This week’s new books take us from the world of ballet to an Edwardian ship…
Fiction
1. They’re Going To Love You by Meg Howrey is published in hardback by Bloomsbury Publishing. Available now
🩰 They’re Going to Love You – @MegHowrey
A gripping and gorgeously written novel of heartbreaking intensity. With psychological precision and a masterfully revealed secret at its heart, this book asks what it takes to be an artist.
Read more: https://t.co/Ulkluo0MLZ pic.twitter.com/LWNqH5Fove— Bloomsbury Books UK (@BloomsburyBooks) November 10, 2022
Set in the rarefied world of ballet, this is an intense, thoughtful novel about troubled family relationships and what it takes to become an artist. When the book opens, we’re told of a bitter rift between dancer-turned-choreographer Carlisle, her father Robert and his husband James – both big names in dance – but we don’t know the cause of the estrangement. The secret is gradually revealed as the book traces the history of their relationship – magical childhood stays at Robert and James’s sophisticated Greenwich Village apartment, which are overshadowed by the AIDS epidemic, Carlisle’s struggles with adolescent self-doubt and her growing friendship with James. While deeply attached to each other, the characters are each complex and brittle in their own ways, and when James asks Carlisle for a favour, fragile family bonds are stressed beyond breaking point. An absorbing, moving read.
8/10
(Review by Jackie Kingsley)
2. A Restless Truth by Freya Marske is published in hardback by Tor. Available now
A huge happy publication day to the wonderful @freyamarske! We absolutely love this tale of queer romance, murder mystery and magical delight. A Restless Truth is out in shops now ✨ https://t.co/hRjqT9kNIH pic.twitter.com/ccZlTGOJYk
— Pan Macmillan (@panmacmillan) November 10, 2022
Now the nights have drawn in and we are nestling under blankets with hot steaming drinks, the time is right to hunker down with a magical, mystery tale. Freya Marske’s A Restless Truth (sequel to A Marvellous Light) catches up with Maud Blyth. Set in the alternative Edwardian period, we are taken on board the RMS Lyric. Maud is yearning for adventure, and sets sail as a lady’s companion heading for New York. Living in a world of magicians, theatre and deceit, the last thing she expects to discover on her voyage is a dead body and the theft of a contract. As with the first novel, there is a romance bubbling just under the surface, making for a rich, layered story filled with satisfying prose.
7/10
(Review by Rachel Howdle)
3. Urgent Matters by Paula Rodríguez, translated by Sarah Moses, is published in hardback by Pushkin Vertigo. Available now
OUT NOW! The electric Argentinian literary noir that shines a light on urgent social issues. 🚇🚨💥
Urgent Matters is 'an essential read' (Agustina Bazterrica) with 'all the ingredients of the police procedurals that totally grip you' (Claudia Piñeiro).https://t.co/MJzrT1u6lY pic.twitter.com/01POHEua4aAdvertisement— Pushkin Press (@PushkinPress) November 3, 2022
There a devastating train crash in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. Amid the chaos, a prayer card of Saint Expeditus – the “patron saint of urgent matters” – mysteriously floats above the wreckage and body parts. It is seized upon by Hugo. He is wanted for murder and, seemingly against the odds, manages to survive and gets rescued from the carnage relatively unscathed. With unidentified bodies as cover, Hugo takes his chance to walk away from the debris – and the difficulties in his old life. However, there is a dogged detective on the trail, who refuses to believe his prime suspect is out of reach. Journalist and feminist activist Paula Rodriguez’s debut novel beautifully evokes the sense of disjointed strangeness and shattered reality that descends in the immediate aftermath of a major disaster, before the dust has settled and the victims accounted for. This is such a great opening for a novel, although there is a sense, whether intentional or not, that something is slightly obscured in the translation.
6/10
(Review by Emily Pennink)
Non-fiction
4. Made With Love by Tom Daley is published in hardback by HQ. Available now
So here’s THE cover !! 🧶
Stitch by stitch, I’m on a mission to help everyone discover the joy of knitting & crocheting... 30 designs from jumpers, cardigans, accessories, homeware and even pet projects, all with easy tips even for beginners.. can't waithttps://t.co/FVGjftfIIi pic.twitter.com/0DSYBa2MQm— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) August 31, 2022
Over the last couple of years, Olympic champion diver Tom Daley has made a massive splash in the knitting world. With a million-plus Instagram following and his own knitting kits range already under his belt, the LGBTQ+ icon has now released a dedicated book. It begins with a hefty ‘Essentials’ section, so you can get to grips with the lingo, kit, different yarns and stitches before getting going. Then there are 15 knitting and 15 crochet patterns – including smaller accessories and homewares, as well as the stylish rainbow sweaters, tops and long, chunky scarves Daley’s famed for. There’s no denying some of them look incredibly advanced and intimidating, but the patterns are detailed and clear. There’s plenty to sink your needles into as a beginner, while those already confident with the craft will find plenty to keep them challenged. The book is a thing of beauty in itself, gorgeously designed and woven with anecdotes from Daley about his path to discovering the world of yarn, and why he loves it so much.
9/10
(Review by Abi Jackson)
Children’s book of the week
5. Paradise Sands: A Story Of Enchantment by Levi Pinfold is published in hardback by Walker Studio. Available now
You just knew it was going to be special.
Hauntingly surreal. #LeviPinfold is something else. And Paradise Sands is nothing like anything else. pic.twitter.com/ykiDBWAKaw— Duke Skywalker (@KarlDuke8) November 9, 2022
Gorgeously illustrated, Paradise Sands is a modern fairy-tale. It follows a young girl and her three brothers out picking flowers for their mother, when they stumble upon Paradise Sands hotel. The brothers soon fall under the spell of this ghostly ‘paradise’ – it’s only the girl who stays strong, and she makes a deal with the Teller – a giant, magnificent lion. If she can manage to not eat or drink anything for three days, they’ll all be able to go free. It’s mysterious and each page feels heavy with underlying messages to decode. While the story isn’t particularly long – it will fly by at bedtime – children will get lost in the ghostly tale and cinematic illustrations.
8/10
(Review by Prudence Wade)
Book charts for the week ending November 12th
Hardback (Fiction)
1. No Plan B by Lee Child & Andrew Child
2. Heart Of The Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan
3. It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
4. A Heart Full Of Headstones by Ian Rankin
5. The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer
6. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
7. Desert Star by Michael Connelly
8. She And Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai & Naruki Nagakawa
9. Babel by R.F. Kuang
10. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
(Compiled by Waterstones)
Hardback (Non-fiction)
1. Gloves Off by Tyson Fury
2. Lioness by Beth Mead
3. Private Eye Annual: 2022 by Ian Hislop
4. Guinness World Records 2023 by Guinness World Records
5. The Trials Of Life by David Attenborough
6. One by Jamie Oliver
7. Diddly Squat by Jeremy Clarkson
8. Jordan Henderson by Jordan Henderson
9. Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
10. What Writers Read by Pandora Sykes
(Compiled by Waterstones)
Audiobooks (Fiction & Non-fiction)
1. Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
2. Surrender by Bono
3. Geneva by Richard Armitage
4. The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer
5. Spare by The Duke of Sussex
6. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
7. SAS: Rogue Heroes by Ben Macintyre
8. No Plan B by Lee Child & Andrew Child
9. Garth Marenghi’s TerrorTome by Garth Marenghi
10. Desert Star by Michael Connelly
(Compiled by Audible)
