Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Just pure escapism. Think Malibu in the seventies, cool surfers, wild house parties and love affairs. Not my fave from Taylor Jenkins Reid but I’ll enjoy anything she writes.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

This has been on my list for ages and I am so glad I read it this year as I think it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read and that everyone should read it. Raw and beautiful. We are taken on a journey of two sisters (one born into slavery and the other sold to become a slave trader’s wife) and the generations that follow them. A hard read.

Holding Her Breath by Eimear Ryan

An insight into competitive swimming but also a lovely coming of age story and unexpected love story.

What It Feels Like For a Girl by Paris Lees

A gorgeous and honest memoir. Like nothing I have read before written in a northern dialect which I got used to after a few chapters. Very readable and eye opening.

All Adults Here by Emma Straub

Just the perfect kind of novel for me. Family relationships and the every day drama kind of book that observes human behaviour at its worst and its finest. It’s original and endearing and I really loved the characters. This was the first Emma Straub book I read so can’t wait to read more.

Olive by Emma Gannon

A much needed novel for our generation. We follow a group of women who navigate the tricky early thirties stage of life when suddenly we can’t relate to our friends who have children, our friends who don’t want children and everything in between.

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

Couldn’t put this down! A married woman who is still in love with her childhood best friend who is also still in her life. There’s so much more to this novel than that though and the settings are really beautifully described. The middle section was difficult and uncomfortable for me to read though and I didn’t enjoy that section as much however I enjoyed the novel as a whole and was satisfied with the ending.

Mayflies by Andrew O’Hagan

Not the kind of book I like to read but interesting and good to try something different. Surrounding the topics of death, mortality and friendship. It’s a sad read.

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Breathtaking! I love greek mythology but even if you don’t then I’d urge you to read this one. The perfect form of escapism for me- full of betrayal and female empowerment as well as monsters and gods! If you were a fan of Circe and Song Of Achilles then you’ll love this.

Dear Mrs Bird by A J Pearce

A heart-warming and humorous book set in World War II. The protagonist Emmy is one of my favourite characters of all time, I wish I could give her a huge cuddle. She’s ballsy and generous and constantly doubts herself but what a brave soul! A real insight into what it would have been like as a twenty something girl trying to live her life in London while bombs were falling.

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

I’m sad to say I was a little disappointed with this. I think it had a lot to live up too with Normal People and Conversations with Friends and clearly Sally Rooney has grown up as a writer but it was a little too political for me and I didn’t connect with the characters at all. In fact I didn’t like them! I’d still recommend it as Rooney has an incredible mind.

*the books in this post are linked to bookshop.org which is an online bookshop with a mission to financially support local, independent bookshops. I encourage you to buy from here or your local bookshop and not from Amazon. This is not an AD or AFFILIATE. I don’t receive commission.