I could spend hours in a bookstore scouring the shelves for the perfect read. My method to the madness mostly begins with judging rows of books by their covers (tsk tsk) and ends with me engulfed in a new novel soaking up each and every word. There is something about the cooling weather and drizzle of rain that kicks my obsession with the pages of books into overdrive.

This Friday is dedicated to the five novels that stole my heart in the past year.

P.S. Just a bit of a warning… I, 99% of the time, choose nonfiction or realistic fiction books. No sci-fi novels will be found here (except Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Love.) The enclosed words are purely opinion, so I encourage you to get lost in the pages from a genre you prefer, even if it’s the exact opposite type of those below.

Lost in the Pages

1. Say You’re One of Them by Uwen Akpan – This collection of five long stories covers topics such as child prostitution, glue sniffing to lessen hunger pang, Muslim persecution, and human trafficking in war-torn Africa.  I swear had new lines in forehead after finishing this book as I mentally, emotionally and physically reacted to the horror these children were facing.

2. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri – Each and every story in this book are must reads! Many matters are discussed in this book, but the main focus is Indian expatriates in America. I just couldn’t resist reading about experiences the other way around.

3. Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert – Ever wonder what happened to Elizabeth and Felipe after they fell in love at the end of Eat, Pray, Love? Time to pick up Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage. The memoir takes you through all aspects of marriage in the real world from traditions of other cultures to social expectations and divorce risks.

4. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin – After all of the controversy surrounding the book that details ‘One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time’, I struggled with the idea of adding it to this list. One medium thin crust pizza and a peach iced tea later, I’ve decided to add it to the list, because whether completely factual or not Three Cups of Tea is still a great read. Dear Mr. Mortenson, pull it together, quit lying and begin directing the appropriate funds where they should go! Yours Truly.

5. A Fine Balance by Rohit Mistry – The 624 pages of this book revolve around four main characters from varied backgrounds based in Mumbai between the years of 1975- 1984. I read this book prior to moving here and couldn’t grasp some of the concepts until I saw it with my own eyes. Curious to know which ones? Guess you will have to read it to see!

Happy reading!