Sravika's Books - Reviews and Other Trivia

Chosen Ones [Chosen Ones #1] By Veronica Roth  Released Year: 2020 Page Count: 417 pages  Medium Used: Kindle PW  Genre : Science Fiction, Magic, Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopian Future, 2024-read.  Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐💫 I liked the way the story unraveled - how she has presented the unfurl - through a series of news articles, experts of scientific articles etc. I felt that she could have written some parts of the book better - like for the initial 100 pages where it was young adult stuff, I deeply wanted to DNF this. But since the author is a very successful and well revered writer, I took a chance with her. The more the story unraveled, the more I got hooked.  The Dark One is a villain who attracts destruction and death like a magnet. He is a time and multiverse traveler with special magical abilities. A prophecy made against him is that every universe where he appears will have an equally powerful Chosen One who will bring an end to him,thus saving their earth/univ...

 The Golden Compass (Northern Lights)  [His Dark Materials #1] By Philip Pullman  Released Year : 1995 Page Count: 400 pages  Medium Used : Paperback  Genre : Science Fiction, Fantasy, Multiverse, 2024-read.  Rating : 4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟 I started really liking this book - as it was nearing the end and all the conundrums began to fall in place. I liked the concept of a binding(sort of like a half soul relationship)between a human and an animal which reflects their inner nature. It seemed very sacred and precious. At times, I was shocked at the  cruelty directed towards children in this story. How can someone do those things and sleep peacefully? How can they not be bothered even if they justify it with some theological/good-evil justifications ?   While this book forms a base work for what's to come .. that is, a journey from one universe into another and subsequent adventures .. through the aide of northern lights or the aurora borealis .. the cent...

 Pompeii  By Robert Harris  Published Year : 2003 [Hutchinson]  Page Count : 394 pages  Medium Used : Paperback  Genre : Historical Fiction, Italy, Volcanic Eruption, 2024-read.  Rating : 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fantastic. Very engaging read. In 79AD, several deaths have resulted when an unsuspected volcanic eruption took place in Italy. The mountain is mount Vesuvius and the nearby cities and towns were swept away by high velocity rain of pumice stones and the following fire stream. Thousands of people have died. Several monuments lay in ruin at the end of the eruption. These are historical facts. The author has remained loyal to the facts and the descriptions of how the event must have taken place, how certain people might have reacted and either escaped by chance or perished unluckily are fictional creations of his brilliant mind. I enjoyed reading this story very much .   Nothing felt - not even the fire wave - overdone. I would like to check out some ...

 Caliban's War  By James S.A.Covey  Published Year :  Page Count: 550 pages  Medium used: Kindle PW  Genre : Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fantasy, Aliens, 2024-read.  Rating : 1/5  DnF at 40 percent.  Edit : Willing to give this another chance.

 The Goldfinch  By Donna Tartt  Winner of Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2014 Release Year: 2013 Page Count: 900 pages  Medium Used: Kindle PW  Genre : Coming-of-age, Contemporary, Drama, 2024-read.  Rating : 5/5  A compulsive page turner. I was reading so fast and the writing is so vivid, it felt like flying through time and space. I felt the book is a tad too long and at places, too descriptive which could have been shortened. But nonetheless, a very worthy read. I could pick one and very important message out of this book : good can come out of bad actions and bad can result from actions of good intent. And no one can really determine what happens but leaving it all to chance and hoping for the best.  A young kid of 12 loses his mother to a bomb blast in a museum in New York. He is one of the survivors and while escaping from the debris and the museum, he steals a random painting. It is the Goldfinch painting by Fabritius, 1654. He comes to associa...

 Shaitaan (2024) Release Year: 2024 Language: Hindi Director : Vikas Bahl  Cast : Ajay Devgan, Jyothika, R.Madhavan.  Medium: Netflix  Genre : Magic, Soul Possession, Mythology, Fantasy, 2024-watched, Horror, Black Magic.  Rating : 7.75 /10 Sensational. Brilliant acting by all the cast. Very refreshing to see Jyothika on screen in an active role again. Everything is good, I was watching it so intensely engrossed in the unraveling plot, but the ending seemed illogical. How could the father have foreseen the ending ? How could he have done what he had without knowing how the story would turn out? But still, it only reminds that this is all a fictional concoction, not even remotely connected to reality. Something that could one day happen, maybe? I think would have been better if they also included some element of divine intervention to stop the maniac black magician. Madhavan is a black magician. He has taken over the soul of Ajay Devgan and Jyothika's daughter. H...

 Paris for One and Other Stories  By Jojo Moyes  Published Year: 2017 [Penguin Books] Page count: 381 pages Medium used : Paperback  Rating : 5/5  I just love writing style of Jojo Moyes. Ever since my first book from her - The Giver of Stars - I have only given her 5 star ratings. This book doesn't disappoint. There are two long stories and other smaller ones which are all very entertaining and inspiring to read. She restores the faith I have in goodwill of people and also in the enduring quality of love. Despite the number of years spent together and the sacrifices that are made by the couples, their love could be enduring and renewed.  I love the two longer stories  - had me gripping the book and in a strong hold till I finished them. Loved the prose too. Loved reading about Paris and all the attempts everyone makes for lovers to come together in the stories.:)