Cover Reveal: The Word is Love by Florence Keeling

 

I don´t know what about you, but feeling very much nostalgic thinking that summer is almost done. Of course, August, my favorite holiday month haven´t started yet and I do have a lot of bookish plans on the pipeline. However, I can never have enough of summer and the feeling of freedom it always brings for me Luckily, there are books around helping me to ease the transition from a season to another.

After getting to meet Florence Keeling´s book at the beginning of this month, I was rewarded with the chance of another book of her, soon to be reviewed on my blog. The Word is Love promises another tale of love and search for the one, with a strong woman character. 

Lucy is a successful busy entrepreneur, supporting a carriage business together with Max, her best friend. No time for love and emotions that may distract her from her plans. But as Spencer entered her life, she may reconsider her initial decision, pushing Max though also in a very delicate position. Would the magic word - Love - save them all?

I will review the book properly soon, but as for now, there is an official cover that I am glad to reveal for my readers. The cover follows the style of Love, Lies and Family Ties, but adapts to the context and topic of the book. It does suggest what may happen between the two strangers crossing paths, with a vibrant choice of colour. Being familiar with the topic of the book, I find the lettering of the title matching very well the story.

Now, when I realize the stories waiting for me, I may feel actually priviledged to live in a country where the weather is so miserable after all. The advantage is all mine, as I have so much time indoors in the company of books.

Stay tuned for a review, at the beginning of September!

Many thanks to Rachel´s Random Resources for the opportunity! Always grateful for being offered the chance of taking part to so many beautiful book tours.

Le défi de Jerusalem by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

 

It´s vacation time and I am in the mood for more travel-related content, both in terms of social media and reading resources. But my heart beats differently in different places and a book about Jerusalem, in French, sounded very interesting, although not sure what to expect.

Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt is a French-Belgian writer I was familiar with, but not acquainted with the religious, Christian writings. After being atheist for a long time, he had a revelation while in the Sahara desert. During his Christian pilgrimage accounted in Le défi de Jerusalem/The challenge of Jerusalem that I already finished, he had another revelation, more of material nature, bridging for him the spiritual and carnal of his religion.

I know Israel and spent long amounts of time in Jerusalem. It is a small country and space after all, and I used to know with all my senses. However, the Israel and Jerusalem from this book is foreign to me, both in geographic and mental terms. It´s a world I never visited, never been interested to, but would be curious one day to explore in a different way. 

I am not a religious voyeurist therefore I am taking a step back when I feel I am an intruder in other people´s religion. Schmitt, whose trip was encouraged by the late Pope Francisc, is bridging a gap of knowledge, sharing the intellectual experience of his religion, connected to the places associated with it. It re-wires places and histories, re-writing them.

Indeed, one can live comfortably without the weight of religious practice and outside of the belief restrictions, but our worlds do have religious remnants and symbols. Even without being religious we need to understand the religious eco-system surrounding us. 

And as any respectable French intellectual, Schmitt is generously sharing his after thoughts and intellectual sources of his thoughts. Even when religious, a French writer will always have first an inner debate reflecting about their decisions. 

It was a book that made me curious and the fact that I´ve read it in French presented more interest for me. It definitely convinced that I need to make more practical space for different knowledge about different cultural and religious roots into my life.

Rating: 3 stars

Fouta Street by Laurence Gavron

Mostly for work-related purposes, I needed recently to educate myself better about the everyday life and languages of some French-speaking countries in Africa, Senegal among them. Books and authors originary from those areas may always guide my steps towards my knowledge journeys, no matter the topics.

My eyes fell on late Laurence Gavron´s Fouta Street book. Gavron, which was a French-Senegalese author and film director promised a new literary adventure in a world unfortunately so far from my comfort zone. Challenge accepted.

The book is set between Senegal and Brooklyn. A young lady is sent to the US, to join a husband who was promised to her since she was a child. There is nothing extreme in this relationship, as both are good people, trying to follow traditions. Her promised man is working hard, doesn´t dream about love. She, under 18, may have some dreams of herself, but at least for the beginning, she is trying to figure out the change and her new world she inhabits.

But once she steps outside the comfort zone, there may be temptations, as expected, and a chance to love is offered to her she cannot resist. Suddenly her husband is found death and Jules/Suleymane, a Senegalese detective on holidas in NYC, is getting involved.

Actually, I´ve found out later on, the book is part of a series featuring Jules/Suleymane, but the book can be also easily be read as a stand alone.

There is a very colourful and diverse cast of characters - including a marabout - and a rich background featuring social and political encounters, traditions and language diversity and vocabulary. The book is relatively short, with the crime/investigative part relatively easy, whose end was impossible to predict. 

Personally, I felt rewarded by the amount of information I received, but I vested a minimal interest in the story as such. Maybe because I am used with thrilling plots and unexpected turns and twists. The mixture between traditional life and modern challenges, plus the implications of free will in love and life. Especially recommended if you are interested in Senegalese voices, although I may continue the searches for even better literary representations.

Rating: 3 stars

Random Things Tours: Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh

 

I am always interesting in novel trying to explore the layers of success for people with different cultural background. Indeed, there are many successful ones, but does anyone really went into how success can be reached and consumed in different contexts?

Park Avenue by YA bestseller author Renée Ahdieh is her first adult novel. Second generation of Korean-American Jia Song is determined to advance on the social ladder of her company and thus, achieving a respectful position within the society. But success always come with a price, and Jia may learn to explore all those fine lines between compromise and enmities that come with it. As she is assigned a very sensitive case, with a high value of power and prestige, she may be caught in the middle of a family dispute where is impossible to remain neutral. 

This book may say a lot about aspirations and dreams of being rich and beautiful, and the language is perfectly fitting the ambiance. There is a diverse and complicated cast of characters, that are wisely lead into the story and do add interesting twists into the narrative. 

I´ve enjoyed the story and the naturalistic approach to being rich and famous, and the ethical risks it may entangle. It may have many similarities with books about luxury and fame and being Asian in America, but in fact, it goes in a bit different direction that may reconsider the temptation and reveal its least appealing aspects.

Park Avenue is a book worth reading if you are interested in multicultural stories with a unique take on the projections of success and glamour.

Rating: 4 stars

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

Rachel´s Random Resources: Dirty Games by Evie Hunter

A book by Evie Hunter always brings something new for me in terms of better understanding human nature and its shortcomings. Often, it also displays the importance of solidarity and the high value of loyalty and solidarity.

Dirty Games is a continuation of Dirty Business, with main characters playing an important role in the story. However, you can also read the book as a stand alone, although it may be of interest to find out a bit more about the characters and their decisions and actions.

Callie, Dawn and Angie are a hard to beat strong trio. Callie´s husband is still out of sight, and she is managing on her own the spa. However, Gavin´s problematic decisions and encounters may endanger her plans. The more she is getting into her husband´s business the higher is her unpleasant surprise.

And there are secrets, many of them, that may change for ever not only the dynamic between the friends, but also their relationship completely. The race for survival affects not only the businesses, but also the year-long friendship.

My favorite character was Callie, for her mindset and decision making skills. The story spins around her and I personally liked the ways in which the narrative built. Dirty Games also gets further with the ways in which secrets can change and challenge relationships, particularly between women.

If you are looking for a women-related strong story with a serious touch of psychological thriller, this is the book to read while on the way to your holiday destination. Smart, insightful and suspenseful enough to keep you focused and entertained.

Rating: 4 stars

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

Orenda Books Book Tour: Home Before Dark by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir translated by Victoria Cribb

 

I can hardly resist a week without some haunting ´Noir´, preferably Nordic, on my TBR. The mystery of the week comes today again from Iceland, a dark novel by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir translated by Victoria Cribb, published by Orenda Books. I´ve lost count how often I am reviewing books published by them; the more the merrier. 

The book is part of the Icelandic trilogy, but reads as well as a standalone novel. 

Told by two separate narrators, in an intricated and elaborated narrative, Home Before Dark is one of the darkest stories I´ve read recently. Not only the story itself feels like suffocating, but the characters as well seem to fight helplessly against the inertia of their own evils. It is also interesting that the story is placed many decades ago, towards the second half of the 20th century which gives a certain distance to the current times, allowing the author to have the freedom of choice in terms of events and ambiance descriptions. At a certain extent, it looks like out of time, hence the focus on facts and especially the ways in which facts do carry an existential weight on the characters´ further development.

Marsi, 14 at the time, impersonated her sister, Stina, corresponding with a penpal boy on the other side of the country. (Yeah, those were the times, when penpals were actually a thing). She missed meeting him, but her sister, Stina, is found dead at their meeting place. Ten years after, she is still haunted by the memory and self-guilt of the events, with dramatic effects on her mental health. People from that past may return, leading to answering some questions regarding her sister´s murder. And maybe some more hints about the murderer.

Home Before Dark is less a crime investigation per se, rather a study on living with a traumatic past. Eva Björg Ægisdóttir is perfectly mastering the art of revealing secrets that may be confusing for the reader, but will unexpectedly lead to a possible closure.

I´ve found the writing construction very unique. The spider´s web plot and the evolving dynamic between the characters made it into a story that´s hard to let down until is over.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: The Serial Killer´s Party by Amy Cunningham

I may take a deep breath before talking and thinking again about this book. I read a fair amount of psychological thrillers and crime novels every week even, and many are above the average, but some are really extraordinary.

The Serial Killer´s Party by Amy Cunningham took me on a race in the deepest lows of criminal minds. Lawrence, an insatiable criminal mind and a billionaire, is about to celebrate his marriage. As customary, he is organising a party. A surprise party to die for. Literally.

Amelia, a London-based barrister, is at the same time trying to figure out the fate of her sister, and in order to gather more details, she is impersonating her and attends the party. Once arrived in Norway, where the big event is expected to take place, a chain of deaths and unexpected events may bring more clarity for her, but the stakes are getting higher and higher.

The Serial Killer´s Party is built mostly on events and interactions between characters. The twists seem to neved end, which creates a specific tension of the narrative, with each character assumed a very clear role in the enfolding events. However, as the weight of the story is on the chain of events, this may play against the fully development of characters. It´s fully understandable, because otherwise the story will be too dense and hard to balance.

Personally, I felt overwhelmed during the story. I couldn´t figure out what may be next and the reasons why. But I love to be outsmarted as I always enjoy a good thrilling literary challenge. 

The Serial Killer´s Party is a well written eventful read. Only be sure you have a full day for this book because it´s almost impossible to put it down before it´s over.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Rachel´s Random Resources Blog Tour: The Marriage Monitoring Aunties´ Association by Ola Awonubi

Sade is 50, successful, with an extended network of friends. She loves her life and enjoys being herself, but she may miss something. Not that she feels like a failure, but other entities, like the fearful aunties and her mom too, may expect some ´happy ever after´.

For those who need to believe in love coming slowly, no matter the age, The Marriage Monitoring Aunties´ Association by Nigerian-British author Ola Awonubi is a gentle humorous reminder. Her main character, the lovely Sade has the kind of strength one needs to wait, build her own dream life and be ready to fall in love when life may show finally the pathway to romance.

It´s impossible not to love the characters, the aunties aka MMAA, may deserve a special mention: although bothering, everyone needs some of them in their lives (except the bad dates recommendations, obviously). ´They lie in wait at birthdays, christenings, and weddings to spring out from corners on unsuspecting single women and quiz them about their single status, ask them the kind of uncomfortable questions they do not ask their single sons, and ridicule them for not being married´. I liked the author´s take on them, annoyed yet kind, trying to explain their role from the point of view of the traditional conventions related to age and expectations on women. 

I personally loved Sade, as an authentic presence, assuming her condition and struggling with the conflict between her own expections and what other people may wish from her, especially in terms of romance and love life in general. Her decision may be completely not following the society - aka aunties, again - rules, but it´s her and loved her even more for her mindset. She is a fine person, not judgemental, never angry, trying to navigate life with grace and faith. Wisely and with kindness she is able to navigate the trouble waters of mature relationships and it is the merit of the author to feature so many important aspects of a different level of romantic connection.

Noteworthy that through Sade, the author´s introduce a less discussed medical condition, endometritis, a widely experienced occurrence, but seldom finding its voice in the contemporary literature.

If you are looking for a funny yet inspiring romcom with a relatable woman character, The Marriage Monitoring Aunties´ Association is a perfect summer and weekend option. You may not want to break ways with them, believe me. It also gives some smart advice on dating, particularly in the multicultural context. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray

Elites and intellectual creations particularly do help build elites. On the long term, it is the identity building process, on the short term the chance to reflect your own interests and cause, through the eyes of characters and encounters.

Jessie Redmon Fauset was the force behind the Harlem Renaissance in the literary realm, aimed at supporting African-American writers. As literary editor at The Crisis, in the 1920s, she actively supported new literary voices and talents. 

Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray is dedicated to her, as a woman, a Black-American woman. She is in the center of the story that follow her life from her arrival to Harlem until the dramatic yet oportune decision of leaving The Crisis. 

In real life as well as in the story, Jessie was involved with W.E.B.du Bois, author, activist, sociologist, the founder of the publication and an active player in the fight for civil rights. At the time of the story, Jessie is 37, unmarried, highly educated. Du Bois is married, 51, entangled in various affairs, manipulative in love, firm in his dedication to the African-American cause.

The relationship dynamic is important but not definitory for the development of the story. In fact, it allows the character to be independent, take decisions, reflect and pounder her professional aims, position herself in relationship to other characters, particularly her stepmother. Instead of being a syrupy romance, it ends up as an account of independence - of the African-American writers and of herself, as a truly independent woman. Half-way through the story I was actually expecting to see her heading in the direction she (finally) took in the end.

The writing itself is fascinating as it not only recreates the historical ambiance thanks to a well documented context but also you may feel you are in Harlem. I´ve been there few years back and I had the feeling I am back in time, but in a place of promise. I also had the impression of meeting in Jessie not a fictional character, but a real person, hence my interest for her as a passionate woman of colour - with a love for French, among many others.

My only observation is only that maybe she is using too often ´white supremacy´ as part of various exchanges and dialogues and for me, it sounded more 2025 than beginning of the 20th century - although the expression as such was coined in the 19th century.

Harlem Rhapsody is a fine work of historical fiction and for me, it opened my eyes on the Harlem Renaissance, a phenomenon I would definitely research more in detail soon.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

 

Stella Blómkvist - the mysterious author and the character - is back. Murder Tide, translated from Icelandic by Quentin Bates and published by Corylus Books, as the other books in the series, is since over a week out in the bookstores. 

I am on tours with this edition house for few years already and I haven´t been disappointed. Also, I am very much interested both in Stella Blómkvist-series and the unique take on Icelandic everyday life therefore I was delighted to discover her new adventures.

As in the previous books, the main female investigator character shares the same name with the author´s, adding, as usual, an addition layer of suspense and mystery to the story. Until the end of the story - concise and eventful, as usual, we may have solved some crime mysteries, but the biggest mystery of them all: who exactly is Stella Blómkvist - the author - is left again for another time. 

Murder Tide overwhelms the reader in the first minutes with a lot of events that may need - or not - a follow up later on. There is a bizarre medium who met Stella´s late mother in a weird dream and need her help, and a young lady looking for her father, and this is just the beginning. Stella´s personal life interferes, because how else can a good investigator solve the main cases unless their life experiences are extensive enough to have taught about life. 

I loved both the story pace and the brevity as well as the complex maze of daily social and political interactions and influences. Despite the high complexity of the episodes, the characters personalities were not neglected, with unforgettable and extravagant even presences.

Murder Tide did not disappointed and now I am left with the hope that there will be another book in the series soon.

Rating: 5 stars

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

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

I´ve followed Rebecca Makkai´s writing for a while now, and I waited a bit too long to read I Have Some Questions for You. Although I am very messy when it comes to reading plans - I am an avid, but very ADHD reader - somehow I do keep a track of my TBR - thanks Goodreads for that! - therefore, two years after the promise, this weekend I finally finished it.

I was not eager to find out what exactly is the book about. For author that I appreciate, I prefer to surprise myself discovering their topics, as long as I keep entering their train of thought. It looks like the topic - reopening of the case of a teenage murder after decades - is very much belonging to my literary interests therefore I got immediately smitten.

The story is told exclusively from the perspective of Bodie Kane, now a successful film professor and podcaster. In the midst of a personal crisis, she returns to her boarding school alma mater to teach about podcasts. Intently, she included on the list of the possible topics to produce a talk about the case of a student murdered, who happened to be her roommate. Bodie has already her own toughts who may be the real murder and is thinking about setting free the person who was apparently found guilty, the person of colour Omar. As the case is re-opened there may be some surprises along the way.

The book has mostly a teenage ambiance - including a séance, which totally makes sense for the time and even later as I personally had high school colleagues, a bit later on in time, doing exactly the same, with inimities, hormones outburst and bullying and forbidden acts as practiced during the 1990s when the action takes place. Her own soon to be ex-husband, Jerome is suddenly entangled in a kind of #metoo case which may show how far the perspective on sexual harassment may twist in the last decade. 

There is a lot of interest in the story development, although I´ve found that sharing the details of the potential criminal - addressed at the first person - put a weight on a story. Not the weight that may help the story actually. 

What I actually found bothering, was: 1. the dialogues sound so bland and lacking the dynamic of everyday human communication (the book was written before the take of the AI-driven texts that may affect the way in which we talk with each other, but it´s too early to seize the results) 2. there are some chunks of text that do not make too much sense (e.g. ´You don´t have to havc been friends with someone to be old friends with them later´).

The only part I´ve found truly fascinated has to do with legal proceedings which are correctly described and integrated into the story.

Writing crime does not fit anyone and I understand the challenges, but as a regular crime reader, I wasn´t extatic, not even an ounce by the story. It tries to go in too many directions and take upon many contemporary topics omitting to build a strong case.

Rating: 3 stars

Das große Buch der Hühner by Evelien De Vlieger, illustrated by Jan Hamstra, translated by Rolf Erdorf

 

Let´s normalize writing great nonfiction books for children. There is no subject a curious child´s mind will not be interested in. The art of writing as well as the illustrations´ part do play an important role to raising the interest of the little ones towards science and knowledge in general. And not only them.

Recently, I´ve followed by boy´s journey exploring the animal and natural world. My latest fantastic read: The Big Book of Chicken - in the original German translation from Dutch by Rolf Erdorf Das große Buch der Hühner - by Evelien De Vlieger, beautifully illustrated by Jan Hamstra,  

I may confess from the very beginning that I had no idea what is the story of chicken and how their world looks like. Now I do: about their pre-historical relatives - dinosaurs! - their body functions and even some new stuff about their brains. And no, it´s no confirmation that chicken´s brains are so insignificant. I was fascinated about the many aspects covered in the book, from the purely biological ones to the explanation of the cultural and religious symbols.

The realistic illustrations bring a note of humour to the very serious and well documented background scientific information.

Personally, I wish there is such a book for many other topics, particularly from the animal world. There may be around the libraries and promise to feature them as soon as I will find them. Never stop learning, no matter from where and the learning support.

Rating: 5 stars

Rachel´s Random Resources: The Magic of Provence by Alison Roberts

I am not ashamed to be unpopular, especially when it comes to travel. That´s it: I am not a big fan of Provence, although I am not against it either. I just think that France in its entirety is magic although I assume my naiveté. 

However, with summer vacation just around the corner, I may reconsider my skeptical approach to everything Provence, and a book, as usual, can always help me. A book with a title The Magic of Provence sounded like the perfect invitation to more reflection about emotional geographies. 

Alison Roberts´ book made me think more seriously about how a place may offer you all the favorable circumstances to change your life for good. I personally believe in the power of places over destinies and this is what happened to Fi - short from Fiona - the main character that after a long time of coping with her fears and insecurities is joining her sisters in Provence. As she is starting to work together with the charming vet Christopher, the many years of bad luck in love mighr be over. But it takes as much courage to fall in love as it takes to fall out of love.

The elaborate characters do fit so well in the lovely character that is wrapping the story into beautiful romantic clouds. There is a lot of love - including for France - in this book, but without the sugary add-ons. Instead you have the doubts and the fears and the struggles. It must be real, isn´t it?

The book is part of a trilogy featuring the Gilchrist sisters, but it can be as well read as a stand alone. I would love to read the other books in the series in the next weeks as well. 

The Magic of Provence is a recommended read I will without thinking twice to the summer read pile. It promises more than one love story!

Rating: 4 stars

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

Rachel´s Random Resources: Salt&Honey by Candi Miller (Audiobook)

Audiobooks are my trustful companions for few years already, and after a relatively slow and cautious start, I am right now fully smitten. Currently, there is no genre that does not fit my pleasure of listening hence my chance to discover even more books, not only when I am at home or commuting, but also literally while walking (I used to walk AND read a book few years ago and was ok, somehow a more elegant - audio - way suits better my current image).

Hence, my pleasure of discovering South-African born Candi Miller´s series Koba, with Salt&Honey - I listened to on my Spotify account.

A survivor of a terrible tragedy, Koba is a hunter gatherer and transmitter of old traditions and customs. Her courage and determination aren´t valued though in the 1950s South Africa marked by apartheid, and the crisis is looming as she is falling for a white boy. Will she survive the social wildness with the same grace and luck once again.

I loved hearing the story which is very much suited for the audio experience. It allows the ambiance to unfold while placing the characters in their own timeframe. Both the details regarding Koba´s upbringing and the South African realities are important in understading the story. 

Overall, it is a very enjoyable yet insightful experience, and I am definitely interested in reading the rest of the series as well.

Rating: 4 stars

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

Random Things Tours: The Girl in the Doorway by Louise Mangos

 

What could have been a chance to a new life, seems to turn into a life-threatening case. A love at first sight that may never lead to a happily ever...

James is a warm hearted bookseller who wanted to help Emma, a homeless student. The attraction was instant and both may have a happy life together. But the magic left once James, back from a pleasant getaway in the Alps, found out his flat was burgled and precious items disappeared. Additionally, he is questioned by the police in the case of the murder of a homeless person.

The veil of blind love is taken away and James, together with his friend Sally, are trying to reveal the truth that may lead him to surprising truths about his beloved.

I was caught by the story from the very first line and kept reading it without too many breaks in between. The psychological suspense is exponentially built, creating a high tension within the story, as well as between the characters. We may be mislead about the motivations behind the crimes, and until a solution is revealed it is almost impossible to see the light.

But this is how I like my psychological thrillers, and once the book was finished, I may have missed some hints or two, but overall, it was an excellent reading experience, both in terms of narrative and characters. It was my first book by this author, but definitely not the last one.

Rating: 5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: A Scottish Teashop in Napoli by Jane Lambert

Two broken hearts, one teashop. Not any kind of teashop, but a Scottish one - poor me, so unexperienced in everything tea-related, I had to do some research about this topic, but it just helped me to add scottish tea blends on my list of future interests. Will their friendship last longer than their pain? Will Elena and Lucy, the main characters of A Scottish Teashop in Napoli by Jane Lambert find the way to work together instead of the pure mindless competition?

Lucy was betrayed by her sweetheart while on her way to becoming a wife. Elena is fighting hard to survive the death of her beloved husband and getting used to being a single mother. Lucy is in Napoli, Elena´s teashop needs some helping hands. Will it work between them?

I was very curious about how this friendship will evolve and how the two of them, a bit different in character and with different life circumstances, will work together for their future, leaving behind the past. One step towards success may be trying the tasty pasta, and it seems that this book do share a lot of sympathy for the Italian culture and lifestyle, as different it may be from the Scottish way of life.

Although friendship is the main topic of the book, the characters themselves are worth mentioning, and so is the local ambiance, which may convince you to book the first flight to Napoli. Which is not necessarily a bad idea, you may discover some new friends there as well.

A recommended read for the passionate traveller with a taste for female steady friendship.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Black Manoo by Gauz

An undocumented immigrant from the Ivory Coast, Black Manoo is walking the streets of Belleville´s Paris. The people he meets are unlucky luck-hunters, new lives in an anti-paradise. It is an illusion many do hunt for in France or elsewhere. Through my work, I regularly meet such individuals, trying to build new lives from the remains of their previous ones, not always successfully. 

Black Manoo by Gauz - Armand Patrick Gbaka-Brédé -, an author who experienced himself the life of an undocumented immigrant - brings to life different characters and their episodic life sparkles, in the 1980s Paris. Both the ambiance and the voice of the characters are authentic and realistic, although part of a fictional unit. 

Each generation of immigrants are sharing different stories and motives for leaving their countries. The ways in which host countries welcome or reject them is also different. The individual loneliness and alienation is universal though.

The exceptional cover belongs to the Ethiopia-born artist Aida Muluneh, which uses stunning photographic techniques combining photography with traditional frameworks and colours representing the different cultures from the African continent. (PS: What about offering a larger recognition space to the individual cover authors, especially the photographers, whose choice weight so much in the success of a book?)

Rating: 4 stars

Rachel´s Random Resources: Love, Lies and Family Ties by Florence Keeling

Bullied at work, Bea moves in the quiet village of Bloomsdale to start a new, maybe better life. All looked too good to be true, as she met a handsome writer Eddie Richards. But, as she is settled down and all her worries seem to be a nightmare away, the village is changing its appearance and secrets of the most serious nature are about to put her on trial again.

Did it tick any box of interest for you? For a weekend read it looks really appealing, but as often in my case, the cover ticked an extra box as well. For instance, the mix of colours embraced the eyes in a pastel-coloured ambiance. The man´s attitude, a bit patronizing, may promise some dark revelations, while the woman delved into reading displays the detachment and sometimes lack of grasp of the harsh human realities (nothing bad about it, by the way, but life skills are sometimes overcoming the fictional experiences). 

Overall, the cover has a decent appearance and creates the special experience of a place that waits to be discovered. I am definitely pleased by it, as it relates to the romantic comedy genre.

Florence Keeling lives in the English-town of Nuneaton. She is an accountant by day and a writer. 

Many thanks for Rachel from Rachel´s Random Resources for having me at this virtual event.

In an Antique Land by Amitav Ghosh

I am fascinated by the meeting between history and travel as well as everyday anthropological observation, therefore this book by Amitav Ghosh sounded appealing to my interests. 

I´ve read In an Antique Land in the German translation In Einem alten Land, by Matthias Müller. I´ve previously read by Ghosh Sea of Poppies, and I appreciated the slow storytelling and intricacies of the story background.

In an Antique Land is mostly a memoir, resuming the author´s experience in exploring the Arab language and culture, living in the tiny village of Lataifa in Egypt. While there, he is also trying to trace the details shared in medieval letters exchanged between merchants of Jewish and Muslim faith, some of them recovered in the Cairo Geniza.

I may confess that I had certain high expectations about this book, as I am personally interested in the role of travel accounts for the understanding of cultural exchanges - I´m a follower of Ecole des Annales, that´s it, and very proud of it.  

The book is dense, detailing extensively his personal experiences while living in Lataifa, his interactions with the locals and the impossibility of just keeping the status of observing scholar. Life in the small village implicitly lead to being fully part of the everyday, not just a visitor - as it may happen in the Western versions of it. (I´ve finished the book few months ago, but when recently read A Door in the Earth I couldn´t stop thinking about some of the episodes from Ghosh´s book, at least from the point of view of the sociological/anthropological structures translated into literary language. )

But, as much as I really enjoyed his personal accounts of interactions with people - call it voyeurism, but memoirs may have a very human element that we are keen to explore about other persons, especially if there are similar interests shared (learning languages, learning Arabic etc.) - I felt often that it delved frequently and too longer exclusively into this narrative part, neglecting at a certain extent the Middle Ages travelogue. I understood the efforts in retracing the steps of some authors, but I couldn´t find easily the real references.

However, there were some good takes about this book: I enjoyed the translation, there were some ideas that I may consider for further individual researches and definitely I need to pay more attention to the Cairo Geniza, which may be relatively far from my actual domain of interest - I am interested in the contemporary politics and history - but that is becoming a very frequent reference, particularly as part of my extended studies of rare Jewish languages I underwent in the last two years. 

Rating: 3 stars

Rachel´s Random Resources: True Love Again by Saz Vora

I envy people who never had to deal with hungry matchmaking eyes, desperately trying to fix yourself with the one and only, whose hidden perfect qualities may take a life and a half to discover. Meera and Krishan, perfect candidates for the aunties, may play a smart game though, trying to convince the cerberuses that they are on their way to an emotional ´I do´. But things may go very differently as anyone expected to be. A classical life game, is you want my opinion.

True Love Again by Saz Vora featuring the game of love and friendship between Meera, a software developer, and Krishna, a widowed single father, is relatable and hard to put down. If you are an early reader like me, only for the sake of reading some more pages, those characters will follow you for the rest of the day. I couldn´t wait to be done with my work - no relevant any more - to catch up with my favoritee couple in the making.

Add to my pleasure of reading about the characters, also the multicultural context and the interesting details about the diversity of Indian cultures. Of course, there may be a cultural conflict ignited at a certain point, which made the book even more enjoyable for me.

True Love Again is worth adding to your summer TBR. There is no other better reward after a year of hard work than a great book, a plus if it is a beautiful romance.

Rating: 4 stars

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

Random Things Tours: Cover Reveal: Yours for the Season by Emily Stone

 

I am happy to open my July reading blogging, with a cover reveal. A cover reveal of a book whose action takes place as far as in winter. That´s the season from Yours for the Season about...My mind cannot fathom yet the existence of winter, but better grow up and take seriously the cycle of seasons, also when it is not my cup of tea.

Set in the Scottish Highlands, it features Finn and Mel who are caught into the snowball of a fake date and a proposal, that may lead to more than just a game. Sometimes, a good ambiance may help us figure out exactly what we need...or what we are about to loose.

Yours for the Season by Emily Stone sounds like a book one may need to feel good when the wind is howling outside and we are stuck in the mountains for the rest of the week. As often in my case, the cover may convince me faster to buy a book. Often, an attractive cover mirrors a well-curated content-Or at least it is a promise for a quality reading experience.

In this case, I am in love with the pastel graphic, and the well studied attitude of the characters. The white contrast brings light into the picture, allowing the lettering to do its informative part, although also in an appealing picturesque way. The visual unit looks very balanced, with all the necessary information we need in order to proceed to the book purchase.

The release is expected on the 9th of October, so you still have enough time to enjoy the burning sun and get your summer TBR ready.

Many thanks to Random Things Tours for having me!