This coming week is a tough one for me… it’s the anniversary of my mum’s death and also my birthday. I’ve struggled with this week ever since my mum died, as the two dates became so linked together in the year she died that I’ve never quite been able to separate them ever since. I always feel melancholy until my birthday is over and then the mood lifts again. It’s hard to distract myself when feeling like this but I always do my best to escape into books.
In better news, I had a really helpful first appointment at the hospital with a new consultant. It was refreshing to be listened to and taken seriously, now it’s just the long wait for the results.
Annoyingly, a couple of days ago I opened my MacBook to write some reviews and it was not working at all. My husband has got it working again now but neither of us trust it to keep working as it’s still behaving oddly. Urgh! I can only blog on my MacBook as my dictation software doesn’t work with anything else so if I end up not being around so much in the near future it’s because it’s bit the dust. Hopefully it will keep working for the foreseeable though.
This week I’ve finished reading four books:
This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
This book was one of my Christmas presents and I’ve been so keen to read it. I picked it up the other day and it was brilliant, even better than I expected. There is a real mix of humour and heartbreak, and it felt like it really represented what it must be like to work as a junior doctor in the NHS. I highly recommend this book.
In the Days of Rain by Rebecca Stott
I’ve had this book on my audio book TBR for a while and somehow hadn’t listened to it. I then saw a few reviews of it after it won the biography category in the Costa Book Awards so immediately started listening. This is such an open and honest memoir, it’s a book that I feel will stay with me.
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
This is a review book that I’ve had for a little while now but I finally got to read it this week and I loved it. It had me hooked from start to finish and it feels like a book that will really stay with me. I’m struggling to write my review because I loved the book so much. Hopefully I’ll manage to get my words together very soon though.
Out of Orange by Cleary Wolters
This was my other audio book from this week and I enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure of it to start with but once I got into it I found it interesting. I recommend it for fans of Orange is the New Black.
This week I’ve blogged three times:
Sunday: Weekly Wrap-Up
Wednesday: WWW Wednesday post
Saturday: Stacking the Shelves with my latest book haul
This is what I’m currently reading:
Three Things about Elsie by Joanna Cannon
I started reading this book last night and I’ve already had a little cry over it. It’s just so believable and so beautifully written; it feels like this might become a new favourite book. I will be reviewing this once I’ve read it but I can already recommend it.
This is How it Ends by Eva Dolan
This book is so good. I love the way it’s told in a non-linear way and so the story is slowly unfolding, it’s got me engrossed and it’s a book I really look forward to picked it up and reading a bit more.
Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
I haven’t read much more of this book this week as I just haven’t been in the mood for it. I hope to get back to it in the coming week though as I am enjoying it.
Winter by Ali Smith
I’m still very much enjoying this book but I’m struggling to read it because my copy is really tightly bound so it’s impossible for me to hold when I’m not doing so well. I will get properly back to this as soon as the strength in my hands improves again.
Rest in Power by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin
I’ve read a couple more chapters of this book this week and I’m finding it such a heartbreaking read. I may put this to one side for the next week and pick it back up once I’m feeling on more of an even keel.
The State of the TBR:
Well, I’m really happy to report that three weeks into 2018 my TBR is holding steady at 2753 owned books, which is the same as it was last week! I have looked at books but have resisted buying any. I did get a couple of books from NetGalley but because of the books I’ve read this week my TBR has remained at the same number! I really want to reduce my TBR over this year but to not be increasing it is still something of an achievement for me! You can see my latest book haul here.
How has your week been? What have you been reading? Please share in the comments below. If you write a wrap-up on your blog please feel free to share the link. 🙂
RatherTooFondofBooks 
Feeling for you on the MacBook thing, the husband and I had a conversation last night on how his iMac, which is now years and years old, is possibly dwindling. I can’t imagine not working on it and we’re both kind of sweating especially since yesterday our car broke down (myself and three year old had first ride in a row truck from a very farmy area back to town, he thinks now it was the best adventure ever;) and the way the guy talked about it didn’t instill confidence so hmmm. Really sorry your birthday is linked to such sadness, I hope you get the odd lovely moment in there somehow xxxxxx
It’s always the way that things seem to break at the same time, isn’t it? We had to replace our oven before Christmas so could do without my MacBook playing up now. We’re hoping it was just a hard-drive fail but it’s still doing odd things so I’m unsure, just got to wait it out. I hope your iMac keeps going a while longer for you. Hope your car is repairable too.
Thank you, it’s a strange week but I’ll be okay once it’s over. xx
Big hugs for you this week Hayley xx
Thank you xx
Fierce hugs for the upcoming week, Hayley. xx
Thank you xx
Sending hugs your way, lovely x
Thank you x
I didn’t like This is Going to Hurt finding it a depressing take on today’s NHS and found the author unsympathetic. I am looking forward to In the days of Rain
I have Days of Rain on my tbr and think I’ll change it to the audio version as I do enjoy memoirs in that format. Thinking of you this week xx
I enjoyed listening to the audio, I found that I was listening every chance I had and got really engrossed in it. Thank you xx
Sending you love and strength Hayley xx
Thank you, Linda xx
Sending love and positive thoughts your way for the coming week, Hayley!
I hope your Mac will keep working the way it should… have you checked if you should maybe get rid of some things to have more space? My Mac gets a bit wonky if it’s too full…
Your new books look good, and I hope you’ll enjoy them.
Thank you, I appreciate that. 🙂
Thanks for the Mac advice too… I checked and I have a fair bit of space on the hard drive so I’m hoping it’s a software issue.
Sending love and hugs, Hayley xx
Thank you xx
Thinking of you……………..
Thank you
I hope your macbook perks up, I no longer use a computer that needs to store things, I have a chromebook, which starts in a second and is great for doing reviews and everything else that is done online, not to mention inexpensive to replace.
I spent the week reading The Essex Serpent which I enjoyed, I love a good historical novel and this is an excellent one. I’m really attracted to Three Things About Elsie and can’t wait to read your review. I will be getting a copy very soon!
Thank you. A chromebook is a good idea – I think I’m just so used to my MacBook now and it’s good for all my photos etc but it’s an expensive thing to replace if it breaks. I might look at something like the chromebook if it does break.
I have The Essex Serpent to read so I’m even more eager to get to it now you’ve said how good it is. Three Things about Elsie was incredible – I’m struggling to put my review together because I loved it so much. Hopefully I’ll be posting my thoughts in the next few days though. I hope you enjoy it when you get a copy.
Sorry to hear you’re going through it right now. I hope you get through next week all right. And I hope the computer sorts itself out. In the meantime, you’ve had a good reading week, and I’m glad of that.
Thank you, I appreciate that. I’m doing okay, the weekend was hard but this week has been alright. Thankfully I’ve been able to escape into some good books.
Hope you stay strong Hayley! This Is How It Ends looks like a book I would love. Can’t wait to see what you thought about it! Also the audiobooks you read. I’m currently on the hunt for exciting new audiobooks that are well narrated, so I will gobble up any audiobook recommendation people mention in their blogs 😀
Thank you 🙂 This is How it Ends is really good, and it’s told in a different way to other books that I’ve read recently, which I’m enjoying. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and so hopefully you’ll find some more you like the sound of on my blog. 🙂 What sort of books do you like best?
I’m intrigued by Three Things About Elsie. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Big hugs for the week ahead!
Thank you. Three Things about Elsie was an incredible novel, it’s a book that I already want to re-read! I’m struggling to review it because I loved it so much but hopefully I’ll get my thoughts in order soon. 🙂
So sorry about the anniversary sadness…I know how that feels, and it takes a really long time to feel less angst…if ever.
I hope your MacBook keeps performing…computer woes are the worst! Before I got my laptop (not a MacBook), I had an unreliable desktop that sometimes wouldn’t turn on in the morning, so I took to leaving it on all the time…and then got my laptop. Sigh.
Great books! I loved Anatomy of a Scandal, too, and actually enjoyed Out of Orange slightly more than Orange is the New Black.
Three Things About Elsie is on my wish list.
Have a great week, and thanks for visiting my blog.
Thank you. Grief is strange how it can hit after quite a long time, isn’t it? I guess we just learn to live with it.
Thanks, my MacBook seems to be okay for a day or two and then it has another wobble. Computers can be such a pain.
Out of Orange was more interesting than the book Orange is the New Black, I enjoyed it too.
Thanks 🙂
The anniversary of losing a loved one hits hard. I am sorry it is how you remember your birthday. I hope the results that come back bring helpful news. It seems like you’re off to a good start with your new consultant. I hope your Mac can keep going for a while longer. It stinks when a laptop starts to show it’s signs of age.
Thank you. I really struggled at the weekend but this week has been okay. I’m trying to escape into books.
I’m feeling positive about the new consultant, he was really helpful and understanding.
Thanks – my MacBook seems to be okay for a day or two and then it has another wobble. It’s not even that old really so it’s even more infuriating. Hopefully it’ll be okay.
Sorry it’s a hard week:(. Anniversaries of the loss of a much-loved relative is always difficult. I hope that your results will provide some possiblity to move forward. I’ve recently got hold of Dragon Naturally to dictate my writing and I’m delighted with how well it’s working – and that’s on Windows. Is there a chance you can either acquire new software or an update? It’s a whole lot cheaper than buying a new laptop!
Thank you, it’s been a rough few days but I’m doing okay now. Just trying to escape into books. I use Dragon to dictate everything and it works really well with my mac, but it doesn’t work with my iPad so when my mac plays up I have no way of typing anything. It’s so frustrating. My husband has changed a few things so now I just have to wait and see if it keeps working. I’m glad Dragon is working so well for you too, it’s brilliant software isn’t it? I remember it years ago when it needed a lot of training and now it seems to pretty much work out of the box – very impressive.
Yes, I’ve been rewriting my manuscript using Dragon – I’m also very impressed as it cuts down the wear and tear on my wrists and forearms.
Have you tried Evernote? I have it on my iphone and if I dictate anything on the move, it works well with Word. It is supposed to integrate with all word processing programs and might be an option instead of Dragon – that said, it is a lot rougher around the edges…
I haven’t tried Evernote so I’ll download that and give it a go. I struggle with dictation software, which is why I love Dragon so much as it’s just works and is easy. Thanks for the suggestion, I really appreciate it.
Yes… it has taken me a while in getting to grips with Dragon, but I now am a firm fan – it just saves so much time and energy!
Well done on keeping the TBR steady! I didn’t this weekend, because it’s been my birthday, too (January folks are The Best, right?). I hope you can get through the week gently and kindly to yourself, with nice things and comfort.
Thank you, I’m just hoping to keep it steady (or ideally reduce it) this year as I have far too many unread books.
I’ve been escaping into books this week to try and not dwell on sad things.
Books are the best escape.
They really are 🙂
Big hug from me Hayley, it’s a horrible time for you 😞😘
Thank you so much x
Oh man, that definitely sounds like a tough week. I do hope you’ll get through it with a nice peace of mind at the end. Happy belated (I’m just assuming it’s already passed) birthday nonetheless!
Rest in Power sounds like a really fascinating book. I’m curious about that one in particular!
Thank you so much… it was a tough week but I’m glad to be through it now.
Rest in Power is a really eye-opening and heartbreaking read but it’s well written and I recommend it.
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