Tag Archives: David Thibodeau

That Was The Month That Was… February 2019!

Posted on by

monthly-wrap-up-post-copyrighted-4

I can’t believe that February is already over… where is 2019 going?!

I got a new MacBook this month and it’s fab. My old MacBook was nearly seven years old and while it was still going okay the screen wasn’t helping my eyes. The Retina display on this new Mac is fabulous and much easier to look at. I’m also finding the new butterly keyboard easier to type on so while I do still use voice software a lot I’m hoping that easier typing might mean I can continue blogging when WordPress forces me to use the update that I’ve so far had to avoid.

I’m mortified to discover that WordPress wasn’t running right on my old MacBook and I now see that I’ve had a lot of lovely comments on my blog over the last few months that I hadn’t seen before. There’s no way I can catch up with them all but I will make sure to read them and will reply where I can manage to. Hopefully things will run smoothly now and I can reply to comments as they arrive. Thanks so much to all of you who’ve commented on any of my posts, I can only apologise for not replying to them.

 

Here are the 21 that books I read in January:

Birthday Girl by Haruki Murakami

This was a fab short story that I got for my birthday in January and I loved it. It reminded me why I love Murakami’s writing and has made me want to pick up the novels of his that I so far haven’t read.

The Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton

This was an interesting insight into how criminal psychology came to be used more in modern policing in this country. It’s one man’s story and look back over the cases he’s worked on.

Gone by Midnight by Candice Fox

This was a great read, so fast-paced and twisty. I hope to get a review written and posted before too much longer.

Trauma by Dr. Gordon Turnbull

This book is fascinating and I’m so glad I read it. It’s a look at how PTSD came to be a diagnosis in this country, and how the treatment of the condition has changed over the years. I definitely recommend this one!

East of England by Eamonn Griffin

I loved this book. It was so different to my normal kind of read but I very much enjoyed it. I’ve already reviewed this one so click the book title above if you’d like to know more.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

I part listened and part read this book and I found it so interesting. It’s a doorstop of a book but I seemed to get through it in no time as it’s really engaging.

All the Little Lies by Chris Curran

I loved this book too and as I’ve already reviewed it you can find out more about if you click the title above.

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

This book is brilliant and I already feel sure it’ll be in my best books of this year! I reviewed it this week so click the title above if you’d like to know more.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

I can’t believe I’d never read this book before as I really enjoy Gaskell’s writing, but better late than never as I loved it.

Manhunt by Colin Sutton

I picked this book after recently watching the TV adaptation. I found it interesting but it wasn’t quite as interesting as I’d hoped it would be.

Don’t Turn Around by Amanda Brooke

This was such a gripping read, I found it hard to put down. Hopefully I’ll get a review posted on here soon.

My Last Lie by Ella Drummond

This was another great read in February! I’ve reviewed this one so click on the title if you want to know more.

I Invited Her In by Adele Parks

I enjoyed this book but it wasn’t quite as good as I’d hoped. I spotted all the twists early on but the writing was still great and that’s what kept me reading.

The One by John Marrs

I part read and part listened to this book and it was an okay read. I was expecting a bit more but at the same time I found it hard to put down so it definitely kept me engaged all the way through.

The Girl Next Door by Phoebe Morgan

This was such a good read. I listened to the audio book and it was one of those reads that made me begrudge real life interfering with me book listening time!

The Bridal Party by J. G. Murray

I really enjoyed this book! It was another book that was hard to put down and I love that it all turned out differently than I was expecting.

 

The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald

This book was so good! It was gripping from start to finish and was also a much more emotional read than I was expecting. I loved it and will definitely review it soon.

Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah David-Goff

This isn’t my usual kind of read but I loved it. It had so much depth to it and made me think, I really enjoyed it.

Are You The F**king Doctor? by Dr. Liam Farrell

This was another good read. It was funny and engaging and witty, I recommend it!

‘Kill The Black One First’ by Michael Fuller

I listened to this on audio and found it so interesting. It was shocking to read of the author’s experiences in the police force as a young black man but inspiring to see how he dealt with it and overcame it. The audio is narrated by the author too, which is always great with a memoir. I definitely recommend this one!

The Golden Child by Wendy James

I’ve had this ARC on my TBR for a few months now and finally picked it up yesterday. I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting, it’s such a good read!

 

January Blog Posts & Reviews:

I blogged 14 times in February which I’m happy with. Only six of those posts were reviews though which I need to improve on as I’m reading a lot and just haven’t been managing to get reviews written and posted. I think my new MacBook will help with that as it’s easier for me to use, and faster. Anyway, here are my blog posts and reviews from February…

That Was The Month That Was… January 2019

Stacking the Shelves (2 Feb)

This Week in Books (6 Feb)

Review of Senseless by Anna Lickley

Review of East of England by Eamonn Griffin

This Week in Books (13 Feb)

Review of All the Little Lies by Chris Curran

Stacking the Shelves (16 Feb)

Review of My Last Lie by Ella Drummond

This Week in Books (20 Feb)

Stacking the Shelves (23 Feb)

Review of Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

This Week in Books (27 Feb)

Review of Waco: A Survivor’s Story by David Thidebeau

 

The state of my TBR:

the-state-of-my-2

Well my TBR has got a little bit out of control during February. My plan to reduce it by 200 books from the total at the start of the year to the total at the end as gone a bit awry. To be on target my TBR should now be down to 2407 owned books but it’s actually at 2482! Oops! In fairness though I am part-way through having a book sort out so I think there will be some books going to the charity shop that I no longer want to read. Other than I just need to keep reading, and perhaps be a bit better at not buying all of the books at once! Haha!

 

 

How was your February? I hope you all had a good month and that you read lots of good books. Did you read many books? What was your favourite book of the month? Please tell me in the comments, I’d love to know. Also, if you have a blog please feel free to leave a link to your month’s wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to read and comment back. 🙂

 

#BookReview | Waco: A Survivor’s Story by David Thibodeau (with Leon Whiteson and Aviva Layton)

Posted on by

51Vb719IZHL

About the Book

Twenty-five years ago, the FBI staged a deadly raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco. Texas. David Thibodeau survived to tell the story.
When he first met the man who called himself David Koresh, David Thibodeau was a drummer in a local a rock band. Though he had never been religious in the slightest, Thibodeau gradually became a follower and moved to the Branch Davidian compound in Waco. He remained there until April 19, 1993, when the compound was stormed and burned to the ground after a 51-day standoff with government authorities.

In this compelling account–now with an updated epilogue that revisits remaining survivors–Thibodeau explores why so many people came to believe that Koresh was divinely inspired. We meet the men, women, and children of Mt. Carmel. We get inside the day-to-day life of the community. We also understand Thibodeau’s brutally honest assessment of the United States government’s actions. The result is a memoir that reads like a thriller, with each page taking us closer to the eventual inferno.

 

My Thoughts

I was delighted when the publicist for Waco: A Survivor’s Story contacted me to ask if I’d like to read this book as I’m fascinated by cults but didn’t know a huge amount about Waco.

Thidobeau is very honest in this book, which I appreciated but it does make for uncomfortable reading at times. The issue of Waco’s leader David Koresh abusing underage girls and the people around him being okay with this at the time is shocking. Thidobeau does explore his own feelings about this later on in the book though and I felt that this was a great insight into how a person can have power over others while they feel they are completely free thinking.

This is a memoir and as such we get the viewpoint of the person writing it so as I don’t know a huge amount about Waco it was hard for me to know how much of what Thidobeau said was absolute fact and how much was what he believed to be true. I know this is the case with all memoirs but I felt it more with this one. Having said that the way the authorities approached dealing with Waco was very shocking to read, it’s beyond me to understand how anyone would think it was okay to approach ending the siege in the way they did especially knowing there were still children inside the buildings.

I really liked that we get Thidobeau’s thoughts on the aftermath of Waco too. He tells of the arrests that were made of the people who survived and what happened to those people, and he talks of his own experiences. I can’t imagine what it must be like to begin to come to terms with what happened within a cult, that was a place that he had really believed in, and to start to re-build a new life.

Overall this book does give a really good insight into how people are drawn into cults like this one, and how they become convinced that what is happening within the the cult is okay and normal. I did find it a really interesting read, and feel I have a better understanding of what happened at Waco.

This is a gripping memoir and one that whilst obviously non-fiction it reads at the pace of a thriller. I read it in two sittings and it was a book I was thinking about in the time when I wasn’t reading it.

All in all I’m really glad that I read this book, and as with all good non-fiction it has made me want to go and read more about Waco in the future.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Waco: A Survivor’s Story is out now and available here.

Non-Fiction November Wrap-Up! #NonFictionNovember2018

Posted on by

NonFictionNovember!

I always enjoy joining in with Non-Fiction November but the month always goes by so fast! This year I had quite a lot of fiction to read and review so couldn’t focus entirely on non-fiction but I still read more of it than I thought I would… sixteen non-fiction books in total!

Of my planned non-fiction TBR I managed to read:

Waco by David Thibodeau

This is a memoir of a man who survived the Waco siege. It’s a really interesting read and I recommend it.

The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992 by Tina Brown

I enjoyed reading this book and have actually already reviewed it so you can read what I thought here if you’d like to.

The Upstarts by Brad Stone

I listened to the audiobook of this and I have to be honest and say that I found it a little disappointing. It just wasn’t as engaging as I’d hoped it was going to be, although it was still interesting to read how companies like AirBnB and Uber got started.

Mercury and Me by Jim Hutton

Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White

Even though I am now finally winning the battle with clutter (ever since I did the KonMari method earlier this year my house is staying clutter-free) I still can’t resist reading books about it. There were some useful ideas in this book and I definitely recommend it.

Three Things You Need to Know about Rockets by Jessica Fox

I’d had this book on my TBR for years as I was saving it for the right time. Unfortunately though I just didn’t enjoy it all that much. It wasn’t what it felt like it was going to be and was lacking in something for me. It has had lots of good reviews though so it may well be that it just wasn’t for me.

 

I then completely deviated from my planned non-fiction reads and picked up these books too:

The Diary of Two Nobodies by Mary Killen and Giles Wood

I love watching Giles and Mary on Gogglebox so was really looking forward to reading this book by them and I’m so happy to say that I enjoyed it. They’re just how they are on TV and it was a joy to read this.

I Will Find You: A Reporter Investigates the Life of the Man Who Raped Her by Joanna Connors

This was a fascinating read about a woman who looks into the life of her rapist. She had buried her emotions for many years and then goes on a journey to know more about the man who attacked her. It wasn’t as emotional read as I was expecting but it was still very interesting and gripping.

I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller

I listened to the audio book of this and it was such a fun, nostalgic read. I recommend it to all Friends fans!

No Such Thing as Society: A History of Britain in the 1980s by Andy McSmith

This is another book that I’ve had on my TBR for such a long time but I’m so glad I picked it up because it was such a good read. It was really accessible non-fiction but it helps puts some things in context from the 80s with regards politics and what was happening at the time.

The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale

I’d forgotten I owned this audio book so when I spotted it in my Audible app during November I immediately started listening. I love Kate Summerscale’s writing and this book lived up to my expectations, it was so interesting.

How Not to be a Boy by Robert Webb

I got this book for Christmas last year and have been so badly wanting to read it so I’m glad to have read it in November. I really, really enjoyed this, it was even better than I thought it was going to be.

Life to the Limit: My Autobiography by Jenson Button

I was a huge F1 fan for many years and followed Jenson Button’s career in the sport. I’ve been wanting to read this book for ages so when it was in a recent sale on Audible I snapped it up. I very much enjoyed this book. It’s a really open and honest look at his career, and also a love letter to his late father.

Under the Wig: A Lawyer’s Stories of Murder, Guilt and Innocence by William Clegg QC

I downloaded this from NetGalley on a whim recently and I’m so glad I did as it was such a good read. I actually managed to review this straight away so you can read more of my thoughts here if you’d like to.

My Life in Football: The Autobiography by Kevin Keegan

I’ve been umming and ahhing about whether I wanted to read this book at the moment. I’m a Newcastle United supporter and the way the club treated Kevin Keegan, and the way the current owner is running the club makes it not fun at all. Anyway, I saw the audio book in a recent sale and decided to give it a go. It was such a good read, I’m glad I read it but it did make me so angry all over again at how he was treated. I definitely recommend the book though.

Mother of a Suicide: The Battle for the Truth Behind a Mental Health Cover-up by Joanna Lane

This book often pops up on recommendations for me in Goodreads so I finally picked it up just the other day. I don’t know what to say about this one. I feel for Joanna, and I admire her determination to find answers and her fight to get the medical profession to listen but the book felt like it needed editing. I also wish it’d had more of a sense of her emotion rather than just the facts of what was happening.

 

 

Did you take part in Non-Fiction November? Or have you read any good non-fiction recently? I’d love to know if you’ve read any of the books in my post, or if you have any non-fiction you can recommend to me. I’m always on the look out for new books. 🙂

 

 

 

This Week in Books (7 Nov 2018)! What are you reading at the moment? #TWiB

Posted on by

icon2

Today I’m taking in part in This Week in Books, which was started by Lipsyy Lost and Found! If you want to join in you just need to share what you’re reading now, what you’ve read over the last week, and what you hope to read next.

 

Now

Good Samaritans by Will Carver

This book is so good! It’s very twisted but it’s one of those books that I just don’t want to put down. I’ll be reviewing this for the blog tour in a couple of weeks time but I can already say for definite that I highly recommend it!

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susannah Clarke

I’ve had this book on my TBR for absolutely ages and recently got the audio book so I’m part listening and part reading it. I’m really enjoying it, it’s different to what I normally read and it’s so refreshing.

The Diary of Two Nobodies by Mary Killen and Giles Wood

I was already part way through this when I made my non-fiction November TBR so I didn’t put it on the list. I love Gogglebox and find Giles and Mary very entertaining so it’s interesting to read more about them.

 

Then 

Mercury and Me by Jim Hutton

This is the third non-fiction November TBR book that I’ve read this month so far! I just finished this yesterday and it was okay. I’m a huge Freddie Mercury fan but this isn’t the best book I’ve ever read about him. I think it’s hard when it’s a memoir from  a loved one of the famous person as there is always going to be bias.

Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White

This is the second book from my non-fiction TBR that I’ve read in November and I enjoyed this one. I feel like I’m a decluttering obsessive now so I don’t really need these self-help books anymore but I still like to read them. This book just really reminded me how far I’ve come and still gave me some great tips on how to make sure I keep on track. I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to declutter but has a very busy life.

Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell

I’ve had this on my TBR ever since the day it was published but I’ve kept putting it off because it looked like it could be an emotional read. I’m so glad I read it because although it was emotional, it was also a lovely read and I really enjoyed it.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve owned various copies of this book ever since it was published but have never managed to actually get around to reading it. I’m kicking myself now though because I picked it up at the weekend and read it in just a couple of days. I really, really enjoyed it!

Roar by Cecelia Ahern

I completely and utterly fell in love with this short story collection – it was empowering, inspiring and thought-provoking and I highly recommend it. If you want to know more about what I thought, here is my review!

Waco by David Thidebeau

This is a review book that has been on my TBR for quite a while now so I put it on my non-fiction November list and it was the first book I picked up this month. I found it such a fascinating read. I’ll be writing a review for it as soon as I’ve got my thoughts together.

 

Next

The List That Changed Everything by Olivia Beirne

I’m on the blog tour for this book later this month and I’ve been so looking forward to reading it that I can’t wait any longer to start it.

Bouncing Back with a Bang by Geraldine Ward

This is a poetry collection and I’m just in the mood for poetry so it seems the right time to pick this book up.

Truth or Dare edited by Justine Picardie

This is a collection of essays that I’ve got on my non-fiction November TBR and it seems perfect for dipping in and out of so I’m planning on picking this up next.

 

 

What have you been reading this week? I’d love to hear. And if you take part in This Week in Books or WWW Wednesday please feel free to leave your link below and I’ll make sure to visit and comment on your post. 🙂

 

 

It’s Non-Fiction November 2018 time! Here’s my TBR…

Posted on by

NonFictionNovember!

It’s Non-Fiction November time again and I’ve decided to take the opportunity to try and read some of the non-fiction that has been languishing on my TBR for a while. I do read a fair bit of non-fiction anyway but it’s always nice to focus on it a bit more. I do have some fiction books that I need to read for blog tours this month so it won’t be a month entirely filled with non-fiction but the factual books will be my main focus other than review books.

Non-Fiction November is run by Olive at abookolive and Gemma at Non Fic Books.

So without further ado, here are the books I’m going to be choosing from:

Waco by David Thibedeau

As we’re already a couple of days into November I’ve already started reading this book and have been riveted by it. I’ve always had a fascination with cults but Waco is one that I’ve discovered that I didn’t know anywhere near as much about as I thought I did. I’ll be reviewing this one when I’ve finished it and have got my thoughts together.

James Baldwin and the 1980s by Joseph Vogel

This is an ARC that I’ve had for a while and have been putting it off because I feel a bit intimidated by it. It’s years since I’ve read anything by James Baldwin but I’m still keen to know more about him. I think this will be such an interesting read and am going to use Non-Fiction November to push myself to finally pick it up.

The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown

Shamefully this ARC has been on my TBR for around a year and I still haven’t got to it so this is high on my list to get to this month. I think it will be an easier read and something I can dip in and out of so I’m looking forward to getting to it.

Histories by Sam Guglani

This is a book I was sent for review fairly recently but I’m so keen to read this book so wanted to add it to this TBR. I think a book of stories about the NHS will make for a moving and interesting read so I’m keen to read this asap!

Mansfield and Me by Sarah Laing

This is a graphic memoir of Katherine Mansfield which I treated myself to recently and I’m so looking forward to curling up with a blanket and devouring this book in an afternoon.

How to be Human by Ruby Wax

This book was sent to me for review in the summer and I really want to read it soon. Books about mental health always draw me to them so I feel sure this one will be my kind of book.

Truth or Dare by Justine Picardie

So this book has been on my TBR for years and years. I bought it in hardback when it came out as I’d loved a couple of Justine Picardie’s earlier books but for some reason I’ve never picked it up. I spotted it among my books when having a sort out in the summer and have kept it out to read so hopefully I’ll get to it this month.

The Little Big Things by Henry Fraser

This is another recent addition to my TBR and I’ve been so keen to read it. I have an incomplete spinal cord injury (amongst other things) and have been seeking out books about people who have SCI. This sounds like such an inspiring memoir and I can’t wait to read it.

Women and Power by Mary Beard

My husband bought me this for Christmas last year and it’s such a small book I feel sure I can squeeze it in at some point this month.

The Upstarts by Brad Stone

This is an audio book that I’ve had for a while and am quite keen to listen to it. It’s nice to have an audio option and this one seems like it will be an engaging and interesting read.

Deceit and Self-Deception by Robert Trivers

I’ve had this book on my TBR for quite a while and I have started reading it before but found it too much so put it down again. I do still want to read it though so I’m thinking I might read a chapter here and there over the month rather than trying to read it in one go.

Rock Stars Stole My Life by Mark Ellen

This is yet another book that I’ve had since it was first published and my husband (who’s slowly discovering a love of reading) read it over the summer and has been recommending it to me ever since. It looks like a really fun, easy read so I’m expecting that I’ll get to this one.

Mercury and Me by Jim Hutton

I went to see Bohemian Rhapsody last week (I loved it) and it made me want to read more about Freddie Mercury. It seems I’ve read all the biographies I own on him already apart from this one so I’m sure I’ll pick this up very soon.

Three Things You Need To Know About Rockets by Jessica Fox

I believe this is a book about a woman who worked at NASA and gives it all up to move to Scotland to work in a book shop. It sounds like a perfect read to me and I’m really looking forward to it.

When We Rise by Cleve Jones

I saw an interview with Cleve Jones earlier this year and found him to be such a fascinating man that I immediately bought his book. I still haven’t made time to read it though and I really want to get to it soon. Hopefully this month!

Twenty-Six Seconds by Alexandra Zapruder

This is a book about the famous Zapruder film of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. It came up on a recommendation from Amazon a while ago and I couldn’t resist buying it!

Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ll know that I can’t resist a book about decluttering and this is my latest purchase. I like to keep myself inspired to keep my house organised so I reckon I’ll be reading this one before the month is over!

The Body Keeps Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

This is another book that I’ve had for a while and I’ve put off reading it while getting my health on a bit more of an even keel. It sounds like such a fascinating read about how the body and mind affect each other and how emotional issues can manifest physically, and how the body feels pain. I think this will be a brilliant read and I want to make time to properly read this so I may not get to it this month if it’s very in-depth but I would like to read it soon.

 

 

Obviously this is a long list so I know I’m very unlikely to read all of these books but I wanted to give myself options to choose from and will aim to read as many as I can.

Are you taking part in Non-Fiction November this time? What non-fiction do you plan on reading this month? I’d love to know. 🙂

WWW Wednesdays (31 Jan)! What are you reading this week?

Posted on by

WWW pic

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! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

A similar meme is run by Lipsyy Lost and Found where bloggers share This Week in Books #TWiB.

 

What I’m reading now:

The Note by Zoe Folbigg

I have an ARC of this which I got after seeing the author interviewed on TV around the time the book was released so I’m happy to finally be reading this one. It’s an easy read and I’m really enjoying it so far.

The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd

I picked this book up yesterday and am hooked! I didn’t know much about this book going into it and have no idea where it’s going to go. It’s got me guessing though and I’m keen to read more!

Spark Joy by Marie Kondo

I’m still dipping in and out of this book and finding lots to motivate me.

 

What I recently finished reading:

Spaceman by Mike Massimino

This was a birthday present from my husband and I started reading it the minute I finished opening my presents (a birthday book haul post will be up soon!). It was such a brilliant read, I loved every minute of reading it.

Winter by Ali Smith

I’ve been reading this for a while as I was struggling with physically holding the book but yesterday I managed to read the second half of the book in one go and I adored it. This is a brilliant book and I’m already looking forward to the next in the quartet!

The Break by Marian Keyes

I couldn’t get into this the first time I started it but wanted to give it another go as I do love Marian Keyes writing. I picked it up at the weekend and ended up reading it in two sittings and I very much enjoyed it. I’ll hopefully get my review of this posted soon.

This Is How It Ends by Eva Dolan

This book was so good! I love the way it was told with the two main characters timelines moving in opposite directions, and it kept me on my toes all the way through. I’m still trying to write my review but hopefully I’ll get it finished soon, I recommend this though.

I Let Him Go by Denise Fergus

I bought this book last Thursday and read it the same day. It’s a very open and honest and heartbreaking memoir.

Meeting Lydia by Linda MacDonald

I read and reviewed this one last week so you can read my thoughts here if you’d like to know more. I enjoyed this book.

 

What I plan on reading next:

Waco by David Thibodeau

I put this in my planned reading a couple of weeks ago and didn’t manage to start it so I’m going to aim to get to it in the coming week.

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

I really want to read this book as I’ve heard so many great things so it’s on my next-to-read pile and I definitely want to get to it this week.

The Reunion by Samantha Hayes

I downloaded an ARC of this from NetGalley recently and have been keen to read it as soon as possible. It’s due out in February (I think!) so now seems a good time to pick it up!

 

 

 

 

What are you reading at the moment? Have you finished any good books recently? Any books you’re looking forward to reading soon? Please feel free to join in with this meme and share your link below, or if you don’t have a blog please share in the comments below.

WWW Wednesday (10 Jan)! What are you reading this week?

Posted on by

WWW pic

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! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

A similar meme is run by Lipsyy Lost and Found where bloggers share This Week in Books #TWiB.

 

What I’m reading now:

Winter by Ali Smith

This book was one of my Christmas gifts from my husband and it’s such an incredible novel. I’m deliberately reading it slowly because I want to savour it, to make sure I don’t miss a thing.

An Act of Silence by Colette McBeth

This book is so good! It’s one of those books that’s really hard to put down and I may even finish reading it before this post goes up. I’m on the blog tour for it on Friday so my review will be up then.

Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin

I started reading this before Christmas but got side-tracked by Christmas reading. I’ve been wanting to get back to it though so I’ve picked it back up this week. It’s such a heartbreaking book but so important.

Spark Joy by Marie Kondo

I can never resist a de-cluttering book and this is my latest pick! I’m enjoying reading this and making paragraphs that I can refer back to. It’s inspiring me to want to have another clear out in my house once I recover from this horrible lingering virus that I have.

Out of Orange by Cleary Wolters

This is my latest audio book and it’s okay. I was intrigued when I spotted it as it’s by the woman who inspired the character of Alex in Orange is the New Black. So far it’s not grabbing me but I want to give it a bit longer to see if it picks up.

 

What I recently finished reading:

South and West by Joan Didion

I picked this up after really enjoying reading Blue Nights towards the end of last year. South and West didn’t move me in the same way but it was a really fascinating read non-the-less. I recommend this one.

Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

This is a review book that has languished on my TBR for way longer than it should have but I’m pleased to say that when I read it over the last few days I enjoyed it. I’m hoping to get my review written and posted for next week so pleased look out for that.

Forgiveness is Really Strange by Masi Noor

This is a graphic non-fiction novel and I’ve been really keen to read it so I was thrilled to spot it on Netgalley recently. It’s a short book but it really made me think. Once I’ve digested it a bit more I will be writing a review on here.

The Deaths of December by Susi Holliday

This was such a good read for around Christmas time and I’m really glad I picked it up. It’s a fast-paced read and I really enjoyed it.

What I plan on reading next:

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

I’ve had this book on my review pile for a while now and time has got away from me but I’m finally going to make this one of my next reads. I’m really looking forward to this, it’s one of my anticipated reads of this year.

Three Things about Elsie by Joanna Cannon

I’ve been saving this book to read this month because Joanna Cannon’s writing always feels like a solace. I’m planning to find an afternoon where I can just curl up and get lost in this book. It’s another of my highly anticipated reads for 2018.

Waco by David Thibodeau and Leon Whiteson

This is another review book and I’ve been really intrigued to read this one as I’ve always been fascinated by cults so this book caught my eye.

 

What are you reading at the moment? Have you finished any good books recently? Any books you’re looking forward to reading soon? Please feel free to join in with this meme and share your link below, or if you don’t have a blog please share in the comments below.