5 new books to read this week

An end-of-the-world novel that isn’t completely filled with despair, and Margaret Atwood’s much-anticipated memoir hit shelves…

Fiction

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy is published in paperback by Canongate Books, priced £9.99 (ebook £5.99). Available now

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Everyone on Shearwater Island – overrun by seals and home to some of the world’s last remaining penguin colonies – is keeping some kind of secret. Including Rowan, who washes up half-drowned in the midst of a brutal storm, to be nursed back to health by the island’s caretaker, Dominic Salt, and his three wild, complicated children – teenagers Fen, Raff and nine-year-old Orly, who can speak to the spirits on the wind. What could be an incredibly depressing missive on the many threats of climate change, rising sea waters, bushfires and human frailty in the face of environmental disaster (driven by our own greed), is, in fact, a story of togetherness and the power of family. Wild Dark Shore is atmospheric, filled with yearning, grief and pain, yet, despite the Salt family’s way of life crumbling into the sea around them, and the agony and disappointment of Rowan’s past, Shearwater feels alive with purpose. Charlotte McConaghy forces you to consider what is ahead, what is worth holding on to, and what needs to be let go of. A powerful, wrenching read that truly grapples with the rawness of parenting.
9/10
Review by Ella Walker

The Silver Book by Olivia Laing is published in hardback by Hamish Hamilton, priced £20 (ebook £10.99). Available now

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A whirlwind of culture and an insightful love letter to Seventies Italian cinema, The Silver Book, written by internationally acclaimed writer and critic Olivia Laing, is a tale of queer love, danger and self-discovery. Based in truth, the novel follows the making of the groundbreaking films Casanova (1976) and Salò (1975) through the eyes of Nicholas Wade, an English art student who is swept up by Danilo Donati, the costume designer for both films. Laing tells an enthralling story, managing to effortlessly weave the fantastical life of working at the legendary film studio, Cinecittà, with the very real effects of fascism in Italy.
9/10
Review by Chynna Jones

Bluff by Francine Toon is published in hardback by Doubleday, priced £16.99 (ebook £5.99). Available now

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This modern gothic thriller set in a dark and haunting Scottish landscape focuses on the lives of two school friends over two time periods. At a beach party in Fife in 2013, a group of teenagers celebrate leaving school. But what should have been a night full of fun brings to an end Joanie’s hopes and plans, and she finds herself drawn to someone who makes her feel needed and special. In 2023, Cameron returns home for Christmas and wonders what exactly happened to Joanie, and where is she? His former friend has disappeared from view and no one seems to know where he can find her. Pine author Francine Toon ramps up the tension, flickering between the two timelines as Cameron digs deeper and secrets tumble out with revelation after revelation.
8/10
Review by Rachel Howdle

Non-fiction

Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood is published in hardback by Chatto & Windus, priced £30 (ebook £14.99). Available now

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At 85, Margaret Atwood, author of more than 50 works of fiction, poetry and essays, turns the lens on herself. From her unconventional childhood in Quebec, raised by scientifically minded parents, to the determined young woman who always knew she wanted to write, this memoir makes for a fascinating read. It begins with her parents, Carl and Margaret, both born in Nova Scotia, before introducing us to Atwood herself. Spanning her childhood, teenage years and adult life, the book offers a real sense of who Atwood is and how some of her most famous works came to be. Many of her stories were shaped by the times she lived through, but what gives the memoir its real heart is the description of her lifelong partnership with Graeme Gibson. Their shared creativity, family life and support for one another, right up until his death in 2019, reveal a deeply human side. Told with Atwood’s trademark intelligence and wit, Book of Lives is an extraordinary life story, beautifully told.
10/10
Review by Jacqueline Ling

Children’s book of the week

First Aid with Nikki and Enzo: First Skills by Vivian French, illustrated by Anna Simeone, is published in paperback by Walker Books, priced £7.99). Available now

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This engaging and educational story introduces children to the basics of first aid in a reassuring and accessible way. It follows Nikki and her trusty companion Enzo as they learn essential skills, such as staying calm in an emergency, asking for help and understanding what to do if someone is hurt. Vivian French has a gift for making important topics easy for young readers to understand; the language is clear and friendly, and potentially frightening situations are handled with a gentle tone that builds confidence rather than fear. The book emphasises key messages, such as the importance of being responsible, staying safe, and knowing how to react in unexpected situations, while Anna Simeone’s illustrations are bright, warm and expressive. Parents, teachers, and carers will appreciate the book’s subtle balance between storytelling and practical learning. First Aid with Nikki and Enzo is a really valuable resource for introducing young children to first aid skills in a positive and empowering way. It encourages independence, builds awareness, and could easily spark helpful conversations at home or in the classroom.
7/10
Review by Joanne Brennan

BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 8

HARDBACK (FICTION)
1. Exit Strategy:Jack Reacher by Lee Child and Andrew Child
2. Empire of the Dawn:Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
3. To Bleed a Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker
4. Rose Field: The Book of Dust Volume Three by Philip Pullman
5. Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben
6. The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson
7. The Impossible Fortune:The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
8. The Eleventh Hour by Salman Rushdie
9. Alchemised by SenLinYu
10. The Long Shoe by Bob Mortimer
(Compiled by Waterstones)

HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)
1. Dear England:Lessons in Leadership by Gareth Southgate
2. Mary Earps: All In by Mary Earps
3. Always Remember:The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Stormby Charlie Mackesy
4. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
5. 107 Days by Kamala Harris
6. Staying Relevant by Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks
7. Wings:The Story of a Band on the Run by Paul McCartney
8. Book of Lives:A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood
9. Mary 90:My Very Best Recipes by Mary Berry
10. Private Eye Annual 2025 by Ian Hislop
(Compiled by Waterstones)

AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NONFICTION)
1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Full-Cast Edition) by J.K. Rowling
2. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
3. The Long Shoe by Bob Mortimer
4. A Mind of My Own by Kathy Burke
5. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
6. The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
7. Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child
8. The Rose Field: The Book of Dust Volume Three by Philip Pullman and Christopher Wormell
9. Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York by Andrew Lownie
10. Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure by Andy Wilman
(Compilled by Audible)