For The Love Of A Son - Jean Sasson

Does everything about a certain 'couple of' countries have to be so extreme? Such wrath, such misogyny, such derogation and such hatred for women just for existing? I am disgusted. Honestly, women are nothing but child bearing machines? No identity, no right to live, no right to happiness otherwise? It is okay for them to be beaten, tortured, insulted, mutilated, raped and what not and bear it all. It should be nobody's business. And they can't even break free. There's no law to support them!? Oh God! Did their Allah allow their conscience to write such laws? How come they thought men were so superior and women nothing! I could go on and on, but I am in utter shock upon completing the book. God help me and all those who bear this criminality on a daily basis, and its scary to imagine how many millions of women have been living such lives all their life, hoping and expecting nothing better, no happiness, no smile and dying into oblivion...just like that! Disgusted! Shattered! Shocked! Angered!
FYI: Had I been a citizen in any of these countries, I would have been beaten and murdered for my thoughts, and they would have said, it's perfectly alright. She was only a woman, after all.

Where or When - Anita Shreve

What is it about love that can't be controlled? Is it just the hormones, or emotions running deep? If love matters so much, then is love right even when it stands to break existing families, separating children? What is important?
This book reminded me slightly of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, where you stand to question the idea of fidelity. They say, if you are not happy with somebody, then there is no point continuing in a loveless marriage. And if you find true love elsewhere, even if both parties are married, what about then? This book left me with unending questions...

When The Moon Is Low - Nadia Hashimi

Imagine a sky filled with lights and crackers, the atmosphere rife with pollution and dust. Only, the lights are not from crackers, but rocket attacks. This is no wedding scene that you might imagine, but war-ridden Kabul with the onset of Taliban which made mere thriving itself impossible on a daily basis. Imagine how would it feel to feel imprisoned in your own city, in your own home, where the laws kept changing, and the ones you followed, or grew up following, were never right. The consequence of each misdemeanor being death. Imagine a life where nothing you ever do is right.
Kabul is described as lush and beautiful by people before the Russian invasion. After that, everything is just drab, myriad and full of destruction. In come the Taliban, as a seemingly welcome messiah, but that was not to be. They made even breathing impossible. Is staying put and hoping it would go away the solution? Or running away, which is nothing less than walking on a bridge of fire... It seems impossible to me to imagine surviving in such a situation. Afghan stories always render me shocked...

Coming Round the Mountain - Ruskin Bond

A 30-year old woman (girl) still reads Ruskin Bond, devours any of his books that come out, pre-orders them even. It is clear the books are meant for a younger crowd. However, she has grown up reading him all her life, so now is no different.
Mr. Bond never fails to keep you hooked. His autobiographical style of writing keeps us all enthralled and the 3-decade-young woman would like to recommend this, and any of his books, to readers throughout.