BOOKS TO READ IN THE YEAR OF THE HORSE

editors ELIANA CASA and MAREK BARTEK

With the Chinese year of the Horse starting on 17th February, there already seems to be a lot of expectations for the next 365 days. It isn’t just any horse this year, after all — it’s a fire horse — an event occurring only once in 60 years. It is the combination of fire’s transformative energy, and horse’s momentum and forward drive that hints at this to be one of the luckiest years for many.  

Rapid change, new opportunities and personal growth are among the terms we are associating the most with the coming period, but for these things to happen, we need to be prepared mentally. It’s not just about self help but also about confrontation of our ideas and settled ways of life, pushing ourselves to understand our patterns, leaving those that don’t work and taking on the new ones. 

Whether you’re ready to get that fiery horse or not just yet, below we curated a list of books for you that might hope you feel more confident to hop into the saddle. 

THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF NOT GIVING A F*CK BY SARAH KNIGHT

The OG of no fucks to be given, Sarah Knight is a perfect book for the beach or bed or sofa — actually any setting. It’s a book about learning how to let go of obligations, relationships, shame and guilts that don’t spark joy, and instead focus our f*cks on those that do. If you forgot you actually have a free will, and you can do with it whatever you want, Knight’s work stands as a clear reminder of this truth, and encourages you to take full advantage of it to achieve a more peaceful, happy and fulfilling life. 

SO SAD TODAY BY MELISSA BRODER

The opening line of the first chapter reads, “Bringing a child into the world without its consent seems unethical,” and that’s just one of many dilemmas Broder explores in her personal essays. What started as a Twitter/X account @sosadtoday in order to help her cope with anxiety turned into a deeply intimate, sometimes slightly disgusting book that challenges what we all view as “normal.” By being unapologetically honest and vulnerable, Broder reminds us that no matter what we’re going through, there’s people out there doing crazier shit — and sometimes it is through those experiences, we come to our senses and feel the most alive. 

ORLANDO BY VIRGINIA WOOLF

This book is one of the most profound pieces of literature out there, period. The book might’ve been written a hundred years ago but its themes are unapologetically 21st century, touching on gender fluidity and identity. It is a funny and bitingly satirical commentary on the British class system, with the protagonist Orlando being inspired by Woolf’s lover Vita Sackville-West. Beyond just humour though, Woolf makes striking observations on constraints that society imposes on both men and women, and how the narrow-mindness limits everyone’s desire to be true to themselves and live a life free of judgement and preconceived notions — not just in a way society judges individuals but also as a self-critical monologue. 

THE ARTIST’S WAY BY JULIA CAMERON

If you’ve put down “being more creative” on your vision board of 2026, but you’re struggling to figure out the way to start, this is a must-read. Cameron, who has had a decades long career successfully coaching people on creative expression, wrote this book as a 12-week course taking you through various exercises and building habits that ultimately bring you to the realisation that “everyone is creative.” And before you disregard it as “just another book on creativity,” the list of references for this one is quite impressive. Among her latest sworn fans is none other than Doechii — who documented her journey of the course on YouTube, going from retail job to winning her first Grammy. 

THE COLOR PURPLE BY ALICE WALKER

A 1983 Pulitzer winner for fiction, Walker became the first African-American woman to have been recognised with this award after writing The Color Purple. A wide-spread criticism of the book for its explicit language and sexual content has led to it being often banned from schools and libraries across the US, making it all that more something to read this year. Despite it being awarded in the category of fiction, the book addresses issues of women — particularly women of colour — that are still extremely real in today’s world. Written in the forms of letters from the protagonist — first to God, and later to her younger sister — we follow a heart-drenching story of rape, abuse, teenage pregnancy and jealousy, which shifts into finding empowerment through women’s community, friendship and resilience to submit to men.

EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE BY DOLLY ALDERTON

If you’re a fan of the likes of Bridget Jones films  or How To Be Single, and need a kind reminder that you are, in fact, enough, there probably isn’t a better book for you to read. Dolly Alderton, a former Sunday Times columnist and journalist has written about finding a job and getting drunk but this one is all about the dates — mostly the not so good ones — her amazing friends and realising that you don’t need a relationship in order to experience love. It’s auto-biographical, satirical, observational but above all, it’s extremely lovably relatable. 

WUTHERING HEIGHTS BY EMILY BRONTË

With everyone’s skyrocketing obsession with Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie as the movie adaptation enters cinemas, it is imperative that we also explore the original piece. Emily Brontë might've written only one book but it is a masterpiece, nonetheless. Brontë’s genius digs way deeper than just love, exploring themes of class systems, desire for revenge, and masculinity and femininity beyond the assigned gender of the characters. With many scholars suggesting that Heathcliff might’ve been of African, South Asian, or Romani descent, this is both a groundbreaking story on interracial relationships and a heart-breaking story on obsessive, consuming love. May Wuthering Heights serve as a kind reflection on love we dream to receive, and understand that not all love experiences are positive and good for us. 

WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES BY CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTÉS

This book is for every woman who has been called “too much” before. Dr. Estés explores rich intercultural myths, fairy tales, folk tales, and stories of Wild Woman, helping fellow women reconnect with who they truly are — fierce, healthy, visionary and instinctual. It is a deep dive into the psyche of women, who are ever-so-often forced to act “civilised” suffocating their untameable souls. It is a read that takes time but has eye-opening, personality-shifting effects. No wonder women pass on this book to others, to re-discover the Wild Women within. 

THE PROPHETS BY ROBERT JONES, JR.

The story may be set in the Deep South during the times of slavery but its themes seem as relevant today as they were back then. Jones, Jr. pulls us into a world full of queerness, but also intrigue, religion and people with the same struggles turning on each other in order to advance in life, following the love story and faith of Isaiah and Samuel. It is a raw, dark masterclass on historical fiction, written in an extremely tender and caring manner — which will make you fall in love not only with the book but also the message behind it.

PRIESTDADDY BY PATRICIA LOCKWOOD

Lockwood’s book is so bizarre, if it wasn’t categorised as a memoir, there would be zero reason not to believe that it’s just fiction. Lockwood grew up in nuclear waste-riddled American Mid-West as a daughter of a Catholic priest — sounds impossible, and yet somehow it is true. After watching The Exorcist for 72 times on a submarine while on an underwater duty, atheist Greg Lockwood becomes a Protestant minister, marries and has 5 kids, Patricia being the middle one. Upon doubting his Lutheran faith, he finds a loophole and is granted an exception by pope Benedict XVI. allowing him to become a Catholic priest. Though extremely put together, in reality he’s a gun-loving, guitar-playing, often half naked MAGA father. Priestdaddy is a confrontational piece by someone who might’ve grown up in a religious environment but doesn’t identify with the values that were presented to her as Christian. And maybe it is a subtle exposé revenge for the pain her father and his church caused her.

LET’S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED BY JENNY LAWSON

You name it, and the chances are it actually happened to Jenny Lawson. The (mostly true) memoir is disturbingly quirky and hilarious, sharing stories of Lawson that, at times, sound like a fever dream. After all, how many of us can claim that they’ve sat in the dead deer’s carcass, caught armadillos or helped inseminate a cow?! She also shares stories — of course in a light-hearted way — of her mental health struggles (somehow extremely expected), finger cancer, anorexia or her husband threatening her through post-its not to leave wet towels on the floor. If you feel like your life’s been a bit too crazy, Lawson is going to make you feel like you’re not even halfway on the crazy scale. 

PROFESSIONAL TROUBLEMAKER BY LUVVIE AJAYI JONES

Did you know that Luvvie Ajayi Jones was once afraid to call herself a writer? Professional Troublemaker is her confession and her redemption, in one. Jones depicts the realities of struggling with imposter syndrome, the fear of hearing “no” and how these experiences crippled her self-confidence and her success, but also lets us know that all is not lost — as long as we see the light at the end of the tunnel and face our fears. It is a warm and witty and perpetually truthful story about how it’s never too late to turn our lives around and embrace who we truly are, in the most successful, self-loving way possible. 

title image via instagram @sanae_sugimoto