Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy’s Book Studio for this ARC! I read Kismet last year by this author and I really enjoyed it, so I was excited to read her new book.

Almost Surely Dead is a twisty thriller with a paranormal twist that was done so well! I loved the short chapters and the podcast element tied in.

I would definitely read more from Amina in the future!

This was one wild ride of a book, and holy crap it started off with a bang. There were a few parts (with the back and forth time frames) that got a bit confusing, but this was a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy’s Book Studio for the e-ARC of this title to read and review. I started off with my digital advanced copy and ended up getting the final print book from the library - I say this because I don't note typos and such errors in my ARC reviews since they are literally uncorrected proofs, but when I saw big-deal typos in the published copy, I was really thrown off. (They were like cat-on-the-keyboard typos, not easy little errors, like... "pleas12e welcome Liz.") But anyway, the story was SO engaging at first, I flew through the first 40% of the book very engaged with the story, the premise, the writing... I thought to myself, this is gonna be GREAT. I originally loved the idea of integrating a modern true crime podcast into the telling of events because you could see that playing out in real life, where eyes on a case lead to new answers etc. But then the story lost its steam and completely disintegrated for me. The podcasters were the first to go off the rails for me, their little insensitive or vapid remarks (which at first, felt authentic and illuminating in the context of what was going on) soon became really annoying. The thrilling parts of the mystery all but vanished, and the childhood flashbacks weren't haunting anymore, to the point I almost skipped them over completely towards the end. I loved the cultural aspects but the story eventually stopped doing them justice. All in all, great idea, but the ending just wasn't satisfying - I would read more from the author and see other ways these cool ideas come to life.

Interesting story of Dunia and how a Jin is haunting her all the way back from when she is a child. The story goes back and forth from when she was five to present day. Interesting and Lee or d the reader engaged.

I really liked this book. It had a different supernatural element and it hooked me quickly. Dunia was a good character and I like how it was revealed what was attached to her as the book went on. I did have my suspicions about Liz early into their friendship. Overall it was well written and a quick haunting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for an Advanced Reading Copy of Almost Surely Dead.

What initially drew me to this book was the cover. The colors are super alluring and made me want to know more. This book sucked me in from the first few pages. I immediately wanted to know what happened to Dunia, who she was and why she was missing. Dunia was a well-developed, yet questionable character as she even doubts herself what is going on in her life. I mean why would a total stranger that she only sees on her subway commute try to kill her right then and there in the subway station? Why do more weird things keep happening? Why is Dunia so estranged from her family?

One big draw for me is when books are genre spanning. I love a good mystery, yet this also had elements of family drama, mysticism and folklore with multiple timelines. I felt completely sucked into Dunia's world of her friends, not boyfriend and family. You know that there has to be a mole in the group, but gosh you'd never guess how deep that mole goes to get to Dunia. The writing has you second guessing who to trust until the very end of the book.

I also loved the descriptive elements that Akhtar uses to describe the different things her friends wear, the scenery, their features, etc. I could picture each event and person perfectly while reading.

As for the here and now timeline, I actually really liked the podcast element as it showed the truth behind what some of our favorite pods may be like with reaching into the worst moments of some people's life and fictionalizing it enough to be audience grabbing. My god, did I find the two podcasters absolutely heinous people. They were infuriatingly callous about Dunia actually being a person who is still missing and what her friends and family members might be going through. This was very much a love to hate scenario for me.

As for the ending- this is where we went down to 4 stars over 5. I felt the ending was somewhat lackluster compared the rest of the book. It felt like it just kind of ended without wrapping up quite a few storylines. If you don't mind this type of ending, then you'd love it.

Dunia has got to be the most unlucky person alive. Narrowly escaping an attempt on her life in the subway, things continue to get worse for Dunia. Someone wants her dead but who? Is it your run of the mill psycho or do her current circumstances allude to a long forgotten childhood curse (hinted at with flashbacks growing up with her Pakistani parents)? Dunia has disappeared and is now the subject of a find Dunia podcast so we get Dunia's perspective as well as all those in her orbit before her disappearance. I liked the first half but the podcasters were so awful with their thinly concealed money grab under the guise of finding Dunia that it was hard to read at times. Also the ambiguous ending was not what I was expecting.

This is an honest review in exchange for an advanced reader copy.

This was a fast paced thriller that took twists and turns I was not expecting. This is a modern day story with a lot of folklore woven in,

Before she went missing Dunia was a pharmacist in New York City She was dealing with a newly broken off engagement and also the death of her mother. And then someone itried to kill her.

She’s been missing for a year and has become the feature of a true crime podcast. No one knows if she’s dead or alive but many are wearing merch that says “ Find Dunia”

The hunt to find her is on. Be prepared for a read that will have you staying up late, missing deadlines, ignoring friends because you will not want to put it down.

Kudos to the author on a well written book.

The first chapter of this book is so compelling and completely sucks you in. I went into it without any knowledge of what it was about so the supernatural bits were unexpected, but once you get used to them, it totally works. It would be a big win for fans of low fantasy and mysteries. It's elevator pitch feels like it would be "what if you mixed Only Murders in the Building with South Asian folklore?" This is a winning combination for me, clearly. The main character is great. The mystery keeps you guessing. The podcasters were delightfully awful. This is my first experience with this author, but I will be picking up her other books and definitely recommending to friends.

I loved the premise and the first few pages sucked me right in, but then it fell apart a little for me. The twist wasn’t surprising, and the resolution was a bit unsatisfying. I also felt like the podcast was unrealistic. I did love the characters and there was a big creepy factor as each event occurred, but I wanted a more cohesive story and more surprises along the way.

2.5 rounded up
Started strong but, fir me, it fell apart after that. I love the cover though. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

This book had everything from culture and folklore to twists and whodunits. I couldn't put it down and would have read it in one sitting but selfishly life got in the way, I loved it and will definitely be looking out for this author in the future.

Excellent read! I finished this in one sitting because I couldn't put the book down. If I were more familiar with djinn folklore I would have needed to sleep with the lights on. Great storytelling and I enjoyed the satirical take on true crime podcasters as well.

This checked off a few boxes for me. Fast paced, modern, whodunit mystery with multiple POV's and immersive Pakistani, Islamic, and Desi culture with folklore woven in. However, the writing was a little juvenile for me which made it feel more YA. Overall, the concept was great and i think many people will enjoy this thrill, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Initially, what captivated me about this book was the representation of the protagonist. It's rare to see women of color taking the lead in mystery/thriller novels, but Amina Akhtar's "Almost Surely Dead" breaks this mold admirably. Dunia, with her cultural background woven intricately into her character, feels remarkably authentic and relatable.

One of the intriguing aspects of the book is the way it unfolds: as we delve into the mystery of Dunia's disappearance, strange incidents begin to unravel her life. Simultaneously, we witness the eerie aftermath through the eyes of podcasters interviewing those who knew Dunia, attempting to uncover the truth. The inclusion of transcripts from the podcast adds a layer of realism to Dunia's vanishing, juxtaposed against her own perspective as she grapples with the unfolding events.

Furthermore, the portrayal of the podcasters, flawed and somewhat exploitative, sheds light on society's voyeuristic fascination with violence against women, prevalent in true crime narratives. This exploration adds depth to the narrative, prompting reflection on the treatment of such cases in the media and society at large.

Wow, this book had me hooked from start to finish. Great read, really holds your attention! Would recommend this :)

Multiple POVS, short chapters, and the interesting use of a djinn make this page turner. Dunia, who thought she was living a quiet life until someone tried to kill her is baffled when it happens again. Good atmosperics, characters, and storytelling make this a good read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Receiving an advanced copy was a delightful surprise. I believe both existing fans and newcomers will find it equally enjoyable.

2.5 stars. The beginning of this book was very promising, but the ending just fell flat. The writing was a little choppy at times.

Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar had me hooked from the very beginning!
Dunia is almost murdered by a stranger on her subway commute home. Thankfully, good Samaritans intervene and save her life, but when her would-be killer jumps in front of a moving train, the mystery really begins.

Dunia has no idea why anyone would want to kill her, but could it have something to do with her mysterious, haunting past?

Full of folklore and rich Pakistani culture, this mystery was like none that I have ever come across before.
The short chapters and multiple POV’s keep the reader engaged as the story unfolds. I did find the novel a bit slow in the middle parts. While I understand the character development was important, I feel some of it was redundant. The podcast characters were incredibly annoying, but I assume that was intentional by the author.

Overall, this was an excellent psychological thriller and I look forward to reading more from the author. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️