Monday 27 June 2016

Book Review: The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza


Book: The Girl in the Ice

Author: Robert Bryndza

Pages: 396

Read on: Kindle

Read in: 4-5 hours

Plot Summary: Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice…She is not the only one. 

When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation. 

The victim, a beautiful young socialite, appeared to have the perfect life. Yet when Erika begins to dig deeper, she starts to connect the dots between the murder and the killings of three prostitutes, all found strangled, hands bound and dumped in water around London. 

What dark secrets is the girl in the ice hiding? 

As Erika inches closer to uncovering the truth, the killer is closing in on Erika. 
The last investigation Erika led went badly wrong… resulting in the death of her husband. With her career hanging by a thread, Erika must now battle her own personal demons as well as a killer more deadly than any she’s faced before. But will she get to him before he strikes again? 

Things I Liked: Listy-list right here:

1. This book had me at the "gripping serial killer thriller" blurb. I mean, come on! What's not to like about a serial killer thriller? 

2. There were a few red herrings- the dead girl had led a very colourful life- and so, the actual killer was not very obvious up until the 50-60% mark of the book. 

Things I Didn't Like: Quite a few things, actually:

1. Now, this book was pegged and blurbed as a serial killer thriller. It wasn't really a serial killer thriller at all! The body count was a measly two! Pathetic! The whole point of a serial killer-centric thriller/ mystery is that there should be semi-frequent murders, which make the reader wonder what's going on, whilst also helping shed some light on the serial killer's MO etc. This book was a big fail in that aspect! 

2. The other deaths linked to the serial killer pop up only at the 75% mark of the book and they are all cold cases, so it does nothing to excite the reader at all. 

3. The book seems very repetitive and annoying, especially, since the lead detective on the case- Erika- has a huge immigrant chip on her shoulder and keeps screwing up or gets screwed over and then gets hysterical and goes and does her own half-baked investigating! I am all for deep personal angst as a tool for character development but in this book there was no character development at all- only angst. 

4. It is pretty obvious who the killer is because in the very first chapter when the girl is getting killed, the killer is referred to as "a very familiar face", which clearly implicates one of the three men in her life. So dull. 

Rating: 2/5 
I don't know why this book is all hyped up on Goodreads and YouTube. Clearly some paid promotions at work here. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. 

Sunday 26 June 2016

Sunday Times/// Silver Jewellery + Rains!






Hello! 

I just did a disappearing act on this little blog of mine. 
My Internet was acting a little funny and truth be told I've been busy being social with family and friends in the hometown. 

It's been delightfully rainy here and I've been loving it. 

We've been going on day trips and little shopping excursions and eating delicious food and I've been especially loving all the lovely local snacks! 
I am happy! 

Reading has been a little slow...but honestly...that is just expected! 

I will be back with more from my trip and some reviews of books me and my sister have read recently! 

Have a lovely Sunday folks.
My Sunday is sunny after a week and there is a wedding reception to attend in the evening. 

:) 

Tuesday 21 June 2016

Book Review: A Walk Across The Sun by Corban Addison



Book: A Walk Across The Sun

Author: Corban Addison

Pages: 371

Read on: Kindle

Read in: 4-5 hours

Plot Summary: When a tsunami rages through their coastal town in India, 17-year-old Ahalya Ghai and her 15-year-old sister Sita are left orphaned and homeless. With almost everyone they know suddenly erased from the face of the earth, the girls set out for the convent where they attend school. They are abducted almost immediately and sold to a Mumbai brothel owner, beginning a hellish descent into the bowels of the sex trade.

Halfway across the world, Washington, D.C., attorney Thomas Clarke faces his own personal and professional crisis-and makes the fateful decision to pursue a pro bono sabbatical working in India for an NGO that prosecutes the subcontinent's human traffickers. There, his conscience awakens as he sees firsthand the horrors of the trade in human flesh, and the corrupt judicial system that fosters it. Learning of the fate of Ahalya and Sita, Clarke makes it his personal mission to rescue them, setting the stage for a riveting showdown with an international network of ruthless criminals.
 

Things I Liked: Here's the list: 

1. We'd read The Garden of Burning Sand by Corban Addison a couple of years ago and had sort-of liked it. It got a solid 3.5 from us (my sister and I) and so, when I saw this book on sale on Amazon, I thought why not?! The premise seemed decent and, moreover, the story was set in India against the backdrop of the 2004 tsunami that devastated several parts of the eastern Indian coast along with Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. So, this felt like it would be a good book to read. 

2. This book is fairly expansive. As in, it moves across countries and you get to see the seedy underbellies of some of the biggest cities in the world- Paris, New York and even aamchi Mumbai. Reading about the human trafficking network in so many countries and the ways in which they operate was fairly enlightening as well. 

3. The book does a good job of bringing Mumbai alive. The descriptions of various parts of the city- Bandra, Napean Sea Road, Santa Cruz and Kamathipura- seem fairly on point. 

Things I Didn't Like: Here is a list: 

1. The book starts on the morning of the tsunami- a cataclysmic event in which the Ghai sisters lose their parents and their grandmother. Now, unlike any sensible 17-year old, who'd probably just hunker down at home or find any surviving neighbours, this Ahalya chick decides to make her way to her nun at her boarding school. This is a family of means. The author refers to the Ghai's Land Rover (not a car a middle class family can afford) and for two girls from such a family, I can assure you they will have options that don't include feeling completely adrift and lost and heading back to school instead of going to a hospital or a police station. 

2. The book is terribly rambly! There is a lot of unnecessary details and the story meanders a lot, especially, once the action shifts to America. I couldn't wait for this book to get over! 

3. While Ahalya's fate seems more realistic, Sita is luckier than the luckiest of four-leaf clover! Whatever happens (or *SPOILER* does not happen) to her is a bit nuts! 

4. In certain parts of the book Ahalya seemed really, overly naive. Like even stupid! She is 17 from a major city in India in 2004! Not in 1806! So many of her actions and decisions seem like they are of a girl from a rural and uneducated background and not someone with accesses to a decent education and means. Perhaps a little more research on how 17-year old girls from wealthy families in Chennai think and behave would have made this story and book a LOT more relatable! 

Rating: 2.5/5 


Monday 20 June 2016

Monday Moods: Coffee Chronicles.









Hello! 

For this Edition of Monday Moods I thought I'd do a little love song for Coffee!
I adore coffee.
And the only way coffee gets better is if it's had in a place of beauty.
A cozy coffee shop.
A little bookstore.
A corner of your home that comforts you.
And of course in the hills.
Actually anything is good in the hills.
The cold breeze, the clean air and majestic views for miles. 
In Landour every cup of coffee was a dream.
Relished with love.
And had in utter calm and peace. 

Hope your Monday is treating you well.
Mine is rainy and cloudy and lovely.
I've had my cup of coffee with a side of rain and reading.
Perfection really! 

:) 


Wednesday 15 June 2016

General Whimsy/// Verdant Green.


Driving through the forrest. 
&
My gorgeous little bag! 








"Green fingers are an extension of a verdant heart." 

I love the greenery here in North Bengal.
Trees and woods.
Rivers.
And endlessly long roads to take you to prettier spots. 

I love being home. 

:)

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Book Review: Honour by Elif Shafak



Book: Honour

Author: Elif Shafak

Pages: 342

Read: The paperback edition pictured above

Read in: 2 days

Plot Summary: Internationally bestselling Turkish author Elif Shafak’s new novel is a dramatic tale of families, love, and misunderstandings that follows the destinies of twin sisters born in a Kurdish village. While Jamila stays to become a midwife, Pembe follows her Turkish husband, Adem, to London, where they hope to make new lives for themselves and their children.

In London, they face a choice: stay loyal to the old traditions or try their best to fit in. After Adem abandons his family, Iskender, the eldest son, must step in and become the one who will not let any shame come to the family name. And when Pembe begins a chaste affair with a man named Elias, Iskender will discover that you could love someone with all your heart and yet be ready to hurt them.

Honor is a powerful, gripping exploration of guilt and innocence, loyalty and betrayal, and the trials of the immigrant, as well as the love and heartbreak that too often tear families apart.
 

Things I Liked: Quick list:

1. The premise of the story is very interesting- the book covers a wide range of experiences from the life of two girls in a Kurdish village in Turkey to the immigrant experience in England. The multiple stories and experiences that can stem from such a varied journey is what drew me to this book. 

2. Also, I really like Elif Shafak's writing style. I read The Forty Rules of Love by her and really, really loved it! I also enjoyed The Bastard of Istanbul by her and was excited to read Honour as well. 

3. I loved the stories set in Turkey- that of Pembe and Jamila, of Adem's family, of Adem and his love story. There is something so innocent, simple yet beautiful about stories set in the 1960s and before. Pembe and Jamila's life in their village is what sets the tone for this book- the beliefs of the villagers, the strict 'honour' codes in the Kurdish-Turkish culture, the unwillingness to forgive any small trespasses/ mistakes, especially those made by women... all very interesting and portentous to what happens in London around 20-odd years since these events. 

4. The characters are all very well-etched, like they tend to be in Shafak's books. You get to really know and understand Pembe, Adem, Iskender, Jamila and several others during the course of this book. 

5. The book also deals with the duality of the immigrant's experience- the need and urge to fit in with the new socio-cultural reality whilst trying to hold on to what is known, trusted and understood. The struggle, ironically, is especially tough on Iskender, who left Turkey at 7 to move to the UK. Whilst his siblings Esme and Yunus are much more well-adjusted and have no angst about their new life in the UK. 

6. There is also an interesting sub-plot about Yunus' unlikely friendship with a group of rebels and outcasts (punks) who live in an abandoned mansion in their neighbourhood. There is a motel crew of characters in this mix who seem so typical to that period- very well captured and it made for such an interesting contrast with what Iskender was going through at that time. 

7. Honour, at a basic level, is about honour killing. It is about the notion that a family's honour rests on the delicate shoulders of its women. From Pembe's eldest sister being forced to hang herself and Pembe's own experiences when she embarks on a totally chaste romantic relationship with Elias, the barbaric notion that a woman who has besmirched the family name deserves nothing less than death is a very persistent theme in this book. It is, especially, tragic because honour killings happen even today in so many parts of the world, including urban India! Such a shame! 

Things I Didn't Like: Nothing much, really. There were some chapters from Adem's perspective, which were supposed to help us understand him better and while those were necessary (because it is very difficult to empathise with Adem!), I found them a bit tedious. I'd have rather read more about Jamila's life in her Kurdish village or about Pembe and Elias. 

Rating: 4/5 
Highly recommended if you enjoy historical fiction, stories about multiple generations of the same family and just well-written books, in general! 
 

Monday 13 June 2016

Monday Moods/// Wedding Tales.

Hello! 

So the last week has been all about family wedding and running around and doing things and spending time with family and taking a bunch of pictures and eating Bengali food. 
There was also some unnecessary family drama but I just don't even want to think about it.
Instead let's focus on the good and the happy. 


Wedding Lights.
Blurry yet beautiful. 



Ganga Nemontonno/// An invitation is send to Ganga to bless the union and come to the wedding. 

If Ganga doesn't flow close by, then any river will do. 
Or a pond or any natural water body will do. 




The wedding mandap. 
And the Boron Dala///A set-up used to welcome the groom to the girl's house. 


Most of the other pictures are of my many family members smiling and laughing away to glory. I don't feel comfortable sharing those on here. 

Book related posts will be back super soon! 

:)



Saturday 11 June 2016

Book Review: If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan



Book: If You Could Be Mine

Author: Sara Farizan

Pages: 247

Read On: iPad

How Long it Took Me To Read: 2 days

Plot Summary: In this stunning debut, a young Iranian American writer pulls back the curtain on one of the most hidden corners of a much-talked-about culture.

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light.

So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly.

Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self?

General Thoughts: I loved the sound of this book. And I love books set in Iran and I wanted to read a LGBTQ story set in this fascinating country and culture. 

Things I Liked: 

1. The writing was good, engaging and a pleasure to read. 

2. The love and the angst it bring for these girls was shown so well. 

3. Reading about the marginalised in Iran was really insightful and heartbreaking in equal measure. 

4. Apart from Sahar and Nasrin we also see other characters that are on the fringe of society. Transgender people struggling to make it in this world. The support group they run was also interesting to read about. 

5. I also really liked Sahar's father, he is struggling in his own way- with the grief of his wife's death-- and trying to make ends meet. But he was gentle and kind and supportive. 

6. The ending to me also made a lot of sense and I really appreciated it. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. I really didn't like Nasrin. I found her spoilt, brash and not worthy all of this fuss Sahar made over her. Sorry if that sounds rude but she was utterly not worth it!

2. Also the book eventually felt very rushed and in a mad dash to finish. 

3. Sahar is supposed to this really together and sorted person. Yet her decision to change her gender comes so quickly and without any thought or any real idea of what this entails! This is so stupid. Changing your gender is a BIG FREAKING DEAL! How can anyone just want to undergo a major, life-altering surgery without any thought. Stupid really. 

4. This plot and premise had so much potential yet it failed to deliver. 

Rating: 3/5 

While I did enjoy this book and I am glad I read it, overall this wasn't a book that really blew my mind. 


Friday 10 June 2016

Book Review: Three Souls by Janie Chang.


Book: Three Souls

Author: Janie Chung

Pages: 439

Read On: My Kindle

How Long it Took Me To Read: 3 days

Plot Summary: An absorbing novel of romance and revolution, loyalty and family, sacrifice and undying love

We have three souls, or so I'd been told. But only in death could I confirm this ... So begins the haunting and captivating tale, set in 1935 China, of the ghost of a young woman named Leiyin, who watches her own funeral from above and wonders why she is being denied entry to the afterlife. Beside her are three souls—stern and scholarly yang; impulsive, romantic yin; and wise, shining hun—who will guide her toward understanding. She must, they tell her, make amends.

As Leiyin delves back in time with the three souls to review her life, she sees the spoiled and privileged teenager she once was, a girl who is concerned with her own desires while China is fractured by civil war and social upheaval. At a party, she meets Hanchin, a captivating left-wing poet and translator, and instantly falls in love with him.

When Leiyin defies her father to pursue Hanchin, she learns the harsh truth—that she is powerless over her fate. Her punishment for disobedience leads to exile, an unwanted marriage, a pregnancy, and, ultimately, her death. And when she discovers what she must do to be released from limbo into the afterlife, Leiyin realizes that the time for making amends is shorter than she thought.

Suffused with history and literature, Three Souls is an epic tale of revenge and betrayal, forbidden love, and the price we are willing to pay for freedom.

General Thoughts: I've had this book on my Kindle since it first came out!
I've wanted to read it since then but for some reason or another, rather some book or another this has not made it to my reading list!
A couple of nights back, while browsing on my Kindle I started reading it and couldn't put it down! 
I loved it and was sucked into this story! 

Things I Liked: 

1. I am always looking to read more diversely. I do read plenty diverse books from all over the world but I haven't read that many books set in China or really South East Asia even! This is some thing I want  to amend. And this book was a very good first step in that direction. 

2. I loved the setting of this book. China in the 1920s-30s. I've studied a little bit of Chinese history in college and this book brought all of that flooding back. Names I studied such a long time ago and politics and socio-economic climes and changes all came back to me via this book. I loved this. And I am grateful to know and remember my Chinese history! 

3. The three souls were so well explained and each of these souls are so well etched out and it was so well written and became important characters in the novel. 

4. Leiyin was such a lovely person to get to know and see her life and her mistakes and see her journey. 

5. The writing was stellar. 

6. There wasn't a dull moment in this book. The story moves along swiftly and I kept turing pages to see what happened to Leiyin and those she loves. 

7. The family life of a Chinese family was shown so well and it made for such interesting reading. I learnt so much about their social norms and their protocols. The existence of concubines and illegitimate children being acceptable for one such thing I found utterly fascinating. 

8. The book goes back and forth, to a flashback of Leiyin life and her mistakes and then to the discussion about it with her souls. I loved this format and the introspection it evoked. 

9. I loved Leiyin's family, especially her sisters and their marriages and the choices they make in their lives. I also loved the sly correspondence that went on between the sisters. 

10. The latter half of the book is devoted to the things Leiyin does as ghost to ensure the safety of her daughter. So this changes the pace of the book slightly and the flashbacks stop but we get to see her family, especially her in-laws and husband live their lives after her demise, this too was very interesting. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. The last 20% of the book wasn't as enchanting or riveting as the beginning. I felt the narrative lost some steam as Leiyin began her life as ghost and tired doing things to ensure a better life for her daughter. 

2. Also some reveals made in the end of the book were fairly easy to guess. 

3. Also some of the things Leiyin does are clearly self-destructive and mistakes, yet even though she is such an intelligent and perceptive person she fails to see through the manipulations of a past love/crush. 

Rating: 4/5 

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. 



Thursday 9 June 2016

Book Review: Kismetwali and Other Stories by Reetika Khanna Nijhawan


Book: Kismetwali and Other Stories

Author: Reetika Khanna Nijhawan

Pages: 300

Read On: Paperback

How Long it Took Me To Read: 2 days

Plot Summary: Set against the backdrop of modern-day India, Kismetwali and Other Stories places the reader amidst circumstances that transcend place, purse and prestige. This octet of novellas offers a rare glimpse into the parallel lives of the privileged and penniless, converging on those astonishing moments when free will intercepts fate and the rigid divide between social classes is rendered insignificant. Each narrative showcases walas and walis of the working class - the common yet essential purveyors of goods and providers of service - as empowered individuals who take centre stage.

The shavewala, a humble barber, becomes an intimate collaborator in a love story that spans the seven seas; the malishwali, a long-serving masseuse, conceals her mistress’s shocking secret while offering a gift of revelation to another; the kismetwali, a clairvoyant of unremarkable pedigree, solicits cosmic benefaction for her affluent clients. These socially eclipsed characters are the true protagonists in every story.
General Thoughts: I was drawn to this book for months and months. I spotted it at Om Book Store and the vivid cover always drew me in. But for some silly reason I didn't pick it up. Boy! I am so glad I finally made the smart decision to get this delightful book. I loved it!

Things I Liked:

1. The writing was really good. Like, really, really good!!! I went in with no real expectations and was really impressed with the writing.

2. The people in these stories are lovely to read about. The people on the fringes of our lives, the ones we depend on but don't often think about. I loved seeing their world and their lives and seeing how they live and think. It made for very interesting reading.

3. I liked pretty much every single story in this collection. A sometimes rare feat for a short story collection to accomplish.

4. Several main characters in this collection, pop up in other stories as well. I liked this a lot. It was like getting a little more time with characters you enjoyed reading about. A little happy bonus if you will. This also meant a more fleshed out story and more depth in characters and plot.

5. The lengths of these stories varied too, and in my books this is a good thing be. Some were a little longer and while other were short and sweet and delightful.

6. Some of the stories had neat little twists in the tale--- a feature I enjoy immensely in story telling.

7. Apart from the various walas and walis in the stories, there are also characters from the other side..meaning people from the middle and upper classes. So you get to see both sides of the story and see the classes juxtaposed against each other.

8. I loved the humanity in these stories. Loved the acts of kindness and the generosity of these characters. And seeing that you don't have to have money and wealth to be a generous or large hearted person.

9. I loved how intrinsically Indian these stories are and how relatable they all were.

10. There are so many different sort of people we come across in these stories and from such varied walks of life--- a taxi driver, an air-hostess, a South Bombay rich girl, a defiant and disappointed daughter, a masseuse and so many more. There wasn't a dull moment in this read.

Rating: 4.5/5

I loved this book and I highly, highly recommend it.


Wednesday 8 June 2016

Mini Book Reviews: The Girl You Lost by Kathryn Croft & Perfect Little Angels by Andrew Neiderman


Book: The Girl You Lost

Author: Kathryn Croft

Pages: 318

Read on: Kindle

Read in: 4 hours

Plot Summary: Eighteen years ago, Simone Porter's six-month-old daughter, Helena, was abducted. Simone and husband, Matt, have slowly rebuilt their shattered lives, but the pain at losing their child has never left them. Then a young woman, Grace, appears out of the blue and tells Simone she has information about her stolen baby. But just who is Grace - and can Simone trust her? When Grace herself disappears, Simone becomes embroiled in a desperate search for her baby and the woman who has vital clues about her whereabouts. Simone is inching closer to the truth but it'll take her into dangerous and disturbing territory. Simone lost her baby. Will she lose her life trying to find her?

Review: The interesting premise of this book is what made me pick it up on Amazon. However, this was a, largely, disappointing read because this premise did not live up to its potential at all! The book starts off with two college-going, young parents, who are very over-whelmed with their six month old daughter, but who love her nevertheless. Then, that baby is kidnapped whilst out in a park with her grandma and then the story jumps to 20 years later. Grace shows up and claims she is Helena. And what does this silly Simone person do?! Not take her very seriously at all! There is no sense of urgency in finding out who this girl really is... it's all very silly. There were several very predictable elements in this book. For instance, the book has several chapters being narrated by a man who likes to rape women. It is very easy to guess who this anonymous douchebag is! 
Gah! This book was very disappointing. I finished it for the sake of finishing it! 

Rating: 2/5 



Book: Perfect Little Angels 

Author: Andrew Neiderman 

Pages: 215 

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: 2 hours 

Plot Summary: Justine Freeman and her parents move to Elysian Fields to start anew, and the picturesque town seems the perfect place to do so. In fact, their new neighborhood seems too good to be true. Their neighbors are all polite and helpful, and the streets are eerily clean. Even the teenagers of Elysian Field are perfect. They don’t drink, they don’t smoke, and they are polite to their elders to a fault.

But Justine is a more typical teenager, and while the new girl in town hasn’t yet learned how to behave like the teenagers of Elysian Fields, she will. Because in Elysian Fields, there are so many ways—horribly effective ways—to turn disobedient children into Perfect Little Angels.

Review: Okay, so this book seemed interesting because it was supposed to be a psychological thriller. However, from the very first chapter it is pretty obvious that this is a book about mind control and trying to influence behaviour. Also, this book was super-vague. It is clearly set in the 1980s, but no direct mention of the time period is made in the text. You have to infer that from the mention of 'tapes' and Madonna being the new sensation! 
Really loathed this book. 

Rating: 1/5 


Saturday 4 June 2016

Monthly Favourites/// May 2016.

Hello! 

Time to see all the things I've loved in May.
May was a funny month.
Long and hot.
But good.
It was a month spend planning our trip to the hometown.
So lots of list making and deciding on wedding outfits and the like. 
And I read a decent amount too.
Had my first Mango of the year.
Watched a ton of movies--English, Hindi and Bengali. 
Cooked a lot of delicious meals.
Shopped for pretty things.

May you were utterly lovely. 

:) 

Let's see my favourites from the month of May. 



1. Paints & Art/// My sister finally caved in and bought the Gansai Tambi 36 colour palette in May and while she is smitten and has done some beautiful little art with her new colours. I have stuck to doing dinky little swirls. It makes me happy and this palette is truly wonderful and worth every penny. 
Journaling was also a big love of mine this month.
I love making lists and writing my daily thoughts in this journal of mine.
I stick bits of memories and even doodle and draw in it.




2. Summer Sunshine/// I am no fan of summer. I pretty much hate it, truth be told.
But there is something about the summer sun. It's vividness and brightness is something special.
I have also had some truly lovely Sunday's in May.
Lazy days full of reading and delicious brunch.



3. Mango Milkshake/// Yum in my tum!
There was a lot, a lottttt of Mango Milkshake in my life in May.
And it was all wonderful and delicious! 
Also this corner of my home strewn with stacks of books is a favourite of mine. 


4. Cute New Prints/// I added a lot of cute prints to my wardrobe in May.

Above: Strawberry pjs I found while grocery shopping in Big Bazaar. I love these. Cute to boot and comfy and extremely affordable. 

Below: Popsicle print tee from Forever 21
Softer as hell and so cute! 




5. Summer Style/// I wore some version of this outfit all month long.
Cotton kurtis and colourful beads and of course silver.
Clothes that let you breathe and make summer a little bearable.



6. Favourite Stationery- Paper Geek Co.//// This has got to be my favourite stationery bits of May.
2 sets of floral Field-Notes sized notebooks.
&
2 floral ink pens.
Beautiful and lovely quality of each and every thing.
This is the second set of things we've gotten from this shop and it was just as lovely.



7. Favourite Bookmark/// How adorable is this piggy bookmark?
Very!
Spotted this and two others and had to have them.
Made out of elephant poo, I love the colour and the piggy.


8. TV Show: The Secret (Mini Series)/// Based on a true story and a confession that was 20 years in coming, The Secret, is a British mini series, which is 4 episodes long, that was interesting and very nicely made. The performances were subtle but outstanding! The series does an excellent job of building up the series of events that led to the two murders, especially, the religious delusions of the primary perpetrator, his belief that the killings were an act of kindness. This is a good, quick mini series to watch, if you want to watch a true crime drama enacted brilliantly.


These were some of the things we enjoyed in May. I hope you are having a great June!


Wednesday 1 June 2016

Hello June, 2016!




Hello June! 

Hello Monsoons!

Hello Hometown!

Hello Travel!

Hello Family!

Hello Family Weddings! 

This June finds me in my hometown in West Bengal.
A little town called Jalpaiguri in North Bengal.
This is the place my family comes from. 
My dad's entire extended family lives in the same gated compound as us.
My mother's maternal side of the family lives a 3 minute walk away.
So there is no dearth of loved ones here.
:)

I am here to attend my cousin brother's wedding.
So this holiday will be a little different from my other holidays here. There will still be a lot of resting and relaxing and chilling and hopefully reading. But there will also be loads of family time and lots of wedding related shenanigans. 

:)

I've been here almost a week now and I am loving the weather. 
It's such a welcome change after Bombay's humid weather. It rains here almost every night and it gets chilly after it. Bliss! 
I've been eating all sorts of delicious food and spending time with my parents. 

Reading has been a little slow.
I've read a few short stories here and there and read 2 books rather distractedly. 
But I have a lot of reviews lined up for the blog. My sister has been a reading machine since the very start of our holiday :) and will do a couple of book reviews for the blog. 

I hope June is a happy month.
For you & me! 

Happy Reading and Living folks :)

:)