From Steph

  • Butter by Asako Yuzuki (fiction)

    It seems to me like the eye-catching cover of Butter is
    everywhere at the moment. It's the sort of book you want to be seen
    reading, and you want to keep on your bookshelf afterwards. A cult
    Japanese bestseller, Asako Yuzuki's lengthy novel is set in contemporary
    Tokyo and is based on a true story. Butter says a lot about Japanese
    society, particularly in relation to body image and gender. The novel
    relates food and cooking to almost every aspect of how people live.
    There are lengthy descriptions of countless delicious-sounding dishes
    throughout. Not a book to read on an empty stomach, but perfect for
    foodies and fans of Japanese fiction.

    BUTTER 

  • Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (fiction)

    Eleanor Catton's Man Booker-winning 2013 novel The Luminaries was a tough act to follow, but after reading both I can confidently say that I preferred Birnam Wood. Set in contemporary New Zealand, Birnam Wood is a clever novel about an activist collective whose leader compromises her morals to collaborate with an American billionaire. Birnam Wood feels like a timely novel; its central interest is in the conflict between
    environmental activists and those responsible for environmental
    destruction. Despite the heavy dose of politics, Birnam Wood has the pace and suspense of a thriller. 

  • Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (fiction)

    This book is immaculate. I thought it would be - those who have read Station Eleven already know the quality of Mandel's writing, so the expectation was high and it didn't disappoint. I admire this slim book for its neatness in plotting and its impressive scope. I'm partial to time travel in books, science fiction and Emily St. John Mandel, so this wasn't a hard book for me to love. 

    SEA OF TRANQUILITY 

From Chloe

  • Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield (fiction)

    Finally got round to reading this and loved it so much. It came highly recommended from a few people, and now I’m highly recommending it to anyone else who hasn’t had the chance to read it yet. It flits between two character perspectives, one of which is on land, the other mostly underwater. Slow burning and eerie, this is one for the ocean lovers and perhaps those with a curiosity of submarines, whilst also being so beautifully written and having much poetic prose on love, grief, life. 

    OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA 

  • Collapse Feminism by Alice Cappelle

    Collapse Feminism is a recent one from Repeater Books, discussing the 'online battle for feminism's future'. This was an interesting read, and one I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about feminism, especially as it was quite broad and not overly academic, making it quite easy to understand.

    COLLAPSE FEMINISM 

  • Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan (fiction)

    Devoured this. Reminded me slightly of Penance, which I loved last year. Emotive, well written and really compelling, I didn't want to put it down.

    ORDINARY HUMAN FAILINGS 

From Lucy & Jack

  • The Wonder State by Sara Flannery Murphy

    A magical story set over two timelines, about a group of friends that are brought back together when their childhood friend goes missing. Set in atmospheric Arkansas, the tale slowly unravels as you delve deeper into the mystery of Eternal Springs and the eccentric Theodora Trader’s enchanted houses. If you like magical realism this one is for you.

  • 1982, Janine by Alasdair Gray

    Not bad. Dated.

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