Bookish Thursday - Mercy and Grace by Anoop Judge
Taking a brief break from my 'project' to drop in with a book review for WOW-Women on Writing for Anoop Judge's book, Mercy and Grace.
Book Summary
At twenty-one years old, Gia Kumari finally leaves the Delhi orphanage where she was raised. With few prospects for the future, she receives an unexpected invitation from a stranger named Sonia Shah, in San Francisco: an internship at Sonia’s weddings and event company. Jia and America. It’s love at first sight as she navigates an unfamiliar but irresistible new world of firsts.
It’s Gia’s first real job: her first meeting with her only known family, her uncle Mohammed Khan, and her first romance, with Sonia’s quirky yet charming stepson, Adi. But it might be too good to be true. Gia’s newfound happiness is unfolding in the shadow of a terrible family secret, the impact of which is still being felt in a place Gia now calls home. To save what matters most, Gia must come to terms with a tragic past she’s only beginning to understand—and a lifetime of lies she must learn to forgive.
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (September 19, 2023)
ISBN-10: 1662509219
ISBN-13: 978-1662509216
ASIN: B0BQNBFVBR
Print Length: 283 pages
Purchase a copy of Mercy and Grace on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.
About the Author
Born and raised in New Delhi, Anoop is the author of four novels, THE RUMMY CLUB which won the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award, THE AWAKENING OF MEENA RAWAT, an excerpt of which was nominated for the 2019 Pushcart Prize, NO ORDINARY THURSDAY, and MERCY and GRACE.
Her essays and short stories have appeared in Green Hills Literary Lantern, Rigorous Journal, Lumiere Review, DoubleBack Review, and the Ornament anthology, among others.
Anoop calls herself a “recovering litigator” —she worked in state and federal courts for many years before she replaced legal briefs with fictional tales. She holds an MFA from St. Mary’s College of California and was the recipient of the 2021 Advisory Board Award and the 2023 Alumni Scholarship.
She lives in Pleasanton, California, with her husband, and is the mother of two admirable young adults.
You can find her online at:
Website: https://anoopjudge.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judgeanoop/?hl=en
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoop-ahuja-judge-94396743/
Now for my opinion...
First off, I am intrigued by other cultures. A guilty pleasure is watching things like Indian Matchmaking on Netflix. The culture is so different from my Southern roots and I love it. So reading Mercy and Grace was a fun read as Gia learns to live not only in a different country, but also outside the confines of a convent orphanage. And all in the search for a family to call her own.
Secondly, it is a 'fun' read despite the sometimes heavy topic of finding out about her mother and learning to cope with living in a world which is completely different than the world she grew up in at the orphanage.
And at 270 pages, the story is filling, but not something you have to wade through for days and days. It is something you can read in an afternoon. Or in a weekend if you want to really savor the read.
This is a book I enjoyed reading, especially since it was filling time between flights at an archery tournament my granddaughter was competing in.
But don't take my opinion alone (but you should), check out these other reviews...
Blog Tour Calendar
February 12th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Anoop Judge's book Mercy and Grace. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
February 13th @ Rockin Book Reviews
Visit Lu Ann's blog for her review of Mercy and Grace. You can also win a copy of the book.
https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/
February 15th @ The Shaggy Shepherd
Visit Isabelle's blog for a guest post by Anoop about creating compelling characters.
https://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/
February 16th @ What is That Book About
Join Michelle for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
https://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/
February 17th @ Silver's Review
Visit Elizabeth's blog for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
http://silversolara.blogspot.com/
February 19th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about Indian wedding traditions.
https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
February 21st @ Jill Sheets' blog
Visit Jill's blog for an interview with author Anoop Judge.
https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
February 22nd @ Knotty Needle
Check out Judy's blog for her review of Mercy and Grace.
http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/
February 25th @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie's blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about her journey from litigator to writer.
February 27th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews & Interviews
Join Lisa for her interview with Anoop Judge about her writing journey.
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
February 29th @ The Faerie Review
Join Lily for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
https://www.thefaeriereview.com
March 1st @ World of My Imagination
Join Nicole for her book review of Mercy and Grace.
https://worldofmyimagination.com
March 3rd @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion
Join Linda for her in-depth interview with Anoop Judge about her book Mercy and Grace.
https://bootsshoesandfashion.com/
March 4th @ One Writer's Journey
Visit Sue's blog for her review of Mercy and Grace by Anoop Judge.
March 5th @ Word Magic
Join Fiona's blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about managing the call with a literary agent.
https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/
March 7th @ A Storybook World
Join Deirdra for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/
March 10th @ Michelle Cornish' blog
Visit Michelle's blog for her review of Mercy and Grace.
https://michellecornishauthor.com/blog/book-reviews
March 12th @ Plain Spoken Pen
Join Lisa for her review of Mercy and Grace.
https://theplainspokenpen.com/
March 13th @ Sara Trimble's blog
Join Sara for her review of Mercy and Grace. You also have the chance to win a copy of the book too!
https://saratrimble.wordpress.com/
March 15th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about writing your way through grief.
https://www.madelinesharples.com/
March 17th @ Boys' Moms Reads
Visit Karen's blog for her review of Mercy and Grace by Anoop Judge.
https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/
March 17th @ Nikki's Book Reviews
Visit Nikki's blog for a review of Mercy and Grace.
https://nikkitsbookreviews.wordpress.com/
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