Lake Como, Book Hangovers & A Court of Mist and Fury
There’s something about reading while on holiday that feels... sacred. Maybe it’s the slower mornings or the way the light hits the pages just right. Or maybe it’s the fact that, for once, real life pauses long enough for fiction to fully take over.
This week, I’m writing to you from Tremezzina, a picture-perfect pocket of Lake Como, Italy. Think terracotta rooftops, still water, quiet cafes, and the kind of atmosphere that begs for daydreaming. And of course, a book (or six) in hand.
I came here with a suitcase full of stories—some I’ve been meaning to finish, others I’ve been saving for just this moment.
I started with The Lies We Sing to the Sea. Beautiful in places, lyrical and haunting, but the ending left me adrift. There’s a particular heartbreak that comes when a book doesn’t land the way you hoped—and for a moment, I feared it had set the tone for the trip.
But then... A Court of Mist and Fury.
I had saved it. Like dessert. Like the moment you know will become a core memory. And within the first few chapters, I was completely undone. My heart cracked open, and I let the story pour in. I’ve felt transported, enchanted, and genuinely swoony. It’s the kind of book that makes you look up from the page and forget where you are—only to find yourself on the edge of Lake Como, book in hand, overwhelmed with fictional emotion and actual sunshine.
I already know A Court of Wings and Ruin will be tomorrow’s read (I can’t help myself), and I’m savouring the anticipation like a perfectly chilled glass of Italian white.
Also tucked into my bag:
Fearless and Reckless by Lauren Roberts (because enemies-to-lovers just hits different on holiday)
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Quicksilver, which I’ve been meaning to dive into for far too long
My plan? Read, swoon, repeat.
Books like these are why we made The Swoon Society in the first place. To honour those moments where a fictional world brings real-world joy—and maybe even helps you find a little piece of yourself in between the chapters.
If you’re heading on a holiday soon, take the good books. Save something magical. Let it ruin you—in the best way.
And if you need something to keep your bookish heart company, our slogan caps are waiting to be part of your reading rituals. Made by two sisters, hand-packed with love, ready for every fictional obsession.
With love,
Emily – The Swoon Society