My Favourite Reads January - March 2020
This year I promised that I would publish more regular book reviews on my blog. To keep these posts from becoming too long, I’m going to share them every three months, rounding up my favourite reads of the past twelve weeks. So, starting off with the best books I’ve read from the beginning of the year, twelve out of the twenty three books I have read make it onto this list. For the first time in ages, I put a book down and gave up reading it. I read several books that I enjoyed but didn’t particularly spark anything in me. And there were others that, while good, didn’t quite make the cut. These twelve are my top recommendations; the books that I completely fell in love with and devoured as quickly as possible. With the way things are going at the moment, I’m looking forward to seeing how much I read in the next few months. Perhaps I’ll make a serious dint in my to-read pile. For now, I hope these books can offer you a little escapism from the realities of everyday life. If you don’t want to order a delivery online at the moment, you could download the e-books for immediate escapism.
(Several of the books in this list were kindly sent to me as gifts by the publishers. I’ve noted these books with an asterisk, but this blog post isn’t as an Ad. All opinions are my own and I was under no obligation to post).
THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD BY CLAIRE LOMBARDO
I bought this hefty tome last year and felt slightly intimidated by its size. It stayed on my shelf for months before I finally decided to pick it up after reading endless positive reviews. Despite it’s size, it didn’t take me long to race through this wonderful book, completely engrossed with the Sorenson family. Not all the characters are likable, but once you start reading you immediately get sucked into their lives and don’t want the story to end. I found myself daydreaming of watching an extended version of this book as a TV series. Please someone make this happen!
THE LOST ART OF SINKING BY NAOMI BOOTH
I loved Naomi Booth’s 2017 novel, Sealed and became excited when I read she has a new novel due out later this year. I then realised she has a novella I hadn’t read: The Lost Art of Sinking - and it’s partially set in the small town where I live! This short book focuses on Esther, growing up in Yorkshire, obsessed with what she calls ‘the fainting game’. It’s a quick read but beautifully written, more of a character study than a fast-paced story.
PINE BY FRANCINE TOON
I adored this book. If you love the wilds of Scotland, folk-horror, eerie reads and a touch of the supernatural, I recommend picking this up. Pine is the story of pre-teen Lauren and her father, Niall who live in a small village in the Highlands, deep in the forest. The story revolves around hints of witchcraft, the claustrophobia of living in a small town and strange sightings that could be the ghost of Lauren’s vanished mother. There’s a delicious spooky feeling throughout, mixed in with the rural folklore and coming-of-age story to create a chilling story.
THE TEMPLE HOUSE VANISHING BY RACHEL DONOHUE*
With nods to The Secret History and Picnic on Hanging Rock, this wonderful book is set in a remote private school, the story flipping between the events of the past and the present. Twenty-five years ago, our protagonist, Louisa joined the school and formed a tight friendship with fellow people Victoria and their art teacher, Mr Lavelle. Soon after, both Louisa and Mr Lavelle went missing, never to be seen again. The story unearths what really happened, with an unexpected twist right at the very end.
SEVERANCE BY LINA MA
Severance is quite possibly the most timely book I’ve ever read. I devoured this in just a few short days back in February, when the Coronavirus was a mildly worrying news story from the other side of the world. Trigger warning, this book is about the end of the world due to a virus and could be upsetting to read at the moment - but it’s really, really good. It’s a kick in the teeth to capitalism, remarking on how we would keep working and living as normal in the face of the end of world - which is kind of proving true. This is one of my absolute favourite books I’ve read this year.
GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER BY BERNADINE EVARISTO
I can’t believe it took me so long to get round to reading this incredible book. If you haven’t already read this, stop everything and pick it up. Girl, Woman, Other tells the interconnected stories of twelve people (predominantly black women) living in Britain. The stories span generations, some linking characters closely throughout (such as through mother-daughter relationships) and some colliding with huge plot twists at the end of the book. I was completely obsessed with this book, and devoured it in just a few days despite it’s hefty size. I found it impossible to name my favourite characters, as each chapter was so beautifully told that I just wanted to continue hearing Bernadine Evaristo introduce new characters forever. Well worthy of it’s Booker Prize award.
THE OTHER’S GOLD BY ELIZABETH AMES
This reminded me of The Most Fun We Ever Had, but based on the relationships of four female friends rather than a family dynamic. I loved how this book took us through a few decades of the lives of the four main characters, building up clear personalities for Lainey, Ji Sun, Alice and Margaret. These four girls are put in a dorm together on their first day of university and immediately become inseparable, despite all of the challenging situations they face together as friends. The characters aren’t always likable, but their friendship is strong and enviable.
BOY PARTS BY ELIZA CLARK*
I devoured this debut novel in just a couple of days, completely hooked on the story. Be warned, it’s very dark and pretty explicit in places but just felt so real and raw. The concept is pretty simple - the protagonist, Irina, is a former art student who has received cult status for her subversive photos of men, shown naked or in costume as vulnerable sex objects. Irina is spiraling into a destructive state, fueled by alcohol, drugs, sex and extreme cinema, as she navigates relationships with her obsessive best friend and a new man that she has a crush on. (Published July 2020)
IF WE WERE VILLAINS BY M L RIO
The Secret History is possibly my favourite book ever, and I love finding other books that are inspired by it. If We Were Villains has many comparisons to TSH: it’s set on a college campus, based around a prestigious group of students and a murder forms the backbone of the story. Here, however, Shakespeare takes over from Ancient Greek. The book is based around a group of final year drama students at a posh American college, detailing their tangled relationships and how their lives implode when one of them is found dead after a disastrous party. The story is told from the point of view of Oliver, who is being released from prison following ten years of serving a sentence for the murder, finally admitting what really happened.
THE ISLAND CHILD BY MOLLY AITKEN
This was a bit of a wild card, as I hadn’t heard anyone talking about The Island Child. Normally, I see books recommended on Instagram or in articles and immediately swoop on them but I think I first came across this book when I saw a book event that featured The Island Child alongside two books I’d really enjoyed - Pine and Water Shall Refuse Them. There’s definitely a similarity here, all three books rooted in folklore and based in the British Isles. The Island Child focuses on protagonist, Oona’s childhood growing up on a remote Irish island and the present day - the first time in twenty years that she leaves her new home in Canada to return to the island. The book covers sensitive subjects such as rape and estranged family relationships, entangled with Irish folklore, identity, motherhood and freedom.
TRUE STORY BY KATE REED PETTY*
True Story is brilliant. It’s the story of a girl who passes out in the back seat of a car while being driven home from a party by two teenage lacrosse players. The book details how that one evening affects the girl’s life for years to come, and also how it changes the life of a bystander, another member of the lacrosse team. The book isn’t a conventional novel; it flits between different genres and even has four different covers that represent these genres. I finished this in two days and immediately wanted to read it all again. The twist at the end is nothing short of brilliant. (Published August 2020)
HEX BY REBECCA DINERSTEIN KNIGHT*
Hex was like nothing I’d ever read before. I love how Rebecca Dinerstein Knight writes, telling a compelling story about poison, antidotes and a love hexagon in a way that sucks you in and spits you out. The relationships in this book are as messy as the thoughts spiralling through Nell, the protagonist’s head. It’s a great read if you’re looking for something a bit different or have a passing interest in botany. (Published May 2020)