Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Leo Tolstoy GENRE: Christmas Short Story RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A beautiful little Christmas story for kids (and adults.) Based on a biblical verse, but the message works for all. Be kind, do good! Story Synopsis: Old Papa Panov, the village shoemaker, is lonely on Christmas Eve. As he settles in his armchair at night with his Bible after a long working day, he dozes off. Jesus comes in his dreams and promises to visit him on Christmas Day. Needless to say, Papa Panov is very excited the next day. He puts on a special pot of coffee and keeps an eye out of the window. But will Jesus really come, or was it just a dream? This little story is based on a verse from the Bible, Matthew 25:35: "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me." The original story was written in French by Reuben Saillens. Leo Tolstoy translated it from French to Russian. But as he made the story popular, it is attribu...

AUTHOR: Silvia Moreno-Garcia GENRE: Dark Fairy Tale RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: An interesting short story focussing on a protagonist who waits for her lover. Not a light romance. More of a dark fairy tale. Well-written. Good for dark short fiction lovers. Story Synopsis: Judith’s elder sister Alice has always been the pretty and pampered one, so Judith has always been the one to do the hard labour at their guesthouse. Though luck has never been on her side, Judith can’t stop wishing for love, especially as she knows that her lover will someday come from the forest, thanks to a prophecy. Soon, two men make an appearance in Judith’s life, both coming from the forest. She wants the first but he ends up marrying Alice. She doesn’t want the second, but he is always around her. As a strange wolf also begins his prowl at the same time, the hunger in Judith’s heart explodes. What will the consequences be? The story is written in Judith’s third person perspective. I enjoyed this short ...

AUTHOR: Jean Kwok GENRE: Mystery, Women's Fiction RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A book that is mostly women’s fiction focussing on a Chinese mom’s quest to be reunited with her daughter. The tag of ‘mystery/thriller’ applies to it in the loosest possible sense. I liked a few things but was equally unhappy with some other points. This is an outlier review. Story Synopsis: 2007. New York. Fleeing from an abusive marriage in China, Jasmine arrives in New York City with hardly any support system of money or family. Her main purpose is to be reunited with her daughter, who, unknown to her, was taken away at birth and offered to an American couple for adoption. With her ex searching for her, Jasmine is running out of time to find her child and escape permanently. But how is she to do that? Rebecca, an editor-in-chief at a publishing company, has it all – a job she loves, a talented and good-looking husband, a loveable adopted daughter Fifi, prestige, and wealth. However, her life s...

AUTHOR: Tara J. Hannon GENRE: Children's Graphic Novel RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A cute little graphic novel for little chapter book readers. Loved the characters and the message. Definitely recommended! Story Synopsis: Tootie the turtle loves to play tag, but all the other turtles in Turtletown prefer their own pastimes. Tootie feels quite lonesome, until Teeny comes into her life… almost literally. Teeny loves tag, and she also loves her one best friend Tootie. But she somehow senses that she doesn’t fit in Turtletown. Can she continue to be friends with Tootie even if she … gasp…. isn’t a turtle? There are plenty of reasons to invest in this graphic novel for the little ones in your life. 🐢 What child doesn’t love a book with animal characters? 🐦 And these characters break stereotypes! Turtles who love tag? Why not?! 🐢 The storyline is really sweet, and perfect for the target age group of 6-10 years. 🐦 The connection between Tootie and Teeny is amazing. Their bond...

AUTHOR: Frederick Forsyth GENRE: Historical Fiction Novella RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A beautiful Christmas-time novella set in the post WWII era. Might be predictable for today’s readers, but for the time it was written in, it is a standout piece. Definitely recommended if you can read it keeping in mind that it first came out in 1975. Story Synopsis: Christmas Eve, 1957. Our twenty-year-old narrator, a pilot with the Royal Air Force, has just taken off from West Germany to make it back in time to his parents’ house in England on Christmas morning. However, when he is over the North Sea, his plane begins to fail. First the compass and then the radio top functioning. With the fog rolling in, the pilot loses hope, until he spots a Mosquito fighter-bomber of WWII vintage. This plane acts as the ‘shepherd’ to guide the narrator to safety, but with barely any fuel left, will he make it? The story comes to us from the first person perspective of the unnamed pilot. As I had mentioned...

AUTHOR: Robin Hawdon GENRE: WWII Fiction RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A political spy fiction set around a historical dinner that Churchill and Chamberlain had in 1939. The book began excellently, then lost me a little as it went excessively political (a ME problem) and finally disappointed me with some needless plot developments (a BOOK problem.) Can recommend it for the pseudo-factual historical content, but not with all my heart. Story Synopsis: Lucy Armitage is an innocent baker’s daughter whose life changes at the onset of WWII. When convinced by her elder brother to go to secretarial college in London, she never dreamt that she would soon end up working for Winston Churchill, then the First Lord of the Admiralty. During her new job, she ends up learning a lot about politics, governance, and herself. The most exciting development is when Churchill invites his political nemesis Chamberlain over for dinner, the first time the two would be interacting by themselves on privat...

AUTHOR: Celine Keating GENRE: Contemporary Fiction RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A character-oriented contemporary fiction based in the Hamptons. Has great potential and themes, but gets bogged down by too many details and excessive length. Still, could work well as a mood read. Story Synopsis: When a friend invites Clancy, a thirty-six-year-old claims adjuster, to a party in Montauk, he doesn't realise that he will soon have the power to change the fate of the community by deciding what happens to the last piece of undeveloped land in Montauk. Several characters are involved in the ongoing drama – a bartender whose house is affected by coastal erosion, a motel owner who is also an artist and an environmentalist, an old man who is trying to reconcile with his family, a young couple who is struggling to hold on to their property. The story comes to us through all their perspectives in third person. Bookish Yays: 😍 The representation of Montauk and its natural beauty. The au...

AUTHOR: Henry Van Dyke GENRE: Classixc, Novella RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A classic novella about a fourth Magi, who discerns the heavenly signs correctly but gets delayed on his journey. A lovely read for classic fiction lovers. Will work even better if you know any of the gospels. Story Synopsis: Artaban is a young wise man, and one of the priests of the Magi. Using his knowledge of astrology, he discerns that the ancient prophecy about the birth of the redeemer is due to take place soon. He rushes to join his three fellow Magi, departing from another location, to look for the guiding star that will lead them to the newborn king. However, Artaban’s pilgrimage is beset with hurdles. Will he be able to fulfil his quest and find the saviour? The story is written in the limited third person perspective of Artaban. I had read a simplified adaptation of this story in one of my Christmas collections when I was a middle grader. Then I forgot all about the existence of this tale...

AUTHOR: G. Willow Wilson GENRE: Historical Fantasy RATING: 1.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Meh. Typical, typical, typical! Story Synopsis: (Too bored to type one, so simply copying it from Goodreads. It’s accurate enough.) Jean is the young wife of an American businessman searching for oil near the Persian Gulf in 1952. In the bustle of the market and the dark eyes of her husband’s colleague, Jean is searching for something else: a life far from the one she knows. Then, after one wrong step in a desert gully, Jean finds herself trapped in a cave-in—and she’s not alone. When legend comes to life and offers a path forward into the unknown, for Jean there is no going back. What you can expect from this story: 😐 Characters: 👉 A typical naïve white woman whose eyes open after an unexpected encounter. 👉 A typical self-absorbed white man more interested in exotic discoveries than in his own wife. 👉 A typical middle-eastern man focussed on the white memsahib, until he’s suddenly not. 👉 An ...

AUTHOR: Jess Walter SERIES: The One, #2 GENRE: Short True-life Narrative. RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A sweet story about an unusual love triangle. I am not a fan of love triangles, but if they are like this, count me in to read the tale! (Please read my complete review before you jump to any conclusions about the triangle!) 👉 Jess Walters – a successful writer who is often away on book tours and the other things a writer is expected to do in today’s publishing world. 👉 Millie – Jeff’s darling, who won him over with her soulful eyes and independent attitude. 👉 Martin  – Jeff’s next-door neighbour. Millie isn’t very happy in Jess’s home and takes a long time to settle in her new life. But when she meets Martin and discovers how sweet and kind he is to her (unlike her Jess, who is busy being a writer), she immediately switches loyalties, much to Jess’s chagrin. He tries his best to win her back, but Millie has always been a free spirit, and she does what she wants t...

AUTHOR: Paul Gallico GENRE: Nonfiction RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A narration of the origin of the carol, ‘Silent Night’. Great start, a bit dragged in between. Quite informative. Not for everyone. ‘Silent Night’ is one of the most popular Christmas carols, with its tune conveying the spirit of Christmas night in an unparalleled way. But how did it come into being? According to this little book, the song was developed by fluke. When the organ of a small church near Salzburg in Austria was damaged by mice on Christmas Eve 1818, the young assistant priest called the organist and presented a simple Christmas poem he wrote. The organist put it to a simple melody. But will the congregation accept this last-minute substitute for such an important celebration? Would the guitar be an adequate replacement for the sonorous organ? How did the tune go from this one-time performance to becoming one of the most beloved carols even more than two hundred years later? You will find out if you...

AUTHOR & NARRATOR: Sean Dietrich GENRE: Southern Historical Fiction. RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A heartwarming Southern historical fiction. Loved the characters, the plot, and most of all, the writing. How have I not read anything by Sean Dietrich before?!?! Much recommended! Check the triggers though. Story Synopsis: 1972. Sixty-two-year-old Nub Taylor is known for all the wrong things in his small rural hometown in southern Alabama. He does menial blue-collar jobs, drinks and smokes too much, doesn’t go to church, and lives his life without any sense of responsibility, and is close only to his cousin Benny. To be fair, he does feel remorse about being estranged from his daughter Emily, but it seems too late to salvage that relationship. When fifteen-year-old Waffle House waitress Minnie enters Nub’s life in an unexpected manner, he finally feels like he has a purpose. But unknown to them both, this new bond will soon be in danger from an unexpected source. The story com...

AUTHORS: Shea & Larami Serrano SERIES: The One, #3 GENRE: Short true-life narrative. RATING: 4.5 stars. Would you like to read a story that's perfect for Christmas time but has no mention of Christmas at all and isn't even set during the holiday season? Try this one! It will warm the cockles of your heart. This story tells us about Shea and Larami Serrano's wedding day in March 2007. They had been together for seven years and had been planning the wedding since fifteen months. However, just two days before the big day, Larami, who was four months pregnant, went into labour. What happens next? If this were a novel, I'd have said that it is too good to be true, that the ending is way too perfect, that the characters are unrealistically sweet, that there are too many coincidences,... But this isn't fiction! As Neil Gaiman once said, 'Life is always going to be stranger than fiction, because fiction has to be convincing, and life doesn't.' And life trul...

AUTHOR: Will Canduri TRANSLATOR: Andrea Labinger ILLUSTRATOR: Megan Herzart GENRE: Short Stories. RATING: 2.4 stars. In a Nutshell: I wanted this collection to work for me. But it just didn’t. This short story collection contains 28 stories that are quite diverse from each other. They cover a variety of genres ( crime, horror, dystopian, sci-fi, mystery… ), periods ( historical, contemporary, futuristic ), lengths (with the shortest story being just a page long), and character perspectives ( first, second and third person .) As such, the stories don’t feel repetitive. This should have made the stories work well for me. But somehow, the writing style didn’t suit my taste. The plots were too meandering for my liking, with sometimes there being no logical connection between the start and the finish. At times, the ending was too abrupt. Many stories were quite conversation-dominated, a stylistic choice that never works for me. The stories are supposedly “steeped in Spanish culture and tr...

AUTHOR: Jill George GENRE: Historical Fiction RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A novel illuminating the life of Arabella Buckley, a published author and a staunch advocate of Darwin’s theories in the 19th century. Loved learning about this gutsy woman who has been forgotten by history, though the writing could have worked a little better for me. Story Synopsis: 1864. London. Twenty-four-year-old Arabella, a vicar’s daughter, doesn’t want to get married or become a governess as per her mother’s wishes. To ensure her independence, she secures a job as a literary assistant to renowned geologist Charles Lyell. Her naturally scientific bent of mind is put to good use under Lyell’s guidance. But what changes Arabella’s life further is interacting with her idol and Lyell’s good friend, Charles Darwin. Though Darwin believes in female inferiority, he can see potential in Arabella and readily collaborates with her. Over the course of time, Arabella decides to popularise the theory of evoluti...

AUTHOR: Kid Toussaint ILLUSTRATOR: Aurélie Guarino TRANSLATOR: Anna Howell GENRE: Fantasy RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A whimsical story that begins with a simple exploration of what happens to a soul after death, but develops into an intricate explanation. Imaginative in plot. Tricky to understand at times, but overall, a good read. Story Synopsis: In some dystopian future, happy-go-lucky Charlie works at Eternal Recycling, a company that specialises in recycling the physical remains of loved ones after their passing. As the customer care associate, Charlie has to answer calls and help customers with their recycling plans. But everything changes when he receives a call from a little boy one day, wanting to know what happened to his mother’s soul after her death. Charlie has never thought about souls, so the boy’s query leaves him befuddled. He soon begins his own investigation into the matter, with unforeseen consequences. This graphic novel was originally published in French as ...

AUTHOR: Ian Rankin GENRE: Short Story, Police Procedural RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: A police procedural novelette about a murder investigation at an elite residential tower. Too many characters and not enough depth for a short fiction work. Story Synopsis: Detective Sergeant Gish has been called to investigate the murder of the concierge at The Rise, an elite residential tower and home to some intriguing multi-millionaires in London. Gish definitely has her work cut out, as the wealthy are helpful neither as witnesses nor as informants when it comes to investigating a murder. I’m not a thriller fanatic and am very picky about the thrillers I do choose. So I have never read the works of some reputed thriller writers, Ian Rankin being one of them. I use such short stories to see if their style works for me. In this case, I was even more excited as this was a police procedural, which is among my favourite thriller subgenres. However, the execution left me disappointed. Rankin migh...