tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14845979970216676902013-05-22T22:56:09.814-04:00S. Krishna's BooksSwapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.comBlogger2528125 http://users.feedblitz.com/fd210248678b6c1fd35d19d5034bf8a6/icon.jpg http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-89828235340701759572013-05-22T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-22T06:00:04.282-04:002013-05-22T06:00:04.282-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7JjTtKtIuB8/UZtqQ5it-OI/AAAAAAAADWk/xCZIgrDe43I/s288/sightreading.JPG" />Title: Sight Reading <br>Author: Daphne Kalotay <br>ISBN: 9780062246936 <br>Pages: 352 <br>Release Date: May 21, 2013 <br>Publisher: Harper <br>Genre: Literary Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Remy is a second chair violin player in a Boston student orchestra, and she’s surprised to find a new conductor waiting for them one day at rehearsal. Remy is intrigued by Nicholas, and though Nicholas has a wife, Hazel, and young daughter at home, he seems to return the interest. Over the years, the lives of Remy, Nicholas, and Hazel intertwine and their actions affect one another as things inexorably move forward.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Sight Reading</em> is the story Remy, first and foremost. While Hazel and Nicholas are important characters, it is by far Remy’s self-exploration and introspection that dominate this novel. Remy’s a great character; she’s certainly flawed and makes some decisions the reader might cringe at as the novel progresses, but she’s realistic. Readers will have an easy time sympathizing with her, as she receives everything she wants only to experience a different kind of loss. It’s well done and makes for a thoughtful read.</p> <p>One of the main themes of <em>Sight Reading </em>involves Remy’s position as the second chair in an orchestra. This means that she’s a very good violin player, but she will never be the best. That’s reserved for the first chair. Remy struggles against this characterization in many areas of her life—she’s young when the novel begins and imagines living a grand and bold life, full of adventure and excitement. It’s only later, as she gets older, that she begins to wonder whether it’s the small, everyday things that should fill our lives. Is it okay to accept that one will never be first chair, to find contentment and even pleasure with being a second chair violinist?</p> <p>Intertwined with the lives of these three characters is music, and Kalotay treats it well in <em>Sight Reading</em>. The life of a musician is one that many readers romanticize, and Kalotay presents it for the better and worse in this book. It’s interesting to see these glimpses into another world, and it provides a stable backdrop to the ever-changing lives and circumstances of these characters.</p> <p>Beautifully written, with incredibly flawed but wonderfully realistic characters, <em>Sight Reading</em> is an exploration into change, into love and loss, and into the way we all come together and are connected. It’s very character driven, but the music that frames the novel provides additional depth, as well as a fascinating source of information. It’s a novel that spans different worlds and many different locations in order to offer insight into ourselves and the way we live our lives.</p> <p>Other books by Daphne Kalotay:</p> <p>Russian Winter</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780062246936?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062246933/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0062246933&amp;adid=0MGRJ81030FY3BHYY0E6&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780062246936?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41433639/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/41433639/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/41433639/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/41433639/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/41433639/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh4.googleusercontent.com%2f-7JjTtKtIuB8%2fUZtqQ5it-OI%2fAAAAAAAADWk%2fxCZIgrDe43I%2fs288%2fsightreading.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/41433639/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/41433639/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/41433639/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/41433639/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/8982823534070175957/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html?showComment=1369277769815#c8036545484136626695">I've been wondering what this book would be li...</a> <i>by Shannon @ River City Reading <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02024137897685829669">http://www.blogger.com/profile/02024137897685829669</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html?showComment=1369266497435#c624326419296498574">Solve the history because of rubber production wit...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html?showComment=1369239692501#c3438789146804596978">The same does work for a two-story house in Ottawa...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html?showComment=1369223457539#c4597920589054016469">Hi there, all is going nicely here and ofcourse ev...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html">Book Review: The Caretaker &#x2013; A.X. Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com4 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-35874504324883676822013-05-21T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-21T06:00:06.878-04:002013-05-21T06:00:06.878-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B1u-IMwQ19c/UZpjs_kxFYI/AAAAAAAADWI/Ztv4rscd6xY/s288/caretaker.JPG" />Title: The Caretaker <br>Author: A.X. Ahmad <br>ISBN: 9781250016843 <br>Pages: 304 <br>Release Date: May 21, 2013 <br>Publisher: Minotaur <br>Genre: Literary Thriller <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Ranjit Singh was the commander of a squad in the Indian Army, but he’s since fled India with his wife and daughter to escape the demons that haunt him. Trying to eke out a living in Cape Cod, he becomes the caretaker for the house of a famous senator. But what Ranjit doesn’t know is that there are secrets in that house, and what he uncovers during the long and cold winter will have repercussions that will affect him and his family for the rest of his life.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>The Caretaker</em> is a literary thriller featuring a man who is shadowed by trouble, no matter how far he runs. Ranjit is a solid man, eager to provide for his family by doing whatever he must. But he’s also proud and expects to be treated with respect and dignity. While these seem like simple demands, especially considering how far Ranjit has fallen since his time in the Indian army, these values are hard for him to come by. Readers will appreciate Ranjit’s integrity and emotional strength, as he has to face quite a bit of adversity in this book.</p> <p>Ahmad’s writing style is not what you’d expect for a typical thriller, but then again, <em>The Caretaker</em> is not your typical read from this genre. Ahmad writes with beautiful, fluid prose; his descriptions are vivid and readers will enjoy becoming lost in his writing. What’s more, the cultural aspects set this novel apart from other thrillers. Ranjit’s heritage is important to him, and he maintains his traditions even though his family has left India. Readers will appreciate learning more about Sikh culture while also being thoroughly entertained.</p> <p>Juxtaposed against the present day, explosive storyline of <em>The Caretaker </em>is the tale of Ranjit’s dark past. It’s clear that he hasn’t been able to let go of what happened to him all those years ago, and Ahmad does an excellent job of drawing the story out. It’s rare that an author manages to make dual storylines equally compelling, yet Ahmad does so with ease. Readers will appreciate these glimpses into Ranjit’s past, as they both flesh out the character and provide a cultural backdrop to the story as a whole.</p> <p>If you’re looking for a unique novel with many different aspects—cultural, historical, political, and more—then <em>The Caretaker</em> is a great novel to pick up. What might seem like a mixed up jumble in any other novel becomes a seamless, suspenseful read, thanks to Ahmad’s careful plotting and gorgeous prose. It’s hard to find books that successfully stray from the beaten path, so if you’re looking for something new, don’t hesitate to pick this novel up.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9781250016843?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250016843/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=1250016843&amp;adid=0DWE587QTVPTDB5PD5Y8&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9781250016843?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41394339/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/41394339/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/41394339/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/41394339/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/41394339/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh3.googleusercontent.com%2f-B1u-IMwQ19c%2fUZpjs_kxFYI%2fAAAAAAAADWI%2fZtv4rscd6xY%2fs288%2fcaretaker.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/41394339/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/41394339/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/41394339/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/41394339/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/3587450432488367682/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html?showComment=1369157749605#c4710788420170299378">Massage has become a hot way to earn relaxation an...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html?showComment=1369132757131#c7840164424016629797">This article may look at that these retailers can ...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html">Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed &#x2013; Khaled Hosseini</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com2 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-35115246998434365792013-05-19T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-19T06:00:02.403-04:002013-05-19T06:00:02.403-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1WSXzw0yiM0/UYuknxokKXI/AAAAAAAADUs/JYBRZFxn6Lo/s288/quiet.JPG" />Title: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking <br>Author: Susan Cain <br>ISBN: 9780307352156 <br>Pages: 368 <br>Release Date: January 29, 2013 <br>Publisher: Broadway <br>Genre: Non-Fiction <br>Source: Personal Copy <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>In her book <em>Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking</em>, Susan Cain examines our culture, which values extroverts over introverts, and discusses the costs of turning our backs on the introverts.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>The line between extroversion and introversion is one that’s been discussed extensively in many different respects. There are various definitions of each and different ways to determine into which category you fit. There are extroverted introverts and introverted extroverts; the lines blur, and the label you’d give those around you might not be the one that they themselves would claim. It’s an interesting subject, especially considering American society undervalues introverts, instead putting an emphasis on group work and social situations. This is where Cain’s book, <em>Quiet</em>, comes in.</p> <p><em>Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a Word That Can’t Stop Talking</em> is a fascinating look at introversion. She doesn’t in any way claim that introverts are <em>better</em> than their extrovert peers, merely that they should be valued and accommodated in equal measure to extroverts. She goes through various examples and situations, emerging each time with the same conclusion: to put it simply, there’s nothing wrong with being an introvert, and society should stop trying to push introverts to be extroverts.</p> <p>Cain also studies how we’ve come to think of outgoing, gregarious people as more beautiful and successful in <em>Quiet</em>. How did this happen, and what are the results? Additionally, Cain tries to help introverts by showing them how to take advantage of their singular abilities and strengths. In a world that tells us over and over again that being “shy” is a bad thing, and it’s wrong to prefer a glass of wine and a book over going out to socialize, Cain’s study provides validation to the many introverts struggling to make their way in a world that’s constantly trying to change them.</p> <p>Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, <em>Quiet </em>is a book you can consider. It’s nearly impossible for extroverts to understand the craving for solitude, or the preference to stay in on New Year’s Eve rather than attending a loud party, but this book is a great first step to seeing that there’s nothing wrong with that. Or, if you’re an introvert, this book will provide you with a lot to think about, as well as some validation that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being who you are!</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780307352156?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307352153/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0307352153&amp;adid=0J4D80FZ7GQYPJGMPWZM&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780307352156?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41321904/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. 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<div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html?showComment=1369130173879#c4348438013658704549">In addition procedure N covers the main part A yea...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html?showComment=1369076892430#c7284355294665027266">This is with regard to biological reasons I can&#3...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html?showComment=1369016323963#c4663041454432648625">Hence, you can consider Custom T shirt Printing to...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html?showComment=1368997864819#c652714301093502975">I'm just about to start this for my book club ...</a> <i>by Melinda Ott <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00633405262361035502">http://www.blogger.com/profile/00633405262361035502</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html?showComment=1368997429953#c9176850418501151118">The web can also be utilized to assist you see and...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html#comment-form">Plus 2 more...</a></li></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-how-to-be-woman-caitlin.html">Book Review: How to Be a Woman &#x2013; Caitlin Moran [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com7 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-20631572885445894272013-05-16T06:00:00.001-04:002013-05-16T06:00:07.267-04:002013-05-16T06:00:07.267-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qg1qsoq0NRA/UYuknz-FtAI/AAAAAAAADUo/SN8co5KQqAk/s288/flyaway.JPG" />Title: Fly Away <br>Author: Kristin Hannah <br>ISBN: 9780312577216 <br>Pages: 416 <br>Release Date: April 23, 2013 <br>Publisher: St. Martin’s Press <br>Genre: Women’s Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 3 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Tully Hart and Kate Ryan were the best of friends, as readers witnessed in <em><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2009/11/firefly-lane-kristin-hannah.html">Firefly Lane</a></em>, but now Kate is gone. Tully doesn’t know how to cope with her best friend’s death, and what’s more, she has no idea how to be there for Kate’s children. Kate’s teenage daughter, Marah, can’t fathom life without her mother and begins to act out because she doesn’t know how to deal with her grief. As these two spiral downward, they struggle to remember Kate’s legacy and be the people she’d want them to be.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Fly Away</em> is the sequel to Kristin Hannah’s hit novel <em>Firefly Lane</em>, and it tells the story of Tully’s and Marah’s reactions to Kate’s death. It jumps through time, through past and present, but it roughly picks up straight after the first novel ends. If you haven’t read <em>Firefly Lane</em>, you should be able to pick up <em>Fly Away</em> as a standalone without too much trouble. Hannah reminds the reader of what happened in the first book; indeed, if you’ve read <em>Firefly Lane</em> you might find the constant reminders of the previous book’s plot a bit tedious.</p> <p>This can be a difficult book to read. Hannah’s writing is, as always, crisp and clear and she develops her characters well. Though they can be frustrating at times, making poor choices, they’re relatable and sympathetic. However, this novel is very painful. Rather than having the worst of the worst come in one fell swoop and have <em>Fly Away</em> be about recovery and healing, the novel itself feels like a downward spiral. Hannah puts her characters through the ringer, and there isn’t much redemption or hope within its pages. It’s very sad and painful, which makes it hard to read.</p> <p>One brighter aspect of <em>Fly Away</em> is that the reader finally gets to hear the story of Tully’s mother. She was a drug-addicted, alcoholic, absent mother who never showed her daughter much love. It was easy to vilify her in <em>Firefly Lane</em>; <em>Fly Away</em> gives the woman the chance to tell her own story, turning her into a three-dimensional person who walked around in a drug-fueled haze to escape the pain of her childhood. Worth reading, but again, painful and sad much of the time.</p> <p>If you’ve read <em>Firefly Lane</em>, you’ll probably want to pick up <em>Fly Away</em> just for the continuation of the story. If you haven’t, though, it becomes difficult to recommend <em>Fly Away</em>. Though you can read it as a standalone, it’s full of so much pain that, without the background of the characters, it might just be too difficult. In the end, it was a book worth reading, but a hard one to be sure.</p> <p>Other books by Kristin Hannah:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2009/11/firefly-lane-kristin-hannah.html">Firefly Lane</a> <br><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2012/02/book-review-home-front-kristin-hannah.html">Home Front</a> <br><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2011/03/book-review-night-road-kristin-hannah.html">Night Road</a> <br><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2010/02/winter-garden-kristin-hannah.html">Winter Garden</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780312577216?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312577214/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0312577214&amp;adid=1Y0ZKEWYX7C5HWBN6TP1&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780312577216?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41210815/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/41210815/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/41210815/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/41210815/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/41210815/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh4.googleusercontent.com%2f-qg1qsoq0NRA%2fUYuknz-FtAI%2fAAAAAAAADUo%2fSN8co5KQqAk%2fs288%2fflyaway.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/41210815/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/41210815/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/41210815/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/41210815/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/2063157288544589427/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html?showComment=1368768827981#c98952143078836164">Pretty! This was a really wonderful article. Thank...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html?showComment=1368757209252#c8780369183547052398">I love dark emotional reads, sounds fantastic to m...</a> <i>by Marce <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/10136238772526246675">http://www.blogger.com/profile/10136238772526246675</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html?showComment=1368752688642#c2127876480720283253">Many British tourists, for example, are choosing c...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html?showComment=1368729611049#c3048601200617419225">However, these long distant dating things can be a...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html?showComment=1368699772219#c4447943993747064071">This plan could in effortless be cheaper when comp...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.html">Book Review: The Apple Orchard &#x2013; Susan Wiggs</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com5 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-21529065971742230572013-05-16T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-16T06:00:03.751-04:002013-05-16T06:00:03.751-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-o5ChHuYEr4A/UY0qCRfC9lI/AAAAAAAADVY/I4oH2rtygk8/s288/boleynking.JPG" />Title: The Boleyn King <br>Author: Laura Andersen <br>ISBN: 9780345534095 <br>Pages: 368 <br>Release Date: May 14, 2013 <br>Publisher: Ballantine Books <br>Genre: Historical Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>History knows the story of Anne Boleyn very well, the story of the woman who supposedly set her sights on the throne of England, prompting the breaking away of England from the Catholic Church so King Henry VIII could procure a divorce, gave birth to Elizabeth I, one of the most famous monarchs in the country’s history, and in the end, was put to death because she could not give King Henry VIII the son he so desperately wanted.</p> <p><em>But what if she had?</em></p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>The premise of <em>The Boleyn King</em> by Laura Andersen is fascinating: Suppose that Anne Boleyn had indeed given King Henry VIII his promised son, and as a result, she’d been spared from the axe and continued to reign as queen. What if that son, named William in this novel, was able to succeed his father upon Henry VIII’s death? And, what if, after all that, Elizabeth <em>still</em> became queen? The thought is enough to excite any fan of English history, the Tudors, or historical fiction in general.</p> <p><em>The Boleyn King</em> is the first of a trilogy, and it introduces William, son of Anne and Henry. He’s seventeen years old now, and is chafing under the restrictions of the Lord Protector, George Boleyn, his uncle. Soon, he’ll be able to reign in his own right. But William must face other difficulties: the continued slander against and hate of his mother, his half-sister Mary’s continued quiet refusal to acknowledge his mother, and difficult situations with foreign governments. Andersen conceives of her character well; he’s absolutely believable, and it’s easy to forget he didn’t actually exist within history. While he’s clamoring to be seen as an adult, it’s clear that he’s still very much a teenager, unsure of himself at times and preoccupied with matters of the heart, much as his father was.</p> <p>Andersen takes great liberties with history in <em>The Boleyn King</em>, and it’s absolutely fascinating to see. She basically erases everything up to and including Anne’s death; there is no rise of the Seymours, no downfall of Thomas Cromwell, no Katharine Howard. People who were put to death later in Henry’s reign are still alive and well in this novel; it’s interesting to see how they fare. If you aren’t as familiar with English history, you’ll still find this novel interesting, but if you are? Well, let’s just say you’ll have fun with what Andersen does.</p> <p>Minuette is a fictional character (as far as I can tell) introduced in <em>The Boleyn King</em>, a young woman who was raised with William and Elizabeth. She provides much of the narrative voice of the novel, and she’s an appealing character. She’s smart and resourceful, and she’s also very much a teenager. Indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised if this novel was marketed as a crossover between the YA and adult fiction markets; while enjoyable, it doesn’t delve into history quite as much as one would like and it has the general, lighter feel of a YA novel.</p> <p>Still, <em>The Boleyn King</em> is a quick, absorbing read that any fan of historical fiction should definitely consider. Playing “what if” is always a fun game, made even moreso by the fact that the reader knows what is going to happen from the outset. It’s interesting to see how Andersen changes history, and yet makes it seem the same, weaving pieces of actual history into the narrative. It’s a creative read that will delight fans of court intrigue.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/780345534095?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345534093/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0345534093&amp;adid=07RBC1X618W15F3F6SWG&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/780345534095?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41210817/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/41210817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/41210817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/41210817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/41210817/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh5.googleusercontent.com%2f-o5ChHuYEr4A%2fUY0qCRfC9lI%2fAAAAAAAADVY%2fI4oH2rtygk8%2fs288%2fboleynking.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/41210817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/41210817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/41210817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/41210817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/2152906597174223057/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html?showComment=1368978209608#c1439869887430176792">It's been a while since I haven't read any...</a> <i>by kay - Infinite Shelf <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08227285073921171393">http://www.blogger.com/profile/08227285073921171393</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html?showComment=1368927000501#c8173268782016692196">I love all things Boely! MUST read this!</a> <i>by Sheila (Bookjourney) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630">http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html">Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed &#x2013; Khaled Hosseini</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com2 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-92124035600629469392013-05-14T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-14T06:00:06.816-04:002013-05-14T06:00:06.816-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ja8LOsbMveQ/UYukn1nE5kI/AAAAAAAADUk/mEwVVX9wfUk/s288/onsalmallane.JPG" />Title: On Sal Mal Lane <br>Author: Ru Freeman <br>ISBN: 9781555976422 <br>Pages: 336 <br>Release Date: May 14, 2013 <br>Publisher: Graywolf Press <br>Genre: Literary Fiction, Cultural Fiction (South Asian) <br>Source: Publisher&#160; <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>On one ordinary day in 1979, the Herath family moves onto Sal Mal Lane, a quiet, dead-end street in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Their arrival affects the balance and politics among neighbors on Sal Mal Lane, as Sri Lanka finds itself on the road to civil war.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>On Sal Mal Lane</em> is a beautifully written novel focusing on, specifically, the Herath family, and more broadly, on all the families who live on Sal Mal Lane. Freeman pays special attention to the children; as Sri Lanka is becoming increasingly divided along cultural lines, the relationships among the children of Sal Mal Lane only become stronger. Freeman writes these children with strength and vigor, and each will leap off the page for the reader. It’s clear she’s sending a message through these children, and readers should definitely pay attention.</p> <p>As previously mentioned, the backdrop to <em>On Sal Mal Lane</em> is the tensions leading up to the Sri Lankan civil war. The larger politics are barely mentioned when the novel begins; the people of Sal Mal Lane go about their business, confident that they are shielded by their quiet street. But as the novel progresses, the fraught political situation becomes more and more relevant to the lives of the people on Sal Mal Lane. The way Freeman wrote this is incredibly interesting, because you’d imagine that’s how the normal citizens, away from the actions, also felt about the war. It was insidious, worming its way into their lives, until they could talk about nothing else around the dinner table.</p> <p>Freeman wrote <em>On Sal Mal Lane</em> from a very interesting perspective: that of the street itself. It’s so well done, as it provides the reader a glimpse into every character’s life. The street can see when relationships change, how they grow and how they stumble. The characters are everything in this novel; Freeman really brings them to life with each word in this novel, and she uses them to comment on many different aspects of life, both universally and in Sri Lanka during this time period.</p> <p>The writing style of <em>On Sal Mal Lane</em> seems to be something from another time entirely. It’s beautiful and easy to read, yet the reader will want to take this novel slow. There are so many connections, so many different characters and small plots, that it’s easy to miss them if you’re breezing through this book. No, this is a novel to savor from beginning to end. It’s gorgeous and entirely heartbreaking, and is a wonderful accomplishment that readers of cultural fiction must absolutely pick up.</p> <p>Other books by Ru Freeman:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2009/08/disobedient-girl-ru-freeman.html">A Disobedient Girl</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9781555976422?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/1555976425/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=1555976425&amp;adid=08CP755WS3RVBSK1DS6T&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9781555976422?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41138655/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/41138655/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/41138655/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/41138655/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/41138655/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh3.googleusercontent.com%2f-Ja8LOsbMveQ%2fUYukn1nE5kI%2fAAAAAAAADUk%2fmEwVVX9wfUk%2fs288%2fonsalmallane.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/41138655/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/41138655/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/41138655/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/41138655/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/9212403560062946939/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html?showComment=1368690435463#c1191186447370887320">Many a homes provides swimming pool, hot water sho...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html?showComment=1368686358534#c5795221126630381713">It has an impact within the lining of the entire l...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html?showComment=1368591865183#c100888855359059146">Mother or father must decide option and you see, ...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html?showComment=1368582489948#c2251988675114810365">Hello my family member! I want to say that this po...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html?showComment=1368579921888#c4712806499994138385">Natural depression carries its posses underwriting...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html#comment-form">Plus 3 more...</a></li></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html">Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed &#x2013; Khaled Hosseini</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html">Book Review: The Caretaker &#x2013; A.X. Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-mayas-notebook-isabel.html">Book Review: Maya&#x2019;s Notebook &#x2013; Isabel Allende</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com8 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-89909197435261810312013-05-13T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-13T06:00:06.370-04:002013-05-13T06:00:06.370-04:00<img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-r8SFqvTIwBY/UWvvzKZydVI/AAAAAAAADMo/kcw4aEfgaBw/s288/mountainsechoed.jpg" />Title: And the Mountains Echoed <br>Author: Khaled Hosseini <br>ISBN: 9781594631764 <br>Pages: 416 <br>Release Date: May 21, 2013 <br>Publisher: Riverhead <br>Genre: Literary Fiction, Cultural Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 5 out of 5 <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>A man sets out from his small Afghani village with his young daughter in tow, headed for the big city of Kabul. Though he’s tried to leave his son, Abdullah, behind, Abdullah’s obstinance has surprised him, and so the three, the father and two children, Abdullah and Pari, make their way to the city. This seemingly small journey will change their lives forever and impact hundreds of others over the course of the next sixty years.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>In <em>And the Mountains Echoed</em>, one character says, “Kabul is…a thousand tragedies per square mile.” A quiet, but profound, statement, and it’s a theme that Hosseini explores in his latest novel. This isn’t a book of earth-shattering sadness or huge tragedy; instead, it’s about the smaller, more personal realities that Afghani people must face every day. In that sense, it feels like a quieter novel than Hosseini’s first two, at once more personal, yet also broader, relating to all the people of Afghanistan rather than telling a single story.</p> <p>The novel encompasses many years, from the early 1950s to the present; though it seemingly tells the story of one family, it does so in a disparate way. The reader is provided with glimpses of these characters as they grow, change, and make their ways in the world. In some ways, <em>And the Mountains Echoed</em> can be seen as a series of (very) interconnected short stories, rather than a singular novel; though they revolve around the same people generally, readers are treated to many different stories, many different tragedies, on every single page.</p> <p>But that’s not to say <em>And the Mountains Echoed</em> is a sad book. Of course, there is much sadness within its pages, as there is much sadness in the plight of Afghani people. However, Hosseini manages to balance those tragedies with small bursts of happiness and joy. Whether it’s the enduring friendship between a moneyed man and his chauffer or the motivations of a Western doctor who’s come to post-9/11 Kabul to help in any way he can, there is so much good in this novel. Rather than leaving this novel with a heavy heart, you will feel uplifted by every page of it. Even when things seem bleak, if you have faith in Hosseini, he will reward you magnificently.</p> <p>The characters in <em>And the Mountains Echoed</em> are incredibly well drawn, and that’s saying something considering some of them only appear for a few pages here and there. Each and every one of them leaps off the page, and readers will be aching to know what happens to them, hoping that somehow, everything will turn out okay. These are characters who will stick with you long after the pages are turned, accompany you as you go about your daily life, and you won’t be able to stop thinking about what Hosseini has crafted.</p> <p>You can’t review a Hosseini novel without mentioning his gorgeous prose, and he has outdone himself in <em>And the Mountains Echoed</em>. It is mind-bogglingly beautiful; I cannot describe in words how wonderful the language is. Indeed, I feel that it’s hard to relate just how good this book is as a whole; I can guarantee you that, despite my gushing, I have not done this book justice. It’s quite possibly his best book yet; quiet, beautiful, and incredibly moving. I don’t think I need to tell you to pick this one up as soon as it’s released.</p> <p>Other books by Khaled Hosseini:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2009/01/thousand-splendid-suns-khaled-hosseini_02.html">A Thousand Splendid Suns</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9781594631764?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/159463176X/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=159463176X&amp;adid=0HW449N8Z1BCN49RZKDR&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9781594631764?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41099251/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. 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Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/41099251/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/41099251/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/41099251/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/41099251/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh6.googleusercontent.com%2f-r8SFqvTIwBY%2fUWvvzKZydVI%2fAAAAAAAADMo%2fkcw4aEfgaBw%2fs288%2fmountainsechoed.jpg"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/41099251/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/41099251/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/41099251/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/41099251/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/8990919743526181031/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html?showComment=1369118235072#c6212195786743963166">Was waiting for your review ever since you put it ...</a> <i>by Elizabeth <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13868155622896114392">http://www.blogger.com/profile/13868155622896114392</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html?showComment=1368654187854#c1029444379275405232">Khaled Hosseini is doing an event at the college w...</a> <i>by Melyssa <a href="http://twitter.com/mallennc">http://twitter.com/mallennc</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html?showComment=1368479545445#c5770469053284778476">I'm so jealous of those who have gotten their ...</a> <i>by Shelley <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/18408471966661831444">http://www.blogger.com/profile/18408471966661831444</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html?showComment=1368463172186#c6975862943332736029">This is at the top of my wish list and I cannot wa...</a> <i>by Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html?showComment=1368455965885#c6788282907274233959">Lovely review, Swapna. I have this book on my list...</a> <i>by Beth Hoffman <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835">http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-mayas-notebook-isabel.html">Book Review: Maya&#x2019;s Notebook &#x2013; Isabel Allende</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com5 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-how-to-be-woman-caitlin.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-47881834023161380462013-05-12T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-12T06:00:05.489-04:002013-05-12T06:00:05.489-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-e6pvl57iXuk/UYvmD8sHjtI/AAAAAAAADVI/-l7pPg0HNt4/s288/howtobeawoman.JPG" />Title: How to Be a Woman <br>Author: Caitlin Moran <br>ISBN: 9780062124296 <br>Pages: 320 <br>Release Date: July 17. 2012 <br>Publisher: Harper Perennial <br>Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Essays <br>Source: Personal Copy <br>Rating: 3.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>In her memoir/essay collection, Caitlin Moran muses about the difficulties of growing up from a teenager into an adult and faces puzzles about being a woman.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>Caitlin Moran’s linked essay collection focuses on one important topic: <em>How to Be a Woman</em>. Though these are different essays about varied subjects that woman must face today, Moran frames the collection through her own experiences. Memories and stories from her difficult adolescence and young adulthood are what she uses to contemplate topics as varied as sexual harassment, body hair, and feminism.</p> <p>If you’re easily offended, you’ll want to stay away from <em>How to Be a Woman</em>. Moran is crass, direct, and not afraid to broach serious, sensitive topics such as abortion. Her sense of humor isn’t for everyone, and she delves into some strange topics in this collection that not every woman will be able to relate to. Still, if you appreciate frank, honest discussions, then this is a book you should definitely consider. Whether you agree with Moran or not, her musings will definitely get the gears cranking in your brain.</p> <p><em>How to Be a Woman</em> is meant to be funny, and it often is. However, I didn’t find this book as laugh-out-loud hilarious as I’d hoped. Moran is clearly sharp and smart, and at times her wit is spot on and sparkling. But that’s not usually, or even often, the case, and as a result, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would. That’s not to say it’s not worth reading; Moran is insightful and she will definitely make you think. If you’re a woman, especially in your 20s and 30s, this is a book you should absolutely consider picking up, if only to help you evaluate where you stand on various issues that face women.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780062124296?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062124293/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0062124293&amp;adid=1MYS37SA2XNCFFVB28FR&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780062124296?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/41066235/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/41066235/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/41066235/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/41066235/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/41066235/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh6.googleusercontent.com%2f-e6pvl57iXuk%2fUYvmD8sHjtI%2fAAAAAAAADVI%2f-l7pPg0HNt4%2fs288%2fhowtobeawoman.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/41066235/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/41066235/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/41066235/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/41066235/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-how-to-be-woman-caitlin.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/4788183402316138046/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-how-to-be-woman-caitlin.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-how-to-be-woman-caitlin.html?showComment=1368462245898#c2009517710444465591">I wanted to like this one but I just didn't. :...</a> <i>by Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-lets-explore-diabetes-with.html">Book Review: Let&#x2019;s Explore Diabetes with Owls &#x2013; David Sedaris [TSS}</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-give-me-everything-you-have.html">Book Review: Give Me Everything You Have: On Being Stalked &#x2013; James Lasdun</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com1 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-44742812467522659962013-05-10T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-10T06:00:07.908-04:002013-05-10T06:00:07.908-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-E_1ErogZYeE/UWvvy78K2HI/AAAAAAAADMk/cGD0pSMpIHY/s288/appleorchard.JPG" />Title: The Apple Orchard <br>Author: Susan Wiggs <br>ISBN: 9780778314936 <br>Pages: 432 <br>Release Date: April 30, 2013 <br>Publisher: MIRA <br>Genre: Women’s Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 3.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Tess Delaney works for an auction house in California, and she’s one of the best in her field. She loves the thrills of tracking down a lost or stolen item; these highs help mask the fact that her personal life is less than stellar. So when Tess receives a handsome visitor who tells her that her grandfather has had an accident, though he’s still alive, she’s shocked. After all, she didn’t know about this grandfather, nor was she aware she had a half sister. Tess travels to beautiful Bella Vista, an apple orchard in Sonoma Valley, to meet her family and discover the truth behind her past.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>The Apple Orchard</em> is a breezy novel with an absolutely gorgeous setting. Wiggs spares no description in this novel; her details are vivid, and the reader will absolutely be able to close their eyes and see the expanses of Bella Vista. What’s more, Wiggs also describes food in mouthwatering detail. This is a great novel to pick up when you’re in need of a vacation; it has an escapist feel, and the storyline as a whole has a “fairy tale” vibe.</p> <p>Tess starts out as a difficult character in <em>The Apple Orchard</em>. She’s very wound up and seems closed off, but as the novel progresses, Tess relaxes a bit and allows the reader to get to know her. There’s a lot of mystery initially about who this family is and why Tess has never heard anything about them, and while it the explanation is believable, it’s a bit of a letdown. Still, it’s fun to see Tess get to know her new sister and experience a completely different life at Bella Vista.</p> <p>As the novel progresses, the reader sees that there’s a more important mystery hidden within the pages of <em>The Apple Orchard</em>, a puzzle that goes back to Tess’ grandfather’s past and Nazi Europe. This gives the novel some added depth and is interesting, though the sudden transitions between narrators can be a bit jarring. The reader will quickly see where the narrative is heading, towards a sort of “saves the day” ending. Unfortunately, this fairy tale nature of the book didn’t sit as well with me, and as a result, I felt like it dragged a bit.</p> <p>With well-written characters and a beautifully described setting, <em>The Apple Orchard</em> would be a great choice for someone looking for escapist fare. While parts of the novel didn’t work as well for me, overall it was an interesting read with plenty of twists and turns with some history thrown in for good measure. </p> <p>Other books by Susan Wiggs:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2009/07/just-breathe-susan-wiggs.html">Just Breathe</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780778314936?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0778314936/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0778314936&amp;adid=1FE9SA2K2CZCGK18DZ63&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780778314936?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40999166/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40999166/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40999166/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40999166/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40999166/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh5.googleusercontent.com%2f-E_1ErogZYeE%2fUWvvy78K2HI%2fAAAAAAAADMk%2fcGD0pSMpIHY%2fs288%2fappleorchard.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40999166/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40999166/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40999166/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40999166/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/4474281246752265996/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.html?showComment=1368473686929#c1724720496529004834">I'll be reading this one soon. Thanks for the...</a> <i>by Anna <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08046635675540466183">http://www.blogger.com/profile/08046635675540466183</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.html?showComment=1368295768824#c6243857037394362413">I think this one sounds so good! </a> <i>by Sheila (Bookjourney) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630">http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.html?showComment=1368273337205#c8858482925587635628">solar panel chargers are readily obtainable in mos...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-apple-orchard-susan-wiggs.html?showComment=1368242862186#c6347592581984752567">Hello! &#x4CF; simpl&#x443; wish to give &#x443;ou a hug&#x435; thumbs up ...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com4 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-is-this-tomorrow-caroline.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-18182178734079371932013-05-09T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-09T06:00:08.073-04:002013-05-09T06:00:08.073-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LXTUY3En5DE/UYpawGYPzwI/AAAAAAAADT8/v802IdgViGM/s288/isthistomorrow.jpg" />Title: Is This Tomorrow <br>Author: Caroline Leavitt <br>ISBN: 9781616200541 <br>Pages: 384 <br>Release Date: May 7, 2013 <br>Publisher: Algonquin Books <br>Genre: Historical Fiction <br>Source: Publicist <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Ava is a working single mother and recent divorcee with a son, Lewis. When they move onto a quiet street, people aren’t very welcoming. After all, single working moms were viewed with suspicion in the 1950s. Lewis is quick to make friends with the other two fatherless children on the block, Jimmy and Rose, but when Jimmy goes missing, it brings out the hidden darker side of the neighborhood.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Is This Tomorrow</em> is a thought-provoking novel about a woman doing her best to make her way in the world, despite the muck she often finds herself in. Ava is an amazing character, the highlight of the book in many ways. There is so much about her that is strong, yet Leavitt manages to also make her vulnerable. She wants so much for herself and for Lewis, but Ava also knows well enough to keep her expectations low. As all the characters in the novel do, she makes some bad decisions over the course of the book, but she’s written realistically, which is refreshing. Her work ethic and drive are admirable and readers will thoroughly enjoy getting to know her.</p> <p>Leavitt does an excellent job capturing the mood of the 1950s. There’s paranoia everywhere; while neighbors profess to be close to one another, there’s suspicion around every corner. Ava is ostracized because of her status, though she tries to be the best neighbor she can. The author really delves into many issues of class and status in <em>Is This Tomorrow</em>. Women’s issues, racism, prejudice—this book covers many fronts and serious issues within its pages.</p> <p>Though it seems like the central plotline of <em>Is This Tomorrow</em> is Jimmy’s disappearance, it’s actually secondary to Ava’s story. However, as the novel progresses, this storyline becomes more important, using Jimmy’s disappearance to frame the bigger issues of the novel. Leavitt explores this story well, and readers will be left guessing as to what happens to Jimmy. The final reveal is so tragic, if a bit coincidental, and will leave readers shaken to their core.</p> <p>Book clubs should definitely take note of <em>Is This Tomorrow</em>; Ava’s journey and the difficulties she faces will make readers want to discuss this novel at length. It’s got a great balance of story, character development, and thoughtfulness; Leavitt portrays the different aspects of it incredibly well. If you’re looking for a contemplative novel that you’ll breeze through, this is a great book to pick up.</p> <p>Other books by Caroline Leavitt:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2011/03/book-review-pictures-of-you-caroline.html">Pictures of You</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9781616200541?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/1616200545/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=1616200545&amp;adid=08WMT7T047C9Z2BCT2X6&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9781616200541?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40957663/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40957663/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40957663/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40957663/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40957663/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh6.googleusercontent.com%2f-LXTUY3En5DE%2fUYpawGYPzwI%2fAAAAAAAADT8%2fv802IdgViGM%2fs288%2fisthistomorrow.jpg"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40957663/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40957663/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40957663/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40957663/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-is-this-tomorrow-caroline.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/1818217873407937193/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-is-this-tomorrow-caroline.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-is-this-tomorrow-caroline.html?showComment=1368203756752#c2705263923224483815">I've been on the fence about this one, but now...</a> <i>by Monika <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13138730317208033566">http://www.blogger.com/profile/13138730317208033566</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-is-this-tomorrow-caroline.html?showComment=1368105694416#c6575377026507979713">I have to admit that I have cover lust, and I'...</a> <i>by Beth Hoffman <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835">http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com2 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-dying-fall-elly-griffiths.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-8307339139622556722013-05-08T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-08T06:00:11.904-04:002013-05-08T06:00:11.904-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8hXKQ58bRmM/UYlIDlgZQBI/AAAAAAAADTk/V1pJEAlgWFw/s288/dyingfall.JPG" />Title: A Dying Fall <br>Author: Elly Griffiths <br>ISBN: 9780547798165 <br>Pages: 400 <br>Release Date: March 5, 2013 <br>Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt <br>Genre: Crime Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>When forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway receives news that one of her colleagues died in a fire, she’s shocked. But she’s even more surprised to discover a letter from him in her mailbox the day after she learns of his death. He reports a great discovery, claiming he needs Ruth’s help. Ruth is invited to examine this find and is shocked by what she uncovers.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>When it comes to series novels, it’s difficult to keep things fresh in every installment. After all, with mysteries, it’s hard to believe that gruesome murders happen on a regular basis in a small quiet town. That’s what makes Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway novels so remarkable. Every one is different, set apart from the rest. Whether it’s the setting, the situation, or the secondary characters (or all three), Griffiths manages to shake up every single one of these novels, and as a result, <em>A Dying Fall</em> (the fifth installment in this series) feels as fresh and new as it would if it were a standalone.</p> <p>The plot of <em>A Dying Fall</em> is fascinating, with very interesting larger implications. Without giving away too much of the story, Griffiths put a very interesting twist on English history with the discovery that Ruth is asked to investigate. Through this, she invites a larger commentary on racism. She provokes incredibly interesting questions when it comes to the nature and degree of racism; it’s always nice when a book is not only entertaining, but makes you think.</p> <p>Most of the secondary characters from previous books are along for the ride in <em>A Dying Fall</em>. It’s not necessary to read these books in order—readers can easily pick this book up without having read any of the previous installments and be just fine. The only thing readers might miss out on is character development. By this point, the relationships among the characters are quite complex. Griffiths doesn’t shy away from further development, though, so readers will continue to watch their favorite characters from this series grow, change, and make difficult realizations about themselves.</p> <p>If you’re looking for a contemplative thought-provoking mystery that has great characters and fascinating history thrown in, definitely give any of Elly Griffiths’ novels a try. With each installment of this series, she just keeps getting better and better, and readers will thoroughly enjoy their all-too-brief visit with Ruth Galloway in <em>A Dying Fall</em>.</p> <p>Other books by Elly Griffiths:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2010/09/book-review-crossing-places-elly.html">The Crossing Places</a> <br><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2011/01/book-review-janus-stone-elly-griffiths.html">The Janus Stone</a> <br><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2012/02/book-review-house-at-seas-end-elly.html">The House at Sea’s End</a> <br><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2012/07/book-review-room-full-of-bones-elly.html">A Room Full of Bones</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/X?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/X?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40918943/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40918943/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40918943/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40918943/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40918943/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh5.googleusercontent.com%2f-8hXKQ58bRmM%2fUYlIDlgZQBI%2fAAAAAAAADTk%2fV1pJEAlgWFw%2fs288%2fdyingfall.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40918943/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40918943/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40918943/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40918943/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-dying-fall-elly-griffiths.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/830733913962255672/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-dying-fall-elly-griffiths.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-dying-fall-elly-griffiths.html#comment-form">Comments</a></li></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html">Book Review: Sight Reading &#x2013; Daphne Kalotay</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html">Book Review: The Caretaker &#x2013; A.X. Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com0 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-every-contact-leaves-trace.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-53634460559780768532013-05-07T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-07T06:00:02.086-04:002013-05-07T06:00:02.086-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nm2YTkw5Bi8/UYf7t7Lq0YI/AAAAAAAADTQ/UqbeRXFeFl0/s288/everycontact.JPG" />Title: Every Contact Leaves a Trace <br>Author: Elanor Dymott <br>ISBN: 9780393239775 <br>Pages: 416 <br>Release Date: May 6, 2013 <br>Publisher: W. W. Norton &amp; Co. <br>Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Alex is absolutely taken with his wife, Rachel, but when she is murdered on the grounds of the college they once attended together, he is bereft. Alex must sift through the insinuations and lies around Rachel’s death to find out what happened once and for all, but along the way he comes to realize there are many things he didn’t know about his wife.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Every Contact Leaves a Trace</em> is a novel that starts slowly. The reader comes to know Alex, the circumstances behind Rachel’s death, and the narrator’s utter helplessness in the face of his wife’s murder. Alex’s grief is palpable, bleeding through every line of this text, and his sadness muddles things. The reader meets the major players in the novel, and hears about others, but the narrative doesn’t really have definitive coherence. It’s not until almost halfway through the book that Alex really begins to pull himself together to understand what really happened to Rachel.</p> <p>As a result, if you like your books to be action packed from the first page, then <em>Every Contact Leaves a Trace</em> might not be for you. This is a novel that takes some time and effort, but it’s well worth the wait. Additionally, Dymott’s gorgeous descriptions and amazing sense of atmosphere help the reader when the narrative seems a bit disjointed and difficult. This is very much a contemplative novel that not only deals with the facts surrounding a murder, but also provokes a discussion about the nature of grief.</p> <p>The truth behind Rachel’s murder is definitely surprising in <em>Every Contact Leaves a Trace</em>. With every page, the web of conspiracy, of the things Rachel kept from Alex, seems to become more and more pronounced. This is a book of telling (as Alex learns much of his information secondhand) rather than showing, but Dymott still manages to keep the reader completely hooked as they try to figure out Rachel’s secrets.</p> <p>This isn’t a straightforward murder mystery, though it appears that way at first glance. Instead, <em>Every Contact Leaves a Trace </em>is a moody, atmospheric novel with an amazing setting—the grounds of Oxford. Alex’s grief and the depth of his love for Rachel are both thought-provoking; as the reader learns more about this complex woman, they will be itching to dissect her motives and choices. It’s a beautifully written evocative novel that fans of literary mysteries and books set in academia will likely enjoy.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780393239775?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393239772/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0393239772&amp;adid=0KC8RK9WE9FC7GDZ1E4V&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780393239775?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40883834/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. 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Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40883834/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40883834/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40883834/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40883834/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh5.googleusercontent.com%2f-nm2YTkw5Bi8%2fUYf7t7Lq0YI%2fAAAAAAAADTQ%2fUqbeRXFeFl0%2fs288%2feverycontact.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40883834/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40883834/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40883834/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40883834/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-every-contact-leaves-trace.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/5363446055978076853/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-every-contact-leaves-trace.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-every-contact-leaves-trace.html?showComment=1367998400174#c8772396080912963361">Aw, this was a very nice post. Taking the time and...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-every-contact-leaves-trace.html?showComment=1367976556908#c7342710330676078926">After looking into a number of the articles on you...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-every-contact-leaves-trace.html?showComment=1367969375144#c2332086019410847607">Nice blog here! Also your website loads up fast! W...</a> <i>by Anonymous</i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-every-contact-leaves-trace.html?showComment=1367953426913#c5808162279329698298">Sounds like a great read. Thanks for sharing your ...</a> <i>by Monika <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13138730317208033566">http://www.blogger.com/profile/13138730317208033566</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html">Book Review: The Caretaker &#x2013; A.X. Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html">Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed &#x2013; Khaled Hosseini</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com4 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-other-typist-suzanne-rindell.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-49689831739529032622013-05-06T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-06T06:00:08.684-04:002013-05-06T06:00:08.684-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-15FMV6ymvQg/UYOpuE9z6gI/AAAAAAAADSk/5lldNypAV1Y/s288/theothertypist.JPG" />Title: The Other Typist <br>Author: Suzanne Rindell <br>ISBN: 9780399161469 <br>Pages: 368 <br>Release Date: May 7, 2013 <br>Publisher: Putnam / Amy Einhorn Books <br>Genre: Historical Fiction, Psychological Thriller <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>The year is 1924 and Rose is a typist at a police station in New York City. She prides herself on her efficiency, as her job is one of the few things she has to take pride in. Rose doesn’t make friends easily and was brought up by nuns because she is an orphan. But when glamorous, mysterious Odalie, a fellow typist, first walks into the police station, Rose is immediately taken with her. The two strike up a friendship, and as Rose begins to learns Odalie’s secrets, she makes decisions from which there is no return.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>When <em>The Other Typist </em>first starts, it’s an engaging read to be sure. Social commentary, gender relations, and opinions of the “weaker” sex at a time of great change and upheaval—what’s not to love? Rindell writes with a sure hand, and she really captures the voice of Rose. The reader sees the world through her eyes, how she’s treated and what she experiences, and it’s interesting. Rindell’s prose is stunning, and it’s easy to be completely taken in by her gorgeous prose.</p> <p>So, then, it comes as a surprise when it becomes clear that there are things about Rose that the reader does not know in <em>The Other Typist</em>. Seeing the world only through her eyes also has a drawback, it seems: Rose only shows the reader the side of the story she wants them to see. All of a sudden, the game completely changes. The reader is dealing with an unreliable narrator, and the truth behind every word Rose says comes into question. It’s unbelievably well done, especially with how deftly this novel turns into one of psychological suspense.</p> <p>As the reader is trying to get to know Rose in <em>The Other Typist</em>, Odalie makes her grand entrance, and she’s definitely a sight to behold. She’s a huge puzzle from start to finish; it’s clear that she doesn’t need the job as a typist. Why is she there? Where does her money come from? And why, of all people, does she take plain, boring Rose as her friend and companion? Trying to figure out Odalie is just as delicious as trying to figure out Rose; as a pair, they are absolutely fascinating.</p> <p>If you’re looking for a novel of the unexpected, a smart book that deals with social and gender issues while also being incredibly intriguing, <em>The Other Typist</em> is definitely a book you should pick up. It’s beautifully written, and behind that attractive mask lies two very different women who will take you in from beginning to end.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780399161469?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399161465/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0399161465&amp;adid=0999D6KHYKR5X5CM73MG&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780399161469?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40846807/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40846807/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40846807/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40846807/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40846807/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh3.googleusercontent.com%2f-15FMV6ymvQg%2fUYOpuE9z6gI%2fAAAAAAAADSk%2f5lldNypAV1Y%2fs288%2ftheothertypist.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40846807/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40846807/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40846807/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40846807/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-other-typist-suzanne-rindell.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/4968983173952903262/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-other-typist-suzanne-rindell.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-other-typist-suzanne-rindell.html?showComment=1367849160837#c828206502969727016">I want to read this so bad I can nearly taste it ;...</a> <i>by Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-other-typist-suzanne-rindell.html?showComment=1367848989000#c8305270659386814552">I have the ARC of this book from the publisher and...</a> <i>by Beth Hoffman <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835">http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-other-typist-suzanne-rindell.html?showComment=1367843034453#c1693973448368681795">I have this one for review and it sounds interesti...</a> <i>by Sheila (Bookjourney) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630">http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com3 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-bitter-brew-william.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-77545734079623268542013-05-05T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-05T06:00:00.195-04:002013-05-05T06:00:00.195-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zjx3gTFDVqU/UUeBUQdR_uI/AAAAAAAADB0/OT5v1wWb0Zw/s288/bitterbrew.JPG" />Title: Bitter Brew: The Rise and Fall of Anheuser Busch and America’s Kings of Beer <br>Author: William Knoedelseder <br>ISBN: 9780062009265 <br>Pages: 416 <br>Release Date: November 6, 2012 <br>Publisher: HarperBusiness <br>Genre: Non-Fiction, History <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>The Anheuser-Busch name has been synonymous with beer since before Prohibition, but who exactly was the Busch family? Knoedelseder goes behind the scenes of this notorious, scandal-ridden family to offer a complete account of their history.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>One thing my blog readers might not know about me (though my friends on Twitter are more than well aware of) is that I’m a huge fan of craft beer. I love exploring new breweries and trying new beers, though if it’s produced by Miller, Coors, or InBev/Aneheuser-Busch, I’ll give it a pass. But I was curious about the history of Anheuser-Busch and what exactly the story behind the Busch family was, so I decided to give <em>Bitter Brew </em>a try.</p> <p>Whether you’re a fan of beer or can barely stand the taste of the beverage, <em>Bitter Brew</em> is a book you should consider. It’s packing to the brim with salacious tales of the misdeeds of the Busch family, but it’s much more than a gossipy rag. It’s also a commentary on business, corporate culture, and how to (and <em>not</em> to) run a business. Knoedelseder examines the Busch family from every angle, both personal and professional, to see how exactly this family toppled from grace so profoundly.</p> <p><em>Bitter Brew</em> is written in an engaging narrative style and, as a result, it’s incredibly easy to read. He keeps the story interesting, and though he occasionally does jump in time, it’s never difficult to follow. The material about both the Busch family and the Busch company is interesting in and of itself, but Knoedelseder also orders it and presents it in a way that’s very easy to digest. It’s also clear he did quite a bit of research when writing this book. From beginning to end, it’s a compulsive, interesting read.</p> <p>Knoedelseder also makes sure that the personalities of the major players in the Busch family come across. Despite the fact that I’m not much of a fan of the company objectively, I found myself rooting for different people to succeed. The end result—the hostile takeover by InBev—is a sad, but inevitable conclusion to this book. It’s smart, engaging, well-researched, and well-written; if you’re looking for an entertaining tale about one of corporate America’s most beloved brands and families, <em>Bitter Brew</em> is definitely the book to pick up.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780062009265?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062009265/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0062009265&amp;adid=0ZGSAE2FBPCQ91F3SBP6&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780062009265?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40820686/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40820686/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40820686/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40820686/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40820686/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh6.googleusercontent.com%2f-zjx3gTFDVqU%2fUUeBUQdR_uI%2fAAAAAAAADB0%2fOT5v1wWb0Zw%2fs288%2fbitterbrew.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40820686/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40820686/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40820686/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40820686/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-bitter-brew-william.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/7754573407962326854/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-bitter-brew-william.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-bitter-brew-william.html#comment-form">Comments</a></li></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-how-to-be-woman-caitlin.html">Book Review: How to Be a Woman &#x2013; Caitlin Moran [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com0 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-swimming-at-night-lucy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-55371294056637806132013-05-03T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-03T06:00:00.771-04:002013-05-03T06:00:00.771-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O7YOpWq6bJ0/UYE_l5wvwNI/AAAAAAAADR4/pnc88okO74E/s288/swimmingatnight.JPG" />Title: Swimming at Night <br>Author: Lucy Clarke <br>ISBN: 9781451683394 <br>Pages: 384 <br>Release Date: March 12, 2013 <br>Publisher: Touchstone <br>Genre: Mystery <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>After their mother’s death, sisters Kate and Mia get a flat together in London to be closer together. But the two sisters are so different, and once Mia decides to take a trip around the world, Kate and she barely speak. But when Kate receives the news that Mia is dead and that the verdict is suicide, she feels she must retrace Mia’s steps in order to find out what happened to her sister once and for all.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Swimming at Night</em> is a complex novel dealing with loss and relationships. Now that Mia is gone, Kate is alone in the world and she doesn’t quite know how to deal with that information, especially considering she firmly believes that Mia would never commit suicide. Though Kate is usually practical and logical, she takes a page out of Mia’s book and follows her heart, allowing her emotions to guide her. Over her fiancé’s strenuous objections, Kate decides she needs to follow in Mia’s footsteps, using Mia’s journal as a guide to understand her sister’s last thoughts and decisions.</p> <p>Clarke explores the difficult nature of a relationship between sisters like an expert in <em>Swimming at Night</em>. There is so much love between Mia and Kate, yet simultaneously so much distance. They internalize many of their issues and problems with one another, leading to their estrangement. Yet, underneath, it’s clear that they love one another fiercely and completely; it’s so difficult to capture that complicated, intangible relationship, yet Clarke does it very well in this novel.</p> <p>Much of the driving force of <em>Swimming at Night</em> is the mystery behind Mia’s final days. Clarke paces the novel perfectly; the reader will be torn about the truth about Mia’s death. Did she commit suicide, or was there something more sinister behind her fall off a Bali cliff? Clarke deals with the suspense well, heightening it with each page, while also making either final verdict a real possibility. The ending is satisfying and brings closure for both Kate and the reader.</p> <p>This is a smoothly written and descriptive novel, with a lot of detail about the different exotic locales both Mia and Kate visit. The descriptions are evocative and lush. If you’re looking for a well-rounded novel with interesting characters, settings, and a good, suspenseful mystery, then <em>Swimming at Night</em> should definitely be on your list.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9781451683394?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/1451683391/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=1451683391&amp;adid=1EHBKAN0STGNMDSGN5MY&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9781451683394?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40746817/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40746817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40746817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40746817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40746817/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh4.googleusercontent.com%2f-O7YOpWq6bJ0%2fUYE_l5wvwNI%2fAAAAAAAADR4%2fpnc88okO74E%2fs288%2fswimmingatnight.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40746817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40746817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40746817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40746817/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-swimming-at-night-lucy.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/5537129405663780613/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-swimming-at-night-lucy.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-swimming-at-night-lucy.html?showComment=1367620838571#c7899443725100039590">I love a good mystery, and this book exploring the...</a> <i>by anaherareads <a href="http://anaherareads.wordpress.com/">http://anaherareads.wordpress.com/</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-swimming-at-night-lucy.html?showComment=1367610208959#c1814580254603772879">Sounds interesting, one I was not familiar with.</a> <i>by caite <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/05824538078958999767">http://www.blogger.com/profile/05824538078958999767</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-swimming-at-night-lucy.html?showComment=1367598598645#c7846059769210915040">This is one of my favorite books of the year. It h...</a> <i>by caitieflum <a href="http://caitieflum.wordpress.com/">http://caitieflum.wordpress.com/</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-swimming-at-night-lucy.html?showComment=1367587688479#c9119959837426055960">Lately I've been reading more mysteries than u...</a> <i>by Beth Hoffman <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835">http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com4 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-perfect-ghost-linda-barnes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-64124245269114297782013-05-02T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-02T06:00:07.250-04:002013-05-02T06:00:07.250-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YQUsavRvric/UX_BmPZ1baI/AAAAAAAADRg/tLBNOkXAPDY/s288/perfectghost.JPG" />Title: The Perfect Ghost <br>Author: Linda Barnes <br>ISBN: 9781250023636 <br>Pages: 320 <br>Release Date: April 9, 2013 <br>Publisher: Minotaur Books <br>Genre: Gothic Mystery <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>After the death of her writing partner, Teddy, in a car accident, Em Moore is bereft. Teddy protected Em from the world, made her painful shyness and slight agoraphobia more difficult to bear. But when Em receives the news that the publisher is about to cancel the book that she and Teddy were working on, Em knows she must put aside her personal issues and go out in the world to finish what her partner started.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>It’s difficult to classify the genre of <em>The Perfect Ghost</em>. It definitely has elements of a mystery, especially surrounding Teddy’s death, but it’s not clear whether his death was suspicious. The person that Em is writing about, a famous director named Garrett Malcolm, also has skeletons in his closet that Em uncovers, but it’s difficult to say that this book is actually a mystery. In fact, the reader doesn’t even know what the book is building to, but the twists and turns at the end of the novel are shocking, to say the least.</p> <p><em>The Perfect Ghost</em> is told in first person narration with Em as the narrator, but she basically tells the story to Teddy. It reveals some interesting things about Em, but on the flip side, you only see the side of herself that she would present to Teddy. It makes it difficult to get to know her, especially because she is such a painfully shy character. As she opens up over the course of the novel, the reader hopes that she’ll settle and become more comfortable in her own skin.</p> <p>The novel is also filled to the brim with the atmosphere of Cape Cod; the descriptions and closeness of the air almost make it feel like a modern-day gothic mystery. Indeed, the close-held, confession-style narration adds to that feeling, as do the layered puzzles that Em digs into about Malcolm. Barnes includes some interesting observations on the craft of both writing and the theater, making this a well rounded novel with many different aspects.</p> <p>Confused by what <em>The Perfect Ghost</em> is about after reading this review? That’s understandable; it’s an incredibly difficult book to describe. What I can say is that it’s very well written, with an intriguing main character and great twists and turns. If you like your mysteries smart and layered, this is definitely a novel to consider.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9781250023636?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250023637/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=1250023637&amp;adid=0RA1XBNPK6D9T9ZBP9C4&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9781250023636?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40703827/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40703827/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40703827/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40703827/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40703827/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh5.googleusercontent.com%2f-YQUsavRvric%2fUX_BmPZ1baI%2fAAAAAAAADRg%2ftLBNOkXAPDY%2fs288%2fperfectghost.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40703827/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40703827/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40703827/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40703827/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-perfect-ghost-linda-barnes.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/6412424526911429778/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-perfect-ghost-linda-barnes.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-perfect-ghost-linda-barnes.html?showComment=1367517045653#c2146285458641062842">You know what? The fact that this book is well wri...</a> <i>by Beth Hoffman <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835">http://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com1 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-angelopolis-danielle.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-38292794730242276132013-05-01T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-01T06:00:05.526-04:002013-05-01T06:00:05.526-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zB7PqiUc3SQ/UX5vLxyyuJI/AAAAAAAADQ4/g7SQ8JUYC1s/s288/angelopolis.JPG" />Title: Angelopolis <br>Author: Danielle Trussoni <br>ISBN: 9780670025541 <br>Pages: 320 <br>Release Date: March 26, 2013 <br>Publisher: Viking <br>Genre: Urban Fantasy <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>It’s been ten years since the events of <em><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2010/03/angelology-danielle-trussoni.html">Angelology</a></em>, ten years since Verlaine has seen the woman he’s in love with, Evangeline. But when Evangeline reappears at the same time as a vicious angel on the streets of Paris, Verlaine wonders if she is being hunted. When the angel captures Evangeline, Verlaine must use all his resources to find out why angels are hunting Evangeline and what can be done to get her back.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Angelopolis</em> is the sequel to the thrilling, thought-provoking novel about angels and angel hunters, <em>Angelology</em>. In <em>Angelology</em>, readers were introduced to the world of angels—they exist among us, and while they are beautiful creatures to behold, their intentions aren’t good for humanity. Trussoni weaved a complex mythology in her first book, and she builds upon that in this book. The world building in this series is simply stunning; readers who love complicated, intricate backstories will absolutely love this series.</p> <p>One of the major appeals of <em>Angelology</em> was the beautiful writing style; <em>Angelopolis </em>does have less of that, but that’s because the book’s focus is on action. While much of the previous book took place in a library, doing research among musty tomes, this novel is squarely set in the midst of action. From one locale to another, Verlaine and his colleagues must race against time to discover what is happening and why. The answers are both intriguing and satisfying, which means you won’t be able to put this book down.</p> <p>Despite the fact that both Evangeline and Verlaine were fully realized characters by the end of <em>Angelology</em>, they still develop further in <em>Angelopolis</em>. A lot has happened to them in the last decade, and it’s changed both of them. As a result, it’s best to read these books in order. While story-wise, you can pick up <em>Angelopolis</em> as a standalone and follow what’s going on tolerably well, to appreciate the richness of the storyline and characters, you must have the background of the first book. Plus it’s an absolutely gripping read, so you’d really miss out if you skipped it.</p> <p>With her <em>Angelology</em> series, Danielle Trussoni has created a unique, exciting world that readers will find fascinating. It’s incredibly well written and plotted; while it doesn’t quite have the smoothness of the first book, it’s still an incredible ride from beginning to end. It’s also wonderful how Trussoni works existing history into her books; it’s always fascinating to see events you’ve heard about all your life interpreted in this new way. If you’re a fan of intricately crafted books with rich mythologies behind them, you won’t regret picking up this series.</p> <p>Other books by Danielle Trussoni:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2010/03/angelology-danielle-trussoni.html">Angelology</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780670025541?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0670025542/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0670025542&amp;adid=0G0925TY0KCZJWZVM7M8&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780670025541?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40662730/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40662730/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40662730/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40662730/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40662730/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh4.googleusercontent.com%2f-zB7PqiUc3SQ%2fUX5vLxyyuJI%2fAAAAAAAADQ4%2fg7SQ8JUYC1s%2fs288%2fangelopolis.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40662730/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40662730/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40662730/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40662730/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-angelopolis-danielle.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/3829279473024227613/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-angelopolis-danielle.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-angelopolis-danielle.html#comment-form">Comments</a></li></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html">Book Review: Sight Reading &#x2013; Daphne Kalotay</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html">Book Review: The Caretaker &#x2013; A.X. Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com0 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-start-of-everything-emily.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-25609752744494781882013-04-30T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-30T06:00:18.096-04:002013-04-30T06:00:18.096-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Dy9SSyq9dy0/UXp-BLcgOnI/AAAAAAAADP8/12ny_UUiCkg/s288/startofeverything.jpg" />Title: The Start of Everything <br>Author: Emily Winslow <br>ISBN: 9780385342902 <br>Pages: 272 <br>Release Date: January 8, 2013 <br>Publisher: Delacorte Press <br>Genre: Literary Mystery <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>When the body of a young woman is found in Cambridge, England, Detective Inspector Chloe Frohmann is put on the case. But the body is badly decomposed and Chloe has an extremely difficult time determining who this woman was. Chloe must navigate a tangled web of deception, lies, and confusion in order to discover her identity and find out what really happened to her.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>The Start of Everything</em> is a layered novel with multiple storylines, five different narrators, and countless secondary characters. Sound confusing? It definitely can be. This is not a straightforward whodunit, with clear cut definitions and storylines. Things are more muddled in this book; the novel jumps between the past and present frequently. This can make it difficult to keep up with, but Winslow manages to soften the rough edges that usually come with this sort of narrative. Despite the fact that it is difficult at times, the overall storyline feels smooth.</p> <p>Above all, <em>The Start of Everything</em> is a novel concerned with identity, as well as our conceptions of it. How do we conceive of ourselves? If we believe that a person is someone they’re not, how does that change our views of them? How does that information affect our construction of the identity we’ve built for them? It’s these kinds of questions this novel provokes. Much of it depends on this conception of identity, and the perils that mistaken identity can bring, so it’s definitely a thoughtful read.</p> <p>There is a lot going on in <em>The Start of Everything</em>, enough to where you have to put some work into reading it. It’s satisfying, then, that Winslow brings everything together so well at the end. In some ways, it’s an explosive ending, and it absolutely makes the book worth reading when Winslow draws together all the characters and you discover the answers behind all these layered, connected mysteries that the book contains.</p> <p>This is a novel you have to work for, but if you’re willing to do that, then <em>The Start of Everything</em> is absolutely worth your time. Winslow creates her atmosphere well, and the characters are definitely intriguing. For the most part, it’s a quiet novel, but the psychological aspects deliver a chilling sense that mystery readers will appreciate. It’s definitely one to consider for your next literary mystery.</p> <p>Other books by Emily Winslow:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2010/07/book-review-whole-wide-beauty-emily.html">The Whole Wide Beauty</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780385342902?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/038534290X/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=038534290X&amp;adid=1WAH8BMRBQ60NMS8A27A&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780385342902?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40622238/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. 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Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html">Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed &#x2013; Khaled Hosseini</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com0 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-someday-someday-maybe.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-33078008944631082612013-04-29T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-29T06:00:18.988-04:002013-04-29T06:00:18.988-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eXpvf3ntijk/UXlKjCdjJjI/AAAAAAAADPo/8dkvnWfi18g/s288/somedaysomedaymaybe.JPG" />Title: Someday, Someday, Maybe <br>Author: Lauren Graham <br>ISBN: 9780345532749 <br>Pages: 352 <br>Release Date: April 30, 2013 <br>Publisher: Ballantine Books <br>Genre: Women’s Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Franny Banks is trying to make it as an actress in New York City in 1995, and so far, she hasn’t been much of a success at it. So she’s given herself six months. Six months to get that dream part, six months to not have to ask her dad for money <em>again</em>, six months before she accepts that acting isn’t for her, goes home, and marries her high school sweetheart. Will Franny find the success she’s hoping for, or will she part ways with New York and her dreams of acting?</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p>Like pretty much every other woman, I loved Lauren Graham on the TV show <em>Gilmore Girls</em>. She was smart, funny, and incredibly witty, delivering one-liners and quips like they were made for her. So when I heard that she was writing a novel, I was excited, but immediately some hesitation cropped up: how much of Graham’s humor was her own, and how much was invented by the writers of her show? Would her first novel be a triumph, or would it fall flat, the victim of high expectations?</p> <p>When I opened <em>Someday, Someday, Maybe</em> and first got to know Franny, I had my answer. This is a smart and sweet novel with an incredible main character. Franny is unique and wonderful; I imagine she’s a version of Graham at that age. She’s down to earth, and while she’s a talented actress, she’s realistic about how difficult it’s been and how she doesn’t know if she can keep on going. Over the course of the novel, Franny will become a close friend, an intimate, and readers will desperately hope that she’ll find the recognition she deserves.</p> <p>Graham includes a lot of information about the acting process in <em>Someday, Someday, Maybe</em>. Readers interested in this field should definitely read this book; it’s interesting (if sad) to see what Franny goes through. Additionally, the discussion about the difference between Franny’s acting classes and what she faces in the real world at auditions is fascinating, as is watching Franny get into character. I absolutely loved the way she was written and her reasons for acting, as well as her commentary on how ridiculous the business can be.</p> <p>Though <em>Someday, Someday, Maybe</em> has a few rough edges—secondary character development and some writing issues—it’s a great debut novel for any writer, which is refreshing. While Graham does have celebrity status, it’s a solid novel and it’s clear that her book deal didn’t come from her name alone. Franny’s a wonderful character, and her witty commentary will have you chuckling from beginning to end.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780345532749?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345532740/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0345532740&amp;adid=1TY7K219360WB24Q467S&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780345532749?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40586048/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40586048/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40586048/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40586048/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40586048/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh5.googleusercontent.com%2f-eXpvf3ntijk%2fUXlKjCdjJjI%2fAAAAAAAADPo%2f8dkvnWfi18g%2fs288%2fsomedaysomedaymaybe.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40586048/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40586048/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40586048/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40586048/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-someday-someday-maybe.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/3307800894463108261/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-someday-someday-maybe.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-someday-someday-maybe.html?showComment=1367464393412#c904470436577846857">That's nice she was able to put out a good nov...</a> <i>by thecuecard <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08870323589682197091">http://www.blogger.com/profile/08870323589682197091</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-someday-someday-maybe.html?showComment=1367260436938#c2055402067768251470">I only found out this book existed the other day, ...</a> <i>by Zibilee <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-someday-someday-maybe.html?showComment=1367251371397#c8227687704736423650">I wholeheartedly agree. I just read this over the ...</a> <i>by Jenn's Bookshelves <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00053675949434770878">http://www.blogger.com/profile/00053675949434770878</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com3 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-sticks-and-stones-emily.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-20976373904861742852013-04-28T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-28T06:00:10.420-04:002013-04-28T06:00:10.420-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K1L-92FgN2c/UWvvyxYw4KI/AAAAAAAADMc/m5LJ-Lc1-cM/s288/sticksandstones.JPG" />Title: Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy <br>Author: Emily Bazelon <br>ISBN: 9780812992809 <br>Pages: 400 <br>Release Date: February 19, 2013 <br>Publisher: Random House <br>Genre: Non-Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>In her book, Emily Bazelon examines the culture of bullying, why some are bullies and others are the bullied, and what can be done to change and stop this culture within America’s schools.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy</em> has been a widely discussed, somewhat controversial book. Why? Because Bazelon approaches bullying from a new angle. She not only talks to the bullied, but the bullies, to look at the effects of not only being bullied, but what happens when you bully others. While she’s not trying to say it’s just as bad for the bully as for the bullied, she does make it clear that, often, bullies have their own issues that cause them to act out. While I can sympathize with people having issues with this approach, that’s the point of the book: to have a frank discussion of bullying while airing both popular and unpopular views to see if we can’t get somewhere by the time Bazelon is finished.</p> <p>Whether you agree with Bazelon or not, <em>Sticks and Stones</em> is a fascinating, if heartbreaking, read from beginning to end. Whether you were a bully, the bullied, or somewhere in between, this book will take you back to the halls of middle and high school. Bazelon conducted extensive interviews for this book, interviewing the involved parties and the parents of both bullies and bullied children, as well as their friends, teachers, and peers. As a result, the reader gets a more comprehensive look at the problem, its roots, and what might work in terms of solutions.</p> <p>Bazelon’s frank tone is refreshing in <em>Sticks and Stones</em>. Bullying is a topic that we often tiptoe around, and for good reason: as we’ve seen, it can lead to tragic consequences. But the fact is, someone simply being mean does not count as bullying. Bazelon explores what bullying is, and she also explores “bullycide”—the recent linking of bullying and suicide in the media and beyond. While she does believe that bullying and suicide can be connected, she doesn’t believe one directly leads to the other. It’s an unpopular view today, but she presents her case well, and it’s refreshing to hear her speak her views directly.</p> <p><em>Sticks and Stones</em> is a book that everyone should read, but it’s one that’s not for every audience, contradictory as that may sound. If you’re the parent of a bullied child (or are a bullied child), Bazelon’s portrayal of the bullies may anger you. And if you’re the parent of a bully (or, likewise, are a bully), then you may misread Bazelon’s point entirely and twist her words to say that you are actually the injured party. It’s a difficult, delicate subject, one that’s all too sensitive. Bazelon has some great ideas in this book, and while I don’t agree with everything she said, I appreciated her frank discussion, especially since she presents a convincing case for looking at bullying in a new light and makes it clear that this is a problem that needs good solutions <em>now</em>.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/X?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/X?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40564388/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40564388/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40564388/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40564388/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40564388/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh3.googleusercontent.com%2f-K1L-92FgN2c%2fUWvvyxYw4KI%2fAAAAAAAADMc%2fm5LJ-Lc1-cM%2fs288%2fsticksandstones.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40564388/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40564388/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40564388/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40564388/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-sticks-and-stones-emily.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/2097637390486174285/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-sticks-and-stones-emily.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-sticks-and-stones-emily.html?showComment=1367159781401#c602559931163747131">I really liked this book as well. I learned a lot ...</a> <i>by Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07059240496186812005</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-sticks-and-stones-emily.html?showComment=1367153105991#c4570768680948722968">Definitely sounds like I want I would be intereste...</a> <i>by Sheila (Bookjourney) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630">http://www.blogger.com/profile/05354184020340930630</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com2 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-something-about-sophie-mary.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-35711383008157482032013-04-26T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-26T06:00:14.575-04:002013-04-26T06:00:14.575-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PoiFQH4nO0I/UXgUVvsNfQI/AAAAAAAADPM/LKRJ0-UsgjU/s288/somethingaboutsophie.JPG" />Title: Something About Sophie <br>Author: Mary Kay McComas <br>ISBN: 9780062084804 <br>Pages: 320 <br>Release Date: March 26, 2013 <br>Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks <br>Genre: Romance <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 3 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Sophie Shepard’s parents have always been open with her about her adoption, and even into adulthood, she’s never felt the need to seek out her birth parents. So it’s with reluctance that she travels to a small town in Virginia, to the deathbed of a man who claims to know something about her birth. But Sophie arrives too late, and the secrets of her origins die with him. Sophie decides to stay put for awhile to discover what it was he so badly wanted to tell her, but it turns out some people in town are keen on keeping Sophie’s past from her at any cost.</p> <p><em>Review</em>:</p> <p>The description of <em>Something About Sophie</em> makes it sound like a mystery novel with a main storyline that, while perhaps not action-filled, is definitely exciting. The book, though, is something different. McComas develops her main character with great thought and care. Sophie and her love interest, Drew McCarren, leap off the page. These characters are very intricately drawn and developed.</p> <p>Indeed, these characters are incredibly developed, but the storyline and pacing of <em>Something About Sophie</em> fell flat for me. Though the novel opens explosively, with an incredibly tense, suspenseful scene, it quickly devolves into a romance novel with a mystery subplot. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this type of book, that wasn’t what I expected when I chose to read it, and as a result, I was disappointed. In addition, the pacing of the novel is incredibly slow. McComas puts great time and effort into developing her characters and helping them along on their personal journeys, but the rest of the book suffers as a result.</p> <p>If you’re looking for great character development and romance, <em>Something About Sophie</em> is a solid pick. You’ll enjoy Sophie and Drew both, and the mystery will definitely be enough to keep you interested. However, if it’s a solid mystery you’re looking for, I’d search elsewhere, as this book falls a bit flat in that regard.</p> <p>Other books by Mary Kay McComas:</p> <p>What Happened to Hannah</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780062084804?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062084801/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0062084801&amp;adid=132M3G5H6R32SY2XQP70&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780062084804?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40500067/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40500067/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40500067/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40500067/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40500067/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh4.googleusercontent.com%2f-PoiFQH4nO0I%2fUXgUVvsNfQI%2fAAAAAAAADPM%2fLKRJ0-UsgjU%2fs288%2fsomethingaboutsophie.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40500067/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40500067/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40500067/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40500067/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-something-about-sophie-mary.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/3571138300815748203/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-something-about-sophie-mary.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-something-about-sophie-mary.html?showComment=1367367471794#c2455784859056883655">&quot;a romance novel with a mystery subplot&quot;...</a> <i>by caite <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/05824538078958999767">http://www.blogger.com/profile/05824538078958999767</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-something-about-sophie-mary.html?showComment=1367138357083#c955609030255263710">This book really sounds like something I would wan...</a> <i>by Melinda <a href="http://thebookmusings.wordpress.com/">http://thebookmusings.wordpress.com/</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com2 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-jar-city-arnaldur-indridason.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-41737431657125564572013-04-25T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-25T06:00:13.399-04:002013-04-25T06:00:13.399-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dcjHJKsFvr4/UXfSbYrw7uI/AAAAAAAADO0/EfNmujUWTQ8/s288/jarcity.JPG" />Title: Jar City <br>Author: Arnaldur Indridason <br>ISBN: 9780312426385 <br>Pages: 304 <br>Release Date: September 19, 2006 <br>Publisher: Picador <br>Genre: Crime Fiction <br>Source: Personal Copy <br>Rating: 4 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson has seen many murder cases in his time with the Reykjavik police department, but they’ve all been straightforward, easy-to-solve crimes of passion. So when an old man is found murdered in his apartment, Sveinsson believes that this will, once again, be simple. But as Sveinsson starts looking into the victim’s life and discovers that he had a shady past, and many people had reason to want him dead, the inspector realizes that this case may be more complicated than it appeared.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Jar City</em> is the first novel in the bestselling Reyjkavik murder mystery series, and as you’ve probably surmised, the series is set in Iceland. This makes for an interesting setting, which becomes integral to the book. Iceland is a small country; its biggest city, Reykjavik, only hosts a population of around 200,000 people. It gives the novel an almost small town feel—everyone refers to everyone else by first names, and most Icelanders are related to one another in some way. However, it also means that the novel feels isolated and closed off; help won’t be arriving en masse to save the day. It’s an interesting atmosphere, and one that Indridason takes advantage of to give this novel a unique feel.</p> <p>Erlendur is about what you’d expect from his description. He’s around 50 years old, and has two children, both of whom who’ve turned out to be disappointments. His daughter, Eva Lind, plays a role in this novel, and it will be interesting to meet his son in future installments. Indridason developed his main character well, making sure the reader felt they really knew him, but leaving enough room for untold secrets and further exploration in future novels. He’s a character you’ll enjoy getting to know, and you’ll appreciate his determination and resourcefulness in solving this case.</p> <p>The mystery in <em>Jar City</em> is certainly complicated; while it’s not necessarily difficult to follow, there’s a lot going on. Erlendur follows the case where it leads, even on the strangest tangents. Indridason really keeps the reader guessing in this book, as it’s a novel that’s all about making connections. It deals with some difficult issues, namely rape, but on the whole it’s a very well done and unique novel.</p> <p>Crime fiction is a genre that’s really exploded in the last few years; it’s hard to separate the good from the bad because there’s just so much out there. Indridason’s <em>Jar City</em> is a satisfying start&#160; to what promises to be an incredibly engaging, well- written series. It’s absolutely worth your time; it will be interesting to see what Indridason does with his main character and setting in future installments.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780312426385?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312426380/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0312426380&amp;adid=13NZC3W8KEHT9JAMW7NV&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780312426385?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40463584/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40463584/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40463584/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40463584/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40463584/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh5.googleusercontent.com%2f-dcjHJKsFvr4%2fUXfSbYrw7uI%2fAAAAAAAADO0%2fEfNmujUWTQ8%2fs288%2fjarcity.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40463584/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40463584/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40463584/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40463584/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-jar-city-arnaldur-indridason.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/4173743165712556457/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-jar-city-arnaldur-indridason.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-jar-city-arnaldur-indridason.html?showComment=1367367565222#c1608129905991713818">a series I have been reading out of order...so of ...</a> <i>by caite <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/05824538078958999767">http://www.blogger.com/profile/05824538078958999767</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-jar-city-arnaldur-indridason.html?showComment=1366913698114#c7441224827535144981">I like that this one has that closed off and inten...</a> <i>by Zibilee <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-fly-away-kristin-hannah.html">Book Review: Fly Away &#x2013; Kristin Hannah</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com2 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-tuesdays-gone-nicci-french.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-58591136686324995952013-04-24T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-24T06:00:00.890-04:002013-04-24T06:00:00.890-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4sG6xgY0N0I/UXUvKjqypGI/AAAAAAAADOY/FoMAui8B3FE/s288/tuesdaysgone.JPG" />Title: Tuesday’s Gone <br>Author: Nicci French <br>ISBN: 9780670025671 <br>Pages: 384 <br>Release Date: April 4, 2013 <br>Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books <br>Genre: Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Psychotherapist Frieda Klein thought she was done consulting for the police and has gone back to her regular life. But now, Chief Inspector Karlsson has come back to Frieda for help on a new case. A social worker discovered the body of a man in one of her clients’ apartments. Because the woman isn’t mentally well, Karlsson hopes that Frieda can break through her shell and try and figure out who this man was and how he ended up in this woman’s apartment.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Tuesday’s Gone</em> is the second Frieda Klein novel, after she was introduced in <em>Blue Monday</em>, and it holds great promise for the rest of the series. When we see Frieda again for the first time, it’s like reuniting with an old friend. She’s gotten past many of the issues that plagued her, but new ones have arisen. She’s begun to question herself more with regards to her patients after the events of the previous novel. She also is thrust in the spotlight (and not in a good way) with the events of this case, and she must deal with the self-confidence issues that arise from such attention.</p> <p>But Frieda’s personal journey, while interesting, is not at the center of <em>Tuesday’s Gone</em>. It’s the mystery behind the dead body that is the focus of this novel, and it’s very well done. French has written a tightly plotted story; every time you believe you’ve figured out what’s happening, the author throws in something to shake up the story. It makes the book as a whole very enjoyable, as the smoothly written narrative is incredibly easy to fall into.</p> <p>A major part of <em>Tuesday’s Gone</em> also deals with repercussions from the first novel in the series, which means it’s best if you read these books in order. Frieda thought she’d put the Dean Reeve case behind her, but she begins to discover that things aren’t quite as they should have been. This introduces a psychological thriller element into the novel, as though others believe Frieda is being paranoid, she knows that she’s being watched, and that her past will soon come back to haunt her in a huge way (if it hasn’t already).</p> <p>If you’re looking for a gripping series with unique characters, then <em>Tuesday’s Gone</em> is a great pick. You’ll really enjoy Frieda, and her friends and colleagues are all wonderfully written. The plots in these books are fascinating, and when you’ve raced through both of them, you’ll be left impatiently waiting for the next installment in the series.</p> <p>Other books by Nicci French:</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.skrishnasbooks.com/2012/02/book-review-blue-monday-nicci-french.html">Blue Monday</a></p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780670025671?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0670025674/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0670025674&amp;adid=1Q5MYQD114P4B6X0Q3XP&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780670025671?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40428170/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40428170/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40428170/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40428170/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40428170/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh6.googleusercontent.com%2f-4sG6xgY0N0I%2fUXUvKjqypGI%2fAAAAAAAADOY%2fFoMAui8B3FE%2fs288%2ftuesdaysgone.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40428170/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40428170/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40428170/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40428170/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-tuesdays-gone-nicci-french.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/5859113668632499595/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-tuesdays-gone-nicci-french.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-tuesdays-gone-nicci-french.html?showComment=1366831379130#c8178336758446474968">I'm very happy to see your rating for this one...</a> <i>by SuziQoregon <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/15552565982732943323">http://www.blogger.com/profile/15552565982732943323</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-tuesdays-gone-nicci-french.html?showComment=1366826090683#c8506418917618133275">I just got the first book on audio from the librar...</a> <i>by Zibilee <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-tuesdays-gone-nicci-french.html?showComment=1366822453196#c2923376013727169692">I had not read the first book, but read this one f...</a> <i>by caitieflum <a href="http://caitieflum.wordpress.com/">http://caitieflum.wordpress.com/</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-sight-reading-daphne-kalotay.html">Book Review: Sight Reading &#x2013; Daphne Kalotay</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html">Book Review: The Caretaker &#x2013; A.X. Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com3 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-river-of-no-return-bee.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-89219753602736178292013-04-23T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-23T06:00:03.521-04:002013-04-23T06:00:03.521-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dh3uY6TgPmQ/UXF4aGAALEI/AAAAAAAADN0/ZX1EhPAje5o/s288/riverofnoreturn.jpg" />Title: The River of No Return <br>Author: Bee Ridgway <br>ISBN: 9780525953869 <br>Pages: 464 <br>Release Date: April 23, 2013 <br>Publisher: Dutton <br>Genre: Urban Fantasy <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Nicholas Falcott wakes up in a foreign hospital after being on the brink of death on a Spanish battlefield. He’s shocked to have survived, and even more shocked to learn that he’s no longer anywhere near where and when he thought he was. Nick has jumped forward in time 200 years, and is now in the care of an organization called The Guild. Resigned to the knowledge he can never return home, Nick builds a life for himself in the present day, until he learns that the organization that he trusted with his life has been lying to him when they ask for his help, offering to return him to his former life.</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>The River of No Return</em> is an exciting romp through time; from the very first page, it draws the reader in and doesn’t let go of their attention for a second. It’s difficult to write a book that is so completely captivating, yet Ridgway accomplishes it like an expert. She drops hints and creates puzzles for the reader, such that at every second they’re endeavoring to answer another question. It’s suspenseful, gripping, and just incredibly well done on the whole.</p> <p>Ridgway builds an entire mythology behind time travel in <em>The River of No Return</em>. Readers aren’t just expected to accept this feature as a characteristic of the world Nick lives in. Instead, the author not only explores the phenomenon, but creates an entire history behind it. By doing this, she creates an overarching storyline that will continue through future books. There’s more going on here than just Nick and his story, and Ridgway has developed the narrative incredibly well.</p> <p>But, no matter how great the storylines, both large and small, are in <em>The River of No Return</em>, it would mean nothing if the characters weren’t equally absorbing. Luckily, Ridgway doesn’t disappoint; Nick is, quite simply, a great main character. He’s passionate and smart, but also flawed. Readers will thoroughly enjoy getting to know him, and it’s interesting to watch him cram himself back into the confined expectations of his own time period after living in the freedom of the present. This book is multifaceted and layered; Ridgway makes sure that she doesn’t neglect any one aspect of the book in order to promote another.</p> <p>I hope my enthusiasm for <em>The River of No Return</em> has come through in this review. It was smart, fun, and enjoyable; Ridgway doesn’t take herself too seriously, injecting humor into the narrative despite the high stakes. This is a novel that is satisfying on its own, yet the unresolved larger plot threads will definitely leave you wanting more.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780525953869?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525953868/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0525953868&amp;adid=1WN5VWMM6D68WGR2EGEA&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780525953869?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40392060/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40392060/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40392060/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40392060/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40392060/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh6.googleusercontent.com%2f-dh3uY6TgPmQ%2fUXF4aGAALEI%2fAAAAAAAADN0%2fZX1EhPAje5o%2fs288%2friverofnoreturn.jpg"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40392060/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40392060/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40392060/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40392060/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-river-of-no-return-bee.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/8921975360273617829/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-river-of-no-return-bee.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-river-of-no-return-bee.html?showComment=1367396120798#c6613730953731252012">I keep seeing this advertised all over Goodreads. ...</a> <i>by Becca Lostinbooks <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02706544792110129160">http://www.blogger.com/profile/02706544792110129160</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-river-of-no-return-bee.html?showComment=1366760500250#c1143111919469638181">Wow, this book sounds right up my alley! Thanks fo...</a> <i>by anaherareads <a href="http://anaherareads.wordpress.com/">http://anaherareads.wordpress.com/</a></i><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-river-of-no-return-bee.html?showComment=1366737298566#c5664257174854975455">Oh! I love time travel books, and even more when t...</a> <i>by Zibilee <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-caretaker-ax-ahmad.html">Book Review: The Caretaker &#x2013; A.X. Ahmad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-boleyn-king-laura-andersen.html">Book Review: The Boleyn King &#x2013; Laura Andersen</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com3 http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-mayas-notebook-isabel.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484597997021667690.post-54645320724914323802013-04-22T06:00:00.000-04:002013-04-22T06:00:17.588-04:002013-04-22T06:00:17.588-04:00<p><img style="margin: 0px 7px 1px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tXYcA9JXSpY/UVCVXUwJ2ZI/AAAAAAAADE4/UUufyr9CvTQ/s288/mayasnotebook.JPG" />Title: Maya’s Notebook <br>Author: Isabel Allende <br>ISBN: 9780062105622 <br>Pages: 400 <br>Release Date: April 23, 2013 <br>Publisher: Harper <br>Genre: Literary Fiction, Cultural Fiction <br>Source: Publisher <br>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</p> <p><em>Summary:</em></p> <p>Maya Vidal is anything but your typical teenager. After her beloved grandfather died, she acted out to the extreme, living a life on the cheap thrills of crime and drugs. Now, Maya is in Chile, where her grandmother sent her after rescuing her from this life. But what happened to Maya back in the United States, and why, of all places, did Maya’s grandmother send her to this remote Chilean island?</p> <p><em>Review:</em></p> <p><em>Maya’s Notebook</em> is just that—written as a notebook or journal that Maya keeps during her days in Chile. This style works well for the novel; it’s intimate, yet allows the reader to understand Maya’s innermost thoughts. Despite the fact that it may seem like a slow, contemplative novel when it first begins, Allende knows how to ramp up the suspense. It becomes a taut narrative, juggling between Maya’s past and present, revealing key details and plot points at the perfect pace.</p> <p>Despite the fact that <em>Maya’s Notebook</em> is about a teenager, it is anything but a teen-oriented novel. Maya is wise beyond her years, and for good reason. The things she’s seen and experienced are absolutely horrific. As her past comes to light, and the reasons she’s in Chile become clearer, readers will feel her desperation and fear. It’s true that her struggles do stem from her own teenage rebellion, but Maya is a sympathetic character, and the situation quickly spirals out of her control. Though you know that Maya will end up okay, as she’s escaped to Chile, it’s still nail biting to read through.</p> <p>But there is mystery in Chile as well in <em>Maya’s Notebook</em>. It’s definitely a reflective story, but one that moves forward in the present as well as in the past. Who is the old man that Maya is staying with, and why won’t he talk about his past, under Chile’s dictator Pinochet? Allende delves deep into Chilean history here, and though it can be difficult to read about at times, she captures both Chile’s past and present wonderfully. The atmosphere, the setting, the descriptions—this is a book that will come alive while you’re reading it.</p> <p><em>Maya’s Notebook</em> definitely isn’t a book for everyone, but if you enjoy gritty novels with wonderfully written, yet flawed, main characters, and some history thrown in just for good measure, then this is a book you should definitely consider. Maya can be difficult, but at the same time, it’s hard to not feel real compassion for her. Allende keeps the story paced well, and past and present flow seamlessly together. All in all, it’s a book that can be difficult, but is also thoughtful and eye-opening.</p> <p>Affiliate Links:</p> <p>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.powells.com/partner/35318/biblio/9780062105622?p_isbn' title='' rel='powells'">Powell’s Books</a> <br>Buy this book from <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062105620/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skrisboo-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0062105620&amp;adid=1766JBJRNK6A5HKJ65NR&amp;">Amazon.com</a> <br>Buy this book from your <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/skrishnasbooks/~www.indiebound.org/book/9780062105622?aff=skrishna">local Indiebound bookstore</a></p> <Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0" hspace="0" src="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/40360816/0/skrishnasbooks"> <p><div style="clear:both;">All reviews and posts are &copy; S. Krishna's Books. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.</div></p> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:0.2em;"><a title="Add to FaceBook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/2/40360816/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fbshare20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Like on Facebook" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/28/40360816/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/fblike20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Share on Google+" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/30/40360816/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/googleplus20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Pin it!" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/29/40360816/skrishnasbooks,https%3a%2f%2flh3.googleusercontent.com%2f-tXYcA9JXSpY%2fUVCVXUwJ2ZI%2fAAAAAAAADE4%2fUUufyr9CvTQ%2fs288%2fmayasnotebook.JPG"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/pinterest20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Stumble This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/12/40360816/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/stumble20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Tweet This" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/24/40360816/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/twitter20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by email" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/19/40360816/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/email20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="Subscribe by RSS" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/_/20/40360816/skrishnasbooks"><img height="20" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/rss20.png" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;"></a>&#160;<a title="View Comments" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-mayas-notebook-isabel.html#comment-form"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/comments20.png"></a>&#160;<a title="Follow Comments via RSS" href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/feeds/5464532072491432380/comments/default"><img height="20" style="border:0;margin:0;padding:0;" src="http://assets.feedblitz.com/i/commentsrss20.png"></a>&nbsp; <div style="clear:left;"><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-mayas-notebook-isabel.html#comment-form"><h3>Comments</h3></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/04/book-review-mayas-notebook-isabel.html?showComment=1366654187236#c4101399359234773571">Oh, I love dark and gritty books, and I want to tr...</a> <i>by Zibilee <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334">http://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334</a></i></ul></div><h3 style="clear:left;padding-top:10px">Related Stories</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-on-sal-mal-lane-ru-freeman.html">Book Review: On Sal Mal Lane &#x2013; Ru Freeman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-and-mountains-echoed-khaled.html">Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed &#x2013; Khaled Hosseini</a></li><li><a href="http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/2013/05/book-review-quiet-susan-cain-tss.html">Book Review: Quiet &#x2013; Susan Cain [TSS]</a></li></ul>&#160;</div>Swapnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171455620986800695noreply@blogger.com1