What I read this Summer

It’s been a strange summer. British summertime is tumultuous at the best of times, and this year was no different. I have been constantly talking about the weather, and if I’m not talking about it then I’m looking at the weather app. This probably been my most checked app on my phone and that is saying something. The most common phrase my husband has said to me as of late is “it’s not forecast to rain” as we stand huddled together in a doorway waiting for yet another storm to pass.

For someone who usually loves to read seasonally it’s not given the euro summer vibes I had hoped for. I’ve found myself floating between books trying to find what feels right for the moment.

Although I’ve not read half as much as I wanted, do we ever actually get to read how much we want to. I’ve not read as many brilliant books as I had hoped for (hopes too high maybe) I have managed to find a few gems.

As soon as I heard that Coco Mellors had a new book being released I preordered (like many others) instantly. I loved that The Blue Sisters cover was in keeping with Cleopatra and Frankenstein and it was probably the most anticipated book of my summer. I’ve seen such rave reviews and I’ll be honest I was so disappointed.

It follows 3 sisters who return to NYC a year after their sisters death to clean out their family apartment after their parents plan on selling.

I’m not sure whether it is because I am one of three sisters, (I’m the youngest) but I just could not mesh with any of the characters. Their dynamic jarred with me and I just couldn’t shake how (to me) the sisters felt one dimensional. It just failed to come to life. With each rave review I’ve wondered if I’ve missed something? Or maybe I had just gotten my hopes up too high.

Better by Far was another book that I had on preorder. Years ago when I lived in London Hayes first novel Out of Love was chosen for the book club I was part of, and it was great. Better by Far like her first, is a break up novel. The break up happens at the start of the novel much like in her debut. The rest of the novel you are just finding out the why feeling all the feels as the story unravels. This was the perfect book to read as it rained constantly outside.

I’m not sure how Hayes manages to get you so invested in a relationship when you know how it ends. I couldn’t help but feel sad when just glancing over to the book. For me Hayes manages to connect grief with the reader much better than Mellors did. Not to pit them against each other, just my personal thoughts.

It is hard not to see yourself in Hayes characters if you yourself have ever had to heal from a breakup.

All Fours was THE book that was all over my instagram, it was the book that was in every round up or shout out and when I saw it on offer on Kindle I snapped it up. I stopped everything else I was reading and opened it up. I know I’m not prudish, I know I have an open mind. But I could not get into this, sorry but I didn’t get the fascination. I love unlikeable women, I love unreliable narrators or those who are just odd. This was another level. I liked that the protagonist was a woman in her 40s, but that’s about all I liked about it.I loved the original concept (of what I thought the book was going to be about) travelling across country as a way of self discovery a mother away from her child and institution of marriage. I think most of my issue was that I could not connect to the main character, I didn’t find her mid life sexual crisis interesting in the slightest. In fact I decided to DNF.

I was sent an early copy of Sunstruck, the new novel that has won the MerkyPrize. It very much has Saltburn vibes as the young male protagonist spends his summer in France with his extremely wealthy university friend Lily. This book played in my mind like a movie, I can see and almost feel the characters. It is definitely a book of two halves, it does a fantastic job of being current and exploring relationships, race and money. I’ve got a lot to say on this novel.

I finally got to read Emma Cline’s book The Guest. Cline does an amazing job of writing a summer novel. We follow the protagonist Alex, 22, a somewhat complicated woman, she is in a relationship a much older rich man. Around him she sets out to please him and morph into a pleasant girlfriend role always anticipating his needs. After an insident at a party the older man distances himself from Alex with an off hand comment that he will “call her”. 

The story is told in a count down to his Labour Day party in 5 days time and how Alex plans on filling this time with nowhere to live, no money and no friends and soon no more pills all whilst on the run from Dom who she did something bad too, but I’m not sure we the reader are totally sure of.

Funnily I think that describing the plot in detail doesn’t even matter, the reason the novel is so powerful is the way it is written. It is chaotic and dark. Each page you’re totally on edge to what is going to happen without it feeling like a cheesy thriller. Don’t get me wrong, nothing happens and you the reader don’t learn anything about the protagonist but it’s almost like it doesn’t matter!

I also read Bellies, I have no idea how this found it’s way to my TBR but it was a really great read. It is heartbreaking and tender and everything you want from a coming of age/identity. It’s a love story/tragedy that shows the complexity of love, grief, gender and finding your own happiness. I thought that both the main characters Ming and Tom just felt so real. I’ve seen that Dinan has a second book optioned and I can see myself putting in a preorder.

what’s been your favourite read of the summer?

I’ve also summarised all the things I enjoyed in august not just books if you want to check it out here.