While on books on falling in love with the idea of someone, let me offer a slightly divergent view. Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities. Of course, it's not about romance in the conventional sense of the term, not about a guy and a girl (or a guy and a guy, or a girl and a girl), but about wanderers and cities. And this may be a weird analogy, but I have always equated love, even when I have fallen in love with a girl, to cities, to the sidepaths that our mind takes, and the chaos that comes along with all the magic. Invisible Cities, while being perhaps Calvino's most accessible book, is about the different ideas that cities take on, on how one perceives them, while on the road to falling in love. An interesting book is Alain de Boton's Essays in Love (also republished as On Love). It's on the everydayness of a story where boy meets girl (Autocorrect made everydayness into everyday mess, which I guess, is poetic in its own weird way). On Love eventually inspired 500 Days of Summer in a way, I think, though I found the book far more layered (whilst being mopey and sexist in parts, much like the movie) Apologies for the long and rambling comment. And for the Tic Tic song reference, ten points to Gryffindor!
Wow, the way you described and equated falling in love with a city and a person was beautiful. Also thank you for the two recommendations. And it's good to see someone else rambling about books like I so often do.
oh man, I absolutely adore these podcasts. It was hilarious when Kaneez started reading the briefing notes and Anuya really wanted her to not do it. It's all fun. I love the podcasts. Great job guys!
Thank you finallyyyyy for the new episode!! Looked forward to it the whole day.. And patience was rewarded.. You brought Kaneez. Thank you so much. You're amazing Y'all.
Brilliant initiative you guys! Also, would love to see a BotCast on Indian Writings. ( I know it's a wild wild suggestion but Shashi Tharoor? :c He's one of the most well read people in our country and he's up for BOOOKKSSS always)
I like 'Looking for Alaska' more than 'The Fault in our Stars' tho. Also, Anuja Chauhan is awesome. Btw, do you guys know that 'Those Pricey Thakur Girls' was adapted into a Hindi serial a couple of years ago? We were pretty excited about it but unfortunately it wasn't quite well received.
Totally agree with Anuya on the twilight books.edward kept me so hooked to it that I read it from a desktop n finished the whole series in a few days. Helped me master reading soft copies 🤓🤓
Thank you , this really helps me to choose books in store, otherwise i am always confused what to buy there are so many options you know . Amazing concept 😁
Have been following since the first video and have loved each and every podcast. I really there was a segment or a new video on some other day for bookshelf tours. As much as hearing them speak about books is amazing watching shelves and spotting your favourite books is a different kind of excitement. You should do a podcast on Indian authors too, not the market filled final year student works, but old forgotten authors and other not so celebrated authors Also longer podcasts please 😊😊
Anuya and sharin should do a vlog together which just has , like, random stuff ! also, please get kenny sebastian on your show, guys!!! (plus, thumbs up to whoever writes those blue tickr comments or whatever that keep popping up. they're pretty amazing)
Yeah, have read Marquez, Anais Nin and too many mills and boons. I like anuja chauhan's writing! You guys could try Incest by Marques de Sade. Oh! I am a huge fan on Anais Nin's writings! Maybe for your next Botcast, you can extend the topic of romance and talk about marriage themes in books and its portrayal. just a thought.
@Sharin, I think you've forgotten Georgette Heyer. It did not have any sex scenes, and its make out scenes were few and chaste. GH is famous for her conservative romances, especially because they did provide the emotional payoff of romance novels due to the witty writing style and dialogue. Also, the books were never about gold diggers. I recommend you read Black Sheep, or Venetia, or Arabella. They're amazing, and you'll like the heroines. And if you're only going to read one GH, read These Old Shades. It's a must. @Anuya, I don't know about Nicholas Sparks (I've only read one of his books), but Nora Roberts books are not the type of cheesy romance books you described. She mostly writes mystery romances or paranormal romances. I recommend you read (if you've the time), The Obsession (about a woman who as a child discovered that her father was a serial killer and saved his last victim), or The Collector (about a professional house sitter who sees a murder in the apartment opposite to the flat where she's currently residing), or Whiskey Beach (about a lawyer who is accused of murdering his wife - he didn't, of course). The premise of these books doesn't sound like romance could be a part of the stories, but I assure you, the romance is all the more sweet because of it. And the sex is hot.
Some of my favourite romance/ contemporary romance/ chic lit include books by Kristen Ashley (Colorado mountain series, Dream Man series, etc) and Kristan Higgins (Blue Heron series), Miranda Keannelly, Amy Spalding, Rainbow Rowell, Deb Caletti, Daisy Whitney, Sarah Dessen, Jodi Picoult, Lisa Kleypas, Colleen Hoover, Julie James, Libba Bray, Sara Manning, Melina Marchetta, Laura Buzo.... Phew! There are far too many more but these are just some I've read and loved...
Books on Toast Loved it! The part about doomed romances is so true. It isnt intentional, but most romances I like end up with someone(or everyone) dying and just depressing themes in general. I hate both FSOG & Twilight. Nothing about it helps me get past 2 pages. P.S Anuya's puns are the best 😂
hey beautiful people i am a huge fan of harry potter and i would love to see a episode hosted on the very question ``why we love harry potter``` also will fell highly obiliged experiencing it live...
nancy drew used to be one of my favourite series, growing up... i did like the nancy-ned angle in the file series. surprisingly, svh was also one of those hush-hush books at my school too (i studied at an indian school in saudi arabia). in the sense of, not everyone used to read the books or admit they did. perhaps because they did not think it was very good etc. i dug the hardy boys + nancy drew angle too, anuya! btw, i found out recently that carolyn keene was a made-up name for a bunch of authors who used to write the books etc. (ooh, i did try reading the first 50 shades book and could not get past the first chapter - however, the movies are better, at least the first one was! i love the casting and the actors did such a good job that i actually found myself liking the characters then. + i have read the twilight series too, and really liked it when it had come out etc. new moon - the book with bella and jacob's friendship used to be my favourite! don't think i re-read them nor have i thought about the series in years. time flies! 2009 does not feel so far away, and yet it is. ack!)
Was expecting a lot more from this episode. It was probably one of the most thanda videos you guys have made. It's great to have comedians and mini-celebs to get the eye-balls - but please get people who actually like to read. The only bright spark in the entire video was Anuya talking about Like Water for Chocolate. However, in case you guys want to read more erotica - check out books by Nicholson Baker like House of Holes and Vox. Monica Lewinsky gifted Vox to Bill Clinton - so we know it comes highly recommended. :) And where romance novels are concerned - Me Before You by Jojo Moyes is insanely amazing (movie sucks but the book is fabulous).
