WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading!
Current Reads
Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellman
So, I finally started reading this mammoth book! I have a hardback edition but I’ve also got the ebook from the library as it’s too much for me to hold the hardback for long. I’m actually really enjoying this book, it’s such an interesting read. The lack of full-stops is something I got used to really easily and it’s never bothered me to stop reading at any point on a page, I don’t need chapters, so this is really enjoyable. I find it works best if I read in chunks rather than a few pages here and there, and I do need to take the odd break from it but I love coming back to it. I’m currently on page 306 of 1030!
Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid
I’m really enjoying this book. It follows Emira, a young black woman who babysits for a white couple. One night they ask her to take their child to the store and while there she is accused of kidnapping the child. It also follows Alix, the mother of the child, and she is a busy and successful woman who is very media savvy and aware of optics. It’s eye-opening to read Emira’s point of view and to see just how many micro-aggressions she has to deal with every single day. There is such a contrast with Alix’s life and how she suddenly finds herself wanting to get to know Emira better. I can’t wait to read more of this one.
Recent Reads
The New Girl by Harriet Walker
This novel follows two women: Margot who is a fashion editor at a high end magazine, she’s also pregnant and will be going on maternity leave soon; and Maggie, the woman who is brought in to replace her. Margot finds out that her best friend Winnie has suffered a stillbirth on the day she hires Maggie and it sends he into a spiral. She doesn’t handle any of it very well. I found this novel very slow over the first half but then something happens mid-way through and we get a different perspective and from then on I was gripped. This is more a domestic drama than a thriller so I was a bit disappointed that I thought I was getting something different. I did enjoy the second half though.
The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke
This novel is stunning! It follows the journey of a song and the impact it has on people. First we meet Arie and Diana who are very much in love. Diana finds it hard to communicate her emotions in words so she starts composes a song for Arie. Soon after something happens to Diana and a man picks up her composition and takes it home. The song reaches as far as Australia, Canada and Edinburgh and it has such an effect of all of those who hear it. I love how the song threads all the way through the novel, it’s such a beautiful book. I’ll be reviewing this one on 10th August for the blog tour so look out for my thoughts then. In the meantime I highly recommend it!
All My Lies Are True by Dorothy Koomson
This is the sequel to The Ice Cream Girls and I really enjoyed it. It follows lots of characters but the core story is about the daughter of one of the Ice Cream Girls and the younger brother of the other. This goes back and forth in time through multiple perspectives as we explore how the next generation views what the previous was accused, and in one case, convicted of. It is a little confusing to follow on audio book at times as it jumps around in time and through characters so frequently so it’s one to listen to in big chunks. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it.
The Summer of Madness by Alexander Raphael
This is such a lovely short story and I really enjoyed it. It follows Kurt as he embarks on a plan to win his ex-girlfriend back. She has dumped him because he was selfish and so now he’s decided to stand at the station every day reading his way through her favourite novel Wuthering Heights in the hope she’ll see him there. It’s a sweet story and perfect for reading during your lunch break. I’ll be reviewing this one soon but I recommend it in the meantime!
What I Might Read Next
I don’t know what I might read next but the books that are catching my attention right now are these four. The first three are books I got from NetGalley and the fourth is a library book on the BorrowBox app that is next on my anti-racism reading list.
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi
Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
What have you been reading this week? I’d love to hear. And if you take part in WWW Wednesdays or This Week in Books please feel free to leave your link below and I’ll make sure to visit and comment on your post. 🙂
RatherTooFondofBooks 
I enjoyed The Night Swim, and I am curious about All My Lies Are True. Enjoy your reading, and here’s MY WWW POST
I started The Night Swim last night and I’m really enjoying it. All My Lies Are True was very good, I recommend reading The Ice Cream Girls first.
Ducks, Newburyport is one that I really hope to read at some point in time. It just sounds so interesting!
It’s really good. At first it’s weird reading a book that doesn’t have full-stops or paragraphs but once you get into the rhythm of the writing it’s excellent. I hope you get to read it and that you enjoy it.
I’ve requested the audiobook of All My Lies Are True as I loved The Ice-cream Girls 🤞
I hope you get approved and that you enjoy it. 🙂 x
I’m really intrigued by Eight Detectives, I keep seeing it pop up everywhere. Here’s my WWW Wednesday! https://hookedfrompageoneblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/05/www-wednesday-05-08-2020/
It sounds like such a good read, doesn’t it? I hope I can get to it this week.
Fingers crossed that we will both enjoy ‘The Night Swim’. Have a wonderful week. Happy reading.
I started reading it last night and it’s really good. One of those books that I don’t want to put down because I need to know what’s going to happen. I hope you find it just as gripping. Happy reading to you too 🙂
As always, Hayley, you have such an interesting set of books here! Eight Detectives especially caught my eye, so I’ll be very interested to know what you think of that one when you get to it. But actually, they all look good.
I’m really keen to get to Eight Detectives, the premise is so intriguing. Hopefully I can pick it up this week.
I’m always impressed with the range of books you read – and Ducks, Newburyport has me boggled! I knew it was long – what had escaped me was the lack of full stops! I’m considering diving into the audio version, though…
Thank you 🙂 Ducks, Newburyport is much easier to read than it sounds. It takes a little time to get used to the lack of full-stops and paragraphs but once you get into the rhythm of the writing it’s really good.
I shall have to look it up – thank you for the extra information, Hayley:))
I loved, loved, loved The Night Swim! Hope you enjoy it! Happy reading ❤️
I started reading it last night and I’m loving it so far. I’m intrigued to see where it’s going! Thank you 🙂
Currently struggling with The Bone Readers by Jacob Ross. Was considering DNFing it, but I’m almost halfway through, so may try to finish it.
I hope the book gets better for you, it’s such a shame when a book is a struggle.
Finished it earlier today thank goodness!
I hope your next book is a much better read for you. 🙂
So far so good 🙂
I hope you like Such a Fun Age! It was a fascinating read for me. White Fragility was also super impactful and definitely worth the read!
My WWW post is here: https://journeyingbibliophile.wordpress.com/2020/08/05/www-wednesday/
I’m enjoying Such A Fun Age so far, it’s an interesting novel. I’m hoping to start White Fragility over the weekend, I’m keen to get to it.
I’m a bit behind on blog reading and commenting but I’ll go read your WWW post now. 🙂
Another great selection! Looking forward to your reviews for Such a Fun Age (I loved it!) and Ducks, Newburyport 🙂
Thank you 🙂 I’m really enjoying Such a Fun Age. Ducks, Newburyport is brilliant – it’s one that I just want to be reading all the time. I recommend it 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed The Summer of Madness – it’s such a great short story. I was so impressed by how much was packed into a lunch hour’s reading! 🙂
It was such a good short story, I really did enjoy it. I’m posting my review tomorrow. 🙂
I’m really intrigued by Ducks, Newburyport and look forward to your review. I love a thousand page book although I struggle to find the time to read them nowadays. Have a good week.
I’m really enjoying Ducks, Newburyport – I just want to be reading it all the time. Hope you have a good week too. 🙂
I’m definitely wanting to read it now! Must buy it on my next book order. Thank you.
I can highly recommend The Night Swim! And I’m hoping to read Such A Fun Age some time soon as it definitely sounds great. I hope you will enjoy your books this week and happy reading! xx
I’ve started The Night Swim and I’m loving it. I’m so intrigued about how it’s all going to turn out. Thank you 🙂 xx
Wow, well done for starting Ducks – brave lady! I just finished Dorothy Whipple’s “Young Anne” (cheating a bit as writing today and finished today) and am still reading the Oxford Illustrated History of the Book. Then it’s on to “Trespass” and the British Libraray WOmen Writers series book I have been sent for review. I’m feeling a bit trapped by review books but in truth they’re all books I wanted to read and I am doing a lot of work so it’s OK if they get read a few days late. Right?
I’ve finished Ducks now and I loved it. Once I got into the flow of the writing I just didn’t want to put it down. I keep finding myself thinking about it. I’m so glad I finally picked it up.
It’s definitely okay if you’re a few days late with reading review books, I’m always trying to catch up and keep up with NG books.
I hope you enjoy The Night Swim a little more than I did!
Thanks 🙂 I loved it to start off with but it tailed off as I got further into it. I still enjoyed it though.
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