Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Claire Allan GENRE: Crime Thriller RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A fast-paced crime thriller involving a missing girl, her distraught mother, a documentary film crew, and the online true crime community. The ending was quite farfetched, otherwise this was very enjoyable. Story Synopsis: Derry, Northern Ireland. Seven years ago, Nora’s four-year-old daughter Daisy went missing. Nora has no memory of what occurred that day. Currently, though she is married and has a little son Luca, she still can’t give up on her quest to find out what happened to Daisy, despite her husband’s disapproval. When a young filmmaker named Izzy approaches her to tell her story through a documentary, Nora’s response ends up creating ripples across the past, spiralling into a tense situation that might endanger the safety of Luca. How can Nora find out the truth without compromising on Luca’s life? The story comes to us in the first person perspectives of Nora and Izzy. Where the book worked for me: 😍

AUTHOR: Patricia Engel GENRE: Anthology, Latin American Fiction. RATING: 4.3 Stars. In a Nutshell: One of the best character-oriented anthologies I have read in a long time. Focussed on Latin-American experiences in their native land and in the US. An emotional medley of sadness and hope. When I begin any anthology, I like to have an author’s note or a foreword at the start, telling me how the collection came into being and what’s the common theme to the set. This anthology begins directly with the first story. As such, I didn’t know what exactly to expect and had to go with the flow. What I didn’t expect was a gathering of such realistic human experiences, filled in equal measure with happiness and heartbreak, despair and hope, togetherness and loneliness. The ten stories of this anthology had been previously published in various literary magazines and compiled together for the first time. Each of the stories is thought-provoking in various ways. The themes covered are strong by the

AUTHOR: Amanda Henke ILLUSTRATOR: Anna Daviscourt GENRE: Children's Picture Book, Animals. RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Not a book about bunnies. 😉 One animal is feeling quite frustrated because there are umpteen books about bunnies and none about itself. After all, it has the most wonderful quills that go ‘Ba-poof’ at the sign of danger. Have you guessed the identity of this creature yet? Why, it’s Porcupine, of course! And with this book, Porcupine endeavours to tell little readers why there should be more books focussing on porcupines rather than bunnies. There’s only one problem. Bunny keeps entering the page and spoiling Porcupine’s promotional efforts. How do you think Porcupine will deal with Bunny’s attention-grabbing tactics? Read and find out. Children’s picture books are either educational or entertaining, sometimes both. This comes in the ‘both’ category. Porcupine’s claims are laugh-inducing and his attempts at shooing Bunny away are quite funny.   What I loved m

AUTHOR: Ethan Joella GENRE: Literary Fiction, Contemporary Drama RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A slow but fairly satisfying read. Character-oriented plot, so it won’t work for all. Good if you want to read stories about characters with emotional baggage trying to move beyond the grief that drags them down. Story Synopsis: Chuck Ayers, who is in his seventies, doesn’t want to go Hilton Head alone without his beloved wife Cat who passed away recently. At the same time, he doesn’t even want to stay alone in the home they shared for so many years. Ella Burke is working hard at two jobs to keep herself going while she await news about her daughter Riley who has been missing for a few months. All Ella wants is her daughter back. Kirsten Bonato, who works at an animal shelter, misses her dad who was killed in a convenience store robbery. She feels like her life has changed track after his death, but she doesn’t know how to get it going again. How these three characters and their stories

AUTHOR: Fran Littlewood GENRE: Contemporary Drama RATING: 2.5 Stars. In a Nutshell: Started off wonderfully but then became farfetched. Some parts of it were really good but I wish the author wouldn’t have tried to throw in so many themes into a single plot. A decent debut work but not as good as it promised. Story Synopsis: Early 2000s. Grace is a polyglot who has just proven how amazing she is by winning the title of ’Polyglot of the Year.’ Today, Grace is a frustrated lady who, one day, just snaps and walks out of her car that is stuck is heavy traffic. He daughter Lotte doesn’t want to speak to her and her husband Ben has just served her divorce papers. But Grace is determined to show her daughter that she was amazing for a reason. How 'Amazing Grace Adams' went from the heights to the depths within a period of two decades is what you need to read and find out. The story comes to us in a limited third person perspective mostly of Grace. The main story is set on a single

AUTHOR: P. G. Wodehouse SERIES: Uncle Fred, #3 GENRE: Classic, Humour RATING: 2.5 Stars. In a Nutshell: Not his best by far. But I think I picked this up at the wrong time and hence will cut it some slack. This is the third book in the Uncle Fred series. A seemingly innocuous Brazil nut aimed at a topper hat results in a controversial book being published, and a whole load of shenanigans resulting around the said book. Where the book worked for me: ✔ The book did offer me plenty of smiles and laughs. ✔ Typical madcap PGW humour and writing. Loads of classic British fun delivered in a deadpan and sarcastic style. ✔ The repartee between a few of the characters was excellent at time. ✔ Quite a few similies and metaphors in the writing, as is to be expected in PGW’s works. All the analogies are hilarious. Where the book could have worked better for me: ❌ I was reading this as a BOTM for my bookclub, and hence had to race to complete it. This killed my enjoyment to a great extent, The

AUTHOR: Stacy Willingham NARRATOR: Karissa Vacker GENRE: Mystery-Thriller. RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A slow, slow, slow “thriller”. Worth it for the final resolution, but the journey to reach that point was eye-roll-inducing. I’m making it official: I am tired of 1st person unreliable narrators   that ramble too much and trust only themselves. Story Synopsis: Isabelle Drake’s toddler son Mason was kidnapped a year ago. She hasn’t slept since. The case is now cold, with no clues and no leads for the police. Even her marriage is over, not being able to stand the strain of a missing child. Isabelle tries to keep the investigation active by speaking about Mason at true crime cons. At one such event, she bumps into a crime podcaster who wants to highlight Mason in his next show. But as they proceed with this, Isabelle starts questioning her own memories of what happened that night. The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Isabelle from ‘Now’ and ‘Then’ timelines. Whe

AUTHOR: Joshua Goodson GENRE: Children's Picture Book, Nonficton, Nature. RATING: 3.5 stars. A simple enough book that explains to children how a tree comes into being. The process is explained in easy words, right from a seed falling off a tree and going all the way till the new tree sends off its own seeds into the world. There are some things that go beyond what was essential, such as the tree being our friend, and the word for a group of trees. But there were also some concepts that I had expected to be a part of the book but weren’t, such as the development of flowers and fruits, and the importance of trees in nature. (It goes so much beyond ‘providing shade for picnics.’) The language is easy and the illustrations bright and sweet, both thus being suitable for pre-K readers. The cover art reminded me of the cover of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, a book that I had loved in my childhood but have strong mixed feelings about now. Thankfully, the content in this book is not

AUTHOR: Holly Figgyworth ILLUSTRATOR: Mai S. Kemble GENRE: Children's Picture Book RATING: 3.75 Stars. In a Nutshell: A Christmas story that isn’t a Christmas story. 😃 Holly and Noel are two elves who are very impressed with their grandfather’s idea of the ‘Festival of the Elves’. This involves leaving little trinkets and notes on every day of December in the houses of family and friends, giving them a nice surprise and a theme for the day. Holly and Noel want to spread this custom into the human world too, but as there is only a limited supply of elf magic, they are allowed to try it in one human house. Thus they land up at the Puddington residence. What do you think? Will they be able to spread as much cheer there with the Festival of the Elves? The story is like a combination of an Advent calendar and a treasure hunt. Through the daily note left by the elves in a bid to encourage the Puddingtons to spread cheer, there are many beautiful and fun moments coming out. I loved the

AUTHOR: Chaitali Sen GENRE: Anthology RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: Great title, amazing concept, interesting characters. But the stories themselves left me wanting more. Not a single story ended in way I expected/wanted. Good for literary fiction lovers but only those who are okay with odd endings in short stories. There were quite a few reasons for me to pick this book: 1. I enjoy short stories. 2. I like literary fiction. 3. Indian writer. 4. Indie writer. 5. Outstanding title and cover. As such, the excitement was high. When each story started, my interest didn’t dip but was invested in the characters. And then came the endings. I don’t know how exactly to describe them. They weren’t actually open-ended or abrupt. But imagine you are in a theatre watching the first act of a play. The curtains come down at the end of the scene, and you continue sitting in anticipation for the next act, only to discover that THAT was it! Rather than feeling irritated or sad, you

AUTHOR: Balesh Jindal GENRE: Medical Memoir RATING: 4.5 stars In a Nutshell: An upfront memoir about a general practitioner’s experiences in her clinic on the outskirts of Gurgaon. Compelling, hopeful, and also shocking. Worth a read not just as a medical memoir but also as a glimpse into the changes in India over the last four decades. I've recently become wary of reading books by indie Indian authors because of the disappointing experiences I've had. Unfortunately, this is even applicable when the author belongs to RF, and I've had to toe the thin line between friendship and honesty many times. Before picking up this memoir, I was filled with trepidation. Would it be yet another indie dud? I'm happy to report: No! When Dr. Balesh Jindal approached me to read and review her book, I was intrigued. I have loved whatever medical nonfiction I’ve read in the past few years but these were more on the lines of investigative journalism than about actual medical practices. Mor

AUTHOR: Tamara von Werthern SERIES: Accidental Detective Mystery #1 GENRE: Spoof Cosy Mystery, Humour RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: I had fun with this indie novella. A quirky lead character, an adorable dog, humour and crime mixed up in a cosy village setting. The perfect light read for crime mystery lovers, though the crime is quite subtle here. Story Synopsis: Philipp von Werthern is almost sixty but still lives life somewhat on the edge with his numerous cars, his insurance business, and his dog Maschka. When a beautiful stranger named Annelie Janssen approaches him through a friend’s recommendation with a “crime case”, he is stumped because he is not a professional detective. But how can one refuse a beautiful woman, even if she is young enough to be his daughter? (Or is she?) Thus begins an adventurous and humorous ‘accidental detective’ story. The story is written in a limited third person perspective mostly from Phillipp’s point of view. I am not a crime or mystery genre fan.

AUTHOR: Beth Duke SERIES: It All Comes Back to You, #2 GENRE: Contemporary Drama with Historical Elements.  RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Enjoyed this sequel. Emotional and relatable. Can’t be read as a standalone though. You need Book One (It All Comes Back to You) to appreciate the contents of Book Two. Story Synopsis: (No Spoilers about either book of this duology.) 2020. Ronni is back working as a nurse after her successful book about Violet. She knows she has no more books in her, plus her fulfilling personal life leaves her with no motivation to pick up the pen again. However, when she gets an email from Chet Wilson’s son, claiming his dad has been misrepresented in her book and asking that she reveal the truth about Chet, Ronni is unsure of what to do. As circumstances change and the facts of the past come tumbling out right as the facts of the present begin to alter, Ronni is caught is a whirlpool of emotions, leading her to go digging yet again into the story of all those

AUTHOR: Jordi Bayarri Dolz ILLUSTRATOR: Jordi Bayarri Dolz GENRE: Graphic Novel, Children's Nonfiction. RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A very good book about a computing pioneer. Not a picture book but a graphic novel. Will work better for teens. While I have heard of Charles Babbage and his Analytical Engine right since my childhood days, Ada Lovelace came into my life only in my college years when I saw a list mention Ada the programming language and learnt whom it was named after. Since then, I have had a soft spot for this brilliant lady on whose shoulders we the female techies of today stand. This graphic biography focusses on Ada’s early years under her mom, her interactions with various tutors who recognise the potential in the young genius, and her collaboration with Charles Babbage. There is a timeline of Ada’s life (along with a rather striking portrait of her) and a glossary of computing terms provided at the end. It was just a few years ago that I found out about Ada b

AUTHOR: Beth Duke SERIES: It All Comes Back to You, #1 GENRE: Romance-Drama RATING: 1.5 stars In a Nutshell: Good concept, jumpy and clichéd writing. I expected the story to hit me more in terms of emotions, given its premise.  Frankly, I don't understand the high rating. Story Synopsis: 1947, Alabama. Seventeen-year-old Violet is living a happy life being the centre of attraction and the target of every boy’s heart. She has her future mapped out and is ready to take it on. But as we all know, life doesn’t go as we plan it. 2012. Violet is still the centre of attraction but in different ways. When she dies in the assisted living facility, she leaves her nursing aide Ronni with a generous gift, but on the condition that Ronni pen and publish Violet’s story within one year. Already insecure about her writing ability as well as her appearance, Ronni is stuck between her promise to Violet and the care facility’s note about confidentiality, with the situation being even more delicate as

AUTHOR: Divya Prakash Dubey NARRATOR: Divya Prakash Dubey GENRE: Hindi Fiction RATING: 4 Stars. In a Nutshell: An easy-going story about a young man who wishes to see his widowed mother in a happy relationship before he moves abroad for further studies. One of the few Hindi books about contemporary India that balances culture and modernity well. I enjoyed it a lot. Story Synopsis: Raghav Awasthi has won the scholarship to go to Stanford for his degree in Data Science. But just a couple of months before his departure, his mom Shaalu is hospitalised due to stress-related issues. Raghav and his girlfriend Nisha decide that Shaalu might be better off if she gets remarried. Thus begins their secret plan of finding a new husband for Shaalu. Crazy, right? Now add in the complication that Shaalu has a secret in her past that no one knew about, until Nisha stumbles across it. The book is written in a dual timeline, in a limited third person narration. Let me first clarify for my Western frien

AUTHOR: Anya Bergman NARRATOR: Sofia Engstrand GENRE: Historical Fiction RATING: 2.5 Stars. In a Nutshell: This was a mixed bag for me. The concept was great but the execution didn’t do the story much favour. Might work for those looking for an interesting plot without much bothering about character development or writing. Story Synopsis: 1662. Anna Rhodius, ex-mistress of the King of Denmark, has been banished to Vardø for some unknown reason. She is convinced that the only way out of the godforsaken island is to provide information to the local Governor about suspected witches, whom he is determined to remove. Ingeborg’s mother Zigri has been arrested for being a witch. Along with her younger sister and the strange Maren (herself the daughter of a “witch”), Ingeborg sets out to rescue her mother from a deadly end. How the tracks of the two women intersect and what happens to them forms the rest of the plot. The book is written in the third person perspective of Ingeborg, and the firs