Reading Review: July 2019

Here's what I read during the month of July:

Don't Hold my Head Down by Lucy-Ann Holmes (4/5). I thought this was witty, informative, incredibly well-researched and funny. My teenage self would have appreciated having this in her bag for sure. It's essentially a memoir about Lucy's journey into self-discovery and learning more about sex. If you like self-deprecating humour and find sex fascinating, I can't recommend this highly enough.

The Adulterants by Joe Dunthorne (4/5). This is brilliant. I've since given my copy to my sister and love watching her chuckle through my favourite parts. Joe wrote Submarine and this is very similar in style. The story follows a tech journalist during a catastrophic summer. Hilarious.

The Love of a Bad Man by Laura Elizabeth Woollett (4/5). This is about the women who fantasised about, were married to, or connected to Bad Men throughout history in some way. Charles Manson, Hitler, serial killers, etc. They are great short stories and glimpses into true tales.

Stubborn Archivist by Yara Rodriguez Fowler (4/5). My brother and I heard Yara read an extract of this at an event a few months ago, and I was convinced that this was memoir. When I finished the book, I was quite confused as it turns out the main character isn't actually her! This aside, it's a beautiful story about a woman growing up in a British/Brazilian household, feeling torn between two cultures and losing her sense of self. I adored how it was written in a very unstructured way, with poems and short snippets throughout.

Motherhood by Sheila Heti (3/5). I went into this with such high hopes, as lots of people have been raving on about it, but it didn't meet these expectations. Our narrator is questioning motherhood and expectations in a very philosophical way. I did like this aspect, and I'm definitely aware of the importance of not judging women who don't have children. But it gets a little repetitive after a while, with few new perspectives introduced. She also makes a comparison to gay people 'coming out', and saying she felt jealous that they were able to do so, while she still battles with her decision to reproduce. Controversial, and pretty unnecessary.

Sea of Strangers by Lea Lang (3/5). This collection of prose and poetry is focused on love and loss - cheery summertime reading! There are a few lines in this which I've memorised as they are stunning, but others are quite generic and forgettable.

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Let me know if you've read any of these! I can be found over on GoodReads and Instagram and I'm always happy to chat books.

Favourite Summer Reads

Hello! Somehow it's mid-September already - I hope you enjoyed the summer months. I'll do a wrap up about what I've been up to soon, but for now I thought I'd share some of the books I've read recently. Let me know what you thought if you've read any of them too.

-Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie. Winner of the 2018 women's prize for fiction, this novel is different to anything I've read in a while. It follows the lives of the Home Secretary's family and how three siblings find themselves becoming an international story - as one of them begins to idolise their jihadist father. Shamsie creates believable situations with realistic dialogue and fleshed out characters, which meant I was drawn into the story - to the point that I finished this book in a single day!

-How To Be Famous by Caitlin Moran. This sequel to How to Build a Girl is brilliant! The protagonist, Johanna, is settled in London and living her writing dream, but is still deeply unhappy. From sex shaming, imposter syndrome, and fame, to navigating the music scene as a teenager - this fed my soul. I genuinely laughed out loud and noted down phrases throughout, so if you've not read any of Moran's work, I highly recommend that you do.

-Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. As soon as I finished this, I instantly wanted to re-read it. I'm still tempted to get it back from my sister before she has a chance to start it! I read Rooney's Normal People earlier this year and liked the dirty realism aspects found in both novels. This follows twenty-one year old aspiring writer, Frances, as she forms a connection with a married couple. The vulnerabilities of each character and the intimacies of their relationships really struck a chord with me, and made me think of youth - with all its naivety and uncertain pleasures.

-The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan. I haven't read Gracekeepers yet but this is the prequel to that, so I'm definitely curious to get my hands on it. This had the perfect balance of magical realism in my opinion, set on an island where occupants end their lives as stone statues atop a cliff. It's enchanting, and reminded me of Ingo by Helen Dunmore - a book which is to blame for my love of the sea.

-All the Good Things by Clare Fisher. If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, this is similar. Twenty-one year old Beth is documenting the good things in her life, from her prison cell. I love books which make you consider morals and the true perpetrators of crime, and this ticks all the boxes there. It's also got short chapters and is easy to dip into, which makes it perfect for commuting and travelling.

Thanks for reading!

Spring Favourites

Sorry for not posting in a long time but I've been busy finishing my University work which is now officially over! The first year has flown by and I am enjoying relaxing in the warm weather before the job hunting begins... I've been trying out a few summery products and generally being outside a lot more so I thought I would share what I've been enjoying.

Apologies for the bad quality picture, it was the only spot in my room not covered in moving boxes and clutter!

My favourite book at the moment is called 'The Opposite of Loneliness' which is a collection of essays and stories by Marina Keegan, a very talented writer who tragically was in an accident and died shortly after graduating from Yale. Being aware that she is no longer with us made reading the non fiction sections quite difficult as I found it really upsetting hearing her dreams for the future. The short stories were enchanting and there are so many hopeful and inspiring quotes that I've actually written down to keep. I've since begged everyone I know to read it as she really captured the potential of our generation and the struggle when dealing with uncertainty, something we can all relate to.

BIG by Lush is a shampoo I talk about this here and I am still just as obsessed. With seaweed, coconut oil and sea salt this shampoo adds a lot of shine and volume and the fresh scent stays in my hair for the entire day. If you wash your hair everyday, this isn't suitable as it can be drying. I only use this once or twice a week and it cleanses my scalp and really helps with scrunching hair while it dries to make it extra curly. I've only got a tiny bit left of this and I will be repurchasing for sure as it's lasted a really long time!

Another Lush product I've tried recently is the Rub Rub Rub shower scrub which came in a gift box given to me by my lovely friends Lizzie and Laura! The blue scrub has a light floral scent and the salt gives it a sea-air vibe. I used it on dry skin, like my feet and elbows for a rough scrub and on wet skin on my legs so that it would be a little less harsh. Both worked really well and made me feel a little more confident about wearing shorts to the beach as my skin looked less dull and actually glowed. I'm yet to try this in my hair but if it's as good at adding volume as Big then I'll be chuffed!

I bought The Body Shop's Banana shampoo for my boyfriend and have fallen in love with it myself! it is creamy with a lovely strong banana scent which reminds me of holidays. This leaves my hair really noticeably shiny,which might be thanks to the honey in the shampoo. Cheap and gentle, it's one I'll definitely buy again.

Normally I find that a majority of toners are mainly water and don't really see the point, but I received a sample of the balancing toner by Grown Alchemist and thought I'd give it a try. A quick swipe in the afternoon, when my face is feeling too hot or gross after travelling and it feels really refreshed. This has Rose Absolute, Ginseng and Chamomile which gives it both skin calming properties and a fresh scent. If you suffer with redness or general oiliness throughout the day, this is a really nice option as it feels cleansing without drying the skin out.

Another skincare favourite is the Cucumber gel mask by Peter Thomas Roth, which feels amazing on tired, burnt or post-waxed skin. With papaya, pineapple and aloe on the ingredients list, this has a really tropical, plant-like scent which I love and the gloopy texture melts onto your face leaving it moisturised and refreshed. Using this when cold from the fridge also feels incredible, especially if you have puffy eyes.

Now the weather might be sunny, but my skin is definitely still dry from the winter and needs intense hydration. I've been using Soap and Glory's Sugar Crush body buttercream on my legs for a few months now and it's great. The scent is one of my favourites, it's filled with lime oils and smells like a sugary fruit pastille! If you are after a budget friendly, summer scented moisturiser then I would definitely recommend trying out the Soap and Glory range.