A short and belated reading wrapup. August was a really hectic month with a couple of birthday parties, a wedding and my oldest daughter starting primary school, plus a whole lot of work chaos, which really didn’t leave much time or headspace for reading. I DNF’d two books but thoroughly enjoyed the two books I did manage to read/listen to.
Storm Child by Ele Fountain
I picked up Storm Child from the library because it was on the longlist for the Wainwright’s Children’s Fiction prize, and I was genuinely disappointed it didn’t make the shortlist. The story follows Maya, a talented teenage surfer, whose family are struggling financially, when disaster strikes her parents make a life changing decision to start over halfway across the world. This is such a lovely, engaging coming of age story about adapting to change, friendship, learning that sometimes adults don’t have all the answers, and the impact of tourism on people, places and nature.
Small Talk by Richard Pink and Rox Pink
I’ve followed Roxanne and Richard Pink’s humorous and relatable instagram account for a while but both their books have blindsided me with their insight into the shame and sense of failure that living with ADHD causes. Small Talk explores some of the most common negative self beliefs that ADHDers may hold from “I’m lazy/stupid/useless” to addiction and suicidal ideation. I found this book incredibly compassionate, relatable and helpful as both someone living with ADHD and as the partner of another ADHDer.
July was a hectic month with a lovely family holiday, work stress, car breakdowns and a funeral all sapping my time and attention, but it turned out to be a great month for reading.
Perfect Victims by Mohammed El-Kurd
Perfect Victims explores the idea that some lives are more valuable than others and that Palestinians must always prove their innocence when they are killed before anyone is willing to condemn the killing or killer. Even when Palestinians try to advocate for their rights, the entire legal system is rigged against them, and the Western media are biased when they automatically accept the Israeli press and government as more impartial and credible than Palestinian journalists, doctors, academics or civilians. This is a searing critique of western hypocrisy and racism, but a necessary one.
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
I left it slightly too long between reading the third book (reviewed here) and the final part of the Ember in the Ashes quartet, but I was soon immersed back into this fantastical story of djinn, and a brave band of rebels lead by Laia, Elias and Helene standing up to a ruthless, authoritarian empire ruled by Elias’ mother, Keris, and the King of the Djinn determined to seek vengeance on the humans who imprisoned his kind. A Sky Beyond the Storm really tugged at the heart strings as the characters experience grief and loss in their desperate fight for freedom and this was a brilliant conclusion to the series.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
This was actually recommended by friends who had seen the film, and it was my holiday read. This is the story of a robot called Roz who finds herself shipwrecked on an island and learns to survive by watching the animals that also live on the island. This is such a sweet, poignant and sometimes tense read with so many themes that I love to read about like friendship, found families and community. The Wild Robot is the first book in a trilogy and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Turtle Moon by Hannah Gold
I’d enjoyed The Last Bear (reviewed here) and planned to read the sequel next until I saw Turtle Moon is on the longlist for the Wainwright’s Children’s Prize, which is my favourite literary award. Turtle Moon follows a little girl called Silver who’s parents are struggling with secondary infertility and decide to take their family to Costa Rica for a break. Silver gets involved with the local turtle sanctuary and this is such a wonderful adventure about turtles (and other animals like Speedy the baby sloth ❤️), poaching, conservation and family that I think I loved even more than The Last Bear.
ADHD Girls to Women by Lotta Borg Skogland
An absolutely fascinating book packed full of information about the gender bias in medicine, diagnostics, education and socialisation that means so many females are misdiagnosed or diagnosed with ADHD much later in life than males. This explores how adhd symptoms show up differently in females but also how our hormonal fluctuations can impact adhd throughout the life course from puberty to periods, pregnancy and menopause. I have often felt my ADHD is more of a disability than a superpower, and I have rarely felt so seen and less alone in my struggles and challenges than I did while reading this book.
Ghostlines by Katya Balen
Another longlist nominee for the Wainwright’s Children’s Fiction Prize. I read and loved October, October (reviewed here) by Katya Balen a while ago, and this felt like a spiritual sequel. Ghostlines is the gripping story of Tilda who lives on Ayrie Island, and parts of it reminded of childhood adventures with the Famous Five or Swallows and Amazons but threaded with the mystery of Tilda’s missing brother, a new friend and a secret island to explore. I just couldn’t put down this thrilling story of family, islands, ghosts, storms, friendship, cats, dogs and puffins.
I had great plans for #middlegrademarch but I experienced my first reading slump and it ended up being a slower month than expected.
Amari and The Night Brothers by B. B. Alston
This is a fantastic middlegrade novel about Amari Peters, a young black girl, investigating the mysterious disappearance of her older brother. Amari’s investigations lead her to the Board of Supernatural Affairs, a clandestine boarding school and ministry for supernatural creatures and people with supernatural powers, where she discovers that she possesses powers beyond her wildest imaginings. This was such a gripping and fun read that really felt like a much more modern and inclusive Harry Potter, that explores race and prejudice, and I was rooting for Amari the whole way. This is the first part in a trilogy and I’m really looking forward to seeing where Amari’s adventures and investigations take her next.
The Hunt for the Golden Scarab by M. G. Leonard
I’d enjoyed Ice Children by M.G Leonard last year, and spotted this at my library after seeing it all over instagram. The Hunt for the Golden Scarab is the first book in the Time Keys duology following Sim, his enigmatic mother and his cousin, Jeopardy, who discover they can use music to open doors to the past and embark on an adventure to stop a rival faction of time travellers from acquiring a valuable and powerful artefact from the Egyptian Pharoahs. I found there was quite a bit of exposition describing how music can facilitate time travel, but this was a really fun adventure.
Crookhaven: The Island Heist by J. J. Arcanjo
The Crookhaven series have quickly become one of my favourite comfort reads combining daring heists with found family and friendship. Crookhaven is such a unique series, offering a fresh twist on the boarding school setting of so many children’s books, switching classes in art, P.E and computing classes for forgery, criminastics and hacking. I also really appreciate that in an ocean of ‘chosen one’ stories, this series promotes friendship and teamwork as the group of exceptional young thieves, hackers, athletes and forgers combine their skills to thwart their enemies and undertake heists.
Now It All Makes Sense by Alex Partridge
Alex Partridge was already a successful entrepreneur when he discovered that he had ADHD and has subsequently started a successful podcast interviewing various celebrities with ADHD and psychiatrists and psychologists who specialise in ADHD, and I found this book to be compassionate, relatable and humorous. My only gripe is that there’s two chapters on romantic relationships and I would have liked one on maintaining friendships as well as this is an area where I struggle, and there’s quite a lot of advice for those seeking to become entrepreneurs, which may work for some people, but is not a realistic option for everyone. There’s a good mix of personal experiences, research and practical advice in here, but I will always vehemently disagree with Alex about using the dishwasher as an extra cupboard!
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
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.
At the start of Spring, I greet every new flower like an old friend, glad to welcome them back after the long winter, they emerge one by one at first, then suddenly everything springs back to life at once filling our garden with flowers, greenery and wildlife.
This year has been a bit of a whirl so far. I returned to work in January, but almost immediately regretted it and started looking for another job. After a flurry of applications through February and interviews in March, I’m starting a new job this month. It’s a big shift as I’ve been with the same employer for eight years (give or take a year or two on maternity leave), by far the longest I’ve ever stayed in one place, but I was starting to feel a bit stuck and I’m hoping that this will be a fresh start.
At the grand old age of 40, I’ve also been diagnosed with combined type ADHD, which explains a lifetime of chronic distraction, forgetfulness, disorganisation, procrastination, impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, fidgeting and even sleeping problems that have effected me for as long as I can remember. I’m part of a so called lost generation of daydreamers, chatterboxes and fidgets who were missed because we didn’t fit the stereotype of disruptive, hyperactive children at school. I’ve known something was wrong since I started working 20 years ago, I’m still learning about ADHD but it’s a relief to know there’s support and treatment options. As my husband’s also an ADHDer, it means our daughters have a greater chance of having it than not, but hopefully they will have access to support we missed out on if they need it.
Speaking of whom, our kids are keeping us busy. Our 4 year old has always been little miss independent, and our youngest is trying hard to keep up with her big sister (with all the bumps and bruises to prove it). Our house is usually filled with shrieks of giggles as they chase each other around and wrestle on the floor, with only the odd squabble to sort out. We’ve been enjoying lots of puddle walks in the rain lately, playing in the park, trips to the beach and games in the garden, our weekends have been full of birthday parties, and we’re all looking forward to our summer holiday soon.
Our lovely old cat, Mara, is well enough, though starting to look her age with bald patches over her eyes. She spends most of her day snoozing in a variety of beds scattered around the house, but she’s still full of cuddles and sprightly enough to chase the red dot and feathery wands when she feels like it.
Very much hoping things will settle and slow down in the second half of the year, but as always when life feels busy or overwhelming, I’m steadying myself by counting my blessings and focusing on the people and things that always bring me comfort and joy, my little family, our garden, and nature.
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.
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.
February turned out to be a quick, hectic month and unusually I found myself reading all non-fiction.
Ten Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappe
Frustrated by mainstream journalism coverage of the most recent conflict between Israel and Palestine, I picked up this book by Israeli historian, Ilan Pappe, to try to learn more. Ten Myths About Israel challenges the narrative many of us have been taught to believe about Israel as a land without a people for a people without a land, Israel being the only democracy in the middle east, that zionism is Judaism, and the two state solution is the only hope for lasting peace. It’s not without controversy, as Ilan Pappe argues that consecutive Israeli governments have undermined the peace process by refusing to negotiate with Palestinian leaders and allowing illegal settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. Ten Myths About Israel provided the context that I was seeking and I appreciated that this offers a secular history which doesn’t hold all Jewish people or Israeli citizens responsible for the actions of extremists in government or the Zionist movement.
Scattered Minds by Gabor Mate
A really interesting read (or in my case, listen) from a psychiatrist who has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, which includes anecdotes and reflection from his own experiences as well as those of patients he’s worked with. Scattered Minds explains the symptoms and signs of ADHD, and examines the links between genetics, early childhood environment and neurobiology in individuals with ADHD. Gabor Mate argues that while there is a neurobiological aspect, that impaired parent-child attachment and environmental stress during the early years can also have an impact on the development of ADHD, and that we live in a fast-paced culture and society that exacerbates ADHD symptoms. This also contains advice on how to parent a child with adhd, such as how to build attunement and attachment, overcome oppositionality and stubbornness, and how to motivate a child with ADHD.
Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis
This is an collection of speeches, articles and interviews on related themes and topics from the prison industrial complex, the militarization of the police and institutional racism which has lead to so many black people being killed by the police force, the power of collective action and intersectional feminism, and the struggle for freedom and abolition from the United States of America to Palestine. Freedom is a Constant Struggle is an interesting, informative and thought-provoking little book that really left me wanting to read more of Angela Y. Davis’ work.
It’s Not That Radical by Mikaela Loach
This is a really interesting book by a young, black female environmental activist that draws connections between exploitation of land and resources that lead to climate breakdown and social issues like the exploitation of workers and racism. One thing I found really inspiring was the idea that climate justice means more than just preserving the status quo with green capitalism alternatives, and the climate emergency provides an opportunity to create a fairer, cleaner and healthier world for everyone, but I was a little disappointed that there weren’t more practical steps to take beyond joining a trade union or protesting.
Lovely and Grateful 
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