Five must-read books that are not too mainstream (yet)!
12:56:00
Like the title suggests, this post
is about five of my all-time favourite books that are actually not very popular
(I don’t understand why though!!). These five are books that instantly clicked;
once I started reading, I could not stop. If you’re looking for something light
yet meaningful, the below mentioned should do the trick! Here goes:
1. The Gift (Cecelia Ahern)
Cecelia
Ahern (of the P.S. I Love You fame) is undoubtedly one of my most favourite
authors. Her novels are easy to read, full of life and no less than magical;
she ensures that her stories render the reader mesmerized. However, unlike what
the covers of her books suggest, they are far from being girly and typically
romantic. The Gift is a profound
story that will definitely leave you questioning your life choices. It pushes
you towards self-reflection and gratitude. It revolves around the life of an
over worked businessman who, unlike your stereotypical protagonist, is very
hard to like, yet alone empathize with. He wants to be in two places at the
same time and in his race towards success, he manages to put his family on the
back seat. His life takes a full turn
when a mysterious homeless man enters his life. The ending just leaves you pondering
over the value of time and how we unconsciously always take it for granted
amongst other blessings. Definitely recommended!
Rating:
4.5/5
Favourite
Quote:
“Time
cannot be packaged and ribboned and left under trees for Christmas morning. Time
can't be given. But it can be shared.”
Buy here.
Buy here.
2. Secrets of the Henna Girl (Sufiya Ahmed)
3. The First Phone Call from Heaven (Mitch Albom)
Mitch Albom is undeniably my favourite author. His
intense and inspirational story telling makes him a class apart from the rest. This
book, however, was nothing like what he’s written before. This story was bizarrely
mysterious yet very captivating. It’s set in a small town on Lake Michigan
which becomes popular worldwide when its inhabitants start receiving phone calls
from Heaven; a miracle or a hoax, you’ll have to accompany Sully Harding, a
grief-stricken single father, to find out the truth. The First Phone Call from Heaven is host to multiple storylines but
the sorrow and pain of all the characters who have lost a loved one can be felt
through Albom’s enthralling word play. Another aspect that I found interesting was
how he’s cleverly intertwined Alexander Graham Bell’s story with the original
plot. Recommended to all, especially if you’ve also lost someone near to you!
Rating: 4/5
Favourite Quote:
“You
have to start over. That's what they say. But life is not a board game, and
losing a loved one is never really "starting over." More like
"continuing without.”
Buy here.
Buy here.
4. Three Wishes
(Liane Moriarty)
This one I read a long time ago, but it’s one of those
books that I have not been able to forget. It’s not an inspirational tale that
will make you contemplate over life’s multiple marvels, in fact, it’s a just
another story that you would categorize under family drama, chick-lit and super
light summer reads. BUT. I really do feel that you will enjoy it a lot IF you’re
a sucker for mushy family oriented tales. Three
Wishes is about the Kettle triplets who’ve entered their thirty-third year
and each one of them has a unique type of chaos in her life: relationships and
the drama and secrets that come with them. Moriarty keeps her readers engaged
through her exceptionally humorous and witty writing style. She is now famous for her gripping "Big Little Lies" which was adapted as a TV show by the same name.
Rating: 4/5
Favourite Quote:
“She wondered if she was going mad.
It felt like a decision she could make. One small step over an invisible line
and she could choose lunacy.”
Buy here.
Buy here.
5. For One More Day
(Mitch Albom)
Last, but surely not the least, For One More Day is a hauntingly spellbinding tale about missed
chances and family, particularly parents. This book is very dear to me as it
touched my heart and soul profoundly. Having lost my mother in my early adolescent
years, I live my life around the central question that this novel explores in
the best possible manner: “What would you do if you could spend one more day
with a lost loved one?” The protagonist in this story is Charley “Chick”
Benetto who hits rock bottom when his own daughter shuts him out of her wedding
because of the man he’s become as a result of regret and alcohol. He plans to
end his life, in vain, after which he finds himself staggering back to his old
house to make a startling discovery! What follows is a tale of beautiful
answers to forgotten questions that will fall into place like missing puzzle
pieces to help Charlie put his life back together. For One More Day is a story
of the second chance we all yearn for. And I truly envied Charlie throughout
this book. Warning: prepare for intense waterworks!
Rating: 5/5
Favourite Quotes:
“You can go your whole life
collecting days, and none will outweigh the one you wish you had back.”
“But there's a story behind
everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes
the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But
behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where
yours begin.”
2 comments
I was desperate for reading recommendations! Was about to message you for some. Looking forward to getting these :)
ReplyDeleteAmna Abbas
I like your site! These sound like great recommendations :)
ReplyDelete