I'm sorry but this book wasn't for me.

Jatin, who was raised in India by his uncle when his parents died, had a bad lot in life. After he catches his promiscuous ex-wife in bed twice with other men, he turns to alcohol. His view on women changes overnight, being that they should only serve him and his needs.

So when he meets someone who's lost her memory, what he inflicts on her is terrible.


*I received this ARC via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was hooked from the cover and description and so glad I got to read this, it had that element that I was hoping for and enjoyed the overall concept. The characters worked well in this storyline and had that tension that I was looking for. Sam Arkot has a great way of telling a story and the characters were everything that I wanted.

I love reads that are on the darker side, the darker the better and so I loved this book. It had me hooked right from the very first page and I couldn't put it down. Full of tension, suspense and atmosphere. I loved it

Wow. First of all, thank you so much to The author and NetGalley for letting me read this book as an ARC!!!

It is 4 am because I was too close to finishing the book to go to sleep!!

This is such a bold book to be debuting with! This book covers some intense topics that might not be comfortable for a lot of people. There is trafficking/kidnapping, brainwashing, gaslighting, psychological abuse of a child as well as when the victim is an adult.

I love books that offer a darker perspective and this is certainly one of them. The main character, Jahit, is a poor excuse for a man who pissed me off to know end. He is extremely hateable and is a good example, I think, of what the minds of these kinds of people look like. I enjoyed being able to have access to his innermost thoughts throughout the book.

The book follows a bitter woman-hating man through his life after a divorce from a ruthless ex. I’m not going to lie, what she did was truly fucked up. Still doesn’t excuse his actions, but damn. I enjoyed raging at him, one of my favorite notable moments being when he was concerned that a child trafficker might take the young girl he wanted. All I could think after he started to brainwashing was - “Wow, so great none of those evil traffickers got her, huh?”

The hypocrisy that flowed so easily throughout this man’s head. Wild!!

I adored Moira and found her to be easy to love and worry about during her imprisonment. I really can’t explain it. Later on a -big event- happens and this guy is thinking to himself that it’s his fault, he did this, BUT IS STILL MAD AT MAIRA and is mad she could do such a thing!!!! I wanted to slap him! Dude it is YOUR FAULT, you as her guardian were responsible for teaching certain lessons and you failed!!! UGH

Fan-freaking-tastic job of writing a misogynistic, abusive prick. Having been with too many men like that I found this to be a cathartic read!

I think my only note is that I would move the glossary to the beginning, but that’s not even slightly a requirement as the book is still effective. Speaking of glossary I always love it when books not set in America use words from that culture they belong to!!!

I can’t say this about every book I read, but I can’t absolutely see myself reading this book again!!!

Crafting Maira is a dark psychological thriller that explores the twisted mind of Jatin as he manipulates and controls a young girl with memory loss. I enjoyed the suspenseful and chilling narrative that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a great read for fans of psychological thrillers who appreciate complex character-driven stories.

"Ready for a twisted tale that’ll keep you up at night? Crafting Maira is a rollercoaster of psychological manipulation and dark secrets! Jatin’s journey from bitter ex-husband to a twisted craftsman of control is both shocking and utterly compelling. This book had me hooked with its suspense and raw intensity. If you love a good psychological thriller that delves into the dark corners of the human mind, grab this book! 😱📚