Tag: September 2026

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK REVIEW: Under Story by Chloe Benjamin

Published September 1st, 2026 by Tinder Press
Literary Fiction, Romance Novel, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE IMMORTALISTS COMES AN ENTHRALLING NEW NOVEL THAT ASKS: WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR MORE TIME WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE?

At an isolated research station in Antarctica, biologist Laurel Salter washes dishes for a living ten hours a day, six days a week. She tells no one why she left her career, or why her marriage ended.

But even in this remote outpost, Laurel can’t outrun her past. When a strange light appears across the ice and draws a group of physicists to McMurdo, her former husband, Eli, won’t be far behind.

Laurel is captivated by the Arc: its surreal glow; the way it seems almost alive. And though Eli is reluctant to test her wildest theory, Laurel is convinced that the Arc leads down a rabbit hole and into a world they can barely imagine. Can she persuade him to risk everything to fix the burden that hangs between them – to turn back the clock and live their story a second time?

And this time, live it differently.

Once read, never forgotten, Under Story is a genre-defying exploration of the promise of this life, what might lie beyond it, and how far we would go for more time with the people we love.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

What if our world wasn’t the only reality? What if there was another universe identical to ours where time moves differently? What if you’d made a mistake so devastating in this world that it shattered your life. Would you take the chance to right that wrong in the other world and recapture the happiness you once had?

These are the questions at the heart of Under Story. Inventive, complex, thought-provoking and emotional, this was not an easy read. First of all because of the heartbreaking subject matter, and secondly because it gets off to a very slow start. This book is a chonker and for the first 100 pages I just wasn’t feeling it. I couldn’t connect with the characters, wasn’t enjoying the story and felt bogged down by all the scientific jargon. But I’d been looking forward to this book so much, plus it was one of our SquadPod Featured Books, and readers I trusted had told me they loved this book, so I decided I’d read a quarter of the book before I’d DNF. I am so glad I did because the tides turned; I connected with the characters, felt invested in their lives and fell in love with this story. Suddenly, I didn’t want to put it down and couldn’t stop thinking about it whenever I did. But it isn’t going to be for everyone and I think this will be a marmite read that divides Bookstagram.

So what is it actually about? Well, the story follows biologist Laurel Salter who is working at an isolated research station in Antarctica trying to escape the heartache of her marriage ending and the mistake she can’t move on from. But even here Laurel’s past haunts her. And when a strange light appears across the ice it draws a group of physicists, including her ex husband Eli. After a strange dream, Laurel becomes convinced that the Arc is a portal to a parallel universe and the answer to the pain that destroyed their marriage. Eli is unsure at first, but eventually agrees to test Laurel’s theory. Will they find another world where they can turn back time and erase the pain of the past?

Chloe Benjamin has crafted a well-written, intricate and layered story that captures the imagination. The imagery is evocative, especially when they are in the Antarctic and the icy beauty was written so vividly that I felt like I was shivering from the cold even though it’s still summer. As I’ve mentioned, a lot of the science felt hard to follow or went over my head as I’m just not wired that way. However I was fascinated by the different ways things worked in the antiuniverse and enjoyed the parts that explained them. But for me, what I really loved about this book was its heart. Once we get into the book, this is a story steeped in heart-rending emotion and I was hooked. Chloe expertly captures the raw heartache, guilt, confusion and fear that Laurel felt and I was captivated by her dilemma. It really made me think about what I would do in her shoes and I had to keep reading to see how things worked out.

An imaginative and emotional read, this is one of those books I had to sit with for a while after turning that final page. And it is certainly one I won’t forget.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thanks to Tinder Press for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chloe Benjamin is the author of The Immortalists and The Anatomy of Dreams.

A Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, LibraryReads favorite, and #1 Indie Next pick, The Immortalists was named a best book of 2018 by NPR, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and others.

The Anatomy of Dreams received the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award and was long listed for the 2014 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.

Originally from San Francisco, CA, Benjamin is a graduate of Vassar College and the M.F.A. in fiction at the University of Wisconsin. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages. She lives with her husband and two Maine Coon cats in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: Maybe The World Will End So We Won’t Have To by Natasha Bell

Published September 1st, 2026 by Renard Press Ltd
Literary Fiction, Metafiction, Autoficiton

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Author Harry is divorced, depressed, out of contract and unsure what she wants to do with the rest of her life. She invents a character Natalie – a braver, bolder version of herself – whom she begins channelling in small ways in her own life.

A metafictional tour de force, Maybe the World Will End So We Won’t Have To is a finely crafted literary autofiction about identity, sexuality and the work that goes into writing a novel. Brilliantly queer and feminist, and by turns funny and dark, it leaves us questioning the practice and ethics of being a writer.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Author Harry is flailing. She’s depressed, her divorce is about to be finalised, she’s out of contract, doesn’t know what to write next and doesn’t know what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Then she gets an idea: what if she wrote about her life but made it fictional. So, she invents Natalie – a braver and bolder version of herself – and begins to write her story. 

This book was like nothing I’ve ever read before. Original, moving, thought-provoking and compelling, Natasa Bell has crafted a truly memorable story. A story about identity, sexuality, relationships, mental health and what it takes to write a novel, Natasha explores some dark and difficult topics such as domestic abuse, grooming murder and homophobia that she writes with honesty, wit and compassion. 

Like most bibliophiles, I’m a sucker for a book about books, and writing, books, fiction and publishing are a big part of this story. Like the author, her characters Harry and Natalie are writers, and there is a lot of discussion about how hard it is to write a book. We see Harry struggle with writer’s block, pour out her heart onto the page, wrestle with self-doubt and celebrate wonderful things. Lots of female authors are name-dropped and talked about, which made my TBR even longer than it already is. So be prepared!  

The characters are compelling and I particularly bonded with Harry. I didn’t always like her or agree with her actions, but I was rooting for her and invested in her life. Because of the unusual metafiction style, it was a little confusing at first and took me a bit of time to get into. But once I did I was glued to the pages and eager to know what lay in store for Harry and Natalie. And what lay in store was quite the emotional rollercoaster that I was not prepared for. And that ending! How could you leave it there! I was not ready for that and don’t think I’ll get over it for quite some time. 

Rating: ✮✮✮.5

Thank you to Renard Press for the invitation to take part in the blog tour and my copy of the book.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Natasha (she/her) grew up in Somerset and studied English Literature, Theatre and the Humanities at the University of York, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Chicago. Over-educated and entirely unemployable she spent her twenties living in York, writing TV listings and working as a barista and a projectionist. 

She moved to London for her thirties and completed an MA and PhD in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths. She currently lives in Southwark with her wife and son.

She offers editing and mentoring services privately as well as via The Riff Raff and Jericho Writers, and teaches for Faber Academy, City Lit and on Jericho’s Ultimate Novel Writing Course.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Recommends Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Bestseller by Jenny Knightsby

Published September 10th, 2026 by Mountain Leopard Press
Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

YOU TOLD HER YOUR DARKEST SECRETS.

NOW MILLIONS WILL READ THEM . . .

‘A gripping thriller that plumbs the dark depths of our closest relationships’ CLAIRE MCGOWAN

‘Brilliant and chilling . . . I tore through the pages’ – SARAH EASTER COLLINS

‘What a unique premise and so well executed. Tight plotting, and great characters. THE BESTSELLER is set to fly. I loved it!’ – LOUISE SWANSON

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Therapist Helena Salve knows that client confidentiality is the number one unbreakable rule of her job. But the constant stories of coercive control and threat she hears from her client Belle about her dangerous husband have been wearing her down. One night over too many glasses of wine, she tells her best friend Tala everything that Belle has told her.

The problem is, Tala is a down-on-her-luck novelist who is looking for an idea for her new thriller.

Months later, Tala is excitedly telling Helena that her publisher is saying this is going to be her biggest book ever. The story is Belle’s story. Not only is Helena’s job on the line, but if Belle’s husband is as dangerous as she says, her life is too…

Why would Tala do this to Helena? She knows what’s at stake.

Your friends are meant to protect you… aren’t they?

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Therapist Helena Salve knows client confidentiality is the most important rule in her profession. But, after a few too many glasses of wine, she finds herself telling her best friend Tala all about her new client Belle’s abusive relationship. A year later, struggling novelist Tala tells her she’s written her best thriller yet. One that her publishers are sure will send her into the stratosphere. But she’s being cagey about it and won’t say what it’s about. When she finally reads it, Helena is horrified to learn Tala has written Belle’s story. Now her job is at risk and she’s worried Belle’s dangerous husband will come after her. Why would her best friend do this to her?

A compelling, tense and twisty debut about love, friendship, coercive control, secrets and betrayal, The Bestseller is a page-turning debut. A thought-provoking read, it poses some important questions about human behaviour, morality and toxic relationships. Jenny Knight explores coercive control and toxic relationships throughout the story, writing with honesty but also compassion. She makes sure we understand why Belle might not be able to see that she’s being abused and is reluctant to leave, something I appreciate as a survivor. She also expertly showcases how kindness, charm and protection are used by abusers to explain away their control and make the victim feel loved. 

This is a book about relationships and at the heart of the story is the friendship between Helena and Tala. It’s a well-written relationship that is full of all the complexities and nuance that you’d expect from a decades-long friendship. They have a strong bond but there is something from their past they won’t ever discuss. Something that still haunts both of them decades later. Clues are dropped like breadcrumbs for us to follow, while a past timeline slowly reveals their secret and helps us to understand them and their friendship. 

I did guess most of the twists but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book as Jenny was skilled at making me second-guess my predictions. And that ending! Talk about leaving me reeling. 

A gripping debut that all thriller lovers should have on their TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Mountain Leopard Press for sening me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jenny Knightsby is a hospital doctor based in West London. The Bestseller was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2024 and is Knightsby’s debut novel.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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