Books Reviews

Beautiful book, easy to follow patterns with great designs.

This story is set toward the end of WWII in Poland and what is now Ukraine and follows the dual perspective of two young people caught up in conflict and change. Maria is Polish and is making her way home after being kidnapped and sent to a German work camp for two and a half years. Kostya is part of the Ukrainian nationalist movement. They meet when Maria saves Kostya from being interrogated and killed by Russian soldiers. The Polish resistance and Ukrainian nationalists are enemies, but Maria needs Kostya's help when her older brother Tomek goes missing. Both are very sympathetic characters, having suffered so much terror and loss.
The story is well written, interesting and fast-paced with unrelenting suspense and tension. I could not put it down. There are many nationalities and factions involved, and I was grateful that an index and character directory were provided in the back of the book, to which I referred frequently. I liked learning about a part of WWII history which gets little to no attention in fiction.
It would have been helpful to have more historical context provided. The ending seemed abrupt, and I wanted the book to last a little more. The Silent Unseen is a powerful and sad, yet beautiful and hopeful story which makes the reader think about the futility and horror of war, especially given current events in this part of the world. Thank you to BookishFirst for a review copy.

Hotel Magnifique follows the story of two sisters who gain employment at a mysterious, magical hotel that travels to a new location every night. Jani is to work as a maid and wants to provide for her younger sister Zosa after their mother died and left them orphaned. Zosa, who has a beautiful voice is employed as a singer. Shortly after securing contracts to work at the hotel, Jani realizes that all is not as it appears. Something dark and sinister lurks beneath the dazzling, luxurious surroundings. Determined to save her sister, Jani uncovers the dark secrets of the hotel with the help of a few allies including Bel, a handsome magician.
Hotel Magnifique is richly imagined with an interesting magic system, that is both enchanting and dark. There is a slow burn romance, but this is really a story about the love between two sisters, and the lengths they will go to protect each other. The writing and dialogue could, at times, be simplistic, which made me think it was oriented to a younger YA reader. It was a spellbinding, enjoyable and compelling read with some unexpected twists and turns. Thank you to BookishFirst for a review copy.

In Unmasked, Paul Holes reflects on his life and distinguished career in criminology, from high school until retirement. Although known best for his identification of the Golden State Killer, Mr. Holes was instrumental in the conviction of many violent criminals, and the closure of a variety of cold cases. He describes his commitment to protect the public and find justice and closure for victims and their families. His near-obsessive dedication, unbreakable determination, thirst for knowledge, and gift for investigation and analytical thinking were instrumental in his work. The forensic science is fascinating, especially the evolution of the use of DNA evidence. Those considering a career in forensics and criminology should read this book, as the author reveals the grisly reality of these violent crimes and the hard work it takes to solve them. He also describes his frustration with how interdepartmental politics often created barriers to cooperation and investigation.
Mr. Holes is honest about the toll his career and calling took on his personal life and mental health. Not everyone can handle intense proximity to darkness and evil for such a prolonged time. His work shines light on the support needed for those who work to apprehend and convict violent killers. Unmasked is not for the faint of heart. There are graphic descriptions of the crimes; reading about those committed against children is especially disturbing. Thank you to BookishFirst and Celadon Books for an advance reader copy of this gripping, fascinating and terrifying book. #unmaskedbook #celadonreads #bookishfirst

By lurkykitty

Hunter Drake is an openly gay teenage member of Kiss & Tell, a boy band. He has recently gone through a breakup and, while his band is on tour, his ex-boyfriend leaks a bunch of intimate private texts about their relationship and sex life. This is painful and humiliating for Hunter and causes a PR crisis for The Label, which represents his band. During the tour, Hunter starts dating Kaivan, a member of Kiss & Tell's opening band comprised of three Iranian American brothers.
The story is told from Hunter's point of view, but interspersed throughout are articles, tweets, interviews with other characters, documentary script, and emails between the band's manager and the record label. This literary device enhanced character development and plot, provided perspective and shed light on how awful the music label was in trying to curate Hunter's image and manipulate his relationship with Kaivan.
Hunter faces unique challenges in being the only gay member of the band. He gets sent harassing, homophobic messages and his dating life is scrutinized far more than that of his band mates. At first Hunter is somewhat selfish and can only see his own problems. As the story progresses, he realizes that Kaivan and some of the Kiss & Tell members deal with racism, stereotypes and microaggressions. Hunter grows throughout the story as he learns to recognize that, while he faces homophobia, he also experiences white privilege. He learns to reach out to, and be honest with, those who are there to support him when he needs help, instead of bottling up emotion and subsequently lashing out.
With three BIPOC members, the diverse rep in Kiss & Tell was great, but I wish we had seen more of their histories, lives and perspectives. These characters were unfortunately underdeveloped. Overall, I really enjoyed Kiss & Tell, even though I am not the target audience for the the book (or the band!). The writing was fast paced and energetic and the story was fun while also addressing some serious issues.

I love this deck. The artwork is stunning and colorful. It has a 70's vibe, boho-arty feel to it with the illustrations loosely based off the RWS system. The cards are really helpful for beginners as there are keywords included in the artwork - a very subtle inclusion. If you are not looking for the keywords, they don't stand out.
The cardstock feels really nice to shuffle and I love the design on the card backs.
Included in the card box is a helpful guidebook which is full of positivity and guidance.
I connected with the images and have used the deck everyday since receiving it.
One of the cards was damaged by the paper band encircling the cards, but I have read that this is a common experience with other buyers. It is a packaging fault. Otherwise, this is a beautiful deck.
The deck creator did a phenomenal job and I would recommend purchasing it and adding it to your collection.

Hunter Drake is an openly gay teenage member of Kiss & Tell, a boy band. He has recently gone through a breakup and, while his band is on tour, his ex-boyfriend leaks a bunch of intimate private texts about their relationship and sex life. This is painful and humiliating for Hunter and causes a PR crisis for The Label, which represents his band. During the tour, Hunter starts dating Kaivan, a member of Kiss & Tell's opening band comprised of three Iranian American brothers.
The story is told from Hunter's point of view, but interspersed throughout are articles, tweets, interviews with other characters, documentary script, and emails between the band's manager and the record label. This literary device enhanced character development and plot, provided perspective and shed light on how awful the music label was in trying to curate Hunter's image and manipulate his relationship with Kaivan.
Hunter faces unique challenges in being the only gay member of the band. He gets sent harassing, homophobic messages and his dating life is scrutinized far more than that of his band mates. At first Hunter is somewhat selfish and can only see his own problems. As the story progresses, he realizes that Kaivan and some of the Kiss & Tell members deal with racism, stereotypes and microaggressions. Hunter grows throughout the story as he learns to recognize that, while he faces homophobia, he also experiences white privilege. He learns to reach out to, and be honest with, those who are there to support him when he needs help, instead of bottling up emotion and subsequently lashing out.
With three BIPOC members, the diverse rep in Kiss & Tell was great, but I wish we had seen more of their histories, lives and perspectives. These characters were unfortunately underdeveloped. Overall, I really enjoyed Kiss & Tell, even though I am not the target audience for the the book (or the band!). The writing was fast paced and energetic and the story was fun while also addressing some serious issues. #BookishFirst

I bought this book for my Bestie who has just started planning her wedding, I’m absolutely in love with this book, it has to be one of the most comprehensive guides ? separate tabs for every detail of your wedding & a handy pocket at the back to store business cards/ pamphlets etc.

Side note: This book was ordered in January and only arrived 18 March. Raru buy out from suppliers but the bonus was I had no additional fees to pay when the book arrived ??

Fantastic book painful and heartbreaking and so poetic.

All My Rage is the story of two Pakistani American teenagers growing up in a small desert town in California. Salahudin and Noor are outsiders and best friends facing incredibly adverse circumstances. The richly developed characters drew me in immediately and I felt that I was right alongside them. All My Rage also includes the story of Salahudin's parents, told in a dual timeline.
This book is a beautiful, raw and haunting story of intergenerational and hidden trauma, faith, love, dreams, family, loss, grief, rage, the ugliness of racism, and the persistence of hope. It will leave you gutted, heartbroken and reeling. There are multiple triggers, about which Sabaa Tahir warns the reader.
This book is characterized as Young Adult; however, adult readers will find it to be insightful, riveting and thought provoking. All My Rage is clearly one of the best and unforgettable books of 2022.

The Lost Dreamer is the first book in a new YA fantasy series that is based on the mythology and culture of Mesoamerica. The story is told through the points of view of two young women, Indir and Saya, both born with the spiritual gift of being able to enter the Dream.
Indir lives in the Temple of Night in the structured city of Alcanzeh, surrounded by her family of Dreamers. She has been trained and supported in the use of her gift. A dangerous new leader forces her to leave her family, comfort zone and city. Saya has led a nomadic, tense, uncertain life, untrained and used for her gift. Her life also changes and moves toward an unknown destination.
The writing is vibrant, beautiful and immersive. The world building is lush, spiritual, multi-layered and fascinating. The novel is filled with interesting, diverse characters and peoples. Themes are coming-of-age, tradition, womens' power, patriarchal oppression and change.
I really loved this unique fantasy story and setting and how the characters' lives intersect. It would have helped to have a character index and a map detailing this beautiful world. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

I bought this book a few days ago and read it in 24 hours. I just couldnt put it down.
I bumped into it while looking for another book, but something captured me.
If you are into african fiction and love stories like Hlomu the wife, you will enjoy this work by Busisiwe Precious Khumalo. I'm just sad that she's late and we wont get anymore of her beautiful work.

Ophelia After All is not a romance novel. It is a beautiful, thoughtful coming of age story. Ophelia is a Cuban/Irish American girl discovering her queerness and herself in the final months of high school. Ophelia has always had crushes on boys and starts to question everything about herself and how people see her, when she becomes attracted to a girl.
Ophelia has a great diverse group of friends. There were characters who were Black, Asian, mixed race, bisexual, biromantic, asexual, pansexual, aromantic and plus size. I liked how this book portrayed queerness as fluid and that it's difficult to put people and human sexuality into little boxes.
Olivia and her friends were well-developed, messy, relatable characters. It's important that teens see this kind of representation and that the path to discovering yourself is not always easy or perfect.
I love the gorgeous cover that reflects Ophelia's love of botany. #BookishFirst

This book is great for any Star Wars nerds who want to explore the extended story universe. It's obviously has very little to do with any of the movies but I think anyone can still enjoy it regardless.

Thank you Raru for my delivery, my impatient paid off. next time i know to be patient with you guys.
Regards
Rester

'fiction' which is one's freedom of speech to write as one wishes. Meeran, respected for he's writing skills and abilities to create a story, puzzling pieces of the 'cachalia' family. As I admire this guys intellect, I don't think he's evil or bad by using a well renowned surname which research has shown that there is only one cachalia family tree... Amongst this surname are woman's rights activist Amina Cachalia, Firoze Cachalia (former mec for safety and security), Azhar cachalia (former treasurer now embassador to SA in Qatar) amongst many others... The problem I have is that Meeran plays this gutter game, pulling out sneaky research, using appropriate names & surnames accordingly as the relationship actually exist in reality. Zakir to zakira. Cassim to zakira as the father & aziza.. However I'm not going to play this game by saying he's once again a bad writer.. I'm very proud of him however every single case, location, activities are an extremely poor reflection on the characters.. It is smart to use any family, study their history and write the complete opposite.. That is what makes a quote. 'If you not doing something right they love you'.. Astounded that such an author, raised and born in South Africa, a once apartheid regime.. Uses freedom of expression and so forth however freedom means to make a choice... What baffels my mind as I read this 'politically character assianation' book is that such a writer, actually does not understand freedom. Mental freedom. To elaborate... Working at the graveyard I caught my blessing I would read at every grave plant flowers. What is happening by being aware of being aware. Being able to represent what is going on in terms of numbers & symbols, put 2 lives together at once, one representing the other.Symbols representing the reality,money to wealth & if the symbol is not recognised,it is secondary,it doesn't have the same value.Example when we go to the shop & get to the cashier & a long slip is given to us to pay R500 & we get depressed as 500 is given away by paper & don't realise we got a trolley full of items & its seen we just lost 500 rands but the real wealth is in the cart, all we parted with was the paper because the paper in our system becomes more valuable than the wealth,representing power,potentiality whereas the wealth 'oh well thats just necessary, got to eat' which is mixed up.So awakening from this illusion,black implies white,self implies other, life implies death OR death implies life.I can feel myself not as a stranger in this world but feeling my own existence as absolutely fundamental.What i am basically, deep in, far in is simply the fabric & structure of existence itself as if I'm playing this opposition its a frightful risk,its a drag. there is no point in going on living unless I make the assumption the situation of life is optimal that really & truly we in a state of awful bliss & delight. but we pretend we aren't for kicks.we play non bliss in order to experience bliss & can go far out of non bliss as far we want to go & it made ne realise how great things are when you forget  that's how the way it is & thats like black & white I don't know what black is unless I know what white is,simply fundamental. To be perfectly frank with you that there is the central self Call it God or what you want to & its all of us playing all the parts of all beings whatsoever anywhere & everywhere. playing the game if hide & seek with all of us.It gets involved, lost in the farthest adventures but in the end it always wakes up & comes back to itself & when ready I woke up & if not ready one stays pretending to be a poor little me.So we here to wake up. So being honest with ourselves, Who am I?what does one feel when one says I.you can't see your own eyes with your own eyes, taste your own tongue.. We speak that we come into this world as a host of skin facing outsiders  that was is outside me is not me set's up a fundamental sensation of hostility between ourselves & so called external world.we talk about the conquest of nature, space & view ourselves in a battle array to the world out us.When i make something i use parts assembling something so we use parts working form outside to the inside but watching something grow it doesn't assemble parts,it grows differently. it expands from within & gradually complicates itself expanding outwards... So it is absurd to say we come into this world we actually come out of it.As I mentioned, I realised that what I plant will grow and after many days I noticed it blooming and it hit me. We come out of this world.. To be perfectly frank with you that there is the central self Call it God or what you want to & its all of us playing all the parts of all beings whatsoever anywhere & everywhere. playing the game if hide & seek with all of us.It gets involved, lost in the farthest adventures but in the end it always wakes up & comes back to itself & when ready I woke up & if not ready one stays pretending to be a poor little me.So we here to wake up. So being honest with ourselves, Who am I?what does one feel when one says I.you can't see your own eyes with your own eyes, taste your own tongue.. We speak that we come into this world as a host of skin facing outsiders  that was is outside me is not me set's up a fundamental sensation of hostility between ourselves & so called external world.we talk about the conquest of nature, space & view ourselves in a battle array to the world out us.When i make something i use parts assembling something so we use parts working form outside to the inside but watching something grow it doesn't assemble parts,it grows differently. it expands from within & gradually complicates itself expanding outwards... So it is absurd to say we comet into this world we actually come out of it....... MEERAN AN AMAZING WRITER HOWEVER cannot attain such a freedom as it is precisely not having to choose... Lastly, I agree with Meerans views on certain parts although fiction 'it will be an opinion' unless one applies their mind and understands who the author really is.. WHY such a specific surname... I one hundred percent agree with you... Be afraid of the unknown. When acting on your value, you suddenly wake up every morning with superpowers that you not sure what you doing to do today but you not going to not - not do something with your time.. We all have some work to do, each one of us are here to give something. If given something to do & you don't do it what you doing is short circuiting the flow of the universe. When you give you create a vacuum you in a position to receive. If you hold onto everything you got nothing is available to come in but if you open and create a vacuum there and keeping the flow going, the stuff in the universe will come back to you... Whatever it is you give the more you give the more you get back. Literally we can eliminate hunger & homelessness overnight & we can eliminate poverty overnight if people understood the power of giving....... Meeran has given many a lovely joy of this book however it is quite certain and factual that the research he used was extremely inadequate as that surname represented heroes who fought for the poor, the Oppressed, the Needy... Stood for justice and still continues to linger on hope for a better future.... #YOUKNOWMYNAME_YOUDONTKNOWMYSTORY............. TakeAGuess? (920516""""")(nshk7@gm.cm)......

Everybody lies.. Meeran is an awesome fraud.. Contradictory? Ah well so is the title.......

This is a well-written, meticulously researched novel, which follows Cristian, a 17-year-old high school student living in Bucharest, Romania in 1989. Life in Romania under the brutal communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu is harsh and terrifying. There are long lines for tiny scraps of food, freezing, bleak apartment blocks, and constant power outages. The Securitate, Romania's secret police with their network of informants, turns neighbors, friends and family members against each other. Everyone lives in a state of constant suspicion and fear. The author conveys vividly the deprivation and terror experienced by Cristian, his family and friends. Like his brave and funny grandfather, Cristian questions the regime and works to undermine its power, even though he is in terrible danger. I Must Betray You is immersive, tense, powerful and gut-wrenching. I knew that the Ceausescu regime was awful, but this novel really brought home the hideous nature of the suffering and despair that Romanians experienced. Cristian's story made it real and relatable. Ruta Sepetys is now a must-read author for me. Highly recommended. #BookishFirst

Never After is the first book in a new fantasy series. It's perfect for middle grade or upper elementary school readers, or as a light YA or adult read. Filomena, the main character is beloved by her parents but bullied at her California middle school. She visits the bookstore after school to purchase the thirteenth and final installment in her favorite book series, Never After, and finds out, not only is the book not available, but it's never going to be released. Walking home disappointed, she finds she is being followed by Jack Stalker, the main character in the Never After series. Filomena is thrown into a world of fairytales, magic and an epic battle between good and evil.
Filomena is a brave, clever, witty protagonist who grows in wisdom and strength throughout the story. Never After is imaginative, fast moving and fun, and often laugh-out-loud funny. I liked the interesting characters, non-stop action, and how it moves between the modern and fairy-tale worlds. It is a great addition to the middle grade fantasy genre.

Ashes of Gold is the intense, powerful and triumphant conclusion to the Wings of Ebony fantasy duology. Wings of Ebony was a strong debut, but Ashes of Gold takes it to another level. The world of Ghizon and the magic system were more fully fleshed out, and the character development is deeper in this book. Rue remains a strong, badass, tenacious character but has to gain the self-confidence to accept herself as a leader of her people. She was intimidated by the thought of herself as a leader because she hadn't seen anyone like herself do it before. She realizes that she can lead, even if it means not being perfect and risking making mistakes. This action-paced contemporary/fantasy is brimming with humor, betrayal, twists, interesting characters and strong themes of social justice. Thanks to Books Forward and NetGalley for an eARC.

Gilded is an imaginative retelling of Rumplestiltskin and the German tale of the Erlking. The heroine, Serilda, a miller's daughter was born cursed by the god of stories and lies. One night, after hiding two moss maidens who are being hunted by the evil Erlking and his undead hunting party, she impulsively fabricates a cover story claiming that she can spin straw into gold. Her tall tale intrigues the Erlking, and he captures her on the next full moon to spin the gold. Trapped in his gothic, ghostly castle, she unwittingly summons a mysterious boy who can perform this very feat.
Gilded is well-written with creative and vivid world building. Dark, haunting, and immersive, this book is unpredictable and compelling. The colorful cast of characters and subplots add even more life to the story. The Erlking commits atrocities that are brutal, ruthless, and not for the faint of heart. There is a dramatic cliffhanger, leaving the reader desperate for the sequel.

Beautiful calendar with various collages featuring Fridas likeness. Colourful and happy. Quality paper used.

Never After is the first book in a new fantasy series. It's perfect for middle grade or upper elementary school readers, or as a light YA or adult read. Filomena, the main character is beloved by her parents but bullied at her California middle school. She visits the bookstore after school to purchase the thirteenth and final installment in her favorite book series, Never After, and finds out, not only is the book not available, it's never going to be released. Walking home disappointed, she finds she is being followed by Jack Stalker, the main character in the Never After series. Filomena is thrown into a world of fairytales, magic and an epic battle between good and evil.
Filomena is a brave, clever, witty protagonist who grows in wisdom and strength throughout the story. Never After is imaginative, fast moving and fun, and often laugh-out-loud funny. I liked the interesting characters, non-stop action, and how it moves between the modern and fairy-tale worlds. It is a great addition to the middle grade fantasy genre. #BookishFirst

Bought as a gift for someone and they loved it. They are really into cats and tarot reading.
Each card has its own cat on it, not like some other tarot cards that only has decent art on the major arcana.

Might even be able to double as a Dixit deck

Can't entirely place it but the format in which the book is laid out feels a bit odd to other books.
One still gets the gist of it, but have seen other books thats a bit more easier to follow

The art in this collection is really good. I guess if you have read one Silmarillion, you have read them all, maybe with a change/addition here or there after a revision.

Looking forward to getting the rest in the collection with this art style & hardcover