The three words that instantly popped into my head a mere couple of pages into this book were heartbreaking, poignant, and important. Shelley Sackier has created a likable and relatable character in Opal and used her to tackle an important and pervasive issue: our relationship with our bodies in an era where processed, fatty, salty,… Read More Book Review: ‘Dear Opl’ by Shelley Sackier
I like a book with depth. Most often than not, a book with depth is also packed and long. The Fashion Academy, by Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk, combines depth with a light, spry, and short narrative, leaving a lot of room for the reader to build their own understanding of the lessons learned by… Read More Book Review: ‘The Fashion Academy’ by Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk
From Sahar’s Reviews’ Vault Author Ripley Patton’s debut novel, Ghost Hand, is the first installment of the PSS Chronicles, which captured me from the first page and was very hard to put down, even briefly. A fast-paced young adult paranormal thriller, it managed to pack together tense moments, action packed sequences, the sweet beginnings of… Read More Book Review: Ghost Hand, by Ripley Patton
From Sahar’s Reviews’ Vault Every once in a while, I read a book that, when finished, leaves me content, happy and wrapped in a warm cocoon of happiness. Sieni A.M.’s debut novel, Illumine Her, was just this kind of book. Capturing me from the very first pages, it took me on a wonderful journey to… Read More Book Review: Illumine Her, by Sieni A.M.
The third edition of a round-up of my husband’s book reviews on Sahar’s Reviews is not as much as a round-up as, well, just one review of a book that I also read and enjoyed just as much as he did. Borna rated Monsieur Linh and His Child (by Philippe Claudel) 5 out of 5… Read More Sahar’s Reviews Presents: Borna’s Monthly Book Roundup Number 3
Unfaithfulness is quite a trauma for a spouse to go through. The depictions I have been exposed to are for the most part quite dramatic to the point of hilarity and/or absurdity: the clothes flying out of the window, the slap on the face, so on, so forth. It was so different from the way… Read More Book Review: Kristyn Kusek Lewis – ‘Save Me’
I have to confess from the get go that I went looking, after reading Jennifer Niven’s All The Bright Places, for books that would depict the struggles of teenagers living with issues such as anxiety or depression. Tim Bowler’s Game Changer is a well written and engaging page turner that follows Mikey during a particularly… Read More Book Review: ‘Game Changer’ by Tim Bowler
Leftovers is the second book by Stella Newman I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. The story is a little different, but the morale is the same: while romance is beautiful, it is not a necessary component to building a happy, fulfilling life. No, Leftovers is not a rant on the superiority of… Read More Book Review: ‘Leftovers’ by Stella Newman
Being a teenager is already hard; but it’s even harder when your mother is a congresswoman running for re-election. While seventeen year-old Reagan Fray doesn’t have to worry about material things, she has a lot of other things that weigh her down. The pressure of appearing perfect is extremely difficult; taking example from her mother,… Read More Book Review: ‘Life Unaware’ by Cole Gibsen
In a tradition similar to that of Jennifer Weiner, the lives of four women become tightly intertwined as they learn that life lived through wishful thinking does not guarantee their dreams coming true. Four years ago, the precocious Kenzie Armstrong saw an end to her quick ascent up the marketing career ladder because of a… Read More Book Review: Lindy DeKoven – ‘The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking’