Come with me, Away from Reality-12 Must read Fiction books

They are called a persons best friend, they give a flight to our imagination, a soul to the universe. Why do you think books are called all of these things. My friends who are avid book readers tell me that they could not possibly imagine their lives without books. They say that the smell of a new book brings them happiness which is unparalleled. I am an avid reader myself and i can vouch for the fact that they are indeed ones best friends. I think for everyone a book means something different. For me it creates a universe which takes me away from the harsh realities. What does it mean to you? I have always loved the fiction books and can never understand how these amazing writers write such books. The genre may differ it can be romantic, thriller or haunted but they are definitely going to take you away from this world. What does a fiction book really mean? Webster Dictionary defines Fiction books as “Books written by the action of feigning or creating with imagination.” I am sure all you book readers must have already read a number of books but for all those who haven’t I am writing an article wherein I am going to state 12 books which according to me and some of the others avid readers have suggested :

1. Thousand Splendid Suns- “A man’s heart is wretched, wretched thing.It isn’t like a mother’s womb. It won’t bleed, it won’t stretch to make room for you” This gem by Khaled Hosseini is the first book i would really suggest you all to read. It makes you peep into lenses that speak of true narratives. Hosseieni will make you go through a journey of mixed emotions. One of my friends suggested this book, because it made her feel an unmatched pain that pinched her badly. The book helps you carve a portrait of life by drawing parallels between two different women who ironically meet at infinity. When i read this book at many moments I literally had tears in my eyes.
2. Battle of Bittora- This book by Anuja Chauhan is a witty,quirky, fresh and spicy book. It has all the drama of a Bollywood movie, romance of a chick-flick, humorous satire of north Indian Political setting, glamor of advertising world, where the author comes from. Its a story of a 25 year old girl Jinni, who is suddenly brought into the political arena and her amateur yet adventurous take on the how abouts of Indian politics. A romantic comedy that has plenty of humour and Bollywood “masala”, is perfect to suit the mood for a light comic read. So all the Bollywood freaks like me go ahead and buy yourself a copy of this comic book.
3. Jane Eyre- “I am no Bird and no net ensures me, I am a free human being with an independent will” Whoever has read this book knows why this couldnt have been let out from this list. This book written in 1847 by Charlotte Bronte is still considered to be one of the best books to have been written till date. Its a book that implicitly questions several problematic social structures and conventions of the Victorian Period (such as those related to patriarchy,race, oriental gaze, womens agency etc.) and it gives us one of the most fearless female protagonists who isn’t perfect, but who has the potential to voice and complicate these important concerns.
4. Interpreter of Maladies- Jhumpa Lahiri an Indian American author has written this book with such intelligence it still baffles me. I read this book last year and instantly fell in love with this book. Its a book collection of nine short stories each with a different protagonist. Its a book everyone can resonate with. The book is about the lives of Indians and Indian Americans who are caught between the differing values and cultures which they had inherited and the new world. All the stories are really good but i especially like the Real Durwan one. Jhumpa Lahiri won the coveted Pulitzer Prize for this book so you can only imagine how wonderful the book must have been.
5. Gone Girl- “There are two sides to every story”. If you have seen the movie, the book is even better. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn has been one of the latest obsessions i have had. The book is a thriller novel which keeps you at the edge wherein you keep thinking as to why did the main protagonists husband kill her. The plot twists and the suspense which keep hitting you time and again make this book a must read. The book focuses on the devious media, the faltering relationship of a couple who were madly in love once and dishonesty.
6. Train to Pakistan-Khushwant Singh- For all those wondering minds Train to Pakistan is a historical novel written by Khushwant Singh which traces lives following the Partition of 1947 in a small village just at the edge of the border dividing Pakistan and India. Its is the most subtle portrayal of love, jingoism, death and above all, of “man’s:infinite potential to do good.This book has to be read by every fiction lover out there according to me. Khushwant singh writes simply but a strong poetic undercurrent of history resonates throughout the book. He is able to bring the naughts of war while teaching as a powerful history lesson in just over a hundred pages, which is what it makes it a modern  Indian classic.
7. Alice in Wonderland: You all must be wondering what this childhood novel is doing on this list, I had to mention this book since its something I still love and still would love to watch the movie or read this book. If you ask me in the Fantasy Genre which book a person must read I will say its Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. It was probably the first book which i read as a child and I have good memories about it. The pictures and everything make me reminiscent of my childhood. I love it specifically because it is so fascinating. A potion that makes one shrink in size and cakes that make one grow beyond normal. And the whole character development of Alice. Also the specific characters that play a huge role in the story, the hatter, the hare, the queen, the card soldiers, were always so fascinating to me and they still are.
8. 2 States: Chetan Bhagat- You can hate him or you can love him. I may not be a big fan of Chetan Bhagat but i have to admit 2 states is one book i absolutely loved reading. Its a story of 2 people Ananya and Krish, coming from 2 very different cultures and states namely Tamil Nadu and Punjab  who fall in love with each other and decide to get married. But for that they have to convince their parents first who just wouldn’t accept a person from a different culture to enter their family. Chetan Bhagat brilliantly portrays the cultures of these two states, relationship of Krish with his father and the college love. It also depicts the importance of family approval in indian marriages and just resonates with our feelings. If you are looking for a light hearted romantic novel I would say give this book a try, I am sure it won’t disappoint you.
9. Steig Larsson’s Trilogy: This trilogy with three novels ‘The girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, ‘the girl who played with fire’ and the ‘the girl who kicked the hornets nest’ makes for a scintillating must read for anyone who is interested in the crime and mystery genre. With an unconventional but genius protagonist, the twists and turns of the plot make for a gripping read, with the suspense building up with each part of the trilogy. The series revolves around Lisbeth Salander, an eccentric but gifted computer hacker and Mikael Blomkvist, an investigative journalist, with the two of them teaming up to bring you an amalgamation of secrets, deception and crime. I know you all must be wanting to get the books now itself, go ahead and don’t miss on it.
10. To kill a Mockingbird- “People generally see what they look for and hear what they listen For” This novel by Harper Lee is the book i currently have in my hands day in and day out. One of my friends recommended it to me and trust me you have to read this book. Its one of those books which you must read atleast once in your life. Harper Lee in this book explores the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The book focuses on the individuals gut instinct of right and wrong and the theme of morality runs throughout the book one thing Atticus one of the books protagonists makes sure to imbibe in his children and uphold.Everyone who reads this book is sure to take something back with him/her. The book teaches us important life lessons which most of the novels of today wont have. Thats why I would suggest you all to buy it its for just 200 bucks.
11. Sherlock Holmes Series: I know Benedict Cumberbatch is hard to resist and so i won’t ask you all to not watch the tv series but people the book series is even better. This classic series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has to be in the bucket list of any fiction junkie. Set in Victorian England, the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the intuitively brilliant private investigator and his friend, biographer and sidekick, Dr. Watson, is sure to get your adrenaline rushing. The entire series, consisting of 4 novels and 56 short stories is worth a read and is bound to leave you awestruck at Holmes fantastic abilities for logical deduction and his astute use of forensic sciences. Despite Holmes being dispassionate and cold, one cannot help but admire and the supremely confident detective for his vast knowledge of crime and forensic sciences coupled with his sheer intelligence and determination making him into a formidable force.
12. Harry Potter series- How could i leave this piece of gem by J.K Rowling out of this list. A book which every person got hooked to, be it be a class 5 student or a woman aged 40. This series is something we all have loved watching and loved reading. I am a third year student and I still have many of classmates reading the whole series for probably the fourth or the fifth time. With the recent revelations of the Potter family by J.K Rowling I am sure reading the whole series is going to be even more fun. The sheer brilliance with which the author portrays this magical world of Hogwarts Witchcraft is commendable. Haven’t all of us once in our life had this wish of going to Hogwarts and meeting friends like Hermoine and Ron and fighting Voldemort? I often wonder how she must have written all those spells and the Parsel tongue. The magical creatures and the characters are portryed beautifully and the book gives a detailed account of the past and present of all the protagonists, not leaving us with any doubts. The popularity of this series throughout the world just affirms my reasons of having it in the list. You all have to buy this series no matter how expensive it is because worth it.

Bonus Book- Game of thrones Series 🙂

I hope i was able to motivate you to buy at least one of these books and give it a read, because its something that you are going to keep with yourself throughout your life and cherish it forever. Go ahead and buy them, read them no matter how mundane your life has become or how tiring the days are, books are there to make you relax and forget about the harsh realities of life.

Click here for government certification in Life Skills