Girls Like Us

Girls Like Us

by Elizabeth Hazen
Publisher: Alan Squire Press
Release Date:  March 2020

 

Girls Like Us is packed with fierce, eloquent, and deeply intelligent poetry focused on female identity and the contradictory personas women are expected to embody. The women in these poems sometimes fear and sometimes knowingly provoke the male gaze. At times, they try to reconcile themselves to the violence that such attentions may bring; at others, they actively defy it. Hazen’s insights into the conflict between desire and wholeness, between self and self-destruction, are harrowing and wise. The predicaments confronted in Girls Like Us are age-old and universal—but in our current era, Hazen’s work has a particular weight, power, and value.

I love reading poetry, and mostly I instantly feel them connected to me. But with Girls Like Us, it started slow I was confused at the beginning. But as I kept reading, & the poem’s came across as a rebel, and what WE (girls) go through most of our life. Called by names, Eyes those see us, Feeling we go through, Fears our mind has and Thoughts that keep us awake at nights.

I liked how different were each poem’s crafted, with different ideas portraying issues Girls/Women have. The book cover is exactly what the book talks about.

I like poems those rhyme, and this one has only one such poem. But still I quiet liked this whole book, and I would recommend whoever reads it, please read it like a “Spoken Poetry” because that way you will connect more to the poems and words. I realized this a bit later in 3-4th poem and after that, each poem spoke to me.

I would recommend these to everyone, who likes reading meaningful poetry that don’t naturally rhyme.

Moving Day

My mind’s
an emptied drawer, its clutter filed away.

Photograph

He left no trace
but an edge of shadow, the picture’s only flaw.

Driving Home at Dawn

Even now,
my fingertips tingle,
your name like a host
on my tongue.

Electricity

I lie until his
breath deepens and the ticking
clock becomes a heartbeat.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐  .5

Elizabeth Hazen is a poet, essayist, and teacher. A Maryland native, she came of age in a suburb of Washington, D.C. in the pre-internet, grunge-tinted 1990s, when women were riding the third wave of feminism and fighting the accompanying backlash. She began writing poems when she was in middle school, after a kind-hearted librarian handed her Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s A Coney Island of the Mind. She has been reading and writing poems ever since.

Hazen’s work explores issues of addiction, mental health, and sexual trauma, as well as the restorative power of love and forgiveness. Her poems have appeared in Best American Poetry, American Literary Review, Shenandoah, Southwest Review, The Threepenny Review, The Normal School, and other journals. Alan Squire Publishing released her first book, Chaos Theories, in 2016. Girls Like Us is her second collection. She lives in Baltimore with her family.

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*I received an advance readers eBook copy of Girls Like Us, as part of Poetic Blog Tour in return of an honest review. 
The views are my own. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in 
final publication.*

Sparrow

Sparrow

by Mary Cecilia Jackson
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: March 17th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

In the tradition of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, a devastating but hopeful YA debut about a ballerina who finds the courage to confront the abuse that haunts her past and threatens her future.

There are two kinds of people on the planet. Hunters and prey

I thought I would be safe after my mother died. I thought I could stop searching for new places to hide. But you can’t escape what you are, what you’ve always been.

My name is Savannah Darcy Rose.

And I am still prey.

Though Savannah Rose―Sparrow to her friends and family―is a gifted ballerina, her real talent is keeping secrets. Schooled in silence by her long-dead mother, Sparrow has always believed that her lifelong creed―“I’m not the kind of girl who tells”―will make her just like everyone else: Normal. Happy. Safe. But in the aftermath of a brutal assault by her seemingly perfect boyfriend Tristan, Sparrow must finally find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past, or lose herself forever….

Content Warning : Physical/Emotional Abuse

Sparrow is the story Savannah Darcy Rose, who loves & is a ballerina (hence the name), lives with her father and Aunt Sophie. Friends call Savannah as Sparrow, and I was amazed by the details of ballet that was put in. It sometimes looked like a wonderful painting in words.

The book is written from two POV’s one from Sparrow aka Savannah and the other is Lucas, one of her best friend, her ballet partner (also he is in love with her, because why not. A girl and boy can’t ever be just a friend, rite!? )

Sparrow in just few pages falls in love with Tristan “King” and decides she will love him no matter what. Because he is Handsome, and rich and…(well what more does a girl need, rite!?)
But Tristan is not what she thought, and he can be very brutally brutal. Even after her friends/family, trying to reach Sparrow and seeing Red Flags, she just walked down the road to disaster.
But wait, there are some other secrets Sparrow hasn’t shared with the world(us & her family). Lucas is a best friend, so surely he knows ALL ABOUT IT.

Want to know what the secret is ? Well sure, go ahead and grab the book.

The story has so many cliche’s that I was not that happy with the book.
But let’s get to the good things that I LOVED about this book.

Writing, I loved the poetic, lyrical way the author Mary wrote the book. There were so many sentences which I just loved because the so poetic.
Friendship, I love books that show very strong friendship (and I really don’t care that if one of them is in love with another).

There are few strong female character’s that I loved. One of them is Lucas’s Granny Deirdre , with age comes the wisdom can be so true to this character. I loved her, and she reminded me of my grandmother.
Dr. Gray < you need to read to know about her role > _i don’t want to give out spoilers :P_

I close my eyes, lost in the memory of the canvases lined up against my father’s bookshelves, drying on easels in the dining room, propped up against the windows in the living room, on the cushions of the window seat at the top of the stairs.

It’s like grief walks with you, sits beside you in calculus class, asks you to pass the salt at the dinner table.

The little ones still have so much hope, even when there’s no hope left to be had. That’s how they survive. That’s how they bear their sorrows.

Sometimes all we can do is watch and grieve. And that has to be enough.

If you want to help her, then do her the honor of believing she has the courage to mend herself.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐  .7

Mary Cecilia Jackson has worked as a middle school teacher, an adjunct instructor of college freshmen, a technical writer and editor, a speechwriter, a museum docent, and a development officer for central Virginia’s PBS and NPR stations. Her first novel, Sparrow, was an honor recipient of the SCBWI Sue Alexander Award and a young-adult finalist in the Writers’ League of Texas manuscript contest. She lives with her architect husband, William, in Western North Carolina and Hawaii, where they have a farm and five ridiculously adorable goats.

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Starts: 17th March 2020
Ends: 31st March 2020
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*I received an advance readers eBook copy of Sparrow, as part of FFB Blog Tour via Netgalley in return of an honest review. The views are my own.
All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.*

Jane Anonymous

Jane Anonymous

by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 7th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz returns with Jane Anonymous, a gripping tale of a seventeen-year-old girl’s kidnapping and her struggle to fit back into her life after she escapes.

Then, “Jane” was just your typical 17-year-old in a typical New England suburb getting ready to start her senior year. She had a part-time job she enjoyed, an awesome best friend, overbearing but loving parents, and a crush on a boy who was taking her to see her favorite band. She never would’ve imagined that in her town where nothing ever happens, a series of small coincidences would lead to a devastating turn of events that would forever change her life.

Now, it’s been three months since “Jane” escaped captivity and returned home. Three months of being that girl who was kidnapped, the girl who was held by a “monster.” Three months of writing down everything she remembered from those seven months locked up in that stark white room. But, what if everything you thought you knew―everything you thought you experienced―turned out to be a lie?

Content Warning : Kidnapping, Sexual Assault, Self-Harm, Stockholm Syndrome, PTSD, Panic Attacks

Jane Anonymous is the story about Jane, from Jane’s point of view in a Journal format writing “Then” & “Now”.
As the story has a “Now”, we immediately know all went well and I would have preferred it divided in first Then and second Now parts. Also because the story is given by Jane herself, she describes the relationship between her mother, and friend pretty well. But that same care I wasn’t able to see later in the chapters in “Now” part. and I felt so pity for Jane because she thought so high of them and they felt more like a people who taunt about things..

I was really spiraled by Jane’s time as a captive, it was so horrifying. Someone losing their independence and sitting in just a room for months.

There are also some twists in the story, but I had my doubts about those but still those came as more surprise when full story was revealed.

This was my first read by author Laurie Faria Stolarz, but am pretty sure I am gonna go and other published books by her.

Except I don’t want to think about tomorrow. I want to stat in the space between days-the space where I don’t have to worry about letting people down or saying the wrong thing.

Friendship is a two-way street, and I’ve been nothing but dead ends.

We’ve all carried our regret around like anchors, struggling not to drown.

Life isn’t a race. You go at your own pace, okay?

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .25

Laurie Faria Stolarz grew up in Salem, MA, attended Merrimack College, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston.

Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.

Stolarz found sales success with her first novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and followed it up with three more titles in the series, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance, as well as a companion graphic novel, Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz is also the author of the Touch series (Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, and Deadly Little Lessons), as well as Bleed and Project 17. With more than two million books sold worldwide, Stolarz’s titles have been named on various awards list.

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• Pop Sugar Challenge Prompt 1 : A book that’s published in 2020
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*I received an advance readers eBook copy of Jane Anonymous, as part of FFB Blog Tour via Netgalley in return of an honest review. The views are my own.
All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.*

The Golden Record

Book : The Golden Record
Author : Naimesha Thakur
Pages : 253
Price : 249/-
Publication : LeadstartCorp

Travel to the fantasy world of writers.

Story

The story is about three generations of women, who likely or unlikely became a published writer. Their words made changes to the world, how it worked.
The protagonist, Mira Dev has just successfully launched her book and is on a tour with her best friend & best friend’s husband. The bracelet on her hand had four trinkets each for her personal accomplishment. And today fifth one will add to it, but she is on tour. Will she be able to add the trinket like she always does on the next day of her book launch?

Her grandmother Tina died a few years ago, and Mira’s mother Antara find similarities between her mother and her daughter. Will that mean anything in the story ?

What if there is an Island of writers, writers who can affect lives of people, but they can also make mistakes. Can mistake in a person’s like be rectified ? What is the role of Mira in all this?

To answer above questions, you need to read the book.
<writing spoiler free review for The Golden Record will be so difficult>

Writing

First book by Naimesha Thakur, and I am already a fan of the plot she used, the world she created, the characters she introduced.
The language is easy to read and understand. But the Island and the writer’s world can be a bit difficult to understand. There is SO MUCH information and yet I felt there should be some more about it.

I always imagined the Island of Writers, a blue meadow place.<hence the image>.

The characters are many, and they are given their share of place and plot to fill in their characteristics page by page. The character’s aren’t shady and are as we read them, one directional. There are a variety of characters, there are Periwinkle, Penchantress, CaRule and so many more.
<saying again, it’s so difficult to writer about this and make it a spoiler free.Umm!!>

Loved the idea of adding trinkets on special achievements (will surely think of something like this to do in real life).
Naimesha, has given an amazing description of how the “PROCESS” works. Still, I was confused, because there was lots of information thrown at me at a single time. I wish this was done in due time, given bits of information while the story proceeds.
The “Black Mistake” , I am curious to know what was it about ? I mean, <umm leave it. #spoilerFree remember>

Final Note:

Amazing book to build up a fantasy world around you, and you living in it. Totally recommend and these doesn’t have usual fantasy world of dragon’s and other creatures. Something new.

Cover: 3.5/5
Title: 3/5
Blurb: 3.5/5(blurb gives some of the things out)
Theme: 4/5
Story: 3.5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

*This book review was provided by publishers in return of an honest review. The views are my own*

The Soft Target

*image will be posted later*

Book : The Soft Target
Author : Kalyan Nanda
Pages : 202
Price : 249/-
Publication : Notion Press

Journey of Mohan, from boyhood to manhood.

Story

The story revolves around a boy named Mohan, he has a unique mental illness whose cure isn’t known to his parents yet. No one understands him, his teachers and fellow students come as bullies to him. Yet Mohan smiles to each one, says something and go away.
And after years of wait, they are ready to take Mohan to a specialist in Chennai, which will change him for sure.
But what will change to know that, you need to read the book.

It’s Mahashivratri, and Mohan’s mother had a dream about Shivji, to let her know to come to him and pray for Mohan’s success for his engineering exams.
Will the fate of Mahashivratri reap a good result for the family ?

Moving from his hometown to join an engineering college will change his life for forever.
Make sure you read Mohan’s life as a roller coaster thriller and heartfelt story is unrolled in front of you.

Writing

A debut book by author Kalyan Nanda, and what an effort. The book plot, and Mohan’s unique disability surely raise our interest more to the book.
The writing was easy to understand and there are many references used to connect with reader’s by talking about Dhoni finishing shot and Sachin’s slong shot (mostly in the first half of the book)
There were details even for the “things” in story to make them real life. for example, the explanation of the cooker in the first 10 around pages, that was made sure that it looked like a perfect cooker in respective of middle class families.then up again in the next 10 pages, about how a middle class man “gets ready”. Which I felt was a little too much may be, sometime in life most of us has come in from a Middle class family, and reading such things made me think it is used as a mockery instead of showing how one Middle class family lives.

This will be my first book,where author himself has a talk in his own book. He talks to readers about a certain situation(Dear Readers…).
I almost had feeling like “Main Samay hun”(remember ? A man aura used to come in Mahabharat’s TV)

The friendship between Mohan, Nikhil, Brij & later Revathy was amazing to read about.
The main characters were BIG time “flawed”, and I loved them because they felt real.
Mohan – A boy with unique mental illness, and exceptional IQ who solved “the” maze
Nikhil – Wealthy boy having everything yet nothing because he stammers
Brij – The comedy kid of the book, a fan of Salman khan(from Tere Naam)
Samidha – <won’t tell you what her relation is> But she is one of my favorite characters, because she said my most favorite line of the book “I want to be your Café Madras”

I love when Books, talks about other books and authors, and I haven’t read ‘PG Wodehouse’ yet, but this book surely has increased my interest in him.

I wish the cover was something else, as it doesn’t justify the content and deepness of the plot of book.

Also if you read it, would love to know your theory of who the actual Soft target is 😉 as the book end with that question too!

Final Note:

If you want to read a book that is different from cliché stories, grab this one up.

Cover: 1/5(really wish it was something much more)
Title: 4/5
Blurb: 3.5/5 (as it reveals too much)
Theme: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Overall: 3.7/5

*This book review is a part of The ReadersComsos Book Review Program and Blog Tours*

Jallianwala Bagh: Literary Responses in Prose & Poetry

Book : Jallianwala Bagh: Literary Responses in Prose & Poetry
Author : Rakhshanda Jalil
Pages : 227 pages
Edition : Hardcover
Price : 386/-

Even though History wasn’t anywhere near my favorite subjects in School, one event that had always haunted me since childhood was/is Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
We all must have read about it in our history classes, but I never knew the backstory of Marcella Sherwood, or the crawl on your bellies Acts. We all knew, a madman named General Dyer gave his men orders to shoot on people who had assembled without any weapon to talk about THEIR NATION.

It’s 100 YEARS TODAY!

About Book

This book is divided into two part’s first talks about all those amazing fictional work written around the Event. You can read translated work of Saadat Hasan Manto, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Mulk Raj Anand and many more.
Each story, giving us different details of what happened on that evening.
I loved reading (snippet of) Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh by Stanley Wolpert, which talks about the committee of inquiry that was set on General Dyer for the Massacre. Though the final verdict didn’t make this book, but I surely now want to read the original.

Second part consists of those amazing weapon words in form of Poetry. As the massacre took place in Amritsar, there are many translated poems from Punjabi and some from Urdu.
Though I feel, some of them had left the essence of being a poem in translation but the core feeling still remains, the pain still remains.

Final Note:

Recommended to each one, to know the history of this day when a massacre ripped opened Mother earth on Baishaki (marks the beginning of the harvest season and birth of the Khalsa). The book actually opened my eyes on too many blinded spots I had as a child (e.g. the Marcella Sherwood, the crawl on your bellies Acts)

Any historical book is so difficult to rate, and this is no different.

Overall: 4.6/5★ (not 5 because poetry did let me down a bit)

I would like to thank Niyogi books, to send me a review copy in return of an honest review.

 

Kingdom Cold

Book : Kingdom Cold
Author : Brittni Chenelle
Pages : 278 pages
Edition : Kindle
Price : 212.00/-

YA with Thrill, Adventure and twist and turns.

Story

The story starts with Princess Charlotte, and her parents talking about getting Princess married off to Prince of another side for saving the kingdom and Princess denying to marry ‘any one’, as it’s too early. (she is 16, of course it is too early). On the other side, Prince Young of Vires is in a dilemma is it fine to marry because of political agreements.

As the time pass, will they both change their mind or will fall in love ever?

Before the Big moment occurs (which was exactly a day after the start of the story I guess), Kingdom of Besmium is attacked and Prince Young and his elder brother Prince Minseo try to win over the sudden attack.

Will they make out safe ? Will they win over ?

Who is Prince Emmett? Why he tries to protect the Princess and Besmium Kingdom?
Read the novel to know all about it

Writing

I love reading new Authors, and some of them amaze me with their novel. Brittni Chenelle is one of them, I picked the novel because of the Blurb which looks more like a simple YA read. But it has so much more to offer with its the twists & turns.
Language used is simple, and easy to understand.

The story is written from multiple POV’s, and even though I loved the smooth transformation from chapter to chapter. As each chapter starts from where the earlier one left, but another character’s POV. Only issue, I found in POV’s where there was no differentiation was the characters tones/talking. They were read same way.

Character development can be seen between the first time(when they were introduced), and last time(when they were read). But there was no specific development as the character grew, except Princess Charlotte. She reminded me so much of Merida (from Brave), the way she said No on marriage proposal, was childish, and grew brave from whatever happened to her.

I am in love with Prince Young, and he is definitely my latest fictional CRUSH♥♥. The way he handles situations, with his presence of mind is amazing. He has got charm of a prince, and believe me when I say, he doesn’t behave much like a Prince. He adapts to situations well, and before thinking of himself, he thinks of ‘people he love more’ (depends on situation we are talking 😉 ) I still laugh when I remember **spoiler** the First night of Prince Young and Princess Charlotte

This single book, contains exactly 3 books. I am seriously telling this, it could have been easily converted to a series, and there were so many points where Author could have stopped on a happy ending. But author chooses to give us twists, and twists, and THE END.
Though author Brittni, says she is working on another novel. Which will have characters from this novel, and will not be exactly a series, but will be a sequel to this one.

The end actually feels like MORE to be seen.

Final Note:

If you want to start reading YA, this one is super good to start with. YA Lovers will love it too, also it has twists and many adventures.

Cover: 5/5
Title: 4/5
Blurb: 4/5
Theme: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Overall: 4.3/5

*Thanks to author for providing review copy in return of an honest review. All views are my personal, and nowhere affected by receiving it from author.*

 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*Book Challenges*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Read this book, as part of
>> #leastreader_nb : Feb Prompt : Read a love story
>> #popSugarChallenge Prompt 26 : Book published in 2019
>> #readinWomenChallenge : Prompt 18 : Romance or love story
>> #BTBFEBRUARY19 : Feb 14 : Cover love

When I Had a Little Sister

Book : When I Had a Little Sister: The Story of a Farming Family Who Never Spoke
Author : Catherine Simpson
Pages : 367
Price : 1,158.00/-
Publication : Fourth Estate

Sad memoir written by authoress Catherine about her sister Tricia.

Story

The story starts with room view of Tricia, 46 years old, after she died. Her cigarette’s found in the bathroom, because that was the only place she allowed herself to smoke, to have a healthy life.

“When did she decide to die? Was it before midnight on Friday the 6^th, because she couldn’t face another night, or was it before dawn on Saturday the 7^th, because she couldn’t face another day?’

A question that makes the author think about how mental illness of her baby sister has finally made her choose death over living an unhappy life. Catherine started writing this family memoir on a fellowship at Hawthornden Castle in 2016 (three years after Tricia died).

Read the book to know the story of how a family kept mum about the taboos of mental illness and other social norms.

Writing

When I had a little sister is so personal to Catherine, and yet hats off to her for going through this experience and coming out as a winner (writer). The amount of memories author has shared may sometimes look like very descriptive, and in my case I felt wasn’t needed. But as this is from personal experience, the author made sure she covers everything from the way she felt.

The author talks a lot about her Mother, and it felt like she was still angry with her for all the part she played in “Growing them up”. There are sentences like ‘I was here and she was not’, that author said after her mother died and she got to see the jewellery box and everything that their mother have never let them touch. I was sadden at such references, being grown up with a close-knit family I feel sorry for the author and her sisters that they didn’t get the love they deserve.

Furthermore, in the story she talks about ancestors, who have moved after World War I and how the property and things in them (bed and other stuff) that were kept from generations of belonging year after year, needed to be destroyed and get away from. This saddens me again, because I live for “Old is Gold”, but at the same time having such things that can bring back sad memories are good to let go.

It was only later part in the book, that author has talked about Tricia and her going through mental illness. The way she was drawn towards people, and withdrew herself from them soon enough without a reason. There were times, when I could see/feel that Tricia wanted to say so much, but there was no one to understand here silence, and sometimes words. She kept away from here loved ones, and her loved ones left here alone too. In my experience, and what I know a person with mental illness is weaker at such points, when they want a company and there is no one to talk or share their thoughts with. Catherine, the author herself says that she wanted to reach out to Tricia but her kids (one of them are with special needs), and her own mental health didn’t allow her to do so.

I will again say, it is very brave of Catherine, the author that she has come out with a book that will help people who still think that mental illness is something to keep mum about. It’s about time that our educated people and kids that they can come and talk to their elders about anything and everything if they feel like it. Mental illness should be treated as another health issue, and not a thing with “give it time, it will be all okay”. It won’t be, talk to someone if you feel your mood swings a lot, talk to someone if you have dark thoughts.

I may not be the correct person to say this, but I guess this book can trigger to people who suffer through the same. Because it’s just so sad, made me cry for Tricia and her family.

Final Note:

It’s difficult to review and read a sad memoir by someone who has gone through a lot herself. And rate it on any scale, is like to rate someone’s life and what they have gone through.
Pick this one up, if you want to read something that talks about how families can be, and what mental illness can do to a person/family if not taken care beforehand.

Overall: 3.5/5

*Thanks to publishers for providing review copy in return of an honest review.*

 

The Invincible Weapon

*image will be posted later*

Book : The Invincible Weapon
Author : Sowmya Putta
Pages : 244
Price : 249/-
Publication : Inkstate

Will bring back the childhood stories with a moral.

Story

The story revolves around Mahadroni Kingdoms which are in threat of invisible enemies. Maharshi Gavishta returns to Gurukul, and asks each King of Mahadroni to send away their children to learn and be able to save their kingdom from enemies.
Many children are sent, but only six of them make it to Gurkul. Maharshi tells them they can acquire the ‘Invincible Weapon’ that can destroy invisible enemies. And the magic of reaching Gurukul and learning starts.
Abhi & Karu are brothers and have stayed & accompanied each other always. Will they both be able to join in Gurukul ?
How many will be dead before someone gets the invisible weapon ?
Will the enemies be gone ?

For all the questions to be answered, you need to read the book 🙂

Writing

I quite like the book, said to be for children I know adults will enjoy this too as much. I was nostalgic with the type of end the story had. We have always read books that gave us good moral at the end, and that’s what is the high point of this book.
You will not be sure, of what is about to happen. And suddenly you will be Awww-ed by the thinking of Authoress Sowmya.

The writing is simple, and no difficult words. There is magic and it deepens the writing and the story.
There is friendship, brotherhood, and humans that can die to keep their relationship alive.
There is evil, there is hatred and ill doings that makes it really close to reality.

I am not sure, what kids now-a-days read. But if as a child, you have loved reading the old mythological and panchtantra’s. Do give this one a read, this one will surely bring back a lot of memories of old times.

Final Note :

I will recommend it to be read, if you as a child loved reading stories about king/queen/kingdoms.

Cover: 3/5
Title: 3/5
Blurb: 4/5
Theme: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

*Thanks to publishers for providing review copy in return of an honest review.*

The Friend

Book : The Friend
Author : Teresa Driscoll
Pages : 304
Price : 399/-
Publication : Thomas & Mercer

Thriller that will question your friends, or people whom you think you know. But do you know them ? Really ?

Story

The Story revolves around the lives of Sophie, a housewife, mother of baby boy Ben and Emma a new resident of Tedbury Cross, comes to live with his son Theo.
At first interaction, Sophie knows that Emma is the one Friend she has been missing all this time.

But a homicide happened, and then there are rumours about Emma. People talking about where she came from, how she got so much money. Even Sophie’s husband Mark points out things for Emma. But Sophie know’s Emma is nothing but innocent, dealing with his son Theo’s sudden selective mutism may be the reason.

And then, today Sophie is on train, away from her son Ben. She trusted Emma to keep Ben accompany Theo while she made a travel to surprise Mark. But what happens while she is away ?
There is an accident, who is hurt?
Is there something she should know before she reaches the hospital?

For all unanswered questions, you need to read this one.

 

Writing

This is my first novel by Author Teresa and I have heard so many good things about her previous novel I am Watching you. Which was a thriller too, so I had high hopes.
And to say, it didn’t match the hype. Sometimes, there are things that you can pinpoint that this didn’t work. Sadly, in The Friend case, I am unable to point that out.

I think the story is mostly given away to readers in the Blurb, but wait till you reach the End. There is twist and turns, some are predictable, and some are WHAT..??

The novel is divided into past and present of Sophie. Past shows about Sophie’s relation with everyone, her wish to have a second baby, and so much more. The present is about Sophie’s worry, which child is more hurt, who has gone into operation, etc.
The phase change was okay, but sometimes due to this, the dialogues got mixed up and until you read few lines you will not know in whose context you are reading.

About characters
Sophie is really a weak person mentally(until the epilogue, because she is changed). She know’s her life is not going anywhere, yet she doesn’t do anything about it.

Emma is one person who everyone knows is not good, yet Teresa tried to keep an equilibrium about her. She was definitely mysterious, but not in a good way.

I loved Helen, her interactions were Sophie were what I craved for more. She was like a pillar to Sophie in need. But then again, her character was given very much less light.

There were characters who came and went away. I particularly didn’t like the special appearances of Melanie & Mattew, as these weren’t justified much. Just the backdrop of what happened in France was brought to light through them. *Spoiler*(which to say is another twist) 😛

Things that worked out for me :

> There is a learning from the book, not about friendship, but I now know there is something called Selective Mutism which can cover up child. I love it when I take away such things from a novel. (extra star just for this)
> Friendship between Sophie and Helen. It was pure, and what I think everyone should have. It warmed my heart.
> Stating past and present together can lead to a lot of confusion to some people. But for me, it was also a reason to get a thrill. Because I knew there is something bad to happen in the future(when reading past)

Things that didn’t worked for me :

> The story felt stretched a lot. There were twist that started from 70th page or so, and it got it’s ending in the last 20 pages. Well by then, we all have kinda guessed it. So it was a let down for me.
> Due to past-present the dialogue got mixed. Like it was Emma who was talking, and due to pre-text I thought it’s still Sophie talking/thinking.> There were screens/characters which weren’t actually required, like Emma visits Sophie in Lizard, Melanie & Tom’s love angel.
> The Epilogue, this is the first book whose epilogue has the content we are looking for in the whole book. It was the length of a whole chapter, more than what conclusions should read like

Final Note :

This one is surely not for new readers, the changes from past to present can lead to confusion. If you love thrillers, especially those with women in the center this one is for you.

Cover: 3.5/5
Title: 3/5
Blurb: 3/5
Theme: 4/5
Story: 3.5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.4/5

*Thanks to Writers Melon for providing review copy in return of an honest review.*