Reading list

Books Worth Losing Yourself In

Honest book reviews, quiet recommendations and the reads we keep returning to. Fiction, memoir and the pages that gently changed how we see the world.

A woman in a cream suit sitting on a tall stack of colourful books, reading in warm golden light

A woman smiling as she reads, lying beneath a circle of books with autumn leaves and a cup of tea

A woman reading in a purple armchair as pages swirl around her in a circle, lit by a warm golden lamp

Woman in a camel coat and cream knitted scarf reading a hardback book on a park bench with a takeaway coffee on a sunny autumn afternoon

Featured · Books · Films · Podcasts

Read It, Then Watch It: 5 Inspiring Books and Their Films

From Little Women to The Martian, here are five inspiring books with brilliant film adaptations. Read the book first, then press play on the film.

28th October 2026 · 6 min read

Start here

Showing 24 of 35 stories

Coffee break: purple mug of cappuccino with heart latte art on a wooden desk beside an open book and earbuds by a rainy autumn window

Books · Films · Podcasts27th October 2026 · 5 min read

Read Something. Watch Something. Listen to Something.

Five minutes or a slow Sunday morning? Here is the perfect book, film or podcast for every kind of coffee break, from a quick espresso to a cosy evening cup.

Woman reading The Book of Delights by a rainy window with a cup of tea on a cosy Saturday morning

Books · Films · Podcasts24th October 2026 · 5 min read

The Joy of Small Things: A Book, a Film and a Podcast for a Slow Saturday

Celebrate small joys this weekend with The Book of Delights, Paddington 2 and the Happy Place podcast, plus five simple ideas for your extra hour.

Woman reading Four Thousand Weeks by a window with tea on a cosy autumn afternoon

Books22nd October 2026 · 5 min read

Small Rituals for Slower Autumn Days: A Book, a Film and a Podcast to Steady You

Slow down this autumn with Four Thousand Weeks, the film Perfect Days and The Happiness Lab podcast, plus three simple rituals to try this week.

Woman reading by a sunny window with coffee and a stack of books

Books21st October 2026 · 5 min read

Five Gentle Books for Routines That Actually Stick

Fresh start feeling worn off? These five gentle books about habits and routines will help you begin again, kindly. Perfect reading for autumn evenings.

A woman enjoying a slow autumn morning with coffee, a book, a croissant and an analogue clock by a bright apartment window

Books · Films · Podcasts20th October 2026 · 5 min read

The Clocks Go Back This Sunday: Here Is How We Are Spending Our Extra Hour

Cosy books, feel good films and podcasts for the walk home in the dark. Autumn, we are ready for you.

Mandy Tang beside a quote from Heal Your Career Wounds about finding your way back to yourself

Books18th October 2026 · 6 min read

Feature of the Week: Heal Your Career Wounds by Mandy Tang

Our Feature of the Week: Mandy Tang's Heal Your Career Wounds, a warm, practical guide to healing from burnout, toxic jobs and career heartbreak.

Stack of novels with a purple mug of tea on a cream blanket in autumn light

Books16th October 2026 · 6 min read

Uplifting Books That Aren't Cheesy: 8 Hopeful Reads With Real Heart

Looking for uplifting books that aren't cheesy? These eight hopeful novels, from A Man Called Ove to The House in the Cerulean Sea, feel good without feeling fake.

Woman wrapped in a blanket reading by a window on a calm morning

Books · Films · Podcasts10th October 2026 · 5 min read

Be Gentle With Yourself: Stories to Carry You Through World Mental Health Day

For World Mental Health Day, gentle books, films and podcasts to support your mind, from The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse to Inside Out 2 and Ten Percent Happier.

Woman writing a thank you card to a former teacher

Books · Films · Podcasts5th October 2026 · 5 min read

The Teachers Who Change Us: Stories to Celebrate World Teachers' Day

Celebrate World Teachers' Day with Freedom Writers, Dead Poets Society, Educated, Tuesdays with Morrie and Hidden Brain.

Woman smiling in a golden autumn field at sunset

Books · Films · Podcasts3rd October 2026 · 5 min read

You're Not Behind: A Gentle Reminder (and Some Stories to Prove It)

Feel like everyone else has life figured out? Here's why you're not behind, plus inspiring books, films and podcasts for late bloomers.

Three purple coffee cups with heart, leaf and rabbit latte art beside an open book, headphones, pen and film clapperboard, supplied for International Coffee Day

Books · Films · Podcasts1st October 2026 · 4 min read

Coffee and a Good Story: Our Perfect Pairings for International Coffee Day

Celebrate International Coffee Day with two cosy books, The Intern and a slow morning podcast ritual. Four good stories to enjoy with your coffee.

Covers of Whistler, Theo of Golden, The Let Them Theory, The Missed Connection and Tempest, our five October book picks

Books28th September 2026 · 6 min read

Best Books to Read in October 2026: Our Top 5 Picks

Five books, five very different moods, one for every kind of October evening: Whistler, Theo of Golden, The Let Them Theory, The Missed Connection and Tempest.

Dixon Chibanda with members of the original Friendship Bench group in Zimbabwe

Books26th September 2026 · 6 min read

The Friendship Bench by Dixon Chibanda: A Book That Starts Heavy and Leaves You Hopeful

A hopeful review of Dixon Chibanda's true story about fourteen Zimbabwean grandmothers, the healing power of listening and a mental health movement that grew from one bench.

Readers enjoying inspirational books together in 2026

Books25th September 2026 · 6 min read

The Best Inspirational Books to Read in 2026

Eight uplifting, life affirming books that stay with you, from The Midnight Library and The Alchemist to A Man Called Ove and Wild.

A reader finding courage and inspiration in a book while sitting in a warm café

Books23rd September 2026 · 4 min read

Best Books About Courage and Starting Over

Six honest, hopeful books about courage, life changes and beginning again, from Untamed and Wild to The Midnight Library and Wilderness Mum.

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig, the starting point for five comforting book recommendations

Books23rd September 2026 · 3 min read

Books Like The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

Five gentle, hopeful books to read next if The Comfort Book by Matt Haig felt like a hand on your back during a difficult season.

Six recommended Christmas gift books for 2026 arranged in a festive plum and gold display

Books23rd September 2026 · 5 min read

Best Books to Give as a Christmas Gift (2026)

Six thoughtful books to give at Christmas in 2026, chosen for the person starting over, finding their voice, craving adventure or simply wanting a cosy read.

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig paperback, official photograph from Canongate

Books21st September 2026 · 4 min read

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig: A Little Life Raft for Hard Days

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig is a kind collection of notes, lists and stories for anyone searching for hope or a little encouragement on hard days.

A woman laughing on a cream sofa surrounded by stacks of new hardcover books in a bright reading room

Books16th September 2026 · 5 min read

New Books Out This Week: What's Actually Worth Your Time

A big week for new releases, and for once, the hype is earned. Emily St. John Mandel's Exit Party, Ke Huy Quan's memoir Never Say Die, and the quiet Danish bestseller The Butterfly Season.

Books6th September 2026 · 9 min read

Meet the Inspiring Tonya Lester, Author of PUSH BACK

Therapist and author Tonya Lester on why being called difficult might be the best thing that ever happens to you, and how speaking up can make a relationship stronger.

A smiling woman in a cream knitted jumper curled up on a light sofa with a stack of books and a mug of tea in a bright, plant-filled living room

Books5th September 2026 · 6 min read

Feel-Good Books to Curl Up With This Weekend, 5 Reads Worth Your Saturday

Five feel-good books for the weekend, from funny, tender novels to a little book of illustrated wisdom. Perfect for a slow Saturday and a soft Sunday.

Books29th August 2026 · 8 min read

The New Books Coming This September We Are Genuinely Excited About

September is the biggest publishing month of the year, and 2026 is spoiling us. Emily St. John Mandel, John Green, R. F. Kuang, Jodi Picoult and more, with every date you need.

Open book and popcorn on velvet cinema seats beneath a warm projector beam

Books26th August 2026 · 7 min read

Books Becoming Films This Autumn, Read Them Before You Watch

Verity, Sense and Sensibility, Klara and the Sun and Ebenezer all reach the screen this autumn. Four books to read before you watch, with real covers and where to buy them.

Looking for something older?

Browse the story archive

Stay inspired

Your inbox deserves
something beautiful

One inspiring story to your inbox each week.