Quickie Catch-Up

It’s been a while since I actually sat down and wrote a post about reading. I have been radio-silence for a while for a few weeks (sorry about that). Let me explain why it’s taken so long – laziness. There’s no other excuse. Sometimes, you need to reset and take your time to enjoy yourself. I don’t need to review every story I read/audiobook, right? Plus I did start then put down several titles because I wasn’t in the right mindset for them (Broken Light by Joanne Harris, Old Babes In The Wood by Margaret Atwood, and several others).

Also, I was binge-watching a lot of TV. I have, finally, caught up with Succession (well, that didn’t go in a direction I was expecting and, at the same time, it did. Satisfyingly so) and I have started Pokerface (which I am thoroughly enjoying).

So, here I am. Touching base with a small write up on a few books I’ve read and maybe a plan for the next few weeks as I’m thinking of taking a short blog holiday at the end of July/start of August. Just for a week or two, nothing major, but want to do some other non-blog related things before I can back for a summer of reading (I feel like I should have a theme for August reading. Thoughts?)

Since my last posts (Sara Barnard’s Where the Light Goes and Tales from Beyond the Raindow by Pete Jordi Wood), I have read/audiobook three books and just started a book (which I am going to mention before I sign off this post) and I am going to touch all each of the read titles now. Now, all of these were gifted to me from publishers either direct or via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and, if I can, I will include affiliate links for these titles, though I believe one is only available as an ebook at the present so no link to that one, sadly.

If I Made a TV Soundtrack for... HIDEOUS BEAUTY

It's been a while since I've done a music-themed post linked to a book I've read or am desperate to be turned into a TV show/movie. But when I read Hideous Beauty by William Hussey earlier this year (review for that is here, in case you're curious), I had a strong reaction to it. I thought it would make a good UK TV version of 13 Reasons Why (I can see this on Netflix or BBC iPlayer/BBC Three) and, for the first time in a very long time, I started listening to music and going "Oooh, this fits" and "That song would be perfect for this moment here". 

Which makes a weirdly mixed list of music. And, as today is Hideous Beauty's bookish birthday, I thought I would pick some for the music songs that I would use if I was in charge of the music playlist if this was turned into a TV series.

No, I'm not going to put spoilers in my reasons and I'm not going to put all songs on my list down (five, maybe? If there are a few songs I want to have an Honourable Mention, I will put at the bottom of the post. So, get your headphones and have a listen.

Book Review - Hideous Beauty

• Title And Author: Hideous Beauty by William Hussey
• Publisher: Usborne
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Physical
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by publisher in exchange for honest review/reaction
• Length: 336 Pages

OMG! Am writing a blogpost reaction to a book! Which isn’t out yet! For several months! For once, i’m AHEAD OF THE GAME!!! And before you ask, I might be coming down with a cold but barring that, this is unheard of for me! 

Ok, I am going to say I was’t really away till I started chatting to the author, William Hussey, on Twitter. I’m out of the loop on most things, so when he asked if the publisher could send me a copy of his debut, I was “Ok, why not”. Then I read more of the blurb (not much, but enough) and I went “I need this in my life as soon as!”. I mean, an thriller with a gay romance at its heart? Sign me up! Plus, I knew I would be in the mood for a thriller this time of year - screw soppy romance novels, give me murdery reads!

After his secret relationship with Ellis is exposed on social media, Dylan has the come out. But, to his surprise, everyone is really kind and supportive. Or at least, seem to be. So when Ellis’s car loses control and things take a tragic turn, Dylan begins to realise that he knows very little about the boy he love and the people around him. But Dylan knows he has to figure out the truth… no matter how painful and heartbreaking it could be…