Solitude and Books

What is the highest that you can pay to save your loved one?  Royden D’Souza’s Arya Kalash is a really touching story. Once you will start reading you you will be taken on a magical journey that blends ancient myth with raw emotion.  At its heart, the story is about a boy named Arya who must travel through dark, mysterious lands to find a cure for his dying mother. But the real question is can he save her without losing himself? From the start, the story pulled me in with its quiet grief, intense choices, and spiritual search for truth.  It’s not just a mere fantasy novel;but a deeply personal story about family, sacrifice, and inner strength and how love changes our lives.  The world-building is truly stunning in one word. Arya moves through places like hell- the underground world patalok, the shimmering City of Water and places that are mythical , each one teaching him more about who he is.  He learns ancient yog...

Colonial Chaos, Magic & Me: A Wild Ride with Sir Henry Sir Henry N.A.M.T.U.D Potpourri and the Matrona Fortuna by D.D. Sorokhaibam completely surprised me. From the very title I was not sure what it was about but the cover picture actually was so intriguing and I also saw it on my friends post that I thought I want to read it too. And thank god I picked it up as well as I devoured it for almost a month!  I got my copy from here - https://amzn.to/43VCMCw I picked it up expecting a slow-paced historical fiction set in colonial India but fortunately what I got was a fast-moving, magical, and mind-bending journey that I didn’t want to put down and being a fast pace story lover I thouroughly enjoyed it.  The story begins with Dayton Clemence, a young British newsman arriving in India during a deadly cholera outbreak.  What feels like a usual assignment soon turns upside down when he meets the strange and fascinating Sir Henry. The book d...

Get ready for some Satin, Sass, and Stitching Wars!  I had fun reading The Lehenga Games by Sukriti.  This was my second book by the author and once again, she didn’t disappoint.  Set in the world of bridal fashion, the story takes you on a colourful ride across India with sharp wit, fierce rivalry, and some very real questions under all the glitter.  I read the Kindle version, and it made for a perfect evening binge read. The story follows Mihika (Mihu), a young designer who doesn’t believe in flashy bridal wear.  She ends up in a high-stakes competition that’s full of chaos, travel, and unexpected bonds. What I liked most: -The mix of fashion fun with real struggles. -Mihu’s sarcasm and sharp mind. Bodhi’s calm energy and deep thoughts. -The behind-the-scenes of Indian couture shown honestly. -The funny yet touching way serious topics were handled. -The fast-moving plot that made me finish it in one week. -What made it even ...

Have you ever longed for a time when love arrived in envelopes, when words took days to travel but stayed forever in hearts?  I have not written love letters but surely have exchanged handwritten letters to my friend staying in another state back in my school days when their was only gtalk, orkut and letters even speed post took over couple of weeks to reach.  Those letters were so special. The wait for them added another wave of excitement around them. I miss those olden days for sure. With time such sweet things have faded away. But here is a book, I am glad I picked up that freshens those gone days and sumple vibes in the form of vintage styled pages and letters for hardcore lovers!  Letters to Lost Lovers by poet Sunaina Aggarwal brings back that gentle world, where handwritten letters carried warmth, longing, and quiet hope. I liked reading the poetic letters which I have shared here.  I loved this book for five heartfelt rea...

"Maya, the girl of blinding brightness. My friend, my girlhood chum. Until she wasn’t. Maya, the girl who had died mysteriously. Her death Shogie’s darkest, most damning mystery. Maya, whose ghost had come calling fourteen years later." I am an avid reader and in fiction thrillers specially mystery or psycho thrillers is my go to genre. I’ve always loved reading thrillers.  They keep me hooked, leave me restless, and make me want to finish the book in one sitting just to know what really happened.  Maya, Dead and Dreaming instantly caught my attention. The title itself felt like a whisper, unsettling and surreal. Was Maya really dead? Or just forgotten? The cover added to the mystery with a haunting, almost hypnotic aura. I couldn’t help but wonder-  Was this Maya watching us, or were we being pulled into her dream?💭 The story begins years after Maya Hickman, a stunning and mysterious teenager, drowns in a town that has since gone quiet. But Maya’...

I was reading this mystery story named Shadow for weeks now, which explores the complex relationship between a young couple, Nikita, a 27-year-old investment banker, and Harsh, 25, a businessman’s gifted son with a flair for writing. Did I enjoy the read? Lets check.  It begins with Harsh-her recent ex, visiting her, hoping to get a closure, only to be met with an explosive outburst.  With each chapter, their personalities were getting  getting clear to me. There’s a master planner who can turn the table at any cost, and a so-called emotionally unstable messed up person that leads to complete chaos, wrecking every good occassion as much they can.  Jealousy, toxicity, and emotional immaturity  define it all over the next 6 months. As they revisited old memories, one action provoked another, dragging them into a cycle of blame and deadly vengeance. It made me wonder: how much is too much, and at times - should friends interfere so deeply in...

It was such a fun and light-hearted read. The story is set in Udupi, a coastal town in Karnataka, and follows Bhujang Shetty,  a juice shop owner who also thinks he’s a detective. He wears aviator glasses, talks big, and is always ready to solve mysteries. Bhujang’s life takes an exciting turn when his old friend Rathnesh comes to him with a secret, a clue to a lost treasure in Basrur. That’s when the adventure begins. From solving puzzles to meeting strange people, their journey is full of comedy and surprises. I really enjoyed how their friendship stayed strong through all the ups and downs. The author has written the story in a simple and funny way. There are many moments where I laughed out loud, especially during Bhujang’s talks with his father. The characters felt very real and reminded me of people we see around us. What I loved most was how the book mixed local history with humour. It made me curious about the real town of Basrur and its ...

Reading Radiate Happiness felt like sitting down with a kind friend who knows what it’s like to feel low and gently reminds you how to rise again. It’s not preachy, not heavy—just honest, simple, and warm. The words made me pause, reflect, and smile from within. Get it here-  https://amzn.to/3Zeqv9p Things I Loved About This Book: 1. The reflections are real and relatable—no forced positivity, just gentle encouragement. 2. It offers small practices that actually fit into a busy day. 3. The tone is calm, like someone holding your hand through a tough patch. 4. It reminded me that peace doesn’t need to be searched for—it’s already inside us. 5. The writing is soulful but easy to understand—no fluff, no jargon. 6. I could feel the author’s own journey in every page, and that made it even more meaningful. Thus from this book, we beautifully learn that true happiness is a warm feeling of well-being—physical, emotional, and mental. When we understand and share it, happiness spreads like ...