Quarantine Reads: What I've Been Reading

Oh, how I love books! They’re the perfect way to escape reality, even if that escape is only brief. Now that we’re spending so much of our time inside as opposed to the usual rat race that we all participate in, now is the perfect time to pick up a book and indulge! It also marks a great opportunity to change up your usual genre of choice and try something new. I typically only read contemporary romance novels. As a hopeless romantic, I find that they’re great to get lost in but as of late, I have noticed my eyes wandering away from the romances and towards something completely different. Since social distancing started in the middle of March, I’ve read 4 books that are quite different than my usual and have loved testing new waters!

My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell - my rating: 4/5

Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Thriller, Literary Fiction

This was a difficult one to get through. Not only was it heartbreaking to read the point-of-view of a student who had been sexually assaulted by her teacher (someone 27 years her senior), it was quite eye-opening to the art of manipulation. Vanessa, a 15-year-old with severe self-esteem issues finds herself in a “relationship” with her manipulative English teacher, Jacob Strane. Throughout the course of the novel, the readers witness how Strane was able to convince Vanessa that their relationship was not only consensual, but right. The chapters jump from the year 2000, when Vanessa is 15 to 2017, as we see Vanessa in the “present-day” and how she has coped with that relationship and its repercussions.

This novel is relevant to the #MeToo movement, and can be considered a realistic representation of the many individuals who have been assaulted by those in powerful positions. I would encourage anyone to read this book. While it is a difficult one, it is necessary to understand and empathize with the position many people are put in.

The Family Upstairs - Lisa Jewell - my rating: 4/5

Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I would like this one as it jumps through different times with different perspectives, which is something I’ve always found quite difficult to follow when reading. However, this book was surprisingly good. I found myself almost on the edge of my seat wanting to know more about this family and why I had the feeling there was going to be a creepy twist at the end.

Throughout the novel, we follow 3 people who are connected through a traumatic past. The protagonist, Libby, had just inherited an old house in central London after celebrating her 25th birthday and has a lot of questions. After finding out that her parents were murdered in this house, alongside another man who had lived with them, she wonders why and if any other members of her family had survived the devastating event. Having only been 8-months-old at the time her parents died, Libby can’t remember anything. She connects with different people from her past who have different truths about the events that took place in the house.

The One - John Marrs - my rating: 5/5

Thriller, Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance, Mystery

I really enjoyed this one. The main theme of the novel was about finding “the one” so it had that romance element that I typically gravitate towards, however, it wasn’t your traditional love story. The One follows 5 individuals who have taken a DNA test and submitted it to a dating app service that scientifically matches you with your soulmate. You would think that’s ideal, right? No need to worry about not getting on with someone when science has said that that is the person you’re meant to spend your life with, but nothing is always as it seems.

If you’re looking for a book that’ll make you swoon, creep you out, and downright shock you, then I think you’ve found The One.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone - J. K. Rowling - my rating: 5/5

Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

Would you believe I’ve never read any of the Harry Potter books up until a few weeks ago? I’ve seen all the movies and love them, but I’ve never had the pull to read the books when I was a kid. When I let it slip at my job (in a bookstore) that I had never read any of them, I felt a bit judged, but I’m happy to report that I’ve rectified the situation and I’m now a fan of the book series!

I truly enjoyed Rowling's writing and thought it was easy to follow along. I had been hesitant to read the series as I’ve never had an imagination for alternate universes and found it easier to follow along through a film. While I can’t erase my memory of the films and experience the books for what they have to offer, the knowledge of the films made reading the books that much more comprehendible. If you’ve never read this series (or even just the first book), I strongly urge you to give it a try - I don’t think you’ll regret it!

I hope the books I’ve listed above inspire you to pick one of them up, or even to read outside of your typical genre, whatever that normally is.

If you’re interested in following along with the other books I’m reading or want to take a look at the different bookshelves I’ve created for some of my favourites, check out my Goodreads page!

I would also like to give a huge thank you to everyone who has sent me such positive messages and feedback since the launch of this blog last week! Thank you to everyone who subscribed to receive email notifications when I publish a new post! Your love and support mean a lot!

xx Lex