Contemporary Reads

Reviews & recommendations of contemporary books.
Literary Fiction, Thrillers, Feel Good Books, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction & more…

13 July 2022 | Wednesday · 12:27 PM

The Meet Cute Method (Portia Macintosh)

The Meet Cute Method | Book Review | Best Books 2022

Portia Macintosh means smiles and laughter. And substantiating the same, here is another rib-tickling, light-hearted and feel-good romcom that is guaranteed to make your day!

Frankie George, is a Love & Dating writer for Stylife magazine. Being done with all the dating apps and tech to find love, she decides to try the traditional ways and see if they work. The kind you see in movies when two lovers meet, which she calls the meet cutes. She decides to put herself into various such situations and see if they stir up a romance. And there starts a rollicking trip with some unimaginably hilarious situations and a series of disastrous meet cutes. You can’t but laugh out loud at these – one-after-another failed attempts of Frankie which are genuinely funny.

I do not wish to talk about the story or situations in any more detail here. For, it is …

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7 July 2022 | Thursday · 1:47 PM

French Braid by Anne Tyler: A good story dented by unexplained facts

French Braid | Anne Tyler | Unexplained Questions

French Braid is a story that spans 4 generations of the Garret family. A family saga that intricately takes you through the life of the Garrets, vividly showcasing their extremely varied personalities, the expectations, the disappointments, the responsibilities, the fears, the love and eventually the full circle of life.

To start with, just as a family drama is expected to be, French Braid is dotted with some neatly crafted characters. While you have Mercy coming across as much of a self centered and selfish person, Robin on the other hand is someone who may be socially inept but a loving husband. Alice is a bossy yet protective older sister, Lily – the rebellious one and David the youngest who probably is the most sensitive of all.

The relations between them are quite well pictured as well. A father who treats his son high handed, a son whose expectations of his …

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1 July 2022 | Friday · 12:15 PM

Nine Lives (Peter Swanson)

There are many books that attempt to be thrillers. But somehow, they end up being a half hearted hogwash, often marred by a clumsy end after an otherwise decent plot. Nine Lives by Peter Swanson (yes, I need to specify this since I saw at least three books on Amazon with the same title!) is a most authentic thriller I have read in a long time! It certainly is the best of this year, so far. It comes packed with a chilling plot, some tantalizing situations, hard to guess suspense and a fast-paced, gripping narration with not a smidgen of drag at any point of the book.

Imagine receiving a list of 9 names – including yours, with no explanation. It most certainly brings an eerie feeling sensing something wrong. This chilling idea forms the basic plot of this book. It turns out to be a list of people who …

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24 June 2022 | Friday · 4:07 PM

Flying Solo: Linda Holmes | An uplifting read full of hope

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes is a wholly original and unique story leading you to the realization that it is not necessary to always conform to the way the world functions. It tells you, it is okay to be different, as long as you are happy in the world you create for yourself. And, it does so through a lovely story centered around Laurie, her great-aunt Dot and some charming supportive characters that include – her friend June, boyfriend Nick, her brothers (in particular Ryan) and a few others.

I found the concept of Flying Solo quite alluring. Laurie’s great-aunt Dot has just passed. Dot having been unmarried, has no children of her own. And Laurie takes it upon herself to sort through Dot’s belongings and give them a dignified send off. As she & June go through Dot’s stuff, I was drawn into this amazing feeling of how your …

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18 June 2022 | Saturday · 9:13 AM

We Are The Brennans: Solid Debut by Tracey Lange

We Are The Brennans | Review

We Are The Brennans marks another solid debut for 2022 with Tracey Lange bringing forth an intense, high tension family drama that keeps you engulfed start to finish. I went into the book with some expectations as with stories based around a strong family backdrop. Yet, I wasn’t quite sure of what to expect! I just knew it showed great promise.

So, this is a story about the Brennan family (of course!), more specifically revolving around Sunday Brennan, the only sister to three brothers Denny, Jackie and Shane. Add to them Kane, who isn’t related by birth but is as much a (unofficial) Brennan having lived most of his life in this house, as one of them. I won’t go much into the detail, but just say – there is a dark secret that Sunday has been guarding since the past 5 years, and that forms the basic theme of …

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11 June 2022 | Saturday · 5:06 PM

The Village Of Happy Ever Afters: Small Town Romance At It’s Best

The Village Of Happy Ever Afters | Review

Rustic countryside charm. A dream world where life is still simple & laid back. Where people still love & care for each other. And, all of this amidst the quaint & picturesque hamlet which we know as Cranbridge from the Riverside Lane Series. Alison Sherlock’s latest book in the series, The Village Of Happy Ever Afters continues the calming & joyful journey into the enviable life of the people of Cranbridge with an easy to read and heart warming vibe.

The Village Of Happy Ever Afters follows the same tried and tested trope of a small town romance whilst saving a local business. With Alison Sherlock, you go in knowing what to expect. Yet, there was no way I was not going to read this book. It is like listening to a song over and over, but not ever getting bored as it soothes your heart. The Riverside …

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