My Year in Books + Top 21 Reads of 2021.

Hello Loves!

Here we are on the very last day of 2021.

What a year it's been, huh? What a beastly little year! Good thing is I am happy to see it leave and I am happy to have survived it. Literally, I am grateful to be alive and grateful to have kicked Corona Kameeni to the curb.

Uff! This year was zeher in parts and sukoon in bits.

Let's talk about something good: aka my reading in 2021.

Reading my one solace in every situation and every year!

This year I read 200 books.

A neat little number no?! I got to 200 a few days ago..a little before Christmas and then just took time off from reading. I took a holiday from reading and just focussed on other things and spent time blogging and making a ton of lists and cooking and being.

200 is a good solid number and more than that I feel very at peace with everything I read this year.

So let's look at my annual

YEAR IN BOOKS

200 BOOKS.

I read a mix of ebooks and physical books.

I dare say I might have read more ebooks this year.

I am so grateful for my Kindle and having books on hand at all times.

I read so many genres.

I read a fair amount of non-fiction this year.

According to my GoodReads I read 36,519 pages.

I read quite a few new releases.

I read new books from some of my of my absolute favourite writers: Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Haruki Murakami and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

I read horror.

I didn't read any romance..not one that I enjoyed, in any case.

I read a decent amount of kid-lit.

I read a fair amount of Literary Fiction.

I read pretty much everyday.

I read on my terrace while getting sunned or watching the rains.

I read curled up in bed.

I DNF-ed a few books.

I stuck to most of my reading resolutions.

I bought some books every now and then.

I bought a lot of used books (look at me evolve).

I twice went all out and splurged on new/expensive books.

I read some disappointing books, not overly bad just books I went in hoping more from and being thoroughly disappointed.

Overall, on an average, I mostly read very decent books and some absolutely amazing books.

I didn't blog nearly enough.

4/12 months I blogged every single day, which is pretty remarkable.

My bookish life was good.

My books kept me sane and happy and distracted when the world went to hell, and in 2021, it went to shit a lot.

I cannot tell you how my books and stories save my life.

Thank you my beloveds.

You are my everything.

I have shared a lot of my yearly faves this year but like it's tradition, here are my all around, absolute favourite reads of 2021.

Ones I recommend whole heartedly.

Ones you should definitely read soon.

Some I have talked about and others I am mentioning for the first time.

TOP 21 BOOKS OF 2021.

1. Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri

2. The Echo Chamber by John Boyne

3. Tales from my Heart by Ruskin Bond

4. A Lonely Harvest by Perumal Murugan

5. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

6. Rumours of Spring by Farah Basher

7. Essential Items by Udayan Mukherjee

8. Padmavati The Harlot and Other Stories by Kamala Das

9. Spooky Stories by Tanushree Podder

10. The Girl and The Goddess by Nikita Gill

11. The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Pham Que Mai

12. Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

13. Confessions by Kanae Minato

14. Prelude to a Riot by Annie Zaidi

15. How to Be a Writer by Ruskin Bond

16. The Adventures of Goopy Gyne and Bagha Byne by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury

17. Pilgrimage by Ira Singh

18. Gopi Diaries: Finding Love by Sudha Murty

19. Dark Tales by Venita Coelho

20. First Person Singular by Haruki Murakami

21. The Adventures of Feluda Vol- I by Satyajit Ray

21 amazing books that made my heart sing.

I wish you and yours a very, very Happy New Year.

I hope 2022 is safe and kind and wonderful for you.

Thank you for making 2021 so much better for me and thank-you for reading my blog and being a part of my little life.

See you next year loves!

Review: The Magic of the Lost Temple by Sudha Murthy.

Book: The Magic of the Lost Temple Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 163 Read On: Paperback How Long it took Me To Read: 1 day Plot Summary: City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparents' village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends. Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest.Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable. General Thoughts: Ah! A happy little Children's Book! I wanted it the minute I spotted it in the bookshop. And I started reading it pretty much immediately. :) I read it after reading a beyond dull and boring and soulless book. This book just cured my bookish blues. I l

Book Review: The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond.

Some snippets of the stunning art inside the book! Book: The Room on the Roof Author: Ruskin Bond Illustrator: Ahlawat Gunjan Pages: 171 Read On: Hardback How Long It Took Me To Read: 3 days or so. Plot Summary: Rusty, a sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy, is orphaned and has to live with his English guardian in the claustrophobic European part in Dehra Dun. Unhappy with the strict ways of his guardian, Rusty runs away from home to live with his Indian friends. Plunging for the first time into the dream-bright world of the bazaar, Hindu festivals and other aspects of Indian life, Rusty is enchanted … and is lost forever to the prim proprieties of the European community. General Thoughts: This book is super special. Not only this 60th anniversary edition an absolute beauty. This is also a signed copy I picked up from Mussoorie when I was in Landour earlier in the year. This is perhaps one of Ruskin Bond's most well kn

Review: Grandma's Bag of Stories by Sudha Murthy.

Book: Grandma's Bag of Stories Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 176 Read On: Paperback How Long It Took Me Read: 2 hours Plot Summary: When Grandma opens her bag of stories, everyone gathers Around. Who can resist a good story, especially when it’s being told by Grandma? From her bag emerges tales of kings and cheats, monkeys and mice, bears and gods. Here comes the bear who ate some really bad dessert and got very angry; a lazy man who would not put out a fire till it reached his beard; a princess who got turned into an onion; a queen who discovered silk, and many more weird and wonderful people and animals. Grandma tells the stories over long summer days and nights, as seven children enjoy life in her little town. The stories entertain, educate and provide hours of enjoyment to them. So come, why don’t you too join in the fun? General Thoughts: I've read quite a few Sudha Murthy books this year and really enjoyed them. I find them soothing, simple a

The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

Search This Blog