Faith and the Beloved

Faith and the Beloved by Kochery C. Shibu

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Faith and the Beloved by @authorshibu is a thrilling experience. Thank you to the author for providing me with a paperback for an honest review. Alice Cherozil starts this epic story with a bang and I mean it literally. She is on the run after murdering her stepfather. Meanwhile we get to know about Arun and Prem. These brothers are an intriguing pair. These 2 parallel plots are interconnected and you will find yourself reeling in shock as the story progresses.

I appreciate the plot, the idea, the pace and the heavy amount of research the author has done in order to write this tale. However, I found the writing style to be lacking and it needs a lot more editing. It felt flat, monotonous and the narration was not it. A heavy tonne of information was being thrown at my way one after another and it felt exhausting.

The characters on the other hand were disturbing. Some were intriguing as they were complex. Too many perspectives were included and it really ruined the flow. I for one, did not like the way rape was being portrayed here. I get that the author may have wanted to write about such problematic Mc’s but it was a absolutely unnerving.

To tell you the truth, I’m confused as to how I might rate this book. Some aspects of the book was maddening while the other parts were commendable. So I’m going to stick with ⭐⭐☆☆☆ for the plot and for how the author talks about ISI, ISIS, LTTE, 2008 Mumbai Terror attack. If you are up for a detailed thriller and is ready for the emotional rollercoaster, Faith and Beloved might be the one for you.

[TW: Murder, Rape and Sexual assault]
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The Witches of Vegas

Author: Mark Rosendorf

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

My Review: Thank you to Booktasters from twitter for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. The Witches of Vegas is fantasy revolving around magical show. I love the intricate details given by the Mark Rosendorf! Isis Rivera, a homeschooled teenager, with tremendous power seeks freedom and love when she meets Zack from her rival magician clan. I loved plot and the pace however I did wish to see more about the characters involved. Our Antagonist, Valeria was really an intriguing villain. I do recommend this book if you are looking to be immersed by a magical world!

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Scarlet Shadows

Author: Scylla Grand

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Rating: Scylla Grand has an amazing collection and I would like to thank her for giving me an opportunity to read her chapbook by providing a readers copy. This does not in anyway affect the authenticity of my review. Scarlet Shadows starts with a poem called “Red Leaf” and I knew this was going to be epic

No one paints the red leaf wilting,
steeped in mud disturbed by boots;
none observe its slow decay;
it sleeps in paint a perfect hue

Some of my other favorites are “Sirens”, “Dusts” and “Beast”. I’d rate this 4 stars.

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The Girl with the Whispering Shadow

Author: D.E. Night

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

MY Review: The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night is a book for middle graders. I would like to first thank the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with a reader’s copy in return for an honest review. I couldn’t enjoy this as much as I did the first novel but this one is a unique piece on its own. I loved the world building and the plot was mesmerizing. The ending made me want to pick up the third book immediately. I’m not much into middle grader fantasy but this was good. However I did feel that this dragged a bit. I would rate this a 3 star and I really hope to read the next novel in this great trilogy.

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Coronavirus: Race for the Cure

Author: Marcus Seitz

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Review: Let me tell you this was absolutely amazing! I loved everything about this book. The Author has done an extraordinary amount of research and it shows. Wang Jing and Bryce Paton are two scientist who struggles and joins the fight against the deadly virus. The characters and plot was amazing yet the pace starts of a bit slow. I’d rate this perfection 4 stars and I recommend to anyone interested in thrillers and is looking forward to analyze the horror of the current pandemic in depth. Thank you to author for providing me with an Arc in return for an honest review.

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