It’s the spring of 1984 in British Columbia, and life is just getting exciting for Esha. A secret that looms over her family has reinforced her proud resistance to her family’s Indian identity. However, one day changes everything, and Eshas well-thought-out rebellion is put to the test. In the blink of an eye, she is forced to step up and fulfill her father’s last wish, taking her thousands of miles away to a place she never dreamed of visiting: India. Forced to follow traditions she has denied her whole life and fighting the temptations of an unlikely love interest, Esha must now confront her new reality. As she comes to understand her heritage, she also becomes a victim of the highly unstable political climate in 1984 Delhi. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has just been assassinated, political tensions rise, and now only one chant can be heard: Blood for blood. Esha must fight to survive the three days of brutal chaos that erupts throughout Delhi in the aftermath of the prime minister’s assassination.

It's the spring of 1984 and life is getting exciting for young and beautiful Esha. However, one day changes everything, and she must fulfill her father's last wish, taking her to a place she never dreamed of visiting: India, where she also becomes a victim of the unstable political climate.

About the Book: The famous novelist Orhan Pamuk has said – “I read a book one day and my whole life was changed.” StoryMirror has been instrumental in changing the lives of people by providing a unique platform for writers and readers alike. Storytelling or reading stories – transitions one into another realm, to explore various shades of human emotions. Each story teaches us something, makes us ponder and provides an opportunity for some soulful reflection. In this hectic and monotonous life, a storybook can help us dream, make us believe in fairies, keep us lively, give us hope and some stories can even give us the courage to deal with our day-to-day problems. It is rightly said by George Saunders, “When you read a short story, you come out a little more aware and a little more in love with the world around you.” It is a difficult task to choose a handful of stories from the plethora of interesting content on StoryMirror but the very best stories have been selected and brought to you by the means of this book. They are a result of the hard work and determination of promising writers. The writers have questioned their imagination and desire for writing and presented to us their most imaginative, engrossing, fascinating and gripping creations. This collection of short stories will provide an opportunity for the readers to access the best stories and also bear ample evidence to the vast corpus of work on the StoryMirror website. We hope it touches your heart and soul. Hope you have a great reading experience!

“In a world where we are so often dividing ourselves into us and them, this book feels like a kind of magic, celebrating all beliefs, ethnicities, and unknowns.” —The New York Times Book Review Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets Roswell by way of Laurie Halse Anderson in this astonishing, genre-bending novel about a Mexican American teen who discovers profound connections between immigration, folklore, and alien life. It’s been three years since ICE raids and phone calls from Mexico and an ill-fated walk across the Sonoran. Three years since Sia Martinez’s mom disappeared. Sia wants to move on, but it’s hard in her tiny Arizona town where people refer to her mom’s deportation as “an unfortunate incident.” Sia knows that her mom must be dead, but every new moon Sia drives into the desert and lights San Anthony and la Guadalupe candles to guide her mom home. Then one night, under a million stars, Sia’s life and the world as we know it cracks wide open. Because a blue-lit spacecraft crashes in front of Sia’s car…and it’s carrying her mom, who’s very much alive. As Sia races to save her mom from armed-quite-possibly-alien soldiers, she uncovers secrets as profound as they are dangerous in this stunning and inventive exploration of first love, family, immigration, and our vast, limitless universe.

A boy's coming of age early this century in a village in Wales. A tale of poverty, failed strikes, death, madness, and refuge in religion. The late author was a poet and journalist.

The story of Cinderella is transported to snowy Russia in Jan Brett's lavish style. One magical night, Cinders, the most picked upon hen in the flock, becomes the most loved by Prince Cockerel when she arrives at his ball looking so beautiful that even her bossy sisters don't recognize her. Jan travelled to Russia and readers will be in awe of the Ice Palace aglow under a deep blue moonlit sky, exquisite ball gowns on the comely pullets, uniforms with gold braids and buttons on the cockerels, striking Russian architecture transformed into ice in the borders, and a very funny flock of chickens who provide an appealing, original look at this snowy Cinderella. Readers will find these dressed up chickens comical as they pour over the extravagant setting, including a "WOW"-inducing double gatefold of chicken couples whirling around the ballroom. A feast for the eyes that is sure to become a perennial favorite.

The Moonlit Path is an anthology of writing by figures from throughout the spiritual world on the dark feminine. Known variously as Lilith, Kali, the Black Madonna, Morrigan, Guadalupe, and Tara, the dark feminine appears in many cultures and throughout the ages. "It is only by embracing her,"writes Murray Stein in his preface, "that we can learn intelligent tolerance of paradox, tough-minded respect for important differences, and compassion for the alien other in our midst."