Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Katherine Heiny GENRE: Contemporary Anthology, Literary Fiction. RATING: 3.9 stars. In a Nutshell: Enjoyed this anthology that peppers various human emotions into one tidy package. Slice-of-life–styled writing. Humour and seriousness blended perfectly in each story. Atypical endings, so that will be the decider for your experience. This collection of eleven stories comes with a very interesting introductory note in the blurb: Eleven glittering stories of love—friendships formed at the airport bar, ex-husbands with benefits, mothers of suspiciously sweet teenagers, ill-advised trysts—in all its forms, both ridiculous and sublime. And for a change, the book lives up to the tall claim! Hallelujah! Each of the eleven stories features characters ranging from quirky to despicable. The stories are all in slice-of-life format, which means you don’t necessarily have a start-middle-end progression, the tales jump around in their timelines, and the ending is not perfectly sealed. If you a...

AUTHOR: Lesléa Newman ILLUSTRATOR: Joshua Heinsz GENRE: Children's Picture Book RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: Explored a theme that is much needed in today’s world. Works quite well, but could have done better in a couple of aspects. Annabelle and Benjamin enjoy playing dress up along with their three dogs. However, whenever the time comes to pick a costume, Benjamin always goes first and picks the dressier feminine options such as a bride or a princess or a ballet tutu. Poor Annabelle is stuck playing the ‘boring’ male roles. When she finally protests to Benjamin that she too wants to have a turn at being the princess, he has a brainwave: who says that there has to be a prince for every princess? Or that there can be only one ‘fairest in the land’? Why can’t there be two princesses? I appreciate the thought behind the book. It reminds me a little of Princess Kevin , another picture book where the little boy loves dressing up in girls’ clothes. A common point to both the books...

AUTHOR: Annalisa Crawford GENRE: Literary Fiction RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: Don’t be fooled by that dreamy cover. This gets quite dark at times. Excellent for *select* literary fiction lovers. It’s a slow mood read, but proceeds beautifully. Story Synopsis: When Julia was fifteen, she entered into a suicide pact with her schoolmate Rachel. Rachel died, Julia didn’t. Now, fifteen years later, Julia is still struggling with her past and the guilt of being the one who survived. Moreover, she is constantly in the world of her imagination, which are dominated by a composite character called Cat who always puts Julia down. When a new work colleague named Adam enters Julia’s life, she sees a chance to break free of past shackles. But will ‘Cat’ let her go that easily? The story is written in the first person perspective of Julia. I had picked up this author’s short story collection –  The Clock in My Mother's House and Other Stories – earlier this year and was blown away by her...

AUTHOR: Jo Johnson GENRE: Domestic Suspense. RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: I am stunned at this indie work in so many ways! It has its flaws, and yet it had me hooked. I am going to be pondering over the characters for a long time. Story Synopsis: Nine-year-old Nicky loves his mom and dad, and wants them to be together. But when his dad walks out because of his mom’s alcoholism, Nicky feels responsible. He tries his best to put things right as the ‘man of the house’, but when he can’t, he struggles with his emotions. Almost-thirty-year-old Keziah believes that she has found a gem of a man in Claus, a child psychologist. In a bid to provide some happiness to her parents who are still broken over her elder sister’s death a few years ago, she accepts Claus’s proposal. However, it soon becomes clear to her that Claus has two faces. And she isn’t sure which one belongs to the real Claus. The story comes to us mostly in the third person perspective of Nick and the first person perspective ...

AUTHOR: Beth Evans GENRE: Self-Help/Motivational Art. RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Grabbed this because I thought it was a humorous comic collection. It turned out to be a self-help/motivational book, a genre I dislike with all my heart. So please take this review with a pinch of salt. It’s definitely not the book but me. The book comprises a series of motivational messages that aim to make you feel uplifted and positive about facing the drudgeries of life. All the pages are addressed to ‘you’ – the reader. It’s like having your own personal cheerleader, with myriad motivational messages sprinkled across the pages. Some are as simple as ‘You deserve love’ or ‘You are special’ or ‘You are doing your best!’; others, slightly longer and deeper. The title, or rather, the funny-sounding part in the brackets, made me assume that this would be a humorous graphic novel. But it turned out that not a single page induced laughter. The artwork is exactly as you can see on the cover. Simplist...

AUTHOR: Charlie N. Holmberg SERIES: Whimbrel House, #2 GENRE: Historical Fantasy. RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A lovely continuation to the Whimbrel House series. While not as creepy as Book One, this sequel was still enjoyable, though it took me a while to get into the plot this time around. Story Synopsis: Narragansett Bay, 1846. Whimbrel House is now just a regular house, but its inhabitants are still trying to deal with their magical abilities. Hulda is struggling to get back to her professional self, especially after the old head of BIKER has disappeared, but her feelings for Merritt keep getting in the way. Merritt is struggling to judge the extent of his magical capabilities, and also to reconcile with his past. Owein is struggling with his new physical form though his magic is as strong as ever. With some top honchos from LIKER (the London equivalent of BIKER) coming to the Boston headquarters for an audit and review, there are some unexpected developments, and some unkno...

AUTHOR: Sally Tarpey SERIES: Country Girl, #1. GENRE: Historical Fiction. RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A smoothly-written debut historical fiction, based on the life of a courageous young country girl. Flows as expected without any surprises, but covers some interesting topics. Story Synopsis: 1912. Fifteen-year-old Kate is a strong, intelligent and independent fifteen year old who lives in Micklewell village with her parents and four siblings. She knows that she needs to contribute to the income, and so when she finds work in a nearby town as a nursemaid, she jumps at the opportunity. Life at the wealthy Winton household isn't easy but having some sympathetic people in the family and some friendly co-workers helps. With the suffragette movement and the beginning of the Great War, Kate's life changes even more. The story is written mainly in the third person limited perspective of Kate. Note: If you wish to enjoy this book to the fullest, do not read the Goodreads blurb. T...

EDITORS: Nora Shalaway Carpenter & Rocky Callen GENRE: YA Anthology, Mental Health. RATING: 3.6 stars. In a Nutshell: An anthology talking about mental health issues in young adults, written by PoC authors who have actually gone through the same either themselves or through a family member. Great theme, great rep, thought-provoking and varied content. This collection of sixteen stories begins with a brilliant note by the editors. Did you know that the US Surgeon General has issued a warning about a national youth mental health crisis? Or that 49.5% of adolescents are suffering from or have suffered some mental health disorder at some point in their lives? Or that suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between ten and thirty-four in the US? Shocking! Moreover, the editors highlight how fiction usually portrays characters with mental health issues as quirky. Such an unrealistic depiction doesn’t help those who actually live with the problem. Such an anthology is the...

AUTHOR: Maria Vale GENRE: Fantasy-Romance. RATING: 2.25 stars. In a Nutshell: The premise had potential, but something went wrong in the execution. I am still trying to figure out what it was! Story synopsis: Azrael, or Death as he is now known in the human world, made a mistake. When he had to take Molly Molloy’s soul, ( she was supposed to choke over a chicken wing, you see? ), he ended up patting her back and thus saving her life. Mistake no. 2: Because of this near-death experience, Molly can now see him, talk to him, hit him. So even if he wants to set his mistake right ( or rather, he has to do so as per his boss’s instructions ), he can’t because she is always ready for him. And fed up of his interference. Mistake no. 3: Death ends up falling in love with Molly. Now he doesn’t want her to die. Yikes! Talk about conflict of interest! What will happen next? Bookish Yays: ✔ The cover, the title and the blurb: 100% marks for each. I wouldn’t have picked up this book had all three n...

AUTHOR: Jess French ILLUSTRATOR: Duncan Beedie GENRE: Children's Picture Book, Environment. RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Full of information and practical tips about how to live a planet-friendly life. Just a few days ago, I had read a beautiful story titled Ava loves Rescuing Animals . When I realised that it was one of a four book series, I went searching for the other three titles. Imagine my delight when I found one of them ready to read on Netgalley! This is Pedro's story. Pedro loves planet Earth. To protect our world and the animals and plants that share the planet with us, Pedro has joined his school’s eco club. Through a day’s outing with this club, Pedro (and his friends) educate us on how we can change our habits and make them more planet-friendly. Just as in Ava’s story, the book is chockablock with ideas and themes. There are so many excellent points explored in these pages: the role of the atmosphere, the danger of increasing greenhouse gases, renewable energ...

AUTHOR: Jess Butterworth GENRE: Middle-Grade Adventure. RATING: 4.25 Stars. In a Nutshell: A thrilling jungle adventure for middle-graders. Covers everything children will enjoy, and then some more! Story Synopsis: When twelve-year-old Lark accompanied her mother to Cambodia for a research trip, she never dreamt that she would be stranded on a deserted island with nothing but the clothes on her back and a notebook. All she has for company is a baby gibbon, whom she names Goldie. Lark has no idea how to survive in a tropical jungle. She uses her notebook to pen down her thoughts, her misgivings, and her daily tasks & adventures, hoping that the notebook would one day save her. The entire story is written in the first person perspective of Lark writing her thoughts in the notebook. Think back to your childhood. If you were to enjoy a jungle adventure story, what would you have liked the book to include? 😍 A fast-paced and thrilling storyline? 😍 A map? 😍 A courageous protagonist? ...

AUTHOR: Lorraine Dusky GENRE: Memoir RATING: 3.75 Stars. In a Nutshell: A bittersweet memoir recounting the author’s journey as a biological mother who surrendered her child to adoption, while also highlighting the systemic issues in how adoptions were handled in the US. Somewhat longwinded and judgemental, but on the whole, thought-provoking. Synopsis: Lorraine Dusky, a journalist and author, was always sure that she would be a career-oriented woman and not as focussed on marriage or children as her Polish Catholic parents wanted her to be. But when she falls in love with a colleague, she recognises that her aspirations might change. However, the man isn’t happy when she becomes pregnant, and Dusky took what she thought was the best decision at that time. This was in 1965. Due to the practice of keeping adoption records sealed and fudging the birth certificates of adopted children by replacing the original details with records of the adoptive parents, Dusky fought for the right to...

AUTHOR: Paula McLain SERIES: A Point In Time, #2 GENRE: Short Story, Historical Fiction RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A slow-burn but impactful short story about a real-life fire tragedy in 1908. Story Synopsis: Fritz Hirter, a forty-six year old Swiss-German immigrant, has been in the US since twenty years, but is still almost as poor as he was on the day of his arrival. With his wife Eva and their five young children to support, Fritz works hard at his job of being the lone custodian of the school where his children also study. He has his reservation about the fire safety of the school but with its being primarily attended by immigrant children, the school is not high on the priorities of the management. On Ash Wednesday in 1908, a massive fire breaks out, leaving several children dead, and changing many lives forever, including that of Fritz. The story is written in the limited third person perspective of Fritz. When I picked up this story, it was only for the title. ( I had wa...

AUTHOR: Ruskin Bond + Others. GENRE: Anthology, Suspense-Mystery. RATING: 3.1 Stars. In a Nutshell: If not one story herein could terrify a scaredy-cat such as Yours Truly, it certainly doesn’t work as a horror collection. It is still somewhat entertaining if you go in with the right expectations. “With The House of Strange Stories, celebrated writer Ruskin Bond brings forth a collection of some of the most blood-curdling tales ever written. […] these tales of macabre, suspense, vampires, and haunted houses will leave even horror fans terrified.” Thus declares the blurb. And that’s what killed my experience because the tall promise doesn’t even come close to fulfilment. I do not enjoy full-length horror novels, but have begun to relish short stories in this genre since a couple of years now. But I don’t consider myself an attuned horror reader. In other words, it is still possible to scare me and give me nightmares. So the blurb create some delicious expectations in my mind. However, ...

AUTHOR: Naseem Hrab ILLUSTRATOR: Kelly Collier GENRE: Children's Graphic Novel. RATING: 3.5 Stars. In a Nutshell: A collection of three stories featuring two friends. Written in graphic novel format for early readers. Simple storyline, nice themes. Otis, a long-haired guinea pig, and Peanut, a naked mole rat, are the best of friends. Through three stories, we get to see their bond with each other, and also explore some interesting themes. Story 1: The Haircut - Highlights the fear of change and how helpful it is to have someone motivate you towards a new step. Story 2: The Swing - Talks of feeling low when you are missing someone, and how it is okay to feel sad and happy at the same time. Story 3: The House - Indicates what can make a house a home. The first story was the best one for me in terms of execution (the right mixture of fun plus friendship), and the second was the best in terms of theme. I liked how the second story only mentions someone named ‘Pearl’ whom Otis misses, b...

AUTHOR: Suzanne Sutherland ILLUSTRATOR: Ashley Barron GENRE: Children's Picture Book, Language RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: Doesn’t fulfil the promised potential. But has gorgeous artwork. Through the experiences of a pirate tabby cat and his first-mate crab, we see varied situations where the titular homonyms are used. The ending turns the tale on its head, revealing it to be a child’s bath-time fun story. The varied contexts in which the homonyms are used is quite clever, and works for the intent. I also appreciate the introductory note that explains the meaning of the word ‘homonym.’ The art style is quite unusual. All illustrations appear like cut-paper collage work, giving a unique appearance to every page. I am sure the physical copy will bring out the effect of the style even more. But… The story is supposed to be an exploration of homonyms – words that sound the same or are spelt the same, but mean different things. However, the entire book worked on only two homonym pai...

AUTHOR: Ali Mercer NARRATOR: Stephanie Lane GENRE: Women's Fiction RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: This will be good for fans of emotional family stories. I thought I was one of those, but turns out, my tastes have changed! Mixed feelings about this one, but it is still recommendable. Story Synopsis: Callie has always kept the identity of her child’s father a secret from everyone, including her son and his birth father. She has been a happy single mom to her eleven-year-old Billy, despite their financial struggles. However, when she gets badly injured and hospitalised after an accident, Callie wonders if she should unite Billy and his dad, just so that Billy will have someone to care for him in case something happens to her. The story comes to us in the third person perspective of the key characters. Bookish Yays: 💐 Billy’s perspective was the best in the book. His voice was authentic to his age, and his thoughts were endearing. He was the only character I liked without reserv...