Cosy Weather Reading Material...

I don't know about you, but there's nothing like some super cold weather to make me feel appreciate a night in with a good read! As I write this, the house is being battered by a vicious storm and I am very glad to just be sat inside listening to it...

I'm hoping to share my cosy weather playlist with you soon; so far I've got a few tracks that I love for capturing the sad beauty of this time of year, but it's still in its infancy at present! In the meantime, here's what I'll be enjoying this winter...

CHOCOLAT | JOANNE HARRIS

I first read this last year and immediately fell for its intense and delicious prose. It's one of those stories that takes you by the hand with its first line and doesn't let you go until the last. If you are unfamiliar with its premise, the tale opens on a sleepy French town and a north wind that brings two wholly unexpected visitors... Vianne Rocher and her young daughter Anouk instantly cast a spell of intrigue on the town's conservative population, drawing admiration and distaste in equal measure when they open a chocolaterie during Lent. It's a beautiful read, but be warned - it will leave you very hungry indeed...

OH COMELY

I've mentioned my love for this beauty before (it made it into this roundup, in case you missed it) and the latest issue has proven to be my favourite so far. This is a gorgeous British women's magazine, which showcases lovely visuals and some of my favourite writing I've seen in any publication of its kind. Its stories are unique and endearing, written excellently and still retaining a sense of play too... I could truly waffle about its merits all day long.

ETTA AND OTTO AND RUSSELL AND JAMES | EMMA HOOPER

A read that I purchased after hearing Lilly loved it, I quickly fell for this simple but stunning tale. We follow Etta, an elderly Canadian woman, as she begins a trek that will take her thousands of miles from the home she shares with her husband Otto. While her voyage takes her across Canada, we are led on a journey into her past, following her history with both Otto and their dearest friend Russell. You will adore its gentle storytelling style, perfect for bringing you intimately close to each of the characters. It feels effortless, immediately pulling you into its hold.

ELEANOR & PARK | RAINBOW ROWELL

Yes, it's another read I've told you about (in this video in case you missed it) but this story is that darn good. Proving that you don't have to chuck in a load of vampires when writing about young romance, Eleanor and Park is about love and all its complications. I'll be frank and say that I can't truly summarise the power of this one without inadvertently making it sound banal when the opposite is the case... this book is funny and painful and nuanced and gorgeous. Expect to be sharply reminded of every raw love you ever felt as a teen.

That's my roundup done! What are you reading at the moment? Leave me the sweet sweet recommendations in the comments. In the meantime, I hope you are doing well and that this week is going better for you all...

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Anna Gets Into Magazines

I have finally been bitten by the magazine bug and loving finding beautiful sources of inspiration. This roundup features all the zines that have been keeping me sane as I bust through these essays... and trust me, there are some beautiful options here. Let me introduce you to the gang!

   

The Gentlewoman

The zine that started it all off. Published twice a year, this £6 piece of beauty is actually one of the more affordable ones on this list... And yes, I do feel ashamed. If we ignore the price, you can find beautifully curated material that is written for an intelligent audience. Gone are the dull pages on diet and exercise that dominate The Gentlewoman's peer publishings; instead you will find excellently written content on an array of genuinely interesting subjects. I also adore their visuals: think glamorously minimal and you've got the idea.

This beauty scores bonus points for the variety of figures interviewed; with Björk on the cover and interviews starring everyone from Countess Spencer to The Staves, it made for a deeply refreshing read.

Vogue

I had quite the hiatus from reading Vogue, and was pleasantly surprised by their July issue. The interview with my wife the actress Ruth Wilson impressed me by how well it avoided the "SHE HAS IT ALL" drivel that you'll find in most A-list celeb interviews. I was also intrigued by their article on the political history of the colour pink: I despise the shade but adored the piece. Some parts weren't quite to my firmly feminist tastes, as the issue looked at what to wear at what age and sadly did not come back with the correct answer, which is "Whatever You F*cking Want". Overall, however, I found it stimulating and of course, beautiful to look at.

The Happy Reader

I bought the first issue of this beauty and I would recommend you only do so if you are 100% comfortable with the fact you will be in love with Dan Stevens afterwards. UK-based subscriptions to this will set you back all of £2 (score) with its release being described as "seasonal"... by this they do mean quarterly. The format is simple: half of its 64 pages are given to a gloriously long chat with a wonderful bookworm, the rest centres on a book chosen in the last issue, with a few literary updates chucked in for good measure. I've already subscribed as it is an invaluable source of good writing and a hefty amount of reading recommendations. Its layout is fun too, with the more obscure references footnoted in the margin (I love footnotes). One for book nerds everywhere.

 

Cereal

Dear. Lord. I know now that I should never have bought this one as I have set myself up for shedding £12 every six months for the rest of my days. Cereal is about 200 pages of sheer beauty. Everything from its phenomenal photography to its lovely layout has been carefully considered, with text and images that are equally divine. On this occasion I didn't even feel like I'd bought a mere magazine; instead I'm telling myself it is an amazing book that was put together with the sole mission of making my heart cry. Proceed with caution, friends.

Oh Comely

Now £5 an issue, Oh Comely's bi-monthly release is not the only reason this particular publication has won me over. Whereas Cereal's magic is in its untouchable visuals and professional feel, Oh Comely has a real warmth to it, with some pieces that read like perfectly crafted diary entries. The  first issue I laid my hands on took the weather as its recurring theme, a topic I was initially put off by but ended up loving. The visuals also look like they've been shot on film, something I appreeeesh, and I loved all the small brands and creatives that are featured... It's getting a big thumbs up.

Kinfolk

I couldn't leave Kinfolk off my reading list... It has been on my radar for far too long! Kinfolk made for a weighty read, physically and intellectually, with some pieces that really got me thinking this month. It is released quarterly and will set you back around £12, so I will sadly be holding off from a subscription (for now...) Its images are almost alarmingly clean and I also appreciated the range of topics covered, especially the recipes. The pieces were well written and thought-provoking, enjoyable even when I didn't 100% agree with them. I shall most certainly be purchasing this one again.

And there you have it... My roundup of some lovely reads to enjoy over the end of summer! Do you have any recommendations? I think the next on my list is Toc Toc magazine... 

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