What the Living North Team are Reading on World Book Day
If you're looking for some inspiration of what to read next or what book you should pick up this World Book Day (2nd March), we've got you covered
Troy by Stephen Fry
‘The story of Troy is one that we’re all aware of, but I’m sure not many of us have a firm grasp on the details. Which king offended which Olympian god, which heroes fought in the battles, which god cursed which army and what really started it all – was Helen’s kidnapping the catalyst, or can it be said that the king of the gods, Zeus himself, is to blame? Stephen Fry unravels the threads that make up the rich tapestry of the legend, and makes an iconic story feel brand new.’
Kate Foley, Assistant Editor
The Recovery of Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
‘For the first 18 years of her life Rose Gold was desperately ill. Her childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, wheelchairs and constant surgeries, and no specialist could understand and truly help. Her mother, Patty was convinced it was a chromosomal abnormality. Eventually doctors became suspicious and Patty was jailed for child abuse for five years. The novel begins as Patty is released, a forgiving Rose Gold is waiting to pick her up, inviting her to move in with her to mend their broken relationship. But, can Rose Gold really forgive and forget? If you are looking for a dark, twisted novel this one is for you. You'll be captivated until the end and will be thankful that your own mother isn’t as skilfully deceptive… I hope!’
Ellie Patterson, Designer
The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke
‘Luna Stay spends her childhood moving around the country with her artist mother, Liv and sisters Sapphire and Clover. But when her family arrive on the remote Scottish island of Lòn Haven, the historical site of a witch-hunt, strange events begin to plague them. Then her family disappear and Luna is left alone. As an adult, Luna receives the wonderful news that her sister Clover has been found – but Clover is not the grown woman she should be. She is the same seven-year-old girl who went missing years ago. The Lighthouse Witches presents a tangled web of memory which spans generations. Focusing on themes of female power, suspicion and witchcraft, this is a gripping thriller.’
Sally Grey, Advertising Executive
Undoctored by Adam Kay
‘After reading This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor during lockdown and watching the BBC One drama that followed last year, I was excited to discover that Adam Kay was bringing out a new book. Undoctored: The Story of a Medic Who Ran Out of Patients is about Kay’s life after quitting medicine and is equally as witty and funny as his first depiction of life as a doctor. The dry sense of humour we all loved in the first book makes reading the second very real, gory and gripping. Expect brutal honesty and a laugh along the way as you ride the wave of anxiety with Kay in his new profession.’
Hannah Colley, Digital Manager
Atomic Habits by James Clear
‘At some point in our lives, we’ve all decided to pick up a new habit when the new year comes around and after a month or two have failed or forgotten what we were supposed to be doing. However this year, I thought I would get some ‘expert’ advice with James Clear’s million-copy number one best-seller, Atomic Habits to learn why exactly this is. Building on the premise that all habits are made and can be broken, James takes you through why we build tiny unconscious habits (good and bad) and what we can do to change our behaviours. Atomic Habits is a practical guide which anyone can apply to their life to get one percent better each day. Unlike any other so-called self-help book, I surprised myself at really enjoying each page and relating to each example James gives.’
Charlotte Cooper, Food & Drink Editor
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
‘While I know I'm late to the party (The Help was first published in 2009) I just recently found my sister’s old copy on the bookshelf and thought I'd give it a go. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s the book is narrated by three very different women. Minny is a black maid whose temperament makes it hard to keep a job, Aibeleen another black maid who is devoted to the white children she looks after, and Miss Skeeter a white woman who wants to be a writer. As seemingly different from one another as can be, the three come together as a team for a project that, while risky, could change their lives forever. Reading this book explores a range of emotions, sometimes all in the same paragraph, but what makes The Help so good – luckily for me – is its timeless nature and the fact it teaches you so much without even realising.’
Emily Rickerby, Property Editor
Buried Dreams by Marrisse Whittaker
‘Billie Wilde has left the police force but she’s never far from trouble. When a skeleton in a wedding dress is found, followed by multiple deaths connected to each other only by tattoos, she starts to regret being an outsider. Meanwhile, PI Ellis Darque’s daughter is missing. There’re so many twists and turns in this thrilling page-turner, you can imagine it leaping straight off the pages and onto the screen – that’s the power of Marrisse’s writing – and set in the gritty North, it’s easy to imagine being part of the action.’
Faye Dixon, Arts Editor
How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
‘I realise I’m a little late to the party (or should I say funeral?) with How to Kill Your Family given that it was one of the most popular and heavily advertised books of 2022. If you’re feeling a little lost after binge-watching Wednesday on Netflix, I’d highly recommend following up with How To Kill Your Family. Deliciously dark with biting humour, you follow Grace on her mission to dispense her particular form of justice to the members of her family that denied her existence and covered up her father’s affair. Once you start, you won’t want to put this book down.’
Lisé Potts, Advertising Executive
We Are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan
‘Moving from Kampala at the time of Idi Amin’s coup to Leicester today, this book tells the story of one family over a troubled half-century. In present-day London, Sameer, an East-African Asian living in London, is a successful, high-flying lawyer who struggles with the expectation that he will join the family business. As unexpected tragedy brings him home, Sameer discovers a heritage he never knew he had and a life he never knew he wanted. Exploring the bonds of family, the difficultly of finding your voice and the true meaning of home, you’ll be gripped from the very first chapter.’
Ellie Patterson, Designer
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