Describe an exciting book that you enjoy reading- IELTS Cue Card

Students aiming to pursue higher education from foreign countries must prove English fluency through the IELTS exam. Generally, a band score of 6 or more is considered good for universities across the globe. Out of the four sections involved in the IELTS essay, the IELTS cue card is a part of the IELTS speaking task. 

In this speaking task, a cue card or task card containing the topic is given, and one is asked to speak on the topic for 2-3 minutes until the examiner asks one to stop. The preparatory time of one minute is provided to the candidate, where one can pen down the points.

In the topic ‘Describe an exciting book that you enjoy reading,’ you can candidly talk about your favorite book and what you loved in the book. You should maintain a logical flow of the narrative in your essays. Here are two samples to help you practice.

Describe an exciting book that you enjoy reading: Sample 1 

I have always been an avid reader or bookworm. Yet, I have always been delighted to retreat into the engaging world of books as a refuge from the vagaries of daily existence. Having been fortunate to have read many great authors over the years, choosing a favorite or exciting book is hard on my end. Yet, I will still choose the book Hungry Tide by Amitava Ghosh. He is one of my favorite writers, blending fiction and passion with the world around us, peppering his stories with a generous element of history and literature alongside. 

The book Hungry Tide is as much a universal tale of human emotions, as it is about the universality of relationships between man and his landscape. The haunting description of the Sundarbans in the book is my favorite part and the chief reason behind my excitement. Ghosh manages to create a sense of mysticism and lingering thrill that is unparalleled. The entire landscape begins to reverberate with the reader, taking him/her into an exciting world of water, marshes, crocodiles, tigers, and the emotional travails of the protagonists in this unique ecosystem. 

I continually feel the thrill (and the chills) while reading this book, although its aim is far removed from pure excitement. The story has diverse meanings and messages that I find fascinating, while thoroughly enjoying the delineation of the legendary Bon Bibi myth that governs much of the island’s practices today. In short, it is one of the most exciting books that I have read. I keep going back to it periodically whenever my mind is in need of a quick thrill!

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Describe an exciting book that you enjoy reading: Sample 2 

Books are the best companions- This is my own quote and something I am proud and happy to state today. Growing up, I was never much of a reader and I regret the years I missed out in this regard. In retrospect, however, I have managed to make up for those early years with my voracious reading of the classics, epics, and Indian and global authors alike. In this context, one of the most exciting books for me is Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, a book that is not a classic or a fiction novel. 

In spite of my taste for O’Henry and PG Wodehouse, I do indulge in contemporary non-fiction by some of India’s best authors. I find S. Hussain Zaidi to be one of them. Being a veteran crime journalist, he is an encyclopedia of information on the Indian mafia and how it evolved over time. This particular book is about the early years and rise of one of India’s most feared dons and the chief mastermind behind the tragic Bombay blasts, Dawood Ibrahim. The book has an engaging narrative, taking the reader through several incidents that laid the foundation for evil.

The narrative style is fast-paced and Zaidi talks about an entire lifetime with remarkable detail. This book is an addictive page-turner and keeps me glued to my seat until the last page. I liked the book so much that I have read it at least four times from cover to cover. I feel that nothing quite matches the thrill of a crime or murder mystery. At the same time, the narration of real-life incidents is spine-chilling and devastating in terms of their mental impact. This is perhaps the most exciting book I have ever come across.

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