Intro

Three months in a row. Am I awesome of what?

December 2025 Reading Roundup

I planned to read all Indian authors from my shelf. Of course, that would be too much, so I picked the pile from the back of the shelf.

A nice mix, isn’t it?

1. The Most Eligible Bachelor — Satyapal Chandra

A novel about love at first sight, twice. This sounded more like a memoir than a novel. Also read detailed review if you’re more interested in how I felt while reading the story.

Detailed review here: Book Review | The Most Eligible Bachelor | Satyapal Chandra

The Saga of Love via Telephone — Pankaj Pandey

Another story about love at first sight.

Detailed review here: Book Review | The Saga of Love via Telephone | Pankaj Pandey

A Caribbean Mystery – Agatha Christie

With this wild-card entry in December 2025, I officially entered my Agatha Christie era. Too late, perhaps, but better late than never, right? Loved the quirky characters and the gossip. Oh, the gossip. What fun it was.

Detailed review here: Book Review | A Caribbean Mystery | Agatha Christie

Not Supposed to Happen – Lizzy Barlow

Love Not For Sale — Anurag Garg

I wasn’t the target audience, that’s all I’d like to say.

Detailed review here: Book Review | Love Not For Sale | Anurag Garg

Big Dream of a Small Town — Santosh Gupta

Srilaaji: The Gilded Life and Longings of a Marwari Goodwife — Shobhaa Dé

After the last four “surprises” from the planned stack, and two wild card entries, I chose a known name this time, even though the subject matter was clearly out of my comfort zone. But then, Shobhaa De’s last novel I read back in 2015 Sethji was also along the same lines, so…

A few pages in, last minute things to do for office deliverables and only a few hours left in December 2025. Let’s just say this gets carried over to 2026.

Becoming Mrs Kumar — Heather Saville Gupta

Just like Srilaaji, this one is also a few pages in, love the prose. This one also gets carried over to 2026, along with others listed below.

Carried Forward from July 2025

Delusions of Grandma by Carrie Fisher

Started on July 8th, for the third time since this book came into my possession and honestly, can’t relate to Carrie—who people find quirky, self-aware, and sharp.

Parking aside as “to-read” instead of “currently-reading”.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Began on July 21st. I know, I know… “Finally?” Yes. I’m late to the March sisters party, but better late than never. Current thoughts: Jo is everything people promised me she’d be. Also because “Little Women played an important role in The Giver of Stars. I would have finished it if it was not an ebook. Trying to reduce screentime, you see. Parking aside as “to-read” instead of “currently-reading”.

Planned for January 2026

Done with Indian authors. I have a few books by David Baldacci and a few other books in my mind. I think I’d read those in January 2026; begin the year with some some crime and suspence.

1. Eleven Numbers by Lee Child: I have a backstory about it, later.
2. Carryovers from 2025:
   1. Srilaaji— Shobhaa Dé
   2. Becoming Mrs Kumar — Heather Saville Gupta
   3. Delusions of Grandma — Carrie Fisher
   4. Little Women — Louisa May Alcott
3. David Baldacci

For that, wait till next month’s recap.

Happy New Year (Not that I believe in that kinda stuff).

Shabana Mukhtar