Rosh's Reviews

  AUTHOR: Vanessa Edwards GENRE: Suspense Thriller PUBLICATION DATE:  December 2, 2024 RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary suspense with shades of cat-and-mouse thriller and revenge drama. Quite a tricky story with many characters, slow-ish pacing, and a bit too much telling in the writing. But I was so hooked by the proceedings that I still enjoyed myself. Recommended!  Plot Preview: (For the first time ever, I find myself stumped about what to write in this section. The plot is quite complex, and any slip-up could be a major spoiler. So here’s just a barebones preview.) Stephanie dies on the very first day of her honeymoon. Her estranged sister Lucy is devastated and wants to reach out to her sister’s widower to offer her condolences, but has no way of contacting him. She knows that Stephanie used a matchmaking agency named ‘MadeInHeaven’, so she gets in touch with them for his contact details. They deny having served Stephanie or her groom through their...

AUTHOR: Christina Lauren SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #1 GENRE: Romance Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A lovely story about a meet-cute that develops over a decade. Part epistolary. Good main characters. Mostly interesting storyline. Might have been a top-star experience for me had the second half performed better. Plot Preview: On February 14th 2013, an email that is supposed to reach a teacher ends up in a student’s inbox, thanks to a typo. The recipient informs the sender, also a student but a stranger, of the mistake, and they both end their conversation by wishing each other a Happy Valentine’s Day. The next year, one of them decides to wish the other one again. Thus begins an annual exchange of emails on February 14th – no names (it helps that the official school email ids have only initials), no personal identifiers, no photos. As the years go by, the friendship stays strong, but there is an underlying urge to know th...

AUTHOR: Mariann Edgar Budde GENRE: Inspirational Nonfiction PUBLICATION DATE: May 23, 2023 RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: I read this more for the author than for the book itself as I am not so fond of this genre. But no regrets at all. This book offers several inspiring anecdotes and life lessons, and also insights on what counts as bravery. January 2025 has already established that this lady is courageous and inspiring. The content of this book shows that she has been walking the talk for much longer than most of us knew. I hadn’t heard of Bishop Mariann Budde until 21st January 2025, when she spoke the bravest words to the toughest audience in the most graceful manner. Her impassioned appeal for mercy towards everyone gave me goosebumps. I don’t remember the last time I have been so in awe of a leader, and more importantly, the last time a Christian leader actually made me feel proud of their approach towards the tenets of the faith. To see a Bishop of a large diocese embody incl...

AUTHOR: Ixtzel Arreola ILLUSTRATOR: Martina Liebig GENRE: Children's Picture Book. PUBLICATION DATE: March 11, 2025 RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A picture book that indirectly explains the water cycle using the story of a little cloud. Sweet story and great graphics. But I wish the intent had been made clearer on the front cover  and the execution a bit fine-tuned . This is a cute story about a little cloud called Re, who dreams of becoming a big cloud. She has no idea how to grow larger, until a friendly cloud tells her the secret: “Fly over lakes and rivers and collect morning dew.” Thus Re soaks up the water droplets, and grows bigger and bigger, and even makes a new friend along the way: a pretty pink flower. However, Re is too large to float around. What happens next? This book was first published in 2024 in German under the title “Kleine Wolke Re.” This English translation is to be published in March 2024. The concept of the story is fabulous. But the implementation o...

AUTHOR: Katya Balen ILLUSTRATOR: Gill Smith SERIES: Appletree Animal Agency, #1 GENRE: Middle-Grade Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE: March 6, 2025 RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A wonderful middle-grade animal adventure story. Amazing plot, diverse human characters, adorable animals, great life lessons, excellent illustrations. Much recommended! Plot Preview: Mattie’s dad loves his only daughter but doesn’t believe her capable of handling responsibility. As such, Mattie’s deepest desire of wanting her own puppy stays unfulfilled. As a relentless animal lover, she finds solace by helping the local vet and playing with her friends’ pets. When there’s a new vet in town, Mattie and her best friend Zoe both volunteer to help Dr. Polly, who also happens to be an animal rescuer, and her son Casper navigate the chaos of handling so many rescue animals, and maybe even to find forever homes for them. But is Mattie responsible enough to handle such a big task? The story comes to us in Mattie’s thi...

AUTHOR: Apple Gidley GENRE: Contemporary Women's Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE: March 11, 2025 RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary women’s fiction about second chances in life and love. The Italian setting is great. But the writing style and the character development didn’t work much for me. I think those who enjoy romances based in exotic places might like this better. This is an outlier review. Plot Preview: When Leo, Amelia’s husband of forty-two years passes away after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s, Amelia wants a change from their island home in Patanga. She decides to move to Italy for a fresh start in life and to find ‘serenissima’ – serenity. In Venice, she finds herself pondering over her past and her life with Leo, while still discovering new joys and challenges. Can she rediscover herself at her age, or is it too late? The story comes to us in Amelia’s third-person perspective. I don’t read “destination stories” as they often sound the same: a woman goes ...

AUTHOR: Clare Pooley GENRE: Uplit Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE: June 11, 2024 RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary fiction filled with many quirky characters and some entertaining moments. Geriatrics, toddlers, and a dog make for a fun combo. However, quite over the top and fairly predictable in execution. Enjoyable if you don’t overthink it. This is a slightly outlier review. Plot Preview: Fifty-something Lydia has just opted for the job of running the Senior Citizen Social Club at the local community centre. She has devised a good plan of quiet afternoons together, knitting and playing card games and sipping tea. Unfortunately for her, the senior citizens in the club have a very different idea of what a ‘club’ should do. When the council decides to sell off the shabby community centre for a new luxury complex, the senior citizens club partners with their neighbours – the daycare centre and its little members – to save the building. Joining them on this valiant quest is a ...