Tally and the Angel - Japan

Japan by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Japan is the third book in the Tally and the Angel series by Eleanor Dixon.
This is the first of the series I read, so was a little confused with some details and I had to research the background. Tally, her dad and her angel Jophiel go to Japan on an adventure and learn about Japanese history, culture and traditions. She makes friends with Yoshie and Miyu and hits off instantly. But then a mystery unfolds itself and it is upto Tally and her “not-so-predictable” angel Jophiel to solve it, There is a ghost queen, sumo wrestling and a cursed drum in the centre of this mystery.

It's an interesting plot, I wish I had read the books in order . It can be read as a standalone book but some research has to be done to understand who is who.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book nevertheless.

The Guardian of Whispers

The Guardian of Whispers by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This middle grade fantasy book is like Avengers ,Twilight or any other super hero book/movie where every child finds out that he/she has a super natural power. They find out the power, they struggle to gain control over it. They have to go to a gifted school or a school of magic where they have to be trained to control their power. There they face challenges and it is upto them to face the hurdles and emerge victorious with their evolving powers.
I love these type of books. This book is centred around twins Frank and Jon, who figure out they have fascinating abilities, one can read minds and other can see future. But the gifts are never gifts, one has to pay the price. They are to attend a new school, and Jon gets into trouble. Will Frank and his new friends help Jon from the trouble and getting expelled?
I enjoyed it thoroughly, it was an easy read and I hope to read many more of this series.

Small Fry

Small Fry by Stephenie Wilson Peterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Middle school is a huge challenge all by itself but Silas Fitzpatrick has a bigger challenge because of his growth harmony disorder . But Silas maintains a positive attitude and tries to face the adversity bravely . Bullying is a constant threat and Silas is a victim of uncomfortable treatment both from the teachers and students . Silas is an inspiration for each one of us reminding us that we have to improvise constantly and be a little better version of oneself than what we were yesterday. It is a well written book which conveys a beautiful message to stand up against adversities in a positive spirit .

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

 Author :  Taylor Jenkins Reed

This month’s book club read , The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of the most raved about books and has been dominating the best seller list for few years now . There was a waitlist of over 100 people in the library for this book , so needless to say we wanted to know what the hype is all about .

Loosely based on the life of Elizabeth Taylor , this novel tells the story of an ageing and reclusive movie icon Evelyn Hugo , who makes an intriguing decision to open up about her scandalous life to an unknown journalist , Monique Grant . Ruthless and ambitious ,Evelyn makes it to the pinnacle playing all her cards , however outrageous her moves might seem. Bestowed with good looks and a sharp acumen, She is out in this world to grab her share of fame , playing with people’s lives .

Born to a poor family , loosing her mother at a tender age and raised by an abusive father , Evelyn develops a natural instinct to play the world to her advantage . Her ticket to Hollywood comes through her first marriage and there is no stopping her after that . She hops from one relationship to another , leaving one celebrity for another , to turn her films into block busters and become a stellar actress . There are movies , scandals , link ups , marriages and break ups . The gossip columns are abuzz with tales of Evelyn Hugo’s flings .

Atleast that is what the book appeared to be when we started reading it . But , on the contrary , the author takes us through an intense emotional journey , a forbidden love story well camouflaged under the show blitz. Evelyn Hugo keeps doing what she is good at , using people to her advantage until one fine day she realizes what lies at stake in her pursuit of success . By the time she acknowledges her true love and is willing to sacrifice anything for it , she begins to understand the heavy price which has to be paid , and she falters .

It is a well written book , fast paced yet intense at the same time . The book addresses many sensitive issues like domestic abuse , feminism , LGBT and racial discrimination. There is a lot of suffering but the pace is such that there is no time to reflect upon it . Once we pick up the book, we will not put it down till it ends , we are eager to know who the next husband is , and why she left the current husband . There is also the impending mystery about the relationship between Evelyn Hugo and Monique Grant , and why she decided to open up about her life to an unknown journalist .

The author is very clear on the message she intends to convey to her readers , she succeeds in bringing out the portrayal of the complex protagonist and the impact it will have on the readers very well.

To summarize , we did get our answer on why this book is so immensely popular . But we were not prepared for the twist , and had to adjust our sails midway to match the direction of the wind . So , do your due diligence before you pick it up . If the topic interests you , it is a good read .

Rating : 👍👍👍👍

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Future World Changers

Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-Changers by K.J. Kaschula
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very fine book touching on few sensitive topics to children, teens and adults alike, Brave Kids is a collection of six short stories which delves deep into emotional aspects behind loss, emotional turbulence and bullying. These are the issues which we adults suffer as well and we do know that emotional balance can only be achieved when we are brave enough to face these issues internally.

Bravery does not mean being a super hero , bravery means not being afraid of the dark, bravery means helping others in their times of need, bravery means treating nature with respect.
This is a very meaningful book and I would recommend my children also to read . Loved every bit of it.

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