Winter is one of the best times to start on a new book. There's nothing quite like cosying up on the lounge with a cup of tea and a fabulous read.

If you're looking for some new book recommendations, we have more than a few. Here is what the RUSSH Editors are reading in June.

Elle Presbury

Market & Beauty Director

I love reading. I hoard books. I take pictures of pages of books to always have on hand. But of late (perhaps a covid related symptom?) I haven't been able to read much at all. My stack of unread books is distressingly growing larger as the weeks creep on. But whatever. There is a time for books and a time for staring out the window. I’ve spoken about Longreads before but it is the best way to still keep your love of reading strong without the commitment of a full book. A collection of the best long form articles the internet has to offer. From opinion, to profiles, crime reporting and the arts, essays and food writing you can choose what suits your current mood. With the best of the week and the year lists you know what you read will be worth your while. They even list the approximate number of minutes needed to read each article. The perfect fill for a spare 20 minutes.

Natalie Petrevski

Fashion Editor

The world seems to be moving from one distressing time to the next. While the strict social distancing measures were in place in Aus, my friends and I (as did many other people across the world) put together a book club to get us through. On the list so far we’ve had Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Read and Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton.

Now as the past weeks have been so overwhelming with the global protests and outrage, I too as my colleagues want to educate myself more on the important issues at hand. We’ve had some amazing suggestions and by no means does my list end here, however I will be starting with The Fire Next Time by James Baldin and I Know Why The Caged Birds Sing by Maya Angelou. Education is power.

Megan Nolan

Digital Operations Manager

I will admit I’ve been fairly overwhelmed opening Instagram and finding my entire newsfeed filled with images of the violence currently filling the streets of America. I am however so thankful that these issues are being brought to the forefront and am using this opportunity to try and do the work and educate myself more on this incredibly important issue. Firstly I’m reading this article by Ella Jane on white privilege and then I am going to dive into this list starting with How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.

Mia Steiber

Digital Content Director

I know I need to do a lot more reading for educational purposes. We’ve had some wonderful suggestions sent in by our community. Like Meg, I want to read How to be an Anti-Racist by Dr Ibram X Kendi. I also want to read Beloved by Toni Morrison, a suggestion from our community - it won a Pulitzer prize. I’m also rereading The Bloody Chamber, which is a collection of adapted fairytales. Feminist author Angela Carter takes your standard Snow White story and transforms it into something deeper and darker - which appeals to my vampire-fan-girl side. Many of them are quite short so it’s easy bedtime reading. If I can find the time, Conversations with Friends is also on the list. I want to read it before the series comes out.

Andrea Tchacos

Deputy Editor

I’ve just moved into a new place with friends and among its advantages is a new shelf of books at my disposal. Another advantage is that these are the kind of friends (the best kind - are there any others?) you really want to borrow books from. Now reading is all I want to do. Stolen to my room and side-of-bed are Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe, James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son, Haruki Murukami’s Norwegian Wood, Audre Lorde’s The Master’s Tools and Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other. Along with Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Angela Davis’s Freedom is a Constant Struggle and Lorde’s Sister Outsider from our community reading list. 

Gabriela Hidalgo

Brand & Art Director

Truthfully, I find it difficult to set enough time aside to wind down and read on a normal week/month/year, and so with the world in chaos reading has been the last thing on my mind. But that ends now. The volume of what’s on my list vs. my current reading speed doesn’t quite add up and so, I will opt for audio books wherever possible. Some on the list are Maya Angelou’s And Still I Rise , Call Me By Your Name (how I still haven’t read this is beyond me) The Bluest Eye by Toni Miorrison and Perfume by Patrick Süskind.