3.8 Stars

Kadence is a defibrillator recently approved by FDA. The device misfires, causing heart problems that need immediate correction to save the patient. When the misfires occur in succession, Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, suspects foul play. When her Aunt Irm also suffers from the misfire, Kate knows she needs to do something about it. 

Christian O'Donnell, Kate’s friend and lawyer, is working with a client who wants to buy Kadence and other new medical aids created by the University team. Kate updates him about the issues, and they decide to investigate the cause with help from detective Garner. 

Can Kate get to the bottom of the issue and save the patients fitted with Kadence? What does she have to do to protect the patients from being killed by a life-saving device? 

The story comes from Kate’s POV. 

The book is presented as a standalone though it has characters from the previous novel Fatal Intent. While it does work on its own to an extent, the subplot will be more effective if you read book one, especially since it has a significant space in this one. 

I read Fatal Intent more than a year ago (and forgot most of it). However, I could get into the plot once I remembered the basics. Aunt Irm continues to be my favorite for a valid reason. She is quirky, loving, smart, and gets straight to the point. 

The book is slow; understandable as it has medical jargon and details the reader needs to understand. There are quite a few threads too. This can be overwhelming if the reader wants only a medical thriller and ends up with a blend of family intrigue, romance, murders, kidnapping, and tech crimes. 

There are enough twists and turns to keep us guessing (though I figured it out soon enough). Kate, as usual, takes risks she shouldn’t be taking but survives. The side characters like Nathan and Garner support the plot. 

The scenes in the hospital are my favorite. The author’s experience in the field shows as she presents a realistic picture of the constant stress faced by medical personnel. The book also shows how women in the medical profession are still looked down upon despite their obvious talent. 

The personal track between Kate and Christian was steady enough (and I think I like it better in this one). They make a good team, with Aunt Irm, of course, so I do look forward to more adventures and cases for them to solve. 

To summarize, Misfire is the sequel to Fatal Intent and is best read that way. Enjoy this medical suspense with a touch of romance, a dash of pain, and a not-so-fictional medical aid. The author’s note at the end was enlightening (and a bit scary). 

Thank you, NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

 4 Stars

Harriet returns to Cranfield, a sleepy little village, to sell her aunt and uncle’s cottage. The Lavender Cottage in Cranfield is the only place she calls home. Already devastated by her beloved aunt and uncle’s deaths, Harriet is stunned to find that the lavender fields planted by her uncle will be razed to build an industrial warehouse. She decides to protest and bring the community together with the help of her friends Libby and Flora. 

Joe Randall has negotiated countless deals for his family business and never thought about what it meant for the people whose lives changed forever. Cranfield brings him strange peace, and Harriet’s determination to save the village makes him question his work. 

With both of them having to face their personal issues, can Harriet and Joe find what they want in Cranfield? Can the lavender fields be saved? 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Harriet and Joe. 

I wanted a light yet touching read to end the year on a happy-ish note. I’m glad I picked this one (last-minute choice). The writing is easy to read and flows well. 

The pacing is steady. I could finish 300+ pages in a couple of days without speed reading. The setting is peaceful (that’s what lavender does!), and the characters are sweet (but not without flaws or issues). 

Though the book deals with topics like death, grief, failure, insecurities, inferiority complex, etc., it’s not preachy or heavy. 

The romance is a slow burn and sweet, a natural progression as the story moves forward. I also like that Harriet and Joe manage to sort out their issues without dragging them out for too long. This comes as a welcome move, especially when both of them are used to suppressing their emotions and putting on a confident/ positive façade. 

The community spirit, which is crucial in small-town books, hits the mark with ease. The secondary characters are distinct enough and have definite personalities. I’m hoping they’ll get even better in the coming books. 

I do wish Harriet’s parents had a little more space and that I could read more about Harriet’s life with her aunt and uncle. 

To summarize, Heading Home to Lavender Cottage is a feel-good book with some lovely characters. It is a light and heartwarming read, perfect for a cozy afternoon. This is the first book in the series and a standalone. Looking forward to the next books with Libby and Flora’s stories. 

Thank you, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

 4.3 Stars

Tara Mondal disappears as a young bar dancer in Mumbai. No one knows where she went after a stint at a crowded railway station wearing a blue sequin saree. 

Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput has had a busy career, but he can’t stop thinking about his girlfriend, Tara. It has been thirteen years since her disappearance. 

A recent discovery of a dead body in a ligation land opens a can of worms. Inspector Arnav knows that it’s not a lone case but has very little to work on. It doesn’t help that the landowner is super rich and has enough influence to disrupt the case.  

As things are set in motion, Arnav realizes that the case has links to his past, and there’s someone out there who will do anything to prevent him from finding the killer. Can Arnav get to the root of the matter? What will it cost him? What does Tara have to do with everything?  

The story comes in the third-person POV of Arnav, Tara, and a couple of other characters. 

(This shouldn’t even be a point to highlight. However, two books I read this year by Indian American authors made me emphasize this point. Kaikeyi outright whitewashed Ravan’s rapes and presented him as someone who respects women. Then, recently, The Bandit Queens had a statement that Ravan was madly in love with Sita. After this level of self-proclaimed feminism, it’s a relief to read something that mentions things as they are.) 

 

To summarize, The Blue Bar is an Indian crime thriller that presents the dark aspects of society but with a great balance and maturity. It is a desi novel I’m glad to have read (after being burnt by you-know-what), and looking forward to reading the second book in the series. 

This book is not about exotic India with snake charmers or spicy cuisine. It is not about the dirty, poor, and stereotypical India where nothing good exists. The Blue Bar is India as Indians know it. It has good, bad, and ugly. Go with the right expectations, and you’ll enjoy the book more. 

I should mention that I read the author’s Twitter thread about hateful and racist DMs she received for the book. It is saddening to see that happen, though I wonder if the reason partly lies with the book not catering to either stereotype mentioned above. 

Thank you, Damyanti Biwas, NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

 2.7 Stars

Robert is a successful attorney with a good career, a bank balance, and a loving family. He is shocked when he realizes that his marriage is almost over.

Maggie has cancer and knows she doesn't have much time. She wants her last Christmas with family to be special for everyone. Her son, Nathan, an eight-year-old, decides to give his mother a final gift she would cherish.

Nathan and Robert have a chance encounter at a store. Robert is shopping for random gifts, while Nathan knows what he wants to give his mom. The encounter leaves Robert shaken and desperate to save his marriage before he loses everything he loves.

The story alters between the first-person POV by Robert and the third-person POV.

My Thoughts:

The Christmas Shoes is a novella inspired by a song with the same title. It deals with themes like the Christmas spirit, family, love, God, faith, etc. It's a typical plot but in a condensed form with not enough space for character development.

Some scenes are touching. They hit the mark of a Christmas novel about family and relationships. However, the rest is half-done and doesn't go beyond the surface level. It almost feels like adhering to a checklist.

See the pattern?

I wouldn't have minded this much if the characters were fully developed. However, this short book doesn't have the space for the characters to grow. The encounter between Nathan and Robert and the subsequent change in Robert felt rushed. We are pushed into the next scene even before the importance of the event sinks in.

Then we have Robert's mother being too in the face about the issues in his married life. That man is 38 years old. Wouldn't it work better to nudge him than tell him what to do?

I'm also wondering about the ending. It is sweet, but I'm not sure why it had to be in that particular year (except that the book was published the next year).

To summarize, The Christmas Shoes has lovely themes but deals with them on the surface level. The more to think about the plot, the lesser its emotional impact.

P.S.: I'd rather read goofy romance for Christmas than about dying parents. There's enough pain in the real world, but make Christma painful in books too? 

 4 Stars

1917 England 

Marion has to leave the orphanage when she turns eighteen. With nowhere to go, she joins the Women’s Royal Navy Service (Wrens) as a typist before becoming a motorcycle dispatch rider on the Western Front. With her newfound friend Sara and best friend Eddie, Marion finally feels her life has a purpose. However, an unexpected tragedy can rip everything away from her. 

1936 England 

Evelyn has no desire to be a society girl or get married. When the impending war ends her car racing dreams, she signs up for the Women’s Royal Navy Service, which is active once more to serve in WWII. Her parents threaten to cut her off if she doesn’t go home, but all Evelyn ever wanted was to be useful to the country. 

How do the lives of ladies from both war-ridden times meet at a common point? What does it mean for Marion and Evelyn? 

The story comes in the third-person POVs of Marion and Evelyn. 

The intriguing premise and the cover caught my attention. The book does justice to the relatively lesser-known area of wars. The author's note at the end was a treat to read. 

The first third of the book had a detailed backstory of our main characters. Though all of it was not war-related, I liked that I had a clear picture of their characteristics as the plot thickened. 

The mid-section of the novel dipped in pacing as it dealt with the part which connects with timelines. The pace picked up in the third part and ends on a bittersweet yet heartwarming note. 

Romance and love have a major share of the plot. While it fit the first timeline and was necesssary, it somehow diluted the second timeline and even overshadowed the crux of the plot. 

However, Marion, Sara, Eddie, and Evelyn were engaging (and flawed) characters. They could keep me interested even when I skimmed through a few dragging scenes. Both timelines were well-developed, so that’s a definite plus. 

The writing was easy to read. It balanced internal and conflict well without delving too much into the horrific details of the war (after reading quite a few war fiction novels, I’m beginning to appreciate the ones that don’t provide graphic descriptions). 

I learned about the role of women during the wars and loved every bit of it. They were a crucial part of the network that kept the troops coordinated and ready for attacks. They did amazing work behind the scenes (why am I not surprised?). 

To summarize, The Call of the Wrens deals with the lesser-known roles of women during war as dispatch riders and pigeon trainers. It's an engrossing read with some memorable characters. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TheCalloftheWrens 

 2.7 Stars

Robert Reid moved to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland with his wife and son. He is an outsider and has a terrible secret to hide. Though Robert craves the security of a village community, his own fears prevent him from becoming one of the villagers. Soon, things go out of his control, and he has to pay the price. 

Maggie MacKay was five when she declared that she was a dead man from the remote island of Kilmeray. She claims that he didn’t drown but was murdered by one of the villagers. Two decades later, Maggie goes back to the village to find out what really happened in the past. It’s not easy, as the locals don’t want to talk to her, and someone is determined to drive her out. What’s more, Maggie is still a nervous wreck and doesn’t know what to believe. 

Can Maggie find the truth? What will it do to her? 

The story comes from the first-person POV of Maggie and Robert in a dual timeline. 

The story is set in a fictional village (based on a real setting) in Scotland. The rugged cliffs, crashing Atlantic waves, and scattered homes come alive on the pages. 

The mood is dark, brooding, sinister, and uncomfortable almost throughout. It also has triggers (see at the end), which add to the mood (but also ruin the setting). 

Charlie is a wonderfully layered character and vital to the plot’s progress. He is one of the most well-written side characters I’ve read. 

Maggie’s mother is another intriguing character in the book. She is a passive yet constant presence in the book. But… (continued in the next section) 

The theme of the small community sticking together and the conflicts between the villagers are well done. It establishes the strength and weaknesses of being a local community. 

The pacing is slow. While this is expected in the beginning, the narrative never really picks up speed. I resorted to speed-reading once I began to lose interest. 

Maggie and Robert are the voices of the book. Yet, both failed to make me feel anything for them. Maggie was a tad better, but Robert’s arc was left unexplored, with a few aspects being repeated throughout the book. If a reader likes a side character more than the MCs, it is rather telling. 

Maggie suffers from mental illness and is recovering from a breakdown. Yet, she jumps into insta-lust-love with Sexy Will, the local farmer. Will is actually a kind-hearted guy, but the focus isn’t on his attributes. I’m not sure how romance made the book better. Friendship would have worked just the same (or even better). 

Kelly is a bright, cheerful character, possibly someone to lighten up the dark mood. However, she only managed to annoy me most of the time. 

The book also relies on Norse mythology, but only to the extent of pushing a character over the edge of sanity. I didn’t particularly like this. There’s a lot more to pagan cultures than superstitions, sacrifices, or dark magic. 

Finally, the ending; there’s a twist (or several), but the final one dilutes what the plot has been building until then. I don’t fall into the majority category that likes the ending. For me, it looks like a final twist to surprise the readers and a convenient way to conclude the plot.  

To summarize, The Blackhouse is a slow atmospheric novel with a strong setting. Read the other reviews before you decide. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Scribner, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

Elinor is bored. There don’t seem to be any gruesome deaths that need solving. However, she is excited to enjoy her holiday in a small town, Vouvant, and take part in the Winter Revels event. Why would she say no to delicious food? 

But Elinor is not without projects for long. She has to save a young society lady from a society brute and help a grieving widow. What’s more, she also has to step in when her favorite chef is implicated due to an attempt on the king’s life. Elinor has help from Dr. Charlotte. But the duke feels he can solve the case before she can. 

Elinor, being her, has to prove him wrong. But can she handle all issues at once and not end up risking her life? 

The story comes from Elinor’s first-person POV. 

The book is the second in the series and another fast-paced novella where Elinor is entangled in crimes of the nobility. The book should work as a standalone, though I recommend reading the first to get a better idea of the characters. 

There wasn’t a death in this book though we had ghosts in plenty. How can there not be a dramatic ghost to create a scene and maybe help Elinor? 

I enjoyed the dynamics between Elinor and the duke. This book has more chemistry and sparks, showing that their track is slowly progressing… you know. ;) 

Dr. Charlotte has a bigger role in this book. It was great to know her a little more. Maybe we’ll get some backstory about her in one of the next books? 

A certain subplot was pretty much ignored in this book. Also, an issue with a ghost seemed to be resumed (as a presumption). 

The writing was easy and flowed well. The blend of genres was seamless and just the way I liked it. The depiction of nobility, their superiority complex, and the disconnect with reality were well-presented without shadowing the main plot. 

There was a teaser for book three, which showed that the bar had been raised higher. I’m also hoping the book throws light on the subplot. 

To summarize, Delicious Death is a fast and wholesome entertainer if you like mystery and ghosts in a historical setting. 

Thank you, NetGalley, Rook and Castle Press, and IBPA Member Titles, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #DeliciousDeath 

 2.5 Stars

1932, Galveston

Evie wants to become a nurse. She is eager to shut off her dark past and move into a brighter future. However, this is easier dreamt than achieved. She goes through a series of hardships, trains to become a nurse but is denied her PIN, and finally joins a marathon dance group. 

Evie’s life changes as she meets different people and gets swept into their worlds. Depression is making everyone desperate, and her struggle to find love can ruin everything for her and others. Can Evie find what she cherishes the most and have a family to call her own? 

The story comes from Evie’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

The writing is beautiful but slow. I started to speed-read and found it much more to my liking. 

The book gives a glimpse into the lives of marathon dancers. This was a new topic for me, so it was informative and enjoyable. 

The story comes from Evie’s POV, and there’s some character growth to support it. However, the plot deals with too many issues, making the book a bit scattered. Also, I couldn’t connect with Evie or root for her. 

I’m still unclear about the core theme in this one. Is it Evie’s nursing? Is it about the Great Depression? Is it about falling in love with someone unavailable? Is it capitalism vs. communism? It is Catholic vs. Protestant? Is it about an abusive and selfish parent? Is it about homophobia? No idea. There’s a little of everything and nothing to anchor the reader. 

We had a solid plotline with Evie and her mafia friends. Then we jump to marathon dancers. We have a potential love track and some homophobia. The mafia family enters again. More drama and Evie is being the opposite of smart. Finally, there’s regret and reveal. Some happy news too. And then we have another sort of HEA that seems out of place in a book set in the early 1930s. 

There are quite a few characters to keep track of. I went with the flow as they seemed to pop in and out of the story whenever necessary. 

Not a fan of political commentary either, especially when some of it sounded more contemporary than historical. But I could be wrong as I don’t belong to the region. 

To summarize, Last Dance on the Starlight Pier is a novel with many themes and has a few good elements. But it is underwhelming as a package. Maybe removing extra elements and limiting the story to 350 pages or less would have made it compact. 

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

One Liner: To the point and informative; gave me more than what I expected

Sita Ram Goel was a communist-turned-anti-communist who wrote a series of books about the centuries of damage done to the Indian subcontinent and culture by several Islamic and European invasions. This book deals with an important theme of how native Hindus should stop being submissive and become more active in connecting to their roots and understanding their pagan heritage. 

There’s no fluff or needless commentary in this 110-page book. It is crisp, informative, and thought-provoking. The first chapter deals with biased media reporting, pseudo-activism in the name of caste and religion, and the mindless aping of the West without realizing the core differences in both societies. 

Polytheism is a recurring theme in the book and helps us understand why there is absolutely no reason to ignore it or try to fit Hinduism into the monotheism category. After all, all pagan and neopagan cultures followed polytheism and idolatry. The book also distinguishes between mysticism in terms of spirituality and mysticism in terms of theology. The clash of spirituality and theology presents an interesting discussion and encourages further reading. 

He also mentions the importance of symbolism and how appropriating the symbols or misusing them could take us further away from spirituality. This is 100% spot on, and the proof lies in the various yoga offerings (from beer yoga to gun yoga, naked yoga, and whatevercrap they come up with to commercialize a spiritual process) and the way some people throw around ‘your heart chakra is blocked’ in random comments. This particular point about separating symbolism from its core religion and spiritual roots applies many ancient symbols that are now used to appear different/ rebellious/ etc. 

The author also points out how saying ‘all religions are the same’ causes more harm than good. Wouldn’t it be better if we acknowledge that each religion is different and can be respected for what it is? Why not celebrate the diversity of religions instead of trying to chop and twist them into predetermined parameters? In an Abrahamic world, why should pagans go on the defensive to follow their cultural heritage? 

The international media loves to target a supposedly Hindu majoritarian India, but why don’t we see anyone writing about Islamic domination or Christian authority? No articles about non-Muslim as young as 9 being kidnapped, raped, converted, and married to men thrice their age (that too, as third and fourth wives) in Pakistan. There’s one case every week (sometimes more0, but no one bats an eyelid. The great Ms. Malala doesn’t think these young girls deserve even a tweet of protest. How many Western media outlets covered the attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh? Why does no one talk about the minorities in Afghanistan or Baluchistan? Why is there hardly any protest about the grooming gangs in the UK? Don’t children deserve to be safe? 

Remember that Hindus are a global minority, and there isn’t a single official Hindu country (India is secular). The answer lies in many factors: 

The longer Hindus lie dormant or stay on the defensive, it easier it is to rule them (so what if the colonizers have left. They have created enough brown sepoys to take over). Read Krishen Kak’s experience when he wanted to research American life as a brown Indian Hindu. Racism is real and active, especially in academics. 

The book highlights the difference in the indoctrinated structure of monotheism and polytheism. When there’s only one god, one book, and one goal, it eliminates the space for others to exist. There is no acceptance of other/ different when ‘one’ is the central point. This may seem nothing when considered from an individual’s perspective. However, this resulted in wiping out civilizations and cultures over the centuries when masses denied the existence of anything other than their ‘one god’. 

The book doesn’t just work for Hindu awareness but also for self-awareness and for people to realize that their roots and spiritual well-being could have a common link. Exploring one could create a path to achieve the other and find their inner self. Those who can read it with a balanced mind will see how it could help a person to look beyond the basic constraints/ rules defined by religion and consider things from a spiritual and overarching perspective. 

The last chapter sums up the book in neat pointers and provides more information to deal with Hinduphobia.  

 4.5 Stars

Evie Howland is working on the sixteenth book of her famous police procedural series. She is also trying to overcome writer’s block (shh! don’t even say that word aloud) and planning her wedding with a super-rich and handsome Daniel. She is used to seeing her characters in her house. But when the lead characters Carolyn and Jay become visible to just about everyone, Evie knows she is in trouble. 

Things get worse when psychopath killers from her books are also out in the open and going on a killing spree. The only way Evie can control the situation is by facing her biggest fears and overcoming them. Unfortunately, escaping to the fictional world is no longer an option for her. 

Can Evie do what it takes to save the day? 

The story comes from Evie’s first-person POV and a chapter of her book in the third-person narration. 

Well, this is a wonderful surprise. I kept pushing the book down my list because of the page count (440 pages!). This is one of those rare instances when I wondered why I didn’t pick it up sooner. 

The book is a blend of genres and could pretty much be classified as contemporary/ urban magic realism (I created this subgenre), along with being a thriller and a rom-com. The idea is to go with the flow and enjoy where the author’s imagination takes you. 

As a writer, this is even more delightful and a wee bit scary. Imagine writing monsters and Hulders killing people. I sure don’t want them to come alive (so glad that I set my stories in forests). At the same time, I also want to create my perfect guy and make him appear in reality. It’s too tempting! 

Back to the book, the plot is whimsical, emotional (without being overwhelming), and action-intensive (especially in the second half). It is easy to visualize the scenes and would make a cool screen adaptation. 

Evie’s character starts off as a nerdy writer (even a little annoying, at times), but we see her depth as the story progresses. Jay and Carolyn are my absolute favorites. I mean, how can you not fall in love with Jay Ryan? 

Every book has a few clichés, and so does this one. Here, Evie straight out tells us that it is cliché, so it adds to the fun. Evie’s voice is fun to read. She can be dramatic, quirky, silly, stupid, and childish. It makes her a rather sweet and capable MC to carry the book on her fragile shoulders. 

As a fan of HEA, I am delighted by the ending. It is just right without being too sweet or sugary. And it also has a piece of advice for writers who want to make their characters appear in real life and keep them there (if you haven’t figured it out already, I am taking this seriously). 

My only grouse is that one important scene in the climax is (intentionally?) vague. It increases the anticipation to know what happens, but I had to read it twice to understand what was happening. Also, there are a few missed threads/ connections. I assumed the connections based on guesswork. 

To summarize, Crime Writer is a wonderfully quirky book and is a tasty mixed vegetable curry (Indians, you know what I mean). The first 10% is slow. Hang in there, and it’ll pick up the pace. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Ruby Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.