The Books That Made Charlotte

“I’ve been a bookseller at The Haslemere Bookshop for 3 years now, and I still can’t believe this is my job! I’m a lover of novels that are nature-based and otherworldly (or weird and devastating according to Emily...), and I know I’ve finished a good book when it feels like my understanding of the world has just slipped through my fingers and I’m not sure where to go next. Speculative fiction, sci-fi, and even a little bit of eco-horror is what you’ll find me reading the most, and when I’m not reading I’m painting and drawing (or thinking about what I’m going to read, paint or draw!) ”

Why I Chose Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater 

When I first read this book sat in the school library as a brand new year 7, it blew my mind - this was what a book could be?! Completely hooked and uncontactable for the next few 48 hours I ferociously devoured it, and my love for reading continued. Written by an incredibly talented author who knows how to craft a world and a set of characters for a teenage audience, it’s got everything someone of that age could want, and I’ve been unashamedly chasing that high ever since.  

Why I Chose The Overstory by Richard Stories

I was in Norwich with my sister when I first bought this book - it had trees on it, so in my mind buying it was a no-brainer, but really I had no idea just what an epic novel I was about to embark on. A few years on and The Overstory’s beautifully crafted imagery still hits me randomly, and I’ll be honest in saying I get shivers every time. I loved trees before I read this book, but it wasn’t with the same awe and worship I do now. Thanks Richard Powers - I wish I had your brain and eyes though, because mine just don’t compare!

Why I Chose In Ascension by Martin MacInnes

To be honest, I’m going to struggle to summarise this incredible novel and just how impactful it was to me in just a few words! Although not reflected through its page count, it's a massive book that asks some wonderfully profound questions whilst taking you on a number of metaphorical and physical journeys. Surprisingly it’s the more intimate reflections between its characters and their families that I found most therapeutic; this is a book that  made me fall in love with the world around me and reconfirm my love with those beside me. Another author whose eyes and brain just don’t compare to the rest of us! 

Why I Chose Blue Horses by Mary Oliver 

I’m not usually a poetry reader, and I’m not sure why I originally poked my way through a collection of Mary Oliver’s poetry in the first place. But I stumbled across Blue Horses (the individual poem this book is named after) and have never looked back. Mary Oliver’s poetry has been a constant companion in my life for a couple of years, and I never tire of reading them. Her contemplations on the natural world are breathtaking, and her writing is just effortless and beautiful. She makes the world around me feel magical, and makes me aware of an appreciation for it that I need to be much more in touch with. 

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