Books 2025

Reading helps your writing! As a copywriter, I love reading and sometimes have more than one book on the go.

Here are the books I’ve been reading in 2025 with a short review.

‘Mythos’ - Stephen Fry

A great book which felt like a blend between fiction and non-fiction. Learning the stories behind the Greek legends and in Fry’s witty tone made for a fun read. As a language geek, I loved reading about the etymology of everyday words.

‘Conclave’ - Robert Harris

I thought this was going to be a terrible book purchased by my husband but as I like to ‘read my bookshelves’, I thought I’d give it a go. LOVED IT! A thrilling page turner right to the end.

‘All Fours’ - Miranda July

This was a compelling and thought-provoking read. It’s a book which is still swirling around in my mind and making me think. In parts it reminded me a little of the film ‘Lost in Translation’, which I loved but this goes way deeper.

‘The Giver’ - Lois Lowry

This dystopian novel was on my son’s 6th grade (Y7) curriculum but the English teacher encouraged parents to read it too. A year later, I picked it up! Thought provoking and dark, this is the first of a four-book series, and I’m tempted to read them all.

‘The Secret Life of Bees’ - Sue Monk Kidd

Spent the whole time wondering if I’d read it already and by the end decided that I had (I have a terrible memory for books). It’s an easy, gentle read while it deals with racism in the southern states of America.

‘The Marlow Murder Club’ -

This was a ‘reading my bookshelf’ pick and I shouldn’t have! I am not a fan of ‘cosy crime’ so this one wasn’t for me.

‘The Means’ - Amy Fusselman

This was an indy bookshop random purchase and I chose it because it was described as comedic. It’s about an NYC mom who wants her Hamptons house and will go to any means to achieve it. It wasn’t laugh out loud funny (I compare all comedy books to Frank Skinner’s autobiography which had me crying) but I really enjoyed it. Unlike ‘The Marlow Murder Club,' I looked forward to going to bed and reading it, which is always a good sign.

‘The Book Thief’ - Markus Zusak

Another of my seventh grader’s books, complete with annotations. I feel like the last person on the planet to read this book about WWII Germany from a German girl’s point of view. The book weaves its story around her love of books and how she acquires them. For me, this is a book about love in its many different forms.

‘Squad Safe’ - Joanna Gamper Cuthbert

I read this book as part of my work with We are Girls in Sport and because it’s written by my friend Joey! It really is excellently written and although it’s targeting Joey’s community of cheerleading, the principles apply to all sports (and, in fact, life). It’s an easy read and has some great steps on how to ensure safeguarding for children & young adults in sport.

‘We Ride Upon Sticks’ - Quan Barry

This was an indy bookshop purchase so I knew nothing about it and bought it based on the fab, bright cover. It’s a story about a high school girls’ hockey team in 1980s Massachusetts, based in a town famous for the Salem witch trials. It’s definitely not my normal pick but I really enjoyed it. The characters are well developed, and I couldn’t definitely see this being adapted into a film.