Fiction

Review – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach

Posted by

1

bestWithout a doubt, this novel is a permanent contender in my top 5 favourite read stories of the past few years. Where to even begin? Well, you can read the blurb to discover the plot, so I shall refrain from repeating it. I picked this book up purely on a boredom impulse one day when I was on a business trip, and I am so glad I did! This story is perhaps one of the best examples, since Arundhati Roy’s ‘God of Small Things’, of the complex Anglo-Indian relationship, post-independence. Whilst it doesn’t rub it in your face and whack you over the head with a stick, the story does get you thinking about the effect of colonialism, and the aftermath that it brings. Ideals are presented, and turned on their head once reality kicks in, and Deborah Moggach does this in a very stark fashion, without coming off a preachy.
The mix of characters, whilst completely over the top, are a refreshing bunch of fun, quirky, old-school (some being inherently racist/ignorant), Raj-yearning individuals. The reader to form a definite and firm opinion of each character due to Moggach’s expert character presentation and the changing shift in language and style used when writing from each perspective.
Now, the style of the novel is very “British” in regards to some of the things that happens to the characters and how they react, or in fact, how the reader acts when “witnessing” these calamities. It’s not quite as “British” as Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy (many readers this side of the pond did not like this novel), but it is definitely not what you might be used to. To say this isn’t your conventional story would be an understatement; Moggach makes you laugh in the wrong places, gasp in shock and then smile, and completely refreshes your pallet for future stories.

~ Pegasus

You can buy this relatively short story, that is bound to leave a lasting impression, here:
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: A Novel (Random House Movie Tie-In Books)

Review: Death Comes to the Village by Catherine Lloyd

Posted by

0

20131202-090141.jpg This cozy historical mystery, set in England, has a little bit of a Regency romance feel.

Lucy, the rector’s daughter, and Robert, a magistrate and wounded soldier, notice some thievery and strange goings-on in the village. With a young woman disappearing, and the men of the village not quite acting themselves, Lucy and Robert put their heads together to investigate. That’s the main plot. The subplots include Lucy’s resistance to spinsterhood and wanting to find a husband, Robert’s difficulty coming to terms with his leg injury, and the strong friendship that grows between Lucy and Robert. I enjoyed the various threads and thought they were developed appropriately for a light mystery novel.

I also liked the characters’ efforts to maintain propriety and appearances, and Lucy’s subtle rebelling against all of it. The whole regency feel made Lucy’s visits to Robert seem almost taboo. It was fun to see Lucy doing a lot of things that other young women wouldn’t dare do in this setting.

Death Comes to the Village was a light read, with a slow and deliberate start. I totally loved it, from Lucy and Robert’s banter to the mental illness and morbidity. I read this book at night, and when I finished it, I was scared to go to sleep! The ending was somewhat of a cliffhanger, and I am eager to know if and when a Book 2 will be released.

–Calliope

Buy it now Death Comes to the Village

Review: The Reader by Bernhard Schlink Translated by Carol Brown Janeway

Posted by

0

readerThe last twenty pages of this book deeply affected me. I can’t even express it at the moment. I just wish I could take it all back and somehow unread the entire book. Then I want to read it for the very first time again…but this time somehow read it while being the person that read the last 20 pages…

This story is told by Michael Berg. It is told later on his life. He is looking back to a relationship he had with a woman named Hanna Schmitz. A woman who by one random act of kindness changes his life when he is 15 years old. Later on, he attends a trial and finds Hanna as one of the defendants.

At times this novel felt disjointed. However, the more I think about it, the more I am sure that Schlink wanted me to feel this way. This novel is told by Michael. It is his story of Hanna. Even as an older man, decades after his relationship started with Hanna, he is still unsure what she means to him. How she has changed him into the man that he has become. He understands bits of it. He can even rationalize much of it. But there is still mystery to much of it.

In some ways, I wish this story could have been told from Hanna’s voice. However, I realize that it would not be the story it was if it had been. I am both appreciative and frustrated with this knowledge.

Why did I love this book so much? At about 1/2 way through this book I was feeling very frustrated. I kept going back and forth on my feelings for Michael. At points I thought he was so unbelievably selfish. At other times I felt like he was almost a victim. At points I had the exact same feelings about Hanna herself. I was also becoming increasingly pissed off that I was not allowed to see inside of Hanna’s mind. With the last couple of chapters, none of those feelings changed….however, I was left humbled and a bit awestruck at my emotions. If I had been reading this book standing up, I might have even staggered a bit and found myself leaning up against the closest wall until I could find myself on steady feet again. It’s not that Schlink reviled anything I didn’t already know…it’s just the way that he brought it all into the light of day. Why??

Simply because this book didn’t just seem to provide answers and questions about the characters it was about. At this point…I had questions about myself. I am not even sure at this point what they are. I just know that they are bouncing back and forth within my mind, even at this moment. And much like Michael, I am not sure I will ever know the correct questions to ask. I am not sure that I will ever find the answers if I do. Much like Michael, I am not sure these questions need answered…perhaps they only need to be asked.

This novel moved me….and has given me so much to ponder…It’s a book that I *know* will stay with me for days, weeks, even years to come. One day, I will be walking down a lonely city street. The wind bitterly cold against my skin. I will be confident that I am happy and secure in my life. “The Reader” will be the furthest thing from my mind….then like a ghost of the past, Hanna will be there…walking along beside me…begging me, finally, to ask the questions just within by grasp….my mind will find itself, out of the blue, wrestling with the feelings this novel has brought to me….

Until next time

Urania xx

Buy it now The Reader

Review: Secrets on Cedar Key by Terri DuLong

Posted by

0

20131128-001716.jpg Especially around the holidays, I love a good, sweet, easy romance with family values and a cozy theme – like knitting. Terri DuLong’s Secrets on Cedar Key had it all – except it wasn’t very good. Maybe I couldn’t handle the dozens of characters because I haven’t read the earlier books in the series. Or maybe I didn’t relate well to the main character (she’s a little older than I am). I think the main problem was that the book was disjointed, wordy, and didn’t flow well at times.

DuLong used a lot of pages describing things that didn’t move the plot forward. And even if I forgave that, sometimes I was left hanging after a plot point wasn’t followed through: We hear about Marin planning and making a cassoulet for her beau… but then we don’t hear about the actual dinner where they eat it. We hear about numerous other dinners that are irrelevant, but not the cassoulet dinner, even though its preparation was described, and then described some more. Another example is when Marin’s stepdaughter is having a baby. The nurse comes in with dialogue, including saying that the doctor will give an epidural. Well, the labor and delivery is described, and no epidural was given. So why mention the epidural in the first place?

Secrets of Cedar Key drove me crazy with so much description of irrelevant people, places and things. If the story was told in half the words, I could have enjoyed Marin’s new romantic relationship, the expansion of the yarn shop, the changes in her family, and the quirkiness of the other Cedar Key residents. As it stands, I can’t recommend it.

–Calliope

If you’re looking for good deals on kindle books, go here for limited-time prices! Kindle Countdown Deals: Limited time discount on Kindle-exclusive books

Review: Yours to Keep by Serena Bell

Posted by

0

20131121-084640.jpg

Well, I thought this was going to be an ordinary light romance, but it was EXTRAORDINARY! Ana is an undocumented immigrant from the Dominican Republic, but only because her visa ran out when she was a child and her mother passed away. Ethan is a well-loved local doctor (and widower) who needs a Spanish tutor for his teenage son. You can connect the dots that form the romance.

But Serena Bell gives the reader even more of a story… the story of Ana’s family, their efforts, their fears, their love for one another. I cried my eyes out at Ana’s plight: trying to achieve and succeed while flying under the radar in a country that didn’t know she existed. Ana’s brother and sister were her whole world, and they sometimes had to give up personal wants and values for the good of the whole family.

The other moms in the community were surprising but necessary characters. They tried to befriend Ana, help her, and make her feel better. But no rich white woman had been in her shoes. They didn’t feel the fear of getting caught that Ana lived with daily. They were awkward and ignorant, even if they meant well.

I absolutely enjoyed the love story in Yours to Keep. Ana and Ethan overcame personal challenges and came to a meeting of the hearts and minds. What really pulled at my heart strings though was Ana’s illegal immigrant status and her determination to succeed despite it. The adorable-but-typical teenager was a heart-tugger, too. And watching his talented dad (He cooks! He cleans! He saves lives!) fall in love was very romantic.

–Calliope

Buy it now Yours to Keep

Review: The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

Posted by

0

cuckooDid you love watching Mike Hammer back in the day? Did Colombo melt your heart? Do you still dream of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe? I have to admit, I absolutely loved watching those types of shows. I loved the language. I loved the smokey rooms. I’m not quite sure how Galbraith has created that magic in a modern-day novel set in a modern-day London, but he has! I swear I heard those old voices in my head all throughout this novel as I read! It was surreal! I really seemed to be reading every line though a smokey haze in a room with jazz music playing in the background.

This is the first novel about Cormoran Strike. A modern-day detective that fought in Afghanistan and lost a leg. He is now barely making ends meet. He has a famous father that he does not talk to. His mother is no longer living. He has recently left his long time on/off again fiancée. He sleeps on a camp bed in his office. His hired help is temp agent that he isn’t sure how long he can afford. He sometimes drinks too much.

yea…yea…yea….sounds boring right? WRONG! There is so much more to Strike than meets the eye. There is a deep longing to know more about him. He keeps to himself. You can’t help but be intrigued by him. You want to know what makes him tick. There is no doubt that you feel a deep-seated morality to Strike. He seems to take the high road. Yet you get the feeling that he has had to fight for that part of him for most of his life. That he has been tempted and he has resisted….but at a personal cost….you want to understand why this is. What has drove him to become the person he is…the man, that for all outward looking appearances appears to be a failure, but one that once you meet him, you know this couldn’t be further from the truth….

Yes, I want to see more of this flawed mess of a man!

Okay, so you want to hear about the controversy over the whole J.K. Rowling thing? Well just forget about it! You won’t find any of that here….I will say, that it gave me pause. If I hadn’t known J.K. wrote it, I would have totally believed that this was written by a man. The wording just fit. She did a brilliant job with this. It just *seems* to be written in a man’s style. Now having said that, and *felt* that as I was reading the novel, it gave me pause…Do men and women write differently? Do we perceive their writing styles differently? Of course I am generalising here…but on the whole, do they? Before reading this novel, I would have automatically said no….but now I am not so sure…and since this was IN FACT written by a woman, well that’s just silly, isn’t it?

I hope Galbraith sticks around. I hope he writes a few more in this series. I *really* want to get to the “inner tickings” of Strike and I want to see where the relationship between him and his secretary goes….

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now The Cuckoo’s Calling

Review: This Is Not a Drill by Beck McDowell

Posted by

0

20131120-190720.jpgIn an ideal world, parents would send their little ones off to school each day worrying about nothing more serious than if they’ll have someone to play with at recess. Teachers would be free of the worry that they might have to step in front of an armed gunman to protect their students. And those precious little ones wouldn’t have to suffer through lockdown drills where they practice what to do if a “bad guy” gets into their school. Unfortunately that world does not exist.

Emery and Jake are high school seniors who spend time volunteering at their local elementary school. Their hours at the school are spent tutoring the children in French and just helping out wherever they can. It’s understandable that they’ve formed attachments to the first graders they spend so much time with. Brian Stutts is an Iraqi war veteran who is going through a custody dispute over his son, Patrick. Because he is suffering from violent outbursts as a result of PTSD, he is not allowed to spend unsupervised time with his son. A confrontation occurs between him and the teacher, resulting in an armed Stutts holding the first grade students, the teacher, and Jake & Emery hostage. The high schoolers must not only worry about their own safety but also the safety of the little ones who look up to them.

This is a fast-paced book that’s full of tension and suspense. The author tells the story from two viewpoints, switching seamlessly between Emery and Jake. It’s hard to take at times, coming so soon on the heels of Newtown and all the other school shootings that seem to be in the news on a regular basis. But, will there ever really be a perfect time to grapple with this issue? I also found myself feeling some sympathy for Stutts and what he experienced in Iraq. There’s never an excuse for this type of violence, but there are very real issues that must be addressed before we can even begin to end the violence. Regardless of your politics or where you stand on the issue of gun control, this is an excellent book for young adults and older readers as well.

~ Thalia

Buy It Now: This Is Not a Drill

Review: Her Sexiest Mistake by Jill Shalvis

Posted by

0

20131123-175304.jpg

I’m usually a little wary of reading from an author’s backlist. Sometimes their earlier works aren’t up to par with the later ones, and I don’t like to be disappointed. Well, have no fear with this November 2013 e-release of a 2005 paperback. Every bit reflected the same witty, romantic and fun Jill Shalvis I’ve been reading in recent years.

I loved that Mia was a driven, ambitious, self-made career woman. I loved that she made her own destiny. And I totally respected the fact that she had to build up emotional walls to do it. What better foil to her neighbor Kevin, a sensitive, caring guy who just wants to help everyone live up to their full -professional and emotional- potential.

I liked that Kevin nudged Mia to make their relationship more honest and authentic. I liked seeing the push and pull of their emotions. Kevin was a catalyst in Mia’s emotional growth, and even better, a catalyst in Mia’s niece Hope’s adolescent development.

Her Sexiest Mistake is a love story that starts off hot, cools down a little, and then gets emotional. With strong, sensitive Kevin and wounded-but-won’t-be-a-victim Mia, the reader gets all the uncertainties of a new romance AND the happiest of happy-ever-afters.

–Calliope

Buy it now Her Sexiest Mistake

Review – King and Maxwell, by David Baldacci.

Posted by

0

17333431I’ve been a fan of David Baldacci for about the last 10 years or so, so when I received this ARC to review, I jumped in reading straight away. As you can probably start to tell by now, my taste in genres is pretty varied. Baldacci is my go-to author for my ‘fluff’ reading; he is like James Patterson, only twice as good and actually writes his own books (allegedly!).

This book is the latest in the Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series – a buddy cop type series, but with two former Secret Service agents. I really like this series because these two characters have some genuine chemistry and seem half believable. It’s not too late to start this series as there are only 5 other books before this one.

The plot is your standard ‘two agents must save the day against juggernaut government factions that kill at will’ etc, etc… However, this plot has a contemporary edge to it, which makes it seem like it could potentially happen in today’s age. The pace of the writing is fast and exciting – before you know it, you’ve read ¾ of the book!

I won’t for one second say that this book will invoke any kind of emotional tidal wave, make you ponder the meaning of life and being, challenge your inner self, or anything like that. It will however, serve as an entertaining and quick read, one that doesn’t disappoint because you know what you are getting, and it doesn’t fail to deliver. I highly recommended this for fans of Baldacci’s King and Maxwell series.

Book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

~ Pegasus.

Buy It Here: King and Maxwell (King & Maxwell)<

Review: Flash and Dazzle by Lou Aronica

Posted by

0

20131118-215404.jpg Rich Flaster and Eric Dazman – otherwise known as Flash and Dazzle – are best friends. They work together at an ad agency and spend most of their free time together, too. Most of their male bonding time is over beer, takeout, video games, sports or movies, but that’s pretty normal for guy-time, right? And life would continue in that vein for Flash and Daz, except for a couple of bumps in the road. And one of them is big; insurmountable, even.

This book had a slow start and I couldn’t get into the first-person narration. Add to the fact that the protagonists are men and they live in NYC… I just couldn’t relate.

But almost halfway through, I realized I WAS into it. I cared about Flash and his career. I cared about Dazzle and his family issues. I cared about Eric and Rich’s friendship, and how it was going to play out.

The ending is wonderful (beware… the kindle edition ends before 90%) and the middle is pretty good too. Lou Aronica writes authentic dialogue and believable characters. And though the plot wasn’t what I was expecting at first, I appreciated Aronica’s approach to the themes of friendship, loss, grief, and love.

Three stars for solid writing, engaging dialogue and well developed main characters. Overall, I enjoyed it.

–Calliope

Buy it now Flash and Dazzle