📚 Between Pages: The Reader’s Real Story ft. Komal Shahani

Welcome to “Between Pages,” a raw and reader-first series hosted by Sameeksha Manerkar (@sameeksha_reads), where we explore the real stories behind the readers, their bookish identities, and their unfiltered thoughts. This week, we’re featuring Komal Shahani, a corporate professional who finds her peace and passion between pages.

✨ Meet the Reader

Name: Komal Shahani
Instagram: @komalshahani_author

“Hi, I am Komal Shahani. I work in the corporate world – some might say a corporate slave by day, but beyond the 9 to 5, I’m a passionate writer and an avid reader. When not doing these, you’ll find me watching movies, exploring different genres and narratives. I believe in balancing the structured world of work with the creative freedom of expression.”

📖 Bookish Identity

What do books mean to you—in one line?

Ah, books are a different world to me. I feel I can get lost in them — sometimes to get some peace or maybe to escape reality.

If your life were a genre, what would it be?

Definitely drama. Life is never the same — sometimes you are happy, sometimes sad. Ups and downs are part of life.

Do you read for escape, clarity, healing, or curiosity?

Everything, sometimes to escape reality and sometimes just for peace.

What’s your idea of a perfect reading moment?

Perfect reading moment is when I have a book in one hand and tea in the other with no phones around.

What’s a book you wish more people talked about?

A Thousand Splendid Suns. I still remember a scene from that book where Rasheed forces Mariam to eat rocks as some form of punishment. It sent chills down my spine.

💭 The Book-ish Truth

What’s one thing you miss about the old Bookstagram?

Authenticity and simplicity.

What does a 5-star book mean to you?

To be honest, it completely depends. A person could really like a book while another might regret reading it, because it’s about perception. And in today’s world, 5-star ratings are easily bought, so better to go by your judgment.

Which book felt like a warm hug on a bad day?

Always Famous Five series and Sudha Murthy’s books.

What’s one trend in the book community that’s overrated?

That people think classics are good — not everybody likes classics. I like reading simple books too at times.

If you could change one thing about Bookstagram, what would it be?

People judging each other on the basis of each other’s book tastes.

🎨 The Creator Side

Have you ever faced burnout while creating content? How did you deal with it?

Yes, every six months I feel burnout. But then I think – what’s more important, likes and views or my own peace of mind? So, I usually take breaks in between. Also, I think that creativity can’t be created under pressure.

How do you recharge your creativity when content feels repetitive?

I often take breaks from social media, go into nature, read more books, comfort books, to be precise.

What’s one thing you feel isn’t talked about enough in the bookish creator space?

Reviews, especially where they sell reviews. There are people who create groups of reviewers, pay them ₹50-100 for a review, and those reviewers are not even reading the books. Those are called bulk reviews sold by people to authors, and that’s how ratings are generated on Amazon.

🔍 Unfiltered Quick Picks

One book you’d reread forever:

Many –  Khaled Hosseini books, Ruskin Bond’s books, Pride and Prejudice.

A comfort author:

Sudha Murthy.

My toxic reading trait:

I like to re-read the books because they are comforting and I know the ending.

If book covers were dating apps, I’d swipe right on:

Colourful covers 🙂 

❤️ From Pages to People

Book friends who’ve been part of your journey:

Pournima Navan, she is a writer. We met on Instagram and it’s nice connecting with her.

✨ End Note: Komal’s Kind of Story

In Komal Shahani’s world, books are both an escape and a return to self. From re-reading comfort classics to navigating burnout with grace, she reminds us that reading doesn’t have to be performative, it can be peaceful, personal, and powerful in its quietest moments.

Her honesty about bulk reviews, judgment within the community, and the pressure to fit in is a breath of fresh air, a reminder that authenticity matters more than algorithms. She reads not to impress, but to feel. And in doing so, she becomes the kind of reader who inspires others to do the same.

Here’s to colourful covers, honest stories, and readers like Komal  who choose connection over curation, and passion over perfection.

If you want to be a part of this series – fill this interview form