In a Nutshell: A romantic drama written in a quirky writing style that I am somewhat undecided about. Great plot and intriguing theme. Very impressiveIn a Nutshell: A romantic drama written in a quirky writing style that I am somewhat undecided about. Great plot and intriguing theme. Very impressive for a debut work.
Story Synopsis:
When Cooper sees something she shouldn’t have seen, she is shattered. That’s when she stumbles upon a website that talks about a revolutionary new procedure called ‘The GateWay Programme’, which could help her erase her love for her husband Jethro, a musician who has just received his first big break. What happens next? Does Cooper’s heartbreak vanish after the procedure? How does Jethro feel about his wife’s altered behaviour? What does life hold for the duo after this radical step? The story comes to us in a limited third person perspective of various key characters, and also through a retrospective podcast interview with the doctors behind the procedure.
In a Nutshell: A complicated but interesting slow-burn dual-timeline mystery. Well researched, intriguing characters, some dark themes, Christian. NotIn a Nutshell: A complicated but interesting slow-burn dual-timeline mystery. Well researched, intriguing characters, some dark themes, Christian. Not a time-slip though, unlike what the blurb says. I am still confused about some plot points, but overall, I liked it enough.
Story Synopsis:
1907. The Pendletons, owners of a castle on Koster Isle in the Thousand Islands archipelago, are entertaining the glitterati of NY, ostensibly to celebrate their child’s fifth birthday, but practically, as a way of being accepted into the old wealth elite despite their nouveau riche status. When Amelia Pendleton tucks five-year-old Poppy into bed on the eve of her birthday, little does she know that the child will be missing just a few hours later, and her husband, dead. 1992. Chloe Riddell lives alone on the same island as Poppy’s castle, now an abandoned ruin. She does her best to ignore local curiosity about the old mystery regarding the missing girl and instead, focus on preserving her grandparents’ old cottage on the island and their candy shop cross the river. When a girl named Emma suddenly arrives at her doorstep, Chloe is surprised to discover an old scrapbook connected to the Pendletons among her possessions. Around the same time, a reporter named Logan also begins hounding Chloe, investigating Poppy’s disappearance and asking questions about her grandfather. What exactly happened on Koster Isle all those years ago? How is Emma connected to the Pendletons? Will Chloe be able to keep her home and her shop safe from the prying eyes? The story comes to us in the limited third person perspective of multiple characters, with a major chunk of the narration coming from Chloe and Amelia.
In a Nutshell: The story of Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation, but coming to us from the point of view of the three female characters in In a Nutshell: The story of Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation, but coming to us from the point of view of the three female characters in the classic. As a retelling, this is outstanding. As a Gothic horror, decent. As a women-oriented historical fiction, quite good.
Story Synopsis:
You might already have read or have heard of Mary Shelley’s horror classic, ‘Frankenstein’. This novel tells us about life in the Frankenstein household before, through, and after Victor Frankenstein created “The Creature”, revealed to us from the thoughts of the three key women characters. Caroline Frankenstein: Victor’s mother, Elizabeth’s guardian, Justine’s rescuer. The woman who loves her family and is ready to do anything to keep them safe, especially considering the current political climate. But she soon discovers that things are going out of her control. Elizabeth Lavenza: Indebted to Caroline as the latter rescued her in childhood. Feels compelled to accept Victor as her husband to repay her obligation. But her heart isn’t Victor’s. Justine Moreau (named ‘Justine Moritz’ in the original, if I am not wrong): Rescued by Caroline from an abusive mother. Devoted to Caroline and Elizabeth and ready to do anything for them, until one incident sets her on a different path. The story begins in 1783 and ends in 1799. The book is divided into four segments, with the first three coming to us from the third person perspectives of Caroline, Elizabeth, and Justine respectively, and the final segment coming from both Elizabeth and Justine.
In a Nutshell: Just what you would expect from a romance novel, plus a gorgeous, fairy-tale-like setting.
Story Synopsis:
Thirty-five year old Sadie ha
In a Nutshell: Just what you would expect from a romance novel, plus a gorgeous, fairy-tale-like setting.
Story Synopsis:
Thirty-five year old Sadie has spent most of her life following the wishes of her aunt Ebony, who has raised her after her parents’ death. ‘The Cinderella Shop’, run by Ebony and where Sadie works as a seamstress, is on Ever After Street, a cosy locations where all shops are made around fairy-tale themes, and there’s even an old castle nearby. When her aunt forbids her to go to a special farewell ball at the castle before it is sold to a supermarket, Sadie sneaks her way there in secret, never expecting to meet a charming man who blows her off her feet. The next day, she discovers that the man is none other than a real estate agent named Witt, who is in charge of selling the castle. Even worse, he doesn’t recognise her at all as the belle at the ball. However, he has come to their shop in the hopes of finding the girl who ran away at midnight, little knowing that he is speaking to her. Can Sadie use this opportunity to turn around the fortunes of her beloved shop, and maybe, change her own life too? The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Sadie.
I am not much of a romance reader nowadays. In my teen/young adult years, I would have sighed and swooned over such a story and given it a wholehearted 5 stars. But with middle age comes a sense of fatigue, where almost every romance novel looks the same in plot and approach. As such, I have become very selective in picking up books from this genre. One of the few romance authors whose works I will pick without many questions is Jaimie Admans.
Admans has an amazing ability of creating magical settings for her plots. When I had read ‘The Post Box at the North Pole’, I was astounded at how well she has crafted the Christmas-themed holiday village. This time around too, she has blown me away with her beautiful fairy-tale themed nook with a lovely name of ‘Ever After Street’. Yeah yeah, fairy tales are regressive and misogynistic and what not – I get it. After all, princes didn’t bother with consent and princesses had only one task - finding their ‘one true love’ to rescue themselves. But I can’t deny how these very stories transported me into a dreamlike world in my childhood. Keeping aside the outdated elements, fairy tales sparked wonder and awe (and also some ‘awwws’.) This book recreates the same old magic.
It’s not just the presence of the castle and the idea of shops themed around fairy tales that makes a difference here. It’s how the author makes everything sound realistic without being farfetched, and in how she describes the location so well that you can picture the whole scene clearly in your head. The book is full of Easter egg references to various fairy tales (let’s be clear: the Disney version of the stories and not the original darker tales), so if you are a fairy tale movie fan, you will have a lot of fun along the way discovering the references scattered here and there.
The author also has a great ability of creating vulnerable male characters. Witt isn’t presented as the perfect Prince Charming who can’t do anything wrong. On the contrary, he stammers, he jokes, and he even helps around a dress shop without any threat to his masculinity. In other words, Witt is loveable rather than just admirable, and this makes a big difference. Though I must add one thing: he never sounded like someone who was almost forty.
I liked Sadie’s character as well. Usually, I would not buy the idea of a woman in her mid-thirties being such a pushover and so dominated by her aunt, but the plot explains well the reason for her shyness and blind conformity to Ebony’s rules, and also how she finally builds up the courage to stand up for herself. Ebony is a decent character, almost like a typical fairy-tale villain though somewhat flat in portrayal. But her daughter Scarlett is a wonderful and well-sketched secondary character. I loved how she was not sketched as a clichéd ‘evil stepsister’ kind of character. I wish she had an even greater role to play.
In terms of plot, the story is pretty straightforward and mostly predictable, though it does have a couple of surprises. I could guess these much before they popped up on the page, but I was still invested enough in the proceedings. After all, no one reads romances for surprise twists – the couple will obviously have a HEA ending. What we read romances for is the journey to that ending, and in this book, the journey is stunning. The romance being steam-free was a huge added positive for me.
Through Sadie’s and Ebony’s interactions, we also have a nice conflict about how a business is supposed to be run. Considering how much I hate the word ‘influencer’, I obviously was against Ebony’s method of buttering insta celebrities in high hopes of name and fame. Sadie’s ideas were more conservative, but they spoke better to my heart. I like how she understood her business’s core competencies and wanted to build a brand around that, rather than running behind something that may be elusive and transient. Happy customers can lead to positive word-of-mouth publicity, and that automatically generates more revenue. There! A practical business lesson from a romance book – how often do you get to say that?
Of course, the book isn’t perfect. It is a bit slow-going and gets a bit repetitive in between. The only major thing that bugged me was the number of times physical gestures and touches are brought up in the couple’s scenes – blushing, hugging, putting head on shoulders, handholding, touching noses, fingers on elbow, hand around waist…. OMG! In all fairness, it seemed like both Sadie and Witt had touch as their love language, and mine isn’t touch, so that could be one reason for my irritation with the overload. So I guess this is more of a ME problem than a BOOK problem.
All in all, if you love romances of the Hallmark kind, and would want a story with a wondrous setting and relatable characters, this book has a strong chance of providing you with satisfaction.
This is the first of a planned series of standalone stories set on Ever After Street. Count this fairy tale lover in for all subsequent books!
A shoutout to that scrumptilicious cover art – so perfect for the story and for this genre!
4 stars.
My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
PS: A query not related to the book - Fellow reviewers, would you write ‘a HEA ending’ (pronouncing HEA as ‘Happily Ever After’ in your head’) or ‘an HEA ending’ (pronouncing HEA just by the letters)? This point always confuses me.
In a Nutshell: A Gothic Horror with some intriguing characters. Went a tad beyond my comfort level in terms of horrifying scenes, but that’s on me andIn a Nutshell: A Gothic Horror with some intriguing characters. Went a tad beyond my comfort level in terms of horrifying scenes, but that’s on me and not the book. Enjoyed the rest of it.
Story Synopsis:
Thirty-three-year-old Anne Towry has lived away from her family since she was ten. Forced to go to boarding school and ordered by her mother Seraphine never to return. she has spent all these years remembering hardly anything about her roots, except that she hates her mother. But when she receives an urgent phone call from a Dr. Cornish telling her that her mother is missing, Anne is forced to return to her childhood home, Whitehall Manor, in the hopes of locating her mother and then rushing back. Things aren’t that easy though. Anne sees that the state of the Whitehall estate isn’t as it was in her childhood days. Moreover, when she finds Seraphine’s journal, she is shocked at the revelations therein. As the days go by, things turn more and more horrifying, and Anne begins to question her own sanity. What is the truth behind the macabre happenings at Whitehall? The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Anne and Seraphine (through her journals.)
In a Nutshell: A beginner’s guide to playing the piano. Works nicely as a first piano book because of the range of information and the variety of songIn a Nutshell: A beginner’s guide to playing the piano. Works nicely as a first piano book because of the range of information and the variety of songs. Might get a bit overwhelming at times.
G-sharp the giraffe is our narrator on this musical journey where kids can understand the basics of piano playing. The book begins with the essentials such as correct posture and positioning, and then moves on to one new concept per chapter, thus covering quite a lot by the time they complete chapter ten.
Every chapter begins with information about a few terms and then illustrates the same with a couple of simple popular songs such as ‘Hot Cross Buns’ or ‘London Bridge is Falling Down.’ The lyrics have been modified in certain cases to avoid complicated notes. Every song in the book is played only with the white keys, thereby skipping out all mention of sharps and flats. The songs begin with three-note tunes and slowly increase in complication until the child can play notes from two staves simultaneously. This approach will work well for beginners, all the more as the initial songs do not use flagged notes.
The book offers many easy tips to remember some essentials such as the length of the notes. (The author’s explanation of time signatures is one of the simplest I have ever seen – excellent handling of this tricky concept!) There are also plenty of fun facts related to pianos (and a few connected to giraffes!) scattered throughout the book. At the end, there is a glossary of all the musical terms used in the book, and some additional resources that parents can use to continue their children’s journey on the pianoforte.
The information provided creates a slight paradox. On one hand, it is comprehensive, covering the two clefs (treble and bass), the middle C, reading the notes on the staves, finger positions and so on. It even goes into not-so-basic territory such as musical dynamics. On the other hand, it skips certain essentials. Basic facts such as there being seven notes (and hence the A-G nomenclature on the white keys) are skipped. The names of the two clefs are written but why they are also called G-Clef and F-Clef and the relevance of their positioning on the staves isn’t explained. Ledger lines are mentioned but the note gap between the two clefs isn’t clarified. Note beaming is mentioned but flags aren’t.
I feel that the range of information will be a bit overwhelming for beginners. The content worked for me as I already know how to read music. But if I were a child, such a plethora of information would have scared me away.
The book will work better if read leisurely, and under adult guidance. Maybe taking a chapter at a time, repeating it until perfected, and only then moving on to the next chapter would be more helpful than completing the ten chapters in ten days.
Recommended as an introductory guidebook to piano playing – this book will set kiddos on the right path of learning to play this delightful instrument, and will hopefully make them want to pursue it further.
Do note that the book follows the American musical notation system such as whole note, half note, and so on. (The British notation finds a little mention in one pop-out box.)
4 stars.
My thanks to Zeitgeist, Z Kids, and NetGalley for the DRC of “My First Piano Lessons”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: A knockout beauty of an anthology with hardly any afflictions.
When I opened this indie collection by Ukrainian-American indie author MIn a Nutshell: A knockout beauty of an anthology with hardly any afflictions.
When I opened this indie collection by Ukrainian-American indie author Marina Rubin, I looked for the author’s note. In any anthology, this is my first step as it gives me an idea of what to anticipate from the stories. There was no author’s note. *disappointed sigh.* When I peeked into the blurb in the hope of getting some sign about the theme, I saw some hefty claims: ...more
In a Nutshell: Have you ever read a fictional work that reads like it's based on facts despite its outlandish plot? This is one! As long as you don't In a Nutshell: Have you ever read a fictional work that reads like it's based on facts despite its outlandish plot? This is one! As long as you don't overanalyse this indie novel, it offers a wild and creepy ride. A good mix of sci-fi, mystery, and psychological thriller. Enjoyed most of it.
Story Synopsis:
Sixty years ago in 1960, a scary illness swept through the small town of Galina in Arizona, apparently beginning with a mysterious red hail. Not only were the symptoms strange, but they also had no apparent resolution. The onset created communal tensions between the whites and those of Mexican origin. The authorities dismissed the whole affair as a case of mass hysteria, and the plague remained out of public sight and mind. Now, in 2020, Colin, a sociology professor, has been researching the Galina Plague as the subject of his dissertation when his partner Alonzo falls ill. To Colin’s utter horror, Alonzo begins demonstrating the same symptoms as the victims of the Galina Plague. As one of the very few people who knows the strange events of the past, Colin rushes to find out what stopped the plagues in the sixties. The book comes to us over the two timelines of 1960 and 2020, and is written in the third person perspective of some key characters, including Colin.
In a Nutshell: A great option for animal nonfiction lovers. Goes a bit too technical with scientific parlance at times, but most of the content is comIn a Nutshell: A great option for animal nonfiction lovers. Goes a bit too technical with scientific parlance at times, but most of the content is comprehensible to lay readers.
Humans have always tried to understand animals. However, one key thing that we either forget or don’t realise is that we try to use *our* understanding of the world to perceive *their* understanding of the world. Scientists have realised the flaw of this method, and have already begun the change in methodology for animal behaviour analysis, using the concept of Umwelt to understand animal behaviour rather than anthropomorphising them.
Umwelt is the German word for ‘environment’, and it denotes an organism’s sensory world. Our sensory world is dictated by our senses—the five that are commonly termed senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) and the various other senses that we aren’t even aware of possessing (heat, pain, vibrations, balance,…) However, we all know that the senses aren’t standard across species. For instance, a dog perceives a fewer number of colours than humans, while birds perceive colours much beyond what we can. Does this mean that dogs know that they can see less and birds are aware that they can see more? Not at all – their Umwelten has always been the same. So seeing ultraviolet shades is perfectly routine for birds while we go ‘Wow!’ at the thought.
The book takes all of the common and most of the uncommon senses, and elaborates on each of them through multiple anecdotes and examples. The anecdotes come from various sensory biologists and their research experiences, which range from awe-inspiring to frustrating. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific Umwelt, and is supported by elaborate footnotes. (and I mean ‘elaborate’ in every sense – about a quarter of the book contains just the footnotes.) There is a strong underlying thread of humour throughout the content, courtesy not just the anecdotes but the author’s funny remarks about some of the facts/animals.
What I loved most about the author’s approach is that he never places any sense or animal above or below another, and is certainly not biased towards humans or human senses. The book’s primary focus is not on establishing superiority but on understanding the diversity of the natural world. More importantly, the agenda is very clear: the intention is not to seek a better understanding of our world by understanding other species first. Rather, it is to understand other species, period.
A plus point to the beautiful colour photo inserts, but a minus for having them in one clump at the end of the book (before the footnotes) rather than inserting them at the relevant spots within the related chapter. (This feedback is based on the Kindle version.)
Further on the flip side, the content gets a tad overwhelming at times, especially when it comes to providing data-based support. Some stats became too tedious, and some explanations too jargonistic. The writing style is also a bit jumpy at times as the author seeks to include as many instances as he can to support his point.
A bigger red flag personally was learning about some of the experiments & research methodology in use. A few experiments raised in my head the same old doubt: how far should humans go during animal research? I admire what the scientists seek to do, but advocating such research also feels like supporting cruelty. These experiments left me quite torn about my feelings. I couldn’t buy their argument that we humans are doing all this for the animals. No, humans are doing all this mainly for themselves. We want to learn more and more about everything around us, even if the learning comes at some cost to other species. This is not exactly a flaw in the writing, but a negative emotional impact of the content.
On the whole though, this is a treasure trove of information for every nature lover and to those curious about how senses (across species) function. Reading it will open your eyes (to the extent of their paltry four photoreceptor cones & rods) towards the vibrant diversity found in nature.
Definitely recommended if the subject matter interests you. Would suggest you read it a chapter at a time as it gets quite saturating otherwise.
In a Nutshell: The third book of the Whimbrel House series. Won’t work as a standalone. I enjoyed the story to a great extent, but it doesn’t match upIn a Nutshell: The third book of the Whimbrel House series. Won’t work as a standalone. I enjoyed the story to a great extent, but it doesn’t match up to the earlier two books. This volume felt quite relaxed and light in comparison to their darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis: (Contains Spoilers about the first two books.)
1847, Ohio. Hulda Larkin, now the director of BIKER, is trying to sort out the mess left behind by the earlier director while also preparing for her upcoming nuptials with Merritt. Merritt has just started feeling reassured that all dangers are behind him, when he receives a letter from the Queen of England, expressing her interest in his “dog” Owein. The Queen’s duty is to ensure that the royal lineage maintains its genetic dominance on magic, and she is sure that finding a human body for Owein’s spirit and marrying him into the royal family will work well for both parties. When the American duo lands in London, it is very clear that someone doesn’t want them around. However, with this being Owein’s only chance of lasting longer than his dog body will allow him to, he is determined to stay put, and Merritt is in no position to refuse. The story comes to us through the limited third person perspective of Merritt, Hulda and Owein.
This is the third book of the Whimbrel House series, with the first two being Keeper of Enchanted Rooms and Heir of Uncertain Magic. I adored the first book, loved the second book, and enjoyed the third book. The plot is sequential across the books, and hence this series is best read in order.
In a Nutshell: A well-written women’s fiction, staying true to the genre. As a series starter, this lays the right foundation for possible sequels witIn a Nutshell: A well-written women’s fiction, staying true to the genre. As a series starter, this lays the right foundation for possible sequels without leaving anything major incomplete. Somewhat slow at the start, but overall, a nice read. The main focus isn’t romance: hooray!
Story Synopsis:
Wales. Lowri, a young widow, has been struggling to get things together for herself and her six year old daughter Wren, after her husband Alun died in an accident two years ago. While finally sorting through his belongings, Lowri discovers that Alun has an inheritance she knew nothing about – a place named Clearwater House. When Lowri arrives in Clearwater village, she can’t believe her eyes when she realises that Clearwater House is a castle, and comes with huge grounds and several establishments. Though it is somewhat derelict, she begins picturing a future for herself and Wren in the empty gatekeeper’s cottage. For her plans for Clearwater, she needs the support of the local stonemason Huw, who seems to be a prickly drunkard, and of Elin – one of the workers in the textile mill on Clearwater grounds. However, there are a couple of nefarious people around, who have their own secret agenda for Clearwater. Will Lowri be able to set Clearwater back on track, and also discover why her husband never told her about the inheritance? The story comes to us mostly from the limited third person perspective of Lowri and Huw.
In a Nutshell: An interesting graphic novel about the relationship between an inventor and a lifelike humanoid. Covers interesting themes. Needed moreIn a Nutshell: An interesting graphic novel about the relationship between an inventor and a lifelike humanoid. Covers interesting themes. Needed more explanation for some plot points. But a good read nonetheless.
Story Synopsis:
Aspiring scientist Clementine Chang has newly moved to Mars for a fresh start, and is keen to begin her new job working with her idol Dr. Marcella Lin, an AI pioneer. Lin’s humanoid AI assistant named Kye is proof of how skilled she is. Clem herself has a little AI companion named SENA, who is somewhat moth-shaped. Clem and Kye hit it off with a great friendship, which creates trouble with Lin. The trouble are further worsened after Kye starts suffering glitches after his interactions with Clem. What is behind Kye’s glitches? Will Clem be able to continue with her dream job after risking so much for Kye?
Bookish Yays: ✔ A compelling plot that is quite intricate for a YA graphic novel.
✔ Women characters working in STEM! In a non-superhero graphic novel! High time!
✔ The various AI robots, who range from cute to hunk. SENA and Kye are both wonderful characters, and through them, the plot raises many interesting questions about the rights of AI humanoids. The ethical dilemmas are highlighted well.
✔ Though mainly focussed on AI, the technological aspects of the plot don’t overwhelm.
✔ The use of Mars as a setting. The story could have made better use of this, but even as is, it was fun to see how humans have colonised Mars in this alternate reality.
✔ A comprehensive library, with library owls! If there’s one thing from the story I wish came true in real life, it would be the library owls.
✔ The illustrations. For some reason, the sketches use mostly the blue and white colour palette, with a few exceptions in skin tone for some panels. The lack of garish colours serves to highlight certain important sequences in the plot.
✔ First time that I have seen a hijabi character getting a place of prominence in a graphic novel plot without any reference to her race or religion. That’s how inclusivity is best portrayed – by making it seem routine.
Bookish Nays: ⚠ The writing jumps over a lot of important events, especially in the backstories. This makes the current dilemma of all the three main characters seem vague and hurried, and also leads to an equally hasty resolution. This was a major problem.
⚠ Clem and Kye develop a healthy, organic relationship based on understanding than on insta attraction, which would have been really weird in this case. But they reach the “I love you” stage too soon. More confusingly, there are no questions or insecurities about the future of such a relationship. It seems to proceed and to be accepted too smoothly.
All in all, this was an entertaining graphic novel with lots of light moments as well as food for thought. If there had been a better explanation of the backstories of the three main characters, the book would have worked even better for me. Still, a good one for graphic novel enthusiasts. The writing is aimed at the older-YA and NA age group.
4 stars.
My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Infinity Particle”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
A retelling of an old animal fable, the book tells us about a little hummingbird whose forest home iIn a Nutshell: A nice story with a vital message.
A retelling of an old animal fable, the book tells us about a little hummingbird whose forest home is on fire. All the other animals are fleeing from the blaze. When the little bird approaches them for help, they respond that the flames are too strong for them to do anything. But the hummingbird remembers how much the forest gave to her. Can it simply abandon its home?
Most of the book proceeds as expected. The other animals give up even before attempting to save the forest; they are more concerned with saving themselves. The hummingbird, though little, is the only one to take action against a problem. Towards the end, when the tired little bird declares, ‘I am doing all I can”, it is a wake-up call for the rest of the forest denizens.
The story might be typical, but here’s where the book elevates the experience: ...more
In a Nutshell: A cute though farfetched story about a little snail with big dreams.
Walter is no Turbo the speed-racing snail from the Dreamworks movieIn a Nutshell: A cute though farfetched story about a little snail with big dreams.
Walter is no Turbo the speed-racing snail from the Dreamworks movie, but he still is a wonder snail in his dreams and his determination. He is fed up of his life amid the leaves and wonders if he should explore more. The other snails dissuade him with their constant refrain of “But that’s not what snails do!” Walter, however, knows what is best for himself and sets out of a journey into the unknown. With the help of some animal friends, he soon discovers that the world is indeed much more than leaves.
If you notice the cover page of the book, you will see a tagline that declares, “Be brave, be curious, be Walter!” That covers the essence of the book. Walter explored the unseen terrain with bravery. Walter knows that there’s always something more to explore and one needn’t settle for what people tell you is enough. But most importantly, Walter knows that it is okay to rely on friends for help, and that even after the bravest and most curious of journeys, one shouldn’t forget one’s roots, or one’s home.
There are plenty of great messages that come out through this book – whether directly through Walters’ friends who help him on his journey, or the indirect ones that we can gauge from Walter’s experiences.
Why not 5 stars then?
Well, as a child, I sure would have loved a snail going so much out of its way and being what it is essentially not. As a parent though, I could see the myriad dangers Walter puts himself into. He was lucky enough to find helpful animals at the right time. Without the bird or the frog for example, there was no way Walter alone could have travelled through air or into water. At the same time, notice the danger in accepting this help. Some birds eat snails, so Walter could have put his life at risk by accepting help from a bird. Similarly, by exploring inside the pond, Walter could have drowned by not knowing how to swim. Though it is just a picture book, I would have appreciated a word of caution. The world is not full of do-gooders, and kids also need to learn that exploring goes hand in hand with caution.
Also, the fact is that simply saying ‘I can do whatever I set my mind to’ doesn’t actuate itself in every life situation. I wish Walter’s sojourn had been a little more realistic, so that children could learn to take disappointments too in their stride. This book was too simplistic!
The story is written in a simple prose style with easy vocabulary. There are not more than 3-4 sentences on most pages, and every sentence carries the story ahead with a wonderful imagery, not something I can say for most picture books. I loved the use of the ‘sound’ words. Onomatopoeic effects add so much fun to children’s books!
The illustrations are lovely. Every page is bright and filled with the colours of nature. And snail with a little leaf hat – adorable!!!
Recommend to little ones aged 3-6 years, preferably to be read with an adult companion to get a complete picture of Walter’s travels.
4 stars.
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “Walter the Wonder Snail”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: A smoothly-written debut historical fiction, based on the life of a courageous young country girl. Flows as expected without any surpriIn a Nutshell: A smoothly-written debut historical fiction, based on the life of a courageous young country girl. Flows as expected without any surprises, but covers some interesting topics.
Story Synopsis:
1912. Fifteen-year-old Kate is a strong, intelligent and independent fifteen year old who lives in Micklewell village with her parents and four siblings. She knows that she needs to contribute to the income, and so when she finds work in a nearby town as a nursemaid, she jumps at the opportunity. Life at the wealthy Winton household isn't easy but having some sympathetic people in the family and some friendly co-workers helps. With the suffragette movement and the beginning of the Great War, Kate's life changes even more. The story is written mainly in the third person limited perspective of Kate.
Note: If you wish to enjoy this book, do not read the Goodreads blurb.
The author began working on this novel when, while researching her family history, she discovered the fact that her grandfather had a previous wife and child in 1918. This is her creative version of what might have happened to this young woman.
In a Nutshell: Will work nicely for little dinophiles.
The latest in the Truth or Poop series, this book contains 50 “facts” about dinosaurs. It is up In a Nutshell: Will work nicely for little dinophiles.
The latest in the Truth or Poop series, this book contains 50 “facts” about dinosaurs. It is up to you to decide whether the fact is ‘truth’ or ‘poop’. Once you have your answer ready, turn the page to discover if you got it right.
Each dino fact is accompanied by an illustration sketched by the author himself. These are quite funny! The answer page provides not just the answer but also a detailed explanation, which is written in a humorous rather than boring way. What I like is how the author manages to make the factual details conversational rather than encyclopaedic, thereby making the whole experience a relaxed and interesting leaning time.
I’ve read all the Truth or Poop books so far--my kids are big fans of this series--but let me confess, this title was my least favourite one. The reason for that is quite simple: I am not a dinosaur geek. So while I was amazed at the variety of information in the book (Jurassic Park got velociraptors so wrong!!!), after a point, I felt saturated. I have no doubt that dino maniacs will enjoy this book a lot more than I did. Questions like ‘Dino Death Matches’ are sure to work better for them, and there are quite a few Dino Death Matches herein!
That doesn’t mean I didn’t like the book. Far from it! I loved reading about the goof-ups made by palaeontologists while putting together dinosaur bones. It was also hilarious to learn about a place called ‘Dinosaur’ in Colorado! (USA, you always surprise me with your quirky place names!!!) Another fun element was the facts related to the accuracy of the dinosaur depiction in the Jurassic Park series. The book also covered details about the dino extinction and fossil formation in the precise manner.
As always, the book will work better if you are reading it along with your family and treat it as a kind of group game. It’s fun to see who is winning and who has the most “poops”. ...more
A cute indie picture book that depicts a little mermaid who is never scared, and too confident about her bravery.
Mellie the Mermaid loves to explore A cute indie picture book that depicts a little mermaid who is never scared, and too confident about her bravery.
Mellie the Mermaid loves to explore the ocean around her. Though her parents advise her to be careful, Mellie is not scared of anything and continues to go further and further in her adventures. However, one fine day, she has an encounter that does give her the jitters. How will this scary experience change her?
I have read many picture books telling kids not to be scared, to step beyond their fear, to be brave. Here’s a book that begins the opposite way. Mellie is shown as being so confident that nothing rattles her. At the same time, she doesn’t heed her parents’ warnings about being careful and hence she goes a step too far. Her sense of curiosity comes out well in the story.
The book works at many levels. It shows children that there is a thin line between being brave and being reckless. It helps them understand why it is good to listen to their parents, who are more knowledgeable about the world around them. It also lets them know that one scary encounter doesn’t mean that they stop adventuring, but to use it as a learning experience and continue exploring with care.
I also liked how Mellie’s parents were not shown as overbearing or controlling. They advise Mellie to take care, and then leave her be. When she comes to them later, they don’t scold her for not listening to their instructions but encourage her to continue being brave. A lesson here for parents too!
While I loved the message of the story, the text left me with slightly mixed feelings. There are many onomatopoeic words and repeated lines that would be great while reading aloud. However, the text seems to shuffle between rhythmic prose and plain prose randomly. The old ship being named ‘Nellie’ was too forceful a rhyme with ‘Mellie’. There are a couple of lines in second person, which don’t fit in with the overall third person narration.
The illustrations are mostly gorgeous. The underwater world is depicted beautifully, and the marine diversity is excellent. I liked Mellie’s look also a lot, though her hair bow kept changing sides abruptly, and I didn’t understand how she was wearing a white top underwater. Her dad was also a bit too well-groomed for a merman. Anyway, let’s chalk all that up to creative license. The book is still pretty to look at, even digitally.
Overall, a great debut attempt with a worthwhile message. The book is aimed at readers aged 3-5 years. Recommended to little readers who are sometimes too brave for their own good.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Finch Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “Mellie the Mermaid: Is NOT Scared of ANYTHING”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: An enlightening read for youngsters who are interested in animals and zoology.
Most children love animals. However, a few want to take tIn a Nutshell: An enlightening read for youngsters who are interested in animals and zoology.
Most children love animals. However, a few want to take their passion beyond pets, and have a career connected to animals in the wild. How should they begin? What does a zoologist actually do? Where does a zoologist work? You will find answers to all this and more in this educative and entertaining book.
The books begins with an introduction of zoology. It then covers various types of biomes such as temperate & tropical forests, the tundra, the grasslands, and even underwater reefs and the deep ocean. For each region, the book explores the kind of region, a few of the animals who dwell therein, some interesting facts related to the animals, and the work zoologists do in that region, and how they go about it.
While there are many books that provide amazing facts about wild animals, this book is different because it explores many aspects from a zoological perspective and provides us an insight into the role played by zoologists in today’s world. Rather than restricting the content to animals alone, the text also covers many complex terms such as invasive species, fossil fields, ethics, and the role of zoos in animal research.
At the end, there are a few pointers about what children can do at their age to further their interest in zoology. There is also some nice (and entertaining) advice on zoology from some contemporary zoologists. A helpful glossary provides the meanings of all the difficult terms.
While the book is planned for readers aged 6-9, the complexity of the content makes this a suitable work for the older ones in that age group. It will even work wonderfully for tweens and younger teens. Pre-teens might enjoy the animal facts and some part of the zoologists’ work, but the rest might be a tad too difficult for them to grasp as intended. They will love the art though.
The artwork is exactly as needed for the topic: colourful, accurate, fun. I didn’t like the sketches in the zoologists’ section at the end, but the rest of the illustrations were nice. They are quite intricate, and some pages even include some fun elements within the drawings.
All in all, this would be a great addition to every animal lover’s library and even to classroom libraries.
4 stars.
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and Edelweiss+ for the DRC of “The Who, What, Why of Zoology”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: I am stunned at this indie work in so many ways! It has its flaws, and yet it had me hooked. I am going to be pondering over the characIn a Nutshell: I am stunned at this indie work in so many ways! It has its flaws, and yet it had me hooked. I am going to be pondering over the characters for a long time.
Story Synopsis:
Nine-year-old Nicky loves his mom and dad, and wants them to be together. But when his dad walks out because of his mom’s alcoholism, Nicky feels responsible. He tries his best to put things right as the ‘man of the house’, but when he can’t, he struggles with his emotions. Almost-thirty-year-old Keziah believes that she has found a gem of a man in Claus, a child psychologist. In a bid to provide some happiness to her parents who are still broken over her elder sister’s death a few years ago, she accepts Claus’s proposal. However, it soon becomes clear to her that Claus has two faces. And she isn’t sure which one belongs to the real Claus. The story comes to us mostly in the third person perspective of Nick and the first person perspective of Keziah.
There are many reasons for which I should have disliked this book. And yet… I couldn’t keep the book aside!
The two character perspectives were wonderfully written. I didn’t foresee how the two stories were interrelated. I had my guesses, of course, but boy, was I wrong and how! Not a single guess of mine about the connection and the climax was correct; whoops!
Keziah and Nicky have some similar points in their stories. Both are dealing with tragedies in their families. Both want a happy and united future. Both give generous second chances to the people they love. But both forget that a ‘second’ chance can be given only once. A chance given over and over again isn’t a ‘second’ chance anymore. And this is where my feelings for them took different paths. Nicky was just a vulnerable boy. So I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, and wished that he had had at least one sensible and responsible adult in his close family. (Nancy and Mr. P could do only SO much!) However, Keziah was an independent adult, and her decision to stick with Claus tested my patience.
Claus seemed like a typical ‘gaslighting husband and jerk’ character, the kind omnipresent in almost every contemporary domestic thriller, except that this isn’t a domestic thriller. But by the time the story came to an end, I was thoroughly confused about my opinion of Claus. His character arc offers a lot to ponder over.
There are some memorable secondary characters as well, quite a few of whom stand out in the way they affect the plot for better or for worse. I wish some of them had been given a larger role to play in the proceedings. That said, some decisions made by the characters—main and secondary—left me infuriated, so it was very tough to stay calm while reading this work.
Author Jo Johnson has been a practising clinical psychologist with the NHS for more than a decade, and her experience and her expertise are clearly visible in her portrayal of the characters’ behaviour and reactions. I appreciate how she didn’t make the mental health issues just a quirk but rather, a solid part of the character’s personality. Nicky’s OCD is especially well-integrated into the storyline.
As I mentioned above, the book isn’t without flaws. There were a couple of minor plot-holes and some inconsistencies in character development, especially in Nicky’s feelings for odd numbers. There are random time jumps and scene jumps. The writing becomes sometimes a bit confusing, especially when it tries to foreshadow. There are minor typos here and there, but for a change, I was happy to ignore the grammatical & writing integrity, and focus only on the plot and the characters. I still don’t know how I feel about the ending – it certainly took me by surprise, and not necessarily in a bad way.
Overall, this book offered me a reading experience that went far beyond the printed words. While not a character-oriented story, it still made me wonder what I would have done had I been in that character’s place. Some of my actions would have matched theirs; some, absolutely not.
If you are looking for a thought-provoking domestic suspense story, I definitely recommend this indie gem. The writing might need some fine-tuning, but the story and the characters make it worth the time.
4 stars.
My thanks to author Jo Johnson for providing me with a complimentary copy of “Surviving Her”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers in India.
In a Nutshell: Enjoyed this anthology that peppers various human emotions into one tidy package. Slice-of-life–styled writing. Humour and seriousness In a Nutshell: Enjoyed this anthology that peppers various human emotions into one tidy package. Slice-of-life–styled writing. Humour and seriousness blended perfectly in each story. Atypical endings, so that will be the decider for your experience.
This collection of eleven stories comes with a very interesting introductory note in the blurb: Eleven glittering stories of love—friendships formed at the airport bar, ex-husbands with benefits, mothers of suspiciously sweet teenagers, ill-advised trysts—in all its forms, both ridiculous and sublime. And for a change, the book lives up to the tall claim! Hallelujah!
Each of the eleven stories features characters ranging from quirky to despicable. The stories are all in slice-of-life format, which means you don’t necessarily have a start-middle-end progression, the tales jump around in their timelines, and the ending is not perfectly sealed. If you are highly particular about the endings of short stories being a traditional curtain-down, this may not work for you. To be honest, it doesn’t always work for me too. But in this anthology, the writing is so impeccable that I was able to let go of my need for the typical climax. Moreover, the endings work excellently for most of the stories; that helps.
All the stories focus on dysfunctional relationships, with one central character leading you on a merry journey of discovery. Many of the tales have a subtle undertone of humour—the snarky kind, which I enjoy best!
The only thing that would have made the anthology even better for me would have been an author’s note, explaining the motivation behind the stories or some insight into how this collection was put together. Even that wonderful line about the tales being glittering stories of love ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime is found only in the blurb. Knowing the central theme through an introductory note always makes an anthology more enjoyable.
As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the eleven tales, six reached/crossed the four star mark, and the remaining five hovered between 3-3.5 stars. In other words, no bad story at all – I either liked them or loved them! These were my top favourites with 4.5 stars and above: ...more
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