media, culture & writing wrap up: Jan-March 2025 ✨
a big old catch-up on the world of Charli from the first quarter of 2025, from books and films to my writing and things I'm up to
In my accidentally retired monthly series, I rounded up everything I read, watched, consumed and loved across different forms of media and culture. So, I thought I’d take you through my highlights of the first quarter of 2025 - as well as all the things I’ve written across Substack and the media ✨
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Fiction 📖
If I’m honest, this quarter has been super exciting for me in terms of new books, but makes for not particularly insightful or interesting content to reflect back to you as most of it is super popular anyway. But here they are nonetheless! You can go follow me on Storygraph: @charliclement_
Literally Abby Jimenez’s entire back catalogue in 10 days
I can’t express the way the ADHD took over on this one: I started on New Year’s Day and had finished before the middle of January (I was then gutted to find out the 7th wasn’t out till April - fear not, I’ve now devoured that too).
These books are my ideal form of romance book - still lovely and predictable enough to be comforting and easy, but also with some proper storyline. Each one tackles some different issues and needs for different characters, and a lot of them explore trauma that we rarely see presented to us in this style of book. Also, the character development and depth is excellent, and I’m obsessed with basically all of the guys.
My favourite was the first I read not knowing it was technically from a set of books (the kind that can be read standalone, but are better in order due to backstory and cameos) - Just For The Summer. I overall preferred that trilogy (Part of Your World) to The Friend Zone, but both are great.
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I will eat up an Ali Hazelwood book in 2 minutes flat as soon as I get my hands on it. Some are better than others, but there’s just something about them.
Anyway, Deep End is probably the spiciest so far which was kind of out of my comfort zone, but away from that, I really loved the characters and the story in this one. For someone not very sporty, I do love a sports-based book, and I feel like swimming and diving isn’t one that’s been too overdone. I really appreciated that there was lots of genuine information about diving - it wasn’t a side point, Scarlett’s diving career and her difficulties with it were truly alongside the romance, and I always appreciate that.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
I mean, do I really need to say anything? Obviously this makes the list. I spent about two days either reading this or thinking about it, and then proceeded to spend several more consuming as much content about it as I could. 24 year old me is truly just 14 year old me but with less embarrassment about it, I don’t know what to tell you.
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
Sarah Adams is another author I just love - there’s something a lil bit magic about the chemistry between her characters that I don’t tend to see in all the romance books I read. I particularly love the family and the little town in this particular series, and I love Emily so much - super relatable for me.
Non-Fiction 📖
Feminism, Interrupted by Lola Olufemi
I’m trying to prioritise reading from my shelves at the moment when it comes to non-fiction, and I’m glad I finally made time for this one. Olufemi’s writing is sharp, concise and is accessible without removing any depth or detail. If you’re wanting a book that discusses intersectional feminism across a variety of topics like sex work, racism, transmisogyny and reproductive justice, this is truly the one I would recommend. It is biting and cynical but in a way that can truly spur action - a rarity.
Outrage by Ellen Jones
There’s a teeny bit of bias here because Ellen is a friend of mine, but this is genuinely an excellent book for those who have little understanding of the depth and breadth of queer issues. Outrage is being marketed for allies who don’t know how to help, but I think it should be in the hands of everyone alike to understand the experiences we may not have regardless of being queer ourselves. Each chapter ends with practical actions that individuals can take to support the LGBTQ+ community with that particular issue, and Ellen’s commentary generally makes you uncomfortable whilst holding you in your discomfort.
Films 🎥
I have not seen enough films this year so far, so that needs fixing in the second quarter of the year. Yearning to spend all my time and money in a cinema, to be honest. For now, here’s a couple I loved recently. You can also follow me on Letterboxd: @charlibeth
We Live in Time (2025)
I watched this in a packed out screen on opening day (New Year’s Day) and honestly? I didn’t expect it. For one thing, I think I could watch another ten films where Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield fall in love, but I also think this was such an excellent film exploring life, grief, anticipatory loss, infertility, and complicated decisions. It didn’t feel like a cancer film, it felt like one where yes, cancer was the root, but it was allowed to be more than that.
I also absolutely loved how British it was, and how comical it was in appropriate moments. I was sobbing when it finished, and it took me a solid 5 minutes to manage to get myself together to leave.
A Real Pain (2025)
I didn’t expect to adore this as much as I did. I struggled a little bit with the pacing at times, and felt some themes were sort of introduced then not explored enough - but overall, I felt so deeply for both the main characters and felt like they truly represented differently aspects of myself.
For me, the question I left with was whether it is enough to come across ‘normal’ or to keep quiet peace, if you leave without making any impact? And that’s something I think we all ought to think about more.
I felt a little bit like it wasn’t meant to finish where it did, almost jarringly - but on reflection, it feels like that is perhaps the point: to feel unfinished, and to not completely understand them.
Also - more 90 minute films please!
Theatre 🎭
National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being Earnest
I LOVE National Theatre Lives as someone who loves theatre but is in the Midlands. The opportunity to watch such big shows with big names that have limited London runs is such a treat. This one was great! I’ve not watched any Oscar Wilde before but this was fun, intriguing, and honestly the queerest straight play you’ve ever seen. Ncuti Gatwa (and his pink socks) was, of course, such a highlight.
Dan and Phil: Terrible Influence Tour
Look. Look. Remember about 10 paragraphs ago when I said 24 year old me was just 14 year old me with no embarrassment (and adult money)? This is another example. It’s been quite surreal to watch Dan and Phil come back happier and queerer, because that’s exactly what I am too. It was a really strange but lovely experience to sit in the same venue I watched them in on their first tour most of a decade ago. It was silly, cringe in arguably the best way, and honestly, deeply healing.
Television 📺
A quick wrap up of some TV I’ve watched, from high(er) brow to… not so:
Severance season 2 - obviously. Perfection, arguably better than the first season at times. So much to say, so little newsletter space.
The Traitors (US) season 3 - I have a love-hate relationship with the reality star version of this show, but this season was lowkey kind of iconic. Also, John Bercow being there amongst random reality stars was… truly something.
Apple Cider Vinegar - I have complicated feelings on this because it is a truly horrific case and story, but it also felt like it was preying on people’s stories and also kind of perpetuated that chronically ill people are liars, so I don’t know. Go in with caution, and maybe watch the documentary that’s also on Netflix instead (or both!)
Love Is Blind season 8 - you would have thought someone was threatening to kill me if I didn’t watch this show with the level of complaining I did. These men were horrible. I couldn’t look away.
Things Charli wrote ✍🏻
I wrote quite a few things this quarter! Let’s round them up.
Elsewhere on the Internet 🔗
Demonising disabled people is not a moral duty for The Lead - my reactions to the PIP reforms announcements, the unintended impacts, and the way disabled people are discussed in the UK.
The Possibility of a Lived Experience Industrial Complex for the National Survivor User Network - combining two of my favourite topics - co-production and capitalism - to put forward my feelings that lived experience work is becoming its own industrial complex.
Make no mistake: disability benefit cuts are a feminist issue for The Canary - deep diving the benefit cuts as a feminist issue: social reproduction, unpaid care, and marginalised genders getting trapped in dangerous situations.
Substack highlights 📥
Charli’s noticeboard 📌
The audiobook for my debut book, ALL TANGLED UP IN AUTISM & CHRONIC ILLNESS, was finally released in January! I even narrated it myself (a very strange experience). You can get it on Xigxag, Spotify, Audible, and it’s also available on Libby for some! If you’d prefer a physical copy, find all my links here.
I’m going to be at Cheltenham Science Festival again! I’ll be chairing a panel with my lovely pals Sophia Kaur Badhan and Cassie Lovelock all about mental health, neurodivergence and the psychiatric system in Leave No Mind Behind on Sunday 8th June, and I’ll also be chatting about activism at the We Make Tomorrow: Food for Thought Drop-In on Saturday 7th where you can plant trees and seeds to take away!
Me and some creator friends are trying to make the House of Lords’ Inquiry into the England-based Autism Act 2009 accessible for you to submit evidence to by making it bite-size and less overwhelming. You can answer the questions on our Instagram posts that break down each question, our Google Form which we will be collating and submitting, or you can use our plain(er) language document to submit yourself. You have till May 10th to respond to us, and June 2nd to the inquiry itself.
If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading! If you’d like to support me, you can become a free or paid subscriber, or buy me a coffee. I’d love to hear about your favourites from the last quarter! 💫