The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

Hello!  Super late in sharing my super small book haul from November. For some reason, I didn't buy that many books in November. I just bought 2 books and received one review copy from a publisher.  I have read all of these books, so I figured I'd share my haul and my thoughts about these books.  1. The Last Seance Tales of the Supernatural by Agatha Christie: A collection of short stories from the Queen of Crime. Some of them dealing with the supernatural, well most of them were fairly eerie. Some of them were straight up crime stories with a hint of other worldly vibes. Creepy, atmospheric and perfect reading material for winter nights. I read this over the month of December. These were mostly stories featuring independent characters but I was also happy to run into some familiar faces- Poirot and dear Miss Marple.  4/5  2. My Father's Garden by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar: This novella length novel is told in three parts.  ...

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! 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...

Book: The Giver of Stars Author: Jojo Moyes Pages: 400 Read on: Kindle Read in: ~4.5 hours Plot Summary:  Set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond, from the author of  Me Before You Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky.  What happens to them--and to the men they love-...

Book: Paper Moon Author: Rehana Munir Pages: 312 Publisher: Harper Collins How Long it Took Me To Read: 3 days Plot Summary:  BOOKS. BOMBAY. ROMANCE.  When her estranged father passes away, Fiza, fresh out of college, discovers that he has left her a tidy sum in the hope that she will open a bookshop... Overnight, Fiza's placid life is thrown into a whirl of decor decisions and book-buying sprees, unconventional staff and colourful patrons, small pleasures and little heartbreaks, as the store - Paper Moon - begins to take shape in a charming, old Bandra mansion. To top it all, she is being wooed by Iqbal, a mysterious customer who frequents the shop, and Dhruv, her ex-boyfriend, her feelings for whom are still confused. Can Fiza take charge of her life, reconcile with the past, and reach for everything that is hers? Things I Liked:  1. This book had me at hello. And what I mean by that is that the very premise of this book had my interest peaked! I ...

Book : Conviction Author : Denise Mina Pages : 352 Publisher : Vintage Read On : Kindle How Long It Took Me To Read: 2 days Plot Summary:   It’s just a normal morning for Anna McDonald. Gym kits, packed lunches, getting everyone up and ready. Until she opens the front door to her best friend, Estelle. Anna turns to see her own husband at the top of the stairs, suitcase in hand. They’re leaving together and they’re taking Anna’s two daughters with them. Left alone in the big, dark house, Anna can’t think, she can’t take it in. With her safe, predictable world shattered, she distracts herself with a story: a true-crime podcast. There’s a sunken yacht in the Mediterranean, multiple murders and a hint of power and corruption. Then Anna realises she knew one of the victims in another life. She is convinced she knows what happened. Her past, so carefully hidden until now, will no longer stay silent. This is a murder she can’t ignore, and she throws herself into in...

Book: Seven Days Author: Alex Lake Pages: 416 Read on: Kindle Read in: 4 hours Plot Summary:  In seven days, Maggie’s son, Max, turns three. But she’s not planning a party or buying presents or updating his baby book. She’s dreading it. Because in her world, third birthdays are the days on which the unthinkable happens… she loses her child. For the last twelve years Maggie has been imprisoned in a basement. Abducted at age fifteen, she gave birth to two sons before Max, and on their third birthdays her captor came and took them from her. She cannot let it happen again. But she has no idea how to stop it. And the clock is ticking.  Things I Liked:  1. This book's premise (a girl being held in captivity, raped and impregnated several times over) is not easy to read. Maggie's abduction and her ordeal at the hands of her unknown kidnapper is ghastly and traumatic! Plus, she has lost two sons on each of their  third birthdays and has seven days to s...

Book: The Daughter from the Wishing Tree Author: Sudha Murty Illustrator: Priyankar Gupta Publisher: Puffin India Pages: 180 How Long it Took Me To Read: 3 days Plot Summary:  Did you know that the Trinity often turned to goddesses to defeat the asuras?   Did you know that the first clone in the world was created by a woman? The women in Indian mythology might be fewer in number, but their stories of strength and mystery in the pages of ancient texts and epics are many. They slayed demons and protected their devotees fiercely. From Parvati to Ashokasundari and from Bhamati to Mandodari, this collection features enchanting and fearless women who frequently led wars on behalf of the gods, were the backbone of their families and makers of their own destinies.  Things I Liked:  1. The writing as always was simple and straight forward and perfect for young readers to follow along and learn about Indian mythology. 2. I know a fair bit about Myth...

Book: Haunted Author: Jay Alani and Neil D'Silva Pages: 288 Publisher: Penguin India Read On: Kindle How Long it Took Me To Read: 2 days Plot Summary:   An entire town that was abandoned overnight A fort that fell to ruins due to a curse Mines where twenty thousand miners were trapped and perished A village where black magic is a way of life A fair where exorcisms are performed in public Such are the locations dotting the colourful paranormal map of India. Intrepid adventurers and regular tourists alike have often dared to visit these places to experience for themselves their fascinating lure, and to see if ghosts truly haunt these regions. However, those who have ventured there have often returned with more questions than answers-if at all they have returned. Haunted  chronicles the real-life adventures of paranormal investigator Jay Alani in ten of the spookiest locations in India.  Co-authored by Neil D'Silva, these exploits provide a ringsid...

Book: The World That We Knew Author: Alice Hoffman Pages: 400 Publisher: Scribner How Long it Took Me To Read: 2 days Read On: Kindle Plot Summary: I n Berlin, at the time when the world changed, Hanni Kohn knows she must send her twelve-year-old daughter away to save her from the Nazi regime. She finds her way to a renowned rabbi, but it’s his daughter, Ettie, who offers hope of salvation when she creates a mystical Jewish creature, a rare and unusual golem, who is sworn to protect Lea. Once Ava is brought to life, she and Lea and Ettie become eternally entwined, their paths fated to cross, their fortunes linked. Lea and Ava travel from Paris, where Lea meets her soulmate, to a convent in western France known for its silver roses; from a school in a mountaintop village where three thousand Jews were saved. Meanwhile, Ettie is in hiding, waiting to become the fighter she's destined to be. What does it mean to lose your mother? How much can one person sacri...

Book: Lipstick Author: Vish Dhamija Pages: 312 Read: Review copy kindly sent by HarperCollins; all opinions are honest and unbiased Read in: 3 hours Plot:  DCP Rita Ferreira is called into the investigation after a third corpse is discovered in Mumbai, which confirms it is the work of the same killer who paints his victims' lips with dark red lipstick.  The Lipstick Killer, like all serial killers, is fast decompensating - the time interval between the murders shortening, the victims shifting from street-side hookers to high-heeled wives.  And he watches everything and everyone - the news of his exploits, Rita, the investigation - and talks. However, he only talks to you: 'When I'm gone, some people may tell you that I was evil, perhaps even call me a psychopath. Don't believe them. I am not. I am anything but irrational and impractical; perhaps only slightly more detached than your average guy on the street.' Things I Liked: 1. This is my thir...

Hello!  Long time no haul. I must admit that book buying has been slow over here, not that I am complaining. I could, like any other true blue bookworm do with a little less book buying.  Back in August, during Independence Day, Flipkart was having an amazing Sale. Books were being sold for at crazy prices and I was alerted by the lovely sister duo Bhavya and Sabi who run the Instragram handle Our Treasure Chest about the sale, I quickly hopped over and acquired some amazing books.  These are them... I've read a few and the rest are all books I can't wait to get to.  A beautiful stack of books!  There are a few things as happiness inducing as a stack of new books.  Ah!  BOOKS BOUGHT///  1. The Body Myth by Rheea Mukherjee  2. The Carpet Weaver by Nemat Sadat  3. The Other Americans by Laila Lalami 4. Khuswant Singh Selects Best Indian Short Stories  5. The White Tiger by Aravind Adig...