BOOKS YOU DEFINITELY SHOULDN’T MISS THIS MONSOON

Compiled by: Chirdeep Malhotra

1) “The Night Won’t Wait” by Kaustabh Kashyap

(Poetry | Format: Paperback/Kindle | MRP: 120 INR)

This book is a collection of contemporary poems that deliberate on various issues that have ensued due to the Covid-19 pandemic, both in India and globally. The themes of the poems are universal in the sense that they raise fundamental questions about our entire species, taking the pandemic as a take-off point. The book is aptly subtitled ‘Glimpses of the Great Pause’, as it deals with the Great Pause, as the Covid-19 pandemic has been described by many. Do read this fine poetry collection, for in these uncertain times that are dark and gloomy, there is also opportunity to pause, listen and reflect.



2) “Love at Manipal” by Siddhartha Vankar

(Fiction | Format: Paperback/Kindle | MRP: 364 INR)

This contemporary fiction follows the story of Snehal, who is studying at a college in Manipal and falls in love Neeraj. After a fall out, Snehal has a chance meeting with Rajiv, who is charming and caring, but also has a girlfriend. Snehal is confused by her feelings for him but, in the meantime, Neeraj has realised his love for her. Many years later, Snehal returns to Manipal with her husband. They have grown apart in the intervening years but Manipal works its magic again and invokes memories and feelings in them of times gone by. Can they grow back together again and who is Snehal's true Romeo? Read this book to find out.



3) “The Lost Woman of Santacruz” by Vijay Medtia

(Crime Thriller | Format: Paperback/Kindle | MRP: 299 INR)

This is the first book in the Inspector Ajay Shaktawat book series. When a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police has been beaten to death, and a young man is barely alive besides him, Inspector Ajay Shaktawat is called to investigate. The intense investigation leads to a woman missing from Santacruz, Mumbai. At the same time, a crazed cop killer terrorises Mumbai. No one understands the connection or motive. Inspector Shaktawat must battle against time and the increasing body count of retired officers if he's to succeed. Facing personal battlers too, will Inspector Shaktawat be able to get his life back on track? Will Shaktawat catch the elusive murderer before he strikes again? Read this gripping crime fiction to find out.



4) “Love In Modern Times” by Nitish Raj

(Short Stories | Format: Paperback/Kindle | MRP: 199 INR)

This book consists of a collection of 20 short stories that aim at deciphering the various aspects of romance and relationships through the reality check of modern romance. These stories provide an insight on the prevalent mindset and behavioural patterns of the young generation when it comes to the matters of love. The stories perfectly aligning with the central theme of the book, carefully depict how the ‘so-called love’ has lost its way in the modern times. The simple, introspective, and expository narratives interestingly keep the readers engaged and compel them to contemplate on the degrading essence of love amongst the teenagers in these modern times.