What we've read over Christmas

LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 'A quietly profound, humane tour de force' Guardian The beloved debut novel that will restore your faith in humanity #SmallAngryPlanet When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The ship, which has seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past. But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants. Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They'll earn enough money to live comfortably for years... if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful. But Rosemary isn't the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed. PRAISE FOR THE WAYFARERS 'Never less than deeply involving' DAILY MAIL 'Explores the quieter side of sci-fi while still wowing us with daring leaps of imagination' iBOOKS 'So much fun to read' HEAT 'Chambers is simply an exceptional talent, quietly and beautifully redefining the space opera' TOR.COM 'The most fun that I've had with a novel in a long, long time' iO9

"A compelling narrative layered with intersections of gender, sexuality, and spirituality."— Booklist After an assault, bigender seventeen-year-old Aleks/Alexis is looking for a fresh start—so they voluntarily move in with their uncle, a Catholic priest. In their new bedroom, Aleks/Alexis discovers they can overhear parishioners in the church confessional. Moved by the struggles of these "sinners," Aleks/Alexis decides to anonymously help them, finding solace in their secret identity: a guardian angel instead of a victim. But then Aleks/Alexis overhears a confession of another priest admitting to sexually abusing a parishioner. As they try to uncover the priest's identity before he hurts anyone again, Aleks/Alexis is also forced to confront their own abuser and come to terms with their past trauma.

‘I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect’– V. E. Schwab, Sunday Times bestselling author of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil A cosy, enchanting story about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place. The House in the Cerulean Sea is an uplifting, heart-warming queer fantasy from TJ Klune, a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author. Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages. Then, one day, everything changes. Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He must travel to an orphanage where six dangerous children reside – including the Antichrist. At the orphanage, Linus must somehow determine if these children could bring about the end of days. But their guardian, the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to protect his wards. And, as Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose: his duty, or his dreams . . . Continue the adventure with the second entry in the Cerulean Chronicles, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. ‘A modern fairy tale . . . It’s a beautiful book’ – Charlaine Harris, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author * * * Readers fell in love with The House in the Cerulean Sea: ‘I was completely captivated’ ‘I adored all the characters and was so moved by the whole story’ ‘This is a glorious, romantic, old fashioned, queer fantasy’ ‘A tale as beautiful as this one should be compulsory reading’ ‘If you want a magical romance that will make you giggle and cry, this is for you’

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: The Dark, Defiant New Epic from V. E. Schwab The Instant Number One Sunday Times & New York Times Bestseller A Genre-Defying, Unforgettable Novel to Sink Your Teeth Into . . . “Bury my bones in the midnight soil, plant them shallow and water them deep, and in my place will grow a feral rose, soft red petals hiding sharp white teeth.” A STORY ABOUT IMMORTALITY, HUNGER AND REVENGE. From V. E. Schwab, the internationally bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, comes a twisting, gothic tale of blood, power, and the terrifying price of freedom. Three women, centuries apart. One secret desire binds them all: to be more than a pawn in a game played by men. 1532. Santo Domingo: María is wild and wily, and knows her beauty is her only currency. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path – a chance to choose her own fate – María makes a desperate vow: no regrets. 1827. London: Charlotte lives a cloistered life, her heart full of impossible wishes. Swept away by a beautiful widow's invitation, she discovers the price of freedom is higher than she could have ever imagined. 2019. Boston: Alice moved halfway across the world to escape her past. But a one-night stand leads to chilling consequences. So Alice throws herself into a hunt for answers and revenge that links her to a hunger centuries old. This is a story about life . . . how it ends, and how it starts again. ‘Lyrical and immersive . . . sweeping history, deep emotions and [a] touch of magic’ – Cosmopolitan Readers are obsessed with Bury Your Bones in the Midnight Soil: ‘A brutal masterclass in tragedy. Page-turning. Heartbreaking. Unforgettable’ ‘This book gave me CHILLS’ ‘It’s easily one of my favourite books of the year!’ ‘I actually am at a loss for words to describe how this book made me feel’ ‘This book was beautiful. And gut-wrenching. And I was obsessed’ V. E. Schwab's Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 16/06/2025

Coming soon ... return to Prythian with TWO new books in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Pre-order ACOTAR 6 for 27th October 26, and ACOTAR 7 for 12th January 27. The EPIC FANTASY and #1 Sunday Times bestseller, from the multi-million-selling author of the Court of Thorns and Roses series Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James - Telegraph Spiced with slick plotting and atmospheric world-building ... a page-turning delight - Guardian Sarah J. Maas does not disappoint ... To be devoured with relish - Mail ****** THE DEADLIEST POWER. THE FIERCEST PASSION. THE CRUELLEST FATE. Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar have made a pact. As they process the events of the Spring they will keep things ... platonic ... until Winter Solstice. But can they resist when the crackling tension between them is enough to set the whole of Crescent City aflame? And they are not out of danger yet. Dragged into a rebel movement they want no part of, Bryce, Hunt and their friends find themselves pitted against the terrifying Asteri - whose notice they must avoid at all costs. But as they learn more about the rebel cause, they face a choice: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight. And they've never been very good at staying silent. In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode - and the people who will do anything to save it. *** 5* reader reviews for House of Sky and Breath *** 'A sensational story in the world of dark fantasy, that is magical and haunting, with an exhilarating plot, powerful world building, a level of suspense that inspires a hungry turn of pages and a brilliant array of characters that I believe are her best cast yet. Ingenious' 'I absolutely devoured this book! A great addition to the series, full of twists and turns' 'One of the best books she's written in my opinion, second time reading it and I still couldn't get enough' 'This book blew me away I couldn't put it down' 'Sarah J Maas has done it again! This book from the outset is riddled with twists, turns, love and betrayal'

The highly acclaimed and rated Disney+ documentary series, The Imagineering Story, becomes a book that greatly expands the award-winning filmmaker Leslie Iwerks' narrative of the fascinating history of Walt Disney Imagineering. The entire legacy of WDI is covered from day one through future projects with never-before-seen access and insights from people both on the inside and on the outside. So many stories and details were left on the cutting room floor--this book allows an expanded exploration of the magic of Imagineering. So many insider stories are featured. ° Sculptor Blaine Gibson's wife used to kick him under the table at restaurants for staring at interesting-looking people seated nearby, and he'd even find himself studying faces during Sunday morning worship. "You mean some of these characters might have features that are based on people you went to church with?" Marty Sklar once asked Gibson of the Imagineer's sculpts for Pirates of the Caribbean. "He finally admitted to me that that was true." ° In the early days, Walt Disney Imagineering "was in one little building and everybody parked in the back and you came in through the model shop, and you could see everything that was going on," recalled Marty Sklar. "When we started on the World's Fair in 1960 and 1961, we had 100 people here. And so everybody knew everything about what was happening and the status of [each] project, so you really felt like you were part of the whole team whether you were working on that project or not. And, you know, there was so much talent here." A must-have for Disney Parks fans! Searching for that perfect gift for the #1 Disney fan in your life? Explore more behind-the-scenes stories from Disney Editions: One Little Spark! Mickey's Ten Commandments and The Road to Imagineering (By Disney Legend Marty Sklar) Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career (By Kevin Rafferty) Travels with Walt Disney: A Photographic Voyage Around the World (By Jeff Kurtti) Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food (By Marcy Carriker Smothers) Walt Disney: An American Original (By Bob Thomas) Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia, Fifth Edition (By Disney Legend Dave Smith)

Based on Rachel Reid's bestselling Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry is now streaming in Australia on HBO Max and Sky in New Zealand. The epic enemies-to-lovers hockey romance from USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Reid. Nothing interferes with pro hockey star Shane Hollander's game. Now that he's captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won't let anything jeopardize that-definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate. Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane's not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he's as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him-except Shane. Publicly, they're enemies. Privately, they can't stop touching each other. The smart thing to do? Walk away, once a few secret hookups turn into a struggle to keep their relationship out of the press. The truth could ruin them both. But for Shane and Ilya, secrecy is soon no longer an option... Game Changers Book 1: Game Changer Book 2: Heated Rivalry Book 3: Tough Guy Book 4: Common Goal Book 5: Role Model Book 6: The Long Game

Read the award-winning, critically acclaimed, multi-million-copy-selling science-fiction phenomenon – now a major Netflix Original Series from the creators of Game of Thrones. 1967: Ye Wenjie witnesses Red Guards beat her father to death during China's Cultural Revolution. This singular event will shape not only the rest of her life but also the future of mankind. Four decades later, Beijing police ask nanotech engineer Wang Miao to infiltrate a secretive cabal of scientists after a spate of inexplicable suicides. Wang's investigation will lead him to a mysterious online game and immerse him in a virtual world ruled by the intractable and unpredictable interaction of its three suns. This is the Three-Body Problem and it is the key to everything: the key to the scientists' deaths, the key to a conspiracy that spans light-years and the key to the extinction-level threat humanity now faces. Praise for The Three-Body Problem: 'Your next favourite sci-fi novel' Wired 'Immense' Barack Obama 'Unique' George R.R. Martin 'SF in the grand style' Guardian 'Mind-altering and immersive' Daily Mail Winner of the Hugo and Galaxy Awards for Best Novel

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Welcome to the family," Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I''ll soon learn that the Winchesters'' secrets are far more dangerous than my own... Every day I clean the Winchesters'' beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew''s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it''s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina''s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina''s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it''s like. But she soon finds out... and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it''s far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don''t know who I really am. They don''t know what I''m capable of... Soon to be a major motion picture starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried * A No.1 New York Times bestseller * A Sunday Times bestseller * A USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller * 5 million copies sold * 20-million-copy bestselling author This unbelievably twisty read will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Girl on the Train won''t be able to put down The Housemaid! Read what everyone''s saying about The Housemaid: "I got severe whiplash from the twistiest turns... Every time I thought I had it figured out... WRONG!!!... I am still reeling... outstanding... If you love a top notch psychological thriller that will have you questioning your own sanity, then this 5 star read is for you." NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ "What a wild ride!!! Freida definitely delivered the best twisty ending... Gripping from start to finish... honestly, I just could not put it down... An absolutely mind-blowing shocker that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat literally until the very end." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ "One wild ride!... So many twists and turns... I was hooked right away - I even read my Kindle while waiting in my kid''s school pick-up line so I wouldn''t have to put this book down!... addictive... pure perfection!" Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ "Wow!!!... Blimey! What a roller-coaster ride this was! It had me sitting on the edge of my seat!... Superb book!... Fantastic ending!!!!... I highly recommend... fantastic... Big fat 5 stars from me." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ "SO GOOD... I didn''t want to put it down! I read 70% in one sitting... I was on the edge of my seat... you will not see the ending coming! Drop what you are doing and pick up this book!" @Thriller_book_sisters, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ "You will NOT believe the direction this book takes... A jaw-dropping twist... A truly stunning thriller that I could not read quickly enough." @carriereadsthem_all, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ "I was obsessed with this story... couldn''t get through the story fast enough... I was continuously gasping or saying "noooooo" out loud." Sarah in Readerland "I could NOT put it down!... An incredible roller-coaster ride... This book left me hungry for more and I could not believe the ending!!" Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ "Terrific! Finished The Housemaid in one night, totally compulsively readable... the ending packs a wallop!" NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

A delightful romantic Korean contemporary fantasy tale - a quest to track down a demon of darkness before it devours the mortal realm. Two bickering immortals. One chance to save the world. Kim Hani - the once-terrible gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox - spends her days working at a café and trying not to let a certain customer irk her. Seokga - a trickster god thrown from the heavens for his attempt at a coup - spends his days hunting demons and irking a particular gumiho. When a demon of darkness escapes the underworld, and the Scarlet Fox briefly emerges from hiding, Seokga is offered a chance at redemption: kill them both, and his sins will be forgiven. But Hani is prepared to do anything to prevent Seokga from bringing her to justice, even trick her way into his investigation. Anything, that is - except fall in love . . . READERS LOVE SOPHIE KIM 'I have NO WORDS!!! I'M REELING!!!! THIS BOOK RUINED ME FOR ANY OTHERS! [...] WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW??????' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'If you liked Crescent City, enjoyed Disney's Zootropolis, and police procedural dramas: you're going to love this' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I'm sorry in advance for the amount of fangirling I will be doing in this review . . . it just grabbed me by my arms and quite literally dragged me out of my slump swamp' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'If you like Korean culture, K dramas and the grumpy/sunshine trope this is definitely for you!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dokja was a typical office worker who spent his free time reading his favorite web fiction, 'Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse.' However, when the novel becomes a reality, he is the only one who knows how the world will end. Dokja utilizes his newfound understanding to alter the path of the story and the world as he knows it.

***SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2025*** AN OBSERVER BEST NEW NOVELIST 2025 WINNER OF THE #MERKY BOOKS 2022 NEW WRITERS' PRIZE 'This summer's hottest read' SUNDAY TIMES 'Beguiling . . . elegant and surprising' OBSERVER 'You won't want to put it down' BRITISH VOGUE 'Sticky, twisting and dangerous' REBECCA K REILLY It’s summer and a young man walks through the gates of a luxurious mansion in the South of France. At the dinner table, the Blake siblings await him: Lily, his carefree friend from university; Dot, the rebellious younger sister; and Felix – handsome, charismatic and guarded. Between sun-drenched days spent lounging by the pool and nights blurring into endless, opulent parties, the man is captivated by Felix’s restless allure. As his desire grows, the chance to become part of the family and their world of money and power starts to feel within reach. But the idyllic haze of summer fades as they return to London and the cracks in the Blakes' careful façade begin to show. With the two men tormented by demons of their own, their bond is increasingly tested and pulled apart at the seams. Their secrets and the choices they make will change not only their lives, but the future of those around them. Sunstruck is a dazzling and poignant exploration of race, status and the parts of ourselves we risk losing when we fall in love. 'Beautifully written and well-paced . . . builds tension as it approaches an exciting revelation' JACQUELINE CROOKS 'There’s plenty of plot; the novel’s brisk pacing, together with its shrewd blend of emotional sincerity, brooding intrigue and political overtones, make for a lively beach read' GUARDIAN 'Very hard to put down . . . A truly gripping story about privilege and perspective from a writer with a sharp pen and a wicked sense of humour whose incredible career is only just beginning' ORE AGBAJE-WILLIAMS 'Smart, bracing, sexy . . . I was completely gripped' JACK PARLETT ‘A stunning and tender debut. Sultry and compulsive. Full of heart’ SOULA EMMANUEL 'Poignant, tender, and wonderfully honest' CHLOE MICHELLE HOWARTH

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SENSATION WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2025 SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA CRIME FICTION IN TRANSLATION DAGGER AWARD 2025 A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK ‘A full-fat, Michelin-starred treat’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘A cult phenomenon’ iNEWS ‘Took the literary world by storm’ BBC ‘A killer Japanese novel’ THE TIMES 'I have been glued to Butter’ NIGEL SLATER The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story, and translated by Polly Barton. There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine. Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back. Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body. Might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought? Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, 'The Konkatsu Killer', Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, gripping exploration of misogyny, obsession and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan. **Hooked, the latest novel from Asako Yuzuki is available to preorder now** 'It isn’t entirely clear whether to read the novel or devour it’ OBSERVER ‘Readers around the world are finding themselves utterly captivated’ DAILY MAIL ‘I really enjoyed it’ MEERA SYAL, on BBC Between the Covers 'Compelling, delightfully weird' PANDORA SYKES 'Unputdownable, breathtakingly original' ERIN KELLY 'You’ll be craving rice, butter and soy sauce in no time’ STYLIST ‘Nothing short of ingenious’ iNEWS ‘Ambitious and unsettling’ GUARDIAN 'Luscious ... I devoured this' IMOGEN CRIMP 'A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER

A sublime piece of literary detective work that shows us once and for all how to be precisely the sort of reader that Austen deserves.' Caroline Criado-Perez, Guardian Almost everything we think we know about Jane Austen is wrong. Her novels don't confine themselves to grand houses and they were not written just for readers' enjoyment. She writes about serious subjects and her books are deeply subversive. We just don't read her properly - we haven't been reading her properly for 200 years. Jane Austen, The Secret Radical puts that right. In her first, brilliantly original book, Austen expert Helena Kelly introduces the reader to a passionate woman living in an age of revolution; to a writer who used what was regarded as the lightest of literary genres, the novel, to grapple with the weightiest of subjects – feminism, slavery, abuse, the treatment of the poor, the power of the Church, even evolution – at a time, and in a place, when to write about such things directly was seen as akin to treason. Uncovering a radical, spirited and political engaged Austen, Jane Austen, The Secret Radical will encourage you to read Jane, all over again.