The Bookish Drop 📚 Thursday 19 June 2025
Why we want to go on a bookshop crawl👣Women’s Prize for Fiction winner celebrated🥇50% off so many books🤯
📚 Hey, book lovers! The sun is shining and it's been a lovely week for some al fresco reading - we hope you're getting some sunshine too, wherever in the world you are! We just wanted to say a big thank you to all of you for being here. It feels like just yesterday we started The Bookish Drop, but somehow there's already more than 1,000 of you here, and we’re so grateful. We hope you're enjoying reading the newsletter as much as we enjoy putting it together for you each week. If you haven't already, please consider sharing the Bookish Drop with any book-loving friends and family members, and, as always, you can get in touch with us using this form.
❤️ What we’re reading this week…
Catherine: The Journals of Sylvia Plath, edited by Karen V. Kukil - I purchased this book after visiting Plath’s grave at Heptonstall whilst staying with family nearby. The local bookstore understandably had a standout collection of books by and about Plath, and I’ve enjoyed getting this insight into Plath’s life.
Danielle: Under Your Scars by Ariel N. Anderson - A dark romance with practically every trigger warning under the sun? My kinda vibe. I’ve seen people crying over this book on TikTok because of the ending, so I’m sorta dreading getting too attached to any of the characters. But when a playlist for the book says ‘listen during the epilogue if you want to cry harder,’ it begs the question: why am I doing this to myself? HOWEVER, I’m sure it’ll be great!
Talya: The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst - Cosy fantasy has always appealed to me, so I recently picked up Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I absolutely loved it, so of course I had to move straight onto The Enchanted Greenhouse. It’s set in the same world and is giving all the same warm and fuzzy vibes!
Zoe: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot - I’ve found myself in a bit of a reading slump of late…which is not ideal when you write a book newsletter. I’ve recently moved into my first house and have become reacquainted with boxes full of my childhood books, so I’m taking a trip down memory lane and flicking through some of my favourite teenage reads in the hope that a jolt of nostalgia is what I need to shake me out of this funk.
⏰ What’s trending…
♐ Looking for a book recommendation based on your zodiac sign? @allthelitbooks has got you covered. Would you read the book recommended for you?
🎥 The odds are forever in our favour when it comes to incredible casting for the upcoming Hunger Games movie. Glenn Close and Billy Porter have become the latest big names to sign on to star in Sunrise on the Reaping. We have very high hopes for this adaptation.
😭 Did you see the heartbreaking post from Caytlyn Brooke earlier this month, revealing that no one had turned up for her book signing in New York? Well, social media has been a positive place and has reacted in the best way.
👣 Have you ever tried going on a bookshop crawl? The Guardian has written about the literary phenomenon, which is not only a great activity to do either solo or with friends, but it’s a fun way to support independent stores and hidden gems.
💖 Want to make your Kindle ‘lock screen’ personalised to you? @readwith.georgia has shown you how, and it’s so simple!
📢 The weekly review: The Feminine Art of Revenge by Celine Saintclare. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Danielle: An absolutely stunning second book, Celine Saintclare's writing style is easy to get lost in, and I devoured this novel in less than 24 hours. After Sugar, Baby, Saintclare’s first book, went viral on TikTok, I knew I simply had to read everything she writes, and so I was honoured to receive an advance copy of this. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until September to get your hands on this one.
Saintclare manages to make the most mundane descriptions sound delightful, and the dullest interactions seem full of hope and excitement. This book will leave you slack-jawed, with more questions than answers, and in disbelief, but in the best way. I finished it so quickly while on holiday, and was so engrossed that I had to take it out while I had drinks with my partner that evening.
📖Bookish news
👩⚕️Come and peek inside a pharmacy that doesn’t contain medicine - it’s actually packed full of books.
🕵️ Bad news for book lovers waiting on a new Rebus novel. Crime writer Sir Ian Rankin has said he hopes his famous detective John Rebus will return in the future, but is “putting him to bed for a wee while.”
🏆 The Women's Prize for Fiction 2025 has been awarded to Yael van der Wouden for her "unsettling, tightly-plotted" debut, The Safekeep (Viking). Taking the stage to collect her award, Van der Wouden described her win as “the greatest honour of my life” and, for the first time publicly, shared her journey as an intersex woman.
🤖 Bloodhound Books has partnered with an AI tool called ProWritingAid. The publisher said it was to “enhance the editorial and submissions process”. The collaboration will see Bloodhound integrate ProWritingAid’s manuscript analysis technology into its editorial and submissions workflow, reports The Bookseller.
📉 On Independent Bookshop Week (14–21 June), the Booksellers Association reports a slight fall in the number of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland in 2025 so far, with 25 stores opening and 30 closing. However, “the consistent stream of openings of innovative new shops” is grounds for cautious optimism, the organisation says.
✨ Book Nook of the Week
If you’ve ever dreamt of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, you’re certainly not alone, and this beautiful book nook has got us feeling envious. There are so many titles that we’re desperate to read lining these shelves, and the cosy maximalist vibes are absolutely adorable. We’re just imagining snuggling up on the sofa after a long day of working at the desk, and settling in for the evening with a blanket and a novel, cancelling any plans that past us may have made. The colourful rug is a gorgeous touch as well, and ties in the rainbow books perfectly. If you’ve got a Book Nook you want us to feature, email thebookishdrop@reachplc.com
💸 Deals of the week
♥️ Waterstones is currently offering a whopping 50% off a number of books, including pre-order titles. You can get your hands on a signed hardback edition of Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory, out in September, for just £12.50!
💷 Want £5 off a book of your choice? With Independent Bookshop Week ongoing, National Book Tokens has given participating bookstores £5 off vouchers to hand out to customers. It’s a win-win situation, allowing you to support a local store and getting a discount! Find your local indie here!
🥀 V. E. Schwab’s newest book, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, is currently on sale at Barnes & Noble, with 30% off the hardback. If you become a premium member, you can also get an extra 10% off. For a limited time only, you can also get it on Amazon for just £10.50, which is less than half price.
❓ Is there anything in particular you want to see from us? We’d love to hear from you - whether you want us to review the book you’ve got coming out, you’re organising a book swap IRL, or you have some juicy bookish gossip to share! We’re always all ears! Fill out this form to get in touch!
Definitely worth a read - a compelling book on grief, survival and new beginnings with the usual mixture of fantastical aspects
After the Hay Festival in May - which was the best book-crawl ever - I’ve enjoyed Robert Harris’ Precipice, Hot Milk and Matt Haig’s The Life Impossible . All brilliant reads and have been perfect to enjoy Al fresco on my terrace . Thanks for all the tips