Book Review: The Assistants by Camille Perri

PURCHASE/ GOODREADS

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: You are thirty. For six years you’ve been an assistant to one of the richest most powerful men in the world. Although you are respected, everyone needs a favour from you, you run his life accordingly, you are still underpaid and overworked.

You are drowning in student-loan debts and your 30,000 dollars a year is kind of sucking at bailing you out. But of course, slowly you’d get that loan off your neck, maybe in six to seven to ten years.

Then a cheque lands on your desk. The exact amount of your student loan debt. No one has any idea of it except you. You’ll keep it in your bag for a few days. You’re not going to use it. Only if they hadn’t invented that app where you snap a checque and immediately it gets cashed in into your account.

Relief! Your student loans-debt are paid!

Except you are not all free, some assistants have caught wind of what you’ve done. And they as well, have student-loans to pay too. And if you don’t help them… they wouldn’t help you too.

MY REVIEW

I loved this book! Since (the Devil Wears Prada) no book has been able to quite capture the not so glamorous life of The Assistant…

Amazing storyline! The Assistants of a multi-billion firm duping their filthy rich bosses to clear off their student-loan debts, because of course what they earn a year is what their bosses spend on a golf-club! Brilliant! It starts out as a chick-lit novel, a random one. Then it evolves into a title subversive and revolutionary. A star to the storyline.—★

You’d love the main character! Tina Fontanna! She’s a loner, known as a dyke back in school, spends too much time making sure her boss’ life runs smoothly yet can’t keep hers in check. The typical assistant. However, you wouldn’t find her seething about her boss being a slave-driver (maybe he is, but he has a good heart) and Tina works for him happily. She’s funny. She’s super timid. And is very generous… with money that’s not her own. A star.—★★

Other characters you’d love are Emily, the ‘bonafide’, Harvard-graduate (press her and you’d find she’s lying), accomplice and roommate. You’d also love Wendi Chan, the Asian, band-drummer, anarchist-at-heart computer geek assistant from the IT department. There’s also Margie Fischer, the burly woman who hates Tina’s guts for whatever reasons. Robert Barlow, the boss being duped who has one too many quotes embedded in our lead’s head. A star to these characters and other more amazing Assistants I can’t mention for fear this review might turn into an epic poem of some sorts. —★★★

And there’s a very amazing, and satisfying ending too.—★★★★

My rating: Four out of five stars.

Go get The Assistants by Camille Perri (it’s her debut!) on amazon.

I recommend it to anyone who wants a chicklit title that isn’t all about sunny summers and jilted vacationers, but one that is full off revolutionary material, checking on some error on society.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Amazon as well as Goodreads.

Killer Review: In The Cafe of Lost Youth by Patrick Modiano

PURCHASE / GOODREADS

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This:  You are missing. Your husband is in search of you. A detective is in search of you. A narrator with whom you have an unknown relationship is in search of you.

When everyone is asking around for you, getting on clues to piece your disappearance together and find you, only you know where 

you are. And you might not even know you are missing.

MY REVIEW

I’m in love with Patrick Modiano. I had this perception that to win a Nobel Prize in Literature you have to be a Wole Soyinka (whose writing I dislike so much despite being African. I know, hang me!). Anyway, Modiano writes with skill, every word, every sentence needs to be decoded so the reader can piece the mystery pervading in the novel. A star.—★

About the mystery. You’d find yourself wondering where Jacqueline DeLanque (“Louki”) is. Throughout the novel, you’d be wondering why the fuss with her. (Because the narrators sure do make a fuss about her). There’s one thing though you’d love about Jacqueline, you wouldn’t be able to figure her out, she’s complex, complicated, and perhaps demented from past, childhood demons. A star to the mystery, and another to the main character.—★★★

One of the nicest things about this novel is I couldn’t put a genre to it. At one point I thought it was solely a mystery novel, then I thought it was intrigue—when missing woman is given her point of view—then I pegged it down as just literary fiction because I couldn’t pinpoint the direction of the story but the missing woman didn’t seem missing at all, and when I gave up trying to put a genre to it enjoying its beautiful writing (novels are like sexuality! It’s not all black-and-white!), I found out it was a Literary (Psychological) Thriller in the end.—★★★★

Get this along with all the Patrick Modiano collection from Quercus. This year, they are really bringing him in this season with about four titles you could enjoy from this literary sensation.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves their novels mysterious so much you can’t even tell what the words on the page are saying till you come to realization that—OMG—you should have paid more attention to the clues the writer was trying to drop.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads as well as Amazon.

 Amazon

Killer Review: The Teacher by Katerina Diamond

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Blurb: The body of the head teacher of an exclusive Devon school is found hanging from the rafters in the assembly hall.

Hours earlier he’d received a package, and only he could understand the silent message it conveyed. It meant the end.

As Exeter suffers a rising count of gruesome deaths, troubled DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles must solve the case and make their city safe again.

But as they’re drawn into a network of corruption, lies and exploitation, every step brings them closer to grim secrets hidden at the heart of their community.

And once they learn what’s motivating this killer, will they truly want to stop him?

My Review 

This book made me sick!

I love the concept! The storyline! Killer maiming his victims to satisfy his revenge urges planned for years. You'll be cheering at his motivation and be cringeing at his gruesomeness! A star!—★

You'd love this book if you love psychological crime thrillers with detectives who really need to get their shit together. Imogen and Adrian are the perfect screwed-up duo to keep you going through this novel.—★★

In third-person perspective, all the victims are given narratives before they are killed. You'd have some faves: The Headmaster, The Priest, The Masochist Billionaire. A star!—★★★

Some OMG moments in this read too.—★★★★

My rating: four out of five stars.

The Teacher is available on Amazon. 

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a psychological thriller with very chilling, gruesome detail.

My work not done. Off to post my review on Goodreads and Amazon 

Killer Review: While My Eyes Were Closed by Linda Green

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My Synopsis

Imagine This: In a game of hide-and-seek, you close your eyes and count to a hundred... THEN YOUR DAUGHTER GOES MISSING. 

You are frazzled, you've been searching all over the park for her. Either she's suddenly become a great hider or... you don't want to think of the possibilities! 

The police come into the scene. Pretty useless as always, looking within your family for suspects.

You realize she's been taken away. You pray whoever took her is not a paedophile-psycopath.

Well, you are in luck. Whoever took her is not a stranger. But they may not be willing to give her back (if you are not looking in the right places).

The game of hide-and-seek is waged and Linda Dale's life begins falling apart.

My Review 

First of all, good book! I love the storyline. Although not unique in that OMG, I HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK-sense, it's the kind of goodness you expect of a novel within the child-goes-missing-mother-is-searching-for-her genre. A star to the storyline.—★

The two main characters are well-developed. Linda Dale, the mother of the missing girl. And the other person who has snatched up the girl. They are both given first-person point-of-views in this novel, and their voices are very distinct because... yeah, one is the distraught mother and the other is a psycho with a messed-up head.—★★

Other characters you'd love are, Vince, Linda's dad who would stop at nothing to get back her daughter. There's also Ella, the missing daughter who won't stop with the funny questions. There's the kidnapper, who's cynicism comes off funny at times (should have pointed this above). You would also love Matthew, the son to the crazy kidnapper who has his own narrative as well as the main characters.—★★★

A feature I love about this book is that it makes the kidnapper really known from the start. Yet, this has no bearing on the suspense of this book, as it gets suspenseful with each ticking day.—★★★★

My rating: A four-point-five star. (4.5/5stars).

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a title that's a split between a thriller and women's fic. If you love books featuring missing characters, go get this. Perhaps, you also want a well-written book? This book is that more. 

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads and Amazon. 

Month of Love Review: Not That Easy by Randika Sanghani

Purchase |Goodreads 


My Synopsis 

Imagine This: You hold an unpaid internship in a publication where your Evil Boss asks you for nothing but tea runs.

You have recently moved into a shared-appartment you can't afford with your friends. And everyday, it takes a mountain to convince your mum you need money to pay your rent (and cook the greek foods she's so passionate about you eating).

Your romantic life is not getting any better after the guy who poked your virginity run off leaving your VJ suffering from a case chlamydia.

But who cares about romance? Maybe you don't. Because you've decided to fuck your way through London marking the points in which you orgasm.

But apparently, orgasming is not so easy at all. All the men you keep seeing can't reach your spot. But perhaps, what if, you don't have a spot to begin with...

Then your boss decides to exploit your dating/sexing life for the benefit of the magazine.

Ellie Kolstakis' elusive g-spot summarized for your delight.

My Review 

I liked this book.

Not so unique storyline as we've seen lots of this stuff in so many commercial titles. But this is fun all the same. Girl plans to enjoy as much sex as she can, because really, who wants to fall in love in their twenties these days. A star to the storyline.—★

You'd love Ellie's voice. Not laugh out loud funny, but you'd be kept smiling for most of the time. Her exploits are equally hilarious and so are her views on sex, relationships and crushes. A star.—★★

Other cast you'd adore are Emma, the friend and roomie who considers slut as an empowerment term—she'd high-five you if you call her one. You'd also love Lara, she's super-interested in this guy who won't take her serious, so she's showing him in her own special way she won't take him seriously too. There's also Maxine, the Evil Boss.—★★★ 

Well, for most part of the novel, I couldn't figure out who Ellie would end up with (or the last person she's going to have sex with). So you could call this unpredictable.—★★★★

My rating: Four out of five stars.

It's Not That Easy is available on Amazon. 

I recommend it to anyone who loves their chick-lit down, dirty and funny.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Amazon as well as Goodreads. 

Killer Review: Shapeshifters by Stefan Spjut

Purchase |Goodreads 

*The Killer Review feature is from my blog feature, A Killer Season, reviewing psychological thrillers on which much fuss has been made, rendering them must-buys (or not)*

Blurb: Summer 1978. A young boy disappears without a trace from a summer cabin. His mother claims that he was carried away by a giant. He is never found.

Twenty-five years later, another child goes missing. This time there’s a lead, a single photograph taken by Susso Myren. She has devoted her life to the search for trolls, legendary giants known as stallo who can control human thoughts and assume animal form. Convinced that trolls are real, she follows the trail of missing children to northern Sweden. But humans, some part stallo themselves, have been watching over the creatures for generations, and this hidden society of protectors won’t hesitate to close its deadly ranks.

My Review 

I loved this book.

The storyline! I have never read into any sci-fi genre before because... I think we all know this already... IMAGINARY CREATURES CAN'T BE REAL LIFE! But What if you are made to believe trolls exist in a relatable storyline. After all, you can never be so sure if there's an OTHER WORLD and the forces that exist in them. What if really giants roam this earth unseen? What if we consider the situation that sometimes missing people who can no longer be found no matter how much search have disappeared off the face of the earth? And what if we knew this, that in fact someone (we loved) was kidnapped by a "giant", but no one would believe us? What if? A star to the storyline!—★

You'd love the main characters. You'd love Susso, the daughter heavily invested in the search for trolls and other unnamed creatures Science can't spot. You'd love Gudrun, Susso's mother who tells her story in a first-point of view predicting doom before it's already happened.—★★

I also loved this book because of the amazing writing. Goes to show good writers can persuade you into taking their sides no matter how far-fetched the ideas they propound seem. Put an unbelievable situation in good writing and everyone might just believe what you put across. A star—★★★

Incredible suspense. This books gives the killers their point of view, so you have to just sit tight and wait for when they'd implement their plans. That's unnerving and deserves a star—★★★★

I know this book didn't emphasize on romance, but I believe some of the romantic scenes could have just not been rushed through. I would have loved to see some chemistry between Susso and her ex to feel they may have once been in love but now they are just together looking for trolls.

My rating: Four stars.

Shapeshifters by Stefan Spjut is available on Amazon. Just go get it.

I recommend this book to anyone who is ready to be swayed by a writer that sometimes kidnappers/killers may not be humans. IF suspense is your thing, well, go get this. If you also want good writing, you are such a snub about works that do not have literary excellence, just turn your snubby attention to this.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Amazon and Goodreads. 

Blog Tour+ Review: Just Haven't Met You Yet by Cate Woods

Purchase|Goodreads 


My Synopsis 

Imagine This: You don't have the most inspiring job, but you have the world's adorable boss. You have an amazing network of friends who you can get thrashed with on a friday night. And you have a boyfriend.

He's just your boyfriend. He has no special, surprising traits although he's so caring and likes one too many lint-free sweaters. He's just... nice, and kind. And he's asked you to move in. But... err... But nothing! You guess you'd move in with him then.

So when a company approaches you claiming they have the world's best match systems and can pair you with your soulmate... you begin to wonder if your safe, surprise-free boyfriend (whom your parents adore) could be your soulmate. I mean, if you were with your soulmate already why would this company approach you? Cutting edge technology can't go wrong, right?

Except you didn't see the twist coming. 

Percy James' romantic-life summarized for your delight. 

MY REVIEW 

I loved this book! Don't be fooled. The storyline doesn't seem unique: Girl wonders if her boyfriend is her soulmate. But it has a surprising, delicious twist (—way before you read half of it!) that would keep you laughing, spewing your wine, opening your mouth for a few more minutes, before continuing to read a book that ceases to be ordinary chicklit and becomes something different! A star to the storyline.—★

Yay! You'd adore Percy James! OMG, her voice! She's so funny! You wouldn't be able to keep your jaws from shaking just reading her POV. Thank God its written in first-person so you get to read only her marvellous narrative and no one else's. You'd love her interest in exotic activities, how much like the rest of us she keeps updating her CV to suit popular interests—not interests/hobbies tried per se! Brill! A star.—★★

You won't be able to put this book down if you are a sucker for great  characters! There's Mel, the work colleague who's been in a relationship with Micheal Buble for, like, forever and doesn't think Percy is suited with her boyfriend. There's also Lou, Charlie and Jaye, the three friends since childhood who represent our lead's besties! There's Maggie, our lead's grandmother who dares to play Single Ladies on the day of her wedding (with a younger tattooed man!). There's also Percy's mother who just won't stop meddling. Lots and lots of brilliant characters whom I can't mention. A star.—★★★

You read in so many commercial titles out there that they are such a fun, feel-good, LOL read when most of them are... not so much funny as they claim and you only find witty and funny lines done-before. Well, this book is not one of those! So, yes, this deserves a star!—★★★★

I'm not saying the twist saved this book. Yeah, it was amazing the twist came in. But with or without it, this book would have still been amazing! Plus that one twist sure isn't the end of twists so more reason to go grab this unpredictable title—★★★★★

My rating:  Obviously a five out of five stars!

Just Haven't Met You Yet is available on Amazon. Just go get it and thank me later!

I recommend this book to anyone who just... wants their first funniest read of 2016! Anyone who's been looking for a lead to relate to should just go grab this title. And if you feel like you are the kind no author can knock you off your seat with a twist... well, you are so shallow-thinking... you should go get this!

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.