Orenda Books Cover Reveal: Stop Dead by Katrín Júlíusdóttir translated by Larissa Kyzer

After the bestselling debut Dead Sweet, entrepreneur, former politician and crime author Katrín Júlíusdóttir is back with a new book, ready for print on the 21st of May, to be published by Orenda Books, translated from Icelandic by Larissa Kyzer. 

I am personally very much interested in reading again about the eventful secrets of Iceland´s police and media world. Sigurdis, a detective in training, has to abandon her academic training in criminal psychology in the US for further investigating the murder of her father. However, as a controversial media personality is murdered as well, during a marathon, inconvenient truths are revealed as the crime web goes deep into the darkest layers of the Icelandic society.

With such dark intro, one may expect a very gloomy cover, but instead, the choice is rather suggesting the diversity and multiplicity of city life, with the lettering adding the information missing from the picture. The letters - author´s name, title - do create the tension that the image is at the first sight not communicating directly.

Here is the information about purchasing the book: https://geni.us/vJ4x

I cannot wait to have the book and hopefully to share my thoughts in a different more elaborated post.

Fakers: An Insider´s Guide to Cons, Hoaxes and Scams by H.P.Wood illustrated by David Clark

 

I am often reading and writing about scams - particularly dating ones, especially set in our times - but there is nothing new under the sun. As the book Fakers: An Insider´s Guide to Cons, Hoaxes and Scams by H.P.Wood illustrated by David Clark shows, the temptation to manipulate others (mostly) for financial purposes existed since time immemorial. 

Midfair tricks, Ponzi schemes, palm and psychic reading, medical hoaxes, just to name few of the most frequent occurences, people were always robbed in heinous ways. The victims were definitely not guilty and the argument of limited intelligence didn´t stand. We may just admit that some people are able to use their charm and intelligence for evil purposes. 

The author organised her material with humour - the illustrations definitely helped - gathering examples from various historical periods. However, I may not include military deception among the topics covered by the book as they rather belong to a completely different area. 

If things were never different, just tools and medium changed, how one can be covered against being a scam victim, for instance? I dare to answer referring to the closing remarks of the book: by using the weapon of skepticism and common sense. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Open Skies: My Life as Afghanistan´s First Female Pilot by Niloofar Rahmani with Adam Sikes

Born in Kabul in 1991, Niloofar Rahmani had a dream: to be Afghanistan´s first woman pilot. The circumstances looked encouraging: 2010 was the first time since the Soviets when women were allowed to enter military forces. She took a chance, breaking through social and traditional barriers, but it come with a price: ´As an Afghan woman I dared to dream and there were some who believed I should be punished for it, perhaps even killed´.

Currently based in the USA after requesting political asylum at 28, Rahmani wrote a memoir together with Adam Sikes where she is telling her story in simple words that resonate with the fate of many women from Afghanistan. As her achievements started to accumulate - the first solo flight in her class, Afghanistan´s first female fixed-wing air pilot and captain- , so were the pressure on her family, who since 2015 is on hiding. The reason? She dared to dream for more.

Open Skies is a hearbreaking account of a life put on hold due to the religiously extremist government in Kabul perpetuating traditional mindsets. In the Kabul that once was the ´Paris of Central Europe´ women are prevented from attending school and stepping down the traditional roles they were assigned may be punishable by death.

Rahmani is explaining her story through social, cultural and political details that not only put things into context, but also help understanding the terrible fate of women and girls in Afghanistan right now. Sometimes it feels shameful to realize how often we take for granted rights and achievements without realizing the tremedous professional and personal struggle women in other parts of the worlds are going through. 

I´ve found the book humbling and inspiring and I consider it a recommended read to anyone interested to have a realistic account on the story of women in Afghanistan, including and particularly decision makers and academics.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rachel´s Random Resources: Sugar and Spice at the Pumpkin Corner Café by Laura Briggs

It may not be the season for sugar and spice right now, but some books are just here to give us a reason to survive through seasons. And given the action-packed plot of Sugar and Spice at the Pumpkin Corner Café by Laura Briggs, this book may also give a lot to think about. 

Professional pastry chef Blaire is devastated by the death of her beloved aunt. As she returns to Willow Grove she may not only mourn her passing, but also has to struggle with the café her aunt left her. But the business is struggling - very hard, actually - and a cherisher recipe disappeared without a trace. 

And as her problems were not enough, her former sweetheart Evan is back in town and their try to get back together ended up in a mess. But this is not all, but the rest you may be curious to figure out by yourself. 

This is a book you may hardly be able to put down. The events are such a mixture between tragedy and comedy, plus a spice of sweet romance. The characters are relatable, on the move, and their individual stories do have a lot to offer. 

It is a recommended read for a long romantic weekend and I really loved how the story kept me connected and interested. As a reader, felt very much involved in the life of the characters, trying to understand their motivations and actions. 

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Amu Nowruz and his Violets by Hadi Mohammadi illustrated by Nooshin Safakhoo translated from Persian by Sara Khalili

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marks the beginning of the spring, a season full of hope, sun and opportunities. An old tradition that remained despite the desperate recent efforts to replace it with imported celebrations. Such tales can be always retold, keeping their original flavour, although re-inserted into a different narrative, based on the storyteller choice.

Amu Nowruz and His Violets by celebrated Iranian children books author Hadi Mohammadi illustrated by Nooshin Sadakhoo and translated from Persian by award winning translator and editor Sara Khalil is such a kind re-tale of an old story from the Persian foklore. 

The story goes that Amu Nowruz (Uncle New Year) was in love with Naneh Sarma (Mother Winter). But heartbreakingly, they can only see each other once the year. Every time though, Naneh Sarma  falla asleep. Instead of waking her up, Amu Nowruz leaves her a flower. When she wakes up again, she sees the flower realizing that she missed him again. 

A beautiful sad story, as many others from the Persian folklore.

The illustrations are unique, with the moderates shades and fine lines, elegantly completing the text. 

The main audience is aimed at 3 to 6-year olds, but it definitely can be used as a multicultural educational tool for older ages as well. If interested to find out more Nowruz-related children books, here is another recommendation from five years ago.  

Nowruz Pirooz to all who celebrate!

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Cover Reveal: Under the Blazing Sun by Jenny Lund Madsen

The readers of Thirty Days of Darkness by bestselling Danish crime novelist Jenny Lund Madsen may ask when the new book from the series Murder by the Book will be published by Orenda Books. And I have a good news to share, as usually when it comes to anything this publishing house has to offer. 

Get ready to reconnect with some characters and the ambiance of Madsen books: the continuation - Under the Blazing Sun - will be out of the print on the 21st of May. And here is the purchase link:  https://geni.us/AsDXTq

At the first sight, it promises a very eventful meta-story, with a struggling crime writer being caught into a cat-and-mouse race of staying alive. The ultimate inspiration for a successful novel. But would she survive to tell the story?

Until I will be able to read - and hopefully review - the book, just have a look at the cover. It reproduces elements from the cover of Thirty Days of Darkness, with predominant dramatic shades of rot and pink. The broken glass carrying a blood-looking liquid amplifies the effect as the precision of the details makes you think of a promise of crime, committed eventually under the cover of a beautiful spectacular sunset.

It sounds very appealing for me...

CLASSICAL READS: Carmen by Prosper Mérimée illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe

I am of course acquainted with Carmen, but through Bizet´s opera representations (and I am not an opera fan at all). Merimée only through Colomba, that I´ve read eons ago but I have no memories whatsoever. But part of my CLASSICAL READS Project, I decided to include Carmen, inspired by the oniric illustrations by Benjamin Lacombe. In other words, I came for the story but stayed for the illustrations.

Although, to be honest, after reading the book - a relatively short one, in few short sessions during one day - I left with some literary informations. 

Mérimée is considered a Romantic, therefore expect topics of impossible love, and femmes fatales. Carmen, apparently inspired by real events, was written in a week and belongs to a chapter in the French literature of fascination with Spanish culture. In the first half of 1800s, the author visited Spain several times and showed interest in the Bohemians, to whom Carmen belonged to. 

The illustrated French version I had access to, includes an article written by Mérimée about Roma groups in Spain that definitely is to be considered loaded with stereotypes, but it belongs to l´esprit du temps and it definitely invites to a critical read.

Carmen is an evil seductress, nonchalantly and aggressively playing with men´s hearts, until her games will turn against her and she will be murdered by one of her admirers - who is also the storyteller, explaining the journey of his broken heart. Love is consuming, an evil takeover of everyone´s destiny. Once it occurs, it is a before and an after, that may straigthforward lead to destruction. All common motives for the Romantic literature.

For me, it was not a special read but it was nevertheless a unique encounter with classical reads worth considering it once in a lifetime. 

To be continued...