Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Edited a couple of typos I missed earlier.
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3.8 Stars
Meg Hennessey, an 18yo, finds out a secret that changes her in every way. She takes a gap year to come to terms with the truth and to come out of the conservative, orthodox upbringing she’s used to all her life.
The trip leads her to Micah, a 19 yo, battling demons of his own. Being a former pastor’s kid with the father in jail leaves him with only a couple of friends. Meg and Micah gravitate towards each other, struggling with things around them, things between them, and the conflicting thoughts and emotions from the past and present.
How can the two find faith and find themselves in the process?
The book is based on (and dedicated to) church kids. Though I have no in-depth idea about the intricacies, I know enough to understand their upbringing and the conflicting emotions they face.
The story has two POVs- Meg and Micah in alternating chapters. I almost missed this the first time and wondered by there was a sudden change in tone. Then I realized I was supposed to read the chapter names (yeah, that’s me).
The author was successful in keeping both the voices distinct to a great extent. That’s a definite plus in books with dual POV. The characters are well-etched, and despite all the rambling (it’s YA after all), Meg and Micah are more mature than the adults in the book (maybe except Betty).
Rating this one was quite hard. I liked how it was going until it got too heavy with preaching God. Yeah, I’m a believer (though my God is different). Still, if the reader starts to skim through the paragraphs each time Meg or Micah gets into one of those phases, it’s not a good sign. That did push the rating down. But the author’s note at the end shed more light on why she was so insistent about separating God from church and the rigid rules. I don’t like the way she overemphasized, but I understand her intentions.
The overall love story is cute without any real angst. And that worked quite well since there was enough of it already. The two don’t fight or have a misunderstanding for the sake of fitting a trope. That’s another plus.
The book also includes LGBT+ characters. While some of it was natural, one seemed forced. It sort of makes sense to the narrator but should have been presented better to the readers. Since the reader is restricted to the POV of Meg or Micah, we need enough foreshadowing to make something believable.
There was one character that started out great but slipped towards the end. Guess the author wanted to show how tough it is to be objective when rules are drilled into us. Of course, the character redeems it, but I felt Meg was a little too forgiving.
Overall, I rather liked the character development of Meg and Micah and enjoyed the book for not being a typical YA romance. Just wish it was crisper and toned down a little on the faith part.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#NetGalley #NeverSawComing
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3.8 Stars
Meg Hennessey, an 18yo, finds out a secret that changes her in every way. She takes a gap year to come to terms with the truth and to come out of the conservative, orthodox upbringing she’s used to all her life.
The trip leads her to Micah, a 19 yo, battling demons of his own. Being a former pastor’s kid with the father in jail leaves him with only a couple of friends. Meg and Micah gravitate towards each other, struggling with things around them, things between them, and the conflicting thoughts and emotions from the past and present.
How can the two find faith and find themselves in the process?
The book is based on (and dedicated to) church kids. Though I have no in-depth idea about the intricacies, I know enough to understand their upbringing and the conflicting emotions they face.
The story has two POVs- Meg and Micah in alternating chapters. I almost missed this the first time and wondered by there was a sudden change in tone. Then I realized I was supposed to read the chapter names (yeah, that’s me).
The author was successful in keeping both the voices distinct to a great extent. That’s a definite plus in books with dual POV. The characters are well-etched, and despite all the rambling (it’s YA after all), Meg and Micah are more mature than the adults in the book (maybe except Betty).
Rating this one was quite hard. I liked how it was going until it got too heavy with preaching God. Yeah, I’m a believer (though my God is different). Still, if the reader starts to skim through the paragraphs each time Meg or Micah gets into one of those phases, it’s not a good sign. That did push the rating down. But the author’s note at the end shed more light on why she was so insistent about separating God from church and the rigid rules. I don’t like the way she overemphasized, but I understand her intentions.
The overall love story is cute without any real angst. And that worked quite well since there was enough of it already. The two don’t fight or have a misunderstanding for the sake of fitting a trope. That’s another plus.
The book also includes LGBT+ characters. While some of it was natural, one seemed forced. It sort of makes sense to the narrator but should have been presented better to the readers. Since the reader is restricted to the POV of Meg or Micah, we need enough foreshadowing to make something believable.
There was one character that started out great but slipped towards the end. Guess the author wanted to show how tough it is to be objective when rules are drilled into us. Of course, the character redeems it, but I felt Meg was a little too forgiving.
Overall, I rather liked the character development of Meg and Micah and enjoyed the book for not being a typical YA romance. Just wish it was crisper and toned down a little on the faith part.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#NetGalley #NeverSawComing
3.7 Stars
Sophie gets a job offer to work at the Ayredale Library as a bookbinder. Her uncle, Edward, holds a prominent position at the library. Her mother has last disappeared from the same place fifteen years ago. Her father, too, used to work there until the incident made him break his ties with the Library and everyone associated with it. Sophie has little memory of the past but wants to find the truth.
Getting away from a manipulative ex, Sophie finally begins to feel at home in the strange Library. With Will, her childhood friend and first love, being the guardian, Sophie starts to reestablish herself and dig through her memories to fill the gaps. The Library and the antique books have always called to her. In fact, they sing to her, luring her into a place of no return.
However, the ancient power demands sacrifice and control. As Sophie’s memory returns in bits and others fill in the blanks, can she give what it takes to be the Binder of the Library?
The premise and the cover were enticing, and I couldn’t resist requesting the book. The story starts with Sophie in London, living with her ex and working as a binder at another prestigious library, albeit a non-magical one.
After much hesitation and a reality check, Sophie accepts the offer to work at the Ayredale Library. She realizes that she can remember much more than she imagined, and Will occupies a good portion of them.
The writing is engaging. I wasn’t sure of the insta love between Sophie and Will, but it worked decently well in the overall plotline. Will’s character sure helped to see their love track in a positive light. The imagery is vivid and easy to imagine.
The pacing went a bit up and down; sometimes slow, sometimes too fast. A couple of other characters were interesting enough but could have had more depth. They don’t ‘come to life’ in the book. The same goes for Sophie, in a way. Somehow, it feels odd that she would choose to live with someone like her caricature-bad ex, even when none liked him. Only Will seemed to be ‘real’.
Of course, my favorite character is Tia. I could visualize her and Sophie’s mom, Elizabeth, with ease. Sophie paled in comparison, and even during the climax, her presence didn’t really elevate the scene. She just didn’t seem strong enough despite the scene being written for her to prove her worth. That diminished the impact a little, but Tia's presence made up for it.
To sum up, The Book Binder’s Daughter has a lovely premise and beautiful world-building. The premise demands nothing less than the best, and the story needed better execution. It’s good but doesn’t make me go wow.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #TheBookBindersDaughter
Sophie gets a job offer to work at the Ayredale Library as a bookbinder. Her uncle, Edward, holds a prominent position at the library. Her mother has last disappeared from the same place fifteen years ago. Her father, too, used to work there until the incident made him break his ties with the Library and everyone associated with it. Sophie has little memory of the past but wants to find the truth.
Getting away from a manipulative ex, Sophie finally begins to feel at home in the strange Library. With Will, her childhood friend and first love, being the guardian, Sophie starts to reestablish herself and dig through her memories to fill the gaps. The Library and the antique books have always called to her. In fact, they sing to her, luring her into a place of no return.
However, the ancient power demands sacrifice and control. As Sophie’s memory returns in bits and others fill in the blanks, can she give what it takes to be the Binder of the Library?
The premise and the cover were enticing, and I couldn’t resist requesting the book. The story starts with Sophie in London, living with her ex and working as a binder at another prestigious library, albeit a non-magical one.
After much hesitation and a reality check, Sophie accepts the offer to work at the Ayredale Library. She realizes that she can remember much more than she imagined, and Will occupies a good portion of them.
The writing is engaging. I wasn’t sure of the insta love between Sophie and Will, but it worked decently well in the overall plotline. Will’s character sure helped to see their love track in a positive light. The imagery is vivid and easy to imagine.
The pacing went a bit up and down; sometimes slow, sometimes too fast. A couple of other characters were interesting enough but could have had more depth. They don’t ‘come to life’ in the book. The same goes for Sophie, in a way. Somehow, it feels odd that she would choose to live with someone like her caricature-bad ex, even when none liked him. Only Will seemed to be ‘real’.
Of course, my favorite character is Tia. I could visualize her and Sophie’s mom, Elizabeth, with ease. Sophie paled in comparison, and even during the climax, her presence didn’t really elevate the scene. She just didn’t seem strong enough despite the scene being written for her to prove her worth. That diminished the impact a little, but Tia's presence made up for it.
To sum up, The Book Binder’s Daughter has a lovely premise and beautiful world-building. The premise demands nothing less than the best, and the story needed better execution. It’s good but doesn’t make me go wow.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #TheBookBindersDaughter
![మిథునం [Midhunam] by Sri Ramana](/assets/placeholder-cover-a3ae92250eb3301e32dc3eabf8d50576c2f047dda89f6ee7cfa9a859cb1fd746.jpg)
Disclaimer: I picked this book for the reading prompt- a book set in your hometown.
Though my mother tongue is Telugu, I haven’t read as many works as should I have. However, I grew up listening to many of them as my father narrated the stories (yeah, my own version of an audiobook).
Mithunam is no different, except that my mom did the honors. I can read the book myself, but hey, it’s a special feeling when parents do it. The book has a total of eight stories, the last of which is the book’s title, and was made into an equally heart-touching movie. Of course, the story was tweaked a bit, but you’ve got to watch this movie.
Midhunam Movie
The first story in the book is Aarati puvvu Samuloru (Banana Flower Swamiji). It’s a parody and satire on gullible folk, con men, politicians, and media. Lighthearted and fun to read.
The second story is Tene lo Cheema (Ant in the Honey), a metaphor used to show how a person provided with privileges (sweet honey) doesn’t necessarily get to enjoy them, nor can they escape from the situation (sticky honey).
The story is about how a poor farmer suffers because of ego clashes between the two rich men, who are incidentally related to each other. The story has a slightly sarcastic tone, but we see glimpses of emotional outbursts to emphasize the irony of the situation and the helplessness of the poor farmer. The emotional bits are let go with the leash on so that nothing becomes dramatic or overwhelming. Brilliant!
The third story is Varalamma Baavi (Varalamma is a person, literally translates to a woman/ mother who blesses or gives boons, and Baavi is a well). It’s a story based on Hindu Muslim communities living in the same village and how an old healer is loved by them all. Differences that arise are sorted on their own when something major happens and shifts focus.
Set in two periods (50 years apart from each other), it shows how the bond has always been fragile. What stayed with me was the narrator’s surprise to see the women previously free dressed in a burqa when the world had advanced forward by 50 years.
The fourth story is Dhana Lakshmi (the name of a Goddess (signifies money) and is commonly used to name girls). This one is about a young enterprising woman who was forced to put an end to her education during her third class. Her brain is a marvel, and the way she builds the family’s wealth through hard and smart work is top class. I’m told this story was used in the IIMs to explain the importance of noticing and grabbing opportunities to become successful. Life hasn’t been easy for her being the wife of an average guy with a huge ego, but she keeps her home and business thriving.
The fifth story is Soda Naidu. It’s about a boy who shadows the soda seller in his village because he wants the blue marble fixed in the neck of the soda bottle. In fact, the drink is aerated water and called goli (marble) soda. It’s a lighthearted story that leaves us with a sense of peace and happiness as it ends.
The soda bottles look like this:
The sixth is Bangaaru Murugulu (Gold Bracelets) and one of my favorite stories from the book. It’s about a widowed grandmother’s love for her only grandson. Murugulu are wrist bands that look like a combination of bangles and bracelets. It is a heartwarming story, so warm that you’ll want to hug your granny or mom and never let them go ever again.
Set in native Andhra village like every other story, it’s a delight to read and imagine the land so full of such ordinary yet beautiful people. The story also tackles a couple of social subjects, albeit in grandma’s kickass style. That’s one lady ahead of her time.
The seventh is titled Pelli (Marriage) and is a perfect satire about the corruption and under-the-table dealings rampant among government employees and politicians. The backdrop is the wedding of a govt. executive and the story aims to show the true faces of these people with loads of humor and sarcasm.
The eighth is the title story, Midhunam (Gemini), aptly described as the relationship between two people. The cover picture shows an old couple recreated in the ardha-naareswara style, represented by Shiva and Parvati.
Picture reference below:
It’s not surprising that this one has been made into a movie. It’s a love story that’s not a love story. When you first start reading, you’ll wonder how a couple can be so snarky and how much they dislike each other. As you read, you’ll realize the unspoken love and affection between them. The story will make you teary-eyed and leave you with a multitude of emotions. Who wouldn’t want a relationship like that! The relationship is not perfect; it doesn't need to be. It's real, and that matters more.
To sum up, Midhunam has been a delightful experience, and I can see why my father has read the book multiple times and can narrate the stories from memory.
Though my mother tongue is Telugu, I haven’t read as many works as should I have. However, I grew up listening to many of them as my father narrated the stories (yeah, my own version of an audiobook).
Mithunam is no different, except that my mom did the honors. I can read the book myself, but hey, it’s a special feeling when parents do it. The book has a total of eight stories, the last of which is the book’s title, and was made into an equally heart-touching movie. Of course, the story was tweaked a bit, but you’ve got to watch this movie.
Midhunam Movie
The first story in the book is Aarati puvvu Samuloru (Banana Flower Swamiji). It’s a parody and satire on gullible folk, con men, politicians, and media. Lighthearted and fun to read.
The second story is Tene lo Cheema (Ant in the Honey), a metaphor used to show how a person provided with privileges (sweet honey) doesn’t necessarily get to enjoy them, nor can they escape from the situation (sticky honey).
The story is about how a poor farmer suffers because of ego clashes between the two rich men, who are incidentally related to each other. The story has a slightly sarcastic tone, but we see glimpses of emotional outbursts to emphasize the irony of the situation and the helplessness of the poor farmer. The emotional bits are let go with the leash on so that nothing becomes dramatic or overwhelming. Brilliant!
The third story is Varalamma Baavi (Varalamma is a person, literally translates to a woman/ mother who blesses or gives boons, and Baavi is a well). It’s a story based on Hindu Muslim communities living in the same village and how an old healer is loved by them all. Differences that arise are sorted on their own when something major happens and shifts focus.
Set in two periods (50 years apart from each other), it shows how the bond has always been fragile. What stayed with me was the narrator’s surprise to see the women previously free dressed in a burqa when the world had advanced forward by 50 years.
The fourth story is Dhana Lakshmi (the name of a Goddess (signifies money) and is commonly used to name girls). This one is about a young enterprising woman who was forced to put an end to her education during her third class. Her brain is a marvel, and the way she builds the family’s wealth through hard and smart work is top class. I’m told this story was used in the IIMs to explain the importance of noticing and grabbing opportunities to become successful. Life hasn’t been easy for her being the wife of an average guy with a huge ego, but she keeps her home and business thriving.
The fifth story is Soda Naidu. It’s about a boy who shadows the soda seller in his village because he wants the blue marble fixed in the neck of the soda bottle. In fact, the drink is aerated water and called goli (marble) soda. It’s a lighthearted story that leaves us with a sense of peace and happiness as it ends.
The soda bottles look like this:
The sixth is Bangaaru Murugulu (Gold Bracelets) and one of my favorite stories from the book. It’s about a widowed grandmother’s love for her only grandson. Murugulu are wrist bands that look like a combination of bangles and bracelets. It is a heartwarming story, so warm that you’ll want to hug your granny or mom and never let them go ever again.
Set in native Andhra village like every other story, it’s a delight to read and imagine the land so full of such ordinary yet beautiful people. The story also tackles a couple of social subjects, albeit in grandma’s kickass style. That’s one lady ahead of her time.
The seventh is titled Pelli (Marriage) and is a perfect satire about the corruption and under-the-table dealings rampant among government employees and politicians. The backdrop is the wedding of a govt. executive and the story aims to show the true faces of these people with loads of humor and sarcasm.
The eighth is the title story, Midhunam (Gemini), aptly described as the relationship between two people. The cover picture shows an old couple recreated in the ardha-naareswara style, represented by Shiva and Parvati.
Picture reference below:
It’s not surprising that this one has been made into a movie. It’s a love story that’s not a love story. When you first start reading, you’ll wonder how a couple can be so snarky and how much they dislike each other. As you read, you’ll realize the unspoken love and affection between them. The story will make you teary-eyed and leave you with a multitude of emotions. Who wouldn’t want a relationship like that! The relationship is not perfect; it doesn't need to be. It's real, and that matters more.
To sum up, Midhunam has been a delightful experience, and I can see why my father has read the book multiple times and can narrate the stories from memory.