Book of the Week: A Man Called Ove

Welcome to the Stay at Home Mum Book of the Week! 

Are you an avid reader? At Stay at Home Mum we love our books. And while it can be hard to squeeze in time to read, it can be even harder to put down a page turner once you are well into the story line. So, with the help of our partners, Bookworld, Australia’s largest online bookstore, we have launched our Book of the Week Book Club!

“The launch of the new book club with Bookworld has been a true dream for me for the past three years. Being a total book nerd, it was always my vision to bring the books to the Mums and most of the fans of the Stay at Home Mum page share my passion for the pages of a good story. Now all Mums can share their favourites whether it be Twilight or Banjo Patterson”¦. I look forward to reading everyone’s reviews, finding a new epic saga or losing myself in the latest trilogy.” – Jody Allen

Join in on the Fun

Watch this space as we will be adding our book of the week choices as well as book reviews as we read them. The SAHM Book Club is all about sharing the books that we love. Please, feel free to share with us in the comments what books you would like to see as a Book of the Week we’ll feature one of these books next month! Here’s how it works:

1. Check our Book of the Week page (step one done you’re here aren’t you!).
2. If you are keen to read the book then you can buy it here for 20% off and FREE delivery, exclusive to SAHM Book Club fans. Use the code BW_LSAHM and sign up to become a citizen to receive the full 20% off.  If you already have the book or have read it, then skip down to step 4.
3. Read the book.
4. Tell us your thoughts! Let us know your opinion in the comments below and write your own review of the book here.

The Book of the Week Is”¦.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

I cannot wait to read this book – the main character sounds like a combination of the guy from Up and my husband! As a person who lives in absolute chaos, it is always refreshing to see things from a different point of view.

Ove, a grumpy old man who sees the world in black and white, often gets worked up about things other people do, because, let’s be honest, life is more shades of grey. If there’s a sign there then it’s there for a reason. Routines are made to be followed. There’s the right way to do things. Everything should be practical. You get the idea.

So, Ove’s had enough of this world and is methodically trying to leave it, but he keeps getting interrupted by an increasing cast of wonderful characters, mainly by neighbours who are poor drivers, can’t read signs, have children who don’t understand rules/routines, all that.”And that laughter of hers which, for the rest of his life, would make him feel as if someone was running around barefoot on the inside of his breast.” All up, though, this is a book about love and family, in all its forms. A Man Called Ove is both laugh out loud funny, and beautifully moving, and will give you that ‘happy-sad’ feeling a long time after reading. This is right up the top of best feel-good books ever.

Have you read A Man Called Ove? 

Check out our previous Book of the Week titles: 

Red Sand Sunrise by Fiona Mcarthur

We’ve selected a bit of a sad one this week…. I’ve read a few of Mcarthur’s other titles and I really like her writing style. The back line of this one reminded me a lot of the Joy Dettman Woody Creek series – if you haven’t read this, seriously, I super recommend it! 

This is an emotional story from Fiona McArthur of three sisters who gather in western Queensland after their father dies. Romance and medical drama ensue in this novel and Fiona has given a story of love, loss and the gift of family. It’s sure to warm your heart and is well told with the backdrop of the Outback in all its Ochre glory. 

Mcarthur is a great story teller and her ability to bring readers into the plot and into the scenery is amazing. This is a great one to add to the list!

Have you checked out Red Sand Sunrise yet?

Let Her Go by Dawn Barker 

This book is just begging to be read! It focuses on all the things I look for in a book – family secrets, plot twists and a gripping mystery. Described as “part thriller and part mystery” and highlighting the theme of how far would you go to have a family, this book centers around the importance of protecting the ones you love, no matter what.   The story begins with a young woman boarding a ferry to Rottnest Island in the middle of winter holding a tiny baby close to her chest and picks up several years later when a teenage girl is found on the island, unconscious and alone. What happened in between is what we get to find out.

And I can’t wait!

We can all relate to the unspoken bond you have with your children and the lengths you will go to keep them safe. Reviews of Let Her Go have been incredibly positive with people claiming that they couldn’t put the book down. Barker is a great storyteller and the plot sounds awesome!  So send the kids to Bunnings with your partner, grab a cup of tea, a warm blanket and join us for a weekend reading fest.

Let us know, have you read Let Her Go? Do you plan on reading it? If you’re looking for something to read this week, then pick up your copy of Let Her Go and join us on the lounge.

Good Enough: Confessions of a Less-than-Perfect-Mum by Devlin Yasa

Devlin Yasa has written a humorous and light-hearted account of being a modern mum in a competitive mummy world. The thing I am most looking forward to about this book is the reassurance that I am not alone. Yasa’s writing is hilarious and draws on her own experience as a mum but she also backs up her views with expert parenting advice. She touches on every day mum things as well as important issues like post natal depression and returning to the work force. If you ever feel like life as a mum is a lot more competitive and stressful than you expected, then this book is a great one to add to your reading list.

Get Involved! 

Getting involved in the SAHM Book of the Week is so easy! Simply buy your copy of the book at 20% off and with free delivery through Bookworld. Just be sure to sign up as a citizen to get the full discount.  Read the book and leave your comments below. Make sure you also rate the book and share your reader review here.

And finally, tell us in the comments what book would you suggest we feature as our Book of the Week?

Happy Reading!