What I listened to in June!

At the start of the year, I started listening to audiobooks. I always wanted to be a reader but couldn't/wouldn't make the time, so audiobooks were a way around it. I could be busy doing something while still listening to a book. Anyway, I thought I would share what I have been listening to. All of my audiobooks come from my local library through the app BorrowBox. I know lots of what I listen to might be considered old but they are all new to me!

This is what I listened to in June:

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella!

Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed. OK, so the truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers. But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they? Until her not-so-perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business. Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams or try to get her job back? Does Demeter the woman who has everything actually have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems. And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway?

There’s something about Sophie Kinsella books that make me smile and feel happy. The chaos in this story felt over the top but at the same time believable and I loved every moment of listening. There’s romance running through it but it never takes over the story, it's like a little bonus rather than the main event. There is a lesson to learn from this book. Nobody has it all sorted and everyone’s just winging it in their own way. I really liked how Katie changes and grows into herself throughout the story. She’s not perfect, makes some very questionable choices, overthinks things but I ended up rooting for her anyway because she feels real. I found myself laughing, cringing and nodding along all through this book!

This Bright Life by Karen Campbell!

Gerard is twelve. He hates his name, but loves flying round the streets of Glasgow on his bike, or mucking about with his gang, the Broncos. He's a bright kid, but trouble seems to follow him. No one really knows what it's like at home for Gerard; he's used to carrying a lot on his small shoulders. Gerard doesn't always make good decisions. And on one April morning, in the blink of an eye, he makes a very bad one, one that will upend his whole world. Now, he faces a bewildering stream of concerned adults clutching files, unfamiliar streets to navigate, a strange bed to sleep in, and the very real chance he won't see his wee brother and sister again.

This book is not trying to be flashy or full of shocking twists and that’s exactly what makes it work so well. It's about everyday life and explores the realities of social and foster care. It doesn’t rush through the difficult bits and with each word you feel the emotion. The start was pretty bleak but it does get more hopeful as it goes on. It is a thoughtful story that focusses more on people than big plot twists.

Bad Apple by Alice Hunter!

Becky Lawson’s life has been shattered. When she discovered her husband, John a trusted policeman was a monster, she reported him. But her faith in the system was crushed when it didn't lead to any charges or consequences. Now, John lives freely with a new girlfriend and her young daughter, while Becky battles guilt over missing the obvious signs. Determined for justice, Becky hunts him down. But John wants her silenced at any cost. Becky knows only one of them can survive, and she’ll do anything to make sure it’s her. Becky must tread carefully though, because John isn’t the only bad apple lurking in the shadows.

If you’re looking for an audiobook that grabs you straight away and keeps you guessing right up to the very end, you need to listen to or read this. From the very beginning, its full of suspense and it doesn’t stop. It has so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and I spent most of it trying to piece things together only to realise I was wrong again and again. What I really enjoyed was how it made me question everyone and everything. I was so suspicious and was constantly changing my mind about who could be trusted and who couldn’t. There was even a point where I thought maybe the main character was imagining things. This book plays with your head in such a clever way. I felt so much frustration for the main character because of everything she goes through. Then there’s the ending! I didn’t see it coming at all.

Welcome to the Neighbourhood by Jane Fallon!

Kitty thought moving to London would spice up her life. Unfortunately, she ended up on Ashdown Close, where the hottest topic of gossip is a missed bin collection. That was before the arrival of Sian and Rich at number 8. They are cool and glamorous, and Kitty is perfectly willing to be dazzled by their company. But when she spots a mysterious woman furtively leaving their house, she realises they might not be the magnetic couple she thought. Aided and abetted by best friend Grace, Kitty feels she needs to investigate. Do Sian and Richard really have something to hide, or are Kitty and Grace just being nosy neighbours? And if they are, perhaps they are not the only ones. Because on this street’s nobody’s business might just turn out to be everybody’s business.

I went into this expecting a who done it, murder mystery, and it really wasn’t that at all. That threw me at first, but in a good way. It’s more of a funny, messy, nosey neighbour kind of story where everything happens and you don't see it coming! The characters felt like people you could actually bump into on a normal street and I liked most of them too well, apart from one. hehehe It’s light, a bit silly in places and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is probably why it works so well.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke!

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle and her followers are sick with envy. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What her followers don’t know won’t hurt them. Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children, they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn't her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible.

There is a lot of hype about this book but I don't know how I feel about it after listening to it. I thought Natalie the main character would wake up in 1855 and be forced to live the real lifestyle that she tries so hard to show on her social media but that was not the focus of the book. Instead, there were lengthy chapters dedicated to her past. I feel cheated. It is more about mental health issues that get deeper and deeper as the story unwinds. On one hand, I was hooked. Natalie was such a horrible person, I couldn't stop listening as I wanted to know what happened. She was cruel, unlikeable and unkind but on the other hand, I felt annoyed as I felt it was pushing a political view down my throat and trying to make me swallow it. If I had to describe this book in one word, it’s icky.

What have you been reading or listening to lately?