A hurricane is coming! Jia and her son go stay with her sister and family. Tensions rise! Dead bodies happen! What is going on?

The writing is pretty good and it builds up the suspense. You know something bad is going to happen. This is similar to most other trapped in a place thrillers that have become popular as of late. I wasn't completely sold on a lot of it, but I did enjoy it overall.

Thanks Penguin group Dutton and NetGalley

This was very different from my typical read and I enjoyed it a lot but found my body feeling anxious throughout the entire novel. Partially because this was based on a real destructive storm, it was hard for me to separate fiction from reality. That being said, it’s a fabulous debut novel. Looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

This book was not one that I knew what to expect after reading some reviews on it myself... but I really actually enjoyed it. I would call this less of a mystery and more of a novel about family dynamics than anything. While there is quite a bit of mystery and trying to figure out who the killer is, this book focuses more on family dynamics than being a "whodunit." While this book was not what I thought it would be, it was very enjoyable for what it actually was if you go in knowing that it wasn't so much a thriller in the common sense and expect more of a domestic story in the meantime. It came together beautifully and I would definitely recommend to people who like a lot of background to a murder mystery. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review!

I really loved this book! Locked room mysteries are my favorite thriller trope, and this one did not disappoint!
I thought the first half of the book was somewhat slow, however as I read it was obvious that it was necessary to give all the background information. However, the second half of the book flew! I genuinely loved it, and will be recommending it to everyone I know!
I liked how the author included the characters culture throughout, and how she explained why the women were making the decisions they were through all the generations in the family. It was interesting and refreshing to get another layer of reasoning behind the motives of the characters.
I would love to read other works by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, Nishita Parekh & Penguin Group Dutton for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story started off well. As I was reading it, there were too many family dramas going on, which made the book a little boring and was not invested in the story at all. I loved the writing throughout the book, and some parts of it were relatable for a brown girl, which I enjoyed reading. Though they are times where I question the characters. The suspense builds up at the end of every chapter, but when we get to the next chapter, it isn't the continuation of the previous chapter, which makes the thrillness die.

Overall, it's a great thriller concept.

A modern take on a classic locked key murder mystery format.

I liked all the characters with all of their flaws and how those flaws created and heightened the mystery.

For me, the ending was somewhat predictable and though nothing was shockingly new for the genre, I still enjoyed reading the book and found myself looking forward to picking it back up. The ending was a little more complex than I could’ve guessed, however, and I really liked that for the conclusion. The final about five chapters really introduced a lot of character development and revealed motivations for everyone.

Ultimately, an entertaining book that kept me interested from beginning to end.

Okay, this was so good. And I mean so, so good. It was a quick read and kept me on my toes. THE NIGHT OF THE STORM is the definition of the word “entertainable.”

Part locked-room mystery, part family drama,The Night of the Storm really delivers on atmosphere and unease.

Jia Shah, newly separated from her husband and new to the Houston area, is a struggling single mother desperate to forge a new path for her and her son. With Hurricane Harvey bearing down on Texas, Jia and her son seek refuge at her sister and brother-in-law's lavish house. They think they're protected from the storm in this multi-million dollar house, but are they? There are hidden tensions between the family members, and when a stranger shows up for shelter from the storm, those tension mount even higher. And not everyone in this house will make it out alive.

This story was so claustrophobic! As the hurricane intensified so too did my anxiety. Add in the dysfunctional dynamics of the family, and this made for an incredibly tense read.
Parekh also did a great job of incorporating Indian culture and how those cultural expectations impact and shape the women in this story. This a very well done story overall. If I had one complaint, it would be that the pacing in the middle was a bit slow and disjointed from the rest of the story. Otherwise, sold storytelling and definitely a book I recommend to anyone who enjoys locked-room mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is not a book for me. I can’t pinpoint what it was. I can read a book in two days and I struggled to get through this book. I believe it will be a good book for the right person.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nishita Parekh & Penguin Group Dutton for an ARC of The Night of the Storm. This review is wholly my own and may not be reproduced (except quoted synopsis).

“Hurricane Harvey is descending on Houston. Meanwhile, thirty-something single mom Jia Shah and her son Ishaan are having a week. The twelve-year-old has been on suspension from his new school for striking a classmate and Jia is worried that their move to Houston and her divorce from Ishaan’s father is negatively impacting him. And doesn’t a boy need a father?

Now there’s a mandatory evacuation in their neighborhood. They pack up to ride out Harvey in Houston’s tony suburb Sugarland, where Jia’s sister Seema lives with her husband and toddler. The only problem? Seema’s arrogant husband, Vipul, has started blowing up her phone with cheesy love poems that will soon escalate to a mortifying photo. But to ensure her son’s safety from the storm Jia must steel herself and go. After all, her philandering ex back in Chicago is all too eager for Jia to make a misstep so he can snatch back custody.

Vipul’s brother and sister-in-law also show up to take refuge in Sugarland. Tensions rise as quickly as the flood waters as Grandma, the family matriarch, plays favorites among her sons and their wives. The family can’t seem to stop bickering and then a neighbor reeking of alcohol knocks on the door. A few hours and two dead bodies later, Jia becomes the prime suspect. Marooned in the house with a murderer, with no help available until the waters recede in the morning, Jia must protect her son and identify the real culprit before she goes down for a crime she didn’t commit—or becomes the next victim.”

I had a little bit higher hopes for this one, but it was just ok. Not great – not horrible, just average.

The coverage was phenomenal and the premise was intriguing, but it just feel short of being what it could have been. It was often slow and just didn’t deliver for what you would want out of a “locked room”-type thriller/suspense.

This book falls into the category of books that I just won’t be posting about at all – nothing negative/nothing positive – just nothing, period.

2.5 Stars

A pretty decent whodunnit thriller that used a mix of family drama, close proximity, and impending doom to keep the reader engaged. While it got a little convoluted at times and I was left wanting a little more from the ending, a solid read that I would recommend to others.

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey obliterated parts of Texas as it sat churning over the state. This book is set during that first horrifying night, and it made for a good atmosphere and backdrop for the story. As the hurricane bears down on Houston, a group forms to ride out the storm at a large house on a hill.

Seema and Vilpul own this house, and they have invited some friends and family members to shelter with them. Seema is the sister of Jia, single mom of Ishaan, who is having a custody battle with his father, Dev. Seema begged them to come to her house. Also invited were Vilpul’s brother Raj, and his partner, Lisa. Crashing the party late is Rafael, the only other person who dared stay during the storm, despite his home being down the hill.

Already it’s a suspenseful atmosphere while the hurricane keeps intensifying, but when two people die, we find ourselves trapped in a classic locked-room mystery. None of them can safely leave, but one of them is a killer. As the storm rages on, who will be alive the next day?

The Night of the Storm follows Jia and her son as they leave their house due to Hurricane Harvey approaching. She has been going through a custody battle with her ex husband to gain custody of her son. When they need a place to seek shelter during the hurricane, Jia is hesitant to stay in the same house as her ex husband but she decides that is her best option. During their stay, a murder occurs and the murderer could be any of the numerous people within the house. I found this book to be extremely slow and a lot of the details did not matter or allow me to connect with the character. I wouldn't classify this book as a thriller, but I did enjoy the realistic factors for those who suffered through Hurricane Harvey and its impact.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for granting me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a family thriller about what a mother will do to protect her son during a hurricane. I really tried to get into this book but it was a struggle.

3.5 stars but would round up to 4/5. This was a good book! Started a little slow and I had a hard time getting into it but I’m glad I stuck it out! The twists weren’t super obvious and I enjoyed them. The book is well written and easy to follow. Overall, I would recommend this book!

This is a story about a hurricane and a mom trying to protect her son. This book was a little too slow of storytelling for me, but peeked my interest enough with some of the questions and events I couldn't not finish it but overall it wouldnt be on my list to give to others.

Than you to Penguin Group Dutton, NetGalley, and Nishita Parekh for this advanced copy of the book!

Thank you so much to Nishita Parekh, Penguin Group Dutton, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover, the storyline, and it being Nishita’s debut novel. I mean, the cover screams mystery on a stormy night in an incredibly large house. Who doesn't get excited by that? The locked room concept had me ready for murders to happen with everyone as the culprit, really emphasizing the "who did it" discovery. I did check out other readers reviews ahead of time and saw they were pretty mixed, so I was prepared for any experience while reading it. Sadly, this book ended up just being okay for me. I wasn’t immediately drawn in when I started reading, and I really felt as though the story was moving slowly. I just wasn’t getting that grip factor that just had me sucked in, "turning pages (on my Kindle)," waiting for the next thing to happen. To me, everything got exciting during the last twenty percent of the book, when I wish it would’ve been more engaging throughout.

Jia, a recently divorced mom, has moved to Texas to be free of her ex-husband and closer to her sister. Her son, Ishaan, is having troubles at school, putting a strain on his relationship with his mother. Dev, Jia’s ex-husband, is trying to become involved in Ishaan’s life again as he’s remained in Chicago after the divorce. It seems like everything is going wrong for Jia after her move to Texas, and without Dev in the picture anymore, she seemingly doesn’t have anyone to help, and money is tight. Jia sees her brother-in-law Vipul showing up in the midst of her biggest struggles as an act of support from her sister Seema. In reality, they’re calculated opportunities for Vipul to save the day and make his move on Jia. Although Jia is not encouraging his advancements, his random drop-bys and suggestive texts all suggest otherwise to anyone looking in from the outside.

A secret affair, unwelcome advances, and family issues all come to a head when Hurricane Harvey hits Houston, Texas, and evacuation is the only answer. Jia thinks she’s doing what’s best for her and her son by following her sister’s guidance and choosing to wait out the storm at Seema and Vipul's house. Seema has also encouraged Vipul’s brother and wife to stay with them as well. Six adults and two children in one house in the midst of a hurricane with one uninvited neighbor makes for the perfect murder opportunity. But it’s not just one death that will happen on this night, making everyone in the house a suspect. As the flood waters rise and enter the house, so will tensions, as pieces start to fall into place and motives are uncovered. Some families will break and become unrepairable, but one will realign and become stronger than ever. Those who were once solely around each other as in-laws will become close friends. Who will make it out of the house alive and who will be swept up in the flood waters?

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton, NetGalley, and Nishita Parekh for this advanced copy of the book!
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My Review: First, the cover of this book is gorgeous! I'm a pluviophile (lover of rain, storms, and thunder), so this cover instantly stood out as I looked for my next read. The story is set during a hurricane in Houston, and family members are confined to one house to ride out the storm together. The story centers on the multiple secrets these family members have. As those secrets unraveled and two people in the home turned up dead, I started to think just how interesting this story was about to get. As I continue reading, I'm paying close attention to these revealed secrets and their connection. By the time I get to the end of the book, I feel underwhelmed by it all because some of the secrets feel a bit hoaky. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the story, the characters, and the build-up to the unraveling of the secrets; however, the ending left me feeling a lack of something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I'm sure it'll come to me as the days go on after reading this.

This book provides an interesting story about a mom doing her best to protect her son during Hurricane Harvey. It is both a bit of a family drama and a thriller. While the story is interesting, the writing leaves much to be desired, and is in a very “tell” not “show” format.

A locked room (house, really) thriller set during a hurricane? Great premise. A creepy uncle? A weird neighbor? An interloper new bride? A seemingly helpless single mom? Two kids? An invalid grandma? Two sisters with serious tension? An ex-husband with major secrets? All of those characters combine to a stressful hurricane situation for sure.

Im going to start with what I didn’t love—there were definitely slow parts to the story, and it felt like the author was constantly trying to leave the reader in a state of suspense—but by halfway, I was completely stressed out from all the attempts at suspense.

What I did enjoy—the second half of the book is when the story started to come together. The abundance of loose ends and veiled references to things we didn’t know yet started to wrap up. And it flew past, where the first half was a little tedious. There were also a lot of accusations flying around as tensions rose, and much more action.

The characters were both unlikeable and completely perfect. Only a single one of the adults was likeable IMO, and the rest? Dumpster fires, all of them.

Overall, a tension-filled read that was a little bit of a slow burn to get into, but once the action started, it was a satisfying read.