What I Read in May 📚 | Reading Wrap Up 2021

Chatting about all the books I read last month.

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MY BOOKS:

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Things mentioned:

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Someone Else's Skin by Sarah Hilary
The Last Resort by Jan Carson
Summerwater by Sarah Moss*
The House Opposite by Barbara Noble
A Room Called Earth by Madeline Ryan
Growing Up Disabled in Australia ed. by Carly Findlay
Composite Creatures by Caroline Hardaker*
Fifty Sounds by Polly Barton*
Ill Feelings by Alice Hattrick*
The Safe House by Nicci French

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WHO I AM

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Where to find me:

This video contains is kindly sponsored by Skillshare. As always, all opinions are my own. Books marked with * were sent to me for an honest review.

[booksandbargains]

I currently have 9 half read books .... which is also a sign of my mental state.

[fionagraham]

Watching this video curled up on the couch with my morning coffee- I love your calming presence and I just feel like I’m chatting with a friend 🥰

[GunpowderFictionPlot]

It was so interesting to here about the different emotions in English and Japanese. There are studies about mental health and internal language, if you speak Russian you're more likely to suffer from Depression.

[katiejlumsden]

A random and belated comment, but for gluten free baking I highly recommend an ingredient called xanthan gum, which is good for helping ingredients bind with gluten free flour.

[RovingReader]

I just finished Ill Feelings tonight! Oh so good! I'll review it soon, but it's definitely one that deserves to be read with a pen and read over and over!

[YourTrueShelf]

I just ordered my first Grady Hendrix from the library (the one that's set in a place like IKEA) which I'm excited about.
I really want to read the house opposite 😊
Growing up disabled in Australia is also on my wishlist.
I totally agree about Normal People!! The constant misunderstandings drove me a bit mad! I enjoyed both of her books, but I think as I'm 15+ years older than tbr characters I kept getting really frustrated with them not just saying what the mean or communicating more effectively. Rant over 😂 xx

[julianne]

another lovely video, as always! those horticultural pamphlets sound fascinating

[hesterdunlop]

I agree with you about A Room called Earth and Normal People ..loved both books but they have in common a sense of forensic regard and awareness around the boundary between the self and the " romantic " other which is absent from the traditional romance narrative, when the boundary ceases to exist .. and characters merge ..

[ALias-jgmb]

You've got me quite intrigued by Composite Creatures. On it goes to my TBR list! Can't wait to see your review of it 😊 . Ha, just finished Harriet Mercer's 'Gargoyles', which you recommended. She has a lovely way with words, but it still took me a while to get through the book cos it's non-fiction (fiction is more my cuppa tea, but I try for balance in my reading). Anyway, love your book reviews as always, Jen!

[a.bevdfray]

I just found your channel while looking for YouTube videos about prose poems. First, I loved your prose poem video from four years ago. Second, I subscribed to your channel just based on your prose poem video. Third, I watched several videos by just jumping around and watching whatever spoke to me. Fourth, very grateful for your perspective on your disability and on disability/ableism. Finally, I watched the home renovation video you did right after you moved into your new place and loved what you did with your entry hall. I want more! I love home improvement/decorating and would love to see more of what you’re doing. ~ A new subscriber from Oregon, USA

[bibrarian]

I've just finished Summerwater and really enjoyed it so will have to pick up The Last Resort!

[Readinordertolive]

I loved Summerwater, one of my favourites from last year. The Last Resort Sounds great and The House Opposite. Just found out today Sarah Moss has another book out later in the year The Fell so have pre ordered.

[ornleifs]

I agree with you about Bartons book - read it recently and absolutely loved it, found it so original and interesting.

[annah]

I’ve just picked up Jan Carson’s The Firestarters so if I like that I know where to go next! I found it in a charity shop (7 books for €5?!) and I also found a beautiful hardback of My Name Is Monster and also After the Silence by Louise O’ Neill. I love charity shops!! The House Opposite is calling my name - I’ll have to do something about that…

[HannahHodgson]

Love these, perfect way to de-stress. Very calming :) x

[LarryHasOpinions]

Composite Creatures sounds really intriguing

[LinnaAP]

That was a great skillshare segway! It made me chuckle!

[GKReads]

For a replacement series for Freida Klein have you tried the Roxane Weary series by Kristen Lepionka? I’ve read two and loving so far

[VP-tgkd]

Thank you for mentioning all the talk of ‘long covid’. - it is driving me bonkers that this is getting so much coverage now (though rightly so) when those of us with Fibromyalgia and similar, have been fighting for years to even be believed never mind taken seriously - if they can spend the time on the news etc looking into this why can’t they have done it for us over the years - Fibromyalgia has been around forever (Florence nightingale was thought to have suffered with it) I hope that the coverage Long Covid is getting will end up helping us too. Can only hope X

[SM-vrdz]

You have me curious about Composite Creatures.