That time of year has come again, when all we want to do is put on our fluffiest socks, grab a blanket and sink into our comfiest chair for a season of uninterrupted quality reading time. But even the most ardent of readers can be stuck for what to pick up next.
Here at the Willoughby Book Club, we love to select our next reads by unconventional methods, including through the mystery and magic of the tarot. It’s a really fun way of unlocking ideas and we’ve found it helps channel our focus! Try it out for yourself and see the gems the cards dig up for you!
We’ve shuffled the deck and taken out 10 cards that were calling to us. Read on for some varied and interesting book recommendations based on vibes only.
Adventure is on the horizon! When you draw the Page of Wands from a tarot pack, you know it’s time to aspire to great things. To translate this into bookish terms: pick up a book packed with plot. Helm by Sarah Hall is the latest novel by the much-lauded author. ‘Helm’ is the name of a mischievous wind in the North of England, subject of folklore for millennia and the bold subject of stories covering the expanse of time, from the neolithic times to today. Ambitious, involving and full to the brim with characters and ideas, get your shoes on and run to the bookshop!
Pulling the Two of Cups from the deck means one thing: love! It’s a card denoting partnership, unity and mutual attraction. For this card, prioritise reading books with a romantic relationship at its core. River of Stars by Georgina Moore is a sweeping romantic novel for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and would be a perfect fit for The Two of Cups, featuring elements of escapism, bohemian island living and long-lost love.
While the Two of Cups focuses mainly on romantic love, the Eight of Cups is very much focused on steady love, be it for another or yourself. It’s a card that asks for compassion and the reader to accept their own needs for positive growth. Something akin to Rosarita by Anita Desai would be a fantastic addition to the bookcase, with themes of family, memory, grief and the necessity of forging one’s own path.
Pulling the Wheel of Fortune card is a fortuitous thing indeed! Representing good luck, and the potential for change, you might want to read something that ticks all these boxes. Raising Hare: A Memoir by Chloe Dalton is a beautiful blend of memoir and nature writing, this is the true story of the life-altering bond between a woman who has returned to the countryside of her childhood and the baby leveret she rescues. It’s a warm portrayal of an unconventional relationship and the optimism that can be derived from it.
If we were to take the Strength card quite literally, a fantasy title such as Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wong would be a great fit for a tarot-picked tome. Signifying unseen power, confidence, and the knowledge of one’s own gifts, it’s another interesting novel, full of magic, dark academia, mystery, and tragedy.
The Ace of Cups card symbolises emotional fulfilment and abundance, typically depicted by a cup overflowing with water, representing love and compassion. Go for a book such as You are Here by David Nicholls, where the plot of the novel revolves around a journey, both literal and figurative, that changes the characters in a positive and indelible way! This will give you the fuzzies, but as with all David Nicholls books, you’ll also be struck by the power of the storytelling.
The Eight of Wands is an exciting card in the tarot. Speed, action and momentum are all key elements of the card and would indicate choosing a crime thriller for your “to-read” pile.
A fast-paced book like The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley would be a great pick. You have secrets, lies, murder, a manor house and a propulsive narrative driven by multiple POVs. Need I say more?
There are a few ways of interpreting The Magician card, but generally speaking, it draws attention to the idea of our thoughts being similar to magic spells i.e. our thoughts and ability to focus are really powerful. Therefore, dear reader, you should opt for a book that requires your utmost attention for the beauty of the text to unravel.
Seascraper by Benjamin Wood is a slow, deliberate and beautiful novel about creativity, class and the attempts of one man to reach beyond his means to find a life of meaning when confronted with new possibilities.
The Nine of Wands is all about the testing of faith and persistence, however this manifests itself in your life. The book that sprang immediately to mind was Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin. It’s an award-winner and for good reason. Exploring family, queerness and the Catholic faith, the protagonist must confront her past and her present when her brother is set to be canonised as an Irish saint. Intrigued? We are, too!
Pulling the Four of Coins indicates an attachment to wealth and the fear of losing it. Luckily for book recommendations, there are plenty of choices if you want to discover stories of oft-insufferable rich people, including Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson. Witty and clever, it follows the exploits of an old money New Yorker family. It’ll make you cringe, it’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you glad you’re not loaded!
Howling at the Moon: Let the tarot recommend 10 books for you to read! - Bookshop.org
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