Spring Reading List

I tend to read books quite randomly but I do enjoy making seasonally appropriate picks. I'm not even sure all of these are particularly ideal for Spring but I have my reasons! 

Let me explain…

I know y'all like to look at the lovely covers (and judge them accordingly) as much as I do, so here's some close ups:

This one is for my book club at the end of the month. Sebastian Barry has been a finalist in the Man Booker prize twice now and it's about time that I picked this particular one up, which I'm hearing great things about. it's described as:

An intensely poignant story of two men and the makeshift family they create with a young Sioux girl, Winona, Days Without End is a fresh and haunting portrait of the most fateful years in American history and is a novel never to be forgotten

I actually have two books to read for that one particular book club and this is the second. Completely different to the first as this one is a real story of a neurosurgeon, diagnosed with lung cancer. He describes the experiences throughout the book of going from saving lives to accepting the imminent loss of his own and is supposed to be both a heartbreaking and eye-opening read. Those two are both coming on holiday with me!

This is by the same author as I Let You Go, which was a big deal amongst reading circles for all of last year. I read that one and was completely floored by the twist in the tale so I was intrigued to read her next book, I See You. I've started this one and it's a bit slow to get going but I'm hoping it picks up. This is another thriller. A woman discovers by accident that someone has put her photo into the classifieds section of a newspaper, she's a bit freaked out but puts it out of her mind. That is until other women whose photos are featured next to hers begin to be attacked. 

I've had this on my tbr (to be read) shelf for a while now and for some reason I've decided to pick it up and start it now. I feel like Drew is a Spring sort of person! Basically it's her memoirs to date. 

This is an advanced reader copy of The Witchfinder's Sister, hence why the cover looks like that- the one in store looks way fancier. This has just been released this month and I'm already completely hooked- I'm fascinated by the witch trials in Salem (especially after visiting there the year before last) and this book is focused on the witch hunt of 1640 in England. I love historical fiction and this one is a thriller to boot so you can be sure I'll be reviewing this!

Paper Girls, Volume 2! I only read the first one last month and quickly became obsessed. This is set in 1988, on Halloween night. Four teenage girls who deliver newspapers in their neighbourhoods (hence, paper girls) end up becoming a force to be reckoned with when, seemingly, the apocalypse begins. I can't wait to get stuck into this and see what happens next! 

I also have some great psychological thrillers on my kindle that I'm absolutely ploughing through! I have my reading mojo back at last!

Have you any books put aside in a special Spring pile?!

Have you read any of these?

To the comments! 

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Book Review | A Man With One Of Those Faces

A couple of months ago I was asked if I wanted a copy of A Man With One Of Those Faces to read and review. It was described to me thusly:

"Award-winning Irish TV writer and comedian Caimh McDonnell's debut novel, A Man With One Of Those Faces, has recently been published. It's a pacy crime thriller set in his home-town of Dublin and it mixes well crafted storytelling with dashes of distinctly dark Irish wit. One of the main characters is a kick-ass nurse who, whilst it's not explored in the novel, would probably have very fancy pants!".

Now, that is an introduction! 

Needless to say, I gratefully accepted a copy and got reading as soon as I could.

Paul Mulchrone is the sort of fella that wears an extra three jumpers in Winter instead of turning on the heat. He's a cheapskate and is also down on his luck. He's doing community service of sorts in a nursing home, pretending to be the long lost son of several confused residents when a dying man mistakes him for an enemy and tries to kill him. 

He thinks this is the last of his bad luck until another attempt is made on his life and it's then that he must go on the run and simultaneously figure out why people have it in for him. 

Luckily, a nurse from the nursing home, Brigit, feels guilty about the initial injuries he sustained and vows to stay by his side and help him solve the mystery. She has a bit of an obsession for true crime stories and fancies herself a bit of an amateur detective. She's also well versed in Dublin gangland sagas, which ultimately comes very much in handy. 

While those two are gallivanting around, Detective Jimmy Stewart (not that one) is trying to find them before someone makes a third, successful attempt on Paul's life. 

This is one of the wittiest, well written books I've read in a really long time. The dialogue between all of the characters flows beautifully and sings from the pages. And that's another thing, the characters were so well developed that I felt like I had a really good grasp on their motivations, so even when the plot could have been considered far fetched, it was still completely believable. I can see this making an excellent film or TV adaptation, as it would work well in either medium. 

I deducted a point in my rating for this book on Goodreads because I felt that at times, there was so much detail that it slowed the story somewhat. That said, I enjoyed reading the book throughout, so it didn't impact how much I relished reading Paul and Brigit's adventures and the ending had me glued to my kindle, making me late for the cinema!

If you enjoy Irish wit, drama, thrillers, crime, unsolved mysteries and dark humour, then this is very much the book for you. I was really sad to get to the end of this one and have no more Paul, Brigit, Jimmy and Bunny to read about so I was delighted to hear that Caimh is writing a sequel!

You can find it HERE on Amazon if you want copy for yourself!

Does this sound like your cup of tea?

What are you reading right now?!

To the comments!

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*This book was provided free of charge for review. This is not a sponsored post and as always, all opinions are my own. Even the terrible ones. 

Recently Read: December & January.

Oh, I've read some truly excellent books over the last two months. Some have been Christmas themed so I won't go into depth on those reviews cause let's face it, no one wants to read them now but just in case you want ideas for next year (you're fierce organised, if so), they'll be at the end. The rest are book club picks, new releases, books I've had on my TBR (to be read) list for ages and some were audio books that took several months of terror to get through (I'm looking at you, It. You prick). 

Himself by Jess Kidd

Although this is a relatively new release, I managed to get it at the start of January on my Library app, for free! I must do a post about that actually, cause there are some great books to be found on it. Anyway, Himself is set in Co. Mayo in the 1970's. When Mahony, a mysterious young man with, it has to be said, a very sexy swagger, shows up in search of his long lost mother, he causes quite the upset in the small and unsettling village of Mulderrig. Mahony was abandoned by his teenage mother as a baby and after that she was never seen or heard from again. He joins forces with an elderly, flamboyant actress who knew his mother and believes she was murdered and piece by piece they begin to work out what actually happened to her all those years ago.
Along with her assistance, he also has the added help/hindrance of his own ability to both see and communicate with the dead and they have plenty to say for themselves, as Mulderrig starts to give up its secrets. It sounds very dark but it's peppered throughout with humour and real Irish-isms that had me chuckling away to myself. I'd actually describe it as a cross between Agatha Christie and Father Ted, I've honesty never read anything like it and I loved every second of it. It's masterfully written and I was distraught when I realised I was coming to the end. I know for some, the added element of the supernatural might not sit well with them but I felt it was perfectly placed in this novel- it already has such a creepy vibe that it made perfect sense. Definitely one to read and Jess Kidd is an author to watch out for.

One by Sarah Crossan

This is a YA novel but it's one of those ones that's surprisingly well suited for an older audience too. Grace and Tippi (named after Hitchcock heroines- LOVE) are conjoined twins, joined at the waist and somehow defying modern medicine by still being alive at 16 years old. They share everything and never want to be apart but unfortunately their health has other ideas and the pressure to separate begins to loom over them. The book follows their lives up to making the choice of whether or not to separate and for a little while afterwards too. What I loved about it was that the author really showed their individual personalities- I felt like I got to know them both and also it was interesting and rare to read a book with protagonists living with this condition. This is a quick but heartbreaking read. Prepare to weep, uncontrollably. 

Holding by Graham Norton
This was the big book release towards the end of last year. Graham Norton won an award for Holding at the Irish Book Awards (which I was at and got to see him speak- he's even funnier in real life) and so I was really excited to read his first work of fiction. Holding is set in a small, fictional town in West Cork (write about what you know, I guess) where Sergeant PJ Collins is shaken from his comfortably quiet and dull position of village police chief by the discovery of human remains on an old farm. They're suspected to be that of Tommy Burke- a village Lothario that disappeared well over a decade ago, leaving the lives of two local women, Evelyn and Bríd changed forever. Duneen's inhabitants are seemingly hiding plenty of secrets, lies and resentments that will inevitably be revealed in order to find both the victim and the killer. I enjoyed this book. It moves along at a good pace and it's witty, moving and well written. I'm looking forward to reading Graham's next book, whenever that may come along!

Monsters by Emerald Fennell
Emerald Fennell is that lovely red-haired actress from Call The Midwife and lo and behold, she has more than just acting ability, she's also a rather brilliant author. I wasn't sure when I started this if it was a YA novel or not because it's written from the perspective of a very morbid 12 year old girl. Having said that, it's very dark and takes some grim turns that I might not want any teenagers reading about. Anyway, this girl (we never learn her name), is staying with her extremely unpleasant aunt and uncle in their B&B for the Summer. Her parents have recently mysteriously died on a cruise ship and so she's an orphan.So she's stuck in this miserable guest-house by the sea.
She's already bored when a woman's body shows up, naked and bloated in a fisherman's net.
She's a weird kid, to be honest. Obsessed with serial killers, murder in general and she enjoys causing trouble and upset to others. Everyone seems to dislike her so she has no friends, that is until Miles, a similarly odd 12 year old boy comes to stay with his mother. He also has an eerie fascination for death and murder and so the two join together to find the killer. There's a whole host of creepy characters and disturbing events in this book with a slightly shocking ending that Fennell has left wide open for a sequel. This was definitely not what I was expecting when I picked up this book and I half fear that it may stay with me for quite some time to come. I definitely want to read more from Emerald Fennell though, she's another great author to watch out for.

It by Stephen King

I'd been planning on reading this book for years after accidentally seeing and being horrified by some of the film adaptation as a child. I'm also a big King fan so it seemed like a glaring omission in my pile of read books that I had still to tackle It. I say tackle because it's huge. I started listening to it on Audible in October (for Halloween) and finally finished in December. I veered wildly from enjoying it, to being genuinely terrified, to being emotional, to being disgusted and nauseated and then right back to being amused. That's just classic King though and this beast is no exception. And I mean beast in every possible way.
So, in case you don't know, It is set in small town Derry, Maine where a group of school kids must do battle with an omnipresent, ancient evil that takes the guise of your biggest fear; sharks, spiders, insects, an Egyptian Mummy, a werewolf, blood, homophobia, powerful bullies, child abuse and of course, clowns. Oh yes, clowns. Lots to be scared of here and honestly, there are so many moments that completely stopped me in my tracks where I just couldn't keep walking until I got to where the kids get away…if they were going to.
The book is broken into two parts- set in the 60's when they are kids and fight It for the first time and again in the 80's where they must all return to Derry as adults and fight the unspeakable evil again. As always with King, this is an odyssey. There are novels within novels in there- invented and lengthy histories of the town of Derry where It shows up every 27 years to wreak havoc and take as many lives as possible. I'm struggling even to review this properly because it really was such an experience. My one gripe is parts of the ending which left me loudly exclaiming "WTF!"several times. That said, if you're a King fan and a horror fan, you really do need to read this. Otherwise, do not put yourself through all the mini heart attacks!

My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood*

Kate Rafter is a well respected journalist, returned home from a harrowing stint in Syria which has left her exhausted and broken. The book begins with Kate being questioned in a police station in the UK by a psychologist. We don't know why she's there or what she has done but she clearly has more than a stressful job causing her problems- we learn that her mother who has dementia has just died, her father was abusive, her sister is an alcoholic and Kate herself is alone following her relationship breakdown. Her incarceration continues and I'll admit, I loved every time a chapter started with this because it felt like I was picking up clues and was slowly piecing it together. Interspersed with these chapters are flashbacks to her trip home. The second half of the book changes direction somewhat and at first I was disappointed. I was completely sure I had the ending worked out- I remember saying to Himself that I couldn't wait to finish it to be proved correct! Well, it turns out that I was only partly correct but I was also very wrong. If you enjoy a good psychological thriller, this is a good choice.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.
I haven't seen the film of this but I wanted something uplifting to listen to for the start of January and I feel like this was a great choice. Cheryl Strayed (not her original name, she changed it cause she thought "Strayed" was more appropriate…hmm), feeling like a shell of herself following the death of her mother from cancer, her own divorce and her brief foray into heroin abuse, decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. At the time, and probably still now, this was a Herculean feat for someone unused to hiking and hiking at that level, on your own. A woman hiking the PCT on her own was virtually unheard of and yet, off she went. The book follows her on the trail through all of her trials and tribulations and I found it surprisingly interesting. I was looking forward every day to hearing how she was getting on apart from certain times (her being really mean about her dying mother and feeling sorry for herself) and it was overall, a pretty positive read for what is a particularly grim month. 

Nine Folds Make A Paper Swan by Ruth Gilligan

There's three different stories in contention with each other in this book- a family emigrating from Lithuania to America at the start of the 20th century, a mute Jewish boy locked away in an Irish Catholic institution in 1958 and a young woman in present day London trying to decide whether or not to accept the Jewish faith when her boyfriend proposes. I'll be honest, this one really dragged for me and I only finished it because it was a book club read. Otherwise, I'm not sure I would have continued with it. It was reasonably well written but the three intertwining plots were convoluted and confusing at times and I struggled to stay interested and not completely depressed. 

Christmas Books!

A Nightingale Christmas Carol by Donna Douglas
This is another in the Nightingale Nurses series that I've been reading for the last few years. The books are set in the 1940's and by now we're smack bang in the middle of WW2. There's a whole host of recurring characters, love stories, cool nurses and war heroes. What's not to love! Honestly, for me it's a really enjoyable and somewhat trashy read but that's just what you need sometimes.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

The thought of Agatha Christie, a big country house and Christmas time always seems like the perfect combination but for some reason it never quite works out that way. So in this one Poirot is asked to assist in finding the murderer of an elderly businessman and father at Christmas. His horrible children are all potential suspects and with the return of a long lost son, a Spanish granddaughter and the son of a former enemy, there's red herrings a plenty. This was entertaining enough and has a locked door mystery o there that I would never have figured out for myself. Overall, worth a read.

The Cosy Christmas Teashop by Caroline Roberts

I don't have enough bad things to say about this one. Poor spelling and grammar, constant repetition and an incredibly dull storyline where nothing happened and I had no interest in what happened to any of the characters. There's some pleasant descriptions of baking but that's about it. Save yisserselves.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I've read A Christmas Carol before, years ago but this was a free audiobook with Audible so I said I'd have a re-read. This is a classic Christmas story and the audio version of it was wonderful. Perfect for popping on while decorating, baking Christmas cookies, or in my case, walking to and from work in the cold. 

And that's the lot for now. I'm finishing off my February reads and already started my March books but what are you reading at the minute? Anything good? Have you read any of this lot?

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*Kindly sent to me for review. As always, all opinions my own. 

Beautiful New Books

These were all mostly Christmas gifts but I'm not including that in the title because no one wants to hear the "C" word anymore. Although I've said it already, so...sorry about that.

Anyway, feast your eyes upon these beautiful books:

There's a great mix in there of fiction, cookery books, beauty, autobiographies and overall, lots of stunning books, worthy of coffee-table displays. 

And yes, we are here to judge them all by their covers. 

Observe:

My sister gave me all of these, bar the Sali Hughes, which I had actually bought for her but it turned out one of my other sisters had bought it for her too and so I ended up keeping it for myself. A lengthy way of saying, I bought myself a Christmas present. 

The Tanya Bakes is because she had a flick through it and saw all of the delicious recipes in there and she was not wrong. There is a lemon curd and pistachio cake that is just calling out to be made and then consumed, quickly. 

I haven't had a chance to properly look at The Nature of Beauty but I want to get into using more organic, and less overproduced skincare so this is ideal. 

I loved Sali Hughes's Pretty Honest and I thought the idea for her follow up book, Iconic Beauty; products that have changed the beauty landscape in some way, was very clever. 

Lastly there, I had read an article by Sophie White in an Irish newspaper towards the end of last year about how she started cooking after she took drugs at Electric Picnic and it went very badly wrong, leading to a mental breakdown. I thought it was a fascinating story and I'm intrigued to read more!

Bowie. My fave. Best possible person to seek wisdom from too.

Again, all presents! I did fierce well for myself so I did. 

Easter Widows is a real life account of the women involved in the 1916 rising that were effectively whitewashed from history. It's right up my feminist street and as someone really interested in that period of time, I'm looking forward to reading more. 

I'm currently reading The Essex Serpent for my book club but Himself picked out this particularly fancy edition for me so it's a pleasure to look at it every day. I'll have a review up soon! 

I love Gloria Steinem and feminism aside, she's led a really interesting life that I'm keen to read more about, while Headscarves and Hymens is an in-depth look at how women are treated in the Middle East- another area of interest for me. 

Eileen was one of last years most critically acclaimed psychological thrillers, while The Descent of Man is about gender and how rigid masculine roles can destroy men's lives. 

The Glass Shore is a compilation of short stories, written by women from the North of Ireland.

The Power just sounds brilliant- every teenage girl wakes up one day with an immense physical power to destroy men, and just like that, the world completely changes. Unusual to find a dystopian novel where men, rather than women, are the victims.

Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time favourite books and I adore the Clothbound classics. The cover on this one is as gorgeous as the others in my collection. Love it.

I tend to really enjoy Marian Keyes's work so I'm excited about this one, which is her most recent release and a collection of articles and essays.

The Girls was another one of the bigger releases last year, this one about a teenage girl who finds herself in the thrall of a group of girls who are part of Charles Manson's cult. I somehow still haven't read this but it looks great.

The Underground Railroad is another top rated novel and has featured on Oprah's book club list. It is unsurprisingly, about the horrors that existed for black people pre the civil war era, and also about the building of The Underground Railroad, a method of escape for many. 

I had really wanted to read The Princess Diarist as a lifelong fan of Carrie Fisher's and since she passed away just after Christmas, it's been on top of my list. 

And that's that! Did you get any of these for Christmas?

 If not, what are you currently reading? 

To the comments!

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Recently Read; October & November

So yes, again, this is extremely late but sure look. No, that's actually it. I've no excuse. It's a new year and I've already started my reading list for 2017 but I read some great books towards the end of 2016 and it would be remiss of me to not review them. 

So here we are:

Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent

As I've mentioned before, I read Liz's second book, Lying in Wait (released last year) before reading Unravelling Oliver and although I highly rate Lying in Wait, this one completely blew me away. The story begins with us learning that Oliver has brutally beaten his wife, Alice, who is now in a coma. As far as everyone was concerned, Oliver was a charismatic, charming man who found great success as a children's writer, with Alice illustrating his books. 

The book tells his life story; from his perspective but also from those who he has met along the way, leading up to the present day and what has caused his violent attack. I read this over a couple of days and like Lying In Wait, we are told from the get-go who the baddie is, we just don't know why. I find that to be a really clever writing technique- there's still that element of mystery but it feels fresh and exciting. None of the characters in this are particularly likeable but the storyline moves along at a good pace and there's enough intrigue in there to put an Eastenders script writer out of business!

The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

This was one of my book club reads and we all loved it. 

Set in Cork, post the Celtic Tiger crash, the murder of a local scumbag ends up affecting the lives of five of the cities other strays and misfits: Maureen; home form London years after giving her son Jimmy up as a baby, with a grudge against the Catholic Church and the Ireland of old (and kind of new too), Jimmy himself; now a big-time gangster, his lackey Tony; an alcoholic who beats his son Ryan; a 15 year old in love with his girlfriend but constantly being trapped by life and Georgie; a teenage runaway and drug addict, forced into a life of prostitution. It sounds incredibly grim from that description but it's brilliantly written- some of the sentences made me stop just to fully appreciate the wording and there's a perfect mix of humour and tragedy in there too. Lisa has a sequel coming out in April, so if you've yet to read this masterpiece, I'd get cracking now!

I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron  

I've loved Nora Ephron's work for years now (she wrote the screenplay for When Harry Met Sally, just as one example) but I've somehow never read any of her published writing, until I found this book in my online Library catalogue. I had read it within a couple of days because it was just so enjoyable. Her words flow perfectly and so many times I found myself laughing heartily and then reading out a passage to itself. This is a collection of essays about her life including one called "What I Wish I'd Known", which has some of the best life advice of all time.

I'll be on the hunt for Heartburn next, and then ALL of her other books. 

Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig

This was another online library ebook find. I had wanted to read this for a while, having heard of Matt Haig in relation to his fictional novels but also that this, a non-fiction book about depression was well worth a read also. It details Matt's own real life experiences in developing depression and from there, how he dealt with it and how he still deals with it to this day. I will say that I found parts hard to read. Unsurprisingly it can be a bit bleak because he never really shies away from the reality of his illness but he also gives some excellent advice on how to cope and lists some pretty stellar reasons to stay alive- as the title would suggest! Although it was difficult at times, this is a great read for anyone who currently suffers with depression or has in the past but also, for anyone really. At some point in everyones life, there's a good chance we may all have to deal with mental illness, so really I think this is a useful read for everyone.

Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

This, along with Streetcar down below, were picks for our New Orleans trip and seriously, they were so appropriate. Obviously, Interview with The Vampire is set in New Orleans but that aside, it's also deeply atmospheric and was perfect for where we were staying and the time of year- we were there for Halloween. We also visited Anne Rice's old house, which was a cool addition to my reading of it. In case you haven't seen the Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt 90's movie, the film follows Louis as he tells his 200-yearlong life story to an astounded journalist. Beginning with his brother's death and from there his own transformation into a vampire at the hands of outrageous creature of the night, Lestat, to their finding and making a child vampire, right up to the current day (current day being the 1970's at the time of publishing). Although I knew what was going to happen, there are of course plenty of differing elements to the book and film, including a slightly changed ending so if you have seen it, worry not, it's still an enjoyable read. Plus I now want to read the rest of the series!

A Head Full Of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

This, as you can see from the cover was a Stephen King recommendation. As in, I read an article where he said this was a brilliant horror read, not that he phoned me up and was all "Chloe, it's your old pal Steve, check out Head Full of Ghosts". But you probably knew that anyway. Moving on, this was actually a really unusual mix of reality TV, poltergeist and somebody's thesis on Horror books and movies. So basically, I loved it. The Barrett family struggle to cope when their fourteen year old daughter Marjorie begins to show signs of schizophrenia. When they realise they can no longer afford her medical care, they turn to the Church, who have a very different take on what's wrong with Marjorie and how she should be helped. Namely, they think she's possessed and that she needs an exorcism. To help prevent the family from going under financially, they agree to allow a television crew into their home to film what goes on for a salacious TV show. Fifteen years later, Karen, a horror blogger re-watches the show and then blogs about it. Also at this time, a writer is interviewing Marjorie's younger sister Merry for a book, where we find out what she believes happened. This was a creepy read, at times scary but mostly it was just really gripping. I desperately wanted to know what would happen- how the family were going to get out of this and if Marjorie was really possessed. I also LOVED the end of the book that goes back over all of the pop culture references in the book; where they came from and how they were relevant. If you're a horror lover, this is the book for you!

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie

Again, a Halloween read (unsurprisingly). This is a Miss Marple where a child is drowned in a bobbing-for-apples Halloween game after it transpires that she knew a little too much about a murder that she claimed had taken place years before. The unknown here was who was murdered, who was the killer and once that could be figured out, the murderer of the little girl would also be revealed. This wasn't a bad Christie but as it was one of her later novels, it suffered from the constant mention of how society had changed and how people were more likely to have mental illnesses etc. That's an interesting feel for the times it was written I guess, but it did feel a bit over emphasised. 

Still, not a bad themed read, if a little convoluted at times. 

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Once again, I've seen the Marlon Brando film adaptation so I knew the story but I really loved the writing here. Although it's in the format of a play, it's still a great read and flows along at a good pace. Blanche du Bois moves to New Orleans to live with her sister Stella and her boorish husband, Stanley. It's a hot, muggy Summer in New Orleans and tensions begin to rise between the three of them until frail and damaged Blanche begins to fall apart, helped along by Stanley. Obviously plays are meant to be experienced on stage but in this case, the written version is also superb.

So that's the lot for now. I'll be back soon with December and January's reads (once I've finished them!) Until then, have you read any of these?

What are you reading right now?

To the comments!

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Top 16 Books of 2016

I read lots of great books this year. I kept track of them all over on Goodreads and although I didn't meet my target of 80 (I read 55), I did read different genres, audiobooks, ebooks and reintroduced myself to the library; one of my favourite places. I also utilised two online book clubs, Richard & Judy's and Rick O' Shea's as well as my own in real life club which met once monthly so I had plenty to choose from. I'll probably set a slightly easier target for the new year ahead but more of that in an another post. For now, these are my favourites from the last year of reading:

 Although I read all of these in the last year, not all were published in 2016. Some of these have yet to be reviewed but for the ones that have, I'll link them in pink. The others will be reviewed soon! 

I started the year with The Versions Of Us and it was a great way to kick off a new year of reading. I plan to do the same this year- start with a whole new pile of books and any that I haven't finished from last year all just have to wait. It seems cleaner somehow! Anyway, this had me completely hooked for the first few chapters and by the end I was loath to put it down- I wanted to keep following their lives!

The Miniaturist was a quirky little read and almost felt like a soap told through a historical fiction lens. 

11/22/63 took me about two months to get through (on audio) and I loved every minute of it. It's not your typical King horror, but it does have some spine-tingling moments. I envy anyone getting to read it for the first time. 

All The Light We Cannot See is a beautifully written tale of two kids on very different sides of WW2. Quite bleak at times but also so lovely.

A Man Called Ove had me in floods and was slow in parts but is overall the perfect feel-good book.

I loved Lindy's look back on her life as a Shrill woman and her tales of feminism.

The Light Between Oceans was probably one of the most loved reads in my book club this year- it's romantic, dramatic and gets you thinking.

The Glorious Heresies is a a darkly comic look at gangsters in Cork. It's brilliant. Read it before the sequel comes out in April!

Mr Mercedes is the first in a trilogy from Stephen King and I loved it. It's about a retired detective turned private-investigator, hunting down a serial killer. Gripping!

The Invention Of Wings is about two girls- one the privileged daughter of a wealthy family of slave owners in the deep South. The other, her slave. 

Skagboys and Trainspotting kept me entertained for about a month. Yes, it's about drug abuse in a socially deprived area of Edinburgh but it's brilliantly written and very humorous!

I Feel Bad About My Neck And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman was the first Nora Ephron book I've read but I'll be picking up more for sure. It's a collection of sharply observed essays from the writer of film screenplays like When Harry Met Sally. It's brilliant.

A Head Full Of Ghosts was read over Halloween and although it's a weird mix of reality TV and exorcisms, it's not so much scary as it is shocking and quite sad at times. I also loved all of the horror movie/books/pop culture references. 

Although I read Lying In Wait first, I actually preferred Unravelling Oliver which was more of a Why'd He Do It rather than a Who Done it. 

Holding is Norton's first non-fiction book and he's actually a brilliant writer. This is a mystery set in small town Cork, where all the locals are hiding something. 

What were your favourite reads of the year? 

Did any of these make the cut? 

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Recently Read: August & September

Clearly this isn't that recent and apologies that this is so very late. I actually have to get my October/November reads up too. Gaaaah.
*early New Years resolution- be more organised!*

Not included is the Stephen King trilogy I wrote about HERE because I felt they deserved their own post.

Fat Chance: My Life In Ups, Downs and Crisp Sandwiches by Louise McSharry

This was a book club read and had mixed reviews from us. Louise McSharry has had an interesting life so far, to say the least. The first part of the book details her childhood, where she had to learn quickly how to deal with her mother's mood swings- she suffered with bipolar disorder and so Louise became a mother to her younger brother also. Obviously this was a difficult start for her but Louise seems to have had many other obstacles in her life, including being adopted by relatives after her mother failed to care for her, to being diagnosed with cancer in her twenties. I thought the way she wrote this section was so well done and I can only imagine how helpful this must be for anyone in a similar situation. I had watched her Fuck Cancer documentary on RTE earlier in the year and genuinely, my heart had gone out to her so I felt like I had a good grounding on what the book would be like. As well as the details of her cancer battle, there was also discussion about getting the career you want and her fertility issues post chemo, which again I think would be very helpful for women in a similar situation. At the time of reading it, I enjoyed most of it but felt that the inclusion of some of her columns from Buzzfeed were a bit unnecessary, purely because I've actually read them online before I ever picked up the book. That's not going to be the case for everyone however, although several of the girls in the book club felt the same as I did. All that said, it's an interesting memoir and different from your usual, run-of-the-mill celebrity fare. It's also really great to read a book about an Irish woman overcoming many setbacks to find such success.

Shrill: Notes From A Loud Woman by Lindy West
Lindy West is an American journalist, feminist and writer whom I love. I've followed her on twitter and read her articles for The Guardian for a long time now and so I jumped at the chance to see her in conversation with our own Louise O'Neill a while back. She was talking about this book, which comes in the form of essays about her life and what she has learnt over the years. Honestly, she's just so witty and smart that I spend most of it either completely fascinated or chuckling away to myself. There was a whole section on the men who spent their time abusing her online that really spoke to me, as well as respecting your body, regardless of your size. I highly recommend this one, I think everyone should read it but particularly the budding feminists in your life. 

What We Didn't Say by Rory Dunlop
This was a NetGalley read (thanks guys!) which I was drawn to because it's recommended for those who loved The Versions of Us and One Day, both of which I really enjoyed. This takes a look at a marriage in crisis, told from both sides, in a heartbreaking but darkly humorous way. Jack and Laura have separated and Jack thinks it's time to tell Laura why it's all her fault. So he writes it down and sends it to her. She reads through it and makes corrections as she goes, teacher style and replies with her version of events. I thought this book just flowed perfectly. I never put it down in exasperation and I loved how realistic it was- they both remembered everything that had happened between them completely differently and I spent a lot of it shouting at the two of them to sort it out but still wanting to know what would happen! The format of the book was so different to anything else I'd read too that although it drew the aforementioned comparisons, it still felt fresh and new. 

The Sick Rose by Erin Kelly

Over the years I've read most of, if not all of Erin Kelly's books but The Sick Rose (also known as The Dark Rose in some countries) was more of a miss than a hit for me. The timeline of this jumps all over the place and because I was listening to it on audio, I found it quite confusing. So Paul, as a child is lead into a life of crime by Daniel, his protector from bullying and local tough guy. He's with him one night when Daniel kills someone in a burglary gone wrong. To avoid prison, 19 year old Paul agrees to testify against him and is moved to a witness-protection facility where he meets gardener, Louisa. She has her own secrets, including an ex-boyfriend whom she was deeply infatuated with and who she has hoped to never see again following her dangerous actions. Unfortunately, Paul is the spitting image of her ex and so they start a relationship. Somehow, both of their pasts end of catching up with them, to disastrous consequences. This was probably a much better physical read but on audio, it was a mess. I finished it not caring what happened to any of them and I'm not sure I could even tell you what did in fact happen to them in the end. 

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

This was a book club choice a few months back and we all loved it. Set just after the end of WW1, ex-serviceman Tom returns to his life in Australia and takes up a foreboding position as a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, an isolated island that takes half a day to reach from the mainland. After a couple of trips back he ends up marrying Isabelle and brings her with him to live and work on the island. Their otherwise happy marriage is marred by a series of traumatic stillbirths and miscarriages until the day a boat containing a baby washes up on the island. Grief-stricken from her losses, Isabelle convinces Tom to keep the baby girl and they fall in love with her quickly. Although their lives seem idyllic after the arrival of Lucy, they soon learn that their decision has had serious consequences back on the mainland. This is a beautifully written book- the description of the nature surrounding them, the love Tom and Isabelle have for each other and for Lucy and the affectionately written accounts of the technical work that Tom does in the lighthouse all sing from the pages. The characters are all really well developed too and I genuinely found myself sympathising with them while sometimes also being shocked and angered by their actions.
Honestly, this is one of the best books I've read this year- go get it!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
This is the sequel to If I Stay, a YA novel about a teenage girl who has the misfortune to be involved in a horrific car crash with her family and has to decide (from her coma), whether or not to come back to life and to her boyfriend or to die. In Where She Went, the narrator shifts from Mia, coma girl, to Adam, her boyfriend, who is now struggling with the huge success he has as part of a rock band, while Mia is attending Julliard and is getting on with her life, without him. Firstly, I'll say that when I read If I Stay, I was a sodden mess. I read it in one night and wept throughout most of it. Big, dirty, ugly tears. Himself was like: "Who did this to you?! I'll kill them!" Me *through sobs*: "the book..her brother..I can't.." etc. That did not happen with Where She Went. I was glad of the opportunity to keep reading about their lives but it felt a lot flatter than its predecessor and I'm not sure if I'd bother reading the next one to be honest. 

Skagboys by Irvine Welsh

I wanted to read these before the second Trainspotting film comes out in January, unfortunately I haven't read the third book yet that the film is based on, but that's my plan for early in the new Year! I'm a fan of Irvine Welsh's writing anyway but he's really at his best with the Trainspotting series. In case you don't know, the story follows Leith (dodgy part of Edinburgh) based lads Mark Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud and Tommy and their downslide into drug addiction and general misery. You might be thinking why that would be entertaining but the writing is perfect- so dark but equally hilarious. This was written well after the huge success of Trainspotting and is a prequel so if you want to know how someone like Mark, who actually had a lot going for him, became a heroine addict then this is the place to start. I actually preferred this to Trainspotting because it gives so much background to characters that I've completely fallen in love with. I'd happily read about their exploits for the rest of my life.

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

The storyline is pretty in-keeping with the film adaptation but there are some noticeable differences and again, the characters are much more developed in the books and the writing is so entertaining that it's really worth reading these yourself. Obviously it is also incredibly grim so if reading about people injecting heroine into their penises in lieu of an appropriate vein elsewhere* is too disturbing for you, then maybe don't read these.

*Happy Christmas, everyone!

And that's the lot for now! What are you currently reading? 

Anything I need to add to the book pile?

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Christmas Book Gift Guide 2016

You still have plenty of time till Christmas so don't panic! If you are already panicking, then let me remind you that books make for great presents and luckily they're readily available and pretty much don't sell out.
I've either read most of these or have bought them as gifts for others so this is a fairly exhaustive list of what's what on this years book shop shelves. 

I was also at the Irish Book Awards (IBA) this year so I've selected a few of the nominees and winners here too!

Thrillers/Crime/Mysteries

This year I read Liz's first book, Unravelling Oliver and also her second, Lying in Wait (the winner of the people's choice genre at this years IBA's) and while I loved them both, I probably preferred the first one. That said, Lying In Wait is a really well written thriller with a very unexpected (if not very grim) ending.
I've read and loved all of Tana French's books so I'd definitely recommend this one, even though I've yet to actually finish it! The Trespasser won in the crime genre at this years IBA's.
Holding is Graham Norton's first work of fiction and it's one of the best books that I've read all year. He was also a winner at the IBA's and if you're thinking of buying anyone a book this year- pick this, it's a good'un!
Lastly, is a dark thriller set in Cork from another Irish writer (they're all Irish in this category, woop!). Distress Signals and indeed Catherine Ryan Howard could easily compete with any of the bigger, more well known crime writers out there- she's one to keep an eye on.

Lifestyle

Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) has been big news this year. It's a Danish word for a way of living; basically being super cosy. That involves lots of reading by firesides, warm socks, burning nice candles and petting soft dogs etc. Or so I understand, I've yet to read it but it sounds rather lovely.
Estée Lalonde is probably one of the few Youtubers I actually watch anymore and because I quite like her lifestyle videos (walking her pet greyhound, making nice dinners with her boyfriend, Aslan, travelling, reading, beauty etc), I feel like this would be an interesting, lengthier look at her life.
Sali Hughes is a beauty journalist for the Guardian, amongst others. Last year I read and loved her first book, Pretty Honest and I think that Pretty Iconic looks equally great. This one is a compilation of Sali's favourite ever beauty products- the ones she recommends. This woman knows the beauty industry so look no further for beauty advice!
I reviewed Pippa O Connor's first book HERE and I think it'll be a great gift for fans of hers and anyone who enjoys beauty/fashion/lifestyle blogs. Keep an eye on my blog Facebook page because I'll be giving away a copy later on today!

Foodies

I really enjoy Indy Power's blog, The Little Green Spoon. She's an Irish food blogger with a particular interest in healthy, vegan meals, some of which I've tried out and loved.
The Happy Pear make amazing salads amongst other things and this is their second recipe book, written from their hugely successful cafe/shop in Greystones.
Brother Hubbard is another Dublin-based restaurant that is generally always packed full of people (especially for weekend brunches) and this is their first cookbook, featuring some of their most popular dishes.
Lastly is a cook book I first read about a couple of months ago. Sophie White suffered from a complete mental breakdown after taking recreational drugs at Electric Picnic a few years ago. Amongst other things, she used cooking to help heal herself, so I think this is an interesting concept for a recipe book.

Memoirs/Non Fiction

Carrie Fisher has written a few books at this stage but I think this one, primarily about her time making the Star Wars films, sounds really interesting (and, let's face it, juicy).
Paul O' Connell won for best sports writer at the IBA's and apart from being a lovely fella and a clearly awesome rugby player, I think his memoirs would be enjoyed by everyone, not just rugby fans. I love Lindy West, feminist and journalist for The Guardian. I saw her in conversation with author Louise O' Neill earlier in the year and fell for her a little more. She's super smart and witty and apart from laughing out loud whilst reading this collection of essays, I was also left riled up and more informed. This was a great read.
I've yet to get my hands on Marian's latest, "Making It Up As I Go Along", but it's a similar format to her other previous non-fiction works, all of which I liked too. Marian Keyes is such a sharp and funny writer and I love reading about her life.

Kids/Young Adult

Kathleen Watkins originally wrote the Pigín of Howth stories for her (and Gay Byrne's) grandkids and decided it was worth turning into a book, along with lovely illustrations from Margaret Anne Suggs. This would be a lovely book for the little'uns in your life.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a J.K. Rowling Harry Potter off-shoot and so being, is already massively successful with a movie adaptation, currently in cinemas.
Knights of the Borrowed Dark also won at the IBA's and is in the sic-fi bracket for teens. Listening to Dave Rudden describe it, I was honestly really intrigued myself!
Lastly, is Flawed, a young adult novel from Cecelia Ahern, this sounds quite dystopian to me, which is generally a winner with that age group.

And that is the end of my suggestions! 

Have you bought any books as presents this year? 

Have you your eye on any yourself?

To the comments!

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Stephen King Bill Hodges Trilogy | Review

Do I need to do the whole "I'm a big Stephen King fan" thing again here? Probably not but sure look, I love his books. He's a mighty fine horror writer but not many people know how well he also writes thrillers, crime novels and just plain old drama.

I've been meaning to read his recent trilogy that begins just after Detective Bill Hodges has retired from the police force. This takes place in Mr Mercedes after the frankly shocking introduction where a car-wielding maniac kills his first victims. I was honestly completely hooked on the first book after only a few pages in. Prepare to give up your valuable conversing time with others, you will be reading this book instead (sorry to Himself). 

Bill has had to retire with the knowledge that the "Mercedes Killer", as he's been branded, is still on the loose with absolutely no leads. Bill is struggling with his retirement- at home on his own, watching daytime TV and contemplating taking his own life with his old service revolver, he feels completely at a loss now that he's a "det ret"(retired detective). That is until he receives a communication from the killer himself, luring him into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. There are some really brilliant characters in this; warm, funny, smart, unusual, evil, disturbed and dangerous. The chapters are alternately written from the viewpoint of Bill and the killer (Brady Hartsfield), so I felt like we got a really well rounded feel for the story. I thought Brady was a brilliant bad guy- he's a high functioning sociopath and also a horrific person so it really adds to the tension and I loved the friendship between Bill and his friends and helpers, Jerome and Holly who become his partners in attempting to stop Mr Mercedes, before it's too late.

Finders Keepers picks up some months after the ending of the fist novel. We now find Bill working away as a private detective of sorts, with Holly acting as his side-kick and in-house computer genius. Again, in this book the chapters are narrated in turn between the baddie (now an ex-con trying to track down the manuscript of a famous author he murdered years before in order to get his last known, unpublished work for himself) and the victim (a teenage boy, who unwittingly finds the manuscript in the house his family have moved to) and then, later on, Bill, once he and Holly are on the case. I struggled a bit with this one if I'm honest. Firstly, there are several instances where the killer recalls times he was raped in prison that I could really have done without listening to (I got this one on audio). We get it Steve, he was brutalised and now has nothing left other then the determination to get back to the manuscript. I also missed that relationship between Bill, Holly and Jerome. Jerome has moved away at this stage and although he pops back a few times, it's not really the same. I couldn't really warm to any of the characters in this bar Bill and Holly and they weren't really in it enough for my liking.

Lastly then, is End of Watch and I was so excited for this one because guess who's back you guys? Brady Hartsfield! He's now in a practically catatonic state following the ending of the first book and although he's deemed to be incapable of virtually the slightest activity, Bill is keeping a close eye on him. Especially as victims of the car attack in Mr Mercedes start taking their own lives in very similar circumstances. This book takes a turn for the supernatural, which although not unusual for King, is unexpected in this particular series. Having said that, it did work in the context of this book but I guess the series was good enough on it's own to not need that added element. That aside, I definitely enjoyed this one more than Finders Keepers and there is a definite ending to this so it won't leave you frustrated but I feel like King takes away with one hand and gives with the other sometimes. There's both a happy and a sad ending to this one.


Overall, I enjoyed the series and I think it shows more than ever that King can write thrillers and crime novels equally as well as he does horror so it's worth picking these up. You could also happily just read the first in the series though and not need to carry on with the other two- Mr Mercedes is pretty perfect on its own!

Have you read any of the Bill Hodges trilogy?
What are you reading right now?
To the comments!
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Halloween Reads 2016

I've got a whole rake of books on the go at the minute, including my New Orleans reads, but at this time of year I always compile a list of horrors to stack up and this year is no different. I may not get through these but it's worth the old college try!

Stephen King's It

I'm listening to this on Audible and at the time of writing this, I'm just over halfway through. That's a minor achievement right there as this is well over a thousand pages long which translates to just over 44 hours on tape. Pray for me. 

I've been working my way through King's back catalogue for a few years now but I've always held off on 'It' because the film version scared the bejeezus out of me as a little'un and I've never looked at clowns in the same way since. Anyway, the setting is small town Maine, jumping between a group of kids growing up in the 60's, being terrified by an evil that appears as their worst fears and tries to lure them to their deaths and the 80's, where they're now all adults and have to return home to fight the evil again. There are some genuinely horrifying moments in this book that have literally stopped me in my tracks (I listen to it walking on my way to and from work) and I can imagine it's only going to get worse.

Sing Me To Sleep by C R Simms

A young couple move into an isolated cottage in the peak district. All is going well until Laura begins to hear strange sounds. She thinks she's developing tinnitus but her doctor can find nothing wrong. An archaeological dig on a nearby hill uncovers some disturbing finds and things start to get scary for Laura shortly after that. I've had this one on my kindle for a while and I'm finally going to read it!

In Bitter Chill by Sarah Ward

This is the first in a series of books from blogger Sarah Ward that have been well received. It starts in 1978 when two schoolgirls are walking home. Both are kidnapped but only one is found unharmed and unable to remember anything except that her kidnapper was a woman. Flash forward thirty years later and the mother of the still missing Sophie has killed herself. This event reopens the case, revealing some very dark secrets. This may be more of a thriller than a horror but no harm in mixing things up a bit!

Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories

This is a 1983 collection of ghost stories, gathered by the late, great Roald Dahl. As per the man himself, ghost stories should "give you the creeps and disturb your thoughts". Bring it on, Roald!

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

This is a play about the Salem witch trials in the seventeenth century. Based on these events and actual people from the time, Miller's drama has been described as a "searing portrait of a community engulfed in hysteria". We went to Salem last year and did a historical tour that covered all of the witch trials and aside from finding it horrifying, it was also really interesting. I've wanted to read up on it since but have yet to do so…until now!

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Set in suburban New England, a family is distraught to learn that their fourteen year old daughter Marjorie has begun to show signs of acute schizophrenia. Things get worse when the doctors looking after her are unable to treat her apparent mental health problems and driven to despair, her parents approach a local priest for help. He decides an exorcism is the only way forward and contacts a television production company looking for stars of their new reality show, 'The Posession'. With mounting medical bills the family have no choice but to let the cameras into their house of horrors. Fifteen years later Marjorie's little sister is interviewed by a best selling author about this time in their lives. This has been described as a "mind bending psychological horror", but I'm mostly drawn to what a unique concept it is for a book! I'll report back!

That's the lot for now but I may still throw in a Point Horror for old times sake!

What's on your Halloween book list? Have you read any of these?

To the comments!

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New Orleans Themed Reads!

I like to read books that are based in the places I'm visiting and we're off to N'awlans very soon! I read Breakfast at Tiffany's in New York, Stephen King in Maine and I planned to read Burial Rites while in Iceland but we did so much trekking about glaciers that that didn't happen. Good intentions and all that. 

So I'm going to try again with some New Orleans based reads. I'm limiting it to three because I don't plan on spending all my time reading but do let me know if I've missed anything hugely obvious here that I need to download pre-flight!

Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice.

I attempted to read this as a child when the film came out in the 90's but for some reason I didn't get into it and never finished it. I'm sure we've all seen the aforementioned film version of this where both Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are rides so you probably know the gist of the plot but basically this was a whole series from Anne Rice about the vampire Lestat and his immortal chums/enemies, with New Orleans as a primary backdrop. That seems like an ideal setting for a tale about the undead what with NOLA's connection with voodoo etc. 

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Obviously I've seen the film of the same name and I've read some other works by Tennessee Williams so it's really about time that I read Streetcar. Blanche DuBois, having money troubles, travels to New Orleans to live with her sister Stella and her husband, Stanley. Tensions arise when Blanche complains about the shabbiness of their home and Blanche and Stanley share a mutual dislike. Things go from bad to worse for both women, mostly at the hands of Stanley. I can't really say anymore there without giving away the plot!

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
This was published posthumously and won the Pulitzer prize. Ignatius is the main character, living with his mother in uptown New Orleans in the 1960's. He's described as 'eccentric, idealistic and creative- almost to the point of delusion' and hates all things modern or related to popular culture. He loves his home city and constantly bores his friends with the tale of his abortive attempt to leave. Sounds like an interesting fella!

So those are my three. Have I left out any glaringly obvious choices? Let me know in the comments, or if you've read any of these!
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Autumn Reading List.

I'm all for Summer reading- a stack of holiday reads on the beach with a fruit-filled cocktail? Glorious. Autumn reading is where it's really at though. Picture yourself in an oversized knit, curled up next to a roaring fire, pumpkin spiced latte in one hand, a book in the other. 

It's good right?! And yes, I am that person you know who pins loads of "isn't it great that it's Autumn and I can wear big scarves and drink coffee and read books" images on Pinterest. 

Hello!

 These are all new releases for the next couple of months (bar one), so if you're looking for something new to read, look no further! I'll also have my real life book club reads as I go along and I'll most likely do a separate Halloween book list and probably a separate New Orleans book list for our trip there in October (themed book lists; a firm favourite). 

The Trespasser by Tana French

I love Tana French and having read all of her previous books, I get very excited at the thoughts of a new release from her. This one focuses on Detective Antoinette Conway, a member of the Dublin murder squad. She's good at her job but being a take-no-nonsense kinda woman, she's not well liked by her male colleagues. There's a nasty campaign going on to get rid of her while at the same time she and her partner get a case that looks almost too straight-forward. They're being pushed in a certain direction with the case but they must figure out whether this is part of the drive to get rid of her or whether there's something much more sinister going on. A perfect read for the darker evenings!

Release date: 22nd of September.

The Devil's Work by Mark Edwards

I've already started reading this one and I have a description AND a give-away for a copy of it HERE. 

Release date: 13th of September.

The Distant Echo by Val McDermid

I've read a few of Val McDermid's books before; namely those in the Wire In The Blood series. They were all fairy non-putdownable but if I'm honest, they were a little bit too dark for me at the time. The Distant Echo is a different series from her so I'm hoping for good things. 

Although, that bloody barbed wire on the cover sure doesn't bode well, does it? Hmm.

Anyway, this one takes us back to a Winter's morning in 1978 after the body of a murdered barmaid is found by four men in a cemetery. They are the only suspects but also, the only evidence is the blood on their hands so they are not charged. Twenty five years later and it's now a cold case in the hands of Inspector Karen Pirie. The resurgence into the case awakens old wounds for the four men involved who begin to be murdered, one by one. There's someone out there getting revenge and the only way to save themselves is for the original suspects to go back and try and solve the murder themselves. 

Release date: This is the only one on the list that isn't a newbie and I'm sorry for that but I just really wanted to read this one, so it's on here anyway!

Today Will be Different by Maria Semple

I loved Where'd You Go Bernadette, it was our book club read back in January of this year and I particularly fell for Maria Semple's slightly offbeat style of writing, She's previously written for the TV show Arrested Development (one of my all time favourites) so it's great to see she transferred that quirky humour to her novels. Today Will Be Different is a day in the life of Eleanor, who decides that today will be different by making small changes; she will read poetry and do yoga and drop her son to school, she won't swear and she'll initiate sex with her husband. Unfortunately for Eleanor, the universe has other plans and has bigger changes in mind for her. Described as a "hilarious, heart-filled story about reinvention and sisterhood", this sounds just like my cup of tea!

Release date: 4th of October. 

Nutshell by Ian McEwan

I'm also a big Ian McEwan fan so a new book from him is a no-brainer really. This one has already gained a bit of attention because the narrator is a foetus. Yes, you read that correctly, narrating away from inside a uterus and fully aware of the murder and deceit taking place in the outside world that his mother may or may not be involved in. To be honest, I'm just really intrigued by this one, it's a plot device that I've never heard of before.

Release date: 1st of September.

The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

This will be my next Audible purchase as it's read by the woman herself. I'm expecting an Amy Poelher/Tina Fey/Mindy Kaling kinda book with added comedy sass.

Release date: 16th of August

The Female Of The Species by Mandy McGinnis

Good luck to us all getting that song out of our heads now, am I right?

Mandy McGinnis is a YA author and tends to veer on the dark side. I actually have another of her books on my to-be-read list but sure you know yourself, that may never happen. Anyway, this one is about Alex, a teenager who has turned to violence after her sisters murder went unpunished. Alex keeps away from other people in her small town, for fear of unleashing the darkness within but somehow becomes friends with the school jock and the preacher's daughter, an unlikely combination that leads to very bad things. 

Release date: 20th September.

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

If there's one thing I can't resist, it's a book about books. I haven't read any of Jenny Colgan's previous novels (you may know her from such works as "The Loveliest Chocolate Shop In Paris" and "Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe"). Nina is a librarian in a big city who loves her job, that is until she's laid off. Upon moving to a small, sleepy village, she buys a van and becomes a mobile book seller, sharing her love of books as she goes. This just sounds lovely and cosy.

Release date: 20th September.

Swing Time by Zadie Smith

I love Zadie Smith- I still think about White Teeth every so often, even though it's about 8 years since I read it. Swing Time is about two young friends, both passionate about ballet but only one with real talent. The other has ideas about rhythm and time, black bodies and black music. A close but complicated friendship taking them from West Africa to North West London and from childhood friendship to an abrupt end to their relationship in their early twenties. 

Release date: 15th November.

This is by no means an exhaustive list; I could walk straight into a bookshop right now and leave with a big bag full of new releases, none of them on this list! Autumn always feels like a great time to read a new book. I think it's the cosy factor.

Do let me know in the comments what you're planning on reading over the greatest season ever!
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