You know what time it is! We’re bringing you another four books we know you’ll want to cosy up with while the season slowly changes to Autumn. So, grab a cup of tea, Pumpkin Spice Latte, whatever your vice, and sit down and read these beautiful books.
The Magic Border, Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks is a force to be reckoned with, because not only has she proven herself to be an incredible singer time and time again, but now a poet and writer. I was lucky enough to see her earlier this month at the Manchester Literature Festival and hear her read some of the poems from her debut poetry book: The Magic Border.
In collaboration with photographer Daniyel Lowden, The Magic Border contains twenty never-seen-before original poems from Parks, discussing a multitude of topics such as mental health, friendship, queerness, race and love in all and every form possible.
It is a beautiful book, from its cover to its contents to its barcode. Parks has outdone herself with The Magic Border, and I look forward to reading more of her poetry in the future. (pub. 2023, 80 pages)
Who’d Like This?
Those who love poetry regarding the queer identity and mental health, but also for those who love and appreciate a book that’s visually appealing.
Oh, and of course, those who adore Parks and all her endeavours.
Favourite poems
“Happy Queer Film”, “Big Bear” and “Amygdala”.
The Forager’s Calendar: A Seasonal Guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests, John Wright
If you never had an interest in foraging before, then you will after reading this book. With 400 pages filled to the brim with details and facts about all the various edible gifts that nature can provide, this book is a constant source of learning for me. It also has a seasonal guide, which means it’s a go-to when researching what to forage and when.
You’ll also learn how to store, use and cook and identify a multitude of species, and I guarantee that this book will be dog-eared and well-loved in your collection, earning a rightful and permanent place on your bookshelf for years to come. (pub. 2020, 400 pages)
Who’d Like This?
Absolutely anyone! This knowledge this book gives you is never-ending and makes learning about the gifts from nature so easy, fun, and not overwhelming. Also, a perfect gift for the foraging/hiking/nature lover in your life.
Daisy Jones and The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid
If you’re a lover of 70s music, Fleetwood Mac and a tumultuous love story then Daisy Jones and The Six is for you. The book was turned into a drama miniseries, which was released earlier this year on Amazon Prime.
Jenkins Reid shines here, with a story that feels like you’re watching the characters’ lives unfold before you. Follow the rise and fall of the most popular band Daisy Jones and The Six and watch as their lives change for the worse and for the better, watch as they fall in and out of love, watch as they follow their hearts and not their guts… you’ll be completely enveloped in their world and find it hard to retract yourself from it.
Plus, the songs they created in the miniseries sound as if they could have been released in the late 70s. Absolutely brilliant. (pub. 2019, 432 pages)
Who’d Like This?
If you watched the series before reading the book, then you’ll love this because the characters do feel more intimate, and Jenkins Reid writes with such a punch that you’ll be looking for more of her books to devour… but more on that another time.
Also, this is perfect for anyone looking for a book where the environment and time period fully immerse you.
Quote
“I wish someone had told me that love isn’t torture. Because I thought love was this thing that was supposed to tear you in two and leave you heartbroken and make your heart race in the worst way. I thought love was bombs and tears and blood. I did not know that it was supposed to make you lighter, not heavier. I didn’t know it was supposed to take only the kind of work that makes you softer. I thought love was war.”
Baby, Annaleese Jochems
Baby is like a modern, hot and messy version of Lord of the Flies, as readers embark on an adventure with 21-year-old Cynthia who is bored of life, deciding to rope in her striking and unhappy fitness instructor Anahera to leave their life behind. Anahera abandons her job and marriage and joins Cynthia to start a new life with her dad’s stolen money and their new boat called “Baby”.
Things start to take a new and dark turn when money slowly runs out, and Cynthia’s obsession and infatuation with Anahera becomes more intense, leading to strange events on an empty island (pub. 2017, 272 pages)
Who’d Like This?
If you like slow-burning psychological thrillers, stories of obsession and the consequences of the lack of laws when there is no one there to enforce them, this is for you. The story takes a while to get going, but it’s a fascinating one.
Quote
“What a bland man! Just another part of the world which simply isn’t adequate, not for Anahera, and not for Cynthia either; not with all its roads leading to more roads, its lines and lines of houses, its dogs on leashes, and all these ladies in Anahera’s class, on her lawn, so heaving and entitled. The feeling is boredom and disappointment to the point of excruciation, and Cynthia understands it absolutely.”