Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Vicky Alvear Shecter GENRE: Historical Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: January 20, 2026 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A historical fiction set in Ancient Rome and inspired by true events. Gritty and disturbing. Slow but atmospheric. Good character development and build-up to the finale. Slightly repetitive. I’m somewhat undecided on my feelings about the ending. Recommended. Plot Preview: 216 BCE. Sixteen-year-old Mia has been serving as one of the Vestal Virgins for more than a decade already. Though this wasn’t a decision she made by choice, she performs her role with diligence. When she hears of the huge defeat of the Roman Army at the Battle of Cannae, she is sad for the 50000 fallen soldiers, but more than that, she mourns the death of her childhood love Attius in that battle. The priests declare that the only reason the gods abandoned Rome at Cannae was the breaking of the vow of chastity by the youngest Vestal Virgin. Mia knows that it is up to her alone to save her life...

EDITOR: Alice Hoffman GENRE: Essay Collection PUBLICATION DATE: March 10, 2026 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A collection of essays by various authors about some best dogs in the world. Given the reputation of the contributing authors, it’s not surprising that this is one well-written collection. A love letter to dogs and a must-read for all dog owners and dog lovers. At times, the cover of a book is such that you are tempted to grab it without doing any other due diligence. Look at the cover art of this book! Just see that unbridled bliss on that beautiful dog’s visage! Add to this, that amazing title! How is one to resist?! Thankfully, the book delivers exactly as the cover and the title promise, not making me regret my impulsive decision for even a second. I don’t often read essay collections, but if the theme of the essays is close to my heart, then I am willing to try the book. This book contains fourteen essays celebrating the joys and challenges of their canine companions. ...

AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR: Paula Bowles GENRE: Children's Picture Book PUBLICATION DATE: March 3, 2026 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A picture book that delivers on content, message, language, and illustrations. Covers an important topic in a fun way. Definitely recommended. Plot Preview: After a long journey, Toco the toucan has finally found the right tree for his dream home. He starts drawing plans for his treehouse, thinking of a warm and cosy place that will be perfect for him and hoping that the neighbours will also be friendly. Well, they are, overly so. The other toucans show up one by one to help, which makes Toco quite happy at first., But he soon realises that they are building the treehouse they want, not the one he wants. Toco tries to make peace with their version, but he soon feels overwhelmed. Will he be able to tell them what he really wants? In a world that is increasingly loud and aggressive, quieter children (and adults) often resort to the habit of staying...

AUTHOR: Abby Cooper ILLUSTRATOR: Eliana Gutiérrez GENRE: Humour PUBLICATION DATE: March 10, 2026 RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A clever satirical picture book speaking to babies and toddlers about how to take care of their new moms. 😉 Absolutely loved the concept and the implementation. The satire is excellent, as is the strong tone of empathy. Much recommended to all moms-to-be and new moms. The title was enough to get me to grab this book. With the twist on the usual “It’s a Boy/Girl”, “It’s a Mom” made me curious to see the content. Turns out, it is a care package for new mommies wrapped in a lot of satire. What fun! I enjoyed the concept as well as the execution. The text is directed at kiddos aged 2 to 5 ( wink, wink! ) and is a guide on how to take care of their new moms ( more exuberant winking! ). Thus it offers advice about essentials such how to help moms stay awake at night, how to ensure that moms have a wash during your bath time, how to allow her tummy time, and so ...

AUTHOR: Nikki Erlick NARRATORS: Marin Ireland; Dan Bittner; Stacey Glemboski; Graham Halstead; Mia Barron; Callie Dalton; Janina Edwards; Shawn K. Jain; Christian Barillas; Jason Culp. GENRE: Speculative Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 17, 2025 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A speculative fiction novel about an innovative treatment facility and the individuals whose life it affects. An imaginative plot with some solid unforeseen reveals. Literary in style. Character-driven. Slow but steady pacing. A bit sad though there are moments of joy. Quite introspective. Recommended. I am an outlier… on the positive side! 🥳 Go in with the right expectations to enjoy this better. Plot Preview: In a secluded stretch of the California desert, a new establishment is making waves. ‘The Poppy Fields’ is an experimental treatment centre, claiming to offer relief to those burdened by grief through their revolutionary yet free therapy that involves extended sleep. Only those vetted by their elaborate...

AUTHOR: Elyssa S. Schwendy GENRE: Short story Collection, Retellings. PUBLICATION DATE: February 25, 2026 RATING: 3.2 stars. In a Nutshell: A fantasy story collection with known fairy tales in a different presentation. The stories ranged from decent to great, but the structuring of the individual tales and of the overall book didn't work for me, though this might be more a ME problem. This story collection contains eight main stories, each of which is supposed to be a modified version of a popular fairytale or folklore. I could recognise some of the source material, but wasn’t familiar with a couple of the titles. What I thought would make this collection stand out was the presentation framework - using a storyteller to tell us stories. The titular peddler, whose name is Verre, is the narrator of the tales. During a storm, she enters a tavern, feels that it's a "good night for telling stories", and sets up some exotic objects on a table. When curious customers walk to...

AUTHOR: Larysa Maliush GENRE: Children's Picture Book PUBLICATION DATE: March 17, 2026 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A picture book about a wolf and his moral dilemma. Funny story with interesting animal characters but some questionable logic. A good option for kids who don’t overthink. Plot Preview: Big Gray Wolf follows the rules of his pack except when they don’t suit him. One night, as he is howling at the moon and wishing for good food, he finds a lost bunny in the forest. According to the lupine code of conduct, Wolf has to eat it. But it’s so tiny and cute and fluffy! Plus, the little rabbit has a little note from his family that says they will offer a scrumptious feast to anyone who brings Bunkins back home safely. Should Wolf follow the wolf rules, or should he take Bunkins home in the hope of a bigger feast? This story offers a flip-around of the traditional predator-prey narrative. Wolf's moral dilemma is real because predators do eat other animals to survive, n...

AUTHOR: Cornelia Funke GENRE: Middle-Grade Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: April 1, 2025 RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A middle-grade adventure mystery about some botanical wonders and some enigmatic old letters. Decent characters, excellent plant-related information, epistolary interludes, fun riddles, clunky plotting, too much of attraction/crush talk. I mistakenly assumed this to be a fantasy. Recommended to the target age group. Plot Preview: Twelve-year-old Caspia isn't happy when her parents tell her that they'll be spending the three months of summer in New York City. Caspia is not fond of big busy cities, and it's even worse to experience the New York heat after the cool Maine days. Things change when Caspia finds an old bundle of letters in their tiny new rental apartment. Probably belonging to the sisters who lived there long ago, each letter, written in the 1950s, contains a 'green' riddle with many clues and the answer always being from the plant kingdom....

AUTHOR: Kelly Barnhill GENRE: Fantasy-horror. PUBLICATION DATE: February 28, 2023 RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A horror-fantasy with elements of surrealism. Retelling of the Japanese folktale ‘The Crane Wife’. Set in an imagined dystopian near-future. Understated yet mindblowing. Love how it handles the characters, the folktale, and even the dark theme. Suspension of disbelief required. Much recommended, but not to those who steer clear of weird stories. Check the triggers listed below if needed. Plot Preview: A fifteen-year-old girl is forced to be the support of her family after the death of her father, taking care of the household as well as of her six-year-old brother Michael, while her mom, a talented but somewhat oblivious artist, weaves stunning tapestries to pay the bills. The mother randomly brought “guests” home, but none stayed for long. Until now. Her latest guest is a tall crane who seems to have captivated her heart even though the daughter finds him manipulative and...

AUTHOR: Nick Spalding NARRATOR: Laurence Dobiesz GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2025 RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary fiction about a young man who claims he's totally fine, but clearly isn't. This could have been either a medical drama or a funny take on men being men. It ended up as neither, with a slightly boring plot, annoying lead character, and forced humour. The ending is decent enough, but I expected far better considering the author's earlier novel. Plot Preview: Charlie King has everything he wanted: a successful event-management business, two best friends who are always there for him, and a fabulous girlfriend who might be ‘the one’. He also has panic attacks and insomnia and an earworm that never stops playing in his head, but that's all normal, right? He's totally fine! His loved ones suggest that he visit a doctor, but Charlie knows that a good night's sleep is all that's needed. Is Charlie genuinely f...

AUTHOR: Raluca Sirbu GENRE: Children's Storybook. PUBLICATION DATE: October 7, 2025 RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: An illustrated storybook about the power of storytelling and of dreaming. Enjoyed the thought and the moral, but the writing was way too lyrical for my reading preference. Perhaps kids (and parents) with a more poetic bent of mind might enjoy it better. The illustrations are stunning. Plot Preview: A young girl lives in a country filled with stories. However, when an evil king and his army of dragons invade the land, he forbids storytelling and cages all existing stories. But the little girl had three stories in her possession, and she uses these to provide hope to her people. Honestly, I love the intent and the deeper meaning of the story. There are so many layers to it that we can interpret them the way we want. The concept establishes the link between stories and dreams, hopes, action! It shows how tales from the past can spur rebellion in the present. It establish...

AUTHOR: Eliot Schrefer NARRATOR: Karissa Vacker GENRE: Children's Picture Book. PUBLICATION DATE: March 10, 2026 RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A picture book telling the true story of a bonobo who was released back into the wild. Good story, though somewhat bittersweet. Plot Preview: Lulu spent fifteen years in a human home. While she enjoyed flipping through magazines and comics, she also was lonely when they all left for work/school. One day, the humans decide that it's time to return Lulu to a bonobo community. Lulu takes some time to adjust to the "others" because all these years, she's been more human than bonobo. But the bonobos don't give up on her and soon, she assimilates herself with them. And when the time comes, she extends the same courtesy to newer members of the troop. Author Eliot Schrefer is a wildlife expert and award-winning author. During a visit to the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( the only country in ...

AUTHOR: Sumiko Yagawa ILLUSTRATOR: Suekichi Akaba TRANSLATOR: Katherine Paterson GENRE: Japanese Folktale PUBLICATION DATE: January 1, 1981 RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: An English translation of a beloved Japanese folktale. A good story, as long as you keep in mind that it’s an old folktale and doesn’t necessarily fit into modern standards of propriety. Plot Preview: A poor peasant named Yohei lives in a faraway mountain village. One day, he comes across an injured crane and pulls out the arrow stuck in her wing. That night, a beautiful young woman knocks on his door, asking to be his wife. Yohei is overwhelmed by her beauty and welcomes her. They live a simple but impoverished life. One day, she asks Yohei for a loom, and making him promise not to take a peek, she weaves something behind closed doors. After three days, she comes out very skinny but holding a magnificent piece of cloth that Yohei is able to sell for a good price. This cycle continues two times more, each time result...

AUTHOR: C.A. Wright NARRATOR: Olivia Darnley GENRE: Fantasy Retelling PUBLICATION DATE: November 1, 2024 RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A fantasy retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s short story, ‘The Nightingale’. A great concept that might have worked better at the hands of a more experienced writer. Good plot but the twists are guessable. Lyrical writing, cookie-cutter main characters, underdeveloped secondary characters. Recommended, but better suited to YA readers, though it’s not labelled as such. Plot Preview: Oriane is a skylark, the only one of her kind after the passing of her mother in childbirth. Every morning, she turns into a lark and sings the song that calls forth the dawn. But throughout her life, she has been so secluded by her overprotective father that she is lonely as well as curious about the larger world. One day, she goes against his wishes and flies beyond her usual boundaries, only to end up in the royal palace. Much to her surprise, at first she is trea...