Nonfiction Reading Challenge 2016

I’m joining so many reading challenges this year. One of my favorite categories is nonfiction.

The levels for this challenge:

Dilettante–Read 1-5 non-fiction books

Explorer–Read 6-10

Seeker–Read 11-15

Master–Read 16-20

This challenge will last from January 1 to December 31, 2016. You can sign up anytime throughout the year.

If you want to join this challenge, click here.

[Book Review] A Life of Spice by Monica Bhide

Title: A Life Of Spice: Stories of food, culture and life
Author: Monica Bhide
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent
Author’s Web: here
Date of Release: April 27, 2015
No. of Pages: 180
ASIN: B00VAGJNYM
Format: Kindle
Category: Non-Fiction
Genre: Food memoir, family, culture
Where to Buy: Amazon, $2.99 link
Opening Line:
Intricate patterns of fish and peacocks are etched deeply into the fine wooden dining table, providing perfect hiding places for tiny marble dice.

In A Life of Spice celebrated writer Monica Bhide explores her romance with food. As in any romance, there are moments of great heartache and unbelievable happiness; betrayals and breakups; and, of course, intimacy. This collection of powerful and thought-provoking vignettes makes us examine our relationship with food deeply–and what food really means to us.

I always appreciate comfort, feel-good book after a long holiday. A Life of Spice has fulfilled my need. I didn’t plan to buy this book. I received a notification from Bookbub, and as a sucker for bargain books, I bought this one. I read the reviews on Goodreads. Mostly gave 4 or 5 stars, so I gave it a go.

The prolog is very interesting. Monica told about how her father landed in the USA. She was an engineer but then she followed her passion in food-writing.

I like learning about cultures. I believe the first gate to experience a culture is through food.

Monica also explained why food eaten or cooked with hands tastes better than the ones using tools. The energy from the cook is transfered through the hands.

So many interesting tidbits about Indian vs Western food culture.

What bothered me the most is the repetition. I understand this book is a compilation of articles, but it would be better if it was edited.

Overall, this book is worth the hype, and I’m looking forward to reading other books by this author.

What we eat and how we eat it gives us identity; it helps us to define who we are.

Read at Your Own Risk Challenge 2016

Hello,

Sudah cukup lama saya nggak jadi host reading challenge, maka tahun ini saya memberanikan diri untuk menjadi tuan rumah Read at Your Own Risk Challenge.
Akan ada tema bacaan untuk tiap bulannya dan peserta wajib meninggalkan link resensi di linky yang akan tersedia setiap bulannya.

Syarat mengikuti challenge ini:
1. Membaca buku dan menulis resensi untuk tema yang ditentukan tiap bulan. Resensi boleh ditulis di blog, FB note atau Goodreads.
2. Meninggalkan link resensi di linky paling bawah postingan ini.
3. Akan ada pemenang bulanan untuk challenge ini berupa buku yang bisa dipilih sendiri senilai IDR 100,000.
4. Peserta tidak wajib mengikuti challenge tiap bulan, tetapi bagi yang mengikuti dari Januari sampai Desember 2016 akan ada hadiah spesial yang akan diundi akhir tahun, yaitu hadiah buku sebesar IDR 250,000 yang bisa dipilih sendiri di toko buku online.
5. Tema akan diumumkan setiap awal bulan. Jadi, siap-siap menerima surprise ya 🙂

Tema untuk bulan Januari adalah:
Membaca buku dengan judul Hujan/Rain atau buku dengan cover warna biru.

Winner: Wulida

Tema untuk bulan Februari adalah:
Love Story (fiction or non-fiction).

Winner:Nurina

Tema untuk bulan Maret adalah:
Your favorite author (fiction or non-fiction). Baca buku dari penulis kesayanganmu.

Winner:Maria Hobbybuku

Tema untuk bulan April adalah:
A book recommended by a friend. Baca buku pilihan dari teman.

Winner:Nisa

Tema untuk bulan Mei adalah:
buku Asia (selain Indonesia). Baca buku dari penulis yang berasal dari Jepang, Cina, Korea, India, etc.

Tema untuk bulan Juni adalah:
thriller/suspense. Kita seru-seruan di bulan ini ya.

Tema untuk bulan Juli adalah:
spiritual. Buku yang membangun jiwa spiritual atau memberi pencerahan bagimu.

Tema untuk bulan Agustus adalah:
Non-Fiksi. Buku biografi, travel, sejarah atau apa saja yang bukan fiksi.

Tema untuk bulan September adalah:
Historical Fiction. Fiksi sejarah Indonesia atau negara lain.

Tema untuk bulan Oktober adalah:
Horror atau cover warna hitam.

Yuk, siapkan buku di tumpukan TBR-mu dan jangan lupa untuk menulis resensinya.

Happy reading ❤

2016 Read Harder Challenge

pic creds: here

Hello,

Another challenge that I’m planning to fulfill this year. My aim is to discover new authors and genres, learning new things from different perspectives. One of my new year’s resolutions is to stay away from social media (except for Twitter, I need to update my blog posts on Twitter). I think I might have a lot of time to read this year.

Hosted by Book Riot, here’s the challenge:

1. Read a horror book: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
2. Read a nonfiction book about science: Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku
3. Read a collection of essays: Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace
4. Read a book out loud to someone else
5. Read a middle grade novel: Matilda by Roald Dahl
6. Read a biography (not memoir or autobiography): Last Night at the Viper Room by Gavin Edwards – 17/1/16
7. Read a dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
8. Read a book originally published in the decade you were born: The Shining by Stephen King
9. Listen to an audiobook that has won an Audie Award: The Longest Yard by Nicholas Sparks
10. Read a book over 500 pages long: The Bible
11. Read a book under 100 pages: My Unwilling Witch Sleeps Over by Hiawyn Oram
12. Read a book by or about a person that identifies as transgender: Man Alive by Thomas Page McBee
13. Read a book that is set in the Middle East: The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen
14. Read a book that is by an author from Southeast Asia: Panggil Aku Kartini Saja by Pramoedya Ananta Toer
15. Read a book of historical fiction set before 1900: Empress Orchid by Anchee Min
16. Read the first book in a series by a person of color: The Legend by Marie Lu
17. Read a non-superhero comic that debuted in the last three years
18. Read a book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie. Debate which is better. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
19. Read a nonfiction book about feminism or dealing with feminist themes: How to be a Woman by Caitlyn Moran
20. Read a book about religion (fiction or nonfiction): Living with a Wild God by Barbara Ehrenreich
21. Read a book about politics, in your country or another (fiction or nonfiction): Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
22. Read a food memoir: A Life of Spice by Monica Bhide – 9/1/16
23. Read a play: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
24. Read a book with a main character that has a mental illness: Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

I will update my progress on this post.

Have a great day and keep reading.

Reading the Bible as Literature

Hello,

Happy New Year! Hope all is well and all the best in 2016.

I browsed through Roof Beam Reader and I found this cool challenge. No, I’m not religious. I read bible sometimes and never finish the whole book. I think I’m ready to read this holy book for a year with an open mind.

The Reading Plan:
January: Genesis 1 through Exodus 40
February: Leviticus 1 through Deuteronomy 4
March: Deuteronomy 5 through 1 Samuel 17
April: 1 Samuel 18 through 1 Chronicles 2
May: 1 Chronicles 3 through Esther 10
June: Job 1 through Psalms 89
July: Psalms 90 through Isaiah 17
August: Isaiah 18 through Ezekiel 8
September: Ezekiel 9 through Zechariah 14
October: Malachi 1 through Luke 18
November: Luke 19 through 1 Corinthians 8
December: 1 Corinthians 9 through Revelations 22

I also found this blog that might be useful to be the guidance for this challenge.

Happy TGIF and have a biblio-blast in 2016.