Anna O by Matthew Blake

Anna O. by Matthew Blake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 star
It does have the essence of The Silent Patient and Gone Girl but failed to impress me like those. Even though the writing and plot was good, the execution failed. It was miserably slow till 50% and too complex climax, confusing.

Anna O went into sleep after murdering 2 of her friends at a family retreat. This is called as “Resignation Syndrome” in medical field. The police want her to wake up to be able to get into trial. Anna O is transferred to “Abbey Sleep Clinic”, a under Dr. Benedict Prince, who is a sleep expert after 4 years.

We go through different POV’s which makes the story interesting with different references to sleepwalking, crimes committed during sleep etc. Very fascinating plot but slow paced and needed more cleverer way to handle this complex plot.

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Unlock Your Storybook Heart (You Are Your Own Fairy Tale, #3) by Amanda Lovelace

Unlock Your Storybook Heart by Amanda Lovelace
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 star

I loved Amanda Lovelace’s first poetry book from this series. This one was not bad. I have a mixed opinion on this one. More self-help than thoughts or processing of thoughts which is usually her style. It was difficult to find connection in some parts, but some did touch me.

Looking forward to more good poetry from Ms. Lovelace.
Happy Reading!!

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The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore

The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 star
This one did start out good. Had Wednesday vibes but started to go down around midway.

Este Logano joins Radcliffe Prep, which was her now deceased father’s old school. She misses him terribly and hopes to find him or his past along the school paths. But the school is famous for being haunted and Este does not believe in ghosts.

During the orientation, in library Mateo lures Este to get Book of fades from restricted area, and dumb Este is in soup. The Head librarian in behind her to get the book back safe or expulsion in on Este’s cards.

Well, the story is fast-paced and cozy. Good but shallow characters. For me it lacked deeper connections but good, readable, light read.

(view spoiler)[ Este falls for Mateo the ghost and he for her. Then the saving of Mateo comes, and all is well in the end. This is the part which irked me, and it was basically devoid of emotions. The author forgot to show how they connected, why they liked each other than dark curls, teenage crush and hormones. This missing part was a great disappoint for me. (hide spoiler)]
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The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 star

‘While you live, shine.
Have no grief at all.
Life exists only for a short while.
And time demands its toll.’

Once upon a Harry Lime, there was a small village near the forest, by the sea. It was burnt down due to the fire of greed and lives of people was upended.

Irini is a music teacher and is married to Tasso who happens to be an artist. He loves the forest around which he grew up, he fell in love with Irini and where his daughter played around the trees. But all is lost when Mr. Monk, a greedy builder wants a part of the forest to build a small hotel and starts a forest fire. The forest fire kills and dislocates many in her village causing a communal hatred towards Mr. Monk.

Irini is consumed by guilt after she leaves a Mr. Monk to die just because the dying man is a man of greed and the reason for the forest fire. Irini mourns the loss of her husbands’ liveliness and her daughters’ innocence. The story oscillates between the past events on and after the fire broke and the present, the aftermath. The struggles to find a balance after the loss, to find the essence of what is lost is picturized perfectly through words. The story mainly focuses on the emotions of Irini and the view from her point.

Narration is very descriptive, captures every detail on emotions and relationships. As if we can see the forest in front of us, see the characters play around in front of us.
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The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 star
I have read Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s novels, and they are dark. The setting is gothic, chilly and an atmosphere that is almost suffocating. This short story is not different. A girl, illicit affairs and a shapeshifting wolf, gives us a dark fairy tale vibe.

A well written, dark, short story.
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The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid, #2) by Nita Prose

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 star

An enjoyable read. This did drag a bit where the chapters were alternating between the past and present, it felt tedious to know the backstory where there was no much mystery in the past. For a mystery it did not go well for me though it world have suited for a fiction. Molly the maid again solves the murder of a celebrated author, J. D. Grimthorpe who died during a rare public appearance to make an important announcement. Of course, he died at Regency Grand Hotel where Molly Gray is the head maid. A light read. And It could have been better.

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