It may not have the fancy backing that accompanies a Monica Ali novel, but Kia Abdullah's Assimilation tells a story seldom heard in Tower Hamlets: that of the Asian drug user. Gritty and unabashed in its honesty, it follows the story of Kieran who tackles her brother's drug addiction and over critical mother, spoken in her bold, unapologetic voice. This ladies, is the real version of what happens on the streets.

Losing the plot

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, Hamish Hamilton, £16.99

It's a hard slog proving yourself as an author, particularly if your mother is the eminent Anita Desai. But Kiran shouldn't worry about skulking in her mother's shadow, this latest offering proves herself as a brilliant talent in her own right. Creating gorgeous pictures in the mind, she generously embellishes on colours, fragrances and evocative landscapes, weaving a story that is set in mid-1980's India on the cusp of the Nepalese movement.

In another world

If - A Collection of Short Stories by Neeru Nanda, Rupa & Co, £7.95

Short stories are one of the hardest forms of writing, but you wouldn't think it, judging by the fluid prose of Neeru Nanda. A delightful treasure trove of stories that reveal the book's personal underbelly, it treads the hallowed ground between a good holiday read and the bedtime novel. Either way, it's impossible to put down.