What are the WOMO Girls reading this spring?
Our magical team shares their current book recommendations
The sun is finally out in New York; it’s time to sit in the park, sip on an iced beverage, and read. We asked our team to share what books have been in their bags and on their minds as of late. Get a pen and paper…or pull up your notes app.
Brutes by Dizz Tate
I decided to read this book because I read a review somewhere where it was described as “The Virgin Suicides meets The Florida Project”. Basically, this story follows some 13-year-old girls who are obsessed with the preacher’s daughter in their small Florida town. They watch everything that goes on in the town, whether that be from a distance or facing it directly. They are kind of insane; I am too, and I sure was when I was 13. This book feels like a haze in a sense. It’s a little bit unsettling. I did not know what was going on sometimes, but that’s the kind of vibe I am into. I always love art that makes me feel connected to my younger self and leaves me questioning things. Dizz Tate captures aspects of girlhood that many stories fail to tell. I saw myself in the way these girls moved through life. This book is nostalgic. I could smell it and see it and feel it - sunscreen, cherry pie, ring pops, hot dogs on the grill, driving past amusement parks with the windows down, coming back home from spending the day in the forest just in time for dinner. It’s like you can hear the grass blowing in the breeze, girls laughing in the streets and their bedrooms, and sometimes silence, utter silence. Ok, bye, I’m done now. Gonna go listen to Preacher’s Daughter by Ethel Cain, honestly. - Eloise Beaulieu (Stylist Assistant & Substack Manager)
Eve's Hollywood by Eve Babitz
My longest lasting obsession in life has been the music scene of Los Angeles in the late ‘60s/early '70s. For all the awful, there's a certain cloud of romance over the sky of nostalgia. Eve Babitz's epic is for those who feel the same. Essays about the heyday of the Chateau Marmont, Jim Morrison (!!!), surfers of Santa Monica, love - Babitz's world is where I find escape. - Sigi Shure (PR Intern)
Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali
A beautifully written novel about loneliness, self-discovery, and missed opportunity. It’s a slower novel that uses very poetic language and can be a bit melancholy, but it really captures the ache of unspoken feelings and denying yourself of what you truly desire. If you’re a yearner, this might be for you! I definitely loved the monologues in this novel and deeply identified with the themes. - Sarah Wynter (PR Intern)
World Of My Own SS2024 Magazine: A look inside our world
Well, obviously, all the WOMO girls are reading our 40-page zine with a look inside our SS2024 collection. The zine features an exclusive interview with our designer Sydney Wekstein, hat designer @sideara, and more. If you’ve ever wondered what happens behind the scenes, and who makes the magic happen, take a look. A portion of the proceeds will go to Altadena girls for LA wildfire relief. Click this link to check it out. - XOXO Team WOMO
The Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Hill
This book is about the author's journey to protect the redwoods. She lived in a tree for over two years to prevent it from being cut down. Her story is full of resilience and a deep connection to nature which I resonate with. It's a book that challenges you to think about your role in loving and protecting the beautiful planet we live on. She inspires me! - Sydney Wekstein (Founder/Creative Director/Designer)
Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
I love everything about Joan Didion. The way she writes is so engaging and it's just beautiful how she describes each setting. I also love that it's about San Francisco I visited once and I can see the places she's referencing, which is just so lovely. I will always have a soft spot for it. I also love Play It As It Lays, Sex and Rage, The Tribes of Palo Alto, and I'm currently reading The Wind Up Bird chronicle. - Isabella Sanchez (Head of Social Media)
“Normal People” by Sally Rooney
![Normal People: A Novel [Book]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8NR2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F23fb4cce-7414-496e-9a80-e4dcda864439_1059x1600.jpeg "Normal People: A Novel [Book]")
It captures the complexity of love, miscommunication, and personal growth + its way better to read about situationships actually experiencing them lol. Honorable mention is that the series is also as enjoyable and gut wrenching as the book - Courtney Francisco (Stylist)
“Just Kids” by Patti Smith
A long time favorite, Patti has taught me everything I know about myself and the world around me. She’s one of my favorite artists and biggest idols - I saw her speak and perform at Cooper Union last week and will forever hold her words near to my heart. - Ginger Kraus (Social Media Intern)
“Down the Drain” by Julia Fox
Although I almost stopped reading this after a few pages, Julia's writing style really grows on you and allows you to peer inside her mind as the story walks you through her life. This is one of the most beautiful, sad, joyous, funny, hopeful, wild stories I have ever read. I have never emoted so much while reading a book! - Enya Kaonga (PR Intern)
“Play It As It Lays” by Joan Didion
![Play It As It Lays: A Novel [Book]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eKrU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbc61e133-beb3-4ea1-9e56-7e726ecc34b0_1067x1600.jpeg "Play It As It Lays: A Novel [Book]")
Play It As It Lays is a masterful exploration of vulnerability, capturing the existential emptiness and quiet despair of its protagonist, actress Maria Wyeth, as she navigates a world of Hollywood detachment, personal loss, and emotional fragmentation. Didion’s parse and flinching prose mirrors Maria’s internal turmoil, or lack thereof, making the novel a raw and evocative meditation on the fragility of identity and control. - Kaci Peterson (PR Intern)
“The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros
![The House on Mango Street [Book]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4KlB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff09519dc-536b-4449-b302-c53f45a364c9_1037x1600.jpeg "The House on Mango Street [Book]")
Admittedly, I first read this book in an English class at 15. However, I recently revisited it and gained a new appreciation for the storytelling in this book. Cisneros is able to capture the pain of difficult topics such as belonging, identity, and prejudice beautifully—somehow in a way that doesn’t feel too heavy. The book is written in vignettes, and as a big writer of poetry myself, I’m super inspired by how organic Cisneros’ writing feels. - Zoe David (Social Media Intern)
Happy reading,
xoxo,
World of My Own Team
adding to my ongoing list of books i need to read in this lifetime
had me at the virgin suicides meets florida project