#BookReview : Judgement Day (Seekers book 2 ) by Josie Jaffrey #BBNYA2021 #BlogTour

 

Two years back, I got a chance to read & review May Day ( Seekers#1)  and even though I liked the book, I had so many expectations from the sequel. Happy to report that the sequel totally delivered, and how! Judgement Day came to me on a week when I was really going through a phase of burnout from reading some average & pretty similar stories. And this was the exact reset I needed.

Jack Valentine finally has her shit together. She has a great job, great friends (well, one at least), and a girlfriend whom she loves, even if she can’t work up the courage to tell her that yet. Unfortunately, she also has an archnemesis who’s about to punish her crimes in the worst possible way: by making her spend time with him. Which she could cope with, maybe, if she didn’t have problems at work as well. When the body of a human judge is found in a locked library, there’s no denying that she was murdered by one of the Silver – by a vampire – and the evidence points worryingly close to home. If that wasn’t bad enough, some of Jack’s least favorite people are opening a new blood bar in Oxford with questionable motives. For Jack and her team, it’s becoming increasingly hard to separate allies from enemies. With conspiracies on every side, the simmering tensions in Silver society are about to come to a head. As usual, Jack intends to be right in the middle of it. She does like it when things get messy.

I had very few recollections from book#1 but, thankfully book#2 sets up the scene and old events well enough to follow the story. The book is in the first person from Jack's POV. Jack is the youngest, hot-headed & ever grumpy vampire detective working for Seekers. She would love to hate The Baron, Killian Drake but events keep throwing them together, mostly by Killian's manipulations and his interest in Jack. 

Picking from where the previous book ends, Judgement Day has a new mystery while a bigger conspiracy always looms on the horizon. The murder mystery and the new connections building in the city around the Blood Bar are intriguing and messy enough to keep the team occupied. But, what really kept me hooked in this sequel is the ever-evolving relationship between Jack & Killian. Theirs is set up as a fated, enemies-to-lovers relationship, so it was both fun & frustrating to see them do the dance. Jack especially, with her mistrust for everyone and fueled by some lies, makes a real good mess of the things before the truth comes out. 

Judgement Day is a really good police procedural fantasy fiction with a unique setup of the Vampire society, that seems to be on a brink of revolution wether they want it or not. The book sets the stage for the next book and the ending of the book leaves a lot to be wanting for Jack & Killian. I wish the next part of the story was already out. 

Rating : 4 star

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I received this book to read and review as part of the BBNYA 2021 tours organized by the TWR Tour team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest. BBNYA is a yearly competition where Book Bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or twitter @bbnya_official.

#BookReview: Undercover Princess (The Rosewood Chronicles #1) by Connie Glynn #TheWriteReads #UltimateBlogTour

Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she is not expecting to share a room with the Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life.

Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty – a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. She must do everything she can to help Ellie keep her secret, but with school, the looming Maradovian ball and the mysterious new boy Jamie, she’ll soon discover that reality doesn’t always have the happily ever after you’d expect…

There are some stories you just know you will love them. This one came with a similar feeling to me. Royalty, Secret identities, bodyguard drama, School life, and found friends/family; all in one single book. What more could I ask for. 

I liked Lottie from the very first page and could almost see why she was so eager to help Ellie and be part of the whole royal drama. Ellie , I admit took some time for me to understand and like her, but when it comes to Jamie, I loved him instantly.  He is the one I am most interested to see grow in the books because I know Lottie is going to be an interesting influence on him. Also, I pity him a tiny bit to be responsible for these two girls - who can never be far from trouble & mischief. The school has such a whimsical vibe and the setting is just ripe for both troubles and more wonders happening because these students have the potential to bring the best in each other. As the book opening paragraph says, sometimes such wondrous places are inside a person - and that person can also be you. That's the exact dreamlike adventure this book is - part inspiring, part heartwarming, and more parts entertaining.

When I first read about this book, I wasn't aware that this is part of a series. And after reading it, I immediately bought the next part(s) because I just want to see a peaceful happy ending for this trio. Luckily the series finished recently so you can pick it up without bothering about waiting for the next part.  

A huge thank you to TheWriteReads, the author, and Penguin for my spot on the tour, and my ecopy of the book! So glad I was introduced to this fun series. 

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Review: Midnight's Star: A contemporary friends to lovers romance by Shilpa Suraj

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I start my Saturday mornings by reading in bed, and this one made me wish I could be served breakfast in bed and not bother to do anything till I finish it. No wonder, that I finished "Midnight's star" within few hours and I loved it. Just the way I like my romcoms to be, and the reasons I love when Shilpa writes modern-day romances with not-so-perfect people. It is easy to like most of the characters in her book and not just the leads. Whether it is the good friends, support staff at work, or the family; you find a sense of reason, love, and humor in all the interactions. 

 This is a story of a passionate cafe owner and baker girl, Avni, who meets a successful blind author Bharat one of the sad days of her life. Making the best of the meeting and cheering each other, they start talking over desserts and it somehow becomes their thing - this friendship, sharing secrets, and finding comfort from each other's presence. The romance was so well written that it all felt believable. There were no grand gestures but more emphasis on intentions and the consequences of each action. Even the misunderstandings were not dragged but resolved by talking about it. There are some beautiful kisses and more hot scenes , some ending not so well though ;)

The book is a good mix of some drama, some humor, and a lot of love. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series soon.

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Review: The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book does not just have Playlist in its name but actually, each chapter has a song dedicated to it, let me share the playlist first [ thanks to the readers who collated it on YT & Spotify :)

  

I am not a pet person but if a huge dog adopts a human in the opening chapter, chances are I will love the book, and I LOVED this one. 

There's text flirting , tricking ( or begging) for a date , first meet butterflies and so many surprises in the first quarter of the book that I was hooked to this one immediately. Its sweet , hilarious , kind and all sort of warm feels in most of the chapters. 

Sloan is neither the impulsive type, not the one to shy away from a potential lover even with her baggage. She is strong enough to attempt to sort her past feelings before taking a chance with this musician man , owner of the before mentioned dog and someone who also happens to be her savior in her unhappy days. It was so amazing to see her coming out of her shell and picking her life once again. 

Jason is almost the perfect man for a rom-com, if only he had not messed up in the second half  of the book [ which I will come to in just a bit ]. He is kind, funny, patient , he writes & sings his own songs, owns the most adorable fun dog and has a really awesome family & family home. The way he adores Sloan and convinces her to take a chance on him was one of the best chapters of this book. 

But after all this, the way he treats his love life and without considering the hurt, decides on his own to cut off Sloan from his life , I am no fan , frankly, of this part. I absolutely dislike this behave by any fictional character who takes sole decisions and rather than to be logical and true to their heart, decide to live in pain before someone or fate brings them together again. 

Thank goodness for amazing friends, support system and kind strangers who help these fools to patch up. And Sloan has really great friends in Kristen & Josh [ I just read that they are the leads from author's first book - the Friend Zone , also the first book in this universe ]

Overall this was a really enjoyable quick weekend read. I heard the first few chapters in audiobook and later switched to kindle version and I enjoyed it both ways. Do give this book a chance and also to the playlist [ which is just too beautiful ] 

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Fake Slackers: By Mu Gua Huang

My love affair with the Chinese web novels started when I watched a drama and found that it was based on a webnovel. And so, I fell into this rabbit hole called Danmei literature, especially the Chinese M/M romance webnovels. While it is easier to love these stories, most of the novels lack a good translation, and so never finding their intended international audience. While searching for interesting webnovels, I came across the site Chaleuria which hosts some amazing books. One of the most entertaining webnovel I have read(twice) last year was Fake slackers

Author: Mu Gua Huang

Original Publisher: JJWXC.

Translator: Jury

Illustrator: Lina Ngo 

My Rating: 4/5

 After class placements were decided, the school’s two infamous ‘problem youth’ not only shared the same class but the same desk. They’re clearly good at studies but pretend to be slackers. Faking their own lack of knowledge, from head to toe, they just keep meandering further down the path towards academic oblivion. Have you heard the grapevine about the two older students who always fight over the last place in class? This story is a serious comedy about the little matters of growing up and learning about yourself.

The story is of two boys -Xie Ye & He Zhao who were infamous as Tyrants of East & West wing of the respectively in their first year. In the second year, it so happens that both the lowest performers of the school are placed in the same class and end up sharing the last bench in the class. From their first meeting ( which happens outside the school) to the last scene of the book which follows these two to college, the book is a laugh riot. One is aloof & appears hot-tempered though silently follows his overconfident & shameless deskmate in his misadventures. 

From the earlier part of the story itself, it is clear that both of them are actually having a very high IQ and are capable of being topper not just in the school but perhaps the whole city. Still, for reasons of their own, unknown to even each other they compete to be at the lowest rank. They do not cheat, do not disturb others as long as their sleep & games are not bothered, and apart from their low scores, are almost model students. They both are the undisputed kings in an online game that has battles fought on skills in Chinese, English , Maths etc. The gaming part and the users on the game make for a really funny sub-plot. 

Gradually other students in the class, instead of being scared of their old reputation, start liking and protecting them not just from their scores but also to keep their relationship secret from the school, fearing it will not be good for their reputation. I did not know whether to laugh or cry at their homeroom teacher's efforts to make them learn something and improve their scores. And then once more they totally made their teachers cry when they decide to quit acting and show their true colors. Between these two milestones, is a journey of discovery, care, love, and weird blunders.

It is a sweet and really hilarious situation that these boys and the class find themselves in over the period of two years leading to admission in college. But along this romance, there is a deeper plot of friendship, family, loyalty, and guilt from some choices that others make for us. 

I loved every single character from this class and almost felt sad when the book ended the first time. I re-read the book last month because I really needed that dose of laughter that this story guarantees. Pick it up for good fun and you will not be disappointed. The book has a lot of kisses and fluff scenes and a few graphic sex scenes too, so if that is not your preferred genre, do skip [ those scenes, not the book I hope ;) ] 

Though I read the story partially on the site, You can now buy the ebook from the site or on the kindle store. Chaleuria is a fully licensed novel site for your Boys Love/danmei/yaoi fix. I recommend the site as I found the translations really good to read.

Review: Six Feet Under by Colin Garrow

Six Feet Under by Colin Garrow
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars 

Asked to investigate the death of a building contractor, taxi-driver and amateur sleuth Terry Bell thinks the dead man’s widow may be wasting her money. But when the trail leads to an old airfield and a brace of brutal thugs, he begins to wonder what they’re trying to hide. Tracking down one of the builder’s former workmates, Terry finds him unwilling to answer questions. When the man is beaten up, the canny cabbie gets a visit from his favourite detective inspector. But DI Charis Brown and her latest sidekick seem determined not to get involved. Until the man is attacked again…  

This is my second book by Colin and it is from the same Terry Bell Mysteries series, book#3 of which I read and reviewed on this blog earlier.

One of the things that I noticed about Colin's books is the treatment of female characters. Colin has some recurring ones and a new one introduced in this book and every single one of them is well written and given good brains and confidence to handle it too. Most prominent is his girlfriend Carol, who is not a sidekick but an equal partner and often compliments Terry in his investigations as well as in his home. Then there is DI Charis who seems to be really frustrated with Terry, but you cant blame her because she is tied by her post and perhaps also some worry for Terry & Carol. 

So, the fact that Terry is not like most leads who single-handedly deal with every danger, but is a sensible curious, and just man who knows when to ask for help and appreciate the people who take time to offer him the same. Six Feet Under was a little slow in building the mystery part, but it had quite good enough twists in the story. It anyway makes up with the colorful characters, the chases, the element of fun mixed into the dangers that Terry & Carol keep finding themselves in and the dangers were quite ramped up in this book for them. I was amused to see Charis showing a little more affection for Terry and her partner Tilly was a good mix into this [ who knows these four might actually become friends in the next one ;) ] 

The language might feel different because of some vocabulary but it is easy to follow and adds to the geographic feel of the setting for the story. In all, this short mystery read was perfect for a single afternoon sitting and would not leave one unsatisfied. 

About Colin Garrow: True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin has published three stage plays, six adventures for middle grade readers, two books of short stories, the Watson Letters series and the Terry Bell Mysteries. These days he lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories. poems and the occasional song.

Book Links: Amazon US | Goodreads

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#BookReview : Kulti by Mariana Zapata

Genre : Sports Romance / Contemporary Romance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Unless it is a fantasy book, I have rarely picked books over 350 pages. Not YA / romance books atleast. I am more used to having my love story play out in the middle of the book and then work with other sub plots till the end. So, when I saw the length of Kulti on Storytel being 16hours long audio, my calculation put it somewhere around 550+ pages. And then I read the reviews highlighting how it was a slow burn romance. [ A slow burn story has a significant amount of development both for the individuals and for the pair throughout the novel, with romantic tension that builds up till the very end ] and let me tell you, it was worth spending all those hours with this story.   

#Kulti it's been a long long time I read a 500+ page long romance novel and even after 70% done with the book we are just reaching the romance part. This was way too slow burn but so enjoyable. 

— Pratibha (Prats) 📚📝 (@i_read_write) 

  

Kulti is the story of Sal Casillas, a professional soccer player who had a big crush on the now-retired German player Reiner Kulti. Kulti, being the driving force for her to pick up this sport and work hard to reach the top position in her club and in this sport. The story begins when Kulti is announced as the new assistant coach for the Sal's team. Finding her crush and idol in such proximity is a dream come true for any person, and even if they start on wrong foot and almost declare war on each other, there is admiration for each other's skills. This admiration turns into friendship and leads to deeper feelings for both Sal & Kulti. 

As mentioned earlier, it is a slow buildup to the romance, so all the events that help them know themselves and each other better are written so beautiful to create a natural progression of feelings. I loved it when Sal stood up for herself and her family without concern for consequences. And even if she did not like Kulti's actions, she helped him out of tough spots every time without expecting anything [ maybe just a thank you, which took its own sweet time to happen ]

"Every single thing that has ever happened in my life has led me here, Sal. Destiny is a ladder, a series of steps that takes you where you're supposed to go. I am the man that I am, and I have done the things that I've done, to get me to you."

The story gave enough focus on the sports, the team, the league, and all the ways the players sacrifice for reaching the heights that others take for granted. Even if I do not know much about soccer, I could connect easily to the story and I enjoyed the various things Sal & Kulti did outside the field - playing other sports, teaching kids, training, Sal's job etc.  I even enjoyed the scenes where they just sat on a couch nursing their injuries and watching tv. It was this kind of wholesome feeling that their friendship and this story has. A special mention to Sal's dad who is my next favorite character after the leads. He was amazing as a parent and totally adorable as Kulti's fan. I could totally relate to his reactions and actions around Kulti. 

I loved reading Kulti so much that I have already picked another of Mariana Zapata books for next month. 


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Review: Love, Truth, and Taking Chances by Shilpa Suraj

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read Love, Marriage & other disasters by Shilpa (LMD) in the month of May and the moment I finished the book, I wanted to have a book for the character Arjun from that book. And luckily Shilpa decided to write a trilogy on the Kapoor Brothers - Vivaan (LMD), Arjun (LTTC) & Arav (currently being written)

A heads up that it will be definitely more interesting if you read the books in order because the characters re-appear and without their background, it won't be as much fun.

In LMD, Arjun is the one who convinces Alisha to chose love over anything else society has a say in and accept Vivaan's proposal. Love, Truth & Taking chances (LTTC) is the story of Arjun and how he finds love again in his life. Arjun lost his wife to cancer three years ago and while he has met some prospective matches at his mother's insistence, he is truly not ready to move on. In such a walled world, walks in Vihaana - the bundle of friendly smiles, dreams, and a personality so opposite Arjun's. Under this strong exterior, she hides her troubles that she has run away from and I really admired her so much for having the courage to pursue her dreams in spite of facing uncertainties. 

I had a lovely time reading LTTC and meeting all these adorable characters ( some old, some new). Their group conversations were such fun and one could really feel the love and respect each one had for the others. Shilpa has such a brilliant way to make the stories have a heart and still feel so light, hopeful, and very happy in the end. Arjun & Vihaana together face the realities of a future that might not be an easy road but that love makes it worth it. Bonus points for meeting Arav's love interest in this book and I can not wait to read the next book already.

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#BookReview: The Backyard Tales by Aniesha Brahma

The Backyard Tales is the story of the bond shared between 17-year-old Mia Basu Roy and her beloved cat, Pippo. She seems to understand him far too well for a human. And he seems to have another life that Mia begins to suspect. She follows her cat to their backyard and down a very dangerous road which leads her to witches, talking animals, and a story that’s much bigger than what she initially suspected. 

Read this story to discover all of Mia and Pippo’s secrets, be enchanted by magic, and get the answer to a question that has haunted us for ages: does a cat truly love their owner? 

My Rating: 3.75/5

Review: Once in a while it feels good to be lost in a story of animals that can talk and of passionate teenagers who have the courage and sense to make a difference to the world. When Aniesha told me about this book, I knew it would be special for her because she loves her cats and that love clearly shone in the pages of this book. I am not a pet-lover kind of person but I like cat videos and it was adorable to finally read a book that revolved around cats majorly. 

This is a sweet fantasy fiction story that starts in a faraway fantastical kingdom, a failed rebellion, and friends & family separated. We then come to the present times and meet Mia, her new pet cat Pippo, her friends in school and strays & people from the neighborhood. There seems to be some trouble brewing in her area for the animals and to fix it, the assigned witch has come to Earth and devised a plan to send all the stray animals to her kingdom ( with or without consent, isn't too clear ). Then there is Shekhar, Mia's old friend on whom she seems to have a tiny crush too perhaps, who is always willing to help Mia in spite of her odd and often rude behave. 

The parts of the story with the animals, the meetings & planning, and Mia helping all of them escape hard times is written well. I loved reading those sections - Mia's love for Pippo and her determination to fight for the ones who could not fight for themselves so well made for a good read. What I did not like was her behave with other people. She sounded very immature and stubborn at a lot of places which was kind of inconsistent with her character at times. I liked the plot and how all loose ends were tied in the story but character-wise, I do hope to see Mia do better in the next part of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed spending the weekend with this book. 

Book Purchase Link: Amazon India | Amazon USA

Author Bio

Young Adult and Children’s novelist, Aniesha Brahma, studied Comparative Literature. She started her career has as a social media manager in a publishing house. Currently works as a senior content writer in a digital media agency. When she is not working, she is dreaming up stories, conducting sessions for her popular YouTube Series, Chai & Chill, or planning how to get even more books and bookish content to readers via BUZZ Magazine. You can read more of her work at Aniesha’s Musings and drop a line at aniesha.brahma@gmail.com

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#BookReview: May Day by Josie Jaffrey

May Day by Josie Jaffrey
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars 

 
If the murderer you’re tracking is a vampire, then you want a vampire detective. Just maybe not this one. It’s not that Jack Valentine is bad at her job. The youngest member of Oxford’s Seekers has an impressive track record, but she also has an impressive grudge against the local baron, Killian Drake.

When a human turns up dead on May Morning, she’s determined to pin the murder on Drake. Instead, it leads Jack into a web of conspiracy involving the most powerful people in the country, people to whom Jack has no access. But she knows someone who does.

To get to the truth, Jack will have to partner up with her worst enemy. 

First thing first, I wanted to LOVE this book but it fell a little short for that. So I do like it, and I want more from the sequel already. 

Jack Valentine is more impulsive & hot-headed than her partners would like her to be, but a part of that makes her such a badass at her job.  But the one thing that will destroy her sooner is her unreasonable rage towards the local baron, Killian Drake.

Killian Drake, by his position & age is powerful, scheming and  loves to play games with Jack. He knows how she thinks , how she feels and he likes that about their relationship until it changes into a reluctant partnership and things start going out of control for both.

I loved these characters, but i could not feel the connect because I wanted more of their background and to some extent i did not find the justification for Jack's anger unless I have to assume she was totally acting like a brat [ which she might be considering she was 18 when she turned from human to vampire ]

The story starts with a human murder which clearly seems to be act of a vampire , so the seekers are involved. The case gets mixed with a bigger conspiracy unfolding in Oxford. It takes Jack to places that only Drake can get her into and because of this, they both see a change in their understand and want for each other. I could so relate to Jack's confusion about this desire, even if I did not agree to her decision to walk away from it in the end. 

Though the murder gets solved in the end, the other case does not gets it due closure as per Jack and that is what we will continue to read in the second book. All in all, its a really entertaining read and some fresh take on vampire culture. 

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Review: The Mother-Daughter Book Club by HEather Vogel Frederick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Even if Megan would rather be at the mall, Cassidy is late for hockey practice, Emma's already read every book in existence, and Jess is missing her mother too much to care, the new book club is scheduled to meet every month. But what begins as a mom-imposed ritual of reading Little Women soon helps four unlikely friends navigate the drama of middle school.

I bought this book from a sale because 

1. Book club 

2. The club was to read Little Women

and finally, after eight months the book Gods smiled on me and made me read it this weekend. And what a delight it was to spend the afternoon reading this book without a break. It's more of a Middle-Grade level book which is apt for all ages over 10 years. 

I enjoyed the story of four girls who are not really friends with each other but are forced to be a part of the book club because of their mothers. Every one of them has a unique personality and dreams and ways to deal with the drama that happens in the life of every school-going kid. From having different financial status, parental issues, liking boys, and fighting for their dreams, the four girls will learn from each other and from the story of MArch sisters in a way that resonates with their mothers too. all other characters in the book are described in good details and there is something for everyone in this story. Together these ladies and our lovely March sisters gave me so many smiles and warm feelings. This book also had so many fun facts about life of Louisa M Alcott that I was not aware of. What an inspiration, truly. I totally adored this sweet fun read. 

I noticed that there are more books in this series, each dealing with a different book as the yearly read for the book club. I have added the books in this series and all the books that the club will be discussing to my TBR already. 

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#BookReview: The Summoned Ones ( Book#1 Flight to Bericea) by Darryl A. Woods

My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars 

 
Book Blurb: The Bericean army was in Malabrim for the ninth straight fighting season. Over the past 9 years, Zybaro, the leader of a small band of unknowns, had evolved from his days as a minor usurper of a tiny kingdom. Now, almost the entire country of Malabrim was under Zybaro’s control. Still, Bericea continued its raids into Malabrim, hoping to stem Zybaro’s methodical progress and thwart his tyrannical means of control. 

This latest conflict with Zybaro had pushed General Darnon to a decision, one he had resisted making for over a year. Though he still held grave reservations about the Prophecies, he was willing to support the clerics who would attempt the summoning. The details of the ritual had recently been discovered in an ancient tome. The clerics were confident they could bring forth the Summoned Ones of Prophecy, those mysterious beings who would aid Bericea in its time of greatest need. Join the soldiers of Bericea and the Summoned Ones through a life-or-death struggle. 

The Summoned Ones was made up of a small college aged group of friends from a small Kentucky town near the Daniel Boone National Forrest, who find themselves somehow brought to a chaotic world through magic. Their epic journey will push the Summoned beyond the limits of their endurance. This unlikely group will discover many truths about themselves and experience another world beyond their imagination.

Review: The story starts on the battle ground introducing the reader to General Darnon and his most trusted soldier Kali fighting the enemy as they await for reinforcements. It was a good action scene to set the pace of the story and I already felt good about this book. 

Next, the author introduced "the summoned ones" - group of old friends who have spent every summer together since the age of 12 and together are closer to each other than anyone else. Within shared stories of their past and present banter, the author manages to set the character for each one of them different from each other. I was impressed by the fact that, that by the time this group is summoned to the world of magic and chaos, I could easily separate the names & behavior of each of them. Once summoned , the friends are divided into three groups - by a combination of chance and choice equally and they begin the journey from the heart of the enemy area to the safe lands of the neighbor country. Protecting and leading the way for the summoned ones are the best of scouts , soldiers, general and the magic wielding clerics who are usually not liked much in this world because of some old conflicts. 

Part 1 of the story is mostly the journey , growth and adaptation of the friends into the new world , with new people. Although their capabilities seem to have come to them overnight , it had already been established that some of their talent was evident in their world too. Like the best warrior , though a basketball player, he is as skilled in martial arts. Or the healer is studying to be a nurse and is good with horses because of her family being involved in the same business. 

The terrain and the people in the story are all uniquely described so they paint amazing visuals at times in the mind of the reader. I found the magic system quite unique as to be associated with music - singing or playing some instrument and channeling your thought into action. It was interesting and a little sad too, because fear of magic kept people away from singing or enjoying music freely. But the best part of the book for me were some of the battle scenes and the sparing scene between Kali & one of the summoned one was FANTASTIC. I love the author's attention to such details and creativity to rope in multiple skills & jobs , people , stories and geographical challenges in this quest. The book manages to grab attention with all the action taking place around.

Though one does understand the bigger picture of the conflict and the differences in the army size & need for the summoned ones in the war, I also wanted a little more about this world , the two nations and the people fighting for Bericea. I hope more of this is covered in the next part of the story and we have more growth and heroic moments for all our favorite warriors along with more details  on the political conflicts. 

I am looking forward to the next part of this story eagerly.

About Darryl A. Woods: Darryl Woods is a storyteller who hones his craft entertaining coworkers. He also enjoys regaling family and friends with stories of his upbringing in rural Ohio, of the motorized contraptions his father fabricated, and of the timber cutting and sawmill work he did with his father-in-law. With an appetite for reading fantasy, it was inevitable he would choose to write about an epic journey in a world dominated by magic and sword fighting.

Purchase Links: 

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/31HTPbr 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Z1mLsY 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-summoned-ones-darryl-woods/1133667482  

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#BookReview: Utrecht Rain by Jonathan Wilkins

My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars

Maaike Meijer is attacked in a senseless outbreak of violence at the Dom Tower in Utrecht. Her brother, Freddie, fights off the assailants, but how is the brutality linked to a series of violent threats, cyber crime and the Dutch Secret Service? 
Truus Heda continues her work as a private investigator whilst caring for her lover before finding the missing link. As the nightmare unfolds we enter the world of Serbian gangsters and Utrecht Goths and see how Hoofdinspecteur Caes Heda and his overworked team tackle a crime that could consume the city



Utrecht is a city in Netherlands ( Holland ) and so the story is set in the Dutch society. I think it is better to know the setting beforehand so one can get used to the differences in the writing & way the city works from the other countries. It also gives an atmospheric sense to the story which has a lot of  mystery elements.This book has a few terms and words from the Dutch language used frequently in the story . This can be understood from the synopsis also but it more clearly established in the first few chapters and  after a while one gets comfortable with the same.

The story starts with attack on Maaike & her twin brother Freddie. Caes Heda is the head inspector for them and also is father of Maaike's girlfriend Truus. The police has not recovered from the attack when the city is hit with two bank robberies involving sophisticated technological knowledge and then a brutal murder that leaves no clue for the victim behind. Only thing linking, maybe two of the crimes is that they are done by masked men , dressed in all blacks and no one ever see them leaving the crime scenes. There is a rich heir , corrupt businessmen , personal investigators and also secret agency involved in the mix and it is never clear who is pulling what strings in this. This is a good police investigation story in all possible ways with all threads closed neatly in the end.

But what makes this book more of an interesting read is the details of the personal lives of the characters. Maaike & Truus have a beautiful relationship and it felt so natural to see them take care of each other physically and emotionally when Maaike is recovering from her nightmare. Then we have Caes still coming to terms with the loss of his wife ten years ago by therapy and with help from his daughter & friends. There is a strong emphasis on engaging in activities that keeps one busy and also healthy to deal with all personal demons and it was such an inspiring aspect of the story. Caes's team in the police station are all different from each other and the author sets those details carefully. there is a human side to most of the people which make them relatable to the reader. Apart from their professional lives , the personal interests and conversations between some of the characters were so good to read. It had an overall positive vibe towards life even in the face of all the crime & voilence.

In a lot of ways , the book felt more like a slice of life mixed with mystery than a usual formula based book. I enjoyed all the characters and would like to keep reading more books in the series.

My only complain is from editing where the pronouns were suddenly mixed and it was a little abrupt. Plus some of the place names were a little hard to track in the beginning but once the story picked up, I did not find them concerning any more. It is though something some of the readers might find as a deterrent.


Purchase Links: Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2VnE1Xk
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3g0pKYz

About Jonathan Wilkins: Jonathan loves to write. He is a retired teacher, lapsed Waterstones’ bookseller and former Basketball Coach. He taught PE and English for 20 years and coached women’s basketball for over 30 years.
He regularly teaches creative writing workshops in and around Leicester.

Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterJWilkins
Website: www.jonathanwilkins.co.uk

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Review: Secrets of Milan, Book Two of the NightFlyer Trilogy by Edale Lane

 My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While Florentina as the Night Flyer searches for a mysterious underworld organization that has attempted to murder the woman she loves, Maddie struggles to deal with the danger Florentina is courting. Her brother, Alessandro, has become the most prominent merchant of Milan, but the Night Flyer uncovers a secret so shocking it could destroy them all.

Secrets of Milan is the second book in Edale Lane’s Night Flyer Trilogy, a tale of power, passion, and payback in Renaissance Italy.

Picking from the previous book - Merchants of Milan [ book review post linked ] , the story starts with Maddie worrying about her relationship with the Night Flyer / Florentina. It was good to see her doubts about her new love considering she is a widow and worried because of her own sense of guilt. she starts distancing herself from Florentina till Alessandro makes her see the truth in a different light. The romance and the relationship between the two ladies from that point is beautifully handled and has all the traits of a mature equal partnership between the two ladies. 

The author does not lose focus of the main plot of the book which is to find who wants to kill Maddie and for what purpose, and the action scenes between the hired assassin and the Night Flyer are exciting to read. There is much improvement in the pace , the scene setting and the way the plot moves forward in this book. But what I loved reading more was the character development shown in other cast of the story -  the young boy who went to war front , the fallen merchant and his family , the city sergeant etc. Everyone adds a different dimension to the story and makes this such an engaging read. Maddie's kids interactions with Florentine are such a joy to read and even learn a bit from their lovely teacher about science, history and some art. 

We learn more about the Milan during this era and how war takes the attention away from things & ideas that might help humanity more. How it changes people and landscapes is easily visible through this story. 

There is a secret society , a cryptic diary , more history & scenes from the beautiful European cities, Leonardo Da vinci's inventions , action , romance and above all, the desire to make a difference to the world in whatever way one choses. 

I loved the second part more than the first and eagerly await the last installment.  

Kindle Version:  https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Milan-Night-Flyer-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B088HFM7Q5/

Amazon Print Version:  https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Milan-Night-Flyer-Trilogy/dp/B088N8ZQPD/

About the author:  Edale Lane is the author of an award-winning 2019 debut novel, Heart of Sherwood. She is the alter-ego of author Melodie Romeo, (Vlad a Novel, Terror in Time, and others) who founded Past and Prologue Press. Both identities are qualified to write historical fiction by virtue of an MA in History and 24 years spent as a teacher, along with skill and dedication in regard to research. She is a successful author who also currently drives a tractor-trailer across the United States. A native of Vicksburg, MS, Edale (or Melodie as the case may be) is also a musician who loves animals, gardening, and nature.

Official Site:  https://pastandprologuepress.lpages.co/

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#BookReview: The Jansson Tapes by Colin Garrow

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Amateur


When a familiar leggy blonde slides onto the back seat of his cab with the offer of work, taxi-driver, and amateur sleuth Terry Bell isn’t keen. However, compared to the tedium of driving a cab all day, the lure of another mystery is too strong to resist, and Terry agrees to help. Tracking down a missing writer and his tape recorder sounds simple enough, but following the clues to a remote village, the case takes a dangerous turn when the man turns up dead. After the police take over, Terry and his sidekick Carol return home to find their flat ransacked—and that’s not the only surprise.

Set in England,The Jansson Tapes is book #3 in the Terry Bell Mystery series but can be easily read as a stand-alone book, like I did.

The Jansson tape is a quick good-feel read for a weekend afternoon. It does not waste time setting up the plot and introducing the reader to the characters. The central character is Terry - the smart & witty amateur sleuth who also drives the taxi when he does not have a paying job to investigate. His girlfriend & sidekick Carol is not only intelligent but also very supportive of his work, even though she has to face near-death experiences in the past. Then there is the caravan owner Sheila and her employee Ralph who is friends with both Terry & Carol. These characters are common from the previous books so if you can start from the first, you will have more background of the cast.

The case starts quite simple - a writer has gone missing along with his tapes & notes for the book he is writing. Terry & Carol manage to gather some clues and it leads them to the dead body of the writer. They report the dead body to Inspector Charis Brown who is not impressed at all to see Terry involved in another murder case of hers. The story moves quite fast in each chapter but the writing never loses its humor and clarity. The action is easy to follow and keep one hooked to the story. The characters are all lovable, regular folks who never lose their head in any situation. I love one of the pizza dinner scenes a lot in this book between Terry & Carol. That made me spare a quick laugh. 

Where the book lacks a little is giving more details about the characters and the plot. I would have liked to know more about the dead writer and his book and the conclusion for publishing his work in the end. The book is good for beginners to enjoy a quick mystery but others might need a little more layers.

Book Links: Amazon US | Goodreads


About the Author: Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin has published three stage plays, six adventures for middle grade readers, two books of short stories, the Watson Letters series and the Terry Bell Mysteries.


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#BookReview: A Barren Heart by Shilpa Suraj

A Barren Heart by Shilpa Suraj
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aman and Rhea seem to have the perfect marriage. They are madly in love - with each other, with their own careers and the home and life they are building in a quiet Mumbai suburb.

What could possibly be lacking in their picture-perfect marriage? A baby. Like most women, thirty-plus Rhea Chakraborty wants to hold her own flesh and blood in her arms. And Aman too wants the same. Or does he? 

After another unexplained miscarriage that takes a severe emotional, physical, and psychological toll on them, Aman isn't sure if having a baby will complete them or destroy them.


Last month I read Shilpa Suraj's book - Love, Marriage & other disasters. What I loved in the book was how she had written a very heartfelt , simple yet much relevant story of characters that readers would relate to easily. So, when I was offered a chance to review her new work, I was very excited to see how she presented this story. Glad to mention that she did not disappoint with Barren Heart.

Barren Heart revolves around various stages/struggles women face while trying to get pregnant. What feels like a natural process, is too hard for some of the women and each one has her own "family planning" story. Some of the plot lines & conversations in the book felt very real and I could recall some friends sharing similar stories with me or their girlfriends. The pain, the confusion, the reactions of friends, and family were portrayed well and I felt a lot of empathy for Rhea. Both Rhea & Aman are successful, independent and loving persons who are pillars to each other. While Rhea has her own family drama, Aman's childhood wasn't good. Which binds them together but also makes them lonely without each other.

Sometimes, I felt that she & Aman took some of the arguments too seriously. Some of the fights and the eventual making up scenes felt repetitive and not too impactful to the rest of the story. Rhea's issues with her family were mostly unresolved which did not make much difference but I was left wondering still. Nevertheless, Reading this book felt like listening to my own heart's voices at times .. This is a beautiful story of a marriage that survives being hurt, the fights & differences between the couple. It is a happy ever after ending but with a very realistic picture that all marriages go through highs & lows and some low are literally rock bottom for one or both parties. How you build yourself from those moments is what matters in the long run.

This is a well narrated story that has roots in modern lifestyle , characters who you get attached to and a satisfying end.

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#BookReview : Every Reason We Shouldn't (Every Reason We Shouldn't #1) by Sara Fujimura

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Sports, Fiction, Teen, Cultural
Rating : 3.5 / 5

Warning: Contains family expectations, delightful banter, great romantic tension, skating (all kinds!), Korean pastries,and all the feels.

Fifteen year old, biracial figure skater Olivia Kennedy’s Olympic dreams have ended. She's bitter, but enjoying life as a regular teenager instead of an athlete... until Jonah Choi starts training at her family's struggling rink. Jonah's driven, talented, going for the Olympics in speed skating, completely annoying... and totally gorgeous. Between teasing Jonah, helping her best friend try out for roller derby,figuring out life as a normal teen and keeping the family business running, Olivia's got her hands full. But will rivalry bring her closer to Jonah, or drive them apart?

I recently watched a show with Ice sports as backdrop so I was very interested to read this book. When I started reading Every reason We shouldn't , It took me about one third of the book to get hooked to the story. It was not because the story wasn't interesting. I did love all the practice sessions and the match scenes. They are written beautifully and very engaging for any reader to follow through the routine even if you have no idea of the terms of the sports. I liked to read the story of teenagers who are practicing their asses off to reach their goals and it is not a rosy picture at all. I appreciated that the author kept so many sequences and plot close to real for these kids - the expectations , the difference in normal life, the pain and the disappointments are as important to know as the joys of winning.

My favorite character in the book is Mack, who makes a mistake in her teenage years but has never given up on herself. She works hard , plays harder and is a amazing friend to Olivia in every way. She has her own problems to solve with the father of her little girl but she never once blames anyone for her situation and is the smartest , kindest and most inspiring person in the whole story.

Jonah's friendship with Olivia and the romance that follows is sweet and very fun read. It has all the sparks , the charms and butterflies in stomach kind of cuteness when they are together. It was good to see that side of both of them and that kept me going on with the story.

But when we you start digging into the smaller details , the book also disappointed me. My biggest issue was with Olivia being very inconsistent in her behave and she was mostly very bitter and stubborn for her own good. I could understand her frustrations most of the time but the way she looked down upon other people around her was not fair either. I felt her bitterness was more from being jealous than being upset about where she was at that given point and it was not anyone's fault.
She herself realizes that her last performance with her best friend Stuart was not at all up to the mark and it deserved the criticism it got. She has all the chances to improve but it keeps getting sidelined by her family & personal drama. Together Jonah & Olivia are not good to other kids in her school while their friends are quite nice and appreciative of their achievements. Stuart was supposed to be the best friend / brother to Olivia but he was not at all considerate or respectful to Olivia most times.

The book definitely could have been better but it was still a decent read for weekend if you want to read of sports related YA.

GR | Amazon | Kobo | Google books

SARA FUJIMURA is an award-winning young adult author and creative writing teacher. She is the American half of her Japanese- American family, and has written about Japanese culture and raising bicultural children for such magazines as Appleseeds, Learning Through History, East West, and Mothering, as well as travel-related articles for To Japan With Love.

Review: Kingdom Above the Cloud by Maggie Platt

What if the nine Fruit of the Spirit and the Seven Deadly Sins were locked in a battle for control? 

Abandoned as infants, Tovi and her twin brother were raised by an eclectic tribe of warm, kind people in a treehouse village in the valley. After her brother’s sudden disappearance Tovi questions her life and her faith in an invisible King. Ignoring her best friend Silas’ advice, she decides to search for her brother in the kingdom on top of the mountain. 

Above the cloud, the Council of Masters receive their orders. Tovi and her brother are the objectives. King Damien has a plan and Tovi is the key. The Council of Masters want her, but will she remain unscathed? Amidst the glamour of the kingdom above the cloud Tovi is torn between her own dark desires and unanswered questions.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Allegory 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review: Kingdom above the cloud is categorized as a Christian fiction story but I did not feel it to have any influence on my reading experience. Perhaps the story has some references to old tales from the Bible but as a non-christian reader, I read this book as a fantasy fiction and I enjoyed it. 

The story starts with King Damien, ruling the kingdom from above the clouds (Mount Damien), trying to avoid a prophecy of his downfall be seeking a person from the world below the cloud (Adia) . His intention is to find his mentor turned enemy Adwin who is worshipped as a God in Adia and in the lower ring of Mount Damien too. There are old legends, stories, and rumors about Adwin but no one seems to know the true person or reasons for his disappearance from Mount Damien. There are places where you can draw the parallels between Adwin & God(s) you believe in, irrespective of your religion. This flexibility to interpret the story and to be able to like it was one of the unique things about this book.

The story pushes forward as we follow a lost young woman Tovi who has felt a lot of unhappiness in life and with no one to lean on, she has a lot of resentment towards Adwin. It does not help that in her stubbornness and naivety, she does not recognize the love and care she had received in Adia after being abandoned by her parents along with her twin brother. When she falls for the trap set by King Damien's council of masters and leaves Adia for seeking answers from Mount Damien, she will have to learn on her own whether to fall for the stories & lessons imparted to her by Damien or to seek strength from the stories taught to her by her adoptive parents and best friend. 

As pieces start falling in place for the prophecy to come true and King Damien trying to change it , we see changes in people's loyalty and how it is reflected in their appearance and thoughts. 

The world-building , the writing, the characters, and the various mysteries are all done beautifully in the book. I was able to finish the book in less than a day as the story was too intriguing from the beginning. I could relate to the thoughts on faith, pain & suffering and in unconditional love as it aligns with my personal beliefs but it is not too hard to ignore that and read it as a normal fiction. I am eagerly looking forward to meeting Tovi & Adwin again in next book.  

Book Links: GR | Amazon | Google Books | 


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#BookReview: Ground Rules by Richard Whittle

Ground Rules by Richard Whittle
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Called out one night in the hope that she can identify the body of a man found in a field, Edinburgh forensic geologist Jessica Spargo (Jez) inadvertently becomes involved in the investigation of a university lecturer's murder. The investigating officer, Tom Curtis, hands her a small glass vial and asks her to analyze its contents. The results confound everyone.
An object discovered beneath a construction site shocks everyone, including the police. Employed by the firm's owner to attempt to solve the mystery, Jez falls foul of an uncooperative site manager. Unruffled, she perseveres. To Jez's dismay, there are more deaths. As she says to Curtis, 'I don't do bodies. I'm a geologist, I look at rocks. If I'd wanted to look at bits of the body I would have become a surgeon or a pathologist.' Yet she keeps digging ...

Review: One of the reasons I wanted to read this book was that the subject matter was quite intriguing and very unique. The book shows author's knowledge of the same quite clearly. I had some trouble getting into the story in the beginning when we have a lot of geological information is discussed by the characters. It can make one think that the story might be too detail-oriented to follow easily. Please do not let go of the story so soon because things do get smoother and the characters take over the plot to make it more engaging. There are different kinds of investigation going on within the story - police procedure, geological explorations, adventures based on old maps and such. 

I also struggled a little with very little background on Jez & Curtis. In fact, theirs was quite a hot & cold sort of relationship which I found a little inconsistent. From this book I wished I would have liked a little more light on the first case where they met because of Jez's father [ which I realized is a prior book by the author and I am equally intrigued to read it now ]

But once I had crossed the part where both the cases are revealed and Jez is involved, I followed her investigation and her questions closely. It was fascinating to know that ground we see or walk on daily has so much going on below it and how it was like an integral character to the storyline. Jez might appear as a little arrogant but hats off to her for having the patience to deal with all the men around her with their personal bias and attitudes. She is curious, hard-working, respectful of others but she also very humane in showing her weakness when she refuses to handle bones and such stuff or think of dead bodies in any situation. This made me bond with her more because none of it stops her sense of justice and fighting for the victim. She is not perfect but is a damn admirable female lead and I would like to read more of her series.

I liked all the secondary characters in the book but I totally loved Jez's old colleague Andy. I wish he appears more in other books of Jez & Curtis and plays a bigger role in the investigation with his internet friends. Also, can we please have more of Cavendish working with Jez than Curtis. Cavendish sounded a fun police guy from this book. 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read for me as an introduction to Jez's world. 


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