There’s nothing I love more at the moment than the ‘that girl’ aesthetic - clean, bright white vibes, a smart-casual clothing aesthetic and minimalist home decor. And, I’m seeing so much of it on Bookstagram at the minute too, from pictures down to the books we’re reading! Inspired by this, I’ve created a reading list I’m going to attempt to tackle this summer, full of ‘that girl’ bookish vibes!
Normal People
The Sally Rooney classic - I’ve read it, but not in a long time, so I’m certainly due a re-read. This book is constantly featured on Booksta, and is certainly a staple read!
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
I am dying to read this Moshfegh over Summer. I’ve seen it on my Booksta feed for a long time now, and it seems to be a recurring Booktok classic too, featuring regularly on ‘hot girl’ reading lists. I, for one, just want to see what all the hype is about!
Some Joan Didion
I have had Joan Didion on my TBR for what feels like ages now, and her books are constantly cropping up on my feed. I’ve personally got my eye on The Year of Magical Thinking and Slouching Towards Bethlehem, but I think any Joan Didion books fit perfectly into the ‘That Girl’ repertoire.
… and some Eve Babitz!
Aside from a lot of the absolutely dreamy front covers of Eve Babitz books I see on Booksta, I think her writing sounds so interesting and I certainly feel like I’m missing out having not read any of her works. I’m personally going to start with Black Swans, because I absolutely adore a short story collection, but, as with Didion, I think anything fits here!
Finally, a short classic!
I’m a sucker for a classic (did I mention I study English Literature?!), and so it wouldn’t be my reading list without shoving one in! For me, I’m hoping to get to James Baldwin’s Giovanni's Room over summer (and I’ve heard so many good things about it!), but any little classic would work! I can strongly recommend Nella Larsen and Francois Sagan as brilliant authors for a manageable, little classic, and Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love would be an ideal filler for this spot!
Hopefully this helps to provide some guidance when it comes to curating your ‘that girl’ reading lists for this summer too! Soph @sophsbookss