I know it’s been a minute since I last posted. I have been busy settling into a new job and finding my rhythm once again as I adjust to being in full-time work after a period of freelancing.
That all said, I have been reading some great novels. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my summer reading post highlighting: The Rest of You by Maame Blue, The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang, Mongrel by Hanako Footman, and Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo.
All fantastic novels, which I encourage you to check out if you haven’t already. My two favourites were The Rest of You and Mongrel, both of which explored similar themes of identity, belonging, and self-discovery (content warning: both deal with issues surrounding sexual abuse).
Ink Book Prize
Back in March, I wrote a post about being one of the judges for the 2025 Ink Book Prize. The following three books were shortlisted: Her Empty Chair by Sunna Coleman, The Art of Life by S.L. Russell and From Glasgow Without Love by Albrin Junior.
Her Empty Chair won the Best Fiction prize, for which I was one of the judges, and was also a runner-up in the Best Debut category. A beautifully written novel about the friendship between a young waitress and an elderly patron, Her Empty Chair won me over for its realistic simplicity, charm and unexpected plot twist! You can read my review here.
I attended the event where the winners were being announced (shout out to Nomad Books for hosting!), and it was an honour to meet the authors and congratulate them in person. There was so much warmth and camaraderie in the room, and it was a pleasant reminder of why I love being part of the ‘bookish’ community. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for these authors!
Just Read It 