The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

Good-Bye 2014!  You are a good year...largely.  I read 295 books!  I wrote. I learned.  I cooked.  I baked.  I watched movies.  I loved.  I made plans.  I got excited.  I felt sad.  I felt joy.  I bought pretty things.  I choose happiness.  I journaled. I took pictures.  You were good to me 2014. And I bid you farewell with warm feelings.  Have a lovely New Year's Eve.  Mine is a quiet one spent at home, cooking and being happy.  I couldn't ask for much else.  See you next year!  Happy New Year. 

Romance novels are a dime a dozen! There is something out there for everyone's taste! What makes romance as a genre so interesting is that there can be all kinds of love stories- funny ones, tragic ones, dramatic ones, scary (stalkers and such) ones etc. However, what is also interesting is that there are so many badly written romances out there.  A good romance should have the basic elements in place- characters that one connects with and roots for, some fun quirks which makes these characters endearing and memorable, great chemistry, great banter and also some steamy love making! What?! Let's not be coy now!  So, without further ado, let's get into it, shall we?  5 and 4. As far as romance novels go, for me the discovery of the year 2014 was Colleen Hoover.  She writes, what people are calling, 'New Adult' books- basically, steamier than the teenage/ young adult rom-coms and whose protagonists are, largely, over eighteen (to allow for the afore

1. The Strangler Vine by M.J. Carter: I randomly came across this book in a book store and it sounded interesting and like something I'd enjoy. I read it and loved it and reviewed it HERE.   2. The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb: A very engaging read that I just couldn't put down. It was creepy and scary in parts and a very fun read. Reviewed HERE .  3. Oscar Wilde and The Candlelight Murders by Gyles Brandreth: Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle solving crimes! Yes please! Such a unique concept and such a good read. I cannot wait to read more books from this series. Reviewed HERE.   4. The Silkworm by Robert Gailbraith aka J.K. Rowling: We are absolutely loving the Cormoran Strike books. Loved the first one and really loved this one too and I cannot wait for the next book to be out. Such amazing reads. Great thrillers, amazing writing and just stellar books! Reviewed HERE .  5. The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah: Poirot is back! Nothing

I am more than obsessed with What's in my Bag tags on Youtube and I have seem so many of those videos it's not even funny! But they are so freaking entertaining.  I did one of these posts last year featuring my Travel Backpack. I figured it's time I did another one of these before the year is up.  This bag is from Zara. I bought it in October...I think and I've been using it since mid-November. Well, was using. I am currently using a satchel my sister bought me for Christmas! I really love this bag and I love how spacious she is and how much stuff she holds. I started using her after months of using tiny satchel bags (I am a total satchel bag fiend.)and it was so refreshing to use a bag with ample room.  So here we go...with what's in my bag. This is picture heavy post so I'd recommend sitting comfortably and getting nosey. :)  All the stuff laid out neatly. I am a big believer in having tiny bags inside my bag to keep my stuff organis