What I'm Reading: Nicole Miller

Nicole Miller. Photo / Supplied

My current read is The Seven Sisters, the first novel in The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley, which follows the story of the adopted daughters of billionaire "Pa Salt". I sought a copy of this book due to its popularity after it took out Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone at number 1 on the Whitcoulls' book chart earlier this year.

I recently finished Glennon Doyle's bestselling memoir, Untamed. Like many women my age, I was drawn to the vulnerability and honesty in her writing. Untamed is a story of love and resilience that explores subjects such as body shaming, religion, sexual preference and misogyny. The message I took from it is to listen to your "knowing" and be your true self, regardless of how other people might choose to respond.

Tucked in with my recipe books I have Living Lightly: The Busy Person's Guide to Mindful Consumption, by Nicola Turner. I haven't read it cover to cover, I just read chapters or pages that resonate with our family lifestyle and give us inspiration to make our next household change.

I also get inspiration from reading Juliet Dale's blog The Great Eco Journey and this week - with summer on the horizon - read her October 2020 article on sustainable New Zealand swimwear brands. The article discusses materials that have been commonly used by the swimwear industry and introduces us to ECONYL, which is made from 100 per cent nylon waste material.

The last time we took a long road trip, the kids loved the audiobook World's Worst Children 3, by David Walliams, a collection of hilarious short stories. My youngest child is 3 and he normally loses interest quickly when listening to children's novels, but he really engaged with Walliam's theatrical voices and rude sound effects - and so did the adults!

I recently dusted off a pile of beloved picture books from the 1980s. My mum doesn't cull old books easily. The beautifully illustrated Sally's Secret, by Shirley Hughes, is my kids' current number one pick. The detailed pictures capture their attention every time and have also inspired some serious hut building under the kitchen table.

Nicole Miller's first book, Celia Seagull and the Plastic Sea (Mary Egan Publishing, $15), is out now.