A modern day Agatha Christie-sque setting and an unwanted guest to sleuth – was The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley be as good as her previous books. I loved Foley’s other two books, what about her third? Read my book review of The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley to find out.
When Jess invites herself to her brother Ben’s luxurious apartment, Ben is missing. She was sure he would help her as he did when they were younger, but sure he wouldn’t disappear, would he?
Jess doesn’t know about the adult Ben’s life, nor how he is able to afford this apartment itself. 12 Rue des Amants, a beautiful 5 storey building with a tenant on each floor, is a character by itself.
A nice guy, a socialite, an alcoholic, a reserved student and the concierge – who is a friend and who is lying? Where is Ben and what happened to him? Read The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley to find out.
Book review of The Paris Apartment
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley is a classic whodunnit with a bunch of questionable characters and a motivated sleuth on the trail. The setting of the house was intriguing and added a sense of doom and eerie to it. It reminded me a lot of “Only Murders in the Building” (which absolutely loved it).
I have read Foley’s previous books and I really had big hopes for this one, as a big fan of closed-room mysteries. I enjoyed how the layers unraveled, even though some elements were unnecessary to the story and were added just to create a distraction.
While the slow pace put me off in places, I think it worked out well. I was not particularly enthused by Jess and her attempt to solve the mystery. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes, often. It felt a little more of thriller than a mystery to me, especially when she was getting any better at solving anything.
I found the multiple person narrative with 6 people tiresome at places, and the book could have been shorter by at least 20 pages. Maybe it was just me, I was getting restless after big twist for the book to end.
What worked for me
I loved the setting and the unlikable cast of tenants. It was eerie and sinister.
While I didn’t like any of the characters, they were well developed and intriguing.
The multiple
What may have been better
I felt it was more of a thriller than a mystery.
The pace dragged a bit, compared to what is usual for the genre.
Content warning
Murder, Suicide, Alcoholism, Cheating, Domestic violence, Sex work, Sexual harassment (mentioned), Self-harm (mentioned)
Bottom line
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley is a slow paced, claustrophobic whodunnit. It is different from Foley’s other books in terms of writing and narrative style, but it mostly works. If you like “Only Murders in the Building” you might enjoy The Paris Apartment.
Have you read The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley? What other contemporary murder mysteries worked well for you? Have you read anything else from Foley? Let us talk.
For those who haven’t had a book hangover recently, or you just want despite that is what you did last week too, The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi is for you. Honestly, I couldn’t just drop the book and walk off once I finished it. Read more of book review of The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi to know why.
Vivek Oji is dead, but his violent death leaves a long overcast over his parents, his cousin Osita and their friends. His mother is set on a journey to figuring out what happened to her son. Osita is losing himself to alcohol and has left the town, and their other friends do not seem to know what happened either.
But The Death of Vivek Oji is also about the life of Vivek Oji. Born to an Indian mom in a Niger family, Vivek’s life is nothing short of colorful. As a teen, he starts to grow distant from his parents and closer to his friends, the daughters of other Niger-wives (foreign women married to Niger men) and his cousin.
Did Kavita find out what happened to her son? What did happened to him form the rest of The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi.
Book review of The Death of Vivek Oji
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi is a coming-of-age story of a Nigerian boy, who is struggling to find himself in a country where it is not appreciated. And his life come to an abrupt stop.
The Death of Vivek Oji is a breathtaking story about identity, belonging and grief. It tackles several serious topics like sexuality, transphobia, parental acceptance, etc. without losing the emotional grip it has on the reader.
The book opens with the The Death of Vivek Oji, and we move between years to know how and why. This non-linear shift makes the story more intriguing as well as impactful. We get to know the three generations of the Oji family and along theirs, the life of Niger-wives and their children who bore the “outsider” tag.
I absolutely loved Emezi’s way with words and how she easily wrings my heart out. Trust me when I say that, because I silently cried while reading the book and then bawled out after I finished it. And I don’t do it often. The voices of her characters are powerful, yet restrained.
I loved reading the political and cultural history of Nigeria, and I could see most of them happening in an Indian set-up – the Christian conversion, the exorcism to beat the devil away, and of course the repression of LGBT. But all is not bad, the book gave me a glimpse of hope about the future, seeing the youth in Vivek’s lives were accepting and open to change.
What worked for me
Akwaeke Emezi’s writing, words and characters – powerful, yet subtle, refreshing and heartbreaking
I loved reading about southeastern Nigeria and its way of life.
The ending was wonderful; and hopeful for the future.
What may have been better
There are several sub-(sub?)-plots that might have taken up much space. I definitely enjoyed reading them, but were they necessary? Instead if we could have had more about Vivek, I would probably take it.
Content warning
Attempted sexual assault, suicidal thoughts, homophobia, transphobia, incest, domestic abuse, violence, cheating, depictions of grief & depression.
Bottom line
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi is one book that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. It is at times bleak but it is also heartwarming that love finds a way. You have to read this, if you are ready for a bawl.
Who knows how long it has been since I wrote a review? Actually I know, it has been almost 6 months. But here I am with one. So read on to find how The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe turned out for me.
Nora O’Malley and her friends were not prepared for being held hostages when they went to the bank that morning. Neither were the robbers prepared for these normal looking teens to foil their heist. They were especially not prepared for Nora to be an ex con artist.
Before she became Nora O’Malley, she was a number of other girls – a prop for her mother to lure gullible men into their sweetheart trap. She was raised to be a con artist herself until she escaped.
Did the hostages survive? Did the bank heist succeed? You will have to read The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe to know more.
Book review of The Girls I’ve Been
The Girls I’ve Been follows a multiple timelines – a bank heist in the present and Nora’s numerous cons in the others. While I loved the present timeline, the narrative style of some of the other timelines didn’t sit well with me. Too distracting from the heist part, if I may.
I really enjoyed the strong and complex background stories of each of these characters and their complicated family dynamics.
The Girls I’ve Been had so many beautiful and strong relationship angles. I loved that the romance (Sapphic or any other kind) didn’t entirely take over any of them, and the platonic friendship was exceptional.
I especially adored Nora’s very dependable and devoted sister Lee, the only adult in The Girls I’ve Been who deserved to be with these teens.
The Girls I’ve Been is full of strong women and smart girls, and I hope you will love Iris as much as I did. And another yay for the strong LGBTQIA+ and good mental health representations.
What worked for me
The Girls I’ve Been is a fast paced young adult book that maintains the action and suspense until the end.
I loved the friendship between the three teens as well as the beautiful Sapphic relationship between Nora and Iris.
Morally grey characters are my favorites and grey characters who try hard to be good are the best.
What may have been better
The Girls I’ve Been has quite a few flashbacks that kinda slowed down the pace. I felt the narrative style of the flashback became annoying after a while.
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe is a perfect page turner that you will enjoy if you are into young adults. It has great representations and MORALLY GREY CHARACTERS. Can’t wait for the Netflix adaptation with Millie Brown Bobby!
As soon as I had the chance, I jumped at the chance of reading The Justice when I heard it was a book based on a true survivor of rape and sexual abuse. Did it work for me? You have to read my book review of The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish to know more.
Disclaimer: The review was commissioned by the author and it has not changed my opinion on the book any manner.
Plot Summary of The Justice
Ime Borah has had a sheltered and happy life. A parents who loved her, supportive friends and a fiancé who can’t wait to marry her.
But her whole life changes when she is raped by two men. Her parents do not let her out of their sight or their house and her best friend broke up with her. Most importantly, Ime decides to call off her wedding because she knows “she is stained”.
Her area’s local vigilante group, Save Women Society, take it upon themselves to find her rapists. Does justice prevail? Do the culprits get captured? Does she get her life back forms the rest of The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish.
Book review of The Justice
The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish is a fast paced, short book that can be read in an hour or so. It is written in an Indianized English and is filled with phrases like “cut the call”.
To be honest, I spent a lot of time thinking if it was just me or it was normal to feel grated by that but I have been called a snob. So take my warning with a pinch of salt.
But one thing that actually annoyed me was Ime’s constant beratement of herself and considering herself stained because she is raped. While I understand that the rape victims may do that, I could feel that it was overdone.
I know I maybe overreacting (or underreacting, I have not decided which yet), but this has theme has been on the Indian mass media and literature for far too long. It is high time we put an end to it.
I liked some of the background stories of the side characters like Sirco-ji. But after a point, these became a white noise as there were too many to recount.
I wished I saw more of Uddipan, instead of just hearing from Ime to understand about their relationship better. Like most parts of the book, I had go by the author’s narrative telling, instead of him showing it.
What worked for me
I loved hearing about the stories of other side characters from Assam, a state that I have a soft corner for.
Many people I know, may love reading the localized/Indianized version of English.
What may have been better
There were many instances of telling instead of showing. And that bothered with the narrative.
I hated the victim shaming and treating being raped as a stain and considering the victim worthless after that.
Content warning
Brutal rape, mentions of stalking and raping the victims, Victim shaming and considering being raped an indelible stain, cases of “men writing women”.
Bottom line
The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish is a short book that you can finish in a sitting. Read it if you are looking for an “Indian writing in English” book.
Have you read The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish? What other books can you suggest that are written by survivors of rape and sexual assault? Let us talk.
I came across this book when I was scouting a book for the letter J for my A to Z 2020 challenge. Unfortunately, I ended up reading The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner then. But I finally got to read this on quite recently. Ready to read my book review of Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index by Julie Israel?
Juniper Lemon recently lost her sister Camilla. She and her family are trying to cope up with the loss and grief, but not so well. To make it worse, her best friend would not talk to her either.
The only thing that is holding Juniper up was continuing her Camilla’s ritual of writing down positive things for each day. And then she loses an index card. The index card that has a memory that the world can’t know about.
Juniper knows she has to find it right away. Also she comes to know that her sister had a special someone, someone Juniper knew nothing about.
Does Juniper lemon find her happiness index card? Who was this “You” in Camilla’s life? Did Juniper ever meet them? You will have to read Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index by Julie Israel to find out.
Book review of Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index
Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index by Julie Israel talks a lot about grief and loss of a beloved. And they way they deal (or not deal) with it. And I loved how Juniper/Julie Israel talks of grief and resonated with me personally. I really wanted to hug her tightly for a minute.
The book also has some cliché young adult drama. But they somehow felt right, to me. Watch out for the character development of the female lead, Juniper. From someone annoying and nosy she does grow up fast.
I loved how Juniper ended being friends with people she normally won’t have spoken to. The dialogues and banter between the friends were witty and I enjoyed reading. I flew through the book in a sitting.
What worked for me
This is YA book that focuses on grief over the loss of a beloved and unexpected friendships.
I loved the banter and witty dialogues between the friends.
Perfect character development for Juniper and other characters were also fully fleshed.
What may have been better
I wished I learned more about her family and their bonding.
I think the romance angle could have been avoided. But I understand that it is inevitable.
Content warning
Loss and grief over the loss of a sibling, Teacher-student relationship (hinted), Car accident, parental abuse and negligence
Bottom line
Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index by Julie Israel is a typical coming of age book that handles heavier topic like grief and loss of a sibling. For a book dealing over so much grief, it didn’t end up to be a sad book. And that is win for me!
Have you read Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index by Julie Israel? Can you suggest other young adult books that deal with grief and loss of a sibling? Let us talk.
I rarely write about books that didn’t work out well for me, especially if it were a hyped one. But then I come across a book that everyone raved about and I could not not rant about it. So here is my book review on November 9 by Colleen Hoover.
On November 9, Ben and Fallon meet at a restaurant and they have an instant connection. Ben is an aspiring writer and Fallon an actress and an avid reader.
But Fallon is moving across the country the next day and also she feels she will not be ready for a serious relationship for the next 5 years (until she turns 23).
So they decide to go on with their lives and date other people but only meet each other every year on November 9. And they would have no more contact with each other other than that one day of a year.
But do their attraction stand strong with just that one in 365 days? You will have to read November 9 by Colleen Hoover to know more.
Book review of November 9
The plot immediately reminded me of One Day (and one of the character mentions it even), but I have tried to overlook that while reviewing.
The book follows the time that the duo spend together, year after year and we get an alternating POV for both characters of the same date. We do not hear more about the characters’ lives apart from that.
November 9 was my first book by Colleen Hoover, an author I had been meaning to read for a long time and my expectations were quite high.
True to her fame, CoHo’s writing hooked me right at the first chapter and the banter between the characters worked out mostly. The characters Ben and Fallon were fleshed out well.
And honestly that is all that I could muster to speak in the pro section.
“Why would a girl care to find herself when she’ll never be able to make herself feel as good as a guy can?”
I understand the heat of the moment and all, but I think this quote from the book made double take. I understand that Fallon is insecure about herself and is generally melodramatic but this is NOT OKAY at all.
I hated how Ben consistently disregarded Fallon’s consent, objectified her, stalked her and ordered her around. And Fallon’s father is not a saint either. To make matters worse, she forgives both of them instantly and starts a good relationship with them at the end. Well why did I even read it?
Also what is with Ben’s obsession about Fallon’s scars sexually? Especially, after knowing his secret (that he was the one who started the fire (intentionally) which left her scarred and disfigured and he knew who she was the whole time) his behavior was just disgusting.
What worked for me
I loved Colleen Hoover’s writing and the banter kept me going and hooked.
Though the plot seemed similar to One day, it takes a different turn once you get over it.
What may have been better
BEN! I wish influential and best selling authors like Colleen Hoover would pay more attention to their characters and what they do.
I disliked that Fallon forgave her father too easily.
Content warning
Male ignoring non consent, arson, parent suicide,
Bottom line
November 9 by Colleen Hoover was a well written contemporary New age romance. While it seems to have some HUGE red flags, you can still pick a copy based on the other 4+ star ratings on Goodreads.
How did you like November 9 by Colleen Hoover? Did you have these issues with the characters or is it just me? Should I read other books by the author before I give up? Let us talk.
