By Dr. Preeti Chauhan•September 16, 2025•3 min read
August this year came with plenty of rains, and while the world outside was soaked in grey and green, I found myself spending more time indoors. The silver lining? I got ample time to catch up on my reading list. I managed to finish three very different but equally wonderful books this month – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker, and The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman. Here are my thoughts on them.
Set in Korea and Japan, Pachinko is an epic, multigenerational saga that follows a Korean family through love, loss, migration, and survival across decades. This is touching story of resilience and the choices that shape generations.
The grace with which Min Jin Lee weaves together history and human emotions in striking. Despite its length, the novel flows beautifully, with unforgettable characters that feel real and even relatable. It’s a book that makes you pause and think about family, identity, and endurance.A very inspiring and engaging read.
2. We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
Author: Chris Whitaker
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Crime / Mystery with strong emotional depth
This book was quite a discovery.The novel introduces us to Duchess Day Radley, a self-proclaimed “outlaw” but actually just a thirteen year old, yet fiercely protective of her little brother while their single mother makes ends meet by singing at a pub. Alongside her is Chief Walker, the friendly small-town policeman carrying his own share of guilt and burdens.A man convicted of murder is released and there is another murder.The story gets very interesting from there on.
Though it is presented as a crime novel, the real appeal of the book lies in its emotional pull. Whitaker balances suspense with tender moments, painting a story about love, loss, redemption, and second chances. It left me both heartbroken and hopeful — the kind of book you carry with you long after finishing.
Backman’s The Answer is No is sharp, witty, and a little absurd — a clever take on the world of politics, power, and human folly. The story unfolds through a mix of satire and drama, poking fun at how people chase control and influence.It raises the question- do we really need communities?
The best part of this book is its humor. Even while dealing with serious undertones, Backman uses lightness and wit to make the narrative engaging. It is a quick read, but one that entertains and makes you think at the same time.
August was a cozy reading month for me — thanks to the rains and endless cups of tea. Each of these books had a different flavor: the historical richness of Pachinko, the emotional crime mystery of We Begin at the End, and the satirical sharpness of The Answer is No.
Together, they made my rainy days brighter.
Have you read any of these books? How did you find them?
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No Janaki , it is not like 100 years of solitude though there are so many generations, I found this one easy and engaging and more importantly relatable.Even though I am not Korean, I could relate with their struggles and values.It is a good book women would love it.
No Janaki, not at all like 100 years of Solitude though this too spans across generations.This is from a female’s point of view and very much relatable even though I am not Korean I could relate with her struggles and dilemmas.
This post hit me: rainy August days, a cup of tea, and a stack of books is basically my perfect escape. Loved how each story lingers differently, some making me smile, others making me pause and think long after the last page.
I remember purchasing Pachinko (kindle) for #readingwithmuffy challenge but didn’t start. Now, after reading your review I am tempted to read and finish it sooner. I read anxious people by Fredrick Backman but didn’t enjoy so may be for the third.book, may be the answer is no (pun intended) and we begin at the end, sounds interesting, adding it to my TBR.
The list is definately WOW… but the sad part is I really get much time to read these days and no rain, or no sunny day can be blamed or appreciated for that. No time left for me these days for self… I feel like ” Thora aram karna da…” the numbers dropped drastically but I still do read and I will couple of months to finish that listed here but I will read.
What a cozy and inspiring reading roundup! Your reflections capture the essence of each book beautifully — from Pachinko’s emotional depth to Whitaker’s suspense and Bowman’s witty satire. Perfect companions for rainy August days and endless cups of tea
I’m inclined towards reading shorter books right now so although the other two seem like a good read I’m going to give The Answer Is No a try. Have been hearing good things about it and you seconded that too.
You have an interesting list of books to read. I am sure they must be great reads especially during the monsoon. From being a bookworm, I have turned to just digital reading.
I really enjoyed reading about your August reads! I love how you captured the cozy, rainy-month reading vibe and shared thoughtful reflections on each book. Your post makes me want to curl up with a good book and a warm drink too!
Such a lovely selection (and we have similar tastes it seems)! book 1 is on my TBR, bk 3 is a read I enjoyed too – I find this author is quite a fun read! so now i am going to check out bk 2 you’ve read and rated a 4.5!
I love that you enjoyed the rain and have a happy august to report (share).
You have added 3 books to my already long list of TBR! I don’t when I will read them, but I want to begin with Pachinko.
Pachinko is the longest of these but immensely readable.I finished 100 pages on the first day itself.
Of these books you mentioned, I have only read Pachinko and enjoyed it a lot.
Going to pick yp The Answer Is No, based on your recco.
Looking forward to your thoughts on this one Mayuri
Well, I haven’t read any of the books you’ve read last month. Pachinko intrigues me; is it like 100 Years of Solitude?
No Janaki , it is not like 100 years of solitude though there are so many generations, I found this one easy and engaging and more importantly relatable.Even though I am not Korean, I could relate with their struggles and values.It is a good book women would love it.
No Janaki, not at all like 100 years of Solitude though this too spans across generations.This is from a female’s point of view and very much relatable even though I am not Korean I could relate with her struggles and dilemmas.
This post hit me: rainy August days, a cup of tea, and a stack of books is basically my perfect escape. Loved how each story lingers differently, some making me smile, others making me pause and think long after the last page.
Thank you for the wonderful comment Meetali.
I remember purchasing Pachinko (kindle) for #readingwithmuffy challenge but didn’t start. Now, after reading your review I am tempted to read and finish it sooner. I read anxious people by Fredrick Backman but didn’t enjoy so may be for the third.book, may be the answer is no (pun intended) and we begin at the end, sounds interesting, adding it to my TBR.
Hahaha!Pachinko surely will keep you hooked with its heart warming story and description of old Korea.
What an amazing list. Adding it to my tbr..
The list is definately WOW… but the sad part is I really get much time to read these days and no rain, or no sunny day can be blamed or appreciated for that. No time left for me these days for self… I feel like ” Thora aram karna da…” the numbers dropped drastically but I still do read and I will couple of months to finish that listed here but I will read.
What a cozy and inspiring reading roundup! Your reflections capture the essence of each book beautifully — from Pachinko’s emotional depth to Whitaker’s suspense and Bowman’s witty satire. Perfect companions for rainy August days and endless cups of tea
I’m inclined towards reading shorter books right now so although the other two seem like a good read I’m going to give The Answer Is No a try. Have been hearing good things about it and you seconded that too.
You have an interesting list of books to read. I am sure they must be great reads especially during the monsoon. From being a bookworm, I have turned to just digital reading.
I really envy you as to how much you can manage to read in a month. Great reads.
The list looks amazing. Definitely would add to my TBR if only I find the magic lamp to add more hours to my day 🙂
By the way, is there a typo in your 3 rd recommendation?
It says :
The Answer is No by Frederick Bowman while the book is by Backman.
Thank you so much for pointing that out Chandrika.I have corrected it now.
I really enjoyed reading about your August reads! I love how you captured the cozy, rainy-month reading vibe and shared thoughtful reflections on each book. Your post makes me want to curl up with a good book and a warm drink too!
Such a lovely selection (and we have similar tastes it seems)! book 1 is on my TBR, bk 3 is a read I enjoyed too – I find this author is quite a fun read! so now i am going to check out bk 2 you’ve read and rated a 4.5!
I love that you enjoyed the rain and have a happy august to report (share).
Thank you for listing down my favorites. The answer is no will be listed in my TBR.