I Enjoy Reading!

Hello people!

Hope you are all doing tremendously well.

As this is a lifestyle blog, I thought I'd share with you some other things I enjoy doing with my life - one of which is reading, as you may know already after reading my review of Humans of New York which can be found here if you haven't.

First, I'll share 5 fiction books that I've read and enjoyed, along with a short description.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

This is a dystopian novel centred around a society in which women are simply a tool for reproduction after the government is overthrown. The story is set during the time of the new government, with scenes in which the protagonist known as Offred tells the reader about her life before this happened. I read this book in preparation for writing an English Literature essay and it surprisingly became one of my favourite books, despite having to analyse it so heavily. Although sometimes disturbing, Margaret Atwood writes about this dystopian future in a very real way - creating a book that will stay with the reader long after they've finished it.

You can find more information about it here.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This teen/young adult novel is about Remy, a teenager whose upbringing (a mother and 5 step fathers) has made her cynical about love and relationships. In this typical boy meets girl, coming of age story, Remy meets Dexter and starts to change her ways. These books are great for holidays or a weekend where all you want to do is tuck into something light and un-challenging.

You can find more information about it here.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

This is my favourite book by Sarah Dessen. It's about Annabel who returns to school after summer having previously been the "it" girl of her town, to now being pretty much alone. After family troubles and a cutting of ties with her best friend, she meets Owen. With his help, she tries to reinvent herself and come to terms with what has happened over that rocky summer.

You can find more information about it here.

When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

"This is a book about a brother and a sister. It's a book about secrets and starting over, friendship and family, triumph and tragedy, and everything in between. More than anything, it's a book about love in all its forms." (Taken from the description on Goodreads). I thought this was a brilliant description of the novel, which details the life and experiences of our protagonist Elly. If you enjoy books about people, then this could be up your street. It covers all emotions - you'll be smiling, laughing and crying reading this. It also has a list of discussion topics at the back of the book so would be perfect for a book group.

You can find more information about it here.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

This novel follows the story of Jacob Jankowski, an elderly man living in a care home who retells his story when a circus visits the town he lives in. Sara Gruen creates a beautifully written and atmospheric story about Jacob's life working as a vet and water carrier for elephants in a circus. I will say that the end of book may not be as satisfactory as the rest, and that you should read the book instead of watching the film.

You can find more information about it here.

I also thought I'd link this post back to fashion and beauty and show you two books I often look to for inspiration.

Style and Beauty by Lauren Conrad. These have great tutorials for hair and make-up, as well as collections of outfit ideas for many different occassions. There's everything from casual-wear to date-wear. I often look to Lauren Conrad for style tips - we seem to like the same sort of thing. Her fashion line "Paper Crown" really reminds me of the style of clothes from Oasis, which is my favourite shop. Definitely check these books out if you like that sort of thing!

You can find out more about Style here and Beauty here.

Hope you enjoyed this post! Keep reading!

IOTD - Lauren Conrad - seems appropriate since I've mentioned her books.

SOTD - Pretty Face by Soley