Meera Nair's Blog, page 6

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

Amber Reynolds is in a coma. But as she floats in and out of consciousness, she has the distinct awareness that something is very wrong. Narrated through multiple timelines, Sometimes I Lie is a mind-boggling account of the friendships we keep and how they can lead to disastrous outcomes.

Copyright © 2022 Meera Nair

WHAT WAS THAT???

I rarely ever come across thriller novels that are chilling. And when that happens, I LOVE IT.

Much like Alice Feeney’s other works, Sometimes I Lie is a ...

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Macy Sorensen’s life falls apart one day when she is seventeen years old. More than a decade later when her paths cross that of Elliot Petropoulos, her best friend and best everything, she is reminded of the wounds she tried so hurriedly to gloss over.

Although I read and loved The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, I wasn’t sure if and when I’d pick up any of their other works.

But I saw Love and Other Words mentioned in someone’s Instagram reel as one of the “books I’d sell my soul to...

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Wu Zetian enlists to be a concubine pilot even though it means she could lose her life. For nothing is more important than seeking vengeance for her sister’s death.

However, her plans go awry when she discovers that the Prince-General she plans to assassinate is the least of her problems, and there are horrifying secrets kept hidden from the people of Huaxia.

Xiran Jay Zhao’s writing is all action-packed, pulsating in and out of scenes with a cinematic flair. The descriptions are vivid an...

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Daisy Darker was born with a heart condition and has never really felt at home in the Darker family. When her Nana’s 80th birthday comes up, the entire family is invited to Seaglass, their family home on a Cornish island.

Soon after everyone has arrived, Nana is found dead. This marks the unravelling of a series of mysteries surrounding the dysfunctional Darker family.

Daisy Darker was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022.

Just from the premise, I knew it had a lot going for it – ...

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings

Josephine Thomas’ mother disappeared years ago. In a world where women and witches are both at the mercy of the State, her mother going missing drew a great deal of scrutiny from others.

So when she receives her mother’s will, asking her to head to an island and fulfil her wish, Jo hesitatingly embarks on a dangerous journey.

A dystopian fantasy, The Women Could Fly is an intimate look at what it means to be a bisexual woman of colour in a highly prejudiced society.

It perfectly creat...

The Life of a Stupid Man by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

With 3 titles in this Penguin Little Black Classic, two of which are autobiographical, the author captures fleeting glimpses of the human experience.

I haven’t read many stories by Japanese authors so I thought perhaps this could be a taste-tester of sorts. I’m not sure I’m the right audience for it because although these short stories have some essence in them, I felt lost after having read the book, especially the last story.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

In a Bamboo Grove, being the fi...

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G Wells

A shipwreck nearly spells the end for Edward Prendick when he is rescued by a peculiar man called Montgomery. For one, Montgomery’s assistants have a strange way about them. To complicate matters more, the island he is brought to is the hideaway of an infamous scientist.

Image Courtesy – Goodreads

One of the primary reasons I quickly made room for The Island of Dr. Moreau on my reading list this year is because I heard about Silvia Moreno Garcia’s latest release, The Daughter of Doctor Mo...

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Driven by her need to find a solid future for her mother & herself, Beatriz accepts Don Rodolfo Solórzano’s proposal despite the rumours surrounding his former wife’s death. Unfortunately for her, what awaits at his countryside mansion is far from the safety she seeks.

Isabel Cañas’ writing is like dark chocolate; it is decadent in its exploration of Spanish culture & history while also carrying a hint of greater mystery at the heart of the story.

I love what she has done for the horror g...

Family of Liars by E. Lockhart

The Sinclairs are a family of liars. They lie about their affairs, about the people they’ve hurt, about their past.

When Carrie Sinclair’s son asks her about the worst thing she has done, she finds herself recounting the events of the summer when she was seventeen.

Narrated in a first-person POV, Family of Liars is a prequel to E. Lockhart’s widely-renowned YA novel, We Were Liars. I’ve read We Were Liars twice and been equally devastated both times by the storytelling.

Image Courtesy ...

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

In the past 2 decades, 7 people have gone missing from Cutter’s Pass. So, when the brother of the journalist, who recently disappeared, arrives at The Passage Inn, Abby Lovett, the manager, finds herself having to tread carefully.

The townsfolk do not want another disappearance on their conscience, nor do they welcome strangers digging into the town’s secrets.

The main reason I was drawn to this book was because of the setting. The Passage Inn is a resort that is surrounded by mountains a...