Broadcaster Lorraine Kelly has written her debut novel, inspired by the Orkney Islands…
Fiction
1. The Island Swimmer by Lorraine Kelly is published in hardback by Orion on February 15th.
The debut novel from much loved TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, The Island Swimmer follows Evie and her discovery of new friendships with a group of cold-water swimmers on Orkney.
Preorder your signed edition now! https://t.co/A2MB2AUxJk pic.twitter.com/J4BWHiZsrR— WHSmith (@WHSmith) January 29, 2024
Orkney is brought to life with idyllic imagination in Lorraine Kelly’s The Island Swimmer. Mystery clouds the sudden departure of Evie from the islands over an incident shrouded in secrecy, which frays the bond she had with her father – something her elder sister Liv is bitterly jealous of. When her father becomes ill, Evie returns home to face her past. Switching between present and past Orkney, and Evie’s failed attempt at a new London life, this shift of time builds a rich and layered picture of its characters. However, it is the story of Evie’s regretful life that moves the plot forward effectively. At times difficult to keep track of some of the sub-plots, it is the final quarter where Kelly builds suspense, leading up to the reveal of what happened to make Evie leave, delivering a great sense of closure and satisfaction.
8/10
(Review by Christopher Henry-Reeve)
2. Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde is published in hardback by Hodder & Stoughton.
Red Side Story book tour starts on Monday! Should be fun. Tour details: https://t.co/kjQ3pCr7zZ pic.twitter.com/5Qz76W3tn1
— Jasper Fforde (@jasperfforde) February 1, 2024
Jasper Fforde fans have waited a long time for the follow-up to his acclaimed 2009 novel Shades Of Grey, which used a rich literary palette and lashings of humour to illustrate a dystopian future version of Britain – in which people are rigidly classified by which colours they are able to see. Eddie Russett – who boasts a high perception of red – and Jane Grey – on the lowest rung thanks to her monochromatic view of the world – are facing potential execution following the events of the first book. They must negotiate the conflicting rules of their rigid society to clear their names, with Fforde painting a flamboyant and Terry Pratchett-esque picture laced with laughter throughout.
7/10
(Review by James Cann)
3. Nuclear Family by Kate Davies is published in hardback by The Borough Press on February 15th.
'A very modern and moving comedy of manners' RED
'An amazing and funny read about what family really means' PRIMA
'Very, very funny’ STYLIST@Katyemdavies's new novel Nuclear Family publishes next week! 🥚Pre-order now: https://t.co/2CoNngqeFQ pic.twitter.com/rPvHgMbCA0Advertisement— The Borough Press (@BoroughPress) February 7, 2024
When, on a whim, Lena buys DNA tests for her father and twin sister Alison as a quirky Christmas gift, she has no idea of the shock which lies ahead. Lena feels cast adrift and searches for answers after her roots are pulled up, while Alison, who is trying for a baby with wife Suria, remains calm but starts to question how their child might feel about being created with a donor’s sperm. Kate Davies’ thought-provoking second novel considers nature versus nurture, what it means to be a parent and whether honesty is the best policy. The pace could be quickened in places, and the characters could be a little more fleshed out, but it’s an interesting and enjoyable read.
6/10
(Review by Beverly Rouse)
Non-fiction
4. Empireworld: How British Imperialism Has Shaped The Globe by Sathnam Sanghera is published in hardback by Viking.
Free school meals pupil with English as a second language. Child of an immigrant who couldn't read. Adolescent factory labourer who couldn't afford books and flipped burgers through sixth form. But as of today I'm also a 2x SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR with #Empireworld.… pic.twitter.com/64SztzAlwQ
— Sathnam Sanghera (@Sathnam) January 30, 2024
Empireworld is more than just an absorbing fact-filled history of colonialism and its many repercussions in the modern world – it’s much more personal for author Sathnam Sanghera. This and his last book, Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain, which won a British Book Award and inspired a Channel 4 documentary, means that Sanghera has spent a lot of his time absorbed in studying racism. Sanghera recalls how his attempt to have a holiday in the resort-filled Caribbean pulls him back in to looking at how Britain shaped Barbados – a running theme as he journeys around the world. Sanghera looks at imperialism throughout the globe, showing that empire is something we need to acknowledge and understand to have a real future.
8/10
(Review by Charlotte McLaughlin)
Children’s book of the week
5. Soren’s Seventh Song by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Mark Hoffmann, is published in hardback by Cameron Kids.
2/2
From Pulitzer Prize finalist & New York Times bestselling author #DaveEggers, Soren’s Seventh Song is a deadpan take on creativity & persistence, as told through the eyes of a humpback whale looking for a new song—with color illustrations by Mark Hoffmann #newkidlit #kidlit pic.twitter.com/JgdTIl2uEd— mark hoffmann (@studiohoffmann) January 30, 2024
Soren is a humpback whale with a dream – to write and perform a beautiful song. However, his efforts are thwarted by the blunt honesty of his friend Hans, who tells Soren the song is terrible. At first, Soren is angry and disappointed, but over time he works hard on his song and manages to create something quite beautiful. This is a story of perseverance in the face of criticism, and helps children realise their first attempts may not cut it. It also contains a few fun facts about humpback whales alongside the lovely illustrations. The story is, however, long and quite repetitive in places.
6/10
(Review by Jane Kirby)
Book charts for the week ending February 10th:
Hardback (Fiction)
1. House Of Flame And Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
2. The Fury by Alex Michaelides
3. Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde
4. Fourteen Days by Margaret Atwood et al
5. Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
6. The Last Word by Elly Griffiths
7. Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
8. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
9. Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
10. Murder On Lake Garda by Tom Hindle
(Compiled by Waterstones)
Hardback (Non-fiction)
1. Bored Of Lunch Healthy Slow Cooker: Even Easier by Nathan Anthony
2. Charles III by Robert Hardman
3. WHAT by John Cooper Clarke
4. Politics On The Edge by Rory Stewart
5. How They Broke Britain by James O’Brien
6. Empireworld by Sathnam Sanghera
7. The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World by Bettany Hughes
8. The Diary Of A CEO by Steven Bartlett
9. Pinch Of Nom Express by Kay Allinson & Kate Allinson
10. Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken
(Compiled by Waterstones)
Audiobooks (Fiction & Non-fiction)
1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
2. Unruly by David Mitchell
3. None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
4. The Diary Of A CEO by Steven Bartlett
5. How They Broke Britain by James O’Brien
6. The Fellowship Of The Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien
7. Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken
8. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
9. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Julie Smith
10. Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
(Compiled by Audible)
