Tuesday 30 July 2013

Beach Books


For me, a beach book is just any book you take to the beach, just like a beach body is just your body -but on a beach... It doesn't have to be a specific genre or type of book, just one you want to read! So I'm going to share with you the books that I took on holiday with me last week. Of no particular genre of course.

That being said, I actually did choose some 'lighter' books to enjoy in the sweltering heat. But I am quite snooty with 'chick lit'. Admittedly, the heat does tend to make it difficult to focus on a difficult and convoluted plot line, which is why I chose to take Mirand Hart's 'Is It Just Me?' with me instead. I had been meaning to read this one for a while but never felt like shelling out for the hardback. Instead I picked this one up along with Caitlin Moran's 'Moranthology' in a Waterstone's 'Buy One Get One Half Price Offer'.



Hart's book is a kind of memoir/general musings on various topics kind of book. I did enjoy a lot of it and laughed out loud on public transport as the blurb predicts, but I did find some of it a bit un-funny in between. In her book Hart speaks to the character of her teenage self, filling her in on what the future holds. Whilst this did work at some points, at other times it felt a bit forced and didn't quite work. However, it stays true to the voice of the Miranda we enjoy on screen and makes us feel less alone in the awful embarrassing experiences of life. Like falling into a bin or having a Spanish man shout 'Too white! Too white!' at your pale legs. No? Just me then...









Following Hart, I swiftly moved onto Moran's 'Moranthology'. I was almost expecting a similar book to 'How to Be a Woman', so I was surprised to find that it was just a collection of some of her old columns, even though this isn't explicitly stated on the book jacket. I just picked it up because I thought I would enjoy it, and I wasn't wrong. Although I haven't seen Sherlock or much of Doctor Who (both of which Moran is a very big fan) I did enjoy a lot of her writing on various topics, both nodding emphatically and laughing throughout. HOWEVER, sometimes it felt like she was being a bit too kooky and wild and try-hard funny. I think reading the entire book in one day was a bit of a Moran-overdose.



Then I plunged into the depths of some glorious fiction. Like many books I eventually get around to reading, I've probably had them on a big 'To Read' book for a very long time, and Alex Garland's 'The Beach' was no exception. I'd watched the film when it was first released on DVD many moons ago (I was probably too young to have watched it) but I found it fascinating and (rightfully) horrifying. I didn't realise it was based on a book until many years later, and I'm glad that I'd finally gotten around to reading it. The main character, Richard, is definitely an anti-hero of sorts - at times you're repulsed by his actions but then pity him in the next paragraph and root for his survival. A great take on the idea of an idyllic utopia with a hard focus on travelling and tourism. A great read which I raced through.



Finally I picked up 'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern. I'd seen this do the blogger rounds a while back, but I was sceptical as to whether I would actually enjoy it or not. I read the majority of this on the plane back, and whilst I did find some parts rightfully magical and fascinating, I found the central plot a bit messy and half-done. In the acknowledgements, Morgenstern admits that in the original draftings the plot was messy, but I felt that this was still true in the final cut. The fact that some of the characters still aren't sure what's going on, and that this is passed off as part of the magic didn't really settle for me at all. And although the female protagonist is written as a strong character with her own magical abilities and powers, the romance aspect was all too 'damsel in distress' for my liking. However, I don't regret finishing it to the end.


And there we have it - my four beach books from a week in Spain. It definitely broke my 'book fast' where I didn't really feel like picking up a book for a while! I didn't even read this much at uni where I had to read (blag) 2-3 books a week. Not sure what to tackle next in my 'To Read' pile, but there's plenty in it!

Wooo books!


12 comments

  1. Really enjoyed this! I'm in a bit of a book funk at the moment... I'm half-way through a really good historical fiction but for some reason I've just lost interest... Great post! :)

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    1. Thank you! Oooh I do enjoy some historical fiction but definitely depends on the era. Yeah I know what you mean, sometimes you can just lose all interest. I was actually thinking about writing a post on books that I wasted my time reading - controversial. Haha !

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  2. Got to love a good book. Although I too am stuck in a "book fast" at the moment. I just can't seem to get in the mood for reading. The most I have managed is half a volume of Bleach Manga. The pile I growing Emma, the pile is growing!!! (o_0)

    Sounds like you filled a fun holiday with some good books.

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    1. Yeah I go through phases! This has definitely kick started me. Haha yeah same, and then I just buy more!

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  3. Loving the "Woo books" haha! I love reading on holiday, so relaxing.

    This was a great post, loved it x

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    1. Haha you gotta love books!

      Thank you so much :) x

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  4. I read The Night Circus, and whilst I enjoyed the magic of it all, I have to admit that now I'm trying to recall it I can't actually remember much about the storyline or how it ended. Which I'm thinking is not a good sign!

    - Tabitha at scaredtoast.com x

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    1. Haha possibly not! Yeah the magic part is fun but the storyline is a bit messy and underdeveloped I think. x

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  5. Thanks for your tips I will try Moran's 'Moranthology'.

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    1. You're welcome :) It's really nice to dip in and out of and has some really funny parts!

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  6. Replies
    1. No problem, I enjoy talking about books! x

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