Reignite your love for reading in 2026!
by
Penny Mathebula
March 2026
The year is still fresh enough for us to hold onto our New Year’s resolutions, ours, as always, is to read more books and lose ourselves in new stories.
The list we’ve put together offers gripping reads that will reignite your love for literature and invite you to look a little closer at the world around you.
Judge Stone
By Viola Davis and James Patterson
This gripping novel echoes the timeless themes of To Kill a Mockingbird, delving into race, justice, and the deep divides that continue to shape the American South. At its heart is Judge Mary Stone, the most respected citizen in Union Springs, Alabama. She carries two responsibilities with unwavering devotion: tending to her family farm and upholding the integrity of her courtroom.
“The most respected citizen in Union Springs, Alabama (population 3,314), is Judge Mary Stone. She holds two responsibilities sacred: running her family farm and presiding over her courtroom. It's there she draws the most controversial case in the history of the South.”– Judge Stone
Bosadi
By Kopano Matlwa
This book offers a powerful exploration of the complexities faced by black women navigating the harsh realities of life in South Africa. It offers moments marked by loss, resilience, and the quiet strength of survival. The empty nursery, the dead husband, the knife, and the search for clarity reveals how courage is often forged in the most painful places.
“I used the knife Rakgadi had given me the night of her niece Mumsy’s funeral, when she shoved me into a corner with a crate of tomatoes and told me to take care of her favourite knife.” — Bosadi
Why our Addiction to Pleasure is Causing us Pain
By Dr Anna Lembke
Life will always challenge us, stretch us, and ask us to rise. In the rush to meet our own expectations and those the world places on us, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly nurtures our wellbeing. Social media often magnifies our doubts, fuelling comparison and a quiet kind of self‑gaslighting that leaves us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. Dopamine Nation: Why our addiction to pleasure is causing us pain by Dr. Anna Lembke offers a powerful reminder that balance is possible.
Honourable mentions
Happy reading!
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