The Perfect Golden Circle, by Ben Myers

Back in March 2020, I found myself in a bookshop, buying ‘The Offing’ by Benjamin Myers. Little did I know then that this book would provide such solace to me as our world soon began to reel through a pandemic. Nature writing has offered me a new-found joy as I learn about landscape and how this can help to bring positive benefits to one’s wellbeing. I welcomed the opportunity to read Myer’s new book The Perfect Golden Circle, learning that it too was about rural living and friendship.

The story begins in the spring as the crops begin to grow and ends as the sun sets on the autumn harvest. We are introduced to Calvert, a Falklands war veteran and meticulous crop circles operation planner. His partner-in-crime Redbone lives in a VW camper van and is both mathematically and creatively highly skilled when it comes to designing said crop circles. 

Each chapter is named in honour of their next crop circle installation. Time is spent by Calvert and Redbone considering what each design should be called based on the location of the chosen Wiltshire field and the circle’s appearance from the sky. You too can imagine what ‘a cuckoo spittle thought bubble’ looks like. You will walk with them as they make the circles and feel the quiet and stillness of the pre-dawn hours as these comrades work together to produce their masterpieces. Be prepared for occasional interludes from night-time visitors, both animal and human. Each chapter ends with extracts from newspaper articles citing possible explanations for these overnight creations. Expect talk about paranormal activity. 

We learn that, executed correctly, crops are not damaged in this art process and that respect for the countryside is high on the list of the mutually agreed rules that Calvert and Redbone adhere to. I feel like this is important to a reader who dislikes the idea of vandalism to the countryside and who may not realise that crops soon recover, if not snapped. 

Whilst thoroughly enjoying the rich descriptions of nature and the landscape, I also liked reading about the developing relationship between Calvert and Redbone. Each recognises and respects the skills and attributes their friend brings to the job in hand. As the months progress and the project nears its conclusion, we get a sense of how they each benefit from this new-found friendship, albeit in a rather male, undemonstrative way. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like their reading to take them on a trip to the countryside. You will feel the dust and dirt of the wheat as the crop circle is made and you’ll pause with Calvert and Redbone when they hear the alarm call of the dawn chorus, reminding them that the hours of darkness are nearing an end. You, too, will marvel at how being at one with nature can be an unwritten code between friends, where few words are required, and silence is golden. 

Room for improvement?... Being a reader who loves to see a map at the beginning of a book and who has a weakness for beautiful illustrations, I would have liked to have seen the crop circle designs drawn underneath each chapter title. I’m sure my imagination doesn’t do them the justice they deserve.

- Bonnie 

Bonnie reviewed a proof edition of "The Perfect Goldent Circle."
Hardback, £16.99. Find it in the fiction section!
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Isaac and the Egg, by Bobby Palmer

Thank you to Anara and Sian, for the opportunity of reading the advance proof copy of Isaac and the Egg.

Isaac stands alone on a bridge and screams into the river below.

And then, unexpectedly, an answer.  A cry of despair, perhaps even greater than his own.

The sound draws Isaac into the woods.  What he finds there changes everything.

It's a story that may seem familiar: a man filled with grief, seemingly broken, and an unexpected guest, who becomes his friend. One who can't stay forever...

It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel.  Bobby Palmer's writing is exquisite, and this book is one of the most life-affirming stories about love, grief, loneliness, and friendship that I have ever read.  In fact, it's the best book I've read so far this year, and it moved me tears long before the end.

Powerful, moving, beautiful and emotional, it is a story of love and loss, profoundly heart-breaking and joyous, full of imagination and humour.  It is perfect for the times we live in, and gives all of us hope, no matter what challenges we face. 

I loved it and think many others will fall in the love with the characters. It is an extraordinary book, and one I did not want to end. If we all knew someone like Egg, the world would be a much happier, joyous place.

I look forward to reading more of Bobby Palmer's books.

- Milly 

Milly read a proof edition of "Isaac and the Egg."

Hardback, £14.99. Publishing day is 18th August, so pre-order NOW!

The White Rock, by Anna Hope

The back page of the review copy of Anna Hope’s latest novel, The White Rock, has the message: ‘I see you. Inside the cage you have been given. The cage you have made. The cages we have all made’.

As far as blurbs go, it’s pretty apt, as each of the narratives in this book show people who are trapped in one way or another, whether by circumstance, or due to the ramifications of either their own or other’s actions.

Taking place in a number of different time periods, the different story strands depict a family making a fateful journey; a fugitive singer choosing a different path; two sisters taken from their home, and a young sailor forced to make a fateful decision.

All the narratives converge around the titular rock, affecting the story’s characters in a myriad of ways. I won’t spoil what happens here, but the different outcomes are certainly events that will linger.

The story’s multi-narrative structure inevitably recalls David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, and while there are worse books to be compared to, it would be unfair to judge it on these terms alone.

The only real regret in reading this is the relatively swift nature of the experience – ultimately, each narrative is the recipient of just two chapters. Maybe this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but to us, it felt like certain characters had more to offer beyond their brief time on the page.

Perhaps this is a compliment to the author: even from their limited lifespans, you experience their hopes, regrets, and fears in uncompromisingly vivid detail. Their decisions have consequences, and we’re forced to live with the characters as they themselves live with them.

It’s not even a case of trying to make characters sympathetic despite their flaws; the reader is given the chance to judge the characters by themselves, away from the cloying oversight that some authors might choose to include.

To summarise, The White Rock succeeds on a number of levels, proving to be an energising, evocative, and ultimately enriching experience. I’ll definitely be searching out Anna Hope’s previous books, having read this.

- Stephen

Stephen read the proof edition of "The White Rock."

Hardback, £14.99. Publication day is 25th August, so pre-order with us now!

Metronome, by Tom Watson

Exiled to a remote island for 12 years, Aina and Whitney are tethered to a croft by the pills they need to take in order to breathe safely since the air in the north has become polluted by toxic bacteria from melting tundra in Siberia. The warden has stopped delivering their annual supply drops, and shipwrecks have been washing up on their shore in his wake. 

Whitney is convinced that the Warden will arrive soon as they are due for parole, but Aina is convinced that there is something wrong. In the opening pages the arrival of a sheep starts her wondering whether their island might actually be a peninsular, and she starts to calculate the ways in which she might escape.

Tom Watson is a Creative Writing graduate (rather than the former Labour Deputy Leader) and this is an incredible first novel. Comparisons to Emily St John Mandel and Megan Hunter, and praise from Naomi Ishiguro and Emma Stonex set the bar very high, but every sentence is perfect, and the bar is met. Even from the blurb there are so many questions raised and the gradual reveal of the answers to those questions is sublimely done.

I’m always drawn to apocalyptic and dystopian novels; books set in an unspecified future where the protagonists are dealing with only slight exaggerations of our present, but Metronome isn’t really about the future: it’s about a relationship in exile, and Aina and Whitney are so well drawn. I don’t want to say too much more – any plot detail above is in the blurb or the opening pages and I enjoyed the reading so much that I wouldn’t want to spoil any of it for anybody. 

What I would like is to hear from any other readers once you’ve finished it – pop in on a Wednesday, ask for Paul and tell me what you thought as I’d love to talk about it!

- Paul

Hardback, £16.99. Find it in the sci-fi section!

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Andreina Cordani's 5 Upcoming Young Adult Titles to Look Forward to This Year!

Local author of "Dead Lucky," Andreina Cordani previews some hotly anticipated fiction for young adults.

Since my first book was published last year, I’ve probably spent every penny I’ve earned from sales buying young adult fiction. I’m completely hooked – YA books are provocative, diverse, imaginative, and the stories often shift the way you see the world. I also love watching the characters grow and figure out who they are and what they want from life – often while fighting monsters, solving crimes, or dealing with horrendous family issues. I’ve been lucky enough to get an early glimpse at some of the releases lined up for Summer and Autumn 2022 and there’s some amazing stories coming our way – time to get your pre-orders in!

1. Twice Hexed, by Julia Tuffs 

In this sequel to Hexed, newbie witch Jessie Jones is feeling hopeful – she’s settled on the Isle of Wight, made friends, and challenged the toxic masculinity culture in her class – but then a new witchy pupil joins her school, and stirs up trouble. The blend of supernatural strangeness and teenage reality (exams, annoying boys, periods) is spot-on. The story is fast-paced, and the comic timing is impeccable.
(Orion Children’s Books – out 23rd June)

2. The King Is Dead, by Benjamin Dean 

What better way to celebrate this Jubilee year than with this twisty tale of royal intrigue? When Prince James’ father dies suddenly, he becomes the first Black king at 17 years old, with all the privilege and problems that entails. Then his boyfriend goes missing, and when royal gossip is leaked to the public, James starts to suspect he can’t trust anyone around him…

(Simon & Schuster – out 7th July)

3. Tag, You’re Dead, by Kathryn Foxfield 

A teen celebrity challenges his followers to an overnight city-wide game of tag – the prize is instant fame as one of his live-in crew. Fans rush out into the night to track each other down – some are in it for the fun, but a few are driven by something darker: obsession and revenge… Chilling, gripping, full of creepy moments and jump-scares, this is one of those up-all-night reads.
(Scholastic – out 7th July)

4. Infamous, by Lex Croucher 

Take Bridgerton and add in a big dash of Sex Education and you’ll have Lex Croucher’s irresistible Regency story. Edith ‘Eddie’ Miller and her friend Rose are both debutantes – Rose is set on finding an eligible husband, but all Eddie wants to do is blossom as a writer. And a trip to a debauched poet’s country house could provide the inspiration she needs… A great reminder that the process of growing up, making mistakes, and figuring out who we are really hasn’t changed much over the centuries.

(Zaffre – out 21st July)

5. Big Bad Me, by Aislinn O’Loughlinn (Cover in progress!)

Evie thinks life is pretty dull, living with her mum and sister Kate, taking home-made medication for her ‘rare form of diabetes.’ But then her mother vanishes, and Evie discovers that her diabetes is actually a more lunar-related, wolf-based condition. Plunged into the supernatural world Evie tries to track down her mum while hiding at a small-town B&B – where the owners have secrets of their own. This book is so much fun – the author twists the supernatural tropes we all know and love, creating tense action and laugh-out-loud moments.
(Little Island Books – out 13th October)

Andreina Cordani's YA novel is a thriller set in the world of influencers.
A gripping and shocking read! Order it now!

Pre-order any of these books through us!

Old Rage, by Sheila Hancock

Try as I might, I could not warm to this book.  I had expected to do so as I admire Sheila Hancock’s skill and versatility as an actress, and often appreciate her forthright way of speaking out – even when I don’t agree with her. But this hotchpotch of a book did not engage me.

Her writings about being in lockdown during the height of the pandemic, about her family, and her anxiety and fear of the effects of lockdown on all young people, is clearly deeply felt, and her despair is real and. Her writing conveys her emotions well! But for me, it was too “bitty”.  It was a bit of a diary... bit of a memoir... bit of raging against everything. But the bits did not make a satisfactory whole.

I am sure others will (loudly) disagree, so maybe it is just me…

- Christine

Christine read the proof edition of "Old Rage."

Publication day was... yesterday! 

Hardback, £18.99. Find it in the Biography section!

Girls of Fire and Paper, by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Paper and Fire follows a girl called Lei, who lives in Ikhara. In this land, there are different levels of class: Lei lives in the lowest class, called Paper Castle. However, Ikhara has a tradition where every year, eight girls are chosen to serve the King. This year, the eight have been chosen, but the King has heard a rumour of Lei’s extreme beauty, and his interest has been peaked. She is forced to leave her home and family to live in the King’s castle, where the now nine girls will learn skills and charm that will benefit the king.

Then Lei falls in love with someone she is not supposed to. And now all she wants is justice and revenge for what has happened to her.

The cover of this book is definitely what sold me. Reading the blurb, it looked like something I would really enjoy. And I did like it, but there weren't any amazing or mind-blowing plot points to this story. But I did like Lei's character: I found her to be inspirational and comforting, as she stood up for what she thought was right, and she didn't let anyone tell her what to do.  In terms of writing, I found the beginning and the end to be quite fast pasted, however the middle was a bit slow. Overall, liked it enough to want to continue the series.

- Julia

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