Tropical Girl Reads

That Jewish Thing – ARC Book Review

Title:- That Jewish Thing

Author:- Amber Crewe

No. of pages:- 246 pages

Date published:- will be published on 13th January 2022

Genre:- Jewish Romance

Rating:-

Tamsyn Rutman is at yet another wedding, for yet another cousin. She wouldn’t mind – the food’s pretty good, the location is fabulous and there’s a moderately famous singer crooning away – but what is a Jewish wedding if not the perfect opportunity for the bride to do a bit of matchmaking on behalf of her single, workaholic cousin? Tamsyn’s not at the table with her parents and her family, she’s sitting next to Ari Marshall.

Ari is everything Tamsyn doesn’t want for herself, and everything her family want for her. Stubbornly determined not to fall into the trap of someone else’s happily ever after, Tamsyn decides to focus on work, and while interviewing London’s hottest new chef, finds herself being swept off her feet . . . by someone her family definitely wouldn’t approve of.

But somehow, Ari and Tamsyn keep crossing paths, and she’s about to find out that in love, and in life, it’s not always easy to run away from who you really are…

This book was such a cheesy cute Jewish romance book.

Tamsyn Rutman is Jewish and at her own cousin’s wedding, she was seated next to Ari. The two at first got on wrong foot. Tamsyn despite being Jewish is someone who is not following the Jewish customs and traditions much as her relatives. While working on an assignment, she meets a really hot chef, Euan and falls for him. The problem is…Euan isn’t Jewish and her parents certainly won’t approve of the relationship.

Besides she keeps meeting Ari….

The story started out really great. It was mainly told from Tamsyn’s point of view. Since I wasn’t Jewish but have been interested in learning about Jewish culture and traditions, I learned a lot about the Jewish culture in this book–Rosh Hashanah, the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Yom Kippur and Challa and various Jewish cuisine types. The romantic relationship between Tamsyn and Euan was interesting and intriguing and there were some funny parts in the story that made me laugh out loud. I also like the brother sister relationship between Tamsyn and Ross. Basically, this book talks about what a typical British Jewish family is like. Although I know the ending is predictable (won’t divulge too much) I kind of wished the ending happened in a different way.

Tamsyn is such an interesting character. I just like her witty and funny nature and how she seems to be the one who is not very religious. I do like the strong family bond that is told in the story and how the Jewish communities in the area seem to bond with each other. And as I mentioned earlier, I learned so much about Jewish traditions just by reading this book!

If you are

a) like learning about other cultures

b) fascinated about Jewish traditions and cultures (like me)

c) And loves a happily ever after romance books

Then this book is for you! Worth four stars!

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

And They Lived Happily Ever After – ARC Book Review

And They Lived Happily Ever After: A Magical OwnVoices RomCom by [Therese Beharrie]

Title:- And They Lived Happily Ever After

Author:- Therese Beharrie

Date Published:- will be published on 30th November 2021

Publisher:- Zebra Books

No. of pages:- 329 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:- 3/5 stars

One unexpected kiss . . .
Successful romance author Gaia Anders has a secret: anything she dreams at night is magically written into her bestselling novels. After a lonely childhood in foster care, her dream life is the only one she trusts. Gaia’s waking life just can’t compare—until she gets caught in one utterly surprising, crazy-passionate, real-life kiss . . .

One near-perfect guy . . .
Workaholic businessman Jacob Scott has had a crush on his brother’s best friend, Gaia, since forever—but he never expected to literally share her dreams. Living out their magical nighttime fantasies is explosive, but it’s their waking desire turning his single-minded ways upside down. It’s making him want a future he didn’t think was possible . . .

One dream that could come true . . .
But Gaia has secrets from her past she won’t reveal. And Jacob’s attempts to keep the peace in his own fractured family puts him up against her deepest fears. Soon, they’re facing hard truths about who they are and what they’re running from. And the only way to break this curse is realizing true love’s real-life power . . .

I am having mixed feelings about this book.

First of all, Gaia is a successful romance author with magical abilities. Jacob is a workaholic businessman and Gaia is friends with Jacob’s brother Seth. So when they accidentally kissed one day, then things start changing for them and Jacob falls for Gaia. But Gaia has secrets. Soon she meets a woman named Gemma with a man named Levi who seemed to be following Gaia everywhere out of blue.

This was a bit of a slow burn romance to me. I felt like I was watching some cheesy Hallmark movie with a romance setting when I was reading this book. The writing was OK although the plot of this story was good and interesting. There is not much I can say about this book, except the slow development of romance between Gaia and Jacob, their feelings for each other, how they eventually started dating and break up and then end up together in the end–so it was a bit predictable. Nonetheless, some parts of the story was boring although it was an OK romance novel to me. I liked the fact that this book is set in South Africa and is the second book I have read with a South African setting so I do like a bit of diversity in the book. Also there’s a sequel coming with this book, this time in Gemma’s point of view and despite the fact that I didn’t very much like this book, I do look forward to read Gemma’s version in the second book.

This book actually talks about adoption and the separation of the twin sisters. I won’t put too much spoilers here but that was the only part in the story that I actually enjoyed reading about.

Overall, this was an OK book–if you like happily ever afters, then this book is one for you. Worth 3.5 stars

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

Therese Beharrie is a South African romance author of several acclaimed novels, including her One Day to Forever series. She takes pride in writing diverse characters and settings, and her books are often recommended for their heart and banter. She lives in Cape Town with her husband, her inspiration for every hero, and two adorable baby boys. You can follow her on social media or visit her at theresebeharrie.com.

The Couple on Maple Drive- ARC Book Review

The Couple on Maple Drive: A new unputdownable and absolutely gripping psychological thriller by [Sam Carrington]

Title:- The Couple on Maple Drive

Author:- Sam Carrington

No. of pages:- 359 pages,

Date published:- will be published on December 9th 2021

Publisher:- Avon

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Have you heard about the couple on Maple Drive?

Isla barely leaves the house after her brutal mugging.

Her boyfriend Zach moved in with her after the attack. To look after her.

But something else has happened now. Right on their doorstep.

I don’t want to say that someone’s out to get her…

I just hope they find out the truth before it’s too late.

Or at least before the secrets they’re hiding from each other surface.

Because those could be even deadlier…

Content Warning:- Abuse, Brutal attack

After reading some of Sam Carrington’s book, I was glad I got this ARC from Avon. But my excitement is shortlived and I have to say, I have mixed feelings about this book.

Isla is on the bout of getting the promotion. Her friends hosted a party to celebrate Isla’s promotion. On the night of the party, Isla was brutally attacked causing her to suffer from retrograde amnesia as she has vague memories of what happened that night. As her memories come back to her, she starts suspecting her boyfriend Zach might have something to do with her attack, even though the police ruled out as mugging gone wrong.

This was a slow burn and I was bored at some parts that I actually skimmed through the book. The plot was OK but was far too predictable. This was not one of her best but nonetheless it was boring and flat and predictable. I don’t have anything else to say. However towards the end, the story got teeny weeny interesting though I knew the ending will happen in that way. I do however like the backdrop of Crime Podcast with one of the members of the podcast, Jase helping out Isla.

Isla and Zac seemed to be in a healthy relationship but through the story, we know that Zach actually controlled Isla’s movements which pinpoints to the fact that he can be controlling. So this kind of sums up domestic abuse scenario.

This was a slow burn and in my opinion, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did with her previous book. Worth only 3 stars.

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

Her Perfect Twin – ARC Book Review

Title:- Her Perfect Twin

Author:- Sarah Bonner

Date Published:- will be published on 20th January 2021

Publisher:- Hodder and Stoughton

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:

When Megan discovers photographs of her estranged identical twin sister on her husband’s phone, she wants answers.

Leah already has everything Megan has ever wanted. Fame, fortune, freedom to do what she wants. And when Megan confronts Leah, an argument turns to murder.

The only way Megan can get away with killing her twin is to become her.

But then lockdown hits. How can she continue living two lives? And what happens if someone else knows her secret too?

HER PERFECT TWIN IS THE MOST ADDICTIVE, TWISTY THRILLER YOU’LL READ IN 2022. DON’T MISS THIS WILD RIDE OF A NOVEL.

Content Warning:- Domestic Abuse, Murder

This was actually surprisingly a good psychological thriller! I simply couldn’t put the book down and got so engrossed into the book from the beginning till the end!

Megan discovers a photo of her estranged identical twin sister Leah on her husband’s phone. Leah Patterson has everything–fame, money and she can get any man she wants. Then Megan kills Leah and is trying to live a double life…until COVID lockdown happens.

The story is told from the multiples of POVs–the first part of the story is told from Megan’s perspective, the second part by Chris, Megan’s psychotic husband, the third part by Leah and the fourth part by Chris’ lawyer Jeremy. So it’s a bit interesting to get into these characters’ heads and see what they are really thinking about and all these emotions, feelings and thoughts. The writing was intense and the author has done a tremendous job drawing the reader into the story and making the reader feel like they are a part of the story! I feel like I am watching a really a good psychological thriller movie as I was reading the book, wondering which of the characters should I trust, who is actually telling the truth and who is the actually victim and killer. I was surprised that this was actually the author’s debut book and she did a good job writing a damn good fast paced thriller.

Yeah, there were so many twists and turns that your mind get confused and the ending was unexpected with a slight cliffhanger in the end. I just felt like I am on a roller coaster ride while reading this book!

Megan is somewhat a sympathetic character in my opinion and she was always under the shadow of her twin sister Leah with whom she did not get along. She also has an abusive marriage with Chris, who seemed to be controlling her. The scenes where Chris is beating her up is a bit disturbing.

Here’s why you should read this book

It’s intense and unputdownable
Will keep you hooked into the story
Full of unexpected twists and turns
Fast paced thriller

Overall, this was a good psychological thriller that I was not disappointed at all! Worth five stars!

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

Reading List – Book Review

The Reading List: A Novel by [Sara Nisha Adams]

Title:- The Reading List

Author:- Sara Nisha Adams

No. of pages:- 380 pages

Publisher:- William Morrow

Format:- Audiobook

Date published:- August 3rd 2021

Genre:- Fiction, Asian American Literature

Rating:-

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An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.

Content Warning:- Suicide, depression, dealing with the death of loved ones

This story is told from the perspectives of Aleisha and Mukesh. Aleisha is a teenager working in the library for the summer and Mukesh is a widower. Aleisha discovers a reading list of books and starts reading each of these books in the list along with Mukesh who finds solace in the library after the death of his wife Naina. Throughout this story, a friendship develops between Aleisha and Mukesh with both of them helping each other when in need.

The author has done a good job with the writing–drawing the reader to the story and going on the reading journey with both Aleisha and Mukesh. Though Literay Fiction is not really my cup of tea, this book however drew me into the story. I like how both Aleisha and Mukesh discuss the book characters in each of the books. I also like the community setting in the book, how the whole community in this small town would get together to save the small library as well as help Aleisha during her most difficult times.

Aleisha and Mukesh are the dynamic duo with other characters as well. Here are the books that’s mentioned in the story

To Kill A Mockingbird
Rebecca
The Kite Runner
The Life of Pi
Pride and Prejudice
Little Women
A Suitable Boy
Beloved

Reading books will take you to different destinations across the globe to places where you never been before and this is how Aleisha felt when she read these books–going from Alabama to a British countryside to Kabul and San Francisco to back to Victorian age Britain to Cincinnati to colorful India. So I do love how this part is mentioned in this book and that is how I feel as well when I read books.

PS. How many of the books you have read from the list?

Here are the reasons why you should read this book

Diversity with clashes of different cultures

Overall, this is a heartwarming and emotional story that will keep you reading from the beginning to end without stopping! Worth five stars!

Sara is a writer and editor. She lives in London and was born in Hertfordshire to Indian and English parents. Her debut novel The Reading List is partly inspired by her grandfather, who lived in Wembley and immediately found a connection with his granddaughter through books.

Cilka’s Journey – Book Review

Cilka's Journey: The Sunday Times bestselling sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz by [Heather Morris]

Title:- Cilka’s Journey

Author :- Heather Morris

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Date published:- October 1st 2019

Publisher:- Zaffre

Rating:-

Don’t miss the conclusion to The Tattooist of Auschwitz Trilogy, Three Sisters. Available now.

‘She was the bravest person I ever met’
Lale Sokolov, The Tattooist of Auschwitz

In 1942 Cilka Klein is just sixteen years old when she is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. The Commandant at Birkenau, Schwarzhuber, notices her long beautiful hair, and forces her separation from the other women prisoners. Cilka learns quickly that power, even unwillingly given, equals survival.

After liberation, Cilka is charged as a collaborator by the Russians and sent to a desolate, brutal prison camp in Siberia known as Vorkuta, inside the Arctic Circle.

Innocent, imprisoned once again, Cilka faces challenges both new and horribly familiar, each day a battle for survival. Cilka befriends a woman doctor, and learns to nurse the ill in the camp, struggling to care for them under unimaginable conditions. And when she tends to a man called Alexandr, Cilka finds that despite everything, there is room in her heart for love.

Cilka’s Journey is a powerful testament to the triumph of the human will. It will move you to tears, but it will also leave you astonished and uplifted by one woman’s fierce determination to survive, against all odds.

Content Warning:- Rape, Brutality, Injuries

This is actually the second installment of the Tattooist of Auschwitz, which I read and reviewed. Cilka is mentioned in the first book but in this book describes the life of Cilka Klein after the liberation of Auschwitz.

When Auschwitz was liberated, Cilka thought she will be finally free and can go home. But the Soviets labeled her as a Nazi conspirator and sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor in a Gulag camp, located in Vorkuta, Siberia near Arctic Circle. Amid of the brutal and harsh prison conditions and dealing with freezing winters, Cilka soon finds friends in this desolated camp and meets Yelena, a doctor. Soon, she learns to become a nurse and while treating a fellow patient named Alexander, she realizes her heart is in love.

Let’s talk about writing first. This is based on the true story of Cilka Klein, who is actually a friend of Gita and Lale, the two lovers we come across in the Tattooist of Auschwitz. I have to say this, if this book is indeed a true story, you must admire Cilka’s bravery and determination and will to survive. The author has done tremendous research about the conditions of Gulag camps, how the prisoners worked under brutal conditions and some became malnourished and would die due to lack of food or even lack of sleep. I have read so much about Auschwitz but now after reading this, Gulag camps sounded much more terrible to me. Reading this book made me feel sorry for Cilka and admired how brave and courageous she was to endure such hardships. There were some parts in the book that were too disturbing to read but what more disturbing is that these things happened in real life. There were details of how women were treated brutally, how the guards treated the prisoners and how on the nights the guards enter the hut of women and rape them.

My most favorite part in the book is when Cilka befriends a doctor named Yelena and how she become a part of the hospital crowd, acting as the nurse though she had no prior experience before. Eventually, Cilka’s life changed a little when she starts to find love with a man named Alexander who comes for the treatment at the hospital. The author has written so beautifully, with the vivid descriptions. To me, I felt like I was in a part of the story going through with Cilka.

Cilka Klein’s true story and life really captivated me. Being Jewish, her happy family life changed drastically when Nazis invaded Czechslovakia with her being transported to Auschwitz. Her beauty captivated a certain Nazi commandant, who used her and gave her privileges. However, Cilka is very loyal and true friends, which you will see in this book. And even after her harsh life in Auschwitz, Cilka’s life changed from bad to worse when Soviets condemned her as a Nazi conspirator and sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor in Vortuk. Seriously, if that happened to me, I would rather die. But Cilka was determined to live, endure hardships and I have to say, she is one of the courageous and bravest characters I have read in the book. And truly emotional and heartbreaking as well.

Here’s why you should read this book

Because this book is based on true story
You could actually read about brutal conditions of slave labor camps that existed in Soviet Union

Overall, this is a truly emotional, heartbreaking story that will captivate your heart–Cilka’s life will truly make you cry. Worth five stars!

Heather Morris is a native of New Zealand, now resident in Australia. For several years, while working in a large public hospital in Melbourne, she studied and wrote screenplays, one of which was optioned by an Academy Award-winning screenwriter in the US. In 2003, Heather was introduced to an elderly gentleman who ‘might just have a story worth telling’. The day she met Lale Sokolov changed both their lives. Their friendship grew and Lale embarked on a journey of self-scrutiny, entrusting the innermost details of his life during the Holocaust to her. Heather originally wrote Lale’s story as a screenplay – which ranked high in international competitions – before reshaping it into her debut novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

The New Wife – ARC Book Review

The New Wife: A totally gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming by [Sue Watson]

No. of pages:- 354 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- will be published on 19th November 2021

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:- 4/5

You can never truly know what goes on behind closed doors…

My darling son, Sam, is marrying his childhood sweetheart and I couldn’t be prouder of the man he’s grown into. Walking out on his abusive father all those years ago was the best thing I ever did. And today he stands, tall and handsome, saying ‘I do’ to my dream daughter-in-law. If I hadn’t pushed them together all those years ago, he might never have found a girl as perfect as Lauren. It’s true what they say, mother always knows best.

But weeks later, Lauren is dead and police cars fill the driveway of their idyllic countryside home. As they question Sam, I sense he’s hiding something. Why won’t he look me in the eye? And who does he rush off to meet as soon as the police are gone?

Desperate, I do what every good mother would do: I let myself into Sam and Lauren’s bedroom. What I see, I will never be able to forget. My son’s beautiful new wife was hiding a dangerous secret. Can I clear my son’s name? And could my life be in danger now too?

So the only book I have read of Sue Watson is First Date so I decided to try out her new book, The New Wife.

Plot:- Sam and Lauren were childhood friends and later husband and wife that even their families had been inseparable to each other. But one day, Georgie, Sam’s mother receives a frantic call from her son, saying that Lauren is dead. What seemed to look like an accident now rules out as murder and Sam was arrested. Now Georgie would do anything to prove that her son is innocent. Meanwhile, she finds Helen and Tim, Lauren’s parents’ marriage has secrets…

Writing:- The first past of the story was a bit boring. However, soon by the middle of the book, it got interesting and intriguing with some dark secrets that seems to be revealing and of course some twists and turns along the way. The story is mainly told from Georgie’s perspective and with so many suspects, Georgie has a hard time, trying to prove her son is innocent. The ending was kind of unexpected.

Characters:-I believe except for Georgie, other characters are quite unlikable to me.

Overall:- this was actually a good thriller, that will keep you on the edge of the seat! Worth four stars

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists. Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

more info visit Sue’s website; http://www.suewatsonbooks.com/

Sue would love to meet you on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooks

Follow Sue on Twitter @suewatsonwriter

The Girl in the Ground – ARC Book Review

The Girl in the Ground: A completely gripping mystery and suspense thriller (Nikki Hunt Book 4) by [Stacy Green]

No. of pages:- 266 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- will be published on December 1st 2021

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Five for Friday: Ice cream - Business Finland

5/5 stars

She was beautiful: shiny blond hair, crystal blue eyes and the widest smile Nikki had ever seen. She thought back to what she had seen in the ground, the dirt that caked the white bones. All that remained of her now was the silver locket that was still around her neck…

When construction workers unearth a girl’s skeleton in Stillwater, Minnesota, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called to the scene by her boyfriend Rory. Nikki knows instantly that the girl was murdered, but she is shocked when Rory immediately recognizes her. The victim was his childhood sweetheart, Becky, and he was the last person to see her before she went missing twenty-four years ago.

With the love of her life now a potential suspect, Nikki is forced to take a step back from the case. But then her colleague Liam finds lies in Rory’s statement – it appears that Becky may have been carrying Rory’s child when she was killed. Despite this, Nikki still thinks he could be innocent, and knows she must find the real killer herself if Rory stands any chance of walking free.

When Nikki finds a potential link to two pregnant girls who were found murdered years before it’s clear that this is the most twisted killer that she has ever faced. And then another girl goes missing from Stillwater. Can Nikki unearth the truth and protect the man she loves? And will she find the missing girl in time to save her life?

A dark and twisty crime thriller that will make you hold your breath as you race towards the end. The Girl in the Ground is an unputdownable new mystery for fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Willow Rose.

Agent Nikki Hunt is back with another case!

Plot:- After handling the last case that left Nikki traumatized, Nikki is back at the precinct again. This time, a young woman’s remains were found in the ground where her boyfriend, Rory works. But there’s a problem–the woman happened to be Rory’s ex-girlfriend named Becky and Rory is the main suspect. Nikki wanted to help Rory, believing that he is innocent but he is refusing to cooperate with the police. Meanwhile, another woman named Joyce goes missing and soon, Nikki realizes that Becky and Joyce’s cases are related and that there’s a serial killer on loose…

Writing:- I enjoyed reading all the three books in the series and this book is no exception!! I was literally hooked to the story from the beginning to the end, wanting to know what is going to happen next! The thing about this book is, there are not much suspects so you have to literally rack your brains to see, who is the suspect. It’s like a whole cat and mouse chase. It was fast paced, with twists and thrillers that you wouldn’t expect. The ending was great, dramatic and I kind of feel like I was watching this action movie and going on a roller coaster ride while reading this book.

Characters:- Nikki Hunt is one of my favorite FBI agents and there’s no other characters that I found unlikable.

Overall:- this was a roller coaster ride filled with twists and turns that you would be up all night reading this book!!! Worth five stars!

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

Stacy Green is a USA Today best-selling author of more than a dozen mysteries and thrillers. Her books include the award-winning Lucy Kendall series, the Cage Foster series, and the USA Today best-selling Nikki Hunt series. Stacy has bachelor’s degrees in Journalism/Mass Communication and Sociology from Drake University. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America.

Stacy lives in Iowa with her husband, daughter, and fur babies. Find her on stacygreenauthor.com or http://www.facebook.com/stacygreenauthor.Read less

The Arctic Curry Club – ARC Book Review

No. of pages:- 377 pages

Publisher:- Avon

Date published:- will be published on December 9th 2021

Genre:- Holiday

Rating:- 4.5/5 stars

‘For my whole life I had been looking for home. But why would that be in a place that I’d left? Perhaps I had to keep moving forward in order to find it…’

Soon after upending her life to accompany her boyfriend Ryan to the Arctic, Maya realises it’s not all Northern Lights and husky sleigh rides. Instead, she’s facing sub-zero temperatures, 24-hour darkness, crippling anxiety – and a distant boyfriend as a result.

In her loneliest moment, Maya opens her late mother’s recipe book and cooks Indian food for the first time. Through this, her confidence unexpectedly grows – she makes friends, secures a job as a chef, and life in the Arctic no longer freezes her with fear.

But there’s a cost: the aromatic cuisine rekindles memories of her enigmatic mother and her childhood in Bangalore. Can Maya face the past and forge a future for herself in this new town? After all, there’s now high demand for a Curry Club in the Arctic, and just one person with the know-how to run it…

A tender and uplifting story about family, community, and finding where you truly belong – guaranteed to warm your heart despite the icy setting!

This is such a cute cover and I actually enjoyed reading this book! Can’t even believe that this is the author’s debut book as well.

Plot:- Maya Reed Kaur joins her boyfriend, Ryan to Arctic — sub zero temperatures, dog sledding, freezing cold weather, and polar bears. She finds her late mother’s recipe book and while browsing through the recipe book, she gets vivid flashbacks of her childhood in Bangalore, India. Meanwhile, using her mother’s recipe book, she makes friends, makes meals fused with both Indian and Arctic styles and creates her own Arctic Curry Club.

Writing:- This is actually one of the unique and multicultural books I have read–it’s like India meets the Arctic region. I have never been to Arctic so by reading this book with its vivid descriptions of snow, cabins, polar bears, made me feel like I was in the Arctic area. Being a Sri Lankan which is almost similar to the Indian culture, some of the recipes that Maya was making made me feel hungry and pictured Maya making reindeer curry in the Indian style. I do like Maya’s developing relationships with Adam, Mikkel and Rita and how she initially hated living in Arctic and soon began to like living in this snowy place. The writing was great, though in the end, I opted for Maya and Jobin, her childhood friend to get back together. The author also did a good job drawing the reader into the story, making the reader feel like they are part of the story.

Characters:- Initially, I didn’t very much like Maya–I thought she was a whiny character. But gradually I grew into her, I was amazed at her courage and how she overgrew and started opening up her own restaurant in the Arctic. Mikkel, Adam and Rita are favorable characters as well.

Overall–overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. If you feel like you want to visit Arctic and have Indian food, this book is the one for you!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Dani Redd is the debut author of The Arctic Curry Club, which was longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Prize. She has an MA and PhD in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. This involved research trips to some of Europe’s remoter islands, including Spitsbergen, in the Arctic Circle. After this, she spent two years living in India. She now lives in Norwich with her husband, and is working as a food editor while writing that tricky second novel.

Never Tell A Lie – ARC Book Review

No. of pages:- 348 pages

Date published:- will be published on 30th November 2021

Publisher:- Lake Union

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:- 4/5 stars

From the author of The Aftermath comes the story of a whirlwind friendship—and the dark secrets lurking beneath it.

After a tumultuous marriage, Mary Wilson is happy in her uncomplicated life, focusing on her twelve-year-old son. She’s always been content with her little family—but then she finds an old postcard that throws her whole past into question…

When an invitation arrives for her high school reunion, Mary jumps at the chance of a distraction from the shock discovery, and meeting her old classmate April feels like a gift. Despite barely remembering April, Mary throws herself into the new friendship and finds her previously quiet social life reinvigorated.

But as the bonds between them are forged, Mary finds herself drawn further and further into April’s life and marriage, increasingly fearing that everything is not as perfect as it seems. Is her own painful past clouding her judgement, or is Mary right to suspect that the people she trusts most are the ones with the most to hide?

This is the first time I have read a book in the South African setting and the plot sounded intrigued to me so I was so happy when I got this as the ARC.

Plot:- Mary Wilson has been living happily with her twelve year old son Django after a tumultuous marriage. She gets invited to a twenty year old high school reunion where she reconnects with many including a woman named April. Mary doesn’t have any memories of April but the two become best friends. And soon, she finds that April is living a life of secret and lies.

Writing:- The story is told from the perspectives of Mary. The story talks mainly about the victims of domestic abuse and the consequences it has on the victims. Mary herself was a victim of domestic abuse and so is April so I give five stars to the author for addressing such an issue. The writing was spot on. Initially, the beginning was a bit of a slow burn but gradually it got more intense with some twists along the way. However, I kind of expected the ending so the ending was nothing new. Overall, I was hooked into the story and didn’t realize I finished reading the book until I came to the end!

Characters:- April and Mary are victims of abuse and so I do feel sympathy towards their characters. I do like Mary having a strong father-daughter relationship with her father and also mother son relationship with Django.

Overall:- this was a good thriller that will keep you hooked into the story–worth four stars!

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

Gail Schimmel is an admitted attorney in South Africa, with four degrees to her name. She is currently the CEO of the Advertising Regulatory Board – the South African self-regulatory body for the content of advertising. She has published five novels in South Africa, and The Aftermath is her international debut. She lives in Johannesburg with her husband, two children, an ancient cat and two very naughty dogs.

Follow Gail at @GailSchimmel on Twitter, or Gail Schimmel Writer on Facebook.