Musings over Nothing

Book Review: Feel Me Fall

2017-10-25T14:07:00.000+04:00

Who can survive the mighty Amazon jungle - The strongest or the smartest?

What determines your survival - teamwork or the survival of the fittest?

How far would you go to survive and where would you stop and let go?

Six American teenagers are pushed to answer these questions when their flight crashes over the Amazon forest. The lone survivor Emily has PTSD, and her therapist asks her to write about her fateful journey. How the trip, her survival and her truth affects her life forms the rest of the story.

Book Name: Feel Me Fall

Author: James Morris

Genre: Fiction - YA, Thriller

Characters: Emily Durant, Vivian, Derek, Molly, Nico, Ryan
Setting: The USA, South America

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author for the Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Duran forges her mother's signature to take the trip of her lifetime to South America with her high schoolmates. The school trip didn't go as well as it was supposed to and their plane crashes over the Amazon. Now you see why I was hooked? - there are deaths, lots of it.

Emily and five of her classmates are the only survivors of the crash. Fortunately (or was it?) Emily had her best friend Vivian and her boyfriend Nico to fall back on. The teenagers decide to walk away from the wreckage in search of some village. (Why? Who does that?)

Where there are high schoolers, there drama usually ensues, doesn't it? That is true. The status quo of the survivors changes all of a sudden, thanks to the new environment. The popular ones do not have much to rely on anymore, do they? Lies, deceits and secrets catch up and pit them against each other. How does the average, crowd-pleasing Emily become the only one who stays alive? Read Feel Me Fall to know more.

The story travels between the pages of Emily's diary and the thrilling past from the tropical forest, making it a fast-paced compulsive read that will impress readers of all ages. I have had the opportunity to beta-read some of the other works of the author, and it took all of me (and failed) not to have a 'fangirl flail moment' when I got the request to review his books. And he did not fail to impress me, despite my expectation being high.

The author's writing style is crisp and to the point, without having too many descriptions, yet I could visualize everything that happens in the story. The story has its share of unexpected twists, and an unreliable narrator makes it all the better. I loved how every character was different from the other and how the author handled the dynamics between them very well. Be it the failing mom-daughter relationship or the more scandalous student-teacher relationship, they made sense and fit into the grand scheme of things (you know, not thrust in, just for the heck of it) and had depth in them.

The book's premise might remind you of other survival books but I can assure Feel Me Fall is better, even if you vehemently hate high school drama (I know a few of my readers who do that). This might come out as a spoiler. The story contains a teacher-student relationship, and it is vital to the story and dealt in detail, so if you are not comfortable with this or they turn you off from the book, you might have to skip this Feel Me Fall.

If you are on the lookout for a thriller with twists and unexpected turns which would never let you put the book down - Feel Me Fall is the book for you. Be prepared to be shocked and surprised pleasantly with this tight knitted YA.

Book review: Waterboarding

2017-10-19T16:03:00.000+04:00

What happens if you lose a few of your memories, that you wanted to forget anyway? Is it worth knowing a few that have left you, all over again? Would it be worth it this time? Bragadeesh Prasanna tries to help us answer these questions through his new novel Waterboarding.

Waterboarding is personally close to me as does its author. I have read the book about three times even before it hit the editor's desk, as a beta reader. This review is not gonna be biased in any sense, so here we go.

Book Name: Waterboarding

Author: Bragadeesh Prasanna

Genre: Fiction - Romance

Characters: Ved, Sara, Ramesh, Maya, Dr Sai

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author for the Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Ved meets with a terrible accident that causes him lose a part of his memories. He can recognize his parents and a few of his friends. Ved's life takes an unexpected turn, thanks to the accident and according to his doctors, only his will and resilience had got him back alive.

Has this tragedy changed him as a person, especially when he has been given an almost clean slate, to begin with, due to his memory loss? Are there memories that he had willfully moved away from and would those leave him to stay sane, just as he had wanted? What caused him to erase a person completely from his life real and social life alike?

Ved's friend Sara helps him recollecting his past. How far can you depend on one person, even if they had meant the best for you always? Would this friendship grow further into love, just like Sara had always wanted or is there something more sinister waiting for them? Read Waterboarding to know more about Ved's life.

The story is narrated in three different voices, over different time periods. Though this might be a tad difficult to get into for some, the narrative is filled with dialogues making the story flow seamless and interesting. If you are like me, 'havin-a-thing' for unreliable narrators, and behold, there are three of them in this book.

The first time I read Waterboarding, much before the release of the final copy, I had to ask the author if it was a true story. The writing and the way the plot was unfolded made me feel that it was real. While there are too many smaller characters to keep up with, they don't impede the pace of the story nor they reduce the overpower of the leads.

If you are looking for a romance that is little more intense than the last YA you read, Waterboarding should be your pick. It has the right amount of suspense, romance and drama to keep an hour or three of your weekend occupied.

#BookTour:: Tribal Affair

2017-10-14T21:16:00.000+04:00

Book Details:

Book Title: Tribal Affair by Matt Dallmann
Category: YA Fiction, 277 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Matt Dallmann
Release date: July 2017
Tour dates: Oct 9 to 27, 2017
Content Rating: G (No bad language or sex)

Book Description:

Dahlia, a centuries-old genie, lies hopelessly trapped in a damaged golden locket charm attached to an ankle bracelet. Its owner, sixteen-year-old Liana, wears it for the first time during her father Jamison’s opening night illusion spectacular. Not only does its presence cause Jamison to folly his performance, but it also starts a chain of bizarre events that lead to a showdown with Dahlia’s mortal enemy, Stefan, and an unsuspecting romance between Liana and his son.

Buy the Book: Amazon Add to Goodreads

Read my review here

Meet the author:

Matt Dallmann has a background in acting and holds a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. His films and screenplays have been featured at film festivals across the United States including Cinequest, Big Apple Film Festival, Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival, DragonCon and Zero Independent Film Festival. His piano compositions have been published for commercial use and he is a member of ASCAP. Matt is also the Co-Founder and Vice President of the boutique medical billing firm VGA Billing Services, Inc. in New York City. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters.

Connect with the author: Website

I had opportunity to ask him a few questions, here are his replies.

What are the upsides and downsides to being an author?

Well, the upside is anyone can do it, and the downside is anyone can do it. All the cathartic expressions that are poured onto computer screens or loose-leaf paper are mostly lost in the sea of hundreds of thousands of self-published/traditionally published books every year. More often than not, our friends and family end up being our only audience, which I suppose is better than no one at all.

What are some great books you’ve read recently?

I’ve been revisiting a lot of Kurt Vonnegut lately. I really love Sirens of Titan. Right now I’m in the middle of A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, which is absolutely fantastic. It has a very elegant/sophisticated feel to it, despite the subject of budding communism.

What types of books do you read for pleasure?

I don’t really have one go-to genre for pleasure. I try to put three “to read” books out at a time: one contemporary fiction, one historical/social non-fiction, and one classic fiction that I haven’t read yet or want to read again.

What sort of research did you do to write your book?

I did quite a bit a research, mostly on-line. There are many different versions of “genie-lore,” so it was difficult to find the most accurate set of rules for the fabled wish granting. Some say you get three wishes if you rub the lamp, others say it’s one wish, some say the genie is set free after the wish granting, others say the genie stays trapped, etc., etc. I just hope in the end I don’t offend anyone who is a hardcore djinn enthusiast.

How often do you suffer from writer’s block and how do you deal with it?

I don’t get writer’s block often because I don’t wright as often as I should. I run a medical billing firm in New York City, so any time I have to write is a welcome retreat from the daily corporate grind. If I do get stuck, I try writing in a different location. That usually tricks my brain into feeling fresh.

If your novel were being made into a movie, whom would you pick to play the lead roles?

I would pick Gal Godot for the trapped genie Dahlia, but the other main character, Liana, would almost have to be an unknown younger actress. For the villain, I think the actor who played the “soup Nazi” on Seinfeld… or Ian McKellen.
Read my review here

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Book Review: Tribal Affairs

2017-10-14T17:11:00.000+04:00

I don't read that many fantasy books that are not horror based. That is not because I don't like them but the premises are usually harder for me to get into. When I was approached for the review of YA fantasy fiction 'Tribal Affairs', I loved the relaxed narrative style, and I hoped I would like it. Read more to know.

Book Name: Tribal Affairs

Author: Matt Dallmann

Genre: Fiction - Paranormal Fantasy

Characters: Liana, Dahlia, Taffi, Jamison, Stefan, Amon

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and iRead Book Tours for the Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Liana is a teenager whose magician father is losing his charm, and she decides to wear her late mother's anklet. Little does she knows that she is about to set forth a great chaos in the realms of humans as well as genies alike. Dahlia the genie that is trapped in the anklet tries to connect to Liana through her dreams.

Liana suffers from depression and is being treated by Dr Rattner, just as her mother did. She believes she is losing her mind, as she sees and feels things that are not real. How much of what she sees is real and which is not?

As if things were not already complicated, Liana gets herself cursed to disappear, and she is pursued by a strong and powerful, evil genie. Does Liana solve the mystery about Dahlia and the evil genie? What is wrong with her mentally? Read Tribal Affairs to know more.

The story alternates between the tale of Dahlia and Liana, a genie and a teenager in the present. The shift in the story was kinda abrupt and hard to grasp initially, but later on, it becomes better. The conversations and the writing style is easy to follow, given that it is primarily aimed at the YA crowd. But Tribal Affairs might suit to all age group alike.

There are a few moments in the story that you might feel outta place if you had jumped in thinking only of Aladdin's Genie.The Djinn/genie world seems much more complicated than that. They have even feuds between their tribes (thus the name Tribal Affairs, get it?) and lots of restrictions on their power. So much for the shape-shifting goofy genies! *sobs* *sobs*. But kudos to the strong world building that even a genie noob like me could understand.

If you are a fan of YA fantasy, then you should pick this book Tribal Affairs right away. Even if you are not, try the book you might end up liking it thanks to its interesting narration.

Read more about the book and enter a giveaway here

Book Tour:: Lean into relationships

2017-09-29T11:55:00.002+04:00

About the Book:

Doubt has pivoted many a relationship across the centuries. Whether it is Othello suspicious of Desdemona or through the rise of paranoia as a trope in twentieth century writings. While paranoia naturally suggests the vulnerability of individual mind to social rhetoric, it is also the space for deep interrogation of the individual that renders him/her to paranoia. This novel presents that doubt has the potential to be a space of liberation.

Madeeha works in Jordan to rehabilitate Syrian refugees. Zehen, a political analyst from India, meets her in the US during their social impact program. He is intrigued and charmed by her, and falls deeply in love. But the world political climate, with its accompanying cultural narratives about terror and pain, infects Zehen’s mind. Zehen begins to suspect Madeeha as a possible mujahid. Will he find his truth?

Fear doesn’t devastate; it stirs the inner pot. It is a tender love story that triumphs heartbreaks and sets the foundation of deep lasting future relationships - a delightful emancipation from social intrigues and cultural constraints.

Goodreads * Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

Zehen was experiencing sweet joy in his heart. Memories bustled in the head.

When did he first see her? Zehen searched his head madly. Orientation session? Corridor to the classroom? However, he tried, he couldn’t pinpoint the moment. A whirr of images, of moments, yet-to-be collaged. And a heart that already had a narrative, waiting to be inset.

We imagine that all romantic stories will have a sigh-worthy romantic beginning. But beginnings are when the heart awakens, when the soul remembers. A presence stills and emerges from the shadows of time.

His first memory was when she introduced herself in the class. They had gathered at Presidium University for a one-year course on Social Impact Leadership. Outside, the white fringe tree was laden with its grape-like fruits. The pine, oak and spruce waited for winter to tell the world how unchangeable they were. And the old Redwood stood proud like the institution itself. Inside, in the warm classroom, students from various cultures across the world had gathered. Icebreaker session was on and the usual round of introductions.

Introduction is a ritual. A cumbersome ritual. How does one reduce the tapestry of one’s entire existence, the colors, and the many weaves into a single palatable thread?

The Book is Free on Amazon on 29th & 30th September. Grab it here: Amazon

Anecdote

I published my first book in 2015 and my second book in early 2016. I was single at the time and using dating apps to meet other single people. I met a girl in mid-2016 who took fancy to my dating profile, especially that I am an author. After a couple of meetings, She demanded that I write about her. I jokingly told her that I am a Phoenix writer, i.e., I fall in love, get dumped, and write about my failed relationship. She broke-up with me, and still invariably pings whether I am including ‘her and our relationship’ in my upcoming book(s).

———————-

The genesis of this book came about while I was on a cross-country train ride in the US. I met Mark who had been a successful marketing professional with considerable international marketing experience. He had travelled to all of Asia and understood the regional peculiarities.

He was later diagnosed with lung cancer. By the time, it was detected, it was stage 3. He was put under radiation and intensive chemotherapy. He went in for three other opinions. All of them agreed that the cancer was aggressive and spreading fast. He searched for the latest treatments and sought to enter clinical trials. The process lasted for two years.

In the meantime, the cancer advanced. The doctors said the cancer was incurable and he didn’t have long to live. It took him weeks of denial to come around to the truth – he didn’t have long to live.

He returned home from a long walk one evening and asked himself a crucial question: “If I am going to die, then I might as well die straight away. What is point of waiting for death to show up?”

That evening he ate well, watched a movie with his girlfriend, poured himself a rare scotch and sat at his study. It was time. He wrote out his letter – love and wishes to his family, loved ones and friends, his last wishes about funeral, information on his will, and a general note thanking all. He placed it in an envelope. He planned to kill himself early morning. He finished his scotch, brushed and went to bed.

In the middle of night, he woke up to a noise. The light was on in the study and he could hear sniffles. He walked cautiously up and there in the study, his girlfriend was holding his suicide letter and crying. He watched her as her body crumpled and sink into chair. Her face contorted in agony. In her face, he saw what was the consequence of his action. The penny dropped.

I paled and listened in horror. Mark continued, “I realized that our life is never ours. We are nothing but a bundle of emotions for the people who love us and the people we love. The meaning of life is to optimize for the happiness of such people. There’s nothing more to living.

That day on, I have been living for maximizing the happiness of my loved ones”

That’s how I stumbled on lean in to relationships; it has become my life philosophy.

About the Author

I was born into poverty. At the time of my birth, my parents shared a one -room hut with six other family members in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Delhi.

It was a hot day in the month of March 1995. I was in standard 4th and had an examination the following day. As was regular in that locality, we didn't have electricity that day. I couldn't study or sleep properly. One of the watershed moments happened when I came back from school the next day. We had an inverter installed at home. I knew we couldn't afford an inverter. But my dad was always convinced that the way out of poverty for our family is through education.

Despite an interest in creative writing, I chose to study a subject that society values more – Finance. Later, I got into one of the top colleges for finance in the country. My first salary out of college (in 2007, when I was 20 years old) was higher than that of my dad's salary at the time.

When I was 24 years old, I had everything that makes one happy – loving parents, great partner, close-knit group of friends, and career path that exceeded every goal. Yet, I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t sad either; but it never felt like my life. I had carefully and meticulously built that life though. Contextually, it was the safe thing to do.

Following year though, I had to deal with the loss of my 7 year old relationship and of my 5 year old job. My identity was crushed. My biggest lesson was that you can fail at what you don't want, and what you consider safe; you might as well take a chance at what you truly want.

Next year, I got my ‘ideal’ job but walked away from it. Failure had taught me to be more ambitious and audacious. I had reached a point in my life where I wanted my work to have more meaning; and to stand for something more important than myself.

I started a political consulting company to maneuver social ascendance of marginalized communities by equalizing access to political capital. I primarily did topical research for MPs for their debates in the parliament and on TV shows. Partial project list includes:

1. Providing 108 rape survivors with medical, legal, financial, and social support over six months through one of my client's NGO

2. Getting amendments passed in the communal violence bill that tackle systemic bias towards Muslims

3. Helping three social entrepreneurs raise a combined total of INR 43 lakhs from their MP for community initiatives

Along with running my own company, I focused on my passion for writing and traveling as well. I solo travelled to all seven wonders of the world, and did two-cross country trips by train in India and in the US. I have also written and published three fiction novels.

Blog * Facebook * LinkedIn * Twitter * Rishabh Jhol Google+

Book review: An Unexpected Afterlife

2017-09-24T22:53:00.004+04:00

What happens after you die? Depending on your religious beliefs, it may be afterlife, reincarnation or nothing at all. If you read a lot of YA literature zombie life may not be far from your thoughts. What if you were resurrected and your religious world was all ready to believe in it until you literally are resurrected? Would they understand you are the one that fulfills that prophecies? How would the modern world accept it? Moshe Karlin's life just would answer those questions in An Unexpected Afterlife.

Book Name: An Unexpected Afterlife

Series: The Dry Bones Society #1

Author: Dan Sofer

Genre: Fiction - Paranormal

Characters: Moshe and Galit Karlin, Avi, Rabbi Yosef Lev

Setting: Jerusalem, Israel

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author for the Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Moshe Karlin wakes up naked at a cemetery at the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem the morning after his 40th birthday. He catches a taxi to his house, trying to remember what prank his best friend Avi had pulled on him the previous night, only to find Avi and his wife Gallit in bed together. As if that was not enough to enrage him, Avi throws him off his house, saying Moshe has been dead for two years.

He reaches out to the local Rabbi Yosef, the one who buried Moshe when he was dead and tries to understand his situation. Without an ID, place to live or family to depend upon he stumbles on trying to win his old life, his wife, and his daughter. The Rabbi and Moshe are startled to find more 'dead' people are resurrected, and they seek their help. Some remember who they were; many don't. Some are Jews, and few are not. Didn't Torah promise that only Jews will be resurrected?

Meanwhile, not far from this chaos, the Prophet Elijah himself is stuck in an unforeseen situation. According to the scriptures and the destiny, he was supposed to save the world, but how can he when His world is changing. To make matters worse for the Rabbi the Great Council (of religious wisemen) discards the Rabbi's theory of resurrection and pronounces the resurrected as ' Sitra Achra!' (other side / unholy world).

What does the Rabbi choose - his free will and understanding of the Torah or the words of the Council that has guided him all through his life and also can change the stability and peace in a teacher's life? How do Moshe and his clan move ahead? Did they find what they are seeking? The An Unexpected Afterlife and the series will answer your questions.

An Unexpected Afterlife is a steady paced narrative that kept me engrossed until the end, well, end of the first book of the series. Thankfully the book didn't end in a cliffhanger perse, though the series would answer many questions. The writing is crisp, and the tiny streak of satire kept things interesting. I loved the strong world building, and all the central characters had depth

The one thing that kinda annoyed me at the was that the stories of Moshe and Elijah did not seem to be related all, at least in the first book. Maybe they will merge somewhere down the lane in the following books of the series. I am not a great fan of fantasy and the zombie/undead world and have avoided them for a while. An Unexpected Afterlife made me realize what I have been missing out.

The story is primarily set in Israel, and I loved how the book let me have a glimpse into the world of Jews and their beliefs and culture. It is one of those things that made say yes when the author Dan Sofer approached for a review of his book, and I am glad I chose it. If you are interested in reading a religious take on the resurrection An Unexpected Afterlife is your pick.

Happy Birthday Stephen King!

2017-09-21T23:31:00.000+04:00

Love him or hate him but you can not get enough of him. He is everywhere these days - cinemas, Netflix and of course his books. We love his films as much as his books. We adore his quotes and novellas as do we his chilling book. Yes, I am talking about the one and only Stephen King. He turns 70 today, September 21, 2017. So what better way to celebrate his birthday than talking about my experience with him and sharing some of his quotes that I love.

My relationship with the King of Horror has not been smooth. I read my first King, Gerald's Game when I was about twelve. Yes, yet another of those books I had laid my hands when I was not supposed to. I had just then ventured out of the Sidney Sheldon's, and the book was something I was not prepared for then. Or ever would be. I thought the plot was grotesque and horrifying. But the writing stuck to me, and I willed my way till the end courageously and was smart enough to avoid any of his works for a long time.

Years later, my then boss gifted me a copy of the Four Past Midnight, a collection of novellas for my birthday, and I used it as a bookend, terrified of the size of the book as well as the possible nightmares it might evoke for a while. As my fate would have it, someone placed a bet daring me to read the book. I read the first one One Past Midnight and had to drop off the challenge thanks to the terrifying nightmares.

It took another three years to convince me to try another King and this time the greed of getting more books pulled me in. A friend of mine, an ardent King's fan, offered to give me some of his books if I read one of his favorites, Rose Madder. Read this to find what I thought about the book. And like they say, the rest is history. From then on there was no stopping me, and in the past two years I have read quite a few of his seventy, yes you heard it right 70, books.

Until I read Rose Madder, I had associated Stephen King to the horror and supernatural elements and the nightmares that follow, but this book made me fall for the writer that King is. I feel in love with his writing style, his attention to details and more than everything else, the way he can captivate the attention of the reader all through his crazy imagination spell. I admire the way he can make us adore a character that is necessarily sinister and make us realize it is the human nature that is more sinister than the supernatural elements.

Pic Credit: Pinterest

With his success as a commercial writer who has a large following, his take on writing and writers have become even more famous than some of his books. His book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft should be on the compulsory read list for any budding writer. Here are some of my favorite quotes of his:

The road to hell is paved with adverbs. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.

Humor is almost always anger with its make-up on. Bag of Bones

A little talent is a good thing to have if you want to be a writer. But the only real requirement is the ability to remember every scar.

We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.

Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule.

If being a kid is about learning how to live, then being a grown-up is about learning how to die. Christine

Pic Credit: Tumblr

It ain’t the blows we’re dealt that matter, but the ones we survive. Rose Madder

Reading a good long novel is in many ways like having a long and satisfying affair. Skeleton Crew

Come to a book as you would come to an unexplored land. Come without a map. Explore it, and draw your own map…A book is like a pump. It gives nothing unless first you give to it. Hearts in Atlantis

If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the tools to write. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

God grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the tenacity to change what I may, and the good luck not to fuck up too often. 'Salem's Lot

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. When you find something at which you have talent, you do that thing (whatever it is) until your fingers bleed or your eyes pop out of your head. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

For a King fan, it is a good time to be. This year has been great with the IT and The dark tower on the cinemas and The mist and Gerald's Game (soon to be) on Netflix. So let me know what you think of the king of horror. Did I include all your favorite quotes? Wanna add anything? Share in the comments please.

Happy B'day Uncle Stevie!

Book review: Second Acts

2017-09-17T13:39:00.003+04:00

How often do you find people who are gonna travel all the way through your life? I have a set of friends whom I have known for a decade and a half now. We may not be close, but when we meet or talk to each other from different parts of the world, it has always been like we are back to our primary classes, mostly. We know each other's heartbreak stories, the crushes, and the family issues.

Most of my friends are people with whom I have been for more than four years now. That is quite a huge thing, especially for someone like me, who jumps from one shiny thing to another frequently. Thankfully my friendships have not taken that route. Why am I converting a book review into a sappy old story of yours truthfully? Nothing much other than sheer narcissism and the fact that Second Acts is a book about the friendship between grown ass adult women.

Book Name: Second Acts
Author: Teri Emory
Genre: Fiction - Drama
Characters: Sarah, Miriam, Beth
Setting: USA
Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Edelweiss for the Advance Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The story takes through the lives of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth right from their college days. They have spent their lives together for decades, all through their happiness, heartbreaks, the ups and the downs, even when they had lived physically far from each other. Now the ladies are in their fifties, and their careers and domestic lives are changing. Would their friendship sustain through these storms?

The book alternates between the voices of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth in the first person throughout. Sarah lives with her boyfriend Kevin who wouldn't commit or even let her in on his life, which seemed convenient for her. She finds out something huge about Kevin and his son and Kevin did not even feel it was important to inform her. And the changes at work makes it impossible for her continue shying away from commitments.

Miriam has had her heart broken once, and she wonders about all the men that she had turned down. She is more than settled with the idea that she is never going to meet the right one. Beth seemingly has it all, until she finds her husband cheated on her. To make her life more fragile the love of her life, the one that got away is back. The group has a second chance in life. Should they trade their old lives?

The idea that college friends can stay together well into their fifties is highly romantic. The dynamics among them does not change and if anything, it has become better with age. Though the ladies are all at different points of their life and have chosen different paths, there is no judging and an unwavering support through it all.

Second Acts makes it a point to let us know that 50s are not something to be dreaded about. Lives still go on and about, and exciting things do happen. Though there were too many details and the book as such was tad bit lengthy, I continued through it. I would not call the book an un-put-down-able, and it took a lot more than usual to complete the book. On the whole, I was not disappointed at all, thanks to the realistic plot and engaging writing.

The characters were well developed, and even the minor characters had depth. I found a part of myself among all the three leads, and I kept rooting for Miriam the most. She was just too cool. Several themes like grief over death, lost love, hurt by a loved one, despair over unrequited love, unexpected changes were all dealt with such flair that the reader would feel them.

Second Acts could be your summer read, the one that you wanna read when you miss your friends in real life or the one you read during your daily commute. If you are up to reading a woman's fiction with realistic writing this weekend, you should watch out for Second Acts.

Book review: Kawaii Doodle Class

2017-09-14T23:38:00.000+04:00

Generally my mid week posts involve discussions or tags where we get to talk a lot. But not today. In fact I am gonna have a cheat day and talk about a book. No, it is not going to be a review in my usual sense. To be honest this is not going to be a book that I read normally. Curious? Keep reading. *excited grin*

I saw the review of Kawaii Doodle Class somewhere and I knew this was the one book that could solve ALL my problems. Well, not solve all my problems but at least make me forget my worries about the long pending reviews of books I have received for reviewing or the ones on my TBR shelf. Who am I kidding? Those are not my worries. I love that I have loads of books to read and review. Okay.. I mean whatever worries I had, Kawaii Doodle Class made me forget. Intrigued? Read on.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Netgalley for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Growing in a family that is inclined very much towards arts and crafts, I have always believed I had to have a creative vein. Even when my several attempts on arts have proved otherwise, I hold on to the hope that some day I would find some art form that I might be good at. So I requested the book that promised to teach step by step instructions to draw these cutest doodles with so much to lose. Yeah Kawaii literally means cute.

First of, the whole book was DAMN CUTE (I know I am overusing the term). The step by step instruction made it even for a craft challenged person to follow, though there were a few redundant steps. Hey who cares, they look adorable. The book teaches to draw day to day items like food and drinks, holiday things and even monsters. I personally loved the monsters (That doesn't mean I draw them any better).

The entire book may have been for a younger generation but that would not stop you (adult, I mean) from enjoying it all the same. This can surely be a great gift to young and adults alike. I can already think of at least 2-3 people who would enjoy this. I can't stop gushing over this overtly adorable book. Grab Kawaii Doodle Class already, I say.

#BookSpotlight :: Parallel Lies

2017-09-12T22:14:00.001+04:00

‘My name is Madeleine, Madeleine Ross. It is a name chosen with thought and because it is classy, and that is what is needed here…’

Madeleine Ross has life exactly as she planned it.

Cosy cottage, friendly village, satisfying job.

Company… when she wants it.

It’s an enviable existence for an independent young woman, and one she’s keen to protect.

Enter Daniel – strong, dependable and a danger to everything she’s built. He’s not something she was looking for, but hearts can’t be controlled and maybe, just maybe he might be worth letting into hers.

But, all is not what it seems. Because Madeleine is hiding a lifetime of secrets. Deep secrets.

And they never stay buried for ever.

Her darkest secret returns, like the proverbial bad penny. He is her first love, shadowy, dangerous, the baddest of bad boys. No matter how far she runs, or how well she hides, she can never escape him.

Or her past.

Here he is, on her doorstep, with a proposition she is powerless to resist but which could devastate the future she hoped to have.

Can Madeleine satisfy the old love while keeping the new?

You can’t always get what you want but, desperate to preserve the life she has worked so hard for, Madeleine is willing to risk everything to prove that she can.

You can read my review here.

About the Author

Georgia Rose is a writer and the author of the romantic and suspenseful Grayson Trilogy books: A Single Step, Before the Dawn and Thicker than Water. A short story, The Joker, based on a favourite character from the series followed and is free to download from Amazon.

Her fourth novel, Parallel Lies, a standalone, encompasses crime along with Georgia’s usual blending of genre.

Following a long stint working in the law Georgia set up her own business providing administration services for other companies which she does to this day managing to entwine that work along with her writing.

Georgia’s background in countryside living, riding, instructing and working with horses has provided the knowledge needed for some of her storylines; the others are a product of her passion for people watching and her overactive imagination!

Her busy life is set in a tranquil part of rural Cambridgeshire in the UK where she lives with her much neglected husband and dog. Their son, currently at university, comes and goes and their daughter, having delighted them all for long enough, has eventually moved out, got married, and is discovering the joys of being all grown up and having a mortgage.

She is active on social media at

Facebook * Twitter * Google + * Website * Goodreads

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of this book.

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Book Review: Parallel Lies

2017-09-10T19:00:00.000+04:00

What do you do when all you have worked for threaten to fall in a minute? How do you escape from the past that you are ashamed and scared of? Parallel Lies written by Georgia Rose attempts to answer these questions through the life of Madaliene Rose.

Book Name: Parallel Lies

Author: Georgia Rose

Genre: Fiction - Romance

Characters: Madeleine Ross, Daniel Travers, Tag, Letitia, Ben, Cubby.
Setting: England

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Maddy lives in a laid back, picturesque village. She has made friends with a few, yet believes she will be considered an outsider whatever she does. She wishes that she blends into their life without arousing any suspicion to escape from her past. Will the reality catch up with her fake life?

Enters Dan, her new boss who disapproves everything she does - her ethics, her job, and her lifestyle. The attraction seems mutual, but Dan would not take anything less than what he bargains for. When things finally smoothen for them, her luck runs out. Her ex and everything else that she has been running away for years have finally leaped on her. Can she survive this setback? Would running away again solve her problems? Would her self-righteous boyfriend be able to handle her truths? Read Parallel Lies to know more.

The story travels at a slow pace, but the writing grows on you. It takes about a 100 pages for the story to move, and we get to meet the other characters. Though we primarily hear the story from Maddy's POV we get to hear Dan's view a few times, which help us understand Maddy's history and character better.

I loved how Maddy's character developed throughout, from someone who was struggling to fit into her fake life to someone who has realized what she wants in life and lets her past go. I liked how she helps Kourtney to move ahead in her life, and the other minor characters like Diane and Chris are nicely etched.

I didn't care much for the parts of Dan's POV in the second person, and thankfully they were few and short. Parallel Lies is surely a Happily Ever After kind of story, yet it offers many variations from the heart-wrenching ones that we often get to read. It involves action, mystery, drama, and pinch (or more) of romance - a perfect combination for a summer read.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of this book.

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Book Tag: Reader Problems

2017-09-07T22:39:00.001+04:00

I am currently traveling and supposed to be on holiday, but I had a moment to spare and decided to do a post so that I wouldn't disappoint you guys, my dearest readers or just that one reader, who came out to my blog by mistake.

So here is the deal. I have been tagged by Dorka from Berries and Books to do a question and Answer session on Reader problems. All I had to do was reply to the questions truthfully and tag friends who would be interested in doing the tag.

Well, I am nothing if not for truth and honesty *wink wink* and I don't care if you guys are interested, or not. I AM tagging you, my bookish friends, because I wanna know more about you than just the books that books that you guys read.

Here are my answers.

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

Well you know me and system, they don't work out very well. When I receive copies for review, I immediately ask for their preferred date for posting. I read them according those dates. And between every two books that I have been provided to review or so, I read a book that I choose to read or as I call it, for my pleasure.

Those books I pick for my pleasure only are based on my mood swings, and there are no systems that can tell me what I should read. Hence I have books shelved from the 2010s yet to be picked and books I got last week have been read. I sometimes wish I did the monthly 'To Be Read' post that some bloggers religiously do, but then I am not ready to face any more failures on account of not following the list. So the only rule that has been going well for me is 'no rules'. Sticking to just that.

Another crazy fact about me, I have few books that I know I love crazily, or I am too excited (for years) to read that I don't read because I don't want it to end. I am terrified of the book withdrawal syndrome that I would face and the impending doom when the book ends. If I don't begin it won't end, right? I do these for Calvin & Hobbes, and this cartoon says exactly what I feel.

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2. You’re halfway through a book, and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

I have a problem. I can't let go of books that do terrible things to me, not in a good way. I can't stop reading how much ever bad the book is and continues to raise my blood pressure. But these I made my mind up not to torture myself if I don't like the book. Thanks to that decision, I am now completing way lesser than my usual quota of books. *sigh*

3. The end of the year is coming, and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

I have been stuck here once or twice before, and last year I didn't even complete my challenge even. That is okay, I tell myself now. But earlier I used to read like crazy to reach the goal. Luck has favored me mostly, and I have found some short stories that I now love, those I wouldn't have found otherwise.

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

With the number of books that have been lying about in different places I have called home, I realize I have lost the appetite to collect (read as hoard) books. I still love buying books and calling them my own, but I have kinda switched over my obsession to E-books. At least you don't have to leave them behind every time you move places. Oh, what was the question again?

I don't really care much about the covers of books at all. I don't understand the cover obsession at all, to be frank.

5. Everyone and their mother love a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

It has happened so many times, and it will happen again. I rarely have people with whom I share similar taste in books. And my need to share my thoughts about the books I read, loved or hated gave way to this blog. You readers are my go to listeners. You don't have any other go but to read and then maybe send me hate comments, but you at least listen don't you? I love you guys!

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

Rarely a book makes me all teary. But I am known to grin like an idiot when some character does or says something cheesy. I have had people wondering whom I am typing so many messages to, when all I would have been doing is sharing quotes from my favorite e-book to my friends or even just exporting them to Evernote.

I may not be quite okay with people staring at me while I have a special moment with my book or e-book in public if only I realize they are doing that. Sorry, I am too engrossed in the book even to know that you are looking at me.

Also: I am the girl that walks into posts having her eyes glued to the mobile, that might or might not involve e-books. Don't judge me.

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7. A sequel to a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?

This is exactly why I don't read many books that are part of a series. Also read 5. I usually have my review up on my blog of the books I read and I can always come here for a refresher.

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8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people no when they ask?

I have very few friends who borrow books from me anymore. I used to borrow and not return them (gasp!). But now I don't mind as long as they would read and not take care of my books, I don't mind sharing.

Since the premise of the question says I don't wanna share the book with them I just would tell them that I don't own the book and it was a borrowed copy. I don't mind lying to save my treasures. That is called survival instinct; it ain't wrong FYIP.

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

Don't start me on that. The beginning of 2017 saw my longest reader's block period. I struggled to complete everything I picked. Then someone recommended a short story that blew me out of the world. It was kinda tough read, but then it broke my slump. 'The chess' was a god sent, and I have not even written a review for it because I am sure I would not do justice to it. Read it right away please.

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10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

Usually, I don't even know about the books until they are sent to me for a review, or someone I know has already read it. I don't follow publication dates even. If I fancy a book, I get it, that is all. I don't go by the hype. I know I don't go by the book blogger/book nerd standards set by the internet world.

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

That depends on .. Actually, I have no clue; I am stumped. There are books that I start reading on the way home or the second I get my hands on them. And there are others that are in the pile that I may or may not eventually read. I did a shelf on Goodreads called I own for the books I have newly acquired so that I would get to them in an order, and then once I finish it, I would move it to read shelf. But DO NOT ASK me how well that has been working for me.

Phew, that was fun. Now I am tagging

Terri @ Terri Luvs Books

DJ @ Books and Bindings

Emily @ It's Novel To Me

So chop chop. Go on, share your answers with a link to my post.

And even if you aren't tagged by anyone but you wanna do this - consider tagged.

Book Review: Blood in the Paradise

2017-09-03T21:45:00.000+04:00

Don't you hate it when life creeps up on you at unexpected times? That is exactly what happened to me and Blood in the Paradise. I had received from The Tales Pensieve a few months ago for a review. I read it almost immediately. But then life happened. Amidst shifting houses and then moving out of the country took its toll on me, and I missed reviewing it. So here I am to review a book that I read months ago, would my memory be able to do justice for this whodunnit?

Book Name: Blood in the Paradise - A tale of an impossible murder
Author: Madhav Mahidhar
Genre: Fiction - Thriller
Characters: Madhumitha and Vikas Nandan, DCP Vishwaroop, Anupriya Gautam

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and The Tales Pensieve for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins with a suicidal note and the eventual suicide attempt of Madhumita Nandan and her husband Vikas calls up for help once he gets to the place. But before the police could reach the area, Vikas is murdered. On a surprising turn of events, Madhu bounces back while Vikas does not. The case is handed to DCP Vishwaroop, a perfect combination of intelligence, honesty, and diligence.

He is suspicious about Madhu's involvement in her husband's death, and her persistent marital woes don't help her either. Her friend Anupriya, an activist herself comes to her rescue by bringing in media's attention and involving a competent lawyer. To add to the DCP's problems, he has not found the weapon involved yet. So is it a murder at all? Or is there a simple explanation to all of these and it was indeed just an accident. Read Blood in the Paradise to find out more.

Blood in the Paradise is steady paced, and the author's efforts to do the ground work on the plot shows well. The characters are etched to perfection, and no one acts out of character which made the plot grounded. The part about Madhu and Vikas' marital troubles sticks to the reality of the life in an Indian society and is commendable.

Even though guessing the murderer was anyone's game, the writing kept me through the end. Except for the dialogues that kept interrupting the flow of the story and could have done very well without. Some things were bit of Bollywood-ey, while I agree that there is an audience who might like it, it just didn't appeal to me.

Blood in the Paradise could have used another round of editing to weed off those typos and errors and could have ended 15 pages earlier, with the right editing effort. The author has made it a point to talk about the real meaning of feminism and the impact of media and activists' intrusion into the legal system. If you like to solve an impossible murder, then you should pick Blood in the Paradise this weekend.

My top 10 unpopular bookish opinions

2017-08-31T19:29:00.000+04:00

I LOVE BOOKS. But that shouldn't come as news to you. You are here on my blog, so you would know. I am just not a bibliophile; I love everything related to books. I love the book smell, the library, bookish characters, of course talking to the authors and everything and anything that falls between these obsessions.

While I love talking about books and hearing / reading your thoughts about any book, I can not somehow join the bandwagon that everyone (am looking at you Buzzfeed) calls as being a book-nerd. (Does anyone get as annoyed as I do when people overuse 'nerd'?). Why, you ask? I do not conform to the popular norms and opinions of the book world according to the Internet. Here are my top 10 unpopular bookish opinions.

10) I don't give books 'star ratings.'

I used to rate books, but I have liberated myself from the obligation to summarize all my feelings about a book to a star rating. I don't want to be struggling to decide if I should give the book a 3 star or 3.5 star. Or worse, to give two very different books the same rating when they clearly aren't. Read more about my issue with ratings here.

9) I am rarely a fangirl

It might come as a shocker to some people and even confuse a few. I might love the plot and writing and still hate the characters or feel meh about them. I rarely have a fangirling moment, but when I do, I can not stop gushing about them.

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8) I still have not lost my love for people.

Sure I might be misanthropic sometimes. And even wiggle out of meeting friends because I don't feel like it. Oh, I might hate talking to you right now because I have a book in my hand and I would rather finish that than gossiping with you. Well that is me! But none of that is due to my love for books. Not all book nerds have to be introverts or speak like a geek and be adorkable (I am looking at you, John Green). If you do, it is great and if you don't it is great too!

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7) Some movies are better than books

I find no qualms in saying that there are some movies that have been better than their books. I am not going to deny that. Though I mostly prefer books to movies or TV series, there have been times that movies were as good as the books (like Gone Girl, The shining) as well as some that did better than the books (LOTR, PS I Love you, The room).

6) I prefer stand-alones to series

I don't read book series. There, I said it. While every other book lover I know reads and obsesses about series after series, but I don't have the patience to wait for the next book to be released. Or by the time it does get published, I would have forgotten all about it.

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5) Book-nerds are not as judgemental as they seem

The Internet people all over the world seem to love bashing (read as, critique reviewing) titles like Twilight or Fifty shades, etc. Even I am guilty of doing that. I am yet to meet any book lover in real life to judge someone who reads something they don't approve. We might do that over the Internet; it is yet one other thing that the big bad mean world of the web makes us do. In real life, I am sure any book lover would feel a sense of bonding to see a book in your hand, whatever kind of reader you might be.

4) I don't organize my bookshelves by color

I love spending hours gawking at #bookstagram. Come on, who doesn't like looking at beautiful things? But I know it is not for me. I still arrange my books based on genre and then the size. And I still pick function over design.

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3) I am not cover obsessed

I don't mind your judging the book by its cover; I don't at all. But I am surprised how far my fellow book people go with their cover obsession. It might have all started with the cover reveal parties; at least these parties, i.e., series of promotional posts have made book covers a huge deal. I know friends who want the covers of all the books they own in a series to match. And if they don't, they even buy multiple copies only for the covers. Sure they are pretty, but aren't they a wee bit overboard? Maybe it is just me.

2) I highlight and dog-ear my books, sometimes... Rarely.. Okay, never.

I treasure my books. I seldom lend them. And when I do, I may keep politely reminding (nudge or nag, rather) them until they give it back. Yet, I don't mind an occasional highlight or dog-ear in my books. I don't get a panic attack when some one does that. Hey, I love loved books that I find from the thrift stores.

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1) I don't mind the spoilers

While the entire world is going crazy over the leaked spoilers, I for one don't mind them at all. If anything they make me more curious about how things are gonna turn into what I already know (thanks to the spoiler). See, I agree I would hate to know whodunnit too early, but dude, we know how most romance novels end. So go on, tell me all about the book you loved, I still would read it without despising you. Spoilers are not a huge deal to me.

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#Bonus: My non bookish unpopular opinion

I don't understand pet parties.

I don't. I am almost sure your pets don't enjoy wearing those party hats. The number of pet party supplies I see around my place is ridiculous. If you want to make them happy, let them be.

What are your opinions that might be unpopular, be it about books or otherwise? Let me know, we can gossip quite a bit about them.

Book review: Harappa - Curse of the Blood River

2017-08-27T23:39:00.000+04:00

I am known to be avoiding the fantasy genre for a while, these days. The number of blood sucking vampires and werewolves and dragons have gone too many on my ARCs shelves that I even have lost count of them. So when I was approached for the review of Harappa - Curse of the Blood River, I took a moment to think over. While I would love to read historical fiction, the blurb explained that the story would be borderline the fantasy, hence the hesitation. But curiosity won over me. Read on to know how it turned out.

Book Name: Harappa - Curse of the Blood River

Author: Vineet Bajpai

Genre: Fiction - Historical

Characters: Vidyut, Damini, Vivasvan Shashtri, Naina, Bala

Disclaimer:

This Book Review/Interview is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program and Book Promotions. To know more log on to The Readers Cosmos.

Meet Vidyut, a young and powerful businessman who is a jack of all trades, who lives with the love of his life Damini. His perfect life is disturbed by a call from his great grandfather from Varanasi, who seems to be in his death bed. Vidyut leaves to a place which holds several secrets not only concerning his life but the entire human race. Unbeknownst to him, several events that were set off all over the world once he starts to his journey from Delhi.

We are told of the happenings in the Harappan civilization of the ancient past -the past that sees the effects of treachery and blood thirst. What is the relationship between modern day Vidyut and the fallen civilization? Only one man tell it all, his great grandfather who is running out of time and the strong and treacherous enemies are at bay. Read Harappa - Curse of the Blood River to find out more.

First of the premise is intriguing making us wonder if our school history text books were in fact, nothing but an elaborate ruse? Following the pattern laid by the likes of Dan Brown, Ashwin Sanghi and the new comer Luke Gracias, the story alternates between the past and present and the author does that with quite the flair.

I had known the book was the first of the series of four books, but I had not realized until I came to it, that it ends in a cliffhanger and it doesn't answer many of the questions. This might be disconcerting to some of the readers, including me. There were few scenes in the middle that were clichéd and could have been very well done without.

The rich history and the strong story line related to Harappan civilization is well executed. The author makes us ponder where does the line between mythology and history lie. The dialogues were kinda off-putting especially the modern day's, where no one uses that many slangs (yaa, yaar etc) in real life. And the writing gets kinda repetitive after a while. Yet, none of these reduce the pace set by the author until the very last.

The introduction kinda gave away the entire plot, at least the plot of the first book. And then there is a prologue which piqued the interest but again once we have read the introduction there is very little suspense to keep up. There are a few misgivings how long does it take for a person to narrate a simple tale. But if we do overlook such logical reasoning, I would not be surprised if the Harappa - Curse of the Blood River ends up to be a best seller.

Quiz: What type of reader are you?

2017-08-24T12:42:00.001+04:00

If you are reading my blog post, you are sure a book reader. You may read a little as one book a year or may havee a massive three digits count on your yearly target. Every other reason is secondary. It may be for pleasure or for learning. Our processes may be different. We read for ourselves because we enjoy the act.

For every book out there, there is a reader. You may think you are alone on your eccentricities, but you are wrong. Find out what type of reader you are and find out whom you match with among your friends. The strength is in numbers, ain't it?

What kind of book reader are you? Let me know in the comments section.

Book Review: The Marriage Pact

2017-08-20T23:13:00.000+04:00

I don't like people telling me to do something that I was already gonna do anyway. I am sure this one would irk everyone. Most of the time, the reinforcement is well meant, but it seldom works in the intended direction. Do you remember the joke about keeping a secret? Warn them not to tell anyone and you will have people hearing about very soon. Newlyweds Alice and Jake face such a conundrum. Read the review of Amazon's bestselling psychological thriller The Marriage Pact to know more.

Book Name: The Marriage Pact

Author: Michelle Richmond

Genre: Fiction - Psychological thriller

Characters: Alice and Jake, Vivian, Declan and Diane, Orla Scott, Finnegan, JoAnne and Neil Charles

Everything seems perfect for the newly-wedded Alice and Jake. The perfect couple receives the almost perfect gift from an acquaintance. An invite to join an exclusive and secret club called the Pact. The goal of the pact seems very simple: to keep their marriage intact, with few simple rules and a little help from their like minded 'friends.'

Jake and Alice accept that they both want their marriage to last and accept to be a part of the Pact. When they are presented with a manual with bylaws for their 'happy marriage,' the couple take it in a stride. Some of the rules ask them to pick the spouse's call whatever may be the circumstances, gift each other every month, get away on holiday once in every three months, etc. This practical prescription works very well for both of them very well for a while, and then life happens.

Alice's firm requires her to put in long hours, and she faces the consequences of neglecting her marriage and the bylaws of the Pact. The 'punishments' make them reconsider their allegiance to the Pact, only to realize that 'no one ever leaves the Pact.' They work hard to follow the rules, which does help their marriage but the pressure to follow the rules gets overwhelming. How far would you go to keep up your commitment? Give up your marriage? Or the Pact? Grab The Marriage Pact from here, right away.

First off, the premise is entirely new and made so much sense - what could go wrong when you have friends to fall back on to keep your marriage on track? Well, we Indians do know how that works. The family replaces friends in case of our arranged marriages. So yeah, I kept drawing parallels until I read the part about the bylaws. Oh, families are much better - at least they don't punish. But the comparison stopped right there; the story moved in a fresh direction that I hadn't expected at all (Yes, I don't read the blurb before I picked the book). For once I was not predicting all the twists, that came out of nowhere.

The fast paced writing is well appreciated, making The Marriage Pact last in the top 20 of the Amazon bestseller charts for more than ten weeks now. The book with 400 pages could have been cut shorter, but the racy narration mostly made up for it. The statistics from Jake's work (he is a therapist *eye roll*) could have been avoided, all it did for me was to wonder why he was not doing a better job with his marriage.

At about 3/4ths of the book, I couldn't wait for the book to end because I felt the story went off the rails and there were too many things making it a mumble jumble. It somehow turned from a psychological thriller to a sci-fi action to self-help(?) in about 100 pages.

There are a few questions left unanswered, and the ending left me wanting for more and better. But of course, either of the ending that was possible would have left me asking more. There were times that I wanted to push the manual against their faces to make them read it. Yes, they had signed off the documents without reading the terms and conditions, and one of them was a lawyer, for God's sake. If you overlook these flaws and take the plot as such without questioning its credibility, you might enjoy this psychological thriller better.

#Discussion: Like it or not, reading is social now

2017-08-17T14:48:00.000+04:00

Most of us read to escape into new worlds of our own. Imagine curling up in the bed with a cup of coffee and a book on a rainy day. (Scratch that, I don't need a cup of joe if it would mean I have to stop reading while I sip the drink.) What could be better than that? Maybe sitting in a library amongst thousands of books with your nose buried in a book. Go ahead tell me what else could a book lover enjoy more?

I read comfortably in public, especially during our commute. Many of us. Some readers put on their headset to drown the white noise to drown the chaos around them to focus better on their book. Few of us do not even need a headset, we zone off and turn deaf while we pick an interesting read until your mother pulls you back to Earth. Books and reading are our solaces, a Zen zone where nothing could go wrong or even if it did things would turn better before you reach the last page. Mostly. One way or the other.

As far as I remember I always had a book for a company when the going got any slower. Of course, there have been phases in my life when I enjoyed sharing the passion of reading with others by discussing whatever I read with them, but they have always been short-lived. I even started this blog to primarily talk about the books I read, since I couldn't find anyone to listening to my rants. But things have changed. A lot. You ask why? Reading became social.

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Don't get me wrong. I love being online as much as do, even more than the average Jane does. But still reading is a lonely activity for me. I like to choose my books to obsess hate or write about on my own. My reading interests do not confine to any one single genre. I read about the Holocaust with as much interest as I have about boys worshiping girls. I love Stephen King and Gillian Flynn as deep as my love for Agatha Christie and Mark Twain. I even read Warran Buffet for the heck of it. You get my drift? This means I get to ' 'ship' or 'fangirling' over too many characters.

Of course, social reading is fun and there is always something on your plate to read. You get to meet so many like minded people who will love join your tribe to defend the character you so much. Someone who keeps you updated with the latest gossip from the book world. A book turning into a TV series? You will know it before others. Oh, and the free books that you get to review!

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Yet, reading these days could be exhausting.

Once I finish reading a book, and after having the proper emotional break down the book deserves, that includes but not limited to crying, grinning, shaking your head 'cuz you can't even', scared that you would be having nightmares and even understandable relief that it ended, I update that I have finished reading the book and what I thought about it in few words on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook and only because Google is the Lord, Google+. And then talk about it in every one of the Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter groups that I am part of. Defend whatever my thoughts were and defend or accuse the characters' behavior, as need be, in that book and the series. If someone doesn't agree, of course, attack another character that the person loves and if you can, make them cry. Well, after all this is done, start the process over by writing a review and posting in all the channels mentioned above.

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Well if you think that is too much, you have not heard the half of it. We just covered the process I go through for a book I read. There are books that I want to read because I do, I have to read because everyone is reading it, I want to own because they look cute and go with my shelf and even books whose cover do not match with the covers of the books I own in the series. Then I follow the authors, their new releases and the requests I have to place and that I have received from the authors for review. Well, it is too tedious even to explain anymore, I give up trying to.

One of my coolest friends was telling me he stopped updating his Goodreads profile after seeing people desperately bumping their 'read counts' just to show off. How did a self-satisfying hobby turn into a community driven project so soon? Do we not desire to disconnect from the world anymore? Or have 'the books' become the next 'cool sport' to bond over? Is reading still a selfish, solitary process or a shared social experience for you? Let me know in the comment section.

Book Review: The Corner Office

2017-08-13T22:42:00.000+04:00

I am all for love-hate relationships. There is nothing like seeing the hot headed guy falling head over heels for the sassy mouthed gal (or the vice-versa). So it is not completely off my character to hope Tara and Richard click together at some point. On the other hand, Aidan doesn't seem very off putting either, with his tattoo and motor bikes. Well, love is complicated and if you are not sure what I am talking about, read on my next review of The Corner Office.

Book Name: The Corner Office
Author: Katerina Baker
Genre: Fiction - Contemporary romance
Characters: Tara Johnson, Richard Boyd, Aidan Smith

Tara Johnson is a hard working woman who fights hard to win her place in the male dominated executive room. She has no personal life other than visiting her ailing mother because her work consumes her entire day. She takes joy and pride in making her work place better for the other women there, the support she didn't have when she started.

Her work life is still not an easy place, even though she is one of the top executives of a Fortune 500 company, thanks to her nemesis Richard Boyd. They started together fresh out of college and the past fifteen years have done little to ease the competition between them. Their boss John believes their rivalry brings the best out of them, thus helping the company and begins their final race towards their ultimate prize - the Managing Director position.

Everything changes when Tara finds herself attracted to her subordinate Aidan, who is every woman's fantasy. How does this love change Tara's life? Does she realize that work place romances are not as easy as it seems before it is too late? You should grab The Corner Office to know what find the answers.

I requested the book looking for an easy read with the plot about interoffice romance with a dark twist. But it proved to be more than I bargained for and it is not your typical love triangle. The plot has a steady pace, and the intimate scenes are refreshingly well written. I finished it in about three hours which is my new best.

I liked the premise and the ending which is what we were rooting for. I loved everything about the book except its lead characters. I know what I said sounds confusing. Let me explain.

I tried so hard to like Tara. She is hard working. She is at the top. She has her priorities. She treats other women with respect and encourages them. And yet I failed to like her at all.

Was it because she talks so much about work life balance, while she didn't have any? Was it because she talks about sexual harassment and then suffers abuses and threats from an ex silently? Or is it about her work place romance? Well, on the whole, I gave up. I don't like Tara, the lead.

Though two of the lead characters have been trying to beat each other for more than a decade, there is a very little back-story to support that, except that Tara had turned Richard down when he asked her out. And he is supposed to be a playboy, and you are supposed to dislike him. Because he is a serial womanizer; he does not respect others privacy.

But the problem I had with disliking him was that all these reasons were what Tara tells us. There is not one instance, (okay there is one scene - the very first one) that he behaves like a creep. And given the history of Tara's men (man), I lost the trust on her calling him creep. SoI ended up liking Richard, not in a mushy way but in a 'thank God he is not what Tara presumed to be' way.

Despite all these, I kinda liked the undertone of the story that spoke about feminism and women empowerment, without making it preachy. If you want to read an interoffice romance with just a perfect dose of violence, flirty and steamy scenes, The Corner Office should be your pick.

Book Review: The Cold Room

2017-08-10T10:52:00.002+04:00

Don't we all love a troubled character that tries to do right? More the suffering the merrier it is. Okay, maybe it is just me. But I am all for dark, broken characters, even if it portrays me as a sadist. If you were anything like me, you sure should check out the thrillers I have reviewed in here.

Book Name: The Cold Room

Series: Book of The Eleanor Raven Series

Author: Karen Long

Genre: Fiction - Thriller

Characters: DI Eleanor Raven, Laurence Whitefoot, Lieutenant Eddie Myles, Dr. Seb Blackmore

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins with DI Eleanor Raven undergoing a psychiatric evaluation to she certify that she was fit enough to get back into her groove. She and her partner Laurence Whitefoot are called in to attend a domestic hostage situation that involves an army veteran, where they find a human hand. What they find in the autopsy reports is more than they bargained for, and to make matters worse for them the military is stopping them from digging deeper.

Soon the city has another weird case where dead carcasses of dogs are strung in a boiler room. And add a few more dead bodies, and the Toronto DI Raven has too many things on her plate. Are they all interconnected or is it just her mind that plays tricks on her? Her visits to her psychiatrists are becoming more and more upsetting, and she begins to be wary of him as well. As the body count keeps increasing, her ability is questioned, and it is a race against time.

The only way for to solve the murders is to do what she has been fighting against. Re-visit the demons from the past. Will she be able to conquer her inner conflicts and find the killer on time? Spoiler: she does. Read on The Cold Room to find out more.

The Cold Room is the third part of the The Eleanor Raven Series. I have not read the previous works, yet the book worked its charm on me even as a standalone. The writing is tight and makes sure that you would not want to skim down any line. Though there were quite a few cliches, they did not hamper my interest in the story.

I didn't find any character likable at all, especially DI Raven. I found her too annoying and reckless for my taste. The other characters, which were too many, were not developed to their potential. But that is understandable given the pace that book was set in. And of course, they might have been already dealt with in the previous parts.

I liked that the author doesn't dumb it down for the readers by explaining every clue and boring them to death. She understands that the readers of this genre would be able to catch up with her thread of thoughts without too many explanations. That being said, wait to be surprised at the end.

You might have read quite a number of thrillers and DI stories. While the premise of this book may not surprise you, the crisp writing and the killer storyline would. If you are looking to read a fast paced thriller that would keep you reading through the midnight, The Cold Room could be very well your choice.

Book Review: Swing Time

2017-08-08T18:53:00.001+04:00

Like most readers my to be read list seems never ending, and I have lost hope that I would ever clear it off. On the other hand, my to be reviewed list is not too long but as I do not follow any hard rules in picking the book from that list to review, the books I loved too much or the books that I might find difficult to write about tend to settle farther and farther down the list.

So here I am, picking one of those books that I read a long time ago (read as almost two months) and yet was hesitant to review. Mostly for the fear that I would not be doing any justice to it or that I might be a tad partial in my critique. Someone suggested me, Zadie Smith, when I was talking about feminism and related topics. On the quest to finding her much-acclaimed debut 'White Teeth' or 'On Beauty,' I stumbled upon 'Swing Time' her newest release.

Book Name: Swing Time

Author: Zadie Smith

Genre: Fiction - Literary

Characters: Tracey, Aimee, Lamin, Fern and unnamed narrator

Accolades:

2017 Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize
Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction
2017 Finalist, Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction

The story follows two little 'mixed race' girls who grow up in the not so rich part of London Tracey, the dancer, and our unnamed narrator. Tracey stands out in everything they do together - she is confident, rebelling and imaginative and a better dancer of the two, while the narrator is a good student and hopes to get out of the neighborhood. Her mother's upbringing makes sure she realizes that only hard work pays, while Tracey's home-life is almost ungoverned.

She joins as an assistant to the super star singer Aimee and travels worldwide as her works demands. She loves the job as she shuttles between the UK and a downtrodden country in the West Africa where Aimee was building a girls school. She feels alienated in the Africa as much as she does in London.

Our narrator is quite taken with strong characters right from her childhood while she is happy being invisible in the backdrop. She doesn't have any talent like Tracey or an ambition like her mother or the drive like Aimee. This makes her a less compelling character to love or remember.

How do the friends gravitate towards each other when things go south? How long could she live in the shadows of others or if she did, would she happy? Read Swing Time to know more.

The story oscillates among various time frames and places and does a brilliant job in weaving a quite fascinating tale. Though there are a few parts of the story that might have been little dragging and I admit to skimming a bit here and there, the author's literary skill makes it all worth the while.

I found Swing Time to be a solid piece of social commentary, rather than a piece of fiction that talks about two friends, which is what it is primarily. Zadie deals a variety of themes like different races and the privileges that come with them, parenthood and the importance of family, poverty and classes, that add up succinctly into the coming of age tale.

I particularly liked the thread of dichotomies between the haves and have nots, coloured and uncoloured, the Americans and the British, the talented and privileged and the ones that aren't, that ran throughout the novel. This is the first time I am reading Zadie Smith. I am not entirely in love with the book, but I am ready to read more of hers, like White Teeth and On Beauty that everyone has been raving so far.

Swing Time is not your typical summer reads. It has little hard to get into and harder to stick to especially in the middle. If you love reading prose that promises you insights about the society and the world as a whole accompanied by beautiful and strong writing - Swing Time should be your pick.

6 new-age poets you will fall in love with

2017-08-04T23:59:00.000+04:00

I don't read poetry as often as I would like to claim. I have tried my hand at poetry, and I am not proud of the results. Probably the last time you read a classic poem was at school; I don't blame you. With the ever growing 'To Be Read' shelf I won't blame you for putting poetry in the back-burner.

Do not feel so guilty. If you are like me living within the clutches of the social media then you have nothing to worry, you can catch up. Presenting you the list of my favorite 'modern poets' that rule our age! The subject matters they talk about range from feminism to erotica. They call out attention to the problems of the LGBTQ to soldiers. Their words do not necessarily follow the traditional rules of poetry or deal with nuances of the writing, but they do strike the chord among the reader and they are here to stay for a long time.

1) Warson Shire

This Somalian poet hit the poetry world with a bang with her debut book Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth. Warson's poetry has been featured in Beyonce's film Lemonade, making her the talk of the town again.

Her poetry draws her poetry from her African culture and her English upbringing. Her poem Home talks about refugees and their plea for help.

No one leaves home unless
home is the mouth of a shark

Her poems have been translated into various languages like Italian, Danish, Estonian Spanish and Portuguese and she recites poetry countries like South Africa, Kenya and Germany. She is an active advocate for feminism and gender equality.

Sofia used pigeon blood on her wedding night.
next day, over the phone, she told me
how her husband smiled when he saw the sheets.

She voices for the feminine sexuality, especially among the Muslim women. Her work against female genital mutilation and its risks is based on her ancestors who had themselves undergone it.

Some nights I hear in her room screaming
We play Surah Al-Baqarah to drown her out
Anything that comes from her mouth sounds like sex
Our mother has banned her from saying God’s name.

You can buy the books by clicking on the following links

2) Lang Leav

The millennials do not need an introduction to Lang Leav who has attracted the world of the young and young at heart alike through her social media posts. She may not follow the traditional poetry formats and uses conversational language in her poems.

We may be just two different clocks, that do not tock in unison.

Her poetry is usually filled with melancholy and poignancy that seems to resonate with young and old lovers.

Here and now – I love you, for this moment, you have my heart. But you are not entitled to my future – you have no ownership of my past.

She has just published her debut novel Sad Girls this 2017 and her poetry books continue to be top sellers worldwide. You can buy the books by clicking on the following links.

And it wasn’t my choice to love you but it was mine to leave. I don’t think the moon ever meant to be a satellite, kept in loving orbit, locked in hopeless inertia, destined to repeat the same pattern over and over – to meet in eclipse with the sun – only when the numbers allowed

She lives in New Zealand with her partner and fellow poet Michael Faudet.

3) Rupi Kaur

Her debut book Milk and Honey has made this Canadian poet of Indian origin into the best seller list with a whopping 1.4 million copies sold. This first-time poet self-published her book, despite having her friends warn against it.

The thing about having
an alcoholic parent
is an alcoholic parent
does not exist.
Simply
an alcoholic
who could not stay sober
long enough to raise their kids

Her book is broken into four parts: hurt, pain, breaking and healing. She talks about abuse, feminism, love, loss and everything that would resonate with a young woman.

every time you
tell your daughter
you yell at her
out of love
you teach her to confuse
anger with kindness
which seems like a good idea
till she grows up to
trust men who hurt her
cause they look so much
like you
- to fathers with daughters

Though she published her book in 2014, her moment of spotlight arrived when she posted a picture of her menstruating in Instagram as part of her assignment, and it was removed. She pointed out the hypocrisy and she found her following soon enough.

emptying out of my mother’s belly
was my first act of disappearance
learning to shrink for a family
who likes their daughters invisible
was the second
the art of being empty
is simple
believe them when they say
you are nothing
repeat it to yourself
like a wish
i am nothing
i am nothing
i am nothing
so often
the only reason you know
you’re still alive is from the
heaving of your chest
- the art of being empty

Her second book will be published this October 2017. Click on the links to take a look at her books.

4) Clementine Von Radics

Clementine is the founder of Where Are You Press and she still enthusiastically takes part in word slam worldwide. This 24-year-old writer and publisher is based in Portland, Oregon.

All this time
I drank you like the cure when maybe
you were the poison.

Her words from her debut book Mouthful of Forevers has often been quoted in wedding vows and even tattoos. She writes about love, loss, uncertainties and beauty in life.

But my heart is an old house
(the kind my mother
grew up in)
hell to heat and cool
and faulty in the wiring
and though it’s nice to look at
I have no business
inviting lovers in.

Like many of the other new age poets here, she uses a conversational language which bodes well with her audience.

He used to love me, and now he’s just a stranger who happens to know all my secrets.

You can read more from here. Click on the links to take a look at her books.

5) Andrea Gibson

Andrea Gibson is the first poet ever to win the Women of the World Poetry Slam and she leads the spoken word movement.

Before I die, I want to be somebody’s favorite hiding place, the place they can put everything they know they need to survive, every secret, every solitude, every nervous prayer, and be absolutely certain I will keep it safe. I will keep it safe.

She provides a strong voice for the rights of LGBTQ and gender equality. She does not believe in identifying herself as a male or female to perform at. She often uses her gender neuter name Andrew during her performances.

she's wondering how many women are walking around this world
feeling the tingling of their amputated wings
remembering what it was to fly to sing

She also believes in using her poetry as a medium to comment on the issues of today's world. Her works speak about varied topics like war, white privilege, Patriarchy, capitalism, etc.

How many wars will it take us to learn that only the dead return?

You can read more from here and here. Take a look at some of her books.

6) Michael Faudet

For a long time, Micheal Faudet was an Internet enigma. He is active and has thousands of followers in all social media network, but there has been not much of a talk about personal life. Even his face has not been published yet anywhere.

When it came to love, she enjoyed the thrill of the search, but seldom stopped to check whether happiness was keeping up.

His writing focuses on love, relationship, loss and lust. Most of his poetry has a tinge of eroticism. He and his partner Lang Leav have a similar aesthetics and language style that have made ripples all over the world.

You can buy the books by clicking on the following links

I am hopelessly in love with a memory. An echo from another time, another place.

Not quite long ago, there was a discussion that Michael was just a figment of an imagination of Leav's, considering him not being "physically" available on the internet. Fear not Faudet fans, he is real. His twitter has been officially verified with the government ID, photograph, etc.

I write because you exist.

Read Michael Faudet's interview here to know about his writing process and more.

Did I miss any of your favorite writers? Let me know what your favorite quotes are and why. Click here if you would like to read more quotes.

Book Review: Standard Deviation

2017-07-31T23:51:00.004+04:00

They do say opposites attract, don't they? Maybe they are right. But do they stick together when the roof falls? No, I am not talking about the teenage crushes where the hot headed guy falls for the shy bookstore sales girl. I am talking about older ones, the real life adults. Do they genuinely like each other's quirky characteristics or are they gritting their life through?

Book Name: Standard Deviation

Author: Katherine Heiny

Genre: Fiction - Contemporary

Characters: Graham, Audra and Mathew Cavanaugh, Elspeth Osbourne, Bitsy, Clayton.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Netgalley for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The narration follows Graham's voice through his married life with Audra, a vivacious busybody who is 15 younger to him. While Graham is a despondent middle aged man, Audra is one of those outspoken women who puts you at ease as soon as you meet her and then becomes your friend for life. Her life is no wonder full of 'friends, acquaintances and other people that Graham never knew.' They have a 10-year old son Mathew who has Asperger's and is obsessed with origami. Their life has no dearth for adventure between arranging play dates for Mathew and hosting house guests who were on a break from their spouses.

Tenor.com

We follow their lives through weddings, deaths, infidelity and United Nation days. Graham feels out of place in the grand plans of Audra and her friends that he seeks recluse in his cold, emotion free first wife, Elspeth. Audra wants to be friends with her as well. Being with both the women he had loved Graham realizes the vast differences between them. What does a man need - the ever glowing sunshine or the cool detachment? Read on Standard Deviation to find out.

If you are looking for a storyline with twists and thrill, you are in for a sore disappointment. In fact, there is no plot. We get a wry, whimsical glimpse into their life. It is often funny, not in the way that would make you laugh out loud (though I did once or twice) but that makes you chuckle.

Maybe we had had too many books with the female point of view lately that it was so refreshing to hear a male voice talking about his view of life. Graham's thoughts about parenthood and infidelity would be easier to relate as they are not accusative, but in a funny quirky manner.

Some may find the pace of the book to be slow and drag, especially in the middle where the narrative becomes too generic that probably spoke of the satirical opinions of the author rather than Graham. But it again gains momentum towards the end, which was rather abrupt.

If you loved books like 'I Feel Bad About My Neck' or 'High Fidelity,' grab this satire comedy and spend your afternoon chuckling with delight.

#Discussion: Why I do not rate books on my blog?

2017-07-28T01:04:00.001+04:00

I started Musings Over Nothing as a personal catalog of the books that I read among other things. About 7 years ago (when I had not met Goodreads) I wanted a place to pour out all my thoughts and feelings about books, as if making my friends bored was not enough. And, I started writing book reviews.

A lot has changed since my first review (of sorts) that makes me cringe every time I read it. While some of the changes are what I call as impromptu, there are a few that have been made after careful consideration. One of those significant changes was the decision to not rate the books in my blog. And I should say it works great for me and there are no regrets at all.

See, long ago I used to rate the books or what everyone calls as stars, like everyone else. But then things got complicated and I didn't feel the rating system was not working well for me. I understand that people think rating gave a conclusive statement on if they should pick the book or not. But that is where exactly I don't agree.

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My reviews usually consist of what I feel about the book in general. It then breaks down to what worked for me and what didn't. I sometimes mention the particular crowd that the books may appeal to like if you love The book thief you might enjoy And the mountains echoed. There are caveats about the strong language or graphic violence. Oh, I worship some characters and boo some. I rant out a lot about the author's writing style or how the editor messed up. Some reviews are clouded by the quotes that made me go gaga.

The rating system reduces all the above to a score or a star. When I say I had problems with the writing but one still might enjoy the fast paced storyline, the reader can make a choice. But when I slap a 2 star near the title the mind of the reader is made for them. Tell me, would you still pick the book?

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Much like the labels like the feminist, every rating system means something different. Most of my books that I have shelved in Goodreads would have a 3-star rating meaning I liked the book, and I might recommend it to some people, but the same 3-star rating means the book was okay. Now how you interpret the okay is up to you. But I usually give the same book a 4-star, which according to Amazon means I like it. Do you get what I mean?

Even if you take a particular system alone, say Goodreads, into account, no two books are alike. One can not like any two books in the same way. For example, I gave a 4-star rating to both A Dog's tale, a classic by Mark Twain and The Grownup, a psychological thriller. Does that mean I like them both equally? Absolutely not! Even among the same genre, my rating can not be a reliable guide, without reading my review.

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I believe the reviews and rating systems by extension are sought out for a reason. To some authors, that reason may seem about their books getting more publicity. Some book promoters and review sites may consider their books only if they have a higher rating. I understand the point from their business angle, but reviews, at least to me, are more than saying 'I lovvvvee the book' or 'It was a crap' and toss a 4-star or 1-star as the case may be.

I know several reviewers, including me, who put a lot of hard work and thought while writing an honest review. For us, it is more than the informal '4-star trade'. Book reviews are here to create a healthy balance between helping the readers take an informed decision to read or not and letting the authors know their work is being discussed.

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I still add my long reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. I even use their rating system, but that stops there. I stopped rating books in my blog and to be honest; I feel liberated from having to justify the stars I gave or the vice versa.

What do you say? Do you think ratings or stars on books, or for that matter on anything, are important? How do you choose your product - stars or reviews? Let me know.

Book Review: Stillhouse Lake

2017-07-23T21:52:00.001+04:00

How well do you know anyone? You might meet people every day, but still, do you know the real them? You might live with someone for years; you might learn their habits and idiosyncrasies and yet can you not know what they are capable or not of?

Stillhouse Lake takes us for a wild ride making us question the very thing, and it is not a surprise to know that it has been on the Amazon Top Charts for more than eight weeks now. Read on to know more about the top selling serial killer novel right ahead.

Book Name: Stillhouse Lake

Series: Gwen Proctor #1

Author: Rachel Caine

Genre: Fiction - Thriller

Characters: Gwen Proctor, Melvin Royal, Lancel Graham, Sam Cade

Gina Royal is a happy stay at home mother for her kids and is happily married to Melvin. Her life falls apart when a drunk driver wrecks their garage, exposing the heinous murders her husband had committed. She is tried as an accomplice and acquitted, while Mel is sentenced to death row. Fearing the Internet threats and the trolls, that she dubs as Sicko Patrol, Gina turns into Gwen Proctor, a fearless mom who will do anything to protect her teens . Gwen could have been her last identity change until the serial killing starts again just around her neighborhood. She continues to fear her husband's threats and doesn't know whom to trust. What length would she go to save her kids and her own sanity? Read this psychological thriller to find out.

Stillhouse Lake is fast paced and is definitely not your breezy summer read. It is intense and has twists are well placed that would keep you hooked until the last page. The reader is as confused as Gwen about people she could trust and things she should stay away from. The book talks a lot about the dark side of the Internet and it is terrifying that all the threats and abuses she and her kids have been facing are possible in today's world.

There are a few plot holes that I am trying hard not to nitpick, but the whole premise works only on those flimsy grounds. For instance, Gina had been married for ten years and she has never been into her husband's garage, where he had been hiding, raping, abusing and killing several girls. Gina trusts someone (spoiler) who had been against her from the beginning. And this baffles me: is it even possible in this real life that there are thousands of people who want to kill a family when they were not even related to the murders, especially in this self-absorbed world where we talk about any social issue only until the next one crops up?

The creepy serial killer angle works great, but no other characters are likable. Usually I like women protagonists who are stong and fight back, but Gwen did nothing of that sort, except being so predictable and stupid. The book ends with a cliffhanger which may or not work for you. Though much has been said about Stillhouse Lake ending with a cliffhanger in the book world, the book works well as the first installment in a series to come and as a standalone too. I didn't mind that some questions have not been answered.

While the plot and premise are refreshingly new, the writing leaves a bad aftertaste in your mouth. If keeping the story moving was all that was aimed at, well the author succeeded. There are girls tortured and killed, kids kidnapped and one character is sent to death row and yet I am thinking about the bad writing. Yes that was the level of connection I had to the characters. I was fed up with her badly written monologue that repeated in every chapter. The author commits more than once the cardinal sin of telling but not showing. She tells the reader what to see, what to feel rather than letting us learn by action or context. It irritated the crap out of me.

Despite all these misgivings I was not able to put the book down until the last page. So if you are looking a fast paced thriller like The Girl on the Train this is your poison, pick it right away.