Book Review: If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern

Book Review: If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern

Plot:

“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.” 

A magical tale by one of the best creator of fiction love Cecelia Ahern.

‘If you could see me now’ is about Elizabeth who’s serious responsible and stuck in a small romantic Irish town, which bears not a hinge of interest for the placid-thinking Elizabeth, with her 6 year old nephew Luke.

The abandonment of her free-spirited mother in early age has made her look and think far from her age while on the other hand Saoirse, her younger sister, is replica of her mother. She left her newborn son in charge of Elizabeth and left to live life to its fullest, though she comes back time to time in her life for favors.

Then there is Ivan, he is and isn’t at the same time, well the hero (My most favorite of all other fictitious heroes) is an imaginary friend.

Ivan is a citizen of the Imaginary World where there are fairies and friends always present to help disturbed children. But as the tale proceeds its not only Luke who needs a friend.

Ivan soon realises that Elizabeth can feel his presence, the more she gets deep into depression the she feels him. At last there comes time when she could see him but not as Luke’s imaginary friend. They both go out and spend time together changing and transforming each other, completing themselves. Elizabeth smiles down to the life that she had around her forever, she allows herself to finally feel the pull of love thats greater than gravity.

At that point the task that was given to Ivan is complete. He has done what he was sent for, mending the lives of his friends. Opal, Ivan’s boss feels the change in him and reminds him that their Love is as imaginary as him.

Eventually there comes a time when Elizabeth stops seeing Ivan and he is again invisible to her (a major heartbreak).

Somehow they both carry on with their lives, transformed into something better,

But Elizabeth Remains His Favorite Friend.

“Don't ever take for granted when people look in your eyes; you have no idea how important it is to be acknowledged. Even if it's an angry stare, because it's when they ignore you, when they look right through you, that you should start worrying.” 

Review:

“I think I wished for you all of my life.”

The Happily Ever After is not what you expect but here it comes in a style that only Ahern can write.

If you could see me now is something beyond words. The love and the feel of this outstanding book is everlasting. The fiction within the fiction is so real that makes you believe the stories of childhood and relive them with a new dimension.

This book is special, as special as every small moment of happiness in life is. This book is not about Elizabeth or Ivan, but this is a story of how angels are sent down to bring people back to life. It is lovestory that doesn’t need any place or time to survive, only a moment of realisation will do.

If I let go without writing about the moment of separation, it remains incomplete. Ahern has given words to the feel of leaving your loved one alone and watching them as they go on with their lives, living the dreams that you saw together. It is that time when you wish that They could see you now,

The air of magical romance of a small Irish town mixed up with an unforgettable Lovestory that one can ever get hands on to,

“If you love something, let it go. if it was meant to be, it will come back to you.” 

I left my heart in the last page of the book where Ivan watches Elizabeth and Luke happy with their lives.

So I would rate this epic tale:

*****

Reviewed by Adina Farid

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Book Review : The Other Side Of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon

Book Review : The Other Side Of Midnight
by Sidney Sheldon

Plot:

Novel by one of World’s favorite storyteller, Sidney Sheldon. This epic tale is a story of two women born far away from each other but linked closely by fate. One of them being the most beautiful powerful and wild Noelle Page and the other being the smart brainy and unaware of the mysteries that beauty and sexuality beholds, Catherine Alexander.

Noelle has a tough start to life as she struggles to become something she thinks she is. On the way road to success, moving past/with different men she finds the one who’s ‘the one’ the American RAF pilot Lawrence "Larry" Douglas.

She has a nice warm affair with him but soon he leaves her, alone and pregnant, dressed up for wedding.

She then swears on her life to take everything away from Larry which would quench the thirst of her rage starting from his unborn child.

Larry meets Catherine and gets married to her soon after. This is when Noelle meets the Powerful Constantin Demiris (Costa) and finds her way to go to the extreme limit and destroy everything. Everything. Including herself.

Review:

“If you don't know why, I could never explain it to you.”

Written by the pen of Sheldon, this one beholds a tale of deception and rage which eventually results in doom. One of the great thing about this book is the drama and theme of it. The strong storyline and bewitching characters may be a part of fiction but never once you feel them far from reality or you don’t want them to be.

The character of Noelle Page is the protagonist. She has a different nature, the one you would want to know more about. Sidney creates an aura of mystery around her and even when she does evil you can not disagree to her moves keeping in mind all that she had to bear. the rise and fall in her career is a mirror to a struggler’s life.

The story is different. Theme is fantastic and to sum it up this book is a must read.

“To be successfull you need friends and to be very successfull you need enemies.” 

I would give this one of my two introductory books of Sidney Sheldon (the other being ‘Stars shine down)

a whole-hearted:

****1/2

Reviewed by Adina Farid

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Movie Review: The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013)

Movie Review: The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013)

" Let Life In"

Ben Stiller directs and stars in THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, James Thurber's classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.

Review :

Watching this movie, there was a smile on my face the whole time. I wanted to drop everything off and go out on an adventure just like Mitty did. And that is right. Sometimes you do have to take the leap. There is so much beauty in this world waiting for you to notice it. Just like John Green mentioned in TFIOS:

“The Universe wants to be noticed.”

This is exactly what I felt and understood while watching this film. In a way we are all like Mitty: we imagine so many things, keep daydreaming about how we are going to face every obstacle in our lives with some super hero strength but in reality, we are afraid. We are oh so afraid to do what our heart tells us. But we have to take chances in order to live. I should be reviewing this movie about how perfectly Ben Stiller did his role, how beautiful the landscape was, how the special effects were spot-on. These all things were there and surely played a major role but the message this movie contains is far too important than any of these things, Hence; my totally philosophical rant above.

I just saw this movie and I think it deserved a fricking Oscar. It was that awesome. Nevertheless, this quote from the movie justifies the cruelty of Oscars:

 -“Beautiful things don’t ask for attention.”

It will always be a thought-provoking and a really really beautiful movie for me. And those of you who have good taste in movies will definitely love it too.

I’ll rate it with:

****1/2

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

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Book Review : The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Book Review : The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

“Everyone loves a conspiracy.” 

Book Synopsis: 

An ingenious code hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe. An astonishing truth concealed for centuries . . . unveiled at last. While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter. Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci—and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.

Book Review :

“History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books-books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, 'What is history, but a fable agreed upon?” 

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is a fast paced thriller where the main characters have to decipher clues in artwork, architecture and riddles to get to the bottom of a murder and save themselves. This is the first book I ever read by Dan Brown and I was completely speechless. It is book is so engaging that I was not able to put it down. Dan Brown is the master of mystery and fictional history likewise. He fabricates the story with such intricate and minute details and suspense that a reader cannot even guess what is going to happen on the next page. If you are looking for a book full of historical and mysterious intrigue, this book is for you. And mind you! It is is a long book. 

From the instant the book starts, Dan Brown immediately grabs the reader’s attention, grabbing them by the throat and making them read on right until the end! I like conspiracy theories, so the whole basis of the book was interesting.

Obviously most of what is in the book is fiction, but Brown's story telling makes you think it's real. 

I thought his use of real places, people and events in what is a fictional story was very clever.

 “Men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire.” 

   If you're into mystery/suspense genre, history or secret societies, I recommend this.

I’ll give it:

****1/2

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

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Book Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3)

Book Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3)
By Veronica Roth

-“One choice will define you.”

Plot:

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Review:

Allegiant was one of my anticipated books of 2013, I really didn't know how Veronica Roth could wrap up the series successfully. Allegiant was panned by fans and many fans felt that this book ruined the entire series for them. Then there's me, one of the few "black sheeps" who actually enjoyed this book and felt that it was extremely necessary that it ended this way.

Allegiant is nearly impossible to describe because there's just so many subplots going on at the same time. At any given moment, there are at least 5 or 6 different storylines that Roth is telling and it's a bit overwhelming at times. This is definitely the most complicated of all of the books in the series and I guess it makes sense, given the fact that Roth needed to somehow conclude the series in a satisfying way.

Finally readers will learn what being "Divergent" really means for Tris and Four. Tris and Four's relationship is definitely tested in this one and there is a lot of bickering between the two. I just wanted them to make up and just resolve their differences; it does make sense that they are constantly on edge due to hectic nature of their lives. When there aren't fighting (which wasn't very often), there were some very sweet moments between the two. The romance in this one is pretty light, but we do get to see more of what's going on in Four's head.

I have to address the way Allegiant ended because it's caused so much controversy Veronica Roth received death threats after fans had read the ending. The ending of Allegiant was such a risky move on Veronica Roth's part; Roth had the guts to pull off something most authors wouldn't even dream of doing. This is why Roth has sold millions of books because she pushes the limits and is always creating ingenious plotlines. Anyway, I felt that this ending felt inevitable, Roth even said that she always felt like she knew it would end like this. After a bit of pondering, it all made sense to me and I felt like Roth had been leading up to this ending ever since Divergent. In fact, if you read Insurgent, there's tons of foreshadowing that hinted that Allegiant would end like this. Allegiant's ending felt necessary to me and I really feel that this is the ONLY ending that truly would have worked. While I didn't love the ending, I felt that Allegiant's conclusion was extremely effective. There's no denying that Veronica Roth is dauntless after reading Allegiant, it takes an extremely brave and daring individual to write an extremely controversial ending without fearing retaliation from fans. 

Some Of My Favorite Quotes From Book:

-“I suppose a fire that burns that bright is not meant to last.” 

-“I fell in love with him. But I don't just stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me.”

-“Change, like healing, takes time.”

-“The first step to loving someone else is to recognize the evil in ourselves, so we can forgive them.”

Though it’s not my favourite book in the series, it still was a heart breaking book, I’ll give it:

***1/2

Here is the Other Parts of Trilogy:
1) Divergent
2) Insurgent


Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

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Book Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman (2009)

Book Review : If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Synopsis:

Mia is eighteen and has the kind of family any of us would pray to be born to and the kind of boyfriend that can only exist in the fictitious world. Furthermore, she is a gifted musician and is about to be accepted into the prestigious Julliard. Mia has a choice, she can follow her love of music, go to Julliard and accomplish her cellist dreams, or she can stay with her family and the love of her life Adam  and follow her heart. Either way, she has something to gain and something to lose. Then, one fateful morning, Mia’s world is turned on its head and life as she knows it changes. Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
The one thing that remains the same is the question that Mia has asked herself for the past few months, should I go or should I stay?
A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Review:

After a disastrous car accident, Mia finds herself looking down at her own battered body, barely alive. This is one case where, immediately, you get a feel of who these people are, their realness, the love they have for each other. With only a few minutes of getting to know them before the accident, I already felt a connection with Mia and her whole family, turning an already emotional novel into a gutting one. Mia's loss and grief is tangible through Gayle's effortless writing style. It's a tragic tale of unimaginable life changing loss that will make you thankful for everything and everyone you have in life.
This novel is not a story, there is not even a plot per see; in short, it is a chronicle of Mia's life. While she's lost in this sort of limbo, we relive her life with her. She sends us through the ups and downs of her past years. Her relationship, fun family anecdotes, talents, dreams, everything she has ever had, and everyone she can still lose. Mostly, you can see how fast a life full of potential can be changed so drastically. You know that even if she does get through this, nothing will ever be the same. She will not be the same person that we're being introduced to. Through her stories and her time at the hospital, we also get to know other people in her life who love her so fully that you feel their pain for Mia's uncertain future. What got me the most emotional was not Mia's reminiscing, but the reactions to others towards her . There's an especially powerful scene with her grandfather that… ugh *clutches chest*. It shows exactly how talented Gayle is; to be able to render so much sympathy for characters you have only just met, in a book with a mere 200 pages at that, that is some outstanding writing. This is not just Mia's story , it includes everyone that has touched her life as well.

There are two kinds of books, those that you finish reading and leave you with fleeting memories of the attractive hero, the silly heroine, and the overall storyline, or perhaps all you noted was the glaring plot holes, inconsistencies, ridiculousness or flat characters. At any rate, it’s a book that you read, either like or dislike, but no sooner than you have turned the last page, it is out of sight and out of mind. Then there is the other kind of book that will touch your heart, or awaken a lingering memory or a potential fear that will haunt your mind so that even long after you’ve fallen asleep, your unconscious self is still wading through the details. Your dreams will be fitful and when you finally awaken, you will find yourself tangled up in sheets with puffy, swollen eyes from tears that you shed when you weren’t even aware enough to know you were crying.

"If I Stay is the latter. It will stay with you somewhere in your subconscious mind forever."

My Rating for this heart wrenching book is : 

****

Reviewed By : Fouzia Umer

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