Srivalli Rekha (Semi Hiatus)'s Blog, page 65
June 4, 2022
Four Ways to Wear a Dress by Gillian Libby - Book Review
Four Ways to Wear a Dress by Gillian Libby
Publication Date: 07th June 2022
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
2.8 Stars
One Liner: More misses than hits!
Mille Ward has been laid off from her PR job. She feels like a failure, not able to hold on to a job and settle down in life (according to her parents). Her parents blame it on her ADHD, but Millie knows that’s not the reason. She decides to visit her best friend Quincy in a small Bay town in California.
Quincy and her folk of influencers work overtime to promote the laidback town, and Millie decides she could try a hand at becoming an influencer herself. Not to mention, she also gets to crush on Pete, Quincy’s brother, from close quarters.
Her other two besties, Kate and Bree, help her with the move and encourage her to wear their magical black dress. It never failed them before, after all. Millie is doubtful she would fail the dress but wears it.
When Millie has to convince Pete to be her Instagram Husband to promote her profile and his hotel business, things get a little complicated for them. Can their fake relationship lead to something real? Can the influencers save the town? Can Millie get her career back on track?
The story is written in Mille’s first-person POV.
What I Like:
Millie is a decent character when she doesn’t go overboard (which happens more often during the second half).
The setting was beautiful. I liked the scenes about surfing. Got to learn something from it, so that’s always a plus. Not that I intend to surf or anything.
Pete is a really cool character (it also helps that he is super handsome). I feel bad for him, thanks to Millie’s stupidity. Not that he was faultless, but still.
We see different types of working women, and each of them goes through ups and downs. I don't like Alana’s idea of perfection, but I can understand her fear of losing followers and risking everything they built from scratch. That doesn’t excuse her interference in others’ lives.
The story has potential and made me chuckle a few times. I also didn’t have to stress my grey cells, which is another plus. But it could have been so much better.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
This is a case where the reader can see that Pete is in love with Millie, but she doesn’t see it (she is the narrator). She is determined to remind him that their relationship is fake at every possible opportunity. I started checking how many pages were left each time this happened.
While the title makes the black dress a prominent part of the book, the storyline somehow loses track of it. There’s a scene towards the end that feels patchy and unnecessary (only to somehow do justice to the title). The book could’ve been the same even without that dress. Not to mention that the same dress fits four different women.
Since when did an invitation to an interview imply a job? If that was the case, the unemployment rate around the world would never shoot up. Getting a job isn’t that easy. Millie getting kicked out of hers on the first page of the book is enough indication of the market conditions.
A major part of the book is about the life of social media influencers. It sure is damn hard to create an Instagram-worthy perfect life and hide the rest from the world. But that shouldn’t come at the cost of personal, especially kids’ future.
Alana’s character is a contradiction throughout. I still don’t know who she really is.
Millie is almost an instant success on Instagram. She has like 75K followers in around a month. How does that happen to non-celebs or people without no previous accounts or recognition on social media? (I’m a content writer, and digital marketing is one of my niches.)
ADHD and autism are both a part of the book, but neither gets justice. And no, Millie can’t blame her stupidity on ADHD. I disliked how the kid (Quincy’s son) hardly got any space in the book. Nope. He deserved better.
To sum up, Four Ways to Wear a Dress is a lighthearted book with some laughs and annoying moments if you don’t mind an overload of the influencer stuff. Oh, a generous amount of the F-word.
Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, for the eARC.
#NetGalley
*****
P.S: The book has steam (level 3-ish, I suppose). Readers, be warned. ;)
Damage & Other Stories by Poornima Manco - Book Review
Damage & Other Stories by Poornima Manco
Genre: Short Stories
2.5 Stars
One Liner: It could have been better
******Long Post Alert*
*Contains Spoilers*
I picked up the book with some expectations. Having read two anthologies by the author, I was sure this would work. Sadly, it didn’t. Not because I’m not used to dark emotions. But because many stories don’t reach the mark, and one is subtly ideological.
Damage: The first story in the book and one with great potential. Yet, it felt like too many themes crammed into a smaller word count. None of it seemed real or relatable. (I don’t move in such circles anyway.) And no full-page introspections, please.
Samsara: If you are like me, let me inform you that Samsara is a perfume. The word also means family in Telugu (though it would be samsaram). An apt title, in a way. This is a sort of crime thriller with a female cop and the death of a politician’s wife. The plot had merit, but the narration didn’t have enough words. This story required a larger canvas. The female cop had such potential. A novel or a novella would do justice to her character.
Creep: A creep trying to smooth talk women to get laid. A short piece from the creep’s POV. Does the job but not enough.
Ma Vie Sans Couleur: I have no idea what happened here. There are too many themes (adultery, racism, mental illness, abuse) left hanging in the air, with faint threads connecting some of them. Too vague.
Secrets and Lies: The dead grandfather still manages to protect the young grandson. But can the boy find love and affection from this arrangement? The POV keeps the story interesting, as the intentions of other characters are revealed in bits and pieces.
The Consequence of Contradiction: This was a little confusing in the beginning. It settles down later and packs a punch. A very well-written tale that ends right where it should. One of the best in the book that will leave you thinking.
The Unlikely Casanova: “Creep is so middle class, Monisha. It’s Casanova!” says Maya Sarabhai. Indians will understand the reference here. To explain, this story is an elite version of Creep we read a couple of stories earlier.
Swami Claus: The internal darkness of self-declared religious leaders but with a twist. The double track is interesting and makes the storyline fresh. I initially thought it was about that pedophile Ram Rahim, but I’m not entirely sure. Children continue to suffer, be it in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, or America.
Ugly: A story told in two POVs- the brute husband and a too-loyal wife. Sadly, this is a common occurrence in our society. The story starts with a bang, but the ending is melodramatic and OTT. It would have been more powerful if the ending was realistic.
Palindrome: Is this inspired by Sridevi’s death? Maybe, maybe not. But an Indian reader cannot help but wonder. The title suits the story- the rise and fall of a famous actress in the film industry. It tends to lag at times but wraps up well.
Dear Anil: A letter from a woman to the only love of her life. She details the journey from childhood friendship to unrequited love to a relationship that probably wasn’t meant to be. A sad story indeed.
Unrequited: A semi-erotica presented as a feminist revenge story. It wasn't bad though.
The Strings That Bind Us: This was bittersweet in its own way. It seemed like the author wanted to use the same story for multiple themes (friendship between cousins, family dynamics, and children neglecting parents). It works because of the two lead characters.
Fallen: This is Raavan’s POV of Ramayana, and honestly, he deserved a better voice. Raavan has always been a huge (larger-than-life) presence. You are sure to find intense drama when Raavan is around. This version is mild and almost resigned. I don’t remember reading Raavan being this mild, even on his deathbed. And no, I didn’t mind the sly digs at Rama. Those are expected when the story is from Raavan’s POV, but I wish the tone was powerful enough to establish his voice. Gimme the attitude!
Like a Boss: Okay! This is a sort-of retelling of the Nirbhaya case that shook India years ago. I’m not sure how I feel about this but the writing is impactful. So that’s something.
The dead girl’s parents had to fight for so many years to get justice for the dead child. Incomplete justice because one of the rapists (a juvenile from the minority community) was released within three years. He was gifted a sewing machine, Rs. 10,000/-, and a new identity away from the public eye.
Imagine that! A teen old enough to rape someone is being protected and safeguarded even today. What’s worse is that his counselor says there is no change in him. No remorse, nothing. He should have been tried as an adult and hanged with the others, but no. Let’s protect and unleash him on unsuspecting people!
Love Jihad: This story comes right in the middle of the book but I decided to wait until the end to read this. A good decision, indeed. You’ll know why soon enough.
This dual plotline has two couples- one in London and another in Jaipur, India. Both tracks have a Hindu girl falling in love with a Muslim man (the eternally romantic love story), but with different endings. The London track has educated and ‘liberal’ families, while the Jaipur track deals with the poor.
On the surface, it appears perfect, with two contrasting endings that show two sides of the story. But is it really unbiased? Let’s analyze the execution and find out.
London Track- The guy is handsome, so handsome that every woman (married and unmarried) in the heroine’s office wants nothing more than to screw him. Should I feel pity for objectifying the guy, or should I be worried that the trope matches the H-M porn sold on Amazon?
The girl gets pregnant and marries her lover. Then, we get to know she may not be treated well and may have been forced to covert. Nothing is explicit in the narration. It’s all between the lines and gut feeling. When the girl’s family and a friend try to get her back home, they find out that the guy’s family has left the city.
Jaipur, India Track- This is where the author’s intelligence comes out in full force. The H girl and M guy are high school kids from a poor background. The girl’s brother (wait for it) goes around campaigning for a saffron-robed Guruji who ‘spreads venom against Muslims’. The author takes great pain to show the ‘hatred’ and ‘bias’ in explicit detail. After all, how else will the reader know that they are reading about Hinduvadis?
The girl’s possibly uneducated mother speaks more like an upper-class woman about her ‘Hinduvadi son’ and the ‘hate-monger Guruji’. Finally, the story ends with the girl’s brother burning her M boyfriend and posting the video on Twitter. He is a ‘maniac’ Hindu burning a Muslim boy for daring to love his sister. We have almost no information about the clothes the characters wear in the story. But we most certainly know that the Guruji wears saffron. Such detailing!
Now, let’s shift the scene to real life and look at a few reports from recent times. Mind you, these are limited to the guys who were murdered. Don’t even get me started on the cases about women who were abused, raped, kidnapped, converted, butchered, and packed into suitcases. I’ve been following the reports for more than five years. I know exactly what I'm talking about.
Mithun Thakur was killed by his M girlfriend’s family.
Vijaya Kamble (25), a Dalit, was killed by the family of his Muslim girlfriend in Bangalore.
Nagaraju, a Dalit boy, was killed by his M wife’s brothers for the inter-faith marriage. The girl repeatedly blamed her mother and brothers for the murder (there was already a case registered in the police station seeking protection from them). She chose to live with her dead husband’s family. The media, of course, wants you to believe that the upper caste Hindus are somehow responsible for it when they are not even involved in the first place.
Dablu Singh (22), Sanjay Kumar, Rahul (20), Ankit Saxena, and Ravi (17) are just a few names where Hindu boys have been murdered for falling in love with Muslim girls.
This 14-year-old boy from the Schedule Tribe community was butchered because the boy spoke to a Muslim girl.
But then, who is to blame in fiction? The Hindu fanatic brother, of course!
Let me make one thing very clear. I am under no stupid illusion that Hindus don’t kill or commit crimes. I would have had no problem with the story if the girl’s brother was a maniac by default. He could have been a wastrel who couldn’t digest his sister loving a boy from another religion. He could have been anything, literally, and the storyline would still hold strong.
What I object to is the blatant ideological thrust on readers by describing the guru and his activities while only hinting at what could have happened in the other track. Why not show them both the same way? Why go into detail about Guruji but not Mohsin and his parents?
I’m reminded of the intellectual’s idea of a good Hindu. A good Hindu is someone who bends backward to appease others but has zero self-respect. This good Hindu, with a minus-level understanding of Hinduism, mocks their own culture and relates to a foreign culture.
Do you know who a bad Hindu is? A bad Hindu doesn’t appease others and is proud of their rich cultural heritage. A bad Hindu asks for equal rights and takes a firm stand, declaring that respect is a two-way street. The story pretty much pushes the idea of a good Hindu to the readers. Too bad I am not one of them.
I’ve read Eight - Fantastical Tales From Here, There & Everywhere and Holi Moly! & other stories by the author and enjoyed the stories. This one, however, is an exception.
The book feels like it has been written for people who are not comfortable with dark stories but want to try if they can handle grim and disturbing. The themes are hinted at, but there’s nothing graphic or detailed in some stories. This makes the Indian track of the Love Jihad story rather apparent.
To sum up, Damage & Other Stories could have been an outstanding collection if some stories were more fleshed out and personal ideologies were kept away from sensitive topics.
I should have rounded it off to 3 stars (which would be more accurate considering the stories), but I can’t make myself do that. So 2 stars it is.
June 2, 2022
Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering - Book Review
Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering
Publication Date: 14th June 2022
Genre: Contemporary Women, Drama
2 Stars
One Liner: Duh!
*****
2013: Molly, a 23-year-old MFA student, and Jake Danner, the lead singer and guitarist of the Danner Lane band, meet and fall in love. Their relationship is intense, draining, and explosive, with the two of them wanting forever.
A Decade Later: Molly is married to Hunter and has a six-year-old daughter Stella. She and Hunter are trying for another child through embryo transplantation. Molly is lonely and unable to fit into the wealthy lifestyle of Flynn Cove.
She meets Sabrina, who seems to be just like her. The two hit off instantly and become good friends. As Sabrina spins her web, Molly can’t help but feel torn between her past and present. Sabrina won’t stop until she gets what she wants.
Can Molly deal with the aftermath? What will her past cost her?
My Observations:
First 33% - Not sure if I was too tired or bored to not care about the characters Next 33% - Hmm… can the plot move ahead, please Last 33% - At least, it’s overThe story comes in installments of past and present from Molly and Jake's limited third-person POVs and Sabrina’s first-person POV.
There’s a lot of story (info dump) despite the segregation of the plot into different segments. Sabrina’s present chapters were interesting of all.
Sadly, none of the characters made me feel anything for them. Not even dislike. I didn’t care for any of them for the majority of the book. Stella was the bright spot whenever she appeared.
There’s so much drama, but it felt so distanced that I was bored rather than feeling sad for either character. The writing is too much YA-ish, but I enjoyed some YA books way better than one.
And no! This is NOT a thriller. It is a drama. I didn’t find anything remotely ‘thrilling’ in the book. The twists can’t even be called twists, IMO.
It’s kind of ironic that the book has scenes about multiple edits required to polish and fine-tune a manuscript. If only…
I can’t say who the right audiences for the book are, but it’s not me. I was bored more than half the time. (I'm repeating myself. Can't help it).
The pacing is super slow. I finished it in 3 days only because I started to speed-read from the first day. No way I would spend more than 3 days on a 320-page book that claims to be a thriller.
To sum up, Can’t Look Away is a drama that reads a lot like a YA book with NA characters. However, read other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press, for the eARC.
#NetGalley
May 30, 2022
Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown - Book Review
Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown
Publication Date: 14th June 2022
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
4 stars
One Liner: Heartwarming story about friendships and second chances
*****Jessica- army vet; restless and tensed Risa- mom of twin teen girls (in the middle of a divorce)Mary Nell- kicked out by a loser boyfriend Haley- dealing with a family secret and unexpected change Wade- army vet; struggling to come to terms with his brother’s death Jessica, Risa, Mary Nell, and Haley are cheerleaders and buddies from school. Wade was their senior, but it’s these four that share a deep bond with each other. They are back home in Texas after twenty years and find their lives at crossroads.
Jessica inherits an old church (that hasn’t been in use for years) and has no idea what to do with it. A chance meeting with her friends and Wade gives her a new project and a reason to put down her roots. They decide to turn the unused church into a grill and bar.
Of course, it’s not an easy job. Apart from the physical work involved, the friends have to deal with their personal lives and the opposition from the religious folk in the town. It’s up to them to stand with each other, make tough decisions, and rebuild their lives with love and friendship.
My Observations:
First things first. I wasn’t entirely sure about the idea of converting a church into a bar. But a quick search assured me that this has happened a few times before. I realized it wouldn’t be appropriate to compare different cultures (mine to others) and get things too tangled up for no reason.
This is my second book by the author and is slightly heavier than the first. But it is just as heartwarming with well-etched characters and good touches of humor.
There’s loads of food- pancakes, flavored waffles, ice creams, lemon pound cake, half a dozen types of cookies, and sigh! I’m drooling.
The relationship between the friends was the best part of the book. Even though the story didn’t seem to progress much in some places, the interactions make it worth reading.
The twin girls, Lily and Daisy, are such sweethearts. If only we had teens like them around! Despite the stress and family issues, the girls are not bitter, cranky, or grumpy. They are lively, confident, assertive, sassy, and sweet. I love them.
There’s slow-burn romance too, but the central plot is about the friends and their lives. I like Wade’s character. He is friendly, supportive, understanding, and compassionate.
There are some not-so-loving characters too. Grandma Martha and Grandma Stella compete for the most disliked character. They are similar as well- two people using religion and God as tools to control and dominate their own family members.
Oscar is such a fun person and the complete opposite of these ladies. This book doesn’t have the main lead. Instead, it has eight people trying to work things out for the best.
There are no major obstacles or hurdles for the group. Things pretty much go as per the plan (which rarely happens), but I wasn’t looking for realistic fiction. I enjoyed the story as it is.
The pace dips in the middle but picks up in the third part. The ending is sweet and, of course, has a HEA, which is all I want after reading 300 pages. The epilogue ties up things neatly (a little too neat, but who cares).
To sum up, Riverbend Reunion is a slightly heavy but heartwarming story about a group of friends looking to find a place to call home.
Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #RiverbendReunion
May 27, 2022
Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook - Book Review
Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook
Publication Date: 14th June 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure
3.5 Stars
One Liner: A few hits and misses
West Australia, 1886 & 1896
Eliza’s family arrives in Bennin Bay for a new start away from London. The land is brutal, and so is the sea. The community might have people from several countries. The natives are treated like dirt and used for hard labor. After all, they dive into the deep waters to bring shells, and the owners sell the pearls to make money. Black market, corruption, slavery, abuse, and atrocities are a part of everyday life in Bennin Bay.
Eliza’s family seems to have a decent life, and her father is a fair trader. But when their boat arrives without him, Eliza has no choice but to find out the truth. Thomas, her brother, doesn’t seem to know much. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to speak yet.
Eliza knows she cannot sit idle, even if the community around her values women less than men. She is determined to get to the bottom of the truth. But what will this cost her? Can she find the truth about her father’s disappearance?
What I Like:
• I haven’t read a story set in this backdrop before. While I know what colonizers do to natives (as an Indian), the pearl diving community was new to me. I haven’t heard of them before.
• The descriptions of the settings are beautiful despite the grim and dark storyline. The metaphors got a little too much at times, but I got to ‘see’ a different land.
• Eliza and Min are well-etched. They are flawed people with good hearts. Their friendship has its own beauty. More of their childhood journey would make them even more real.
• The ending is satisfying and dissatisfying. Eliza’s character stays true to her arc, making me happy. A couple of characters get the closure.
• The author’s note at the end is detailed and informative. Without revealing spoilers, I’ll just say that the author created her characters and the setting from real people and places.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The pacing is slow. If I wasn’t lucky enough to get extra reading time, the book would have taken another day to end.
• Some of the scenes were a little too convenient. Despite the odds, Eliza doesn’t find it too hard to navigate through the male-dominated society.
• There isn’t enough information about the natives and their lives. We are they are treated worse than dirt, but we have very little insight into their daily lives, customs, and culture.
• Alex’s character never really took off. I wanted more depth to his character, considering the role he plays.
• The dissatisfying parts of the ending are the loose ends. Some are just left to the reader’s imagination. I’m not fully okay with the one that is connected to the central plot. The other satisfied me.
• The central story is paper-thin. What makes this work (to an extent) is the setting. Deciding the final rating wasn’t easy! After much debating, I fixed the rating at the midway mark of 3 stars (rounded). This one has great potential, but the heavy prose swallows the plot.
To sum up, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter has to be picked up for the historical setting and glimpse into the lives of pearl divers.
Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the eARC.
#NetGalley
*****
PS: Despite the premise, this book is not a mystery. The publishers marked it historical and general fiction on NetGalley. The blurb calls it a feminist adventure. These sum up the book. Reading this as a mystery would disappoint the readers. There is no fantasy either.
May 21, 2022
Peril at Pennington Manor by Tracy Gardner - Book Review
*****Avery Ayers and her team at Antiques and Artifacts Appraised got the assignment to appraise and catalog the contents of the Hudson River. The manor (that feels more like a castle) is being sold by the duke, who happens to be a good friend of Aunt Midge (Avery’s aunt).
The first time Avery and her dad William visit the manor, they realize that the Viktor Petrova pocket watch is missing. The duke is stunned but determined to ensure all the antiques are cataloged and accounted for.
On the first day of work, the team ends up being a witness to the death of Suzanne, the housekeeper at the manor. Avery’s instincts tell her it’s not a simple case of accidental death. Detective Art Smith steps into the scene to aid with the investigation and keep Avery safe. Moreover, the duo has to decide the future of their relationship (if there is one).
As more antiques turn out to be fake, the duke ends up in a riding accident, and another employee of the manor is found dead. With the list of suspects including every person in the manor, Avery and Art must sort through the maze to arrive at the truth.
Are the missing antiques and the deaths related? Are there two different criminals to track and unearth? Can the duo solve the cases before they face the bullet?
My Observations:
The book began with an interaction between Avery and Art, and I wasn’t sure of the dynamics. It took me a while to get into the subplot (the family, relationships, etc.). The case, however, was clear enough. There were quite a few characters to track, which made it a little difficult to stay up to date with the developments concerned with the main plot. Luckily, I wasn’t in a mood to solve the case, which made it easy to go with the flow (and round the rating to 4 stars). Getting to Avery and Art was nice. I had a better knowledge of their relationship by the end of the book. I would love to know where it heads in the future books. Avery was intelligent (even if she jumped to conclusions at times). She was nosy too, which is rather a prerequisite to becoming an amateur detective. But the book balanced her sleuthing and antique appraisal work. I learned something about the field. That was fun. The book has a super friendly dog and seven teeny kittens! Yeah… one kitty is black and white, and another has tiger stripes. Sigh! (Can you see my heart-eyes?) Tilly appeared childish and strange in the first half. Must be her teenage acting up. Still, I couldn’t understand her sudden shifts in mood. The pacing was uneven (it slumps in the middle), but the end wrapped up things pretty well. The characters weren’t fully developed, though they serve the intended purpose. No far-fetched theories or solutions, so that’s a plus.To sum up, Peril at Pennington Manor is a blend of cozy mystery and family drama. The book would make a nice read when you want something that doesn’t demand too much of your energy.
Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #PerilatPenningtonManor
May 19, 2022
The Summer of Christmas by Juliet Giglio - Book Review
*Contains Spoilers*
Ivy Green’s autobiographical script is ready to be filmed. After five years of struggling to make a mark as a screenwriter, Ivy finally gets her chance. Imagine her shock when the producer announces that the movie will be filmed in her hometown.
The last thing Ivy wants is to come across Nick, her childhood bestie and long-term lover, the man who broke up with her just before Christmas five years ago. With no other choice, Ivy goes back home, determined to prove that she moved on. After all, she’s in a relationship with Drew, the producer of the film.
However, just about everything goes wrong as the heroine playing Ivy gets too close to Nick, and Ivy is still very much confused about her feelings for him. Ivy needs to get her life back on track and decide what she wants if she hopes for a happy ever after.
What I Like:
• Oh, this is easy. The cover is cute, and I’ve always liked to read about Christmas when it’s super hot outside. Summer in Christmas felt like it was my kind of book (except it wasn’t).
• The best part of the book was Ivy rewriting her love story into a script where she kills off Nick’s character in an accident. Way to go!
• The book reads fast (or maybe I'm very good at speed reading), thus saving me a day I marked for this one.
• The side characters are endearing despite the limited character development. Griffin, Ivy’s parents and sister, and Nick’s mom had great potential but shined within the limitations.
• The Christmas theme was good to read. That’s what kept me going.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
*cracks knuckles*
• The narration was choppy and seemed a bit disjointed. I’m not sure if it’s some sort of contemporary writing, but some of the sentences were too weird to read. The Nick, Rick, and dick thingy was cringe-level.
• The POV seemed too scattered. It is a limited third-person one minute, omnipresent the next, and judgmental third person in another. Quite confusing at times.
• Some attempts at humor felt OTT. The drama was a bit too much and continued to go in circles. Why couldn’t they just talk like adults? Ivy and Nick have known each other forever and are now in their 30s. You’d expect more maturity from them.
• Ivy and Nick spend a lot of time in their past instead of deciding what they want for the future. We see that they are meant to be together. But if they can’t decide it, why bother!
• Despite the flaws, Ivy was a good person and deserved better. Nick was an idiot, and Drew was worse. I was half-hoping she’d find someone who would really love her.
• Griffin’s arc was going well until there’s a sudden realization <spoiler> that he likes guys. Make it believable, at least! Representation, for the sake of it, doesn’t work. <spoiler>
• I was still hopeful about the ending, but two scenes ruined it for me. I cannot make myself rate the book higher.
<spoiler> First, Nick thinks he dreams about his dead father and wakes up realizing that he needs to get Ivy back in his life. Then, Ivy has a dream with a Young Ivy showing her their past and the future. Boom! Ivy now knows she needs to sort it with Nick because he’s the love of her life.
Then we get to know that Nick actually met a guy (from the film crew) who looked like his dad. What even! Why do two grown-up people need dreams and ghosts to help them decide about their lives? Just about everyone in the town and the shooting crew knows Ivy and Nick are a couple, but they need some guidance from the other world. Sigh! <spoiler>
• The ending is a high drama that would look good on the screen but fell OTT in the book.
I enjoy romcoms, but this just got too much after a while. After reading the author’s note and bio, I kind of understood why the book felt so patchy.
Bear with me as I get into the gyaan-sharing mode.
*clears voice*
The authors are screenplay writers, and this is their first novel. Their expertise clearly shows in the scenes related to the film and film industry. However, screenplay writing is different from novel writing.
A film is an audiovisual medium. The audience doesn’t have to imagine or guess the characters, their emotions, and their expressions. It’s all there for us to see. A book requires the reader to imagine and visualize the content. They have the freedom to choose the actors but also have the disadvantage of not knowing whether or not their visualization is aligned with the authors'.
What feels aligned in a film doesn’t necessarily feel the same in a book. After all, we cannot ‘see’ certain things but can only imagine them. This mismatch made the book feel choppy and patchy. The weird sentences and dialogues would sound natural and funny on the screen. The same doesn’t have to happen in the book format (it didn’t for some of us). And thus, we have a great premise with a mixed-up execution. This should have been a movie.
*speech ends*
To sum up, The Summer of Christmas is a very light read if you aren’t particular about certain things. The Christmas elements are fun, so all is not lost.
Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, for the eARC.
#NetGalley
May 14, 2022
The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark - Book Review
*****
Meg Williams has multiple personalities, depending on where she is and what she wants. She’s a con artist of the best kind, utterly convincing and charming her targets to be under her spell. She knows what people need to hear and gives them that to take away their money and disappear until she finds the next target.
Meg is now back in action as a real estate agent in LA. She has old scores to settle, and this is her biggest act ever. The previous cases won’t mean a thing if she can’t pull this off.
Kat Roberts has been waiting for a decade to meet Meg. Their path crossed for a split second all those years ago, and that instant changed Kat’s life forever. She persisted with the sole ambition of exposing Meg.
As the two women meet and get to each other, Kat realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know. Meg is not who she is, but she isn’t a single-minded con artist either. As if things aren’t confusing enough, Kat has to deal with relationship issues that make her question everything she knows.
Can the two women succeed in finding justice when it seems so elusive? What does it cost them to fight the world that’s not in their favor?
My Observations:
• There’s nothing better than a fast-paced thriller to keep the reader hooked. The pace is consistent from start to finish. It doesn’t even feel like a 320-page book.
• The main characters are well-sketched without going into elaborate detail. We can understand their traits by following their thoughts and actions (and no ramblings). Neither of them is perfect. They are flawed but strong enough to deal with life’s twists and turns.
• We know what Meg plans and intends for other characters, and it is fun to see them fall into her trap. This kind of narration is my favorite when done well.
• There are enough twists and turns to keep the story going. I guessed most of them, but that didn’t diminish my interest in the least (I always like it when the plotline goes plausibly without any weird twists).
• The climax felt a tad less impactful. It sure fits the overall plotline, but I expected a little drama or complexity. But this one just flowed by. It was seamless, which is good. However, it also means that the climax doesn’t stand out.
• Yet, the ending makes up for it. It sorts the loose ends and leaves us with a smirk (or a chuckle). It could also lead to a sequel, though I’m not sure a second book would be necessary.
To sum up, The Lies I Tell is a fast-paced, twisty thriller with an antagonist as the main lead. She is someone we’ll root for, and that makes the book a hit.
This is my first by the author, but I’m going to pick her works and keep my eyes open for future ones.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #TheLiesITell
May 12, 2022
Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions by Kerry Greenwood - Book Review
*****So this is one of those rare instances where I watched the shows before reading the book. Miss Fisher’s Mysteries was one of the two series I watched on Netflix. Needless to say, I loved the show. Essie Davis as Phryne and Nathan Page as ahem... Jack Robinson made my heart go aww with their onscreen chemistry…
Anyway... back to the book.
Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions is a collection of seventeen short stories or cases solved by Phryne. Most of them are short, cute, interesting, and entertaining. Some are dramatic and elaborate; it’s Phryne, after all!
The writing is easy to read and tinged with the kind of humor I love to read. Phryne being a no-nonsense investigator with loads of sass and smartness makes her a delightful personality. No ramblings or inner monologues.
The following are the cases I enjoyed. Most of them have a dominant human emotion as a theme, which becomes clear as the case is solved.
Hotel Splendide: The first story in the book, it introduces Phryne as she solves the case of a missing husband.
Marrying the Bookie’s Daughter: This one has a couple of layers and almost a parallel track. It shows the vulnerable side of Phyrne (though it doesn’t last long).
Puttin’ on the Ritz: This is a short case where simplicity wins over elaborate scheming. A fun piece too.
Overheard on a Balcony: This has a slightly more emotional quotient and some good drama. Phryne does what she does the best; make decisions based on people and the situation.
Death Shall be Dead: This one is a kind of brainy case with references to works from history and classic English Literature. Imagine my surprise to see Jack happily married and with kids. Gasp!
Carnival: This is an interesting case and full of drama by a rich brat. I wish this was slightly longer and more detailed.
The Camberwall Wonder: Yet another case that requires some brainy work, which Phryne solves with ease. This also shows how cultural appropriation was a thing even in the 1920s (and Australia). Sigh!
The Boxer: Mrs. Ragnell wants Phryne to find her missing granddaughter. But Phryne discovers there’s more to it. A bittersweet tale dealing with the dark side of society.
The Bells of St Paul’s: This story is more of the sweet kind than a criminal case. It’s rather cute, even if there is no big mystery as such. A happy ending to the collection of stories.
I have to mention that I loved reading the author’s note at the beginning of the book. She talks about how she created the character and the research that went into writing the books. My favorite part is when she said she wanted to create an assertive and confident female sleuth (very much unlike the anxious TSTL amateur sleuths we see in cozy mysteries).
To sum up, Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions is a light cozy mystery collection with Phryne Fisher solving one intriguing case after another. You’ll enjoy this if you are a fan of cozy mysteries and prefer a sensible heroine to handle the job.
Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
*****
P.S: I did my best not to compare the book to the TV show (that would be unfair). But I did imagine the stories with the same characters, and that sure enriched my reading experience. Why not when the cast is so talented and good-looking? ;)
May 9, 2022
The Witch's Tree by Elena Collins - Book Review
PC: Visual shared by the publishing housePresent Day: Selena decides to take a break and move to the countryside and recover from heartbreak. She chooses Sloe Cottage in the Somerset village of Ashcombe and is determined to heal and paint to her heart’s content. Her friend and business partner, Claire, encourages her to go ahead with the plan. Their business is doing well, and the duo can make more if Selena can paint during her stay at the cottage.
Sloe Cottage is beautiful, though the original part feels cold no matter what. Selena tentatively makes friends with the locals while finishing a series of paintings. However, she cannot get over the feeling of sadness in the cottage. She starts to research the history of the place and the cottage, only to uncover some shocking incidents.
Somerset, 1682:
Grace Cotter is quite content taking care of her father and learning from Betty, her grandmother. Her herb garden, the blackthorn tree, and the wishing well keep her happy. There’s just one thing she wants to have a happier life.
But hopes, dreams, and longing for a happy ever after are dangerous in times when superstitions rule the land. A single word or whisper could brand someone a witch and get them killed. Grace does her best to remain hopeful and kind. But when things take a turn for worse, she might lose everything…
With more than three hundred years between the times, Grace and Selena are bound by an invisible thread. They need to heal and move on. Can Selena get another chance at love? Can Grace’s restless spirit be free from the bonds that tie her down? How do these women help each other?
My Observations:
• The book starts slow but picks up pace in the second half. The prologue and epilogue fit like a glove. I love how the author used them.
• The writing is descriptive and atmospheric (a reason for the slow beginning) but covers a good amount of time from start to finish.
• I confess I didn’t like Selena at the beginning. She seemed too naïve and passive for a 38-year-old woman with a good career. But her character arc improved and got better as the story progressed.
• The side characters (in the present-day track) are lively and bring much-needed positivity to the storyline. The cottage itself is a character, just like the blackthorn tree.
• As with most dual timelines, I love the past track more than the present. Grace is a beautiful character. Her innocence suits her, given the timeline and age.
• The past track effectively showed how gossip and rumors can take a life, and malice, more often than not, is the root cause.
• The touch of paranormal blends seamlessly with the atmosphere in the book.
• The prejudice against healers and women and the subsequent witch trials are well presented in the book. Except for the climax scene, the rest of it is not graphic or overwhelming. Even the climax manages to keep things from going OTT.
To sum up, The Witch’s Tree is a beautiful and bittersweet story of Grace and Selena, connected through the expanse of time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #TheWitchsTree
