Finding reading material that completely grips me at the moment is proving tricky.
I abandoned 2 in April: Natalie Haynes’s Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted A Thousand Ships (too episodic) and Elizabeth von Arnim’s much-beloved-by-others The Enchanted April (too undramatic for my current mood).
I am very involved with the two historical chunksters pictured on the right. One I’m re-reading at 50 pages a day as part of a goodreads readalong, and the audio book of the other is keeping me company on my daily government-mandated walk. I should finish both next month.
Which gives us 7 candidates (the 6 books on the left and one unpictured e-book) for Book of the Month.
It has to be Michael Bussi’s Black Water Lilies, as it was the only one that I had to force myself to out down late at night! The others were good, but Bussi had that edge.
Tom Gauld’s Department of Mind-Blowing Theories is good for a chuckle, if that’s what you need.
Is anyone taking advantage of all the cultural content that is being made available to keep us occupied during lockdown? I’ve been keeping up with the National Theatre Live performances and the broadcasts of Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals. Next month I shall add in some Shakespeare from the Globe. Then there are the online literary festivals and author events, popping up here and there and, last but not least, Ali’s Daphne Du Maurier week.
So many cultural treasures to choose from. If it goes quiet here during May, you’ll know I’ve been distracted.
Reviewed April 2020
Queen Lucia – E F Benson 3* Weeping Waters – Karin Brynard 3.5* Black Water Lilies – Michael Bussi 4* (Book of the Month) The Lost Lights of St Kilda – Elizabeth Gifford 4* Where The World Ends – Geraldine McCaughrean 3* Hamnet – Maggie O’Farrell 4* Little Eyes – Samanta Schweblin 3.5*
Lizzy's Literary Life (Volume One) 
Thanks for linking to my #DDMreadingweek post.
I must admit that I’m finding the sudden rush of cultural distractions hard to handle – I could spend all day doing nothing but absorbing it all! 😀
Exactly. Might just as well embrace it, while we can.
I was feeling the same about books that grip me… I’ve switched to lighter fare (and really enjoying the frivolous-with-a-side-of-serious Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth).
Yes, genre reading (crime, comedy) might well be the order of the month for May ….
I’m not doing any of the cultural stuff as my job is so busy and life admin so tiring so I am struggling to even do as much reading as I would like to! I’ve been resorting back to light fiction although reading a fascinating history of running, too. And a Du Maurier, of course …
Have you read any other Bussis? I can see he’s written a few and not sure which one to get.
I haven’t. Though recently added two to the TBR – Time is A Killer and Don’t Let Go. eagerly awaiting the release of the Wrong Mother, hopefully in July.