“I’d run five miles just to give you a hug.”
Greetings and salutations readers and non-readers alike! It is with a heavy heart and a look of gut-wrenching regret that I sit to write this blog whilst coming to the realisation that another year has passed us by. My reading, and writing for that matter, has reached an all-time low this year but tis the price to pay when one is in the throes of capitalism. Despite this, of the thirty plus books I have feasted my eyeballs on this year, here are a few that stood out…
- The Fine Print by Lauren Asher.
“I’ll never stop being greedy when it comes to Zahra. She will always be the exception to any rule and the one person I’m willing to screw the world over for. Because if she’s not happy, I’ll ruin whatever stole her smile, myself included.”
Kicking off the blog, ironically, with one of the last books I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year. The Fine Print is a dual POV romance which follows Rowan and Zahra, two individuals who couldn’t be further apart with their personalities. Where Rowan Kane is the formidable, cold businessman who behaves as if everyone and anyone is beneath him, Zahra is a ray of sunshine whose friendly and selfless demeanour is everything Rowan detests. I devoured (ahem, not literally) this book and it consisted of some of my favourite tropes: grump x sunshine, “I hate everyone but you,” a tinge of forbidden romance as Rowan is Zahra’s boss and a healthy age gap. Rowan’s character development from selfish to discovering there is a heart under that handsome exterior of his was the highlight of the book for me and the entire concept of the fantasy of Dreamland was refreshing and enjoyable. If you’re looking for a cute, spicy dual POV romance, this is the book for you.
2. It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover.
“She’s my person, and I am hers, and that’s something I’ve known since the first week we met.”
Where do I begin? This book right here was my most anticipated read of the year and despite falling into a three month long slump, I still found myself enchanted by Atlas’ charm and the sheer cuteness of Lily and Atlas’ love story. Some readers have accused CoHo of falling prey to fanfiction culture and writing this purely to meet the demands of Booktokers and whilst I am inclined to agree, I would be lying if I said this wasn’t one of my favourite books of the year. There was something so precious about seeing Lily and Atlas making their way back to one another despite their individual trials.
It would have been unrealistic to expect Ryle to accept or own up to his actions and as infruriating as his sheer presence was throughout the book, I was glad to see CoHo explore what life looked like for Lily following the events of It Ends With Us. On a serious note, the urge to serve Ryle a knuckle sandwich throughout this book was immensely high. Do not even get me started on people who make excuses or defend that vile piece of… *deep breaths*
3. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy.
“Why do we romanticize the dead? Why can’t we be honest about them?”
This book right here. Truly one of the most powerful books I have ever read. I dare even say I enjoyed it because there is nothing to enjoy or like about a book like this. As a teenager, I was an avid fan of iCarly and I was particularly fond of Jennette’s aggressive and sarcastic character, Sam Puckett. Reading this book was an enlightening and heart-wrenching experience to say the least, the kind that has you experiencing second-hand rage and sorrow on someone else’s behalf. It was alarming to read about diet culture and myths, how her mother was responsible for constantly shaming and comparing Jennette to other budding actors and how she practically instilled the beliefs that led to Jennette struggling with eating disorders throughout her life.
4. Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata.
“Not every injury is physical. People don’t realize that.”
Dear Aaron is the very definition of the word “cute.” The first half of the book is told through letters, iMessages and emails whilst the latter half brings our two lovestruck penpals together. There’s something so precious about two individuals who have never seen each other bonding and falling in love via letters; I’m a sucker for a mushy romance and this one truly made ME feel as if there was, in fact, a piece of thumping flesh in my chest (damn Shakespeare, take THAT).
I would personally love to see this as a film although that may be a tad tricky to recreate since half of the plot takes place over nonverbal methods of communication but hey ho, the directors of Hollywood can figure that one out. If you’re anything like me and you adored Punk 57, this is the book for you!
5. Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed.
“This world cannot break you—unless you give it permission. And it cannot own you unless you hand it the keys—unless you give it your heart.”
This book is a tad different to what I usually read, and feature on my blog for that matter, but as someone who would describe herself as a practising Muslim and as an individual who is constantly seeking to make herself better, I found this book spoke to me in ways I could have never anticipated. I would recommend this book to anyone who is spiritual and believes in some kind of higher power. There are some valuable lessons and ideas here about our connections with other people and becoming too attached to other people that resonated quite deeply with me. After all, the search for inner peace and serenity is something we all search for, is it not?
2022 has been a slow reading year for me but the books mentioned above were some of the ones that I found hard to forget and books I’ll definitely read again. Roll on 2023 folks.
Bookishly Yours,
Canbefoundfangirling x
Canbefoundfangirling's Bookish Blog 