Book. Coffee. Sweater. Repeat- 8 Best Works of Fiction to Read

|By- Khushi Sitapara|

“When trouble strikes, head to the library. You will either be able to solve the problem, or simply have something to read as the world crashes down around you.”

-Lemony Snicket

Well, we do have trouble Lemony. While people are stuck in their homes unable to go about their daily routines, they’re spending their time the old school way and what better way to spend consecutive hours than reading a thick book that smells of old paper and the library? (I wonder when they’ll bottle this perfume)

Here are some of the most underrated, rarely heard of books that were carefully handpicked by yours truly from thrift stores, which you can read during the quarantine.

1. The Perfect Heritage

By Penny Vincenzi

The house of Farrell, home to the iconic face product The Cream, is run and ruled by the legendary Athena Farrell with the loyal sales advisor and holder of secrets Florence Hamilton by her side. But change is constant even in the world of cosmetics and the once-famous house of Farrell is on the decline. Then comes Bianca Bailey, passionate and intelligent businesswoman, mother of three, someone who always gets her way, on a mission to bring back the glory days of the house of Farrell. Though the three women only want the best for the house of Farrell, they have different ways and opinions about it. Penny Vincenzi’s books always have a complex plot with a large number of characters. All of them dealing with various issues ranging from bullying to abusive partner to divorce situations. In a strangely empowering way, it represents women as complex and multi-dimensional creatures (which society often assumes they are not) while “balancing work and family life”. By the end of the book, you have become fond of the characters and are enchanted by the plot. The story is also set in some beautiful locations such as Paris, Dubai, and Sydney.

Click here to buy: A Perfect Heritage

2. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter

By Kim Edwards

On a winter night, Dr David Henry is forced to deliver his own twins. The first is a healthy baby boy whereas the second baby girl is born with Down’s syndrome. David makes a decision, he tells his wife Norah that their daughter died at birth while secretly asking the nurse to take the baby to an institution. But Caroline, the nurse, has a change of heart and instead, disappears into another city and decides to raise the child as her own. Then begins the story of the two families who have no idea about the other but are bound by fate. The rest of the story is riveting as we see the other characters pay the price for the decision Henry made. The story is tragic as you witness David’s family trying to live life heavy with grief and falling apart. But Phoebe, the long lost daughter blossoms into a vibrant young woman. The book transitions smoothly between the protagonists David, Caroline and Phoebe, making you believe in the power of love.

Click here to buy: The Memory Keeper's Daughter

3. Summer and The City

By Candace Bushnell

Does this remind you of the movie Sex and the city? Well, you’re not wrong! Summer and the city is the prequel to Sex and the city and the sequel to Carrie Diaries. Carrie a country “sparrow” tries to navigate her way through The Big Apple and even pursues a relationship with a much older man. Along the way, she meets Samantha Jones, a true fashionista, and Miranda Hobbes, an opinionated feminist. The plot is fun indeed but what is even better is the conversation Carrie has with various characters. The conversations are raw, inspiring and compel you to think and make you sad too sometimes. The characters are flawed, just like real people, you’ll get angry at their choices, want to hit them on their head for their stupidity, and cry for them too. If you’re anything like me, keep tissues handy.

Click here to buy: Summer and the City

4. Nisekoi

By Komi Naoshi

Yes, I included a manga in it! Well, sue me! For those who don’t know, a manga is a Japanese black and white comic which is supposed to be read from right to left. That being said Nisekoi literally means False Love (not fake love). In this harem manga, Raku Ichijo, the heir to a Yakuza family and Chitoge Kirisaki, the daughter of a mobster are forced to pretend to be lovers to avoid a gang war. Now Raku cannot fall for Chitoge because he already promised his childhood sweetheart that they’d get married when they reunite but the poor boy has no idea who the girl is or where she is. The story is very exciting and keeps you guessing till the end. The best thing is the way each and every character and a different backstory and the characters you think are shallow actually have a lot of depth and meaning to them. The two main romance plots collide in a comical way throughout the story. Overall it speaks volumes about friendship, kindness and most importantly, love. One of the most beautiful stories I read.

Click here to buy: Nisekoi: False Love

5. The Observations

By Jane Harris

Scotland, 1863, in an attempt to escape her not-so-innocent past in Glasgow, Bessy Buckley takes a job as a maid in a big house outside Edinburgh working for the very beautiful Arabella. While Bessy is glad to have a roof over her head, she is puzzled by Arabella’s strange requests. The observations is a darkly funny book which I purchased on a whim from a thrift sale judging it based on its cover and it was the best thing I ever did. The story is narrated by Bessy with gritty humour who is trying to make sense of the strange tasks that are expected of her. A powerful classic Victorian piece of literature with enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes until the very last page. Apart from the plot, what does it for the book is the fresh and feisty narrative of street smart Bessie and the haunting secrets our protagonists hide from each other.

Click here to buy: Observations

6. Thrill!

By Jackie Collins

Jackie Collins’s most outrageous, erotically charged bestseller is a roller coaster ride. A fast-paced Hollywood drama that will have you hooked from the very first page. Thrill! was the first-ever Jackie Collins book I read and I became a fan within the first 20 pages. Just like in all Jackie Collins books, you’ll find out about the juicy tidbits and hot happenings of the Hollywood world. The book is packed with gossips with names changed obviously (it is believed that Jackie Collins was an insider in Hollywood and most drama she writes about is true). Thrill! follows the story of Lara Ivory a delectable, A class Hollywood superstar who could have any man she wanted but the only one she wants is a mysterious lover with a dark past. As she pursues an affair with this man with electric passion, hell breaks loose and deadly secrets are revealed. A classic Jackie Collins book with a major cast, each with a secret darker than the last. Her writing is flawless as well as detailed. A light read page-turner and absolutely un-put-down-able, a must-read, especially at this time.

7. My Sister’s Keeper

By Jodi Picoult

Sara’s daughter Kate is diagnosed with leukaemia and it turns out that no one in the family is a match for Kate. If they want a donor for Kate, there’s only one solution: creating another baby specifically designed to save Kate. It’s a win-win for Sara, because not only does Kate live but she also gets a beautiful daughter Anna. All is well until Anna, aged thirteen, decides she doesn’t wanna help Kate live any more. She is suing her parents for the rights to her own body. It is heartbreaking but beautiful and mesmerizing at the same time. It makes you question your morals and ethics. Makes you expand your definition of right and wrong. It is written from the perspective of various characters and not once do you feel detached from them. This is one of the books wherein the ending makes you furious at first and makes you want to throw the book hard and then eventually you pick it up as you come to terms with the ending.

Click here to buy: My Sister's Keeper

8. Memoirs of a Geisha

By Arthur Golden

In the Geisha town of Kyoto, where appearances are paramount, where a girl’s virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder, where women are trained to enchant the most powerful men and where love is a funny story, we meet Chiyo Sakamoto, a nine-year-old girl who is sold to a geisha house (okiya) along with her sister by her underprivileged family. The book very much resembles a geisha, beautiful and eager to please and yet too distant to really learn from and more like a well-crafted object to be appreciated. The book covers a little of the actual geisha life that seems appealing from the outside but is horrific on the inside.

Click here to buy: Memoirs Of A Geisha

This story is originally based on the life of the best geisha of Japan Mineko Iwasaki, who later wrote her own autobiography Geisha of Gion. Sayuri’s story is heartbreaking yet happy at the same time, with strikingly beautiful language and a lovely picture of time and place. By the end, I felt I had known Sayuri as a friend and she had just told me her life story over tea.

Click here to buy: Geisha of Gion