NETGALLEY
- ADULT, ARCS, BOOK REVIEWS, CULTURAL, EAST AFRICAN, FICTION, HISTORICAL FICTION, LITERARY FICTION, NETGALLEY, REALISTIC FICTION
WE ARE ALL BIRDS OF UGANDA BY HAFSA ZAYYAN | BOOK REVIEW
We Are All Birds Of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan is an emotionally resonant story of two different men and how their lives intersect in unexpected ways, changing lives forever. We follow Hasan during 1960's Uganda through his love letters that are to his wife. Hasan talks about his experiences living in Uganda as a successful businessman in Kampala. As a son of Indian immigrants, he talks about the Asian community, their lives, the new anti-immigrant sentiment on the rise, and the growing racial division that endangers their livelihood. In the present day, we follow Sameer, a highly successful lawyer in London. Despite his success, he feels burned out and not…
- ADULT, ARCS, BOOK REVIEWS, CONTEMPORARY, CULTURAL, FICTION, HISTORICAL FICTION, LITERARY FICTION, NETGALLEY, SPECULATIVE FICTION, WOMEN'S FICTION
FRAGILE MONSTERS BY CATHERINE MENON | BOOK REVIEW
Fragile Monsters from Catherine Menon is a family saga spanning from the 1920s to the present, with rural Malaysia serving as a backdrop to the mysteries and secrets that are unraveled. We get the story from two perspectives, one from Durga, a maths Professor at Kuala Lumpur University, and one from Mary, Durga's fierce and sharp-tongued grandmother. Durga is visiting her grandmother and wants nothing more than to spend the days peacefully and leave the house that's filled with painful memories. Her plans go awry when during Diwali celebrations, Mary is met with a firecracker burn incident. This leads to Durga spending more time with her grandmother and the two…
THE BLIND LIGHT BY STUART EVERS | BOOK REVIEW
The Blind Light by Stuart Evers is a historical/literary fiction that tells us the story of Drum, Gwen, and their family. We go from 50s to the present following our characters through life-changing events that shape their lives. The story revolves mainly around Drum and Gwen and their kids Nathan and Anneka. Their story is intertwined with Carter, Drum's friend from the service. The book is about their lives, how global events, atomic attacks, family, and relationships bring people together and how they break them apart. Carter and Drum meet during his time at the National Service as they prepare for the aftermath of the Atomic Strike. The two become…
MRS SEATH MISSES DEATH BY SALENA GODDEN | BOOK REVIEW
Mrs. Death Misses Death by Salena Godden is prose and poetry mixed with narration style writing, and is more of a literary style of fiction than a straight-up fantasy, in my opinion. I requested this book after reading the fascinating synopsis. The story is about Death, and how tired Death is of taking people's lives, and the insight we get into the psyche of Death itself. The book features death as a black woman who goes after people's lives when it is their time to die. After living the life and doing her job endlessly, she is tired and wishes to unburden her thoughts to a young, troubled writer Wolf.…
MARRIED AT FIRST SWIPE BY CLAIRE FROST | BOOK REVIEW
Married At First Swipe by Claire Frost is contemporary fiction. I saw the title and thought to myself, hmm.., that sounds very similar to the show Married At First Sight. While the concept is the same, and the plot is designed around the idea, I would recommend not going into the book expecting a romance or a love story between two people. This is more of a women's fiction kind of a story than a straight-up romance. The story follows Jess and Hannah through their tumultuous lives. Jess is the owner of the dating app Save The Date, which focuses on people wanting to settle down quickly. When the app…
- ADULT, ARCS, BOOK REVIEWS, CULTURAL, FICTION, HISTORICAL FICTION, LITERARY FICTION, NETGALLEY, Scotland
SHUGGIE BAIN BY DOUGLAS STUART | BOOK REVIEW
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stewart is the winner of the 2020 Booker Prize. To know that this book was rejected 32 times before it got published is baffling to me. Reading that was such a shock and the irony of it is just great. The book is a winner for the Booker Prize, and it's almost like the universe telling the publishers where to take their rejections. I haven't read the other books on the list, and I do have to say after reading this book, I am not surprised that this book got the recognition it did. Every time I see a book that is a popular book, on…
PARIS BY STARLIGHT BY ROBERT DINSDALE | BOOK REVIEW
Paris By Starlight is a fantasy/magical realism book by Robert Dinsdale. This is my first experience with this author, and I can confidently say it won't be my last book from him either. I didn't know what I will be getting out of this book and going in blind really helped me enjoy it. The story is so descriptive and full of imagery that will enchant you, make you fall in love with the world Robert has crafted for us. It's slow-pacing, and multiple POVs help us understand the characters in a way character-driven stories usually do. The story has a fine-balance of character & plot-driven moments and makes the…
THE OPEN HOUSE BY SAM CARRINGTON | BOOK REVIEW
The Open House is my first book by the author Sam Carrington. As this was my introduction to her, I had expectations for this novel. When I saw this book on Netgalley, I was intrigued by the synopsis. It sounded like an interesting premise that could be great for a thriller. So the story is told to us in different POVs. We get Amber's, the protagonists, and her mother-in-law's perspectives. Amber is going through a divorce from Nick, her husband. She is trying to have a fresh start in life, but her mother-in-law is creating problems for her to move on smoothly. Some strange and mysterious events start to happen,…
BOOK REVIEW : BEFORE I SAW YOU BY EMILY HOUGHTON
Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton is one of the sweetest romance novels I have read in a while. I have been reading so many Historical Fiction lately that it has been tearing my heart out and leaving me melancholic afterward. Not that I am complaining.. But this one was a welcome change.. It tells us the story of two people who fall in love as they are recuperating in the hospital from life-threatening accidents. Life brings them joy and love in unsuspecting and unexpected places. Who would imagine love is possible while in recovery at the hospital, without even seeing each other?? Not me!! But that is exactly…
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,…
