In 2013 I really want to try and make the effort to read more. Finding the time to read is made somewhat difficult by my commute. 10 minutes is spent standing on a bus, 5 minutes is spent standing on the train and 10 minutes is spent walking. No book time at all! Over the past few months, I have read the following and since a lot of people have been posting 2013 book lists, I now have a queue of books I am waiting to read.
My most recently read list-
Monkey Grip – Helen Garner
I had been meaning to read Monkey Grip for ages. I enjoyed it because I love the 70s and I love Melbourne, but at the same time, I feel like it has dated and I found the book frustrating to read. I am now trying to source a copy of the movie.
One Way or Another – Nikki McWatter
If you love Australian Crawl, INXS, the 80s and to know what goes on behind the scenes, this book by rock star groupie, Nikki McWatter is one you should read. I was really surprised but how good it was in the end – some parts were a bit repetitive but all in all, a good weekend read!
How It Feels – Brendan Cowell
If you grew up in Sydney, I think this book would be a must read. I still really enjoyed it. Brendan writes really well – I tend to gravitate towards female writers so it was interesting reading a book set in the time I grew up written from a male point of view.
Little Girl Blue – The Life of Karen Carpenter – Randy Schmidt
This was heartbreaking. It was so well written and not at all sensationalized. If you like the Carpenters, you have to read this. It is a view of stardom and ultimate success but also, of real heartbreak and the pressure for perfection. It was incredibly frustrating to read about all the attempts to save Karen and ultimately, save her from herself.
Patchwork Mysteries series
I LOVE this series of books and I am up to my third one. They are available through Guideposts and are set in Maple Hill, a fictional town in the Berkshires. The main character is a quilt restorer who solves local mysteries. All of the characters are lovable and even better, the first book in the series was a mystery that also had genealogy research in it. Could it be any more suited to me?
Currently ready –
Chasing the Dragon – the Life and Times of Marc Hunter. I am LOVING it!