It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to be young and poor and growing up in a Mexico which regards young women as commodities to be traded. However, this book took me right there whether I wanted or imagined it or not. I was gripped from start to finish.
View Prayers for the Stolen
I found this disturbing and often unpleasant - Lola and Chloe and Emma are the very essence of teenage girls and are terribly lost. As the mystery at the heart of the story is gradually revealed there are shocks and surprises and the story darkens, the humour becomes blacker and the sense of inevitability deepens.
View Cold Light
Stories about sexual violence and police corruption do not make for easy reading and the young black woman at the centre of this story is faced with a relentless reality of exploitation. That said, the lush writing, though intense, is never sentimental and Oakland's diverse landscape is vividly brought to life. This novel was inspired by real events, which lends it, I think, an added poignancy.
View Nightcrawling
This is a story, in no uncertain terms, about the pressure on women to be perfect mothers, to love a child unconditionally whilst hostage to feelings of anxiety, guilt, and self-doubt. Set in an unnamed city, Blythe Connor delivers her version of events with a breathy urgency; concise chapters make for a tense, pacey read. A psychological drama which will strike a chord with many women, regardless of whether they are mothers themselves.
View The Push
Don't let the death of a new-born baby detract you from the beautiful writing and innocence of this book. Katie, a young Amish girl, is accused of murdering her child, and through her we see the angst of falling in love with an 'English' - an action that pulls against her faith and beliefs. Ellie is her lawyer and only confidante through this difficult time. Delivers a window on a very particular world as well as a court room drama.
View Plain Truth
With a theme as strong as transgender transition, so overtly autobiographical of the author, you wonder how it will fit with the why-dunnit that is the skeleton in the closet of an American college friendship group. It's in the why, why should this happen to me, why should I be forced into a lesser version of myself, why can people not see this is the real me, that the depths of identity shifts are passionately revealed.
View Long Black Veil
Alex is teaching Greek tragedy to a small group of unruly teenagers in an Edinburgh pupil referral unit but she can't foresee that they are becoming increasingly obsessed with their new teacher's secret past, with equally tragic consequences. This spellbinding story made me start to think more about grief, dysfunction and how we're all in some ways trying to escape the past. Definitely one to recommend.
Set in the shadow of a Middle England powerplant cooling towers, this novel is breathtaking in its ability to capture the thoughts and feelings of its characters. Each chapter, written about individual in the story, intertwines around one central character - Robert. This is a young man, deeply loved by all from his parents to schoolfriends. However, all is not as rosy as it seems as there are fatal consequences. You should enjoy this read.
View The Pools
A murder mystery set amongst a hunter-gathering community in Mesolithic Scotland. This summary of the plot gives no idea of the nature of this book. It is like listening to stories told by your grandparents, in the days before TV, as the family gathered for comfort round the fire. Evocative, spellbinding, wonderful. A tale not to be missed for anything.
View The Gathering Night
Fourteen years ago, Aasmaani's mother, Samina, disappeared from her life, distraught at the murder of the Poet, her true love. Aasmaani continues to believe both are still alive - a belief made all the stronger when she starts to receive letters in a code previously used by Samina and the Poet. However, as Aasmaani searches for the truth, this compelling novel leads us to a dramatic revelation.
View Broken VersesYou won’t find the biggest bestsellers on Whichbook as everyone knows about them already. But you can use your enjoyment of a current bestseller to see titles with a similar mood that you might try next.
