Swathy

My Skin Diary – September 2015

Swathy · October 12, 2015 · 2 Comments

If you remember, I had shared with you a huge haul right after my vacation. Once I got all the amazing products and my sunscreen back into my shelf, I decided it was time enough for me to start taking care of my skin again. Honestly, since I was so excited to get so many products, I literally used everything on the shelf once a day so you would literally find a barrage of products in the ‘products used’ section. And, I would strongly urge you not to follow my example.

My Skin Type

I have combination dry skin which keeps on changing its texture depending on the climate. Also, it is more dry these days as a result of age and negligence. But, then, I have been using alcohol based toner and still my face does not feel stretchy or anything. It is really difficult to make out what my skin type is. It behaves so differently all times. I do also need to use anti-aging skin care products for my skin I guess since I am entering my 30’s now.

My Skin Condition

My skin is, thankfully, quite co-operative and does not breakout at its convenience and my inconvenience. I have always taken very good care of my skin but since my wedding two years back, I have been a little careless with my grooming routine. I have not used sunscreen since two years and I can see the effects. My skin is dark and dull and patchy all over. Also, I have been gaining and losing weight, the effects of which are quite obvious on my skin. And, entering into 30’s is also definitely taking its toll. So, overall, I need to take good care of my skin.

The Book Corner Vol. 3 – The Recession Groom Book Review by Vani

Swathy · October 9, 2015 · Leave a Comment

As the title says, the book is based on the trials of a family to set up their son/brother/grandson with a female successfully in midst of which tragedy aka recession strikes. I always read the reviews of other readers before writing my own review of a book and when I checked out goodreads for this book’s review, I was astounded at how many raving reviews the book has! Let me see what I have to say about it now.

The Recession Groom Book Review by Vani

My Review

Let me skip telling you the story! It is just what it says.

Now, let me get over my grouches. I always hate Indian slangs which is a big deterrent for me to read Indian authors. The repeated invocation to Lord Shiva could have been just replaced with Oh God which is more common in the regular vocabulary of Indians.

Another huge issue I had was the name confusion. Parshuraman, the protagonist. I was confused till almost the middle of the book whether he hails from a South Indian family settled in Chandigarh or was actually a North Indian. I think it comes from being a South Indian. And, it turns out that the protagonist is a Punjabi! I wish the matrimonial description would also include ‘Punjabi’ word.

Parshuraman Joshi, 27, handsome, Hindu-Brahmin, IT Professional, settled in Canada, earns a high-figure salary.

should probably have been

Parshuraman Joshi, 27, handsome, Punjabi Brahmin, IT Professional, settled in Canada, earns a high-figure salary.

No racism intended here. I would rather like to be clear about my protagonist so as to visualize him clearly. The language is simple and good. The story flow is smooth and non-repetitive or huge on details. The protagonist is relate-able but the rest of the story not so much.

The Book Corner Vol. 2 – The Secrets of the Dark: The Debt of Blood is Never Repaid Book Review by Arka Chakrabarti

Swathy · October 8, 2015 · Leave a Comment

It has been a really long time since I have read a good book by an Indian author. Last time, it was a few months back – The Bougainvillea House by Kalpana Swaminathan. But, when I read the premise of this book, I was definitely intrigued but a little sceptical as it sounds almost on the lines of The Shiva Trilogy by Amish which fell flat for me.

Now, before I proceed, let me clarify a bit of confusion I had. This book was released in 2013 and there is already a sequel out. Anyways, I am glad that Readers Cosmos sent it to me otherwise I would have missed reading an amazing story. I just ordered the second part as well which was released in January this year and hopefully would receive it by today or tomorrow.

The Secrets of the Dark: The Debt of Blood is Never Repaid Book Review by Arka Chakrabarti

The Story

So, this is a fantasy novel if you are feeling confused reading the name of Gaya. I sure was! So, no we are not talking of the holy city of Body Gaya but this Gaya is a fantasy continent which is divided into two parts – Land of the Rising Sun and Land of the Setting Sun. If you have read Amish, you would remember Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi clans!

The story begins with a king fleeing his son into the safety because there are some dark forces after him to snatch away the newly-born baby. And, then, the story shifts to twenty years later when Agni and Vrish lose their entire world in a bomb blast or better mentioned as huge fire in their language. Agni finds out that it was a planned attack and thus begins the saga of revenge and both the friends travel to Nisarga in the hope of solving the puzzle.

My Review

I would really not go into defining the story or its plot as it is complicated and I am sure we are not aware of many elements in the book. The book is actually the first part of a trilogy and not much has been revealed. If you are clever enough, you can spot the good guys and the bad guys but making sense of the mystery is a little difficult.