Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films and TV shows we’re watching, and the music we’re listening to.

Dave Little is reading Lost Connections by Johann Hari

Johann Hari garnered fame for his previous book, Chasing the Scream, which chronicled the US’s exportation of the war on drugs throughout the twentieth century. In his new book, Hari examines the ways depression and anxiety have been diagnosed and treated over the last 50 years. He’s brilliant at condensing broad academic reviews into easily digestible prose. The takeaway is this: the story we’ve told ourselves about our collective mental illness has been far too reductive. The diagnosis of these conditions is far more complex than most of us recognise and their treatment has been based less on science and more on the tax structures that affect Big Pharma. For anyone impacted by these conditions this is a must read.

Ellen Cregan is reading Feel Free by Zadie Smith

I’ve been reading Zadie Smith’s excellent new collection of essays. Normally I burn through books, but I’ve been taking my time with this one – the essay format makes it very easy to pick up and put down again, and I’ve been using it as a sort of palate cleanser between other books. Smith is one of my all-time favourite writers – she is so perceptive and articulate, and has the ability to make you smile solely in the way she constructs an idea or argument. I’m at the half-way point of the book at the moment, and so far I’ve enjoyed her writings about the importance of libraries, Jay-Z, Comedy Central’s Key and Peele, and gentrification. Despite the breadth of ideas in the book, Smith’s authorial voice is consistent enough to hold to collection together. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading Smith’s work before, I recommend this book as one to begin with (especially for those who prefer non-fiction over fiction).

Nina Kenwood is reading some fantastic Australian YA

This year I’m a judge for our Readings Young Adult Book Prize and consequently I’ve been deeply immersed in some fantastic Australian YA releases. Recently, I have loved three books in particular: Between Us by Clare Atkins, This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada and Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough (out in April). Between Us is heartbreaking, full of empathy for all of its characters, and beautifully written; This Mortal Coil is an extremely enjoyable, super smart post-apocalyptic thriller that’s perfect for fans of The 100; and Amelia Westlake is a funny, feminist rom-com that I simply adored from start to finish. If you’re looking for some good LoveOzYA by women to sink your teeth into, I highly recommend all three.

Bronte Coates is reading The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

I’m partial to a romance novel and I’ve been wanting to read this much-hyped debut from Jasmine Guillor since it was recommended on my favourite podcast (Pop Culture Happy Hour) around six months ago. This week, it finally arrived and I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into it over the weekend. If you need a more solid recommendation than my anecdote about a podcast – Roxanne Gay described The Wedding Date as a ‘charming, warm, sexy gem of a novel’. And speaking of romance, I recently read a fascinating article about the evolution and changing politics of the genre on Buzzfeed. It’s worth a read whether you’re a romance reader or not.