![The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – A book review]()
review, Romance |
I picked The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary more than six months ago from the airport bookstore and carried it with me during my travels last year. But when I finally started reading it earlier this month, I knew it was a mistake.
It was a mistake to have waited so long to read it. Yes, I loved it. Let’s get on to the book review of The Flatshare, shall we?
About the book
Book Name: The Flatshare
Author: Beth O’Leary
Genre: Fiction – Romance
Characters: Tiffy Moore, Leon and Richie Twomey, Gerty, Mo, Justine, Kay
Setting: London, England, The UK
The plot
Tiffy Moore has just been dumped (again) and wants to move out of Justin’s house ASAP. Despite what her friends say, she has hope that Justin will ask her to take him back. But at the same time, she knows this has happened far too many times, now.
Leon Twomey is a nurse who works night shifts. His brother has been wrongly accused of a robbery and is in jail. Leon needs urgent cash flow to get him acquitted.
And a flatshare made sense for both of them. Leon will use the flat during the day, when Tiffy is at work and vice versa. It sounds perfect in paper,right? What could go wrong?
For starters, emotionally abusive boyfriends, trips in search of a long lost lover, and the work schedule. But how long can they go without meeting forms the rest of The Flatshare.
My initial thoughts
The Flatshare is a well written romance with great characters and witty humor. But what I loved about this book was how it talked about emotional abuse – keeping it real and without being preachy.
I loved Tiffy’s arc especially. Initially she would not even stand a criticizing comment about Justin from her friends. But she slowly understood how he was gaslighting her and had been emotionally abusive and manipulating her. ALL BY HERSELF, with a bit of help from her ever supporting friends. And for once, the male protagonist was not her savior.
Leon was just a perfect sweetheart. He is an introvert who loves helping everyone, even going out of his way to do so. In fact, he spends his free time to help an aged patient to find his family. He is on first name basis with his younger patients who seem to know more about him than himself.
I loved Gerty, Mo and Rachel. And Richie. They were colorful and well developed, making it a treat to read about them.
Things that worked for me
- The Flatshare is just more than a romance, even when it has a cute love story in it.
- The characters. From Tiffy to Holly, were well written and adorable.
- I loved how the emotional abuse was portrayed, without making it all about the guy.
Things that didn’t work for me
I know this is a weak point but the flatshare arrangement without even meeting each other sounds too unrealistic right? Or is it just me? (It was not a deal breaker, though)
Bottom-line
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary is a fun romance with British humor that deals with heavy subjects like emotional abuse, gaslighting and friendships. Pick it up if you are a newbie reader or someone trying to get off a slump.
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![The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – A book review]()
Romance |
I am a self professed World War II fiction junkie. I scour through the internet for any WWII related anecdotes and historical facts. So when the whole world was reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris could I be left out? Actually I was, I read it real late.
Anyway.. I caught up with the trend and I am posting my review even later than what I had planned. But I am here now, and shall we talk about The Tattooist of Auschwitz?
About the Tattooist of Auschwitz
Book Name: The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Author: Heather Morris
Genre: Fiction – Historical, Drama
Characters: Lale Sokolov, Gita Sokolov, CIlka
Setting: Krompachy, Slovakia, Auschwitz, Poland
Plot Summary of the Tattooist of Auschwitz
Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, holds a relatively privileged position at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist). He risks his life several times to scrap off jewelry and money of dead Jew prisoners and then exchange them to buy more food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.
He feels an immediate connection with Gita, one of the prisoners he had to tattoo and the affection is quite mutual. Despite the circumstances, they sneak out and meet each other, at every opportunity they get. They vow to marry if they ever escape the camp, if at all.
Did they get to keep their promise? Did they escape? The answers to these questions form the rest of The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Book review of the Tattooist of Auschwitz
I couldn’t stop myself from mentally putting myself in Lale’s place while reading the book, from my comfortable couch, and then feel guilty about it. It must have been hard keeping up his spirits and humanity throughout the book and his real life, and I loved it
I particularly liked the fact that how he made friends with the people from other countries and races, despite whatever he has been “taught at home” about them, given how stubborn people were on those days.
When I think of a tale of a real life survivor from a genocide, I wanted to cry, be shocked and be enraged. Sadly that is not what I felt. And I am sucker for emotional readers, and the plot was all that. But it didn’t work for me at all. For me it was just another romance, and worse, it romanticizes the whole harrowing experience at the concentration camp.
And I definitely was not prepared for The Tattooist of Auschwitz being a romance-centric book. That one might be on me, I should have read the blurb/ synopsis better.
Also, while reading the book, someone sent me an interview of how the author wasn’t true to the real tattooist of Auschwitz’s story (which she was borrowing) and they had a dispute. Well, that put me a little off. Poor guy!
Things that worked for me
- As I have clearly established, I love the WWII premise and historical fiction in general.
- I loved that there was optimism and time for love even during those dire days.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I wished the storytelling was better and it actually made me feel something.
- It was a romance book, predominantly and I expected more of the history part.
- It may be just me, but I felt the book was romanticizing the concentration camps, which is horrible if you think about it.
Similar reviews you might like
Bottom-line
If you want to read a romance from WWII era, choose The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. But if you want to read about the war itself or what it does to ordinary people, there are better books to choose from.
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![The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – A book review]()
review, Romance, YA |
Remember the time when everyone including your friends loved a thing and you didn’t know how to react because you didn’t love it as much. Or to be honest didn’t love it at all? Well, I am gonna probably lose some friends over this review of From Twinkle, with love by Sandhya Menon. Let get it done with ok?
About the book
Book Name: From Twinkle, with love
Author: Sandhya Menon
Genre: Fiction – Romance
Characters: Twinkle Mehra, Dadi, Sahil and Neil Roy, Maddie Tanaka, Victoria
Setting: Colorado Springs, Colorado, The United States of America
Summary
Twinkle Mehra is an aspiring filmmaker, who has had a crush on the school’s golden boy Neil Roy for a long time. She has made it her personal goal to break out of the groundling status (AKA commoners), in the high school cliched ranks, and get promoted to that of silk feathered hats, that is the popular ones.
To make matters worse, her childhood best friends Maddie had found new friends earlier this year and she is now among the popular clique, and she has to win her back.
When Sahil, a fellow film geek and the awkward twin of Neil Roy, asks her to work on a film for the summer festival, she takes it up as a chance to solve all her problems – get closer to Neil, win back Maddie, join the popular clique and shoot a film.
But what she did not expect was her falling for the sweet, understanding and adorable Sahil. What happens to their film and their romance forms the rest of the story in From Twinkle, with love.
Book review
Since I told you all pretty much how I feel about the book already, let us talk about the why part.
I was all excited for this book, because I had had met the author then and she turned out to be actually sweet and friendly. And most of my friends and many from the book blogger world loved it. But that didn’t sway my high expectations from my experience with When Dimple met Rishi. So I started reading with the correct level of expectations but hopeful that I will love it.
After a few initial chapters, I started disliking Twinkle as I found her annoying, self absorbed and hypocritical. As much as she spoke of breaking the barrier between cliches, she was obsessed with being in the popular group. She had a crush on Neil and constantly worried about ‘her connection with him’ even when she was getting closer to his brother, when she had barely spoken with him ever.
And she absolutely didn’t care about what Maddie’s interest in ‘being best friends’ with her. Or how Sahil would feel when he realizes that she is working with him to get to his brother, whose shadows he had lived under all his life. And she doesn’t tell him about meeting N, her secret admirer until he found out. I really wanted to like this book, you guys!
Also her character arc: Her character arc takes a positive change and then a negative so suddenly (and quite unnecessarily) that it had me double check if I were reading it correctly. Yes, she redeems herself at the end but the changes in her didn’t make sense to me.
Why am I talking only about Twinkle?
Because that is all there! From Twinkle, with love is written in the epistolary style with diary/letter entries of Twinkle and chat history of Sahil. The book offers no other character’s perspectives. But how did she write her diary when she was with others? Did she excuse herself for 30 minutes (that is how much long it took to write this review) when she is with others?
I liked the author’s writing style and easy flow. And it would definitely be a good book to start your reading habit even. I liked even the smaller characters like Dadi, Victoria and I wish we had deeper insights into their characters.
Things that worked for me
- Finally a diverse book with an Indian MC, in a setting that I can personally relate to.
- I loved Sahil and how understanding and helpful was.
- Great book to start the reading habit with.
- I liked the easy narrative flow, despite the epistolary style.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I completely hated how annoying and cardboard-ish Twinkle was.
- And her character arc didn’t make sense to me.
- I wish the other (non lead) characters had more depth and character development.
Bottom-line
Read From Twinkle, with love if you are looking for a fluffy, contemporary high school romance, with desi characters. Many other bloggers have loved it, so you might too.
Similar books that you might like?
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review, Romance |
I know the times are hard and troubling and we bookworms are trying to escape the pressure of the real world. And so I am here help you do that with a great recommendation. Let us review Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, shall we?
About the book
Book Name: Red, White & Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston
Genre: Fiction – Romance
Characters: Alex Claremont-Diaz and his sister June, Nora Holleran (Alex’s best friend), Prince Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, his sister Bea and Pez (Henry’s best friend)
Setting: Washington DC, The United States of America
The plot
The sons of the first families of The USA and the UK hate each other dislike each other and the world knows it. The first families and their PRs decide to intervene and stage a fake Instagram relationship.
What starts as a fake friendship between Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry blossoms into something more. But is coming out as gay worth all the drama in the royal family? And more importantly is their love worth causing a political derailment around the world? You will have to read Red, White & Royal Blue to know more.
My initial thoughts
Red, White & Royal Blue was highly addictive and hilarious that you cannot put it down once you start. The banter between the leads is witty and adorable. The writing is top notch and Casey McQuiston knows to keep the readers hooked until the end.
Above all, what struck close to me was the lead characters and how much life like they both were. And the sub plots and side characters especially June, Bea and Nora, were as deep as they can be. Oh I loved them all.
Things that worked for me
- The writing is fast paced and quite an easy flow.
- I loved the characters and seriously appreciate how deep their arcs were.
- The witty banter and the chemistry between the leads is adorable.
- An extra brownie point for the very diverse cast.
Things that didn’t work for me
Red, White & Royal Blue is not going to be your gateway to learn every bit of the politics of USA. You get what you see!
Bottom-line
Red, White & Royal Blue is such a cute, sweet and funny LGBTQA romance that will definitely keep your lock down sorrows go away. You need this in your life!
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![The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – A book review]()
review, Romance |
I hope y’all still believe in “better than late never“, because I am talking about a book that many of you have read and spoken to death about. Yes, I am talking about The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. And if you are one of those rare souls that haven’t read this yet, let my review convince you!
About the book
Book Name: The Kiss Quotient
Author: Helen Hoang
Genre: Fiction – Romance
Characters: Stella Lane, Michael Phan
Setting: Silicon Valley, California, The United States of America
The plot
When her mother forces her to get married, the autistic Stella Lane hires a male escort to teach her the ways to please a man. Stella is a highly intelligent econometrician who is socially inept and hence generally poor in understanding people and thus relationships.
Micheal Phan works as an escort on Fridays to pay his ailing mother’s huge hospital bills. He is good at what he does and he is strict about not rebooking his clients, even if they pay well. Well everything changes when he is hired by Stella.
There is an instant connection between them but they resist because professional boundaries and miscommunication. Do they or not end up together forms the rest of The Kiss Quotient.
My initial thoughts
I took the book right from the first page. It is a story that we have all heard before but what makes The Kiss Quotient a good book are the protagonists.
The characters are so well thought and developed with depth. None of the cardboard stereotypes that are a dozen a dime in the Kissing Quotient. Both Stella and Micheal made me laugh and cry when they did.
I liked the fact that the author didn’t cheapen autism or oversell it. Even I, who have very little personal experience with autism, could understand a lot about the spectrum and Stella as a person. I would consider that a win for Helen Hoang.
Yay for the representation (autism, Asian (Vietnamese) characters and a male sex worker)! And extra credit for not shaming the sex work in anyway.
Things that worked for me
- The writing is so easy to read and I couldn’t put the book down at all.
- I loved the well developed characters.
- The Kiss Quotient is kinda smutty but it works so well. Kudos to the author!
Things that didn’t work for me
Definitely not a young adult novel, as some believe it to be. Lots of steamy scenes. So beware.
Bottom-line
If you are looking to beat the boring afternoons during the lock down, pick The Kiss Quotient without a doubt. This racy, funny romance will steal your heart away for sure!
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![The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – A book review]()
review, Romance |
What is your dream life like? If you are a bookworm, I kinda think you will be jealous of the life of Nina Hill. I am not even an introvert and yet I was. I totally loved the book, the writing, as should every bookworm. Go ahead read to find what’s so good about The bookish life of Nina Hill, okay?
About the book
Book Name: The bookish life of Nina Hill
Author: Abbi Waxman
Genre: Fiction – Romance
Characters: Nina Hill, Tom Byrnes, Peter Reynolds, Archie Reynolds, Liz Quinn, Lydia & Katherine Reynolds, Polly Culligan, Eliza & Millie Reynolds, Alice Reynolds, Lili, Annabelle & Clare, Sarkassian
Setting: Los Angeles, California, The United States of America
The plot
Nina Lee Hill, an anxious introverted bookworm leads a perfect life with her job in a bookstore, a great trivia and Phil, her cat. She takes books seriously and actually considers talking to non readers worthless. Yep, seriously. And oh she is a list maker and planner! (See, whats not to like?)
When she comes to know that her estranged father is dead, she doesn’t realize her perfect world may not be as is. She has a family and a huge one at that. And also she might be named in his will. Also her arch nemesis from the trivia club, Tom may not be so bad after all.
How would Nina be able to cope with all these sudden changes forms the rest of The bookish life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman and you definitely should be reading it.
My initial thoughts
I was hooked with just the blurb and the title. I mean I loved the premises and the plot and the mere fact that there is going to be a lot of bookish-ness in the book. And I was not disappointed at all.
On a more serious note, I am sure most bookworms would feel relatable to Nina and her love for all bookish things. Other characters are too perfect to believe, I loved them anyway.
I loved that Nina wasn’t portrayed as a typical nerdy, closed introvert but as someone who has a social life with select people. Her time is well divided between trivia, movies with friends (or alone) and book club meetings. See, bookworms are not all alone, in reality!
I love a book with a family reunion, or new family in this case. The bookish life of Nina Hill is more of drama than a romance and I really liked that the romance takes a backseat after a while. I wish the author had spent a little more time to this aspect of the book and cut short on her inner ramblings.
Things that worked for me
- Very relatable characters that are well developed.
- I loved the witty conversations sprinkled here and there.
- Books. Books. Lists. BOOKS EVERYWHERE.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I literally rolled my eyes when I read about stereotypical “fabulous gay nephew”.
- The first few chapters with so many references and facts wore me a bit down.
Bottom-line
If you are bookworm whose life revolves around books and bookish things, The bookish life of Nina Hill is definitely for you. Easily one of the good books I read in 2019.
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