Meera Nair's Blog, page 15

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Having mastered her Fae powers, Celaena heads back to Rifthold to liberate her people and free magic. But there seems to be no end to the enemies lined up in her way – from the King of Adarlan’s Valg soldiers to the ferocious Ironteeth witches, and Arobynn Hamel, the King of Assassins. Forced to navigate a treacherous web woven by her foes, Celaena will stop at nothing to see this battle through.

It still surprises me to no end how increasingly interested I am in the series. 1900+ pages and ...

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

A reunion of college friends, at a hunting lodge in the Scottish Highlands, goes horribly wrong when one of them goes missing. Stranded due to a snowstorm, the managers of the lodge and the remaining guests have little choice but to wait for the police to arrive and hope it’s not too late.

This is yet another mystery novel that paints each of its characters in deep hues of suspicion. Right from the beginning, you can make out the power equations within the group of friends, the bitterness th...

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

Determined to build a life for herself on her terms, Lakshmi flees from her village, leaving behind her parents and abusive husband. Over the years, she garners a topnotch reputation as a henna artist, serving the wealthy & elite families of Jaipur. But one day, there’s a surprise visit from her hometown. And if Lakshmi doesn’t take charge, it could very well threaten to upend the control she has meticulously gained on her new life.

Copyright © 2020 Meera Nair

Alka Joshi has such a refin...

Heir Of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Shipped off to Wendlyn, a kingdom that still reverberates with magic, Celaena is compelled to tap into her Fae strengths to appease Maeve (one of the Fae Sister-Queens) and find the answers that can put a stop to the King of Adarlan’s plans. But dredging up her magic means facing the horrors of her past and it’ll take Celaena more than she bargained for to come to terms with the grief she has kept hidden all these years.

What I love the most about this book is that the main plot branches off...

Crown Of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Becoming the King’s Champion was supposed to be the hardest task because what comes after is child’s play for Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan’s most feared assassin. But she soon learns that her loved ones are her weakness. And a jarring realisation about the trouble the King is brewing for the continent sends Celaena plummeting face-first into a ravine of troubles.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

In my experience, very few sequels have kept up with the expectations that the first book builds, let...

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Celaena Sardothien, the most feared assassin in Adarlan, is serving time as a slave at the Salt Mines of Endovier. When given the chance to work as the King’s Champion to earn her freedom, she readily accepts.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

But becoming the King’s Champion is a journey rife with challenges, near-death experiences, and finding alliances in unexpected places. Will Celaena be able to keep up her reputation as a ruthless mercenary or will she be forced to live the last of her day...

Ants by Nikita Chinamanthur

Ants is a coming of age story that follows the events of Natasha’s life. From her insecurities to heartbreaks, sense of self to the relationship with family, the novel wades through the troubles an average teenager experiences in this world of online chatrooms & external validation.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

This was quite a short read, and I liked that there were occasional glimpses of the 90s culture. Natasha’s (or Nats’ , as she is referred to) story reveals the mindset of the diaspor...

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Three adults are found dead in the Lamb household in what looks like a suicide pact by a cult. Moreover, the four teenagers in the house are nowhere to be found. Lisa Jewell’s suspense novel peels off the mystery – surrounding the appearance of and eventual settling in of an unknown family, The Thomsens, at the Lamb residence – in chapters alternating between the POVs of three crucial characters.

The premise of the novel is incredibly strange; I must give the author credit for conjuring such ...

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows

A governess at Thornfield Hall, Jane Eyre is being scouted by the Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits. Her ability to see ghosts makes her useful to the Society & they refuse to accept her rejection of the offer.

When her increasing attraction to the owner of Thornfield Hall, Mr Rochester, places her in jeopardy, she is forced to rely on the help of a Society agent, Alexander Blackwood and her dear friend, Charlotte Bronte.

This was such a hoot! I don’t remember laughing out l...

To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars by Christopher Paolini

Kira Navarez is a xenobiologist who, during a routine investigation, discovers an unidentified structure on the planet of Adrasteia. Little does she know that she is about to set in motion a series of earth-shattering consequences that will propel her to the frontline of an ancient battle against alien species.

I’m not one to enjoy books that are heavily imbued with scientific or political themes, but even I found myself engrossed for the most part while reading this novel.

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