TITLE: Say You’ll Be My Jaan

AUTHOR: Naina Kumar

PAGE EXTENT: 352

PUBLISHER: Viking Books (Penguin Random House)

GENRE: Romance

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Think of it like Tinder. Except your parents are the algorithm”

Meghna has tried everything to find her jaan: blind dates, the dreaded apps, even attempting conversations with strangers. Everything except arranged marriage.

Then Seth, her best friend and the-one-who-got-away, asks her to be his “best man” and suddenly her parent’s taste doesn’t seem so bad. Which is how she meets the cranky but handsome Karthik, who knows marriage is not for him.

They’re the perfect match – if not the one their parents think they are making – and a deal is struck. They’ll announce their engagement: Karthik will be excused from his mother’s set-ups and Meghna will have a date for the wedding from her nightmares.

But how can you fake it and get away with it, when you’re not faking it at all?

Have you ever decided to take a break while studying and read a chapter and get back to studying after JUST THE ONE CHAPTER? Well, that’s exactly what I did with this book but the break ended up lasting the entire length of the book. 😭😂

What made this book so captivating that it had me hooked? Read on to find out!

We follow Meghna, a middle school English teacher(love this rep, honestly) who has struggled to find the love of her life. But when her mother casually drops the arranged marriage topic, Meghna surprises herself by agreeing to it! She needs a date to the wedding (which she isn’t looking forward to) and what better way than to fake a plus-one? And Karthik seems like the perfect fit. He agrees to meet potential wives only to make his mum happy. So, a deal is struck: fate date until the marriage date. But when has love ever been so simple? Please pick this book up before I end up spilling all the beans!

OH MY GOD! THE ANGST! THE PINING! THAT HEAVILY PALPABLE TENSION! It had me screaming “just kiss already”! I am a sucker for slow-burn romances and this one hit all the right spots! Faking dating is one of my favourite romance tropes and the author executed it with finesse! And that one-bed trope? Chef’s kiss!

Books with South Asian rep will always have a priority spot on my TBR and not only does this book have a glorious South and North Indian cast, it addresses issues Brown kids go through with nuance. Parents’ obsession with engineering/medicine, that urge to please your parents and seek their validation constantly, the mountain of expectations to fulfil, struck a chord with me time and again. I wanted to jump into the book and give Meghna a hug and tell her she’s not alone! 🥺

This book also highlights dysfunctional families and unhealed trauma and that was definitely a cherry on the cake for me. I love me a book that doesn’t shy away from packing them punches and the author did a splendid job! This book goes on to show how unhealed trauma can impinge on future relationships, romantic or otherwise, and addressing it is the best way forward.

Grumpy boy Karthik is on my list of book boyfriends now(I say this in every romance review, don’t come at me, please😂) and this list never seems to end, sigh. Meghna is such a chirpy, bubbly ball of sunshine and if you’re a fan of grumpy x sunshine romance, pick this one up next!

I am all for female friendships in books and the friendship between Meghna and Ankita reminded me of my amazing girl besties! 🫶🏽 True friends are those who stay by your side through thick and thin, and they tend to mess up at times, which is human nature, after all. This realistic portrayal of human tendencies and errors was another tick on the board!

Toxic friendships are real and can go unnoticed for a long time, sometimes due to denial as well. The friendship between Meghna and Seth was the perfect depiction of it and the way it was addressed had me super impressed!

This book also had some fun side-characters! The sweet romance between Meghna’s parents had me smiling and Paul was a great guy too!
And do you enjoy steamy scenes too? Hehe, you will encounter a few, fret not! 🤭

So, what are you waiting for? Pick this book up and read it from cover to cover in one sitting while I go back to my never-ending quest for a “Jaan”, haha!

What are some of your favourite Desi romance novels? Let’s discuss in the comments!

TITLE: How to Win an Election

AUTHOR: Menaka Raman

PAGE EXTENT: 232

PUBLISHER: Duckbill Books (Penguin Random House India)

GENRE: Middle Grade

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐💫

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The middle school elections are coming up and everyone is in a frenzy of making posters, promises and predictions.

When Sachin is disqualified from contesting the elections, he sets out to help his best friend Mini win. But their path to victory is littered with runaway lizards, incriminating bathroom graffiti, hacked videos and dangerous baked goods.

Which candidate fears Mini so much that they will descend to such villainy? Mini and Sachin must find out— or be disgraced forever.

Are you in the mood for a high-speed read that will remind you Middle School elections all over again? Are you looking for that suspense element which will make your jaw drop? Then, you’re in the right place!

When Sachin(who sadly has a very tainted track record) applies for the school elections but ends up getting rejected(to no one’s surprise), he makes it his goal to become his best friend Mini’s campaign manager, much to her dismay! But when has Middle School ever been a cakewalk? Slandering messages, reptiles, laxative-laced cupcakes, “cringe” videos and whatnot end up appearing in school to frame Mini and Sachin. But who wants them out of the race so bad that they’re ready to go to any extent to achieve it? Read the book to find out!

As someone who’s neurodivergent, books with neurodivergent rep will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart. This book goes on to show how kids with ADHD are misconstrued and tend to get mocked at, sometimes by teachers as well(sigh, that’s the harsh truth.) The discussions surrounding therapy, and dysfunctional families were a highlight as well! Menaka Raman didn’t hesitate with this one!

Is my review of a Middle Grade title even complete without talking about friendships? Mini and Sachin are the best of friends and are the perfect example of how friends must stay together through thick and thin! A very subtle but important aspect of how parents sometimes tend to make mistakes as well(they’re humans too, after all) is portrayed with nuance.

Not only do we get to see Middle School elections in full swing, we also see the not-so-great side as well, and I personally feel this realistic depiction was essential.

Pia Alizé Hazarika’s illustrations sprinkled all over the book only add to the fun reading experience! A Middle Grade book with amazing illustrations is a match made in heaven!

Kudos on the author on incorporating all the new Gen-Z lingo in the book! I had a great time giggling at all the new lingo kids use nowadays and it made me realise how old I am as well, haha!

All you got to do now is pick this book up and go back to Middle School while snuggled up on the couch! Also, you’ll end up craving brownies while you’re reading it, so keep a box of it ready!

Were you a fan of elections in school? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: Bookshops & Bonedust

AUTHOR: Travis Baldree

PAGE EXTENT: 368

PUBLISHER: Tor Books UK (Pan MacMillan India)

GENRE: Cozy Fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Set twenty years before the events of Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust is a standalone cosy fantasy by BookTok sensation Travis Baldree about the power of good bookshops, great friends and the unexpected choices along the way.

First loves. Second-hand books. Epic adventures.

Viv’s career with the renowned mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned. Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk – so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it. What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a struggling bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted. Even though it may be exactly what she needs. Still, adventure isn’t far away. A suspicious traveler in grey, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

Sometimes, right things happen at the wrong time. Sometimes, what we need isn’t what we seek. And sometimes, we find ourselves in the stories we experience together.

Are you in the mood for a fantasy but don’t want to invest a lot in the world-building and complex magic systems? Do you want to read a fantasy that is cosy and simple and makes you feel all warm inside, much like a good cuddle? In that case, you must pick up this low-stakes fantasy on a warm Sunday afternoon with a mug of iced coffee by your side!

We follow a young orc, Viv who gets left behind in a sleepy seaside town called Murk after a reckless battle injury. Much to her dismay, there’s nothing much to do in the boring town. But wait until she walks into Thistleburr Booksellers and her life completely changes! Embark on a journey with Viv as she navigates new friendships, first love, sense of purpose and so much more.

If there’s a book that centres around books, I MUST read it! Viv’s initial reaction to picking up a book and reading it from cover to cover and the discussions that follow were reminiscent of bookish rants we have with friends and it was so very relatable! If someone like Viv can pick up a book, anybody can! And that feeling when you recommend someone a book and they end up loving it? Unparalleled. We relate, Fern, we totally do. Please recommend me some ‘moist’ books too, haha!

The story revolves around a bookshop that’s in shambles and the progress it makes from being dilapidated to a fully functioning and successful business will have your heart leaping with joy! You will wish you could be a bookseller too!

How are friendships portrayed so perfectly in books? The friendship between Viv and Fern was indeed chef’s kiss! Fern’s extremely foul mouth reminded me so much of myself I frequently ended up in fits of giggles! You can’t help but admire how they stick together through thick and thin and best all the odds! This review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Gallina, Satchel and Brand! I will not spill the beans but you will find Satchel pretty adorable!

The fantasy element was pretty predictable and convenient but since this is a low-stakes feel-good fantasy, it perfectly blends in with the story! You get your dose of magic, while also getting warmth and smiles in dollops! And if you’re wondering if you have to read Legends & Lattes first, it’s completely okay if you don’t! The epilogue might make a bit more sense but the story stands perfectly fine on its own, nonetheless.

If you’re wondering if there’s romance, there’s a smidge of it! We get to see Viv navigate first love and how it can sometimes be a bittersweet experience. This tender, heartwarming and realistic depiction of love wrapped itself around my heart and will stay there for a very long time! And yay, it’s queer too!🥺💕

So, if my excited rant has convinced you enough, pick this book up already!

Huge thanks to Pan MacMillan India for having me on the blog tour! 🫶🏽💕

TITLE: A Tempest of Tea

AUTHOR: Hafsah Faizal

PAGE EXTENT: 352

PUBLISHER: Pan Macmillan India

GENRE: YA Fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it – and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

OKAY, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! WHAT IN SEVEN HELLS WAS THAT CLIFFHANGER? MY MIND IS REELING WITH SO MANY THEORIES RIGHT NOW AND I HAVE GOOSEBUMPS! I might need 3-4 business days to get over whatever just happened. Phew.

If you’re someone who read and obsessed over the Six of Crows duology a few years back and have been waiting for something to fill that void, this should be your immediate next pick! It has everything you could want: a high-stakes heist, tons of drama, a badass and ruthless heroine, vampires, sprinkles of romance and so much more!

We follow Arthie Casimir, the owner of an establishment that’s a tea house by day and a blood house by night. Yes, you read that right! The tea house serves as a safe space for vampires to relish the taste of blood and mingle with other blood-craving creatures. But what happens when there’s an imminent threat to the establishment? Arthie must team up with a bunch of people (and not-people) to get a very important document out of The Athereum, a posh establishment for the elite vampires. Will Arthie succeed? Here’s all you have to do: pick this book up and find out for yourself! Believe me, this book will have you on the edge of your seat!

Full disclosure: the plot started off a bit too slow for my liking. I was enjoying the world-building but the story was progressing at a sluggish pace that had me leaning towards bored. But oh my god, little did I know that that was the calm before the storm! The book might seem a biiiiit slow in the middle-third but keep reading; you will be gasping with shock in no time!

I am sucker for books with fierce female protagonists and Arthie delivers in spades! She’s badass. She’s merciless. She’s a force to be reckoned with. The South Asian rep shone through the pages and had me beaming with pride!

If there’s one strong element that predominates the whole plot: it’s the power of found family! The relationship between Arthie and Jin is probably one of my favourite sibling relationships of all time and goes on to show how families are not always made by blood. Jin is on my never-ending list of book boyfriends without a doubt!

If you’re wondering if there’s romance: yes, there is! It’s not all over the place and just the right amount to make you feel content. The blossoming of romance between Jin and Flick made my heart flutter time and again, hehe! Well, as far as the other romance is concerned, I ain’t spoiling it for you!

In short: this book has it all! If you’re in the mood for an action-packed heist novel with a million plot twists that will have you questioning everything, pick this up right away! Before you know it, Arthie, Jin, Flick, Laith and Mateo will have a place in your heart!

Which duology is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: Mehar’s World of Colours

AUTHOR: Arti Sonthalia

PAGE EXTENT: 160

PUBLISHER: Puffin Books (Penguin Random House India)

GENRE: Middle Grade

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Mehar loves books, art and colours and wants to make her own comic book one day with her best friend Ananya. But her mom wants her to swim like her big sister Saanvi and win competitions and medals.

When her school offers an after-school activity class to learn comic-making, Mehar is super excited and wants to sign up for it. But will her mom approve of anything that will make her miss swimming practice?

Dive into Mehar’s colourful world as she works hard to make her dreams come true!

This is undoubtedly one of the most wholesome books I’ve read this year! Having read and loved Simi Stands Tall last year, I knew I had to read Arti’s next book, and needless to say, it did not disappoint one bit! In fact, my eyes were brimming with tears when I turned the last page and I can assure you that these characters will stay in my heart for a long, long time!

So, who is Mehar? She’s a 5th grader who loves art, and wants to write a full-length comic one day. But wait, that’s not what her mother wants! Her mother wants her to be a star swimmer and bag medal upon medal like her older sister, Saanvi. Will Mehar manage to achieve her artistic dreams, while juggling friendships, complicated family dynamics and swimming, all at the same time?

This book highlights what most children go through: to live up to their parents’ preset super-high expectations, sometimes compromising on what they want. Parents also tend to ignore what their children want and instead focus on what THEY want for their children. I have a soft spot for books that reach out to you and give you a metaphorical hug, and make you feel seen. This book definitely takes the cake!

Teachers play a significantly huge role in every child’s formative years. The presence of a great teacher in a child’s life will go on to not only make the child a better human being, but also help them with some life-altering decision. A huge shout-out to Coach Shivani for being the perfect teacher!

If you’ve read my reviews of Middle Grade books, you know by now that one of my favourite aspects of MG books is how they let friendships shine gloriously! With Mehar, Ananya and Tanisha, we get to see a realistic portrayal of friendships, including the not-so-great components like jealousy and insecurity. This book also goes on to show how we sometimes tend to judge people way too quickly, only to have our opinions swamped later!

This review would be incomplete without mentioning how this book also addresses complex family dynamics like parental separation and its aftermath. Books like these are essential to show young readers how some families are not the same as others and that’s completely okay. Mehar’s Dadi is one of my favourites too!

You can’t help but fall in love with Mehar and her helpful nature! Not only does she help out with teaching underprivileged children, she goes out of her way to raise funds for making their classrooms better and if that’s not the perfect example of humans should be, then I don’t know what is! And wait until you start thinking in colours too!

All’s well that ends well! Once you turn the last page, you will have a broad smile on your face and you will hug the book tight to your chest and swim in the warm feeling!

What is the most wholesome book you’ve read? Let me know in the comments below!

TITLE: The Power of Nunchi

AUTHOR: Euny Hong  

PAGE EXTENT: 240

PUBLISHER: Penguin Books

GENRE: Self-help

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Why did she get promoted? Why does the party only start when he walks in? And why do they always catch the bartender’s eye? It sounds like they’re all experts in the art of nunchi, even if they don’t know it.

Nunchi is the guiding principle of Korean life, but anyone can use it: it’s the art of reading a room, your way of understanding what other people are thinking and feeling, and using that to get ahead.

Korean parents believe that teaching their children nunchi is as important as teaching them to cross the road safely. With great nunchi, it feels like the world is on your side. Without it, you might get hit by something you never saw coming.

If you’re thinking ‘not another Eastern fad, Marie Kondo already made me throw half my clothes away’, don’t worry: it’s not a fad. Koreans have been using nunchi to overcome slings and arrows for over 5000 years.

The great news is that anyone can hone their nunchi, immediately: all you need are your eyes and ears. In everything, from finding love to excelling at work, improving your nunchi will help you to open doors you never knew existed.

Improve your nunchi, improve your life.

How did South Korea go from being a third world country to a developed one within the span of less than a century? And what’s with Korean actors and K-pop stars making waves all over the world? How does this country manage to do everything perfectly: right from beauty products to high-class TV shows? The answer lies in one word: NUNCHI!

Well, what is Nunchi? It’s a Korean term that means ‘eye measure’. It’s the art of gauging people’s moods and tweaking your behaviour in accordance with the situation, in order to get the best results. To put it in simpler words, it’s how to ‘read the room’. But how does one cultivate it? Fret not, Euny Hong is here to help!

Being someone who rarely reads non-fiction, I’m so glad I picked this one up! Not only does the author explain how to master the art of Nunchi, she also elaborates on how to use this much-needed skill in friendships, relationships, at work, during travel and much more!

If you’re thinking that this is one of those over-the-board self-help books that will be an ordeal to get through, think again! The author has used an umpteen number of real-life scenarios as examples to illustrate how Nunchi can best be applied in day-to-day life, while also showing what a lack of Nunchi looks like. There are fun quizzes at the end of each chapter to help you get there faster!

If you’re someone who wants to get better at reading the room and avoid unintentional awkward situations, this book should be your next pick!

Do you read non-fiction/self-help books? If yes, drop in some recommendations for me!

TITLE: I Won’t Wash my Hair

AUTHOR: Aparna Kapur (illustrated by Ogin Nayam)

PAGE EXTENT: 40

PUBLISHER: Duckbill Books (Penguin Random House India)

GENRE: Chapter Book

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In Divya’ s hair, you will find pencils, peanuts and paintbrushes! All because Divya refuses to wash her hair. But how long can she go on like this?

Having started reading books during primary school, books like these take me back to those days when I would curl up with a cute little book without a worry in the world! And that’s also why chapter books have a special place in my heart.

In this adorably illustrated chapter book, we meet Divya, a girl who refuses to wash her unruly, massive hair. But how long can she go without it? And what does she do to find a solution to this? Read the book to find out!

You will fall in love with Ogin Nayam’s art style the moment you open this book! I read the book twice just to bask in the beauty of these illustrations!

And don’t forget: there’s a fun activity about tenses at the end!

Have you read chapter books? Which ones are your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: The Catch

AUTHOR: Amy Lea  

PAGE EXTENT: 416

PUBLISHER: Penguin Books

GENRE: Romance

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In a last ditch attempt to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? Burly fisherman Evan Whaler – who single-handedly disproves the theory that canadians are ‘nice’.

After a boating incident lands Evan in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancee by his welcoming yet quirky family. And, in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for just. one. week.

But reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult than expected.

Is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at true love in the wild?

BRB, GIGGLING BLUSHING AND LAUGHING MY BREATH AWAY! Wow, what a conclusion to the Influencer series! I had a ton of expectations going into this one, and needless to say, it lived up to every single one of them and some more! I am nothing if not a huge fan of Amy Lea’s quirky and hilarious writing style and she definitely knocked it into the ocean with this book! (You’ll figure out why I made this terrible joke, haha.)

If you’ve read the first two books in the series already, Melanie Karlsen needs no introduction. When Melanie’s hotel booking gets mixed up, she ends up in an AirBnb in a fishing village in Nova Scotia and much to her dismay, the owner of the B&B, Evan Whaler, clad in plaid and broad-shouldered(and very very hot) is as arrogant as they get. When a weird turn of events lands Evan in the ER, Mel lies about being his fiancée to his entire family. Girl, what were you thinking?! You can’t stand to be in the same room as that man and you lied FOR him? Does Melanie succeed at this fake engagement game? How will she save her career and help her brother out? And to make matters worse, she might be falling for the one person she never thought she would! Before I spill all the beans, pick up the book and find out for yourself! Hurry, hurry!

I love me a good romance novel that will constantly tickle my funny bone and add another book boyfriend to my never-ending list and also make me blush and giggle from time to time! The Catch is definitely ticks-across-the-board!

Fake dating/engagement is one of my favourite romance tropes(up there with enemies-to-lovers) and it was seamlessly executed in this book! Full of hilarious banter and am-I-even-faking-it-anymore situations, you can’t help but smile secretly as you fall in love with Mel and Evan over and over again! We all have moments where we hope for that tiny spark with someone who is not fictional but close enough to being as perfect as fictional men and this book is bound to ignite your imagination in every way!

Evan, must you be so perfect? You’re now on my list of book boyfriends that never seems to stop getting longer!

While Melanie navigates her fake engagement with Evan, a shocking realisation hits her: not only is she falling hard for Evan, she’s falling in love with his entire family too! The Whalers are such a wholesome bunch and they will have always have a place in my heart! And Nana, what with her sass and queen behaviour, definitely takes the cake!

While this book is light-hearted and fun most of the time, it doesn’t shy away from addressing the hardships in life. Melanie’s brother Julian’s struggle with depression struck a chord with me. Another highlight for me is how the author handled grief in the story. Melanie and Evan have their own mechanisms of coping with grief and this goes on to show a very important aspect of grief: how it manifests differently in different people and how everyone has their own way of processing it.

This review would definitely be incomplete without a shoutout to Cora’s Cove and its kind bunch of people! (I may have gone to great lengths struggling to find Cora’s Cove on Google only to realise it’s fictional 😂😂) I have an intense urge to go to Nova Scotia and do some whale watching! Hailing from a big city, I’m always in awe of close-knit communities in small towns and villages where everyone knows everyone else. I am craving some poutine right now!

There are cameos from the Chen sisters: Crystal and Tara, and their partners too! While this book reads perfectly well as a standalone, the cameos make more sense and you will enjoy them if you’ve read the first two books! So, that’s definitely a perk!

Phew, that was more of a rant than a review! If you’ve read up till here, I’m sure you have plans of picking this book up! And don’t worry, it’s definitely a ‘catch’! 😉

What is your favourite romance trope? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: The Misadventures of a Diamond Thief

AUTHOR: Lubaina Bandukwala  

PAGE EXTENT: 176

PUBLISHER: Puffin Books (Penguin Random House India)

GENRE: Middle Grade

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐💫

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sahabzada Hawa Singh Rafu Chakkar (Rafu), a descendant of the legendary Time-Travelling, Thieving Djinns, wants to abandon the family tradition of stealing jewels to pursue his true passion―cooking. However, when the king of djinns tasks him with a mission to steal the Shah-i-Noor diamond in the newly built city of Haiderabad, Rafu reluctantly accepts. His secret agenda? The diamond is his ticket to his dream.

With only two weeks to get the coveted gem, Rafu finds himself entangled in a web of cunning courtiers, mysterious thieves and a most annoying horse, all while the tantalizing aroma of pulavs and kebabs constantly distracts him. Racing against the clock, Rafu’s adventure unfurls as he strives to turn his dream into reality. How far will he go?

Having read and loved The Chowpatty Cooking Club, I KNEW I had to read this one the moment I laid my eyes on it! Fair warning: if you’re jumping into this book on an empty stomach, you are bound to have a horrible case of hunger pangs because the food imagery is chef’s kiss! Haha, see what I did there? 😉

In this action-packed blend of history, time travel and magic, we follow Rafu, a descendant of the Time-Travelling, Thieving Djinns(TTTDs), who doesn’t want to continue the family legacy of, you guessed it right, stealing! He wants to pursue his passion of cooking as stealing gems from various kingdoms from various times isn’t his cup of tea! But when has it ever been easy for a teenager, with parents having a ton of expectations!?! Phew! In order to make his parents proud in one last hurrah, Rafu agrees to steal the Shah-i-Noor from Haiderabad for the King of the Djinns! What follows is a fun and frolicky adventure set against the backdrop of the Charminar! Read the book and find out what happens!

I read this one from cover to cover in one sitting and I couldn’t stop flipping the pages to find out what happens next! Not only do we get to read a fun historical adventure, we also get to learn about architecture, encounter some mouth-watering food and gasp at some well-placed plot twists!

Zainab Tambawalla’s illustrations peppered throughout the book only enhance the reading experience! I will be visiting Hyderabad pretty soon, thanks to my piqued curiosity!

If you’re in the mood for a thrilling time-travelling adventure that will tingle your taste buds, you know what to pick up next!

Are you a fan of historical fiction? If yes, drop in some recommendations for me in the comments!