How To Come Alive Again by Beth McColl (5/5)
This is filled with realistic approaches to self care and advice on helping others when they're having panic or anxiety attacks, depressive episodes, etc. It's slightly repetitive in some sections, but other than that, it ticks all the boxes. Beth's writing always manages to be both funny and wise. This comes out in April.
'We know that bravery is in the little resistances, the dishwasher filled and turned on. the late bill paid. The floor hoovered, the call to the doctor made, the window open. The light coming in.'
'Figure out what trips you up and then make knee pads. Metaphorical knee pads.'
'Reality doesn't change with longing. It changes with gradual and deliberate action.'
Sal by Mick Kitson (4/5)
Two sisters on the run in rural Scotland, told from the perspective of thirteen-year-old Sal. The story deals with abuse, alcoholism and sisterly love. Armed with an air gun, Always ultra pads and a brain filled with YouTube tutorials, Sal and her sister learn to survive in the wilderness. This feels similar to Room, heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure.
Lanny by Max Porter (5/5)
Max is known for playing with language, his debut Grief is The Thing With Feathers is a blend of poetry and novella and Lanny is equally playful. Words and sentences swirl across pages as we are able to eavesdrop on the locals in the story. Set in a village just outside of London where a young boy goes missing, this is convincing, gripping and unlike anything I've read in a long time. I saw Max perform an edited version at the Southbank Centre with Stephen Mangan, Lydia Wilson and Kenneth Cranham, which definitely transformed the reading experience. I've heard that he will be organising similar events in the future, so look into that if you fancy.
I'm so glad I found this hiding in a charity shop last month. It's only short, but packed with emotion and curiosity. A postman intercepts handwritten letters and reads them before sending them on to their destination. His life changes entirely when he reads a letter which has only a single haiku on the page. It becomes quite eerie and I was hooked.
How The Light Gets In by Clare Fisher (3/5)
This is a collection of short stories on contemporary life, which are funny and observational. Similarly to her debut All The Good Things, these stories are powerful and realistic. I like the variation of form; some are more like lists (things smartphones make you less likely to do when alone, in a public space) and others micro fiction. Please mind the gap is one of my favourites.
'Dragging its feet through the gap is the you who rang your grandma even though the thought of ringing your grandma makes you want to sneeze (...) by the time you hung up, the heat from your listening ear was spilling right down to your heart'.
Adèle by Leïla Slimani (1/5)
This was a disappointment. I'd heard people rave about Lullaby and The Perfect Nanny, but this 'thriller' just felt flat. Adèle lives in Paris with her husband and son and works as a journalist. The story is essentially about her sex addiction and how it consumes her life. I'm not sure if listening to this altered how I felt about it, but the protagonist's constant boredom and cynicism was frustrating.
Roar by Cecilia Ahern (1/5)
The ideas in this short story collection are great, but they fell short for me. The magical realism elements often weren't believable, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural throughout. Rather than being able to interpret the meaning in each story, we are spoon-fed. Each metaphor is literally spelt out and the consequences are frustratingly predictable.
Yours Always: Letters of Longing by Eleanor Bass (3/5)
This collection gives us an insight into lovers throughout history and the letters they crafted for each other. Featuring some well known poets, actors, writers and politicians, this was great to dip into. Also gets a thumbs up for the LGBT+ representation.
Something Like Breathing by Angela Readman (5/5)
Beautifully written, Something Like Breathing tells the story of an island in the 1950s. Focused on two girls, Lorrie and Sylvie who become neighbours and almost-friends, this captures the messiness of teenage friendships perfectly. Next to their houses sits Lorrie's grandfather's whisky distillery, so each new character that is introduced is given a profile, described by their palate, scent and finish. It's a tiny detail which works so well, giving everyone just enough depth. There's also a small element of magical realism as Sylvie hides a strange secret.
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo (5/5)
Lisa shares the stories of three American women, one whose childhood sweetheart becomes the answer to a marriage crisis, one whose husband suggests they start bringing third parties into their sex life, and another who had a relationship with her teacher in high school. The desires, obsessions and affairs these women experience all have consequences. This book explores them and remind us how often we dismiss and judge people who have suffered without having heard them out. It’s fascinating and I won’t be forgetting these women anytime soon. This is out in July.
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