The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

 Hello March!  Be Kind. Be Good. Be Gentle. Maa ❤️ A little reading. Some citrus.  Maa’s birthday. Feeling a little under the weather. 

 Hello Loves!  Hope you're having a good first weekend of the year.  I read a little, rested up and watched some old Feluda films. Started a new book and even brought out my special markers to highlight. 📖 All good things. 

  October is doing it's usual thing.  It's whizzing up in a blur of festivities, being busy and gorgeous sunsets.  Life as usual.  Here is what life has looked like lately.  Love gazing out my window every evening.  Finally reading Dracula and it's surprisingly accessible and easy to jump into. The plan is to finish it and then watch a film adaptation.  Picture books bringing me comfort.  Added some cozy mysteries to my TBR.  Craving for some proper autumn weather.  Re-read a book.  All good things 🌞🌿🌞 Hope October has been treating you well. 

 Hello Loves!  This month has been brutal and I have taken a sort of break from the Blog.  It's too hot to do anything and I for one am eagerly waiting for the rains and to return to my normal life.  ❤ I have been seeing these old times digi cams all over IG.  A basic point and shoot and girls decorating them to their hearts content.  I wanted in on the action and I didn't even have to go out and buy a camera. I had one. From back in 2012.  I used it for years. From 2012 to 2018 and I loved it. I upgraded my camera in 2018 and now it is time to upgrade it again but I don't see myself doing that anytime soon. I don't really need to do it and I honestly don't see myself getting a very bulky camera.  So I was happy to reunite with my trusty and tinyyyyy Canon IXUS. I had forgotten how tiny and compact she was and honestly, if I do end up getting a new camera at some point this year or in 2025, I might just get a point and shoot. Something I can carry...

   I am trying to read some of my favourite writers and books in February. In honour of my birthday month.  So far, I've read Ruskin Bond, Anne Tyler and I am making my way through some Jane Austen.  I remember reading The Virgin Suicides back in 2010. I borrowed a copy from my local library in Bangalore and read it. I really liked it. And soon after I watched the film adaptation. Sofia Coppola made a fever dream of a film that I also enjoyed immensely.  So it was high time I revisited the Lisbon sisters and go back to their world and sadly their deaths.  TW for Suicides and Self-Harm.  Seriously, if this bothers you, you have to avoid this book.  I am nearly a 100 pages in and really, really enjoying it.  Plan to read it leisurely over the weekend and maybe rewatch the film too. 

  Back When We Grownups by Anne Tyler: I've never read an Anne Tyler I didn't love. I love how she writes women. Especially the kind of woman, who are often relegated to the background in other stories. This one is about a woman named Rebecca, who at age 53 is coming to realise she ended up perhaps in the wrong life. I am a little bit in and loving the gentle and thought provoking writing.  I am happy to spend time with Rebecca, learn about her life and getting to know a huge (and very realistic and flawed) family and see how and if she decides to change her life.  I am so happy to be reading another Tyler.  Mansfield Park by Jane Austen: The only Austen I haven't read and it's time to fix that. Also, I am trying to read only favourites in February for my birthday month. So picking this up just makes sense.  The plan is to read it through the month and take my time with it, it's pretty much how I read classics. Then find a film adaptation to watch once I've fini...

  Hello Loves!  Can you even believe November is here?  November always feels like it's time to wind down and rest and get ready for the slower and brighter months of the year. We prepare for Diwali and get our homes in order and then celebrate the festival of lights.  I am always happy when November rolls around. It's always a month for joy and love. It's my sister's birthday and we try to do little things we enjoy all month long.  Eat good food.  Go to her favourite places.  Watch her favourite films.  Read some good books.  I am so happy November is here again.  This November I am participating in NaNoWriMo. Which is a month long writing challenge, the goal is to write a novel in a month. Now it could be something you are already working on or it could be an entirely new thing. I do have some half-written projects that I could work on but I am choosing to focus something new and flesh out and work on an idea that I've had since 2021. ...

 Hello Loves!  This post is super duper late.  I should have had this up wayyyy back in January, seeing that these books were ordered on the 1st of Jan.  I decided to start my year with buying some books, as you do. And I also felt that it was the perfect start to my New Year. Books are always a good start and a good way to welcome newness.  I bought two beautiful books from my corner of the world- Bengal. I picked two classics and I cannot wait to read them.  Let's see the prettiness.  I have read this book before. But I wasn't the biggest fan of the translation. So when I saw that Penguin Modern Classics had a translation I had to get my hands on it. I am very happy to own this copy and read it eventually. I am thinking of reading this in April for my All Bengali Books in April.  I am hoping to read this and then binge the Ray adaptations of it.  It will break my heart but it seems like a good way to celebrate Bengaliness.  Gosh I love...

 Hello Loves!  I hope this Monday has been good to you.  Here are some snippets of life in December so far in.  This is truly one of the most happy times of the year and I love making my home as festive and wonderful as I humanly can.  This year I've incorporated some dolls into my decor.  This beautiful girl usually lives in my bookshelf and I have sitting front and center in my living room and love the gold and cuteness she adds to my space, plus I like that she's out and about.  Santa galore.  The big-ish Santa is over 20 years old and was a gift, he comes out every year and some years he was even our tree topper.  This year I also used my gorgeous Vintage Red Spines to add more Christmassy vibes to the home and encourage me and my sister to read one of these. I am thinking of picking up A Single Man to read at some point this month.  Love how this corner looks and it's the first thing my eyes go to when I walk into my living room....

 Hello Loves!  It's been forever since I did one of this posts and documented my weekend reading on the blog.  Let's fix that shall we?  I've been in such a mood to re-read lately, maybe it has something to do with being reunited with my books after nearly two years. I am looking at my shelves and picking old loves to spend time with. I am loving it.  :)  This is the lot I am hoping to read these next few days.  Five Go To Smuggler's Top by Enid Blyton: It's been two years since I read any Famous Five. So I am more than ready to jump back into this world. I remember pretty much nothing about this book, not surprising since I read this when I was ten. So this will feel brand new. I am all set to get cozy and read this adventure filled caper and hang out with some old faves.  Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie: This is also a re-read. My Dad is finally watching all the Agatha Christie shows (its available on Sony Liv) and I had to pick up a book to k...