Truth is stranger than fiction

Title: Horror in the woods Author: Lee Mountford Genre: Horror Keeping in mind the spirit of Halloween, picked up this one. Horror in the woods is about 4 friends who go on a weekend hike and how it changes their lives. Ashley and her friends venture into the woods to get away from the hustle bustle of city life. There is an urban legend about a certain Webb family in these woods who are known for their grotesque practices. Is the urban legend true? What was initially supposed to be a fun trip ends up as a nightmare as they embark on a horrifying adventure. Written in a gripping and compelling manner, the author manages to give a good chunk of gory details. Most instances in this book are violent and makes you cringe in horror. Themes of family, friendship, betrayal and existence are dealt with here. Horror in the woods is certainly not meant for the faint hearted. Its a fast paced read and bound to be appreciated by those who have a penchant for horror. Read this at your own...

The triathlon season in California is officially over. To overcome those withdrawal symptoms, I decided to switch over to running until March-April next year.  Mermaid series had a 10 miler run event where participants could get to run on the Golden gate bridge. Since I loved running in San Francisco city, I decided to sign up for this one. I was blessed with good weather thanks to the onset of the fall season. The trees exhibited resplendent shades of red and yellow, making it a glorious sight altogether.  It was dark and a chilly Sunday morning. When I reached Crissy field at SFO, I could see the lights twinkling on the bridge. It was a pretty sight and gave it an overall fairy tale like appearance.  I stood there shivering despite wearing a double layered full sleeved attire. The volunteers were setting up the timing mats. Participants slowly streamed in, flashing lights from their phones. Getting into a conversation with a few of them, ...

Book Review Title: Waiting Author: Ha Jin Genre: Fiction Waiting is a love story between 2 individuals that transcends barriers and the complexities involving certain customs. Lin Kong is a doctor in the Chinese army who is in love with Manna Wu, the nurse in the same hospital. He is trapped in a loveless marriage with his wife Shuyu who is in the village with his daughter Hua. Every time Lin returns to the village to seek a divorce from his wife, the latter refuses in the last minute. And each time, Lin is forced to postpone his engagement to Manna. He has been waiting for eighteen years and this time he is determined to change things. Will Lin divorce his wife and marry manna?  Waiting is a book that showcases the protagonist being caught between a cultural conflict where adultery ruins reputations and lives. The writing style of the author is particularly eloquent and flows like poetry. While the story is simple, it captures the comple...

Book Review Title: Before we were yours Author: Lisa Wingate Genre: Literary Fiction 'Before we were yours' is a story set around the Great Depression era. It's inspired by true horrific incidents revolving around the Tennessee Children's Home society.  Children were kidnapped from poor families, tortured and later sold to rich families.  This book captures the story of Rill Foss and her siblings who were born to river gypsies. One day their father leaves them alone as he has to take their mother for a medical emergency. During that intermediate period, these children are kidnapped by some men and thrown into the orphanage. Rill tries to protect her siblings fiercely but loses some of them over time to unprecedented circumstances.  The story unfolds to the life of Avery Stafford in the present day scenario. Avery has it all-born in a reputed family, a promising career as a senator following her father's footsteps and a handsome fiancee. Her c...

Title: Haunted  Authors: Jay Alani/ Neil D Silva Genre:Horror/Memoir There exists a world that is beyond our realm of logical reasoning. A paranormal world where spirits of the dead linger. Some may dismiss it as an old wives tale while those who have had such personal experiences can vouch for their existence. Haunted is one such book that describes the real life chilling encounters of paranormal investigator- Jay Alani. His stories take you through the remote lands of Rajasthan, fallen mines, an eerie experience in his hostel, deadly forests, haunted houses in the garden city, villages where black magic and exorcism are the only way of life. Written in a gripping and compelling manner, every story evokes terror and a chill down the spine. The author also offers a scientific method that enables to find out the existence of spirits. Haunted is bound to be enjoyed by those who have a penchant for horror. Intriguing and fearful, it’s certainly not meant for the faint hearted .

Navratri was fun this year.  I am not a religious person who believes in fasts. Nor was I ever accustomed to going for Garbha/Dandiya nights. Hence when Mumbai road runners (MRR) came out with this unique concept of Navrun, it felt like a breath of fresh air.  Navrun is an event where participants can either run 9 km for those 9 days or do any form of workout, wearing the color pertaining to that particular day. Since fitness is my religion, I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Navratri. I had been participating in Navrun since 2015 and this was my 5 th year.  The excitement before Navrun reminded me of the similar feeling I used to get as a little girl during Diwali. I remember how I used to eagerly look forward to showing off my new attire in front of all my family members. The little girl resurfaced again this year as I was waiting to show off my different color tees to my runner family.  The color that I wear usually tends to reflect ...

When one thinks of Brisbane, the image of Australia immediately pops into the head. It was for the first time that I realized that there was a place called Brisbane in California which was situated to the south of San Francisco. It was about 45-50 minutes from my place and reiterated the fact that running was the best way to discover new places.  I signed up for the Double 15 k which was organized by Bob Anderson, founder of the runner’s world magazine.  Incidentally the race was on the 2 nd day of Navrun-a 9-day event conceptualized by Mumbai road runners where participants could either run 9 km for 9 days or do any form of workout for those 9 days wearing colors pertaining to that specific day. It’s based on the fact that fitness is religion and there couldn’t be a better way for runners/triathletes to celebrate this festival of Navratri.  The color was white for this particular day. White is a special shade for me considering it’s the meaning of ...