Review Shots: It is all about family and friendships

Review Shots: It is all about family and friendships

It has been a while since I posted these review shots but here I am. I will be posting these mini reviews on the first Monday of every month, as per my old schedule. And I have a huge review backlog so I will utilizing this chance perfectly. 

This week I have three books that everyone, well almost everyone, I know has read already and everything that is to be said about them has been said. So I am gonna make them short and quick, a.k.a bite sized mine reviews. 


elgeewrites Review Shots: It is all about family and friendships SImon

Book Name: Simon and the homo sapiens agenda

Series: Creekwood #1

Author:  Becky Albertalli

Genre: Fiction – Romance, LGBTQAYoung Adult

Characters: Simon Spier, Martin Addison, Abby Suso, Nick Eisner, Leah Burke

Setting: Shady Creek, Georgia, The USA

This book put a smile on my face. I started to read the book just before I watched the movie, as per my usual rule. And I didn’t want to end at all.

Every character was freaking adorable and well adorable. It is a simple boy meets boy story with a hint of mystery angle in it. The writing was so perfect that I read another one of the author’s books. Everyone should read this one. 

I loved that the book asked the correct questions about LGBTQA, without being too preachy about it. It also spoke about friendship and family support.


elgeewrites Review Shots: It is all about family and friendships TAtbilb

Book Name: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Series: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Author: Jenny Han

Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult

Characters: Lara Jean, Peter Kavinsky, Kitty, Margot, Josh

Setting: Charlottesville, Virginia, The USA

I will be reviewing the whole series than each book, as I read them in one shot without stopping between them. I usually don’t love book series but this one bowled me over.

The story revolves around Lara Jean, an introvert who writes letters to her crushes to get it out of her system. Unexpectedly those get delivered to all those boys and hilarity ensues. The leads are so relatable and again family relationships and friendships form a big role in the series. 

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a a cute story that was converted to a Netflix film just a while ago due to the hype it created. And I assure you the film does not disappoint as well.


elgeewrites Review Shots: It is all about family and friendships Nordic king

Book Name: Nordic King

Author: Karina Halle

Genre: Fiction – Romance, Contemporary

Characters: Aurora, King Askel, Clara and Freja

Setting: Copenhagen, Denmark

Aurora is selected to be the new nanny for the Nordic royal family. She is from the Australian outbacks and is no way considered fit to be teaching the royal princess or to be the King’s new girl friend – or is she? 

Even though the plot is kinda predictable I enjoyed reading this one. I liked the family dynamics and the friendship between the kids and their nanny. Perfect for a cold afternoon read with cup of coffee. 

So how did you like these books? Do you do mini reviews on your blog? Do you like reading them? Let us talk about it.

Family

Review Shots: It is all about family and friendships

Review Shots: A punch bowl of cartoon, watercoloring and a 30 day challenge

Remember that new shiny thing we started last month? Not the Flyaway Friday feature, I know it is a fabulous. But the other one – yeah my way to overcome the long pending backlog of review books.

Oh yes, we are making that regular feature based on the comments I saw on that post. So every month the first Monday review edition oh Elgee Writes will have the bite sized edition of book reviews and the other Mondays will continue to have long (and longer) review (rather book rants) as usual.


Book Name: Herding Cats

Mini review: Cartoon

Author: Sarah Andersen

Genre: Fiction – Cartoon

If any of has seen my social feed you will know that I have an unhealthy obsession (for an adult) over cartoons and comic strips. So when I saw that the Sarah Andersen publication was offering Herding Cats for review at Netgalley I downloaded it before I could even read the blurb. Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen was the last book I read in 2017, and to be precise on 31 December 2017 after 10 PM. Yes it was worth staying in cuddled with my e-reader instead of partying on the New Year’s Eve.

Herding Cats is a very short (100+ pages) collection of Sarah’s depiction of her love for cats and other pets, autumn as well as her trying to adult. It is the third part of the Sarah Scribbles series. Every one I know will be able to relate to her cartoons and it will sure leave a grin on their faces. It is one of those books that will make you feel ‘Glad I am not the only weird one’ and wish it was longer.

But if you are looking for a common thread of cartoons (like the others in the series), you won’t find any. It is seemingly a bunch of random cartoons (that we love and are fabulous) by Sarah strewn together.

Final thought: Loved it.

Recommended to: All book lovers, millennials and cartoon lovers.


Book Name: Everyday Watercolor

Mini review: Cartoon

Author: Jenna Rainey

Genre: Non-Fiction; – Art

You all know how craft challenged I am, and my last water coloring project made me question all my ‘sensible shopping’ techniques. So when I stumbled across Everyday Watercolor by Jenna Rainey in Netgalley, I decided I will give water coloring a final try. And Jenna Rainey delivered exactly what it promised. NO I didn’t turn out to be an artist but now I at least now I can make a not so messy painting (which is by itself a grand achievement).

Everyday Watercolor teaches simple techniques to paint right from brush strokes and increasing the complexity day by day (in 30 days). I liked Jenna Rainey’s encouraging tone and attention to small details while teaching. I definitely will not throw my water color supplies yet.

Final thought: Perfect starter pack for learning water color.

Recommended to: Anyone interested in learning water coloring.


Book Name: Find Your Awesome:

Mini review: Cartoon

Author: Judy Clement Wall

Genre: Non-Fiction; – Self help

Find Your Awesome is an entertaining step by step instruction workbook that will help you introspect and learn to love yourself. This book is in the form of a 30 day challenge, but you can shorten or lengthen the period according to your need. I took more than 30 days to do some and I didn’t even do those challenges in that order (which probably is not how you should do).

If you are looking for a life changing piece of advice, then Find Your Awesome may not be your book. But you will definitely love it if you are up for fun and encouraging challenge to do. The book has place for you to write your lists and goals (like a journal) but I ended up using the good ol’ pen and paper.

Final thought: Entertaining way to introspect and accept self love.

Recommended to: Self help lovers who are looking for a monthly challenge.


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Mini review: Cartoon

Let us chat

Do you like reading these tiny non fiction books? Should I continue with these review shots? Let me know whatever you think.

Review Shots: It is all about family and friendships

Review Shots: A cocktail of travelogue, dystopian thriller and a dash of geekiness

You all know I turned out fairly ‘nice’ on Santa’s meter this festive season. But I realized there are quite a number of books that I have accumulated under the ‘to-be-reviewed’ shelf and I finally decided that it is high time I caught up with them.

And since it seems like a Herculean task, I have come up with a way around – bite-size reviews. In this month’s review shots, I have three books that I read sometime in the mid of 2016. Don’t judge me, I was in a blogging slump then.


Book Name: Fast Cars & Fidgety Feet

Author: Rishad Saam Mehta

Genre: Non-Fiction – Travel

Review Shots

Everybody has a dream job. Yes, sadly Netflixing and eating potato chips on the couch is not a job. But what if on a random day, an ad for your dream job lands on your lap, figuratively, what would you do? Would you drop everything and apply it? Or chicken out. That was just a rhetorical question, do not answer.

That’s what exactly happened to the author when he found an advertisement in a newspaper for a job in the automobile magazine. He now lives his dream by keeping up with his interest in driving cars and feet that wanted to travel all around the world. Fast Cars & Fidgety Feet is a nonfiction written by Rishad telling us tales of his misadventures while traveling around the world. There are a few funny anecdotes that you might enjoy.

Final thought: Perfect for a Sunday afternoon read.

Recommended to: Travel book aficionados


Book Name: Dvarca

Author: Madhav Mathur

Genre: Fiction – Dystopian, thriller

Review Shots

Setting: India

As it says on its back over, this book can be the perfect mix of ‘1984 and Meluha series’. Dvarca is a dystopian fiction set in the 22nd century where the Indian nation is governed by a single religion called Navmarg. The State watches every move of the citizens, controlling their schedules including their sleep and food habits. It chooses their life partner, when and how to procreate as well. And anyone who didn’t fall in line was considered outcasts and stranded without benefits. Reminds you a bit of the Handmaid’s tale eh?

Oh, everything is not so gloomy, erm.. as long as you are not outcasts, most things work perfectly in the nation though. Each person is given a task according to their ability, the children are trained at what was required for their chosen lives. The nation represents what could be achieved with a great leader with a vision. Dvarca might be a little difficult to get into initially but it gets gripping as it can be. Be warned of the cliffhanger though.

Final thought: A dystopian nightmare.

Recommended to: Indian mythology lovers


Book Name: The Geek’s Guide to Dating

Author: Eric Smith

Genre: Non Fiction

Review Shots

The Geek’s Guide to Dating is targeted at a particular audience which unfortunately is not me and that brought the fun a notch down for me. Now that we got out of the way, this book is quite a hoot to read. Okay, let me break it up to you – dating is no rocket science and you might have heard all these advice earlier elsewhere. Even if some of the geek jokes went over your head, as it did for me, it was still funny.

Also, you should be ready to overlook the fact that the book addressed only geeky guys seeking girls, geeky or otherwise. See why I am never gonna be the correct audience?

Final thought: A quirky entertainer.

Recommended to: Geeky men; people who need a laugh.


Let us chat

Have you read any of these books? Should I continue doing shots, I mean these review shots, or should stick to the lengthier formats? Let me know in the comments section.