What I’m Reading this Holiday Season | 2016 Christmas TBR

In My Shoes by Tamara Mellon

In creating the shoes that became a fixture on Sex and the City and red carpets around the world, Mellon relied on her own impeccable sense of what the customer wanted—because she was that customer. What she didn’t know at the time was that success would come at a high price—after struggles with an obstinate business partner, a conniving first CEO, a turbulent marriage, and a mother who tried to steal her hard-earned wealth.

First up is In My Shoes by Tamara Mellon. One of my goals for the year is to read more non-fiction, and more specifically read some auto-biographies of successful business women.

Sometimes I like to sit back, relax and read about how others have come to be successful. It helps to give me some motivation to work hard at university, and it more often than not let’s me learn lessons without experiencing the negatives the people before me have. This book is next on my read list for this reason!

Whilst Tamara has almost definitely grown up in a position where she’s more privileged, and probably had a leg up in the world, I’m intrigued to hear her story. From other readers it talks through her decisions in life (a lot of which were bad decisions that made her life harder later down the line). This is what interests me most because there’s always morals and ways to take that experience forward in my own career path.

I’ve already watched the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film twice, but I can’t deny that I love reading the story over watching it. I know this will be similar to The Cursed Child Screenplay, and will have none of the vivid descriptions a usual Harry Potter book would. But, I’m still interested to see if there’s anything extra that doesn’t come across as important in the film.

I’m adding it to my Christmas TBR as a bit of an easy read (next to a memoir and a Tolkien book!).

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt’s fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone . . .

The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien

Six thousand years before the One Ring is destroyed, Middle-earth lies under the shadow of the Dark Lord Morgoth. The greatest warriors among elves and men have perished, and all is in darkness and despair. But a deadly new leader rises, Túrin, son of Húrin, and with his grim band of outlaws begins to turn the tide in the war for Middle-earth — awaiting the day he confronts his destiny and the deadly curse laid upon him.

And last but not least, The Children of Hurin is a high priority for my TBR pile. As a Lord of the Rings love I’ve been hoping to pick up more from J.R.R Tolkien for a while now but university has just managed to get in the way.

Children of Hurin has been sat on my shelf since summer, but hopefully I can really dig my teeth into it over the break. I’ve been meaning to read this as well as the Silmarillion to jump into more of the Lore of Middle-Earth and I’m really excited to add it to my Christmas TBR.