20 books you shouldn’t miss out on.

Reading is escape and comfort, consolation, stimulant of choice: Reading for the pure pleasure of it, for the beautiful stillness that surrounds you when you hear an author’s words reverberating in your head.

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”

Some of us derive pleasure from those crisp pages and some love to carry their entire library in their phones or kindle. As we turn page by page, we get transported to a world created by the writer just for us. Sometimes we get lost in it that we begin to think that the characters in the book are real. When our favourite character dies, we think that nothing more can go wrong in the world.

It is our friend and companion during our lonely times and a teacher and guide to life always. The joy when we see a complete stranger reading our favourite book cannot be put down in words and somehow, we feel an instant connection with the person. For all of us, some books hold a special place in our heart. SINCE

“So many books, so little time.” 

Here’s a list of 20 books that I think you shouldn’t miss out on:

 The Prisoner of Birth
A brilliant script by Jeffrey Archer. His books never cease to amaze us. This book is proof of that. Beautifully crafted with stunning details that make us picturise every scene in the book. It’s almost like we are living as one of the characters. The protagonist gets falsely accused of murdering his own brother in law. Upon being sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment, he comes up with yet an astonishing plan to escape from one of the top security prisons in the country. Once picked up by your hands, this book wouldn’t see the face of the bookshelf until you’re done with it.This story will hold you prisoner for hours!

The Bachelor of Arts
R K Narayan, with his simple and soothing language, again touches our heart with this one. Set in South India it centres on a very typical character almost all of us can associate ourselves with. We walk through the story hand in hand with the protagonist and laugh and cry along with him.

“People pretended that they were friends when the fact was they were brought together by force of circumstances. The classroom or the club or the office created friendships. When the circumstances changed the relations too snapped.”.

It is a delight reading this masterpiece by R.K Narayan, it leaves you at tranquillity. The charm is created for the readers, sincerely translated from the narrator’s mind.

Kane and Abel
One of the best works of the legend Jeffery Archer. Twists at the most unexpected places and with a nail-biting finish this book are sure to keep you engaged. Two characters with nothing in common except the same date of birth embark on the most beautiful journey called life. It keeps the reader glued to the pages as they both keep meeting over and over again but don’t realise the role played by the other in their lives.

The story is so compelling you’ll struggle to put it down and it’ll touch on subjects you might have not read before in a book. A thoroughly good read.

The English Teacher
Another soul touching literary work by R K Narayan. It talks about how a boy becomes a man after getting married. It beautifully showcases the changes a man goes through after getting married. His world turns upside down when his wife passes away. How he takes care of his daughter singlehandedly and how he tries to communicate with his wife is the remaining mystery which sure to have you at the edge of your seat.

The best thing about the book is the simple & lucid writing style. you’ll thoroughly enjoy reading this book. The simple writing style doesn’t seem dull at all. It’s very much pleasing and one keeps on turning the pages.

13 reasons why
A mind-blowing thriller written by Jay Asher. A high school student has committed suicide. Before taking her own life, she lists the reasons in a tape and mails it to the first person on the list. As the protagonist gets the tapes, he wonders how he was a reason his classmate took her own life. A gripping tale which is sure to stay in your heart for long.

Readers of Jay Asher’s debut novel for teens, Thirteen Reasons Why should be forewarned never has a page-turner of a book been so difficult to read. This may sound like a criticism, but in fact, it’s a compliment, for this is the story of a suicide’s aftermath, and Asher’s ability to convey the anguish of someone who was left behind is truly remarkable.

The Notebook
A romantic masterpiece by Nicholas Sparks. It touches all the chords of your heart. Young summer love cannot be described in any more detail. Love doesn’t see a person’s status is rightly conveyed.

“I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.” 

If you want to read an upscale Harlequin romance with great crossover appeal, then read The Notebook.

The Lost Symbol
The master of mystery novels, Dan Brown, has completely done justice to every word. It’s definitely a page-turner. He knows the secrets to keep the eyes of the reader glued to the pages. Another Robert Langdon mystery. For those of us who are fans of Robert Langdon, this will never disappoint you.

“Brown’s greatest skill is his ability to infuse a sense of tension in all scenes.” 

 The Dark Room
R K Narayan brings out the sad truth of Indian society with this one. Woman empowerment is being talked about in every corner of the world but women who really have to come of the four walls are still there. This has been very neatly brought out in his book. A typical Indian woman, abused by her husband and how she fails to break out of her chains brings tears to our eyes. Like every other suppressed woman, she hides in her kitchen- The Dark Room

Whatever the author had in mind, this striking contrasts between both the women is a reflection of the Indian society prevalent around 1938. This poignant tale has plenty of drama and subtle humour that makes an interesting read…

Dear John
Nicholas Sparks, the legend of romance beautifully conveys the pain of long-distance love. How long can our heart stay loyal? Is it wrong if we fall for someone else in the meantime? I don’t know that but I do know that this book is sure to stay with you this entire lifetime.

The Da Vinci Code
Another Robert Langdon masterpiece by Dan Brown. The novel starts with the murder of a man Robert was supposed to have drinks with on the very same night. The man scribbled a few code words right before he was murdered. Langdon being a symbologist by profession is called to decipher it. The novel takes a surprising turn from there and the ending is even more shocking.

Angels and Demons
Robert Langdon to the rescue again. Like a typical Dan Brown novel, it starts with the murder of the CERN facility’s physicists, Leonardo Vetra, his chest branded with an ambigram of the word “Illuminati”. Langdon is an expert on the subject is summoned to investigate the case. Unimaginably interesting with the right plot twists no wonder it became a bestseller.

The sharp twists and thrills along the story are incredible.

It is the story of science vs religion with a big plot. With a lot, of twists n turns, the plot moves on. What the readers love about Dan Brown is that your mind says, “This is the guy n this is it.” but there is a lot of difference than what we guess. Brown maintains the same strategy(I felt so) all over the book. The characters are nicely fabricated. According to me, its the best one for all those beginners who need brainy food than a thriller.

A Thousand Splendid Suns
A brilliant work by Khaled Hosseini. It covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban Tyranny seen by perspectives of two women. Mariam the wife of Rasheed, an abusive husband plays the role of a caring mother to Laila, Rasheed’s second wife. The story revolves around their plan to flee the country together.

This book is amazing. It literally makes you laugh and cry and while it is a page-turner it’ll keep you up at nights there’ll be times you’ll have to put it down because you would not be able to endure reading more of their plight at that time. This story is almost written as a first-hand account of wars truest casualty.

And the Mountains Echoed
Khaled Hosseini proved again that his storytelling skills cannot be defeated by anybody else. Each chapter is narrated by a different character and the family drama is lovable. Their brother-sister bond is sure to strike a chord with every reader and he makes us smile and cry with a mind-blowing ending.

It presents us all with the concept that no matter what country, nationality, the heritage you may bring with you, the family and its core of love is ultimately the greatest equalizer to humanity.

The Last Song
Nicholas Sparks with a sweet story again. The protagonist had a close relationship with her father all through childhood but that takes a hard hit when her parents get divorced and she starts to live with her mother. With almost no contact with her dad during the following years, she gets really mad when her mother sends her and her younger brother to live with him during the holidays. How they glue the severed bond is the rest of the story.

“Sometimes you have to be apart from people you love, but that doesn’t make you love them any less. Sometimes you love them more.”

This book had something true to it, well, it must have been the characters who had a vibe of realness in them that most books lack sometimes.

The Shiva Trilogy
Amazing fiction book based on Indian mythology by Amish Tripathi. He successfully introduced Shiva as a common man with a modern twist.

An illustrative depiction of mythological culture, beliefs and wisdom in another world and how these traits help the survival of mankind. A remarkable read.

Origin
Dan Brown’s latest thriller. When an atheist threatens to show the world the truth with his most recent discovery all the world religious leaders get paranoid. Another Robert Langdon mystery. The book takes you to places you never imagined existed. With finer details and vivid imagery, it is sure to give you the chills.

“Well, science and religion are not competitors, they’re two different languages trying to tell the same story. There’s room in this world for both.”

 The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini knows how to touch everyone’s heart. This book proved that no one is better at that than himself. It talks about the friendship between Amir, a well to do Pakistan and the servant’s son, Hassan. The loyalty shown by Hassan ensures that he is the character loved by every reader.

This is a wonderful, moving novel set in the Afghanistan of the early ’70s and of today, about a young boy and his friend growing up in Kabul. Amir desperately wants his father’s approval, but Baba is not quick to give it. He is a rich man, brimming with macho vibrancy, while his son is a different sort altogether. Amir is fast friends with Hassan, the son of his father’s servant. They are as close as brothers. But, beset by bullies, an event occurs that changes Amir’s life. There are much death and horror in this portrait of a tortured country. But there is also emotional richness and a look into the inner life. By the end of the book, there was not a dry eye in the house. It is recommended unreservedly. A wonderful tale movingly told

The Perks of Being A Wallflower
A coming of age novel by Stephen Chbosky’s. The story revolves around a socially awkward teen Charlie who watches life from the sidelines. His two friends help him during the worse times of adolescence and soon become his mentors. He is shocked to learn that his best friend us secretly gay but soon supports him during his bad times. The book is sure to be remembered by every single reader as all of us can relate to it.

The story was filled with different themes or messages, but the one I loved the most was this one: it’s not where we come from or in which family we grow up in that defines who we are. We make our own future and it’s not because our parents treated us badly or were alcoholic that we will as well. It’s our life and, depending on ourselves and our choices, we will become who we are meant or wish to be.
There is a reason why this book is so popular and appreciated by readers and, by reading it, you will certainly find out. It’s the kind of book I would suggest everyone reads, at least once in their lives.

Sons of Fortune
The best seller by Jeffrey Archer. Two twins separated at birth, one is taken care of by his schoolteacher father and other by wealthy parents. They don’t realise that they are twin brother until very late in the story but that they keep meeting throughout the story and soon become each other’s enemy. He finishes this amazing story with a jaw-dropping ending.

Jeffrey Archer really is the consummate storyteller!
The Clifton Chronicles
A series of seven books crafted by Jeffrey Archer. Spanning three generations and several neatly authored characters, the book’s twists leave you yearning for more. Every chapter awes you in its own way. A page-turner and a ride you wished you had gotten on earlier.

Jeffrey Archer’s epic conclusion to his bestselling series is an absolute masterpiece. There isn’t a better storyteller alive than Mr Archer, and The Clifton Chronicles is his finest work to date. If you haven’t yet embarked upon this journey, hop on, otherwise, you’ll be robbing yourself of the chance to experience this saga – which Lord Archer calls his magnum opus. And believe me; each book leaves you yearning for more, with the final volume living up to the hype.

Tell us in the comment section about your suggestions about the books we shouldn’t miss out on

We all know after all there is no enjoyment like reading. Of course, anyone who truly loves books buys more of them than he or she can hope to read in one fleeting lifetime. A good book, resting unopened in its slot on a shelf, full of majestic potentiality, is the most comforting sort of intellectual wallpaper.