Friday Book Debrief Vol 52

HELLO HELLO Friday is here and that means you get to read another Friday debrief!

You know the drill, every week some of our glorious writers let us know what they have been reading this week. As always the full list is also available for easy browsing in our US and UK Bookshops! If you buy any of the books in our shops, not only are you actively supporting us and our work but you are also supporting independent bookstores with 10% of your purchase going directly to them at no extra cost to yourself, and all carbon emissions are offset! Good vibes all round. Now enough chat, big love and here is this week's debrief!

The Highly Sensitive Person: How To Thrive When The World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D - Maggie

2021 has been a year of deep introspection and reflection. I’ve been a hyper sensitive person my entire life and I’m finally trying to take control and make my life easier to manage. This book has been enlightening and incredibly helpful in helping me manage my emotions. It starts with a self-test so if you think you’ve ever struggled with your sensitivity and want to try to utilize it as a superpower, I highly recommend this book.

Buy it from our Bookshops - US & UK.

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Mambo in Chinatown by Jean Kwok - Melissa

I LOVED Girl in Translation (US & UK) by Jean Kwok, so I jumped at the chance to read something else from her. Even though I haven't started it yet, I just know it's going to be amazing - because Jean Kwok's voice is fantastic in everything she writes.

Buy it from our Bookshops - US & UK.

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Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy - Nikki

Apparently I love stories with beautiful prose and female leads going through emotional journeys in remote locations. Who knew? About 50 pages into Migrations — set in the Arctic Circle and at sea — and super into it so far.

Buy it from our Bookshops - US & UK.

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Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan - Mel

Another steamy romance great for summer! The tension is palpable as I wait to see if Morgan and Ruby will stop dancing around each other and allow themselves to be vulnerable and get together already.

Buy it from our Bookshops - US & UK.

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At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop, Translated from the French by Anna Moschovakis - Jessica Maria

Halfway through this short book, and it packs so much visceral energy as the reader follows one Alfa Ndiaye, a Senegalese soldier recruited to fight for the French army in WWI. It's a violent sorta-revenge tale as Alfa witnesses the death of a fellow so-called 'Chocolat' soldier on the battlefield. This book recently won the International Booker Prize, and I can see why.

Buy it from our Bookshops - US & UK.

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GHOST FOREST BY Pik-Shuen Fung - Jessica Maria

I am just about finished with this beautiful and feeling novel about a narrator dealing with the grief of losing a father, one that she's unsure if she ever knew completely. He was an 'astronaut' father to his family in Canada, while he stayed behind in Hong Kong to work after the 1997 Handover. Fascinating in so many ways, and heart-stirringly poignant.

Pre-order it from our Bookshops - US & UK.

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and that's all folks! UNTIL NEXT FRIDAY!

in the meantime, visit our beautiful bookshops and spread some literary love!

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