Teaser Tuesday: The Travelling Cat Chronicles

August 14, 2018August 13, 2018 Ali@abookishlife6 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.

This week my teaser comes from The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa a book I read at the weekend and am still not really over. It’s an incredibly beautiful and moving story about the relationship between a man and the stray cat he adopts (or rather the cat that adopts him). I don’t usually read books like this because they upset me too much but despite this absolutely and thoroughly breaking my heart I am glad I got to experience it.

My Teaser

And then there he was , framed against the sky, gazing down at me. The instant our eyes met, his stern look melted. His eyes softened and light caught the trails of water sliding down his cheeks.

Pg170, The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

Blurb

Nana, a cat, is devoted to Satoru, his owner. So when Satoru decides to go on a roadtrip one day to find him a new home, Nana is perplexed. They visit Satoru’s old friends from his school days and early youth. His friends may have untidy emotional lives but they are all animal lovers, and they also wonder why Satoru is trying to give his beloved cat away. Until the day Nana suddenly understands a long-held secret about his much-loved owner, and his heart begins to break.

Narrated in turns by Nana and by his owner, this funny, uplifting, heartrending story of a cat is nothing if not profoundly human.

Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

August 11, 2018 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

A wonderfully written coming of age story that I wanted so badly to love but couldn’t quite connect with.

THE BLURB

When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they’ll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief doesn’t last, and Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone, and Cam becomes an expert at both.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. She and Cam forge an unexpected and intense friendship, one that seems to leave room for something more to emerge. But just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self-even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules.

MY REVIEW

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hmm I am really struggling to know what to say about this book. Have you ever read the blurb on a book and thought this sounds like just the sort of story I’ll love. You check out the reviews and everyone you know is raving over how brilliant it is, how it’s one of the best books they’ve read and you think yep I need to read this as soon as possible.

You manage to get a copy and dive right in only to realise pretty early on that it’s not really working for you. There’s nothing obviously wrong with it but it just doesn’t make you feel anything. That was exactly what happened to me with this book. I could see it’s good (possibly even great) but that’s not how it felt.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a classic coming of age story. Set in a small (and pretty religious) town in Montana, Cameron is 12 years old when her parents die in a car accident leaving her to live with her aunt Ruth and her Grandmother. Cameron struggles with her grief but more importantly is struggling with guilt over the fact that when her parents died she was shoplifting and kissing a girl.

The story follows Cammie over the next 4 or 5 years as she deals with the loss of her parents while trying to keep the fact that she’s more attracted to girls than boys a secret, particularly from her Aunt, whose religious views it goes against. Needless to say it doesn’t remain a secret.

I thought the author did an absolutely wonderful job in setting the scene for this story. She is originally from Miles City where the story is set so I’m assuming it’s based on her own memories and experiences but she conveys it so well. Movies are referenced a lot in this story but there’s something very film like in the description of both place and people too. It’s very easy to imagine yourself there, the sights, sounds and even the feel of the place.

The characters are similarly well fleshed out. Each and every one of them and the actions between them feeling very real and natural. Cameron in particular was very intriguing and with the story taking place over several years it was fascinating to watch her grow and develop.

This focus on Cameron and the development of her through her teens is however where it probably went a little bit wrong for me as while her story interested me I didn’t feel particularly connected to her. Consequently I was never emotionally invested in it which in this type of story is really necessary in my opinion.

There were a couple of emotional moments in the beginning but other than that it was more I’m kinda curious where this is going rather than I can’t put this down as I need to know what happens next. I can’t put my finger on what caused this, it was maybe a lack of things in common with Cammie or it could have been the way she tells the story, often reflecting back from some time in the future, which makes her seem a little detached from it rather than in the moment.

Pace wise this is a slow read and I have to confess to being tempted to DNF more than once. There are some pretty long sections where it doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere. There was probably something I was missing in these parts, some symbolism or deeper meaning but I mostly just wanted it to move on.

It does pick up a little in the second half when the truth comes out and Ruth takes drastic action to set Cammie back on God’s path but I don’t think it was enough. The ending when it finally came was also a bit of a let down. I felt like it was just getting interesting and then it was over. I can understand what the author was trying to do but it really frustrated me.

I have to say I am glad to have read it, it opened my eyes to a lot of things and presented such a wonderfully vivid picture of small town America, but it’s not one I’m ever likely to pick up again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. This has in no way influenced my review.

WWW Wednesday: 8th August 2018

August 8, 2018August 7, 2018 Ali@abookishlife23 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

I started reading The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth on Monday and while I’m finding it a bit of a slow read I have managed to make reasonable progress and am around halfway through. It’s a coming of age story, set in the early 1990’s and follows a teenage Cameron Post who loses both her parents in a car accident when she’s 12 and is brought up by her religious aunt and Grandmother. As well as dealing with the grief over her parents death she’s also trying to figure out why she’s more attracted to girls than boys and how to reconcile that with her family’s (and most of the town’s) religious beliefs. I am liking it but I’m not too sure where it’s going (it’s a little meandering). It definitely gives you a sense of small town America around that time though, and I am loving all of the movie references.

On audio I’m listening to Down Among the Sticks and Bones, the second book in Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series. I’ve literally just started this but having listened to the first book in the series last weekend I’m really looking forward to it. If the first book is anything to go by it promises to be a dark and gothic fairytale with some very intriguing characters. It’s narrated by the author, which I didn’t realize until I started it (authors don’t always make the best narrators in my very limited experience), but she’s pretty good. My only criticism is that it feels a little rushed.

Recently Finished

I seem to have gotten my reading mojo back over the last week or so and have been reading virtually non stop (I even posted a few reviews). Combine that with a sneaky day off work and I managed to finish 5 books, the first of which was The Mermaid by Christina Henry and boy did I enjoy this book. I had clearly not read the blurb properly as I hadn’t realised this was a story about a mermaid who joins PT Barnum’s Museum of Curiosities. It’s loosely based on one of his most famous hoaxes, the Fiji Mermaid, but with a real mermaid as well as the fake one. It’s not a fast paced story (or necessarily a happy one) but I found it truly fascinating to read. There are some wonderful characters and themes and the writing is brilliant. You can read my full review here. The Princess Bride

The second book finished was The Princess Bride by William Goldman which I listened to on audio. I absolutely adore this story so will take any opportunity available to either listen to, watch or read it. I was a little disappointed that this is an abridged version but it does have almost all of the best bits and is narrated by Rob Reiner who, while maybe not the best (it’s a little rushed and he doesn’t do voices) makes up for any shortcomings in style with lots of enthusiasm and passion.

With my Princess Bride obsession in full flow after listening to it on audio I couldn’t resist picking up Cary Elwes look behind the scenes at the making of the film, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride, immediately after and I think I read the whole thing in a day. I don’t know much about film making so it was great to get an insiders view. I also loved all of the anecdotes about the filming of my favorite scenes but especially getting a sense of who the actors were and the type of stuff they got up to off camera.

Despite feeling a little mermaided out I picked up Sea Witch by Sarah Henning next. I’d received it from NetGalley a couple of months ago and despite wanting to read it when I requested I’d been a little put off by a combination of some negative reviews and the number of other seemingly similar books that are around at the moment (you wait forever for a mermaid story and 6 come along at once). I did however end up absolutely loving it as it reminded me why I love a good villain story. It was just so completely unexpected and surprising. Because it is a villain story you know there’s a fair chance it won’t have a “and they all lived happily ever after” type ending, there will probably be some kind of betrayal and no doubt a tragedy, basically something horrible will happen, which may not be great for the characters but makes for a compelling read. I will admit there were a few things that niggled me but I would recommend it.
Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)

I had a 2 hour drive on Saturday so that was the perfect excuse to finally listen to Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire and it was sooo good. It’s a little bit fantasy, a little boarding school story and a lot gruesome murder mystery. Is there a better combination? There are some very unique and diverse (including asexual & trans) characters and the writing is absolutely wonderful. My main gripe is that at only about 4 hours long (169 pages) it’s too bloomin short.

Reading Next

I posted my second update for Candid Cover’s Summer TBR Wipeout at the weekend with all of the books I’m planning on reading over the next couple of weeks but next up is probably going to be The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. This book was mentioned in the blurb of If Cat’s Disappeared from the World (a “if you loved this you’ll enjoy this” type quote) so when I spied it in the library I couldn’t resist. I am slightly concerned it’s going to upset me though so I’m probably going to wait till I’m home alone to pick it up.

Should it break me I’ll probably pick up The Governess Game by Tessa Dare. I do love Tessa Dare and this is one historical romance I’ve been looking forward to for a while. I will also probably be reading yet another mermaid book as my loan of The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill is up at the start of next week and if I don’t read it now I’ll need to go back into the wait list for it.

The Governess Game The Surface Breaks The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Reading ❤

Teaser Tuesday: Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

August 7, 2018August 5, 2018 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

This week my teaser comes from Sea Witch by Sarah Henning which I received via NetGalley. I started this at the weekend and despite being overloaded with fantasy books at the moment, and mermaid stories in particular, there was something about this that really drew me in. It’s dark in a very subtle way and the story is not at all what I was expecting.

My Teaser

The sea is a fickle witch. She is just as likely to bestow a kiss as to steal the breath from your lips. Beautiful and cruel, and every glimmering wrinkle in between.

Loc 74, The Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

Blurb

Everyone knows what happens in the end. A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss. But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends. One feared, one royal, and one already dead.

Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.

A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.

But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.

Review: Spare & Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin

August 5, 2018August 5, 2018 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to confess it took me a little while to get into it but I ended up falling a little in love with this modern reworking of Frankenstein. It was a little different to what I was expecting but it’s one of those books that I think will buzz around in my head for a while which is always a good sign.

The story is set in the future some time after some terrible event has devastated civilization and left the survivors missing parts (an arm, a leg, an ear) and with an aversion to any kind of technology. For main character Nell Crane however the part she’s missing is a heart. Her father, the scientist famed for creating realistic artificial parts to fill the gaps, gives her a clockwork heart. Feeling like an outsider and under pressure to do something amazing as her “contribution” to society Nell is inspired by a mannequin’s hand she finds on the beach to create a companion for herself. To do so though she’s going to have to break a lot of rules and possibly lose the one friend she has.

There’s something a little uncomfortable about this story, which I think is why I initially found it a bit of a struggle. I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about Nell creating someone to understand and love her. I do have a lot of sympathy for her, she feels like an outsider, she’s ashamed of her clockwork heart, has an aversion to being touched and seems very alone but her solution of creating a person just feels selfish and reckless. I did love her determination and her passion but I found it frustrating how she separates herself from those around her and doesn’t really try.

I have to confess the relationships between Nell and those around her also confused me. I couldn’t quite figure out how I felt about them and possibly more importantly couldn’t work out how I was supposed to feel about them. Should I be rooting for a romance or upset at their lack of understanding? The characters are wonderfully complex and interesting and I suspect the author may have intentionally written it this way but I found myself moving from like to dislike and back again at a rapid pace.

Potential romantic interest (or sex pest) Oliver was particularly intriguing to me and I’m still not sure how I feel about him. He and Nell more or less grew up together and he’s actively pursuing her but it’s not clear what his motives are. Whether he’s truly interested in a romantic way or whether he’s more mercenary and simply looking for more access to her father. Certainly from her initial reactions Nell seems genuinely repulsed by him despite everyone trying to push them together. He comes on hard and refuses to take no for an answer. But, as the story progresses there’s something about him that grows on you (and Nell) and it seems like her feelings towards him may change.

Similarly best friend Ruby doesn’t always seem like much of a friend. She pushes Nell to do things that she doesn’t want to do, or that make her uncomfortable for selfish reasons. She keeps secrets, talks about her behind her back and is trying to force her into a relationship she doesn’t want. But, there are moments where you really see Ruby and she’s not a bad person, just not perfect, and a lot of the problems are due to Nell keeping her and everyone else at arms length.

It is great to watch how all of these relationships develop and shift over the course of the novel and my feelings did shift and change towards them. Something I’m not sure has ever happened quite so much with any other story.

The world building is also wonderfully done by the author. The aftermath and devastation of what seems to have been an apocalyptic event is all around them giving it a very sinister and gothic feel but the new society growing out of the ashes is also fascinating. There’s so much fear and control, but there’s also the suggestion of something better.

It really is a fascinating story that makes you question just what it means to be human and what it is that makes you a monster while also looking at the role of technology in society. I also have to praise the author for creating such a challenging and unique central character. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

THE BLURB

Nell Crane has always been an outsider. In a city devastated by an epidemic, where survivors are all missing parts—an arm, a leg, an eye—her father is the famed scientist who created the biomechanical limbs everyone now uses. But Nell is the only one whose mechanical piece is on the inside: her heart. Since the childhood operation, she has ticked. Like a clock, like a bomb. As her community rebuilds, everyone is expected to contribute to the society’s good . . . but how can Nell live up to her father’s revolutionary idea when she has none of her own?

Then she finds a mannequin hand while salvaging on the beach—the first boy’s hand she’s ever held—and inspiration strikes. Can Nell build her own companion in a world that fears advanced technology? The deeper she sinks into this plan, the more she learns about her city—and her father, who is hiding secret experiments of his own.

Summer TBR Wipeout – Update (2)

August 5, 2018 Ali@abookishlife11 Comments

Oops I’m afraid I’m a little bit late in posting my second progress update for Candid Cover’s Summer TBR Wipeout but I have a really good excuse, I was busy reading 🙂 I actually can’t believe that we’re more than two thirds of the way through this 7 week challenge as it seems hardly any time since my introductory post at the start of July where I set myself the goal of reading 21 books. I will admit that finishing 21 books from a list was probably never going to happen (I’m too much of a mood reader) but it has proven to be great motivation. So how have I done since my last update, read on and find out.

Read / Currently Reading

I’m actually pretty happy with my reading progress since my last update, yes I’ve wandered off my list a bit (that was always going to happen) but since my last update I’ve finished 8 pretty brilliant books, including a couple I gave 5 stars to.

A Closed and Common Orbit (Wayfarers #2) by Becky Chambers – 5 Stars – Yep you read that right, 5 out of this world stars. I absolutely loved the second book in Chambers Wayfarers series. There’s a bit more of a story than the first book and it’s more contained giving me a greater connection to the characters and making me much more emotionally invested. I cried a lot and I just loved it.
Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig – 4.5 Stars – Another great read, the only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that while I loved how Haig pulled together scientific theory, facts, psychology and his own experiences, I’m not sure I could say there’s anything new in it. It’s very readable, informative and uplifting but I wouldn’t necessarily say I learned anything new, other than I should worry about robots.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman – 4 Stars – My first wander off course but it’s one of my fave books so I’m pretty sure it’s allowed. Only 4 stars though I’m afraid as this was an abridged audio version and while Rob Reiner’s narration was great it felt a little rushed and he didn’t do any of the voices (inconceivable).
Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin – 4 Stars – Roughly based on Frankenstein but with a futuristic, post apocalyptic type setting. It took me a little while to warm up to main character Nell, and to get my head around a world without technology (the horror) but it’s a very dark and intriguing story that makes you think (and that’s never a bad thing).

To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo – 3.5 Stars – I don’t think I was in the right mood for this book as while I loved the concept (a little mermaid retelling) and found it an engaging read it never really wowed me the way I thought it would. I do think it was me and not the book though
The Mermaid by Christina Henry – 4 Stars – Yep another mermaid book but this time with a dash of historical fiction thrown in. It’s a much more serious read and a lot more depressing but has more depth and feeling in it. Also I’m kind of obsessed with the whole Barnum thing so it was fascinating to see him portrayed in a very different way.
As You Wish by Cary Elwes & Joe Layden – 5 Stars – Another wander off the TBR for exactly the same reason as the previous one, my true love of The Princess Bride. I love the film so I was always going to love this look behind the scenes. I swear I’ve been boring everyone senseless reciting Elwes anecdotes about cast and crew. Sorry everyone.
Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire – In progress – OK I’m not quite finished this yet but I only have an hour to go so I’m counting it. Another book not on my list but it is one I’ve been wanting to read for ages so when my hold came in from the library I grabbed it and started immediately and I’m really enjoying it.

Up Next

There are only a couple of weeks left of the challenge so it’s doubtful I’m going to finish every book on my original list but I would really like to read the following four books.

I am however going to replace the other books from my existing list with the following three. The first, The Travelling Cat Chronicles fits a task on a team challenge I’m doing, Down Among the Sticks and Bones is the sequel to Every Heart a Doorway and The Governess Game I received from NetGalley and can’t resist reading asap.

So that’s where I’m at. Unlike when I posted my first update I’m feeling a lot more positive and upbeat about my progress, maybe reading Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet has actually helped 🙂

Have you read any of the books on the list? What did you think of them? Are there any on my list I’ve tempted you to pick up?

Happy reading everyone ❤

Review: The Mermaid by Christina Henry

August 4, 2018 Ali@abookishlife5 Comments

The Mermaid by Christina Henry

This may not have been the happiest or most uplifting of stories but it’s a wonderfully written and compelling read. Henry creates an incredible sense of time and place and shows the best and worst of human nature through the eyes of someone extraordinary.

THE BLURB

From the author of Lost Boy comes a historical fairy tale about a mermaid who leaves the sea for love and later finds herself in P.T. Barnum’s American Museum as the real Fiji mermaid. However, leaving the museum may be harder than leaving the sea ever was.

Once there was a mermaid who longed to know of more than her ocean home and her people. One day a fisherman trapped her in his net but couldn’t bear to keep her. But his eyes were lonely and caught her more surely than the net, and so she evoked a magic that allowed her to walk upon the shore. The mermaid, Amelia, became his wife, and they lived on a cliff above the ocean for ever so many years, until one day the fisherman rowed out to sea and did not return.

P. T. Barnum was looking for marvelous attractions for his American Museum, and he’d heard a rumor of a mermaid who lived on a cliff by the sea. He wanted to make his fortune, and an attraction like Amelia was just the ticket.

Amelia agreed to play the mermaid for Barnum, and she believes she can leave any time she likes. But Barnum has never given up a money-making scheme in his life, and he’s determined to hold on to his mermaid.

MY REVIEW

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay before I start this review I should probably say that The Greatest Showman is one of my favorite films. I’ve watched it far too many times and had the soundtrack playing on repeat for months.

You might be wondering why this is in any way relevant to this book but I have to admit my love for the film colored my experience of reading the book. This is the story of a mermaid who wants to see the human world and agrees to appear in PT Barnum’s museum of curiosities to fund her travels. Needless to say as soon as Barnum, wife Charity and his daughters appeared on the page I couldn’t help but imagine the cast of the film.

The experience however is very different from that portrayed in the film. This isn’t a happy story where differences are celebrated and our mermaid Amelia finds confidence and acceptance. It is unfortunately much more real and I’m afraid to say much darker and more depressing. It’s set in the 1840’s and portrays very effectively the very worst of human nature.

Amelia as a mermaid had self assurance, was independent and adventurous but despite her initial desire to see everything she’s gradually beaten down. As a woman she has no power and as a mermaid she’s treated as something inhuman. There are those who view her as a miracle but just as many or more who see her as something sinful or as an abomination. I loved her as a character and hated the way she gradually lost her spark as she was insulted, abused and made to feel powerless.

Henry’s portrayal of Barnum is similarly depressing. He’s a money hungry conman with no respect for anyone and pretty much no morals. Before Amelia meets him he’s already worked an elderly lady he bought to death then sold tickets for her autopsy. He’s a truly despicable person (a far cry from the version portrayed by Hugh Jackman) and seeks every opportunity to exploit everyone he meets. He can’t believe his luck when he discovers a real mermaid but despite some initial wonder it isn’t long before he’s trying to use her in any way he can.

This story isn’t all doom and gloom however as there are some genuinely wonderful moments, Amelia outwitting Barnum time and time again, the joy she brings when people first witness her transformation, the friendship that grows between her and Barnum’s wife, her general disdain for clothing (and the very prudish attitudes of the time) and the relationship between her and Barnum’s eldest daughter Caroline. There’s also a very sweet and gentle romance, some heartbreak (yes I cried) and a few laughs.

The writing throughout is brilliant creating a real sense of time and place. You can very easily imagine yourself on the cold, harsh coast of Maine or in the noise and crowds of New York. The beginning in particular where Amelia meets fisherman Jack has a real fairytale feel to it that I absolutely adored. I felt connected to each and every character and became so emotionally invested in them that despite it being a relatively slow paced read I was anxious to know how their story would end.

I seem to be reading a lot of books about mermaids at the moment but this was a truly unique and memorable experience. Definitely one I would recommend if you like strong female characters, historical settings and a slower and darker story with just a little bit of wonder.

WWW Wednesday: 1st August 2018

August 1, 2018August 1, 2018 Ali@abookishlife20 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

I started reading The Mermaid by Christina Henry on Sunday evening but have to confess I haven’t made a huge amount of progress with it so far. I am going to see Henry, Victoria Schwab and Sarah Maria Griffin on Thursday night so I was kind of hoping I’d be further through but I’ve got an hour or two on the train tomorrow so hopefully I’ll make some good progress. What I have read I have enjoyed, there’s something very fairytale like about the writing, so I am looking forward to reading more.

On audio I’ve been listening to The Princess Bride by William Goldman and it is making me so happy. It does seem to be an abridged version which is a little disappointing but I absolutely love this book (and the film) so I’m not too upset. It’s still got most of the classic lines and the narrator, Rob Reiner, while not really doing much in the way of voices, does tell a pretty good story. It is making me want to track down the film and maybe read the book again (and again, and again). Inconceivable!!!

Recently Finished

I overdid things a bit last week as a result of trying to work crazy hours, attending author events and other stuff so needless to say my anxiety flared at the weekend and my system went into meltdown (not good). On the plus side it kind of forced me to just stop and take things easy which meant lots of reading, watching movies and sleeping. I’ve therefore managed to finish three books, the first of which was To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo.

I really liked this Little Mermaid based YA fantasy. There are a lot of little nods to the Disney version of the story, which made me smile, but this is a much darker take on it. Lira, the Ariel of the story, is a siren and daughter of the Sea Queen/ Sea Witch. She takes great joy in literally ripping the hearts out of princes. Elian is a Prince who hunts sirens to protect his kingdom (and the hearts of the other Princes). When Lira upsets her mother she is turned into a human and has to steal Elian’s heart or lose her life but can she get close enough to him and if she does get to know him will she be able to kill him. I loved how violent and dark this was and really liked the relationship between Lira and Elian but there’s something holding me back from loving the whole thing. Maybe it’s just a little too predictable (I felt like I’d read it before) or maybe it’s just my other recent reads have had so much more depth that this couldn’t compare but it didn’t wow me. Spare and Found Parts

The second book finished this week was Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin. It’s a kind of dystopian sci fi take on Frankenstein and tells the story of Nell Crane, the girl with a clockwork heart who decides to build an android from some parts she finds. I had some mixed feelings on this one in the beginning but it really grew on me. I was very sympathetic towards Nell and loved her as a character but there’s just something questionable about building a person as a companion for yourself. Like the original story it raises questions over what makes you human/alive and whether anyone has the right to create life for their own selfish reasons.

The third book finished was Matt Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet which I’d picked up from the library. It’s about how the changes in the world, which seem to be happening at a rapidly increasing rate, are responsible for an increase in stress, anxiety and other mental (and consequently physical) illnesses. I wouldn’t necessarily say that there’s much we haven’t already heard but Haig gathers all of the different theories and stories together in a very compelling and easy to understand way.

Reading Next

I was hoping I’d be able to read Vicious by V.E. Schwab before I see her at the event tomorrow night but not sure I’ll have the time. If I don’t manage to start it tomorrow I think it’ll be going on the back burner for a bit so I can switch back to the mountain of ARCs I have waiting to be read. I feel like I really need a break from sci fi and fantasy (and mermaid stories in particular) for a bit so I think I’m going to try and pick up The Miseducation of Cameron Post next. I did however get approved for Tessa Dare’s latest book at the end of last week so there’s a fair possibility I’ll ditch everything and read it instead 🙂

Vicious The Miseducation of Cameron Post The Governess Game

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Reading ❤

Teaser Tuesday: Reasons to Stay Alive

July 31, 2018July 29, 2018 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

This week my teaser comes from Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig. It’s a combination of self help and memoir and tells the true story of Haig’s battle with depression and anxiety. There are some suggestions on ways of overcoming or at least living with depression and anxiety but mostly it’s about telling everyone that there’s nothing wrong with mental illness and for those suffering from it, you are not alone and you will get through this.

When I read this the following quote really spoke to me so I had to share it.

My Teaser

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig (77%)

Blurb

I want life. I want to read it and write it and feel it and live it. I want, for as much of the time as possible in this blink-of-an-eye existence we have, to feel all that can be felt. I hate depression. I am scared of it. Terrified, in fact. But at the same time, it has made me who I am. And if – for me – it is the price of feeling life, it’s a price always worth paying.

Reasons to Stay Alive is about making the most of your time on earth. In the western world the suicide rate is highest amongst men under the age of 35. Matt Haig could have added to that statistic when, aged 24, he found himself staring at a cliff-edge about to jump off. This is the story of why he didn’t, how he recovered and learned to live with anxiety and depression. It’s also an upbeat, joyous and very funny exploration of how live better, love better, read better and feel more.

WWW Wednesday: 25th July 2018

July 25, 2018July 24, 2018 Ali@abookishlife18 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

I started reading To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo on Sunday evening and as I’m writing this (Tuesday lunchtime) I’m around 80% of the way through and really enjoying it. It’s very little mermaid-ish but a bit more bloodthirsty which I’m loving but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s going to be a favourite.

I’m going to see the author tonight where she’s taking part on a panel on YA sci fi and fantasy along with Elizabeth May and Sasha Alsberg.

I’m also still working my way (very slowly) through Why We Sleep by Matthew P. Walker. I’ve never been very good at getting enough sleep as I’ve picked up the worst bits from both my mum (waking up at 4am) and my dad (staying up way later than I should watching crap telly). I’m hoping this may help me get into some better habits.

Recently Finished

I’ve had a brilliant reading week mostly thanks to a weekend of doing very little (I took a break from the whole house hunting thing) and managed to finish three books. The first of these was In Bloom by C.J. Skuse which I’d received from NetGalley. It’s the sequel to Sweetpea and the best way I can find to describe it is as a combination of Dexter and Bridget Jones. It’s got that diary type format and follows the day to day life of MC Rhiannon, her relationships with family and friends, flirtations and brutal and bloody murders. It’s pretty dark and twisted but very, very funny. This time Rhiannon’s pregnant so there’s also all of the horror of that too 🙂

A Closed and Common Orbit (Wayfarers, #2) After In Bloom I picked up A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. I started it when I woke up on Saturday morning and had it finished by mid afternoon. I just loved it so much I couldn’t put it down. It’s a follow up to The Long Way to a Small and Angry Planet but is more of a companion to it rather than a sequel as it has a different setting and characters. Like it’s predecessor it’s a bit of a slow burner but I did really love the characters and there were some parts which absolutely broke my heart. I posted a teaser from it yesterday and honestly just flipping through the pages made me all emotional.

The final book finished this week was Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig. I’d been slowly working my way through this for a while (I was worried it’d be triggering) but decided on Sunday morning just to sit (or that should probably be lie in bed) and read it. It’s kind of difficult to describe as it’s a kind of mixture of self help and memoir but it did make for fascinating reading and Haig is wonderfully honest and open about his experiences of anxiety and depression. It’s not prescriptive, there are no fix all cures but rather an acknowledgement that everyone is different but you are not alone in how you’re feeling. It left me feeling pretty positive and upbeat.

Reading Next

The third book in the Wayfarers series, Record of a Spaceborn Few, came out yesterday so I’m very tempted to read that but I’ve got another author event on the 2nd August in Edinburgh and haven’t read any books by two of the authors. Next up therefore will be the The Mermaid and Spare and Found Parts. My reading is feeling a little heavy on the sci fi and fantasy at the moment so I may also try to sneak a little romance in too with Challenge Accepted.

Spare and Found Parts Vicious The Mermaid Challenge Accepted