postcardsandbooks

postcardsandbooks's Reviews:

A guide on how to cram every known stereotype in one single book

Motherland by G.D. Abson

June 24, 2018 by postcardsandbooks Leave a Comment

When my bookclub chose a thriller taking place in Russia for the month of June, I was ecstatic. I am a big fan of crime procedurals and I love Saint Petersburg, so I was sold – until I realized it was actually written by a Brit. Now, I’m not saying people cannot write books in whichever culture they’d wish to, I was just apprehensive because when you tackle something like this, you better do a superb job of it – otherwise it will feel like a parody. Unfortunately, Motherland didn’t manage, in my opinion, to paint a picture I find […]

6/24/2018 postcardsandbooks's CBR10 Review No:3 |

A magical unresolution to refugee realities

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

February 21, 2018 by postcardsandbooks Leave a Comment

Another great pick from my Internations bookclub, Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West left me with seriously mixed feelings. On the one hand, I love books that make me question my own paradigms and face my short comings, and this book has definitely scored high points in this category. I also enjoyed the way the author escapes from the commonplace formula of boy meets girl – boy falls in love with girl – they overcome difficulties of their own doing and live happily ever after. Nothing of the sort in this book. It feels real and shows how, in real life, love does not […]

2/21/2018 postcardsandbooks's CBR10 Review No:2 |

Murder, intrigue and the London tube

I See You by Clare Mackintosh

January 16, 2018 by postcardsandbooks 2 Comments

I was very happy when the first pick of my bookclub for 2018 was a mystery novel, which tends to be a genre of fiction I quite enjoy. I haven’t read Clare Mackintosh’s first novel, which was apparently very successful, so I didn’t approach this novel with too many expectations. This books folows 2 main characters: Firstly, we have Zoey, a 40-year-old mother of 2 who one day sees her picture in the newspaper advertising unspecified services amongst ads of the phone-sex variety, and subsequently notices that the same ad runs everyday featuring pictures of different women, some of which […]

1/16/2018 postcardsandbooks's CBR10 Review No:1 |

Another lukewarm Sherlock Holmes adventure

The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Stephen Fry

April 10, 2017 by postcardsandbooks Leave a Comment

As I slowly continue to work my way through the complete works of the world’s most famous detective through the hands of his creator, I find myself kind of grateful that so many others have attempted to capture his essence in so many different means. I say that because I have loved all Sherlock Holmes related entertainment for so long, and I’d never want to give it up. But if I’d started out with the original books, I would have certainly never wanted to keep going back for more. Alas, maybe I’m being a little extremist here. The sign of […]

4/10/2017 postcardsandbooks's CBR9 Review No:15 |

Look, it’s hell, 40 ways! – Take your pick.

Sum: Forty tales from the afterlives by David Eagleman

April 8, 2017 by postcardsandbooks Leave a Comment

This book was a bit of an unexpected surprise. Also, it’s been over a month since I’ve finished it, so I apologize if I get a little hazy on the details. This is a fiction book, with short 1-2 page stories detailing theories of what the afterlive could be. Some could be possible, most are just supposed to be entertaining. Although the author keeps mentioning God, it is not ever religious in any way shape or form – he is just naming whoever wouls have theoretically placed us in the world: a computer, microbes, aliens, dumber forms of life than […]

4/8/2017 postcardsandbooks's CBR9 Review No:14 |

Elementary, my dear Cannonballers.

A Study in Scarlet (Part 1 of Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection) by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Stephen Fry

March 8, 2017 by postcardsandbooks 7 Comments

Yes, he did it. Stephen Fry narrated all of Sherlock Holmes canon plus a personal prologue for each and every book. This is a total of 9 books, 72 hours, all in one pretty little package available for one measly audible credit. Plus a free 30 minute Audible Sessions interview where he’s talking about his experience recording both this and the Harry Potter series. If you, like me, love a good Sherlock Holmes adaptation (or any adaptation) but never actually got around to reading the original books, this is your chance. Plus, as I’ve already stated in an earlier review, I would […]

3/8/2017 postcardsandbooks's CBR9 Review No:13 |

Never expected so many doppelgängers to be roaming the same city, but alright

Kill me again by Rachel Abbott

March 7, 2017 by postcardsandbooks Leave a Comment

Another mystery novel I had read to me courtesy of of Audible’s extra cheap Christmas Daily Deals. I liked this book – it was good, and it actually made me downgrade a previously read as I get more used to the genre and the possibilities it carries. Defense solicitor Maggie Taylor who has recently moved to Manchester for her job – defending the scum of the earth -, phones home to discover her stay-at-home husband has left the kids alone without supper after receiving a suspicious text and disappeared. At the same time, DCI Tom Douglas starts investigating a series […]

3/7/2017 postcardsandbooks's CBR9 Review No:12 |

The Good Immigrant – or how I realized how racist I’ve been all my life

The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla

March 1, 2017 by postcardsandbooks 5 Comments

I just realized I finished this review without saying anything about the book, so I’m back with a short summary. This book groups together 21 essays from minority ethnic people in Britain today, talking about how their ethnicity impacts their every day life. Some of them are famous – actors, comedians, journalists, bloggers -, none of them were known to me. The essays are raw and real, and paint an incredible picture I believe everyone needs to see. And they caused me to reflect deeply on my own life, and my own prejudices. Read it. I was born in Brazil. […]

3/1/2017 postcardsandbooks's CBR9 Review No:11 |

Amanda on You expect me to jump up on board with you and ride off into your delusional sunsetI'm not surprised, it's one of the best books I've read in a long time!
MsWas on Reviewing this makes ME feel like an alien.Great review!!
Liz on You expect me to jump up on board with you and ride off into your delusional sunsetThis got a Printz honor this year, which I think is rare for a fantasy book. Very excited for it!
dAvid on Everything changes in a SeasonThat sounds like how I feel at this point. I’ll probably finish the series and will probably end up liking it overall, but it will...
Chris on No bed of rosesSounds perfect for my church book club👍