The Big Reading Update 2021: Week 4

Is January over yet? This is starting to feel like the longest month of all time. This week’s TBRU is potentially going to be a shorter one than you’re used to mainly because I have less to talk about but hey, that’s okay!

I’ve been struggling with thick brain fog all week long so my productivity has taken a big hit. Blog posts haven’t been written. Books haven’t been read. And so on. In fact, as I’m writing this I’m getting frustrated at how much my brain is refusing to play ball. So let’s just get straight into it!

What I Read This Week

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way To Live Well
by Meik Wiking

★★★★

Buy on Bookshop.org*

I doubt it would surprise anyone that my lifestyle is already pretty “hyggelig” – being a homebody and all. Comfy and cosy is essentially my motto in life. So naturally I’d be drawn towards hygge.

This little book was really informative. Not just in the “how to hygge” sense but in the research of happiness and how the two concepts overlap. Wiking is clearly very knowledgeable about both and that’s reflected in the quality of this book – which I highly recommend, by the way!

The Midnight Library
By Matt Haig

★★★★★

Buy on Bookshop.org*

This was my first journey into Haig’s fictional works but it won’t be my last. The Midnight Library follows Nora who after a heartbreakingly painful day decides to give up on life and finds herself in a library between life and death. This library contains all of Nora’s alternatives lives giving her a chance to do things differently. Will Nora choose a new life? You’ll have to read to find out.

As someone who has battled depression for most of my life, this book hit me so hard. Its message radiated light into the dark crevices of my soul. It’s moving, hopeful and dare I say it, it’s a little bit hygge! I also loved that it didn’t shy away from the fact that depression doesn’t vanish simply because your circumstances are different.

Content Warnings:

depression, suicide, death (parental and pet plus others), alcoholism and drug abuse plus references to scars from self-harming

Currently Reading

I’m still reading Ace by Angela Chen and starting to suspect that I might not get it finished by the end of the month. Maybe I’ll dedicate some quality time to it today.

Haul

It was pay day week which means I bought a few books… Not too many but a few. I spent a grand total of £15.23. The books I bought were:

• We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper (Kindle eBook)
• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Kindle eBook)
• The Push by Ashley Audrain (Hardback)
• Kill Joy by Holly Jackson (Pre-order Paperback)
• For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt (Paperback)
• Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell (Hardback)

We also bought my son two new books this week. They were Slug in Love by Rachel Bright & Nadia Shireen (which I recently read a review copy of and loved!) and Now Wash Your Hands by Matt Carr.

In terms of library books, my hold on Siri, Who Am I? by Sam Tschida came through so I’m looking forward to reading that. I also picked up How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi in advance of Black History Month (US).

And finally, review copies! It’s been a quieter one this week which is nice because I’m starting to feel like I’m drowning in review copies. I was approved for Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner which I’m super excited about so yay!

And as always, I’m desperate to know what books you’ve been enjoying this week? Let me know in the comments below. (Also have a great weekend!)