I have an unofficial goal to read at least 52 books this year. I've already read five since Christmas, so am well and truly on track. I'm trying to focus on female writers, mostly because, um, I am one. One of the things that helps me read so much is picking up my Kindle or a book instead of picking up my phone to look at pointless Facebook sh*t, especially when the kids are around. I figure it is better for them to be ignored because their mum is reading a book than if she is doing a Buzzfeed quiz on 'Which Kardashian Are You?', right?
Here are a couple of recent reads...
Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar
This was a dark, bittersweet read about a colonial family in South Australia. The most poignant parts were the interactions with the dwindling Aborigine community and the family dynamics. Poetic and evocative prose.
Lucky Us by Amy Bloom
Easy to read, eccentric story about two sisters who move from Ohio to Hollywood in the 40s, with their wayward father, a stolen adopted kid and a Spanish makeup artist.
Zadie Smith's On Beauty
I really loved this. Some of Zadie Smith's stuff can be a bit much, but loved the characters and the life injected into this novel. The descriptions of academia and families and growing up are spot on.
Up next, I'm burning through last year's Miles Franklin winner The Eye of the Sheep by Sophie Laguna, Clutterfree with Kids by Joshua Becker and Marie Kondo's new book Spark Joy.