January 2023

Not long after I started a “bookstagram”, I turned my back on social media. As someone who has a propensity for the obsessive and whose anxiety is raised by constant scrolling, I’ve realised Instagram isn’t for me, but I don’t want to stop sharing more about the books I’ve read.

I’ll update here every so often, sharing reviews, thoughts and general reading ambitions, as well as some more personal things if I feel like it. I’ll start with what I read in January. If there was ever an argument for deleting social media, the fact that I read eleven books in January 2023 would be it. Star ratings and short reviews below. My reviews will always be an assortment of thoughts and feeling as I often find it hard to be academic about reading. I blame my English degree for this. I’m still recovering from all that enforced reading, eleven years after graduating. Sorry, UCD English, Drama and Film.

These books are presented in the order I read them, as opposed to in any ranking.

Notes on Heartbreak by Annie Lord

Four stars

This seems to be the go-to millennial book on heartbreak and it definitely made me think about some of my own experiences with dating, especially as I ended a short-term relationship late last year. The thing that always makes me sad about dating in current times is that it seems to be considered embarrassing to be open, to share your feelings and to talk about the basic human need for intimacy. By intimacy, I don’t just mean sex, but the true connection you feel with someone when you’re able to let your guard down. I’m not saying I’m perfect in this regard and I definitely related to Annie Lord’s feeling of numbness while dating, but just felt like a very timely reflection on what it’s like to pursue romantic love in today’s world.

I’m Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Five stars

It’s hard to even know where to begin on this one. While the subject matter is difficult, what really struck me is the depth and quality of the writing. I don’t want to say a lot, except that you should go read this incredible and unique story immediately. I felt like I was listening to a friend tell me stories about her life.

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Three and a half stars

I really hit Taylor Jenkins Reid hard this month. I find her books super readable, but not that memorable. I wanted to read this one before the TV show comes out in March. It’s a fun narrative, told through interviews, and is great if you’re into Fleetwood Mac and similar bands.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Four stars

Malibu Rising is probably the best TJR I read this month. It’s an interesting story with some compelling shifts in time and perfect for curling up on the couch.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Three and a half stars

Probably my least favourite TJR, but still readable. I struggled with finding Carrie deeply annoying.

Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

Four stars

This one was for my work bookclub (shout-out to my gorgeous pal Sara who runs it. sazloureads on Instagram). This one is important, but very difficult. It’s set in Palestine and goes across a multigenerational narrative, following a family as they grapple with having their homes stolen and moving to a refugee camp. This one is brilliant, but needs to be approached when you’re mentally ready for it.

Skeletons by Jane Fallon

Three stars

I honestly don’t have a lot to say about this one. I always enjoy Jane Fallon’s books as they’re fun, if not formulaic, but sometimes that’s what you need. Perfect for curling up on the sofa or for bringing on holidays.

In The End, It Was All About Love by Musa Okwonga

Five stars

This book truly knocked me for six. It probably felt a little personal to me, like with Annie Lord’s book, as a quest for intimacy and belonging, but Musa Okwonga’s beautiful but probing writing gave me so much to think about. The ways in which our generation move around each other, scared of intimacy, but crying out to be heard, are so powerfully imagined here. This book also serves as a touching love letter to Berlin, a city I need to visit! I want to go for a drink with him and just listen to him talk about anything.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

Four and a half stars

This started slow for me but quickly became compelling. It’s a fascinating post-apocalyptic story about a girl who has never lived in a world with men. It’s not too long and is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. The narrator is fascinating but inscrutable and even having access to her inner dialogue doesn’t give you everything you want from her as a reader, but it just makes you want to keep going, as opposed to driving you away.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Four stars

Another TJR one, but outside of the Daisy Jones/Evelyn Hugo/Carrie Soto/Malibu Rising universe. A wild story that’s told interestingly and sensitively. The ending is super predictable and rushed, but that didn’t make me mad. Sometimes you just want a nice, easy, comforting read.

The Future of Seduction by Mia Levitin

Four and a half stars

I did a lot of reading about dating this month, which is funny, because I rejoined dating apps for the first time since my breakup, then went on one date, had another cancelled and decided I wasn’t in the right headspace for dating at all and deleted them. This is an extended essay and a fascinating and funny meditation on where we stand on intimacy and seduction in the digital age. I’d really recommend it to anyone who is online dating at the moment.