The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

Book: The Suspect Author: Fiona Barton Pages: 381 Read on: Kindle Read in: 3 hours Plot Summary:  When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing on their gap year in Thailand, their families are thrust into the international spotlight: desperate, bereft and frantic with worry.   Journalist Kate Waters always does everything she can to be first to the story, first with the exclusive, first to discover the truth – and this time is no exception. But she can’t help but think of her own son, who she hasn’t seen in two years, since he left home to go travelling. This time it’s personal. And as the case of the missing girls unfolds, they will all find that even this far away, danger can lie closer to home than you might think.  Things I Liked: 1. The premise of this book is very interesting and gut wrenching. As a parent, there is, possibly, nothing worse than your child going missing! So, imagine your  young  daughter going missing during her gap...

Book: The Forest of Enchantments Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (CBD) Pages: 372 Publisher: Harper Collins Read On: Hardback edition picture above How Long it Took Me To Read: 3 days Plot Summary:   The Ramayana, one of the world's greatest epics, is also a tragic love story. In this brilliant retelling, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni places Sita at the centre of the novel: this is Sita's version. The Forest of Enchantments is also a very human story of some of the other women in the epic, often misunderstood and relegated to the margins: Kaikeyi, Surpanakha, Mandodari. A powerful comment on duty, betrayal, infidelity and honour, it is also about women's struggle to retain autonomy in a world that privileges men, as Chitra transforms an ancient story into a gripping, contemporary battle of wills. While the Ramayana resonates even today, she makes it more relevant than ever, in the underlying questions in the novel: How should women be treated by their lo...

Book: The Stranger Upstairs Author: Melanie Raabe Pages: 346 Read On: Kindle Read In: 4 hours Plot Summary:   Several years ago, your husband, and the father of your young son, disappeared. Since then, you’ve dreamed of his return; railed against him for leaving you alone; grieved for your marriage; and, finally, vowed to move on. One morning, the phone rings. When you answer, a voice at the other end tells you your husband’s on a plane bound for home, and that you’ll see him tomorrow. You’ve imagined this reunion countless times. Of course you have. But nothing has prepared you for the reality. For you realize you don’t know this man.  Because he isn’t your husband, he’s a complete stranger – and he’s coming home with you. Even worse, he seems to know about something very bad you once did, something no one else could possibly know about . . . Could they? Things I Liked:  1. The premise of the book seemed really interesting. A man gone ...

Hello!  One of my favourite places to shop from is from local artisans. Especially rural artisans who work so hard to keep our handloom and handicraft traditions alive. I'd rather spend my money and support these artisans than give my money to big corporations. It makes me happy, so happy to support and in  my small way keep these arts flourishing.  I came across Ahambhumika on IG and fell in love with their things. The aesthetic and art is simply splendid. And it's all made with love and by hand. They support rural artisans in and around Bhopal and help better their lives. A cause I am more than happy to support.  I got a few things from them, some tote bags and cushion covers.  Today I'll be sharing the gorgeous tote bags from them.  Let's jump right into it.. Flying Free.  My sister loves birds. So we couldn't resist getting this tote with flying birds on it.  So gorgeous!  Oh my!  :)  Lo...

Today I want to share some snippets of my sister's gratitude journal for 2019- the Daily Journal by Frankie Magazine . We got out first Frankie Journal in 2013 and then onwards, we have been using it off and on- skipping a few years in between- and we always find ourselves drawn to the beautiful illustrations! This year's journal is no exception. Let's take a look! The cover is always cloth bound, which feels so lovely on the hands.  Look at the end pages. So pretty!  This is what each month-at-a-glance looks like.  Look how pretty!!!  This is what a weekly spread looks like. There is a section for notes and for listing down new plants seen, which I think is so cute!  I love having pages to jot down birthdays!  Look at how pretty February looks!  There are always these tear-out to-do lists and reminders! I always pull these out and stick them in my other jour...

 Hello all, I wanted to share a really beautiful recent addition to my purse collection- this beautiful 'P' initial floral embroidered circle bag from Riddhi Pankaj ! This is, perhaps, the sixth or seventh bag we have from Riddhi and each bag is so pretty and meticulously made! Take a look! Love the colours and the beautiful ribbon flowers!  I love the various pinks on this bag and love how the burgundy 'P' stands out.  This bag is quite spacious and is framed in really soft leather. The back pocket has a fair amount of give and can easily accommodate a phone and a slim card holder/ wallet.  Really excited to carry this beauty out later this month! This was one of my Christmas gifts and I am waiting for the right day of fun to cart it around!  To buy one of Riddhi's beautiful bags, you can reach out to her on her Instagram profile .

Book: A Very Large Expanse of Sea Author: Tahereh Mafi  Pages: 307 pages  Read on: Kindle  Read in: 3-4 hours   Plot Summary:   It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother. But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so...

What is Christmas without a book haul?  I like to treat myself every Christmas to to pile of new books!  Why not?  Ain't no present as good as a bunch of new books!!!  Sorry this post is so late. Time just got away from me.  But better late than never.  I got all of these books from Amazon.  Let's see the new loves added to my shelves during Christmas time.  A Penguin English Library, honestly any excuse to buy these gorgeous books.  This is a collection of short stories that I am keen on reading really soon.  The complete short fiction of Virginia Woolf.  Now I had ordered a prettier version but got this not-so-pretty-but-its-fine edition.  :(  I will make do.  Also I am excited to jump into these soon.  Though I might save them for October.  I want to read more Premchand. I have so far read a few stories here and there but nothing definitive. I wo...

Hello!  For today's Stationery Sunday I wanted to share the other set of bookmarks I got from Obvious State back in December. This set had my heart from the first time I ever laid eyes on them. I saw them all over IG and I couldn't wait to get me a set of my own! I mean look at them.  Poetry and Florals. This is a match made in aesthetic heaven!  The Bloom Bookmark set retails for $5 and is worth every penny.  I finally got this and few other bits from Obvious State during their Black Friday sale. I have shared my previous batch of bookmarks HERE.   Those ones are mainly for my sister but this set here is my love. I am so happy I finally have these gorgeous bookmarks. Honestly, I am never going to have enough bookmarks. These ones are so well made and study and the art and print on them is perfect. I am so glad to finally have them.  I have some bits from the shop and will share them soon!  Hope you've ...

Hello!  My first batch of Friday Favourites for the year.  Let's get started.. 1. Sloths forever! In any shape and form, I love all things form.  :)  2. A favourite cushion of mine. The cover is from Chumbak.  Bloom and Grow.  3. Flopsie, a new furry friend from Miniso.  4. Mellow golden sunsets.  5. Gorgeous flowers.  Have a great weekend ahead folks.  I hope to hunker down and get started on a new book and read my weekend away. 

Book: Magic in Mussoorie Writer: Atul Sethi Art: Vikas Upadhyay Publisher: Penguin Random House Pages: 64 Read On: Paperback How Long it Took Me to Read: 1 hour Plot Summary:  Nakul Sahej and his friend Kuku stumble upon an antique book while on holiday in Mussoorie. The book turns out to be a magical one that transports the two back in time to the Mussoorie of over a century ago. Meeting historical personalities of that time-like Sir George Everest, who lives in a sprawling estate on the outskirts of Mussoorie, as well as the young maharaja of Punjab, Duleep Singh, who has been exiled by the British and is spending a summer in the hill station-Nakul and Kuku get involved in an intriguing adventure that sets off a series of events which can change the course of history!   Action-packed and unputdownable, this thrilling adventure is the first in a series of comic books set in the Garhwal Himalayas. Things I Liked: 1. A book of magic, adventure, time...

Hello!  So 2019 is here and it's time to make some resolutions and set some goals for my reading and my blog.  I took the first week off from Blogging, fairly undecidedly. TBH, my 2019 was not off to the best possible start. I talked about it on my IG stories, but in a nutshell on the 1st of January 3 Amazon packages went missing from our home. The next day we found out that the lady who collects the garbage from our building is the ones responsible for stealing them. We got back two out of three things (Thank God), but my book never did. And somehow this really made me sad, not just the book being sold for scraps, It was being stolen from the people I've been nothing but kind to. I have been feeling just untethered and out of sorts. Not the best way to start a new year.  So that's why I have been missing in action on here.  But I've got to snap out of it.  So here we are trying to forget the first week of 2019 and making a fresh start....

Book: My Sister, the Serial Killer Author: Oyinkan Braithwaite Pages: 240 Read on: Kindle Read in: 2 hours Plot Summary:  When Korede's dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola's dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first.  Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede's long been in love with him, and isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other. Things I Liked:  1. I have been hearing really good things about this book for a very long time and so, I, finally...