Everything I read in September
and other recent things I’ve been up to
Now if I’ve done my calculations right, then this is my 100th post. I can not believe that I’ve let myself waffle on 100 times. No, but seriously I’m actually really proud of myself for sticking this out. Substack is a funny one, sometimes it makes me feel like I’m screaming into the void and at other times I’m taking a huge plunge and actively engaging with an actual community of people.
I thought it was going to be hard to top August on the reading front which was by far my best month this year. But September was heavy hit after heavy hit. I loved that September bought me calm like August did not.
I did also read a few of the booker prize nominations, but I wrote about these separately. You can read about all of that here.
As always this newsletter exceeds the email length limit so please read via the app or online for the whole newsletter <3
Sepetember really inspired me on the reading front. But I for sure had some huge ups and downs. To think at the start of this year I had one of my biggest reading slumps ever. That’s why, whenever this happens (which is inevitable for me) I try to just lean in and wait for the storm to pass rather than panic too much. I wrote about my top tips of getting through a reading slump here.
The last few days of August I bought an insane amount of books (for me), I think its because it’s the first time nearly all year that I’ve actually bought books rather than relied on the library. I have an upcoming post on the pros and cons of my local library. Riveting I know!
Dream Count by Chimananda Ngozi Adichie I went into this book with very little expectations. I really enjoyed Americanah a book I want to reread very soon but I never managed to get into her novel Half a Yellow Sun. This is by far my favourite novels of Adichie’s. Each new POV I thought was my favourite until the next one came along. I love how expansive yet to the point Adichie is. The characters all weaved into each others lives quiet effortlessly time and time again I was blown away with the structure and effortless story telling. Although I feel that men can enjoy books about women I really see this connecting with women in a way that it might not for men. Regardless I think everyone should read and feedback to me please!
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante I wrote most of my thoughts and feelings on a separate post here. I feel like everyone has read this now or knows about it. I’m looking forward to slowly reading my way through the quartet. Would love to stumble on book 2 at a secondhand store and plan an Italian get away to fully immerse myself.
Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan a brilliant short piece of fiction. I found the recommendation from
as well as my husband who had previously read and loved. Based on transcripts of an interview with Sonia. It’s blurs what’s real life and what’s fiction. I loved the way that it was written in short chapters, to the point which, suited Sonia’s matter of fact personality. Of course it is a blur of fiction and auto fiction, the distinction between truth and imagination is extremely fluid for me. I thought that it was just a really refreshing read, both because of subject and the way in which the author explored telling Sonia’s story.
Slanting Towards the Sea by Lydia Hilje I picked this up in July but only got round to finishing. I loved the setting (Croatia) the premise was about Ivona and her life after setting her husband free from her fertility issues whilst caring for her father after he experienced a stroke. There is a lot of political commentary, something that I can’t say I know a lot about. I loved the part focusing on the foreclosure of Louvern the hotel and olive grove her father’s passion project. I even thought the deep dive into Olive oil was a really nice touch. But I suppose the main body of the book was about her divorce and lasting friendship with ex husband and new wife so when she meets another man it created an imbalance. I thought the love triangle/square just wasn’t gritty enough. Despite it being the main hook of the book it felt the least interesting part. There were many elements that had the opportunity to really reel me in and create a powerful compelling read but for me it wasn’t explored enough. I thought that it was still a very enjoyable summer read. I also can not get over how Hilje wrote the novel in her second language. Whilst I’m over here muddling over sentences in my native (and only) language.
Thirst trap by Grain O’Hare Irish humour for me is unmatched. This book seriously hit the spot for me. I was laughing and cringing on every page. Perfect for any woman near or in their 30s who is still figuring out life. It does the ideal balance of covering huge topics like death and grief, ED and drug abuse. O’Hare manages to effortless put on the page chemistry, quips and heartbreak. Thirst trap, as you can probably tell by the title isn’t a literary read but it is for sure one of the best easy-going-whilst-still-being-substantial.
Mother and Sons by Adam Haslett - I had been looking forward to this book for months, I wrote about it earlier in the year of one of my “can’t wait to read” in anticipation of its release. But I just couldn’t get into it, and when I went on to read other reviews which were gushing I went back and slogged through a few more chapters. This book was not for me. I found the characters so very dull. The pace was slow and there wasn’t anything reeling me in to actually want to read more. DNF at about 40% of the way through.
Ripeness by Sarah Moss - I got very invested very quickly. This is my first Moss novel and to be honest didn’t really expect much. I had this on my library hold list as I kept stumbling across the title mentioned everywhere! This had me truly sobbing. A very impactful novel, the narrator Edith tells the story of her sister Lydia and the birth of her baby boy. She is writing a letter to the son, incase one day he comes looking for his story after being placed in adotoption. The timeline jumps between present day when Edith is in her 60s to when she was 17 and her sister 19 before she goes off to university at Oxford. despite it flicking here and there it keeps power, heart and momentum. Personally it did for me everything Claire Adam’s Love Form did not.
Selfish Girls by Abigail Bergstorm - I find reading books about sisterhood a very difficult feat. As the youngest of 3 daughters all born within 3 years we have a very specific relationship. Not one that I’ve actually discovered any resemblance to in a book. Again this was another book that I was desperate to read and just felt a little let down by. Deja vu happened when I looked to other reviews that loved it. I felt the same with Blue Sisters, Tom Lake and Hello Beautiful, books that have all been received very well by others but have fallen flat in my opinion. This was my first novel I read of Bergstorm, someone who I follow on instagram and think she is so unbelievably cool, I am intrigued to read What a Shame her debut novel to understand whether we just aren’t a match? I am interested to see how her writing develops, like Dolly Alderton I didn’t really enjoy ghosts but the jump between that and Good material has made me look forward to any new writing. I wonder if Bergstorm writes about a different theme if I enjoy and connect with it better.
Dogs and Monsters by Mark Haddon - I had no intention of reading this but I picked up the audiobook when it came available through my library. It’s a collection of short stories and possibly the perfect eerie autumn vibes to start a new season. It helped that outside the weather was howling outside. I would say the first 3 stories I found very powerful but after that they weren’t as strong or impactful. Haddon is an author I would love to explore more.
Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
I have gotten into the habit of waitlisting audiobooks through the library that are a mixture of genres and periods in the effort to broaden my reading habits.
This fell on my lap quite literally on the 1st of the month. It was probably one of the best ways to start off September. Whilst others are heading into their dark academia recommendations I was stuck in the jazz age. Originally it was published anon, and I can see why. In 1929 the year of publishing it felt extremely ahead of its time covering topics like divorce (duh) abortion, casual sex and sexual assault.
It was read by Alissa Bennett, who’s voice for me fit the protagonist so perfectly it felt almost an immersive experience. However I totally understand that her voice might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The only part that I didn’t like being on audible was that there were so many quotes I wanted to highlight. The way the author navigates dialogue had so much charm. I’m really interested to read the physical book with a highlighter in hand.
Is it just me or do forewords throw you if you’ve not read the book before. I listened to the book first then went back and listened to the foreword, I feel that these are always written as if someone has picked up a well known (to them) classic and they overlook that many will be reading the book for the first time they include so many spoilers and facts that often it doesn’t land unless I’ve read the book. Anyway Bennet spoke a lot about Parrotts personal life, which seems totally mad. I would love to read more about her, her 4 divorces as well as all the predicaments she found herself in. I can’t help to think she had some huge demons going on. She had a baby whom she left with her sister and father in another country without telling her husband (the father) and didn’t go back to her son until he was 7 years old. I am finding that really hard to get my head around!
Parrott explores what it means to be young, not wanting to waste your youth and have the pressures of being a young attractive woman. I loved the descriptions she wrote about clothing and fashion, this isn’t something that I’ve managed to find in books of this detail and it felt like a true delight! She navigates female friendships as well as difficult relationships. and although it was written in the 20s it still has a way of connecting in todays world.
I was just so taken with Pat the protagonist feeling such empathy for her. Feeling that she was so young to be a wife, a mother of a baby that dies (not a spoiler) and then a divorcee (again not a spoiler). But also listening to her and feeling that she seemed so much more wise than I was at that age.
She served some heavy blows about being old and many other digs about being over 30, which made me feel incredibly ancient and insecure and although being grown up by 24 is outdated now I still feel that there is a lot of distain about being a woman past 30.
All in all it was a really really great novel. It made me want to drink manhattans and watch the world go by. Something about the way it was written inspired me to write. I feel that if you feel empathy or not for Pat and her journey through heartbreak and a joyless sexual liberation it will inevitably make you feel something.
I’ll be honest, August left me exhausted in every way that when September finally came a long it took me a couple of weeks to find the energy to do anything. My daughter started preschool and the whole getting uniform and the other 800 things you need to get ready was so much more overwhelming then it needed to be.
I’ve been really good at organising a handful of dinners to catch up with friends midweek. The juggle is somewhat exhausting but it’s also so nice being able to see friends before the weekend. I split my time between London and Oxford and see a post in the future full of recommendations.
I did start to plan the boring bits for Christmas, putting out feelers to siblings of any gift/wish list ideas for nieces and nephews (I have 5 on my side and 4 on my husband). All the tickets we need to buy, Santa’s grotto, pantomime as well as all the handmade things I want to make as well as buy from independent sellers. It takes a lot of prep if you want to shop small and avoid falling trap to Amazon & Temu. I also love spending the whole of December enjoying spending time with loved ones and embracing the festivities rather than be knee deep in shopping and organising. I have so many organisation tools/ideas, I’m not sure if this is something that interests you, but if it is let me know!
I’m still stumbling on TV shows on Apple TV+ that I am enjoying. I just finished season 1 of Bad Sisters which was an easy going enjoyable watch about a group of Irish sisters trying to murder their insidious brother in law. I also just started The Morning Show and loving season 1 so far. I’ve stopped my Netflix subscription and plan to pick it up in the new year hopefully with a huge list of shows and movies that have been released during my time “off.” So if there is anything you’ve loved over the last few months let me know and I can add to my TBW list.
I’ve really stepped back on watching TV, I’ve tried to fill my evenings with reading ,which tends to make me feel more relaxed than spending most of my evening frustrated searching for something to watch. So I’ve been reading my books, reading on here a lot and filling a worrying amount of time uploading and browsing Vinted.
Congrats on 100 posts!! Also Thirst Trap sounds awesome, ty 🙌
Happy 100th post, Emma. Great milestone!