I am Rana Asfour. A reader & freelance writer. A culture vulture & unrepentant book addict on a mad quest to unlock the universal power of words while in constant battle with my bathroom scales. I review, not to judge but to remind myself of why I completed a read and how it made me feel!
A warm welcome first-timers, I hope you'll keep coming back. And for those of you who made the journey from my old blog bookfabulous.blogspot.co.uk thank you and hope you enjoy the new look!
A warm welcome first-timers, I hope you'll keep coming back. And for those of you who made the journey from my old blog bookfabulous.blogspot.co.uk thank you and hope you enjoy the new look!
BookFabulous is proud supporter of the 'Wanna Read?' Foundation established by Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan - UAE
BookFabulous is proud supporter of the Abu Dhabi Writers' Workshop founded by British writer & author Janet Olearski
The Why!
Once upon a time, before children, I worked in the publishing industry in a land far away from where this blog was conceived. I loved my job and enjoyed it tremendously. In the midst of it all, love came a knocking and I unhesitatingly followed to where my better half said 'Let's go'. A few countries down the line, one child, still very much in love, I felt I was ready for a new challenge. Blogs were all the rage back then and naturally that's where I headed. Before 'BookFabulous' I had written an anonymous blog that has seen its humble share of success and looking back now I do believe that had circumstances been different the blog would have flourished (but hey I would say that wouldn't I?). However, the love of my life cried "Let's Move!" yet again and the blog met with its early end at odds with my husband's blossoming media career.
So, we moved. But I had been bitten by the 'blogging bug' and was hooked. I craved it, pined for it and desperately wanted to get back to it. However, this time round I had no intention of 'tying myself down' to a place or time. I wanted a blog I could carry with me like a favourite teddy wherever I went and have it be relevant and unconstricted. Since I was a child I have been a voracious reader. I had read 'War and Peace' by the time I was 9 and 'Anna Karenina' and 'Brothers Karamazov' by the age of 12. Books have always been a big part of my upbringing with a father who devoured books as if his life depended on them and his published pieces are a reminder of how much he valued 'his little hobby' as he would call it. My maternal grandfather, once a headmaster of a school, was rarely seen outside without a book in hand and the family's library is awash with his writings. And so without further ado, BookFabulous just had to be born.
The aim of 'BookFabulous' is to share my thoughts on books (and more) and to bring to light the reads that I have on my radar. The ultimate wish is to interact with like-minded readers that share my passion (maybe slight obsession) with all things books. If I had to coin what I do, I'd opt for 'professional reader', a term I unabashedly 'borrow' from NetGalley. This blog, along with Twitter, has provided me with a platform from which I have met and continue to meet the most amazing people from all over the world; Creative individuals who enjoy their craft and who make the world a better place for it. This blog has taught me that creativity transcends borders and is accessible to anyone, anywhere.
During my time in Abu Dhabi, I have found the Middle East with its political upheavals as having an impact on every aspect of people's lives not least of all that of culture. The region is a hotpot for new and established writers that are producing relevant avant-garde work that BookFabulous taps and continues to tap into and ultimately to document on this blog. As far as challenges go, I couldn't have asked for a bigger one.
'BookFabulous' divides its writing time between London, Abu Dhabi & more recently Fairfax, Virginia.
So, we moved. But I had been bitten by the 'blogging bug' and was hooked. I craved it, pined for it and desperately wanted to get back to it. However, this time round I had no intention of 'tying myself down' to a place or time. I wanted a blog I could carry with me like a favourite teddy wherever I went and have it be relevant and unconstricted. Since I was a child I have been a voracious reader. I had read 'War and Peace' by the time I was 9 and 'Anna Karenina' and 'Brothers Karamazov' by the age of 12. Books have always been a big part of my upbringing with a father who devoured books as if his life depended on them and his published pieces are a reminder of how much he valued 'his little hobby' as he would call it. My maternal grandfather, once a headmaster of a school, was rarely seen outside without a book in hand and the family's library is awash with his writings. And so without further ado, BookFabulous just had to be born.
The aim of 'BookFabulous' is to share my thoughts on books (and more) and to bring to light the reads that I have on my radar. The ultimate wish is to interact with like-minded readers that share my passion (maybe slight obsession) with all things books. If I had to coin what I do, I'd opt for 'professional reader', a term I unabashedly 'borrow' from NetGalley. This blog, along with Twitter, has provided me with a platform from which I have met and continue to meet the most amazing people from all over the world; Creative individuals who enjoy their craft and who make the world a better place for it. This blog has taught me that creativity transcends borders and is accessible to anyone, anywhere.
During my time in Abu Dhabi, I have found the Middle East with its political upheavals as having an impact on every aspect of people's lives not least of all that of culture. The region is a hotpot for new and established writers that are producing relevant avant-garde work that BookFabulous taps and continues to tap into and ultimately to document on this blog. As far as challenges go, I couldn't have asked for a bigger one.
'BookFabulous' divides its writing time between London, Abu Dhabi & more recently Fairfax, Virginia.
