Once Upon a Wardrobe- Book Review

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan

Publication Date: 19th Oct 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction 

4.5 Stars 

Megs Devonshire loves mathematics, equations, and physics. She finds it comforting and exhilarating to solve a problem and know that there’s only one correct answer to the question. She’s a student on a scholarship at Oxford. 

George is her eight-year-old brother with a weak heart and a lively spirit. He knows the limitations of his health and finds pleasure in escaping to the fantasy lands of the books. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C S Lewis, has enchanted George, and the kid asks his loving elder sister to help find an answer to his simple question- Where did Narnia come from?

“With stories, I can see with other eyes, imagine with other imaginations, feel with other hearts, as well as with my own. Stories aren’t equations.”

Megs is not sure if she can go and ask Lewis the question. But she finds a way for her brother. After all, she’ll do anything she can to give him what he wants. 

But Jack Lewis and his brother aren’t the ones to provide straightforward answers. Instead, he tells her about his childhood and life, asking her to listen and share them with her little brother. Megs is frustrated but has no choice but to agree. 

As Jack continues with his tales, Megs understands what he intends. He wants her to look at the world from a different lens. The world doesn’t fit into mathematical equations, and Megs realizes that it’s a futile attempt. 

“The way stories change us can’t be explained,” Padraig says. “It can only be felt. Like love.”

Maybe there’s more to life than maths and physics. Maybe imagination, stories, and equations are not opposites. Maybe stories and science can co-exist and actually complement each other. 

George embraces the stories with eagerness, and Megs is still conflicted about whether she should give equal importance to the imagination. Yet, she can’t help but feel hope blooming inside her. Can she wish for a miracle? 

This is my first book by the author, and I can say for sure that I love her prose. As someone who wants strong imagery in stories but without a thesaurus, I’m always delighted when an author paints a vivid scene using simple words. 

The story is warm with a constant undertone of melancholy. We know what could happen by the end of the book. Still, we can’t help but hope. There is pain, death, fear, and sadness. However, overpowering these emotions is the strong presence of love. Love in all its glorious forms. 

It’s been a while since a book moved me as much as this did. So much that I even marked a few favorite quotes (an old forgotten habit of mine). 

I’m so glad that I requested this book. It fills my heart with warmth even though there’s enough pain. Tears blurred my vision more than once, and I had to stop reading to take a couple of deep breaths. It’s been so long since a book did that to me! 

“There is a light, a bright lantern light where all stories begin and end.”

To Sum Up, Once Upon a Wardrobe is a beautiful book that takes us to Worcestershire, Oxford, Ireland, and the distant lands of magic and myth. This is a book I’ll recommend to bookworms, storytellers, and just about everyone. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harper Muse. 

#NetGalley #OnceUponaWardrobe 

******

TW: Death of a sibling  

P.S: Before anyone asks, the 0.5 deduction was for the (abundance of) adverbs. 

The Couple Upstairs- Book Review

The Couple Upstairs by Shalini Boland

Publication Date: 13th Sep 2021
Genre: Thriller, Drama 

3.7 Stars 

Nina and Zac move into a ground floor flat in Mistletoe Lane. The house is charming and near a beach, a perfect choice to settle down and grow roots, Nina feels. The couple has been in a relationship for five years and considers this move a way to add to their happy relationship. 

Zac is busy with his plumbing business, and Nina is running an online fashion store. They interact a little with the neighbors, and life seems to go on fine more or less. However, the couple upstairs causes mixed feelings in Nina. Why is Chris always rude? Why doesn’t Vanessa talk much? What are those sounds in the middle of the night? Why can’t Zac see what she notices? 

As if that’s not enough, her business starts to collapse. Bad reviews are affecting sales, and the arguments between Zac and Nina have escalated. Someone is doing this on purpose. But who and why? What do they get by ruining Nina and Zac’s lives? 

The premise was intriguing, and the story maintains a good pace. There were quite a few characters introduced, and not all of them are important. Since the note down the names, it wasn’t an issue to remember who was who. 

Though I wasn’t thinking of the twist, I figured it out pretty soon. The ‘why’ was a mystery, though I had a slight inkling. It was fun to read and discover that my guess was right, even if the reason seemed a little too far-fetched and melodramatic. But then, people do all kinds of things, and worse has happened in real life. 

The author did a good job of keeping my interest intact. However, the reveal and the subsequent drama fell flat to me. It was over too soon, followed by a lengthy summary of the events. The solid buildup went for a toss here. 

I also have a few issues with Nina and Zac’s relationship. Yeah, the book is narrated by Nina, and I’m bound to take her side. But it did seem like Zac wasn’t really worth all the stress, and he sure didn’t handle things well (despite being matured). 

Considering these issues, the rating fell to 3.5. Still, I could finish it sooner than planned, and the story didn’t feel boring anywhere. So that’s plus 0.2 stars. 

I remember reading The Wife by the author and thought that ending diluted the book. Looks like the same has happened here (at least for me). Some readers loved the ending, so likely that I’m the odd one out (won’t be a first). 

To sum up, The Couple Upstairs is a decent thriller with a great pace and light twists. Don’t worry about figuring things out in advance. The story is still gripping enough to keep you interested. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture. 

#NetGalley #TheCoupleUpstairs 

My Heart Went Walking- Book Review

My Heart Went Walking by Sally Hanan 

Publication Date: 5th Feb 2022
Genre: Women’s Fiction 

4 Stars 

The story is set in Ireland during the ‘80s, where things were changing and yet the same. It’s about family, friendships, love, loss, decisions, and acceptance. 

Una has a decision to make at a young age, and she does what she feels is the best. She runs away from home to make a new life with people who become her new family. Yet, she feels the pain of staying away from her family and loved ones. 

Then comes a situation where she has to go back, and secrets need to come out before people move ahead. How does it change Una’s life? Will she find what she’s looking for? 

My Heart Went Walking is a debut novel firmly rooted in the Irish culture. The narration is much like the dialogue or thought, with a focus on emotions and actions. 

The story spans over 2-3 years. We see how the lives of the people involved keep changing over time. The book has three POVs- Una, her sister Ellie, and their love Cullen. 

All three of them are teens, and hence the tone has a sense of similarity. However, they are different people. I loved Una’s voice throughout the book, and Ellie’s in the second half. They grow up through the story, and that makes them more real. 

Ellie is a sweet and loving sister- someone hard to hate even if you root for Una. She has more grit and compassion than one would expect from her and deserves a mention. 

I wished the other main character (unnamed to avoid spoilers) had more space, at least towards the end. That person enriched the story but was left on the sidelines. 

One reason I read books set in Ireland and Scotland is to enjoy the descriptions of the landscape. This book doesn’t have any of it. Of course, to include it would mean the author would have to change the entire narrative style (not a feasible option). The story works with this narration, and I can’t blame the author for my expectations. 

I finished the book in two days (you can finish it in one sitting if you have the time) though the second half is a bit heavier than the first. A special thanks to the author for including the pronunciations of the names on the first page of the book. 

To sum up, My Heart Went Walking is indeed a heartwarming story of finding that love has a way of changing our lives in the most unexpected ways and understanding that families will always matter. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Fire Drinkers Publishing.

#NetGalley #MyHeartWentWalking 

The Lighthouse Witches- Book Review

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

Publication Date: 30th Sep 2021
Genre: Paranormal Mystery 

4 Stars 

Liv, a single mother, reaches a remote Scottish island with her three girls. She’s commissioned to paint a mural inside a lighthouse. Called The Longing, the lighthouse has a dark history that still haunts the islanders. 

Strange incidents disturb their lives, and things go for the worse when two of the girls are missing. Saffy, the 15 yo sulking teen, disappears, followed by the youngest daughter Clover. Only Luna is with her mother, but things are far from normal. 

Twenty-two years later, Luna is pregnant, living with her boyfriend. She has a vague memory of her past and has no idea what happened to her mother or two sisters. She is still searching for the sisters, and one day an unexpected call takes her to an injured Clover. 

Luna is shocked beyond belief when she sees Clover at the same age when she disappeared. How is it possible that the girl hasn't aged? Is the little girl really Clover? For Luna to know the truth, she has to go back to the same place where it began. Can Luna do it? Can she risk everything to uncover the past? 

The Lighthouse Witches is told in three timelines and from three POVs- Liv in 1998, Saffy (third person) in 1998, and Luna (third person) in 2021. We also have another POV in the form of a book (grimoire) with incidents from the past connected to the events in 1998 and 2021. 

Nowhere does the book get confusing or complicated despite such intricate narration. The story flows quite well from start to finish, though it drags a little in the second half. The witch hunt of Scotland was one of the biggest events where women were burned at stake. However, there is very little known about the incidents. 

The book highlights these atrocities while showing how fear and hysteria make people commit horrible crimes. The islanders suffer a similar fear they never bothered to investigate. We also see the vulnerability of a teen from a broken family and how it changes her life. 

The atmosphere is fantastic, especially in past timelines, and suits the paranormal mystery theme. 

Coming to the characters, I’m not sure what to say. Liv sure wasn’t supposed to be perfect, but she somehow didn’t make the kind of impact she should. I understand her position. Being an artist with no permanent job and three kids to manage is no joke. Bills don’t pay themselves. Still, her character seemed more like a catalyst that kept the story moving, and there was one major reveal that rather disappointed me (not revealing spoilers here). 

Saffy was explored very well and an angsty teen. Luna was more or less easy to understand. No matter her lack of memory and nightmares, her family came first. 

Where the book gained points was suspense. It was difficult to guess the reason for the events that were connected across the centuries. The reveal was phased for each character in a way to bring it all together at the end. I really liked how the author handled this. 

A few things remain unexplained, but that’s fine too. The major explanations stretched a little extra, and adding any more would have dampened the ending. 

The author's note is detailed and gave me a better closure than the story itself. 

To sum up, The Lighthouse Witches is an intriguing read with steady suspense and atmosphere if you ignore the minor bumps on the way. It’s a book worth reading. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK.

#TheLighthouseWitches #NetGalley

****

P.S: This cover is perfect for the book. 

Behind the Veil- Book Review

Behind the Veil by E.J. Dawson

Publication Date: 1st Oct 2021
Genre: Horror, Historical, American

4 Stars

1920, Los Angeles: Letitia Hawking has sailed from England a few months ago to bury her past and lead a new life. She spends her days traversing the path between the living and dead. Her clients want some closure after their loved ones die, and Letitia offers them that. However, she is genuine material with strong powers and has strict rules about what cases she would take up and which she wouldn’t.

Alasdair Driscoll is tormented. His niece Finola has been seeing horrible things, and none of them know how to save her. Letitia is annoyed by his rude approach and terrified by the dark shadow haunting him. She doesn’t want to tangle with shadows again.

But she decides to take a step forward and help Finola. The girl needed saving, and Letitia could at least try and prevent the girl from being further tortured.

Time moves on, and before she knows it, Letitia is in the middle of a criminal case for helping a grieving father. Driscoll and his lawyering services come to her aid. Undecided about the growing attraction between them, Letitia is rather torn about what to do.

However, things take a turn for worse, and Letitia realizes that she needs to open the closed part of her if she wants to defeat the malicious shadow that’s hurting little kids. But is she strong enough to venture into a territory she swore never to enter? Will she succumb as she did the last time? What price does Letitia have to pay for interfering with the presence of evil?

The book starts on a steady note and progresses quite well. The setting is atmospheric, with a few lighthearted scenes added to the mix.

Letitia’s character has been crafted with care. She has her insecurities and vulnerabilities but is assertive and authoritative when required. Alasdair starts out as a rich rude man but shows his good side soon enough.

I think Abby was that one character I wasn’t too happy with. Her reactions were unexpected and either too demure or too excessive. Luckily, she doesn’t have a major role, and I could ignore most of it.

The final confrontation scene stretched over a good number of pages, and that worked in the story’s favor (at least for me). Of course, the ending could have been better though there is HEA. That complication felt unnecessary and seemed like it was used to tick off a trope from the list.

As a horror story, the book does very well and balances atmosphere with action, and is suitable for newbie horror readers. The author didn’t opt for explicit gore even though she could have done it. I appreciate this move as it made the book a better read.

To sum up, Behind the Veil is an engaging read with a steady pace and a good storyline. It’s nothing unusual or unique, but the overall effect is satisfactory, and that matters to me.

The book comes with content warnings. That said, the author doesn’t use any graphic descriptions. The themes, however, might trigger a few readers. Please read with caution. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and BooksGoSocial.

#BehindTheVeil #NetGalley

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos- Book Review

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-help

3.3 Stars 

Disclaimer: I am not the target audience for the book. I’ve read it because it was sent to me by the review club. I’ve never been a fan of self-help books, and my opinion remains unchanged. 

***

12 Rules for Life offers just what it claims in the title and much more. The author is a professor of psychology and a clinical psychologist. He mentions how the idea of writing the book (by compiling his answers on Quora) came when a literary agent suggested it. 

The book is more than 400 pages long with 200+ footnotes and not to mention a bundle of references at the end. The author deals with each rule in detail. There are frequent references to Bible, religion, and at times, other religions. 

He also talks about animals, evolution, human nature (obviously!), and situations from his life. I liked the dry humor in bits and pieces, though the overall tone (that’s exclusive to self-help books) bored me quite a bit. 

The rules I liked were the ones that deal with friends and kids. He uses his personal and professional experiences to explain, and that made them interesting. My personal opinions aside, I liked how he put across his ideas for these. 

The other two that caught my attention were about listening, being precise in speech (irony, I know), and not bothering kids when they are skateboarding. 

I did skim through some reviews on Goodreads when I received the book and saw that a few readers were triggered. Halfway through the book, I could see why. If only he emphasized more on it without leaning on Bible and the Testaments! It’s almost as if the first half and second half of the book don’t match. 

Maybe the book could have been made into three books- 

one to talk about the rules for life in a precise manner, 

one to compare religion and life at large, 

and the last book to analyze communism, socialism, and of course, trigger some of the crowd. 

Wouldn’t that have been a treat to read? Each book could be picked up by the respective target audience. 

I got pretty bored of the first half and would have DNF’d the book if it wasn’t a mandatory read. The second half is almost redeeming. But still, I’d rather read the next half directly without going through all of the previous stuff. 

Two quotes I loved from the book-

“Don’t hide baby monsters under the carpet.” 

“Because too agreeable people bend over backwards for other people, they do not stand up properly for themselves.”

He goes on to say how this attitude makes them resent others and the world at large for not understanding them and their sacrifices. Makes sense to me, more so because I’ve seen such people in real life. They drain your energy real quick! 

To sum up, I enjoyed the book better than what I expected when I started it. The book did give me a few points to think about, so that’s something for sure. The rating went from 2 to 3.3 stars for the same reason. 

People frowning and smirking at my review (rant) are likely to enjoy the book a lot more. Don’t listen to me to make your decision (as you would have already summarized). Go ahead and give it a shot. You might love it. Who knows! 

I received a review copy from Indic Academy and Indic Book Club. This review is posted as a part of the Thousand Reviewers Club. 

***

P.S: Can Penguin please use a larger print next time to save readers’ eyes?

Garden of Sins- Book Review

Garden of Sins by Laura Joh Rowland 

A Victorian Mystery, Book 6

Publication Date: 11th Jan 2022
Genre: Historical Crime Fiction 

3.8 Stars 

Garden of Sins brings the famous photojournalist Sarah and her police officer husband, Barrett, back into action. This time, Sarah has more than her hands full with her father’s trial (a cold case), her sister’s anger as Sarah is still doubtful about her father’s innocence, the death of a stranger, the mysterious events at Cremorne Gardens, and the trouble in her newly married life.

It’s too much to handle at once, but Sarah knows she has to do what she always did- tackle things head-on and trust her instincts. 

With danger and mistrust surrounding her, can Sarah come out victorious and save her marriage? 

I directly read book 5 last year and enjoyed the unconventional heroine from the Victorian era. The book doesn’t deal with nobles and balls but rather with the common folk. Though the language seems a bit too modern at times, I don’t mind it much. 

Book 6 brings a sort of closure to a couple of sidetracks from book 5. While the previous book wasn’t that hard to read and understand as a standalone, this one is different. It might seem too vague and messy without book 5 to support the storylines of-

• Sarah’s father’s trial
• The triangle of Sarah-Barrett-Jane

Both these have been more or less resolved in this book. The father’s trail is sorted (no spoilers) with a new twist that seems a bit too convenient. 

The actual case of the book is centered on the illegal activities in the seedy pleasure park called the Cremorne Gardens. The case involves even the royalty, and we cannot expect the expected outcome in such instances, can we? (Yeah, that’s me trying to avoid spoilers) 

Hugh is still recovering from his injury and heartbreak (ref: book 5). Mick and Anjali are more than friends, but Sarah is rightly worried about how it would affect the two. After all, they are still so young. 

I guess we can do without the mandatory sex scene between the lead couple just for the sake of it. 🙄

The book progresses at a steady pace, and the climax has good action scenes. The mystery element isn’t the strength of the book. The characters are, and that’s where the knowledge of the previous book ensured that I enjoyed this one. 

The author will have to come up with a new sidetrack for the next in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading that one (though I need to go back and finish books 1-4 in the meantime). 

To sum up, Garden of Sins is an interesting and engaging continuation of the Portrait of Peril. I’m not sure it’ll hold the readers’ interest as a standalone despite the backstory provided in bits and pieces. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. 

#GardenofSins #NetGalley