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I'm finally on Christmas holidays! You know what that means — long sleep-ins, and lazy days kicking back by the pool with a cocktail and a good book. Jks. I have two kids.
But I do plan on getting stuck into a few books this summer, so I thought I'd share my reading list. (I know my plans will definitely be derailed by my children and life in general, but it's nice to have goals.)
Fiction
Fleishman is in Trouble is about a recently divorced man who is quite looking forward to the prospect of his new life — kids every other weekend and apps that deliver sex with no strings attached.
But his little dream life is abruptly interrupted when his ex-wife disappears, and he is left with the kids. At least he enjoys the narrative that he builds for himself as the hard-done-by single parent, until he is forced to face the real reasons his marriage fell apart and consider that he might not have seen things all that clearly in the first place.
This book is top of my reading list!
Dystopian Fiction
I’m going to admit it: I’ve been avoiding this book.
The Handmaid’s Tale, originally published 35 years ago, was such an accurate and alarming predictor of the state of the world today; I’ve been reluctant to take in Atwood’s latest predictions in this long awaited sequel.
The world has had me feeling browbeaten of late. My country is on fire. Arguably the most powerful human being on the planet has so little respect for half the world's population that he openly admits his penchant for grabbing felines without permission. The future of the world is dire. And hearing it from Atwood isn’t what I need right now.
However, I’ve been told that this book gives us all hope. So it’s on my list. I’m looking forward to devouring Margaret Atwood’s latest and walking away with a renewed confidence that things are going to be alright.
Humour / Non-fiction
A bit of light fun for the summer break. Ali Wong (comedian of Baby Cobra infamy) has shared a collection of letters to her daughters, giving hilarious lessons in life, love, dating, and being a working mum.
I’m looking forward to switching off for a bit and enjoying a book full of Ali Wong’s sharp humour!
Literary Fiction
This book was the joint winner of the 2019 Booker Prize (the other winner being The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, of course).
There is a lot of hype around this book. A lot! And I'm really hoping it lives up to it.
Girl, Woman, Other is a feminist narrative that delves into the stories of 12 different characters. The writing is described as vibrant and “crackling with energy” — exactly the kind of book needed to nourish the soul over the summer break.
Historical Fiction
Jojo Moyes, author of Me Before You, always gives a good read. You know from the outset that there will be love and there will be tears. (Yep, I’m often that crazy woman on the bus, reading and crying.) The Giver of Stars is set in America during the Depression, and tells the story of five women — their friendships, heroism and love — and their epic journey through the mountains of Kentucky. I'm going to be totally honest here: historical fiction often sounds like a bit of a snooze to me until I'm deep into it. But I can't go past Jojo Moyes. I know it's going to be worth the internal struggle that I'll have to just pick up the book.
Thriller
Imagine seeing your loving husband on a dating app. Now imagine that’s the best thing to happen to you all week …
This book just sounds like a page-turner! Lots of twists are promised and I’m quite looking forward to guessing and second guessing my way through them all!
Fantasy
Okay, so this one is a little different for me… Fantasy isn’t usually my thing, but the back of this book just spoke to me (as they often do).
A boy finds a book in a library, as he reads he becomes entranced by the mysterious stories; as he turns the pages, he finds his own story, from his own childhood, within a book that is older than him.
Maybe it’s the Neverending Story vibe, but I really just want to read this book.
Fiction
Charlotte Wood is a pretty hyped up Australian author. She was the winner of the 2016 Stella Prize and Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction.
The Weekend is the story of three friends in their 70s who spend a weekend in the former holiday home of their recently deceased friend. Clearing out the home of a dead friend sounds so bloody unpleasant, you know there’s going to be a lot of stuff going down over this weekend. Hidden secrets and the dynamics between the friends are what it’s all about.
Fiction
Okay, so I threw an extra book onto the end of the list. Let’s call it a cheeky little bonus…
If you haven’t read Perfect Lives, then you absolutely must. Take it from me!
Perfect Lives is a funny and relatable novel about friendship and the tough parts of everyday life — you know, those parts that you don't show the world, the parts that happen behind closed doors.
Definitely a must read, in my (very) humble opinion.
To round it up, here’s the full list of books on my summer reading list, with links on where you can buy them:
What’s on your reading list? Comment below or get in touch, I’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget to subscribe below for updates, book recommendations and more.