Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Alice Munro GENRE: Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: December 27, 1999 RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A long short story focussed on an elderly couple whose life changes after the wife is admitted to hospice care (possibly for Alzheimer’s) after almost fifty years of marriage. Good writing, unlikable narrator, overload of tropes, flat ending. Not a good start to my exploration of Alice Munro’s works. Plot Preview: After almost fifty years of marriage, Grant has to let go of his wife Fiona when her memory issues lead to her being admitted to hospice care. When Grant goes to visit her after the mandatary one-month adjustment period, he is dismayed to find that Fiona is emotionally attached to another patient. As Grant ponders over their decades together, he realises what he needs to do to win back Fiona’s affections. If the above makes you think that it is a story of love, you are not right. It is a story of hypocrisy. This work explores the complications of human relationship...

AUTHOR: Rosena Fung GENRE: Middle-Grade Graphic Novel PUBLICATION DATE: January 1, 2021 RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who is haunted by her inner demons while also dealing with the anxiety of starting at a new school. Explores many complex themes about mental health in this age group. Quite a nice book; no major complaints. Plot Preview: For quite some time, ten-year-old Olivia Tong has been ‘haunted’ by the shadowy Viola, who is a personification of Olivia’s anxiety. Now, with her joining a new school, Viola’s judgemental remarks are further messing up Olivia’s nerves. She finds relief only when she indulges in her favourite activities such as reading, sketching, and cooking with her mom. Even her new friendships at school are somewhat helpful. But when the pressure from home as well as school starts building up, Viola grows more menacing than ever. Will Olivia learn how to handle her? Bookish Yays: 🌷 Olivia as the protagonist: Sensit...

AUTHOR: Katherine Center NARRATOR: Patti Murin GENRE: Romantic Comedy PUBLICATION DATE: June 11, 2024 RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A fun romcom with an entertaining premise, but mixed feelings about the lead characters as they are so toxic. Liked the secondary characters much better than the main pair. The first half is much stronger than the second half. Slightly outlier review coming up. Plot Preview: As Emma Wheeler is the sole caretaker for her dad, she has willingly put aside her dreams of becoming a screenwriter for more than a decade. But when her friend and agent calls her with the opportunity of a lifetime, and a chance to work with her idol, acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Yates, Emma cannot resist. With her younger sister Sylvie stepping into the carer’s role, Emma flies to Los Angeles, hoping for the chance of a lifetime to convert into a memorable work experience. What she didn’t expect is that Charlie Yates didn’t even know about her arrival, and is adamant that he ...

AUTHOR: Zoë Richards GENRE: Contemporary Women's Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 20, 2024 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A soothing read about a woman’s journey towards healing. Romance present but not as the prime focus of the story for most of the way. A nice option for those who enjoy feel-good women’s fiction. Plot Preview: Holly has not been resumed her job since a brutal attack some months ago left her with PTSD. The travel company she works for can’t wait anymore and fires her, but not without forcing her to take a mandatory “gardening leave” by utilising their free-annual-holiday-for-employees option. Holly chooses to go to a new retreat not so far from her place, so that she can rush home immediately in case things don’t work out. But at Pinewoods Retreat, she discovers that she isn’t the only one who needs healing, that it is better to resolve past trauma with the support of others, and that “gardening leave” can sometimes turn into literal gardening. The story come...

AUTHOR: Chris Whitaker GENRE: Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 25, 2024 RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary saga spanning multiple genres and decades. It's not just the story of a tragedy but also of what happens after a tragedy. Will work better if you know what to expect. It isn’t a traditional mystery-thriller, so better if read as a  slooooowwwwww character-driven drama. Plot Preview: 1975. Monta Clare, Missouri. Patch is a one-eyed teenager who considers himself a good pirate. His only friend is the whimsical thirteen-year-old Saint, who lives with her grandmother. In their small town where everyone knows everyone else, Patch and Saint think they have their future paths clear. All changes when a mysterious man attacks Misty, the only daughter of a wealthy family. Patch emerges as an unlikely hero in this situation, but the life trajectory of the people involved changes forever as a result. Spanning many decades and genres, the story comes to us from the limit...

AUTHOR: Nadi Reed Perez GENRE: Contemporary Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE: June 11, 2024 RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary fantasy featuring a ghost in the afterlife. Unusual plot, interesting characters, powerful themes. Unfortunately, the writing style didn’t work that much for me. But to the right reader, this should offer much to ponder upon. Plot Preview: Mal Caldera. Twenty-seven. Half-Spanish. Ex-rockstar and rebel. Estranged daughter of her Catholic family. Selfish. Newly dead. Does Mal regret being dead? Not really. Her only concern is that her younger sister Cris, who is now alone with their overly religious mother, should know that Mal didn’t kill herself. As the other ghosts are busy enjoying the afterlife, Mal finds a reclusive medium named Ren and attempts to convince him to get in touch with Cris. But as Ren and Mal come close to each other, Mal realises that her life had offered her some options that she no longer has. The story comes to us in Mal’s first ...

AUTHOR: A.Y. Chan GENRE: Middle-Grade Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 4, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A power-packed adventurous ride for middle-graders. Loved the characters, the martial arts, and the focus on Chinese culture. An excellent OwnVoices debut. Much recommended! Plot Preview: Modesty Seto, aka Mo, is a highly competitive twelve-year-old taekwondo champ who always seeks the gold medal. Her mother isn’t happy with her passion for martial arts, but her dad is her biggest supporter. Lately though, her dad seems to have other priorities, and this hampers Mo’s confidence, as does her losing streak against her archnemesis Dax, who has grown much bigger than her. Oh, why does she have to be so petite? When Mo hears of a chance to audition for the latest movie of Cody Kwok, her favourite actor and a mind-blowing martial artist, she is willing to do whatever it takes to star in the movie, even if it means going against some explicit instructions. Her plan is aided by a m...

AUTHOR: Lucy Knisley GENRE: Graphic Novel PUBLICATION DATE: July 2, 2024 RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A purr-fect book for all cat lovers, though the ending is somewhat bittersweet. Much recommended! I grabbed this graphic comic book for the title ( Love the use of “Woe!” as a substitute meow! ), the cat on the cover ( I adore dogs, but cats come a close second ), and the author ( loved her graphic memoir: “Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos” ) In other words, I didn’t read the blurb and totally judged the potential of the book based on these superficial factors. And guess what?! This time, it worked! I have not had the pleasure of reading Knisley’s online Linney comics as I am rarely aware of web-based comics. But apparently, this is a hardcover edition containing all Linney comics, collected in a single book for the very first time. Linney was adopted by the family at an older age, so she came preloaded with catty attitude. She knows that her requirements are foremost, and...

EDITORS: Valya Dudycz Lupescu, Olha Brylova and Iryna Pasko GENRE: SFF Anthology PUBLICATION DATE: November 19, 2023 RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: A sci-fi anthology by Ukrainian writers, both citizens and diasporic. Varied in genres and innovative in presentation, but somehow, the content and the approach didn’t click with me. I think this is more of a ME problem, so take this review with a pinch of salt. This anthology contains thirty stories penned by Ukrainian writers living within the country (with their works being translated to English for the first time) and those living in other nations. The stories come from a variety of SFF genres such as science fiction, space opera, horror, fantasy, dystopian, and even slipstream. I always lament when anthologies don't come with introductory notes about the theme. This one spoilt me for choice. It had not one but two brilliant introductory notes written by the three editors. These offer a touching tribute to stories and the Ukraine...

AUTHOR: Lin Yi-Han TRANSLATOR: Chieh Lan Tang GENRE: Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: May 21, 2024 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A darkly tragic story based on true events in Taiwan. TRIGGERS GALORE! Not for everyone, but if you can handle details of graphic sexual abuse and a slightly meandering writing style, do give this compelling story a try. This is the first time ever I have hated and loved a book at the same time. Plot Preview: Liu Yi-Ting and Fang Si-Chi are thirteen-year-old best friends, coming from well-to-do families, living in the same apartment complex, studying in the same school, and fond of the Russian classics. The first difference is that Yi-Ting is somewhat plain while Si-Chi is stunning. The second difference comes out only some years later, when Yi-Ting learns that Si-Chi has gone through something earth-shattering in the last five years, a fact that is revealed by Si-Chi’s journals only after she loses her mental stability. What happened to her in the int...

AUTHOR: Allie Millington NARRATORS: Christopher Gebauer & Simon Vance GENRE: Middle-Grade Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: March 26, 2024 RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: A middle-grade mystery with a dual narrative, one of which is from a typewriter’s pov. Had much potential but went awry in execution as it attempts too much and loses its track. It might work better for older readers, but not sure if I want to advocate this to kids. Plot Preview: Olivetti has stayed with the Brindle family for years. Each of the Brindles – the parents and the four kids – are busy doing their own thing, and the fights are about who gets to use the new laptop while Olivetti lies ignored. He remembers the good old days when Beatrice Brindle, the mother, used to type her feelings out on him regularly. But now she has gone missing. And no one has any idea of where she could have gone, except perhaps Olivetti. As twelve-year-old Ernest, the third of the Brindle children, is the only one who seems accessible ...

AUTHOR: Rosena Fung GENRE: Coming-of-Age Graphic Novel PUBLICATION DATE: July 2, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An impactful OwnVoices graphic novel highlighting toxic parenting and intergenerational trauma, through the narratives of a granddaughter, a mother, and a daughter. Loved the triple timeline approach, each with its own powerful point to make. But some more elaboration could have elevated this story even further. Plot Preview: 2000. Toronto. Roz is a typical teen, nerding out on alien fiction, evaluating her college options, and looking forward to the prom. But as she is plus-sized, her body weight is her constant worry, exacerbated by her mother’s demands that she eat less. When her estranged grandmother arrives unexpectedly, the relationship between the trio is further weakened. The plotline is mainly focussed on Roz, but there are two other timelines – 1972 Hong Kong and 1954 Guangdong – detailing her mother’s and her grandmother’s backstories respectively. Bo...

AUTHOR: Constance Lombardo ILLUSTRATOR: Micah Player SERIES: Itty Bitty Betty Blob, #1 GENRE: Children's Picture Book PUBLICATION DATE: June 4, 2024 RATING: 5 stars! In a Nutshell: Oh, so adorable!!! Loved everything about this picture book! Much recommended to every little reader. Plot Preview: Itty Bitty Betty Blob is trying her best to be the perfect monster, but unlike the other residents of Ghoulington, she just doesn’t fit in. She loves colours, she loves pretty things, and, horror of horrors, she loves to smile for photographs. Even when she tries her best to be ugly and grumpy like all good little monsters should be, she ends up looking cute. With the dreaded Picture Day coming up soon at school, Betty knows that she needs to practise her grimaces and get her monster act together. Will she be able to *grrrr* her way to a memorable school photo? Many times, you can just look at a book and feel in your gut that it is going to be a fabulous one. (Yeah, totally judging the b...

AUTHOR: Amy Tintera NARRATORS: January LaVoy & Will Damron GENRE: Mystery Thriller. PUBLICATION DATE: RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A slow-burn mystery-thriller that contains plenty of snark and suspense but misses out on character development and logic. Twisty and silly at the same time. Still, it could work well as long as you know how contemporary thrillers work. Take off the thinking cap to enjoy it better. Plot Preview:  Five years ago, Lucy had been suspected of murdering Savannah, but after there was no evidence to confirm the same, Lucy wasn’t arrested. However, as she doesn’t have any memories of that night, even she isn’t sure if she actually killed her best friend. Now, the hit crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” has chosen to investigate Savannah’s murder for its new season, and all the old accusations are back. Lucy is divorced, jobless, and has to return to her hometown for her grandmother’s 80th birthday. Will podcast host Ben Owens be able to clear Lucy’s n...