June Reading

Off to a cracking start this month, inspired by the writers festival. I read Ghost Stoires, which is understandably being translated into 26 languages and winner of the Miles Franklin award. I loved this. I thought it was so funny and clever.

It's not going to be for everyone, but it made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. I adored it.

After seeing him talk at the Writer's Festival, I had to get straight into the second book in the HappyHead series. Finishes the story, or does it? Lots of twists and plenty to keep you entertained. What I liked most about this series, is even though it's YA, it still gets you emotionally engaged, both in the thriller aspect and the intellectual aspect. Lots of mental health issues covered and for me, it highlighted that hetronormative assumptions we take for granted.

All that aside, it's just a ripping yarn as they say! Josh Silver just published an adult book so very keen to read that.

Was putting books in the street library and thought I'd give it a go for my train book, as it fits in my handbag. It's a book in email. It's dated a lot. It was published in 2000 and I'm having trouble working out how to read some of the characters. One guy, I'm not sure if we're meant to think he's a complete jerk or a cool guy - he's misogenistic and homophobic. Is it a sign of how times have changed? Or was he written to be a tool? A lot of the jokes aren't funny any more, just sort of offensive. Not sure I'm going to finish it...will give it a bit longer tho as apparently the e. book was very popular and perhaps we are meant to think all the people in it are awful and that's the joke?

Also stumbled on this and gave it a quick read before putting it on ebay. It's a little picture book on Automatic Negative Thoughts. It's a guide in a story aimed at Year 4 primary kids on managing anxiety. I thought it was pretty good, giving a clear action management plan.

Working my way though the least popular Agatha Christie's - unlike Destination Unknown that I loved, a fun spy thriller (less thrills but more of an adventure), this spy novel is a little strange. Starts off traditionally and then gets very political - and some of those politics have dated or she seems a little out of touch on the matter, though it does also feel a little more relevant than it should be these days. There is reference to the French student protests, and the revolt in the youth is in part to the older population being apathetic and letting them down. The rise of Nazism has returned. Published in 1970, there is also a lot of reference to the growing nuclear power and the dangers that brings, environmentally and politically.  It was her 80th book, published for her 80th birthday. It is different to any of her other spy novels, and a very different read to her other books.

In the to be read pile, I have a new source of inspiration - I am loving Vladimir on Netflix (Rachel Weisz is superb - delightfully distasteful) and each episode title is a book written by a woman. I've read all of them, and adored all of them except 3. So I will track those down as it stands to reason, I'l enjoy those too. And they are the Joyce Carol Oates, the Grace Paley and the Flannery O'Conner.

Linking with  #MonthlyBookworms