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Aditi

@thebookstabrews

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Lawyer | Literary Soul | Brewed Being| Bookstagram
Coffee keeps me going ☕

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Some days are just about spending time in a room full of books❤️

Okay, yeah.
Posting just for the sake of posting? NO

Posting for who, then? 7 friends who like my stories😄

Posting for better reach? No.

POSTING BECAUSE THIS IS MY SPACE AND NOW IT IS MORE LIKE A JOURNAL TO ME

Because just in case someday, I don’t wish to take pictures anymore… these posts will be good nostalgia.

Unless, of course, someday we get to know that IG too has gone extinct just like Orkut😬

#books #bookstagram #homelibrary #onlybooks #bookish by @thebookstabrews

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5 days ago

Bacha posh. How does one relate to it? Is it practised in our country, too? I am not sure. I haven’t come across any news about it.

But this book took me back to when I was around ten. I remember quite a few girls sporting what we used to call boy-cut hairstyles. I had one too! Don’t know what the fascination was, but some girls had their hair cut short and a few continued to be tomboys even as they grew older. Back then, it was just a hairstyle to me. Reading about bacha posh made me look at the subject from a completely different perspective.

When I first read this book in 2022, I remember wanting to read everything Nadia Hashimi had written. I still have a few of her works left to explore. But when a book makes you revisit it years later, perhaps there is something in it that you are ready to understand differently.

Set in Afghanistan, this is not merely a story of women written by a woman. It is a story that brings to light the courage of women whose voices have been silenced and choices taken away.

Through Shekiba and Rahima, Hashimi weaves a compelling tale across generations. Shekiba, Rahima’s great-great-grandmother and Rahima live in different times, yet their struggles echo one another. The practice of bacha posh, where some families raise their daughters as boys to give them freedoms otherwise denied to them, is both fascinating and heartbreaking.

Shekiba’s resilience leaves a lasting impression, while Rahima’s journey will break your heart. You keep turning the pages, hoping that perhaps, just perhaps, life will give Rahima a chance to reclaim her happiness and dignity.

Nadia Hashimi is a gem of a writer. The way she brings Shekiba and Rahima’s lives together across generations is exceptional. There is so much pain and injustice in this book, and yet, when you reach the end, you feel a certain sense of peace.

Some books entertain you. Some break your heart. And some change the way you look at the world.
This one does all three.
Yes, Yes, YES!
A deeply moving, thought-provoking read. Must read❤️

#bookreview #bookstagram #thepearlthatbrokeitsshell #nadiahashimi #explore

The stories of the women around Shekiba and Rahima are equally heartbrea by @thebookstabrews

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8 days ago

Few from the vault… just pitchin’ in to say..’Hey there, I’m here!’😄🙋‍♀️❤️

#bookstagram by @thebookstabrews

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13 days ago

The Renovation by Kenan Orhan

How did I pick this book? Of course, it was without giving it much thought. Why did I continue reading it? Because I was trapped in the story.

Hmm… that’s too dramatic an explanation but I have no other way to explain what this book made me feel.

From the beginning, I was invested because the story made me so. Dilara, her husband and her father have migrated from Turkey to Italy. Migration has its own difficulties. One day, Dilara finds out that her bathroom which is being renovated, has somehow turned into a prison cell.

And from here begins all the mental anguish I suffered alongside Dilara.

At first, I thought I was getting into a thriller and was about to experience so much chaos. But no, there wasn’t any conventional chaos. Instead, this is a story about migration, exile and what happens when you don’t have a choice but to make peace with whatever comes your way. Dilara’s father has dementia and at one point I thought…Maybe…just maybe, Dilara is the one with dementia and she is creating this entire storm on her own.

Through the story my mind was in sync with the recollections Dilara was going through while dealing with her exile. And then there is her husband. He is caring and genuinely cares about his wife but Dilara’s constant responsibility towards her father gradually strains their relationship until she becomes hostile towards him.
Troubles can make us irritable, anxious and most of all, numb towards other people’s feelings.

What struck me most was how differently one survives after leaving family, relatives, friends and everything familiar behind.

Let me be clear…you will either live this story to the core or you may not even want to finish it.
For me this was an unsettling read…not because of some dramatic twist but because of the way it slowly got under my skin. The way it proceeded and eventually ended left me with a strange feeling I’m still trying to make sense of.

I haven’t read many reviews yet so I don’t know whether others felt the same.

All I can say is..read this one at your own risk
Don’t expect an easy read.

#bookreview #bookerprizelonglist2026 #bookstagram #fyp #explore by @thebookstabrews

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a month ago

You hide from me, I hide from you.

Mostly everyone has secrets and they don’t like to share them with anyone, especially their family. Sometimes, it is the very near and dear ones who judge us.

A person who believes in God, can he go against Him? Or is the righteous life he lives to show the world just for the eyes of people? Is there a devil inside?

I picked up this book because I was already aware of Stuart’s writing. I had read Shuggie Bain before, so I knew I was getting into something unforgettable. But that is too general a statement. A more specific one would be heartbreaking and mesmerising. Of course, it is tragic but comic too at places.

It took me a while to finish it, not because it isn’t a great story but because I was occupied with job hours. But who sets the timeline? As long as you are looking forward to finishing a book after an entire day, it means the book has already cast its spell.

I have watched movies where someone sacrifices their love and sends their loved one away so they can be with someone else. In most cases, it is the women who are shown leaving and sacrificing their love. How our minds work with stereotypes is fascinating because we expect something similar to what most people would think.

Every character here has a different temperament, qualities and vices and you find yourself having emotions for almost all of them. You pity them, worry about them and wonder, will this character break my heart in the end or will I feel happy for them?

While writing this review, I kept thinking what if this had happened? Would the ending have been better? But that is what Stuart does. He makes you keep thinking about his masterpiece, almost as if you are a bellwether yourself wanting to lead the story towards the finale.

For me, this book is already a winner.
The less said, the better. Read it for yourself❤️

(Book review, book recommendation, John of John, Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize 2026, bookstagram, books, fyp, explore, trending, viral, Shuggie Bain, Longlisted)
#book #bookstagram #explorepage #fyp #bookrecommendations by @thebookstabrews

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2 months ago

A 2026 Booker Prize longlisted book and my second read by Elizabeth Strout.

I have so much to say about this book, and yet I’m struggling to find the right words for it, which ironically, feels quite fitting for a story that is so much about the things we say, the things we don’t say and the burden of carrying what we know in silence.

What I found most beautiful about this book is the way Strout explores human communication. Sometimes a secret isn’t even ours to begin with, but once we know it, choosing whether to share it or keep it to ourselves can become an enormous emotional weight. Something that eats away at your inner peace.

The story also has a strong political thread. Artie Dam, a history teacher, is deeply critical of the president and the direction the country seems to be taking. He feels compelled to create awareness among his students, encouraging them to look beyond what they are simply told and to think for themselves.

But what I love about reading is when a book makes me curious about something beyond its own story.

At one point, the story led me to the Spanish Civil War and I found myself thinking, I need to read about this someday and that, for me is one of the greatest joys of reading. One book creating a hunger for another.

Books don’t always give you answers. Sometimes, they leave you with questions, curiosity and a list of things you suddenly want to explore.

I don’t want to say much more about the story because I think this is best experienced without knowing too much beforehand.

But as a Booker longlisted book and simply as a reading experience, I’m glad I picked this one up.

If you like thoughtful, intense stories about secrets, human relationships, politics, history and everything we struggle to say out loud, give this one a try.

A good read. Go for it. You might love it❤️

(Bookstagram, Elizabeth Strout , book review, books, the things we never say, literature, women authors, Book recommendation,tbr,explore, fyp, booker prize longlisted)
#books #elizabethstrout #thethingsweneversay #bookerprize2026 by @thebookstabrews

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2 months ago

Some recently added books to the bookshelf❤️
I’m on a reading spree and have already read a few of these. I’ll be dropping reviews now and then but what’s most satisfying is that this year I’m actually managing to read from the Booker Prize 2026 longlist.

I’ve already read The Things We Never Say and John of John and I’m currently reading The Renovation. I’m not sure I’ll pick up every book from the longlist but I think I can manage a few more…

The rest of these books were either birthday gifts or books I gifted myself. The shelves are already overloaded but somehow I’m convinced I’ll still find space for a few more….fitting more books into less space is an art form😬

I also want to start reading the modern classics again soon. And of course, I have to finish Proust.

Hoping to read all the books on my ever-growing list someday.
Yes, too many books. Too little time❤️🙌

#books #bookshelf #bookerprize #fyp #explore by @thebookstabrews

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2 months ago

Thank you all for the immense love you’ve poured into me yesterday and today, through all your wishes, messages and the many books you sent my way.

What started as a bond over books has somehow grown into something so much more. A bond that was all about books has now become about sharing our love for books, our lives, our joys and our friendship.

I don’t have enough words or rather, even the dictionary isn’t helping me find the right ones, to express how grateful I am. But just know that I’m always, always grateful for the friendships I’ve found here.

Ever since I joined Bookstagram, you guys have made this a place for me to come back to, time and time again. A place that feels like home. A place where I know I’ll always find people who understand the joy of a good book and, somehow, have become so much more than just fellow readers.

I came here for the books but I stayed for the people and all have become such a beautiful part of this journey.

Thank you for remembering me. Thank you for celebrating me. Thank you for the books, the wishes, the love and most importantly, for being here❤️🫶

#gratitude #grateful #friends #bookstagram by @thebookstabrews

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2 months ago

What did I just read? A love story? A thriller? A mystery? I still can’t decide.

I picked up Broken Country on a whim, expecting a quiet story set around farmland and countryside life. I had absolutely no idea what I was walking into.

And what a surprise it turned out to be.
I don’t usually read love stories. In fact, I’ve read very few and most never really stayed with me. But this wasn’t just a love story. It was a slow burning mystery wrapped in grief, longing, guilt and impossible (POSSIBLE) choices. The suspense pulls you in until you’re completely invested.

The characters felt so real that I found myself feeling empathy, rage, heartbreak, and even wishing I could step into the story and change things before it was too late. That’s how deeply this book makes you care.

It’s a story about love, loss, memory and the weight of the past. It moves beautifully between timelines, revealing just enough to keep you turning the pages while never letting go of the emotional depth. The countryside setting almost becomes a character of its own, beautiful, quiet and unforgettable.

Can someone truly love two people with the same intensity?

I’ll say no more because this is one of those books that’s best experienced without knowing the plot. Let the mystery unfold on its own. Trust me. The less you know, the better.

One detail I absolutely loved was discovering that Clare Leslie Hall published this novel in honour of her late parents, Jean Leslie and William Hall, combining their names into her own. Such a beautiful and deeply personal tribute.

This book wasn’t even on my TBR. It was a random pick.
Hmm.. some days…!!!! Some days🤩🤩🤩

Read it. Then come back and tell me, whose side were you on?

#bookreview #bookstagram #brokencountry #thrillers #fyp by @thebookstabrews

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4 months ago

Apparently there are levels now.
Reading books.
Collecting books.
Buying books.
Taking aesthetic pictures of books.
Being a ‘performative reader.’

I can’t wait to see what new hobby they assign us next. Until then, my camera roll will keep passionately collecting book pictures and turning into a book sanctuary❤️

P.S-You can keep judging and inventing categories for book lovers. Not bothered..we’ll continue reading, collecting and photographing our books (PASSIONATELY) because it makes us happy😄❤️ by @thebookstabrews

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2 months ago

July gave me more questions than answers.

Some opinions I finally voiced.Some that I kept to myself.
A new excuse to try every café. A growing love for good coffee.
And a stack of books that patiently waited for TOMORROW.

Monsoon feels different.
The smell of wet earth never gets old. Monsoon and coffee have always made sense together.
The unread pages don’t feel like pressure anymore.
And somehow, waiting in traffic doesn’t seem like the worst thing when it’s raining outside.
That’s the dump❤️

#julydump #coffee #monsoon #books by @thebookstabrews

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3 months ago

Just existing✨

Bdw, monochrome knows how to tell a story🖤 by @thebookstabrews

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3 months ago