Instagram story viewer> @readingmumoftwo> Posts

Gemma

@readingmumoftwo

1202

posts

4.6K

followers

948

following

📚 A 🇬🇧 Mum reading & sharing books
📚 #1 The Mare, Angharad Hampshire
📚 #upnextstack #tickoffthetbr #prebooksta

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

REVIEW 📚 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

I really enjoyed this absolute chunk of a book, although it’s definitely one that demands your full attention. There is so much detail, so many layers, and Hilary Mantel’s writing style is unlike anything I’ve read before.

I found myself Googling A LOT. I thought I knew quite a bit about the Tudors, but this book made me realise how much more there was to explore. It brings Tudor England to life in a way that makes you question everything you think you know, and I loved that about it.

I also found myself falling a little bit in love with Thomas Cromwell, which was unexpected 🤣 he’s someone who is usually portrayed as a villain is but in this book he is so much mores.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of Henry VIII too. He is far more nuanced than the version we are usually fed not just the man who wanted a new wife, but a man carrying the pressure of securing the future of the Tudor dynasty. Understanding that he was never the expected heir, that he was the spare, and how much that shaped his insecurities and desperation for a male heir added so much depth to his character.

Not a quick or easy read, but one that rewards your time and attention. I’m very glad I picked this up and I’m looking forward to continuing the series.

Thanks @bookbeforeuleap for the buddy read & @charlottereadsalot for the hand down

#bookstagram #wolfhall #bookcommunity by @readingmumoftwo

52

29

2 days ago

REVIEW 📚 The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard

I’ve wanted to read this series for ages after seeing @laurenandthebooks rave about them all. @bookbreakuk very kindly sent a copy of the new edition and arranged a readalong, so I’ve finally started…

Really enjoyed this instalment. It’s a great introduction to the family. Some questionable characters and a few secrets already revealed which I’m interested to see progress. There are quite a lot of characters but they soon all start to feel familiar, it works without feeling overwhelming.

Easy to read but no fluff, I think I’m going to enjoy this series a lot. I’m ready for a binge.

Have you read this series?

#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #thelightyears #adgifted by @readingmumoftwo

53

26

6 days ago

*July Scavenger Hunt*

A book beginning with J, like July - James
Author beginning with J - American Marriage - Tayari Jones
Colour of the Month, Ruby - Breathing Lessons
Depicting July - You & Me on Vacation
7 in the title for the 7th Month - Evelyn Hugo
Four word title, like July - The List (if we ignore The)

Slight alteration made but I used my only 4 word title book last month for June!

Have you read any of these? Let me know if you have a go at the scavenger hunt too

#bookstagramchallenge #readersofinstagram #bookchat by @readingmumoftwo

64

20

13 days ago

7 years on Bookstagram 🎉

Things I’ve learnt about my reading habits..

I love cracking spines. I usually have unpopular opinions. I seek out unhinged female character, I dislike a plot & hyped books are definitely not for me.

My books get bent backwards, dog eared, dropped, shoved in a bag and I’m also fairly sure the algorithm has absolutely no idea what to do with me. One minute I’m reading a 700 page historical novel then a banned book, then some weird little literary translated fiction where nothing happens.

So with all that, I don’t know if I really fit in here, but somehow I’ve survived and I still absolutely love this space.

Unpopular opinions or not, I will talk about books all day every day and to whoever will listen..

Do you fit in here? 🤣

#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #bookcommunity by @readingmumoftwo

78

41

17 days ago

Two for Tuesday - Currently Reading

Just over half way through Wolf Hall now, still enjoying it and it’s good to have someone to chat to about it @bookbeforeuleap so far we have learnt that bigger reading chunks are best and reading is often disturbed by big Google deep dives!

I went to London at the weekend as we saw Kasabian at Finsbury Park, I couldn’t fit Wolf Hall in my rucksack so started the Elizabeth Strout. Enjoying it so far, just over half way on that one too.

What are you currently reading?

#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #currentlyreading by @readingmumoftwo

57

29

19 days ago

June Book Haul

Oops I did it again!

A mixture of bookswaps, borrows, a new purchase from @hatchardscheltenham, Vinted, charity shops and a few #gifted (publishers tagged).

I have already read 2 of these and am half way through Wolf Hall which I’m very much enjoying.

Did you add many books in June?

#bookstack #bookstagram #readersofinstagram by @readingmumoftwo

72

31

24 days ago

*June Wrap Up*

Books read 7, 2 DNF
£15.50 saved (3 TBR, 1 borrow, 2 Vinted, 1 New Purchase).
3 x 5 stars! (Still Born, The Outsider & Love Forms)
TBR 54 (+2)

Monthly Highlights..
- 3 Book club meet ups discussing The Glass Castle, The Cut and Before We Were Yours)
- Went to see Take That
- Went to see Boyzone & had a lovely day in London
- Went to see The Cure
- Summer Cross Country with my running club
- Helped organise a local half marathon
- Annual pub run with my running club
- Went for a date night meal at local pub we’ve wanted to try for ages
- Fathers Day out with @beckys_book_reviews & our families at Hawkstone Follies
- A Spa Day
- 4 Parkruns
- completed at least a 5k run/walk every day
- Finishing off this evening with a Moon Swim at the lake - let’s hope the moon makes an appearance this time!

How was your June?

#monthlyreadingwrapup #bookstagram #bookcommunity by @readingmumoftwo

63

30

a month ago

Big Books..

Having a conversation with @mrs_bookworm_5 at the weekend about big books and the absolutely bonkers reasons we might sometimes avoid them.

1. One big book could be 2x TBR - which is crazy as we are all more than happy to read a book NOT from the TBR that we purchased new that day.

2. A big book won’t be as many books at the end of the year - who the hell cares!?

3. In this example (Wolf Hall), I know I’ll want to read the next in the series immediately after, again back to point 1.

4. Fewer Bookstagram reviews to post.

Is reading really all about the numbers? Do IRL people have the same concerns or is it just on Bookstagram? I think it’s wider spread with reading goals on Goodreads and Story Graph but I think numbers do play a factor here. Ultimately, I don’t care about those things but I think, subconsciously I must do as I definitely don’t prioritise big books very often - until October when ACOTAR is out and I will drop everything in my life to get immediately stuck in.

I am absolutely loving reading Wolf Hall. I love the Tudors, so I don’t really understand why I’ve not read it before (maybe one of the reasons above!).

Please share your thoughts on this in the comments, I challenge everyone to read the biggest book they own - let’s make big books great again.

I actually listened to a really great podcast on Looksmaxxing which touched on the reading optimisation by @thebibliofilles - give it a listen.

#bookstagramdiscussion #readersofinstagram #bookchat by @readingmumoftwo

60

75

a month ago

REVIEW 📚 NW by Zadie Smith

I really enjoyed this one, devoured it. My first by the author and it won’t be my last. A great book club pick which I’m very excited to talk about. However, I don’t imagine this will be for everyone’s tastes…

It’s one of those books that probably benefits from a second read because it’s quite layered. I loved the experimental writing and the different forms Zadie Smith uses throughout. It flips from stream of consciousness to lists, to first person and even a chapter of vignettes. I really enjoyed this and felt it worked well.

I really liked how all the characters are trying to better themselves and move beyond the council estate they grew up on, but they’re still pulled back to it. All in different ways. The sense of place is really strong throughout this book and I imagine if you live in NW this would feel even more so. I read that all places are real apart from the estate the characters lived on.

There are some pretty wild plotlines, but they made the characters feel very human. Messy and flawed, but believable. None of the characters are particularly likeable but their actions make sense so it works.

It also felt quite feminist in some of the themes around wanting babies and sex. It’s definitely made me want to read more by Zadie Smith.

Have you read this one? Any others by the author you’d recommend I’d pick up next?

#nwzadiesmith #bookstagram #readersofinstagram by @readingmumoftwo

35

21

a month ago

*Two for Tuesday*

New to me authors…

Ashamed to say I have never read anything by Zadie Smith or Elizabeth Strout.

Interestingly, I don’t see too much of Zadie Smith on Bookstagram but she is known as one of the greatest writers of all time in the wider bookish community. I’m a third of the way through NW and I’d agree with that. Full review to follow but I’m already wanting to check out her full back catalogue. Another reason to love a book club, I probably still wouldn’t have picked up a Zadie if it hadn’t been chosen.

Elizabeth is a firm Bookstagram favourite so I’m looking forward to giving her a go too. Thank you @the_sara_post for sending me your proof.

Tell me your two for Tuesday, not tried yet authors..

#bookstagram #bookcommunity by @readingmumoftwo

49

46

a month ago

REVIEW 📚 Ripeness by Sarah Moss

“Because the birth of the first baby is also the birth of the mother.”

I enjoyed this one. It didn’t blow me away, but I enjoyed my time with it and think it would make an excellent book club read.

I loved the writing style. The long, sweeping sentences and merged conversations added so much to the feel and atmosphere of the book.

There were some really powerful reflections on motherhood and belonging. I found the older sister’s timeline in Italy the most compelling part of the book. Watching her struggle with her pregnancy and gradually understanding why was heartbreaking. It’s highlighted how an unwanted pregnancy carries a particular weight for the woman involved, difficult to say much more without spoilers!

Not everything worked quite as well for me. The ballet sections largely went over my head and never engaged me as much as the family dynamics. I also found some of the contemporary references, particularly Covid and the war in Ukraine, a little too contemporary for me - very much personal taste.

Overall, if you’ve enjoyed Sarah Moss’s previous novels, I think you’ll enjoy this one too. It definitely had a summer reading feel.

Have you read this? Does it sound like something you’d enjoy?

#adgifted @picadorbooks

#bookstagram #ripenesssarahmoss #bookcommunity by @readingmumoftwo

53

36

a month ago

REVIEW 📚 The Outsider by Albert Camus Translated by Sandra Smith

I really really enjoyed this. It will stay with me for a long time.

I picked it up because I kept hearing people talk about it on podcasts (@bibliofilles being one of those), I saw it in a bookshop and started reading it immediately. It’s a tiny book, 100 pages but, it gave me so much to think about. I think Ive spent as much time doing further reading about it as I did reading the book and I have loved it.

Meursault is a very interesting character. After his mother’s death, he is emotionless, and shortly after he murders a man on a beach. The second part of the book is is trial where he is judged for far more than the crime itself, he is judged on how he reacted to his mothers death. The book is asking why we’re so uncomfortable with people who don’t behave the way society thinks they should.

I have since been deep diving into absurdism the authors ideas the human need for certainty which is one of the key themes in the book. Can humans ever stop wishing for a different reality and accept the one they have, accepting that we will never find the meaning in life because there isn’t one and how we should accept life’s uncertainty and choose to live anyway. What a powerful message, I love it!

I shall be reading more Albert Camus for sure. There is also a great note from the translator in my edition. I believe it has been translated quite a few times over the years from the original text.

Philosophy aside, it’s very easy to read, very accessible. I would recommend.

My Googling has told me that this is one of the most performative books on the internet. What books do you think are performative?

#bookstagram #theoutsideralbertcamus #bookcommunity by @readingmumoftwo

33

32

a month ago