Top 5 Books by Indian Authors Till June

I am grateful to be part of a community of writers and bloggers whose work I get to read often. This year, I had an opportunity to read a few authors, among them. And in this half-yearly round-up, I am sharing 5 Books that I have really enjoyed reading this year. 

1. Happily Ever And Never Afters: This book of short stories by Vidya Sanath consists of 16 enchanting short stories, of varied emotions- love, happiness, grief, stigma, remorse and betrayal. The author portrays the everyday lives of ordinary people, rich in nuances. Subtle feelings that often get overlooked, certain hurts that are often endured in relationships, are presented in a very grounded form of storytelling. The story, Sorry I Touched Her, sharply highlights the social discrimination of someone based on their marital status, while the story Rebirth drives the reader into a grief-struck couple's life who are going through a rough phase after child loss. The constant ups and downs of various emotions are woven into tales that touch the heart. For short story lovers who enjoy stories based on relationships, this is a must-read.

2. The Tree, The Well & The Drag Queen: I must agree that I started to acquire knowledge about the LGBTQA community after reading this book, by following the author and her snippets about the community on her Instagram handle. This story is about a person who leads a dual life, a man during the day and a drag queen at night. He has to return to his ancestral property to break a generational curse of a jackfruit tree. The story weaves grief, fantasy, folklore, reality, and acceptance into an ultimate destination: freedom. 

3. The Dance and The Trance: The ancient tradition of Velichappadu, and how a man is compelled to take up the role, following his father's legacy. His dreams, aspirations and even his love had to be given up. When his wife and ex-lover meet, something unexpected happens. Author Deepti Menon has created various characters, laden with a variety of emotions and actions. Many characters, but each one is significant in its own right. Moments of romance, grief, and friendship happen seamlessly and naturally. Unexpected gestures by certain characters reveal the nuances of human emotion.

The Dance and the Trance is a beautiful story about traditions and customs, and how they are attuned to human behaviour.

4. Failure to Make Round Rotis: Failure to Make Round Rotis is a perfectly curated poetry book of rebellion and resilience from a woman's perspective. Author Mehak Goyal's every poem describes an average woman's life from the beginning at each phase. Her initial days, schooling, parents' love, their expectations, friends who betray, estranged love, arranged marriage, dowry, match-making, in-laws' expectations, the ultimate realisation and final resilience. Few words, strong, powerful, impactful- each highlighting the idea of rebellion with great effect. The illustrations are as interesting as the poems.

5. The Gift of Self: A book of poems that establishes one fact, that our lives in themselves are a gift and we need to celebrate each moment by living it. Author Vandana Bhasin has mindfully curated a book with poems that touch hearts with their rich projection and deeper meaning. It's the importance of gratitude, self-belief, inner peace, and the art of finding and gifting one's own self through spirituality. Each verse brings the reader closer to the purpose and meaning of life, and how that way of living ultimately transforms our perspectives.