Tag: book shelf

Memorial by Bryan Washington

Lot by Bryan Washington was my book of the year in 2019 and you can read that review here and I have been eagerly awaiting his novel Memorial for some time, staring wide eyed with delight at the announcements as they etched closer to a release date – and then the day was finally here,

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Wagon Buddy by Steve Stred

Check out our review of Wagon Buddy by Steve Stred below. Wagon Buddy is available here. Steve Stred Steve Stred writes dark, bleak horror fiction. Steve is the author of two novels, four novellas, two short story collections as well as two poetry/drabble collections. Steve has had works featured in 100 Word Zombie Bites, 100

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Lightseekers by Femi Kayode

Here’s an interesting premise for a thriller: three students are brutally attacked and lynched by a mob in the Nigerian university town of Okriki. Everybody knows who did it – the whole thing was captured on social media – but nobody knows why. Dr Philip Taiwo, a psychologist and expert on the behaviour of crowds,

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Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Informative and necessary, Abdulrazak Gurnah uses stripped back prose to tell the stories of Hamza, Ilyas and Afiya in his insightful new novel, Afterlives. It’s a satisfying linear tale, and one that doesn’t need any literary embellishments to bring the narrative to life. Gurnah takes us through the lives of his characters in a simple, effective

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Dust & Time by Mitch Sebourn

I first discovered Mitch Sebourn during the Covid pandemic – and I have to say it’s one of the best things that has come out of all that crazy! With being stuck in the house and not a lot to do (when I wasn’t at work) I also decided to set up a YouTube channel

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The BBC National Short Story Award 2020 by Various

What a feast of delights awaits us the reader in this years BBC National Short Story Award 2020 from Comma Press – I’m a huge fan of this series as I’m a huge fan of the short story form and well this year we are treated to some great voices, some old and some new

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Salt Blood by T.C. Parker

T.C. Parker delivers the creeping unease of past masters with a story that is as beguiling as it is terrifying – Salt Blood is a story that keeps on giving from the very first page! Salt Blood is an interesting concept for a book and one that seems far removed from the brooding cover (although

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Curfew by Kev Harrison

When I first read Kev Harrison earlier this year (The Balance) I was blown away by his offering, and I made it a conscious effort to support and follow this very talented writer, so I was delighted to see that Demain Publishing (who have published him previously – Cinders of a Blind Man Who Could

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Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton – Folio Society Edition

There are some books that I believe deserve the Folio Society makeover and Jurassic Park is just one of those books. Folio have excelled themselves with this new edition of the 1990 bestseller from Michael Crichton. Jurassic Park holds a dear place in the hearts of people my age (cough, cough) who as youngsters were

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Beneath the Trees of Eden by Tim Binding

Animalistic, thrilling, and intense, Tim Binding’s Beneath the Trees of Eden contains a plethora of beautiful and complicated relationships, set against the real and raw portrayal of death. Our characters skirt the fringes of society and live on their own terms – but at what cost? Binding challenges us to reconsider what ‘Eden’ really is,

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