Meera Nair's Blog, page 13

The Carpet Weaver by Nemat Sadat

A historical fiction that delves into the socio-political terrain of Afghanistan in the 1970s, The Carpet Weaver is a heartrending survival story. Kanishka Nurzada is in love with his bestfriend, Maihan. But he soon realizes that the land he calls home is one where divergence is met with stringent punishment.

Matters are made worse when his father is arrested for colluding with communists. To escape persecution, Kanishka and his family flee their home, hoping to make their way to the US, onl...

The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen

An author with a Pulitzer Prize award, Viet Thanh Nguyen’s writing imbues a sense of delicacy to the experiences of the Vietnamese immigrant and refugee communities. In capturing their diverse stories, he takes on the responsibility of letting their lived realities manoeuvre the direction of the narrative.

I was somewhat intimidated to pick up this short story collection simply because of the depth of the topics covered. I feared that it might be too emotionally exhaustive to read. But that...

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Raised in an Ambhan household, as the daughter of the Governor of the Empire, Mehr has led a life of privilege. But this privilege doesn’t prevent her from being treated with scorn because of her mother’s Amrithi heritage and Mehr’s connection to the desert spirits that once walked the earth as humans.

When her father’s limited power can’t keep the mystics of the Emperor at bay, they discover Mehr’s Amrithi powers. By way of an arranged marriage, she comes to realize the burden her people mu...

The Man with The Shifting Tattoos by Hulya Yuva

A college student, Siddharth Nair’s life turns upside down when an unprecedented event lands him in jail on a murder charge. Bereft of hope, he makes the acquaintance of a man, whose mystical powers fill Siddharth with a renewed purpose in life.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

This was a short read with plot developments that occurred at a rapid pace. The book begins by diving into Siddharth’s personality and gives the reader an idea about his character arc.

My main concern with the book ...

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

Pippa Fitz Amobi learnt the hard way that solving mysteries holds more danger than she is equipped to handle. Having put her detective days behind her, she releases her investigation records from last year as a true-crime podcast. For someone who wishes to move on from that phase of her life, Pip instantly garners fame, as her podcast tops charts and gains coverage from national media.

When another disappearance is brought to her attention, she can’t help but give in. After all, it is her fri...

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

For her final school capstone project, Pippa Fitz Amobi is determined to uncover the truth behind Andie Bell’s disappearance. It’s been five years since Bell went missing, and her then-boyfriend was convicted of her murder with nothing but circumstantial evidence.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

Pippa is convinced that Sal Singh, who killed himself later, couldn’t have had anything to do with it. Now, determined to prove her belief, Pippa ventures into the deep dark secrets the town holds dear,...

Halloween Party by Agatha Christie

At a Halloween party, when 13-year-old Joyce admits to having witnessed a murder, no one believes her. But shortly after, the party-goers find her drowned in a tub of apples.

Initially, it seems that no one has spotted anything out of the ordinary. But the more Hercule Poirot investigates the leads, the closer he gets to discovering the secrets that some of the townsfolk harbour.

For me, Agatha Christie’s books are a hit or miss. I either want to devour them whole from the first page...

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

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Anthony Bridgerton has decided to settle down, much to the astonishment of the ton. For however can the oldest Bridgerton son do away with his days as a rake and commit to spending the rest of his life with one woman.

Having set his sights on the youngest Sheffield sister, Edwina, Anthony finds an unlikely friendship growing between him and her elder sister, Kate. Who among the two will inevitably become the new Viscountess?

I’ve come to accept the fact that ...

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

Samantha Downing’s psychological thriller narrates the story of a married couple who get away with murder. They decide to fake the return of a former serial killer to disguise their involvement in the murders of young women around town.

But when their little game begins to display drastic repercussions in the lives of their two young children, the husband decides to put a stop to it at all costs.

Copyright © 2021 Meera Nair

I’d say this book was more intriguing than thrilling (will I n...

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Daphne Bridgerton, fourth of the eight Bridgerton siblings, is thrust into the coming social season, where the whole ton is bustling with the news of the arrival of Simon, the new Duke of Hastings.

Distressed by her eventual lack of prospects and convinced by Simon’s need to escape the vulture-esque eyes of the society mothers, Daphne agrees to Simon’s plan of enacting a facade of being deeply in love.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

Surely this arrangement will serve their agenda. But en...