Book Title – A Second Cup of Tea

Author – Various

Publisher – The  Hive

A second cup of tea by The Hive Publishers is a fantastic offering of a variety of stories, ranging from rib-tickling humour to feel-good tales to stories which would bring happy tears to the reader’s eye and tug at the heartstrings.

Talking of humour which happens to be my favourite genre, The Cupidian Catastrophe by Pallavi Sawant-Uttekar occupies the numerous uno position. I loved it.  I admire the way the story is written, neither going over-the-top nor crossing the boundaries of below-the-belt humour but still managing to make me guffaw loudly.

Nothing Fishy about it by Narayani Manapadam is rocking hilarious. Not for nothing am I a die-hard fan of this amazing author. A love story set in a Bengalee social setting of a docile son and his overbearing Maa and rounded off with a beautiful suitor, the author weaves her magic to make it a breezy read.

Another humorous offering which caught my attention and made me grin like a cheshire cat while reading, was The Chronicle of Concurrent Anniversaries by Dakshata Kudanekar. This story finds humour in the most mundane domestic tasks which got amplified during the work from home Covid times. Of course, another reason for liking it, is that the writing is very similar to the style of yours truly.

Never Alone by Khushboo Shah is a delightful story where the humble cutlery comes alive to narrate a charming tale of a lonely widow and conspire to banish her loneliness.

I happened to glance at the name, ‘Hampi’ in one of the stories and was intrigued. Hampi is one of my most favourite places in India so I started reading the story with extra interest. Roots among the Rocks by Srivalli Rekha is a sublime story of seeking and finding one’s roots.

The Second Anniversary by Nepomanjaree and the Second Proposal by Gowri Bhargav touched me with their effortless narration and pathos.

Which brings me to GAR! Chu Yatee! By Shweta Mathur Lall. Such a beautiful story of old friends rendered apart by suspicion and mistrust during the most unfortunate and sad episode of Indian history.

Rama’s Choice by Ramanjaneya Sharaph and The Nightingale of the Round Table by Luisa Kay Reyes  spin an alternate narrative of historical tales with aplomb and one must appreciate the authors for attempting them.

These and the other charming stories make A Second Cup of Tea a must read and I found this Second round of Tea an upgrade over the previous Tea with a drop of Honey.

Yatindra Tawde