#tova x marcellus

[andreai04]

Some trees aren’t meant to sprout tender new branches, but to stand stoically on the forest floor, silently decaying.

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: June Books

I have had a very busy month, discovering all the wonders of being a librarian. It has been a while since I’ve had this much structure in my days, so it has taken some getting used to. However, I have learned so much and met some really lovely, helpful people. 

I have also FINALLY applied for an MA in Information and Library Studies in a place that I adore. The application has been months in the making due to it being unexpectedly difficult to get the required work experience but it has now finally been submitted. Let’s see what happens with that!

Mark and I have had some really lovely dates recently and we’ve been lucky enough to squeeze three (I know!) musicals. One of those happened to be Hamilton, which I’d been dying to see for a few years. I was a little worried that it wouldn’t live up to the original Broadway cast version, which I know so well from the soundtrack but I’m delighted to report that it was just as awesome! There is so much talent in the current Hamilton West End cast, so please go and see it if you’re ever in London.

I have managed to get a decent amount of reading done and I’m really excited to share these recommendations with you. There are some real gems this month, so I’m pretty sure you’ll find something you’ll love! -Love, Alex x

FICTION: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.

Keeping busy has always been the best way that Tova knows how to cope with tragedy. 30 years ago, her 18-year-old son Erik went missing from a boat. The police ruled it a suicide but Tova has always known that isn’t the right answer. While working as a night cleaner at Sowell Bay Aquarium, Tova gets to know Marcellus, an incredibly smart giant Pacific octopus who loves to escape his tank. When a newcomer arrives in town, Marcellus has a message for Tova and he needs to somehow get it to her. This uplifting story is about incredible friendships and the desire to discover one’s roots. It’s also about relentlessness, resilience and how these things endure throughout the toughest times. Of course, it’s also a celebration of octopuses and their remarkable intelligence too!

LITERARY FICTION: Scattered All Over The Earth by Yōko Tawada.

In the near future, Japan has disappeared. A Japanese woman named Hiruko is now working as a teacher for immigrant children in Denmark and has invented her language called Panska. On her journey to find more people who speak her native tongue, Hiruko collects a group of diverse friends as she travels across the globe. This fascinating study of how people adapt to where they find themselves and how they learn to communicate really kept me hooked. It’s about language, immigration and the importance of finding others like you. The characters are all very interesting and it was really lovely to see them all have a deep understanding of each other.

MIDDLE-GRADE: The Consequence Girl by Alastair Chisholm.

Colony has been destroyed and no one really knows how it happened. The answers might lie within Cora, a young girl living in the mountains away from society. Cora has an incredible power -she can see how events occurred and sometimes she can change them. But there are people hunting Cora and she needs to run before she can fix things. This action-packed, unique story is about having the ability and will to change the world around you. It’s a message that fully resonates, especially when viewed in light of climate change and what’s really happening to the way that we live. A very thoughtful, suspenseful book with lovely characters.

YA: Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow.

To outsiders, Parris is a beautiful idyllic island. To those who live there, it’s cursed with recurrent deaths of young women. Luca’s best friend Polly was one of those women three years ago and she just can’t ignore the very real presence that there is something evil on the island. When the curse takes Luca’s sister Whitney, Luca takes on the investigation herself but more secrets than one are about to be uncovered. This twisty, atmospheric YA thriller features a fierce heroine and a very cute sapphic romance. I loved that everyone was a bit suspicious because it kept me guessing the whole time. The ending was both heartbreaking, hopeful and thoroughly satisfying.

THRILLER: The Bridesmaids by Victoria Jenkins.

Holly's hen party is underway at an isolated cottage but it seems that everyone has secrets. When a body is found floating in the swimming pool, it becomes apparent that one of Holly’s bridesmaids is a killer. But who has the strongest motive? The Bridesmaids is a gripping drama with a lot to figure out and potentially the most toxic female friendships ever. Every character is completely unlikeable, which kept the pages turning, as I became hungrier for answers and justice.