Books I’ve loved

I sometimes have up to 3 books on the go - a mix of business, self-development and fiction. It’s not the best way to consume literature, but it works for me cause there’s always something that suits my mood. (Reading about business strategy right before bed does not thrill me.)

I’ve got a list in my phone of books recommended through podcasts, newsletters, word of mouth and every week go to the library with the kids to see what’s available. I’ve never left without something (it’s a long list).

Below is a list of things I’ve read so far and loved:

Happy Place by

Emily Henry

Picked this up from the library straight after ‘You and Me on Vacation’ as it was such a delightful read. Chick lit romance is definitely Henry’s specialty - she knows how to get you to root for the protagonist and scream ‘love her!!!’

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is Reid’s third book I’ve read (Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and the Six) and her writing is just. phenomenal. This one’s about a once-tennis-great who gets pulled out of retirement when her world record is matched by a rising star. I cried in it, cheered for her wins and ached with her losses. And waiting to get my hands on Malibu Rising…

The Girl with the Louding Voice by
Abi Daré

Recommended by a friend when I told them I enjoyed ‘Educated by Tara Westover’. Similar ‘odds are against her’ plot, set in Nigeria and I loved being transported into the African culture (I did a lot of googling while reading). A story about determination from a 14yo girl, after being sold as a domestic servant and her desperation for education.

You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry

This book made me realise that chick lit is popular for a reason 😂 A romance between two best friends fighting not to fall in love with each other. It sounds really lame written out, I admit.. but it was an easy, enjoyable read with lots of wit.

Big Magic by
Elizabeth Gilbert

I like to recommend this book to creatives who go through a block, or need some encouraging words. There are some really interesting concepts in this - one I always think about is how creative ideas/concepts are like souls that float around, looking for someone to inhabit. Once an idea ‘inhabits’ you, you either use it or it gets bored and looks for another host. I actually think about this concept every time I have a new idea - ‘would I be okay if someone else takes this idea instead?’ Funnily enough, Hamish Blakes’s podcast is very similar to an idea I had but didn’t execute 😂

‘Most things have been done, but they have not yet been done by you.’

Honeybee by
Craig Silvey

This book made me cry (a few times) and appreciate the hardships that those outside the heteronormative narrative endure. Such a great depiction of the importance of having someone in your corner (not necessarily a family member), a stranger that becomes the most transformative figure in a life.

‘But Sam, I have to tell you that doubt and confidence are both acts of faith. They’re both predictions of our capabilities. We either tell ourselves that we can or that we can’t.’

Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty

I adore Jay Shetty’s podcast ‘On Purpose’ - I always find it super insightful, so when he released his first book, I was curious. There are some great lessons in ‘Think Like a Monk’ (spoiler: he is an ex-monk), about detachment, monk vs monkey mindset, and they pop up at the most random moments of my life.

‘Our identity is wrapped up in what others think of us—or, more accurately, what we think others think of us.’

Educated by
Tara Westover

This was very powerful, unbelievable memoir of a little girl whose family were survivalist Mormons. It’s a bit of a heavy read (physical & emotional abuse), but is ultimately about taking control of one’s destiny, the relationship and cost of loyalty in family. It’s about changing perspective the more you learn about the world, and seriously puts life into perspective.

‘Whomever you become, whatever you make yourself into, that is who you always were.’