Book Haul

Dissertation has been handed in and the dreaded final exams loom. I am very quickly nearing the end of my degree and as a result I have had very little time to devote to my blog. I did however pick up a couple of books which are ready to read as soon as my exams are over. I thought I would give you a sneak peek as many of these may be appearing in future book reviews. 

Dear Reader: Paul Fournel

Sally Heathcote Suffragette: Mary M Talbot, Kate Charlesworth, Bryan Talbot        

        

How To Be A Heroine: Samantha Ellis

        

One Small Act Of Kindness: Lucy Dillon

        

Men Explain Things to Me: Rebecca Solnit

Bad Feminist: Roxane Gay

I apologise for this somewhat lacking post. All of the above mentioned books had been sitting in my wish list for a long time and I decided that now was the right time to treat myself to them. This time in a month I will have finished my exams and I promise to get right back into the swing of blogging.

Let me know in the comments which one you think I should read first!

Eilidh

Paper Aeroplanes: Dawn O'Porter

Set in 1994 on the island of Guernsey, the story follows two fifteen year olds. Renee and Flo represent two very different types of teenager: outgoing and extroverted and self-conscious and awkward. They make an unlikely pair but through a series of events, they find themselves falling into a friendship. Together they battle through their final year of GCSEs, facing many an obstacle. They face highs and lows and everything in between, begging the question, can their friendship last this turbulent year of their life.

I can not even begin to explain how amazing this book was. I am 21 so the part of teen life covered in this book is safely stored away in my past. But I found myself reliving and accessing memories that i had buried away. Because my years of teenage angst are becoming no more than a memory, the reading of the book was almost cathartic, it allowed me to reminisce and look back fondly (or not so fondly) on a very difficult but also exciting part of my life.

This book was reminiscent of Jacqueline Wilson but for a slightly older reader; a bit more sex and scandal. It covered the turmoil of a broken family, of heartbreak and loss as well as the value of true friendship. Unlike most teen fiction, this wasn't simply a book about lust and romance. This was a book about friendship. Yes it may have included sex, love and death but only in its relation to the said friendship. It was nice to read a book that didn't revolve around a girl lusting after a boy or vice versa. At its core, this book was simply about friendship at an age when having someone who truly understands you is the most important thing in the world.

I was already a big fan of Dawn, having seen her on many a television program including her most recent on vintage fashion. I could feel her personality in the words on the page, I enjoyed getting a sense of the author in this story and it was easy to see that Dawn had poured her heart into this book and it was all the better for it.

I found myself laughing and crying in equal measure and sometimes at the same time. I physically went through the emotions of her characters. Maybe it was because I could relate to them on such a personal level. The book made me stop and think, and most of all, it made me feel. A brilliant book doesn't have to contain boundless fancy language or a complex story line, it has to evoke an emotion, and this certainly did. There were snippets of it where it was almost as though the book understood me better than I understood myself. It brought out some well hidden emotions and memories and I'm all the better for it. This book will stay with me for a long time.

One of the themes that Dawn deals with is bereavement. Dawn deals with it in such a sensitive and realistic manner, putting into words something that is unspeakable; the death of a parent. It was so refreshing to see such a brutally honest tale of life after the death of a parent. She doesn't dress it up or romanticise it. I could relate to it on a personal level as I went through a bereavement myself at the age of sixteen. It is important for words like this to be read. Regardless of your own teen years, this book will offer something you can relate to. In a lot of YA fiction, everything is romanticised or dramatised. The two girls in this book both face horrible things but it is gritty and normal and everything that a teen fiction should be.

I liked that although these two girl were losing their innocence there was such an innocent feel to their friendship and actions. Their friendship was so raw and pure and their actions were the actions of any fifteen year old. Dawn has done a brilliant job of creating realistic teenage characters. At the start of the book, she notes that she read her own teenage diaries for inspiration and that definitely shows in the book.

The characters were all brilliant, they were all suitably different too. Of them all, I found it easiest to relate to Flo, her awkwardness and introverted nature was something that I could see in myself. It was also nice to have Renee as a contrast to her. There were an array of other minor characters and of course I can't not mention Sally, I think we have all knew a Sally in our time at school!

Dawn took a risk setting the story in 1994. I understand that for Dawn it makes sense, the cultural references were spot on and as were the fifteen year olds reactions to said references. But the modern day reader, just a teen themselves, may find it hard to understand the references. Although being only 21, I found them to be just about accessible. Having been born in 1994, I feel like I grew up amongst the dregs of the culture Dawn talks of. I know just enough about it to appreciate it.

Also, just a note on the structure of the book. The story alternated between Renee and Flo's narrative, giving each of them a chance to express themselves. Allowing the reader to see inside their heads as well as see how they view each other. It was a nice way to tell the story and although it was simple, it was very effective.

I couldn't fault the book. I loved every single word. It was beautiful.

Eilidh

Fangirl: Rainbow Rowell

I was almost certain that I was going to love this book even before turning the first page. Having already read Eleanor & Park and Attachments by Rowell, and having thoroughly enjoyed them both, I had extremely high hopes. I wasn't let down. 

Cath is off to university, reluctantly. Her and her twin sister, Wren, have always down everything together and whilst they are both heading for the same university, Wren is adamant that they will live separate lives.  Wren wants her independence, she wants to have her own friends, live her own life. But Cath isn't sure how to function without her twin sister by her side. Cath struggles with social anxiety and dislikes change and without her twin by her side, everything is made all the harder. She immerses herself in her love for writing fanfiction and takes to not leaving the room she silently shares with roommate Reagan. Slowly she builds up friendships. Reagen, Levi, Nick. Whilst she throws her fanfiction characters into exciting situations where they experience danger and love among other things, she struggles to so the same for herself. Preferring to remain within the four walls of her room, pouring her thoughts into her laptop. The problems arise when change is offered and Cath has to decide whether she is ready to live her own life, meet new people, have new experiences or if she wants to remain safely within her own head, accompanied by her thoughts. 

The brilliance of this book lies in its characters. Cath presents the nervous teen heading off to university, leaving behind a dad she doesn't necessarily want to say goodbye to. The alternative side is shown through the character of Wren who couldn't be more enthusiastic about the freedom university will bring her. I could relate to Cath on many levels. Having started university three years ago and now coming up to the end of my degree, I can remember the fear of starting afresh as though it were yesterday. I could sympathise with Cath when she chose to avoid going out in favour of delving into a fictional world that gave her comfort. Cath is an entirely relatable character, I felt as though I knew her because it was almost as though I was her. 

Of course, there is no use in having just one solid character and thankfully Fangirl was full of them. I loved the contrast between Cath and Wren. How their similarities and differences were equally striking. Reagan too offered a good contrast to Cath and I really enjoyed watching their friendship grow, it was an unlikely friendship but that was what made it so interesting. Nick was another interesting character and although ultimately he was a minor character, I felt as though Rowell devoted enough time to developing his personality such that he wasn't merely an afterthought. Often I find that authors neglect their minor characters, Rowell was not guilty of this! Finally, I cannot discuss characters without mentioning Levi. Charming and happy go lucky, he was very easy to like. Again, it was very interesting to see his friendship with Cath grow and the interactions between the two of them were touching and entertaining in equal measure. What I liked most about Levi was how normal he seemed to be. Rowell seems to have a knack for writing down to earth, relatable characters and her books are all the better for it. 

The story line moved at a suitable pace; not too fast, not too slow. It represented a realistic university experience. On one hand the girl who falls too easily into a pattern of never leaving her room and the other a girl who immerses herself into the party lifestyle. It was in all a bit predictable but it never set itself up to be anything else so I can hardly fault it for that. 

I really enjoyed this book, once I picked it up, I didn't put it down. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. 

Let me know in the comments your view on Fangirl and I would love any recommendations of similar books!

Eilidh 

How to care for a book.

How do you treat your books? This is a question that divides many.

There are the people who will carefully bend the pages back, enough to reveal the words but god forbid they crack the spine! These readers can finish a book and leave it looking untouched. The spine as flat as it was the day it was bound, the pages crisp and free of ink smudges. Some people like to preserve their books in their original state. I am not one of these people.

I strongly believe that a book is there to be enjoyed,  I know that I simply wouldn't enjoy it as much if I was fretting over cracked spines and dogeared pages. The first thing I do when I start a new book is crack the spine (I can hear the far off gasps of horror). I have books that lie flat when I open them and to me that is the sign of a well read book. I don't use bookmarks, mainly because I never have one to hand but also because I have no qualms about folding over the corner of a page. I have upset many a person by doing this, but it really doesn't bother me.

Reading in the bath is my all time favourite thing to do. I am in my third year at university so most of my time is spent working towards my final exams and finishing my dissertation. Because of this, reading for pleasure is a long forgotten concept. I struggle to make my way through the ever growing pile of fiction, but having a bath is the perfect opportunity to get a good chunk of reading done. I have been known to sit in a bath for hours, until my skin is wrinkled and the water is cold, because I could never just read one more page. Of course water poses a considerable threat to the condition of a book and such more books that I care to admit have crinkled pages, damaged by a splash of water or the steam from a bath.

Of course I wouldn't do these things to books that didn't belong to me, I understand that others like their books to be kept in perfect condition. But if the book is my own, bought from my own money, they I will read it however I want.

To me, respecting a book is enjoying the words and experiencing it to its fullest. I have all of my books proudly displayed throughout my house. They are worn and well loved, just how I like them.

Let me know in the comments how you like to read your books!

Eilidh

Silver Bay: JoJo Moyes

This book sees the clash of two worlds, the corporate business world which cares only for money vs the small community who will do anything to protect their pocket of untouched beauty. Only, it isn't quite as simple as that. Mike Dormer heads on over to Silver Bay with the view of procuring the land for a business plan. He isn't quite prepared for the pocket of the world he lands in nor the people he meets: Kathleen, Liza and Hannah. The tight-knit community, untouched beauty, and a group of people who will do anything to protect the whales that call their shores home. With his plans hidden, he immerses himself into the community, earning their favour and finding the sort of friendship and love he had never known. But the community holds secrets that nobody could have imagined and how will they react when they learn of the intentions behind his stay.

Overall I really enjoyed the story progression, the story line made sense but also had a suitable number of twists and turns. I understood the purpose of the first half, setting the scene and all that, but it was just too slow and almost left me abandoning the book. Having enjoyed many a JoJo Moyes book before, I was reluctant to leave this unfinished so persevered. I'm glad I did as I found the second half to be significantly better. Whilst in hindsight it is tempting to say the story line was predictable, I would be lying if I said some of the twists and turns didn't catch me by surprise.

There was an abundance of likable and equally unlikable characters. A good book needs both and this certainly did. Mike seemed like a nice guy stuck between doing what was right and what was expected of him. I enjoyed watching as he grew as a character and the delights of Silver Bay began to effect him. Kathleen, Liza and Hannah, three generations of one family were pleasingly different. It was refreshing to have three strong female characters with varying personalities. Liza was at times irritating but surely any good character should be. I have grown tired of books that show their characters to be perfect and I found the characters in this book to be suitably normal. 

I liked the multiple narratives. With the nature of the story and the secrets being hidden, it was nice to catch a glimpse into everyone's head. If it had had only one narrative voice then the story would have been as risk from being very one dimensional. Usually I find multiple narratives to be either unnecessary or confusing, this was neither and a good example of how it should be done. 

Not the best, but by no means bad! I have always enjoyed reading JoJo Moyes' books and when I say that this was not my favourite, that is in no way a criticism, it just falls a tad short of my incredibly high expectations. Despite some reservations, I would recommend this book and I would most certainly recommend you check out some of JoJo Moyes' other books, I'm sure they won't disappoint.

Eilidh 

Book Haul

Despite better intentions, this month witnessed a bit too much book buying. After last months excessive splurge I really couldn't justify adding any more books to my ever growing collection but somehow, I did. 

I decided to go down a different route, to me these books can be dipped in and out of. There isn't so much a need to sit down and read them all at once. I suppose they are what you would call coffee table books. This is all a round about way to convincing myself that my bank balance could handle another book binge. It couldn't. Next month I'll have to go cold turkey. Wish me luck! 

642 Things To Write About: The San Francisco Writers' Grotto

This is a notebook of sorts, each page containing a number of prompts to get the creating juices flowing. It's a brilliant idea, forcing you to break your usual writing mould. I can't wait to get stuck into this!

It's Kind of a Funny Story: Ned Vizzini

Ok so this doesn't necessarily fit with my 'coffee table' theme but it was bought in the same order so I'm going to include it anyway. I saw a review of this floating around and that is pretty much the only reason I bought it. I am otherwise going in blind but from the sound of it, I'm expecting great things. The blurb alludes to a tale of depression and mental illness but told in a witty and sensitive manner. 

It: Alexa Chung 

I can't really remember why I started liking Alexa Chung, but there is something about her that I have always liked. She pulls off a fringe in a way that I will always envy and her sense of style is something I will always admire. Again, this a good book to dip in and out of and it has a beautiful dusky pink cloth cover that just made me swoon when it arrived. 

Fashion That Changed the World: Jennifer Croll

I love fashion, I took textiles GCSE and loved every moment of it, my project was inspired by 1960s fashion. With Audrey Hepburn on the front, I could hardly pass up the opportunity to add this to my collection. 

How to be Parisian: Sophie Mas, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Anne Berest

After finally making my way over to Paris in the summer, I developed a rather unhealthy obsession with the city. As a classicist at heart I was unwilling to admit that a city other than Rome or Athens had been beaten to top spot. But it happened. I loved Paris more than I ever thought I would, for the first time ever I didn't want to return to England. 

Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments!

Eilidh 

Chinese Cinderella: Adeline Yen Mah

Chinese Cinderella is an autobiographical telling of Adeline's childhood. As the fifth child of seven but the last of her mothers children she was born to a family who don't want her. She was never able to know her mother due to her untimely death following Adeline's birth. She was hated by her brothers and sisters who look upon her as the reason their mother died. Her father remarried and had two further children who became prized members of the family, pushing Adeline further down the ladder. All Adeline had was her Aunt Baba, her grandparents and her mind. A bright and thoughtful child, she found solace at school and in her home work. This was a tale of an unwanted child and her strength to overcome the obstacles put before her by a family who resented her. 

This is a beautifully written story aimed at children but read by adults alike. Heartbreaking and full of pain and anguish it tugs on the heart strings throughout. I read this for the first time as a child, I took it as a story, almost as the title suggests- a fairy tale. As an adult I found the read much more difficult, the book is autobiographical and the events were at points distressing to read. I have read in some reviews that readers found it to be whiny and self indulgent but I disagree. The allegations of child abuse, both emotional and physical, may have been the focus of the book but I wouldn't say the author was whining about them. I found the book to be an outlet for her to release the torment of her childhood. 

Some readers may struggle to sympathise with Adeline as at parts it is hard to look past the privilidged life she lived, a nice house, a good school, food on the table. But without a doubt she was abused, hated by her stepmother and the rest of her family for a variety of reasons. Look past her good education and see a little girl who wanted nothing more than to be loved but was denied it. 

There was something very precious and vulnerable about Adeline's relationship with her Aunt Baba. For me the best part of the book was Adeline's loyalty to her aunt and her aunts undeniable pride and love for her niece. 

I implore you to read it, it is without question one of my all time favourite reads and I almost want to pick it up and start all over again. 

Eilidh