MSB Book Club – September/October
The MSB Book Club give their thoughts on the July/August reads and share their new selected books for September/October.
July/August Books
The Book Club had 4 choices for their July/August reads. All the reads were chosen by members of the book club:
Lover Birds by Leanne Egan
About the book: A fantastic, queer enemies-to-lovers story – in one corner, a girl with ADHD experiencing her first girl crush in a monumental way; in the other, a posh, rich girl who’s new to school and has her own reasons to be guarded. Told with humour and heart, this is a perfect novel for Alice Oseman and Becky Albertalli fans, marking a great new voice in the YA romcom canon.
Darci catches Elle’s eye the minute she arrives as the new girl in school. But Elle keeps her curiosity in check, and even seems dismissive (which Darci overhears).
Darci becomes equally dismissive (which Elle overhears), and immediately a rivalry is born. Things become knottier when Darci is asked to be Elle’s tutor, and even knottier when Elle starts to recognise her feelings as something other than disdain or derision. In fact, it might be… the opposite. There are many misunderstandings that need to be forgotten, for Elle and Darci to figure out how perfect they are for each other.
Imposter by L J Ross (First book in the Alex Gregory series)
About the book: There’s a killer inside all of us… After an elite criminal profiling unit is shut down amidst a storm of scandal and mismanagement, only one person emerges unscathed. Forensic psychologist Doctor Alexander Gregory has a reputation for being able to step inside the darkest minds to uncover whatever secrets lie hidden there, and soon enough, he finds himself drawn into the murky world of murder investigation.
In the beautiful hills of County Mayo, Ireland, a killer is on the loose. Panic has a stranglehold on its rural community and the Garda are running out of time. Gregory has sworn to follow a quiet life. But, when the call comes, can he refuse to help their desperate search for justice?
Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller, set amidst the spectacular Irish landscape.
The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella
About the Book: Discover the joy that awaits when you set yourself free…
Sasha is well and truly over it all: work (all-consuming), friendships (on the back burner), sex-life (non-existent). Armed with good intentions to drink kale smoothies, try yoga and find solitude, she heads to the Devon resort she loved as a child. But it’s off-season, the hotel is falling apart, and she has to share the beach with a grumpy, stressed-out guy called Finn. How can she commune with nature when he’s sitting on a rock, watching her suspiciously? Especially when they don’t agree on burnout cures. (Sasha: manifesting, wild swimming, secret Mars bars; Finn: drinking whisky.)
When curious messages start appearing on the beach however, Sasha and Finn are forced to begin talking – about everything. What’s the mystery? Why are they both burned out? And what exactly is ‘manifesting’, anyway?
They might discover that they have more in common than they think. . .
Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang
About the Book: THIS IS ONE HELL OF A STORY. IT’S JUST NOT HERS TO TELL.
When failed writer June Hayward witnesses her rival Athena Liu die in a freak accident, she sees her opportunity… and takes it.
So what if it means stealing Athena’s final manuscript?
So what if it means ‘borrowing’ her identity?
And so what if the first lie is only the beginning…
Finally, June has the fame she always deserved. But someone is about to expose her…
What happens next is entirely everyone else’s fault.
Staff Reviews
“I read Lover Birds. I would give it 5 stars. It is an excellent debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading more from Leanne. The characters felt relatable, and the plot was fast paced – a modern sapphic spin on Pride and Prejudice, which made for very enjoyable reading. The book’s main character, Lou, has also recently been diagnosed with ADHD and it touches on that journey as well. It was also refreshing to read a story based in Liverpool, and it was a love story to the city and its people. I would highly recommend, especially to young adults”. Rachael Payne, Solicitor *****
“I read the Impostor and I would give it 5 stars. Brilliant book! I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns in this thrilller about a criminal profiler and murder in the idyllic Irish countryside”. Louise Murphy, Partner and Head of Social Housing and Regeneration *****
“I read Yellowface. I would give it a 3 and a half star rating. It is a satirical story about the publishing industry, so as a book lover I enjoyed learning more about what happens behind the scenes. The book also deals with some important issues concerning representation and cultural appropriation. Unfortunately, I did feel that my attention was starting to wane towards the end!” Michelle Summers, Solicitor ***.5
September/October Books
The Book Club now has 4 choices for their September/October reads:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
About the Book: A cosy, enchanting story about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place – and realising that that family could be yours. The House in the Cerulean Sea is an uplifting, heart-warming queer fantasy from TJ Klune.
Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. Employed at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages.
Then one day, 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 closer, Linus must choose: his duty, or his dreams . . .
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
About the Book: The true story of the world’s most prolific art thief, who accumulated a collection worth over $1.4 billion.
For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than 200 heists over nearly ten years – in museums and cathedrals all over Europe – Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than 300 objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion.
In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser’s strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in his home, where he could admire them to his heart’s content. Possessed of a remarkable appreciation for art and an innate ability to assess practically any security system, Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtaking number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict’s need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend’s pleas to stop – until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down.
Hysteria by L J Ross (Second book in the Alex Gregory series)
About the Book: For our book club members who enjoyed the Impostor, Alex Gregory’s story continues.
In a beautiful world, murder is always ugly…
Recently returned from his last case in Ireland, elite forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr Alexander Gregory receives a call from the French police that he can’t ignore. It’s Paris fashion week and some of the world’s most beautiful women are turning up dead, their faces slashed in a series of frenzied attacks while the world’s press looks on.
Amidst the carnage, one victim has survived but she’s too traumatised to talk. Without her help, the police are powerless to stop the killer before he strikes again – can Gregory unlock the secrets of her mind, before it’s too late?
Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Parisian landscape.
All the Yellow Suns by Malavika Kannan
About the Book: When a queer Indian American teenager is swept into a life of art, romance, and resistance, she must make up her own mind when it comes to identity, activism, and love.
Sixteen-year-old Maya Krishnan is fiercely protective of her friends, immigrant community, and single mother, but she knows better than to rock the boat in her conservative Florida suburb. Her classmate Juneau Zale is the polar opposite: she’s a wealthy white heartbreaker who won’t think twice before capsizing that boat.
When Juneau invites Maya to join the Pugilists—a secret society of artists, vandals, and mischief-makers who fight for justice at their school—Maya descends into the world of change-making and resistance. Soon, she and Juneau forge a friendship that inspires Maya to confront the challenges in her own life.
But as their relationship grows romantic, painful, and twisted, Maya begins to suspect that there’s a whole different person beneath Juneau’s painted-on facade. Now Maya must learn to speak her truth in this mysterious, mixed-up world—even if it results in heartbreak. Between emotional threads of first love and identity, comes a powerful exploration of the crusade for social change within a divided community.
Book Events
Rachael Payne attended the book launch for our July/August read Lover Birds by Leanne Egan! It was held at Waterstones in Liverpool and authors PJ Ellis and Margaret McDonald were also in attendance. Leanne spoke about their inspiration for Lover Birds and discussed future projects.
Following the author discussion, there was a Q&A with the audience and then a book signing. Those in attendance were able to mingle and celebrate the books launch.
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