Anticipated Book Released 2019 May-August

Don't mind me, I'm just late as per usual. Better late than never I guess! Some of the books have already been released (I've even read some!) but thought I'd post them anyway to show what I was excited about before they came out. I've already started keeping track of the late releases for 2019 so hopefully that post will be on time!

Toffee by Sarah Crossan

Sarah Crossan writes beautiful YA books, they never fail to bring a tear to my eye. Allison has run away from home and is squatting in the shed at the bottom of an abandoned house. However when she goes to take a closer look at the house, she finds it isn't abandoned and that an elderly lady called Marla lives there. She mistakes Allison for someone for Toffee and so Allison, who is used to constantly hiding who she really is, pretends to be Toffee in order to stay. May 2nd



I Heart Hawaii by Lindsey Kelk

The I Heart series is one of my favourites, I love seeing what Angela and Jenny are up to! This is the 8th and last week in the series and while I still have to read the 7th, I Heart Forever, this one looks like such a fun summery read. I bet it'll have me dreaming of sandy beaches, cocktails and pineapples! May 30th






The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

Speaking of favourites, Jenny's books are always so feel good and cosy! And this is a bonus as it's about books! Set in the same world as The Little Shop of Happy Ever After it sees single mother Zoe, living in London and desperate to make ends meet for herself and her 4 year old son Hari, who decides on a whim to take a job as a live in nanny in the Scottish Highlands. Jenny's books always make me want to go off and live in these dreamy locations she creates, they're always so idyllic. Perfect sunny summer reads. June 13th



Sweet Valley High: Academic All Star? by Katy Rex

I think I've been waiting for this book for over a year! It's a graphic novel edition of Sweet Valley High. What's not to love?! July 9th









The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory

You may be noticing a theme by now and that's books that some might call 'chick lit'. I love a good funny romantic book for summer, something that sweeps you away when you can't get away yourself. This will be the 3rd in The Wedding Date series, which focuses on different couples with some overlapping characters. I won't say too much about the plot in this but if it's anything like the others I'm expecting good fun and lots of amazing food descriptions! July 16th



To Be Taught if Fortunate by Becky Chambers

Becky Chambers' first novella following the previous 3rd novels in the Wayfarers universe. I don't know if this is in the Wayfarers universe but I'm still excited as Becky writes such amazing character driven sci-fi stories. Following a break through in science, humans can travel and survive far from earth in hostile environments. Adriadne is an explorer using these methods, 15 light years away from Earth, which has changed since she left. Tasked when heading back to a planet that may have forgotten those that left, she chronicles her journey. August 8th


Perfect Sound Whatever by James Acaster

January 2017 found James Acaster hungover and freshly single. In an attempt to comfort himself, he decides to buy as much music from 2016, before things went to shit. I'm sure this'll have the same zany James Acaster stories I know and love. I've already preordered this as an audiobook as I listened James Acaster's Classic Scrapes by audiobook and never laughed so much before in my entire life. August 22nd





Sex Power Money by Sara Pascoe

Animal by Sara Pascoe was one of my favourite books the year it was released and I was hoping Sara would release another book! Sex Power Money is a study of who we are and what motivates us, all from a from a feminist angle. August 27th







There's some good books here but I can't wait for the releases from September! There's some cracking books from some of my favourite authors coming out then. Hopefully I'll have the post up in August!

The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy Book Review

On the first page we discover that in the space of a few months, Ariel Levy has lost her son, her marriage has fallen apart and she's lost her home. Levy then builds up to these events, recounting tales from her childhood and early adult life.

I loved the writing style, I really connected with it and liked how it flowed. I enjoyed the first half of the book and the stories told (which can be hit or miss when you don't know anything about the person before picking up the book). But towards the second half it fell apart a bit for me. It felt a bit chaotic, which is a bit understandable as there's a lot of grief and coming to terms with big changes. However this meant that there were times when something was mentioned but not expanded upon until a bit later, meaning things felt a bit inconsistent and confusing. There is a lot of privilege and entitlement that seeped through too that made me disconnect with Levy. Especially when she talked about money. I go into that in more detail in my Goodreads post which you can read here.

That said, I did enjoy the writing which is why I gave it 3 stars. I probably would have given it 2 if I didn't. 

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Cruel Acts by Jane Casey Book Review

Leo Stone was convicted a year ago of murdering 2 women and sentenced to life with no chance of parole. However his original trial is deemed a mistrial as it comes to light the jury, against advice, looked up Stone's previous criminal convictions and clouded their judgement. Stone is released and it's up to Detective Maeve Kerrigan and her colleagues to reexamine the evidence for a pending retrial. There is also a potential 3rd victim, who's body was never recovered and was only linked to Stone in a dubious manner which Maeve is determined to investigate more thoroughly.

I read the first chapter as a sample on another website and couldn't wait to get my hands on this. I was hooked from the word go! I love Casey's writing, about midway through the novel I thought I had it all figured out perfectly but there were more layers and surprises to go. Everything feels right, there doesn't seem to be shocks or twists just for the sake of them which I find happens sometimes with this genre. I enjoy Maeve and Josh Derwent's relationship most of the time, it's interesting and there's a chemistry there that is laced with love and hate. It shows how easy it is to trust someone's instincts or respect their work manner but at the same time be absolutely driven mad by them! I do wish we saw a bit more of Maeve's personal life. I know work is pretty much her life in some sense but I think Maeve could do with loosening up a bit. That said, it's a cracker of a book and I'm already looking forward to book 9!

Recipes for a Nervous Breakdown by Sophie White Book Review

I'll admit, my Irish Authors Month in March did not go well. At all. I finished two books in March, with only one of them being Irish (Things in Jars by Jess Kidd). Nothing from the TBR took my fancy. And then I remembered this book. I was at the Irish Book Awards when it was nominated in 2016. And Chloe from NurseFancyPants rated it highly too so I decided to get it from the library in a bid to break my reading slump.

Part memoir, part cookbook, Recipes for a Nervous Breakdown is a searingly honest account of Sophie White's experiences with mental health, her tempestuous relationship with her mother, the devastation of her father being diagnosed with early onset dementia, marriage and motherhood. It genuinely made me laugh, cry and ponder on events in my own life.

We also learn about how Sophie came to train as a cook and each chapter has recipes inspired by the subject of that chapter. I loved this format! For example when it came to the recipes for the chapter on her relationship with her husband, Sophie says she could have picked more traditionally romantic foods but instead chose curries as it sums them up better and honestly, I felt that. I've already earmarked a few recipes I want to try out. The photography in the book is beautiful too which is a bonus. A well balanced book.

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Things in Jars by Jess Kidd Book Review

Things in Jars in Kidd's 3rd novel. Set primarily in 1863 Victorian London, we follow Bridie Devine, flame haired detective living with her 7ft tall housekeeper Cora. Bridie is still recovering from her last case so she's surprised when she's approached to find Christabel Berwick. But Christabel is no ordinary child, she has teeth like a pike, a burning bite, attracts snails and newts and can pull the deepest of memories out of your mind. Throughout this mysterious case, Bridie is accompanied by the ghost of of a tattooed pugilist Ruby Doyle. Bridie and Doyle takes us around London trying to find Christabel and to discover who and what Christabel is.

This is my first Kidd book and at first I wasn't sure what to expect. There is such whimsy and fun in the writing at times but not too much that it was overly try hard. Once I got used to the flow and bounce of the prose I really enjoyed it. Kidd conjures up Victoria London so well, the sights, sounds and smells of city leap off the page. I loved Bridie. Smart, feisty, complex and quirky without feeling like a stereotype. We learn of Bridie's past too, how she came to possess the knowledge and skill of surgery that would see her working in the medical profession if she wasn't a woman. While there's plenty of fun in the book, Kidd also does an excellent job with the villains in this, the fear was palpable at times.

As someone who enjoys books set in the Victorian times, especially with a female protagonist, it's up there with my favourites. The supernatural, mythical element added something new and fresh. I'd love to see these characters again for another book! Charming, strange but beautiful.

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Book Review

Daisy Jones and The Six tells the history of the rise and fall of legendary 70s rock band. The book's format is very unique, transcribed as oral history from the band's members and other people in their lives such as family, manager and their sound editor to name a few. We hear how The Six formed, Daisy Jones's history, how she came to collaborate with them and how it all came crashing down so suddenly.

This story is the epitome of sex, drugs and rock n roll. The descriptions are so rich and delicious, from the fashion choices (denim on denim for Billy, the long luscious locks for the Daisy along with all her bangles and big hoop earrings) to the simmering and sometimes explosive tensions between band members. There's one scene where they are shooting their album cover and it's clear that the photographer is focusing on Billy and Daisy and while the other band members hate it, there's nothing they can do about it. It reminded me of the Don't Speak by No Doubt music video. Though let's be real, while reading this there's only one band on your mind, Fleetwood Mac. It's so evocative of their story, Jenkins Reid takes elements of it and makes it her own. I liked that there were layers in the band's story. Going in I thought it might be one dimensional but so much is touched on, who despised who, those that had more of a love/hate relationship, who was there for the good times, who loved who. You go in thinking that the downfall of the group is going to be one thing but see that it's a combination of different personal relationships as well as individual demon's that causes the implosion.

The writing style is done where the people are interviewed individually and then the story is told in chronological order. I liked the nuances where one person recounted an event one way only for the next line to be a different character relating it a different way. The only problem I had with this  format is that it would have been cool to have the individual interviews but also have sections where two or more people were interviewed together so you could see more of a discussion between them about the events. It would have added a nice extra layer, to see the characters interact with each other some bit rather than to just hear how they had previously interacted. I also thought the climax would have a much bigger impact, possibly because I was expecting something like The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo so I was a bit disappointed by that. However this book still has me super excited about a number of things

1) the audio book has multiple narrators, one for each character, which I think sounds like such a fun way to consume this book, like an audio documentary. I might listen to it again once it's released.

2) It's being made into a TV series because Reese Witherspoon loved the book so much and if done correctly it'll be such a visual treat

3) The end of the book has song lyrics and if they can nail the Fleetwood Mac vibes then it'll be incredible

4) There's a Spotify playlist to go along with this book which I just love the idea of. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas has a playlist too and I think these touches for books, especially books with music at the centre of the story, is such a cool

You know you've read a good historical fiction book when you want to know everything about what you've just read. Reading this book will make you want Daisy Jones and the Six to be real. You'll want to know everything about them. Unfortunately as they're not real you'll have to do what I'm doing now, Googling 60s Sunset Strip, 70s fashion, delving into the history of Fleetwood Mac while listening to the Rumours album, waiting for the TV show to be released.

March 2019 Irish Authors TBR

After the incredible 3 month long January and 4 hour feeling Februrary, we're finally in March. And I love to read Irish authors in March. Why this month? Probably because of St. Patrick's Day to be honest. And I like that we're now into the 3rd month of the year and it's a good time to have a themed or set reading month. With all the excitement of new releases and reading challenges with the new year starting, there's no way I'd be able to focus on a themed month in January or February.

I started reading only Irish authors back in March 2014 and since then I pretty much only read Irish authors. Every now and again towards the end of the month I might pick up something else and I like not being too tied down to the theme. I've mainly tried to stick to people born in Ireland but I think after this year I'll start branching out to people of Irish descent too. I have some books I own that I want to try read, I might not get around to all of them but thought I'd put together a TBR list for this month for some of the choices I'll probably pick up. Let's start with the physical books.

I own a nice stack of books by Irish authors but these are the ones I think I'll try focus on this month.

1. The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir by Lesley Allen. I got this free when I went to the Irish Book Awards in 2016. I don't know much about it, the book starts off with the main character Biddy ringing in to a TV show on the subject of bullying and she tells her story.

2. We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan. I couldn't tell you what this book is about without having to look it up first. To be honest I don't even know if I looked at what it was about when I bought it! I probably picked it up as I've enjoyed Sarah Crossan's other books One and Moonrise. That and it was a good price.

3. Beatlebone by Kevin Barry. I've read Dark Lies the Island the author, a collection of short stories that were haunting at times. Beatlebone is a fictionalised account set in 1978 of John Lennon going to the island he bought off west coast of Ireland. 

4. Solar Bones by Mike McCormack. Most of the people I follow on Goodreads have said not to read the blurb when it comes to this book which is what I've done. I bought this in 2017 and showed it in a haul post (which also included The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir). I've read half of those books, proving I'm rubbish when it comes to reading the books I buy.

Now on to the ebooks and audiobooks

1. Things in Jars by Jess Kidd. I featured this in my most anticipated reads for 2019 and I'm happy to say I have an ARC and I've already started it. Set in Victorian London with a female detective investigating a missing child, I'm really enjoying it so far.

2. The Wych Elm by Tana French. Another book featured in my most anticipated post, I love Tana French and I'm hoping her first book not set in the Dublin Murder Squad world doesn't disappoint.

3. When All is Said by Anne Griffin. This has been on my radar for the last week or so, mainly because it keeps popping up on the Rick O' Shea Book Club. 84 year old Maurice sits at a hotel bar and orders 5 different drinks, toasting a different person who impacted and shaped his life. In doing so we hear his life story. It's intrigued me so I requested a copy on NetGalley.

4. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. If you haven't heard Sally Rooney's name, then you probably live under a rock. I got this as an audio book during one of Audible's 2 for 1 sales.

There's a few other books I might pick up over the month. I'm mainly hoping I can get an early copy of Cruel Acts by Jane Casey as I've read the first chapter and I loved it. I have no non-fiction here so I might need to find one to break the month up too. 

If you've read any of these books let me know, it might help me pick it up faster!