Book Review: Red-Rum muR-deR by Sourish Roy | Murder Mystery and Detective Fiction Novella

    

Book Review

Red-Rum muR-deR by Sourish Roy

Red-Rum muR-deR by Sourish Roy

Author: Sourish Roy

ISBN: 978-8195039234

Genre: Murder Mystery, Thriller & Detective Fiction

Length: 70 Pages

Publication Date: 23^rd February 2021

Publisher: Bigfoot Publications

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/3t9RiRl

About the author:

Recipient of the Best Short Story Collection Award at Konark Literature Festival 2019 and ICMDR Awards Mumbai 2020 respectively along with many other medallions of honor and felicitation all across India for his debut book TALES FROM BENGAL, Sourish Roy, has already earned the renown of being dedicated to the daily life problems of the underprivileged class. His stories have been regularly published in English and Bangla dailies and magazines. His critical essays have also been provided space in some academic books. Now with Red-Rum muR-deR he looks to embark on a new journey into the realms of thrill and mystery.

Sourish Roy

Facebook: @sourishjal

Instagram: @sourish_roy_author

Twitter: @sourishjal

REVIEW

Summary

Red-Rum muR-deR by Sourish Roy, primarily, a murder mystery and thriller can also be put into the subcategory – detective fiction; set in the college campus premises located at the outskirts of Jalpaiguri, a suburban town in West Bengal, where a detective-aide duo of college professors embark on the journey of unearthing the innermost secrets and deciphering the conundrum in order to unravel the murder mystery that hides behind it the grim downside of dissipation and debauchery; this is a perfect conglomeration of whodunit and howcatchem bringing about a unique sensation to mystery element; while the book imitates modern-day classic literature through the author’s flowery language, it also opens a discussion on the elephant in the room, a subject that is mostly avoided; this cleverly plotted mystery novella empowered with enticing writing style, shrewd detective, sensuality, and a compelling riddle will keep you pondering even after it ends.

Review

Now, I’ll briefly take you through a few elements of this murder mystery.

Setting: In any detective fiction, setting plays an important role; the story and its setting are inseparable elements. Here, the setting can be defined as the college campus and specifically, the crime scene inside the boys’ hostel. The story takes place during the Durga Puja—an annual socio-cultural and religious festival marking the victory of goddess Durga in her battle against the shape-shifting asura, Mahishasura; popular in and celebrated by Bengalis, Odia, Maithils, and Assamese communities. 

The story also starts with this quick-witted and splendid conversation between two college professors on the subject regarding the splendor of the puja festivities. This sets the tone and the theme right for the upcoming events. Apart from the puja, the story focuses on the squalid condition of the hostel and the disordered room in particular, around which most of the sleuthing occurs. These all elements permit the deadly event and the investigation as well.

 A murder: The murder is the catalyst and center of the novella. This crime as it should be is a seemingly unsolvable mystery at first. However, the story is a combination of whodunit and howcatchem. You know the series of events that led to the murder, yet it remains as suspenseful as ever because you are still on the lookout for ‘who’ and ‘how’. Here, the victim is a student who is found dead in the hostel room on the day of shoshthi.

Detective-aide duo: Sourish Roy has done a commendable job at developing these two complementary characters—Saranya and Sankhajit. Saranya is a highly skilled problem solver, who possesses traits of being objective, logical, pensive, and observant. Yes, pretty conventional. Sankhajit is that intellectually inferior sidekick that most popular detective fiction novels happen to have. Here, Sankhajit is a narrator for the most part of the story. The dialogues and tones in the book are compelling and often incorporate allegories, symbolism, and metaphors, further intensifying the mystery.

Suspects and the antagonist: The most remarkable part of the book is the subject that brings together suspects, the victim, and the antagonist. The book, for most of the part, contains mystery-solving by Saranya, Sankhajit, and the Officer-in-Charge Dibyendu Lahiri. There is almost everything that you can expect from average detective fiction when it comes to uncovering the mystery and the duo does a fabulous job. There are multiple people involved in the act and because the book is a novella, you come to know ‘who’, ‘why’, and ‘how’ at the very end during the climax and it’s all done just like that. It is quite impressive how the author has managed to accommodate such details in the minimal word count. There is a morally depraved antagonist. There are suspects having more or less the same virtue as the victim and the antagonist.

Theme: I would personally prefer Red-Rum muR-deR as detective fiction, having murder mystery for the central theme. Five out of eight chapters are dedicated to the quest for the truth. Two out of the remaining three chapters are narrated in the third-person POV narrating the story in a different timeline that eventually leads to the crime. This blend of two different styles of writing detective fiction proves to be crucial for this particular short book. The pre-eminent subject which the author has deftly tackled is – adultery. I loved how conveniently it has been established as an inseparable part of the story. In the end, the author draws a line between being liberated and being promiscuous, which is a very subjective matter and thus opens an unending debate on the addressed subject. The author has fitted in literal riddles and incoherently so, although it only encourages you to interact with the story.

 

All in all, this extremely short book, which you can finish reading in the span of a couple of hours has in store for you a completely unique and a classic experience emerging through exuberant writing style and the unification of mystery with sensuality.

Happy Reading!

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Disclaimer: This article is intended for review purposes only. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful.

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Book Review: Sunset by the River by Sameer Saxena | Contemporary Romantic Thriller (2020)

 

Book Review

Sunset by the River by Sameer Saxena

Sunset by the River by Sameer Saxena (cover design: @roughworkk)

Author: Sameer Saxena

ASIN: B08H18J8D5

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Thriller

Length: 174 Pages

Publisher: Flipping Pages (29^th August 2020)

My Ratings: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2FJMBLB

About the author:

Hailing from Jhumka city – Bareilly, Sameer Saxena is currently working as an Assistant Manager in UCO bank, posted in the hilly area of Uttrakhand. He has completed his graduation in Mechanical Engineering in 2013 after which he worked as a teaching associate for two years, before joining the bank.

Sameer wrote short plays for college cultural fests which were played in various colleges. He was the mentor of his college club and actively participated in various college activities like anchoring, paper presentations, and short plays. He was often called by his faculties to write the speeches for them and from there he has taken a step further to write his first novel, “Sunset by the River”, five years back.

Sameer is an active social media enthusiast and writes articles, blogs on a wide range of topics.

Sameer Saxena

Instagram: @authorsameer

Facebook: @sam.saxena13

Twitter: @Author_Sameer

REVIEW

Summary

Sunset by the River by Sameer Saxena – a contemporary romantic thriller, can be seen as an eye-opener for the society we currently live in, where people don’t recognize mental health as essential as physical health, be it for stigma or lack of awareness and resources; at the same time the book –  with its simple, ordinary yet unique and special characters – is a paragon of Indian coming of age romance where the author sets out to tackle some very serious issues such as unethical faith healing, exorcism, challenges for psychiatry in India and so on; incorporating elements of love, laughter, agony, friendship, suspense, and contemporary romance, this book will keep you glued to flipping pages until no page is left unturned as it emanates immense pleasure and a sense of responsibility towards society.

Narration

Sunset by the River is narrated in third-person POV and for once it shifts to first-person POV when it is needed. The writing style is simple and consistent throughout the book, although the tone is exciting at times. The language is again comprehensible and could be read by anyone including beginners. Additionally, Sameer Saxena has succeeded in keeping the suspense.

Location, Setting, and Characters

The story is set in Delhi, Rajasthan and Japan of the years 2018-19. The story starts off in Japan, where Ayaan, the protagonist is working on his dream project. The story hooks the reader as soon as it starts when Ayaan receives several calls from India. Ayaan immediately returns to India and relates the past events of his life to his friend Hiteish before leaving. And so the story unfolds gradually. Ayaan, Monisha – Ayaan’s best friend and colleague, and Tripti – Monisha’s friend form a trio. The location and setting have an implicit effect on the characters, their behavior and it reflects in their lifestyle. Japan – where this ‘sunset’ from the title belongs to – has got one of the beautiful expositions to its account. Besides, there is one more place, which is of crucial importance to the plotline, has been described with extreme care, keeping it as realistic and neutral as possible, leaving it on readers to form an opinion. 

Theme

Contemporary or coming of age romance could be considered as the central theme of this novel. The early career life and college life are portrayed simply, being careful not to exaggerate. The relationships between characters seem natural and quite relatable. Although the author tried not to overplay these ordinary characters there are instances with the cinematic touch, in a good way. There is another theme – mental health care in India – that holds great significance in this novel. It makes you aware of the current condition of psychiatry in India. The book also confronts exorcism and brings it into question for its ethicality, which, in some cases of healing practices doesn’t conform to. They are potentially dangerous and are not in line with ethical principles – autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Moreover, the theme goes on to convey a powerful message that is beneficial in all aspects.

Plot

The first half of the book narrates how the trio gets together as close friends, while the second half is a thriller that conveys the darker truths of society’s wretched perception towards mental illnesses and our mental healthcare system.

“Not a single person would tell their boss if they were having a panic attack, or they were feeling depressed, or they were experiencing any sort of anxiety. Because in our society, these symptoms are not considered as diseases; rather they are used slangs to bully."

My Views

When I started reading this book, I didn’t expect so many surprises and shocks. It was a pleasure reading the kind of romance this book captures. The best part about the book is that it’s not at all what you would assume it to be. It is really nice to see debut novelist breaking through numerous cliché romance tropes, which many popular Indian authors fail to do. Also, I commend the choice of subject the author has made to be addressed.

While the main characters were well developed, I felt that there could have been extensive roles to be played by the families involved, particularly Monisha’s character. Again, the length of the book felt short as I expect to see more of these characters and this fascinating story.

Happy Reading!

========================

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Book Review: Bhoot Bhavish Bartaman by Mehool Parekh | Crime, Thriller & Suspense

Book Review

Bhoot Bhavish Bartaman by Mehool Parekh

Bhoot Bhavish Bartaman by Mehool Parekh

Author: Mehool Parekh

ISBN: 978-9352019830

Genre: Crime, Thriller & Suspense

Length: 317 Pages

Publisher: Leadstart Publishing Pvt. Ltd. (15 January 2020)

My Ratings: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/39QiCeD

About the author: 

A finance professional, Mehool has, over time, worked as a management consultant, equity research head and a fund manager. He ran a successful venture capital fund and is currently a private equity investor in growth companies. In between these, he has dabbled in film finance and production and owns a well-known media company. He lives in Mumbai with his family.

Mehool Parekh

Instagram: @mehoolparekh

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhootbhavishbartaman/
Twitter: @parekhm

REVIEW

Summary of the Book

Bhoot Bhavish Bartaman, particularly a whodunit story, is surely an absorbing and finely written novel revolving around a striking main character’s complex life that boldly confronts the corporal and lucrative desires of human beings.

Narration

The book is written in third person POV that produces accurate information at the right time for readers. The narration is perfect in a way; profound details and flawless writing style altogether makes it a fruitful read for any type of reader. It is precisely a well-structured novel comprising a narration rocking back and forth on the timeline, maintaining balance with suspense at every step.

Location, Setting & Theme

The story is set in Mumbai ─ India’s largest city and Pune ─ “Oxford and Cambridge of India” as our former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru referred to it. The narration covers two decades of time starting from the year 1996. Apart from Pune where the murder has been reported, mostly the story represents western suburbs of Mumbai such as Vasai, Kandivali, Lokhandwala, etc. Locations depicted in the book are very well researched by the author it seems. The book deals with many subjects along with the investigation of a murder that took place in an apartment where initially the house help is the prime suspect. The book also explores dark sides of some industries including film and financial industries.

Characters

The author has certainly developed alluring characters that readers would not want to leave them, not even after the end. What really adds to these characters is the dialogues, which are thoroughly carried out corresponding to each character’s personalities. Dialogues make them animated and put life into them.

Rupali, a beautiful lady in her early thirties who has been found dead, lying in a pool of blood on her bed. Rupali’s character is dramatically captivating with the most dynamic character arc; her life’s journey had been quite intimidating. Ravi Lokhande is the Senior Inspector at Deccan Gymkhana Police Station where the murder has been reported. Lokhandeji is one and only comical character in this novel, who has got almost all the laughter and funny moments to his account. Major Bartaman Bhowmick or ‘Batty’, Southern Command of the Indian Army, whose passion is crime detection. His critical thinking and examining skills attribute to his investigative talent, unlike Lokhandeji who depends on personal prejudices and opinions. Robin Chowdhury, a crime beat reporter at Pune City Times with her keen intellect helps Batty solve this case.

Plot

It is difficult to disclose anything regarding the plot without giving away spoilers. No doubt, this book is unputdownable and really fast-paced. The interesting thing about this book is how Mehool Parekh has included such pressing subjects into the plot. It makes you aware of the reality which is unbelievable. Meanwhile, there is a lot that you got to consume from this book.

Subjects

Bhoot Bhavish Bartaman significantly addresses a sensational topic, a culture that normalizes the use of women’s assets for whatever reason, which was and is being abused willingly or unwillingly by both men and women. It shows, how this culture is conveniently accommodated in several business models. The author Mehool Parekh has made a unique remark, putting in a different perspective. Still, it is the harsh reality of human desires that turns you completely blind and you’re left wanting more and more.

My views

It is amusing how the author has depicted this complex and critical puzzle very easily and much creatively. The duo of Batty and Robin has emerged as an intelligent detective squad. The character of Rupali outshines every other character because the book is tremendously seemed to be focused on her only or maybe I’m just too fascinated by her character. There are a few essay-like expositions which are mind-numbing and requires more energy to comprehend. Lastly, the author criticizes people with self-limiting attitude, who don’t further inspect what they consider unnecessary work or too much than required. It is hard to believe that it is a debut work and I will definitely wish to read more from the author. I would highly recommend this book to everyone because it is full of surprises and information.

Happy Reading!

========================

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Book Review: Freedom by JNK | Human Trafficking and Encounter with Soul

Book Review

FREEDOM by JNK

Freedom by JNK

Author: JNK

ISBN: 978-1646787821

Genre: Children’s Crime & Thriller

Length: 245 Pages

Publisher: Notion Press (21 October 2019)

My Ratings: 🌟🌟🌠

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2UjtaOi

About the author: 

JNK is the pen name of the author. Born and brought up in Chandigarh, she comes from a middle-class family. She studied at Punjab University, Chandigarh. Writing stories has always been her passion, but the wings to her passion were given to her by her daughter and her father. Apart from writing, she enjoys travelling and cooking.

Instagram: @jnk129 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JNK1902/

REVIEW

Freedom by JNK is a ‘Children’s Crime & Thriller’ book addressing a few serious subjects with very plain writing and a simple plot. The book contains two parts, Human Trafficking and Encounter with Soul. The first part is narrated in first person POV by the main character, Honey. And likewise in the second part by Rasbeen. Talking about the writing style, it really needs work because there are numerous grammatical and formatting errors which really wouldn’t go well with children’s linguistics. However, it is like informal and smooth that one couldn’t stop reading despite all these issues. Apart from that, the author has tried to be very vulnerable about telling sentiments of the protagonists which is good as long as it conveys the seriousness of the matter, but not while mentioning the same element as often as done in this book rather showing why one should feel what they are feeling. The author has put out every little detail there, which I think can be proven good.

The book is set in Ahmedabad where a huge human trafficking racket is active. They perform all the illegal activities with the help of their international network and some local fraudsters. And the women and children of underprivileged communities become their victims. Honey is working for a famous detective when she receives one such case of disappearance. The second part depicts the struggles of a young student, the agonies and spiral of thoughts when one is compelled to perform best in order to survive this unfair world with no other choice. The author succeeded in connecting through those vulnerable main characters and suggested that something is very wrong with this humankind.

About the plot, it really kept me to the edge of my seat as it was interesting and I couldn’t wait to discover how the protagonist would deal with the situation. She was in danger and part of a much greater plan. I cared about the main character as she connected directly through personal diary-like writing. However, it ended rather abruptly without any conflict. And about the second part, the conception was excellent but again the execution could have been better.

Like any other book, this also had pros and cons. What I really liked was how the author connected through this vulnerable narration despite flawed writing style and hooked me till the end.

Happy Reading!

========================

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Book Review: Kaalkoot The Lost Himalayan Secret by S. Venkatesh

Book Review

Kaalkoot The Lost Himalayan Secret by S. Venkatesh

Kaalkoot by S. Venkatesh

Author: S. Venkatesh

ISBN: 978-8193642450

Genre: Historical Fiction (Crime, Mystery & Thriller)

Length: 335 Pages

Publisher: TreeShade Books (7 December 2018)

My Ratings: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2YU4AGK

About the author: 

Venkatesh wears many hats. In his roles as private equity investor, executive coach, business leader, entrepreneur and Board member, he has helped businesses thrive and grow. He has spent a significant part of his professional life in the stock markets with Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan and continues to be an avid investor. Venkatesh has been keenly interested in Eastern philosophy and mysticism right from his college days at IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta.

He has found his inspiration to write in rather curious settings - while crawling through war tunnels in Vietnam, coming face-to-face with a bear in the Nilgiris, chancing upon an Indus Valley ruin while on a road trip, listening to “Madhushala,” or just drinking cutting chai by the roadside. He is passionate about self-discovery and the power of stories to inspire and transform.

S. Venkatesh at Higginbotham's, Chennai

Follow him on Instagram: @authorsvenkatesh

Twitter Handle: @AuthorVenkatesh
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSVenkatesh/ 

REVIEW

Narration

Kaalkoot is a crime thriller with the backdrop of mystery, as the subtitle suggests─ The Lost Himalayan Secret. The story has many aspects like the history and the warfare. The book initiates from the time when Quit India Movement was launched. The story is narrated in the third person point of view. The voice is very clear and gives the exact information the reader would want. The narration doesn’t follow any character in particular, it narrates thoughts of every character being followed. The structure of the book is clever and evenly spaced out.

Location and Setting

Kaalkoot has covered many monumental places which includes Mumbai, Kolkata, Goa, Delhi and locations of Himalaya terrain. The novel takes place in June 2018. The story starts with a Prof. Bani living in Kolkata who is poring over some conspiracy theory he had come to know thirteen years back. Damini is an agent at underground Anti-Conspiracy Group (ACG) formed by Indian Government. The setting really complements the plot that absorbs the reader into the world full of agents, hackers and the danger imposing on them all.

Theme

Kaalkoot is a crime thriller with the adventure that comes along discovering the truth and revealing mysteries. In the prologue itself, the author mentions the destruction of the whole earth. Sameer Rajan is the protagonist for the novel and he is one of the strong and courageous characters. While searching for his missing girlfriend he comes to know about the looming threat to thousands of lives from bioweapon called Kaalkoot. These three characters cross their paths only for what fate has destined for them and that is keeping the evil from succeeding in their plans.  

Plot

The story is divided into five parts each focuses on the different task and revealing something new. The book is packed with action scenes and others are intriguing ones. The baseline being the conspiracy theory and the study of history, a history geek would love to reflect on past events. Along the story comes various characters of distinct background from across the country and some foreign. Mostly they are experts, mountaineer, agents and professors. The story doesn’t halt for a second, thus the characters are always in action making their lasting impression, e.g., and agents who don’t get the luxury of time to make a decision. Meanwhile, only three of them (Bani, Damini and Sameer) knows the forthcoming ruination. And they are being constantly followed by the minions of the antagonist. They have to make their choices wisely and quickly for saving those thousands of lives.

My Views

I completely loved Kaalkoot. This is one of the ever progressive novels I have read in my life. The book has many aspects covered from which I liked reading about the history and bioweapons. One of the interesting parts was warfare and international alliances. This might not seem different but it is very different in its own way. The Himalayan secret and the conspiracy theories are very fun to read about literally burying face into the book.

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Book Review: Chloe's Crusade! by Donnalyn Vojta (The Teddy bear Chronicles #2)

Book Review

Chloe's Crusade! by Donnalyn Vojta

(The Teddy Bear Chronicles Book #2)

Chloe's Crusade!

Author: Donnalyn Vojta

ISBN: 978-0999241059

Genre: Crime, Thriller & Suspense

Length: 394 Pages

Publisher: New Traditions Publishing (20th June 2018)

My Ratings: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2XCOLPQ (Kindle)
Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2YCD90B (Paperback)

About the author:

"I have a B.A. (cum laude) from North Central College in Naperville, IL with a major in Humanities (Philosophy emphasis) and a minor in Literature. I also have a Juris Doctorate degree from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL. I practiced law as a litigation and real estate transactions attorney for over 13 years, but then quit that career to do something that makes me happy.

Thus, here I am writing novels. I love it! As far as my accomplishments in the publishing arena, I have a traditional publisher, and both of the first volumes of my unique thriller series have launched. Volumes I and II have been met with wonderful ratings and reviews which, I must say, warms my heart. Volume I is entitled HOPE IN PARIS!, and Volume II is entitled CHLOE'S CRUSADE! When I am not writing, I am working as a private academic tutor to students ages 4 and up."

Donnalyn Vojta

Follow her on Instagram: @suspense_author

Check out her Website: https://www.donnalynvojta.com/

Twitter Handle: @DonnalynVojta

REVIEW

Narration

Chloe’s Crusade! is second in the series, The Teddy Bear Chronicles. As the first book Hope in Paris! was extraordinary, I expected so much from this sequel and guess what! Author has done astounding job writing such an epic suspense thriller. The narration in Chloe’s Crusade! was so much enhanced than in the previous book. This book introduced two new Teddy Bears, Rocco Bear and Tiny Bear. There is more humor, more suspense, more action and more fun! The writing style is as it was in previous one but seems improved with different languages and narration style of Rocco Bear.

Location and Setting

This time the story set in Paris and Venezuela, where New York plays a little part. Most of the suspense and thrill occurs in Venezuela. The Fair Bear stays at Sidney and Kelly’s home on Paris countryside while the Love Bear stays with Tori at Richard and Tori’s House in Paris. Tiny Bear hangs from Chloe’s belt loop as her key chain. Chloe’s in Caracas, Venezuela on her new FBI mission─ drug trafficking operation as a Special Agent. Sleepy Time Bear is at orphanage as before with Ms. Keller. Rocco Bear is with Alessos in New York, who are suspected to be involved in drug trafficking.

As always (I mean previous installment) Donnalyn Vojta has created a great setting. Chloe’s Crusade! is all about the investigation and that thrill of dealing with mafias. The locations included the hangar bays, makeshift FBI office, Tori’s and Kelly’s home, théâtre du châtelet and Alesso’s home in New York as well as Venezuela. And these all added their values of suspense in the book.

Theme

Chloe’s Crusade! is literally a fine piece of Crime, Thriller & Suspense. Tori and Richard has got married with two kids they adopted from orphanage, Bea and C. These kids also play a significant part in the book and again the author, Donnalyn Vojta made these characters even more adorable. Tori and Kelly’s mom realized her mistakes and they’re begin to develop a good relationship with the help of professional counselor. Kelly marries to detective Sidney. Chloe contacts Richard and Sidney asking help for her drug trafficking operation and the plot just blows mind now and then with enrapturing writing style.

Plot

The plot drives through internal and external conflicts of almost every character. Each character is struggling through something, be it mental, physical or emotional struggle. They are conflicted by some external tragedies like this FBI operation, stalker and love triangle. The plot is really fabulous and I am amused that it holds you till the very last word of the book! Such honorable work by Donnalyn Vojta.

My Views

First things first, the narration and writing style is just phenomenal with different and distinct voices, like of Rocco Bear and Charlie. The characters are powerful with their unique strengths and weaknesses. Opening and ending are as entertaining and thrilling as the whole book is.

Now I think that this is one of those underrated books which has to be recognized and deserves all the attention in the world.

Happy Reading!

========================

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Book Review: Hope in Paris! by Donnalyn Vojta (The Teddy bear Chronicles #1)

Book Review

Hope in Paris! by Donnalyn Vojta

(The Teddy Bear Chronicles Book #1)

Hope in Paris! by Donnalyn Vojta

Author: Donnalyn Vojta

ISBN: 978-0999241028

Genre: Crime, Thriller & Suspense

Length: 292 Pages

Publisher: New Traditions Publishing (1st June 2018)

My Ratings: 4.5/5

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/2FBRGCl

About the author:

"I have a B.A. (cum laude) from North Central College in Naperville, IL with a major in Humanities (Philosophy emphasis) and a minor in Literature. I also have a Juris Doctorate degree from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL. I practiced law as a litigation and real estate transactions attorney for over 13 years, but then quit that career to do something that makes me happy.

Thus, here I am writing novels. I love it! As far as my accomplishments in the publishing arena, I have a traditional publisher, and both of the first volumes of my unique thriller series have launched. Volumes I and II have been met with wonderful ratings and reviews which, I must say, warms my heart. Volume I is entitled HOPE IN PARIS!, and Volume II is entitled CHLOE'S CRUSADE! When I am not writing, I am working as a private academic tutor to students ages 4 and up."

Donnalyn Vojta

Follow her on Instagram: @suspense_author

Check out her Website: https://www.donnalynvojta.com/

Twitter Handle: @DonnalynVojta

REVIEW

Narration

Hope in Paris! is a suspense thriller book amazingly narrated by three teddy bears. And it is not a story for KIDS. Yes. Talking about narration, it is the best-est part of Hope in Paris! There are three Teddy Bears at different locations who narrates the story, like they can read and listen and have minds that can store the memories. But like any other non-living objects, they can’t move by themselves or smell or eat. Donnalyn Vojta is so intelligent that she took care of this very well, the Teddy Bear learns as they watch and observe. At sometimes they are funny also. They got their names. Fair Bear, Sleepy Time Bear and Love Bear. First few chapters are the introduction to their surroundings, with whom they live and their past. The story remains steady until the suspense struck hard and it speeds up.

Location and Setting

Fair Bear is in Chicago, Love Bear at Madison and Sleepy Time Bear is in Paris. Fair Bear lives (if that can be a thing) with a couple, Kelly and Mark. Kelly is about to become an RN (Registered Nurse). Mark is her boyfriend who provides her with finances. Kelly and her sister have had a very horrid past with their parents so they happen to leave their parents. Love Bear stays with Richard who is searching for ‘the one’ but never succeeds further than the third date. Sleepy Time Bear rather works at an orphanage at Paris with Ms. V (Rachel Verona), singing and drama instructor. As the story moves, Fair Bear and Love Bear travel to Paris. And most of the story revolves there. The author has described the beauty of Paris so very well that one would not stop cherishing it. The hotels, cafés and the orphanage itself.

Theme

Hope in Paris! is Crime, Thriller & Suspense. After three or so years after, the body of the victim is IDed and news spread across the US and Paris. There is one psychopath who is involved in that murder. I hope it is not a spoiler to say that they all are interconnected that all end up in Paris for some reason. Kelly reunites with her elder sister in Paris after so many years. Richard (Pharmaceutical Engineer) is there for completing his romance novel and to find ‘the one’.

Plot

I cannot explain much because of spoilers and the suspense. Well, the story is all about these two sisters, Kelly and Victoria Donovan. They’ve suffered enough and now their lives are in danger because they have pieces of evidence against the murderer! Will they survive? Opening and ending are at their best. There is one side-character named Chloe, friend to Kelly, plays a strong character and will be continuing the story for the sequel (That’s what I think). The characters are well developed that one can get attached to them emotionally and care about them. Character arcs are also well maintained. There is mention of Schizophrenia (chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves) which develops a kind of awareness for mental disorders. It also depicts how bully parents erode kids’ self-esteem and create long-lasting damage.

My Views

First things first, the narration got me by surprise. The humor that Teddy Bears added was very entertaining in this suspense thriller. The characters and their backstory that the reader can directly connect to. At first, the story was slow paced but gradually paced faster. The wonderful description of Paris. I googled one hotel mentioned in Hope in Paris! and surprise, the exact hotel I saw in the pictures the one I imagined while reading. So, to enhance your experience you can read watching the pictures of these extremely beautiful locations for that Paris vibes. There are a few flaws in the storyline and the writing, for which I will give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The romance factor was really interesting and was moving along the plot very well. It is really charming how the Donnalyn Vojta has carried out good two relationships considering the fact of their being in Paris.

Last but not the least the mental disorders factor. And the bully parents issues.

I would recommend it to everyone out there above age 14. Not just because of suspense or thriller but surprisingly amazing narration.

Happy Reading!

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