I first came to know of Anupama Dalmia and Piyusha Vir, through Women’s Web, an India based e-magazine. Following them on social media, I became aware that they both have recently released works of short fiction. As I’ve always admired their work, I knew I had to read these books.
Aarohi
Relevant to current realities, Aarohi by Anupama Dalmia is a short story that is both heartwrenching and inspiring. Anusha and Aarohi are instant BFFs who bond over badminton. When Aarohi disappears, Anusha goes looking for her, and the mysteries just pile up. Who is Aarohi? What does she want? Anupama Dalmia unpacks these questions and writes with sensitivity about delicate issues. The writing does lean a bit towards “telling” rather than “showing” for my liking, but that doesn’t take away from the impact of the story or its central message. Well-plotted and paced, Aarohi is a short read that says some important things.
Purchase links:
Author bio: http://anupamadalmia.com/about-me/
Just Another Day
Short, intense and brilliant, Just Another Day by Piyusha Vir is a collection of three short stories that chronicle the little and big things that can happen in a day that completely turn around a person’s life–from something as shocking as a murder, to a hot new neighbour. We hear these stories through the “mindvoice” of the protagonists, and are firmly placed in the time and space they occupy. This elicits a great deal of empathy from the reader, which is essentially what a well-crafted story does. In Writer’s Circle, Piyusha Vir gives us a rare treat–a complex female protagonist that one would love to hate! In Happy Birthday, Saisha, the reader knows what is coming, but is locked in, unable to stop reading. Elevator Tales in comparison is a cutesy love story, but with twist at the end which will make you want to read it again. The language is clean and sharp, and the pace keeps one hooked. A quick read, that packs in a surprising amount of wow!
Purchase links:
Author bio: https://wanderingsoulwriter.com/about/
I greatly recommend both these wonderful reads.
thereadingdesk 
I had never heard the Anusha until recently, when I purchased Anusha of Prospect Corner by fellow blogger Amal at The Misfortune of Knowing. Do you know if it’s a common Indian name? Amal’s character is Sri Lankan.
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Anusha is a pretty common Indian name. I’ve known at least three Anushas personally 😊 it means “beautiful morning” in India. Not sure if it means the same in Sri Lanka, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.
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Thank you for the lovely review! 🙂
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