Over the last few weeks Team R29 have been spending their downtime exploring a raft of true stories, including an unnerving look at a 1960s social experiment in The Premonitions Bureau by Sam Knight. Other offerings included Into Every Generation by Evan Ross Katz, which takes a deep dive into the pop culture space, and Tenants by Refinery29’s very own Vicky Spratt, which explores the problems at the root of Britain’s housing crisis.
As we move into a new month we’re turning our attention towards fictional tales too, with stories covering a wealth of topics like self-exploration, trans identity and adversity in Old Hollywood.
To take a look at everything Team R29 are reading this June, click through the slideshow ahead…
Refinery29’s selection is purely editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items we love! As part of our business model we do work with affiliates; if you directly purchase something from a link on this article, we may earn a small amount of commission. Transparency is important to us at Refinery29, if you have any questions please reach out to us.
Book: Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
Why? I’m a sucker for anything about Old Hollywood (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourites) and Siren Queen is right up my street. What captured me was Nghi Vo’s unique approach to that world of glitz and glam, following Luli Wei, a Chinese American woman in pre-Code Hollywood (before the introduction in 1934 of the Hays Code, a set of rules meant to curb immorality and profanity in the film industry and steeped heavily in the racism, homophobia and misogyny of the era). I’ll let the book’s blurb do the talking: “The studios want to own everything from her face to her name to the women she loves, and they run on a system of bargains made in blood and ancient magic, powered by the endless sacrifice of unlucky starlets like her. For those who do survive to earn their fame, success comes with a steep price. Luli is willing to do whatever it takes — even if that means becoming the monster herself.” Now, doesn’t that just grip you instantly?
Nghi Vo Siren Queen, $, available at Amazon
Book: Ghost Lover by Lisa Taddeo
Why? I’d be jealous of Lisa Taddeo if I didn’t love her so goddamn much. Her nonfiction debut, Three Women, explored the sex lives of three very different, very real women over many years and was genuinely groundbreaking – a rare achievement at this point in human and literary history. She followed it up last year with the “dirty, gritty” novel Animal and now here she is with a collection of short stories. Ghost Lover promises to “bring to life the fever of obsession, the blindness of love and the mania of grief”. It’ll probably be amazing. You should probably read it to find out.
Lisa Taddeo Ghost Lover, $, available at Waterstones
Book: Stressilient: How To Beat Stress and Build Resilience by Dr Sam Akbar
Why? Don’t judge me when I say it was initially the pocket-size aspect (it’s the span of my hand) that made me pick this one up. Dr Sam Akbar is a clinical psychologist who, throughout her career, has specialised in treating refugees who have survived torture, war and violence. Burnout, doomscrolling, a devastating cost of living crisis – it’s no wonder we’re all feeling more stressed than usual. The chapters touch upon tips for managing emotions, challenging negative thought processes and encouraging more self-compassion without being overly preachy. If I could inject it, I would.
Dr Sam Akbar Stressilient: How to Beat Stress and Build Resilience, $, available at Waterstones
Book: Bessborough by Deirdre Finnerty
Why? This is the first book from a brilliant BBC journalist and it’s packed full of original reporting and research to tell the story of Ireland’s shadowy Bessborough. The book charts the experiences of three women who spent time in the former mother and baby institution on the outskirts of Cork city. Bessborough House was run by the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Between 1922 and 1998, thousands of women and girls passed through its doors and gave birth to children they would not be allowed to keep. This is their story – it is furious. It is devastating. It is a must-read.
Deirdre Finnerty Bessborough: Three Women. Three Decades. Three Stories, $, available at Amazon
Book: Just By Looking at Him by Ryan O’Connell
Why? Anyone who binge-watched Netflix’s Special will be happy to know that the show’s writer and star has finally blessed us with a novel. Continuing the show’s discussion around queerness and disability, the book follows TV writer Elliott as he attempts to bring meaning to his increasingly messy life. In a long-term relationship with an able-bodied partner, Elliott is frustrated with the predictability of his relationship, his unfulfilling job and his increasing reliance on alcohol. The answer to these issues, he thinks, is a tall, handsome sex worker who goes by the name of River. But while River might act as a gorgeous distraction from Elliott’s growing unhappiness, he quickly discovers that the real work needs to be done outside of the bedroom.
Ryan O’Connell Just By Looking at Him, $, available at Waterstones
Book: Nevada by Imogen Binnie
Why? Nevada was originally published in the US in 2013 but is hitting UK bookshelves for the first time this June. It’s a cult classic for a reason. The novel follows Maria, a trans woman in her early 30s in 2000s New York, as her life spirals aimlessly before a lie breaks her out of her patterns and she steals a car, heading off on the Great American Road Trip. It’s a coming-of-age story, a comedy, a trip into early 2000s New York and a skewering of literary tropes about transitioning before they’d even been established. Loved it.
Imogen Binnie Nevada, $, available at bookshop.org
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