Reviews Written in 2021

2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020-2019

(This page is a work-in-progress as I have yet to copy all my old reviews here.)

December 2021:


November 2021:

Soomi's Sweater - Susie Oh - ★★★★.½

October 2021:


September 2021:


August 2021:


July 2021:


June 2021:

After You - Jojo Moyes - ★★★.½
Me Before You - Jojo Moyes - ★★★★.¼
Medusa - Rosie Hewlett - ★★★★.½

May 2021:


April 2021:


March 2021:


February 2021:


January 2021:



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The Awful Truth About The Sushing Prize - Marco Ocram - ★★★.¾

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\   AUTHOR: Marco Ocram SERIES: The Awful Truth, #2 GENRE: Crime Thriller Parody PUBLICATION DATE: June 4, 2019 RATING:  3.75 stars.  In a Nutshell: A spoof crime novel, the plot of which is nigh on impossible to explain in a line. Possibly the silliest book I have ever read! (I mean this as a compliment!) Enjoyed it to a great extent. Recommended, but only to those who read spoofs the way spoofs are meant to be read: by tossing out their thinking caps.  Plot Preview: (Honestly, I have no idea how to offer a preview to this crazy book! Trying my best!) Marco Ocram ( Yup, the “author”! ) is a high-achieving, super-intelligent, uber-popular, humble writer who has a secret: whatever he writes happens immediately. As his natural affinity is towards writing crime, Marco writes crime novels, much to the chagrin of his book’s lead character DI Como Galahad, who is stuck solving the crime while Marco keeps penning impossible twists and getting them into d...
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The Matchmakers - Vanessa Edwards - ★★★★

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  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...
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Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times, Volume 2 - Pam Gittleman - ★★★★

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  AUTHOR: Pam Gittleman ILLUSTRATORS: Dan & Catherine Markowitz GENRE: Children's Picture Book PUBLICATION DATE:  March 4, 2025 RATING:  4 stars. In a Nutshell: An interesting collection of traditional nursery rhymes updated for contemporary times. The focus is on removing the dark elements and incorporating an attitude of kindness and gratitude. A great option for parents who know the importance of rhymes but do not want the outdated ones. Quite a few nursery rhymes we learnt in our childhood were taught to us without any adult questioning their efficacy or relevance. The rhymes and songs I learned in my pre-K years four decades ago were a part of my children’s curriculum as well. ( And not just in school; these songs are also used in introductory music books as simple beginner tunes for instruments. ) Seeing the rhymes with adult eyes made me wonder why such inappropriate stuff was still being taught to kids. A baby in the cradle who will fall when the bough br...
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The Language of Love and Other Stories - Nancy Christie - ★★★★

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  AUTHOR:  Nancy Christie GENRE: Short Story Collection PUBLICATION DATE: February 4, 2025 RATING: 3.9 stars. In a Nutshell: A delightful short story collection focussing on all aspects of love. Yes, “love”, not “romance”! Interesting plots, multiple emotions, steady paced, beautiful endings ranging from sweet to bittersweet. Not corny or mushy as you might assume. Much recommended! I had misjudged this short story collection on initial glance, dismissing it as being cheesy romance tales. ( Very hasty and judgemental of me, I admit. No offence intended to readers of the genre. It is just that I no longer enjoy such stories .) As the cover gave me romance vibes, I almost decided that this is not for me. But then, the title made me pause, bringing to my mind the fabulous "The Five Love Languages of Children" by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell – probably the only self-help/inspirational book I've read that I found authentic and practical. I wondered if the "language...
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Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend - Rebecca Romney - ★★★★.¼

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AUTHOR: Rebecca Romney GENRE: Nonfiction, Feminism, Biography PUBLICATION DATE: February 18, 2025 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An amazing and comprehensive compilation of outstanding authors who might have been a part of Jane Austen’s Bookshelf. Contains these authors’ biographies as well as other bookish and historical tidbits. This isn't a treat just for Jane Austen fans but for every book lover and feminist. Jane Austen is often considered the best woman writer of her era, and sometimes, even referred to as the first successful woman writer. Is this claim true? Was she really a pathbreaking novelist who forged the way for others after her? Did no other woman writer have a successful writing career before Austen? Is Austen the only worthy female writer from the Georgian/Regency era? As you might have guessed, the answer to these questions is a resounding ‘No!’ However, do we have enough knowhow to elaborate on the answers? Do we casual readers know even one woman novelis...
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