13 April 2020

Books To Read While In Isolation

Books To Read While In Isolation


AD - Contains gifted items (*) and all affiliate links 

I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we're all looking for a little distraction and escapism from what's going on in the world right now. 

One of the main ways I like escape without actually having to leave the house is through reading, and I've been reading plenty of 5-star books recently that I think will also help you lose yourself for a while. 

Take a peek below for my choices of some of the best books that had me looking up a few hours later realising I'd kept reading through my lunch break (good job I work from home). 

THE 7 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE BY STUART TURTON


THE 7 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE BY STUART TURTON 


Think Agatha Christie meets psychological thriller with a slight sci-fi twist, and you have this book. 

Aiden has been given the task to find out who killed Evelyn Hardcastle during a party at Blackheath, but there's only one problem - he keeps waking up to relive the day over and over but each time in the body of a different guest at the house, and the only way to break the cycle is to identify the killer. 

Now, this book could be in my top 10 books! This mind-bending book is so cleverly written and I feel like I could reread this just to pick up on all the little details I missed the first time around. This world was so well thought out (and must have been mind-boggling to create) that I want to know more. I partly want to keep following Aidan & Anna's story, as well as maybe seeing a parallel story from one of the other worlds in this. 

It messes with your mind for a bit, and I couldn’t guess the murderer for the life of me until it was right in front of me!

IDIOT WIND BY PETER KALDHEIM


IDIOT WIND BY PETER KALDHEIM*


In this 1980's memoir, Peter flees New York during a snowstorm after landing himself in debt with his violent drug dealer and hits the road living hand to mouth in an attempt to cross the country. Along the way, he encounters many characters from different walks of life and learns a lot about unseen America where the welfare system is allowing people to fall through the cracks.

I was completely absorbed into this as soon as I started reading it! Peter’s story is inspiring but also shows how far someone can fall off the path they are trying to take. 

Once he hits the road, I was really rooting for him as he started to change his life around, and I found that this was really easy to put down and start up again thanks to his easy writing style. 

Definitely not a book I would normally pick up, but one I’m glad I did!

THE YEAR OF LIVING DANISHLY BY HELEN RUSSELL


An autobiography for those who need a little wanderlust in their lives while staying within the confinement of their homes. 

When Helen is forced to move to a rural part of Denmark, she sets herself a task to document her year there and whether Denmark really is the happiest place to live. 

This is my perfect kind on a non-fiction book. This was funny, anecdotal and informative without going on about the facts too much. 

I loved every minute of this, and I think the mix of writing really helped me propel through this. Sure it’s quite long, but it was worth it! I’m surprised at how much of the info I’ve held on to from this, and it certainly makes for great trivia in conversations. 

I won’t necessarily be moving to Denmark any time soon, but I think it’s shown the country really well, with its positives and negatives.

MELMOTH BY SARAH PERRY & THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ BY HEATHER MORRIS


MELMOTH BY SARAH PERRY


For centuries, a dark-robed figure has walked the earth seeking out those whose lives have taken a darker turn. Now, that figure seeks out Helen, who lives in Prague after running from her own dark secret. Working as a translator, she has settled into her new life until her friend Karel discovers a mysterious letter about Melmoth the Witness, a creature born from superstition and fairy tales. And then Karel disappears...

I’m not normally one for a horror story, but this kept me in the perfect balance of being curious to find out what happens and being too scared to sleep at night. 

I’m a particular fan of how this was written, almost like we were there in every situation, bearing witness to what was happening. I loved how little details would be pointed out to us as an aside.

The pace of this kept me engaged, and I loved how this was made up of the documents mentioned in the story. It did a great job of breaking it up enough to keep my interest. 

I loved all the characters, and I honestly didn’t know which way the story was going to go, even up until the last page!


THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ BY HEATHER MORRIS


In April 1942, Lale, a Slovakian Jew, is transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist) and tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners. 

One day, he ends up tattooing a woman who will change his life at the camp, and he is driven to stay alive to keep her safe and survive to be with her after they escape.


This was beautifully written, without being too fancy which meant that it didn't get in the way of the facts of what happened at the concentration camps.

Lale and Gita’s relationship had me reading on and their bravery for what they had to do to survive is almost too hard to comprehend.

I particularly appreciated the material at the end talking about what happened to go them after the book ended, as well as the pictures of them. It made it all very real.

THE HATE U GIVE BY ANGIE THOMAS


THE HATE U GIVE BY ANGIE THOMAS


Sixteen-year-old Starr is living between two different worlds - the poor neighbourhood where she grew up and the posh prep school she attends. She is able to handle this balance until she witnesses the shooting of her friend Khalil, shot by a trigger-happy police officer while he was unarmed.

This wasted no time in establishing our amazing lead character Starr, and before you know it we come across the event in her life that changes her future forever. 


Written so sympathetically, while still raising the issue of police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, this book really shook me.


I also found it interesting to learn that Starr is a reflection of the author’s life, and I think that the passion driving Thomas to write this shows through. People are angry that this racism is still happening, and they want change. I think that this is such an important book to read for everyone, but specifically for teenagers so they learn how powerful their voices are as the next generation. 



THE FIVE BY HALLIE RUBENHOLD


There aren't many details about the five women killed by Jack the Ripper other than they were supposedly prostitutes, which in fact isn't 100% correct. The newspapers at the time reported many incorrect facts, but Hallie Rubenhold has made it her mission to gives these women a voice and to tell their story. 

This book is a must-read if you love true crime.  Rubenhold tells the stories of the lives of these women so wonderfully, without prejudice and just looks at the plain facts about them. 

The thing that made this 5 stars for me was the fact that I found myself thinking about the women as I went about my day, and I learnt so much about life in Victorian London for a woman. 

Can’t wait to read more from Rubenhold!



HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW? BY HOLLY BOURNE

 

After writing a best-selling memoir, Tori seems to have a perfect life: the perfect relationship, the London flat, a girl-boss career and thousands of adoring fans and followers. However, like everything on social media, things aren't as they seem...

While all her friends are getting married and having children, Tori's boyfriend won't even look at her, and any talk about taking their relationship further turns into an argument. But can she be brave enough to take a step away from her seemingly-perfect life for the sake of her happiness?

This is such a funny, thought-provoking book filled with highs, lows, and everything in between in the life of a 30+-year-old woman. 

From being stuck in a dreadful long-term relationship, to worrying about her looks, the ‘ticking clock’ of her body and online appearance, all while trying to write her second book, Tori is one of the most relatable characters I’ve read about. 

A must-read!

THE LAST WIDOW BY KARIN SLAUGHTER


THE LAST WIDOW BY KARIN SLAUGHTER*


Book 9 in the best-selling Will Trent series, we follow Will and Sara through this tense investigation. On a hot summer night, a scientist from the Centers for Disease Control is grabbed by unknown assailants in a shopping centre parking lot. Vanished into thin air, the authorities are desperate to save the doctor. 

One month later, the serenity of a sunny Sunday afternoon is shattered by the boom of a ground-shaking blast - followed by another second later. One of Atlanta’s busiest and most important neighbourhood’s has been bombed, and before the hour's out, Sara has been kidnapped by the bombers. 

Now, this was a book I didn’t expect to love as much as I did! 

At first, I wasn’t keen on the repetition as we jumped between different people’s perspectives, but as the main characters separated it became essential for lining up the storyline. 

It would be no surprise that I love the strong women in this too- I’d love to know more about Amanda’s past! 

Even though this book is over 400 pages, this was fast-paced and it felt like I read this in no time at all! Fantastic story-telling, this definitely felt unique among all the other crime mysteries series I’ve read. Can’t wait to read more in this series!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to pick up any of the books I've read recently then head to my Amazon shop here, and do follow me on Goodreads to stay up to date with how I'm getting on with these books over the next few months. 

WHAT TO WATCH



12 comments

  1. Oh man, I’m still trying to read my current book and I’m so slow on it because I’m struggling to read at home (I like reading on commutes) but now I want to add some of these to the list!

    Jessica & James | www.foodandbaker.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I normally read while commuting, but I've been reading every morning after I've woken up and just before bed and it really helps calm me and also get through the massive pile of books I have!

      Delete
  2. Great recommendations. Holly Bourne is one of my fave authors.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, can't wait to read more from her!

      Delete
  3. Such a great post. I recently finished The Tattooist of Auschwitz and loved it.
    How do you like me now? is now firmly on my to be read pile!

    Amy x
    www.whatamysays.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Some fab recommendations here! I'm reading SO MUCH during this time! I really need to get my hands on a copy of THUG. I loved the film x

    Jenny
    http://www.jennyinneverland.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Hate U Give sounds like such an interesting read, adding that to my TBR! I think The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle sounds great too, the way you described the genre sounds amazing x

    Sophie
    www.glowsteady.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is a great list! I'm going to have to do some reading now! Thanks for the great article. :)

    ReplyDelete