What have you been reading this week?

This has been something of a non-week really. It was announced that, once lockdown is over, I’m still going to be in a Tier 3 region which means very little changes. It’s ridiculous. Especially as everyone is now working towards a 5 day Christmas period where, apparently, Covid won’t count. Is that really what the science is telling us? It’s fucking stupid. Plus, it sucks for non-Christian religions considering how little the government care about Eid and Diwali. I mean, Johnson announced restrictions the night before Eid but he’ll announce Christmas plans a month in advance? It’s impossible not to read between the lines here. What is the point of having a Christmas celebration if it means we’re probably going to have to lockdown again in 2021? It’s especially stupid considering there’s a vaccine on the (admittedly fairly far) horizon. I know 2020 has been tough but, Christ, can’t we sacrifice one festive period for the sake of lives and the NHS?

Weekly Blog Posts

• BOOK REVIEW – Mr Wilder & Me by Jonathan Coe

There are some books that you know will make it to your favourites before you’ve even held it into your hands. That’s what I felt about this one. I like Jonathan Coe anyway but the addition of Billy Wilder just cemented it. This sounded like a beautiful look back at a bygone era and I knew there was going to be very little chance that I wouldn’t fall in love with it. Read my review to find out if I was right.

• TUESDAY REVIEW – The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020)

I was never much of a fan of SpongeBob SquarePants when I was younger. I just seemed to miss it and didn’t really care about the whole thing. It just seemed a bit too stupid and I ignored it. It wasn’t until I got Netflix that I actually watched any of the series and I was definitely too old to appreciate it. Did that stop me from watching the latest movie? No. After all, it really appealed to my limited attention span at the moment. But was there enough for a non-fan to enjoy? You’ll have to check out my review to find out.

• BOOK REVIEW – The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

I think Julian Barnes is definitely one of the greatest British writers around. His writing is wonderful but it always leaves me feeling all befuddled. My head is always spinning after reading one his books which makes it super hard to finish my review. I spent ages trying to figure out what to write about this one and it didn’t go that well in the end. Head over to my review to see just how badly my review went.

• TBT REVIEW – The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)

What else could I have watched for my TBT post this week? I’d never actually seen all of this film, so I decided to watch it before I watched the latest film. It just seemed like a good thing to do. I wasn’t expecting this film to blow my mind but it would pass the time. And, in this lockdown, isn’t that what we’re all just trying to do? If you’re feeling nostalgic, check out my review.

Just Read

• Mr Wilder and Me by Jonathan Coe

This was one of the easiest and most enjoyable reading experiences that I’ve had this year. Everything about this was lovely and all I wanted to do was keep reading.

• The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

I wasn’t expecting to read this one this week but I needed a quick read for my Wednesday review. I’ve had it for ages in both paperback and audiobook. It just never felt like the right time. Well, the time came and it left me feeling a lot. Julian Barnes is such a fantastic writer and is able to cram so much stuff into a seemingly simple story. I loved this but I think it really deserves a reread at some point.

• Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

This was a completely different reading experience to Mr Wilder & Me but I still found myself desperate to keep reading it. It’s a strange book to explain and the story is certainly unsettling. Yet, it’s such exciting writing. I was a massive fan of Convenience Store Woman, so I was keen to read this. It was nothing like I imagined it would be but it was definitely unforgettable. I’ll need to get my thoughts in order before I write my review tomorrow.

Currently Reading

• Starve Ace by Andrew Michael Hurley

I started this one last night in the hopes that I would be able to finish before the end of the month. I’m not so sure that I’ll manage it because I did so little reading yesterday. I have high hopes for this on the whole though. There’s been lots of positive stuff on Instagram. I’m just hoping it’s as creepy as everyone says. I’ve been let down so much before.

Recently Purchased

I’ve bought some things this week but, from what I can remember, they were mainly Christmas presents. It’s that time of year when I have to stop buying myself presents and get them for other people. So, this means fewer books. I don’t tend to like buying books for friends and family. It’s too personal a thing and I don’t like forcing my favourites on people. It just makes it awkward if they don’t like it and I can never see them again.

Recently Watched

• TV:
  • Horrible Histories – I love this show. The first 5 seasons manage to be both historically interesting and funny. The songs are amazing and, after weeks of listening to them as I work, I decided to actually watch it again. The only thing I don’t understand is why so many teenage girls are going gooey over Matthew Baynton when Ben Willbond is right there.