bibliophile
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*Advanced Reader Copy* Returning to The Book Club Murders felt like catching up with old friends. The familiar cast, another compelling mystery, and Maggie Allswell’s cosy writing style made this a thoroughly enjoyable read. While I found this instalment a little more predictable than the first, it was still an entertaining mystery that kept the…
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Atmosphere is a breathtaking blend of ambition, love, and resilience set against the backdrop of NASA’s 1980s Space Shuttle programme. Taylor Jenkins Reid creates a story that feels both intimate and epic, with a protagonist I couldn’t help but root for. Richly researched, emotionally powerful, and impossible to put down, this is a novel that…
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One of the strongest themes throughout the novel is Olive’s internal struggle between logic and vulnerability. As a scientist, she relies on data, evidence, and hypotheses to understand the world around her. However, as her feelings develop, she discovers that emotions cannot be measured or calculated quite so easily, forcing her to embrace a level…
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*Advanced Reader Copy* The Knife Maker of Venice is a well-researched historical fiction set in seventeenth-century Europe, following a young English boy who is captured and sold into slavery in Venice. The story begins slowly, focusing on world-building and character introduction, before building into a more fast-paced and action-driven second half. The sibling relationship between…
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Orbital by Samantha Harvey is a quiet, reflective science-fiction novel that follows a group of astronauts observing Earth from space, focusing more on their thoughts and emotions than a traditional plot. While it explores powerful themes like grief, human connection, and the fragility of our planet, I often felt a little disconnected despite some thought-provoking…
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In a world where colourful covers can hide complex and explicit themes, how do we know what’s truly suitable for younger readers? As “spicy” BookTok recommendations continue to blur the line between Young Adult and Adult fiction, it raises an important question: should books come with age ratings like films and games?
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There’s something incredibly special about A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. It isn’t driven by high-stakes action or constant tension, but by the quiet, meaningful connections between its characters. Each member of the Wayfarer crew feels real, flawed, and deeply human, despite coming from entirely different worlds. It’s a story that reminds you…
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Truth, like light, can blind those unprepared to face it. Yet without it, we stumble endlessly in the dark—mistaking shadows for certainty.