#44// best books of 2022
Light your candles
Dear Reader,
Happy new year. This year I hope you’ll light your candles.
Story time! I love candles. But every time I’ve owned a scented one, I would keep it for special occasions. Being on the move meant that these candles would simply get thrown or given away when we shifted houses, because candles are too trivial to pack up to a new place. New candles would be bought at the new home. None used. I still have the tealights I bought at least seven years ago but didn’t light because they were Christmas themed. During Christmas time, I can never remember in which box I’ve packed them away. I don’t even mean BIG special occasions okay? The reasons to not use up my candles are always trivial—I might not have the best book to read, or I might be sweaty and not actually in a cozying-up-mood, or the room might be untidy and lighting a candle seems useless.
So when we moved to the US last year, I began actually using everything. Candles, snacks, plates, creams, clothes. Use-over-hoard became the mantra because my time here is short. I know when we leave this home, we have to pack up our life into a few suitcases (yet again!), and candles simply aren’t gonna make the cut. There’s no point in keeping anything for another day.
And I like this—books are getting read because I know for sure I cannot take with me most of them, skin care bottles are actually becoming empty (I’ve never had that happening before expiry), new recipes are being cooked simply for a reason to celebrate on new serve ware, puzzle boxes are being opened and completed, fancy soaps are torn open from their packaging. I am on a mission to finish up my flavored teas instead of stashing them and forgetting. (The times they’ve expired! I keep repeating the same mistake of hoarding tea bags).
Unlike the time when I moved from Mumbai to Kerala, and threw away/donated/abandoned books, candles, moisturizing creams and what not, (and was weighed down by the heavy burden of guilt of not using so many things I owned), I hope when I move from this home, I would leave with no regrets of having saved up things for a better day. The better day is today. Also, unless it’s a book or a plate, your precious item would’ve expired before the better day arrives.
And so, I light my scented candles all too often. I finished two already. Nothing gave me more pleasure than discarding the remains yesterday. My current favourite winter scent is Fresh Balsam (Bath and Body works), if anyone is interested. I also love Café al Fresco (Yankee Candle) which smells like caramel, and coffee, just like when you walk into a café.
So here’s to reading books that you’ve hoarded, using up those fancy plates that you’ve kept for guests who’ll never visit, treating yourself to the good, plush towels you’ve kept for those same guests, giving away books that you wouldn’t read again…and lighting up your candles.
Read
Let’s get cracking on some favourite reads of the year! This newsletter is partly inspired artist Roanna Fernandes’s suggestion to give out book awards for my favourite books.
The most bingeable
Manjhi’s Mayhem by Tanuj Solanki is a medley of Hindi, English, swearing, lust, money and mayhem. I loved its electrifying pace that kept me on my toes in a game of revenge, secrets, betrayal, and quick friendships.
The most fun
The Good girl’s guide to Murder series by Holly Jackson. I started listening to these on audio, but I just couldn’t get through them fast enough, so I borrowed the physical copies to read and listen and read…just because I could not tear myself away. When a podcast-girl unravels a true crime in her hometown, the mystery is about to hit the fan.
The one I re-read right away
No kidding. I really did. The Sound of the World by Heart by Giacomo Bevilacqua straight up jumped onto my list of favourite graphic novels. It’s an experiment in love, loneliness and photography set in New York.
That made me second-guess my coffee
For your own Good by Samantha Downing about a private school teacher with a god complex, and spoiled, rich brats (students) is addictive.
The one I cried my eyes out for
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason is every bit good as they say. It is frustrating to see the protagonist—who says there’s something off about her brain—dive into her destruction. But you understand her because you’ve been there too.
It’ll mess with you. You keep spiraling in towards the heroine, and after that, you start looking into yourself, and…you get the idea. Before you know it, you are crying for her, for yourself, for her and you. Contrary to what some might argue, I thought the ending was just about right.
The one with puzzles and games
The Final Gambit of The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes was lots of fun. For a (slightly) more serious book about class and privilege, check out Ann Liang’s YA novel If you could see the sun—(I am equating games to money deals)—set in a private school in Beijing.
The one that made me go awww
I adored the middle grade book When you Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller where a shy girl is trying to save her sick grandmother from a tiger. This grandmom has stolen stories guarded by the tiger back in the day. It’s got the magic of imagination, bed time stories, a library (with books on how to hunt the tiger) and the onset of grief.
Best atmosphere
Translated from Swedish by Alexandra Fleming, The Lost village by Camilla Sten is about a Scandinavian ghost town, priests, superstitions, cults, familial history, letters—oh my god. Pick it up! So good.
The cutest love story of 2022
Kiss her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun ticks all your boxes for a holiday romance. Ellie falls in love with a mystery woman at a bookstore on Christmas eve. Fast forward to the next Christmas—Ellie is single. She is holiday-ing with her boss’s family at their fancy cabin, and fake-dating her boss for $$ to help him get his inheritance. Turns out her previous year’s meet-cute + one night stand + love-of-life is the boss’s sister!
That’s not all. My favourite books of 2022 list is now live and it’s a juicy one. It’s a really good set of books, if I may say so myself. Bookmark. Enjoy! (Write to me if you loved any)
Watch
I am not one for musicals, but Matilda the musical on Netflix kept me glued to the couch. The songs are fantastic (I listened to the alphabet song twice). It’s magical with escapologists and acrobats, imaginative with wild stories, inspiring with children rebelling against tyranny, and nightmarish thanks to the headmistress Mrs. Trunchbull (more evil than the 1996 movie version, and perhaps Roald Dahl’s original creation). I am glad it isn’t an exact replica of the 1996 Matilda movie, which made this one infinitely pleasurable.
Amazing links
Comic : My face didn’t match my voice
The science of leftovers and why they taste so good
The irresistible voyeurism of ‘day in the life’ videos
India has almost 800 different languages—How AI is trying to bridge the gap
Happy 2023 once again, my loves. Remember, light your candles, carpe diem etc
Until next time,
Resh x
I, too, began to use all my candles and skincare products last year, and it feels so so wonderful to not waste things and actually feel like I'm worthy of using my "nice" things!
Loved the newsletter, Resh, especially the idea about lighting your candles...there are always too many candles and too few special occasions - and I would rather indulge and let the candle illumine an otherwise quotidian day. Hope the year ahead for you is filled with many beautiful lit moments!