A Northern fable re-told in stunning fashion, with descriptions that stay in the mind. The story deals with Ragnarok, which is the catastrophic end of the world..how it came about, the principal characters (gods and monsters) who wrought chaos and the desolate destruction at the end of everyhting. A compelling read from an acclaimed story-teller.

This book blends art, history and fiction so beautifully that it is in itself a 'work of art'. Using masterly brushstrokes, the writer recreates the canals, markets and churches of 17th century Delft, a town in the Netherlands, which is the home of the Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer. It is to his household that 16-year-old Griet comes to work as a maid. She goes on to become his assistant and finally the model for one of his most famous paintings ( of the same title) which is also known as the Dutch Mona Lisa.

The story is told in Griet's voice, bringing alive an array of characters ranging from the immediate family which includes the tempestuous, jealous and enormously pregnant Catharina, Vermeer's wife; Maria Thins, his mother-in-law, Tanneke, the senior maid who supervises Griet to the butchers and burghers of the town. Through a slow accrual of details the writer knits together themes as diverse as as the significance of art, the world as viewed through the artist's eye, forbidden love, the pure drudgery of a domestic servant's existence.

Restraint is the hallmark of the writer's style. The prose is crystal clear. Contemplative. Rather than dwell on an illicit relationship between master and maid, the writer builds up the tale by using restraint, so that the drama has an emotional punch rather than a visceral one. Long after you put the book down, its quiet impact remains.

Istanbul straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, which makes it a fascinating city. The schism in its personality is reflected in modern Turkish fiction, in the works of writers like the highly acclaimed Elif Shafak, whose book The Bastard of Istanbul created quite a stir in Turkey due to a law suit which followed.

The story revolves around two families. The first one is the Turkish all women Kazanci household to which 19-year-old Asya belongs. Her mother is a tattoo artist, her three aunts are respectively high school teacher, clairvoyant and schizophrenic. The only male, Asya's uncle Mustapha lives in the US where he was packed off very early to escape a family curse. Asya's great love is the singer Johnny Cash; her friends the artists and pseudo intellectuals of Istanbul cafe society.

The second family is Armenian Tchekmekhian clan living in San Francisco to which the other female lead character Armanoush belongs. Haunted by her family's conflicted history which has its roots in the Armenian genocide of 1915, Armanoush comes to Turkey in search of answers and stays with her step father Mustapha's family.

This is a crowded novel with many themes, many characters and a family secret which hardly comes as a surprise. Even though it follows a zigzag path, the story telling is lively and engaging. Eccentric, like the city Istanbul. That in a nutshell is its charm.

As with every mixed experience, one needs to approach this book with an open mind. It starts out as a story about a middle-aged man, Tom Loxley ( academic working on a book about HenryJames )who has lost his dog somewhere in the Australian wilderness, but then it becomes a book about Loxley's relationship with the two women in his life, his aging mother and the artist Nelly Zhang who is something of a mystery woman. It touches briefly on art, writing, love, life, shifting landscapes and their effect etc. In all this dog is somewhat sidelined. Despite its complexities - flashbacks echoing within flashbacks, meditations on the role of shit in our lives and so on - the plot does not quite lose itself or, for that matter, the reader. The book was on the Booker Long List some years ago. Easy to see why. The writing is stylish in an impressionistic way, replete with sensitive imagery, yet vigorous and strong. Not designed for speed reading, this book is best absorbed at a gradual pace.

This is a book for anyone who wants to know what life in Libya was like in the post Revolution years, under the shadow of Muammar Qaddafi known as the 'Guide'. It's an absorbing read that manages to blend fact and fiction seamlessly. Told from the first person point of view of a 9-year-old boy Suleiman the story takes place almost entirely in the setting of his upper middle class neighbourhood and his immediate family. Though the point of view is limited, it manages to convey rather well the ambivalent relationship between the child's parents, his own relationship with his mother ( one of the novel's most well-etched characters) and that with his best friend Karim. Using simple evocative descriptions the author brings alive a hot afternoon in Tripoli, the taste of mulberries, as well as the sheer horror of watching an execution on TV. All-in-all, it was quite fascinating.

If you thought after Namesake and Interpreter of maladies she couldn’t get better, Lahiri proves you wrong – she has matured as a writer and writes about what she knows best Indians abroad! Fabulous from start to finish – each story is unique and makes you think even after you finish reading the book!

Light and nerdy entertainment!

A fast moving book that can shake the covering of  Vatican. Bet ou can’t keep it down till the last page. A must for all Dan Brown and Steve Berry fans.

All his books are racy, linguistic, and pithy. Full of interesting, wry similes and metaphors.  Detective fiction mostly but one enjoys his style of writing and plot. His detectives Myron Bolitar and Win are something else. Do try!

Terse writing that says in a few words what others take whole paragraphs to depict. Full of atmosphere. Loved it.

Seriously thrilling. About a girl who likes a vampire. The Vampire likes the smell of her and he wants her blood. But it is not unbelievable!!

On the lines of Chetan Bhagat. Will take you back into your college days. Good reading.

Great book to read if you like thrillers. Gripping to till the end and the hero ‘Jack Rescher’ as always is great.

Nice light read. A refreshing look at reality TV.

Will take you on a journey of unexplored. Thought provoking and very soothing to nerves. Good break from the racy bestsellers

Quite a racy read! A nice change to have a bloodthirsty woman as the killer!

The greatest, the bestest, the awesomest fantasy series ever written (due apologies to Tolkein, Goodkind and Jordan here). The quartet of books already written is the easiest way to get into fantasy for any first time fantasy reader (though some parts are very graphic).

Hilarious. Had me in splits. Good fun read.

Funny and nice.

A compelling story of a planet with six suns. And the events that unfold when an eclipse brings in darkness in a world that is constantly bathed in sunlight. Nightfall is horror for the inhabitants and fascinating for us – people who face darkness everyday. A compelling insight on human reac$tions to the unknown.

A set of short stories with some interlinked characters and some not but mostly nostalgic for homeland. Stories are at times erotic and certainly intellectual.

A very good work by Manil Suri after his first book ‘Death of Vishnu’. This is written in a simple style and it tells an absorbing story of a hapless mother and her relationship with her son.

Great for laughs. If you want to unwind with a short and lighthearted, book this is the one. I have become an instant fan of the author.

A good thriller. A must try for any mystery lover.

Extremely fast paced, action packed and a great plot that only thickens.

A must for a Rollins fan. One of his best books. A non-stopper from page one onwards. Welcome to a world of viruses and bacteria from an ancient time!

A gripping legal who-dunnit in the same genre as Arisham and Scott Turow.

A certain thriller and must-read for an computer maniac and anyone who hates the government and wants to do something about it – well at least in their fantasy. Five stars from this reader.

Also check out the 3 other books of this series – The Fools Run, The devil’s code, The Hanged Man’s Song.

Mystery series with a strong female protagonist. Set in Baltimore, the plot is 3-dimensional and the characters come to life.

Witty but with subtle humour. One of Cecil’s best.

Excellent read – written from a different perspective

Writes clean yet gripping thrillers that appeals across ages. Each book explores a different theme – it could be a ship/car/boat and the research that goes into it is complete. Try as you might you will be kept guessing right till the end no matter how ‘thriller familiar’ you are!

A great read if you like grisly murder mysteries with a touch of romance. Her books are pretty fast paced and she shows a good insight into human nature.

Worthy of the nobel prize!

For those who like Inspector Morse, detective Kurt Wallander continues where Morse left 

Like the detail, vividity and the continuity in maintaining characterization. Of course, the fact that there is so much to read!

Total MAZAA! Her Stephanie Plum novels are a great read if you are female and want to chill with a fun read. Spark humour, murders thrown in for good measure.

Good plot, John Corey is back with his wacky one liners and his inane often annoying sense of humour! 

Touching, heart-warming – a tale of family and friendships. A time of trauma transformed into a time of new beginnings! 

Great collection of stories. Memorable characters, realistic situations. The narration weaves beautifully between past and present 

A wonderful book and a must read. It is so full of pathos and yet leaves you feeling very satisfied in the end. Gives a wonderful insight into the Afghan life which was till now an unexplored territory by any author.

From Page one to the ending the story is compelling - so human and sensitive. Africa' Montana scenes vibrate with action and energy.

Funny and at the same time gives you an insight into the contemporary world of call centers. A couple of concluding chapters give you the feeling of a very racy and funny Bollywood comedy.

From Page one to the ending the story is compelling - so human and sensitive. Africa' Montana scenes vibrate with action and energy.

Apart from the usual good characteristics of a fast-paced thriller such as an ingenious plot, a few unpredictable twists, and mounting tension, this book is packed with deep statements man of which are worth writing down (I wish I had). For example, "knowledge is power especially when dispensed selectively!"

Great book! Racy from beginning to end. Bit frustrating at the end when you realise you HAVE to read the sequel London Bridges. But if you want to pass a dull boring rainy evening with someone, it just has to be James Patterson!

A must read for suspense/thriller lovers. Short chapters are in interesting feature throughout the book. Racy!

A real fast paced thriller – deals with cloning and genetic manipulation. 

A heart touching story mixed with a lot of fast paced action. Story based on the crusade wars. A must read.

Immensely satisfying read. Very heartwarming. A good follow up to Kite Runner. 

Terrific sense of humour. Antidote for a bad hair day!

Excellent book on the dangers of consumption, ‘selfish’ capitalism and unthinking acceptance of media fuelled images and points of view.

A must-read for folks who strongly ‘know’ what is right and wrong ; and those who believe in a universal code of ethics.

The author explores the crazy real world wearing the spectacles of an economist. A very whacky yet logical theories behind various events like sumo wrestlers, cheating in schools, poverty of drug pushers, etc.

Nothing is impossible after you read the secret. One of those rare books that make you believe ‘Yes You Can’.

If you like true stories you will love this book. A book about Jews in Germany and how they survived Hitler’s army.

Great book. Easy to ‘do it yourself’ and then analyse.

An incredible story – is more incredible as it is  apparently all true! Fantastic Story with a cast of finely detailed and etched characters about a life(s) and story(ies) and a city we know so little about.

Gave me a new view of the issue and how intellectually vapid the Hindutvamovement is.

An inspiring book, by an eternal romantic who never said quits and loves life and lives with passion, come what may.Encouraging.

An autobiography and a travel guide. Shows the life of a living legend who went on to become a youth icon. A must read.

The book provides some interesting insights into what makes somebody extraordinary.Using categories of master, maker,introspector & influencer, they use Mozart, Freud, Virginia Woolf and Gandhi as case studies. It provides some thought provoking insights into what happens to child prodigies. Good for anybody interested in thinking about such matters.

This book goes beyond the earlier book by the same author 'Seven Habits of highly effective people' as it focuses on principles and distinguishes between principles, habits and values. It gives an articulate and focused approach on how to review one's life and the changes to be made to lead a balanced, holistic life.

A book every woman who is stresses handling various roles in her life should read. A story about a woman who takes time off to live the life she wants to, by the sea, by herself. During this period she reviews her life, finds time to renew herself and focus on her priorities.

An absolute must read for those interested in knowing about a place beyond the regular tourist catalogue material. Incredible insight, sensitive sensibilities and an expansive appreciation of multiple cultures and geographies of Asia in this book. Great writing!

Excellent book! Especially for those who seek for knowledge that is ‘ Out of the box’!

A good read, find your way to health, happiness, wealth. Immensely readable. Your could try out the formula mentioned there to get what you wish for.

Needs patience, but once you pick up the book it is un-put-down able.

An incredible story – is more incredible as it is  apparently all true! Fantastic Story with a cast of finely detailed and etched characters about a life(s) and story(ies) and a city we know so little about. 

A typical Grisham style legal thriller, this time combined with a bit of emotion and innocence. The adventures of a caravan-dwelling child who witnesses a suicide are picturized in this book.It is a bit slow in the beginning, but races on once you teeth into it.

Not a series for one looking for something cerebral. Mindless young adult chicklit, but good fun nonetheless. It is quite difficult to find the hundreds of books in this series in order, but they can be understood if read out of order.

Four friends living in a remote island stumble across a dangerous team of people who have a plan involving illegal experiments on animals. The kids find themselves in great danger as they are on the run from an unknown enemy, and the ones that they trust turn into traitors. Things become even more complicated when they are infected with a deadly disease. Fast paced and thrilling.

A girl, kidnapped at the age of four, develops multiple personality disorder. She is abandoned by her kidnappers and returned to her family, in a state of mental instability. However, she pulls herself together and goes on to get her college degree. After the death of her parents in a car accident, she creates multiple personalities again, and is now accused of murder. Her sister cum lawyer, her counselor and an ex- cop work together to try to prove her innocence. Well researched and well worded.

A touching tale that will have any reader in tears. Really well-written and well-expressed in very few pages.

Crime-busting, romance, humour, fantasy this series has it all. Very entertaining, and a good read.

It is a very nice series.

Good for future scientists.

It is a very nice series.

Good for future scientists.

Many of us know Ranjit Lal only by his books about nature, but he breaks the cliché with this book. Its a typical love story- with a bride from an affluent family and a good for nothing groom who run away and elope, and are chased by various people from both families. The twist is that all the characters are monkeys living in a jungle! Funny, lighthearted and entertaining to the core.

Its a tiny book, barely 80 pages, but quite a tear-jerker. A true story, narrated in a crisp but emotional way. The book is about a girl in Hiroshima who died of leukemia because of radiation from the bomb. Sadako, the protagonist, has inspired many with her never-give-up attitude.

A nice coming- of- age rather emotional series, which had its humorous bits. It’s a fast-paced, easy read.

You can re-read this book as many times as you want. It is so funny, it had me in splits.

Great series and full of adventure. It is a must read for all adventure lovers – girls or boys above 10 years.

One of the best books in humour. It is about a real weird school and the weird happenings in it. I love to read it.

I just love the funny parts of the book as well as the serious ones. Two sisters and teamwork make a good story.

This hilarious comic series has been around for many years without being noticed much. The life of all legionaries in the deserts of Africa. With a crazy general and an Amish legionary and a drunk cook, the series is set for uncontrollable laughter.

An excellent series full of humour. Now there are graphic novels for this series but the text version is much better. Every girl should read it.

A must read for every child. Amazing books.

It is awesome. A must for any teen girl.

Edge of the seat thrill – What every single bored school boy dreams of. Alex Rider is a teenage superspy and he bunks school to save the world. He escapes from jelly fish, gunfights and saves Britain from smallpox virusus. Don’t miss it.

It is a very nice and adventurous book with lots of twists.

The book has very exciting and amusing stories.

Great mythology mixed with thrilling action. Must read for all ‘Artemis Fowl’ fans.

This book is about a teenage mastermind guy (Artemis). He has made a supercomputer with the help of a stolen fairy technology. But it is in the wrong hands! Now Artemis needs help from the fairies but will they help him?

A nice lively story which moves fast even though it is serious literature.

An extremely funny book about a mouse who climbs Mount Everest!

Very good for those with a lively imagination. Fantasy with book with the usual good versus evil but with a twist.

A thrilling and magical book.

Awesome stories of the famous five. Mixture of fun and mystery.

It is the best of humour. It is about a school which is high above the ground. Read the book and you would also like to read ‘Wayside School gets stranger’ and ‘Wayside School is Falling Down’. See the evil teachers and silly students of the class and the strange happenings in the school. If you want the best of humour then take this books which is the strangest, silliest, and the best book you have ever read till now.

Excellent thriller. Fun-filled and packed with adventure. Love it.

Excellent thriller. Fun-filled and packed with adventure. Love it.

This story is very nice. It is about a giant named BFG – Big Friendly Giant. He is an extraordinary giant who eatssnozzcucumbers which taste so very bitter. The other giants eat human beings from all over the world. All the big 50 feet giants except the BFG used to go at night and hunt for human beings. It is so funny they avoided eating people from Greece because they were greecyand loved eating people of Turkey because they tasted like Turkey and when they used to feel hot they went and gobbled cool Eskimos.But on the other hand, the BFG used to blow sweet dreams in children’s bedrooms. So he finds Sophie a sweet girl looking at him at night and takes her with him. Sophie likes the BFG too and then begins the weird story of BFG. After reading if you get a sweet dream you will know that the BFG gave it to you!

Great book. Full of adventures that are happening to Molly, Rocky, and Petula.

A book which gives me splits on my sides. Sometimes, it can get serious as well.

You could re-read this book as many times as you want. It had me in splits.

An excellent series on historical fiction by Carolyn Meyers.

Brilliant book. Agatha Christie captures all the excitement of many books in one! Worth a read – make that reads!!

Writes clean yet gripping thrillers that appeals across ages. Each book explores a different theme – it could be a ship/car/boat and the research that goes into it is complete. Try as you might you will be kept guessing right till the end no matter how ‘thriller familiar’ you are!

Can Jansen is a series about Jennifer Jensen and her mental camera and how they solve mysteries.

I like this series because it is about a turtle!

A nice entertaining book. There isn’t a book that I have enjoyed more.

A perfect book for a bored person. I like the way Matilda always gets away with her father. Every page is interesting and I felt sad when I finished the book!!

Very good series of books. Fun mixed with Unfortunate events!

I like the way nancy Drew finds clues in everything she sees. Carolyne Keene brings the book to my liking. A short but nice book that you can read at any time.