Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Hans Christian Andersen GENRE: Fairytale, Classic. PUBLICATION DATE: May 8, 1835 RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: A classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Hasn’t aged well, though the comic edition I read resolves many of the issues in the original story. I read this for nostalgia and came away questioning my younger self’s reading choices. 🤭 Reading ‘Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil’ reminded me of the existence of this story that I had read in my childhood. I didn’t recollect anything about the plot except that it had three dogs with huge eyes. So I decided to reread it again after all these years. Oh boy! Present-me is convinced that Past-me was so fascinated by the dogs that she ignored all the other red flags. 😏 This is the first story published by Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen in 1835, and it has some elements in common with Aladdin. Reading this tale made me realise why it is not more popular. It is not at all a happy story for anyone except the ...

AUTHOR: Hans Christian Andersen GENRE: Short Story, Classic. RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: A classic short story written by fairy tale master Hans Christian Andersen. Good, not great. This story has been on my agenda since many years, but as one of my upcoming audiobooks turned out to be its retelling, I thought it the right time to give this a go. The plot is fairly simple, though its morals go deep. A vain king falls in love with a nightingale’s beautiful voice and keeps her caged in his court, until a toy nightingale that looks prettier comes his way and earns greater esteem from him. The real nightingale secretly returns to her home in the woods, but comes back after hearing about the king’s illness. I don’t know how I would have felt about this tale in my childhood. I sure wouldn’t have analysed it deeply. But reading a classic children’s story in adulthood often results in our finding hitherto undetected flaws. Of course, this was first written in 1844, so times are obviously v...

AUTHOR: Unknown GENRE: Folktale PUBLICATION DATE: N.A. RATING: 3.5 stars. A Norwegian folktale with the ‘Animal As Bridegroom’/’The Search for the Lost Husband’ theme. Plot Preview: A white bear asks a poor farmer for his youngest daughter in exchange for wealth. The daughter reluctantly agrees and goes to live with the bear. Things go decently enough except for one issue. After some time, when she feels homesick, the girl asks the bear for permission to visit her parents. He allows the same, but with one condition. You can guess what might have happened immediately after, but how does the title come into play in this story? Read and find out.. One of my upcoming ARCs is loosely inspired by this classic fairytale, so I had to push it in my reading schedule. I have read it a couple of times earlier, but am reviewing it for the first time.  As far as fairy tales go, this story is obviously great, and obviously of its time. Certain elements haven’t stood the test of time. But as sensi...

AUTHOR: J.H. Foster SERIES: Rebels and Resistance #0.5 GENRE: Historical Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 10, 2025 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A prequel story to the Rebels and Resistance series. Good pacing and plot. A bit hurried at times. Offers a good glimpse of the key characters, but could have done with some more detailing in the emotional bits. Regardless, it does its job as a prequel. I am curious to know these interesting characters more through the main novels. Plot Preview: April 1933, Austria. Hannah, a fifteen-year-old Jewish orphan, lives under the care of her strict Catholic guardian Herr Weisz. His son Pieter is a part of the SS, which makes the situation at home even more restrictive. Hannah’s only friend is Weisz’s niece Katarina, who is three years older. Katarina convinces Hannah to join her into one last jaunt to the city before they have to return to their respective schools. However, their secret escapade turns dangerous when they are caught in the middle o...

AUTHOR: Wanda M. Morris SERIES: Alibis Collection, #6 GENRE: Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: June 2, 2025 RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: The sixth and final story in the Alibis collection. More of a domestic drama; not much of a mystery or thriller. The characters are interesting but the plot has neither depth nor surprises. Not great, not bad. Plot Preview: To the outside world, Hannah and her husband have the perfect marriage. But only Hannah knows the emotional trauma and gaslighting she endures behind closed doors. She has her small acts of rebellion when he isn't home, but if he’s present, he keeps attacking her dignity. When he threatens to take away even the small things that bring her joy, she is forced to amp up her mutiny. The story comes to us in Hannah’s third-person perspective. This is the sixth standalone story in the 'Alibis’ series, described on Amazon as “stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a matter of what you can get away with.” Woohoos: 🥳 ...

AUTHOR: Chad Zunker SERIES: Alibis Collection, #5 GENRE: Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: June 2, 2025 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: The fifth story in the Alibis collection. Finally a proper pacy thriller in this collection, even though it isn't the most original of plots. Plot Preview: In her new neighbourhood, Kara has just one friend: Mindy. So when Mindy confides to Kara her suspicion that Mindy’s husband might be having an affair, Kara, who stays just across, promises to keep an eye. One night, Kara sees someone sneaking into Mindy’s house, and she does what a good neighbour would: she goes to take a closer look even though her husband Jackson warns her not to meddle. She certainly doesn’t expect to find what she did, and worse, she doesn’t expect to be running for her life. The story comes to us in the alternating third-person perspectives of Kara and Jackson. This is the fifth standalone story in the 'Alibis’ series, described on Amazon as “stories about lies, truth, ...

AUTHOR: Chris Bohjalian SERIES: Alibis Collection, #4 GENRE: Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: June 2, 2025 RATING: 0.5 stars. In a Nutshell: The fourth story in the Alibis collection. The first chapter is the only one worth reading. Which isn’t a good thing for a story of eleven chapters. No thrills, no major surprises, not much action, not even any alibi. Can be safely skipped. Plot Preview: (Too bored to write sensible sentences, so bear with the below gibberish.) Two skydivers – one fatal incident – one key witness – many contradictions. Two brothers – one dead father – one farm – many arguments. Both the above tracks come to us in alternating chapters and are interlinked. This is the fourth standalone story in the 'Alibis’ series, described on Amazon as “stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a matter of what you can get away with.” In my review for the third story, I declared it “the weakest story of the series so far.” I had to put my foot in my mouth and jinx the ...

AUTHOR: David Lagercrantz TRANSLATOR: Elizabeth DeNoma SERIES: Alibis Collection, #3 GENRE: Short Story. PUBLICATION DATE: June 2, 2025 RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: The third story in the Alibis collection and the weakest one so far. The whole story struck a false note in all aspects except for pacing. My feelings are hence quite discordant. Plot Preview: William’s father is a renowned opera singer in Stockholm. Since childhood, William has seen not just his father’s fame but also his secret side: his vanity, his temper, his alcoholism, and his physical cruelty towards women. As an adult, William finally has a life and a love of his own, but even now, his father casts a long shadow over him. When William’s girlfriend Ebba decides that they ought to meet his father and settle the issues of the past, their lives change in an unexpected direction. This is the third standalone story in the 'Alibis’ series, described on Amazon as “stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a...

AUTHOR: Sally Hepworth SERIES: Alibis Collection, #2 GENRE: Short Story. PUBLICATION DATE: June 2, 2025 RATING: 3.25 stars. In a Nutshell: The second story in the Alibis collection. Quite entertaining as long as you know what to expect from this author. Better read as a domestic drama than as a thriller, even though the mystery is decent. A nice, quick, one-time read. Plot Preview: A reputed chef is found dead in the walk-in freezer at his restaurant. On the night of his death, all three of his ex-wives and his two adult children were present at the restaurant. The former three, because they have a tradition of meeting every Friday for dinner. The latter two, because they work at the restaurant. Each of them has a strong motive to kill the chef, but each of them also has an alibi. Now it is up to Detective Charlene Li to sort through the clues and figure out what happened. If only her assistant weren’t such a nincompoop. The story comes to us from the third-person perspective of almo...

AUTHOR: Freida McFadden SERIES: Alibis Collection, #1 GENRE: Psychological thriller, Short story. PUBLICATION DATE: June 1, 2025. RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A short psychological drama about a woman on death row. Unreliable narrator, but not in the way you would expect. A fast read, but shouldn’t be read too fast lest you miss the clues. A clever story with a slightly confusing ending that makes brilliant sense once you ponder over it. A great start to the Alibis collection. Plot Preview: ( This preview doesn’t do justice to the plot. But I am keeping this vague as this story is best discovered by going in blind. The GR blurb reveals too much as usual .) Talia Kemper is on death row for murdering her husband Noel. Despite proclaiming her innocence vehemently (she has a rock-solid alibi after all!), no one believes her. Her last hope is her final appeal for clemency, because if that is rejected, she has just two weeks for her execution by lethal injection. As she waits for him, s...

AUTHOR: Alix E. Harrow GENRE: Short story, Dystopian Fantasy. PUBLICATION DATE: March 11, 2025 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A dystopian-fantasy short story about love, trust, fate, hope and courage. Imaginative plot, well-sketched characters, lyrical prose, unexpected twists, apt ending that left me wanting more. After a long while, I read a story without any distractions or pauses. Much recommended! Plot Preview: In a post-apocalyptic world, a small outland town named Iron Hollow, set along the Red River in the Appalachian mountains, finds itself facing many challenges, but none like the demons rising from its own people. When the leader summon a legendary knight for help in hunting the latest monster, seventeen-year-old Shrike is not happy. The knight is just as determined to do his job and kill the demon as Shrike is to get rid of the knight. Why? Read and find out. The story comes to us in Shrike’s first-person perspective. PSA: The Goodreads blurb reveals way too much. (...

AUTHOR: Christina Lauren SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #1 GENRE: Romance Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A lovely story about a meet-cute that develops over a decade. Part epistolary. Good main characters. Mostly interesting storyline. Might have been a top-star experience for me had the second half performed better. Plot Preview: On February 14th 2013, an email that is supposed to reach a teacher ends up in a student’s inbox, thanks to a typo. The recipient informs the sender, also a student but a stranger, of the mistake, and they both end their conversation by wishing each other a Happy Valentine’s Day. The next year, one of them decides to wish the other one again. Thus begins an annual exchange of emails on February 14th – no names (it helps that the official school email ids have only initials), no personal identifiers, no photos. As the years go by, the friendship stays strong, but there is an underlying urge to know th...

AUTHOR: Abby Jimenez SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #2 GENRE: Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A romantic short story that is sweet as well as emotional. Loved how intricate it was for its length. Hit just the right spot for my current mood. Worth a read. Plot Preview: Holly, a hospice nurse, is on her toughest assignment: watching her grandmother die. Just coming out of a tough breakup, she is more affected by the emotional intensity of the situation. So when a lovey-dovey card is stuck to her windshield on Valentine’s Day, she is quite amused, even though the note wasn’t meant for her. Thus begins a cute exchange of anonymous notes with the “worst wingman ever”, of some selfless acts, and of some life-changing advice. But all good things have to come to an end, right? The story comes to us in the first-person perspectives of Holly and her anonymous “wingman.” This is the second standalone story in the 'The Improbable Meet-Cu...

AUTHOR: Sally Thorne SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #3 GENRE: Short Story PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024 RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: Finally a story that has a “meetcute” as promised. Gets a bit too cheesy in its dialogues, but after reading two 1-star duds in this series, this came as a huge relief. Will work well if you are looking for quick and mindless fun. (The word “mindless” is crucial to remember!) Plot Preview: Rosie has always felt second best to her talented and smart elder sister Bree. They are still very close to each other. To celebrate Bree’s latest promotion, Rosie books an expensive package at an elite day spa, ready for a day of pampering. One of the treatments involves entering a shell-shaped flotation tank. The last thing Rosie expects is to be locked inside her tank. When firefighters are called to open up the shell, one of them seems to have a dreamy voice, a corny sense of humour, and a high flirtation quotient. Will this “Dreamboat” turn out to be t...

AUTHOR: Ashley Poston SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #5 GENRE: Romance Short Story. PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024 RATING: 1 star. In a Nutshell: Another illogical insta-love short story masquerading as a “meet-cute”! Better than Story #6 , but by a minuscule margin. Plot Preview: Audrey Love has a special ability – anyone she kisses finds their soulmate on the next day. However, she herself is destined to stay single. When she is asked to be the “best man” at her friend Rhett’s wedding, she is annoyed to find that the bride’s “maid of honour” is the bride’s best friend Theo, who did something annoying to Audrey when they first met. However, on the big day, Rhett goes missing, and Audrey is forced to assist Theo in searching for her lost friend. What doesn’t help is that Audrey has a hangover after the bachelor party and she can’t remember if she kissed Rhett last night. Did she indirectly help him find his true soulmate? Can she find Rhett in time for the wedding without being...

AUTHOR: Sariah Wilson SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #6 GENRE: Romance, Short Story. PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024 RATING: 1 star. In a Nutshell: More “Improbable” than “Meet-Cute.” Plot Preview: Princess Ilaria of Monterra ( probably the fictional equivalent of Monaco ) is fed up of the paparazzi watching her every move. A day before Valentine’s, when she is in Rome for a royal obligation, all she wants is one normal day without anyone’s judgemental stares or intrusive photos. So she gets her PR assistant to swap places with her for the weekend. Her first day as a “commoner” on the streets of Rome gets off to a shaky start, but a Scottish photographer swoops in for the rescue. There is an instant (🤦🏻‍♀️) connection between the two, but can there be any future to such a liaison when she has royal duties awaiting her? The story comes to us in Ilaria’s first-person perspective. This is the sixth standalone story in 'The Improbable Meet-Cute’ series, described on Amazon...