Bookish Leaves

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes       by Suzanne Collins My rating: 8/10 Finally!!! I didn’t know how much I missed Panem until I read this long-awaited marvel of a novel. This aptly titled prequel is at once a new story and a trip down nostalgia lane of The Hunger Games. And I cannot appreciate the title enough. The story revolves around young Coriolanus Snow who lives a double life. His poverty hidden under a rich and careless demeanor, a heartless selfish drive covered by concerned and caring appearances. He belongs to the generation who were just old enough to remember the district rebellion and the siege of the Capitol. When he is chosen as one of the student mentors for tributes in the 10th Hunger Games, life presents him with a whole new arena and a charming Lucy Gray Baird. The tribute from District 12 is the soul of the narrative. She manages to become the center of attention among the twenty-four tributes by singing to a recent war-surviving society. ...

No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline  by Brian Tracy My rating: 6/10 This book turned out to be a little different from what I expected. I had expected to find concrete ways to increase self discipline but this book deals with why self-discipline is important and how it benefits every area of our lives. The book is divided into 3 parts namely personal success, business, sales and finance and how to live a good life. The entire section is divided into chapters which are further divided into sections which makes the book easy to read and navigate, something that all self-help books should adopt. At the end of each chapter there are a few suggested activities which are great for analyzing your life. The first section dealing with personal success is for everyone. The topics cover character building, goal setting, responsibility, courage, etc. The second section is where the book became a real drag for me. The ideas presented eg. working all the time you are in your office inst...

The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy      by Thomas J. Stanley Please don't torture yourself by reading this book if you don't like numbers.

Chain of Gold      by Cassandra Clare  (The Last Hours #1) “We do not get to choose when in our lives we feel pain,” said Mathew. “It comes when it comes, and we try to remember, even though we cannot imagine a day when it will release its hold on us, that all pain fades. All misery passes. Humanity is drawn to light, not darkness.” Another awesome journey through the Shadowhunter world. The first book of the Last Hours series, Chain of Gold brings to life relatable yet distant characters and is set in Edwardian London. The series is a sequel to The Infernal Devices which revolves around James’ parents. As an ardent reader of author Cassandra Clare , I give this book 3 stars. The fantasy novel revolves around James Herondale who is a shadowhunter and the grandson of a demon. The story kicks-off with the arrival of the Carstairs and Blackthorn families. Relative peace has reigned for the London shadowhunters, which disrupts abruptly with attacks from demons which ar...