As part of our weekly newsletter, we’ll be interviewing and chatting to one of international contributors each week to learn more about them and their nerdiness! This week we chat to Mimi Koehler from Germany about her favourite 2019 reads so far, recommendations, and more!
Hi Mimi! We’re so glad to have you on The Nerd Daily team! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
So happy to be part of this team! Phew, where to start? I’m from a small town in the South of Germany, am currently pursuing my PhD in American Studies with a focus on portrayals of mental illness in adolescent literature and am just starting a three-year apprenticeship to become a software developer. I cope with the stress of doing two full-time jobs at the same time by consuming copious amounts of iced coffee and reading well past my bedtime 😉 I also regularly fail at practicing meditation or finishing one of the seven WIPs (work in progress) I’ve been dragging around since NaNoWriMo 2013…so, being a total run-of-the-mill adult.
Where do you think your “nerdiness” came from?
That all goes back to my mom, bless her heart! Movie and book references were the status quo in our household – and her showing me her favorite shows like Gilmore Girls and The Nanny, reading Harry Potter to me, or playing old ABBA songs to me was all part of that. I’m forever grateful that she always filled our home with all these stories – I wouldn’t be the same without them.
What has been your favourite read of 2019 so far and why?
Just one?! How about I narrow it down to…three, instead?
- Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston because it gave me so much hope that one day, there will be people in office who care about everyone’s safety and freedom of speech and love.
- The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven – a recent favorite! It’s about a teen caught in a sex scandal when one of her nudes go viral – it’s laugh-out-loud hilarious but also tackles important issues such as male privilege, and social media’s tendency to turn women into scapegoats for the same sexual behavior men display. It’s also packed to the brim with friendship and feminism and found families.
- Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake – it’s a middle-grade novel about a young girl who loses her home during a hurricane and faces some pretty big changes – including realizing that she likes girls. A wonderful exploration of how important a supportive environment is for children questioning heteronormative beliefs!
If you could only read one author for the rest of your life, who would it be?
This is going to be such a boring answer but I have to say J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter’s journey has shaped me in so many ways and I could never make it through a single year without rereading this series. What can I say? I’m just a Potterhead, until the very end.
What TV shows are you enjoying at the moment?
I have a soft spot for rewatching classics like Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. On top of that, I’ve been loving the latest (and last) season of Jane the Virgin and of course the new Veronica Mars episodes.
What’s your “go-to” genre and why?
It really depends on the season – somehow I always seem to read more contemporaries in the spring/summer and more fantasy the minute fall hits! So right now, I’m all about contemporaries – the more emotional, the better!
Since you’re from Germany, are there any German authors you’d recommend or perhaps books set in Germany?
I confess I’m not the biggest reader of German authors (funnily enough, it takes me ages to read in my mother tongue) – though Cornelia Funke and Kerstin Gier create some of the most heartfelt children’s books! Ruby Red is still one of my guilty pleasure trilogies – so much drama. Ava Reed is another wonderful and young author who excels at making me tear up with her beautiful writing.
Do you have any recommendations for our readers whether it be books, movies, TV shows, or something else?
Sure! If you’re in the mood for some lighthearted fun, go watch One Day at a Time on Netflix or read a Christina Lauren novel – I’m currently listening to The Unhoneymooners and it’s hilarious!
If you’re looking for a more emotional story, Kat Cho’s fantasy novel Wicked Fox kept me turning the pages at lightning speed and the show Big Little Lies definitely deserves more hype! It’s hard to watch at times but so rewarding!
And if you’re in search of a new Booktuber to become obsessed with, I’ve been loving watching Chandlerainsley and xCatherineReads on YouTube!
You can find Mimi on Instagram and Goodreads, and you can check out all of her Nerd Daily articles here!
