Get To Know Me Through Books!

 I'm back with something a little bit different today!

I was tagged in this challenge on bookstagram, so will be posting about it later today on my account (link to my page can be found on the right hand side of my page ->). However, I also thought it would be fun to write up a proper blog post too, so I can go into more detail about my choices. So here I am!

These kinds of challenges are always really fun, because it's so nice to remember all the books that may have fallen out of my immediate attention after reading. It's so easy to forget what you've read, and what each story originally meant to you. I found it really fun to look back at some of my older books, and consider them under all the prompts below. 

Read on to find out more about me through books!

My Favourite Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

It's an age old question for all bookworms, and for years I didn't have an answer. I'm a mood reader, so to choose one favourite seemed impossible. However, a few years ago, I settled naturally on Pride and Prejudice. I just said it automatically, and as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew it was the truth.

If you're not familiar with the novel (and if not, where have you been?!), here's the overview:

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

Description taken from Goodreads.

I've been a fan of the story since I was little, when I used to watch the BBC adaptation of the story with my mum, on a loop. But it wasn't until I read the novel in my mid-teens that I realised what a treasure it really was. 

I just love absolutely everything about it. The story is classic but stands the test of time, with characters who are forward-thinking and wonderfully endearing. But more than anything, I love how the novel makes me feel. It's witty, charming, and so uplifting. 

If you haven't yet read it, you definitely should add it to your list. It can be a tough read at first because of the different use of language, but it's a really satisfying novel to finish. And it has my whole heart, forever. ♥ 

My Favourite Classic: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Okay, so I obviously chose a classic for my favourite book, which did throw a slight spanner in the works for this one! So I looked for another that was a strong one for me, and it got a little harder. Although I like to read classics, there aren't many that I have read that I truly love. 

But my queen came to the rescue. 

I'm not sure I would say that Murder on the Orient Express is my favourite Agatha Christie novel, but it's definitely one of the most renowned, and most 'classic'. And it's also probably one of the ones that I have the most appreciation for. If you're unfamiliar with the premise for the story, here's a quick description:

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.

Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer—in case he or she decides to strike again.

Description taken from Goodreads.

This novel is an example of some of the most fantastic crime fiction ever written, both because of the perfectly crafted plot and its shocking reveal; a reveal that makes complete sense, but that nobody could see coming.

I also just have an awful lot of respect for the character of Hercule Poirot. If you were to ask me who my favourite fictional character of all time is, I would have to say that it was this Belgian detective. He's quirky and fun to read about, but more than that - I love the way he makes deductions using only psychology. It's such a great way to create a detective's personality, and Murder on the Orient Express is one of his most memorable cases. 

Did I manage to justify my choice...? 

A Book That Changed My Life: Divergent by Veronica Roth

So for most people this will probably seem like a very strange choice. But hear me out. 

When the Divergent series had been released, I was gifted it as a collection for Christmas. I'd heard lots about it, but had never read much dystopian or fantasy fiction at the time. That which I had read had been either when I was a lot younger (such as Harry Potter), or after I had already watched the screen adaptations (The Hunger Games). But I read Divergent as a newbie to the genre, and with absolutely no expectations. And what I found really opened my eyes.

If you don't know much about the story, here's a description:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Description taken from Goodreads.

I fell in love with the way a completely different world had been imagined, I fell in love with the strong character of Tris, and I fell in love with the way the series made me feel. 

The Divergent series isn't perfect (we won't go there here), but it was the book that inspired me to branch out with my reading, and that's something that has really changed my life. And I am eternally grateful for that.  

A Book I Recommend To Everyone: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Again, this was quite a tough one, but this time it was because I had so many choices! I love recommending books, and I changed my mind a few times about where I was going to take this. But, seeing as I actually gifted this book to my mum for Christmas, I finally settled on Before the Coffee Gets Cold. 

Here's a brief synopsis for those who haven't heard of it:

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.

But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .

Description taken from Goodreads.

I think the reason I suggest it so regularly is because it can appeal to so many readers. It's actually a really quick and easy read for starters, and I actually read it pretty much in one sitting. The book is structured in a way that makes it really easy to read in a step-by-step way.

But what I really love about this book is how it's such a simple idea that feels ever so magical. I've never really read anything quite like it before, and it was definitely one of the highlights of my 2020 reading. When I read it, I found it so incredibly uplifting. It really zones in on humanity and the relationships that make us. I did cry a little, and the stories really touched my heart. 

It's just such a rewarding read, and I would love to share that with more people.

You can read my full review of the book here.

A Book I Didn't Like: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I'm not usually someone who likes to shout about the books I didn't enjoy so much. I think reading is so objective that just because I didn't enjoy something doesn't mean somebody else wouldn't. There are also very few books that I flat out just didn't like. For this challenge, I've chosen a book where it wasn't necessarily that I didn't enjoy it, but that it just didn't live up to my expectations.

Here's a quick description of the book:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Description taken from Goodreads.

I'm not quite sure why Beautiful Creatures didn't really do it for me. It had a lot of elements that I really love: fantasy, romance, and a dramatic build-up to a huge showdown. You'd think that it would be right up my street. Unfortunately, it just fell short of what I was hoping for. It was long-winded, had too much going on, and I could not for the life of me connect with any of the characters.

It's a shame, because I had been hoping to read the full series, but I did stop after the first book. However, I know lots of other people really enjoyed it, so I guess it just wasn't to my taste!

You can read my full review here. 

A Book I'm Obsessed With: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Well, this was another super tough one! I am, as most bookworms are, entirely obsessed with so many books. But this was one that really stood out to me, because it's a serious guilty pleasure.

If you don't know of the Selection series, here's a quick description:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Description taken from Goodreads.

I can admit, it isn't the best book in the world. It has some flaws and I know it isn't a favourite of everybody. BUT, I'm obsessed with it because it's just pure escapism. There is just something comforting about a story that is light-hearted, familiar and, yes, a little bit superficial. 

The story is full of great imagery, and I love the fantasy, royalty, social media side of things that make it a really fun read. But more than anything, I love the fairytale romance element. I know lots of people don't like love triangles, but I really don't mind them. That's another guilty pleasure. And okay, it also contains possibly my favourite love interest of all time. I won't give any spoilers, but let me just say I LOVE HIM. 

So sure, I'm obsessed.

You can read my Selection series appreciation post here.

A Book I'm Looking Forward To: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Again, of the hundreds of books on my TBR list (oops!), it was hard to pick one for this prompt. However, I chose this one because it's one I'm hoping to read in the next few weeks, and that I'm expecting to really love. 

If, like me, you haven't yet read this book, here's the decsription:

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

Description taken from Goodreads.

I have seen soooooo many great reviews of this book over on bookstagram over the past year, and I only bought it because of that! It's young adult fiction and murder mystery combined, which seems like it will be right up my street. Fingers crossed it lives up to the hype!

A Book I'm Currently Reading: My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

So this is my current read:

When Korede's dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola's dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede's long been in love with him, and isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other...

Description taken from Goodreads.

This is another book that I only bought because bookstagram recommended it to me so often. When I saw it for £1 in a secondhand bookshop, I knew I had to buy it.

I'm sure you'll be seeing a full review very soon!

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So there we have it! This turned into a much longer post than I was expecting, so well done if you've made it this far!

It was super fun to consider these prompts, and I really hoped you enjoyed reading along!