I read ‘Summer Frost’ by Blake Crouch in the ‘Forward Collection’ last year and liked it. This one was very promising when it started.
Sam is on the eI read ‘Summer Frost’ by Blake Crouch in the ‘Forward Collection’ last year and liked it. This one was very promising when it started.
Sam is on the expressway, headed to Vitek, a modern fertility lab. He and his wife Annie decide to go in for IVF. Annie has already done a lot of the research and background work. Sam meets with Mr Owens (HT) at Vitek. During the discussion, Sam realizes that what Vitek offers is far more advanced than what he had assumed would be the case. He is explained that Vitek pursues ‘genetic nudging’ which influences the offspring’s life in profound ways. This is based on the genetic map and Vitek’s research based on a huge database of peoples’ attributes and behaviours. Sam is shown three simulations of how his son Daniel’s life could shape up. This leaves Sam stunned and introspective.
The premise is fantastic and can lend itself very well to a longer story as well. That said, the ending was a damp squib for me, among the poorest finishes of a story I have come across this year. I look forward to reading other stories in the ‘Forward Collection’ shortly. ...more
The progress Dubai has made brings about a sense of awe whenever I have visited. I was keen to read the thoughts of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al MaktThe progress Dubai has made brings about a sense of awe whenever I have visited. I was keen to read the thoughts of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the current ruler of Dubai (and Prime Minister of UAE). I liked the book for its simplicity & directness of the writing.
The book starts with Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum describing how he has always set audacious goals. The UAE is the first Arab country to send astronauts to the ISS, a probe to Mars, have the first Arab Satellite and establish a city on Earth simulating Mars (which will help future settlements on the Red Planet).
The book then switches to the past, tracing the developments of Dubai initiated by the current ruler’s grandfather Sheikh Saeed who diversified Dubai, found new trade routes & markets. Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum’s father Sheikh Rashid a modest man continued to build on the progress made – expanding the Dubai creek and launching the Dubai International Airport. He draws a contrast with the Shah of Iran who lived in opulence leading to his exit after discontent boiled over. His father taught him ways to live in the desert and had a horse Sawlawi, which he was close to. This led to Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum’s love for horses as well, Sawda being his first horse and later Dubai Millenimum (which he rates as the best race horse he has seen). His brother continued the tradition, and also played a key role in the integration of UAE. I was surprised to learn that the initial proposal also included Qatar and Bahrain, who later backed out. There were challenges such as the Japan Airlines hijack, attempted Sharjah coup, Lufthansa plane hijack, Iran-Iraq war, Israeli invasion of Lebanon and Iraq invasion of Kuwait. Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum played a role in mitigating each of these crises. There was a lot of skepticism, both within and outside, if Dubai could attract tourists. But a solid vision, stellar development focus and efficient project execution has ensured that Dubai constantly stays ahead, attracting both tourists and businesses.
This book has a lot of interesting information, is organized simply, and is easy to read.
I expect we will see many books now with AI being a big part of the story. This one makes a credible attempt to infuse AI into a decent storyline.
JasI expect we will see many books now with AI being a big part of the story. This one makes a credible attempt to infuse AI into a decent storyline.
Jason is being followed by a car. He loses control and goes over, losing his life. His wife Katrina Foster works as a general counsel at Talk Inc, a tech company which has developed an innovative AI app. It is now a year since Jason died. Katrina has trained the AI app of her company with Jason’s background and voice with permission from the company CTO Liv Tompkins; and speaking to it makes her feel better. The company is struggling though. The CEO David Liang (in relationship with Liv) is missing, and the FBI is investigating the company for fraud. Katrina’s grandmother (Frida Berg, called Bestemor) is serious, and she leaves the bustle of Silicon Valley to visit, but reaches only after she passes away.
As the family – Katrina, her mom, dad and brother Magnus attend the funeral, Katrina meets many people she has known for many years. One of these is Seb Wallace, who runs a restaurant 'The Beacon' and is grateful for the help Bestemor has provided him. Dylan appears on the scene claiming to be Seb’s half-brother, and a DNA test proves that to be correct. As Katrina continues to speak to the AI Bot, it tells her one day “I think I (Jason) was murdered” and spews out some Japanese characters. Seb's dad who lives in a trailer on a 3-acre land remembers a car racing across his farm around the time Jason was to be visiting. A suspicion enters Katrina’s mind that Jason was probably murdered, and she might be in danger as well.
I found the plot to be interesting. The writing is average though and does not really create enough tension. In the afterword, the authors provide a background to the AI and Bitcoin elements of the story. While probable, the reasoning is sketchy – nothing wrong about that for a story such as this. I would have liked to see better character development and procedures in the story.
Overall, a decent story, but falls well short of potential.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Thomas Nelson Fiction and the authors for a free electronic review copy. ...more
It is refreshing to read stories set in different cultural contexts. This book provides a good authentic setting for the story set in Iran, including It is refreshing to read stories set in different cultural contexts. This book provides a good authentic setting for the story set in Iran, including the political dynamics at play, and the aspirations of the people. Some of the key incidents come across as too convenient and the writing could have been better.
Roya & Tala are identical twin sisters. The story is told from Roya’s perspective. Their father was a professor and their mother a Farsi - Spanish translator. People tell them about how similar they are, and their mother had emphasized that they need to stand for each other all their lives. Though they are close, there is also an undercurrent of tension bordering on distrust at times. The story traverses back to their childhood on and off. Tala gets married to Anton, a Russian national conducting business in Iran. Tala is not sure what business he is in, but suspects there might be some illegal aspects to it. Anton is also a domineering husband. Roya get married to Reza. While she has a good understanding with him, she is worried as he writes articles for an underground newspaper. Roya & Tala plan their pregnancy at the same time. Roya & Tala are visiting the town of Rey, when a structure collapse injures them. Roya loses her baby and is distraught. Tala delivers a baby boy, and she names him Tavoos. A lot is to follow with each of the characters.
I liked the cultural context and the tensions in society as the rigid rules conflict with peoples aspirations for freedom. The character development could have been better. The key incident involving the accident is very poorly described.
Overall, an interesting story which could have capitalized better on the potential it offered.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Red Hen Press and the author for a free electronic review copy. ...more
There are not too many who can write authentically in an informed manner on comparative religious philosophies. I regard S Radhakrishnan as the most sThere are not too many who can write authentically in an informed manner on comparative religious philosophies. I regard S Radhakrishnan as the most scholarly, he wrote extensively on Hindu philosophy and thought, respectively referring to other religions and cultures. Joseph Campbell, in his study of mythology, was very good as well. I discovered Paul Brunton after a friend recommended his book ‘A Search in Secret India’.
Syncretism, as practiced by Mahatma Gandhi is very rarely seen today. He had no hesitation in looking anywhere he thought he could draw wisdom from. Today while you can often hear phrases like “All religions are the same” – these are shallow statements coming from people in public life who know very little about any religion. Humanity is losing its interconnectedness and depth, not a new problem (Paul Brunton refers to it in this book as well), but there is a further decline since his times.
This book starts with an exceptional introduction, emphasizing the need for self-experience, alignment with scientific temper and knowledge, deeper understanding of metaphors and teachings in ancient texts, recognizing the parallels in religions and advocating for practices changing with the times. The initial sections elaborate on Christ’s teachings (especially from the ‘Sermon on the mount’), the middle sections discuss the Bhagawad Gita and the later sections draw on the Gospel according to St John, and close with summarizing Jesus’ life and teachings. He provides many examples explaining the metaphorical richness of the ancient text – for instance, what Jesus meant by ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’. There is a clear direction for self-discovery, which is many times lost in mainstream teachings. Intermittently, Paul takes potshots at organized religion with its rigid emphasis on mechanical & repetitive practices. We need to see above the literal, allowing for changes required for modern life, and the fact that there been edits (including some fanciful and inaccurate) to texts over the years. In the Bhagawad Gita he says, you find a remarkable exposition of how you can balance your inner & outer worlds. The Gita advocates action when called for (Campbell calls this the call to adventure in the Hero's Journey), terming it a far superior & right choice than avoidance/inaction. Lord Krishna is the guide, who does not participate in the battle himself, but is available for imparting advice and wisdom – there is a message there as well. Most of the coverage is on Jesus’ teachings and the discussions are excellent. The introduction at the start and end summary are exceptional.
This is a beautifully written book – honest and from the heart, recognizing that for the open-minded & curious - there are many sources of wisdom. There are also unexpectedly some good introductory meditation instructions. However, he tries too hard to make it as easy as possible to practise. I believe a few things in life should not be very easy. Yoga finds strong mention through the book, though I would have liked to see a more holistic description.
Overall, a book I loved. Though I was largely familiar with the teachings referred, I felt a sense of calm & had things to ponder over when I finished. I intend to of course, read more of his work....more
This book is darker than stories I usually read but has great character development and a good plot.
Grace works as a senior barista at Jake’s Café, This book is darker than stories I usually read but has great character development and a good plot.
Grace works as a senior barista at Jake’s Café, Cork city. She practically manages the shop for Jake, who is not good at creating an impression with customers himself. There are regulars who chat almost every day with Grace, especially Maggie & Mary-Assumpta. The story alternates between the present time and Grace’s past where she and her sister Amber suffer severe abuse. Grace is very fond of and is protective of her sister. Grace’s cool countenance at the coffee shop never betrays what she can do to people she hates. Detective Inspector Garda Jerry Hughes knows what Grace has gone through and has helped her & been in touch with her since she was a kid. Is Grace really as innocent and vulnerable as he thinks she is, though? There are 3 men missing in town and Jerry is on the case.
The abuse the book covers is quite severe. The descriptions are graphic in places, but more than anything, abuse is a strong theme which hovers through the book. Grace is a brilliant, tragic & memorable character. This is not a suspense novel, though there are a few twists towards the end. The story builds up well to how Grace became the person she is today. Jerry’s is also a good supporting character. There is a twist involving Maggie which I felt was unnecessary and distracting. While the backdrop to Grace’s character is built up well, not all behaviours & incidents are explained. The elaborate level of detail sacrifices pace in the mid sections – just maybe the balance could have been better. The end has a nice touch, which I liked. Will we see more of Grace in a future book? I certainly hope so.
If you can take quite dark stories, this is a great book and Grace’s character will stay with you for long.
My rating: 4.25 / 5.
I picked this book after reading my friend Rosh’s brilliant review. ...more
This is a nice, informative and quick read on ‘time’. If you are looking for more detailed coverage, I would recommend the excellent book (after readiThis is a nice, informative and quick read on ‘time’. If you are looking for more detailed coverage, I would recommend the excellent book (after reading this one) “The Order of Time” by Carlo Rovelli which I have reviewed previously.
This book traces the concepts related to time since early on. Zeno, had said that our universe itself is static, and it is we who create movement. Newtonian physics tended to portray a fully predictable universe and for a time it was believed that Newton’s laws and gravity explained everything there is to know about the universe. All action was believed to happen in absolute space which is the same in all directions. This also bifurcated time into past, present and future cleanly. Subsequently, the Law of thermodynamics had implications for time. A contradiction with classical physics came up when laws of electromagnetism were discovered by Maxwell. Further major changes to our understanding of time came with Einstein's theories. The link between space and time idea came from Einstein's teacher Minkowski after the Special Theory of Relativity was published. Einstein expanded on this in his subsequent General Theory of Relativity which outlined the concept of spacetime.
The most fascinating aspect of this is the implication that we are possibly in a block universe comprised of spacetime. Then – there is no past, present & future and all time exists – laid out in spacetime. Hoyle said, human consciousness illuminates the present. So, do we perceive time the way we do only because our brains are organized and limited? Barbour added a twist to this with his idea of time capsules - quantum states which have information of the past but not future. So, time does not pass but has a direction, which we experience.
I find all of this fascinating. It is also the background for some interesting science fiction novels (such as Blake Crouch’s ‘Recursion’ which I loved). Probably a few more theories / scientific opinions could have been included.
This is a story which both excited and frustrated me. An imaginative story, but more ideal in a longer format.
Roy Court is a key character in a spacThis is a story which both excited and frustrated me. An imaginative story, but more ideal in a longer format.
Roy Court is a key character in a space mission to discover and colonize human friendly planets. The ‘slow light’ technology allows for packaging, propagating & assembling humans – these are several clones of existing humans, all beamed out into space. This has a nice feel to it – though that is pretty much all the concept in the book. Roy, constantly agonizes over his divorce with Anjula and hopes to get back with her.
There are number of interesting possibilities the scenarios in the book raises. I liked some of the communication which flows from the outer space inhabitants to those on Earth. In the short story format, some of the content comes across as very sketchy and potentially confusing. I did get the concept but then everything receives cursory treatment – the science, the characters, their hopes, their motivations, and their relationships. When I finished, I thought “A story with great ideas” but “Why on earth is this written as a short story?”.
I follow Siobhan McHale on LinkedIn and have found her posts & comments on organization culture and change management to be insightful. This book packI follow Siobhan McHale on LinkedIn and have found her posts & comments on organization culture and change management to be insightful. This book packs some good concepts in simple language with many real-life business examples.
Her concept of ‘The Hive’ is inspired by how bees work together. They segregate themselves by roles focused on objectives and have a good group understanding and collaborate well. Austrian scientist Karl Von Frisch even discovered a waggle dance of bees to communicate location of food (for which he got the Nobel prize in 1973). The 9 laws of group dynamics outlined are - Patterns, Connectedness, Role, Multiple perspectives, Context, Embeddedness, Pattern blindness, Unintended consequences, Tipping point. Each of these is explained in detailed, and bees’ behaviours are used for analogies.
Siobhan points out that a scary state of flux has replaced a slower and more comfortable rate of change, obliterating any sense of the certainty, stability, and familiarity that characterized earlier eras. Yet these threats to organizational success serve as a mere wake-up call for what lies ahead. The future will bring more complexity, instability, uncertainty, unpredictability, and unexpected consequences to our change efforts.”
The earlier operating models for companies included either Top-down or Social network based (with influencers propagating the way). We are now looking at organizations as ecosystems. There are a number of examples which are covered (both successes and failures in navigating change) - Dasani in UK, Airbus, Revlon, Fire Phone, Spotify, Ford, Crystal Pepsi, Samsung Galaxy Fold, Alitalia, Dyson hair dryer, Qatar 2019 World Athletics Championship, Queensland Health, Equifax, Volkswagen, Purdue Pharma, Toys R Us, Lego, ConvertKit, Shopify, Nike, SpaceX, Starbucks & others. There are a few examples of companies crafting specific initiatives – eg: Amazon "Two Pizza Operating model", 6-page proposals, instead of presentations, Day 1 philosophy; Apple "Experts Rule Operating Model"; Microsoft "Partnering Operating Model".
This book is conceptually sound. I liked the hive analogy, ecosystems operating model, the four step process for change, the need for group intelligence (other than IQ and EQ), change roles, and how companies need to plan for the long-term like marathons but in short sprints. The business stories are too sketchy and basic though. As a result, the inferences are simplistic – attributable to either following the hive philosophy or not. It feels like the complexity of marketplace dynamics is poorly understood or elaborated in the examples. Though the initial sections claim radical new thought, a lot of this has been in practice in many enterprises since some time. I would have also liked to see how coverage for innovation mindsets.
Overall, a good primer on navigating change with a lot of examples which should be studied in more detail.
My rating: 3.75 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher HarperCollins Leadership and the author for a free electronic review copy. ...more
I have been following this series from the start. Both Beth and Dax are good characters. Though Beth’s introduction in the first book was a little senI have been following this series from the start. Both Beth and Dax are good characters. Though Beth’s introduction in the first book was a little sensationalist, her character has shaped up well over the series.
Beth Katz and Dax Styles are FBI agents in Rattlesnake Creek. The previous books briefly mention that Dax’s sister Ginny Styles had disappeared many years back. This book tackles that case. When Dax was 8 years old, he and his younger sister Ginny were wandering outside. Ginny disappeared, not to be seen again. His parents blamed Dax and his dad died shortly after. His mother continued to live a tortured existence, as did Dax himself. Beth gets a clue based on using AI software to narrow down the possibilities for her grown-up identity. They strike gold as they find Ginny alive, but what she has gone through over the years is very disturbing. She is not the only one, and Dax and Beth realize they are dealing with a ruthless and sinister paedophile kidnapping ring & adoption racket. The gang realizes their identity might get uncovered, and Dax & Beth are under attack. There is also the elusive Tarot Killer who lurks in the background.
This is a story with a very strong (dark) plot. Beth & Dax make for a great team, with their understanding of each other developing greater depth. The usual pattern – Beth’s drive to find the evil guys, and Dax’s methodical mature approach has some change in this one, as for Dax this case is personal. The story moves fast. I also liked that the Tarot Killer makes only a fleeting appearance, allowing the larger story to take centre stage. Unlike the previous stories, this one does not resolve everything – not sure if it will be picked up in the next book.
My rating: 4.25 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for a free electronic review copy. ...more
This started off as an interesting story, but lost its way further down.
The story starts with interviews being conducted by FBI Special agent Brian This started off as an interesting story, but lost its way further down.
The story starts with interviews being conducted by FBI Special agent Brian Maxwell in Miranda city. Johnny Delgado died in a car with explosives, and it is believed to be a suicide.
5 years later, in the present, Anika Raven who has just come into town confronts her drunk step-dad Scotty. She is trying her best to get her sister Samantha, who is 8 years old, away from him. She manages to take her out, though her step-dad warns her that she needs to be back the next day. Anika meets Ethan at the local store, she had previously dated his brother who is now married. He offers that she and her sister can stay at his place for some time till Anika can sort things out. There are many secrets Anika has which she hopes no one will know about. The local police come seeking her. Anika meets Mayor Auntie Dodd asking for her help and realizes that the Mayor knows a lot about her. A murder happens soon after, and Anika has to be strong to face the many challenges in front of her.
This was a story which started off well, with a touch of intrigue about Anika’s character and what has happened prior. The plot and the writing were inconsistent and felt amateurish, and I struggled to stay engaged. I found the characters poorly developed. This is a story where a dual timeline is needless and distracting.
Overall, a disappointment.
Thanks to Netgalley, Morgan James fiction and the author for a free electronic review copy. ...more
In the previous book, Tracy gets married to Dan. She is now taking fertility drugs and the matter is preying on her mind. She and her work partner KinIn the previous book, Tracy gets married to Dan. She is now taking fertility drugs and the matter is preying on her mind. She and her work partner Kins are in the Violent Crimes division, reporting to the Head Nolasco. There are others in the group – Del & Faz.
D'Andre Miller, 12-year-old, is returning after a good baseball match. He is toying with the ball in his hands and is hit by a vehicle. The driver flees the scene, and the boy dies. His mother is broken, and she has 2 other kids to care for. A naval officer is arrested. He says that his car was stolen and he is not to blame. Video evidence of a local store is crucial to the case. Leah Battles, a Navy attorney talks to Tracy, and it looks like the Navy may assert jurisdiction. Tracy is keen that justice must be done. There is another track on drug dealing which leads to a tragic death – this is a trail Del is following up on. This converges with the accident track towards the end.
Since I started reading Robert Dugoni’s books, I am a fan. They have good characters, interesting plots and procedures. This though, I would not rate among the better books in the series. The plot was average, and was less engrossing than the others I have read so far. Tracy is as always, a strong and loveable character. I also liked Leah Battles character, and hope she features in some of the next books in the series. The convergence of the two tracks is good.
A decent read, but not in the excellent category which most of Dugoni’s books are.
I had wanted to read Lisa Jewell’s books since some time. But then, looks like I started with the wrong one.
Maya, drunk and tottering lurches in fronI had wanted to read Lisa Jewell’s books since some time. But then, looks like I started with the wrong one.
Maya, drunk and tottering lurches in front of a bus and dies. Adrian, her husband is shocked. This was his third marriage, having been divorced twice before. He has five children with his ex-wives Susie & Caroline. He has tried his best to maintain a cordial relationship with his ex-wives and children, regularly meeting them. He thinks of giving away Maya’s cat and puts up a notice. Jane meets him and says she will consider it, but feels he will benefit by keeping the cat at least for some time. Adrian learns about some nasty mails which Maya had been getting before her death, and is unsure if her death was really an accident. Jane disappears after a couple of meetings, and something feels amiss.
This is a weak story which meanders along very slowly. The only character which is developed is Adrian. His being married thrice and trying his best to keep his entire family together came across as charming. I found Jane’s character motives to be silly and just tailored to provide some lame suspense.
This is an interesting dystopian story with some good characters, and it does not get too extreme.
The story starts with a man from Kenya who makes aThis is an interesting dystopian story with some good characters, and it does not get too extreme.
The story starts with a man from Kenya who makes a trip to New York to attend a farmers’ convention. He does not feel very good on the plane itself and gets worse as he gets off. He dies in the convention coughing blood. Within days many contract this condition where the symptoms profuse sweating, weakness, followed by coughing & fever. There are also some carriers with no symptoms. This is declared to be a pneumonic plague which spreads through droplets in the breath. Modern humans now have less immunity than in the past due to the use of pesticides, herbicides, hormones & antibiotics. In 9 months, there is large scale death & depopulation across the US. Governance has collapsed.
Leroy Tubbs, who was in the armed forces, leaves California after the plague kills his wife and kid. He decides to head East as he hears there are people trying to establish a government there. He sees some terrible incidents enroute and is powerless to intervene. South of Sayre, Oklahoma, 42-year Laura Wilson and her 20-year daughter Cindy are struggling to survive. Laura lost her husband to the plague. They loot food from uninhabited houses. There are also gangs with weapons on the prowl. Laura & Cindy get into trouble, and this is the time Leroy arrives in the area. It is a battle for survival in extreme conditions – gangs, violence, limited law enforcement, dwindling food supplies & no transportation.
Leroy, Laura & Cindy are loveable characters. There are also a few other supporting characters who make an appearance later and feed well to the story. I liked the fact that the story is simple and honest. I would have liked some more imagination in the plot though. Despite the extreme circumstances as the backdrop, the story is mostly safe and easy reading (except maybe for a couple of incidents).
As a short summary – I would say this book has sound advice on nutrition which many are coming around to. Nevertheless, the details are sketchy - almoAs a short summary – I would say this book has sound advice on nutrition which many are coming around to. Nevertheless, the details are sketchy - almost as if it were a lazy effort.
The author says while he respects modern medicine, in practice full understanding of how the human body functions & causes for disease is often absent. He goes on to further point out that this is now a powerful industry, and alternate medicine gets no funding is often tarnished as unscientific. The theory of the author is that disease happens when the body does not get nutrition to produce healthy cells and eliminate waste. The body is alkaline by design, while waste products are acidic. The cause of all disease is acidosis, which happens when the lymphatic system led by kidneys (which acts as sewage system) is unable to cope.
The recommendations for detox and diet all come across as sound: start the day with warm water & lemon, eat more raw fruits & veggies, avoid meat & dairy, take saunas, exercise (mild to moderate) daily, periodically cleanse with enemas & herbal cocktails, fast periodically.
This could have been a more valuable book with more detail, reasoning and better writing.
Thanks to Netgalley, BooksGoSocial and the author for a free electronic review copy...more
This is the second Keera Duggan legal thriller, which I was eager to read as I loved the first one (‘Her Deadly Game’).
Some of the background the prThis is the second Keera Duggan legal thriller, which I was eager to read as I loved the first one (‘Her Deadly Game’).
Some of the background the previous book is introduced in brief – Keera Duggan is now taking on a prominent role with clients after her dad Patsy (known as the Irish brawler) is fighting alcohol addiction and has taken a backseat. PSRT is a medical startup pioneering the product LINK which will have the potential to cure deadly diseases / regenerate failing organs with injection of genetic material in the skin. Jenna, at just 22, founded the company and is aggressive in promoting it and gaining funding. Sirus Kohl is an entrepreneur who invests a significant amount of money ($150m) and becomes the COO & CFO. Sirus is much older to Jenna, but they get into a romantic relationship. The product is coming along slowly and there are people in the company who are worried about misrepresentations. This reminded me of the real life unravelling of Theranos (with Elizabeth Holmes as CEO and Sunny Balwani as COO), but the similarity ends here with lot more serious crimes to come.
Erik Wei, chief scientist is found dead after a meeting with Jenna. Patsy represented Jenna and cast reasonable doubt that there were others who benefited more than Jenna with his death. PSRT subsequently has collapsed and is the subject of an investigation. 5 years later, Sirus Kohl, is shot and killed the day before he was to meet with federal authorities to discuss a plea bargain. Jenna is accused of the murder and turns to Patsy & Keera. Keera has known Jeena in school as a manipulative kid and is wary of how truthful she will be with her.
This is a solid second book in what is turning out to a great series. Jenna is a wonderful character, well supported by Detective Rossi and Jenna’s dad. The premise of the story & progressive unravelling of the plot backed by solid procedures & courtroom play makes for very engrossing reading. Unlike the previous book, this one does not attempt to tie up all details of the story. While that is charming in its own way, the last sections could have been a little better. Nevertheless, this is an excellent story. The courtroom strategies and dialogues are top-notch.
My rating: 4.5 / 5.
This is a series I will be keenly following. I am impatiently waiting for the next book in the series!
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Thomas and Mercer, and the author for a free electronic review copy....more
This is a nice little book on living in harmony with nature – specifically bonding with trees.
The author advises that aligning ourselves with nature This is a nice little book on living in harmony with nature – specifically bonding with trees.
The author advises that aligning ourselves with nature is simpler than we think. There is no necessity to overthink, and we can just start with a hi to trees. Nature has a lot of signs and messages which we mostly miss; instead tending to notice only marketing messages by habit. This is true with other life forms as well. If we try, we can relate to all other things in the universe & learn.
Trees push out a calm energy. The quiet life, of the kind trees lead is often missed. Trees have a life cycle and a personality too. The lessons for life we can gain with our association with trees include acceptance, peace, understanding, co-existence, happiness, pain, healing, resilience and love. We need to allow trees to flourish, and the author mentions that pruning more than 1/3rd of a tree’s branches would be very shocking & bad for the tree. Be mindful in the presence of trees and journal experiences.
This book points us to a doorway to peace which most of us ignore. This book is small (at just over 65 pages), simple & practical. It is philosophical, but not very detailed or deep, making it easy to read. This is a book which would have benefited from and should have had some good illustrations. The author mentions that a follow-up book is to come with personal experiences of her & readers. I would have liked some personal experiences to be included in this book as well.
I received a free electronic review copy of the book from the author
I had heard of this book for its portrayal of mental illness since some time. This is different from what I expected – stark and exuding raw realism. I had heard of this book for its portrayal of mental illness since some time. This is different from what I expected – stark and exuding raw realism.
Esther Greenwood is a bright student, and yet struggling to form a lasting relationship and find purpose in life. She has a limited friend circle, primarily two girls her age – Doreen & Betsy. She had hoped to get married to Buddy Willard, but falls out with him after he confesses that he has had other relationships. The expectations of society continues to weigh on Esther, though she ventures into some adventures on and off. Esther’s motivation suffers a setback after she is not accepted at a writing course. A psychiatrist Dr Gordon recommends electroshock therapy, and if anything makes matters worse for Esther. She next goes to Dr Nolan, and this seems to work better for her. This is a period when Esther is obsessed with sexual discovery. She also meets with Joan, a college mate, who is battling her own demons.
Maybe, as a result of reading Matt Haig’s books; especially his “Reasons to Stay Alive” which describes his descent into mental illness, and coming out of it, I was a little surprised at this book. This is a good first-person account of what people battling mental illness go through. Though the book ends with a glimmer of hope for Esther, it is largely a relentless, frank (and somewhat dry but that exemplifies the mental state) narration of an extremely tough battle for her. That it is about mental health is an oversimplification though – it is about a person struggling to find purpose, self-esteem & identity, sexuality, coping with pressure to conform with societal norms and building relationships. All these feed to each other for Esther, creating a difficult knotted mental state which becomes hugely challenging to unravel. I found the track involved Joan to be curious – especially considering the way it ends, I found her character to be underdeveloped & behaviour poorly explained.
This is a brave book which makes a valuable contribution to understanding the mental state & stress afflicting many lives; and situations which feed to and make it worse. I feel though that there could have been more in-depth character & behaviour exploration. Unlike Matt Haig’s books, this is not uplifting, and could be triggering for those who are stressed. In “Reasons to Stay Alive”, Matt Haig mentions at one point that he was a few steps & a few minutes from taking his own life. We, as a society are still in our initial stages of learning about how we can empathize with and help those in such situations.
My rating: 3.75 / 5.
Thanks to my friend Srivalli for recommending this book....more
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