Weekend Reads: These fiction, non-fiction books are absorbingly fascinating

Here is a list of books that can offer you engrossing experiences with emotions, adventures, comedy and life's lessons weaving an entrancing atmosphere that is magical.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
An intensely captivating narrative, 'The Wishing Game' takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. The characters are endearing and move you to several emotional highs. The story revolves around a once best-selling author who comes up with a new book and a competition centred on it. A competition, which is supposed to change the life of the winner altogether.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
Abandoned by her family, a sixteen-year-old pregnant girl runs away and finds refuge in a man who offers her a modest life devoid of the luxuries she had enjoyed before. Meanwhile, the daughter Mia finds exploring vistas beyond the boundaries of their 'community' and breaking rules. Nevertheless. she faces the consequences. There are two powerful female protagonists in the book following a trail of love and adventure, good and evil. The plot meanders through heart-breaking moments and at the same time holds hopes aloft.

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
Paul Murray's 2023 novel, 'The Bee Sting' is a fascinating tale of the Barnes family in Ireland. Once powerful and wealthy, the family struggles with a fledgling business of car dealership. The life of the patriarch of the family, Dickie Barnes, forms the pivotal subject of the novel. The Booker Prize-nominated book is an engrossing read set in Ireland post economic crash. The absorbing narrative seamlessly weaves comedy and tragic nuances with an uncanny poise.

A Complete Biography of Ratan Tata by A K Gandhi
A man of many distinctions, Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Tata Sons, never ceases to enthral readers with his life's stories. 'The Complete Biography of Ratan Tata' chronicles the turning points and milestones in the life of the celebrated industrialist. A philanthropist to the core, Ratan Tata, still heads the charitable trusts. Illustrating the family tree, the childhood, the evolution of the business conglomerate and the diverse areas the business doyen's focus has reached out, the book offers a magnificent read.