May 2024

I started my new job on 1 May, which has been a fun and interesting learning curve. I’m writing this standing up in Manchester Airport (my most hated airport. Yes, it’s worse than Stansted) before I head on a work trip that I’m equally excited and nervous about. This month, I read a lot of heavy hitters that had me regularly crying in bed. I may have read some of the books of the year already!

The Ball at Versailles by Danielle SteelDid you know that Danielle Steel is a Leo, like me? She also has seven children, while I have none, but she dedicates all of her books to her kids, which I think is sweet. This one is classic DS. It’s about debutantes in 1950s US, who are invited for the first time to take part in the Crillon Ball in Paris. There’s fat-shaming, slut-shaming, dresses, and everyone ends up happy, except the people who don’t deserve to. The perfect reset for me.

Big Date Energy by Bethany RutterMy friend Sara hosted an interview with Bethany, which I missed cos I was god knows where, so I decided to pick up this book. It’s a fun read about a serial monogamist who decides to embark on a string of casual dating and sex for the first time in her life. It’s refreshingly inclusive of bodies and sexualities, and the vaguely unlikeable protagonist keeps it down to earth. It’s not a game changer, but it’s a fun and light read if you want something to break up a heavier reading schedule.

Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again: Women and Desire in the Age of Consent by Katherine AngelI loved Katherine Angel’s Daddy Issues and this well-researched and nuanced study on desire and consent resonates, while also offering solace and personal insights. I love that Katherine Angel’s books always feel so rigorous but relevant. Drawing off of the Me Too movement and the place of gender dynamics and power in sex in modern times, she deftly looks at what we can do next.

Reality Check by Vicki NotaroAnyone who knows me knows that I love any reality TV show that Bravo produces, including the wider Real Housewives universe. This is a debut from an Irish author that is built around Desdemona “Dessie” Daniels, the Irish mainstay of the iconic Ladies of Los Angeles (LOLA) and her wider family and circle. I inhaled this fabulous book and it gave me the perfect mix of escapism, fun and opulence. It’s clear that the author is as much of a Bravo stan as I am and I can’t wait to read her next book.

In Youth is Pleasure by Denton WelchI went to a brilliant event at the West Kirby Bookshop, where they edited the head of Faber Editions and got excellent insights into republishing, archives and the publishing business as a whole. As well as a head full of new information on an industry I know nothing about, I came away with a recommendation from Jordan, who co-owns the shop, on this bizarre and freaky little book. It tells the story of our protagonist Orvil across a summer spent across England with his father and brothers. Orvil’s point of view is unique and his adventures are odd, but I found it a deeply fascinating and memorable coming of age story.

Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKennaAnother WKB book event! This book is set across one weekend in London in 2019, a scorcher that took place in a unique, pre-pandemic political climate. I lived in London then and remember taking the Central Line (hell on a normal day) when it was 37 degrees Celsius, sweat pouring down my back. I got to Liverpool Street, where they were handing out ice pops which melted down my hand as soon as they were unwrapped. It carefully sketches its characters, leaving you wanting more. They feel so real that I couldn’t believe I was reading fiction at times. The central characters are two best friends who are from the outskirts of London, navigating their lives going in different directions, and the supporting players of their friends, families and lovers. Another one I spent a lot of time crying over.

Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine PascalI brought this one over from Ireland when my dad drove all my stuff over on the ferry. As someone who inhaled the SVH books, I inhaled the adult sequel when it was released. Who’d have thought that Jessica and Todd would betray Elizabeth like that?! Elizabeth is in New York now?! Perfect for anyone who wants a more adult version of a nostalgic classic.

Queer Icons and Their Cats by PJ Nastasi and Alison NastasiDid you know that Alison Bechdel and Michel Foucault are and were cat people? I didn’t until I read this charming book! It’s a lovely mix of queer history and personal stories of icons across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, some more mainstream than others. I’d recommend it only for lovely photos of people like Freddie Mercury, Anohni and Dusty Springfield with their feline friends.

Blue Sisters by Coco MellorsLong-term readers of this newsletter may remember that I missed the first author event with Coco Mellors at the West Kirby Bookshop to go to Costco. Well, this time, I missed it because I had a migraine! I am devastated to have not been there and am determined to go to the next one, even if I have a limb hanging off. I loved her first book, but this one blew me away. It’s about three sisters trying to learn to live without their fourth, who has died. It’s a delicate and realistic story of sisterhood, the rawness and primality of it, grief and addiction, as well as recovery. It explores what life looks like when you decide to make different choices. I don’t want to give too much away, but it moved me to tears multiple times. I want everyone to read this and to talk to me about it.

To Hate and Love Men by Gina MartinI have always found the “men are trash” rhetoric lazy, even if I have parroted it at times, and this essay explores what it’s like to be aware of the damage of the patriarchy, wanting the men you know to do better, while also loving men and being aware of their potential. It’s a viewpoint I haven’t seen a lot written about, but it reminded me of another brilliant piece I read this month on why so many women are turning to celibacy. I’d recommend this book to women who want and believe that men can be better, and the men who want to do more.

You can also check out my May playlist below.