It felt like we only had a handful of sunny days, and August was a dark and stormy month which was reflected in my reading as I found myself drawn to the mysteries, magical realism, romances and children’s adventures I normally reserve for the long, dark evenings of autumn and winter. I also thoroughly enjoyed listening to two non-fiction audiobooks last month.

Doppelganger by Naomi Klein

This book was inspired by people frequently confusing Naomi Klein (No Logo and This Changes Everything) with Naomi Wolf (The Beauty Myth), like all doppelgangers there are similarities between them, but also significant differences. Doppelganger is a fascinating snapshot in time about personal branding, influencers and authenticity, and starts with Naomi Klein reflecting on her own evolution from No Logo to present, the choices and experiences that led her down one path as she tries to understand why her doppelganger took opposite paths. I was really interested in the exploration of political diagonialism when different groups find common ground that diverge from the traditional left-right political wings, and how the right has increasingly welcomed exiles from the left, combined with the persistent failure of the left to engage with fears and suspicion around vaccinations, social media and privacy, climate change, and other divisive topics. This is such a book full of big ideas that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to on audiobook.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

I have a soft spot for stories about witches and magic set in the real world like Chocolat, Practical Magic and The Once and Future Witches, and this is historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. Loosely inspired by Leigh Bardugo’s Spanish Jewish ancestors who converted to Christianity to escape the Inquisition and then disappeared, the story follows a scullion, Luzia, who has a just a little bit of magic that draws the attention of ambitious patrons who use her to further their own ends. Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite writers and while this isn’t her best work, it’s an enjoyable tale with lots of tension, a bit of romance and a couple of clever twists.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

I’ve read a few Inspector Poirot mysteries but decided to try Christie’s other famous sleuth, Miss Marple. When the dead body of a young woman is found in Colonel Bantry’s library, while he calls the police, his wife calls Miss Marple to help them solve the mystery of who the victim is, who killed her and how she ended up in their library. This is a clever little mystery with plenty of suspects, a few red herrings and a reveal that I didn’t see coming but wrapped up the story very neatly.

Christmas At the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin

A bit early for Christmas stories, but couldn’t resist this when I saw it on Netgalley. This is a romance novel about Anais, a recently divorced novelist with writer’s block and a delapidated hotel she got as part of her divorce settlement. With the help of her loyal cousin, Manon, she sets about renovating the hotel in time for its Christmas opening but soon discovers that the hotel has its own secrets and a mystery to solve. I really enjoyed the strong female friendship through this, the slow burn romance and learning about French Christmas traditions along the way. This is a lighthearted and escapist romance perfect to curl up with as the evenings draw in and the countdown to Christmas begins. Christmas At the Little Paris Hotel is out on 26th September, thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Rebecca Raisin for the advanced reading copy.

The Island at the Edge of Night by Lucy Strange

A heart pounding, nail bitingly tense middlegrade thriller, the story follows 12 year old Faye Fitzgerald when she’s sent to a reform school for wicked children on a remote and desolate island for a crime she can’t remember. This is absolutely gripping, full of mystery, twists and turns. At times, this was so tense and foreboding, it could have been written by Daphne du Maurier, and other times it reminded me of classic adventures like The Wolves of Willoughby Chase with brave children outwitting devious and cruel adults.

One Garden Against the World by Kate Bradbury

This is such a love letter to nature, and Kate Bradbury is such an inspiration to me. One Garden Against the World is about the many ways gardeners can help nature, and maybe even mitigate climate change.  This is poignant and disheartening as she battles other people’s indifference, denial and cruelty, frets about the lack of rain during record breaking heatwaves and recites grim statistics about the collapse of bird, insect and hedgehog populations, yet is also so informative and inspiring. Kate Bradbury is so full of useful advice and her reverence for nature really shines through it all. I loved all the audacious and eccentric anecdotes she shares from rescuing caterpillars before the local council gardeners mowed down nettles in the park to fattening up hedgehogs from the local rescue centre in her garden.

Have a lovely week. X