Kuch Anokhi Kahani

Join me on this journey as I fall in love with reading books all over again. I share my recent reads and what I feel about them to give you a curated list of books that I recommend you should read. I am inclined towards mystery thrillers but not limited to. The title if you want to know means, 'some unique stories' in hindi.

Robin Cook - Coma

This is my first exposure to a medical thriller and I was impressed. This book was written in 1977. Yes, it's that old. It has then been made into a successful TV series and movie. The book was well written and held a lot of twists and turns and got me hooked to the very end. The answer to the crime was so brilliant and being a medical student, I understood it and it was genius but that doesn't mean people who are not will understand it. It's was exciting for me to read something that has both the things that I like - medicine and mystery. The characters were very well fleshed out and yes some of the things are far-fetched but that is best part of writing, pushing the boundaries.

Alex Michaelides - The Silent Patient

One of my favorite subjects is psychology. I am always curious about the human psyche. Why do people do the things they do? I saw this book in the airport and instantly clicked with the story and knew I had to read it. It is also a bestseller and it did not disappoint. In this book, we meet Dr. Theo and the silent patient Alicia. When you approach this book, it will definitely deceive you. You may think you know what is happening and the author strings you along making you believe you have figured it out but as you approach the ending, you will definitely go WHAAATTTT!!! I know I definitely did. This is a very nicely paced book. I did not feel any lag. The only thing, I would say is there definitely room for improvement in the aspect of story-telling.

Lucy Foley - The Guest List

The imagery in this book is amazing. The author describes the island so beautifully , I felt I was taken to the place she created. I felt I was a guest at the wedding, observing as she guided me through each of the scenario. Even the characters felt so real to me. It is written in a series of flashbacks and the present. Because of this, I felt that it was a bit confusing. It also felt a little dragged and hoping that it would come to the point. But the ending did not disappoint. She tied it all together in a neat little package. It was a book I couldn't keep down. The book begins on a dark and dingy island but ends with a small ray of light bringing hope to the characters as they have weathered the storms in their life.

Not A Happy Family - Shari Lapena

Meet the Mertons. They look like a happy family but underneath there are hiding secrets. They are a dysfunctional family. It follows the investigation of the murder of the patrons of the family. The suspects are one of their own but could they have done it. It unravels the psyche of each of the character of the Merton family and help you understand why are they the way that they are. The author did a great job of presenting the intentions, character and the story of each character. Despite the death of the patrons, you would think that the children are free from their grasps but they still haunt them from the grave. They are all fractured beyond repair and the people who suffer are their loved ones.The ending was something I did not expect and was almost disappointed but it ended in sweet victory

A good girl's guide to murder - Holly Jackson

This is definitely a great light read. It brought me back to the first book that blossomed my love for reading, Nancy Drew. This book definitely brought back the nostalgia. A teenager takes it upon herself to solve the murder of two people in her town. She along with her partner Ravi set out on this dangerous adventure. The sleuthing was on point and the clues were pretty straightforward. Actually although I was reading, I felt like I was watching a tv series. The illustrations helped you better understand the sequence of events leading up to the murder. The build up to the scenes involving clues was similar to when you watch a tv show. The anticipation, discovery and excitement. I enjoyed this book because it brought back my thrill of reading books again. Would highly recommend if you are fans of Nancy Drew

Not A Happy Family - Shari Lapena

The night she disappeared - Lisa Jewell

When I read the storyline, I was expecting a thrilling mystery but I was disappointed. The story is written in two different timelines. The characters are not well fleshed out and are basically forgettable. It has the usual trope of people are not what they seem and there are secrets lurking underneath but some of the secrets are too farfetched that I found myself going ' are you serious' or ' Is that even possible? There are many twists in the end that frustrated me and made no sense. The spotlight definitely goes to the mother Kim which is the character that I loved the most and felt relatable. Despite it all, this mystery is thumbs down for me.

A Flicker in the Dark: Stacy Willingham

A psychologist, Chloe seems normal on the outside but hides a deep dark secret. The book definitely kept me off the edge of my seat and I found it hard to know who the killer really was but I managed to figure it out before it was revealed. The characters were fleshed out and their motives were explained. My one qualm with the book was that it was long and a lot could have been edited. I like to think that the author was trying to bring out the anxiety and PTSD by writing out every thought and feeling of the protagonist but it just felt unnecessary and I felt like I was skipping them. The build-up and the twist and turns really got me off guard and it delivered in the end. It definitely dived into the deep psyche of each character. A great psychological thriller and a thumbs up for me

Twenties Girl : Sophie Kinsella

This time, I decided to revisit a classic from my childhood. My first exposure to her was through confessions of a shopaholic and it was funny, cute, and romantic. I had since then become a fan. When I came across this book, I couldn't keep the book down. I was so sad the book was over that I read it a second time. I wanted to see if I would feel the same way now. Sure enough, even now it still gives me all the feels. The playful banter between Lara and her great aunt Sadie, the clumsy antics, the magnificent life that Sadie lived and the romance was the chef's kiss. This time it brought a new feeling, of nostalgia as I remember hiding my books underneath my textbook so I wouldn't get caught, a spark that lit up my mind and carrying my book everywhere to read because I couldn't put it down. This is the reason why I wanted to start reading again. I thought this book would make for a great movie or a tv show but I have a feeling they will not bring justice to the book.