Be it winter or summer, day or night, getting cozy with a book is the best feeling. Still, with so many books and so less time, the conundrum of ‘Where to start?’ can take up more time, time which you could spend reading. Here are some must read books that will make the decision making a little easier on your quest to read.
Murder In Amaravati
By Sharath Komrraju
A must read book, which is arguably one of the best Indian murder mystery books on the market, its slow build-up followed by a fast-paced story makes you guessing who the killer is from the beginning till the point it’s finally revealed. The characters are well-developed and described in such a manner that even the reader can predict their next move. The language is simple and easy to understand, so you don’t have to be a literary expert to understand it.
Mrs. Funnybones
By Twinkle Khanna
Are you feeling down? Or want to have a fun evening with Twinkle Khanna cracking the most relatable jokes. The book gives a glimpse of the life of a working mom glazed with some witty and sarcastic comments on the internet and the world in general. The narration is vibrant and easy to understand, making it a relaxing read.
The Book Thief
By Mark Zusak
Set in Nazi Germany, at the start of world war II, The Book Thief is a compelling story of a girl who falls in love with books. It makes you realize the plight of good people who suffered in the war. The story follows the protagonist’s journey to learn reading and writing, amidst the hardships. The book is written from a German person’s perspective with a lot of detail and requires attention while reading. A must read book on our list that should be on yours too!
The Da Vinci Code
By Dan Brown
If you have a curious mind with a lot of interest in history, conspiracies, and action, then The Da Vinci Code is the book for you. Packed with puzzles and mysteries, this book is fast-paced, thrilling, and highly engaging. You’d probably want to sit down with a dictionary while reading it.
A Walk To Remember
By Nicholas Sparks
A heart-wrenching love story of a boy and girl with an ending, that readers might not approve, but is still beautiful in its way. The characters have a push and pull chemistry, and they face interesting turn of events together. The book is now a movie too for you to enjoy it two times.
Diary Of Anne Frank
By Anne Frank
Diary of Anne Frank is what its title sounds like, the diary of a girl — premised in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, who makes regular entries in her journals. It is a moving story about the life of a girl during World War II. The language is relatively simple and takes about a day’s read. Anne shares her desires, misjudgments, and hopes for an independent life that makes one appreciate the little blessings in life.
The Haunting Of The Hill House
By Shirley Jackson
An isolated house atop the hill already makes for a scary setting, but when it is rumored to be haunted and dwells keen minds trying hard to interact with supernatural entities, how long can you survive there? Known as Shirley Jackson’s best masterpiece, this book is an experience in itself. SJ herself developed agoraphobia while writing it. The Haunting of The Hill House is hands down, a good read if you are willing to lose a night’s sleep.
Anything You Want
By Derek Sivers
All working people will relate to the madness of a workplace, and this book is just what might touch your sweet spot. The author understands the difficulty by facing the problems first-hand and guides you through the hard decisions in life. He cuts through widely accepted notions, requests everyone to follow their passion and is a reasonably short book for you to fit into your schedule.
Thirteen Reasons Why
By Jay Asher
The book, which is now a series, looks into the life of a girl who suffers because of the lies that others say and how it ends terribly for her and also affects her close friend, Clay Jensen. Jay Asher touches on a sensitive topic of depression, suicide, and the guilt that comes along with it all. Readers follow through 13 tape sides, which reveal the story of the protagonist and her reasons for the actions. Through Clay, the author shows just how oblivious we are about how much we affect someone else’s life.
19 Dead Souls
By Nikolai Gogol
This Russian novel is a satire on the loopholes of its government and contrast to its name, is quite witty and appealing. The book has a smooth flow to it with an easy to understand language for you to enjoy and know the thoughts of Russian and obnoxious officials.
The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck
By Mark Monson
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a book about finding what’s truly important to you and letting go of everything else that troubles your mind. What may seem a pessimist’s opinion to some is actually a very realistic view on life. It has relatable content that make you feel refreshed and a bag full of energy to have in your life.
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
By Robin Sharma
An inspiring tale of a lawyer who sells his mansion, riches, and his Ferrari to become a monk. The book is a kind of guide that talks about finding inner balance and how to live life with more courage and to learn both self-respect and respect for others. It is a powerful book on self-transformation.
Thinking Fast And Slow
By Daniel Kahneman
If you are even moderately interested in human psychology and curious about why we do what we do, then this book will be blast for you, with extremely detailed reasoning and situational examples which will keep you questioning what happened and sometimes baffled of the things that humans do and why they do it.
Gone Girl
By Gillian Flynn
There never was a book more twisted than this. It gives an insight into the life of a married woman at first and then halfway through hits you with plot twists after plot twists and a confusing thought about who you should and should not trust. This book will leave you wanting more and want to go through all Gillian Flynn books.
The Girl On The Train
By Paula Hawkins
Now a movie but the details provided in the book make for an even grander reveal. This thriller is all that you can want under the premise of self-doubt and psychological tricks. You may get as confused and frustrated as our lead at some point while reading this but pull through, and you will get the best explanation and a little irritated as to why you couldn’t see something that right in front of you.
To Kill A Mockingbird
By Harper Lee
TKAM is a dark book, there’s no doubt on that, but the essence lies in the fact how carefully they have touched the subject of racism in earlier days through a young female protagonist. It lets you walk in another person’s shoes and realize how someone else’s thoughts can play a major role in your life, a devastating part, perhaps. Despite all the criticism the book received, you should decide for yourself if the book appeals to your notions. A must read book for sure.
The Bad Seed
By William March
Who doesn’t love a kid, they are cute, joyous and cheerful, but what if one of them always seems to be in the middle of ‘accidents’ all linked to one other? The style of writing the author has suited the story in the best way possible and gives you the shivers when you read it. The story is creepy with the most improbable plot twist.
1984
By George Orwell
A Dystopian satire in English shows the penalty paid by a pair of lovers, and the frightening aspect of the book is that a government with complete subservience to the state could be possible.
The Handmaid’s Tale
By Margaret Atwood
A handmaiden, enslaved for producing a child for the commander, seeking out for her daughter is a story you don’t want to miss out on. This brilliantly written book gives a vivid description to feed your imagination. Another must read book to make it to your book shelf.
Pride And Prejudice
By Jane Austen
Under all that sweet ball parties and marriage talks, Jane exposes the reality of the marriage market, all the while putting romance in the backdrop of the story. Filled with a heartful of wittiness coming through the protagonist, this book has a slow build-up but persevere through, and you shall be rewarded with a great story.
You’ll Grow Out Of It
By Jessi Klein
Anyone who denies and awkward handshake is either lying or is a prodigy. Jessi Klein is just another such person, and she shares all her small encounters in life that left her with a smile for the rest of the day and is relatable for everyone, from teens to people in their forties. A must read book that you can pick on any Sunday morning with a cup of coffee.
Storm And Silence
By Rob Their
Ms. Linton and Mr. Ambrose. They always find themselves in sticky situations and have a knack for bickering with each other on any topic possible. This Wattpad book is a mix of many genres- romance, action, comedy, and thriller with a little bit of history and conspiracy thrown in. Both the male and the female lead in this book are self-claimed ‘alphas.’ The slow but growing fondness between the two characters through the series of books is sweet and romantic. The author has a short but accurate character description, and the setting is perfect for every situation. We guarantee this to be a fun read.
In Extremis
By Lindsey Hilsum
“What is bravery? What is bravado?”-Marie Colvin, a war correspondent who even lost an eye during her work, was a marvellous woman and had an adventurous life. Thanks to Lindsey, we get to know such a courageous character. ‘In Extremis’ has all accounts of Marie’s work and life and is a biography of sorts that will make you admire the woman for her bravery and passion for her work. A must read book for those who are looking for some inspiration and motivation.
Behind Closed Doors
By B.A. Paris
Handsome, rich, and well mannered, every girl’s dream man, but what if what’s visible is all just a façade? This book is scary because of its probable and realistic situation portrayed. It can be a little cliched at times, but what’s a good book without any clichés.
Becoming
By Michelle Obama
It’s Michelle Obama, need I say more? This book is filled with the most practical advice and at the same time, gives motivational energy. It is an autobiographical memoir of the former first lady of the United States of America with records of her personal experience. It is a lovely read as you get to read all that happens around the First Lady of the United States of America.
I love this list! Thank you for your expertise!
Have a wonderful day!
-Serena