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It’s been a while since I updated my reading list. After a month or so of racing through various titles, my thirst for literature stalled a little and I haven’t felt much like opening the pages of a book at all. Truth is, the stress of moving house and all that goes with it has really affected my concentration and most evenings I’ve found myself too exhausted to even contemplate reading.

I’m confident that looking back over some of the books I enjoyed in May and June will reignite my desire to read. I’m a few pages into Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald and I desperately want to emmerse myself in the world he has created within the novel.

So, without further ado, my recent reading material…

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett ~ With a general interest in literature that focusses on Black American culture and its history, as well as themes such as racism, prejudice and tolerance, I knew I would enjoy this novel before I’d even read the first page. {Other favourites include Beloved by Toni Morison, Passing by Nella Larsen and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, to name but a few}.

The book didn’t dissapoint, immediately securing an unequivocal place in my ‘Top 10 Reads of 2013’. The story documents the lives of three women living on different sides of the racial barrier in Jackson, a small town in Massachusetts. Through their experiences, Stockett explores issues of race and class in a fascinating and accessible way. I couldn’t put it down and, unusually for me, I also enjoyed the film adaptation immensely.

2. Lucky by Alice Sebold ~ I had been waiting for sunshine to arrive before undertaking the task of reading this book. I knew Sebold’s memoir describing her experience of being raped would make for some uncomfortable reading and I was definitely right to assume I would need blue skies to balance out the bleak subject matter. Clearly, this book won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but I was impressed by Sebold’s account of the brutal attack she endured in her freshman year of university and the way it ultimately shaped the rest of her life. The book was all at once horrifying, moving, thought provoking and uplifting.

3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak ~ No review I could write would do this novel justice. Every sentence on every page was so expertly written, so perfectly crafted, I found myself in constant awe of the author’s mastery over the words at his disposal.

Narated by Death, the book is set in Nazi Germany. The story documents the experiences of a young girl named Liesel, her foster parents, the other residents of their neighbourhood, and a Jewish fist-fighter who hides in their home during the escalation of World War II. I was captivated from beginning to end and firmly believe the memory of reading this novel is one that will remain with me forever.

4. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler ~ If you enjoyed every moment of the hype surrounding The Great Gatsby and share my obsession with 1930s America, flappers and the great ‘Jazz Age’, or if you simply love a good love story, then this is a must read. You know you really love a book when you immediately feel the need to rush out and buy a copy for your best friend. Luckily I managed to repress the urge to wave it in front of her face screaming ‘READ IT. READ IT NOW’. Just about. Another friend wrote an excellent review, so head that way for a full plot synopsis.

5. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles ~ While this novel looked promising on paper {glamorous 1930s New York, heavy on the period detail}, it left me cold and uninspired. I hate to be so brutal in my description, but I found it dull and really had to force myself to keep reading until the end.

What have you been reading lately? Send some book recommendations my way pretty please…

Love Audrey xxx