Anna Bushi

Book Review: Atonement

We live in an age of impatience. We want our news in fifteen-second chunks, at the moment it happens. We make up our minds instantaneously without being able to reflect on things.

But nature takes time: to grow, to heal, to fruit. An avocado tree you plant today will take ten years to flower and fruit. This book reminded me of a time when we could stare at the sky for hours, instead of at our phones, and observe the sun making its way across the horizon.

Briony’s atonement for her deeds as a child takes an entire lifetime. I am not even sure you can hold a thirteen-year-old accountable for her actions, but in her mind, she is guilty. Her penance takes all her life.

I was a child living in my mind, making up stories to interpret the real world, and I understood Briony very well. Through her immature worldview, she deciphers what happens and arrives at the wrong conclusion. Her actions harm an innocent’s man life.

In Atonement, there are no happily ever afters in the real world. But in her imagination, Briony can conjure a better place. Isn’t that what is magnificent about stories? They lessen our pain when everything becomes unbearable.

When you have time to watch a snail crawl across the sidewalk, pick up this book and savor it.

Review of Last Summer Boys

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of brotherhood set in 1968. Jack’s thirteen-year-old cousin, Frankie, is visiting them because his parents want to keep him safe from the riots burning his city. Jack’s brother Pete is almost 18 and might be drafted for the Vietnam War. Jack and his cousin concoct an idea to make Pete famous because famous boys seem to avoid the draft. Amidst all the chaos, Will, Jack’s sixteen-year-old brother, tastes his first love.

This tale transported me to rural Pennsylvania. I enjoyed how the family’s love for each other is portrayed through tiny details, even when they disagree on things. I was happy to see our thirteen-year-old protagonist, Jack, cry a few times in this novel. A hopeful tale that felt like a warm blanket on a cold night.

A great debut novel by the author. I am looking forward to reading more of his stories.

Favorite Quotes

If you go long enough thinking you don’t have a say in your life, you reach a point where you’ll do anything to show others that you do. If it’s lighting fires, you light fires.

I don’t believe there’s a boy on earth can see his mother cry and not do the same.

Would that make me love you any less? Would you love me any less?

Do you believe in prophecies?

I did once.

My name is Meera

At the time of my marriage, an older woman uttered this prophecy to me:

“Queen she will be one day, her name will be celebrated, near and far. Her son will rule the three kingdoms and beyond.”

Was this prophecy about me? Once, I believed it was. Now, I don’t know.

I did become the Queen of Padi. I had three sons. In a twist of fate, my youngest, Atul, is the heir to the Malla throne. I worry sometimes about this prophecy coming true, especially with Atul in Kashgar, surrounded by unknown dangers. My mother’s heart clenches with dread for my surviving children.

As a heartfelt gesture to her dearest readers, Anna Bushi, the storyteller behind my son’s journey, has set the launch price at just $0.99. Don’t miss out on this special offer, as the price will rise upon release. Grab your copy today!

Read Child of the River

Let Me Share My Story with You!

My name is Sugandha

My grandfather raised me in a modest home filled with love.

My world shattered on that dark day when my uncle coerced my grandfather into cursing a ship from Malla. With his last breath, my grandfather cast a protective spell around me, shielding me from the clutches of my uncle.

For the first time in my life, I found myself alone, fleeing from the only home I had ever known, with danger lurking around every corner. My uncle’s relentless pursuit and the deadly intentions of a princess plunged me into a whirlwind of peril. I can’t fathom why they’re after me.

But the most bewildering discovery comes when I uncover my deep-rooted bond with the whispering river.

PrEORDER to Experience my JOURney

This is a must read

All the Light We Cannot See – I don’t know how Anthony Doerr can move us so profoundly with mere words on a page. A soulful book that transported me to France and Germany during WW2.

Marie Laure and Werner, the two protagonists, are depicted so beautifully that you cannot help but fall in love with them, flaws and all. A radio transmitting lectures on science forms a thread between the girl and the boy.

The story hops between three timelines, revealing the threads so skillfully while squeezing our hearts. The senselessness of wars displayed through haunting imagery broke my heart.

Even in dire circumstances, we can choose to do the right thing. Doerr places his characters in life-threatening situations to depict this moral choice. All the characters are so well drawn. In a book that features a blind girl, color plays a key role in setting up the scenes.

Favorite quotes: There are so many to choose from, but I liked these two in particular.

That something so small could be so beautiful. Worth so much. Only the strongest people can turn away from feelings like that.
Anthony Doerr

I have been feeling very clearheaded lately and what I want to write about today is the sea. It contains so many colors. Silver at dawn, green at noon, dark blue in the evening. Sometimes it looks almost red. Or it will turn the color of old coins. Right now the shadows of clouds are dragging across it, and patches of sunlight are touching down everywhere. White strings of gulls drag over it like beads.

It is my favorite thing, I think, that I have ever seen. Sometimes I catch myself staring at it and forget my duties. It seems big enough to contain everything anyone could ever feel.
All the Light We Cannot See

This is one of the novels that should be a must-read for all of us. I am now ready to watch the movie.

Satisfying conclusion

The author managed to pull off a miracle and gave us a fabulous conclusion to this epic fantasy series. Tyentso is amazing in this novel with her no b.s attitude. Thurvishar and Senera’s footnotes are really cute. Those two have come a long way.

If you love epic fantasy, immersive world-building, multiple POVs, grey characters, dragons, gods, and queens, this series is for you.

There is so much material in here for another series or two, so I am hoping the author visits this universe again.

Minor nitpick: the main trio achieving this brilliant equilibrium in their relationship happens through their past lives or off pages. Wish some time was devoted to this complex relationship dynamic and how they are going to avoid jealousy and other very human emotions. Especially given how the antagonist was driven by jealousy over several millennia.

That was a crazy ride

The author mentions writing this book during the COVID pandemic. While it is an apt metaphor for most of us being stuck within our four walls, as the fourth installment in the series, I found this book to be the weakest.

Several people (some we have not seen since book one) are gathered at the lighthouse to rescue Kihrin, and the entire story is told through flashbacks/visions.

In a book with a dozen or so characters, it is hard for me to care equally about all of them. In this book, all the side characters are given prominence, and in the fourth book of a five-book series, I just don’t have the energy to invest in all these romantic entanglements of side characters. And the fact that most of these people assembled in that lighthouse have had relationships with one or more of the others makes it messy.

I hope book five is less focused on all the love stories and more on the plot.

Book review: Memory of Souls

This book was better than the last one. It is great to see the four volunteers together in this novel. Thurvishar is a phenomenal character, and I totally ship him and Senera.

Unlike book two, the story moves forward at a fast clip. That ending had me reach for book four immediately.

Like the first two books, this book is not for the faint-hearted. The world is immense, the cast is massive, everything is interconnected, and most of us cannot remember that many things. Don’t worry if you don’t remember who the dragons are related to or what their cornerstones are, etc. Just enjoy the ride.

Book Review: Name of All Things

In the continuation of this epic tale, “Name of All Things” whisks us away to the captivating realms of Jorat and Janel. The appearance of dragons adds a thrilling dimension. Similar to its predecessor, the narrative introduces a myriad of characters, demanding either a keen memory or an easy-going spirit when you lose track of what Tya is the guardian of.

The story, predominantly relayed through flashbacks, flows serially, making it easier to follow.

The introduction of Qown, the Vishai priest, and Senera enriches the already extensive cast, and the inclusion of footnotes by the narrator adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

The author’s ability to weave a complex, interwoven narrative continues to impress me. While the majority of the novel aligns with the timeline of the first book, the plot takes a significant leap forward toward the conclusion. For enthusiasts of epic fantasy, this installment holds a plethora of delights.

One minor critique pertains to the cultural norms of Jorat, where effective rulers are expected to embody predominantly male qualities. I do wish that feminine attributes like empathy, compassion, and the possession of a kind heart were not looked down upon.

You can read my review of the first book here.

Did I tell you about my short story?

Child of the River is not my only book coming out in 2024. I also have a short story in an anthology: ‘Queens in Wonderland’—an LGBTQ+ Alice in Wonderland themed collection.

My short story is set in contemporary California. Don’t worry, though; Medieval India makes a guest appearance. I am looking forward to sharing this story with you next month.