Discontent by Beatriz Serrano

I read Discontent by Beatriz Serrano (translated by Mara Faye Lethem) almost two months ago (yes, catching up on reviews, so I’ll keep this brief). Anyway, the point is that when anyone asks, “Have you read anything good lately?”, this is the book I suggest. I’m not constantly thinking about it, yet it’s the book that immediately comes to mind. Because it’s funny, it’s relatable, it’s well written and it’s also sad (or perhaps poignant) in an unexpected way. Continue reading

Sample Saturday – books recommended by author Austin Duffy

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.

This week, all three books (and all are novellas) were mentioned in this interview with author Austin Duffy (whose book, The Night Interns, I enjoyed). Continue reading

Two memoirs

Not quite sure what compelled me to read these two memoirs one after the other, given that both deal with the topic of suicide (although the focus of the Toews is on her writing and how her life experiences have shaped that – those experiences include the death of her father and her sister by suicide). Anyway, it wasn’t the cry-fest I anticipated. In fact, not a tear was shed. Partly because Li has quite a different perspective on suicide than others I’ve come across, and in reading Toews, I was marvellously distracted by her plans for a wind museum. Continue reading

November 2025 happened… new to the TBR stack

All year I show restraint and then November happens – Nonfiction November, Novellas in November, and German Literature Month – it usually means my TBR stack grows, although this year I have been a little more restrained. Continue reading