Five new books to read this week
By Prudence Wade, Press Association
This week’s new releases range from a claustrophobic thriller to a food memoir…
Fiction
1. Give Me Everything You’ve Got by Imogen Crimp is published in hardback by Bloomsbury Publishing. Available now
The heat oppresses in Imogen Crimp’s Give Me Everything You’ve Got, pouring off the page as budding filmmaker Ruby spends a scorching couple of weeks at the country home of Ellen, a successful director who Ruby can’t believe has noticed her. Also staying at the house is Ellen’s enigmatic 20-year-old daughter Lara. Ruby and Lara develop an intense relationship that is often sweet, but leaves Ruby in constant uncertainty. The novel uses Ruby’s attempts to write a ‘story about women’ in the screenplay she is working on to explore the nuances between female sexuality in our media and in reality. Crimp succeeds in creating an increasing claustrophobia and paranoia at Ellen’s sprawling estate, as both Ruby and the reader start to doubt whether either Ellen or Lara really care at all about her. Give Me Everything You’ve Got is evocative, gripping, and at times, verging on horror.
8/10
(Review by Jasmine Norden)
2. Rat Race by Callum McSorley is published in hardback by Pushkin Vertigo. Available now
Following on from Squeaky Clean and Paperboy, Scottish writer Callum McSorley concludes his trilogy of novels featuring DCI Alison McCoist as she tries to clean up the streets of Glasgow and put some of its least desirable inhabitants behind bars. And the good news is that, if you’re a fan of the previous two, then there’s everything you could hope for in Rat Race – remarkable characters, crazy happenings and a lead investigator who cuts through the modern-day PC-dominated environment to achieve her aims. McSorley is already a well-loved burgeoning talent, and Rat Race will go a long way to cementing his place among a fascinating new breed of gritty and funny crime writers.
8/10
(Review by Karl Hornsey)
3. Honey by Imani Thompson is published in hardback by The Borough Press. Available now
Imani Thompson’s Honey promises to be a dark, fast-paced and provocative novel following Yrsa, a PHD student at Cambridge. Idling her way through life and trying to crack the back of her research, Yrsa has an itch that needs scratching and finds a little something to liven up her life. It just so happens the thing that tickles her fancy is murder, but within reason. As Yrsa explains her reasoning behind why she is doing what she is doing, there is something else ticking away in the background. Something that would be handy on the pages of novel. Rather than there be a nice conclusion, with everything tied off in a fancy bow – but you might be left wondering what happened and why. A fun read, that felt a bit frustrating by the end.
6/10
(Review by Rachel Howdle)
Non-fiction
4. Eat Bitterth: A Story About Guts And Food by Lydia Pang is published in hardback by Chatto & Windus. Available May 14th
Food holds memories: that’s why there are so many successful food-related memoirs, like Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner and Takeaway by Angela Hui. Now, creative director Lydia Pang – who has previously worked with big brands like Nike – is offering her own take on the format. Eat Bitter takes its name from a Chinese proverb about enduring hard times to enjoy sweetness, and that’s a theme throughout the book. Pang, who is half Hakka and grew up in Wales, tracks the story of her life through a recipe for each chapter – from feeling like an outsider in a predominantly white town, to achieving success in New York but losing herself in the process, to returning home to Wales and struggling with her fertility. Pang crafts an engaging story – it’s particularly interesting when she dives into the history of her Hakka ancestors – while at times slightly overwritten, it’s definitely worth a read.
8/10
(Review by Prudence Wade)
Children’s book of the week
5. The Dangerous Pet Lover’s Guide To Sea Monsters by Lindsay Hurst, illustrated by Alice McKinley, is published in paperback by Bloomsbury Children’s Books. Available now
This whimsical book with colourful illustrations will go down an absolute treat at bedtime. It’s an incredibly tongue-in-cheek guide for how to successfully make a sea monster your pet – a follow-up to a similar guide about dragons from 2025. It comes complete with a packing list and closer look at the grumpy and chaotic world of underwater monsters – there are playful tips for how to care for and play with these creatures: including what to feed them, and to always, always let them win at whatever game you’re playing (as they tend to be sore losers). Dynamic and fun illustrations make this an excellent romp.
9/10
(Review by Lily Rose)
BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 9th
HARDBACK (FICTION)
1. Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen
2. Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter
3. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
4. The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
5. Such A Nice Girl by Andrea Mara
6. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
7. A River Red With Blood by John Connolly
8. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
9. Riftborne by Bree Grenwich & Parker Lennox
10. Dissection Of A Murder by Jo Murray
(Compiled by Waterstones)
HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)
1. Thirst by John Robins
2. The Book Of Birds by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris
3. So Good Express by Emily English
4. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
5. BBQ by Jamie Oliver
6. All The Medals Have Been Handed Out by Guy Martin
7. Famesick by Lena Dunham
8. The Wilder Way by Eva zu Beck
9. Talking Classics by Professor Mary Beard
10. Weimar by Katja Hoyer
(Compiled by Waterstones)
AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NONFICTION)
1. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
2. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
4. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
5. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
6. Poison Orchids by Sarah A. Denzil, Anni Taylor
7. Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen
8. Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
9. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
10. Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire by J.K. Rowling
(Compiled by Audible)
