapist.

The Train To Impossible Places by PG Bell
Rashu picks the best middle grade books, and when the books title is this intriguing, why indeed would I not want to read this book!

I Can Read With My Eyes Shut by Dr Seuss
This sounds so sus... Unless you're reading in Braille, or you're 'reading' an audiobook... And I love Dr Seuss books for the colours and just how simply appealing they are...

Why Rashu shortlisted these three books for the April prompt?

The Train To Impossible Places by PG Bell
Magic always intrigues me and in my perpetual effort to indulge my kids' imaginations; this was one such title I picked for them. It was one I had full intent to read too!.

Dead Men Tell Tales by Dr B. Umadathan
This was a book I won as a part of #letsreadmalayalam challenge last year. The book is memoir of a forensic surgeon, translated from Malayalam to English.

Off the Page by Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer
Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors and this title jumped out to me when perusing books at 'The Bookworm' with Anjali.

We will review each month's participation, using the relevant hashtags and choose the post we like the best by the first week of the following month. So using this month's hashtags on your posts is important. The winner will receive the prize in about 7-10 working days after the announcement, subject to no delivery impediments - in which case, we will keep the winner posted.

Lets begin, hop on the Read With Us train!

Q❓: Where can we be reached for any queries?

Anjali - Instagram: @cherumanalil

Rashmi: Intsagram: @rashu_reads

Blog: http://rashureads.blogspot.com/

Click to go back to main page for more FAQs - Read With Us 2023 - Challenge

#Bookstagram #BattysMammaReads #RashuReads #ReadWithUs #ReadWithUs2023 #ReadWithUs2023Apr #ReadMoreWithUs2023 #ReadingChallenge

#ilovereading #2023reads #readinggoals

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝘀 - 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

February is Black History month! No one is the same, everyone is different and unique in their own way. This makes us special, and no one deserves to be differentiated based on their uniqueness, or specialness.

This is a subject close to our hearts and is something that's been voiced more and more, everyday, in communities around the globe.

February prompt- a book written by a Black author OR a book with racism as a theme.

You can choose a book of any genre, as long as it suits the prompts.

The books suggested here - are not the only options, but a sample of what you can choose, as long as it's relevant to the prompt.

There are some amazing books we have come across or heard of, over the last few years. Check out the collage for some such books.

Q: What do I do to participate for this month?

Step 1: Choose 1-2 books that suit this prompt. Hop onto the Instagram post and leave a comment about the book you plan to read (which you can change your mind about)

Here are our shortlists! Anjali's and Rashu's - What we might choose to read for this month's prompts. Have you made your own unique short list and shared it on the chat group yet? 💖

Why Anjali shortlisted these three books for the February prompt?

Roots by Alex Hailey
I read this book some years ago. It's a heart wrenching story that is a fictionalised account of the author's ancestor, and someday I'd like to re-read it because it is one of my favourite historical 'fiction' books.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
A debut indie novel, that's YA fantasy, my favourite genre. Book1 of a trilogy that's based on West African Mythology. That's it! It's been on my radar for some time. I love the title and the cover. And I'd love to explore mythology (and re-imaginings) beyond the Indian and the Greek/Roman...

Children Of Blood And Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
(Another) debut YA fantasy novel that is Book1 of a trilogy. The author was inspired to write the book by the Black Lives Matter movement. This was on a list of books I wanted to buddy read with my nephew (who since then has stopped reading in a show of teenage rebellion).

Why Rashu shortlisted these three books for the February prompt?

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
This book was a gift from a fellow crafter last year, just around the time this was being converted for the on-screen. The book has been talked about and piqued my interest. This will probably be something I'm going to buddy-read and discuss with her.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
This book was an award winner that i had picked to read for the #champacareadingchallenge last year. It got passed on to my TBR for this year instead.

A Passage To India EM Forster
This time of Indian History is very close to my heart. Its a time that bound us together toward one purpose (Well mostly). So any book based in that time period is intriguing to me. This is one such book that deals with racism very close to home and heart.

Lets begin, hop on the Read With Us train!

Q❓: Where can we be reached for any queries?

Anjali - Instagram: @cherumanalil

Rashmi: Intsagram: @rashu_reads

Blog: http://rashureads.blogspot.com/

Click to go back to main page for more FAQs - Read With Us 2023 - Challenge

#Bookstagram #BattysMammaReads #RashuReads #ReadWithUs #ReadWithUs2023 #ReadWithUs2023Feb #ReadMoreWithUs2023 #ReadingChallenge

#ilovereading #2023reads #readinggoals

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 - 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲

Hello... We are Anjali and Rashmi... or as you know us from Insta - @Cherumanalil and @rashu_reads

We are Reading Buddies, and besties in real life. Book club reads, buddy reads, reading challenges or just sit back and enjoy a favourite genre - We are always in a world of books. Ours is a small quirky world .....and we love it! Books to us are a pure joy and adventure!

For those of you fellow book lovers, who like us love reading - we are hoping to share part of our reading journey with you! So Bookstagram buddies, both old and new, here's presenting the

#𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀 Challenge - 𝟭𝟮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝟮 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀

If you like any prompt - Read a book or two that month and post your thoughts on Bookstagram by the last day of that month, with the hashtag #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. Reading for any prompt is optional. You read a book that suits the prompt/ month you like as relevant. The list below shows an outline of the 12 monthly prompts for the challenge.

To make it more fun and to UP the game for the more avid readers, we have... 𝟖 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬! Read a book or two for these prompts anytime during the year and post your thoughts on Bookstagram with the hashtag #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

Check the FAQs at the bottom of this post, to see how to use the relevant hashtags.

S0, HOW do you participate, you ask?

Here's how!

1 Join our 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐔𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭 group.

2. Make a Post on Instagram with the following included: Name of the book with the mention of prompt and the relevant hashtags - click on it to go to where we have defined it for you :)

3 We will pick our favourite Instagram post from each month, and gift the Bookstagrammer/ Particpant a book. Check FAQ for details.

(Apologies, we are only able to ship within India at this point, but please still read with us dear international buddies)

The monthly prompts are outlined below. And here's the buzz - you get to know the why, the how, and all the inside expose behind each prompt

𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 - a book whose main protagonist is royalty.

𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 - a book written by a black author OR a book with racism as a theme

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 - a book with feminism as a theme

𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 - title with a twist or that shocks

𝗠𝗮𝘆 - a book with a yellow cover

𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 - a book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist

𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 - a book set on or about the sea, mermaids, sirens...

𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 - an author who is of Indian (South Asia) origin

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 - a banned book

𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 - a book with dragon, vampire, or witch in the title

𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 - a book that you bought before 2022 and still haven't read

𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 - a book with winter, holiday, snow, December, or Christmas in the title

We want to make it fun and interactive for all of us. So here are some quirky additional prompts for you. Just remember, these can be read at anytime during the year! Just use the hashtag #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 when you make a post on Instagram.

𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘀

- a book with a Dog on the cover (in memory of Batty)

- a book with flowers on the cover

- a book with a cover that's night themed

- a book set in any part of India or translated from any Indian language

- an Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle book

- a classic in any language (includes translations)

- a YA book with mental health as a theme

- a YA book with love as the theme

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Q❓: What's the Reading challenge all about?

A: 12 Prompts for 12 months - One prompt has been set for each of the 12 months! If you like any prompt; read a book or two that month. All you have to ensure, is that the book chosen matches the reading prompt for the month! Once done; post your thoughts on Bookstagram by the last day of that month with the hashtag #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

Q❓: What are the hashtags to use?

A: We'd like you to post, so we can track that you have read with us for a particular prompt. Hence using the appropriate hashtags is extremely important!

Monthly Prompts

Use #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀 #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 and the month specific hashtag that will be highlighted in the announcement post on our Instagram, every month. example: #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯𝗝𝗮𝗻

Additional Prompts

Use #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀 #𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗨𝘀𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 and highlight the Additional prompt that you have read for!

Q❓: What's at the end of this reading rainbow, you ask?

Well, if you read a book for all 12 prompts and a book for the additional 8 prompts, it makes you eligible to win a curated book box... One winner will be chosen from the eligible readers and we will announce the book box winner by mid-Jan 2024!

Q❓: When will the monthly Winner be chosen or announced?

A: We will review each month's participation, using the relevant hashtags and choose the post we like the best by the first week of the following month. So please use the right ones with every post. The winner will receive the prize in about 7-10 working days after the announcement, subject to no delivery impediments - in which case, we will keep the winner posted.

Q❓: Is joining the Instagram group mandatory?

A: We are welcoming fellow readers and bookstagrammers from across the globe, and hence a chat group for discussion, updates and any common queries makes it central and easier. It is not mandatory, but it helps us meet and discuss and see different reading options and perspectives.

Q❓: Where can we be reached for any queries?

Anjali - Instagram: @cherumanalil

Rashmi: Intsagram: @rashu_reads

Blog: http://rashureads.blogspot.com/

#Bookstagram #BattysMammaReads #RashuReads #ReadWithUs #ReadWithUs2023 #ReadMoreWithUs2023 #ReadingChallenge

#ilovereading #2023reads #readinggoals

🆃🅷🅴 🅸🆂🅻🅰🅽🅳 🅾🅵 🅼🅸🆂🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🆁🅴🅴🆂 by Elif Shafak

Book: 🆃🅷🅴 🅸🆂🅻🅰🅽🅳 🅾🅵 🆃🅷🅴 🅼🅸🆂🆂🅸🅽🅶 🆃🆁🅴🅴🆂 by Elif Shafak

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

#readalong with #dalisbookclub with @_the_book_club__ and my book buddies.

#champacareadingchallenge

By @champacabooks

* Prompt 6: Shortlisted for Women's Prize

* Prompt 9: about Plants and Trees

My Review:

Ada is a teen with family and cultural roots in Cyprus; that she doesn't know much about. Her world is shattered when she loses her mum. Her dad, Kostas, is more in tune with trees though he does his best to keep up with her. Ada feels the disconnect and rift is ever growing.

The Fig Tree: in their garden is the one thing that her Dad connects with the most. It travelled with her parents when they fled the conflicted society of Cyprus. Like them, the tree is an Islander at heart.

🤔 What history has it witnessed?

🤔 What trauma has it known?

🤔 What dreams has it seen built and shattered?

It's a book of metaphors, dreams and shattered realities. It's a Human story in the perspective of a tree that's lived through a long history.

The Island of The Missing Trees is a good read for a few reasons.

*Ada is a teen from an immigrant family and is finding her place, where and how she fits. This journey is beautifully explained in small snippets of her mind, through the course of this book.

* It gives you a very broad picture of what the civil conflicts mean at ground level, without going into too much detail. It keeps your interest going.

* The ecosystem, the importance of nature is predominant in this book. It drives home a large point of how everything in nature, especially non-human plays a major role in shaping what we see today and what we can expect tomorrow.

But most importantly, there is this metaphorical meaning to the story, that resonates on multiple levels. It's like a folk song; that resonates a rhythm that's basic.. that everyone can relate to one beat or another in different levels.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

The Title was a mystery to me. I wondered throughout while reading, as to why it was named so. Here is my observation and opinion on it:

✨ It's not just a play on the Fig Tree but also a metaphorical play on the souls of the people who had to leave the Island during or after the conflict. The numerous souls who live elsewhere, but their souls still connected to their roots on the Island. They are there.. but yet missing physically.

✨ It could also indicate the hundreds of lives lost in the Civil Conflict, whose bodies were never found or traced. Their stories, their families (forest) lives on, but those 'trees' are still missing!

It makes so much poetic sense, keeping in theme with the writing and effect the book has on you, as a reader.

#rashureads #rashu_reads_reviews #bookblogger

Aranyaka - by Amruta Patil and Devdutt Pattanaik

Book: 🅰🆁🅰🅽🆈🅰🅺🅰 by Amruta Patil and Devdutt Pattnaik

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 🌿🌿🌿🌿/5

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:

Aranyaka is a book about the forest. That's the most simplest introduction I can give you. But is it just that?

No. It's more! This graphic novel speaks in more words than what's printed on the book.

𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒚𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒏𝒊 - the large.. is the personification of nature. The role she plays is bifold. She is the glutton, overwhelming and mystical at the same time. The book is written from her perspective. A woman, a mother, and the all encompassing Nature.

𝒀 - the man in search of knowledge, unknowing it's within and around him. One who threw away ritualistic teaching to glean knowledge outside the boundaries of yagnas and sacrifices. He is the personification of Human civilization. Forever in search of the next good thing.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓 is ego and a quest. She is ever persevering and headstrong. She feeds off of the knowledge but yearns to prove it wrong. The unquenchable need to satisfy the thirst, the dream to be the best, shows the current society we live in. The competitiveness never ends.

𝑴 𝒐𝒓 𝑭𝒊𝒈 as she comes to be known: is Vanity. Aware of what she is and aware of the feelings she arouses in everyone around her.. but also a dream to find more in herself than what already is. She wants to be seen as intellectual, known for her mind, rather than her appearance or upbringing. She represents the youth.

The cycle of life, the interdependence of nature and mankind, the Vedic concepts of Aranya, Jiva,Himsa, Aham, Bhakti, Grihasta, Gyan, Prati-Sparda, Vyavahara and many more are depicted in intense graphics.

The novel is intriguing for its graphics, sometimes very layered and sometimes too blatant. But the book calls for it. This is a graphical dissertation on Veda and the Vedic concepts in a way one can resonate with.

✨𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗜 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗶𝘁?

Difficult to express it as enjoyment. What the book is.. is thought provoking.

✨𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱?

Definitely. But for a mature mind. The concepts and some of the graphics are not suited for young readers.

✨If you do read it.. please do drop in a comment on this blog post. Would love to discuss this with a fellow reader.

The Poison of Love by K R Meera (Translated from Malayalam)

🆃🅷🅴 🅿🅾🅸🆂🅾🅽 🅾🅵 🅻🅾🆅🅴 - by K. R. Meera

Original: Meerasadhu (Malayalam)

Translated by Ministhy Nair

Read for:

* March Prompt - She Writes for #letsreadmalayalam #readingchallenge by @bookwormandherchild

*Prompt: for #champacareadingchallenge by @champacabooks

08 - with less than 200 pages

22 - written by and translated by a woman

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 😐😐😐/5

I cannot use stars for this book.

𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: manipulative behaviour and extreme vindictiveness.

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:

Tulsi is a bright student with great prospects, coming from a respectable and loving family. And that's until she meets Madhav (a journalist) through her friend Vinay. Everything in her life from there focuses on him - like he is her lodestar.

She elopes from her engagement (with Vinay) to be with Madhav ….and here begins the story of a 'Meerasadhu'.

Somewhere this relatable story of a girl in love, a wife , a mother changed into vindictive poison (as indicated by title - expected) of retribution, revenge and madness. The plot is loosely based on the love Meerabhai had toward Kanha.. making him the center of her Universe but twists it in the most toxic of senses.

𝗠𝘆 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

K R Meera has done a good job highlighting the toxic, male ego and the twisted way our society works to normalise that male behaviour.

BUT, and that's a big one - The author herself through this story, nor in her afterword, mentions or encourages women to remove themselves from a toxic environment. Nor does she call out such behaviour and take positive steps to self heal and move on.

Agreed, this is fiction. But when the author says people walk up to her and relate to the character, a word of positive influence is necessary, given the toxic solutions Tulsi found in the book.

I'd sure have liked the book a bit more if the author could have used this relatability factor to influence positive change in society.

#rashureads #rashu_reads_reviews #malayalambooks #translatedbooks #indianbooks #indianauthors #bookstagramindia #readinggoals #readingisfundamental #bekindtoyourself #mentalhealthmatters #books2022 #booksiread

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

March Read for #bookclub with my book reading buddies, Anjali, Anu and Ramya.

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

This little piggy went to the market.

This little piggy stayed at home.

This little piggy had roast.

This little piggy had none..

And this little piggy went ...

....wee wee wee...

..all the way home!

A young woman, wants to revisit the 'solved' case of her Father's death.

Reason: To prove her Mother's innocence.. years after she was convicted and is dead too. When she approaches Hercule Poirot, what plays in his mind about the people involved is the nursery rhyme!

Which little piggy got away with Murder - is what he needs to deduce.

My Experience: A good mystery read with more emphasis on the personalities of the characters in the situation. Poirot's ability to pick through what seems like an everyday conversation and pull out pearls of deductions is super fun!

In the frame:

* 2008 Harper Collins publication of the book.

* A Crochet piggy I made #inspiredbybook. My yarn creations can be found at @rashmibinu_saiasmi

#handmade #bookprop #saiasmidreamzinyarn #crochet #amigurumi #rashureads #agathachristie #agathachristiebooks #herculepoirot #bookclubreads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #rashu_reads_reviews #books2022 #booksiread #crafters #readers #readingisfundamental #ilovereading #ilovecrafting