BREAKING NEWS
Showing posts with label Favorite books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Favorite books. Show all posts

Saturday, July 20, 2019

The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani (Review and Giveaway!)


Oh my...it's been a while since I read a book that made me cry. I'm counting this one as one of my favorite reads in 2019. Check it out and enter to win a copy! But hurry, the giveaway ends very soon.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani
Category: Adult Fiction, 399 pages
Genre: Literary
Publisher: Lake Union
Release date: September 2018
Tour dates: June 3 to July 12, 2019
Content Rating: PG-13 (There are some non-explicit sex scenes)

Book Description:

An Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller!

From the bestselling author of Trail of Broken Wings comes an epic story of the unrelenting force of love, the power of healing, and the invincible desire to dream.

Nothing prepares Jaya, a New York journalist, for the heartbreak of her third miscarriage and the slow unraveling of her marriage in its wake. Desperate to assuage her deep anguish, she decides to go to India to uncover answers to her family’s past. Intoxicated by the sights, smells, and sounds she experiences, Jaya becomes an eager student of the culture. But it is Ravi—her grandmother’s former servant and trusted confidant—who reveals the resilience, struggles, secret love, and tragic fall of Jaya’s pioneering grandmother during the British occupation.

​Through her courageous grandmother’s arrestingly romantic and heart-wrenching story, Jaya discovers the legacy bequeathed to her and a strength that, until now, she never knew was possible.


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Oh my...it's been a while since I read a book that made me cry. Well, Sejal Badani succeeded in doing just that with The Storyteller's Secret. I enjoy books set in India and this one was quite atmospheric, taking me back to when India was under the British occupation. The story has a dual timeline, with Jaya who lives in present-day New York City and Amisha, her grandmother, who lived during the 1930s in a small village in India.

Jaya is experiencing grief after her third miscarriage and the painful separation from the husband she loves. She decides to travel to her grandmother's hometown after her mother receives a letter with the news that Jaya's grandfather is dying. Jaya has a strained relationship with her mother who refuses to go back to India. She doesn't understand her mother's closed personality and longs for a better connection with her. Once Jaya is in India, she meets Ravi, one of India's untouchables who had once been her grandmother's servant. Ravi is now an old man who slowly unravels the story of Jaya's grandmother and passes on her legacy.

I loved Amisha's story because she was a woman ahead of her time, struggling to explore her gift of writing at a time when women were considered inferior. This is a story about mother and daughter relationships, about the grief of miscarriage and how it affects couples, about searching for one's roots and heritage, about exploring one's culture, and about friendship and love.

If you love literary fiction or women's fiction with strong female characters, The Storyteller's Secret will take you to a small village in India where a woman tried to make a difference although stuck in tradition and her female role in a patriarchal society. I loved this book and was so overcome with emotion with that heartwrenching ending. I'll count this as one of my favorite reads of 2019. I am now a fan of Sejal Badani and have her first book Trail of Broken Wings on my TBR list.


To read reviews, please visit Sejal Badani's page on iRead Book Tours.


Buy the Book:

​Watch the Book Trailer:


 Meet the Author:


​A former attorney, Sejal Badani left the law to pursue writing full time.

She is a USA Today, Washington Post & Amazon Charts bestselling author, Goodreads Fiction Award Finalist and ABC/DISNEY Writing Fellowship Finalist.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ​~ Pinterest ~ Instagram


Enter the Giveaway!
Ends July 21, 2019


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Saturday, January 6, 2018

Best Reads of 2017!



As we enter 2018 I will be starting my 10th year of book blogging. As in past years,  I keep discovering great authors and my reading continues to be eclectic. And I'm pleased to say I read some awesome books!

In 2017, I read a total of 103 books compared to 85 last year. Here is the breakdown:

 21 children's books (picture books)
   3 middle-grade books
11 YA books
45 adult fiction
23 adult non-fiction

 This year, I want to read more books from my favorite authors and will continue to be an advocate for kidlit, even though my kids are teens and are no longer reading books with me.

Here are my favorite reads of 2017. It doesn't mean they were published this year, only that I read them this year:


In the category of Children, Middle-Grade and YA Books:


I am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer
This special book is part of Ordinary People Change the World, an engaging and fun series that bring American history to life. With skillful writing, humor and fantastic illustrations, the story of how Jackie Robinson came to lead the way to equality in sports in America was lively and a page-turner, even for us adults.




My Beautiful Birds by Suzanne Del Rizzo
A moving, gentle story of one refugee's experience in the Syrian civil war. This book is a work of art with dimensional illustrations created through Plasticine, polymer clay and other mixed media. The birds especially are so detailed, they come alive and seem to pop out of the pages.



RootBeer Candy and Other Miracles by Shari Green
Written in light and lyrical free verse, Shari Green’s warm and wistful novel brings Bailey face to face with both hard and beautiful truths about growing up and growing into her own ability to shape the world.



Speed of Life by Carol Weston
Although this is late middle-grade/YA fiction, I was carried away by Sofia and her story. This book made me burst into laughter and it made me burst into tears. If you think MG books are only for kids, think again!



Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey
Fans of Jane Austen will be delighted by this witty and charming tale. It's a clean read with romance, mystery and humor.



Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
This book was refreshing, sobering, funny, at times heartbreaking, but always hopeful. It was also an eye-opener, letting the reader catch a glimpse of what it's like for a teen girl to live with agoraphobia and OCD.


Warcross by Marie Lu
This was the first time I read a book by Marie Lu and it will not be my last. Wow! Enter the world of virtual reality, competitive gaming, a kick-ass YA heroine and the will to survive.


In the category of Adult Fiction:
The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman
Well-written, rich with unforgettable characters, romance and heartbreak, The Velvet Hours is an entrancing story perfect for lovers of historical fiction and the Parisian setting.

The Garden of Letters by Alyson Richman
Once again, as with The Velvet Hours, this book was well-written, rich with unforgettable characters, romance and heartbreak. Another entrancing story perfect for lovers of historical fiction and the Italian setting.
The Wicken City by Beatriz Willimas
The Wicked City was such an absorbing tale that I fairly raced through it to see how it would all come to an end. And the clever dialogue and repartees! Think Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The main character was a smart-mouthed, independent and modern 1920s woman. 



New York City Haiku from the Readers of The NY Times
An entertaining, thought-provoking and worthy collection of haiku from people of all ages that captured the spirit of New York City, its people, places, food, culture and attitudes. Some of these cracked me up and others made me reflect.
The Blue Hour by Vicky Righettini
In this well-written debut novel, Vicki Righettini succeeds in transporting me fully to a woman's arduous and coming-of-age journey on the Oregon Trail in the 1860s. I found it to be an unforgettable tale of one woman's epic journey of life and love,


Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette
For a debut novel and the first in a Biblical fiction series, this was amazing in its portrayal of the Exodus account with all the exotic rich details of Egypt. There are two more novels after this one that I now want to read.


More Than a Soldier by D.M. Annechino
Based on the true account of the author's uncle, this is the incredible story of eighteen year-old Angelo J. DiMarco, an American soldier who fought during WWII in Italy, and survived the bloody battles, malaria, capture by the Germans, starvation, and an incredible escape behind enemy lines.


This book is one of the best time travel novels I've read and reminded me a little of The Time Traveler's Wife, except this book made me laugh. And I mean laugh-out-loud belly laugh. I'd find myself bursting into spontaneous laughter at some of the scenes. It's been a long time since any book did that for me.



A feel-good well-written story set in 1972 by one of my favorite authors. Not only is it an amazing story of healing and choices, but it also explores the nature of friendship, attraction and why we love who we do.


The Painter's Apprentice by Laura Morelli
Laura Morelli's The Painter's Apprentice is a real treat for lovers of historical fiction and Renaissance art. It has drama, star-crossed lovers, and the beauty of art set in the midst of the terrible time in history when the black plague ravaged Europe.


And there you have it!
Have you read any of these books?


Thursday, December 31, 2015

Best Reads of 2015




Another year of reading great books and blogging...frankly I don't remember a time I wasn't doing both of these favorite activities.

So I read a total of 72 books this year compared to 65 last year. I also read less YA and more non-fiction. I miss reading YA and hope to do more of it this year. I discovered some great authors last year and hope to discover more new authors this year but also to revisit some favorites.


Here are my favorite reads of 2015. It doesn't mean they were published this year, only that I read them this year:


In Children's Books


Inspector Dewey by Kristen Heimerl, illustrations by Irene Bofill

The soft illustrations and the beautiful relationship between the main character and her kitties is heartwarming as they work together to catch a thief.




The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse by Gwyneth Jane Page

This series is sure to become part of a beloved classic because PJ the Mouse is absolutely adorable and curious and always getting into some sort of trouble. It's a delightful series that is reminiscent of books such Winnie the Pooh.


In Middle-grade Books


Aoleon The Martian Girl by Brent LeVasseur

This sci-fi adventure tale with tongue-in-cheek humor is filled with eye-popping illustrations and explores friendship, courage and belief in oneself.


YA Fiction:


Drawn by Chris Ledbetter

Ledbetter was able to write a contemporary fiction novel with fantasy elements taken from and mixed with the art world. Picture A-ha's 1985's innovative music video of Take On Me, with its mix of real-life and pencil-sketch animated characters. 




Forbidden by Kimberely Griffiths Little

If you like YA and historical fiction with great character development and plenty of action adventure, then this is the perfect book in which to escape. This book had me feeling all sorts of things: sadness, indecision, the excitement of first love, fear, suspense, adventure, exotic dreams...you name it, this book had it all. Banished, Book #2 is being released in February and I will be reading it soon!




Alchemy's Daughter by Mary A. Osborne

A story set in medieval Italy, a strong female protagonist, midwifery, science, romance, adventure, the Black Death, betrayal, intrigue...these are just some of the elements that made me love reading Alchemy's Daughter. I look forward to reading Osborne's first book Nonna's Book of Mysteries.


Adult Fiction


Visiting the Sins by Melanie Denman

Visiting the Sins explores so many family issues: keeping secrets, mother and daughter relationships, coping with the loss of a parent and a child, coming-of-age, societal expectations versus doing what is right. It seems like this book had it all and yet the author managed to keep it entertaining and made the storytelling so good. There was never a boring moment.




A Heart Revealed by Josi S. Kilpack

Lovers of Jane Austen's works would appreciate this story with its strong characters and unusual plotline. I was fully immersed in it and was sad when it ended. I now wish to read more of Kilpack's novels and will look for her past works. If you like clean Regency novels with a solid story, don't miss this one. It's really good




Bianca's Vineyard by Teresa Neumann

Teresa Neumann has deftly transported me to Italy during WWII with a story that made me go through a wide range of emotions. Based on a true story, Bianca's Vineyard explores an Italian family's loyalty, strength, forgiveness and tragedy in the face of a dark period in Italian history. With the backdrop of Mussolini's Italy, the hardships of immigration and an unforgettable family, this story comes alive through Neumann's gift of storytelling.




The Inheritance by Marianne Perry

I was glued to the pages and would have read the book in one sitting if I didn't have work and family obligations. The author deftly wrote a tale that was compelling and heartbreaking. She developed her characters so well that one easily felt strong emotions toward them whether it was contempt or compassion.When a story has me thinking about it long after I read it, I know it has touched me deeply.




A Song for Bellafortuna by Vincent B. "Chip" LoCoco

From the very first page, I was transported to Italy, to that small village named Bellafortuna, to a set of colorful characters that reminded me so much of my own uncles and "paesans". LoCoco made me fall in love with Bellafortuna, a small village like many others in Italy but still unique because of its location (up on a hill) and the villagers' love for music and opera. If you like Italian stories full of drama and culture, this book is the perfect novel to escape with. It's a feel-good story with good values, family honor and duty.




Roma, Underground by Gabriel Valjan

Roma Underground is the first book in the Roma series, introducing us to a set of colorful characters both Italian and American, and takes place in Rome, both above and underground. I was thoroughly entertained as I read this intelligent and well-written thriller. If you love thrillers without too much violence but with intelligent and humorous repartees and descriptions, a complex but smart plot with a great twist at the end, then you are in for a good time with this book. I have read all 4 books in the series and enjoyed them all.


Non-fiction 



I was first of all amazed that Irene could put into eloquent words all that she had lived and survived in her life lived throughout most of the twentieth century. Hence, the title. This is truly a survivor's story. Irene tells her story of living in hiding as a young orphan Jewess during the Nazi occupation and later her abusive marriage and finally how she re-made her life. Truly inspirational.





If there is one memoir you plan to read in the coming year, let it be this one. Sima Goel's journey from her happy childhood to a harrowing escape from the oppressive and extremist revolutionary government is an amazing story you will not soon forget. This is a touching story that made me smile and it made me cry. It made me undergo a slew of feelings as I read it. It inspired me and motivated me.




Bridges of Paris by Michael Saint James

The beautiful 14 X 9.5 inch book is filled with 355 original stunning photographs of the 37 bridges of Paris from different positions and times of day. It would make an awesome gift for anyone who loves Europe, but especially travel enthusiasts, those who admire good photography and architectural structures, and history buffs. It would be a great book to sell in museums and gift shops. It would enrich the library of any art and photography school as well as any local library. This book is a treasure.




Someone Died...Now What? By Corrie Sirota

Death is a difficult subject. Period. But it's nonetheless a subject, or a reality we all will experience in some ways and at different points in our lives. Corrie Sirota, a psychotherapist who specializes in loss and bereavement, has written a much-needed resource book that will help one cope with losing a loved one. I appreciated reading this after the loss of a good friend to cancer.


Finally, I want to thank all my readers and blogger friends who have supported me and my blogging team (Sandra, Maria and Fil) with your heartfelt comments. A big thank you to all the authors, publicists, book tour organizers and publishers who trust us with their books and allow us wonderful hours of reading!



Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Visit Us Today

Visit Us Today
iRead: getting your book in the hands of readers
 
Back To Top
Copyright © 2009-2017 Laura Fabiani Library of Clean Reads . Designed by OddThemes OddThemes