Rosh's Reviews

EDITOR: Amy Newmark GENRE: Real-Life Anecdotes, Humour. SERIES: Chicken Soup for the Soul - Standalone book. RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Exactly as the title and blurb promise. Feel-good stories that make you laugh—sometimes with others and sometimes at others—without guilt. Add in some excellent quotes and you have a lovely family-friendly package. You might surely have heard of the Chicken Soup series. The latest addition to the plethora of ‘Chicken Soup’ titles is this amazing collection. The book follows the traditional Chicken Soup format of collecting real-life anecdotes by theme, and interspersing them with suitable quotes. The theme this time is the misadventures and mishaps of everyday life. As one of the quotes in the book says, “Life literally abounds in comedy if you just look around you.” (credit: Mel Brooks.) You have surely gone through at least a few embarrassing incidents and regrettable life choices. Maybe you can laugh at the cringe-worthy memories today, bu...

AUTHOR: Kathie Giorgio GENRE: Religious/Philosophical Fiction, Literary Fiction. RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: Not my usual genre, but a lovely book nonetheless. Introspective and therapeutic. Fantastical yet grounded. Christian fiction with a strong but liberal biblical premise. Won’t work for everyone but to the select few who read this kind of fiction, it ought to click excellently. Story Synopsis: Forty-three-year-old Hope has been sad since childhood and nothing she does can alleviate that feeling. One morning, she decides that she has had enough of life, and kills herself with an overdose, leaving behind her husband and two teenaged children. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself in ‘Heaven’, which is not exactly like what people on earth imagined, and yet a dream place in every way. As Hope died by suicide, she is in a special gated section of Heaven with others who also chose to end their lives. While “life” in heaven is indeed amazing, it comes with a mandatory weekl...

AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR: K.A. Cummins GENRE: Children's Picture Book RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: Cute illustrations but somewhat problematic story. Also, I thought there would be more ‘Super-Doople’ stuff, but this is more like a superhero backstory. Story Synopsis: Little Doople has always wanted to fly. No matter how much the other dooples warned him, he didn’t listen. However, one day, the worse happens and Doople ends up falling and shattering. However, times have changed since Humpty Dumpty’s days, and Scientist Doople has a secret formula to put Little Doople back together. However, unknown to her, the formula was faulty. As such, while Little Doople does get his body back, there is an unexpected side-effect…. You guess it. He is now…. Super Doople! Had the title and cover page not promised a Super Doople story, I might have read this as a tale of a little fellow who doesn’t stop believing in his dreams. However, the story as is, comes with many negatives: ❌ Doople doesn...

AUTHOR: C.G.Twiles GENRE: Psychological Thriller RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A slow-burn somewhat-psych thriller. Entertaining but farfetched. Overall, mixed feelings. Story Synopsis: Twelve years ago, Romy Renskler inadvertently caused the death of the school prom queen when a prank created in a fit of jealousy went haywire. However, no one suspected Romy of being involved. Now, Romy is a successful digital graphic designer living in NYC when the pandemic forces her to return to her hometown. In a bizarre turn of events, she begins a relationship with the man who was the last boyfriend of the prom queen, but he too knows nothing about Romy’s role in his girlfriend’s death. When a mysterious little girl starts appearing in Romy’s window in the middle of the night and shouting insults at her, Romy wonders if she is losing her mind, or does someone who has stumbled upon her secret want to spook her? The story comes to us in the limited third person perspective of Romy. Mixed feel...

AUTHOR: Jesse Q. Sutanto NARRATOR: Eunice Wong GENRE: Contemporary Drama with elements of mystery. RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: Great as a dramedy; decent as a mystery. Straddles well the thin line between being comical and being stereotypical. Entertaining but predictable. Story Synopsis: Vera Wong is a sixty-year-old teashop owner in San Francisco, and like every Asian mom, she is an expert not just in tea brewing. She loves her son Tilly though he doesn’t have time for her, and she stays updated about everything from “the Google.” When she wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her teashop, Vera knows that she can do a much better job than the police at catching the killer. Within a couple of days, Vera has her list of suspects ready. Now to nab the culprit! The story comes to us in the third person perspective of Vera and her various “suspects”. Here’s what you need to know about the goods and the not-so-goods of this work: 👉 The title and blurb support the...

AUTHOR: Liz Hyder GENRE: Historical Fantasy RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A historical fantasy written in literary fiction style. Won’t work for every reader due to the slow pacing and the writing approach, but I liked the plot. Triggers galore! Story Synopsis: 1840, England. Etta : A young woman of mixed parentage, Etta is dealing with the grief of her pet dog’s passing when two huge wings suddenly rip themselves from her shoulders. Edward: An ambitious surgeon, Edward is tired of being under the shadow of his best friend Samuel. When an opportunity possibly leading to fame and fortune comes his way, Edward knows he mustn’t let it go. Alice: Edward’s wife and hobby painter, Alice knows Edward is up to something, but can’t get him to reveal more. Natalya: Cast out from her community, Natalya is making her way to her cousin in London, unaware of what lies in store for her. Mary: A poor but clever young woman, Mary finds herself investigating a weird rumour in London about the ‘Angel...

AUTHOR: Pavittra Kalyaan SERIES: Handwan Mystery, #1 GENRE: YA Mystery. RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Sorry, but this indie YA mystery wasn’t my cup of tea. I loved the fact that we have enthusiastic young Indian authors exploring the YA genre, but I forgot the fact that I am not longer an enthusiastic YA reader. This might work better with the right age group. Story Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Rohan Sharma is struggling to return to normalcy ever since his father died in a fire a year ago. His schoolmates and teachers aren’t making things easy for him. When he discovers that his father’s death might not have been an accident, Rohan realises that it is up to him to discover who might be behind the mystery, even if it comes at a great cost. The story comes to us in the third person limited perspective of Rohan. There was a time when I enjoyed YA novels, but lately, I feel like their writing falls in some familiar traps, with very few exceptions: ⚠ A main character who can get away...

AUTHOR: Rebel Girls GENRE: Children's Nonfiction, RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: Unlike any Rebel Girls book so far. This book deals with the perks and the problems of adolescence. Somewhat text-intensive, but informative and relevant. The Rebel Girls team is known for their incisive books that provide mini-bios of inspiring women from the past and present. They have always been all-encompassing in terms of their content, staying inclusive and inspiring. This new offering remains true to the Rebel Girls spirit, but in terms of content, it is a step in a new (and welcome) direction. As the title suggests, this book is all about growing up. Not just growing up, but ‘growing up powerful.’ Aimed at the 8-14 year age group, the book covers varied topics as are necessary for little girls to transition into mature, self-loving women who know that their physical features don’t dictate who they are and who understand their body and mind. As a mother to two girls, I already own a couple ...

AUTHOR: Fiona Davis SERIES: A Point in Time, #5 GENRE: Short Story, Historical Fiction RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: An interesting short story but would have worked far better in a longer format. Story Synopsis: Gloria Banderas, a world-renowned pianist, is at the peak of her career, moving from one venue to another and one show to another. However, a strange ailment forces her to cancel on a special performance at Carnegie Hall, on what would have been the twentieth anniversary of her debut. As she is fiddling around on the piano in the hall the night before the performance, she meets a woman who lives above the theatre in the apartments meant for artists alone. With her career facing a question mark and her marriage too verging on uncertainty avenues, Gloria moves into an empty studio apartment above the theatre. Her interactions with the other resident artists make her question what’s important in life – career & fame or personal satisfaction. At 36 pages long, this is a qui...

AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR: Mallika Appana GENRE: Children's Picture Book. PUBLICATION DATE: April 3, 2022 RATING: 3.75 stars. A picture book celebrating Indian handicrafts! The narrator is a little boy who talks of taking his usual trip to India (I presume he stays somewhere abroad). The highlight of the trip this time is a visit to the local fair. His excitement grows with every handicraft and artwork he sees: wooden toys, handmade lampshades, pottery, and so on. He even enjoys a ride in an auto rickshaw and has a taste of “Indian popcorn” (which has always been “masala popcorn” for me!) and bhel. The story lasts for about 20 or so pages, and the final pages are reserved for more information on some Indian art and handicrafts. This is very helpful, but I would have liked the accompanying pictures/photos to be larger. What I loved about the book is its nod to authenticity without resorting to stereotypes. It presents a beautiful picture of the richness and variety of Indian artisans...

AUTHOR: Skye Wade ILLUSTRATOR: Maria Chetkareva SERIES: Bug Books For Children, #2 GENRE: Children's Picture Book. PUBLICATION DATE: December 4, 2021 RATING: 5 stars. Wow! This is just as brilliant as the first book in the series! Book 1, What Bug Am I? was based on a bug who was trying to establish which insect family he belongs to. On similar lines, this book deals with “Firefly” who has lost her memory after a gust of wind bounced her around and dropped her on her head. Firefly is desperate to go home so she starts asking around if anyone recognises her and guide her in the right direction. As she meets various insects (flying and otherwise) on her way, she learns more about them and about herself. This book is also structured just like the first one. So we have Firefly’s story on every alternate page. This is written is neat text and filled with vibrant illustrations. In between the fictional narrative, we have information about the insects that Firefly meets. This section com...

AUTHOR: Anna Lazowski ILLUSTRATOR: Penny Neville-Lee GENRE: Children's Picture Book, Mental Health RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A lovely picture book highlighting to little ones how they can cope with the ‘dark cloud’ of depression. Abigail, our lead character, has a dark cloud that follows her everywhere. It changes form at times, turning into a fog or a shadow, but it never leaves her alone. One day, Abigail understands that while she cannot get rid of the cloud, there are certain things she can do to reduce its influence on her life. This way, she can step away from its darkness and experience the bright sunshine. Through the lovely metaphor of a dark cloud, the book highlights how depression can make everything in our life seem gloomy and dull. However, if we learn to accept that we have the cloud over our head, we can be better prepared to face it and even overpower it. Children can thus understand that having a cloud over their happy emotions isn’t something to be ignor...

AUTHOR: Jodie Chapman GENRE: Contemporary Drama RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A powerful story about three women whose lives have been influenced by their religious group. The theme was great; the writing approach could have been better. But it’s still an interesting book. Story Synopsis: Zelda is a rebel who seeks to live life on her own terms, but she’s not entirely successful in leaving her past behind. Jen has gone through a traumatising experience, but instead of being looked upon as a victim, she is blamed for a decision she had no control over. Isobel has spent her entire married life being the perfect wife. But now her husband wants to leave her, and she has no idea who she is without him. All three women are connected in some way to an extremist religious cult. Will they be able to put themselves first and break free of the stranglehold the men in their lives wield over them in the name of God? The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of the three women. Book...

AUTHOR: Poornima Manco GENRE: Short Story Anthology. SERIES: Around the World, #3 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A wonderful short story collection that contains, as the tagline promises, ‘strange stories of love’. This is NOT a romance anthology but one that focusses on the varied, sometimes darker, shades of love (and not only romantic love.) As the blurb clearly warns you, stay away if you expect mushy romance. This is the final book in the ‘Around the World’ trilogy, a standalone anthology collection of stories set around the world. The first book ( Twelve -Stories From Around the World ) had twelve stories related to choices, the second one ( Eight - Fantastical Tales From Here, There & Everywhere ) had eight stories focussing on magic, and this third book, as you might have guessed by now, has six stories about love. I have read all the three collections, and though I am sad that the number of stories has reduced with each subsequent set (Don’t you always want more from g...

ILLUSTRATOR: Yiling Changues AUTHOR: N.A. GENRE: Folklore RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An interesting collection of folklore from four Polynesian places. Liked the stories; didn’t like the presentation. This is more of a collector’s edition than a children’s storybook. This is a collection of fifteen folktales taken from Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Samoa. The stories are clubbed into four groups: Tricksters; Creatures of Earth and Sea; Life and Death; and Family. The stories are similar in feel to most traditional lore, in that they are somewhat dark and not exactly straightforward and not necessarily with neat or happy endings. Nature and fae folk have an important role to play in every tale. The location is the highlight, and the richness of the island locale can be perceived in each story. These stories have all been taken from works published in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As the original text hasn’t been modified much, the stories feel somewhat cl...

AUTHOR: Martha Hall Kelly SERIES: A Point In Time, #1 GENRE: Short Story, Historical Fiction RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An emotional short story set in the WWII concentration camps and written mostly in epistolary format. Needed more at the end, but still a decent tale. Story Synopsis: After her mother’s death, Aldona finds a tin filled with old letters. To her surprise, the letters are by some woman prisoner in Ravensbrück, a women’s concentration camp in northern Germany. Through the letters, Aldona discovers the story of how a baby girl was born to one of the women in the camp, and how all of them banded together to save the little one. Most of the story comes to us in first person through the letters written to Aldona. Plusses: ✔ At 53 pages, this is a somewhat quick read. You can easily complete it in one setting. ✔ The epistolary format is put to good use here. Each letter expresses the writer’s emotions well. ✔ The historical story about the baby will warm your heart as...

AUTHOR: Rafaa Dalvi GENRE: Hindi Flash Fiction Anthology RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: A twisty collection of short stories in conversational Hindi. This anthology has forty flash-fiction–length stories, most of which have a twist at the end. The stories are quite dark, ranging from crimes, psych suspense, thrillers and low horror. ‘Paasa Palat’ is somewhat like turning the tables or changing the tide. Thus, in each story, you have the ‘paasa palat’ happening at the end. Sometimes, it works well; at times, it feels predictable and/or farfetched. One interesting trivia is that every story is titled after a Bollywood crime movie, and arranged in the order of the movie’s release year. I discovered the first bit while reading the collection; the second was revealed to me by the author. Most of these stories are set in the urban locale of Mumbai. So the Hindi you get herein is not the formal polished Hindi of North & Central India. The stories are in conversational Hindi (which is fin...

AUTHOR: Daniel Dockery GENRE: YA Adventure. (Officially, it is marked as Children's Fiction. I disagree.) RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: An adventure story featuring a fifteen year old who can do anything and everything. Mixed feelings from this parent. But might work better for teens as they’ll identify better with the over-smart protagonist. Story Synopsis: 1920. Fifteen-year-old Wendington Jones’s world turns haywire when she hears that her adventurer-explorer mother has died in a car crash. Having already lost her father a few years back, Wendington is now left in the care of her grandmother. When she receives a parcel in the middle of one night, she is surprised to find that it is from her late mother, and contains half a manuscript about a mythical ‘Tree of Life’ that supposedly has regenerative powers. Wendington, in her intrepid style, seeks the other half of the manuscript, but soon realises that there are more people looking for the same information. Escaping from the da...