The archive
Books
Stories and guides from the books collection.
30 Nov 2022
10 Dutch books to start with (in English)
Discover Dutch literature in English, from classics to contemporary. If you’re not sure where to start, this collection is a great jumping off point to explore great books from the Netherlands.
17 Jun 2021
10 Books to Read with your Book Club
Not sure what to read for your next book club meeting? Pick from this list of award-winners, bestsellers, short reads, translated books and find a guaranteed hit!
2 Nov 2018
26 Grains | Brunch in London
Is porridge your breakfast of dreams? Do you go crazy for a chai latte and love home made flatbread? If you haven't made your way down to 26 Grains in Central London yet, you're missing out!
5 Nov 2017
A Day Trip to Whitstable
There are so many lovely places in England that I am completely unaware of, and until earlier this year Whitstable was one of them. I think I found out about Whitstable through asking around for a good place to spend a day or two with my fr
19 Dec 2017
A Love Letter to Bagels & Beans
I first discovered Bagels and Beans in Leiden, during my uni years. A large group of students from my course used to rush to Bagels and Beans for a delicious lunch during the break between two lectures and I have to admit I probably wrote m
30 Apr 2018
Ask For Janice | Brunch in London
With rustic-looking wooden furniture, a couch in the corner, brick walls that have been painted white, exposed concrete pillars and lots of greenery, this place is basically my idea of a dream.
18 Mar 2018
A Day Trip to Winchester
If you're into cathedrals, wind-swept walks and wistful looks out of ancient windows, Winchester is the place for your next day trip!I visited Winchester with my friend Rosianna, the train tickets being her belated birthday present.
13 May 2018
My Dublin City Guide
Heading to Dublin yourself soon, or just looking for some travel inspiration? Here are my favourite shops, food places and sights. We'll start off with a bit of culture!
28 Mar 2019
6 Must-visit Indie Bookshops in East London
It will come as no surprise that I love a good indie bookshop. I lived in East London for my first 5 years in London, and managed to spot plenty of gems in that time.
3 Jun 2023
Reading Station Eleven during a pandemic
In the very first episode of The End of the World Book Club we’re discussing Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel and what’s it like to read pandemic novels during an actual pandemic.
19 Feb 2024
I've Never read... Nineteen Eighty-Four | with Ariel Bissett
Join me and guest Ariel Bissett (YouTuber, Podcaster and Orwell Enthusiast!) as we talk about why 1984 by George orwell is still so relevant today and discuss whether it’s an accessible classic.
16 Mar 2024
Apocalypse in the British countryside | with Leena Norms
In this episode Leena Norms and I talk about apocalyptic books that take place in the British countryside, featuring my personal favourite: The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
13 Apr 2022
The best books I read in 2021
Discover my top 10 favourite books I read in 2021, from favourite new authors, to dark stories, fantasy worlds and chaotic women. Find some books to add to your 2022 TBR!
16 Mar 2024
My favourite books of 2022
If you are in need of some reading inspiration, here is a selection of my favourite books of the year. This year was a mix of literary, dark, but with some hopeful adventures mixed in too.
1 Jan 2020
food — Blog — Booksandquills | UK Travel, Culture, London and Books
A thoughtful Cleanpick guide to food — blog — booksandquills | uk travel, culture, london and books.
8 Dec 2022
10 Personal gifts for Classics Readers (Austen, Brontë & more!)
The ultimate book lover's gift guide, perfect for Christmas or birthdays! Find the best classics-themed presents, from Austen to the Brontës, Dracula and much more, including jigsaws, embroidery, prints and beautiful editions of books.
4 Feb 2018
Grounded & Exmouth in Aldgate | Brunch in London
Aldgate used to be my home, but I still live close enough that I visit it quite frequently. Of course this means that I've tried out quite a few of the local brunch spots.
1 Jul 2019
How to have a low waste picnic, without making things awkward
If you’ve been trying to cut down on your plastic usage, picnics will suddenly have an extra challenge. I wanted to share some tips with you on how to cut down on waste yourself, and some things you can apply to the whole group, without fee
2 Jul 2017
Lele's in Hackney | Vegan Food in London
I discovered Lele’s during ELCAF, an illustration and graphic novel event that was being held in the church a couple of doors over.
1 Aug 2022
A Tour of The Scottish Borders: Tracking Sir Walter Scott & the Border Ballads
Travel in the footsteps of literature and take a trip to the gorgeous Scottish Borders in the South of Scotland. A wonderful guide to gorgeous estates to valleys, lochs, graveyards, towns and restaurants, including author Sir Walter Scott’s
1 Jan 2020
london — Blog — Booksandquills | UK Travel, Culture, London and Books
A thoughtful Cleanpick guide to london — blog — booksandquills | uk travel, culture, london and books.
1 Jan 2020
london food — Blog — Booksandquills | UK Travel, Culture, London and Books
A thoughtful Cleanpick guide to london food — blog — booksandquills | uk travel, culture, london and books.
6 Oct 2020
25 Nature and Cottagecore Instagrammers to Dream Away With
Discover 25 nature and Cottagecore Instagrammer influencers sharing their baking, crafts, outfits, travel tips and more.
13 Jan 2018
All The Places I Travelled To In 2017
This year was a year of exploring Great Britain, flying across the ocean to Canada and America, visiting familiar and new places in my native country (the Netherlands) and the long awaited girls beach trip.
19 Mar 2019
Places I Travelled To in 2018
Last year I didn’t make it outside of Europe, which is actually a bit unusual for me. You’ll see lots of great UK and Ireland locations and I’m also very glad I got to explore lots of places by train (high five to Mother Earth).
28 Dec 2019
Podcast Guest Episode | Celebrating Connections
‘The Celebrating Connections Podcast is a short series of podcasts celebrating the amazing things happening on either side of the North Sea. The podcast series features a group of exceptional people who are writing a new chapter in Anglo-Du
28 Dec 2019
Podcast Guest Episode | The Power on The Banging Book Club
I was a guest on my friends Leena Norms, Hannah Witton and Lucy Moon’s sex and gender themed book club podcast, kicking off season 3 by talking about Naomi Alderman’s The Power. Listen to the episode below.
20 Aug 2017
Things to Do In Rotterdam | The Netherlands Outside of Amsterdam
Let me start off by admitting that I've only been to Rotterdam properly twice. I'm still not sure why I didn't go back before then, and why it takes moving to a different country to really appreciate your own.
1 Jan 2020
the netherlands — Blog — Booksandquills | UK Travel, Culture, London and Books
A thoughtful Cleanpick guide to the netherlands — blog — booksandquills | uk travel, culture, london and books.
28 Dec 2019
Podcast Guest Episode | The Testaments on the Vintage Podcast
For the release of Margaret Atwood’s sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, I joined Helen Lewis, Bookseller Jessica and Leena Norms at Vintage Books HQ for a book club discussion. We talked about our first experiences reading The H
13 Aug 2018
My Favourite Things to do in Greenwich
It didn't take long for Greenwich to become one of my favourite places in London to spend a sunny Saturday in the park, take my family when they visit or go to the Planetarium to zoom through the stars.
20 Apr 2018
Slow Fashion Favourites | Thought Clothing
Thought Clothing was one of the first brands I found when I started researching ethical clothing and slow fashion, so you can imagine how happy I was to find an email asking if I wanted to try out their 2018 Spring collection.
1 Jan 2020
travel — Blog — Booksandquills | UK Travel, Culture, London and Books
A thoughtful Cleanpick guide to travel — blog — booksandquills | uk travel, culture, london and books.
8 Nov 2018
My Ultimate Guide to Vegan Food in East London
Because there are loads of different lists popping up all the time, I wanted to share my personal tried and tested favourites. We can all do with some more vegan meals, so check out the list and dig in!
4 Oct 2021
Visit Wuthering Heights at East Riddlesden Hall | Yorkshire
Walk into the pages of Wuthering Heights at East Riddlesden Hall. For the BBC TV adaptation with Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley they used movie magic to place the building in the middle of the moors, but you can visit it yourself in Keighley
26 Jul 2021
YA Books with Beautiful Maps
Discover new worlds to immerse yourself in, featuring magic, dragons, necromancers and assassins.