Caroline

For my first poetry book, this book was too dark, gloomy and heavy for me to process. There is no doubt that each poetry is well written. Though, the author say's that, this book is half fiction and half truth, it only feels like it's based on whole truth wrapped in a blanket of poetry's .

I liked that the book started off with a content warning, so that the reader is totally aware of what's in store. The poems are written from a heartbroken, drepressed, raped, fucked (mind my language), soiled and suicidal girls point of view. Each poem recites like a therapy session of a girl's worst nightmares. I felt like there was a lot of the author personal life experience in each of the poems.

There were some poems which I loved and could relate to as well:
1: The fairy tale becomes a memory
2: I saw their wedding photos on Facebook
3: when the well ran dry
4: Magic
5: Rest in pieces
6: I don't want to give you the pleasure of reading your name
7: New girl
8: Good girl
9: My sister turns 20 this month
10: When our skin is too much
11: Permanent

The book also advises you to talk to or share with family and friends, if you feel you are someone going through mental health, suicidal tendencies, or other forms of depression, sexual or drug abuse.

The Stranger at Black Lake is a intriguing prequal to the book “These still waters”. Though, I haven't yet read the main story, I just couldn't stop myself from requesting this book as the premise was so intriguing.

This book being a short novella is jam packed with mystery, thriller, horror, secrets, revenge, lot of twist & turns. The setting is bloody, eerie, scary, dark & the ending is a one I completely didn't see coming.

And wait Stop! I completely forgot to praise the author for her beautiful writing skills. The writing had a very rhythmic tone to it, due to which I just couldn't stop myself from turning the pages even more fast. I just can't wait to get my hands on the main story. I just hope to see Jess Lambert work with Detective Rivero in the main story.

A great thriller and a well recommended one, for all mystery and thriller fans.

Read this book as a part of my Bookclub botm and its the first book, I read based on Japenese literature.

The book follows 36 year old Keiko Furukura, a social misfit from childhood but when she finds herself a job at a convenience store, keiko believe that there is no world beyond that convenience store and she would never fit in with the normalcy of the world and can never be fixed.

Convenience store woman is a tiny book with a big meaning. This book does convey the message of how important it is to be normal and fit into the world rather then being a misfit like keiko and being nudge all the time by family, friends, colleagues and more over the society.

The subject that the author hits on, in this tiny book made me stop and think, “Don't we all sometimes in our life struggle to fit into societies normalcy and that there is always a pressure to do something, be somewhere, become something or follow normal social traditions like find a job, get married at the right age, make more money, have children etc, it's like we always have to jump from thing in life to another & if we fail at even one of societies normalcy, we are termed as a misfit or as someone who needs to be fixed.”

This book is surely very high on social commentary as I could personally relate to many of the social behaviours, expectations and pressures mentioned in this book.

The book does start of in a quirky and laugh out aloud manner but is much much more then that. The writing style is easy going as well as the characters, though the Character of Shiraha was sometimes annoying and manipulative but he always ended up stating relatable facts about the way society behaved. I also quite loved the convenience store setting and how it functioned 24/7 and how much hardwork and attention to detail went into running a convenience store.

There was only one tiny problem that I had with this book, was that I was hoping for a different kind of ending, so it fell a little flat for me.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading more Japanese translations.

I would definitely recommend this book and I feel everyone should read it atleast once in a lifetime.

Bombay bhel is a rare but wonderful collection of 9 short stories shown to us through the eyes of writer Ken Doyle.

Set in then Bombay now Mumbai & true to its name Bombay bhel is uniquely a sweet, tangy, pungent & spicy bhel of stories reminiscent of the life, love, innocence, struggles, culture, heritage & traditions of the people & its communities in Bombay.

Each of the stories also gives the readers a glimpse into the Goan - Anglo Indian community in which the writer grew up. From Jesuit priest to the all famous Prawn balchao, from places like Crawford market to Dockyard road this book have a little of it all.

The stories that touch me most were:
Cats: The story of Neil Sequeria who inherits a fortune as he innocently befriends and tries to save the home of Eleanor an elderly, older women.

The wedding gift: The story of an newly married couple who begin life in their new home at Pearly gates.

The deep blue sea: A love story which doesn't see the light of the day due to caste and cultural differences.

Bhel Plaza: Another emotional stories between a war veteran turned bhel puri wala and a bidding writer Nancy.

Recommended, if you are someone living in Mumbai or someone who is simple in love with this city.

The Patient is Author Teri Terry's first adult book. The synopsis of this book was so intriguing that I would stop myself from requesting for it on Netgalley.

The Patient follows the story of Saphy who has a heart condition & is in need of a heart transplant. She is soon lucky to find a donate in the form of Flora, who has been declared brain stem dead & her life is saved but she soon finds herself obsessed & involved in the life & the family of her donor, which in turn opens up a pandora's box of hidden secrets & untold mysteries.

The book is for sure a slow burner as the major twist & turns come in the last 25% of the book. I felt the beginning to be very confusing though after 10 chapters I was able to figure out where the story was headed & the connection between the characters. I liked that the book was told from a dual POV. The characters were okay. The plot was good but the writing was too repetitive. There was a lot of mind talking & reflections on conversations already had between the characters. I felt that the book could be easily shortened by a good number of pages or the author could has used it more wisely by giving us some real life insights on how a heart recipient really feels on receiving another persons heart. The author has raised a serious & thought provoking subject of organ donation but had she spent a little more time in that rabbit hole, she would have done full justice to this book. I would have loved to see that interview scene happen, had the author thrown more emphasis on it.

Overall, a good book & recommended to ppl looking for a slow burner.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture & the publisher for this ARC.

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

A classic which is quick & fast pace with only 10 chapters. A well written book & very thought provoking as well. This story makes us realise how power can make animals & humans behave alike.
The book aims at the political satire of the Russian revolution & the characters of the animals just represent the historical figures seen in the revolution.

This book is a fairy tale for grown ups and is mostly read in all universities.

Mitch Albom has done it once more & as I read more of his books, I'm turning into one of his biggest fans.

The five ppl you meet in heaven follows the story of Eddie 86, a maintenance guy at Rudy pier who leads a simple life (or as he thinks he leads a simple life). But an accident at the amusement park results in his death & furthermore into his afterlife where he meets 5 different ppl, teaching him five different lesson about his life on earth.

This story was so heartwarming as well as heartbreaking all at the same time. The author has much good story telling skills, his writting kept me hook from the every beginning. Each person & each lesson is so through provoking and very reflective, making one reflect on our lives on this earth.

A very highly recommended book if u like a quick read.

3.5 stars.

It was interesting to get an insight into the lives of Bedouin Palestinian women and girls. The 18 stories in this book focuses on the courage, resilience, tragedies and triumphs of the women & girls in this society.

Though, most of the stories were interesting, there were some that I felt were incomplete.

Stories I enjoyed:
They fell like stars from the sky.
Pink dress.
I'll be there.
Ali
Serpent
W-h-o-r-e
The day my donkey died
The door to the body

”What a tragic tale! Why these stories for children always have to turn out so dreadfully is beyond me. I think if I ever tell it to my grandchildren, I will change the ending and have everyone live happily ever after. We are allowed to do that, are we not Mabel? To invent our own endings and choose joy over sorrow?”

❄️What a beautiful story! The story of The Snow Child is not a genre I would pick up quite often but I'm so happy I did. The book was so warm from the first chapter, that I was totally hooked onto it. An unputdownable read for me.

❄️ The Snow child is a Russian folklore, which tells the story of an old couple Mable & Jack who escape to the Alaskan wilderness to grieve the loss of their child in their own way, while they struggle through the loneliness of a childless marriage. To fill the void of a child, they make a snow girl, only later to find it gone. And then they start seeing glimpses of a young girl running through the woods. As the old couple try to understand whether the girl is real or a fairy tale, they come to love her as their daughter. But this fragile and innocent looking girl will change their life forever.

❄️The plot of the story is so beautiful. Each character so warm & tender that you can only just love them & be a part of their lives. The magical realism so well portrayed. The author catches the beauty & the sad harshness of the Alaskan wilderness so perfectly. The writing is so easy to read and understand though I did find it a bitter lengthy but that can be easily overlooked. I know there are a lot of versions of The Snow child out there but I haven't read any as yet so this one will always be my favourite version.

❄️This book is highly recommended if you are looking for a cozy winter read & in for some magical realism.

A domestic thriller by Sheryl Browne. The book is told in dual perspective.

This thriller is surrounded around Ellie who is offered a job by Jake her boss to babysit his child as he & his wife Megan juggle their hectic career life. Jake & his wife Megan live in a glass house which hold many secrets, on the other hand, Ellie tries to reveal these secrets while she tries hiding her own.

Though the plot was intriguing, the characters were something, I honestly didn't like at all. I really felt for the child & specially for Ollie. Though all the major twist & turns came at the end.

Overall, a good read with short chapter, if you like reading a domestic thriller.

Thanks to @netgalley, the publishers @Bookouture and author @sherylbrowne

As Mitch Albom has mentioned in “From The Author “ section of this book, “That he always wanted to set a story during the Holocaust & find one that wasn't already tragically familiar.” I would say that his wait finally paid off. He has just not only found the one but in fact he has found his finest one.

“A novel is not a history book” (as said by the author in the “ From the Author” section of this book) but merely a work of fiction telling us the horrifying story that went on in these death camps at Auschwitz but this book just doesn't start or stop there. This book tells us the story of happy lives being lived before WW2, the brutal truth that went on in the death camps of Auschwitz & the never forgotten memories, never to be lived again by it survivors. Though, a work of fiction, I'm sure to think of this story, whenever I hear the words WW2 or Holocaust. This story & its 4 main characters or corner are something you'll carry with you for a long time.

The book is beautiful written & by far the finest work by the Author. The narration was spot on & keeps you hooked from the very first page. It's a book you wouldn't want to put down. The story was well researched, well calculated and each event well rolled out. Its characters were thoroughly thought through, so much so that you will find yourself intertwined with their lives & each one of the four characters is sure to find a special place in your heart.

All in all, this work of fiction is one of its kind you would ever read in this genre. Highly recommended if you're a fan of historical fiction or books like “The book thief or The tattooist of Auschwitz.

This story can make a good movie someday.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers at the Little brown book & the Author Mitch Albom from this ARC.

This book was a total fun & enjoyable read from the first chapter throughout. The story though told to us in a witty & humorous manner does ultimately teach us how to deal with loss of a loved one grief, unexpected situations & second chances. The book just feels like a warm hug, though Patrick O' Hara's is just a fictional character, I feel there is so much one can learn about life from him.

In my opinion, I don't think such books need much of a review coz it's impeccably and beautifully written, each character is so beautifully portrayed, that you will want to be a part of their lives. The book is also very thought provoking & does make you stop & reflect from a moment.

Overall, I'm glad I finally read it & loved it. Highly recommended if you are looking for a feel good, fun, humorous book.

No funeral for Nazia is the first book, I have read by Author Taha Kehar & a very quick read.

Set in Karachi, the story is based on Nazia who has dead & wants her sister Naureen to fulfill her last wish, by having a party instead of a funeral.

The plot of the story is very intriguing. It started of great and was able to the keep me hooked for nearly 80% of the book. The remaining 20% which was the ending, lacked some depth. The ending left me with more questions & i was unable to conclude the main reason for this party. The ending to me was flat, it just needed something more.

Though, the characters pretty much did a good job and were interesting in their own way. The main character Nazia, even though dead had a good hold over all the other characters in the book. The writing style also was pretty easy to read with a hint of local terms.

The major part of this book deals with politics, friendship, sisterhood, love and betrayal.

Overall, a good read and recommended if you're looking out for a quick & short read with less chapters.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher at Neem tree press and the Author Taha Kehar for this ARC.

Heck! Why did I even pick this book up in the first place, it was so disappointing & frustrating to read. Though, the synopsis did sound promising, the plot was totally off & uninspiring & far from being humorous, let aside dark humor.

I don't know what the author was thinking while writing this book but she did portray India & its women in low light. I really don't know what a worldwide audience is gonna think about us Indian women after reading this book. I don't think, we Indian women go about murdering are husbands just coz we are domestically abused. India is ever progressing & I believe it has a good law system to deal such matter, be it a Panchayat in a small village or the Supreme Court. If the author wanted to write about “Nari Shakti” then she could have taken a more inspiring route rather than a brunch of women going about plotting & Poisoning their husbands to death & above all why use Phoolan Devi as an inspiration. I'm sure, she had reason for what she did & she surely wouldn't want a women to follow in her path. The author also tried to give insights on too many topics in the book such as the Caste system, dowry and the Ramayan which added more chaos.

The characters were also of such poor quality, the main protagonist Geeta was so easy to manipulate, the don Bada bhai was also such a foolish character. As for the story, I was hoping that it would end in a more humorous manner. The other aspect that I disliked about this book was the writing, its was way below average. If the author wanted to write phrases in Hindi language, she should have written it in its origin form not translated it to english that to so poorly, what the heck is “Something black in the Lentils.” Just say “daal me kuch kala hai”.

Seeing the hype around this book, I so wanted to dive right at it, which I did, eventually to be left disappointed overall. So if you ask me, is this book worth the hype? I would say a big NO.

In my opinion, the author does have great writing potentials but had she stuck to one genre, this book would surely be worth all that hype. The multi genre scene just didn't seem to hit the readers the right way, leaving us disappointed. The other major disappointment came when I had to switch from reading this books print version to listening to its audiobook, which I'm not a big fan off.

The plot was intriguing & the first two chapter were spot on, fast paced and promising but from the third chapter all I got was Paragraphs after paragraphs of descriptive rambling about the life of an author pre & post publication or bad twitter & goodreads reviews with no action or definite storyline. The characters also were not quite likeable in a way.

The only other thing I would say is that the audiobook did help me get through the end but still there was nothing superficial about it. The ending was predictable too.

So if you are planning to read this one, I would say opt for the audiobook as it is fast paced as compared to it print version.

I have finally found my new favourite...

Knowing I'm kinda late to the party & having finally read it, I can now say this book was something & I'm glad I read it.

What a beautiful, heart warming story. The writing so easy and beautiful. The plot lovely and felt like a warm hug so much too the extent that u wish u were part of their journey. The characters are so lovable. From the Gaint Pacific Octopus Marcellus

Reading a historical fiction book is always a delight & The Ration Book Baby was truly a delight to read. Author Ellie Curzon writing was simple & easy to read, which made this book a quick read. The story was simple, sweet yet heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time.

The main character Annie was a delight to know and she budding friendship with commander William Chambers was very interesting. The baby in this story only brought on more happiness to this story.

Overall, a simple and easy read if you love historical fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the Author for this ARC

That ending was surely something!

The Push is Ashley Audrain debut novel telling us the story of Blythe who married Fox and then gave birth to a daughter named Violet. The narrative describes Blythe's struggle with motherhood & with her daughter's rejection. She is convinced that there is something wrong with her daughter but fails to convince her husband Fox, who repeatedly accuses her of make up things which weren't happening & that it was all in her head. Then a few year later comes Sam, the son who Blythe adored & loved. However, one devastating accident quickly altered Blythe's life.

Was this book a psychological thriller? Psychological Yes. Thriller not so much but the book was thrilling enough to keep me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next. Was this story about motherhood & postpartum depression? Motherhood heck yes but postpartum depression, not so much in my opinion.

Throught flashbacks, we see three generation of women struggle with motherhood. But were all three women struggle with motherhood similar? No! The only similarity that I saw was that they all disliked their daughters & I'm convinced that if they had sons this story & their struggle with motherhood would be a lot different. So to say, I did find the author to be a bit gender biased in this regard. (But this is completely my opinion)

As for Fox, (the husband) I found his character too fragile to acknowledge any concerns with regards to his daughter & he just did not seem interested enough in family life except that he loved Violet & got along with her well. Not all the characters were loveable, even the main character Blythe, who at times, I wanted to yell at. However, you will still want to know their story, live, laugh & cry through their struggles all at the same time.

In my opinion, what got this book its 5 star rating is that very last line which made me gasp & left me wide eyed.

The third and final installment of Alka Joshi's Jaipur Trilogy is titled The Perfumist of Paris. The life of Radha, who leaves her past behind to live in Paris and pursue her dream of becoming a master perfumer, is chronicled in this novel. Radha has two daughters and a husband. However, a significant project given to her forces her to return to her origins and face her son, who she left behind in India, endangering her marital life.

With her exquisite storyline and gorgeous writing, Alka Joshi succeeds once more. The rich tastes and aromas of India, including the Mitti attar and the essence of Paris, were expertly portrayed in this book. I appreciated how the author gave each character their own attention in each book in this series. This book, like the other two, had strong female characters. Even Radha's daughters Asha and Shanti displayed strong female traits.

I found it interesting to read about how smells were formed, which made me ponder what ingredients and what kind of name I would give my own scent.

It is made simple to remember all the characters by the author's provision of a lexicon of those from the first two volumes. Additionally, I appreciate the book's recipes. The book's sole flaw, in my opinion, was that the first half featured very extensive chapters whereas the second half seemed a little hurried.

The book was overall enjoyable to read, just like the first two books in the series, and is one that is suggested to wrap up this trilogy.

How would you live ur life if u knew how long u were going to live?

I'm finding it hard to wrap my head around this book coz my mind is confused about whether i really liked or disliked this one. I did like parts of it and hated the remaining. At time I even wanted to give up on it. Yes! I have rated the book a full 4 stars ⭐️ only for that ending otherwise this review would be based on a 2.5 to 3 stars ⭐️ for me.

Every person around the world age 22 & above receives a small wooden box with their name inscribed on it and a string inside it. The string is supposed to be some indication of the measure of their life span sending the world into a state confusion, enjoy & sadness further dividing the world into long stringers & short stringers

The Measure though thought provoking has a fair share of its highs and lows. The book started off pretty well. The characters seemed delightful & interesting but then suddenly the book took a political turn & from there on the book just seemed to drag on. However, the ending got me emotional. Though, the chapters were small, the book felt very lengthy in nature. The book had way too many characters to focus on.

According to me, the Author should have focused less on the political aspect & more on aspects like the exchange of letters between Ben and Ami, the friendship between Jack & Javier & few of the other characters. For most half of the book, the story only went on telling us that the short stringer had less time on this planet & how politicians were using it to win election.

Though, the premises of the book was quite intriguing, the author just failed to deliver.

Code name Elodie is the second book in the series of The Bletchley park girl and I must say that author Anna Stuart never disappoints. The book is a continuation of the life of the girls who left their homes to dedicate they lives to help in the on going ww2 at the Bletchley park.

The book based on a true story is well researched by the author. The characters are loveable and its was nice to follow the journey of Ailsa, Steffie and Fran once again. The Bletchley park girls story is an inspirational story of women's contribution to the world war 2.

Overall a great inspiring story of war, friendship and survival.

Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author Anna stuart for this ARC

‘Some people have a weird way of making you believe what they say.'

The Broken Shadow is Pavittra Kalyaan's debut novel and is first in the Handwan mystery series. The book is a beautifully written young adult mystery fiction novel.

Set in Chitrapur, India, the book follows the story of Rohan Sharma, an high school boy who loses his father in a factory fire and is coming to terms with his lose amidst his struggle to cope with school and the rising mystery around the death of his father.

The book is well written and the characters are loveable, matured and well developed. Though, the book is a mere 180 pages the author has done a great job of concealing the mystery till the very end which in turn kept me hooked. The author also touches on the subject of how a boy of Rohan age deals with the grief for his father death and how life took a drastic change, when the person to protect him was no more. The story also gives us a glimpse of school life, true friendships and young innocent bidding romances which is easily relatable.

The book was overall a delight to read with a gripping mystery too. So if you are looking for a quick and short story, this book is a sure recommendation on my list.

Thanks to Author Pavittra kalyaan for this digital copy of the book.

“Desahogar: to undrown, to cry until you don't need to cry no more.” “Desahogar: to undrown, to cry until you don't need to cry no more.”

How not to drown in a glass of water is a bittersweet heartwarming story about Cara Romero told to us by Cara Romero herself over the duration of Twelve session with the job counselor as the part of The Senior workforce program for the continuation of her unemployment benefits and to find new employment after she lost her job in the lamp factory due to the recession.

The writing is witty and the character is strong and hopefully, that keeps you wanting to know more of Cara Romero life as she faces all the darkest secrets of her life with a pinch of salt or rather with a glass of water

Sat Sri Akal Reader!

The house across the lake is my first book by author Riley Sager  and I hope not all of his book are the way this one turned out to be. I initially pick up this book because of (a) all the hype behind this book. Everyone or bookclub seemed to be reading this one and (b) the plot seemed to be quite promising. But now having read it, it has left me quite disappointed.

The storyline is not something I haven't read before. Its yet another story about a women who drinks way too much of alcohol, while she sits spying on her neighbours across the lake bring their secrets to light as she tries to drown her own secrets from the passed.

For most part, this book is just a copy of “The women in the window” only that it's in a different setting with different characters but with the same habits. As for the twist and turns, this book has a lot of them but they all come one after another in the later half of the book. When I picked up this book, i thought it was some sort of a psychological thriller but I was shocked with it paranormal twist, which to be honest for me personal turned out to be a bit child like ghost story and did not give me any goosebumps. The ending too was quite flat as well as its characters.

Though, this one was an disappointment, I m still looking forward to read past works by Riley Sager hoping he has done better.