Discover Your Next Great Read: Book Recommendations from Ashleigh Bridget

There are few things as satisfying as the feeling of finishing a great book. It’s an odd mix of adoration and sorrow. I find myself sad, that I will never again be able to read that book for the first time, and adoration for the pleasure I found within its pages. Getting lost in a great non-fiction book is as good as a holiday for me; whether it’s romance, mystery or historical fiction, I just want to feel transported from my current reality, into someone else’s.

I don't have as much time to read as I used to and more and more I appreciate great book recommendations - because no one has time for a half-hearted read! Anyway, this will be my ongoing list of books that I've loved whole-heartedly. Here is my reading list and hopefully within it you can discover your next great read.

"Daisy Jones & The Six" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book will have you diving head first into the heady world of 1970s rock and roll. Following the rise and fall of a fictional rock band, it is full of all the things you would expect, love, lust, drugs, parties, music and life on the road. The characters in this book are fabulous, and the story is told through a series of interviews with them. It’s a great read and I’m SO EXCITED for the movie to come out.

"Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens

Imagine if I didn’t include this one. I DEVOURED this book in 12 hours. It’s the first book I recommend to everyone and it was first recommend to me by my doctor.

Set in the marshes of North Carolina, this beautifully written coming-of-age story follows a young girl who grows up alone in the wild after her family abandons her. I found myself completely lost in the most breathtaking description of nature and human experience. It’s deeply emotional and and full of mystery and wonder, this book will stay with you long after you finish the last page and I cannot recommend it enough. "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens is a must-read.

"Eggshell Skull" by Bri Lee

Recommended to me by a lawyer, I finished this book with my mouth on the floor. This is the kind of text that should be mandatory reading in senior school - both for its informative nature of how the Australian legal system, and because no other book has made me feel more empathetic and aware of the inequality that exists around me.

Eggshell skull, named after a legal doctrine in common law, is a powerful and thought-provoking memoir by Bri Lee. This book follows the authors journey as a young lawyer in the Australian legal system, where she discovers firsthand the flaws and biases that exist. Lee's personal experiences with sexual assault and harassment add an emotional dimension to what is undoubtedly a compelling exploration of justice and inequality. This is not the lightest read, but it’s definitely worth reading.

"The Paper Palace" by Miranda Cowley Heller

I cannot believe I almost did not finish this book. We were travelling through Tasmania when I first opened it up, I read a few paragraphs and then I gave up. It just wasn’t doing it for me. Thankfully, a lovely follower popped into my DM’s and implored me to give it a second chance and I AM SO GLAD I DID!

It’s gripping, it’s dynamically written, there are complicated relationships, there are secrets and betrayals. It’s set over the course of a single day on a family vacation, teetering back and forth between past and present the book is entirely written in the voice of the main character Elle - who is an interesting, flawed and very likeable human. “The Paper Palace” by Miiranda Crowly Heller is another great read, and even though I found it hard to get into, I promise that it’s worthwhile finishing.

"I Give My Marriage a Year" by Holly Wainwright

I almost didn’t read this book because I love Holly Wainwright so much that I could not bare the thought of being disappointed in her novel. In hindsight I had nothing to worry about, because of course it was going to be great.

I’ve do not think I’ve read any other book that explore the middle of a marriage like this one does. The main characters Lou and Josh are in the ‘muck’ of their life; young kids, mortgage, the shine has worn off, and the relationship is in crisis. The story is nuanced, the characters are complex and relatable, the writing is witty and there is a rainbow of emotions, but what I loved most is the constant reflection of, ‘is this enough’.

It’s a great read and my only complaint is the cover! If you are reading this in public people will think it’s a self help book and you’re on the brink of a break up!

"The Soulmate" by Sally Hepworth

I HAVEN’T FINISHED THIS BOOK YET! I’m currently in the middle of it, but I’ve misplaced it while moving rooms around to get our floors done. I know it is somewhere in the never ending piles and boxes that make up our spare room but IF YOU HAVE A COPY WILL YOU PLEASE LEND IT TO ME! (sorry for yelling)

I am half way through this and it’s shaping up to be up there in my top 3 favourites (pending the ending of course)
Also, can Sally do any wrong? I’ll report back once I get my hands on it again xxx