May Newsletter #03
May in the UK is full of bank holidays, which I am delighted about. I’ve planned weekends away a couple of day trips booked lots of new eat outs. I’m trying to make the most of any time off! Just fingers crossed the weather complies, this cold and rain has gone on far too long. Below is a walk from earlier this week, I love the colours this time of year brings.
Now I’m back at work my reading has begun to slow down, there are less pockets of time that I can just read or listen to a chapter or two. I do think it has meant that I am a lot more particular about what I read, if it doesn’t cut it after 100 pages I abandon. A few years back I would feel massive guilt for not finishing a book and I have no idea why.
The Women’s Prize for Fiction short list came out last week and I’m shocked that Wandering Soul’s didn’t make it on there, it is probably one of my favourite books of the year. In fact not one of the long list books I read made it to the short list. I’m going to read a couple of the short list books, I’ve already bought The Marriage Portrait and am interested in Trespasses.
I also tried to dedicate a lot of time before maternity leave was over to reading as much as I could, without giving myself book burnout. In the final days of breastfeeding I was powering through my kindle 99p reads and finished Notes of an Execution, The Push and Oh My God, What A Complete Aisling. I made an attempt at reading as many of the Women’s prize for fiction books as I could/that I was interested in and I finished (our bookclub choice) Wandering Souls, Bandit Queens and Stone Blind. Other than Wandering Souls I’ve not yet been blown away.
But I’ve also called it a day on books that I’m not into like Frankenstein (sorry I just can’t do it!) Franny and Zooey (reached almost the end and gave up!) It’s totally normal to not enjoy books that lots of people rave about and that’s totally fine, I do struggle with feeling that I’m not well read due to not really enjoying classics fiction. But I feel that once you know what you like then why try and be someone you’re not?
5 New Books I’m Excited To Read
My Wishlist and TBR pile is getting larger and larger I wanted to share some of the books I’m most excited about reading. Not all of them are new releases but some might be new to me. I did a book order including some of these and sent them to the wrong address so unfortunately going to have to wait a little longer to read. I’ve included 5 as I’ve not actually read any of them yet. As soon as I do I’ll feedback.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
You can read the synopsis here
461 pages
I’m really keen to get into a book series, I loved reading a collection of books when I was reading Harry Potter and The Hunger Games and to be honest I haven’t really read another series since. I find it hard to commit to a full series if I’m not fully invested. Usually I don’t gravitate towards fantasy fiction but I’m ready to try something new. I’ve heard amazing things and as the second book is already out if I like it then I can move straight onto the second.
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
You can read the synopsis here
336 Pages
I have this book saved on my audible waiting for the release which I think happens this month. I love books that are borderline vulgar and have non apologetic female protagonists. The only thing that is stopping me downloading on audible is that I love the cover artwork so think I would enjoy the hard copy for my bookshelf too. I’m hoping it gives Animal by Lisa Taddeo vibes.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
You can read the synopsis here
300 Pages
I put this on my to be read pile after reading Roxanne Gay’s review, since then Reese Witherspoon has chosen it as her April book club. Which, for me sometimes spoils the excitement. Reese’s bookclub is very hit or miss for me. I see pictures of this book constantly pop up on my instagram feed, with rave reviews.
Yellowface by R F Kuang
You can read the synopsis here
350 Pages
This is another that has been all over my instagram feed, not only do I think the cover art is fantastic I love the premise. It gets published mid month so I might purchase with next months pay. I’m always drawn to an unreliable female narrator and I’ve read so many reviews that makes me feel that this book will not disappoint. The reviews online are so polarised which I think means that the author is exploring something new and exciting.
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
You can read the synopsis here
145 Pages
This has been on my kindle for months and I have no good excuse to why I’ve not read it. It’s a great length to get stuck into, binge in one sitting and I’ve heard such great things. I have an awful track record of not reading books by men, after reading mainly white men throughout school and college when I reached university and my reading list was fully white men. I didn’t actually take control and curate a variety of books until then, which baffles me why I waited so long. But I feel that I’ve taken it too far and gone the opposite way and not read a male author in nearly a year.
May Bookclub Read
A huge thank you to anyone who has been reading along and reached out to me with your thoughts about the bookclub reads. It really does mean a lot to me, especially as right now lets be honest this is a small community.
For May I’ve chosen a book written by a male author, as I spoke about earlier I really want to read more male writers, I have been finding lots of similarities in the books that I have been reading recently and I’m wondering whether it is because they are all written by women?
Therefore I have chosen Small Joys by Elvin James Mensah
A bit about the book -
An unexpected friendship saves a young man's life in this moving, utterly charming debut about chosen family, the winding road to happiness, and the grace of second chances.
A bit about the author -
I couldn’t find a lot online about the author, it was also the same quote on every website. Elvin James Mensah was born and raised in South East London. He graduated from Bournemouth University, where he began writing his first novel, Small Joys
pages in book -
320
If you have a book that you are interested in for bookclub and would like to submit your suggestion please reach out :)
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