Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald
Through the lives of Banjo and Finlay, two boys bound by their shared childhood in foster care, we are pulled into a raw, aching coming-of-age, woven with trauma, violence, and loneliness.
And yet, within all the darkness, this story soars with the quiet, profound power of human connection, physical intimacy, and the power of love amongst friends. A stunning debut. – Becky
Experienced by Kate Young
Recently-out Bette is head over heels for new girlfriend Mei. But Mei’s worried that Bette hasn’t had enough experience… so now Bette’s on a (reluctant) dating odyssey, experiencing the years of disastrous dates and awkward encounters she’s supposedly missed out on. With new friend Ruth as her dating guide, Bette’s confident she can stick out three months and make it back to Mei… but when the time’s up, will Mei still be the one she wants?
Delightfully funny and incredibly sexy, this Bristol-based debut romcom reads like a classic and is unbelievably good fun. I loved it! – Liv
The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien
Lina and her father have fled the flooded Pearl River Delta at some point in the future, and find themselves in an enclave named the Sea. It is a place of refuge, where different oceans appear out of each window, a place where time folds and the refugees of the past, present and future collide.
Lina carries with her three books from a series on great voyagers, detailing the lives of Du Fu, Baruch Spinoza and Hannah Arendt. But, as she gets to know her neighbours, she soon realises they know more about these people than any book could profess. For like Lina herself, they are all fleeing tyranny of different kinds and each is seeking new beginnings.
Deeply philosophical, intellectual, moving and profound, this inventive novel unfolds the story of humanity as it fragments across time. It is a high wire act performed with the skill and grace of a truly great writer. – Tom M