Kindle Audiobook: The Country House Murders, Friday Turner

 A sweet, cosy murder mystery set during the Second World War.

I enjoyed the setting and the mystery, although there were a couple of things that didn't quite work for me.

One detail I struggled with was Freddie visiting Polly in her bedroom while they were staying at someone else's stately home, even sitting in there eating with her. They were "engaged", but still unmarried, and it just felt surprisingly relaxed for the period. Perhaps I'm being overly conservative on behalf of 1940s Britain, but it kept pulling me out of the story!

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator was good overall. At times, though, the slightly sing-song delivery, particularly when a character was uncertain or questioning something, started to grate on me.

Still, a sweet and enjoyable cosy mystery.

3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Libby Audiobook: The Dalai Lama's Cat, and the Art of Purring, David Michie

Looking at the reviews, I am definitely in the minority with this one.

The content was sweet, and I understood and appreciated what the book was trying to do, but I just didn't particularly enjoy it.

My biggest issue was actually with the audiobook. The story is told from the perspective of a female cat, so I found the decision to have a man narrate it rather odd. At first I assumed perhaps the author was narrating it himself, which would have made more sense to me, but that wasn't the case.

The narrator was good, so this isn't a criticism of his performance. Because the story is told in the first person by a female cat, I found myself wishing the audiobook had used a female narrator. For me, it would simply have suited the character better.

Towards the end, I also started getting confused by all the different names and found myself becoming more irritated than engaged.

Clearly this book has connected with a lot of readers, but unfortunately it just wasn't quite for me.

3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

 

Kindle Audiobook: Until She Dies, Kendra Elliot

Thir

d in the Noelle Marshall series. It's ok. The one where Emma, is kidnapped by the same guy that kidnapped her mom. 

Kindle: Nesting, Roisin O'Donnell

 

I think this might be my favourite book of the year so far.

I genuinely couldn't put it down.

The beginning caused me a huge amount of angst as Ciara tried to navigate leaving her emotionally abusive husband. I was rooting for her throughout and became increasingly frustrated with Ryan and his manipulation and control.

The characters felt incredibly real, and I was completely invested in what happened to Ciara and her children. It's beautifully written, compelling and, at times, deeply uncomfortable.

There were also some wonderful observations about family, love and ageing. This one, when Ciara is describing her mother, particularly stayed with me:

"Is this the final act of love, refusing to see someone ageing?" 

Absolutely loved it.

5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Libby Audiobook: A Home on Voster Street, Razina Theba

 

I don't usually enjoy short stories, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this memoir, but I really enjoyed it.

The short vignettes give you wonderful glimpses into different moments in the author's life. Some are genuinely funny, while others are incredibly sad and moving.

I also really enjoyed the insight into a culture and upbringing different from my own. Through the stories about family, traditions and everyday life, you get a very personal glimpse into the author's Indian-Muslim heritage and the world she grew up in.

Together, the stories build a lovely, heartfelt picture of a life, a family and a particular time and place.

A thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Libby: The Wilderness Between Us, Penny Haw

I so enjoyed this book.

The character development was wonderful. I became completely invested in the characters and their lives, and loved watching them develop as the story unfolded.

It was beautifully written, absorbing and one of those books I genuinely struggled to put down. I kept wanting to read just one more chapter.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Libby Audiobook: Stolen Focus, Johann Hari

 

10 key learnings from Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

1. OUR LOSS OF FOCUS IS NOT SIMPLY A PERSONAL FAILURE

We live in an environment that is increasingly designed to distract us. Improving our attention therefore requires more than simply telling ourselves to concentrate harder.

2. MULTITASKING IS LARGELY A MYTH

What we call multitasking is usually rapid switching between tasks. Every switch has a cognitive cost, making us slower, less accurate and less able to think deeply.

3. TECHNOLOGY IS DELIBERATELY DESIGNED TO CAPTURE OUR ATTENTION

Notifications, infinite scrolling, recommendations and other features are designed to keep us engaged. Our attention has commercial value, which means some of the world's most sophisticated technology is competing for it.

4. DEEP FOCUS NEEDS UNINTERRUPTED TIME

We are capable of entering a state of "flow", where we become completely absorbed in something meaningful and sufficiently challenging. The task needs to stretch us enough to hold our attention, without being so difficult that we become overwhelmed. Constant interruptions make reaching and maintaining this state much harder.

5. BOREDOM AND MIND-WANDERING ARE VALUABLE

We do not need to fill every spare moment with stimulation. Allowing our minds to wander helps us process experiences, make connections, solve problems and think creatively.

6. SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL FOR ATTENTION

Sleep deprivation damages concentration, memory, decision-making and reaction time. Severe sleep deprivation can impair our functioning to a degree comparable with alcohol intoxication. Research has found that being awake for around 17 to 19 hours can produce impairment comparable with, and on some measures worse than, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%.

7. HARI'S TECHNOLOGY DETOX SHOWED HOW ATTENTION CAN RECOVER

During three months without a smartphone or internet in Provincetown, Hari found that his concentration, reading, sleep and ability to let his mind wander improved. Removing constant digital stimulation gave his attention room to return.

8. CHILDREN NEED INDEPENDENT, UNSTRUCTURED PLAY

Children learn problem-solving, negotiation, creativity, independence and how to assess risk by playing without constant adult supervision. Fear, including parental fears about kidnapping and safety, has contributed to children having much less freedom to explore and figure things out for themselves.

9. READING BOOKS TRAINS SUSTAINED ATTENTION

Reading requires us to stay with one idea or story for an extended period. It exercises a slower and deeper form of concentration than constantly scrolling, clicking and skimming information.

10. WE CANNOT SOLVE THE ATTENTION CRISIS THROUGH INDIVIDUAL WILLPOWER ALONE

Turning off notifications and putting our phones away can help, but Hari's larger argument is that many of the forces damaging our attention are systemic. Protecting attention requires changes both in our own behaviour and in the environments and technologies surrounding us.

MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAY

Protecting our attention isn't only about eliminating distractions. We also need to deliberately create space for uninterrupted thought, boredom, reading, play and simply doing nothing.

4/5

Libby: The Scammer, Tiffany D. Jackson

 

The Scammer was my first Tiffany D. Jackson book, so I had absolutely no idea what to expect.

Initially, I wasn't quite sure what all the hype was about, and I wasn't sure about the direction the story was taking. But somewhere along the way it completely pulled me in, and I ended up really enjoying it.

I got SO frustrated with the characters and some of the decisions they made. There were plenty of moments when I wanted to reach into the book and shake some sense into them. But I think that frustration was also part of what kept me reading. I was invested.

And then came the ending.

I didn't understand it. 😂 I finished the book, sat there wondering what on earth I'd missed, and eventually had to Google an explanation. Once I'd done that, it made much more sense, although I do think I would have preferred the ending to be a little clearer without requiring outside assistance!

Still, this was clever, engaging and very different from what I expected. For a book I started with some scepticism, it thoroughly won me over.

4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kindle Audiobook, The Other Twin, Shalini Boland

I usually really enjoy Shalini Boland's books. I like her writing, they're easy to get into, and I know there is almost always a clever twist coming. The Other Twin delivers on that front too, and there is some rather satisfying karma at the end.

But this one wasn't my favourite.

The basic premise irritated me because I just didn't find the behaviour of the sisters particularly believable. One twin can't have children and asks her sister to be her surrogate. Her sister becomes pregnant with twins, but decides she wants to keep one of the babies herself.

And the response? Her twin is so furious that she can't have both babies that she cuts her sister out of her life completely. They make sure she is financially provided for, but otherwise sever ties.

I struggled with that. I can absolutely understand the hurt, anger and sense of betrayal, but permanently cutting off your twin sister, and therefore one of the twin babies, felt extreme and rather too convenient for the plot.

Then the sister moves to the same general area, yet somehow their lives barely cross until the girls are older. Again, I found myself thinking, Really?

Perhaps that was ultimately my problem with this book. I could see the machinery required to make the plot work rather than simply believing in the story.

The main character also grated on me, although, to be fair, there aren't exactly many people here competing for Human Being of the Year. They're a fairly despicable bunch. 

Not one of my favourite Shalini Boland books.

3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Libby Audiobook: The Way Home, Irene Hannah

 

Very sweet story.

A dynamic journalist and lawyers paths cross. Initially they don't like each other, they then fall in love. Sweet. 

Don't have to think too hard with this one.

4/5

Kindle: The God of the Woods, Liz Moore

 

I honestly don't understand the hype around this one.

Personally, I found The God of the Woods an absolute slog to read. In fact, I think it might contain almost every ingredient of my worst-nightmare book.

There are so many characters. Usually, even with a large cast, I eventually get to grips with who's who. Not this time. I spent far too much of the book trying to remember names and work out how everyone fitted together.

Then there are the multiple timelines, constantly jumping backwards and forwards. Add to that the fact that it's written in the present tense, which I know is very much a personal preference, but I really don't enjoy it.

And then... the em dashes. SO. MANY. EM DASHES. There were so many that I actually stopped reading at one point and asked Google whether the book had been written by AI. 😂 Apparently not. The author is an English professor, so I decided to persevere.

So, persevere I did, largely because all the glowing reviews had me convinced there must surely be a massive, delicious twist waiting for me that would make the whole slog worthwhile.

There is a twist. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, I was so over the book and so disconnected from the characters that I honestly couldn't bring myself to care.

Clearly I am in the minority given how highly rated this book is, but it just wasn't for me.

A generous 2/5 ⭐⭐. Sorry!

Libby Audiobook: Son of Hamas, Mosab Hassan Yousef

I wanted to learn more about Palestine and Hamas. Very interesting book and man. There is still a lot I need to learn. What I find interesting is that his father started Hamas, he the author, became a spy for Israel, and convertered to Christianity.

3.8/5
 

Libby Audiobook: The Prophet and the Idiot, Jonas Jonasson

Started off strong but then lost momentum and I got really bored.

3/5
 

Kindle: The Reluctant Detective Goes South, Adrian Spalding

 

Good light hearted, dry British humour. 4/5

Libby Audiobook: I see you called in dead, John Kenney

This was a weird one. On the one hand fairly humorous, obituary writer gets drunk, writes his own obit and accidentally gets it printed. Hence the title.

But, there are pockets of such sadness.

Long and short of it, we need to live every day.

3.8/5
 

Libby Audiobook: This Happened to me, Kate Price

 

This is a heartbreaking and deeply confronting memoir. What happened to Kate Price is horrific, and I have enormous respect for her courage in sharing such a personal story. By telling it, she shines a light on an issue that deserves far more attention and understanding.

That said, I didn't particularly enjoy the audiobook. The narrator's delivery felt very staccato and, to me, conveyed constant anger. Given the subject matter, that anger is entirely understandable, but listening to it for hours became emotionally exhausting and made it difficult for me to stay engaged.

The book is often recommended to readers who enjoyed Educated. While both are powerful memoirs about overcoming extraordinary adversity, Educated resonated with me far more. I found its storytelling more immersive and emotionally nuanced, whereas this audiobook left me feeling more drained than connected.

This is an important book, and I admire Kate Price immensely for having the strength to write it. My reservation is not with her story, but with my experience of the audiobook narration.

Libby Audiobook: Open, An Autobiography, Andre Agassi

 

Not a fan of tennis, but am a fan of biographies.

Biggest surprise, Andre Agassi does not lik tennis!

I really liked how his none denominational pastor described God to him. He didn't have a good relationship with his dad, and the pastor said that God is totally the opposite of his dad. 

Was married to Brooke Shields and later to Stephi Graf.

4/5

Kindle Audiobook: Hidden in Snow, Viveca Sten

 

This is the first in the series. I enjoy Scandinavian writing. Personally would have preferred a narrator with Scandinavian accent. 

Tricky to get to grips and remember all the names. Will read second book and see how it goes.

3/5

News24 Audiobook: Trace, Ryan Blumenthal

 

Libby Boek: Dwelm, Rudie van Rensburg

 

Another Kassie Kasselman investigation. Again many names, many twists and turns. I thought I was reading them in order, but realised I had skipped a few when I was confused about him marrying Amalia that I had never heard of.

4/5