Book Review: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

My summer vacations have started and I was pretty bored because I couldn’t travel anywhere.  So, I decided to pick a book after month long reading slump and also the summer heat was driving me crazy. I am extremely happy that I chose to pick up the Firekeeper’s daughter. it definitely gave a refreshing break from my boring  routine.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angelina Bouley is one of the most gripping and unforgettable stories that I have ever read. Eighteen-year-old Daunis’s mixed heritage had made her feel like an outsider. Being a Fontaine (mother’s side) and a firekeeper (father’s side) is hard as Daunis can’t balance her family life. When a new tragedy strikes, Daunis becomes enveloped in an FBI investigation of a dangerous drug, called meth that may be coming from Sugar Island which results in murders. Once she joins the operation to find out about the murders which are connected to the hallucinogenic drug meth, she realizes that the corruption runs deeper and much closer to home than she ever could have imagined. How will she prevent her loved ones from getting hurt? Buy this super exciting book to find out!

My favorite part is the conclusion which I cannot reveal. It made me bawl my eyes out. I loved this book because of the vivid details the author had added causing the reader to imagine the scene. This was probably my favorite summer read. Firekeeper’s daughter is so much more than a thriller. It shows how far the author’s love for her culture is engraved into the books. After I picked the book, I couldn’t stop reading it. I can’t believe I finished it already! I found myself breathless and hard-pressed to believe that the book was already over. This book is for adults/ teens as it contains some parts about drug use, racism, murder, and sexual assault.

This is one exhilarating read that can help you overcome a reading slump any day. It’s a beautifully written story that I have really enjoyed reading. However, I do feel that 14 is way too young for the topics of sex, drugs, and murder. I would advise caution when letting younger teens read this book.

Disclaimer: My parents do not stop me from reading books beyond my age. We see if it is appropriate, read reviews online, discuss about it but I still get to make my own choices. This is one such that I picked from my mom’s TBRs.

Book Review: Pedru And The Big Boom

Title: Pedru And The Big Boom

Author: Nandita Da Cunha

Illustrator: Niharika Shenoy

Publisher: Kalpavriksh

Pages: 68

Type: Paperback

Age group: 7/8 – 12 years

Originally published here.

Pedru And The Big Boom by Nandita Da Cunha is about a boy named Pedru and his struggle against a powerful enemy to save his village. Pedru is a fun-loving, energetic boy who loves to explore. His biggest dream is to get out of his village and explore new places and make new memories. One day he decides to sell some cashews from his father’s plantation to buy a bus ticket to run away. Unfortunately, he gets caught, and from there on everything changes.

This is a book that is suitable for 7 years to 12 years. This is a simple story set in a village called Rotnagoan, unlike many stories that talk about a city over and over again.

I was born in a city and I have never been to a village. But I was able to visualize Pedru playing in the fields, eating his curry, delicious ripe cashews hanging from the tree, and many such wonderful things. The author paints a vivid picture of the story’s setting which made me feel as though I was a part of the story.

This story is written in a casual style which is very pleasant. This book has realistic illustrations done by Niharika Shenoy. I found the illustrations charming and they suited the story’s setting perfectly.