So we are at the end of 2024, can’t believe this it’s December, it feels like I just started this year few days ago with Alex Michaelides ‘s Fury, and what a fantabulous starter of the year! Aah I am feeling emotional. Yes this is the time to reminiscent of the year of reading.
This year started with a bang and ending also exciting with lots of superb books. This month’s post is dedicated to all the 12 month’s read. Today I will select one book for each month, so are you ready to get a handful of book recommendations? These are the books you shouldn’t miss, add them for your next year’s reading list.
January is for the Boss – Alex Michaelides, Fury
Genre – Psychological thriller/Suspense
January ofcourse is the month dedicated to the boss of psychological thriller Alex Michaelides ‘s latest release Fury, it is a dazzling psychological thriller you must read. There’s a thing called storytelling style, and Alex Michaelides writes like a boss. I must say the way Alex portrayed his story shows legit brilliance developing in each of his books. He sketches his protagonist with so much love and dips in the lucid flow of an air of dignity that makes readers intrigued and evokes affinity despite all the flaws in their minds. Alex’s latest book The Furry successfully created an air of supernatural and psychological mystery and the vivid narrative of Greece stirred an enigmatic ambiance.
February adorable with – Victoria Hislop, The Figurine
Genre – Historical/Novel
Would you like to read a book set in Greece, a vividly narrated plot exploring history, war, archaeology, love, betrayal and many more? And I had a beautiful time in Greece. It was surprisingly awesome. From the beginning of the book, it set a mark and slowly engulfed me within it. It was an amazing literary journey to the beautiful land of Greece that inspired one of the popular novelists Victoria Hislop to write. If you ever want to take a break from mundane life then this book would be a passport to take an adventurous vacation in Greece. I read this in the last week of December to ensure a great year ending and it’s totally worth it.
March is dazzling with – Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari, Chronicles Of an Hour And a Half
Genre – Novel
JCB Shortlisted
How long we will be debating on who is the owner of women’s body, no, the women have never been the owner of their own body, let alone the mind.
As if men were born with the inheritance of women’s body and women are born with nothing in her hands.
A shocking, brilliant mirror of human minds exposed on paper in a manner of novella, leaving a lasting impression that is enough to give you a chill run down through your nape and nightmare for some nights.
April is blooming by – Nick Bradley, Four Seasons In Japan
Genre – Japanese novel/Translated Literature
Frankly speaking, I didn’t want to get out of this book but eventually it ended up. Effortlessly this book fits into my favorite book of the year’s list.
The best thing is this book has a story inside the story, layers that are strategically articulated to delve into so many themes.
May is magnificent with – Prakash Om Bhatt & Raj Javia, Mrityunjay
Genre – Historical thriller
Recommending a highly captivating Indian Mystery thriller that is packed with gripping narration of a storyline that is expanded on four timelines. I am still in awe of this book.
It’s fast paced, extremely interesting plotting ready to unveil a treasure hunt theme. If you love reading mythological mysteries, fantasy and riddles, this is your pick.
June is magical with – Andre Acimen, The Gentleman From Peru
Genre – Magical Realism/Suspense/Romantic
A yearning for love ignites once again – The Gentleman From Peru.
If you like – Magical realism
High suspense
Old school romance vibe
Novella
Traveling
Don’t wait just grab this book
July is drawn by – Vikas Swarup, The Girl With Seven Lives
Genre – Novel/Suspense
It is a fast-paced thriller that delves into the lives of migrated people, their struggles, and mirrors society’s face with ruthless honesty while demonstrating a story of dualism between fate and willpower against each other. It was an immensely intense narration that left me numb; I just couldn’t put it down, and yet I had to take a pause between every chapter to absorb it. My heart slowly grew accustomed to the darkness that gripped her life.
August is steaming with- Jenny Erpenbeck, Kairos
Genre – Novel
Booker Prize Winner
This book is all about ambiance.
If you have lust for atmospheric reads then it’s for you. I can’t describe what I am feeling about this book. I could have used another word instead of lust, I could say desire but that wouldn’t be appropriate to transpire the feeling, if I would say fondness that would be also another unfitting word.
Absolutely magical, when the simple words demonstrate the most complicated thing.
September made her sujourn in lush East – Sarmistha Pritam, Beneath The Simolu Tree
Genre – Novel
As I am continuing to explore more Indian contemporary regional authors, got a chance to read Assamese literature, Beneath The Simolu Tree penned by Sharmistha Pritam.
Let’s talk about the book, this book is a vividly written poignant literary venture that explores rural Assamese sociology from 90′ to today’s life and mirroring true pictures of humanity that is a constant changing collage. Beneath the Simolu Tree follows Paridhi as she navigates life. From childhood, the raucous society, the men she has in her family, sowed a question in Paridhi ‘s heart, she wants to know what is love and be loved?
The book perfectly captured the innocently beautiful Paridhi and brilliantly depicted the montage of Indian society.
October –
Genre – Short Stories
Reading Curries, Colours, & Chaos felt like revisiting the whirlwind of my own teenage years. Chandan and Mona’s journey through the ups and downs of growing up in a small railway township really struck a chord with me. Their quest for identity, purpose, and belonging was something I could relate to on a personal level.
The way the book blends humor with raw emotion is brilliant. It made me laugh out loud one moment and get teary-eyed the next. What I loved the most was how it explored the complexities of friendship—how sometimes you have to hold on, and sometimes you need to let go. The characters are so real, and their struggles felt like my own.
This book captured the essence of youth perfectly—the joy, the heartache, and the lessons learned along the way. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, but one that’s worth every twist and turn. If you’ve ever navigated the messy, beautiful journey of growing up, this one’s for you.
November – The Drowning by Nidhi Upadhyay
Genre – Thriller
As an ardent admirer of Nidhi Upadhyay’s storytelling, The Drowning exceeded all my expectations. Right from the start, I was captivated by its haunting atmosphere and the intricate layers of mystery that kept unfolding. The narrative, shifting between two timelines, was seamless and engrossing, offering a perfect balance of suspense and emotion.
I couldn’t help but feel a deep connection to both Viji and Kanika, two strong yet complex protagonists navigating their own storms. Viji’s resilience, despite her devastating losses, was inspiring, and Kanika’s relentless pursuit of truth amidst the chaos was admirable. Every character was written with such depth that they felt real, yet every one of them seemed suspicious at one point, which added to the intrigue.
What truly stood out was Nidhi’s ability to weave in elements of psychological tension, black magic, and human vulnerability without ever making the story feel overwhelming. Each revelation hit like a shockwave, and just when I thought I had unraveled the mystery, another twist left me stunned. The open-ended conclusion was the cherry on top, leaving me thinking about it long after I closed the book.
The Drowning is more than just a thriller—it’s a masterclass in crafting suspense and exploring the dark psyche of human emotions. Nidhi Upadhyay has once again proven why she’s one of my favorite authors. If you love fast-paced, spine-chilling stories with smart, layered narratives, this is an absolute must-read!
December is gorgeous with hidden wisdom by – Pinaki Gangopadhyay, God Science And Reality
Genre – Nonfiction/Philosophy
An extremely well researched book with extraordinary narrative that tried to explore profound insights on God, timeless wisdom of Veda and our age old customs. A meticulous work on hidden meaning of Sanskrit words, works of philosophy compelled readers to dig into the book. It indulged new thoughts and asked readers to delves with the author inside the complexities of Hinduism, spirituality and debug the connection between science and spirituality, isn’t it’s a captivating new idea to see religion from the outside of conventional body, a very different perspective! It ignites thirst in readers for deep digging.