Tag: must-read-books

The Safekeep – Yael van der Wouden

READ FOR BOOKERTHON It’s 1961 and the people of Dutch town Overijssel are adjusting to life post war. Living alone in her late mother’s country home, Isabel leads a life of routine and discipline. Much to her disgust, her brother Louis dumps his new… Continue Reading “The Safekeep – Yael van der Wouden”

Stone Yard Devotional – Charlotte Wood

READ FOR BOOKERTHON A grieving, unnamed narrator attends a spiritual retreat at a convent, departs and returns again with no plan of leaving. As an atheist she is committed to giving back through hard work rather than praying. Set over Covid, the narrator finds… Continue Reading “Stone Yard Devotional – Charlotte Wood”

James – Percival Everett

READ FOR BOOKERTHON A re-imagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but told from the point of view of the slave, Jim, or James as he prefers to be called in this book. James escapes his owner when he hears he is to be… Continue Reading “James – Percival Everett”

Hamnet – Maggie O’Farrell

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Suzy Set in the 1580s, this book is about Shakespeare and the events that led to him writing the play Hamlet. It is told not from his point of view, but from that of his wife, who is left in… Continue Reading “Hamnet – Maggie O’Farrell”

All Fours – Miranda July

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel A 45 year old artist plans a roadie from LA to New York. Twenty minutes into the drive, she exits the freeway, rents a motel room, and undertakes a transformation of the room and herself, leading her on a… Continue Reading “All Fours – Miranda July”

The Whalebone Theatre – Joanna Quinn

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie The story of Cristabel Seagrave from orphaned girl to WWIII spy. It is told in five acts, each portraying a different slice of her life and the stories of all the people in it. One Act is about the… Continue Reading “The Whalebone Theatre – Joanna Quinn”

Bunny – Mona Awad

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Suzy Samantha Heather Mackey is a loner in her fiction writing class at Warren University. When she is befriended by a group of girls known as the bunnies she can’t help but be attracted to their Smut Salon clique, despite… Continue Reading “Bunny – Mona Awad”

2024: Women’s Prize

Families are at the heart of the Women’s Prize shortlist this year, in particular the role of mothers and daughters who are adapting to personal or societal change. The six female leads in the shortlisted novels have treasured but complex relationships with their families… Continue Reading “2024: Women’s Prize”

Enter Ghost – Isabella Hammad

READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE Actress Sonia Nasir returns to Haifa to visit her sister after a relationship breakdown. She is persuaded to perform in an Arabic version of Hamlet amid the violence, highlighting the connection between performance and political protest. At the same time Sonia… Continue Reading “Enter Ghost – Isabella Hammad”

River East, River West – Aube Rey Lescure

READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE Alva is a 14-year-old half Chinese, half American girl with a secretive mother. They live in Shanghai but Alva dreams of a better life in the US. A coming of age, social drama about the impact of western emigration to… Continue Reading “River East, River West – Aube Rey Lescure”