Books I read in April!: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Persepolis, Riverkeep, Public Library, Lumberjanes

What this blog post isn't really late what are you on about?? Here are the books I read in April! I listened to Minding Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? on Audible, continued my Marjane Satrapi season with Persepolis, super enjoyed reading a review copy of Martin Stewart's Riverkeep (the full review of which you can read by clicking here), got Public Library by Ali Smith from my local public library, and also caved and bought Lumberjanes part 2!

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

I have a thing for listening to the audiobook's of funny ladies. In fact I'll do a blog post on that soon as I have pretty much exclusively listened to the audiobooks of funny ladies! This is funny lady Mindy Kaling's first book, and follows a similar pattern to the other funny lady books (funny lady funny lady funny lady), offering part memoir/part advice book. I just really love finding out how successful women like Mindy Kaling have mapped out their careers and it is especially entertaining when they are the narrator. I feel very comforted to know Mindy was a nanny whilst she was trying to break into comedy, as I'm currently nannying while trying to get other stuffs going! Read/listen to this if you enjoy the likes of Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, watched and loved The Office (US), and want to know how to make it in the biz or to feel like you know some insider gossip.

Persepolis

I caved and bought a copy of Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel Persepolis after having watched the film a few times, and having enjoyed her other books in previous months too. This edition includes both previously published volumes The Story of Childhood and The Story of a Return. I just really love Marjane's narrative style, her wit and humour shine through even when she is retelling the horrors of war and her separation from her family. Persepolis follows the story of her childhood in Tehran during the overthrow of the Shah, the Islamic Revolution and the war with Iraq, and then her time spent in Austria as a teenager after she was sent there to school for her own safety. If you've seen the film, I definitely recommend reading the graphic novel. There are so many extra little details and scenes that really make it worthwhile. Now Marjane Satrapi just needs to write some more books so the season can continue!

Riverkeep

I was super pleased to receive a review copy of debut author Martin Stewart's Riverkeep. The cover of the proof copy lists things like The Wizard of Oz, Ursula Le Guin, Patrick Ness, so obviously I was pretty excited to read it too.



Read my full review here! Please! I mean only if you want to. Clicky click. 

Public Library and Other Stories

I am very pleased to say I got Ali Smith's Public Library and Other Stories out from my local library. I really enjoy reading short stories, there's something about just spending a short time with a character and getting a snapshot of their story that I really like. As well as being a collection of short stories related to books and reading and the impact of these on our lives and homes, it is also a call to action to save our public library, which are under threat from funding cuts and closures across the UK. So, get out to your public library and join the cause by taking this book out! 

Lumberjanes , Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max

I read and super enjoyed the first volume of Lumberjanes some time last year and ended up caving and buying volume 2 this month (I cave and buy books pretty often have you noticed?). The story of Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley at Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types continues in this volume, with even more mysteries and myths to discover and solve. Also there are raptors. Totally action packed and fun, full of colour and humour, if you haven't read any Lumberjanes yet then you really, really should. The third bind up volume is out now so I definitely smell another book purchase on the horizon... I'm just trying to support my local shops leave me alone!!

I'll try to be more on time with my May reads, I really will! So far this month I have read, Bullet Catcher by Joaquin Lowe, Sea Lovers by Valerie Martin, The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig, and also listened to another funny lady's audio book, Animal: The Autobiography of a Female Body by Sara Pascoe! Gonna try to squeeze in another novel and a graphic novel too by the end of the month. Don't forget to go read my full review of Riverkeep!

I received a copy of Riverkeep from Penguin in return for an honest review. I really like it I promise! 

Review! Riverkeep by Martin Stewart

I was super pleased to receive a review copy of debut author Martin Stewart's Riverkeep. The cover of the proof copy lists things like The Wizard of Oz, Ursula Le Guin, Patrick Ness, so obviously I was pretty excited to read it too. 

The story follows fifteen-year-old Wulliam, who is about to inherit his father's role as Riverkeep, which involves tending to the river's ice in winter and a lot of fishing out corpses too. A dark spirit possesses his father one night, which sets Wulliam on a journey away from his one know corner of the river, to row down the river's mouth and hopefully find a cure in the belly of a giant sea creature called the mormorach. 

It took me stupidly long to get the Wizard of Oz connection, but essentially Wull picks up fellow travellers along the way, each on their own journeys, with their own problems to solve and wisdom to share. I got a really cold and dark and gloomy vibe from this book, with hints of scary unknown magic and terrifying creatures all alone the banks of this icy river. I admit for the first few chapters I was suddenly aware of and then annoyed about the lack of female characters, but this resolves itself pretty quickly and I really felt for Wull and his desperation to complete his journey and exasperation at his fellow travellers. 

I can really see a Silvain Chomet animation of this, as Belleville Rendezvous and The Illusionist have similar gloomy, grimy moments, and warm camaraderie moments too. I think the texture of Chomet's animations would really suit this story. 

Definitely worth a read if you like stories with some journeying in them! I'd love to see spin off with Mix as the main character so fingers crossed this world gets expanded.

I received a copy of Riverkeep from Penguin Books in return for an honest review. I really liked it I promise!