Little Nothings, by Julie Mayhew

This gripping thriller had me hooked from the first few pages… If you’re looking for a happy book about the joys of female friendship and motherhood, then step away from this book!

Little Nothings is told from Liv’s viewpoint and tells the tale of Liv and her close friends, Beth and Binnie. This book is loaded with drama and tension, and it explores the different personality traits of the characters over the perfect summer holiday, with flashbacks to help build a real history of each relationship. We switch between a life changing trip to the idyllic Greek Isles, and how these group of friends came together…

The three ladies began their friendship whilst attending a baby and toddler group and bonded over a feeling of not belonging within the cliques of their group. Alongside their children and partners, these women form a tight friendship, riding the waves of the ups and downs of life together. 

Then, along comes Ange: a competitive, wealthy, and fascinating character who completely takes over as Queen Bee and really shakes the group up! Ange appears to have it all, yet somehow seems very insecure. As Beth and Binnie fight to keep up with Ange and her aspirations - like bigger houses, better restaurants, and expensive wardrobes - Liv is gradually edged out, unable to keep up with expensive habits. 

As we continue to follow the group’s holiday, orchestrated by Ange, we start to see just how true the saying ‘keep your friends close & your enemies closer’ can be.

I felt I could really relate to all of these women but Liv especially. She is very complex and has always struggled with making friends, but she feels ever so ‘normal’ to me as a reader and always says what a lot of us are thinking! Beth and Binnie, however, are more happy-go-lucky, and very likeable. I felt very sorry for Liv at times, and it was hard to read, but I couldn’t help but fly through this book!

Thrillers aren’t the normal genre I would pick; however, this story was intriguing, thought provoking, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My only regret is that I wish I hadn’t raced to the end of the book. The ending was underwhelming and felt slightly rushed after all of the suspense and drama that continues to build throughout the book. Little Nothings is an ideal summer read but I imagine it would be just as enjoyable in the winter months, dreaming of the summer sun in Corfu.

Julie Mayhew has written several other books, plays, and TV dramas, and I will certainly be looking forward to trying another one.

- Kate @kate.silverton / @the.lockdown.mumma

Hardback, £14.99

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The Paper Palace, by Miranda Cowley Heller

This is such a beautiful book; a remarkable debut by Miranda Cowley Heller. It tells the story of Elle Bishop and the many secrets she has been forced to keep throughout her life.

The novel is set in Cape Cod, where the Paper Palace is found. The Paper Palace is in fact, a group of ramshackle buildings, built decades earlier by Elle's grandfather. It is so named as the walls are covered in paper.  It is a place that Elle and her family escape to each year; a sanctuary that offers beauty, peace, and tranquillity to Elle. It serves as her retreat from the deepest, darkest secrets she keeps.

I was immediately drawn into the plot line. I wanted to know more about Elle, whose turbulent life history will unfold before our very eyes over 24 hours and fifty years. We meet Elle as a child, a teen and as an adult, and slowly, Miranda Heller's exquisite writing uncovers a story of a troubled family, peeling back the layers, revealing devastating and dark secrets. 

When we first meet Elle, she rises early one morning to take a swim in the pond, upon which the Paper Palace sits. She has done this swim many times before, both alone and with family and friends. But this morning she's preoccupied. As Elle dives into the water, she is recalling the events of the night before - her passionate encounter with Jonas, her oldest friend and confidant, even though her husband Peter and family were just inside. 

The author takes us on an amazing journey through time, contrasting the present day with memories of the past, and the love that exists between childhood friends, Elle and Jonas.  Spanning decades, this book takes us all the way back to Elle’s grandmother, her troubled relationships, and the impact it had upon Elle's mother, and how she consequently parented her daughters, Elle and Anna.

The book is simply brilliant. The writing is extraordinary, demonstrating a quiet authority and power, which completely penetrated my soul.  It elegantly builds a picture of Elle’s life, and allows us to completely understand her. I can't recall a character that as compelling; one I felt I got to know.

This book is definitely amongst the best I have read so far this year.  It is stunning, and will appeal to those who enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing.  Dive right in and you'll be mesmerised by the spell this book casts.  It is a masterpiece.

- Milly

Paperback, £8.99. Find it in the Fiction section.

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Acts of Service, by Lilian Fishman

 Acts of Service is a novel set in Brooklyn, New York, centring around Eve, a New Yorker in her twenties who is finding her own sense of sexual freedom and queer identity. This was a fascinating book, exploring a variety of somewhat philosophical themes, from sexual identity and exploration to the ideas surrounding personal freedom. Amid a landscape of polyamory, Fishman unpicks the intricacies of sexuality and the interplay of power and dominance – does one need to be dominant to feel powerful? 

Being on the autistic spectrum myself, I find human sexual behaviour both foreign and intriguing. Hence the decision to pick up this book – a unique genre/ topic to me. I did enjoy the book, as my interest was sustained by the slightly unusual narrative style where the story unfolds within a very small geographical space, namely a few bedrooms and coffee shops. Yet Fishman purposefully uses this set-up to create room for the human physical intimacies to inspire the very story itself. Thus, reinforcing the power of body language as a powerful method of communication.

A further question Fishman explores is the definition of love. Juxtaposing romantic love and its accompanying emotions, many of which we may see in the public sphere, with intimate love, a more private affair, where hidden desires and sexual fires are unearthed, along with emotions of passion, desire, and lust. Fishman prompts the reader to consider if both romance and intimacy can be considered under this umbrella of love. 

By featuring such weighty topics, Fishman creates a subtly philosophical landscape, using the central characters of Eve, Nathan and Olivia as a vehicle from which to consider wider ideas such as dual identity and the varying personas people portray within public and personal spaces. As someone who finds vulnerability and human behaviour challenging, it was even more interesting to read about how the trio of main characters each deciphered their partners’ attitudes and level of confidence through the feeling of their body. 

My one criticism is that the ending felt a little rushed and disconnected to the main story line. I felt Fishman was trying to increase the tempo near the end by including a slight plot twist and subversion of expectations, yet I don’t feel she fully integrated this into the prior storyline, resulting in a slightly disjointed ending. Regardless, this was certainly not a regrettable read, since it is important to bring to light the topic of vulnerability, as I believe it is a gift to find someone with whom you can feel free with and take down all personal defences. This may be easier said than done, but not out of the realm of possibility…

- Scarlett

Paperback, £13.99.

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Not Exactly What I Had in Mind, by Kate Brook

When reading this book, you will get to know Hazel, a hugely relatable character for anyone single in their 30s. Her story will have you laughing with her; wanting to hug her and, at some points, wanting to scream at her that she can’t see what is right there in front of her! But most of all, due to the beautiful way that Kate Brook has portrayed her lead character, you will find yourself just wanting to meet Hazel for a coffee and talk days away like she’s your best friend.

Along with Hazel, you meet one of her housemates, Alfie, and Hazel’s sister and her wife. This delightful blend of characters are all on their own journeys, and it’s fascinating to see them intertwine throughout the story. Between the four of them they manage to navigate themselves into and out of situations that are portrayed by the author very gently and honestly, exposing some of the challenges of modern relationships, as well as the sheer joy that can be found in them!

While reading this book, I thought I knew where the story was heading, but as soon as I settled into the ebb and flow of it all, along came a plot twist to head it in a different direction (‘well... that wasn’t what I had in mind’ ... I kept saying to myself!)

Some quite challenging subjects are taken on in this book: sexuality, fertility issues, abusive relationships, modern family set ups, and the financial burden that is adulthood. Each of these topics is addressed in a very real, honest, and careful way, sprinkling over them the right amount of humour to capture the journey of the characters in a way that you can’t help but love them. 

The blurb on the back of the book says it is ‘painfully relatable’ and I can’t tell you how true this is. It is a real eyeopener to adulthood in 2022 and I think I would struggle to find anyone in their 20s, 30s, or 40s who couldn’t relate to an element in this book.

I absolutely devoured this book in a matter of days, and I have now begun the grieving process that you go through when you read a great book and you start to miss it. Missing the characters, wishing the story was real, and wanting to read it all over again just so you can remain in Hazel’s world for a little bit longer.  

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

- Nicola

Hardback, £14.99. Find it in the fiction section or order here!

I am not your perfect Mexican daughter, by Erica L. Sanchez

I am not your perfect Mexican daughter is about a girl called Julia, who has never been the perfect daughter. But then her older sister Olga dies in a tragic accident. Olga was often seen as a perfect person without any flaws, but shortly after her death Julia discovers that Olga was not as perfect as everyone thought. Now she is questioning who her sister really was and somehow live up to the impossible ideal that Olga left behind.

No one seems to realise that Julia is struggling: she has anxiety and depression, and she doesn’t have any friends to comfort her. But she has a really nice relation with her English teacher who helps her find which college she should go to. He also makes sure that she is always ok and looks out for her.

Overall, I really loved this book and couldn't put it down. It’s definitely one of my new favourites. I loved Julia so much as a character. Everything she is going through made her seem so much more real. Throughout the book she mentions that she wants to be a writer and travel the world and it was so nice to see her follow these ambitions throughout the story. 

- Julia

Paperback, £8.99.

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Kiki Kallira Conquers a Curse, by Sangu Mandanna

I really enjoyed reading this book – although I am slightly out of the age range at 60+ - it is a good adventure story with fun characters and an interesting use of parts of Indian mythology. 

This is the second book in the Kiki Kallira series and ideally you need to read the first one in order to understand the relationship dynamics, and to get a grounding in the workings of Kikiverse.  Essentially, it is an imaginary world created by Kiki on paper during a time when she needed to dream, and escape from what was happening in her life. It magically came into being

Like all good adventure stories, this is about righting a wrong. The action moves along swiftly, and the interaction between various characters is well done and with wry humour. As well as a journey/ quest for Kiki and her friends, this story deals with some important issues, such as race, emotions, a feeling of powerlessness for an individual, and acceptance. But these are dealt with in a non-preachy way. Themes of acceptance, trust, and appreciation/ understanding of self, including quirks, differences, and insecurities, are part of Kiki’s personal growth journey. These issues don’t intrude on the story, and I enjoyed the fact that Kiki starts to accept herself, rather than continue to struggle with knowing her “rain works “a bit differently”.  

There were few imaginative books like this available when I was growing up, which is probably why I like reading them now! I would have loved to have had books like this when I was little; books that give you a place to go to in your head, a good story, new imaginary friends, and which tell you that it is more than OK to be different.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe never appealed to me as I found it too preachy and, actually a bit dull. But books like this and the Garth Nix “Keys” series (which is also written for this age group) are magical in all senses of the word.

As the end of the book is nicely set up for the series to continue; I shall look forward to reading the next one. But before that I’m going to go back to read the first one: “Killa Kallira Breaks a Kingdom”.

- Christine

Christine read the proof edition of "Kiki Kallira."

It has since been published, and is available in paperback for £7.99!

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Brielfy, A Delicious Life, by Nell Stevens

When I heard that Nell Stevens was taking on the story of another literary great - following on from her part-memoir, part-imagined life 'Mrs Gaskell and Me' - I had to pick it up.

Written from the perspective of a 14-year-old ghost called Blanca, 'Briefly, A Delicious Life' looks at a moment in the (delicious) life of renowned French writer George Sand and her love affair with Chopin. Set in Valldemossa on the island of Mallorca, Sand and Chopin up sticks from Paris for the better weather, in the hopes of helping Chopin overcome a sickness. Blanca falls in love with George at first sight and so begins an obsessive haunting.

Unfortunately, Blanca is the only one who welcomes the existence of the newcomers. The islanders' repugnance of these strangers, particularly the woman who dresses as a man and brings her children to live in sin with a friend-who-is-most-certainly-not-her-husband, starts as small-town bullying, and grows ever more sinister after an excellent squid heist (yes, you read that correctly). 

Stevens also allows us to time travel through Blanca's memories of her own life and subsequent afterlife on the island. These passages make you fall in love with her and impotently rage at the injustices done to her.

The only sections that didn't quite hit the mark for me were the descriptions of Chopin's playing and his obsession with his piano; however, I imagine they would be a highlight for any classical music enthusiast.

Written with a lyricism I have come to expect from Stevens, this is an excellent debut novel exploring power in relationships and living life for yourself.

- Amy 

Hardback, £14.99.

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