Ragazze Perdute by Max and Francesco Morini

I continued this month my efforts to maintain and develop my Italian skills with a short, slow-paced novel read in the original language.

Ragazze Perdute - Lost girls, in my own translation - by the duo Max and Francesco Morini - traces an unsolved crime of a teenager girl that happened in the 1980s, to our 2020s. Told my Francesco, her short-term boyfriend, at 30 years distance, it has a strong socially and politically-critical perspective that connects directly with the crime itself. 

What starts as a first love story of some teenagers, reveals deep social rifts - family background may influence and determine the choice of friends - ends in a terrible crime with political and religious motivations. The story enfolds following the back and forth in time, through diary entries and memories.

Clearly I´ve followed the socio-political background, and found some interest in the crime part. The pace is slow and the construction is not very elaborated, but because the story itself is relatively short, it suits the brevity of the narrative.

If you are learning Italian, the book works for a B2 advanced level.

Rating: 3 stars

Orenda Books Blog Tour: Reaper by Vanda Symon

 

As a serial killer is making victims among the Auckland´s homeless, no one but Max Grimes seems to care. Grimes is homeless as well, and it´s decided to find out the cause of the serial murders. But as he is advancing his searches, shadows from his more or less recent pasts are returning, challenging his own existence. Would he be able to cope with the past drama?

Vanda Symon is a frequently reviewed author on my blog, and Reaper, her latest by Orenda Books maintains the standards and the suspense high. Tensed, well-paced and psychologically rich, the story advanced in the right tempo where both the characters and the ambiance match. Homeless people are rarely seen as victims and their fragility seldom outlined within the social web, therefore, Symon also offers a different social spin to the usual take, either in crime novels or just in everyday media coverage. The local setting - Auckland - is also unique, as I don´t remember any other crime stories by other local authors placing their investigations there.

I´ve intensively followed and loved the story in Reaper. Some of the ideas I´ve encountered are clearly something to keep thinking about later on. 

A recommended read together with other books authored by Symon. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin

 

A story of building an identity outside the community of the faithful, Ordinary Saints, the multi-awarded debut by Edinburgh-based Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is relatable to anyone who chose to leave their faith. No matter which faith, parting ways with the pious upbringings requests a ´before´ and ´after´, where the familiar is replaced with a high-risk social existence, far away from everything one may be used with. 

Inspired by the author´s own devout upbringing, the book is a confrontation between the storyteller and her family, following the sanctification perspective of her beloved older brother, who died suddently. This new situation may push Jay, living currently in London with her girlfriend, to face her family requesting answers. 

It is both a family story, with a strong Catholic background, but also a story of growing up, out of and against faith, but nevertheless build one´s own life. The dramatic moments are balanced by well-spirited remarks and episodes, giving an air of normality and honesty to the account.

I personally appreciated the complexity of the approach, who goes beyond the usual black-and-white take. Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is definitely a compex voice that has a lot to say in the future.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Cover Reveal: The Bone Mother by Suzy Aspley

Suzy Aspley is back with a new installment from the Martha Strangeways Investigation series: The Bone Mother. 

A follow-up of multi-awarded Crow Moon that I had the pleasure to review almost two years ago, this book promises a mix of mystery, police proceedings and disturbing truths. As a body of a young woman with matching jewellery is discovered at a landmark church, Martha is leaving again her settled quiet life in Strathbran. The search for the truth will take her back to traumatic episodes from her past and encounters to spiritual forces stronger than both life and death.

The cover is as usual the gateway to the story, and it displays a symetrical painted image of a skull in the midst of some stylized psychedelic background. For me, it looks very entincing and I cannot wait to be able to read the book soon.

The book will be published on the 7th of May by Orenda Books and promises suspense and interesting twists taking the reader to mysterious old pathways. 

Keanu Reeves is Not in Love with You by Becky Holmes

 ´He ruined my life in many ways, but for three months I felt like the most loved person in the world´.

Romance fraud is a very complex type of fraud, because the aim of gaining money - feeding global criminal networks - is shaped following a simple desire of belonging and emotional bonding. Romantically available people can be found on dating site, but also on social media - X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram specifically. 

Becky Holmes, the author of Keanu Reeves is Not in Love with You, is on X under the hilarious handle @deathtospinach experienced directly the honor of being in touch with more than one Keanu and some few other attractive personalities. Instagram and X do have plenty of such fake profiles that may follow and unfollow, constantly looking for new victims. Personally, I´ve been twice contacted by potential frauds, both on X: one impersonation of a piano player, and another of Sheikh Hamdan Mohammed Al Makhtoum, Crown Prince of Dubai who sent me one piece of poetry but smells like scam from the first letter.

Holmes has a crazy humour, but she also collected an impressive amount of cases - exclusively women -, from her personal experience and of various victims as well as law enforcement agencies. You may find in this book tips and patterns, as well as ways to get out of the emotional imbroglio which can be a very difficult task in itself. The comfort created by the scammers, although fake, relies on emotional connections hard to break. 

The book is informative, hilarious and empathic, as it dismantle the myth that people falling for scams are uneducated and with limited intelligence. I appreciate the fact-finding mission and the extended research, as well as the insights into various cases and situations, revealing the modern times challenges and changes into the dating culture.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Lavender Clouds by Bex Ollerton

 

I am particularly interested in approaches on mental health issues in alternative ways, and comics about ´neurodivergence and mental health´ sounded more than perfect for my interests and taste.

Lavender Clouds by comic creator Bex Ollerton is presenting in images how being neurodivergent feels like. Personally, I consider very important to keep talking about mental health in its different aspects. Thus, it may relieve the stigma usually associated with it. The situation definitely changed in the last decade or so, but the self-confidence of openly assuming your condition may remain, which raises significant issues in personal and work-related issues. 

Think about how easier it may be when you openly share your neurodivergence when faced with a complex task, trying to find, together with your therapist, the ways to better deal with the pressure of the moment. 

The situations presented in Lavender Clouds are therefore very relevant, as they display and explain those challenges. For someone dealing with such episodes, it may look familiar, but even for someone not fully aware of their situation, it may significantly help. 

Although I´ve found some scenes repetitive and the illustrations part relatively simplistic, nevertheless I appreciate the general message of mental health awareness and self-acceptance of one´s own situation. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

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

Corylus Books Book Tour: The Murder Pool by Stella Blómkvist translated by Quentin Bates

 

Long time no new reviews from Corylus Books, and also no new titles from the mysterious Stella Blómkvist, but spring brings always many gifts, the more bookish the merrier.

The latest, The Murder Pool was just published by Corylus Books, in the unique translation of Quentin Bates. As usual, our dear investigator Stella is busy with more than one project: defending the assumed killer - a young with a mother worth at least some crime novels - of an artist found dead with an axe in his chest, tracing vile politicians and sometimes dealing with her own demons as well.

As usual, nonchalantly, Stella is deeply involved in revealing humans, including herself in their worst, an approach that requires caution, especially when hunting a criminal. Searching the details, analyzing the facts, comparing: it takes time and intuition to be sure that you made the right choice, as someone life is at stake. Stella blends very well with this landscape, and this is maybe why she is such a smart investigator.

A recommended read for anyone curious to discover a crime story with very imperfect characters and a zest of Nordic life.

Rating: 5 stars

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