A year after Janey’s suicide, her friends reunite at a remote Spanish villa, desperate to put the past behind them. However, an unwelcome guest arrives claiming to have evidence that Jane was murdered. When she is found floating in the pool, it becomes clear one of them is a killer. Only one thing is for certain, surviving this holiday is going to be murder…

A compelling and psychological thriller - with a dash of romance.

"Just do it, you coward. Show him what he made you do. They'll never forget you after this."

In the midst of myriad "murder-mystery-on-a-beach" YA novels, James Dawson's Cruel Summer stands out. Not because it has an extremely shocking ending, or a great number of plot twists, but because it's a unique (for YA novels, at least) blend of a grisly murder mystery and British humour, with an interesting focus on character relationships. It's no Dangerous Girls, but it's an intriguing summer read.

This was basically a movie/TV series within a book. The book was divided into "scenes" rather than chapters, and the internal monologue of Ryan (our main character, and narrator for most of the book), who imagined the scenes in the book as part of a script. The book was never dull. Even the flashbacks - which I usually detest reading - managed to keep me thoroughly entertained. The story was littered with red herrings, which I felt were a wonderful addition to the storyline and made it even more addictive.

The characters fit the stereotypes of characters in a typical teen "horror" movie, and the plot is also rather similar to one. However, Dawson adds his own flair to the story, and laces it with twists and turns that keep the reader hungry for more. The characters each have their own lives with their own fair share of drama, which ensures maximum entertainment. The story was, pleasantly, not too dark or eerie, and was a lighter read than most. Nonetheless, it was still worthy of being called a good thriller novel.

The climax wasn't too shocking, having figured out the killer early on, but the thrill of reading about the revelation of the killer's identity remained. The ending itself was reminiscent of Gretchen McNeil's Ten (spoiler alert: it was heartbreaking). Those looking for a gripping page-turner to amuse them during the summer, I'd highly recommend Cruel Summer.

On a side note, I could totally see this book being turned into a TV mini-series.

The Pearl that broke its shell by Nadia Hashimi 

Review:

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi is a lyrical work of literary fiction which tells the story of two woman from the same family, living a century apart, Rahima and Shekiba, who both followed an ancient custom in Afghanistan called bacha posh, which allows a girl to dress as man until marrying age, allowing the girl the freedom to attend school, shop unaccompanied, work, and to chaperone one’s sisters. Will Rahima follow the path Shekiba chose a century before her or will she follow a different path altogether. The Pearl That Broke Its Shell is a breathtaking beautiful and at the same time painful book to read, the characters easily come to life, for good or bad, and Hashimi’s writing transport the reader directly into the interwoven stories. I found myself more drawn to Shekiba’s life, however, each story is mesmerizing, heartbreaking, and full of hope where it seems little is offered. There is not enough I can do to praise The Pearl That broke Its Shell, for it must be read to truly bring out all the wonders of this remarkable novel which will stay with the reader long after the book ends. I highly recommend The Pearl That Broke Its Shell to all readers and especially to book discussion groups, for this book offers up a wealth of information to digest

About Author:

Nadia Hashimi is a pediatrician of Afghan descent. Both her parents left Afghanistan in the early 1970s and settled in the United States to chase the American dream. Her debut novel, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell (Harper Collins, 2014) is an international bestseller and was a 2014 Goodreads finalist in the categories of Debut Author and Fiction. Her second novel, When The Moon Is Low, is a story of terror, survival, perseverance and hope that chronicles one Afghan woman's odyssey to save her family and find asylum in the West. 

Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter or via her website 

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT 

                                                      
                                                          Omar Shahid Hamid 

Author Bio:

Omar Shahid Hamid served with Pakistan's Karachi police for 12 years, during which time he was targeted by various terrorist groups and criminal outfits. He received his Masters in Criminal Justice Policy from the London School of Economics, and his Masters in Law from University College London.

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Books by Omar Shahid Hamid 

2) The Spinner's Tale 

                                                   

Author Omar Shahid Hamid is returning with another novel titled The Spinner's Tale. Slated for publication on June 19, will explore terrorism in Pakistan.

A novel about three school friends, The Spinner's Tale follows Ausi, Eddy and Sana, with Ausi transforming into Sheikh Ahmed Uzair Sufi, a top Jihadi militant in Pakistan.

While Eddy and Sana head to the US for further studies, Ausi's life takes a different turn. Nostalgia bind Ausi and Eddie together initially, but soon the friends have to confront their differing stances, placing their relationship in jeopardy. The novel is set in Karachi, Kashmir and Afghanistan.

1)    The Prisoner

                     

Synopsis:

On an unusually cold December evening in Karachi, American journalist Jon Friedland is kidnapped from one of the city's poshest neighbourhoods. His captors plan to post a video of his execution on Christmas Day. The kidnapping has come at a bad time, embarrassing the Pakistani government in front of their US allies. The clock is ticking. Will the police and Intelligence Agencies recover Friedman alive?

The story careens through the streets of Karachi, taking the reader into an all too real world of jihadis, corrupt police officers, and bloodthirsty political henchmen – all placed together in a city where no one is quite what they seem

                              

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. 
                
Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

The moment I started reading this book I could not leave it. I read it for hours and hours slowly falling in love with the book .  This book for me was one of those few books I will read again and again and never get tired or bored of reading. It was truly a great book. 

Basically it tells of Clay Jensen, a high school student who receives a box of audiotapes narrated by a girl who he had a crush on, Hannah Baker, who has recently committed suicide. The book interweaves her words from the audiotapes with his comments and memories. It gives Hannah's reasons why she did what she did and names the people (who also are receiving audiotapes - each person is to mail them to the next person on the list) and why they contributed to what happened. It may have been something big, somewhat small, something seemingly innocent, something no so much. But it all leads up to Hannah not being able to cope by herself even when she reaches out for help. If anyone can read this and see themselves in it and make changes - or even better see someone else and reach out in compassion, this book will have a huge effect.

 It's sad, amazing, heartbreaking, and hopeful, all at the same time. I dare you to read it and not become so immersed in the story that you lose track of time and your surroundings. You'll cry, several times, while reading this story. You'll have no choice but to think about your actions, and wonder what type of effect they have on other people.

I am absolutely blown away by Jay’s writing. She wrote the book with such great emotion and her writing makes you feel like you are actually going through everything that is happening in the book.

This book was honestly THE BEST BOOK EVER! EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS MIND BLOWING, FANTASTIC BOOK.

1. Malgudi Day by RK Narayan .

Often touted as India's answer to Chekov ,RK Narayan was one of the early wave of Indian writers who first introduced the world to the genre of Indian writing in English,this 1943 book is a collection of 32 short stories focusing on the pre-independence fictional South Indian town of Malgudi and it vividly captures the sights and sounds of everyday life in India .Known for his gripping cliff-hanger endings,Narayan crowds his pages with characters who range from affable and endearing to the downright despicable .

2.A Suitable boy 

With all the husband-hunting ,class divides and family intrigue ,Seth's masterpiece could be Jane Austen novel-if it weren't set in 1950's India ,that is. Lata Mehra's mother is on a quest to find her daughter the perfect match ,but Lata has ideas of her own regarding marriage and love, and so do her extended entourage of relative. Set against the socio-political upheaval of newly independent India -spanning from partition to the first general elections and touching on themes of communal strife and struggle for gender equality, Seth captures a sweeping visually rich ,satirical snapshot of the subcontinent and its inhabitants finding their feet .  

3. The Inheritance of loss 

Literature often glorifies multiculturalism - Desai 2006 second novel .however ,decidedly doesn't. It's the 1980's .Biju ,an Indian living illegally in the US ,spends his days working in grimy kitchens of nondescript New York restaurants, dodging the immigration and Naturalization Service and living in squalid accommodation.Meanwhile ,in a north-eastern India shadowed by political unrest ,Cambridge -educated retired judge Kemubhai Patel (whose cook is biju's father ) lives with his teenage granddaughter Sai and his nostalgic Anglophilia results in a deep aversion to his own culture.

4.The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

the Indian american experience has turned out to be primary theme throughout all the Pulitzer-prize -winning Lahiri's work and nowhere does she capture it better than in her debut novel The Namesake .Capturing the immigrant experience in all its awkwardness and wonder , she poignantly portrays the sense of displacement ,awe and overwhelming nostalgia that affects all those trying to form a life outside of everything they are accustomed to. The narrative traces Indian couple Ashima and ashoke Ganguly's journey to the us in search of a better life as they adjust to a new culture and raise their first generation .American children.children. Thier son Gogol,is torn between his parents 's heritage and the lifestyle he was born into ,his unusual name aggravating hid identity crisis.  

5. The God of small thing by Arundhati Roy

my review on this book  The God of small things

6. The Shadow Linesby Amitab ghosh

Amoving saga about the bonds of family and the poewer of imagination ,memory and love ,its an timeless as any classic can be . Told from the point of view of the unnamed narrator ,the intertwined lives of three  generations of  of two families are explored ,as the narrative flits between time and place ,from India to Bangladesh to England bet 1939 to 1964.

7. Q&a by Swarup 

Swarup 2006 debut novel has all the ingredients for a perfect Bollywood (or in case Hollywood) potboiler drama ,action ,romance bengeance ,suspense and a winning amount of rs 1 million .Its no surprise then that Danny Boyle decided make Q&A into a film; the Oscar winning slumdog millionaire ,humorous ,insightful and emotional in eqaul quantities . Worth a read whether you've seen the movie or not .

8.The white tiger by ARavind Aidga 

Balram Halwai is :a man who sees tomorrow when others see today" and will do whatever it takes to rise above the social class he was born into- in his Machivellian world view, deception ,burglary and even murder can be justified . Through him Adiga's 2008 Booker prize win is a concise portrayal of modern India ,where new found capitalism meets age-old casteism ,where glitzy new cities are built in the ruins of rural India and where money talks and morals are futile,Balram narrative illustrated the price contemporary India pays to acquire economic prosperity.

9. Narcopolis by Jeet thayil 

Jeet 2012 book -shortlisted debut novel is a series of interconnected vignettes recounting what life in the sordid underbelly of Bombay was like ,before its reincarnation as Mumbai. Dom Ullis is the dysfunctional narrator,but the real protagonist is the metropolis itself -at one both tempting and grotesque in its array of addictions and deviance and the underworld that composes its lethal side , Part roman-a-clef ,part cathartic confession, the dis orienting ,hypnotic prose is interposed with observations about the hypocrisies and complexities of Indian society .  

10.Delhi is Not Far by Ruskin Bond

Summing up Ruskin Bond's contribution to Indian writing is no easy task,From short stories to novellas ,non fiction and children 's fiction-you name it , this Anglo-Indian author has left his indelible mark on every aspect of Indian writing . Delhi if not far his critically acclaimed 1994 novella ,deals with the small -towner's ultimate dream-making it to the big city .Arun an amateur writer of Urdu detective novels is ,bidding his time in the sleepy ,fictitious town of Pipalnagar until he pens his breakthrough novel ,which he believes will be his gateway to Delhi, a dream every Pipalnagar resident harbors .Imbued with the charm and subtle humor unique to Bond , this is a story about optimism ,dreams and human foibles.  

Ratings:

My thoughts :

I was captivated by this novel from beginning to end. As a Muslim and a woman I really related to the character Najwa. Her gradual transformation from a spoiled, somewhat shallow teen, to a pensive, observant Muslim is a pleasure to observe. This story is fictional, but the message is definitely real and it's something that could affect anyone. Najwa loses everything and hits rock bottom, but through faith in God, she's able to gain strength and not lose hope. This novel was wholly entertaining and superbly written. The characters were well developed, especially the despicable Anwar, one of Najwa's chief antagonists. I would recommend Minaret to anyone, especially Muslim women. I look forward to Aboulela's future novels.

This is a book about one woman -- Najwa -- dealing with loss: the loss of her family, her home, her status, her country, and her sense of self. The only time "Islam" comes into play here is that it is with her faith that Najwa finds some answers for herself. The book doesn't bash you over the head with Islam. Any Christian, Jew, Buddhist, etc. who has found their own sense of peace through their faith will relate to Najwa.

Minaret is a very insightful novel about the inner worldview and frame of mind that Muslims experience. I am sure many Muslim readers (especially converts, and those who weren't practicing in their past) can relate to Najwa's reversion to Islam. During Najwa's youth, while she was always intrigued with Islam, she nonetheless lived a normal modern life under the influence of her family and friends. But once she realized the significance of Allah, only then did she truly understand the meaning of life. The novel also brings up many common issues faced by Muslims today, regarding the supposed hypocritical double-standardness for men and women in the Muslim world, having "blind" faith in religion, gender relations in Islam, varying Muslim attitudes to Islam, and the importance of repentance and the grand mercy of Allah. Through Najwa, Ms. Aboulela is able to portray the psyche of a true Muslim in ways most people, especially with the common western-modern/scientistic world view would otherwise be unable to grasp. Excellent Read, as I completed reading the (almost 300 page) book in 3 sittings, as I couldnt put it down.

The icing on the cake, and truly the saddest part of the novel is the ending. It defies all clichés and really makes this novel genuine work of art. Who ever said happy endings make a book good

They all broke the rules. They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all tampered with the laws that lay down who should be loved, and how. And how much.’

This is the story of Rahel and Estha, twins growing up among the banana vats and peppercorns of their blind grandmother’s factory, and amid scenes of political turbulence in Kerala. Armed only with the innocence of youth, they fashion a childhood in the shade of the wreck that is their family: their lonely, lovely mother, their beloved Uncle Chacko (pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom-pincher) and their sworn enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun, incumbent grand-aunt).

Arundhati Roy’s Booker Prize-winning novel was the literary sensation of the 1990s: a story anchored to anguish but fuelled by wit and magic.

My thoughts:

Roy's 1997 Booker prize winning masterpiece is a heart wrenching accounts of twins Rahel and Esrha's childhood in 1960's communist Kerala and its decaying but relevant caste system . 

Tragic events ,beginning with the accidental death of their visiting British cousin Sophie Mol ,cruelly crush the protagonist's innocence and upturn their young lives.

Roy;s inventive and original writing style - broken narrative and tactile imagery redolent with symbolism and made up words- is divisive ;irritating to some, ingenious to others,but it constructs with almost painfully vivid clarity the thoughts ,hopes and fears that inhabit the minds of children .At its heart is an eloquent tribute to love- the one thing that endures despite anything .Evocative ,passionate and dripping with imagery ,if you make it to the final twist ,this is sort of book that will haunt you for weeks.

  

My Thoughts:

Wow, I always seem to love Dessen’s books and I loved this one just as much as the others.

I read it within 3 days, I breezed right through it!

We are introduced to Sydney who has always been in the shadow of her older brother Peyton. Or at least it seems that way. In my opinion, I thought Sydney was an amazing person all on her own. I liked Sydney much more than I liked Peyton.

When Peyton finally gets into trouble he can’t get out of his family is left to deal with the consequences. This affects his whole family.

Sydney really had to grow up and fast and her parents sometimes treated her like she was in the one in trouble. Sydney was such a kind and gentle soul.

She also meets a boy named Mac. Sweet sweet Mac. Sydney really likes. She understands them.  He also has a nice little family whoshe likes them.

I don’t want to say much about this one. I don’t want to ruin it. I loved the jail aspect because it really put some things in perspective. I liked the family and romance too. I thought this was a sweet and charming novel. It was raw and emotional but I also felt happy at times.

 I felt so attached to these characters that there was a point when it was like they were my friends. I could relate to Sydney in almost every way from her being invisible and trying to prove to her parents That she is a good kid. I could understand where she was coming from. I could also understand the guilt she felt about David Ibarra. The fact that she felt like she has to carry the guilt and no one else does..

The character whole stole my heart was Layla! What a firecracker. The perfect best friend. I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this book. I've read all of Sarah Dessen's books , this however is my second favorite, second only to The Truth About Forever. Maybe because there are some similarities between Mac and Wes. Sydney was truly a different character. We do not know much about her, her hobbies, she's not as developed as the other and she is outshines by all the others. It's like Dessen wanted her to seem invisible to readers, adding to us being able to relate to her better. Empathy for Sydney came easy. This a great summer read for teens and adults. I can't wait to read it again!!!

Ratings:
Overall: I really loved this one!!! 5 cupcakes all the way from me! Loved the plot, loved the characters, and just flat out loved it all!!! Highly recommend this one

SYNOPSIS

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.


MY THOUGHTS

Theodores Finch is always thinking of different way to kill himself, and something always stops him. One day, on top of a Bell Tower, Finch meets Violet Markley. She is still grieving over her older sisters death, and is desperately trying a way to stay afloat in her nightmare. Somehow, both of the protagonists manage to get each other down from the Bell Tower, and start to find comfort in each other. When they both get paired up in a school project, to discover the wonders of Indiana: they grow even closer.

Finch has slowly prised open Violets views of the world; and she starts to develop into the butterfly she has been waiting to be again. But- what is really going on with Finch: that boy that Violet is starting to fall for?

I cannot express my endearment for this book: every page was a work of astounding art. I was enraptured from the beginning to the end; simply amazed by the magical way that Jennifer Niven writes. The friendship of Violet and Finch was executed perfectly- with a sprinkle of lust and humour entwined in it. Teenage attitudes in general were portrayed excellently; as a lot of the characters were extremely relatable. Beautiful descriptions of the two characters wonderings made me feel like I was completing the school project with them. Niven also shows many different family structures in, 'All The Bright Places-' and hits them spot on.

I loved how Jennifer Niven easily erased the stigma around mental illness, and stopping societies distorted and unrealistic views of it. I adored the diversity of the characters, the plot was weaved with certainty, and the writing was top notch. I rate this book 5/5 hoots, as it is easily in my top five favourite books: and it will be sticking in my mind for a long time!

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.


“Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park, set in the 1980s, is a high school romance between two sixteen-year-olds misfits. Now this may sound off-putting to most people, but this book, although not wholly different from other high school romance stories, is worth a read.

Eleanor, with her rather distracting red hair and unfortunate dress sense, might as well be holding up a sign saying "PICK ON ME." Though she was maddeningly stupid at times, she was quite an endearing character. Park was never a victim of bullying, but was a clear misfit due to the fact that he was half-Korean in a predominantly white school. His home life, in contrast to Eleanor's dangerously unstable one, was almost perfect apart from a bit of nagging by his dad.

The book's beginning was relatively slow-paced, and focused on the gradual development of Eleanor and Park's relationship. There was no love at first sight, rather, a progression from strangers, to friends, to lovers. Of course, as soon as their relationship progressed to the "love" stage, they were all "I live for you," and "I don't think I can breathe when we're not together." (although this IS an accurate portrayal of high-schoolers in love).

Call me soulless and stone-hearted, but I loved the ending. It was PAINFUL, but it was realistic.

lovely vicious review: 



Fire meets ice. Love meets hate. 

Seventeen-year-old Isis Blake hasn't fallen in love in three years, nine weeks, and five days, and after what happened last time, she intends to keep it that way. Since then she’s lost eighty-five pounds, gotten four streaks of purple in her hair, and moved to the Buttcrack-of-Nowhere Ohio to help her mom escape a bad relationship. 

All the girls in her new school want one thing – Jack Hunter, the Ice Prince of East Summit High. Hot as an Armani ad, smart enough to get into Yale, and colder than the Arctic, Jack Hunter’s never gone out with anyone. Sure, people have seen him downtown with beautiful women, but he’s never given high school girls the time of day. Until Isis punches him in the face.

Jack’s met his match. Suddenly everything is a game.

The goal: Make the other beg for mercy. 

The game board: East Summit High.

The reward: Something neither of them expected.


“And then he came, and pulled her petals off one by one, forcing her to surround herself with thorns to survive. But he missed one petal. And she guards it with a tiger's ferocity.”

I was expecting Lovely Vicious to be one of "those" books. You know, the mindless, bland ones where you have a "beautiful, but broken" girl, who gets swept up in a whirlwind romance with a "broken" boy? Although it does technically belong in the aforementioned category, it was pleasantly NOT boring. 

Isis
Our heroine is a 17-year-old ex-"fat girl", who's trying to forget her traumatic past and leave it behind. However, she's not your usual emotionally unstable, wishy-washy heroine. She's witty and funny, and does all she can from preventing people from seeing the real her by making a show of acting like she's got an overabundance of self-esteem. She's incredibly strong, managing to deal with her messed-up life as well as the aftermath of her mother's abusive relationship. Her dialogue was hilariously charming, although quite cringe-worthy at times. 

Jack
Jack is one of those cliched "cold-and-detached-but-insanely-gorgeous-dudes-who-secretly-have-a-heart-of-gold". He's brash, he's rude, and appears to have little or no regard for anyone he knows. In addition to being dark and brooding, he also has a "mysterious past" (you see what I meant when I said he was a cliched character?) and is linked to this girl called Sophia, whom no one is willing to tell Isis about. I didn't feel much sympathy for Jack, mostly due to the fact that he was downright rude to Isis and showed few signs of repentance. I suppose some people would find that charming, though.

Overall, Lovely Vicious was a fast-paced and incredibly addictive book, although by no means realistic (for instance, there was that scene where the principal stuck up pictures of one of his students' younger years in the corridor walls. Really, now?). There was (thankfully) no insta-love, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying Isis and Jack's "war" and the ways they tried to destroy each other, as well as the mystery surrounding Jack, against my will.

Oh, but that cliffhanger. It left me screaming. I will definitely be anticipating the sequel to Lovely Vicious, and any other book that Sara Wolf writes.