The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying - Marie Kondo

Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Author: Marie Kondo
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 224
Date read: December, 2014

Japanese organizational consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly declutter your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Whereas most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, the KonMari Method's category-by-category, all-at-once prescription leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have been repeat customers (and she still has a three-month waiting list of new customers!). With detailed guidance for every type of item in the household, this quirky little manual from Japan's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help readers clear their clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home--and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.


Not a book I would usually pick up, but it was recommended on the "Books on the Night-Stand" podcast, and actually sounded interesting, so I read the sample, and then bought the book.

It had a lot of good points and definitely gave me some advice I will try to incorporate to my daily life, but there were also some elements that had me rolling my eyes at the author. No, I am not going to anthropomorize my items by "thanking my shoes for a job well done" when I take them off after work, or "revitalize my off-season clothing, by running my hands through them and sending energy into them" a couple of times a year.

However, doing a serious declutter and keeping only what is necessary and brings me joy is a useful tactic, and something I have been neglecting for years.

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 445
Date read: December 2014, April 2020

CATH IS A SIMON SNOW FAN. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan... But for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath that she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?


Possibly the best book I have read all year, so I will be hard pressed to talk about it without sqee'ing. It affected me in much the same way as "Perks of a Wallflower" did, without making any kind of comparison between the books otherwise. It is YA and predictable, but oh, so relateable! Especially if you - like me - was rather immersed in the Harry Potter fandom when it was at its highest.

To be honest, the entire book pretty much reads like a Harry Potter fanfic - albeit one set in the 'real' world - but it works... it totally works. If you've never been... "occupied" by a particular fandom (a nice way of saying 'obsessed') parts of it may have you rolling your eyes, but I have been, and it is spot on.

Though I was somewhat frustrated by Cath at times, she always managed to make the right decisions in the end, and I absolutely LOVED Reagan and Levi. They were both obviously very good for her, in very different ways.

I would have liked to see "what happens next", but at the same time, I can understand why RR ended it where she did.

Incredibly charming story that has left me completely book-hungover. This is why I gave RR another chance after "Eleanor & Park"... in fact, this may even be better than "Landline".