The compassionate writer by Annie Beall

The Compassionate Writer: Find Your Voice, Enhance Your Story, and Touch Lives by Anne Beall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is for those who have a writer’s block or struggling to write their piece of work. The biggest hindrance is to silence the inner critic, which says our own work is not good enough. The book is a calm push to look beyond the criticism and get creative. The exercises are very encouraging and tap your brain to bring the creativity from old memories and experiences.
The book is like a warm comfort blanket which cozily wraps around and gently nudges you to move forward. So, if you are an aspiring writer and have a writer’s block, this book is for you.

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Alli the Alligator by Cindy Miller

Alli the Alligator: A Children's Book About Kindness, Bullying, Courage, and Celebrating Differences by Cindy Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a sweet gentle book, it is sure to resonate with every reader’s heart however old they are. Because in the books and every around, being different is not wrong. But when reality hits and you see people with their cold stealthy eyes and low whispers, the ache is real. We all have faced it.
Alli the Gator is sweet and gentle; she is loved by her family in the river. But she dreams big of going to school, she enters the school with high expectations and big smile. But when she is instead slapped with a cold demeanor and hostile attitude, her heart sinks.
But Alli keeps her head high and responds to everyone with kindness. It takes time to fit in, but eventually people see her bravery, courage and kindness. It is a soft victory, but a huge one.
I loved this book and would recommend it to everyone of any age. This topic is relevant to all of us.


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Hop's Tales: The Kind Bunny by Evelina Ruimy

Hop’s Tales: The Kind Bunny by Evelina Ruimy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a rhyming picture book about Hop the bunny who is so excited to go to school. He loves exploring and wants to learn a lot in school. A mischievous pup named Ruff tells him he is not cool and Hop shrinks inwards. His mom’s soothing assurances and guidance show him a direction towards kindness, empathy and courage.
This is a picture book but the essence of this book is applied universally. Many a times I have a conversation with my kids or my friends about how to react when they someone is rude to them. The first reaction is of course hurt, and wanting to avoid meeting the rude person again.
The second reaction would be to hurt the rude person back which we all try to do.
But Hop’s mother’s assurance to him that rudeness speaks more of the speaker than the victim and letting go of the hurt and trying to offer kindness and empathy to the rude character speaks of far higher maturity. This message is beautifully captured in this book.
I would recommend this book to everyone. We all can do better with a little more kindness and empathy.


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Adventures off the Printed Paige by Kelly Swan Taylor

Adventure Off the Printed Paige by Kelly Swan Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a breezy romance novel. The book is about Paige, an aspiring author living in the shadows of her mom, a best selling author. There are big shoes to fill and lot of expectations. Her friends push her to an adventure in Hawaii. The shy, behind the computer girl gets a taste of a whirlwind romance , when she meets a confident adventure guide Griff, who pushes her limits. With a series of mishaps in the breath taking landscapes of Hawaii, this beautiful romance unfolds between totally two different characters. With their witty banter and slow romance, this book is a sure shot win. I loved it !!

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Murder by White Tiger by A.J.Ullman

Murder By White Tiger by A. J. Ullman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are a murder mystery fan, you will definitely enjoy this book. I picked up the book because of the compelling title and it starts with a bang; a body is fed to the white tiger in a Cincinnati Zoo. But is that a murder?
The body is moved in a wheel barrow and fed to the tiger in its cage. There ends the tiger mystery in the book. Enter the two main protagonists, North and Huxley to solve this case.
As they delve deeper into the case, they clash head on with the internal politics of the police department and it gets very complex. There are a lot of red herring chases, twists and political ambiguities to be solved before they crack open the case.
The chemistry between the leading duo is quite impressive and the mystery itself is very gripping until the very end. Though it did not have too much of tiger, I did enjoy the book.


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Shattered Peace : A Century of Silence by Julie McDonald Zander

Shattered Peace: A Century of Silence by Julie McDonald Zander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very well written novel in a dual timeline . The story toggles between 2019 and 1919, a century apart , with two protagonists experiencing a similar aftermath after witnessing the horrors of two wars , Iraq war and WW 1.

In 2019, Colleen Holmes returns back from Iraq war and is suffering from the post war trauma. She plans to move into the house of her grandmother who has inherited it from her great great grandparents . When she remodels the house , she finds diaries and letters which belonged to her great great grandfather Michael , who was a WW 1 veteran.

The letters describe the horrors faced by Michael during WW 1 and the bitter aftermath of the war .
Colleen finds a striking similarity between her current plight and Michael’s situation.

It is a well researched novel bringing a lot of lesser known historic events into light . It also delves deep into the post war trauma which the soldiers and the veterans face. Horrors do not end with war . It stays in the minds of the survivors till the end of their lives .

I really liked this book , it deserves time and respect from its readers .

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Madly Deeply Always by Jules Starbrook

Madly Deeply Always by Jules Starbrook
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Obviously, this book got my attention because of the comparison with the sense and sensibility romance. Lily, grieving the death of her dad and just out of a toxic relationship. comes to England hoping to resume her passion for music. She seeks refuge at her father’s ex music manager, Brandon’s sea side cottage residence. And then, well nothing happens! At least for a while. The love story builds very slow. Both Brandon and Lily have past scars to get over with. The connection builds slow and steady. There is a lot of hullabaloo from other characters, but the highlight of the story is the slow burn romance.

It is a good read , though the pace is very slow at times. But overall I enjoyed the book.


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The Forgotten Garden by G Pa Rhymes

The Forgotten Garden: A Children's Chapter Book About Kindness, Teamwork and the Magic of Pollinators by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very enticing read for kids who have stepped into chapter books, The forgotten garden has some lyrical rhymes, a neat story line and few pictures with some nice morale packed into it.
The book takes the readers on an adventure from a beach to a forest. A bunch of friends set out on a journey to go to the woods to find a treasure which is long forgotten. They meet few critters along the way and with some great teamwork learn about environment and the life cycle of a plant. This book blends relationship skills along with science very beautifully. Young readers will love this book. I would definitely recommend it.


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Cyber Case Thorn (The Cyber Case series Book 1) by Ken Tentarelli

Cyber Case Thorn by Ken Tentarelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a different kind of a suspense thriller where the chase is to track a cyber security hacker. Thorn enters the dark web for fun but later gets too involved into it and becomes dangerous. Persephone (Seph) works for cyber security agency and takes a lead to track down Thorn. It is a psychological thriller because no one expects what Thorn does next.
I liked the plot, though it isn’t something which kept me on the edge, it is a very fast read. I really enjoyed it and looking forward to more in the series.

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You from my world by Nicole.C.W

You From My World by Nicole C.W.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting read, a very creative and impossible fantasy/ romance genre. Le Haul, a south Korean author is in the process of writing a book when one fine day one of her antagonist character from the book comes out and attacks her. It takes a while for her to get over that incident when he comes again and drags her into his world. He is apparently not happy with his role and circumstances in the book. It’s a very creative concept, I liked it. The narrative is a little flat at places and there could be a little more depth in the characters but overall I liked the book.

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Chasing Roses by Jean M.Grant

Chasing Roses by Jean M. Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was such an enjoyable read. 4 strangers, A two-week scavenger hunt, 12 weeks and prize money. Will they be able to solve it together, will they win the prize? Or will they find something a lot more valuable than that? I really loved this adventure. We have the hunt on one side and on the other side, we have each of the characters unraveling themselves, each of them has a unique past and a story. It was really heartwarming to see their growth. A very engaging read with some real character development. Highly recommend it.

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The Race for the lost Coin by Luciana Cavallaro

The Race for the Lost Coin by Luciana Cavallaro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a fan of Greek history and hence picked this book though it is no 2 of the trilogy . Though I did not read book 1, this book got my attention till the very end . The story revolves around a legacy of guardianship of a coin which passes on from generation to generation. Nik, a historian is now the current guardian of the coin after his grandfather is suddenly kidnapped. Now Nik faces two trials , rescue his grandfather and also protect the coin understanding its true power and why people are chasing it . He makes enemies and befriends strangers , one of them a detective , and then the plot becomes embroiled in action and suspense . There are few books which can combine historic fiction and action so well, this book does an incredible job. I enjoyed reading this book.

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Sarge : Discovering Abby

Sarge: Discovering Abby by Stuart Ledwith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am glad I picked up this book. I am not a fan of Sci Fi and I have explored little in this genre. This story is about a single mom and an Army specialist who learns from an Alien Arcan that she is leading a double life. This takes us back to Abby’s backstory, her relationships, her inner struggles, her interactions with the Celestial Crew. In this journey Abby uncovers some of the mysteries on space travel and otherworldly life which exist in the universe. A very fine blend of mystery, sci fi and self-discovery, this book is quite unique. I enjoyed this book very much.




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Drama Drama Drama by Cori Cooper

Drama Drama Drama by Cori Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I so fell in love with this book. The story is about Carmen who has to move from a big city to a small town in her high school years. It is not an easy move and Carmen has to go through the transformation, the emotions, the teen drama and has to face the challenge of not being accepted in a new school. The book has everything, from comic incidents to building inner resilience. There is teen romance, high school drama and finally those kind hearted angels who come forward to embrace someone new. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to everyone.

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Come to the Cape by Emi Hilton

Come to the Cape by Emi Hilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s been a while I read a clean romance and I really enjoyed it . Melissa , a single mom , goes to her quiet hometown for her sabbatical, where she meets her brother , his wife and her brother Luke . Feelings instantly develop but things get complicated when Melissa realizes Luke has a girlfriend . Will the new budding romance blossom between them ?? It’s a nice holiday read , a very pleasant one indeed !!

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Formula one Noel by Christina Braver

Formula One Noel by Christina Braver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book took me by surprise. From the summary, I thought it would be a love clash between an over achieving doctor and a Formula 1 Driver , and there would be a lot of thrill , car races and adventure. Actually it turned out to be something different. This is a cute love story between two very successful people who seem to want some real connections in their lives and when they accidentally find it one night , they hold onto it very tight . Especially he is not willing to let go. But will it be happily ever after from both sides ? I enjoyed this story, it’s a more on the steamier side for me but a good read .

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The Bystander by John P. David

The Bystander by John P. David
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. TV reporter Pete Lemaster is preparing for a routine film segment an upcoming college rivalry football game. An active shooting incident erupts in the game, and Pete finds himself recording the whole incident as a Bystander. But as he replays the story, he realizes that there is more to it and starts digging around. It's been a while I read this type of a story where a Journalist unveils the truth and gets to the bottom of it. It is a very enjoyable read. Cannot wait for more in this series to come.

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A High Performing Mind by Andrew D Thompson

A High-Performing Mind : The Inspirational Personal Growth System to Strengthen Your Mind and Live Your Best Life by Andrew D. Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is filled with real life anecdotes by the author ,giving practical advice to readers on how to remain focused , be less stressed and make good choices in life . The language is easy to read and the tips are very practical and easily implementable. It reiterates the point that diet, sleep and meditation are the key to relaxation. I really enjoyed this book and learnt a lot from
it . I would recommend everyone to read this book.

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The Mating Truth by Brooke May

The Mating Truth by Brooke May
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Mating Truth is the fourth book in the Long Claw Pride series by Brooke May. The book follows a Mountain shifter community called the Long Claw clan . The book is the fourth in the series , I had not read the previous three but it wasn’t very difficult to follow the plot , though there are certain bits which I had to assume were part of the original storyline.

The story is about two pre fated mates , Harper and Afton and their calling . Harper is trying to recover from a cruel past and Afton is in the middle of protecting his family when they are united for their mating call . The book has all fantasy and paranormal romance elements woven into it , hot steamy romance , family bonding and community development . If you like such books , you wouldn’t be disappointed with this read .

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Road to Paradise by Kelly Fletcher

Road to Paradise by Kelly Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful book, I picked it up because it was a small town romance. It started off as a typical ambitious heroine stepping into a small town to take over the company and then fall in love with the place story, but what bumped me over were the characters.
We have read books where the corporate heroine falls in love with the country side cow boy or a macho farmer, but the family she interacts with is a delicate bunch, which demands that life has to slow down.
We take so much for granted in our fast paced life, but if we are to live with certain neurodivergent conditions or health issues, life will have to slow down for the family. But will an outsider make the sacrifice? Would she able to understand the situation and take on the challenges?
This is such a beautiful story full of meaning and hope. I really would recommend this book.


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