Started reading this beauty today! 🤩

Anyone else read it?

A sunset stack of colourful books for Saturday! I loved putting this together 🌅

#QOTD Does anyone organise their books by colour?
#saturdaystack #colourfulbooks

“Men carve meaning into women‘s faces: messages addressed to other men.”

Briseis becomes a silent pawn in a game played by men, where the rules of honour & rivalry determine the fates of all. As Achilles rails against dishonour & grief, she is forced to forget the life that has been taken from her. The brutality of war for women, who are reduced to becoming symbols, objects or sacrifices for men, is never underplayed.

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a retelling of the Fall of Troy from the Iliad. It‘s told from the perspective of Briseis. I enjoyed this book, but parts of it didn‘t feel quite right. I found the use of modern slang jarring & didn‘t like the disconnect from Briseis when it switches to Achilles‘ POV. It‘s still an engaging book & worth a read, especially if you are unfamiliar with the mythology. It really brings it to life.

This was a tough read. It was so evocative that it was hard to keep reading. It details the collapse of peoples lives in Nigeria as it descends into civil war. I learned so much about the culture in all its brutality and fragility. The story is intelligent & powerful and I loved the different perspectives. The themes of race, colonialism & class are so poignant & her descriptions bring history to life. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Here is my #maywrapup of books!
Hamnet & A Thousand Ships were beautiful & it‘s very clear why they‘re shortlisted for the women‘s prize.
I loved revisiting The Hobbit as I read along with #hobbitathon. Discovered The Name of the Wind, a heroic fantasy that felt like Dickens, Tolkien and Pullman in one. I‘m excited to buy the next books in his trilogy!
I read The Bell Jar for #mentalhealthawarenessweek. It was shocking and felt very real.

This was a brilliant, beautifully written, emotional story. I loved that it was written in the present tense, it gave it an urgency that felt very real. I also love that she never mentions Shakespeare‘s name. It really grounds the characters. Hamnet seems such a lonely figure. Absolutely recommend this one.

Lord Polonius: What do you read, my lord? Hamlet: Words, words, words. Found my teeny tiny copy of Hamlet! 😍

“I use my own life, I use history and I try to write another truth.” Listening to the #bigbookweekend authors from yesterday. Loved listening to Michael Morpurgo talk about how he wrote War Horse and Private Peaceful. I loved reading his books as a child and I love tutoring with them now. https://myvlf.com/

David Day‘s guides for the world and characters of Tolkien are full of beautiful art work, fascinating trivia and gorgeous maps. The perfect companions for the world of middle earth and those who love travelling there. #tolkien #hobbitathon #lordoftherings

“He had only just had breakfast but he thought a cake or two and a drink of something would do him good ...” #mood #hobbitathon #tolkien #thehobbit

So happy listening to Andy Serkis Reading the Hobbit live for charity. #hobbitathon 📖🐉🧙‍♂️🧝🏽‍♂️🍻🏔🗡🗝🎁

My wrap up for April! The irony of working in a library is that you rarely get to enjoy the books you order in for others. Lockdown has meant I have some time to do just that. Not only did I love travelling to new places through the books, I now have a better understanding of who to recommend them to! #monthlywrapup #librarylife #lovebooks

I was given this as a present by a friend who assured me it would destroy me ... she was right and she was wrong. Did I weep like a willow in the rain? Yes. Yes I did. 😭 But I also found that this book, so simply beautiful and profound, has shone a little light in my soul. 💡 Everyone should read this. It‘s sweet and honest and reminds you of the important things in life. “Love each other or die.”

“Mysteries were nothing more than nature unilluminated.”

I could not put this book down. The story weaves a thrilling trail through the streets of New Orleans with multiple perspectives all doggedly chasing the same questions. Who is the Axeman? Why are his killings so violent? How deep is the web of corruption that surrounds him? Perfect for lovers of jazz and American history. ☠️🎺🪓

“There, peeping among the the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him.”

This book has a beautiful cover & a heart warming story to tell. A YA book with a strong Great Gatsby theme & a protagonist who embodies the same naivety & yearning for a different life as Cassandra from Dodie Smith‘s I Capture the Castle. Lovers of Jane Austen will also smile knowingly at the familiar squabbles of a Darcy & Elizabeth style romance. You will feel like you‘ve read it before, but you won‘t mind.