Loved how the first one ended, loved how this one started and ended. Love that the series has just 2 books and not more. Of course, I loved the first one more and this felt a little slow paced but still good. DID NOT LIKE how Irsa's story panned out. Loved the characters and the twists and basically a full jam-packed book and a must-read series.
4.5/5🌟

Retelling of the world's longest epic poem known to mankind, Mahabharata, from Draupadi's POV, the wife of 5 Pandavas. I have always loved Mahabharata and so just expected a LOT from this book. And just breaks my heart to say that I was quite disappointed. I do not get the hype for it. A strong no for someone getting to know the Indian culture or the epic. Please go for the English translation of the original epic.
1/5🌟

We forgive murderers, not pedophiles.
A mother's journey from denial to acceptance (probable) with her son being a pedophile. Characters were not really likeable, but they made sense at most times. I almost DNF'd it but it all ended satisfactorily.
Lots of trigger warnings.
3.5/5🌟

It began as lust, that much I will admit.
#FirstLineFridays

Three sisters get together in the memory of their fourth sister when their childhood home is up for sale. Bailing after finishing almost 2/3rd of the book and all this while I was thinking, when does it get interesting? Hard to bail after seeing all the love this one gets on the internet.
#hailthebail

Sydney is looking for THE GUY. And a serial killer on the loose is looking for a perfect victim. Then she meets Tom, who isn't as perfect as he seems and is a lot different in his flashbacks.
Fast paced thriller and the ending actually made everything better. Sydney seemed a little too dumb for not getting everything together sooner.
3.5/5🌟

Of course! the title made me read it. But, if the narrator decides to break the fourth wall, they GOTTA be interesting enough to get me through 300+ pages. Still kept reading till 50% hoping it might get better, and I might get the hype.
#hailthebail

Shahrzad decides to avenge her best friend by marrying Khalid the murderous king who takes a new bride everyday only to kill her the next morning.
I love the details and research done by the authors, it gets translated into the food, culture, clothing, architecture, etc. The writing is good too, a definite page turner. Just the sheer speed I read this with. Love the characters and cannot wait to devour the second one too.
5/5🌟

“7 days to fall in love, 15 years to forget, and 7 days to get it all back again.“ Eva, a single mom and bestselling erotica writer is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane, a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning novelist is a loner. They meet unexpectedly at a literary event.
It is so much more than a romance novel and still a romance novel. Great characters, lot of themes, great relationships, bookish setting, good pace, good ending.
4/5🌟

Ernaux writes about something so simple yet so passionate just what the title suggests. A love that consumes you. A relationship with a married man which becomes your entire being. Time was measured in two ways: being with him and not being with him. Raw emotions.
3.5/5🌟

"They were not gentle. And why should they be?
@ShyBookOwl
#FirstLineFridays

After Kalyani's mother dies, she sets out for a Himalayan village in Kashmir. Certain that her mother's death is connected to the decade-old disappearance of Bashir Ahmed, a charming Kashmiri salesman, Kalyani decides to confront him.
The characters didn't stay with me, but there were some moments, some scenes that did. The writing was good. I also loved the character development and how plot unfolded. Was a little underwhelming though.
3.5/5🌟

Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams which turns out to be Dr Hale's, a psychiatrist who vanished 4 years earlier. Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed.
An interesting book about not so reliable people. The book says “never lie“ but you don't know who is actually speaking the truth. Definite page-turner. Great satisfying ending.
4/5🌟

Sophie always wondered if Thomas was the one. A year later he married, while Sophie has been single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because his aunt has given her house to Sophie, the house which has its own murder mystery going on.
Having read other titles by Liane, this one is definitely not my favorite. I have always liked the writing, but this one didn't hit the spot. The “big reveal“ was quite underwhelming. Easily skippable.
3/5🌟

I have been meaning to read this since years and it totally lived up the hype. Although I did not like both the characters, but I really liked the fact it was outrighted so twisted. Considering the length, I finished it really quickly. I was holding onto the movie and now I can watch it super soon. Really liked Flynn's writing and the detailed characters. Especially Amy.
4.5/5🌟

It is about the last queen of Lahore, Jindan Kaur. The last queen of the ruler of India's Sikh Empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
The book is great with the facts and the story it gives as a whole but it lacks the writing style/lustre a story like this deserves. It is still a good book with decent story telling and a fast pace. However, I feel it would have been an amazing book, had it been written better.
Definitely a must read though!
4/5🌟

As amazing as the show (Killing Eve) based on this book is, the book is quite dull in comparison. It's really great to see how the makers of the show turned a not-so-great book into a totally binge-worthy show.
I am definitely gonna continue watching the show, but not the books.
Show - 5/5🌟
Book - 3/5🌟

Three foster sisters, Jessica, Norah and Alicia get together to solve the mystery behind a body, which is discovered at their childhood foster home.

A decent plot and well written. The before-after timeline worked really well for the plot. The characters were well written too and were quite relatable. The ending was also interesting and did not disappoint.
4/5🌟

Succession, but where a murder happens and the murderer has to guess who killed them.
I liked the premise and even the initial 30% of the book but it just kind of passed. It kept me guessing the entire time as to who the culprit was. However, the ending was so disappointing. A simple light read.
3.5/5🌟

Follows the lives of three sisters, Priya, Deepa, and Jamini. Entirely different personalities and dreams. It's interesting to read how their lives take a 360° turn with the events of a single night. It's also interesting to see how independence and the political unrest were characters in themselves. It has all the elements to become a great Bollywood movie but not that great of a book actually. I don't really like ending. Just unfair.
4/5🌟

This book centers around Natsu, her elder sister Makiko and Makiko's daughter Midoriko. The book is about the female body as much as it's about the female mind.
I really liked the characters and how the story was written. The pace was nice too. But, somewhere in between I felt a bit disconnected from the story. A great book but I think it could have been written better. Or the essence was kinda lost during translation.
4/5🌟

The ending made me go "WTF" and it wasn't a good WTF. The plot was great, the characters were super engaging and the buildup throughout the book was very exciting. But, why Stephen, why would you do that!?
2/5?
#fanofthepan

"I don‘t like to start with an apology—there‘s probably even a rule against it, like never ending a sentence with a preposition —but after reading over the thirty pages I‘ve written so far, I feel like I have to."

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

I'm generally not a biography/autobiography person but having consumed so much of Trevor Noah's content, I knew I had to give this one a try.

It's just such a beautiful book. A great experience. It had me feeling so many emotions over a span of just few hundred pages. Would highly recommend.
4.5/5🌟

The story is about two best friends, Rachel and James and the time when Rachel falls in love with her English professor Dr Fred Byrne.

It's a coming of age story, about the reality of your life in twenties and a whole bunch of complications every day. I loved the book. It's wholesome, funny, relatable, and still thoughtful. A must read. I think I'll definitely be coming back to it after some years.
5/5🌟

The book revolves around Naina and Haree. Two young girls who have constantly faced challenges and are now facing challenges as big as child marriage, rape, and domestic violence. The story is about hope and sometimes the lack of it. It's about the power of the human spirit and the absence of love. The characters are well written. I was disappointed when Naina and Haree's stories connected and it just could have been so much better.
4/5🌟

The title is absolutely misleading and the author could have done so much better. However, the book is a fun read. The story revolves around immigrant punjabi widows in London who wanted to learn and write English from Nikki but somehow ended up writing erotic stories.
You would not believe the twists and turns such a simple plot could have. A definite page turner (especially when you skim through the stories) and a wholesome fun read.
4.5/5🌟

Remy left for the US long back. Years later, he decides to come back to India to adopt a baby and to see his mother before it gets too late. Slowly, as family secrets surface, relationships change like never before.
The book takes time to pick up the pace. I loved the author's writing style and how she just keeps you engaged throughout. I didn't like the characters that much but the story is worth reading. The ending also makes it worth it.
4/5🌟

I have read so many better written stories/books by him. This collection just didn't cut it. Not at all a 'must' read.

3/5🌟

I liked the premise and how the book started. Even the characters seemed interesting. But, the writing style was not for me. I thought I'd get used to it and that made me read like 40% of the book but it was simply annoying after that.
#hailthebail

Regan and Aldo meet in an art gallery and decide to have six conversations with each other. This is not a love story. This is not a story about happy endings.

There are parts I really liked and there are parts I didn't. I really liked how the bees and art and maths and love are intertwined together by the author and somehow it all makes sense. Not my most favorite romance book out there but easily a pick if looking for something different.
4/5🌟

I read 'The Push' by the author long back and I loved it! I have been excited for this one. It's a shame that this was not up to my expectations.
The story revolves around 4 women and something tragic that happened in their neighborhood. I can't believe the book was this bland. On to a better one!
#hailthebail

Told between two POVs: a teenager and an adult description of an affair between 15-year old Vanessa and her 42-year old English teacher.

The book is often said to be a modern retelling of Lolita. I found myself scoffing at the book a lot of times but I guess that's what the author intended. TWs should be read before starting. The book is quite disturbing and difficult to read and even more difficult to form an opinion about. Still a pick.
4/5🌟

Jane moves to a new town. She meets Eddie, who is handsome, rich, and above all single. As time passes, Jane is intrigued by the legend of 'Bea' Eddie's ex-wife who died in an accident. Turns out, everyone has not so pleasing secrets.
As interesting as the premise is, the book was pretty flat. It felt a bit stretched out too. There wasn't any character development. A classic whodunnit!
3/5🌟

51% through. Legit 51% through the book and still much didn't happen. I have generally seen good reviews for this one and it was a weird feeling to read this much and still not like it. Mean girls but housewives edition, and still worse.
#hailthebail

I've been meaning to read this for years and finally got the time (read will) to.
Laia and Elias are both victims of circumstance and their choices will decide the course of the entire Empire.
I loved how the story unfolds, how it developed, how new characters got introduced with their roles defined. Above all, I loved how it ended. How the premise for the next book was set.
It's a beautiful book and I can't wait to see what happens next.
4.5/5 🌟

Shay Miller's life takes a complete turn when a young woman leaps in front of a train and the Moore sisters enter her life. Are these events related? Is everything actually how it seems?
The book overall is decently paced, keeps you hooked but actually gets unrealistic at some points. It had good twists and turns but I kinda expected all of them in advance. I feel there was a lot of potential wasted.
3.5/5🌟

I've been meaning to read this book for so long and finally managed to. And to say it is a must read, would be an understatement. Although I didn't like a few chapters and it got deviated a lot from the actual topic. I would pick a book on Black history if I wanted to read so much of that.
Keeping that aside, it's a great book. Roxane did a wonderful job and I would definitely be picking more from her.
4/5🌟

"There is something animalistic about the way the middle-aged adults size each other up while feigning friendliness in the backyard of the most expensive house on the street."

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

An average teen summer read. I do not think there's anything special about this one.
Teenage girl from a somewhat broken family, going through a “break,“ meets a new cool guy, life changes, and now gotta choose between the two.

I think there are too many good books out there to take out time for this one.
2/5🌟

Dystopia - The women are allowed only 100 words a day. And if they don't comply, it could be FATAL.

Having read “The handmaid's tale,“ I think it's difficult to beat that. But it's wrong to compare too. I still feel Vox is well written and interesting too. It made me think, it made me angry, just what the author wanted and what an amazing closing line it was!
Definitely a pick, although there was a lot that could have been done.
4/5🌟

Disappointment is all I feel after finishing this. The book had it all, great plot, good characters, a serial killer at loose, gory MO, double digit victims, and it still ended being such a disappointment. There was so much scope and it just had to end bad.
Also, the author takes sooo much time to actually build it up. I feel the book could have easily been 100-150 pages shorter.
3/5🌟
Feel free to recommend anything by Karin Slaughter?

About 20% through and it already got so dull. I decided to go and check the recent reviews and they convinced me in a minute to just DNF it.

"Two hearts are beating inside me.
One is dying slowly, the other is learning to breathe.
Thousands of worlds I'll bring, thousands I'll kill,
And all those times you couldn't live,
I'll live!"

Drop in your Goodreads account handles.?
PS: Add me on Goodreads: Anshika Goyal

Eliza Caine is haphazardly recruited as a governess to two children after her father dies. However, she discovers that she is the sixth governess in a row within the year. What went wrong?

I anyday prefer psychological horror more than the in-your-face horror. Interesting plot but too obvious for me by the end. However, I really enjoyed the writing style. A quick page turner and an engrossing read.
4/5🌟

Rosemary died a year ago but her husband George thinks she was murdered and it wasn't a suicide. There are 6 people thinking about Rosemary for different reasons and one of them could be the murderer.

I'm a huge Agatha fan but I didn't particularly enjoy this one. I am yet to understand what exactly was the issue, but it is what it is. To better murders and better books hopefully.
2.5/5🌟
PS - Good thriller recommendations, please?🤭

Imagine a coffee shop that lets you go back in time with a few (read many) rules to follow.

As interesting as the premise was, the book was pretty bland. I understand some essence being lost because of this being a translation. Expected a bit too much I guess, DNFing after the second story.

The holocaust and the events through the POV of a tattooist working in Auschwitz. It's a tale of survival, of hope, of courage, of loss and above all, of love.

I have read and watched a lot of content related to the holocaust in general. I think I expected too much, so for me personally, the book isn't the best out there but still it's a great book. It's nicely paced, good story and decent characters. Do give it a try.
4/5🌟

Four friends. Two couples. One missing husband.
Something happened. No one knows.

The premise was strong as the book started, became too stretched out in the middle and towards the end it just became silly. The twist in the end was decent but I guessed it long long back, if only it was done better. It became more about the characters' monologues, than the actual plot.
Any good recommendations by the author?
2.5/5🌟

What if the virtual home assistant designed to help you turns against you and is on to something very sinister?
'Electra' the home assistant is after Jo, or is this all her imagination?
As interesting as the synopsis was, the book was pretty average to read actually. Will definitely creep you out about the technology and the ease it comes with.
3/5🌟
Any other suggestions by the author?