What we loved: January 2025
Wicked, Traitors, and Rivals, oh my! (And new books from our favourites)
Sorry about the Wizard of Oz pun, I couldn’t help myself because I’m not out of Oz just yet. January is a strange and slow month, so forgive us that this monthly wrap up is a little late! And we have recorded our full 2024 wrap up episode, so that will be available to listen to soon. The world is a strange place and there’s no denying that the ‘new year, new me’ energy doesn’t seem to be working in a lot of areas. But to our core we are bookish, art, entertainment girlies so we’re always here recommending and celebrating the things we’ve enjoyed reading, watching, and listening to.
What did you enjoy reading, watching and listening to in January? Leave us a comment and tell us what you can’t stop thinking about!
*denotes review copy
Reading
So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne*
Holly Bourne has a knack for writing contemporary fiction that cuts through all the fluff and speaks to the deepest parts of womanhood. So Thrilled For You takes this to another level entirely, with searing honesty about the darkest parts of friendship and motherhood.
The book centres around a group of four women who’ve been friends since uni. Steffi is child-free by choice, embarking on the biggest leap of her career. Lauren has a nine-month-old baby and feels like every day is a living hell. Charlotte is desperate to have a baby but has unexplained infertility. Nicki is heavily pregnant and they’re reuniting for her baby shower on a sweltering summer’s day. They have no idea the day is going to end in a fire that will rip through three houses. We have no idea who lit it.
Honestly, I could have read about the dynamics of this friendship group all day. But that added mystery of how the fire started made So Thrilled For You an absolute page-turner. As the day unfolds, we learn more about each woman, the secrets they’ve been keeping, and the way this has started to erode their friendships. Bourne is so talented at writing women who feel so real – flawed, complex, angry, lost. But there’s such validation and compassion in this storytelling too, reminding us that there is always a messy reality underneath the Cool Mum/Cool Girl Insta-worthy snapshot.
– Michelle
Wicked by Gregory Maguire*
I first listened to the musical’s soundtrack in late 2010, before I saw it on stage for the first time in 2011, I was on crew for a local amateur production in 2017, saw it professionally again in 2023, and adored the movie at the end of 2024. All this time, I was never interested in reading Gregory Maguire’s novel. I always knew it was darker and different to the musical I loved. I can’t really pinpoint when that changed, but suddenly I was curious and Wicked was the first book I read in 2025. I’m really glad I did, not only did I enjoy the book but it was interesting as an exercise. The bones of the story are the same and most of the really dark moments in the novel do happen on stage, I think people just don’t realise because they’re singing and dancing. There are changes to the story for the stage, to simplify things and shorten the timeline. I’m not sure at this stage if I’ll read the other books in the series… I might, I do love Oz.
– Caitlin
Queen High by CJ Carey
If you can bring yourself to read something dystopian now, this is the feminist alternate history you need. I actually re-read the first book in this duology, Widowland, last year. They’re both set in a version of 1950s England if the country hadn’t gone to war with Germany and instead created an alliance.
I initially read Widowland when it came out in 2021 and we interviewed CJ Carey on the podcast (linked below). But, I put off finishing the set for so long that a re-read felt necessary to immerse myself in the world again.
I obviously couldn’t just review book two, so this is a bit of a joint review to shine some light on these little hidden gems! In this world, women are segregated into castes based on certain ideals. This then governs things like what jobs they can have, who they can speak to and even caloric intake. The books follow Rose, a young woman in the highest caste who works for the literature correction department.
Throughout the novels, we see resistance in the form of references to literature and poetry, all of which the Alliance government is trying desperately to erase or “correct” to align with their ideals. I loved the way classics were woven through in this way. This brings me to my favourite thing about these novels: they are based on so much research and real things that were implemented in the 1930s/40s or planned for beyond the war. This is woven in so well to create a truly chilling and yet totally believable totalitarian state.
If you want a thrilling, kind of terrifying read then look no further than these two books. It’s probably both the best and worst time to read them.
– Michelle
That Island Feeling by Karina May
I had the opportunity to attend Karina’s book launch and started reading That Island Feeling on the way home. I wanted to runaway to an island/beach holiday immediately. I’ve also since realised that I bought a new black one piece right after I finished reading this book, so the cover and descriptions of swimwear were clearly influential. So Andie organises a girls trip for her freshly divorced bestfriend, Taylor, but there’s a double booking and suddenly a group of guys on a bucks weekend is in their way. Plus the local trying his best to host them all and rekindle the island’s tourism, Captain Jack. Swapping between Andie and Jack’s perspectives as they get to know each other, attempt a holiday fling, while both dealing with their own family dramas. Karina perfectly balances a swoon-worthy romance, island shenanigans, changing friendships as adults, and the complex feelings around the swapping roles and caring for your parents.
– Caitlin
Watching
Call the Midwife
I cannot believe we’re 14 years into this beautiful TV series, it feels like yesterday I was watching the first season. With that said, I have missed bits and fallen behind over the years, so with the latest season on BBC now I decided it was high time I returned to London’s East End with Call the Midwife from the beginning. If you’re not familiar, the series is based loosely on the memoirs of a real midwife. The series begins in 1957 following young nurse midwives and a religious order working in the desperately poor suburbs of London. This month I’ve just been binging it constantly and somehow I’m up to season 5 already. It’s such a moving and emotional show exploring so many lives. The perfect cosy (yet utterly compelling) historical drama.
– Michelle
A Real Pain
Cinema is in for 2025 I’ve decided. I’m determined to go more often and I’ve been twice in January. (Also saw Paddington in Peru and the best moment was when I heard a kid sitting behind me say ‘he sounds like Puss In Boots’ about Antonio Banderas.) A Real Pain was written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, he also stars alongside Kieran Culkin. They play cousins David and Benji, who travel together to Poland to honour their late grandmother, as part of a small group on a Holocaust tour and visiting her childhood home. It’s a quirky and funny movie, with hilarious quipping brother-like moments between the cousins. It’s also a sad and really moving story that deals with inherited and generational trauma, complicated family relationships, and mental health. It’s visually beautiful, both their performances are incredible, I loved this movie and it’s stayed with me.
- Caitlin
The Traitors (UK)
Okay, I love a good reality TV show when it comes baked in with a whole movement of people to discuss it. First, it was Love Island UK, then it was MAFS and now it’s The Traitors. It seems Claudia Winkleman and her fringe really were what the whole of the UK needed to get through dreary January. I’ve had so much fun watching live each week then listening to the podcasts with all the theories, catching up on all the memes and, of course, discussing everything with friends and colleagues. The Australian seasons are great, too, but you need to watch the UK version just for the people’s prince, Alexander.
– Michelle
Rivals (Disney+)
Finally got around to watching this camp, glitzy, and very dramatic TV show. Might have loved it more than I thought I would. It’s just so compelling, the episodes were so drama filled and action packed that they flew by. I got so caught up and think I groaned when I realised I’d finished the last episode. I need season 2!!
- Caitlin
Listening
The Rest is History
My mum told me to listen to this podcast years ago and, finally, I’ve caved. The beauty of a podcast that’s got hundreds of episodes, though, is that you can take your pick of the topics that interest you. This month, my interest was piqued by all their episodes on the road to war in Germany in the 1930s. I’ve found the episodes give a great conversational overview of different topics and even though they’re heavily researched, they are still really engaging.
– Michelle
Don’t Worry Darling (Scandal by Shameless Media)
I had totally forgotten how long the timeline for this whole drama was! Listening to the summary of the movie’s production, the intertwined relationship timeline of Olivia Wilde with Jason Sudeikis and then Harry Styles, all the way to the viral press tour. So many things happened. Then a silly thing just broke all the tension and it dissolved immediately. A fascinating listen to look back on a recent and blown over scandal.
- Caitlin
The Boy from the Valleys by Luke Evans
This was such an unexpected favourite for me: a very moving memoir told with humility and heart. This memoir is so fascinating that it would be an amazing read even if it wasn’t coming from a movie star. Much of the book explores Luke’s childhood, growing up in a tiny village in the Welsh valleys as part of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. During his school years, Luke was bullied constantly for being different both because of his religion and for his sexuality (even before it was something he was fully aware of)
I listened to the book on audio and I’m so glad I did because Luke’s narration is, of course, beautiful. It adds so much to a story to hear it told by the person who experienced it. If you have any interest in memoir, you need to read this book. Affirming and uplifting, I really treasured the time listening to this story and it really felt like Luke gave a lot of himself in the telling of it.
– Michelle
Tom Holland, Christmas dinner with all the trimmings (Dish)
Technically I watched this one on YouTube (so I could look at Tom Holland) but Dish is a podcast I’ve been meaning to listen/view more of. It’s such a lovely chat as they discuss their favourite Christmas dishes, traditions, and plans for this year. Listening/watching late, in January, I got to hear Tom talk about how Zendaya is the best thing to happen to him and how much he’s looking forward to spending Christmas 2024 with her family once she’d already showed off her engagement ring at the Golden Globes. I think we all know what he meant when he said ‘this year is gonna be great’.
– Caitlin
Something else
Lemon pesto tortellini soup
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We cook multiple recipes from Emily English every week – either from her cookbook So Good or from recipes like this. This pasta dish is really delicious, easy to make and packed with green veg. Super speedy weeknight meal!
- Michelle
I got a fringe
Talk about ‘something else’, this is not really a recommendation because it feels odd to recommend a haircut. I don’t know what your hair is like, your personal style etc. But I got a fringe and I like it for me! I did have to go get a round brush on day three, and also got rollers and anti frizz hairspray. I guess I recommend just having a little look at your local chemist/pharmacy, because you probably are due a new hairbrush/set of hair ties/make-up brushes/moisturiser or some other item we let live too long or always forget to refill/replace. But yeah the fringe is my other big news from January so here you go. 😂
- Caitlin
I'm really keen to read So Thrilled For You, glad to hear it is living up to Michelle's expectations! And yay to Caitlin enjoying That Island Feeling it's such a great summer book.