☕ A hot cup of chai & my favourite books 📚

My answer to the question, "What's your favourite book?"

Every time someone asked me about my favourite book(s), I'd draw a blank. Then, suddenly, it's as though I've never read a single book — I don't even know what a book is!

In today’s issue, I’m going to fix that. The cosy weather and the cup of tea¹ I don’t have demand I share ten books that I’ve loved in recent memory and that I’d love for you to pick up when you have the chance. I’m trying to read and recommend books by marginalized communities, so the protagonists of these books represent various cultures and identities. If you’re looking to find yourself in a book, I hope these can help. 

Whether you like young adult or middlegrade fiction, graphic novels or comics, we’ve got something for everyone on this list. Unless you want literary fiction — there’s none of that here. 

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid

I picked this up one sunny May afternoon while I procrastinated a little bit of work. Three hours later, I’d finished it. I’m not one for adult fiction (this is the only recommendation that fits within that), which means this book is phenomenal. If you’re looking for a fierce, unapologetic protagonist, some cool twists & turns, and a mesmerizing book to read — pick this one up pronto. 

2. The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Patrick Ness 

Don’t go by the 3.70 Goodreads rating for this one. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not the protagonist in your own life, this book will resonate with you. Sometimes, our small problems are bigger than the world’s issues to us — and rightly so. I read this book and immediately related to the protagonists(s) just trying to get by in life — with anxiety, school problems, family issues, and whatnot. In this book, Patrick Ness shines a light on what it’s like to be a regular person because, like the blurb says, “sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.”

This is also my token white male addition to the list so enjoy! #representation

3. Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom, Leigh Bardugo

So here’s where the cheating begins. Not technically a book but a duology, this series is technically part of Bardugo’s larger Grishaverse. Unfortunately, I don’t care much for The Grisha Trilogy and recommend you read recaps/watch the show before you jump straight into Six of Crows. The two books follow six delinquents on two deadly heists — there’ll be a found family and feels and murder and everything in between. There's magic, thieving, jokes, and plenty of action. In fact, I stayed up until six am reading Crooked Kingdom — and I had work the next day! 

4. The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, Lily Anderson

Even though I’m a student of literature, I don’t read much (or any) of “classic literature”. Shakespeare is one of the few exceptions, mainly because of his innuendos, dad jokes, and witty writing. So, when I found a YA novel that retold my favourite Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing but fused it with my love for  Doctor Who, Marvel, and Harry Potter, I picked it up immediately. It didn’t disappoint — the dialogue is crisp, the protagonists are snarky (as they well should be), and the pacing is excellent. If you’re looking for a chill, funny book to read on a weekend, here’s your pick. 

5. Murder Most Unladylike series, Robin Stevens 

Enough chilling, time for some murder. Did you like Enid Blyton books? Imagine if the girls at Mallory Towers or St Clare’s weren’t all white and solved murder mysteries. MMU follows Hazel and Daisy as they solve murder mysteries while being underestimated by adults for being children and being girls. 

Hazel is Chinese, and there’ll also be a British-Indian secondary character because Stevens, unlike Blyton, recognizes that the UK didn’t only have white people. Did I mention the books are set in the 1930s? Did I also mention that one of them (First Class Murder) pays homage to one of Agatha Christie’s best works: Murder on Orient Express? Have I not made it clear that you need to pick up these books because they’re amazing inside and out?

6. Front Desk, Kelly Yang

I loved this book so much I broke my blogging hiatus to post a proper review about it. Front Desk captures a very real picture of how it’s like to immigrate somewhere. Along with setting up your life, you also have to adjust to a new way of living. As a child, that can be both super easy and insanely difficult. 

Mia Tang loves writing, but her parents know that Maths is better to excel in — Mia won’t be on the same level as the western kids who grew up speaking English at home. At the same time, the family deals with financial issues, problems in their community, racism, and so much more. But, there is an undercurrent of hope running throughout the novel, which reaches its climax in an utterly moving way, showing us all that while the fight must go on, we also have some victories to celebrate.

7. Wonder, R.J Palacio

You’ve heard of this book. If you haven’t, you’ve probably come across the movie — maybe even watched it. The movie is great, one of the better book-to-movie adaptations I’ve come across. But Wonder, the novel, is so much more, as books tend to be. My favourite thing in the world is when people manage to explain and express complex things simply. This story is about love and kindness, about family and friendship, and for this one, you should absolutely go by the 4.42 Goodreads rating — by over 800,000 people. Keep some tissues handy. 

8. Nimona, Noelle Stevenson 

We all love superheroes supervillains. Nimona follows Sir Ballister Blackheart, a villain, and his sidekick, Nimona, a shapeshifter, as they go about their villainous ways. This graphic novel has witty dialogues, perfect pacing and characterization, and an entertaining plot. So, if you’re looking for a quick, funny, and refreshing read that’ll transport you into a new world — we have a winner!

9. We Are Okay, Nina Lacour

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a book to help you deal with the open-ended emotion that grief is, We Are Okay might be the book you need. The prose is gorgeous and keeps you afloat in more ways than one. The book tackles loneliness, death, loss and does so in a poetic way. I’m not even sure how to properly describe it, but I remember how hauntingly beautiful it was when I read it. 

Speaking of hauntingly beautiful, We Are Okay has the best cover I’ve ever seen on a YA book. 

10. Embroideries, Marjane Satrapi

Back to some humour — Embroideries is perfect if you want to laugh out loud. Imagine all the ladies in your house sitting to talk about love, sex, men, their bodies, and anything else they might generally be shy about — unashamed and unapologetic. The light-natured ribbing, the sense of security when you’re with the women you trust and the boldness that security brings, and the hilarious gossip over chai — all make for an entertaining read. 

What are your favourite books?

Please leave them in the comments so I can pick up some to get out of my still-ongoing reading slump from hell.

P.S. Please order any books you’d like from indie bookstores to support them, but if you need the convenience and economical advantage of Amazon, feel no shame. If you make a purchase on Amazon using the above links, I’ll get a small commission at no cost to you that I will most definitely use to buy more books. 

Also, not affiliated, but use Price History to track price drops on Amazon + other websites!

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Here’s some fun stuff to check out! ✨

• My brother told me about this neat app that he uses to organize all the TV shows he’s watched and is watching. It tracks your ongoing shows, tells you when the next episode will release, and if the show you were waiting on has suddenly been cancelled. 😶

• Here’s a nice chill website for some Sunday music vibes. 🎵

• My friend sent me this article to read as I waited for the required 30 minutes after my vaccine. It talks about how there’s comfort in staying inside, being able to pick and choose plans with care, and how we’ve all been so kind to each other in the last year. I’m gonna miss that when things eventually go back to “the new normal” or whatever social media agencies are now calling it. 🤔

• Ever wondered about the science behind making a soft chapati or poori? Krish Ashok’s article breaks it down for you. 🍳

• Finally, we’re officially in Pride month! 🏳️‍🌈 I bring you free reads from Simon Teen’s Riveted Lit website. They have some incredible free YA reads like Autoboyography, Tash Hearts Tolstoy, and The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried. 📚

There’s no feedback form for this one, so please click on the heart at the start of this email or right below this to let me know you liked this issue! It supports me and helps other readers find me. 💜

1. I’m not a fan of tea or coffee. I’m a heathen, I know.