Annie Kapur
Bio
I am:
🙋🏽‍♀️ Annie
đź“š Avid Reader
đź“ť Reviewer and Commentator
🎓 Post-Grad Millennial (M.A)
***
I have:
đź“– 280K+ reads on Vocal
🫶🏼 Love for reading & research
🦋/X @AnnieWithBooks
***
🏡 UK
Stories (2899)
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I Listen, Therefore I Am
Music, in its vast array of genres, rhythms, and harmonies, has a unique ability to connect with people on an emotional level, creating an individual soundscape that can reflect our innermost thoughts and feelings. Yet, the music we listen to is often a source of intrigue—why do we gravitate toward certain sounds, artists, or styles, while others leave us indifferent or untouched? The answers to these questions are as complex as the music itself. Our music preferences are shaped by a blend of psychological, social, and cultural factors, making it a fascinating subject to explore. Music does not exist in a vacuum; it intertwines with our identities, our social interactions, and even the ways we understand the world. Each individual’s playlist is a window into their experiences, emotions, and even their place within the wider social and cultural fabric (Juslin and Sloboda, 2010).
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Psyche
Book Review: "Several Perceptions" by Angela Carter
So I'm still trying to work my way through some Virago Modern Classics on the side of doing everything else on my reading list. This includes reading authors like Angela Carter. I've read a lot of her works such as The Bloody Chamber and others, but Several Perceptions was not only a book I had never read by her - I hadn't even heard of it until a few weeks ago. It really is a fantastic book if not a bit weird. However, there are Angela Carter's usual quirks for strange metaphors and folklore-inspired language. So, let's have a look at this new Angela Carter novel.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Light in the Dark" by Horatio Clare
I like to peruse the internet from time to time even though the social media space is not really of any particular interest to me apart from which new books and movies are coming out soon. When on social media, I saw that someone was reading a very interesting book entitled The Light in the Dark. With its wintery book cover and its lovely blurb, I was hooked entirely waiting to see what the structure, form and language within would be like. And so, on my Kindle, I prepared for some meditations on the winter. It was pretty incredible to be perfectly honest...
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
Carson McCullers’ novel, "The Member of the Wedding," was first published in 1946, marking a significant addition to the literary landscape of the mid-20th century. McCullers, already acclaimed for her earlier works such as "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter," continued to explore themes of loneliness, belonging, and the tumultuous journey of adolescence in this novel.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Days of Abandonment" by Elena Ferrante
Now, you're probably thinking about why I'm only reading this now. To be honest I think I have only ever read one other Elena Ferrante novel in my life and I remember disliking it. Her female protagonists are often obsessed with the men they are with and are two-dimensional characters who complain about practically everything. Unfortunately, this was no different. I have been trying desperately to enjoy this author because everyone else does. But her storylines are only average and her characters are often insufferable. So, unfortunately I think I'm going to stop reading her for a while until someone recommends something I might actually enjoy by her. I apologise.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Eventide" by Kent Haruf
The second book in the series beginning with Plainsong had to be one of the weirdest discoveries of books I've had in a while. I waltzed through Amazon, looking at how Plainsong had gone back up in price and slowly giggling to myself about getting it on sale. Slowly scrolling down the page, I saw then that there were two more books in the series. I started to read the blurb to the next Eventide and began to panic. The two beloved characters of the first novel were now about to encounter 'tragedy'. I was beside myself. I purchased both books despite knowing I did not have the funds to do so. As of January 3rd (when this review is being written), I have finished the second book and it was incredible, heartbreaking and completely immersive. It was just as good as the first book...
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Engleby" by Sebastian Faulks
Now, let's start off with the tone of this review. I appreciate what Sebastian Faulks was attempting to do here but I did find I had some issues with the book. It was not as 'mesmerising' as the reviews would have me believe and I felt like I couldn't lose myself in the narrative because I didn't care too much about our main character: Mike Engleby. Though the premise is promising and it definitely has some strengths where Sebastian Faulks showcases his classic writing style which is both descriptive and existential - I geniunely found some problems with the route this book took. I simply could not immerse myself in it. Let's explore why...
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Shepherd's Hut" by Tim Winton
Tim Winton is perhaps one of my favourite writers of the last year or so because when I read the novel “Cloudstreet” I was completely taken by his writing style. After this, I started to pay more attention to his novels including books such as: “Dirt Music” and “The Riders”. I read his short story anthology entitled “The Turning” and his attempt at a gothic novella entitled “In the Winter Dark”. So far, I have been fascinated by his output and have thus moved on to reading “The Shepherd’s Hut” and yes, I am looking on reading his novel “Juice” in the near future. If you don’t believe that his output is fantastic then please, go back to where you read about “Cloudstreet” and go and read that book.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Plainsong" by Kent Haruf
This is one of the books I'd told myself I'd read in the New Year. As I was finishing off Empire of Things I thought I now needed some fiction to read - but something deep, emotional and immersive. I needed something that perhaps I had not really heard much about as well. I guess we can count this on the list of authors I've never heard of then! Plainsong is set in Holt, Colorado and tells the tense, moving and heartbreaking story of a whole bunch of loveable characters. The chapters move swiftly between them, looking at how each of them need to get through a particularly difficult time. It simply takes you away.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Slow Productivity" by Cal Newport
I have to admit I've been trying to avoid this book for a while since it seemed like one of those phoney self-help books that actually only applies to a very small set of people. When I read it, I was glad to discover that I was probably only half-right about that. Slow Productivity covers why we should want quality over quantity when it comes to work and how lowering our work loads can have a net positive impact on our lives. Unfortunately, for us who actually work real everyday jobs, this simply is not a reality and won't work since as workers we are not valued as human beings with lives outside the workplace. However, it does give us something to think about.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson was published in 1962, marking one of the final works of a prolific and influential writer. Jackson, renowned for her ability to blend the ordinary with the macabre, delivered a novel that encapsulates her signature style of psychological horror and gothic fiction.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Empire of Things" by Frank Trentmann
As you probably know, I'm still obsessed with reading stuff about consumerism and learning everything there is to know about the topic. I've made so many notes and I've read so much just from reading books that refer to other books. It really has been a great time but, I think I've hit the wall again for now. Empire of Things has been constantly recommended to me for a long while now and so, even though it stands at almost 900 pages, it is genuinely one of the most informative books I've ever read.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
