This book tells how an abuser got away

 I finished reading "Secret Life" by Kevin Donovan. Jian Ghomeshi was a popular talk show host in CBC. Kevin Donovan was an investigative journalist at The Toronto Star. 

I was following that case in 2016, then totally forgot about it. The women accused him failed on cross-examination. It was pathetic to see those abused by Ghomeshi had to go through the questioning of his lawyer. 

The book reveals a lot more about the investigation. News media cannot publish an investigation without real proof.  Donovan and his team were working hard to bring solid evidence of abuse. The abused women didn't keep their text messages and emails. But, Ghomeshi did.  He bought powerful legal help with his money. But, CBC acted on the evidence and fired him. 

It was a very courageous act for those women to come forward and to be named as victims. While reading the book, I can understand the agony of those victims in putting their names out there. 

After reading the book, I wanted to know what Ghomeshi doing now. 

He is working with the Roque Media, which focuses on Iranian Canadians. With unnamed investors and prominent Iranians to back him, he is back on the media. 

The book reveals the failure of CBC in addressing issues of sexual harassment reported by female employees. 

I finished "Akin", a novel

 It was a long work week.

The subway train ride gave me a lot of time to read. Having a good book is a reward for the commute.

Noah is a retired professor and widower. He lives in the upper west. He is getting ready to start a trip to France, where he was born. He found few photos his mom had kept in an envelope and curious about why she kept them. Now, he hopes to find out the details of those during his trip. That is when social services called him. He has a great grand nephew, Michael, who needs someone to take care of him. Noah is the closest relative available for that job. Now, he is forced to take Michael for the trip.

A pre-teen and a senior citizen is not a peaceful combination. They argued about Micheal's Coke drinking to writing his travel journal. 

Within the two weeks, time at Nice, they found they like each other. Michael helped Noah to uncover the truth about his mom's photos. Now, Noah is relieved that his mother was helping Jewish kids to escape from the Nazis. Understanding the risks other generations have taken to protect loved ones, both Noah and Micheal grasp how akin they are! 

I loved reading it. The story makes me think about how Michael and Noah going to live their life together. Will Michael ever going to know how his father got killed and his mother got imprisoned? That is the beauty of a good novel. It makes us think and make stories for the characters.

Do you agree?

Who Is Vera Kelly?

 

I was not writing but I was continuing my reading.

It is an interesting title for a book, right? 

"Who Is Vera Kelly?" Then I wanted to know who she is.

She was working for a radio station and became a CIA agent.

How many times we heard about a female spy? 

So, Vera started working in Argentina wire trapping a leading politician. She was also spying few student activists in Buenos Aires. When her trusted allies abandoned her, she had to take extreme measures to save her life and return to America. 

It is an interesting story about a female spy. I came to know that there is one more Vera Kelly book by Rosalie Knecht. I want to read that too. 

Book No:30 The Last Thing He Told Me

 

When you realize the love of your life just disappeared from the life you know, you want to find out what happened. 

Hannah received a note from Owen asking to protect his daughter. There is no other information. If it is you, how agonizing it will be?

Hanna and stepdaughter Bailey did everything they can to find Owen.  The more they dug, the more confused they became. His past was not the one he told them. 

Laura Dave keeps the suspense till the end. I like the style and story. 

I made the graphic to show the inner vibe of the novel. I Hope, you like it. 

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book No. 29: How A Woman Becomes A Lake

 Actually, I finished 3 books last week. It was a bit more than my usual reading. 

I love to write about the book "How A Woman Becomes Lake" by Marjorie Celona. 

Leo took his sons on New Year's eve to the Square point. It was a heavy snow day. The lake was frozen. It was bone-chilling cold. 

Vera was walking her dog there and found Leo's older son standing in the snow. She called the police to report seeing the child. 

Later officer Lewis cote found Vera's car and her dog. But Vera was nowhere to be found.

Leo and the kids tell the police they never saw the woman first. Are they telling the truth?

Danny is so lost after Vera is gone. Lewis later finds out the truth. 

We can feel the melancholy in the narration. Life is not what we really see on the outside. The mind plays a lot of games on how we are treated by our parents. Some people can overcome the trauma. some cannot. 

With the story, we understand how Vera's death affects the characters. How their life turned around because of Vera. Even the dog Scout has to live with the loss of her and the new living conditions. 

Highly recommend this book to you. 

Book no. 28, "The Jetsetters"

 The book, "The Jet Setters" by Amanda Eyre Ward is the 28th book after I started recording the books I read. 

Charlotte attended Minnie's funeral. Now, she is lonely. Her grown children are away from them. 

Lee is supposed to be an actress. Regan is supposed to be happy with her kids and husband. Cord is supposed to be a successful venture capitalist trying hard to find the woman of his dreams. Charlotte herself is supposed to be a very religious Catholic, church-going lady. 

In reality, Lee is deep in debt, without work and dumped by her boyfriend. Regan wants to get a divorce from her husband. She is depressed too. Cord is a struggling alcohol addict and gay. Charlotte herself is hiding her desire to find a man and to have sex. 

Lee was traumatised by finding their dad hanged himself in her bathroom. Under the strict orders of Charlotte, she keeps this a secret. The images of the dead man hanging in her bathroom are haunting her life. 

Regan is keeping the infidelities of her husband from her mom and siblings. Cord is in love with a man whom he wants to marry. But, he cannot tell his family the truth about his sexuality or his addiction. Lee is hiding her depression and her failures in life. 

When Charlotte won the "jet setters" cruise, she invites her children to join her. Charlotte herself is reluctant to open up to the truth. She wanted to make it looks like everything is fine on the outside. 

The truth about all of their lives is unfolding in the Mediterranean cruise ship. 

The novel takes us through the messiness of love and life. 

Book No:27, "The Good, The Bad, AND The Dumped

 

Posy she was over the moon when Matt proposed to her on top of the mountain.   She loved the ring he chose for her. 

She got confused and worried when her sister Fleur, her best friend Leah and her mom were not happy about her and Matt.

She started searching for her exes online and decided to find out why she got dumped by them. 

When Matt found out about Posy going after the exes, he decided to call off the engagement. 

This made her even more determined to find out why her relationships are all come to a disaster. 

Finally, she figured out the biggest lies of all were in her own family.

The ending is good, with Matt and Posy finding out that they love each other. 

I don't like the way Posy was acting stupid in the beginning. 

Yeah, it is a novel. So just go with the story, right?

Have you tried any of Jenny Colgan books yet?