Bookishlife2022_

Book review : River of Wrath has plenty of intrigue and suspense, with a gothic feel. It has some twists and turns to keep us on our toes.  In book 2 of the St. Benedict series, we venture further into the malice that is the Devereaux family. While graves are being dug for the deaths occurring like clockwork, secrets are being dug up on the most famous family to ever exist in St. Benedict. The story begins with  local sheriff Kent Davis oversees the discovery of yet another body. This one looks to have been buried for at least 20 years.  High School senior Leslie Moore and her  friends know far more about the mysteries of St. Benedict than Sheriff Davis. After seeking revenge over a horrible crime, the teen vigilantes agreed never to speak to the police. But as Leslie struggles through grief, the newly unearthed body - and the collective shock when another girl goes missing - turns her anguish into an obsession to learn the disturbing truth. Quotes from the book : 💗...

 Book review : 10 Reasons Why CX/NPS® Programs Fail is a powerful book which can help organisations to understand how their CX program . A CX program must be designed with change or innovation in mind and should not be treated like another metric. The book is packed with great tips and several real-world examples which can be implemented by organisations of all sizes and industries. More lessons have been captured and summarised succinctly in this book with the use of some very practical and thought-provoking anecdotes. The author has well penned the 10reasons with logical facts, systematic explanation, comparative diagrams, flow charts and much more. His unique way of guiding the reader the pros and cons of CX program is outstanding.  I thoroughly recommend 10 Reasons Why CX/NPS® Programs Fail for anyone that's interested in improving customer experience through a better understanding of CX/NPS®. Happy Reading! Purchase :  https://amzn.to/3Hmgsq0

Book review :   "Womb to Harvard" is a well-researched and insightful guide for parents who want to give their children the best possible start in life.  The book provides practical strategies and guidance that parents can use to help their children reach their full potential.  The book provides a strategic vision to develop a vision for the reader  to have your dream baby. It  uses the 1090 days strategy using various steps of motherhood. It includes preconception to conception to birth to step to the soil to achieve. In the second section of the book , the readers are empowered with  knowledge of progeny, epigenetics, advantages of the unborn, water media, preconception guidelines, different stages of motherhood, effects of nutrition, exercises, and sound and methods of nurturing all in a simple and practical mode and much more. The author has well penned the complete scenario of a child's life from womb to harvard in a systematic order with true stories ...

Book review :  Elite of Destiny book 2 is a sci - fic fantasy read with lots of twists and turns to keep the reader engrossed up from the start till the end. It depicts how the main protagonists of the story share a bond that runs deeper than common interests, growing their confidence into each other so much that they could be someone who they could rely on forever. This story is based on friendship of Alex , Quinn and  Aiden.  Aiden was quite stressed about his friend and afelt weird in the world full of people. Even though he used to live in the earth but when he went to some other world and return back to normal life, it feels somehow different right. Aiden who is on earth and Alex who is somewhere forming his own strength of power's.  Alex has to escape and stay safe. Will Aiden escape back from Earth? Will Alex be able to achieve whatever he wishes for and gain power to fight? The author has well penned the storyline embarking a unique flavour of friendship, tru...

 Book review : Based on a true love story , Laura's Love Radha narrates the story of a lady who herself a student of theology, an American falls in love with an Indian gentleman. Her intriguing story or tale of how she met her husband and proposed to him is the basics of this book.  The real motive of learning about her story is to seek the true meaning of love. Hardly few persons understand or know about theology, true love , divine love, love between Radha and Krishna , Buddhism and the eight fold path. Reading this book , I was mesmerized by the way her love story unravels and Laura discloses her journey of falling in love to a married woman. Though her path was not easy as it is not readily acceptable that an American girl falls in love with a black complexion Indian boy.  Her journey from Laura to Radha evokes a thought provoking aspect in individuals who say they are in love. Her way of guiding the spiritual love makes you ponder on your actions and how one can see...

  Book review : This book is  a beautiful memoir of the author providing a brief from her birth , childhood,  adulthood, marriage, seeking education to becoming a mother in law. She has meticulously put forward the issues or turbulations suffered by many people during partition of India or of Bengal. She is born and brought up in Shillong where her father came in 1942. But during partition of Bengal thousands of Hindus were attacked and forced to seek refuge in India. She shares her little incidents of negligence and many more of her childhood. She was a brilliant student and score good marks in all her classes. Her fathers wish to literate her as much as he can is a foundation stone of her life. She shares that she was totally a stranger to her husband till marriage as both were only allowed to see each other at the ceremonies.  But gradually they shared a strong bond that last till date. Her struggle to complete her studies, motherhood, teaching for years, actin...

Synopsis: August and I have been inseparable since childhood, but one kiss changed everything. Suddenly, I began to see things in a new light – not just about myself, but about him as well. It was as if he had morphed into a different person right before my eyes. Sick, deviant, twisted – words I never would have associated with us before, now seem to fit like a glove. Despite the fact that he slowly chipped away at my sanity and made me see the ugliest parts of himself, I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving his side. Even as things grew increasingly dark and twisted between us, I remained fiercely loyal to the boy I had once called my best friend. Goodreads :  https://www. goodreads.com/book/show/ 123843690-my-august Purchase :  https://amzn.to/3Vil1qT   FOR INDIANS :  https://amzn.to/3oP877z

  Synopsis: When Celia, a Florida art curator, purchases the haunted house of her brother’s deceased fiancé, the spirits threaten her life and her career. To rid the home of the malevolent ghosts, she enlists the help of her brother, Oscar, and Adrian, the best friend of Oscar’s late fiancé, who’d been killed as an Afghanistan veteran. The three are about to be thrown into a chasm of events involving a dead French artist, a Dutch aerospace heiress, and a missing Japanese painter who is presumed to be dead. Not to mention a stalker that begins to threaten Celia and Oscar. The link between these events appears to be a hidden journal from the 1980s Celia discovers in the home, belonging to a dead, but revered French artist. As Adrian helps decipher the clues, an attraction burns between him and Celia, raising the stakes of the game someone is playing. A game that no one might make it out of alive. Goodreads :  https://www. goodreads.com/book/show/ 79...

  Synopsis: A magical dragonfly. A science-focused society. Only one can bring the land and her people from the brink of death. Sixteen-year-old Governor’s daughter Etoiny longs to throw off her upper-class responsibilities and become the first female scientist of Taachat. When she accidentally wounds a thought-extinct dragonfly, she must race to find a bygone cure in order to present it to the Science Society for admission. While she researches remedies for the dragonfly, she and the creature form a bond that can’t be explained by science. The dragonfly also revives dying blooms all Taachat’s citizens need to stay alive for the next three-year cycle. Her dead mother’s missing journal could offer insight if only Etoiny could find it. She soon realizes two powerful people are on the hunt for the dragonfly and its healing ability. Just as Etoiny finds a way to save her dragonfly, she discovers horrors her father has allowed in the underbelly of Taachat and it...

Synopsis: From the author of the DARK FAE comes this *dark slasher romance* in vein of our beloved 90s Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Sailors Bay has a bit of a problem… a serial killer problem. What should be a sleepy old fishing town—a place so silent and forgotten that it slips off the map—has murder in the air and secrets poisoning the heart of the town. Here…  no one is safe when a masked killer starts terrorising the town. Blood Hood is coming after them:  Billie—from the wrong side of the tracks—and her friends… The ones who have a deadly secret of their own, one they kept for seven years… a dark secret that Blood Hood seems to know all about. One by one, Blood Hood hunts them down to avenge the murder that started it all. And Billie finds herself running from Blood Hood as well as the love of her life and ex, Dalton. With slashed-up bodies piling up all over, Billie flees more than a masked killer…  Dalton hunts her to every corner of Sailors Bay, int...

Book review : This book had suspense, intrigue, action and well plotted characters. The storyline kept me intrigued and flowed nicely throughout. The rollercoaster ride of twists and turns makes the reader on the edge of their seats.   The story is very well written, fast-paced, the circumstances are believable, and the culprit is caught in the end but not before causing more damage. Danica devoted her life to helping people and finding the truth about her own family, and that will almost cost her life and whatever resemblance of familial ties she had with the one that was nearest to her. In short, a thriller that behind the typical serial killer story hides a complex and decidedly unusual plot. The author has well penned the plot with intriguing storyline narrated in a vivid manner.   I highly recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for Providing me this book in return of an honest review. Do grab this book if you like r...

 Book review : This book is a depiction of phenomenal writing, timeline switches and a well developed interesting plot. A thrilling storyline that is enough to keep the reader hooked up from the start till the end. After reading the two books of this series , I was super excited to read this one and luckily was not disappointed.  The story begins with Sofia who hunts her prey who was responsible for her pain. After the demise of her father, she embarks on a journey to  not only take revenge but also destroy the origin of her pain. Her bonding with Siena is marvellous.   Siena finds comfort and a path ahead to carry on her parents heritage. Quote from the book that piqued my interest:  🌈 " Seems like you have been through a tough ride . Sometimes even the most complex situations are the simplest to solve if you just step back." The author has a maturity level to incorporate history , art, conspiracy into such a fine story that lays an impact on its readers....

 Book review : Mixed lives is a blend of small stories compiled in one. These stories are narrated as per author 's experience as a common day to day routine. The motive behind sharing these incidents is to pour light on the real humanity and spirituality that is somewhere lacking these days. In one of the story , the author shares the devastation caused in the growing years of a boy because of becoming a part of swag in college and got addicted to alcohol that his prestigious time and honour of parents were at risk at one point of time. The journey of that boy and how he received help from his loved ones being a single child to recover from his deadly habit of drinking to become a sensible and responsible person.  Quote from the book that intrigued me : 🍎 " Our origin is the soul and acknowledging it leads us back to purity, Peacefulness and Bliss". 🍎 " Marriage is an institution where we live together. We learn togetherness, cooperation, unity, binding and over...

 Book review : This book is a delightful, inspiring , bit raw with a blend of humour and heart . A complete journey of adventures , a pathway to self discovery and self love. An engrossing tale that kept me hooked up from the start till the end and I finished it in two sittings.  The book narrates a story of Parsi girl, Kai. Her  romantic escapades , wild search for her Prince Charming apart from the fact that her show Chai with Kai is doing exceptionally well. Her unconventional approach to relationships makes her unique in her own way. Her meticulously depiction of societal judgements and expectations makes the story entertaining with a sense of depth and authencity. The author has well penned her unique approach in quite witty and hilarious manner that it depicts the misadventures,  her feisty explorations and much more. She has poured light on the fact that to face any issue first love yourself, accept your flaws and embrace your journey you have embarked. Overal...

  Synopsis: “Insightful, entertaining, and satisfying. A deliciously dishy look at a typical American family behind closed doors.” ~ USA Today Bestseller Whitney Dineen “A life-affirming emotional rollercoaster. Perfect for fans of  Where’d You Go, Bernadette !” ~ USA Today Bestseller Kate O’Keeffe   A richly satisfying family dramedy for any woman who has asked, “Whose life is this?” Jessica Holloway is miserable. As mom to two ungrateful, almost-grown children and wife to one appreciative-but-needy husband, she has all-but-abandoned the extraordinary—and  extraordinar ily fun —woman she used to be. She may be smiling while she volunteers at the school’s dog wash fundraiser, but inside, she’s seething. Having traded her future as a high-powered attorney for motherhood nearly two decades ago, she’s now desperate to reconnect with the woman she once was. Pushed to her breaking point, Jessica is secretly terrified at what she might do. Go on strike permanently? Take th...

  Synopsis: “Chaos and the wicked soul know no rest.” (Old folk proverb) Ina has no time to enjoy domestic life with Mar. As soon as life settles down after the Winter War, King Rewan calls his Royal Witch to give her a new task. Southern rebellion, crops dying, and an endless stream of assassins attacking the king, leaving a trail that backs to a neighbouring kingdom. To make matters worse, an ancient cult has emerged from the shadows offering sacrifices to Winter’s Death. One fateful letter and Ina is back on the road with an unlikely companion. But what can one Chaos mage do against so many enemies and the power of the Old Gods? Immerse yourself in the third book of Season’s War, where passion mixes with cruelty, and the world-changing power can shackle even goddess to the mortal plain.  The book is NOT standalone for the best experience, consider reading in the series order. Goodreads :  https://www. goodreads.com/book/show/ 122436224-spr...

  Book review : This book is a unique way of depicting person's struggle against her own close ones or nearby people to accept what she actually is. A jouney to find oneself in true domain rather than given by mistake.  The book is also a commentary on the exploitation of marginalized sections of society exploited in the name of societal norms, family values, or religion.   It is the story of Farah, who was born in Saudi Arabia. It is the story of unspoken pain and scars. She  was born and raised as a female. But eventually recognises that she isn't girl rather she is a boy.  From her childhood, she always felt awkward and different from her sisters and friends.    She is not only shackled by her family but also ostracized by society and religious dogma. The author has well penned the pain behind a person who is raised as a girl and his family gets to know about his actual sex and makes him operate without his consent. And after marriage she or he...

Book review : This book is a solid fae fantasy romance, full of   grief, the angst, the self-loathing and yearning and longing. An intriguing storyline that keeps the reader hooked up from the start till the end. The whole mystery of who Zylahs biological family is, what she is and is capable of intrigued me a lot . A ll the events that happened with  Zylah is obviously upset and blames herself for all the things that happened and she feels like everything bad that happens to her she deserves. She thinks she is a monster of the worst kind. In a very realistic way you can just see her dealing with this and the path she has to go.  The author has well weaved the storyline and characters are well plotted. Some mysteries were unraveled, communication was better and explanation about bonds was nicely done. There were couple of things that came true when I read the first book, so I was not entirely surprised when they were revealed here.  I liked reading this book and...

Synopsis: A doomed love, a dangerous mission, and a kingdom on the brink of war… A cast-off princess… Born into a life of duty and sacrifice, Morgan Pendragon’s destiny has never been her own. Rumored to carry the tainted blood of the fae in her veins, her birthright is stolen from her when she is a mere child. Growing up in the shadow of her brother the king, she has been promised to the goddesses when she comes of age. So, when her brother commands that she seek out a fae weapon of legendary power, Morgan seizes the chance to break free from the chains of her fate. A dangerous temptation… As she travels, Morgan finds herself drawn into a strange group of outcasts, led by a dark and enigmatic warrior whose sharp wit and fierce beauty set her heart ablaze. But while Morgan struggles to reconcile her desires with her duty, she and her new comrades discover dangers that await them beyond anything in their wildest nightmares. A slumbering kingdom awoken by blood… Believed to have vanished...

Synopsis: She will grit her teeth and smile at the snobby and suspicious CFO if it means landing the contract. But she won’t put on a dress and definitely not heels. Event planner Jane Beckett has big dreams for her small company and is bending over backward to accommodate demanding clients. Jane doesn’t have to like them. She doesn’t have to spend her free time with them. But she wants to tease the grumpy pencil-pushing executive who always seems to be in her way, muss up his hair and show him that there’s more to life than boardrooms and bottom lines. That is, when she doesn’t want to yell at him. Or punch him. Liam Cross believes every woman has a hidden agenda, one that involves taking advantage of big hearted, clueless billionaires like his best friend and co-worker. He’s watching Jane and her sister to ensure that party-planning is all that’s going on. Even though she manages to steal his assistant, he likes what he sees in the smart-mouthed brunette,...

  Synopsis: I own the boardroom. He owns the stage. We were never meant to be together, but when something’s forbidden, it only makes you want it more. My jaded heart was determined never to be fooled again. There’s too much at stake, and my daughter always comes first. And then one night, on the eve of my forty-third birthday, I walked into a bar, and locked eyes with Adrian Corvin. He’s a musician, covered in tattoos… and way too young. He’s the opposite of everything I should want. When he followed me outside of the bar, not even the Arizona monsoon could keep me from kissing him. With just one taste, I was an addict. It was only supposed to be one night. No names, no expectations, and no truths. Only lies. And he tells beautiful lies. Goodreads :  https://www. goodreads.com/book/show/ 64624882-beautiful-lies Purchase : Amazon:  https://amzn.to/ 43xCRtG B&N:  https://www. barnesandnoble.com/w/ beautiful-lies-paula- dombrowiak/1142811670?ean= 2940185650509...

Synopsis: After witnessing heartbreak up close and personal, I never wanted a woman for more than just one night. Yet somehow, in that single night, Brynn has me wanting another. A month. That’s the longest she’s willing to date someone and if she’ll give me the chance, I’ll take a month. She’s determined not to become her mother. I’m determined not to care about someone enough that losing them will hurt me. But somehow the closer I get to our month being over, the more I want to figure out a way for her to stay. Despite each of our pasts, I know that she’s the only woman I could consider a future with. The thing is… she’s not considering one with me. I’ll have to show her that I’m not looking to take over her life before it’s too late. Brynn so easily turns me into the man I never wanted to become. Goodreads :  https://www. goodreads.com/book/show/ 128982123-forever-jamison Purchase : Amazon:  https://amzn.to/ 3GJRMqZ  

Synopsis: Sinfully gorgeous Professor Luca Gallo has zero tolerance for the remarkably spoiled Donata Salvatore. The last time their paths crossed, she almost ruined his life with her lies. Now she’s in his classroom asking for favors and an easy grade. Professor Gallo has a lesson for Donata. One he’ll make sure she never forgets. Goodreads :  https://www. goodreads.com/book/show/ 105732713-wicked-knight Purchase : Amazon:  https://amzn.to/ 3ML9nmo  

Book Review : The Broken Soul is book three in the Sloane and Maddie, Peril Awaits series. The storyline is quite intriguing, captivating and thrilling enough to keep you hooked up from the start till the end.   Maddie and Sloane are back at it, and this time  in New Orlean .  When Sloane goes away to go grab drinks for the two of them, she comes back to find that Maddie is gone. Upon enquiring, she learns that Maddie went to help with a girl that she saw face down in an alley.  For when Maddie follows her instincts and tries to help a woman finds herself being kidnapped.  Now, Sloane is left with a lot of questions of her own, and racing against the clock to find Maddie and make sure that she is fine.    With a little luck, and help from some unexpected sources, Sloane gets closer to finding her friend. This is a pretty fast paced story. The author has well weaved the suspense behind her kidnapping. Characters are well plotted and easy narration ...

 Book review : Awakening is the book 1 of the Berserker Chronicles . It is quite intriguing , captivating and full of twists and turns that are enough to keep you hooked from the start till the end.  The story revolves around Leif Auzoux. He works as a bartender in LA. One day, when Leif was at his shift at The Slumbering Lion, he felt a strange sensation running down his spine. His life takes a lot of twists and turns after meeting a guy with black eyes.   Leif must learn to wrangle a newly awakened power to either become a hero or a villain. He will leave his old life and run from creatures he believed were reserved for myth and legend. He travels across the realms while struggling to tame the blinding rage that comes with his new demi-god like power. Will Leif survive the intra-realm quest and prevent Ragnarok or will he fail to control his awakening? The author has well weaved the storyline with a lot of ups and downs. The narration is done in an engrossing manne...

  Synopsis: When a Wounded Warrior meets a small town princess, he’ll learn that happily-ever-after is definitely in his cards Jake Grimm came home after fifteen years to an official letter on his door. His family’s ancestral home is going to be a fairytale themed tourist attraction which isn’t going to work when the rest of his Special Forces team shows up to move in. Storming up to City Hall for some answers, a car backfires and he hits the ground, bringing down the hot, curvy woman standing next to him. She looks up at him with stars in her eyes, like he isn’t battle damaged. Her heart shaped mouth whispers dreams that she could take all his pain and sleepless nights away. All of which is why Jake knows he must stay far away from Rosie Briarwood, the mayor’s daughter. He might be the last descendant of the founders of Grimm’s Valley, but he’s no prince. And he’s no longer a hero. Once upon a time has never been so hot in this steamy small town where heroes fall hard for modern d...

  Synopsis: Win the trials, earn a crown—or fail and lose everything. The heir of Embermere has unexpectedly died, and now a new prince and princess must be crowned. I’ve been hiding out with the dragons, but then mysterious fae show up at the dragons’ stronghold and abduct me at the King’s command. The royals of Embermere are hosting the Fae Heir Trials to find their successors. The winners will marry and become the next to rule the fae lands. Turns out I’m the King’s illegitimate daughter and the wicked queen intends to kill me off during the challenges. I find myself thrust into a barbaric tournament where death is all but guaranteed. I’m competing against the most gorgeous, deadly fae warriors of the realm. Determined, agile men who’ve been training to claim this chance all their lives—including clan leader Rush Vega. Rush Vega is the Crown’s favorite, devastatingly charming and dangerously tempting. His combat skills and dark secrets will be my undoing. With my survival on the...

  Synopsis: Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours. Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min, and he’s in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipity to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive. But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time. As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve—and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away. G...

  Book review :  This book  conveys a hard topic of marriage, divorce and second chances. The illustrations of a typical family and the hardships of a girl to comprehend the new enviornment. The rollercoaster ride of ups and downs with emotional set up keeps the reader hooked up till the end. The story revolves around a descent, witty , feisty girl, Saru and her journey after marriage. She is acknowledged by Sumeet at the TV show and after a year talking on phones both of then get entangled in a wedding knot. But to meet someone as a lover and to live with someone are bit different concepts. Soon Saru realizes her marriage like a cricket pitch , at times she is bowling or getting LPW. Is marriage really a cricket match? Her quotation with husband was good but she could not keep up with her mother-in-law like all new daughter-in -laws. Even after conceiving, she could not be at par with her. She felt like a prisoner in room who is only asked to eat and rest. She copes up l...

  Book review : Bliss of Childhood is a heart warming, hilarious and a delightful journey from childhood to adolescence that mesmerizes your innocent years where friendships were life. His blissful journey that  highlights the need to root out widespread social problems like corruption and authoritarianism from India. This book narrates the story of an 11year old boy , Tito from 1970's era. A young lad who grows up in a sleepy railway town of Assam, Maligaon. His little tit-bits with his grandpa before coming to this town or advance warning about weather of this city by caring neighbours reminds him sitting in his new house. He was wrecked up by frequent transfers faced by his father for his futile resistance to corrupt government officials, politicians or related adminstrators and dreams of becoming a p oet. His little mischieves , banter with friends , moving to new home,  fun in jalopy, many others are depicted in a vivid manner. The author has well penned the chan...