Forget Kathmandu by Majnushree Thapa

My Review: 3.5/5

It can be a great book for someone who is interested in the history of Nepal. The Shah dynasties that ended dishearteningly (more or less) with Royal massacre, the Maoist insufficiency, ups and down of Nepalese democracy, and never ending corruption; everything is explained along with the writer's personal experience . I actually found that part very interesting and I am not hesitating to say, I will read that part of this book again. 

Later part of the book, it looks like a travel diary of the writer after the peace talk when she visits badly affected places from the Nepalese civil war. During that tour, she talks to many people including some Maoists and she concludes that the only people who favoured Maoist parties are the Maoist themselves. Non-Maoist people were happy that the war ended. It sought to be interesting but I kind of found it boring. More than the context, I think it was the way of writing. Mostly, the words and sentences she used were making me sleepy.  

Are You Afraid of Dark? by Sidney Sheldon

My Review: 3/5

Four men across the world: Berlin, Paris, New York and Denver have been murdered. The only connection between those four people were, they worked in the same company: Kingsley International Group. Immediately after they were murdered, their partners' lives are also in danger. However, Diane Stevens and Kelly Harris, widows of two of four victims manage to outwit the murderers. Now, they have to save their lives and find out the motive behind their husbands' death at the same time. They run for their lives until the murderers get caught up in their own trap. 

Not the best book but it was quick and fun to read. The story is very simple and predictable but it is all you need for a quick weekend gateway into the world of books. Sidney is definitely one of the best story tellers :). 

Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

My Review: 4/5

Jamie:

All his life, Jamie has only one ambition; to be able to buy every good thing he and his family desire. In a hope of becoming rich, Jamie travels to Klipdrift, South Africa from Scotland in search for diamond. Initially, he gets tricked by his own to be father-in-law, Salomon Van Der Merwe but as faith would have it, he comes back stronger, boiled in vengeance. As he starts destroying Salomon, he becomes richer and richer every day and eventually forms a company, Kruger-Brent Ltd. 

Kate and David:

After an unfortunate and sudden death of Jamie, it's his wife, Margaret who takes over the company. His daughter, Kate grows up seeing her mother working so hard. The work ethic her mother showed makes a huge impression in her life and because of that, she loves the company from the very early age. Although it was her father, Jamie who created the Kruger-Brent, it is Kate who has all the determination to create a dynasty. All her life, Kate has only one thing on her mind: the Kruger-Brent. It gives her everything: money, fame, life style, life satisfaction and love of her life, David. 

Tony:

The problem occurs when Kate's own son, Tony has no interest on working for Kruger-Brent. He wants to paint and lives the life away from his mother's limelight but things doesn't go well for him. Kate is desperate to find someone reliable to pass the company after her but after Tony steps down, her next hopes are Tony's beautiful twins daughters: Eve and Alexandra.

Eve and Alexandra: 

The eldest twin, Eve is evil and wants to destroy Alexandra since she looks like her and is half heir to Kruger-Brent. Eve is shown making plans to kill Alexandra over and over but on the other hand, Alexandra is shown adoring and supporting Eve. As someone says there is 'Karma', it is the goodness that wins at the end. 

Overall, a magnificent book by Sidney Sheldon about courage, revenge, love and betrayal that runs for 5 generations of one family. Everyone has their own life and story but there is one common thing between them that determines their faith: Kruger-Brent. 

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks

                                                   My Review: 1/5

*Warning: Contains Spoilers*

Normally, I like Nicholas Sparks' books but WTH happened here? Seriously, I am tired of reading tragic deaths of Mr Sparks' characters in his novels. 

This book is the sequel of the True Believer. Now, I am guessing that he decided to write this book because he didn't kill anyone in its prequel and may be he was feeling really uncomfortable about that. So, decided to write this book just to kill someone. I never liked True believer anyway but I thought may be this one will be good. Once again, I was wrong.

The story made no sense to me. The characters Jeremy Marsh and Lexie Darnell were really annoying. Actually, Lexie was even more annoying. Within one week of meeting, Lexie becomes pregnant and they decide to get married. One thing that was beyond annoying was, Jeremy sacrificed so much for Lexie. He left his town, family and friends, and moved to her place to be with her. Even his career is in danger. He is so much in love with her that he gave her everything she wanted but she kept lying to him. It turns out that in the past, she dated a guy called Rodney, who is now dating Lexie's best friend, Rachel. Rodney and Rachel are having problem because Rachel thinks that Rodney is not over Lexie yet. Do you want to know what Lexie does to solve this problem? She meets Rodney alone and holds his hands. Another time, she goes to his house alone to consult with him. For God shake Lexie, you are Rachel's best friend, not Rodney's. You should be comforting her, not spend time alone with Rodney. Even when Jeremy asked Lexie about sneaking out to meet Rodney, she blames him instead saying he is the reason that she has to sneak out. Oh, my holy God! I think if I was Jeremy, I would have slapped her hard and left her immediately. Who actually holds hands with their ex-boyfriend and still have guts to say she was comforting him because he is having problem with his girlfriend (who is actually her best friend)? C'mon, get some sense! What is more annoying is she doesn't tell Jeremy what she is being doing on his back. I just can't believe that Rachel still agreed to become her bridesmaid after all those dramas. Jeremy's best friend, Alvin keeps warning Jeremy that he is rushing into this marriage but as a result, Alvin gets removed out of their life completely. If I was Alvin, I would have said the same thing.  

So, despite everything, Jeremy is still by Lexie's side and they have the best possible wedding. Up to that crappy drama, 50% of the book is done and now, Nicholas Sparks introduces something that will end the story tragically. So, he chooses Jeremy and Lexie's unborn baby. It occurs that the unborn baby suffers from Amniotic Band Syndrome. So that mean, the baby may die unborn or even if she is born, she will be handicapped. There is very little chance of going everything alright. After uncountable visit to hospitals regarding this problem and too much tensions and stresses, shall I tell you what happens at the end? That baby is born perfectly alright but Lexie dies in giving birth. 

WTH

WTH

WTH

Nicholas Sparks clearly wanted to make it heart breaking story and may be hoping to bring some tears on his fans' eyes but this didn't work on me. I was rather so annoyed at the end that I just wanted to get drunk and pass out for a while (and I hate drinking). The funnier thing is, if you haven't read True Believer, you won't understand how the story started and most of the time, you end up frowning. I have read True believer but still it was a torture for me. Huge disappointment indeed!! 

Seto Dharati by Amar Neupane

                                                                      My Review: 5/5

यो  उपन्यासको जति प्रसंशा गरे पनि कम हुन्छ जस्तो लाग्छ। कथाको मुख्य पात्र तारा अनि उनको साथीहरु यमुना, पवित्रा अनि गोविन्दकोको कहानी सायद अब म जिन्दगी भरी भुल्न सक्दिन।   

७ वर्षको उमेरमा बिहे भएर ९ वर्षको उमेरमा बिधवा भएकी ताराको कहानी सुन्दा, बिधवा भए पछि उनले बेहुर्नु परेको समस्या, समाज अनि परिवारको हेला हुनु परेको कहानी पढ्दा साच्चै आफुलाई नै घटेको जस्तो महसुस भयो। छोरी मान्छेको जिन्दगी कति गारो हुन्छ, है? यस्तो कथा हाम्रो देशमा कति छोरीहरुले भोगे होलान, अझै भोगी राखेकै छन्। किताबको रूपमा भए पनि यस्तो जिन्दगीलाई हामी सामु लेइदिनु भएकोमा धन्यवाद छ अमरजी तपाइलाई ।   

यो उपन्यासले मलाई धेरै कुरा सिकायो। मानिसहरु हेर्दा एउतै देखे पनि उनीहरुको जिन्दगी एउतै हुदैन, सबैले आ-आफ्नो भाग्य अनुसारको कर्म गर्नु पर्छ । साच्चैनै, ताराको जन्मे देखि बुढेसकाल सम्मको कहानी सुन्दा लाग्छ, जिन्दगी कति छोटो छ, तर जब उनको दुख सम्झिन्छु, लाग्छ कति लामो छ यो जिन्दगी। यो लामो जिन्दगी उनी सेतो धरती भएर एक्लै बिताउनु पर्यो। कति दुख भोग्नु पर्यो। आफ्नो मन परेको मान्छेसंग जिन्दगी बिताउने, छोरा छोरी बनाएर सुखी संसार बनाउने, ताराको लागि सबै कुरा सपनामा मात्र सिमित रहयो । उनले रोजेको जिन्दगी उनले पाउन सकेनन। अरु कसैको भुलले गर्दा ताराले सजाय भोक्नु पर्यो। यस्तो जिबन पनि जिउनु पर्छ मानिसले तर आज आफुलाई निकै भाग्यमानी महसुस गरि राखेको छु, धन्न म तारा जन्मेको युगमा जन्मिनु परेन।  

बालविधवाको जीवनलाई संगालेर लेखेको यो उपन्यास, मलाई लाग्छ मैले आइलेसम्म यस्तो मन छुने किताब पढेकै थिएन।  यो उपन्यासमा सजिएका नेपाली भाषाको मिठास देख्दा आफु नेपाली भएकोमा गर्ब लाग्छ, अनि त्यो भन्दा पनि धेरै गर्ब लाग्छ यो किताब पद्न पाएकोमा। फेरी पनि धन्यवाद अमर नेउपानेजी तपाइलाई। भबिस्यमा यस्तो किताबहरु अझै पढ्न पाउँ र यी किताबहरु नेपालमा मात्र नभएर संसार भरिनै छाउन पाउन। यही छ शुभकामना।