Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: April 2022.

  Hello Loves! 

April is over and I got to talk about some amazing books I read this month. 

20 in total. 

A good solid number and a mix of things I planned on reading and some I picked up when the mood struck. 

I was doing my All Bengali Books in April, but not really sticking to the All Books part of my Theme. 

I read a lot of Bengali books and Authors, but I also read other books and I am OK with not sticking to my theme. Reading must always, always be enjoyable and I am not going make myself stick to something and read something, if I feel like reading something else entirely. 

Cool. 

Now, let's do this wrap-up in two parts. 

First, let's talk about the books I did read for my All Bengali Books in April and then we can talk about the rest. 

Let's get started. 

1. Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri: Started my month with a forever favourite. Lahiri can do no wrong in my book. And this was my re-read for the month and it was just as sublime as I remembered it to be. Really loved it and I am so glad I read it again and in a physical book format this time around. 

4.5/5 

2. Taxi Wallah and Other Stories by Numair Atif Choudhury: A collection of short stories from contemporary Bangladesh. I did a review for this one, so I won't talk too much about it here. Short and moving and nicely done. 

4/5 

3. The Firebird by Saikat Majumdar: I have meant to read something by this author for a long time and I decided to start with this one. 

I don't know how I really feel about this book. 

I liked the writing, the world it's set in- Calcutta in the 1980s, I like some of the people we meet here. I really liked how the sheer helplessness of being a child is brought out so wonderfully in this book. 

But other than that this fell a little flat too me. I didn't quite connect with our central character, a young boy, who I grew to dislike quite a bit as the story progressed. Some of the motivations of the characters also felt a bit off and the worst part of this whole reading experience was reading chapters from a pedophile's perspective. Yuck. Not enjoyable at all. 

The book was overall very underwhelming. 

2/5 

4. Cat People, Edited by Devapriya Roy: A collection of some seriously wonderful writing with cats in a central role. This was a mix of personal essays, stories and some art and pictures too. I loved the time I spent with this book and it was a joy from start to finish. Even though a fair number of stories here were quite sad. A moving and funny and lovely read for folks who love cats, have a cat or want a cat. 

4/5 

5. The Boat-Wreck by Rabindranath Tagore, Translated by Arunava Sinha: Another re-read but this one feels almost brand new because this time around I am reading a much better translation and I am enjoying it so much more. A classic and one that every time I read or think about, I wish I could somehow enter the story and change it's ending. So good. Please give it read if you haven't and watch the film made by Rituporno Ghosh, it's beautiful. 

4/5 

6. A Death in Shonagachhi by Rijula Das: Another book I had meant to read since it came out last year and garnered quite a buzz. I went into this book with my expectations a little low, I didn't want to go in with inflated expectations, to only have them dashed. 

I liked this book. It's not a mystery, in the strictest of senses. There is a death and a crime and a culprit but don't go into this expecting a run of the mill whodunnit. 

I will do a full review soon. But suffice to say, this was a good read, difficult in parts, mainly due to it's subject matter but a solid debut. 

4/5 

7. Azadi by Arundhati Roy: OK, she isn't a Bengali in the strictest sense, but her dad is Bengali and so I am including her in this list. 

A searing series of essays on India, fascism and the role of fiction the world today. I loved it and I want to read more of her non-fiction. And re-read The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. 

4.5/5 

OK that's all for m Bengali Reading.

7 books. 

Not bad! 

Now for the other reads of April. 

8. The Drowning Kind 

& 

9. The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon: I read two books by one of my favourite horror/thriller writers. And they were perfectly enjoyable. I loved The Drowning Kind so much and really just was pulled into it's creepy world. This one is an out and out horror and I loved it and reviewed it. 

4/5 

The other one, her newest release I just finished yesterday and I am still mulling over it. It was nice, just not as nice as I was hoping it would be. Review coming soon. 

10. We Are Okay by Nina Lacour: My third book by the author and I enjoyed this quite a bit. I did find the ending a bit abrupt and I wanted more answers. Still good. Still moving and emotional and sad and such a wonderful and real portrayal of grief. 

3/5 

11. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James: I LOVED this book so much. Nicely done. A great mix of horror and thriller and just so so so good. Pick it up now. 

4/5 

12. My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood: A short story from one of the greats. I really love this story about a single mother in the 1950s, who may or may not be a witch. Sweet and sad and sweet. It's an Amazon Original and you can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited or Prime Reading. 

4/5 

13 - 17. Heart Stopper Volumes 1 to 4 and Mini Comics by Alice Oseman: I watched the Netflix series in two days and then, of course I had to read the books! OMG! How adorable and wholesome and sweet and full of longing and cute characters is this book?!! It was perfect and by the end got pretty real. Lovely. 

4.5/5 

18. Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough: I was feeling a little out of sorts and none of my current reads were sticking when I picked up this book and it was just what I needed. I could not put it down. At all. So good. 

I will do a review because I have a few thoughts I need to talk about . 

3.5/5 

19. Rajneeshpuram by Russell King: I love cults. And this hot mess is one of my favourite things to read and learn about. If you watched Wild Wild Country, this book is a great pick for you. You see more and learn more and see the lurid side to this megalomaniac and his minions. Well-researched and so much more in-depth than the documentary. I am making my sister read it now and we were also re-watching WWC for the fourth time. I love that documentary so much. 

4/5 

20. People in my Neighbourhood by Hiromi Kawakami: A short and strange read. Some Japanese lit and one that was in so many ways very typical of it's genre. A touch of surrealism, some magical realism and some short stories about a neighbourhood. Odd. Weird. Nice. Honestly, it's one of those things where I still don't know what to make of them. Nice writing but a little too odd..a bit much. I have heard good things about the author's other books, so I might give them a read in the future. This one wasn't strictly OK. 

2.5/5 

~~~

So that was April. 

20 books. 

Fiction. 

Non-fiction. 

Horror. 

Thriller. 

Classics. 

And a good lot of Bengali Books. 

I am happy. 

Thank-you April. 

Reading-wise you were so good! 

:) 

Monthly Favourites: April 2022.

 Hello Loves! 

The last Friday of the month means it's time to list my Monthly Favourites for the month. 

I'll be honest, April has been horrendous to me. I am not even joking or exaggerating. April has historically also never been very good to be. It was the month of school results when I was a kid. It was the start of summer, my least favourite time of the year and it was exactly a year ago when I caught Covid and I am still, to this damn day dealing with it's aftermath. 

April is not my favourite. 

Still, I was excited to jump into this month. Excited to read some good books~ mostly all Bengali and watch a ton of films and make the most of this month. Celebrate Bengali New Year and do small things of joy. 

Well, not everything went to plan. 

My skin fell apart. Pretty much all of this month has involved acne all over my chin and cheeks. Painful and infuriating. 

Then I had some gum issues. 

And I have had another flare up of carpal tunnel. 

UGH!! 

So pain and heat and sadness. 

Not good. 

But wait, before you run off, I did have some good moments and some I do have some silver linings and some favourites to share with you. 

So let's just stop with the whining and jump into my FAVOURITE THINGS of APRIL. 

1. Flower Bonanza- Floral Sleeve and Bookmark: I recently got some very floral, happy mail from Sangrah Shop. I got some booksleeves and some bookmarks and some pouches. And I am so in love with the floral-ness. The booksleeve pictured here will not hold my Planner and I am so happy to move my planner into a new sleeve. I will do a full haul of all the things in this package. 

2. Blockprint Beauties from Craft's Bite: More happy mail, from yet another new-to-me small business. I came across Crafts Bite randomly and was very impressed by their block-prints and the many pouches and slings and things they had. I got a few pouches and a tiny sling bag and a pen slip. Again, I have a haul and review coming soon. 

3. Reading & Reading Tote: First let's talk Reading in April. 

I read I think around 16 odd books this month. I read a lot of Bengali authors and Bengali books and I dipped into other genres and writers as well. I didn't want to force myself to read a theme if my heart wanted taste of something else. So I read what I needed to read. 

I read some good books and some great books, my Reading Wrap-Up will come tomorrow. 

:) 

Now for my Reading Tote. I set-up a little reading tote for myself. A tote where my current reads, my Kindle and my little notebook to write some reading thoughts. Not my Book Journal, though I am thinking I might move it there..but for now my tiny scrap book for Reading Thoughts on the go lives in this bag and a pencil case and some pens and highlighters and pencils. All things I need to read. I love the idea of a Reading Tote. It's great to have one if I need to grab it and go read on the terrace. Or just go from room to room. The tote in the frame is new to me and from Artisan Arbor. It's a good size for all the things I need to hold. 

4. The Journalling Sisters: I don't think I've mentioned it on the blog before, but we, my sister and I, have finally set up a separate page for allll our Planner, Stationery and Journalling Nerding. We wanted to do this for a while now and this month, on the 15th, on Bengali New Year we went ahead and started a new page and have been doing a post a day on it. Go give it a follow if you like all things stationery and planner related. 

You can find The Journalling Sisters HERE. 

5. Pens: I got so many new pens this month and it has been a highlight of these sad days. I mostly got pens from Scooboo and I even did a haul of these, so I won't bore you too much with my raving. I love pens and can never have enough. 

:) 

6. Totes: Got a batch of gorgeous tote bags from a place that's become my favourite place to get tote bags- Stem Daisy Embroidery. They make some seriously beautiful designs and I am so happy with everything we've gotten from them, six bags at this point. I can't recommend them enough. 

:) 

7. Planner Tote: I have always used a planner tote or a planner bag to house all my planners and journals of the year. I recently moved into this yellow daisy tote and it's perfect for all that I need to hold. It's from Soul Slings and it's study and roomy and lovely. And yellow is just perfect for summer. Soul Slings makes baby carriers but they also make totes and make very good totes. I got the Daisy one and my sister got the Palash one which comes in this beautiful orange colour. 

8. Cold Coffee and New Mugs: April was full blown dissent into cold coffee season. And smoothies for breakfast. I also got some new mugs and if you know me at all you know..you know how much I adore mugs. I miss my mugs back in Bombay so damn much! And I have had to control my mug buying urges super hard. But we got a few as New Year treat this month. They are from Weaving Homes and I really like them. 

9. Alone and Quiet Time: I found little slivers of time just for me. To sit and read and drink my coffee and be still and quiet. I love moments just by myself. I need to be alone to recharge and in the last 18 months, time alone has been hard to come by. 

10. Films: At the beginning of the month I tried to do this little personal project, I planned on watching a Film a Day. 30 days and 30 films. 

Well. That didn't quite work out. I watched around 15 films this month but didn't make it to 30. I blame webseries! 

:( 

But from the ones I watched, I love Kaun Pravin Tambe? (It's streaming on HotStar) and I cannot recommend it enough. It's lovely and heartwarming and hopeful and so incredibly inspiring. Please watch it, you'll love it. 

Maybe I'll try to do a Film A Day in May. 

If that works out, I'll let you know. 

Another absolute favourite thing I watched and read this month HeartStopper. It's so sweet and heartfelt and wonderful! 

So good! I watched the show and then I read the books in one fell sweep. 

So good! 

~~~~

My other favourites this month were: 

Some rains. 

Watermelons. 

Kachi kaeri. 

Reading some horror. 

True Crime Documentaries. 

Very sensible but exciting book buying. 

Winning a book in a giveaway. 

:) 

Loads of little joys that I am very, very grateful for. 

I hope April was kind to you. 

:) 

Weekend OTT Binge Recommendations

 Hello, hello,

Another week has almost come to an end and with it the hot-hot-hot month of April! How is it almost-May?! Time does fly! 

Hope all of you are staying indoors and safe during this unprecedented heat wave that we're having! 

If you are spending this weekend indoors, as you should, here are a few movies and web series that you can binge! 

1. Reacher 

Based on the very popular titular character in several of Lee Child's best selling books, Reacher, is an action-based crime thriller. 

Jack Reacher, a retired military police investigator, spends his days moving from one small town in America to another to live a free, "hobo-like" life. He finds himself in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, where one of his favourites blues singer was supposed to have died. His arrival in the small town coincides with two murders for which he is arrested. Reacher, now, has to clear his name and also get to the bottom of the mysterious going ons in this small town. 

A fast-paced murder mystery for those of you who enjoy action-based crime thrillers. Reacher is streaming on Prime Video. 

2. Gullak 3

The adorable and very relatable Mishra parivar is back with more of their bittersweet, heartwarming shenanigans! Do I even need to say more?! 

This is a must-watch!!! Gullak Season 3 is streaming on SonyLiv. 

3. Kaun Pravin Tambe?

A few years ago, a bowler made his debut for Rajasthan Royals at the age of 41. Yep, you read that right, 41! Everyone had the same question on their minds- Kaun Pravin Tambe? Who is this guy and why did it take him so long to make his cricket debut?! 

This movie is a beautiful, inspiring and moving biopic about a man, who never quit on his dream for playing cricket at a national and international level! With fantastic performances, heartwarming relationships and oodles of inspiration, Kaun Pravin Tambe, streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, is an absolute must-watch! 

4. London Files

A fast-paced murder mystery with an interesting premise! 

When popular news anchor Amar Roy's daughter goes missing, it is assumed that it has got something to do with his support of the controversial Anti-Immigration Bill. However, when police detective, Om Singh, starts investigating this disappearance, he unearths a conspiracy far greater than what anyone had thought of and one that is closely connected to a tragedy in his own past. 

London Files is a pretty decent murder mystery/ crime thriller and is streaming on Voot. 

5. Guilty Minds 

If you are a fan of courtroom/ legal dramas, then this is a good one to watch! Each episode features a different case but the same set of lawyers fighting on opposite sides. The topics covered in these cases are quite interesting and we found ourselves debating the rights and wrongs of each. Always a good thing when shows get you thinking, right? 

Guilty Minds is streaming on Prime Video. 

Hope you find these recommendations useful! If you watch any of these, do tag us and let us know! 

Vignettes: Summer Days.

 

The Golden Days of Summer. 

I am not Summer's biggest fan. Not by a mile. 

I thrive in winter. Smile when it rains. 

Summer is not my friend. 

It's when I hide. 

Sleep during the day. 

Venture out during the evening. 

I hide and plan for the rains. 

Look at the sky hoping to spot an errant cloud or two. 

I don't like summer. 

This year I am trying to befriend this inescapable part of life. 

Trying to make  the most of these intensely warm days, the sunshine that stabs at your very skin and the heat that embraces you. 

I am trying to find the beauty in the flowers that spring out of corners. 

Look forward to the mangoes. 

And find the usual delight in everything iced and cold. 

I am going to be friends with you summer. 

I will make peace with you. 

:) 

Some pictures, or a #photodump of summer mornings. 

Book Haul: 2022 Birthday Book Haul + Mini-Reviews.

 Hello Loves! 

This post is soooo ridiculously late it's not even funny. Look at me doing my Birthday Book Haul in April! I actually clicked these pictures in February itself but forgot about them and my sad big camera. 

I have been meaning to do this post for a while, because book hauls are some of my favourite posts to read and share. Especially my birthday book hauls that bring me sooo much joy. It's honestly the only time I buy books sans any guilt of any kind. I buy books all year round, of course I do, but I feel so guilty and try not to buy pricey books. 

But my birthday is when all bets are off. 

Ok enough rambling. 

Time for books. 

Here is my 2022 Birthday Book Haul. 

BOOKS BOUGHT: 

More Adventures of Kakababu Vol.II by Sunil Gangopadhyay 

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 

The Firebird by Saikat Majumdar 

Chhotu by Varud Gupta and Ayushi Rastogi 

The Demoness, The Best Bangladeshi Stories from 1971 to 2021. 

Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri 

The Calcutta Chromosome by Amitav Ghosh 

A mix of genres. 

Indian Lit. 

Bengali Lit. 

A classic. 

A gift too. 

An some Faves. 

Some Bangladeshi short stories that had been on my radar for so long. I love short stories and this collection will introduce me to so many new writers and I am happy to delve into their work. 

 

This special little book was a special birthday gift from Bhavya and Sabi. IG friends who very kindly sent me something from my Wishlist. And it's a book I'll treasure forever. 

:) 

I've re-read it already and I love it so much. 

The only Jahnavi Barua book I hadn't read and now I have. Short stories that you must pick up. 

Beautiful and sad and lovely and wonderful. 

:) 

Highly recommend, not just this but all of her books. 

A Ghosh I haven't read before but want to. Hoping to pick it up soon. 

A classic I have meant to read forever and so glad I finally got it and read it. Moving and inspiring and lovely, everything I had hoped it would be. Can't wait to read the rest of her memoirs. 

Something fun for everyone. 

I really enjoyed Volume 1 of the Kakababu stories and this beautiful book was so much fun too. 

A graphic novel pick. Honestly this one was a let down. I didn't particularly enjoy it. 

Not for me. 

A writer I have been meaning to read for while. He has a few books out and I decided to start with this one. I did like the writing the world this book is set in. But overall this book and it's tone and certain characters and their motivations left me a little underwhelmed and dissatisfied. 

Not the best. 

I might give his other stories a whirl but with cation. 

A small but happy haul. 

Book Review: The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

 

Book: The Night Shift 

Author: Alex Finlay 

Pages: 321 

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4 hours 

Plot Summary: It's New Year's Eve of 1999 when four teenagers working late are attacked at a Blockbuster video store in New Jersey. Only one survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.

Fifteen years later, four more teenagers are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.

In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre, who is forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who is convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller, who must delve into the secrets of both nights to uncover the truth about the Night Shift Murders. 

Things I Liked:

1. The Night Shift has been generating a lot of buzz on Bookstagram and so, when the premise seemed interesting, I picked it up. A series of murders committed in 1999 and a similar series of murders committed in 2015- is it the same perp? Is it a copy cat killer? Or is it just a weird coincidence? The premise of this book had me at hello! 

2. The book is really well-written and fast-paced. There is not a single moment or chapter that is boring or not-needed or just-a-filler in this book. Really appreciate tautness and terseness in crime fiction books. You stay with the core narrative and only delve into sub-plots that are connected to the core narrative. That's what makes a thriller exciting and gripping and The Night Shift is just that. 

3. This book is full of great characters. The story is told through the perspective of Ella Monroe- the sole survivor of the 1999 Blockbuster killings, Chris- the younger brother of the main accused in the 1999 killings, and via FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller, who has been assigned to help the local PD with the case. 

We get to learn a little bit more about victims of 1999 because Ella knew them well and we see the days leading to the crime through her eyes. We also get to know- Jesse Duvall- the sole survivor of the 2015 killings. Her grit, toughness and intelligence are unnerving and makes you wonder if there is more to her being at the ice cream shop that night than meets the eye. 

Agent Sarah Keller is also very likeable. She is tough, smart and fair with great instincts. We do see a bit of her personal life, but not in any great quantity that might get in the way of the story. There is also an Indian American cop, who is a rookie and is really sweet. 

4. There are plenty of red herrings and twists and turns and revelations- both about the killings of 1999 and 2015. Don't want to give anything away here and spoil the book for you, but certain twists and reveals are just really nicely done and make so much sense! 

5. The killer is not very obvious to guess. I mean, you sort of get around to forming a solid theory, but guessing the exact killer will not be easy. The author has some breadcrumbs laid out but he doesn't make anything very obvious, which I really appreciate! 

Rating: 4/5

Monday Moods: Kindle and Book Sleeve from Taaga by Reema.

 Hello Loves! 

How has your long weekend been? 

Mine was film filled. I watched a ton of stuff and will do another batch of TV and film recommendations soon! 

Today to ease into the new week, I am sharing a belated haul of beautiful things from Taaga by Reema. 

I got these beauties on my birthday and I took these pictures on my main camera, my Canon camera and I had forgotten all about them. Because sadly, in the last two years I have rarely picked up my camera! Sad! 

But today I managed to finally transfer said images and here we are with a beautiful little haul. 

I have bought from Taaga numerous times in the last year. I love the prints she stocks and I love the many, many things you can get from her shop. 

I have bought everything from Backpacks. Tote Bags, Kindle and Book Sleeves and multiple pouches and even a pencil case. I have loved everything she's made for us and I highly recommend you go check her out and get something beautiful. There is something for everyone at her store. 

This time around, we bought a book sleeve and two Kindle cases, both differently sized and a pen pouch. 

Let's see the beauties shall we? 

A pile of cuteness. Look how adorable the prints are? 

Cats galore, owls and some fluffy little sheep. 

From L to R: A large Kindle Sleeve. 

A regular Kindle Sleeve. 

Pen Pouch. (Vertical) 

A large booksleeve. 

:) 

These guys were love at first sight. Look at these cuties! 

:) 

Ah! I knew I had to get something in this print and my love for book sleeves is well known, so I just got it. 

One can't have enough book sleeves in my opinion. 

This size comfortably fits two paperback books. And if you are reading a couple of tiny books you can fit quite a bit. 

I love that these sleeves have zip closure, to keep your books safe and in one place if you are travelling. 

This is my Kindle Sleeve, it's a little large to fit my Kindle Paperwhite and my pen case (a small one that accompanies my Kindle) and a small journal for reading notes and musings. I needed a slightly big size to fit all of my reading paraphernalia. And this Kitty one is just perfect. I could also fit a thin paperback with my Kindle. Roomy and nice. 

This Cat-tastic thing is a vertical pen pouch, with two compartments. It can hold at least 10-12 pens comfortably. I use it in keep my planner pens and things. A smaller edit from my usual pen pouch. 

I love this style of pouches. 

A neater way to organise your pens and pencils. 

I also think this might be a great option to keep your make-up in your handbag. Especially things like lipsticks and lipbalms and kajals. 

Cat prints forever. 

I love all things Cat related. Love how quirky these cats look. 

Owls. 

This is my sister's Kindle case. It's smaller than mine but just what she needed. A place for her Kindle to stat protected from the dust and grime. 

:) 

That's all for my beautiful haul. 

:) 

We are happy with everything we've got from her. Can't recommend her shop enough. 

:) 

Shubho Noboborsho + Long Weekend Binge Recommendations

 Hello, hello,

Shubho Noboborsho to any Bengali person seeing this! I hope the coming year is full of good health and happiness! 

Happy Vishu, Bihu, Baisakhi and Pana Sankranti to all our friends from various parts of the country! Hope your coming year is full of good health and happiness! 

Blessed Good Friday to everyone observing this day. 

So, since this is a long weekend in many parts of the world, I thought I'd share some binge-worthy recommendations. 

Let's get into it, shall we? 

1. Kakababur Protyaborton

Kakababu (the detective created by Sunil Gangopadhyay) is back! This time murder and mayhem find him and Santu during a vacation to Kenya! A good one to watch with kids or even without! 

Kakababur Protyaborton is streaming on Hoichoi. 

2. Abhay Season 3 

Abhay returns for Season 3 and this time with a slew of interesting murders involving a cult! This season was so good! I really enjoyed it! 

Abhay Season 3 is streaming on Zee5. 

3. Business Proposal 

If you are in the mood for a fluffy, funny, ridiculously cute Korean shown, then may I recommend Business Proposal?! When Ha-ri goes instead of her best friend- Young-seo, to meet a prospective groom, little does she know that the groom in question is her strict super-boss- President Kang Tae-Moo! Even though Ha-ri acts outrageously, Tae-Moo keeps insisting on seeing her again and even proposes marriage! Thus starts an insane love story full of comic capers and heartwarming moments. 

Business Proposal is streaming on Netflix. 

4. CODA

This year's Academy Award winner for Best Picture- CODA- truly deserves it! As the only hearing person in a family of hearing impaired, Ruby, often feels trapped. She wants to pursue music but her family needs her to help them navigate the world of the hearing, especially, when it comes to their fishing business. The movie follows the journey of Ruby trying to create a future for herself whilst not disappointing her family. Definitely worth a watch!

CODA is available on Apple TV+. 

5. Jimmy Saville: A British Horror Story 

Jimmy Saville was a British DJ and TV show host, who worked for the BBC for nearly 55 years. He hosted a popular kids' show called 'Jim'll Fix It' and 'Top of the Pops'. He was also know for doing a lot of fundraising, especially, for hospitals. This documentary exposes his crimes against children and patients of the hospitals where he served. A truly horrific and shocking story. 

Jimmy Saville: A British Horror Story is streaming on Netflix. 

6. Dasvi 

 Gangaram Chaudhury is the CM of a state and is in jail on some corruption charges. When the honest IPS officer, who he got transferred for doing her job honestly, becomes the jailer and taunts him on not even being a 10th-pass, Gangaram decides to appear for his Class 10 exams!

A decent, fun movie with some hilarious moments. 

Dasvi is streaming on Netflix. 

7. Mai 

Sheel leads a simple life with a loving husband and a speech-impaired daughter. When her daughter is killed in front of her eyes and the drunk truck driver hints that he was asked to kill her, Sheel sets off on a journey to find what caused her daughter's death and to extract some good ol' fashioned revenge!

Mai is streaming on Netflix. 

Have a great, long weekend, y'all! 

 

Book Review: The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St.James

 

Book: The Book of Cold Cases 

Author: Simone St.James 

Pages: 352 

Publisher: Berkeley Press 

Read On: Kindle 

How Long it Took Me To Read: One day (I could not/ would not put it down) 

Plot Summary: In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect--a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.

Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases--a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea's surprise, Beth says yes.

They meet regularly at Beth's mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she's not looking, and she could swear she's seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn't right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?

Things I Liked: 

1. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was counting down days to when I could finally read another of the author's spooky and atmospheric reads. I am happy to report that my anticipation and excitement was not dashed. This book is a trip from start to finish. I started reading it at 11:30 AM and finished it late at night, around 1:00 AM, with breaks to eat, cook and be. But other than that I was hooked and would not put it down. This book pulls you in, creeps you out and keeps you guessing. A fun read perfect to binge read this weekend. 

2. If you are a true crime nut (I mean this all the love in my heart) like me, you will enjoy this book and it's main protagonist-Shea. She is like us. She spends her evenings reading and writing about true crimes, about cold cases and her zeal and determination is something I can appreciate and understand. It's always nice reading about someone like you, and seeing someone like you represented in a book or film. So this little aspect really worked for me. 

3. The heart of this book is the two women- Shea in 2017 and Beth of 1977 and now. 

Shea- is someone who has been through something traumatic in her childhood, something that has left it's mark. Something that has shaped who she is now. She is over cautious, hyper vigilant and finds solace in murders and killers and is someone who will like and root for from the get go. I really liked Shea and wanted her to get past her trauma, work through her issues and come out better. Shea is well-written and comes across as a real person from the first time we meet her. 

Beth- she was something else. Is she a cold-blooded serial killer who got away with it? Is she now just gloating over her triumph? Or is there something else going on with her and her infamous house? Beth is an enigma and is written so well. She is cold, rich, mysterious and demanding. But she also lost and alone and so lonely and petrified. By the end of the book you see her in a new light (not giving spoilers) and in so many ways her life and her story will break your heart. I wish I could somehow go into the book and go back in time and fix Beth's life. 

Both these women and their arcs and the chapters that oscillate between them, held my attention and had me equally invested and interested. 

4. The house, the Greer house is a character in itself and the things that happen there are seriously creepy and spooky. I am glad I read most of this book during the day  because reading about this horrible house at night would scare the pants off of me! 

5. The whole aura and buzz and hype around the Lady Killer Case and how the media and the police and even the general public treated Beth and how she was over sexualized and demonized for just being a confident woman was spot on. The ire and the wrath she was subjected to was entirely believable and something we see happen far too often. 

6. This is a horror novel. You might think it's a thriller, and in a small way it possibly is a thriller, I mean there is a murder or two (or more) here but mostly this is a ghost story. There is a haunting. A haunted house and a haunted woman. If you love horror, you are in for a treat. If you don't, you could still walk in and find something to love. There are scares and a feeling of unease but it does't take away from the enjoyment from the book. You won't be too scared I promise. 

7. I love that you start getting answers to some big questions in the middle of the book, the author doesn't keep you hanging and waiting till the very end. I really appreciate this. 

8. I also like the men in the this book, the sort-of-but-not-quite love interests. Both the men are nicely written. 

9. Messy families, sad families and dysfunctional families..while very sad all around..make for some interesting reading and Beth's family is a landmine! Messed up and tragic but it gives you so much to think about and mull over. 

10. This book is so atmospheric, every intense and you feel every creepy thing that happens and this book does a slow creepy vibe very well. I thoroughly enjoyed the spooks and the whole time I kept thinking 'this would make such a nice web-series'. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

Seriously, I did really like this book and enjoyed pretty much all of it. A fun ride. 

But I did find myself at the 70% mark hoping things would speed up a bit. 

And in the end, I did have some issues with some of  the decisions made by Beth...actually a lot of what she did back in 1977/78 was frankly quite stupid and the fact that she had to live with the consequences, the very frightening consequences of said actions for so long..I don't know kind of rubbed me the wrong way. 

Rating: 4/5 

I highly recommend. 

Get it and read it. 

Also pick up the author's previous book, The Sun Down Motel which is also very enjoyable. 

Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

 

Book: Where the Crawdads Sing 

Author: Delia Owens 

Pages: 384 

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4.5 hours 

Plot Summary: For years, rumors of the 'Marsh Girl' have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. 

But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens. 

General Thoughts: I've had this book lying around on my Kindle since early 2020 when it first started getting a lot of buzz. It was the early days of the pandemic and Where the Crawdads Sing was one of the first books I bought to read during the nation-wide 21-day lockdown. However, for reasons that I no longer recall, I never did pick it up in all of 2020 or 2021. I knew I'd get to it someday and, boy, am I glad I finally did! I wanted to read it before the movie came out and I am so glad I did because this is a book that deserves to be read. 

Things I Liked: 

1. Where the Crawdads Sing is a very immersive book. The author takes us deep into the natural world of the marsh lands of North Carolina, where Kya raises herself since the age of six. Relying on some basic cooking skills learnt from observing her mother and some survival skills taught to her by her older brother-Jodie- Kya depends on the natural world around her to sustain her body and soul. She learns to fish, digs out mussels and oysters and sells them in town to eke out a living. She befriends birds and observes the rich plant and animal life thriving around her to make sense of the world. All the writing about the marsh and Kya's exploration of it is so vivid and wonderful that you feel like you are right there sitting under an oak tree watching gulls, herons and egrets flying by. 

2. At its very heart, this is a book about isolation. About a six-year-old girl living all alone for most of her life, raising herself, not really forming any meaningful social bonds and still, somehow, thriving. Kya has a few friends- Tate- her brother, Jodie's, friend- teaches her how to read and write and to fall in love for the very first time. He also breaks her heart. Jumpin'- the man who runs the gas station by the marina- and his wife Mabel help Kya with hand-me-down clothes and with life advice when she needs it. Kya is self-sufficient but she yearns for companionship and, at one point, for an ordinary life with a family of her own. However, she doesn't really know how to be a part of a family and no one in her small town has ever cared to befriend her or include her in any form of social interaction. Her isolated life would seem pitiful but it isn't- something that I really loved about this book and Kya's character. 

3. This is also a book about othering. The people of Barkley Cove look down upon the families and individuals living in the marsh lands. They are dismissed as drunks and addicts. So, even when a six-year-old child is all but abandoned by her family and left to the mercies of a drunk, violent, mercurial father, no one really bothers to look out for her. Jumpin' and Mabel do, but being African American in a still-segregated South, there is not that much they could do for her. Kya is dismissed as 'The Marsh Girl', who no one befriends and everyone ignores even when she came into town to buy supplies all through her life. So, when she is arrested for the murder of Chase Andrews, it doesn't take much for the whole town to turn against her. No one cares that this is just a lonely young woman, who is not an addict or a drunk but has, actually, published two books on the birds and shells of the marsh. 

4. The writing is beautiful and there are also some beautiful poems that I found myself pausing, re-reading and highlighting in this book. 

5. Kya's journey is so inspiring and amazing! From someone who didn't know how to read at age 11, she crafts an impressive life for herself driven by her love of the natural world around her. I don't want to talk too much about what becomes of her because I don't want to spoil the book or the movie for you! :) She is an amazing character- so self-contained, sensitive, strong and yet fairly innocent to the ways of our world. Her resilience, resourcefulness and grit to survive when her family leaves one by one is just so amazing! 

Rating: 4.5/5 

Book Review: The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon.

 

Book: The Drowning Kind 

Author: Jennifer McMahon 

Pages: 336 

Publisher: Scout Press 

Read On: Kindle 

How Long it Took Me To Read: 3 days 

Plot Summary: Be careful what you wish for.

When Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister, Lexie, she assumes that it’s just another one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie has pushed Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. When Jax arrives at the house to go through her sister’s things, she learns that Lexie was researching the history of their family and the property. And as she dives deeper into the research herself, she discovers that the land holds a far darker past than she could have ever imagined.

In 1929, thirty-seven-year-old newlywed Ethel Monroe hopes desperately for a baby. In an effort to distract her, her husband whisks her away on a trip to Vermont, where a natural spring is showcased by the newest and most modern hotel in the Northeast. Once there, Ethel learns that the water is rumored to grant wishes, never suspecting that the spring takes in equal measure to what it gives.

A modern-day ghost story that illuminates how the past, though sometimes forgotten, is never really far behind us, 

Things I Liked: 

1. I have read two other books by the author and both of those books were a perfect mix of horror and thrills and an underlying mystery. Just the kind of thing that makes my heart sing! This one was more of the same, albeit a bit more horror than thriller. It was just what I had expected and I was happy with vibe of this book. 

2. I love stories about sisters, maybe because my sister is such an important part of my life. Stories about estranged sisters is even better. Because there is so much to unpack and unravel and understand. This book had two very different sisters and the issues that plague them, were some of my favourite parts of the book. To see them in their childhood and close to being virtually cut-off from each other and adults made for interesting reading. 

3. Our main protagonist, Jax, is a social worker. A psychologist, like me, so reading about her work and how she goes about looking at things and situations. So much of how she thinks and analyzes some truly unsettling things reminded me of me, which is always a good thing be! 

4. This book is told in two time periods. 1929 and 2019. We meet Jax in the present (ish) day and we meet Ethel back in 1929. Both these time periods and both these women had be equally interested. I wanted to spend time with each of them and see how they were connected (apart from the house) and see how their stories and timelines came together. I was especially worried about Ethel and wondered what became of her and her little family. 

5. Lexie, we don't actively spend a lot of time with Lexie but what little we learn of her through book made me wish we saw more of the enigmatic sister. Lexie is the golden child, everyone's favourite and the center of attention, but there was more to her, which we learn through the people she was close to in her little town. It made me see her in the new light and wish we could see more of her last year in her dream house. Lexie also suffers from mental illness and her struggles and her manic episodes are shown so authentically here that it made my shrink heart very happy. 

6. This is a horror novel. There is a little bit of a mystery but this one is basically a ghost story but some seriously creepy vibes. There were parts that legit scared me and it didn't help that I was mostly reading this in the dark on my Kindle. If you like spooky books, pick this one up. 

7. There ending took me by surprise. That's all I am going to tell you and not spoil this book for you. I didn't see the ending coming. I actually went back and re-read it just to be sure. 

8. I read something like this after ages. A book that I absolutely could not put down. I was annoyed whenever I had to step away and do real life things and I couldn't wait to tune out the world and spent time in this house and it's strange little wish granting spring. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

Overall, this was a good I enjoyed, very, very much. There were a few things that did irk me. 

1. There are a lot of instances in both our timelines where a character has something major and important to say, something that could help our protagonists but for no good reasons, said characters just mumble excuses and don't say anything. This happens a few times. And it's a frustrating things that I hate in mystery books. 

2. Lexie does a lot of research and Jax keeps saying she'll get to it and organise it and read through it but it just never happens. She could have so many answers had she only shut herself in her room and read. 

3. What I found quite frustrating by the end was how so many people, especially Lexie and Jax's grandmother, knew exactly what the house and spring were capable of, yet she chose to keep mum and let her children and grand-child deal with some seriously messed up things. Why would an elder of the family do something so potentially dangerous? Felt very unrealistic to me! 

4. Also we are not given a clear answer to what exactly is the deal with the spring and whatever supernatural entity/creature that lives and thrives there. This isn't a big grouse of mine, we were left to made deductions of our own but I would have liked a proper explanation. 

Rating: 4/5 

I loved this deeply atmospheric and creepy book and I think it's a perfect book to curl up over the weekend with.