Once again, it has been a while since I have posted. I have been v.busy but lucky for you, I’ve also been reading. Here is a round up of the latest books I recommend getting on your bookshelf. Stat.
Find my other book review posts here, here, here and here.
Under the Udala trees by Chinelo Okparanta
I picked up this book from the Gay’s the word bookshop which is an absolute treasure trove of queer literature. The story follows Ijeoma who grows up in Nigeria (at the time of the Nigerian war) whilst dealing with being gay. At times, this book is painful to read because of the harrowing realisation that Ijeoma’s experiences are true of many real women living in Nigeria and other non-progressive countries. In Nigeria, homosexuality was made illegal in 2014, punishable by stoning. Despite the tragedy the novel manages to be beautiful and also, hopeful. Trigger warnings – Intense homophobia, religious trauma, and marital rape.
Coasting by Elise Downing
This book was such a joy to read and the author is instantly likeable. I love reading books about people who do things they never thought possible and Elise did exactly that when she ran the entire coast of Britain. Some reviewers have said that the book is repetitive but I didn’t find it to be. It’s almost like a teenage version of The Salt Path. For anyone who dreams of a big adventure, I think you’ll really enjoy Coasting. I am going to a book event where Elise will be speaking at the end of November and I’m really looking forward to it.
How to kill your family by Bella Mackie
This was a great book, packed to bursting with seriously dark humour. The story follows Grace who spends the book killing her family. It shouldn’t be a fun book to read, but it is (and particularly fun to read when in close proximity to your own family). I thought the writing was witty and kept me gripped throughout. I listened to some of this one on Audible and the narration was excellent too. For a first fiction novel, Mackie is really impressive. If you like Killing Eve, you’ll like this book.
Magpie by Elizabeth Day
I loooooved this book and mostly because I didn’t expect the twist (which I won’t spoil but it’s a good one). It is so cleverly written as you’re left sitting on the edge of your seat wondering who’s telling the truth. There is heaps of tension and threat and an overarching sense that something is not quite right – these kind of books are my favourite. The author has previously honestly reflected on her fertility journey. Her personal experiences are clearly infused within this story, so reading about the whole subject felt real and heart breaking.
Fault lines by Emily Itami
Emily Itami’s Fault Lines does not disappoint, it is a beautiful book. The lead character, Mizuki offers a witty introspective which is what makes this novel so wonderfully engaging. I loved the sense of place in the novel and it has made me even more pining for a trip to Tokyo. It is a wonderfully written book that explores what it is to find exactly what you want in life and to sacrifice it. This is the debut novel by Itami and I will now happily read anything she writes, including her shopping list.
500 miles from you by Jenny Colgan
It wouldn’t be a book round up of mine without some much needed fluff. Once again, Jenny Colgan delivers. I picked up this book from the library and read it in a couple of days. Two medical professionals from two very different worlds switch jobs and become pen pals. Colgan writes her characters so well and is a master and interweaving multiple story lines whilst slowly bringing them together towards the conclusion. Whilst her stories will never be anything too thought provoking they are like a warm hug and sometimes that is exactly what you need. A perfect holiday book.
How the one armed sister sweeps the house by Cherie Jones
This is a heart breaking story about the death of a child, domestic abuse, colonisation, and the interconnected experiences of a grandmother, mother, and child, both as individuals and their role in their family. The sense of place and character were created perfectly by the author and I really enjoyed the multiple narratives – each person has an important story to tell. There are a lot of trigger warnings for this book – incest, rape, physical abuse, infanticide, murder. The content is fast paced and can leave you feeling breathless. It is hard to read but also hard to stop reading.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings
This is a powerful book in every way. I was recommended it by my Mum and girlfriend and I couldn’t put it down. I would go as far as to say it is now firmly one of my favourite books. People often ask why immigrants cross the United States border illegally and Cummins attempts to answer why. Once I started the book, I was pulled right into the story, and had to read to find out what happens to Lydia Perez and her son Luca. The novel really got me thinking and if I had to recommend one of the books from this list it would be American Dirt. 
review
IN REVIEW: 10 BOOKS THAT YOU NEED ON YOUR BOOKSHELF (PT.4)
booksAfter a short reading rut, I am happy to report that I am now back to reading most days and I have fallen back in love with escaping into a book. We recently bought a house and that process is ridiculously stressful. I’ve been very thankful to have some books to hide inside as we battled the many hurdles to get into our lovely new home and not least, when I felt overwhelmed by being surrounded by boxes. I’m sure I’ll post something about our new house soon but today I wanted to share the 4th instalment of books that you need on your bookshelf. To keep up with what I am currently reading, check out my StoryGraph account.
One More Croissant for the Road by Felicity Cloake
My Mum is very good at book recommendations and she recommended me this read. If you are a fan of France, cycling or food then you will probably enjoy this book! Felicity sets off on an epic adventure to taste as many culinary delights as she can whilst also ranking all of the croissants she eats along the way. France is often romanticised and I liked that Felicity gave a really honest account of her experiences. It made me laugh and it also made me very hungry.
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
This is a multigenerational novel about a Chicago couple and their four adult daughters. Be warned: this is a loooong book but I found myself totally immersed in the lives of the Sorensons. I thought the portrayal of the relationships between the sisters was particularly good. The story is told in flashbacks, as well as present day, chapters alternating. We witness the story unravelling, how the characters got to the point that they are now for each character as an individual and also for the family unit. I was surprised to see that this is a bit of a Marmite book, some love it and some hate it but I for one, loved it.
Us Three by Ruth Jones
I picked up a copy of this book in the supermarket whilst away for a long weekend weekend and having finished The Most Fun We Ever Had. I took it to the beach with me and gobbled up over 100 pages in a sitting. This story has a lot of heart and I loved joining the friendship of Catrin, Judith and Lana for a while. Spanning decades, we see how these three women negotiate life, love, divorce, betrayal and the changing face of friendship. I preferred the first half to the second but overall it was a warm fuzzy read and perfect for a holiday!
Careless by Kirsty Capes
This was one of those books where I totally believed in the narrative voice. As a debut novel by an author in her 20’s it is particularly impressive. At first, wasn’t sure if I would relate to a YA book about teenage pregnancy, but the wonderful writing style and character development made it a real page turner. It is almost like a more grown up version of a Jaqueline Wilson book and that is said with the greatest admiration for Queen Jaq. As well as enjoying reading this book, I also listened to some chapters via Audible and was pleased that the narrator was exactly as I imagined. I see this book winning lots of awards.
Home Stretch by Graham Norton
Set in Ireland, Home Stretch explores the aftermath of a tragedy on a small-town and how secrets can be carried through the generations. I thought this book was really powerful and I read it quickly. I am so impressed by how well Graham writes and I am only annoyed that I didn’t pick up one of his novels sooner. Although there is tragedy and heartache, the book also carries great hope and I felt satisfied with the conclusion. I love a book that really takes me somewhere else and the setting for Home Stretch did exactly that.
The Course of Love by Alan Bordain
Through a Scottish couple, Rabih and Kirsten, de Botton dissects love and marriage. Part fiction and part guide, I thought this book was really insightful. I felt at the end of this that I hadn’t read a novel but more a case study on what couples need to consider once the honey moon period of their relationship has ended. It was unlike any book I have really read before and after each chapter I needed time to digest. I didn’t necessarily agree with everything that was written but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of reading it.
100 Years of Lenni and Margot
This book made me very happy. I absolutely love cross generational friendships and this book is a total celebration of exactly that. This novel really is sprinkled with magic as it tells a story of friendship and love that develops between the vibrant, full of life 17 year old Lenni Pettersson and 83 year old Margot Macrae. This book had meaning and it made me want to squeeze as much out of life as I possibly can and grateful for the wonderful friendship with my very own Margot. I can totally seeing this being made into a film and I’ll be first in line to watch it!
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Having loved Homegoing, I was eager to pick up a copy of Yaa Gyasi’s latest novel. Firstly, I didn’t think it was as good but I still think it is well worth on your bookshelf. Not least because the cover is absolutely stunning. Transcendent Kingdom is a moving portrait of a family of Ghanaian immigrants dealing with depression and addiction and grief but is a novel about love, hope, religion and science. This is a character driven story which is clearly extremely personal to the author. It packs a punch.
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Oh man, this book made me want to run! This is an epic adventure story that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, the author sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong. The characters in this book are brilliant and I love how differently they approached long runs! It made me think a lot about why and how I run and the benefits of those questions has meant my relationship with running continues to be something I do because I want to and not because I think I should do. Even if you aren’t a runner, I think you’d enjoy this book.
Malibu rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I looooove this author. Daisy Jones & the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo are two of my favourite books and Malibu Rising didn’t disappoint. I’ll be honest with you, I still have 40 pages to read but I am so sure of this being a great book it is being included here. The stories follows 4 siblings who are the children of a famous singer who each year hold a massive party in their mansion. There are two interwoven plot lines, the day of the party, we the reader, are taken through hour by hour leading up to the annual event. The second story line is the history that motivates the characters, how they got to where they were in life before the party starts. The book gives a great portrayal of the lives of the rich and elite but doesn’t shy away from the fact that no matter how ‘sorted’ you are, life is messy. I will happily read anything Taylor Jenkins Reid writes.
Top of the (reading) pops
booksSince giving up all social media for Lent (#hero), I have been storming through my to-read pile and have read 21 books so far this year! One of those reads, Me and White Supremacy, will be getting it’s own blog post soon as I really want to fully delve into my experience of completing this work. I thought it would be fun to rank the other 20 books I have read in 2021, some of these feature in this post but for those that don’t, I’ve included a brief description for you to decide whether it is something you would like to read too. I would love to hear about what you have been reading or if you rate any of these books in the comments.
20. Life’s what you make it, by Philip Schofield
Firstly – Philip, I’m sorry. Secondly – It would be extremely rare for me to rate an autobiography higher than a fiction book, which I genuinely much prefer reading because it is easier to lose yourself in the story. That being said, this was a well written book and I loved learning more about one of the nation’s heroes. Despite ranking at #20, I would still recommend it to fans of Schofe.
19. People like her, by Ellery Lloyd
A pretty trashy thriller but I enjoyed it nonetheless and read it in 2 days. The depiction of Instamums is so accurate but I wasn’t surprised by the conclusion and there weren’t enough twists, which is something I look for in a good book of this genre. Content warnings: Child death, death and suicide.
18. Glorious rock bottom, by Briony Gordon
I have loved Briony’s other books but this one didn’t blow me away. Her willingness to be brutally honest about her experiences is commendable and it did help me to more understand the mindset of an alcoholic. Content warnings: Alcoholism, sexual assault.
17. The Black flamingo, by Dean Atta
This is a beautiful prose book for YA’s about a boy’s journey to drag. It is a quick read and skilfully written – weaving a coherent and gripping story into poetry is no easy feat. Now I feel bad for not ranking it higher.
16. On the come up, by Angie Thomas
Another YA book but this time about a young, black rapper. I thought the lead character was too similar to Star in ‘The Hate You Give’ (Thomas’ other novel) but still, I enjoyed the book. Thomas has created a really realistic world that her characters live in.
15. Concrete rose, by Angie Thomas
Talking of Star in ‘The Hate You Give’ this is the prequel, about Star’s Dad. I thought lots of questions were still left unanswered in this but maybe that was intentional. If you have read Thomas’ other books then you should definitely read this one too. I can definitely see this and #14 being turned into films.
14. The Guest list, by Lucy Thomas
13. Silver sparrow, by Tayari Jones
12. A man called Ove, by Fredrick Backman
This is a really sweet book. It’s a biographical novel about a man who has tried to take his life on numerous occasions but is continually interrupted. Despite the seriousness of the subject matter there are some beautiful, light hearted moments. Ove is possibly the grumpiest man you will ever meet but by the end of the book, you’ll really love him. Content warning: Suicide.
11. The Giver of Stars, by Jojo Moyles
This is a lush story of 5 women in the mountains of Kentucky who set up a travelling library. What happens to them and to the men they love becomes a story of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion.
10. The Colour purple, by Alice Walker
This book is considered one of the all time greats and I can’t believe it has taken me this long to read it! It’s set in South America and tells the story of a young girl born into poverty and segregation. It’s a hard hitting and important book.
9. Clap when you land, by Elizabeth Acevedo
8. The Thursday murder club, by Richard Osman
I am often wary of books with a lot of hype but I honestly felt this one made up for it! I adored the character of Joyce, so much so that I am willing to overlook the slightly confusing conclusion. This book rightfully deserves a place in the top 10 and I am looking forward to the TV show that is being made of the book.
7. The Mothers, by Brit Bennett
6. The Betrayals, by Bridget Collins
After loving The Binding, also by Bridget Collins, I wasn’t sure if this book would live up to it.. it almost did. I loved the fantasy elements of the book but did admittedly find the main character slightly irritating. I didn’t guess the main twist and found that this was a wonderful book for escapism. A definite hit for fans of fantasy novels.
5. All the light we cannot see, by Anthony Doerr
This is a stunning book in every sense. If you like historical novels then I would highly recommend this one. An instant New York times best seller, Doerr tells a story about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as they both try to survive the devastation of World War II. This is the sort of book that baffles you as to how one mind could have created it.
4. Love after love, by Ingrid Persaud
3. The joy of being selfish, by Michelle Elman
2. The Invisible life of Addie Larue, by V.E. Schwab
This is my unexpected favourite read of the year. I knew nothing about it before a friend leant me it and I didn’t want it to end. Addie is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets until she finds someone who remembers her. This is a a stunning adventure that plays out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
1. A thousand splendid suns, by Khaled Hosseini
In review: 2020
stuffThe year filled with so much hope will end in 13 days (how apt). I have 30 hours left of work until I put on that sweet out of office and pour myself an extremely large gin. This year has been fucking awful but I am determined to find some glitter in the grey. So here we go.
- I got a girlfriend
- I got a girlfriend who likes sharing out chores and emotional labour
- My family didn’t abandon me when I told them about aforementioned gf
- I had therapy that helped untangle my issues around dependency
- I made real leaps and bounds in my eating disorder recovery
- I bought more shoes so that I don’t only wear one pair of running shoes all day every day
- I decided I liked marmite after 29 years of thinking I hated it
- I started swimming again in rivers, lakes, lidos and swimming pools
- I got a tattoo!!!!!
- I bought a bike, had cycling lessons and didn’t fall off…yet
- I read a shit ton of books. Currently on #60
- I went in a float tank and it kind of felt like I’d taken mushrooms
- I made a real effort to ditch fast fashion and have massively reduced my spending habits
- I gave lots of time to volunteering
- I learnt how to speak French, 100 day streak on Duolingo baby
- I stood up for myself more
- I think I ate peanut butter every day (potentially fake news)
- I climbed a real actual mountain
- I got to live in 2 v.different parts of the city that I love
- I completed an award winning amount of levels on Candy Crush
- I discovered new nice green spaces to explore
- I fell in love with new music, tv, poems and podcasts
- I am the proud owner of a ladder bookshelf
- I finally found out what is wrong with my feet and how to help them
- I stopped wearing make-up and feel liberated by my fresh face
- I did some half arsed calligraphy
- I got paid to do some writing
- I got paid to do a focus group about vaginas
- I proved I’m an adult by buying a sofa on credit
- I managed to keep my job and business despite having 98541 melt downs
- I managed to get some decent dollar into my savings account
- I connected with new and old friends in meaningful ways
- I kept my sanity during a worldwide pandemic yeaah woooo!
Ok that did actually make me feel a little bit better and I highly suggest you give it a go and tell me in the comments if you want but don’t if it’s going to make me feel bad. Just kidding. Sort of.
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