Turning Twenty Nine And My Gifts To Myself

The Seven Books I Gifted Myself And Why They Made My List

The books I bought for my birthday

Hello, my lovely bookish friend!!!

Welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet where I talk all things books. Have you been reading this week?

Yesterday, I turned twenty nine. I'm almost thirty. I remember when I was in school, thirty used to feel so distant, so old, so mature. But now that I'm almost there, that's not exactly how I feel. Instead, now fifteen feels so distant, so young, so immature. 

It wasn't a great birthday, I was down with a fever and spent the entire day in bed. Thankfully I'm feeling better today. 

But my brain is still foggy and I felt like I couldn't process the letter I had initially planned to send out today. It seems too complicated. So instead, I wanted to write something simple today. I decided to talk about the books I got myself on my birthday. 

I got myself seven books this year. At times I'm feeling like I went a little overboard, but at other times, I'm like, it's not that many. But anyway, here are the books I got.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

I actually don't know what this book is about but I have seen it on bookstagram a few times, and on every occasion, people only had good things to say about it. So I thought I'd give it a try.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 

It's my favourite Austen novel. I was meaning to re-read it for a while. Then at the store, I came across a copy with such a beautiful cover that I couldn't help myself and got a copy. 

Sense And Sensibility by Jane Austen 

This is my second favourite Jane Austen novel. I wasn't planning to buy this book anytime soon, but like Northanger Abbey, when I saw its pretty cover, I couldn't stop myself. I'm hoping this will become the motivation for a re-read. 

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 

This one I’ve decided to read since reading War and Peace last year. I low-key know what this story is about and am really looking forward to reading it. My original plan was to start it in July but seeing how I still am nowhere near finishing The Idiot, that might get somewhat postponed. 

A Room Of One's Own by Virginia Woolf 

Woolf was one of the writers I was planning to read in 2024. I knew what this book was about and found that topic extremely fascinating. Therefore I decided to get it even though I generally am not too fond of non-fiction. I've started reading this one, and am already finding her writing extremely captivating. 

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 

Back in 2016 I watched a Japanese drama that was adapted from this story. I found it a bit disturbing but also deeply moving and thought provoking. Since then, I've always thought of reading the book someday. So now that I finally have the book, hopefully I'll find it just as impactful as the drama.

Breasts And Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

I had zero idea what this book is about when I bought it. I only got it because I've seen a lot of people talking about Kawakami’s books in general, especially Heaven and All The Lovers In The Night. Not all of them actually liked her stories but I still wanted to try it out and see for myself. 

So, these are all the books I got myself for my birthday. Hopefully I read them soon and don't just shove them in the fridge (I ran out of space for my books, so I keep them in an old fridge for now) and forget about them. 

What about you? Do you get yourself gifts on your birthday? Don’t forget to let me know.

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That’s it for today, I'll be back in your inbox next week.

Until then,

Joyie 🌻