Poornima Manco

The eight short stories are:
- The Invisible Suitcase
- Osterhase
- The Butterfly Effect
- New Year, New You
- Idol
- The Perfect Wife
- Lala Lakshmi
- A Thank You Would Be Nice

The stories feature different languages, from French to German, and make for an engaging read. They are descriptive and delve into life and death, explore mystery and life choices, and are quick to read. My favourites are The Invisible Suitcase, New Year, New You, and A Thank You Would Be Nice.


I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.… (más)

The eight short stories are:
- The Invisible Suitcase
- Osterhase
- The Butterfly Effect
- New Year, New You
- Idol
- The Perfect Wife
- Lala Lakshmi
- A Thank You Would Be Nice

The stories feature different languages, from French to German, and make for an engaging read. They are descriptive and delve into life and death, explore mystery and life choices, and are quick to read. My favourites are The Invisible Suitcase, New Year, New You, and A Thank You Would Be Nice.


I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.… (más)

In 2019 Puja looks back to her youth in India, where a mentally disabled sweeper woman, auditions for a school dance/drama are the scene to determine who's popular, attractive, and favored to get the main character role. Puja's sister pregnant without a clear father, ambitions to study abroad, rivalry among siblings, and the bumpy road to adulthood. "Life is like a lottery with random numbers assigned to each of us. Some are fortunate enough to be winners, to have it all - love, luck, felicity, and prosperity. And others live and die in misery, never quite being able to hold on or to claim it as their own." Is it God or karma? Love can make a difference, speak when others sit in silence, forgive, where others are harsh, and refuse to give in.

The novella The Intimacy of Loss set in India with a lot of Hindi expressions thrown into the narrative (endnotes are available to look up the English meaning). Poornima Manco's English is rich and diverse, and her storytelling skills worth your reading time.… (más)

First of all the cover--it features a box of 12 chocolates which represent the 12 stories you will find inside the book. You won't know which one you are going to get until you "bite." Each story takes place in a different part of the world--from Bali to New Orleans. There are very short ones on lost love, to stalkers and jealously and longer ones with more detailed plots. The author creates believable characters that range from a Japanese grandfather to an American twenty-something. My favorite stories were "Maybe" and "Umami." I was very happy that I chose this little gem of a book and will search out any further books by Poornima Manco. I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.… (más)