2022
Remember to stay up to date with the world, listen to those facing atrocities and help spread awareness/donate where you’re able to.
In March I played along with A Book Fiend Named Mel’s tbr Roll of Reads for their own read-a-thon.
The official twitter for the read-a-thon is @RollofReads2022~
In March I had 5 books on my TBR and while I didn’t complete them all, I’m very happy with how the reading went ♥
ROLL OF READS WRAP UP
Stormbreaker; Anthony Horowitz
prompt: nostalgic vibes
rating: ⭐⭐⭐
In the first book in the number one bestselling Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, fourteen-year-old Alex is forcibly recruited into MI6.
Armed with secret gadgets, he is sent to investigate Herod Sayle, a man who is offering state-of-the-art Stormbreaker computers to every school in the country. But the teenage spy soon finds himself in mortal danger.
Waterstones
I read Stormbreaker when I was in Yr6. I remember reading it in my primary school’s library and I can definitely see why I enjoyed it back then. I seem to have had more of an action-adventure streak and while it’s lessened over the years I still had fun re-reading the book. Alex might be a bit of an idiot, but he’s likeable. There isn’t much suspense and things are quite easily solved, but for a first book with Alex starting out as being a spy, it’s fine.
I’m going to continue with the series and hopefully I’ll get past the third book – my all girl’s secondary school library didn’t seem to think the Alex Rider series was necessary.
🎲🎲🎲
The Mad Women’s Ball; Victoria Mas
prompt: a beautiful cover
rating: ⭐⭐⭐
A marvellously macabre slice of nineteenth-century Gallic gothic, Mas’ evocation of a ghastly ball held within an oppressive asylum is both a celebration of female strength and a dazzling stylistic tour de force.
Genevieve is a senior nurse. After the childhood death of her sister, she has shunned religion and placed her faith in Doctor Charcot and his new science. But everything begins to change when she meets Eugenie, the 19-year-old daughter of a bourgeois family. Because Eugenie has a secret, and she needs Genevieve’s help. Their fates will collide on the night of the Mad Women’s Ball…
Waterstones
The writing is pretty and the characters seem very real. Despite this book being rather short – around 220 pages – I felt like I got to know the main characters well, including several of the other women at the Salpetriere.
I went into this not really knowing that there was such a strong supernatural element. While it was interesting, especially with the historical context – this book is set in 1885 – I think it would have been more compelling if it hadn’t relied so heavily on the truth of Eugenie’s ability to communicate with and see ghosts.
I found myself much more interested in the women of the Salpatriere and the way Genevieve interacted with them.
🎲🎲🎲
Kim Ji Young, Born 1982; Cho Nam Joo
prompt: main character over 30
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A landmark publication in Nam-Joo’s native country where it kick-started a nascent MeToo movement, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 throws a grenade under the appalling misogyny and paternalism of South Korean society.
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 is the life story of one young woman born at the end of the twentieth century and raises questions about endemic misogyny and institutional oppression that are relevant to us all.
Waterstones
This is such an important book to read, especially for men. The book sheds light on the misogyny so prevalent in Korean society and does so in an emotional, yet factual way. We are following Ji Young through her life and seeing the injustices and normalised behaviour she and the women around her face on a day to day basis. We also see how this has been internalised by women.
I personally think this is an important book for quite a lot of kpop fans to read as well. They seem to see South Korea through rose tinted glasses and I’ve seen a lot of awful things said against women to defend male idols/actors.
EXTRA BOOKS
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism; Amanda Montell
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish” everywhere.
Waterstones
I read Cultish for a book club and I’m glad I did. Montell’s writing style is accessible and her manner is very approachable. There is a lot of personal anecdotes and second hand accounts woven well into research.
This was, for the most part, an interesting read. The information and Montell’s way of explaining the methods of cult behaviour through language is fascinating. I do wish this book didn’t focus so much on the fitness “cults”… I enjoyed the parts on MLM’s and Scientology in the contemporary landscape, but the fitness was just too long.
Overall, an interesting and enjoyable read. I’ve ordered her book Wordslut and I’m excited to read that soon.
Jews Don’t Count; David Baddiel
prompt: Buzzed About Books
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The comedian and author combines powerful polemic and personal testimony to investigate why, in an age of heightened awareness of the evils of systemic racism, anti-Semitism appears to have been neglected by those who consider themselves progressive and enlightened.
Waterstones
I realised that I forgot that I needed a book to fulfil the girlxoxo reading prompt for March which was to read a book “you saw buzzed about a lot in 2021 but haven’t gotten around to reading it yet”. I’ve wanted to read Jew’s Don’t Count for a long time and I’ve heard a lot of great things about it ever since it’s release last year.
I read this book in one day and I thought it was great. Baddiel has a very casual writing style and I found this really insightful. There was information that I should have been aware of and it definitely made me realise how there are so many prominent examples of anti-Semitism which have been normalised in Britain.
I would also recommend following Baddiel on twitter, which is a source highly utilised in his book.
CURRENT READS
I hope that you had a good reading month and if not, I hope that April is better for you ♥
Thank you for reading!
I hope that you are having a lovely day and staying safe~
DramaRambles 🌸 