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BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Belles: The Belles Book 1 in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist of this novel is Camellia, she is one of few Belles, who has the ability to make people beautiful by altering their bodies, from hair colour to bone structure. Being favourite is the ultimate goal of all Belles. They get recognition and exceptional treatment from the government. When Camellia arrives at the palace, one of her main tasks is to treat royals, and especially, to help princess Sophia, who is an absolute nightmare…
I really enjoyed, how the author picked the characters for this book. She offered a very wide variety to choose from, levelling the balance between positive and negative ones. All the characters have a unique set of characteristics that make this book very diverse and colourful. My favourite character was, of course, Camellia, as a reader I really got to know her personality, her thoughts and wishes, and I think she is a really nice girl, however, she is too weak to be a lead rebel, she needs more fire in her. My least favourite was, of course, Sophia, she is psychotic and an absolute nutter.
The narrative is told from Camellia’s perspective, and I did miss the input from other characters. I think it would’ve been more exciting if there would’ve been Sophia’s thoughts as well. It was a quite slow burner for me, to be honest, the transition between chapters was not very smooth and it did lack pace and adventure. The Belles sometimes felt like plastic surgeons or beauticians, I would’ve liked to see more magic or some unexpected powers. It kind of felt like an introduction to something, because not many things were happening throughout this book. In this novel author is praising women, the country is run by women, and some of the characters are even indulged in lesbian relationships. 🙂
The setting of this novel was absolutely amazing. The author wrote down the surroundings so detailed, that my imagination was working overtime. I would absolutely love to see this book on screen, I think the characters, dresses, atmosphere, all the things and buildings would look amazing in the Netflix series. It sounds so magical and absolutely stunning when you read it. The chapters were pretty short, and the language used was easy to read. I could feel this french breeze from time to time as well, especially with some of the product or food names… The ending was very exciting, and after reading this book, I hope that the second part will bring more adventure and that Camellia will deserve to be the rebel of this series.
So, to conclude, it is an interesting story, filled with very unique characters, and if you like books about beauty and evil princesses, I think you might quite enjoy this read.
I really enjoyed, how the author picked the characters for this book. She offered a very wide variety to choose from, levelling the balance between positive and negative ones. All the characters have a unique set of characteristics that make this book very diverse and colourful. My favourite character was, of course, Camellia, as a reader I really got to know her personality, her thoughts and wishes, and I think she is a really nice girl, however, she is too weak to be a lead rebel, she needs more fire in her. My least favourite was, of course, Sophia, she is psychotic and an absolute nutter.
The narrative is told from Camellia’s perspective, and I did miss the input from other characters. I think it would’ve been more exciting if there would’ve been Sophia’s thoughts as well. It was a quite slow burner for me, to be honest, the transition between chapters was not very smooth and it did lack pace and adventure. The Belles sometimes felt like plastic surgeons or beauticians, I would’ve liked to see more magic or some unexpected powers. It kind of felt like an introduction to something, because not many things were happening throughout this book. In this novel author is praising women, the country is run by women, and some of the characters are even indulged in lesbian relationships. 🙂
The setting of this novel was absolutely amazing. The author wrote down the surroundings so detailed, that my imagination was working overtime. I would absolutely love to see this book on screen, I think the characters, dresses, atmosphere, all the things and buildings would look amazing in the Netflix series. It sounds so magical and absolutely stunning when you read it. The chapters were pretty short, and the language used was easy to read. I could feel this french breeze from time to time as well, especially with some of the product or food names… The ending was very exciting, and after reading this book, I hope that the second part will bring more adventure and that Camellia will deserve to be the rebel of this series.
So, to conclude, it is an interesting story, filled with very unique characters, and if you like books about beauty and evil princesses, I think you might quite enjoy this read.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Gather the Daughters in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The first thing which attracted me to this book, was the cover; I think it’s absolutely stunning and incredibly mysterious. The second reason why I picked it up, was the blurb; cult on an island, I was absolutely intrigued with this, and it absolutely drawn me in once I started it.
This book absolutely hooked me with its diverse and complex characters. This novel is told by children, sharing different perspectives of the events happening in the book, and beautifully opening up their personalities and feelings. I loved how Melamed is giving insight into different lives, first of children, and then how it feels, once you are forced into adulthood. There is a great variety of characters to choose from, and everyone will be able to find their favourite. My favourite one was Janey, I absolutely loved her strength and her wish to do something, to change the lives of young girls. All the characters are carrying so much pain and sadness that it literary breaks your heart while reading the book. That’s why, if you are sensitive towards child abuse and incest, you might want to skip this one.
The plot of this book was incredibly well thought through and very amusing. Melamed’s experience with traumatised children was shining through in this novel. The whole narrative travels through seasons, starting in spring and finishing in spring again. Every season brought in different stories and different feelings. I really enjoyed the creative twists and turns in this novel, which made it more enticing and didn’t leave me bored. The topics discussed in this book are endless; every girl shared the issue they were facing, that’s why this book is really fascinating and intriguing. Even though this is a work of fiction, there are some of the described things still happening in this world. For example, child marriage and abusing children as soon as they hit puberty, is still a common practice in South Asia and Middle East, and is absolutely horrifying.
The writing style of this novel is gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. The chapters are decent length and didn’t make me bored while reading. The ending of the book rounded up everything really nicely, leaving me satisfied, but questioning at the same time. I think it is absolutely stunning debut of Melamed and I will be looking forward to read more of her books. So, to conclude, this is a very dark and sorrowful novel filled with complex family relations and children, who want to be children as long as they can. I do strongly recommend this book and I hope people find it as fascinating, as I did.
Was given this book by publisher for honest review.
This book absolutely hooked me with its diverse and complex characters. This novel is told by children, sharing different perspectives of the events happening in the book, and beautifully opening up their personalities and feelings. I loved how Melamed is giving insight into different lives, first of children, and then how it feels, once you are forced into adulthood. There is a great variety of characters to choose from, and everyone will be able to find their favourite. My favourite one was Janey, I absolutely loved her strength and her wish to do something, to change the lives of young girls. All the characters are carrying so much pain and sadness that it literary breaks your heart while reading the book. That’s why, if you are sensitive towards child abuse and incest, you might want to skip this one.
The plot of this book was incredibly well thought through and very amusing. Melamed’s experience with traumatised children was shining through in this novel. The whole narrative travels through seasons, starting in spring and finishing in spring again. Every season brought in different stories and different feelings. I really enjoyed the creative twists and turns in this novel, which made it more enticing and didn’t leave me bored. The topics discussed in this book are endless; every girl shared the issue they were facing, that’s why this book is really fascinating and intriguing. Even though this is a work of fiction, there are some of the described things still happening in this world. For example, child marriage and abusing children as soon as they hit puberty, is still a common practice in South Asia and Middle East, and is absolutely horrifying.
The writing style of this novel is gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. The chapters are decent length and didn’t make me bored while reading. The ending of the book rounded up everything really nicely, leaving me satisfied, but questioning at the same time. I think it is absolutely stunning debut of Melamed and I will be looking forward to read more of her books. So, to conclude, this is a very dark and sorrowful novel filled with complex family relations and children, who want to be children as long as they can. I do strongly recommend this book and I hope people find it as fascinating, as I did.
Was given this book by publisher for honest review.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Extropia: Mind Game (Extropia, #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews can be found at https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
The main character in this book was Edvard, a seventeen-year-old school student. His father and brother created Extropia, an artificial reality game, where players can participate themselves. While testing the game, Edwards father and brother got stuck in the game and only Edward can save them. When he gets into the game, he sees that it is run by a dark, cruel and vicious tyrant. Edward needs to save his brother, but it is not that easy as it looks.
This novel brings an awesome clash between modern and medieval ages, bringing in very unique and interesting characters. While reading this book it feels like you are transported back in time, where sword and shield was a form of weapon, and where the characters still follow prophecies. I really enjoyed the wide variety of characters chosen for this book, and Edward was a very realistic boy, without superpowers and with the weaknesses which he was trying to overcome. That was plus and minus at the same time, he was very realistic and believable, but at the same time very dependable on other people in order to succeed. The whole novel was written from Edward’s perspective and even though I would’ve liked different perspectives, I still enjoyed the story as it was.
The plot of this novel is a combination of a lot of similar books and games, we have the games and their setting modifications to fit the book, we have references to Harry Potter and some parts taken from The Hunger Games. However, it has it’s own unique and interesting narrative filled with action, unexpected twists and turns, which kept me glued to this book.
The writing style of this book was very creative and easy to read, however, it has these names and places which were a bit difficult to pronounce for me. But still, I think it gives the charm and medieval feel to this novel. The chapters have a decent length and it did not drag to me, as there are a lot of things happening in every chapter. I really liked the ending of this novel, but I think it could’ve had more suspense to it. Nevertheless, I am waiting for the next part, because I wanna know what will happen next. So to conclude, if you like computer games and you loved The Maze Runner, you will definitely enjoy this book. It is filled with diverse and complex characters, interesting turns and unexpected twists, which makes it a great read. I do recommend this book and I hope you will enjoy as much as I did. 🙂
The main character in this book was Edvard, a seventeen-year-old school student. His father and brother created Extropia, an artificial reality game, where players can participate themselves. While testing the game, Edwards father and brother got stuck in the game and only Edward can save them. When he gets into the game, he sees that it is run by a dark, cruel and vicious tyrant. Edward needs to save his brother, but it is not that easy as it looks.
This novel brings an awesome clash between modern and medieval ages, bringing in very unique and interesting characters. While reading this book it feels like you are transported back in time, where sword and shield was a form of weapon, and where the characters still follow prophecies. I really enjoyed the wide variety of characters chosen for this book, and Edward was a very realistic boy, without superpowers and with the weaknesses which he was trying to overcome. That was plus and minus at the same time, he was very realistic and believable, but at the same time very dependable on other people in order to succeed. The whole novel was written from Edward’s perspective and even though I would’ve liked different perspectives, I still enjoyed the story as it was.
The plot of this novel is a combination of a lot of similar books and games, we have the games and their setting modifications to fit the book, we have references to Harry Potter and some parts taken from The Hunger Games. However, it has it’s own unique and interesting narrative filled with action, unexpected twists and turns, which kept me glued to this book.
The writing style of this book was very creative and easy to read, however, it has these names and places which were a bit difficult to pronounce for me. But still, I think it gives the charm and medieval feel to this novel. The chapters have a decent length and it did not drag to me, as there are a lot of things happening in every chapter. I really liked the ending of this novel, but I think it could’ve had more suspense to it. Nevertheless, I am waiting for the next part, because I wanna know what will happen next. So to conclude, if you like computer games and you loved The Maze Runner, you will definitely enjoy this book. It is filled with diverse and complex characters, interesting turns and unexpected twists, which makes it a great read. I do recommend this book and I hope you will enjoy as much as I did. 🙂
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Body Language in Books
Dec 13, 2020
It is worth reading.
The protagonists in this novel are Cassie and DS Flyte, and the story is told from their perspectives. When it comes to the characters, the author really went all out. 😀 Cassie is a bisexual, goth looking woman, who loved dead creatures since she was little. She had a very difficult life, and Cassie is an extremely complex character. Her eye to detail and a very sensitive six sense, just an icing on the cake. DS Flyte is fighting her own demons, but she has an OCD when it comes to her work, she does not like cutting corners, and many people don’t like her. Both of these women are very strong personalities, but their love for the job makes them an amazing combo. Cassie has to be my favourite though, her relationship with the dead ones and her Babcia (granny) is very heartwarming. 🙂
The book started quite slowly. There were more thoughts about the past and previous experiences rather than the investigation itself, and I was about to lose my hope, but I was very glad that I didn’t give up because the investigation was very entertaining indeed. Cassie’s life story was quite absorbing, and I was happy to learn more about her and her upbringing. I would have liked to know a little bit more about DS Flyte as well, I think she is quite an interesting persona. I really enjoyed the twists and turns that this book had to offer, they were really unexpected. On the other hand, there were some events that didn’t really make sense and they were kind of forgotten at the end. 😦 The topics discussed in this novel were loss, miscarriages, homelessness, poverty, drug dealing and drug use, difficult family relationships, and many more.
The book is set in Camden, London, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the author’s knowledge of the area. The writing style of the book was very creative, detail-oriented but very enjoyable nevertheless. I liked the way the story was flowing, revealing interesting surprises bit by bit. The chapters have a medium length, and the pages just flew by for me. The ending rounded the story very nicely, and I truly hope to read more books with this very intriguing character duo.
So, to conclude, if you are looking for a thriller with different, diverse characters, that are complex and intriguing, this book is for you! The narrative started quite slow, but it allowed to get to know Cassie better, and the rest of the story truly had me engrossed. I enjoyed this thriller, and especially the characters, and I hope you will give this book a try. I think everyone needs to meet Cassie. 🙂 I hope you will like it as much as I did.
The book started quite slowly. There were more thoughts about the past and previous experiences rather than the investigation itself, and I was about to lose my hope, but I was very glad that I didn’t give up because the investigation was very entertaining indeed. Cassie’s life story was quite absorbing, and I was happy to learn more about her and her upbringing. I would have liked to know a little bit more about DS Flyte as well, I think she is quite an interesting persona. I really enjoyed the twists and turns that this book had to offer, they were really unexpected. On the other hand, there were some events that didn’t really make sense and they were kind of forgotten at the end. 😦 The topics discussed in this novel were loss, miscarriages, homelessness, poverty, drug dealing and drug use, difficult family relationships, and many more.
The book is set in Camden, London, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the author’s knowledge of the area. The writing style of the book was very creative, detail-oriented but very enjoyable nevertheless. I liked the way the story was flowing, revealing interesting surprises bit by bit. The chapters have a medium length, and the pages just flew by for me. The ending rounded the story very nicely, and I truly hope to read more books with this very intriguing character duo.
So, to conclude, if you are looking for a thriller with different, diverse characters, that are complex and intriguing, this book is for you! The narrative started quite slow, but it allowed to get to know Cassie better, and the rest of the story truly had me engrossed. I enjoyed this thriller, and especially the characters, and I hope you will give this book a try. I think everyone needs to meet Cassie. 🙂 I hope you will like it as much as I did.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Sep 6, 2018
The Pacings (2 more)
The Plot
The Characters
A Great Read!
I forgot how I came across One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, but I'm really glad I did. This story pulled me in right from the start and never let go!
The pacing for One of Us Is Lying is fantastic. I was fully immersed in the story as soon as I read the first sentence. Never did the pacing falter. It was quick and enjoyable. This was one of those books where I wished real life could have left me alone so I could have finished it in one sitting.
I found the plot for One of Us Is Lying to be very interesting. I enjoyed how it kind of felt like The Breakfast Club movie, but it was much much more interesting. It was good to see a group of kids from different backgrounds coming together instead of blaming each other for once. Usually in young adult novels, there's so much bickering. That wasn't the case in One of Us Is Lying. There are a few plot twists. I did figure out who the murderer was very early in the book. I felt like it was kind of obvious. However, there was one major plot twist I didn't predict. I feel like this book does tie up all loose ends.
The world building was done very well. I thought the author, Karen M. McManus, did a great job in writing about a high school setting as well as a criminal setting. Everything felt very real. I felt like I was one of the teens being accused of murder. Everything felt personal to me which is definitely a good thing. I've never been interrogated by the police, but McManus made me feel like I was in the interrogation room each time was of the teens was questioned. I can't fault the world building one bit. It is solid.
I loved the characters in One of Us is Lying. I also loved how diverse a lot of the characters were. I think my favorite character, overall, was Cooper. Maybe it's because we're both southern, but I just loved him. He seemed so caring and sweet. I also enjoyed the other characters of Nate, Bronwyn, and Addy as well. It was nice to see the homecoming princess as not just a one dimensional person. All of the characters were thoroughly fleshed out. Character development was spot on.
Trigger warnings include death, drugs, some violence, and swearing.
All in all, One of Us Is Lying was such a fantastic read. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. It's got a great cast of characters, an interesting plot, and the world building is fantastic. I would definitely recommend One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus to everyone aged 14+.
The pacing for One of Us Is Lying is fantastic. I was fully immersed in the story as soon as I read the first sentence. Never did the pacing falter. It was quick and enjoyable. This was one of those books where I wished real life could have left me alone so I could have finished it in one sitting.
I found the plot for One of Us Is Lying to be very interesting. I enjoyed how it kind of felt like The Breakfast Club movie, but it was much much more interesting. It was good to see a group of kids from different backgrounds coming together instead of blaming each other for once. Usually in young adult novels, there's so much bickering. That wasn't the case in One of Us Is Lying. There are a few plot twists. I did figure out who the murderer was very early in the book. I felt like it was kind of obvious. However, there was one major plot twist I didn't predict. I feel like this book does tie up all loose ends.
The world building was done very well. I thought the author, Karen M. McManus, did a great job in writing about a high school setting as well as a criminal setting. Everything felt very real. I felt like I was one of the teens being accused of murder. Everything felt personal to me which is definitely a good thing. I've never been interrogated by the police, but McManus made me feel like I was in the interrogation room each time was of the teens was questioned. I can't fault the world building one bit. It is solid.
I loved the characters in One of Us is Lying. I also loved how diverse a lot of the characters were. I think my favorite character, overall, was Cooper. Maybe it's because we're both southern, but I just loved him. He seemed so caring and sweet. I also enjoyed the other characters of Nate, Bronwyn, and Addy as well. It was nice to see the homecoming princess as not just a one dimensional person. All of the characters were thoroughly fleshed out. Character development was spot on.
Trigger warnings include death, drugs, some violence, and swearing.
All in all, One of Us Is Lying was such a fantastic read. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. It's got a great cast of characters, an interesting plot, and the world building is fantastic. I would definitely recommend One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus to everyone aged 14+.
The Gambler: How Penniless Dropout Kirk Kerkorian Became the Greatest Deal Maker in Capitalist History
Book
The rags-to-riches story of one of America’s wealthiest and least-known financial giants,...
biography business
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Weight of Shadows (Shadow Series #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The description above, does not do the justice to this book, there is so much more to it than it is given away in the blurb.
One thing for sure about this book, it is not boring. The book begins by introducing characters, and you should pay attention, because there is a vast amount of them. In the beginning, I was confused of who belonged were, but as I continued reading this book, it all made sense. These 300 pages are filled with action, robberies, murders, kidnapping, police investigations and of course, Ukrainian Mafia. And believe it or not, everything is entangled so masterfully that it makes one huge, great crime mystery.
The characters chosen for this book are very diverse, intriguing and complex. The book covers period of six days and it is unbelievable what can happen in that period of time. I, personally, could not choose my favourite character in this book, because there were too many great personalities. This novel was told from multiple perspectives, and it allowed to get to know the characters better, and made the book more interesting for the reader. I do like books, which are set in London, and I really enjoyed the detailed knowledge of this city, which Holton shared in the book. It just somehow warms my heart and makes it more realistic.
I really enjoyed how fast paced this book’s narrative was. Every chapter gives a different character’s story, so it was a real page turner for me, as I wanted to find out, what happened to other characters. There were a lot of twists and turns in this novel, however, some of the parts were quite obvious, and it annoyed me that those great detectives couldn’t figure out some of the things quicker. This novel is a debut for Holton, but in the prologue chapter, there is an incredibly interesting character mentioned, where it feels like this is a second book in the series, and I honestly hope that one day there will be a book about the “skin artist” and that investigation.
The writing style was pleasurable to read with easy and understandable language . I loved the short chapters of this book, and it was fast paced and indulging read. I should mention, that there are murders, blood and violence in this book, so it is not suitable for people with weak nerves. The ending of this book has very unexpected twist and a cliff hanger, which is driving me mad, but otherwise it gives a satisfactory ending for this part of the series. So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this book, because it has riveting, complex variety of characters, and the plot is masterfully twisted making it an indulging, fast paced book, which deserves to be read. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Was given this book by author for honest review.
One thing for sure about this book, it is not boring. The book begins by introducing characters, and you should pay attention, because there is a vast amount of them. In the beginning, I was confused of who belonged were, but as I continued reading this book, it all made sense. These 300 pages are filled with action, robberies, murders, kidnapping, police investigations and of course, Ukrainian Mafia. And believe it or not, everything is entangled so masterfully that it makes one huge, great crime mystery.
The characters chosen for this book are very diverse, intriguing and complex. The book covers period of six days and it is unbelievable what can happen in that period of time. I, personally, could not choose my favourite character in this book, because there were too many great personalities. This novel was told from multiple perspectives, and it allowed to get to know the characters better, and made the book more interesting for the reader. I do like books, which are set in London, and I really enjoyed the detailed knowledge of this city, which Holton shared in the book. It just somehow warms my heart and makes it more realistic.
I really enjoyed how fast paced this book’s narrative was. Every chapter gives a different character’s story, so it was a real page turner for me, as I wanted to find out, what happened to other characters. There were a lot of twists and turns in this novel, however, some of the parts were quite obvious, and it annoyed me that those great detectives couldn’t figure out some of the things quicker. This novel is a debut for Holton, but in the prologue chapter, there is an incredibly interesting character mentioned, where it feels like this is a second book in the series, and I honestly hope that one day there will be a book about the “skin artist” and that investigation.
The writing style was pleasurable to read with easy and understandable language . I loved the short chapters of this book, and it was fast paced and indulging read. I should mention, that there are murders, blood and violence in this book, so it is not suitable for people with weak nerves. The ending of this book has very unexpected twist and a cliff hanger, which is driving me mad, but otherwise it gives a satisfactory ending for this part of the series. So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this book, because it has riveting, complex variety of characters, and the plot is masterfully twisted making it an indulging, fast paced book, which deserves to be read. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Was given this book by author for honest review.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Leopard at the Door in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews at https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
My favourite genre to read normally is mystery, crime or thrillers, but I try to choose different genres from time to time. I need to rest from investigations and murders, that’s where historical fiction, YA and other books come in. This book is no exception; I needed something to clear my mind, and it really done the job.
Let me begin by saying, that I loved the environment used in this book. Author portrayed the surroundings and places in this book with great detail, and made me actually feel the African spirit. So, all her travels through Africa, really helped her to describe what she felt to the reader.
The main character in this book was Rachel, and she was the one to share her life with a reader. This novel had a huge variety of very diverse characters, some of them positive and dear to the heart, and some of them really negative, which made me really angry about them. Unfortunately, I did not have any favourite character in this book, as I felt they were not fully developed and opened up to the reader. I would’ve liked to read different perspectives and have more insight into different personalities. Even though I really tried to like Rachel’s rebellious views and kind heart, I think some of her decisions were really silly and disappointing.
The narrative of this novel starts in 1952, when British Empire is on a verge of collapsing, and Kenya wishes its independence. I absolutely adored all the details about Mau Mau, their ideology and ways of action. I loved Michael’s thoughts about war and his country’s independence. I think, this book was really well researched and the whole spirit of the book was shared just gorgeously. The whole story was flowing very smoothly, with some turns and twists, which kept me interested. There was a great love story going on in this book, but I would’ve liked it to be a bit more passionate than it was. Author discussed some interesting topics in this book, such as: Life after mother’s death and relationship with a stepmother; feelings, when you don’t have anyone to turn to; love and betrayal.
The writing style of this novel was not difficult to read, but it contains some African words, which were explained at the end of the book. (If you read it on Kindle, it’s not very helpful) The chapters of this book have decent length, but it might drag a little, because there is not much action going on in this novel. The ending was quite interesting and done the justice to the book and Rachel, but still left me questioning about “What happened to Michael?” So, overall, I actually enjoyed this story of wish for independence, unexpected love, family difficulties and betrayal, and I would recommend immersing yourself into this beautiful Kenyan setting.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
My favourite genre to read normally is mystery, crime or thrillers, but I try to choose different genres from time to time. I need to rest from investigations and murders, that’s where historical fiction, YA and other books come in. This book is no exception; I needed something to clear my mind, and it really done the job.
Let me begin by saying, that I loved the environment used in this book. Author portrayed the surroundings and places in this book with great detail, and made me actually feel the African spirit. So, all her travels through Africa, really helped her to describe what she felt to the reader.
The main character in this book was Rachel, and she was the one to share her life with a reader. This novel had a huge variety of very diverse characters, some of them positive and dear to the heart, and some of them really negative, which made me really angry about them. Unfortunately, I did not have any favourite character in this book, as I felt they were not fully developed and opened up to the reader. I would’ve liked to read different perspectives and have more insight into different personalities. Even though I really tried to like Rachel’s rebellious views and kind heart, I think some of her decisions were really silly and disappointing.
The narrative of this novel starts in 1952, when British Empire is on a verge of collapsing, and Kenya wishes its independence. I absolutely adored all the details about Mau Mau, their ideology and ways of action. I loved Michael’s thoughts about war and his country’s independence. I think, this book was really well researched and the whole spirit of the book was shared just gorgeously. The whole story was flowing very smoothly, with some turns and twists, which kept me interested. There was a great love story going on in this book, but I would’ve liked it to be a bit more passionate than it was. Author discussed some interesting topics in this book, such as: Life after mother’s death and relationship with a stepmother; feelings, when you don’t have anyone to turn to; love and betrayal.
The writing style of this novel was not difficult to read, but it contains some African words, which were explained at the end of the book. (If you read it on Kindle, it’s not very helpful) The chapters of this book have decent length, but it might drag a little, because there is not much action going on in this novel. The ending was quite interesting and done the justice to the book and Rachel, but still left me questioning about “What happened to Michael?” So, overall, I actually enjoyed this story of wish for independence, unexpected love, family difficulties and betrayal, and I would recommend immersing yourself into this beautiful Kenyan setting.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
Global Teams: How the Best Teams Achieve High Performance
Book
Working for a matrix international organisation, with its ensuing diverse global teams, based in a...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Hush Little Baby in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews can be found on https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
This is one of those books which left me confused, whether I liked it or not. I read the name of this book and the blurb, and was ready for some great mystery, maybe some horror; unfortunately, I did not get any of it… What I got, was incredibly strong and interesting characters.
The narrative of this book was told by Sally, Richard and Martha. They are a family; Richard married Sally after having an affair with her, and they took in Martha - Richard’s daughter from first marriage. After night out, Sally is woken up by her husband and whimpering ten month old Oliver, who’s hand has been broken. And that’s where this family’s drama begins. Oliver is taken away by social services and this family has to prove that they didn’t (or did?) break his arm. As the pages are turned, the book unfolds some unexpected discoveries, which changes the events in this book.
I think that the base of this book, which kept me going, was the characters. Their thoughts, which were expressed in this book, are so intriguing and too realistic. I loved the way Sally was telling her story as mistress, and how she seduced Richard. I really enjoyed Richard’s perspective in this book. He is very straight forward man, and I enjoyed reading his amusing thoughts in this book. Martha is a teenage spirit in this novel, sharing her story as a child, who is trying to adjust in her new family, and what difficulties she is facing. Even though, Oliver shows up very rarely in this book, the whole story mainly spins around Oliver and all the motherly/ fatherly love for him. Sally and Richard describe how their lives were going on before Oliver was born, and what happened to their relationship after the birth.
I wasn’t very impressed with narrative of this book, I think it kind of plodded along with few twists, and the main reason I kept reading was, the wish to find out who actually broke Oliver’s arm. Joanna Barnard discussed some serious topics in this novel, such as: what parents have to go through, when they are accused of child abuse; reasons for eating disorders and self harm; relationship problems.
The writing style of this book was very addictive, the pages just turn themselves, and I finished this book quite quickly. I think that was influenced by short chapters, easy language, and very absorbing characters. There is plenty of motherly love in this book, which made me roll my eyes, as I am not very big fan when it gets repeated over and over again. The ending of this book rounded up the story nicely, giving well deserved conclusion to this book. So to conclude, it is a family drama with very strong, diverse and realistic characters, filled with parental love and difficult relationships. If you are into these kinds of things, give this book a try and I hope you will enjoy.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
This is one of those books which left me confused, whether I liked it or not. I read the name of this book and the blurb, and was ready for some great mystery, maybe some horror; unfortunately, I did not get any of it… What I got, was incredibly strong and interesting characters.
The narrative of this book was told by Sally, Richard and Martha. They are a family; Richard married Sally after having an affair with her, and they took in Martha - Richard’s daughter from first marriage. After night out, Sally is woken up by her husband and whimpering ten month old Oliver, who’s hand has been broken. And that’s where this family’s drama begins. Oliver is taken away by social services and this family has to prove that they didn’t (or did?) break his arm. As the pages are turned, the book unfolds some unexpected discoveries, which changes the events in this book.
I think that the base of this book, which kept me going, was the characters. Their thoughts, which were expressed in this book, are so intriguing and too realistic. I loved the way Sally was telling her story as mistress, and how she seduced Richard. I really enjoyed Richard’s perspective in this book. He is very straight forward man, and I enjoyed reading his amusing thoughts in this book. Martha is a teenage spirit in this novel, sharing her story as a child, who is trying to adjust in her new family, and what difficulties she is facing. Even though, Oliver shows up very rarely in this book, the whole story mainly spins around Oliver and all the motherly/ fatherly love for him. Sally and Richard describe how their lives were going on before Oliver was born, and what happened to their relationship after the birth.
I wasn’t very impressed with narrative of this book, I think it kind of plodded along with few twists, and the main reason I kept reading was, the wish to find out who actually broke Oliver’s arm. Joanna Barnard discussed some serious topics in this novel, such as: what parents have to go through, when they are accused of child abuse; reasons for eating disorders and self harm; relationship problems.
The writing style of this book was very addictive, the pages just turn themselves, and I finished this book quite quickly. I think that was influenced by short chapters, easy language, and very absorbing characters. There is plenty of motherly love in this book, which made me roll my eyes, as I am not very big fan when it gets repeated over and over again. The ending of this book rounded up the story nicely, giving well deserved conclusion to this book. So to conclude, it is a family drama with very strong, diverse and realistic characters, filled with parental love and difficult relationships. If you are into these kinds of things, give this book a try and I hope you will enjoy.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.