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Squadpod Squadpod Book Club The Squadpod Year In Review

Squadpod Recommends: 22 of 22

Happy New Year’s Eve! One of my favourie parts of this community is the Squadpod, the group of wonderful bloggers I am a part of. 2022 has been a brilliant year for us and we’ve been fortunate to help promote lots of fantastic books this year including All About Evie, Nobody But Us, The Dictator’s Wife, Meredith Alone and Bad Fruit. The cake blast for All About Evie was a higlight of 2022 for me and I am delighted that I overcame my fears to take part in interviews with authors such as Freya Berry and Ellen Alpsten.

Once again we have put together our lists of favourite reads of the year. It’s an even more diverse list than last year and I loved seeing the different books we enjoyed, as well as the ones that many of us picked as a favourite. Here are our individual lists. Keep reading to the end to find out our Squadpod Book of the Year and ultimate recommendations for 2022.

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Becca at Becca Kate Blogs

  • The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
  • The Maid by Nita Prose
  • Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton
  • The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola
  • A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle
  • One Night on the Island by Josie Silver
  • Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
  • Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
  • The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
  • Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
  • Welcome To Your Life by Bethany Rutter
  • That Green-Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan
  • The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
  • Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander
  • Do No Harm by Jack Jordan
  • All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  • Hello, Stranger by Rachel Marks
  • The Girl on the 88 Bus by Freya Sampson
  • Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
  • It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
  • Tell Me Everything by Laura Kay

Book of the year: The Maid by Nita Prose

Beth at Beth’s Booketlist

  • One Night on the Island by Josie Silver
  • One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
  • Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
  • It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
  • The Sight of You Holly Miller
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazewood
  • Me by Elton John
  • Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
  • The Stranding by Kate Sawyer
  • Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
  • Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
  • Meet Me Under the Misteltoe by Jenny Bayliss
  • The Island Home by Libby Page
  • Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton
  • The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
  • In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
  • Still Me by Jojo Moyes
  • Beach Read by Emily Henry
  • The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
  • Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the Wrold by Benjamin Alire Sanez
  • The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore

Book of the year: One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

Cara at Welsh Book Lover

  • When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
  • Do No Harm by Jack Jordan
  • Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
  • The Maid by Nita Prose
  • The Castaway by Lucy Clarke
  • Nobody But Us by Laure van Rensburg
  • Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
  • Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  • The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
  • The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
  • Bad Fruit by Ella King
  • November 9 by Colleen Hoover
  • The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil
  • The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary
  • Beach Read by Emily Henry
  • The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
  • The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
  • The Cove by Alice Clarke-Platts
  • The Couple by Helly Acton
  • A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena
  • The Glass House by Eve Chase

Book of the year: When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins

Ceri at Ceri’s Lil Blog

  • Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander
  • Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
  • The Attic Child by Lola Jaye
  • The Unravelling by Polly Crosby
  • When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
  • Welcome To The Real World by Carole Matthews
  • The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker
  • The Bay by Allie Reynolds
  • Oh I Do Like To Be by Rachel Canwell
  • The Set Up by Lizzy Dent
  • You Only Live Once by Maxine Morrey
  • The Murder List by Jackie Kabler
  • The Killer’s Family by Miranda Smith
  • A Wedding at Hedgehod Hollow by Jessica Redland
  • What Next? by Shari Low
  • Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
  • Locked Away Life by Drew Davies
  • Psychopaths Anonymous by Will Carver
  • The Gingerbread Cafe by Anita Faulkner
  • The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
  • Wendy’s Winter Gift by Debbie Viggiano

Book of the year: Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander

Chloe from Reviews by Chloe

  • The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh
  • Just Got Real by Jane Fallon
  • Do No Harm by Jack Jordan
  • The Girls Who Disappeared by Clare Douglas
  • Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
  • A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe
  • Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone
  • The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell
  • The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola
  • The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes
  • The Wedding Party by Tammy Cohen
  • The Promise by Lucy Diamond
  • Sparring Partners by John Grisham
  • After the Rain by Lucy Dillon
  • A White Christmas on Winter Street by Sue Moorcroft
  • The Murder at Fleet House by Lucinda Riley
  • Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay
  • The Curfew by T.M. Logan
  • Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
  • Merrily Ever After by Cathy Bramley
  • Breathless by Amy McCulloch

Book of the year: Do No Harm by Jack Jordan

Claire at Secret World of a Book

  • The Burning Chambers and City of Tears Series by Kate Mosse
  • Elektra by Jennifer Saint
  • Off Target by Eve Smith
  • Small Angels by Lauren Owen
  • The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargreaves
  • Wisewood by Stephanie Wrobel
  • Argo by Mark Knowles
  • Arcadian Days by John Spurling
  • Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • Summer Fever by Kate Riordan
  • Uraveller by Frances Hardinge
  • The Sea Women by Chloe Timms
  • Widdershins and Sunwise series by Helen Steadman
  • Love and Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift
  • Black Mamba by William Friend
  • The Ruins by Phoebe Wynne
  • The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell
  • The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke
  • The Butcher by Laura Kat Young
  • House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

Book of the year: Black Mamba by William Friend

Clare at The Fallen Librarian Reviews

  • Love and Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift
  • Little Sister by Gytha Lodge
  • Young Women by Jessica Moor
  • A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
  • The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
  • The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
  • The Library by Bella Osborne
  • Home by Penny Parks
  • Fledgeling by Hannah Bourne-Taylor
  • The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
  • Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander
  • The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs
  • Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Mosse
  • The Very Secret Societ of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
  • The Keeper of the Stories by Sally Page
  • Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
  • The Gosling Girl by Jacqueline Roy
  • The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley
  • More Than You’ll Ever Know by Katie Guiterrez
  • Opal Country by Chris Hammer
  • Daughter of the Moon Goddess/Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lyn Tan
  • Heart of Earth & Blood/House of Sky & Breath by Sarah J. Maas

Book of the year: Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Mosse

Ellie at Elspells

  • I, Mona Lisa by Natasha Solomon
  • Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
  • This One Sky Day by Leone Ross
  • Wahala by Nikki May
  • A Net For Small Fishes by Lucy Jago
  • The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins
  • The Marsh House by Zoe Somerville
  • Nobody But Us by Laure van Rensburg
  • When I Sing, Mountains Dance by Irene Solà translated by Mara Feye Lethem
  • How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang
  • That Green-Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan
  • Love and Other Dramas by Ronali Collins
  • All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  • The Promise by Damon Galgut
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • The Heart of Redness by Zakes Md
  • The Dust Never Settles by Karina Lickorish Quinn
  • 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak 
  • Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
  • Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
  • Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
  • The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Book of the Year: Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

Emma at Emma’s Biblio Treasures

  • Wahala by Nikki May
  • The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs
  • Nasty Little Cuts by Tina Baker
  • Keep It In The Family by John Marrs
  • Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
  • Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
  • The No-Show by Beth O’Leary
  • Nobody But Us by Laure van Rensburg
  • Elektra by Jennifer Saint
  • Book Lovers by Emily Henry
  • Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • Do No Harm by Jack Jordan
  • Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
  • Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer
  • The Last Girl To Die by Helen Fields
  • Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atikinson
  • All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  • The Pain Tourist by Paul Cleave
  • End of Story by Louise Swanson
  • Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boyland
  • The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Book of the year: End of Story by Louise Swanson

Hayley at The Lotus Readers Blog

  • The Maid by Nita Prose
  • The Last Girl To Die by Helen Fields
  • Black Hearts by Doug Johnstone
  • Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander
  • The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone
  • The Sea Women by Chloe Timms
  • That Green-Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan
  • The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn
  • Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow
  • The Flames by Sophie Haydock
  • Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
  • Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
  • Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
  • The Theatre of Marvells by Lianne Dillsworth
  • The Marsh House by Zoe Somerville
  • The Unravelling by Polly Crosby
  • The Dazzle of the Light by Georgina Clarke
  • The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly
  • House of Fortune by Jessie Burton
  • All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  • Demon by Matt Wesolowski
  • Caged Little Birds by Lucy Banks

Hayley at Shelf Lyfe

  • Now She Is Witch by Kirsty Logan
  • Unraveller by Frances Hardinge
  • The Witches of Vardø by Anya Bergman
  • Cunning Women by Elizabeth Lee
  • Becoming Ted by Matt Cain
  • Entangled Lifeby Merlin Sheldrake
  • The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • Sistersong by Lucy Holland
  • A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
  • The Beauty of Impossible Things by Rachel Donohue
  •  The Green Indian Problem – Jade Leaf Willetts
  • Perimenopause Power by Maisie Hill
  • Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M Danforth
  • The Dictator’s Wife by Freya Berry
  • Duma Key by Stephen King
  •  Spooky Ambiguous – featuring Penny Ayers, Michael Bartlett, Patrick Booth, Amaris Chase, Holly Anne Crawford, Ivor Daniel, Amanda Jane Davies, Daphne Denley, J. J. Drover, Harriet Hitchen, Rebecca McDowall, Jane Phillips, Angela Reddaway, Joe Robson, Margaret Royall, with illustrations by Lorna Gray
  • Salmacis by Elizabeth Train-Brown
  • Welcome to St Hell by Lewis Hancox
  • The Marsh House by Zoe Somerville
  • Women and Love by Miriam Burke
  • The Little Library Parties by Kate Young

Book of the year: Now She Is Witch by Kirsty Logan

Jackie at Jackie’s Reading Corner

Due to ill health Jackie didn’t complete a full list, but mentioned the following three books:

  • The Coffin Club by Jacqueline Sutherland
  • All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  • The Loyal Friend by A. A. Chaudhuri

Book of the year: The Coffin Club by Jacqueline Sutherland

Jen at Travels Along My Bookshelf

  • Violetta by Isabelle Allende
  • One Night on the Island by Josie Silver
  • The Flames by Sophie Haydock
  • Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
  • Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
  • Nobody But Us by Laure van Rensburg
  • The Midnight House by Amanda Gerard
  • The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley
  • The Girl on the 88 Bus by Freya Sampson
  • The Bay by Allie Reynolds
  • Meredith Alone by Clare Alexander
  • On The Scent by Paola Totaro & Robert Wainwright
  • All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  • Love and Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift
  • Starling by Kristen Cram
  • Thunderstone by Nancy Campbell
  • Tess of The D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
  • The Last Girl To Die by Helen Fields
  • Essex Dogs by Dan Jones
  • The Hastening Storm by CF Barrington
  • Bourneville by Jonathan Coe
  • The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

Book of the year: Starling by Kristin Cram

Karen at Book Blogging Bureau

  • Love and Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift
  • The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
  • Caged Little Birds by Lucy Banks
  • Bad Fruit by Ella King
  • Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer
  • Reasons To Go Outside by Esme King
  • The Summer Fair by Heidi Swain
  • Nobody But Us by Laure van Rensburg
  • The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley
  • A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs
  • Stepping Up by Sarah Turner
  • A Murder Before Evensong by Rev Richard Coles
  • Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Taylor
  • Essex Dogs by Dan Jones
  • The Dead of Winter by Nicola Upson
  • Reputation by Sarah Vaughan
  • The House at Helgyen by Victoria Hawthorne
  • Spring Tides at The Starfish Cafe by Jessica Redland
  • The Other Guest by Helen Cooper
  • The Key in the Lock by Beth Underwood

Book of the year: The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs

Kate at Rutherford Reads

  • Good Husbands by Cate Ray
  • Hello, Stranger by Rachel Marks
  • We Are Not Like Them by Jo Piazza and Christine Pride
  • The People Before by Charlotte Northedge
  • One Last Gift by Emily Stone
  • The Blame Game by Sandie Jones
  • The Bay by Allie Reynolds
  • The Other Guest by Helen Cooper
  • Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
  • The Party House by Lin Anderson
  • The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh
  • Such A Good Mother by Helen Monks Tar
  • The Reunion by Polly Phillips
  • The Girl Who Left by Jenny Blackburn
  • Sun Damage by Sabine Durant
  • The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh
  • One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke
  • Tell Me Your Lies by Kate Ruby
  • Into the Dark by Fiona Cummins
  • Remember Me by Charity Norman
  • The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
  • Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

Book of the year: Good Husbands by Cate Ray

Kirsty at Kirsty’s Book Buying Addiction

  • Seven Exes by Lucy Vine
  • Preloved by Lauren Bravo
  • My (extra) Ordinary Life by Rebecca Ryan
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
  • The Imperfect Art of Caring by Jessica Ryn
  • Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies by Ali McNamara 
  • The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans 
  • Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Barn by Jessica Redland 
  • Never Gonna Happen by Heidi Stephens
  • The Cornish Midwife by Jo Bartlett
  • The Summer Fair by Heidi Swain
  • Last Time We Met by Emily Houghton
  • We Just Clicked by Anna Bell
  • Talk Bookish To Me by Kate Bromely
  • The Girl on the 88 Bus by Freya Sampson
  • Peony Practice by Christie Barlow
  • The Blossom Tree of Dreams by Holly Martin 
  • Sunny Skies and Summer Kisses by Eliza J Scott
  • Just Got Real by Jane Fallon
  • Summer Kisses at Mermaid Point by Sarah Bennett 
  • The Key To My Heart by Lia Louis 
  • The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop by Cresside Mclaughlin

Book of the year: Seven Exes by Lucy Vine

Sue at Brown Flopsy’s Book Burrow

  • The Unravelling by Polly Crosby
  • Wahala by Nikki May
  • The Dictator’s Wife by Freya Berry
  • Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
  • The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen
  • A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • The Birdcage by Eve Chase
  • The Midnight House by Amanda Gerard
  • The French House by Jacquie Bloese
  • All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  • Love and Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift
  • Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard
  • A Hundred Million Years and a Day by Jean Baptiste Andrea
  • Double or Nothing by Kim Sherwood
  • Christmas Eve at Cranberry Cross by Kate Forster
  • The Poison Machine by Robert J LLoyd
  • The Weather Woman by Sally Gardner
  • Every Shade of Happy by Phyllida Shrimpton
  • The Measure by Nikki Erlick
  • Opal Country by Chris Hammer

Book of the year: Love and Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift

Vikkie at Little Miss Book Lover

*Vikkie read over 300 books this year so has listed her 31 favourites as 22 was too small of a number after reading that many books.

  • Suicide Thursday by Will Carver
  • Into the Dark by Fiona Cummins
  • All the Wicked Games by Lauren North
  • If They Knew by Sophie Flynn
  • My Big Fat Fabulous Christmas by Lyndsey Gallagher
  • Someone Like You by Rachel Dove
  • Santa Maybe by Mary Jayne Baker
  • Love Untold by Ruth Jones
  • The Pain Tourist by Paul Cleave
  • Keep It In The Family by John Marrs
  • Running Scared by Manda Sue Heller
  • Genesis by Chris Carter
  • Just Got Real by Jane Fallon
  • The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell
  • The Dictator’s Wife by Freya Berry
  • The Serial Killer’s Girl by LH Stacey
  • Your Word or Mine by Lia Middleton
  • My Husband’s Killer by Laura Marshall
  • The Botanist by M.W. Craven
  • My Other Husband by Dorothy Koomson
  • Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
  • That Green-Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan
  • Nobody But Us by Laure van Rensburg
  • The Loyal Friend by A. A. Chaudhuri
  • Hello, Stranger by Rachel Marks
  • The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh
  • All For You by Louise Jensen
  • Open Your Eyes by Heather Fitt

Books of the year: Suicide Thursday by Will Carver and Into the Dark by Fiona Cummins

Zoe at Zoe’s Book Nook

  • Hare House by Sally Hinchcliffe
  • When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
  • The Gosling Girl by Jacqueline Roy
  • The Love Songs of W E B Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • I, Mona Lisa by Natasha Solomons
  • Booth by Karen J Fowler
  • The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
  • The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 
  • The Carnival Of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge 
  • Don’t Put Yourself On Toast by Freddy Taylor
  • After Dark by Jayne Cowie
  • Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
  • That Green-Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan
  • Wahala by Nikki May
  • The Secrets of Rochester Place by Iris Costello
  • Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
  • The Sanctuary by Emma Haughton
  • The Prisoner by B. A. Paris
  • The Gifts by Liz Hayder
  • Babel by RF Kuang
  • A Magic Steeped In Poison by Judy I Lin

Books of the year: Babel by RF Kuang and The Love Songs of W E B Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers

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Squadpod Books of the Year and Recommendations

After putting together the books featured on everyone’s lists and tallying the books, we have two books of the year: All About Evie by Matson Taylor and The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper.

Next up is our stack of ultimate recommendations. There were so many books that got two or three votes this year so I only counted books that got four votes or more. Even so, there are so many in the stack that I couldn’t hold it this year! So, here are the 10 books that make up our Squadpod Recommendations for 2022:

I am so happy to see that half of the books in this stack are debuts and that the Squadpod promoted and championed five of the books featured.

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What were your favourite reads of 2022? Have we inspired you to pick up any of our favourites? Let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow the Squadpod on our social chanels to keep up with all the exciting things we have coming in 2023:

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2022 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Recommends

REVIEW: All About Evie by Matson Taylor

Published: July 21st, 2022
Publisher: Scribner UK
Genre: Domestic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Literary Fiction
Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audiobook

The year is almost over so I’m finally sharing my long-overdue review for what is one of my favourite books this year. Thank you to Matson Taylor and Scribner UK for the gifted proof copy of this book, which was our Squadpod Book Club pick for July.

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SYNOPSIS:

EVIE EPWORTH IS TEN YEARS OLDER. BUT IS SHE ANY WISER?!

Ten years on from the events of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth, Evie is settled in London and working as a production assistant for the BBC. She has everything she ever dreamed of (a career, a leatherette briefcase, an Ossie Clark poncho) but, following an unfortunate incident involving a Hornsea Pottery mug and Princess Anne, she finds herself having to rethink her future. What can she do? Is she too old to do it? And will it involve cork-soled sandals? 

As if this isn’t complicated enough, her disastrous love life leaves her worrying that she may be destined for eternal spinsterdom, concerned, as she is, that ‘even Paul had married Linda by the time he was 26’. Through it all, Evie is left wondering whether a 60s miseducation really is the best preparation to glide into womanhood and face the new challenges (strikes, power cuts, Edward Heath’s teeth) thrown up by the growing pains of the 70s.

With the help of friends, both old and new, she might just find a way through her messy 20s and finally discover who exactly she is meant to be…

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MY REVIEW:

When the previous book in a series is not only one of your favourite books of that year, but of all time, there is some trepidation about reading the follow up. Would I enjoy this one as much and still love Evie with the same fierceness? The answer is yes! Once again Matson Taylor has knocked it out of the park with this hilarious, heartwarming and addictive novel that feels like a cup of Yorkshire tea and a piece of parkin on a cold day.  

This time, Taylor transports us to the Summer of 1972, 10 years after the events of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth, to reunite us with the eponymous heroine for more entertaining exploits. Evie is working for the BBC and living the life she’s always dreamed of  in London when a mishap involving Princess Anne and a Hornsea mug leads to her dismissal, and Evie is now forced to reassess her life. But what direction will she choose from the overwhelming number of possibilities open to her? And then there is her love life. At the ripe old age of 26 and a half she feels in danger of becoming over-the-hill and wonders why she hasn’t yet met Mr. Right. There is fun, laughter and lots of emotion, as Evie embarks on her greatest journey of self discovery yet.

Oh, Evie. How I love her. She truly feels like an old friend and I never get tired of reading her. She’s an iconic northern heroine who pole-vaults off the pages and straight into your heart. It is a slightly more sophisticated and wise Evie we meet in this book, yet she’s still the same feisty, funny, quirky and unforgettable Yorkshire lass we love. It has been great to watch her grow and I loved her metamorphosis from teenager to young woman in this story. And the snippets of information about her ex boyfriends were hilarious. 

Matson Taylor is a comedy genius and had me laughing out loud within the first few pages. He has a talent for writing witty, offbeat and uproarious characters and storylines that are also heartfelt. He paces the story perfectly, switching seamlessly between the serious and lighter moments to ensure things never feel too heavy. There are so many moments that were pure comedy gold and still make me laugh when they randomly pop into my head many months after reading the book. The evocative imagery and attention to detail brought 1970s London to life so vividly it felt like I’d stepped into a time machine and appeared in 1972. The book is filled with blasts from the past: Old Jamaica bars, Wimpy burgers, cheese and pineapple hedgehogs etc. I was assailed by memories and the nostalgia took over and thoroughly enjoyed the walk down memory lane.

Uplifting, witty and utterly magnificent, All About Evie is another must-read from Mr. Taylor. And that ending! I need book 3 now!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Matson Taylor grew up in Yorkshire (the flat part not the Brontë part). He comes from farming stock and spent an idyllic childhood surrounded by horses, cows, bicycles, and cheap ice-cream. His father, a York City and Halifax Town footballer, has never forgiven him for getting on the school rugby team but not getting anywhere near the school football team.

Matson now lives in London, where he is a design historian and academic writing tutor at the V&A, Imperial College and the Royal College of Art. Previously, he talked his way into various jobs at universities and museums around the world; he has also worked on Camden Market, appeared in an Italian TV commercial and been a pronunciation coach for Catalan opera singers. He gets back to Yorkshire as much as possible, mainly to see family and friends but also to get a reasonably-priced haircut.

He has always loved telling stories and, after writing academically about beaded flapper dresses and World War 2 glow-in-the-dark fascinators, he decided to enrol on the Faber Academy ‘Writing A Novel’ course. The Miseducation of Evie Epworth is his first novel. 

Website

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones | Amazon | Bookshop.org

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Squadpod Squadpod Recommends Year In Review

Squadpod Recommends: 21 Favourites of ’21

As many of you know, I’m part of a wonderful group of bloggers known as the Squadpod. Over the last eighteen months these women have become not only my friends but a much-needed support network and my chosen family. It started with books and became much more. This year we have expanded our group to go beyond our WhatsApp Chats and you can now follow us on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. We have started our Squadpod Book Club, organised blog tours and even cake blasts (the one for Evie Epworth was one of my favourite moments of 2021).

Last year, I shared a list of each of the Squadpod’s 20 Favourite books of 2020 so I’m doing it again. Though this year it is obviously our 21 favourite books of 2021. So, buckle up because there a quite a few of us. But please keep reading to the end so that you can find out what book the Squadpod recommends overall in 2021…

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Becca at Becca Kate Blogs

  • For When I’m Gone by Rebecca Ley
  • The Push by Ashley Audrain
  • Keeper by Jessica Moor
  • Shiver by Allie Reynolds
  • The Burning Girls by C. J. Tudor
  • The Long, Long Afternoon by Inga Vesper
  • Everything Is Beautiful by Eleanor Ray
  • The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin
  • Space Hopper by Helen Fisher
  • Dog Days by Ericka Walker
  • Lost Property by Helen Paris
  • The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor
  • The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
  • The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
  • The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
  • The Island Home by Libby Page
  • Another Life by Jodie Chapman
  • The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain
  • The Pact by Sharon Bolton
  • The Ends of the Earth by Abbie Greaves
  • Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian

BOOK OF THE YEAR: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

Follow Becca on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog

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Beth at Beth’s Booketlist

  • The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley
  • Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
  • The Last Library by Freya Sampson
  • Nightingale Point by Luan Goldie
  • The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
  • Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
  • Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce
  • The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd
  • The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
  • Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
  • Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
  • The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
  • The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
  • Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zarfon
  • Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
  • The Switch by Beth O’Leary
  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune
  • The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor
  • Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
  • Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley

Follow Beth on Instagram

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Cara at Welsh Book Lover

  • Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
  • The Christmasaurus – Tom Fletcher
  • Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon
  • The Unhooneymooners by Christina Lauren
  • The Whisper Man by Alex North
  • Chasing Daisy by Paige Toon
  • Is This It? by Hannah Tovey
  • How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
  • If I Can’t Have You by Charlotte Levin
  • The Burning Girls by C. J. Tudor
  • Throttled by Lauren Asher
  • Girl A by Dan Scottow
  • The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
  • All My Lies by Sophie Flynn
  • People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd
  • It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
  • Once Perfect Summer by Paige Toon
  • The Midnight Man by Caroline Mitchell
  • Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams
  • The Minute I Saw You by Paige Toon
  • The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

Follow Cara on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog

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Ceri at Ceri’s Lil Blog

  • Everything is Beautiful by Eleanor Ray
  • She’s Mine by A. A. Chaudhuri
  • The Post Box at the North Pole by Jaimie Admans
  • The Art of Loving You by Amelia Henley
  • The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin
  • All My Lies by Sophie Flynn
  • Shiver by Allie Reynolds
  • An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse
  • All You Need Is Love by Jessica Redland
  • Midnight Ladies Swimming Club by Faith Hogan
  • The Story of Our Secrets by Shari Low
  • The Islanders by S. V. Leonard
  • The New York Secret by Ella Carey
  • The Night We Met by Zoe Folbigg
  • The Queen’s Dressmaker by Meghan Masterson
  • Until Next Weekend by Rachel Marks
  • Freckles by Cecelia Ahern
  • Lies Like Wildfire
  • The Little Duck Pond Cafe Series by Rosie Green
  • The Blood Brothers Series by Heather Atkinson
  • Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Everything Is Beautiful by Eleanor Ray

Follow Ceri on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Chloe at Reviews by Chloe

  • Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
  • The Judge’s List by John Grisham
  • The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
  • Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
  • The Chalet by Catherine Cooper
  • Mrs England by Stacey Halls
  • Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay
  • Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
  • Exit by Belinda Bauer
  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
  • The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili, Translated by Charlotte Collins and Ruth Martin
  • Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi
  • The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley
  • The Last Wife by Karen Hamilton
  • The Heights by Louise Candlish
  • Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena
  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
  • That Night by Gillian McAllister
  • My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
  • Yours Cheerfully by A. J. Pearce

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Hostage by Clare Macintosh

Follow Chloe on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Claire at Secret World of a Book

  • Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
  • Born of No Man by Franck Bouysse
  • Femilandia by Christina Dalcher
  • The Coven by Lizzie Fry
  • House of Hollow by Kristin Sotherland
  • Madame by Phoebe Wynne
  • We Go On Forever by Sarah Govett
  • Threadneedle by Cari Thomas
  • The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
  • The Women of Troy by Pat Barker
  • Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes
  • Underbelly by Anna Whitehouse
  • Circe by Madeline Miller
  • The Hiding Place by Amanda Mason
  • We Are Not Like Them by Jo Piazza and Christine Pride
  • Elektra by Jennifer Saint
  • The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
  • Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
  • The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke
  • Matrix by Lauren Groff

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint.

Follow Claire on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Clare at The Fallen Librarian Reviews

  • The Push by Ashley Audrain
  • On Hampstead Heath by Marisa Cobbold
  • Trobairitz: The StoryTeller – Ceila Mickenfield
  • The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin
  • Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift
  • The Lip by Charlie Carroll
  • The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
  • Madame Burova by Ruth Hogan
  • The Island Home by Libby Page
  • Yours Cheerfully by A. J. Pearce
  • The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard
  • White Spines by Nicholas Royal
  • The Visitors by Caroline Scott
  • The Cove by L. J. Ross
  • A Woman Made of Snow by Elizabeth Gifford
  • Afloat by Diane Couchman
  • PAH by Orla Owen
  • Girl A by Abigail Dean
  • Dear Reader – Cathy Rentzenbrink
  • The Girl, The Crow, The Writer & The Fighter – George Patterson
  • The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift.

Follow Clare on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Ellie at Elspells

  • Panenka by Ronan Hession
  • The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn
  • Kolollo Hill by Neema Shah
  • What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson
  • Sybelia Drive by Karin Cecile Davidson
  • Boys Don’t Cry by Fiona Scarlett
  • Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden
  • The Stranding by Kate Sawyer
  • Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
  • Havana Year Zero by Karla Suarez translated by Christina MacSweeney
  • Catch The Rabbit by Lana Bastasic
  • My Broken Language by Quiara Alegria Hudes
  • Still Life by Sarah Winman
  • Assembly by Natasha Brown
  • The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
  • The Good Book by Iain Hood
  • Iron Annie by Luke Cassidy
  • Line by Niall Bourke
  • Somebody Loves You by Mona Arshi
  • Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook

BOOK OF THE YEAR:  Iron Annie by Luke Cassidy 

Follow Ellie on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Emma at Emma’s Biblio Treasures

  • The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
  • Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker
  • The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin
  • The Asylum by Karen Coles
  • Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
  • The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea
  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
  • The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
  • The Stranding by Kate Sawyer
  • This Is How We Are Human by Louise Beech
  • The Tsarina’s Daughter by Ellen Alpsten
  • Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bulbitz
  • Mrs England by Stacey Halls
  • The Beresford by Will Carver
  • The Last Library by Freya Sampson
  • The Hidden Child by Louise Fein
  • The Maid by Nita Prose
  • Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
  • The Imperfect Art of Caring by Jessica Ryn
  • A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington
  • Midnight in Everwood by M. A. Kuzniar

BOOK OF THE YEAR: This Is How We Are Human by Louise Beech

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter

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Hayley at The Lotus Readers Blog

  • The Stranding by Kate Sawyer
  • The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
  • The Great Silence by Doug Johnstone
  • Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
  • Bad Apples by Will Dean
  • This Is How We Are Human by Louise Beech
  • The Beresford by Will Carver
  • The Watchers by A.M. Shine
  • The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea
  • A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ni Ghriofa
  • The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
  • The Spirit Engineer by A. J. West
  • The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke
  • The Return by Anita Frank
  • Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
  • The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
  • Snow and the Works on the Northern Line by Ruth Thomas
  • The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
  • Cold as Hell by Lilja Sigurdardóttir 
  • The Unheard by Nicci French

BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Stranding by Kate Sawyer

Follow Hayley on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Hayley at Shelf Lyfe

  • House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
  • Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey
  • Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift
  • Botanical Curses and Poisons; The Shadow Lives of Plants – Fez Inkwright
  • Spirited by Julie Cohen
  • Assembly by Natasha Brown
  • The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain
  • Small: On Motherhood by Claire Lynch
  • The Harpy by Megan Hunter
  • Malice by Heather Walter
  • The Crossing – Manjeet Mann
  • Gold Fury by Keiren Westwood
  • The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor
  • The Charmed Wife – Olga Grushin
  • 100neHundred – Laura Besley
  • The Shadow in the Glass by JJA Harwood
  • Together by Luke Adam Hawker
  • The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin
  • Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Ilana Estelle
  • The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
  •  A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales – Ying Chang Compestine

BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Harpy by Megan Hunter

Follow Hayley on Instagram and Twitter.

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Jackie at Jackie’s Reading Corner

  • Kololo Hill by Neema Shah
  • No Honour by Awais Khan
  • The Art of Death by David Fennell
  • Blackstoke by Rob Parker
  • The Stonebridge Mysteries(Series, all 5) by Chris McDonald
  • Dead Ground by M. W. Craven
  • The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
  • True Crime Story by Joseph Knox
  • Cave Diver by Jake Avila
  • The Wolf Mile by C. F. Barrington
  • Dangerous Women by Hope Adams
  • Cunning Women by Elizabeth Lee
  • The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea
  • One Ordinary Day at a Time by Sarah J. Harris
  • The Stranding by Kate Sawyer
  • She’s Mine by A. A . Chaudhuri
  • Black Reed by Rod Reynolds
  • The Spirit Engineer by A. J. West
  • The Man Who Made Them Happy by John Lawrence
  • Facets of Death by Michael Stanley
  • The Appeal by Janice Hallett

BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Kololo Hill by Neema Shah and No Honour by Awais Khan.

You can follow Jackie on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog

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Jen at Travels Along My Bookshelf

  • Together by Luke Adam Hawker
  • Cecily by Annie Garthwaite
  • Diamonds At the Lost and Found by Sarah Aspinall
  • The Dead of Winter by Nicola Upson
  • When They Find Her by Lia Middleton
  • Under the Mistletoe by Sue Moorcroft
  • The Hollow by Agatha Christie
  • The Maid by Nita Prose
  • The Last Library by Freya Sampson
  • The Law of the Heart by Boris Starling
  • Snow Country by Sebastian Faulks
  • When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister
  • The Spirit Engineer by A. J. West
  • The Prison Healer (series) Lynette Noni
  • All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle
  • The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain
  • The Stranding by Kate Sawyer
  • The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor
  • Daughters of Night by Laura Shepherd Robinson
  • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  • Elektra by Jennifer Saint

BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Law of the Heart by Boris Starling, Together by Luke Adam Hawker and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Follow Jen on Instagram and Twitter

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Karen at Book Blogging Bureau

  • Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • The Appeal by Janice Hallett
  • The Smash Up by Ali Benjamin
  • The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jonasson 
  • A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington
  • Lullaby Beach by Stella Duffy
  • Leonard and Hungry by Paul Ronan Hession
  • The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
  • A Taste of Home by Heidi Swain
  • On Hampstead Heath by Marika Cobbold 
  • The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin
  • The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean
  • A Single Rose by Muriel Barbery
  • Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
  • The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
  • The Fair Botanist by Sara Sheridan
  • Common Ground by Naomi Ishiguro 
  • Dear Reader by Cathy Retzenbrink 
  • The Lip by Charlie Carroll
  • The Good Neighbours by Nina Allen
  • Shiver by Allie Reynolds

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Follow Karen on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Kate at Rutherford Reads

  • Other Parents by Sarah Stovell
  • Psychopaths Anonymous by Will Carver
  • The Christmas Dress by Courtney Cole
  • The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
  • Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
  • Freckles by Cecelia Ahern
  • The Appeal by Janice Hallett
  • For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing
  • Always in December by Emily Stone
  • The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker
  • Let That Be A Lesson by Ryan Wilson
  • My Best Friend’s Murder by Polly Phillips
  • Invite Me In by Emma Curtis
  • Worst Idea Ever by Jane Fallon
  • Both of You by Adele Parks
  • The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor
  • When They Find Her by Lia Middleton
  • The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
  • The Promise by Lucy Diamond
  • The Downstairs Neighbour by Helen Cooper
  • The Pact by Sharon Bolton

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

Follow Kate on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Kirsty at Kirsty’s Book Buying Addiction

  • Someone I Used To Know by Paige Toon
  • Before I Saw You by Emily Houghton
  • On A Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk
  • Walking On Sunshine by Giovanna Fletcher
  • The Lock In by Phoebe Luckhurst
  • The Telephone Box Library by Rachael Lucas
  • The Village Green Bookshop by Rachael Lucas
  • A Taste of Home by Heidi Swain
  • Underneath the Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain
  • And Now You’re Back by Jill Mansell
  • The Promise by Lucy Diamond
  • The Woman in the Middle by Milly Johnson
  • A Cosy Countryside Christmas by Eliza J Scott
  • The Merry Christmas Project by Cathy Bramley
  • My Kind of Happy by Cathy Bramley
  • The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella
  • The Best Is Yet To Come by Katy Collins
  • The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary
  • Until Next Weekend by Rachel Marks
  • The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
  • Lost Property by Helen Paris

BOOK OF THE YEAR: Someone I Used To Know by Paige Toon.

Follow Kirsty on Twitter and her Blog

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Sue at Brown Flopsy’s Book Burrow

  • The Burning Girls by C. J. Tudor
  • Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift
  • Rites of Spring – Anders de la Motte
  • On Hampstead Heath – Marika Cobbold
  • The Wolves of Leninsky Prospekt – Sarah Armstrong
  • Summer in the City by Fiona Collins
  • The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
  • The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan
  • The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
  • The Hidden Child by Louise Fein
  • The Impossible Truths of Love by Hannah Beckerman
  • Kings of a Dead World – Jamie Mollart
  • The Girl in the Maze by Cathy Heyward
  • The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd
  • Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
  • Blasted Things – Lesley Glaister
  • Tsarina/The Tsarina’s Daughter by Ellen Alpsten
  • The Lip by Charlie Carroll
  • Space Hopper by Helen Fisher

BOOK OF THE YEAR: On Hampstead Heath by Marika Cobbold

Follow Sue on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Vikkie at Little Miss Book Lover

  • When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
  • I Know What You’ve Done by Dorothy Koomson
  • Love and Other Mushy Stuff by Lyndsay Gallagher
  • Love at First Sight by Mary Jayne Baker
  • All My Lies by Sophie Flynn
  • Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker
  • The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean
  • I Have Something To Tell You by Susan Lewis
  • The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch
  • The Locksmith by Linda Calvey
  • Trust Me by TM Logan
  • The Art of Loving You by Amelia Henley
  • Worst Idea Ever by Jane Fallon
  • Three Weddings and a Proposal by Sheila O’Flanagan
  • When They Find Her by Lia Middleton
  • Look What You Made Me Do by Nikki Smith
  • That Night by Gillian McAllister
  • No Honor by Awais Khan
  • The Beresford by Will Carver
  • Isn’t It Bromantic by Lissa Kay Adams
  • Is This It? by Hannah Tovey

BOOK OF THE YEAR: When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins

Follow Vikkie on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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Zoe at Zoe’s Book Nook

  • Still Life by Sarah Winman
  • Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
  • Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
  • You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
  • The Upper World by Femi Fadugba
  • Assembly by Natasha Brown
  • Lean, Fall, Stand by John McGregor
  • Luster by Raven Leilani
  • The Haunting Season: Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights by Various
  • The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
  • Fault Lines by Emily Itami
  • The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa 
  • Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar
  • Cecily by Annie Garthwaite
  • 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard
  • Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke
  • Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski
  • Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson
  • Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain
  • Before the Ruins by Victoria Gosling
  • It’s Behind You by Kathryn Fox

BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff and Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Follow Zoe on Instagram, Twitter and her Blog.

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One of my favourite parts of putting together the Squadpod’s lists of favourite books is seeing how diverse they are. And this year that was even more evident. We had a lot of books that appeared on two or three of our lists, but only seven that appeared on four or more lists. One was even on many of our lists last year and very nearly took the title of overall favourite. So, here’s our ultimate Squadpod Recommendations for 2021:

Some debut novels that just narrowly missed this list but were clearly loved by many in the Squadpod were Shiver, The Last Library, The Last House on Needless Street, The Summer Job, The Appeal, When They Find Her, The Lip, Assembly and All My Lies.

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Squadpod Book of the Year

We had a tie for Book of the Year, with The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot and The Wolf Den both appearing on six of the Squad’s lists.

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What do you think of our choices? Do you see books you’ve loved this year on our lists? Let me know in the comments. And don’t forget to follow us.

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles! Wishing you all a Happy New Year ☺️Emma xxx

Categories
Blog Tours Book Features Q&A

Q&A with Tim Ewins, Author of We Were Animals

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour celebrating the paperback publication of We Are Animals. This is our first official Squadpod On Tour and I’m excited to bring you a Q&A with Tim today.

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Q: What inspired the idea for We Are Animals?

I don’t really know what the idea for We Are Animals was. I just wanted to write a book, and my idea about writing a book about how to write a book fell apart pretty quickly, because I didn’t know how to write a book. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s already been written by much smarter people. I think We Are Animals started as a collage, with parts from my old travel blog and small facts about my relationship with my wife scattered around a very loose plot.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about the book?

I can! I can tell you a bit about the book in the style of an author: It’s a book about fate and love, but I wouldn’t say it’s a romance novel. I like the idea of it being uplit fiction, because at every stage of writing I wanted to reflect the goodness in people and in nature. And I can tell you a bit about the book in a very literal sense: It’s about a bloke on a beach that meets a kid on a beach and tells that kid his life story. They both get drunk and watch a cow dance to dance music.

Q: Who is your favourite character in the book?

I think probably Hylad’s partner, Michael. Michael is only a small character, and when he’s introduced, he comes across as quite grumpy and a little unlikeable, but as the plot goes on, we watch him put his whole life on hold to help and support Hylad. He’s the rock that keeps Hylad going. I think Michael is what every partner should be to their significant other. Also, I do quite like that dancing cow.

Q: What was your favourite scene to write?

There are a lot of mini-stories in We Are Animals which explain some of the smaller character’s backstories. They were always the most fun parts to write, and there was a certain pleasure in making these seemingly unconnected stories become relevant to the main plot several chapters later. There is one particular backstory which stands out though. I really enjoyed writing about the lives of Ebba and Olivia. The section only lasts a few pages, but I remember writing it and feeling so sad because their story is really quite tragic. That scene came out so quickly that I felt like I was reading it rather than writing it.

Q: What was the hardest thing about writing the book?

Time. Sometimes, even just writing a sentence, it’s hard to find the time to fi

Q: Are there any hidden ‘Easter Eggs’ in the book, e.g. that only people who know you would get?

Absolutely! The boat Moondance has the same name as my dad’s fishing boat. My mate and I used to work in a box factory. I literally know Shakey – I go for a drink with him every week, and I met Manjan a while back in Malaysia. The reason Ladyjan isn’t typically Swedish looking is because Ladyjan looks exactly like my wife (and she’s from Whitby)… the list really
does go on. The guy who I used to work with in the box factory read We Are Animals recently and he told me after that finding the little easter eggs was his favourite part of the book (which, on reflection, may have been an insult).

Q: What was your journey to publication like?

I have a spreadsheet full of rejection and a list of the reasons why publishers and agents don’t want to work with me, so I think probably quite normal. Working with Eye and Lightning Books (my publisher) has been amazing though. They really care about all the books they publish, so I went from no-one reading my novel to a group of people taking the time to go through it with a fine-tooth comb and working with me to get it perfect. I don’t think I could have asked for anything more. When it came out it was on e-only format and now, a year later, it’ll be out in paperback, so I’ve been lucky enough to ride two waves!

Q: What’s the best thing about being a published author?

It is just so nice that people are reading the book. When I was writing, I never really knew if anyone would read it (other than my mum), but the fact that strangers are reading it now is beyond what I could ever have dreamed of.

Q: What kind of books do you like reading? Any current favourites?

I like anything a bit cute or surreal. I love Andrew Kaufman and Jonas Jonassan. I’ve recently been reading Ronan Hession’s books (Leonard and Hungry Paul, and Panenka) and I think I’ve found my new favourite author in him (he also makes nice music to write to under the name Mumblin’ Deaf Ro, so that’s a double win). I’m on a real reading streak at the moment so I could list a million books here that I’ve loved recently; The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn, Perfect on Paper by Gillian Harvey, Whatever You Are Is Beautiful by Richard Blandford, Marrow Jam by Susan A King. Honestly, the list could go on and on.

Q: When do you find time to write? Do you have a ‘writing routine’?

I made a joke earlier about time, which I can only apologise for, but it really is one of the hardest parts of writing for me (and plot, that’s hard too). I work a full-time job and have a toddler, so my writing routine has always consisted of writing an hour in my lunch breaks at work, writing on the bus to and from work and occasionally whilst watching Love Island. We Are Animals was written entirely on an iPad. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite follow one series of Love Island as closely as I’d have liked to, but I hear they’re all on Netflix now anyway, so…

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

I’m waiting to get some edits back on my second novel, which I cannot wait to share. The story is very close to me. The main character is based on my Nan, and again, it’s about fate and love, but I wouldn’t say it’s a romance novel. Maybe after that I’ll try to write a book about how to write a book…

We Are Animals is out now.

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You can get 30% off your copy of the book using the code above until 8th August here

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SYNOPSIS:

A cow looks out to sea, dreaming of a life that involves grass.

Jan is also looking out to sea. He’s in Goa, dreaming of the passport-thief who stole his heart (and his passport) forty-six years ago. Back then, fate kept bringing them together, but lately it seems to have given up.

Jan has not. In his long search he has accidentally held a whole town at imaginary gunpoint in Soviet Russia, stalked the proprietors of an international illegal lamp-trafficking scam and done his very best to avoid any kind of work involving the packing of fish. Now he thinks if he just waits, if he just does nothing at all, maybe fate will find it easier to reunite them.

His story spans fifty-four years, ten countries, two imperfect criminals (and one rather perfect one), twenty-two different animals and an annoying teenager who just…

Will…

Not…

Leave.

But maybe an annoying teenager is exactly what Jan needs to help him find the missing thief?

Featuring a menagerie of creatures, each with its own story to tell, We Are Animals is a quirky, heart-warming tale of lost love, unlikely friendships and the certainty of fate (or lack thereof).

For the first time in her life the cow noticed the sun setting, and it was glorious.

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Tim Ewins had an eight-year stand-up career alongside his accidental career in finance, before turning to writing fiction.

He has previously written for DNA Mumbai, had two short stories highly commended and published in Michael Terence Short Story Anthologies, and had a very brief acting stint (he’s in the film Bronson, somewhere in the background).

He lives with his wife, son and dog in Bristol. We Are Animals is his first novel.

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Don’t miss the Cake and Cocktail blast on August 3rd and check the hashtags to read reviews from the Squadpod Ladies.

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles😊 Emma xxx

Categories
Emma's Anticipated Treasures First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday

Welcome to First Lines Friday where I share the first lines from one of the books on my shelves to try and tempt you to add it to yours.

“She holds her hands up as if in prayer, steam evaporating from her skin. The water laps at her neck as she lies back into its warmth. Laughter and female voices surround her, a confusion of sound echoing off the stone. She filters it out, focusing on her fingers turning them, watching the water drip down, the steam rise. They could be anybody’s hands, she thinks, they could belong to anybody. But they belong to Felix.”

Today’s first lines are taken from The Wolf’s Den by Elodie Harper, the stunning debut that was published yesterday.

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SYNOPSIS:

Sold by her mother. Enslaved in Pompeii’s brothel. Determined to survive. Her name is Amara. Welcome to the Wolf Den…

Amara was once a beloved daughter, until her father’s death plunged her family into penury. Now she is a slave in Pompeii’s infamous brothel, owned by a man she despises. Sharp, clever and resourceful, Amara is forced to hide her talents. For now her only value lies in the desire she can stir in others.

But Amara’s spirit is far from broken. By day, she walks the streets with the Wolf Den’s other women, finding comfort in the laughter and dreams they share. For the streets of Pompeii are alive with opportunity. Out here, even the lowest slave can secure a reversal in fortune. Amara has learnt that everything in this city has its price. But how much is her freedom going to cost her?

Set in Pompeii’s lupanar, The Wolf Den is the first in a trilogy of novels reimagining the lives of women who have long been overlooked. Perfect for fans of Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls and Madeline Miller’s Circe.

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This is one of my most anticipated reads this year and I’m so excited to read it, particularly after attending last night’s Zoom event ‘Myths and Legends’ with the author. This book is also our first pick for the SquadPod Book Club, which starts next month. I can’t wait to finally read it alongside fellow book lovers. Click on the social media links below for more information and to join in.

Buy the book here*
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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles😊 Emma xxx