bookish

My Favourite Reads of 2022, HNY!

book review

Having started reading again in 2021 and surpassing my goodreads goal I thought, lets smash another year of reading. I set my goal at 45 books for the year, not too ambitious, a SMART goal. However after a flash in the pan year, I managed 42!! Still past the 40 mark. For 2023 I am aiming to hit 42 again as I have lots of plans for the year ahead so will go one way or another. Lets see! 

Out of the 42 books I read over the year, the shortest book was 97 pages and the longest book was 407 pages.  Out of all the books I read, the shortest one (97 pages) was the one that evoked the biggest reaction from me and yes I read it at an emotional time of year. New years eve eve when we are all thinking about the year gone and what’s ahead etc etc. it was still a beautiful, thought provoking, mind set altering book. The title is: And every morning the way home gets longer and longer by Fredrik Backman. 

And every morning the way home gets longer and longer by Fredrik Backman

I rated this one 5 stars of course, believe the hype. It is a story of an old man who’s mind is slowly fading with each day. He is a grandfather, a father and a husband and it explores the complexities of these relationships and the beauty that others bring into our lives simply by being themselves. It is about wanting to hold onto memories and people as that is what is so important to these people. We meet his wife who has passed away as she guides him and comforts him when he is scared. We meet his son who he regrets not spending so much time with and not appreciating their differences, he longs to make up this time and the grandson who he cherishes with all his heart, who has the same passions and interests and is curious, sensitive and wise. It really is a beautiful story that is beautifully told. I wept the WHOLE time. I’m sure I was attributing personal experience to the writing too but that just shows how relatable this story is. 

I read it when I did, as I knew it was short and would help me towards my reading goal but I didn’t expect it to hit me so hard that my eyes hurt the next morning from sobbing and thinking about it aches my heart in good ways and sad ways but I truly love being able to feel and this piece of writing made me truly feel. 

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour 

Now this book has mixed reviews causing plenty of debate and I guess that’s what good writing is for. I admit maybe its not for everyone but it was for me. It is a satirical piece with dark humour. It is about a young man that is given an opportunity to leave his life and become a successful sales-man. Darren is a young black man who is always praised for being a high achiever and his mother wants nothing more than to see him succeed. Darren is content with his life, working in starbucks and hanging out with his mum and girlfriend and taking life day by day, until he meets The CEO of a startup business called Sumwun. As a satire it tackles lots of important topics such as race, class, gender roles, health, crime. It is well written, it is funny, it is uplifting and clever and I really enjoy the point of view that we are reading. I bought this book in June 2021 and didn’t pick it up again until the beginning of 2022 as I had soooo many books to get through but I cant help myself. I am glad I got around to it, having read it, I should have got around to it much sooner. Again another 5 stars from me. 

Nothing to see here by Kevin Wilson 

This book has had its very own blog review by me already so for the details please read it! It had to be in my top reads of 2022, it inspired me to write about it, it made me have all the feelings and it is a gem of a find. I hadn’t heard anything about it, it was the cover that drew me to the book in waterstones. I picked it up and thought ‘huh, sounds odd’ and that means I have to try it and I am so glad I did, think that’s the best way to pick a book. Love love love this book please buy it, find it, read and let me know if you feel the same. 

Cat Lady by Dawn O’Porter 

This one I had waited for, for a long time. I saw it on Waterstones as ‘coming soon’ and as a cat owner and book lover I did what I had to do and I ordered it. First of all I just want to say, what a beautifully designed book! It is gorgeous. The hard back book has silver foil cats all over which is a really cute surprise. ‘Surprise’ as surprising as a book cover can be. Maybe just a cute treat! 

This book is hilarious and fun to read and deals with the subject of grief in quite a light-hearted way. But not only is it about cats and the fear of losing our fluffy friends it is as much about figuring ourselves out and realising we don’t have to meet peoples expectations, well thats how I felt after it. We don’t have to have a fancy job and a perfect family and we don’t have to put up with toxic people for the fear of seeming weird alone or because its considered the norm. we don’t need to conform with societal expectations and I think thats something we need to keep in mind when trying to find our happiness.

The characters are brilliant, the story is well written and entertaining. Overall i loved it and i am so glad that I remembered to buy it after waiting for it to be published. 

If you want to hear more about my thoughts or the books please let me know, just wanted to write a quick rundown. 

have you set any reading goals? happy new year!

My thoughts on that green eyed girl by Julie Owen Moylan

book review

This book was bought for me as a birthday present in June and it jumped way up my tbr list as the other books sat solemnly on my wooden shelves watching as a grabbed this new book to read. 

Luckily I was not disappointed with my choice to read it early. It wouldn’t be one I’d normally pick in a book shop however the book is beautiful and the turquoise pages drew me in. All I knew was what the blurb had told me and it sounded intriguing and something that could either be executed very well or poorly.  

The story is set In two different decades, 1955 and 1975 and as I have previously said I love different Eras and reading about how different it was and also how similar. Below I have included the synopsis from waterstones. 

Although I was rooting for the characters I still found them frustrating. Dovie is a people pleaser and doesn’t want to upset anyone but this causes her more hurt and trouble in the long run. Gillian and Dovie’s lack of communication is what causes a lot of their problems. It was giving me ‘normal people’. The frustrating relationship where they want to be together but they just can’t communicate well enough for it to work. I did like Gillian and Dovie and wanted it to work out for them. In 1975 our main character is Ava winters who is a teenager navigating her own family problems along with trying to be a normal teen experiencing life. I enjoyed reading both decades as they both, I felt, had interesting storylines and I also wanted to see things work out for the characters. I like how the stories become entwined. Too find out how you’ll have to give it a read.

There were some very important and serious themes in this book that helped me to understand the poor treatment people have experienced and the extreme methods used to ‘cure’ them of their quote ‘unnatural activities’ although upsetting I think it’s important to know about the past so we don’t repeat it in the now. The author describes how the women were arrested and treated awfully because of their sexuality and these innocent women went through a lot of pain and trauma and had unhappy lives which is horrible but it was the reality and you see through the book how their whole lives had been affected terribly by this and by the fear of being caught. Although the book doesn’t describe anything too graphically as an emotional person I did find I really felt for them and for anyone at the time having to hide who they were/are.

Another difficult theme was that of feeling unloved from those that should be there unconditionally and also navigating family relationships and problems as a young person. I think ultimately this book is an interesting mystery, dealing with feelings we all feel to some degree or at least can relate to: guilt, shame, the need to impress, desire, feeling alone and feelings of not being good enough. But also positives such as finding good friends that become like family and having dreams to pursue.

I would recommend this book as I was gripped the whole way through and I enjoyed the characters even when they weren’t too likeable and there are little twists throughout. So if you are interested in fiction or trying to figure out the mystery then give this one a go!

I was struggling to get back into reading more and this year I am well behind on my goal. This book has given me a bit of a boost to try different books and get stuck in.

Good to be back at it again- introduction and what I’ve been reading in 2022 so far

book review

I’ll start by saying hi, I am back. And I know it’s been a long time since I’ve posted but I am glad to be back and sending out a post and hopefully connecting with people again

2022 for me has been a year of real progress and working on myself. So I have been reading but I haven’t felt in a position to really post anything and I’ve had to not let the guilt get to me.

I started the year mentally, not in the best place but through therapy i have really started to come through and see a happier life so although I’ve not been posting it has been a journey and I’m feeling ready to be back at it again.

I set my goal on goodreads at the start of the year to read 45 books. Last year I read 44 and thought one more will be easaaaay but it’s the 7th month and I’ve read 22 so either a lot of catch up needed or some really quick reads. Any recommendations welcome 🌝

So I thought I would talk about 5 of the best books I’ve read this year so far.

1. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid : I LOVED this book it is so well written in terms of character portrayal. The characters feel real and I felt a connection to their stories. It is a story that has real sadness and the reality that people face in not being able to be themselves and feel happy and open about who they are and what makes them truly happy. Great read and has stayed with me since 100% recommend

2. Nothing to see here by Kevin Wilson: I initially picked this book up as it looked interesting with a illustrated cover and the blurb said it was about children that spontaneously combust however they are ok and it’s a normal thing for them. so I thought it sounded like an odd concept to give it a go. I found this book captivating and at points brought me to tears and made me laugh out loud. I am such an empath and it made me want to just make sure the children were safe and looked after and happy and that it would turn out okay for them. A great story which gave me all the feels. Loved it and would read again.

3. Daisy Jones and the six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: this book is 100% one of the best books I have read. I love music. I love the idea of the 70s and the movement of the time and the characters again so well written that it feels real and I wanted to be part of it all. It explores interesting and serious topics but it doesn’t feel too heavy. The story is written as a transcript like an interview with the band and with friends and family and it was lively and fun. I hoped it wouldn’t end. It is also being made into a Netflix programme which I’m super excited for.

4. The no show by Beth O’Leary: at first I wasn’t sure what was happening and if I was going to enjoy the book however I’m not one to give up but it was interesting enough to keep me reading and I am so glad I did. It is funny, it is sweet and some great twists and turns to keep you reading non stop. I was in a bit of a slump and this book helped me get out of it. Again it made me laugh it made me cry it shocked me and I felt it all. Beth o Leary continues to keep me entertained and also fall in love with the characters and their story’s

Maybe in another life by Taylor Jenkins Reid: again Taylor Jenkins Reid has really smashed it for me in my reading list this year. Having read 3 of her books I’ve found the love for the way she writes and makes you believe in the characters. The story splits into two alternate realities where decisions the main character makes paves two very different lives and makes you think differently about all the whatifs we have and how things would have turned out had we just done something different. although things might not be what we expect it doesn’t mean it won’t work out.

I have read some fab books and can’t wait to continue with my journey 🙂 any and all recommendations welcome!

Thank you for reading ☺️

My thoughts on: Nothing to see here by Kevin Wilson

book review

A brief Synopsis … doesn’t do the story justice

Lilian attends an elite boarding school as a scholarship student where she befriends the beautiful and wealthy Madison. Despite their differences they form a close friendship and become inseparable. Later during their time at boarding school a scandal forces Lilian out of the school. Madison and Lilian continue to keep in touch writing letters to each other although a reunion is yet to happen. Years later Lilian receives an urgent plea for help from Lilian in the form of their usual letters. Intrigued, Lilian follows up no longer making excuses to not meet.

Jasper, Madison’s husband has twins from a previous marriage and they are now faced with having to care for them full time following devastation. Knowing Lilian will be discreet and keep her secrets Madison knows she’s the only one she can turn to.

You see, children can often have little quirks and they are a big responsibility but the responsibility and need for a lot of care increases ten fold when they can SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST at any given moment. Although they remain unharmed it is not ideal for the senate to have fire children.

The book was published in October 2019 by Ecco press and it wasn’t until 2021 that it caught my attention. I purchased the book and was excited to read it but as with all things for me it took a while to get round to reading it. It is my fourth read of 2022 and I am not disappointed! Not one bit.

I had expectations of the book to a certain extent but I hadn’t thought too much about it, I knew others had enjoyed the book and I knew the general idea of the story but that’s as much as I had processed. I picked the book up and after only a few pages I knew it was going to be an interesting read.

What I liked about this story was how loveable Bessie was. She is ten years old but she understands a lot. Their upbringing had not been easy and it seemed they had to teach themselves a lot of what we all take for granted and Bessie would beat herself up for not knowing things when she had not been given the tools in life to have the chance to learn. She was sweet, honest, funny and wise and she was my favourite character. creating many moments in the book that bought tears to my eyes. I loved The way Lilian interacted with the kids and the way she thought of them. To take on another families children and treat them as your own and love them unconditionally is a strong thing to do and really shows her character. The love in this book was powerful and moving

Even though I actually did not like to be touched, I just let it happen, I allowed it, it was fine

Page 167

Roland and Bessie, the twins, and Lilian really opened up and allowed each other in which was something none of them would have done for anyone before and this bond really made this book memorable. We all want unconditional love and to feel safe and this was captured perfectly throughout the story.

They would always, kind of, belong to me. I had never wanted kids, because I had never wanted a man to give me a kid. The thought of it, gross; the expectation of it. But if a hole in the sky opened up and two weird children fell to earth, smashing into the ground like meteorites, then that was something I could care for. If it gleamed like it was radiating danger, I’d hold it. I would.

Page 168

Although the fire caused the children to be isolated and experience life differently, Bessie confessed she never wanted it to leave she wouldn’t know what to do without it. Roland and Bessie had been treated badly by those who should love them unconditionally and should protect them from harm so when they didn’t have that, they had the fire to protect them. Their innocence and naivety makes you love these children even more and just want to wrap them up and tell them it’s all okay.

I loved this book, I loved Lilian, Roland and Bessie and was invested in their well-being the whole way through routing for them and I think that’s what I want from a book, to connect with the characters and feel for them. the book was comforting, hilarious, bizarre and warming.

I 100% would read this book again and I wouldn’t normally say that so if you take anything from this please give it a try.

What can I say about The last house on needless street by Catriona Ward

book club pick, book review

I read the last house on needless street throughout April for my book club and wow was I impressed. This book has so many twists and turns and really grips you as a reader. I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller.

Now I can’t say too much about the story without giving anything away so you will have to read it for yourself but I 100% know you won’t be disappointed.

Goodreads summary:

The story keeps you guessing throughout and is told through a number of perspectives, all of which we are unsure we can trust completely but all I can say is, get your hands on a copy and you will not be able to stop reading.

I know some people have found it strange and have given up at the introduction of Olivia but please please please give it a go.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

book review, Uncategorized

4.5 ⭐️

Okay so let’s talk about normal people, I know it’s been discussed by so many before me and is a million copy bestseller but for some reason I had been putting it off for so long. I watched the tv adaption on BBC which I did enjoy, I loved Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Connell and Marianne and for some reason felt I didn’t need to read the book as the tv programme had been good enough for me but I was wrong…which I don’t / won’t often admit, much to others annoyance.

I usually won’t read a book after I have watched the film or tv adaption and now I’m thinking I have been missing out. Don’t get me wrong, the tv adaption was done very well and in keeping with the book but the book delves deeper into the thoughts of Connell and Marianne, we understand the thoughts behind their words and actions and the small details of their personality and coping mechanisms which aren’t easily translated to other media.

My expectations for this book were well, not really existent. I hadn’t planned on reading normal people despite all the good things I had heard, I guess I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it already knowing the story line but I was pleasantly surprised. By having a better understanding of the characters I found I liked them more, I understood some of their difficulties or who they were as a person at the root of it all and it made them less frustrating and oftentimes more heartbreaking.

I relate to Connell’s persistent need to please and conform to societal expectations but I also liked that he was kind, thoughtful and really cared about Marianne although he didn’t always go about things the right way, he was always willing to do anything for her, especially as he got further away from school life back home unlike any other person in her life. I found myself wanting to be more like Marianne in some aspects for example, the freeing feeling of not caring what others think or say about me, a need for knowledge and being opinionated. However they both have their flaws but that is what makes them ‘normal’. Throughout the story they both want to be accepted in many ways, to be loved and to be happy however this was never easy for them and they seem to overcomplicate and overanalyse their relationship and that mixed with poor communication and misunderstanding was a recipe for disaster. The on and off again nature of a relationship is common in the rom-com genre however I found it particularly frustrating in this book. Both Marianne and Connell had feelings for each other from beginning to end and on a number of occasions they used the L word to describe their feelings. They were happy together but through poor communication on both parts it meant that they were both questioning what the other person meant by what they said causing them to break up and make up over and over.

I found myself waiting for moments between Connell and Marianne as they were often sweet, intimate and honest although they didn’t always end well for either of them you could tell that they really cared for each other and truly felt themselves when they could be together.

The ending of the book gave us hope for Connell in the future and maybe hope that something will stay between them both however with the track record over the years, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. I was happy for Connell and how far he has come with the difficulties he had faced over the years and was finally going to do something he really wanted and although he still felt guilty (which he shouldn’t) but is common throughout, there was a positive future ahead for him.

Marianne had strained relationships which was highlighted from the start. Her family relationships were cold, abusive and distant and at school she was bullied for the way she looked and for being different. She had better relationships with with her female friends at university however these were sometime not always healthy and there were a few unhealthy relationships or ‘situations’ with Jamie and Lukas and other men treating her badly, being controlling and violent leaving her feeling used and vacant. I found it discussed these issues although not in depth I felt like it approached them quite well and made the reader think about it and look at it differently as we already cared about Marianne and it was difficult to see her open up to being treated badly as that’s what she felt she deserved which is not true under any circumstance.

I always look for the best in people which is maybe why I liked the characters, to other people they may be annoying and uninteresting but I felt they had good parts and bad parts which they knew of both sides and still cared about each other a lot. Although at times they did frustrate me overall they were a lot more likeable than their ‘friends’ at least.

I would recommend this book however it does have some difficult themes such as depression, bullying, abusive family, violence and suicide I found it was written in a way to not be too heavy but if these are triggers then I would not recommend normal people but I enjoyed the story, the writing, the characters and I enjoyed the commentary the book made on class and society expectations but what I’ll hold onto is the lasting feeling of the book and would give it 4.5 stars!

There is so much I could say about this book and is one that I would probably come back to. Let me know your thoughts on Normal People or any other similar books.

How to Stop Time, The Review

book review, Uncategorized

And just as it takes a moment to die, it only takes a moment to live. you just close your eyes and let every futile fear slip away. And then, in this new state, free from fear, you ask yourself; who am I?…

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I have now finished ‘How to Stop Time’ by Matt Haig and I have been trying since, to articulate what to say to get across my feelings on the book.

The Midnight Library – loved it, would read it again

The Humans – loved it even more would definitely read again

How to stop time – I’m not a big fan

I really wanted to like this book, having loved Matt Haig’s other books and from the recommendations that people gave me, maybe that was the problem, too high expectations, but I just wasn’t feeling it.

Looking at this book as a standalone and not comparing it to the other works. I have come up with the following:

How to Stop Time has been described as:

A love story across the ages – and for the ages – about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to learn how to live

However, I did not read it as a love story, yes it is a story with a dusting of love however I wouldn’t describe it as a love story in the traditional sense. to me it a story of a man who is ’41’ (439ish) who is constantly hiding in life, afraid of being found out. afraid of his loved ones being hurt and therefore afraid to live. Before I continue I will give you a short synopsis just so you can follow me a bit easier.

Tom Hazard has a secret, a dangerous secret that no-one must find out. He may look like any other 41 year old but when Tom hit puberty he found he had a rare condition. A condition that slowed the ageing process meaning for every 15 years he would only age one year. The story cuts through time back and forth, from modern day to various eras through which Tom has lived his life. From Elizabethan England, working with William Shakespeare at the Globe to playing Piano at Ciro’s in 1920’s Paris, during the golden age of Jazz. Tom has managed to survive these 400 + years without being found after being found by the ‘albatross’ society who all also have the same condition. They protect Tom and allow him to change his identity and live a normal (ish) existence. Hendrich is the leader of the group, our main antagonist in the story. Tom is made to change his identity every 8 years to to keep his cover and protect the society. After spending 8 years alone in Iceland, Tom craves a normal life. Tom asks to be a history teacher working in London which brings a whole set of problems. Including finding love which has been prohibited as it is too high risk.

I felt this story was about a man facing himself and overcoming fear. Tom feels a lot of guilt and sadness and has held on to this for a tremendous amount of time, which doesn’t allow him to move on and live a fulfilled life, Always trying to make things right in any way he can. it is a story about family, father and daughter bond and not being afraid to live life fully and love fearlessly.

I thought the story was a great concept and there are some beautiful descriptions throughout the book however, I felt the story was missing something and I felt like it wasn’t as gripping as I had hoped making it quite difficult to read. My favourite character was Omai who we meet in part 5. He is positive, knowledgeable, worldly and kind. Omai brings the warmth to the book I was hoping for and ultimately I feel is the main turning point of the book.

Although I personally didn’t love the book I can see why people do, I liked parts of the book with William Shakespeare, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Chaplin and Captain Cook However, it did feel a bit like dropping names for the sake of a story line at times. Tom comes across as one of those ‘been there done that’ people and although he has, after being around for 439 years, I felt like everything had to relate back to a time when he had done something or saw something which I felt like a lot of things.

I think the ending was good and no, not in a ‘I’m glad that’s over’ way but I genuinely felt warm and happy with the conclusion to the story.

I am still a fan of Matt Haig’s and enjoyed his other books but you can’t always enjoy everything.

xxx

The Humans, Matt Haig Review

Uncategorized

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book! I mean this book was surprising, in a good way. At the beginning of the book I was happily reading away chuckling at the comical words of Matt Haig or in this case our unnamed Vonnadorian alien narrator, known to most now as professor Andrew Martin. The humour used was down to earth and relatable and any human would find themselves at least smiling at the pages.

As I read on, I found the story had more depth than I originally expected I was not only reading a funny book about an alien coming to earth but a novel about fitting in, unconditional love, mental health, mortality and power of knowledge. I liked the relationship between our protagonist and Newton which gave him a more human feel, it’s good to know even aliens adore dogs. Having fell utterly in love with ‘The Midnight Library’ which I focused on in my first post, I was super excited to see what ‘The Humans’ had in store and I was not disappointed. I feel there were many themes throughout ‘The Humans’ which were also throughout ‘The Midnight Library’. The weird feeling of not knowing any details about a life you were living and trying to find connections, the colour green = knowledge, philosophy and also touched on body image and how we perceive ourselves and others. I like that in both stories the protagonist was surprised by decisions they made and made decisions they never thought they would make but were ultimately satisfied. I am definitely now a Matt Haig fan! Maybe this should just be a Matt Haig fan blog…I promise it won’t be but I will have at least another review to do when I read ‘How To Stop Time.’

‘Love is what humans are all about, but they don’t understand it. If they understood it, then it wouldn’t disappear’…’it makes you do stupid things – things that defy all logic. The opting for anguish over calm, for mortality over eternity and for earth over home.’

The humans, Matt Haig (2017)

Overall this book was a dream to read, really easy to fall into, surprising and hard to put down. I thought the ending did the book justice and I was happy with the direction of the story. I thought there was a really nice message behind the story and enjoyed the advice to humans towards the end.

which is to say: don’t kill yourself. Even when the darkness is total. Always know that life is not still. Time is space. you are moving through the galaxy. wait for the stars.

The Humans, Matt Haig (2017)

Probably the quickest I’ve read a book and for someone as distracted as me, it’s a real achievement. I would definitely rate it 5/5.

what is your favourite story about being an outcast? any suggestions for what I should read next after ‘How to stop Time’ would be great 🙂

thank you for reading

xxx