1. A Place Called Home by Nithya Chellam
Had you ever wondered, “What if life is not about the successes or the goals that you achieve? What if life is about the journey and not the destination?” while reflecting at your own life? Very few prompts you to wonder on such philosophical thoughts in its very first chapter. A Place Called Home by Nithya Chellam is one such book which acts as a food for your soul. As it has been said that, ‘Never judge a book by its cover’, so don’t be fooled by the small size of the book. This pocket dynamite ignites you from the very first moment as very few selected books find their book blurb in the form of a sweet poem which makes it quite interesting. Not just it provides the motivational catalyst to fall in love with yourself but also the Mother Earth.
2. Amma: A Memoir by N. Srinivasa Raghavan
How many people in this ultra-tech modern society heeds attention to their own mothers as most of them are just dependent on the gadgets and social networking platforms? And still we are blessed to find people like N. Srinivasa Raghavan; who has given a heartfelt and tearful tribute to his mother in his maiden literary venture, Amma: A memoir to the loveliest woman that I knew. The author not just shares the bond with his mother but also traces her influence through successive years of his life, shaping his values, his convictions, and his world view. The author without being complacent pays a deep reverential tribute to all mothers, and to Motherhood in general. Indeed! This book vouch for such an elusive list as every son and every daughter picking up this book will find it resonating with their love and affection for their own mothers.
3. Petit à Petit: Little by Little by Ambica Uppal
In the wake of COVID era; where we are forced to embrace the so-called ‘The New Normal’, almost every individual needs the requisite inspiration. At such juncture Petit à Petit: Little by Little by Ambica Uppal comes as a fresh whiff of air. The beautiful poetry collection to break in the elite list is a collection of simple and inspiring poetry that motivates one to dream and change the narrative of their lives. The assurance of a better tomorrow and encouraging our own potential to achieve our aspirations makes it quite different from the seasoned poetry collection. The central themes of self-love, self-confidence, and taking life into your own hands no matter how much we have to go far makes it quite captivating.
4. Au Contraire, Mademoiselle… by Indrani Mirajkar
The debut romantic thriller by Indrani Mirajkar captivates you from the word go. Very few Indian novels have been titled in the French language and in the same way it stands out while deciphering the varied emotions of Rani, the protagonist. A fast-paced novel with its luscious pauses explores through the various attributes of the protagonist. Introducing the readers to the primary strength of the protagonist which the author considers as the soul of the book, she also let us delve into the fallacies of the protagonist. The authors who carry a vast experience of over 2 decades has been a Post graduate in Social Works which has surely helped her in deciphering the various emotions of characters aided with appropriate adjectives and adverbs which makes it a fascinating read.
5. Shaming of Diya by Anuj Tikku
Coming straight from the hand of a Bollywood actor, Shaming of Diya by Anuj Tikku sheds light on the mysterious world of hackers. In the backdrop of shaming of an actress, the gripping crime thriller focusses on the computer geeks who specializes in erasing cyber evidence and are a nemesis to the cyber-crime sleuths. The actor who has been a part of various superhit Bollywood movies like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, No One Killed Jessica, Jodi Breakers apart from being a part of various tv commercials.
6. The King of The Sea by Nandan Gautam
What if you get a blend of music in a book? Trust me! You will find your dream getting fulfilled. What if the music features some of the finest musicians in the world including Grammy award winner Antonio Sanchez, Tom Schuman, Rainer Bruninghaus, Chad Wackerman along with Indian musicians like Amit Heri and Toni Das. You will just get speechless! Such is the charm of The King of The Sea by Nandan Gautam is that it’s the first ever book to have a two-album soundtrack composed by the author himself; this metaphysical novel by Nandan Gautam is an experimental book which shifts between three point of views. A real-life account of the author crafts the main story with his own visions along with a mysterious voice that speaks to him from time to time that he doesn’t always understand or even trust. The masterpiece being truly a spiritual adventure, a roller coaster ride with many unexpected twists and turns deserves to be a part of this elite list.