Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan
A stunning and thought-provoking range of characters. Grips and intrigues you from page one.
Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan
Incredibly punchy and very unputdownable!
Just Kids by Patti Smith
I was in awe of Patti’s writing and her ability to transform all the grief into this beautiful memoir (in a way) for her amazing friend.
The Cat and the City by Nick Bradley
It was so engaging, and all the characters’ stories were so interconnected. Every character only had a chapter, but I felt they were all fully rounded, fully formed. Every individual story was incredible and could’ve been a whole book on its own.
Not Waving but Drowning and other poems by Stevie Smith
This is a delightful example of physical book production.
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
Wonderful story, interesting characters, great plot with unexpected twists, cliff-hanging ending.
Collected Poems of Wendy Cope
A complete work of pleasure and insight to the art of writing accessible poetry understandable on first read.
I Brought the War with Me by Lindsey Hilsum
Chosen because Hilsum illuminates the cruelty of war through her own experiences and reflections, together with a selection of poignant poetry.
All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
I love character-driven crime fiction, and Whitaker takes that to the next level here, giving us a love story disguised as a crime novel. At its core this is a book about the trauma caused by violence and all of the ways that ripples out to a victim’s loved ones.
Bellies by Nicola Dinan
I loved how carefully crafted the characters were. She approached them with such empathy, allowing them to be fallible and yet still deeply sympathetic. Most of all, I was struck by how relatable a story this was. She managed to show the various struggles of coming of age with such breadth because of her diverse cast of characters, all imbued with perfectly distinct voices. It’s one of those books I could give to anyone, with faith that they would find a piece of themselves reflected in it.
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
Recommended by my wee cousin and opened my eyes to a history I knew nothing about, not to mention being a page-turning and moving read. Brilliant.
Julia by Sandra Newman
Absolutely gripping from the first word. The author has really pulled off the 1984 story from a female perspective. My copy has done the rounds of three friends so far, all of whom have loved it.
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
I was so engrossed that I missed my train stop!
She’s Always Hungry by Eliza Clark
She is such such a versatile writer, and each story is captivating. I genuinely want to know what the inside of her brain looks like . . . or maybe I don’t.
There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
I just love how interwoven the three strands of the story are, not to mention the beauty and sheer joy of the prose. Arthur’s tale in particular is incredibly engrossing (and he is a character I find immensely relatable). The cover design is also gorgeous and so thoughtfully reflective of the book’s themes and plot.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Surely her best to date, it is one of those books where there is a feeling of sadness that it has come to an end, but equally of happiness knowing it will be a great re-read.
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