March Book Club

All the books I read this month

Welcome to the March edition of my monthly book round-up! This month I’ve still been dipping into addictive page turners in pursuit of writing my own novel, but I’ve also devoured a really good business book, an early proof of a brilliant non-fiction book, and I’ve also included one I didn’t technically finish but wanted to share anyway. You’ll see why.

BOOK OF THE MONTH
Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings by Natalie Lawrence
(Orion, 29 August 2024)

This book isn’t actually out until August, but I was sent an early copy and enjoyed it so much I wanted to invite you to preorder it because it was brilliant - and preorders really help spread the word for deserving authors. Enchanted Creatures is about dissecting the idea of ‘monsters’ in all their different forms - from those lurking in the darkness to the ones in broad daylight and within our own minds. It expertly weaves together the threads of academia (Natalie has a PhD and her research is fantastic) with spellbinding storytelling and her own beautiful illustrations. It invites us to question everything we know about the nature of chaos and control, and I bloody loved it. One to read with the lights on.

The Hike by Lucy Clarke
(HarperCollins, 2023)

In last month’s round-up, I wrote about Lucy Clarke’s One of the Girls which I really enjoyed listening to on audio, so I was pleased to find her latest book The Hike in the chazza shop. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t captivate me quite as much as OOTG. The scenery descriptions were brilliant (it’s set on a fictional Norwegian mountain) and I liked the characters, but it wasn’t quite as satisfying as her other book. Still a good read, though.

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
(Oneworld, 2023)

I wrote about this Booker-winning book on my last Substack post, because it was so well written that I couldn’t actually finish it. Prophet Song is set in a fictional (although completely believable) Ireland as it slides quickly into the grip of a tyrannical government. The story follows a woman struggling to cope with her husband’s disappearance and the safety of their children, and I’ll be honest, I just can’t cope with these things at the moment. I’m still in the postnatal fug and I struggle to read stories like these in a way that never bothered me before I became a mother. Highly recommend, but not for the faint of heart.

More Sales Please by Sara Nasser Dalrymple
(Practical Inspiration Publishing, 2024)

Full disclosure: I love a good business book, and when this one was recommended to my by the Amazon overlords, I couldn’t resist the hot pink cover. And do you know what? It was SO GOOD. Obviously I picked this one up mainly to help me with my Papaver business, where I design eco-friendly paper goods to inspire creativity. (Have you visited yet?) Sometimes business books can be so vague and wishy washy, but this one was incredibly useful, and I really recommend if you also run a small business or if you have any product or service to offer the world. It completely reframed how I think about buying and selling, and it was full of solid, practical, actionable steps rather than a load of mindset crap you often find in these books.

Our House by Louise Candlish
(Simon & Schuster, 2018)

My mama recommended this one to me when I told her I was trying to read page turners and understand what makes them so gripping. I actually have a few pages left to go but I’m including it here because I know I’ll finish it in bed tonight. It’s so good! One of those you can’t wait to settle down with at the end of the day. Full of twists and really well paced, and also leaves you feeling more than a bit paranoid about being scammed.

If you’re looking for books to read, might I suggest preordering my next one?

Ebb and Flow: A Guide to Seasonal Living is an illustrated guide to slowing down and tuning into the rhythm of the year. I’ve poured many happy hours into it, illustrating every page and writing essays, poems, crafts, recipes and other tidbits, all designed to help you embrace each season and find peace, mindfulness and joy throughout the year. I really feel like there’s a little piece of my soul in this book!

The hardback is published with Bloomsbury on 12 September 2024, and it can preordered anywhere you buy your books, including Bloomsbury, Bookshop, Amazon and Waterstones.