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1 like = 1 (made-up) much-buzzed about book
1. Egg Life: a novel.
Stream-of-consciousness, from the perspective of a Tamagotchi (which can't be named for trademark reasons). Slowly starts to become aware of the world outside their device. Cartoon poo on the cover. Contains lots of sex.
Stream-of-consciousness, from the perspective of a Tamagotchi (which can't be named for trademark reasons). Slowly starts to become aware of the world outside their device. Cartoon poo on the cover. Contains lots of sex.
2. Cliff Face
Memoir/nature writing, "muscular" prose, about climbing up cliffs without the necessary equipment. Publisher considers putting a clause in the contract asking author to not do this again until after all of his signing and speaking engagements are over.
Memoir/nature writing, "muscular" prose, about climbing up cliffs without the necessary equipment. Publisher considers putting a clause in the contract asking author to not do this again until after all of his signing and speaking engagements are over.
3. Hannibal Lecter Earns His Second Michelin Star
Not written by Thomas Harris. Translated from French, and is so generally mean about everyone and everything that the publisher concludes it must count as satire and therefore legally they're in the clear. Lots of very boring sex.
Not written by Thomas Harris. Translated from French, and is so generally mean about everyone and everything that the publisher concludes it must count as satire and therefore legally they're in the clear. Lots of very boring sex.
4. Wold Wide Web
Popular science about various types of moss, lichen and fungi found in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Talks about how natural systems are interconnected, uses a silly Internet metaphor to explain it, finishes on an extremely depressing chapter about climate change.
Popular science about various types of moss, lichen and fungi found in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Talks about how natural systems are interconnected, uses a silly Internet metaphor to explain it, finishes on an extremely depressing chapter about climate change.
5. Chasm: a novel
In the first half a philosophy professor daydreams about every man she meets across the course of one single day.
In the second half she runs away to build a new life in a remote cave with an unnamed younger man in the aftermath of an earthquake. "Spare" prose.
In the first half a philosophy professor daydreams about every man she meets across the course of one single day.
In the second half she runs away to build a new life in a remote cave with an unnamed younger man in the aftermath of an earthquake. "Spare" prose.
6. Device Discovery
Epistolary YA SF novel set on a far-flung planet that uses formats very similar to discord and whatsapp. One teenager is an apprentice asteroid miner. Another one is about to start pilot college. Due to a typo, they start emailing each other and fall in love.
Epistolary YA SF novel set on a far-flung planet that uses formats very similar to discord and whatsapp. One teenager is an apprentice asteroid miner. Another one is about to start pilot college. Due to a typo, they start emailing each other and fall in love.
7. Grave Goods
Non-fiction/fiction hybrid, imagining the lives of people buried with different objects in medieval English burial grounds. Covers about 500 years.
When graves of people who were gender non-conforming are included the author takes great pains to explain them away.
Non-fiction/fiction hybrid, imagining the lives of people buried with different objects in medieval English burial grounds. Covers about 500 years.
When graves of people who were gender non-conforming are included the author takes great pains to explain them away.
8. Love, Mars and Venus
Autofiction about illness and dating, written against a fabulist backdrop in which astronomers have warned that Mars and Venus are going to collide in a week's time. Split into long diary entries over this week-long period. Narrator seems very unconcerned.
Autofiction about illness and dating, written against a fabulist backdrop in which astronomers have warned that Mars and Venus are going to collide in a week's time. Split into long diary entries over this week-long period. Narrator seems very unconcerned.
9. My First ASCII Workbook
Cutesy craft book about learning how to hand-draw ASCII art. Paper looks nice but is not particularly suitable to the task. Each page is perforated in case you want to stick it on your wall.
Cutesy craft book about learning how to hand-draw ASCII art. Paper looks nice but is not particularly suitable to the task. Each page is perforated in case you want to stick it on your wall.
10. Raven-Haunted
Literary biography of the raven from the ancient world to now. Spends a lot more time on the now.
Picture of Dickens and his raven on the front cover.
Author photo is the author with their own pet raven, mimicking the pose of the Dickens portrait.
Literary biography of the raven from the ancient world to now. Spends a lot more time on the now.
Picture of Dickens and his raven on the front cover.
Author photo is the author with their own pet raven, mimicking the pose of the Dickens portrait.
11. #NoFilter
Horror, told entirely through screenshots of instagram stories. Printed at twice the size of a regular mobile phone screen. Not much text. Lots happening in the background. Publisher couldn't work out how to easily distinguish private messages from public ones.
Horror, told entirely through screenshots of instagram stories. Printed at twice the size of a regular mobile phone screen. Not much text. Lots happening in the background. Publisher couldn't work out how to easily distinguish private messages from public ones.
12. Aviary
Fantasy doorstopper about a woman who is supposed to be taking up her place as a lady-in-waiting at the royal court. She is secretly a Feathervane, which means she can cast wind-magic, and is bound to a bird familiar.
She runs away - but the princess follows her.
Fantasy doorstopper about a woman who is supposed to be taking up her place as a lady-in-waiting at the royal court. She is secretly a Feathervane, which means she can cast wind-magic, and is bound to a bird familiar.
She runs away - but the princess follows her.
13. Tractatrix
Novel about three different women who work as hairdressers in Manchester, their dysfunctional relationships, and their career goals. Cover is made up of photos of lots of pairs of scissors cutting different types of hair. Book is mostly not set inside the salon.
Novel about three different women who work as hairdressers in Manchester, their dysfunctional relationships, and their career goals. Cover is made up of photos of lots of pairs of scissors cutting different types of hair. Book is mostly not set inside the salon.
14. Bakewell
Romance novel pitched for a crossover audience, about two bakers who meet on a gentle reality show that is obviously based heavily on GBBO. Cutesy cover features lots of aprons and tarts. Publicist sends baked goods and copies of the book to every women's magazine.
Romance novel pitched for a crossover audience, about two bakers who meet on a gentle reality show that is obviously based heavily on GBBO. Cutesy cover features lots of aprons and tarts. Publicist sends baked goods and copies of the book to every women's magazine.
15. My Narrow House
Fantasy. A witch wakes up in her own grave, and discovers that her best friend has brought her back to life through necromancy. They enlist a secret society of pissed-off corpses to overthrow the government. They have sex in a graveyard.
Fantasy. A witch wakes up in her own grave, and discovers that her best friend has brought her back to life through necromancy. They enlist a secret society of pissed-off corpses to overthrow the government. They have sex in a graveyard.
16. The Mole
Ian McEwan's take on Cymbeline for the Hogarth Shakespeare. Probably contains too many puns on "Posthumus". Both contains too much about Imogen's breasts and some surprisingly fun gender-fuckery.
Ian McEwan's take on Cymbeline for the Hogarth Shakespeare. Probably contains too many puns on "Posthumus". Both contains too much about Imogen's breasts and some surprisingly fun gender-fuckery.
17. Thérèse
Historical novel which reimagines the life of The Marquis de Sade as a woman. Almost 1,000 pages long. Troubling. Lyrical prose. Extremely well-researched. Impenetrable.
Historical novel which reimagines the life of The Marquis de Sade as a woman. Almost 1,000 pages long. Troubling. Lyrical prose. Extremely well-researched. Impenetrable.
18. Breakfast Buffet
A short micro-history of hotel breakfasts, full of cute illustrations, and clearly written by someone who was very hungry and longing to travel. Not enough personal experience. Sections on different cities around the world, of which too many are in Europe.
A short micro-history of hotel breakfasts, full of cute illustrations, and clearly written by someone who was very hungry and longing to travel. Not enough personal experience. Sections on different cities around the world, of which too many are in Europe.
19. 1/9/9/9
Historical novel about a dirtbag tech journalist at the turn of the millennium. Lots of inside jokes about Silicon Alley and Silicon Valley. Probably very autobiographical. Contains lots of fun multimedia stuff that pokes fun at webzines, BBSes, and hypertext.
Historical novel about a dirtbag tech journalist at the turn of the millennium. Lots of inside jokes about Silicon Alley and Silicon Valley. Probably very autobiographical. Contains lots of fun multimedia stuff that pokes fun at webzines, BBSes, and hypertext.
20. Forgotten Laws of Library Science
Esoteric thriller about a library. Big advance. Gothic author portrait. First print run is pulped before it hits the shelves because protagonist was named after the author's French teacher. Conspiracy theory that they're an art thief.
Esoteric thriller about a library. Big advance. Gothic author portrait. First print run is pulped before it hits the shelves because protagonist was named after the author's French teacher. Conspiracy theory that they're an art thief.
21. extraction
SF about an "ethical" company that teaches people to make their own devices from electronic waste. Protagonist attends a detox camp where they're not allowed online until they've built a phone from "scratch". Starts to feel sick. Hears strange things at night.
SF about an "ethical" company that teaches people to make their own devices from electronic waste. Protagonist attends a detox camp where they're not allowed online until they've built a phone from "scratch". Starts to feel sick. Hears strange things at night.
22. Governess
Novel about a young British woman who takes a job as a live-in tutor for a wealthy family in NYC. She knows nobody in NY, and spends her spare time sexting her boyfriend in London.
One day she is sent on an errand, and comes back to find the family has vanished.
Novel about a young British woman who takes a job as a live-in tutor for a wealthy family in NYC. She knows nobody in NY, and spends her spare time sexting her boyfriend in London.
One day she is sent on an errand, and comes back to find the family has vanished.
23. creepycuteadorable
collection of lyrical essays and poems about the idea of "cuteness". doesn't have images in but does feature a bibliography made up almost exclusively of web links that won't work in five years. written by someone who probably doesn't like cute things.
collection of lyrical essays and poems about the idea of "cuteness". doesn't have images in but does feature a bibliography made up almost exclusively of web links that won't work in five years. written by someone who probably doesn't like cute things.
24. Thunder Heard Remote
An unhappy man who makes a podcast about field recordings. His pet cat is trying to move in with his ex-wife who lives two doors down. His neighbourhood is plagued by mysterious blackouts.
And he's started receiving anonymous instructions by postcard...
An unhappy man who makes a podcast about field recordings. His pet cat is trying to move in with his ex-wife who lives two doors down. His neighbourhood is plagued by mysterious blackouts.
And he's started receiving anonymous instructions by postcard...
25. curses, like chickens
Collection of poems themed around traditional superstitions and methods of divination. Also contains a number of poems about keeping hens. Has a tarot card on the front, and an egg on the back.
Collection of poems themed around traditional superstitions and methods of divination. Also contains a number of poems about keeping hens. Has a tarot card on the front, and an egg on the back.
26. chainsmoker
Novel about a bicycle courier who smokes a lot. Written in a very disaffected style. Very short but the book has big margins and a slightly larger font than usual. Has two epigraphs.
Novel about a bicycle courier who smokes a lot. Written in a very disaffected style. Very short but the book has big margins and a slightly larger font than usual. Has two epigraphs.
27. Mucky Pup
Hedonistic “satire” of London arty nightlife written by someone who went to a very posh school. Reads a little bit like the author is bragging despite the narrator’s occasional self-deprecation.
Hedonistic “satire” of London arty nightlife written by someone who went to a very posh school. Reads a little bit like the author is bragging despite the narrator’s occasional self-deprecation.
28. The Blessing
Literary allegorical fantasy about a world where it’s discovered that taking the pill gives women magical powers. Society changes shape overnight. Men are subjugated. Everyone in it is young and there’s nothing about trans people or older people on HRT.
Literary allegorical fantasy about a world where it’s discovered that taking the pill gives women magical powers. Society changes shape overnight. Men are subjugated. Everyone in it is young and there’s nothing about trans people or older people on HRT.
29. I See You
Literary debut novel by a doctor who writes a weekly newspaper column. Story about a surgeon named Orpheus, who finds that he has one night to save his wife from the clutches of the underworld.
Literary debut novel by a doctor who writes a weekly newspaper column. Story about a surgeon named Orpheus, who finds that he has one night to save his wife from the clutches of the underworld.
30. Water Baby
Novel about an eccentric woman who is compiling an encyclopaedia about the sea. She lives alone in an old, now automated lighthouse. As the book goes on, readers start to realise she might be the only person left alive after an apocalyptic event.
Novel about an eccentric woman who is compiling an encyclopaedia about the sea. She lives alone in an old, now automated lighthouse. As the book goes on, readers start to realise she might be the only person left alive after an apocalyptic event.
31. Nine Weddings for Nanette Flamingo
Timeloop mystery set on a remote island during WWII. Nanette is marrying a mysterious soldier who is on leave from the army. Mannered prose, stylish cover. Blurb quotes call it “darkly romantic”.
Timeloop mystery set on a remote island during WWII. Nanette is marrying a mysterious soldier who is on leave from the army. Mannered prose, stylish cover. Blurb quotes call it “darkly romantic”.
32. Beneath Bones
Novel about a woman who is clearing out her grandparents’ house one summer after their deaths. She finds a case full of very old diaries, written in code, stuck inside the back of an antique wardrobe, and starts to uncover a tale of 18th century piracy.
Novel about a woman who is clearing out her grandparents’ house one summer after their deaths. She finds a case full of very old diaries, written in code, stuck inside the back of an antique wardrobe, and starts to uncover a tale of 18th century piracy.
33. Habitat
Short, deadpan comic novel about a man who is building a house using only his bare hands. Unclear what the house looks like, who he’s building it for, or how long this will take. Interviewers are never sure how serious the author’s answers to questions are.
Short, deadpan comic novel about a man who is building a house using only his bare hands. Unclear what the house looks like, who he’s building it for, or how long this will take. Interviewers are never sure how serious the author’s answers to questions are.
34. Dangerous Fools
Fabulist historical novel about a medieval court jester and court magician who fall in love and start a bizarre, anarchic social revolution. Lots of weird sex, esoteric rituals, and murder.
Fabulist historical novel about a medieval court jester and court magician who fall in love and start a bizarre, anarchic social revolution. Lots of weird sex, esoteric rituals, and murder.
35. Casual Work
Novel about disaffected millennials post-university except they’re all anthropomorphised animals. Prose so unaffected as to be affected. Rough sex between animals that don’t make sense together. Author appears to have never had a service industry job.
Novel about disaffected millennials post-university except they’re all anthropomorphised animals. Prose so unaffected as to be affected. Rough sex between animals that don’t make sense together. Author appears to have never had a service industry job.
