Must-read books to add to your reading list this month

Did you know that reading before bedtime, even for half an hour, can ease stress and improve sleep quality? Ergo, we’ve compiled a list of new releases that should find space on your desk or shelves.

I have to begin with the most significant new release—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Dream Count. Set amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the narrative follows four African women, exploring their aspirations, challenges, and experiences of love. Chiamaka, a Nigerian travel writer in America, confronts loneliness and past love, while her lawyer friend Zikora copes with betrayal and seeks comfort. In Nigeria, cousin Omelogor, an entrepreneur, confronts her waning self-worth. Meanwhile, Kadiatou, a devoted Senegalese housekeeper, faces trials while raising her daughter in America. The novel is an unflinching observation on the human heart, in language that soars with beauty and power.

Next on the list is Shashi Warrier’s My Name Is Jasmine—a story of betrayal and revenge in modern India. The novel follows Jasmine, who wakes up in a hospital in Odisha without any memory of herself. As fragments of her violent past return, revealing her skills with guns and involvement in secret missions, the investigation grows more intense. Torn between loyalty to her old group and trust in new friends, she faces the heavy cost of survival.

Mizuki Tsujimura’s Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon is a mystery novel about Ayumi, who arranges four meetings between the living and the dead. With each one, tantalising clues are scattered for readers to reveal the deep, emotional truth behind his role as a go-between. This mesmeric, unputdownable read is a story of kindness and compassion.

Sayaka Murata’s Vanishing World is a dystopian novel about Amane, who was born from her parents’ forbidden love in a society where most people are born by artificial insemination and live in emotionless marriages. Feeling isolated, Amane seeks connection through online relationships and affairs, and she wonders why society rejects real love and sex. Later, she moves to a town called Eden, where babies are created artificially, men can become pregnant, and children are raised by the community. But Eden’s perfect image hides dark secrets about control and identity. Murata critiques societal engineering, exploring intimacy and autonomy in a world that pathologise natural human connections.

David Attenborough and Colin Butfield’s Ocean traces Earth’s vital seas—from polar ice to coral reefs—that sustain our climate and air. Through 100 years of exploration, eight habitats, and diverse species, they expose the ocean’s fragility and astonishing resilience. Despite exploitation, marine ecosystems can recover faster than any other environment if protected. Blending science, history, and personal narratives, the work balances urgency with hope.

Finally, Yet, Remember Me by Pinaki Gangopadhyay tells the story of a famous couple whose public admiration hides their deep unhappiness. They meet one last time on the day their divorce is finalised, amid political chaos and personal loss. Their encounter shows that love can be messy, hopeful, and heartbreaking all at once. Shaped by broken dreams and unfortunate timing, their journey reveals that some endings are unavoidable, no matter how much we try to fight them.

Images: Courtesy Harper Collins India, Simon & Schuster India, Penguin Random House India, Hachette India, and Bloomsbury Publishing India

This piece originally appeared in the April-May print edition of Harper's Bazaar India.

 

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