Plum Springs – Dan Lawton

A heartbreaking beautiful novel that I received from the author for a review. This is the story of 3 siblings and their strong bond amidst cruelty and abuse and how the circumstances force them to take difficult decisions to escape the abuse. A tender but harsh story of 2 very young brothers (13 and 9 I think) who would do anything it takes to see that their sensitive younger sister does not face the same fate of abuse that they have endured all their young lives and how everyone around failed them.
All through the story along with younger brother Rusty we wait for the secret door to open to the magical world of their Narnia.
They do find their version of this magical world along with another half sibling that they did not know about till now. This is their story.
The story is not fast paced but still keeps you bound and guessing as to what happens next. Once started it the book is difficult to put down.
Though there are some loose ends of which the most irritating is the enigmatic character of the Sheriff and some other minor flaws which loose their importance before the tender story.
A must read for evryone this great coming of age story

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Family Affairs – Pamela Hobbs

Family affairs by Pamela Hobbs is a romantic thriller. It is a wonderful story that is set in Ireland. A famous actress fiance is murdered by her stalker supposedly , The pace of the story is good and the identity of the stalker keeps one guessing. Intervened in this tale of stalking, murder and supposed revenge is the love story between the actress and her adoptive family’s son.

How her adoptive family rallies around her and saves her from and the how she finds love that has been missing from her real family forms for a delicious read.Though there are graphic sex scenes that hamper the pace of the story a little but still it picks up pace and makes for a satisfying read

I received the from the author for a voluntary review through booksirens

Kinnara – Kevin Ansbro

If you want to go on an exotic and unique tour of Thailand’s phuket and patong beach with an beautiful story, then this it it. This story has all the ingredients of a remarkable journey with true love, true friendship among strangers, mythology, fantasy, childhood sweethearts, revenge, forgiveness, evil, punishment and above how just true intentions of being just a human conquers all even a powerful spirit.
The story starts with Callum about to go to Thailand with his current girlfriend, but ends up going alone after he catches her cheating and the experiences and friendship that he forms there and how this journey helps him ultimately and also the consequences of his quick temperament and what he does to compensate and how he emerges above all and all also makes hi, realise what is important forms the base of the story.
It is a very beautiful leisure read.
This is my second Kevin Ansbro book and I have enjoyed both immensely.

The Eleventh Indian – Gautam Marwah

I was recommended this book by my school friend who is now in the navy and I am glad that I took his recommendation.
The Eleventh Indian by Gautam Marwh is a real life thriller, rescue mission that beats any fiction novel The plot and the pace of the book is good though there is a backstory but that doesn’t affect or slow down the pace in any way. There are no overdramatics but a simple and a powerful narrative that tells the story of a merchant nave ship that the pirates attacked and its rescue and also the rescue of 2 crew (an Indian – the 11th Indian and a pakistani) later that were taken away by a fringe group when pirate group had didderences and split up. The ordeal of these 2 crew and their rescue forms the major part of the story.
The book is as good as (though I found it much more) any popular international fiction action novel and nowhere feels this is ya newbie and and not a professional author.
I recommend it as a must read for everyone.

Jihadi Bride – Alastair Luft

A thriller that is disturbing and emotional tale that tries to delve into the issue of why youngsters especially teenage girls are joining the false image of Islam that is projected by recruiters of ISIS and terrorists. A story of a girl lured by such recruiters after she faces a traumatic experience in college and her fathers who is a ex army and a special ops soldier races to Syria and then Africa and then back to Canada to save her without any help from his collegues but from some loyal friends
How he races against time to save his daughter forms the story. The story also raises the problem of sexual exploitation at colleges and trauma of the experience drives the victims to desperate measures to seek explanation and peace.
I received this book from @Booksirens for review
Question that remains unanswered is
what happened to the college frat boys because of whom the girls were being traumatised
Were they punished or stopped or were they still continuing their crimes?

The New Holy Warriors – Alice Sandoval

The New Holy Warriors by Alice Sandoval was recommended to me by @Booktasters and I am glad of that. It is a fascinating rescue mission by two sons and their friends of their kidnapped parents who worked for Doctors without Borders from islamic jihadists in the aftermath of 9/11 terorist attacks. Along the story also is given the history of Jihad or Holy war propagated by hardcore Islamists.
The book is an insight in to the workings of the so called Holy Warriors brainwashed by radicals alongside the rescue mission and a love story embedded in between.
Also the pictures included give out a great support to the narrative.
It is a good read for a variety of readers like adventure story or a rescue mission or someone interested in the history. The only shortcoming is the too lengthy descriptions and long dialogues but still a worthy read

Upon Destiny’s Song – MikeEriksen and Sage Steadman

An amazing story of faith, perseverance, love and family ties and above all a story of courage against all odds. The story through a young man eyes traces the story of his ancestors’ journey from Denmark to Salt lake Utah with a hundreds of mormons travelling from East Coast US to Salt Lake for the promised land (where there would be no persecution by other christians or raids by Indians ) with the ill fated Willie Handcart Company as they walk through severe cold frost bite illness starvation and death dogging their feet.
The story is sad, uplifting in parts and makes you smile sometimes pray and think .with Madsens family as they struggle to live, strive and keep the family together.It is a book that cannot be read in one go as it is too emotional but makes think and yearn to go back to complete the journey with them.
Thank you @Booktasters and the authors for this wonderful book

Father Sweet – J J Martin

Father Sweet is a shocking tale that makes one think and ponder even after you finish it. It deals with disgusting fact of sexual abuse at the hands of the religious heads and priests and so called men of god. Though this tale sensitively deals with issue of sexual abuse of very young boys at the hands of clergy, it is a fact that a few supposed people of God irrespective of their religions have misused their stature and faith of people who follow them to satisfy their perversity.
The book is in two parts where the protagonist though not explicitly but clearly delves how he was enticed, indirectly threatened to undergo the abuse and how this affects his life choices even after 25 years.
The second part deals how he redeems himself and walks on the path of healing by rescuing another little boy from the same priest. There is also a parallel story of his strictly cath;ic parents who believe the church and its priests are God’s representatives and never wrong and his strict and secretive father who works in the government and participates in illtreatment and systematic abuse and elimination of native Indian culture.

A very disturbing tale with a hopeful ending
Thank you @BookTasters and J J Martin for this book

Toludine Blue – Evelyne Margaux Keating & Roxanne Shoenfeld

“Forensic Nurse Examiners…the search for evidence
…but science can only solve so much….”

An amazing awesome book that delves into the world of forensic science to not only solves crimes but also bring evidence against the perpetrators. Toludine blue is a dye used in forensics mainly assess the wounds and photograph them clearly for evidence. Though this book is fiction but draws insipirations from true cases especially sexual assault. The authors clearly delve into the behind the curtains world of forensic nurse examiners who play a major role in convicting the accused.
The book is written in a style that beats the any detective novel or a crime fighting book. In fact I would love to see this book made into a tv series.
The is never boring and is gut wrenching and is thought provoking a the amount of evil that lurks in some people but also shows equal compassion in other people. There is a thought proving line which made me think
“It’s nurses, police, firemen, and medics; we are the only ones that run towards danger when everyone else is either ignoring it or running away”
and it is true.
I would recommend this book not only to detective novel fans but also to medical books fans . Yes it is a crime thriller with a difference.
Thanks @BookTasters and the authors for this book.One of the very few books that I read in one sitting

Trailer Trash : An 80’s Memoir by Angie Cavallari

Never use the word “Trailer” due to its negative connotations but Mobile Home says Angie Cavallari in her book . This is a memoir of her days in the trailer part in the 80’s in her formative years where her parents were the owners of a trailer park or rather a mobile home park and the mark they left on her. This story is self deprecating, humourous, a little sarcastic, but never judging or insulting the tenants who lived there. In fact the descriptions and life of the tenants are with a tongue in cheek humour though sometimes evicting the tenants turned violent and many a times police were involved as most of them were low income people without families, social rejects, drunkards etc. But the memoir is never judgemental nor the author seeks sympathy but just states facts as they were or as she experienced with her untypical Grandparents, a little harsh mother and father who was temperamental.
It is a fun light read that one can enjoy not the life seeking answers kind of memoir.
Thank you author and @Booktasters for this book