Book Review-Piranesi - Susanna Clarke
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is an wonderfully immersive work of fantasy, set inside a world of halls and vestibules, water and statues, that soon grabs you with its strangeness. Wonderfully compelling.
Book Review - Grand Hotel Europa - Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
A book which uses the faded glory of the Grand Hotel Europa to tell a story of how the continent trades on it’s past but at the expense of what? Also looks at populism and tourism, it’s a long book but informative and readable.
Book review - This is Vegan Propaganda (and other lies the meat industry tells you) - Ed Winters
A powerful and persuasive book about how we can transform the world we live in by changing what we eat. I don’t think it’s possible to read this book and not become vegan.
Book review - Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel
After the world collapses following a devastating pandemic, this book follows the lives of some of the survivors and how their lives intersect. A moving and thought provoking book that contains moments of real beauty.
Book Review - Sweet home - Wendy Erskine
Eleven perfectly pitched short stories set in Belfast by acclaimed writer, Wendy Erskine.
Book Review - Young Mungo - Douglas Stuart
‘Shuggie Bain’ was an immersive reading experience, set in the Glasgow in the 80’s. ‘Young mungo’ takes place in the 90’s, but in the same setting. How does it compare?
Book review - Songbirds - Christy Lefteri
‘Songbirds’ tells the story of Nisha, a migrant worker who leaves her homeland to work as a nanny and maid in Cyprus, but who vanishes one evening. A book about the plight of the vulnerable and invisible in society.
Audiobook Review - The Science of Storytelling - Will Storr
This is a fascinating and useful book looking at the neuroscience and cognitive psychology behind storytelling. Another excellent addition to books about writing.
Book Review - Lincoln in the bardo - George Sanders
This is an unusual story about the death of Lincoln’s son, told via snippets from historical sources and a chorus of characters who remain in the ‘bardo’. Not like anything else I have read in some time.
Book Review - The Law of Innocence - Michael Connelly
The latest instalment in the Mickey Haller series is an engrossing legal thriller, with ‘The Lincoln lawyer’ finding himself on the opposite side of the law, facing a desperate fight for his freedom.
Book Review - On Bloody Sunday - Julieanne Campbell
Julieanne Campbells powerful book, using oral testimonies from survivors, eye witnesses and relatives, tell the the story of the terrible events of the 30th of January, 1972 and its aftermath.
Book Review - I am an Island - Tamsin Calidas
A tough but inspiring memoir about surviving grief, loss and extreme loneliness on a remote Scottish Island.
Book Review - Trespasses - Louise Kennedy
Powerful, evocative and incredibly readable story of a love affair told against the backdrop of Ireland’s troubles.
Audiobook Review - The end of the affair - Graham Greene, read by Colin Firth
Graham Greenes story of a love affair in Post War London is masterfully narrated by Colin Firth.
Rejuvenation Book 1 (The Rejuvenation trilogy) - Byddi Lee
It’s 2034 and the world has been devastated by an Alien attack, resulting in rising oceans and humanity adapting to survive. Dr Bobbi Chan notices new symptoms in her elderly patients, in this rip roaring dystopian sci fi thriller.
Book review - The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present - Paul McCartney, edited by Paul Muldoon.
McCartney’s immersive memoir reads like he’s sitting down next to you, talking through his songs and showing you his handwritten lyrics and family photographs. Moving and thoughtful, an absolute delight.
Book Review - These Days - Lucy Caldwell
Lucy Caldwell’s book, set amidst the Belfast blitz, is an emotional, haunting and beautifully woven story.
Audiobook Review - Greenlights - Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey’s mix of memoir and homespun philosophy is an exuberant and infectious book, best enjoyed on audio.
Book Review - The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
Inspiring story of a couple who, after receiving devastating medical news and losing their home, set out on a journey of redemption through nature.
Book Review - Sing Backwards and Weep - Mark Lanegan
Mark Lanegan’s autobiography is a raw and unflinching account of a life lived as a singer and drug addict. Superbly written, it’s one of the best music autobiographies I’ve ever read.
