I was drawn to this book as a must read after I thoroughly enjoyed Nina’s book The Guilty Wife. I adore the original cover and it would definitely scream “pick me up” if I was to see it on the shelves.
Blurb:
rom the moment they met as children, Sasha knew that beautiful, wealthy, and confident Caitlin would always be her absolute best friend. Sasha would do anything to make Caitlin happy.
Even keep her darkest secrets…
The years have passed, but their friendship remains. And when Caitlin announces she’s getting married there is only one choice for the role of bridesmaid. Sasha will make sure Caitlin’s wedding is as beautiful and perfect as she is. Won’t she?
But as the big day approaches, cracks begin to appear. Because no matter what Sasha does, she never seems to make Caitlin happy.
And the secrets that once bound these two friends, now threaten to rip them apart for good…
The brand new psychological thriller from international bestseller Nina Manning. Perfect for fans of The Perfect Couple and His Wife’s Sister.
My thoughts:
‘The spiral of lies that had been so tightly entwined like a brand new ball of wool had to begun to loosen in my mind.’
This book definitely has all the ingredients of an excellent psychological thriller. I loved the opening, which takes us to a crucial moment where Sasha is determined to confront her oldest friend, Caitlin about something which happened a number of years before.
I do love the use of a dual timeline and Nina definitely uses this to her advantage and to the benefit of the reader in this book as it ramps up the tension and keeps us hooked. There is the mystery of the secret/revelation throughout the book that keeps you hooked too.
I enjoyed the exploration of the friendship between Sasha and Caitlin, the way it develops and disintegrates, and the power shift from the upper class Caitlin to the working class Sasha due to this revelation.
I would definitely pick up a book by this author in the future and would recommend her books to fans of Arianne Richmonde and Sam Hepburn.
I was drawn to this book as last year I read a lovely book called Unravelled, which I adored, and this book’s cover and blurb reminded me of that. I was looking forward to picking this one up and getting lost in the love story.
Blurb:
Discover the most feel-good romance of the year… Perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory, Lindsey Kelk and Sophie Ranald.
Kerry Fuller has worked at Joy Strong’s knitting shop – Strong Knits – for years. And she’s had a secret crush on Joy’s son, heartbreaker Jesse Strong, for even longer.
When Joy unexpectedly passes away, Jesse vows that he will keep the shop open, no matter what. And with no idea of where to start, he reaches out to Kerry for help. Soon Kerry is teaching Jesse all the knitty-gritty parts of the business – all the while trying to keep her heart from getting broken.
The longer they spend together, the closer they become. But Kerry doesn’t believe their relationship can last longer than she can knit one, purl one. It’s up to Jesse to prove her wrong… hq
My thoughts:
I am a huge fan of Sophie Ranald and Lindsey Kelk so this comparison had me excited. I can definitely see where this comparison comes from. The majority of the romances I read are British so this automatically had a different feel and the descriptions of Harlem and the knitting shop were quite atmospheric at times.
I enjoyed the slow burn romance and the way it developed slowly and organically felt authentic and realistic, in a way that some romance novels are not.
There is definitely much more of this book than the romance and this made it quite heavy feeling at times.
However, overall this was an enjoyable and original read which I would recommend to readers who enjoy domestic drama with some romance mixed in.
I was drawn to this book as I was intrigued by the emoji style cover and the title. I wondered how each fitted into the plot, and how Alexandra Small goes about rebuilding her life as this was something I had to do, to a certain extent, a couple of years ago.
Blurb:
REVENGE IS A DISH, BEST SERVED ICY COLD
Six years sober, Alexandra Small has it all… and then one day, she very publicly doesn’t.
When her perfect world crumbles, a face appears from Allie’s drunken past, hell bent on revenge. Can she rebuild her life before a stranger destroys it forever? And should she spend three weeks in an overheated shed having colonic irrigation with daytime TV’s Megan Macmillan?
In this laugh out loud treat of a novel, Mo Fanning tackles the difficulties and misadventures of work, love, and being seen for who you really are.
My thoughts:
I do love a revenge story, so I was taken in by the blurb. However this revenge story focuses almost solely on the experiences and difficulties faced by the victim, and this definitely helped me build a connection with the character of Alexandra, or “Allie” as she is known to her friends.
I definitely identified with Alexandra and in some ways I admired her as well. She is brave and hopeful following the upheaval in her life, and she is extremely strong when it comes to facing her demons and remaining on the right path.
However, I am aware that that description makes it sound like a far more serious book than it is. It does cover some sensitive subjects including suicide, alcoholism and infertility, but I think it is definitely accurate to describe it as laugh out loud and humorous at times too, as well as being dramatic and serious.
I really enjoyed this book and found it difficult to put down. I think Alexandra is a character that will stay with me for quite some time. I enjoyed following her journey and meeting the wonderful support network she finds around her. I would recommend this book to fans of Jessica Redland, Lucy Diamond and Milly Johnson.
I have no reviews or blog tours to post today so I thought I’d do another random rambling of a post.
My focus today is: #ThrowbackThursday. I’m so excited to share this with you!
It really makes me smile to look at these “memories”. One year ago today, I was thanking my first 300 followers on Instagram. I hadn’t joined Twitter at this point & I didn’t have a book blog established. I can’t believe how much this hobby (and my TBR) has grown over the last year.
A special shout out to the wonderful authors, publishers, tour organisers, #Squadpod and other bookish friends who have taken me under their wing and made me feel so welcome. 📚♥️
One year ago today, I was also reading The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell as I bought it from Amazon in the middle of the night after seeing so much about it. I already loved Lisa Jewell’s books, but at the time psychological thrillers were more of an occasional treat rather than my go to genre. It’s funny to think how much my tastes and thoughts have changed and grown over the last year too.
I thought this one had some great twists, a wonderful ending and some very odd characters! However, it just didn’t carry the pace I’d felt from some of her other books so I gave it 4 stars. I’d definitely recommend it though – I think all her books are must reads for fans of the genre. You can read the blurb below.
Blurb:
In a large house in London’s fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up.
In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note.
They’ve been dead for several days.
Who has been looking after the baby?
And where did they go?
Two entangled families. A house with the darkest of secrets. A compulsive thriller from Lisa Jewell.
This book is currently available for 99p from the Kindle store. Happy reading!
I don’t have any reviews or blog tours scheduled for today so I thought I’d quickly share my tentative (physical) tbr for June.
When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
My bookish bestie is already labelling this as her possible book of the year, and I have definitely got lost in the hype for this one. I’m so excited to read and the hard back is waiting patiently for me.
Blurb:
‘GRIPS LIKE A VICE’ – Val McDermid
‘Absorbing, tense and beautifully paced’ – Daily Mail
Twenty-one years ago, Dr Richard Carter and his wife Pamela were killed in what has become the most infamous double murder of the modern age.
Their ten year-old daughter – nicknamed the Angel of Death – spent eight years in a children’s secure unit and is living quietly under an assumed name with a family of her own.
Now, on the anniversary of the trial, a documentary team has tracked down her older sister, compelling her to break two decades of silence.
Her explosive interview sparks national headlines and journalist Brinley Booth, a childhood friend of the Carter sisters, is tasked with covering the news story.
For the first time, the three women are forced to confront what really happened that night – with devastating consequences for them all.
When I Was Ten is the highly anticipated, stay-up-all-night next book by acclaimed crime author Fiona Cummins.
Fragile by Sarah Hilary
This read is for a blog tour. I love the cover and it reminds me of Three Hours, which has been one of my favourite books of the year so far. I loved the fact that this merges two of my favourite genres: gothic and psychological fiction. I’m looking forward to reading this one really soon!
Blurb:
‘Fragile is absolutely STUNNING’ Marian Keyes
‘Sarah Hilary has always known how to chill her readers – Fragile dials the chill factor up to 11′ Val McDermid
Fragile is a modern Gothic psychological thriller with a contemporary twist on the classic novel Rebecca from award-winning and critically acclaimed writer Sarah Hilary
Everything she touches breaks . . .
Nell Ballard is a runaway. A former foster child with a dark secret she is desperately trying to keep, all Nell wants is to find a place she can belong.
So when a job comes up at Starling Villas, home to the enigmatic Robin Wilder, she seizes teh opportunity with both hands.
But her new lodgings may not be the safe haven that she was hoping for. Her employer lives by a set of rigid rules and she soon sees he is hiding secrets of his own.
But is Nell’s arrival at the Villas really the coincidence it seems? After all, she knows more than most how fragile people can be – and how easily they can be to break . . .
Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka
I went book shopping today & I had ideas in my head of what I was going to buy but this one caught my attention. It sounds like a modern Murder on the Orient Express, and I am keen to read it before it is developed into a film.
Blurb:
Five killers on a bullet train from Tokyo are competing for a suitcase full of money. Who will make it to the last station? An original and propulsive thriller from a massive Japanese bestseller.
*SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE*
Satoshi looks like an innocent schoolboy but he is really a viciously cunning psychopath. Kimura’s young son is in a coma thanks to him, and Kimura has tracked him onto the bullet train heading from Tokyo to Morioka to exact his revenge. But Kimura soon discovers that they are not the only dangerous passengers onboard.
Nanao, the self-proclaimed ‘unluckiest assassin in the world’, and the deadly partnership of Tangerine and Lemon are also travelling to Morioka. A suitcase full of money leads others to show their hands. Why are they all on the same train, and who will get off alive at the last station?
A huge bestseller in Japan, Bullet Train is an original and propulsive thriller which fizzes with an incredible energy as its complex net of double-crosses and twists unwinds to the last station.
Run Walk Crawl byTim Lebbon
I love memoirs and if it is a story of an inspirational, down to earth, every day person or hero then that’s even better in my eyes. I am looking forward to reading what sounds like a light-hearted and honest journey towards self care and good health.
Blurb:
At forty-one I was overweight and unfit. As I turned 50 I was thirty pounds lighter, having spent my fifth decade training for, and racing multiple Ironmans, marathons, and other crazy adventures. This account of that fitness journey through my forties includes broken bones, severe chafing, regular cursing, rubber and lycra, an element of masochism … and cake.
From New York Times-bestselling writer Tim Lebbon comes his first non-fiction book, charting his fitness journey through his forties––funny, hopefully inspiring, brutally honest, this is a book for anyone trying to get and stay fit, at whatever age!
Midnight Library by MattHaig
This book has been on my TBR for such a long time and I think I am going to absolutely adore it. I love Matt’s unique and beautiful writing style. I finally bought it for myself as a birthday treat, last month. I definitely need to read this one, this month!
Blurb:
THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON A RICHARD & JUDY, BETWEEN THE COVERS AND GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR FICTION
‘BEAUTIFUL’ Jodi Picoult, ‘UPLIFTING’ i, ‘BRILLIANT’ Daily Mail, ‘AMAZING’ Joanna Cannon, ‘ABSORBING’ New York Times, ‘THOUGHT-PROVOKING’ Independent
Nora’s life has been going from bad to worse. Then at the stroke of midnight on her last day on earth she finds herself transported to a library. There she is given the chance to undo her regrets and try out each of the other lives she might have lived. Which raises the ultimate question: with infinite choices, what is the best way to live?
And Now You’re Back by Jill Mansell
I love Jill Mansell’s books and this is the first time I’ve ever got my hands on an advanced copy! I’m so excited to read this one, which is out in paperback on June 10th.
Blurb:
‘A fabulous, gorgeous read, with characters you’ll take to your heart’ MILLY JOHNSON
‘I loved the characters and relationships and found myself rooting for everyone. It left me with a lovely warm glow’ LIBBY PAGE
‘Such a joyful read and hugely entertaining . . . Readers are in for a real treat’ RUTH HOGAN
One magical night in Venice, Didi fell in love. But it ended – and he left without even saying goodbye.
Now, thirteen years on, Shay Mason is back.
The old spark is still there, but Didi’s determined to ignore it. As manager of a stunning Cotswolds hotel, she’s happy at last, and soon to be married. Anyway, Shay isn’t staying. He’s made a promise to his father. He’s going to keep it. And then he’ll be gone.
But Shay’s return stirs up long-forgotten emotions, and the scandal that led him to leave raises its head once again. It’s time for buried secrets to come to light. And it seems that this was someone’s intention all along . . .
From the beloved author of IT STARTED WITH A SECRET comes a fabulous new novel about love, friendship and finding the way to your best life.
Hamnet by Maggie O’ Farrell
I always need to find time within my reading schedule for some historical fiction and this one has also been on my wishlist for some time. Thankfully, my wonderful #Squadpod ladies got me this one for my birthday and I’m very much looking forward to hopefully reading it this month!
Blurb:
WINNER OF THE 2020 WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION – THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER ‘Richly sensuous… something special’ The Sunday Times ‘A thing of shimmering wonder’ David Mitchell
TWO EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE. A LOVE THAT DRAWS THEM TOGETHER. A LOSS THAT THREATENS TO TEAR THEM APART.
On a summer’s day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a sudden fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?
Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London.
Neither parent knows that Hamnet will not survive the week.
Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright: a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays ever written.
Gender Euphoria
This is another blog tour choice. I think it’s important to read books by, and about, people with vastly different lives to my own. I am really looking forward to hearing the thoughts of the contributors to this collection.
Blurb:
GENDER EUPHORIA: a powerful feeling of happiness experienced as a result of moving away from one s birth-assigned gender.
So often the stories shared by trans people about their transition centre on gender dysphoria: a feeling of deep discomfort with their birth-assigned gender, and a powerful catalyst for coming out or transitioning. But for many non-cisgender people, it s gender euphoria which pushes forward their transition: the joy the first time a parent calls them by their new chosen name, the first time they have the confidence to cut their hair short, the first time they truly embrace themself.
In this groundbreaking anthology, nineteen trans, non-binary, agender, gender-fluid and intersex writers share their experiences of gender euphoria: an agender dominatrix being called Daddy , an Arab trans man getting his first tattoos, a trans woman embracing her inner fighter.
What they have in common are their feelings of elation, pride, confidence, freedom and ecstasy as a direct result of coming out as non-cisgender, and how coming to terms with their gender brought unimaginable joy into their lives.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
I love books about social commentary. I love thrillers. I love supporting hyped up debuts and shouting about them. My pre-order of this arrived at the weekend and I’m really looking forward to sharing my thoughts on this book.
A Highlight for 2021 from: Guardian * TIME * Independent * Evening Standard * BBC * Stylist* Irish Times * i * Harper’s Bazaar * Washington Post * Fortune * Entertainment Weekly * The Sun Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and the micro-aggressions, she’s thrilled when Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events cause Nella to become Public Enemy Number One and Hazel, the Office Darling.
Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.
It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realises that there is a lot more at stake than her career.
A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.
I was attracted to this book by the author’s name, as she has someone who has been recommended to me on a number of occasions. The cover image is also really beautiful and striking, reminding me of previous enjoyably family holidays to Greece and the Greek Isles. I was looking forward to picking this one up and visiting Greece from the comfort of my living room.
Blurb:
After a work party gone disastrously wrong, Samantha suddenly finds herself jobless and jilted. So when her sister invites Sam to stay at her little whitewashed farmhouse on a Greek island, Sam leaps at the chance to escape. Before long, she’s trundling up the cobbled driveway, almost colliding with sexy neighbour Spyros.
It isn’t all sunshine and smiles though. For every afternoon spent lounging by the pool, cocktail in hand, there is a morning spent adjusting to life with boisterous six-year-old nieces. When Spyros invites Sam to explore the island with him she’s tempted, but with his carefree, live-for-the-moment attitude, he couldn’t be more different to Sam with her five-year plans and high-maintenance hair. One drink, as friends, couldn’t hurt though? Over glasses of fruity Greek wine and honey-sweet baklava, can he – and the other charming locals – help city girl Sam to appreciate the simple pleasures the Greek life has to offer?
Just as Sam is considering ditching her designer gear for good though, she runs in to an old flame from home, and suddenly her London life comes hurtling back. Can her smooth-talking ex convince Sam to return to the concrete jungle, or will the lessons she’s learned from her Greek escape persuade her to stay?
A fun, fabulous and completely laugh-out-loud summer read perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.
My thoughts:
I definitely enjoyed reading this book and going on Sam’s journey with her. I felt like the way the book explored the difference between the hustle, bustle and expectation of city life and the calming slowness of Greek island life really put an original spin on the book. It allowed me as a reader to take stock and reminded me of the importance of what we often call the “little things” but are actually the big things: family, mindfulness, self-care and self-respect.
I liked the character of Sam and found her relationship with her sister and brother-in-law particularly endearing. Despite being a character with a very different career and lifestyle of my own, I think Sue did a good job of showing her vulnerability, her humanity and making her seem relatable.
Of course, right from my reading of the blurb, I was looking forward to the introduction of the fully fledged romance storyline and it did not disappoint. It was great to see the way this whole experience lifted Sam’s spirits as she really needed that.
Overall, this has been a fun and escapist read that I would definitely recommend to fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lucy Coleman.
I was drawn to this book as I always keen to explore more about issues of religion, identity, race and culture. Having studied Islam during A Level Religion and Philosophy, I don’t feel myself to be ignorant, but I definitely agree with the writers who, in the blurb for this book, state that their voices are not heard loud enough (if indeed at all) in modern British society.
Blurb:
Do you wear that at home? Where are you really from? Does he make you wear that? Do you support acts of terror? Do you believe in British values ? Can I see your hair? Do you have equality? Are you hot in that? Can you be a feminist? Why don t you just take it off? Do you wear that in the shower? Are you oppressed?
From modern pop culture to anti-Blackness, faith and family, politics, education, creativity and working life; this anthology gives visibly Muslim women creatives a space to speak to the matters that mean most to them.
SPOILER ALERT: We won t be answering the usual questions!
Perceived as the visual representation of Islam, hijab-wearing Muslim women are often harangued at work, at home and in public life yet are rarely afforded a platform on their own terms. Whether it s awkward questions, radical commentators sensationalising our existence, non-Muslims and non-hijabis making assumptions, men speaking on our behalf, or stereotypical norms being perpetuated by the same old faces, hijabis are tired.
Cut from the Same Cloth? seeks to tip the balance back in our favour. Here, twenty-one middle- and working-class women of all ages and races look beyond the tired tropes, exploring the breadth of our experience and spirituality. It s time we, as a society, stop with the hijab-splaining and make space for the women who know.
My thoughts:
I am not a Muslim, but I am an agnostic, white, woman with a working class background who is a now a teacher and has a black African partner, with a mixed race child. This is the point of view from which I write this book.
I completely understand that the authors’ intentions were not to educate, as to say that you could educate someone of what it’s like to be a Muslim woman in this complex, postcolonial, unjust world in just under 300 pages completely undermines and simplifies the issues. However, I have definitely found this book to be thought-provoking and interesting.
It was interesting to think of the idea of “equality” and how we can never all be equal, because in every corner of society there exists different prejudices, values, priorities etc. I could identify with what some of these well educated women were saying as I have seem myself that, despite having been educated myself above and beyond the expectations of society and my family, I still struggle with “imposter syndrome” and self-confidence issues.
I found it particularly fascinating to read the essays which discussed the inherent racism (though they are think they are reluctant to use this word at times) that exists within the British education system. Of course, they are not saying that every teacher or institution is racist, but rather the curriculum itself needs work in order to ensure that the teaching of history and Geography particularly, and I would argue languages too, is more balanced and inclusive. This is of particular importance to me as I am an English teacher, but I also have a daughter who is mixed race, and whose father was born and raised in West Africa. I categorically do not want the only thing she learns at school about the history and geography of this part of the world to be the narrative told by the privileged white man.
You would have to have been living under a rock to have missed the increasing suspicion that surrounds Muslim people following a series of terrorist attacks in Britain over the last ten years or so, which the media then uses to drive forward a very specific and unhelpful narrative around religion and tolerance. However, I’ll be honest that as the majority of these attacks were done by men, I’m ashamed to say I’d never really thought of the pressure and unwanted attention this then places on Muslim women. This book has definitely opened my eyes to that.
This has been a thought-provoking, emotive and inspirational read. I am so glad that these Muslim women have been given a space and a voice. I will definitely be recommending this book.
I was attracted to this book by the title, which suggested to me this book might be about the murder of a prolific or important public figure. I love the cover, the landscape pulls you in but you can’t help but focus on the image in the foreground either. I was also really excited to meet a new female fictional detective!
Blurb:
‘My mother was a very difficult person, Inspector, and not always a very nice one. I can think of any number of people who would want her dead.’
For DI Pam Gregory, unravelling the murder of archaeologist Stephanie Michaels was always going to be hard, but she had no idea it would change her life.
In this remarkable crime debut, award-winning author Antoinette Moses takes the reader on a gripping journey from Cambridge to Crete to find a story that has been hidden for decades.
My thoughts:
I’ll be honest that lately, anything that does not scream uplifting and light-hearted has been difficult for me to stick with. I’ve been in a bit of a slump when it comes to anything other than romantic fiction or “UpLit” and I have not read a crime story that I have enjoyed quite as much as I loved this one, for a number of months (which is a long time in my bookish life!)
This does not read like a crime debut. Granted, I understand that Antoinette is a multi-talented and award winning author, but this novel carries the sophistication and intricacies that I’ve come to expect only from fully established crime writers.
The main thing that sold this book to me is Pam, and the way I found her so easy to picture in my head straight away. She is an intelligent, hard-working and dedicated detective, sacrificing all that she can in the name of safety and justice, but she also comes across as a really down-to-earth and decent human being. I loved the way she managed to inject lightness into the book and the very serious, shocking and complex murder investigation, through her dry humour and banter.
The book appears well-researched, in that it explores some aspects of modern British policing that I know to be true to life. For example, the reluctance to involve or trust some outside agencies, the budget cuts and the overworking and understaffing. This definitely gave the book a modern and authentic feel, despite being clearly fictitious.
There is a complex storyline with lots of suspects and lines of enquiries, but the tapestry of the story is sewn out so beautifully, that it is in many ways an easy to follow story. There is something about this investigation that hooks you in, inviting you to work on the puzzle yourself, and I found myself addicted to working it out and unable to put this book down.
This has definitely been an addictive and gripping book, and I am going to surprise myself by saying that this is going to be a series that I follow closely, and in the correct order. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to fans of tightly plotted and compulsive crime fiction.
I was attracted to this book as I am always keen to try out something slightly different when it comes to psychological thriller. I also found the title really intriguing, and wondered how the idea of “glass” and all the motifs associated with it might fit into this novel. I also found the cover image striking and captivating.
Blurb:
Dr Emma-Jane Glass is a qualified clinical psychologist with her own practice. Emma-Jane has an article published about maternal filicide (a mother murders their child or children) in an academic journal and is subsequently interviewed on local radio about her sympathetic standpoint.
Her perfect life changes when she receives hate mail.
‘Your business is my business now. How many more are going to die before you stop meddling? One, two, ten, Dr Death?’
Abducted and held captive in an empty house, Dr. Glass begins to doubt her own mind.
My thoughts:
Immediately, I was drawn in as the idea of hearing about situations and experiences from the point of view of a therapist, but also their clients, completely pulled me in. The exploration of how we handle grief and how we present ourselves to the world when we are crumbling inside is both unnerving and important.
However, this book took me a little while to get into. The opening chapters set up the story well, but they were slower than I expected.
However, following the kidnapping, the tension and suspense ramped up and I found myself flying through the latter pages. It sent me into quite the head spin and at this point the psychological element is heightened as we begin to question the motives and choices more frequently.
This has definitely been an original and thought-provoking read, providing some important commentary on issues such as identity and grief.
I was drawn to this book by the title. I realised straight away that I didn’t know what it meant to “think like a vegan”, despite one of my best friends being a vegan. I think, if I’m being brutally honest, it’s a conversation we have never had because I (as a meat eater) would come out of it looking rather bad.
Blurb:
According to the latest figures, the number of vegans in the UK has more than quadrupled since 2014, now representing over 1 per cent of the total population. With the rise in plant-based foods and cruelty-free products showing no sign of stopping, Think Like a Vegan explores how vegan ethics can be applied to every area of our daily lives.
We all want to live more healthily and ethically, and this book is certainly not just for vegans. It’s for anyone interested in veganism, its ideals and what even non-vegans can learn from its practice. Through a personal and often irreverent lens, the authors explore a variety of contemporary topics related to animal use: from the basics of vegan logic to politics, economics, love and other aspects of being human, each chapter draws you into a thought-provoking conversation about your daily ethical decisions.
Why should we adopt animals? What’s the problem with organic meat? What are the economics of plant-based foods? What about honey? What is the relationship between veganism and feminism? What is vegansexualism?
My thoughts:
This has definitely been an eye-opening and thought-provoking read. It has explored the topic of veganism in a way I hadn’t really expected. The writer argues that veganism is a form of equality, and that in years to come, humanity will have a moment of realisation and revelation, much like we did when it comes to feminism, racial equality etc. However, by drawing those parallels the writer also makes it clear that this is not going to be an easy feat.
If you read between the lines, there is definitely the inference that meat eaters are selfish, immoral etc, however I liked the fact that the book is respectfully written in a way that avoids these ‘labels’ or assumptions.
This book has definitely got me thinking about my own place in the world and the legacy I want to leave for my children. I was also surprised to learn about being vegansexual, and the differences between a “plant based diet” and veganism as a lifestyle choice and moral code.
I liked the use of the inclusive “we” to discuss the vegan community, that allowed me an insider view. I appreciated the fact that the authors accepted that veganism is not always the easy choice to make, and that often being a meat eater is rooted in culture, traditions and family life, that especially at a young age, we often have little control over.
I would recommend this book to fans of accessible and informative non-fiction. I always find the sheer amount and variety of non-fiction books out there quite overwhelming but I am definitely glad I picked this one. It has definitely provided food for thought!
*Ceri's Lil Blog* 