I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel
This debut novel by Patel is a quick read with the chapters layered like bulletins. This is the story of a single speaker’s experience in a seemingly unequal, unfaithful relationship.
We can’t guarantee you will actually like the narrator but with a clear and unforgiving eye they unpick the behaviour of all those involved.
In all, I’m a Fan offers a critique of our obsession with status, how that status is conveyed, our use of social media and how much access we give to others.
It’s new and powerful and a must read on our book list.
Buy Now, £9.49
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
This is the story of the Stockton family, New York one percenters. Waspy, wealthy and full of all the advantages that American dollars can bring.
Eldest daughter Darley, married out and lost her trust fund. She grapples with the realisation that she is no longer rich and traded it all in for motherhood.
Sasha, married in. A middle-class New England girl trying to navigate the world of this Brooklyn Heights family where she is considered a gold digger by her sister-in-laws.
Georgiana, the youngest has fallen in love with someone she can’t have and grapples with the unease of being a trust fund baby combating poverty in the developing world.
With how much we discussed Succession in the Iggy & Burt studio we can’t wait for this one.
Buy Now, £8.99
Real Self Care by Pooja Lakshmin. MD
Ever thought that the term self-care seems to be everywhere and conveniently packaged up as a bath bomb, a juice cleanse, a yoga workshop or the latest high tech facial? Surely these are the perfect devices or tools to putting yourself first?
Women’s mental health specialist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin finds this to be incomplete and possibly manipulative. Real self-care highlights to readers the difference between what our culture prescribes us as self-care what the real practice looks like. Lakshmin provides strategies for real and sustainable change to forget about the fancy spa retreats and journaling aps, helping readers look inwardly, set boundaries and to treat themselves with compassion.
Buy Now, £18.04
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What is it about?
Nora Hamilton knows the formula for the perfect romance. As a screenwriter for the romance channel she can tell you the precise formula for the made for TV love story.
But when her husband leaves her and her two children Nora channels her anger and despondency into the ultimate movie script and when Hollywood comes knocking so does Leo Vance, the movie star playing her ex-husband.
What’s the Verdict?
The Iggy & Burt team have gone down the romantic route for this month’s Iggy’s Bookclub pick. We thought what we were getting was something hopeful and light but surprisingly it was so much more, there was a lot more meaning than expected and it made it such an enjoyable read.
It was sweet and fun with a good dose of reality. Nora’s routine with the kids plays centre stage, even their involvement with the relationship development with Leo makes her a much more believable romance heroine.
Without giving too much away the misunderstanding between Leo and Nora felt very realistic and the stoicism someone would have felt in that situation was spot on.
If you are looking for a quick, light read that will leave you smiling at the end, this is the pick.
Favourite Quote
“At the corner of arrogance and cluelessness, you find the worst kind of person.”
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What is it about?
This is the brilliant and heart-breaking story of Little Dog.
Through letters to his mother who cannot read, Little Dog unearths a family’s history that began before he was born. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is a brutal honest exploration of race, class and masculinity.
It tells of Vietnam, the family’s struggle and the impact of war with episodes of bewilderment, passion and fear.
What’s the verdict?
The most poetic book we have read in Iggy’s book club, Vuong writes beautifully. Its thoughtful and tender and will make you pause just to think and then rethink about what you have read.
The perfect pick for the first in our new Iggy's bookclub series.
Favourite Quotes
“They say nothing lasts forever but they’re just scared it will last longer than they can love it.”
“I miss you more than I remember you.”
“When does the war end? When can I say your name and have it mean only your name and not what you left behind?”
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What is it about?
This is a story of the lives of strangers and the simple green notebook that brought them all together.
Julian Jessop, an eccentric, lonely artist believes that most people aren't really honest with each other.Monica, an ex-lawyer turned small business owner desperately trying to keep every aspect of her life perfectly orderly.
Hazard, is the charming addict who finally decides to make the vow to get sober.
Alice, is the fabulous mummy instagrammer with the seemingly perfect husband, house and baby.
Then there is the green notebook that is filled with their deepest selves and truths. Before long they find themselves meeting in real life at Monica’s café. What follows is a beautiful story of friendship, heartache, lies and love.
What’s the Verdict?
Firstly, this is a great book club choice. It is fast paced and beautifully written.
The world Pooley creates in Fulham is somewhat idealistic and not entirely realistic. Even with the jobs or professions that some of the characters have you cannot help but wonder how on earth any of these characters have the homes in Fulham that they have.
That aside, The Authenticity Project is a heart-warming story and an addictive read. You will find yourself completely invested in the characters. The story flowed beautifully and the switch between each character narration was so well done. A joyous and funny book that will leave you with a smile on your face.
Favourite Quotes
“Mother is a verb, not a noun.”
“It’s not happy people who are grateful, it’s grateful people who are happy.”
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The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Cyril Avery is not a real Avery or at least that’s what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn’t a real Avery, then who is he?
Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple (via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun) Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead.
At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime attempting to know himself and to discover where he came from – and over his three score years and ten, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country, a place of belonging.
In this, Boyne's most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart's Invisible Furies is a novel about the search for a sense of self in a changing world and the ultimate, redemptive power of the human spirit.
Buy Now, £8.99
Dune by Frank Herbert
Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for...
When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.
Read the book ahead of the film release.
Buy Now, £8.99
The Promise by Damon Galgut
The Promise charts the crash and burn of a white South African family, living on a farm outside Pretoria. The Swarts are gathering for Ma's funeral. The younger generation, Anton and Amor, detest everything the family stand for -- not least the failed promise to the Black woman who has worked for them her whole life. After years of service, Salome was promised her own house, her own land... yet somehow, as each decade passes, that promise remains unfulfilled.
The narrator's eye shifts and blinks: moving fluidly between characters, flying into their dreams; deliciously lethal in its observation. And as the country moves from old deep divisions to its new so-called fairer society, the lost promise of more than just one family hovers behind the novel's title.
In this story of a diminished family, sharp and tender emotional truths hit home. Confident, deft and quietly powerful, The Promise is literary fiction at its finest.
Buy Now, £8.99
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Drawing on Maggie O'Farrell's long-term fascination with the little-known story behind Shakespeare's most enigmatic play, HAMNET is a luminous portrait of a marriage, at its heart the loss of a beloved child.
Warwickshire in the 1580s. Agnes is a woman as feared as she is sought after for her unusual gifts. She settles with her husband in Henley street, Stratford, and has three children: a daughter, Susanna, and then twins, Hamnet and Judith. The boy, Hamnet, dies in 1596, aged eleven. Four years or so later, the husband writes a play called Hamlet.
Award-winning author Maggie O'Farrell's new novel breathes full-blooded life into the story of a loss usually consigned to literary footnotes, and provides an unforgettable vindication of Agnes, a woman intriguingly absent from history.
Buy Now, £7.49
The People We Keep by Allison Larkin
Little River, New York, 1994: April Sawicki is living in a motorless motorhome that her father won in a poker game. Failing out of school, picking up shifts at Margo’s diner, she’s left fending for herself in a town where she’s never quite felt at home. When she “borrows” her neighbor’s car to perform at an open mic night, she realizes her life could be much bigger than where she came from. After a fight with her dad, April packs her stuff and leaves for good, setting off on a journey to find a life that’s all hers.
As April moves through the world, meeting people who feel like home, she chronicles her life in the songs she writes and discovers that where she came from doesn’t dictate who she has to be.
This lyrical, unflinching tale is for anyone who has ever yearned for the fierce power of found family or to grasp the profound beauty of choosing to belong.
Buy Now, £19.67
The Girl with the Louding Voice Abi Dare
The unforgettable, inspiring story of a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village who longs to get an education so that she can find her “louding voice” and speak up for herself, The Girl with the Louding Voice is a simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant tale about the power of fighting for your dreams.
Despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in her path, Adunni never loses sight of her goal of escaping the life of poverty she was born into so that she can build the future she chooses for herself - and help other girls like her do the same.
Buy Now, £8.99
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Set in the Caribbean, the novel is a rich and vivid tale of a young mermaid who is rescued by a young fisherman. It is a tale of transformation, cultural assimilation and juxtaposition. It is, in every sense, a tale and analogy of the Caribbean itself and the melting pot of that region. In 320 pages Roffey delivers an eloquent, engaging and vivid tale which gently laces together the perpetual history of conflict, assimilation and struggles for self-identity.
The Mermaid of Black Conch is a lyrical mix of story and voice. It’s described as a love story and it fulfils that self-description in spades. It’s no surprise to us here at Iggy & Burt’s book club that this novel was the winner of the Costa Book of the Year 2020 (as well as many other awards).
This is perfect escapism for those who need to be transported to landscapes of tranquil blue waters and sandy beaches with intricate and engaging tales of mythical and mystical quality. This isn’t a book to miss.
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What’s it about?
Set in 60’s and 70’s North America, Where the Crawdads Sing is tale about an abandoned girl Kya Clark who resides in the marshes of North Carolina. She is left to survive and learn about how to not only feed and maintain herself but to navigate her life and the brushes with the townspeople who know her only as the ‘Marsh Girl.’
After abandoning a failed attempt at starting school and shying away from the townspeople who openly mock and shun her, Kya’s only friends are the gulls and storks that she shares the marsh with. But as she inevitably becomes a woman, two local boys take notice and when one of them dies, Kya becomes tangled up in the murder trial.
The Verdict
We really do think it’s worth the hype.
Ever ignored a book because it seemed like the whole world was raving about it? Well we purposefully decided not to add this to our bookclub and thought we would wait for the hype to die down. Well it never really did, and with news of a film making its way to our screens soon, we just knew the time had come to find out what it was all about.
We finished the book within a week! Not only do the beautiful descriptions of the marsh and its inhabitants completely transport you, the way Kya sees the world and the people around her captures your imagination.
There could be some themes that Owens could have explored more, like the relationship between the townspeople, the inhabitants of the Marsh and the African Americans that have their own town. But by not focusing too much on this you really are able to see the world through young Kya’s eyes, what she finds acceptable and how the ties of society have not bound her to prejudices and the idea of social stigma.
Both crime thriller and coming of age tale with an intertwined timeline, there is so much to keep you hooked and turning the page. You are left guessing till the very end and it is well worth the wait.
Watch out for the film, produced by Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine and starring Daisy Edgar Jones from Sally Rooney’s Normal People
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We have kicked off our reading this year with what we thought was not only a perfect pick for lockdown but for embracing these chilly months.
Wintering is not just about the cold season, it is all about learning to enjoy the fallow periods of life and essentially learning to love the cold. It is a personal and original examination as to why we as humans need to learn to revel in the days that are short and the light is low.
This book is part memoir and part researched observation that shows us how winter can bring strength and inspiration.
If you’re looking for something that has a healing quality about it, then May has you covered. Beautifully written, May touches on a range of topics like, work life balance, guilt, fertility issues and mental health whilst still being uplifting.
However, if you are someone that needs to be absorbed in something that is completely removed from the idea of self-isolation and the cold we would recommend you go for a fiction pick this month.
Buy Now, £9.99
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The eighth novel by Bernadine Evaristo follows the lives of 12 characters in Britain who are all linked in some way spanning the course of decades.
Most of the characters are Black British women, from across the country delving into their experiences as first, second and third generation immigrants. It tells the stories of their loves, families and friends.
What’s the Verdict?
This book is simply beautiful, covering a different type of British history as well as looking at what it means to be British and the social issues of today. Covering a range of sensitive topics, Evaristo still manages to convey a sense of hope and unity with not only the main characters but with the society they live in. Deeply moving and funny in parts, it is a very difficult book to put down. Books like this you start to consciously read slowly because you don’t want them to end.
The collection of voices we hear are all sympathetic in some way, Evaristo doesn’t paint any villains but explores how they have each become a product of their environment and how events in their life have shaped them.
The lack of punctuation may be off putting at first, but it works exceptionally well with the story telling, creating a sense of urgency and a rebellion to the norm. Imaginative and deeply moving this book will not disappoint.
Favourite Quote
“It’s easy to forget that England is made up of many Englands.”
Buy Now, £6.99
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What is it about?
New York Times bestselling Author Elizabeth Strout interweaves thirteen narratives in the Pulitzer Prize winning novel Olive Kitteridge. Set in Crosby, Maine we see the life of retired schoolteacher Olive Kitteridge mostly through the perceptions and lives of the townspeople around her. At times confused but mostly angry with the changes in her life and the relationships of those closest to her, Olive grapples with her life choices and the person that she is.
What’s the verdict?
Strout has beautifully brought together a collection of short stories that contains one larger than life character, Olive Kitteridge. Often gruff and stern, Strout depicts a deeply flawed but recognisable woman. Olive’s self-awareness and perceptiveness sits in complete contrast to her self denial.
At times this novel is deeply sad, it creeps up on you as you make your way through each story, it touches on anorexia, suicide and mental health but still manages to be hopeful with moments of humour.
Some of Olive’s actions represent what we all wish we could do at times, there is a particular moment after her son’s wedding that will make you laugh and cringe at the same time.
For those that love character driven books, this is the one for you. Looking at how our personal history can shape us and how our conflicts and desires affect our lives. Along with Olive, the townspeople of Crosby will stay with you long after reading.
After you’ve read the book, try the HBO produced mini-series with Frances McDormand and Bill Murray available now on Sky Box Sets.
Favourite Quote
“Love was not to be tossed away carelessly, as if it were a tart on a platter with others that got passed around again. No, if love was available, one chose it, or didn’t choose it.”
Buy Now, £8.99
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What’s it About?
Lisa Jewell brings us another fresh and gripping thriller. Single mother Alice, finds a man lost on the beach just outside her house. Against her better judgement she takes him in, giving him clothes, food and somewhere to stay. She soon discovers that he has completely lost his memory. Alice’s compassion and attraction to the man leads her to continue to look after him and help him discover what he has lost. As they look for answers she starts to question whether she should trust a man with no recollection of his past.
Newly married Lily has recently moved to the U.K with her new husband. When he fails to make it home after work, she is left distraught, alone and stranded in a new country.
The Verdict
A fantastic read that will enthral you from the moment you turn the first page. I Found You is true escapism with believable characters that draw you in. Jewell paces three stories together to reveal twenty years’ worth of secrets and lies. This is a book you will devour in a few days.
There are a few scenes of disturbing violence and aggression but Jewell has woven these darker elements of the book in with a clear and structured plot. What you will really enjoy from this book is the deeply real characters and their own personal struggles throughout.
Favourite Quote
“She’d been acting the role of the scary woman for years because deep down inside she was scared. Scared of being alone. Scared that she’d had all her chances at happiness and blown each and every one.”
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Anne Elliot, a twenty-seven-year-old single woman is no longer a young woman with prospects. Eight years previously she was engaged to a young naval officer, Frederick Wentworth. Persuaded by her good friend that the match was unworthy, Anne called off the engagement. A deep and lasting regret has clouded Anne in the subsequent years. A beautiful love story tinged with heart ache and the hope of second chances.
Buy Now, £5.99
With London emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find a letter from a man she has never met, a native of the island Guernsey, who has come across her name inside a book by Charles Lamb. Written with warmth and humour as a series of letters, this novel is about finding connection in the most surprising ways.
Buy Now, £3.99
Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they are crazy, but it’s the perfect solution. Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time. What follow is a beautiful story that is like the comfort of a warm blanket and a good cup of tea.
Buy Now, £14.99
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime.
Buy Now, £8.99
Step back into the 90’s and into Bridget’s world with her laugh out loud diary. Devastatingly aware Bridget takes us on her quest of doomed self-improvement. Quick disclaimer, the novel may not have aged that well but it definitely is a little reminder of the psyche of the 90’s woman. A great read that will leave you laughing out loud.
Buy Now, £5.99
A real feel good read, The Rosie Project follows the genetics professor Don Tillman, who struggles with women. Devising the perfect criteria for a future wife. Don’s plans are completely thrown off course when he meets Rosie, who manages to be the opposite of his checklist, but has become a huge part of his life. A moving and hilarious story that will lift your spirits.
Buy Now, £3.99
An all-time favourite classic, this is a story that cannot be missed. Jane Eyre is the plain and small orphan who has been an outcast for the majority of her youth. At every turn Jane has had to show courage through mistreatment and grief. Trained as a Governess Jane finds herself at Thornfield Hall, the home to the enigmatic Mr. Rochester. A gothic romance, unparalleled in its perfect blend of mystery, drama and self - realisation.
Buy Now, £3.99
A tale about four mothers, four daughters and four families from China and recent immigrants to San Francisco. The four mothers meet up weekly to play mah-jong and tell stories of what they left behind in China. United in loss and hope for their daughter’s new lives in America, they call themselves The Joy Luck Club. With wit and sensitivity Tan explores the often complicated, sometimes confusing but ultimately tender relationship between the mothers and their daughters.
Buy Now, £15.99
Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge is to recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target is Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge is not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.
Buy Now, £8.49
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This year felt like the perfect time for Atwood to release this important sequel, and now as the announced Man Booker Prize winner, which was shared with Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other, Atwood’s The Testaments is a book you cannot leave on the shelf (after having picked up The Handmaid’s Tale first of course).
What is it all about?
Atwood’s sequel follows the perspective of three women, Aunt Lydia, Agnes and ‘Baby Nicole’ who was smuggled out of Gilead as a baby and became the poster child of Gilead. These perspectives satisfy our yearning to understand Gilead and the effects this dystopian society has upon women from both inside and outside of the regime.
We now finally have an account of the infamous Aunt Lydia as her stern, outward power shifts in The Testaments to introduce us to her past life as a lawyer who was given the choice to either die or flourish within this dystopian world. By following the written entries of her life, Aunt Lydia reveals how she must now destroy what she was forced to help build. Like The Handmaid’s Tale, the novel reveals the things humans can do to one another in order to survive, and at times the novel is able to terrify us with the harsh and brutal realities of being a woman in Gilead.
Another important story which runs alongside this narrative is that of Agnes. The generational shift between Aunt Lydia and Agnes is effective in highlighting how abuse can be rationalised because Agnes has never known another way of life. At first, Agnes does not realise that Gilead needs to be destroyed. Instead Agnes thinks that only the corruption between those in power needs to be uprooted so the regime can peacefully continue. As she is a product of this regime, through her eyes, we are able to see the corruption of Gilead take root as it brainwashes and manipulates the masses.
The perspective of ‘Baby Nicole’ also fits perfectly with the narrative. This third perspective from outside of Gilead shows how the world perceives this regime. Finally, the war which we hear so much about in Gilead, becomes a reality for readers as we follow the operations of Mayday and the truth about what is happening on the front lines. ‘Baby Nicole’ adds danger and tension to the narrative and it is her relationship with Agnes that cements their strength and willpower to get out of Gilead alive.
As the three perspectives come together, we watch with elation and relief as the gender that is crushed the most by the regime, rises up against the persecutors. Aunt Lydia’s story is a tragic one, but her self-sacrifice makes up for the wrongdoings of her past as she offers the gift of freedom to the next generation.
The Verdict
At times the pace of the novel is so fast that it loses the beautifully detailed and elaborate descriptions The Handmaid’s Tale is able to offer us. But this fast pace is important as it highlights the urgency of the characters as the perspective dashes from one character to the other, as we wait with bated breath for the breaking point.
Tense, heart breaking, powerful and hopeful, Atwood’s The Testaments finally answers our questions, builds up nail-biting tension and makes us shout out with joy as this patriarchal system finally meets its doom.
Buy Now, Daunt Books, £20
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]]>Ageing movie star Evelyn Hugo chooses unknown journalist Monique Grant for an exclusive interview. No one is more stunned than Monique herself. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jump start her career. Her husband has left her and she desperately wants to prove her talent. Pushing thoughts aside as to why she had been plucked from obscurity to sit with one of the most famous women in the world. Monique gets sucked into the tale of Evelyn’s life.
Monique learns of Evelyn’s incredible life from making her way to Los Angeles in the 50’s to leaving show-business behind in the 80’s, and the story behind her seven husbands. The one thing Monique and the rest of the world is desperate to know is, who out of all those husbands did Evelyn truly love.
Evelyn tells a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship and great love.
Our Verdict
This is a brilliant book, to put it simply. Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite characters, she is flawed, ruthless and egotistical, but she is a deeply lovable through her self-awareness and assuredness.
It was just too difficult to put down, you will want to know where this story is going, why did she choose Monique to write the story and how did she end up marrying so many men? The tale you will get will shock you and break your heart, but with an overwhelming sense of joy that eclipses that. Reid has created these memorable and flawed characters that will stay with you long after finishing the book.
Highly recommend. Buy Now, £8.99
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Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
The first novel in Marlon James's Dark Star trilogy is set in a mythical Africa and follows Tracker, a mercenary hired to find a missing child. Blending myth, history and fantasy James has created a gripping epic first novel.
Known far and wide for his skills as a hunter, Tracker is engaged to find a mysterious boy who disappeared three years earlier. Breaking his rule of only ever working alone Tracker works with a group of people all with the common goal of finding the missing child.
An ambitious saga of breath-taking adventure, James brings together unforgettable characters as he explores the fundamentals of truth, the limits of power and our need to understand them both.
If you’re looking to let your imagination run wild and sink into a new fantasy world then Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a must read.
No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
A name that you will know well, 17-year-old Greta Thunberg received international recognition in 2019 due to her campaigns and environmental activism about climate change. This wonderful book is a collection of Greta’s speeches and an outcry for why we must all fight to protect our planet.
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel
Hilary Mantel brings an end to the trilogy she began with Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, tracing the final years of Thomas Cromwell, as he climbs to the height of power.
Set for publishing on the 5th March 2020, The Mirror and the Light is long-awaited novel that brings it all to a close. Expect to be gripped from the very first sentence!
How to Break Up with Fast Fashion by Lauren Bravo
This is a guilt-free guide to support you in changing your relationship with the world of fashion, to fall in love with your wardrobe again and shop sustainable. The book highlights how every year an estimated 300,000 tons of used clothing ends up in UK landfill and how our shopping habits can help change this without sacrificing your style.
Hilarious and honest, Bella opens up about her own experiences of mental health problems and how running helps her to battle anxiety and depression. This book is both motivational and moving – making it the perfect book to uplift and inspire!
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Described as the Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
McManus explores how far someone is willing to go to protect their secrets. We are hooked already and can’t wait to get our review up for you.
Published on the 7th April 2020, this will be the first adult novel Alvarez has published in fifteen years. The novel follows the story of Antonia Vega, the immigrant writer whose life begins to fall apart when her beloved husband suddenly dies, her sister disappears and a pregnant undocumented teenager turns up on her doorstep. A thought-provoking novel that seeks to find faith once more in our world.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
This follow up of the best-seller Homegoing will be published on the 15th September 2020. The novel follows the story of a Ghanaian family in Alabama and the suffering one family have had to face due to depression, addiction and grief. Gyasi’s writing is powerful and emotional as it touches on love, faith, religion and family.
An electrifying story of two ambitious friends, the questionable and dark choices they make and the profound moment that changes the meaning of privacy forever.
Following the paths of Orla, Floss and Marlow as they wind through time toward each other, and toward a cataclysmic event that sends America into lasting upheaval. This darkly funny story reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we’ll never meet, what we really grave is genuine human connection.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Picked as Oprah’s Book Club’s latest book choice, American Dirt is the powerful portrayal of the plight of an immigrant. Telling the story of Lydia Quixano Perez, who runs a bookstore in the Mexican city of Acapulco, living a comfortable life with her journalist husband and son.
Forced to flee due her husband’s tell-all piece on the jefe of the newest drug cartel, Lydia and her eight year old son find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants.
Filled with poignancy, drama and humanity on every page, American Dirt has been portrayed as one of the most important books for our times.
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Educated By Tara Westover
This book was everywhere in 2018, but we only got around to it at the end of the year, but it was well worth the wait.
Tara Westover’s memoir centres on her life growing up in Idaho, born to Mormon Fundamentalist parents and the youngest of 7 children. Her Father acted as a sort of Prophet to the family preaching about the end of the world and Government conspiracies.
As a result, Westover doesn’t set foot inside a classroom until she is 17. Rather than attending the local school, her job was to stew herbs for her mother or work on the junkyard for her father.
Westover describes her extreme upbringing along with the everyday dangers she and her siblings faced, which was continually trivialised by their parents. Rather than being a book about her struggle to move up in the world and educate herself, it is more of a story of abuse, manipulation and the slow unravelling of her relationship with her family.
It is the search to find her voice and identity amongst those she has known her whole life and the alienation she felt from everyone else. She doesn’t demonise her parents or siblings and paint a picture of good versus bad, but rather humans that fall into neither camp.
Throughout the book you feel her love, disappointment and hate for herself and her family. It is a captivating read that is incredibly hard to put down.
Buy now, World of Books £13.99
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China By Jung Chang
This book is perfect for a holiday read, it’s thick enough that a few days off really allows you to get stuck in. Huge in the early 1990’s Wild Swans for many was an insight into life under the Chinese Communist Party
Spanning three generations of women in twentieth century China, Chang blends an intimate memoir with deeply researched Chinese history. This best seller was translated into thirty languages and sold over 10 million copies worldwide but banned in mainland China.
An inspiring tale of courage and love, Jung Chang describes the extraordinary lives of her family members.
Her Grandmother had her feet bound and was sold as a concubine, her parents were members of the Communist Elite. As the story of each generation unfolds, Chang captures this moving and uplifting tale that details violence and love.
Buy Now, World of Books £4.99
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
For those who loved Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient this is definitely the next book to read.
Sally Thorne brings us the love-hate relationship between Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman. Lucy is charming, accommodating and values being liked by everyone in her office.
Everyone that is except Joshua Templeman, who is always impeccably attired, efficient and physically intimidating.
Problem is they share an office together for 50 hours a week, where they become entrenched in an addictive, never-ending game of one-upmanship. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything – especially when there’s a new promotion up for grabs.
Refreshing, fun and entertaining The Hating Game is a light hearted must-read romantic comedy.
Buy Now, World of Books £5.99
The New Me by Halle Butler
Millie, is thirty years old and cannot pull her life together. A biting satire that it both darkly funny and devasting that looks into a young woman’s unsatisfied mind.
Misanthropic and morose she spends her days at thankless temp job until she returns to an empty apartment, where she swings between self-recrimination and mild delusion, fixating on all the ways she might change her life. Followed by watching TV until she drops off to sleep, and the cycle begins again.
A quick read, it’s a blistering portrayal of a privileged young woman who is lonely and depressed to the point of self-destruction.
Buy Now, Amazon £6.47
Bel Canto By Anne Patchett
Based very loosely on true events in Peru on 1996, when rebels raided a party at the Japenese ambassador’s residence and took hundreds of civilians hostage.
Set in an unnamed South American nation, the famous Opera singer Roxanne Cross has been invited to perform at a private gathering. In the opening sequence, the kidnappers realise that the president decided to stay home.
Among the hostages are Russian, Italian, French diplomats. Days stretched to weeks and then to months, with no common language except for music. The 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds.
Buy Now, World of Books, £2.99
Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Toby Fleishman is in his forties and undergoing a bitter divorce from his wife, who left him and his children, vanishing to a yoga retreat.
Suddenly Toby is surrounded by women who want him: women who are smart and funny and accessible by just a swipe in an app. Juggling his new life of part time Dad and serial dater, Toby welcomes the change from harried unloved husband.
That is until his ex-wife suddenly disappears. Either on a vision quest or a nervous breakdown, Toby doesn’t know. As he desperately searches for her whilst juggling the kids and is job, Toby is forced to face up to the real reasons his marriage fell apart and face-up to the fact that the story he has been telling himself may not be the truth.
Buy Now, World of Books £9.99
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The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, comes a timeless love story set in a secret underground world filled with painters, pirates, lovers and ships that sail upon a starless sea.
Zachery Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by the tales, he reads something strange from his own childhood. Desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachery uncovers a series of clues that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library, hidden far below the surface of the earth.
The Man In The Red Coat by Julian Barnes
The Man Booker Prize-winning author of The Sense of an Ending releases his new book, set in Paris via the life story of the pioneering surgeon Samuel Pozzi.
In the summer of 1885, three Frenchmen arrived in London for a few days’ shopping. One was a prince, one was a Count, and the third was a commoner with an Italian name, who four years earlier had been the subject of one of John Singer Sargent’s greatest portraits.
The three men’s lives play out against the backdrop of the Belle Epoque in Paris, in an age of glamour and pleasure. The society doctor, pioneer gynaecologist and free thinker guides us through this world that often showed its ugly side: Hysterical, narcissistic, decadent and violent.
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Be careful who you let in.
Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.
She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames, which is worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well – and she is on a collision course to meet them.
Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.
In The Family upstairs, the master of “bone-chilling suspense” brings us the can’t-look-away story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest secrets.
The Witches Are Coming By Lindy West
What does Adam Sandler, Donald Trump and South Park have in common?
Why are myths like “reverse sexism” and “political correctness” so seductive? And why do movie classics of yore from Sixteen Candles to Revenge of the Nerds, make rape look like so much silly fun? With Lindy West's signature wit and in her uniquely incendiary voice, The Witches are Coming lays out a grand theory of America that explains why Trump's election was, in many ways, a foregone conclusion.
In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado
For years Carmen Maria Machado has struggled to articulate her experiences in an abusive same-sex relationship. In this extraordinarily candid and radically inventive memoir, Machado tackles a dark and difficult subject with wit, inventiveness and an inquiring spirit, as she uses a series of narrative tropes—including classic horror themes—to create an entirely unique piece of work which is destined to become an instant classic.
Twas the Nightshift before Christmas by Adam Kay
Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas is the hilarious, poignant and entertaining story of the life of a junior doctor at the most challenging time of the year. With twenty-five tales of intriguing, shocking and incredible Christmas incidents, the British public will finally appreciate the sacrifices made and the challenges faced by the unsung heroes of the NHS.
Following her bestselling debut The Cows, Dawn O Porter bring us her new and hilarious novel about female friendships, and the perks and pitfall of modern life. So lucky questions what a ‘lucky’ life looks like, breaking through the usual filters that we all apply. Fearless and frank, So Lucky is a book for everyone who’s ever doubted themselves.
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]]>The Last is our favourite new crime/post-apocalyptic thriller. Set in and around L’Hotel Sixieme in Switzerland, the book explores the relationships, impacts and practicalities of nuclear holocaust on those who survive.
Jameson explores the effects of the Armageddon on a group of strangers thrown together in haunting and unfamiliar surroundings. It is a murder mystery laced with the chilling projection of life post-world-ending event, with the exploration of the complicated and confused personal relationships that the characters are forced to create and maintain.
If you, like us, have been a huge fan of the revival of Agatha Christie’s ‘whodunnit’s’ through excellent productions from the BBC and others over recent years, then you will love The Last. Chilling and fast-paced, the author manages to combine peril and realism which will keep you gripped throughout.
Our verdict
If you are looking for an entertaining crime book with a healthy dose of post-apocalyptic realism thrown in, The Last is for you.
Thrilling, dark and original, the book is a clever exploration of the not so unimaginable. Jameson has been described as achieving the lofty balance of “Stephen King meets Agatha Christie”, a summary which we couldn’t agree with more.
One certainly to pick-up for an Autumn’s afternoon, or a wet weekend.
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]]>She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
Read the story of the New York Time Reporters, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey who launched the investigation that’s started a worldwide movement. In 2017, they dropped the story about Harvey Weinstein’s long record of alleged sexual misconduct, launching the #MeToo movement.
For years rumours of Harvey Weinstein’s mistreatment of women have circulated. When the Pulitzer prize journalists Kantor and Twohey began their investigation into the prominent Hollywood producer for the New York Times, he was still a very powerful, well connected figure in the industry, able to make or break a person’s career.
Having evaded scrutiny in the past and employing the very best high profile lawyers and private investigators, Weinstein had always managed to remain untouched.
Nothing could have prepared Kantor and Twohey for what followed their publication, women all around the world came forward with their own traumatic experiences.
The New Testaments by Margaret Atwood
We of course couldn’t have this list without Margaret Atwood’s hotly awaited sequel to the Handmaid’s tale. Set 15 years after Offred’s final scene in the original book. Narrated by three different women of Gilead, Atwood promises that readers will find out the true fate of Offred.
“Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.” Magaret Atwood.
The Confession by Jessie Burton
From the bestselling author of The Miniaturist comes The Confession, a story about two women Elise Moceau and Constance (Connnie) Holden. This deeply moving novel is about secrets, storytelling, motherhood and friendship.
In 1980, 20 year old Elise Meets Connie, a renowned novelist, in around Hampstead Heath in North London. A relationship ignites, initially caring and nurturing that later turns torrid.
Upon following Connie to LA Elise is thrown into the world of the glamourous, as Connie thrives on the electricity of their new world, Elise is left floundering.
Three decades later, Rosie Simmons is seeking answers about her mother, who disappeared when she was a baby. Learning that Connie was the last person to see her mother, Rosie seeks her out for some answers and ultimately her confession.
The Things We Left Unsaid by Emma Kennedy
A tender and thoughtful story about a mother and daughter with and unforgettable secret between them.
Rachel’s relationship with her mother, Eleanor has been strained at best. Rachel has forever lived in the shadow of Eleanor, a renowned artist who was born in the swinging sixties.
When Rachel is left at the alter by her fiancé the morning of their wedding she had no choice but to move back into her family home and spend the summer with a mother that she feels distant from. It will take another turn of events before Rachel realises that sometimes the past holds exactly the comfort we need. And that behind the words left unsaid are untold stories that have the power to define us.
The Dutch house By Ann Patchett
A powerful novel about the bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood and the past they cannot let go of.
The Dutch House tells the story of Danny Conroy and his older sister Maeve. Exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother, the two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty that their parents had escaped from.
Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch house is a dark fairytale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Filled with suspense the story of Danny and Maeve will stay with you for a long time.
Charmingly candid, hilarious and deeply moving. The Nobodies is a novel about failing but never losing the core of yourself. When journalist, Joan Dixon is left without a job after another failing newspaper and her online writing jobs dry up, she is left with very few options.
Moving in with her parents, Joan decides to reinvent herself. Taking a job as a junior copywriter at a company called Bloom, Joan finds herself surrounded by bosses that are all a decade younger than her.
For once she has a steady salary and a stable job, and befriends a group of misfit co-workers. But once a journalist, always a journalist, and as Joan starts to poke beneath Blooms’ bright surface, she accidently stumbles upon the scoop of a lifetime. Is it worth risking the new life she has built for herself for the sake of a good story?
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Bestselling author of The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers, brings us his latest book all about what happens when we encounter people we don’t know, why it often goes awry and what it says about us.
Through a series of puzzles, encounters and misunderstandings, from little-known stories to infamous legal cases, Gladwell takes us on a journey through the unexpected. You will discover that strangers are never simple.
When her beloved Nanny, Hannah, left without a trace in 1988, seven year old Jocelyn Holt was devastated. Haunted by the loss, Jo grew up to be bitter and distant, leaving her parents and Lake Hall, their aristocratic home, behind.
Thirty years and Jo returns to the house and is forced to confront her troubled relationship with her mother. But when human remains are accidentally uncovered in a lake in the estate. Jo begins to question everything she thought she knew.
The Secrets We Kept by Laura Prescott
A tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice. Inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate he hearts and minds of Soviet Russia.
At the height of the cold war, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given a assignment of a lifetime. Their mission was to smuggle Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR, where it would never of been published.
The Secrets We Kept captures a watershed moment in history of literature - told with soaring emotional intensity and activating historical detail. At the center of this unforgettable debut is the powerful belief that a piece of art can change the world.
Yale Needs Women by Anne Gardiner Perkins
Perkins tells the first time, true story of the young women who broke the gender barrier at yale to become the first female attendants to the historic university.
Coming from all over the United States, they were not prepared for what they found when they arrived. Outnumbered, by the gender quota that Yale had put in place, most of these young girls were just teenagers that were barred from the privileges that their male counterparts enjoyed.
Yale Needs Women follows the story of five women students in particular two black and three white through the turbulent early years of co-education.
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Born a Crime is the story of Trevor Noah and his extraordinary path from Apartheid South Africa to the Daily Show talk show host. Trevor was truly born a crime, to a white Swiss father and a Xhosa Black mother, their union was at the time punishable by five years in prison.
Hidden away from the world until South Africa’s liberation, Trevor and his mother set forth in the world where they could live openly and freely.
Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy and the relationships he forms on his way to becoming a mischevious young man.
A collection of stories that is compelling, hilarious and deeply affecting, it tells a story of a young man trying to find his way in a damaged world.
Verdict?
This book has been sitting on my shelf for a couple of years now, somehow I have never had the time to dedicate to it. My love of podcasts finally made me sign up for an audible subscription and the audio version of Born a Crime, was my first purchase. I am happily that person who would own a paper and audio version of the same book.
I didn’t really know much about Trevor Noah before reading his memoir to be honest. I vaguely knew about him being a presenter and talk show host in America. But having never watched him or read anything by him before, I went in completely blind.
Simply put, I absolutely loved this audiobook, read by Trevor himself, it is perfectly narrated. I felt like I was right there with him through every emotion, one minute I was laughing out loud the next I was gasping at some of the everyday atrocities of life in South Africa.
Seeing post-apartheid life in South Africa through the eyes of a child was still harrowing at points, even through the humour. If you ever want to get a better understanding of what life was like in South Africa during this time, it is a great start, but what I really took away from this book was the relationship between Trevor and his mum and her undeniable strength.
Covering pretty hefty topics such as religion, gender roles, education, colonialism, at the heart of it Born a Crime is a personal tale of love and friendship. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, possibly the most interesting and entertaining memoir I have listened to, it is definitely one to get on audio.
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The Beekeeper of Allepo by Christy Lefteri
Christy Lefteri has produced a provocative and heart wrenching novel about the suffering and loss felt through emigration and the feelings of displacement felt in becoming a refugee. Nuri is a beekeeper whose wife, Afra is an artist who sells her work at the open-air market on weekends. They live a simple yet rich and happy life in the scenic hills of the Syrian city Aleppo. However, when war destroys their way of life, they have no choice but to escape Syria towards an unknown life in Britain. Lefteri’s novel is courageous yet beautiful in its ability to create a sense of hope and belonging as the family must make the difficult journey back to each other to find what was lost to them.
Speaking of Summer by Kalisha Buckhanon
If a thriller is your thing whilst lazing on a sunny beach, then Kalisha Buckhanon’s Speaking of Summer is the thriller for you. Follow Autumn Spencer as she seeks to find her twin sister, Summer, who went missing one December night after walking to the roof of their shared Harlem brownstone. Autumn must unravel the mystery surrounding her sister’s disappearance and must fight to find truth at any cost.
Heartburn by Nora Ephron
The screenwriter, Nora Ephron, of ‘When Harry Met Sally’ brings you Heartburn. This semi-autobiographical story takes the pains of marriage and divorce to give some honest and often hilarious truths. The story follows Rachel, who, at seven months pregnant has found out her husband is in love with another woman. Rachel is a cookery writer and food acts as a consolation- as does revenge! Ephron’s only novel provides quotable one liners and truly captures the feelings of love, loss, betrayal and revenge. Bittersweet and hilarious!
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
You are probably all too aware of this classic by Margaret Atwood published in 1985. Now with a hit series on Channel 4, this classic dystopian novel has had a resurgence. Whether you’ve read it before or not, read it again or buy a copy now, because Atwood’s follow up novel, ‘The Testaments’ is set for release on the 10th September 2019. Set in America, The Handmaid’s Tale is a portrayal of defiance and authoritarian rule in a dystopian world. It puts the spotlight on female oppression as Atwood pushes the prejudices and experiences of the 21st century to the extreme.
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
This debut novel by Claire Lombardo tells the story of Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson who fall in love during the 1970s. Go forward to 2016 and the couple have four daughters, all radically different in their quest to find themselves and fall in love. The novel spans half a century to explore the triumphs and burdens of love and family and those special moments of joy that make the pain worthwhile.
]]>Whether you are new to the world of podcasts or need a new series to binge on your commute to work then look no further. We have compiled a list of our top pick podcasts for all your moods and interests- including podcasts for foodies, comedy fans and all of your current affairs needs.
Author Malcolm Gladwell, examines the way the passage of time changes and enlightens our understanding of the world around us. Drawing unexpected conclusions from obscure events to well known moments in history. A gripping and moving podcasts that really makes you think not only about the past but how moments that are happening now can affect society. We binged on season 1, 2 and 3 and season 4 has just been released.
This political podcast will give you all the highlights of those news stories you may have missed in American politics today, as Amy Siskind highlights the abnormalities that are present in America. Siskind co-founded The New Agenda, a women’s advocacy organisation, whilst you may also know her as the author of The List. Episodes are generally an hour long and give an insightful analysis into current affairs in America today.
Hosted by Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, this podcast is a live comedy show set in Brooklyn. Along with their fav comedians, Jessica and Phoebe leave no topic unturned. From stories on sex, race, hair journeys and literally anything else you can think of, this is one podcast you cannot miss. 2 Dope Queens finished in November 2018, but that does not mean you can’t tune in now for your comedy fix.
In the Third Person is a Spotify original hosted by Mike Skinner and Murkage Dave. Five half an hour episodes will give you an insight into the lives of some well-known British creatives including Liam Gallagher, Alexa Chung and Jamal Edwards. This podcast is perfect if you’ve got a half hour to spare. Laid back, informative AND funny. Make.more.episodes!
The British comedian and actor, Adam Buxton, invites you to listen in on his interviews with the likes of Louis Theroux, Caitlin Moran and Charlie Brooker. Do not freak out at the extensive archive ranging from 2015 to now, it just means you have more choice to pick the interviews you REALLY want to dedicate your time to. Conversations cover both the cultural and the personal and his hosting skills are known to be faultless as Buxton asks what we want to hear the most.
You are warned not to listen to this podcast on an empty stomach. This weekly podcast hosted by Venetia Falconer invites special guests to chat about their life with food. From childhood dishes, to death row dinners this podcast seeks to highlight the passion food brings to the world, but also how her guest’s relationship with food can affect their lives. This podcast handles the complex relationship we have with food in an honest and positive way.
This hilarious and honest podcast is hosted by Milena, Tolly T and Audrey. These women explore love, relationships and family through drawing on their own experiences as they become agony aunts who have an unfiltered debate on how the problems in each episode can be solved. Posted every Wednesday, this podcast alternates between long and short episodes. Brilliantly blunt, entertaining and wise, The Receipts is one we cannot get enough of.
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]]>So whether you feel overwhelmed at work, stressed about money, dealing with a personal grievance or in desperate need of a break. Sometimes life can be difficult and hand us situations that may seem unbearable and difficult to get through.
To add to it all, this world we live in is noisy in every way possible, with everyone apparently having a better time than you.
So self-indulge and do something that makes you feel happy. Easier said than done...right? So maybe just start with eating that chocolate you’ve denied yourself.
With more and more journalists and authors joining the conversation about the importance of having good mental health and talking about the issues we bottle up. We discuss our favourite self-care books at the Iggy & Burt studio:
Calm by Fern Cotton
Working through life's daily stresses to find a peaceful centre
Calm is the follow up to Fearne Cotton’s Happy, a book that highlighted the joys of life and finding the positive in the world around us. Unlike, Happy, Calm is more about finding peace and slowing down our pace to become aware of our body and mind to find inner harmony. Calm offers expert advice, activities and easy ideas to try out day to day to help relieve stress. It is a reminder to step out of modern reality to become better tuned to your body and mind. It is easy for the rush of life to get in the way but by altering of our perspective, we can also realise that the things we feel anxious and stressed about are not always as detrimental as we first assumed.
Prof Steve Peters- The Chimp Paradox:
The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness
This powerful mind management guide explains what psychological events take place in your mind when you are angry, anxious, irritated, happy and sad. Each chapter explains how the mind works and how we function under different circumstances. Peters offers exercises that will help to improve and develop your emotional habits in order to become the person you want to be and live the life you want to live. The Chimp Paradox highlights the ways in which we may sabotage our own happiness and success and it is a truly fascinating account of our minds and habits. This bestseller will change the way you understand the human mind to become healthier, confident and more satisfied with the life you choose to lead.
The Art of Not Falling Apart by Christina Patterson
This self- care book is not a self-care book, in that it does not offer you advise but tells the stories of human life- the rocky roads and the tribulations of individuals who picked up the pieces for themselves to eventually find peace and happiness in the world again. Journalist, Christina Patterson, after an involuntary- redundancy was angry and irritated and the world of self-help books did not do much to relieve the difficulties that she was facing. This book truly is a beautiful exploration of human struggles and survival, highlighting the strength we all have within us and that we should celebrate!
Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier
Lanier’s Manifesto brings together 10 reasons to liberate ourselves from the toxic side of social media. Drawing on insider expertise, Lanier not only highlights how social media affects us but explains the detrimental impact of the business structures that have been built to manipulate and market to users. Alongside the political and the social problems it creates, Lanier’s book is also witty in its vision to find other alternatives that provide the benefits of social media without the negatives. Insightful and liberating- Lanier will have you deleting your social media accounts in no time!
]]>And at Iggy & Burt we cannot get enough of our books. You may have seen some of these reads featured before and we are pretty proud to say some of the books featured on the Women's Long List made it on to our previous monthly reads.
Here's a few more to add to your Spring reading list:
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Braithwaite tells the story of two sisters, nurse Korede and younger sister Ayoola, a clothing designer whose boyfriends seem to find themselves winding up dead under her claim of self-defence.
Korede, is always there to help clean up the mess, with the bleach and rubber gloves in tow.
That is until Ayoola’s newest boyfriend happens to be the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. The same doctor that Korede has been in love with and doesn’t want to see dead.
Korede must decide who she will save, when saving one means sacrificing the other.
Milkman by Anna Burns
Anna Burns takes on the Northern Ireland conflict but from the perspective of an 18-year-old girl who does not want to engage with the issues surrounding her and does not want to be noticed or deemed interesting.
Described as Middle Sister, the protagonist is trying to keep her mother from discovering her maybe boyfriend and to keep everyone in the dark about her encounter with Milkman. Who has taken a particular interest in her.
Burns creates a tale of gossip and hearsay, silence and deliberate deafness. It is a story of inaction with enormous consequences.
Lost Children Archive by Valerie Luiselli
Luiselli tells the story of a family from New York who embark on a road trip to Apacheria, a region of the US that used to be Mexico.
The mother who is a radio journalist becomes consumed by the news she hears on the radio, about thousands of children getting stranded at the southern border in detention centres.
But as the road trip continues we gather that all is not well with this family.
Told through the voices of the mother and son, as well as through the tapestry of texts and images, including stories of migration and displacement, Lost Children Archive is a story of how we document our experiences, and how we remember the things that matter most to us.
Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss
In the north of England, Silvie and her family are living as if they are ancient Britons, surviving by the tools and knowledge of the Iron Age in an exercise of experimental archaeology.
Silvie begins to see, hear, and imagine another kind of life, one that might include going to university, travelling beyond England, choosing her own clothes and food, speaking her mind.
Moss’ story urges us to wonder how far we have come from the ‘primitive minds’ of our ancestors.
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
Emezi’s novel Freshwater explores the surreal experience of having a fractured self. Centring around young Nigerian women called Ada, who develops separate selves within her. All as a result of being born “with one foot on the other side.”
Narrated from the perspective of the various selves, Freshwater is a sharp evocation of a rare way of experiencing the world.
Circe by Madeline Miller
A daughter is born to the god of sun and the mightiest of the Titans. She is named Circe, she is not powerful like her father and not alluring like her mother. Scorned and rejected by her kin, Circe is isolated and turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover witchcraft, a power forbidden to the gods.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her craft, drawing strength from nature. Crossing paths with many famous figures of Greek mythology including Hermes, Odysseus and the doomed Icarus.
In this world of gods, there is danger for a woman who stands alone as her independence draws the wrath of both men and gods.
Bottled Goods by Sophie Van Llewyn
When Alina’s brother-in-law defects to the West, she and her husband become persons of interest to the secret services, causing both of their careers to come to a halt.
As the strain takes its toll on their marriage, Alina turns to her aunt for help - the wife of a communist leader and a secret practitioner of the old folk ways.
Set in 70s communist Romania, this novella – in – flash draws upon magic realism to weave a talk of everyday troubles, that can’t be put down.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
The embodiment of the American dream is portrayed by newlywed couple Celestial and Roy. He is a young executive and she is an artist at the brink of an exciting career.
That is until Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit.
After struggling to hold on to the love that has been her centre she takes comfort in Andre, their closest friend. That is until Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, returning home to resume their life together.
Jones’ explores love, loyalty, race and justice as well as black masculinity and black womanhood in the 21stCentury.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Rooney tells the story of Connell and Marianne who grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland but are both from very different families.
After they both earn places at Trinity College in Dublin, they form a connection that lasts the years.
As well as being a political novel, it is a story about love and the impact that someone can have on another person’s life.
Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li
Set in Rockville, Maryland, the Beijing Duck House has been serving devoted regulars for decades. But the restaurant serves as a whole different world for the waiters and kitchen staff who have been loving and fighting within its walls.
When disaster comes to the Beijing Duck House, and the controlled chaos unravels, each character has to confront the conflicts that the fast-paced restaurant life had kept at bay.
Ordinary People by Diana Evans
Set on 2008 in south London against the backdrop of Barack Obama’s historic election victory, Ordinary People is an intimate look at identity, parenthood, sex, grief, friendship, ageing and the fragile architecture of love, through the lives of two couples.
It is the story of our lives, and those moments that threaten to unravel us.
Praise Song For The Butterflies by Bernice McFadden
An eye-opening account of the practice of ritual servitude in West Africa.
McFadden tells the story of Abeto Kata, who lives a comfortable life in West Africa. Raised by a stay at home mother and a father who is a government employee, Kata lives a quite idyllic lifestyle.
That is until her father sacrifices his daughter for religious atonement. Where for fifteen years she endured unspeakable acts.
Remembered by Yvonne Battle Felton
In 1910, Spring sits up with her son Edwards, who lies in a hospital bed dying, having been charged with committing a crime on the streets of Philadelphia.
He has been charged with driving a car into a shop window, but is he guilty? Can they find the truth? The police are sure that he was part of a darker agenda.
Surrounded by ghosts and the wounded, Spring is forced to rewrite her past and face what could be a future without her child.
Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott
They were the elite, sipping martinis over Manhattan lunches, their lives consisted of exclusive yachts sailing the Mediterranean and private jets to the Caribbean.
They gossiped about sex, fame, love, money and power.
They never expected to be betrayed so absolutely.
After decades of intimate friendship, Truman Capote detonated a literary grenade, forever rupturing the elite circle he worked so hard to infiltrate.
Why did he do it?
To punish them?
To make them pay for manners, money and celebrated names?
Whatever was his motive Capote, committed professional and social suicide with his words.
Swan song is the tragic story of the literary icon of his age and the beautiful, wealthy, vulnerable women he called his Swans.
The Pisces by Melissa Border
It’s been 9 years and Lucy is still writing her dissertation and she has just gone through a dramatic breakup with her boyfriend.
Reaching rock bottom Lucy’s sister in Los Angeles insists she needs to dog sit for the summer.
Staying in a beautiful home in Venice Beach, Lucy can find little relief from her anxiety.
But everything changes when Lucy becomes entranced by an eerily beautiful swimmer while sitting on the beach alone one night.
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
Briseis was a queen until her city was destroyed. Now a slave to Achilles, the man who butchered her husband and her brothers. Trapped in a world dominated and defined by men, can she survive to become the author of her own story.
Rediscover the greatest Greek myth retold by the witness that history forgot.
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Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1932.
She is without doubt one of the most admired poets of the 20thcentury and her heart wrenching and honest lyrics give an insight into Plath’s own struggle with mental health and the troubles that came with a difficult marriage to the poet, Ted Hughes.
Poem’s such as ‘Daddy’ highlight Plath’s difficult relationship with her father whilst the poem also reveals Plath’s feelings of betrayal when her father died. These difficult themes highlight how raw Plath’s poetry is as she collects the many conflicting emotions that come with grief, love and anger to display both the good and the bad side of human nature.
Plath’s only novel, The Bell Jar was first published in England in 1963 just one month before Plath committed suicide.
The Bell Jar is semi-autobiographical as events closely parallel Plath’s own life.
The story follows Esther Greenwood who, with a dozen other girls, wins a guest editor spot for a teen fashion magazine that allows her the opportunity to live in New York.
Esther is a straight-A student caught up in a dreary relationship. She is ambitious and goes against the idea of the expectations of women as wives and mothers and in doing so, Plath introduces themes of teenage exploration, ambition and feminism.
Plath also delves into the crisis of identity and sexuality as Esther tries to navigate through her teens and into the adult world. Plath’s writing is descriptive and, like her poetry, makes eloquent and honest observations about human nature, the madness of the world and the world of madness.
Madness becomes a talking point to Esther as her mental health declines and she begins to feel as if she is within a bell jar as she claims, ‘wherever I sat—on the deck of a ship or at a street café in Paris or Bangkok—I would be sitting under the same glass bell jar, stewing in my own sour air.’
This ‘sour air’ is what eventually leads Esther to be taken into hospital after she attempts to take her own life. Autobiographical elements become apparent as Esther, after attempting to commit suicide is made to have electro-shock therapy.
It is a story that is elementally sad in its similarity to Plath’s own life, but Plath’s sharp wit turns the sad into the curious as she seeks to explore feelings of darkness without trying to understand or make sense of it.
The Bell Jar is a novel of the senses and the lack of the senses. The eventual growth of human disconnection is apparent through Esther as she battles with the world around her. The Bell Jaris a beautifully poetic novel and deserves its title as a classic.
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Michelle Obama- Becoming
Finally, the most anticipated book of 2018 is here. This honest and warm memoir takes us from Obama’s childhood in Chicago to her experiences as the First Lady of the United States of America. This beautifully written memoir reveals the anxieties of having to deal with the harrowing events in America during her husband’s presidency whilst it offers an insight into her own personal struggles as both a mother and a wife. She is one of the world’s most influential icons, making this an important book that inspires generations as she discusses the problems with politics in the twenty-first century and the hope we must keep. To follow the release of her book, Obama will also be live on tour, stopping off at London’s Southbank Centre to chat with the acclaimed novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. If you were able to get tickets to this UK exclusive event, then you are at the envy of all of us who were unlucky in our endeavours. But it’s ok because we will be taking heed from the powerful and hopeful words in Michelle Obama’s memoir to make us feel whole again!
Dolly Alderton - Everything I Know About Love
Alderton’s debut memoir, published back in February this year, gives an accurate insight into relationships with friends, partners and your own self. She uses her wit and personal experiences to give a vivid and sometimes heart-breaking account of growing up. This makes Alderton’s memoir relatable for all women as her most intimate moments, her heart-break and the struggles and triumphs of her life can also be seen in the stories of our own lives. Made up of a mix of personal stories, satire, recipes and an AMAZINGLY accurate portrayal of what it was like talking to boys on MSN, Alderton seeks to show that the early struggles of adulthood are ones we all face and reveals both the confusion and hope that comes with it. Alderton’s debut is witty and relatable- I cannot recommend it enough!
Cathy Newman- Bloody Brilliant Women: The Pioneers, Revolutionaries and Geniuses Your History Teacher Forgot to Mention
The Channel 4 Journalist brings a fresh and much needed historical account of ‘herstory,’ filling in the blanks of women’s lives that history had left out. Newman’s Bloody Brilliant Womenbegins within nineteenth century Britain, introducing the pioneering women who transformed the lives of British women, taking us through the world wars and into modern Britain today. She blends her meticulous research with primary sources such as diary entries, journals and letters to retell the story of first and second wave feminism. Newman’s colloquial and witty voice makes this historical account accessible for all to enjoy. This is a beautiful book that seeks to save these pioneering women from oversight, which had sadly enabled these women to fade into oblivion.
Otegha Uwagba - Little Black Book A Toolkit for Working Women
Last but not least, the Sunday Times Bestseller, Little Black Book is a no-nonsense modern career guide that will inspire creative women to build up their career. The first chapter, ‘How to Maximise Your Productivity’ seeks to start you off on a journey of self-help that will go on to teach you how to overcome those creative blocks, navigate the workplace and assert yourself in making the decisions that will get you where you want to be. Uwagba’s guide is broken down into subsections to give concise and knowledgeable advice to help you build a self-made career, whilst its compact size makes it easy for you to travel towards your career goals. Little Black Book provides the motivation you needed to look after number one (that’s you!) and take control.
]]>Ordinary People By Diana Evans
Centered around the lives of two couples after the initial excitement of love, weddings, and coupledom. Instead, Evans, weaves a story around the explosive effects of life after children, the compromises made, the everyday chores and the constant child duties.
Circe by Madeline Miller
A beautiful unputdownable read, taking you into a world of the Greek gods. Circe has all the ingredients of an epic novel, with a complex heroine, bloodshed, and adventure. Prepare to be captivated from the moment you start reading!
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
Not for the faint-hearted, Rachel Kushner depicts life in a women’s correctional facility in California. We follow Romy Hall, a 29-year-old single mother about to embark on the first of two consecutive life sentences. Kushner mixes of some of the dark humour of the Orange Is the New Black and the harsh realities of what it means to be a poor female in America.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
The second novel by Rooney following A Conversation with Friends, this is a definite must read! Somehow Rooney has created a love story that is not a typical romance. We follow a young couple who attend University in Dublin who are young and in love but can’t quite manage to stay together. It’s all anxious thoughts, sex, and friendship woven beautifully to create complex characters. A book about being young that is meant for all.
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Not a recent release, but we had to include on our list. A short and sweet read, we go between Leo Gursky, an elderly man who believes that his life is coming to an end and a young Alma, whose mother still grieves the loss of her beloved husband. It’s about loneliness, lost love and gives a startling portrayal of what it means to be alone and elderly as well as young and in love. Out now
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