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libris lumen

@librislumen

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classics • literary fiction • cozy reads
“A morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs.”
CR: Rebecca

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Let’s talk MONEY!

Reading is not a cheap hobby. Aside from the fact that we all have hundreds of books on our TBRs, each one of those books comes in various editions, that are all terribly collectible. And if you annotate or journal, there are notebooks and pens and sticky tabs to be bought.
Before you know it, you’ve spent a fortune on your innocent hobby of reading. And this is just for the fortunate among us who are lucky enough to have these complaints.

We are in a literacy crisis, and thousands of people can’t afford to buy books at all, even if they wanted to. So I wanted to create a post sharing my tips on how to read affordably.

Have you got any other tips? Leave them below 👇

🏷️ #reading #books #bookstagram #literacy #literacycrisis taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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19 hours ago

what I’d rather be doing right now 🫣

The ‘ber months are unfortunately not just colourful leaves and pumpkin spice, they are also bugs & germs! Fighting fires at home means reading has to take a back seat right now, but I’m hoping to be back with more to share soon 🤍

I am absolutely LOVING Rebecca since the halfway mark, so I am very much looking forward to discussing this one with you all ☺️

🏷️ #bookstagram #books #reading #slowingdown #autumn taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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3 days ago

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I have struggled to make up my mind about this one, not to mention putting it down into words. I can’t say that I am happy with my ‘review’ but here goes - be aware this contains “spoilers” (if you call them that for a story that is over 200 years old).

The writing is stunning, the prose atmospheric, and I loved and devoured the first half.
Victor’s secure, loving upbringing makes everything that follows more tragic, because he had every advantage a person could have and still failed so badly at the one thing that mattered.
His failure is what infuriated me, he creates a living being and then simply walks away, leaving it to fend for itself.

The monster’s story is the heart of the book for me, and in my opinion a powerful case for nurture vs nature. The chapters with the cottagers were my favourite: he starts out a gentle creature, yearning to belong. We watch him learn language and kindness.
It is society’s rejection that makes him cruel.

The book lost me a little in the second half, as I couldn’t get over the fact that all of the tragedies that follow could have been avoided.
And if Victor could reanimate life, why couldn’t he bring back Elizabeth or anyone else he loved? That question nagged at me.

The ending felt delusional. Victor insists he was good to the monster, and the monster mourns the man whose abandonment (and death, in part by his own hand) he caused.

I closed the book frustrated, yet I find myself thinking about it frequently, and in retrospect feel much affected by it.

🏷️ #frankenstein #maryshelley #bookstagram #classics #gothicliterature taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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5 days ago

‘I am an autumn.’ 🍂

the leaves are starting to turn, the temperatures are dropping and it’s finally starting to feel like autumn. 🕯️

I am (very) slowly working my way through my autumn TBR: I am halfway through ‘Rebecca’, which I am really starting to enjoy now, and have finished Frankenstein, which… I am still mulling over. I will hopefully share a review soon.

In the meantime, I hope you’re all starting to get the autumn feels, too 🍂

🏷️ #bookstagram #bookworm #autumn #bookishvibes #fall taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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8 days ago

autumn essentials 🍂🍄‍🟫📔

🏷️ #books #reading #autumn #cozy #bookworm

bookstagram, books and coffee, readers of bookstagram, book lovers, diary of an old soul, bookish, quiet moments, bookworm life, warm and cozy vibes, cozy reads, vintage vibes, soft vibes, autumn aesthetic, slow living, my vintage soul taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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10 days ago

Help! I’m feeling a bit of a reading slump coming on 🫣

The beginning of autumn has been full of sickness and toddler tantrums in our house - energy reserves are running low and I’m finding reading to be a chore these days instead of me-time.

I’ve been trying to focus on other ways to fill my cup, but that means I haven’t got much to report on my progress with Frankenstein or Rebecca 🥀

So, instead I’ll share with you my day trip to the gorgeous town of Rye today & await your tips on how to get through this slump, because I know and trust that you lovely people will know just what to do ❣️

🏷️ #reading #book #bookstagram #readingslump #fillyourcup taken in Rye by @librislumen

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13 days ago

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

Hello October - I can’t wait to see your beauty. 🍂

🏷️ #bookstagram #books #classics #anneofgreengables #annewithane taken in Lake of Shining Waters by @librislumen

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15 days ago

If the autumn months were books 🍂

September - Anne of Green Gables
That late summer, early autumn feeling, wildflowers and golden hour, anticipation for what’s to come.

October - The Pumpkin Spice Café
This time is for lighthearted fun, activities with your friends, whimsy and chilly mornings.

November - The Secret History
We go from colourful leaves and gorgeous scenery to misty days and the bitter cold setting in.

🏷️ #bookstagram #booksta #autumn #fall #reading taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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17 days ago

A slightly different (and not entirely book related) post from me today: today marks 12 years of my leaving Germany and moving to the UK.
In honour of that, I am sharing 12 things I love about living on the South Coast.

🏷️ #uk #british #immigrant #livingabroad #southeastengland

OBVIOUSLY English literature. I don’t want to disregard the importance of reading translated fiction, but there is no denying Britain’s rich history of fantastic writers.

#englishliterature #britishwriters

No one does them better! Speaking specifically of London and the South East, there are so many treasures to be found in secondhand bookshops - from paperback bargains to stunning vintage finds.

#secondhand #bookthrifting #vintagebooks

There is nothing better than a National Trust day out! The south east specifically has a lot of lovely places to visit, full of history and beauty (and not to mention the old libraries).

#nationaltrust #bodiam #history

London has some really fantastic museums, and most of them are free! My favourites are The National History Museum, The British Museum and The National Gallery.

#museum #londonmusems

The forests are largely untouched, and are therefore full of local plants, trees and wildlife. Walking through these woods feels like stepping into an enchanted, fictional world.

#woods #forest #ancientwoods #enchantedforest

I have been to many beaches, and of course I love the white sands and clear waters of Malaysia, or the free living vibes of Santa Monica, but there is something about the South Coast beaches that makes them incredibly tranquil and calming. Not to mention the gorgeous sunsets.

#beach #lifesabeach #southcoastofengland

The British countryside: rolling hills, fields of green and gold, old mossy stone walls, funny little wood stiles that you have to climb over, cows and sheep and wild horses. It’s like something out of a movie scene, and beautiful to look at whatever the weather, whichever season.

#britishcountryside

The old villages and cottages that can be found everywhere, full of history.
An astonishing amount of places are ‘listed’ in order to maintain their original features, and many are protected and maint taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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19 days ago

hopping on this trend that I spotted on @sara.and.thebooks page 🤭

Apologies for the ones I didn’t like! I tried The Hobbit many years ago and just couldn’t get into it. I will try again one day when I find the courage.

🏷️ #books #reading #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookworm taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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20 days ago

Happy Friday! 🕯️

Which Brontë sister is your favourite & why?

🏷️ #bronte #classicliterature #books #reading #bookstagram taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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21 days ago

A mood reader’s thoughts: I am reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca at the moment, as I’d promised myself during the making of my carefully thought out autumn TBR.
I love them both, Frankenstein is beautifully written and Rebecca’s relationship dynamics intrigue me so. Yet, I am already itching and restless to move on!
I wonder if perhaps it’s due to my lack of time, the fact that I rarely get the chance to really dive into a story but rather feed myself snippets at a time? Maybe.

Either way, to make matters worse I feel the urge to abandon my carefully curated and planned autumn TBR, which has Dracula next on the list, and instead jump into the open arms of Sense and Sensibility.
This is (apparently) quite an autumnal read, and with the adaptation coming out and all I feel most tempted..

What do we think? Stick to the plan or give into temptation?

🏷️ #senseandsensibility #janeausten #classicliterature #classics #books taken in BOOKSTA by @librislumen

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24 days ago