Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye.
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
Why I have it: Enjoyed the review by Kim at Reading Matters.
Summary: A sort-of love triangle between Ava from Dublin living in Hong Kong; Julian the wealthy banker, who jets between HK and London; and Edith, an ambitious Hong Kong–born lawyer.
I’m thinking: Yes.
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Why I have it: Just seems like ‘everyone’ is reading it.
Summary: In 2000, 15-year-old Vanessa becomes entangled in an ‘affair’ with Jacob Strane, her 42-year-old teacher. In 2017, Strane is accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who asks Vanessa to make a joint accusation. Vanessa wonders if her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship.
I’m thinking: No. I’ve run out of energy for these sorts of stories (and the blurb that includes words like ‘affair’ makes me fume).
Radiant Shimmering Light by Sarah Selecky
Why I have it: A satire about pyramid marketing? Sign me up…
Summary: Lilian – 40, single, and childless – trades her job as a pet portrait artist to become part of ‘Eleven’, a massive feminine lifestyle empowerment brand, that promises she’ll become confident, affluent, and self-actualized. She finally feels seen for who she really is. Success! But is it authentic?
I’m thinking: Maybe – add it to the list for when I next feel like a satire?
Well, you know which book I’m going to tell you to read 😉
Yes, your work here is done 🙂
I can’t help at all with which to read but I do think all the covers are really striking! Which if you’re reading on kindle makes zero difference – I’ll go now….
Keen to read Exciting Times, too, and I agree with you about My Dark Vanessa.
Cross that I didn’t snap up an ARC of Exciting Times when I had the chance – at the time the blurb and the cover seemed a bit lightweight, but Kim’s review convinced me otherwise.
I’ve read My Dark Vanessa and it’s just OK. I’d read Putney and thought it was much better.
I thought Putney was exceptionally good, and it was in the back of my mind as I read the sample of Vanessa (which didn’t seem to have the same sensitivity).
It doesn’t. The subject matter is very similar but handled much better in Putney.
I keep seeing My Dark Vanessa everywhere but I also think I’m done with these types of stories. They’re just too emotionally draining, great writing or not.
I’m done with relationship novels for a while so can easily skip the first two
I’m most of the way through Exciting Times and would second the recommendation — it’s a lot like Conversations with Friends, plus the narrator has an amusingly deadpan/sardonic voice.
If it helps, Exciting Times is a staff favourite at work (thanks to a couple of my younger colleagues) and it’s probably the only one on your list of 3 that I would read. But since my colleagues already have, I probably won’t, as we try to share ourselves around the new releases to cover as much ground as we can between us.
My Dark Vanessa is a draining read. I was sent a very early proof, six months before its release and read it back then. It was strangely compelling, but also disturbing.