UrbanObserver
Fiction
My Sister Is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon
A river guide tells a campfire story about a white desert bloom that steals a person's will and leaves them awake for it. Nine chapters later, a luxury skincare brand is selling that flower as self-care. Nina Simon's second novel is a comedy about sisters wrapped around a very cold idea.
Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken
Past midnight, a feared nobleman kneels on his own kitchen floor and sings a tragic fairy ballad to a spaniel who will not otherwise eat. That scene, not the kissing, is what this Regency romantasy is really about.
Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead
A contract killer rides the tourist ferry around Manhattan, disappointed that the Statue of Liberty is closed for repairs. The closing Harlem Trilogy novel keeps handing its interior monologues to exactly the people who should not get them.
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead
A hired thug stands in a drug dealer's hallway and refuses a simple request, and the novel stops everything to explain why. That digression is the best thing in a book stuffed with them.
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
A furniture salesman walks Riverside Drive at night, picks a building, picks a window, and imagines the life inside it. Whitehead's 1960s Harlem novel is about everything standing between that man and that window.
Non-Fiction
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.
Every Day I Read – 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum
Hwang Bo-Reum’s Every Day I Read is less a guide and more a companion: 53 reflective essays on reading, focus, comfort, and letting go of pressure. Here’s what works—and what repeats.
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...
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...
AI Writing Assistants: Enhancing Creativity Without Compromise
Let me tell you a story. It was 2...
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...
Fiction
My Sister Is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon
A river guide tells a campfire story about a white desert bloom that steals a person's will and leaves them awake for it. Nine chapters later, a luxury skincare brand is selling that flower as self-care. Nina Simon's second novel is a comedy about sisters wrapped around a very cold idea.
Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken
Past midnight, a feared nobleman kneels on his own kitchen floor and sings a tragic fairy ballad to a spaniel who will not otherwise eat. That scene, not the kissing, is what this Regency romantasy is really about.
Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead
A contract killer rides the tourist ferry around Manhattan, disappointed that the Statue of Liberty is closed for repairs. The closing Harlem Trilogy novel keeps handing its interior monologues to exactly the people who should not get them.
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead
A hired thug stands in a drug dealer's hallway and refuses a simple request, and the novel stops everything to explain why. That digression is the best thing in a book stuffed with them.
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
A furniture salesman walks Riverside Drive at night, picks a building, picks a window, and imagines the life inside it. Whitehead's 1960s Harlem novel is about everything standing between that man and that window.
Non-Fiction
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.
Every Day I Read – 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum
Hwang Bo-Reum’s Every Day I Read is less a guide and more a companion: 53 reflective essays on reading, focus, comfort, and letting go of pressure. Here’s what works—and what repeats.
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...
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...
AI Writing Assistants: Enhancing Creativity Without Compromise
Let me tell you a story. It was 2...
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...
Latest Articles
My Sister Is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon
A river guide tells a campfire story about a white desert bloom that steals a person's will and leaves them awake for it. Nine chapters later, a luxury skincare brand is selling that flower as self-care. Nina Simon's second novel is a comedy about sisters wrapped around a very cold idea.
Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken
Past midnight, a feared nobleman kneels on his own kitchen floor and sings a tragic fairy ballad to a spaniel who will not otherwise eat. That scene, not the kissing, is what this Regency romantasy is really about.
Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead
A contract killer rides the tourist ferry around Manhattan, disappointed that the Statue of Liberty is closed for repairs. The closing Harlem Trilogy novel keeps handing its interior monologues to exactly the people who should not get them.
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