Any excuse to talk books and I am one hundred per cent there. Or here as it transpires. I do read a lot-although it takes me a while sometimes to finish things because I am a chronic serial reader. Today though I thought I'd share some of the books I've picked up recently, along with some I received for Christmas, including my most-anticipated read of recent times...

-Ma'am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret x Craig Brown: It turns out this book is on a lot of people's reading lists right now. Given how hard it was to find a copy. Perhaps its surge in popularity is down to The Crown. Anyway I'm thirty chapters in and it is brilliant. I don't want to say too much now because I suspect it's going to end up in my January Favourites post. Just know that it is living up to my expectations and then some.

-Call Me By Your Name x Andre Aciman: The novel that inspired the film which is earning high praise at the moment. I have a pass to see the movie but haven't had the chance to yet. Maybe I should wait until I've finished the book. Anyway, this was a Christmas present, nabbed at Unity Books hence the snazzier cover than the film tie-in. Both sound fantastic and the excerpts I saw on Estee's Instagram story from the book back it up.

-I Capture The Castle x Dodie Smith: Firstly, how beautiful are these Macmillan Collector's Library editions? I'm not sure how I haven't really paid much attention to them before but they're exquisite. I love the compact size especially. Anyway, I've been wanting to read this for the longest time and in my never-ending quest to read more classic literature, I bought it for myself for Christmas. I'm going to start it when I eventually finish Little Women which shouldn't be too far off.

-the sun and her flowers x rupi kaur: Ok confession time, and this shouldn't feel like an admission but I've let the literary critique cloud my judgement of rupi kaur's work a bit. I know there's snobbery around 'insta-poetry' and I get it. It's not Wordsworth or Keats, nor does it pretend to be. I think the fact kaur's writing is more unconventional is where the charm lies. I definitely found some of the longer poems a bit unnecessary but there were many I bookmarked to go back to later. I read this in an evening last week and will definitely return to my favourites too. 

-Where'd You Go, Bernadette x Maria Semple: Another book which'll be a movie in 2018, starring Cate Blanchett and directed by Richard Linklater. What appeals to me most is it sounds like a Wes Anderson-esque read. A novel with quirkiness and humour. I am really unlikely to turn down a contemporary read that combines those two elements. 

-The Vanity Fair Diaries x Tina Brown: One of my eagerly anticipated reads and one that satisfies my magazine-loving self immensely. The diaries Tina Brown kept from 1983-1992 make for incredibly compelling reading. Such intriguing insights into many magazine key players too like Annie Leibovitz, Anna Wintour, Andre Leon Talley among others. Its making me want to read her book about Princess Diana now too. 

-Women & Power x Mary Beard: This was another book I received for Christmas and I took it away on holiday with me earlier in the month. I gave it four stars on Goodreads because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Beard combines her extensive knowledge of Greek history with women throughout history and the misogyny that is firmly cemented, particularly towards those who dare to adopt an authoritative stance. A short but brilliant read.

-What have you read this Summer?