Fiction

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

A saleswoman stands before three hundred licensed killers and pitches a poison. To close the deal she lets the buyer test it on her, live, in front of the room. She dies, the product works, and the Scythedom orders fifty vials from a corpse. That scene is four sentences long and it is the whole novel.

Brain Damage by Freida McFadden

A detective sits down beside a woman in a wheelchair and takes out a notebook and a pen with a red cap. He asks what she remembers about the night she was shot. She watches the red cap, because red is the colour her therapists use to show her where the world begins.

The Witch by Freida McFadden

An old woman sells herbs at the Woodhaven market in a dress of a yellow so vivid nobody else in town can manage it. She is the least dangerous person in the book and the first one hanged. The seventeenth-century half of this novel is far better than a mass-market thriller had any obligation to be.

Hollywood, Ending by John Green

In the back of a studio SUV, a publicist coaches a twenty-one-year-old on how to describe his costar to reporters. Ambitious is terrible. Careful is not great, but caring is wonderful. Beautiful is excellent, though he must not say it, only show it with his eyes. John Green's first adult novel begins where most Hollywood novels end.

Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger

A widow sits alone in a dark museum gallery for three years because it is the only place she can cry unobserved. That room, not the time travel, is where this sequel actually lives. Niffenegger has come back to Chicago to write about what people do in the hours before somebody dies.

Non-Fiction

Promise Me Never by Liv Constantine

A famous novelist sits in a locked office clicking through the bestseller list one title at a time, reading synopses, taking notes, hunting for something fresh enough to sell and familiar enough to be safe. He has three months to deliver. He does not have a story. Everything that follows grows out of that empty afternoon.

The French Illusion by John Grisham

A mother in Maryland spends six months telling her friends her son-in-law is recovering from bad shellfish in a Paris hospital. He is not in a hospital. Grisham's fortieth novel is about the lies decent people are ordered to tell, and the bill that comes with them.

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman

In a Hampshire pub garden, a woman who has sold more books than almost anyone alive is introduced to a stranger as Steve's mate. The second We Solve Murders novel is a comedy about murder and a much sadder book about market value.

Monsters in the Archives – My Year of Fear with Stephen King by Caroline Bicks

Monsters in the Archives by Caroline Bicks covers archival findings, Shakespeare parallels, memoir balance, what works, what does not, and the best comparable books for King and literary-memoir readers.

London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe

Full review of London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. Detailed analysis of style, themes, pacing, and how the book compares to Empire of Pain and Say Nothing.

Poetry

A Rebellion of Care by David Gate

David Gate's debut poetry collection, A Rebellion of Care,...

I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins

Hayley Chewins delivers a visceral, unflinching exploration of teenage...

Autopsy of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob by Avan Jogia

In "Autopsy of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob," actor, director, and...

Eat the World by Marina Diamandis

In her debut poetry collection, Marina Diamandis - known...

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass is truly the poetic...

Book List

Where to Start With the Booker Prize 2026 Longlist

Thirteen novels, one shortlist in September, and not enough evenings. Here is what each book on the Booker 2026 longlist actually is, and which one I would open first.

What to Read Before Nolan’s Odyssey

You have a ticket and not much time. Here is what I would actually read before Nolan's Odyssey, sorted by how many free evenings you have between now and the cinema.

Greek Myth Retellings to Read After Circe

Finishing Circe leaves a very specific hole. Here are the Greek myth retellings that actually fill it, and the ones that only pretend to.

Which Odyssey Translation Should Your Book Club Read?

Your group has decided to read Homer. Now comes the argument nobody expects: which Odyssey translation are you all reading, and what happens when half the room turns up with a different book?

The Ultimate Guide to Shari Lapena Books: Dark Secrets and Suburban Shadows

There’s something deeply disquieting about reading a Shari Lapena...

Reader's Corner

Where to Start With the Booker Prize 2026 Longlist

Thirteen novels, one shortlist in September, and not enough evenings. Here is what each book on the Booker 2026 longlist actually is, and which one I would open first.

What to Read Before Nolan’s Odyssey

You have a ticket and not much time. Here is what I would actually read before Nolan's Odyssey, sorted by how many free evenings you have between now and the cinema.

Greek Myth Retellings to Read After Circe

Finishing Circe leaves a very specific hole. Here are the Greek myth retellings that actually fill it, and the ones that only pretend to.

Which Odyssey Translation Should Your Book Club Read?

Your group has decided to read Homer. Now comes the argument nobody expects: which Odyssey translation are you all reading, and what happens when half the room turns up with a different book?

Books for Horse Racing Enthusiasts

Discover the best books for horse racing enthusiasts, from novels like The Sport of Kings to classics like Seabiscuit. Perfect for fans, bettors, and horse lovers alike.

Author Interview

Christopher Null

Christopher Null is an award-winning journalist, editor, and novelist.Null...

Writing Guide

What Happens to Your Book If Your Publishing Service Goes Under

When an author services company fails, the loss is rarely just money. Here is what actually happens to your listings, your files, your identifiers and your unpaid royalties, stage by stage.

How to Have a Better Book Club Plot Discussion (Without It Feeling Like English Class)

Most book club plot discussions end in summary or argument about plot holes. Here's a better set of questions — ones that get to what plot actually reveals about character, theme, and authorial intent — without the conversation feeling like a lecture.

Emotional Journaling for Fiction Writers: Breathe Life into Characters

Look, we've all been there. You're staring at a...

Unlock Your Creativity With 5-Minute Writing Sprints

Let's face it, folks - we're living in the...

Publishing Guide

What Happens to Your Book If Your Publishing Service Goes Under

When an author services company fails, the loss is rarely just money. Here is what actually happens to your listings, your files, your identifiers and your unpaid royalties, stage by stage.

Mastering Kindle Vella Publishing: Your Guide to Serial Fiction Success

Hey there, bookworms and aspiring authors! Ready to dive...

Subscription Platforms and the Rise of Serial Fiction

Remember the good old days when people would line...

The Future of Storytelling: Audiobook-First Publishing

So, picture this: I'm sitting in my favorite coffee...

Beyond Self-Publishing: Exploring Hybrid Options for Your Book

Let me tell you, folks, the publishing world is...

Book Marketing Guide

The Psychology of Book Buying

Listen up, fellow book nerds and publishing pros—we're about...

Bookish ASMR: Creating Soothing Content to Attract Readers

Picture this: You're curled up in your favorite reading...

Mastering BookTok Marketing: Your Ultimate Guide to TikTok Success

Welcome to the wild world of BookTok, where literature...

How to Create a Social Media Strategy for Your Book Launch

So, you've toiled for months, maybe even years, crafting...

The Best Social Media Platforms for Authors and Book Marketing

As an author, venturing into the vast, chaotic wilderness...

The Book CLB

Community of Literary Buffs