#8// best books of 2020 so far + curry stories

Excellent books to read this year...

Dear Reader,
How are we six months into 2020? Nobody knows. Christmas might arrive in a blink. This edition is filled with books, because mid-year and all that. So let’s cut the small talk and jump straight in, shall we?
 

Best Books of 2020

Good times, good times. Mid-year is my favourite time because of ‘Best so far’ roundups. I compiled two lists this year because there were so many favourites and one list would’ve simply been too long. Usually I merge all books (published now, and older) into a single list of favourites.
 
If you are looking for spanking NEW, brand NEW books, this list of 10 Best books of 2020 (So Far) is for you. I’ve got something for creepy toys watching you, youngsters navigating grief and first love, vampire dating life and women friendships in South Korea. All ten books are equally amazing. Btw, Daisy Johnson tweeted that "They say curiosity killed the cat and yes, this book nearly killed me” was her favourite sentence in this list (read and find it) and you know, I…just… *wipes tears.
 
For those who love finding books published before the current year, here are 8 Books from the Backlist that I Loved this year. Maybe you’ve already read these. But if you haven’t, now is a good time. They really made my days a little happier.
 

If you loved The Flatshare…

Read Tweet Cute by Emma Lord. Holy heavens! This was just what I needed to escape from reality. Tweet Cute is too cute! See what I did there. I need to tweet that. Back to the book—this is a You’ve Got Mail for the Twitter age. But here, instead of books, we have food.

Pepper and Jack go to the same school but they don’t like each other so much (maybe). They are at Twitter war about grilled cheese sandwiches from the accounts of Big League Burger, a corporate chain owned by Pepper’s mom, and the family-run deli owned by Jack’s father respectively. Also they are secretly chatting, unaware to one another, on an app under pseudo names and find themselves loving every minute of it. Also, Pepper runs a food blog with her sister so your face is occasionally stuffed with monster cakes, blondies, cupcakes, Kitchen sink brownies and more. When the Twitter war gets out of hand, people start shipping the two teens. But they hate each other? But also they love the secret chats not knowing who they are chatting with? But…But…Love the pacing in the book. I had the best weekend listening to it on audio. It was really nice to listen to two different voices for Pepper and Jack, making the book seem like a movie in itself.
 
The book isn’t as perfect as The Flatshare by Beth o'Leary (a favourite!). Two major problems: Pepper’s sister’s estrangement felt very silly (!) and also the resolution of something between the adults was rushed and definitely not happening in real life. But I am willing to let go of these because this one’s a breather not your next book for literary criticism. I loved it! 

Watch

I wrote a fun list for Huffpost In about TV Drama and Book pairs. It is 'Read this book if you watched that drama'. Or vice-versa—goes both ways. Do you love Murakami novels but you feel you can’t sit through the whole read? Watch a lovely drama—one of my absolute favourites—that marries food and personal stories in each episode. Or maybe pair zombie wars on screen with this book—too close to our present times, mind you—about zombies in a pandemic. Check the list for ghost stories, and big weddings.

Amazing links

I love book lists and good ones that really surprise you are rare to come across. But THIS LIST 8 Books about Misfits and Weirdos  (Anna Cox, Electric Lit) is a stellar one. Each description made me want to read the book ASAP. When was the last time any list made me feel that! I immediately requested a copy of Cox’s novel I Keep My Worries in my Teeth (what a blurb!) and if her writing is anything like her list, I am sure it is gonna be a great read.
PS: May I suggest picking up David Eagleman’s Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives, mentioned in this list, and a book that I think is very VERY underrated. It is hilarious, entertaining, short (just 100 + pages) and wondrous. About afterlives. Some stories are as short as one page but the book is wildly imaginative and very original. Highly recommended.

- "So what was curry like before Columbus? Well, curry didn’t exist." (Nishant Batsha, Contingent magazine)
 
- Does Everyone Have a Friendship Complex, or Just Me? (Haley Nahman, Man Repeller)
- How Hobbies Have Become The Ultimate Humblebrag (Cait Munro, Refinery 29)
- Why Do Women Carry the Mantle of Mental Health in Hindi Film? (Sohini Chattopadhyay)
- Post 377 : The LGBTQ Literary Culture in India (Saikat Majumdar, LARB)
- How hairstyles can transform you with 33 examples (Demilked)
- Japanese Chef Has Illustrated the Delicious Meals He’s Eaten for the Past 32 Years (My Modern Met)
- Hugs to look forward to after the pandemic is over (Eleanor Davis, The California Sunday)
 

Read for Free

I adored Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, a graphic novel set in a high school in UK starring two boys falling in love. You’ll find it in my best of backlist too. I have half a mind to binge all of Oseman’s YA novels (esp Radio Silence where two friends stay friends and start a podcast?) because she understands and writes emotions so well. You can catch the 3 volumes of Heartstopper or you can read through the comic strips of the Heartstopper series that Oseman puts up every month (but no colour) for free. And if you wish, donate a little something.
 
This comic about a boy whose last wish is to eat gulab jamun before the world comes to an end was a lovely read too. Made me miss gulab jamuns though I do not know what is stopping me from making them (Ankit Kapoor, based on story by Varun Grover, Bakarmax)

I posted on Instagram after ages. And it made me feel very happy. That's a highlight for this month. That. and lots of rambutans. It is a competition everyday between me and the squirrels to grab the ripe ones.

Hope you are doing good. And eating well. I am always wondering if people are eating well. I keep asking that question on my phone calls. Have I become an aunty? Maybe. But eat well. And take care of yourself. If you had a favourite book that you think I might love, write to me.

Until next time,
Resh x

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