pen.books.and.scalpel

Although 2022 has been a year of a mixed bag, personally and professionally, it has been a tremendous bookish year for me. I had always stayed in my comfort zone of historical fiction, women's and contemporary fiction In the past. But this year, not only did I explore more books in other genres like non-fiction, mythology and thrillers, which I usually don't pick up, but I also enjoyed reading them to a great extent. I also completed my reading goals for the year, another new habit I started this year. There were a lot of books that I loved, and a few were underwhelming as well. Below is a list of the books close to my heart and my top 5 books of the year 2022.  BECOMING BY MICHELLE OBAMA This has to be my best pick for the year, hands down. Even months after finishing the book, I still feel the lines lingering in my head. A must-read memoir from one of the most potent and admirable women. It's not just her personal account. It's also every woman's voice suppressed

What is your idea about entrepreneurship? Who is an entrepreneur, according to you? If you are planning to become one or want to know more about it, pick this book up immediately.   In this travelogue, the author has travelled to almost all of India to give us an idea about Indian culture, heritage, food habits and much more. She and her friends have interacted with and documented the lives of common people they came across every day during their journey. The book is written in 14 parts, and each part talks about its power over entrepreneurship, like the power of nature, food, inclusivity, knowledge etc.   The book speaks extensively on each topic, and my most favourite part was the power of food. The explanation of how India being a significant producer of milk and grains, also has 14% of the malnourished population was informative. The chapters about the description of thali and the transition from India being the Annapurna and annadaata to Annapurna's hungry had my heart crumble

This was one of my highly anticipated books of 2022 since it is a retelling of the Tamil literature "Ponniyin Selvan" written by Kalki. This book is a fine balance between mythology and historical fiction.   The story is about choosing the next Emperor when Sundara Chola falls ill. The crown prince, Karikalan and his brother, Arulmozhi Varman, are the rightful heir to the throne. But the chieftains plan to capture the throne with Madhuranthaka and crown him the next king. Meanwhile, the Pandyas are plotting against the Cholas and are determined to destroy the kingdom. Nandhini wants revenge from the Chola family for the injustice caused to her. So she weaves her own web to trap the Cholas.   Vandhiya Devan- Karikalan's best friend, works as a spy and carries messages across the seas to save the Chola family. He falls for Kundavai- Karikalan's sister, the mastermind of the Chola kingdom working in the background. Who will finally ascend the throne? Will the Cholas be a