Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on or the music we’re loving.

Nina is reading The Actress by Amy Sohn

I’m reading Amy Sohn’s The Actress, the story of a young up-and-coming actress who falls into a romance with an older, charismatic movie star. Throw in some dark secrets, relationship drama and Hollywood glamour and the whole thing sounds sounds a little like a Danielle Steel novel. (That is not a burn on Danielle Steel, who I greatly respect.) But The Actress has a slightly darker, more literary tone than that.

The story opens during an indie film festival, with the main character Maddy anxiously awaiting the screening of her first ever film. Her world is filled with actors, agents, managers, film distributors and the like, and the novel provides a fascinating insider’s perspective on the film industry.

I’m only a few chapters in and I’m haven’t decided how I feel about the book just yet. But it certainly has the potential to be a novel I will love.

Bronte is watching Buffy for the first time.

Earlier this year I was introduced by a colleague to a (totally and completely awesome) television drama series called Vampire Diaries. This led me to realise I seriously missed out by never watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a teenager.

So, in an attempt to rectify this situation. I’ve started watching Joss Whedon’s beloved classic for the first time at 27. The show’s a little dated – not just in its special effects and fashion sense but also structurally – and despite this, I’m having a great time. Largely because the character of Buffy is absolutely wonderful and as good as everyone says. (I do not care for Angel and I’m not even a little sorry about that.)

I’m also extremely fond of Giles who has most of my favourite lines: ‘She may simply have what you Americans refer to as issues’.

Emily is reading The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

I’m just coming to the end of The One Plus One by JoJo Moyes. Her last book, Me Before You, was absolutely huge in the UK and is currently being made into a film starring Emilia Clarke (stars as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones) and Sam Claflin (stars as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games). I read the book a couple of years ago during a very stressful time in my own life, and perhaps for that reason it was more of a welcome diversion than the heartbreaking tear-jerker that many others claimed it to be. (I also didn’t cry during The Fault In Our Stars so it’s possible I’m just dead inside.) I obviously liked it enough to try another.

The One Plus One has been a very similar experience – an occasionally funny, romantic, sweet, domestic drama (I’m not using domestic negatively; I like domestic dramas). For me, Moyes isn’t in the same league as my favourite author of these types of novels (Liane Moriarty) but I find her stories entertaining, sometimes surprising and enjoyably down-to-earth. In this latest one, I particularly enjoyed the two children, especially the teenage boy who is being bullied because he wears make-up. A charming holiday read.