I've spent this month getting used to my life at home since graduating from high school in Norway, and so my reading was all over the place. I went through a bit of a slump and I've mostly been reading books with little notice (I usually plan these things out, you see). In July, I read 5 books, but I don't remember whether that's a good, mediocre, or bad amount for me. It's more like I've been out of my reading rhythm for 2 years now. I'm itching to get back into it, though. While I was away, sometimes I found myself just lying in my bed, thinking about the books I would read once I graduated, where I was going to read them, and about this blog - whether I would write something like it.
Anyhow, in between reading, I've been taking shifts at my new job, running, and rearranging and decorating my room (necessary in the life of a teenage girl).
July's reads:
Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins
I bought this book from a second hand book site some years ago and it became one of my favourite pick-me-ups from then on. The copy is all battered and ripped and when I first got it, I had to clean some suspicious brown stains off of the cover, but I could not asked to be parted with it today. After re-reading this, I was finally convinced to buy the second book, Her Royal Highness, online, since it's not available in any libraries in Iceland!
The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto
I read Kitchen by Yoshimoto for English class last year and I think most of my class, including myself, fell a bit in love with it. My friend was so incredibly kind to remember how much I loved it and saw this book in Norway and sent it to me for my birthday! However, we were not expecting the drastic change of romantic themes (if you know what I mean...) in this novel. Still, it is wonderfully written with similar overarching themes as Kitchen: unconventional family relationships, coming of age, and learning about your inner self.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
I read the first and the last book in the trilogy about the Brown sisters during Christmas break and finally came around to read the second one. I definitely needed this light romance book after the strangeness (and slight reading slump) of The Premonition. I love Hibbert's characters and their banter! I was definitely kicking my feet over Zafir, this man has set a new standard for fictional romantic interests...
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Okay, so after Dani Brown I was just reminded how much I loved the first one, so I went straight to its shelf in the library as soon as I finished the other one. Despite being incredibly funny and entertaining, I have to admit that I may have been romanticising it in my head...
Gegnumtrekkur by Einar Lövdahl
I'd been meaning to check this book out for a few months after I stumbled upon the author discussing it on a literary show on Icelandic TV while I was in Norway. It felt nourishing to read in Icelandic again after so long and I adored this novel. The protagonist is so realistically flawed and he's so relatable to me. Although some symbolism and metaphors went over my head (more my fault than the author's tbh), Einar creates such real characters and writes beautiful yet modern language.
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That's it for July!
I've recently just gone through my TBR list and cleansed it out a bit (some books had been on there for a few years...) so there are only a few on there now. I'm working a lot next month and I'm expecting to have less time to read, although I have a sneaky plan of smuggling in a book for the slow hours over the day. My goals for August are to read another book in Icelandic, as well as reading books that I want to read. It may seem self explanatory, but I've always laid out some strict but (as I've been realising) fully imaginary rules for myself on what I read. I've been missing going to the library and simply picking out what calls to me. I think long TBRs are a reader's worst plague.
Right now I'm still finishing A Room of One's Own so you'll get my two cents on it next month ;)
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