I had one of those weeks that felt about a month long, and yet didn’t include very much reading. If you want to get technical about it, I did finish two books, BUT… one of them was a very small graphic novel, so it’s not as decent as it sounds. However, the two I did finish I ended up really enjoying, as well as feeling deeply affected by, so it’s still a win!
Also right now I’m sitting on the floor next to my baby’s playpen because if I go any further away she cries. She’s reaching through the bars and grabbing my toes, so I keep having to stop so I can wiggle them and pull them away to keep her entertained. So if this post feels a little disjointed, that’s because it totally is.
Just shelved:
I love Raymond Briggs’ books for kids, which were a treasured part of my childhood. I was a little apprehensive to read Ethel & Ernest, wondering if some of the magic of his style and art would have waned as I grew. But it hasn’t. If anything, I’m able to get even more from it now than I did as a child. It helps that this book is one you’d have to be made of stone not to react emotionally to. It’s the story of Briggs’ parents, from when they met in 1920s England, through their marriage, purchase of a home, birth of their child, and the war. My parents are from England, so this was my grandparents’ England, and the England my parents grew up in. So it really hit home for me and made me nostalgic for an England I’ve never known, but have spent my life imagining.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is one I’ve been meaning to read for ages. I have been watching lots of Mercedes’ videos on her channel Mercy’s Bookish Musings, and she mentioned this book in one of her earlier videos as one she had loved. I read about the first half of the book and wasn’t impressed. I very nearly gave up on it. But I figured it’s a short book, so I might as well persevere. And I’m so glad I did. It was a late bloomer. I wouldn’t say it’s one of my favourite books, but it’s a very interesting one, and the writing is beautiful. There were issues I had with it, obviously, but I don’t need a book to be perfect to enjoy it, and this is one I think will stick with me.
Currently reading:
This will be the first Ali Smith novel I’ve read. It has taken a little while to get used to – Ali Smith’s writing style is unique and though beautiful, takes a little while to adjust to. But I’m enjoying this so far, and I’m glad I’m getting to it in plenty of time for her next book, Winter, which is set to come out in November. I don’t really have much to say about it yet, so yeah, that’s it.
Up next:
I talked about This One Summer in last week’s post but haven’t started it yet, so I’m not going to babble on about it again!
I’m excited to try The Bachelor. I have a weakness for British fiction, often (but not always) set in the mid-1900s, in which not a whole lot happens. I Capture the Castle, Barbara Pym’s books, and Cold Comfort Farm, which is the only other book I’ve read by Stella Gibbons. I’m hoping this one will have some of the same charm and humour. And it’s such a pretty edition!
That’s it for my week in books! What have you guys been reading? Have you read any of these?
My Week On Wednesday is a weekly post in which I share with you what I’ve been reading, what I’m reading next, and any other bookish stuff I enjoyed in the past week! If you’d like to write your own My Week On Wednesday post, or if you’d just like to share your recent reads, feel free to link or chat in the comments! (Click on cover image to visit Goodreads page and learn more about the book.)
