Monday 29 July 2019

Book Haul: Books from Speaking Tiger Books.

Hello! 

Back in May, Speaking Tiger Books was having a summer sale and had some amazing deals on some of their titles. I spend a good hour browsing their site and picked up 10 books that sounded amazing and ones I can't wait to read. 

I will say though, their shipping charges were off the charts but given that the books were heavily marked down it sorta made sense. But still, it did give me cause to pause. But I eventually decided to get me these amazing books and support and independent publishing company. 

I am so excited about these books and let's see them now, shall we? 


My sister read this book last week and loved it. 
Set in Amboli in the 1940s it is a collection of interconnected short stories set amongst the East Indian community. My sister loved these stories and these people and I can't wait to read it myself. 


Set in 1984 and centred around the riots following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, this book promises to be moving read about a tumultuous time in our history. I am quite excited to read it soon. 


I read Belonging  by Umi Sinha a couple of days ago and OMG I loved it. 
We follow three generations of the same family British/ Anglo-Indian family, set during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 and the World War, it does a fantastic job telling the stories of three lives marked by tragedy. 
Full review coming soon. 
I have so much more to say. 


Mughal History is one of my favourite periods to read about and do a deeper dive into. So I am stoked to find out more about Gulbadan, the sister of Humayun and aunt of Akbar. 


A thriller about a family with some supernatural gifts. Sounds like fun. 


A dystopian set in the near future. 


More short stories. 


A memoir. India's first Dalit autobiographical account, I cannot wait to read and learn more. 
I have heard nothing but incredible things about this book and have been meaning to read it for a long, long time. 


My first brush with Naga literature and this one was so so so good. 
Part folktale and lore and myth and partly just a story about village life and a mother and daughter duo working hard to survive. So good. I cannot wait to read more from Easterine Kire. 


A story of dreams and simple wants and living in poverty. It sounds both sweet and moving and I am sure I am going to love it. 


BOOKS BOUGHT/// 

1. Don't Run, My Love by Easterine Kire 

2. Baluta by Daya Pawar 

3. Woman to Woman by Madhulika Liddle 

4. Like a Pinprick to the Heart by Shujoy Dutta 

5. When the Moon Shines by Day by Nayantara Sahgal 

6. Bicycle Dreaming by Mridula Koshy 

7. A Village Dies by Ivan Arthur 

8. Stillborn Season by Radhika Oberoi 

9. Belonging by Umi Sinha 

10. Gulbadan by Rumer Codden 

Thursday 25 July 2019

Book Review: Never Look Back by Alison Gaylin


Book: Never Look Back

Author: Alison Gaylin

Pages: 368

Read on: Kindle

Read in: 4.5 hours

Plot Summary: When website columnist Robin Diamond is contacted by true crime podcast producer Quentin Garrison, she assumes it's a business matter. It's not. Quentin's podcast, Closure, focuses on a series of murders in the 1970s, committed by teen couple April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy. It seems that Quentin has reason to believe Robin's own mother may be intimately connected with the killings.

Robin thinks Quentin’s claim is absolutely absurd. But is it? The more she researches the Cooper/LeRoy murders herself, the more disturbed she becomes by what she finds. 

Living just a few blocks from her, Robin’s beloved parents are the one absolute she’s always been able to rely upon, especially now amid rising doubts about her husband and frequent threats from internet trolls. She knows her mother better than anyone—or so she believes. But all that changes when, in an apparent home invasion, Robin's father is killed and her mother's life hangs in the balance.

Told through the eyes of Robin, podcaster Quentin, and a series of letters written by fifteen-year-old April Cooper at the time of the killings, Never Look Back asks the question:

How well do we really know our parents, our partners—and ourselves?

General Thoughts: The premise of this book reminded me of some other book or TV show, but now,  for the life of me, I can't remember what it reminded me of! Anyway, the premise is not 100% original, but it has all the masala for the makings of a good, gripping thriller! 


Things I Liked:
1. The Bonnie and Clyde-esque murder spree of the 1970s is what first got me hooked to this book. A young, school-age couple off on a murder spree in the tumultuous 1970s in America was interesting for a number of reasons, but mainly, because this was also the Charles Manson era, full of political and socio-cultural turmoil and change in the US. So, a story set in the 70s, featuring a young serial killer couple was something I was quite excited to read about! Then, there is the whole podcast angle! I like the inclusion of true crime podcasts into crime thrillers! I enjoy true crime podcasts myself- click here to see some of my faves- as I find the storytelling and analysis quite interesting. So, seeing a mix of both those elements along with a daughter wondering if her suburban, housewife mum could've been a killer got me all excited about the book! 

2. I also liked the whole question around- how well do we know our parents?- because let's face it, no matter how close we are to them, they'd lived a whole life before we came into it and we will never really know how our parents were as kids, teens or young adults. Even as "grown ups", we will always see them as our parents and not connect with them at the age of 30-something with ourselves at the same age. So, I was curious to see how the author handles this dynamic and aspect of the plot and, I am happy to report, that it was, indeed, handled quite well. Robin learns more and more about her mother, her parents' relationship, the people in her mother's past etc. after Quentin shares his suspicions about her mother's past with her. 

3. Now, coming to the podcast aspect. Unlike, Are You Sleeping?, where a podcast is key to reviving interest in an old crime, in this book, we see the process that goes into producing a podcast- the research, the pre-podcast interviews, the chasing down of leads, the traveling to suss things out before including them in the podcast etc. So, it was quite interesting to get a glimpse into that process as well. Quentin and his producer/friend follow every lead that claims that Robin's mother is, indeed, the presumed dead teen serial killer- Alice Cooper. 

4. The storyline and pace are pitch perfect in this book. The book is a page-turner and with so much to cover, plus moving between the 1970s to present day and told from 2-3 different perspectives, there is never a dull moment in this book. Seriously! The book is told from 3 primary perspectives- Quentin's, Robin's and letters written by Alice Cooper whilst she was on her murder spree to her unborn daughter. Each of these perspectives are nicely done and work well together to bring the story alive. 

5. There are some good red herrings in this book. You are often left wondering if Robin's mom is Alice Cooper or is one of the two other appropriate aged women? You wonder if perhaps Robin's mom knew Alice in some capacity? So, that was nice that it wasn't the most obvious thing and even if you latched on to who Alice Cooper was or is, the events and characters in the book make you repeatedly question that assertion. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. I wasn't wholly satisfied at the end of the book. The mystery aspect was fine, it was just that I found myself with a whole lot of unanswered questions at the end of the book. Not to spoil anything, but we find out something about Robin's parents but are left with even more questions about their relationship and dynamics at the end of the book. It makes no sense for the author to do that and end the book in such a rushed manner. 

2. I wish there were not some too convenient connections in the book between some key characters. The mother of one character ended up knowing the sister of another and so on and all this during the key and central point in time. It was a too little too convenient! 

Rating: 4/5 

Wednesday 24 July 2019

Haul: Pins from Say It With a Pin.


Hello! 

Today I want to share a super cute haul of pins. I got these delightful pins a while back...March? April, maybe? 
Well, the point is I got them and I've been using them but I haven't shared them on the blog and these are too cute to not be shared on here. So here we go! 

I got these gorgeous wooden pins from Say it With a Pin, this was my second time ordering from them and I love, love, love everything I got. 

These are so well made.
Such a good size.
The art is fantastic and made in collaboration with artists. 
Most of the pins I got, for instance have been designed by Pranita Kocharekar, whose art style I immensely enjoy. 


Journal Your Anxiety. 
This might as well be my mantra in life. 
Journal my anxiety away is one of my sure fire methods to work through the maze of my anxiety and make sense of the chaotic thoughts running through my head. So this pin spoke to me at all levels. 



Hello beautiful! 
Got this one for my sister, she loves all things birds and I knew she'd love this little guy. 


I am Fabulous. 
Some self affirmation vibes on fleek! 


A cute little cat lady. 
What's not to love?! 

Tuesday 23 July 2019

Book Review: Left from the Nameless Shop by Adithi Rao.


Book: Left from the Nameless Shop

Author: Adithi Rao

Pages: 328

Publisher: Harper Collins

Read On: Paperback

How Long it Took Me To Read: 2 days

Plot Summary: A boy communes with the gods by talking to a pillar. The 'hibiscus girl' has her head in the clouds and feet gently planted in her husband's home. Two women, married to the same man, find a strange camaraderie binding them together. The whole town gathers to save the friendly neighbourhood shopkeeper's ice cream from spoiling in the heat. Short-tempered Seshadri hides a terrible shame in his outbursts. A grandfather passes on the magic of self-belief to his grandson. Reminiscent of Malgudi Days, Adithi Rao's debut Left from the Nameless Shop is a charming collection of interconnected stories set in the 1980s featuring the residents of Rudrapura, a small, fictitious town in Karnataka. This is a place bubbling with energy and the sense of community - one you probably lived in and loved while growing up. These are stories of the life you have left behind. One that you hope to return to.

Things I Loved: 

1. Guys, go get this book right now. It is such an amazing book. Seriously, just go get it. If you've read or watched Malgudi Days- this book will rekindle some of the same memories. It is nostalgic and wonderful and warm. So good. This is hands down one of the best things I've read all year. I also made my sister read it and she loved it too. 

2. I love a book with interconnected short stories. To see the same characters pop up in other stories and get more to know them better throughout is such a treat. 

3. I adore books with kind, good, gentle characters. People who I would love to meet in real life. The people in this book was gems. Simple and good and every single one of them deserves good things coming to them. I loved, loved, loved spending time with them. They were a delight to get to know and spend time with. 

4. The setting of this book Rudrapura, a small town in Karnataka came alive in these stories. It sounds like such idyllic place to live and raise your family. The small town ethos and the sense of community was portrayed so well. 

5. Even in terms of themes, Left from the Nameless Shop offers a variety of them. We have stories of a widow making it on her own terms, of the bond between a grandfather and his grandson, of a love that stood the test of time and adverse circumstances, of the gentle, everyday kind of love, of complicated marriages, of complicated family dynamics, of everyday kindness, of little charities, of little acts of kindness.. Basically, there is something that will resonate with you from the many short stories in this book. 

6. The many characters and their stories come together in a beautiful and meaningful way in the last two short stories. You will feel like cheering, crying and just being happy to see what the not-so-educated but very determined people of this little town achieve for themselves! Such joy! 

Rating: 5/5 
Highly recommend this book! Very reminiscent of Malgudi Days and, perhaps, of your own childhood and the times when life was so much less complicated! 

Monday 22 July 2019

Netflix Reviews: Typewriter



We (my sister and I) just finished binge-watching the new Netflix India series- Typewriter. We thought we should review it, in case any of you were thinking of watching it! 

General Thoughts: I'll be honest here, the trailer for Typewriter did not draw me to it. In fact, based on the trailer alone, I had little to no interest in watching the show. It just did not seem interesting. The only reason I started watching the show is when I found out that it has been written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh- a man whose previous work (Kahaani) I've enjoyed. So, my sister and I decided to watch the first episode and see if it hooked us.. and, it did. So, let's jump into the review, shall we? 

Things We Liked: 

1. The show has several elements that appeal to us- horror, a mystery, kids, a doggo, a book at the centre of it all and set in a small town. Put all these ingredients together and you're, most likely, guaranteed an interesting soup! So, that was one of the first few things that drew us into the show. 

2. The look-and-feel of the show was quite nicely done. We see three time periods on the show- 1952, 1982-83 and present day and each of these looked distinct and era appropriate. I liked Bardez Villa itself. It was large, imposing and spooky without being too over-the-top spooky, because, let's face it, who would live with their kids in a super spooky house?! It was atmospheric enough for a horror show but not so scary that you can't imagine a regular nuclear family living in it. 

3. I liked that the kids were very kid-like. They were not uber-smart or uber-grown up or uber-precocious. They were typical 9-10 year olds. Sometimes they got scared, sometimes they were brave, their plans were childish, sometimes their plans made sense.. basically, it is a sign of very intelligent writing to write kids and their shenanigans as they ought to be. Nothing was unrealistic or over-the-top. They were kids, not superheroes. 

4. The performances were all good. The grown ups and the kids did a really good job. Jishu Sengupta was very good as Amit Roy, Purab Kohli was perfect as a single father cum police officer and Palomi Ghosh was also very good as Jenny. The kids were cute and natural and nothing they did seemed over-the-top or fake. 

5. The story arc for this season was interesting. It picked up tempo at the right time and was spooky but not overly spooky with unnecessary jump scares. The five episode series was very well paced. You got to know the characters in the first two episodes and then, very organically, the action ramps up. 

6. I like that we got breadcrumbs of information throughout the series instead of all the suspense being built up to be revealed in the last episode. Sometimes too much build up is a bad thing! 


Things We Didn't Quite Like:

1. There were several loopholes in the story, especially, when it came to the pivotal event that happened in 1983. There is a lot brushed under the carpet in terms of procedure, consequences etc. by just saying that Madhav Matthews (Jenny's grandfather, owner of the typewriter) was a very influential man and could do as he pleased in Bardez. It just does not make sense and a lot of what happened in 1983 does not add up, especially, with regards to the motive of the antagonist- Fakeer. What was Fakeer's grand plan in doing what he did in 1983? It makes no sense and we hope that there is a good explanation for this in Season 2!

2. The last episode was silly and very anti-climactic. The events of the climax were crafted just to leave a cliffhanger situation for Season 2 and was most unsatisfactory for viewers like us, who'd been watching the current series and hoping for a satisfactory resolution of events! It was just too lame, stupid and manipulative! The last five minutes were such a let down! So disappointed! There are a million other ways to leave a cliffhanger! There were many other ways of achieving the same end result that would've been far more satisfying! Gah! Anyway! 

3. Jenny's husband- Peter- had his own parallel storyline going on, which was not really required as a sub-plot, unless, of course, there is some connection with events in Season 2. Peter was disjointed from this whole narrative that involved his wife, his son and the very house he lived in. So much so that he wasn't even home the night the events of the final episode went down! Like I said, not sure why we needed to see his side hustle and the issues he is dealing with in his business... It didn't tie in with the rest of the narrative and I wish it did. 


In Sum: Overall, we did enjoy the series and glad we spent our weekend binging this! However, there are some glaring flaws and the last episode is quite a let down. But, we do recommend watching it because of the build up. It's also low-medium on horror quotient. So, if you, like my sister, don't enjoy horror, you can still watch it. There were only a few moments that were scary. 

Wednesday 17 July 2019

Book Review: How The Sea Became Salty by Sudha Murty.


Book: How The Sea Became Salty

Author: Sudha Murty

Pages: 40

Publisher: Puffin India/ Penguin Random House

Read On: Paperback

How Long it Took Me To Read: 15 minutes

Plot Summary: A long, long time ago, seawater was sweet and drinkable. How it became salty is a remarkable story.

India's favourite storyteller brings alive this timeless tale with her inimitable wit and simplicity. Dotted with charming illustrations, this gorgeous chapter book is the ideal introduction for beginners to the world of Sudha Murty.

General Thoughts: The publisher kindly sent me this darling little book for review. Thank you :)
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Things I Liked: 

1. The writing as always (I really enjoy Sudha Murty's writing and story telling) was simple and beautiful and moving, all hallmarks of Murty's writing style.

2. The art in these pages is truly beautiful and add so much to the story.

3. This is a perfect way to introduce kids to the beauty of Sudha Murty's writing.

4. The tale itself is simple and delightful. A mix of magic and a life lesson conveyed simply but effectively.

5. This was such a happy story and a such a fun read. Aimed at children but I see no reason why adults couldn't enjoy this folklore over a cup of coffee. Beautiful story telling and even prettier art. What's not to love?!

Rating: 5/5

Highly recommend.
Buy it for the kiddo in your life!
Or for yourself!

Tuesday 16 July 2019

Book Review: Circus Folks and Village Freaks by Aparna Upadhyay Sanyal.

The writer very kindly sent me this gorgeous book for review in June.
Thank you :) 
All thoughts and opinions are my own. 








Book: Circus Folks and Village Freaks.

Author: Aparna Upadhyay Sanyal

Pages: 180

Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications

Read On: Hardback edition pictured above

How Long it Took Me To Read: 2 days

Plot Summary: Meet the beautiful people of the Circus, and the freaks who live in the Village next to them. Mangled, jangled, misunderstood, all find place in the rich tapestry of this book. 

Siamese twins separate to lose half a heart each, and find snake-man and tiger-taming lovers. A man bitten by a crocodile becomes a God, and a Devadasi woos the entire countryside with her culinary artistry. 
Fates intertwined lead sometimes to tragedy, sometimes happy summits of fame. A clown finds his place in Hollywood and mute animals break unspeakable chains. A twisted man falls in love with a mirror and a white man is unmade by the Indian sun. 
In this book are tales for every season and every reason. Tales of human depravity that take innocent lives, and of a murderers’ insanity that follows, a fitting revenge by nature, red in tooth and claw. 
These stories are told in the form of narrative poems in rhyming couplets. 
Look inside and you will find, you have been to this Village. Surely, you have been to this Circus too.
Things I Liked: 

1. When I agreed to review this book, I thought this was a collection of short stories. Only its not. It's a collection of poetry. Verse. It was a surprise. I don't normally read a lot of poetry, it's just a personal preference and had I known this was book of poems I probably would have declined it. But this book was a pleasant surprise. One that I am glad I read.

2. The writing is beautiful and the couplets seems to be constructed effortlessly and with so much life. These poems were a delight to read.

3. The book itself is gorgeous.

4. Each poem is preceded by some very whimsy art. Some odd (to match the subject matter) and some just beautiful.

5. The topics these 18 poems touches upon topics that are so diverse and relevant and important to our lives and times. Homosexuality, prejudice, small mindedness, illicit love affairs, mental illness and violence. Each of these hard hitting topics is handled with so much care and grace.

6. So many of these poems and these stories are so deliciously odd and strange and weird and fun that is was such a ride reading them.

7. Similarly, some were so powerful and sad and just heart breaking that they hit you hard and will linger on for a while.

8. I really loved that this was such an accessible work of poetry. Anyone can read and enjoy these poems. Even if, like me, you aren't a regular poetry person.

9. Some of these tales are dark and macabre and if that is something you enjoy, a little walk on the dark side of the human psyche this is a good book to pick up.

10. The thing I loved best about this book is just how real it felt. All of the characters came across as real people. Odd, misfits, living on the fringe of society, deformed, judged and abhorred- these were real people. People you can't help but root for. People only looking for connection and community and love. They will break your heart and stay there long after you've turned the last page.

Rating: 4/5


Monday 15 July 2019

Book Haul: Books of May 2019 + Mini-Reviews.


Hello! 

Let's play some serious catch shall we? 

I bought all of these beautiful books back in May and hadn't gotten around to sharing them on here. 
I did do an IGTV video hauling these and some other books I've bought since, I have really been enjoying doing book hauls over on my IGTV but I still, obviously want to share my new books on here as well. 

So let's jump into all the new books and some little reviews too. 


Short stories set in Assam, I am going to read these in August for my Indian Books in August. Yay! 


Leila by Prayaag Akbar: God this book! 
This damn book. I read this in pretty much one sitting and scared out of my mind. Speculative fiction meets dystopian meets this is happening right now. This book will move you and scare you and I hope make me see the problem plaguing us. 
I also have since seen the Netflix show and it's not the best and so different from the book. It's still unnerving and disturbing but its too slow and way too repetitive. 
The book is loads better. 
Highly recommend. 


Read and reviewed. 


I am so looking forward to these collection of short stories from Manav Kaul, I tried reading his stories in Hindi but I read Hindi so slowly it infuriates me. So I am very glad these are now available in English. 


Stories centred around Delhi, yes please! 
I really want to visit Delhi this year and I am going to read stories set in Delhi and manifest the trip into being. 


I have always had a somewhat of a soft corner for this idiot. I just think all of this stupid ideas and his historic infamy always intrigued me. 
I am looking forward to this book. 


Added two more of these Faber Stories books to my collection, which brings up my current collection to 12 of these short story books. 
I read Terrific Mother and it was nice..it was OK. I am finding that a lot of these books are a hit or miss...but still they serve as a good sampling of a writer's work. 


This was honestly a cover buy. I haven't read any Paulo Coelho since I read The Alchemist back in the day. So I am looking forward to this book which is supposed to be fairly autobiographical and is set primarily in the 60s and 70s. 


More diverse reads from the length and breath of this country. 
Cannot wait to get to these stories. 


Ismat Chughtai is one of the first women writers I read from India, I first read her short stories when I was 14 and they blew my mind. This is the fist ever full length novel of hers I've ever read. Well novella length actually and they are so good. They have a lot of of the same elements her shorted fiction does- strong women, rebellious women and family dynamics and society. 
Also, how gorgeous is this book?


I spent most of my Saturday trying to get into this book but no...it just didn't work out. 
I got two stories in and I just couldn't get into the tone of this book. 
I may pick it up later..but not something I am in the mood for it right now. 


BOOKS BOUGHT/// 

1. Cosmopolitian by Akhil Sharma 

2. Terrific Mother by Lorrie Moore 

3. Diary of a Malyali Madman by N. Prabhakaran 

4. A Full Night's Thievery by Mitra Phukan 

5. Leila by Prayaag Akbar 

6. The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey 

7. A Night in the Hills by Manav Kaul 

8. The Walls of Delhi by Uday Prakash 

9. Muhammed Bin Tughlaq by Anuja Chandramouli 

10. Hippie by Paulo Coelho 

11. These Hills Called Home Temsula Ao

12. The Heart Breaks Free & The Wildone by Ismat Chughtai 

So much happy reading in my future. 
:O

Tuesday 9 July 2019

Book Review: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager



Book: Lock Every Door

Author: Riley Sager

Pages: 384

Read on: Kindle

Read in: 4-5 hours

Plot Summary: No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

Things I Liked:

1. I find stories based in spooky homes, apartment complexes etc. very, very interesting! I guess it has something to do with the idea that a building absorbs some of the negative energy for the crimes that have been committed within its walls. I used to be fan of this short-lived (one season only) TV series called 666, Park Avenue, which was about a fancy building in New York where spooky, scary things happen. So, yeah, I guess, the premise of this book was similar to the TV show, which made me pick it up. Of course, it helped that I have enjoyed Riley Sager's previous books and was excited to jump into this one. 

2. The offer made to Jules is so ridiculously and obviously fishy and I was glad that the author included a voice of caution in Jules' life in the form of her friend- Chloe. I despise thrillers where there are ginormous red flags, but no one in the protagonist's life calls them out for what they are! So, this was, actually, quite refreshing.

3. The book is very fast-paced. Jules lives for a total of only 5 days in The Bartholomew and things happen at quite a breakneck speed. Always nice in a thriller. Also, this is a very tightly written and sharply edited book and there aren't any chapters or events that function as fillers. 

4. The real 'twist' of what is going on at The Bartholomew is quite interesting. Perhaps you'll see it coming, perhaps you won't, but it is an interesting route to take and I, for one, found it kinda predictable but still nice. 

5. There are elements of horror/ supernatural hinted at in the book and that also made it more dark and intriguing, which is always a good thing be! 

6. The various 'apartment sitters' we meet in the book are likeable. They're all young, hard-on-their-luck people and I, especially, liked Ingrid. Even Jules is a nice enough character- I may not be able to 100% relate to her, but I understand where she is coming from and the decisions that she made. So, that's a good enough space for a crime/thriller character to inhabit. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. The offer made to Jules (and the other apartment sitters) and the explanation behind the apartment sitting itself had some glaring loopholes as a plot device. First of all, the offer was too good to be true. You don't have to be a naturally cautious or sceptical person to see that such an offer always comes with some kind of a catch. It was ridiculous! Also, the explanation behind why the empty apartments needed sitting was beyond ridiculous- to the extent of it being completely irrational and unbelievable. The author was trying for an iron-clad set of circumstances and "rules" within which Jules would have to operate and which would make her situation more and more dire as time went on. However, the author could've done better. I don't see, realistically, anyone taking up such an offer with a relaxed and joyful frame of mind, which is what the author has depicted all the apartment sitters to be in when they first move into their respective apartments! Especially, Jules! I mean, she was couch surfing at Chloe's and was not being kicked out or anything. She didn't have to take up this offer, unlike poor Ingrid, who was practically homeless! So, like I said, as a plot device, this whole offer, terms etc. piece could've been done better. 

Rating: 4/5 (It gets 0.5 stars for its sheer unputdownability!) 
 

Saturday 6 July 2019

Whimsy Wear: Pink!



Hello! 
Long time no outfit post. 
So let's change that right now.
Well, this is no recent outfit. 
In fact, this is an outfit from last year, in October end I wore this very pink number for Kojagori Lokkhi Pujo, Bengali's Lakshmi Puja. It was a fairly warm evening, back in the hometown and I wanted to wear something comfy and breathable instead of something more dressy. Plus, this was strictly a family thing so not like I had to dress up a ton. 

I wore this gorgeous cotton number with palazzo pants to stay comfy and we nimble enough to run errands and hand out prasaad and help with little Pujo things. 
I did wear a lot of silver, well she is the Goddess of wealth after all :) Plus Maa wanted me to have some 'real' jewellery on. 

These aren't the best pictures but these are the only ones I snapped. 
:( 




Love the subtle floral print on this kurta. 


Love my little accessories. 



WHAT I WORE/// 

Kurta: Byloom, Kolkatta 

Palazzo Pants: Westside 

Cuff: Earthaments 

Bird Brooch: By Paulami 

Pendant: Levitate, Bangalore 

Rings: Silver House, Colaba 


Tuesday 2 July 2019

Hello July + Things That Make Me Happy.



Hello July! 

Hello Rains! 

Hello Happiness! 

:) 

I am so happy July is here and with it the second half of 2019. 
How does time go by so fast?! 
But the second half of the year is my favourite so I am very happy to see all that this time of the year has to offer. 
:) 

I want to start this month with some Joy and share some things that have been bringing me sheer joy and happiness recently. 

So let's get into it...


1. First up this lovely little book that warmed my heart and made me smile and cry and fill me up with such good vibes. Left from the Nameless Shop by Adithi Rao was something I read in the last few days and it made me so happy. It's set in a tiny village in Karnataka in the 1980s and is full of kind, simple and good people. Interconnected short stories tell us tales of everyday life and village happenings and honestly some of the best people I've met in a book in a long time. I cannot recommend it enough. I am making my sister read it right now. 
5/5 
If you were a fan of Malgudi Days, this is just the book for you. 


2. Cake for no reason. 
Cake for cake's sake. 
This one was a Kit-Kat cake of dreams. 
So good! 



3. Rains in all their glory! 
So happy the monsoons are here. 
There is something about the rains that act as such a reset button for me. Everything is better in the rains. 
Except unexpected power cuts, like the kind I endured last night. 11 hours with no power and pouring rain through the night. 
:( 
But still I love the rains with my whole heart. 



4. This gorgeous little customised bag from Studio Joyeeta. 
A girl with curly hair and glasses and daises and sunflowers! 
Ah! Perfection. 


5. A Sunshine-y Yellow Tote Bag from Chiaroscuro
Love yellow. Love woven leather. Love this bag! 




6. Re-useable Tote Bags
It is always nice to carry re-usable fabric tote bags with you to bring home groceries or even when you are out shopping the sales. Anything to reduce the circulation of plastic is a good thing. Plus, look how cute the illustrations on this bag are! 



7. Seasonal Fruits
It is so important to eat seasonal fruits, especially, in the summer. Helps one stay cool and it helps that they are delicious! These Indian cherries were amazing! They were sweet and juicy! 




8. Summery Prints
I love wearing soft cottons and hand-block printed outfits during the summer- perfect for hot, muggy days! However, alas, it is now time to say bye to all my whites and handmade leather Kolhapuris and such till October! Mumbai monsoons are not for these delicate things! Crocs and dark colours it is, for now! 




9. Books and Coffee
Perfect companions for rainy day! Cute bookmarks help as well! :) 




10. Thriller and Spooky Shows 

We've been binge watching some good thrillers and spooky shows on Netflix and these are just the ticket for rainy nights in! Highly recommend High Seas (Spanish) and The Chalet (French) for some quick weekend binge fest!