Books I Read During Lockdown!

Escapism has always been of significance, and currently when we are confined within the walls of our houses, escaping into good books and magically traversing to distant lands, spells total bliss.

Among the million other things to keep us engaged indoors during this narrowed living, reading is an all-time-favorite for me. Nothing compares to that curling-up in a favorite spot with a steaming mug of coffee, and delving into the expanse of time, space, and different worlds by merely turning pages!

The voracious reader in me went on a reading spree, and I was fortunate to have come across some really interesting books.

Here are some of those, among many more, that I read during this lockdown and found them to be tremendously rewarding-

Book- A Window to Her Dreams

Author- Harshali Singh

Genre- Indian Writing | Fiction

Format- Kindle Edition, Paperback

Pages- 320 Price- INR 299

Edition Language- English

‘The Walls have ears, and they feel for you’, the phrase couldn’t be more accurate, as depicted in the captivating story ‘A Window to Her Dreams’ by Harshali Singh. A tale that interweaves the lives of different characters in and around a family, portrayed through the meniscus of an old mansion ‘The Haveli’, where the family dwells.

The story revolves around the occurrences in the life of the eldest daughter of the family and the protagonist, Aruna, parallelly recounting the tales of other members in the narrative. Aruna has been struggling through her cataclysmic failed past in an abusive relationship, and finally succumbs to the pressures of the brutal societal notions.

Will this leap of faith, help Aruna survive the brink of her second unsuccessful marriage? Will she find her much deserved contentment in the gentlemanly persona of her beau, Bhuvan? Read the book to find out!

The language is articulate and engrossing, and a profound narration of the story gracefully presented through sterling vocabulary within the delicate framework of a sensitive theme, makes the readers experience the variety of human emotions. The story gradually unfolds with ease, and along the way, lets the readers establish a connection with the characters therein.

The cover of the book is entrancing and the pages thereafter continue to grab the attention of the readers right up to the conclusion and leave them longing for more.

An alluring novel with an engrossing tale that seamlessly makes its way to the reader’s heart and leaves their minds contemplative.

And this exactly intrigued me, as a reader, to eagerly anticipate more tales from the Haveli Series and discover the journey of other members of this simple and adorable family.

Book- Out of the Blue

Author- Sutapa Basu

Genre- Fiction | Crime, Thriller & Mystery

Format- Kindle Edition

Pages- 106 Price- INR 199

Edition Language– English

‘Out of the Blue’ by Sutapa Basu is an array of gripping tales that stir the readers’ minds and leave their hearts rattling. An acclaimed best-selling author from the historical fiction genre, Sutapa Basu has established her name through multiple accomplishments and accolades.

The stories in the book are drawn from the deeper realms of human emotions emanating from different aspects of life, situations, scenarios, and presented in an engrossing and spellbinding manner. One moment the author makes you travel in a Mumbai Metro, the next you are traversing through the struggles of an epidemic-ravaged Monrovia. Dazzling through the glittery world of Bollywood, you land in the survival instinct of an elderly next-door neighbor.

From the glistening publishing world to the alluring culinary sector; from the prestigious banking domain to the lucrative media profession; the story recitals glissade smoothly through various locations, spheres, and phases of human lives. The narrative is eloquent and congenial, and which effectively lets you live through the characters as you walk in their shoes. As the incidents and narration start building a momentum that lets you feel in control of the rhythm of the story, a sudden jolt of twist snaps you out of the tempo and throws your mind off the track.

All these stories and characters are connected via a common thread of the conundrum of everyday struggles of life in contemporary times.

All the seven stories are equally riveting, but the ones that stood out for me are- ‘The Sale’, ‘Square Moon’, and ‘One Sunday Morning’.

Book- The Untouchables- A 5^th Century Murder Mystery

Author- Amrita Sarkar

Genre- Crime, Thriller & Mystery | Historical Fiction

Format- Kindle Edition

Pages- 39 Price- INR 200

Edition Language– English

Set in the 5^th century, ‘The Untouchables- A Fifth Century Murder Mystery’ is a story that comes alive through the lucid description and convincing characters. The timeline, lifestyle, and social setup is perfectly depicted in the well-researched narrative.

The titles of every chapter are enticing and they wonderfully entwine the events portrayed ahead in the chapters. The occurrences in the lives of the lead characters evoke a deep empathy for them, and which goes far beyond a mere hint of fantasy in the storytelling.

The words like ‘autopsy’ and ‘fingerprinting’ creep into the modern-day detective cognizance, while the elements like caste-system, social setup, and scenarios, living standards of the commoners and mighty, perfectly present an admirably researched recital, and which transport the readers to a bygone era.

The dramatic and well-crafted murder-mystery of the century successfully keeps the readers engaged throughout, all the while compelling them to contemplate how the secondary aspects of life have evolved over the centuries, and yet, the fundamental skirmishes continue to haunt the contemporary civilization.

Dive into this strongly narrated compelling read, to explore a gripping murder-mystery from a bygone time.

Book- Insomnia-Keep Your Eyes Open (SHORTZ)

Author- Ravi Subramanian, Jigs Ashar

Genre- Crime | Thriller & Mystery

Format- Kindle Edition, Paperback

Pages- 164

Price- INR 200 (Kindle Edition), INR 250 (Paperback)

Edition Language– English

A fast-paced thriller by the dynamic duo, Ravi Subramanian and Jigs Ashar, that keeps you on the tenterhooks throughout, in the power-pack of a compact and lucid narrative.

‘Insomnia’ is an intense page-turner that keeps the readers engaged until the finale. The story smoothly unfolds through the rapid and intriguing chapters, as the characterization and descriptive details of places, scenes, and setup let the readers walk in the shoes of the protagonists as they advance through the occurrences of the story. The familiarity of cities, locations, and layout imparts a closer-to-home feeling.

The storyline maintains its essential element and the suspense is continued till the very end.

As the series name ‘SHORTZ’ suggests, the intent is evident in the length of the novella which is refreshingly short and crisp, creating a rapid-read experience for the booklovers. The book can be completed in one go without any intermittent halts.

A traumatized wife, an insomniac husband, a dedicated police officer teamed up with an edgy superior; a dash of few interesting characters that add up to the thrill, and some twists and turns; the book is sure to give you an edge-of-the-seat experience as your mind keeps racing through the cliff-hangers, untangling the suspense, and you keep wondering about the actual victim even after you finish the novella.

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