- 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…
- ARCS, AUTHOR / PUBLISHER, BOOK PROMOTIONS, BOOK REVIEWS, BOOK TOUR, FICTION, HORROR, MYSTERY, PARANORMAL, SUSPENSE, THRILLER
BOOK REVIEW : BLACKTHORN BOOK TOURS – NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT : A SUSPENSE MAGAZINE ANTHOLOGY
I have loved reading anthologies in the past, and so when I saw this title on the Blackthorn Book Tours website, I knew I needed to sign up for this one. This is an anthology of 13 thriller/mystery/suspense short stories compiled together to give us a wonderful collection of quick page-turners. All the stories were engaging, and I found them to be very much enjoyable. I loved how this anthology helped me get out of my funky mood with entertaining stories that made me hooked to the book from page one. I have a few stories that I thoroughly enjoyed and a few that I found to be unique. Overall…
- ADULT, ARCS, AUTHOR / PUBLISHER, BOOK PROMOTIONS, BOOK REVIEWS, BOOK TOUR, CRIME, FICTION, HISTORICAL FICTION, LITERARY FICTION, NOIR, THRILLER
BOOK REVIEW : BLACK THORN BOOK TOURS – RETURN TO HIROSHIMA BY BOB VAN LAERHOVEN
Return To Hiroshima is a dark crime thriller by Bob Van Laerhoven. I am not one to normally read dark fiction, but the synopsis sounded interesting and I wanted to try out a genre that's outside of my comfort zone. Boy oh boy !! This was one of the darkest books I have read and made me want to puke my guts out a lot of the time. That's a compliment, by the way, for the darkness factor. The synopsis sounded like a story with multiple storylines happening parallel to one another, with all of them woven together to form a complex story. The setting of the story is Hiroshima…
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…
