u/Salty-Bug-2599

What are you guys reading?

The fish is my current favourite. Which one do you like? If u have a favourite bookmark do share, I'm always on the lookout for inspiration.

I came to the realisation, reading genres I like is easier but that doesn't mean I don't explore more.

Although I like fiction more than non-fiction, this month's best read was A brief history of time . It brought together many of the scientific discoveries and theories I had read about in academics into a coherent set of happenings. All over a good month.

Happy reading 💛

I remember being a kid and wanting to have the coffee one and obviously parents denied everytime.

The coffee one is less sweet and has mild taste.

No other ice cream feels good enough 😭

The successor to The case of the missing Servant, this book absolutely delivers. Though personally I liked the first installation of the series better ( The case of the missing Servant), this was a fun read, no doubt .

The series so far establishes itself as a collection of mysteries with a strong sense of place, eccentric characters, and a heavy dash of humor.

Both the books so far were, thoroughly entertaining reads. It’s light, clever, and offers a richly textured backdrop that makes the pages fly by.

If anyone wants to read detective stories in an Indian setting,do gove these a try .

P.s You don't need to have read the first book to easily jump into this one. Works as a standalone as well.

Happy reading 💛

Its lovely when people who know you, also know, a book is the best gift !

Take it from someone who greatly enjoys detective novels; The case of the missing Servant was an absolute page turner and I couldn't keep myself off it.

Set in the early 2000s (I presume), the reader is embroiled in the fine detective work of an accomplished retired Army officer , who is smart, well connected and to my chagrin a tad bit mysogynistic.

The author masterfully packed three independent (the detective being the sole connecting link) mysteries into one storyline. The Indian setting, the food descriptions and the details of everyday desi life of the different stratas and cultures makes it an amusing successor (my personal views , the books aren't actually connected) to one of my favourite detective series by Sujata Massey ( The Perveen Mistry series).

Won't be a killjoy and reveal major plotlines, but it's definitely worth a read if you like Detective stories set in the indian setting.

[A big thanks to the redditor who had once recommended this to me in a comments section, I forgot ur name but ur suggestion had me hooked !!! 🩷🩷]

Happy reading everyone💛

A disappointing month. Significant portion of my book reading time was invested on a book I didn't complete and am not enjoying as much as I hoped I would.

I want a boy by Dr. Kalra was a book with immense potential but got lost somewhere. It neither felt very personal nor a glimpse into an abundance of case stories. The only pleasure were the few patient stories included, which I feel could've been larger in number. I had high hopes from this book but it did not deliver. The author walked on the fence throughout the text on multiple topics. All in all it feels like a failed marketing attempt to elevate her practice further than what it is.

The first read of the month; The star from Calcutta and the last; The seven moons of Maali Almeida were literary treats. Was completely engrossed in the Sri Lankan author's work. So much so, ended up spending days reading about the political and ancient history of Sri Lanka(its exceedingly interesting, and there is much more than CBSE class 10th Civics told us 😅)

2 good things about the monthly reads , are how diverse the genres were and I chose all of them from my tbr and none were impulse or suggested reads. Hoping to do better in June ! Wish me luck guys. 💛

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, stands as a masterful exercise in metaphysical satire and historical exorcism. Set against the visceral, blood-soaked backdrop of the 1980s Sri Lankan Civil War, the narrative subverts traditional war fiction by filtering state-sponsored atrocities, insurgent violence, and geopolitical chaos through a fiercely original supernatural lens.

The brilliance of the novel lies in its structural and tonal audacity. By utilizing a second-person perspective, the author forces an uncomfortable intimacy between the reader and the titular protagonist, a dead war photographer navigating a bureaucratic, Dantesque afterlife. Maalinda Almeida Kabalana is granted seven moons to solve his own murder and guide his loved ones to a hidden cache of compromising photographs. This conceit allows the author to examine the commodification of state violence without succumbing to didacticism or trauma-pornography. Instead, the text operates as a macabre comedy, balancing grim existential dread with a biting, cynical wit.This wit saves thetext from being dry, for even a minute.

Critically, the novel functions as an indictment of collective amnesia. The afterlife is depicted as an extension of the earthly chaos, populated by the ghosts of various factions who refuse to abandon their ideological tribalism, so not as a sanctuary as many expect .The prose is vernacular-rich, and relentlessly paced, capturing the frantic urgency of a nation tearing itself apart. While the sheer density of Sri Lankan political factions can occasionally overwhelm the uninitiated reader, the emotional core remains firmly anchored in Maali’s flawed humanity and his desperate quest for truth. Ultimately, the work is a profound, formally inventive exploration of memory, justice, and the moral imperative of the camera lens in times of systemic collapse.

The work is impressively well written and sent me down my own digging for what happened in sri lanka? it's culture and ancient history. Definitely the best read this month and a solid 5/5 ⭐. Would highly recommend to everyone!

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, stands as a masterful exercise in metaphysical satire and historical exorcism. Set against the visceral, blood-soaked backdrop of the 1980s Sri Lankan Civil War, the narrative subverts traditional war fiction by filtering state-sponsored atrocities, insurgent violence, and geopolitical chaos through a fiercely original supernatural lens.

The brilliance of the novel lies in its structural and tonal audacity. By utilizing a second-person perspective, the author forces an uncomfortable intimacy between the reader and the titular protagonist, a dead war photographer navigating a bureaucratic, Dantesque afterlife. Maalinda Almeida Kabalana is granted seven moons to solve his own murder and guide his loved ones to a hidden cache of compromising photographs. This conceit allows the author to examine the commodification of state violence without succumbing to didacticism or trauma-pornography. Instead, the text operates as a macabre comedy, balancing grim existential dread with a biting, cynical wit.This wit saves thetext from being dry, for even a minute.

Critically, the novel functions as an indictment of collective amnesia. The afterlife is depicted as an extension of the earthly chaos, populated by the ghosts of various factions who refuse to abandon their ideological tribalism, so not as a sanctuary as many expect .The prose is vernacular-rich, and relentlessly paced, capturing the frantic urgency of a nation tearing itself apart. While the sheer density of Sri Lankan political factions can occasionally overwhelm the uninitiated reader, the emotional core remains firmly anchored in Maali’s flawed humanity and his desperate quest for truth. Ultimately, the work is a profound, formally inventive exploration of memory, justice, and the moral imperative of the camera lens in times of systemic collapse.

The work is impressively well written and sent me down my own digging for what happened in sri lanka? it's culture and ancient history. Definitely the best read this month and a solid 5/5 ⭐. Would highly recommend to everyone!

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, stands as a masterful exercise in metaphysical satire and historical exorcism. Set against the visceral, blood-soaked backdrop of the 1980s Sri Lankan Civil War, the narrative subverts traditional war fiction by filtering state-sponsored atrocities, insurgent violence, and geopolitical chaos through a fiercely original supernatural lens.

The brilliance of the novel lies in its structural and tonal audacity. By utilizing a second-person perspective, the author forces an uncomfortable intimacy between the reader and the titular protagonist, a dead war photographer navigating a bureaucratic, Dantesque afterlife. Maalinda Almeida Kabalana is granted seven moons to solve his own murder and guide his loved ones to a hidden cache of compromising photographs. This conceit allows the author to examine the commodification of state violence without succumbing to didacticism or trauma-pornography. Instead, the text operates as a macabre comedy, balancing grim existential dread with a biting, cynical wit.This wit saves thetext from being dry, for even a minute.

Critically, the novel functions as an indictment of collective amnesia. The afterlife is depicted as an extension of the earthly chaos, populated by the ghosts of various factions who refuse to abandon their ideological tribalism, so not as a sanctuary as many expect .The prose is vernacular-rich, and relentlessly paced, capturing the frantic urgency of a nation tearing itself apart. While the sheer density of Sri Lankan political factions can occasionally overwhelm the uninitiated reader, the emotional core remains firmly anchored in Maali’s flawed humanity and his desperate quest for truth. Ultimately, the work is a profound, formally inventive exploration of memory, justice, and the moral imperative of the camera lens in times of systemic collapse.

The work is impressively well written and sent me down my own digging for what happened in sri lanka? it's culture and ancient history. Definitely the best read this month and a solid 5/5 ⭐. Would highly recommend to everyone!

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, stands as a masterful exercise in metaphysical satire and historical exorcism. Set against the visceral, blood-soaked backdrop of the 1980s Sri Lankan Civil War, the narrative subverts traditional war fiction by filtering state-sponsored atrocities, insurgent violence, and geopolitical chaos through a fiercely original supernatural lens.

The brilliance of the novel lies in its structural and tonal audacity. By utilizing a second-person perspective, the author forces an uncomfortable intimacy between the reader and the titular protagonist, a dead war photographer navigating a bureaucratic, Dantesque afterlife. Maalinda Almeida Kabalana is granted seven moons to solve his own murder and guide his loved ones to a hidden cache of compromising photographs. This conceit allows the author to examine the commodification of state violence without succumbing to didacticism or trauma-pornography. Instead, the text operates as a macabre comedy, balancing grim existential dread with a biting, cynical wit.This wit saves thetext from being dry, for even a minute.

Critically, the novel functions as an indictment of collective amnesia. The afterlife is depicted as an extension of the earthly chaos, populated by the ghosts of various factions who refuse to abandon their ideological tribalism, so not as a sanctuary as many expect .The prose is vernacular-rich, and relentlessly paced, capturing the frantic urgency of a nation tearing itself apart. While the sheer density of Sri Lankan political factions can occasionally overwhelm the uninitiated reader, the emotional core remains firmly anchored in Maali’s flawed humanity and his desperate quest for truth. Ultimately, the work is a profound, formally inventive exploration of memory, justice, and the moral imperative of the camera lens in times of systemic collapse.

The work is impressively well written and sent me down my own digging for what happened in sri lanka? it's culture and ancient history. Definitely the best read this month and a solid 5/5 ⭐. Would highly recommend to everyone!

The book features three different works by the author, of 3 separate women ; Daydream and Drunkeness of a young lady, Love , Family ties.

Going into the stories, I felt disconnected, the sentences felt incoherent. Gradually the essence started catching on but abandoned me before the climax😅. I blame it all on the translation or maybe I'm lacking something as a reader.

The original text was Brazilian, and as someone who has read original works and translated works of authors ( mostly bengali ones and their English translations , just out of curiosity, to gauge the difference in the feel of the material) something vital is always lost, no matter how great the translators were. For this particular work, that loss of vitality was profound and it dampened my reading experience.

Coming back to the 3 stories. The first involves the insights from the life and mind of a drunk lady ;with a family and a supple household. She tries to grapple with her ageing self and often looks down on younger women , to prove to herself; she is superior, she is better and still young, all the while drunk , to tone down the obvious truth. ( This was the most incoherent and difficult part of the read)

The second, shows us the life of another lady, similar household - who, while on a bus ride home, one afternoon falls madly in love with a blindman. This proves disastrous, as she is already married with kids. Her efforts to maintain routine, which had gladly chosen over happiness , are challenged by the sudden surge in passion. ( Better than the first story, the helplessness and loneliness of the woman is easily felt, started hoping for her to breakfree of her self imposed cage when she wanted to fall in love with life)

The last part, aa the name suggests, encompasses quite a few relationships- mother& daughter, in laws, husband-wife, mother&son. Among all, the mother& daughter dynamic hits home strong! Then comes the husband nd wife, the emotional dependency and what goes on, in their minds, the insecurities, the hoarding of moments ( enjoyed this the most, easier to connect)

Was introduced to the author, Clarice Lispector, by a fellow redditor's comment. Will be reading more of her work.

If you have read this book, do lmk what did you feel about it? Is there a specific way that works better while reading her work ?

As a kid nd teen , my fave were red and green kurkure. However, achari masti has monopolised my taste buds now! I can't comprehend, how can something better than this !?

Last year someone on reddit had passionately urged me to start this series and let me tell you including this installation, I haven't been disappointed.

Now about the book nd little about the series:

India's first female lawyer navigates an upscale but conservative parsi lifestyle along with the adventures her profession leads to . In the latest addition to the series, we get an insider perspective into the 1920s Bombay movie fraternity.

An audacious leading lady missing, a film censor murdered and with a friend in peril, Perveen Mistry along with her father, sets out to aid her retainer, and in the process uncovers a few unsavoury truths.

The writing is simple, easy to maneuver and evokes nostalgia of a time we haven't seen . My favourite parts are the descriptions of the urban Mumbai, the architecture, the sea, the people and the fashion, in addition to the insider insights of the parsi culture and household. I have vehemently recommended this series to all my mystery lover friends and none have been let down .

I also read the Janardan Maity series besides the bengali Feluda, Byomkesh, Colonel, Katai Katai and some more . So if you have more recs for thrillers and mysteries set in India, please do lmk in the comments 💛

The premise is as such: an instagram tradwife builds a life around her praise for values of the older days and older ways. Then she is forced to live in an 1800s like era, nd maintaining her trad lifestyle nd values without the modern amenities, becomes a tough job .

We see how she builds everything, from her childhood to college life , her constant hypocrisy and need to be better than people around her and how she digs herself into a dreadful situation. Along the course of the narrative, you will both hate her and pity her, her consistent bad choices, need to keep up appearances, all of which results in worsening of the situation....

There is a climax, post which you don't know how to feel about her. We get to see she cannot cope with her near and dear ones trying to improve themselves, leaving the ways, they once imposed on her, ways she has internalized . She is left alone even with no scarcity of people related to her...

The men in her life play important roles and she often realises, how different the consequences are for her and the men, even if they play the same games. As the plot builds, it is evident everyone who aided her has decided she will be the scapegoat, the sacrifice as things turned unpleasant.

From a very personal perspective, initially I disliked the protagonist and eventually I feel she paid a larger price than due, there was no anger only pity. It was a good read, a solid ⭐3.5/4 for me!

April had some good books in store for me and time was well spent. 🧿

What did you guys read?

Started another book but searching for books to add to May tbr, all recommendations are welcome!

Amitav Ghosh masterfully bridges the ethereal and the environmental in this book....

Following his penchant for blending folklore with climate crisis themes, the narrative weaves a haunting tapestry of memory and displacement, of life & love , lost and found......

The story narrative is characteristically lyrical, transforming a supernatural premise into a profound meditation on how the past refuses to stay buried....... demanding we look closer at what haunts our world. Do read the book if you get a chance, especially if you like fish or are a bengali. The cultural portrayal is enchanting to say the least .

Had a wonderful time reading the book. A big thanks to u/Worldly-Drummer3132 , for providing this book .

Slide-1: the book Slide-2: some of my favourite excerpts Slide-3 &4: dust jacket I fashioned out of shopping bags, to preserve the white one .