UrbanObserver
Fiction
The Disappearers by Marlon James
Seven men sit in a rehearsal room in 1988 Kingston and take turns telling each other the worst thing that was ever done to them. One of them tells his laughing. Nothing else I have read this year has taken so much out of me.
Black Bag by Luke Kennard
I laughed out loud on a train at page nine and then spent the last fifty pages feeling genuinely sad about a Swedish woman who does not exist. Luke Kennard's third novel is a strange, wonderful, baggy thing.
The Vivisectors by Missouri Williams
Three times this novel stops dead and turns into a play. Once it is seven gardeners arguing about paradise. Once it is a song sung by mould. I have never read anything quite like it and I am still not sure I liked being inside it.
Switzy by Emma Cline
A nine-year-old plays his grandfather a piece of Mahler and the old man makes him turn it off. I have been thinking about that scene for three days. Emma Cline's new novel is quiet, funny and completely merciless.
All Them Dogs by Djamel White
I spent two days inside the head of a man who would frighten me on a footpath, and by the end I did not want to leave him there. Djamel White's first novel is very funny until the exact second it isn't.
Non-Fiction
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.
The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel
In this insightful review of The Art of Spending Money, we unpack Morgan Housel’s brilliant shift from wealth accumulation to meaningful spending. Explore the psychology behind purchases, the traps of status spending, and how to use money as a tool for freedom and fulfillment.
All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert
Explore Elizabeth Gilbert’s fearless memoir All the Way to the River, where love meets addiction and grief becomes liberation. This review unpacks her raw exploration of codependency, obsession, and emotional survival, marking a bold departure from her earlier works.
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
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...
Unlock the Secrets of Non-Linear Storytelling in the Streaming Era
Picture this: It's 2 AM, you're bleary-eyed, sprawled on...
Publishing Guide
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...
Top 10 Publishing Trends for 2024
Well, folks, it's that time of year again. Time...
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
The Disappearers by Marlon James
Seven men sit in a rehearsal room in 1988 Kingston and take turns telling each other the worst thing that was ever done to them. One of them tells his laughing. Nothing else I have read this year has taken so much out of me.
Black Bag by Luke Kennard
I laughed out loud on a train at page nine and then spent the last fifty pages feeling genuinely sad about a Swedish woman who does not exist. Luke Kennard's third novel is a strange, wonderful, baggy thing.
The Vivisectors by Missouri Williams
Three times this novel stops dead and turns into a play. Once it is seven gardeners arguing about paradise. Once it is a song sung by mould. I have never read anything quite like it and I am still not sure I liked being inside it.
Switzy by Emma Cline
A nine-year-old plays his grandfather a piece of Mahler and the old man makes him turn it off. I have been thinking about that scene for three days. Emma Cline's new novel is quiet, funny and completely merciless.
All Them Dogs by Djamel White
I spent two days inside the head of a man who would frighten me on a footpath, and by the end I did not want to leave him there. Djamel White's first novel is very funny until the exact second it isn't.
Non-Fiction
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.
The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel
In this insightful review of The Art of Spending Money, we unpack Morgan Housel’s brilliant shift from wealth accumulation to meaningful spending. Explore the psychology behind purchases, the traps of status spending, and how to use money as a tool for freedom and fulfillment.
All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert
Explore Elizabeth Gilbert’s fearless memoir All the Way to the River, where love meets addiction and grief becomes liberation. This review unpacks her raw exploration of codependency, obsession, and emotional survival, marking a bold departure from her earlier works.
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
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...
Unlock the Secrets of Non-Linear Storytelling in the Streaming Era
Picture this: It's 2 AM, you're bleary-eyed, sprawled on...
Publishing Guide
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...
Top 10 Publishing Trends for 2024
Well, folks, it's that time of year again. Time...
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
The Disappearers by Marlon James
Seven men sit in a rehearsal room in 1988 Kingston and take turns telling each other the worst thing that was ever done to them. One of them tells his laughing. Nothing else I have read this year has taken so much out of me.
Black Bag by Luke Kennard
I laughed out loud on a train at page nine and then spent the last fifty pages feeling genuinely sad about a Swedish woman who does not exist. Luke Kennard's third novel is a strange, wonderful, baggy thing.
The Vivisectors by Missouri Williams
Three times this novel stops dead and turns into a play. Once it is seven gardeners arguing about paradise. Once it is a song sung by mould. I have never read anything quite like it and I am still not sure I liked being inside it.
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