Reading More is Your New Year Resolution?- Seven Books to Get You Started

Did you just make that 2020 New Year Resolution to read more books? Are you confused where to get started from? Here are seven book recommendations to get you started and keep you hooked.

Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag

It is a narration that gives an intimate peek into middle class life and the migration from a humble living to one of riches, when one has to come in terms with having excess in life. There are comic descriptions that entertain, as well as dialogues that are intense. Elegantly written and punctuated with moments of unexpected warmth and humor. There are precise observations, with a perfect narrative progression. Ghachar Ghochar is an enthralling novella, quiet yet deeply thought provoking too. It is a book that reflects the consequences of a shift in lifestyle in contemporary middle class India. A wonderfully designed book cover, Ghachar Ghochar is a master stroke. Take it as a light read, or as a book that stirs your thoughts within. But this book will stay with you beyond that last page.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

There are choices- ones that may change the course of life. Here is a book that plays along these lines. Something in the Water is a brilliant fast paced thriller by Catherine Steadman. The book comes with a narrative that’s crisp and high on adrenaline, along with a unique way of handling suspense. The plot begins from where it ends. Erin a documentary film maker is digging a grave for her dead husband. A six foot deep pit to dump the body away from human eyes; in a quest to hide a crime. What is the crime? Opening out from this scene Erin narrates her story of what led her to this situation. Quoting her words, “I’m not a bad person. Or maybe I am. You decide.”

The plot moves backwards- to the time Erin and Mark decide to tie the knot. As they plan their wedding, Mark loses his job and the financial crunch hits them both. Yet, they decide to go ahead with their wedding and honeymoon at a resort in Bora Bora. It is from this point that the thriller kicks up a storm. Their dream honeymoon turns topsy-turvy when they find an unclaimed bag floating in the crystal blue sea. The contents of the bag throw their love over board as they decide to keep it with them. Is this decision of theirs right? What ensues is a whirlwind journey as the two slowly find their relationship getting severely impacted. That one choice was all that took to devastate them both.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient is Alex Michaelides’ debut novel. A psycho-thriller with a fairly decent suspense, it turned out to be an enjoyable read for me. There’s been a gruesome murder. The victim’s wife- Alicia Berenson is convicted of the crime. She chooses to stay silent trough the trial and thereafter when the court orders to send her to live in a forensic centre. To break this silence and to help her out of the trauma is psycho-therapist Theo Faber. From here The Silent Patient embarks on a journey of guessing as to what could have gone wrong with Alicia and why she chose to be the silent patient.The Silent Patient is immersive, and is nothing short of slow hypnosis. You would want to read it right through the end.

Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns is Khalid Hussein’s masterpiece. An incredible saga, the book could move one and all. Set in a time span across thirty crucial years in the history of Afghanistan, the book speaks volumes on those tough times and the lives of people, caught in it. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a deeply moving story of family, of love, of the status of women, and of salvation. A book that I have read more than once and can still pick it anytime.

Two women- Mariam and Laila are distinctly apart, yet when their paths cross, their lives become similar. Mariam faces the stigma of being an illegitimate child, from her early years of life. She is married to Rasheed who is far older than her, much against her wishes. Mariam’s inability to have children turns Rasheed bitter, and she soon finds herself facing physical and mental abuse in her marriage. With the war raging outside, Mariam’s life behind the veil gets tougher, until Laila enters her life. For Mariam, Laila was initially the woman who stole her husband away. But soon she realizes that the young girl is in a similar situation- living life on the whims and fancies of the man who owns them. Her hatred turns into a motherly love of sorts, towards Laila and her little child. It is through Laila that Mariam begins to give and receive love, an emotion that she had been starved of, all through her life.

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

There is murder, suspects, detectives and a whole lot of investigation. As much as it may sound to be a regular whodunit kind of mystery book, let me make it clear. This isn’t one of those kinds. In fact I would say this book is much more than just a murder mystery. Fast paced, nail-biting till the end, and complete with suspense strewn across its pages. The Devotion of Suspect X is a must read book. The English version is a translation of the original in Japanese written by Keigo Higashino. Deception, facts, a game, the truth… the plot has it all well laid out. This book is well worth all the hype. It is more than just a murder and cover-up. This book is brilliant!!

The Woman in The Window by AJ Finn

This is a a debut novel by the author, yet it scores on almost all fronts. I loved the narration, the story, and most importantly the brilliance in the execution of the suspense. There are twists and turns, and those moments when you are really sure of the culprit. Yet, at the end of it you realize the story has an all-together differing offering for you. For a debut novel, I must say AJ Finn has delivered a fairly good read. The book does keep you hooked and, well, sort of addicted too, ‘cause you surely want to keep reading it till that last page. Give yourself a little time, and pick up this engaging novel; you wouldn’t regret it! It is immersive and would totally pull you into it.

The Last Girl: Nadia Murad and her Story

I have read books on war, books on the holocaust, the genocide and the aftermath. But, if there is one book in recent times which made me sit up and reflect, it’s got to be The Last Girl– the story of Nadia Murad, who was held captive by the ISIS, and her struggle to break free. The book is a brilliant narrative of her painful years, when the ISISI forced out her entire village, brutally torturing and killing people.

Narrated well, succinct and poignant, this book moved me beyond words. It’s a standing testament to what it means to be a survivor. It is a testament to the human will to go on. You may cry a little or just sigh, but this book is not to be ignored. Worth every bit of your time!

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