The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar

SYNOPSIS

Through letters with a famous author, one French librarian tells her love story and describes the brutal Nazi occupation of her small coastal village.

Saint-Malo, France: August 1938. Jocelyn and Antoine are childhood sweethearts, but just after they marry and are hoping for a child, Antoine is called up to fight against Germany. As the war rages, Jocelyn focuses on comforting and encouraging the local population by recommending books from her beloved library in Saint-Malo. She herself finds hope in her letters to a famous author.

After the French capitulation, the Nazis occupy the town and turn it into a fortress to control the north of French Brittany. Residents try passive resistance, but the German commander ruthlessly purges part of the city’s libraries to destroy any potentially subversive writings. At great risk to herself, Jocelyn manages to hide some of the books while waiting to receive news from Antoine, who has been taken to a German prison camp.

What unfolds in her letters is Jocelyn’s description of her mission: to protect the people of Saint-Malo and the books they hold so dear. With prose both sweeping and romantic, Mario Escobar brings to life the occupied city and re-creates the history of those who sacrificed all to care for the people they loved.

MY THOUGHTS

MY RATING- ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“𝐌𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.”
Saint-Malo is a small village in France. It was a heart-wrenching story which revolves around Jocelyn Ferrac who is a librarian in Saint-Malo. She describes various events that took place during WWII in the form of letters to her favourite author. The day she got married to Antoine, the Germans attacked Poland and plunged the world into a merciless war. The characters in the story felt so real and I could feel as if all the characters are a part of my life. After their marriage, Jocelyn comes to know that she has tuberculosis and due to war, Antoine is called up to go for the war.

“𝐌𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞: 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝.”
I could relate with Jocelyn to a great extent because she stood strong throughout the novel. Her husband, Antoine ws called up to fight but she was no less because when Germans were destroying French literature completely while on the other hand we have Jocelyn who tries her level best to preserve the French literature. She is one of those strong female protagonists who will never give up.

I was never into historical fiction but recently I have fallen in love with historical fiction and I would love to read more books from this genre. It took me a couple of days to finish this book and without any doubt this is one of the best books set during the time of WWII. It was definitely a thought provoking novel and I highly recommend this.

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The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He [Book Tour]

SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK

Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, beyond the horizon, she has a sister named Kay. Determined to find her, Cee devotes her days to building a boat from junk parts scavenged inland, doing everything in her power to survive until the day she gets off the island and reunites with her sister.

In a world apart, 16-year-old STEM prodigy Kasey Mizuhara is also living a life of isolation. The eco-city she calls home is one of eight levitating around the world, built for people who protected the planet―and now need protecting from it. With natural disasters on the rise due to climate change, eco-cities provide clean air, water, and shelter. Their residents, in exchange, must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible to reduce their environmental footprint. While Kasey, an introvert and loner, doesn’t mind the lifestyle, her sister Celia hated it. Popular and lovable, Celia much preferred the outside world. But no one could have predicted that Celia would take a boat out to sea, never to return.

Now it’s been three months since Celia’s disappearance, and Kasey has given up hope. Logic says that her sister must be dead. But as the public decries her stance, she starts to second guess herself and decides to retrace Celia’s last steps. Where they’ll lead her, she does not know. Her sister was full of secrets. But Kasey has a secret of her own.

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

IndigoIndieBound

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joan He was born and raised in Philadelphia but still will, on occasion, lose her way. At a young age,she received classical instruction in oil painting before discovering that storytelling was her favorite form of expression. She studied Psychology and East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Pennsylvania and currently writes from a desk overlooking the Delaware River. Descendant of the Crane is her debut young adult fantasy.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞- Science Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery & Thriller, Fantasy

🌟𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙆 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒🌟

The story is told from two perspectives. Cee, who wakes up as an inhabitant three years ago and she has no idea why she ended up being there and how she got there. All she knows is that she has to find her sister Kasey. On the other hand, we have Kasey who lives in a city called “eco city” which is a floating city. The description of each and every thing was amazing.

I felt that the initial chapters were a bit confusing and for a moment I thought of DNFing this book but I am glad I did not because without any doubt, it was one of the best novels I have ever read. IT LITERALLY BLEW ME AWAY. The mysterious aspects associated with this book was just mind blowing and the twist was… I do not have enough words to express my feelings for this book. This book kept me on the edge of the seat throughout. I highly recommend this book not just to sci-fi readers but to everyone in general. While reading the book, I felt as if I am on a journey with both the characters and the description felt so real. I am definitely going to re-read it very soon. Another thing I loved the most about this book was that it was fast paced. I was able to finish more than 50% of the book in one sitting and to be honest, I could not sleep for days. I wish I could give this book all the stars in this world.

𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨- suicide, death, violence, parental death (off page), drowning, terminal illness,

𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬
➖The problem with oceans? They always seem smaller from the shore.
➖It was the perfect place for hiding secrets.
➖When I linger in the memory, though, the water around us trembles.

5 Books Every Capricorn should read

I’m assuming since you are here, YOU ARE A CAPRICORN (I am a Capricorn tooooo!!)

Are you hardworking? Are you dedicated towards what you do? Are you passionate about achieving your goals and feel like nothing in the world can stop you? Are you progressive? Do you feel you are workaholic and you can work for hours at a stretch and still won’t get tired? Then, believe me YOU ARE A TRUE CAPRICORN.

Capricorns are considered to be one of the most hardworking and down to earth signs who do not go on telling everyone about their plans rather they will get things done, achieve what they wanted to and then they might tell you.

Here are 5 books that I want every Capricorn to read at least once in their life.

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own darling child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

2. The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind.

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn’s happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father—Pikeville’s notorious defense attorney—devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, Charlotte has followed in her father’s footsteps to become a lawyer herself—the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again, and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized, Charlotte is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it’s a case that unleashes the terrible memories she’s spent so long trying to suppress–because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won’t stay buried forever. Packed with twists and turns, brimming with emotion and heart, The Good Daughter is fiction at its most thrilling. 

3. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.

4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

A coming-of-age tale of fanfiction, family, and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan…. But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words… and she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

5. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Convenience Store Woman is the heartwarming and surprising story of thirty-six-year-old Tokyo resident Keiko Furukura. Keiko has never fit in, neither in her family, nor in school, but when at the age of eighteen she begins working at the Hiiromachi branch of “Smile Mart,” she finds peace and purpose in her life. In the store, unlike anywhere else, she understands the rules of social interaction ― many are laid out line by line in the store’s manual ― and she does her best to copy the dress, mannerisms, and speech of her colleagues, playing the part of a “normal” person excellently, more or less. Managers come and go, but Keiko stays at the store for eighteen years. It’s almost hard to tell where the store ends and she begins. Keiko is very happy, but the people close to her, from her family to her coworkers, increasingly pressure her to find a husband, and to start a proper career, prompting her to take desperate action…
A brilliant depiction of an unusual psyche and a world hidden from view, Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.

WWW Wednesdays

Hello fellow Bookworms!! Today I’ll be doing WWW Wednesday. I have seen a lot of book bloggers doing this every Wednesday thta’s why I thought of doing it as well…

WWW Wednesday is all about What I last read, What I am currently reading and What I will be reading next.

WHAT I LAST READ

The last book I read was The Importance of Being Earnest. It was a re-read since I was going through a reading slump. I think that happened because of my internal examinations and presentations. But somehow I was able to overcome reading slump.

Oscar Wilde’s brilliant play makes fun of the English upper classes with light-hearted satire and dazzling humour. It is 1890’s England and two young gentlemen are being somewhat limited with the truth. To inject some excitement into their lives, Mr Worthing invents a brother, Earnest, as an excuse to leave his dull country life behind him to pursue the object of his desire, the ravishing Gwendolyn. While across town Algernon Montecrieff decides to take the name Earnest, when visiting Worthing’s young ward Cecily. The real fun and confusion begins when the two end up together and their deceptions are in danger of being revealed. 

WHAT I AM CURRENTLY READING

So, currently I’m reading What We Talk When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver. It is a collection of 13 short stories that talks about love, loss and companionship.

This powerful collection of stories, set in the mid-West among the lonely men and women who drink, fish and play cards to ease the passing of time, was the first by Raymond Carver to be published in the UK. With its spare, colloquial narration and razor-sharp sense of how people really communicate, the collection was to become one of the most influential literary works of the 1980s.

WHAT I AM PLANNING TO READ NEXT

The next book I am planning to read is Ruby Falls by Deborah Goodrich Royce. I got approved for the book on Netgally.

On a brilliantly sunny July day, six-year-old Ruby is abandoned by her father in the suffocating dark of a Tennessee cave. Twenty years later, transformed into soap opera star Eleanor Russell, she is fired under dubious circumstances. Fleeing to Europe, she marries a glamorous stranger named Orlando Montague and keeps her past closely hidden.

Together, Eleanor and Orlando start afresh in LA. Setting up house in a storybook cottage in the Hollywood Hills, Eleanor is cast in a dream role—the lead in a remake of Rebecca. As she immerses herself in that eerie gothic tale, Orlando’s personality changes, ghosts of her past re-emerge, and Eleanor fears she is not the only person in her marriage with a secret.

In this thrilling and twisty homage to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, the story ricochets through the streets of Los Angeles, a dangerous marriage to an exotic stranger, and the mind of a young woman whose past may not release her. 

What was the last book you read? What are you currently reading and What are you planning to read next?

Medicine Game By Delby Powless (Book Review)

MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK

The story revolves around Tommy Henry who goes through a lot of ups and downs in his life.
In the initial chapters, we get introduced to the Henrys’ and the beautiful emotions that resides within that family. Beau and Marian Henry (parents of Tommy Henry) come to know that their younger child James, who is four years old is suffering from a kind of cancer Leukemia.

Without revealing much about the story I would ask you to read it only if you’re not a person with a sensitive heart. Regardless of the small chapters, each chapter holds some or the other sort of emotions in it.

Friendship is a lifelong relationship and I must say that this novel portrays it really well. “Medicine Game” is a novel that brings a new meaning to the definition of friendship. I totally feel that this book is a treasure. The author was very well able to write the book in such a way that there are definitely parts that you’ll need to have your tissues handy for.

It was well thought out and amazing. The plot never truly stopped, it continued moving. It took me just a couple of days to finish this book and trust me this is worth a read! I feel that this review won’t be able to convey the thoughts or feeling that I hold for this book.
I would say this time and again that you need to read this book!! I highly recommend it.

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The Shadow Man by Helen Fields (Book Review)

SYNOPSIS

The brand new crime thriller from the bestselling author of the Perfect series – Helen Fields is back with her first stand-alone novel!

He collects his victims. But he doesn’t keep them safe.

Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier are locked in a flat. They don’t know where they are, and they don’t know why they’re there. They only know that the shadow man has taken them, and he won’t let them go.

Desperate to escape, the three of them must find a way out of their living hell, even if it means uncovering a very dark truth.

Because the shadow man isn’t a nightmare. He’s all too real.

And he’s watching.

MY THOUGHTS

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝗮𝗻 by 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚- Mystery/Thriller/Crime

I wish I could give this book all the stars in this world.

The story revolves around Dr. Connie Woolwine (Forensic Psychologist) who is working with Detective Brodie Baarda on the case of Elspeth Dunwoody who was being kidnapped in Edinburgh. Prior to her kidnapping, a murder also took place. After both these incidents, a 12-year-old also went missing.

Connie believes that all these events are associated since no ransom have been made. She clearly states that the person who is behind all these events have something else in his head.

It took me a couple of chapters to completely get into the book but later I realised that this was an ultimate page turner. One of those sleep-snatchers. I promise, once you will pick this book, you will quickly become addicted to this story and won’t be able to put it down.

It was engaging, it was mysterious and at times even moving… it was so so so so gooood.

I make a list of the Best books that are set in a particular country or city and no doubt I am going to add this title in “Best Books set in Scotland” simply because this book deserves all the love.

The Project by Courtney Summers (BOOK REVIEW)

SYNOPSIS

Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo’s sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there’s more to the group than meets the eye. She’s spent the last six years of her life trying—and failing—to prove it.

When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its leader, Lev Warren and as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can no longer tell what’s real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn’t know if she can afford not to. 

MY REVIEW

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 by 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚- Young Adult/Thriller

“𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔.”

The story revolves around two sisters- Lo and Bea Denham who lose their parents in a car accident. Lo was also a victim of the accident but she somehow manages to survive. While on the other hand, we have Bea who left the entire world behind (including her sister Lo) and joined The Unity Project. Basically, it is a group of people that everyone likes but Jo doesn’t. You know why?! Because this group is the only reason why Bea left Lo thereby breaking all the sisterly promises they made.

The rest of the story about how Lo uncovers the truth behind a death which is somehow or the other linked with this group.

It is a story of will power, manipulation and the bond that we get to see between the sisters.

The moment I finished this book, a lot of things were going inside my head. I felt as if I am living the life that the characters are living. I could feel how Lo and Bea must be feeling when they lost their parents in a car accident. It just took me two days to finish this book and ever since then I am recommending it to everyone.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺.

𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 BY 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙠𝙞 𝙈𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙢𝙞 (Book Review)

✨𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰✨
𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 BY 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙠𝙞 𝙈𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙢𝙞
𝐌𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
▪️
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞- Short Story/Japanese Literature/Magical Realism
𝐐𝐎𝐓𝐃- 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲’𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧?

Men without women is a collection of several short stories about men who are suffering from isolation due to the loss of women in their lives. Every story was different in its own way.

𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫 ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
It follows an actor who appoints the female driver in order to take him to the rehearsals. Initially, that in the journey can ever used to even talk to each other but gradually he reflects on his life about his wife and all the affairs she had before she died.

𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
“Yesterday is two days before tomorrow, The day after two days ago.”
The story follows two characters— Erika and Kitaru and its a journey of their relationship.

𝐀𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 ⭐️⭐️/5
The story follows Dr. Tokai who feels that “Women are all born with a special, Independent organ which allows them to lie.”

𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐝𝐞 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
It is a story about a man named Habara who is confined within his own house. Twice or thrice in a week, a woman comes to supply him food. The man in this story calls the women by the name ‘Scheherazade’. The lady tell various stories to Habara and he is always worried whether he’ll be able to see her again or not.

𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This story follows a man who opens a bar just to keep his mind distracted. He was continuously running away from the feeling that his wife broke up with him. He was hurt deep inside.
Why I gave this story 5 star?because I got magical realism vibes the most from this particular story.

𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
This story but somewhat similar to Franz Kafka’s— metamorphosis. It follows a boy who wake up one morning and found that you have turned into an insect.

𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
It’s a story about a man who receives a call in the middle of the night from his ex girlfriend’s husband who tells him that she has died.

The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah (BOOK REVIEW)

RATING- ★★★★★

GENRE- Contemporary, Literary Fiction

SYNOPSIS

The Beauty of Your Face is a profound and poignant exploration of one woman’s life in a nation at odds with its ideals.Afaf Rahman, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, is the principal of Nurrideen School for Girls, a Muslim school in the Chicago suburbs. One morning, a shooter―radicalized by the online alt-right―attacks the school.

As Afaf listens to his terrifying progress, we are swept back through her memories: the bigotry she faced as a child, her mother’s dreams of returning to Palestine, and the devastating disappearance of her older sister that tore her family apart. Still, there is the sweetness of the music from her father’s oud, and the hope and community Afaf finally finds in Islam.

MY REVIEW

>>The story opens with a shooting scene that is taking place at all-girl Muslim high school in Chicago, when Afaf hears the shooting she goes back to her childhood memories. Afaf takes us to a journey of her childhood days.She was an American born child of Palestinian immigrants along with an elder sister, Nada (seventeen-year- old) and a younger brother Majeed (seven-year-old). She used to live in a small house with her parents and siblings in Chicago.

>>But the whole family falls apart when Afaf’s elder sister, Nada, suddenly disappears from the house. The whole family struggled a lot after the disappearance of Nada. This incidence laid an impact on the lives of each character which was associated with Nada. Her mother started suffering from depression, Afaf’s life turned upside down and started losing her identity, her father became an alcoholic. Without revealing much about the story I would suggest you to read this book.

What I liked about the book

The story of the book was both plot and character driven. Although the story travels back and forth, still I was enjoying every bit of the story. It was complex and beautifully written. For me, It started off a little slowly, but the more I read the more I felt connected to the characters. I was drawn to this book because of the interesting blurb and I loved the story. I wish I could give all the stars to this book. 

𝗦𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗜 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 (REVIEW)

✨𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰✨
𝗦𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗜 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 BY 𝘼𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙠
𝐌𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
▪️
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞- Poetry
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭- 240

“𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬.”

Sorry I haven’t texted you back by Alicia Cook explores themes of depression, anxiety, heartbreak. I’ve a lot to say about the way she has put her feelings into words.
I am still astonished by the author’s understanding about what goes on in an individual’s mind when they are suffering from depression and anxiety.
Although I couldn’t connect to a couple of poems but I feel that there was something magical and powerful in the writing style.
The thing I liked the most about this book was that the poems were written in the form of tracks (Track 1, Track 2) and each track had a song associated with the poem. I’ve already added a couple of songs to my playlist.
I loved the concept of the book and I feel that both the sides (Side A and B) worked pretty well but I loved Side B more as compared to Side A.
I’ve written a couple of poems in my reading journal so that I could re-visit those beautiful lines again.
I’m sharing some of my favourite lines from the book—
🍂𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭,
𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦.
𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞.
🍂𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬.
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔s to Netgalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing and Alicia Cook 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠.