Novel Nerd Blog - Book Reviews by Smitha

    MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW Lena Derhally's book on the problems of using Facebook  addictively or for flaunting materialistically to other people is a well researched one and I loved it.  To look at the cover of this book explains the selfie culture in action. What really is Narcissism? Is it certainly being self centered and oblivious?. I would highly suggest this book for anyone who has a Facebook account, to children and teenagers or adults who are generally glued to social media most of the time. Very helpful and interesting book that explains deeply on how to use social media in a positive way through case studies, examples and surveys from real experts. The author has done a great job in explaining - The toxicity of constant comparison on social media, spending large portion of one's time online, dangers of becoming too reliant on social media. The author gives tips and takeaways on behaviors that are linked to narcissism such as excess, lack of empathy, e...

MY THOUGHT AND BOOK REVIEW Fantastic Read! War Girls has three books in one volume. Each book contains about thirteen chapters. I'm not much of a romance reader unless the book has some thing to teach me. If you need a book to surprise with Great war time romance, War Girls by Julie Rowe will warm your heart. Although there is so much wit and fun packed sequences in the novel, there is compassion and cruelty. I would rate it 5 star! Saving the Rifleman - British Red Cross nurse Maria Hunt took care of countrymen who were wounded at a Hospital in German occupied Brussels, Belgium 1914. She meets wounded British soldier - Lieutenant John Bennet at the hospital in a closet which is converted storage area kept for bandages and other medical supplies. John was being told this hospital was a safe place for British soldiers and the matron of the hospital Rose Culver could help find an escape route for him who was caught behind German lines. To escape out of the country the matron cou...

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW The beginning of The  House Sitter is chilling enough for a crime story. The chase sets about from that fateful night, a 911 call, suspicious two gun shots, blood soaked bedding, post- it notes all over the house. Iris is missing brings the crime to the notice of the Cops and Detectives. With twists and turns in every chapter, I loved the author's mystery writing skills bringing vivid crime scenes into a page turner.  The story's setting has taken place around, Iris Duncan's, a lonely seventy year old widow's house who had no children. She lives in a massive Victorian mansion near to presidio, in the middle of the city at upper pacific heights.  The  fancy house becomes the location of the crime.  Iris was most of the time forgetful, scared of someone breaking into her house and she took medications everyday. Iris complains that she is all alone in a big, sad and disorganized house, eventually hires Lydia and Seth as House sitters to...

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW I enjoyed reading Julie Brook's debut darkly gripped dual time novel,  The secrets of Bridgewater bay. This is a well researched historical fiction book with a prologue that starts off mysteriously. The author sets the plot for the novel mostly at the two places, the coastline  of South West Victoria and wild coastline of North Devon taking place in 20th century and one hundred years later.  I found the character Molly very interesting, her cleverness to solve a problem which happened in her family at dual timelines, spanning generations which leaves molly gripped and feeling worse.  England 1919:  Two women, Rose and Ivy set sail for Australia, bound by a terrible truth.  But only one will make it off the ship. It took me by surprise, Ivy dies with Spanish  flu enroute  Colombo. In 1963, Rose is missing, feared to have drowned at Bridgewater bay. Australia 2016: Molly discovers an envelope with an old photograph ...

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW Absolutely a must - read, Historical German fiction novel taking place between the timeline 1931-1945 in Sweden, Stockholm during Second World War. This book can be read as a stand alone, long novel with more than 500 pages. I absolutely loved the suspense, the growing and the advancing relationships between different characters in the plot, especially Matilda Wallin and the Countess of  The Lion Hall, Agnetas Lejongard, Matilda and Paul, her dream boyfriend she plans to marry someday. This is a captivating story and I would love to  read the entire series.  Mathilda's father and mother insisted that she must focus on getting a good education instead of getting married to a man who can take care of her. Susanna Wallin, Matilda's mother suddenly dies and her father drowned himself in a sea of strong currents who did not come home one day. Devasted by Matilda's mother's death and her fathers disappearance, the school was a sym...

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW Heart warming plot which was crafted well and I loved it!! One of the best WW2 novels I have read in a while. The novel takes pace with a great picture of the WW2 in London 1940. Josie Banks worked at a shop just past the Mile End tube station near Thames outside the front door where a discreet sign read THE COPPER KETTLE TEAROOM. The tearoom had been started by a Jewish old lady Madame Olga back in the early days of the century where she fled Russia. Olga attempted to create a tiny glimmer of civilization amid the bustle of the East End. Lace edged table cloths and pretty pink and - white flowered china, teacakes and sandwiches with the crust cut off. Housewives and children came to Copper Kettle who wanted a cup of tea and a minute's escape from the chores.  Jose Banks was married to Stanley Banks who had been called up into Army and for five year she hadn't worked other than for a garment factory. She stayed being a housewife for five years. she...

Good Husbands: A Novel by Cate Ray - Book Review This novel has a book cover that caught by undivided attention and I was very excited to read the book. My expectation has been met as I couldn't put the book down until I knew the ending of it. Though the novel had a lot to talk about Marriage, Intimacy and Trust in relationships also referring to women issues of the modern times these days in our culture including in the west, the plot didn't disappoint me. I would rate it 4 Star! This novel I would say is meant for 22 years and older above adults who enjoys mushy language with thriller stories. There is no foul language other than it addresses social issues meant for grown-ups to digest. The story begins where Jessica Jackson 46, Priyanka Lawley 36 and Stephanie Brooke, all the three women lived in Bath with their husbands and family, UK. Until one autumn, the post man slips a handwritten letter at these three women women wondering about the small piece of mail. They receive ...