It might be fleeting but if like me, the weather this week has brightened your mood we should take advantage of it before it slips away again. I am dreaming of a bank holiday that consists of lazing in the sun, consuming barbecued foods, sipping cocktails and reading fabulous books. You too? Here are some books to help you achieve all that.
A perfect day for a picnic: over 80 recipes for outdoor feasts to share with family and friends by Tori Finch
Chic country girl and gourmet Tori Finch understands the joy of a carefree picnic. There’s nothing like eating outdoors to capture your sense of adventure, and add a flair to the food. Hop on your vintage bike to work up an appetite, hit the beach for a cook-out, or host a teddy bears picnic for little ones; these all feature within Tori’s 10 themed menus, each complete with recipes for savoury and sweet dishes, as well as drinks.
How to eat outside: fabulous al fresco food for BBQs, bonfires, camping and more by Genevieve Taylor
The great outdoors cookbook: over 140 recipes for barbecues, campfires, picnics and more by Phil Vickery
From campfire bangers to the most simple of picnics, it’s amazing how good food tastes out in the open. This book has been arranged by cooking method, with chapters on home BBQs, BBQs on the beach, gas burners, Dutch ovens, open fires and picnics.
Tequila mockingbird: cocktails with a literary twist by Tim Federle
The ultimate cocktail book for theliterary obsessed. Featuring delicious recipes paired with wry commentary on history’s most beloved novels. The drinks include Last of the Mojitos, Are you there God? Its me, Margarita, Love in the time of Kahlua.
Pretty fly for a mai tai: cocktails with rock ‘n’ roll spirit
It’s an undisputed truth that music and booze go hand-in-hand. So what better way to improve your favorite songs than by pairing them with a tailor-made cocktail? ‘Pretty Fly For A Mai Tai’ offers 75 delicious drinks recipes accompanied by humorous illustrations which are sure to please the audiophile in your life.
The Watercolourist by Beatrice Masini
19th century Italy. A young woman arrives at a beautiful villa in the countryside outside Milan. Bianca, a gifted young watercolourist, has been commissioned to illustrate the plants in the magnificent grounds. She settles into her grand new home, invited into the heart of the family by the eccentric poet Don Titta, his five children, his elegant and delicate wife and powerful, controlling mother. As the seasons pass, the young watercolourist develops her art – inspired by the landscape around her – and attracts many admirers. And while most of the household’s servants view her with envy, she soon develops a special affection for one housemaid, who, she is intrigued to learn, has mysterious origins. But as Bianca’s determination to unlock the secrets of the villa grows, she little notices the dangers that lie all around her.
Before the rains by Dinah Jeffries
1930, Rajputana, India. Since her husband’s death, 28-year-old photojournalist Eliza’s only companion has been her camera. When the British Government send her to an Indian princely state to photograph the royal family, she’s determined to make a name for herself. But when Eliza arrives at the palace she meets Jay, the Prince’s handsome, brooding younger brother. Brought together by their desire to improve conditions for local people, Jay and Eliza find they have more in common than they think. But their families – and society – think otherwise. Eventually they will have to make a choice between doing what’s expected, and following their heart.
The one by John Marrs
How far would you go to find ‘the one’? One simple mouth swab is all it takes. One tiny DNA test to find your perfect partner – the one you’re genetically made for. A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. Now, five more people take the test. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking – and deadlier – than others.
The girls by Emma Cline
California. The summer of 1969. In the dying days of a floundering counter-culture a young girl is unwittingly caught up in unthinkable violence, and a decision made at this moment, on the cusp of adulthood, will shape her life. Evie Boyd is desperate to be noticed. In the summer of 1969, empty days stretch out under the California sun. The smell of honeysuckle thickens the air and the sidewalks radiate heat. Until she sees them. The snatch of cold laughter. Hair, long and uncombed. Dirty dresses skimming the tops of thighs. Cheap rings like a second set of knuckles. The girls. And at the centre, Russell. Russell and the ranch, down a long dirt track and deep in the hills. Incense and clumsily strummed chords. Rumours of sex, frenzied gatherings, teen runaways. Was there a warning, a sign of things to come? Or is Evie already too enthralled by the girls to see that her life is about to be changed forever?
