Book3: Part I (2021)

Attention, booklovers! This is Chacko Stephen, your personal entertainment companion. And welcome to Book3, where we discuss everything novel. Let us hop right in!

So, this is how it works. It is simple. We introduce three new books (which I plan to read soon...), describe the plots, and pick a favourite from the previous article. Trust me. This will be fun! And perhaps, you will find your next big read up here!

And to be honest, this is not the best list out there, but we have some gems lined up here tonight. Without further ado, let us get into it!

1. Welcome to Nowhere (Elizabeth Laird, 2017)

Genre: Fiction, War.

Plot: Twelve-year-old Omar and his brothers and sisters were born and raised in the beautiful and bustling city of Bosra, Syria. Omar does not care about politics - all he wants is to grow up to become a successful businessman who will take the world by storm. But when his clever older brother, Musa, gets mixed up with some young political activists, everything changes . . . Before long, bombs are falling, people are dying, and Omar and his family have no choice but to flee their homes with only what they can carry. Yet, no matter how far they run, the shadow of war follows them - until they have no other choice than to attempt the dangerous journey to escape their homeland altogether. But where do you go when you cannot go home?

And I was desperate for a leap out of my comfort zone! When I read the plot, it suddenly struck me that I had never read anything that features;

One: The plights of immigration.

Two: Any of the Arab Nations (except once in Inferno where they visit Hagia Sophia)

Three: Something that focuses on Muslim characters.

That’s a terrible lack of diversity that I can see in my reading habits! And when I thought about more of these lacks, I was surprised by the number of items I could come up with. It is about time that I start exploring these new realms... (And the book is described in the first person, so I felt it could help me a bit with my current project. It did.)

2. The Rise of Wolves (Kerr Thomson, 2017)

Genre: YA, Mystery.

Plot: Innis Munro is walking home across the bleak wilderness of Nin Island when he hears the chilling howl of a wolf. But there are no wolves on the island - not since they were hunted to extinction centuries ago. He decides to investigate his island home and accepts an ancient challenge: he who jumps the Bonnie Laddie’s Leap wins a fortune. As the wolves rise from the darkness of history and long-buried secrets resurface, Innis’ adventure truly begins ...

Well, there was a more specific reason why I chose this one. I was planning on writing a novel set in Scotland somewhere in between all this time. (Nope, I didn’t write it. I didn’t.) And I wanted to know as much as I could about Scotland and the Scottish before I began. And as you might notice, the next pick is also set in Scotland!

And there are wolves! But no, that wasn’t the primary reason. (It is more like a secondary one...) I also figured out that even as a teen, I had never explored many YA novels before. So, I went for a YA pick, and why not wolves and teens?! It is always fascinating! Except for Twilight, perhaps...

3. Farewell Tour of a Terminal Optimist (John Young, 2017)

Genre: YA, Contemporary.

Plot: Quick-witted, sharp-tongued Connor Lambert will not take it any longer: the bullying, the secrets, the sympathy. He has been dying from cancer for years, but he is not dead yet. He is going down fighting.

Forming an unlikely friendship with fellow juvenile delinquent Skeates, the pair stage a breakout and set off on a crazy tour across Scotland -- dodging the police, joy riding and extreme partying -- to find Connor’s dad, an inmate at Shotts prison.

But Connor’s left two things behind -- the medication he needs to keep him alive and the girl who makes living bearable. A fresh and bold debut novel-- full of heart, guts and raw emotion. Farewell Tour of a Terminal Optimist is a brilliantly funny, thrilling exploration of friendship, identity and mortality populated with witty, sharply drawn characters.

Yep, I needed something messed up. And this one was satisfying the criteria splendidly! I mean, what could be messier than two crackhead teenagers out in the open? They don’t even have to break out of something here. Trust me, I know!

And it’s set in Scotland! It’s a beautiful country. I mean, I don’t have very high expectations with this one, but I think this will be a fun read.

And that’s it! That’s the three I am about to delve into for the time being. (Well, I might have already finished one of these and almost finished the other two, but let’s just say I didn’t. That’s not the concept of these posts...) Since this is the very first in the segment, I don’t think this was (It isn’t) the best way to present the books, but I will come up with better ideas next time! I assure you that!

Since this is our first edition, we don’t have a favorite book from the past article. But we will have one next time! I do have some lovely books in the next list! Do let me know which one among the three caught your interest! Anyway, this had been Chacko Stephen, your personal entertainment companion, and we will see you soon with another segment of Book3. Now, grab your novels, play some music, sit back and enjoy. Happy reading!

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I actually had plans to put out the next chapter of Has Anyone Seen Jo tonight. But then, this week didn’t really pan out the way I thought it would *facepalm* I am sorry. But then, I thought I will pull this one up now. I had it in my drafts for a while, so I thought this might be the perfect time to put it out there! Hope you guys enjoy it, and perhaps, actually find something interesting! And I assure you that I will come up with a refined, better version next time ^0^

Lots of love,

Chacko Stephen

#nonfiction, or is it?