WWW Wednesdays: 19 May 2021

Still reading slowly! *sigh* Oh well. I am enjoying what I’m reading though!

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out! (It’s her birthday today, so wish her a happy birthday!)

The three Ws are:

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

***

What am I currently reading?

I am reading three books very slowly, but I am enjoying them all! I am reading Billie Holiday’s autobiography Lady Sings The Blues for my book club. It’s very vibrant and sassy and I like it. It’s co-written, but it came out in the 50s and the language really feels of its time, which I love.

I am also reading Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami. It’s my first Murakami and I am only 50 pages in, but I really like the writing style and the story is intriguing so far. I can already see myself reading a lot more Murakami in the future.

Finally, I am listening to Patti Smith’s M Train. I just love listening to Patti narrating her books. This book does not really seem to be about anything in particular, but just a dip into her journals and making a book out of it. It drifts and meanders and I kind of love it for that.

What did I recently finish reading?

I finished reading Then She Ran by Charlie Gallagher, which was a crime/mystery. It was not really my bag, but it was fine.

I also finished In The Presence of Absence by Palistinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. It’s an ode to his life addressed to himself and it was fantastic. That one felt expecially poignant in current times with everything that’s going on with Israel/Palestine. I won’t get into politics here, but I have strong feelings. I will try and get hold of everything this guy has written, because I love his prose so so much. Obviously I can’t read the original Arabic version, but the translation flowed well and felt sincere.

What will I read next?

I am really not sure yet. It depends on my mood when I finish the books I am currently reading. There are a few books I bought recently that are high on my list. We’ll see!

WWW Wednesdays: 5 May 2021

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out! (It’s her birthday today, so wish her a happy birthday!)

The three Ws are:

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

***

What am I currently reading?

I am currently reading a middle grade book, which is DarkIsle by D A Nelson. It’s not blowing my mind, but I am enjoying it and I will pass it one to my daughter to read once I am done with it.

I am also reading In The Presence of Absence by Mahmoud Darwish. It is hard to explain what this book is. It kind of appears to be his life story written in prose told to himself. He wrote it when he knew he was dying. I have never read anything like it. It is beautiful and I am savouring every page. I know it will make me cry. There is something about his writing that hits me right in the feels, even in a translated work.

Finally, I am listening to an Agatha Christie on audio. I have gone for By The Pricking of my Thumbs, which is neither a Marple nor a Poiroit. It centrest around an elderly sleuthing couple. I am enjoying the listen.

What did you recently finish reading?

I am still reading slowly and I have only managed to finish one book, which was Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. It was a good one though!

What will I read next?

I am not entirely sure yet. I have some heavier reads I want to get to, but I think I will be better off keeping to light reads for now. Nothing too taxing on my brain. My brain too quickly loses focus at the moment. I do need to read some books from my 2021 TBR, so I may have a look at that when choosing my next read.

WWW Wednesdays: 10 March 2021

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out!

The three Ws are:

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

***

What are you currently reading?

I ‘only’ have two books in progress at the moment. I have about two hours to go on my audio book, which is still Listening to the Animals by Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick. For some reason I just haven’t been listening to audio very much. I am enjoying it well enough though.

I am reading Dominicana by Angie Cruz on my Kindle. I am about 20% in. It’s ok so far – I am not loving it yet.

What have I recent finished reading?

I finished four books since last week. I liked them all! I finished Johannesburg by Fiona Melrose, which despite it’s low Goodreads rating, I really enjoyed. I ended up giving it 6 out of 7 stars (5* on GR). I just love the way she writes every day things. I also finished On Connection by Kae Tempest, which was a small book all on the idea of connection and creativity and how they go together. It was interesting, but I feel like they could have delved a little deeper (5/7*).

Yesterday I finished two more books, which were State of Sorrow by Melinda Salisbury, which had been sitting pretty on my shelf for a few years. I liked it, but I won’t be continuing the series (5/7*). And last, but definitely not least I read Why Did You Leave the Horse Alone? by Mahmoud Darwish. This is a poetry book with beautiful prose translated from Arabic. I really loved it, but the meaning went over my head a lot of the time. I gave it 6/7*, but I kind of feel it deserves a 7*. I just don’t understand it enough. But then, do you really need to understand poetry to love it? Food for thought…

What will I be reading next?

I keep thinking I want to read ‘this’ and then I change my mine to ‘that’, so I think I will just pick whatever I am in the mood for when I finish my current reads.

WWW Wednesdays: 24 February 2021

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out!

The three Ws are:

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

***

What are you currently reading?

I am reading an actual bookie book, an e-book and I am listening to an audio book at the moment.

The paperback is The City of Brass by S A Chakraborty. I bought this one on a whim last week. I am still in the mood for Middle Eastern inspired books, but I fancied something a bit different. This one has glowing reviews and I have heard good things, so despite the fact I should not be starting a new series (oops), I started this one. I am only a few pages in, so not much to tell yet.

My Kindle book is Your Song Changed My Life by Bob Boilen. I am reading this one for my music book club. I am a few chapters in and it is kind of eclectic and interesting. I hope I will end up liking it.

Finally, I am listening to Listening to the Animals by Noel Fitzpatrick, the Supervet. I love nature and animals and I have not been reading these types of books enough lately. My mother-in-law bought the hardback copy of this for me a couple of Christmasses ago, but I did not get round to reading it. It’s a memoir, so I thought the audio book read by the author would be the way to go. He is a bit dramatic reading it, but I I am liking it so far.

What did I recently finish reading?

I finished Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, which I enjoyed plenty enough, but did not quite love (5 out of 7 stars). I finished an audio book, which was Chronicles by Bob Dylan. That one was kind of interesting, but simply did not excite me (4 out of 7 stars). Finally, I read Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, which I absolutely fell in love with (7 big stars!). I am pretty sure that one will end up on my end of year list.

What will I be reading next?

I am not entirely sure yet. There are several books I want to pick up soon, but I have no definite reading plans.

WWW Wednesdays: 10 February 2021

It’s a cold and snowy morning, and I have a bunch of chores today, so let’s get my WWW done nice and early! 🙂

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out!

The three Ws are:

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

***

What am I currently reading?

I have an hour to go on my audio book, which is There Goes Gravity by famed music journalist Lisa Robinson. It has been a pretty good listen and includes chapters on a range of musicians, from The Rolling Stones to Eminem.

I am reading Ethan Hawke’s book A Bright Ray of Darkness. I’ve got a signed copy of that one, which is kind of fun. I am not quite halfway, but it is kind of exactly what I expected, smart and kind of sleazy. I am liking it though. If you have seen more recent interviews with him you know exactly what this book is like. It’s about a Hollywood actor doing a Shakespeare play on Broadway. Write what you know, I guess…

• 

• 

• 

• 

What did I recently finish reading?

I finished two books, both of which did not quite hit the mark for me. The first one was Paris by Starlight by Robert Dinsdale. That one has some gorgeous magical passages in it, but overall the vibe was a little off for me. I also read The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn, which is the second book in the Bridgerton series. It was a romp and I enjoyed it, but I am done with that series for now. It’s not quite my jam.

What will I be reading next?

Audio book wise I will probably go back to Chronicles by Bob Dylan. My fiction books will most likely be Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, as I already read the first chapter of that one.

WWW Wednesdays: 9 December 2020

I have had a stronger reading week than I have had for a while, mainly thanks to some easier type reads. Maybe that is what I need right now? But then, I did feel after a couple of fluffy reads, I needed something more challenging, so who knows!

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out!

The three Ws are:

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

***

What am I currently reading?

I have finally started to read To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. It is my first book by this author and I am only 20 pages in. The font is small and the writing quite dense, which takes a bit of getting used to.

I am about a third into Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga. It’s a long audio book, but it is incredibly interesting.

Because To The Lighthouse is so dense, I did not really find it that great for bedtime reading, so I have picked up my third Christmas themed book of the year, which is One New York Christmas by Mandy Baggot.

Finally, I am proof reading a book my friend has written, which is about her experience with her gifted child in the existing school system. This one obviously takes priority this coming week.

What did I recently finish reading?

I finished Lab Girl, which was a good read, but not one that will stick around for very long. Apart from that I have read a couple of Christmas chick lits; Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin wasn’t great, but I did like Carole Matthews’ Christmas for Beginners. Those reviews will come after I have read my third Christmassy novel.

What do I think I will be reading next?

I have a few books I really want to read before the end of 2020, so I will prioritise those. From my 2020 TBR there is The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly and I would love to complete another series, in which case the most likely is Jay Kristoff’s Darkdawn.

WWW Wednesdays: 2 December 2020

Still reading at a pretty slow pace! I’s been months now… Oh wel… Bring on 2021!

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out!

The three Ws are:

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

***

What am I currently reading?

I am currently reading Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. I had put it aside last week in favour of another book, but I have picked it back up. It’s a non-fiction read and so far it is pretty interesting!

I am listening to Black and British: a Forgotten History by David Olusoga, which is such an interesting and eye-opening listen. I am only about 20% in and since this is a 25-hour audio book this one will take me a while (probably all month).

What did I recently finish reading?

The only book I finished was The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss. I enjoyed that one, but I doubt it will stay with me very long. It was a fun time anyway.

What do I think I will read next?

I think I will read To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf next. I have never read any of her books and this one is on my 2020 TBR, so I really should read it!

WWW Wednesdays: 25 November 2020

This reading week has been kind of slow, but I don’t think I mind too much.

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out!

The three Ws are:

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

***

What am I currently reading?

I am about halfway through The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss. I am reading quite slowly right now, but I am enjoying it. It’s a light read so far and it’s fun. I love that there are characters from all sorts of classic (monster) literature in there.

I have also started listening to Black and British by David Olusoga. I am a couple of chapters in and it’s so interesting. This is a long audio book (25 hours!) and it may be interrupted by something else, so I may be in it for the long haul. However, I really like it so far. So much information on a subject I sadly know too little about.

I did also pick up Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, but I have not read on yet, favouring fiction for actual reading right now. I will probably pick it back up in the coming week.

What have I recently finished reading?

I finished my previous audio book, which was I Wanna Be Yours by John Cooper Clarke. I loved that one. He is such good storyteller and his voice is so distinctive. I would highly recommend the audio book. I will be diving into some of his work soon.

I also finished In Lucia’s Eyes by Arthur Japin almost a week ago. It was an enjoyable read, but to be honest it did not really stick at all.

What will I be reading next?

I am really in the mood for some more poetry, so there may be some of that coming. Not sure what yet. I have a few poetry books that I could pick up.

Sunday Reading Summary: 8 November 2020

I have been feeling a bit off this last week and I dont really know why. Suffering from busy-brain-syndrome I think. I have been fine for six months, but right now I am feeling a little down in the dumps. Not quite sure what has changed. Hopefully I will start feeling a little better soon.

I read a nice light chick lit novel in Truly, Madly, Greekly by Mandy Baggot in the hope that it would hit the spot. It was ok and kind of did what it needed to do, but it was not quite as good as I had hoped.

I have been listening to John Cooper Clarke’s autobiography, I Wanna Be Yours, which has been a blast so far. I love listening to him tell his stories. I pre-ordered a signed hardback, which is fun to have, but I am glad I decided to listen to this one. He has such a distinctive voice and being a performance poet he knows his way around words and how to tell his life story out loud. I am over halfway.

Finally, I am halfway through The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak and I have to say, this book is perfect for me right now. It is thought provoking in a gentle way and I have a feeling I will have a lot of feelings about it in the end. It sort of harks back to a fascination for the Middle East that I have had since I was a child. I have always loved the sounds, such as the singing and the music and even the Arabic language itself. Then there is the beautiful architecture and the writing. So far I am really loving this novel. It tells the story of a housewife in the 2000s as well the the story of Sufi poet Rumi and dervish Shams in the 1200s. It is making me want to read some Rumi, which I have been meaning to do for too many years.

What have you been reading? And how have you been feeling during this still trying times?

WWW Wednesdays: 12 August 2020

Oh man, the heat this past week has been too much! I am melting! It has been close to 35 degrees C for almost a week now, which is pretty much unheard of in my part of the world. Result is that I have read a decent amount, because it’s too hot to move much.

***

WWW Wednesdays’ home is at Sam’s blog Taking On A World of Words. Check it out!

The three Ws are:

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

***

 

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Feathers by Thor Hanson. He is a biologist that writes such interesting books! I have read Buzz by him before, which I loved, and this one looks at, well, feathers. I love the angle at which he approaches his books. We get to learn about the subject with him and because of his background he explains it all very well. I love this author.

I just started the third and final book in the Blackthorn & Grim series, Den of Wolves, by Juliet Marillier. I am expecting to have a good time with that one.

And finally, I am listening to Just Around Midnight: Rock and Roll and the Racial Imagination by Jack Hamilton. I am reading that one for a music themed book club of sorts that I like to keep up with. Such an interesting choice after finishing my previous listen. Bascially this looks at the rock genre and how it went from its black pioneers to be an almost exclusively white genre. An especially interesting book to me, as I am someone who listens to a lot of (indie) rock music over other types of genres.

What have I recently finished?

I can’t have expected my August reading month to have a slow start, but I have done well so far.

I finished Beach Read by Emily Henry, which was just ok for me. I really had an issue with some of the ways the male love interest Gus treated our leading lady January and it was longer than it should have been. I did not find it very memorable, but I did enjoy it. 4/7 stars.

Of last week’s choices I read Nefertiti by Michelle Moran. This is a fictionalised account of Egyptian queen Nefertiti’s rise to pharaoh from the viewpoint of her sister. I really enjoyed this one quite a bit. It had been a while since I read a book set in Ancient Egypt and I want more!

I finished listening to How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi, which I took a lot away from. I loved the passion that he displayed for this important subject in the audio narration.  However, I did find myself zoning out a bit towards the final third of the book, which was a shame. Overall though, this was such a valuable listen. 5/7 stars.

Finally, I finished reading A Scot To Remember by Angeline Fortin on my Kindle yesterday. This one was kind of as surprise. I picked it up randomly a few weeks ago because I felt like I needed some historical romance in my life. Turned out it was a time travel romance, but the romance was not too heavy handed and I actually really enjoyed this one (despite the awful cover). It was set in the 1910s and was really well done.  I will be reading on in this series at some point soon.

What do I think I will be reading next?

I have a few books still on my Summer TBR, so I will choose something from that. It may be Hamnet (Maggie O’Farrell) or Good Omens (Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman). I am also looking to read Broadwater by Jac Shreeves-Lee, which as far as I can tell is a collection of multicultural short stories. It sounds really interesting.

*

What are you reading? Planning to read? Please link your WWW down below. Have a great reading week! 🙂