What I Read... January 2017

I completed six books in January 2017, and they were all fantastic.  Here are my thoughts...

 

The Legacy of Lucy Harte - Emma Heatherington

I loved this story! Maggie, the recipient of a donor heart, knows that she's not making the most of her life. A run-of-the-mill job, a brother she doesn't talk to, a fondness for drinking more than she really should...None of it is enough any more. Maggie's knows she's lost all sense of herself, but it's only when she makes contact with the family of Lucy Harte, the girl whose heart she was gifted seventeen years ago, that she truly realised how little living she's actually been doing.

It was an absolute pleasure to follow Maggie on her journey, and Emma Heatherington has done a brilliant job in balancing a serious (and at times heavy) plot with witty one-liners. The Irish flavour will appeal to fans of Marian Keyes and there's overseas travel for those readers with wanderlust. There's a hint of romance, but this is as much a love story between Maggie and Lucy as it is between her and the potential partners.

If you're looking for a January read which will inspire you to live for the moment, The Legacy of Lucy Harte could be it.

Under Rose-Tainted Skies - Louise Gornall

Although I am not agoraphobic, Under Rose-Tainted Skies brought back painful memories of my own darkest moments. I found Norah's story so easy to relate to, and I'm sure many readers who have experience of depression, anxiety or other mental health issues will recognise the awful surge of panic Norah experiences in what she feels should be 'normal' situations.

Louise Gornall's book is so very necessary as well as being beautifully written; and it's wonderful to see such an honest portrayal of a character with agoraphobia hitting the shelves (especially from an #ownvoices author). I can see why so many people have raved about this book and predict it'll be an enormous success across the water now it's been published in America.

You Know Me Well - Nina LaCour and David Levithan

Kate and Mark have been sitting next to each other in class for a whole year, but until they meet in a bar at the start of San Francisco's Pride they barely know each other.

What follows is a week-long adventure of love and friendship set against the glorious backdrop of the beautiful city of San Francisco.

It's fantastic to see a YA book with a whole cast of LGBT characters, but more than that the high hopes I had for the book were met. The plot isn't complex, but it doesn't need to be. This is the epitome of a character driven novel, and from the moment I finished the book I was left longing to know what was in store for Kate, Mark, Violet, Ryan and the rest of the gang. I really, really hope we'll get to see more of them in the future.

Radio Silence - Alice Oseman

Frances is a fan of the Universe City podcast. In fact, some might say she's more than a fan. She used the podcast as inspiration for her artwork, the one thing she has besides her A levels.

When Universe City's creator reaches out to her via the internet, Frances is shocked to discover the person behind her favourite podcast lives in close proximity.

This is a book about secrets, fandom, societal expectations and friendships. I loved the diverse, believable characters, the plot and most of all the beautiful writing. Alice Oseman - this is wonderful. Thank you.  

Saturday, 3pm - Daniel Gray

A slender volume of fifty vignettes examining the everyday pleasures of life as a football fan.

Beautiful, heart-felt prose evokes a sense of nostalgia for a by-gone era whilst reminding the reader of the simple delights not yet erradicated from the modern game. From club shops to floodlights to the excitement at passing a team bus on the motorway, Daniel Gray's book is as much about society, sociology and history as it is about football.

Saturday, 3pm is a joy to read.                  

Set The Boy Free - Johnny Marr

Read my review here.

What have you read this year so far?

Set the Boy Free - Johnny Marr

I've been waiting a long time for this book.  You can read my 'Hooray!  Johnny's writing an autobiography!' post here.



I love Johnny Marr.

His life story proves that the heady combination of hard work and natural talent pays off.  Set the Boy Free follows Johnny from humble beginnings on inner-city Manchester estates to global fame and acclaim.  It's partly a 'rise of the underdog' tale, but it's also a love story between Marr and music.  As a creative person myself, I couldn't help but be inspired by his drive, his ambition, his self-belief, and also his ability to do things his own way.

I love Johnny Marr.

His total commitment to guitar and continual desire to bettering his playing, writing and producing is obvious through his musical catalogue, and although I'm a huge fan of The Smiths, there is so much more to Johnny Marr's career.  I read a review that complained there was too much music lingo in this book.  Erm ... hello? This is Johnny Fuckin Marr, a man who's dedicated his whole life to music. What did you expect?!

I love Johnny Marr.

His style and the influences he has drawn on in terms of clothes and image fascinate me.  From roll-necks and beaded necklaces to well-chosen knitwear, his style has evolved yet never deviated from something that is totally 'Johnny Marr'. There's something comforting in that.   Familiar.  And the way Johnny talks about clothes and style in the book is highly evocative.

I love Johnny Marr.

He comes across as very introspective and self-aware, constantly reassessing what he wants from not only his career, but also other areas of his life.  Reading Set the Boy Free, particularly the sections about Johnny's lifestyle change to a tee-total, marathon-running vegan, has encouraged me to think about the life I want for myself. 

I love Johnny Marr. 

I've always been fascinated by his relationship with wife Angie.  They are a rarity - a couple who met young, knew they wanted to be together and still are over thirty years on.  I loved the chance to learn more about their relationship, although the romantic in me would have liked to have more of this and also his relationship with Nile and Sonny covered in the book.

I love Johnny Marr.

I love Johnny Marr's autobiography.  It's insightful and easy to read and although I'd heard a lot of the stories before, it was nice to have a chronological version of events from Johnny's viewpoint. 

I love Johnny Marr.

I love Johnny Marr.

And did I mention I love Johnny Marr?!

Johnny Marr's Autobiography To Be Released In 2016

Regular readers of Books with Bunny know I have a bit of an obsession with The Smiths/Morrissey/Johnny Marr, so the news last week that Johnny's autobiography is due for release next year was pretty darn exciting to me. 

Ever since Morrissey's Autobiography in 2013 (you can read my review here) there's been talk of Marr writing his version of events.  Johnny himself has tweeted about it on occasion, but the official statement came last Monday- Marr's autobiography will be released by Century in 2016.

In an interview with 6 Music today Marr said he'd written 'quite a few chapters, probably about a third [of the book]' and that he hopes to produce something 'really good' and 'really authentic'.   He described his life experiences as 'bewildering' and reminded fans that he's done 'a lot of living' since The Smiths went their separate ways in 1987 and not to expect the book to be devoted purely to his time in the band.  Johnny also spoke of wanting to write a screenplay after finishing the book.

So what do I want to see in Johnny's autobiography?  Yes, I'd like to read about Morrissey and The Smiths, particularly how the song writing process worked from his point of view. I'd like to know how it feels to be widely thought of as one of the greatest musical talents of a generation, and I'd like to know his thoughts on why The Smiths are still gaining new fans all the time, how they are now almost a rite of passage for any teenager.

I also really, really hope there's plenty written about his family life.  I'd love to know more about Johnny as a child and his first experiences playing guitar/writing music, but I'm especially keen to read about his relationship with 'childhood sweetheart' Angie.  The pair have been together since they were fourteen and fifteen, and married thirty years this year- an achievement for any couple, let alone one in the public eye.  Surely, however much you love each other that is a challenge-after all, we all change so much as we gain in years and experience?  I'm interested to know how they've made it work so well for so long.

I want to know more about what inspires him.  He has varied taste in music and books, is that partly because he wants fresh influences away from popular culture? 

Also, the question I most want answered- is he sick of his playing being referred to as a 'jangly'?  Sure, it's a vivid and accurate description of one part of his repertoire, but Johnny's music offers so much more than that for anyone who is willing to open their mind and their ears.

Watching him live at the Leadmill in Sheffield ten days ago only confirmed for me how magical Marr is-listening to him play is an almost spiritual experience and I was left craving more.

This book can't come soon enough for me. 

Is it next year yet?!

Johnny Marr's autobiography is due for release by Century in late 2016.

You can listen to Johnny's 6 Music interview here.

On my last visit to Salford Lads Club I had to lean on the same pillar Johnny had- 2012