Read my Bookshelf

Are you a reader, like me, who enjoys re-reading their favourite books over and over?

I find myself coming back to my bookshelf every summer holidays and rediscovering the magic of stories that captured me in my youth. I feel loyal to these stories because the plot is similar to something I was experiencing at the time of reading or the character’s were feeling a feeling I too could understand.

These characters have become my friends. People I can relate to based on shared experiences and when I read their pages I feel seen.

I’d like to share a few of my favorite novels that grip me from page to page as I uncover new truths on each re-read.

1. Looking for Alibrandi

This is the book that changed everything for me. I was fourteen and Looking for Alibrandi was on our year nine reading list. Being a second generation Italian I found Josephine Alibrandi’s difficulty to find her place when surrounded by Australians parallel to my own experience. The other kids at school didn’t understand why my mum wouldn’t let me catch the bus to the movies on the weekend or why I needed a physical invitation for a party, she didn’t believe the party existed unless it was written down, or why I had to wear a t-shirt under all my dresses.

When my grandparents immigrated to Aus

tralia they brought over their values but those European nations changed and adapted with time whereas those living here were holding onto their past as a way to feel connected to home.

The year before I read Looking for Alibrandi my Nonna passed away. When I watched the film at school and Josie tells her Nonna she loves her I burst into tears, I never saw the end of the movie. My friends rallied around to console me and I cried for a solid thirty minutes. It hit me watching the movie I would never be able to say those words to my Nonna ever again. It broke my heart.

The books that stay with us the longest are the ones we have an emotional reaction to whether it be tears over a character's death, anger because of betrayal or happiness when two characters realise their love for one another.

Looking for Alibrandi definitely got that emotional reaction from me and whenever I re-read it, listen to the audiobook or watch the film I remember being fourteen and accusing the world of not understanding me.

2. The Younger Man by Zoë Foster Blake

Zoë Foster Blake’s novels moved my reading habits

away from young adult fiction and into the adult world. Her novel, The Younger Man, follows the story of Abby who spends a wonderful night with a much younger man, Marcus, but believes nothing will come of the romance. She’s determined to remain focused on streamlining her promo girl business. But Marcus has other ideas. As the blurb says, he knows what he wants and knows that age is just a number.

Zoë’s writing is funny and relatable, filling us with the desire to find an attractive man who won’t let your fear of it all going wrong as a no.

3. Paris for One and other stories by Jojo Moyes

Most of you would know Jojo Moyes as the author of Me Before You which is now a major motion picture starring Emilia Clark and Sam Claflin. The book took the world by storm but have you read any of her other works?

Paris for One is a novella/ short story of 134 pages, it is in my copy anyway, about Nell who is really excited to be travelling to Paris for the first time with her boyfriend. She waits at the train station but as time ticks by he fails to arrive in time. Nell makes a split second decision to hop on the train and travel to Paris alone. Maybe he’ll meet her there.

We follow Nell on her fairytale weekend taking in the sights of Paris and fulfilling every woman’s fantasy of romance in the city of lights.

You’ll have to read the rest to find out how it ends.

The remainder of the book is devoted to ten short stories by Moyes covering topics of past affairs, crocodile shoes that change one woman’s day and a burglary.

I recommend this book to people who admit to not being avid readers, hey no judgement here, as each short story isn’t a huge commitment. Sometimes a large novel can be intimidating but this collection is like dipping your toes into the swimming pool and testing the temperature. Or readers who are looking to explore the crazy world of short stories. It’s amazing how she is able to tell a story, with full developed characters and vivid description over a few pages.

Happy Reading

Frances xx