After 87457323 weeks of procrastination, I finally read Life Of Pi. I put off watching the movie adaptation because I wanted to read the book first. Now, I am cursing myself why I waited that long to savour this brilliant piece of art, magic and storytelling.

Pi, short for Piscine Molitor Patel, survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. 'Life Of Pi' is more than just Pi's voyage of 227 days in the Pacific Ocean. It is his journey of faith.

Intrigued since the very beginning from the author's note, Life Of Pi convinced me to believe what the author was saying. India, animals, sea, Canada, ocean, food - my favourite things to talk about and I am sold.

The chapters before Pi becomes a castaway build the solid foundation of Pi's beliefs and his psychology. His belief in three religions as he was unable to differentiate between them is one of my most favourite part of the book. This book doesn't question your religion or faith. You tend to devour a different version of the story based on your belief. The ending is remarkably stunning and excellent. I can't describe without giving it away so you'll have to read it to enjoy it.

This book is all about storytelling. The author, Yann Martel, has exceptionally created the magical voyage which is delightful, intriguing and sometimes hilarious. The author has touched so many themes in this single book. Some of them I don't agree with like "zoos are better for animals than being in the wild." I loved Pi's and Richard Parker's (the tiger's) character so much. I adored their unseen bonding over the survival instinct.

I haven't stopped recommending this book since I finished. Please read this book because you must.

When I think of short stories, I think of stories which are compact enough to escape me to a world for a short period and then land me safely to the actual world. When a master storyteller like Margaret Atwood writes such short stories, you need to forget about coming back to the real world because these stories stay with you for long.

Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood is a collection of nine 'wicked' tales. All the nine exceptional stories are a mirror to the ugly and vicious face of humanity. All the stories deal with old age protagonists. They often seem to lose their presence in most books, but Atwood wrote the whole book based on them. Her writing is witty, razor-sharp and full of dark humour. Atwood's insightful writing lets you delve into the lives of seniors who are depressed but full of experiences.

Ranging from fantasy land to a genetic disease, from a horror-story writer to a vindictive ex, the author covered all the premises for exceptional background setups for the stories with her vivid imagination. While I enjoyed all the stories, the title story is my favourite.

Read Stone Mattress for the love of brilliant writing and originality. If you love reading short stories, you owe yourself this book.

My first book by Toni Morrison and probably not the last - "Beloved" is one horror, heart-wrenching, complex yet powerful book that I am wondering why I didn't read this earlier. All of you who read this book during their college or high school, I am envious of you.

The Pulitzer Prize winner "Beloved" is about slavery, running away from slavery and its aftermath. Set in 1873, Ohio, this book starts with Sethe who is living with her daughter in a house which is desolate and haunted. She ran away with her children from 'Sweet Home' eighteen years ago where she was a slave to a white family. The white men found her, but she tried killing her children so that they avoid slavery. She killed her two-year-old daughter, but neighbours and her mother-in-law saved her other children. The ghost of her two-year-old daughter haunts her house now, and she does not want to run away anymore accepting this desolate life until one day, a girl appears at her door claiming the same name as her dead daughter.

I suck at magical realism, and a combination of it with complicated writing, it is a big turn off for me. Something in the foreword that I read at the beginning of the book was so compelling me and made me persevere throughout the book. Toni Morrison used powerful writing as a metaphorical representation of a slave's consciousness which is full of dark, brutal, intolerable and detestable memories. This book demands effort from a reader to thoroughly understand the perception of a slave.

Beloved has so many disturbing graphic scenes which made me close the book so many times. It is even more frightful that the story is inspired by a real-life story of Margaret Garner, who ran away with her children and husband from slavery. Toni Morrison has portrayed all the characters to their best ability. She didn't sketch all the white men as evil and torturing. Coloured people were portrayed as progressive, hard-working and kind.

Everyone should read this book. This book is a powerful book about shame, desperation, guilt, evil, perseverance and hope. A perfect book for any book club because this spurs a lot of discussions.

When you read a famous classic, you prepare yourself for what to expect. I was wrong. I wasn't expecting this kind of writing, frightful picture of human endurance and a thought-provoking book.

1984 by George Orwell is the father of all the dystopian novels I've read so far. This book is far more frightening because Orwell wrote it in 1948-1949 and it still resonates to this day.

1984 is a dystopian study of political oppression, mind control, paranoia and secret mass surveillance. Set in a totalitarian state of Oceania, it represents a society where talking, walking, eating, drinking, and even thoughts are controlled by the ruling party led by Big Brother. Despite the constant monitoring and the threat of severe punishment, Winston Smith takes the risk of writing down a diary for future generations. Imagine the fate of this Outer Party member who writes a diary and falls in love where there is no freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to love whoever you want.

After reading Orwell's Animal Farm, I was depressed. This book is ten times more depressing than Animal Farm and should be categorized into horror fiction. Orwell's depiction of an oppressing state is extremely frightening by imagining the dangers associated with giving one person or entity so much control or power.

When I thought of underlining or highlighting the main points, I found it useless to highlight the whole book. There are so many captivating quotes. This book is more like a study than a fictional book about how a more powerful class operates the society by weakening the weakest. War is not a necessity but a mere tool to suppress own citizens by devoiding them of necessities. The press/media can write anything and can manipulate history so that the future generations will never know the past. Isn't it terrible?

I'd recommend 1984 to everyone. Definitely, not an easy read but 1984 is a must-read.

Having liked Ruth Ware's 'The Turn Of The Key', I wanted to read her backlist titles. I stumbled upon the copy of 'The Death Of Mrs Westaway' which I couldn't resist.

The Death Of Mrs Westaway is a story of secrets. A twenty-one-year-old girl, Harriet, living in Brighton finds out that she has bequeathed a grand mansion after the demise of her grandmother, Mrs Westaway. Trying to make both ends meet after the death of her mother and horrified with the threats by a loan shark, Harriet has no other alternative than to go and play granddaughter even knowing the fact that her grandmother has died a long time before. Harriet enters the 'Trespassen house' with the hope of clearing her debts but she falls into the deep secrets of the house. She knows that there is something very very wrong in this house.

I like Ruth Ware's writing style and this book is no exception. I love the slow-burning mystery and suspense. This book is smart in a way that the reader is not trying to guess "whodunnit" but "how" and "why". It is one of those books which I enjoy reading because I like reading the narration, choice of words, complex relationships and slow unfolding mystery.

The eerie atmosphere plays a significant role in setting the psyche of the book. It was gripping from the very first sentence for me at the mention of magpies. So, a perfect read for those who enjoy gothic novels. All the characters are relatable and memorable.

I'd recommend this book to all the Ruth Ware fans, psychological thriller fans and to all who love reading a slow-burning mystery with complex relationships.

A much-recommended book by the bookish community and this book lives up to its hype. I cannot recommend this book enough for everyone to read it.

'Hum If You Don't Know The Words' is about Robin and Beauty. Robin, a nine-year-old is a white girl in South Africa whose parents are murdered by black men. Beauty, a forty-nine-year-old rural yet educated black woman is searching for her nineteen-year-old daughter who is training to be an activist to fight against the white people. Divided by race, Robin and Beauty would never cross each other's path but they end up becoming a family brought together by love.

I am a sucker for historical fiction. It was my first time reading about apartheid-era in South Africa since my school. It is such a powerful book which not only illustrates the frights of apartheid South Africa but also addresses the relevance of racism in our times. It is not a sad and depressing book. The humour and innocence blended with grief and tensions are commendable. The overall spirit of South African people is to laugh. The book delivers it with other dire messages.

I loved all the characters. Robin is a bit unlikeable at times but she is just a nine-year-old girl. The blunders she does are purely out of innocence. Beauty, on the other hand, is a strong character who goes through many hardships to bring her daughter back and to keep the promise she did to her sons. Morrie and King George will bring a smile to the reader's face forgetting about the harsh realities of South Africa during that period for some time.

I have never read historical fiction in a day. 'Hum If You Don't The Words' is an exception due to its writing and an intriguing plot. Flawless writing and intriguing plot compelled me to turn pages to discover more. It made me cry, made me laugh and made me think. Bianca Marias has hit a sixer (home run) in her debut novel by writing such a compelling, witty and radiant story of her homeland. Vivid descriptions of the scenes are immaculate. The story is told from the alternate point-of-views of Robin and Beauty to enrich the reading experience.

A must-read for all the historical fiction fans, I finally found my favourite book of 2020.

After seeing it floating around in the bookish community, I knew I had to pick this one up. I never read the plot or blurbs as not to spoil my curiosity. Tin Man is one such great book which I am failing to review as my words won't do justice to the writing, storytelling and characters.

Tin Man is a story of friendship. It is a story of art, love, loss and, redemption. Ellis and Michael meet at a very young age. They become inseparable during their youth while cycling, swimming and appreciating art in Oxford during the 1960s. Their friendship grows into intense love during that time. Soon after Ellis is married to Annie, Michael is nowhere in sight. What changed between them? Will Michael ever come back?

Tin Man is more than a story of first love. It is just an innocent story told incredibly. The lyrical prose, rich and vivid descriptions of the English countryside and France and rich characters make this book memorable. The introduction of artistic element and making characters resonate with each other via their passion for art is commendable.

The characters are memorable and are etched into my memory for real good. The intoxicating relationship between Ellis and Michael is sketched beautifully that it ultimately brings emotional wrench when they are separated.

I recommend this powerful book to everyone who likes to read a book with a massive emotional punch.

My first YA book after so long and it lived up to its hype. My first ever audiobook and I fell in love with it as soon as I plugged into the first chapter. What an adorable, cute, and heart-warming romance!

'What If It's Us' is about Ben and Arthur who meet at a post-office and they don't know if they are going to see each other again. Ben, interning at his mother's office in New York, is in the city for the summer. Arthur, after his break-up with Harold, is shipping his ex's package to him. Are they destined to meet again? Is the end going to be perfect?

I love the narrators who almost made me fall in love with Arthur and Ben immediately. Noah Galvin as Arthur and Froy Gutierrez as Ben are impeccable. I am so glad I chose this book as my first audiobook.

I love the chemistry between the main characters. They both are not perfect and have their flaws but compliment each other. I adored the course of their dating relationship and how their relationship evolved. The writers handled the concept of racism, queer, homophobia and cheating extremely well without overwhelming the central idea of the book. The book gives both laughs and heart-breaks making it realistic and relatable. The writer duo of Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera wrote an exemplary diverse contemporary romance.

The end is not perfect. The book tells us that we can find something even better if there is an imperfect end. The unpredictability of the universe gives us a chance to shape our future.

I'd recommend this book(both the audio and the physical book) to anyone who likes YA fiction, wants to diversify their reading horizons and loves to read just an adorable romance.

Agatha Christie's standalone mystery which doesn't feature any of her famous detective characters, 'Ordeal By Innocence' is entertaining.

'Ordeal By Innocence' is about finding the right culprit. A young man is wrongly convicted of his mother's murder and he has died in the prison while serving his prison time. An alibi, Dr Calgary, comes forward to prove the young man's innocence only to stir peace and normalcy at Argyle's house. The murderer is someone in the family which is dysfunctional. All the children are adopted and they didn't really like their mother who "adopted" them.

The writing is impeccable. The setup of the Argyle household is descriptive enough to let the reader search for a clue. Christie's subjective opinion about - "All good women long to have their own babies" and "adoption is unnatural, adoptive children and parents never truly and properly bond the way biological children and parents do" was a bit shocking for me but I have to consider the time when Christie wrote these books.

Christie's art of writing too many characters and not confusing the reader is impeccably penned in this book as well.

Overall, a good mystery book. I'd recommend it if you love reading Agatha Christie books.