Review: Plant Lady Embroidery

Name -Plant Lady Embroidery

Pages -120
Publisher -Quarry Books
Genre -Craft & Hobbies
Rating -4/5
Source -NetGalley
ISBN -9781631598456
Review no. -18
Synopsis -
Brimming with over 300 botanical motifs, this wonderful resource will provide inspiration and instructions for embroidery artists and flower ladies everywhere. This collection features designs including flowers, ferns, succulents, leaves, bees and garden scenes. The books includes basic embroidery instruction for stitches and transferring designs onto fabric.
Original designs and clear instructions make this book a must have for any embroidery enthusiast's library.
Review -
Plant Lady Embroidery: 300 Botanical Embroidery Motifs & Designs to Stitch is a reproduction of a Japanese book that was published by E&G Creates Company Limited. It has been translated to English. As the title indicates, it provides many beautiful embroidery motifs for stitching.
The first section has full-color photos of the motifs stitched by each designer with the name of the plant beside the photo. Use the pattern number by the photo to find the pattern inside the book.
Most of the book has the pattern. On the left side the directions show which stitch to use while the right side shows the clean pattern without words or markings.
I really like the designs in this book and you will be seeing many of these designs in my quote quilt.
I would have liked the color photo closer to the motif, as I find the digital copy cumbersome to move back and forth from the front of the book to the back. It might just be my computer that made scrolling so slow. Even with a physical copy, though, it would be better to have the color copy closer to the pattern. Color makes such a big difference. I found some designs that made me go back to the color to see what it looked like so I was flipping back and forth several times to get the full understanding of the design.  

Review: Feminist Stiches

Name -Feminist Stitches

Pages -64

Author -Haley Pierson-Cox

Genre -Craft & Hobbies

Rating -4.5/5

Source -NetGalley

ISBN -9780760367483

Review no. -17

Synopsis -Feminist Stitches offers twelve empowering feminist-themed cross-stitch patterns that celebrate strong women.Decorate your home with framed pieces or use the patterns to personalize items like denim jackets and backpacks.
The kit includes twelve fun and original patterns featuring various designs and quotes that have been popularized by the feminist movement, plus the supplies needed to make two finished projects. The book offers step-by-step instructions with full-color photographs of the finished projects.
Cross-stitch patterns include: Votes for Women (100thAnniversary of 19thAmendment ratification)We Can Do It, Don't Tell Me to Smile Pussy Hat + "Power"Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History R.I.P. Gender Roles Girl Just Want to Have Fun...damental Human Rights, Not Your Babe The Future is Female, Smash the Patriarchy I Dissent Resist.

Review -

This is a lovely little pattern book (that will be sold with a starter kit of supplies) that will be hit with experienced and beginner stitchers alike.
The introduction does a nice job of explaining the current crafting trends that reclaim the “womanly” arts in the name of progress.  This will resonate with crafters who are often told that our hobby’s are “silly” or “frivolous” just because we code anything done by women as “not important.”  (As opposed to how important golf is...I mean, don't even get me started.)
The instructional section provides a quick overview of how to get started with cross-stitch.  While more in depth instruction might be desired by new stitchers, this will get you up and running with the craft.  The addition of starter supplies when for commercial sale makes this a perfect grab-and-go way to jump into a hobby.
As for the patterns?  They are a delight. All are manageable for beginners, but will also keep a seasoned-pro engaged.   The patterns vary enough in style that there will be a good choice for an aesthetic.

Review: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

Name -On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

Pages -291

Author -Andrew Peterson

Genre -Fantasy, Children's Fiction

Rating -4.5
Source -NetGalley

ISBN -9780525653561

Review no. -16

Synopsis -

Now in hardcover for the first time, featuring all-new illustrations! Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog, Nugget.Janner Igiby, his brother, Tink, and their disabled sister, Leeli, are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that they love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang, who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice. The Igibys hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.
Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers' groups are sure to enjoy discussing for its many layers of meaning. Extra features include new interior illustrations from Joe Sutphin, funny footnotes, a map of the fantastical world, inventive appendices, and fanciful line art in the tradition of the original Frank L. Baum Wizard of Oz storybooks.

Review -

This is a really great novel. The story is about the adventures of three Igiby siblings- Janner, Tink and Leeli in a war-strewn world. I love the world-building of this book. The book was adventurous, fun, interesting and unique. The writing style reminded me of JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis. In fact I like the writing style in this book more than the writing styles of both of them (I am not a fan of JRR Tolkien or CS Lewis). The conclusion was very nice. The character building was just great. I had started
sincerely thank the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Above all, I would like to thank the author, Andrew Peterson, for writing such a great book.

reading the next book in this series (thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher) as soon as I finished this book because I was not able to contain my curiosity of what will happen next. Overall, this is a really great book which has the capability to be loved by both adults and children alike.

Review: Rann Ji Goonj (Desert Echoes)

Name -Rann Ji Goonj (Desert Echoes)

Pages -36

Authors/Poets -

Kalansh Gala, Chandni Bhanushali, Deepika Gala, Sagar Goswami, Manali Manojgiri Goswami, Manish Maraj, Jayprakash V. Makwana, Maheshwari Priyanka Ashokbhai, Hardik Gor, <aheshwari Heena, Rozmeen, Amankumar Rameshbhai Joshi

Language -Kutchi (translated into English), Bilingual
Genre -Anthology of Poems

Translated By -Kalansh Gala

Illustrated By -Qurratain Shamoon
Rating -5/5
Source -Kalansh Gala & team
ISBN - 978-1-64805-288-0
Review no. -15
Synopsis -

Rann Ji Goonj or ‘Desert Echoes’ is a collection of poems from Kutch compiled through the Kutchi Poetry Competition 2019.

These poems are the surviving voices of Kutch’s ancient culture. This edition contains poems of love, of heritage, of memories and of the language.

Review -

The book 'Rann Ji Goonj' or 'Desert Echoes' is a anthology of 17 extremely well-weaved poems compiled through the Kutchi Poetry Competition 2019. Each poem in the book is originally written in Kutchi and then translated into English on the immediate next page to show that English is 'nothing more than a bridge'. Most of the poems have beautiful illustrations which were drawn by Qurratain Shamoon on the background or beside the poem.

Even though I read only the English translation of the poems, I felt that each and every poem has proved to be successful in delivering an essence of Kutch to the reader. I have only been to Kutch once before and that after reading this book, I felt a sudden respect towards the language and culture of the land of Kutch rise in me. And above all it made me curious to learn the Kutchi language. I so want to read the poems in the original form too!

I loved all the poems in this book. But I still do have a few favorites and they are- Listen by Kalansh Gala, Success (A Motivating Poem) by Chandni Bhanushali, Do Something by Sagar Goswami and Get up and walk by Deepika Gala.

I definitely recommend this book not only for the Kutchis and Gujaratis but for everyone because even the English translation was really good! Also, this book made me make up my mind to learn Kutchi language by online classes whereas before reading this book I didn't even know that a language known as Kutchi existed!

P.s. -The first thing that came to my mind after reading the translated title of this book (Desert Echoes) was the drawing which I made when I was in class 5 (yes!! I still remember) and that's why I have posted a photo of it above.

Review: The Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2)

Name -The Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2)

Pages -224

Author -Gina Loveless, Andrea Bell

Genre -Middle-grade

Rating -2.5/5

Source -NetGalley

Review no. -14

Synopsis -

In Book 2 of the Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw series, life is going great for Robin Loxley—until a friend thief comes along and threatens to ruin everything!After her victory over Nadia, the playground bully, Robin has her old best friend back, plus a whole gang of new friends! But when that Nadia tries to steal away all of the people she holds dear, will Robin be able to keep her band of merry misfits together? Find out in Robin's second illustrated diary—a tell-all about growing up, dealing with bullies, and trying to do what’s right.

Review -

Seriously, it's not difficult to like a children's book with all the cute, colourful illustrations, cover, lively characters and all but this one is just not the one with all the right feels that usually keeps oozing from children's fiction. I feel like the book focuses more on the gossip and bully-talk that's circulating in the school rather than the school activities and the friendship circle. Something is off about the characters. They just couldn't give me the childlike vibes. The plot isn't much and the writing feels a little flat for me and then it tends to get overdramatic now and then. The book gave me some kind of negative things regarding friend circles and school. I wish I was able to enjoy this little book. Hope the next book is better than this.

The book is kind of good (I mean middle-graders would love it). However, the book

 lacks a strong plot. The character-building is good. In short, the novel is fun-filled with colorful illustrations. I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me this wonderful opportunity.

Review: The Ghosts of Sherwood

Name -The Ghosts of Sherwood

Pages -112

Author -Carrie Vaughn

Genre -Fantasy

Rating -4/5

Source -NetGalley
Review no. -13

Synopsis -

Carrie Vaughn's The Ghosts of Sherwood revisits the Robin Hood legend with a story of the famed archer's children.

Everything about Father is stories.

Robin of Locksley and his one true love, Marian, are married. It has been close on two decades since they beat the Sheriff of Nottingham with the help of a diverse band of talented friends. King John is now on the throne, and Robin has sworn fealty in order to further protect not just his family, but those of the lords and barons who look up to him – and, by extension, the villagers they protect.

There is a truce. An uneasy one, to be sure, but a truce, nonetheless.

But when the Locksley children are stolen away by persons unknown, Robin and Marian are going to need the help of everyone they’ve ever known, perhaps even the ghosts that are said to reside deep within Sherwood.

And the Locksley children, despite appearances to the contrary, are not without tricks of their own…

Review -

The ghosts of Sherwood is a short story, a quick read and I loved everything! Being a fan of Robin of Locksley and Marian, and their talented friends and allies, I couldn't not want to read this book.
Robin and Marian are married and live with their three children, Mary, John and Eleanor. Almost two decades ago they beat the Sheriff of Nottingham. Now Robin has sworn fealty to King John in order to protect his family, friends and those who look up to him. It's an uneasy truce and everyone knows it and when Robin's and Marian's kids are kidnapped they are ready to do anything to get them back safe and sound. Even with the help of the mysterious ghosts in Sherwood.
It is a really quick read (112 pages I think)  but is thrilling and action packed nonetheless. I found this book really interesting. I just don't know what genre to categorise it in because of everything (and that's why I love it). In short, it is a must-read book and I totally recommend it to everybody.
It was also very interesting and amazing reading about Robin and Marian as parents and their children, who are inventive and very resourceful.
Marian,Mary and Eleanor are not the ladies of the stories, not damsels in distress, but strong and determined, able to fight and full of resources. Robin is brave, generous, a legend, but also sometimes impulsive, little John is decisive and stubborn and I loved the cameos of Much, Scarlett and the others.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this amazing read.

Review: A Family Dinner

Name -A Family Dinner

Pages -42
Author -Cory Q Tan
Genre -Children's fiction, Fantasy, Family & Relationships
Rating -5/5
Sources -LibraryThing

Review no. -12

Synopsis -

Mum's cooking carrot and potato soup for dinner, but she's run out of carrots! So she sent Dad on an errand to buy more from the corner grocery shop, just five minutes' walk from home. What could possibly go wrong? Who would expect such a simple outing would turn out to be a great adventure of a life time, filled with dangers and bizarre encounters Dad would never have expected or forget. Follow our hero on this simple mission gone terribly wrong, and witness the incredible strength, determination, and courage of a parent who would do everything he could to make an ordinary dinner possible. This story is a tribute to all parents, myself included, who would do anything, even if it means having to face our greatest fears or undertake the most unpleasant tasks, to bring happiness to our children and our family. It is targeted at children aged 3-8 and suitable for everyone.

Review -

In this book the author, Cory Q Tan, has taken this real-life situation and has transformed it into enchanting fantasy where the Dad having to get a bunch of carrots so Mom could make her Carrot and Potato Soup for dinner set out for what should have taken only a few minutes but winds up on an unbelievable journey taking practically the entire day as he follows one lead after another to find those freshly picked carrots. Along the way the bag of carrots he had purchased got snatched up by a huge black bird which he couldn’t recover, he then encounters a huge worm who’s got his head caught in an even larger apple, which he helps free; a huge wolf with an agonizing toothache his he successfully pulled while being afraid he could be eaten at any time by it.
By the end of the day he rescues a young bunny who’s found his way into the ocean trying to get back a toy which got out there and not being able to swim back, and as soon as he held the bunny safely in his arms, they got swallowed by a huge fish, which then got caught and everyone climb out of the fish. The bunny’s grateful parents gave Dad a huge bunch of freshly picked carrots they had grown.
With this fantastic journey behind him, when Dad finally got home and while everyone had been happy to see him after so long, he learned that Mom had changed the menu for their dinner to pasta.

I got this book by the author through library thing and I would seriously like to thank him for awakening the child in me. I loved the story very much. It is a must read for all the kids. It is hilarious. It teaches us many values like how important parents are or how unconditional their love is, how we should always help others etc. In fact, it also teaches us how fortunate we are that we get food. In short, I highly recommend this book to all the kids (and also people who are looking for a quick read).

Review: Stealth Aircraft Origami

Name -Stealth Aircraft Origami

Pages -84

Author -Jayson Merrill

Publisher -Dover Publications

Genre -Craft, Origami, Skill & Development

Rating -4/5

Source -NetGalley

Review no. -11
Synopsis/Description -
Advanced paperfolders can get stealthy with eight finely-detailed bombers and fighters. Based on actual American, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese stealth aircraft, the full-color and camouflaged models include the B-2 Spirit, Northrop Grumman's B-21, F-117 "Wobblin' Goblin," F-35 Lightning, F-22 Raptor, J-20 Mighty Dragon, and X-2 "Spirit of the Heart."
Review -
I love craft and that's why I requested this book. Unlike many origami books, this book did not have kiddish designs. At the very beginning of the book are the symbol explanations and a VERY short tutorial (2 pages) for the traditional folds. This will help new hobbyists to be able to follow the later tutorials. Most of the pieces in this book are quite advanced and total newbies would be well advised to have some help or a mentor available for the later tutorials. The tutorials are clearly illustrated and explained, so it's possible that a patient and keen intermediate level origamist could fold most of the included sculptures (the author advises against newbies trying these folds).
the book comprises of step-by-step instructions for making eight amazing origami planes, each of them having an even amazing history. The origami aircrafts included in this book are- Black Knight, B-2 Spirit, F-117 Nighthawk, SR-71 Blackbird, F-22 Raptor, J-20 Mighty Dragon, F-35 Lightning, Sukhoi Su-57. The step-by-step method for each and every aircraft was amazing. The only thing which made me give this book 4/5 stars is the fact that the origami aircrafts are very complicated, that is, it can't be done by a beginner or a person who just doesn't know anything about origami. In fact, I myself was able to make only 6 out of the 8 designs given. But still I loved this book very much. It takes origami to the next level. I definitely recommend it to people who love craft and engineering.
I thank NetGalley and the Publishers for giving me this amazing opportunity to improve my origami knowledge.

Review: State vs. Amrit Kumar

Name -State vs. Amrit Kumar

Pages -158

Author -Dr. Govind Sharma IAS(Retd.)

Publisher -Notion Press

Genre -Legal Fiction, Politics, Crime

Rating -5/5

Review no. -10

Synopsis -

Amrit is an honest and aggressive police officer who is driven by a desire to rid society of criminals. His virtuous campaign is impeded when he is charged with the murder of a man he tried to arrest. Harvard-educated lawyer Sukumar pleads Amrit’s bail, and learns interesting details about Amrit’s family and friends. He also contests Amrit’s friend Ajay’s case, and here an abundance of wealth works like a poison in the absence of values.
Set in the fictional town of Rajapur, the novel tells the story of two generations from 1990 to 2016. There are situations where villains disguise themselves as innocent individuals to take advantage of the unsuspecting nature of credulous people. Advocate Sukumar frequently quotes from Hitopadesh to emphasize the importance of being careful to avoid being deceived by the wolves in sheep’s clothing. Will he be able to swing a verdict in Amrit’s favor?
The novel also raises an important issue on the accountability of the police. Are honest police officers justified in overstepping the boundaries of the law for good reasons? 

Review - 

I got this book from a LibraryThing giveaway and I am so thankful for it.

Even though the title of the book makes it sound like a courtroom thriller, it is certainly not. The story of this book is very, very unique. Its a story of the fight between good and evil, between the truth and falsity. The message 'Satyameva Jayate' (Truth alone Triumphs) has been delivered to the reader in an elaborate manner. What I really loved about this book is that it has many philosophical messages here and there like the basic character of a person can never change, only a man of action is a wise man and so on.

Now coming to the story, the story takes places in the fictional town of Rajapur and unravels the story of two generations from 1990 to 2016. The story is divided into two parts- the first part is about Upendra and Sohan and the second part is about their children, Amrit and Ajay.

I loved the way the story has been blended with Indian culture. Also, the character-building of each and every character was very realistic (especially Amrit's). The story is fast-paced as it takes you through two generations in just 158 pages.

The novel starts of with the student council elections in Rajapur College and takes us through corruption, treachery, crime, sufferings of the good people and ends in a really good note.

I personally feel that the main idea or value delivered by this book is that 'all the wealth of the world is a waste unless one has strong moral values and love for fellow human beings' (as said by Ajay in Page 156).

I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those who are looking for a unique read that could be both entertaining and enlightening.

ISBN -    1946129763 (ISBN13: 9781946129765)

Review: Chasing the Chong Lotus

Name -Chasing the Chong Lotus

Pages -399

Author -Robert Gaspari

Publisher -BooksGoSocial

Genre -General Fiction, Sci-fi & Fantasy

Rating -4/5

Source -NetGalley

Review no. -09

Synopsis -

Do you believe in reincarnation and past lives? What if glimpsing a past life was as easy as eating a sacred lotus petal? Would you do it? What would it reveal to you or about you?

Jon paid for that unique drug experience when he visited Nepal. To know the truth that you lived before and you will live again is a life altering revelation. Jon could not give that up and with every rewind to a past life, the more the experiences changed him. All he shared the Lotus with changed, too.

Jon chased the Chong Lotus, smuggling it out of Tibet, growing it locally and synthesizing the drug. This unleashes unforeseen consequences to an ending Jon just can't visualize.

Review -

I found this book really amazing. The story revolves around Jonathan Sterns, the 'youngest and most rebellious of the three sons of Edward Sterns', a business mogul. Jonathan comes into contact with a drug (the petals of Chong Lotus) which brings the past life memories of the person intaking it only for a short time. He realizes the worth of this lotus at his very first experience and also realizes why the Buddhists monks have kept it as a secret for all these centuries. He along with his girlfriend, Erin, explore their past lifes, which in turn, unfolds trouble.   

I loved the chemistry between Jonathan and Erin. Their relationship was very intense. This book was a mixture of adventure, thriller, romance and a pinch of spirituality and sci-fi. I am really happy that its the first book of a series as I really want more of Jerin.

Although, one thing that I did not like about his book is that I found the story to be slow-paced and that's what made me give 4/5 stars for this book. I surely recommend this book and I feel this book is really underrated as I was the first (and the only) one to review it on NetGalley.

Review: Buzz Books 2020: Spring/Summer

Name -Buzz Books 2020: Spring/Summer

Pages -776

Publisher -Publishers Lunch BUZZ BOOKS

Genre -General Fiction, Excerpts

Rating -5/5

Review no. -08

Synopsis -

Winter Institute In A Book 

As booksellers gather for the annual Winter Institute convention, where they get to meet the season’s big authors and hope to cart home pre-publication review copies, Buzz Books 2020 presents passionate readers with some of the same insider’s look at 44 books on the way. [Note our previously standalone young adult edition is now folded in to this edition, along with adult fiction and nonfiction.]

Our “digital convention” features such major authors as bestsellers Brit Bennett, Sue Monk Kidd, and David Nicholls, along with Veronica Roth, of Divergent fame, with her first adult novel. Other sure-to-be popular titles are by Amy Engel, Debra Jo Immergut, Anna Solomon, and Ellen Marie Wiseman.

Buzz Books has had a particularly stellar track record with highlighting the most talented, exciting debut authors. A legal thriller by Erica Katz has already been optioned by Netflix, and novels by Naoise Dolan and Kate Reed Petty were sold at auction. Kawai Strong Washburn has literary bona fides, as does Raven Leilani, Benjamin Nugent, and Ilana Masad.

Our nonfiction selections range from comedian Mike Birbiglia’s account of becoming a father to transgender activist and author Jennifer Finney Boylan’s Good Boy: My Life In Seven Dogs. Benjamin Taylor shares his friendship with Philip Roth in Here We Are.

Finally, we present early looks at new work from four up-and-coming young adult authors: Laura Bates, Brandy Colbert, Kim Johnson, and Court Stevens.

And be sure to look for the next Buzz Books 2020: Fall/Winter in May, just in time for Book Expo.

Review -

I always tend to like novels more than short stories, excerpts, magazines and other non-fiction works. But this book is an exception. I love this book so much!!! This book helped me set up most of my TBR (to be read)  list. All the excerpts in this book were unique and were written by unique authors. I am really excited about the upcoming releases and also the upcoming Buzz Books. Its like a guide for all the bookworms out there!

I highly recommend this book.

The book opens with a very thorough and well curated list of notable and anticipated books that will come up on offer all year. Just for the purpose of alerting oneself to what's on the horizon this book is worth looking at.

But the heart of the project is the forty-four extended excerpts; each comes with an introduction, some blurbs, marketing plans, and publication notes. Most, if not all, of the featured books are available for download, or at least request, on NetGalley. That aside, at a minimum the excerpts are usually longer than the samples you can download from Amazon, and for lots of the books the Amazon sample downloads aren't yet available and won't be available until we get closer to publication dates. As a consequence, this ends up being an excellent sneak preview resource.

I won't go through the books I was intrigued by, since everyone's tastes in that regard will differ. It is worth noting, though, that there were several books I highlighted to request or otherwise secure that I probably would have ignored but for having an excerpt sitting right in front of me inviting me to read on. I usually just gloss over "Women's Fiction", which is sad and unfair when you think about it, given that "Women's Fiction" isn't even an identifiable genre and certainly doesn't deserve any negative connotation. But there it is, and darned if I didn't get into several of those books based on these samples.

So, this is a wide ranging collection with excellent samples, and an easy way to explore outside your usual comfort zone.  A nice find this year.

Review: The Unblessed Child

Name -The Unblessed Child

Pages -208

Author -R.J.Kaldanis

Publisher -Self-published

Genre -Fantasy, Teens & YA

Rating -4/5

Review no. -07

Synopsis -

There are two types of people in The New Realm: those who are blessed by the gods of the four elements and those who aren't even worthy of their family name. They are unwanted, unloved and are simply known as The Unblessed.Eighteen year old Aardriyah Veros has it worse than most, forever living in the shadow of her powerfully water blessed brother and trying to survive in a broken and poverty stricken nation, to support her father and little sister. Matters only get worse when after two weeks of vivid nightmares, she finds herself being hunted and kidnapped by a mysterious robed figure, powered by a glowing amethyst eye amulet.With her elderly neighbour and new found canine friend in tow, our unblessed child sets out on an epic journey to uncover the truth behind her dreams and why she is being hunted. As she traverses the deepest of oceans brimming with terrifying beasts, volcanic ash covered empires and tunnels of haunted kingdoms, Aardriyah learns that there are worse things in The New Realm than being Unblessed.

Review -

The Unblessed child is the first of the Blessed Chronicles and I can now say it is such a fantastic story to have such a great twist to it, I have never read something like this before so it was so fresh to me and I loved it!!
Aardriyah has grown up bullied and treated like a second class citizen in a works divided in 2: The Blessed and the unblessed. The Blessed have power over the ”four elements “: earth, fire, air, water; while Aardriyah does not. This, however, does not stop her from wanting more out of life and does she ever get it. During her adventure she learns more about herself and the world around her than she believed possible.  
This story was well written with a great plot and beautiful world, but I found it was a slow start. The first half of the book was slow but the second half felt rushed and I would have happily devoured another 100 pages of details.
Aardriyah was such a fantastic character I cannot wait to see what the rest of the books will be like!!

Review: The Hidden King

Name -The Hidden King

Pages -172

Author -E.G.Radcliff

Publisher -BooksGoSocial

Genre -Fantasy, Teens & Y.A.

Rating -4.5/5

Review no. -06

Source -NetGalley

Synopsis -

Hidden truths. Hidden power. Hidden destiny.

Someone is going to get burned...

On the shores of an oily sea, in the streets of a starving city, a young man named Áed scraps to build a life for himself and the makeshift family he loves. Scarred by a trauma he cannot remember, and haunted by the brutal damage it left behind, he has no idea of the courage his future will demand.

When tragedy strikes, a desperate Áed risks a treacherous, life-changing journey in his last chance to save the only family he has left - but an ancient legacy smoldering within him is about to turn deadly. Neither he - nor a kingdom - will ever be the same.

Review -

This book is a really well written book. It's adventurous, action-packed and the write influenced me in such a way that I was able to imagine myself from the main protagonist's shoes. The story revolves around a seventeen year old boy, Áed, who lives with his partner, Ninian and an orphaned boy, Ronan. The story is really well-written and is able to convey the right amount of feelings that the author wanted to convey. In short, this book is a fast-paced thrilling, coming-of-age adventure. I would totally recommend it to everybody!

I finish this review off because I don't want to give out any spoilers and spoil the story.

Also, this book is the first book of the series 'The Coming of Áed', so I am really looking forward for the upcoming books in the series.

 

Review: Murder at Hotel 1911

Name -Murder at Hotel 1911

Pages -272

Author -Audrey Keown

Publisher -Crooked Lane Books

Genre -Mystery & Thrillers

Rating -3/5

Review no. -05

Source -NetGalley

Synopsis -

A hotel clerk prone to panic attacks turns amateur detective in this elegant and atmospheric murder mystery.If you want to spend a night amid the luxury and charm of the early 20th century, book a room at Hotel 1911. You'll find 28-year-old Ivy Nichols behind the reception desk. The hotel is Ivy's only link to the family that abandoned her when she was a small child. Now, plagued by panic attacks, she pedals her sea-green Schwinn bicycle to work every evening, hoping desperately to hold on to her job.
When wealthy, imperious Ms. Swain arrives at the hotel and belittles Ivy, the young woman seeks consolation in the welcoming kitchen of George, the hotel's chef. Despite her tormentor's barbs, she dutifully informs George that Ms. Swain has a deadly allergy to shellfish. So when Ms. Swain collapses at dinner and dies, the police suspect that the chef made a tragic, inexcusable error. Desperate to save George's career, Ivy sets out sleuthing. She learns that numerous people in and around the hotel had motives to contaminate Ms. Swain's plate. Among them are Jeffrey Swain, the victim's son and heir; painter Rose Jewett; and British expat Hemal Sandeep.
Even after the police find traces of shellfish in George's kitchen, Ivy is determined to clear her friend's name. But the stress of the investigation, in a hotel filled with suspects, threatens to precipitate another terrifying panic attack...or something more deadly.

Review -

This mystery novel centers around a woman, Ivy, who works as a front desk clerk at Hotel 1911, a period hotel in modern day. Mrs Swain is a rude and overbearing guest at the 1911 hotel. When she dies from her seafood allergy suspicion immediately falls on the chef, George. Ivy Nichols, a receptionist with secrets of her own, decides to investigate and clear her best friend, George’s name. She tries to uncover clues to what actually happened to Ms. Swain; was she murdered or was it a careless error by her friend, the chef, George?
The novel shows Ivy looking into each of the guests who were staying at the hotel, as well as some other people who are associated with the hotel, for clues to the death of Ms. Swain. She apparently is very good friends with George, the chef, but we don't see much character development on this angle, so it felt rather forced that we were to just assume it to be true.
While I found myself enjoying the novel for the first half, during the second half I kept thinking there wasn't much more plot to be explored, and what characters had been explored were shallow.  I was wondering if I had missed something like a previous novel with these main characters where I could better understand who they were? Some back history was alluded to, but the little explanations there were did not clear anything up.There is a subplot about Ivy’s mother who was brought up in the house that is now the hotel and went missing many years ago. I have absolutely no idea what happened to her mother and am completely baffled by the last chapter of the novel. Perhaps I’m just too thick to understand all the inferences.

Overall I was disappointed in this novel. It seemed like the author could have developed this intriguing premise a lot more, into a much more satisfying book.

Review: It Will Just Be Us

Name -It Will Just Be Us

Pages -272

Author -Jo Kaplan

Publisher -Crooked Lane Books

Genre -Gothic Horror

Rating -4.5/5

Review no. -04

Source -NetGalley ARC

Synopsis -

A terrifying new gothic horror novel about two sisters and a haunted house that never sleeps, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle.They say there's a door in Wakefield that never opens...
Sam Wakefield's ancestral home, a decaying mansion built on the edge of a swamp, isn't a place for children. Its labyrinthine halls, built by her mad ancestors, are filled with echoes of the past: ghosts and memories knotted together as one. In the presence of phantoms, it's all Sam can do to disentangle past from present in her daily life.
But when her pregnant sister Elizabeth moves in after a fight with her husband, something in the house shifts. Already navigating her tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth, Sam is even more unsettled by the appearance of a new ghost: a faceless boy who commits disturbing acts--threatening animals, terrorizing other children, and following Sam into the depths of the house wielding a knife. When it becomes clear the boy is connected to a locked, forgotten room, one which is never entered, Sam realizes this ghost is not like the others. This boy brings doom...
As Elizabeth's due date approaches, Sam must unravel the mysteries of Wakefield before her sister brings new life into a house marked by death. But as the faceless boy grows stronger, Sam will learn that some doors should stay closed--and some secrets are safer locked away forever.

Review -

I requested this book because it has an amazing cover. Seeing the cover itself gave me chills!
And the story! MY GOD! It is one of the scariest stories I have ever read! I read the whole book in a single sitting, because I don't know what possessed me, I wasn't able to stop myself from turning the page. This book was so full of gothic horror that my whole body got goosebumps while I was reading it. This book is creepy, scary, frightening, terrifying, petrifying, daunting, disturbing, hair-raising, spine-chilling and what not. If anybody thinks that they can't be scared by anything in this world (or other world to be precise) give this book a try!

Sam Wakefield lives in a haunted house at the edge of a swamp with her mother.  This is place where ghosts and memories appear daily. When pregnant sister Elizabeth comes to escape an abusive husband something changes. Rather than just being haunted by the images of the dead Sam is seeing what looks like the future.
I enjoyed the idea of just accepting and dealing with living in a haunted house. For example the furniture never gets moved. It can be confusing to walk into a room that is currently haunted by images from years past, you don't want to trip over the coffee table!
Poor Sam wonders if shes going crazy with all the changes, wonders if she has always been crazy. The imagery is dark but the plot is very predictable. Still, even knowing how things will end you want to keep reading to see it play out.  Its old fashioned and atmospheric
But this book (according to me) has only one flaw: the slow pace. Apart from that this book is really good and I would recommend everybody to give it a try.
P.s.- I hope the faceless boy isn't after me while I write this review

Review: Dalya and the Magic Ink Bottle

Name -Dalya and the Magic Ink Bottle

Pages -200

Author -J.M.Evenson

Publisher -Capstone Editions

Genre -Adventure, Fantasy, Children's fiction

Rating -4/5

Review no. -03

Source- NetGalley

Synopsis -

When twelve-year-old Dalya is dragged to Istanbul to help sell her family's ancestral home, the visit begins unpromisingly. Most of the aged mansion is off-limits because it's falling apart, her father is ignoring her, and her great aunt keeps prattling on about a family curse. Despite warnings against it, Dalya tiptoes upstairs, where she finds an old bottle of magic ink hidden under a floorboard. She asks the bottle's jinn (aka genie) to grant her a simple wish...to send her home. Except the jinn interprets "go home" to mean "send me back in time and turn me into a cat." Then Dalya must set off on a wild adventure through Istanbul's animal underworld to find the jinn with the power to set things right.

Review -

 This super cute middle grade book has it all, magic, friendship, family, adventure, time travel, animals. When Dayla and her estranged father visit his old family home in Istanbul, Dayla isn't happy as her workaholic father is always abandoning her for his work and she feels unloved and unwanted, till she follows a  strange cat to the forbidden upstairs rooms and finds a hidden ink bottle, which turns out to be magic. After getting in an argument with her Baba Dayla wishes to 'Go Home' and the magic in the Ink Bottle goes a little awry and Dayla finds herself in a strange and magical predicament. Dayla has to find friends and fast if she ever wants to get back home to her mother and Baba and on her strange and unusual journey she learns some hard lessons about friendship and family.

Overall a really enjoyable story, very well written, nothing to hard yo understand about this for the intended age group (except for pronunciation of a few names). The story flowed smoothly and the action scenes were very tense wondering how they would escape and save the day, some very well written characters also..

Review: To My Love with Love

Name -To My Love With Love
Pages -234
Author -Anuraag Srivastava
Publisher -Rumour Books India
Genre -Romance; Family and relationships
Rating -5/5

Synopsis -

Two years, two women. Anurag’s heart is torn between his first love, archaic, and current flame, arushi. Time decides to play a wicked game amidst dwindling feelings. Will anurag’s unrequited love for Archana change how she feels? Will Anurag live through love with arushi? Can you fall in love twice, differently, with two people? To my love with love takes you on a pulsating journey into anurag’s heart, Unravelling confusing twists of fate and passionate tales of love.
Review -
I got this book directly from Rumour Books in post and the packaging of the book was wonderful!!! And hats-off to the cover art. The cover itself was able to precisely communicate what the story is like.
Now, coming to the story, the story makes us dive back into the sweet memories of our school days, our first love. The feelings of a person deeply in love is beautifully described by the author. Also, his extensive vocabulary is evident from his elaborate use of words in this book. In short, this book proves that people may die, generations may pass, but love always lives, till the last breath.