Losing a loved one is difficult and completely shatters the lives of the ones left behind.
The Chibineko Kitchen deals with grief. The restaurant offeLosing a loved one is difficult and completely shatters the lives of the ones left behind.
The Chibineko Kitchen deals with grief. The restaurant offers healing through food by specializing in remembrance meals that are 'shared' and offered to loved ones who have passed.
The story is beautiful and the characters are well written; they are given a sense of closure and the courage to move on after their interactions with the ones they have lost.
The cat Chibi adds to the story by just being cute. Recipes to the remembrance meals have also been given at the end of each chapter.
A special thanks to John Murray Press for granting my wish to read this book via NetGalley....more
Once in a while, a book comes up that is completely bizarre. This is one of those books and the story had me hooked.
I absolutely loved the unique conOnce in a while, a book comes up that is completely bizarre. This is one of those books and the story had me hooked.
I absolutely loved the unique concept. However, I really didn't like the main character Vi who just seemed to continuously get herself into a rut. I suppose she did have to get herself into the depths of despair, in order to eventually get out of the mess and get her life sorted.
NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
The premise of The Trunk is intriguing but I wouldn't classify this as a feminist thriller at all.
Told through a first person narrative, The Trunk teThe premise of The Trunk is intriguing but I wouldn't classify this as a feminist thriller at all.
Told through a first person narrative, The Trunk tells the story of Inji who works for the secret New Marriage (NM) department of W&L - a matchmaking company as a Field Wife (FW). First Wives take up a contractual marriage for a year. Inji's 'husband' renews their contract. He is a music producer and lives a quiet life. There is no sanctity in this sort of marriage.
The other characters add overall depth to the story. Granny, Inji's neighbour adds some humour by being obsessed with a young man. Inji's best friend Shi Jeong makes Inji question her sexuality. It is Inji's stalker Tae Seong that gives The Trunk a very dark side.
The Trunk is unconventional and offbeat and I do have to say that I did enjoy Inji's inner monologues and musings. I did feel that the ending was quite abrupt and lacked closure.
Kudos to the KoLab team behind the translation - a team effort by university students across Australia.
NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
This was such a lovely, heartwarming read and it had me totally emotionally invested in the characters from their very firstDo you believe in destiny?
This was such a lovely, heartwarming read and it had me totally emotionally invested in the characters from their very first encounter. Both Bea and Ollie meet when their flight is delayed as they head back home to Ireland from London for Christmas. There is instant chemistry. They even sit next to each other on the plane, yet they don't exchange numbers.
I will admit to holding my breath till their paths crossed again.
The two main characters are really likeable, as are the secondary characters such as Leroy and Aunt Nora.
What I really liked about this book was that it wasn't all rainbows and unicorns. There were issues that were real, such as being in a long distance relationship and the theme of grief. Also, the picturesque Irish towns and villages mentioned are all real which has made me want to visit Ireland.
NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Just as there are heartbreaking memories that need to be erased if you want to move forward, there is also the pain that is a kind of fuel that keeps"Just as there are heartbreaking memories that need to be erased if you want to move forward, there is also the pain that is a kind of fuel that keeps us going. Sadness can sometimes give you strength."
The Marigold Mind Laundry is a philosophical book told through whimsical stories. Jieun has special powers. She can make things come true by dreaming about them and she had the power to heal others' pain. Her parents disappear after she dreams so. It is after this that she lives many lifetimes. I was really unsure as to how she did this because it really wasn't clear. Did she die and then get reborn? Did she just turn into a different person overnight? She is a broken person who cries about her parents every night and is always looking for them.
Jieun manifests the Marigold Mind Laundry into existence. She gets customers who come to tell her their stories and she washes away their 'stains' - their pain from existence. Yet, she is unable to wash away her own pain.
This is a book about overcoming obstacles and self-healing. I found the various characters' stories interesting but there were parts when the writing wasn't very straightforward and felt quite confusing by frequently going off on a tangent.
NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
I'm going to begin by saying that I've always enjoyed reading Sarah Morgan books ever since being introduced to them a couple of years ago.
Told from I'm going to begin by saying that I've always enjoyed reading Sarah Morgan books ever since being introduced to them a couple of years ago.
Told from the three different female narratives, The Christmas Cottage revolves around Imogen, Dorothy and Sara. Imogen's life is complicated because she has made it so. She has a successful career. An absolute workaholic, she makes up a fake home life - whereas in reality, she is lonely. Dorothy is one of her clients and Sara is Dorothy's daughter.
It is after being on the brink of burnout that Imogen is forced to take a month off work. Dorothy asks her to come and stay with her at her family cottage in the Cotswolds. It is here that the story takes a dramatic turn.
In all honesty, I struggled with the first part of this book. I found that it dragged and nothing really happened. The mid-way plot twist came out of nowhere. It initially felt odd and felt like an afterthought but it was after this that the story picked up.
The setting was gorgeous. The romance was very rushed into, but then again, the second half of the book was rushed and with one particular storyline, there was no closure.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQStories for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
Once again, the Kamogawa Food Detectives are hard at work recreating recipes for their clients at their culinary detective agency. The second book is Once again, the Kamogawa Food Detectives are hard at work recreating recipes for their clients at their culinary detective agency. The second book is just as good as the first. Mirroring the same pattern as the first book, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is made up of short stories. Each story is about a customer who wishes for them to make a dish that they once ate in their past. The food acts as a sensory trigger for the customers - encompassing them in nostalgia and food is always described in an exceptional way and mouthwatering detail.
Each story follows the same trend. A customer walks into the unmarked restaurant and is given delicious food to eat. They then go to the back room where the agency is situated. The daughter, Koishi makes them fill out a form and then the client talks to her about food that they once had and wish the Kamogawas to recreate. The client then comes back after a fortnight, and after having the food, they are asked to pay whatever they wish through a bank transfer. At the end of each story, the father-daughter duo always take Nagare's late wife into consideration, by talking to her, offering food at her altar and lighting incense.
It is Nagare Kamogawa who travels to places to find out about the dishes that their clients want them to recreate. The ingredients seem to be unique to their region of Japan which is quite interesting to read.
Just like the previous book, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is another lovely comfort read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
This was quite an intriguing read with a unique time travel concept. Riley wakes up on Valentine's Day 2025, a year after her first wedding anniversarThis was quite an intriguing read with a unique time travel concept. Riley wakes up on Valentine's Day 2025, a year after her first wedding anniversary. She doesn't know how she got there but what she does know is that her circumstances have drastically changed.
She is no longer married to her husband, Tristan. Instead, she wakes up with her husband's cousin, Milo by her side.
What happens next is time travel in reverse - the timeline goes backwards for things to fall into place. Riley gets to consequences of events that have happened in the previous days.
This book did have me hooked. However, there are only a certain amount of conversations about tea that one can tolerate and talk of tea between Milo and Riley just went overboard and became really tiresome to read. They literally had the same conversation over and over again.
NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Step into a world of Rent-a-Cat. Don't expect to like any of the characters. These short stories are mainly about selfish humans who don't deserve to Step into a world of Rent-a-Cat. Don't expect to like any of the characters. These short stories are mainly about selfish humans who don't deserve to have a cat; they don't understand the psyche of cats. They are critical of the cats but don't have the ability to be critical of themselves.
Delve deeper and you realise that the cats are reflections of the characters. The cats act as a 'cat'alyst for the stories.
Be warned, this is not a comfort read; instead it is irksome and at times, infuriating.
NetGalley and Quercus Books provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is Not a Holiday Romance is a cute read. Following the enemies to lovers trope, it tells the story of Nina and her brother's best friend Tristan.This is Not a Holiday Romance is a cute read. Following the enemies to lovers trope, it tells the story of Nina and her brother's best friend Tristan. Considering that they're both grown adults, they both play pranks on each other which were quite amusing. However, when they actually got together, it was all very sudden which I found quite unrealistic.
I do hope that there is a follow up to this book which follows the lives of the other characters.
Also, if you've watched the Cdrama Hidden Love, you will love this book.
NetGalley and Boldwood Books provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
"She'd never imagined that anonymous words of comfort would mean so much to her."
Inside the Yeonnam-Dong Smiley Laundromat, there is an olive-green di"She'd never imagined that anonymous words of comfort would mean so much to her."
Inside the Yeonnam-Dong Smiley Laundromat, there is an olive-green diary where the customers write down their troubles; and are then given written replies of advice and words of wisdom by other customers - mainly from elderly neighbourhood resident Old Jang.
I absolutely loved this book! The story was warm-hearted and wholesome; a beautifully written comfort read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for providing me with this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
What a super cute read! All of feels of Christmas during this warm summer weather. This book oozed Christmas.
I read this as a standalone so I was notWhat a super cute read! All of feels of Christmas during this warm summer weather. This book oozed Christmas.
I read this as a standalone so I was not familiar with the Ever After Street Series. Imagine having a street dedicated to Christmas all year round! The various shop names made me smile - Coming Gnome for Christmas and All You Need is Gloves, being just a couple of examples.
Christmas Ever After revolved around Franca and Raff - two business owners who always seem to be at loggerheads with one another until Franca has a fall and breaks three of her fingers. With her injury, she's unable to make any of her bespoke nutcrackers, so Raff comes to her rescue and helps her craft the nutcrackers and also shows her that he isn't a bad person after all. I really liked Raff's character and I loved how he showed Franca so much love and positivity.
Christmas Ever After was captivating - brilliantly capturing the magic of Christmas and I will definitely be reading the previous books in this series.
NetGalley and Boldwood Books provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
"She had tried, and she kept trying, to be the ideal daughter-in-law, the ideal wife, the ideal daughter. She was exhausted from all the trying."
Told "She had tried, and she kept trying, to be the ideal daughter-in-law, the ideal wife, the ideal daughter. She was exhausted from all the trying."
Told from three narratives over several timelines, the story revolves around the lives of Radha, Shyam and Mira. Based outside of Delhi, Radha and Shyam are a young married couple. Radha is a stay at home wife who conforms to the standards of a patriarchal society- so much so that her in-laws change her name from Tina to a more conservative, Radha.
It is after Radha makes friends with her new neighbour Mira, that the lives of all three are flung to a whole new dimension.
There was a lot packed into this book. It was an intriguing read and I found it hard to put down. Our Liminal Spaces is the fifth book that I've read by Poornima Manco and she continues to impress.
NetGalley and BooksGoSocial provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Have you ever read a book and forgot who's who? This is one of those books. There were so many characters and names packed within Secrets in Pink thatHave you ever read a book and forgot who's who? This is one of those books. There were so many characters and names packed within Secrets in Pink that I kept forgetting who the characters were, who was married to whom and why they were necessary in the first place.
The story failed to grasp my attention, it became quite boring in parts. A disappointing read.
NetGalley provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Just switch off your brain and prepare to be entertained!
This was a fun read, albeit a tad too long. The reader is transported into the dazzling and rJust switch off your brain and prepare to be entertained!
This was a fun read, albeit a tad too long. The reader is transported into the dazzling and ridiculous world of the ultra rich. There are A LOT of characters in this book, which initially did get confusing and took time getting used to.
There are some really obnoxious, self-centred and exaggerated characters (Arabella and Luis Felipe, I'm looking at you) but they lent to the actual humorous aspect of the novel.
One of the two normal people in this book was Eden but there really didn't seem to be much character development there. She was a complete pushover which was quite annoying.
There are amusing footnotes throughout as well as every single character's educational background. I really couldn't understand how they could all be so educated and yet be so dense at the same time.
Do not expect to relate to any of the characters.
NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review....more
The premise seemed promising but sadly, Honey missed the mark for me. I really struggled to finish it. It started off reasonably well but then the stoThe premise seemed promising but sadly, Honey missed the mark for me. I really struggled to finish it. It started off reasonably well but then the storyline and the writing both went downhill. The book seemed heavily inspired by the likes of 90's pop icons such as Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.
There was no depth to Amber's character at all. She came across as lacklustre. She was okay with everything that was happening with her and she didn't feel the need to stand up for herself. The whole Amber, Wes and Gwen thing was just odd.
The writing was all over the place and mediocre at best; rushed in some parts, but slow in other parts. It was like reading a really bad version of Daisy Jones and the Six. It may have been a coming of age story, but nothing really happened.
NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a unique premise! With it's vivid description, the town that felt like home but3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
"Sometimes a book can change your life."
What a unique premise! With it's vivid description, the town that felt like home but didn't exist, captured my heart from the very first page.
On her way to a solo book retreat, Elsy's car breaks down and she comes across the fictional town of Eloraton - a town with residents she KNOWS as she is obsessed with a book series which is set there. All the residents are fictional; all their stories having being written by Rachel Flowers, the author who created them. Flowers was unable to complete the book series due to a fatal car accident. Because Flowers wasn't able to finish the series, the characters' lives and stories have become stagnant. It is Elsy who sets their stories in motion again. Being in Eloraton heals Elsy from a past relationship and sets her on a path of self-discovery.
Elsy is star struck by all the residents apart from 'minty eyes' Anders, the bookshop owner. He wasn't written into the books, so who was he?
Within a matter of days, Anders and Elsy become romantically involved. He seems to be the only other person to know that the town was fictional. This is where things got a bit strange for me. If they both knew that the town was fictional, why didn't Elsy question him more?
The fantasy part kind of messed with my head. I was half-expecting Elsy to be imagining all this was happening whilst being in a coma.
There was a definite lack of chemistry between Elsy and Minty Eyes. There seemed to be much more chemistry between Elsy and her best friend Pru, who Elsy seemed quite fixated by. A major letdown for me was towards the end when Elsy was about to leave Eloraton. Seriously, what was that?
In fairness, despite the loopholes, A Novel Love Story proved to be quite entertaining and created a longing for book lovers to be a part of their favourite stories.
NetGalley and HQ provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
Confession- I read Who's That Girl years ago and I don't remember that story. The only thing I remember is that I read it over a weekend and I couldn'Confession- I read Who's That Girl years ago and I don't remember that story. The only thing I remember is that I read it over a weekend and I couldn't put it down.
You Belong With Me revisits Edie and Elliot and their newly-reconciled relationship. Their relationship goes public and Edie goes through the trials and tribulations of dating a celebrity.
I loved how Edie and Elliot were so comfortable with each other. They were so cute together. I loved Edie's closeness to Elliot's family. I was slightly disappointed with Declan's storyline. I would have loved to have seen Declan paired up with Meg.
Towards the end, there was a lull in Edie and Elliot's relationship and this was quite infuriating until they both came to their senses.
It could have been shorter, but overall this was an enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
As a British-Pakistani hailing from Manchester, this book kept me invested. The different cases were hard-hitting and relevant in today's political clAs a British-Pakistani hailing from Manchester, this book kept me invested. The different cases were hard-hitting and relevant in today's political climate.
Following in her father's footsteps, Jamila is an immigration lawyer. Her job is demanding and so are her father's expectations about carrying on the law firm. Jamila evidently suffers from burnout. Mental health isn't a thing in the Asian culture - in fact, mental health is frowned upon. Jamila eventually learns to prioritize herself and her needs above the needs of her colleagues and clients.
The individual cases were interesting. Some were left open-ended and I would have liked to have seen some closure.
Determination depicts reality -the challenges of asylum seekers whose fate hangs in the hands of The Home Office.
My thanks to NetGalley and Footnote Press for providing me with book in exchange for an honest review....more
"Loag kiya kahen gay?" (What will people say?) is a mindset that runs through Asian families. This phrase dictates decisions onHappy Publication Day!
"Loag kiya kahen gay?" (What will people say?) is a mindset that runs through Asian families. This phrase dictates decisions on just about everything.
Until about half-way through the book, I thought that Aliya Ali-Afzal had written another anxiety- inducing book where the main character digs a hole for herself which becomes deeper and deeper. I thought that the storyline would just be based around Noor trying to pull off the wedding that she had planned for herself rather than giving into to her mother's exuberant plans.
I was proven wrong. The Big Day has so much more to offer than the actual wedding planning storyline. Noor's character development is immense. She eventually uncovers some hidden secrets which she has to make peace with.
I absolutely loved Dan and Noor as a couple and honestly, I was waiting for them to have an argument and call off the wedding but that thankfully didn't happen. Dan was a huge green flag.
There were some parts which I felt to be quite rushed, but overall, The Big Day is a heartwarming and entertaining read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
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