The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔 Happy Diwali 🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔 Subho Kali Puja 🌷🌸🪷🌻🌼🌸🌷 I hope you and yours are having the best Diwali. Here’s what my day looked like: 

 Happy Halloween🎃👻🍬  You know I love all things Spooky and every year for Halloween, I try to read some spooky and mystery books.  Here are five books I read this year in honour of Halloween.  Happy Halloween my Spooky 👻🐈‍⬛👽🎃👻 Pals.  Five books I read leading up to Halloween.                🎃👻🍬🎃👻🍬🎃👻🍬 Finally read Dracula and since it's such a big part of our cultural Zeitgeist, I feel like I knew this story through osmosis. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it immensely and was surprised how easy it was to read and accessible the writing was. Also watched two film adaptations. One made in 1992 by Fransis Ford Coppola (which was so campy and weird). The other produced by Wes Craven (who I love) which was fun but very, very not true to text. Both films are available on YouTube.  Mariana Enriquez was a revelation. I cannot believe it took me this long to finally find my way to her work. She writes like a dream abo...

 Happy Choti Diwali 🪔  I hope your day included lots of light, love and mithai 💛  Here's what my day looked like:  I miss the Diwali of my childhood.  But now is good too. One just has to find the magic and joy for themselves.  I love how Mumbai twinkles and shines and how fairy lights and diyas illuminate every window. I hope this festive season is treating you well. 

 Happy Dhanteras Loves.  Spent my day doing some last minute cleaning and sprucing up.  Here's what my day looked like:  Curtains were changed.  Coffee was had in new mugs.  Cleaning was done.  Decluttering was undertaken.  Wore some gold, old gifts from my grandmother.  Ate sweets.  Watched two Dracula films. The 1992 and 2000 versions.  A chill and happy day.  Hope your day was happy too. 

 Here's a little look at what my Sunday looked like.  The biggest joy for today was finding some very cute and very affordable mugs while ordering my groceries.  Got some mugs from Swiggy Instamart and some from Big Basket.  If you know me at all Or have been a long time reader of the blog, you know how obsessed I am with mugs.  So finding something cute and Cheap makes me so happy 😍  So of course, coffee was promptly made and had.  Love this periwinkle mug so much 💜 Coffee and Classic Lit.  Yellow beauty welcome to my home 🏠  Hope you're having a lovely Sunday.  I read a chunk of Dracula, which I am loving. I plan on finding a film adaptation to watch tonight and read some more. 

  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. 

  Subho Bijoya and Happy Dussehra 🙏 The end of Pujo always feels heavy and sad.  So we eat something good and bid Maa farewell and pray for her return and good tidings.  Come back soon Maa.  On Bijoya, in my family, we don't eat rice or non-vegetarian grubs. This used to bring me so much joy as a kid. We used to sit eating in bed and eat mishti and luchi.  Tonight I cooked some Kashmiri Dum Aloo and Boondi Kheer (since no rice).  A simple and yum dinner.  It was a quiet and almost solemn Pujo this year. I hope next year is brighter and better.  Watching an old classic tonight.  My first ever brush with Christie. And still one of my faves. 

 Hello all, If you've been wondering what planner to get for 2025, perhaps my review of the planners I have used this year might give you some ideas?  This year, my planning system was so streamlined and so good that I had to get on YouTube and share my thoughts on my system!  Do go watch, if you need some planner recommendations and inspiration!  Click on the video below to watch! And, maybe, Subscribe? :) 

 Happy Shashti everyone.  Pujo began with some much needed rain, after days of humidity and heat.  My heart was singing when we had some rains this evening.  So I made myself a cup of ☕ tea and cosied up with a comfort read~ Ray.  Here's what today looked like: