North Sun - Rain Taxi
The lilting prose and carefully constructed narrative of North Sun, Ethan Rutherford’s debut novel and a finalist for the 2025 National Book Award, feel like the most expansive of embraces. Reviewed by Nicole Emanuel| Rain Taxi
The lilting prose and carefully constructed narrative of North Sun, Ethan Rutherford’s debut novel and a finalist for the 2025 National Book Award, feel like the most expansive of embraces. Reviewed by Nicole Emanuel| Rain Taxi
Simon and Kaggsy’s classics reading weeks always get me picking up older books. I found this unusual Russian novella on a giveaway pile a few years ago and it’s been on my #NovNov possibility shelf…| Bookish Beck
I dithered about reading Andrew Michael Hurley’s Saltwash, put off by his reputation for writing folk horror, not a genre I’m attracted to, but I liked its premise so decided to take the plunge, helped along by a few NetGalley reviews by fans disappointed by its lack of menace. Tom and Oliver have been matched […] The post Saltwash by Andrew Michael Hurley: ‘Tide in, tide out. All’s forgotten’ appeared first on A Life in Books.| A Life in Books
I snapped up Souvankham Thammavongsa’s Pick a Colour as soon as I spotted it on NetGalley having enjoyed her 2020 Giller-Prize-winning short story collection, How to Pronounce Knife, in which she writes about the immigrant experience. Her new one is a novella set over one day in a nail salon run by Ning. They all […] The post Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa: A day in the life appeared first on A Life in Books.| A Life in Books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A Life in Books
I actually read 15 collections in total for Short Story September. I’m finally catching up on reviews, though I’m aware that I’ve missed out on Lisa’s link-up. (My other reviews: Heiny, Mackay, McEwan; the BBC National Short Story Award 2025 anthology; Donoghue, Grass, Isherwood, Mansfield as part of my Germany reading.) To keep it simple […]| Bookish Beck
(Part I covered Berlin.) Three works of short fiction embodied the rest of our journeying, from Berlin to Lübeck to home. We were sad to say goodbye to Lemmy and Roxanne, the affectionate, fluffy cats who came with our Berlin flat, but there were further adventures to be had. The hosts of our Lübeck Airbnb […]| Bookish Beck
We’ve actually been back for more than a week, but soon after our return I was felled by a nasty cold (not Covid, surprisingly), which has left me with a lingering cough and ongoing fatigue. Finally, I’m recovered just about enough to report back. This Interrail adventure was more low-key than the one we took […]| Bookish Beck
Another quick contribution to #ShortStorySeptember. I was delighted when Comma Press sent me a surprise copy of The BBC National Short Story Award 2025, which prints the five stories shortlisted for this year’s prize. Now in its 20th year, the award has recognised established authors and newcomers alike – the roster of winners includes Lucy […]| Bookish Beck
My tips to create a cosy Autumn reading experience!| Not-So-Modern Girl
Australian author Gerald Murnane isn’t known for sticking to convention, yet his recently republished 2009 novel addresses a quite conventional question: Why do writers write? Reviewed by Sam Tiratto The post Barley Patch appeared first on Rain Taxi.| Rain Taxi
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A Life in Books
Every September I enjoy focusing on short stories, which I seem to read at a rate of only one or two collections per month in the rest of a year. This year, Lisa of ANZ Lit Lovers is hosting Short …| Bookish Beck
Neither of these appeared on my initial list, but I thought a middle-grade novel and a classic would be good for variety. Though I have an MA in Victorian Literature, I don’t often read from the pe…| Bookish Beck
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A Life in Books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
In its mixture of literary ambition and old-fashioned showmanship, John Pistelli’s latest novel is a throwback to the efflorescence of popular literary fiction in the mid-late 20th century. Reviewed by Andy Hartzell| Rain Taxi
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Halfway there! And I’m doing better than it might appear in that I’m in the middle of another 7 books and just have to decide what the final 3 will be. This was a sobering but satisfying pair of no…| Bookish Beck
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
A list of books to read in Summer| Not-So-Modern Girl
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Three summers ago, we first explored the Outer Hebrides, moving south from Lewis through Harris to North Uist and Benbecula. It took longer than expected to make it back to the Western Isles. (It’s…| Bookish Beck
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
I’ve gotten to 22 books with a 2025 publication date so far, most of them for paid reviews for Foreword Reviews or Shelf Awareness. I give review excerpts, links where available, and ratings below …| Bookish Beck
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.| A life in books
