Read Reviews • Buy Books : June 2025

This June, ChaiFry.org invites you to unwind with a cup of chai and our handpicked collection of page-turning gems. Whether you’re craving bestselling thrillers, heartwarming romances, or hidden literary treasures, we’ve curated the perfect reads to accompany your sunlit afternoons and blooming summer adventures.
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Heart Lamp

By Banu Mushtaq

Heart Lamp, Banu Mushtaq’s 2024 short story collection, won the 2025 International Booker Prize, the first Kannada-language work to claim the award. Translated by Deepa Bhasthi, these twelve stories, written between 1990 and 2023, vividly portray the lives of Muslim women and girls in southern India. Mushtaq, a Karnataka-based writer, activist, and lawyer, weaves tales of resilience against patriarchy, caste, and religious oppression with dry humor and emotional depth. Standout stories like “Stone Slabs for Shaista Mahal” and the titular “Heart Lamp” highlight women’s struggles and quiet defiance. Praised by The Hindu for its universal yet specific narratives, this collection is a powerful testament to Mushtaq’s storytelling. Available on Amazon.in in paperback, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published April 15, 2025
224 pages
Average Rating : 4.4 out of 5

Hot Milk

By Deborah Levy

Immerse yourself in Hot Milk, Deborah Levy’s mesmerizing 2016 novel, a Man Booker Prize finalist adapted into a 2025 film starring Emma Mackey and Fiona Shaw. Sofia Papastergiadis, a 25-year-old anthropologist, accompanies her mother, Rose, to a Spanish clinic seeking a cure for Rose’s mysterious paralysis. In Almeria’s searing heat, Sofia grapples with her mother’s hypochondria and their fraught, symbiotic bond. Medusa jellyfish stings and encounters with enigmatic locals, like seamstress Ingrid, propel Sofia’s exploration of identity, sexuality, and freedom. Levy’s poetic prose, rich with myth and feminist undertones, crafts a dreamlike narrative of rage and yearning. Praised by The Guardian for its Virginia Woolf-like vividness, this hypnotic tale captivates. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published June 1, 2017
224 pages
Average Rating : 3.5 out of 5

Disappearance

By Ibtisam Azem

The Book of Disappearance, Ibtisam Azem’s 2014 novel, longlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize, is a haunting speculative work translated by Sinan Antoon. Set in Tel Aviv, it imagines the sudden vanishing of all Palestinians in Israel. Alaa, a Palestinian journalist, records his grandmother’s memories of the 1948 Nakba in a red notebook, while his friend Ariel, a liberal Zionist journalist, grapples with their absence. Azem’s spare, lyrical prose weaves personal loss with collective trauma, exploring erasure, memory, and identity in Jaffa’s layered history. Praised by The Guardian as “brilliant and audacious,” this poignant novel challenges colonial narratives. Available on Amazon.in in paperback, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published April 8, 2025
240 pages
Average Rating : 4.3 out of 5

Small Boat

By Vincent Delecroix

Small Boat, Vincent Delecroix’s harrowing 2025 novella, shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, reimagines the 2021 English Channel migrant tragedy where 27 people drowned. Translated by Helen Stevenson, this 160-page philosophical tale centers on a French coastguard operator who fails to act on desperate calls for help, wrongly directing migrants to British authorities. Facing interrogation, she deflects blame, questioning why she should bear more responsibility than war or systemic failures. Delecroix’s incisive prose, blending cold detachment with raw emotion, probes moral complicity and indifference. The novel’s three-part structure—culminating in a haunting migrant perspective—challenges readers to confront humanity’s role in migration crises. Praised by The Telegraph as a “gut-punch,” it’s a must-read for fans of thought-provoking fiction. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published March 24, 2025
160 pages
Average Rating : 4.3 out of 5

One Golden Summer

By Carley Fortune

Escape to Barry’s Bay with One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune, a radiant romance released May 6, 2025. Alice, a shy photographer, returns to the lake where a single snapshot of three teens in a yellow boat sparked her career at seventeen. Now, seeking purpose after her grandmother Nan’s hip injury, she’s back at the cottage. Enter Charlie Florek, the charming, flirty boat driver from her photo, now a magnetic neighbor. Their summer bucket list ignites a slow-burn romance filled with banter, nostalgia, and steamy chemistry. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, this beach read captures love, self-discovery, and lakeside magic. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published May 6, 2025
400 pages
Average Rating : 4.6 out of 5

Under the Eye of the Big Bird

By Hiromi Kawakami

Dive into Under the Eye of the Big Bird, Hiromi Kawakami’s haunting speculative novel, shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize. Translated by Asa Yoneda, this 2024 release unfolds across fourteen interconnected stories spanning eons, envisioning a future where humanity teeters on extinction. Small tribes, watched by enigmatic “Mothers” and “watchers,” adapt uniquely—some photosynthesize, others are cloned from animal DNA. Kawakami’s crystalline prose explores love, identity, and survival, blending technical precision with poignant humanity. A cyclical narrative reveals a world both alien and familiar, posing profound questions about what it means to be human. Praised by The New York Times for its warmth amid existential puzzles, this is a must-read for fans of The Martian or Sequoia Nagamatsu. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook. Embark on this thought-provoking journey into a fragile, reimagined Earth

Published Junuary 16, 2025
288 pages
Average Rating : 4.1 out of 5

Eden's Shore

By Oisín Fagan

Eden’s Shore, Oisín Fagan’s 2025 novel, is a wild, epic tale set in the late 18th-century Americas. Angel Kelly, a naïve Irishman, sails from Liverpool on the Atlas, dreaming of a utopian commune in Brazil. A mutiny strands him in a Spanish colony, entangling him in a chaotic web of greed, revenge, and love. Fagan’s vivid cast—pirates, revolutionaries, capitalists, and spies—navigates a morally complex world of colonial violence. His lyrical, visceral prose, likened to a “maritime Blood Meridian,” blends dark humor and philosophical depth, though its graphic violence may unsettle some. Praised by The Guardian as “hilarious and beautiful,” this ambitious work captivates. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published April 10, 2025
342 pages
Average Rating : 3.2 out of 5

Atmosphere: A Love Story

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

Embark on a stellar journey with Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s captivating 2025 novel set in the 1980s NASA space shuttle program. Joan Goodwin, a reserved astrophysics professor, joins Houston’s Johnson Space Center as one of the first female astronaut candidates. Amidst rigorous training and sexism, she forms bonds with a diverse crew, including the magnetic Vanessa Ford. Their slow-burn queer romance blossoms, forcing Joan to hide her love in a prejudiced era while questioning her cosmic purpose. A catastrophic mission in 1984 tests their strength, blending heart-pounding thrills with tender emotion. Reid’s vivid characters and meticulous research make space accessible and the love story unforgettable. Praised by Kristin Hannah and Andy Weir, this GMA Book Club Pick is a must-read for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook narrated by Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio. Soar into this epic tale of love and ambition

Published June 3, 2025
352 pages
Average Rating : 4.5 out of 5

The Names

By Florence Knapp

The Names, Florence Knapp’s 2025 debut novel, a New York Times bestseller and Read with Jenna pick, explores how a single choice shapes a family’s fate. In 1987, Cora, trapped in an abusive marriage, must name her newborn son. Her controlling husband demands Gordon, continuing a family tradition, but Cora hesitates, torn between Julian (“sky father”) and her daughter Maia’s suggestion, Bear. The narrative splits into three timelines spanning 35 years, each following the family’s life based on the chosen name. Knapp’s luminous prose weaves a poignant tale of domestic violence, identity, and resilience, blending heartbreak with hope. Praised by The Washington Post as “dazzling” and “joyful,” this emotionally gripping story is a must-read. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published May 8, 2025
352 pages
Average Rating : 4.3 out of 5

Reservoir Bitches

By Dahlia de la Cerda

Reservoir Bitches, Dahlia de la Cerda’s 2024 debut, longlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize, is a raw, interconnected story collection about Mexican women surviving violence and patriarchy. Translated by Julia Sanches and Heather Cleary, these 13 tales feature bold, unapologetic voices—from a cartel boss’s daughter to a transfemicide victim, a teen mom to a socialite faking Indigenous roots. De la Cerda’s gritty, slang-filled prose, infused with dark humor, tackles femicide, poverty, and queerness, with characters who fight, cheat, and kill to endure. Praised by Kirkus Reviews for its “sobering” demand to witness Mexico’s brutal realities, it’s a must-read for fans of Fernanda Melchor. Available on Amazon.in in paperback, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published September 10, 2024

160 pages

Average Rating : 4.2 out of 5

The Gowkaran Tree in the Middle of Our Kitchen

By Shokoofeh Azar

The Gowkaran Tree in the Middle of Our Kitchen, Shokoofeh Azar’s 2025 novel, is a lush, magical realist saga set against Iran’s post-1979 revolution turmoil. A Zoroastrian family’s mansion is disrupted by a mystical tree erupting in their kitchen, symbolizing their enduring roots. Narrator Shokoofeh, 15, navigates love and loss as her family faces war and cultural erasure. The story follows twelve children lost in a mysterious palace, weaving their fates with Iran’s political upheaval. Azar’s lyrical prose blends Zoroastrian mythology, family bonds, and resistance to Islamic hegemony, though some find its dense narrative challenging. Praised by Kirkus Reviews as “wildly ambitious,” it’s a must-read for fans of The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published June 19, 2025
400 pages

Flesh

By David Szalay

Flesh, David Szalay’s 2025 novel, a New York Times Best Book of the Year, is a haunting rags-to-riches tale. István, a shy Hungarian teen, faces trauma after a predatory affair with a married neighbor ends in violence, landing him in juvenile detention. His life unfolds through stark, time-jumping chapters—from soldiering in Iraq to working as a bouncer and driver for London’s elite. Szalay’s spare, unadorned prose captures István’s emotional detachment, exploring masculinity, class, and fate. Despite his rise to wealth, István remains a passive observer, haunted by loss. Praised by The Guardian as “brilliant and wise,” this hypnotic novel is a Booker Prize contender. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published March 6, 2025
352 pages
Average Rating : 4.1 out of 5
To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement
By Benjamin Nathans

To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause, Benjamin Nathans’ 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning history, chronicles the Soviet dissident movement from the 1960s to the 1980s. Drawing on diaries, KGB files, and interviews, Nathans vividly portrays intellectuals like Andrei Sakharov and lesser-known figures who demanded the Kremlin uphold its own laws. Using samizdat texts and public protests, they challenged totalitarianism with a strategy of “acting like free people” in an unfree state. Despite arrests, exile, and psychiatric confinement, their defiance eroded Soviet legitimacy, hastening its collapse. Praised by The Wall Street Journal as “riveting,” this 816-page work offers lessons for today’s authoritarian struggles. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook.

Published August 13, 2024

816 pages

Average Rating : 4.9 out of 5

Writing The Shadow
By Joanna Penn

Writing the Shadow (2023) by Joanna Penn, a New York Times bestselling thriller author, is a transformative guide for writers seeking authenticity. Drawing on Jungian psychology, Penn explores the “shadow”—unconscious, repressed aspects of the self—as a source of creative depth. Part 1 offers tools like journaling and personality assessments to uncover the shadow, while Part 2 examines its influence on writing, relationships, and mortality. Part 3 guides writers to channel this darkness into compelling characters and themes, fostering self-acceptance and bold storytelling. Praised by The Guardian as “freeing,” this introspective work, enriched by Penn’s personal stories, inspires deeper connection with readers. Available on Amazon.in in paperback, Kindle, or audiobook narrated by Penn.

Published December 22, 2023

223 pages

Average Rating : 4.5 out of 5

Do Not Disturb

By FREIDA McFADDEN

Brace for a chilling ride with Do Not Disturb, Freida McFadden’s gripping psychological thriller, released in 2024. Quinn Alexander, on the run after killing her abusive husband in self-defense, stumbles into the isolated Baxter Motel during a blinding snowstorm. The charismatic owner, Nick Baxter, offers shelter, but the motel’s eerie vibe and locked Room 201 raise red flags. Nick’s frail wife watches from a nearby house, and a mysterious fortune teller urges Quinn to flee. As secrets unravel, McFadden weaves a web of suspense, deception, and shocking twists that keep you glued to the page. Perfect for fans of Hitchcockian thrillers and authors like Lisa Jewell, this fast-paced novel delivers heart-pounding tension and unreliable narrators. Available on Amazon.in in hardcover, Kindle, or audiobook narrated by Lauren Allman. Dive into this electrifying tale of survival and betrayal today!

Published July 1, 2025
288 pages
Average Rating : 4.3 out of 5

Let Leave the Book Open!

By Gurminder Singh

Immerse yourself in Let Leave the Book Open! (Kitab Khuli Rahne Do), a poignant Hindi poetry collection by Gurminder Singh, published in 2018 by Notion Press. Born in Uttar Pradesh, Singh draws from his rural roots and urban experiences to craft couplets that resonate with simplicity and depth. This evocative work captures the struggles of ordinary people torn between village traditions and city life, exploring themes of identity, hope, and resilience. Each poem reflects the tension of navigating old and new worlds, offering solace through its heartfelt verses. Praised on Amazon for its impactful ideas and accessible language, it’s a must-read for poetry lovers seeking emotional connection. Available on Amazon.in in paperback or Kindle.

Published December 27, 2017
176 pages
Average Rating : 4.6 out of 5