This summer I came back home to a big pile of books that I have had on my 'To Be Read list' for far too long! Summer is the perfect time to sit back with a good book and relax, complete with a nice warm cup of tea and a cosy blanket (or in our case recently, due to the stunning weather, an icy cold refreshing drink and a pair of shades). Reading, for me, is the perfect escape from the stresses of everyday life it almost feels like a form of self-care!
Here is a list of five books that I have read recently, and I would 100% recommend them all for a relaxing summer read.
1. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
I’ve always been a fan of Greek mythology from a young age, often asking my dad to tell me the stories of the Minotaur, Hercules, or Hades, I now find myself gravitating toward books that centre around this theme. A common trope that has surfaced recently is Greek legends told from the perspective of women.
A Greek Myth + strong female characters is a formula that can produce nothing but successful stories in my eyes.
Barker’s Silence of the Girls centres around the tragedy of Achilles and the battle of Troy but from the fresh new perspective of Briseis.
As the book centres around the exploitation of the captured women of Troy, it should definitely come with a trigger warning for the sexual abuse the females experienced as part of the story, often pictured in quite graphic detail.
Having read the Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, a renowned modern author very well versed in Greek mythology, it was very interesting to read about this tale from a different perspective.
2. It Ends with Us by Coleen Hoover
Everyone who has Tik Tok had heard of the viral sensation that is Colleen Hoover circling around Book Tok. So of course I had to buy at least four of her books to find out what all of the hype is about.
I thought that it was only right to start with It Ends with Us, as it was the book that had been constantly coming up on my for you page.
Although admittedly overhyped, I really enjoyed this story of the classic trope of an unforgettable childhood first love re-emerging at the most inconvenient of times.
I thought that the way Hoover approached subjects such as domestic violence was hard-hitting but real, showing the easy cycle of reoccurrence and forgiveness.
I really liked the ending of this book as Hoover cleverly creates parallels throughout the book that crop up towards the end, a fantastic read overall.
I am now, currently, reading 'Ugly Love' another Coleen Hoover classic and I am really loving it so far!!
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This is an absolute must-read in my eyes, and I would love to read it all over again for the first time if I could. Being somewhat of a classic I steered clear of this book for many years as i am more of a modern literature kind of girl, but I am so glad I was recommended it by my sister this year.
The Book Thief is a book focusing on a girl growing up in Nazi Germany but narrated by the omniscient character of death, I have never read anything quite like it.
Harrowing and haunting as much as it is heart-warming, it is an unapologetic depiction of human nature even at the most violent, evil, and horrifying times.
4. Daisy Jones and the Six Taylor by Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid is always a go-to author for me as she never seems to disappoint, and she did it again with this book.
It is written in a completely different style from any book I’ve read before, presented the whole way through as an interview with a former fictional band about their rise to success. Even though the band is completely made up, the way in which Jenkins Reid presents them makes you doubt whether they do actually exist.
As well as a romance, this story covers important issues such as drug addiction, domestic abuse, and adultery, all based on the corruption of fame.
5. My Body by Emily Ratajkowski
Being my most recent finished book, My body by Ratajkowski has lodged itself firmly into my mind. An amazing perspective of feminism and the male gaze from a woman that has experienced first hand how objectifying, possessive and righteous people can be especially in the modelling/film/television industry.
When I told one of my friends I was reading this book the response was, ‘Her? But she’s a model? She’s stunning though, but surely she has a ghost writer or something, she can't have written that all herself’. I feel like this was the exact reason that I wanted to read this book. Emily Ratajkowski has always been seen as a body first and a mind second, often being the catalyst for avaricious men taking exactly what they want. It was refreshing to read such an amazing book written honestly, and incredibly bravely from the heart, she really accomplished the main goal that she set out to achieve, to claim ownership over her own body and prove to everyone that she is more than just a beautiful, sexy woman, but also intelligent, opinionated and capable of so much more.