July Edition

Summer reads

Hey friends,

It’s been a great month of reading so some cracking books in this newsletter. I’ve also had a few people ask me for summer reads reccos so thought I’d add a few from years gone by. There’s also my best reads of 2023 and 2024 that have longer lists in them.

• My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante - part of the Neapolitan Novels series set in 1950s Naples.

• Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan - I read this years ago on holiday in Spain and absolutely loved it.

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - a great holiday read you won’t be able to put down (even if you’ve seen the film and know what happens!)

• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid - very readable and compelling.

• The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith - absolute must-read if you haven’t before.

• The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - imagine a lot of you’ve read this but if you haven’t, you should.

• An American Marriage by Tayari Jones - this is brilliant.

I thought I’d also include some of my To Be Read list - would love to know what you’re reading this summer!

• Victim by Andrew Boryga

• The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

• Violeta by Isabel Allende

• Gunk by Saba Sams

• The Names by Florence Knapp

• A Room Above a Shop by Anthony Shapland

• The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen

Lots of love,

Izz

Books

A Spell of Good Things by Ayòbámi Adébáyò

This took a while to get going for me but once I got in the flow of the slightly laborious writing I really enjoyed it. It weaves together two contrasting narratives - of young Eniolá whose family try their best to survive after his dad lost his teaching job and of Yèyé and her daughter Wúràolá, an influential and wealthy family that know their comfortable life and social status could crumble at any moment. The book definitely got better and once I began to see where the story leads, I realised how invested I was as I willed the outcomes to be different…

Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico

Super hyped and deservedly so. This international Booker nominated short novel is beautifully written and presents an authentic observation of what a modern existence can look like. It follows Anna and Tom as they establish their lives in Berlin and looks at how they curate and project the life they want, and how this sits alongside the life they actually have. It’s one of those books that leaves you wondering how the author manages to create such a vivid world with such economical writing.

Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this - I can’t actually remember where I’d come across it - and it ended up being a real treat. It was first published in 1929 but it’s still pertinent, funny and scandalous nearly a hundred years later. The author - who based this on her own experience as a divorcee - described the backdrop to the book as “the era of the one-night stand” in Jazz Age New York. Loved this!

We Do Not Part by Han Kang

This year Han Kang has firmly become one of my favourite authors. If you haven’t read Human Acts - do. This is her most recent novel and slightly more experimental. But the pay off was worth it for me.

Girl on Girl: how pop culture turned a generation of women against themselves by Sophie Gilbert

Highly recommend especially for those who love a bit of pop culture! A fascinating look at how misogyny, pornography, violence and consumerism have shaped how women are viewed and valued in society, by ourselves and others.

Two Hours by Alba Arikha

A gorgeous short novel that shows how a brief encounter when she was sixteen stays with Clara as she grows up and builds her own life.

TV

Overcompensating, Amazon Prime

Benny arrives at college not knowing who he wants to be. He’s struggling to embrace his sexuality and feels the huge weight of expectation from his picture perfect parents. It’s gloriously camp and will make you cringe, cheer and cry in equal measure. You’ll struggle to not watch it in one sitting. Loved!!

Food/Drink

Baked cod with lemon and garlic

I don’t often cook with white fish but this recipe looked easy and tasty - and it was! Much garlic, much butter.

Iced coffee for the week

I debated on including this because it seems so basic and I’m sure a lot of people do this already, but it’s been a great discovery for me. At the start of the week I make a full cafetiere of coffee, pour it into a container and then keep it in the fridge. It makes delicious iced coffee - I just pour over ice with oat milk - and the best part is it’s already made for you and doesn’t cost you £4.50 every time!