Books I Read on Holiday: Reviewed

Normal People by Sally Rooney.

I did not anticipate how sad this book would be. It is super thought provoking and deals with mental illness and certain social issues on a very personal level. I am not quite sure whether I really ENJOYED this book, but I definitely liked the way Sally makes you empathise with the characters, even if you don't necessarily sympathise with them. 8/10.

The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary.

This is a lovely, funny, romantic, feel good book. Serious themes such as racial profiling, abusive relationships and terminal illness make this book more interesting as it makes you think as well as being a nice story and it makes the book a little less 'mushy' too. My only issue is that I'm not sure how realistic the concept is. 9/10.

Every Colour of You by Amelia Mandeville.

This book ruined me for a good few days. I don't want to give the story away, so I won't say too much about it. However I will say that it reminded me of 'All the Bright Places' by Jennifer Niven. Do not read unless you're prepared to cry. 8/10.

Are We Nearly There Yet by Lucy Vine.

I heard about this book in Cosmopolitan, where it was described at the comedy of the summer. I however found it far more cringe than funny, and it was too long winded on the moral message section (there was a whole chapter on what the main character had 'learned about herself'). That being said I did manage to read the whole thing, so it wasn't unbearable. 5/10.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott.

Oh god, this was heart breaking. It tells the story of two terminally ill teenagers falling in love despite the probable consequences. This is love in its purest form: unstoppable. Read this and feel the immediate urge to donate to cystic fibrosis charities. I look forward to watching the movie soon too. 8/10.

Books Worth Reading

Over my Christmas break I was lucky enough to have time to read lots of amazing books, so I thought I would share some of my favourites with you. This is not an ad! I bought all of these for myself or was gifted them by family members. Just my honest opinions.

The Trouble With Women by Jacky Fleming is as hilarious as it is thought provoking. It has an important feminist message with accurate historical knowledge, but is presented with fun pictures and heavy sarcasm. It was also reasonably short, so I managed to read it cover to cover in the time it took me to finish this bath. I will be recommending this to all of my friends.

the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur. You may have seen this book plastered all over your instagram, and there is a reason for that. Beautiful poems, a beautiful cover and the full spectrum of human emotions. I have enjoyed every single one of Rupi Kaur's books but this is probably my favourite.

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy is AWESOME. I LOVE BOOKS ABOUT BODY POSITIVITY!!! This book is funny, it's romantic, it's empowering and it's wonderful. A much more light hearted read than some of the others too. The movie on Netflix is actually a bit different (although also brilliant) so I would recommend watching that too, especially if you're not big on time.

Feminists Don't Wear Pink and Other Lies by Scarlett Curtis (with contributions from many other wonderful ladies). Everyone should read this book. It has sections written by lots of different and brilliant women. Some I enjoyed more than others, but they were all important for building a deeper understanding of feminism and its significance. Not a light read, but so so worth it.

As you can see, I read physical copies of all of these books. For The Trouble With Women and the sun and her flowers I would recommend this, but Dumplin' and Feminists Don't Wear Pink And Other Lies would be just as fabulous on E-Readers! However and if you decide to read these, I hope you enjoy them as immensely as I did 😊

5 Books I Recommend

I love to read, but I tend to read a lot of the same stuff. Occasionally however, I like to dip into other genres and if you're like that too here are some recommendations for you! (Disclaimer: This is not an ad, and none of the photos of book covers are mine).

1. Black Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin. 

I love a good crime novel every now and then, and this was truly thrilling. The protagonist is buried alive and can't remember who did it. The story is told from her point of view immediately following the attack as she goes through therapy, and many years later when the suspect is coming up for the death penalty and doubts arise as to whether or not he is really guilty. I had to sleep with the light on for a week after reading this because the suspense left me thoroughly creeped out. That being said, it was a genuinely well thought out story, realistic and full of twists you will not expect, not just a horror meant to scare you. I would never have guessed the ending and it was satisfying as all of the loose ends got tied up. My mum and grandad both read it too, and they also highly recommended it. I look forward to reading Julia's new book 'Paper Ghosts' soon!

    2. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson.



This book may be my all time favourite. I wrote a full review of it on The Depreciation Society a few years ago because I want every single person to read this. It is YA but my mum also read it and thought it was fab, as it deals with very adult themes. The story is told from the points of view of twins, one at the age of 13 struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, and the other 3 years later dealing with the death of her mother and the guilt she feels over it. Family, homosexuality and death. Very difficult themes, and in many ways very depressing but overall this book is uplifting. It made me cry but it also made me laugh, and the quotes that stood out from this book inspired me and littered my instagram for months after reading it.


 
     3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

I admit, classics aren't usually my favourite. I tend to get bored halfway through and abandon them.  However, for my English module this year this was on the reading list and I found that I actually enjoyed it very much. The story follows the life of Jane, from childhood up until marriage with many obstacles along the way. Although feminism hadn't been invented at this time, Jane displays some very feminist ideas and it made me happy. For a woman to question how she was treated at this time was unheard of and I love that she does this! It's the only book I have ever studied where I still enjoyed it after it had been dissected and explained to me. If you want to read a classic, this is definitely a good place too start as it isn't too heavy or difficult to understand.


     
    4. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo.



This non-fiction haven of feminists is a fantastic read for girls and women of all ages. A double page spread is given to each inspirational woman, one to tell their story and the other for a beautiful cartoon of her with a quote at the bottom. The women range from artists to authors to politicians to scientists to activists to children who just want to go to school and each and every one of them is extraordinary. I liked to read at least one every day and think I will purchase the sequel soon. The drawings are colourful and gorgeous and the stories are easy to understand so they would be appropriate for children as well as adults.



    5. The Host by Stephenie Meyer.



My copy of this Sci-Fi/fantasy/romance novel is extremely battered by now because I have read it so often. It is set in the future, when a species of aliens which take over a human body have taken over the earth. It is told from the point of view of one of these aliens, who's 'host' girl is fighting back against her control. They will form a special and unusual bond, and the struggle they both experience is amazingly well told. I really enjoyed twilight too, but Bella's complete obsession with Edward meant that at times it was a little too soppy for my taste. This book has the element of romance to it but it's far less obsessive, a contribution to the story rather than the focus.