Book of the Year (so far)

I find it hard to remember what books I have read in a month, never mind a year and then to have to narrow down which were my favourites?  Goodreads to the rescue.  What should have been a quick scroll back through this year's books went on a few tangents so I could click on various books to jog my memory.  Usually an indication that it's not going to make the short list for best book if I can't even remember what it was about.

These were the ones that stood out for me this year*.  

Fiction
Normal People by Sally Rooney
You know when your friend is seeing someone that doesn't treat them well?  This is like awkwardly eavesdropping on their entire messed up relationship.  You feel like you shouldn't be listening but you can't help yourself.  I've just read another of her books, Conversations with Friends and really enjoyed it too. 


Non-Fiction
2040 by Damon Gameau
I liked how this book gave practical examples of how we can all do something to help slow down climate change.  He doesn't gloss over how bad things are but when I finished this book I felt hopeful rather than depressed.

  * These books weren't necessarily published in 2019, I just happened to read them this year.

Unexpected item in the bagging area

One of the many things I miss from Ireland is newspapers, or more specifically the weekend newspapers.  I never had the time or inclination to read a daily paper but I did like the weekend papers, even if it usually took me the full week to finish them.  Newspapers here just don't compare and reading the Irish papers online doesn't have the same appeal.  I especially like the Review section of the Saturday Independent.  It covers a good range of topics and introduces things I would not otherwise stumble upon in my everyday life.  

My parents kept a stash of Reviews for me to read when I was home in July but a combination of jet lag and late nights meant that I didn't have the brain capacity to read them then.  I brought them back with me and put them in my to read box.  I used to put my to read stash on the bookshelf in the sitting room but the pile would look at me reproachfully when I was in the throes of a Netflix binge so I moved it to a box under the side table where it was out of sight but close at hand.  

Yesterday I was dusting (a rare enough occurrence) and whilst giving the lid a wipe, I opened the box to see how much was in there.  The excitement!  I had totally forgotten about the Reviews.  So what if some of the stuff is old and the events have already happened.  There are book reviews galore, recommendations for shows that will hopefully make it to Netflix here and articles that help paint a picture of what Ireland is like beyond the front page headlines.  I am beside myself with the unexpectedness of it all.    

Read Me

I'm a great woman for lists.  My favourite being my to read list.  I used to write it in my diary/notebook but a couple of years ago I started using www.goodreads.com as not only can I add in the books I would like to read, I also now have a list of books that I have already read.  Especially helpful when publishers decide to change the cover of a book and thus trick me into thinking that I haven't read it.  

When I head to the library I usually have a quick check of my to read list to see if  anything is available.  Today was the perfect storm - 5 of my to read books were available.  Considering I am already in the middle of a book, I should probably have opted for moderation and just taken one or maybe two, but moderation is overrated so I took the lot!  

For the foreseeable future my catchphrase is going to be "I'll just finish this page....".

Hooked

You know that feeling when you're reading a book that hooks you right from the start and you just want to keep reading it all the time and things like feeding children and going to work are mere distractions to get through as quickly as possible so you can get back to reading?  It happens all too rarely these days, maybe I need to pay more attention to the books I am choosing.  A Little Life and My Absolute Darling were the highlights of my 2017 reading but so far this year it was slim pickings until I came across Asking For It by Louise O'Neill. 

I flew through it, stopping only to throw the occasional after school apple to the kids.  It was brilliant and awful and terrifying all at once.  Forget Pride & Prejudice, Asking For It should be on the required reading list for secondary school students.  In this day and age, surely it's more important for young people to learn about consent than alliteration or pathetic fallacy.

April & May Book Review

Seriously late with this one and it's so long ago now that I read some of these that I'm struggling to remember them so going to keep it short and sweet.

Holding up the universe - Jennifer Niven
Better than The Fault in Out Stars but have decided I am not a big fan of teen lit.

Not that kind of girl - Lena Dunham
I find her funny if a bit self obsessed.  Recognised lots of storylines from Girls.

You, me and other people - Fionnuala Kearney
Was on the verge of giving up on this when it took an interesting turn.

Everyday sexism - Laura Bates
Grim but necessary reading.  Made me want to speak up so my kids' generation doesn't have as much of this rubbish to deal with (too much to hope for that they might not have to deal with it at all).

The blackbird sings as dusk - Linda Olsson
A gentle story of three people living in the same building whose lives intertwine.

The heart's invisible furies - John Boyne
A look at how Ireland has progressed in it's attitudes over the years.  Makes me glad I wasn't born back than and appreciate that things have for the most part vastly improved.

The secret diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 years old - Hendrik Groen
Not as funny as Ove but an interesting insight into the life of an older person.

 

March Book Review

March was a month of books I picked and books that were picked for me.  Never a bad idea to try something new, it can broaden your horizons and give you an insight into your friends that no facebook quiz or personality test ever will.

A man called Ove - Fredrik Backman
A friend recommended this book and I'm glad she did as having not had a great first experience with this author, I probably wouldn't have read it without a push.  Ove is a grumpy old fecker that you can't help but like.  The number of times I agreed with him on something made me wonder if there is a grumpy old fecker deep down inside of me.

Blood Salt Water - Denise Mina
I've read a few of her books.  They always deliver.

The Children Act - Ian McEwan
This was not a very cheery read, covering topics like marital breakup, family court rulings and the right to choose to refuse medical intervention.  That said, I did enjoy it.  The main character wasn't that endearing at times but the description of her was so vivid I could nearly see her.

Miss Treadway and the field of stars - Miranda Emmerson
This was a book club pick.  Doubt I would have read it otherwise, not that there is anything wrong with it, just have lots of other books I would choose to read first.  It is set in London in the sixties and doesn't shy away from the attitudes of the time to women and immigrants.  It makes me very glad that I was born when I was.  It also made me realise how much I take for granted in terms of things like access to contraception, educational expectations and the right to choose a partner based on who I want to live with and not who society expects me to pick.  I found it plodded a bit in the middle and I wasn't that invested in finding out what happened to the missing character.  

All the bright places - Jennifer Niven
This was recommended by a friend, she had read Holding up the Universe first but apparently this is the author's first book so I started with this.  From quite early on I was getting a distinct "The fault in our stars" vibe from it.  I plodded on but half way though I just wasn't feeling it so skipped to the end to find out what happened.  Even then I didn't care much.  Just started Holding up the Universe and enjoying it much more, so far anyway!   

 

Things they don't tell you in the baby books

I have a new baby nephew who is cuteness personified.  Unfortunately I won't get to meet him in person for another 8 months so Skype will have to suffice till then.  It made me think back to when my kids were babies.  When your children are born you think about what you will pass on to them.  Will they have your eyes or your temperament?  What balls will be picked for them in the genetic lottery?  Then there are other more subtle things you pass on.  The phrases your child repeats back to you.  "No Mammy, that's your responsibility".  "I'm hungry like the wolf".  The urge to make lists and bring order to a messy pantry shelf (though sadly this urge does not lead to bedrooms being tidied).

When you have kids there are physical changes too. I'm not just talking about the mummy tummy or the stretch marks.  I'm talking about the inability to eat greasy foods without being stricken down by indigestion.  The emotions, my god the emotions!  I was never much of a one for crying at sad movies before I had kids.  Afterwards?  I was off at the drop of a hat.  I thought it would settle down once the hormones leveled themselves out but no. I've gotten a bit better at holding it together but anything sad to do with kids or those homecoming videos Aer Lingus like to post around Christmas and I'm gone.  Thank goodness for waterproof mascara.

This morning there were optimum conditions for a lie in.  The house was dark, empty and most importantly childless.  The bed was warm, cosy and inviting.  So why in the name of God was I wide awake at 10 to 7 on a weekend morning when most week days I am wrecked and dragging my tired self out of bed?  When you have kids you lose your ability to have a lie in.  Even if you were a deep sleeper before you find yourself sleeping with one ear open, even when they are not in bloody house!  They don't tell you that in the books do they? 

January & February Book Review

Even when life gets in the way (in a good way), the books keep coming.  Here are the books I read in Jan & Feb.  Thankfully I had www.goodreads.com to help me remember.

All the light we cannot see - Anthony Doerr
An enjoyable read.  The story flowed well with the different stories running alongside each other without jarring.  Didn't delve too deeply into the ideology which was good as I preferred the focus on the individual characters.   

Rushing Woman's Syndrome - Dr Libby Weaver
I read this book in stages. Some bits I flew through, others were more of a slog. Despite biology being one of my favourite subjects in school, I found the science parts quite dry so I tended to skim them if I was tired.  It was an interesting read but in hindsight, I should have had a notebook by my side to jot down things I wanted to remember.  Probably one that you would need to keep to refer back to as there is so much information, its impossible to remember it all. 

 

Dear Mr. M - Herman Koch
This was very much a case of disappointing second book (not necessarily the author's second book but the second of his books that I have read). I really enjoyed The Dinner, total page turner, so I was expecting great things but unfortunately this did not deliver. It was very slow moving and the suspense he was trying to build up never really materialised. I struggled to finish it and when I did, I felt like I had wasted my time. Don't waste yours reading this.

 

Hitman Anders and the meaning of it all - Jonas Jonasson
I really like his books.  They are an easy read with a nice pace and enough of a story to counter the at times farcical humour. Only problem is that now I've read all his books. Here's hoping a new one is in the pipeline.

 

The Street - Bernadine Bishop

This was ticking along nicely, not what you would describe as a page turner but not bad enough to discard either.  Then it was as if the author realised she had a deadline to meet so she just flung an ending together and that was it.  I turned the last page and went "what?".  One to avoid unless you like random cobbled together bits stuck in at the last minute.

The Lubetkin Legacy - Marina Lewycka
Another author I am a big fan of.  I started with "A short history of tractors in Ukrainian" which I thoroughly enjoyed and have also read a couple of her other books.  Her books and those of Jonas Jonasson are similar in style so I suppose it stands to reason that I would like them both. 

 

December Book Review

The fault in our stars - John Green
I put this on my to read list so long ago that I had no idea what it was about by the time I picked it up in the library.  It was in the teen/young adult section which made me a) wary and b) question why I would have put it on my to read list.  Anyway it wasn't all teenage angst and "like" being every second word.  Not that I am one to talk.  I have been known to use an excessive number of likes on occasion, but I digress.  When I finished the book and looked back on the sad demise of one of the characters, it struck me that I hadn't been particularly affected by it, which made me wonder if I have become particularly heartless in my old age.  I think it was more that it seemed inevitable and having been braced for someone to die, it wasn't as huge a shock when someone did.  It was an easy enough read, didn't grab me enough for me to recommend it but I didn't dislike it either.

The casual vacancy - J.K Rowling
I have not read the Harry Potter books, partly because I am a grown up and partly because I have no interest in wizards/magic themed books.  I picked this up on a whim in my local bookshop figuring there must be some talent involved in writing such popular books.  I found it quite descriptive which I am not a huge fan of and the pace could have been a bit quicker for my liking.  That said, there were enough juicy little breadcrumbs dropped to keep me interested and wanting to finish it.  If I were to consider reading another of her books it would need to be a lot shorter with a livelier pace. 

Making it up as I go along - Marian Keyes
I love Marian Keyes.  She could write the phone book and I would still read it, she can do no wrong in my eyes.  I hear her voice when I read her books and though I have never met her, I feel like I know her.  Particularly so with this book as it is a series of articles and posts rather than a story.  Looking forward to her next book whenever it comes along. 

 

November Book Review

November has been a slow book month or rather a slow reading month.  Either way, slim pickings this month. 

The girl on the train - Paula Hawkins
I started this after finishing a truly awful book (see October Book Review) so I was desperately in need of a good read.  This did not disappoint.  Lots of good twists and turns that were not obvious from a mile down the road. I'm really hoping that this is not a one hit wonder as would definitely like to read more from her. 

The Son - Jo Nesbo
Good old Jo Nesbo, he always delivers.

Bridget Jones's Baby - Helen Fielding
When I read the first Bridget Jones book back when it first came out, I didn't take to it or to her as a character. I found her a bit whingy and self obsessed. I read it again a few years later and maybe it was the fact I was older (or maybe I was self obsessed by that stage too) but it resonated with me more second time round. This was a bit of fluff really, I preferred Mad about the Boy but this was a nice easy on the brain read which was exactly what I needed at the time.

Too lazy to add the links, go to Good Reads for more info.

 

 

October Book Reviews

These are the books I read in October and here is what I thought of them.

My grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry - Fredrik Backman
I tried, I really did.  The first few chapters were good, starting to build the story and the characters.  Then it took a sideways turn into la-la land and still I persevered.  After another few chapters I realised I was skim reading through so much that I was skipping half the book and there wasn't really much point continuing so I abandoned it.

The Wonder - Emma Donoghue
I really liked Room.  I thought it was well written, didn't glamorise the subject matter and yet told the story in a way that made you want to keep reading it.  I've read another of her books, Frog Music and liked it too so I started The Wonder in a very positive frame of mind.  It didn't last.  The story itself was ok, she captured the hold the church had (has?) on people living in Ireland but I found it really hard to take to the main character.  Towards the end she seemed more human but for most of the book she was pretty unlikeable.  There was a bit too much "begorrah bejapers" for my liking too.    

Blood on snow - Jo Nesbo
What can I say, I'm a fan.  I have been fooled before by the "the next Jo Nesbo" written on the front of a book but there is nothing like the original.  Don't think I have read a book of his yet that I didn't like. 

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared - Jonas Jonasson
I am loving Jonas Jonasson books at the moment.  The first one I read was The girl who saved the King of Sweden and really enjoyed that.  Next on my hit list is Hitman Anders and the meaning of it all.  His books are really easy to read, funny and interesting at the same time.

Craving - Helen Hardt
Utter shite.  Only read it as my book club picked it.  Spent so much time rolling my eyes that I'm surprised I didn't detach my retinas.  This line from the first paragraph will give you an idea of how bad it was - " Who wouldn't want to meet a couple of ruggedly handsome cowboys who were also billionaires from their ranch and wine business?".  It went downhill from there......

Girl Up - Laura Bates

I read a book review and if I like the sound of it, I put it on my to read list.  Sometimes it takes a while before I actually get my hands on the book so I have forgotten what it is about by the time I get it.  This was one of those books, but a quick glance at the blurb on the back cover told me all I needed to know.  How could I not be intrigued by a book that in it's own words contains "feminist limericks, colour-by-numbers genitalia and dancing vaginas"?

I liked this book.  It was an easy and informative read and made me think about things like everyday sexism (the author's other project) and the double standards that exist for women and men.  Since reading it, a couple of times my antenna has gone up as I picked up on a throwaway comment or an excuse given for a blatantly offensive aside.  I find I am noticing other things too, like the un-natural, could only exist in the land of photoshop body shapes pictured in magazines.  It would be laughable if it wasn't so prevalent. 

My challenge to myself is the next time I hear someone make a sexist remark I'm going to Girl Up and call them out on it.  The revolution starts here!

Book Club

I am usually more of a fiction reader but lately I seem to be hitting up the non-fiction shelves.  Not sure if it's that the fiction I am reading is not really holding my attention or if I have just stumbled onto books whose topics interest me.  I always wondered at people who could read two books at once, probably because I presumed them both to be fiction.  Somehow at the moment I have three books on the go, which is very unlike me. 

When I was younger I always finished every book I started, even if I didn't particularly enjoy it, it was like a point of principle.  Then I realised that life is way too short for me to read all the books I actually want to read so why would I waste time on books that I didn't enjoy?  Now I'm pretty ruthless.  If a book is not grabbing me after the first few chapters, back down the library returns chute it goes.  I'm also a pretty accomplished skim reader (yes, yes the clouds tumbled overhead like mascara stained cotton balls, get on with it).

I'm thinking of starting a book club but need to settle on a few books I would like to read first.  At home I used to get my book wish list from reviews I would read in the weekend papers but the books that get reviewed in my local paper here rarely make it onto my wish list.  So I'm looking for recommendations.  What was the last good book you read? 

  

Talking about book clubs reminded me of something I saw recently on Waterford Whispers which cracked me up.  I do plan to read some books in book club, honestly!!

A mindfulness guide for the frazzled - Ruby Wax

Mindfulness is something I've heard about sporadically over the last few years, from reading articles and from friends who have done mindfulness courses.  I tended to think of it as something that required lots of time and quiet, neither of which I have a large supply of. 

The title of this book appealed to me and I quite like Ruby Wax, particularly when she's discussing a more weighty topic.  I started out well, faltered a bit on the scientific how the brain works part and then sailed through to the end.  The personal anecdotes were a nice touch and I liked the conversational tone of the book.  It includes notes for a 6 week mindfulness course.  I did try some of the exercises but like any form of exercise, not everything is going to appeal to everyone.  It's good to try out a variety so you can pick and choose which are going to work best for you as an individual.  I liked the way that there wasn't a presumption that everyone would automatically like doing every activity.  There were options if you were a gym person, someone who commutes to work, basically anywhere you could possibly grab a couple of minutes to focus and there was a mindfulness exercise to fit.

I've been doing yoga for a while now so quite a few of the exercises were familiar to me.  I was already practicing mindfulness without even realising - bonus!  The main things I took from the book was that it is important to find the time to stop, take a breath and spend a minute or two mentally checking in to see how you are doing that day.  Mental health is often neglected and it can have such a huge impact on every other aspect of our lives so its never a waste of time to make sure your mind is in good shape.  In this age of having it all, yolo, fomo and all the other ones that end in o, we should all be a bit nicer to ourselves and each other.  No-one is perfect so why should I be any different? 

Hands Free Mama - Rachel Macy Stafford

I was looking for a different book when I came across this one.  I think I spend enough time with my kids but have been thinking lately about the quality of the time I spend with them.  So I thought I would give this book a go.  I've only read the first few chapters so far and I will admit I did have to filter out some of more happy clappy suggestions and the God stuff but it's never a bad idea to consider a new way to do things even when you don't agree with everything the author puts forward. 

I did well the first day.  I stayed well clear of the laptop (my device of choice) and spent time with the kids helping them to put together a model dinosaur.  Day two I still avoided technology but got on with a few more household chores because at the end of the day, everyone still needs clean clothes and dinner.  Day three and yep, I'm back on the laptop.  We've had a friend staying so I've had two late week nights and I'm feeling a bit lacking in energy.  Let's face it, it's more pleasant to hide behind the screen than interact with two cantankerous children.  But that's really the point isn't it, to change old habits and get out from behind the laptop. 

So after a cup of tea and a sneaky piece of chocolate to fuel me out of my afternoon slump, I gathered the kids together to start planning a crazy hat for crazy hat day in school.  All the grumpy griping disappeared and they got really involved in coming up with ideas for how the hat could be decorated and what materials they could use to do it.  It only took some occasional steering from me and they worked away happily themselves.  By giving a little of my time and attention, the grumpy shouty afternoon that had been ahead of us was neutralised and instead, all three of us had a productive and pleasant afternoon.  This hands free mama lark may be worth exploring more.

Dark Places - Gillian Flynn

I really liked Gone Girl, it was one of those books I just flew through, enjoying all the twists and turns along the way.  So when I came across Dark Places I was eager to read another Gillian Flynn novel.  Unfortunately it didn't quite hit the mark for me.  I found all the chopping and changing a bit annoying.  Possibly I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for having to remember what happened in the chapter before last - life was particularly busy when I was reading it so my attention span probably wasn't what it could have been.  Ultimately I finished it without the sense of satisfaction I had while turning the last page of Gone Girl.  Don't you hate when you're all psyched up to love a book but it just doesn't deliver.

 

Bookworm

I love to read.  I don't do it as often as I would like to but I am my own worst enemy when it comes to time management and prioritising.  When I read a review of a book I like the sound of, I write the name and author into my diary with a view to picking it up when it has been published/next time I am in the library/book shop. 

At the start of the year I was transferring over birthdays and important dates from my old diary to my new one, when I came across my list of books from last year.  None of them had been crossed off as being read.  Now, its not like I didn't read any books last year.  I always have a book on the go, in fact I get a bit panicky if I am near the end of one book and don't have another one waiting to be read.  Yet somehow I have not managed to read any of the books on my not very long to be read list.  Not good, not good at all. 

Do I need more interesting books on my list or do I need to find ways to sneak more reading into my day?  I had a few misses with my choices of books last year.  I am learning not to be sucked in by the description "the new Jo Nesbo".  Several pretenders to the throne have drawn me in for a chapter or two only to disappoint and be rejected.  I tried to read The Luminaries but despite all the accolades, I struggled to wade through the vast and laborious descriptions and ultimately abandoned it halfway through.  Life is too short to read the books I want to read, why waste time on the books I don't enjoy. 

Here is my to be read list so far:

The girl in the spider's web - David Lagercrantz
I'm travelling alone - Samuel Bjork
The boy at the top of the mountain - John Boyne
The heart goes last - Margaret Atwood
The reader on the 6.27 - Jean-Paul Didierlaurant

So what was the best book you read in 2015 and what is on your hit list for 2016?