funny Archives - The Quick and the Read

Blog Tour: ‘Drinking Custard’ by Lucy Beaumont

Thanks to Random Things Tours and Monoray/Octopus Publishing Group for including me on the blog tour and for my review copy of the book. As always, opinions are entirely my own.

This book was published in hardback on 30th September, 2021.

From the Publisher:

Known for her sharp, witty and surreal view on everyday life, Lucy shares the unpredictable craziness of being a mum in this brilliant and laugh-out-loud ‘mumoir’.

Mums everywhere will recognise the madness of it all. From when Lucy was hospitalised with indigestion in her third trimester (blame the burrito), to when she
was this close to slapping her hypno-birthing instructor, to finding herself drinking a whole pint of custard in one sitting.

‘Drinking Custard’ also captures Lucy’s marriage to comedian Jon, as they navigate Lucy’s raging pregnancy hormones and balk at pram prices together.

My Review:

Although my own children are older than Lucy’s daughter (this book covers the period from pregnancy to starting school), this early period of parenthood is definitely a time in my life that I haven’t forgotten. As I also love a funny book, I immediately signed up for the blog tour.

And I’m so glad I did!

Once I got beyond the fact that I had totally mis-identified Lucy Beaumont (in my head, she was actress Lucy Punch – whoops!) and then realised that she is married to comedian Jon Richardson, I was happy to immerse myself in their childrearing experiences.

To be honest, I was sold from pretty much the first page when there was that Elizabeth Stone quotation about having children being like your heart walking around outside your body. I’ve always thought this was a creepy idea, so I loved Lucy’s comment – ‘Nice quote, but you’d die if that happened, Liz’. Ahh, it seems we are on the same wavelength from the start…

The book is chronological, covering pregnancy, birth, babyhood/that horrific sleep deprived bit, the toddler years and then coming up to school age. There are footnotes along the way in which Jon Richardson puts across his side of the story and these form a funny commentary – but the lion’s share of the storytelling is done by Lucy.

Lucy Beaumont is a fabulous and witty narrator of her story – I was going to say guide, but she is clear that this book isn’t full of parenting tips and is much more about entertainment, Good, I say – most of the parenting books I did try out of desperation when my children were tiny were no help and laughter would have been better anyway!

There are some really relatable moments, I think, for any parent. While I didn’t resort to drinking custard myself, I’m staggered that my son didn’t emerge with some kind of red meat or fizzy cola bottle addiction… There’s also the exhaustion – Lucy forgets her own child’s name and hires a sleep trainer; I couldn’t confirm my own address in the bank and was heavily reliant on The Baby Whisperer website to fix my own little sleep thief! Lucy’s baby rules the roost at home – and I think a lot of us have been there too.

I thoroughly enjoyed this little peek into another family’s life during those tricky early years. It was heartening to read some of my own thoughts – particularly about ridiculous situations you end up in as a parent – mirrored back at me. Albeit in a funnier way. And without having to actually relive those sleepless months.

I’d recommend this to anyone who has embarked on the parenting journey only to wonder – even if only occasionally – what on earth they are doing. Or anyone who has watched children’s TV and wondered who thought ‘In the Night Garden’ was a good idea. Or anyone who has ever gone to a baby group in the desperate hope of finding kindred spirits (I’m still traumatised by my one visit to Rhythm Time).

Definitely pick up this book if you want a laugh – I zipped through it, giggling to myself as I went and think it would make a great Christmas present for anyone on the parenthood journey. And probably an excellent deterrent for anyone idly considering having a baby!

About the Author:

Lucy Beaumont is a talented stand-up, comedy actress and writer. She is the writer and star of BBC Radio 4’s To Hull and Back, writer of Channel 4’s Hullraisers and co-writer of Dave’s Meet The Richardsons which returns for a second series this year. Lucy is a well-known daughter of Hull and is passionate about her hometown. She has appeared on numerous entertainment shows; Artsnight (BBC2), Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier (Dave), Alan Davies’ As Yet Untitled (Dave), QI (BBC2), Drunk History (Comedy Central), Jonathan Ross Show (ITV), The One Show (BBC1), Cats Does Countdown (C4), What’s Going to Kill Us (C5), Live At The Electric (BBC Three) and featured in a Maltesers advertising campaign.

Book Review: ‘My Mess is a Bit of a Life’ by Georgia Pritchett

Given my book obsession (hardly a secret), it is quite rare that I pick up a newly released book in my genres in Waterstones that I haven’t heard of before. This one grabbed my attention (bright orange cover!) and I began idly flicking through it. Within a couple of skimmed lines, I was sold and bought it.

I hadn’t heard of Georgia Pritchett before, although I now feel ashamed to say that given her impressive CV writing for pretty much every comedy show I could think of from ‘Spitting Image’ to ‘Veep’, ‘Have I Got News For You?’ to ‘The Thick of It’.

What grabbed me was just how funny this book is. I’m always on the lookout for books that make me laugh and – as it made me giggle to myself in Waterstones – this one hit the spot in seconds.

Essentially, the book is written as Pritchett’s explanation to her psychiatrist about all the things she is anxious about. This starts from her earliest memories and works in chronological order through her life to date – right through her stellar career and into the struggles she is having that take her to her doctor’s door.

Doesn’t sound immediately hilarious, does it?!

However, the writing is absolutely sublime. Pritchett perfectly skewers thoughts and people and events with such precision that it is just so relatable. This is something I didn’t think would be possible when I compare my life (pottering round in Cheshire) with hers (pottering round the White House with celebrities). Turns out that anxiety is a universal experience – who knew?!

There are some great running jokes – Bob Dylan’s every appearance made me snort with laughter – but there is also real warmth in the descriptions. I loved Pritchett’s Dad (complete with story about how he got his nickname – The Patriarchy), The Moose, The Speck…no-one is called by their actual names and it is like being let in on family in-jokes.

As Pritchett becomes older and immersed in her career, the reader is treated to some lovely anecdotes about celebrities and working on high-profile comedy programmes. It never becomes about name-dropping and there is always Pritchett’s imposter syndrome to contend with – she is self-deprecating to the point of not realising that her achievements are down to her own talent.

That’s not to say that the book doesn’t cover some really serious (and anxiety-inducing) topics. Some of Pritchett’s experiences are heartbreaking, yet there is a matter-of-fact presentation of them and an ability to see humour in the darkest of situations.

I loved this book so much. I raced through it, reading bits to anyone who would listen along the way, and I’m already thinking about a reread! If you love humorous books with bucketloads of warm wit then this is for you. If you have anxiety in any form, the sentiments will all seem so familiar – except narrated by someone really, really funny.

You do need a copy of this book! Please use my affilate link and thank you for supporting my blog with any purchases:

‘Alexa, what is there to know about love?’ by Brian Bilston

An belated happy publication day to the new poetry collection from Brian Bilston! This little gem of a book was out last Thursday (21st January) so do order now!

I first found Brian Bilston’s poetry on Twitter and loved its clever wordplay – this led me on to his first poetry collection, ‘You Took The Last Bus Home’ and his excellent novel (with poetic interludes) ‘Diary of a Somebody’. I was, therefore, thrilled to be granted an ARC of his new poetry collection by NetGalley and the publisher.

The poetry is – as the title suggests – loosely focused on the theme of love and is exactly what readers have come to expect of Bilston’s poetry – clever wordplay, interesting perspectives, unexpected twists. It is perhaps a little more serious in places than some of his other poetry (and certainly more serious than the ones that are so popular on Twitter). However, it is an enjoyable read – albeit a quick one as it seemed fairly short.

As a Literature geek, I really enjoyed the poems where Bilston riffed on literature from the past, from Shakespeare’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ (in ‘Cleopatra’) to Wordsworth (‘Status Update: a Lonely Cloud’) to tragic lovers (‘Five clerihews for Doomed Lovers’). However, Bilston is equally comfortable playing around with Mills and Boon novels, Spoonerisms, Brexit and many other incredibly varied ideas.

This is a lively and varied poetry collection that I’d recommend to those who like their poetry humorous. It does have serious messages and will leave you with food for thought, but – above all else – it is entertaining and engaging.

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Header photo with thanks to Rahul Chakraborty on Unsplash.

‘Zeus is a Dick’ by Susie Donkin

Happy publication day to this quirky and lively retelling of the Greek myths!

I’m a big fan of the Greek myths so I couldn’t resist this retelling of the old stories with a new spin – highlighting just how problematic Zeus’ behaviour actually is! This is something I’d considered previously, but I really liked Susie Donkin’s take on the stories. Donkin is one of the writers behind ‘Horrible Histories’, the brilliantly funny and informative children’s TV series, so I knew I was in for a treat.

It’s worth saying that although Donkin may be known for writing for children, this is really an adults-only book! There’s a lot of swearing and some distinctly adult topics throughout.

The stories are told in a light-hearted, modern way and use our own society’s morals to provide commentaries on the original myths. Even the dicier moments – reflecting the fact that Zeus is a rapist – aren’t shied away from and the full list of his crimes are presented. In fact, all of the gods of Olympus are presented as petty, squabbling and quite unpleasant – which they absolutely are in the original stories too. These aren’t gods worth of respect and veneration, but ones that seem very human and very flawed.

The stories are told in a continuous narrative (although divided into chapters) so you get a good sense of the myths and the reasons for various things that happen (given the history between the gods and goddesses). It starts with Ouranos and Gaia, goes through the creation of the Olympian gods and then a range of the stories focused on them (not just Zeus). Some of the stories are well-known – for example, we hear of Medusa, Persephone and Zeus’ many infidelities – but there are others that I was much less familiar with. It holds together well as a book and not a fragmented set of stories.

This all sounds very serious, but Donkin tells the stories in a humorous way which is very entertaining and easy to read. While I didn’t always love the imagined conversations, I really loved the jokes which often riffed on something contemporary – the image of Zeus watching porn on his laptop, for example, or the references to Argos (newly without catalogue), plus the sly digs at certain incompetent blond/white haired leaders… There’s lots to enjoy and it is very amusing.

As already mentioned, some of the original stories do feature rape and other things that are absolutely unacceptable in our society. Donkin confronts this head-on with no excuses for the behaviour and uses it as more evidence that Zeus is – in her words – a dick. And he absolutely is!

I’d recommend this to anyone interested in the Greek myths. If you know the stories already, you’ll enjoy the comedic retelling and the jokes. If you don’t already know the stories, this is actually a pretty good – if extremely cynical and funny – overview of the Greek pantheon. Either way, it’s a fun read.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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Blog tour: ‘Cows Can’t Jump’ by Philip Bowne

Welcome to my stop on the Random Things Tours for Philip Bowne’s debut novel! This book was released on 24th September, 2020 by Neem Tree Press and was longlisted for the Guardian’s ‘Not The Booker Prize’.

From the Publisher

From debut novelist, writer for The Wombles and winner of the Spotlight First Novel prize, this hilarious and poignant coming-of-age odyssey catapults 18-year-old Billy across pre-Brexit Europe.

Literary fiction resonating with themes of family, faith, race, love, loss, taking risks, borders and barriers, downward mobility, and growing up under the shadow of Brexit.

“Bowne’s touch is light, but his themes resonate: faith, family, race, and (whisper it) Brexit.The prose sparkles like sunshine hitting the English Channel.” — D. Johnston, author of Peace, Love & Petrol Bombs

“Laugh-out-loud hijinx with moments of true poignancy… a cast of eclectic, authentic characters. Billy is a brilliant narrator-pilgrim for the next generation.” — Tyler Keevil, author of No Good Brother

“Innovative, punchy and tender… stiletto-sharp wit. — Ray Robinson, author of Electricity

“…a fresh take on the classic rite-of-passage, in the mould of The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi and Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin.”— Marion Urch – Spotlight First Novel Prize

Synopsis

17-year-old Billy has just left school with no A levels and he’s desperate to escape middle England. As a grave-digger, he’s working the ultimate dead-end job. Billy’s home life isn’t any better. In the evenings, he observes his dysfunctional family: his Grandad’s engaged to a woman half his age, his xenophobic Dad’s become obsessed with boxing, and he suspects his deeply religious Mum is having an affair.

All the while, celebrities are dropping like flies and Britain is waiting for the EU referendum. Everything is changing, and Billy hates it.

Meeting Eva, though, changes everything. She’s Swiss, passionate about Russian literature, Gary Numan, windfarms and chai tea, and Billy gambles everything for a chance to be with her.

When things start to go wrong, Billy’s journey across Europe involves hitch-hiking with truckers, walking with refugees, and an encounter with suicidal cows. But the further he goes, the harder it is to be sure what he’s chasing – and what he’s running from.

My Review

Regular visitors to my blog know that I am always looking for funny books. Put the words ‘humour’ into a blurb, or ‘laugh-out-loud hijinx’ (as is mentioned on the back of this very book) and I am first in the queue. Take my money now!

So I jumped at the chance to take part in this blog tour and read a first novel by someone who I really hopes writes a whole lot more.

Right from the start, I was drawn to the character of Billy who – at the beginning of the story – totally lacks direction. He has quit school and his Mum has got him a job gravedigging at the local church. He has a dysfunctional family, including a dad with some anger issues and a grandad (GG) who is marrying what the family consider to be an unsuitable women. Brexit is looming on the horizon and celebrities seem to be dying in huge numbers.

So far, so many opportunities for black humour and Bowne does not hold back with the laughs, from the acquisition of Billy’s unfortunate nickname at work, GG’s unconventional way of making money and one of the most awkward fish and chip dinners I’ve ever had the (uncomfortable) pleasure to read!

However, even at these early stages, it is evident that Bowne is not going to shy away from serious issues as well and we do get a real sense of Billy’s confused and – at times – quite sad internal life through his first person narration.

The story then shifts to Eastbourne Summer School for International Students where Billy gets a job and meets Eva who is Swiss and unnerved by the anti-EU feeling emerging in the UK around the Brexit referendum. It absolutely isn’t love at first sight for Billy, but we see a developing relationship which feels very real and believable.

I really don’t want to give plot spoilers, but it is safe to say that the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly and Billy embarks on some fairly outlandish schemes in order to be reunited with Eva. This culminates in a trip across Europe which is full of interesting people (I loved Cooper in particular), strange events and a lot of growing up for Billy.

As I mentioned before, this book really does have some very funny moments and Billy is a fabulous – if slightly misguided – character who the reader does really root for. I found myself desperate for it to work out for him, while also not really knowing what that would look like for the best.

However, this book also has some very poignant moments that mean it isn’t a wholly comic novel. Little snippets of tragedy infiltrate Billy’s world – the Syrian refugees, the Museum of Broken Relationships, people whose problems are beyond anything in Billy’s experiences to that point. This all adds to the sense that Billy is being forced into maturing and his road trip – regardless of outcome – will be the making of him.

As a reader, the switches between the humour and tragedy are unnerving. One minute, you can be laughing out loud and the next shocked at the poignancy of what is being related. This makes the novel an absolutely compelling read, although it is not always a comfortable experience.

Overall, I would highly recommend the novel; I was totally invested in Billy’s story and raced through the book, always keen to find out the next scrape he found himself in and to meet the next set of quirky characters. I genuinely loved this book and look forward to seeing what Bowne produces next.

With thanks to Random Things Tours for inviting me onto this blog tour and for providing my copy of the novel in return for an honest review.

About the Author

Philip Bowne lives in London and works as a writer for The Wombles, a children’s entertainment brand.

Like his protagonist, Billy, Phil attended a failing and severely under-resourced school in Bicester, Oxfordshire. However, unlike Billy, Phil ended up studying English Literature and Creative Writing at university.

While studying, Phil published short stories in literary magazines and anthologies in the UK, US, Canada and Germany. After graduating, Phil spent time in Europe and the US, working and volunteering in various roles and settings: repairing boats at Lake Como, housekeeping at a mountain lodge in California and working with charity Care4Calais in the former Calais ‘jungle’ refugee camp.

‘Cows Can’t Jump’ is Phil’s debut novel, which he worked on while managing a bar in London. As well as a writer for The Wombles, Phil also works on a number of independent writing projects, including a musical set in 1970’s Soho and a sitcom set in a failing leisure centre.

‘Why Mummy’s Sloshed’ by Gill Sims

I first started reading Gill Sims’ writing on Facebook where she produces the very funny ‘Peter and Jane’. These (mainly slightly-veiled autobiographical) updates became a book, that book became a series and here we are – the fourth and final book in the ‘Why Mummy’ series.

In this book, Peter and Jane are now older teenagers and our main protagonist, Ellen, is having to deal with GCSEs, A Levels and her oldest baby leaving for university. She also has her ex-husband to contend with as he seems to be about to start a new family with his girlfriend, Marisa,. She is surrounded by her usual bunch of funny friends and eccentric family members.

As with previous books, this is presented as a diary, although most of the events seem to happen in the first part of the year. There are some real rites of passage here that those who have been through it (either themselves or as parents) will recognise – the driving test, first car, 18th birthday parties, exam results,..it is all just so relatable!

And that really is Sims’ skill – taking the everyday and making it funny. This isn’t an idealistic view of parenting – Ellen looking after her friend’s toddler for the weekend is enough to put anyone off having children and also reminded me of the time in my own life when I needed eyes in the back of my head and a cure for sleep deprivation. Much of the book is very funny – some of it made me laugh out loud in recognition or because of Ellen’s sharp take on things.

That’s not to say that this novel doesn’t have serious moments – there is recognition of the situation of having ageing parents and realising they aren’t invincible, plus the emptying of the family nest. As someone who has this a few years ahead of me, it does seem sad and unimaginable that my babies will move out one day. However, I still have the experience of living with them as teens which – according to this book – might soften the blow of them leaving! The teenage boys that eat through everything in the house, the teenage girls obsessed with socialising above all else, the nagging over revision and chores…all familiar already!

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys funny, relatable books about family life – things like Matt Coyne’s books and the Unmumsy Mum and Hurrah for Gin (all worth investigating if you aren’t familiar with them). It is funny, a bit poignant and absolutely engaging.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’d like to buy the book, please consider using my affiliate link – I’ll earn commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!

Header photo with thanks to Kevin Kelly for sharing their work on Unsplash.

‘Older and Wider’ by Jenny Eclair

Whilst I’m in the groove of writing about funny books, here is my review of ‘Older and Wider: A Survivor’s Guide to the Menopause’ by Jenny Eclair.

This was published earlier this month by Quercus Books.

Although I am (I hope) a few years away from menopause, I thought it would be nice to read something that doesn't make it sound terrifying!  I like Jenny Eclair so I was happy to give myself over to her humorous but no-nonsense advice.

The book is arranged as an A to Z of issues affecting women as they age.  Some were a little odd and off beat - instructions on growing cress for example - but generally it all made sense and was entertaining.  Jenny Eclair approaches the topic with lightness and wit - if you are after serious medical advice then this isn't for you!  However, if you want an engaging guide to female ageing and menopause then this is an excellent place to start - I think it would certainly reassure you that you aren't alone.

I particularly liked the fact that Eclair doesn't see menopause as the end - she focuses on the fact there is life beyond and an opportunity to feel comfortable in your own skin, something that sometimes isn't true of younger women who have a lot of society's pressures heaped on them.  Menopause doesn't sound fun, but neither does it sound all doom and gloom, which is exactly what I needed to hear!

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Books to lift your lockdown

I’m a book reviewer with a good few years of reviews under my belt. However, there are several adjectives that appear in book blurbs that – to be totally honest- make me run for the hills. If it’s ‘heartbreaking’ or ‘poignant’ then it probably won’t make my TBR list. I have also learnt that ‘life-affirming’ usually means miserable – another one I tend to avoid!

On the other hand, ‘hilarious’ and ‘funny’ and ‘witty’ and ‘charming’ always make my list. And following on from yesterday’s post about the joyous ‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor, it seemed a timely opportunity to introduce some of my comic favourites.

As lockdown is stuttering to an end for lots of people, here are some cheery writers and books that have brightened my life during tricky times. Some old, some new, but all funny.

1. P.G Wodehouse – the ultimate comfort read for me is a Jeeves and Wooster book. Yes, they’re set in an unrealistic upper-class British bubble that never really existed apart from in Wodehouse’s imagination, but Bertie Wooster’s scrapes (from which he is saved by his ever-faithful valet, Jeeves) never fail to amuse. Told in Bertie’s distinctive voice, he is the ultimate in an endearing but hapless narrator. You can start pretty much anywhere in the series – there are novels and short stories and all can be read as stand-alone books. I know there’s a contingent who prefer Wodehouse’s Blandings series, but my heart is forever Bertie’s. The TV series featuring Fry and Laurie is also fabulous.

2. ‘Jeeves and the King of Clubs’ by Ben Schott – if you’ve exhausted Wodehouse’s original Jeeves and Wooster books, then this 2018 novel is worth a look. Bertie’s narrative voice is pretty pitch perfect and it’s a lovely addition to the series for Wodehouse aficionados, plus is endorsed by the Wodehouse Estate.

3. Alan Bradley – another charming and witty narrator is 11 year-old Flavia de Luce, amateur investigator of murders in the quaint village of Bishop’s Lacey (an area – a bit like Midsomer – where the number of people meeting sticky ends is worryingly high!) The cosy crime series, set in the 1950s, starts with ‘The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie’ – which is absolutely where you should start too – and now runs to ten books.

4. ‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4’ by Sue Townsend – I don’t need to tell you that the Adrian Mole books are funny, but if you haven’t recently revisited Adrian in 1980s Leicester then please do. Later books in the series became more – aagh – poignant, but the first is still perfect.

5. Nina Stibbe – after the success of the non-fiction ‘Love, Nina’ came the series of novels featuring another charming, young, Leicester-based narrator, Lizzie Vogel. The series starts with ‘Man at the Helm’, then ‘Paradise Lodge’ and ‘Reasons to be Cheerful’ (the latter winning the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction in 2019) – very funny and definitely worth a read.

6. ‘A Curious Beginning’ by Deanna Raybourn – I love a crime series with a feisty female lead. If she’s wearing a crinoline and hanging around in the 1880s, then even better! This is the first in the series featuring Veronica Speedwell, a highly unconventional and sharp-witted Victorian adventurer. Not a series for those wedded to forensic levels of historical accuracy, but for a fast-paced and humorous mystery then this is worth a look.

7. India Knight – for fans of domestic comedy, journalist India Knight’s novels featuring Clara Hutt are laugh-out-loud in places. ‘Don’t You Want Me?’ is the best of the series and will appeal to fans of Gil Sims’ ‘Why Mummy Drinks’ series.

8. Helen Fielding – ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ is a classic, but ‘Cause Celeb’ and ‘Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination’ are also good and much less well-known.

9. Graeme Simsion – the series featuring Don Tillman, starting with ‘The Rosie Project’ is warm, funny and so very sweet.

10. Terry Pratchett – loads of people I’ve talked to about Terry Pratchett have dismissed him because they don’t like fantasy as a genre. Nor do I really, but Pratchett’s ability to take everyday observations and turn them into something really funny and insightful in his Discworld series is amazing. Personally, I’d steer clear of the ones about the Watch and Rincewind (though they have their own merits) and go instead for the Witches (for example, ‘Equal Rites’) or Death (start with ‘Mort’). Equally funny are the ones that take a piece of real history and make it gloriously Discworld-esque – ‘The Truth’ (the invention of the printing press) and ‘Unseen Academicals’ (the development of football) are two glorious examples.

11. Caitlin Moran – whether she is writing fiction (as in the Dolly Wilde series starting with ‘How to Build a Girl’), non-fiction/journalism (‘Moranifesto’) or sitcom (‘Raised by Wolves’), I really love Moran’s down-to-earth and often hilarious take on a huge range of issues. She doesn’t shy away from some really tough stuff, but her writing is always a joy to read.

12. ‘New Boy’ by William Sutcliffe – a very funny coming-of-age novel about a young man navigating his final years of school. Sutcliffe’s YA novel ‘The Gifted, The Talented and Me’ is also good and in a similar vein (though slightly toned-down for a younger audience).

13. ‘Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders’ by Gyles Brandreth – if you’re looking for a light mystery with plenty of wit, you can definitely do worse than Brandreth’s novels which turn Oscar Wilde into a detective. Yes, they’re kind of daft but they’re also an affectionate homage to Wilde and very enjoyable.

14. ‘I Capture the Castle’ by Dodie Smith – one of my favourite books ever and one I’ll come back to on the blog. With another charming narrator navigating an eccentric family (this seems to be a theme of my list), this is just lovely and warm and humorous.

15. Adam Kay – the bestselling ‘This is Going to Hurt’ probably needs no introduction, but I couldn’t write a list of funny books without including it. Although it is at times sad and worrying about the pressures NHS doctors are under, this is one of a very small number of books that made me laugh out loud again and again. ‘Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas’ is also great, but very short.

A long post, but I really hope you can find something new and funny in here to lift your lockdown. I’m always keen to hear recommendations too, so please do let me know about your own comic favourites.

‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor

One of my most recent reviews on NetGalley is this one for a book I really loved wholeheartedly. As this was released yesterday (14th July, 2020), it seemed an appropriate first review for this site.

This book was an absolute delight! I thought it would be a humorous ‘chick-lit’ type book (although I hate that term), but instead I got a charming coming-of-age story that made me laugh and love the main character.

Evie Epworth has been compared in other reviews to the great Adrian Mole as a brilliant, naive, fictional teenage narrator and I can definitely see the similarities. However, Evie has a voice and quirks that are all her own!

Sixteen-year-old Evie lives on a farm in Yorkshire with her father and Christine, a gold-digging ‘scarlet woman’ who is making changes to Evie’s (dead) mother’s farmhouse that Evie is really not happy with. The plot follows Evie’s attempts to rid herself of Christine and also to find her own way in a world full of choices.

As mentioned already, Evie is a lovely narrator and this gives the book warmth and depth. However, the joy of the book for me was in the comic characters – the plot is hardly complex, but Evie’s 1960s Yorkshire village is brought to life by the people. Christine is gloriously awful, a vision in garish pink, while other villagers are hilarious – I have a particularly soft spot for Mrs Swithenbank and her digestive issues! The humour is somewhat broken up by the poignancy of Evie’s mum’s story being included in the story as interludes to Evie’s narrative, but this also adds depth to the novel and another reason why the terrible Christine needs to go.

I really loved this book – it made me laugh and root for Evie as she navigates her tricky teenage landscape. This is a charming novel and one that is both genuinely funny and a comforting read in turbulent times.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.