The Book Bump

The summer is well underway. However, with the weather being less than ideal for normal aestival activities, I’ve racked up quite an extensive list of current reading.

Unfortunately, I was less assiduous than in the past couple of months. Two of the four books I read in May and June carry over my Current Reads inMay and June.

Your Royal Hostage by Antonia Fraser

Somehow, I think this book will end up on my ‘did not finish’ pile. I haven’t read a single page since my last post about my current reading.

Good Inside by Becky Kennedy

I am slowly reading this book, but as mentioned before, this book is a breath of fresh air in parenting self-help books. I can’t wait to learn more about how to deal with the complex parts of parenting because we all want to be the best parent we can be.

Sins of the Line by Sharhonda Exantus

I got an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A great holiday read, a gripping and delightful mystery with good characters. I gave it three starts.

Watch this space to see my full review.

Merging the Drift by Tom Bray

The author contacted me to read his novel to help build exposure for his series. I was intrigued by the series’ concept and so agreed to read the first instalment.

The novel promises to introduce a new and original take on the afterlife. I am not far enough into the book to give an opinion yet, but I am excited to learn more about the characters.

I announced earlier in the year that I would try a reading challenge I came across on TikTok. I mentioned that the challenge could leak into Autumn and Winter. Seeing the rate at which I’m reading, I think it will easily last me until the end of the year.

My summer book challenge:

Re-read a book you disliked as a teenager:

I announced I might tackle All’s Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, but I have yet to start reading. If I am frank, I haven’t even brought it with me on my holidays.

I still want to re-read this book, as I fully believe it was lost on me.

An author with a different experience than yours:

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

It is the book I said I wanted to read, and I am now nearly three-quarters of the way through.

I am trying to figure out what to make of the book. There is little action despite it taking place during the Nigerian civil war. The characters seem to suffer the war from afar.

I shall give a more detailed review when I have finished. Despite being very intrigued to see how it ends, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed that it isn’t more interesting.

Read a genre that you’re not accustomed to:

This is a category I haven’t started yet, and I am still unsure what I will read. Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom by Catherine Clinton is a likely choice if I don’t decide Dr. Becky Kennedy’s parenting self-help book Good Inside is my book for this category. I am not 100% sure about classing this as my ‘genre I am not accustomed to’ because I started reading before the summer.

Read a different medium:

I’ve decided to try my first graphic novel and read The Retreat by Pierre Wazem and Tom Tirabosco. Although, as with many categories, I haven’t started this one yet.

Re-read an old favourite:

So I’ve decided to re-read Cornelia Funke’s Inkworld trilogy. I loved it as a teenager and want to see if the book still resonates with me as a nearly 30-year-old.

Read a book that’s been on your ‘want-to-read’ list for more than a year:

There are so many to choose from that it’s almost impossible to decide. I’ll get back to you when I’ve finished some of my currently reading.

Read a friend’s favourite:

Circe by Madeline Miller was my sister’s pick for me. I haven’t started it yet, but I think I have enough books to read before I start any more.