From bold memoirs to stories of the music scene of ’60s London, here are the best books we read in April 2020!
Mark Harding – Brand & Content Manager
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Why I loved it: This book is incredibly well-written, balancing dark humour, vivid characters and a sharpness that made it really stick with me. It’s the story of a Nigerian nurse who is regularly called upon by her sister to help her dispose of the bodies of the men she murders. Constantly trying to stay ahead of the police while trying to prevent her sister from murdering more people, and then having to balance her own life, makes Korede a unique and memorable protagonist.
Buy it here
Olivia Fricot – Senior Content Producer
Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
Why I loved it: I didn’t think that the words ‘evening wear Birkenstocks’ would ever reduce me to hysterical laughter, but that’s possibly only because I’d never read anything by Samantha Irby before. A blogger, screenwriter and essayist, Wow, No Thank You is Irby’s latest collection of essays, in which she writes about the power of a good ‘90s mixtape (featuring the likes of Fiona Apple, PJ Harvey and Hole), detachment step-parenting, and what body positivity looks like when you have perennially irritable bowels. Literally the funniest thing I’ve read in a long while.
Buy it here
Nicholas Wasiliev – Social Media Specialist
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
Why I loved it: This is my first time delving into the works of N.K. Jemisin, and it’s no wonder she’s amassed the following she has. The City We Became dives into the story of cities: their beating heart, their light and dark, the way they feed the body and the soul. Based around New York, which, as a sprawling melting pot of culture and people, has five souls, the book tells the story of how these five separate entities must come together to defeat an ancient evil, the dark side of this sprawling city. A joy to read!
Buy it here
Jo Lewin – Head of Trade Books
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
Why I loved it: The new offering from David Mitchell follows the meteoric rise of fictional band Utopia Avenue in late ‘60s London – think secret clubs where you brush shoulders with Brian Jones, meeting Leonard Cohen in an elevator, bumping into a young ingenue David Bowie on a street corner, invites to parties at the Chelsea Hotel with Janis Joplin and taking your first trip at Jerry Garcia’s house. The rock’n roll cliches are bursting from the seams in this novel, which in less deft hands would see me curl my lip. But in Mitchell’s hands these tropes are like a warm, safe and familiar place from which to explore four complex characters and the issues and upheaval they experience being young in the ’60s.
Buy it here
Ben Hunter – Fiction Category Manager
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
Why I loved it: The premise of this book is as audacious as they come. What if Hillary Rodham had turned down Bill Clinton’s proposal of marriage? What if she lived an entirely different life, and what if we then lived in an entirely different world? This is a fascinating novel that uses an exhaustive, well-researched realism to pose challenging questions about the moral integrity of our leaders and the grave extent to which we isolate and demonise women who have powerful ambitions. Well worth a read, whether you love, hate or are ambivalent to the real-life Clintons.
Buy it here
Sarah McDuling – Kids & YA Category Manager
Who We Were by B. M. Carroll
Why I loved it: This was such a deeply absorbing read. A domestic noir thriller about a group of people reconnecting in the lead up to their 20th High School Reunion, Who We Were explores how much people can change over time and how the mistakes of youth can shape the adults we become. The sinister premise is immediately gripping – someone from the graduating Class of 2000 has a grudge against their former classmates. Anonymous emails, notes and letters are being sent to people revealing their deepest darkest secrets. How far is this person willing to go? Do they only want to scare people, or are their intentions more malicious than that?
Buy it here
Joel Naoum – Non-Fiction Category Manager
Top End Girl by Miranda Tapsell
Why I loved it: This is a fascinating and hilarious memoir from one of Australia’s fastest rising stars. Tapsell grew up in Darwin, and has spent part of her life coming to terms with her heritage and how to express her identity in a world that can be hostile to First Nations Australians. She also recently produced, co-wrote and starred in a rom-com about a wedding in the Territory, which is mirrored in the book by her own engagement and wedding to comedian and TV writer James Colley. The insanity of trying to manage both projects in the book is definitely part of the fun of it. The book is interspersed with editorial asides from Colley, who provides a wry and hilarious counter-narrative at times and helps keep the book fast-paced and light. This is perfect for fans of rom-coms, celebrity memoirs or writers like Zoë Foster Blake, but also for readers who are curious about how the latest generation of First Nations Australians are tackling activism and identity politics in contemporary Australia.
Buy it here
Shanulisa Prasad – Lifestyle Category Manager
Please Don’t Hug Me by Kay Kerr
Why I loved it: Warm and witty, with a main character Erin you root for all the way, this book really lived up to the awesome title (I really relate to the sentiment). That Erin is on the autism spectrum is both at the heart of this book and also incidental – the struggles that she faces are in some ways unique to her diagnosis but also very familiar to anyone who remembers being (or still is) a teenager. Written in the form of letters to her estranged brother, its conversational tone made me speed through this book in one sitting. I can’t wait to see what this author does next!
Buy it here
Renae Adolfson – Trade Books Coordinator
I Shot the Devil by Ruth McIver
Why I loved it: A real page turner, this book had me hellbent on unravelling the truth! Years after what was deemed by the small community of Southport as a satanic ritual that led to the death of two teenagers, journalist Erin Salone is pushed into confronting her history. Sent to uncover the truth about what really happened that night, Erin is forced to face the horrors of her past. Caught in an intricately-woven web of betrayal, deceit, and trauma, our protagonist propels this intense thriller forward as she risks her life for a sense of closure.
Buy it here
Cassandra Sharpe – Merchandising Coordinator
Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters
Why I loved it: This was a recommendation from fellow Booktopian Shanu – and I wish I’d started sooner! Would Like To Meet introduces us to Evie Summers, an overworked assistant who secretly dreams of writing. When her job is on the line, Evie agrees to fall in love like in the movies to convince sceptic screenwriter Ezra Chester to break his writer’s block. Spoofing all those beloved rom-com cliches (The Drink Spill, The Unexpected Road Trip, The Holiday), Evie is soon swept up in a whirlwind of awkward moments and disastrous dates, buoyed by her best friends as she tries to meet-cute her way through London. You’ll be laughing and cringing in equal measure.
Buy it here
Rob O’Hearn – Academic & Professional Category Manager
Truganini by Cassandra Pybus
Why I loved it: Truganini is a powerful and poignant story of an extraordinary woman. Previously merely a symbol of the Tasmanian Aboriginal genocide, the real Nuenonne woman Truganini is restored to us by Pybus’ passionate and considered biography. Revealing her subject’s playful and gregarious nature, the author brings insight and balance to her portrait of a woman who remained resilient in the face of invasion, murder, plague and injustice. Truganini’s people skills, intimate knowledge of her land and her negotiation with the invaders are remarkable. This is a deeply shocking story of the damage wrought by the colonial machine and the clueless missionaries that came with it; a tragedy of slavery and brutality in a bounteous paradise of incredible beauty.
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Ashleigh Berry – Campaigns Coordinator
The Coconut Children by Vivian Pham
Why I loved it: This snapshot of 1990s Cabramatta tells the story of Sonny and Vince, children of immigrant Vietnamese families who are battling high school, puberty and parents. After 2 years they find themselves drawn back together, rekindling more than just their lost childhood friendship to dream of a future they haven’t dared to believe in. This was a beautifully written novel that is sure to make your heart ache, touching upon first love, immigrant histories, domestic violence, and the power of family.
Buy it here
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