Books I Read in 2021

Books I Read in 2021

Overview

With the year coming to an end, when I look back at how it started and how it is going to end, I think I can proudly say that this year was much more exciting, inspiring and full of learnings.

I ended the year 2020 with no books to show, but with the start of the year 2021, I made sure to read at least a book per month. And, here I am bringing you the list of 13 books that I read this year and which you can include in your reading list for the next year.

Without further ado, let's dive into the books I read!


The Alchemist

The Alchemist is a novel by Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian author who first published it in 1988. It was originally written in Portuguese and became an international bestseller after being widely translated.

I started the year with none other than "The Alchemist". This was a re-read for me, also my first book I read as non-fiction.

The Alchemist stands out as a love story that rejects the notion that romantic love must be at the centre of people's lives. Each person has a unique destiny that is unaffected by the actions of others. It's the thing you'd do or be if you had all the love and money in the world.

It doesn't matter if you enjoy reading novels or not; there are those that everyone should read, and "The Alchemist" is one of them. It instils faith in love, dreams, and oneself. The finest thing you can do is follow your dreams.

If you have not read it already, then start next year this motivational impetus.

Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu

A work of fiction that takes inspiration from the life of Kalki, the idea of Kaliyug and other Mahabharata and Ramayan references. Written by Kevin Missal.

This is part 1 of an awe-inspiring trilogy that I re-read this year and is also my first read on mythological fiction.

The premise is intriguing, as it includes characters from prior Vishnu Avataras such as Parshuram, Ram, and Krishna. As you progress through the book, you'll notice that all of the parts are falling into place in accordance with certain old myths while also establishing some new ones.

I liked how the author strives to give us a full description of weapons and manoeuvres throughout fight scenarios. I would not recommend this book to extremely young readers because there is a lot of violence in this cruel society setup.

Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma

This is part 2 in the trilogy, it continues with a cliff-hanger from part 1 (read part 1 to know the cliff-hanger πŸ˜‰).

When compared to Dharmayoddha, the storytelling in Satyayoddha has clearly improved, owing to the fact that the premise is now more recognisable to the readers, and they have a better notion of what the characters are like. Kalki channels a few more Avatars in this book and both Narasimha and Varaha are quite impressive with their different philosophical takes on their actions.

There is a lot of action in this book, so the dialogues are short and interchanges are quick, funny and sarcastic at times. The characters might live in Illavarti of unknown times, but they speak like us!

Mahayoddha Kalki: Sword of Shiva

This is the last part of the trilogy, here, when we left the numerous characters of this world at end of Satyayoddha Kalki, the threat of war was imminent with so many factions moving against one another. While the personal battles of the main characters were also reaching turning points.

Mahayoddha Kalki takes us back to the multiple stories including Kalki’s journey towards Bhargav Ramβ€˜s abode, Manasaβ€˜s quest for revenge against Kali and the inner struggles for kingship at Illavarti.

Kalki, remains the adorable, good incarnate, a strong warrior who braves all odds and deals with the conspiracies that mark his way throughout the journey to finally become the Avatar of this Yuga.

You should definitely include this in your reading list.

The Richest Man in Babylon

The Richest Man in Babylon is a 1926 book by George S. Clason that dispenses financial advice through a collection of parables set 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylon. The book remains in print almost a century after the parables were originally published, and is regarded as a classic of personal financial advice.

This is the book I read for the first time this year and also my first read on personal finance.

How often is that we seek advice on personal finance from experienced people? How often do we implement that advice? And, how exactly are they able to give such solid advice? The Richest Man in Babylon, is the book that asks these questions, considers several scenarios (that are still valid to this date given that the book was first published in 1926), gives a proper plan to personal finance that could lead a person to become rich and have enough in his pocket so that he could enjoy his retirement!

I have done a review on the same book, you can check that out here and please include this to your reading list, it is a must for everyone in my honest opinion.

Rogue Lawyer

Rogue Lawyer is a novel by John Grisham. It is a legal thriller about unconventional street lawyer Sebastian Rudd.

The plot follows Rudd's (protagonist) involvement in a number of seemingly "unwinnable" cases, as well as the steps he takes to improve his client's chances. All of the narratives are intricately linked to Rudd's personal life and are loosely connected. This has an incredibly intrusive and objective look at a court and gets right into the heart of the realities of trying cases, with a remarkably refreshing perspective.

It was really a thrilling read of how a lawyer (kind of honest but rogue) fights against the system at every turn shown through a collection of criminal cases and how he tackles his day-to-day life, especially the encounters with his wife.

The Immortals of Meluha

The Immortals of Meluha is the first book of Amish Tripathi, the first book of Amishverse, and also the first book of Shiva Trilogy. The story is set in the land of Meluha and starts with the arrival of the Shiva. The Meluhans believe that Shiva is their fabled saviour Neelkanth.

The story is a perfect blend of modern-day technologies and Hindu mythological legends. Every character is described well and in an informative manner. Whether it is a war sequence or a simple conversation, Amish's writing hooked the readers. The narrations are explicit, as well as the language.

Amish creates a world of fantasy in his book, including corruption, caste system, unnecessary laws, and enters the readers' hearts. I definitely recommend this book; if you're a mythological fan, don't miss out on this book.

The Secret Of The Nagas

In the second part of the Shiva trilogy, the hunt is on. The sinister Naga warrior has killed his friend and now stalks his wife. Shiva, who is the prophesied destroyer of evil, will not rest till he finds his demonic adversary. His vengeance and the path to evil will lead him to the door of the Nagas, the serpent people. Of that he is certain. In a journey that will take him across the length and breadth of ancient India, Shiva searches for the truth in a land of deadly mysteries – only to find that nothing is what it seems.

This book is full of turns and will have you skipping pages like never before.

The Oath of the Vayuputras

In the last part, everything is explained ideally so that readers don't have any loose ends. This book is all about the equilibrium between virtue and vice. It portrays that whenever darkness rises, it will be destroyed by the light. However, the people chosen by God will build a new path despite the loss they have to endure. The battle demanded sacrifices, and in this story, it took everything from Shiva. Even his reason to smile and live.

I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works

I Will Teach You To Be Rich is a 2009 personal finance book by Ramit Sethi who writes a blog of the same name.

I Will Teach You to Be Rich is aimed at 20-to-35-year-olds, and it’s essentially a guide to getting your finances on track. The book covers a six-week program that automates saving and jump-starts investing β€” with more than a little information on banking, budgeting and entrepreneurship along the way.

This was a very fun read that has a crazy perspective on how to spend money. It is not like any other personal finance book out there, it gives you the required framework so that you can enjoy your life and have enough saved to enjoy your retirement also.

Think and Grow Rich

Think and Grow Rich is a book written by Napoleon Hill in 1937 and promoted as a personal development and self-improvement book.

This book tries to explain why some people amass great fortunes while others fail to make ends meet. In one of the chapters on "Desire", Napoleon Hill tells us the story of his child, born deaf-mute. Seeing him, he says to himself β€œI want my son to hear and speak, I want him to have a normal life.”

The book discusses the concepts of dominant thinking, desire, faith, subconscious auto-suggestion, imagination, taking action, making decisions, having a mastermind group, power of sex transmutation and how to defeat the six ghosts of fear.

It is again a must-read, give a lot of time while reading this book, don't skip-read this, try to understand what each line is trying to tell and the meaning it contains.

Skipping Christmas: Christmas with The Kranks

Skipping Christmas is a comedic novel by John Grisham. It was published by Doubleday on November 6, 2001, and reached #1 on The New York Times Best-Seller List on December 9 that year.

While it stresses giving back to the community, like most other secular offerings throughout the Christmas season, it's a reasonably clean, enjoyable read for the holidays. If you can get beyond that stumbling block, though, this could be a delightful way to spend your holiday break.

The festive outline of the book is not limited to Christmas, it can have parallels with other festivities, but it is a good read for the winter season without a doubt.

The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train is a 2015 psychological thriller novel by British author Paula Hawkins that gives narratives from three different women about relationship troubles and, for the main protagonist, alcoholism.

It is a fantastic read, Hawkins does a great job with both the mystery elements, the character development and with great attention to detail, it is a tight, suspenseful chiller with a dubious narrator, who tries to solve the mystery of a woman's disappearance.

I recently finished this book and my god, you will definitely love every page of this book. Don't wait and grab a copy of yours today.


Winding Up

With the year coming to an end, I am taking a week break from reading books. I am linking all the books below for you to purchase or you can directly purchase them from your nearest retail outlet.

Enjoy your holidays and a happy new year πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

  1. The Alchemist
  2. Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu
  3. Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma
  4. Mahayoddha Kalki: Sword of Shiva
  5. The Richest Man in Babylon
  6. Rogue Lawyer
  7. The Immortals of Meluha
  8. The Secret Of The Nagas
  9. The Oath of the Vayuputras
  10. I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works
  11. Think and Grow Rich
  12. Skipping Christmas: Christmas with The Kranks
  13. The Girl on the Train

Till next time!

Namaste πŸ™

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