What I've Been Reading | Version One

12:31 PM

One of my resolutions for this year was to read more. I was able to really up my reading list last year and I want to not only maintain that, but do better. In the first few weeks of 2015, I was able to read a whole five books-- which, for a working student, seems like one hundred. And they were all really good. It was a win-win in every sense of the word.

01. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham. I was not a fan of Lena Dunham before reading this memoir. I was drawn in by the vintage-inspired cover and the amount of times I saw it posted by people I admire on Instagram. While I can't say I am a fan after reading the book, either, I can say that I have a strange desire to watch 'Girls' and 'Tiny Furniture.' Part of this desire stems from just how darn much I related to Dunham while reading through these pages. Some moments were so awkward and understandable; others were made me so incredibly uncomfortable that I had to praise her for sharing them. It is also realistically inspiring, showing how success can come quickly (not overnight, but in enough time that it gives this reader a little bit of hope about where her life is going) but also how success won't fix everything. From detailing her strange thoughts and obsessions to her relationships and friendships to her family and career, I think most twenty-something females will find something they relate to in this memoir.

02. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Just an all-around interesting book based off of some truly creepy vintage photos. There is already a sequel out for this young adult novel and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

03. The Lady in the Tower by Alison Weir. This book is specifically on the fall of Anne Boleyn, but told in a way that once again brings the story to life. I'm a little bit obsessed with the Tudor Dynasty-- especially Anne Boleyn and her daughter, Elizabeth-- and this, I think, is a great read for anyone why Boleyn met the fate that she did.

04. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. So many people have read and loved this book-- I am sort of on that list. It starts out spectacularly. For the first few hundred pages I could not put this down. Then it slows down only to pick back up again towards the end-- but not in a way that kept me enthralled like it did in the beginning. It also ended in a way that didn't quite leave me fulfilled. But overall I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the thought that must have gone into it and the style of writing, which was complex but easy to read.

05. Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse. A heartbreaking and insightful look into the downward (and upward) spiral of one of the most talented singers of this generation. If you are looking for a different perspective on Amy, something far from the tabloid press she was a part of during her life, this is for you.

What have you been reading so far this year?

Also, who decided a Kindle was a good place to put Calvin Klein ads?