All posts tagged: Books

collage of book covers of 6 short books in the amazon originals hush collection of suspense thriller short stories

Amazon Original Short Reads—Hush Collection

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I came across a few short stories on Amazon last year and loved them. Amazon has commissioned a series of original short stories by prominent writers. These stories are categorised by genre and are only available as digital books on Amazon or as audiobooks on Audible.
The stories are short but impactful. They take you on a journey and make you see the world differently.
Short stories in the Hush Collection ranges from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death

collage of 6 book covers from the Amazon original series of short stories in the Forward collection of sci-fi short stories

Amazon Original Short Reads—Forward Collection

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I came across a few short stories on Amazon last year and loved them. Amazon has commissioned a series of original short stories by prominent writers. These stories are categorised by genre and are only available as digital books on Amazon or as audiobooks on Audible.
If you have a subscription to Kindle Unlimited, then you can read most of these for free. The narrators on Audible are often celebrities, so that’s something you might consider when choosing which format to get.
The stories are short but impactful. They take you on a journey and make you see the world differently.

Reading Challenge: 2021 (Fiction)

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Here is a list of fiction books I read in 2021. There were a few misses as always, but overall, it’s a good list of books. I am also glad that the authors I read this year are from diverse cultural backgrounds—Algerian, Indian, Vietnamese, and Dutch, to list just a few. If you’re interested in diversifying your bookshelf, read my previous post on Around the World in Books.

Women’s Day: Demanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive world

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On March 8th every year, the world celebrates International Women’s Day. We look at the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide, past and present. It is also a call to action for accelerating women’s equality globally.
Most women reading this are privileged enough to have had an education. Many are still denied education and opportunities solely based on their gender. It is a day for raising awareness about how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go in our quest for gender equity.
A discussion plus some book recommendations for women, by women!

collage of non fiction books I read in 2021

Reading Challenge: 2021 (Non-Fiction)

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When I read books in my younger days, I was always looking for adventure and escapism. Non-fiction didn’t seem to offer any of these. I was one of those kids who had 7 Habits of Highly Effective People forced onto me in both written and audio formats as a teenager. That was no fun at all.
In my 20s, I realised that non-fiction doesn’t have to be tedious and drab. Biographies, essays, and informative books based on research are rich with fun and intrigue, sometimes more than fictional books. 
Here are some great non fiction books I enjoyed in 2021

collage of fantasy fiction books

Reading Challenge: 2021 (Fantasy Fiction)

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The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter (I don’t remember which I read first) were the first books that got me hooked onto the fantasy fiction genre. The next was the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Since then, it has become one of my favourite genres, and I am so glad to discover a new series with exciting adventures in fantasy lands.
Here are the fantasy fiction books I read in 2021

collage of books

Reading Challenge: 2021 (Short Reads)

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This is Part 1 of 4 posts about the books I read in 2021. I’ll start with the shorter reads.
Amazon Kindle has teamed up with some great story writers for a series of short stories in various themes that are available only as Kindle books or Audibles. I read a few that were powerful reads.
This year, I also read some books from the romance genre, from the literary to the unabashed soft porn. I wasn’t blown away by any of them, but they were good in-between reads—a palette cleanser, if you may!
I couldn’t catch up on any poetry collections published this year, mainly because I didn’t have the time to research the titles I wanted to read. I’m still looking for an easier way to get a list of books from different genres and regions without spending hours researching.
Short Stories I read in 2021
Books on Romance
Poetry Books

collage of book covers of books I read for my 2021 reading challenge

Reading Challenge: 2021

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My 2021 Reading challenge started with 50 books that I increased to 60 by October, thanks to a few short stories and some books I couldn’t complete. Overall, it was a good year for reading. 
I made my own book award list based on my reading shelf this year. What were some of your favs in 2021?

Cover of the book Call me by your name on a Kindle in a beach setting

Book Review: Call me by your name by André Aciman

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Call Me by Your Name is a highly sensual, somewhat nostalgic and sweet novel by André Aciman about the longings of young forbidden love. The main character, Elio, is struggling with his sexual identity. He is 17 and falls in love with Oliver, his father’s new research assistant.

It is a coming of age story about a young boy’s first love told from his perspective as a grown man reflecting on the summer that changed his life. You can feel the longing, love, and passion throughout the book. 


Call Me by Your Name has been adapted into a film starring Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet. The smooth voice of Armie Hammer narrates the Audible version of the book.

Book Review: The One by John Marrs

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The One by John Marrs is a science fiction book that seems all too real. It is based on the concept of finding your soulmate through genetic mapping. We follow the lives of five people from different walks of life and whose lives are changed considerably because of this technology. There is a little romance and some sci-fi, but this is a suspense thriller to the very end.
Overall, I found the book to be interesting. The subject matter was good food for thought, and the underlying suspense of it all kept me hooked till the end. If you’re looking for a quick, fast-paced book for the holidays, The One by John Marrs is a good recommendation!