Thoroughly modern millennial

Tag: Books & Writing

  • May | In Books

    4 May in books

    Kinesis | Ethan Speir
    When the police arrive at the home of Leonard Samson after hearing word of a break in, the scene that greets them is both unusual and horrifyingly gruesome. After being brutally beaten to the point of unconsciousness, witnessed violence against his wife and daughter, and the murder of his six year old son, Samson is found sitting calmly in his kitchen with the surviving members of his family whilst the two men who broke into his home lay dead in his living room. The bodies are mutilated beyond comprehension and the police start to suspect it is the work of a Kinetic, a person with the ability to move objects with their mind…

    This one’s already been reviewed by me on Blogger’s Bookshelf, but in short Kinesis is a fantastically, gripping read with some great world building and interesting characters.

    The Bone Season | Samantha Shannon
    Paige Mahoney is a clairvoyant and in this world her gift is seen as a threat which could have her arrested. The only place she can call home is within the depths of London’s criminal underground, hiding from the city’s security force – Scion – as part of the an illegal ring of clairvoyants called the Seven Seals. Her job, as a clairvoyant dreamwalker is to break into other people’s mind
    But Paige is soon captured by the Scion police after using her gift in public and taken to Oxford, where she meets an even bigger foe.

    The Bone Season is definitely one of the most hyped books right now and I think this fact ended up working as a disadvantage for me. Whilst I can’t fault Shannon’s insanely intricate and fascinating world building, and a host of diverse characters, the pacing and slightly overwhelming amount of information threw me a little. It’s a shame because the concept is actually what captured me the most, and I’m hoping the second novel will pick up the pace set in the last few chapters of the book!

    Something a little different for the end of these posts! Here’s a little progress report on what I’ve been reading…

    Currently Reading:
    The Virgin Suicides | Jeffrey Eugenides
    I’m only a few chapters into this and I’m already captivated, it helps that I’m already a huge fan of the movie. The writing so far has a subtle melancholy to it, which really fits with the subject matter and time period of the book. Can’t wait to finish this!

    R.xoxo
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  • Biblio-style | Out of Print Clothing

    Out of Print book t-shirt wishlist

    What’s this? T-shirts with book covers on them? Out of Print are a company that specialise in combining fashion and literature. Their range of clothes and accessories take the beautiful artwork from the covers of some amazing classic books. Like band t-shirts, I’m a fan of the policy of ‘if you don’t know what the band (or in this case, book) is, than don’t wear it’, so I’ve picked out some of my favourites based on my love of the lit. What I love most about these tops is the way they’ve interpreted the cover for the t-shirt style. They’re not complete copies, but some of the designs have been really cleverly put together. The Little Women shirt is my favourite for this very reason, it takes the beautiful illustration from the original cover art and transforms it into a really unique design.
    An amazing addition to these t-shirts being amazing design-wise and the perfect way to show off your love of a book? For each product sold on the website one book is donated, through Books For Africa, to students and children across the continent. So whilst you feel all snazzy in your book themed apparel, you’re also helping children gain access to wonderful stories and educational resources too.
    Charity, books and fashion all rolled into one? Perfect combo for me!

    *not gonna lie I high-fived myself for the pun in the title of this post ;)

    R.xoxo
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  • March/April | In Books

    3 MarApr in books
    It seems to me that despite an increased Uni workload and stress, I managed to finish a grand total of three books! Yay me!

    Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald | Therese Anne Fowler
    ‘Z’ follows the Fitzgerald’s lives through Zelda’s eyes as they navigate their way through the early roaring 20’s and the jazz age, during which Zelda was dubbed ‘the world’s first Flapper’, and lived in seemingly wedded bliss. The novel also follows their strained relationship as they travelled through Europe and America, dealing with jealousy, the birth of their daughter Scottie, chronic alcoholism and depression in a world that begs them to join the excess and partying that ultimately leads to their downfall.

    I’ve reviewed this book over at Blogger’s Bookshelf and overall I really enjoyed it. As a fictionalised version of the Fitzgerald’s lives, you can see Fowler’s has a little creative license when it comes to dramatising Scott and Zelda’s personalities and their relationships with each other and those around them. I did, however, really enjoy Fowler’s portrayal of Zelda’s voice, capturing the euphoria of young love and heartbreak of Zelda’s damaged, broken yet fiercely independent mind. Recommended for those who loved Gatsby and want to know a little more about the woman who became the muse of one the literary figures.
    The Book Thief | Markus Zusak
    It’s 1939. A small, nine-year-old girl named Liesel, arrives in Himmel Street to the home of her new foster family. Liesel is a book thief and the novel is her story and the story of, amongst many things, an accordionist, a Jewish fist fighter and Nazi Germany.
    There’s a reason why this book comes highly recommended by pretty much everyone I meet. The plot itself is fairly simplistic, but it’s Zusak’s writing and use of language that makes this book really extraordinary. As someone who isn’t easily swayed into reading historical fiction, the focus on Liesel and her life on Himmel Street made the story more engaging. I will say this book is definitely not easy, it requires thought and feels experimental in its writing, but if you give it a chance this story will move you.
    The Bad Boyfriend’s Bootcamp | Poppy Dolan
    Molly’s little brother Sam is stuck in a love rut. He’s tries so hard with women but falls short. Luckily Molly is willing to lend a helping hand and as she waves her metaphorical dating wand, she lands Sam the girl of his dreams and helps him keep the girl too!
    Thanks to Sam’s success, Molly’s single, male friends are soon lining up for her magical dating makeover and, along with her two friends, her entrepreneurial brain gets to work to create The Bad Boyfriend’s Bootcamp. But fixing other people’s problematic love lives is only half of the story, Molly also has to deal with her successful entrepreneurial mother, a grim looking overdraft thanks to her past failing businesses, and her own lackluster love life. 
    As seen in the title, the plotline for this novel is pretty predictable from the get go. Molly herself is a character I’ve seen in from this genre of book before, and I often found myself frustrated at how shortsighted and selfish she was being. Despite this, the writing was fun and there was a few pretty recent pop culture references that made me chuckle. If you’re after something quick and easy to read, this one’s for you.