September 1st: Official start of meteorological Autumn. I mean, I declared it Autumn on 1st August and, despite the heat, I see no reason to change that idea. What September really means is official approval to enjoy the turning of the leaves, admire the flavours of coffee available and crochet a large wrap or blanket without risking completely overheating underneath it.

And, today, books.

I have a bad habit of pre-ordering books, especially those by writers I know or whose works I know I will enjoy. So today/this week has been an absolute gift. And this morning I loaded them up to Blossom, my constant Hygge Kindle companion.

Hagitude by Sharon Blackie is a book I’m looking forward to reading and rereading. Have I mentioned I’m menopausal? (I’m due to start HRT this week, so expect some emotional times and, hopefully, extra energy!) and Hagitude is about reclaiming “the mid-years as a liberating, alchemical moment”. I’m sure society doesn’t let women age in the way we should… and definitely doesn’t place a value on us when we age! And yet, according to Sharon, this is a modern Western civilisation issue and if we read and study the old stories and myths, we’ll find women, especially the older, free-to-be women, playing a vital role. As we move into the third female premiership of my lifetime, I’d like to know women aren’t being shelved just because we hit our Best Before dates in terms of egg production.

There’s also a year-long membership and study programme which I have been gifted by my Husband for Anniversary. I’m not sure he knows what he’s paid for, yet. I don’t quite, either, but I’m looking forward to examining what could be my next, exceedingly productive, 30 years of life with other women online and in person. It starts 1st October.

The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith is the latest Cormoran Strike book. I’ve read all the others, and really enjoyed them. Having seen photos of the book on Insta and Twitter, I’m glad I read on Kindle. At 1000 pages, it’s a doorstop, but J K Rowling writes readably and I have a couple of weekends away soon, so I should get through it eventually. It’s about a murder, online trolls and the on-going will they/won’t they romance of Cormoran and Robin. I’ll let you know whether it’s any good when I finish it.

Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop by Kiley Dunbar is a follow up to The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday which I read last (2021) summer. A heartbroken Icelander, a heartbroken woman and a flood. What more could I need? Added to that, the fact that I may not read this until October or November as a warm-up for Christmas and this is one to look forward to, definitely.

The Twist of a Knife is the latest Anthony Horowitz to feature Hawthorne and Horowitz himself as the detectives. It’s the book I’m reading at the moment, and enjoying greatly. Anthony Horowitz has a cracking sense of humour, and can be beautifully self-deprecating.

And the final book you can see here, Not Funny Not Clever by Jo Verity, is one that I bought in my summer spree in June and have finally put top of my TBR list. As it features middle aged women and teenagers in a heatwave, I possibly should have rushed a little and remembered to read it sooner. As it is, I may be wrapped in my shawl and sipping the hottest cocoa I can make by the time I start the novel. That’s how rock and roll I am.

Not bad for my first small things this September. Most of them won’t be this long, or this fancy. Seriously, September this year is a very small month.

How to Hygge the British Way is my gift to the world. I don’t get paid for writing it, I’m not in it for the kudos, financial rewards, to become an influencer, work with brands or otherwise make any money from the blog. That’s why there are no ads, and any products I mention and recommend have either been gifted to me or bought by me with my everyday wages or donations from supporters. Every book I review has been bought and read by me, unless stated otherwise.

I do get a couple of pennies each time someone buys from the Amazon links on my page, as an Amazon Affiliate, but otherwise if you’d like to support me, I like to give something back in return. That’s why I write books. It always feels good if you get a book back in return for some money. You can find a full list of my books at my Author’s Page on Amazon, but especially recommended for this time of year are:

Cosy Happy Hygge: Setting up a rhythm to life and rituals to enjoy it to make for a more balanced life that handles waves and storms better. Lent is a season of rituals and resets. The book has small and easy ways to make your life flow with grace and happiness, which lead to more hygge.

Happier: Probably my most personal book, it’s the story of how I used hygge and the little things in life to help boost my happiness. I still go back and reread to remind myself what I need to do to be a happy human. And it’s always the little things.

And if you, like me, like to plan ahead, then my Christmas books are always available: Have Yourself a Happy Hygge Christmas is the basic, all round Christmas hygge book, Enjoying a Self-Care Christmas is about taking time to look after yourself at the busiest season of all and is only available in ebook, while Celebrating a Contagious Christmas was my answer to Christmas in Lockdowns in 2020 but might (sadly) prove useful for a few more years to come. I’m itching to write a new Christmas book, on simplicity, frugality, minimalism and making the meaning of your Christmas more significant, but time, time, time…

If you’d like to support me, but don’t want to buy a book, I have a Paypal.Me account as Hygge Jem. Every little helps, so even a few pence goes towards the books, goods and courses I use and recommend on the site. I’m grateful for every little bit that brings me closer to my dream of full-time writing, and I know I couldn’t still be writing if it weren’t for the support of many readers and friends out there. Thank you all for every little bit of support, emotional, physical and financial, you give me.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, don’t forget to share it or save it so others can enjoy reading, thinking about and living hygge as well.

I cannot credit the person who took the image of leaves on water that I’m using between the writing and the shameless promotion of my own books on the blog, because it’s a file I downloaded two years ago from a copyright free picture site I can’t even remember the name of. That’s awful, isn’t it? What site did I used to use? My header today is a shot of my Kindle with the featured books visible, and my glasses, It’s missing a full coffee cup, but believe me that has been rectified. Last year I used the same photo for all the posts and, truthfully, it does make them all a bit samey-samey when you flip through them in retrospect. So this year it’s unique and homemade all the way.