UNRAVELS

Honest Book Reviews

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J Klune – 5/5

Have you ever wanted to read a book that makes your heart do all sorts of happy dances? A book that will make you want to leave this awful dustbin of a place and step into that beautiful, heart-warming world of fiction? I am in awe and I am also on a mission. EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK! I REPEAT! EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram – 5/5

Why do good books do this thing? I mean, come to an end? I cried enough to fill a pond and that’s not just during the ending. Darius the Great is not okay was a book that I chose to read after being overwhelmed by how much people usually have an opinion on other people going through depression. As a doctor and someone who has been through something similar but was lucky enough to survive because of the support of my family and friends, I know better than to be the voice of others going through it.

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston– 4/5

‘History huh? I bet we could make some!’ This is the single dialogue that can sell the book. I probably will remember this forever. This and many other line which will grow on you, like they did on me. The book is medium paced, long chaptered with fairly good writing. The story is presented to us from Alex’s point of view who initially came across as annoying but as the story progresses, I absolutely fell in love with him and all the other characters.

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia – 4/5

This is an accidental pick for this month but turned out to be so relevant. With the #blacklivesmatter movement taking place on a very resourceful and much needed way, I wanted to read books that reflect on such revolutionary times. We set the dark on fire is not only an lgbtq literature but a revolt, against the upper class smothering the lower class and the lower class fighting for their freedom and lives.

A Heart so Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer – 2.5/5

I only picked this up because I read the first part of the series and I was intrigued enough to find out more. I had no expectations whatsoever. Initially, I was indifferent to it but slowly warmed up as the plot thickened. I actually didn’t see why people didn’t fancy the book as much as they did the first part because this clearly felt much better and clever than its prequel.

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White – 4/5

I am familiar with the Arthurian Legend to an extent where I recognize the characters and the story to an acceptable level. This book revamped my knowledge and also managed to give it some really good modifications. I felt like this is an upgraded and much stronger version of the legend.

The Binding by Bridget Collins – 3/5

Among all the common premises that books revolve around, binding was a breath of fresh air. The premise was so thought provoking.  I was hooked from the moment I got to read the blurb. It promised an amazing story that would steal our hearts. I am not sure if it lived up to my expectations though.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer – 3.5/5

A highly recommended and rated retelling of beauty and the beast, ACSDAL was on my reading list from the time the holo book spine caught my eye. I have mixed feelings about the book. Was it over-hyped? Probably not! But it hasn’t met my expectations even to a 50%.

Mrs Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna – 2.5/5

Detailing the funniest versions of the day to day life in her household, Twinkle Khanna manages to steal a few laughs with her book. Her writing style is very much blog-like. Since it is not a work of fiction, I think that is acceptable. The book can be best described as a recollection of some of the incidents that have happened in the author’s life. Not all of them were funny, not all of them made sense.

In the House in the Dark of the Woods – 3/5

Let us say that we take Alice in Wonderland and put it in a blender with a few famous scenes from other fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, add a considerable amount of gore, confusion and horror and a pinch of surprise – the blend is basically the gist of this book.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo – 5/5

I can’t seem to find anything wrong with it. Anything that doesn’t fit right. It has suspense, drama, flashbacks, romance, revenge, righteousness, selfless love, all the cunning in the world, family, friendship and action. And mix all of that in the right amounts with a near perfect writing style, you get six of crows, the duology.

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin – 5/5

A witch and a witch hunter in holy matrimony? Bring it on! This is a classic enemies-turn-to-lovers kind of a story with a twist. It is not cliched at all and is one hell of a love story. How I started and finished in less than 3 hours (not in a single sitting though I wish I had three free hours at once), only the author should know. I am craving for books with such writing styles now.

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim – 4/5

What do you get when you thoughtfully mix magic and the art of sewing? An extremely enjoyable tale with twists and adventures like no other! Spin the Dawn is the first installment of The Blood of Stars duology by Elizabeth Lim. The premise of the book is so different and unique. It’s the story of a girl who wants to be the best tailor in the world in a time where that is not something that women were allowed/expected to do.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman – 4.5/5

I had a lot of thoughts about the book after reading the title and seeing the cover. I thought that the lead would be a clichéd book nerd who does nothing but read and may be ends up exploring a new part of her or the opposite of that. I thought it would revolve around books and nothing more. (My imagination is obviously limited!) Boy! Has the author proved me wrong! And she has done it so cheerfully. The book was nothing like I judged it to be. I’m glad I read it.

Obsidio by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman – 4.5/5

This was a rollercoaster! An emotional fucking rollercoaster! I hated every bit of it  because it made my heart skip a beat with all the elements that were incorporated. And there I sat, thinking I am adventure loving person who enjoys rollercoasters!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – 4.5/5

This was probably the book that was recommended to me the most and thus became a book that I almost picked up on several occasions but failed due to the anticipation that  had me worried that I would be disappointed and won’t like it. I was not disappointed at all. In fact, it was a very very good book. My inner soul was appealed to and it is very happy about it. 

Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kauffman – 5/5

The second installment of the illumine files series, Gemina has been stated to be the best part of the trilogy by several coveted book reviewers. I cannot be the judge of that, having not read Obsibio, but it was handsdown one of the best Sci-Fi Fantasies I’ve ever read.

The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson – 5/5

I picked it up and I couldn’t put it down. Trust me, because I tried. I could not sleep, eat or focus on anything else. Even as I finished it, it was all I could think of. I devoured the book. No, the book devoured me. Books tend to do that sometimes. Be so good that they make you question your existence if you do not find out how they end!

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon – 4/5

CUTE… ADORABLE… REAL… If I had to use three words to describe the book, these will be it. Okay, first things first, Twinkle is an adorable young lady on a path to become a strong and opinionated woman. She is still a teenager though. And the author ensures to make this character feel like a regular teenager and not some perfect girl that could only exist in another dimension.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert – 4/5

City of girls is the most hilarious and real story I have ever read for a historical fiction. It is in the form of a letter by Ms Vivian Morris (an old lady at the time) who writes to Angela (also an old lady), the story of how she met her father and what her father means to her. 

Wilder Girls by Rory Power – 3/5

I am writing this review as we are living through what might be the real life incarnation of Wilder Girls. Well, we are at least on a path to destruction where we might end up being the girls in the book. Two words I would use to describe the book would be ‘Surreal’ and ‘Incomplete’.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass – 3.5/5

It is a retelling of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. The best part was that though it is inspired by the tale, it is not a copy of the exact story in a different background. It can stand on its own without being compared to it. Props to the author for pulling this off as there are a lot of retellings of beauty and the beast coming out which are sadly sub-par.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern – 4.7/5

It was praised as “A love letter to story-tellers”, and rightly so as it contains everything that a story-teller could ever dream of. Piles and piles of books just lying in a secret world that lies beneath the Earth with an ocean made of papers and libraries everywhere. The world in itself is engulfing to imagine. The descriptions are exquisite and indulging.

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