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Reading Review: February 2019

Thursday 28 February 2019

Despite it being the shortest month of the year, I was pretty happy with the range of genres I read in February. There's romance & erotica, business & self-help, poetry, personal essays and comedy. See what I thought of each below.

Persuasive Copywriting by Andy Maslen (4/5) 

I found this really helpful, and it answered a lot of questions I had about copywriting. The chapters cover techniques to identify the reader or customer, improve your writing and get from theory to profit. It's easy to dip into, and reads like a genuine conversation, which I liked. The exercises don't make you want to claw your eyes out either, which makes a nice change from some workbooks I've read before.

Meet Me at The Museum by Anne Youngson (5/5) 

This is about a woman getting in touch with a museum curator in Denmark, enquiring about the mummified man from the Iron Ages she's spent her life thinking about. Their correspondence continues and their friendship deepens. The book is structured in letters, similarly to 84, Charing Cross Road, which I personally love. This is about regret, choices and finding companions in later life - which isn't something I've read much about previously. So heartwarming.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh (3/5)

This is a darkly comic novel about a woman who decides to medicate herself (under the supervision of a questionable psychiatrist) so that she can 'hibernate' for a year. The protagonist is really unlikeable, but I was curious about what would happen to her, and if she would ever stop being so cynical. I found this interesting, but I didn't find myself that excited to keep reading.

Undying by Michel Faber (3/5) 

This is Michel's debut poetry collection, which he wrote during his wife's six-year battle with cancer. I liked a fair few of the poems, and admittedly they are very powerful, but for some reason I didn't connect with them that much. Regardless, this is a sweet extract:

'All I can do, in what remains of my brief time, 
is mention, to whoever cares to listen,
that a woman once existed, who was kind
and beautiful and brave, and I will not forget
how the world was altered, beyond recognition,
when we met.' 

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby (5/5) 

I cry-laughed my way through this entire essay collection. It's brilliantly written and genuinely hilarious. There's the painfully realistic job application, accounts of awkward sexual encounters and an eye-wateringly funny description of scattering her father's ashes. Samantha isn't necessarily self-deprecating, but she's just honest. There's no 'confessional' or embarrassed tone, just raw, ridiculous and heartbreaking stories shared.

The Pisces by Melissa Broder (2/5) 
~ Book Club Read ~

I'm still unsure about this one, which is a shame as I'd heard great things about it. It's about a woman house and dog-sitting for her sister in L.A. for the summer. She's going to group therapy and avoiding writing her thesis. As she deals with her existential angst (I feel you girl), she meets a mystical man. So apparently merman erotica is a thing... Who knew? Melissa is skilled in making these bizarre sex scenes seem utterly normal, but the dialogue was unrealistic and cringeworthy. Overall, it's disturbing with a deflating ending.

The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte (5/5)

I bought a copy of this for my brother's birthday, and figured I might as well get one for myself, too. I'd say this is for students, innovators, lovers, salespeople, project managers, lost souls - everyone. This book is a 'soulful and practical guide to creating success on your own terms'. I wrote over thirty pages of notes whilst reading, and have been sharing quotes with anyone who will listen. It's incredible.

Living The Dream by Lauren Berry (4/5)

This follows the lives of two fictional writers in their late twenties, trying to escape the mundanity and live their dreams in London. The honest inner dialogue and commentary on being stuck in a job you hate is hilarious, and there are witty one-liners throughout. It's been compared to Bridget Jones, and for good reason. I loved Lauren's sarcastic tone and the short chapters are perfect for dipping into.


~    ~    ~


Here's February's playlist, for good measure: PLAY ME

x


It Takes A Bookshelf: Poem & Analysis

Thursday 21 February 2019
It Takes A Bookshelf

The girls cut snowflakes
out of books.
They snip and scatter confetti 
in the kitchen,
fling spines from the staircase.
We should hide the matches,
I suggest to no one in particular. They might
be gathering kindling.

The pair build and bend and break, and
blink.
I do not question why 
they choose to make Christmas decorations 
in February. 
They still exist somewhere the calendar 
doesn’t quite reach.

They peel the icing from birthday cakes,
carry broomsticks like handbags, 
and remind the Easter bunny
he is welcome here,
anytime. 

Now, 
hear them hum carols through toothpaste bubbles. 

Outside, the grown-ups dodge puddles, 
and play their games of eternal, internal 
hide and seek. 

At bathtime
the girls transform soggy pages
into paper boats
and sail a select few into another night. 






~ ~ ~





The title is a play on the phrase, 'it takes a village', but I wanted the poem to be less about what it takes to raise children (and what we give), but instead, how they use what life throws their way. How they pick their favourite parts to make the everyday playful, and reject what simply doesn't serve them. 

The flinging of spines from the staircase is intended to reference the cracking of book spines and ‘breaking’ of rules. Everyone usually encourages each other to preserve our books – to look after them. The seemingly careless behaviour and chaos are something I wanted to describe differently. To see how scribbling and scrunching and abandoning norms can lead to something good. 

So ‘carols’ and ‘toothpaste bubbles’ show a contrast of routine and tradition with fun and celebration, of finding joy in the mundane. The humming (hopefully) gives connotations of lullabies, signalling that time in this scene has passed, and we are now observing them in an evening setting. I like how bubbles almost rhymes with the end of the following line - ‘puddles’, implying an overlap. Suggesting that the barrier we create between being young and old doesn’t need to be as strong as we might think.

This is, unsurprisingly, inspired by my cousins, who are almost always cutting up my important papers and making ‘origami’ from old, unloved leaflets. They are absolute monkeys, and the future is lucky to have them. 

Thanks for reading,

X

Your Own Valentine

Wednesday 13 February 2019
We all know that Shrove Tuesday is officially the day of love (just me?), but we'll make an exception this year. Whether you're actively avoiding or embracing Galentine's and Palentine's with open arms, here are some of my favourites to watch and read which celebrate all forms of love. I've also included some people to follow on social media who always cheer me up.

WATCH:
  • One Day. Because it's the one day of the year we're encouraged to sob into ice cream. This is heartbreaking, and addictively so. 
  • About Time. This will change how you approach every single day of your life. Or it might, anyway. It's got a strong emphasis on family and choices, and manages to jump from comedy to tragedy in moments. 

                    


READ: 
  • The Time Traveler's Wife. This is about the unpredictable life of a couple whose relationship is affected by the husband's sudden time travelling. It's different, moving and memorable.
  • Becoming. I'm a huge fan of Laura Jane Williams, and this is her memoir about becoming celibate, living in an Italian convent for six months and recreating her life post-break up. If you're needing some Eat, Pray, Love, this is a good place to start. 
  • This Modern Love. A gorgeous coffee table number that is perfect for self-gifting. This is a collection of letters, stories and photographs sharing love at their beginnings, middles and endings. With sassy exes, seductions and simple confessions, there's something in this which will hit a nerve with all readers.
  • The Last Act of Love. Another non-fiction suggestion, Cathy’s brother Matty was in a car accident in 1990 which left him in a permanent vegetative state. Her story is about making the hard decision to let him go, and it’s one which stayed with me for years. Prepare yourself, it’s an emotional read which will have you fiercely texting your siblings at 2am...


                                       



                                    


FOLLOW: 
  • The Slumflower A.K.A Chidera Eggarue. My go-to for her no-nonsense approach to relationships and self care. Her book 'What A Time To Be Alone' is out now. She's funny, eloquent and dares to confront what most avoid talking about. 
  • Leena Norms. Book-loving, social change promoting, brilliant human. Find her on Twitter and Youtube. 
  • Matt Haig. Matt's posts brighten my Twitter feed, and he writes incredible books too. 
  • Jessica Dore. Jessica shares therapeutic tarot readings with scientific interpretations. I didn't think this would be my thing, but her Instagram and Twitter posts resonate with me, and are practical rather than unreliable and mystical.  Check 'em out. 



🖤