Tag: 2021

Top Reads of 2021

Here are my overall top reads of 2021!

  1. Circe by Madeline Miller
    Circe is such a great book. I loved the reimagining of the original tale of Circe and how we got to see this sorceress as a main character. In many Greek Mythology stories, Circe is shown as the villian of her tale, but in this story we see her as her own, bright character. If you like mythology or re-imagined fairy tales, then ou’ll definitely love this book!
  2. The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman
    4 siblings and none of them alike, yet they have to journey together to find the mythical Ivory Key. They each have different reasons for wanting it, but if they fail, they could all lose everything. I love the characters so much and the plot twists along the way. If you like fantasy or mythology, this book is perfect for you!
  3. The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
    This book is filled with plot twists and riddles, secrets and hidden compartments that you never would’ve seen coming. I’ve really enjoyed reading the first two books in this triology, though I especially loved the second book. Avery has grown so much, though she’s still as stubborn and plucky and she was in the first book. The plot is entertaining, but it’ll leave you wanting more. I can’t wait to read the final book!
  4. The Pronoun Book by Cassandra Jules Corrigan
    I really love this book. It’s sweet and simple and explains pronouns and identities in a way that’s easy to understand. The illustrations are cute and match the text perfectly. Anyone, regardless their age, can understand this book and take to using its tips and tricks. I love this book!
  5. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
    This is another great mythology book. The Trojan War is probably the subject I know least about, but this book definitely helped with that. While it focused more on Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship (one of the best ones I’ve ever heard of), it still got a close look at the Trojan War. The writing style is so delicate and at any given time, I feel like I’m actually in ancience Greece. This book is definitely one of the best.
  6. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
    I’ve only read the first book so far, but this duology is off to a great start. It focuses on Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina- characters in past books, now starring in their own. Their problems are like no other and they require a new solution that is bold and brave and only heard of in myths. I loved this story and the characters from the beginning to the end. It is such a new, but ownderous story and I really enjoyed it.
  7. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
    This book has consistently popped up on my Instagram and so I decided to give it a try. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I love all the characters and their unique personalities. They are unique but they all work together to make a diverse cast of characters. I haven’t ever met a group of characters who I’ve loved as fiercely as Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthais, Jesper, and Wylan. This two-book series is packed with twists and turns and will have you crying and laughing at the same time. I totally recommend it to you.

What were your top reads of 2021? Did you read/like any of these books?

NaNoWriMo 2021

If you remember, last year, I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). This year, I’ll be doing it again! I’m very excited with the plot/characters that I have created and I’m so excited to have this opportunity. Before starting, I have already created a plot, a sense of how much to write in a day/week, and some of my major character that will be involved.

Because of this, I am not planning on publishing many blog posts, only one more at the end of the month (The Top Reads of November). I am so excited to go on this journey again!

Have you ever considered doing anything like NaNoWriMo before?

Snowpocalypse 2021

Blankets of snow cover the ground
Millions of people with their power out
Houses and trees and cars all covered in ice
Doesn’t feel great, but looks somewhat nice.

People without water, their pipes have burst
No price gouging is a rule that has been enforced
There is a boil water notice on all tap water
I hope that it soon gets hotter

Best of 2020

2020 has been a strange year, but here are some of the things that happened.

1. Starting the year with family:

I love spending time with my grandparents. I’m glad I got to do it in the beginning of this year, even if I couldn’t make my annual summer trip to India 😭. I also got to spend some time with my uncle and aunt, before they moved countries.

2. Ending my elementary years and staring my middle school ones:


I finished 5th grade (virtually) and started middle school and the school of my choice (also virtually)! Virtual school is less than ideal, but I’ve learned to adjust. You can read about my experiences here.

3. ARCADIS Science Fair:


I participated in the ARCADIS science fair and did a project on supercooling and snapfreezing water. I learnt a lot and was really surprised when I won!

4. Mini Getaways:


Since we couldn’t travel a lot, I relied on a few small breaks to get away . My favorite one was definitely my birthday weekend getaway with a few of my friends and family. I also liked the Corpus Christi, Driftwood, and Pensacola Beach breaks.

5. Dance:


I spent a lot of time focusing on dance during these COVID times. I’ve taken place in a Bharatanatyam dance exam (for both theory and practical) and started learning a new Indian classical dance form, Mohiniattam. I performed a few solo items and recorded them. I’ve also began to learn Carnatic music to support my skills.

In Western dance, I was able to get one last performance on February in my elementary school dance company and I’m in my new school’s Drill Team. It’s less than ideal, but I’m hoping to be able to go back to performing soon.

6. Life Skills:


2020 has been a year where I learnt and tried so many new things.

  • I learned to crochet, and did a few art projects including tie-dye projects and wreaths for our door.
  • I cooked and baked (I even made my first layered cake!) and got comfortable in the kitchen. Some of the treats I made include mint chutney bread, cranberry cookies, brownies, and more. I also learned to make rice and keera kootu.
  • I’ve learned a lot of handy household chores like doing the laundry and handwashing clothes as well as ironing and sweeping.
7. Improved Technology Skills:

I started to use Instagram and I wrote on my blog more. I got better at using Google Drive, Docs, and Slides. I’ve learnt about different features on computers and got better at navigating through the digital world.

8. Writing:

I wrote 2 stories (which I’m going to edit this year) and a few short stories for my blog.

9. Reading:

I’ve read a ton this year and made friends with a few bookstagrammers. On my instagram, I took part in two challenges, the #mgbookmarch challenge in March and the #mgbooktober challenge in October. I’ve also started new series, and began to read a higher level of mglit!

(If you’re not following me yet, you totally should)

You can check out my insta here.

Goodbye 2020

The sun sets, marking the end of 2020
Starting a new year


The sandpiper runs
Towards a brand new year,
or away from a horrible, disaster filled 2020?
Or is it just looking for food?

I run
Laughing and playing with my family, carefree
But also cold,
and hoping the new year will soon come

Happiness runs
With all of us, making its way to the finish line,
the start of 2021
We will find it on January 1st among the ordinary things.

The sun sets with all of us running,
and it will rise to a new year
Another 365 days, before the next year
Let’s use these days wisely