Apologies for vanishing from Substack for a couple of weeks. Work and travel both seem to be like buses at the moment - nothing for a while then everything all of a sudden coming at once. I’ll fill you in on my recent travels in my next newsletter, but for now let’s focus on books!
This is my first addition of my brand new bumper book club newsletter. As mentioned in my last newsletter, I am shaking things up a bit and will now be sending out just one newsletter a month focused on books. The first half of which will be exactly the same as my previous book club ramblings - sharing reviews of my recent reads - while the second half will behind a paywall with exclusive content for my paid subscribers. This will include lists of books that I love and my musings on reading or particular genres, as well as the opportunity to receive personalised book recommendations from me. Paid subs (just £5 a month - think of it as buying me a coffee) will also gain access to my back catalogue of articles sharing book and travel recommendations.
So, what did I read over the past month? I’ve actually been reading much less than usual (although, because this newsletter is fashionably late, it feels like I’m reviewing quite a few books below). Since my last book club, I’ve read one disappointing book, two very good books and two excellent books that I’m going to be recommending to anyone who will listen.
Following my recent reviews, I’ll be sharing my all-time favourite summer reads, to help you prepare your summer reading list. I’m heading to Greece at the beginning of May, so this is something I’m thinking about myself at the moment (yes, I’m already considering what I would like to read beside the sea and adding paperbacks to my suitcase). And to finish this book club newsletter, I’ll be waxing lyrical about getting out of a reading slump.
Some of the books mentioned below were sent to me by the publishers to review (ad/pr). Most of the links below are affiliate links. This means I receive a small portion of the sale if you purchase a book via my link, but you will be charged exactly the same amount of money. Please note - I will only ever link to Amazon when I can’t find the book anywhere else.
Recent reads
Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly
I laughed out loud throughout this tale of a pair of queer siblings navigating life and relationships in New Zealand. The narrative of an unconventional family complete with a cast of intriguing characters reminded me a little bit of a Wes Anderson film, while the dry, witty humour and likeability of the characters kept me hooked throughout.
I found this to be very disappointing, and not at all what I was expecting. I mistakingly thought I’d stumbled across a British Station Eleven with the promise of a character-led dystopian read, but it just fell flat. I’ve since discovered that the author self published, so perhaps the book would have benefited from a good editor. The premise of a near-future UK radically changed due to climate change and increasingly right wing politics felt a little too close to home and drew me in, but I found the writing to be tedious and honestly was bored. I skimmed quite a lot of this book, especially the sections apparently written from the point of view of a poetric chorus of cows (yup).
This is the best book I’ve read so far this year. I read it at the beginning of March and am still thinking about it. To be honest, I’m not sure why I didn’t pick this up sooner (especially as several friends had recommended it to me). It partially focuses on idyllic, slow, off-grid living with a man taking his two young children to homestead in the woods. But there is a dark undertone to this tale that grows throughout, as ‘Daddy’ is involved in dodgy dealings and underground fighting and the menacing presence of a local landowner threatens to unravel the family’s otherwise peaceful existence. There are parts of this novel that I struggled to read, but I loved the main character and the setting, and can get past the violence. It also has the most beautiful cover of all the books I own.
This is wonderful and heart-wrenching, and unlike anything I’ve read before. You can instantly tell that Kaveh Akbar is a poet by his soulful writing. The story focuses on a young man who has had a very tough life, and his journey to New York where he connects with an artist whose final work dwells on her own mortality. The characters are wonderful, the plot will keep you hooked and you’ll feel bereft when you finally put the book down.
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak
Despite going through a bit of a reading slump recently (which I’m going to write about below) I flew through this book in one day. Admittedly, I did take the train to London and back that day, but it kept me gripped throughout my journey. It’s the story of Leila, a sex worker in Istanbul who dies at the very beginning of the story. The first part of the book is divided into Leila’s memories, as her brain keeps functioning for 10 minutes and 38 seconds after her death, delving into her devastating life story and the friends she made along the way. I was completely wrapped up in this part of the book, but the second and third parts (told from the POV of Leila’s friends in the aftermath of her death) did lose me a bit.
Currently reading: An Experiment in Leisure by Anna Glendenning
Next on my pile: Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
Going forward, the second part of my monthly book club newsletter will be available to paid subs only. Every month, I’ll be sharing lists of books I love, ramblings about reading, and opening up the comments for you to ask me for personal recommendations. You will also gain access to my entire back catalogue of travel and book articles, including my all-time favourite books and the top ten books I read last year.
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