As I write this article, it is around 10:30pm on the day before Christmas Eve. I have chosen this moment to recommend books for aforementioned Christmas Eve, which is happening in around 1 hour and 30 minutes. Nothing like a bit of forward planning.

I thought it was about time that I came back to this blog, because in the last couple of weeks, I’ve sort of lost sight of it underneath my ever-growing to-do list, piles of scrap paper and some extremely grubby highlighters, all of which is also more widely known as sixth form. Evidently, my newest academic venture into the world of college has done wonders for my organisational skills, as I again remind you that Christmas Eve is a measly hour or so away. Well, better late than never.

I was going to write a sort of introductory paragraph here on what I’m about to list but the title is pretty self-explanatory. I am going to recommend books to read on Christmas Eve on a dubious time scale. Let’s go.

1. ‘On Angel Wings’ by Michael Morpurgo

This is a somewhat sentimental addition to this Christmas Eve reading list as for quite a while now, my family and I have had the tradition of reading this book aloud every Christmas Eve *cue general aw-ing*. It’s a narration of the Christmas story from the perspective of a young shepherd boy who gets left behind to look after the sheep when the shepherds go to visit Jesus. Now, I know I probably lost some of you at ‘Christmas story’ – I am aware that it cues alarming flashbacks of tea towel-wearing wise men in the school nativity, Christmas assemblies that are so boring that Brussel sprouts seem a positively angelic alternative and wanting to be an angel in the nativity but getting cast as a star (I’m still bitter about it). But don’t let this put you off. It’s quite short but beautifully illustrated by the fabulousness that is Quentin Blake and (prepare your fondue dishes because this is about to get cheesy), it really does remind you that Christmas, no matter what your religion is, is about being together and celebrating and appreciating. But seriously, despite the cringey way I’ve described it, do give it a read if you can – some of the illustrations have bits of gold paper on them, so it must be good.

2. ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling

Come on. Did you really think I was going to compile a recommendations list without any Harry Potter on it? I am extremely predictable. Nevertheless, Christmas is a time for family and let’s face it, for some of us, Harry Potter is more like family than that one token relative that every family seems to have, who’s really weird and creepy but everyone invites out of politeness anyway. But this is a great one for Christmas Eve – it’s the most pure and uncorrupted Harry Potter first off, it’s got a smashing Christmas scene in it and it’s Harry bloody Potter. Need I go on? For me, at least, this is an old favourite and honestly (more cheese coming), re-reading it feels like coming home. Let’s all shake off the cringiness together, shall we? Swiftly moving on.

3. ‘Let It Snow’ by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson

I was lying in my bed, desperately looking at my book shelves for any more Christmas Eve delights and I saw this beauty and I just knew it had to be on the list. If I’m being honest, I last read this a very long time ago but the general gist of it is that there are three different stories in it which are all happening around the Christmas period and they all intertwine and link up in a very pleasing way and it’s just a nice fluffy book to get you in the Christmas mood. I am now strategically planning out a power reading session tomorrow for this book in my head because I think I need an adorable, John Green-crafted romance story in my pre-Christmas life. Honestly, reading this book will be the biggest present you get this year because it’s that great. I think if I hype this book up any more, people will begin to think I am all of these authors’ publicists. To summarise – read this for Christmassy romances that are structured like ‘Love Actually’. Cracking film by the way, I thought it was terrible the first time I watched it but I re-watched the other day and thought it was fab. If you overlook the slightly dodgy moments that is, namely when KEIRA KNIGHTLEY KISSES HER HUSBAND’S BEST FRIEND. Oh my god, I’m rambling so much.

4. ‘The Wolf Princess’ by Cathryn Constable

If you’re thinking that this book sounds incredibly childish and juvenile, that’s because it is. Essentially, it’s about three students on a school trip to Russia who get on the wrong train and end up being picked up by this princess who invites the three girls to stay with her in her palace in the snowy, wolf-y mountaintops. Many snowy and wolffish antics ensue. This book is PERFECT for Christmas Eve – a very easy and quick read, set in winter for that snowy ambiance, extremely juvenile to remind you of the childish joys of Christmas and epitomises, for me anyway, the childhood dreams of your classic stereotypical young girl, which was to suddenly find out that I was a princess, live in a castle etc. Keeping the dream alive.

5. ‘How to be a Woman’, ‘How to be Famous’ or literally any other book by Caitlin Moran

I can read Caitlin Moran any time of the year because I love her and she is one of my invite-anyone-to-a-dinner-party-living-or-dead. However, I personally believe that her books are especially great for Christmas Eve. Let’s face it. It’s Christmas Eve. You want something funny and relevant but profound. No one wants to be reading a great tome of boredom on Christmas Eve. You just want to laugh and eat After Eights into the next century until your waistline becomes so large that it can be used as a piece of furniture because let’s face it, no one has the money to buy a new coffee table after the financial abyss that is the Christmas period, so why not just make it yourself? #DIYSOS. To return to my main point, Caitlin Moran’s books are perfectly suited to Christmas Eve – they are laugh-out-loud funny but they’re also full of so much profound wisdom that it’ll keep you happy and keep you sane whilst your house is overrun with relatives and wrapping paper. The perfect Christmas antidote.

And I believe that is my list complete. Think of this as my Christmas present to you. I’m only just making it by the skin of my teeth but we got there in the end. Sorry if my writing is a bit rickety in places – I’m getting back into the swing of it and also, it’s nearly Christmas so I find it hard to focus on anything else really. Hope you enjoyed and that you have a great Christmas, bursting at the seams with good books, family time and a lorry-load of After Eights. They really do taste like the sweets of heaven.

Yours in Christmas excitement,

Sophie

Ah. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? How about we dust the cobwebs off this blog? Get the old thing going again? Come back with, as they say, ‘a bang’? I know, I know, it’s been a long time since I last posted. But I’m back and I’m better than ever.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock/have just time travelled from 1653/are slightly less culturally mainstream than the rest of us, you will know about a recent Netflix rom-com called ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’. You will now understand my titular pun. Hilarity will, naturally, ensue. Collectively, the world has warmed to this film for a number of reasons: a) it’s so cute that it makes you want to squeeze something b) it’s extremely romantic and c) Noah Centineo. I think we can all agree that that man won the genetic lottery. I reckon he probably gets proposed to at least 7 times a day by random strangers and that’s just a normal Wednesday for him. What a world we live in.

Anyway, in a Lara-Jean sort of style, I thought I would write my own love letters, not to my crushes, but to the bookshops that define each stage of my life or I feel have made an influence on me. An obscure list, I know and it’s quite surprising for all of us that there’s more than one, to be honest. I’m glad to announce that my letters will be consensually released and not, instead, released by a far too socially active sister, like our friend Lara-Jean. Also, my letter is to some bookshops. I am extremely single. Let’s go.

1. Borders, Fort Kinnaird, Scotland

Dear Borders,

I lived in Scotland until I was 8 years old and often, when I tell people that, they ask me first of all whether I had an accent, whether I can do a Scottish accent (Merida impression promptly ensues) and then what it was like living there. And all I can really reply to this with is that I spent most of my Sundays with you, my good friend Borders.

Every Sunday, my family and I used to visit you (editor’s note, which is still me but proof reading me: why does this sound weirdly desperate?) and look around at all the new books. There was a little coffee shop on the top floor where we often went to complete two of life’s most enjoyable tasks, which are eating cake and buying a new book. I have many a fond memory of rainy afternoons spent perusing academic and scholarly novels, such as ‘Princess Poppy’ and ‘The Little Hungry Caterpillar’. But in all seriousness, I spent many wonderful hours there – thank you for the cake and books, the greatest gifts that can EVER be given.

Yours in cake eating,

Sophie

2. Waterstones, Ocean Terminal, Scotland

Dear Ocean Terminal Waterstones,

A bystander walking past your store front may not even notice it. I was going to even give an example of what they might think about it when they see it but I can’t even think of one – their eyes just slide past, to Primark for the bargain hunters, The White Company for the lovers of monochrome, McDonald’s for everyone. Maccy D’s never gets old – what a crowd pleaser. I do have a point, I promise. Many people may not notice you, Waterstones. But I do. I remember.

I used to be a massive fan of the ‘Princess Poppy’ books. These books were picture books about the titular character, Poppy, her similarly florally named friends and the flowery antics they got up to. There were annuals, colouring books, a Club Penguin style website but for ‘Princess Poppy’ and I loved it. So much. One day, Janey Louise Jones, the genius author of this series, released a new book with a ballet-themed storyline and a new main character. I loved ballet and Janey Louise Jones, so naturally I bought it and I thought that was that. I would read it, love it, read it again, repeat to infinity. That did happen, but something else did too.

At the Waterstones at Ocean Terminal, JANEY LOUISE JONES READ OUT HER NEW BALLET BOOK AND SIGNED MY COPY AND TOOK A PICTURE WITH ME. What a fabulous experience. I remember being so happy that she was literally deity-like to me. You cannot get much better than that. And you gave that to me, Waterstones at Ocean Terminal.

Thank you, Waterstones at Ocean Terminal – you hosted an experience that was the full extent of joy for a little six year old girl. It is genuinely a very fond and happy memory that I will treasure forever, so thank you.

Yours in unconditional love of Janey Louise Jones,

Sophie

3. Wadebridge book shop, Cornwall, England

Dear Wadebridge book shop,

I cannot remember your actual, formal name. Bit embarrassing, isn’t it? Seems a bit one night stand-like, if we’re going with the whole love metaphor. But I will proceed anyway.

I do not have as defined memories of this book shop as I do the others. It’s more of a feeling that this one encapsulates – going down to my Granny’s holiday home in Cornwall, getting some fudge from the local fudge shop (a business that should be mandatory in every settlement, in my opinion) which was called Granny Wobbly’s and then setting off down the high street to pop into the book shop. I bought my first make-up on that high street. We used to spend hours in the park just off the end of that high street. We bought books, sweets, dinner from that high street. This book shop is that feeling – carefree holidays in Cornwall, memories close to my heart.

Thank you, Wadebridge book shop – perhaps I can’t remember your name because you were part of something bigger, something more symbolic. And that’s deep, philosophical Sophie signing off.

Yours in nostalgia,

Sophie

4. Waterstones, Colchester, England

Dear Colchester Waterstones,

To my English friends who are reading this letter, this book shop probably does not sound nearly as exciting as some of the others. This Waterstones is just our local book shop, tucked down a little alleyway in the town centre, which is much less dodgy than I have made it sound. But recently, an event of much importance happened within your walls.

It was during the long summer after GCSEs and I was doing some solo shopping in town after meeting up with a friend, to kill some time before my bus came later on. I strolled into Waterstones aka my homeland and began to browse. Ventured into the new arrivals section and I do not normally do that – I like to stay safe, amongst the teen fiction and Harry Potter paraphernalia. But because that’s just the adventurous, fun-loving kind of gal I am, I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone. I didn’t choose the rebel life, the rebel life chose me. I am so glad that I decided to live life on the edge that day.

On the shelf, innocently sitting there, I spotted a hardback version of Caitlin Moran’s new book that was SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. I’ll say it louder for the people in the back – IT WAS SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. This is coming from the girl that read ‘How To Be A Woman’ in one sitting on a 4 hour train journey. Naturally, I was excited but I had to contain it because, you know, PUBLIC PLACES. And I, for some reason, although accosted and shocked by my good fortune, was indecisive about whether to buy it or not. SO I LEFT IT ON THE SHELF AND WENT HOME. I would like to formally disown my past self.

However, this story does have a happy ending – my mother fixed the problem, as she always somehow manages to, by kindly buying the book for me whilst in town the next day. Thank you, Colchester Waterstones, for bearing witness to this auspicious event and not letting anyone else buy the book until my mum had come and reclaimed it. Appreciate it.

Yours in love of Caitlin Moran,

Sophie

These were my love letters. Thanks for reading. Go watch TATBILB (the hilarious abbreviation for the film that inspired this article) – a great, fluffy romance for all ages. Hopefully you enjoyed this post and it made you think about your bookshop crushes. Wow, what an awkward way of putting it. What are the significant book shops in your life?

Yours in requited book shop love (that was a bit of a weird way to sign off but we’ll go with it),

Sophie

Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? Long time, no see, my friend. Wow, it’s kind of weird to be back here again – I mean, it’s only been a week or something since my last post but I feel like I’ve neglected Sophie Reads a little lately. Expect to see my URL on the next Dog’s Trust advert.

‘The Bell Jar’ was my endeavour, this week, to get started on my sixth form reading list so I thought it would be nice to share with the rest of the group. That made things sound a lot more like group therapy than I meant them too. Hopefully, this book review will also help my future self when I inevitably forget anything I ever knew about this book when it comes to actually using it in an essay. To future Sophie: you’re welcome.

If you have never come across this book before, ‘The Bell Jar’ is about a girl called Esther Greenwood and how a prize she won, a glamorous month in New York, gradually descends into depression and suicide attempts and how Esther tries to deal with this. When I was studying for my GCSEs at my dining room table, I often saw my Mum’s copy of this book on the shelf and wondered what it was like. Well, this book was an experience, I can tell you that now.

If you’re looking for a light, breezy read, this book is not for you. The book addresses depression, suicide, the stigmas around mental health, the double standard between men and women, the social expectations of women. It’s not exactly Noddy in Toyland. Esther’s narration consults, throughout the novel, how she feels society forces women to be one thing or another – to be like her friend Betsy, sweet and pure and almost prudish, or like her friend Doreen, rebellious and carefree and sexually independent. A metaphor of a fig tree is mentioned, where each of the goals in Esther’s life is represented by a fig and because she wants to eat all the figs but thinks she’s only allowed one, she can’t decide which one to choose and in the mean time, all the figs shrivel and die so she can’t choose any. This is meant to symbolise how society forces women to be a single thing (aka darling I made you dinner, nursed our twelve children and steam cleaned your agate paperweight all in an afternoon). Insightful comments on the place of women in society and how social expectations force women down a preordained path typify this novel.

Oh my God, that was so formal, it makes me want to retch. But it’s all true and it made me sound quite intelligent, so.

I did find this book quite disturbing at points – the clinical way in which Esther plans to commit suicide, the way she eventually tries to do so in a hole in her cellar, as if she’s already been buried alive. There’s these crude similarities drawn between a specimen in a jar and Esther feeling trapped in her own life. It’s unsettling but impactful. The contrast between her descent into depression and the glamour of her New York life is immense – like Marilyn Monroe, Esther is conflicted between her private and public personas.

I know what you’re thinking: “Sophie, can you please calm down, you’re making this review so school-y”. Honestly, I’m thinking the same thing but it’s hard not to when you’ve read some Charles Dickens today so the only vocabulary you can think of is ‘conglomeration’ and you’ve got so wrapped up in school that you’ve sort of forgotten how to speak like a normal person. Wow, I sound so pretentious, it was honestly not intentional. We are getting a lot off our chests tonight. Look, maybe we’ll all just have to accept that this one might be a bit preachy today. I apologise, honestly I do.

I feel like this book is not the sort of novel where I could have a favourite character – there are certainly characters that align with my attributes more than others but I feel like most of the characters fall into a sort of moral grey area. We don’t have heroes and villains, the goodies and the baddies, we just have characters who are doing their best. Sometimes they do wrong by certain characters, sometimes they are just trying to do what they think is best, sometimes they’re just so exhausted that they just… do what they can.

What I think I can say though is that this story has some pretty useless men in it. One man tries to rape Esther, her boyfriend makes a big deal about her being “pure” (I think we all know what I mean) whilst he isn’t himself, her male doctor is astoundingly unhelpful at diagnosing and assisting Esther. What Plath is trying to tell us is something low-key like this – WHY DO THESE USELESS MEN HAVE SO MANY MORE PRIVILEGES THAN WOMEN?!!

Although all this commentary about the double standard between men and women is really valuable, what really drives it home is the fact that Sylvia Plath committed suicide the same year as this book was published. The events of the novel are thought to be semi-autobiographical and it’s incredibly sad that a talented, intelligent woman like Sylvia Plath was eventually enveloped by the bell jar, the pressure hanging above her head, from society, from those around her, from herself. We see how women are truly made to feel by what they feel is expected of them. How could her message have been more powerful?

There exists a certain age and below that certain age, people should not be reading this book. It deals with some dark, serious and complex themes but it’s so wonderfully crafted to reflect her message of how society’s expectations have the power to push us to the edge. Read it. It will open your mind, widen your horizons, give you a way to explain the unexplainable. That sounds like an advert for the Open University but you get the gist – this book is so so so important and topical and enlightening. A shelf essential if ever I saw one. A shelf-ssential? No, that was awful, I’m sorry.

I know this book review wasn’t exactly the skimming the surface, easy going material you would expect on a Sunday evening but I felt all this stuff had to be said. In conclusion – Sylvia Plath was pretty wise on this stuff. It’s not exactly a fluffy romance but it is important and brings something essential to the table. It just helped me to frame things in a new way, added another viewpoint to my tool box, widened my perspective. That can only be a good thing.

I guess that’s it for today folks. Remember – those books your parents read, the ones sitting gathering dusts on shelves, desks, in boxes, they may surprise you. What started as a scholarly endeavour ended as a literary adventure. That was so cheesy. Like Brie level cheese. I think I’ve found my first tattoo.

Yours in learning to think differently,

Sophie

Hello (from the other siiiiiiiiide). Contrary to popular belief, I am not, in fact, Adele but I just fancied opening this post like that because why not? The real purpose of today’s post surprisingly isn’t to tell you about my deep desire to become an Adele tribute act (you’ve got to dream big guys) but is instead to tell you about my current favourite literary heroines. Also, I feel like everyone loves a good list and we could all do with a little bit of our favourite things on this fine Sunday evening. This is titled as my current favourites because honestly, I feel like my favourite heroines are always evolving as I read more and my tastes, experiences and viewpoints change but this post is just to give a snapshot of my favourites right now. Hopefully, this post will be a little shorter than some of my other ones, in the interests of my and everyone else’s sanity because sometimes, you know, no one can be bothered with a lot of words at the end of the week. I will try to keep it snappy-ish. Key word = try.

In no particular order (that makes me feel like I’m on the Sunday results show of Strictly Come Dancing), here are my current favourite literary heroines. Ooh, how exciting.

1. Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

I mean. In the iconic words of Karen from ‘Mean Girls’: “duh?” I think everyone saw this coming from miles off. Literally, from outer space, like a flaming meteor colliding with the Earth. But I feel I have never actually explained why I like her so much. It’s time to make the unjustified, justified. Let me try to articulate it. When I was in primary school, I had these tiny, rectangular, teacher-like glasses and braces, I was sort of chubby, I wore brogues, long shorts and long socks all at the same time, I liked to read and I was a complete teacher’s pet. I was generally a bit nerdy, but I was never self-conscious about any of that because I hadn’t yet learned to be. However, having a character like Hermione to read about – smart, resourceful, bossy, doing things on her own terms – taught me that I am not the only person like me. She felt like such a real character that I felt as if she could almost be a real person, someone with real flaws and quirks that I could almost be friends with at school. It’s so gratifying to have the way you are be validated by a character, especially when you’re young and that’s just what you need at that time of great change in your life. I felt like it was OK to relax into those nerdy qualities I had because look how it turned out for Hermione! Well, that section was too cheesy to be legal so let’s move swiftly on. To summarise: representation is important. Mic drop.

2. Cath Avery of ‘Fangirl’ by Rainbow Rowell

Introverted Cath has an identical twin, the extroverted Wren who she relentlessly compares herself to. She has social anxiety disorder, she finds it hard to believe that anyone can actually like her and tends towards hobbies such as writing instead of the partying habits of her sister. Ever since her mother left them, she has had to take on a lot of responsibility in her household, due to her dad’s bipolar disorder, which means that she has a lot of weight on her shoulders that makes her a worrisome character. What I liked about Cath as a protagonist was that she was a shy girl being put at the forefront of a story, instead of the confident heroine we often get in young adult fiction, which was refreshing to see. I also liked that by the end of the book, she didn’t have to overcome her shyness to achieve satisfaction – instead, Rowell treats Cath’s introverted nature as just another lovable layer to her personality. It shows us that introverted girls, much like myself sometimes, deserve to be the leading ladies of their own lives, just as much as any other more confident girl. It shows the importance of growing and evolving but never compromising who you are to do so. Very important character. Mark as urgent in your email inbox.

3. Sophie Lefèvre of ‘Honeymoon in Paris’ (a short story from ‘Paris For One and Other Stories’) by Jojo Moyes

I love this short story. I mean, I LOVE IT. As in, sometimes, when I’m bored or sad or anything in between, I just go and read this and it makes me feel instantly better because the romance is so genuine and sweet and the characters, especially the heroine where we’re concerned, are so amazingly crafted. Basically, this short story is set half in 1912, half in 2002 and it follows two separate couples, one in each period, both of whom are on a honeymoon in Paris. However, the bits that I reread all the time are the 1912 bits because those are the bits that Sophie and Edouard are in and that couple is just amazing. But what I love about Sophie (and it’s not that we have the same name, just to clarify) is the way she overcomes doubts about her new marriage put into her head by someone else, in order to fully give her unconditional love to her new husband. It’s just this really moving romance about the fact that love comes into our lives in the most surprising of places and ways. Edouard’s friends are surprised that someone like Sophie, who they perceive to be boring and average and unremarkable, could make the free-spirited Edouard fall so deeply in love. Yet by the end of the story, Sophie learns to love without restraint, without fear of what others think and not to be defined by her marriage, to know she is loved and use it to prove others wrong and be the very not boring person we know her to be. She is remarkable and flawed and gets jealous and insecure sometimes but she learns to block out the noise and listen to what she really wants. She is a real woman, with flaws and insecurities and her romance, though sweet and obviously genuine, is given the complexities of real life relationships. It is easy to allow the white noise of life to distract us from what we really want and at her core, Sophie is all about learning not to do that. Right, I would like us all now to shake off all that deep, philosophical thinking, just get it out of your system, because that got far more deep than I ever intended it to be. Also, this story made me cry and I never cry at books. That’s what it gets for having such a great heroine.

Well, thanks a bunch for joining me on this exhilarating journey to discover my current favourite literary heroines. I’m sorry if it was a bit convoluted at points – sometimes, I just get A LOT of thoughts at once and I just have to get them all down before I run dry and the only thing I can write is ‘pretty good, would recommend’. I think the reason why I like these heroines is not just because of the characters themselves, although that is a big part of it, but the way in which they represent people who are a bit different and emulate real people, to be related to and adored by the rest of us for telling us that we are not alone. Hopefully, this gave you some ideas of new books to read and some new heroines to adore. I would also like to try something new in my conclusion today because I think it’s time to break the fourth wall. What do you think? Who are your favourite literary heroines?

Yours in literary heroism (that was a dazzlingly uncreative ending),

Sophie

As I often do before writing a blog article, I was scouting around for ideas, looking for a funky new post to write so naturally, like any rational person, I went to sit on the toilet because that is always where I come up with my best ideas. I don’t why it has worked out that way but here we are. And I came up with this corker (hopefully it’s a corker, maybe it’s only me that enjoys reading lists like this, I don’t know).

The pitch. I will list five fairly well-known books or series and say ‘if you like this, you will like this’ and match them up with a lesser known book or series that I think is pretty similar. Kind of akin to the music article I wrote a couple of days but without the music. Wow, what a convincing and exciting sales pitch. There’s no use dilly dallying any longer. Let’s get on with it.

1. His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman

I was prompted to include this prolific series because a) I included it in yesterday’s summer reading list so it’s fresh in my mind and b) in response to aforementioned list, a friend very enthusiastically texted me about her undying love for this series. There were a lot of capital letters involved, from both parties. I would say that this series, set in a parallel universe, is quite high fantasy, requires quite a lot of world building at the start and generally requires a period of time for poor peasant readers like myself to get used to this alien universe. Therefore, today’s high fantasy blind date is… the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas! The Throne of Glass series follows Celaena Sardothien (I know, the names themselves take at least 5 years of adjusting too – fabulous but devilishly difficult to pronounce), an 18 year old trained assassin, imprisoned in the harsh salt mines by her trainer for a year, who is offered her freedom if she wins the King’s Champion contest and becomes an assassin in service of the King for four years. The world is entirely different to the one we live in so takes a bit of getting used to but once you’re past that wall… the book is your oyster.

2. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, if you haven’t gathered that already from my blog. I must have mentioned Hermione Granger at least 83 times cumulatively so you probably totally saw this section coming. If you haven’t heard of this series, I would be forced to wonder if you reside in the Milky Way. Everyone in the Solar System has heard of this series, even the very upset residents of Pluto, saddened ever since the humiliating relegation of Pluto from planet to dwarf planet. I did send them a fruit basket at the time of the event expressing my deepest sympathies. Anyway, you’re probably wondering – how could I possibly offer an alternative to the book series that has become the shared language of the modern world? Well, I would answer that question with the fact that I can very easily provide a similar novel, my sceptical friend. It’s just a slightly different take on old Mr Potter. And that book is… ‘Carry On’ by Rainbow Rowell. This book is supposed to be the fanfiction that the main character of one of Rowell’s other books writes and the made-up series the fanfiction is based on, I believe is supposed to be similar to Harry Potter. Ever find the whole Draco/Harry thing a little bit steamy at points? Your prayers have been answered by this book. ‘Carry On’ has Harry and Draco equivalents who may sometimes give you a little of that Drarry action you, a loyal HP fan, know you deserve. Hop on down to Waterstones now. Or Amazon, if you prefer. Even WHSmith, if you’re feeling frisky. Just buy it. You won’t regret it.

3. Divergent series by Veronica Roth

I know, I know, dystopian fiction has had its day, Divergent was popular virtually centuries ago now, I hear you, honestly, I do. But I really think this series I’m about to recommend is worth a dystopian renaissance. Slightly disappointing end to it but we’ll ignore that. The rebirth of dystopia is brought about by… the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver! This story is about a society where love is viewed as a disease and like our good friend Tris, the main character Lena acts like the rebellious, rule-breaking, DIVERGENT individual every dystopian protagonist knows she is inside and falls in love. I feel this series has a similar sort of tone to Divergent – a bit of romance, a bit of despair, a bit of crumbling governmental structures. Sounds like a normal Wednesday afternoon to me. Give it a shot.

4. ‘I Capture the Castle’ by Dodie Smith

OK, I know that there’s dreadful overlap between the books in this post and those in the reading list but it’s really only because these are the books that are fresh in my mind so… sorry about that. Anyway, the vintage classic of ‘I Capture the Castle’ is from the perspective of a 17 year old writing in her journal in the 1930s. There’s a lot of tea dresses and romanticism and classic cars but what if we could fast forward to this century, to a modern worldview? Look no further, my friend. Our literary counterpart is ‘The Pomegranate Tree’ by Vanessa Altin. This book follows a 12 year old Kurdish girl writing in her journal about the conflict in Syria as she experiences it. An up to date, insightful take on the journal perspective of a novel, it’s so interesting to see how two journals across the span of 80 years or so can be so drastically different. Take it for a spin if you’ve got the time. Take it spin for a spin even if you don’t have time. If Hermione can use a Time Turner, you can too, to make time for these books.

5. ‘How To Be A Woman’ by Caitlin Moran

To be quite honest, I don’t know if we even need to find an alternative to this book – if this book was the only book I could read for the rest of my life, I’d probably be quite happy, if perhaps a little mentally stagnated. I mean, my enthusiasm for it can probably be shown by the fact that on the very long train journey we took to go on holiday in France one year, I spent the whole duration reading this entire book, in one sitting, from cover to cover. Gosh, I think I need to start doing crosswords or something. But to match this book, we need a hilarious female voice who writes an entertaining yet insightful memoir on their female experience of life thus far. We find our solace in ‘Scrappy Little Nobody’ by Anna Kendrick. I remember spotting this book in Waterstones and after reading just the little foreword/disclaimer bit at the start that was about a paragraph long, I was set on reading it. Anna Kendrick brings her unique humour to her entertaining and impressive life story that made me feel alarmingly insecure about the mundanity of my own life – this gal was on Broadway at the same age as I was when slogging over GCSEs. But seriously. Both memoirs are hilarious, witty and just generally interesting, so would thoroughly recommend.

That brings us to the close of today’s ‘If You Like This, You Will Like This’ series of blind dates! Hope it provided you with some amusement on this lovely Friday evening. This is slightly shorter than a normal post of mine but you know, live while you’re young, we’ve got to keep changing things up. Thank you for flying with Sophie Reads Airlines and we hope you enjoy your stay.

Yours in book matchmaking,

Sophie

Two weeks camping in France. What does that bring to mind? Sandy beaches and sunny skies perhaps? The scent of freshly baked croissants? Beret-wearing French people wildly running up and down the beaches of coastal France, violently brandishing baguettes at all onlookers? I probably engaged slightly too much in the stereotypes there – I apologise. But when you’re camping for two weeks in France, like I was, you spend a lot of time just chillin’ outside your tent, chillin’ on the beach, just generally being chilled out. And that gives you quite a lot of spare time. Which I apparently spent devouring all of the books from throughout the entire history of English literature. Because that’s just how I roll. So I thought it might be fun to provide you with my summer reading list, which is much more fun than the one they give you at school, I promise. God, I sound like one of those really try-hard school teachers. I’ll just put you out of your misery and get on with it.

1. ‘Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda’ by Becky Albertalli

The literary basis for the film ‘Love, Simon’, this book is about a closeted gay high school teenager called Simon Spier who begins an anonymous email exchange with another gay kid at his school and even though neither of them know each other’s identities, they begin to fall in love and are, of course, faced with many trials and tribulations along the way. I have already posted a book review for this previously so you can read that for the longest book review ever written in the history of time (for some reason, I felt the need to recount my whole life story apparently) but to summarise that: ADORABLE, CURRENT, RELATABLE, AMAZING. Check it out.

2. ‘Leah on the Offbeat’ by Becky Albertalli

I know, I know, it kind of looks like I have a thing for Becky Albertalli (I totally do, what a talented woman, but that’s irrelevant) but I swear it’s just because this is the sequel to ‘Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda’. And this was just as good. This time, the story focusses on Leah, one of Simon’s best friends, after the events of the first book and we see Simon’s world through her brilliantly unique eyes. Leah is facing the typical coming-of-age dilemmas but how could a story about a character like Leah be at all typical? Yet more fluffy cuteness, yet more progressive LGBT plot points, yet more greatness from O Mighty Leader Becky Albertalli. A great read for all you Simon fans who just want more.

3. ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’ by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows

Another book to film adaptation that was produced this year, this book, set in the post-WW2 period, follows Juliet Ashton, a young journalist, who is contacted by a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on Guernsey in the Channel Islands (who found Juliet’s address in a second hand book), humbly asking if Juliet could send them some more books. Juliet is gradually pulled into the society and learns about the experience of the Channel Islands during World War Two. I was in awe once finishing this book – the entire thing is written in letters, yet such beautiful characters, romances and storylines are crafted that it nearly made me cry which is a feat, because I NEVER, EVER cry at books. Do not let the historical aspect put you off. It is pure genius.

4. ‘In My House’ by Alex Hourston

This book is about an older woman called Maggie Benson who, whilst at the airport, helps a young girl escape trafficking and after this, the young girl gradually begins to insert herself into Maggie’s quiet life. It was quite interesting in the way it commented on old age but for me, it didn’t have an amazingly engaging plot and it didn’t feel like it really went anywhere. That’s just my opinion though, so still give it a try.

5. ‘One Thousand Stars And You’ by Isabelle Broom

An easy and quick to read romance, the story follows Alice Brockley and her two friends as they embark on the holiday of a lifetime to Sri Lanka, to celebrate their thirtieth birthdays. Whilst there, Alice meets Max, a soldier who served in Afghanistan and an amputee, who begins to unveil the true, adventurous Alice whom she hid after a childhood Alice, making her begin to question the ordinary life she is setting up for herself back home. I wouldn’t call it a literary masterpiece but it’s a nice, easygoing book to read if you’re in need of something a little lighter and I would thoroughly recommend it because everyone needs a bit of romance from time to time.

6. ‘How to be Famous’ by Caitlin Moran

Another hilarious winner from Caitlin Moran – 19 year old music journalist Johanna navigates life in London in 1995 with belly-aching hilarity. She undergoes a pretty traumatic sexual experience with Jerry Sharp (comedian by day, complete idiot all the time) and consistently stands up for the sexual rights of women in general and the advantages of young fangirls specifically. Funny, romantic and current – I flew through this book and you will too.

7. ‘Northern Lights’ by Philip Pullman

This book is set in a universe slightly altered from the one we live in and follows a Lyra, a young girl going on a mission to the Arctic to find her friend Roger (who went missing in the many child disappearances that have been happening) and her imprisoned uncle Lord Asriel. I would personally say that I found this book a little slow-going and not amazingly enjoyable at the start, just because of the extreme amount of world-building this parallel universe required. However, when I was near the end of the book, in the midst of a spectacular fight scene, I suddenly saw how all the intricacies that had been detailed up to that point came together to form a spectacular piece of literature. An adventure at face value but a sparkling religious commentary underneath. Fancy and enjoyable. Like a good wine. Or perhaps a good cheese.

8. ‘The Music Shop’ by Rachel Joyce

The first thing I said to my mum after finishing this book (she was the one who recommended it to me), was that I thought that I could never write something as good as this book. The story follows Frank, an owner of a vinyl record shop in the 1980s and one day, a mysterious woman faints outside his shop. Antics ensue. What I loved about this book was the way that it interlinked music and emotion – I would say it was the emotional complexity of it that made me think I could never write something as insightful as this book was. It was driven by the very quirky bunch of characters, subtly crafted yet overtly lovable and I couldn’t have asked for a better holiday read. Brilliant.

9. ‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt

My literary inferiority was felt deeply with this one too. For those of you who don’t know (although I’m sure most of you do), this book is about a man called Richard Papen and his friends at university, all of whom are studying Classics, and how they become tangled up in a murder investigation, as a result of some ‘experiments’, shall we say. It was dark and chilling and unsettling and I felt that I would probably rip the pages towards the end because the tension was making me read so fast. Some of the Classical references took a little longer for me to get through but I found myself a new favourite quote – ‘but still we loved him, in spite of, because’. Fab, fab, fab. Read, read, read.

10. ‘Suddenly At His Residence’ by Christianna Brand

I’ve already posted a book review about this one so go and read that if you want more tea to be spilt but basically, this is another murder mystery (bit of a theme here). During WW2, the March family are going down to their grandfather’s mansion of Swanswater to celebrate the anniversary of their grandmother’s death when their visit is interrupted by a series of murder investigations, the suspects of which are narrowed down so that the only remaining suspects are the members of the family. It’s a nice, short, low-commitment read if you’re interested in trying out this genre/time period but it’s exciting too and an unusual one, which doesn’t get nearly as much appreciation as it should.

11. ‘I Capture The Castle’ by Dodie Smith

A book that I’ve been meaning to read for a long time, this book is written as the journal of 17 year old Cassandra, where she talks about her impoverished family (who live in a ruined and empty castle) when they meet two American men who are next in line to inherit the nearby Scoatney Hall. This book was great – romantic, emotional, full of insightful observations from Cassandra, an all-round great read to satisfy those with a need for intellectual stimulation but also those with a need for a good bit of romance. A wonderful cocktail of both. The Pina Colada is jealous.

Well, that’s all for my summer reading list. I know it’s annoying that there are eleven books on this list, which isn’t remotely a round number but you know sometimes you’ve just got to #loveyourimperfections and know that unlike Beyoncé, you did not wake up flawless. Thanks for coming along. I would like to thank my agent, my parents, WordPress for giving me this opportunity… nah, I won’t launch into a full-on acceptance speech. Had you fooled though, didn’t I? Nope? OK, then.

Yours in desperate need of some new summer hobbies,

Sophie