Best Books of 2017

Here are my ‘Super Seven’ reads of the year:

Best Suspense/Thriller

The Fire Child- S.K. Tremayne

Best Gothic Fiction

Ever This Day- Helen Moorhouse

Best Crime Fiction

A High Mortality of Doves- Kate Ellis

Best Feel-Good Book

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine- Gail Honeyman

Best Reincarnation Fiction

Dreadful Sorry- Kathryn Reiss

Best Historical Fiction

Harappa: Curse of the Blood River- Vineet Bajpai

Best Non-Fiction

Walking Towards Ourselves- Catriona Mitchell

Favorite Five (Book to Movie Adaptations)

It is always a pleasure to see a world come alive with characters jumping out of a book onto a screen. So, I thought sharing my favorite five book-to-movie adaptations would make a perfect post for this month. Without further ado, here they are:

1. Pride and Prejudice (BBC)

Jane Austen's well-loved novel about the prejudice that sprouts between the main characters and the pride they have to overcome to be together.

Stars: Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle, Susannah Harker and more

2. Sense and Sensibility

Another impressive adaptation of  Jane Austen's novel about the lives of two sisters, unalike in every way, and their journey to finding true love.

Stars: Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, James Fleet and more

3. Harry Potter

Hard to believe the boy-wizard is 20 this year! A coming-of-age story wonderfully told, Harry Potter and his friends at  Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry can provide endless hours of entertainment to everyone.

Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris and more

4. Dangerous Liaisons

Based on an epistolary novel of the same name, this movie centers around an older woman who along with her wicked ex-lover schemes to corrupt a young woman.

Stars: Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and more

5. It

Last but not the least comes the tale of seven friends who band together to fight an ancient evil. Puts one off clowns forever! I think 'It' is the scariest of all Stephen King's books. 

Stars: Richard Thomas, Tim Reid, Annette O'Toole  and more

Image and Info Source: http://www.imdb.com

Amazing Authors- Jean Webster

Wordprints on My Heart

I thought I would begin this year by acknowledging the authors (and their novels) who left an indelible impression on my heart with the stories they told. Thanks to these exceptional wordsmiths, my reading journey in 2016 turned out to be exciting, memorable, and happy.

Over the years, I have noticed that most of the novels I read invariably end up getting placed in the following genres:

• Suspense/Thriller
• Gothic Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Fantasy

Not surprisingly, my favorite novels of 2016 also come from these genres. While I did like many others, I have deliberately chosen only one novel as the pinnacle of that genre. After all, it is a battle of the best. And, the way I look at things that can have only one winner.

So, here's to some wonderful writing!

Should you wish to know more about these fabulous novels, click the links below which take you to my reviews or reviews written by a friend who certainly knows her books or the goodreads page (time-crunch may have led to skipping a review but that does not in any way lessen my liking for these books):

The Ice Twins- S. K. Tremayne
Lost Among the Living- Simone St. James
A Curious Beginning- Deanna Raybourn
The Near Witch- Victoria Schwab

Happy Reading!

Strong & Sassy She

The damsel in distress may have been in fashion in the Arthurian lore we heard as bedtime stories but when I think of the times we grew up in, she was a figure to be laughed over and at best pitied if we were in a kinder mood. I don’t remember dreaming of a brave knight in shining armor on a white horse riding out to rescue me if I found myself in trouble. Ever. When it came to the dreaming we did, my friends and I, we rode the horse and we did the rescuing. While we did love folklore for its magic and mystery, the strange spells and curses, we were not like the weepy wimps in those tales, oh no, we were the brave ones. We were the warriors. And because that’s how we thought, we have a fondness for authors who can translate the way we see women into great stories. Mary Stewart is one such author.

The female lead (FL) in Stewart’s novels is fiery, passionate, and always game for adventure. She is courageous and has her head firmly on her shoulders. More often than not, when she jumps from the frying pan into the fire she does so with a fire extinguisher in hand.  Is it surprising then that I grew up on a staple diet of her novels?

For the past few weeks, I have been re-reading my Mary Stewart collection and I felt I really had to share my favorite Stewart heroines. So, here they are. We start with Nicola Ferris from The Moonspinners who takes the number one spot. She can enchant you with tales of naiads or water nymphs (these magical creatures spin the moon down out of the sky so we get enough hours of darkness and then wash their spindles in the sea where the moonlight unravels into long ripples and wounds back into the moon). She can dress your wounds, protect you from sharpshooters, and stay in the fight so you are not left alone with the villains of the piece.

Next, comes Linda Martin from Nine Coaches Waiting who can make delicious dark chocolate for you and whisk you out in the middle of your night if your life is in danger. She can keep you safe in a forest, plan an escape so well it outwits all the chasers, and protect you from your murderous family. All this with little or no rest till she delivers you to safety.

Last, we have Lucy Waring from This Rough Magic who has a special bond with animals, can communicate with dolphins and even step in front of bullets to save them. She spouts Shakespeare, knows the finer nuances of his plays, and can hold her own in any discussion on the origins of The Tempest. More importantly, she can think on her feet and find her way home from the middle of nowhere. This too, at that crucial moment when the police, the villains and the entire cast are all in one room so no time is lost in putting the villain behind bars. Know anyone who can beat this?

Each is so different and yet so very similar. Each has a heart that is brave, a head that is wise, and an indomitable spirit. Each is a strong, sassy she. 

Amazing Authors- Lucy Maud Montgomery