Ninth house by Leigh Bardugo

Galaxy (Alex) Stern survives an horrific crime, and is offered a free place at Yale because of her rare ability to see Greys (ghosts). She is brought in to be part of the house of Lethe, which monitors the activities of the eight powerful, secret societies. She was always going to struggle, after her misspent youth, but finds more drama than anyone expected. It took me a while to get into this, perhaps because I have recently read a lot of beautiful/luminous/funny fantasy, and this is very dark, but it got more and more exciting, and I stayed up way too late to finish it. It has fantasy, horror, mystery, and thriller elements, a great college setting, and characters I came to care about. I will be back for the next in the series.

Early riser by Jasper Fforde

Set in Wales, in an alternate history where humans hibernate through the intense winters, Early Riser is a satirical, dystopian thriller, and very funny. Charlie Worthing is a young person with few prospects, when he lands a job as a Winter Consul, staying up while the world sleeps, keeping the peace and investigating viral dreams. It’s a mystery filled with eccentric characters, hilarious details, social commentary, and a lot of heart. Jasper Fforde’s humour appeals to me very much, and while I found it a little slow to begin with, the delightful Charlie kept me going until the story enthralled me. I listened to the audiobook, and very much enjoyed the Welsh accent.

A life on our planet by David Attenborough

This book one of the most important books I have ever read. I have only just finished it but I am starting back at the beginning to read it again. Some of you will have seen the accompanying film that has also just been released.
There have been many books, articles, conversations, all of which are based around the stability of our planet. What makes this book, for me, stand out amongst the rest? I guess, like so many of us, ever since watching David Attenborough’s Life on Earth series, I have held him in high esteem. He is now 94 and has devoted his life to teaching us about our planet. He has earned our respect. So when I read his witness statement and vision for our future, I trust him. His book is about the decline of our wildlife, our biodiversity. It is the story of how we came to make this, our greatest mistake and how, if we act now, we can put it right.

The wreck by Meg Keneally

Sarah escapes England after she finds herself a wanted person after a failed rebellion attempt. She becomes the only survivor when the ship sinks outside Sydney Harbour. Then begins her life in Sydney – will she continue to be invovled in rebellion in the new colony? I enjoyed the storyline, reading about early Australia is a favourite genre for me, but I did not warm to the characters. I maybe needed a deeper connection.

Tenth of December by George Saunders

George Saunders is an extraordinary storyteller; laying bare humans in all their complicated, contradictory, messiness. This collection of stories is dark, deeply thought-provoking, and enthralling.

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Honestly, I had no idea what was going on most of the time in this science fiction classic. Much more at sea than with Pattern Recognition, which has a protagonist with the same name, but a female version. It was slow going, and baffling, but I still enjoyed it, and never felt like giving up. It was a strange, but compelling adventure, and so prescient, having been written in 1984!

Gathering dark by Candice Fox

A killer, a thief, a crime lord and a cop working together to find a missing girl, this story has a cast of offbeat, flawed and original characters. I took a while to get into the story – but then it takes off and hurtles you along to the conclusion. Just suspend your reasoning and go along for the ride.

Sunset Park by Paul Auster

Miles Heller is a young man in self-imposed exile. For seven years he has been running away, until he finds hope in Florida, but the hope is complicated, and he is forced to return to New York, to squat in an old house in Sunset Park, a neighbourhood in Brooklyn. There is a cast of characters around the enigmatic Miles, and this book is about all of them, including New York City; how they live, love, work, hope, despair, against the backdrop of the 2008 recession. It is a moving character exploration, with deep dives into the characters’ passions – baseball, books, and film. It’s about connection, and meaning; it gives no answers, might even be a little bleak, and yet utterly compelling.

My purple scented novel by Ian McEwan

A gorgeous short story, read by the author, about two friends who went to university together and maintained a friendship throughout their lives, despite differing rates of success on a similar path, and one extraordinary act of betrayal.

Phosphorescence by Julia Baird

There are all sorts of ways you can describe this book; memoir, philosophy, science, self-help. It is extensively researched, deeply personal, quietly faithful, and full of hope. Julia Baird is a woman has experienced some very dark times, and has a thirst for understanding how and why people keep going, and shine from within. It is a very practical book, easy to read, with many tips for living a meaningful, strong, community, and kindness-filled life.