Confessions of a libra

Credit: Here

11.05.25

Feminism, Love & Self Development

1. Fear by Osho [ Tackles anxiety, spiritual overtones ]
2. All About Love [ Mature understanding of love, patriarchy’s role, intersectionality ]
3. Women Who Run With the Wolves Clarissa Pinkola Estes [ Utilising psychology and myths to discuss archetypes of womanhood]
4. What A Time To Be Alone by Chiddera Eggerue [ Embracing singledom, feminism ]
5. Women Don’t Owe You Pretty by Florence Given [ Womanhood, intersectionality]
6. The Success Experiment by Lillian Ahenkan aka Flex Mami [ Badass bitch mindset from an Aries Queen]
7. Build Your Resilience by Donald J. Robertson [ Not for everyone but can help with resilience ]
8. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron [ Everyone needs this book, for creativity and practical self care ]
9. Emotional Female by Yumiko Kadota [ The effects of self abandonment and burnout, Asian Australian perspective ]
10. A Life Less Stressed by Ron Ehrlich [ Western physician who doesn’t demonise holistic healing ]

Critical Thinking & Social Commentary

1. 1948 by George Orwell [ Explore themes of totalitarianism, censorship and encourage critical thinking]
2. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler [ Explores time travel, with accurate historical considerations for black people ]
3. Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills [ Explores how even when black people are successful, they still deal with racial injustice, promotes critical thinking about the weight of money in a racist society ]
4. DMT Entity Encounters by David Luke, Anton Bilton Et. Al. [ Challenges your idea that the things we see when we are inebriated have no value, makes you consider a new exciting branch of science ]
5. Africa Risen by Sheree Renee Thoman, Oghenechovwe Et. Al. [ Afrofuturism as a concept? In short stories?! ]
6. Boys Don’t cry by Malorie Blackman [ A teenage single father doing his A levels aka year 12?! Explores masculinity in all forms, includes a gay sibling]
7. Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman [ A classic, everything is upside down and black people are the ruling class, interracial romance ]
8. The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks [ Revolutionary in a different way, you follow a woman from her first marriage at 12 until she dies, gets you to see a full bodied woman, warts and all, my absolute favourite Australian woman writer, narrative prose but lyrical ]
9. The Escapades of Tribulation Johnson by Karen Brooks [ Explores a woman in the 1600 who wants and gets to be a playwright, but it’s historical so heaps of bullshit she has to go through, but the journey is exquisite ]
10. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga [ Zimbabwean author, coming of age story about a rural Zimbabwean girl in colonial ‘Rhodesia’, she is a great example of the eloquent spirit of Zimbabweans ]

Escapist Fiction

1. I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith [ Nostalgic vibes, makes you want to be young in a different time, will inspire you to write if that’s your thang ]
2. The Hob’s Bargain by Patricia Briggs [ Classic fantasy without shoving sex down your throat, short ]
3. The Witches of New York [ Pure witchy, cosy goodness]
4. Neon Gods by Katee Robert [ Smutty getaway, decent series, she writes characters and names their race so you don’t assume everyone is white ]
5. Heartless by Gena Showalter [ Dark Fae King, unapologetic dom vibes, misunderstood king ]
6. Now She is Witch by Kirsty Logan [ Why she isn’t more popular is beyond me, it was raw gritty witch vibes ]
7. Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer [We don’t shame pure escapism over here]
8. The Host by Stephanie Meyer [ I have it on very good authority she accidentally channelled real concepts ]
9. Circe by Madeline Miller [ The cost of being a goddess, captivating all the way through ]
10. The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff [fiction based in rural India, no fluff, but some humour and learning along the way, sexism is well and truly explored ]
11. The Crimson Petal and White by Michel Faber [ Everyone’s a bit shit and a bit good, historical and just amazing chef’s kiss

Astrology, Spirituality & Mythology (underrepresented)

1. Sextrology by Stella Starsky and Quinn Cox [ This could be your main astrology bible honestly, includes queer representation and interpretations
2. How To Be A Great Astrologer by James Braha and Gustave Dore [ Great once you get into aspects ]
3. Astrology For The Soul by Jan Miller [ Explores the Nodes in detail ]
4. Creating On Purpose By Anodea Judith & Lion Goodman [ Explores manifestation through the chakras, gave me breakthroughs about working with the chakra system ]
5. Myths and Legends of Southern Africa by Penny Miller [ Difficult to find but very comprehensive, includes real Southern African art ]

[ Final message. You don’t have to read any of these. You don’t even have to like them. You don’t have to read consistently to be a reader or a thoughtful person. Read in your own time and let the magic unfurl on its own ]