Celebrating Female Authors

Happy International Women’s Day

March 8th is the International Women’s day.To celebrate this wonderful day, I decided to share a recap of the awesome books that I have read this year written by female authors from around the world.

 

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin

 

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin is filled with humor. The language used is simple but quite raw (uncensored). Although, the story is told by multi-narrators, it is easy to follow the witty narration. The story has everything from jealously, lust, anger to love. Its characters are also quite memorable. All this make it a very fascinating read. Lola is my favourite female author from West Africa second to Chimamanda Ngozi.

You can read more about Lola here

“When we stand before God on the last day, will he ask whether we went to university?” ― Lola Shoneyin, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I enjoyed The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. The author took a number of risks that paid off. For instance; the narrator is killed right at the start. The identity of the killer is then revealed just as fast. However, this does not take away the suspense. The book was also quite moving; it made me think about life after death and especially about what happens to those who are no longer part of the living. Read my full review of the book here

Here is more information about Alice Sebold

“Sometimes the dreams that come true are the dreams you never even knew you had.”
― Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones

 

The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy

 

This is a collection of short stories all about traveling. I thought its a perfect read for vacation. Easter holidays are coming up soon so this may be a great choice to take with you as you travel.Here is my review of the book

You can read more about the author here

 

The Help by Kathyrn Stockett

This book has both sad and happy moments that make the characters easy to relate with. Although, a work of fiction, The Help is a historical but timeless masterpiece that will make readers take another look at the way they treat their helps. This book also takes readers back to the tumultuous time in history that shaped the world we live in today. . You can read my review of the book here

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”
― Kathryn Stockett, The Help

About the author

 

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd will take you on an emotional journey. It demonstrates how friendships can rise above all kinds of obstacles such as race. You will get attached to all the characters because of their uniqueness and some of them will break your heart. You will be moved by unlikely friendships and even romance. The story is funny, sad and full of drama that makes it hard to put down. I found myself reading it at home, in coffee shops and once in traffic whereby I had to take breaks to keep the tears from flowing in public. This is just a beautiful book. The copy that I read was borrowed from a library but this is one book that I plan to buy and add to my own personal book collection.You can read my review of the book here

“We can’t think of changing our skin color. Change the world – that’s how we gotta think.”
― Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

Author information

 

Room by Emma Donoghue

Emma Donoghue’s Room is a book that I highly recommend. It’s a moving story that takes readers on an emotional roller-coaster although the ride is definitely worth it. Here is my review of the book.

About Emma Donoghue

 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

 

 

 

I loved the book and highly recommend it. It is well paced right from the first page and keeps readers engaged all the way to the very last page. It’s the kind of thriller that readers will keep talking about long after they turn the last page.

Here is my full review of the book

About Paula Hawkins

 

Abducted: The Fourteen Year Fight to Find My Children by Jacqueline Pascarl

 

Abducted: The Fourteen Year Fight to Find my Children by Jacqueline Pascarl is an interesting story. As I already mentioned before; it is based on true events and so does not have the twists commonly found in fiction. However, it is a heart wrenching and inspirational story that will move each reader. It also contains a number of lessons about child abduction. This is a heartrending story of a mother’s love, bravery and relentless fight to find her children.

About Jacqueline Pascarl

 

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui is a heartrending story. However, it is also quite inspiring. Nujood is wise beyond her years and her bravery is to be admired. I highly recommend this memoir.

About Nujood Ali and her story

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

I really enjoyed reading The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I used to look forward to getting home from work so that I could get lost in the pages of the story. I thought about Celia and could picture her through her journey to a strong woman. I had this image of Shug Avery too. She was strong, beautiful and confident. I could also picture Nettie and especially the Olinkas as their lives transformed with the colonialism. At the end of the book, there were a few pages about Alice Walker with photos of her family from back in the 1930’s. They are beautiful photos that also tell the story of the author. This was a beautiful book that I am sure will stay with me for a very long time.

About Alice Walker

Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris

I enjoyed reading this book. It fast paced and suspenseful and it kept guessing all the way to the last page.

Here is my full review of the book

 

You can also read about the author here

The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo

About Beverly Naidoo

I enjoyed this book. Its more suited for YA readers although it has some sensitive themes of asylum seekers and also bullying. A beautiful story though about two brave children who end up stranded in London after being smuggled out of Nigeria.

 

P.S: I Love you by Cecilia Ahern

 

What I liked about PS: I Love you by Cecilia Ahern is the theme of grieving and healing. I enjoyed reading about Holly’s journey. The fact that Gerry was helping her get through her loss was also an interesting angle to the story.

About Cecilia Ahern

 

Currently reading:Halos by Kristen Heitzmann

I love this book so far. Its quite interesting. I has some good suspense that has kept me turning the pages. Its my first book under Christian Fiction but it is so good that it has given me more motivation to read the Francine Rivers books which have some

really good reviews by the way.

My TBR List has Francine Rivers

 

 

Happy International Women’s Day to you all!

From Africa with Love: African Literature

I grew up reading African literature books. I read so many books by African authors throughout high school and Uni as part of  assigned reading and also out of my own interest. Most of these books were by Nigerian authors such as the legendary Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka. My favorite Kenyan author is Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. What I love about Ngugi’s books is that they gave me an insight into my culture. A culture that is gradually getting lost due to globalization and effects of westernization.Traces of the cultures are now found mainly in the pages of books and museums.

 

My ethnic tribe is called Kikuyu. This is a photo of a Kikuyu woman taken in 1936 in the traditional attire. With the passage of time and westernization, this attire is now worn as a costume or modified versions of it are worn for occasions such as traditional weddings.

 

 

 

Books by African authors that I have recently added to my TBR:

The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah

(Click on title to read my review)

Memory is an albino woman languishing in Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she has been convicted of murder. As part of her appeal, her lawyer insists that she write down what happened as she remembers it. As her story unfolds, Memory reveals that she has been tried and convicted for the murder of Lloyd Hendricks, her adopted father. But who was Lloyd Hendricks? Why does Memory feel no remorse for his death? And did everything happen exactly as she remembers?

 

The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives by Lola Shoneyin

(Click on title to read my review)

Meet Baba Segi . . .A plump, vain, and prosperous middle-aged man of robust appetites, Baba Segi is the patriarch of a large household that includes a quartet of wives and seven children. But his desire to possess more just might be his undoing.

And his wives . . .Iya Segi—the bride of Baba Segi’s youth, a powerful, vindictive woman who will stop at nothing to protect her favored position as ruler of her husband’s home.ya Tope—Baba Segi’s second wife, a shy, timid woman whose decency and lust for life are overshadowed by fear.Iya Femi—the third wife, a scheming woman with crimson lips and expensive tastes who is determined to attain all that she desires, no matter what the cost. Bolanle—Babi Segi’s fourth and youngest wife, an educated woman wise to life’s misfortunes who inspires jealousy in her fellow wives . . . and who harbors a secret that will expose shocking truths about them all

 

 The Fishermen by Obioma Chigozie

(Click on title to read my review)

In a Nigerian town in the mid 1990’s, four brothers encounter a madman whose mystic prophecy of violence threatens the core of their close-knit family. Told from the point of view of nine year old Benjamin, the youngest of four brothers, The Fishermen is the story of an unforgettable childhood in 1990s Nigeria, in the small town of Akure. When their strict father has to travel to a distant city for work, the brothers take advantage of his extended absence to skip school and go fishing. At the ominous, forbidden nearby river, they meet a dangerous local madman who persuades the oldest of the boys that he is destined to be killed by one of his siblings. What happens next is an almost mythic event whose impact-both tragic and redemptive-will transcend the lives and imaginations of its characters and its readers. Dazzling and viscerally powerful, The Fishermen never leaves Akure but the story it tells has enormous universal appeal. Seen through the prism of one family’s destiny, this is an essential novel about Africa with all of its contradictions—economic, political, and religious—and the epic beauty of its own culture. With this bold debut, Chigozie Obioma emerges as one of the most original new voices of modern African literature, echoing its older generation’s masterful storytelling with a contemporary fearlessness and purpose.

 

Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John

In far northwestern Nigeria, Dantala lives among a gang of street boys who sleep under a kuka tree. During the election, the boys are paid by the Small Party to cause trouble. When their attempt to burn down the opposition’s local headquarters ends in disaster, Dantala must run for his life, leaving his best friend behind. He makes his way to a mosque that provides him with food, shelter, and guidance. With his quick aptitude and modest nature, Dantala becomes a favored apprentice to the mosque’s sheikh. Before long, he is faced with a terrible conflict of loyalties, as one of the sheikh’s closest advisors begins to raise his own radical movement. When bloodshed erupts in the city around him, Dantala must decide what kind of Muslim—and what kind of man—he wants to be. Told in Dantala’s naïve, searching voice, this astonishing debut explores the ways in which young men are seduced by religious fundamentalism and violence.

 

We need new names by NoViolet Bulawayo

Darling is only ten years old, and yet she must navigate a fragile and violent world. In Zimbabwe, Darling and her friends steal guavas, try to get the baby out of young Chipo’s belly, and grasp at memories of Before. Before their homes were destroyed by paramilitary policemen, before the school closed, before the fathers left for dangerous jobs abroad. But Darling has a chance to escape: she has an aunt in America. She travels to this new land in search of America’s famous abundance only to find that her options as an immigrant are perilously few. NoViolet Bulawayo’s debut calls to mind the great storytellers of displacement and arrival who have come before her-from Junot Diaz to Zadie Smith to J.M. Coetzee-while she tells a vivid, raw story all her own.

 

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife, Neni, and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Clark demands punctuality, discretion, and loyalty—and Jende is eager to please. Clark’s wife, Cindy, even offers Neni temporary work at the Edwardses’ summer home in the Hamptons. With these opportunities, Jende and Neni can at last gain a foothold in America and imagine a brighter future.

However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers’ façades. When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende’s job—even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.

 

My favourite quote on Africa and African Literature:

“There are as many Africas as there are books about Africa — and as many books about it as you could read in a leisurely lifetime. Whoever writes a new one can afford a certain complacency in the knowledge that his is a new picture agreeing with no one else’s, but likely to be haugthily disagreed with by all those who believed in some other Africa. … Being thus all things to all authors, it follows, I suppose, that Africa must be all things to all readers.

Africa is mystic; it is wild; it is a sweltering inferno; it is a photographer’s paradise, a hunter’s Valhalla, an escapist’s Utopia. It is what you will, and it withstands all interpretations. It is the last vestige of a dead world or the cradle of a shiny new one. To a lot of people, as to myself, it is just ‘home.”
― Beryl Markham, West with the Night

Book Review: The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah

Blurb

Memory is an albino woman languishing in Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she has been convicted of murder. As part of her appeal, her lawyer insists that she write down what happened as she remembers it. As her story unfolds, Memory reveals that she has been tried and convicted for the murder of Lloyd Hendricks, her adopted father. But who was Lloyd Hendricks? Why does Memory feel no remorse for his death? And did everything happen exactly as she remembers?

In The Book of Memory, Petina Gappah has created a uniquely slippery narrator: forthright, acerbically funny, and with a complicated relationship to the truth. Moving between the townships of the poor and the suburbs of the rich, and between the past and the present, Gappah weaves a compelling tale of love, obsession, the relentlessness of fate, and the treachery of memory.

Review

The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah tells the story of Memory who is thethe main character. One of the things that intrigued me about this book is the fact that the main character was an albino. I haven’t come across many books that feature albinos. Actually, Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code is the only one that I have read that featured an albino who also happened to be the villain in the story.

Memory’s story is quite different though. There is a lot of insight provided about albinos and how they are perceived by society. It mentions the fact that they don’t really fit in with the black or white people. The character describes the open stares and mockery especially from other kids. She also talks about the superstitions about albinos although this is described with a touch of humor. For instance; there is a part where she decides to scare an inmate by just unflinchingly staring at her at mealtimes. The fact that people don’t know how to react around albinos played out in Memory’s favour at times in the jail. Needless to say, the main character was the best part for me in this book. I really liked Memory, sympathized with her and went through  heartbreaks as she narrated about her ordeal.

“When we talk of fate, when we talk of a fatalistic vision of human experience, what we mean is that the most important forces that shape human lives are out of human control.”
― Petina Gappah, The Book of Memory

I also liked the setting of the book. This book is set in Zimbabwe and I have never read any books set there. I only know of the country based on the news reports. I liked the descriptions of the land and the people. I was also curious about the names. Most of the characters in this book have names based on attributes and just random nouns like Memory, Loveness, Evernice, Princess, Synodia…there were so many such names. I wasn’t sure if that was just for the book or if it’s a cultural thing but it was interesting nevertheless.

There are a number of themes that were covered in this book. There was the issue of race and homosexuality. Being a Kenyan, I could relate with the narration on these issue especially on the matter of homosexuality. Different countries have different attitudes towards such issues and although Kenya is a bit more accepting, there is still a lot of bias on the issue of sexuality. Albinism is also a major theme in this book. Memory doesn’t only talk about herself but also others like her. She also mentions the general treatment of albinos all over the world and also in literature where they are mostly portrayed as being odd due to their appearance hence end up being the villains. Another theme that comes up is mental illness. I think the attitude of a number(not all, of course)Africans about mental illness, the misconceptions, superstitions all come out clearly. This reminded me of how much awareness needs to be done concerning the issue in our continent. Just recently, I heard someone say that PTSD is not an African condition. This was during a discussion concerning counseling for victims of a terrorist attack whereby the argument was that it was unnecessary. It was hard to explain how real PTSD but the other party was so adamant that it is ‘un-African’. Anyway, I digress.

The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah is not a fast-paced book. It is slow but quite interesting. It shifts between the present and past times flawlessly. I loved how well written it was. Everything came alive through the pages and I found myself so emotionally involved in the story. I definitely recommend this book to everyone.

 

TTT : Ten Books Every Memoir Lover Should Read

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, bloggers get a topic which entails giving a list of ten things based on the topic.

Ten Books Every Memoir Lover Should Read

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Child Soldier by Ishmael Beah is about Ishmael’s experiences as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. It is shocking but inspiring. Definitely one of the most powerful memoirs that I have ever read.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt- One of my favorite memoirs. The book is based on Frank McCourt’s life in Ireland.I have never read anything more devastating like this narrative. Angela’s struggles were unimaginable and the poverty described in the book was heartbreaking. The narrative by young Frank is really good though. You can read my review here.

Dreams from my Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barrack Obama-An inspiring book by/about a great man.You can read my review here.

I know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou- Inspiring but  heartbreaking. The things that Maya went through especially at age 8 were quite overwhelming.

I am Nujood, Age 10 years and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui- A child’s bride story. A sad book but Nujood’s bravery was motivating.You can read my review here.

Infidel by Ayaan Hassan Hirsi- This memoir was quite controversial. I have never read anything like it. There were parts of the book that I hated especially the parts that involved the author’s scathing remarks about Kenya. She was a refugee here and I didn’t understand her hatred for the country that offered her refuge from the war in Somali. She didn’t just hate this country, she made all kinds of hate remarks about Kenyans(apparently,we stink and so does our food lol) However, her remarks about Kenya were nothing compared to her remarks about her former religion, Islam. That is what got her running for her life.  I don’t even know how to describe Ayaan. Let us just say, she went through a tough time after the release of this memoir. This is the kind of memoir that everyone should read for themselves and see how they feel about it.

Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer- This is a very heartbreaking story about a boy who was abused by his own mother.You can read my review here.

Left to Tell by Immaculée IIibagiza- An inspiring book about the Rwandan genocide and one woman’s journey.You can read my review here.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert- I loved this book. I wish I could travel like Elizabeth but I guess only a few people can be that lucky.

Dreams in a time of war by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o- A beautiful memoir about pre-colonial Kenya

I also have the following memoirs on my TBR. I have heard good things about them.

 

Have you read any of the memoirs on my list? Do you think you that will add any of them to your TBR list? Share your TTT links so I can read your posts too and please let me know in case you know of any other wonderful memoirs that I should read.

featured image

Book Review: The Sister by Louise Jensen @littlebookcafe @Fab_fiction @thecrimevault @bookouture

Exciting News!

Today is the day that Louise Jensen’s The Sister is being published in paperback.  It is now out in shops and supermarkets. The Sister will be available in Asda, Sainsbury’s and WH Smith from 24th and in Tesco from September 7th.

I posted my review of The Sister by Louise Jensen a year ago. It was my third ARC and the first one that I gave a 5 stars rating.

I decided to share my review just as it was when I published it a year ago. So here goes…

Synopsis (from goodreads)

Grace hasn’t been the same since the death of her best friend Charlie. She is haunted by Charlie’s words, the last time she saw her, and in a bid for answers, opens an old memory box of Charlie’s. It soon becomes clear there was a lot she didn’t know about her best friend.

When Grace starts a campaign to find Charlie’s father, Anna, a girl claiming to be Charlie’s sister steps forward. For Grace, finding Anna is like finding a new family, and soon Anna has made herself very comfortable in Grace and boyfriend Dan’s home.

But something isn’t right. Things disappear, Dan’s acting strangely and Grace is sure that someone is following her. Is it all in Grace’s mind? Or as she gets closer to discovering the truth about both Charlie and Anna, is Grace in terrible danger?

There was nothing she could have done to save Charlie …or was there?

Review (no spoilers)

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.

I have read and reviewed three books so far from NetGalley but this one has to be the best one yet. It is the first ARC that I have given a rating of five stars.

I really liked the balanced,easy pace of this book. I was able to get into the story from the first page. The writing and imagery was also masterfully done. The author effortlessly takes readers right into the middle of the story. The Sister by Louise Jensen is narrated in two main timelines labelled as ‘then’ and ‘now’ and both timelines are narrated in Grace’s voice.

The then tells about Charlie, Dan and Grace’s background and goes all the way up to Grace’s eighteenth birthday when some major events took place. The now takes place years later and start after Charlie’s death. The final chapters focus more on the ‘now’. The two timelines help tie up everything together and made the story more exciting. It was like fitting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together to get the full picture.

As for the characters, I sympathized with Grace at times. Other times, I wanted to shake to wake her up. She comes off as a really weak character especially at the beginning. However, my thoughts about her changed as the story moved forward and I started to empathize with her. I liked Charlie’s character too. She was portrayed as being strong, loyal,full of life.Basically, the kind of girl who makes the perfect best-friend. I also liked some of the other characters especially Grace’s grandparents, they were so cool and laid-back, just so awesome and supportive.

The Sister by Louise Jensen book is so suspenseful that it kept me turning pages to the end. There are new revelations that occur in each chapter. Events that will keep you wondering what else could possibly go wrong for the protagonist. I love a good suspenseful novel with  drama and this one definitely delivered.

I liked the fact that I wasn’t able to guess how the story would unravel. I thought I knew Charlie’s secret but I was proved wrong. I also thought I had figured out Grace’s first stalker but again I was wrong. Again, I also tried to guess the secret involving Grace’s parents at the start, let us just say, I was wrong each time.Even when I finally managed to figure out the person behind things going wrong for Grace in the now, again another twist occurred that threw everything into a new direction.

This book definitely took me on a roller-coaster ride. It is not your typical whodunit story; it’s the kind of story that will keep you trying to figure out why things were happening as opposed to who is doing them.

Final Thoughts…

I recommend The Sister by Louise Jensen to all fans of psychological thrillers. It’s a story about secrets, deception and lost friendships all masterfully interspersed with suspense that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Seriously, if you like psychological thrillers then you should get this book. I can’t wait to read the next book by Louise Jensen

About the book

• Title: The Sister
• Author: Louise Jensen
• Kindle: 307 pages and 291 on Aldiko
• Published July 7th 2016 by Bookouture
• My Rating: 5 stars

 

 

 

 

 

ARC Review: Two Days Gone by Randall Silvis

Blurb

A literary page-turner about a beloved college professor accused of murdering his entire family, and one small-town cop’s dangerous search for answers.

Thomas Huston, a beloved professor and bestselling author, is something of a local hero in the small Pennsylvania college town where he lives and teaches. So when Huston’s wife and children are found brutally murdered in their home, the community reacts with shock and anger. Huston has also mysteriously disappeared, and suddenly, the town celebrity is suspect number one.

Sergeant Ryan DeMarco has secrets of his own, but he can’t believe that a man he admired, a man he had considered a friend, could be capable of such a crime. Hoping to glean clues about Huston’s mind-set, DeMarco delves into the professor’s notes on his novel-in-progress. Soon, DeMarco doesn’t know who to trust—and the more he uncovers about Huston’s secret life, the more treacherous his search becomes.

Review

Two Days Gone b Randall Silvis is a about a man on the run. This man is suspected of having killed his whole family and then taking off. On the other hand, Sergeant DeMarco is the detective on the case who is more interested in this particular case especially because he knows the man. Based on their interaction, he has doubts about the guilt of the man. In addition, he also wants to find him before anybody does in an effort to keep him safe.

The story is narrated in these two main perspectives. Sergeant Demarco gives the perspective of the investigation. It was interesting to watch him put the pieces together as he got clues to solve the case. The second narration is by Huston. It is clear to see his desperation and struggle while on the run.The two protagonists both have very complex lives. They are both suffering from loss that threatens to overwhelm them. Sergeant DeMarco is haunted by a loss in his family that broke his marriage. It was  sad reading about his anguish over his wife and the turn that both their lives have taken. The author created two complex yet very sympathetic characters.

The book has quite a number of twists. Huston is a writer who was working on his latest novel before the murder of his family.  I found myself trying to figure out what was fact and what was fiction. I also liked the fact that his book was inspired by the classic Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. In addition, finding the actual book and then trying to link fictitious characters to the real ones is a struggle in itself for the detectives.

I recommend  Two Days Gone by Randall Silvis  to fans of police procedural and thrillers. It is well-paced with enough suspense to keep you guessing to the end. I kept trying to guess whether Houston committed the murders and if so, why. If it want Houston then who was it and why? The answers were not obvious hence making this book suspenseful to the last page.

About the Book

• Date Read: September 20^th 2016
• Publication date: January 17^th 2017 by Sourcebooks Landmark
• Paperback, 400 pages

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Friday Finds # ARCs 2016 Wrap-up 2

Friday Finds is a meme currently hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat.  This is an opportunity to share the books that you have recently found and added to your TBR.

I know I said that I will not get any more ARCs this year but hey, life is too short. Furthermore, I am traveling to the countryside for my Christmas break which is three weeks long so I figured that ebooks will be much easier to carry with me. Here is a list of my new finds courtesy of NetGalley requests. I may have gone a bit crazy with the request button but I did get some good titles so it’s all good.

The Gift by Louise Jensen

Jenna is given another shot at life when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie’s perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets …

Callie’s parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they’re only telling her half the story. Where is Callie’s sister Sophie? She’s been ‘abroad’ since her sister’s death but something about her absence doesn’t add up. And when Jenna meets Callie’s boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery.

Note: I heard about this book from Donna (Chocolatenwafflesblog). I loved the author’s debut novel, The Sister so I definitely had to get this one plus look at how beautiful that cover is. I am almost done with the book and it is amazing. I hope the ending will be just as good.

 

The Lost Daughter of India by Sharon Maas

When Caroline meets Kamal the attraction is instant. He’s enchanting, charismatic and she can’t wait to set up a new life with him in India. Both their families are against the union but Caroline is convinced they’ll come round, especially when she gives birth to a beautiful daughter, Asha. Asha is an adorable child but Caroline, homesick and beginning to hate the remote Indian village they live in, struggles with motherhood. Kamal is hardly ever there and she feels more and more isolated. In the grips of severe depression Caroline flees back to America, leaving Asha behind.

Ten years later … Caroline recovered from her illness, is consumed by thoughts of the daughter she abandoned. Desperate to find Asha, she reunites with Kamal, intent on tracking her down. Will they ever be able to find their lost daughter?

Why:  I love the cover and the setting. I haven’t read a lot of books set in India so I am definitely intrigued by this one.

 

The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda

Confronted by a restraining order and the threat of a lawsuit, failed journalist Leah Stevens needs to get out of Boston when she runs into an old friend, Emmy Grey, who has just left a troubled relationship. Emmy proposes they move to rural Pennsylvania, where Leah can get a teaching position and both women can start again. But their new start is threatened when a woman with an eerie resemblance to Leah is assaulted by the lake, and Emmy disappears days later.

Determined to find Emmy, Leah cooperates with Kyle Donovan, a handsome young police officer on the case. As they investigate her friend’s life for clues, Leah begins to wonder: did she ever really know Emmy at all? With no friends, family, or a digital footprint, the police begin to suspect that there is no Emmy Grey. Soon Leah’s credibility is at stake, and she is forced to revisit her past: the article that ruined her career. To save herself, Leah must uncover the truth about Emmy Grey—and along the way, confront her old demons, find out who she can really trust, and clear her own name.

Why: Annie (The Misstery) told me about this book. The blurb does sound interesting so I definitely had to get the book.

 

Want you Gone by Chris Brookmyre

What if all your secrets were put online?

Sam Morpeth is growing up way too fast, left to fend for a younger sister with learning difficulties when their mother goes to prison and watching her dreams of university evaporate. But Sam learns what it is to be truly powerless when a stranger begins to blackmail her online, drawing her into a trap she may not escape alive.

Meanwhile, reporter Jack Parlabane has finally got his career back on track, but his success has left him indebted to a volatile source on the wrong side of the law. Now that debt is being called in, and it could cost him everything.
Thrown together by a common enemy, Sam and Jack are about to discover they have more in common than they realise – and might be each other’s only hope.

 Why: I read The Black Widow by the author and absolutely enjoyed it so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read this one.

 

Kill the Next One by Fredrico Axat

Ted McKay had it all: a beautiful wife, two daughters, a high-paying job. But after being diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor he finds himself with a gun to his temple, ready to pull the trigger. Then the doorbell rings.

A stranger makes him a proposition: why not kill two deserving men before dying? The first target is a criminal, and the second is a man with terminal cancer who, like Ted, wants to die. After executing these kills, Ted will become someone else’s next target, like a kind of suicidal daisy chain. Ted understands the stranger’s logic: it’s easier for a victim’s family to deal with a murder than with a suicide.However, as Ted commits the murders, the crime scenes strike him as odd. The targets know him by name and possess familiar mementos. Even more bizarrely, Ted recognizes locations and men he shouldn’t know. As Ted’s mind begins to crack, dark secrets from his past seep through the fissures.

Why: I picked this solely based on the blurb. I was pleasantly surprised when my request got approved and I also got auto-approved by the publisher.

 

Out of Bounds by Val McDermid

When a teenage joyrider crashes a stolen car and ends up in a coma, a routine DNA test reveals a connection to an unsolved murder from twenty-two years before. Finding the answer to the cold case should be straightforward. But it’s as twisted as the DNA helix itself.

Meanwhile, Karen finds herself irresistibly drawn to another mystery that she has no business investigating, a mystery that has its roots in a terrorist bombing two decades ago. And again, she finds that nothing is as it seems.

Why: Renee of Its Book Talk recommended this book to me. I loved her review of the book and plus the blurb definitely interested me.

 

Rest in Power by Sybrina Fulton; Tracy Martin

Five years after his tragic death, Travyon Martin’s name is still evoked every day. He has become a symbol of social justice activism, as has his hauntingly familiar image: the photo of a child still in the process of becoming a young man, wearing a hoodie and gazing silently at the camera. But who was Trayvon Martin, before he became, in death, an icon? And how did one black child’s death on a dark, rainy street in a small Florida town become the match that lit a civil rights crusade?

Why: I don’t even need this explain this decision.

 

 

Secrets of Southern Girls by Hayley Harrigan

Ten years ago, Julie Portland accidentally killed her best friend, Reba. What’s worse is she got away with it. Consumed by guilt, she left the small town of Lawrence Mill, Mississippi, and swore nothing would ever drag her back. Now, raising her daughter and struggling to make ends meet in Manhattan, Julie still can’t forget the ghost of a girl with golden hair and a dangerous secret.

When August, Reba’s first love, begs Julie to come home to find the diary that Reba kept all those years ago, Julie’s past comes creeping back to haunt her. That diary could expose the shameful memories Julie has been running from, but it could also unearth the hidden truths that Reba left buried…and reveal that Julie isn’t the only one who feels responsible for Reba’s death.

Why: The cover and the book description plus the setting all got me intrigued enough to request this one

 

 The Leavers by Lisa Ko

 One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, an undocumented Chinese immigrant named Polly, goes to her job at the nail salon and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her.

With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left with no one to care for him. He is eventually adopted by two white college professors who move him from the Bronx to a small town upstate. They rename him Daniel Wilkinson in their efforts to make him over into their version of an “all-American boy.” But far away from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his new life with his mother’s disappearance and the memories of the family and community he left behind.
Why: The diversity angle is what got me interested in reading this one

 

Corrupt Me by Jillian Quinn

Izzie Rinaldi has everything going for her. All she has to do is make it through her senior year of college, and then she’ll be off to law school, one step closer to assuming her position at the head of her family’s empire. After a chance encounter with the campus bad boy, Izzie can’t get him out of her head.

Luca Marchese, the smooth-talking son of the most notorious man in Philadelphia, is used to getting what he wants. He hasn’t forgotten the girl he knew as a child, and now that he has Izzie’s attention, Luca will stop at nothing to have her. Luca’s defiance of the law turns Izzie on more than she cares to admit. She wants Luca to corrupt her in every way possible, despite his reputation as the king of one-night stands. Their attraction is undeniable, but their desire for one another isn’t enough for Izzie to overlook visits from federal agents and the potential ruin of her family.

Linked to Luca and a criminal underworld, Izzie discovers she’s more like him than she thought. But a future with Luca could mean swapping her diamond bracelets for a pair of handcuffs.

Why: The author is someone I know through the blogosphere. She is pretty awesome and her book sounds great.

 

Little Girl Lost by Caroline Wyer

A perfect family hiding disturbing secrets. A killer who wants the truth to be told. A little girl in terrible danger.

A teacher goes missing under suspicious circumstances and a man is murdered at a local reservoir. For Detective Robyn Carter, there’s no obvious link between the cases. But as she starts to delve into them, her investigations lead her to Abigail, perfect wife and mother to beautiful little Izzy. What was Abigail’s connection to the victims? And why is she receiving threatening messages from an anonymous number?

But as Robyn starts to inch closer to finding the killer, Izzy is abducted. Unless Robyn gets to the twisted individual in time, a little girl will die …

Why: This is another book by Bookouture and I definitely like how it sounds

 

Tangle of Strings by Ashley Farley
Some families never resolve conflicts. Not so with the Sweeneys. Their sense of family, their love for one another, and their willingness to forgive have always triumphed and brought them back together. Until now. The latest crisis threatens to tear the family apart and crumble the foundation that has always proved itself rock solid.

At the heart of the matter are sixteen-year-old Annie Bethune and her boyfriend, Cooper. At stake are their dreams for the future. As to these dreams, no one in the family holds back when asserting an opinion.

Annie soon begins to feel like a puppet on strings with all those she loves telling her what to do. When those strings become tangled and a family feud develops, Annie, unable to bear the pressure, runs away. Straight into the arms of danger

Why: The shoes on the cover. Yeah, I requested the book based on the cover because I love the shoes. The story does sound great too.

 

Witness by Caroline Mitchell

 Rebecca it was a brave decision that led to her freedom from domestic abuse. To Solomon it was the ultimate betrayal.It’s been ten years since Rebecca’s testimony saw Solomon locked away. Enough time for the nightmares to recede, the nerves to relax; enough time to rebuild her life and put the past behind her.

Then one day a phone rings in her bedroom—but it’s not her phone. Solomon has been in her home, and has a very simple message for her: for each of the ten years he has spent in jail, Rebecca must witness a crime. And, to make matters worse, she has to choose the victims.

Fail to respond and you get hurt. Talk to police and you die. Ready to play? You have sixty seconds to decide…As the crimes grow more severe, the victims closer to home, Rebecca is forced to confront a past she had hoped was gone forever.

Why: I decided to read this book based on a recommendation by Sam(Clues and Reviews). I also liked the author’s first book so I have a feeling that I am going to like this one.

 

The Lioness of Morocco by Julia Drosten

Independent-minded Sibylla Spencer feels trapped in nineteenth-century London, where her strong will and progressive views have rendered her unmarriageable. Still single at twenty-three, she is treated like a child and feels stifled in her controlling father’s house.

When Benjamin Hopkins, an ambitious employee of her father’s trading company, shows an interest in her, she realizes marriage is her only chance to escape. As Benjamin’s rising career whisks them both away to exotic Morocco, Sibylla is at last a citizen of the world, reveling in her newfound freedom by striking her first business deals, befriending locals…and falling in love for the first time with a charismatic and handsome Frenchman.

But Benjamin’s lust for money and influence draws him into dark dealings, pulling him ever further from Sibylla and their two young sons. When he’s arrested on horrible charges, the fate of Sibylla’s family rests on her shoulders, as she must decide whether she’ll leave him to his fate or help him fight for his life.

Why: I have never read any book set in Morocco. I can’t wait to read this one.

Have you added any books to your bookshelf this week? Have you read any of the books on my list? Let me know.

Happy Friday!

 

Book Review: Tell Me How This Ends by Victoria De La O

Description

Brothers Jude and Ryan McAllister are inseparable. When Jude stepped in to raise Ryan after the death of their mother, it became the two of them against the world. But the scars it left were bone-deep. Then Lizzie Price comes along.

Lizzie hopes Ryan’s kindness can help heal her wounds from a toxic relationship. But when she meets Jude, their powerful attraction makes him difficult to resist. The problem is, Lizzie doesn’t realize Jude and Ryan are brothers, and they don’t know they’re falling for the same girl.

By the time the truth comes out, everyone is in too deep. Ryan is in love, Jude is in denial, and Lizzie wants both brothers. All of them agree that no one deserves to get hurt. But love and desire have a way of testing even the strongest bonds.

Review

Tell me how this ends by Victoria De La O starts on a slow pace. However, a few pages into the story, I was completely hooked. As described in the blurb, the story revolves around Jude, Ryan (brothers) and Lizzie (the love interest). Lizzie meets the two guys almost at the same time though at different places. At first, she has no idea that the two know each other.

What I liked

The story is narrated through the three POVs. I really liked the narrative style y because it gave different perspectives of the same events. As a reader, I could see the relationships from the three views and understand what each character was feeling, thinking and dealing with the experiences.

The bond between the brothers was the best part of this story for me. Having being left alone at a young age, the two only have each other. Jude takes care of Ryan and it is evident that Ryan adores his big brother. They are always there for each other and it seems like they don’t really have anyone else. I love the little things that they did together such as playing basket or waking up in the middle of the night if one of them had a nightmare. This relationship was just beautiful.

Family is one of the themes in this book. Apart from Jude and Ryan, we also get to know more about Lizzie and her family. She is very close with her brother Jeff and also her folks. Family issues came up and it was interesting to see how they were addressed.

Apart from family, friendship was another key theme. I liked the friends that Lizzie had and just how much they supported her. Ryan and Jude also had some great friends with the later opening up to people over time. The friends were support characters but the author did a great job of making them part of the main story.

The characters in this book are well developed especially Jude and Ryan.  Having lost his only parent at fifteen, it was interesting to see how Jude became Ryan’s guardian and best friend at the same time. He sacrifices a lot for his brother and always puts him first. I liked other details about him like how neat he was and how he used to wash dishes immediately they were used. The author shared many little details that made Jude quite real and relatable. Ryan was my favorite character. I just liked the guy. The fact that he was nerdy introverted and even his stutter made him endearing. I just wanted the best for him. Lizzie was a complex character. She had just survived an abusive relationship only to find herself falling for two guys. They were all flawed characters who we get to see grow through the chapters.

What I didn’t like

I know from the blurb it is obvious that there is a love triangle. This is what I actually didn’t like. I don’t mind love triangles in stories but the fact that the guys were brothers bothered me. They were both good guys and I didn’t like the idea that a woman could come between them especially after what they had been through.  I think the relationship also bothered me because the three characters were great but it was obvious that one, two or all three would get hurt. That is how love triangles end up but I didn’t want that to happen to any of them. Anyway, the ending of the book is heartbreaking though beautiful at the same time. It was not what I wanted but it was a satisfactory conclusion.

Final Thoughts

Tell me how this ends by Victoria De La O is a wonderful book about family, friendship, love and loss. It ended up being quite an emotional rollercoaster. I was completely lost in the story such that for a few hours, the world around me ceased to exist. The story is well written that it became easy to emotional connect with all three characters. It has an easy flow and ended up being a quick read. I recommend this book to all fans of this genre (new adult/romance).

Friday Finds #November 18th

Friday Finds is a meme currently hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat .  This is an opportunity to share the books that you have recently found and added to your TBR.

 I added three books to my TBR this week.

 

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

 California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything, Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does … the One who will never let her go.

 

I almost Forgot about you by Terry McMillan

 In I Almost Forgot About You, Dr. Georgia Young’s wonderful life–great friends, family, and successful career–aren’t enough to keep her from feeling stuck and restless. When she decides to make some major changes in her life, quitting her job as an optometrist, and moving house, she finds herself on a wild journey that may or may not include a second chance at love. Like Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, I Almost Forgot About You will show legions of readers what can happen when you face your fears, take a chance, and open yourself up to life, love, and the possibility of a new direction

 

I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

 In this deeply suspenseful and irresistibly unnerving debut novel, a man and his girlfriend are on their way to a secluded farm. When the two take an unexpected detour, she is left stranded in a deserted high school, wondering if there is any escape at all. What follows is a twisted unraveling that will haunt you long after the last page is turned.

In this smart, suspenseful, and intense literary thriller, debut novelist Iain Reid explores the depths of the human psyche, questioning consciousness, free will, the value of relationships, fear, and the limitations of solitude. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago’s early work, Michel Faber’s cult classic Under the Skin, and Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk about Kevin, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is an edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, this novel pulls you in from the very first page…and never lets you go

So those are my newest books. How about you? Did you add any books to your bookshelf this week? Have you read of my new finds? Let me know.

 

Happy Friday!

 

 

ARC Review: The One that Got Away by Melissa Pimentel

Blurb

Ruby and Ethan were perfect for each other. Until the day they suddenly weren’t.

Now, ten years later, Ruby is single, having spent the last decade focusing on her demanding career and hectic life in Manhattan. There’s barely time for a trip to England for her little sister’s wedding. And there’s certainly not time to think about what it will be like to see Ethan again, who just so happens to be the best man.

But as the family frantically prepare for the big day, Ruby can’t help but wonder if she made the right choice all those years ago. Because there is nothing like a wedding for stirring up the past . . .

 

 

Review

The One that Got Away by Melissa Pimentel begins with the wedding preparations. Family and friends are on the way to the wedding venue. In this group, there is Ruby and Ethan who used to date a while back. Ruby is the bride’s sister and Ethan is the groom’s best friend.  Right from the beginning, it is evident that Ruby is yet to move on although it sounds like Ethan no longer has any feelings for her.

The chapters alternate between now and then. Ruby is the main narrator in ‘now’. Through her POV, we get to see the current events. The stress of planning the wedding and being around her ex. The ‘now’ chapters alternate between Ruby’s and Ethan’s POV and they focus on the couple’s earlier days when they started dating all through to the breakup.

What I liked………..

The setting was great. The characters are Americans but the wedding is being held at a castle in North East England. It sounded like a beautiful town with ancient buildings and a sea front. I also liked the idea of a small town where there was a lot of gossip and few secrets. Everyone knew everyone. The characters in the town were great. They may have been minor characters but I liked them.

The characters in the story were believable and easy to connect with. I liked Ruby and her best friend Jesse who used to discuss everything. I haven’t had a best friend like that in ages so I guess that is why I liked the friendship. I also felt like Ruby’s character was very well developed. She was likeable and easy to relate with although her being so hang-up on her ex was annoying to some point although understandable.

The story is simple and well written. I liked the fact that it wasn’t easy to guess how Ethan felt about Ruby. This made it more interesting to read on to find out how the two end up. I also liked the fact that there so many different themes and not just the romance. The theme of family was predominant in the narrative as we got to know the two main characters and their family complete with the issues that they were facing.

What I didn’t like

This is not my usual genre so I can’t really remember why I decided to read the book. However, that is not what I didn’t like. Throughout the story, there were hints that something happened to cause the breakup between Ruby and Ethan. I couldn’t have guessed what it was. However, finding out the reason just confused me. I can’t share what it was because of spoilers but I just don’t know how anyone could be blamed for something like that. I really didn’t get that bit.

Final Thoughts

I recommend this book to all fans of this genre. If you are in the mood for a romantic novel, a wedding themed book or just a good, fluffy read then this one is for you. The book is described as a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. However, I can’t tell how the two books compare because I have never read any of the Austen classics.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.