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What I've Read In August

It's the final day of August, a lovely sunny Bank Holiday Monday, as I write this. I'm laid on my bed with no plans to leave the house and/or do my hair and make-up; a much needed chill day after a hectic week. Well, it's been a busy ole month of getting back into the world of full-time work with a shiny new job! But I'm feeling pretty content for the first time in a long time and more than happy to write some little book reviews. As I predicted last month, my new job did result in me reading far fewer books than the months throughout lockdown, but I still managed 5 which is more than I was managing last year. In fact, as I finished the last book of this month, I hit my goodreads 2020 challenge which I set in January at 40 books for the year! I'm now hoping to get to 50, which isn't all that much more for the next four months really, but I'm determined to make a dent in my pile of classics which always take a lot longer to read.

So what are the 5 books I've read this month? Well, I thought I'd start with my least favourite and build up to my two(!) 5 star reads.

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary ★ ★ ★

I've seen this book all over social media for the past year and I was never really intrigued by it, but I picked it up for a bargain in the supermarket when I got some others as it was the August read for the book club I recently joined.

"Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time. But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, they're about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window..."

It wasn't a bad book, I definitely enjoyed it and smiled a lot, but there was nothing groundbreaking to it. It's the typical romantic, chick-lit (I hate that term, but don't know how else to describe it!) that you'd expect. And it actually turned out to the be the nice light-hearted, easy read that I needed after struggling with my previous read, but every part of it was just so predictable. Very sweet and heart-warming, definitely a good choice if you're in a reading rut!

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley ★ ★ ★

I decided it was finally time to read this simply because it's been sat on my TBR for the longest time. I picked it up a few years ago alongside The Catcher In The Rye and The Secret History in a bid to read some more modern classics. I read (and loved) the others immediately, but this seemingly got forgotten. And turns out it was really hard to get into!

"Largely set in a futuristic World State, inhabited by genetically modified citizens and an intelligence-based social hierarchy, the novel anticipates huge scientific advancements in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation and classical conditioning that are combined to make a dystopian society which is challenged by only a single individual: the story's protagonist."

I don't know what it was, maybe simply that 2020 isn't the ideal time to be reading dystopian novels(!), but I just couldn't get into this book until I got to the last few chapters. It was one of those where I found myself reading a page, realising I'd not taken anything in and then having to read it again. I do love the plot, it was interesting, odd and the characterisation well executed,I think I simply need to read it again when I'm in a different headspace.

Love In Colour by Bolu Babalola ★ ★ ★ ★

I've followed Bolu on Twitter for the longest time and when she announced she was writing her first book I just knew I would love it. After pre-ordering it on Hive so I had it upon release, it immediately jumped to the top of my TBR and boy am I glad I didn't wait!

"From the homoromantic Greek myths, to magical Nigerian folktales, to the ancient stories of South Asia, Bolu brings new life to tales that truly show the vibrance and colours of love around the world. The anthology is a step towards decolonising tropes of love, and celebrates in the wildly beautiful and astonishingly diverse tales of romance and desire that already exist in so many cultures and communities."

With a combination of mythical retellings and original stories, Bolu really knows how to engage the reader. Beautiful imagery and stunningly poetic writing, I definitely think the retellings were my favourite as they felt much more vibrant. My most favourite story, however, was that of Alagomeji, of course. The personal touch truly added to how beautiful the final piece in the book was. This is a great display of how Black women and women of colour should be centred in romantic stories more.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An incredibly written book that was brought to the forefront of my attention during the latest wave of the Black Lives Matter protests, this is absolutely one of the most important reads that I would recommend to everyone. It made me cry multiple times, but I simply couldn't put it down.

"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Facing pressure from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and decide to stand up for what's right."

When you find a book that combines being an important read with a political/social message, and being well-written, gripping and emotionally charged, it's rare. But boy is it good when you find them! With light-hearted moments of joy to make you smile among the often heavy themes, The Hate U Give really covers everything you could want in such a book. It's a truly eye-opening look into racial bias in the justice system in America with phenomenal characterisation and heart-warming family dynamics that I simply adored.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I'd been considering this book for a while, so when I saw it on The Works website for a mere £2 I couldn't resist. And I am so so glad because it was absolutely the most beautiful book. A very important read about love, loss and hope; another one I'd recommend to everybody!

"Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of an unspeakable loss, but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all - and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face - they must journey to find each other again."

When I say this book stole a piece of my heart, I'm not even being dramatic. It was heavy, heart-wrenching and even stomach-churning in parts but that only made it even more gripping. The writing seamlessly transitions between past and present, cleverly done with single word pages, which I thought was a beautiful way of tying their story together. With wonderfully descriptive language, every part of this story feels all too real, but the brief glimpses of beauty with Nuri and the bees are the small pockets of joy essential in such a read. Nuri and Afra's story may be fictional, but knowing there are so many like it makes it even more important.

Loves. Emma.

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08:30

One Vest Top, 5 Ways

Back in March, I placed an order with LostStock and earlier this month it arrived! If you don't know who LostStock are, where have you been?! When the pandemic hit and countries started going into lockdown, many of the big name brands cancelled their clothing orders with their Bangladeshi suppliers, refused to both pay and take the clothes made, leaving factory workers with nothing. So LostStock stepped in! Money from selling these clothes would help keep factory workers alive and also keep the clothes from going to landfill. It was somewhat of a lucky dip, answer a few questions about your style and they send £70 worth of goods for £35. And there have, rightfully, been a lot of criticisms. I simply got 4 different vest tops which aren't even worth the £35 never mind £70, but it was for a good cause and hopefully helped someone in need so I can't complain too much.

Anyway! There was one vest of the four I received that was actually my style, and given that I don't wear sleeveless tops/dresses of any kind normally (I hate my upper arms) it's pushed me into getting creative with styling. So I thought I'd share!

The Vintage Vibe

This white shirt is something that has been on my wishlist for months after seeing a similar Arket number and I finally spotted this one on Reina Vintage Depop shop last week. It's the perfect piece for layering up and creating a look that's just a little different. Paired with my all-time favourite jeans, the Levi wedgie fit, and this is definitely my favourite look of the 5 here.

Decorator Chic

A simple option and the usual go-to for me when it comes to vest tops, is just to layer them underneath a jumpsuit. This is a nice, lightweight number I picked up last summer and the orange tie-dye pops perfectly against the white!

Summer Pastels

An obvious choice for a vest top is to merely throw it on with a pair of shorts and voila, summer outfit sorted. Not my usual styling choice, but my favourite vintage shorts with a clashing shirt over the top seems to work rather well.

Classically

Another thing that I've been hunting for on Depop/eBay is a nice pair of brown check trousers because once I get an idea in my head, I can't get it out! So finding this Pull & Bear pair on Depop for less than a tenner was a steal. The brown works well with the orange of the vest, and you can never go wrong with a white shirt thrown on top can you?

The Print Clash

It wouldn't be right if I didn't add a good print clash now, would it? And what better clash than double tie dye! I've had this mesh number for a few years now and it's just one of my favourite pieces for layering. The orange vest works so well for adding a splash of colour to an otherwise monochrome outfit.

So which of the 5 looks is your favourite?!

Loves. Emma.

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18:00

A July Book Round-Up

I'm really enjoying sharing (and consuming) more bookish content lately; a combination of having more time to read due to lockdown, finding books to really fall in love with and discovering more bookstagram/booktube accounts on my wavelength. So with that in mind, I'm gonna switch up my monthly round-ups to focus solely on what I've been reading and no longer including things I've been watching/listening to/doing. So I hope you're all a bunch of bookworms too! If you are - join me on GoodReads.

I've always enjoyed reading but I've always been a slow reader. That is until lockdown kicked in, I lost my job and had endless days to fill with reading. So it seems like I've read a lot throughout July, and I have, but I start a new job next week so from August my book round-ups will likely be on a much smaller scale.

There's quite the variety of books here, so instead of ordering them in any kind of favourable way, I'm simply gonna stick to the order in which I read them!

Cilkas Journey by Heather Morris

I technically started this at the end of June after I finished the prequel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and after how great I thought that book was, I had high hopes for the sequel, but I'm just not sure I enjoyed it as much? I guess 'enjoyed' isn't really the right word given the subject really is it! I still loved the book, and I don't know whether it's because I know it's more fictional than the former, having some of the backlash from her family in the back of my mind, or maybe simply because it was more harrowing to think this was all in addition to time spent in Auschwitz and therefore proved a harder read, but it's still one I'd recommend if you're into historical fiction and want to understand more about what could've been happening post-Auschwitz. Cilka Klein sounds like a formidable woman.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before, P.S I Still Love You & Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

Ever since the first film dropped on Netflix this series has been on my TBR and because I was in such a low mood earlier this month, it seemed like the perfect time to cosy up with some YA romantic fluff. And I absolutely adored them all! So much so that I cried at the end of book 3, but let's not talk about that.. Following the high school romance of Lara-Jean and Peter in the run-up to college, this is simply a heart-warming love story and a very easy read, definitely one to get you out of a reading slump.

The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shukla

A compilation of essays from 21 Black, Asian and minority ethnic voices in Britain, this book looks at "why immigrants come to the UK, why they stay and what it means to be 'other' in a country that doesn't seem to want you or truly accept you, but still needs you for it's diversity monitoring forms". This was not only a really powerful and thought-provoking read, but one that I would recommend to everyone, especially white British people (like myself) to get just an inkling of understanding into how those different from you live their day-to-day lives so differently within the same country.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

A much hyped book at the moment, I picked this up when I was made aware of the fact that it was only £2 at The Works (which then resulted in quite the hefty book order being placed, but I digress..). Set in the fictional suburb of Shaker Heights, where everything is planned, this follows the arrival of artist Mia Warren and her teenage daughter Pearl, their relationship with the Richardson family whom they rent an apartment from, and sees a custody battle over the attempted adoption of a Chinese-American baby by friends of the Richardsons. I absolutely loved this book; I loved the characterisation, the plot, the story-telling, and not only is the newly adapted Amazon Prime series now a must-see for me, but also Ng's first novel, Everything I Never Told You, has shot to the top of my TBR.

The Prison Doctor by Dr Amanda Brown

Another book that I bagged for £2 from The Works, I picked this up after seeing comparisons of it to Adam Kays 'This Is Going To Hurt'; a book that I loved. I must say I didn't find it half as compelling! With stories from Browns time as a doctor at a young offenders institution, the notorious Wormwood Scrubs and Europes largest women-only prison in Europe, Bronzefield, there is understandably quite some horrifying and heart-breaking tales. I found it a fascinating read to get a little delve into such a world, and the final quarter of the book was definitely where it picked up, but it seemed a little lacking for me? There seemed to be a lot rushed into a fairly short book and not only was there a lack of personality from the author, but it was just a very simplistic writing style.

How Do We Know We're Doing It Right (Essays on Modern Life) by Pandora Sykes

I pre-ordered this number back in January as I'm a big fan of Pandoras work. I requested delivery to store and little did I know it would arrive in the middle of a pandemic, so picking this book up was my first trip to Waterstones post-lockdown and I'm very proud of myself for managing to only pick up one other book whilst there! Anyway, this collection of essays was such a comforting read, so very relatable, beautifully written and well-researched. I particularly enjoyed the essays on binge-watch culture and fast fashion from such a relatable perspective.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

My final read of July was without a doubt my favourite of the month (if not the year so far??). The Vanishing Half tells the story of mixed race twins Desiree and Stella Vignes, born in a small southern black community, who run away at the age of sixteen. Although they will always be identical, their lives couldn't turn out any different. Spanning decades from the 1950's up to the 1990's we see multiple strands and generations of their family. Dealing with racism, colourism, LGBTQ+ and domestic violence, with a heavy focus on the conflicted sense of identity and the turmoil that comes with it, this was such a compelling read. Brit Bennett is an absolute genius and her debut novel, The Mothers, is absolutely my next purchase.

Me & White Supremacy by Layla F Saad

I almost forgot to include this when I started planning this post, simply because it wasn't a conventional book which I 'read' but more of a workbook. But that's not to say there isn't a lot of reading involved! Me & White Supremacy is a 28-day-workbook which breaks down the systemics of white supremacy, white privilege, white silence and so much more, in order to get those who hold white privilege to look within themselves, see how we are part of the problem and address how we can do better going forward. I've been working through this since the start of July and although it certainly isn't an easy book, it is absolutely an essential book if you want to make actual progress in becoming an anti-racist.

So, have you read any of these? What do you think? And what's been your favourite July read?

Loves. Emma.

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