January Reading wrap up

January was a busy reading month for me. I really enjoy snuggling down with a book when it's cold and dark outside. I read five books this month, so here's what I thought of them!

The giver of stars

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes is the 4th book I have read so far this year. It's set in Depression-era America in Kentucky and is the story of five strong women and their remarkable journey through the mountains.

The characters are likeable and I found there was just the right level of drama in the book. I also really enjoyed that it was very different to previous Jojo Moyes books I have read.

How friendship can change your life is at the heart of this book, along with a strong feminist theme. The Packhorse Library, where women would deliver books to people in hard to reach areas on horseback happened between 1935 and 1943. This historical fiction was a win for me!

normal people sally rooney

 Normal People by Sally Rooney is a complicated love story. Not romantic or gushing, but realistic, messy and complicated love between Marianne and Connell.

From different social classes (Connell's mum is Marianne's household cleaner), they fall for each other in high school. Connell is cool and Marianne doesn't fit in, so he requests they do not mention they are together. It's complicated and awkward and Sally Rooney writes this painfully well. She can portray a feeling from a simple shrug.

I was sad to stop reading Marianne and Connell's lives, it's an amazing book that I struggled to put down.

Girl. Woman. Other

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo The first book I have read this year. A seamless feminist narrative runs throughout. We see the past, present and future of 12 black british women.

I really enjoyed the stories of the different women, their nuances and differing perspectives on life. Spanning all ages, the book made me cry with the last paragraph.

A powerful female narrative. This is beautifully written. An insight into all ages, racism, white privilege and questions identity. I would highly recommend this book and it was an inspirational first book of the year. A deserved joint winner of the Man Booker Prize.

Scythe
Imagine a world with no disease, no war and no misery. A place where if you are hurt, or become deadish, you are simply revived. You can even turn your age back when you start feeling old.

Death does exist, or gleaming as it's known, carried out by scythes. They are the only ones who can kill, and are ordered to do so in order to control the population. "Thou shalt kill".

This Dystopian world was a huge hit with me. The characters are interesting, but flawed and the plot twists kept me turning the page, eager to know more. Neal Shusterman writes such wonderful YA novels and this one surpassed my high expectations!