SoCal Girl's End of Summer Reading List

Every summer I like to make reading lists of all the wonderful books I never got a chance to read during the rest of the year because of crazy schoolwork or a hectic work schedule. I usually make a list at the very beginning of summer and then a list at the end of summer (to make up for all the ones I missed on the other list and for all the fun summer releases). It’s been a habit since the age of 12 when my parents tried to limit the number of non-school-related books I was reading, and it became one that stuck. As you can see from my previous posts, “And the Mountains Echoed”, “I am Malala”, “Temple Dancer” and “Socialite Evenings” were all on my list, and here is the rest of it:

1.       “And the Mountains Echoed” by Khaled Hosseini

2.       “I am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb

3.       “The Temple Dancer” by John Speed

4.       “Socialite Evenings” by Shobha De

5.       “Inferno” by Dan Brown

6.       “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn

7.       “Say You’re One of Them” by Uwem Akpan

8.       “Brotherhood: Dharma, Destiny, and the American Dream” by Deepak Chopra

9.       “Portrait in Sepia” by Isabel Allende

10.   “If I Stay” by Gayle Forman

11.   “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” by Lauren Hillenbrand

12.   “Blue-Eyed Devil” by Lisa Kleypas

13.   “The Husband’s Secret” by Liane Moriarty

14.   “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking” by Susan Cain

15.   “Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing” by Melissa Bank

 

I'm so excited to delve into all these wonderful reads and I'll keep posting my recommendations up here! Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Temple Dancer

I borrowed “The Temple Dancer” by John Speed from the library recently and read it this week. It was quite an interesting read and I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I was in a novel I randomly picked and had heard nothing about it. For being Speed’s first novel, the book was exquisitely planned and written, with a rich and constantly contouring story line placed in the backdrop of 1600s Moghul India. The characters are plentiful and beautifully developed, and the scenery and background are described to such an illustrious detail that it almost feels as though we are there in the rocking howdah perched atop the elephant.  Despite the tumultuous nature of the plot, the story does chivy along at a rather slow place, leading the reader to occasionally skim through the descriptive sections to get to the gist of the story.

"Greed, politics, commitment, courage, love, and intolerance mesh to form a vibrant Indian tapestry."

Within the first few pages of the novel, we are introduced to the two beautiful, yet extremely different heroines of our story; Lucinda Desana, the blaringly naive and wealthy Portuguese heiress and Maya, the exotically stunning devadasi (temple dancer) who was recently purchased by Lucinda's family as a concubine/bribe for the vizier. They are thrown together for the journey from Goa to Bijapur, along with a caravan consisting of a wily Desana cousin whom death follows, a notoriously dangerous settlement man, the deviously cunning eunuch, and a mysteriously secretive prince. As various narrators chronicle the tale, Speed takes the time to develop the personalities of each character, allowing us to fit them better into their surroundings. As Maya and Lucinda navigate their way through dangerous bandit-laden mountain passes and roads, they are also forced to work their way around greed, religious differences, shifty political alliances, commitment, scandal, death as a means of escape, and most importantly, love.

Speed explores a number of themes throughout his novel whilst simultaneously weaving a vibrant story line that fits beautifully into the tapestry of Moghul India. Before I continue singing praises of the novel, I must point out that I was extremely annoyed by the constant usage of “Hindi” when referring to a “Hindu”. As someone that claims to have studied Indian history for decades, Speed’s blatant inaccuracy was surprising and unexpected; “Hindi” is the language, “Hindu” is a follower of Hinduism. It should also be noted that the story is narrated at a slow place and occasionally feels as though it is lagging due to the heavy emphasis on detail, but we must take into account that Speed is a first time novelist, and furthermore he is trying to capture Moghul India as accurately as possible. Besides these minor setbacks, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and look forward to reading the next of the trilogy, “Tiger Claws”. 

Book Review: Socialite Evenings

A few weeks ago I picked up a novel at the library bookstore called “Socialite Evenings”, and based on the title, I assumed it to be a guilty pleasure read: light and scandalous, but interesting. I took it to the gym with me one day, and decided to read it during my daily 20-minute stationary bike workout (kill two birds with one stone and all). I finished it by the end of the week, and as I read the last page and closed the book, all I could think was boy am I glad I did not dedicate actual time from my schedule to read such an unpleasant and boring book. Absolutely nothing of value happens throughout the book’s entirety, and it is narrated by the coldest, shallowest narrator I have encountered in quite some time.  

Karuna, the novel’s main character narrates us through her life, from her modest, middle class beginnings to her eventual ascension into the socialite circles of Mumbai’s elite. The first third of the novel is dedicated to her complaining about her middle class background and dissatisfaction with the life she leads. We learn quite a bit about her “closest” friend Anjali, and at one point, a hundred or so pages into the book, I found myself trying to figure out who the actual main character is, since Karuna spends a good portion of the novel praising and simultaneously complaining about Anjali, the quintessential airheaded socialite. As the story slowly and painfully progresses, Karuna marries a childhood sweetheart in order to ascend to the upper class, and we hear about her unhappiness with her shallow marriage and bland husband. She continues to chronicle her boredom with marriage, her husband, and reality, choosing to lose herself in the literary world instead. Two-thirds into the novel, there is still no riveting anecdote or colorful moment that really captures your interest. Karuna continues to regale us of tales of infidelity, religious shams, and even a few mafia members make an appearance, and yet, she does so in such a lifeless, colorless tone, that we just shrug past it. Besides Karuna and Anjali, none of the characters are given much depth or personality, notably Karuna’s husband, which contributes to the story’s lifeless storyline.

As I ended the book, I was disappointed on so many levels. The only semi-useful take-away from the novel that I got was the mentality of India’s middle class. Karuna discusses her thoughts and disappointment with being a part of the middle class, and even though India is nearly a world away from America, I found myself understanding some of her viewpoints. Nevertheless, this is definitely NOT a novel I would recommend to anyone unless you find yourself bored out of your mind with absolutely nothing else to do. 

SoCal Girl Volunteers

Last Sunday, one of my coworkers invited me to come volunteer with her at the Equestrian Therapy Center in Simi Valley. Every Sunday morning, the owner of the mini ranch (ranchette?) holds horse-riding lessons for disabled children, providing them with a safe environment in which to learn a variety of equestrian skills. Being an animal-lover myself, I was beyond excited to work with horses and volunteer for such a cool organization.

 I met up with J, my coworker, early Sunday morning, and she took me through the security gates of the American Jewish University, which is where all these horses are housed. As we drove along the tree-lined entrance pathway, I was shocked by how much open land was hidden away in this corner of our little city. We drove towards the stables, and once we got there, I nearly forgot I was still in Simi Valley and not on some farm far, far away. There was a herd of goats bleating away, dozens of horses hunting around for hay, chickens squawking in a corner, peacocks peacocking and a stray cat sashaying about, begging to be pet. As soon we entered the stable, the horses began nudging us with their heads, silently reminding us to feed them.

(Subtly reminding us about their empty feeding barrel)

We started the morning by cleaning out their stalls and feeding them their breakfast. As they attacked their food (and each other over the hay), we scrubbed and brushed their coats until they shined and cleaned out their hooves with picks just to make sure there were no troublesome rocks stuck in there. 

Just as they finished eating, the kids started arriving, and so we began saddling the horses up. The first class consisted of three kids, and after each kid was outfitted up in boots and a helmet, they were assigned three volunteers-one to lead the horse, and two to flank the horse on both sides and lock the child into their saddle.

The first part of the lesson consisted of a 20-minute trail ride, following a winding path around the campus. We stopped half-way through, and the kids did their usual stretches perched on top of their horses, and then we started heading back to the pens. Once we reached the pens, we split up into two groups. The older and/or more experienced kids went off to practice trotting and cantering in the riding arena, while the younger, less experienced kids were taken into a separate pen, where a variety of games were set up to improve their horse riding skills, dexterity, and motor skills.

By the time the third (and last) class of the day begun, it was near noon, and the sun was scorching hot. Everyone was all sweaty and dusty by the time we came back from the trails, and thus we only halfheartedly chased away the peacocks that kept pecking at the shiny paint on one of the cars. Exhausted, but pleased with our efforts for the day, we all slowly made our way back home. Volunteering at the Equestrian Therapy Center was such a wonderful and fulfilling experience; I’ll definitely be going back many more Sundays from here on out. 

Book Review: I am Malala

I finally got “I am Malala” this Saturday and was so excited to read it that I ended up finishing it within the same day. Like millions of others, I had eagerly been following Malala’s inspirational story chronicling her fight for the right to education.  I was dying to know more about this insanely amazing girl, who at such a young age, actually fought for the right to go to school and the right to learn. Many girls at that age, myself included, view education as a chore, something they have to do. It was amazing to see this young girl not only realize the value of education at such a young age, but really fight for it, even in the face of threats to her life. I am definitely a huge Malala fan.

What the Taliban have done to areas such as Pakistan and Afghanistan is so incredibly heartbreaking and shows the world what happens when violence prevails. To try and shut women out of the public arena completely is the most ridiculous notion, and to actually outlaw education for girls is perhaps even more heinous. Women are just as important to any culture as men, and have just as much a right to an education. As a girl born in a first-world nation, where women enjoy equality (for the most part) in all areas, I find it unbelievable that girls in other areas of the world are groomed solely for the purpose of looking after a household, bearing children, and following the edicts of men. Malala’s plight has really brought forth so many of the issues women around the world face and all the rights they are denied (one’s we take for granted); the right to fall in love, the right to an education, the right to choose who you marry, the right to go out in public whenever you want, the right to talk to an unrelated male, the right to dress as you choose, etc. It’s difficult for people growing up so removed from such an environment to really understand the struggle women go through in such parts of the world, and “I am Malala” does a great job of allowing us a glimpse into Malala’s radically different world.

Now on to the actual book. For those of you that don’t know, “I am Malala” was actually co-written with British journalist Christina Lamb. The book chronicles much of Malala’s life as well as that of her parents as they endure the multitude of hurdles life has to throw at them. We learn Malala’s history, from that of her birth to the day she was shot, all set in the backdrop of Pakistan’s political history. Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, is clearly an enormous influence on her life, and an educational activist himself. Many of his views and morals are what helped shaped Malala’s fight for education. The book is interestingly written in that there is a lot of history and politics in the background of every chapter, to show us how each political shift is affecting Malala’s life, and how her and her family react to all these drastic changes. However, here it must be mentioned that at some points along the read, it seems as though there is too much political history and the co-writer’s voice drowns out Malala’s. Some parts of it actually read like a history book, thus disappointing many of us who want to know more about Malala herself. While it can’t be denied that the political background is necessary to put things in perspective, it seems a bit excessive at times, and drowns out the voice of our heroine. Regardless, the novel should definitely be read by everyone living in a first world nation, simply because it allows us to see things through the eyes of a survivor; a survivor of such harsh conditions and unthinkable obstacles, of the likes of which most of us have never faced.

Malala is a true inspiration to us all, and I pray that she is successful in her fight for the right of girls all over the world to go to school. 

Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed

I FINALLY got around to reading Khaled Hosseini critically acclaimed novel “And the Mountains Echoed.” I got the book almost a year ago, and it’s taken me this long to finally read it (in truth, it took me less than a day to finish the novel, but almost a year to actually pick it up and begin it). Perhaps I was subconsciously reluctant to read it because I didn’t want it to replace “A Thousand Splendid Suns” as my favorite Khaled Hosseini novel. No matter, I finally finished it, and my mind is currently a tumultuous mess of emotions, characters, and storylines.

“When you have lived as long as I have lived, you find that cruelty and benevolence are but shades of the same color”

I’ve always found Khaled Hosseini to be an extremely compelling storyteller; he manages to capture your interest within the first few pages, and before you know it, you’re emotionally invested in the characters. “And the Mountains Echoed” was no different, with the reader becoming enamored by Pari and Abdullah’s brother-sister bond very early into the novel. However, this is where Hosseini’s new novel begins to deviate from his previous two. In “Kite Runner” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns”, Hosseini chose a few main characters and really delved into their personalities, relationships, and flaws. In “And the Mountains Echoed”, there is no shortage of characters Hosseini has chosen to explore more deeply. While he managed to connect all the characters back to the initial Pari-Abdullah story-line seamlessly and simultaneously explored many cultural, political, and economic issues faced by Afghanis across the world, there was just so much going on that it was rather difficult to fully invest yourself in one story.

The novel starts off with a father, Saboor, telling his two young children, Pari and Abdullah, a rather unusual bedtime story about another father facing a difficult moral dilemma. Within a few pages, we can see the same moral dilemma being thrust upon Saboor, and thus, the main storyline of the novel unfurls. Pari and Abdullah’s incredible brother-sister relationship is established very quickly, and within no time, we find ourselves rooting for them, no matter what the future holds. Hosseini’s description of Pari and Abdullah’s bond is so heartbreakingly beautiful that the reader finds themselves wondering what kind of cruel world would tear them apart. However, before we can fully acclimate ourselves to their loss, Hosseini has thrown us into the next story. From here on out, we unfold the stories of many of the characters who have a direct and indirect relationship to Pari and Abdullah, and see the events that caused their separation and everything that has transpired since through the eyes of a variety of characters. While each story clearly connects back to the main crux of the plot, it’s impossible to develop a relationship with every single character, because there are simply too many. It goes without saying however, that each story is exquisitely written, delving into a variety of issues, ranging from poverty, classicism, and women’s rights to more personal dilemmas such as caring for a mentally or physically incapacitated loved one. I only wish all the stories had been more Pari-Abdullah centric and that Hosseini had developed their characters and beautiful relationship further. In a way, many of the storylines seem unfinished, almost as though a few extra chapters were required per story to fully understand each character.

This being said, “And the Mountains Echoed” is still a beautiful read, encapsulating so many emotions, moral and ethical dilemmas, and beautiful relationships between brother-sister, sister-sister, employer-employee, parent-child, and even stranger-stranger. It’s a novel everyone should read, for at the very least, it will encourage us to appreciate what we have been blessed with. 

SoCal Girl Goes Parasailing

A few months ago, a good friend of mine and I decided to take advantage of the lovely SoCal weather we had been having and go parasailing one weekend. We found a Living Social deal for parasailing tickets, and the deal promised breath-taking views of the Santa Monica Pier/Beach, a 15-minute parasailing ride at a 500-foot suspension, and a lovely 90-minute boat ride along the coastline. Marina del Rey, our aquatic activities central, is about a 45 minute drive (with minimal traffic) from where we live, and so we left around noon and got there just before the one o’clock departure of our boat.

(The Marine Del Rey Parasailing Center, picture credit goes to fellow Yelper, Mark S.)

Checking in was nice and easy, just signed our lives away on a few waivers, and before we knew it, we were speeding off into ocean. The weather started out strangely cloudy and gloomy, but as we got closer to Santa Monica and Venice, the clouds began to disappear and the sun began to peep out a little. There were 9 or so other people on our boat, and once we got out deeper into the waters, the instructor began telling us the do’s and don’ts of parasailing, and to not panic as we were unlikely to die even if we somehow managed to detach ourselves from the boat as there was essentially a giant parachute attached to us. A and I were second in line to go, and as the first group began their descent, our excitement began to grow. While the other group was still coming down, A and I were buckled into life-jackets and harnesses, and as soon as they climbed out of the parasailing harness and into the boat, we were clipped in. A thumbs-up and wave later, we were taking off and quickly flying backwards.

Within a minute or two, we reached our max height of 500-feet, and from there on out, it was the most serene, beautiful, and peaceful flying experience ever. We gently glided in the sky, occasionally bobbing up and down a little bit, depending on the movement of the water. The views were indeed, spectacular, and we just floated about, suspended 500-ft in the air, enjoying the scenery and making casual conversation. I’m normally terrified of heights and A was definitely nervous before take-off, but the moment our feet left the ground, our fear dissipated as well, and we thoroughly enjoyed casually floating around in the sky.

As we passed the Santa Monica pier, we came across an area of the coast where there were giant jagged rocks jutting out of the water, and A and I nervously joked around about how with our luck this would be the exact spot we’d fall out of our harnesses at (technically an impossible feat considering how you’re strapped in, but the rocks definitely freaked us out for a second).

Before we knew it, we began our descent and were quickly tugged back towards the boat. Soon enough, the tiny specks that were once people became actual faces again, and we were quickly ushered out of our harness and into the closest available seats so the next group could take their turn. We sat back and enjoyed the boat ride for the rest of the trip, watching the crashing waves, evil-looking seagulls, and occasional seal.





After our boating excursion came to an end, we decided to spend the rest of the day on Third Street Promenade and the Pier. We walked along the beach, amongst the crashing waves, and chomped down on Sour Patch Kids and Sour Patch Watermelon. We did a little shopping, and eventually decided to go to have dinner at Bangkok West Thai, one of my favorite restaurants in the area. We were starving, and so instead of exploring the menu and trying something new, I decided to go with a classic and a favorite of mine, Panang Curry with Chicken and a side of brown rice. The other two went with pineapple fried rice and a Tofu & Vegetable stir-fry. Everything was served steaming hot and delicious.

After our wonderful meal, we took a short stroll along the beach to watch the beautiful sunset. Santa Monica sunsets are my absolute favorite, with all the stunning colors, sparkling water, and beautiful palm trees. It was such a beautiful day to spend by the ocean.

Recipe: Easy Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

While I immensely enjoy the relaxation and wonderful smells that accompany cooking endeavors, I can’t stake a claim at being the best chef in the house (that title goes to Grandma, hands down). In truth, I’m a much better baker than I am a chef. However, I try and cook at least 3-4 times a week, mainly because I find it relaxing but also because I enjoy trying new recipes and love knowing exactly how much of what is going into my food. Mostly I’ll cook just enough for one meal, because I prefer fresh food and fresh ingredients to leftovers or microwaved meals, but on occasion, I’ll make enough for dinner that night and lunch the next day. This happens to be one of those recipes that really refrigerates well and keeps for the next day (it even tastes good cold).

I absolutely love stir-fry and after much research and many attempts with different recipes, I've finally developed my own, rather simple yet delicious version. I usually use whatever fresh vegetables are in my fridge that day but this can definitely be customized to anyone’s personal tastes.

Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry:

1 tsp sesame oil or olive oil (I use olive because I always have it on hand)

½ cup chicken broth/vegetable broth

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

¾ cup of broccoli

½ cup julienned carrots

½ cup mushrooms

2 cups spinach

¾ cup zucchini

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 tbsp. freshly minced garlic

½ tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp curry powder (optional)

1 tsp red chili powder (optional)

2 tbsp. Hoisin Sauce

1 tbsp. Soyaki Sauce

Instructions:

1.)    Dice the chicken breast into cube sized pieces and cut the vegetables into bite size pieces

2.)    Season the diced chicken breast using the garlic powder, lemon pepper, curry powder and chili powder

3.)    Heat the pan over medium heat, coat the pan a little with a tiny bit of oil, and toss the chicken breast in. Get a nice sear going on both sides and then pour in the chicken broth a quarter cup at a time, cover, and let the chicken cook until its done (I prefer using this method because it’s quick, involves very little oil, and the chicken retains its flavor and the spices-feel free to cook with more oil or without the broth or bake the chicken)

4.)    As the chicken is finishing up and there is still some broth remaining toss in the carrots and mushrooms and spinach. Once the spinach wilts and cooks to desired texture, go ahead and throw in the broccoli and zucchini as well (Again, this depends on how you like your vegetables cooked – I prefer my carrots, mushrooms, and spinach well cooked, but enjoy the crunchiness of raw broccoli and zucchini).

5.)    Right before taking everything off the heat, drizzle in the soyaki and hoisin sauces. Once the sauces have warmed and thoroughly coated all the vegetables and chicken, turn off the heat.

6.)    Serve over warm brown rice or rice noodles.