#JTWYAReadAlong Discussion Post #3 + Wrap Up + Short Review

Hi again, everyone! Today, I have for you the final and concluding post for our Just The Way You Are read along or simple the #JTWYAReadAlong. 

For this final post, we will be discussing part three of the book, where, in my opinion, the story really takes shape and we finally get to know what I had been wanting to know since the beginning- the story of Shagun and Sameer. I felt their story was nice and I especially liked the very different background that Shagun had. She and Sameer made for a decent couple and it was nice to see them together by first knowing their story and understating their acceptance of each other. 

I find myself having not much to discuss in this post, but if you guys have anything to contribute, please go ahead and say it in the comments below. I just have a few final questions! 

What are your final thoughts on the book? 

What are your thoughts about Shagun and Sameer as a couple and as individuals? 

What's your final rating for the book? 

If you missed any of the posts, here they are:

Read Along Kick Off

Discussion Post #1

Discussion Post #2

Discussion Post #3

Aayesha @  In The Classroom of Life (Review)

Arti @ Metro Reader (Kick-off + Review)

Priyanka @ A Booklion's Hideaway (Promo Post)

SHORT REVIEW:

While every single reader has raved about the really cute cover of author Sanjeev Ranjan's Just The Way You Are, I am not the biggest fan of sunshine and romance books, so cute as it may be, the cover barely mattered to me. I read the book as part of the read along that we hosted. I will admit that there was nothing extraordinary about the book, but it was a very quick read, which always stands as a positive for me. The story was simple and sweet, which made it very easy to follow and understand. Albeit lacking major character development that I was hoping for, the protagonist Sameer was portrayed as a decent enough guy who has really seen struggle in life. His life partner Shagun was well portrayed and possessed some quirky qualities. Other than that, the book was really very average. I would recommend Just The Way You Are to romance lovers. Pick this book up over a weekend and you'll enjoy it. The book was very simple, sweet and quick. 

RATING: 

2- it was okay! 

So that's it, guys! I had a blast hosting this read along. While we didn't get a huge response, we still managed to get a few people interested in the book. I especially want to thank reader Ravisha for joining us for this. Thank you also to Aayesha and Arti for being part of the read along and to Priyanka for being involved in the same. But most importantly, thank you to author Sanjeev Ranjan for giving his thumbs up for this idea and for all his help. Thank you also to you readers for reading out posts and for stopping by this one. 

Happy reading, and see you around! Also, if you still wish to read Just The Way You Are, you can buy it at the links below: 

Goodreads / Amazon (IN) / Flipkart

#JTWYAReadAlong Disussion Post #2

Hi, everyone! Today, I have for you the second discussion post of the Just The Way You Are read-along. If you missed out on the first one, you can check it out right here. I hope that all the participants are liking the book.

If you're done with part two of the book that's to be the topic of discussion today, you'll know that there's not much to discuss about this particular part of the book, which makes up the entire chapter eight. The only highlight of part two can possibly be the mother-son relationship portrayed there. It was all very filmy for me and I really do not see any reason that's convincing enough for me to understand why Sameer stopped talking to his mom. The obvious generation gap and upbringing differences didn't add up to much either. What I did like about this part is the pace of the book. Everything moved at lightning speed and that was really a positive because suddenly there was action. Something was happening, so that was great.

What are your thoughts on Sameer's relationship with his mother? Do you believe that any of the side was well justified? How would you feel about just stopping talking to your mother altogether?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or you can even make your own post. If you have any questions, just ask! As for the author interaction this time, my question for Sanjeev is:

Does the mother-son relationship portrayed in your book have anything to do with your relation with your mother? What kind of relation do you share with your mother?

Thank you for stopping by, and happy reading! 

#JTWYAReadAlong Discussion Post #1

Hi, everyone! Welcome to the first ever discussion post for our Just The Way You Are read-along. 

As decided, this discussion post is based on the first part of the book, i.e., from page number one up until page number ninety four. Those of you who have read the book till there, do share your thoughts so far in the comments below and please feel free to answer all the questions I have come up with. Those of you who are yet to finish reading part one, beware of spoilers! And don't worry at all. You have until Friday, before we start the next discussion post. So take your time, read and share your thoughts as and when you like. 

Coming to the book, I have planned on dividing this discussion into three parts and those are: writing, character(s) and story. So without much ado, let's get started.

Writing: I quite like the simple writing style of author Sanjeev Ranjan. There were a few points like ridiculous typos and the mix of Hindi and English that annoyed me, but if I put that aside, I must say that the writing is easy to follow.

What are your thoughts on the writing? Is it a positive or a negative for you when there's a mix of Hindi and English, not just in writing, but perhaps in speech as well?

Character(s): For me, from the very start until the part till I'm done with, the main focus is Sameer. This is his story throughout. I admit that it was shocking to see him leave it all behind and go to Switzerland within a few hours of his marriage. While his need to fit in, groom himself just because his friend said so and befriend girls was a complete turn off for me, I liked that he still believes in being kind. When he was so against tradition, I didn't see why he had to submit to it in any case. Anyway, he seems pleasant as a person and that was nice. 

As for the family mentioned in the book, it was over the top like I've come to expect from Indian writers. The drama adds some fun and comic elements to the story. 

Are you liking Sameer? Are you hoping for some major character development with him or do you believe he will be the same throughout the length of the book?

An additional question, if you were married and your husband/ wife did what Sameer did and left for a job in a foreign country on the day of your marriage, how would you react?

Story: As far as the story is concerned, there was a mix of past and present which at times was confusing for me, as a reader. While the whole idea of Switzerland was oh so exciting, I would have loved to see more of that, but Sameer kept taking us back to his past. Not like I mind, and on top on that, I guess the past is anyway important to understand the present. One aspect of the story that I'm looking forward to the most is how Sameer meets his then girlfriend now wife Shagun (what a name), and I hope that story comes up soon.

Is the story engaging for you? Are you looking forward to what happens next? What are you expecting Shagun to find in Sameer's diary?

Please share your thoughts with me, guys! I am looking forward to you responses. I hope you liked this post just as much as I liked putting it up for you. If you have any questions regarding the book or the inspiration behind it or just anything really, don't forget to Facebook or tweet the author, and he will gladly answer you.

My question to Sanjeev is: If Just The Way You Are were to be made into a Bollywood movie, which actor and actress would you like to see play the role of Sameer and Shagun?

Thank you so much  for stopping by, and until the next post, happy reading!

Read-along Kick off- Just The Way You Are by Sanjeev Ranjan

Hi, everyone! I am excited to host a read-along for author Sanjeev Ranjan's Random House India release, Just The Way You Are. 

What's a read-along, you ask? Well, starting today July 15, until the end of the month, i.e., July 31, we'll read the book, have discussions about it, interact with the author and you are all invited to join us for the same. Purchase links for the books can be found later in the post. The whole point of a read-along is that we all read the book together! The book is systematically divided into three parts, so we'll have discussions posts up about each part on each of the three remaining Fridays of the month, save for this coming Friday. The first post goes up on Monday which gives you enough time to join us and get reading! 

Make sure you follow Sanjeev on Twitter; he has fun stuff going on there. 

Before we get to know the book and the author better, lert me introduce you to three lovely bloggers who will be participating in this event along with us. 

Aayesha @  In The Classroom of Life (Review)

Arti @ Metro Reader (Kick-off + Review)

Priyanka @ A Booklion's Hideaway (Promo Post)

By the way guys, Janhvi has already read the book and her review of the same can be read here.

GOODREADS SUMMARY OF THE BOOK: 

Love happens when you least expect it…

Sameer is a Steve Jobs fan, a consultant at an investment bank, and a confused soul looking for love. As he moves cities to study and work, he falls in and out of love,but fails to find the one person who belongs with him. In comes Shagun, whom he marries. But he leaves the very next day for Switzerland…to start a dream Job. In the meantime, Shagun starts reading his diary! What does she find in there?

Will this spell the end of their marriage? With Sameer not around to defend himself,what is the future of their relationship?

Just the Way You Are is a humorous, heart-warming story about one man’s quest for true love. 

BOOK LINKS: 

Goodreads / Amazon (IN) / Flipkart

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Sanjeev Ranjan is the bestselling author of "In Course of True Love!(2012)" and "It's No Longer A Dream! (2014)" 

An ardent lover of western classic and instrumental music, he enjoys reading. He has a keen interest in understanding human behavior and relationships.

"Just The Way You Are" is his third novel published by Random House India. 

Currently he resides in New Delhi.

AUTHOR LINKS: 

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter 

Do join in the read-along, guys, and do help us spread the word about the same using the #JTWYAReadAlong hashtag. I look forward to reading the book with you guys, and do stop by our blog to share your thoughts with us. Do remember that all discussion posts will be linked in this post as well. 

Discussion Post #1
Discussion Post #2
Discussion Post #3

Thank you for stopping by, and happy reading! 

Review- Just the Way You Are by Sanjeev Ranjan

Summary-

Love happens when you least expect it…

Sameer is a Steve Jobs fan, a consultant at an investment bank, and a confused soul looking for love. As he moves cities to study and work, he falls in and out of love,but fails to find the one person who belongs with him. In comes Shagun, whom he marries. But he leaves the very next day for Switzerland…to start a dream Job. In the meantime, Shagun starts reading his diary! What does she find in there?

Will this spell the end of their marriage? With Sameer not around to defend himself,what is the future of their relationship?

Just the Way You Are is a humorous, heart-warming story about one man’s quest for true love.

Review-

I admit I was drawn to Just the Way You Are because of it's cover. I mean, look at it! Its adorable, screaming contemporary and young and fun. And that is the reason I picked it up when I got the opportunity to read and review Just the Way You Are. While the book may not be brilliant it does carry a simple and sweet message to just be yourself.

Just the Way You Are is the story of Sameer. It starts off with Sameer on his wedding day. After years of searching, Sameer has finally found the love of his life Shagun and is marrying her. But unfortunately he has to leave right the next day away from her for a job opportunity he cannot miss. Then begins the real story where Shagun stumbles upon his diary and starts reading it.

I really liked how we got to know first hand how Sameer's mind worked because of the diary. He was a hard working guy who did get influenced but always had the right intentions at heart. Like any and everyone of us Sameer is also searching for love and the disappointment he faces in his love life was shown really well.

We also do get to see how Sameer finally meets Shagun unexpectedly and falls in love with her. But I would have liked it if that part was more expanded. I also wanted a bit more of what was happening in the present with Sameer and Shagun. But we definitely get to see immense growth in Sameer's character since the beginning to the end of the book.

Sanjeev Ranjan's writing is really simple which makes for the book to be a fast read. I liked how the family dynamics were shown. Sameer was a guy whose thoughts and concerns were easy to relate to in this world where the first thing we notice is physical appearance. Overall, I liked Just the Way You Are.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the Random House India in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Giveaway (IN only)- Just The Way You Are by Sanjeev Ranjan

Hi, guys! We have another giveaway for you. And guess what? This giveaway clashes with the book release day! So join us in celebrating the release of author Sanjeev Ranjan's latest, Just The Way You Are published by Random House India. Some of you might remember we did a giveaway for Sanjeev earlier this year. Anyway, as your New Year present, the author has generously offered to give away two copies of the book to two lucky Indian readers. So without much ado, let's get onto the post we have for you! 

Oh, and remember, let's all keep the #JustTheWayYouAre hashtag going around on Twitter! 

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Love happens when you least expect it…

Sameer is a Steve Jobs fan, a consultant at an investment bank, and a confused soul looking for love. As he moves cities to study and work, he falls in and out of love,but fails to find the one person who belongs with him. In comes Shagun, whom he marries. But he leaves the very next day for Switzerland…to start a dream Job. In the meantime, Shagun starts reading his diary! What does she find in there?

Will this spell the end of their marriage? With Sameer not around to defend himself,what is the future of their relationship?

Just the Way You Are is a humorous, heart-warming story about one man’s quest for true love.

BOOK LINKS:

GOODREADS / AMAZON / FLIPKART / LANDMARK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sanjeev Ranjan is an ardent lover of western classical and instrumental music. He enjoys reading and has a keen interest in understanding human behavior and relationships. He is currently pursuing his MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). He is the author of 'Its No Longer a Dream' (2014) and 'In Course of True Love!' (2012). This is his third novel.

AUTHOR LINKS: 

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / BLOG / GOODREADS

GIVEAWAY: 

And we've finally come to the most awaited part of the post. I hope all the information above has intrigued you and that you are now looking forward to read Just The Way You Are. Well, if you are, look no further! Take part in the giveaway and two lucky readers will win a copy of the book.

Giveaway rules are simple:

*The giveaway is open for residents of India only.

*Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

* Once winners are picked and emailed, they will have 48 hours to respond or else, we'll be compelled to pick other winners. 

*The book will be shipped by the author/ publisher. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May the odds be ever in your favour! Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading! 

Giveaway (India only)- It's No Longer A Dream by Sanjeev Ranjan

Hi, everyone! I feel like it's been ages since I last posted a great paperback copies giveaway for our dearest Indian readers. Here's my chance though! Many thanks to author Sanjeev Ranjan, three lucky Indian readers, in this giveaway, stand a chance of winning a copy each of the author's book, It's No Longer A Dream. This giveaway was absolutely well planned by him as most students now have holidays and what better for us readers to do in our free time than read?  

Also, as I won't be having proper access to the blog, this giveaway, unlike our usual two weeks, goes on for a period of three weeks. Anyway, let's get on to the post I have for you. After some basic information on the book, you'll find the Rafflecopter for the giveaway. On the plus side, you get re entries, so yay for that! Let's get on to it! 

GOODREADS SUMMARY: 

“Does love manage to find a way, even when all illusions fade? Where does the journey end?”

Akshat Diwan has everything that the tangible world can offer for a dream-like life – luxurious cars, a palatial mansion, extravagant wealth and an heirloom of infinite opulence. All but peace! His parents are forever in a state of prolonged hostility; add to it failing spurious friendships and dwindling love life which metamorphoses him into a soul-less creature. Cursing his misfortune and in an attempt to end his anguish and disparity, Akshat embarks on an unknown journey, seeking nothing but solitude, or perhaps a glimpse of his inner being. It is when he meets a stranger that he realizes his journey is not just any journey, but a roller coaster ride to unravel the harsh realities of life.

It’s No Longer A Dream is all about collecting the shattered pieces of meaning of life, love and relationships and bringing them back to a whole again.

BOOK LINKS:  

FACEBOOK / FLIPKART / GOODREADS / AMAZON (IN) / HOMESHOP18 / SAPNA / INFIBEAM / 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sanjeev Ranjan, a non-conformist by nature and an engineer by profession,is the bestselling author of "In Course of True Love!(2012)". 

An ardent lover of western classic and instrumental music, he enjoys reading. He has a keen interest in understanding human behavior and relationships.
"It's No Longer A Dream!" is his second novel.

Currently he resides in New Delhi.

AUTHOR LINKS: 

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS

GIVEAWAY: 

And now, we finally come to the readers' favorite part- the giveaway! As you already know, three copies of the book are up for grabs. 

Giveaway rules are simple: 

*The giveaway is open for residents of INDIA only. 

*Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. 

*Once winners are picked and emailed, they will have 48 hours to respond or else, we'll be compelled to pick other winners. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's all there is to it! I wish you all, all the very best. I'd like to thank Sanjeev for the giveaway and I'd like to wish him all the very best for everything, as well! 

Thank you for stopping by, and happy reading!