London is bursting with incredible literary events. Here are some of the highlights which you should add to your calendar for September.

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An Evening with Natalie Haynes

Tuesday 9th September 2025
19:30 at Bloomsbury Theatre & Studio, 15 Gordon Street, London.

Join Natalie Haynes, star of Radio 4's Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics in her visit to the Bloomsbury Theatre

The quest for a magical object, the ship for an impossible journey, the crew for a remarkable story...

The Argonauts and their search for the Golden Fleece has been one of the most enduring myths in history, told and retold for well over 2500 years. But what did the Greeks themselves make of this tale? Where did the fleece come from, how did you find it, who guarded it, and how could you steal it?

Book your tickets for An Evening with Natalie Haynes here.

Ocean Vuong: The Emperor of Gladness

Thursday 11th September 2025
19:30 at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre.

Encounter the author’s new novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive, as he discusses it with Mendez.

One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river.

The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning and heartbreak, with the power to alter Hai’s relationship to himself, his family and a community at the brink.

Following the cycles of history, memory and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labour and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul.

Mendez is a British novelist and critic. Their debut novel Rainbow Milk was selected as an Observer Top Ten Best Debuts choice and optioned for TV. Their work connects themes of subjectivity, spirituality, sexuality and grief, and the extraordinary in the everyday. They write regularly for the London Review of Books and WritersMosaic, and are currently working on their second novel.

Book your tickets for Ocean Vuong: The Emperor of Gladness here.

Debut writers Kerry Downes & Sarah Handyside explore female friendship, relationships, heartbreak & fertility

Thursday 11th September 2025
19:00 at Waterstones, London - Tottenham Court Road

Join Kerry Downes and Sarah Handyside at Waterstones TCR for a fascinating discussion on the complexities of female friendships and how it informs their creative processes and beyond.

Both authors have written emotionally searing, funny and ultimately uplifting odes to female friendship, relationships and coming of age beyond adolescence and this intimate ‘In Conversation’ event will celebrate this unique experience.

Book your tickets for Kerry Downes & Sarah Handyside in conversation here.

Elsie Silver at Foyles: 'Wild Card' Meet & Greet

Saturday 13th September 2025
14:00, 15:00, 16:00 at Foyles, Charing Cross Road

The one-and-only Elsie Silver comes to Foyles Charing Cross Road to celebrate the release of her hotly-anticipated must-read with fans, 'Wild Card'.

Sebastian Rousseau is a grumpy, hot as hell fire pilot who is too damn good with his hands.

It's the perfect combination. But unfortunately for me, he's also my ex-boyfriend's dad.

A chance meeting brought us together and a missed connection has kept us apart.

One year later, a stroke of fate has us living under the same roof-which makes everything between us downright messy.

Because even after all this time, he's still the man I think about when I fall asleep. The one I can't get over no matter how hard I try.

He's working on mending a fragile relationship with his son and we both know acting on these urges would be the ultimate betrayal.

But I see the heat in his eyes. That look of need that never fails to send a shiver down my spine.

The mutual longing is borderline unbearable and the simmering heat between us is downright palpable.

We both know there are rules when it comes to situations like this.

But then again...following the rules never has been my strong suit.

Book your tickets for Elsie Silver at Foyles: 'Wild Card' Meet & Greet here.

An Evening with Tristan Gooley

Monday 15th September 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Piccadilly

Explore the seasons through the prism of nature's clues and signs with the help of natural navigator and ‘Sherlock Holmes of Nature’, Tristan Gooley.

The bestselling author of How to Read a Tree and The Walker’s Guide will reveal the little-known gems to look for each month in this richly illustrated talk.

The Hidden Seasons shows us how to read the clues most miss and inspires us to explore nature’s signs for ourselves, giving rich insights into our turning year. The seasons will never look, sound or smell the same again.

Tristan Gooley is an award-winning and international bestselling author. Through his journeys, teaching and writing, he has pioneered a renaissance in the rare art of natural navigation. Tristan s the only living person to have both flown solo and sailed singlehanded across the Atlantic. His previous title, How to Read a Tree, was a Sunday Times Bestseller and a Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month pick. Readers are embracing his vision of the natural world in ever increasing numbers.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Tristan Gooley here.

An Evening with Lucy Jane Wood

Wednesday 17th September 2025
19:00 at St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London,

Settle into autumnal bliss and celebrate publication of Uncharmed with bestselling author Lucy Jane Wood.

Set in the same enchanting world as Wood's hugely popular Rewitched, this eternally endearing cosy fantasy revolves around a high performing witch whose life begins to unravel when she is charged with mentoring a troubled student.

Lucy Jane Wood is an online content creator, avid reader and cosiness-seeker from the Wirral. These days, you’ll find her living in London, giant coffee in hand, and being headbutted at any given time by her cat.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Lucy Jane Wood here.

An Evening with Hafsah Faizal

Thursday 18th September 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Piccadilly

A special evening with bestselling and award-winning author Hafsah Faizal as she discusses her highly anticipated new book A Steeping of Blood – the tantalising sequel to A Tempest of Tea.

In her first ever trip to the UK, Hafsah will be joined in-conversation by her husband Cayce, BookTokker, coffee connoisseur, and author husband extraordinaire. Offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into not only the creation of her best-selling books, but also the personal journey that shaped them. Expect laughter, revelations and an unforgettable evening.

Hafsah Faizal is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling, award-winning author of A Tempest of Tea and the Sands of Arawiya duology, and the founder of IceyDesigns, where she creates websites for authors and beauteous goodies for everyone else. A Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, when she’s not writing, she can be found designing, playing video games, or traversing the world. Born in Florida and raised in California, she now resides in North Carolina with her husband and a library of books waiting to be devoured.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Hafsah Faizal here.

The Booker Prize 2025 Shortlist Announcement

Tuesday 23rd September 2025
19:30 at Royal festival Hall, London.

Join the judges of the Booker Prize 2025, Chair Roddy Doyle and his fellow panellists Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Power and Kiley Reid, as they announce the shortlist for this year’s prize live on stage.

The judges are in conversation with Booker Prize Foundation Chief Executive Gaby Wood for this unique evening, which marks the first announcement of the shortlist at a public event.

The Booker Prize longlist will be announced on Tuesday 29 July, with the winner announced on Monday 10 November.

Book your tickets for The Booker Prize 2025 Shortlist Announcement here.

Ketanji Brown Jackson: Lovely One

Wednesday 24th September 2025
19:30 at Royal Festival Hall, London.

Discover a story for dreamers everywhere as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States discusses her memoir with Afua Hirsch.

Lovely One offers a moving, open-hearted account of Justice Jackson’s life, from her family’s rise out of segregation to her confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice, within the span of one generation.

Named Ketanji Onyika, meaning ‘Lovely One’, Justice Jackson describes her resolve as a young girl to realise her dreams, from hearing stories of her grandparents and parents, to honing her voice in high school as an oratory champion and student body president, to graduating magna-cum-laude from Harvard, where she performed in musical theatre and improv and participated in pivotal student organisations.

Here, Justice Jackson reveals what it takes to advance in the legal profession when most people in power don’t look like you, and to reconcile a demanding career with the joys and sacrifices of marriage and motherhood.

Book your tickets for Ketanji Brown Jackson: Lovely One here.

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London is bursting with incredible literary events. Here are some of the highlights which you should add to your calendar for August.

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An Evening with Vincenzo Latronico

Saturday 2nd August 2025
19:00 at Waterstones, London - Streatham

Join for a hugely exciting evening with Vincenzo Latronico to discuss his International Booker-shortlisted novel Perfection.

Millennial expat couple Anna and Tom are living the dream in Berlin, in a bright, affordable, plant-filled apartment. Their life as young digital creatives revolves around slow cooking, Danish furniture, sexual experimentation and the city’s twenty-four-hour party scene – an ideal existence shared by an entire generation and tantalizingly lived out on social media. But beyond the images, dissatisfaction and ennui burgeon.

Work becomes repetitive. Friends move back home, have children, grow up. Frustrated that their progressive politics amount to little more in practice than boycotting Uber, tipping in cash, or never eating tuna, Anna and Tom make a fruitless attempt at political activism. Feeling increasingly trapped in their picture-perfect life, the couple takes ever more radical steps in the pursuit of an authenticity and a sense of purpose perennially beyond their grasp. Superbly translated by Sophie Hughes, Perfection is a taut, spare sociological novel about the emptiness of contemporary existence, scathing and brilliantly affecting.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Vincenzo Latronico here.

An Evening with Hazel McBride

Wednesday 6th August 2025
18:00 at Waterstones, London - Covent Garden

Hazel McBride discusses her instant Sunday Times bestseller 'A Fate Forged in Fire'!

Once a territory built on matriarchal rule, Tìr Teine has been without a female heir for centuries. Through a long line of corrupt kings, an oppressive anti-magic teaching has infected the land - leading to the tragic decline of the dragons.

Aemyra was born to lead, gifted with fire magic from the Goddess Brigid. For years she has hidden in the shadows, waiting for the king to die so she can bond to his dragon, claim her birthright and protect her people.

When her carefully laid plans are foiled, Aemyra is thrust into a deadly game of politics and plots. Her greatest enemy? Prince Fiorean - the dragon-riding, fire-wielding royal whose icy arrogance and raw power thwart her every step. But as chaos engulfs the court, Aemyra and Prince Fiorean are forced to forge an uneasy alliance to survive. And in the heat of battle, their mutual hatred ignites something neither of them can control.

Behind enemy lines and slowly falling for the only man that stands between her and the throne, Aemyra begins to uncover the true weight of the crown. Will she ignite the flames of change for her people - or will love burn her alive?

Book your tickets for An Evening with Hazel McBride here.

Rejection: Tony Tulathimutte in Conversation with Sheena Patel

Tuesday 19th August 2025
20:30 at Foyles, Charing Cross Road

Following a cast of intricately linked characters as rejection throws their lives and relationships into chaos, Rejection is a provocative plunge into the thorniest problems of modern life: sex, relationships, identity and the internet.

Tony Tulathimutte is the author of Private Citizens and Rejection. His work has appeared in The Paris Review, n +1, The Nation, The New Republic, and The New York Times. The recipient of an O. Henry Award and a Whiting Award, he runs the writing class CRIT in Brooklyn.

Sheena Patel is a writer and assistant director for film and TV who was born and raised in North West London. She is part of the 4 BROWN GIRLS WHO WRITE collective, has been published in 4BROWN GIRLS WHO WRITE (Rough Trade Books) and a poetry collection of the same name (FEM Press). In 2022 she was chosen as one of the Observer‘s Top 10 best debut novelists. I’m A Fan, here acclaimed debut novel, was Foyles Fiction Book of the Year in 2022.

Book your tickets for Rejection: Tony Tulathimutte in Conversation with Sheena Patel here.

An Evening with R.F. Kuang

Wednesday 20th August 2025
19:00 at Emmanuel Centre, London

Join for what promises to be an unmissable evening with bestselling author R.F. Kuang, as we celebrate the publication of her much-anticipated new novel, Katabasis.

The internationally bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface returns with Katabasis: a sublimely dark and unputdownable tale of two rival Cambridge academics who must join forces on a rescue mission in hell itself.

R.F. Kuang is now the author of six novels, with her debut novel The Poppy War written on her gap year in China and released in 2018. This was followed by The Dragon Republic (2019), The Burning God (2022), Babel (2022) and most recently Yellowface (2023).

Book your tickets for An Evening with R.F. Kuang here.

Damian Barr: The Two Roberts

Thursday 21st August 2025
19:45 at London Southbank Centre

He will stay like this forever, Robert’s arm draped round him. They will be forever twenty.

Scotland, 1933. Bobby MacBryde is on his way. After years grafting at Lees Boot Factory, he’s off to the Glasgow School of Art, to his future. On his first day he will meet another Robert, a quiet man with loose dark curls – and never leave his side.

Together they will spend every penny and every minute devouring Glasgow – its grand bazaar, botanical gardens and a whole hidden city – all the while loving each other behind closed doors.

With the world on the brink of war, their art takes them to Paris, Rome and, finally, to London. They will become stars as the bombs fall – their talent unrivalled, their parties legendary – mingling with the likes of Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and Elizabeth Smart. But the brightest stars burn fastest.

At once a celebration of almost-forgotten artists MacBryde and Colquhoun, and a devastating picture of the price we pay for trying to change the way the world sees.

Book your tickets for Damian Barr: The Two Roberts here.

Samanta Schweblin in Conversation

Friday 22nd August 2025
20:30 at Foyles Charing Cross Road

The six unnerving stories in Schweblin’s latest collection is each as unpredictable as a snare: tight and sharp. Ranging from tragedy to love, the sinister to the beautiful, this is a virtuoso collection from an incomparable imagination.

Samanta Schweblin won the 2022 National Book Award for Translated Literature for her story collection, Seven Empty Houses. Her debut novel, Fever Dream, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, and her novel Little Eyes and story collection Mouthful of Birds have been longlisted for the same prize. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages, and her stories have appeared in English in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Granta, Harper’s Magazine and elsewhere. Originally from Buenos Aires, Schweblin lives in Berlin.

Book your tickets for Samanta Schweblin in Conversation here.

Raymond Antrobus: The Quiet Ear

Wednesday 27th August 2025
19:45 at London Southbank Centre

Award-winning British-Jamaican writer Raymond Antrobus was first diagnosed as deaf at the age of seven. The Quiet Ear tells the story of Antrobus’ childhood, his first experience using hearing aids, his troubled adolescence and the parallel mainstream and deaf education systems.

Blending memoir, criticism and biography with a poet’s precision, Antrobus crafts a powerful meditation on deafness, language, and identity, offering a groundbreaking perspective on what it means to listen and be heard.

This launch event, hosted by Nadeem Islam and Rose Ayling-Ellis, brings together a range of D/deaf artists for performances and discussion, including a short performance of ‘Follow the Signs’, an autobiographical piece following dance artist and choreographer Chris Fonseca’s journey of self-discovery in BSL, rap and creative captions.

Book your tickets for Raymond Antrobus: The Quiet Ear here.

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London is bursting with incredible literary events. Here are some of the highlights which you should add to your calendar for July.

Like what you see? Help me keep creating bookish content by treating me to a coffee. You’ll get really good karma 😉😘

Abigail Bergstrom in Conversation with Stevie Martin

Thursday 10th July 2025
20:30 at Foyles Charing Cross road

The author of 'What a Shame' comes to Foyles for the launch of her darkly humorous and deeply resonant new novel about family and trauma, 'Selfish Girls', with comedian Stevie Martin.

Ines is reluctantly moving home on the edge of a breakdown, her childhood sweetheart in tow. Gwen is elated that her prodigal daughter has returned. Dylan is still licking her wounds from a rejection she can't forget. And Emma is quietly suffocating in the perfect marriage she wanted so badly. They were inseparable once, and now they are back in the Welsh town where they grew up. Uninhibited, claustrophobic and emotionally complex, Selfish Girls is a generations-spanning, unexpected love story.

Abigail Bergstrom has has written for ELLE, Sunday Times Style, the Telegraph, Grazia and Refinery29, among many others. Her debut novel What a Shame was published to critical acclaim and the screen rights were optioned by Severn Productions. She has been listed in the ‘The Bookseller 150’ which names the industry’s most influential figures, and she sits on the advisory board for Cheltenham Literature festival.

Book your tickets for Abigail Bergstrom in Conversation with Stevie Martin here.

Let the Bad Times Roll: An Evening with Alice Slater in Conversation

Thursday 10th July 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Gower Street

The wonderful Alice Slater in conversation with author Eliza Clark, as we celebrate the launch of Slater's latest thriller.

From the writer of the Sunday Times Bestseller Death of a Bookseller, comes a darkly brilliant new thriller, Let the Bad Times Roll.

New Orleans: Then.

Alone in New Orleans, Selina is struggling to fit in. When a charismatic stranger invites her for a drink, she's grateful for the company - but as their friendship grows, she can't help but sense a darkness within her new friend. Who is Daniel, and what does he want from her?

London: Now.

Daniel is missing. No one has seen or heard from him in weeks. Beside herself with worry, his sister Caroline hosts an intimate gathering in her beautiful North London home so those closest to Daniel can come together and compare notes.But all isn't quite as it seems: Caroline has invited a stranger to the table, an accomplished psychic who claims to have met Daniel four thousand miles away in New Orleans.

As evening turns to night, the dark truth of what really happened in New Orleans begins to emerge...

Book your tickets for Let the Bad Times Roll: An Evening with Alice Slater in Conversation here.

Grace Curtis, Oliver Darkshire and Sylvie Cathrall in conversation

Tuesday 15th July 2025
18:00 at Waterstones, London - Covent Garden

Join Grace Curtis, Oliver Darkshire and Sylvie Cathrall as they discuss cosy fantasy!

Grace Curtis is a writer from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, and worksfor Future Friends, an indie game publisher. She is the author of Frontier and Floating Hotel.When she’s not dreaming up pulpy sci-fi and epic fantasy stories, Grace writes about video games, with work appearing in publications including Eurogamer and Edge Magazine.

Oliver Darkshire is trying very hard not to think about his life choices, or how he got here. He lives in Manchester with his husband, and once a week they sit down to figure out how they will fit another bookcase into his study without blocking the door.

Sylvie Cathrall writes stories of hope and healing with healthy doses of wonder and whimsy. She holds a graduate degree in odd Victorian art and has handled more than a few nineteenth-century letters (with great care). Sylvie married her former pen pal and lives in the mountains, where she dresses impractically and dreams of the sea.

Book your tickets for Grace Curtis, Oliver Darkshire and Sylvie Cathrall in conversation here

Mark Watson in conversation at Waterstones Piccadilly

Tuesday 15th July 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Picadilly

Award-winning writer and comedian Mark Watson to discuss his deliciously entertaining new novel One Minute Away with bestselling author Bobby Palmer.

For delivery rider Damir, time is money. He races through cycle lanes next to Uber drivers and grocery vans, delivering your every desire. But one summer’s evening, in a postcode that could be another universe, Damir arrives on Decca’s doorstep with a bag of spilled edamame beans, and a throwaway delivery sparks a chain of events that will change all their lives.

Mark Watson is the acclaimed author of eight books, most recently Contacts, The Place that Didn't Exist, andHotel Alpha which have been published in twelve languages. He is also a stand-up comedian and has won numerous awards in Britain and Australia. He regularly appears on TV, has had his own cult Radio 4 series and been named the Edinburgh Festival’s highest achiever of the decade by The Times. He lives in North London.

Mark Watson will be in conversation with Bobby Palmer, author and journalist. His critically acclaimed debut novel Isaac and the Egg was published in 2022 and was a Waterstones Paperback of the Year. His second novel Small Hours was published last year.

Book your tickets for Mark Watson in conversation at Waterstones Piccadilly here.

Ramping Up Rights: Rachel Charlton-Dailey in conversation with Tazmyn-Mei Gebbett

Tuesday 15th July 2025
19:00 at Waterstones, London - Trafalgar Square

Celebrate the release of 'Ramping Up Rights' to open up a discussion on the fascinating journey through disability activism and the urgent necessity for education and protest!

A 100-year history of enraging injustices and inspiring campaigns: the fight for British disability rights isn't over.

From the 'crippled suffragette', to '80s punks chaining themselves to buses, to campaigners taking a stand online, this book celebrates the amazing activists and protest actions behind the UK's long battle for disabled people's rights to live.

Rachel Charlton-Dailey highlights a shockingly overlooked tradition of disabled struggle. She unpacks how British attitudes and policy went so wrong in the twenty-first century, and interviews campaigners and disabled people about how they have reclaimed power, from resisting government reforms to changing the media narrative. She explores live frontiers in the push for civil rights--from the scandalous inaccessibility of our education and transport systems, to the existential debates about genetic screening and 'the right to die'.

In this powerful book, honouring past disability activism becomes a call to action. Charlton-Dailey shows readers how hard, and how often, disabled people and their allies have fought, and won. She gives them the energy to keep fighting back.

Book your tickets for Ramping Up Rights: Rachel Charlton-Dailey in conversation with Tazmyn-Mei Gebbett here.

Unveiling the Heroines of the Ancient World

Wednesday 16th July 2025
19:30 at Hatchards Picadilly

Jane Draycott is the author of Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome

Using original sources to piece together Fulvia's life and sort fact from fiction, historian Jane Draycott also explores the role of women more generally as Rome transitioned from a republic to the dictatorship of the Roman Empire. A fascinating take on an endlessly popular period of history.

Kaarina Parker is the author of Fulvia

The daughter of a wealthy but unimportant Roman family, Fulvia longs for a life of intrigue and influence. When her father dies, she makes her way to the city of Rome. Marrying the aristocratic Clodius, she is drawn into a world of debauchery – but her ambition steers them towards politics, and power.

Natasha Solomons is the author of Cleopatra

Cleopatra, Egyptian Princess and favoured daughter of the Pharoah, grows up amongst the scrolls in the great library of Alexandria, longing for the chance one day to write her own story. Years later, when the great Caesar arrives from Rome, she realises he could be the key to her salvation…

It promises to be a fascinating evening! Do come along if you are able.

Book your tickets for Unveiling the Heroines of the Ancient World here.

An Evening with Holly Jackson

Wednesday 16th July 2025
19:00 at St. James's Church

Celebrate the paperback publication of her Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize shortlisted novel, The Ministry of Time. Revolving around the titular establishment set up to bring expatriates from the past to near-future London, this extraordinarily assured debut blends love story, time-travelling tale and state-of-the-nation commentary to terrifyingly clever and ferociously funny effect.

Kaliane Bradley is a British-Cambodian writer and editor based in London. Her short stories have appeared in Electric Literature, Catapult, Somesuch Stories and The Willowherb Review,among others. She was the winner of the 2022 Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Prize and the 2022 V. S. Pritchett Short Story Prize. Her debut novel, The Ministry of Time, was an instant Sunday Timesand New York Timesbestseller and a global sensation. It was chosen as one of the Observer‘s ‘Best Debut Novels of 2024’ and was aBarack Obama summer pick; it was shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, a Books Are My Bag award, the Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction and the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award, and most recently, the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025.

Daisy Johnson was born in 1990. Her debut short-story collection,Fen, was published in 2016. In 2018 she became the youngest author ever to be shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize with her debut novelEverything Under. She is the winner of the Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Prize, A. M. Heath Prize and Edge Hill Short Story Prize. Her debut play,Viola’s Room, was produced in 2024 by the immersive theatre company Punchdrunk. She currently lives in Oxford by the river.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Holly Jackson here.

Irvine Welsh: Men in Love

Sunday 20th July 2025
19:30 at Foyles, Queen Elizabeth Hall - Southbank Centre.

The author talks to Miranda Sawyer about his new novel, which takes the Trainspotting crew on a riotous journey through Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam and Paris.

There wasn’t an album they wouldn’t buy, or a drug they wouldn’t try. Then they were left with nothing. Nothing but the eternal quest of all men: the search for love.

Opening in the late 1980s as rave culture is born and moving into the 1990s, Men in Love sees Renton, Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie leave heroin behind and seek joy, and the hope of redemption, on the dance floor and at an unexpected event: Sick Boy’s wedding day. But is falling in love the answer, or just another doomed quest?

Irvine Welsh’s first novel, Trainspotting, has sold over one million copies in the UK and was adapted into an era-defining film. He has written 13 further novels, four books of shorter fiction and numerous plays and screenplays. He currently lives between London, Edinburgh and Miami.

Book your tickets for Irvine Welsh: Men in Love here.

Asako Yuzuki and Polly Barton in conversation at Waterstones Piccadilly

Monday 21st July 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Picadilly

Award-winning Japanese novelist Asako Yuzuki and translator Polly Barton to Waterstones Piccadilly to celebrate their internationally bestselling phenomenon, Butter. Teeming with searing insights into sexism, obsession and pleasure, this glorious Japanese cult classic revolves around a famed female chef convicted as the serial killer of lonely businessmen and a story-hungry young journalist who wishes to learn the secrets of gourmet cooking from her.

Asako Yuzuki was born in Tokyo in 1981. She won the All Yomimono Award for New Writers for her story, Forget Me, Not Blue, which appeared in her debut, Shuuten No Anoko, published in 2010. She won the Yamamoto Shūgorō Award in 2015 for Nile Perch No Joshikai. She has been nominated multiple times for the Naoko Prize, and her novels have been adapted for television, radio and film. Butterwon Waterstones Book of the Year 2024, the Books Are My Bag Breakthrough Author Award 2024, and debut of the year at the British Book Awards 2025. It is shortlisted for the CWA Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger Award 2025.

Polly Barton is a writer and Japanese literary translator. Her translations include Butter by Asako Yuzuki, Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa, Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda, and There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. She has published two works of non-fiction, Fifty Sounds, for which she won the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize, and Porn: An Oral History. What Am I, A Deer?, her debut novel, was published in April 2026.

Book your tickets for Asako Yuzuki and Polly Barton in conversation at Waterstones Piccadilly here.

Gabriella Buba and M. H. Ayinde in conversation with A.Y. Chao

Tuesday 22nd July 2025
18:00 at Waterstones - Covent Garden

Join Gabriella Buba, M. H. Ayinde and A. Y. Chao as they discuss myths, magic and revolution!

Gabriella Buba is a mixed Filipina-Czech author and chemical engineer based in Texas who likes to keep explosive pyrophoric materials safely contained in pressure vessels or between the covers of her books. She writes adult romantic fantasy for bold, bi, brown women who deserve to see their stories centered. Her debut SAINTS OF STORM AND SORROW is a filipino-inspired epic fantasy out with Titan Books. DAUGHTERS OF FLOOD AND FURY comes out July 22, 2025

M. H. Ayinde was born in London's East End. Her short fiction has been published in FIYAH Literary Magazine, Omenana, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and elsewhere, and she was the 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize. She is a runner, a lapsed martial artist and a screen time enthusiast. Modupe lives in London with three generations of her family and their Studio Ghibli obsession.

Alice Chao is a Chinese Canadian author of fantasy. She's fascinated by the interplay between self-perceived versus imposed identity and how this intersects with belonging and enjoys exploring these spaces in her stories. A recovering lawyer and xiaolongbao enthusiast, she knits to soothe anxiety and has a deep abiding love for Hobonichi planners and kawaii planner stickers. She is grateful for the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Book your tickets for Gabriella Buba and M. H. Ayinde in conversation with A.Y. Chao here.

An Evening with Gurnaik Johal

Friday 25th July 2025
19:00 at Waterstones, London - Streatham

An evening with Gurnaik Johal in conversation with Hannah Hutchings-Georgiou to celebrate the release of his debut novel Saraswati.

As a holy river returns, seven lives change course in this masterpiece debut for fans of David Mitchell, Zadie Smith and Eleanor Catton.

Centuries ago, the holy river Saraswati flowed through what is now Punjab. Many dismiss this as myth, but when Satnam arrives in his ancestral village for his grandmother's funeral, he finds water in the dried-up well behind her house. The discovery sets in motion a contentious scheme to unearth the lost river as an act of Hindu nationalist pride.

The river changes the course of Satnam's life, and those of six others. As legends and histories resurface, the distant relatives - from a Canadian eco-saboteur to a Mauritian pest exterminator to a Bollywood stunt double - are brought together in a rapidly changing India. Ambitious, moving and brimming with folklore, Saraswati is a tour de force from one of Britain's most feted young writers.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Gurnaik Johal here.

Moomin 80th Anniversary Tea Party

Wednesday 30th July 2025
16:30 at Waterstones, London - Kensington

Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Tove Jansson's beloved characters: The Moomins! Join us for a tea party where we will have activites, refreshments, goodies, and a short reading from one of the Moomin books!

An evening with Philip Pullman to celebrate 30 Years of Northern Lights

Thursday 31st July 2025
19:30 at The Royal Geographic Society

We’re delighted to be joined by Philip Pullman at the Royal Geographical Society, London for a unique anniversary event to celebrate 30 years of his acclaimed Northern Lights. Join us for an unmissable conversation, in which Philip Pullman will discuss Northern Lights and the His Dark Materials trilogy with his long-time editor and publisher David Fickling in an event chaired by Jane Tranter, CEO of Bad Wolf who produced the acclaimed BBC & HBO His Dark Materials TV series. In the event you will receive never-before-seen insight into the beloved books and the author. Attendees will also have an opportunity to submit their questions in advance.

Attendees will also have an opportunity to submit their questions in advance.

On 9th July 1995, Northern Lights was published, and the world was introduced to the breath-taking world of His Dark Materials. Ever since, generations of readers have been transported by Lyra Belacqua and her extraordinary destiny. Acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, Northern Lights won a multitude of awards and became a global bestseller, followed by The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. The original trilogy was followed by The Book of Dust trilogy; The final volume, The Rose Field will be published in October 2025.

Book your tickets for An evening with Philip Pullman to celebrate 30 Years of Northern Lights here.

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This June, discover a powerful new wave of fiction that spans lush fantasy, sharp historical insight, and stirring contemporary narratives. These stories explore the many faces of resilience—through characters navigating the ethics of family, the weight of legacy, and the fight for dignity in the face of silence and neglect.

Wander into worlds shaped by myth and magic, where fate is not fixed and truth is a dangerous currency. Witness the quiet bravery of those who challenge deeply personal expectations, and the loud, necessary resistance of communities rising against systemic injustice and political cruelty.

These books delve into the complexities of motherhood, the fragility of identity, and the fire of activism. From speculative retellings filled with beauty and decay to piercing accounts of real-world injustice in the LGBTQ+ community - June’s reads are as expansive as they are intimate.

Together, they form a chorus of voices—each one offering a reminder that storytelling is both a mirror and a call to action. In every page, you'll find the strength of defiance, the ache of transformation, and the quiet, radical power of human connection.

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In The Family Way By Laney Katz Becker

An intimate, emotionally charged exploration of motherhood, choice, and the fragile boundaries of family.

Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult and Celeste Ng, this novel is a compelling, compassionate look at the complexities of modern family-making and the courage it takes to follow your heart—no matter where it leads.

‘A group of suburban women help one another navigate their personal challenges, marriages, and pregnancies—both wanted and unwanted.

In 1965 America, women can’t have their own bank accounts and credit cards or sign their own leases; divorce is scandalous and difficult; and abortion is illegal. Every Tuesday a group of friends meet for a canasta game. As cards are drawn and discarded, these women share advice and confidences.

After prim and proper Lily Berg, a doctor’s wife, discovers she’s pregnant with her second child, she follows her friend Becca’s suggestion and takes in Betsy, a pregnant teen from the local home for unwed mothers. Betsy, who’s never met anyone Jewish before, is to live with the Bergs for six months, help with babysitting and housekeeping, have her own baby, and then agree to never contact the family again. But things quickly get complicated.

Moving and atmospheric, full of history and heart, In the Family Way captures the experiences of women on the cusp of liberation as they struggle with their own complex feelings about being wives, mothers, and women with their own dreams and ambitions.’

Purchase In The Family Way By Laney Katz Becker and add it to your #tbr list here

A Forgery Of Fate By Elizabeth Lim

An enchanting new tale of magic, ambition, and the dangerous power of secrets from the bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes.

In a world where art holds magic and forgeries can change destinies, one young woman finds herself caught between the life she was born into and the one she dares to create. As political intrigue and forbidden romance swirl around her, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to shape her own fate—and whether the truth is worth the cost.

Brimming with lush worldbuilding, unforgettable characters, and Elizabeth Lim’s signature lyrical prose, this is a must-read for fans of fantasy that weaves emotion and high stakes into every page.

‘A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

Truyan Saigas didn't choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father's disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King's inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . .’

Purchase A Forgery Of Fate By Elizabeth Lim and add it to your #tbr list here

Storybook Ending By Moira Macdonald

A witty, wistful meditation on the narratives we cling to—and what happens when real life refuses to follow the script.

Moira Macdonald delivers a beautifully observed, emotionally resonant tale perfect for anyone who’s ever wondered whether it’s too late to begin again. Bittersweet, insightful, and filled with literary heart, Storybook Ending is a gentle triumph.

‘A charming story about romance, friendship, and a love of books, in which two women—a lonely remote worker and a widowed single mom—and a handsome local bookstore clerk find themselves in an unusual love triangle when an anonymous note left in a book finds the wrong recipient.

April, a smart and lonely tech worker, worries work from home has gotten out of hand: She’s left an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the clerk at her Seattle neighborhood bookstore who has a gentle smile and looks great in flannel. But thanks to fate, Laura—a busy single mom who had given up on love—buys the book, finds the note, and thinks Westley has left it for her. A handsome man who loves books seems like just the plot twist she has been looking for.

Meanwhile, Westley—not the most perceptive—is too distracted by the movie filming at the store and the ambition it’s unlocked in him to notice either of the two women. But as April and Laura’s anonymous correspondence continues back and forth, their mundane routines are challenged, sparking a glimmer of hope. Is a happy ending in the cards for them?

A hilarious and intricate web of mistaken identities and serendipitous encounters, Storybook Ending is a playful tribute to romance, friendship, and bookstores, and to the objects—from a forgotten slip of paper to someone’s heart—left between the pages of books we loved.’

Purchase Storybook Ending By Moira Macdonald and add it to your #tbr list here

Ginko Season By Naomi Xu Elegant

A lyrical debut about memory, migration, and the delicate spaces between generations, identity, and belonging. For readers of Elif Batuman and Sally Rooney, a beguiling debut novel about finding oneself after heartbreak.

Set against the quiet rhythms of changing seasons, this novel traces the intertwined lives of three women—grandmother, mother, and daughter—each navigating her own path through displacement, silence, and inherited grief. As the scent of ginkgo trees lingers in the air, their stories unfold in gentle revelations, asking what is passed down through blood, and what is reclaimed through choice.

’After suffering her first big heartbreak two years earlier, Penelope Lin has built a quiet life with no romantic entanglements. She spends her days cataloging a museum’s vast collection of Qing Dynasty bound-foot shoes and in the comfortable company of close friends. One day, she happens to meet Hoang, who confesses to releasing mice from the cancer research lab where he works. Hoang’s openness catches Penelope off guard; from then on, she finds her carefully constructed life slowly starting to unravel. Told in Penelope’s witty, vulnerable, and thoroughly endearing voice, Gingko Season captures three seasons of reawakening, challenges, and transformation.

This wise and tenderhearted novel explores the nature of our deepest friendships as seriously as it does the dizzying terror and thrill of falling in love, and the complications of trying to live a life that matches your ideals.’

Purchase Ginko Season By Naomi Xu Elegant and add it to your #tbr list here

Fight Aids! By Michael G. Long

A powerful chronicle of activism, courage, and community in the face of a public health crisis—and a government’s silence.

Fight AIDS tells the urgent and often overlooked story of the individuals and movements that rose up to challenge inaction, stigma, and systemic neglect during the height of the AIDS epidemic. With unflinching clarity and deep compassion, Michael G. Long highlights the voices of activists, caretakers, and everyday heroes who transformed grief into fuel for change.

Timely, stirring, and deeply human, this book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how ordinary people, united in purpose, can demand justice and rewrite history. A compelling addition to LGBTQ+ history and social justice shelves alike.

‘Acclaimed author Michael G. Long tells the story of the devastating AIDS crisis and the trailblazing activists who fought for dignity, compassion, and treatment.

Act up! Fight back! Fight AIDS!

This was the slogan for ACT UP—or AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power—an activist organization that emerged in the 1980s during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The group was loud, direct, and confrontational as it fought for access to treatment, compassionate care, and recognition for everyone with HIV and AIDS.

Tracing the history of the LGBTQ+ community from the Stonewall Riots and “gay liberation” movements to the groundbreaking protests of the 1980s and 1990s, Fight AIDS! is a gripping narrative of the AIDS epidemic for young readers, told through the lens of the activism it fostered. Focusing on the people most directly affected by the crisis and on the individuals who fought for justice, it is an intimate and humane account of one of the most devastating eras in United States history and an electrifying celebration of the power ordinary citizens have to enact meaningful change.’

Purchase Fight Aids! By Michael G. Long and add it to your #tbr list here

Strange Houses By Uketsu

A surreal and unsettling collection that peels back the wallpaper of ordinary life to reveal the uncanny lurking underneath.

In Strange Houses, horror isn’t loud—it creeps in quietly, room by room. Uketsu crafts a series of eerie tales, each centered on a house that defies the rules of reality. From haunting architecture to sentient staircases, these stories twist domestic spaces into dreamlike—and often nightmarish—landscapes.

Minimalist yet psychologically rich, this collection is a masterclass in atmospheric horror. Whether you're drawn to slow-burning dread or the surreal edge of the supernatural, Strange Houses will leave you questioning what’s behind every closed door.

‘A writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance who is considering purchasing a second-hand house in Tokyo. With its bright and spacious interior, the home seems perfect. But looking closer, the building’s floor plan reveals a mysterious "dead space” hidden between the walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plan with an architect friend only to discover more “strange spaces” dotted across the house.

What are these mysterious “strange spaces” and why do they exist—are they really there, or is there something off with the floor plan? Who is the home’s former resident who suddenly disappeared?

The freelance writer and his architect friend can’t resist the challenge of solving the riddle of these puzzling floor plans . . . and the terrifying plot behind it all.’

Purchase Strange Houses By Uketsu and add it to your #tbr list here.

Deep House by Jeremy Atherton Lin

A hypnotic and heartfelt novel that explores the beats of love, identity, and the search for belonging in a fractured world. Set against the pulsating backdrop of underground music scenes and vibrant urban life, Deep House follows characters whose lives intertwine through rhythm, memory, and the quest for connection. With sharp prose and emotional depth, Jeremu Atherton crafts a story that dives into the complexities of friendship, passion, and the power of music to heal and transform.

Perfect for fans of lyrical storytelling and culturally rich narratives, this novel invites readers to lose themselves in the soundscape of human experience.

’From the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of Gay Bar comes a rule-breaking, sweat-soaked, genre-busting story of outlaw love.


It’s 1996, and Jeremy Atherton Lin has met the boy of his dreams — a mumbling, starry-eyed Brit — just as, amid a media frenzy, US Congress prepares the Defense of Marriage Act, denying same-sex couples federal rights including immigration. The pair steals away to remote forests and vast deserts, London fashion shows and Berlin sex clubs, dinner parties, back alleys, East Village hotel rooms, and San Francisco dives. Finding no other way to stay together, they shack up illicitly among unlikely allies in a “city of refuge.”


With Atherton Lin’s inimitable blend of tenderness and wicked humor, Deep House moves through the couple’s string of rented apartments while unlocking doors to a lineage of gay men who have come before — smuggling a foreign partner through national checkpoints or going public to stand up for the right to get down in the privacy of their own homes. They include hapless criminals, sexpot bartenders, friars, pirates, government workers who subverted the system, activists who went all the way to the Supreme Court, and the celebrated artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres.


Following Gay Bar — called “a rich tapestry” by Vanity Fair and “an absolute tour de force” by Maggie Nelson — Deep House juxtaposes whispered disclosures of undocumented domesticity with courtroom drama and political stunts to explore myriad forms of intimacy while questioning the mechanisms that legitimize love. Deep House is at once a historical kaleidoscope and the innermost tale of two boyfriends who made a home in the shadows of a turbulent civil rights battle…’

Purchase Deep House by Jeremy Atherton Lin and add it to your #tbr list here.

This April, dive into a fresh selection of newly released novels spanning genres from slice-of-life fiction to timely dystopian novellas. These captivating stories delve into themes of sexual awakening, heartbreak, resistance, and the intricate dance of human connection.

Immerse yourself in not to distant dystopian futures, where republicans reign and into quiet corners of the world where small acts of kindness spark powerful change. Within these pages, you'll find tender explorations of first love and wickedly imaginative retellings filled with longing, decay, and deadly flora.

This remarkable collection invites you into untold stories of resilience and self-discovery - tales that celebrate the quiet strength of compassion and the bold defiance of those who choose to stand firm when our freedoms and humanity hang in the balance.

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Cat's people by Tanya Guerrero

A cosy, introspective and heartfelt novel - Cat’s People is a uplifting tale covering themes of found family, kindness and connection. Unlikely friendships will blossom as five strangers - brought together through small acts of kindness and a little black cat enchant readers of all ages. The perfect read for cat lovers or those in need of a feel good story.

‘A stray cat brings together five strangers over the course of one fateful summer in this heartwarming novel about love, found family, and the power of connection.

Núria, a single-by-choice barista with a little resentment for the “crazy cat lady” label, is a member of The Meow-Yorkers, a group in Brooklyn who takes care of the neighbourhoods stray cats. On her volunteering days, she starts finding Post-it notes left by a secret admirer in an area where she feeds her favourite stray - a black cat named Cat. Like most felines, he is both curious and observant, so of course he knows who the notes are from. Núria, however, is clueless.

Are the notes from Collin, a bestselling author and self-professed hermit with a weakness for good coffee? Are they from Lily, a fresh-out-of-high school Georgia native searching for her long-lost half sister? Are they from Omar, the beloved neighborhood mailman going through an early midlife crisis? Or are they from Bong, the grieving widower who owns Núria’s favourite bodega?’

Purchase Cat’s People by Tanya Guerrero and add it to your #tbr list here

Eat The Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin

Little shop of horrors with a queer twist - Eat the ones you love is a delightfully wicked young adult novel inspired by a beloved story. This novel has a little bit of everything: monsters, malls, and minimum wage. A glorious novel infused with wit, horror and heart that will have you devouring each insatiable page.

‘This is a story about desire, dreams, decay―and working retail at the end of the world.

After losing her job and her fiancé and moving back from the city to live with her parents, Shell Pine needs some help. And according to the sign in the window, the florist shop in the mall does too. Shell gets the gig, and the flowers she works with there are just the thing she needs to cheer up. Or maybe it's Neve, the beautiful shop manager, who is making her days so rosy?

But you have to get your hands dirty if you want your garden to grow―and Neve's secrets are as dark and dangerous as they come. In the back room of the flower shop, a young sentient orchid actually runs the show, and he is hungry ... and he has a plan for them all.

When the choices are to either bury yourself in the warmth of someone else's fertile soil, or face the cold and disappointing world outside―which would you choose? And what if putting down roots came at a cost far higher than just your freedom?’

Purchase Eat The Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin and add it to your #tbr list here

Open, Heaven by Seán Hewitt

A stunning debut novel from the acclaimed young Irish poet Seán Hewitt, reminiscent of Garth Greenwell and Justin Torres in the intensity of its evocation of sexual awakening. A tender novel about how a first love can shape a whole life - a beautiful coming of age tale.

‘Set in a remote village in the north of England, Open, Heaven unfolds over the course of one year in which two teenage boys meet and transform each other's lives.

James—a sheltered, shy sixteen-year-old—is alone in his newly discovered sexuality, full of an unruly desire but entirely inexperienced. As he is beginning to understand himself and his longings, he also realizes how his feelings threaten to separate him from his family and the rural community he has grown up in. He dreams of another life, fantasizing about what lies beyond the village's leaf-ribboned boundaries, beyond his reach: autonomy, tenderness, sex. Then, in the autumn of 2002, he meets Luke, a slightly older boy, handsome, unkempt, who comes with a reputation for danger. Abandoned by his parents—his father imprisoned, and his mother having moved to France for another man—Luke has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle on their farm just outside the village. James is immediately drawn to him "like the pull a fire makes on the air, dragging things into it and blazing them into its hot, white centre," drawn to this boy who is beautiful and impulsive, charismatic, troubled. But underneath Luke's bravado is a deep wound—a longing for the love of his father and for the stability of family life.

Open, Heaven is a novel about desire, yearning, and the terror of first love. With the striking economy and lyricism that animate his work as a poet, Hewitt has written a mesmerizing hymn to boyhood, sensuality, and love in all its forms. A truly exceptional debut.’

Purchase Open, Heaven by Seán Hewitt and add it to your #tbr list here

Bitter Texas Honey by Ashley Whitaker

Whitaker’s debut novel is a painful, hilarious and offbeat novel filled with larger than life characters, nimble prose and deadpan delivery which will leave you wildly entertained as she mercilessly makes assessment of the political, moral, and cultural roots of America’s current divide. An uncompromising timely read - one to add to your #tbr pile this year.

‘The Royal Tenenbaums meets Fleabag in this hilarious and dizzyingly smart debut about an over-the-top evangelical Texan family—and the daughter at its centre racing to finish her very important novel before her ex-boyfriend finishes his.

It's 2011, and twenty-three-year-old Joan West is not like the rest of her liberal peers in Austin, nor is she quite like her Tea Party Republican, God-loving family. Sure, she listens to conservative talk radio on her way to and from her internship at the Capitol. But she was once an America-hating leftist who kissed girls at parties, refused to shave, and had plenty of emotionless sex with jazz school friends—that is until a drug-induced mania forced her to return to her senses.

But above all Joan is a writer, an artist, or at least she desperately wants to be. Always in search of inspiration for her novel, she catalogs every detail of her relationships with men—including with her former muse slash current arch nemesis Roberto—and mines her very dysfunctional family for material. But when her beloved, credit card debt–racked cousin Wyatt finds himself in crisis, Joan's worldview is cracked open and everything comes crashing down.

Funny, whip-smart, and often tender, Bitter Texas Honey introduces us to the unforgettable and indefatigable Joan West: ambitious, full of contradictions, utterly herself. As she wades through it all—addiction, politics, loss, and, notably, her father's string of increasingly bizarre girlfriends—we witness her confront what it means to be a person, and an artist, in the world.’

Purchase Bitter Texas Honey by Ashley Whitaker and add it to your #tbr list here

ATAVISTS by Lydia Millet

Often described comic, erudite, humane - Millet’s one of the most original voices in fiction today. Delve into these short intertwined stories that evoke the joy and alienation between generations and classes in the era of mass overwhelm. A blunt assessment of our refusal to deal with the ecological catastrophes we have created and a tender portrait of human beings with all their foibles. Sharply observed, beautifully rendered, and heartbreaking.

‘From Lydia Millet comes an inventive new collection of short fiction. Atavists follows a group of families, couples, and loners in their collisions, confessions, and conflicts in a post-pandemic America of artificially lush lawns, beauty salons, tech-bro mansions, assisted-living facilities, big-box stores, gastropubs, college campuses, and medieval role-playing festivals.

The various "-ists" who people these linked stories - from futurists to insurrectionists to cosmetologists - include a professor who's morbidly fixated on an old friend's Instagram account; a woman convinced that her bright young son-in-law is watching geriatric porn; a bodybuilder who lives an incel's fantasy life; a couple who surveil the neighbours after finding obscene notes in their mailbox; a pretentious academic accused of plagiarism; and a suburban ex-marathoner dad obsessed with hosting refugees in a tiny house in his backyard.’

Purchase ATAVISTS by Lydia Millet and add it to your #tbr list here

The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester

A passionate, fiery tribute to a historical woman so extraordinary she almost defies belief. An incredible story of courage, devotion, and daring - The Mademoiselle Alliance is a moving, powerful homage to the French Resistance.

‘In this stunning work of historical fiction, the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Orphan brings to life the true story of Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who led one of the largest and most effective resistance networks in France during World War II.

Marie-Madeleine is not the kind of woman who goes through life sitting down, and it's a trait that not everyone is a fan of—including her husband. But what's a beautiful eighteen-year-old girl in Morocco to do if not drive in car rallies, learn to fly planes, and dabble in intelligence work for the French government?

Years later, when she returns to France after the breakdown of her marriage, she expects things to settle down a bit. But a chance meeting with a mysterious man codenamed Navarre turns her life upside down. An equally passionate patriot, he asks her to help him influence those who don't yet understand that France is on the brink of war with Nazi Germany. Her efforts are a tremendous success, and her life in the resistance begins.

When war finally does erupt, Navarre is arrested and imprisoned, leaving their Alliance network without a leader. Marie-Madeleine finds herself stepping into the role, heedless of the many men who doubt her ability to do so.

Running a spy network is exceptionally complicated, and capture and death are always only a heartbeat away for both Marie-Madeleine and the agents under her care. But she rises above expectations at every turn, achieving seemingly impossible feats of espionage that help turn the tide of the war. But the most impossible, and dangerous, of them all? Falling in love.

Natasha Lester beautifully brings Marie-Madeleine Fourcade's story to life in this powerful, heartbreaking tale of resilience that reminds us all of what it means to cherish those we love and fight for them with every breath.’

Purchase The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester and add it to your #tbr list here.

Plum by Andy Anderegg

For fans of Sarah Rose Etter and Scott McClanahan, Plum is a darkly beautiful, unflinching novel about modern girlhood in the internet age, the daily toll of trauma, and the limits of love. Plum is a truly original, tender, and heart-searing novel about the secrets we keep, all the ways a soul can be broken, and the lies we have to tell ourselves to move on.

’Told entirely in the second person, Plum follows J as she grows from kid to teen in a house ruled by her alcoholic dad and complicit mother. Her older brother is sometimes wonderful, sometimes gross, and he's her only hope of getting out. J's world is one of nail polish, above-ground pools, and drive-thrus—and of violence, carelessness, and so many rules. J covets the peace that comes when she slips on her headphones, turns on her handheld radio, and dreams of how she and her brother can make their escape.

When her brother leaves home and disappears, so does J's best chance to flee her parents' chaotic orbit. Alone and angry, J reaches through her computer screen for the life she wants: blonde hair, glittering nails, attention, freedom. As she stumbles into adulthood with no template to follow, J must figure out how to build a family for herself full of the love she deserves. In her brutally compelling debut, Anderegg turns her singular gaze on the generational patterns of addiction and abuse.’

Purchase Plum by Andy Anderegg and add it to your #tbr list here.

The Beauty Of The End by Lauren Stienstra

What would society do if they knew the human species would go extinct? What would society allow? What lengths would people go to, to have a child? This work of speculative fiction delves into these questions.

Readers seeking a dystopian tale of science fiction that has some similarity to stories like The Handmaid’s Tale, Children of Men, and Station Eleven may want to give this novel a try.

‘In this provocative work of speculative fiction, two sisters navigate the complex moral terrain of reproductive ethics, individual freedoms, and society's duty to a future facing imminent extinction.

Charlie Tannehill and her twin sister, Maggie, are just eight years old when an unfortunate scientific discovery upends their world―and the world order. The revelation? Extinction, encoded in every creature's DNA. The expiration date for humans? Only four generations away.

A decade later, unsure of what tomorrow holds, Charlie and Maggie enroll as counselors in a government-run human-husbandry program. By offering cash rewards for reproduction, they hope to forestall humanity's decline and discover a genetic mutation that might defeat it. While Charlie struggles with the ethical implications of the work, Maggie makes unspeakable sacrifices to improve her odds of success―but such unchecked ambition could come at a greater cost than even she realizes.

Torn between her own morality, her love for her sister, and the pressures of a vanishing civilisation, Charlie must search deep within to decide what she's willing to sacrifice―for herself, for Maggie, and for society―to salvage hope for the whole of humankind.’

Purchase The Beauty Of The End by Lauren Stienstra and add it to your #tbr list here.

London is bursting with incredible literary events. Here are some of the highlights which you should add to your calendar for April.

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Kell Woods, Lucy Holland and Tori Bovalino in conversation with Alwyn Hamilton

Thursday 10th April 2025
18:00 at Waterstones, London - Covent Garden

Kell Woods is an Australian historical fantasy author. She lives near the sea with her husband, two sons, and a writing cat named Juniper. Kell studied English literature, creative writing and librarianship, so she could always be surrounded by stories. She has worked in libraries, museums, communications and copywriting, all the while writing about made-up (and not so made-up) places, people and things you might remember from the fairy tales you read as a child.

Tori Bovalino (she/her) is the author of multiple YA horror novels, including My Throat an Open Grave, and the editor of the Indie-bestselling anthology, The Gathering Dark. Tori also writes adult fantasy as V.L. Bovalino, including The Second Death of Locke. She is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and now lives in the UK with her partner and their very loud cat. She holds a PhD in English and splits her non-writing time between publishing and academia. Tori loves scary stories, obscure academic book facts, and impractical, oversized sweaters.

Lucy Holland is an author working across the fields of history, mythology and fantasy. Her current interest lies in re-imagining folktales and Celtic myth, with a view to re-situating the stories of queer people and uncovering the complex regional histories of early medieval Britain. Her novel, Sistersong, was a finalist for both the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award and the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 2022. Her second historical fantasy, Song of the Huntress, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2024. Both books are set in the West Country where she lives, and were inspired by its rich local folklore and history. Since 2016, Lucy has co-hosted the British Fantasy Award-winning podcast, ‘Breaking the Glass Slipper,’ with a focus on women in speculative fiction. She has given talks and workshops at various universities and venues, including the British Library, Science Museum London, Barcelona Festival 42 and Edinburgh’s Cymera Festival. Lucy created and currently leads Curtis Brown Creative’s flagship Writing Fantasy course, which runs twice a year. In June 2024, she was selected by UNESCO Cities of Literature as one of the ILX10: Rising Stars of UK Writing.

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her early years bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She moved to the UK when she was 18 and has been here ever since as an author/bookseller. Her first novel Rebel of the Sands was sold in 14 territories and won the Goodreads Choice Award for best debut. The Notorious Virtues is her latest book and the first in a duology. She lives in London. Follow @AlwynHamilton on TikTok and Instagram.

Book your tickets for Kell Woods, Lucy Holland and Tori Bovalino in conversation with Alwyn Hamilton here.

Mythica: Emily Hauser in Conversation with Jennifer Saint

Thursday 17th April 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Gower Street

An evening with Emily Hauser, exploring the great myths and legends of the ancient world and the real women behind them, with Jennifer Saint.

Did you ever wonder who the real women behind the myths of the Trojan War were?

Now award-winning classicist and historian Emily Hauser takes readers on an epic journey to uncover the astonishing true story of the real women behind ancient Greece’s greatest legends – and the real heroes of those ancient epics, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.

Because, contrary to perceptions built up over three millennia, ancient history is not all about men – and it's not only men's stories that deserve to be told . . .

In Mythica Emily Hauser tells, for the first time, the extraordinary stories of the real women behind some of the western world’s greatest legends. Following in their footsteps, digging into the history behind Homer’s epic poems, piecing together evidence from the original texts, recent astonishing archaeological finds and the latest DNA studies, she reveals who these women – queens, mothers, warriors, slaves – were, how they lived, and how history has (or has not – until now) remembered them.

A riveting new history of the Bronze Age Aegean and a journey through Homer’s epics charted entirely by women – from Helen of Troy, Briseis, Cassandra and Aphrodite to Circe, Athena, Hera, Calypso and Penelope – Mythica is a ground-breaking reassessment of the reality behind the often-mythologized women of Greece’s greatest epics, and of the ancient world itself as we learn ever more about it.

Dr Emily Hauser is an award-winning classicist and ancient historian and the author of an acclaimed trilogy of novels retelling the sroties of women of Greek myth, For the Most Beautiful, For the Winner and For the Immortal. She read Classics at Cambridge, where she received a double first with distinction and won the Chancellor's Medal for Classical Proficiency. She has a PhD in Classics from Yale, and was a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows. She is now a Senior Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exeter, and teaches and researches on Homer and women's writing, ancient and modern.

Jennifer Saint grew up reading Greek mythology and was always drawn to the untold stories hidden within the myths. She read Classical Studies at King's College, London where she is now a Visiting Research Fellow in the Classics Department. After thirteen years as a high school English teacher, she wrote Ariadne which was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. It was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year in 2021 and was a Waterstones Book of the Month. Her second novel, Elektra, and third novel Atalanta, were number one Sunday Times bestsellers. Her latest mesmerising mythological retelling, Hera, will be published in May 2025.

Book your tickets for Mythica: Emily Hauser in Conversation with Jennifer Saint

Call Me Ishmaelle: Xiaolu Guo in conversation

Tuesday 22nd April 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Islington

Call Me Ishmaelle is a landmark reimagining of the epic battle between man and nature in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. Xiaolu Guo has crafted a dramatically different, feminist narrative that stands alongside the original while offering a powerful exploration of nature, gender and human purpose.

1843. Ishmaelle is born in a small village on the stormy Kent coast where she grows up swimming with dolphins. After her parents and infant sister die, her brother, Joseph, leaves to find work as a sailor. Abandoned and desperate for a life at sea, Ishmaelle disguises herself as a cabin boy and travels to New York.

As the American Civil War breaks out in 1861, Ishmaelle boards the Nimrod, a whaling ship led by the obsessive Captain Seneca, a Black free man of heroic stature who is haunted by a tragic past. Here, she finds protectors in Polynesian harpooner, Kauri, and Taoist monk, Muzi, whose readings of the I-Ching guide their quest.

Through the bloody male violence of whaling, and the unveiling of her feminine identity, Ishmaelle realises there is a mysterious bond between herself and the mythical white whale, Moby Dick.

Book your tickets for Call Me Ishmaelle: Xiaolu Guo in conversation here.

An Evening with Amal El-Mohtar in conversation with Sarah Shaffi

Tuesday 22nd April 2025
19:00 at Waterstones, London - Putney

A very special evening with Amal El-Mohtar in conversation with Sarah Shaffi to discuss her highly anticipated new novel, The River Has Roots.

From the co-author of the highly acclaimed This is How You Lose the Time War comes a beautifully realised and atmospheric slice of fantasy fiction centred on two inseparable sisters who live on the edge of Faerie.

'Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.'

In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.

There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family's latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.

But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters' bond but also their lives will be at risk...

When it comes to storytelling, Amal El-Mohtar is like one of the grammarians of Thistleford, a magician capable of deftly transforming the familiar into the unfamiliar and the numinous into the humane. The River Has Roots is an utterly enchanting tale of love and longing, language and song, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood - Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga

The River Has Roots is a beautiful, musical, and loving story, perfectly rendered in El-Mohtar's beautiful, musical, and loving prose. This novella has all the dark comforts of an old tale and all the light vigors of a new classic, and will inspire you to raise your voice in song with those you love - Emma Törzs, author of Ink Blood Sister Scribe

Half delicious murder ballad, half beguiling love story, Amal El-Mohtar transports us to Faerieland so seamlessly it seems as though she just stepped out of it - Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of The Cruel Prince

Amal El-Mohtar is an award-winning writer of fiction, poetry, and criticism. She is co-author, with Max Gladstone, of the multiple award-winning This is How You Lose the Time War. Her articles and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, NPR Books and on Tor.com. She has been the New York Times's science fiction and fantasy columnist since February 2018.

Sarah Shaffi is a journalist, author, editor and interviewer, with more than a decade of experience working at newspapers, magazines and websites. She is also the author of the children’s books All About Eid, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel, and South Asian Folktales, Myths & Legends.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Amal El-Mohtar in conversation with Sarah Shaffi here.

Kaliane Bradley in conversation with Daisy Johnson at Waterstones Piccadilly

Thursday 24th April 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Piccadilly

Celebrate the paperback publication of her Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize shortlisted novel, The Ministry of Time. Revolving around the titular establishment set up to bring expatriates from the past to near-future London, this extraordinarily assured debut blends love story, time-travelling tale and state-of-the-nation commentary to terrifyingly clever and ferociously funny effect.

Kaliane Bradley is a British-Cambodian writer and editor based in London. Her short stories have appeared in Electric Literature, Catapult, Somesuch Stories and The Willowherb Review,among others. She was the winner of the 2022 Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Prize and the 2022 V. S. Pritchett Short Story Prize. Her debut novel, The Ministry of Time, was an instant Sunday Timesand New York Timesbestseller and a global sensation. It was chosen as one of the Observer‘s ‘Best Debut Novels of 2024’ and was aBarack Obama summer pick; it was shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, a Books Are My Bag award, the Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction and the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award, and most recently, the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025.

Daisy Johnson was born in 1990. Her debut short-story collection,Fen, was published in 2016. In 2018 she became the youngest author ever to be shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize with her debut novelEverything Under. She is the winner of the Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Prize, A. M. Heath Prize and Edge Hill Short Story Prize. Her debut play,Viola’s Room, was produced in 2024 by the immersive theatre company Punchdrunk. She currently lives in Oxford by the river.

Book your tickets for Kaliane Bradley in conversation with Daisy Johnson at Waterstones Piccadilly here.

An Evening with Bella Mackie and Greg James at Conway Hall, London

Thursday 24th April 2025
19:30 at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL

A very special evening with Bella Mackie at Conway Hall, as we celebrate paperback publication of What A Way To Go. The bestselling author of How To Kill Your Family spins another gloriously funny and dark story about dysfunctional families in the shiny but cruel world of the extremely wealthy. Bella will be hosted by Radio 1 presenter Greg James.

Bella Mackie’s debut novel How to Kill Your Family was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller and spent 47 weeks in the top 10 in paperback. She is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction Jog On, and has written for the Guardian, Vogue and Vice. In 2023 she judged the Women’s Prize for Fiction and her work has been shortlisted for the British Book Awards.

Book your tickets for An Evening with Bella Mackie and Greg James at Conway Hall, London here.

Seán Hewitt in Conversation with Mendez

Thursday 24th April 2025
19:00 at Foyles Tottenham Court Road

Hewitt launches his beautifully rendered debut novel, 'Open, Heaven', about young love and queer longing in a conversation at Foyles with 'Rainbow Milk' author Mendez.

Set in a countryside village, Open, Heaven traces the blooming bond between James and Luke as they contend with the desires and tensions of young adulthood. Lyrical, luminous, this is the debut novel from a virtuoso wordsmith and storyteller.

Seán Hewitt was born in 1990. He is the author of two poetry collections, Tongues of Fire and Rapture’s Road, and a memoir, All Down Darkness Wide. He collaborated with the artist Luke Edward Hall on 300,000 Kisses: Tales of Queer Love from the Ancient World. Hewitt has received the Laurel Prize and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and been shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. He lectures at Trinity College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Mendez is a London-based Jamaican-British writer. Their debut, Rainbow Milk, was named one of the Observer's Top Ten Best Debuts for 2020, shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize, the Jhalak Prize, the Polari Prize, and for the LAMBDA Literary Award in Gay Fiction. They are also a regular contributor to the London Review of Books and has written for British Vogue, The Face, Attitude, Esquire, TLS, among others.

Book your tickets for Seán Hewitt in Conversation with Mendez here.

He Said, She Said: Charlotte Proudman in Conversation

Friday 25th April 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Gower Street

an evening with author and women's rights advocate Dr Charlotte Proudman as she lifts the lid on women's struggles against the legal system.

If you and your family needed help, could you trust the law to be on your side?

Award-winning barrister Charlotte Proudman has dedicated her working life to representing women who find themselves in need of help from the family law courts. Time and again, she has watched as these women - many of whom have experienced the very worst traumas imaginable - are let down by the system that is supposed to protect them. Seeking only justice and safety, they have instead been met with cruelty and disdain, deemed unreliable witnesses compared to the men who abused them.

From family courts failing to protect victims from abusers to the misogynistic bullying Charlotte herself receives from senior members of her profession, the problem is clear: no matter their circumstances, women across the country are suffering at the hands of a legal system built by men.

But change is on the horizon. In He Said, She Said, Proudman gives voice to the women whose stories are all too often brushed aside in the name of giving abusers 'the benefit of the doubt'. Through real-life cases spanning forced marriage, domestic abuse, child abduction and female genital mutilation, Proudman highlights the troubling biases and shocking prejudice that underlie our legal system - and in a book that is at once thrilling, engaging and deeply compassionate, puts forward her own inspiring vision for long-term change.

‘Proudman is a fearless campaigner for women's rights, unafraid to tackle misogyny wherever she sees it. Her indictment of the inequalities in the legal system should be required reading by lawyers and lawmakers alike.' - Cathy Newman

Charlotte Proudman is an award-winning barrister. She won ‘Rising Star’ by the Women in Law Awards 2020, she was named ‘Hot 100’ by the Lawyer 2021, she was highly commended for ‘Junior Family Law Barrister of the Year’ and her case won ‘Case of the Year’ at the Family Law Awards 2021. She combines her legal career with academic work, as a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, where she researches and teaches gender inequality under law in the UK. In 2022, she founded ‘Right to Equality’ a radical organisation campaigning to change the law for women and girls putting gender justice at the top of the agenda.

Book your tickets for He Said, She Said: Charlotte Proudman in Conversation here.

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I think it’s partly because I’ve lost the momentum when reading this year, with travelling a lot over January and February and then working on my portfolio it’s hard to have the concentration and head space to read more than a chapter or two at a time. I think I might try reading a few shorter novels to get me back into the groove. I’d love to hear about any novellas or short books that you loved in the comment section.

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Iron Flame By Rebecca Yarros

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

My Thoughts

Rebecca Yarros’ Iron Flame, the highly anticipated sequel to Fourth Wing, delivers intense action, political intrigue, and the high-stakes drama fans loved in the first book. The world of Basgiath War College remains as brutal as ever, with Violet Sorrengail facing even greater challenges as she navigates betrayals, shifting alliances, and the weight of the revolution brewing around her. The pacing is relentless, the battle scenes are thrilling, and the expansion of the world’s lore adds depth to the story. Yarros introduces new layers of tension and conflict, making it clear that no one—not even Violet—is safe.

However, while Iron Flame is an enjoyable continuation, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me the way Fourth Wing did. The first book had an irresistible magic - a perfect blend of tension, romance, and character growth - that felt more balanced. In contrast, this instalment at times felt overly drawn out, with certain plot points dragging, particularly in the middle. While Fourth Wing masterfully balanced action with character development, Iron Flame often felt like it prioritised nonstop conflict at the expense of emotional depth. Some scenes, especially those meant to build suspense, felt repetitive, making parts of the book feel unnecessarily long.

Another issue that held this book back for me was the romance. In Fourth Wing, the chemistry between Violet and Xaden was one of the most compelling aspects of the story, filled with tension, passion, and gradual trust-building. In Iron Flame, however, their relationship often felt frustrating rather than engaging. Miscommunication and secrecy became a frequent obstacle, and while I understand the reasoning behind certain choices, it sometimes felt like unnecessary drama rather than organic conflict. The strong, electric connection they had in the first book seemed to take a backseat to the broader plot, making it harder to stay as emotionally invested in their dynamic.

That said, there is still a lot to love about this book. The world-building continues to be rich and immersive, with new revelations that raise the stakes for the series as a whole. Yarros' writing remains engaging, and the dragons - one of the most unique and exciting aspects of this series - continue to shine. The final act of the book, in particular, delivers some jaw-dropping twists that left me eager to see what happens next.

While Iron Flame didn’t quite recapture the magic of Fourth Wing for me, it’s still a strong addition to the series and sets up intriguing possibilities for the next instalment. Fans of the first book will undoubtedly enjoy returning to this world, but they might also find themselves wishing for a bit more of the emotional balance and tight pacing that made Fourth Wing such a standout. I’ll definitely be reading the next book, but I’m hoping for a return to the gripping storytelling that made me fall in love with this series in the first place.

Fancy reading Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros purchase the book here

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A few lines from some of my favourite writers, past and present. This week I’m taking inspiration from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.

Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is a captivating tale of resilience, self-discovery, and defiance against societal constraints. Orphaned at a young age and raised in the oppressive household of her aunt, Jane endures a harsh childhood before finding solace at Lowood School, where she cultivates her intellect and sense of independence.

As a young woman, Jane secures a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets the enigmatic Mr. Rochester. Their deep and passionate connection is tested by secrets lurking within Thornfield’s walls, forcing Jane to confront her values, desires, and sense of self-worth. Refusing to compromise her principles, she embarks on a journey of self-reliance, ultimately discovering love and belonging on her own terms.

Jane Eyre is a richly woven tale of transformation and inner strength, centering on a woman’s quest for autonomy in a world dominated by rigid social hierarchies. Brontë’s evocative prose and deeply personal characterisation breathe life into Jane, making her a fully realised, complex heroine.

Novels like this seem to be more important than ever right now - I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Gothic romance, feminist literature, and timeless stories of self-empowerment.

📖 Purchase Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë here

The Brontë Sisters At London’s National Portrait Gallery By Patrick Branwell Brontë

The Brontë Sisters is a famous group portrait painted by Patrick Branwell Brontë, the only brother of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë. Created around 1834, the painting depicts the three literary sisters seated in a row, dressed in modest clothing, with solemn expressions. Originally, Branwell included himself in the portrait but later painted over his own figure, leaving behind a faint outline of his presence between Emily and Charlotte. This ghostly trace adds an eerie quality to the artwork, symbolising his absence and later struggles.

Remarkably, the painting was discovered years later, discarded on top of a wardrobe in Haworth Parsonage, the Brontë family home. Forgotten and neglected, it was eventually recognised for its historical significance and later housed in London’s National Portrait Gallery. Today, it remains one of the most iconic visual representations of the Brontë family, offering a rare glimpse into their shared world before their literary fame.

The figures in this painting (Anne on the left, Emily in the centre, and Charlotte on the right) are identified by Mrs Gaskell's famous description of it

(Life of Charlotte Brontë, 1914, p 135):

'I have seen an oil painting of his, done I know not when, but probably about this time (1835). It was a group of his sisters, life size, three-quarters length; not much better than sign painting, as to manipulation; but the likenesses were, I should think, admirable. I could only judge of the fidelity with which the other two were depicted from the striking resemblance which Charlotte, upholding the great frame of canvas, and consequently standing right behind it, bore to her own representation, though it must have been ten years and more since the portraits were taken. The picture was divided, almost in the middle, by a great pillar. On the side of the column which was lighted by the sun stood Charlotte in the womanly dress of that day of gigot sleeves and large collars. On the deeply shadowed side was Emily, with Anne's gentle face resting on her shoulder. Emily's countenance struck me as full of power; Charlotte's of solicitude; Anne's of tenderness.'

In a letter describing her first visit to Haworth in 1853, Mrs Gaskell made one further comment on the portrait (Life, 1914, p 619):

'One day Miss Brontë brought down a rough, common-looking oil painting done by her brother of herself - a little rather prim-looking girl of eighteen - and the two other sisters, girls of sixteen and fourteen, with cropped hair, and sad dreamy-looking eye.'
This would date the portrait to 1834. Until its discovery in 1914 it was thought that the portrait had disappeared or been destroyed. When Clement Shorter visited the Rev Nicholls at his home in Banagher, Ireland, in 1895, he came away with the impression that the NPG fragment, representing Emily, had been cut from the NPG group portrait, the rest of which had been destroyed. Shorter was not aware that both fragment and group portrait were lying upstairs on top of a cupboard, the group portrait having remained there apparently since Nicholls first moved to Ireland in 1861. Nicholls clearly did not want the portrait to become known, and it is surprising that it has survived. His antipathy was apparently shared by Charlotte Brontë, his first wife, who wrote, quite untruthfully, to Mr Williams in 1850 at the time when Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights were being republished: 'I grieve to say that I possess no portrait of either of my sisters'. She did not want Branwell's portraits to be reproduced, though she was prepared to show them to Mrs Gaskell. When the NPG group portrait was discovered, it had been removed from its stretcher, and was folded in four (the fold marks are still clearly visible).

'I daresay you may wonder how I never said anything of the Portraits but till about six months ago I did not know they were in the House - They must have been put in a wardrobe (top) years ago & servants took down the panel, dusted it & put them back again but about six months ago, I was sitting in the room & my nurse was settling some things for me took down the panel and asked if I knew what was in it. I did not, so was much surprised.'

In a conversation at this time with her niece, Miss F. E. Bell, Mrs Nicholls remarked:

'"Your uncle disliked them very much", said Aunt Mary, "he thought they were very ugly representations of the girls, and I think meant to destroy them, but perhaps shrank from doing so - you see, there is only one other existing portrait of Charlotte, and none at all of Emily and Anne.”

In 1957, Miss Jean Nixon noticed in the group portrait the outlines of a figure underneath the pillar, which had been painted out. Infra-red photography revealed more clearly the figure of a man, almost certainly Branwell Brontë, who appears second from the right in the two other Brontë group portraits, the destroyed group from which the NPG fragment comes and the so-called 'Gun Group'. He is dressed in a black coat and cravat, and a white shirt, and apparently fits Charlotte's description of her brother, written in the introduction to one of the Angrian stories of 1834: 'A low slightly-built man attired in a black coat ... a bush of carroty hair so arranged that at the sides it projected almost like two spread hands ... black neckerchief arranged with no great attention to detail'.

It is not known why he painted himself out, unless he felt the composition was too cramped with four figures. There is no evidence for the theory that Branwell painted the portrait of his sisters on top of a canvas, which he had already used for the portrait of a man. The figure of the man is perfectly in scale with the other figures, and forms the logical apex of a triangular composition. The large, blurred pillar, is, as Dr Ingeborg Nixon suggested, of uncertain significance, and this provided her and her sister with the first clue that there might be another figure underneath

🎥 Learn more here

London is bursting with incredible literary events. Here are some of the highlights which you should add to your calendar for March.

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Olivia Laing In Conversation with Philip Hoare At Waterstones Piccadilly

Thursday 6th March 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Piccadilly

Celebrate the paperback publication of The Garden Against Time. Combining history, horticulture, art and biography. This stunning and erudite meditation on the role of the garden through Western culture from the author of The Lonely City ranges from John Milton to Derek Jarman in peerless prose.

Olivia Laing is a widely acclaimed writer and critic. They're the author of several books, including The Lonely City, Everybody and Funny Weather. Their first novel, Crudo, was a Sunday Times top ten bestseller and won the 2019 James Tait Memorial Prize. Their work has been translated into twenty-one languages and in 2018 they were awarded a Windham-Campbell Prize for non-fiction.

Philip Hoare is the author of ten works of non-fiction. His Leviathan won the Ballie Gifford Prize, and the New York Times praised his last book, Albert & the Whale, as the result of ‘the forceful weather system that is Hoare’s imagination’. He lives in Southampton and swims every day in the sea.

The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing

‘A garden contains secrets, we all know that: buried elements that might put on strange growth or germinate in unexpected places. The garden that I chose had walls, but like every garden it was interconnected, wide open to the world.

In 2020, Olivia Laing began to restore a walled garden in Suffolk, an overgrown Eden of unusual plants. The work drew her into an exhilarating investigation of paradise and its long association with gardens. Moving between real and imagined gardens, from Milton’s Paradise Lost to John Clare’s enclosure elegies, from a wartime sanctuary in Italy to a grotesque aristocratic pleasure ground funded by slavery, Laing interrogates the sometimes shocking cost of making paradise on earth.

But the story of the garden doesn’t always enact larger patterns of privilege and exclusion. It’s also a place of rebel outposts and communal dreams. From the improbable queer utopia conjured by Derek Jarman on the beach at Dungeness to the fertile vision of a common Eden propagated by William Morris, new modes of living can and have been attempted amidst the flower beds, experiments that could prove vital in the coming era of climate change.

The result is a humming, glowing tapestry, a beautiful and exacting account of the abundant pleasures and possibilities of gardens: not as a place to hide from the world but as a site of encounter and discovery, bee-loud and pollen-laden.’

Book your tickets for Olivia Laing In Conversation with Philip Hoare At Waterstones Piccadilly

Exclusive Online Event: Percival Everett In Conversation

Wednesday 12th March 2025
19:00 at Waterstones, Online Events

An exclusive online event with acclaimed author Percival Everett as he celebrates the release of James – shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize – in paperback.

A breathtakingly accomplished retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of the enslaved Jim, Percival Everett's tour de force reclaims the character's voice from the literary margins with power, precision and dazzling wit.

Percival Everett is the author of over thirty books, including Telephone, Dr No, The Trees, which was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize and won the 2022 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize, and Erasure, which was adapted into the major Oscar-winning film American Fiction.

James by Percival Everett

The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he flees to nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town.

So begins a dangerous and transcendent journey along the Mississippi River, towards the elusive promise of the free states and beyond. As James and Huck navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise. And together, the unlikely pair embark on the most life-changing odyssey of them all.

Book your tickets for Percival Everett In Conversation here.

Abortion, A History: Mary Fissell In Conversation With Sarah Knott

Wednesday 19th March 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Gower Street

Join for an evening exploring abortion's long political history, with author of Abortion: A History, Mary Fissell.

From classical Greece to Roe v. Wade, a long-overdue history of abortion.

An ancient entertainer unable to work while pregnant; a medieval holy woman performing a 'miraculous termination'; a Reformation-era abortion provider prosecuted as a witch; a Victorian midwife saving her patients from the workhouse. Women have always sought to end pregnancies, and long succeeded. This book tells their stories.

From enslaved and Indigenous herbal knowledge on Europe's colonial plantations to Planned Parenthood's unlikely alliance with postwar churches, Mary Fissell reveals abortion's long politics, tracing how Western societies have policed the practice - or chosen not to. For long periods in our past, abortion was widely tolerated by authorities and ordinary people, and far from straightforward in Christian morality: it was not a crime in Britain until 1803, nor a religious issue in America until the twentieth century.

Whether in France, Scotland, Germany or Italy, abortion controls have always sprung from wider panics around social change - whether times of war, revolution and economic upheaval, or patriarchal anxiety about women's growing independence. As restrictions tighten once more, this vividly illuminating history reminds us that such repression never endures.

‘Vital reading in the aftermath of the reversal of Roe v. Wade, this is a clear and engaging account of the long history of abortion. Fissell tells the story through vivid, engaging and often alarming accounts of real women who tried to end their pregnancies. Abortion has always been an important aspect of women’s healthcare; and, its history shows, it has largely been tolerated. The range of experiences documented by Fissell will inform and educate the wide audience this book deserves to find.’ - Helen King, author of Immaculate Forms

Mary Fissell is the inaugural J. Mario Molina Professor in the History of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, focusing on sex, gender and reproduction. The author of Vernacular Bodies, among others, she has featured on the BBC, and in Vice, Slate, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

Sarah Knott is a feminist, writer, and historian of women, reproduction and social reproduction, and the Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair of Women's History at Oxford University. She is the author of Mother: An Unconventional History and numerous articles on the histories of women, gender, and emotion. She has served as an editor of the American Historical Review and sits on the editorial board of Past & Present. She has held numerous fellowships, including those from the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the Rothermere American Institute, and the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing.

Book your tickets for Abortion, A History: Mary Fissell In Conversation With Sarah Knott here.

The Library Of Ancient Wisdom: An Evening With Selena Wisnom

Thursday 20th March 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Gower Street

Join Selena Wisnom for a revelatory evening exploring the story of the ancient world's most spectacular library, and the civilisation that created it.

When a team of Victorian archaeologists dug into a grassy hill in Iraq, they chanced upon one of the oldest and greatest stores of knowledge ever seen: the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal, seventh century BCE ruler of a huge swathe of the ancient Middle East known as Mesopotamia. After his death, vengeful rivals burned Ashurbanipal’s library to the ground - yet the texts, carved on clay tablets, were baked and preserved by the heat. Buried for millennia, the tablets were written in cuneiform: the first written language in the world.

More than half of human history is written in cuneiform, but only a few hundred people on earth can read it. In this captivating new book, Assyriologist Selena Wisnom takes us on an immersive tour of this extraordinary library, bringing ancient Mesopotamia and its people to life. Through it, we encounter a world of astonishing richness, complexity and sophistication. Mesopotamia, she shows, was home to advanced mathematics, astronomy and banking, law and literature. This was a culture absorbed and developed by the ancient Greeks, and whose myths were precursors to Bible stories - in short, a culture without which our lives today would be unrecognizable.

The Library of Ancient Wisdom unearths a civilisation at once strange and strangely familiar: a land of capricious gods, exorcisms and professional lamenters, whose citizens wrote of jealous rivalries, profound friendships and petty grievances. Through these pages we come face to face with humanity’s first civilisation: their startling achievements, their daily life, and their struggle to understand our place in the universe.

Selena Wisnom is Lecturer in the Heritage of the Middle East at the University of Leicester. A specialist in the interpretation of Mesopotamian cultural sources, Selena's previous work includes Weapons of Words: Intertextual Competition in Babylonian Poetry. She has also written three plays set in ancient Assyria; the most recent, Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria was staged at London's Crypt Gallery in 2019.

Book your tickets for The Library Of Ancient Wisdom: An Evening With Selena Wisnom here.

An Evening With Kat Dunn At Waterstones Tottenham Court Road

Friday 21st March 2025
19:00 at Waterstones, London - Tottenham Court Road

‘Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage the relationship has soured, and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry's ambitions take them from London to the Peak District, to the remote, imposing Nethershaw estate, where he plans to host a hunting party. Lenore must work to restore the crumbling house and ready it for Henry's guests – their future depends on it.

But as the couple travel through the bleak countryside, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore's life. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night, Carmilla who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger.

As the day of the hunt draws closer, Lenore begins to unravel, questioning the role she has been playing all these years. Torn between regaining her husband's affection and the cravings Carmilla has awakened, soon Lenore will uncover a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk.

Set against the violent wilderness of the Peaks and the uncontrolled appetite of the Industrial Revolution, Hungerstone is a captivating story of appetite and desire.’

Kat Dunn grew up in London and has lived in Japan, Australia and France. She has a BA in Japanese from SOAS and an MA in English from Warwick. She's written about mental health for Mind and the Guardian, and worked as a translator for Japanese Television. Her YA has been published by Head of Zeus and Andersen Press.

Elodie Harper is the award-winning author of the bestselling Wolf Den trilogy, set in ancient Pompeii. The first book in the series, The Wolf Den, was a Waterstones Book of the Month, and the second, The House with the Golden Door, was a Sunday Times bestseller. Her next novel, Boudicca’s Daughter, is out in August 2025. Alongside her career as a writer, Elodie has worked as a reporter at ITV News and producer at Channel 4.

Book your tickets for An Evening With Kat Dunn At Waterstones Tottenham Court Road here.

Erin Kelly & Anna Mazzola In Conversation

Wednesday 26th March 2025
18:30 at Waterstones, Enfield Church Street

Celebrate the recent publication of Anna's new book, Notes on a Drowning, published under the name Anna Sharpe and Erin's latest work, The House of Mirrors, launching in paperback. Erin and Anna will discuss their recent works, as well as the joys and frustrations of writing crime, thrillers and historical mysteries.

Erin Kelly is one of the most well respected and critically acclaimed voices in the crime writing community. Her debut, The Poison Tree was turned into a TV drama and The Skeleton Key, was the Waterstones Thriller of the Month in September 2023, has been optioned for TV and was a Sunday Times top 10 bestseller and a Times number one bestseller in paperback. Kelly's latest novel, The House of Mirrors, is a standalone sequel to The Poison Tree.

The House of Mirrors

‘In the sweltering summer of 1997, straight-laced, straight-A student Karen met Biba - a bohemian and impossibly glamorous aspiring actress. A few months later, two people were dead and another had been sent to prison.

Having stood by Rex as he served his sentence, Karen is now married to him with a daughter, Alice, who runs a vintage clothing company in London. They're a normal family, as long as they don't talk about the past, never mention the name Biba, and ignore Alice's flashes of dark, dangerous fury.

Karen has kept what really happened that summer of '97 hidden deep inside her. Alice is keeping secrets of her own. But when anonymous notes begin to arrive at Alice's shop, it seems the past is about to catch up with them all...’

Anna Mazzola is a writer of historical, Gothic and crime fiction. She also writes legal/political thrillers under the name Anna Sharpe.

Her debut novel, The Unseeing, won an Edgar Allan Poe award. Her fourth novel, The House of Whispers, won a Fingerprint Award for Best Historical Crime. Her fifth novel, The Book of Secrets, is based on a real case from 17th century Rome and was a Times Historical Novel of the Month for March 2024.

The Book of Secrets

‘Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth.

To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out.

Stefano's investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished...’

When not writing, Anna works as a human rights and criminal justice solicitor acting for survivors of crime.

Book your tickets for Erin Kelly & Anna Mazzola In Conversation here.

Sophie Lewis & Lola Olufemi: Enemy Feminisms

Thursday 6th March
19:00 at London Review Bookshop

In Enemy Feminisms (Haymarket Books), described by Judith Butler as ‘honest, brutal, historically comprehensive, and brilliant’, Sophie Lewis provides a field guide to the reactionary stereotypes that have affected and distorted feminisms past and present, and propounds a paradigm for a feminism that is inclusive, anticolonial and truly liberational.

Lewis, author of Full Surrogacy Now and Abolish the Family, will be in conversation about her work with Lola Olufemi, author of Feminism, Interrupted and Experiments in Imagining Otherwise.

Book your tickets for Sophie Lewis & Lola Olufemi: Enemy Feminisms here.

Harriet Walter In Conversation With Lucy Hughes - Hallett - She Speaks!

Friday 14th March 2025
20:00 at Daunt Books Marylebone

Dame Harriet Walter talks and reads from her fantastic new book She Speaks!: What Shakespeare’s Women Might Have Said.

Dame Harriet Walter is one of Britain’s most esteemed Shakespearean actors. Now, having played most of Shakespeare’s female characters, audaciously, she lets them speak their minds.

With new parts for thirty Shakespearean women, written in ‘Shakespearean’ verse and prose, Harriet Walter goes between the lines of the plays to let us hear what she imagines – sometimes playfully and sometimes searchingly – these women were really thinking.

This is a remarkable chance to hear dramatic readings from the book, and Harriet will also be joined by writer, biographer and historian Lucy Hughes-Hallett, who will be asking the questions. Lucy is the author of The Pike, Peculiar Ground and, most recently, The Scapegoat.

Book your tickets forHarriet Walter In Conversation With Lucy Hughes - Hallett - She Speaks! here.

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This February, dive into a fresh selection of newly released novels spanning genres from historical fiction to contemporary literature. These compelling reads explore themes of identity, resilience, and the intricacies of human relationships.

Immerse yourself in dark and twisted mysteries woven with folklore and myth, or journey into dystopian futures where tech giants rule, books are banned, and the world teeters on the edge of collapse.

This extraordinary collection transports you through untold histories and imagined futures, delving into individualism, humanity, obedience, and freedom—essential stories for navigating these authoritarian times.

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The Boyhood of Cain By Michael Amherst

The Boyhood of Cain is Michael Amherst's debut novel, released on February 25, 2025. Set in a small English village overshadowed by an ancient abbey, the story follows Daniel, a highly intelligent yet misunderstood boy.

When his father loses his position as the local school's headmaster, the family relocates to a rural area for which they are ill-prepared. Daniel finds solace in his intense friendship with a new classmate, Philip, and the mentorship of a charismatic art teacher, Mr. Miller. As these relationships evolve, Daniel embarks on a journey of self-discovery, grappling with themes of identity, desire, and the tension between obedience and freedom.

Amherst's writing vividly captures the complexities of adolescence, offering a poignant exploration of a young boy's inner turmoil and growth.

‘A searing novel of love and betrayal as a young boy comes of age in the heart of England, from an exquisite new voice.

In a small village in England, in the shadow of an ancient abbey nestled between rivers, a young boy is growing up. Daniel is highly intelligent but little understood by his family, and so a secret passion burns inside him—for love, for certainty, and for recognition. His father is a man of grand gestures but few practical skills, and his beautiful mother is attentive but compromised by her own unhappiness and fading ideals.

When Daniel’s father loses his job as the headmaster of the local school, the family is pulled beneath the undertow of his whims, stumbling into a rural life for which they are ill-prepared. The arrival of Philip, a new boy at school, whom Daniel worships with a confused intensity, is his sole solace. Before long, both boys fall under the spell of a charismatic art teacher, setting Daniel on a perilous course that could lead to the betrayal of all he loves.’

Purchase The Boyhood of Cain By Michael Amherst and add it to your #tbr list here

The Lamb by Lucy Rose

The Lamb is Lucy Rose's debut novel, released on February 4, 2025.

Set in the secluded forests of Cumbria, England, the story centers on Margot, a young girl living with her mother, Ruth, in isolation. Their existence revolves around luring "strays"—lost travelers—into their home, only to kill and consume them.

This macabre routine is disrupted when Eden, a captivating woman, arrives during a snowstorm. Eden's presence shifts the household dynamics, leading Margot to question her upbringing and desires. As Margot begins attending school and forming forbidden friendships, she becomes increasingly aware of alternative ways of living.

The novel delves into themes of motherhood, autonomy, and the complexities of female relationships, all framed within a gothic, coming-of-age narrative. Rose's writing is noted for its evocative prose and atmospheric tension, offering a chilling exploration of identity and transformation.

‘Margot and Mama have lived by the forest ever since Margot can remember. When Margot is not at school they spend quiet days together in their cottage, waiting for strangers to knock on their door—"strays," Mama calls them, people who have strayed too far from the road. Mama loves the strays. She feeds them wine, keeps them warm. Then she picks apart their bodies and toasts them off with some vegetable oil.

But Mama’s want is stronger than her hunger sometimes, and when a beautiful, white-toothed stray named Eden turns up in the heart of a snowstorm, Margot must confront the shifting dynamics of her family, untangle her own desires, and make her own bid for freedom.

With this gothic coming-of-age tale, novelist Lucy Rose explores how women swallow their anger, desire, and animal instincts—and wrings the relationship between mother and daughter until blood drips from it.’

Purchase The Lamb by Lucy Rose and add it to your #tbr list here

Elegy Southwest By Madeleine Watts

Elegy, Southwest is Madeleine Watts's second novel, released on February 18, 2025.

The story follows Eloise and her husband, Lewis, on a two-week road trip across the American Southwest. The novel intertwines themes of personal loss, environmental collapse, and the complexities of love, offering a poignant exploration of how intimate relationships mirror broader ecological crises.

‘A timely and urgent novel following a young married couple on a road trip through the American southwest as they grapple with the breakdown of their relationship in the shadow of environmental collapse.

In November 2018, Eloise and Lewis rent a car in Las Vegas and take off on a two-week road trip across the American southwest. While wildfires rage, the married couple make their way through Nevada, California, Arizona, and Utah, tracing the course of the Colorado River, the aquatic artery on which the Southwest depends for survival. Lewis, an artist working for a prominent land art foundation, is grieving the recent death of his mother, while Eloise is an academic researching the past and future of the Colorado River as it threatens to run dry.

Over the course of their trip, Eloise, beginning to suspect she might be pregnant, helplessly witnesses Lewis’s descent as he struggles to find a place for himself in the desert where he never quite felt at home.

Elegy, Southwest is a novel which entwines a tragic love story with an intelligent and profound consideration of the way we now live alongside environmental breakdown; an elegy for lost love and for the landscape that makes us.’

Purchase Elegy Southwest By Madeleine Watts and add it to your #tbr list here

Unhallowed Halls By Lili Wilkinson

Unhallowed Halls is a young adult dark academia fantasy published on February 18, 2025.

The story follows Page Whittaker, a perennial outcast seeking a fresh start after a tragic incident severs her only friendship at her previous school. When she receives a scholarship to Agathion College, an elite boarding school nestled deep within the Scottish moorlands, she eagerly accepts the opportunity.

Wilkinson's evocative prose brings the decaying decadence of Agathion to life, immersing readers in a moody, atmospheric setting. The novel delves into themes of belonging, trust, and the blurred lines between history and myth, offering a gripping narrative that builds to a world-altering climax.

At Agathion, Page is captivated by the school's gothic architecture, rich history, and intellectual rigor. For the first time, she finds herself embraced by a close-knit group of friends: Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey, and Oak. However, as their bonds deepen, Page becomes aware that her friends—and the school itself—harbor dark secrets. She uncovers ties to an ancient clandestine society rumored to practice demonic magic, leading her to question the true nature of Agathion and those she trusts

‘A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school located deep within the Scottish moorlands after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-panelled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic.

Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.

Agathion is everything Page has ever a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion's halls--the only problem is, they're all keeping secrets from her.

Page doesn't know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots--roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.

Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.’

Purchase Unhallowed Halls By Lili Wilkinson and add it to your #tbr list here

Brother Brontë By Fernando A. Flores

Flores's work is noted for its vivid portrayal of a border town's decline, blending elements of surrealism and social commentary. The novel critiques unchecked capitalism and censorship while highlighting the transformative power of art and literature. Brother Brontë has been praised for its inventive narrative and has been compared to the works of Octavia Butler, William Gibson, and John Steinbeck.

‘Two women fight to save their dystopian border town—and literature—in this gonzo near-future adventure.

The year is 2038, and the formerly bustling town of Three Rivers, Texas, is a surreal wasteland. Under the authoritarian thumb of its tech industrialist mayor, Pablo Henry Crick, the town has outlawed reading and forced most of the town’s mothers to work as indentured laborers at the Big Tex Fish Cannery, which poisons the atmosphere and lines Crick’s pockets.

Scraping by in this godforsaken landscape are best friends Prosperina and Neftalí—the latter of whom, one of the town’s last literate citizens, hides and reads the books of the mysterious renegade author Jazzmin Monelle Rivas, whose last novel, Brother Brontë, is finally in Neftalí’s possession. But after a series of increasingly violent atrocities committed by Crick’s forces, Neftalí and Prosperina, with the help of a wounded bengal tigress, three scheming triplets, and an underground network of rebel tías, rise up to reclaim their city—and in the process, unlock Rivas’s connection to Three Rivers itself.

An adventure that only the acclaimed Fernando A. Flores could dream up, Brother Brontë is a mordant, gonzo romp through a ruined world that, in its dysfunction, tyranny, and disparity, nonetheless feels uncannily like our own. With his most ambitious book yet, Flores once again bends what fiction can do, in the process crafting a moving and unforgettable story of perseverance.’

Purchase Brother Brontë By Fernando A. Flores and add it to your #tbr list here

Mornings Without Mii By Mayumi Inaba

Mornings Without Mii is a memoir by Japanese author Mayumi Inaba, first published in 2001 and translated into English by Ginny Tapley Takemori. The narrative begins in 1977 when Inaba discovers a newborn kitten, Mii, abandoned near Tokyo's Tamagawa River.

Over the next two decades, Mii becomes Inaba's confidante and muse, accompanying her through personal milestones, including a divorce and multiple relocations. The memoir delves into themes of solitude, independence, and the creative process, highlighting the profound bond between human and feline. Inaba's reflective prose offers a poignant meditation on companionship and the forces that shape a creative life.

‘A beloved Japanese modern classic that chronicles the author’s twenty-year bond with her cat, meditating on solitude, independence, and the writing life.

On a cool summer evening in 1977, Mayumi Inaba hears a forlorn cry carried by the breeze of Tokyo’s Tamagawa River. She follows the sound to find a newborn kitten, just the size of her palm, dangling from a fence, abandoned. Overcome by tender affection, she takes the cat back to the small apartment she shares with her husband and christens her Mii, and so begins an ineffable bond.

Over the next twenty years, we follow Inaba, a poet and novelist by moonlight, through a lifetime of choices and compromises made in pursuit of quiet, solitude, and a space to create. Through it all, her cat, a formidably independent creature in her own right, is her confidante and muse.

From the late Mayumi Inaba, the winner of the Kawabata Yasunari Prize and the Tanizaki Prize, Mornings Without Mii is more than a love letter to feline companionship—it is a probing, stirring meditation on the forces that enable us to connect, to create, and to build a life.’

Purchase Mornings Without Mii By Mayumi Inaba and add it to your #tbr list here.

Notes On Surviving The Fire By Christine Murphy

Christine Murphy’s Notes on Surviving the Fire is a gripping literary thriller that examines power, justice, and survival. The novel follows Sarah, a Ph.D. student in Southern California, who reports a sexual assault only to be met with institutional indifference. When her closest friend, Nathan, dies under suspicious circumstances, Sarah begins to investigate and discovers a disturbing pattern of unexplained deaths on campus.

As she navigates an academic world rife with misogyny and corruption, Sarah is forced to confront her own past and question how far she is willing to go for the truth. With echoes of a slow-burning psychological thriller, Notes on Surviving the Fire is a searing exploration of trauma, resilience, and the moral complexities of revenge.

‘When Sarah’s only friend in her graduate program is found dead of an alleged heroin overdose, she is forced back into the orbit of the man in their department who assaulted her. A hurtling ride of a novel—darkly funny and propulsive.

At a PhD program in southern California, Sarah and her best friend Nathan spend their time working on their theses, getting high, and keeping track of the poor air quality due to nearby forest fires. No one believes Sarah when she reports a fellow student for raping her at a party—“he’s such a good guy!”—and the Title IX office simply files away the information, just like the police. Nathan is the only person who cares.

When Sarah finds him dead of an overdose from a drug he’s always avoided, she knows something isn’t right. She starts investigating his death as a murder, and as the pieces fall into place, she notices a disturbing pattern in the other student deaths on campus.

As a girl, Sarah grew up in the forests of Maine, following her father on hunts, learning how to stalk prey and kill but only when necessary. Now, she must confront a different type of killing—and decide if it can be justified.

Notes on Surviving the Fire is a story about vengeance, the insidious nature of rape culture and ultimately, a woman's journey to come back to herself.’

Purchase Notes On Surviving The Fire By Christine Murphy and add it to your #tbr list here.

Voice Like A Hyacinth By Mallory Pearson

Voice Like a Hyacinth is Mallory Pearson's second novel, set to release on February 1, 2025.

The story follows five young women—Jo, Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz—students at a prestigious art school. Bound by a deep, almost mystical connection, they are united in their ambition to succeed in the competitive art world. In their final year, they perform a ritual to unlock their creativity and curse a professor, leading to unforeseen and terrifying consequences. The novel explores themes of ambition, obsession, and the dark side of artistic pursuit.

Critics have praised the novel for its compelling narrative and atmospheric setting. Layne Fargo, author of The Favorites, described it as "a spine-tingling story of ambition and obsession that deserves to be an instant dark academia classic."

Voice Like a Hyacinth is recommended for fans of dark academia and psychological horror, particularly those who enjoyed works like We Ate the Dark.

‘Five young women eager for success rely on the unspeakable to make their dreams come true in a chilling novel about martyrdom, ritual, and obsession by the author of We Ate the Dark.

Art student Jo Kozak and her fellow classmates and best friends, Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz, are one another’s muses—so close they have their own language and so devoted to the craft that they’ll do anything to keep their inspiration alive. Even if it means naively resorting to the occult to unlock their creativity and to curse their esteemed, if notoriously creepy, professor. They soon learn the horrible price to be paid for such a transgressive ritual.

In its violent aftermath, things are changing. Jo is feeling unnervingly haunted by something inexplicable. Their paintings, once prodigious and full of life, are growing dark and unhealthy. And their journey together—as women, students, and artists—is starting to crumble.

To right the wrong they’ve done, these five desperate friends will take their obsession a step too far. When that happens, there may be no turning back.’

Purchase Voice Like A Hyacinth By Mallory Pearson and add it to your #tbr list here.

This December uncover a selection of novels fresh off the press that span genres ranging from historical fiction to contemporary literary works. Each addressing themes of identity, resilience, and the complexities of human relationships.

These books offer not only compelling stories, but also deep philosophical and emotional explorations of how people navigate their lives, identities, and relationships in a world full of societal expectations and personal challenges.

Unwrap new novels steeped in folklore and myth, embroiling yourself in new mysteries with dark academia at their core. Laugh out loud to mischievous moments where flawed characters, lean into the absurd and navigate the pressures of what it means to strive for perfection.

This incredible collection of novels enable you to traverse time and uncover experiences from 1930’s Japan, Ancient Greece and Russia. So sit down and reconnect with your favourite characters over a cup of coffee - but make sure it doesn’t get cold!

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Apartment Women By Gu Byeong-mo

Gu Byeong-mo weaves a chilling and poignant tale of urban alienation and hidden lives. Set against the backdrop of a high-rise apartment complex, this psychological novel explores the often-invisible lives of women whose stories are buried beneath the veneer of modernity and conformity.

The novel shifts perspectives between Junghee and other women in the complex, painting a kaleidoscopic portrait of modern femininity. Each woman’s narrative delves into her struggles with societal expectations, gender roles, and the suffocating isolation of urban life. Beneath the surface, a web of shared traumas and whispered conspiracies emerges, forcing the women to confront the darkness they’ve long tried to suppress.

Perfect for readers of Han Kang and Sayaka Murata, this haunting novel will stay with you long after the final page.

‘When Yojin moves with her husband and daughter into the Dream Future Pilot Communal Apartments, she's ready for a fresh start. Located on the outskirts of Seoul, the experimental community is a government initiative designed to boost the national birth rate. Like her neighbours, Yojin has agreed to have at least two more children over the next ten years.

Yet, from the day she arrives, Yojin feels uneasy about the community spirit thrust upon her. Her concerns grow as communal child care begins and the other parents show their true colours. Apartment Women traces the lives of four women in the apartments, all with different aspirations and beliefs. Will they find a way to live peacefully? Or are the cultural expectations around parenthood stacked against them from the start?’

Purchase Apartment Women By Gu Byeong-mo and add it to your #tbr list here

White Mulberry By Rosa Kwon Easton

A poignant historical fiction novel inspired by the author’s grandmother's experiences during the turbulent era of Japanese-occupied Korea and World War II Japan. The story follows Miyoung, an ambitious Korean girl who dreams of becoming a teacher but faces the harsh realities of a colonised homeland and an increasingly oppressive Japan.

The novel delves deeply into themes of identity, motherhood, and resilience, vividly portraying the Korean immigrant experience during a fraught historical period. Praised for its rich historical detail and emotional resonance, White Mulberry has drawn comparisons to works like Min Jin Lee's Pachinko.

‘1928, Japan-occupied Korea. Eleven-year-old Miyoung has dreams too big for her tiny farming village near Pyongyang: to become a teacher, to avoid an arranged marriage, to write her own future. When she is offered the chance to live with her older sister in Japan and continue her education, she is elated, even though it means leaving her sick mother—and her very name—behind.

In Kyoto, anti-Korean sentiment is rising every day, and Miyoung quickly realizes she must pass as Japanese if she expects to survive. Her Japanese name, Miyoko, helps her find a new calling as a nurse, but as the years go by, she fears that her true self is slipping away. She seeks solace in a Korean church group and, within it, finds something she never expected: a romance with an activist that reignites her sense of purpose and gives her a cherished son.

As war looms on a new front and Miyoung feels the constraints of her adopted home tighten, she is faced with a choice that will change her life - and the lives of those she loves - forever.’

Purchase White Mulberry By Rosa Kwon Easton and add it to your #tbr list here

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things By Naomi Wood

A provocative and darkly humorous short story collection exploring the complexities of contemporary womanhood, motherhood, and relationships. The stories delve into the lives of women navigating the pressure to succeed as parents, professionals, and partners while facing the societal expectations placed on them.

For example, “Wedding Day” features a woman sabotaging her ex's wedding as a form of personal closure. The protagonists often display subversive and morally ambiguous behavior, reflecting their struggles with societal and personal expectations.

This debut short story collection, written during the COVID-19 lockdowns, highlights the absurdities of striving for perfection in a flawed world.

‘In my life, I had always been a good woman; controlling what it was that I wanted. But recently, I had started to notice my bad energy, and I began to follow it, wondering where it would take me . . .

A woman has an unexpected outburst at a corporate therapy session for working mothers. A couple find some long-overdue time to rekindle their relationship and make an ill-advised home movie. A pregnant film director plots revenge on the actress who betrayed her. An ex-wife deliberately causes conflict at her ex-husband's wedding.

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things illuminates the lives of malicious, subversive and untamed women. Exploring failed sisterhood, dubious parenting and the dark side of modern love, this powerful and funny collection exposes how society wants women to behave, and shows what happens when they refuse.’

Purchase This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things By Naomi Wood and add it to your #tbr list here

Daughters Of Bronze By A. D. Rhine

Delve into this rich reimagining of the Trojan War, concluding the duology that began with Horses of Fire. This historical novel focuses on the women of Troy—Andromache, Helen, Cassandra, and Rhea—whose lives and actions are often sidelined in traditional tellings.

The narrative weaves their individual and interconnected stories. As Troy crumbles, these women emerge as key players in shaping its legacy. Andromache fights for the survival of her family, Cassandra grapples with her prophetic visions and their dismissal, Helen faces the fallout of her perceived culpability, and Rhea offers a fresh perspective tied to Troy's hidden myths. The novel reframes these iconic characters, giving voice to the unseen struggles and contributions of women in one of history's most enduring myths.

For readers who enjoyed Atalanta by Jennifer Saint & Circe By Madeline Miller.

‘After nearly ten years of grueling war and devastating siege, the Greek soldiers encamped on Troy's shores show no sign of tiring, and the Trojan people need some new source of hope. Andromache and Hector's newborn son is the sign the city needs that Troy and her people have a future.

Again, four women take center stage. Andromache, Helen, Rhea, Cassandra. Warrior, healer, spy, seer. These four women are bound together by fate and friendship, and together, they hold the fate of Troy in their hands. But they soon discover that their most dangerous enemies are not outside the gates. They are inside the city walls, in the highest seats of power, dangerous and devious, pulling the strings of the men entrusted with Trojan safety.

It is clear the devil is in in their midst, but can this unlikely alliance unmask him before his treachery brings an end to Troy?’

Purchase Daughters Of Bronze By A. D. Rhine and add it to your #tbr list here

City Of Night Birds By Juhea Kim

An evocative and complex exploration of the life of Natasha Leonova, a former world-renowned ballerina grappling with the aftermath of a devastating accident that ended her career. Set against the backdrop of the elite and competitive ballet world, the novel delves into Natasha's journey to reclaim her art, her identity, and her sense of self.

Rich with themes of art, ambition, and redemption, the novel also examines the intersections of personal truth and societal expectations, touching on Natasha’s strained familial bonds and the cost of achieving artistic excellence.

Juhea Kim vividly captures the beauty and brutality of the ballet world, infusing the narrative with symbolic imagery that deepen its emotional resonance. This sweeping story offers a meditation on love, forgiveness, and the price of living for one's passion.

‘A once-famous ballerina faces a final choice—to return to the world of Russian dance that nearly broke her, or to walk away forever—in this incandescent novel of redemption and love.

On a White Night in 2019, prima ballerina Natalia Leonova returns to St. Petersburg two years after a devastating accident that stalled her career. Once the most celebrated dancer of her generation, she now turns to pills and alcohol to numb the pain of her past.

She is unmoored in her old city as the ghosts of her former life begin to resurface: her loving but difficult mother, her absentee father, and the two gifted dancers who led to her downfall.

One of those dancers, Alexander, is the love of her life, who transformed both Natalia and her art. The other is Dmitri, a dark and treacherous genius. When the latter offers her a chance to return to the stage in her signature role, Natalia must decide whether she can again face the people responsible for both her soaring highs and darkest hours.’

Purchase City Of Night Birds By Juhea Kim and add it to your #tbr list here

Before We Forget Kindness By Toshikazu Kawaguchi

The fifth instalment in the "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" series, set in a magical Tokyo café where patrons can travel through time under specific conditions. The stories revolve around individuals grappling with regrets and missed connections, seeking closure or peace through their brief time-travel experiences.

In this book, the café hosts four new visitors; A father struggling to accept his daughter’s marriage. A woman longing to deliver Valentine’s chocolates to someone special. A boy wishing to reunite his divorced parents with a smile and a mother yearning for her late husband to name their child.

Each tale examines the complex emotions tied to love, regret, and reconciliation, offering bittersweet insights into human relationships. Kawaguchi continues to blend whimsical storytelling with emotional depth, delivering another heartwarming and reflective addition to the series.

‘Curl up with the fifth book in the sensational Before the Coffee Gets Cold series translated from Japanese, the cosy Tokyo café where customers arrive hoping to travel back in time welcomes four new guests:

- The father who could not allow his daughter to get married
- A woman who couldn't give Valentine's Day chocolates to her loved one
- A boy who wants to show his smile to his divorced parents
- A wife holding a child with no name . . .

They must follow the café's strict rules, however, and come back to the present before their coffee goes cold.’

Purchase Before We Forget Kindness By Toshikazu Kawaguchi and add it to your #tbr list here

Graveyard Shift By M. L. Rio

Graveyard Shift is a Gothic novella that takes readers into a haunting world of mystery and suspense. Set in an ancient cemetery connected to a college campus, the story follows five night-shift workers - a bartender, a ride share driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of a decaying church, and the editor of the college paper. These individuals, each navigating their solitary nocturnal routines, stumble upon an inexplicable open grave one October evening.

As they investigate, the gravedigger returns, drawing the group into a chilling mystery linked to recent bizarre occurrences around town. The story unfolds over a single night, blending themes of camaraderie, dread, and the unsettling secrets that lurk beneath the surface of their lives.

‘Every night, in the college's ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story.

One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn't there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom?

Before they go their separate ways, the gravedigger returns. As they trail him through the night, they realize he may be the key to a string of strange happenings around town that have made headlines for the last few weeks--and that they may be closer to the mystery than they thought.’

Purchase Graveyard Shift By M. L. Rio and add it to your #tbr list here

Blood Test By Charles Baxter

Blood Test is a sharp and humorous exploration of morality, identity, and free will, blending satire with heartfelt family dynamics. The protagonist, Brock Hobson, is a divorced, middle-aged insurance salesman and Sunday school teacher living in Kingsboro, Ohio. Brock’s seemingly ordinary life takes a surreal turn when he undergoes a novel blood test offered by a shady biotech firm, Generomics. This test predicts not just his health future but also behavioural tendencies—and Brock’s result labels him a future murderer.

As Brock grapples with the absurdity of the prediction, the novel delves into his struggles to maintain his identity amid societal and personal crises. His relationships with his children, his girlfriend Trey, and his ex-wife Cheryl are both humorous and poignant. The story balances screwball comedy and incisive critiques of profit-driven medicine and determinism.

Ultimately, Blood Test uses Brock’s predicament to explore themes of destiny versus choice, all while keeping readers laughing and reflecting on the complexities of human nature and modern institutions​.

‘In this fresh take on love and trouble in America, Brock Hobson, an insurance salesman and Sunday-school teacher, finds his equilibrium disturbed by the results of a predictive blood test.

Baxter, a master storyteller, brings us a gradually building rollercoaster narrative, and a protagonist who is impertinent, searching, and hilariously relatable. From his good-as-gold, gentle girlfriend to the macho subcontractor guy his ex-wife left him for, not to mention his well-raised teenage kids, now exploring sex and sexuality, the secondary characters in Brock's life all contribute meaningfully to the drama, as increasing challenges to his sense of self and purpose crash over him.

The final battle—no spoilers, but there is one—couldn't be more delightful, as this quick and bracing novel reminds us to choose the best people to love, accept the ones we love even if we didn’t choose them, and love them all well.’

Purchase Blood Test By Charles Baxter and add it to your #tbr list here

Sister Snake By Amanda Lee Koe

A compelling novel that blends dark humour, emotion, and folklore to explore themes of sisterhood, identity, and societal constraints. The story revolves around two estranged sisters with a mystical secret: they were once snakes in ancient China, bound together under the light of a Tang Dynasty moon.

Inspired by the Chinese legend of the White Snake, the novel offers a modern twist, examining how societal expectations shape the ways people express their identities. The book delves into queerness, found family, assimilation, and the struggles of being authentically seen in a world demanding perfection. Its vibrant narrative moves between eras and continents, reflecting the sisters’ enduring yet fractious bond over centuries.

‘Sisterhood is difficult for Su and Emerald. Su leads a sheltered, moneyed life as the picture-perfect wife of a conservative politician in Singapore. Emerald is a nihilistic sugar baby in New York, living from whim to whim and using her charms to make ends meet. But they share a secret: once, they were snakes, basking under a full moon in Tang dynasty China.

A thousand years later, their mysterious history is the only thing still binding them together. When Emerald experiences a violent encounter in Central Park and Su boards the next flight to New York, the two reach a tenuous reconciliation for the first time in decades. Su convinces Emerald to move to Singapore so she can keep an eye on her--but she soon begins to worry that Emerald's irrepressible behavior will out them both, in a sparkling, affluent city where everything runs like clockwork and any deviation from the norm is automatically suspect.’

Purchase Sister Snake By Amanda Lee Koe and add it to your #tbr list here

The Voyage Home By Pat Barker

The third book in her reimagined Trojan War series, following The Silence of the Girls and The Women of Troy. This instalment continues to explore Greek myth from a feminist perspective, focusing on Cassandra, the Trojan prophetess cursed to be disbelieved, and her maid Ritsa as they navigate the perilous aftermath of Troy’s fall.

The narrative begins with Cassandra being taken to Mycenae as a concubine of King Agamemnon, with her prophetic warnings about the impending doom falling on deaf ears. Ritsa, both servant and observer, becomes central to the unfolding drama, which also includes Agamemnon’s troubled return to his wife, Queen Clytemnestra. The story delves into the haunting dynamics of power, retribution, and survival within the House of Atreus, a place marked by treachery and murder.

Barker’s writing combines historical detail and contemporary language, bringing depth to overlooked female perspectives in myth.

‘After ten blood-filled years, the war is over. Troy lies in smoking ruins as the victorious Greeks fill their ships with the spoils of battle.

Alongside the treasures looted are the many Trojan women captured by the Greeks – among them the legendary prophetess Cassandra, and her watchful maid, Ritsa. Enslaved as concubine – war-wife – to King Agamemnon, Cassandra is plagued by visions of his death – and her own – while Ritsa is forced to bear witness to both Cassandra’s frenzies and the horrors to come.

Meanwhile, awaiting the fleet’s return is Queen Clytemnestra, vengeful wife of Agamemnon. Heart-shattered by her husband’s choice to sacrifice their eldest daughter to the gods in exchange for a fair wind to Troy, she has spent this long decade plotting retribution, in a palace haunted by child-ghosts.

As one wife journeys toward the other, united by the vision of Agamemnon’s death, one thing is certain: this long-awaited homecoming will change everyone’s fates forever.’

Purchase The Voyage Home By Pat Barker and add it to your #tbr list here

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Venice, with its enchanting canals, historic architecture, and bustling cobbled streets, is a city made for exploring. Each corner holds a secret, each reflection on the water a reminder that Venice is to be treasured.

The city truly sparkles in the soft glow of morning light, a quiet enchantment that feels as though Venice herself is stretching awake. I wandered through quiet alleys, over picturesque bridges, and along canals reflecting the sky’s enchanting turquoise hues. Every step offered a vignette of beauty: a gondola drifting silently, the delicate chatter of morning rituals, and the golden patina of centuries-old buildings bathed in gentle sunlight. It’s these quaint, everyday moments that captivate the heart and pull you deeper into the city’s spell.

Simple details bring the city to life: a line of laundry swaying gently above the water, the cheerful call of “Ciao!” exchanged between locals, and the flutter of pigeons hopping from one terracotta balcony to another. These ordinary acts take on an almost cinematic quality in Venice. For a visitor, every scene feels like it belongs in a storybook, a life that feels impossibly romantic in its simplicity.

For us, Venice has become a refuge. Most years, we return in winter, when the crowds are fewer, and the city feels rejuvenated after the heady summer months. The sunlight may be soft and fleeting, but in November we’re still graced by her sun dappled rays for a few hours each day. London, where the skies remain grey and the air chill, a winter escape to Venice offers the kind of reprieve that reminds you life can be gentle and unhurried.

With espresso’s in hand, we can sit by the canals, savouring each sip and letting the world melt away. The rhythmic lapping of water against stone, the faint echo of laughter from a passing boat, the distant toll of a bell—it all feels like an invitation to stand still.

Venice has a way of weaving itself into your heart, its beauty and romance lingering long after you’ve left. Venice isn’t merely a place; its a gentle reminder that life, at its best, is meant to be savoured slowly.

With good intentions I downloaded about six books onto my pilfered Kindle before I headed off to Japan in October and I came back not even having read one 😅. After long days traveling around Tokyo or jumping on the Shinkansen to our next destination - I didn’t have the energy to sit down and read until the tail end of our trip.

Now I’m back home and semi-settled into my routine, I find I have the time and head space to read again. So I suppose it’s time to tackle my ever-growing list of downloads.

This week we’re diving under the covers to talk about The Unmaking Of June Farrow By Adrienne Young, one of my most anticipated reads this year. So grab a cup of tea and get cosy as I share my thoughts on this novel.

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The Unmaking Of June Farrow By Adrienne Young

In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumours.

It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.

After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realises she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.

My Thoughts

Adrienne Young’s The Unmaking of June Farrow is an intriguing blend of mystery, family drama, and a touch of magical realism. While it delivers on atmosphere and emotional depth, the story doesn't fully capitalise on its potential, leaving me with mixed feelings.

The novel follows June Farrow, a woman haunted by her family’s enigmatic legacy and the sudden appearance of strange visions. Set in a charming Southern town, the story promises a rich tapestry of secrets, curses, and unraveling truths. When June receives a cryptic letter from her late grandmother, she’s drawn into a multi-generational mystery that unfolds across a dual timeline.

Young excels at world-building, and her evocative prose pulls you into the heart of the Farrow family’s world. The setting feels alive, in a pumpkin spiced latte kinda way and the book’s mood is steeped in small town nostalgia. June’s internal struggle, particularly her yearning for answers and connection, is heartfelt and relatable - for the most part.

However, the execution of the story left me wanting more. The dual timeline, while ambitious, often felt disjointed, making it difficult to fully invest in either era. Key twists, especially in the latter half, felt rushed or underdeveloped, leaving loose ends that could have been explored more deeply. Additionally, the magical realism element - while intriguing - sometimes muddled the plot rather than enhancing it, pulling me out of the narrative as I struggled to understand unnecessarily complicated concepts.

Overall I did enjoy this novel however as the Goodreads reviews suggest there’s definitely a lot of people that loved this book. While it didn’t entirely live up to my expectations, fans of slow-burn mysteries and stories with a hint of magic may find it worth the read.

I’m going to state now, that I’m not a huge fan of time-travel novels and this is very much that. The first half of the book was very slow, with very little happening other than world building. The pacing at the start often left me drifting off to sleep at times, unable to complete the chapter. However the atmospheric writing kept me turning the pages - that and reading in a southern accent.

Personally, it fell short of my expectations as I found it a little too predictable. Most of the novel left you uncovering mysteries with the main character June, and the slow build up to the ‘big’ reveal unfortunately was exactly what I was expecting - if anything it was a little anti-climactic.

The romance and connection between the two main characters in the novel gave me that heated slow burn feeling reminiscent of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. However, I wanted more conversation and intimate moments between them. I wanted to be swept away with the budding romance and intensity of their love - and for the most part I wasn’t.

I found it hard to emphasise with June sometimes, the novel lacked the character development needed to understand her fully. I’d have happily read a few more chapters to flesh out June and the romantic arcs, discover more about the family curse and just generally get to know more of these characters. I needed to sit with them for longer.

*spoiler*

I’d also love to know more about the potential of Mason. He’s a huge part of the initial story and I felt he literally got lost to the passage of time. In all I felt that too much time was spent pre-door and I wanted more depth and backstory post-door.

I think what made me most uncomfortable was the trope ‘a women who didn’t want kids for very specific and relatable reason suddenly changing her mind’ with no real context other than she fell in love. It felt a little ‘oh when you’re older and meet the right person you’ll change your mind’ - this infuriates me.

*spoiler ends*

I’m afraid it’s a lukewarm three star read from me, nothing groundbreaking, but an enjoyable, cosy read for when you want to slow down. I’ll probably watch the movie when it comes out on Netflix with my girlfriends.

That being said I’ll be purchasing another copy for my mum this Christmas. She’s a huge fan of Where The Crawdads sing by Delia Owens and The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and this novel has all the hallmarks of those beloved novels.

Fancy reading The Unmaking Of June Farrow purchase it here.

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As the days grow shorter and the nights stretch longer, the season of Wintering is upon us. I’ve curated a selection of seasonal reads that I believe perfectly embody the spirit of winter - just for you.

From spellbinding tales of magic and wonder to haunting stories of the macabre -these novels celebrate the unique charm of this enigmatic season, a time of reflection, connection, beauty, and the uncanny.

These novels explore the essence of winter, unraveling folk tales from around the globe, breathing new life into timeless classics, and immersing readers in a world of enchantment and wonder. Explore this seasons most talked about authors and immerse yourself new awe-inspiring worlds.

Delve into Stephanie Garber’s latest novel Spectacular and fall into the magical realm of Caraval - where wishes are granted to those most earnest. Unravel themes of loss and loneliness with Stories For Winter: And Nights By The Fire - A collection of novellas by some of the most exciting women writers of our century. Or hunker down under the duvet and settle in for a night of chilling tales with the spine-tingling stories of the uncanny with Haunting Season.

However you like to celebrate the winter season, let’s ensure you’re in good company with these cosy reads.

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Stories For Winter: And Nights By The Fire

A charming collection of tales perfect for cozy evenings during the chillier months. This anthology brings together a mix of heartwarming and suspenseful stories that capture the magic, mystery, and introspection of winter. From folklore-inspired tales and ghostly encounters to reflections on family, love, and the changing seasons, the book weaves a tapestry of narratives that warm the soul while sending occasional shivers down the spine. It’s an ideal read for anyone seeking comfort, wonder, and a touch of the uncanny during long winter nights.

‘Curl up with Stories for Winter, a collection of seasonal tales to sustain you through the long, dark evenings. Originally written and first published in the twentieth century, the fourteen stories in this new anthology bring together the creative minds of Angela Carter, Edith Wharton, Katherine Mansfield, Elizabeth Berridge, Shirley Jackson, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Elizabeth Taylor, Mary Angela Dickens, Elizabeth Bowen and Kate Roberts.

A woman waits for her lover across a flooded landscape; another braves a snowstorm for a stranger; while a young girl’s unseasonal visit to the seaside ends in a shattering revelation. Exploring themes of loss and loneliness, resilience and renewal, this collection brings together many renowned female writers of the short-story form. In the spirit of the Women Writers series, these stories first appeared in books and periodicals in the twentieth century.’

Purchase Stories For Winter: And Nights By The Fire and add it to your #tbr list here

A Midwinters Tail By Lili Hayward

A cosy mystery brimming with charm and intrigue. Set in a picturesque coastal village during the depths of winter, with its atmospheric setting, quirky characters, and a dash of romance, this novel is the perfect blend of cosy mystery and winter magic. As the protagonist pieces together the clues, they uncover not just the truth behind the mystery but also insights into their own life and the bonds that hold the community together. A delightful read for fans of small-town secrets and seasonal charm.

‘A town in need. An extraordinary cat. A season for miracles...

It's nearly Christmas and committed Londoner, Mina Kestle, is close to signing a deal that will make her career and give her everything she's ever wanted. And then she receives a mysterious letter in the post along with an ancient key, sent by her long-estranged godfather .

Davy Penhallow is an artist who lives on the tiny Cornish island of Morgelyn with only his pet cat, Murr, for company. Mina hasn't seen or heard from him in decades, but now it seems he wants her to look after his cottage - and his cat - while he recovers from a stroke in hospital. Mina doesn't know why Davy has written after all these years, but she intends to do what's right: sort out the cottage and the cat and then get back to London in time for her career-saving meeting, before everything she's built comes crashing down around her.

But the more time Mina spends in the cottage, looking after Murr and remembering the magic of Cornish folklore, the harder it becomes for her to tear herself away. And when she discovers that a set of ruthless property developers are coming for Morgelyn, she realises she might be the only one who can stand in their way to save the island, Davy's cottage and Murr's home.

As Christmas draws ever closer and echoes of the past - her own and the island's - wash up in her memory, Mina begins to unravel a generation of secrets... and discover what it is she has truly always wanted.’

Purchase A Midwinters Tail By Lili Hayward and add it to your #tbr list here

The Haunting Season - Ghostly Tales For Long Winter Nights

Perfect for cold, dark evenings, this collection features ghostly encounters, chilling mysteries, and supernatural twists, all steeped in the magic and menace of winter. Each tale captures the gothic spirit of the season, blending suspense with haunting beauty. It’s an enchanting and spine-tingling read for those who love their winter nights accompanied by tales of the otherworldly.

‘Long before Charles Dickens and Henry James popularised the tradition, the shadowy nights of winter have been a time for people to gather together by the flicker of candlelight and experience the intoxicating thrill of a ghost story.

Now eight bestselling, award-winning authors - all of them master storytellers of the sinister and the macabre - bring the tradition to vivid life in a spellbinding new collection of original spine-tingling tales.

Taking you from the frosty Fens to the wild Yorkshire moors, to the snow-covered grounds of a haunted estate, to a bustling London Christmas market, these mesmerising stories will capture your imagination and serve as your indispensable companion to the cold, dark nights.

So curl up, light a candle, and fall under the spell of winters past . . .’

Purchase The Haunting Season - Ghostly Tales For Long Winter Nights and add it to your #tbr list here

Little Women By Lousia May Alcott

Revel in a timeless coming-of-age novel that follows the lives of the four March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - growing up during the American Civil War. Each sister navigates her own challenges, from Meg's desire for a stable family life, Jo's determination to pursue her passion for writing, Beth's gentle struggle with illness, to Amy's artistic ambitions and quest for self-discovery.

The story explores themes of love, family, ambition, and resilience, celebrating the bonds of sisterhood and the pursuit of personal dreams. Rich with warmth and wisdom, it’s a heartfelt tale of growth and selflessness.

‘Little Women is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888).

Originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, Alcott wrote the book over several months, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters -Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. Loosely based on the lives of the author and her three sisters, it is classified as an autobiographical or semi-autobiographical novel.

Little Women was an immediate commercial and critical success, with readers eager for more about the characters. Alcott quickly completed a second volume (titled Good Wives in the United Kingdom, though the name originated with the publisher and not Alcott). It was also met with success. The two volumes were issued in 1880 as a single novel titled Little Women. Alcott subsequently wrote two sequels to her popular work, both also featuring the March sisters: Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886).’

Purchase Little Women By Lousia May Alcott and add it to your #tbr list here

Spectacular By Stephanie Garber

*spoiler alert if you haven’t read the series*

Introducing Spectacular a holiday-themed novella set in the world of the Caraval series by Stephanie Garber. The story follows Donatella as she seeks the perfect holiday gift for Legend, her enigmatic love interest. However, her quest takes an unexpected turn when she uncovers new challenges that test their relationship.

The novella explores themes of love, trust, and holiday magic, while delving into Tella’s uncertainties about her bond with Legend and her determination to bridge the emotional distance between them.

‘Snowflakes are falling. Invitations are arriving. And holiday magic is swirling in the Capital City of the Meridian Empire.

It's Great Holiday Eve Eve. Scarlett Dragna is planning a spectacular Holiday celebration for the city. Donatella is searching for the perfect gift. Julian is looking ridiculously handsome in green. And Legend . . .

Well, sadly Legend is not a fan of the Great Holiday. Tella is hoping her perfect gift will change his mind. Unfortunately, she hasn't found this perfect gift just yet. But it is Great Holiday Eve Eve . . . surely there's some holiday magic swirling around.

Welcome, welcome back to the world of Caraval, where even holidays are not as they seem.

Set after Stephanie Garber's #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series, this delightful novella will take readers on the ultimate holiday adventure, full of clockwork boys, poisoned candy, impish snow globes, merriment, and-if Tella gets her way-love.’

Purchase Spectacular By Stephanie Garber and add it to your #tbr list here

Anna Karenina By Leo Tolstoy

A profound exploration of love, society, and morality set in 19th-century Russia. The novel weaves two primary narratives: the tragic love affair between Anna Karenina, a married aristocrat, and Count Alexei Vronsky, and the more grounded story of Konstantin Levin's quest for meaning and happiness.

Anna's passionate relationship with Vronsky defies social norms, leading to her social ostracization and eventual descent into despair. Meanwhile, Levin's journey, marked by his struggles with faith, love, and landownership, contrasts sharply with Anna's turmoil and ultimately leads to a sense of spiritual fulfillment.

Through its richly drawn characters and detailed depiction of Russian society, the novel delves into themes of fidelity, family, personal freedom, and the constraints imposed by societal expectations. This novel remains a timeless masterpiece, celebrated for its psychological depth and moral complexity.

‘A beautiful society wife from St. Petersburg, determined to live life on her own terms, sacrifices everything to follow her conviction that love is stronger than duty.

A socially inept but warmhearted landowner pursues his own visions instead of conforming to conventional views. The adulteress and the philosopher head the vibrant cast of characters in Anna Karenina, Tolstoy's tumultuous tale of passion and self-discovery.

This novel marks a turning point in the author's career, the juncture at which he turned from fiction toward faith. Set against a backdrop of the historic social changes that swept Russia during the late nineteenth century, it reflects Tolstoy's own personal and psychological transformation.

Two worlds collide in the course of this epochal story: that of the old-time aristocrats, who struggle to uphold their traditions of serfdom and authoritarian government, and that of the Westernizing liberals, who promote technology, rationalism, and democracy. This cultural clash unfolds in a compelling, emotional drama of seduction, betrayal, and redemption.’

Purchase Anna Karenina By Leo Tolstoy and add it to your #tbr list here

The Winter Garden By Alexandra Bell

Discover a mesmerising blend of historical fiction and magical realism set in Victorian England. The story follows Beatrice, who, as a child, experiences the magical Winter Garden - a place of wonder that vanishes after seven nights, leaving her with lingering doubts about its reality. Years later, Beatrice defies societal expectations by breaking off her engagement and is invited to compete in a prestigious garden design contest. The prize is a wish granted by the last vestiges of the Winter Garden's magic.

The competition not only rekindles Beatrice's passion but also pits her against her best friend Rosa, a resourceful woman trapped in a stifling marriage. Both women face the societal constraints of their time, their ambitions fuelled by deep personal losses and desires for freedom and redemption.

As the novel unfolds, themes of grief, identity, and resilience shine against the enchanting backdrop of the magical garden. The vivid descriptions and emotional depth of the characters create a tale reminiscent of The Night Circus or Alice in Wonderland, with a strong focus on the challenges women faced in a patriarchal society.

‘You are invited to enter an unusual competition. I am looking for the most magical, spectacular, remarkable pleasure garden this world has to offer.

On the night her mother dies, 8-year-old Beatrice receives an invitation to the mysterious Winter Garden. A place of wonder and magic, filled with all manner of strange and spectacular flora and fauna, the garden is her solace every night for seven days. But when the garden disappears, and no one believes her story, Beatrice is left to wonder if it were truly real.

Eighteen years later, on the eve of her wedding to a man her late father approved of but she does not love, Beatrice makes the decision to throw off the expectations of Victorian English society and search for the garden. But when both she and her closest friend, Rosa, receive invitations to compete to create spectacular pleasure gardens - with the prize being one wish from the last of the Winter Garden's magic - she realises she may be closer to finding it than she ever imagined.

Now all she has to do is win.’

Purchase The Winter Garden By Alexandra Bell and add it to your #tbr list here

The Wood At Midwinter By Susanna Clarke

Unravel this beautifully crafted short story that combines elements of English folklore and Christian mysticism within a richly magical setting. The narrative follows 19-year-old Merowdis Scott, a young woman deeply attuned to nature and spirituality. Living in a world where she feels more aligned with her animals and the mysterious woods than with people, Merowdis embarks on a transformative journey after an encounter with mystical beings in the forest. Her experiences explore themes of devotion, nature's sacredness, and self-discovery.

The story's atmosphere is steeped in the quiet magic of winter, with the woods depicted as alive and watchful rather than dormant. Clarke's elegant prose and vivid imagery bring the mystical aspects to life, supported by Victoria Sawdon’s enchanting illustrations, which enhance the fairy tale quality of the book. This tale can be enjoyed by readers of all ages and resonates with a sense of wonder and introspection, perfect for cozy, reflective winter nights​

'A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They're the same thing really.

Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees – and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.

One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst – and the path of her life is changed forever.’

Purchase The Wood At Midwinter By Susanna Clarke and add it to your #tbr list here

The Bear & The Nightingale By Katherine Arden

Explore this spellbinding novel rooted in Russian folklore and set in the wilderness of medieval Russia. The story follows Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna, a young girl with the unique ability to see and communicate with the household spirits that protect her family and community. Vasya grows up in a world where the old ways and Christianity collide, threatening the balance of her village.

When a devout and stern priest arrives, he encourages the villagers to abandon their old beliefs, leading to the weakening of the spirits and the rise of dark forces. As danger looms, Vasya must embrace her gifts to protect her family and village, even as she faces societal rejection for her independence and connection to the supernatural.

Arden weaves a richly atmospheric tale, blending myth and reality while exploring themes of faith, tradition, and female empowerment. The novel’s lush descriptions and compelling characters create a vivid tapestry of magic, danger, and resilience. It’s the first book in The Winternight Trilogy.

‘Beware the evil in the woods...

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church.

But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods. . .’

Purchase The Bear & The Nightingale By Katherine Arden and add it to your #tbr list here

Upon A Frosted Star By M.A. Kuzniar

A mysterious and atmospheric tale blending the magic of fairy tales with the allure of the 1920s. It follows Forster, a struggling artist who receives an invitation to an enigmatic annual party held by the beguiling Odette.

As he becomes captivated by her world of opulence and intrigue, he uncovers the dark curse that haunts her, tied to an ancient, tragic romance. The narrative unfolds with elements of mystery, romance, and suspense, set against a wintry backdrop. The story features a rich, atmospheric setting with echoes of Swan Lake and a narrative filled with both glamour and menace.

‘When the snow falls, she will be free…

The invitations always arrive the same way – without warning, appearing around the city on the first snowfall of the year, simply inscribed with ‘Tonight.’

When struggling artist, Forster, finds an invitation, he’s bewitched by the magic of the evening, swept up in the glamour of this notorious annual party and intrigued as to who is behind them.

Determined to find out more about the mysterious host, Forster discovers an abandoned manor house silent with secrets and a cursed woman who is desperate to be free.’

Purchase Upon A Frosted Star By M.A. Kuzniar and add it to your #tbr list here

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London is bursting with incredible literary events. Here are some of the highlights which you should add to your calendar for October.

Celebrating Ex-Wife: Monica Heisey and Sheena Patel on Writing Relationships and Breakups

Thursday 3rd October 2024
18:30 - 20:00 at Waterstones, Gower Street, London

Join us for an evening to celebrate the Faber Editions publication of Ursula Parrott's Ex-Wife, with Monica Heisey and Sheena Patel discussing the book, writing relationships and breakups.

This summer, Ursuala Parrott's lost classic Ex-Wife has been brought back into print, joining the Faber Editions collection and featuring a new introduction by Monica Heisey. Join us for an evening with Monica Heisey (Really Good, Actually), who will be joined by Sheena Patel (I'm A Fan) to discuss the book and, touching on their own books, what it means to write relationships and breakups.

Ex-Wife, Ursula Parrott:

It feels remarkable to be a deserted wife when one is only twenty-four.

New York, 1924. Patricia and Peter are a thoroughly modern married couple. Both drink. Both smoke. Both work. Both believe in ‘Love-Outside-Marriage’. Until they don’t. Or, really, until he doesn’t. So when Peter pushes for divorce with increasing violence, Patricia has to forge a new life as a single woman: as an ex-wife.

A sensational bestseller in 1929, yet utterly timeless, Ex-Wife plunges us into the ‘era of the one-night stand’. It evokes not only the Manhattan bars, fashion advertising offices, female friendships and all-night parties of a dazzling city, but the hollow affairs, emotional hangovers, backstreet abortions, and struggles for sexual freedoms amidst the moral double standards of a patriarchal world.

Book your tickets for Celebrating Ex-Wife: Monica Heisey and Sheena Patel on Writing Relationships and Breakups here.

Lynne Tillman in Conversation with Andrew Durbin

Monday 7th October 2024

Monday, October 7 · 7 - 8:30pm BST
19:00 - 20:30 at Foyles, Charing Cross Road

The legendary Lynne Tillman returns to Foyles for a discussion about her masterful novel, American Genius, A Comedy, with frieze editor Andrew Durbin.

Resident in what may be an artist’s retreat or a psychiatric hospital, Tillman’s narrator interweaves tales of her life with ruminations on her varied and eccentric preoccupations – from the Manson family to the Zulu alphabet – all written in Tillman’s characteristically beguiling and intelligent prose. A tale of a fascinating consciousness and a study in the revelations and the limits of imagination, American Genius, A Comedy, available in the UK for the first time, is Tillman’s hypnotic and compelling modernist masterpiece.

Book your tickets for Lynne Tillman In Conversation with Andrew Durbin here.

Sky Full of Elephants: Cebo Campbell in Conversation

Tuesday 8th October 2024
18:30 - 20:00 at Waterstones, Gower Street, London

Join for an evening with Brooklyn-based author and creative director Cebo Campbell, who will be discussing his poignant debut novel Sky Full of Elephants.

One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charlie Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he's now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn't even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old left behind by her white mother and step-family.

Traumatised by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across a truly "post-racial" America in search for answers. But neither of them are prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it.

Heading south toward what is now called the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humour, Cebo Campbell's astonishing debut novel is about the power of community and connection, about healing and actualisation, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.

Book your tickets for Sky Full of Elephants: Cebo Campbell in Conversation here.

Entitlement: Rumaan Alam in conversation with Sarah Shaffi

Tuesday 8th October 2024
19:00 - 20:30 at Waterstones, Trafalgar Square, London

Join as we welcome Rumaan Alam , in conversation with Sarah Shaffi, to celebrate the publication of 'Entitlement', a story around morality, money and race leaving you thinking of privilege and fate.

Money talks. But what if it lies?
Brooke wants many things. A sense of purpose, independence, security. To make a difference in the world, and maybe to impress her mother along the way. Her job assisting an eighty-year-old billionaire in his quest to give away a vast fortune could be just the ticket to the life she knows she is entitled to.

Intoxicated by this newfound proximity to wealth and power, Brooke soon finds herself rubbing shoulders with the one percent, as her boss’s attention offers her a glimpse into a world just beyond her grasp. But before long, being under his wing is not enough, and Brooke starts to dangerously blur the lines between what belongs to him, and what should belong to her.

Taut, unsettling, and alive to the seductive distortions of money and race, Entitlement is a biting tale for our new gilded age.

Book your tickets for Entitlement: Rumaan Alam in conversation with Sarah Shaffi here.

Asako Yuzuki in Conversation with Hanako Footman

Wednesday 9th October 2024
19:00 - 20:30 at Foyles, Charing Cross Road

The author of Butter comes to Foyles Charing Cross Road to discuss her sensational novel with actor and writer Hanako Footman.

Inspired by a real case of a convicted con woman and serial killer, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is the searing tale of a gourmet cook turned murderer who is said to have seduced her victims with her home cooking. A shocking and exhilarating story of obsession and an unsettling exploration of misogyny, this is the first work to appear in English from one of Japan’s most thrilling contemporary novelists.

Asako Yuzuki was born in Tokyo in 1981. She won the All Yomimono Award for New Writers for her story, ‘Forget Me, Not Blue’, which appeared in her debut, Shuuten No Anoko, published in 2010. She won the Yamamoto Shūgorō Award in 2015 for Nile Perch No Joshikai. She has been nominated multiple times for the Naoko Prize, and her novels have been adapted for television, radio and film. Butter, released in the UK in February 2024, is her first novel to appear in English.

Yuzuki will be in conversation with actor and writer Hanako Footman. Footman is a British-Japanese author and actor. She grew up in Wimbledon and trained at LAMDA. She now lives in Dalston, East London. As a child she spent her school holidays in Japan, at her grandmother’s house by the sea. She tries to go back whenever she can. Hanako’s debut novel Mongrel was shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize in 2024.

Book your tickets for Asako Yuzuki in Conversation with Hanako Footman here.

An Evening with André Aciman

Monday 14th October 2024
19:00 - 20:30 at Foyles, Charing Cross Road

Join the author of Call Me By Your Name and The Gentleman from Peru for an evening of conversation at Foyles Charing Cross Road to mark the release of his elegant new memoir, My Roman Year.

A luminous coming of age memoir written with Aciman’s characteristic style and insight, My Roman Year is the story of the 13 year old writer’s life in Rome. A wise and transporting meditation on exile and the meaning of home, My Roman Year is the highly-anticipated latest work from the New York Times bestselling author of The Gentleman from Peru.

André Aciman is the New York Times bestselling author of Call Me By Your Name, Out of Egypt, Eight White Nights, Enigma Variations, Find Me, and the essay collection Homo Irrealis. He’s the editor of The Proust Project and teaches comparative literature at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Book your tickets for An Evening with André Aciman here.

An evening with Lauren Roberts at St Mary’s Marylebone, London

Monday 14th October 2024
19:00 at St Mary's London, Wyndham Place, London

Join Lauren Roberts at the beautiful St Mary’s Marylebone as she delves into the beloved Powerless series. Now available in a stunning hardback edition with reverse jacket, exclusive map endpapers and more, this sizzling slice of fantasy romance follows the fortunes of Paedyn Gray - an ordinary mortal blending in with the dangerous Elites by pretending to be a Psychic.

When Lauren Roberts isn’t writing about fantasy worlds and bantering love interests, she can likely be found burrowed in bed reading about them. Lauren has lived in Michigan her whole life, making her very familiar with potholes, snow, and various lake activities. She has the hobbies of both a grandmother and a child, i.e., knitting, laser tag, hammocking, word searches, and colouring. She’s the author of Powerless, and she hopes to have the privilege of writing pretty words for the rest of her life.

Book your tickets for An evening with Lauren Roberts at St Mary’s Marylebone, London here.

Kate Dylan in conversation with Saara El-Arifi

Wednesday 16th October 2024
18:30 at Waterstones, Piccadilly, London

Celebrate the publication of Kate Dylan’s fantasy novel Until We Shatter at Waterstones Piccadilly.

No matter where she goes, Cemmy's life is under threat. The Church would see her killed for having any magic. The Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough.

Until We Shatter is an action-packed, epic heist fantasy from the author of Mindwalker, perfect for fans of Six of Crows and A Darker Shade of Magic. Kate will be hosted by fellow fantasy author Saara El-Arifi.

Kate Dylan is a video editor by day, science fiction and fantasy author by night. Her love for creating new worlds is fuelled by a steady diet of coffee, books, and Marvel movies. When she isn’t telling stories, you can find her haunting London cafés like an over-caffeinated ghost.

Saara El-Arifi is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Ending Fire trilogy and Faebound. With a DNA profile that lights up like a satellite photograph of earth, El-Arifi's heritage is intrinsically linked to the themes she explores in her writing.

Book your tickets for Kate Dylan in conversation with Saara El-Arifi here.

Sabaa Tahir in conversation at St. James's Church, London

Wednesday 30th October 2024
19:00 at St. James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LL

Celebrate the publication of bestselling fantasy author, Sabaa Tahir at the beautiful St. James's Church on Piccadilly as she celebrates her much-anticipated new novel, Heir.

The author of Ember in the Ashes returns with a richly imagined fantasy which masterfully interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with the burdens of power, the treachery of love and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed. Get ready for a dark and breathless journey that will captivate readers and that may cost these young people their lives - and their hearts. Literally.

Book your tickets for Sabaa Tahir in conversation at St. James's Church, London here.

Like what you see? Help me keep creating bookish content by treating me to a coffee. You’ll get really good karma 😉😘

A few lines from some of my favourite writers, past and present. This week I’m taking inspiration from Madeline Millers novel Circe.

Madeline Miller's Circe is a captivating retelling of the story of Circe, the enchantress from Greek mythology. Born to the powerful Titan Helios and the nymph Perse, Circe is initially dismissed by the gods for her lack of divine power. However, she soon discovers her unique gift for witchcraft, which sets her apart from both mortals and gods.

Banished to the island of Aiaia after using her powers in defiance of the Olympians, Circe learns to hone her skills, transforming herself from a fearful outcast into a powerful, independent figure. Throughout her immortal life, she encounters legendary figures from Greek mythology, including Hermes, Odysseus, and the Minotaur, while grappling with themes of love, loss, motherhood, and identity.

Circe is a richly woven tale of transformation and self-discovery, focusing on a woman’s journey to find her own voice and power in a world dominated by gods and men. Miller's lush prose and intimate characterisation bring new life to an often-overlooked figure, turning her into a fully realised, complex heroine.

Circe is one of my favourite novels and I highly recommend this read if you love Greek mythology, folklore and feminist retellings.

📖 Purchase Circe by Madeline Miller here

Let’s Talk about Myths Baby - Mini Myth: Circe, not Cersei, one’s a badass witch, one’s a badass B****

If you‘d like to find out more about Circe from a classics perspective check out this episode of Let’s talk about myths baby, featuring our favourite witch - Circe.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here

Circe A Pre-Raphaelite Fantasy

Discover John William Waterhouse’s painting ‘Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses’ depicting a scene from the Odyssey. Circe, a sorceress, offers a cup to Odysseus (otherwise known as Ulysses). In the cup is a potion - Circe seeks to bring Odysseus under her spell, as she has done with his crew. Two of Odysseus' crewmen have been transformed into pigs; one can be seen beside Circe's feet on the right, while the other is peering out from behind her throne on the left. Odysseus' reflection can be seen in the mirror which is behind Circe's throne.

It reflects the columns of Circe's palace, and Ulysses' ship. Odysseus, intrepid and worried about his sailors, tries to save them and on the way Hermes (the messenger of the immortals) intercepts him and tells him of Circe's intentions, advising him to find a special plant that keeps him away from the effects of Circe's drink. After Odysseus had the plant he was able to resist the evil effects of Circe's potion. So when the sorceress thought that she had had the effect of her drink, she went to touch Odysseus with her wand to complete the transformation process, and Odysseus threatened Circe with his sword, who then seduced him and coerced him into sleeping with her to return his sailors. He reluctantly agreed, and, after the job was done, she returned his sailors to their human form.

The Girlfriends - For lovers of true crime

The Girlfriends is a true crime series that delves into the chilling story of a group of women who discover they all dated the same man—only to learn he might be connected to a murder. As these women come together, they begin to piece together a disturbing pattern of manipulation and control, leading to a deep investigation into their shared pasts and the possible criminal behaviour of the man they once trusted.

The podcast blends personal narratives with investigative journalism, exploring themes of love, betrayal, and the search for justice.

Listen here: For the Full Novel

Lets Talk about Myths Baby - For mythology lovers

Hosted by Liv Albert, this podcast delves into the fascinating and often dark world of Greek mythology. With a modern, humorous, and conversational tone, Liv retells classic myths, explores lesser-known stories, and provides insightful commentary on the characters, themes, and cultural impact of these ancient tales.

The podcast is both educational and entertaining, offering listeners a fresh perspective on mythology, while also connecting these ancient stories to contemporary issues and perspectives.

Listen here: Mini Myth: Echo, Echo, Echo…& Narcissus

The Pink House With Sam Smith - For deep thinkers, conversationalists & storytellers

Singer-songwriter Sam Smith invites listeners into their "Pink House," a metaphorical space for open and intimate conversations. Each episode features Smith in candid discussions with guests about topics ranging from mental health and identity to creativity and the challenges of life in the spotlight.

The podcast offers a blend of heartfelt storytelling, personal reflections, and insights into the lives of both Smith and their guests, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for exploring deep, often emotional subjects.

Listen here: In The Garden With Ocean Vuong

Ghost Huns - For when you need a giggle

Join pals Madison and Hannah, who explore the eerie, the spooky, and the downright mysterious. With a blend of humour and curiosity, they dive into paranormal stories, ghostly encounters, and haunted locations, sharing both well-known tales and personal experiences.

The podcast is a mix of lighthearted silliness and chilling stories, making it a light-hearted listen for anyone intrigued by the supernatural. Each episode offers a mix of research, storytelling, and the hosts' unique perspectives on the world of ghosts and the unexplained.

Listen here: Lynn’s on tour

You’re Dead To Me - For the history buff

A podcast that brings history to life with a perfect mix of humour and knowledge. Hosted by Greg Jenner, each episode pairs a historian with a comedian to explore a different historical figure, event, or era.

The discussions are lively, entertaining, and informative, making complex historical topics easy to understand and enjoyable to learn about. Whether you're deeply interested in history or just want a good laugh, "You're Dead to Me" offers a refreshing and engaging look at the past.

Listen here: The Bloomsbury Group

Read Dead People - For intellectuals

Read Dead People is a podcast that dives into the world of classic literature, focusing on works by authors who are no longer living. Hosted by two literature enthusiasts, the podcast explores timeless novels, poems, and essays, offering fresh perspectives and critical analyses.

Each episode features a different author or literary work, with discussions on the historical context, thematic depth, and relevance of these classics today. Whether you're a seasoned reader or new to classic literature, Read Dead People brings the voices of the past to life in an engaging and accessible way.

Listen here: Gateway Books

The Fringe Of It - For when you miss your pals

The Fringe of It is a lifestyle podcast hosted by Charlotte Jacklin and Liv Purvis, where they discuss the everyday moments that make life both challenging and joyful. The hosts dive into topics like fashion, beauty, mental health, and pop culture, all while sharing their personal experiences and candid opinions.

With a focus on finding balance and embracing the ups and downs of modern life, The Fringe of It offers a relatable and warm conversation, making listeners feel like they’re chatting with close friends.

Listen here: #67 Summers Gateway Reads, Lazy Human Summer & Becoming Girls That Grill

Choose Your Own Book Club - For when you want to get involved

An interactive podcast that invites listeners to participate in a unique book club experience. Inspired by the "Choose Your Own Adventure" format, the podcast allows listeners to influence the direction of the discussion by making choices at key moments.

Each episode features different book genres or themes, and listeners' decisions shape the exploration of the books, from plot points to character analysis. This engaging format creates a dynamic and personalized reading experience, making each episode a fresh and collaborative journey through literature.

Listen here: Mini 01 - Your First Adventure: Lost On The Amazon by R.A. Montgomery

Happy Place - For being more mindful

Hosted by Fern Cotton, this podcast is dedicated to exploring the concept of happiness and well-being. In each episode, Cotton engages in candid conversations with a diverse range of guests, including celebrities, authors, and experts in mental health and personal development.

The podcast covers topics such as self-care, mindfulness, and the pursuit of joy, offering listeners practical advice and inspiring stories. With a focus on positivity and personal growth, Happy Place aims to help listeners find their own path to happiness and enhance their overall sense of well-being.

Listen here: Book Club Meets: Orgies, PTSD, And Bodies, With Sofie Hagen

Fantasy Fangirls - For fantasy fans

Dedicated to all things fantasy literature, listen along and enjoy deep dives into your favourite fantasy novels. Each episode covers a range of topics including book reviews, discussions on popular fantasy series, and interviews with authors and industry experts.

The hosts explore both classic and contemporary fantasy works, offering insights, recommendations, and passionate commentary. With a focus on engaging and entertaining conversations, Fantasy Fangirls is a must-listen for fans looking to immerse themselves in the magical worlds of fantasy fiction.

P.S They have a series dedicated to ACOTAR

Listen here: ACOTAR Introduction: What To Expect From The Deep Dive

How To Make Friends And Disappear People - For more bite

Starring Leslie Grace, this 10-episode supernatural thriller follows Nancy (Soni Bringas), a nebbish computer scientist, who becomes obsessed with her mysterious new neighbour. It doesn’t take long for her to uncover a dark secret: the mystery woman, El (Leslie Grace), is actually a centuries-old vampire. As Nancy becomes her familiar (basically her assistant), bringing the vampire into the social media-driven world of millennial New York City, they are both pulled down a rabbit hole of deceit, murder, and mayhem.

Immerse yourself in this thrilling theatrically narrated novel, full of millenial angst, fantasy and vampires.

Listen here to episode one: Bite Me

Dreaming of Paris in Autumn? Let me set the scene for you, think of fresh flaky croissants, cappuccinos beside bustling Parisian pavements, the glittering Eiffel Tower at dusk and walks along the river Seiene - browsing books and art as the leaves turn to shades of burnt orange, red and sun drenched yellow.

This September I’m heading to Paris and taking along my mum and dad for a few days to the city of light. I’m so excited to be visiting one of my favourite cities to soak up the atmosphere of somewhere other than London for a few days.

With Paris firmly on my mind I thought it’d be nice to prepare for the trip with a little armchair traveling. Wander the streets of Monmatre where the artists gather to paint in the square, loose yourself in the shelves of Paris’s most iconic bookshop and discover intricate details surrounding the aritecture and folklore of the infamous Notre-Dame. Here’s my list of reads that will transport you to this incredible city.

Like what you see? Help me keep creating our bookish content by treating me to a coffee. You’ll get really good karma 😉😘

The Shakespeare And Company Book Of Interviews

Gain a rare glimpse into the minds of some of the most brilliant writers of our time, all from the cozy, book-filled haven of Paris' legendary bookstore. This collection captures candid conversations that span decades, featuring authors who have shaped the literary world. Whether you're a devoted reader or an aspiring writer, these interviews provide a treasure trove of insights, wit, and wisdom straight from the creative hearts that have walked through the doors of Shakespeare and Company. Prepare to be inspired by the voices that have defined generations of storytelling.

‘Shakespeare and Company, Paris, is one of the world's most iconic and beautiful bookshops. Located on the banks of the Seine, opposite Notre-Dame, it's long been a meeting place for anglophone writers and readers.

In that tradition, determined for the bookshop to remain a place of meaningful and transformative conversation, owner Sylvia Whitman and novelist and literary director Adam Biles have hosted several hundred interviews with writers, ranging from prize-winning novelists to visionary non-fiction writers.

The Shakespeare and Company Book of Interviews is a selection of the best of these interviews from the last decade. Packed with warmth, sensitivity and humour, it's a celebration of the greatest writers of our age and an insight into the lives and thoughts behind some of today's most talked-about books.’

Purchase The Shakespeare And Company Book Of Interviews and add it to your #tbr list here

Hotel Du Lac By Anita Brookner

Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner is a quiet yet powerful exploration of solitude, identity, and the complexities of the human heart. Set against the serene backdrop of a Swiss lakeside hotel, the novel follows Edith Hope, a romance novelist who retreats to the hotel after a personal scandal. As Edith interacts with the hotel’s eccentric guests, she confronts her own life choices and the societal expectations placed upon her. With Brookner’s exquisite prose and keen observations, Hotel du Lac delves into the inner workings of its characters, offering a poignant reflection on loneliness and the search for self-acceptance.

‘Into the rarefied atmosphere of the Hotel du Lac timidly walks Edith Hope, romantic novelist and holder of modest dreams. Edith has been exiled from home after embarrassing herself and her friends. She has refused to sacrifice her ideals and remains stubbornly single.

But among the pampered women and minor nobility Edith finds Mr Neville and her chance to escape from a life of humiliating spinsterhood is renewed.’

Purchase Hotel Du Lac By Anita Brookner and add it to your #tbr list here

Good Morning, Midnight By Jean Rhys

Often described as capturing ‘Parisian Gutter Culture’ this novel is a haunting exploration of loneliness, despair, and the search for identity in a world that often feels indifferent. Set in 1930s Paris, the novel follows Sasha Jansen, a woman grappling with her past as she drifts through the city’s streets, bars, and cafés. Rhys's poignant prose captures Sasha's inner turmoil, revealing the fragility and resilience of the human spirit. With its raw emotional depth and sharp portrayal of alienation, Good Morning, Midnight is a powerful reflection on the complexities of existence and the quiet struggles that define our lives.

‘Jean Rhys's Good Morning Midnight is an unforgettable portrait of a woman bravely confronting loneliness and despair in her quest for self-determination

In 1930s Paris, where one cheap hotel room is very like another, a young woman is teaching herself indifference. She has escaped personal tragedy and has come to France to find courage and seek independence. She tells herself to expect nothing, especially not kindness, least of all from men. Tomorrow, she resolves, she will dye her hair blonde.’

Purchase Good Morning, Midnight By Jean Rhysand add it to your #tbr list here

Perfume By Patrick Süskind

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind is a mesmerizing tale that blends dark fantasy with historical fiction, weaving a story as intoxicating as the scents that drive its protagonist. Set in 18th-century France, the novel follows Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, an orphan with an extraordinary sense of smell. Obsessed with capturing the perfect scent, Grenouille embarks on a chilling quest that leads him to commit unspeakable acts. Süskind’s richly detailed prose and eerie atmosphere create a world where beauty and horror coexist, making this novel a compelling exploration of obsession, identity, and the power of scent.

‘Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is abandoned on the filthy streets of eighteenth-century Paris as a baby, but grows up to discover he has an extraordinary gift: a sense of smell more powerful than any other human's.

Gradually he learns how to exploit this gift in the art of creating the most sublime perfumes in France. Yet there is one scent he cannot capture: the scent of an innocent young virgin. In order to perfect his experiments, he must have this final ingredient, at any cost.

A cult international bestseller, Perfume is a bewitching, darkly humorous fable of desire, obsession and death.’

Purchase Perfume By Patrick Süskind and add it to your #tbr list here

The Second Sex By Simone De Beauvoir

Read the groundbreaking work that forever changed the way we understand gender, identity, and the human experience. Published in 1949, this seminal text delves into the societal structures and cultural norms that have historically defined and constrained women. With sharp intellect and profound insight, De Beauvoir examines the roles and expectations imposed on women, arguing that gender is a social construct rather than a natural fact. The Second Sex is not just a feminist manifesto; it's a comprehensive exploration of what it means to be a woman in a world shaped by patriarchy. De Beauvoir’s powerful arguments and visionary thinking continue to resonate, making this book as relevant today as it was when it first challenged the status quo.

‘When this book was first published in 1949 it was to outrage and scandal.

Never before had the case for female liberty been so forcefully and successfully argued. De Beauvoir’s belief that ‘One is not born, but rather becomes, woman’ switched on light bulbs in the heads of a generation of women and began a fight for greater equality and economic independence.

These pages contain the key passages of the book that changed perceptions of women forever.’

Purchase The Second Sex By Simone De Beauvoir and add it to your #tbr list here

The Hunchback Of Notre-Dame By Victor Hugo

A timeless masterpiece that weaves together themes of love, fate, and the struggle for freedom against the backdrop of medieval Paris. Set in and around the majestic Notre-Dame Cathedral, the novel tells the poignant story of Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer, and his unrequited love for the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda. Through richly detailed descriptions and complex characters, Hugo explores the harsh realities of society, the power of the human spirit, and the inexorable forces that shape our lives. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is more than a tale of tragic love—it's a powerful commentary on the beauty and cruelty that coexist in the human condition.

‘In the vaulted Gothic towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral lives Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bellringer. Mocked and shunned for his appearance, he is pitied only by Esmerelda, a beautiful gypsy dancer to whom he becomes completely devoted.

Esmerelda, however, has also attracted the attention of the sinister archdeacon Claude Frollo, and when she rejects his lecherous approaches, Frollo hatches a plot to destroy her, that only Quasimodo can prevent.

Victor Hugo's sensational, evocative novel brings life to the medieval Paris he loved, and mourns its passing in one of the greatest historical romances of the nineteenth century.’

Purchase The Hunchback Of Notre-Dame By Victor Hugoand add it to your #tbr list here

Madeline By Ludwig Bemelmans

A beloved children's classic that has enchanted readers for generations with its charming story and whimsical illustrations. Set in a quaint Parisian boarding school, the book follows the adventures of Madeline, a brave and spirited little girl who stands out from the crowd with her red hair and fearless attitude. Despite being the smallest in her class, Madeline’s boldness and curiosity lead her on memorable escapades, capturing the hearts of readers young and old. With its rhythmic prose and vibrant depictions of Paris, Madeline is a timeless tale of courage, friendship, and the joy of being delightfully different.

‘The classic picture book that has been charming children for over 80 years.

‘In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines’

Something is not right with little Madeline. Her friends are sad when she goes to hospital to have her appendix removed. But they cheer up when see her impressive scar!

The small but feisty heroine, Madeline, and her charming Parisian world have been loved by children and adults alike for over eighty years.’

Purchase Madeline By Ludwig Bemelmans and add it to your #tbr list here

The Disappearance Of Émile Zola

The Disappearance of Émile Zola by Michael Rosen is a riveting exploration of one of the most tumultuous periods in the life of the famed French writer. The book delves into Zola’s dramatic flight from France to England in 1898, after his outspoken defense of Alfred Dreyfus in the famous "J'accuse" letter made him a target of political persecution. Rosen meticulously reconstructs Zola’s time in exile, capturing the emotional and intellectual struggles of a man torn from his homeland but determined to stand by his principles. Through vivid storytelling and rich historical detail, The Disappearance of Émile Zola offers an intimate look at the sacrifices and courage required to uphold justice in the face of adversity.

‘Pronounced guilty of libel and sentenced to a year in prison, novelist Émile Zola went on the run.

Zola's crime had been to defend a wrongly convicted man, in what became known as the Dreyfus Affair. Fleeing the French state with just hours to spare he ended up living in the suburbs of south London unable to speak a word of English. Michael Rosen brings to life the sleepy world of late Victorian suburbia, Zola's turbulent politics and his tangled private life. Desperate to write a novel, he was also trying to balance the extremely delicate matter of the two women in his life - one the mother of his children, the other his wife.

The Disappearance of Émile Zola is the incredible true story of a writer's personal bravery in the face of the greatest political scandal of the age.’

Purchase The Disappearance Of Émile Zola and add it to your #tbr list here

Cecil Court, in London’s west end is a treasure hunters paradise. The quaint street lined with rare bookshops, antiquities, art and the occult is a hidden gem that even most Londoners don’t know about. Dating back to the 17th century this unique shopping street feels like stepping into the past. Imagine with me for a moment, the eternal tread of Londoners trampling through this passage on the search for their next novel - or travel back in time and think of Mozart tinkering on his piano from one of the apartment windows above. This tiny street has a huge amount of history steeped within it's cobbles - let’s wander there together.

It doesn’t take any great leap of imagination to picture Hogarth using Cecil Court as a shortcut between his house in Leicester Square and his Academy in St Martin’s Lane, or Johnson and Boswell hurrying the other way, from Old Slaughter’s Coffee House to a meeting of the Club on Gerrard Street. On Tuesdays, in the years before the First World War, a group of poets including W.H. Davies, Rupert Brooke, Edward Thomas, Walter de la Mare, and Robert Frost would lunch at Mont Blanc restaurant on Gerrard Street before taking tea at St George’s Café on St Martin’s Lane, adjacent to the Coliseum: a gaggle of far from starving poets could have been a regular Tuesday sight for the shopkeepers of Cecil Court, as they passed through.  

Fortunately an extraordinary array of people have left evidence of more tangible associations with Cecil Court. It was the first London address of W.A. Mozart and his family, arguably where he composed his first symphony.

Film pioneers such as James Williamson and Cecil Hepworth regarded ‘Flicker Alley’ as the heart of the early British film trade; a young Arthur Ransome honed his writing skills while doing as little work as possible for Ernest Oldmeadow at the Unicorn Press; long-term residents of the flats above Cecil Court include T.S. Eliot and actors such as Ellen Terry, and patrons of the shops below range from Aleister Crowley to Graham Greene, by way of T.E. Lawrence.

Then there are the ordinary residents of Cecil Court – not necessarily famous but often remarkably interesting – including coiners, arsonists and radical atheists; finally there are the booksellers who have made Cecil Court their own, beginning with John Watkins and the brothers William and Gilbert Foyle in the earliest years of the twentieth century.

One of the newer additions to Cecil Court is Goldboro Books, an emporium of signed hardbacks. Here you can browse their wide selection of newly published signed novels from authors such as Pat Barker, Matt Haig and Jennifer Saint. They even have their rare and collectable section which includes first editions of literary greats such as Agatha Christie & Roald Dahl.

Head to Marchpane and delve into a eclectic bookshop filled with children’s books and ephemera. Find beloved copies of Winnie the Pooh, Alice In Wonderland and Beatrix Potter.

Beyond the crates of secondhand scores is Travis And Emery, specialists in out of print, second-hand and antiquarian music. If you close your eyes you can almost imagine Mozart rustling through the forgotten scores in the basement, gathering inspiration for his first symphony.

The Return Of the Wombles - The Original Environmentalists

The Wombles is the epitome of nostalgia for me - I’m transported back to my grandparents house in the midlands. Cup of tea warming my hands as my feet stick out in front of the brown floral sofa cushions.

The boxy tv buzzing with that forgotten theme tune - the wobbling clarinet strikes the first first chords as Mike Batt sings in his quintessentially English voice 🎵 Underground - Overground - Wombling Free 🎵.

Like many children, I watched old reruns of the 1975 edition of The Wombles in the 90s and it was a family occasion. I have fond memories of my Nana taking a moment between sorting tea in her apron - eyes glued to the tv screen, watching these fuzzy stop motion characters digging in bins in Wimbledon Common.

The London and LA based studio How&How have refreshed the identity of this beloved children’s tv show, resurrecting the furry characters with a new sense of purpose after their 50 year hiatus. Returning to champion sustainability, a love of nature and the importance of community.

The How team playfully refocus the narrative, tapping into the core values of these cosy characters. Putting a new spin on the phrase “trash is treasure”. With the show celebrating 50 years of being on screen, I can’t wait to see the return of the Wombles!

Redesigning Banana Yoshimoto's Book covers With Sophie Harris

Refreshing an established authors look is a daunting challenge, it needs to appeal to the writers core audience whilst also feeling fresh and attracting new audiences. Senior designer at Faber - Sarah Harris did just that with her beautiful book covers for these poetic novels by Banana Yoshimoto.

‘We need to divorce ourselves somewhat from their pre-existing and well-loved covers to make sure we bring something new and exciting. Another consideration is how the new look will work across their upcoming titles and backlist. A design too idiosyncratic can prove tricky.’

Rather than designing Banana’s backlist from the start, Sarah was given a single brief for a new English translation of The premonition. A clean slate in which to experiment with new ideas. Faber editor Angus Cargill, highlighted the importance of capturing atmosphere.

The premonition is a story of a 19-year-old girl finding her place in the world, with the tone gently supernatural and dreamlike. Water features heavily throughout the book, so this is where Sarah’s initial concept work began.

Sarah’s design started rather broad with different approaches to the cover such as photography and illustration. Besotted with the work of Taiwan based photographer Zhong Lin, Sarah thought her surreal and uncanny photographs of female subjects would work well for the book. Sarah also tried her hand at digitally illustrating the covers with rippling water reflecting the moon at night.

After discussing her initial ideas with the team the more illustrative route was taken and Sarah was tasked to design Banana’s most well-known novel - Kitchen. Ex Faber designer Jonny Pelham’s 2018 Jacket for Kitchen was iconic, full of colour with its hot pink jacket and floating cooking implements.

The theme of cooking and eating together was unsurprisingly a key part of the book and Sarah was keen to feature that on the cover. Here we can see her mood boards whilst researching. To keep to the muted, atmospheric colour pallets and tone Sarah explored images of kitchens at night, with shadows encroaching on the tabletops.

Omitting characters from the cover Sarah’s designs implied the meeting of people but highlighted the eerie absence of anyone eating the food.

‘So far in this series, I have chosen to illustrate night-time scenes. I find that these allow me to play with light and shadows in an interesting way to create the atmosphere and slightly supernatural elements of Banana’s writing.’

I personally think Sarah does an incredible job of capturing the elusive atmosphere of Banana Yoshimoto’s novels. Although I think the silhouetted style lends itself more to an anthology of novels such as Banana’s collection, I would have loved to have seen her develop the more traditional hand drawn styles of the covers as her illustrations are beautiful. What do yo think? Have you read any of banana Yoshimoto’s novels before?

Purchase the redesigned covers of Banana Yoshimoto’s The Premonition & Dead End Memories here

Winona Ryder Breaking Down Her Iconic Looks

I am such a huge Winona Ryder fangirl! Reflecting on her iconic looks and unforgettable roles has been an absolute delight. From the enigmatic Lydia in Beetlejuice, rocking that gothic flair with her dark ensembles and haunting demeanour, to the sharp-witted Veronica in Heathers, navigating the treacherous waters of high school cliques with style and sarcasm.

Who could forget the ethereal beauty of Kim in Edward Scissorhands, where Winona's character taught us about love and acceptance beyond appearances? And of course, Joyce Byers in Stranger Things, the fiercely protective mother who would go to the ends of the earth—or the Upside Down—for her children.

As a teenager, I desperately wanted to emulate Winona's unique style and the depth she brought to her characters. Her blend of vulnerability and strength resonated with me, inspiring not just fashion choices but also a sense of individuality and self-expression.

If you're a fan like me or simply appreciate iconic cinema moments, you can watch the full conversation over on YouTube —let's reminisce together!

📺 Watch it on Youtube here

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