The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

Hello!  Here we are on the last day of the year and it's time to list my favourite reads of the year.  This was a good year for reading.  Not consistently good but good.  There were some months when my reading life was on fire. And others where life took precedence and my reading slowed down.  But overall, 2019 was a good one.  I read 205 books.  A number I am most happy with.  I read a lot!   :)  I read physical books and a lottttttt of ebooks. I have a sneaky feeling that I read more ebooks than physical ones and that's new for me. With a 3 month long vacation, where I was away from my home and my personal library, my Kindle was a lifesaver. And ebooks being generally cheaper than their physical counterparts was kinder to my wallet too.  When it comes to book buying I feel like I was quite well behaved this year.  I bought books when I wanted to and bought books I wanted to read, but I don't ...

I always intend on reading more non-fiction but truth be told I am primarily a fiction fiend. I enjoy an occasional foray into non-fiction. And I am so glad I read some really good non-fiction books this year. So let's jump into my favourites from this year. My favourite non-fiction reads of 2019 are: 1. I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara: The true story of a journalist's obsessive search for the Golden State Killer- a serial rapist and murderer linked to over 50 cases of sexual assault and murder. Michelle McNamara interviewed as many victims as she could, tracked objects stolen from the crime scenes that were taken as mementos, worked together with other amateur detectives to try and track down the Golden State Killer. This book is a true labour of love and a must-read for all true crime buffs. 2. At Home in Mumbai by Chandrima Pal: A great little book about the different kinds of homes and the people who live in them. From apartments to heritage b...

Hello, hello! How can I end the year without sharing some of my stationery favourites of 2019! Without any further ado, let's look at some of my absolute loves of 2019 (in no particular order) 1. Journal + Pen Pouch from Lyra & Co on Etsy This beautiful handy-dandy B6 journal cover cum pen pouch is super useful for carrying around my B6 Muji notebook and a bunch of favourite journaling pens.  This is the B6 Muji notebook that I use as a travel journal. So, this whole set up is super easy to carry around when I am on the move.  2. Stickers from Bon Bon   These are perfect for journaling. Look at these girls and all their cool outfits!  3. Stickii Club Sticker Subscription This is a ~$11 a month sticker subscription that I have been subscribed to for about 2 years now. Every month has a theme and you get around 5-6 sheets of stickers and a stylised paper clip and sometimes even a fabric patch. ...

This is what Christmas looked like in my corner of the world.  This year we were sans a tree for very long and I honestly thought that we'd not have a tree.  But on the 23rd my Dad surprised us with a tree and decorations!!!!!  I was so happy!  And sooooo excited to have a tree and baubles in my life again.  :)  It's a tiny tree and we didn't have as many ornaments as I normally have in Bombay but it's still perfect.  I especially love the Santa faces and the little cottages I've added with the lights.  These lights and cottages came as a DIY kit. We got them right before Diwali but not in time to do up the home for Diwali. I think it was perfect for our Christmas tree.  I hope you've had a Merry Christmas.  I hope it involved cake and family and lights.  Talking about lights. here are the lights in my hometown. 

Hello, hello! We present to you the Top 10 Thriller reads of 2019! This is one genre I am always, always in the mood for. There is honestly nothing better than sinking into a well-written and pacy thriller. Murders, serial killers, old secrets, sinister plots...oh gimme more! Let's see which books from this genre I loved best in 2019. I recommend all of these books, in fact any of these will make the perfect Christmas gift for a loved one who loves a good mystery or these are the perfect books to curl up with on a cold winter night. Here they are, in no particular order! 1. The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor:   This is a story that moves in time between present day and the protagonist's childhood in the 1980s. A series of murders take place and chalk drawings show up when they happen. Who is this killer? What is he after? Why is he back after 30 odd years? An interesting and gripping book about childhood memories and trauma and, of course, a clever killer. 2. Lock Every D...

Hello!  How could I possibly end this year and not list my favourite bags of the year?  Bags are one of my big loves.  And in no particular order..here are some of my best loved bags of the year.  1. Big Stella from Chiaroscuro: How could I possibly not have a bag from one of my favourite brands. If you've followed me/my blog/my IG you know that my sister and I love all things Chiaroscuro. We own..something like 15 odd bags from them and love each and everyone of them. The Stella bags are some of my favourites. I own a Stella in pecan which I got last year and love so much. This yellow beauty had me at hello and she is perfect in every which way!  2. Mango Woven Bailey from Chiaroscuro: Another one from Chiaroscuro and this one is yellow too. My sister loves the Bailey tote and has a few already. But this is the first woven one we've gotten from them, Bright and happy and fits your whole world in it.  3. Saturday Sling in...

Today I want to talk about a genre I don't read nearly enough from- Historical Fiction. It's a crying shame really. I love..LOVE History. Both mine and from other corners of the world, history has always been an area of interest. And when done well there is nothing quite as satisfying as historical fiction. Going back in time, visiting a time and place different from my own, seeing important historical events and how it impacted people...there is so much to love.  OK..enough babbbling. Here are our Top 5 Historical Fiction Books of 2019: 1. Lilac Girls by Martha Kelly Hall: A beautifully written, poignant yet inspiring book about the 'Rabbit Girls' (the young Jewish women, who were experimented on at the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp). The strong and brave characters of this book (it is a true story) will move you and inspire you. Highly, highly recommend. 2. Lost Roses by Martha Kelly Hall: A prequel to (unconnected and can be read without reading) Lilac ...

Hello!  And Happy Friday the 13th to you!  In honour of this gloriously spooky date I thought I'd list some of the best scary films I've seen this year.  It's a mix of English, Hindi and even one Bengali film.  Let's jump into it shall we.. 1. The Possession of Hannah Grace: I watched this film quite by chance, I thought it would be one of those cheesy scary films but it turned out to be rather unsettling and well-made.  Find it on Amazon Prime.  2. Midsommar: This one was so hyped and all summer long I couldn't stop hearing about it. Eventually, it was unsettling and creepy enough, plus full of gore. But honestly, it didn't quite live up to the hype. But it's still worth a watch.  3. Scary Stories Told in the Dark: Based on an epically famous book, this adaptation was a fun watch. Scary in parts yet not too hardcore, perfect for people who aren't very into horror films but still enjoy the genre.  4. Annabe...

Hello!  This has been a good year for TV, there were some amazing shows, most of which we binged on streaming portals.  I am a big TV buff, always have been. Without wasting any more time, let's jump into it.  1. Chernobyl: Possibly, one of the best TV shows of the decade! A story of deceit, corruption, but, most importantly, of the courage, sacrifice, nobility and utter humanity of a handful of people. A must watch! Available on Hotstar.  2. Fleabag: Season 2 was even better than Season 1! A hilarious, heartbreaking, smart show! Available on Amazon Prime Video.  3. What we do in the Shadows: Vampires like you have never seen them! Made by the genius that is Taika Waititi, this show is laugh out loud funny! Available on Hotstar. 4. Stranger Things 3: Possibly, the best season of the show after the epic first season! This season was non-stop thrills and action. So good! Available on Netflix.  5. The Chalet: A French...