literary fiction

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Hinterland by L. M. Brown #BookReview @BrownLornab

Cover: Hinterland
by L. M. Brown

 

The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review).

My rating:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Nicholas Giovanni’s life revolves around his five-year old daughter Kate. When he isn’t driving his taxi, he is taking care of her and her mother Kathleen, whose last involuntary admission to hospital was before Kate was born. When his childhood best friend, Ina, returns next door, tensions rise in the house. Already unstable, Kathleen suspicions of Ina and Nicholas grow until a day of violence ensues and Kathleen disappears.

Kate’s life is shattered by her mother’s disappearance. No-one will tell her where Kathleen is. Although Ina helps to take care of Kate, Nicholas keeps her at arm’s length. He cannot bring himself to tell the truth about Kathleen’s last day, until Kate runs away, and he realizes his silence has torn everyone apart. To find Kate and to keep Ina in his life, there are truths he must face, if it’s not too late.

 

Genre(s): > Family Life Fiction
> Literary Fiction
Series: n.a.
File size: 239 pages
Release date: 2020-10-13

 

Teaser

Ina came out of the house the moment Nicholas pulled up in the morning. A drizzle fell, and silver drops caught on her hair. The car door closed behind him and she stood with her arms crossed. He saw the anger in her eyes before she said, “Kathleen better not come near me again.” Nicholas felt as if she’d hit him in the stomach.

“I don’t care what you told her, or what the fuck is going on, but the next time she comes to my house, I’ll phone the cops.”

“What happened?” he asked.

She shook her head as though she hadn’t heard him and said, “I feel so bad for Kate.”

My Opinion

This book introduces you to Nicholas Giovanni and his daughter Kate.

With “Hinterland”, L. M. Brown has created a story with incredibly authentic characters. Each chapter takes you closer to the protagonists, their agonies, and their actions. L. M. Brown presents an intense and well-elaborated story which is intriguing, occasionally disturbing, and that offers food for thought at the same time. The protagonists are believable, complex; their behaviour might not always be reasonable – yet quite understandable in their motives. There are some insights into the human behaviour that will make you wonder which different types of ‘doing the right thing’ exist. It is a pretty absorbing read with authentic characters, interesting turns, and a good flow. The ending left me wondering if there might be a continuation someday; the book lost one star from me there.

This is a book for you if you like intriguing contemporary fiction including mental illness, believable and torn characters, and food for thought.

Recommended.

In brief:

Cover ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (three stars)
Writing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)
Plot ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)
Characters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)
Mood Suspenseful
Pace Steady
POV Third person – past tense
Language 😳  (some mild and medium swearwords spread throughout)
Violence :mrgreen:  (harmless enough, even with mentions)
Sexual content :mrgreen: – 😳  (several mentions)

 

About the author

L. M Brown grew up in Ireland but now resides in Massachusetts with her husband and three daughters. She has a master’s in Creative Writing from Emerson College and is the author of the novel Debris. Her stories have been published in over a dozen literary magazines.

Connect with the author:

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about “Hinterland”?  Or – if you did not yet read “Hinterland” – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

 

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Dead Man Dreaming by Uday Mukerji #BookReview @udaymukerji

Cover: Dead Man Dreaming
by Uday Mukerji

The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Set in Calgary, Canada, the US, and in Central Europe, Dead Man Dreaming is a literary fiction about one man’s fight against hereditary genetic diseases—from losing his girlfriend to finding love again—and how he overcomes his fear and frustrations and comes to terms with his own Huntington’s disease.

David, a senior resident physician, suddenly finds his coveted heart surgeon’s job in jeopardy as he could be a victim of Huntington’s chorea. After much deliberation, as he takes the pre-symptomatic test, his life turns upside down. He tests HD positive. And the result takes a toll on his love life too as his girlfriend leaves him for he decides not to have kids in that condition.

Although he secures the job at the hospital, he declines the offer. Emotionally charged, David dedicates his life to finding a solution to prevent all hereditary genetic diseases. He believes if medical science could prevent fatal diseases like cholera, malaria, and tuberculosis, it must have a solution to genetic diseases as well. Months go by, but David finds nothing new to help his research. The confirmation of HD also disrupts his private life, and he hallucinates at night. He becomes frustrated and accepts a job in the R&D division of the same hospital.

One day, he accidentally meets his old classmate, Jessie. She is recovering from a bad marriage and her son is suffering from a genetic disease called hemophilia. Although he had never liked her before and they had nothing in common, he couldn’t help admiring her after hearing what she had gone through in life. Jessie points out that the solution to David’s research is already half-way there. A simple carrier screening test can easily identify parents with genetic disorders. The affected ones can then look for viable alternatives like sperm or egg donation, surrogacy, gene editing, or adoptions. But the research shows only one in six OBs and gynecologists are offering carrier screening tests in the preconception period. So, all they need is to fill the void with an awareness campaign.

David likes the idea, and together, they start a website to get others’ feedback on introducing a parental fitness test before having a child. If other jobs can ask for a fitness test, why the toughest job in the world can’t have one? They get an overwhelming response from all over the world, people rallying for a Carrier Screening Test, but not without condemnations. The number of signatories reaches millions.

Meanwhile, their common miseries and hardships in life also bring them closer. David falls in love with Jessie. However, his impending sickness prevents him from expressing his love and he suffers silently. But his interactions with million other victims open his eyes. He realizes while he may not have any control over how long he lives, but he can always choose how he lives the remaining days. And he decides to propose to Jessie.

Dead Man Dreaming is a story of a desperate and dying young man spiraling downward with anger and frustrations and how he bounces back with new love as he comes to terms with his life-threatening disease.

Genre(s): Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
Series: n.a.
Length: 252 pages
Release date: 2019-09-25 (expected publication)

 

Teaser

But what surprised me the most was how almost every paper was talking about early detection and a possible cure in the near futures – or about managing the disease well – but none said why the parents weren’t getting tested before having kids. A simple genetic test before pregnancy could easily check their odds of having a baby with a genetic disorder, yet only less than twenty percent of family physicians or OB/GYN providers offered a carrier screening test in the preconception period. I wondered why the maternity and parentood websites weren’t advising any genetic tests, either. Wouldn’t that awareness help reduce the number of children born with fatal genetic diseases?

My Opinion

This book introduces you to David who turns down his dreamjob – heart surgeon – in his hometown when it is confirmed that he has Huntington’s. After a phase of utter desperation, he meets further ‘victims’ of genetic diseases and tries to get his grip on life back.

With “Dead Man Dreaming”, Uday Mukerji has created a remarkable story of a man who needs to find a new purpose in life. It is a very captivating read, keeping you glued to David’s story. David is believable and complex; his perception of his looming fate, as well as his research for possible cures make him a highly interesting character – someone you would like to meet and discuss with in reality. Uday Mukerji’s story develops at a steady pace, drawing you closer to David and his mindset, as well as to Jessie – mother of a son with hemophilia – who joins his cause. David and Jessie are authentic, their story is thought-provoking and has a great flow.

This is a book for you if you like well-told and thoughtful stories. If you like ruminating on important or even controversial matters, you will find food for thought.

Highly recommended!

In brief:

Cover ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Writing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Plot ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Characters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Mood Thoughtful
Pace Steady
POV First person – past tense
Language :mrgreen:
Violence :mrgreen:
Sexual content :mrgreen:

 

About the author

Uday Mukerji left his creative director’s job in advertising to pursue a writing career in 2009. After writing, re-writing, and deleting a few versions, and secretly burying two laptops, six years later, he is now ready to share his first literary fiction with you.

He was born in India, and had worked in Singapore for nearly twenty years. He loves to travel, and interact with people, not so much on FB or Twitter, though, but face to face, maybe with a cup of coffee. He is a nature lover and his concern for environmental protection also made him the editor of Singapore Environmental Technology Yearbook for ten consecutive years.

Connect with the author:

LinkedIn:  Uday Mukerji
Goodreads:  Uday Mukerji

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about “Dead Man Dreaming”?  Or – if you did not yet read “Dead Man Dreaming” – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

 

 

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Hidden Colours by Nillu Nasser #BookReview @nillunasser

Cover: Hidden Colours
by Nillu Nasser

 

The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (five stars)

Plot
 (by Goodreads)

When Yusuf fled Syria, he lost everything. Now the circus, with its middle-eastern flair, is the only home he knows. When the lights go on, the refugees dazzle their audience, but off-stage tensions flare.

Ellie is passionate about the circus and drawn to its broken people. Even so, if she wants to keep her job at the newspaper, she must head up a campaign against it.

One night, in the midst of a show, two young circus boys come to blows. With the circus at risk of closure, Ellie must convince her readers that we can have compassion for those we fear, or Yusuf will be forced to uproot again.

 

Genre(s): Kindle eBooks
> Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction > Sagas
> Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Sagas
Books
> Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Family Saga
Series: n.a.
Length: 315 pages
Release date: 2018-12-03

 

Teaser

Could she hear herself, the way she had prioritised things over human lives? Ellie wanted to blurt out in disgust, but she held back. It wouldn’t do to poke her boss in the eye so soon after her latest fiasco. Instead, she said merely, “The circus has become part of Berlin.” How could any good come of the immigrants feeling unwelcome?

“Only for hippies and liberals.” Marina fixed Ellie with a hard-eyed stare. Her pupils glinted like flint. “Don’t forget the disgruntled and the fearful, the lost and the angry. They drive our readership. We’re a newspaper, not an encyclopaedia. You know how it works.”

Ellie was starting to. Her mood hung about her like a gloomy cloud.

My Opinion

This book introduces you to a variety of complex characters and topical situations; it is a work of fiction, yet it hits close to home.

With “Hidden Colours”, Nillu Nasser has created a remarkable, well-elaborated story with interesting characters. It was easy to get into the story; the author guides you through the Berlin setting while subtly taking you closer to the characters and their lives. Yusuf and Ellie are very complex, likeable; the other characters are of sufficient depth – according to their relevance. Nillu Nasser created a remarkable story that offers food for thought on current day topics like xenophobia, racism, the lack of integrity, etc. The story proceeds at a steady pace, carefully portraying the main persons and their feelings; it comprises some interesting turns, and has a great flow. “Hidden Colours” is intense, thought-provoking, and unforgettable.

This is a book for you if you like stories with a meaning, carefully elaborated plots with memorable characters, as well as food for thought.

Highly recommended!

In brief:

Cover ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)
Writing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (five stars)
Plot ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (five stars)
Characters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (five stars)
Mood Hopeful
Pace Steady
POV Third person – past tense
Language :mrgreen:  (decent enough)
Violence 😳  (scattered violence, fatalities)
Sexual content :mrgreen: – 😳  (some kisses, a mild scene without detail)

 

About the author

Nillu Nasser is a writer of literary fiction novels. She also blogs, writes short fiction and poetry.

Nillu’s short story ‘Painted Truths and Prayer Beads’ was published in May 2016 in Mosaics 2: A Collection of Independent Women. Another short story ‘The Tombstone Man and the Coming of the Tigress’ was published in June 2016 in UnCommon Origins, an anthology of short fiction. In 2017, ‘Tombstone Man’ reappeared in UnCommonly Good.

Nillu has a BA in English and German Literature and an MA in European Politics. After graduating she worked in national and regional politics, but eventually reverted to her first love.

She lives in London with her husband, three children, one angelic and one demonic cat, though she secretly yearns for a dog. If you fly into Gatwick and look hard enough, you will see her furiously scribbling in her garden office, where she is working on her next story.

To find out more about Nillu and get the juice on her latest books, read her blog or sign up for her newsletter at www.nillunasser.com.

Connect with the Author:

Amazon:  Nillu Nasser
Buy link:  books2read.com/u/3nYoR8

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about “Hidden Colours”?  Or – if you did not yet read “Hidden Colours” – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

Review:  All the Tomorrows

10 Statements – Nillu Nasser

 

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The Story That Had No Beginning by Daniel Kemp #BookReview @danielkemp6

Cover:
The Story That Had No Beginning
by Daniel Kemp

The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)

Plot
 (by Amazon)

Alicia Collinson and her partner, Sir Giles Milton QC have a dinner party to host in the Chelsea home they share, but they are unaware of an extra guest; the ghost of Alicia’s dead twin brother. Alicia poses a surprising question to Sir Giles and their guests:—“Do you think lying is endemic in society today?”

They all have different answers based on their experiences, but what was the purpose of her question and how did her brother die?

 

Genre(s): Kindle eBooks
> Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction > British & Irish
Books
> Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Literary
Series: n.a.
Length: 158 pages
Release date: 2018-05-04

 

Teaser

I discovered in life that it is useless to speculate on what might have been. To want something that has gone is a wasted sentiment, one where grudges wander and despair is only a partially filled glass away. I have, however, nothing else to do than wonder what might have been had I found my twin that day in Bishopsgate. Having said that, and although I was not poor, I could not have competed with Mary on a financial footing, nor, it must be said, with the amount of time she did manage to devote to my sister. More importantly than either of those was how she exhibited an extraordinary example of benevolence for Alice to follow, whereas all I could have shown my sister was how to fight…

My Opinion

This story is introduced by Tom Collins. He tells the readers about how he and his twin sister Alice were taken into two different foster homes when they were eight, as well as about the dinner party, hosted by Alicia Collinson – his sister.

With “The Story That Had No Beginning”, Daniel Kemp presents us with a pretty unusual combination of contemporary fiction and mystery. The story is told by Tom’s ghost sometimes in a quite philosophical way. The first chapters may seem a little complicated, due to a multitude of characters, as you learn more about them, the better you get a clear picture. The book comprises interesting turns and has a good flow. Daniel Kemp lets a ghost tell the stories of his sister and of himself, enriching the plotline with surprising insights and food for thought. I was drawn into the story after a few chapters – when I had a basic knowledge of the relevant characters. I could then easily envision the characters and locations. I had a good time reading “The Story That Hand No Beginning”. It is a quite enjoyable read.

This is for you if you like contemporary fiction combined with mystery, surprises, and food for thought.

In brief:

Cover ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (three stars)
Writing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)
Plot ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)
Characters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  (four stars)
Mood Suspenseful
Pace Steady
POV First person – past tense
Language :mrgreen:  (decent enough)
Violence 😳  (scattered scenes, mentions)
Sexual content 😳  (mentions of acts, few details)

 

About the author

Daniel Kemp, ex-London police officer, mini-cab business owner, pub tenant and licensed London taxi driver never planned to be a writer, but after his first novel —The Desolate Garden — was under a paid option to become a $30 million film for five years until distribution became an insurmountable problem for the production company what else could he do?

In May 2018 his book What Happened In Vienna, Jack? became a number one bestseller on four separate Amazon sites: America, UK, Canada and Australia.

Nowadays he is a prolific storyteller and although it’s true to say that he mainly concentrates on what he knows most about; murders laced by the intrigue involving spies, his diverse experience of life shows in the short stories he writes; namely Why: A Complicated Love and the mysteriously titled– “The Story That Had No Beginning”.

He is the recipient of rave reviews from a prestigious Manhattan publication, been described as —the new Graham Greene — by a managerial employee of Waterstones Books, for whom he did a countrywide tour of signing events, and he has appeared on ‘live’ television.

Connect with the Author:

Website:  https://theauthordannykemp.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17257200.Daniel_Kemp
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/danielkemp6
Amazon:  Daniel Kemp
Amazon:  books2read.com/u/3G9QL8

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about “The Story That Had No Beginning”?  Or – if you did not yet read “The Story That Had No Beginning” – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

 

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Love, Life, and Logic by Uday Mukerji

love_life_and_logic

The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Love, Life, and Logic captures the individual struggle of a young man against the seemingly unnamed, unknown, anonymous power of the universe. In a shocking revelation of his innermost thoughts, the book depicts a painful account of his emotional turmoil arising out of his own confusions and dilemmas, and his personal developments through all that.

Rohan grows up in a middle class family in a small town in Goa, India. He asks himself many life questions like we all do every day. Is our life and death an end in itself, or do they have a much deeper implication in a gigantic universal process? Is each human life also someway connected to the chain of events unfolding every day in front of our eyes? We all have different thumbprints; but why? Are we all a part of big numbers game, or does each one of us really matter?

Chased by these and many such questions, Rohan leaves his lucrative job and his family in search of the truth. The journey gets complicated when he meets Adeline, a 23-year old vivacious girl in Vienna. Love, again? That brings him back to question his failed marriage. Is marriage an end of the road for love? Do all marriages come with an expiration date?

It’s the search and the road leading to his final realization that makes this book insightful and thought-provoking.

Genre(s): Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
Series: n.a.
Length: 158 pages
Release date: 2016-11-29

 

Teaser

Possibly initially as revenge, Mimi started coming home late, and sometimes, very late. The qualities we used to admire in each other soon became unbearable. Mimi had always loved my carefree attitude toward life; but after a couple of years together, she began equating that with irresponsibility. I used to love Mimi’s style of fashion, but years later I looked at that as an obsession. I guess we were deliberately trying to hurt each other.

My Opinion

This book introduces you to Rohan, 36, freshly divorced. To get a grip on what was and could have been, he goes on a journey in search of the truth.

With Love, Life, and Logic, Uday Mukerji has created a remarkable story of a man who needs to understand who he has become. It is a very captivating read, keeping you glued to Rohan’s story. Rohan is believable and complex; his perception of his past and present, as well as his search for answers make him a highly interesting character – someone you would like to meet and discuss with in reality. Uday Mukerji’s story comes on little cat feet, drawing you closer to Rohan and his mindset while the story evolves. I was drawn close to Rohan and his search for truth. Rohan is authentic, his story is thought-provoking and has a wonderful flow.

This is a book for you if you like well-told, and thoughtful stories. If you like ruminating on important matters, you will find food for thought. Love, Life, and Logic is among my favourite five of 2016.

Highly recommended!

In brief:

Cover ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Writing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Plot ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Characters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Mood Thoughtful
Pace Steady
POV First person – past tense
Language :mrgreen:
Violence :mrgreen:
Sexual content :mrgreen:

 

About the author

Uday Mukerji left his creative director’s job in advertising to pursue a writing career in 2009. After writing, re-writing, and deleting a few versions, and secretly burying two laptops, six years later, he is now ready to share his first literary fiction with you.

He was born in India, and had worked in Singapore for nearly twenty years. He loves to travel, and interact with people, not so much on FB or Twitter, though, but face to face, maybe with a cup of coffee. He is a nature lover and his concern for environmental protection also made him the editor of Singapore Environmental Technology Yearbook for ten consecutive years.

Connect with the author:

Goodreads:  Uday Mukerji
Pre-order links:  books2read.com/u/47kOQa

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about Love, Life, and Logic?  Or – if you did not yet read Love, Life, and Logic – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

 

 

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