The notepad: Sara Naveed

Sara Naveed, author of the novel Undying Affinity and owner of the Book Shook publishing company, jots down her favourite reads of all-time!

Archie Comics



Archie Comics are the reason I stepped into the world of reading. As a kid, I used to collect all the editions and read them ardently. I used to be fascinated with the characters, the cartoon sketches, and the dialogues.

Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak



This book helped me in finding myself and showed me how true love changes one’s life. Moreover, the deep connection between Rumi and his spiritual mentor Shams of Tabrez was not just inspiring, but thought provoking. This was the first Elif Shafak novel I read and the experience was life-changing!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak



This novel explains my love for reading. If I were ever allowed to steal an item from a store it would have to be a book. I’d love to be a book thief and collect as many as novels as I could!

The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer



This might sound odd and a bit immature, but I’ve been a Twi-hard all my life. It won’t be wrong if I say Twilight was the first series I’d read in my life. Who can forget the ever charming and seductive vampire, Edward Cullen?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho



It goes without saying why The Alchemist inspired me so much. The line, “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it,” is supremely inspiring itself. Anyone who desires motivation in his or her life should give this book a read.

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover



This book, by Colleen Hoover, is one of my favourites and has been stuck in my mind ever since. I found it to be a perfect love story mixed with elements of sacrifice, friendship, and compassion.

Love Story by Erich Segal



I loved this book because this was the first romantic novel I had ever read.