Kashfia Hassan
Sipping a delicious drink is one of the best ways to enjoy reading a book. However, to ensure maximum satisfaction, the feeling the book evokes in you must be complemented by the flavour of a drink. Below is a list of incredible reads which I have paired with the perfect beverage so you can make the most out of your reading sessions!
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng – Hot Chocolate
This book is a family’s character portrait which reflects how the mysterious death of a 16 year old girl causes the family to crumble and fall apart. As they struggle to pick up the pieces, they are forced to face the truth: despite being a close knit family, they do not really know each other at all.
Filled to the brim with heartbreak, secrets and mystery, this book will suck all the life and happiness out of you and leave you crumpled up like a dry leaf in a corner. A warm hug in the form of a cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows is exactly what you need to get you through this.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – Black Coffee
When a second preteen girl goes missing in her hometown in Missouri, Camille Parker, a young troubled reporter, is forced to return home to her unstable, hypochondriac mother to cover the story. The more she uncovers about the mystery, the more she realises how deeply it is interwoven with her past.
With a fair share of unhinged characters and a generally unhealthy and disturbing atmosphere, this psychological thriller is sure to get under your skin—which is why a cup of strong black coffee can help flush out all the grunge. This incredible, dark, twisted tale is sure to mess with your head!
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman – Masala Tea
Neil Gaiman has a true gift when it comes to capturing the true essence of magical realism perfectly. The story opens with a middle aged man visiting his hometown for a funeral, and there, sitting by a pond, as a past he hasn’t thought about in years, comes flowing back to him, we are taken on an incredible journey with unreal monsters, strange ageless girls and a pond that is really an ocean. Every detail is so surreal that you will struggle to uncover which is real and which is imaginary.
The subtle, dreamlike impression this book will have on you will make you crave a flavourful cup of milky Masala Tea.
Roar by Cecelia Ahern – Orange Mint Tea
Containing 30 short stories designed to empower women and reassure them that they are not alone in their woes, this book is refreshing to its very core. Thus, adding a few orange slices and some mint leaves to a cup of tea is the best way to enjoy all the flavours this book has to offer.
These stories bring out the numerous and diverse struggles women must face on a regular basis with a hint of magical realism—it is a must read for all women. However, it is not for those who lack imagination, before you dive in, you must suspend your disbelief.
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton – Cinnamon Latte
Sorrow seems to follow the Roux family wherever they go and when Viviane Roux gives birth to a human girl with the wings of a bird, she is desperate to protect her from the danger that lurks outside their home. After spending 16 years hidden away from the outside world, Ava finally ventures out, only to discover that her mother had been right after all.
A book with rain, sorrow and fragrances as the prominent themes set around the life of a girl born with wings—a creamy latte with extra Coffee-Mate and a pinch of cinnamon is sure to help transport you deeper into this world of melancholic magic. This is a must read for lovers of rain, heartache and magical realism.
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami – Vanilla Tea
If you’re a fan of Murakami, you don’t need any convincing to dive into this, but if you’re unfamiliar with his work, then this is the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with it. The story is about a young boy who is trapped in the library by a brain eating maniac. There are a range of bizarre, colourful characters and unexplainable incidents and, like most of his stories, there are a lot of loose ends which the readers are left to interpret in their own way.
I really don’t want to give out much about the plot, I’d rather you went into it with a clean slate and a cup of vanilla tea in your hand (add a few drops of vanilla essence to your tea). This delicious little novella will leave you feeling as satisfied as a 300 page novel.
Kashfia Hassan loves to write professionally and for fun.