Plaza Requiem: Stories at the Edge of Ordinary Lives by Martha Batiz

Mexican-Canadian Martha Batiz has crafted, in her first collection written in English, visceral stories with piercing and evocative qualities. She has filled her recognizable, sisterly/motherly, and imaginative characters with qualities we all hold close to our hearts, but this is powerfully juxtaposed by the uncertainty that lurks at the edges of ordinary lives. Most often they are women, trapped in violent relationships, facing dangerous political situations, or learning to live with the pain of betrayal. Yet Batiz's stories shimmer with the emotional surge of vindication, evoking the rewards women attain after a powerful exploration of their darkest moments. As an emerging writer, Batiz crafts her stories with qualities reminiscent of Joyce Carol Oates, Shirley Jackson, and Cuban author Leonardo Padura: with precision, haunting vision, and the will to survive all odds.

TITLE- Plaza Requiem
AUTHOR- Martha Batiz

PUBLISHER- Exile Editions

FORMAT- Paperback

*Thanks to the author for the review copy in exchange of an honest review*

I am not much of an anthology reader. As you all might know, that romance is my cup of tea but the blurb of this particular collection fascinated me to such an extent that I was forced to give it a try and I'm glad to say that I don't regret my decision. This book deserved the time I invested in it. It was simply beautiful and full of raw emotions.

I don't know how the author managed to instill such deep emotions in such short stories but nevertheless, she managed it and did an amazing job.

Every story in the collection was better than the other with a feminist touch to it. The stories are inspiring and courage instilling. They are meant to be read and followed. Each story has a lesson to teach. Each story has a different message.

Though all the stories in the collection are amazing but my personal favorite is 'Maria Times Seven'. I really really really loved this one!! The story is about a mother who collects her daughter's tears in a bottle and sells them. Sound interesting right?

Guys! I seriously loved this anthology and its definitely the one that is not to be missed. Author's writing style is amazing. This is the type of book which when read slowly is the most enjoyable so don't try to rush and try to feel everything. I highly recommend this book to every reader!

Comments

Five Things 'FIVE FEET APART' Taught Us

'Five Feet Apart' is an American Romantic Drama, inspired by a real-life couple Dalton and Katie Prager, who both suffered from cystic fibrosis . As you all know that I'm not a movie person, I'd choose books anytime over movies but as I am going through 'Reader's Slump' so I decided to watch Netflix and guess what? I found this treasure. This movie impacted me greatly so I decided to share all my takings with you all. Let's start! 1. Live Big because life don't give us enough chances. 2. Take risks , you never know which moment is your last. 3. Love! Don't be scared of it. Loving won't kill you but not doing it will surely kill a part of you. 4. Take chances! We can die today, we can die tomorrow but we can also make our life worth living. 5. Breathe! Take a deep breath and enjoy your today. We are all on borrowed time. Instead of focusing on making your tomorrow good, make your today even better.

REVIEW: Broken Knight by L.J. Shen

Not all love stories are written the same way. Ours had torn chapters, missing paragraphs, and a bittersweet ending. Luna Rexroth is everyone’s favorite wallflower. Sweet. Caring. Charitable. Quiet. Fake. Underneath the meek, tomboy exterior everyone loves (yet pities) is a girl who knows exactly what, and who, she wants—namely, the boy from the treehouse who taught her how to curse in sign language. Who taught her how to laugh. To live. To love. Knight Cole is everyone’s favorite football hero. Gorgeous. Athletic. Rugged. Popular. Liar. This daredevil hell-raiser could knock you up with his gaze alone, but he only has eyes for the girl across the street: Luna. But Luna is not who she used to be. She doesn’t need his protection anymore. When life throws a curveball at All Saints’ golden boy, he’s forced to realize not all knights are heroes. Sometimes, the greatest love stories flourish in tragedy TITLE- Broken Knight AUTHOR- L.J. Shen FORMAT- E

REVIEW | BOUND BY HONOR BY CORA REILLY

Born into one of the leading Mob families in Chicago, Aria Scuderi struggles to find her own path in a world where no choices are given. Aria was only fifteen when her parents betrothed her to Luca – The Vice – Vitiello, the oldest son of the head of the New York Cosa Nostra to ensure peace between the two families. Now with eighteen, the day Aria has been dreading for years is looming dangerously: her wedding to Luca. Aria is terrified of marrying a man she hardly knows, especially someone like Luca who got his nickname ‘the Vice’ for crushing a man’s throat with his bare hands. Luca might be one of the most sought after men in New York thanks to his good looks, wealth and predator-like charisma that radiates power , but the society girls throwing themselves at him don’t know what Aria does: that the bad boy aura isn’t just a game; blood and death lurk beneath Luca’s striking gray eyes and arrogant smile. In her world a handsome exterior often hides the monster withi

Review: Soulmate by Deepak Chopra

One of the world's foremost leaders in the field of mind-body medicine turns his talents and vision to fiction with an absorbing, mystical tale of a love that conquers death itself... Gifted young doctor Raj Rabban is about to have his whole world turned upside down when a chance encounter on a subway introduces him to the kind of happiness he never thought possible. But life with his true soulmate is cut short by tragedy, and Raj must undertake a courageous journey beyond the scope of his five senses to regain it. **Thanks to Hay House for the Review copy** First things first, Deepak Chopra is one of the most efficient non-fiction writers. I've heard great things about his books but as I am not so keen on non-fiction so I haven't read any of them. But guess what! One day I came across a title called Soulmate, written by Deepak Chopra and that too a fiction!! So I knew I had to read this and I just picked up this book. Th

BOOK REVIEW: BOUND BY VENGEANCE(born in blood mafia chronicles #5 ) BY CORA REILLY

Growl He’d never had something to himself, never even dared to dream about owning something so precious. He was the unwanted bastard son who’d always had to content himself with the leftovers of others. And now they’d given him what only a few weeks ago had been out of his reach, someone he wasn’t even allowed to admire from afar, one of their most prized possessions. Thrown at his feet because he was who he was because they were certain he would break her. He was her punishment, a fate worse than death, a way to deliver the ultimate punishment to her father who had displeased them so greatly. Cara She had always been the good girl. It didn’t protect her. She didn’t know his real name. People called him Growl to his face and the Bastard behind his back. Both were names he couldn’t possibly have chosen for himself. His eyes were empty, a mirror to throw back her own fear at her. He was a brutal hand of the Las Vegas Camorra. And now she was at his mercy.

REVIEW: Roma King by Callie Hart

--Blurb-- “911. What is your emergency?” Every night, Zara Llewelyn picks up the phone and assists people in distress. House fires. Assault. Motor vehicle accidents. Home invasions... Between the hours of six and two, she is the answer to a thousand cries for help. But when the payphone outside Zara’s apartment building mysteriously begins ringing night after night, the very last thing she wants to do is pick it up. And yet, she can’t seem to help herself... Pasha Rivin’s trying to outrun fate. He’s been running from it for years now, but escape isn’t in his cards. As the oldest son of the oldest Roma family in the country, he’s not just a member of a proud and fiercely traditional clan. He is their reluctant king...and now he’s expected to find a wife. The fiery redhead that shows up on his doorstep, following a trail of breadcrumbs, hunting for a missing little boy, is the last person Pasha’s mother has in mind, however. She’s an outsider, an intruder, and as far as his

REVIEW: The Brahmin Warrior R. Durgadoss

--Blurb-- Having defeated Rana Sanga and his Rajput army in the Battle of Khanwa, Babur descends upon Chanderi in January 1528. With only a few men to defend the fort, the Rajputs decide that the women would immolate themselves and save their honor, while the men would fight Babur’s forces till the last drop of their blood. Even as the women start jumping into the fire, Meera, the wife of the head priest, stays back. She has conceived after sixteen years. Her husband runs away to save himself and she is forced into slavery by her captors. Fortunately, she and her newborn son, Aditya, are rescued from the slave market by a Sufi ascetic, who hands them over to Abdul Gafoor, a Mughal commander. Meera and Aditya become a part of Gafoor’s family and he treats her like a sister. Aditya grows up to become the most skillful warrior in the army of the Hindu king Hemu. But, can he be trusted? Find out in this action-packed page-turner. TITLE- The Bra

Ammie's Book Obsession

Search This Blog