The DS Books staff are thrilled about the return of the "Best Reads" series. Read on as we share our thoughts about the books, published in 2021, which made us escape into the most diverse of worlds (ones where the pandemic is a distant memory, if even that). While this list isnt exhaustive—it’s simply the books that have most stayed with us this year so far—it is complete with gut wrenching tales of heartbreak and wonderful stories of triumph, which transport the reader to the outside without requiring them to step outside our humble abodes.

Fitzwilliam Darcy. You know who we are talking about.

Getting published in 2021 is harder than you think. Take these tips.

Rumaan Alam is interested in contradictions—our presumptions of who should own what, in the textures of modern life.

I picked up this book while trying to find a good therapist in this dreary land.

For Mahera help came not only in the form of relatable characters, but also the physical comfort derived from holding onto a book. "I've carried a book or a Kindle with me during the worst times of my life. It's like a security blanket," she told me.

Ananya, one of the leading creative publication houses in Bangladesh, largely publishes novels, short stories, poetry books and children's literature.

The New York Public Library shared their top ten picks for the greatest love stories of all time. They can melt your heart, make you laugh and leave you longing for a tissue. Whether you are looking for that special someone or blissfully in love, these ageless classics know just how to pull on those heartstrings. So, jump under the covers, turn down the lights and tuck into the most sought-after romantic novels of all time.