Category: Reading

December and End of Year Reading Wrapup! ðŸ“š

What with Christmas preparations and celebrations, December is typically one of my worst months for reading. I only read three books, but enjoyed them all.

The House of Frost and Feathers by Lauren Wiseborn

A delightful and enchanting story of a young woman trying to escape the sleeping plague that left her parents and so many other victims in a sanatorium, who finds employment as an assistant to the witches who live and travel around in a house with chicken legs. This had a few pacing issues near the start but had me gripped to the end with lots of mystery, twists and betrayals and a slow burn romance (or two!). A wonderful fantasy story to curl up with on these long, dark winter nights. Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the advanced copy. The House of Frost and Feathers is out on 16th January 2025.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

A powerful memoir of grief, hiking, vulnerability and courage, determination and resilience. When Cheryl Strayed’s mother died suddenly from cancer and her own marriage broke down, she decided to walk the Pacific Crest Trail, 2663 miles running from the Mexican border, through California and Oregon to Canada. This isn’t the sort of book I normally read, but was absolutely captivated by this story of endurance and self discovery.

The Ice Children by M.G. Leonard

On the first day of December, Bianca finds her little brother has been frozen in ice, and every day after more children join him. Bianca takes it upon herself to investigate and save her brother, embarking on an adventure that will take her to the heart of winter itself. This was such a surprising story that started off as a fairly familiar quest to rescue a missing child that reminded me of The Snow Queen and Northern Lights in places but became a totally original story about climate change and the power of stories to inspire us to action, and to imbue children with a sense of love and hope rather than fear and despair about the world they inherit.

2024 in Books

In 2024, I read a total of 58 books. I read 34 fiction books across a range of different genres from children’s and YA to fantasy, dystopia and magical realism, as well as mysteries and romance. I read 24 non-fiction books across a similarly eclectic choice of subjects from neurodiversity, memoirs, Palestine and environmentalism.

My Top 10 favourites were fairly reflective of my reading this year with several themes overlapping and crossing genres, such as environmental issues, Palestine, community, and witchcraft which is one of my favourite fictional subgenres. Unusually for me, four of my ten favourites this year were non-fiction and three were audiobooks.

This was the year I switched from audible to LibroFM and really got enjoyed listening to non-fiction audiobooks, listening to eight on my commute to work.

I joined Netgalley back in 2020, but 2024 was the year when I finally started to pick a few ARCs to read and review, and I improved my ratio from 0% to 53%, which I’m pretty chuffed with.

I’m a big advocate of public libraries and 21 of the 58 books I read last year were borrowed from the library. Aside from supporting a valuable public service, I saved myself £265 borrowing books instead of buying them.

What were your favourite reads in 2024?

November Reading wrapup

November was a tough month as I struggled with work stress, caring for sickly kids and finally the death of our beloved cat, and I found myself seeking out comfort reads.

The Little Christmas Library by David M. Barnett

I was drawn to this by the combination of a local mobile library (such a fond throwback to my childhood) and the father-daughter dynamic. I found it a bit too heavy handed and clichéd about Northern England, however, this turned out to be a heartwarming story about a little community that finds friendship and romance in the mobile library that serves the run down town of Merry-le-Moors. It works better as a small town drama than a festive romance, but still an easy and enjoyable read about community and the magic of libraries.

Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe

I’ve subscribed to Katharine Hayhoe’s newsletter for a while for updates about climate news, and decided I’d prefer to listen to Saving Us on audio because she’s such an engaging speaker. Saving Us is about how to talk to people about the climate crisis, and find common interests and connection, rather than devision and conflict. Hayhoe breaks down science in an informative and entertaining way, easily debunking common climate denial arguments, but also finding ways to connect things (nature, chocolate and sports) we care about to climate change. I found this to be an informative, pragmatic and hopeful book about climate change and what we can do about it.

Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

I had read Anne of Green Gables a few years ago and recently found a complete set second hand. The second part of Anne Shirley’s story starts when she is 17 and starting work as a teacher at the Avonlea school she recently graduated from. Anne is such a lovable character with her boundless imagination and optimism, matched perhaps only by her propensity for embarrassing mishaps. It was lovely to return to Prince Edward Island and meet up with all the inhabitants of Avonlea again.

A Midwinter’s Tail by Lili Hayward

This book will always hold a place in my heart as the last book I read with my lovely Mara cat before she passed away, and it was such a moving and gentle story. Mina is living and working in London when she receives a cryptic message from her estranged godfather asking her to look after his cat. Mina drops everything and returns to an island off the Cornish coast to care for the cat, Murr, and begins to unpack questions about her childhood, her family and identity, and finds herself joining up with the local community to save the island from developers who want to turn it into a luxury resort. The writing itself was lyrical with beautiful descriptions. A Midwinter’s Tail was such a poignant, comfort read that had so many themes that I appreciate.

Soul Comfort for Cat Lovers by Liz Eastwood

This is a short and simple book for those grieving the loss of a beloved cat, as most books about pet grief tend to focus on dogs. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a more original or meaningful daily ritual than lighting a candle to remember your pet and that the writer didn’t go into more detail on the rise of pet mediums. This is a gentle book about grief that captures the place our pets hold in our hearts and validates the grief experience, but was lacking some of the practical steps I was hoping for to help cope with grief itself.

Have a lovely week. X

October Reading Wrapup

November has been such a busy and turbulent month that reading and blogging have been on the back burner and I’m only just finding time to share my October reading wrapup midway through the month.

Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie 🎧

This book really requires the reader to keep an open mind as it challenges many of the preconceptions people worried about climate change hold. Having said that, I wholeheartedly agree with the central premise of the book that despair is as dangerous as denial when it comes to climate action, and that we have to remain hopeful that we can mitigate the worst effects of climate breakdown and adapt. Hannah Ritchie refutes most of the clickbait headlines by zooming out and taking a wider look at progress and trends over longer time frames. She also promotes focusing our efforts on a few actions that will have the greatest impact rather than stressing about lots of things that won’t actually make much difference. I found it a bit contradictory in places, and I still believe that individual actions pale in comparison to tackling corporate and industry emissions but this is an informative, pragmatic and hopeful book that counters climate doomism.

The Witches of New York by Ami McKay

I often feel a bit apprehensive about books that are over 500 pages, and I found this one had a very slow start as the story didn’t really grip me until 300 pages in. The story follows three witches, Eleanor and Adelaide, who run a tea shop in New York and their new apprentice, Beatrice who is only just discovering her powers. This was a bit reminiscent of the Practical Magic series, but set in the late 1800s, as the women navigate personal traumas, grudges and persecution. Overall I enjoyed this and loved the strong sense of female friendship and camaraderie throughout, but it was let down by pacing issues, and although the main storyline wraps up neatly, there’s a few subplots left open for a potential sequel.

The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange

Having thoroughly enjoyed, The Island at the Edge of Night, I was eager to read more of Lucy Stranger’s backlist and picked up her first book from the library. The Secret of Nightingale Wood is narrated by 12 year old Henrietta as her family move from London to Hope House in the countryside following the tragic death of her older brother. Henrietta is a plucky heroine who has to overcome her own fears, grief and survivor’s guilt in order to save her family from the scheming husband and wife villains who intend to use the family to further their own ambitions. It’s a tense, poignant children’s adventure from a writer who brilliantly captures the fears and feelings of helplessness of childhood.

Weyward by Emilia Hart

A powerful tale of three desperate women from the same line moving from fearful victims of male lust, spite and violence to survivors. The story follows three women from the Weyward family from Althea accused of witchcraft in the 17th century, to Violet a rebellious and determined young woman straining at the shackles her father and society have bound her in, and Kate in the present day fleeing an abusive relationship. This is very much a story about female choice and agency, but one that is often bittersweet as the three central characters have to make difficult choices based on circumstances beyond their control. I was completely hooked by this and adored it from start to finish.

Cackle by Rachel Harrison

What a strange and surprising but thoroughly enjoyable story this turned out to be about love, heartbreak, friendship, trust, fear, and spiders. Cackle follows Annie Crane, recently hearybroken and scared of dying alone as she moves from New York to the little town of Rowan and immediately falls under the spell of her new friend, the mysterious and charismatic Sophie. Cackle seemed like it was going to be light-hearted romance, but it was such a delightful novel about female empowerment with some unexpectedly unsettling moments and atmosphere.

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

This seemed like a cross between two of my favourites, Ninth House with all  occult elements and a female version of The Raven Boys as three teenage misfits band together to stop a serial killer hunting women. The plot follows Emer, a curse writer (or witch) who helps women willing to exchange part of their soul for magic; Jude, an exiled, filthy rich socialite looking for a witch to help her break a a curse; and Zara, a grieving woman investigating the murder of her sister. I devoured this supernatural murder mystery full of twists with a slow burn saphic romance in a couple of evenings, though I found it more gory than spooky, but the final section was particularly cinematic.

Have a lovely week. X

September Reading Wrapup

September was a slow month for reading as the kids were off nursery with tummy bugs and colds.

Tilly and the Lost Fairy Tales by Anna James

September often has me seeking out stories with magic, and this series is such a comfort read. In the second installment of the series, Tilly and her friend Oskar, find themselves in Paris investigating some very mixed up fairy tales. This one shows turmoil at the heart of the Under Library as the book wanderers elect a new leader, the children’s old adversary returns and a new villain introduces themselves. This series is such a treat for readers with this one offering some fun and amusing fresh twists on beloved fairy tales.

Rosa by Starlight by Hillary McKay

A modern fairytale, this was much sadder than I anticipated, as orphaned Rosa has the chance to visit Venice with her neglectful aunt and uncle. One thing that I loved was the role of cats as patient and comforting childhood companions, that reminded me so much the special relationship I had with our own family pet. I did find this quite a sad story for children but one with a lovely ending full of found family and a touch of magic.

The House by the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune

I put off reading this for a long time because it was so hyped when it came out. This very much reminded me of Good Omens and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as an unassuming social worker, Linus Baker, who has been living a predictable and lonely life is given an assignment to visit an orphanage full of extraordinary children. The story is a cosy comfort read in that it’s a slow burn romance and one where Linus’ own growth take centre stage, and there isn’t much action or adventure to drive the plot, but it does tackle some serious themes about prejudice, foster care and found families.

On Palestine by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe

This is a book offering an American and Israeli context for the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel between two somewhat controversial anti-Zionist academics, it’s a combination of transcribed dialogue, essays and speeches. Published in 2015, it’s incredibly relevant with some interesting insights into possible future scenarios for Israel and Palestine, but it did seem a bit repetitive in places.

Have a lovely week. X

August Reading Wrapup

It felt like we only had a handful of sunny days, and August was a dark and stormy month which was reflected in my reading as I found myself drawn to the mysteries, magical realism, romances and children’s adventures I normally reserve for the long, dark evenings of autumn and winter. I also thoroughly enjoyed listening to two non-fiction audiobooks last month.

Doppelganger by Naomi Klein

This book was inspired by people frequently confusing Naomi Klein (No Logo and This Changes Everything) with Naomi Wolf (The Beauty Myth), like all doppelgangers there are similarities between them, but also significant differences. Doppelganger is a fascinating snapshot in time about personal branding, influencers and authenticity, and starts with Naomi Klein reflecting on her own evolution from No Logo to present, the choices and experiences that led her down one path as she tries to understand why her doppelganger took opposite paths. I was really interested in the exploration of political diagonialism when different groups find common ground that diverge from the traditional left-right political wings, and how the right has increasingly welcomed exiles from the left, combined with the persistent failure of the left to engage with fears and suspicion around vaccinations, social media and privacy, climate change, and other divisive topics. This is such a book full of big ideas that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to on audiobook.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

I have a soft spot for stories about witches and magic set in the real world like Chocolat, Practical Magic and The Once and Future Witches, and this is historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. Loosely inspired by Leigh Bardugo’s Spanish Jewish ancestors who converted to Christianity to escape the Inquisition and then disappeared, the story follows a scullion, Luzia, who has a just a little bit of magic that draws the attention of ambitious patrons who use her to further their own ends. Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite writers and while this isn’t her best work, it’s an enjoyable tale with lots of tension, a bit of romance and a couple of clever twists.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

I’ve read a few Inspector Poirot mysteries but decided to try Christie’s other famous sleuth, Miss Marple. When the dead body of a young woman is found in Colonel Bantry’s library, while he calls the police, his wife calls Miss Marple to help them solve the mystery of who the victim is, who killed her and how she ended up in their library. This is a clever little mystery with plenty of suspects, a few red herrings and a reveal that I didn’t see coming but wrapped up the story very neatly.

Christmas At the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin

A bit early for Christmas stories, but couldn’t resist this when I saw it on Netgalley. This is a romance novel about Anais, a recently divorced novelist with writer’s block and a delapidated hotel she got as part of her divorce settlement. With the help of her loyal cousin, Manon, she sets about renovating the hotel in time for its Christmas opening but soon discovers that the hotel has its own secrets and a mystery to solve. I really enjoyed the strong female friendship through this, the slow burn romance and learning about French Christmas traditions along the way. This is a lighthearted and escapist romance perfect to curl up with as the evenings draw in and the countdown to Christmas begins. Christmas At the Little Paris Hotel is out on 26th September, thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Rebecca Raisin for the advanced reading copy.

The Island at the Edge of Night by Lucy Strange

A heart pounding, nail bitingly tense middlegrade thriller, the story follows 12 year old Faye Fitzgerald when she’s sent to a reform school for wicked children on a remote and desolate island for a crime she can’t remember. This is absolutely gripping, full of mystery, twists and turns. At times, this was so tense and foreboding, it could have been written by Daphne du Maurier, and other times it reminded me of classic adventures like The Wolves of Willoughby Chase with brave children outwitting devious and cruel adults.

One Garden Against the World by Kate Bradbury

This is such a love letter to nature, and Kate Bradbury is such an inspiration to me. One Garden Against the World is about the many ways gardeners can help nature, and maybe even mitigate climate change.  This is poignant and disheartening as she battles other people’s indifference, denial and cruelty, frets about the lack of rain during record breaking heatwaves and recites grim statistics about the collapse of bird, insect and hedgehog populations, yet is also so informative and inspiring. Kate Bradbury is so full of useful advice and her reverence for nature really shines through it all. I loved all the audacious and eccentric anecdotes she shares from rescuing caterpillars before the local council gardeners mowed down nettles in the park to fattening up hedgehogs from the local rescue centre in her garden.

Have a lovely week. X

July Reading Wrapup

It’s been a busy summer and I’ve been struggling to find time to blog, but July was a great month for reading with a couple of books that will definitely be in my end of year favourites.

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

This is such a hard book to describe, it’s a love story but also a story of survival and resistance. Against the Loveless World follows Nahr reflecting on her life up to the present where she is serving a sentence in an Israeli prison for acts of terrorism, and looking back at all the twists and turns through life that brought her there. It is dark in places with descriptions of rape and prostitution as Nahr struggles to survive in the Palestinian diaspora scattered around the middle East before she eventually found her way back to the West Bank. Against the Loveless World is such a powerful story, and one that was surprisingly uplifting and inspiring about family, friendship, love, survival, ordinary and revolutionary acts of resistance.

Keedie by Elle McNicoll

Set five years before A Kind of Spark, the prequel focuses on Addie’s bold, impulsive and forthright autistic sister, Keedie. I didn’t love this quite as much as A Kind Of Spark because in some ways Keedie is a bit more prickly, uncompromising and impulsive than Addie but it’s still a captivating story that I thoroughly enjoyed full of friendships and bullying, family dynamics, self-acceptance and disability-positivity, and the claustrophobia of small Scottish towns that reminded me so much of my own adolescence.

They Called Me A Lioness by Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri

This is the short autobiography of a 16 year old Palestinian girl, Ahed Tamimi, who was arrested and imprisoned for 8 months for slapping an Israeli soldier. It offers such a fascinating insight into the reality of life under occupation from the checkpoints, separate roads, walls carving up the West Bank to the military raids, arrests and beatings. Despite everything she endures, this is such a hopeful book with the writer imagining a future where Muslims, Christians and Jews can all live together peacefully as equals in one whole country. What really shines is that beyond the organised forms of protest like weekly marches in her village or the violent clashes between protesters and soldiers, so much of the resistance is just refusing to give up and continuing to find joy, love and carrying on with ordinary life under the brutal military occupation.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

This has been on my TBR for a while but this summer seemed like the perfect time to read it as the story starts in July 2024. Published in 1993, Parable of the Sower describes a nightmarish, dystopian future where climate change has ravaged the world causing droughts, wildfires and mass migration as people attempt to flee further and further north to find safety. The story is narrated by Lauren who lives in a small walled off community in Southern California as her family tries to stay safe behind their walls fending off incursions from burglars, rapists and arsonists, she frets about what will happen when their safety is breached, and how she reacts when her worst fears come true. I was absolutely captivated by this story of survival, resilience, friendship and community against the odds and this is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Have a lovely week. X

June reading wrapup

Blogging has fallen by the wayside once again, and only finding time to share my June reviews midway through July.

Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham

Listened to this on Audiobook, and it really felt like catching up with an old friend who occasionally gives really good advice about dieting, dating, technology and social media. What really comes across is that she is every bit as much of a Gilmore Girls fan as the fans themselves. This is a whistle stop tour of Lauren’s life, more thematic than chronological it reminded me of Carrie Fisher’s trilogy of short autobiographies. Short on scandals and gossip but full of wry commentary and self-deprecating humour, this is a thoroughly enjoyable autobiography.

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

This had a slow start, introducing all the characters and intrigue, but the second half was absolutely gripping. A Magic Steeped In Poison follows a girl called Ning whose mother was a shennong, a kind of tea mage, but both her mother and sister were poisoned by someone who has been contaminating tea around the Empire. Her mum succumbs to the poison but Ning travels to the capital city to compete in the competition to become the new royal shennong and ask the princess to heal her sister. Along the way she meets a mysterious but handsome exile, and finds herself embroiled in imperial politics. This definitely suffers from some pacing issues and the magic is a bit of a muddle but I’m keen to find out how it all works out in the concluding part.

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

Every so often I read a book I love so much I want to press it into the hands of every reader I know, and I could tell right from the first page that this would be one of those books because every word of this hits home. I’ve always been drawn to stories about underdogs challenging injustice and this story follows an 11 year old autistic girl, Addie, as she learns about women from her own little scottish village who were tried and executed as witches. Recognising that the witches were most probably women who didn’t fit in and feeling kinship with them, Addie starts a campaign for a village memorial. Like so many children’s books, this has some pretty big themes like disability, friendship and bullying, shame and self acceptance, but is a wonderful story and definitely one of my favourites of the year.

Dirty Laundry by Roxanne Emery and Richard Pink

Over the years, I’ve overcome a lot of insecurities and so this (audio)book really surprised me because I expected a lighthearted but candid book about ADHD similar to the Instagram content they share, instead it ended up highlighting how often I’ve blamed myself for being lazy and useless because of symptoms I now know are part of ADHD. There were so many parts I could relate to from my sudden all consuming interests and hobbies, directional dyslexia, losing possessions, time blindness and struggles with housekeeping and personal hygiene. There are lots of useful tips to help make life easier but at times I wondered how Rox would cope without her organised and infinitely patient husband Rich, but the general relationship advice of being honest and treating each other with kindness and understanding is solid.

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

This is a paranormal mystery-heist loosely inspired by the real story of a black woman called Clara Johnson who shot and killed a white policeman but was acquitted. In this story, Clara has paranormal abilities to communicate with spirits, and is one of several humans who have made deals with deities known as Enigmas who can bestow charms on people for a price. The Monsters We Defy is a really intriguing paranormal mystery as Clara finds herself trying to rescue people who have gone missing and free herself from the deal she made with an Enigma. I really enjoyed the richly described setting in Washington DC during the 1920s, the exploration of race and class during that era, the tense and spooky atmosphere, and slow burn romance.

The Kingdom Across the Sea by Zohra Nabi

A thrilling and gripping children’s fantasy about a recently orphaned young girl, Yara, who finds herself travelling from Bournemouth into a magical kingdom across the sea on a journey of self discovery. Trying to follow the last letter of her mother’s instructions, Yara tracks down a sorceress and finds herself against alchemists plotting to destroy all sorcerers who have been forced into hiding. This is such an exciting and heartwarming story of bravery, determination, identity, friendship and found family.

The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa

I loved The Travelling Cat Chronicles (reviewed here) a few years ago and picked this up recently while looking after my own beloved cat Mara after we discovered an ulcer on her eye. Both of these books really capture the eccentricities and personalities of the animals that we take on as pets, but also the sense of companionship, sense of purpose and well-being that pet ownership provides. The Goodbye Cat is seven short stories about different cats and the people who love and care for them with some new characters and others recurring from The Travelling Cat Chronicles.

Halfway through the year and I’m slightly ahead of my reading goal. What have you been reading lately? X

May Reading Wrapup

Started a new job this month so things have been a bit hectic and only just finding time to share my May reviews.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone is a YA fantasy set about 15 years after the Raid when the ruthless King executed all those with magical abilities, destroyed their relics and persecuted the survivors who have lost access to their magic. Zelie is the daughter of one of the executed Maji and find herself on a quest to return magic to the land. The story is told by three characters in first person POV, which is probably the story’s biggest fault, as two of the characters are related, it skews the the perspective. That aside, this story had me hooked from the first page, it’s a quick paced novel with great action, romance and drama, and I loved the West African inspired setting.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

The story is written in the first person and narrated by the titular Amina al-Sirafi, a ship’s Captain, who is lured out of retirement when she is offered a fortune to rescue the missing granddaughter of an aristocrat, but quickly finds herself up against mystical and magical forces. I loved that the story focused on an older protagonist as fantasy still tends to favour teenage or twenty something heroes, and that she was a parent too, there are some thrilling action scenes and hilarious dialogue between the main characters (Dalila, the poisoner, is a favourite), but did feel that there were some pacing issues and the story had quite a long, slow start.

It’s Not A Bloody Trend by Kat Brown and Better Late Than Never by Emma Mahoney

I decided to review these together as they’re such similar books about women being diagnosed with ADHD as adults. Both books cover a mix of looking back over their lives making sense of certain events and experiences with knowledge of how the symptoms of ADHD impacted them, combined with research about ADHD. Of the two, I slightly preferred  It’s Not A Bloody Trend because I found it more relatable and really enjoyed how Kat Brown included so many other people diagnosed with ADHD showing the multitude of ways this often misunderstood condition impacts people across the life course, and I felt that Emma Mahoney was using her ADHD diagnosis to justify some of the way she behaved through life. Having said that, Emma Mahoney explores the pros and cons of medication in more detail and better than most books on the subject, the chapters on how Disability legislation applies to ADHD, and how to find a good therapist or coach are also extremely useful.

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

Salt Houses begins in 1963, fifteen years after the family were forced to flee their home in Jaffa by the Israeli army, it’s the eve before Salma’s youngest daughter’s wedding and the bride-to-be has begged her mother to read her fortune in the coffee grounds. Salma sees great upheaval, arguments and violence in her family’s future and with holds the truth of what she’s seen but she can’t prevent any of the events she’s foreseen from happening. From this ominous beginning the story skips ahead to Salma’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as the family is forced to move again and again during the Six Day War of 1967 and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. This is a poignant story of one family seeking safety and home after becoming part of the Palestinian diaspora scattered across the world from Beirut to Boston.

April Reading Wrapup

Oops, blogging has fallen by the wayside lately as other parts of life have taken up most of my time and attention, but finding a moment to share reviews of the books I read last month.

Go Gently by Bonnie Wright

I don’t usually pay much attention to celebrities but was intrigued to learn that actress Bonnie Wright best known for playing Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter films is a passionate environmentalist. Go Gently is a comprehensive and practical guide to living a more sustainable life that covers everything from bamboo toilet paper to ethical banking and getting involved in activism or protests. I really enjoyed listening to the audio book but got frustrated by repeated references to the accompanying pdf, and ended up buying a copy of the book. This is a great contrast to the climate doomism in the news and a very hopeful book, Bonnie Wright doesn’t expect everyone to do everything she suggests but if everyone does something then we can all make a difference.

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

I loved Enid Blyton’s Mallory Towers series as a child, and this feels like such a modern and refreshing twist on the boarding school genre as two young students investigate the mysterious death of one of their teachers. Set in the 1930s, this is a cleverly plotted mystery with plenty of suspects, clues and the odd red herring to keep the reader guessing, but also explores themes such as racism, same sex relationships and children born out of wedlock in a historical context. This was lots of fun, thrilling in parts and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

The New Age of Empire by Kehinde Andrews

A fascinating but grim history of the colonisation of Australia, the America’s, India, Africa and the genocides that European exploration and expansion involved. This really packs in huge amount of information from the inherently racist ideology of the Enlightenment and the history of the slave trade, slavery and the industrial revolution to the rise of neoliberalism, and provides context for present day conflicts such as Israel-Palestine, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the kind of book that changed how I view the world giving me a greater awareness of the whitewashing of colonial and imperial history, and the exploitation of people and resources still going on today.

Unmasked by Ellie Middleton

A really accessible and inclusive guide to autism and ADHD by a young woman who was diagnosed with both in her early 20s. Ellie Middleton is clearly a passionate advocate for the neurodiverse community calling for kindness, patience and reasonable adjustments to help them navigate education, work and relationships. Unmasked is a really informative book with chapters providing clear explanations of the symptoms and behaviours of ASD and ADHD as well as debunking some persistent stereotypes that have lead to misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis (especially in women), as well as lots of insight into the lived experience.

Crookhaven: The Forgotten Maze by J. J. Arcanjo

I loved the first book in the series (reviewed here) and expected another fun heist during pickpocket Gabriel Avery’s second year at Crookhaven but this turned out to be such a heartwarming story about friendship and found family. Crookhaven offers such an original and fun twist on the boarding school genre of children’s fiction, but with high stakes as the students find themselves caught up in the schemes of the illusive and ruthless criminal gang, The Nameless, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Vulture Capitalism by Grace Berkeley

I’ve become increasingly convinced that governments represent corporate interests not ordinary people’s, and Vulture Capitalism is packed with facts, figures and economic theory that confirmed my suspicions. It’s a bit dry in places but provides a thorough critique of Capitalism, debunking the myths of free markets and competition that neoliberals still use to justify privatisation and deregulation, even as smaller companies are swallowed up by huge multinational corporations and the same multinationals are bailed out by governments so they never experience the consequences of their high risk investments and lending. The last two chapters detailing how ordinary people have organised and won against corporations at local and national levels are particularly inspiring.

What have you been reading lately? X

March reading wrapup

March was yet another month when I ignored my ever increasing TBR and read mostly library books instead, it was also another month where I read more non-fiction than fiction.

Scatterbrain by Shaparak Khorsandi

I’ve been reading lots of non-fiction but chose this expecting it to be a bit more light hearted than other topics I’ve been reading lately. Shaparak Khorsandi is an Iranian-British comedian who was diagnosed with ADHD in her 40s, and this is her autobiographical attempt to understand the impact that ADHD has had on her life from her education and career to friendships, relationships, and constant battle with clutter. It’s quite a short autobiography but one that’s amusing, relatable and poignant.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

This was a buddy read with two good friends, and we had the loveliest afternoon discussing the book and catching up over wine and freshly baked sourdough bread. A gentle and meandering story translated from Korean about a woman who risks societal disapproval when she gives up her career and marriage to run an independent bookshop. This does provide some interesting insights into South Korean expectations around marriage and work, but it’s a slice of life story about the little community that forms around the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.

In My Mother’s Footsteps by Mona Hajjar Halaby

The second autobiography I read last month was an emotional insight into the Palestinian refugee’s diaspora. On 14 May 1948, Mona Hajjar Halaby’s mother packed a small suitcase and left her home and everything in it to stay with family in Egypt, expecting to return in a few weeks once the conflict between the Zionists and Palestinians had ended, but it would be 60 years before she would return and then only as a tourist. Mona was given the opportunity to teach at a school in Ramallah in the West Bank for a year, and this is her unflinchingly honest experience of her time in occupied Palestine navigating checkpoints and work visas, and the erasure of Palestinian history as she tries to find out more of her family’s story.

The Queen of Distraction by Terry Matlen

I had high hopes for this book, but it failed to deliver. If you love Bullet journaling or filofaxes, then this is the book for you, but if (like me) you find admin tasks tedious and overwhelming then a lot of the suggestions in this seem like making extra work for yourself. No amount of post-it notes, index cards, alarm clocks or colour-coded wall calendars will help me to stop procrastinating, be on time for appointments or keep on top of the housework, and some of the other suggestions are laughable, like employing a private chef if you struggle with cooking dinner or putting your kids to bed in the clothes they’re supposed to wear the next day to avoid rushing in the morning.  Most of the ideas in this book seem needlessly complicated, when the only thing that has ever worked for me is simplifying and minimizing. This book does a good job of explaining ADHD and how it affects people in ordinary situations but the writer doesn’t really explore any other ways to manage ADHD symptoms other than medication in any detail.

Have a lovely weekend. X