rainbow rowell

3 Books I’ve enjoyed reading this year | Morning Musings

/ riainthecity / Leave a comment

The year is almost at its end and I am kind of bummed to report that I didn’t read nearly as much this year as I did in 2015. Maybe this is due to the fact that my commute was much longer last year or perhaps the fact that I am now more focused on taking pictures of my bookhauls rather than focusing on the reading… ha!

But here are 3 books that I highly recommend you check out…

  1. While the World is Still Asleep by Petra Durst Benning
    Genre: Fiction
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    This was by far my favourite read this year. It is a translation from the original German text but the translator has done an excellent job!The book is set in 1880’s Germany and revolves around our heroine Josephine and her new found love of cycling that she developed after she was blamed for the untimely demise of her 7 year old brother and sent to a village to recover from an ailment and psychological trauma 😔 🇩🇪

    She is even sent to prison because of her desire to cycle 😐 😵
    🔸Fun fact: Did you know that women were not allowed to ride bicycles in 1880s Germany?🚲  That is so messed up on so many levels and makes me so grateful that I was born when I was born. I know there is still a lot of work to be done.
    If you are a feminist, read this!
  2. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
    Genre: FictionScreen Shot 2016-02-17 at 12.13.49 AMI loved this book. It also happens to be my first Hemingway read. Not gonna lie, it was a tad hard to get into since Hemingway took his own sweet time talking about the surroundings and banal things but I started enjoying that a few chapters in.You should check it out if you enjoy reading fiction inspired by real life and reminiscing about Paris and its lost generation. Not going to do a review, you can google it!
  3. Fan Girl by Rainbow Rowell
    Genre: YA FictionScreen Shot 2016-06-11 at 1.48.58 AMSo this book! OH MY GOD! ALL THE FEELS! I even talked about it on my blog earlier this year! I really enjoyed my time in university (well mostly) and I love the feeling of falling in love. This book was perfect for anyone who likes all of the above! I don’t really read that much YA anymore but Rainbow Rowell is the reigning queen and I suggest you check out her work pronto!

What were some of your favourite reads for 2016?

FANGIRL – When a book gives you all of the feelings!

/ riainthecity / Leave a comment

big deal alert
This post is part review and part me fangirling over FANGIRL!

I just finished reading FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell and it is giving me all of the feelings. I do read fiction but lately I haven’t been reading a ton because you know, “I am an adult and adults only read non fiction blah blah blah!”

Also, I have read some pretty awful fiction and I have comparatively high standards when it comes to fiction. You don’t need to give me Harry Potter feels but I do need to feel like I am in the book—just give me one relatable character and I will be a happy camper. Sadly, not all fiction has the ability to do that.

A few weeks ago I was wandering around a second hand book store here in Toronto (Shout out to BMV!) during my lunch break, cause you know that’s how we should all spend lunch time. And I started thinking about the good old times when I used to read and sometimes write fiction.

Little known fact about me, I started writing Buffy and Spike fan fic when I was 13. No, I am not going to share links.

Summer always does this to me—it makes me want to read fiction; I know summer hasn’t started officially but you get my point.

So there I was—basically in heaven—wondering whether I should dabble in fiction, when this book appeared in front of me, in all its hardcover glory.

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First Impressions

1. I thought it was going to be a sappy teenage love story, which to be honest I kind of enjoy. Takes me back… way back.

2. Was I ready to commit to a 437 page long work of fiction? Will I have the time?

3. Will I be able to relate to the characters?


After Reading

I am not going to write a plot summary on here but if you do want to find out what the book is about, please feel free to peruse Rainbow’s website!

But I will tell you this, the book chronicles twin sisters Cath and Wren’s first year at university.

Cath, our heroine, is a writer and prefers the company of fictional characters to IRL encounters. Whereas her identical twin Wren is the outgoing one. It involves boys, writing—lots of writing—coming to terms with who you are and learning to be comfortable in your own skin.

Honourable Mention: Levi—Cath’s boyfriend. OMFG Levi is only the most perfect boyfriend ever. Cath writes and he wants to hear everything. SO PERFECT! I CAN’T!

By the way, in case you are wondering, yes Cath Wren, Cath-Wren, CathWren… Catherine!
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The first thing I did after I finished reading the book was to tweet about it because it was so freaking good! Honestly, I haven’t read something this good since Harry Potter and I really really hope—with all my heart—that Rainbow Rowell writes another book about Cath and Wren.

Who did I relate to more?

Sometimes I was Cath, sometimes I was Wren but mostly I was Cath.
In my first year at university though I was definitely Wren. Read the book and find out more about Wren and I guess find out more about me.

From page 1, I was hooked and read it in 3 days!

I felt like I was back in university again and could relate to everything. The fact that the book was about learning to be comfortable in your own skin made it all the more relatable.

I think that’s something a lot, if not all, of us struggle with even as adults. Easier said than done.

Has Rainbow written a universal coming of age story? Nope.
Did I love it? HELL YES!

Thank you for getting me hooked on to fiction again Rainbow! I can’t wait to read the rest of your books!

P.S: I am trying to read one book a week for June. Wish me luck! The first one I read was The Clasp by Sloan Crosley, had been trying to finish that one for a while! Next up is Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings.