THE CASUAL READER

Christmas is here, and with it the act of giving gifts to your nearest and dearest. Buying gifts and wrapping them up is one of my favourite festive activities - usually accompanied by a glass of wine and a cheesy playlist. I find it fun, and I find it fulfilling. There is something warming about giving gifts to the people you care about, and even more so when you take the time to carefully select the right wrapping and ribbon. Every year, I buy at least two books to gift but

Many years ago, I came across a social media post that looked at how we should not blame our jobs for a lack of progress in our personal goals, but instead consider the lull to be down to a lack of inspiration. It suggested that we often use work as a scapegoat to justify unhelpful behaviours instead of holding ourselves accountable when in reality we just wanted to take the easiest route. I'm sure that this is something that we can all hold our hands up to - many a time have

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke December has arrived, and with it a conga-line of fairy lights, mince pies, and overpriced hot chocolates. This is a month of seeking out the warmth and comfort to help us survive the winter cold whilst fending off the end-of-year existentialism. This month, I'm inviting you to be curious with a puzzle box of a book. Something that I know will either add to the magic of the season, or to help you escape from the festive obligations. Winner of the W

Yesterday marked a year since I moved in with my partner and was given full reign over his garden after a couple of years of slowly working on it whilst we dated. My book-worm soul used to believe that my made-it moment would be akin to Belle receiving that glorious library in Disney's Beauty and the Beast ; a whole room dedicated to books and reading and cosy vibes. Alas, the moment is this garden space I'm so lucky to have. My book recommendation for November is a gardenin

Last night I finally finished my current read, 'Hamnet' by the incredible Maggie O'Farrell. It has taken me two months to read it. I normally average on a book a month as I am a slow reader, but also just another grown-up trying to make time for work, exercise, food, socialising, etc. The long time spent on 'Hamnet' was not due to the book lacking, it must be said. 'Hamnet' is one I will most definitely go forward to recommend! The reality is, it has just been a busy and exha

A Wilder Way: How Gardens Grow Us by Poppy Okotcha. This month has been dubbed 'Non-Fiction November' which helped me out tremendously when deciding what my first 'book of the month' should be. As mentioned previously, I tend to 'read' non-fiction as an audiobook to engage better within the busy grown-up lifestyle. Thus, as my mission is to get busy grown ups engaging with the written word more, this feels like the right starting point. The National Literacy Trust posted "

Last time I wrote, I discussed how reading can support with developing empathy through intentionally engaging with new and challenging perspectives. Learning and checking our bias is a healthy thing to do. However, for the busy grown-up especially, switching off and running away with the fairies is also a healthy thing to do. Self-care is often neglected by us adults due to the unrealistic aesthetics of Instagram posts, the guilt that comes when feeling like you're not being

Reading for pleasure has numerous benefits for all age groups that can positively impact our social, professional, and private lives. The headliners tend to revolve around memory, critical thinking, and empathy. Following a chance-encounter the other day, I have opted to discuss 'empathy' as the first of the many benefits I want to share with you. Firstly, let's offer a brief definition of 'empathy'. Empathy is the ability to share and understand the feelings of others. Strai

Audiobooks count as 'reading' as far as I'm concerned. Although you may not be following the words on a page/screen, you are still engaging with written text using a method that best suits you. I realised how important audiobooks can be in promoting reading whilst listening to Kit de Waal talking on the Women's Prize podcast, Bookshelfie (season 8, episode 10). De Waal tells how her son is dyslexic and struggled with reading at school, and so she would play audiobooks during

When close to 2 billion people use TikTok, why have I decided to go old school with basic words on a page? Simple. Firstly, I'm getting a little resentful of my doom scrolling habits, and I know I can't be the only one. Secondly, as someone who is trying to encourage others to read more I think it could be hypocritical of me to create wordless content. It is not just that these videos are wordless (indeed, some do have captions), but it is that they give you all of the answer

A short while back, the Department for Education announced that 2026 would be the National Year of Reading . Around the same time, The...