Gentle Reads

Any of you who know me from my yoyomama days know that I love sharing great things that I find. Back in the day, that was fun finds of all kinds for families, but now what I find myself sharing most often with friends is my favourite reads. So, I’m taking a stab at doing that more formally. Once a month, on a Friday I’m going to share three books aligned along one theme that I loved, and occasionally I’ll throw in a little something non-book related at the end.

There are plenty of people sharing reading recommendations online, and I follow lots of them, but I find most of them write a lot about the books they like. Like a lot a lot. For me and my life right now, I need something short and sweet that sells me on my next read, not an essay. If that’s you as well, I hope you enjoy these and find something to add to your to-be-read pile. Note: I may move up to a biweekly rhythm once I get into my groove, but for now, I’ll be sharing monthly. I’ll share them on my social channels. You can find them online here on my Ghost site, and I’ve also set up a (free) email newsletter (of course I have!), so you don’t have to rely on spotting them in your social media feeds. Just hit the subscribe button on the top right-hand side of this site, and you'll get next month's recommendations in your inbox.

So, without further ado, I’m revealing my inaugural theme –  Gentle Reads. With everything that’s going on in the world, I’ve found it hard to read anything that’s super gritty, deep, or meaningful lately. Instead, I’ve been gravitating towards what I like to call gentle reads. Books where the story and scope may be a little smaller, books that give you reading break from all the not-so-nice things going on in the world today, but also books that don’t leave you feeling like you’re losing brain cells while reading them. I fully recognize and acknowledge my privilege in being able to escape from the overwhelm into a good book. Also, I wasn’t thinking about sharing these books when I was reading them, so I’ve taken photos from the publishers’ websites and linked to the books there as well so you can choose your platform of choice if you’re going to buy any of them (ie. no affiliate links). Gentle reads don’t mean nothing bad happens. There are some jarring and sad moments in all of these books, but they all leave you feeling better than when you started. 

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - this book is just the loveliest. If you like tea, friendly witches, and orphans with a titch of lightly steamy romance thrown in, then you’ll like this. I’ve recommended it to so many people who've also been in need of a gentle read over the last little while, and it's always a hit. The author, Sangu Mandanna, has another book coming out later this year along the same lines, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. I loved this so much that I immediately bought the audiobook after reading it so I can listen to it when I have a few minutes here and there (or when I can't sleep, which is my new favourite time to listen to audiobooks).

If you only know author Gabrielle Zevin from her runaway hit Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - as I did - then The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, one of her earlier novels, might come as a bit of a surprise, but also maybe not, as it’s about love. It’s also about second chances and books, and anyone who likes books will love this book. They will also want to become a book rep. True fact: I almost applied for a job as a book rep while reading this book until a wise editor friend gave me a reality check. They made a movie of the book in 2022, but I haven't watched it in case it ruins the book for me. If you have watched it and it doesn't ruin the book, please let me know!

I get my own reading recommendations from a patchwork of places - The New York Times, Red Magazine, friends, Substacks...so I don't remember how I found out about Lauren Bravo's The Second Chance Store (originally called Preloved in the UK), but I'm glad I did. We all hit times in our lives when we need to make changes or start over, and we all need support during those times. Gwen, the novel's protagonist, finds herself at an impasse when her life drifts off course through inertia. She ends up volunteering at a charity shop (thrift store) and unexpectedly finds the support she needs. The book tells the backstories of the shop's volunteers and the objects who end up at the shop, reminding us all that you never know what people and things have been through. It's just a lovely book that sticks with you long after you've finished reading it, and I've heard the audiobook is excellent as well.

Maybe this month's theme should have been Second Chances, but I'm sticking with Gentle Reads...

If you like rhubarb like I like rhubarb (ie. A LOT), then you're on the hunt for interesting ways to use it at this time of year. My current favourite is this Rhubarb Cordial recipe from the BBC. It's great with sparkling water and over vanilla ice cream, and it would be great in gin cocktails as well. Enjoy!