I have enjoyed quite a few things lately and I want a manner in which to gush about them in a validated forum that isn’t just Twitter. So here we have (drumroll please) my December Favourites.
It’s a short list as I’ve been, well if not actually working on essays then pretending to be, working on essays so my TV and film watching has been rather limited. That being said, I just seem to have replaced the time I would spend watching TV shows with watching booktube videos so… oops?
Song: Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
I kind of hate myself a little bit. I first heard this via Nick Grimshaw on Radio 1 and he pointed out the shudder-inducing title. I agree, Grimmy, but I also love it despite myself. ‘Funk’ does indeed describe this catchy song and I can’t stop chair-dancing to it. As I said, I hate myself for it but there you go, here’s just another reason to add to that list.
Song: Blank Space – Taylor Swift
I just can’t stop listening to it. Taylor, thank you. Also thank you for this video because never before have I wanted to be a parody of a maneater lurking in a fancy Gatsby-esque mansion, luring pretty model men to my humble abode whilst wearing couture. I want that for you, I want that for myself too, but, unfortunately, I am not you. Also if anyone wants to see something super cute you should watch her and Greg James lipsyncing to this song in a car – just watch it, and then watch the behind the scenes.
Booktuber: Ron Lit
Is this a surprise to anyone who has spied books I’ve recently added to my ‘to read’ list on Goodreads or to anyone who follows me on Twitter? I doubt it, but here we are: the smarty pants that is Ron Lit. She is smart, funny, cute as hell and just all round really really great. She talks about Austen and feminism and body positivity and oh, oh, she objectifies men, such as Mr Thornton, in a manner which I aspire to whilst also intelligently talking about people like Judith Butler and Nina Auerbach. And she once included Tom Hiddleston in a literary Kiss, Marry, Kill pot because she just wasn’t sure if he was actually real because he was so perfect – so like, Ronnie, I FEEL YOU. She also persuaded me to read Mansfield Park and it feels so different to other Austen I’ve read but I think I’m enjoying it so far so, yeah, she knows what’s what. Duh.
Book: Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
This is definitely a book for booklovers out there. You know those lists on Goodreads titled books-about-books or books-set-in-bookstores,yeah, well this is one of them. What I like about this, however, is that it doesn’t denigrate technology in a slightly snobbish way that could happen. Instead, technology is incorporated to try to track the quests of those weird and wonderful characters that borrow books from Mr Penumbra, and ultimately to try to solve problems. Whether it is successful – well, you’ll just have to read to find out. I really enjoyed this book, I’d recommend it to everyone, and it was such a fun read.
The Terror of Knowing 
One response to “December Favourites”
[…] last time I put together a favourites post was back in December 2014 – yep you read that correctly. I’ve always been unsure as to whether I really have […]
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