2022 Reading List
[3 books so far]
Currently reading: Daughter of China by Larry Engelmann and Meihong Xu
Films I've watched this year & recommend: Minari
Redhead by the Side of the Road
by Anne Tyler
My thoughts: More of a short story than a novel, this was a super quick yet intense read about Micah, a very non-distinct character who lives his life in a structured and amiable way, allowing things to happen to him than pursuing them, until a sudden shift finally kicks his life into gear. I enjoyed the read, but felt that right at the end it really got good and interesting and that the story was only just getting started!
Location: Baltimore, USA
Found: a gift from a colleague whilst living in Belgium in August 2021
Read: in Austria in January 2022
Details: 178 pages / published 2020 by Vintage Books
Rating: 7.5/10
Under the Wide and Starry Sky
by Nancy Horan
My thoughts: I genuinely loved this book. Telling the story of the life of Fanny Osbourne who captured Robert Louis Stevenson's heart and became his life partner and wife, this epic journey takes them around the world in the late 1800s through all of Louis' illnesses and trials and tribulations as they make their way through life as artists. They settle finally in Samoa which is where to this day their house still stands, and the piece on the hike up the mountain at the top of which they bury Louis' moved me to tears, as I have hiked that mountain and visited his grave myself. A wonderful look at what it was like to make one's way in the world and travel non-stop in pursuit of health and of inspiration.
Location: the USA, Belgium, France, Scotland, England, Swizterland, Australia, the many islands of the South Pacific - most notably Samoa
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in September 2020
Read: in Austria in January 2022
Details: 467 pages / published 2014 by Random House LLC
Rating: 10/10
A Second Chance
by Jodi Taylor
My thoughts: This is the third in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series which follows a set of tea-soaked historians through time as they seek to document important events in history. They're an easy read (I read this in one sitting on New Year's Day), hilarious, educational and truly enjoyable - but I did feel that this one was the darkest of the lot so far to get through with its vivid descriptions of the Battle of Troy and I despised the ending. Feels like we're stuck in limbo, which I hope the next books unravel.
Location: mostly at St Mary's Institute of Historical Research near Rushford, UK, along with locations across the globe at various points in history
Found: sent to me to borrow from my mother in September 2021
Read: in the USA in January 2022
Details: 382 pages / published 2014 by Accent Press Ltd.
Rating: 8/10
2021 Reading List
[15 books]
Films I've watched this year & recommend: Erin Brockovich // The Book of Henry // Two Weeks Notice // The Pianist // Chocolat // Schindler's List // The Other Boleyn Girl // Breathe // Cowspiracy // Seaspiracy // Robin Hood // Audrie & Daisy // The Dig // Rebecca // Sense & Sensibility
TV series I've watched this year & recommend: Sweet Tooth // Maid // Damnation // Unorthodox // The Cook of Castamar // Poldark // The Queen's Gambit // Self Made
Capital
by John Lanchester
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this intricate book. Set on a posh street in London, the book follows the many characters of Pepys Road all living their own intricate lives, yet all somehow intrinsically and somewhat sinisterly linked. Each of the characters develops really well throughout the book, all going through hugely significant transformations. Really well written, and a fun take on typical London life, which I hugely appreciated as an ex-Londoner myself.
Location: London, UK
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in August 2021
Read: in Austria and the USA in December 2021
Details: 577 pages / published 2012 by Faber and Faber Ltd.
Rating: 9.5/10
The Luberon Garden
by Alex Dingwall-Main
My thoughts: The visuals in this book are exquisite. The author has a real knack for beautiful writing. However, the book was quite littered with mistakes (both grammatically but also in repeating sections in a manner that seemed he had forgotten he had already written about it) and while the various tales told were so lovingly told, they kind of all came together in a mishmash at the end. I did learn a lot about the intricacies of gardening, and truly the writing was delicious and had a witty sense of humour I really appreciated.
Location: Provence, France
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Santa Maria Hostel in Funchal, Madeira in October 2021
Read: in Portugal and on the plane to Germany in December 2021
Details: 317 pages / published 2001 by Ebury Press
Rating: 7/10
Out of the Sun
by Robert Goddard
My thoughts: I don't read a lot of mysteries, so I was pleasantly surprised by how this one kept me captivated all throughout Harry's misadventures across the UK and the States trying to solve a most intricate case surrounding a son he never knew he had. Personally, the ending was really dissatisfying, and almost cringe-worthy, but the tumultous twists of the plot had me interested just the same.
Location: the UK, a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark and a few states across the USA
Found: picked up from a free book stand in Salzburg, Austria in September 2021
Read: in Portugal in November 2021
Details: 411 pages / published 1996 by Bantam Press
Rating: 7/10
A Symphony of Echoes
by Jodi Taylor
My thoughts: The second in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series - I read the first book last year - this one was much more enjoyable as we revisited some of the lovable and hilarious characters from the first book. I was hooked all the way through and read it in two sittings. An easy read, as they tumult through history, wreaking havoc yet somehow saving the day wherever they landed.
Location: mostly at St Mary's Institute of Historical Research near Rushford, UK, along with locations across the globe at various points in history
Found: sent to me to borrow from my mother in September 2021
Read: in Portugal in October 2021
Details: 364 pages / published 2013 by Accent Press Ltd.
Rating: 9.5/10
Sing You Home
by Jodi Picoult
My thoughts: Coming from someone who doesn't want children, it was a highly interesting read to understand struggling with infertility and working your way through the complex emotions of wanting a child and the lengths you are willing to go to get there. A thoughtful, insightful and well written look into what it can be like living as a lesbian couple dreaming of raising a family.
Location: Rhode Island
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in August 2021
Read: in Belgium & Portugal in September - October 2021
Details: 460 pages / published 2011 by Atria Books
Rating: 8/10
The Miniaturist
by Jessie Burton
My thoughts: It's been a while since I read I book I actually felt drawn into and didn't want to put down! Perhaps it's personal connection with the Meermans that show up as key characters, or the intricacies and mysteries of the miniature house that seems to prophesize the future, but I very much enjoyed this book. It's heart-breaking, while a fascinating look at life in Amsterdam in the 1600s at the height of the VOC with a touch of magic running through.
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in July 2021
Read: in Belgium in August 2021
Details: 424 pages / published 2014 by Picador
Rating: 9/10
The Ballad of Lee Cotton
by Christopher Wilson
My thoughts: This book is hard to get into, but then leads us on a pretty wild tale of a white-skinned black boy, who, after a severe accident, ends up a white boy, then after another accident, ends up a white woman, then after a condition, ends up a black woman... and it's all a bit confusing in the end. Not entirely plausible, but an interesting read all the same about discovering your sense of identity. It's quite detailed in the descriptions of intimacy and of violence.
Location: Mississippi, Nevada and California, USA
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in October 2020
Read: in Germany in July 2021
Details: 307 pages / published 2005 by Little Brown
Rating: 6/10
A Pound of Paper
by John Baxter
My thoughts: A self-proclaimed confessions of a book addict, this book starts out as a highly entertaining and sarcastic read of the book-hunting obsession that the writer and many others of the era found themselves entranced with. It gets tedious and dry as he lists out title after title and author after author (most of whom I'd never heard of) that he book-hunted around the world. Overall it was an interesting journey into the history of the trade of rare book buying and selling, starting in Australia's outback in the 50s, traversing the globe, analyzing the role e-Bay and the internet had to play in it all and ending in Paris, writing this autobiography.
Location: Australia, the UK, the US and France
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in March 2021
Read: in Belgium in June 2021
Details: 289 pages / published 2002 by Doubleday
Rating: 6/10
The Very Thought of You
by Rosie Alison
My thoughts: An intricately written book detailing the life of Anna Sands, a young evacuee from London sent to live at a great estate in the countryside during the height of World War II. Tying together the many stories of her father at war in Egypt, her mother at work in London, and the various lives and relationships she witnesses during her time away, this book provides an endearing look into what it was like to be a child evacuee during war times. The romance that seemed to be a key characteristic for every character at times felt forced and unrealistic, but I felt for Anna throughout and enjoyed the writing style.
Location: England
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in March 2021
Read: in Belgium in May 2021
Details: 306 pages / published 2010 by Alma Books Limited
Rating: 7/10
A Life on Our Planet
by David Attenborough
My thoughts: Quite possibly the most heart-wrenching, raw and real explanation of our world, what we've done to it and how to save it, all written in such clear and understandable language. Attenborough is one of my heroes and I try to live his words every day. A must read for everyone.
Location: the world
Found: sent to me as a gift by my mother whilst living in Belgium in December 2020
Read: in Belgium in May 2021
Details: 221 pages / published 2020 by Witness Books
Rating: 10/10
Every Man for Himself
by Beryl Bainbridge
My thoughts: Although at some times, hard to follow and understand every detail that connects J. P. Morgan Jr., from who's perspective this story is told, with the other characters, I found this book achingly moving and desperate in its recounting of the harrowing tale of the Titanic. No matter how many books I read of the great ocean liner, the story never gets easier to process and I read each book with fascination and care. Bainbridge has written an exquisite and vivid account of the doomed maiden voyage of the world's most famous ship.
Location: the Atlantic Ocean
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in March 2021
Read: in Belgium in April 2021
Details: 214 pages / published 1996 by Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd.
Rating: 9/10
Out of Africa
by Karen Blixen
My thoughts: This book may just be one of the most beautifully written books I have yet read. You can feel in every word the respect, admiration and longing the author has for Africa, where she lived on a coffee farm in what is now Kenya. Each page painted vivid images, brought to life the sounds and smells of the land and was underlaid with a steady beating of love of the land.
Location: British East Africa (present-day Kenya)
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in March 2021
Read: in Belgium in April 2021
Details: 330 pages / published 1937 by Penguin Books
Rating: 10/10
Nights of Rain and Stars
by Maeve Binchy
My thoughts: This book is set in a tiny town in Greece where four travelers' paths cross, each of them trying to figure out their lives. A woman in the village, Vonni, is the unifying thread that helps each of them see what they should do. It is way too simply written - everything falls into place so easily and in such a straightforward order. Unfortunately, I found this book boring and dull; all I'd suggest it for is an easy summer read on the beach where you don't want to be too focused. I also was frustrated that the answer to everyone's problem was to cut their long-term travels short and just go home... not what the traveler in me would say!
Location: Greece
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Ngahinapouri, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in Belgium in February 2021
Details: 392 pages / published 2004 by Orion
Rating: 3/10
The Blind Man's Garden
by Nadeem Aslam
My thoughts: This book was set predominantly in Pakistan right after 9/11 occurred in the United States and, although a fictitious tale, much of the tale is rooted in truth. The story follows two brothers and their families and the ways they cope - whether going to Afghanistan to fight, being held as POWs, being held hostage. Unfortunately, while the topics were fascinating, I found the writing was really hard to get into. In fact, I had to force myself to get through the book, constantly hoping it would get better and easier and more interesting. This book just didn't work for me.
Location: Pakistan and briefly Afghanistan
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in October 2020
Read: in Belgium in January 2021
Details: 462 pages / published 2013 by Faber and Faber Limited
Rating: 3/10
Mobile Library
by David Whitehouse
My thoughts: I picked this book up because it sounded like a whimsical read, entwining my love of books with my love of far flung travel and adventure. It was quietly shocking - touching on events such as child abuse, kidnapping, death, mental illness... and beautifully written, at that. A tough concept to tackle, but delicately shared in a manner that showed versus told, allowing the reader to imagine for himself what events may unfold.
Location: England and briefly Scotland
Found: purchased at Bouquinerie Thomas in Brussels, Belgium in October 2020
Read: in Belgium in January 2021
Details: 273 pages / published 2015 by Picador
Rating: 8.5/10
2020 Reading List
[26 books]
Films I've watched this year & recommend: A Life On Our Planet // Invictus // Enola Holmes // The Half of It // The Game Changers
TV series I've watched this year & recommend: House of Cards // The Crown // Outlander // Love on the Spectrum // Bodyguard // The English Game // Designated Survivor // Hollywood // Anne with an E
The Light in Hidden Places
by Sharon Cameron
My thoughts: This book was quite possibly one of the best books on WWII I've ever read. The Light in Hidden Places follows the story of Stefania (Stefi) Podgórska and her younger sister Helena during the Nazi occupation of Poland and the nearly two years that they hid Jews in their attic. I was captivated by every word, and felt the angst, desperation, devastation and unimaginable hurt through it all. Absolutely spectacular.
Location: Przemsyl, Poland
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Kuripuni, New Zealand in August 2020
Read: in Belgium in December 2020
Details: 390 pages / published 2020 by Ebury Press (UK) and Scholastic Press (US)
Rating: 10/10
Just One Damned Thing After Another
by Jodi Taylor
My thoughts: This book was an easy read, the first in the series, The Chronicles of St Mary's. However surface-level the vocabulary and however quickly subjects and backstories were skimmed across, the plot line and ideas and occurrences were continually unexpected and fun to read about. The storyline was exciting and, without bothering to get into the technical details of how everything actually manages to happen since it's clearly irrelevant and clearly quite normal and expected and possible to the staff of St Mary's, I enjoyed this book for a lighthearted, interesting and funny read. I look forward to the continuing mishaps in the next book of the series.
Location: mostly at St Mary's Institute of Historical Research near Rushford, UK, along with locations across the globe at various points in history
Found: sent to me as a gift by my mother whilst living in Belgium in December 2020
Read: in Belgium in December 2020
Details: 394 pages / published 2013 by Accent Press Ltd.
Rating: 7/10
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
by Jung Chang
My thoughts: It's been many years since it took me this long to finish a book. This falls entirely to the fact that it was dense, vivid, important, deep, moving and mesmerizing and I wanted to read every word with focus and care. Jung's personal account of China's history, spanning nearly a century, is tumultuous, intense and at times hard to believe and absorb. It was impeccably written, opening so much of a hidden past and uncovering so many secrets. Absolutely riveting.
Location: China
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library on Renall Street, Masterton, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in Belgium in October & November 2020
Details: 676 pages / published 1991 by Harper Collins Publishers
Rating: 10/10
Forget Me Not
by Sue Lawson
My thoughts: I've read a lot of books about the Titantic and am enraptured by every story I come across, but this one wasn't as great as the rest. The story follows the fictional Gilmore and Worthington families from Southampton in the UK on their second class journey aboard the Titanic and ultimately, it was just too easy to read and over-the-top cheesy. I think it's catered towards a younger audience who perhaps doesn't know much about Titanic's story yet. There were even typos about the timeline of Titanic's sinking, which, truth be told, irked me.
Location: the Atlantic Ocean
Found: purchased at Masterton Hospice Shop in Masterton, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in Belgium in September 2020
Details: 232 pages / published 2012 by Black Dog Books
Rating: 5/10
The Flight of Gemma Hardy
by Margot Livesey
My thoughts: This book follows the wandering life of Gemma in post-WWII Scotland and Iceland who, as a result of deaths and losses, ends up at various schools, homes and live-in jobs around the country. Along the way, we learn about her upbringing, her roots, her fears and her strengths and the way she always manages to land on her feet. I really enjoyed this book, but didn't like Mr. Sinclair, nor the deflated ending. The rest was captivating.
Location: Scotland and Iceland
Found: purchased at Rotorua Hospice Shop in Rotorua, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in Belgium in September 2020
Details: 443 pages / published 2012 by Harper Collins Publishers
Rating: 8/10
Echoes
by Maeve Binchy
My thoughts: This book was simple, breathtaking, beautifully written, moving and lovely. The story follows the lives of three young Irish children growing up in the 50s and into their early twenties in the 60s. I felt each painful moment, each celebration, each challenge and each highlight as it was carried out, and was brought to tears in the end. It was a wonderful book.
Location: Ireland
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Masterton, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in New Zealand in September 2020
Details: 555 pages / published 1985 by Century Publishing Co.
Rating: 9/10
The Seafront Tea Room
by Vanessa Greene
My thoughts: A simple, warm book about a handful of characters who become fast friends over their shared love of tea. All their problems were solved within a few pages, there was no thought-provoking content, it was a bit repetitive and all highly predictable. Having said that, it was a a nice, easy read to get lost in for a few hours.
Location: England
Found: purchased at Whangaparaoa Library in New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in New Zealand in August 2020
Details: 340 pages / published 2014 by Penguin Random House
Rating: 5/10
Granny Dan
by Danielle Steel
My thoughts: I was so excited to read about ballet, my first true love, especially a story set in Russia during the early 1900s. Unfortunately, this novel was way over the top for me with romance, painting ballet as a prison that destroys the lives of young girls by damaging their health and sanity, and preventing from reaching their true potential as women - which is supposedly to be hopelessly in love with men. Danina, the main character, was pathetic; simultaneously the greatest ballerina of her time and also the love interest of a much older (and married) man, who tried everything he could to convince her to quit the ballet and who, in the end, chose his job over her anyway. A disappointing read which I couldn't end fast enough.
Location: Russia
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Kuripuni, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in New Zealand in August 2020
Details: 223 pages / published 1999 by Bantam Press
Rating: 2/10
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
My thoughts: A very honest and intimate coming-of-age story written through letters by Charlie, who is navigating his first year of high school, a whirlwind of an experience. Love, sex, relationships, family drama, abuse, depression, sexuality - it's a short book covering plenty of intense topics. Some parts felt irrelevant and some could have been explored further. I think it tried to do everything and it was too much.
Location: USA
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Schnapper Rocks, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in New Zealand in August 2020
Details: 231 pages / published 1999 by Pocket Books
Rating: 6/10
The Zahir
by Paulo Coelho / translated from Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa
My thoughts: I think Coelho's writing is exceptional. His way of explaining things is unparalleled. This book - one that provokes thoughts of travel, truth, discovery, friendship and writing - is ultimately a book about what it means to love and be loved and what it takes to preserve that. A couple of things I didn't like: The whole spirituality thing was pretty overdone; the ending was disappointing following an intense journey of uncertainty only to have the woman fall (dare I say) hopelessly into the man's arms; and, if read as a fictional auto-biography, it becomes pretty self-centred with the significant amount of time spent reminding readers that he's an incredible writer.
Location: France and Kazakhstan
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Westmere, New Zealand in July 2020
Read: in New Zealand in July 2020
Details: 339 pages / translated into English and published 2005 by Harper Collins Publishers
Rating: 8/10
Ache
by Eliza Henry Jones
My thoughts: This was a beautiful, gentle book. It was slow and steady, analyzing a small moment in time in careful detail, hanging on to every breath, thought, whisper. For someone who has never had a physical feeling of "home," this was a wonderful insight into a woman's true home and the power that it holds for her and her family.
Location: Australia
Found: purchased at Masterton Hospice Shop in Masterton, New Zealand in May 2020
Read: in New Zealand in July 2020
Details: 261 pages / published 2017 by Harper Collins Publishers
Rating: 8/10
Trek
by Paul Stewart
My thoughts: Trek is the incredible (mostly) true story of four "balmy Brits" who attempt to drive from Kenya to London through the Sahara in 1955. If that sentence in itself doesn't already conjure up images of adventure, thrill, fear and disbelief, then let the story draw you in and carry you on a journey through a most respectfully and well-researched telling of this dramatic expedition. The book is compiled based on a collection of cine-films, Box camera photographs, journals and conversations. This is travel at its finest and a spectacular read.
Location: Africa, starting in Kenya and traveling through various then-colonies to the Sahara
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Ngarimu Bay, New Zealand in June 2020
Read: in New Zealand in July 2020
Details: 336 pages / published 1991 by Jonathan Cape
Rating: 10/10
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
My thoughts: This book will hold a special spot on my bookshelf for years to come. Hosseini is a powerful author; this is Afghanistan in a whole new light. Unimaginable scenarios become vivid realities in this tale that crosses both continents and generations.
Location: based primarily in Afghanistan with travels to Pakistan & San Francisco, USA
Found: purchased at Urban Ore in Rotorua, New Zealand in June 2020
Read: in New Zealand in July 2020
Details: 324 pages / published 2003 by Bloomsbury
Rating: 10/10
The Long Song
by Andrea Levy
My thoughts: What a poignant and raw, yet humorous and fascinating, book. Written as a rare and refreshingly non-white narrative, The Long Song is about the end of slavery in Jamaica and the early years of freedom that followed. This was an eye-opening read and I feel privileged to have been educated on this topic by such a delightful and talented author.
Location: Jamaica
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Ngarimu Bay, New Zealand in June 2020
Read: in New Zealand in June 2020
Details: 398 pages / published 2010 by Headline Publishing Group
Rating: 9/10
The Good Mayor
by Andrew Nicoll
My thoughts: This book is totally not what it seems. An innocent love story ends up getting entangled in all sorts of strange events - some dark (including some that touch on domestic abuse; tough), some endearing, some heart-breaking, some like a breath of fresh air. Not what I expected when I picked this one up and while the story itself was a pleasure to read, the ending was not quite what I had hoped for.
Location: the town of Dot in an unidentified Baltic state
Found: picked up from a free book exchange in Greytown, New Zealand in May 2020
Read: in New Zealand in June 2020
Details: 465 pages / published 2008 by Black & White Publishing Ltd.
Rating: 6.5/10
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
by Muriel Barbery / translated from French by Alison Anderson
My thoughts: This was a surprisingly tough book. Like, really, really complex word choices and long elaborate sentences. The books follows the concierge of a fancy French apartment block who has decided to hide her teeming intellect but is eventually uncovered by a wealthy Japanese man who inhabits one of the apartments. It spends a lot of time discussing very lofty ideas, although when the actual story line was discussed, I enjoyed it.
Location: Paris, France
Found: purchased at Minton Booklovers in Napier, New Zealand in June 2020
Read: in New Zealand in June 2020
Details: 320 pages / published 2006 by Éditions Gallimard, Paris / translated into English and published 2008 by Gallic Books
Rating: 5.5/10
Middlesex
by Jeffrey Eugenides
My thoughts: Wow. This Pulitzer Prize-winning book is incredible. The vast scope of the topics and geography covered is spectacular. The depth, the originality, the thought-provoking conversations, the manner in which it was written... I could go on and on. The story is ultimately centred on Cal, born a girl but who grows up into a man, yet also narrates the life of a Greek immigrant family to America. I was never once confused in this enthralling tale, rather, I was gripped by every word and fascinated by the life and tales Eugenides has written about.
Location: first Greece then Detroit, USA and then Germany
Found: given to me by a friend in Carterton, New Zealand in May 2020
Read: in New Zealand in June 2020
Details: 529 pages / published 2002 by Bloomsbury Publishing
Rating: 10/10
Change of Heart
by Charlotte Bingham
My thoughts: When I spotted this on the bookshelf in our borrowed flat in Carterton, I was excited, having loved Bingham's The White Marriage. I was disappointed. Written in four parts about a prodigious child violinist, the only part I enjoyed was the second detailing Fleur's life. I found the first part creepy and hard to get in to, the third over-sappy and the final completely baffling, resulting in me feeling like I hardly understood what I had read at all. Interestingly, a similar review online also added they only buy Bingham's books secondhand as you never know what you're going to get - you may love one of her works and despise another. The sentiment rings true here.
Location: England
Found: borrowed from friends in Carterton, New Zealand in May 2020
Read: in New Zealand in May 2020
Details: 627 pages / published 1994 by Doubleday
Rating: 4/10
The Lost Continent
by Bill Bryson
My thoughts: I felt overall that Bryson despised his experience, driving from state to state through towns he hated, feeling each one to be poorer and more miserable than the last. He crossed some 34 states in under two months, spending less than a day in most places, even sometimes skipping major national parks because, well, he just couldn't be bothered. I think going with the expectation of disappointment does not put one in the right mindset to enjoy what makes America truly beautiful. Frankly, if anything, this book makes me want to get in my car and do this road trip - but properly.
Location: USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Marion Hostel in Wellington, New Zealand in January 2020
Read: in New Zealand in May 2020
Details: 293 pages / published 1989 by Martin Secker & Warburg Limited
Rating: 2/10
The Summer Garden
by Paullina Simons
My thoughts: This was a massive book, not only in size but also in scope. Covering years and miles, I adored some parts and despised others. It's the final book of the trilogy that follows the love story of Tatiana and Alexander which began in The Bronze Horseman (review below) and provides a highly detailed look into their life in America after their struggles through the Soviet Union. It's dark, it's hard, it's panic-inducing and it's frustrating yet it's also fresh, pleasant and fulfilling - the success story of the true American dream.
Location: USA and Vietnam, with flashbacks to the Soviet Union
Found: purchased at St Vincent de Paul Op Shop in Petone, New Zealand in February 2020
Read: in New Zealand in April 2020
Details: 839 pages / published 2005 by Harper Collins
Rating: 6/10
The White Marriage
by Charlotte Bingham
My thoughts: This book was delicious. Based in darling England just after the Second World War between quaint Rushington of cottages and simplicty and bustling London of wealth and high society, we follow delightful young Sunny as she finds her place and, alongside, you find yourself within it. Besides, any book that references (frequently!) Enid Blyton and her Famous Five series is a winner to me!
Location: England
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at Dave Parker Eco Lodge on Upolu, Samoa in March 2020
Read: in New Zealand in April 2020
Details: 479 pages / published 2006 by Bantam Press
Rating: 8.5/10
Trip of a Lifetime
by Liz Byrski
My thoughts: A wonderfully realistic insight into family and work life on Australia's sunny east coast. A bit of love, a dabbling of crime, a healthy dosage of family and a leaves-a-sour-taste-in-your-mouth relationship or two - this book made me cry, cringe and laugh. Refreshing, realistic and honest.
Location: Australia
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at The Savaiian Hotel on Savai'i, Samoa in March 2020
Read: in Samoa in March 2020
Details: 343 pages / published 2008 by Pan Macmillan Australia
Rating: 7/10
Seed
by Lisa Heathfield
My thoughts: This book is an equally uncomfortable and enthralling read into life at Seed where Nature guides all actions through Papa S, their idolized leader. This book, written in the simple manner you would expect from a cult-raised 15-year-old, provides an insight into the mentality behind a cult and makes your skin crawl with disgust. It's creepy and intensely insightful all at the same time.
Location: USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at Olivia's Accommodation in Apia, Samoa in March 2020
Read: in Samoa in March 2020
Details: 331 pages / published 2015 by Electric Monkey
Rating: 8/10
The Pact
by Jodi Picoult
My thoughts: This book gripped my heart. Jodi Picoult's books are exquisitely researched, succinctly written in a manner that holds you on the edge of your seat and heart-wrenching in their choice of topics. Suicide is a tough one to tackle, especially when trying to understand why, when and how, after the fact. Absolutely brilliant - and one that has heavied my heart for its honesty and rawness.
Location: USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Marion Hostel in Wellington, New Zealand in January 2020
Read: in New Zealand in February 2020
Details: 451 pages / published 1998 by William Morrow and Company Inc.
Rating: 9/10
A Walk in the Woods
by Bill Bryson
My thoughts: Perhaps the finest book about hiking I've ever come across. Written in Bill's well-known humorous tone, with anecdotes and one-liners leaving me with tears of laughter, I felt every painful, longing, exasperating and fulfilling step of the Appalachian Trail that he covers in this book.
Location: the Appalachian Trail in eastern USA between Georgia and Maine
Found: given to me by my mother whilst in San Francisco, California, USA in January 2020
Read: in New Zealand in January 2020
Details: 274 pages / published 1998 by Broadway Books
Rating: 8/10
Nineteen Minutes
by Jodi Picoult
My thoughts: If for some reason you still need to be convinced that guns should be banned, this book is for you. Even if you already know this, this book is a heart-wrenching reminder of it. A difficult and incredibly well-written book on a highly controversial subject.
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Auberge de Jeunesse in Nouméa, New Caledonia in September 2019
Read: in New Zealand in January 2020
Details: 503 pages / published 2007 by Atria Books
Rating: 9/10
2019 Reading List
[21 books]
Films I've watched this year & recommend: Cast Away
TV series I've watched this year & recommend: Our Planet // Black Mirror // Stranger Things
Vinegar Hill
by A. Manette Ansay
My thoughts: Woah. This was a tough read, not for difficulty of language but for content and subject matter (divorce, religion, abuse, relationships, children, marriage). Ansay writes of complex and harsh truths that make the reader uncomfortable enough to want to know more and understand. Beautifully and carefully written.
Location: USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Bamboo Travellers Hostel in Nadi, Fiji in September 2019
Read: in New Zealand in November 2019
Details: 240 pages / published 1994 by William Morrow and Company, Inc.
Rating: 7.5/10
Perfect Match
by Jodi Picoult
My thoughts: This is a compelling book to read dealing with a number of intense subject matters. I am consistently impressed by Jodi Picoult's writing and attention to detail. I find I always finish her books wiser and more educated and aware of the difficulties in the world around me. This one centres on sexual assault and the lengths a mother would go to protect her child. A brilliant yet heart-wrenching read.
Location: Maine, USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Gold Coast Inn in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji in September 2019
Read: in New Zealand in October 2019
Details: 368 pages / published 2002 by Simon & Schuster
Rating: 8.5/10
The Memory Garden
by Rachel Hore
My thoughts: The details in this book, based in lovely southwestern England, are pure magic. I delighted in every page, the careful writing weaving pure and beautiful tales, those of both present and past all surrounding an old garden full of mystery and wonder. It has a sense of longing and of belonging. I loved this book.
Location: England
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Oarsman's Bay Lodge in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji in September 2019
Read: in Fiji in September 2019
Details: 419 pages / published 2007 by Simon & Schuster UK
Rating: 9.5/10
Alice Jones: The Ghost Light
by Sarah Rubin
My thoughts: In this book, led by young sleuth Alice, we delve into the world of theatre and mystery following an intriguing story about a missing diamond necklace. An easy but appealing and enjoyable book that holds on to you throughout the tale.
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Nabua Lodge in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji in August 2019
Read: in Fiji in August 2019
Details: 283 pages / published 2017 by Chicken House
Rating: 6.5/10
One of Us is Lying
by Karen M. McManus
My thoughts: I don't tend to read mysteries or murder novels but on a remote island in Fiji with few other options, I picked this one up and I am glad I did! I got through it in one afternoon, unable to put down the exciting if easy-to-read story of four students who all may or may not be co-conspirators in a fifth student's murder. A satisfying and unpredictable end; an enjoyable and clearly written read.
Location: USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Nabua Lodge in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji in August 2019
Read: in Fiji in August 2019
Details: 358 pages / published 2017 by Delacorte Press
Rating: 7/10
44 Scotland Street
by Alexander McCall Smith
My thoughts: This book was a whimsical and lovely read. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Pat and her father, the delicacy of a second gap year (her first having taken her where mine has taken me: New Zealand and Australia), the stories of a gifted childhood and the underlying sense of adventure, honesty and discovery. I perhaps lost a bit the ultimate connection between all of them, aside from their shared address and felt many stories began but left unanswered questions (especially in Bertie's case); I suppose I will have to continue the series to find the answers!
Location: Scotland
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Wayalailai Island Resort in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji in August 2019
Read: in Fiji in August 2019
Details: 326 pages / published 2005 by Polygon
Rating: 6/10
The Lost Book of the Grail
by Charlie Lovett
My thoughts: This book was written with careful attention to detail and history. I enjoyed discovering so much about the myths and legends of the Holy Grail, something we all seem to know about but not to really understand. Not a book I would normally read - it's highly religious - but I genuinely appreciated the love of books and of mystery wound through the tale, if nothing else.
Location: England
Found: sent to me as a gift by my mother whilst traveling New Zealand in June 2019
Read: in Indonesia in August 2019
Details: 317 pages / published 2017 by Viking Penguin
Rating: 7/10
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
by Gabrielle Zevin
My thoughts: This book was a pure delight. I read it in one sitting taking just 2 hours whilst traveling across an island in Indonesia stuffed into the back of a bus and I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a bus ride as immensely as I did this one. Everything about the book offered joy and a fond reminder as to why we read, why we share, why we appreciate the little moments and most importantly, why we love. A tender, dear book.
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Found: mailed to me as a gift by my mother whilst traveling New Zealand in June 2019
Read: in Indonesia in August 2019
Details: 258 pages / published 2014 by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Rating: 10/10
The Jane Austen Book Club
by Karen Joy Fowler
My thoughts: While this book had good intentions and beautifully entwines Jane Austen with the day-to-day lives of six wonderful characters, more than once I found myself lost in the complex web of stories. At times I felt that parts were skimmed over and at other times I read details I found redundant. If you like Jane Austen, you'll like this book simply because it brings her to life in yet another way, but I'm not sure I quite enjoyed the read simply because of the confusion.
Location: California, USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Albatross Hostel in Kaikoura, New Zealand in June 2019
Read: in Indonesia in August 2019
Details: 257 pages / published 2004 by Penguin Group
Rating: 4.5/10
The Long Forgotten
by David Whitehouse
My thoughts: A lovely, heartfelt book with a gorgeous use of the English language, this book is a complex tale entwining the stories of a handful of different people each on a journey of understanding, discovery and love. An easy read, this uplifting tale leads to the final conclusion in an unpredictable way.
Location: London, England & New York, USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Packer Box Hostel in Nusa Penida, Indonesia in August 2019
Read: in Indonesia in August 2019
Details: 289 pages / published 2018 by Picador
Rating: 6.5/10
9 Months in Tibet
by Rupert Wolfe Murray
My thoughts: This book is inspirational. Rupert writes about his experiences hitchhiking from Scotland to Tibet in the 80s, pre-internet and pre-cell phones and pre-social media travel crazes. A highly dense book, I was thrilled by every paragraph, feeling as though I was in every country with Rupert every step of the way. He set a goal with this book to "encourage people to overcome their fear of travelling alone by sharing [his] story and explaining how [he] did it." Well, mission accomplished. I'm off to keep exploring the world with a renewed vigour in my step.
Location: Tibet, plus the hitchhiking journey to get there overland from Scotland
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Albatross Hostel in Kaikoura, New Zealand in June 2019
Read: in Indonesia in August 2019
Details: 368 pages / published 2016 by Scotland Street Press
Rating: 10/10
Those Faraday Girls
by Monica McInerney
My thoughts: While I disregarded this book in the early stages, I quickly found myself unable to put this one down. It's written warmly and smoothly, with unexpected twists and intricate plots that leave you desperate to understand what happens in this jumble of a complex family.
Location: Australia, then New York, USA and Ireland
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Albatross Hostel in Kaikoura, New Zealand in June 2019
Read: in New Zealand in July 2019
Details: 634 pages / published 2007 by Penguin Group
Rating: 8/10
The Bronze Horseman
by Paullina Simons
My thoughts: The Bronze Horseman is an epic book filled with so many fascinating and quite heart-wrenching details about the Soviet Union during the Second World War. It shines light on a part of the war I didn't know nearly enough about, down to the smallest yet most important details and moments. There's an intense love story woven in and, while I don't believe that we need a partner to save or complete us, it brings a sense of hope and purpose.
Location: the Soviet Union
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Albatross Hostel in Kaikoura, New Zealand in June 2019
Read: in New Zealand in June 2019
Details: 637 pages / published 2000 by Harper Collins
Rating: 8.5/10
The Secret Life of Bees
by Sue Monk Kidd
My thoughts: The Secret Life of Bees is, in short, profound. Indirectly covering difficult and important topics - love, racism, abuse, death - this book is gripping, fascinating, intense, beautiful and poignant. Seen through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Lily Owens who was raised by a single father, this story twists and turns with hard truths and a powerful lesson in life and in love.
Location: South Carolina, USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Albatross Hostel in Kaikoura, New Zealand in April 2019
Read: in New Zealand in May 2019
Details: 274 pages / published 2002 by Headline Book Publishing
Rating: 10/10
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden
by Jonas Jonasson / translated from Swedish by Rachel Willson-Broyles
My thoughts: This book was a fantastically witty and highly detailed recounting of some of the most bizarre events that the mind could conjure as they played out throughout the joint history of Sweden and South Africa (and some bits of China sprinkled in) in relation to the life of one very extraordinary woman, Nombeko Mayeki. I found the humour to be the perfect amount, following characters who were so unapologetically themselves.
Location: South Africa then Sweden
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Albatross Hostel in Kaikoura, New Zealand in April 2019
Read: in New Zealand in April 2019
Details: 419 pages / published 2013 by Piratförlaget / translated into English and published 2014 by Harper Collins
Rating: 9/10
Plain Truth
by Jodi Picoult
My thoughts: A gripping narrative that details the highly complex and mostly unknown day-to-day life of the Amish and how an unthinkable crime disrupts everything they know. A very well-researched book in which you never know what's coming next.
Location: USA
Found: picked up from the free book shelf at the Albatross Hostel in Kaikoura, New Zealand in March 2019
Read: in New Zealand in April 2019
Details: 504 pages / published 2000 by Allen & Unwin
Rating: 9/10
The Elephant Keepers' Children
by Peter Høeg
My thoughts: A brilliantly witty novel that keeps you in fits of giggles while unraveling a highly complicated tale chasing policemen, terrorists, religious fanatics and all sorts of other fascinatingly believable characters around Denmark.
Location: Denmark
Found: picked up from a free book exchange in Punakaiki, New Zealand, February 2019
Read: in New Zealand in March 2019
Details: 390 pages / published 2013 by Vintage Books
Rating: 9/10
Riders
by Jilly Cooper
My thoughts: A long and gripping novel that details almost a decade of romance, horses and the drama between the top athletes in the field of Great Britain's horse-jumping team leading up to the Los Angeles Olympics. Sex, horses and drama - what else could you want? Perhaps some clarity to make it a bit easier to follow the intensely complicated tale...
Location: England, mostly
Found: picked up from the Little Free Library in Anakiwa, New Zealand in February 2019
Read: in New Zealand in February 2019
Details: 919 pages / published 1985
Rating: 7/10
Open House
by Jill Mansell
My thoughts: A whimsical love story with all the qualities of a family rivalry turned on its head by the young heir and heiress' attraction to each other thanks to brilliant brains, wit and dashingly good looks. An easy read with a satisfying, if predictable, ending.
Location: England
Found: picked up at the YHA Hostel free book shelf in Canberra, Australia in January 2019
Read: on the plane from Australia to New Zealand in February 2019
Details: 448 pages / published 1995 by Headline
Rating: 6.5/10
The Bookman's Tale
by Charlie Lovett
My thoughts: A riveting book delving into the history and truth of William Shakespeare and his plays. While sometimes confusing to keep up with all the different eras in his writing, this book is a wonderful analysis of the truth of Shakespeare with an almost too-good-to-be-true romance wound in.
Location: England
Found: lent to me by my mother in San Francisco, California, USA in January 2019
Read: in Australia in February 2019
Details: 368 pages / published 2014 by Penguin Random House
Rating: 7/10
First Impressions
by Charlie Lovett
My thoughts: A beautifully written love story that unites the old and new with Jane Austen's witty writing and passion for friendship and words. Some characters could have been further developed but a wholly wonderful tale.
Location: England
Found: lent to me by my mother in Vancouver, Canada in November 2018
Read: in Australia in January 2019
Details: 308 pages / published 2014 by Viking
Rating: 8/10
2018 Reading List
[incomplete]
Films I've watched this year & recommend: Love Actually // The Danish Girl // The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
TV series I've watched this year & recommend: The Good Witch // The OA // When Calls The Heart // The 100 // The Good Place // Riverdale // Atypical // Making a Murderer // 13 Reasons Why // Pretty Little Liars // Suits
A Night to Remember
by Walter Lord
My thoughts: A fantastic, gripping account of the night the Titanic sank - every moment re-crafted and the tales of the survivors and those lost with the ship woven to such precision, it feels like you're on board.
Location: the Atlantic Ocean
Found: purchased at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, USA in August 2018
Read: in Vancouver, Canada in November 2018
Details: 209 pages / published 1955 by Holt Paperbacks
Rating: 10/10
Heading Out to Wonderful
by Robert Goolrick
My thoughts: A dark, draws-you-in, can't-put-it-down sort of read. Thoroughly deep characters with tales that tug on your heart in ways you didn't know it could.
Location: Virginia, USA
Found: purchased at Bookshop Santa Cruz, California, USA in July 2018
Read: in Vancouver, Canada in November 2018
Details: 304 pages / published 2012 by Algonquin Books
Rating: 9/10
How to Survive the Titanic or the Sinking of J. Bruce Ismay
by Frances Wilson
My thoughts: One of the best accounts of the Titanic I have yet read, focusing around the life of White Star Line chairman and Titanic ship-owner. The book is full of gripping details and a fascinating description of the aftermath which is not so widely covered.
Location: England, the Atlantic Ocean and New York, USA
Found: borrowed from Vancouver Public Library, Canada in July 2018
Read: in Vancouver, Canada in July 2018
Details: 329 pages / published 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing
Rating: 10/10
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
My thoughts: A compelling and truly lovely book written entirely in letters between characters. More than anything, this book makes you want to give up everything for an idyllic island life among friends. PS. The movie sucked in comparison, I turned it off less than half-way through.
Location: England and Guernsey
Found: saved from the dump pile in my apartment building in Vancouver, Canada in May 2018
Read: in Vancouver, Canada in June 2018
Details: 274 pages / published 2008 by Dial Press Trade Paperbacks
Rating: 9.5/10
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