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No Ordinary Thursday
A family, broken by the shattering turns of a single day, will do anything to find their way back to one another.
Lena Sharma is a successful San Francisco restaurateur. An immigrant, she’s cultivated an image of conservatism and tradition in her close-knit Indian community. But when Lena’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble, her ties to her daughter, Maya, and son, Sameer—both raised in thoroughly modern California—slip further away.
Maya, divorced once, becomes engaged to a man twelve years her junior: Veer Kapoor, the son of Lena’s longtime friend. Immediately Maya feels her mother’s disgrace and the judgment of an insular society she was born into but never chose, while Lena’s cherished friendship frays. Meanwhile, Maya’s younger brother, Sameer, struggles with an addiction that reaches a devastating and very public turning point, upending his already tenuous future.
As the mother, daughter, and son are compromised by tragedy, secrets, and misconceptions, they each must determine what it will take to rebuild their bonds and salvage what’s left of their family.
Lena Sharma is a successful San Francisco restaurateur. An immigrant, she’s cultivated an image of conservatism and tradition in her close-knit Indian community. But when Lena’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble, her ties to her daughter, Maya, and son, Sameer—both raised in thoroughly modern California—slip further away.
Maya, divorced once, becomes engaged to a man twelve years her junior: Veer Kapoor, the son of Lena’s longtime friend. Immediately Maya feels her mother’s disgrace and the judgment of an insular society she was born into but never chose, while Lena’s cherished friendship frays. Meanwhile, Maya’s younger brother, Sameer, struggles with an addiction that reaches a devastating and very public turning point, upending his already tenuous future.
As the mother, daughter, and son are compromised by tragedy, secrets, and misconceptions, they each must determine what it will take to rebuild their bonds and salvage what’s left of their family.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2022
2515 people are currently reading
9446 people want to read
About the author
Anoop Judge
4 books82 followersI am an award-winning author, a former T.V. personality, and "a recovering litigator."
Born and raised in the bustling sprawl of New Delhi, India, I now live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I am the author of five books,
LAW: WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT and HOW TO GET IN, 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, (which was a FIRST READS book selection), and MERCY AND GRACE.
Born and raised in the bustling sprawl of New Delhi, India, I now live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I am the author of five books,
LAW: WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT and HOW TO GET IN, 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, (which was a FIRST READS book selection), and MERCY AND GRACE.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
March 19, 2023
An incredible portrayal of Indian American families living in the Bay Area/San Francisco.
While this isn’t a romance, it does have love at the center of every story here.
Wealth gap
Age gap
Arranged marriage
Love marriage
Divorce
Incarceration
Character depth
Family meals and the importance of cooking
This story was filled with genuine family dynamics. It also showed how quickly one small decision can change the trajectory of your life.
I was completely immersed in this family, and wanting them to succeed. It reminded me that no matter what culture we are raised in, the core of who we are is very much the same. Unless you’re a Goldie and then you’re an egotistical, selfish jerk.
I would not have picked this story up without the excellent recommendation from my friend Dan!
While this isn’t a romance, it does have love at the center of every story here.
Wealth gap
Age gap
Arranged marriage
Love marriage
Divorce
Incarceration
Character depth
Family meals and the importance of cooking
This story was filled with genuine family dynamics. It also showed how quickly one small decision can change the trajectory of your life.
I was completely immersed in this family, and wanting them to succeed. It reminded me that no matter what culture we are raised in, the core of who we are is very much the same. Unless you’re a Goldie and then you’re an egotistical, selfish jerk.
I would not have picked this story up without the excellent recommendation from my friend Dan!
October 12, 2022
No Ordinary Thursday is the story of an Indian family; their cultural traditions, their strengths, and their lows, with relatable family dynamics. It’s also a story of forgiveness, hope, and healing. I enjoyed my time spent with Lena, Maya, and Sameer. More thoughts to come.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
August 5, 2022
When books dive into stories surrounding families and traditional/cultural norms, I’m here for it. This is a slow burn type of story that builds a world about brilliantly written characters while fleshing out ideas about race, class, and family. I would classify this as a “slice of life” for most of the novel with details about a family broken by many bad decisions and traumas. There’s no mistake that this novel is a sad one and the pay off in the final pages will bring you to tears. I am always blown away by being immersed in a culture and family that I am not apart of and appreciated the beautiful details the author provided.
July 8, 2022
NO ORDINARY THURSDAY is a family drama that everyone can identify with. The relationships beween parents and their adult children in this heart warming story felt honest, fresh, and utterly relatable. The characters and their story felt comfortable and familiar, like a warm fire and hot chocolate.
This book tells the story of a large extended Indian family, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. They live a modern, westernized life, but generational differences mean some are more influenced by the traditions that followed them from their native India. The conflicts and frictions that play out are hardly unique to their Indian culture or heritage. This is what loving families go through, and put their loved ones through. Parents worry about their children. It's universal. Humans make mistakes in our most important relationships. That too, is universal.
In families and extended families there are rifts and fights and differences of opinion. There are resentments and friction. Sometimes, even good advice feels more like meddling, and misunderstandings get blown out of proportion. Thats just how close families roll over time. The big gatherings, the triumphs and the tragedies, ring true in this feel good story. Anoop Judge is a talented author who captures family dynamics perfectly.
I didn't start this story with a lot of enthusiasm. I usually read thrillers and mysteries, but it didn't take long to get sucked into the lives and drama of this interesting family. The book just keeps gettting better and better, the further you read. I'm not Indian, but you don't have to be, to understand wanting to occasionally duck a call from your Mom. Knowing she means well when she tries to give you parenting advice, you don't happen to agree with, doesn't mean you want to hear it. Even if your avoidance doesn't make her more insistant (or her insistance make you even more avoidant) this dynamic will not be unfamiliar to you.
Love is the thing that keeps families together and allows us to forgive the many mistakes and troubles we humans make even when we mean well. NO ORDINARY THURSDAY captures the complications of family dynamics in a way that transcends race and culture, It will leave you feeling good with a smile on your face.
This book tells the story of a large extended Indian family, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. They live a modern, westernized life, but generational differences mean some are more influenced by the traditions that followed them from their native India. The conflicts and frictions that play out are hardly unique to their Indian culture or heritage. This is what loving families go through, and put their loved ones through. Parents worry about their children. It's universal. Humans make mistakes in our most important relationships. That too, is universal.
In families and extended families there are rifts and fights and differences of opinion. There are resentments and friction. Sometimes, even good advice feels more like meddling, and misunderstandings get blown out of proportion. Thats just how close families roll over time. The big gatherings, the triumphs and the tragedies, ring true in this feel good story. Anoop Judge is a talented author who captures family dynamics perfectly.
I didn't start this story with a lot of enthusiasm. I usually read thrillers and mysteries, but it didn't take long to get sucked into the lives and drama of this interesting family. The book just keeps gettting better and better, the further you read. I'm not Indian, but you don't have to be, to understand wanting to occasionally duck a call from your Mom. Knowing she means well when she tries to give you parenting advice, you don't happen to agree with, doesn't mean you want to hear it. Even if your avoidance doesn't make her more insistant (or her insistance make you even more avoidant) this dynamic will not be unfamiliar to you.
Love is the thing that keeps families together and allows us to forgive the many mistakes and troubles we humans make even when we mean well. NO ORDINARY THURSDAY captures the complications of family dynamics in a way that transcends race and culture, It will leave you feeling good with a smile on your face.
July 6, 2022
Amazon are spoiling Prime members with two free books this month. This was one of my choices.
It should have been right up my street. I hunt down books about the immigrant experience and have a Goodreads shelf just for that topic. The book started well but soon got rather too silly for my liking.
Why do books about Indians living in the USA always focus on the rich and successful? Why is the love-interest never a poor boy from the Indian countryside with only his wits to save him instead of the Trust Fund rich boy with wealthy parents? Why does nobody live in an average house instead of spectacular apartments or mansions?
The book attempts to address a whole host of prejudices and barriers between people. Maya's mother is angry that she's got engaged to a wealthy man 12 years younger than her. Her fiance's mother is furious that Maya is a divorcee. Maya's mother is condemned for marrying a Mexican. Everybody's worried about how Maya's brother's incarceration will impact on their own reputations. It's neverending.
There's one unacknowledged but very unpleasant prejudice which I can only allocate to the author who possibly doesn't even see her own nastiness. Maya's mother Lena is repeatedly abused by the author for being fat. Her divorce must be because she 'let herself go'. Her success in business is not praised because she's fat. She's clearly a lovely and successful woman but Anoop Judge just can't resist putting the knife into Lena for her weight. It's horrible to read. And SO unnecessary.
I fully expected an attempt to squeeze Gordon Ramsey into the tale as he was mentioned so many times in the early stages of the book. I suppose we should be grateful that it didn't happen.
Once the happy couple run away to Paradise, it all gets very silly. And when you think the rifts between the characters have nowhere left to go, they all just decide to stop being nasty and get along again.
Honestly, I don't know what the author was trying to achieve.
It should have been right up my street. I hunt down books about the immigrant experience and have a Goodreads shelf just for that topic. The book started well but soon got rather too silly for my liking.
Why do books about Indians living in the USA always focus on the rich and successful? Why is the love-interest never a poor boy from the Indian countryside with only his wits to save him instead of the Trust Fund rich boy with wealthy parents? Why does nobody live in an average house instead of spectacular apartments or mansions?
The book attempts to address a whole host of prejudices and barriers between people. Maya's mother is angry that she's got engaged to a wealthy man 12 years younger than her. Her fiance's mother is furious that Maya is a divorcee. Maya's mother is condemned for marrying a Mexican. Everybody's worried about how Maya's brother's incarceration will impact on their own reputations. It's neverending.
There's one unacknowledged but very unpleasant prejudice which I can only allocate to the author who possibly doesn't even see her own nastiness. Maya's mother Lena is repeatedly abused by the author for being fat. Her divorce must be because she 'let herself go'. Her success in business is not praised because she's fat. She's clearly a lovely and successful woman but Anoop Judge just can't resist putting the knife into Lena for her weight. It's horrible to read. And SO unnecessary.
I fully expected an attempt to squeeze Gordon Ramsey into the tale as he was mentioned so many times in the early stages of the book. I suppose we should be grateful that it didn't happen.
Once the happy couple run away to Paradise, it all gets very silly. And when you think the rifts between the characters have nowhere left to go, they all just decide to stop being nasty and get along again.
Honestly, I don't know what the author was trying to achieve.
September 7, 2022
This one was kind of hard for me to rate. I think just because there was too much going on with this family on such a short time.
Also Sameer would have spent wayyyy more time in county jail before going off to prison, would not happen overnight like it did in this book.
I did love the family aspect, and learning a bit more of Indian culture.
Also Sameer would have spent wayyyy more time in county jail before going off to prison, would not happen overnight like it did in this book.
I did love the family aspect, and learning a bit more of Indian culture.
July 31, 2022
No Ordinary Thursday is the moving story of three members of the Sharma family. Lena is the matriarch, caught between keeping up appearances in the Indian community and standing up for what’s right. Maya is the eldest daughter, and no stranger to scandal. Already divorced once, she’s on the verge of marrying the wealthy Veer, a family friend who also happens to be twelve years younger. Finally there’s Sameer, the quintessential youngest child and most lost soul of the bunch. After a horrific accident with devastating consequences, Sameer is forced to face some hard truths. All three are struggling to keep it together, but can they do so long enough to support one another?
A commentary on class, race, and family traditions, No Ordinary Thursday is a rather ordinary story most of the time. The novel’s opening events hooked me, but the introduction and shifted focus on other family members threw me off for a bit. As a result, I found myself meandering through the middle of story. The action intensifies considerably in the final act, finally bringing all the storylines together. I just wish there had been more of a rise and fall throughout the whole novel rather than its first and last pages.
A sad tale about life’s decisions and their ramifications, No Ordinary Thursday wasn’t an extraordinary read, but a thought provoking one nonetheless.
July 19, 2022
It was pretty good until the last 15%, then the over the top action that was clearly intended to being everyone back together as a happy family was just really really annoying and I skimmed it. Would have been much better without the action.
July 7, 2022
DNF at 12%. I just thought the writing was forced and undeveloped. The characters swirled in and out and I couldn’t keep straight who was who or how each relationship mattered. Couldn’t continue.
September 4, 2022
When everything nears the center there is a chaotic explosion.
October 22, 2022
Don't waste your time
This book is so boring. The characters are flat, the "plot" is almost non existent. The first half will put you to sleep, the second half attempts to make up for the first but the action is one dimensional and predictable. This book will not challenge you or make you think. So. Boring.
This book is so boring. The characters are flat, the "plot" is almost non existent. The first half will put you to sleep, the second half attempts to make up for the first but the action is one dimensional and predictable. This book will not challenge you or make you think. So. Boring.
July 17, 2022
This was actually a great book
Loved the storyline. Reminds us that family doesn't always include blood. Friendships are endless and its always best to forgive and forget to move forward.
Loved the storyline. Reminds us that family doesn't always include blood. Friendships are endless and its always best to forgive and forget to move forward.
March 24, 2024
I liked this book much more than I thought I would. Contemporary fiction about a California family? Not my style. But it was an Amazon First Read book, and free for me, so I read it, and I liked it !
The family in question is Southeast Asian, upper middle class and has been through some things. It is about to go through some more! Seeing as how this is California in the beginning of the climate change disaster era, "more" is a lot. I am not saying more, because I don't want to drop any spoilers. The picture on the cover is enough of a spoiler.
I consider this a light read because things work out well enough for most of the people that I liked in the story.
The family in question is Southeast Asian, upper middle class and has been through some things. It is about to go through some more! Seeing as how this is California in the beginning of the climate change disaster era, "more" is a lot. I am not saying more, because I don't want to drop any spoilers. The picture on the cover is enough of a spoiler.
I consider this a light read because things work out well enough for most of the people that I liked in the story.
April 12, 2023
This was really good. It followed an Indian family living in Cali. A mother and her grown daughter and son. There was a really good plot.
August 5, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel’s families’ dramas
and anguishes, psychopathic behaviors between old friends, the need to compete despite non-existence class-level, judgmental and backstabbing contentions, the importance of outward appearance, racism amongst immigrants, traditional cultures, the preference of son than daughter and conservative norms and compelling story made me love the characters as if I’ve known them already! The author’s capability to keep me engaged with short chapters, the page-turning suspense and the twists kept my attention intact.
As an AAPI reader, I can relate to the novel since I’ve seen and known some immigrant families who are going through this daily despite parentals’ better education and exposure. I guess it’s really hard to teach new tricks to the old dogs!
What an entertaining read! Highly recommending this book!
Perfect to be made into a movie!
Thank you to Let’s Talk Books Promo, #LakeUnion and #AnoopJudge for allowing me to take part in the BookTour in exchange for my honest review!
and anguishes, psychopathic behaviors between old friends, the need to compete despite non-existence class-level, judgmental and backstabbing contentions, the importance of outward appearance, racism amongst immigrants, traditional cultures, the preference of son than daughter and conservative norms and compelling story made me love the characters as if I’ve known them already! The author’s capability to keep me engaged with short chapters, the page-turning suspense and the twists kept my attention intact.
As an AAPI reader, I can relate to the novel since I’ve seen and known some immigrant families who are going through this daily despite parentals’ better education and exposure. I guess it’s really hard to teach new tricks to the old dogs!
What an entertaining read! Highly recommending this book!
Perfect to be made into a movie!
Thank you to Let’s Talk Books Promo, #LakeUnion and #AnoopJudge for allowing me to take part in the BookTour in exchange for my honest review!
June 27, 2023
I listened to this on audio. This was a book that felt like 2 different books. The first half and then the second.
I considered not finishing it until the 25% mark where it really started picking up. The last 25% was phenomenal. So we will meet in the middle at 3 stars.
Sameer has a life changing event right off the bat. While driving a girl home from the bar, he crashes the car. Drunk. Instead of helping her or calling anyone, he flees.
While he is being booked, his sister is getting engaged to a man 12 years younger than her. Lena, mother to both children, is slapped twice that night and humiliated by her children's choices.
A crumbled family must pull it together. Are the actions leading up to that fatal Thrusdsy night even salvageable? Because the world isn't done with them yet. Semeers is in jail, and his sister Maya is on the run from her family with her fiance.
Fantastic premise. Great storytelling, but you gotta get through the beginning. The end is non-stop drama, and I was glad I kept going.
I considered not finishing it until the 25% mark where it really started picking up. The last 25% was phenomenal. So we will meet in the middle at 3 stars.
Sameer has a life changing event right off the bat. While driving a girl home from the bar, he crashes the car. Drunk. Instead of helping her or calling anyone, he flees.
While he is being booked, his sister is getting engaged to a man 12 years younger than her. Lena, mother to both children, is slapped twice that night and humiliated by her children's choices.
A crumbled family must pull it together. Are the actions leading up to that fatal Thrusdsy night even salvageable? Because the world isn't done with them yet. Semeers is in jail, and his sister Maya is on the run from her family with her fiance.
Fantastic premise. Great storytelling, but you gotta get through the beginning. The end is non-stop drama, and I was glad I kept going.
August 1, 2022
This book does a great job touching on some serious issues. As well as the pressure of conforming to your family and community.
We all have those moments - if we had just done something else; waited an extra five minutes.
Sameer offers to drive a woman he works with home - eager to have a chance to talk.
Maya, divorced once, becomes engaged to her mom's best friend's son - 12 years younger than her.
Lena must somehow help her children - Sameer to find his path; to work through the impacts of Maya's engagement.
A family on different on paths - will they come together again?
Just a very in-depth look at the pressures of life - conforming or make your own path? Do you finally confess the secret poisoning yourself for 15 years?
Very well done.
We all have those moments - if we had just done something else; waited an extra five minutes.
Sameer offers to drive a woman he works with home - eager to have a chance to talk.
Maya, divorced once, becomes engaged to her mom's best friend's son - 12 years younger than her.
Lena must somehow help her children - Sameer to find his path; to work through the impacts of Maya's engagement.
A family on different on paths - will they come together again?
Just a very in-depth look at the pressures of life - conforming or make your own path? Do you finally confess the secret poisoning yourself for 15 years?
Very well done.
October 3, 2022
Anoop Judge's new novel, NO ORDINARY THURSDAY (LakeUnion) takes readers inside an Indian-American family and their generational differences.
Lena Sharma, is known as the San Francisco Currey Queen. She left her homeland of India to provide more opportunities for her children in America. She is highly respected in the community and its important that she maintains a flawless reputation. But there are some rules not to be crossed. Her daughter, Maya is a divorcee and dating a man twelve years younger. Lena's son, Sameer is hauled into jail after a DUI accident and she sees her reputation in the community fading.
In NO ORDINARY THURSDAY, I learned a great deal about Indian traditions. Anoop Judge fills her novel with details of fashion, food and celebrations, so that a reader with no prior knowledge of Indian traditions, will easily see, hear and taste the food.
Readers will connect with the universal family struggles, not just Indian-American. I found myself completely invested in the families identities, belonging, history, acceptance and forgiveness.
Lena Sharma, is known as the San Francisco Currey Queen. She left her homeland of India to provide more opportunities for her children in America. She is highly respected in the community and its important that she maintains a flawless reputation. But there are some rules not to be crossed. Her daughter, Maya is a divorcee and dating a man twelve years younger. Lena's son, Sameer is hauled into jail after a DUI accident and she sees her reputation in the community fading.
In NO ORDINARY THURSDAY, I learned a great deal about Indian traditions. Anoop Judge fills her novel with details of fashion, food and celebrations, so that a reader with no prior knowledge of Indian traditions, will easily see, hear and taste the food.
Readers will connect with the universal family struggles, not just Indian-American. I found myself completely invested in the families identities, belonging, history, acceptance and forgiveness.
September 16, 2022
I love when a book surprises me, and this one definitely did!! The complicated relationship between Lena and her adult children Maya and Sameer drew me in immediately as they navigate how addiction impacts a family and how not living up to parental expectations can weigh on adult children. There are some light-hearted moments and Lena’s relationship with her friends is so true to form and had me laughing and feeling touched as it reminded me of my parents’ and their friends. This book really highlights how a single day can change our lives forever in good ways and in bad, and the spillover effects of our decisions on our loved ones.
July 30, 2022
Read this as part of Amazon first reads.
Started off with promise, but the story soon became increasingly contrived and tedious.
Flicked through the last fifty odd pages (there’s only so much description of a raging fire a person can read!) otherwise would have ended up as a DNF.
Started off with promise, but the story soon became increasingly contrived and tedious.
Flicked through the last fifty odd pages (there’s only so much description of a raging fire a person can read!) otherwise would have ended up as a DNF.
July 31, 2022
A deeply detailed story told about an Indian family residing in the San Francisco Bay and how one night and a tragic accident changes the course of all of their lives. This story is a deep read in that the author was not afraid to shy away from the truth of family dynamics, sibling rivalry, traditions and the difference in how generations were raised and their beliefs in what should be carried on or changed.
Sameer struggles with alcohol and unfortunately gets behind the wheel of his vehicle. This accident happens on the night of his sister getting engaged to someone that her mother is not approving of. What is supposed to be an exciting night, turns into the family once again being concerned about the actions of her brother and what he has brought onto his family. But Maya's mother is not about to forget that her now fiancé is not what she wanted for her daughter and this is causing a rift as her mother realizes that Maya is wanting more of the American traditions.
Sameer has to come to the understanding of his actions, and his mother is not afraid to speak her mind concerning him and what all happened. All in one night, Lena's family has shattered and while she tries to continue to keep Indian traditions alive, her son and daughter continue to pull more and more away during a time when family should be what you rely on to get you through the hard times, and to celebrate the good.
Thank you to Let's Talk Books for the invite and to the author for the free novel. I enjoyed reading about this family, Indian traditions and often how siblings and family members can either become closer or change after one single event happens.
Sameer struggles with alcohol and unfortunately gets behind the wheel of his vehicle. This accident happens on the night of his sister getting engaged to someone that her mother is not approving of. What is supposed to be an exciting night, turns into the family once again being concerned about the actions of her brother and what he has brought onto his family. But Maya's mother is not about to forget that her now fiancé is not what she wanted for her daughter and this is causing a rift as her mother realizes that Maya is wanting more of the American traditions.
Sameer has to come to the understanding of his actions, and his mother is not afraid to speak her mind concerning him and what all happened. All in one night, Lena's family has shattered and while she tries to continue to keep Indian traditions alive, her son and daughter continue to pull more and more away during a time when family should be what you rely on to get you through the hard times, and to celebrate the good.
Thank you to Let's Talk Books for the invite and to the author for the free novel. I enjoyed reading about this family, Indian traditions and often how siblings and family members can either become closer or change after one single event happens.
Read
November 7, 2022It's hard to take a familiar stereotype and make the character feel three-dimensional; but that's exactly what Anoop Judge does so deftly in her riveting family drama debut, “No Ordinary Thursday.”
Overachieving big sister with a lost younger brother, immigrant parents that prioritize reputation over their child's happiness, older woman falling in love with younger man, divorcee shunned by her in-laws. When you first read the blurb for this novel, it feels like Judge just threw together every family trope she could find, and indeed even the first few chapters are lost in a jumble of rapid fire plot; but, once the premise of the book is laid out, the novel gently breathes life into each of these tropes adding nuance and color to each character.
Maya isn't just an overachieving cougar, she's a woman who fell in love despite her best intentions. Lena isn't a judgmental mother, she's a divorcee who's battled the scuff of reputational damage for decades and now seeks to protect her daughter. Even Sameer, whose actions set off the domino effect, is much more gracious, humble and layered than he appears. The book truly shines when it focuses not on the plot but the internal depth of each character's emotional turmoil.
There's one line I loved, where Lena is sitting away from her friends: “It was a relief, she realized to be sitting so far from them, but the feeling soon turned into something a little like guilt before finally mellowing into a wider sadness." These characters feel alive even where the plot's seams are visible, making for the perfect kind of novel for a reflective rainy fall afternoon.
Overachieving big sister with a lost younger brother, immigrant parents that prioritize reputation over their child's happiness, older woman falling in love with younger man, divorcee shunned by her in-laws. When you first read the blurb for this novel, it feels like Judge just threw together every family trope she could find, and indeed even the first few chapters are lost in a jumble of rapid fire plot; but, once the premise of the book is laid out, the novel gently breathes life into each of these tropes adding nuance and color to each character.
Maya isn't just an overachieving cougar, she's a woman who fell in love despite her best intentions. Lena isn't a judgmental mother, she's a divorcee who's battled the scuff of reputational damage for decades and now seeks to protect her daughter. Even Sameer, whose actions set off the domino effect, is much more gracious, humble and layered than he appears. The book truly shines when it focuses not on the plot but the internal depth of each character's emotional turmoil.
There's one line I loved, where Lena is sitting away from her friends: “It was a relief, she realized to be sitting so far from them, but the feeling soon turned into something a little like guilt before finally mellowing into a wider sadness." These characters feel alive even where the plot's seams are visible, making for the perfect kind of novel for a reflective rainy fall afternoon.
September 26, 2024
Around 17% of the way through, I almost gave up on this book. I don't DNF lightly, but I was struggling to get into it. It was just boring me. But for some reason I kept reading and I am so glad that I did. Please, if you're ready to give up, just keep reading!
This is such a moving story. A story of a family that seems to be faced with all of their tragedy at once. And yes, maybe not all of the things that they see as tragedies are truly all that bad (Maya and Veer's engagement, for example) but culturally it sounds like they truly believe it's a tragedy. I'm not personally very familiar with the Indian culture, and I think that was why the first part of the book was such a struggle for me. It seems to just be about the cultural implications of people's decisions, and so much of it just got a little stale for me. But once we get into the real story - Sameer goes to jail, Maya & Veer move to Paradise - I had a hard time putting the book down. The climax of the book - the Paradise fire and Sameer being hospitalized - was so real and heart wrenching. The author did the Paradise fire true justice, and I can't imagine the horror so many people faced that were there, experiencing that. We see the main characters grow in ways that help them to come back together and have better relationships than before. Such a good read, and I'm so glad I stuck through and finished it.
This is such a moving story. A story of a family that seems to be faced with all of their tragedy at once. And yes, maybe not all of the things that they see as tragedies are truly all that bad (Maya and Veer's engagement, for example) but culturally it sounds like they truly believe it's a tragedy. I'm not personally very familiar with the Indian culture, and I think that was why the first part of the book was such a struggle for me. It seems to just be about the cultural implications of people's decisions, and so much of it just got a little stale for me. But once we get into the real story - Sameer goes to jail, Maya & Veer move to Paradise - I had a hard time putting the book down. The climax of the book - the Paradise fire and Sameer being hospitalized - was so real and heart wrenching. The author did the Paradise fire true justice, and I can't imagine the horror so many people faced that were there, experiencing that. We see the main characters grow in ways that help them to come back together and have better relationships than before. Such a good read, and I'm so glad I stuck through and finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2022
Lena is the curry queen of San Francisco and a mother to two grown children. As a result of her divorce earlier in life, she has a tenuous relationship with her alcoholic son. Lena’s daughter, who is seven years older than her brother, is involved in a relationship with a younger man that is scandalous in the eyes of the local Indian community. When tragedy strikes Lena’s son Sameer, it further alienates her daughter Maya and the family dynamic shifts, threatening to destroy the delicate relationships for good.
Judge’s third novel explores many parenting themes, including the importance of being present and accepting your children for who they are. Lena begins to reevaluate her relationships with her son and daughter once they are lost to her through catastrophe. The family begins to heal when they are forced to come to terms with the reality of their situations and Lena realizes that she can’t protect her children from making mistakes.
This intense drama has some difficult subject matter that makes it a more challenging read. If abuse and alcoholism are triggers for you, pass on this one. If you enjoy a gripping realistic family drama where tragedy and adversity are worked through and hope emerges, pick this one up. It’s a rewarding, thought-provoking read.
Judge’s third novel explores many parenting themes, including the importance of being present and accepting your children for who they are. Lena begins to reevaluate her relationships with her son and daughter once they are lost to her through catastrophe. The family begins to heal when they are forced to come to terms with the reality of their situations and Lena realizes that she can’t protect her children from making mistakes.
This intense drama has some difficult subject matter that makes it a more challenging read. If abuse and alcoholism are triggers for you, pass on this one. If you enjoy a gripping realistic family drama where tragedy and adversity are worked through and hope emerges, pick this one up. It’s a rewarding, thought-provoking read.
October 31, 2023
A family, fractured by the profound upheavals of a single day, is determined to do whatever it takes to reunite.
Lena Sharma, a thriving restaurateur in San Francisco, is an immigrant who has crafted an identity of conservatism and tradition within her tight-knit Indian community. However, as Lena's meticulously built world starts to disintegrate, her connections to her daughter, Maya, and her son, Sameer, who were both raised in the thoroughly modern environment of California, become increasingly strained.
The intricate dynamic between Lena and her grown children, Maya and Sameer, immediately captivated me. They grapple with the profound impact of addiction on a family and the burdens that adult children carry when they don't meet their parents' expectations. While there are moments of levity, what struck me the most was Lena's authentic and relatable relationships with her friends, which had me both laughing and deeply moved, evoking memories of my own parents and their friends. This book vividly underscores how a single day has the power to forever alter our lives, whether for better or worse, and how the consequences of our choices ripple through the lives of our loved ones.
Lena Sharma, a thriving restaurateur in San Francisco, is an immigrant who has crafted an identity of conservatism and tradition within her tight-knit Indian community. However, as Lena's meticulously built world starts to disintegrate, her connections to her daughter, Maya, and her son, Sameer, who were both raised in the thoroughly modern environment of California, become increasingly strained.
The intricate dynamic between Lena and her grown children, Maya and Sameer, immediately captivated me. They grapple with the profound impact of addiction on a family and the burdens that adult children carry when they don't meet their parents' expectations. While there are moments of levity, what struck me the most was Lena's authentic and relatable relationships with her friends, which had me both laughing and deeply moved, evoking memories of my own parents and their friends. This book vividly underscores how a single day has the power to forever alter our lives, whether for better or worse, and how the consequences of our choices ripple through the lives of our loved ones.
January 29, 2025
This book was a very strange reading experience for me, to say the least. I rarely skim through pages of books I read and I don't force myself to finish books but that is exactly what happened with this book, and it made me frustrated. I learned my lesson that even at 50%, it is ok to put a book in my dnf shelf. I love stories of immigrants in general, but it's the third time that I am burnt by Indian-American stories and I am finding a same undertone, that I dislike. I found the characters under-developed, a bit whiny and immature in my opinion, who spent the majority of the book complaining about the same situation, it got so repetitive. Maya was the one I had the least patience for. Her section were a succession of "but oh, but why can't she/they just accept me? , but, oh, I wish I were born into a different ethnic group. An actual sentence from Maya was : " Did you ever wish you were just American growing up? Some of the other kids had such simple lives it seemed." And the author must also have some kind of issues with body image: how many times must we be reminded that Lena was a big woman and really how was that necessary to the plot ? Yea. Definitely, not my cup of tea as far as books and writing style.
August 2, 2022
On kindle
A family, broken by the shattering turns of a single day, will do anything to find their way back to one another.
Lena Sharma is a successful San Francisco restaurateur. An immigrant, she’s cultivated an image of conservatism and tradition in her close-knit Indian community. But when Lena’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble, her ties to her daughter, Maya, and son, Sameer—both raised in thoroughly modern California—slip further away.
Maya, divorced once, becomes engaged to a man twelve years her junior: Veer Kapoor, the son of Lena’s longtime friend. Immediately Maya feels her mother’s disgrace and the judgment of an insular society she was born into but never chose, while Lena’s cherished friendship frays. Meanwhile, Maya’s younger brother, Sameer, struggles with an addiction that reaches a devastating and very public turning point, upending his already tenuous future.
As the mother, daughter, and son are compromised by tragedy, secrets, and misconceptions, they each must determine what it will take to rebuild their bonds and salvage what’s left of their family
A family, broken by the shattering turns of a single day, will do anything to find their way back to one another.
Lena Sharma is a successful San Francisco restaurateur. An immigrant, she’s cultivated an image of conservatism and tradition in her close-knit Indian community. But when Lena’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble, her ties to her daughter, Maya, and son, Sameer—both raised in thoroughly modern California—slip further away.
Maya, divorced once, becomes engaged to a man twelve years her junior: Veer Kapoor, the son of Lena’s longtime friend. Immediately Maya feels her mother’s disgrace and the judgment of an insular society she was born into but never chose, while Lena’s cherished friendship frays. Meanwhile, Maya’s younger brother, Sameer, struggles with an addiction that reaches a devastating and very public turning point, upending his already tenuous future.
As the mother, daughter, and son are compromised by tragedy, secrets, and misconceptions, they each must determine what it will take to rebuild their bonds and salvage what’s left of their family
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ @indiespines really had me in my #indiebooks bag! No Ordinary Thursday is a slow-burn following a California-based Indian family.
The years of family issues have boiled over and brought them to their present state of misery - brokenness, division, hostility and resentment.
I really enjoyed this read, especially the cultural aspect. It follows the mom, Lena, daughter, Maya, and son, Sameer. Sameer’s story had the most bite, imo, with his longstanding issues that led him to alcoholism and in the worst case of his life. I would’ve loved it more if the story was all his. He had been through so much hidden pain and I needed more of his life. I think Maya’s story had more of the cultural and family struggle drama.
To be honest, there were bits and pieces of Indian culture and traditions, but it mainly felt like any other American family dynamics. The Indian aspect could’ve been more focal and played a more significant factor. There was an event that happened towards the end in Maya’s section that I didn’t really understand why it was included, but it did give a pretty climatic sense.
I’d recommend this for a pleasant read with family drama and cultural components!
The years of family issues have boiled over and brought them to their present state of misery - brokenness, division, hostility and resentment.
I really enjoyed this read, especially the cultural aspect. It follows the mom, Lena, daughter, Maya, and son, Sameer. Sameer’s story had the most bite, imo, with his longstanding issues that led him to alcoholism and in the worst case of his life. I would’ve loved it more if the story was all his. He had been through so much hidden pain and I needed more of his life. I think Maya’s story had more of the cultural and family struggle drama.
To be honest, there were bits and pieces of Indian culture and traditions, but it mainly felt like any other American family dynamics. The Indian aspect could’ve been more focal and played a more significant factor. There was an event that happened towards the end in Maya’s section that I didn’t really understand why it was included, but it did give a pretty climatic sense.
I’d recommend this for a pleasant read with family drama and cultural components!
August 1, 2022
This book’s title hits its mark because NO ORDINARY THURSDAY is no ordinary novel.
Author Anoop Judge tells the story of an Indian-American matriarch’s fury over what her children do with the life she worked so hard to give them. The novel pits the unstoppable force of a new generation’s rebellion against the immovable object of motherly expectations.
Handcuffed by a culture they never chose, the adult offspring of Lena Sharma engage in a heartfelt tug-of-war that tests the tensile strength of their mom’s old-world rigidity.
Most compelling is the story of Maya, whose romance with a younger man fills her mother with shame. A successful restaurateur and fixture in the Indian-American community, Sharma bristles with humiliation. But what’s a mother to do when her daughter’s happiness threatens the cultural standing she’s devoted her life to achieve?
In a simmering family drama that threatens to pinwheel into tragedy, NO ORDINARY THURSDAY challenges the reader to consider the fallout from an immigrant story with no guarantee of a happy ending.
Author Anoop Judge tells the story of an Indian-American matriarch’s fury over what her children do with the life she worked so hard to give them. The novel pits the unstoppable force of a new generation’s rebellion against the immovable object of motherly expectations.
Handcuffed by a culture they never chose, the adult offspring of Lena Sharma engage in a heartfelt tug-of-war that tests the tensile strength of their mom’s old-world rigidity.
Most compelling is the story of Maya, whose romance with a younger man fills her mother with shame. A successful restaurateur and fixture in the Indian-American community, Sharma bristles with humiliation. But what’s a mother to do when her daughter’s happiness threatens the cultural standing she’s devoted her life to achieve?
In a simmering family drama that threatens to pinwheel into tragedy, NO ORDINARY THURSDAY challenges the reader to consider the fallout from an immigrant story with no guarantee of a happy ending.
March 24, 2024
I love reading about different American experiences from the eyes of immigrant families, so I was excited to read this. Sadly, the first chapter started with a triggering event involving alcohol, which is usually something I try to stay away from. However, I pushed past this and tried to connect with the other characters.
Lena Sharma, the family matriarch, suffers from her son going to prison and her daughter not talking to her. Her best friend is angry with her for what she perceives as bad parenting when her son runs off with Lena's daughter. The novel tries to tell the story from all the characters' angles, which sometimes gets confusing. It also made me have difficulty connecting to even one of the characters. The last 25% of the book felt far-fetched at times or at least too much for one family to go through at once. However, the lessons about the importance of friendship and family resonated. I am glad I stuck with the book until the end, as I almost put it down after a second personal triggering event.
Lena Sharma, the family matriarch, suffers from her son going to prison and her daughter not talking to her. Her best friend is angry with her for what she perceives as bad parenting when her son runs off with Lena's daughter. The novel tries to tell the story from all the characters' angles, which sometimes gets confusing. It also made me have difficulty connecting to even one of the characters. The last 25% of the book felt far-fetched at times or at least too much for one family to go through at once. However, the lessons about the importance of friendship and family resonated. I am glad I stuck with the book until the end, as I almost put it down after a second personal triggering event.
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