Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Heather Fellin Tierney GENRE: Historical Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: August 26, 2025 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A historical literary fiction focussed on three ordinary people and the way their paths cross with each other. Excellently sketched characters, a complex and thought-provoking plot, a realistic ending. Great use of the 1970s small-town Wisconsin setting. An amazing debut! Much recommended to lit fic lovers. Plot Preview: 1970. Every morning, one train leaves from Minneapolis to Chicago via Milwaukee. One small stop it makes is at the tiny station of Oconomowoc in Wisconsin. Lincoln is a forty-year-old ticket agent at the Oconomowoc train station. Though it has been many years since his wife left him, he still struggles to move beyond. Vera is a teenager determined to look for someone from her past. She is gearing up for her first ever train journey, boarding at Oconomowoc and going to Chicago. Violet, a single woman in her fifties, has only one major re...

AUTHOR: Quentin Zuttion GENRE: Graphic Novel PUBLICATION DATE: November 30, 2022 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A graphic novel depicting one day in the life of a French family, the day after Princess Diana’s death. Clever use of the tragedy without milking it for melodrama. Excellent writing with many poignant moments. Slice-of-life in the best possible way. Great illustrations. Much recommended. Plot Preview: One day after Princess Diana’s death. Eight-year-old Lulu loves playing with his dolls, putting on his mom’s lipstick, and enacting fairy tales with his best friend Yoyo, even dreaming of kissing Yoyo after a fairy tale rescue. Lulu’s elder sister Cam has a secret older boyfriend sneaking into her bedroom at night, unknown to anyone else except Lulu. Their mother is waiting for their father, who didn’t come home the previous night. When he finally comes, they realise that something needs to change. We see this day from the perspective of the three key characters: Lulu, Cam, ...

AUTHOR & NARRATOR: Trevor Noah ILLUSTRATOR: Sabina Hahn GENRE: Illustrated Novel PUBLICATION DATE: October 8, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A illustrated chapter book with two interesting characters and a fable-style narrative. A nice mix of realism and fantasy. Loved the writing and the characters. Adored the thought-provoking bits of wisdom. I wish the ending had extended at least a couple of pages further, but even as is, this is a beautiful book for all, especially but not only for a joint parent-child reading session. Plot Preview: A young boy is tired of the routine chores his mom forces him to do everyday. So when he wakes up one bright Saturday morning, he makes a special plan ‘before chores ruin this special day.’ He takes his best friend – Walter, his teddy bear – and decides to run away from home into the uncut grass beyond his house yard. Walter tries his best to dissuade the boy, but the boy is determined to ‘be free’. What happens next? Most of you would cer...

AUTHOR: Catherine Ryan Hyde GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: May 6, 2025 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary fiction about a young man who finally learns the value of self-acceptance. Excellent characters, storyline, writing, and life lessons. Drags a little in the final few chapters, but overall, a beautiful and meaningful read. Much recommended. Plot Preview: When Michael was seven, he had a near-fatal accident that left him with severe physical scars and eventually led to foster care. Now nineteen, Michael has learnt to keep his scars hidden. On signing up for film class, he is taken aback on seeing that his professor Robert Dunning is also disfigured, but unlike Michael, he doesn’t hide his scars. Encouraged by Dunning, Michael plans to make a documentary about body image issues in scarred people. When he places an ad seeking potential interviewees, he learns that too many people in society are unhappy with their bodies. With their stories and also his ...

AUTHOR: Amy S. Hansen ILLUSTRATOR: Rocío Arreola Mendoza GENRE: Children's Picture Book, Biography PUBLICATION DATE: August 19, 2025. RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A biographical picture book about the life of blind astrophysicist Wanda Díaz-Merced. Amazing story, excellent illustrations. Inspiring in every way. A great option for little STEM readers. I grabbed this book without even knowing that it was a biographical story, totally missing the tagline on the cover: “A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe.” What actually caught my attention was that stunning cover art and that curious title about *hearing* the stars. Reading the book confirmed what an apt name it was for this powerful book. Wanda Díaz-Merced grew up in a small Puerto Rico town. When she was nine, she was fascinated by the stars. Unfortunately, because of her diabetes, she began losing her eyesight while in college and soon was completely blind. Anyone else would have given up on the starry dreams, but Wa...

AUTHOR: Rachel Huffmire NARRATOR: Rachel White SERIES: Mirror Chronicles, #3 GENRE: Fairy Tale Retelling + Science Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE: October 28, 2021 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A YA SFF novella in the Mirror Chronicles series, narrating the story of Rhodopis with a time-travel twist. As clever as the other books in the series. Excellent as a Cinderella retelling. Technically a standalone work, but better if you have read at least Book One of the series to understand the intricacies. Recommended. Plot Preview: 1324 BCE. Egypt. Rhodopis is tired of her life as a slave in a Roman aristocrat’s estate. Facing constant bullying from his two daughters, Rhodopis dreams of buying her way to freedom. Little does she know that her story has caught the attention of a young American lady from many centuries ahead, the year 2070 to be precise. The story comes to us in the third-person perspective of the key characters. Goodreads has marked this book as the third in the Mirror Chro...

AUTHOR: Rachel Huffmire NARRATOR: Rachel White SERIES: Mirror Chronicles, #1 GENRE: Fairy Tale Retelling + Science Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE: September 18, 2021 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An amazingly creative retelling of ‘Snow-White and the Seven Dwarves’. Combines fairy-tale, historical fiction, fantasy, and futuristic science fiction into a mind-blowing package. Complex plot, layered characters, twisty storytelling, no frivolous romance. The first of a series. No cliffhanger ending. Had a couple of minor issues, but overall, a commendable debut. Much recommended! Plot Preview: 2069, Scotland ➙ Keltson: A hacker who considers himself a vigilante. Helps clients travel through time with the help of mirrors to “rescue unfortunate souls from the past.” 2069, Russia ➙ Lilia: A Russian engineer working at a junkyard but longing to escape her dreary life. What she wants most is an opportunity to work with the mysterious renegade known simply as ‘The Mirror’ as that’s her only c...

AUTHOR: Hanna Thomas Uose NARRATOR: Lydia Wilson GENRE: Speculative Literary Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE: March 27, 2025. RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary speculative-fiction novel coming from multiple characters and timelines. Innovative concept, thought-provoking exploration, excellent character-driven writing, slow pace. Can’t believe this is a debut! Much recommended but not to all. Don’t read the GR blurb. Plot Preview: 2025, London. Yuki and Sam, both in their mid-to-late thirties, are just another ordinary married couple. Happy with each other, a bit bored with their routines, desperate to have kids but not successful yet. Yuki is an enthusiastic member of the local MP’s team and is passionate about causes. Sam is a slightly frustrated work-from-home graphic designer with ambitions of becoming a musician. An American pharma company plans to introduce Yareta in the UK market. Yareta is a drug that can extend human life by at least 200 years and already successful in ...

AUTHOR: Alix E. Harrow GENRE: Short story, Dystopian Fantasy. PUBLICATION DATE: March 11, 2025 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A dystopian-fantasy short story about love, trust, fate, hope and courage. Imaginative plot, well-sketched characters, lyrical prose, unexpected twists, apt ending that left me wanting more. After a long while, I read a story without any distractions or pauses. Much recommended! Plot Preview: In a post-apocalyptic world, a small outland town named Iron Hollow, set along the Red River in the Appalachian mountains, finds itself facing many challenges, but none like the demons rising from its own people. When the leader summon a legendary knight for help in hunting the latest monster, seventeen-year-old Shrike is not happy. The knight is just as determined to do his job and kill the demon as Shrike is to get rid of the knight. Why? Read and find out. The story comes to us in Shrike’s first-person perspective. PSA: The Goodreads blurb reveals way too much. (...

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...

AUTHOR: Abby Jimenez SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #2 GENRE: Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A romantic short story that is sweet as well as emotional. Loved how intricate it was for its length. Hit just the right spot for my current mood. Worth a read. Plot Preview: Holly, a hospice nurse, is on her toughest assignment: watching her grandmother die. Just coming out of a tough breakup, she is more affected by the emotional intensity of the situation. So when a lovey-dovey card is stuck to her windshield on Valentine’s Day, she is quite amused, even though the note wasn’t meant for her. Thus begins a cute exchange of anonymous notes with the “worst wingman ever”, of some selfless acts, and of some life-changing advice. But all good things have to come to an end, right? The story comes to us in the first-person perspectives of Holly and her anonymous “wingman.” This is the second standalone story in the 'The Improbable Meet-Cu...

AUTHOR: Eowyn Ivey GENRE: Literary Fiction, Magical Realism PUBLICATION DATE: February 4, 2025 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An poignant literary fiction set in Alaska. Haunting plot, flawed characters, atmospheric writing, intense emotions, slow pace, magical realism. Not a ‘Beauty & the Beast’ retelling as some sources claim. Much recommended but not to those who prefer likeable/perfect characters. Plot Preview: Twenty-six-year-old Birdie is a single mother to six-year-old Emaleen. Her waitressing job in an Alaskan lodge helps them survive, and the lodge owner even allows Birdie to live with Emaleen in one of the cabins. But while Birdie loves her daughter, she still has a reckless side to her that makes her yearn for more wild adventures. When Arthur, a local recluse who barely speaks to anyone, brings Emaleen back to safety when she goes wandering into the woods one day, Birdie finds a new hero, and a new dream. Ignoring the advice of those around her, Birdie decides to ...

  AUTHOR:  Mona Susan Power GENRE: Historical Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: November 5, 2024 RATING:  4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A powerful multi-timeline narrative detailing the horrors faced by the indigenous citizens of the USA. Character-driven, introspective, brutal, slow-paced. Great use of the titular “dolls”. A book to be savoured than to be zoomed through. Recommended! Plot Preview: Sissy ~ a second-grader in 1960s Chicago. Has a volatile mother and a doting father. Loves her Christmas present: a Black Thumbelina doll named Ethel, who always supports Sissy and offers advice during tough times. Lillian ~ a child of the 1930s. Born at a time of turmoil and conflict. Her sister Blanche and her Shirley-Temple-lookalike doll named Mae are her biggest sources of support. When the sisters are forced to go to an “Indian school” run by nuns, Mae turns out to be Lillian’s guiding light during the dark days.  Cora ~  born in the 1900s during the “Indian Wars”. Fa...