julie's Path of Growth

This year was very special. Especially regarding my reading habits. I just started my studies last year. Not that long ago school still had a lot to say about what books I read in my free time.

“2021 is the year I want to join a book club” was definitely not a resolution I had going into this year. It honestly didn’t even cross my mind. However, it all fell into place, when Ioana, writer of the “Mistral Spirit” blog created an online book club that helped bring together an awesome community.

Since then I joined Goodreads (everyone that knows me, knows that I won’t shut up about it) and already reached to complete my “2021 reading challenge” of 25 books.

I want to look back on my favourite reads of this year:

“if we only fell in love with people who were perfect for us, there wouldn’t be so much fuss about love in the first place.”

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Do you know those books that you finish reading where you think to yourself: “everybody should be reading that in their 20ies”, well this was one of them. It was when I finished reading and instantly thought about who’s birthday comes next so that I could gift them this book, that I knew it was the one, “my favourite of the year”.

I think Katey (the main character) really inspired me to live my young adult life to the fullest. She is such a strong female character, that of course has some insecurities (who doesn’t), but the way she gets what she wants by being brave, is really inducing.

I also read the TED talk “We should all be feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which didn’t really give me new insights but strengthened my arguments in an everlasting exasperating “discussion” that is feminism. (I know it shouldn’t be up for discussion, but not everybody in this world got the memo)

Also, on my top five is “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. I read it really quickly in just 9 days. But for the time it was written (it’s really important to put that into perspective) it is such a progressive novel on racism and the moral nature of human beings. Quick side note: couldn’t decide on one favourite character, so I just picked them both (Atticus and Scout)

“i’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but i know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but always remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Some honorable mentions: “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood. I won’t say that the series is better than the book BUT the series is so good (!) and loaded with stories and character development, that compared to that, the book was a little bit disappointing. However, that doesn’t take away from the greatness, and importance of the book. I still can’t believe it was written in 1985 (and I think she started writing it at least 20 years prior to that).

“The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger, I actually really liked this book. It shows the perspective of the person always waiting for the other one to her. My main takeaway was that we have to always remember that the future hasn’t been written yet.

And finally “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte. Again really liked the character of Jane and how independent and determined she was. However, I was a little disappointed by how the book ended.

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