My top 9 KSA lockdown reads

• 

• 

Greetings from Riyadh where it’s another day of sun! The thermometer is just nudging 46 degrees these days, so it’s early morning swims and then staying indoors with the AC on until sunset!

In this new Covid-19 era when staying in is the new going out, I thought I would add my list of books, TV shows and podcasts to all the recommendations which are already out there, starting with books. Over the next couple of days I will add TV shows and podcasts.

This is just my personal list of books from the past 15 (!) weeks or so, I didn’t select them for any reason other than they appealed to me – and it is only when I look at them that I realize they are all women authors – bar one. I am not sure what that says, but obviously female authors are writing the novels which attract me the most!

Also, given the Black Lives Matter movement I am aware there are no black or minority authors in my recent reads, and so with that raised awareness I will be adding novels which address more diverse themes to my future reading including:

• 

• 

• 

Overall, I haven’t read as much as I thought I would during lockdown, I think I’ve just been reading and watching a lot of news, but the books I have read are all very different in terms of style, approach and theme, and I would be hard pushed to choose a favorite – but I think if I had to, it would be Where the Crawdads Sing.

I’ve written a short review of each one below. I hope you find some inspiration, or at the very least a book which you haven’t come across before. I read most of them on my Kindle which I would be lost without and which I probably should have included in my previous blog: Top 10 essentials for desert living .

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my list – any recommendations for future reads please let me know!

Books:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Where the Crawdads Sing
Delia Owens

Follows the life of Kya growing up in North Carolina. Let down and abandoned by everyone, it is a story of the human instinct for survival and connection. A coming-of-age story with a twist, the wild, natural setting provides the perfect backdrop, drawing us in and sweeping the reader along.

Daisy Jones and the Six
Taylor Jenkins Reid

Story of a fictional 70s rock group in California called The Six who are joined by the charismatic Daisy Jones. Told in a TV documentary style with band members reflecting on their rise to fame. Reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac.

Adventures in Morocco
Alice Morrison

Adventurer Alice Morrison takes us on a journey of discovery across Morocco from the teaming cities, to the peaks of the Atlas mountains and the endless sands of the Sahara. Her love of Morocco shines through in her description of the people she meets, the culture and the landscape.

So Lucky
Dawn O’Porter

An all-female cast, the two main characters are dealing with different inner turmoils which affect their everyday lives. A journey of discovery for both, we know they will cross paths at some point. Written against the backdrop of social media and the illusion of the perfect instagram life, it examines the complexity of life and the anxieties which can hold us back.

The Dry
Jane Harper

A murder mystery set in the crackling heat of the Australian outback during a severe drought. It follows the investigation into a disturbing triple murder which has rocked a small town and keeps the reader guessing right to the end. I raced through this one!

Small Great Things
Jodi Picoult

An African American midwife, Ruth, a white supremacist couple and their newborn son. When the baby dies unexpectedly Ruth is charged with murder. The book centers around the murder trial with flashbacks into the lives of the main characters including Ruth’s defense attorney. A thought-provoking and moving novel which addresses the issues of race and power. Keeps you hooked to the last page.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies
John Boyne

Charts the life and times of Cyril Avery, adopted from birth into an eccentric, wealthy family in Dublin. Cyril is at the mercy of fortune and coincidence, growing up against the backdrop of a conservative, economically depressed post-war Ireland. He struggles to find himself, but eventually finds peace and contentment, as Ireland also moves towards a new more confident future. John Boyne also wrote the best-selling novel: The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas.

The Lido
Libby Page

An uplifting, feel-good read. It charts a (fictional) campaign by a community in Brixton to save their local outdoor swimming pool from developers. Led by two women from different backgrounds and generations Kate and Rosemary form a friendship which opens up new experiences and opportunities for them both.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Reid Jenkins

The life and times of fictional Holywood actress Evelyn Hugo, from humble beginnings to becoming one of the biggest stars in Tinseltown during its hey day. Evelyn relates her story, including chronicling her seven marriages, to a rookie journalist who she has asked to write her life story. Evelyn reveals her one true love and exposes the reality behind the newspaper headlines, awards and failed marriages.

And that’s my top 9 lockdown reads (so far!). I hope you came across a book you haven’t heard of, or maybe have even been inspired to pick one of them up. I’m off to download my next!

A new blogpost with my top TV lockdown recommendations should be coming soon, until then stay safe and happy reading!

Anne :0)