Book Review – Page 6

Book Review: Fool’s Errand

After two years, I returned to the magic world crafted by Robin Hobb. You can read my reviews of the Liveships Traders here. She is one of my favorite fantasy authors, and I read Fool’s Errand, no I gobbled this book in less than a week. Once I started reading, I could not stop wanting to know what happened to Fitz, Fool, and other beloved characters.

The story starts a decade or so after the Farseer Trilogy. Fitz leads a life of isolation, but not for long. Beloved characters from that trilogy, Chade, Starling, and Fool, appear in consecutive chapters to help us readers reorient with the story and offer a glimpse of what is to come.

Before long, Fitz is back in the action, looking for Prince Dutiful, and what an adventure it is. I loved how real all the magic feels. Best of all is the characters and how they leaped out of the pages into my heart.

Robin is a master at her craft. And I could happily live in the world of her imagination. I am off to read book two.

Book Review: Talk to Me

The greatest thing a writer can do is to make you care deeply for fictional characters appearing on the page. Author John Kenney achieves that from page one. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew Ted, Claire, and Fran. I could feel their emotions and pain.

Ted, a TV news anchor, has a bad day. His marriage was falling apart. He has no relationship with his daughter. A young immigrant faces the brunt of his anger, and she did nothing to deserve it. Unfortunately for Ted, his verbal abuse is caught on camera.

How we use social media to communicate forms the backdrop for this novel. When our faults are captured for eternity and displayed for the world to consume and comment—anonymously, then there is no room for heroes in the real world. Because who among us is perfect every moment in our lives?

That is why we seek heroes in our books and movies. Legends shaped by our imagination and untouched by reality become our escape.

This is a very human story about marriage and parenthood and how sometimes we lose sight of what is precious.

Book Review: Cassandra in Reverse

I devoured the first half of this book like a book-hungry ravenous monster. It was so good.

The story that unfolds within this book is applicable to all of us. Humans are hard. We don’t say what we mean. We smile when we want to cry. We have a hard time understanding our own emotions, let alone someone else’s. And how many times have I said the wrong thing and wished I could time travel back to erase that mistake.

Cassandra, our delightful protagonist, can time travel by just shutting her eyes and tries to fix her mistakes, not always successfully. The middle does sag in repetition, but the pace picks up in the end.

Heartwarming story of how our words can hurt others, and why forgiving ones we love is the hardest. If you enjoyed The Rosie Project, this book is for you.

Book Review: Euphoria

Loved this story from start to finish. The author had performed some writing magic to turn Nell, Fen, and Bankson into real humans. As I read the book, I could almost picture myself in the room with them.

Three anthropologists in the 1930s are thrown together while studying tribes in Papua, New Guinea. I am not crazy about how the anthropologists invaded these tribes to learn about them as if these human beings were some exotic sea creatures. But the story stayed true to what happened in real life, so I am not holding that against this novel.

The setting is painted almost like a background score in a movie.

“He had broken her glasses by then, so she didn’t know if he was joking.”
The character dynamic is also unraveled slowly, like this sentence by Nell

I loved learning parts of the story through Nell’s notes. Each character leaped through the pages and caught hold of my attention. When I reached halfway through the book, I had to continue reading till I got to the end.

I cannot wait to read other books by this author.

Book Review: The Last Queen

While writing historical fiction, one of the hardest things is to ensure the voice of the characters stays true to their times. Author Chitra Divakaruni achieves that with The Last Queen.

Rani Jindan is a poor girl thrust into the role of the queen because she happens to catch the eyes of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She is not a college-educated woman of modern times. Her thoughts and actions reflect that reality in the book. Rani Jindan is irrational and swayed by her emotions and desire for vengeance, which makes her a relatable human figure.

Another aspect of historical fiction based on true events is the plot and pacing of the story. While Author Chitra keeps the story engaging for her audience, readers looking for a fast-paced novel might be disappointed.

Having read this book, I am intrigued by Duleep Singh and hoping to read more about the last king of Punjab. I recommend this book for fans of historical fiction set in pre-independence India.

Has a book chosen you?

I read this book in two days. Like the wand chooses the wizard in Harry Potter, this book called out to me from the shelves.

Two nurses swap places: one lives in London, the other in a remote part of Scotland. The nurses are male and female, and their romance happens on a sloooow burn. They don’t meet till the last few chapters.

Loved seeing London and Scotland through their eyes, the people, the culture, and the land. Reading this left me content and happy in a grinning-from-ear-to-ear way. Kudos to the author for tackling trauma in such a healing way.

Recommend it for clean romance and women’s fiction readers.

Book Review – Baptism of Fire

Baptism of Fire – this series is for readers who don’t mind twelve named characters appearing on a single page. I have to state that first because this series is not for everyone.

You can read my reviews of the earlier books in the series here.

Book three mainly follows the witcher’s storyline with glimpses at Ciri and Yen.

I am amazed at how easily the author moves from one POV to another. And each character is richly developed so that by the end of the story, you could almost call them your (one-sided) friend. And encountering mythological creatures is like going on an adventure. You never know what is going to turn up.

I loved how the author peeled the layers to reveal Ciri’s origin story. I am already itching to read the next book in the series.

I love reading fantasies because it allows me to experience a world beyond my imagination. This series has everything I love about epic fantasies.

Book Review – The Vibrant Years

This book is a story of three generations of women supporting each other as life throws them a curveball. The book starts at a slow pace and picks up speed in the second half when the twist and turns come fast and furious at you.

Bindu, the grandmother in her sixties, is a study of conflicts. A housewife, a mother, and a grandmother, who puts her family before herself as an atonement for her deeds as a teenager, discovers freedom in a retirement community. Her modern attire and outward appearance are in constant conflict with the traditional values she unconsciously holds.

Alisha, whose relationship with her mother-in-law is a highlight of the book, is putting her career ahead of her marriage and paying the price for it.

Cullie, the genius daughter, does not want to deal with the vulnerability that comes with opening one’s heart.

You cannot read a Sonali Dev book hungry because her vivid food descriptions will assault all your five senses.

As in her other books, family plays a central role in this novel. Their love and support for each other is the life vest that keeps them from floating in this ocean of unpredictability. Recommend this book for readers who love reading about women of all ages struggling with understanding their desires.

The Lady of the Rivers

I start and end May with a book by Philippa Gregory. I purchased a used copy of The Other Boleyn Girl at my library book sale. After reading that book earlier this month and falling in love with Philippa Gregory’s writing, I decided to start that series at the beginning with The Lady of the Rivers.

There is magic between these pages which brings Jacquetta alive though she lived six centuries ago. If Philippa lived in the 15th century, she will be accused of witchcraft for seducing the readers with her writing.

I love how the story starts with the young Jacquetta, and we get to witness her growth on the pages. Meera, my protagonist in Heir to Malla is a similar age in that book, and that trilogy spans three decades of her life.

The story is told from Jacquetta’s perspective which is wonderful because you can get a glimpse into the domestic lives of the royals. The author portrays her realistically with very human fears and flaws. The only drawback to having a female point of view is all the battle scenes are narrated secondhand. In a few instances, the author places her in the middle or sidelines of the battle actions. I overcame this challenge by using a male protagonist in my novels who provides a firsthand view of the battles.

I enjoyed learning about the history of this period through this medium of storytelling. My goal as an author would be to evoke the feelings Philippa evoked in me as a reader. Such powerful mastery of her craft. I look forward to reading the next book, The White Queen. Highly recommend this book to all fans of historical fiction.

Book Review – A Train to Moscow

This book will linger in my memory for many years. I read Crime and Punishment as a teen. There are echoes of Dostoevsky’s writing in this novel.

There are some tales where the pursuit of happiness is a given. In others, penance and suffering are the norm. This book falls into the latter category.

Sasha, the protagonist, is a stubborn, wilful, and short-tempered creature. Her raw emotions drenched me as I read this book. Her anger and guilt come in waves, and kudos to the author for giving us a realistic portrayal of a girl, human and flawed. This book follows Sasha’s journey from eight years to twenty-five, and what a roller coaster ride.

I loved the glimpse into Moscow and Leningrad in the 50s and 60s. I enjoyed the sprinkling of Russian in the novel. Andrei, the boy she loves, what a heart-wrenching story there. The last two chapters, narrated from his point of view, were magnificent.

When it comes to reading, I crave a literary feast: a blend of awe-inspiring tales, a sprinkle of poignant sadness, a generous helping of courageous journeys, and a dose of happily ever afters.

Highly recommend this book to meet your quota of unexpected twists and heartfelt moments tinged with sadness.