Narrative theme: coming of age

Book Synopsis_______________SELECTED BY THE INDEPENDENT AND THE OBSERVER AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018_______________''An immensely talented young writer ... Her fearlessness renews one''s faith in the power of literature ' - George Saunders, winner of the 2017 Man Booker PrizePoetic' - Independent The language is scintillating, the emotional heft remarkable' - Observer Daring' - Sunday TimesFerocious, startling, all-consuming' - Daisy Johnson, author of Fen_______________Peach is a teenage girl like any other. She has college, and her friends, and her parents and the new baby, and her gorgeous boyfriend Green. She has her friend Sandy, and Sid the cat, and homework to do. But something has happened something unspeakable and her world has become unfamiliar, fractured into strange textures and patterns. Reeling through her refracted universe, Peach knows that the people she loves arTrade ReviewAn immensely talented young writer ... Her fearlessness renews one's faith in the power of literature -- George Saunders, author of Lincoln in the Bardo, winner of 2017 Man Booker PrizeEmma Glass’s fictional debut – a novella-cum-prose poem – packs one hell of a punch … Glass’s commitment to the visceral is like nothing else I’ve read … Peach inhabits a strange, horror-story realm of the hyperreal, and Glass’s vision goes a long way towards portraying an experience that’s near-impossible to articulate * Observer *Addressing an all-too-relevant issue, the novel charts the physical and psychological effects on Peach through stylised, poetic prose, self-confessedly informed by James Joyce’s experiments with language. Referenced variously as “the new Jane Eyre”, “intimately weird” and “exhilaratingly bold” * Independent, Books to look out for in 2018 *Glass’s tale of a girl neglected by her parents and abused by others is a dark poetic read that is a visceral in its telling. It’s an extraordinary debut that we urge you to seek out * Stylist, 'Books to read this Spring' *Peach by Emma Glass is a short and brutal tale of sexual assault and its resulting traumas that carries clear echoes of Eimear McBride ... The language is scintillating, the emotional heft remarkable * Observer, The best fiction for 2018 *Peach is shocking, revealing and deals with a subject most authors would shy away from. It is uncomfortable, worthy and brave …Glass deserves recognition for her bravery regarding both the topic and style * Independent *A visceral work … Glass uses fragmented, sensory language to evoke the lasting trauma of a sexual assault, from dissociative episodes to body dysmorphia. But for all its emotional insight, the book’s boldest choice is its suspension between fantasy and reality * New Statesman *Genre-defying and brilliantly surreal novella ... Barely 100 pages, and somewhere between poetry and prose, this is a book to be devoured in a single sitting. Glass is an exciting new author to know * Vogue *An impressive achievement. There are obvious Joycean and Eimear McBridean influences on her writing, which is rich with onomatopoeia, musical rhythm and graphic, bloody imagery …A truly original voice for the future. Peach is a meeting place for expressionist poetry and Cronenberg-style body horror that’s not something you come across every day * Big Issue *A debut of consistently visceral writing ... The dark poetic world of Emma Glass’s debut, Peach, immerses the reader in a young woman’s personal hell … Through prose that is lyrical, mythic and yet wonderfully clear, Peach expounds on themes of good versus evil, and the base nature of desire, consumption and carnality … There is a spoken word vibrancy to Glass’s prose … Not since Patrick McCabe’s The Butcher Boy has such symbolism been used so effectively to make clear one woman’s brutal experiences * Irish Times *Surreal and unsettling, experimental and lyrical * Big Issue *A daring novel * Sunday Times *Powerfully felt, sinister, vivid * Literary Review *Related in an urgent, rhythmic unspooling of language … Peach’s voice is unsettling, idiosyncratic and discomforting, as well as being moving and utterly absorbing … This sense of radical domestic fantasy gives the novel a raw power, as well as provoking multiple interpretations. It may occasionally confound, but Peach is a bold, memorable novel – gripping, strange and utterly singular * Spectator *Challenging fiction that disrupts narrative forms, provocatively outlandish stream of consciousness set in the aftermath of a sexual assault … A gutsy, discomfiting experiment * Metro *It’s apt to see that this debut author cites James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, Kate Bush and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) in her acknowledgements. Peach is a hypnotic, visceral read ... Lyrically and visually driven, Glass’s sentences read like powerful poems, and they encompass so much emotion, you’ll find it hard to put this novel down once you start * Lithub, 15 books you should read this January *What it lacks in pages (Peach has just 98), it makes up for in uniqueness * Red, Most Hotly Anticipated Books of 2018 *This startling book uses hypervisceral prose to detail how a woman tries to move through ordinary life after being raped. An explosive dramatization of trauma, Glass' short but harrowing Peach provides a propulsive, unforgettable read that's impossible to shake * Entertainment Weekly *Choose wisely the moment when you pick up Peach; because once you do you'll be unable to put it down until the very last sentence -- Kamila Shamsie, author of Home FireImpossible to categorise, intimately weird and exhilaratingly bold, Peach shares literary DNA with Gertrude Stein, Hubert Selby Jr, and Eimear McBride, but Emma Glass’s massive talent is all her own -- Laline Paull, author of The BeesPeach is ferocious, startling, all-consuming ... it has changed the way I see the world -- Daisy Johnson, author of FenPeach is a work of genius. So lonesome and moving, so gruesome, wry, tender and plaintive. It is the new Jane Eyre, and one wild, thrilling ride. Swallow it in one gulp, and carry a spare copy in your pocket. Always -- Lucy Ellmann, author of MimiA mesmerising, deeply disturbing and stylistically daring debut, Peach reads almost like an incantation of dread and fear ... A visceral and unflinching journey through one woman's internal life. Like A Girl is a Half -formed Thing before it, this is a ground-breaking work of experimentation * NetGalley, ‘Netgalley UK’s Top Ten Books, December 2017 – January 2018’, *Glass ... aptly portrays Peach's real and mythical struggles between emotion and reason, power and trauma in this darkly arresting debut * Booklist *Glass’s prose is capable of breathtaking deftness ... A terrifying window into a freshly traumatized psyche. With paragraphs that read like poems, this is a memorably crafted entry into the canon of revenge narratives * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A sharp debut...observant and piercing set pieces about suburban malaise and economic drift punctuated with starker themes... MacLean distinguishes himself with his voice — that is, Barry's voice, at first sarcastic and distant, then earnest and ultimately heartbroken.” * Minneapolis Star-Tribune *“MacLean has mastered the tones of striving diffidence in his teen characters as their worlds fall apart at home with badly behaving adults, anger simmers below the surface of daily life, and racial violence erupts. How I Learned to Hate in Ohio becomes not only a finely observed novel but one with a deep social conscience.” * National Book Review *

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Book SynopsisHaunting and heart-wrenching, Tell the Wolves I'm Home is a tender story of love lost and found.1987, New York City. There's only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that's her uncle, the renowned painter, Finn Weiss; he is her godfather, confident, and best friend. So when he dies far too young of a mysterious illness, June's world is turned upside down.But Finn's death brings a surprise acquaintance into June's life. At the funeral, she notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd, and a few days later, June receives a package in the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn's apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet.A the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she's not the only one who misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust this unexpected friend, he might just be the one she needs theTrade ReviewA bittersweet tale of unrequited love, faily portraits, and uncovered secrets. * Marie Claire *

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1978, this is Deborah Moggach''s first novel, newly republished by Tinder Press__________________''Moggach is at the height of her powers'' Sunday Times''She really is the Nora Ephron of North London'' Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures''She writes unflinchingly about family life, divorce, children, and the ups and downs of relationships'' Independent''She writes beautifully'' Sunday Telegraph__________________Three sisters, Claire - a model daughter, a teacher, straightforward, happy yet wanting love. Laura, the wild one, a student, a beauty, yearning to break the bounds of family life. And Holly, their little sister, the one they don''t really know, but who watches everything.Leaving home, seduction, coming of age and growing up abound in this delicious novel of sibling rivalry, partnership and love.Trade ReviewA delightful story of young love * Times *Sensitive and humorous * Daily Express *The happiest, saddest, funniest, most perceptive truth about growing up since The Catcher in the Rye * Over 21 *

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Book SynopsisHis famous father is inviting him on more than just a journey into the past. It’s a treasure hunt. To his fans, Édouard Bresson is the greatest comic standing—charismatic, adored, unmatched, and aiming ever higher for the unpredictable. To his ex-wife, he fulfilled all expectations, except as a husband and a lover. To his brother, he’s a hero. And to his estranged son, Arthur, he’s always been a mystery. Never more so than now… After the performance of a lifetime at the sold-out Stade de France, Édouard decides to vanish. Très drôle. Arthur isn’t laughing. Édouard has sent him a letter and instructions to a puzzle—a treasure hunt for the son he ignored and misses and loves. If Arthur is willing to find out everything there is to know about his father and to understand the choices he made, all he has to do is put the pieces together. As the trail of clues winds its way through the past—reflected in the memories of both father and son—what unfolds is a surprising journey of forgiveness, family, and self-discovery.

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Book SynopsisWall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s coming-of-age story is, according to Booklist, “a novel that, if it doesn’t cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border.” Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called “Devil Boy” or Sam “Hell” by his classmates; “God’s will” is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by his mother’s devout faith, his father’s practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends. Sam believed it was God who sent Ernie Cantwell, the only African American kid in his class, to be the friend he so desperately needed. And that it was God’s idea for Mickie Kennedy to storm into Our Lady of Mercy like a tornado, uprooting every rule Sam had been taught about boys and girls. Forty years later, Sam, a small-town eye doctor, is no longer certain anything was by design—especially not the tragedy that caused him to turn his back on his friends, his hometown, and the life he’d always known. Running from the pain, eyes closed, served little purpose. Now, as he looks back on his life, Sam embarks on a journey that will take him halfway around the world. This time, his eyes are wide open—bringing into clear view what changed him, defined him, and made him so afraid, until he can finally see what truly matters. Winner of Suspense Magazine’s Crimson Scribe Award.Trade ReviewA Suspense Magazine Crimson Scribe Award Winner A Goodreads Choice Award Semifinalist, Historical Fiction An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Literature & Fiction Category “This is the bestselling Dugoni’s masterpiece, the book by which his work, and that of others, will be measured for years to come.” —Providence Journal “Dugoni has produced a novel that, if it doesn’t cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border…Told in two separate time lines (Sam as a boy, and Sam as a man) that eventually come together, and written in a gentle, introspective yet dramatic style that is very different from that of Dugoni’s crime fiction, this is an inspirational story of a man who spends a lifetime getting to know himself.” —Booklist “Sam Hell is inspiring and aglow with the promise of redemption.” —Kirkus Reviews “Robert Dugoni has a rare and brilliant talent for infusing his characters with complex emotions. It is very hard not to ache for young Sam…Frankly, this might be the best book of the year.” —Bookreporter “Distinctly different in style from Dugoni’s typical fare, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, is a captivating and poignant journey of strength and the power of finding your true self. Without a doubt, this is Dugoni’s best yet.” —Suspense Magazine “Dugoni’s writing is compellingly quick, simple, and evocative; readers will immediately empathize with young Sam and will race to discover how his story ends. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell is a heartwarming novel that celebrates overcoming the unfairnesses of life.” —Seattle Book Review Past Praise for Robert Dugoni: “Dugoni is a superb storyteller…” —Boston Globe “Dugoni has a gift for creating compelling characters and mysteries that seem straightforward, but his stories, like an onion, have many hidden layers.” —Associated Press

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2016 David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut Death and destruction will bar her way. . . Kyndra's fate holds betrayal and salvation, but the journey starts in her small village. On the day she comes of age, she accidentally disrupts an ancient ceremony, ending centuries of tradition. So when an unnatural storm targets her superstitious community, Kyndra is blamed. She fears for her life until two strangers save her, by wielding powers not seen for an age - powers fuelled by the sun and the moon.Together, they flee to the hidden citadel of Naris. And here, Kyndra experiences disturbing visions of the past, showing war and one man's terrifying response. She'll learn more in the city's subterranean chambers, amongst fanatics and rebels. But first Kyndra will be brutally tested in a bid to unlock her own magic.If she survives the ordeal, she'll discover a force greater than she could ever have imagined. But could it create as well as destroy? And can she control it, to right an ancient wrong? With George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones now a huge TV success, fantasy fiction has never been more popular. And these books are traditional fantasy at its very best.Trade ReviewEvocative, original worldbuilding and a wonderfully feisty heroine: top marks to Lucy Hounsom * Karen Miller *A brave heroine, a perilous destiny, and an intriguing world full of myth and mystery make for an enthralling read * Gail Z. Martin *I thought it was great, reminding me of Trudi Canavan; it had me turning pages way into the night, which is not good at my age! What a mix: immersive worldbuilding, secret societies, a flawed and hugely likeable protagonist, and awesome magic. There's a lot to like here, but be warned, this book will seriously damage your sleep. * John Gwynne *Has all the elements to become a modern classic of the genre. It's essentially a coming-of-age story that breaks out into a wide-screen fantasy extravaganza with huge stakes * Independent on Sunday *For those readers with a yearning for a novel with a Trudi Canavan / David Eddings type vibe, but with a contemporary twist, Starborn may be just the ticket * SFFWorld.com *An exciting new high fantasy story . . . the story moves along at a brisk pace * SFBook.com *A genuinely impressive debut, and Lucy Hounsom is definitely one to watch * TheBookbag.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisThe characters in this book are works of fiction. But, then, isn’t everyone . . . ?1988, Pencalenick, Cornwall.At seventeen, Jason wants much more from life than working at his father’s pub and when fate, in the form of twins Daisy and Bea and their small circle of friends, offers him a glimpse of another, more glamorous, world, he’s determined to become a part of it. It’s Daisy who Jason is most entranced by, though. Everyone is: she’s the sun around which others orbit.The trouble with the sun, of course, is that those who get too close risk getting burned – and by the end of the summer, one of the group will be dead.2018, Camberwell, London. When famous actress Daisy Hemmings decides it's time to publish her autobiography, she chooses James Tate to write it. James is a ghost writer: it’s his job to step into other people’s shoes; to tell their stories for them. And he’s good at it. Very good. After all, he’s had years of practice at pretending to be someone he’s not. But what happens when past and present – and truth and lies – collide?Joanna Nadin’s The Double Life of Daisy Hemmings is an unflinching, unforgettable novel about the people we are, the people we’d like to be, and the price we pay for getting what we want . . .Trade ReviewUnflinching, unforgettable . . . Nadin should be this year's summer sensation -- a step up for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid. * The Bookseller *The writing fizzes with energy and charm, and the story is bewitching. I didn't want it to end -- Emylia Hall, author of The Book of SummersTotally absorbing and evocative -- Kate Riordan, author of Summer FeverA gloriously shimmering and captivating novel, with a mystery at its heart that keeps you turning its pages -- Emily KochA clever novel . . . about truth, lies and what happens when the secrets we keep are exposed * Red *A gem. Atmospheric and thrilling and sexy and so clever -- Laura Pearson

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Book SynopsisWhat if you were imprisoned for all eternity?The House of Always is the fourth book in Jenn Lyons’s epic fantasy series A Chorus of Dragons, which starts with The Ruin of Kings.In the aftermath of the Ritual of Night, everything has changed.The Eight Immortals have catastrophically failed to stop Kihrin’s enemies, who are moving forward with their plans to free Vol Karoth, the King of Demons. Kihrin has his own ideas about how to fight back, but even if he’s willing to sacrifice everything for victory, the cost may prove too high for his allies.Now they face a choice: can they save the world while saving Kihrin too? Or will they be forced to watch as he becomes the very evil they had all sworn to destroy?Praise for A Chorus of Dragons:‘I loved it’ – Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians‘A larger-than-life adventure story about thieves, wizards, assassins and kings’ – New York TimesTrade ReviewWhat an extraordinary book. The Ruin of Kings is everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply deeply satisfying. I loved it -- Lev Grossman on The Ruin of KingsA fantastic page-turner with a heady blend of great characters, fast-moving action and a fabulously inventive magic system . . . I loved it -- John Gwynne on The Ruin of KingsIt’s impossible not to be impressed with the ambition of it all, the sheer, effervescent joy Lyons takes in the scope of her project. Sometimes you just want a larger-than-life adventure story about thieves, wizards, assassins and kings -- New York Times on The Ruin of KingsLyons proves she is worthy of comparison to other masters of epic fantasy, such as Patrick Rothfuss, Stephen R. Donaldson and Melanie Rawn -- Booklist starred review of The Name of All ThingsSimply put: this is top-notch adventure fantasy written for a twenty-first-century audience – highly recommended -- Kirkus starred review of The Name of All ThingsLyons is creating a complex and wonderful series that will immerse and delight -- Library Journal on The Name of All Things

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Book Synopsis'I adore this book! ... An Experiment in Leisure shows us the burning, intense, messy beauty of youth and what it means to be alive' Maxine Peake 'Can I get a refund?' I asked the bus driver. 'You taking the piss, love?' It's the eve of Brexit, and Grace is supposed to have what she wants. She's swapped West Yorkshire for north London, her accent carefully edited. Her friends drink beer out of artful tins. She makes flat whites for people with berets. She's found a psychoanalyst. But this fantasy of metropolitan cool is turning out to be more costly than she thought and Grace faces complicated crises of identity, class, sexuality and geography. Can she remember how to love? Can she find a way home? 'A dizzying yet powerful read' Claire-Louise Bennett, author of Checkout 19Trade ReviewRiveting...the words blaze and bounce across the page * Claire-Louise Bennett, author of Checkout 19 *I adore this book... Shows us the burning, intense, messy beauty of youth * Maxine Peake *A stunning, vivid and very funny debut * Saskia Vogel, author of Permission *This is such a special book. With deeply joyful pace, and rhythm, I grew as obsessed with the prose itself as I did with the plot and characters. As things in the Big World seem to get more binary, An Experiment in Leisure plunders the grey area with wit and forgiveness - and that's exactly where I wanted to be * Tom Rasmussen, author of First Comes Love *Remarkably assured... An attractive aspect of Glendenning's writing is the warmth with which she suffuses not just Grace but her whole cast of characters * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisOn the train from Karachi, as dusk begins to fall, Fahad's dreams of his summer in London are fading. He is headed to Abad, the family's feudal estate, where his father intends to toughen up his sensitive boy, to teach him about power, duty, family -- to make him a man. Instead, over the course of one shimmering, indolent season, Fahad finds himself seduced by the wildness of the land and by the people he meets: those who revere and revile his father; cousin Mousey, who lives alone with a man he calls his manager; and Ali, a teenager like him, whose presence threatens to unearth all that is hidden. Other Names for Love is a truly exceptional novel: a luminous tale of memory and desire, inheritance and love, and the search for a sense of home. Written with urgency and unusual beauty, it marks the arrival of a stunning new voice in fiction.Trade ReviewA beautiful novel on the desire to leave and the hope to remain, the need to find oneself among one's people and away from them -- HISHAM MATAR, author of The ReturnAn exceptional novel about fathers and sons, desire and love, and the long reach of the past -- SUNJEEV SAHOTA, author of China RoomSuch a deftly told and evocative story of duty, masculinity and desire -- KAMILA SHAMSIE, author of Home FireA twenty-first century variation of Turgenev's Fathers and Sons... Taymour Soomro is a thrilling new addition to international literature -- YIYUN LI, author of Must I GoThis haunted, haunting novel is about the cruelties we commit in our search for freedom and the bonds from which we can never be free. Taymour Soomro's piercing insight is that both the freedom and the bonds are constituent of love -- Garth Greenwell, author of CLEANNESS and WHAT BELONGS TO YOU

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK DISCOVER AWARD 2022Where were you when Keisha the Sket first broke the internet?Keisha is a girl from the ends, sharp, feisty and ambitious; she's been labelled 'top sket' but she's making it work. When childhood crush and long-time admirer, Ricardo, finally wins her over, Keisha has it all: power, a love life and the chance for stability. But trauma comes knocking and with it a whirlwind of choices that will define what kind of a woman she truly wants to be.Told with the heart and soul of the inner city, with an unforgettable heroine, Keisha the Sket is a revelation of the true, raw, arousing and tender core of British youth culture.Complete with essays from esteemed contemporary writers Candice Carty-Williams, Caleb Femi and Aniefiok Ekpoudom.Trade ReviewKeisha the Sket is truly a crucial part of not just Black Brit literature, but British literature as a whole. * Bolu Babalola *Our literary foremother. * Candice Carty-Williams *Keisha the Sket accidentally decolonised literature. * Black Ballad *'Reading Keisha the Sket as an adult makes me swoon at the richness of its nostalgia. * Caleb Femi *British answer to Gossip Girl. * Dazed *

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Book SynopsisAn Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller. From New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde comes a gripping and emotional novel about friendship, motherhood, and the journey toward finding a place to call home. Brooke is a divorced single mom, financially strapped, living with her mother, and holding tight to the one thing that matters most: her two-year-old daughter, Etta. Then, in a matter of seconds, Brooke’s life is shattered when she’s carjacked. Helpless and terrified, all Brooke can do is watch as Etta, still strapped in her seat, disappears into the Los Angeles night. Miles away, Etta is found by Molly, a homeless teen who is all too used to darkness. Thrown away by her parents, and with a future as stable as the wooden crate she calls home, Molly survives day to day by her wits. As unpredictable as her life is, she’s stunned to find Etta, abandoned and alone. Shielding the little girl from more than the elements, Molly must put herself in harm’s way to protect a child as lost as she is. Out of one terrible moment, Brooke’s and Molly’s desperate paths converge and an unlikely friendship across generations and circumstances is formed. With it, Brooke and Molly will come to discover that what’s lost—and what’s found—can change in a heartbeat.Trade Review“A warm and clear-eyed look at what it means to be lost—and found. Fans of Hannah Beckerman and Meg Donohue will adore Brave Girl, Quiet Girl.” —Booklist “Gripping, emotional, fast-paced and fresh, Catherine Ryan Hyde’s latest novel is definitely one to read and share.” —Bookreporter

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Book SynopsisIt’s time everyone knew the truth, and what better way to announce you’re getting married (and gay) than on your family WhatsApp group? Amar can’t wait to tell everyone his wonderful news: he’s found The One, and he’s getting married. But it turns out announcing his engagement on a group chat might not have been the best way to let his strict Muslim Bangladeshi family know that his happy-ever-after partner is a man—and a white man at that. Amar expected a reaction from his four siblings, but his bombshell sends shockwaves throughout the community and begins to fracture their family unit, already fragile from the death of their mother. Suddenly Amar is questioning everything he once believed in: his faith, his culture, his family, his mother’s love—and even his relationship with Joshua. Amar was sure he knew what love meant, but was he just plain wrong? He’s never thought of his relationship with Joshua as a love story—they just fit together, like two halves of a whole. But if they can reconcile their differences with Amar’s culture, could there be hope for his relationship with his family too? And could this whole disaster turn into a love story after all?Trade Review“This Way Out explores the vastness and intricacy of intercultural relationships alongside religious and spiritual reconnection, mental health, and masculinity in South Asian, Muslim, and LGBTQIA+ cultures, and the power of inclusion and a found family amid love, loss, growth, and change.” —Booklist “A beautiful journey” —The New Arab “Adored reading This Way Out—deeply-felt and thought-provoking in equal measure…It’s so fresh and original, I pretty much inhaled it.” —Angela Chadwick “It’s fascinating, absorbing, and vital!” —Matt Cain, author of The Secret Life of Albert Entwistlex and Becoming Ted “A total treat! This Way Out…is absolutely lovely. I loved its portrayal of the family you are born into and the family you make along the way. It was funny and sad and poignant and heartfelt…highly recommended.” —Bethany Clift, author of Last One at the Party and Love and Other Human Errors

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Book SynopsisIn this breezy novel from the author of Somebody That I Used to Know, one Iowa farm girl—a dead ringer for a global pop star—gets an unlikely shot at stardom. Will she choose fame…or the family farm? Red Morgan is fresh out of high school. With signature red curls and a remarkable singing voice, the bubbly teenager is a devoted daughter and big sister. The world should be her oyster. But Red already knows exactly where her future lies: the family farm in Orange City, Iowa. Zay-Zay Waters is at the top of her game. The Brooklyn-born singer has it all—talent, fame, even a smokin’ hot boyfriend. But life in the limelight isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And when a video of Red singing in the mud—looking and sounding exactly like Zay-Zay herself—goes viral, the pop star begins to hatch a plan. Red is the key to Zay-Zay’s scheme. With much-needed money on the line, Red agrees to step into Zay-Zay’s famous shoes for one week. But when planned appearances start to go off script, Red may be in over her head. Can she really pull it off?Trade Review“An amiable fish-out-of-water story that engagingly explores the pitfalls of fame and celebrates young love.” —Kirkus Reviews “Davis, who is also an actor, believably depicts the sometimes outlandish realities of the lifestyles of the rich and famous in this Prince and the Pauper take.” —Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisAll she wants is to be her best self. Is she ready? Absolutely. Does she know what to expect? Absolutely not. Anita is over her life in New York: her dead-end job, tiny studio apartment, self-obsessed friends, and overbearing mom. So she moves west to Los Angeles in search of a new career, enlightenment, and that nebulous target…wellness. She discovers an elite workout class called The Goddess Effect, run by a lifestyle guru named Venus who’s the very definition of #goals. One look at her Lululemon-clad acolytes sweating out their demons while dripping with confidence and Anita’s all in. When one of the class regulars takes Anita under her wing, Anita’s sure she’s found her people. But Anita’s not so smitten that she doesn’t wonder about a few things: an inexplicable invitation to a Goddess Effect retreat, a strange tradition of secret sharing, and whispers about “enhancements” that only Venus can provide. Anita is awakening to a terrifying epiphany: The Goddess Effect isn’t quite what it seems, and it may turn her world—and that of everyone around her—upside down.Trade Review“Mocking the wellness industry can seem like picking off low-hanging fruit, but Marikar elevates her story with wry humor and compassion.” —The Washington Post “Marikar successfully provides larger-than-life caricatures of wellness industry denizens and LA residents at large as well as an outrageous mystery waiting to be exposed.” —Kirkus Reviews “This is a funny and fresh coming-of-age tale. Recommended for readers of Elin Hilderbrand or Jennifer Weiner.” —Library Journal “The frothy exterior of Marikar’s debut hides a sharp bite that readers who enjoyed Leigh Stein’s Self Care will appreciate.” —Booklist “The Goddess Effect is a fall-on-the-floor funny, fresh, and modern take on one woman’s journey to hell and back—and by ‘hell and back,’ I mean a three-month stay in Los Angeles. Here, the devil smells of Santal 33, has hair that cascades in beachy waves, and wears this season’s Rick Owens. Our charming tour guide of Hades on the 405 is Anita Kathlikar, the hilarious love child of Bridget Jones and Lucille Ball who I didn’t know I needed but ended up loving more than I can tell you. Sheila Yasmin Marikar is a pitch-perfect comic genius who delivers a sparkling miracle of a book that left me asking: What exactly is my soul’s highest purpose and what exactly is the best Instagram filter for this picture of my power greens smoothie and collagen toast?” —Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians and Sex and Vanity “Fresh, bitingly modern, and laugh-out-loud funny, The Goddess Effect is more than a page-turner—it’s also razor-sharp commentary on the cult of wellness. I can’t wait to read more from this talented debut author.” —Andrea Bartz, bestselling author of We Were Never Here “Sheila Yasmin Marikar’s writing is prismatic…She had me laughing in one breath, cringing in the next, only to turn on a dime and knock the wind out of me with her honesty. The Goddess Effect skillfully sends up our current obsession with image, tech, and wellness, but at its heart is a timeless human truth: there’s nothing we won’t do to belong.” —Megan Angelo, author of Followers “Sheila Yasmin Marikar’s novel is a witty and compelling exploration of growth, identity, and power. The Goddess Effect is impossible to put down. Readers everywhere will root for Anita on her journey full of self-discovery and surprises. Told with a rare blend of humor and insight, this delicious story will captivate readers from beginning to end!” —Saumya Dave, author of What a Happy Family “I finished The Goddess Effect in a single sitting. Sheila Yasmin Marikar’s assured voice and incisive observations had me laughing out loud one moment and covering my mouth in shock the next. A stellar debut with the perfect number of twists, turns, and Lululemon references.” —Colleen McKeegan, author of The Wild One “Snappy, voyeuristic, and upsettingly relevant, The Goddess Effect takes us on a heart-pumping romp through the ‘cult’ of contemporary wellness. Either ironically or sincerely, if you’ve ever opted to add CBD to your oat milk latte, moon bathed a crystal, dropped $110 on a pair of yoga pants, cried under the mood lighting of a fauxspirational fitness class, or made any other questionable life decision in pursuit of self-actualization and belonging, you will feel both riveted and attacked by this incisive, page-turning tale.” —Amanda Montell, author of Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism and Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language “As a New Yorker who once moved to Los Angeles in search of herself, I know Anita’s inner struggle and yearn to prove something (anything?) all too well. Full of laughable bits on the LA erewhon-fueled lifestyle we all love to hate, this story will make you cringe, laugh, and most of all relate.” —Arianna Margulis, author of But Like Maybe Don’t?

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Book SynopsisA Novel of Redemption from Addiction and a Broken Family “A Clean Heart picks at the knot of addiction and recovery insistently and with a wholesomeness intriguingly at odds with its subject. I enjoyed this book.” –Thomas Beller, author of The Sleep-Over Artist Carter Kirchner struggles to stay sane and sober as a counselor at Six West, an adolescent drug treatment center run by Sister Mary Xavier, a hard-drinking nun with an MBA. The young Kirchner is caught between Sister Mary’s plan to rescue the center by reforming a hard-case kid and the dysfunctional staff’s clumsy plan to intervene on their boss’s drinking. Meanwhile, Carter’s mother―who never forgave him for giving up a promising hockey career to treat his own addiction―lands in the hospital with an advanced case of cirrhosis. Before Carter can help the young addict commissioned to his care or safely navigate the staff’s dysfunctional intervention effort, he must rescue himself from his family’s broken past. A Clean Heart is a novel by John Rosengren, a writer and recent nominee for a Pulitzer Prize who knows the territory of addiction. He went through treatment at age 17 and has been clean and sober since 1981. He also worked in adolescent treatment centers when he was younger. John Rosengren’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications, including The Atlantic, New Yorker, Reader’s Digest, Sports Illustrated, and Utne Reader. If you are a fan of the 2018 films Ben is Back or David Sheff’s Beautiful Boy or have read addiction memoirs such as If You Love Me or We All Fall Down, you will love reading John Rosengren’s A Clean Heart.

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Book SynopsisAn orphaned boy raised by a survivalist wends his way into the real world in an emotional novel about hope, fears, and found family by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde. Out there is chaos, the collapse of society, and so much to be afraid of. All that matters is freedom. That’s what Remy Blake has been taught by his survivalist father. Raised off the grid in the middle of nowhere, his own survival skills not yet honed, Remy is days shy of his eighth birthday when his father unexpectedly dies. As seasons pass, supplies run out, and fending for himself grows more desperate, Remy sets out on foot, unprepared for the great unknown of civilization. He is found—near feral, silent, and terrified—in the small rural town of Blaire. To Anne, a nurturing mother of two adopted teenagers who’s still dealing with her own childhood rejections, Remy is not a lost cause. Just a challenging one. As Remy cautiously adapts to his new foster home, his family wants nothing more than to reassure him that he can trust the world. But to do so, they must first reexamine how much they trust the world themselves, and how much they should. As Remy’s journey into the real world begins, figuring out how to navigate it becomes a path they will have to learn to walk together.Trade Review“Prolific author [Catherine Ryan] Hyde applies her heartwarming style to the dynamic between a foster parent and child, highlighting the power of therapy and the reliability of inner strength.” —Booklist “The story is beautifully conceived and executed and incredibly touching. As with all of Hyde's characters, we really come to empathize with Remy and Anne.” —Bookreporter Previous Praise for Catherine Ryan Hyde “Fans of Catherine Ryan Hyde will adore her new novel…No one in this story is perfect. But despite our flaws, we are all worthy of love and able to share our love, just as Stewie so beautifully demonstrates.” —Bookreporter on Dreaming of Flight “A heartwarming story spanning decades of shared trials and personal growth.” —Booklist on My Name is Anton “There is a little bit of magic in every [Catherine Ryan Hyde] book…Perceptive, heartfelt, and enlightening.” —Novelgossip on Heaven Adjacent “Fans of Homer H. Hickam Jr.’s Rocket Boys, Andrew J. Graff’s Raft of Stars, and Hyde’s substantial backlist will savor this heart-opening and meticulously researched coming-of-age tale.” —Booklist on Boy Underground “A story about good people doing their best to survive, combined with a message that will cause readers to close the book feeling a bit more hopeful about humanity.” —Kirkus Reviews on Take Me with You “Multilayered and heartwarming.” —Booklist on Seven Perfect Things “A deftly crafted novel with an underlying message about the power of simple kindness…a thoroughly engaging read from first page to last.” —Midwest Book Review on Have You Seen Luis Velez? “Hyde is a master at mining the emotional depths of her characters and bringing them out the other side.” —New York Journal of Books on Just After Midnight

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Book SynopsisA poignant story about hopes, dreams, and how far one man’s talent takes him before he realizes it’s about what you do—and how you do it. Frank Ryder is unstoppable on the baseball field—his pitches arrive faster than a batter can swing, giving his opponents no chance. He’s being heralded as a game-changing pitcher. But within the maelstrom of press, adulation, and wild speculation, Frank is a man alone. Haunted by a tragic incident from years past, he yearns to be the best but cannot reconcile the guilt he carries with the man everyone believes him to be. Frank’s path to redemption leads him on a journey back to where his life changed forever, to visit his family, his high school coach, and his brother. Through reconnection and reconciliation with those also deeply affected by the devastating event of Frank’s youth, he finds peace and his place in the world both in and outside the game. The Fireballer is a lyrical, moving story of undeniable talent and the life-changing power of forgiveness and a subtly romantic ode to America’s favorite pastime.Trade Review“Readers looking for sports fiction heavy on the baseball will enjoy this book.” —Library Journal “Like the game of baseball, the great American pastime, there is much to love in The Fireballer by Mark Stevens…a book to enjoy like it was the seventh game of the World Series and your team won.” —New York Journal of Books “Fleet and fun, The Fireballer will appeal to fans of The Natural and Robert Coover’s The Universal Baseball Association. Frank Ryder is a classic American hero—the phenom who has to overcome his own terrible past. Mark Stevens has done the impossible: He actually had me rooting for the Orioles.” —Stewart O’Nan, coauthor of Faithful and author of Ocean State “Seldom do I read a book that knocks my socks off the way The Fireballer did. This is a feel-good baseball story with a hold on the vernacular, the heart, the soul, the big picture, and the subtleties of America’s favorite summer pastime. The characters are beautifully etched, and pitcher Frank Ryder may be the most likeable hero since Gary Cooper gave life to Lou Gehrig on the big screen. I guarantee that you don’t have to be a baseball fan to be swept up by this moving tale. With a full heart, I recommend—no, insist—that you read The Fireballer.” —William Kent Krueger, author of Fox Creek and This Tender Land “Mark Stevens’s The Fireballer is a timeless baseball story told with a love of the game and fast-moving prose that will leave you cheering and crying at the same time. Frank Ryder is the most appealing of heroes, taciturn and loyal, talented and haunted—truly haunted—and with a fastball that will change the game. With its authentic baseball scenes and its rich heart, The Fireballer is a novel that rests comfortably with other classics of the game.” —William Lashner, author of The Barkeep “The Fireballer is not just a great baseball yarn that any fan of the game will enjoy—it is also a richly-layered exploration of character, regret, and redemption.” —Lou Berney, author of November Road and The Long and Faraway Gone “The old game of baseball keeps coming up with new stories about the next twist or turn in the sport. In The Fireballer, Mark Stevens has invented a startling ‘What if?’ that stretches the limits of the game. More than a baseball book, the novel is a journey through the mind and heart of a gifted, but tragic, athlete who finds a road to redemption.” —Stephen Singular, New York Times bestselling author “The Fireballer is a compelling story that I found hard to put down, rich with authentic baseball details and full of heart. Mark Stevens hits it out of the park with this intricate and moving tale of redemption.” —Robert Bailey, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Golfer’s Carol “Mark Stevens has crafted a powerful, heartfelt story—with a memorable baseball backdrop—that carves out a place alongside classics like The Art of Fielding and The Natural. Stevens knows the game—but it’s his deft narrative and characters that help this book truly sing. I couldn’t put it down.” —Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret Identity “You don’t have to know baseball to love The Fireballer. At the center of this big-hearted book is Frank Ryder, a star pitcher tormented by a mistake in his past. Readers root for Frank not for his fastball, but because his redemption delivers us all.” —Stephanie Kane, award-winning mystery writer and author of True Crime Redux “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie…and heart. Pitcher phenom Frank Ryder’s heart is bigger than the game—as is his grief—and his fastball has the potential to transform or destroy both. As Mark Stevens divulges Ryder’s temptations and talent alongside the complexities of the sport, readers will find themselves captivated by a world-class athlete’s regrets and life choices in The Fireballer.” —Janet Fogg, award-winning author of Soliloquy and coauthor of the best seller Fogg in the Cockpit “The Fireballer goes straight into my pantheon of great baseball writing, alongside The Brothers K (David James Duncan), The Art of Fielding (Chad Harbach), You Gotta Have Wa (Robert Whiting), and the many treasures by Roger Angell. Mark Stevens’s ability to get ‘inside baseball’—while telling a moving human story—is both astounding and worthy of readers of all interests and tastes.” —John Galligan, author of the Bad Axe County series “In The Fireballer, Mark Stevens may have invented a new subgenre: the emotional thriller. As Frank Ryder journeys to the source of both his phenomenal talent and his psychic pain, I couldn’t stop turning pages. And when he earns his redemption? Reader, I cried. Love, loss, and ultimate triumph—this book delivers at 110 miles per hour.” —Keir Graff, author of The Three Mrs. Wrights (writing with Linda Joffe Hull as Linda Keir) “Brimming with humanity, The Fireballer is a richly imagined tale of the modern American pastime with a heart as big as center field. Pure storytelling genius.” — Scott Graham, winner of the National Outdoor Book Award and author of Saguaro Sanction “The Fireballer is about a baseball pitcher, sure. The way The Natural is about a bat and Shoeless Joe is about a corn field. But this many-layered tale deeply considers hope, fear, love, grief, and change, all through the prism of our beautiful national pastime. The writing is heartfelt and gorgeous. The Fireballer struck me out.” —Richard Cass, author of the Elder Darrow Jazz Mysteries and The Last Altruist “This is a great American novel that is about so much more than the great American pastime.” —Wendy J. Fox, author of If the Ice Had Held and What If We Were Somewhere Else “The Fireballer isn’t just about baseball. It’s about life and loss and what love can do. Mark Stevens shows not only a deep understanding of the game but of human frailty and grace as well. This book is a true triumph.” —Claire Booth, award-winning journalist and critically acclaimed author of the Hank Worth mysteries “With baseball as the backdrop, The Fireballer is a rich story that will have you rooting for Frank Ryder as he struggles with imprinted tragedies of his past. Don’t be dissuaded if you’re not a fan of baseball. The enjoyment of this novel comes from the talent of Mark Stevens and his craft of characters with depth and heart. The emotion is palpable and the story moving.” —Wendy Terrien, award-winning author of The Rampart Guards “The Fireballer is more than a story of a freakishly talented baseball pitcher. It’s the story of a good man trapped in an industry that both reveres and despises his abilities, and disregards the emotional toll the game takes. While reading The Fireballer I could see the players scattered in the field, smell the beer and hot dogs at the stadium, and feel the whoosh of Frank Ryder’s fastball zooming past the batter. A truly great sports novel.” —Stephanie Gayle, author of Idyll Threats “In fresh, evocative prose, Stevens spins a tale about a phenom baseball pitcher that transcends the genre of ‘sports fiction.’ Compelling and humane. Highly recommended.” —Karen Odden, USA Today bestselling author of the Inspector Corravan Mysteries

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Book Synopsis“Amy Lea’s Woke Up Like This reminded me that the exciting and complicated feelings of our teenage years never truly fade away. The book perfectly captures high school nostalgia . . . It’s a feel-good story for the young and young at heart.” —Mindy Kaling For two high school seniors, it’s seventeen going on thirty—overnight—in a magical romantic comedy about growing up too fast and living in the moment. Planning the perfect prom is one last “to do” on ultra-organized Charlotte Wu’s high school bucket list. So far, so good, if not for a decorating accident that sends Charlotte crash-landing off a ladder, face-first into her obnoxiously ripped archnemesis J. T. Renner. Worse? When Charlotte wakes up, she finds herself in an unfamiliar bed at thirty years old, with her bearded fiancé, Renner, by her side. Either they’ve lost their minds or they’ve been drop-kicked into adulthood, forever trapped in the thirty-year-old bodies of their future selves. With each other as their only constant, Charlotte and Renner discover all that’s changed in the time they’ve missed. Charlotte also learns there’s more to Renner than irritating-jock charm, and that reaching the next milestone isn’t as important as what happens in between. Navigating a series of adventures and a confounding new normal, Charlotte and Renner will do whatever it takes to find a way back to seventeen. But when—and if—they do, what then?Trade Review“Lea creates a story that is part 13 Going on 30, part To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (both referenced in the pop-culture savvy text), and 100% swoony fun… A fun, nostalgic story that’s perfect for anyone who wants to take a trip down Memory Lane.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Lea has a sure hand with the slow-burning enemies-to-lovers relationship between her leads, making their path toward each other both entertaining and endearing. Romance fans will eat this up.” —Publishers Weekly “A fun, easily sharable, widely appealing romance that will have a big audience…” —Booklist “Amy Lea’s Woke Up Like This reminded me that the exciting and complicated feelings of our teenage years never truly fade away. The book perfectly captures high school nostalgia…It’s a feel-good story for the young and young at heart.” —Mindy Kaling “Woke Up Like This is witty, earnest, charming, and intensely seventeen. It perfectly captures the highs and lows of being on the brink of big life changes and the thrill of first love (and first hate).” —Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis “Woke Up Like This charmed me from page one and I never wanted it to end! Perfect for fans of Kasie West and Jenny Han, this book is guaranteed to suck you in and force you to read it in one sitting. Ten out of ten would recommend!” —Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies

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Book SynopsisFour women investigating the haunting murder of their friend discover more than they ever imagined in a terrifying novel about good and evil, love and death, and the spaces between. Five years after Sofia Lyon disappeared, her remains are found stuffed into the hollow of a tree bursting through the floorboards of an abandoned house in the woods. The women who loved her flock home to the North Carolina hills to face their grief. Frankie, Sofia’s twin, is in furious mourning. Poppy is heartbroken. Cass has never felt more homesick. And Marya knows something the rest of them don’t. Determined to find Sofia’s murderer, they share more than a need to see justice done for their friend. Each woman is haunted, bound to the next by something both cruel and kind, and now stalked by a shadowy presence they’ve yet to understand. Only to question, and to fear. As Sofia’s secrets unravel, so do those of the woods, and the women soon realize that Sofia might not be who they thought she was at all. And that whoever—or whatever—killed her is coming after them.Trade Review“With stunning prose, Pearson draws readers into the lives of her characters and weaves a horror-esque fantasy tale.” —Library Journal “The two story lines wind and twist and eventually connect in this leisurely paced, lyrically written paean to the power of friendship and chosen family.” —Booklist “We Ate the Dark is a gripping tale of friendship and grief and the real and imagined ghosts from the past that come to haunt us. Deliciously queer and wildly Southern, this book had me turning pages fast, lost in its poetic language, immersed in the lush landscape, holding my breath in anticipation. Mallory Pearson has written a stunning debut filled with sentences that continued to surprise me with their beauty and generosity until the very last page.” —Genevieve Hudson, author of Boys of Alabama and Pretend We Live Here “Written with gorgeous, hypnotic prose, We Ate the Dark is a piece of uncategorizable beauty and a masterclass in suspense: a ghost story inside a mystery inside a story of queer love, friendship, and family. Pearson has added to the queer horror canon with a deeply felt, deeply human masterpiece about grief, magic, connection, and all the things that keep us coming back to one another. Spooky, tender, and heartbreaking, it’ll have you turning the pages like an incantation.” —Marisa Crane, author of I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself

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Book SynopsisIs it harder to keep a secret when the world is watching – or to tell the truth when no-one is listening? Belle Simon was just 12 years old when she was one of six girls plucked from obscurity to star in reality TV sensation The Real Deal. Under the wing of dazzling star Donna Mayfair, she and the other five girls were meant to become world-famous actresses, singers and dancers. But at 26, Belle is trying to live anonymously, away from being loved or loathed. The public eye has never fully shut, however, and when a producer offers Belle a big paycheck to join a reunion special for The Real Deal, she finds it hard to say no. If people are going to talk about that shocking final episode anyway, maybe this is an unexpected opportunity. Everyone watching thinks they know what happened, but only Belle knows what really occurred away from the cameras and outside the editing room. Is she ready to go back and confront her past? And will anyone believe her if she reveals the truth?

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Book SynopsisLa Bouillie de la Comtesse Berthe est un conte du petit peuple écrit par Alexandre Dumas, le célèbre auteur des Trois Mousquetaires et du Comte de Monte-Cristo. Sur les rives du Rhin médiéval, vivait jadis une femme au grand coeur, charitable, une personne aimable, compatissante, déterminée et noble : la comtesse Berthe. Celle-ci instaura une tradition plutôt inhabituelle, une fête annuelle qui devait se tenir le premier mai de chaque année, la bouillie de la comtesse Berthe. " Je dois d'abord vous dire qu'il y avait autrefois en Allemagne une race de bons petits esprits, malheureusement disparus depuis, dont le plus grand mesurait à peine six pouces. On les appelait les Cobolds. " La Bouillie de la Comtesse Berthe est une perle rare du passé remise au goût du jour par cette nouvelle édition dans l'intérêt mais aussi pour l'amusement des lecteurs, petits et grands, où qu'ils se trouvent sur la planète Terre.

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Book SynopsisAfter a hunting trip one fall, a family in the far reaches of so-called Canada's north return to nothing but an empty space where their home once stood. Finding themselves suddenly homeless, they have no choice but to assimilate into settler-colonial society in a mining town that has encroached on their freedom.An intergenerational coming-of-age novel, This House Is Not a Home follows K????, a Dene man who grew up entirely on the land before being taken to residential school. When he finally returns home, he struggles to connect with his family: his younger brother whom he has never met, his mother because he has lost his language, and an absent father whose disappearance he is too afraid to question.The third book from acclaimed Dene, Cree and Metis writer Katłįà, This House Is Not a Home is a fictional story based on true events. Visceral and embodied, heartbreaking and spirited, this book presents a clear trajectory of how settlers dispossessed Indigenous Peoples of their land - and how Indigenous communities, with dignity and resilience, continue to live and honour their culture, values, inherent knowledge systems, and Indigenous rights towards re-establishing sovereignty. Fierce and unflinching, this story is a call for land back.

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Book Synopsis'Tender, beautiful and bold. A very special novel.' LIZZIE HUXLEY-JONES, author of Make You Mine This Christmas'Fun, fresh and clever . . . a huge treat for all fans of Jane Eyre.' KATIE LUMSDEN, author of The Secrets of Hartwood Hall'A sublime and tenderly written novel.' BEA FITZGERALD, author of Girl, Goddess, QueenAll Brontë Ellis has ever known is life at St. Mary's all-boys boarding school, where he lingered first as a student and then as a teaching assistant. So when a chance to forge a new life in Cambridge presents itself, he seizes it with both hands. Arriving at Greenwood Manor as the new live-in tutor, Bron finds himself welcomed by all - the gregarious Mr Edwards, his precocious pupil Ada . . . except for Darcy, the elusive and tempestuous eldest son. Despite the rumours about him, Bron cannot help feeling drawn to the one person who seems determined to avoid him.When tragedy strikes the house, Bron begins to sense dark secrets smouldering beneath Greenwood Manor's surface. Soon he's not sure what to believe, or whether he even has a future at Greenwood. Only Darcy holds the key, if he can be persuaded to reveal his heart to Bron . . .'A love letter to the period drama, and one I could not put down.' WILLIAM HUSSEY, author of Broken Hearts and Zombie Parts'Clever and beautifully written, I loved this.' EMMA CARROLL, author of The Week at World's EndTrade ReviewTender, beautiful and bold. A deeply nostalgic modern classic with a bibliophile, genderqueer Jane Eyre protagonist. Brilliant queer anachronism and deep longing blended with Castle's prose and storytelling prowess make for a very special novel. * Lizzie Huxley-Jones, author of Make You Mine This Christmas *Fun, fresh and clever. A fantastic coming of age story, and a huge treat for all fans of Jane Eyre. * Katie Lumsden, author of The Secrets of Hartwood Hall *A love letter to the period drama, and one I could not put down. * William Hussey, author of Broken Hearts and Zombie Parts *The Manor House Governess is a sublime and tenderly written novel that is at once an interrogation of and love letter to the literary classics. I am so happy this book exists. * Bea Fitzgerald, author of Girl, Goddess, Queen *A brilliantly queer take on the Victorian governess archetype. Conceptually clever & beautifully written, I loved this homage to Jane Eyre & Jane Austen. * Emma Carroll, author of The Week at World's End *In turns spooky, funny, and romantic, C. A. Castle's debut novel is sure to be a hit with readers across genres and generations. * Mackenzi Lee, Stonewall Honor and New York Times-bestselling author of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue *C.A. Castle's The Manor House Governess weaves past and present together to create a queer story of love and intrigue that feels thrillingly new and boldly relevant. * Abdi Nazemian, author of Stonewall Honor book Like a Love Story and Only This Beautiful Moment *Atmospheric and emotional, this is a mystery that feels at once timeless and totally modern. This slow-burner will keep you guessing until the final pages. An assured debut. * Justin Myers, author of The Last Romeo, The Fake-Up and The Magnificent Sons *Brimming with lush prose and multi-dimensional characters, The Manor House Governess is a reimagining unlike any other. A modern classic about identity, love, and boldly walking one's own path. * Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care *

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Book Synopsis'This wove a spell on me' – Marian Keyes 'F***ing brilliant' – Daisy May Cooper ___________Meet Gosia.She's a sensitive soul with a filthy mind and problems with intimacy.Between shifts in a well-lit budget supermarket and nights in a badly lit Zone 3 flatshare, she spends hours inside her own head. That is, until a chance encounter snaps her out of her reverie.Propelled into a series of mediocre jobs, lousy dates and even worse sex, the prickly yet warm-hearted Gosia begins her excavation of the 'perfect' life so many dream of.After all, could there be more to it than she imagined?Raw, funny, mean and moving, Odd Hours is a razor-sharp social comedy about human connection, unexpected happiness, and the many forms of love. ___________'A hymn to normality and an absolute joy to read' – Sarah May 'Compelling, surprising, funny' – Kate Sawyer 'Bas writes so well about that state of being young and trying so hard to make connections' – Marianne Levy 'Dark, sharply funny and utterly rewarding ... Reminded me of the brilliant books by Kirsty Capes ... Highly recommended' – Liz HyderTrade Review'Dark, sharply funny and utterly rewarding ... Reminded me of the brilliant books by Kirsty Capes ... Highly recommended' -- Liz Hyder'This enigmatic and idiosyncratic gem is eccentric, quirky and utterly original' -- Kevin O'Sullivan (Irish Examiner Book of 2022)'Bas writes so well about that state of being young and trying so hard to make connections' -- Marianne Levy'Odd Hours is a brilliant satire on the struggles of life in the zero-hours sector ... An auspicious debut' -- Paul Mendez

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Book Synopsis'A legendary writer entirely on his own account' Observer 'Stunningly good' Guardian Gloria Goltz's intellectual ambitions are derailed when she meets Leonard at college. Self-taught, blue-collar, possessor of an aggressive intelligence, Leonard claims to hold the key to unlocking her potential. After making her pregnant, he disappears. Her son Corey grows up without a father, looking for a male role model ­- and restless, dreaming of a great adventure. Instead, when Corey is fifteen, Gloria is diagnosed with motor neuron disease, and his estranged father - this man of domineering charisma and dubious moral character - returns. Determined to be his mother's hero at any cost, Corey begins shouldering responsibility for her expensive medical care, pushing himself to his physical and emotional limits as her disease progresses. And as Leonard's influence over son and mother grows, Corey must dismantle the myth of his father's genius and confront the evil that lurks beneath it. Atticus Lish won a Pen/Faulkner award for his debut Preparation for the Next Life, a novel 'described as the finest and most unsentimental love story of the new decade' in The New York Times. His second novel confirms Lish as a beguiling storyteller and a prose stylist of extraordinary emotional reach and beauty.Trade ReviewLike an American cousin of Shuggie Bain ... Heavyweight prose and highminded commitment * Daily Mail *Stunningly good * Guardian *Visceral and Ingenious * Financial Times *Lish keeps you nothing but rapt by his last-gasp gear change... in years to come he'll be spoken of as a legendary writer entirely on his own account. * Observer *Praise for Preparation for the Next Life -- :A stunning, brilliant novel ... Every word, every encounter, rings true -- 'Pick of the Week' * Observer *Extraordinary ... "Make it new" was Ezra Pound's exhortation ... Lish does exactly that ... astonishing ... nothing less than a triumph, worthy of every heroic adjective a critic could throw. It is a reminder, plain and simple, of what fiction is for * FT *Impressive ... Charged with breathless momentum ... substantial and beguiling * Guardian *A complex exploration of masculinity, veering from the fierce, destructive aggression of Corey's encounters with his father to the tender, attentive dedication he displays toward his mother. Lish writes with unhurried precision, avoiding sentimentality yet generating enormous emotional resonance -- New YorkerThis behemoth of a novel packs an emotional punch that will send you reeling...a disturbing and compelling picture of lives in the margins * Mail on Sunday *Into the field of post-9/11 literature wades America's latest literary darling, Atticus Lish...Lish was awarded the PEN/Faulkner award for this book. Those who have read it will agree with the decision * The Times *Extraordinarily powerful ... Lish's remarkable debut fuses raw realism with narrative poetry to memorable effect * Sunday Times *Devastatingly good. My heart was a different size by the time I finished: swollen from the terrible beating it took, but also, I think, permanently augmented -- Ned Beauman, author of The Teleportation AccidentMagnificent ... one of the best recent novels I have read about work as it exists for millions of people ... attests to a more profound and intimate knowledge of how life functions on the margins * New Statesman *Punches its way, bare-knuckled, through every millennial New York novel centring around middle-class intellectual characters ... kicking typical tales of artsy, east-coast intelligentsia romance into a dumpster. But its real target, sought out with a heat-seeking precision, is far weightier, and that is America itself * Observer *Here is a raw first novel with a low center of gravity. Set in Queens, it dilates upon blinkered lives, scummy apartments, dismal food and bad options. At its heart is a love story between a Chinese immigrant and a veteran of the Iraq war. Mr. Lish's narrative is intense, moving and somehow necessary -- Dwight Garner, '2014 Books of the Year' * The New York Times *Astonishing, gorgeous ... It is hard to imagine a more daunting task for a novelist than to say something new about 9/11. Preparation for the Next Life is dizzying in its ambition and exhilarating in its triumph -- Clancy Martin * New York Review of Books *A stunning debut novel ... Lish's prose is at once raw and disciplined, and every word feels necessary * Publishers Weekly *A tour de force of urban naturalism ... a love story that's as bold and urgent as any you'll read this year -- Sam Sacks * Wall Street Journal *A significant contribution ... striking ... [Lish] isn't catching a mood but building a world ... we look to long novels for richness, not perfection, for power, not precision, so we should savour Lish's audacity and open heart, his refusal to coddle or console * Daily Telegraph *Lish's prose is superlucid, propulsive but always beautifully controlled, authoritative yet selfless, wrought with an exactitude that is the toughest but deepest kind of compassion a book can have -- Colin BarrettA remarkable portrait of a sensitive boy forced into a life of hardness and violence . . . a superbly original talent -- Wall Street JournalWhat a strange genius, this author, of a novel full of such tenderness and violence. The portrait is heartbreaking -- Christian Lorentzen * Harper's *

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Book SynopsisA brilliant psychological thriller by bestselling author J.A. Baker...After spending her childhood in care, Eva is desperate to find her birth parents and to get some closure on her difficult past. And so she finishes her relationship with boyfriend Gareth, leaves her home in London, and heads to Whitby in search of the family she has never known.But Eva’s close friend, Celia is worried. Eva has stopped answering her calls and when Celia travels to London to speak to her she realises Eva has moved without telling anyone. Both women have been badly damaged by their childhoods, and Celia makes the decision to follow Eva to Whitby, concerned that Eva is unravelling....Gareth, furious that Eva ended things the way she did also decides to go in search of his missing girlfriend. But it is the start of a lethal situation.But who exactly is Eva and why is Celia so concerned about her friend?Some relationships are toxic. Others are deadly.**Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Valerie Keogh and K.L. Slater.What people are saying about J.A. Baker...**'Superbly written with a cast of crazy characters who will make you look differently at your co-workers from now on.’ Bestselling author Valerie Keogh'Fast-paced, riveting thriller. Gripped until the last page!' Bestselling author Diana Wilkinson'I read this story in a single day. Once you begin, it's difficult to put it down. 5 stars from me!' Bestselling author L.H. Stacey'A twisty, creepy story, expertly told. Perfect for reading on dark winter evenings…with the doors double-locked and bolted. Highly recommended!' Bestselling author Amanda JamesPlease note this book was previously published as Finding Eva

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Book SynopsisWhen Deshawn hears news of his uncle's death, his riotous big-city life in San Francisco is abruptly put on hold while he travels back to his Alabama hometown for the funeral. While there, he's hit by flashbacks of growing up queer and black in the '80s South, of a youth filled with strong women, bewildered boys, and messed up queers. Wading through prickly reminders of his childhood, of sweltering Sundays, church, family, and the men he once knew, Deshawn reconnects with his old self and the ghosts of his past. A raw, dirty, hilarious, and heart-breaking novel about the experiences that shape us, Since I Laid My Burden Down asks the intimate question: who deserves love?Trade Review"This is the book you fall asleep reading and wake up excited to get back to. A Cult Masterpiece with so many memorable characters and phrases you'll want to grab strangers and read paragraphs to them." - Kathleen Hanna "Brontez Purnell is foul-mouthed and evil. Be warned: this book will make you cackle out loud like you've got the Devil inside you then it will break your heart. Be careful where you read it. BUT DO READ IT." - Justin Vivian Bond "Since I Laid My Burden Down has a fearless (sometimes reckless) humor as Brontez Purnell interrogates what it means to be black, male, queer; a son, an uncle, a lover; Southern, punk, and human. An emotional tightrope walk of a book and an important American story rarely, if ever, told." - Michelle Tea, author of Black Wave "More layered insight than the page count should allow." --MTV News "A complex... look at one man's experience of being black, queer, smart, soft, tough, artistic, and constantly in motion between rural and urban cultures." - Kirkus Reviews "Performance artist Purnell beautifully captures a personality through introspection and memory in this slim novel. . . . a compelling portrait of a particular disaffected kind of gay youth caught between religion, culture, and desire." - Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK 1628. Embarking on a journey in search of her father, a young girl called Mayken boards the Batavia, the most impressive sea vessel of the age. During the long voyage, this curious and resourceful child must find her place in the ship's busy world, and she soon uncovers shadowy secrets above and below deck. As tensions spiral, the fate of the ship and all on board becomes increasingly uncertain.1989. Gil, a boy mourning the death of his mother, is placed in the care of his irritable and reclusive grandfather. Their home is a shack on a tiny fishing island off the Australian coast, notable only for its reefs and wrecked boats. This is no place for a child struggling with a dark past and Gil's actions soon get him noticed by the wrong people.The Night Ship is an enthralling tale of human brutality, providence and friendship, and of two children, hundreds of years apart, whose fates are inextricably bound together.Trade ReviewLyrical, haunting, a beautiful and elegant fictional interpretation of history, I loved it -- KATE MOSSEMajestic . . . Kidd packs the story with superb characters, high emotion and drama . . . this gripping story ebbs and bobs with surprises from Kidd's sparkling imagination * * Independent * *The ambition and execution of [Jess Kidd's] new book The Night Ship is breathtaking! Sweet and grim, epic and domestic - I loved it . . . readers are in for a treat -- GRAHAM NORTON[A] consistently gripping and impressively constructed novel . . . Kidd builds an immersive visual and olfactory world of the 17th century ship . . . since her first novel Himself [Kidd] has displayed a voracious talent for storytelling . . . [a] marvellous, spirited novel * * Financial Times * *Jess Kidd's extraordinary evocation of a place gruesome with ghosts and the stranglehold of the past is nothing short of brilliant. I loved it -- HANNAH KENTGripping . . . The Night Ship is immersive, vivid and immediate, teeming with sensory detail that could only have come from extensive and diligent research and told in beautifully assured prose * * Irish Times * *Fabulous . . . Beautifully pitched, and told in the present tense, there's a wonderful immediacy to the children's stories as they cope with the harsh reality of their worlds but yearn for the magical and mystical, in this briny, beguiling book * * Daily Mail * *Kidd's writing is beautiful, a seemingly effortless layering of small details to create a vivid sense of place and geography . . . wonderful . . . memorable * * Sunday Independent * *I absolutely loved it . . . Fantastic -- STEPHEN MANGANCompelling . . . [Possesses] great energy and originality * * Sunday Times, Historical Fiction Book of the Month * *

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SHORTLISTED FOR 2003 THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE Shortlisted for the Dublin IMPAC Award 2003 'Dangor's writing, and the world he creates with it, exude a vibrant physicality... Dangor's vivid prose, narrative fluency and facility for literary experiment make Bitter Fruit a considerable achievement.'-- Shomit Dutta, Daily Telegraph The last time Silas Ali encountered the Lieutenant, Silas was locked in the back of a police van and the Lieutenant was conducting a vicious assault on Lydia, his wife.When Silas sees him again, by chance, twenty years later, crimes from the past erupt into the present, splintering the Ali's fragile family life. Bitter Fruitis the story of Silas and Lydia, their parents, friends and colleagues, as their lives take off in unexpected directions and relationships fracture under the weight of history.It is also the story of their son Mickey, a student and sexual adventurer, with an enquiring mind and a strong will.An unforgettably fine novel about a brittle family in a dysfunctional society.

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Book SynopsisA Radio 4 Book at Bedtime'The hottest young writer in US fiction' -- GuardianWhen Clarissa Iverton was fourteen years old, her mother disappeared leaving Clarissa to be raised by her father. Upon his death, Clarissa, now twenty-eight, discovers he wasn't her father at all. Abandoning her fiancé, Clarissa travels from New York to Helsinki, and then north of the Arctic Circle - to Lapland. There, under the northern lights, Clarissa not only unearths her family's secrets, but also the truth about herself.Trade ReviewVida's prose has the purity of the Lapland winter that it describes... the writing possesses the clarity of church bells or winter light. -- Neel Mukherjee * The Times *Beautifully written... The writing is deceptively light: you can skip through it, happily enjoying its spare, humorous style, but there are subtleties that call for slow reading... then the book really takes off, growing darker and deeper. -- Jonathan Gibbs * Daily Telegraph *Graceful and inventive. -- Peter Carty * Independent *The whole book [has] peculiarly biting charm, a narrative that manages to be both eerily surreal and fundamentally credible. -- Madison Smartt Bell * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisBasil and Josephine charts the coming of age of two privileged youths from quiet Midwestern towns, Basil Duke Lee and Josephine Perry - based on Fitzgerald himself and a combination of his first love Ginevra King and his wife Zelda. As one struggles to gain the acceptance of his peers and becomes consumed by ambition, the other finds herself obsessed by teenage crushes and has to confront the pitfalls of popularity. Written for the Saturday Evening Post while the author was working on Tender Is the Night, these stories form a realistic and entertaining portrait of two young adults in the 1910s, fascinating both for the autobiographical insights they provide and the timeless satire that Fitzgerald's fiction has become synonymous with.Trade ReviewHe was better than he knew, for in fact and in the literary sense he invented a generation. * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe story of young Henry, who struggles to fulfil his ambitions to become a successful painter and is torn between the gentle Anna and the proud and sensual Judith, is one of the most outstanding and personal Bildungsroman writ¬ten in the German language. Composed between 1846 and 1855, Keller’s poetic, semi-autobiographical novel draws on the author’s own youth, artistic studies and development as a man, as well as providing a comprehensive portrait of his country and his times. Green Henry is one of the most important novels in European literature, and undoubtedly the greatest work of fiction by a Swiss writer.

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Book SynopsisA pair of novellas, set over two pivotal summers in the lives of two young men from Belfast, recall the constraints of the place where they were born and the times in which they are living. Summer on the RoadIt's 1980 and in the last summer before his A levels Mark lands a job he didn't even know he had applied for, sweeping streets for Belfast City Council. Called binman' by his schoolfriends, snooty' by his workmates, he can't imagine anything less like a holiday. Day by day, though, navigating bomb scares, punishing hangovers, broken television sets and a loving but chaotic home life, he begins to glimpse a path all his own, even if he can't see yet where exactly it is going to lead. Last Summer of the Shangri-LasThree years earlier Gem has driven his mother to the brink. She packs him off to stay with his aunt in New York during the infernal heat of the summer of 1977. It's the summer too of disco, of punk, the summer of Sam, and Elvis dead on the bathroom floor. For Gem though it will forever after be the summer he met Vivien as rooted in the city as he is adrift; the summer he stumbled on Mary, Liz and Margie, three-quarters of the greatest New York group of all (and they'd fight anyone who said otherwise); the summer he learned how to go home. Capturing the innocence of adolescent boys, their passion, confusion and yearning, Two Summers is for anyone who has ever been young.

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling debut novel from YouTube sensation Oli WhiteTrade ReviewLove, family, cyberbullying, and illness...amazing...may remind readers of novels by John Green * Orlando Sentinel *Best New Book of July * B&N Teen Blog *Amazon reader reviews'This book is amazing! I couldn't put it down, I had to keep reading!''I love the book. Good job Oli'.'Really recommended 10/10''A really enjoyable read''Absolutely love this book' * : *

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Book SynopsisThe highly acclaimed novel and sequel to Temples of Delight by bestselling and much-loved novelist Barbara TrapidoTrade ReviewBarbara Trapido couldn’t write a boring sentence if she tried -- FAY WELDONRavishing * SUNDAY TIMES *A brilliant book -- MARY WESLEY * DAILY MAIL *She wraps up all the golden threads with dazzling wit ... Think Measure for Measure here and a touch of The Tempest there ... Trapido's pen drips with sensuousness and sexuality * THE TIMES *She is simply dynamite … There are no apparent bounds to Trapido’s skill, her inventiveness and her knowledge of the endlessly surprising and devious ways in which people deal with each other -- PHILIP HENSHER * GUARDIAN *Juggling by Barbara Trapido is, I think, already well known but it should be even more so. It has the best piece of Shakespeare criticism in it I’ve ever read -- KATHERINE RUNDELL * GUARDIAN *A joy to read … Supremely skilful * OBSERVER *A work of enormous charm, highly entertaining and told with a deft touch, which handles serious matters lightly and treats light ones with proper respect * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *A brilliant performance; it is also a magically enjoyable book to read … she understand her characters and cares about them and makes you care too * SPECTATOR *She weaves a cat’s cradle of wit and erudition around her high-stepping characters, take breath-taking risks and triumphs against all the odds * INDEPENDENT *A brilliant performance … A magically enjoyable book * SPECTATOR *

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Book SynopsisA hilarious tale of divorce and dating from the No.1 bestselling author of The Christmas Invitation. Perfect for fans of Katie Fforde and Carole Matthews First comes marriage. Then comes divorce. Then it’s every woman for herself… When Charlie’s husband Matt tells her that he wants a divorce she has to start from scratch. Suddenly single, broke and approaching forty, she is forced to return to her childhood home in the Yorkshire moors. Living with her father and eccentric siblings could be considered a challenge, but soon Charlie finds her new life somewhat refreshing. Now that she’s single she’s got no need to dye her roots nor to be the perfect wife and she can return to her first love – painting. But just as she begins to feel settled, handsome, bad-tempered actor Mace North moves in down the road and starts mixing things up for Charlie in more ways than one… Praise for Trisha Ashley: ‘One of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde ‘Full of down-to-earth humour’ Sophie Kinsella ‘A warm-hearted and comforting read. Trisha at her best’ Carole Matthews ‘An absolute delight. Every Woman for Herself is a laugh-out-loud read that leaves you feeling pleased with the world’ Take a BreakTrade ReviewPraise for Trisha Ashley: ‘One of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde ‘Full of down-to-earth humour’ Sophie Kinsella ‘A warm-hearted and comforting read. Trisha at her best’ Carole Matthews

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Book Synopsis1880s Sudan. When Akuany and her brother are orphaned in a village raid, they are taken in by Yaseen, a young merchant whose vow to care for them will tether him to Akuany throughout their lives. As revolution brews, Sudan begins to prise itself from its Ottoman rulers, and everyone must choose sides.Yaseen feels beholden to stand against the self-proclaimed Mahdi, a decision that threatens to splinter his family. Meanwhile, Akuany grows into womanhood and travels alone across the fractured country, sold and traded from house to house, with only Yaseen as her intermittent lifeline. Their struggle will mirror the increasingly bloody struggle for Sudan itself: for freedom, safety and the possibility of love.River Spirit is a powerful tale of corruption and unshakeable devotion to a cause, to one's faith and to the people who become family.Trade Review‘A novel of extraordinary sympathy and insight … a wonderful achievement.’ Abdulrazak Gurnah, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 'River Spirit had me gripped from the first page. This is real history, imagined in splendid detail – a story of ordinary people caught in extraordinary times. River Spirit is a triumph of storytelling.’ Aminatta Forna ‘Aboulela’s writing soars. She joins writers like Maaza Mengiste, Namwali Serpell and Ayesha Haruna Atta in excavating history, breathing life into it and presenting it in a new light. It is so far my best read this year.’ Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi ‘In rich, evocative detail, Aboulela captures one of the most important moments in Sudanese history. You must read this.’ Dolen Perkins-Valdez ‘Leila Aboulela weaves together strands of Sudan’s history in this fascinating and unforgettable tale. Aboulela uses elegant and poetic prose to create a masterpiece. This is a story that demands to be read.’ Goretti Kyomuhendo ‘Painted with the words of an artist, this novel is a historical portrait of freedom. Aboulela skilfully draws the uncertain colours of what freedom means to different individuals in a Mahdist Sudan to the last full stop.' Zukiswa WannerCaptivating … Through a compelling chorus of voices … Aboulela unspools the fraught story of Sudan, as freedom and faith do battle.' * Daily Mail *‘Dazzling … A love story that endures’ * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisSelection Day is a captivating, witty novel by the Man Booker Prize winning author of The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga.'The most exciting novelist writing in English today' A. N. WilsonOne of the New York Times “100 Notable Books of 2017"Manjunath Kumar is fourteen. He knows he is good at cricket - if not as good as his elder brother Radha. He knows that he fears and resents his domineering and cricket-obsessed father, admires his brilliantly talented sibling and is fascinated by the world of CSI and by curious and interesting scientific facts. But there are many things, about himself and about the world, that he doesn't know . . . Sometimes it seems as though everyone around him has a clear idea of who Manju should be, except Manju himself.When Manju begins to get to know Radha's great rival, a boy as privileged and confident as Manju is not, everything in Manju's world begins to change and he is faced with decisions that will challenge both his sense of self and of the world around him . . .Trade ReviewSelection Day is at its heart an engrossing and nuanced coming-of-age-novel . . . intriguing and subtly developed . . . [Adiga] has succeeded in composing a powerful individual story that, at the same time, does justice to life's (and India's) great indeterminacies. * Sunday Times *[A] finely told, often moving, and intelligent novel . . . Adiga's novel takes in class, religion and sexuality - all issues that disrupt the dream of a sport that cares for nothing but talent and temperament. Because Adiga is a novelist, and one who has grown in his art since his Booker prizewinning debut, The White Tiger, he knows how to talk about all these matters through his characters and their compelling stories. -- Kamila Shamsie * Guardian *[Adiga] has always been drawn to that gap between the glitter and gleam of India Shining and the violence, inequality and social misery that give a partial lie to the nation's desire to rebrand itself . . . [he] has written another snarling, witty state-of-the-nation address about a country in thrall to values that 19th-century moralists would have damned as "not cricket". * Observer *Top-rate fiction from a young master . . . Gripping. * Times *Selection Day is a captivating and sensitive coming-of-age story . . . Adiga's characters are getting more complex with each book, and this complexity makes his indictment of the contemporary world all the more urgent and convincing. -- Hirsh Sawhney * TLS *Nobody can write with such dark wit about the story the social tumult of contemporary India like Aravind Adiga, who won the Booker prize for his 2008 debut, The White Tiger . . . Four years on, his characters' voices still jump off the page. * GQ *What makes Selection Day special beyond its journalistic achievements is its sure sense of the eroticism of the locker room. Stripped of his cricketing whites and chest guard, the sportsman is at risk of exposing his heart . . . Never predictable, never simple and never consoling. * Literary Review *[Selection Day] brings Mumbai to life . . . Adiga handles painful subjects - abuse, violence, corruption - with sensitivity and dazzling flashes of black humour. * Daily Telegraph *Adiga's novels . . . get better and better . . . The social, economic, and environmental preoccupations readers have come to expect of him take [Selection Day] to another level of enlightenment * Sydney Morning Herald *A well-observed, compulsively readable story of adolescence and ambition, fathers and sons and India today. * Tatler *Aravind Adiga’s enthrallingSelection Day studies, with universalizing insight, two brothers from Mumbai consecrated to cricket at psychic cost -- Paul Binding * Times Literary Supplement *Ambitious, original and morally serious . . . a moving, unsettling and absorbing story of aspiration and its discontents in contemporary urban India . . . Much more than just a cricket book, Selection Day is one of the finest novels written about the game, combining astute judgements with accounts of individual innings marked by an unobtrusive lyricism . . . Adiga has often been compared, most notably with Last Man in Tower, to Charles Dickens, but Selection Day is reminiscent of a very different Victorian novelist: Thomas Hardy . . . there is never any doubt of its tragic resolution; yet it loses none of its emotional force . . . Selection Day is written at an angle to conventional realism; Adiga does not construct the illusion that we see this world through the eyes of his characters. We see it through the author's eyes, and what emerges most powerfully, as with Hardy, is the author's own personality: the force of his humanity and his social and political vision . . . In the quarter-century since liberalisation, urban India has seen more social and economic change and upheaval than in entire centuries. To a remarkable and depressing extent, Indian fiction in English has failed to reckon with this change. For the third book running, Adiga rises to the challenge with a novel of ambition, originality, moral seriousness and sociological insight. To use an analogy appropriate to a novel about batsmanship: where so many of his peers are content to safely nudge ones and twos, Adiga remains willing to take risks in the pursuit of fours and sixes. * The Hindu *Enthralling . . . studies, with universalizing insight, two brothers from Mumbai consecrated to cricket at psychic cost * Times Literary Supplement *I also enjoyed and admired Aravind Adiga’s funny and touching Selection Day in which cricketing prodigies in Mumbai face googlies from both bowlers and life -- Peter Parker * Spectator *The best novel I read this year . . . In its primal triangle of rival brothers and a maniacal father, hell-bent on success in cricket in India, Adiga grips the passions while painting an extraordinary panorama of contemporary sports, greed, celebrity, and mundanity. As a literary master, Adiga has only advanced in his art since his Booker Prize-winning The White Tiger. -- Mark Greif * Atlantic *Supplies further proof that [Adiga's] Booker Prize . . . was no fluke. He is not merely a confident storyteller but also a thinker, a skeptic, a wily entertainer, a thorn in the side of orthodoxy and cant . . . What this novel offers is the sound of a serious and nervy writer working at near the top of his form. Like a star cricket batter, Mr. Adiga stands and delivers, as if for days. -- Dwight Garner * New York Times *Adiga’s wit and raw sympathy will carry uninitiated readers beyond their ignorance of cricket . . . Adiga’s paragraphs bounce along like a ball hit hard down a dirt street . . . Adiga’s voice is so exuberant, his plotting so jaunty, that the sadness of this story feels as though it is accumulating just outside our peripheral vision -- Ron Charles * Washington Post *A master class in integrating character . . . Peppered with dashes of humor, this dark and unflinching story is an unqualified triumph. * Booklist (starred review) *

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Book SynopsisBream Gives Me Hiccups: And Other Stories is the whip-smart fiction debut of Academy Award-nominated actor and star of The Social Network, Jesse Eisenberg. Known for his iconic film roles but also for his regular pieces in the New Yorker and his two critically acclaimed plays, Eisenberg is an emerging voice in fiction.Taking its title from a group of stories that begin the book, Bream Gives Me Hiccups moves from contemporary L.A. to the dormrooms of an American college to ancient Pompeii, throwing the reader into a universe of social misfits, reimagined scenes from history, and ridiculous overreactions.United by Eisenberg's gift for humour and character, and grouped into chapters that each open with an illustration by award-winning cartoonist Jean Jullien, the witty pieces collected in Bream Gives Me Hiccups explore what it means to navigate the modern world, and mark the arrival of a fantastically funny, self-ironic, witty and original voice.Trade ReviewThis book is so good, I read it in one gulp. Densely clustered brilliance from a consistent over-achiever, it's funny, precise and tender. * Richard Ayoade *These short stories are all wonderfully original... funny and heartbreaking - sometimes in the same sentence... Terrific. * The Times *This collection is sharp, funny and also nerdy... Measured, cute and winning. Eisenberg navigates the insanities of modern life with self-deprecation and perfectly pitched irony. * Daily Mail *A sharp, witty collection of short stories about people who are disconnected from society... An acerbic 21st-century sketch show. * Financial Times *Satirical, compassionate - and full of shrinks. * Guardian *Witty... undeniably smart and fun. * Heat *His debut collection of stories blends playfulness with whimsy. * Observer *Eisenberg's humour is knowing, sardonic, wisecracking. * The Daily Telegraph *A witty writer. * Grazia *He sure can act, and boy, can he write... Well observed, friskily written and a hoot. * Tatler *Eisenberg continues to deliver both considered humour and intelligent, conversational prose... a charming and clever collection. * Independent *The latest literary star in the making is The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg. * New York Observer *Tell your "Social Network!" The actor is writing a book. Move over, James Franco - Jesse Eisenberg is the newest young thespian to enter the writing ring. * USA Today *Eisenberg is truly a talented writer. Hilarious and poignant. * Entertainment Weekly *It is when he writes more and jokes less that Eisenberg's prose really sings, leading you to hope he takes the plunge and writes a proper novel soon. But his thoroughly enjoyable debut will more than do for now. * Esquire *Brilliantly witty, deeply intelligent, and just plain hilarious... -- Sherman AlexieA remarkable book by an immensely talented writer. -- Andy BorowitzJesse Eisenberg writes with formidable intellect and verbal dexterity... You'll want to give his debut collection 2000 out of 2000 stars. -- Teddy WayneI've been a fan of Jesse Eisenberg's plays for years and his prose is just as winning... Hilarious, poignant and at times so self-deprecating it makes me want to give Jesse a hug. He's taken decades of neurosis and spun it into comedy gold. -- Simon RichJesse Eisenberg is a deeply original comic voice. These stories are about the funniness, sadness, and strangeness of everyday life and they really made me laugh. * Roz Chast *Jesse Eisenberg's hysterical and exciting stories... Capture the ridiculous, inappropriate and tender relationships between single mothers and their children with an honesty that will bring tears of laughter to your eyes. * Heather O'Neill *Eisenberg has a great command of language... Skilfully plotted and both funny and moving. * Jewish Chronicle *Eisenberg writes with lancing wit about social misfits who are, perhaps, less insane than the worlds around them. * Sydney Morning Herald *Enter Mr. Eisenberg, whose same jittery on-screen energy seeps into the pages of this book. * The Wall Street Journal *

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Book Synopsis'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.' A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the thirties. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man's struggle for justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much. To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age story, an anti-racist novel, a historical drama of the Great Depression and a sublime example of the Southern writing tradition. Out now as an unabridged audiobook, narrated by Sissy Spacek.Trade ReviewLee explores with exuberant humourthe irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. * The Week *Someone rare has written this very fine novel, a writer with the liveliest sense of life and the warmest, most authentic humour. A touching book; and so funny, so likeable * Truman Capote *There is humour as well as tragedy in this book, besides its faint note of hope for human nature; and it is delightfully written in the now familiar Southern tradition * Sunday Times *Her book is lifted...into the rare company of those that linger in the memory... * Bookman *Unbelievably, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, has never been properly available in Britain until now - but Harper Lee's wonderful novel, first published in 1960, has been worth the wait. Sissy Spacek brings all the characters to life as young Scout Finch watches her lawyer father, Atticus, do battle for the life of a black man who's been accused of the rape of a white girl in a Deep South town steeped in ignorant prejudice. Set in the 1930s, this is a tale that will never age... -- Kati Nicholl * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisA brilliant and thought-provoking novel about family, loyalty and betrayalOnce I'd been Daddy's favourite. Before something terrible happened.Violet Rue is the baby of the seven Kerrigan children and adores her big brothers. What's more, she knows that a family protects its own. To go outside the family to betray the family is unforgiveable. So when she overhears a conversation not meant for her ears and discovers that her brothers have committed a heinous crime, she is torn between her loyalty to her family and her sense of justice. The decision she takes will change her life for ever.Exploring racism, misogyny, community, family, loyalty, sexuality and identity, this is a dark story with a tense and propulsive atmosphere Joyce Carol Oates at her very best.Trade Review‘Simply the most consistently inventive, brilliant, curious and creative writer going’ Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl 'I stand in awe before such an unresting hunger for the literary endeavour' Rose Tremain ‘My Life as a Rat is Oates at her best – a powerful, uncompromising story that explores racism, misogyny and recent American history’ Kate Saunders, The Times ‘Sexism, rape, racism. Murder, sadism – fans will savour this stew of typical Oatsian nasties, in which 12-year old Violet is cruelly exiled from her family … the odyssey her psyche endures is served well by Oates’s juttery, rough-edged prose’ Mail on Sunday ‘Oates’s novel adroitly touches on race, loyalty, misogyny, and class inequality while also telling a moving story with a winning narrator. This book should please her fans and win her new ones’ Publishers Weekly ‘Oates’s prose contains a deep-felt rawness which hovers between hope, despair and love’ Guardian

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Book Synopsis“Amy Lea’s Woke Up Like This reminded me that the exciting and complicated feelings of our teenage years never truly fade away. The book perfectly captures high school nostalgia . . . It’s a feel-good story for the young and young at heart.” —Mindy Kaling For two high school seniors, it’s seventeen going on thirty—overnight—in a magical romantic comedy about growing up too fast and living in the moment. Planning the perfect prom is one last “to do” on ultra-organized Charlotte Wu’s high school bucket list. So far, so good, if not for a decorating accident that sends Charlotte crash-landing off a ladder, face-first into her obnoxiously ripped archnemesis J. T. Renner. Worse? When Charlotte wakes up, she finds herself in an unfamiliar bed at thirty years old, with her bearded fiancé, Renner, by her side. Either they’ve lost their minds or they’ve been drop-kicked into adulthood, forever trapped in the thirty-year-old bodies of their future selves. With each other as their only constant, Charlotte and Renner discover all that’s changed in the time they’ve missed. Charlotte also learns there’s more to Renner than irritating-jock charm, and that reaching the next milestone isn’t as important as what happens in between. Navigating a series of adventures and a confounding new normal, Charlotte and Renner will do whatever it takes to find a way back to seventeen. But when—and if—they do, what then?Trade Review“Lea creates a story that is part 13 Going on 30, part To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (both referenced in the pop-culture savvy text), and 100% swoony fun… A fun, nostalgic story that’s perfect for anyone who wants to take a trip down Memory Lane.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Lea has a sure hand with the slow-burning enemies-to-lovers relationship between her leads, making their path toward each other both entertaining and endearing. Romance fans will eat this up.” —Publishers Weekly “A fun, easily sharable, widely appealing romance that will have a big audience…” —Booklist “Amy Lea’s Woke Up Like This reminded me that the exciting and complicated feelings of our teenage years never truly fade away. The book perfectly captures high school nostalgia…It’s a feel-good story for the young and young at heart.” —Mindy Kaling “Woke Up Like This is witty, earnest, charming, and intensely seventeen. It perfectly captures the highs and lows of being on the brink of big life changes and the thrill of first love (and first hate).” —Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis “Woke Up Like This charmed me from page one and I never wanted it to end! Perfect for fans of Kasie West and Jenny Han, this book is guaranteed to suck you in and force you to read it in one sitting. Ten out of ten would recommend!” —Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a work essential to a complete understanding of the Modernist movement. The Norton Critical Edition presents Joyce’s novel impeccably edited by Hans Walter Gabler and a series of background and critical essays astutely chosen by John Paul Riquelme. It will enhance any high school, college, or graduate course in which it is taught." -- Michael Patrick Gillespie, Florida International University

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.My father's family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip.'An orphan destined for a life of misery and poverty, Pip does not have much in the way of expectations. Only when he begins to visit a rich old woman, Miss Havisham, does he begin to hope for better. When Pip discovers that he has inherited a large sum of money on the condition that he move to London to live the life of a gentleman, Pip takes his chance to leave behind the world he knows and embark upon a new adventure.An illuminating tale of intrigue, fortune and unattainable love, Great Expectations has a cast of memorable characters, and is one of Dickens' most enduring and popular novels.

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Book SynopsisHow can you forge your own path in times of war, uncertainty and hardship?Meg longs for marriage; Amy wants to be a painter; Beth is content to stay at home; while Jo wants adventure and a life without limits. Four decidedly different sisters, growing up during the American Civil War, each facing their own unique challenge.Little Women tells the story of the March sisters. Through parties, travel, illness, arguments, dinners, love affairs and ice skating escapades, we follow these unforgettable women as they come of age.First published over 150 years ago, Little Women is a quintessential American classic which has become a stage and screen favourite ever since, capturing the hearts of millions of readers across the world.

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