Alchemy of Secrets – Book Review

Alchemy of Secrets

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Date published:- October 7th 2025

Author:- Stephanie Garber

No. of pages:- 324 pages

Genre:- Fantasy/Romance

Quick Review:- As much as I loved reading Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series, this book gave me mixed feelings–I kind of liked it, kind of didn’t like it. Anyway, the writing was great.

Rating:- 3.5/5

It starts with a class in an old movie theater.

Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.

Stephanie Garber’s books always take you to another world–to a fantastical world with so many magical events. I loved Caraval and Once Upon a Broke Hearts series and so I was super excited to get her latest book.

As much as I liked the book, I am having mixed feelings about the book.

Holland St James has only 24 hours to live according to the Watch Man who predicted that she will die in this time of the day. In order to survive to live on the next day, she needs to find Alchemy of Hearts. Holland is then thrust into a world of magic and Hollywood glamor–she remembers taking a class titled Folklore 517 thought by a Professor, a mysterious box that is inside a Bank and of course the others who want to get their hands on the Alchemy of Hearts.

The story at first was interesting. I do love reading about old Hollywood glamour and scandal. This story does have some similarities to the previous two series and Holland St James sounds similar to the main protagonists of the two series (Donatella from Caraval). The overall story is fast-paced, really liked the mystery behind the Alchemy of Hearts. But the ending was not up to a satisfying level, it didn’t feel magical like I felt in Caraval series and the characters weren’t too likable. Nonetheless, I did like and enjoy the book.

Overall this is 3.5 stars.

As Long as Lemon Trees Grow- Book Review

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

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Date published:- September 13th 2022

Author:- Zoulfa Katouh

No. of pages:- 417 pages

Genre:- Historical fiction

Quick Review:- a heart-breaking and emotional story about a courageous young girl fighting for her country and a beautiful written story

Rating:- 5/5

-about the war and images of the injured

-brutal scenes of war and disaster

Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager’s life.

Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.

Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria’s freedom.

Salama was a pharmacy student when freedom fights broke off in Syria. Before that, she had her parents, her brother, Hamza who is a doctor, her sister-in-law and best friend Layla who was pregnant.

But now that the unrest happened between freedom fighters and the military, Salama lost her parents and her brother Hamza who is imprisoned in one of the brutal prisons in Syria. Salama volunteers in the hospital, where she sees death and takes care of injured children and people every day. Salama is however desperate to leave Syria with her pregnant sister-in-law although her loyalty lies with the country. This is a story of how Salama tries to find a way to leave Syria while at the same time, hoping for freedom for her country some day.

This story is beautifully written. The author is clearly a Ghibli fan and I like how Ghibli background is mixed in the story despite the sadness and desperation of the story. The story is too heartbreaking, too emotional to read, particularly the way the brutal Assad regime was treating its citizens. Though the story itself is fictional, the fact that the story is based on the real events that took place in Syria was too horrifying–the bombs, the people fighting for freedom and children and women been the target of the war.

The story is mainly about hope for life, love for country and courageous. Salama is a courageous woman who would do anything for her country to fight for freedom against the brutal regime but also must protect her loved ones that she knew she had no choice but to leave Syria for good. I also like the small love story between Kenan and Salama despite the war and desperation that is taking place in the story.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is curious to learn more about Syria’s recent civil war. Overall five star rating for me.

The Second Wife – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Second Wife

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Date published:- will be published on 4th June 2026

Author:- Ali Lowe

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Quick Review:- an unputdownable, fast paced thriller that will keep you up all night.

Rating:- 4.5/5

The Fairchild family have it all. At least that’s what anyone watching the family of billionaires board the opulent Titan Pacifica would think.

But as Sydney Harbour Bridge starts to disappear in the rear-view window of the luxury liner, so too does any pretence that this is a happy family.

Unbeknownst to his children, CEO and patriarch Irving had planned to use the cruise to reveal his long-awaited succession plans. As glasses clink and elaborate dinners are served to the most notorious of Sydney’s elite, it will soon become all too clear that family loyalty can only take you so far.

And although six embark on the journey of a lifetime, not all of the group will make it back to dry land again . . .

Dripping with scandal, secrets, grandeur and greed, THE SECOND WIFE is an unputdownable thriller, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.

The Fairchild family, one of the richest families from Britain boards on ship Titan Pacifa and many people see them as a family that have all. But behind the closed doors is a whole different story. As the ship starts sailing through the Pacific Ocean, there is drama between the family members of the Fairchild family especially the patriarch of the Fairchild family, Irving was going to announce who was going to take over his business empire. Then on the night he announced his successor on the day of his 70th birthday celebration, Irving Fairchild was found dead in his cabin–someone has slashed his neck.

Ali Lowe is known to write fast-paced thrillers and this was no exception. We have the podcast that details about the cruise and of course about the Fairchild family. The story is told in multiple POVs–Mollie who works in the cruise and who has a secret agenda against the Fairchilds, Gen who is the second wife of Irving with her own plans to get rid of Irving and Celia Fairchild who would not let anyone to stop her husband Ridley from inheriting Fairchild wealth. Each women had their own agenda against Irving and one of them could have killed Irving. The story is packed with twists and turns from beginning to the end–with a possible love child that might prevent a certain Fairchild from inheriting, the fight for the inheritance and of course the gossip that seem to lurk around the cruise and among staff members. The story is well written and Ali managed to keep the reader at the edge of the seat with that type of writing!

Overall, I actually devoured this book and loved this book. I cannot wait to read next Ali Lowe’s thriller. Worth 4.5 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and Hodder and Stoughton for invitation to review the book. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The Healing Season of Pottery – Book Review

The Healing Season of Pottery

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Date published:- January 30th 3035

Author:- Yeon Sonmin

Translated by:- Clare Richards

No. of pages:- 272 pages

Genre:- Korean Fiction

Quick Review:- bit of a straightforward Korean fiction but was enjoyable to read

Rating:- 3.5/5

A heart warming and irresistible novel about the rejuvenating power of pottery, for fans of Before The Coffee Gets Cold and What You Are Looking For Is In The Library.

She rubbed the spoiled clay with her fingertips. Like a wound as it heals, the traces faded, and had soon vanished completely, as if they’d never been there at all.

Burnt out by her newswriting job, Jungmin abruptly quits; she’s worked tirelessly for years and she needs to make a change.

Now, after months of hibernation, it’s time to put her life back together. Venturing out into the streets near Seoul, she stumbles upon the Soyo pottery workshop. Drawn in by its light and warmth, and the smell of clay and coffee, Jungmin feels something unfurl within her…

Here, everyone has a story to share, and as the seasons change, Jungmin returns to herself. Pot by pot, plate by plate, Jungmin discovers that as her hands become busier, her mind becomes calmer, and her heart opens up like never before.

From a rising talent, this is an uplifting story of new friends and old practices, of finding community, and of what happens when you finally slow down in this fast-paced world.

Jungmin is suffering from depression and mid-life crisis in her thirties. She had quit her job as a screenwriter and rather lived in a secluded life, stuck in her apartment. One day, she decided to go out and then accidentally enters in what she thought was a coffee shop into a pottery class. The pottery class is run by Johee and Jungmin instantly felt welcome. Though she had no experience of doing pottery and her initial pottery works were horrible, she soon meets people and start making friends. While working at the pottery shop, she learns about the value of life and how to have fun and forgive the past.

This was actually enjoyable to read, though at the end, in my opinion, it kind of dragged on. Jungmin’s character is very realistic and I like how she navigates her life by learning to pottery and then eventually rebuilding her life by making new friends. I just also liked the community and how people are always working together at the pottery shop. The pacing is slow and emotions are well described in this one. The eventual romantic relationship didn’t buy me very well but nonetheless, I actually liked this book, though not as much as I would have liked.

Overall I give this book 3.5 stars.

King of Ashes – Book Review

King of Ashes

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Date published:- June 10th 2025

Author:- S.A. Cosby

No. of pages:- 333 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Quick Review:- a story of a brother who will fight and do anything to protect his family. In my opinion, not a great book by S.A. Cosby but nonetheless, it was fast paced and intriguing.

Rating:-4/5

-death of a parent

-mutilation

-disturbing and gory deaths

A son returning home.
A dangerous debt.
Secrets about to ignite . . . and a family consumed by flames.

Roman Carruthers left the smoke and fire of his family’s crematory business behind in his hometown of Jefferson Run, Virginia. He is enjoying a life of shallow excess as a financial adviser in Atlanta until he gets a call from his sister, Neveah, telling him their father is in a coma after a hit-and-run accident. When Roman goes home, he learns the accident may not be what it seems. His brother, Dante, is deeply in debt to dangerous, ruthless criminals.

And Roman is willing to do anything to protect his family. Anything.

A financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, Roman must use all his skills to try to save his family while dealing with a shadow that has haunted them all for twenty years: the disappearance of their mother when Roman and his siblings were teenagers. It’s a mystery that Neveah, who has sacrificed so much of her life to hold her family together, is determined to solve once and for all.

As fate and chance and heartache ignite their lives, the Carruthers family must pull together to survive or see their lives turn to ash. Because, as their father counseled them from birth, nothing lasts forever.

Everything burns.

I have been a fan of S.A. Cosby since I read All Sinners Bleed, which is one of my favorite books of his. King of Ashes is his latest book. Even though I liked this book, I didn’t like this book as much as I did with the other two books I have read.

Roman Carruther is a successful financier working in Atlanta refusing to take of his family’s crematorium business. But one day, his sister Neveah calls him, telling him that their father has met with an accident and is in coma. Roman immediately flies back home to Virginia. However, he finds out that his younger brother Dante was involved in this huge drug selling bust and owe a huge debt to one of the notorious gangs in the town, BBB. Roman using his skills as a financier will do anything to save his family by slowly inserting himself to offer his services to the gang…

Like most SA Cosby books, this was fast-paced and packed with action. The story was great, interesting and disturbing to read at the same time. Roman’s dealing with his mother’s disappearance which happened more than twenty years ago is also a part of the background of the story. Roman is loyal and would do anything to protect his family even if it involves killing someone.

However, as much as I liked the story, this was actually not my type of thriller. Reason–I don’t really like reading much about gangster-based thrillers as it is not my forte.

However, that doesn’t make me to stop reading S.A Cosby. I am looking forward to read his next thriller.

Overall worth 4 stars.

The Greek Island – ARC Book Review

The Greek Island

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Date published:- will be published on 29th May 2026

Author:- AJ McDine

No .of pages:- 343 pages

Genre:- Psychological thriller

Quick Review:- The story was fine but then ending was predictable and so was the villain.

Rating:- 3.5/5

-sexual assault

-child abuse

Three couples. Two secrets. One murder…

I can’t believe how lucky I am. I’m sitting by the glittering pool at a stunning Greek villa with my handsome boyfriend by my side. He’s treating me to a week on a sun-drenched island. The only problem is that we’re not the only couple staying here…

Dominic has invited his university friends. When I’m introduced to Victoria, Simone and their husbands, I see Simone’s lip curl and my stomach drops. I know that I’m not going to fit in with these beautiful people and their charmed lives.

But despite their expensive clothes and smooth words, the cracks in their perfect lives begin to show because more than one person staying in the white-washed villa is hiding secrets. As the lies begin to unravel, I discover that Simone and Dominic used to be a couple. And as the temperature soars the tension between our group heats up.

And then one morning, a body is found…

Amber was going to have the trip of her life time with her boyfriend Dominic in a Greek Island, where she will meet some of Dominic’s friends from the university days. Amber feels like a fish out a pond when she meets Dominic’s friends. We have Simone, who is a successful lawyer and who was Dominic’s ex. She is married to Felix who is the real estate agent and Willow is her step-daughter. Then we have Victoria and Barney. As they gathered together to celebrate Simone’s birthday, someone steals their items including Amber’s necklace. Each of them has a secret including Amber. And then someone gets murdered.

The beginning was interesting and you also feel like you are going on vacation with Amber. The book is fast paced but not much of twists and turns that I normally would expect in a psychological thriller. There is suspense in the story and you get some glimpses of the secret that makes you want to know more about what the secret was. But overall, when the murder happened, I felt the villain was predictable. Thus the ending was also predictable.

This was a good thriller, could be perfect for a summer read. But it could have been better. Worth 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Road Trip to the Riviera – ARC Book Review

Road Trip to the Riviera

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Date published:- will be published on 29th May 2026

Author:- Gillian Harvey

No. of pages:- 256 pages

Genre:- Romance

Quick review:- this is a slow-burn romance, not really much going on but two old flames reconnecting with each other is interesting.

Rating:- 3.5/5

An utterly escapist story about a journey to remember through the French countryside, from the bestselling author of The Bordeaux Book Club .

When Sarah breaks her leg, her only thought is how on earth she’ll get to the south of France for her beloved son’s wedding. She’s been told not to fly, and the train route involves many changes – not ideal when you can barely walk.

There’s only one person she can turn to. Her son’s father, Hal. The pair were teenage sweethearts when Sarah fell pregnant, and he’s always been in his son’s life. Only his parenting style is more ‘fun uncle’ than serious dad; all the ‘proper parenting’ has been left to Sarah. He’s oblivious. She’s furious.

But she’s out of options. And Hal is happy to drive her, with one they’re taking the scenic route, in his battered VW camper van.

Now, two people – whose lives have only been intertwined through their child for more than twenty years – are about to find out there is far more of a journey ahead for them than either could possibly anticipate…

An unmissable story, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Veronica Henry and Faith Hogan

Sarah breaks her leg just a few days before her son’s wedding, which was going to be held in France, where her mother lives. Sarah then asks Hal, who is also her son’s father to give her a ride. Hal promises to give Sarah the ride to the wedding but Hal is taking his old Betty, which is a VW to take the scenic route to the wedding. As they go on the ride together, they try to get along but then their old connection to each other seemed to have started to rekindle.

We have two POV’s in this book–Sarah and Hal. Sarah is upset at Hal for not really helping her to raise Louis, the son. Hal is a laid-back guy who seemed to be accepting his mistake. The story started out slow but then gradually, it started to build the climax when both Sarah and Hal realized that they still have feelings towards each other even though it’s been more than twenty years since they have separated. The route through France and the descriptions of the surroundings made us feel like we are actually in France. The ending is predictable, it’s just nothing extraordinary in my opinion.

Overall, this is a good romance book. Worth 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Boldwoods for the invitation to review this book. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Podcast Episode: Book Reviews Across Genres

Pip: Tropical Girl Reads has been busy this week — rom-coms with impossible men, zombies with very legitimate grievances. Quite the range.

Mara: tropicalgirlreads1988 covers two distinct territories this episode: a romance built around a twist you won’t see coming, and a horror novella that uses grief and vengeance to examine trauma and identity. Let’s start with the romance.

Romance And Relationship Fiction

Pip: The No-Show by Beth O’Leary sets up what looks like a straightforward betrayal — three women, one man, Valentine’s Day — but the real question is whether that setup is actually what it appears to be.

Mara: The review puts it plainly: “That’s what I thought initially. But the great twist at the end, changed the whole perspective of the story that actually changed Joseph Carter a serial dater to a loyal boyfriend.”

Pip: So the entire moral weight of the story shifts in the final pages. What reads as a cheating narrative turns into something else entirely — and the review notes that Jane, the quietest of the three protagonists, is the one worth rooting for hardest.

Mara: A four-star rating, with the caveat that the romance itself was less compelling than the structural surprise. The emotional payoff came from the twist and the characters, not the love story. Horror handles grief differently — let’s go there next.

Horror And Grief

Mara: Grief Eater by Emma Osborne, due June 1st 2026, asks what happens when the person grief was supposed to consume decides to consume it back — through a zombie story rooted in queer identity, family abandonment, and the question of whether vengeance and forgiveness can occupy the same body.

Pip: The book’s own framing sets the stakes directly: “As her body fails and her mind fractures, she’s left with one final question: Is she here to forgive, or to feed?”

Mara: That question isn’t rhetorical. Kristina rises from death no longer frightened, but the review is careful to note the horror cuts both ways — the gore is difficult, but the childhood abuse she relives through flashbacks is described as equally hard to sit with.

Pip: Grief delivered through feeding is a genuinely unsettling mechanism. The memories aren’t narrated cleanly — they arrive as Kristina eats, which means the emotional and the visceral are fused throughout.

Mara: At under a hundred pages, the novella still makes room for tenderness. Josh, Kristina’s only kind relationship, and her first romance both surface in those flashbacks — small counterweights to the abuse that defined her family life.

Pip: Ninety-four pages, read in under twenty-four hours, four stars. That’s a strong endorsement for a book that apparently doesn’t look away from anything.

Mara: A rom-com that dismantles its own premise and a horror novella that turns grief into something with teeth — not an obvious pairing, but both hinge on a reveal that reframes everything before it.

Pip: Next time, we’ll see what else the reading pile turns up.

The No-Show – Book Review

The No-Show

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Date published:- April 12th 2022

Author:- Beth O’Leary

No. of pages:- 337 pages

Genre:- Romance

Quick Review:- A funny but emotional romance story that will make you love all the characters

Rating:- 4/5

Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth.

These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: They’ve all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up–Valentine’s Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they’ve all been stood up by the same man.

Once they’ve each forgiven him for standing them up, they let him back into their lives and are in serious danger of falling in love with a man who seems to have not just one or two but three women on the go….

Is there more to him than meets the eye? And will they each untangle the truth before they all get their hearts broken?

Three women who seemingly have nothing in common find that they’re involved with the same man in this smart new rom-com by Beth O’Leary, bestselling author of The Flatshare.

Three women, Siobhan, Miranda and Jane were waiting for one man–but all three get dumped by this man on the most important day–the Valentine’s Day. All three women have different personalities and jobs with no connection to each other. Siobhan is a successful life-coach, Miranda is a tree surgeon while Jane is a volunteer at a local charity shop. One connection they have between them is that they are all dating the same man.

Here’s the thing, you think this man, Joseph Carter is dating all three women, at first in reader’s point of view. He dumped all three women on Valentine’s Day but as he felt bad, he treats them special and tries to make up for his mistake. Should we hate him for using all three women? Should we hate him that he is taking advantage of these women?

The story is told in Siobhan, Miranda and Jane’s POV each talking about their experience in dating Joseph Carter. They are all in love with him, not knowing that he cheating with all three of them in the background (maybe…).

That’s what I thought initially. But the great twist at the end, changed the whole perspective of the story that actually changed Joseph Carter a serial dater to a loyal boyfriend (you can figure)

I didn’t really like the romance part but I really liked the twist at the end–it was so completely unexpected. Plus Jane is my most favorite character that I really rooted for Jane.

This is the second book I have read from this author and I cannot wait to read more books from this author as I enjoyed reading her books. Worth four stars.

Grief Eater – ARC Book Review

Grief Eater

Check Goodreads for more information

Date published:- will be published on 1st June 2026

Author:- Emma Osborne

No. of pages:- 94 pages

Genre:- Horror

Quick review:- a short horror story about a girl who dies and then risen as a zombie and then takes revenge on those who wronged her. Emotional and quick to read

Rating:- 4/5

-Domestic Abuse

-Child Abuse

-Gory scenes

Visceral, gritty, and unforgiving, GRIEF EATER is a zombie story like you’ve never read before.

When Kristina rises from her violent death, she’s not the same fragile woman her family once abandoned. She’s rageful, powerful, and hungry—for the blood of the ones who were supposed to love her. With a newfound craving to see vengeance and grief served, she launches into a once-in-an-undead-lifetime journey across blood-slicked highways to the scorched Australian bush and her hometown. As her body fails and her mind fractures, she’s left with one final question: Is she here to forgive, or to feed?

A transgressive, gory examination of queer identity and found family, GRIEF EATER sinks its teeth into trauma and what it means to be devoured by grief.

This is a fantastic horror book–kind of gave the feeling of Walking Dead. This is a novella which is less than 100 pages. Kristina, a young queer woman who has been abandoned by her own family faces her own dead when a dead zombie woman bites her lethally. Kristina dies then rises up again, becoming a zombie. Kristina is no longer the shy frightened woman anymore but a dangerous woman who is determined to take revenge and avenge against her family, who had been treating her horribly since her childhood.

Kristina gets flashbacks of her memories through feeding. The memories all contained moments of abuse she faced from her family, particularly her parents. The author has managed to capture those raw emotions and moments through those memories and as a reader you really sympathize with the main character. Despite the horrible moments of her childhood, Kristina also savored those people who had been closest to her–her friend Josh, who was the only one who was kind to her and her first relationship. Though all the gore was difficult to read with all the scenes of blood, the emotional and physical abuse Kristina suffered as a child was too sad to read as well.

I enjoyed reading this book and I managed to read this book in less than twenty-four hours. For people who are looking for a fast, quick read with under 100 pages, then this book is one for you. Perfect to read during Halloween. Worth 4 srars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.