What I've Read Recently

A couple of weeks ago I went on holiday and it really kickstarted me back into my reading and ploughing through a couple more books. I've been trying to read more variety when it comes to my book genres, as I tended to lean only towards chic-lit for the beach lounging days and crime/thrillers for the rest of the time. 

I love seeing other people's recommendations, and although most of these were 3 star reviews which is one of the books that I obviously enjoyed reading enough to read, but I wouldn't call it outstanding, it felt a little cliched in places, flat and a tad straightforward. Obvs a 5 star is a book I loved, would recommend to everyone and will take with me as a book that profoundly has stuck with me. 

I'm on 24/25 of my book reading goal for 2020 which I'm so pleased about, because my to-read pile is getting out of control and I need to continue making more dents in it! You can follow my goodreads account here as well. 

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary ★★★

I was really looking forward to reading this book, as I had seen endless amazing reviews across the blogging community on it. The book follows a man whose looking for a flatmate to take over his flat during the evenings whilst he's at work and vice versa. They share everything from a bedroom, a bed, the kitchen and a 'few notes', but the one thing being, they never cross paths. For me this is a good-old classic 'beach read', 'chic-lit' style, and though I loved the characters, I just felt it wasn't any different to anything I've read before, but not to say it was a bad book, it just didn't wow me? I obviously knew the ending just from reading the blurb...

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne ★★★★★

This was a book I absolutely loved which was poignant and beautiful in every way and exactly what I wanted from a book. It follows the story of Cyril Avery who lives and grows up in Ireland. It follows his life story as he deals with all of his inner turmoils in family, friends and growing up in a society he feels unaccepted. I adored this book, the way it was written and I was just pining for the ending I was hoping for. A glorious read!   

Beach Read by Emily Henry ★★★

If you've read the book, "I started with a tweet" it was a near identical book in my opinion. Insert protagonists problem, insert remote cabin/cottage, insert "mysterious man". I just felt this was another one of those, well beach reads. With a margarita in hand down by the pool, it's an easy devour but it didn't offer up anything new for me, but it was a good romantic novel if you're looking for a light hearted read. 

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid ★★★

A book surrounding the themes of race and privilege I was looking to read a book that really hit me with a punch, had a strong storyline and a gripping sense of power. A young black woman is wrongly accused of kidnapping a child who she is babysitting. I was mainly disappointed by the style in writing, the actual beginning of the book, the concept and the premise should have been amazing, but it lacked depth to me. It felt rushed yet it felt as if we didn't "get anywhere" with the story and although understandably a debut novel, I wish if there was going to be a book about these issues, that it was done with a bit more finesse 

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley ★★★

Another three star review, I had high hopes for this book as in the beginning I was totally gripped by it. An old group of college friends, reunite for New Years in a remote cabin in the Scottish wilderness - and there's been a murder. I really got into these characters at the beginning, thought the concept behind the 'murder' and the 'who dunnits' were great, but about midway into the book the "clues" and "hints" were so obviously dropped in throughout. There were also too many random extra storylines that weren't really that necessary in the book, which I suppose were red herrings but they just got a bit out of control! 

My next read is going to be My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell - let me know if you've read any of the above and if you have any recommendations!