Secret Book Swap | No. 11 - Currie January 2026
Books We Swapped:
The Girls – Lori Lansens
Born conjoined twins in a small North American town, Rose and Ruby Darlen live an extraordinary shared life shaped by love, resilience and fierce individuality. Narrated with wit and tenderness, this is a moving exploration of sisterhood, bodily autonomy and what it means to live fully on your own terms.The Names – Florence Knapp
A quietly devastating novel about identity, choice and the ripple effects of naming. Following a woman whose life branches into parallel paths shaped by a single decision, Knapp examines motherhood, autonomy and the selves we become — or abandon — with haunting emotional precision.Reasons to Stay Alive – Matt Haig
Part memoir, part lifeline, this honest and compassionate book charts Haig’s experience of depression and anxiety — and the slow, hopeful return to living. Clear-eyed, generous and quietly uplifting, it offers comfort without platitudes and reminds us that dark moments do pass.Honey Bee – Dawn O’Porter
A vibrant coming-of-age story about a young woman learning to take up space in a world that keeps trying to define her. Bursting with heart, humour and emotional honesty, Honey Bee celebrates self-expression, friendship and the courage it takes to become yourself.The Clothes on Their Backs – Linda Grant
Set in post-war London, this sharp, atmospheric novel follows a young woman navigating class, ambition and family secrets. With elegance and moral bite, Grant explores what we inherit — materially and emotionally — and the hidden costs of social mobility.Carrie Soto Is Back – Taylor Jenkins Reid
A fierce, propulsive portrait of an ageing tennis legend staging an audacious comeback. Driven, flawed and unforgettable, Carrie Soto’s story is about obsession, legacy and the price of greatness — a love letter to ambition in all its brutal, human complexity.The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz – Jeremy Dronfield
A powerful true story of survival, love and unimaginable courage. Tracing a father and son’s journey through the Holocaust, this deeply moving book honours endurance and the bonds that persist even in humanity’s darkest moments.Once Upon a Broken Heart – Stephanie Garber
A lush, fairy-tale romance filled with curses, bargains and dangerous magic. When Evangeline makes a deal with the enigmatic Prince of Hearts, she’s drawn into a world where love is never simple — and happily-ever-after comes at a cost.The Hunting Party – Lucy Foley
A snow-bound New Year’s reunion turns deadly in this icy, atmospheric thriller. As secrets surface and perspectives shift, Foley builds tension through sharp character studies and creeping dread — perfect for fans of closed-circle mysteries with bite.A Life Discarded – Alexander Masters
An extraordinary act of literary detective work, piecing together the life of a man who lived — and died — on society’s margins. Compassionate and unsettling, this book asks whose stories are deemed worth telling, and what we owe to the forgotten.Am I Ugly? – Michelle Elman
Blunt, brave and fiercely honest, Elman dismantles the lies we’re taught about beauty, worth and self-love. Part memoir, part manifesto, this is an empowering read about reclaiming your body and your voice in a world that profits from insecurity.
Caroline Young - credit Ana Scaletchi
Our Guest , Caroline Young
Caroline Young is an author from Edinburgh who specialises in film, fashion and pop culture. Her works include Single & Psycho, The Fabulous Frances Farquharson, Fashioning Hitchcock, and Crazy Old Ladies: The Story of Hag Horror, which was nominated for both the Rondo Hatton Award and Richard Wall Memorial Award.
Single & Psycho
A lively, sharp and thought-provoking exploration of the enduring stereotype of the dangerous single woman in popular culture.
From the obsessive 'bunny boiler' of Fatal Attraction to the tabloid frenzy over Taylor Swift’s relationship status, Caroline Young explores how single women have so often been portrayed as unstable, dangerous, or incomplete.
Blending cultural criticism with her own personal experience, Young examines how these stereotypes have been shaped by broader social trends, including the antifeminist backlash of the 1980s and the current renaissance of the ‘trad-wife’.
Banned Book Reading
Good News Update
While our banned book talks are a core part of our evenings, and something we will continue to do, this month, partly because it is the end of a dark and gloomy January, and partly because the world seems to be just a little bit on fire right now, I decided we were in need of some good news to set us up for the year ahead.
So I invite you to take a look at the variety of book themed good news updates we shared this month.
Join us at future secret book swaps: