Shez’s Top 5 Books for DIY’ers
Take a break from your home projects by brewing yourself a cuppa' and tucking into a good read. Sheree (@chez.shez) is here to share some book recommendations, to suit your DIY personality.
A peak inside Shez's living room, where she proudly displays her most prized books.
A DIY enthusiast and serial decorator starring in Series 5 of Interior Design Masters, Sheree Millington aka. Shez, runs a book club during her down time, called Ladies Lit Squad. She tells us, "books provide me welcome relief from the tyranny of decorating. When you’re surrounded by dust, chaos and accidental paint splatter, a great read can transport you somewhere new. With that in mind, I’ve curated a list of books for every decorating persona. Trust me, you’ll adore these page turners." 
For the Minimalist 🤍
‘The New Me’ by Halle Butler
"Darkly comic and totally unique, The New Me follows misanthropic Millie at her mind-numbingly dull temp job. And that’s it, that’s the book, but boy-oh-boy is it well executed with a clean, sparse writing style–this is definitely not overdone. If you need a good laugh, or indeed if you’ve ever worked a boring office job, then this is a must-read."
For the Maximalist 💥
‘Down The Drain’ by Julia Fox
"You may know Julia Fox from Brat Summer fame (I’m everywhere I’m so Juli-ahhh) or dating Kanye West. But before all that, she was a true ‘it’ girl, terrorising the streets of New York. Everything in this memoir sounds like a lie, it’s that outrageous. Ms Fox has Lived with a capital L. If you too take life by the knobs (mine are from Plank Hardware, thanks) then give this a read immediately."
For the Detailed DIY-er 🔍
‘Strange Sally Diamond’ by Liz Nugent
“When Sally’s adoptive father dies her whole world unravels. The web of carefully constructed lies that her dad had woven get unpicked in this extremely clever book. It’s a heartwarming book, all the residents of the village neurodivergent Sally lives in show great humanity, while Sally is a sweet and funny protagonist. But there is also a dark mystery at play, and the way all the threads of this story come together is just *chef’s kiss*.”For the Quick-Fix Hacker 🛠
‘Small Things Like These’ by Claire Keegan
“This book is as small as it is mighty. Clocking in at 128 pages, it’s the equivalent of switching out your handles for Plank Hardware: super-quick but makes a huge impact. In 1980s rural Ireland, timber merchant Bill Furlong lives a simple life. He works, he looks after his family, he’s a pillar of the community. But a chance encounter with a girl at a Magdalene laundry forces him to make a choice about the man he wants to be. This book is a true gem.”
For the All-Day Renovator 🏡
‘The Paper Palace’ by Miranda Cowley Heller
"Set over a single July day at Elle’s crumbling family summer house, aptly named the paper palace, we learn that perfect families are often anything but. Elle has just cheated on her loving husband with her oldest family friend Jonas – who she would have been with had a tragic event not changed the trajectory of their lives. This book is proof that life can happen in a building that is falling down around you!"
If you're intrigued by Shez, why not snoop around her eclectic home here. Be sure to keep your reading list fresh by following @ladieslitsquad 📚