BOOK REVIEW : THE AMERICAN CRUSADE BY MARK SPIVAK
The American Crusade is a political thriller based on real-life events. When I saw the synopsis for this book, I wanted to see how the author will approach the story. Knowing the topic and the events make it extremely hard, impossible to separate them while I was reading it. The story is about America's war on terror on a Muslim majority country after a horrendous terror attack on a Mall in America. As you can see, the parallels to the horrific 9/11 attacks are uncanny when it comes to the situation and characters. It also helps you in navigating the story connecting the people and places mentioned in the book…
BOOK REVIEW : THE AWAKENING ( THE DRAGON HEART LEGACY#1) BY NORA ROBERTS
The Awakening is an urban, portal fantasy set in Ireland and the fantastical world of Talamh. The story is mainly told from the perspective of Breen, a young woman in America. Breen is an insecure and introverted woman who has lived her whole life being in the shadow of an overbearing mother. With her mother constantly working to put her down, she has a low opinion of herself and is very much vulnerable. Breen finds out some uncomfortable truths about her life and her mother that compels her to make the necessary changes in her life to get herself away from her controlling mother. With the help of her friends,…
BOOK REVIEW : THE BEAST AND THE BETHANY BY JACK MEGGITT-PHILLIPS, ISABELLE FOLLATH (ILLUSTRATOR)
The Beast And The Bethany is a children's fantasy story by Jack Meggitt-Phillips. I have always enjoyed children's books, especially middle-grade books. They have the power to transport you into a world of fun, adventure, and magic. Simply said, they are your best friend if you are looking for escapism. I loved that this was just the book to take me out of a funk if I was ever in one. A deal with a beast to stay young (sound familiar??), snarky protagonist, and singing parrots. What more do you want?? I don't know how I have managed to find books with similar themes both in YA and adult fantasy…
BOOK REVIEW : THE APPARITION PHASE BY WILL MACLEAN
The Apparition Phase by Will Maclean is gothic horror fiction. I am not a big fan of horror in general because I am a wimp when it comes to the genre. But for some reason, I wanted to read this one when I saw it on NetGalley. It had similar themes to Girls Of Brackenhill and Home Before Dark. The secluded gothic-looking mansion in the countryside, surrounded by forest, ghosts, and supernatural events...Ring any bells?? So it is safe to say I was intrigued. It was spooky and dark!! The story setting and the writing was very atmospheric and eery. The gothic vibe was ever-present throughout the book. The dark…
BOOK REVIEW : BEIGE AND BLUE BY SARA BADAWIEH
Beige And Blue by Sara Badawieh is a romantic drama / romantic thriller. The story is about Samar, who is an architect and an artist with big dreams. She has always lived a sheltered life, and her parents are very religious and overprotective of her. This makes her naive when it comes to dealing with people. She meets Bassel and forms a relationship with him after a couple of meetings. Bassel's life is full of danger, and slowly it starts to affect Samar's life as well. Bassel is not what he seems, and Samar decides to break up with him after a misunderstanding. Later on, she meets Ziyad, who is…
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BOOK REVIEW : THE BOY BETWEEN – A MOTHER AND SON’S JOURNEY FROM A WORLD GONE GREY BY JOSIAH HARTLEY AND AMANDA PROWSE
The Boy Between by Josiah Hartley and Amanda Prowse is an emotional and a brutally honest portrayal of their journey through Josiah's depression. I have never read an Amanda Prowse book. I have seen her name before, but I haven't gotten around to her books yet. When I saw this title, I was intrigued, and I wanted to know more about their journey and experience regarding depression. I have struggled with it and trying to not let depression or darkness rule your life is a daily struggle. Reading this, I can see the different perspectives and also understand what goes through a person's mind when they are battling their inner…
BOOK REVIEW : THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE BY VE SCHWAB
The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue is my 6th book from VE Schwab, who is one of my favorite authors. I have been eyeing this book for so long, seeing the beautiful pics on Instagram and just hoping I could get my hands on this beauty. When I saw the title on Netgalley, I never thought I would be able to read it, but just for fun, I requested it. I was squealing when I saw the email saying - my request was accepted. That made my day!! Seriously!! Receiving an ARC for my favorite author made my day!! Man!! I did not see it coming, and I am forever…
BOOK REVIEW : HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE BY IMBOLO MBUE
How Beautiful We Were is a literary fiction/cultural fiction written by Imbolo Mbue. The story is set in the fictional African village of Kosawa. It tells the heartwrenching tale of the suffering and turmoil caused by the greed of western oil companies. The story is an unforgettable one written with brutal honesty and captures the readers from the get-go. It is told from multiple perspectives helping us put together the puzzle that will leave us with the whole picture. All characters provide us with insight into the situation and help us learn the life before and after the companies started to drill for oil. It is a powerful story that…
BOOK REVIEW : SILENT NIGHT (PAIGE NORTHWOOD #2) BY NELL PATTISON
Silent Night by Nell Pattison is a mystery/thriller/suspense. I haven't read many thrillers this year, and when I saw this title on Netgalley, I knew I needed to get it. When I got this book, I didn't realize it was part of a series, and this was the second book. It didn't say on Goodreads either, just that it's the second book from the author. Luckily for me, the books can be read as standalone, which is amazing, and I am glad I picked it. The story follows Paige Northwood, who is an interpreter for the deaf community. She is working as a freelance interpreter and is struggling to get…
BOOK REVIEW : THE CUL-DE-SAC WAR BY MELISSA FERGUSON
The Cul-de-sac War by Melissa Ferguson is a fun, lighthearted, and the slowest-burn romance. It's a clean romance with my favorite rom-com trope - hate-to-love. When I saw this title, I just couldn't resist requesting it. So I initially started reading this book long back, but never finished it because I had already planned it for November. I am sad that I didn't start over, but I simply continued from where I stopped because of my crappy scheduling. And it was over before I was ready for it to be. The story is told from the two perspectives of our main characters. Bree is a struggling stage artist and is…
