![How to Build a Heart – A book review]()
review, Romance |
Remember a few weeks ago, I was on a reading spree? Yup, the rare occasion. So I picked up How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian on Netgalley and even I was surprised that I finished it so fast. But was it good enough? Read ahead to know more.
About the book
Book Name: How to Build a Heart
Author: Maria Padian
Genre: Fiction – Romance
Characters: Isabella (Izzy) and Jack Crawford, Mami, Roz Jenkins, Sam and Aubrey Shackelton,
Setting: Virginia, The United States of America
The plot
All her life Izzy Crawford has been moving between cities and she can’t wait to settle down at a house that she can call hers, with her hard working mother and younger brother. She has not still learned to process the grief over her father’s death in the Marines and moving away from his side of the family doesn’t help.
But her life is finally coming together. Izzy has made some new friends in her Catholic school, finds herself a spot in a cappella group and a hot and popular boy friend, Sam. Just one minor problem, none of them knows that she lives in a trailer park.
Her best friend Roz, who also happens to be her neighbour in the trailer park, is the only one who understands her but Izzy’s mom doesn’t approve of her. And she has had a long time crush on Sam, which Izzy had known right from the beginning.
So when the Habitat for Humanity offers to help them to build a house, she has a chance to make everything better. But that comes up with strings. You will have to read How to Build a Heart to know more about Izzy and her house building project.
My initial thoughts
I was glad that romance was not the main focus of How to Build a Heart, even though it was a romance book. It is a family drama/reunion story, and I loved it as much. I liked the older females in the book and Izzy’s relationship with her newfound cousin.
I didn’t like the main friendship in How to Build a Heart so much that I ended up not liking both Izzy and Roz. Izzy doesnt tell Roz anything and made it a point to keep Roz away from her life. And Roz in other hand was always mean to Izzy and literally threw a stone at her over a boy. Whoa!
And they got over their fight so easily? Well, I didn’t buy that one at all. Despite not loving the characters, I loved the writing style which was compelling and fast flowing.
Things that worked for me
- The writing was perfect and I didn’t put the book down even once.
- How to Build a Heart deals with difficult topics like poverty, racism, and grief and did a great job at it.
- I love a book with a good family reunion and How to Build a Heart has one!
Things that didn’t work for me
- Izzy and Roz were both difficult to like right from the beginning. And it got only tougher.
- I found it was difficult to adore Izzy and same, as Izzy had nothing in common with Sam.
Bottom-line
How to Build a Heart is a coming of age tale of a Latin American girl that discusses economic inequity, racism, friendship and of course love. I will definitely look out for more from the author.
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![How to Build a Heart – A book review]()
Paranormal, review |
How much does an author’s name influence your liking or disliking of a book, consciously or otherwise? How far would you go before it changes your opinion? And I got to finally pick up Elevation by Stephen King, who is one of my favorite authors. Read ahead to see how it worked out for me!
About Elevation by Stephen King
Book Name: Elevation
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Fiction – Paranormal, Thriller
Characters: Scott Carey, Missy and Deirdre, Doctor Bob Ellis
Setting: Castle Rock, Maine, The United States of America
Plot Summary of Elevation
Set in the much beloved Castle Rock, the recent divorcee Scott Carey has a peculiar problem. He is constantly losing weight even though his form doesn’t change and he has been eating quite well.
He nor his doctor can find the reason and Scott doesn’t want to make a spectacle of himself by undergoing tests. What would happen to him when he finally reaches zero on the scale remains a mystery either of them.
Meanwhile his lesbian neighbors faces pressure from their conservative towners. While Scott doesn’t get along with them initially, he befriends them and tries to help them win over the others as well. What does it have to do with his losing weight?
You might have to read Elevation by Stephen King to know more.
Book review of Elevation
Obviously I picked Elevation because it was written by Stephen King and all the hype it received on the Goodreads. Well, he nor his writing disappointed me. I usually love him making his political stands in the story, even if they seem overdone sometimes. And well, I was given what I asked but the Castle Rock was color red? That was shocking.
I am not into Science Fiction, like at all. So I wasn’t prepared for sci-fi (I am being really generous about the label) to be sold as horror. It is not horror. I can’t believe how Elevation won the Goodreads Choice awards for horror in 2018. (What were you all thinking when you nominated/voted, people?)
Like many other books of his, it left me with a few unanswered questions. I wish it were a bit longer and gave a bit more depth to the characters. Well, I can only wish.
And to answer my own question, yes, I read and enjoyed Elevation only because of King’s name on it. And I can only wonder if I would have done either if it were someone else’s or even if it labelled correctly as fantasy, instead of horror.
Things that worked for me
- I loved King’s not so subtle dig at the USA’s political scenario.
- I liked the writing (obviously) and made me wish it was a bit longer.
- It is not the usual “horror” that we are used to in Stephen King’s books, and it is not entirely bad thing.
Things that didn’t work for me
- Well, it is not quite your usual King’s horror and it definitely not going to keep you awake all night.
- If you are someone who wants politics away from reading, then this might be a distraction.
Bottom-line
Elevation is a novella that will hold your attention and won’t haunt you like the other Stephen King’s. But that may not be entirely a good thing.
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Drama, review |
I know it has been quite a while since I wrote a review. Don’t worry I will be giving a detailed update on what kept me away from blogging and my readers in my Sunday Post, but for now you have an Indie review of Vices/Virtues to catch up on.
About the book
Book Name: Vices/Virtues
Author: Beatrice DeSoprontu
Genre: Fiction – Drama
Characters: Cristela/Clara, Daisy, Virginia, Justine, Griselda, Noelle
Setting: The United States of America
The plot
Vices/Virtues revolves around the dominatrices working in a sex dungeon in New York and their lives. Our main character Cristela works as a domintrix but in secret. She even creates an alter ego to keep her dual life apart.
Her coworkers also have secret aliases and they do not see each other outside the dungeon. We also read about their backgrounds and their vices and virtues.
The book has a bunch of mini stories each named after a vice or virtue about the related inner conflicts the characters go through, while the sex and BDSM just offer a backdrop. How far would Cristela to protect her secret forms the rest of the story in Vices/Virtues.
My initial thoughts
I quite recently watched the Sex education on Netflix. So I picked this book up because I was intrigued by the premise and I was not disappointed.
While there is no linearity among the flow of the story, the format, as a collection of short stories, worked better for me than it would have as a novella.
There are some references made to Hindu deities which were not correct and definitely will seem distasteful to religious people. Thankfully, there were just few of them. I wish the author would have discussed about this representation with a sensitivity / beta reader before she added to the book.
Things that worked for me
- The premise was unique and I like how the kinky sex dungeon was just a background.
- Read it like a bunch of short stories, instead of one long book and you might enjoy it better.
- The writing was interesting and I liked how the writing style changed when there was a switch between POVs.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I wish it were funnier, given the bizarre nature of the premise.
- You may love or hate the philosophical discussions about the vice/virtue nature of each chapter – there is no in between.
Bottom-line
If you are looking for a light, not-so-clean read about a sex dungeon and the lives of dominatrices, Vices/Virtues could be your choice. You can read the author’s guest post on Tips To Writing Characters In Poverty here on my blog.
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![How to Build a Heart – A book review]()
Romance, YA |
I jumped at the chance to buddy read Five feet apart by Rachael Lippincott, because it is not something that has ended up quite well for me historically and I would not pick it up on my own even though it was on my TBR. Go figure!
It has been a while since I read a young adult based in a hospital romance (or sick-lit, if I may). Yes it is supposedly a trope by itself, if you had not known earlier.
About Five feet apart
Book Name: Five feet apart
Author: Rachael Lippincott
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult
Characters: Stella and Abby Grant, Will Newman, Poe, Camila, Mya
Setting: The United States of America
Plot Summary of Five feet apart
Stella Grant is a high schooler who is at the final stages of Cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder that mainly affects the lung. She has been a regular at the hospital for most of her life. She loves lists and being in control is the only way she knows to cope up with her health.
While she has a great support system and friends circle in and around the hospital, she has to avoid putting herself at the risk of infections she would be eligible for lung transplant.
Will Newman is a new CF patient to the hospital and all he wants is to get away from it. He has spent most of his life between clinical trials and staying at various hospitals and is now waiting to turn eighteen so that he can get away from all these restrictions and enjoy life as it should be.
When they both stumble upon each other, they know they should stay away from each other. But what if they maintained a five feet distance between each other? Would that be so bad forms the rest of Five feet apart.
Book review of Five feet apart
Due to my earlier disappointments with the romances with sick teens, I was skeptical when I started reading Five feet apart and I was mildly surprised that I enjoyed it as much. Though I have a few misgivings about the plot, the easy writing and witty dialogues kept me going.
I wish books would stop portraying that kids who are suffering some physical ailments do not get to enjoy anything in life and they need to break free of their treatments / medical restrictions to get to be “normal”.
I liked reading about the CF which is a new thing for me, and the story was cutesy as YAs tend to be and am totally looking forward to watching the movie Five feet apart starring Cole Sprouse now.
Things that worked for me
- Five feet apart plays exactly into the trope of sick lit and does a good job with it.
- I enjoyed the easy writing style and the witty banter between the characters.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I didn’t feel related to the characters but it is just me. It did not hinder my reading.
- As I mentioned earlier, I personally had issues with the trope that encourages patients to break free of the treatment.
Bottom-line
Five feet apart is a typical sick lit that does its job in opening up talks about the CF with a positive ending. I would recommend it for all John Green (of course) and Nicoola Yoon fans.
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![How to Build a Heart – A book review]()
Romance |
What is the most recent that made you stay up all night reading it? Quite a few books have done that to me currently, and I am totally loving that. And The Hating Game by Sally Thorne is the latest book on that list. I know everyone on the blogosphere and their brother is loving this one and read on to know how that turned out for me.
About The Hating Game
Book Name: The Hating Game
Author: Sally Thorne
Genre: Fiction – Romance
Characters: Lucinda Hutton, Joshua Templeman
Setting: The United States of America
Plot Summary of The Hating Game
When two publishing houses that are entirely contrasting on their values merge their empolyees are forced to work together. Lucy Hutton despises Joshua Templeman and she is sure he is out to get her, just waiting for her slip up.
Things worsen when they set to compete against each other for a new post. While Lucy is well liked by the coworkers, even a pushover sometimes, Josh is feared and respected for his no nonsense attitude. Who would win the war and at what cost forms the rest of the story in The Hating Game.
Book review of The Hating Game
The Hating Game is a classic ‘hate to love’ story with fully etched characters that everyone will want to root for. In fact everyone I know loved this book and let me be honest, my reactions were lukewarm at the best. How many times does one have to read about how short she was and how athletic his body was before one can roll their eyes?
Do not get me wrong, The Hating Game has everything needed for a romance novel – sassy females, hot guy, witty dialogues and a lot of angst and frustration, all of which I totally enjoyed and liked. But at some point, Lucy started annoying me with her choices and assumptions.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the writing filled with witty banter between Lucy and Josh.
- I am always game for a book set in the publishing world (though it was not of any consequence here)
Things that didn’t work for me
- I like the ‘hate to love’ trope but The Hating Game left me wishing for more ‘hatred’. It was more of misunderstanding between them or being irksome rather than hatred.
- I wish Lucy had a bit more to her than – work and ‘hating Josh’. She literally has no friends and has been avoiding visiting her parents.
Bottom-line
If you are in the mood for an unoriginal romance that involves hate to love trope, you should pick The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I didn’t love it, but you might.
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