I signed up for the 30-day trial period on Kindle Unlimited and am hooked now. This affordable digital library has introduced me new authors and a wide range of ebooks. The common theme with this list of books is that they are all Indie books, that is self published.

I read these genres for free on Kindle Unlimited Library, which means I borrowed the books and returned them after reading. Even if you don’t have a Kindle app, you can read on Kindle Cloud Reader, like I do.

Romance

Lost: A Forbidden Military Romance by Shilpa Suraj

I was introduced to author Shilpa Suraj via Blogchatter’s Ready to Publish programme in 2023.I enjoyed reviewing her first book, Flawed, in the Disgrace series. Among Indie authors, Suraj is the closest to the sizzling Mills & Boon romances that I read in my teens. I actually looked up the favourite romance books on their site after decades of telling myself to grow up and out of ‘love you always and anyways’ kind of stuff.

Coming back to the Disgrace series, Suraj had ended the first book, Flawed, in such an intriguing manner that I had to read the second one. Lost is the saga of Rahul Jaishankar, a Lieutenant in the Indian Navy, caught in a dirty trap by his good friend in the Navy, Aman.

A righteous, moral man with a kind heart and good looks, Rahul has it all. Until Aarushi enters his life and Nisha files a case against her husband Aman. Rahul is the officer-in-charge to dig into the allegaations. He falls prey to nosy Aarushi, who eventually ends up with a conscience. What begins as gallantry and good manners becomes an affair and then fall.

This book is independent of the first one. However, it would be good if you read the first one as well, as the characters from the previous one, do end up here in the last chapters. There are some references in the middle too. The characters are well developed and the plot is interesting.

The Disgrace series isn’t about cosy romances; the protagonists are hot blooded and there are heavy sexual encounters, sizzling and explicit. Suraj is not a shy old-world author; she takes the bull by the horns.

She addresses important issues of rape, drugs, forced sex, betrayal and hard decisions. Read her books for some truths that you are probably hiding from. And there is a third book, Shattered, in this series as well on Kindle.

You can check her books at shilpasuraj.com

Children’s Books

My love for children’s books remains eternal as they have the easiest way of assimilating lessons. Also, I am participating in three book challenges this year, so am always on the lookout for books which match the prompts. These books matched the prompt-‘book with an animal on the cover’-for 2024 #ReadingWithMuffy Reading Challenge by Shalini R.

I discovered three books on environment and Nature by Dr Subhendu Mazumdar, associate professor in Zoology at Shibpur Dinobundhoo Institution (College), Howrah. The books are: Adventures of Oscar (The Brave Otter on a Clean River Mission), Guardians of the Forest (The Story of Samuel and Bella), Cammy, The Chameleon (A Journey through the Rainforest). The books are suitable for children over 5 years old.

Over the ages, authors have given animals voices, words and thoughts. They have created a world akin to humans, albeit in their own environment. The lesson is clear: live and let live. Do not tamper with wildlife habitats, watch the flora and fauna thrive, as that guarantees a healthy, eco-friendly environment. These three books have the same message: promoting the cause of clean rivers, green forests and a scientific knowledge of animal colours and their habitats.

With Oscar, the river otter, we learn the value of keeping rivers clean. A good, clean water source promotes good health, not just for otters, but also for humans. The playful and brave otter embarks on a journey to preserve his habitat.

I liked the way, the squirrels, Samuel and Bella, discover the road to greening the forest. It is an education on how the common squirrels play a part in sowing seeds that grow into trees. Their conservation is preservation and sustenance of many species of trees.

Cammy, the chameleon’s journey is a self-exploration. It seeks to understand its colourful superpower. The colour change is an expression of emotional behaviour, besides serving as a camouflage to escape from predators. It is also a means of communication.

Mazumdar’s books instil empathy for the creatures living in different habitats, a curiosity to see these animals in real life, an inspiration for protecting the natural resources, becoming advocates for wildlife and environmental conservation. His compelling storytelling skills combined with expertise in wildlife narratives, makes these books worthy of being on the bookshelf. Besides academic pursuits, he engages in community outreach programmes, conducts environment awareness workshops and seminars.

Mia the Mindful Mouse: Adventures in Being Present
(Wildlife Wonders: Stories of Soul and Spirit) Kindle Edition by Balance Spiritual  

This is a more of an inner journey than an outer one. It shows how animals too seek peace and joy. A scampering Mia, the tiny mouse, is tired of all the noise in the city. In search of tranquillity, Mia, the little mouse, discovers the wonderful practice of mindfulness, thanks to wise Marvin the Meditative Mongoose. She ropes in her friends, Maddy the Merry Mouse and Monty the Motivated Mole, on this journey of calm. And then later she creates a mindful community. The book lays emphasis on fun, friendship, power of being in the here and now, finding your centre amid the chaos and exploring your gentler and happier side.   

Contemporary Fiction

Aavishka by Cindy Ann D’Silva

All of us have a creator within. It’s just that some let that creative steak emerge, despite the challenges. Cindy Ann D’Silva’s debut novella, Aavishka, is a representative of that.

Cindy took the bold step of self-publishing her story on Kindle in 2021. She created a world that married men and women can relate to. Based on a true incident, the book revolves around the loveless marriage of Aavishka and Atharv. A mismatched union, where one suffers and the other ignores.

It is the story of resilience, a strange faith in the destiny, that keeps Aavishka living the life of a married woman, whereas her husband is stuck in the emotional trap of his old love.

The book talks of a rigid parental mindset, unhealed emotional wounds. Added to this, the inability to move on from a past that ended ages back, Atharv commits mistake after mistake, leaving his wife in a void.

Financially insecure, brought up with old school values and unable to take the social stigma that comes with separation, Aavishka lives day-after-day with a pragmatic approach. Everyone is aware of her situation, but none take any steps to change it, except few friends now and then. There are behind the back whispers of her inability to conceive as well. The hurt keeps going deeper with each passing year. A toxic 15 years pass, and then Atharv gets a jolt.

His old love finally moves on and he is left high and dry in a sad marriage. Finally, he accepts his mistakes and the ever loving, forgiving wife makes the effort to put their life on track.

This story brings out mixed reactions—for the modern city woman, well educated and financially stable, a loveless marriage with a husband who provides neither physical nor financial pleasure, the cart would have already toppled over years back. For the simpler ones, acceptance and trudging on with head bowed, seems to be the inevitable road. Whatever your feelings, Cindy’s story is sure to give you food for thought and how marriages need both partners to turn earth into heaven.

Go ahead, read it, it’s just 36-pages long.

Cindy Ann D’Silva blogs at blogaberry.com, where you will discover a lot about a woman’s world.

Food & Drinks

40 Easy Breakfast Recipes by Madhu Bindra

Are you a novice cook or a homemaker constantly in search of new meals? Then this is the perfect book for you.

Madhu Bindra, an army wife, has shared her decades-long kitchen expertise in this e-book. Well versed in the art of cooking, she has included Continental, English, Indian dishes in this book such as smoothies, sandwiches, waffles, pancakes. From bacon and eggs to idlis, parathas, smoothies, poha and upma, there is something to suit your palate.

I am an idli, poha, dhokla and upma fan. Like most women who cook, I end up making my versions of these dishes. And Madhu has given me new variants to experiment with. She has idlis with different lentils, and even instant ones.

Baked beans were my childhood snack. With age, I avoided preserved tins that are imported. So, Madhu’s recipe with soya beans is a fresh meal that I enjoy now.

Cheese lovers are in for a treat. Non-vegetarians can enjoy the bacon and cheese frittata. If you want an immediate cheesy thing, then you would like to opt for Eggless Masala Cheese Omelette.

Even if you prepare each dish daily, you still have over a month’s quota of breakfast and quick snacks. Yes, some of these can be easy peasy high-tea savouries as well. After all, most of the ingredients are always there on your kitchen shelf.

Madhu Bindra blogs at madscookhouse.com, where you will discover more recipes.

Yummy Life on Plate (Season 1 & 2), compiled and conceptualised by Samata Dey Bose

Samata blogs at indiacafe24.com. With a wide range of reading categories on her website, this ex-banker turned blogger, compiles e-books on food annually. In the previous two editions, she has compiled recipes by friends, chefs, bloggers, even her own. The list has more than 100 recipes, divided into various sections such as snacks, desserts, main course, savouries. There are both non-vegetarian and vegetarian choices. Most of these recipes are an easy affair and the variety leaves you spoiled for choice. With recipes from all over India, you can decide your menu for all the meals for the entire year and opt for healthy cooking!

This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile