May & June Reads

If I'm honest May and June combined were probably the most unproductive months for me in terms of reading. I don't know whether it was a mix of not choosing the right books to read or whether I just wasn't engaged with it enough. 2 of the books I read over the last 2 months were actually really good and thought provoking, but one which didn't engage me at all and after a 3 week battle trying to get into it, I stopped reading it. 

I do believe that sometimes it's easier to give up whilst your ahead, don't force yourself to finish a book that isn't interesting you. With that in mind let's get stuck into chatting about the three books I managed to read. 

Ice Cream for Breakfast by Laura Jane Williams ★★★★★ 

I absolutely loved reading this book back in May (feels a lifetime ago now!) Not only does it come with the most pretty front cover and best title but it's a book that really embraces the child like behaviour that definitely gets lost along the way as we grow up. I couldn't put it down and was really engaged in Laura's writing style and relation back to when she worked as a nanny. The short snippets on quotes or words of advice were really comforting and I took a lot of positivity away from this book. I've encouraged so many people to get their hands on it since, it's so good! 

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb.  ★★★★ 

This memoir by the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize was one of the most powerful texts I have ever read and really highlighted the importance of education for all. Following Malala's story in her home of Swat Valley in Pakistan was really thought provoking to read and at times quite heart wrenching and emotional. I found it a difficult book to get into at the beginning but it wasn't long before Malala's voice and determination captivated my interest and I couldn't put it down. I feel like this book educated me on the developing state and influence of the Taliban and how that affected communities. Her work in developing education opportunities for young people is so inspiring and I would definitely recommend you give this book a read at some point.

The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley ★ 

Entitled as the 'Book of the Year' by Costa, I had highly anticipated that this read would be great and live up to it's buzz. It's sense of eeriness and haunting tale that I had hoped for didn't grab me whatsoever, leaving me struggling to connect with any of the characters. It had the foundations for a great plot but unfortunately for me it wasn't my cup of tea. Within 3 weeks of battling to get into the book, I decided to not go any further with it and stopped reading it halfway through. I'd be curious to see whether other people experienced the same thing with this read or even still enjoyed it.

What are you reading at the moment?