BOOKSIMO

Description 'A profound novel about friendship. I loved it to pieces'  MADELINE MILLER 'A shining tour de force'  ALI SMITH CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF 2022 BY THE GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, DAILY MAIL AND FINANCIAL TIMES A dazzling new novel of friendship, identity and the unknowability of other people - from the international bestselling author of  Home Fire , winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction Fourteen-year-old Maryam and Zahra have always been the best of friends, despite their different backgrounds. Maryam takes for granted that she will stay in Karachi and inherit the family business; while Zahra keeps her desires secret, and dreams of escaping abroad. This year, 1988, anything seems possible for the girls; and for Pakistan, emerging from the darkness of dictatorship into a bright future under another young woman, Benazir Bhutto. But a snap decision at a party celebrating the return of democracy brings the girls' childhoods abruptly to an end. Its consequences will ...

  Description Edward Enninful has lived an extraordinary life. Here, for the first time, he shares the remarkable, inspiring story of his journey from a childhood bedroom in Ghana overlooking firing squads, to 1990s London - becoming the youngest-ever fashion director of i-D magazine at just eighteen years old. Now the first Black editor-in-chief of British Vogue, he has created game-changing images of everyone from Beyoncé to Meghan Markle, Kate Moss to Oprah Winfrey, Adele to Rihanna, and many more stars he now counts as friends. A Visible Man is the story of a husband, son, brother, friend - and icon. Taking us from the neon thrills of Soho clubs to nights spent on friends' sofas, this is the story of Edward's phenomenal grit and determination: of failures, loss, coming out, joy, hedonism, fame, love, heartbreak, sacrifice, ill health and era-defining achievements. It's the story of one man's revolutionary mission to change how we see the world, showing how unwaverin...

  Description This unputdownable debut follows three women in an old Brooklyn Heights clan: one who was born with money, one who married into it, and one who wants to give it all away. Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected, carefully guarded Stockton family, has never had to worry about money. She followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood, sacrificing more of herself than she ever intended. Sasha, Darley's new sister-in-law, has come from more humble origins, and her hesitancy about signing a pre-nup has everyone worried about her intentions. And Georgiana, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can't (and really shouldn't) have, and must confront the kind of person she wants to be. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York's one-percenters,  Pineapple Street  is a smart, escapist novel that sparkles with wit. Full of recognisable, loveable - if fallible - characters, it's about the peculia...

  Description Unwrap this gorgeous gift of a book for an escape to the snow-peaked caps of the Scottish Highlands and a romance that will melt your heart… Izzy McBride had never in a million years expected to inherit an actual castle from her great uncle Bill but here she was, in the run up to Christmas, Monarch of her own Glen – a very rundown glen in need of a lot of TLC if her dream of turning it into a boutique bed and breakfast was to come true. But when Izzy’s eccentric mother rents a room to enigmatic thriller author Ross Adair and the Scottish snow starts to settle like the frosting on a Christmas cake, it’s a race to get the castle ready before they’re all snowed in for the holidays. Review I've loved all the books in this series, but for some reason this one not so much. Izzy has recently returned from Ireland, where we met her in The Cosy Cottage in Ireland on a cookery course. This is a standalone book and you don't need to have read the previous book. She intends t...

  Description 'A delightful and original concept about how a second hand bookshop can heal a community' Katie Fforde 'What a lovely book - so assured and gentle, full of compassion and replete with astute observations of human nature and behaviour' Carys Bray Dear Lost for Words, We are trying to stay at home . . . I am enclosing a cheque and I hope that you will use it to send us some books. Please choose books that we might think are wonderful . Rosemary Loveday Cardew's beloved  Lost for Words  bookshop, along with the rest of York, has fallen quiet. At the very time when people most need books to widen their horizons, or escape from their fears, or enhance their lives, the doors are closed. Then the first letter comes. Rosemary and George have been married for fifty years. Now their time is running out. They have decided to set out on their last journey together, without ever leaving the bench at the bottom of their garden in Whitby. All they need is someone who...

  Description The 2020 National Book Award–nominated poet makes her fiction debut with this magisterial epic—an intimate yet sweeping novel with all the luminescence and force of  Homegoing ;  Sing, Unburied, Sing ; and  The Water Dancer —that chronicles the journey of one American family, from the centuries of the colonial slave trade through the Civil War to our own tumultuous era. The great scholar, W. E. B. Du Bois, once wrote about the Problem of race in America, and what he called “Double Consciousness,” a sensitivity that every African American possesses in order to survive. Since childhood, Ailey Pearl Garfield has understood Du Bois’s words all too well. Bearing the names of two formidable Black Americans—the revered choreographer Alvin Ailey and her great grandmother Pearl, the descendant of enslaved Georgians and tenant farmers—Ailey carries Du Bois’s Problem on her shoulders. Ailey is reared in the north in the City but spends summers in the small Georgia...

  Description A brand new collection of short stories featuring the Queen of Crime’s legendary detective Jane Marple, penned by twelve remarkable bestselling and acclaimed authors. *The first print run will be a true collector’s edition with a gold foiled design on the cover board – pre-order now* This collection of twelve original short stories, all featuring Jane Marple, will introduce the character to a whole new generation. Each author reimagines Agatha Christie’s Marple through their own unique perspective while staying true to the hallmarks of a traditional mystery. · Naomi Alderman · Leigh Bardugo · Alyssa Cole · Lucy Foley · Elly Griffiths · Natalie Haynes · Jean Kwok · Val McDermid · Karen M. McManus · Dreda Say Mitchell · Kate Mosse · Ruth Ware Miss Marple was first introduced to readers in a story Christie wrote for  The Royal Magazine  in 1927 and made her first appearance in a full-length novel in 1930’s  The Murder at the Vicarage . It has been 45 years...

  Description Emma Makepeace is about to spend the longest night in her life. She's on her first operation with shadowy organisation The Agency and is assigned to track down a man wanted by the Russians and bring him in to the safety of MI6. When she identifies her target, Michael, in the northern reaches of Camden town in the late hours of the night, she realises that in order to get him to safety, she needs to reach MI6 by dawn. The only problem? It's on the other side of London and the Russians have eyes everywhere. If spotted, Emma and Michael will be killed. What follows is an exhilarating chase across London's criss-cross streets, the Regent's Canal, a hidden underground river and finally, as dawn breaks, a painstakingly tense crossing of the Thames. But what sort of reception awaits them? Who can be trusted? And why do the Russians seem to be ahead of them every step of the way? KILLING EVE meets JAMES BOND in the first novel of the ALIAS EMMA series: a thrilling...

  Description Three unlikely friends. One chance to save the community. It might just be the perfect blend.... The Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria is at the heart of St Jude's Hospital. Staffed by successive generations of dedicated volunteers, for over fifty years the beloved cafeteria has been serving up a kind word and sympathetic ear along with tea and scones. Hilary , the stalwart Manageress, has worked her way up through the ranks;  Joy , the latest recruit, is driving Hilary mad by arriving late every day; and seventeen-year-old  Chloe , the daughter of two successful surgeons, is volunteering in the holidays and bemused by the older women. But when they discover the cafeteria is under threat of closure, the unlikely trio must put aside their differences. As they realise the secrets and sorrows they have in common, the women grow closer - but can they bring the community together and save the day? Full of wisdom and warmth,  The Tea Ladies of St Jude's Ho...

  Description The brand new psychological thriller from the author of  Am I Guilty ,  The Perfect Couple  and  The Happy Family When Mary receives a blank diary as a present, she thinks nothing of it. Until she opens the diary, and sees it’s not blank after all… 1st January  MURDER LISA, OXFORD 1st February  MURDER JANE, BIRMINGHAM 1st March  MURDER DAVID, CARDIFF 1st April  MURDER MARY, CHELTENHAM Is this a sick joke? But…it’s the end of January now. And a woman called Lisa  was  murdered in Oxford on 1st January. Could there really be a killer out there, planning to commit a new murder each month? And is the Mary due to be killed on 1st April  her ? The clock is ticking for Mary to uncover the truth, before she becomes the next victim on the killer’s list… Review Fast paced and a twisty ride. The book is for the most part narrated by Mary Ellis - receiver of the Murder List.  I really liked the voice she had, so easy goi...

  Description Get ready to hop onboard this summer's unmissable book - the perfect feel-good and heart-warming read. Readers are falling in love with  The People on Platform 5 : ' Incredible book , full of joy and warmth and love!' 'A great novel with some  truly wonderful characters ' ' The fantastic cast of eclectic characters will steal your heart  & have you rooting for their happy endings' ' A feel-good, once-in-a-lifetime story ' ------------------------ Every day at 8:05, Iona Iverson boards the train to go to work with the same group of people who she makes assumptions about, even giving them nicknames. As a seasoned commuter, she knows there are rules that everyone should follow: · You must have a job to go to · Don't consume hot food · Always pack for any eventuality · You must  never  speak to strangers on the train But then, one morning, Smart-but-Sexist-Surbiton chokes on a grape right in front of Iona. Suspiciously-Nice-New Mald...

  Description Five killers on a bullet train from Tokyo are competing for a suitcase full of money. Who will make it to the last station?  An original and propulsive thriller from a Japanese bestseller. *NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE* Satoshi looks like an innocent schoolboy but he is really a viciously cunning psychopath. Kimura's young son is in a coma thanks to him, and Kimura has tracked him onto the bullet train heading from Tokyo to Morioka to exact his revenge. But Kimura soon discovers that they are not the only dangerous passengers onboard. Nanao, the self-proclaimed 'unluckiest assassin in the world', and the deadly partnership of Tangerine and Lemon are also travelling to Morioka. A suitcase full of money leads others to show their hands. Why are they all on the same train, and who will get off alive at the last station? A bestseller in Japan,  Bullet Train  is an original and propulsive thriller which fizzes with an incredible energy as its complex net of do...

  Description She is the woman who clinched the 2019 interview with Prince Andrew, described as ‘a plane crashing into an oil tanker, causing a tsunami, triggering a nuclear explosion’. She is many things beside: the first in her family to go to university; a trained barrister; a single mum; a master of persuasion. In her former BBC colleagues’ words, she was the ‘booker extraordinaire’, responsible for many of Newsnight’s exclusives over the past decade, including Stormy Daniels, Sean Spicer, Brigitte Höss, Steven Seagal, Mel Greig and Julian Assange. After 12 years producing content for Newsnight, McAlister reflects with candour on her experience, sharing not just the secrets of how the best news gets made, but also the changes to the BBC, the future of ‘mainstream media’ in the age of clickbait and the role of power and privilege in shaping our media landscape. This is a backstage pass to the most unforgettable journalism of our times. Review Absolutely brilliant. I saw the auth...

  Description HUSTLERS meets BIG LITTLE LIES in  the heist of the summer  coming June 2022… Meet Ava: rule-abiding lawyer who has ticked all of life’s boxes. She’s married to a successful surgeon and has just taken an indefinite career break to raise her adorable toddler. A picture-perfect life.   Meet Winnie: Ava’s old college roommate. Once awkward, quiet and apparently academically challenged, she left Stanford in a shroud of scandal. But now, she is charismatic, wealthy and has returned to town dripping in designer accessories. An actual perfect life.   When the two women bump into one another at a local coffee shop, it seems like fate has intervened: Winnie’s new-found success is courtesy of a shady business and she needs a favour; Ava is realising she is not built for the stay-at-home life. But what starts as one favour turns into two, then three, and soon Ava is in far deeper than she ever imagined.    Now Ava has to make the ultimate decision: ...

  Description *** A BBC2  BETWEEN THE COVERS  BOOK CLUB PICK *** *** BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME *** In Second World War Bath, young, naïve wireless engineer Will meets Austrian refugee Elsa Klein: she is sophisticated, witty and worldly, and at last his life seems to make sense . . . until, soon after, the newly married couple's home is bombed, and Will awakes from the wreckage to find himself alone. No one has heard of Elsa Klein. They say he was never married. Seventy years later, social worker Laura is battling her way out of depression and off medication. Her new case is a strange, isolated old man whose house hasn't changed since the war. A man who insists his wife vanished many, many years before. Everyone thinks he's suffering dementia. But Laura begins to suspect otherwise . . . Review I loved A Boy Made of Blocks, but this is not really in the same league. I took some time to get into this one. The story begins with Will having rejected any help from Social Serv...

  Description Are you looking to start a new chapter? Role:  Bookseller wanted! (3-month fixed-term contract) Location:  A luxury resort on the tropical island of Bounty Cove Cay. Skills required:  The ideal candidate will have experience in a retail environment, preferably within the book industry. Desired qualities:  This role will appeal to a book lover with an adventurous streak who is looking for an escape from their everyday life. What to expect:  Sun, sea, and a bookshop that is far from thriving. No one said it would be smooth sailing! Please note:   You may fall in love with more than just our island along the way... Looking for your next beach read? Look no further! Escape with  The Holiday Bookshop , perfect for fans of Jo Thomas, Phillipa Ashley and Jenny Colgan... Review A lovely escapist read for the summer. I did mostly enjoy this book, what's not to love? A book about running a bookshop and on an island in the Maldives.  In fa...

  Description 'The  Get Out  meets  The Devil Wears Prada  crossover you've been waiting for' Cosmopolitan 'Riveting, fearless and vividly original' Emily St. John Mandel 'The year's most buzzed-about debut'  i Get Out  meets  The Devil Wears Prada  in this electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of book publishing. Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and the micro-aggressions, she’s thrilled when Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events cause Nella to become Public Enemy Number One and Hazel, the Office Darling. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella sta...

  Description Liv Green loves losing herself in a good book. But her everyday reality is less romantic, cleaning houses for people who barely give her the time of day. So when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero and mega-bestselling author Essie Starling, she can't believe her luck. When Essie dies unexpectedly, Liv is left with a life-changing last wish: to complete Essie’s final novel. To do so, change-averse Liv will have to step away from the fictitious worlds in her head, and into Essie’s shoes. As she begins to write, she uncovers a surprising connection between the two women – and a secret that will change Liv’s life forever… Review A really lovely read. I wasn't sure how this book was going to pan out and spent half the book with my own theory which was completely wrong.  I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a little bit of escapism and I loved following Liv on her journey of self discovery. Not only is she only given six months to finish Essie'...

  Synopsis When his beloved little brother is stolen away, five-year-old Tommy Farrier is left alone with his alcoholic mam, his violent step-dad and his guilt. Too young to understand what has really happened, Tommy is sure of only one thing. He is to blame. Tommy tries to be good, to live-up to his brother’s increasingly hazy memory, but trapped in a world of shame and degradation he grows up with just two options; poverty or crime. And crime pays.  Or so he thinks.  A teenage drug-dealer for the vicious Burns gang, Tommy’s life is headed for disaster, until, in the place he least expects, Tommy sees a familiar face…  And then things get a whole lot worse. Buy The Silent Brother at:  Northodox Press  Amazon    Goodreads   Review Simon has woven a rich tapestry with gritty yet eloquent writing. I found Tommy to be a likable character that I was rooting for throughout the book. He suffers some serious physical knocks which didn't mak...

  Description Canon Daniel Clement  is Rector of Champton. He has been there for eight years, living at the Rectory alongside his widowed mother - opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying  Audrey  - and his two dachshunds,  Cosmo and Hilda . When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village. And then Anthony Bowness - cousin to  Bernard de Floures, patron of Champton  - is found dead at the back of the church, stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs. As the police moves in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together... and catch a killer. Review I was expecting so much more than I got from this book.  As I began reading this book I assumed it was set in the present day. References to Tenko and To the ...