Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January 2023.

 

Hello Loves! 

Time for my January Reading Wrap-Up. 

January, for me is a month where I want to read the best books. To set the tone for the rest of my reading year. It's unfair to heap this sort of pressure on a month, but I am far too set in my ways to change. 

I put a fair amount of thought into picking my reads, especially for first read of the year. 

I want to read books that make me happy and books that I am fairly certain I will like. 

I didn't make a TBR this month, I did have a rough idea of which books I'd read but I was also swayed by my mood and some new releases that jumped ahead in queue. 

I read 20 books in total. 

A classic, my favourite one at that. 

A memoir. 

A lot of kid lit. 

Some picture books. 

Some graphic novels which I loved. The first two weeks of January had me in such a graphic novel phase and I am so happy this happened. 

A thriller, with a side of horror. 

Some literary fiction. 

I also managed to squeeze in a Japanese book for January in Japan. 

A very, very successful reading month if you ask me! 

:) 

So let's jump into my reads of January and some mini-reviews and some rants. 

Let's go! 

JANUARY READS:

I started my year with three books by Sudha Murty. Books I knew would bring me simple and uncomplicated joy and honestly it was the perfect way to jump into a New Year. 

I read and loved these books and I have reviews up for all of them. 

Click on each title to go see the reviews. 

There were all 4/5 reads for me and just such a good time and I smiled my way through them. 

1. How The Earth Got it's Beauty by Sudha Murty. 

2. How the Mango Got it's Magic " 

3. The Gopi Diaries - Growing Up " 

4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Every year I tell myself that I want to read more classics. At least the ones I've collected so lovingly over the years. This year I want to actively work towards this goal of mine. So I started my year with a book I love so very much and one that has been an important book in my reading life. I LOVE this book and I have read it a few times, but it had been a hot minute since I re-read it and it was time to go back to Darcy and Elizabeth. 

And I still love it. 

Very very much. 

I am getting so many new shades and nuances to this book. And surprisingly, I am seeing so many characters in a new light. That's why re-reading is so important, especially with books that you love deeply. 

5/5 

Always. 

Then I fell into some graphic novels and it was such a good time. 

Let's talk about them really quickly. 

5. A Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tang: This book just spoke to me. I love being quiet. I love quiet places and the world often feels so loud and chaotic. This book and the author's experience felt like something I go through and relate to soooo much. I loved the art and the feels were so real. I absolutely adored it and if you are a fellow quiet person, please pick this up. 

4/5

6. Sheets by Brenna Thummler: A sweet little tale of a young girl trying to keep her family owned laundry afloat and dealing with the grief of losing her mom and we also have these adorable ghosts that just are so freaking cute. I adored this book. So cute and fun. 

4/5 

7. Love & Pyjamas 

8. Snug 

9. Little Moments of Love by Catana Comics: If you like all things mushy and lovey and romance and cutesy, these books are perfect for you. If you are looking for a Valentine's Day read, look no further. They feature cute moments of a couple and it's just sweet. 

3/5 for all. 

10. The Okay Witch 

& 

11. The Okay Witch and The Hidden Shadow by Emma Steinkellner: These middle grade adventure books are about a young girl finding out that she is a witch and has this rich family history and all these powers. It was very Sabrina the Teen Witch and very Waverly Place and was fun and fast paced and funny too. I had a good time. 

4/5 for both. 

12. Weasels in the Attic by Hiroko Oyamada, Translated by David Boyd: This short little novella, well a set of three interconnected short-stories was a my pick for January in Japan. I really enjoyed it and it's take on parenthood, marriage, masculinity and motherhood and well weasels. It's a moving and sharp and well-written take on modern marriage and traditional gender roles. Really nice. 

4.5/5 

13. Fear and Lovely by Anjana Appachana: My sister surprised me this book. We had read it's prequel, Listening Now back in 2009 and then again a few years ago. I love that book. So very much. I did a rave review for it in 2016. You can find it here. I cannot recommend this book enough, Seriously, pick it up. 

So my hopes were sky high with this one. 

For most part, this was an enjoyable read. I was enjoying being back in this world and with characters I loved so much. But at some point I felt like what was the point of this story? And why was our main protagonist such an idiot?! 

It felt tedious and too long and ended up being quite massively disappointing. 

2.5/5 

14. Spare by Prince Harry: Haz wrote a memoir, broke his silence. 

So I read it. I read this in one sitting, on a lazy Sunday I read this book and I even wrote a review. 

Find it here. 

I wrote a whole lot. 

3/5 

15. Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume: I finally read the classic that every girl seems to have read but me. I don't know how I didn't read this when I 12. Wait, I do. I read grown-up books then because I was a grown-up. 

Sheesh. 

12 year old me would have loved this book, so much. But actually grown-up me also loved this book quite as much. It was sweet, earnest, full of the angst of being a pre-teen and the awkwardness of that special time in our lives. I also didn't expect the confusion and deep dive Margaret does into religion and her beliefs. 

So glad I finally read it and I can't wait to see the film adaptation later this year. 

4/5 

16. Teen Couple Having Fun Outdoors by Aravind Jayan: This book, man it hit so close home. Told mainly from the perspective from the younger child in a nuclear family, this book felt like I was reading about some one I know all too well. 

A sex scandal breaks out in a small town. Everyone and their second cousin has seen the infamous video and now the couple in the video and their families have to deal with the aftermath. 

This book was such a riot. 

It made me laugh, out loud in so many places. 

It made me mad, sad and had be so invested. 

An amazing book that I think you should pick up. It's also short and perfect to read in one sitting. 

4.5/5 

17. How To Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix: This is my third read by the author. I read My Best Friend's Exorcism and even watched the film adaption last year and quite liked it. I also read Horrorstor. You can read my review of it HERE. 

One of my reading goals for 2023 is to read a little more horror. So this book was picked up with much enthusiasm. Hmmm...however I don't think this quite worked for me. It was campy enough and unsettling in parts and if you like haunted dolls or possessed puppets sorta books, this might we a good book to pick up. I liked some bits of it, there is an older mystery/secret, which I had guessed but it was nicely done. But it just wasn't scary enough. It seems to me my issue with all of the author's books. :( 

2/5 

I then two adorable picture books! 

18. My Name is Malala by Mariam Quraishi: Full of pretty illustrations and just a simple introduction about Malala, none of the heavy stuff i.e. being shot in the head by the Taliban, since it's intended for kiddos. It's a sweet and quick little read. 

4/5 

19. Little People, Big Dreams- Agatha Christie by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: I love Dame Christie and this one was just such a treat. Cute as can be. I want to read all the books in this series, they are so beautiful and cute and I am so in love. 

5/5 

20. Where The Mayflies Live Forever by Anupama Mohan: This is a short-ish read. A little under 200 pages but boy does this pack a punch. It's told from multiple perspectives. It's a familiar, sadly way too familiar story we see on the News, a woman gets violated. Doesn't get justice, because men, especially influential men get away with a lot in our culture. So we hear from the victim, her parents, her frail old grandmother and her best friend, her husband and her brothers, we even hear from one of the accomplices of her assault. This book will get under your skin. Make you mad, make you think and feel the rage we are familiar with. 

TWs for Sexual Assault, Violence and Rape.

4/5 

~~~~

20 books Read. 

And 14 books Bought. 

A good Reading Month. 

A very good one indeed. 

I hope January was good for you too!  

:) 

Monthly Favourites: January 2023.

 

Hello Loves! 

So January is nearly over. 

I love how January always manages to feel too long and too short all at once. 

I had a good month this time around. 

I did drive myself a little crazy in the beginning in the quest to do too many things and have the best possible month I could humanly have, had bouts of anxiety (after ages) and thankfully remembered ways to handle it. 

I read. 

I bought books. 

Watched a ton of films and TV shows. 

I journaled. 

I went to my favourite book shop. 

I walked around my favourite parts of town. 

We had some actually cold winter days which was amazing. 

I felt warm and cozy and so grateful. 

Here are my absolute favourite things about January 2023: 

JANUARY FAVOURITES: 

1. New Planners and Journals~~~ Setting up my new planners and journals in the New Year is always a thing of joy. I love doing a little reset in life and so excited to start fresh new journals and set goals and make a ton of lists. 

My planner stack will be shared soon. 

Planners and Planner Tote. 

2. Reading~~~ I had an incredible reading month. I read 20 books in total. Re-read Pride and Prejudice and loved it and saw so many things a little differently this time. I read a few graphic novels. Read some Kid Lit and I even read a memoir. I will talk more about my reading in my Reading Wrap-Up (post coming tomorrow). 

3. Winter~~~ Oh the joy of wearing a sweatshirt, turning off the fan and just feeling all warm and fuzzy. So grateful when my island city gets to experience some winter days and nights. 

Cozy nights this month. 

4. Home Decor~~~ This month we changed up our curtains, cushion covers and even put up some new art on our walls. The home feels fresh and clean and all New Year and New Home vibes. 

Hand of Hamsa curtains from Rihaa Stores on IG. 

5. Saraswati Pujo~~~ January also had Saraswati Pujo and Basant Panchami and festivals always make me happy. 

6. Moon Light~~~ A little random purchase but it makes me so happy. I have been loving reading by this light and even journaling. I found it on Amazon and it wasn't super expensive. 

7. Book Shop Hops~~~ Went to my favourite bookshop- Kitab Khana- after 3.5 years and it was so good to be back. So good. I bought some books and even picked up two more books from Bargain Book Hut. It's always wonderful going to a brick and mortar bookshop. I want to do more of this in 2023. 

8. Kodak Photo Printer~~~ After years of wanting something similar, this month we got ourselves a Kodak Mini Photo Printer and I am so in love. It prints amazing pictures and I can't wait to use these pictures in my journaling spreads and show them to you. 

9. Films and TV Show~~~ I watched some 45 things this month. 

Films- old and new. 

Lots of returning TV shows, Death in Paradise, 911 Lone Star and How I Met Your Father. 

New shows and comfort old films. 

I found a lot of joy in just binging content this month.  

10. Food~~~ The Food Gods blessed me this month. I cooked some yums. Ate out. Drank new coffee- Third Wave Roasters are my new faves. Also loved some cheesecake and pancakes and almond croissants. Uff. More please all through 2023. 

Strawberry and Nutella Cheesecake from Bombae Bake. 

I am so glad this month was a good month, a good way to start my month. 

I had so many things and moments and feelings I loved this month:

Eating good food. 

Reading in bed. 

Going to town. 

Walking around Kala Ghoda. 

My parent's wedding anniversary. 

Setting up my new Raskog. 

Colouring. 

Music before I drift off to sleep. 

Fluffy slippers. 

January you were good. 

Thank-you. 

:) 

Movies and Web Series We've Loved in January 2023

 Hello, hello,

January is almost coming to an end and before it does, I thought I'd share some of our most loved content- TV and film- that we watched this month!

Without any further ado, let's get into it! 

The Pale Blue Eye (Netflix) 

A murder mystery featuring a young Edgar Allen Poe. Set in a military academy in New York, The Pale Blue Eye, deals with the brutal murder of a young military cadet. When the local detective (Christian Bale) is called in to investigate, he forms an unusual alliance with another young cadet- Edgar Allen Poe. An interesting and riveting murder mystery movie. 

The Wonder (Prime Video)

When a young girl in a little Irish village has not eaten anything for over four months, it is assumed to be a divine miracle of sorts. The local parish and some influential men (businessmen, local Lord) decide to get this miracle ratified by calling a Catholic Nun and an English Nurse to observe the girl day and night for two weeks. Is this really a miracle as the girl's family claim to be? Or is it something else entirely? A wonderful film! 

Shikarpur (Bengali, on Zee5)

When three men with connections to the same ex-Zamindar family are murdered in and around the small town of Shikarpur, the local newbie detective- Keshto- is determined to solve these cases and make a name for himself so that he can marry the love of his life. To complicate matters, there is also a 'Pichol Bhoot' (Slimy Ghost), who has been robbing women of their jewellery. Are these two cases connected? Will Keshto be able to catch the murderer before more people are killed?

A really wonderful crime thriller and a must-watch!

The Glory (Korean, on Netflix) 

Moon Dong-eun was brutally bullied by a gang of popular kids, led by the obnoxious, Yeon-jin- a mean girl with a violent streak. Her life was almost finished but she stood back up and, after almost twenty years, is back to avenge herself. 

A really fantastic show! 

Will Trent (Disney+ Hotstar)

Based on the series of books by Karin Slaughter, Will Trent, is a detective series based in Georgia. The characters are lovely and the cases are interesting. Definitely a show worth watching. 

Uunchai (Zee5) 

Three friends in the late 60s-early 70s decide to trek to the Everest Base Camp to honour the memory of their Nepali friend, who suddenly passed away. On the way, they overcome disappointing and complicated familial relationships and their failing health. A really wonderful movie. 

Drishyam 2 (Hindi, on Prime Video) 

We'd already watched the Malayalam (OG) Drishyam 2 back when it released and so, we knew the story and what happens etc. but just watched to watch the Hindi one anyway! The Hindi version is also very good and, in fact, it has a shorter run time as compared to the Malayalam one. 

A really smart movie! Do watch! 

The Elephant Whisperer (Netflix) 

The Elephant Whisperer is a documentary short that has been nominated for an Oscar! It is so, so, so cute and heartwarming and makes you laugh and cry! It is about a couple and a community of tribals in the Muddumalai Forest Reserve in Tamil Nadu, who raise orphaned baby elephants. Yup! Why are you still reading this?! Go watch it immediately! 

The Menu (Disney+ Hotstar) 

A Michelin star winning chef invites a select group of people to his farm-to-table restaurant on an island. Chaos ensues! A thought-provoking, weird and fun movie. 

Shotgun Wedding (On Lionsgate Play via Prime Video) 

A totally fun and funny movie starring JLo and Josh Duhamel! 

When a couple plan their perfect island movie, little did they know that they'd be held hostage by pirates! Chaos and violence ensues as the couple fight back to save themselves and all their loved ones. 

 

So, those were the movies and shows we enjoyed this month! Let us know on Instagram if you have any recommendations for us! 

Book Review: Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood (Marlow Murder Club Book #2)

Book: Death Comes to Marlow 

Author: Robert Thorogood 

Pages: 387

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4 hours 

Plot Summary: It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne.

But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study.

The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she's concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again. 

Things I Liked: 

1. I had really enjoyed the first book in the Marlow Murder Club series (review here) and so, I couldn't wait for the second book to be out! And the second book's premise did not disappoint! A locked room mystery!!!! What is not to love?! A man dies suspiciously on the eve of his wedding locked inside his own study by a heavy cabinet falling on him. Since he was all alone inside the room, the police assume it is an accident but something about the way Sir Peter dies does not sit well with Judith, especially, because just that morning Sir Peter had called Judith- made famous by her solving of the series of murders in Marlow- and asked her to come attend his engagement party even though he didn't know her. So, obviously, since no one else seemed to think this was murder, Judith, Suzie and Becks aka the Marlow Murder Club starts investigating. 

2. There were a few nice red herrings and plausible motivations, especially, those of Sir Peter's family- his wastrel of a son- Tristam, his ambitious daughter, Rosanna, who won't inherit because of patriarchal laws, his wife-to-be, Jenny, a penniless nurse, who might benefit financially from his death and his ex-wife, who was still resentful about the divorce and being left almost penniless. So, between all of these people, there is no dearth of motives behind the crime. 

3. The 'how' of the murder were far more interesting and difficult to figure out than the why and who. The why and who, I figured out at the ~20% mark when a particular bit of information was mentioned but the how was more interesting, especially, because of the locked room aspect of it. 

4. This is a fast-paced and highly riveting book and there is never a dull moment! There is also a second murder, which raises the stakes and makes the narrative all the more interesting. 

5. The characters are developed with just the right level of detail. We know enough about everyone to gauge motives but not in excessive, unnecessary detail that gets boring and pointless in a crime thriller. Of course, it was nice to revisit the ladies and see how their lives had changed after their last adventure. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. Like I said, it was way too easy to guess who the killer was! Like just too too easy. It shouldn't be like that! So, I am gonna dock half a rating point for that! 

Rating: 4/5 

Book Review: Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson

 

Book: Nine Liars

Author: Maureen Johnson

Pages: 457

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~5 hours 

Plot Summary: Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.

Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.

The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.

Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.

Things I Liked: 

1. I really enjoy Maureen Johnson's books. I've read and reviewed her Truly Devious Series and I was excited to read Nine Liars as soon as I heard about it! The premise seemed really interesting- two brutal murders in a group of nine close friends at a manor house in the country! Just the perfect kind of cold case that I like- group dynamics, secrets, a killer still on the loose. 

2. 'The Nines'- the group of nine friends from Cambridge, who in 1995 had gone down to one of their friends' country manor house, were well sketched out. We get to know almost each of them fairly well as well as get to see their group dynamics and relationships. This is, especially, important because two out of these nine people get murdered over that weekend in 1995 and so, knowing these characters and their interpersonal relationships is important for readers to form some hypotheses as to who the killer could be and why the two people were killed. 

3. This is a fairly fast-paced book and there is a lot happening so as not to bore you. Stevie and her friends are in London and they've told school that they're travelling for educational purposes, so, they have to submit daily reports of where they've been and what they've learnt. Things are hectic in a chaotic sort of way but once Stevie starts investigating the cold case from 1995, things move pretty quickly. 

4. The investigation process was interesting and realistic. Clues were not easily obtained and information of what happened the night of the murder- who was where and when- had to be pieced together, which Stevie does a great job of! There is, also, a present day crime related to the cold case and how Stevie connects everything together is nicely done as well. 

5. The killer is not easy to guess. The motive is not very evident to the readers and so, the reveal of the killer is a bit out-of-the-blue but totally believable and plausible. If you guessed who the killer is, let us know how to arrived at this person! :) 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. There are a lot of touristy details about London. We get a crash course in British history and a lot of pages are dedicated to the kids (Stevie and pals) sightseeing and going to various museums and the like. I can understand why these chapters were necessary but I did not enjoy them. 

2. I wish there was a little more peek into the dynamics of The Nine. We know some things about them and the interpersonal relationships but not enough for readers to make an educated guess as to who the killer could be. Not a big deal breaker but just something that could be improved upon. 

Rating: 4/ 5

 

First Look: New 11th Generation Kindle Paperwhite

 After 9 long years, my sister, finally, upgraded her Kindle Paperwhite! 

Her old Paperwhite's storage was almost full and one day it just got hung and didn't start up until we kept pressing down on the on/off button till our fingers nearly fell off! 

So, it was time for an upgrade!

The new (11th generation) Kindle Paperwhite has a bigger screen and is also a bit lighter (feels that way) than the older Paperwhite that she had. 

Here are some quick pictures.

Here it is! The cover is a standard Kindle cover that can be bought from Amazon. It is very lightweight and doesn't add any extra weight to the Kindle. 

The screen is nice and big, which is always a good thing! 

As you can see, the newer Paperwhite is a smidge bigger than the older one but the screen width is significant. 

Very excited to get reading on this! 

If you're looking to upgrade your Kindle, now is a good time because the Amazon Republic Day sale is on and there are decent discounts on all kinds of Kindles. 

Book Review: Spare by Prince Harry.

 

Book: Spare 

Author: Prince Harry 

Ghostwriter: J. R. Moehringer 

Publisher: Random House 

Pages: 518

Read On: iPad 

How Long it Took Me To Read: 8 hours or so, I read this in a day. 

Review: I want to start this off by saying clearly that I am not a fan of Harry and Meghan. Not at all. I am also no Royal fan. Them and their shenanigans make no difference to my life. Yet for the last five or so years all of this noise about H and M and their mistreatment at the hands of the Windsors and of course the very problematic and cruel media and tabloids is something I couldn't tune out. Especially since 2020 and the infamous split in the Royal family, every single statement and conversation made by these two has somehow made it's way to me and I am sure a lot of others who weren't even seeking this info out. 

It's like the damn Kardashians, I don't follow any of them, yet through IG I often know what they're up to.

This whole Royal scandal is something in the same vein. Whether you want to or not, you know about them and everything they're doing and saying. 

So why did I read this, if I don't particularly like the man at the heart of it all? 

Because I want to see him, or hope to see him speak his truth. "Break his silence" something he's been doing so often it's lost it's meaning altogether. Plus, I am a big on gossip, it's a guilty pleasure I do not feel bad about. If dude is spilling his guts...I want to read it. 

But before I started reading this tell-all,  I did remind myself to keep an open mind. To give this a chance. To not roll my eyes. To maybe keep my preconceived notions aside. To hear him out and maybe see things from his perspective. I also think his feeling, his lifelong feeling of being less than or less important than his elder brother, the Heir is a feeling I wouldn't wish on anyone. Yet, I think so many siblings the world over, Royal or not, grapple with something similar. One child is the golden child, the other pales in comparison. One child given preferential treatment, the other ignored or rebuffed. In India, we know of boys and girls in the same family being treated differently, we know of bright/high achieving kids being treated better than their siblings who are slightly less gifted. So, this happens. Not in this scale maybe but it happens. So, I wanted to read and maybe cut him some slack and see this very privileged world from this very unique perspective. So, I read this and here are my thoughts. 

Things I Liked: 

1. This is a very clever book. Very, very smartly put together and for that they deserve all the snaps. It starts with the death of Lady Diana, the single most pivotal moment in young Harry's life. The moment his world changed. The moment that would alter his life and his future. The loss that effects every single aspect of his life from here on out and also the moment every one of us remembers. The death that every one in the world grieved. It's powerful and the best way to kick off this book. The book is split in three parts. Part One is his childhood and schooling and Eton and life after the death of his mother. Part Two focuses on his decade long stint in the Army. Part Three is the shortest part and this focuses on his marriage, on meeting Meghan and the marriage that exposed him to the harsher shades in the world. The book is more about his life and his lifelong disenchantment with the Royal way of life and how he was treated like the "Spare" from the get go. 

2. The writing is quite good. Very good in fact. The ghost writer, J.R. Moehringer has done a great job of painting this vivid picture of this life and his journey. Everything from Balmoral, Buckingham Palace, Eton, Africa and even Afghanistan is brought to life in these pages. The places, the people and how all of it made Harry feel is beautifully brought out. Moerhringer is a Pulitzer prize winner writer and was a good choice to pen this memoir. 

3. If you want big reveals and juicy disclosures, this book more than delivers. There is a lot of shocking inside info and a lot of dirty royal laundry aired out. 

Brothers fighting. 

An absentee father. 

An evil stepmother. 

Royal protocols. 

The press being downright evil. 

Palace politics. 

Some good old devrani-jethani squabbles. 

This book has you covered. If you want the palace dirt, you've got it. 

4. I also enjoyed reading about how not-normal the Royal family is. You don't get to hug your Grandma! What!? The stiff, formal relationships between parents and children is just mind boggling to me but it's normal and expected for someone growing up in the institution. Quite fascinating. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. I don't like people, in life and otherwise, who take zero responsibility for their actions. Zilch. Zero. Everything is someone else's fault. 

Wore a Nazi uniform to a party, not his fault. Kate and William approved of it and he had no idea how inappropriate and hurtful that imagery is. 

Called a fellow soldier a Paki but had no clue that it's a racial slur. 

Really? 

And these are just two examples of things that Prince Harry off shoulders on others. If he were to be taken at face value nothing he does is ever his fault or his responsibility. 

It's kinda very off-putting. 

2. This book is an out-and-out lets-shit-on-Prince-William saga. From the very first few pages we see one petty attack after another. Everything from his looks (comments on his balding were just the worst), to his frowning, his temper and his better home...everything was a constant poking at his older brother. In fact, this book felt like a never-ending whining session about an older brother who has always taken up your share of the limelight. Sibling rivalry is one thing, this feels like non-stop pettiness. Not a good look. 

3. The second section, the one focusing on his military days takes up a whole chunk of the book. It's the longest portion and frankly not something I enjoyed very much. I am not someone who reads a lot of military books and this whole bit was not for me. At all. I was so beyond bored. 

4. Call me crazy but reading about a man, who's born in more privilege and wealth than most of us can even imagine and can only find things to complain about and whine about is a little off-putting. You live in this glorious bubble, travel the world, live in a literal palace and yet there is little to no gratitude for the many blessings you have in life. No appreciation. Just something to complain about and being all woe is me. The poor little rich boy schtick gets old very quickly. 

5. The objectives of this entire biography seem to be:

a) Paint himself and Meghan as victims of the Royal family and the nasty tabloid media 

b) Paint himself as the victim of his immediate family- absentee, uncaring father, nasty stepmother, a mean brother. Everyone hates poor Haz. Nobody loves him, he ought to go eat worms!

c) Show that Harry has value and that Harry has contributed in a more hands-on and meaningful, if you will, way than his brother ever has to England! Look, he went to Afghanistan! Look, he started a sporting event for differently abled veterans! Look, he goes to Lesotho and works with AIDS patients. So much virtue! So much value! 

d) Meghan is a happy and friendly little puppy, who just wants to hug everyone and no one appreciates her! How sad, no? 

As you can imagine, none of this one-sided whingeing is likeable or even pleasant. It is consistent with Harry and Meghan's other PR efforts to paint them as saintly, innocent victims, who've been horribly wronged by every single person in the Royal Family! It makes me believe that the opposite, in fact, must be true! It must be true that Meghan is unpleasant, greedy and graspy, Harry has been jealous of William for such a long time that Meghan was just the trigger for him to explode and for all this latent jealousy and hatred to come spewing out on the pages of this book! 

Let's not entirely blame Meghan for all of this! She seems to just be the catalyst. A C-grade nobody marries a prince, thinks she can outshine all other Royalty and when that doesn't happen, turns all nasty and petty. But Harry is his own poison. It is obvious that he had a bagful of deep-rooted resentments against his father and brother and this was just the excuse he needed to lash out. Not a nice look all around. Not something anyone should believe because we only have Harry's word on all these slights and hurts. 

6. With all this "breaking his silence" nonsense, not once have Harry or Meghan directly addressed the allegations of grossly overspending on Frogmore Cottage or the other cottage where they lived! They were accused of spending over 17 Million Pounds on renovations and furnishings, which they have just glossed over completely! Why this selective transparency? Why not address some of these issues, which Meghan was accused of? Makes you realize that all of it is just a glorified PR exercise to fix their image. Not the truth.  

Rating: 3/5 

Pick this book up if you are looking for some Royal Family gossip and light reading.  

#ThrowbackThursday: Flowers from our Garden

Feeling a little wistful and missing "real" winter and the various flowers from our garden back in West Bengal. 

Not much of a post today, just a wee walk down memory lane..

Hope you've had a good week and yay! it is almost Friday! 

Book Review: The Hidden Palace by Dinah Jefferies

 

Book: The Hidden Palace

Author: Dinah Jefferies 

Pages: 528 

Read on: Kindle

Read in: 5+ hours 

Plot Summary: 

A rebellious daughter

1925. Among the ancient honey-coloured walls of the tiny island of Malta, strangers slip into the shadows and anyone can buy a new name. Rosalie Delacroix flees Paris for a dancer’s job in the bohemian clubs deep in its winding streets.


A sister with a secret
1944. Running from the brutality of war in France, Florence Baudin faces a new life. But her estranged mother makes a desperate request: to find her vanished sister, who went missing years before.


A rift over generations
Betrayals and secrets, lies and silence hang between the sisters. A faded last letter from Rosalie is Florence’s only clue, the war an immovable barrier – and time is running out. 

Things I Liked: 

1. Dinah Jefferies writes historical fiction books set in different parts of the world during World War II. The first book in this particular series was based in France during the Nazi occupation and followed the journey of three sisters- Helene, Elise and Florence- as they navigated those challenging years. I haven't read the first book in the series but, honestly, I didn't feel like I was missing out on any critical information whilst reading this book. So, if you, like me, happen to pick this one up first, then don't worry, you can easily read this as a stand alone. 

2. So, anyway, this book follows the journey of the youngest sister- Florence- after the War, when she moves to England to overcome the trauma of the war years and also, reconnect with their mother. It is there that she learns about her mom's younger sister- Rosalie- who had run away from Paris in the mid-1920s and has not kept in touch with the family since then. Florence's mom is dying of cancer and she wants to find her sister and see her one last time before she dies. So, Florence sets off to Malta, the last known destination of her aunt, to try and find her. 

The story, then breaks into a split-time narrative between Rosalie's life between 1923 to 1946 and Florence's life in 1945-46 as she searches for Rosalie. The book does a great job of telling both these stories. 

3. Rosalie's story is set in Malta between 1923-46 and that, for me, was so much more interesting than Florence's efforts to settle down in England after the war. Malta was attacked mercilessly for two years straight by the Nazis and their Italian allies and the way they held their own and kept the enemies from taking over the island was truly commendable. It was nice to read about Malta, its syncretic culture and the different challenges faced by it during the war. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. The Malta parts of the book were so much more interesting and unfortunately, the author spent so much more time focusing on Malta in the 1920s-30s instead of during the war, when the story would've been so much more interesting. 

2. I found it a bit strange that Rosalie, who was a dancer in a seedy cabaret bar in Malta, was so effortlessly welcomed into the homes and social circles of Malta's elite! She even dates and falls in love with a Baron and he takes her around publicly and everyone just accepts her. First of all, this would not happen. Cabaret dancers were not accepted into the upper echelons of society and showing Rosalie mingling with the elites with them knowing what she did for a living was just culturally inaccurate! 

3. Florence's story in England, mostly, involved her walking around Devon and staring at the countryside. I mean, what was the point of wasting over 150 pages on this?! I was really bored during Florence's England chapters. 

Rating: 3.5/5 

Read if you have a lot of time on your hands and don't mind some dull chapters on Florence's time in England. 

Glimpses of my Reading Journal

 Hi everyone!

Sharing some pictures of the set up of my reading journal of 2023. 

If you're wondering what a reading journal is, it is a notebook where I write down my thoughts about books that have made some kind of an impact on me. It is a way for me to put down my thoughts, write down what the book made me think, feel etc. 

For my 2023 book journal, I am using this notebook from Kaagazi (no point sharing a link because the store is now shut). 

The first page looks something like this. Just decorated it with some of my favourite bookish stickers and supplies. These are from a couple of Instagram shops such as Shop ABC, Kimmay's Corner and so on. 

This is what the first inside page looks like. Just some cute stickers! 

Hope you liked this little peek into the set up of my reading journal. If this is something that interests you, then I can share a peek into book journals of years past! 

Have a great day! 

Book Review: How The Mango Got its Magic By Sudha Murty.

 

Book: How the Mango Got its Magic 

Author: Sudha Murty 

Art: Priyanka Pachpande 

Publisher: Puffin Books 

Pages: 44 

How Long it Took Me To Read: Half an Hour 

Plot Summary: We all love the sweetness of mango and how it quenches our thirst on a hot summer day, but have you ever wondered how the mango got its magical sweetness? The tale of how such sweetness came into existence is a fascinating one indeed. India's favourite storyteller brings alive this delightlful tale with her inimitable wit and simplicity. Bursting with captivating illustrations, this gorgeous chapter book is the ideal introduction for beginners to the world of Sudha Murty.

Review: We all love mangoes. The king of fruits has all of us looking forward to the harsh months of summer. On it's own, or in pickles or chutneys, in milkshakes and ice-cream- Mangoes work in every which form. To have story about how the Mango got it's own special taste and sweetness just made me wish it was Mango season right now! 

This is such a wonderful and simple tale of generosity and how human greed can get in the way of a good thing. The life lesson is expressed so simply and effectively that I am sure kids and even adults will learn a great deal. 

Beautiful inside and out and the art is such a charming addition. 

Seriously, pick this up and spend an hour just smiling and looking at the gorgeous art and a beautiful story. 

Rating: 4/5 

Stationery Sunday: Planner Tote 2023

 Hello, hello!

I hope you've been having a lovely weekend! 

I spent mine reading, doing a spot of planning, journaling and watching a movie on Netflix. A nice, lazy Sunday. 

I wanted to share a quick look at the tote bag I am using to carry my planners and supplies currently. 

This is the tote bag that I am using to carry around my planners, journals and supplies. It is from La Dolce Vita and I've had it since 2019 and hadn't really had a chance to use it! Fully blame the pandemic for that! 

Here is what it contains- my planner, gratitude journal and my folio, which houses some of my supplies and, of course, my pencil case. 

The folio (light blue) is actually a Hobonichi cover, which I am using as a folio to carry around my supplies. 

Here is the bag! I love the whimsical outfit of the girls! 

The pencil case I am currently using is also from La Dolce Vita and I love their illustrations! 

Have a great week ahead, folks! 

 

Book Review: Five Survive by Holly Jackson

 

Book: Five Survive

Author: Holly Jackson 

Pages: 389

Read on: iPad

Read in: ~4 hours 

Plot Summary: Red Kenny is on a road trip for spring break with five friends: Her best friend - the older brother - his perfect girlfriend - a secret crush - a classmate - and a killer. 

When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, they soon realize this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead.

With eight hours until dawn, the six friends must escape, or figure out which of them is the target. But is there a liar among them? Buried secrets will be forced to light and tensions inside the RV will reach deadly levels. Not all of them will survive the night...

Things I Liked: 

1. The premise was very interesting! I have read and immensely enjoyed the Good Girls trilogy by Holly Jackson and so, this book, set over a night during a road trip where six high school seniors (a couple of them were college-going) are being hunted by a sniper, seemed really interesting! 

2. This was a very fast-paced and thrilling book. Very at the edge-of-your-seat type of a thriller. The events of this book take place over 7-8 hours and so, there is not a lot of time to waste and things happen quite fast and even backstories are dealt with in a crisp manner. The book is gripping and the author manages to hold our interest throughout. 

3. There are a couple of mysteries at the core of this story and a few of them are connected and a few of them aren't. So, the narrative gears up towards revealing these mysteries/ secrets as the night progresses and the sniper demands that whoever is hiding the secret he is interested in needs to 'fess up. So, we get to hear some of these secrets and the inter-personal relationships amongst this group splinter and devolve as the night deepens.

4. The big mystery is a little different from what you'd expect in a Young Adult (YA) crime thriller and that is something that I quite liked. Not going to spill much more on this because I don't want to spoil this book for you. 

5. All the six characters are decently developed and we know just enough about each of them. Obviously, Red, our protagonist, is the most well developed of all characters. Your heart will go out to her and the struggles that she's had to endure since her mom died five years ago. She is strong, resourceful, kind and has a solid sense of morality. A very likeable character. 

The others are what you'd expect young people to be when faced with a sniper- panicked, selfish, afraid. All of it is quite nicely done and you can feel their fear and stress levels through the pages. 

6. The ending is satisfying and almost everything that needs resolving is resolved. There is one thing that has been left open-ended but not too open-ended. You'll know what I mean when you read the book! :) 

Rating: 4/5