Another five books down, I’ve now reviewed 50 books on my site and have read 35 this year so far! You can find all the books I’ve read so far this year at my blog post, Every Book I’ve Read in 2020.
I’m inching very close to my target of 52 for the year and think I’ll maybe surpass it if I keep up this speed of reading.
Since I’ve been reading a lot more in the last few months, I’ve created my own bookstagram Instagram account where I talk about the books I’ve read, the ones I want to read and discuss books with other book bloggers.
The childhood bookworm of me would have been mortified creating an Instagram for books, but I’m way past the point of caring what others think of my love for books. So if you want to share in a love for books, you can catch me at @ocbookshelf in the meantime.
Here are the latest five books that I’ve read and reviews for each!
1. A SPARK OF LIGHT BY JODI PICOULT
I read My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult a lot of years ago, as you may remember the film starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin. A great book that focused on a mother’s daughter struggling with cancer.
A Spark of Light focuses on the topic of abortion. The story works backwards from a hostage situation where a gunman storms an abortion clinic in Mississippi.
The concept of the book was very good, but I wasn’t totally gripped by the telling of the situation. The book is split in chapters by the hours of the day and told by everyone’s accounts.
There is a slight twist at the end, but being honest, it was quite predictable.
2. LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE BY CELEST NG
This is the book of the recent TV series starring Reese Witherspoon on Hulu and I was greatly anticipating reading this as I had heard great things about the TV series and wanted to read the book before watching the show.
If the book is anything to go by, I don’t have great hopes for the TV series.
But I’ve been told that the TV series is a lot better than the book. It would need to be. It was an easy read, but nothing really happened. Nothing substantial, anyway.
I got through the book quite quickly but thought it was rather uneventful.
3. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME BY MARK HADDON
I always remember this book as being huge around ten years ago, but never actually getting my hands on it to read it. It was listed as ‘a book to read before you die’ on GoodReads and luckily for me, one of the interns had left her copy behind and it was found last week.
It took me just over a day to read the book as it’s quite a short story. I really enjoyed it and loved that it was told from the perspective of Christopher who has autism.
The book really gives you his perspective and why he acts the way that he does and the way that his brain works. A great book, a great story and a great narrative; very well written.
4. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD BY HARPER LEE
Another classic that I’ve never actually read before, I found a copy of this book in a Free Little Library in Jersey City. The book is rather old and falling apart, but I managed to get through it without ripping the cover off altogether.
I can see why this book is on the lists of ‘books you must read’ as it really is a must-read for everyone.
A story of race, injustice and the operations of the Deep South in the 1930s, told by 8-year-old Scout Finch, it gives an insight to how children think of those around them and their actions towards other human beings.
5. BITTER IS THE NEW BLACK BY JEN LANCASTER
Another book that I picked up in a Free Little Library nearby in Jersey City, I thought this would be a nice light-humoured book that would be a change from my previous reads.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I thought it would just be another run-of-the-mill chick flick kind of book, but Jen Lancaster talks about her career and how she was unemployed for two years.
It was interesting to see her go from designer handbags to having $5 in her bank account very quickly. The book teaches you what you should value in life and that no matter how hard you work and how much you earn, you can come crashing down to the ground very quickly.
I loved Jen’s humour and wit and would love to get my hands on some of her other books.
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