The Inheritance - Movie

A movie adaptation based on the first book of Louisa May Alcott , author of Little Women , the story follows the life of Edith Felon, a privileged Orphan who is a paid companion to the daughter of an aristocratic family . Her interaction with the elite social circle puts her in an enviable position and she encounters extreme jealousy and brutal back stabbing . Things get trickier when a handsome noble aristocrat falls in love with her . Time and again , they are reminded of their social circles and are constantly mocked and ridiculed. But the couple have lofty ideals , and make lot of sacrifices and selfless acts to cross the hurdles . Eventually things work out for them. It is an old fashioned fairy tale romance, the characters are way too idealistic. The story is no where comparable to Little Women . But considering that the author wrote it when she was 17 and this is the book which Jo is supposed to be writing in Little Women, it deserves it’s credits . Watch it for the sake of Jo March and Louisa May Alcott. It’s a simple romance! With a handsome lead pair , beautiful settings and lavish costumes. the movie is a visual treat !

Rating: 👍👍👍

The Guest List

 Author : Lucy Foley

Review:

I love mystery genre and was so happy to read a good mystery after a long time! On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, two celebrities are getting married, a handsome daring television star and a successful magazine publisher. It is a destination wedding with very few chosen people on the guest list, who are very close to the bride and the groom. The preparations are in full swing and everyone has started arriving to the island through boats. There is intermittent to nil internet connectivity on the island, and the weather is not very conducive. There appears to be a storm brewing in the horizon.

Not all faces which show up for the wedding are happy. Few have had a rocky past; some have deep regrets. But far more sinister, few of them have a motive, a motive strong enough to commit a grave crime, a murder.

The plot is presented from multiple perspectives, the narration switches from one character to another, the bride, the bridesmaid, the best man, an old friend’s wife and the wedding planner who oversees all events. The story progresses from the day before the wedding to the wedding night, and as we read the past of each and every character, we begin to understand the complexities of their emotions and the motives behind why someone went to such extremes to do what they did.

To summarize, a very fine mystery, I enjoyed every bit of it. The plot is gripping, I spent a couple of late nights to finish the book. The author is in no hurry and makes the readers spend a good amount of time flipping the pages before getting into the thick of the crime. It is not till the end that we connect the dots together, though our suspicions start brewing earlier on. The plot simmers, slowly builds up and the ending is explosive, worth a wait.

There are a couple of things I did find missing, but I cannot reveal it till you read the book. I might sound cryptic, but revealing anything more would mean giving a clue or an unintentional spoiler. Such is the mystery of this book. A brilliant read, don’t miss it.

Rating : 👍👍👍👍

But the book online at

Where the Forest meets the Stars

 Author : Glendy Vanderah

Plot : There are books which reward you with a soul stirring experience and this is one of them. This book is a tale of two survivors, each fighting their own battles, drawn together by a beautiful little angel who believes in miracles. Set in rural Illinois, the setting boasts of a rich lavish country side nested deep in the cradle of nature. Filled with dense forests, the fertile farms, the nesting birds, the heavy rains, the vast green fields, the book has every element required to appease a nature lover.

Joanna Teale(Jo) is an Ornithologist who comes to the country side to study nesting birds for her graduate research. Her battle against cancer and loss of her mother has filled both her body and mind with physical and emotional scars.

She tries to find her peace immersing herself in her study. She lives in a solitary cabin with minimal facilities. Her only human connections are an Egg Man, Gabe, who sells eggs on the route she passes every day and a laundromat in the nearby town, which she visits occasionally on rainy days to wash her clothes.

One day a little girl knocks at her door, claiming she is an alien from a distant planet and calls herself Ursa Major. She refuses to reveal any further details about herself, except the fact that she is sent to Earth to complete her thesis to graduate from school in her planet, which involves seeing five miracles.

Jo seeks the help of Gabe, the reclusive Egg man and a beautiful soul, who is battling demons of his own to help her find more details about Ursa. The more they try to solve the mystery around this charming child, the more they find themselves drawn towards the power of love, positivity, compassion and the belief that however wounded you are, there are still ways to help others and affect other souls in this world in a positive way.

This book has all the elements required to charm the readers; romance, a beautiful countryside and the undercurrent of mystery throughout. The language is easy to read and as we flip each and every page, we yearn to know a little bit more about Ursa and her whereabouts.

As we travel with Ursa in her miracle solving journey, we start pondering about the miracles in our own lives.

To summarize, this book is a poignant and heartwarming story of souls searching for the meaning of their survival. It celebrates human relationships, deep rooted connections and reinstates our faith in compassion and love. Don’t miss this book. However, be ready to shed few tears.

Rating : 👍👍👍👍👍