Hello my loves!
Happy Day of Love to you and yours.
Whether you love Valentine's Day or not, it's a good excuse as any to indulge in some reading and finding something that works for you.
Here are some book recommendations for Valentine's Day...Books to read if you love Love or books to read if you want a good crying session.
There's something for everyone.
1. Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay: This one is a family favourite. This was my Thamma's favourite story in the whole wide world. Because this story was sorta like her love story with my grandfather. She found a lot of similarities between her love story and that of Lalita and Shekhar. A timeless, simple and enduring story about childhood sweethearts, misunderstandings and love.
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows: Juliet- a budding writer/ journalist receives a letter from a pig farmer called Dawsey from the island of Guernsey asking her if she could help him find a book. From this one letter, starts the most beautiful series of interactions between Juliet, Dawsey and various members of their little book club that was established under duress during the German Occupation in WW2. A truly heart-warming and lovely book!
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Do we really need to say anything about this classic? It is a classic for a reason! If you haven't read it, go read! Mr. Darcy has ruined all other men for me. I am not even joking!
4. Love in the time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: A sweeping saga of love that endures. There is the heady feeling of first love, of longing and tragedy and living a life without the one you want most. Written brilliantly, this one is a classic for a reason and if you pick this up and sink into it, you will find yourself swept away to a time and place that will stay with you for a while.
5. Possession by AS Byatt: This beautifully written modern academia book follows the journeys of two academics as they each, independently, research the lives of two Victorian era poets and in the process discover their secret love story and also, find some love of their own.
6. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami: My first brush with Murakami and this book sparked off my love for his words and stories. A love story about nostalgia and first love and loss and longing and pining, written in Murakami's inimitable style, this one is a forever favourite. Pick this up and be ready to shed a tear or two.
7. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: The buzz and hype of this book was something else when it first came out. It was everywhere and everyone had read it. A time travelling love story sounds pretty out there but this book has you from the get go. A time traveller hops through time and lands up in often ridiculous situations and meets his future wife at various points in her life. Sweet, fuzzy, warm and sad at times. This one is such a heady and moving read. The film adaptation was good too.
8. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston: What happens when the Prince of England and the First Son of the USA fall for each other through a series of snarky interactions, moving prose and the sweet interactions? The rest of us just swoon!
9. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren: Pick this up if you want something light, funny and breezy and easy. Something to pick up when you don't want something too heavy or serious. This is the book to read if you just want a happy little book.
10. Battle for Bittora by Anuja Chauhan: This right here is my favourite Anuja Chauhan book. The chemistry between the leads was leaping off the pages, the banter was bantering. It's about two people who belong to opposing political families. And it's a classic enemies to lovers trope. I loved the male lead in this book and I want to re-read this soon. This was fun and funny and such a good time.
1. One Day by David Nichols: The premise and treatment of this book is unlike any other. WE meet a young couple who spend a night together and we visit them on the same date- July 15th- every single year for the next twenty years. We see life happen, love, careers and loss and then some. This is a modern classic at this time, spawning a film and TV show adaptation. Get ready for a good cry by the end.
2. The Fault in our Stars by John Green: Has anyone not read this?! Back when this book came out every person had read and loved it. I didn't and still don't read a lot of romance, but this was inescapable. So I picked it up to see what the fuss was about and boy..I remember crying myself to sleep after I finished it. Two kids. Surviving/fighting Cancer and finding love in an unlikely place. So good. So good.
3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: Another book that needs no introduction! Deals with love, soulmates, miscommunication, obsession- the kind that even death can't break. Has some of the "swooniest"lines ever written!
4. All the Light we cannot See by Anthony Doerr: Set in a small coastal French town during the Second World War, this book shows us the lives of the occupied and occupier via those of a blind French girl and a bright German boy. Through various circumstances, they meet and their interactions are just everything!
5. The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali: I adore books set in Iran, as a place and people, this country fascinates me. This book set in pre and post revolution Iran is about young love at the most chaotic and inconvenient time. Starting off in Tehran and ending in America, this is a warm but often sad story about love lost because the world was on fire. Plus there's a stationery shop..which I love.
6. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven: This is a story about grief, loss, love and surviving. Two young people come together and go on adventures together and find a way to survive their past. This was sweet and heady and lovely and also very sad. I read it over ten years ago but still remember how this made me feel. The film adaptation on Netflix is nicely done too.
7. Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott, Mikki Daughtery and Tobias Iaconia: Another YA romance on the list. This one is about two sick teens(who have CF) who fall in love but the twist is their health condition makes it impossible for them to more than five feet closer to each other. It's an impossible situation and makes for compelling reading. I loved the characters in this book and I might watch the film adaptation soon, it's on Netflix.
8. Me Before You by JJ Moyes: A sunshiny young woman, under-valued in her home life, starts caring for a grumpy quadriplegic man. She brightens his days and he teaches her to value herself, put herself first and go chase her dreams. Will build and smash your heart in the best way possible!
9. Endless Night by Agatha Christie: I know this is a thriller. But I think belongs on this list. A classic whodunnit by the Queen of Crime with a cautionary tale at the heart of it. If you don't want to fall in love..read this. I can't talk about this without giving away too many spoilers..but pick it up. A lesson in love isn't always a good idea.
10. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: We all know about the legend of Achilles- the great demigod warrior, who was considered to be invincible if not for that one weak spot on his heel. However, this beautiful, heart-wrenching book tells the story of his friendship and love with his childhood friend- Patroclus. Keep tissues ready.
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