This post fits nicely with my previous post about digital detox, because what’s better than picking up a book in the evening instead of your phone? I used to say that I don’t have time to read, but it’s all about prioritising your time, and it’s really easy to fit an hour of reading before bed, in the bath, on public transport or even on your lunch break. This way I’ve managed to get through 5 books so far, finishing my sixth one now and I’m hoping to do more book reviews in the future; maybe like a monthly summary of what I’ve read every month.
If you could go anywhere – Paige Toon ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I actually saw this book recommended by another blogger, and it seemed right up my street so I thought I’ll give it a go, and I’m glad I did. ‘If you could go anywhere’ is a heart-warming story of Angie who pretty much lost every close person to her and always dreamt of traveling but she had to look after her elderly grandma so unfortunately, she wasn’t able to. This story really shows how you can be positive and make the best of the worst circumstances, as Angie always helps out everyone she meets and she’s truly an incredible person which is probably one of the reasons why her character is so likable. Angie gets some shocking news that turns her world upside down and results in her moving to Italy where she doesn’t only find herself but also love. A great pick me up for a summers day.
Everything I know about love – Dolly Alderton ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I kept seeing this book everywhere prior to picking up a copy myself, it seemed like every person on Instagram read it so naturally, I wanted to see what the fuss is about. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t too keen on this book in the first few chapters as it just felt like I was reading a diary of a teenage girl who just discovered what alcohol was. Nevertheless, as Dolly grew up and changed her priorities in life, the book grew on me and I was rooting for Dolly to be happy. The perfect read for a twenty-something female trying to make her way in the world.
I owe you one – Sophie Kinsella ⭐⭐⭐
‘I owe you one’ tells the story of Fixie Farr, who like the name suggests has an uncontrollable need to fix things even when people don’t necessarily want her to. Fixie goes through major character development as she realises that due to her kind nature, people around her use her especially the guy who’s she’s in love with since childhood. There are parts of the story where you get frustrated by Fixie’s naive character. Her relationship with Seb, with whom she has the back and forth IOU with, is a bit all over the place and could have been further developed. Overall this book was a bit meh but I will definitely give Sophie Kinsella another go.
Everything I never told you – Celeste Ng ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hands down the best book I’ve read recently, which I would recommend to anyone. The book starts off by stating the fact that Lydia is dead, yet her family doesn’t know that yet. By doing so, the reader feels like they’ve been trusted with this secret because while her family looks for her the reader already knows that they won’t find her. The story skips from the past to the present and is also told from each of the characters points of view and we soon realise that there is a lot more than there meets the eye to each of the characters. This book deals with a lot of issues, primarily family issues and how each of the family members deals with the grief of Lydia’s death in different ways.
The subtle art of not giving a fuck – Mark Manson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book is a best-seller for the 3rd year running for a reason. This book isn’t your standard self-help book, as it won’t tell you what you want to hear and all the usual cliches. What makes this book different is that Manson doesn’t hold back, and is brutally honest. There were so many moments while I was reading this book when I was thinking ‘omg everyone should read this book’. Below is an extract from the book which explains how standard self-help books just encourage us to always strive for better, making us feel like what we already have is not enough.
Have you read any of these books, and if you did what did you think about them? Are you reading anything interesting at the moment? What other books would you like me to review? Let me know in the comments below!
