ADDING TO MY BOOKSHELF*

books

I, along with what appears to be the majority of young, adult women, made a resolution to read more books this year. However rather than start to read through the numerous piles of unread novels occupying space in my room, I cannot control my urges to set off and buy myself more book. I think it's time to admit that I am addicted to buying and not reading books. Now that every spare moment of my time has to be occupied with reading and researching around my dissertation topic, I don't really have a lot of spare time to read for pleasure. But that hasn't stopped me adding to my bookshelf over the last few weeks and today I wanted to share with you a haul of books, some of which are read and some of which unread that I couldn't help but add to my collection.

* This post features a book that I was sent to review. I received no payment for this review and all opinions are my own.

MINDFULNESS BOOKS:

THE STRENGTHS BOOK - SALLY BIBB*

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Sally Bibb's The Strengths Book* before the beginning of my current semester of university. My exams had really knocked me for six and I was started to feel the pressure of holding myself to a certain standard, and being unable to meet my own expectations. In this book, Sally helps readers identify their strengths in all areas of life, from relationships to the workplace, with practical tips and advice on how to be your truest, happiest and most-fulfilled self. With this book I've learned that instead of focusing on my weaknesses and allowing them to dictate my behaviour, I should allow my strengths to energise how I feel about myself and those around me. The Strengths Book has been my lifeline over the last number of weeks, and it has barely left my bedside table because of how motivated and enthused I feel after I read it. Its powerful, emotional and at a time where certain chapters of my life are on their last pages, it has reminded me that there are many more chapters that have yet to be written. I control their words and the meaning of them.

THE LITTLE BOOK OF HYGGE - MEIK WIKING

I'm sure by now every blogger and their dog has told you about how great The Little Book of Hygge is. And they're right! However, in case you've been living under a rock for the last year or so, let me fill you in. There's no English word equivalent for hygge, instead the Danish translation encapsulates feelings of comfort, peace and happiness. Think about the place you feel most warm and content, and begin to embody how that feels in your everyday life - that's hygge. This book about living well really teaches readers how to appreciate the little nuggets of happiness we experience in our day to day lives, no matter how insignificant that may be to others. Its full of gorgeous images, tips on how to be more hygge in all areas of life and feel comfortable in yourself. A light, wholesome read for anyone who feels a little lost.

ACADEMIC RECOMMENDATIONS:

JANE AUSTEN: THE SECRET RADICAL - HELENA KELLY

Austen is an author who is both polarising and inescapable. Her literature is embedded into our culture and heritage, and she's perhaps best-known for her ability to create escapist novels which appear to be light, fluffy and devoid of any subversive meaning or political drive. In essence, if you've read one Austen novel, you've read them all. However, in this book Helena Kelly seeks to dispel the so-called "Austen myth" as she dissects each of her six novels. Through the exploration of her personal letters and the real-life people who inspired her most famous characters, she paints a different picture of the Austen we think we know. I don't count myself among the biggest of Austen fans, but I could not put this book down. I loved how in-depth and exciting every chapter was, and it completely took me by surprise that I had missed all of these subtle nuances in Austen's novels. For anyone who thinks they know the most famous female writer in literature.

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS - MAYA ANGELOU

After being on my Must-Have list for what felt like forever, Father Christmas granted my festive wish and gave me this wonderful book for Christmas. I read it as a dissertation back-up novel, and I fell more in love with it than I thought I would. An autobiographical truth about the reality of living as a poor, woman of colour in the South during a period of racial tension, Angelou presents the most horrific of experiences in such an emotive way, you truly feel every word she writes. I learned so much from reading this, and it felt like the author was right beside me the entire way through the novel, as if we were speaking together as friends. This is another book that I couldn't put down and it definitely gave me the inspiration I needed for my dissertation.

AMERICANAH - CHIMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE

Last year, I took a module in Contemporary World Literature, and despite this novel not being part of the required reading list my lecturer recommended it to all of us. I'm not usually one for reading too far outside of the module, but I really enjoyed it and for some reason the description of this novel stuck with me. So I popped it on my Christmas list, and again Santa delivered. Adichie tells the story of a young, Nigerian woman who emigrates to the United States and the hardships she faces, as it threads the narrative between her life at home and her life in America. It reflects on-going global and personal tensions that many immigrants and people of colour continue to face today, and again has been a great background novel for my dissertation. Its raw, educational and tells the story that thousands have experienced, but that not everyone gets to tell.

EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN:

HOW TO STOP TIME - MATT HAIG

I absolutely adore Matt Haig, and his infamous "Reasons to Stay Alive" has been a staple on my bookshelf since its publication. When I heard he was releasing another novel, I knew I had to pick it up. How to Stop Time is a Benjamin Button-esque novel that blurs fantasy and sci-fi in one emotional story. I haven't managed to get a chance to read this one yet, but as soon as university is out of the way I cannot wait to sink my teeth into this!

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE - SHIRLEY JACKSON

I've grown to love Gothic literature over the years, and there's nothing better than lying in bed with a good scary book. This widely-adapted novel plays on the readers emotional investment in the characters and their relationships to terrorise and surprise. It makes us question the barrier between reality, fiction and perception and truly sends shivers down the spine.

THE LESSER BOHEMIANS - EIMEAR MCBRIDE

Eimear McBride is a shining star of contemporary Irish literature, and The Lesser Bohemians is a novel with a lot of buzz surrounding it. I haven't had a chance to read this yet, but the novel promises to be another emotional rollercoaster. Set in London in the 90s, it tells the story of a teenager's relationship with an older man haunted by his demons, as their passions threaten to consume them.

What have you added to your bookshelf recently? Have you read anything on this list?

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and found yourself some new reading material!

Until next time,

Rachel x

April 03, 2018
28 Comments

MY FAVOURITE NOVELS

books

We all have those books we always reach for, no matter how many new ones we buy. I'm guilty of this, as I'm sure many others are. Currently, I'm running out of space in my room to contain my addiction, yet I still don't make time to read what I have before buying something new - I'm a literature student, can you really blame me for having so many books? Instead, I always find myself lost in one of my favourites again and again. Once you find those books that instantly excite, enthral and enchant you, it's hard to let them go in favour of something new. Today, I want to share with you my favourite novels that I keep being drawn back into on those days where I simply have nothing else to read.

"TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" - HARPER LEE
TKAM is hands down my absolute favourite novel, ever. I originally read it when I was about 13, and I didn't enjoy it one bit, but that's because I didn't fully understand the concept or the premise of the book. It wasn't until I studied it for my GCSEs that I began to love and appreciate the story. My teacher used to read aloud and give each character their own accent and charm, so by bringing them to life, her teachings helped me truly understand what the novel is about.

Set in the midst of racial tensions in a Southern state of America, the novel follows two children, Scout and Jem, as they grow up against this backdrop. It explores themes of innocence, growing up and discovery, as they realise the town they grew up in, and the people they know and love, aren't as wonderful as they appear to be. It's split into two halves, and the second half deals with their father's defence of a man of colour as he stands trial for allegedly raping a young, white woman. It's heartbreaking, disgusting, and it truly helped open my eyes to the injustice that still continues to affect POC today. Previously, I buried my head in the sand when it came to social justice issues, but inside I knew I had to speak out and listen. TKAM taught me that, and it also taught me the most important lesson that runs throughout the novel;

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

"A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN" - JAMES JOYCE

I had previously attempted to read some of Joyce's other novels before I studied "A Portrait...", but for some reason I could never get into them. Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of Irish literature in general. I find it all a bit too, "woe betide me," and heavily focused on the complexities of being "Irish." When I studied this novel, I still wasn't too enthused by it, however I chose to write an essay on it (mainly because there were NO other novels on the course I enjoyed,) and I found that once I began to delve deeper into the novel, it began to open up to me.

It's a complicated tale of intellectual rebellion and awakening, as the central character Stephen distances himself from the traditional Catholic and Irish teaching and traditions he has been taught, and his eventual immigration to Europe. This had parallels with Joyce's own life, and Stephen is essentially a fictional version of the author himself. It's not an easy book to read, and it's certainly not one I would recommend to a casual reader, but nonetheless, it's one that I enjoy.

"THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT TIME" - MARK HADDON

Is there anyone out there who hasn't read and enjoyed this book? I have to say, I was a little slow to catch onto the hype surrounding it. When it felt like everyone and their dog started to read it, I was very much in the "Bleh, young adult novels are lame, I want to read grown-up books," stage of my life, so I didn't read this until very recently. I loved it. It made me laugh, cry and audibly gasp at certain parts, and it all started with one boy and a dog.

The novel takes several twists and turns, and inspires Christopher, the young boy, to write his own murder-mystery novel, the very same book that I love reading so much. If you're looking for something intriguing, heart-breaking, but still light and full of laughter, "The Curious Incident..." is a must read.

"REASONS TO STAY ALIVE" - MATT HAIG
I'm sure by now everyone has at least heard of, if not already read this book, and it is well worth the hype. This autobiography follows the author's story of battling mental illness, documenting both highs and lows, and how to deal with your own mental health. His advice is honestly invaluable, and if my boyfriend hadn't talked me into buying it when we were in Waterstones, goodness knows what sort of state my mental health would be in now.

I spotted it after my last really bad depressed slump about two years ago, and of course my mental health hasn't been perfect since, but it has been nowhere near as bad. When I feel myself beginning to struggle, I like to flip to a random page in the book and start reading. Matt Haig's informal style of lists, stories and personal anecdotes make for very easy reading. What I found particularly refreshing about the book, is that Haig wasn't patronising or preachy in his advice, and his honest documentation of his MH was something I could really relate to. I've never been good at asking for help, and I'm the type of person that would much rather battle through something alone, and this novel became my companion, my shoulder to cry on when I was afraid of getting eyeliner on anyone's shirt. I couldn't recommend it enough.

"A CLOCKWORK ORANGE" - ANTHONY BURGESS
WARNING: this novel is not an easy read, and it's certainly not for the faint of heart. Actually, none of the next three books are particularly placid in their content, so if you're not a fan of blood, gore and foul language it's probably best we part ways here.

I feel like a bit of a psychopath admitted that this is one of my favourite novels, and people are a little taken aback when I mention it. The language is a hybrid of English and every other Eastern European slang imaginable, so that in itself can put a lot of people off reading (to be honest, any book that needs an index to understand can put a lot of people off reading it), and the subject matter is not something you can view through rose-tinted spectacles. Alex and his group of friends go on violent, drug-induced rampages, where they rob, rape and pillage innocent civilians for fun, and this criminal activity eventually lands Alex in prison, where he becomes subject to electro-therapy to help "cure" him of his ill intentions. Is it a book I should enjoy? Probably not, but when I started reading I just couldn't put it down.

"THE BUTCHER BOY" - PATRICK MCCABE
In case you couldn't tell already, I'm a little bit of a gore fanatic at heart. I studied this novel in my final year of high school, and again in my first year of university, and I genuinely believe I was the only person to enjoy it. Again, it's a bloodbath that lacks punctuation, but does have a very descriptive, somewhat compelling illustration of a turd. Yep, a turd.

Asides from that, the novel follows Francie, a young boy who struggles to find his place in his small rural community. He doesn't fit in, his family don't fit in and he faces constant ridicule from his peers and neighbours, and there is only so much pressure one young boy can take. It's gruesome reading, and there are some parts I can't stomach to read more than once, but it's fantastic how Patrick McCabe manages to make his audience root for this murderous misfit. It's funny, violent and definitely not an accurate representation of rural Irish communities.

"EUREKA STREET" - ROBERT MCLIAM WILSON
I normally stay far, far away from Northern Irish literature, and particularly anything that focuses on The Troubles, but "Eureka Street" isn't like that. If you're expected a full-blown education into the political climate of Northern Ireland at the time, this is not the novel for you. Instead, McLiam Wilson focuses on the everyday lives of two young men, divided by religion, against the backdrop of the violence in Belfast during the 90's, as they struggle to find their place in a city that has been torn apart by civil "war."

It all comes to a head in the centre of the book, where an explosion devastates the city and changes the paths of the character's lives. It's heartbreaking, and as someone who was born after the ceasefire of 1994, I can't imagine the fear people in my country felt doing even the simplest of tasks. I found this bookmark placed at this very chapter, and it put everything into perspective. By the time I finished the novel, my heart was full of sadness, but I couldn't wait to read it again.

Have you read any of these novels? What's your favourite book?

I hope you enjoyed reading about mine, and maybe you're even eager to read some yourself!

Until next time,
Rachel x