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The book is a collection of ten short stories set in the same region. The kids from each story study in the same school, each with a short backstory of their own. The writing is simple and age-appropriate.
The stories are lighthearted yet deal with serious issues the way most kids do.
Naturally, I liked some a lot more than others, but the collection is a worthy read.
The stories are lighthearted yet deal with serious issues the way most kids do.
Naturally, I liked some a lot more than others, but the collection is a worthy read.
4.3 Stars
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Read the full review here.
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Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village is a short illustrated travelogue or a humor novella written with the good intention of saving lives. I appreciate the author’s efforts to come with this book and save unfortunate tourists from increasing the already high death count in English villages.
The illustrations are perfect in their 50 shades of grey (minus erotica) and the fresh scarlet red to remind us of blood. Death follows us everywhere in a sleepy, cute, and tiny English village, and there’s no escaping it.
The tongue-in-the-cheek humor and the author’s dry wit are a potent combination. They bring alive the deadly secrets (pun intended) of unassuming English villages. As a fan of Agatha Christie and historical cozy mysteries, I loved just about everything in the book.
Nothing gets too much, nor does anything get boring (how can death even be boring!). From village churches to vicars, spinsters, gossip lovers, manor stairs, the hounds, the freely available knives, poison vials, and scheming members, we’ve got to be wary of everything.
The book works as a breather between heavy reads or as a little stress buster after a long day of work. Pick it up when you need to laugh (only if you have a twisted sense of humor) and feel the day’s weight slip of the shoulders.
Thank you, NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/ Ten Speed Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#YourGuidetoNotGettingMurderedinaQuaintEnglishVillage #NetGalley
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Read the full review here.
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Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village is a short illustrated travelogue or a humor novella written with the good intention of saving lives. I appreciate the author’s efforts to come with this book and save unfortunate tourists from increasing the already high death count in English villages.
The illustrations are perfect in their 50 shades of grey (minus erotica) and the fresh scarlet red to remind us of blood. Death follows us everywhere in a sleepy, cute, and tiny English village, and there’s no escaping it.
The tongue-in-the-cheek humor and the author’s dry wit are a potent combination. They bring alive the deadly secrets (pun intended) of unassuming English villages. As a fan of Agatha Christie and historical cozy mysteries, I loved just about everything in the book.
Nothing gets too much, nor does anything get boring (how can death even be boring!). From village churches to vicars, spinsters, gossip lovers, manor stairs, the hounds, the freely available knives, poison vials, and scheming members, we’ve got to be wary of everything.
The book works as a breather between heavy reads or as a little stress buster after a long day of work. Pick it up when you need to laugh (only if you have a twisted sense of humor) and feel the day’s weight slip of the shoulders.
Thank you, NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/ Ten Speed Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#YourGuidetoNotGettingMurderedinaQuaintEnglishVillage #NetGalley
3.5 Stars
Ah, I’m quite conflicted about this book. The message is fab and shows that there’s nothing wrong with stuttering. It’s just a part of the person/ child.
Oliver is one such seven-year-old with a pretty regular lifestyle- school, home, games, imagination, etc. But he stutters and thus doesn’t speak, avoiding it as much as possible.
When his teacher announces an ‘all about me’ project, Oliver confessions his fears to his mom. She helps him understand and guides him in creating the presentation. The book ends with Oliver overcoming his fears and speaking in front of his classmates.
We never know how they react. That’s very important when you teach a kid to go on and talk about things that make them feel bad or different. Maybe another page or two showing that his friends responded kindly would have helped.
Now, coming to the illustrations… They sure are good, but seemed a little too much. No issues with detailing. However, Oliver and his multiple faces (that too in pretty big size) take away the focus from the topic. At a couple of places, I felt as if the expression and the emotion didn’t exactly match.
That said, the book deals with an important topic, so rounding it off to three stars.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#WhenOliverSpeaks #NetGalley
Ah, I’m quite conflicted about this book. The message is fab and shows that there’s nothing wrong with stuttering. It’s just a part of the person/ child.
Oliver is one such seven-year-old with a pretty regular lifestyle- school, home, games, imagination, etc. But he stutters and thus doesn’t speak, avoiding it as much as possible.
When his teacher announces an ‘all about me’ project, Oliver confessions his fears to his mom. She helps him understand and guides him in creating the presentation. The book ends with Oliver overcoming his fears and speaking in front of his classmates.
We never know how they react. That’s very important when you teach a kid to go on and talk about things that make them feel bad or different. Maybe another page or two showing that his friends responded kindly would have helped.
Now, coming to the illustrations… They sure are good, but seemed a little too much. No issues with detailing. However, Oliver and his multiple faces (that too in pretty big size) take away the focus from the topic. At a couple of places, I felt as if the expression and the emotion didn’t exactly match.
That said, the book deals with an important topic, so rounding it off to three stars.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#WhenOliverSpeaks #NetGalley
It's been years since a read a book from the In Death series. However, it was an effortless read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Nora Robert's writing flows most of the time, and I love how it increases my reading pace.
This being the second book, has Eve still battling with her demons and her attraction towards Roarke. The case is compact, exciting, and with a believable conclusion. No twists or sudden surprises. The clues are laid out and sorted into neat patterns and are revealed at the right time.
This being the second book, has Eve still battling with her demons and her attraction towards Roarke. The case is compact, exciting, and with a believable conclusion. No twists or sudden surprises. The clues are laid out and sorted into neat patterns and are revealed at the right time.
To think it took me as many years to read this book when I read Huck Finn thrice!
The book is just how Tom would be. Dramatic, funny, witty, adventurous, crazy, and cute.
That's it. That's the review. :)
P.S: Remember when it was written and see it in its context.
The book is just how Tom would be. Dramatic, funny, witty, adventurous, crazy, and cute.
That's it. That's the review. :)
P.S: Remember when it was written and see it in its context.
**Happy Publication Day**
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4 Stars
1920, Los Angeles: Letitia Hawking has sailed from England a few months ago to bury her past and lead a new life. She spends her days traversing the path between the living and dead. Her clients want some closure after their loved ones die, and Letitia offers them that. However, she is genuine material with strong powers and has strict rules about what cases she would take up and which she wouldn’t.
Alasdair Driscoll is tormented. His niece Finola has been seeing horrible things, and none of them know how to save her. Letitia is annoyed by his rude approach and terrified by the dark shadow haunting him. She doesn’t want to tangle with shadows again.
But she decides to take a step forward and help Finola. The girl needed saving, and Letitia could at least try and prevent the girl from being further tortured.
Time moves on, and before she knows it, Letitia is in the middle of a criminal case for helping a grieving father. Driscoll and his lawyering services come to her aid. Undecided about the growing attraction between them, Letitia is rather torn about what to do.
However, things take a turn for worse, and Letitia realizes that she needs to open the closed part of her if she wants to defeat the malicious shadow that’s hurting little kids. But is she strong enough to venture into a territory she swore never to enter? Will she succumb as she did the last time? What price does Letitia have to pay for interfering with the presence of evil?
The book starts on a steady note and progresses quite well. The setting is atmospheric, with a few lighthearted scenes added to the mix.
Letitia’s character has been crafted with care. She has her insecurities and vulnerabilities but is assertive and authoritative when required. Alasdair starts out as a rich rude man but shows his good side soon enough.
I think Abby was that one character I wasn’t too happy with. Her reactions were unexpected and either too demure or too excessive. Luckily, she doesn’t have a major role, and I could ignore most of it.
The final confrontation scene stretched over a good number of pages, and that worked in the story’s favor (at least for me). Of course, the ending could have been better though there is HEA. That complication felt unnecessary and seemed like it was used to tick off a trope from the list.
As a horror story, the book does very well and balances atmosphere with action, and is suitable for newbie horror readers. The author didn’t opt for explicit gore even though she could have done it. I appreciate this move as it made the book a better read.
To sum up, Behind the Veil is an engaging read with a steady pace and a good storyline. It’s nothing unusual or unique, but the overall effect is satisfactory, and that matters to me.
The book comes with content warnings. That said, the author doesn’t use any graphic descriptions. The themes, however, might trigger a few readers. Please read with caution.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and BooksGoSocial and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#BehindTheVeil #NetGalley
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4 Stars
1920, Los Angeles: Letitia Hawking has sailed from England a few months ago to bury her past and lead a new life. She spends her days traversing the path between the living and dead. Her clients want some closure after their loved ones die, and Letitia offers them that. However, she is genuine material with strong powers and has strict rules about what cases she would take up and which she wouldn’t.
Alasdair Driscoll is tormented. His niece Finola has been seeing horrible things, and none of them know how to save her. Letitia is annoyed by his rude approach and terrified by the dark shadow haunting him. She doesn’t want to tangle with shadows again.
But she decides to take a step forward and help Finola. The girl needed saving, and Letitia could at least try and prevent the girl from being further tortured.
Time moves on, and before she knows it, Letitia is in the middle of a criminal case for helping a grieving father. Driscoll and his lawyering services come to her aid. Undecided about the growing attraction between them, Letitia is rather torn about what to do.
However, things take a turn for worse, and Letitia realizes that she needs to open the closed part of her if she wants to defeat the malicious shadow that’s hurting little kids. But is she strong enough to venture into a territory she swore never to enter? Will she succumb as she did the last time? What price does Letitia have to pay for interfering with the presence of evil?
The book starts on a steady note and progresses quite well. The setting is atmospheric, with a few lighthearted scenes added to the mix.
Letitia’s character has been crafted with care. She has her insecurities and vulnerabilities but is assertive and authoritative when required. Alasdair starts out as a rich rude man but shows his good side soon enough.
I think Abby was that one character I wasn’t too happy with. Her reactions were unexpected and either too demure or too excessive. Luckily, she doesn’t have a major role, and I could ignore most of it.
The final confrontation scene stretched over a good number of pages, and that worked in the story’s favor (at least for me). Of course, the ending could have been better though there is HEA. That complication felt unnecessary and seemed like it was used to tick off a trope from the list.
As a horror story, the book does very well and balances atmosphere with action, and is suitable for newbie horror readers. The author didn’t opt for explicit gore even though she could have done it. I appreciate this move as it made the book a better read.
To sum up, Behind the Veil is an engaging read with a steady pace and a good storyline. It’s nothing unusual or unique, but the overall effect is satisfactory, and that matters to me.
The book comes with content warnings. That said, the author doesn’t use any graphic descriptions. The themes, however, might trigger a few readers. Please read with caution.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and BooksGoSocial and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#BehindTheVeil #NetGalley
4.3 Stars
One Liner: Twisted as hell. Not for the fainthearted.
TW:
Small towns may look perfect from the outside but are full of secrets no one wants to reveal. Nine years ago, a dead body was found in the well on Leo’s property. The killer is never caught. Soon, Leo and Cassie, two teenagers in love, get separated when Leo ends up in an accident. The event puts him in prison and away from the only girl he has ever loved.
Cassie has lost everything that night but continues to exist with neither hope nor any desire to make her life better. Leo comes back to the town and is on parole when another girl goes missing.
Cassie's stepdad is the town’s sheriff and is determined to keep Leo away from Cassie in one way or another. After what seems like an eternity, Cassie realizes that she needs to take control of her life. That means she has to find the missing girl and solve the past case.
But what does it do to her? Where will her quest for truth lead her?
The book is 360 pages long and goes by super quick. I finished it two days (appx. 3+ hours). The chapters are short and rush by. The narration slows down around 20-40% and picks up pace again.
The POV shifts between Cassie and Leo most of the time, with another third POV towards the end. The storyline goes back and forth a little, but it’s all neatly planned. There’s no confusion anywhere.
Events are revealed one after another, and we realize things aren’t what they are. The characters get darker and more twisted, except for (not saying). Most of them are bad. That’s it. No redeeming arc or even a single likable attribute.
The dark mood sustains throughout. There is no respite or a breather at any point. The story keeps pushing worse stuff as we turn the pages.
Cassie has a great arc and is the major narrator of the book. She starts as a hopeless alcoholic. Her actual personality comes out only towards the end, and we see what Cassie is capable of.
Coming to the rest of the story, there were a few things left loose. That dimmed the story’s appeal a wee bit. That shouldn’t stop you from picking this one, though.
To sum up, The Field of Wrongdoing is twisted, messed up, dark, and even suffocating at times. This one is no causal read.
Thank you, NetGalley and Level 4 Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#TheFieldofWrongdoing #NetGalley
One Liner: Twisted as hell. Not for the fainthearted.
TW:
Spoiler
Rape, Attempted suicide, animal death, incest.Small towns may look perfect from the outside but are full of secrets no one wants to reveal. Nine years ago, a dead body was found in the well on Leo’s property. The killer is never caught. Soon, Leo and Cassie, two teenagers in love, get separated when Leo ends up in an accident. The event puts him in prison and away from the only girl he has ever loved.
Cassie has lost everything that night but continues to exist with neither hope nor any desire to make her life better. Leo comes back to the town and is on parole when another girl goes missing.
Cassie's stepdad is the town’s sheriff and is determined to keep Leo away from Cassie in one way or another. After what seems like an eternity, Cassie realizes that she needs to take control of her life. That means she has to find the missing girl and solve the past case.
But what does it do to her? Where will her quest for truth lead her?
The book is 360 pages long and goes by super quick. I finished it two days (appx. 3+ hours). The chapters are short and rush by. The narration slows down around 20-40% and picks up pace again.
The POV shifts between Cassie and Leo most of the time, with another third POV towards the end. The storyline goes back and forth a little, but it’s all neatly planned. There’s no confusion anywhere.
Events are revealed one after another, and we realize things aren’t what they are. The characters get darker and more twisted, except for (not saying). Most of them are bad. That’s it. No redeeming arc or even a single likable attribute.
The dark mood sustains throughout. There is no respite or a breather at any point. The story keeps pushing worse stuff as we turn the pages.
Cassie has a great arc and is the major narrator of the book. She starts as a hopeless alcoholic. Her actual personality comes out only towards the end, and we see what Cassie is capable of.
Coming to the rest of the story, there were a few things left loose. That dimmed the story’s appeal a wee bit. That shouldn’t stop you from picking this one, though.
To sum up, The Field of Wrongdoing is twisted, messed up, dark, and even suffocating at times. This one is no causal read.
Thank you, NetGalley and Level 4 Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#TheFieldofWrongdoing #NetGalley
4 Stars
This is a sweet book about Pete, who waits at his daycare for his mom to come and pick him up. She drops him in the morning saying, ‘around the sun and over the moon. I’ll be back soon…’.
Pete plays with his friends, takes a nap, has food, and swings outside, waving goodbye to his friends and their parents/ caretakers/ grandparents who come to pick them up.
That day, his mother arrives a little late, and Pete feels sad. But he isn’t worried because he knows she’ll come. And soon enough, his mom comes, hugs him, and they go back home.
The book is for 4+ kids, and boy, it reminded me of my kindergarten days. Let’s just say that I wasn’t like Pete. And well, after multiple attempts, my parents got me directly admitted into the first standard the next year.
The illustrations are beautiful, with emotions showing on every character’s face. I only wished the text was bigger. Please, please have bigger text in picture books.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Clavis Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ClavisPublishing #NetGalley
This is a sweet book about Pete, who waits at his daycare for his mom to come and pick him up. She drops him in the morning saying, ‘around the sun and over the moon. I’ll be back soon…’.
Pete plays with his friends, takes a nap, has food, and swings outside, waving goodbye to his friends and their parents/ caretakers/ grandparents who come to pick them up.
That day, his mother arrives a little late, and Pete feels sad. But he isn’t worried because he knows she’ll come. And soon enough, his mom comes, hugs him, and they go back home.
The book is for 4+ kids, and boy, it reminded me of my kindergarten days. Let’s just say that I wasn’t like Pete. And well, after multiple attempts, my parents got me directly admitted into the first standard the next year.
The illustrations are beautiful, with emotions showing on every character’s face. I only wished the text was bigger. Please, please have bigger text in picture books.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Clavis Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ClavisPublishing #NetGalley
4.5 Stars
Will You Be the I in Kind is a book about how to be kind to others and the environment. A paper with the word ‘kind’ is missing an I. It goes around asking kids to be that ‘I’.
They say they’d love to and ask how they can do it. Each of them gets to do a selfless task, something as simple as smiling at others or allowing another kid to go first.
Together, the kids form a huge 'I' in kind because that’s how kindness should be. The book is beautiful. The illustrations are so vibrant and full of life. The characters are diverse (to an extent) and cute, kids who want to really do something good to make others happy.
The author has added a note at the end for parents and educators to start discussions with kids and make them understand the importance of being empathetic towards others.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and National Center for Youth Issues and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#WillYouBetheIinKind #NetGalley
Will You Be the I in Kind is a book about how to be kind to others and the environment. A paper with the word ‘kind’ is missing an I. It goes around asking kids to be that ‘I’.
They say they’d love to and ask how they can do it. Each of them gets to do a selfless task, something as simple as smiling at others or allowing another kid to go first.
Together, the kids form a huge 'I' in kind because that’s how kindness should be. The book is beautiful. The illustrations are so vibrant and full of life. The characters are diverse (to an extent) and cute, kids who want to really do something good to make others happy.
The author has added a note at the end for parents and educators to start discussions with kids and make them understand the importance of being empathetic towards others.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and National Center for Youth Issues and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#WillYouBetheIinKind #NetGalley
**Happy publication day**
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3.8 Stars
Metsan Valo is an ancient family house on Lake Superior. After her Mummo’s (grandmother) death, Anni Halla goes back to the house to meet the rest of the family and know about Mummo’s will.
Anni and Theo, her twin brother, grew up in Metsan Velo, listening to stories about forests, vaki (forest spirits), and the pact between the Halla family and vaki.
As the family arrives, one after another, tension fills the house, and mysterious events take place around them. The caretakers, Martin and Meri, talk in circles and don’t make much sense. Why are the woods angry? Who wants to harm the family that’s still grieving the loss of their beloved elder?
Even before Anni can find answers, a tragedy strikes, followed by another. Things are spiraling out of control, and Anni has no idea how to find a way out. Can she believe in her Mummo’s tales and find a solution before it is too late?
This is my first book by the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed her prose. It is evocative and strong. The setting is my ever favorite- an old home in a forest full of secrets. The hint of paranormal suspense and the setting are the main reasons I requested this book.
The characters are well-written, and some of them have a surreal touch. This complements the storyline very well. The relationship between the twins felt warm, loving, and comforting. The family drama is controlled and sorted (a little too easily solved, maybe).
I liked how Anni is neither overly eager to believe in the folklore. But at the same time, she doesn’t hesitate to consider the possibility. It added to her character and made her quite real.
The suspense builds during the first half and continues in the second. The consistent increase in suspense led me to believe that there would one a major climax (a showdown of sorts) to match the rise. That’s where I was disappointed. The climax drifted and settled without any drama. I kept waiting for it, and the ends were already being tied and tidied.
That one scene I felt was crucial to the central plot was mentioned in less than a page (more as an afterthought)! What started as a 4 + book ended up less than 4. Still, the book has closure and even a happy ending. And I could finish it in two days (though I read past my reading time).
I’ve added 2-3 previous books of the author to my TBR just to enjoy her prose and the paranormal elements. Some reviewers mentioned this book is different from the previous ones, and that got me curious. Let’s see how I feel about them.
Overall, The Keepers of Metsan Velo is a lovely book if you like the same elements as I do. However, don’t expect much in terms of unfolding the suspense and acting on it.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheKeepersofMetsanValo #NetGalley
P.S: I’m off to read more about vaki and Nordic folklore.
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3.8 Stars
Metsan Valo is an ancient family house on Lake Superior. After her Mummo’s (grandmother) death, Anni Halla goes back to the house to meet the rest of the family and know about Mummo’s will.
Anni and Theo, her twin brother, grew up in Metsan Velo, listening to stories about forests, vaki (forest spirits), and the pact between the Halla family and vaki.
As the family arrives, one after another, tension fills the house, and mysterious events take place around them. The caretakers, Martin and Meri, talk in circles and don’t make much sense. Why are the woods angry? Who wants to harm the family that’s still grieving the loss of their beloved elder?
Even before Anni can find answers, a tragedy strikes, followed by another. Things are spiraling out of control, and Anni has no idea how to find a way out. Can she believe in her Mummo’s tales and find a solution before it is too late?
This is my first book by the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed her prose. It is evocative and strong. The setting is my ever favorite- an old home in a forest full of secrets. The hint of paranormal suspense and the setting are the main reasons I requested this book.
The characters are well-written, and some of them have a surreal touch. This complements the storyline very well. The relationship between the twins felt warm, loving, and comforting. The family drama is controlled and sorted (a little too easily solved, maybe).
I liked how Anni is neither overly eager to believe in the folklore. But at the same time, she doesn’t hesitate to consider the possibility. It added to her character and made her quite real.
The suspense builds during the first half and continues in the second. The consistent increase in suspense led me to believe that there would one a major climax (a showdown of sorts) to match the rise. That’s where I was disappointed. The climax drifted and settled without any drama. I kept waiting for it, and the ends were already being tied and tidied.
That one scene I felt was crucial to the central plot was mentioned in less than a page (more as an afterthought)! What started as a 4 + book ended up less than 4. Still, the book has closure and even a happy ending. And I could finish it in two days (though I read past my reading time).
I’ve added 2-3 previous books of the author to my TBR just to enjoy her prose and the paranormal elements. Some reviewers mentioned this book is different from the previous ones, and that got me curious. Let’s see how I feel about them.
Overall, The Keepers of Metsan Velo is a lovely book if you like the same elements as I do. However, don’t expect much in terms of unfolding the suspense and acting on it.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheKeepersofMetsanValo #NetGalley
P.S: I’m off to read more about vaki and Nordic folklore.