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Well, it was ok. The descriptions of New Zealand was good. I enjoyed reading about the cold weather. Apart from that, the story was of course simple enough. Just that I am really not sure why it was titled 'Courageous Doctor'.
I enjoyed the hospital scenes and how the doctors, nurses, etc have to alert and working almost 24*7.
I enjoyed the hospital scenes and how the doctors, nurses, etc have to alert and working almost 24*7.
4.5 Stars
One-Liner: A delicious collection of tidbits about the City of Joy by a Kolkata girl.
Tilottama at a Glance is much more than a compilation of information about Kolkata. It’s the heart and soul of a Kolkata girl proclaiming her love for the city, its history, and its people.
It’s a short and sweet book compiled from the A to Z blog posts written for the yearly A to Z Blogging Challenge. From the Addas to street food to Eden Gardens, Chor Bazaar, and Durga Pujo, the book touches on several aspects that are intrinsic to the city.
Some of them reminded me of the beauty of my own city, while the fish festival took me to my native state, where a similar event occurs every year.
I traveled with the author as I flipped the pages, seeing the city with her eyes and listening to the bustling crowd with her ears.
Read Tilottama at a Glance not to know more about Kolkata but to feel it the way the locals do. Every word in the book reflects the author’s love for her beloved city.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. The views expressed in the review are my own.
Note: A version of the book was previously available under the title, Kolkata Chronicles: An A To Z Guide For The Uninitiated.
One-Liner: A delicious collection of tidbits about the City of Joy by a Kolkata girl.
Tilottama at a Glance is much more than a compilation of information about Kolkata. It’s the heart and soul of a Kolkata girl proclaiming her love for the city, its history, and its people.
It’s a short and sweet book compiled from the A to Z blog posts written for the yearly A to Z Blogging Challenge. From the Addas to street food to Eden Gardens, Chor Bazaar, and Durga Pujo, the book touches on several aspects that are intrinsic to the city.
Some of them reminded me of the beauty of my own city, while the fish festival took me to my native state, where a similar event occurs every year.
I traveled with the author as I flipped the pages, seeing the city with her eyes and listening to the bustling crowd with her ears.
Read Tilottama at a Glance not to know more about Kolkata but to feel it the way the locals do. Every word in the book reflects the author’s love for her beloved city.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. The views expressed in the review are my own.
Note: A version of the book was previously available under the title, Kolkata Chronicles: An A To Z Guide For The Uninitiated.
3.8 Stars
Garden of Sins brings the famous photojournalist Sarah and her police officer husband, Barrett, back into action. This time, Sarah has more than her hands full with her father’s trial (a cold case), her sister’s anger as Sarah is still doubtful about her father’s innocence, the death of a stranger, the mysterious events at Cremorne Gardens, and the trouble in her newly married life.
It’s too much to handle at once, but Sarah knows she has to do what she always did- tackle things head-on and trust her instincts.
With danger and mistrust surrounding her, can Sarah come out victorious and save her marriage?
I directly read book 5 last year and enjoyed the unconventional heroine from the Victorian era. The book doesn’t deal with nobles and balls but rather with the common folk. Though the language seems a bit too modern at times, I don’t mind it much.
Book 6 brings a sort of closure to a couple of sidetracks from book 5. While the previous book wasn’t that hard to read and understand as a standalone, this one is different. It might seem too vague and messy without book 5 to support the storylines of-
• Sarah’s father’s trial
• The triangle of Sarah-Barrett-Jane
Both these have been more or less resolved in this book. The father’s trail is sorted (no spoilers) with a new twist that seems a bit too convenient.
The actual case of the book is centered on the illegal activities in the seedy pleasure park called the Cremorne Gardens. The case involves even the royalty, and we cannot expect the expected outcome in such instances, can we? (Yeah, that’s me trying to avoid spoilers)
Hugh is still recovering from his injury and heartbreak (ref: book 5). Mick and Anjali are more than friends, but Sarah is rightly worried about how it would affect the two. After all, they are still so young.
I guess we can do without the mandatory sex scene between the lead couple just for the sake of it.
The book progresses at a steady pace, and the climax has good action scenes. The mystery element isn’t the strength of the book. The characters are, and that’s where the knowledge of the previous book ensured that I enjoyed this one.
The author will have to come up with a new sidetrack for the next in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading that one (though I need to go back and finish books 1-4 in the meantime).
To sum up, Garden of Sins is an interesting and engaging continuation of the Portrait of Peril. I’m not sure it’ll hold the readers’ interest as a standalone despite the backstory provided in bits and pieces.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#GardenofSins #NetGalley
Garden of Sins brings the famous photojournalist Sarah and her police officer husband, Barrett, back into action. This time, Sarah has more than her hands full with her father’s trial (a cold case), her sister’s anger as Sarah is still doubtful about her father’s innocence, the death of a stranger, the mysterious events at Cremorne Gardens, and the trouble in her newly married life.
It’s too much to handle at once, but Sarah knows she has to do what she always did- tackle things head-on and trust her instincts.
With danger and mistrust surrounding her, can Sarah come out victorious and save her marriage?
I directly read book 5 last year and enjoyed the unconventional heroine from the Victorian era. The book doesn’t deal with nobles and balls but rather with the common folk. Though the language seems a bit too modern at times, I don’t mind it much.
Book 6 brings a sort of closure to a couple of sidetracks from book 5. While the previous book wasn’t that hard to read and understand as a standalone, this one is different. It might seem too vague and messy without book 5 to support the storylines of-
• Sarah’s father’s trial
• The triangle of Sarah-Barrett-Jane
Both these have been more or less resolved in this book. The father’s trail is sorted (no spoilers) with a new twist that seems a bit too convenient.
The actual case of the book is centered on the illegal activities in the seedy pleasure park called the Cremorne Gardens. The case involves even the royalty, and we cannot expect the expected outcome in such instances, can we? (Yeah, that’s me trying to avoid spoilers)
Hugh is still recovering from his injury and heartbreak (ref: book 5). Mick and Anjali are more than friends, but Sarah is rightly worried about how it would affect the two. After all, they are still so young.
I guess we can do without the mandatory sex scene between the lead couple just for the sake of it.
The book progresses at a steady pace, and the climax has good action scenes. The mystery element isn’t the strength of the book. The characters are, and that’s where the knowledge of the previous book ensured that I enjoyed this one.
The author will have to come up with a new sidetrack for the next in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading that one (though I need to go back and finish books 1-4 in the meantime).
To sum up, Garden of Sins is an interesting and engaging continuation of the Portrait of Peril. I’m not sure it’ll hold the readers’ interest as a standalone despite the backstory provided in bits and pieces.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#GardenofSins #NetGalley
4.5 Stars
This is such a sweet book! I love books where little kiddos show interest in gardening and plants. In this one, Lottie and Luke find that their dad has created a small vegetable garden box for them. The trio first goes to buy seeds and plants. Then they work on the dirt and plant their veggie garden.
It’s now time to wait, and Luke is impatient. The book ends, but hey, we can be sure that the garden is well taken care of. The story is simple and cute. The illustrations are super good. The expressions are oh-so-beautiful!
The book is for kids aged 3 and up, and the language works for them. The illustrations take center stage, and I loved them all.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Clavis Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#clavispublishing #NetGalley
This is such a sweet book! I love books where little kiddos show interest in gardening and plants. In this one, Lottie and Luke find that their dad has created a small vegetable garden box for them. The trio first goes to buy seeds and plants. Then they work on the dirt and plant their veggie garden.
It’s now time to wait, and Luke is impatient. The book ends, but hey, we can be sure that the garden is well taken care of. The story is simple and cute. The illustrations are super good. The expressions are oh-so-beautiful!
The book is for kids aged 3 and up, and the language works for them. The illustrations take center stage, and I loved them all.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Clavis Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#clavispublishing #NetGalley
*Link to the full review updated*
4 stars
One Liner: An enjoyable collection of eight stories from around the world.
Eight is a collection of eight stories with hints of magic, the afterlife, and otherworldly presence in each story. The non-human characters steer the stories in one way or another and create a beautiful reading experience.
Here’s a quote I loved before we see a glimpse of the stories. It aligns with what I believe about the present and the future.
Stories Listed as Per the Order of the Book
The Invisible Suitcase (France): Similar to dark chocolate- bittersweet and soulful.
Osterhase (Germany): Stefan’s life journey from being a boy to a man (it sure wasn’t easy for him).
The Butterfly Effect (Argentina): Mariposa cannot run away from Tango, no matter how much she hates it.
New Year, New You (Egypt): A soul that transcends over generations and decides to share his story at last.
Idol (South Korea): The world of K-Pop is much more than the fans and aspirants see. The best in the book.
The Perfect Wife (Hong Kong): A 50+ billionaire quest for the perfect woman gives him more than he bargained for.
Lala Lakshmi (India): This Diwali will change Lakshmi Chand forever, and he knows to be grateful for it.
A Thank You Would Be Nice (USA): Elaine, a 60-something flight purser knows how to deal with rude and thankless passengers, and it’s not what you think.
The stories are diverse enough to keep us interested from start to finish. The book has a few misses, too but gives a good impression overall. The cover is fondant on the cake (pun intended); perfect for the book.
P.S: Can’t help but wonder about the choice of countries. A majority of them stand out for being ‘exotic’. ;)
I received a complimentary copy from the author, Mango Tree Publications, and BookSirens. All views expressed are my own.
********
Read the full review here
4 stars
One Liner: An enjoyable collection of eight stories from around the world.
Eight is a collection of eight stories with hints of magic, the afterlife, and otherworldly presence in each story. The non-human characters steer the stories in one way or another and create a beautiful reading experience.
Here’s a quote I loved before we see a glimpse of the stories. It aligns with what I believe about the present and the future.
“Look at the future with one eye firmly fixed on the past. Everything is cyclical. It comes around again and again, and if you are perceptive enough, you will recognize the patterns.”
Stories Listed as Per the Order of the Book
The Invisible Suitcase (France): Similar to dark chocolate- bittersweet and soulful.
Osterhase (Germany): Stefan’s life journey from being a boy to a man (it sure wasn’t easy for him).
The Butterfly Effect (Argentina): Mariposa cannot run away from Tango, no matter how much she hates it.
New Year, New You (Egypt): A soul that transcends over generations and decides to share his story at last.
Idol (South Korea): The world of K-Pop is much more than the fans and aspirants see. The best in the book.
The Perfect Wife (Hong Kong): A 50+ billionaire quest for the perfect woman gives him more than he bargained for.
Lala Lakshmi (India): This Diwali will change Lakshmi Chand forever, and he knows to be grateful for it.
A Thank You Would Be Nice (USA): Elaine, a 60-something flight purser knows how to deal with rude and thankless passengers, and it’s not what you think.
The stories are diverse enough to keep us interested from start to finish. The book has a few misses, too but gives a good impression overall. The cover is fondant on the cake (pun intended); perfect for the book.
P.S: Can’t help but wonder about the choice of countries. A majority of them stand out for being ‘exotic’. ;)
I received a complimentary copy from the author, Mango Tree Publications, and BookSirens. All views expressed are my own.
********
Read the full review here
3.7 Stars
The Corporate Nature is a short book that tries to show the parallels between Nature and corporate structures. The uniqueness of the concept intrigued me.
The book deals with a range of concepts, starting with honey bees and proceeding to food chains, photosynthesis, octopus, mangroves, and so on. Each element of Nature is compared to a concept used in the corporate world. For example, the butterfly’s life cycle is aligned with the product life cycle.
It’s a small book of just 28 pages, which works in its favor. Given the topic and the analytical style of writing, the tone is a bit dry and impersonal. At the same time, there’s no fluff or unnecessary padding to make the book seem larger than it is.
Though the theme of the book is restrictive and is not for all readers, it’s an interesting work for those in the corporate world. It did remind me of my MBA days.
To sum up, The Corporate Nature is more of a study paper than a book and is a short and worthy read.
I received a review copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Corporate Nature is a short book that tries to show the parallels between Nature and corporate structures. The uniqueness of the concept intrigued me.
The book deals with a range of concepts, starting with honey bees and proceeding to food chains, photosynthesis, octopus, mangroves, and so on. Each element of Nature is compared to a concept used in the corporate world. For example, the butterfly’s life cycle is aligned with the product life cycle.
It’s a small book of just 28 pages, which works in its favor. Given the topic and the analytical style of writing, the tone is a bit dry and impersonal. At the same time, there’s no fluff or unnecessary padding to make the book seem larger than it is.
Though the theme of the book is restrictive and is not for all readers, it’s an interesting work for those in the corporate world. It did remind me of my MBA days.
To sum up, The Corporate Nature is more of a study paper than a book and is a short and worthy read.
I received a review copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Oh, my! Sidney is the cutest of the cutest. The book is about Sydney, a little sparrow that falls in love with music and wants to become a conductor. Everyone discourages her. Her family and teacher want Sydney to learn nest building and be a good sparrow. But all she wants is to be a music conductor!
The book shows how having a dream is not wrong just because it’s different from what others want. With determination and persistence, one can achieve their dreams. Being passionate about what you want is important.
There are tips at the end for parents and teachers to nurture kids to have ambitions and dreams of their own.
What I love the most about the book are the illustrations and attention to detail in them. Soft strokes, lovely colors, and wonderful expressions of the sparrows, perfect!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and National Center for Youth Issues and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#Songbird #NetGalley
The book shows how having a dream is not wrong just because it’s different from what others want. With determination and persistence, one can achieve their dreams. Being passionate about what you want is important.
There are tips at the end for parents and teachers to nurture kids to have ambitions and dreams of their own.
What I love the most about the book are the illustrations and attention to detail in them. Soft strokes, lovely colors, and wonderful expressions of the sparrows, perfect!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and National Center for Youth Issues and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#Songbird #NetGalley
4.5 Stars
This is such a cute little book about making new friends and being happy. Button is a teddy bear, and Squeaky is his pet balloon dog who never left the attic. Button takes him on an adventure to a park, and the story goes on from there.
The illustrations are soft, warm, and delightful. It’s got the old-world charm of sketching that made me smile throughout. The detailing in the illustrations is wonderful. We can see the different items stuffed in the attic. The book is full of laughter, happiness, and sweetness. Pick it up, and it’ll leave you smiling.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ButtonandSqueakyJImShoreHappyFoxBooksFoxChapelPublishing #NetGalley
This is such a cute little book about making new friends and being happy. Button is a teddy bear, and Squeaky is his pet balloon dog who never left the attic. Button takes him on an adventure to a park, and the story goes on from there.
The illustrations are soft, warm, and delightful. It’s got the old-world charm of sketching that made me smile throughout. The detailing in the illustrations is wonderful. We can see the different items stuffed in the attic. The book is full of laughter, happiness, and sweetness. Pick it up, and it’ll leave you smiling.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ButtonandSqueakyJImShoreHappyFoxBooksFoxChapelPublishing #NetGalley
4.5 Stars
This is such a charming book! The illustrations need a special mention. The book is almost nothing without them. And they are so, so beautiful, vibrant, and life-like.
The story is simple and cute. Teddy waters his garden and forgets to turn off the hose. When he sees it again, he’s surprised to notice a sea flowing in the garden. He sees various aquatic animals and has loads of fun before getting tired and falling asleep. When he wakes up, the garden is again transformed into something else.
The book is perfect for little ones who like bright and illustrations with imaginative storylines.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Windmill Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TeddyandtheGreatFlood #NetGalley
This is such a charming book! The illustrations need a special mention. The book is almost nothing without them. And they are so, so beautiful, vibrant, and life-like.
The story is simple and cute. Teddy waters his garden and forgets to turn off the hose. When he sees it again, he’s surprised to notice a sea flowing in the garden. He sees various aquatic animals and has loads of fun before getting tired and falling asleep. When he wakes up, the garden is again transformed into something else.
The book is perfect for little ones who like bright and illustrations with imaginative storylines.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Windmill Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TeddyandtheGreatFlood #NetGalley
4 Stars
Jake goes on his first fishing adventure with his grandpa. He learns how to fish, while Ava, the archerfish, is learning how to hunt from her uncle. What happens when Jake catches Ava in his first-ever fishing adventure?
The story is about empathy towards the marine life and how fishes also feel pain when caught. Jake is a sweet little boy who is worried about worms being hurt when used as bait and then happily lets go of the little fish he caught.
There’s full-page information at the end of the book about recreational fishing and its ill effects on marine life. The illustrations are in watercolors with tiny text to take the story forward. While the setting and the feel were real-like, something felt lacking in the overall narrative. I can’t put my finger on it, sorry.
Yet, the book is a good way to teach kids about treating insects and animals with love.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and BooksGoSocial and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#JakeandAvaABoyandaFish #NetGalley
Jake goes on his first fishing adventure with his grandpa. He learns how to fish, while Ava, the archerfish, is learning how to hunt from her uncle. What happens when Jake catches Ava in his first-ever fishing adventure?
The story is about empathy towards the marine life and how fishes also feel pain when caught. Jake is a sweet little boy who is worried about worms being hurt when used as bait and then happily lets go of the little fish he caught.
There’s full-page information at the end of the book about recreational fishing and its ill effects on marine life. The illustrations are in watercolors with tiny text to take the story forward. While the setting and the feel were real-like, something felt lacking in the overall narrative. I can’t put my finger on it, sorry.
Yet, the book is a good way to teach kids about treating insects and animals with love.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and BooksGoSocial and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#JakeandAvaABoyandaFish #NetGalley