Zinnia Mandrekar
- 20
- reviews
- 5
- helpful votes
- 25
- ratings
-
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
- Written by: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
- Narrated by: Arina Ii
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.
-
-
A feel-good read , with substance.
- By Royal Sharma on 26-03-21
- Before the Coffee Gets Cold
- Written by: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
- Narrated by: Arina Ii
A sweet and simple read.
Reviewed: 14-03-21
A very simplistic perspective on the reasons people want to time travel. If you want a casual read, this is a nice book.
-
The Poetry Pharmacy
- Tried-and-True Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind and Soul
- Written by: William Sieghart
- Narrated by: William Sieghart
- Length: 3 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the years since he first had the idea of prescribing short, powerful poems for all manner of spiritual ailments, William Sieghart has taken his Poetry Pharmacy around the length and breadth of Britain, into the pages of the Guardian, onto BBC Radio 4 and onto the television, honing his prescriptions all the time. This audiobook presents the most essential poems in his dispensary: those which, again and again, have really shown themselves to work. Whether you are suffering from loneliness, lack of courage, heartbreak, hopelessness or even an excess of ego, there is something here to ease your pain.
-
-
Makes you fall in love with poetry again
- By Zinnia Mandrekar on 28-02-21
- The Poetry Pharmacy
- Tried-and-True Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind and Soul
- Written by: William Sieghart
- Narrated by: William Sieghart
Makes you fall in love with poetry again
Reviewed: 28-02-21
One word - Beautiful. I happened to chance upon a talk by William Sieghart on YouTube which then lead me to this book. I love prescriptions given before each poem, it helps you get some context and enjoy the poem even more. A must buy and must read for anyone who loves poetry or even somone who wants to start exploring it. This is the first step.
-
Anxious People
- Written by: Fredrik Backman
- Narrated by: Marin Ireland
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a small town in Sweden it appears to be an ordinary day. But look more closely, and you'll see a mysterious masked figure approaching a bank. Two hours later, chaos has descended. A bungled attempted robbery has developed into a hostage situation - and the offender is refusing to communicate their demands to the police. Inside the building, fear quickly turns to irritation for the seven strangers trapped inside. But as the minutes tick by, they begin to suspect that the criminal mastermind holding them hostage might be more in need of rescuing than they are.
-
-
If you want to listen to just one audiobook,
- By Meep meep on 23-12-20
- Anxious People
- Written by: Fredrik Backman
- Narrated by: Marin Ireland
Good book
Reviewed: 14-02-21
It took me a while to finish this book but it was a good read. Not as brilliant as the Man called Ove.. but good.
-
The Serendipity Mindset
- The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck
- Written by: Dr Christian Busch
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Modern life can feel like an endless sequence of cancelled plans, last-minute meetings and delayed journeys. So how can we use unpredictability to our advantage? LSE and NYU academic Dr Christian Busch has spent a decade exploring how, if acted upon, unexpected encounters can enhance our worldview, expand our social circles and create new professional opportunities. In this book, he reveals the secrets behind the hidden force that rules the universe: serendipity.
-
-
Thus
- By Zinnia Mandrekar on 02-02-21
- The Serendipity Mindset
- The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck
- Written by: Dr Christian Busch
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
Thus
Reviewed: 02-02-21
Serendipity lead me to this book as I was randomly scrolling through Instagram one day. It's a great place to start if you want to harness more serendipity in life. Its got some great takeaways and actionable points. I love how the author summarises each heading under the 'thus' chapter. The only negative was that the author was rambling beyond a point, nearly 25% could have easily been edited out. Good book overall.
-
Ghosts
- Written by: Dolly Alderton
- Narrated by: Holliday Grainger
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first novel from the award-winning, best-selling author of Everything I Know About Love. Thirty-two-year-old Nina Dean is a successful food writer with a loyal online following but a life that is falling apart. When she uses dating apps for the first time, she becomes a victim of ghosting and by the most beguiling of men. Her beloved dad is vanishing in slow motion into dementia, and she's starting to think about ageing and the gendered double-standard of the biological clock.
-
-
I can't believe this
- By Zinnia Mandrekar on 08-12-20
- Ghosts
- Written by: Dolly Alderton
- Narrated by: Holliday Grainger
I can't believe this
Reviewed: 08-12-20
I absolutely loved Dolly's Everything I know about love. But this is very slow, repetitive and even at 2.5x speed not worth it. I can't believe I am abandoning it. Tried, but can't seem to pull through even for the sake of my fav book by the same author.
-
The Choice
- Embrace the Possible
- Written by: Edith Eger
- Narrated by: Edith Eger, Tovah Feldshuh
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1944, 16-year-old Edith Eger was sent to Auschwitz. There she endured unimaginable experiences, including being made to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. Over the coming months, Edith's bravery helped her sister to survive and led to her bunkmates rescuing her during a death march. When their camp was finally liberated, Edith was pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive. In The Choice, Dr Edith Eger shares her experience of the Holocaust and the remarkable stories of those she has helped since.
-
-
Honest, brilliant,moving and helpful
- By suresh kumar on 22-05-20
- The Choice
- Embrace the Possible
- Written by: Edith Eger
- Narrated by: Edith Eger, Tovah Feldshuh
More like 2.5 stars.
Reviewed: 18-10-20
If you like descriptive books, this one is for you. I enjoyed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl much more than this. Heard most of the book on 1.75x speed as it was repititive or too descriptive.
Having said that, this is a very life affirming book. Inspires you to forgive yourself and make the choice of moving on in life. What I love about the book is that it shows both the positive results as well as the journey of getting there. Pick it up if you are up for a long read.
-
The Midnight Library
- Written by: Matt Haig
- Narrated by: Carey Mulligan
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thirty-four-year-old Nora's life could be better. She's lonely, single and has just lost her job. Her cat dying feels like the last straw. What else is there to live for? Then she finds a library between life and death where she gets to try all the other lives she could have lived. The Midnight Library is a gloriously relatable novel about life, death and the in-between. It is about finding hope, playing chess, dumping regrets and picking the right people around you.
-
-
Heart rendering and exciting
- By Architha A on 15-02-21
- The Midnight Library
- Written by: Matt Haig
- Narrated by: Carey Mulligan
A life affirming book.
Reviewed: 03-10-20
As long as there is life, there are possibilities. This book reminds us that changing one's perception towards life makes it worth living. Drawing from philosophers like Thoreau, this book weaves a beautiful story spanning multiple universes. It was a fantastic read. Undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of 2020.
-
Beach Read
- Written by: Emily Henry
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He doesn't believe in happy endings. She's lost her faith that they exist. But could they find one together? January is a hopeless romantic who likes narrating her life as if she's the heroine in a blockbuster movie. Augustus is a serious literary type who thinks true love is a fairy-tale. January and Augustus are not going to get on.
-
-
Flimsy plot in the garb of being oh-so-serious
- By Arathi Unni on 27-02-21
- Beach Read
- Written by: Emily Henry
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
A refreshing book
Reviewed: 08-07-20
The author has the ability to draw you into her characters with her descriptive writing. A refreshing romantic novel.. great beach read indeed.
-
Convenience Store Woman
- Written by: Sayaka Murata
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
- Length: 3 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meet Keiko. Keiko is 36 years old. She's never had a boyfriend, and she's been working in the same supermarket for eighteen years. Keiko's family wishes she'd get a proper job. Her friends wonder why she won't get married. But Keiko knows what makes her happy, and she's not going to let anyone come between her and her convenience store.
-
-
The road less traveled
- By Zinnia Mandrekar on 26-05-20
- Convenience Store Woman
- Written by: Sayaka Murata
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
The road less traveled
Reviewed: 26-05-20
Society has a way of accepting only those who fit the herd mentality. This book is about owning up and being who you are irrespective of the consequences. It's an uplifting book, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
1 person found this helpful
-
The Girl on the Train
- Written by: Paula Hawkins
- Narrated by: Louise Brealey, India Fisher, Clare Corbett
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed.
-
-
Super!
- By Kindle Customer on 28-01-19
- The Girl on the Train
- Written by: Paula Hawkins
- Narrated by: Louise Brealey, India Fisher, Clare Corbett
More like 4.5 stars!
Reviewed: 20-05-20
The first half of the book is a bit slow.. but once it catches pace there is no putting down. A very intense murder mystery narrated exceptionally to keep the reader hooked. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.