One of the most underrated books by Stephen King, "The Long Walk" is full of physical and psychological terror. I was thrilled to start reading this book knowing that this is just 300+ pages long as compared to his other books but these 300 pages give a real cramp in your legs.

The Long Walk, as the name suggests, is about a long walk, an infamous long walk. In a dystopian world, an oppressive government ruler organizes an annual contest of 'walk' in which 100 American youth participate. The rules are simple - keep the speed of 4 miles an hour at least otherwise you'll get a warning. Three warnings and you're out. Out means shot!

I have always wondered how Stephen King manages to write so many characters without confusing the reader. This book is no exception. So many walkers, stories they share while walking, their relationships, their relationships with each other - all are skillfully executed. The storytelling has been flawless and there has never been a dull moment.

I felt physical terror while reading this book. The exhaustion each walker goes through is so brilliantly portrayed that I felt exhausted reading this book. I did feel like I have muscle cramps in my legs several times reading about charlie's horse. I felt myself walking with all the boys participating in the Long Walk. All the walkers seem realistic and boys next doors. That made it even more terrifying to feel their exhaustion. It could have been 5 stars but the open-end was not my favourite thing in Stephen King's books.

The Long Walk is my favourite Richard Bachman book by Stephen King and one of the best dystopian books I've read. I'd recommend it to anyone who is trying to get into Stephen King books. This could be a good start.

I never knew about 'The Color Purple' book or the movie until one day I saw everyone talking about it and the next day I had it borrowed it from my local library. I am so glad I read this important book.

While I won't be doing justice to this compelling classic by reviewing it which not only won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Award but also won the hearts, I can try penning down what I felt reading it.

'The Color Purple' is a series of letters that Celie writes to God and then to her sister. Celie is an African-American woman who is uneducated and consistently abused. Her character gives the reader an impression of the disturbing realities of the society where oppressed women search for a ray of hope in their grief. They seek bonds in their darkest hour. Celie's resilience pays off in the end and she is united with her loved ones.

Alice Walker touched the issues of patriarchal prejudices, racism and sexism in the urban or rural society of American cities with great sensitivity. The readers are made aware of the horrifying truths of psychological and physical torture women in African tribes go through.

This book comprises the cast of the strong female characters which is +1. Shug Avery who helped Celie in self-realization and spiritual transformation and Sophie, her step-daughter-in-law are some strong women who inspired Celie to stand up for her satisfaction and happiness.

What I gathered from this book is - We, humans, marked the rules for ourselves. We can learn and develop. We can embrace the ones who want to break the gender-defined rules with love, peace and friendship as there is a freedom of choice for both men and women.

I recommend this book to everyone because this is an important book with so many messages.

My first book by Isabel Allende and I am already looking for her other works. Probably, one of the first books I have read from the historical fiction genre which is not about WWII. A Long Petal Of The Sea is about the Spanish Civil war and its aftermath.

A Long Petal Of The Sea by Isabel Allende opens up the page of the history when Spain is going through the civil war in the 1930s. A pregnant widow, Roser, flees to the French border with Victor Dalmau the brother of her deceased love. They both got helped by Pablo Neruda to embrace exile to Chile in search of a better life when the whole of Europe is gripped in the war. They must marry to unite even neither of them wants. They restart their lives in Chile with hope in their heart that one day they will go back to Spain where they call home. They realize at the end that home is where they spent their whole lives and it was always closer to them.

I read the English translated version of the Spanish version. Beautifully prosed in English, it must have been even more beautiful in Spanish because Spanish is one of the most romantic languages in the world. Pablo Neruda, a legendary poet, plays an important character in the story. His famous lines from his poems set the sync of the story at the beginning of each chapter. The events are factual and the description of the events gave me goosebumps finding out what people during mass exodus and exiles were going through during the war.

The characters are inspired by real-life characters. They give the feel of affection. The art of drafting recurring characters in the book is exceptional. Not only a great storyteller this book also provides a lot of knowledge about the history of Europe and South America.

I recommend this book to all the historical fiction lovers and to those who judge the book by its cover.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me an advance copy of 'A Girl From Widow Hills' by Miranda Megan in exchange for an honest review.

Having not liked Miranda's previous novel, I started this book with low expectations. The book grabbed my attention on the very first page. Thus, I couldn't stop finishing it in a day.

'A Girl From Widow Hills' is a psychological thriller by Megan Miranda and it involves around Arden Maynor who was caught in a storm while sleepwalking and was rescued three days later when she was six. Twenty years after, her past is still hounding her. She wakes up one night finding herself sleepwalking and get tripped on a dead body lying in her yard. Her life takes turn dramatically and she starts doubting her past.

I loved the plot. I mean, who doesn't like the thrill factor in sleepwalking and waking up to a dead body. The storytelling has been consistent and flawless throughout the book. The excerpts from interviews, phone calls, emergency reports etc. added depth and intensity to the events in the story and Megan used them skillfully.

The main character, Arden aka Olivia, has been unreliable since the beginning. I remain unsure if she has been lying or just can't remember anything from her past. It is even more intriguing because the main character is uncertain of the events and personalities around her, keeping the suspense level high. I DID NOT see the end coming the way it did and I loved it.

I'd recommend it to all the suspense lovers and Megan Miranda fans.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkeley Pub for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

'Well-Behaved Indian Women' is a mother-daughter story about three generations of women who strive to distinguish themselves as they pursue their dreams. Mimi, Nandini and Simran - three generations and they believe they have been judged wrongly by each other. There are a lot of misconceptions and prejudices in patriarchial Indian society which have always made the women in the family to step back and let the men take charge of their lives. It is going to change when all three of them start opening up to each other and challenge the norm.

The characters have never felt so realistic and relatable to me as those in 'Well-behand Indian Women'. Saumya Dave pens the patriarchial elephant in the room expertly using her characters. All three main characters are multi-dimensional. They share a fascinating relationship and cope with their inner conflicts. All the men in this women-centred book provide depth and support the main characters well.

Well-paced plot with non-complex writing, 'Well-behaved Indian Women' is told from alternating perspectives of Simran and Nandita. The writer is a mental health advocate who does not surprise when you find so many inspiring quotes in the book to underline and highlight.

'Well-behaved Indian Women' is about family, friends, relationships, breakups, careers, immigrants, prejudices, xenophobia, diversity, own voices and dreams.

I'd recommend this book to all the readers who enjoy reading stories about immigrants, 'own voices', diversity and love Michelle Obama's 'Becoming'.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for sending me an advance copy of Dear Emmie Blue in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Emmie Blue is one of those books which completely shook me by surprise, in a pleasant way. I was not expecting so much love, cuteness and hopefulness from this book. And here I am, wanting this book to go on and on. Some books should never finish. I just loved this book so much! I bet you'll fall in love with Emmie Blue.

Dear Emmie Blue is a poignant and charming story of Emmie. Emmie, at the age of sixteen, releases a red balloon with her name and email on it from her school field in the UK. Lucas finds that balloon some 100 miles away in France and becomes her best friend. They share the same birthdays as well. After fourteen years, Emmie realizes that she is in love with her best friend. She has a feeling that Lucas is going to propose to her on their thirtieth birthday. But nothing in life goes as planned, right?

I loved Emmie's character. She is so likeable and relatable. After having a rough past, she comes out as a strong character and finds her love. Her road to self-reflection and love is motivating. I love all the secondary characters in the book. They provide depth and support to Emmie's character and contribute towards her journey to self-discovery. I want Rosie to be my best friend.

Lia Louis is a brilliant story-teller. She handles the serious issue of sexual assault so graciously in her story without overwhelming the reader. The end is not rushed at all and probably my favourite part of the book. The story flows smoothly and is fast-paced with short chapters. The switch in the timelines is a smart move from the author as well. The book will make you laugh, smile, a bit heart-broken and mend it with joy. I want a sequel to this book already.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves to read contemporary romance, friends-to-lovers reads and women's fiction.

I might sound cliché but this is my most favourite so far from Stephen King. When I read 'The Shining', I never expected another book to surpass that compelling writing but here it is - The Stand.

There is no better time to read The Stand when the world is going through the pandemic and Stephen King writes about a "superflu" which destroyed 99% of the world's population. It is not only about the superflu but also the aftermath of the apocalypse. It has the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, the sin and the redemption.



If someone knows how to include 1 million characters and build a story around them without confusing the reader, it's Stephen King. His signature style of writing by weaving a story around 1 million characters and bringing them together at some point was flawless in this one. I never lost the plot or a character in this 1153-page long book. All the characters serve a purpose and they are developed brilliantly.

I've never been to the places mentioned in the book but they are realistic and therefore, relatable. Reading about the known places going through the plague gave me goosebumps.

The writing has been compelling and consistent throughout the book. His storytelling technique is incomparable. Like his other books, he mentioned bullying and its impact on someone's life in this book as well.

I recommend this book to all the new SK fans and to those who are not. I bet you'll be an SK fan after reading this.

Warning: This book can cause wrist or finger damages due to its size.

My first book by Lisa Jewell and I am so glad to have picked it up as one of my backlist titles. 'The Family Upstairs' is a perfect psychological thriller I could hope for to get rid of my reading slump. If you like reading about cults, sociopaths and dark mysteries - this is the book for you!

'The Family Upstairs' revolves around a mansion that Libby finds she has inherited on her 25th birthday. She is shocked and wants to know more about her birth parents. She is about to discover so many truths about her birth parents, her family and the mansion they used to live.



The entire structure of the book has been written skillfully by Jewell. The plot builds slowly but that is the beauty of this thriller which keeps the reader intrigued and turning pages to find out more. It is a quick-paced thriller which flows seamlessly with its twists and turns.

Multiple POVs keep the guessing game on and it is engrossing to be thinking from a sociopath's POV and his justifications. The past period narration builds the backstory as the events unfold in the present.

All the characters are written superbly by the author and none of them seems lost in the plot. They are written in contrast to each other yet complement each other perfectly. There are so many characters to be remembered in the story but they remain intact throughout.

Jewell's writing has been consistent and non-complex throughout the book. Aptly knowing where to throw a twist when the readers think they've figured all out.

I'd highly recommend this book to thriller lovers who love reading about sociopaths, cults and family drama.

After consistent nagging by my bookish friends, I finally grabbed the copy of "The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill" and just regretted why I didn't read this earlier. It is full of quirkiness, intelligence and fun. I wish it couldn't have finished for me.

'The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill' is about Nina and she is a bookworm who works at a local bookstore in Larchmont, LA. She suddenly discovers that she has a family and her life takes a 360-degree turn. Nina, who prefers solitude, now has brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces. Around the same time, she gets to meet the man she likes but her anxiety messes it up until she comes out of her comfort zone and embraces the new normalcy with grace.



I loved Nina's character. She is so relatable. Every bookworm can relate to Nina's character in a certain way. Her character is so well-thought-out. The supporting characters are also portrayed and developed gradually and are skillfully linked to Nina in the narration. One of my favourite part of the book is how different relatives open themselves up to Nina and their similarities to Nina are revealed.

The story is just plain fun. The narration makes it even more fun with planners, chapter headings and dry humour. I loved so many things in this book including the book references, trivia nights, love for the bookstore, book clubs, and cats. In short, Abbi Waxman is my new favourite!

If you want to read a delightful, quirky and a witty characterization in a book with so many funny elements and book references, this is a MUST read.

Thank you 'Minotaur books' for sending me an advance readers' edition. I am a sucker for books with dogs on their cover and this book is no exception. "The Finders" is a first in "Mace Reid K9 Mystery" series and I cannot wait to read more adventures in this series.

'The Finders' is about Mason aka Mace Reid and his cadaver dogs. Mace lives in the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection and trains dogs to hunt for the dead. "Vira", a female golden retriever has a brutal past and Mace adopts her. She joins Mace's crew and turns out the best cadaver dog Mace ever had. The situation becomes tense when the serial killer who hunts for women is after Mace and his cadaver dog who interrupted his one of the latest hunts. It is a thrill to read how Mace and Vira along with CPD and detectives hunt for the serial killer who is constantly monitoring them.



I loved the canine characters as well as Mace's. The love Mace shares for the dogs makes him likeable. The other supporting characters also play their part well in constructing the plot. The progressive revelation of the serial killer's backstory is impressive joining the dots which I felt disconnected in the beginning.

The writing is impelling, sarcastic and entertaining. The short chapters make the book engrossing. The suspense about the serial killer and its revelation is impeccably unfolded. Overall, the book is a great start to a mystery series.

If you love dogs and police procedural, mystery and serial killer themed books, give this a try!