Salutation Road by Salma Ibrahim

Salutation Road delivers a poignant and thought-provoking tale that straddles the line between reality and imagination, identity and displacement.

Sirad Ali is a quiet, introspective girl living in Greenwich, a place that feels more like a cage than a home. Her world is defined by the expectations of others, and her identity is shaped by the shadows of perception. Memories of her birthplace, Somalia, have blurred into abstraction—distant echoes of a life she barely recalls. With the burden of family responsibility weighing heavily on her shoulders, Sirad quietly drifts through a life that doesn’t quite feel like her own.

Then, something extraordinary happens.

Sirad receives an invitation to participate in a mysterious project called Unclassified—a one-day journey into a parallel realm designed for third-culture youth. The aim is to reconnect with their ancestral pasts in an alternate lifetime. What begins as a suspected prank soon morphs into an uncanny reality as she boards a bus from London to Mogadishu.

There, in Somalia, both familiar and utterly foreign, Sirad confronts an alternate version of herself—Ubah. This mirror image is bold, restless, and rebellious, married yet yearning for freedom. Through Ubah, Sirad is forced to face the fragments of a life she left behind, in a city scarred by war but still pulsing with untold stories.

As the two girls’ lives intertwine, Unclassified becomes more than just a journey—it’s a meditation on identity, memory, and the invisible threads that bind us to the past and future. When Ubah chooses to escape her life and board the same bus Sirad arrived on, the consequences ripple across realities, leaving both girls changed in profound, haunting ways.

Despite a few minor narrative loopholes, it is a bold, imaginative debut. The author has crafted rich, multidimensional characters and infused the novel with emotional resonance. It’s a story that lingers long after the final page—one that dares to ask what it means to belong and whether true freedom lies in staying or in the courage to leave.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

As I made my way through the book, it struck me as a heartfelt exploration of past regrets and the desire for redemption. At sixty-one, Gail Simmons is staring down the possibility of retirement or, worse, termination just before her daughter’s wedding. Her people skills, or lack thereof, have put her in a tough spot at work, yet financially, she cannot afford to quit her job.

At the same time, Gail’s daughter, Debbie, is dealing with tensions of her own. A confrontation with her fiancé and a future mother-in-law creates a strain that spills into the wedding plans. Gail, feeling pushed to the sidelines, begins to worry that Debbie might start favoring her future in-law over her. It's a relatable conflict, and readers may find themselves connecting with this story on a personal level. 

At its core, the book delves into themes of family, marriage, and the painful midlife crisis. Gail’s journey is filled with emotional highs and lows. Some will see it as a path to growth and self-discovery, while others might reflect on their own experiences with uncertainty and the search for meaning.

Despite its deeper themes, the book remains accessible and easy to read. It offers a thoughtful, touching experience without being overly complex. A compelling look at the relationships that shape us and the choices that define us.

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer

Near Metland Farm, hidden among the cliffs, a near-mythical colony of guillemots once laid eggs unlike any other. The Metland Egg—cone-shaped, blood-red, and several times the size of a hen’s egg—became the stuff of legend. A prized possession among early 20th-century collectors, it was as elusive as it was illegal in modern times. Most striking of all, the egg was red..

A hundred years later, the Metland Egg has become more myth than reality—until Weird Nick tells his friend Patrick Fort that a strange egg has been stolen from his house. An inheritance from his father, the stolen artifact turns out to be the legendary Metland Egg itself, and its disappearance sets them on a path filled with secrets, obsessions, and the shadowy underworld of illegal wildlife collectors.

What unfolds is a richly layered, dual-timeline mystery, filled with twists that pull readers deeper into both the past and present. The narrative deftly juggles the tension of a classic whodunit with the quiet melancholy of lost heritage and fragile ecosystems. But what truly makes the story stand out is the character of Patrick Fort. His literal interpretation of language, difficulty with sarcasm, and social challenges strongly suggest traits of Asperger’s Syndrome. 

As I reached the end of this spellbinding novel, I found myself both satisfied and haunted. The writing is immersive, the pacing well-balanced, and the tone strikes just the right chord between nostalgic and urgent. And yet, one question lingers, quietly unsettling in its simplicity: Aren’t eggs supposed to hatch?

4.5 ⭐A richly imagined, emotionally intelligent story that combines the thrill of a mystery with the quiet wonder of natural history. Riveting.

The Death Of Us by Abigail Dean

Despite the slow-burn pacing, I found myself completely drawn into the chilling chronology of this story, told through the eyes of Isabel Nolan. What begins as a seemingly ordinary love-at-first-sight moment between Isabel and Edward Hennessy in the '90s quickly unfolds into something far more haunting. The author’s writing style is magnetic — weaving tenderness and terror with equal finesse.

As fear spread through the city, small crimes turned into something far more dangerous — the rise of a serial attacker known as the South London Invader. Starting in the late '80s with petty thefts and break-ins, his crimes grew darker over the years, leading to violent home invasions, torture, and eventually, murder.

Each page is a raw glimpse into the trauma left behind — how victims live under the shadow of being watched, how ordinary life slowly unravels. In 2001, tragedy strikes Isabel herself. What follows is not just her struggle to survive, but to exist. The emotional aftermath is palpable. You feel it in every missed detail, every strained attempt to return to normalcy.

Told in a striking epistolary format, the novel feels like reading Isabel's private messages — personal, vulnerable, and eerily intimate. Her words to address the Invader himself, as if trying to reclaim power over the narrative. The emotional weight Isabel and Edward carry after their trauma is rendered with aching.

This isn't just a story about a criminal — it’s about the enduring wounds left behind, and the quiet, invisible strength it takes to go on living. Every chapter brings new revelations, questions, and heartbreaks. I couldn’t put it down. I give 5 ⭐

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

From the moment I started The Housemaid, I thought I was in for a straightforward story. But by the time I reached the end, my adrenaline was through the roof! This psychological thriller took me on a wild ride, and I absolutely loved every twist and turn.

The story starts with Millie Calloway, a woman struggling to rebuild her life after spending the past ten years in prison. Rejection after rejection has left her desperate, forcing her to live in her car. So when she lands a live-in housekeeping job with the wealthy and elegant Nina Winchester, it feels like a dream—especially with the added bonus of a generous salary.

At first glance, Nina seems easy to work for. She has it all: a lavish home, endless wealth, and a husband who is the definition of perfection—Andrew Winchester is charming, caring, wealthy, and heartbreakingly handsome. But as Millie settles in, an unsettling feeling gnaws at her. Nina’s mood swings are erratic, her behavior unpredictable, and she scrutinizes Millie’s every move. Then there are the whispers, the rumors about the Winchesters, and before Millie knows it, she finds herself sympathizing with Andrew… maybe even falling for him.

Part II flips the script. We step into Nina’s world, and suddenly, everything shifts. The puzzle pieces snap into place, and the truth is far darker than I ever imagined. The character development is masterfully executed, tying the plot together in a way that leaves me breathless. It is a gripping, chilling, and brilliantly plotted novel that keeps me guessing until the very end - I give it a solid 4.5 stars!