As we enter week five of lockdown, many of us have finally found the time to tackle the pile
of must-reads collecting dust on our bedside tables. However, if you’re like me it can seem
overwhelming where to start and you feel like you need a few easy-going reads under your
belt to get yourself back into your usual reading mojo. I’ve compiled a list of my top
recommendations to get your teeth stuck into during lockdown.

The one for the Music Lover:

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Daisy Jones & The Six is a fictional documentary of the rise and fall of the American
seventies rock band Daisy Jones & The Six. Written in an interview style, this book will
quickly transport you to the iconic age of rock n’ roll. Originally, the musical act was just The
Six, a blues-rock band from Pennsylvania but after a lackluster second album, the band was
forced to join forces with Daisy Jones, a young singer-songwriter making a name for herself
on the Sunset Strip. Complete with sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, this fast-paced novel will keep
you gripped to the very end with its easy flowing style. Make sure to take note of the full
lyrics to some of the band’s biggest hits included at the back of the book, and look out for the
upcoming Amazon series based on the novel and produced by Reese Witherspoon which is
sure to be a hit.

The one for the History Buff:

Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris

Cilka’s Journey forms the sequel to Morris’ successful debut The Tattooist of Auschwitz,
the novel dives deeper into the background of a minor character Cilka who features in
Morris’ first novel. Cilka Klein was just sixteen years old when she was imprisoned in
Auschwitz-Birkenau but her suffering didn’t end after the camp’s liberation. This is where the
novel picks up Cilka’s story, in spring 1945, when Cilka is charged as a collaborator by the
Russians and sent to a brutal labour camp in Siberia known as Vorkuta. Despite her
innocence, Cilka finds herself imprisoned once again, each day facing challenges new and
horribly familiar, each day she faces a battle for survival. The novel is based on testimonies
of those who knew Cilka as well as reportage and experiences of women survivors of the
Holocaust and the Soviet Gulag system. Despite being an emotional read, this novel will
leave you inspired and uplifted by one woman’s fierce determination to survive, against all
odds.

The one with the Strong Female Characters:

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Homegoing is a historical fiction that follows the family lineage of two half-sisters Effia and
Esi, spanning 250 years from the slave trade to modern day America. Gyasi has created an
intense and heartbreaking story of one family, spanning three continents and seven
generations. Despite the story’s epicness, each chapter depicts an intimate portrait of a new
complex protagonist, the next branch of the family tree. As the reader, I felt myself instantly
invest in these characters which stayed with me long after I finished the novel, and I felt
heartbroken when their chapter came to an end. Homegoing explores the impact of the slave
trade on generations down the line and examines themes of identity and race whilst evoking
curiosity into your own ancestry. An inspiring and captivating read.

The one with the Summer Romance:

Call Me by Your Name by André Acima

If you’re searching for a delicious summer romance to enjoy relaxing in the garden then look
no further. You may be familiar with the successful Oscar-winning film based on this novel
which came out in 2017, starring the dreamy Timothée Chalamet but the novel is definitely
worth the read as it continues on further than the film into the two protagonist’s lives. Set in
1980s Italy, Call Me by Your Name follows the blossoming summer romance between an
intellectually curious 17-year-old American-Italian Jewish teen Elio Perlman and a visiting
24-year-old American Jewish scholar named Oliver. You will soon be drawn into Aciman’s
poetic prose and find the joy in the descriptive language used. This novel successfully
tackles the lust and desire which makes up the protagonist’s brief but intense relationship, as
well as their heart-wrenching departure from each other. If you are left wanting more, make
sure to check out the recent sequel in the series, Find Me.

The one for the Thrill Seeker:

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

You might already be familiar with the bestselling Australian author Liane Moriarty,
particularly her popular novel Big Little Lies which has been turned into a hit tv show.
Moriarty is known for her page-turning domestic dramas with a twist. Set in the suburbs of
Sydney, The Husband’s Secret follows the lives of three women whose lives unexpectedly
interconnect when a devastating secret is uncovered. Cecilia Fitzpatrick is a happily married
mother-of-three who leads a seemingly perfect life. Meanwhile, Tess O’Leary is a career
woman who returns to Sydney with her son after the breakdown of her marriage. Rachel
Crowley is the local school secretary and is still haunted by her daughter’s unsolved murder
almost three decades later. Moriarty excels at creating fully realised, flawed characters
inside a fast-paced domestic thriller with a twisty final chapter to conclude. I’d recommend if
you’re on the look out for a gripping, easy-flowing summer read.