My Book Reviews

Category: Book Reviews

This section categories all the posts that I have written for my book reviews.

The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet

The Orphan Band of Springdale by
Release: April 10th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Source: NetGalley

Orphan Band of Springdale Synopsis:

With the United States on the verge of World War II, eleven-year-old Gusta is sent from New York City to Maine, where she discovers small-town prejudices — and a huge family secret.

It’s 1941, and tensions are rising in the United States as the Second World War rages in Europe. Eleven-year-old Gusta’s life, like the world around her, is about to change. Her father, a foreign-born labor organizer, has had to flee the country, and Gusta has been sent to live in an orphanage run by her grandmother. Nearsighted, snaggletoothed Gusta arrives in Springdale, Maine, lugging her one precious possession: a beloved old French horn, her sole memento of her father. But in a family that’s long on troubles and short on money, how can a girl hang on to something so valuable and yet so useless when Gusta’s mill-worker uncle needs surgery to fix his mangled hand, with no union to help him pay?

Inspired by her mother’s fanciful stories, Gusta secretly hopes to find the coin-like “Wish” that her sea-captain grandfather supposedly left hidden somewhere. Meanwhile, even as Gusta gets to know the rambunctious orphans at the home, she feels like an outsider at her new school — and finds herself facing patriotism turned to prejudice, alien registration drives, and a family secret likely to turn the small town upside down.

Review:

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing me a copy of “The Orphan Band of Springdale” by Anne Nesbet in exchange for my review. I loved reading this story from the get-go! Omg, is there anything this book didn’t have? Magic coins? Check. Carrier pigeons taking photographs? Check. Family secrets, scandal and intrigue? Check, check and check!

Okay, don’t get fooled from my previous remark thinking that this is some kooky story of pigeons taking photographs of magic coins. The story is actually very heart-warming and fast paced with wonderful characters. Firstly, my heart went out to Gusta as her father leaves her in the bus to Springdale. Since her arrival in Maine, Gusta adapts many changes like getting used to a new town and a new family. She also overcomes obstacles of being teased in school and getting into a feud with a prominent figure.

In addition to the main character, the supporting characters are extremely charming and each one of them have a trait that you can root for (except the villain). In fact, I pictured the cast of Little House on the Prairie to the characters in this story. This is how I pictured the cast in my mind:
• Gusta is Mary Ingalls
• Josie is Laura Ingalls (an older version with the same personality)
• Georges is Albert
• Molly is Nellie (well, a brainier version of her)
• Miss Hatch is Miss Beadle
• and Mr. Kendall is the male evil version of Mrs. Olsen.

Furthermore, the author sets the story line during the time of World War II, but doesn’t get too preachy on the history facts. There are some references to the Nazis, and even a shout out to Amelia Earhart. Significantly, the pacing was good, and the story lines remained fresh without a dull moment. Moreover, the story not only has a consistent theme, but a lot of quirky subplots to it. My favorite part was when Gusta tries on her new glasses and sees the world as brand new. I also loved her scenes with Josie and how they support each other during the tough times.

So why did I give it only 4 out of 5 stars? Honestly, it is all because of that dastardly Mr. Kendall! In general, this man is so despicable, he makes Nelly Olsen look like sweet Snow White. After the way he horribly treats Gusta and her family, I was so furious that nothing unfortunate happened to him. Undoubtedly, it made me angry and feel like bad people do get away with everything sometimes. I would have given it 5/5 stars if there had been repercussions on Mr. Kendall to make him a better person.

Overall, this is a charming book that I encourage you to read (if you haven’t done so already).

May 1, 2018
Scavenger Hunt by Christopher Pike

Scavenger Hunt by Christopher Pike
Release: June 10th 1989
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Archway Paperbacks
Source: Amazon

Scavenger Hunt Synopsis:

School was almost over. A secretive club on campus had organized a scavenger hunt for the entire senior class. In small groups, and with the help of cleverly planted clues, the kids are led throughout the city, and then deep into a nighttime desert. The sponsoring club has promised a wonderful prize for the first group to reach the goal of the hunt. But for Carl Timmons, a troubled young man who has recently lost his best friend, the hunt will become a nightmare. Led astray by his love for a strangely beautiful girl, he will wander far from the others, and back into a haunted past, where the line between the living and the dead is blurred and broken.

Review:

I thought “Scavenger Hunt” was very interesting at first. The plot seemed unique and honestly unlike anything I have read. I enjoyed the way the clues were setup and how the team started to decipher them. Even though it was originally published in 1989, the story did not feel outdated. The characters also showed unique and varied qualities and it was fun reading how they reacted to the clues. I really thought this was going to be a great read. However, it all turned out to be a BIG disappointment in the second half.

There are three reasons I gave this an average rating, the first reason being that I hated Carl’s character. This guy is such a wimpy protagonist who keeps getting in trouble with the wrong crowd. He chooses the wrong team only because he thinks Cessy is hot. He’s a coward for not saving Joe and he admits it. Frequently I was put off having to deal with reading him whining over his inner conflicts. The list for me disliking him goes on. Davey was also a bit annoying. He comes off as your typical mustache-twirling villain without any complexity. Cessy is much more interesting, but she is not given much focus. My favorite character here is Tracie. I loved that she figures out what is happening and risks everything to save Carl. I also liked Paula and Rick and wished that there was more written about them.

My second reason for removing an additional star is the plot holes. I still have questions after finishing this book, such as:
– Who was that person (or creature) in the purple house?
– What happened to the other groups who did the Scavenger Hunt? Why didn’t Davey choose people from other groups as well?
– Why did Pike bring in a random alcoholic priest into the story who didn’t add any value?
– When I look at the cover of the original US edition (that I read), I still don’t know who these three people are.

Now for the third reason. I always felt like reading a Pike book was better than a Stine book because it was more profound. The author usually adds some deep philosophical texts about the universe and mankind in his books. Scavenger Hunt did not have any of that! The climax towards the end is just cartoony and I just felt ‘meh’ after reading this book. Pike has written better stories than this, and the fallout to this suspenseful plot is disappointing. Overall, if you want to read a vintage Christopher Pike novel, you can dismiss this one and pick up “Whisper of Death” or “Road to Nowhere”.

April 21, 2018
The Door to the Lost by Jaleigh Johnson

The Door to the Lost by Jaleigh Johnson
Expected Release: July 3rd 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: NetGalley

The Door to the Lost Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Mark of the Dragonfly comes a thrilling fantasy adventure about two magical friends living as refugees in a world that doesn’t trust magic. Perfect for fans of Serafina and the Black Cloak and the School for Good and Evil series!

There was no warning the day magic died in Talhaven. It happened with a giant explosion and the arrival of a skyship full of children, all with magic running through their veins and no memory of home.

Rook and Drift are two of those children, and ever since that day, they’ve been on the run, magical refugees in a world that doesn’t trust magic. Because magic doesn’t die right away–it decays, twists, and poisons all that it touches. And now it’s beginning to poison people.

Try as they might, Rook and Drift can’t remember anything about their lives before Talhaven. But it’s beginning to look like they’re the only ones who can save their adopted world . . . if that world doesn’t destroy them first.

Review:

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley, Delacorte Books for Young Readers and Random House Children’s for providing me a copy of “The Door to the Lost” by Jaleigh Johnson in exchange for my review. Before I begin, I would like to say that I’m not a fantasy reader in any way. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but it takes quite some time for me to finish a fantasy novel. I prefer to read realistic fiction for the most part. Having said that, I selected this book in NetGalley because I LOVED the cover design! I am glad I selected it because Wow, this was a roller coaster of a read!

Let’s start off with the characters. For a fantasy adventure, the characters are down to Earth that we can relate to. All the three main characters, Rook, Drift and Fox have endearing qualities that make them naive and charming. I loved that we directly jump into the adventure and learn about the characters, instead of getting a proper introduction. My favorite character was Fox. He’s so adorable the moment he bumps into Rook and Drift! Even though he doesn’t have much of a dialogue, his ardent support throughout their journey makes him very memorable. I also loved the other exiles that the team meets in the ship, and wished they also had a backstory. The author has also written Dozana very well and you cannot help despise her for the crooked villain she is.

Now let’s talk about the story-line. From the get go, we travel with Rook as she tries to survive in the land of Talhaven. The whole book is action packed and there is never a dull moment in the story. There are some great suspenseful moment like when Rook and Drift hide in Mr. Baroman’s attic, or when Rook hears knocking on the other side of the door or when she gets trapped in the giant spider web. I really couldn’t predict what was going to happen next, and was completely engrossed in the book till the climax.

This is the first book I have read by Jaleigh Johnson, and I really like her style of writing. She beautifully blends the progression of the characters while keeping the fast pace of the story. My only question is, is this a standalone book or part of a series? The only part that could have been better was if the author provided more details of the characters and the history of the land. As much as I loved the story, I felt that the author cut down a lot to keep it in pace with a middle grade novel. Perhaps that is why I would love to read about more of these characters and hope there is a continuation. I want to pick out her “World of Solace” Series to see if that is equally good.

Overall, I completely enjoyed this book and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

April 15, 2018
The Heart Between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List by Lindsay Harrel

The Heart Between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List by Lindsay Harrel
Release: March 13th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: NetGalley

The Heart Between Us Synopsis:

Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. She spent her entire childhood in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide in her small Minnesota hometown and living with her parents, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.

When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.

As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most.

Review:

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing me a copy of “The Heart between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List” by Lindsay Harrel in exchange for my review. “The Heart between Us” is a very sweet heart-warming book. The two main aspects I liked about this book is the characters and the travel log.

Lindsay Harrel has defined the characters wonderfully well and they are all likable. The author has written their development in such a smooth and moving manner. I love how Megan progressively transforms and gain the courage and confidence to fulfill Amanda’s dreams. Not only this, the author also focuses on the relationship development between the two sisters, with her parents and with her loved ones, giving equal importance to all of them. Megan and Crystal’s personalities and story-lines are unique, yet, the author does a good job in blending them at times. I loved how both the sisters are fighting their own battles, but seek help from each other to overcome them. More than Megan and Crystal, my favorite characters in the book were Amanda’s parents. The way they remain so positive and hopeful for Megan even after losing their daughter is touching and inspiring.

Although I enjoyed reading both Megan and Crystal’s journey, I felt more emotionally attached towards Crystal’s story-line. This is mainly because I could relate to the difficulties she faces in managing her personal and professional life. From whatever I have experienced, it is not possible to allot equal time if you want to progress in both. I hoped the story would show that she can achieve all her goals (personal and professional) in a positive light. Unfortunately, Crystal has to choose between one over the other. The story also doesn’t become too preachy or religious even though it is termed as a Christian Fiction book.

Moreover, the author has vividly highlighted some gorgeous locations in this book. Ms Harrel has described these places so beautifully that I felt I was experiencing it with Megan. Whether it’s Paris, London or Egypt, the author has showcased all the important highlights worth visiting. After reading this book, I want to do the scavenger hunt in London and run with the bulls in Pamplona. I have longed to see some of these places and hope to tour them sometime.

The only reason I gave this 4 out of 5 stars is because the book seemed a bit predictable. It was also a bit monotonous at times. During the first half of the book where the sisters travel to a new destination, nothing really much happens other than Megan gaining her confidence. It is only towards the end of their travels that the story-line progresses. However, apart from this, I loved everything about this book! Overall, this is a charming, heart-felt book that I would recommend reading if you are in the mood for one.

April 15, 2018
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Release: March 6th 2018
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Dial Books
Source: Amazon

The Night Diary Synopsis:

It’s 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders.

Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha doesn’t know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore. When Papa decides it’s too dangerous to stay in what is now Pakistan, Nisha and her family become refugees and embark first by train but later on foot to reach her new home. The journey is long, difficult, and dangerous, and after losing her mother as a baby, Nisha can’t imagine losing her homeland, too. But even if her country has been ripped apart, Nisha still believes in the possibility of putting herself back together.

Review:

I loved the concept of “The Night Diary”! Veera Hiranandani has done a wonderful job in portraying how the Indian Independence affected the lifestyles of an average family. She realistically depicts the hardships that someone would have faced to move from Pakistan to India during this period. When we read about our leaders in history books, we read only of their struggles faced prior to independence. However, this book opened my eyes to show how Nehru and Gandhi also faced a lot of issues post-independence. An example being this mass movement between the Hindus and the Muslims with the split of India and Pakistan.

I loved the way the author writes the story through Nisha’s diary entries during the time of Independence. It made the book feel more personal and felt like I was with them during their journey. There are some very gripping scenes that I don’t think I would ever forget. Some of these are:
- When Nisha and her family get on the train and start seeing people killing each other.
- The time a stranger seizes Nisha and threatens to kill her
- When Nisha experiences how hostile some of the students in school are to her and Amil
However, there are two aspects that disappointed me. The first was the pacing. I found the first half of the book to be a bit dragging and slow. Nothing really happens except for Nisha and Amil going on about their daily activities with their Papa, Dadi and Kazi. Nisha repeatedly talks about her mother, her brother’s lack in schoolwork, and cooking with Kazi. The story gets interesting only when they start moving towards their new destination, which is around halfway into the book. From then on, the story kept me on my toes and I kept wondering what was going to happen next.

Secondly, I found Nisha’s character to be annoying after a while. I hoped that the girl would gain some courage during her adventure, especially after the traumatic incidents she faced. However, the whole journey seemed to make her more quiet and secluded. As Nisha admits, rather than making things better, she only gets into trouble for trying to be friends with Hafa. She decides to remain quiet when she is scolded at, and doesn’t show any positive change after the whole experience. I wish the author had portrayed her as a stronger character.

Also, there are some minor incidents that I wish the author had given some closure on. For instance, as Amil shows symptoms of being autistic, I wanted details on how their Papa dealt with the issue. Moreover, their uncle Rashid seemed like a very interesting character and I wished that there was more details about him and his bond with their mother.

Overall, I actually loved the Night Diary and it is an unforgettable book in many ways. If the pacing and the characters had been slightly better, I would have given it 5/5 stars. Nevertheless it is really good and worth reading!
April 15, 2018
See All the Stars by Kit Frick

See All the Stars by Kit Frick
Expected Release: August 14th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: McElderry Books
Source: NetGalley

See All The Stars Synopsis:

It’s hard to find the truth beneath the lies you tell yourself.

THEN They were four—Bex, Jenni, Ellory, Ret. Electric, headstrong young women; Ellory’s whole solar system.

NOW Ellory is alone, her once inseparable group of friends torn apart by secrets, deception, and a shocking incident that changed their lives forever.

THEN Lazy summer days. A party. A beautiful boy. Ellory met Matthias and fell into the beginning of a spectacular, bright love.

NOW Ellory returns to Pine Brook to navigate senior year after a two-month suspension and summer away—no boyfriend, no friends. No going back. Tormented by some and sought out by others, troubled by a mysterious note-writer who won’t let Ellory forget, and consumed by guilt over her not entirely innocent role in everything and everyone she’s lost, Ellory finds that even in the present, the past is everywhere.

The path forward isn’t a straight line. And moving on will mean sorting the truth from the lies—the lies Ellory has been telling herself.

Review:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I…
I stumbled upon this book and was mesmerized!

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and Margaret K. McElderry Books for providing me a copy of “See All the Stars” by Kit Frick in exchange for my review.

Before I get into the details, I LOVED reading this book and managed to finish most of it in one sitting.

The story is written in a beautiful way where each chapter shifted between what’s happening NOW vs what’s happening THEN. Even though the setting changed between the chapters, the pacing remained consistent and kept me invested in the story. Throughout the book, the author cleverly integrates topics of friendship, breakups, and betrayals masked with a level of suspense. Furthermore, the ending completely threw me off. I am not going to spoil it, but I did not see that plot twist coming at all! I had to go back and re-read a few passages to see if it all fit, and it did! It’s one of those books that made me sit in awe after finishing, just to grasp it all in. That in itself makes this such a memorable read.

Coming to the characters, the author has written them realistically that the reader can easily relate to. They are complex, have issues, make mistakes and act impulsively; in other words, they behave like teenagers. Moreover, I loved the analogy the author used to connect each character to a planet/star to describe their bond. Ellory is the main character and the person whom I could relate to the most. When she reminisces over her friendship with Ret, it made me recall about my past friendships and how they fell apart. Ret is a character you just love to hate. She oozes confidence and attracts people to be her friends for her own advantage. More than Ret, I think I despised Jenni. Even though she doesn’t appear much, I hated her attitude towards Ellory whenever she appeared.

Kit Frick has done an amazing job in her debut novel and I have instantly become her fan! When I think about it, the story is nothing new and has been done countless times before. However, the way the author has weaved the words and described the story is so captivating that feels fresh. There was never a moment where I got bored and felt like skipping a few pages. Now that I have finished reading “See all the stars”, I am already anxiously looking forward to her next book release. Overall, I loved “See All the Stars” and highly recommend others to give it a chance and read it.

April 7, 2018
The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan

The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan
Release: April 21st 2015 (first published 2008)
Format: Paperback
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Amazon

Zoya Factor Synopsis:

When the younger players in India’s cricket team find out that advertising executive Zoya Singh Solanki was born at the very moment India won the World Cup back in 1983, they are intrigued. When having breakfast with her is followed by victories on the field, they are impressed. And when not eating with her results in defeat, they decide she’s a lucky charm. The nation goes a step further. Amazed at the ragtag team’s sudden spurt of victories, it declares her a Goddess.

So when the eccentric IBCC president and his mesmeric, always-exquisitely-attired Swamiji invite Zoya to accompany the team to the tenth ICC World Cup, she has no choice but to agree. Pursued by international cricket boards on the one hand, wooed by Cola majors on the other, Zoya struggles to stay grounded in the thick of the world cup action. And it doesn’t help that she keeps clashing with the erratically brilliant new skipper who tells her flatly that he doesn’t believe in luck…

Review:

I recently picked up this book on a friend’s recommendation. I honestly did not expect this book to be good when I started reading it. The style of writing seemed to be very juvenile and contained mostly ‘Hinglish’ dialogues. However, the plot was so quirky and unique that it kept me engrossed and made me like it a lot!

What’s fun about “The Zoya Factor” is that it brilliantly blends the intensity of cricket with romance of the protagonists. The author has written the cricket parts in a captivating manner that keeps you engrossed even if you aren’t a fan. The author doesn’t focus importance of one over the other. This is a welcome change from reading your usual melodrama soapy stories. Hence, this book is not just a ‘romance’ novel, but has something for everyone to enjoy.

The author’s strengths lies in her plot, character development and the snarky repertoire of the dialogue. She has a talent for keeping the readers glued to the book and had me laughing out loud during the funny moments, to nearly throwing the book during the annoying moments. She has done a wonderful job for a debut novel, as there is never a boring moment in any page. While the book ended the way I thought it would, I admit there were times where I kept guessing what Zoya would do next.

Even though I found most of the characters to be likable, my only problem with the book was Zoya’s personality. During the latter part, Zoya comes off as an emotionally, confused gullible clown with low self-esteem. She reacts to situations before even thinking it through. She makes really dumb decisions and falls into ridiculous situations based on her mood-swings. We can sum up the second half as “I love Nikhil”, “I hate Nikhil”, “I love Nikhil”, every other page. Perhaps this was done for more sub plots, but I kept rolling my eyes on the situations she got into.

Most of the Indian authors pen their stories in the hopes of turning it into a Bollywood movie someday. “The Zoya Factor” is no different and has all the ingredients to turn it into a perfect Bollywood film. The main characters meet through quirky circumstances and fall in love during the first half, and go through various turmoil in the second half testing their romance. The added advantage over such clichéd movies is the gripping sports aspect that gives it a nice touch.
Overall, this was a fun, breezy read and I am interested on how the movie adaptation turns out.

April 3, 2018
The Dead Boyfriend (Fear Street Relaunch #5)

The Dead Boyfriend by R.L. Stine
Release: September 27th 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
Publisher: A Thomas Dunne Book for St. Martin’s Griffin
Source: Amazon

Dead Boyfriend Synopsis:

Caitlin has never had a real boyfriend before. When she starts seeing Blade, she throws herself into the relationship with fervor. She ignores her friends, who warn her that Blade may be a phony and that she is taking the whole thing too seriously. Caitlin is smitten. She doesn’t care if she loses her friends. All she wants is Blade. When Caitlin sees Blade with another girl, she completely loses it. She snaps. Everything goes red. When she comes back to her senses, she realizes that Blade is dead—and she has killed him. But if Colin is dead, how is he staring at her across a crowded party?

Review:

R.L. Stine continues to be one of those authors I gravitate towards for short, campy horror books for nostalgia. “Fear Street” and “Point Horror” were one of my favorite series growing up, and I still love re-reading some of these titles. So far, I am enjoying the new books in the Relaunch series and “The Dead Boyfriend” is a nice addition.

Unlike some of the other reviews I’ve come across, I thought the characters were well written. I felt that all three protagonists were strange enough to make the story feel like “Fear Street”. Caitlyn plays the perfect role of the girl gone crazy from being traumatized of the horror. Deena is very weird and creepy with her black magic, and you never really know what she might do next. Blade comes back as a zombie version and torments Caitlyn that also adds well to the horror. Stine cleverly blended various elements, like witches, zombies, black magic and murder and made the story very interesting.

The story is gripping for most part and keeps you wondering what will happen next. There were parts that completely surprised me, like when Caitlyn suddenly attacks Blade, or when Blade gets animated in church. It also has an interesting moment where it connects the characters and scenes to “The Lost Girl”, another book in the Relaunch series.

Now, the main part that ruined the book for me – the frustrating ending! We know that Stine’s novels always has a twist in the end that make you go WTH! But this one could have been better. It reminded me a bit about how his other Fear Street novel “Switched” ended. However, while the ending of “Switched” made the story creepier, this felt like a let-down. I guess the ending makes logical sense, but I would have expected something more innovative from the author.

I feel like I want to love this series as how I did back in the 90s. I’m not sure if I have outgrown this type of horror genre, or if Stine’s writing skills have dimmed, but I don’t find myself enjoying these books like I used to. Having said that, “The Dead Boyfriend” comes very close to creating the eerie suspense to the original, more than the other books in the Relaunch. Overall, I would have loved the book if the ending was written with a more original climax.

April 3, 2018
Like Vanessa by Tami Charles

Like Vanessa by Tami Charles
Release: March 13th, 2018
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Source: Amazon

Like Vanessa Synopsis:

In this semi-autobiographical debut novel set in 1983, Vanessa Martin’s real-life reality of living with family in public housing in Newark, New Jersey is a far cry from the glamorous Miss America stage. She struggles with an incarcerated mother she barely remembers, a grandfather dealing with addiction and her own battle with self-confidence. But when a new teacher at school coordinates a beauty pageant and convinces Vanessa to enter, Vanessa’s view of her own world begins to change. Vanessa discovers that her own self-worth is more than the scores of her talent performance and her interview answers, and that she doesn’t need a crown to be comfortable in her own skin and see her own true beauty.

Review:

This was such a beautiful and inspiring book to read. It talks about how a girl overcomes all odds to achieve her goals, be accepted and feel beautiful. The first thing that made this book stand out was its backdrop setting. When a dark skinned girl wins a beauty pageant these days, we don’t give it a second thought as it has become a norm. However, the author strikingly portrays how historic it was when Vanessa Williams won it back in 1983. She show cases how it was a turning point for girls of any color to dream big and be hopeful of achieving their goals. Tami Charles’s style of writing is smooth and fluid and keeps the story energetic and fresh in this 80’s backdrop.

Secondly, the characters are down to Earth with many flaws that the reader can connect with. Vanessa is a delightful character that you just want to hug and root for from the first page. I cheered for her when she had a friend in Mrs. Walton and felt for her when she found out about her mother. I hated Beatriz to the core for how she manipulated Nessy. It brought back horrid memories of a bully who used to humiliate me in school in a similar manner. I still don’t understand how there are people like this in the world who seek to hurt others to attain self-satisfaction.

My favorite character of course was TJ. He is filled with positivity and continues to shine for his family while facing his own demons. I also loved Mrs. Walton as she is not the stereotypical preachy white teacher who wants to make a difference. I adored how TJ and Mrs. Walton genuinely supported Vanessa during her highs and lows because they had also been through tough times.

Another aspect that I enjoyed was how this book highlighted other prominent issues and blended it with the story. It talks about the repercussions of substance abuse, bullying and struggling with one’s sexuality amongst other things. The author doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of life in these communities even though it’s a middle grade novel. However, I was conflicted during some passages as it was too brutal to be mentioned for the target audience. While I truly appreciate the author’s efforts for keeping this book real, I wish she would have toned down on the language a little bit. It’s a little shocking to read words like ‘gangbanger’ and ‘maricón’ mentioned repeatedly.

Overall, this is truly a special novel that I urge everyone to read. In today’s world where people are more into appearances and rating people based on their looks in social media, this is a story that emphasizes that you can be beautiful no matter what size or color you are.

March 27, 2018
The Serpent’s Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1) by Sayantani DasGupta

The Serpent’s Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1) by Sayantani DasGupta
Release: February 27th, 2018
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Amazon

Kiranmala – The Serpent’s Secret Synopsis:

MEET KIRANMALA: INTERDIMENSIONAL DEMONSLAYER (But she doesn’t know it yet.)

On the morning of her twelfth birthday, Kiranmala is just a regular sixth grader living in Parsippany, New Jersey… until her parents mysteriously vanish later that day and a rakkhosh demon slams through her kitchen, determined to eat her alive. Turns out there might be some truth to her parents’ fantastical stories—like how Kiranmala is a real Indian princess—and a wealth of secrets about her origin they’ve kept hidden.

To complicate matters, two crush worthy Indian princes ring her doorbell, insisting they’re here to rescue her. Suddenly, Kiran is swept into another dimension full of magic, winged horses, moving maps, and annoying, talking birds. There she must solve riddles and slay demons all while avoiding the Serpent King of the underworld (who may or may not want to kill her) and the rakkhosh queen (who definitely does) in order to find her parents and basically save New Jersey, her entire world, and everything beyond it…

Book Trailer:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJDRgjgRBG8[/embedyt]

Review:

This was such a fun book to read! It’s so refreshing to see a girl of Indian heritage be the protagonist and kick-ass in this adventure novel.

What’s great about “The Serpent’s Secret” is in its story line and pacing. The story keeps you hooked from the get go and never gets boring. I finished this book in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. As Kiran and her friends go on their quest, they come across different adventures, whether it be from the mountains, in the sea or in a serpent’s lair. The adventures themselves range from serious edge of your seat moments like stealing a jewel from a Python, to hilarious escapes from demonic-cheerleaders. I loved how some of popular Indian folk-tales like the Rakkhosh and the thirsty crow were incorporated into the story line.

The characters are adorable and you can’t help but like something about almost all of them. Kiran is a cool heroine with a snarky sense of humor. Neel is the brooding hero who is frustrating at times but has good intentions. Tuntuni is annoying but his jokes and rhymes are fun to read. The Raja came across as a jolly fellow even though he makes bad decisions. Even the Rakkhosh baby and the khokkosh demons made me laugh with their personality and dialogue. My favorite character in this story was Ai-ma. She is so creepy but has charming grandmother qualities, and the terms of endearment she uses on Neel is hilarious.

The author has also put in her thoughts of Philosophy and Astronomy that make it stand out. Some of the dialogues (like the below) really made me reflect on our connection as human beings and how everyone is connected in someway.

“My Baba always tells me we’re all connected by energy-trees, wind, animals, people, everything. He says that life energy is a link of river flowing through the universe. And that our souls are just a bit of that river water held inside the clay pitcher of our bodies. When our bodies give out, that’s just the pitcher breaking, pouring what’s inside black into the original stream of universal souls.”

Overall, I devoured this book like a hungry Rakkhosh and cannot wait for the next one! The small preview at the end proves that it will be equally awesome as the first. The illustrations by Vivienne To are lovely and whimsical. If you haven’t read “The Serpent’s Secret” yet, don’t be such a 2-D duckweed, pick this up and read!

March 10, 2018