I am delighted that Literary Flits hosted another four Guest Reviews this month. If you have an indie author, small press or global literature book review that you would like to share please do get in touch. It doesn't need to be exclusive content and you can check here to see if a book has already been reviewed. I look forward to hearing from you!
For myself, I read twenty books in March including biographies, thrillers and crime mysteries, short stories and poetry from as far afield as Brazil and Japan. Three have associated Giveaways which are still open for entries and another three of this month's books are free to download. Read on to find out which ones!
Guest reviews
Every Day Is A Holiday by George Mahood
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Author Barbara Venkataraman reviewed this humorous memoir of George's attempts to appropriately celebrate every Special Day over a six month period starting with National Bubble Wrap Day. If you've been following my reviews of Barbara's cosy mystery series, don't forget the final Jamie Quinn Boxset Giveaway.
Bonespin Slipspace by Leo X Robertson
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Rebecca Gransden chose Bonespin Slipspace for her third guest review. She says, "I love this novella unreservedly ... For its visionary energy, its call to the vanguard, its joyful mastication of boundary." Praise indeed!
The Trout by Peter CunninghamBuy the book from Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk
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Anne Goodwin takes us to Ireland for her review of The Trout in which an Irish emigrant to Canada returns to his home country to unravel a buried childhood secret.
The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker
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Download the ebook free from Smashwords
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Katherine Bogle shared her Emperor's Edge review because it is one of her favourite modern books. "Not only do we get strong women and plots that keep you on the edge of your seat, but we also get this amazing cast of characters thrown together by Ammy’s unusual circumstances."
My reviews
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This newly republished 1950s story of a woman forced from her rural Kentucky home to wartime Detroit is absolutely brilliant and I loved every page every though it is by no means a happy book and at times made me very angry. My Book Of The Month!
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Reejecttion by Daniel Clausen
Read the ebook free online via Issuu
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A surreal short story collection reminiscent for me of Daniil Kharms, and with its darkly themed stories interspersed with funny form rejection letters from increasingly bizarre publications.
Burnt Land by Tua Harno
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I loved the atmospheric evocation of the heat and machismo of an Australian mining town in this Finnish novel. It's lead character s a thirty-year-old woman coming to terms with her life under extreme circumstances.
Marie Antoinette by Stefan Zweig
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I expected this 1930s biography, now newly republished, to be quite dry, but it is actually a very readable account of the infamous French queen's life. Zweig was foremost a novelist so uses this style of writing to vividly portray Marie Antoinette's life.
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I chose this Iranian short story collection primarily for its beautifully serence cover art. The eighteen tale are a pretty quick read, by Shojaee uses them to delve deeply into universal themes of love, spirituality and family.
My Nuclear Nightmare: Leading Japan through the Fukushima Disaster to a Nuclear-Free Future by Naoto Kan
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I blogged my review of this memoir to coincide with the sixth anniversary of the Fukushima disaster. Naoto Kan, the then Prime Minister of Japan describes the terrifying experience, its aftermath and why he is now staunchly against nuclear power.
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To Saudi Arabia for this American-authored young adult crime mystery. It's an exciting read, but does present Saudi Arabia from a very western viewpoint and factual inaccuracies detract from its feeling of authenticity.
Hurricane In Paradise by Deborah Brown
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My first book tour of March is this light Florida cosy mystery. Very fast-paced and without any great depth, it is the tenth in a series and I felt I had missed out on too much of the previous back story.
Cal by Bernard MacLaverty
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A complete contrast, Cal is set in 1980s Northern Ireland and portrays a young Catholic an caught between grinding unemployment and fervent sectarian violence. It's a book you know isn't going to end well, but MacLaverty gets convincingly under the skin of his characters so it is all too easy to understand why they choose their respective paths.
The Kolkata Conundrum by Kalyan Lahiri
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I enjoyed this refreshingly dignified and elegant crime story. It is set almost entirely within Kolkata and I loved the rich descriptions of the city and its people.
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My worst book of the month! I had liked a Tipton book before, but this one is basically just lots of sex without any character development or emotional depth so instead of being sexy, I just found it dull.
Shadow Reaper by Amos Cassidy
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Gritty urban fantasy doesn't get much more exciting than Amos Cassidy and I loved this dystopian story. Strong characters and the authors trademark vivid imaginations made this a fun and breathtaking adventure.

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Another book tour read and if you like Amos Cassidy, I think you would enjoy A K Downing too. YA dystopia with an impetuous female lead character, this novel is also a fast-paced adventure and a coming-of-age tale. Don't miss the chance to win yourself a signed copy - there's a giveaway open until the 9th April.
Flesh And Bone And Water by Luiza Sauma
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Like in The Trout, memories of home are triggered by an unexpected letter in this Brazilian novel. I loved Sauma's gorgeous depictions of 1980s Brazil. A thoughtful exploration of social issues - and encouragement to book a flight to Brazil!
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This is Venkararaman's third mystery in her Jamie Quinn series and I think this is definitely the best yet. Jamie's new boyfriend is under attack so she must pull out all the stops to save him - between meals of course! I've got an ebook boxset of the trilogy to give away. Entries close on the 6th April.
Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Apathy Will Kill Us All by Andy Carrington
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I loved the energy and vivid scenes portrayed in this collection of angry political poetry. Andy is currently running a giveaway for a signed copy and links to enter are in the review post. Entries close on the 1st May.
One Indian Girl by Chetan Bhagat
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Another on-a-whim purchase because I liked the cover image, I am glad I didn't allow myself to be put off reading by a string of bad Goodreads reviews. This light romantic novel does let itself down with clunky dialogue, but it's a fun read with an Indian flair.
Butterfly On The Storm by Walter Lucius
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My final book for March is also my third five-star read. Butterfly On The Storm is being favourably compared to Stieg Larsson's Girl trilogy which I am not sure will do this Dutch thriller any great favours, but I loved its atmosphere, pace and diverse cast.
That's it for this month and I know I have already got some great books lined up for review in April including a Romanian dance memoir, a Korean novella and my first iRead Book Tours. Keep up daily on Literary Flits or I will see you here at the end of April for another round up. Don't forget the Giveaways!