10 Ten Exciting New Releases Coming in July 2025 - #books

There are so many wonderful looking books which are due to be released next month. I am very excited by some of these titles. As always, I have limited myself to just ten here. Believe me, it is never easy deciding which ten books I am most enthusiastic about as there are loads of wonderful looking ones coming along next month.

Are there any soon to be released books that you are looking forward to reading?

 Till Death Us Do Part by Revd. Penny Stephens

Weddings can be murder . . .

Reverend Clare Brakespear is used to a challenge. With a young family to wrangle, a parish to manage and a particularly excitable Golden Retriever by her side, life is never dull.

But when she attends a wedding where one of the guests is fatally stabbed with a cake knife, even Clare admits that she might have been given too much to handle this time.

As the police investigate the murder, they zero-in on one woman as their prime suspect, who they believe had the motive, means and opportunity to commit the crime. The trouble is, Clare is convinced that they have the wrong person. She might not understand forensic testing and finger-tip searches, but if there's one thing Clare does know, it's people and the complexities of their emotional lives. So she decides to take matters into her own hands.

However, investigating a murder is no mean feat and Clare soon finds herself embroiled in a complex web of family secrets and deceptions. Is she in way over her head or can she find the real killer before an innocent woman is sent down?

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Romance is Dead by Katie Bohn

Roses are red, violets are blue, romance is dead - but is their love true?

Scream queen Quinn has had it with scary movies. After years as Hollywood's horror It Girl, she's sick of the tabloids and the off-screen drama. So she's decided: one last film, before quitting for good.

All that stands in her way is leading man Teddy James. Reality TV star and renowned playboy Teddy has looks to kill for, but absolutely no talent. AKA, Quinn's worst nightmare.

That's until they stumble - literally - across a dead body on set. Everyone believes it's a tragic accident, but Quinn's not convinced. So she offers Teddy a deal: acting lessons in exchange for his help investigating. And as Teddy and Quinn dig deeper, she begins to wonder what's most at risk here - their lives, or her heart?

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The Writer by Valerie Keogh

Cara Jenkins is a successful author about to embark on her thirtieth novel. But as she sits at her desk to write, she realizes that she has no ideas left. And as the pressure mounts for her to deliver, she begins to fear that her career is over.

Then the letters start.

At first, they seem harmless. But as the messages grow darker, Cara becomes convinced that someone is watching her, waiting for their moment to strike.

Her husband, Artie, dismisses the notes as stupid pranks, but Cara feels them pulling her back to a past she can't escape. With no easy answers, Cara does what she does best and begins to write. But the more words that come, the more fantasy and reality begin to blur and soon her imagination, and her accusations, begin to run wild.

With reality blurring into fiction, Cara struggles to see the truth. Is someone really watching her, or is her unravelling mind feeding her paranoia? And how will this story - her story – end?

This time her deadline has never felt more deadly….

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Such Good People by Amy Blumenfeld

It's 10 p.m. on a Thursday in the spring of her freshman year of college, and April is standing at the back of a crowded Manhattan bar waiting for her friend, Rudy, to arrive. Their eyes lock the moment he enters the room, and in an instant, lives and legacies are altered forever. Within hours, Rudy is arrested. Within days, April is expelled. Within weeks, he's incarcerated. And within months, she meets Peter, a prodigious young attorney who makes her world recognizable again. Nearly fifteen years later, April is happily living in Chicago married to Peter, a mother of three with a fulfilling career and standing yoga date with her girlfriends. On the eve of Peter's election for local office, Rudy is up for parole. Headlines explode about April's past, jeopardizing Peter's campaign and everything they hold dear. Suddenly, April is faced with an impossible choice: protecting the life she created, or the person who sacrificed everything to make that life a possibility. Such Good People is a captivating portrait of blurred lines, divided loyalties, and what it means to love purely, steadfastly, and interminably.

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Summer Escapes on the Scottish Isle by Lilac Mills

Will she give everything up for love?

Freya Sinclair has it all. An exciting life in London, a successful career as a ceramicist and a handsome boyfriend. But when she receives a call that her father is in hospital, she drops everything to support his recovery in Skye.

On the island, Freya finds new inspiration – Coorie Castle’s craft centre is firing her creativity and she’s glad to be back with her dad again. Being so close to her schoolgirl crush, Mackenzie Burns, is an added bonus. The two share an instant connection and Freya misses London less and less.

But Freya has a boyfriend at home and now a dazzling job offer in New York. She must figure out what she truly wants, before anyone gets hurt..

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The Lines We Draw by Tim Franks

A moving journey through a Jewish family history from BBC Newshour presenter Tim Franks.

Tim Franks spent years as the BBC's Middle East Correspondent covering Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. During that time, he was attacked as a self-hating Jew and as an Islamophobe - as a tool of competing, malign agendas. He always tried to respond with a journalist's detached curiosity, drawing a clear line between his identity and his work. Up to the point that he asked himself: is that necessary? Beyond the judgments of others: what does it mean to be Jewish?

It was a question he struggled to answer. As a child in 1970s Birmingham, Tim was a practising Jew with hardly any relations or sense of lineage. And so he embarked on a search for his ancestral roots, from Constantinople to Curaçao, from Amsterdam to the death camps, from Lithuania to Downing Street.

Framing each part of his journey through what he has learned as a journalist, Tim discovers ancestors who all speak to a part of the Jewish story: there are the refugees and the risk-takers; the artists, rabbis, soldiers and revolutionaries; there is even a route to the Conservative Party's unlikeliest leader, Benjamin Disraeli.

This book is a deeply empathetic memoir which encourages us all to confront the lines we draw. In searching for what it is to be Jewish, Tim discovers what it means to take a stand and write about the world.

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A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder by Melinda Mullet

Maeve Gardner kills people for a living. A dodgy occupation perhaps, but as ghostwriter for the long-running Simon Hills mysteries, Maeve has planned the perfect murder time and again and she enjoys it. She dreams of writing something under her own name someday rather than babysitting her adopted character Simon, but at least she's writing. And as one of the burnt-out souls who've run away from dry land to live on London's waterways, she has the joy of working from the home she loves: a colorful houseboat. Life on the canals is grand, but when her cheating ex-boyfriend turns up floating face down in the water outside her boat, murdered, and the police arrest her, the plot takes a wayward turn. Suddenly, Maeve is thrust into one of her own crime dramas, complete with missing money, violent thugs, extortion, and conspiracy. Only this time, there is no real-life Simon Hill to come to her aid. Instead, with the help of friends from the river - India, owner of a popular floating bookshop; Paul, the exceedingly attractive landlord of the local pub; and Ash, Maeve's quiet, nerdy neighbor who is keeping some secrets of his own - Maeve may have a shot at saving herself. As Maeve and her motley crew of would-be investigators find themselves wondering if they are in over their heads, a killer lurks and won't hesitate to kill again...

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Chance at Life by Susan Ellison Busch

Chance at Life provides a portal into the lives of dialysis unit 'regulars, ' both patients and staff. Together they confront life's limitations and its certain end, with unique stories of struggle, hope, and resilience.

Rachel is a novice nurse whose well-intentioned choices put her career in jeopardy. Her personal life disintegrates when she discovers that she is pregnant, and her fiancé abuses her.

Kidney failure derailed Darnell's career path. He waits in vain for a transplant, losing hope as long days on dialysis consume his future.

Elizabeth, a seasoned nurse practitioner, faces her own failing kidneys and decides to refuse dialysis, planning to let nature take its course-though her daughters and her doctor won't let her go so easily.

The dialysis unit is a high-stakes cauldron of conflicts and ethical dilemmas. A machine malfunction claims one patient's life, another patient buys a black-market kidney, and another patient withdraws from dialysis entirely, throwing herself a "goodbye" party. Covid 19 arrives, bringing an entirely new dimension to the daily dramas.

Chance at Life is a gripping, poignant exploration of the human spirit and the unforeseen connections that form in the most trying of circumstances, perfect for those who appreciate medical dramas filled with real-world challenges and heartfelt storytelling.

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The Getaway by Rona Halsall

Would you swap houses – and lives – with a stranger?

Maddie and her long-term boyfriend, Tom, dream of a life living and working abroad, though right now they’re settling for a lovely vacation in the sunny European beach town.

When Maddie is befriended by a lovely-seeming couple, who are living the digital nomad lifestyle, they make her an offer that feels hard to refuse…

Swap houses, swap lives – just for a couple of weeks - and see if living abroad is a lifestyle that would really suit them.

But as soon as they’ve handed keys over to their home in London, it becomes clear the couple aren’t who they’d seemed to be. And Maddie and Tom’s dream getaway is about to become a nightmare they could never have imagined…

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Simple Designs for Meditative Knitting by Barbara Breen

Knit your way to peace of mind!

A meditative approach to knitting that brings relaxation and calm as you create elegant handcrafted pieces

19 easy projects for knitters of all levels, from beginner to experienced

Step-by-step instructions achieving a meditative state while knitting

Clear easy-to-understand patterns for knitwear accessories and home décor, each specifically created for mindful knitting

An essential volume for those who seek balance and stress reduction through knitting

Whether you're a beginner exploring the art of knitting as a portal to serenity, or a seasoned knitter looking for relief from intricate patterns, Simple Designs for Meditative Kitting cuts a soothing path toward mindfulness and well-being.

This stunning collection of super-easy designs allows you to unwind and embrace the calming rhythm of knitting. Timeless patterns with easy-to-memorize knit and purl repeats are the key to a true meditative knitting experience. Choose from a versatile mix of knitwear and home décor items. All are well suited for hours of mindful knitting.

Captivating photos underscore the contemplative theme of the book, while a sprinkling of quotations from notable authors enhances the peaceful narrative. The simplicity of the designs is complemented by carefully curated yarns, resulting in the perfect finish for every piece.

Author Barbara Breen is a highly skilled knitter, designer, and writer. Simple Designs for Meditative Knitting embodies her belief that knitting need not be complicated to produce beautiful results. Her inspiring collection is certain to bring you a joyful knitting experience and enhanced creativity. As a bonus, the universal appeal of this book makes it a gift that any knitter will treasure.

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A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines - #bookreview

 

There were no curtains up. The window was a hard edged block the colour of the night sky. Inside the bedroom the darkness was of a gritty texture. The wardrobe and bed were blurred shapes in the darkness. Silence...

***

Life is tough and cheerless for Billy Casper, a troubled teenager growing up in the small Yorkshire mining town of Barnsley. Treated as a failure at school, and unhappy at home, Billy discovers a new passion in life when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk. Billy identifies with her silent strength and she inspires in him the trust and love that nothing else can, discovering through her the passion missing from his life. Barry Hines's acclaimed novel continues to reach new generations of teenagers and adults with its powerful story of survival in a tough, joyless world.

***

I first read this book at school when I was about twelve years old. Needless to say, I did not recall the details. More recently I heard it recommended on the podcast, Backlisted, which I highly recommend, and was intrigued to read it again.

It was first published in 1968, and is as relevant today as it was then. The main character, Billy Casper, is a timeless portrayal of a adolescent boy growing up in Yorkshire with his mother and older brother, Jedd. Billy is bullied by his brother, bullied at school and by some of his teachers. This was the days of corporal punishment and reading of how the pupils were beaten was shocking.  Billy was frequently humiliated by his teachers who had written him off. There is one scene set during a PE lesson which did not make for comfortable reading.

That said, this was a brilliant novel and easily a five star read for me. It is a slim volume that is a powerhouse of a book. Billy is lacking any familial love. His single mother is inept, and Billy is frequently left hungry and without direction.

His love and skill with the kestrel that he raised and trained was wonderful to read. Through this we observe him blossom into the boy that the reader implicitly recognizes he could be if only his circumstances and the people around him were different. He has been raised to be unambitious and to expect little from life.

While the storyline is bleak, the author performs a fabulous job of depicting the beauty of the area. His descriptions of the natural world surrounding this poverty stricken area are superb. Coupled with a narrative and a dialogue which is rich in the local dialect, this book is a fantastic juxtaposition between the beautiful environment and the harsh living conditions.

It was gritty and bleak, but I am extremely glad I came back to it. This is a book that has stayed with me since my school days. The fact that I even remember reading it some forty decades later speaks volumes about the power this book has. 

If you would like to read a modern classic then this is probably top of my list to recommend. It is a fantastic book, and I can well imagine reading it again.

ISBN: 978 0141184982

Publisher:  Penguin Classics

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  208 (paperback)

About the Author:

Barry Hines (June 30, 1939 – March 18, 2016) was an English author, playwright, and screenwriter. His novels and screenplays explore the political and economic struggles of working-class Northern England, particularly in his native West Riding / South Yorkshire.

He is best known for the novel A Kestrel for a Knave (1968), which he helped adapt for Ken Loach's film Kes (1969). He also collaborated with Loach on adaptations of his novels Looks and Smiles (1981) and The Gamekeeper, and a 1977 two-part television drama adaption of his book The Price of Coal.

He also wrote the television film Threads, which depicts the impact of a nuclear war on Sheffield. 

(author photo and bio. courtesy of GoodReads)

(all opinions are my own)

Foxash by Kate Worsley - #BookReview

 

I thought he'd be here to meet me. I had it all crystal clear in my head. Letter said to come down twenty-eighth of January. Ticket was a single, same as his. Caught the ten-to-eight mainline, same as he had, three month back. I'd pictured him that day, arriving here about teatime, with the rest of the men from the Special Areas. Cold, hungry, tired, piling into an Association truck in a fog of white breath. All those nights since, I've conjured him up, stood here waiting on me. I'm not after a truck. Just my Tommy.

He's not written to say either way, of course. Not written once, bar that Christmas card. A robin, perched on the handle of a spade dug deep in snow. Crinkle edges. Greetings from the Association. And just Tommy, no love from, no news...

***

Worn out by poverty, Lettie Radley and her miner husband Tommy grasp at the offer of their very own smallholding - part of a Government scheme to put the unemployed back to work on the land. When she comes down to Essex to join him, it's not Tommy who greets her, but their new neighbours. Overbearing and unkempt, Jean and Adam Dell are everything that the smart, spirited, aspirational Lettie can't abide.

As Lettie settles in, she finds an unexpected joy in the rhythms of life on the smallholding. She's hopeful that her past, and the terrible secret Tommy has come to Foxash to escape, are far behind them. But the Dells have their own secrets. And as the seasons change, and a man comes knocking at the gate, the scene is set for a terrible reckoning.

Combining a gothic sensibility with a visceral, unsettling sense of place, Foxash is a deeply original novel of quiet and powerful menace, of the real hardships of rural life, and the myths and folklore that seep into ordinary lives - with surprising consequences.

***

Publishing today, Foxash is a remarkable novel which tells of a rural experiment during the 1930's in England.

From the very first page the author establishes a strong sense of voice with Lettie,  from whose perspective the narrative is told.

It is slow paced which echoes the changes in nature perfectly. Although this is about the characters, we also follow the story of the produce which is grown on their land. From sowing the seeds through to germination to packing up for sale, this book follows the rhythm of the natural growing season. Indeed, the land and plants are a significant aspect of the book.

The author understands her characters and the natural world with which they are surrounded extremely well. The intense and claustraphobic friendship that Lettie and her husband have with their neighbours is excellently portrayed and there were dark secrets hidden within. The truth of the plot is witheld to the very end and made this for an entralling read.

It is a disquieting book which has being beautifully written. It was involving and the atmosphere which Ms. Worsley created was palpable. She injected nature with a sensuality which we can observe through the behaviour of the characters.

I thought this was an excellent book, and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978-1472294876

Publisher:  Tinder Press

Formats:  e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages: 368 (hardback)

About the Author:

Kate Worsley’s first novel, She Rises, won the HWA Debut Crown for Historical Fiction and was shortlisted for a Lambda Literary Prize in the US. She was born in Preston, Lancashire and now lives on the Essex coast.

(author photo and bio from Tinder Press)

(ARC courtesy of the publisher)

Three Rival Sisters by Marie-Louise Gagneur & Translated by Anna Aitken and Polly Mackintosh #BookReview

 

The village of Domblans lay deep in a lovely verdant valley in the Jura. The houses were all tucked away discreetly behind layers of foliage, and from neighbouring hilltops one could just make out brown roof tiles and the angular spire of the church through the dense line of poplars that wound its way along the river.

***

Much acclaimed amongst her contemporaries and yet all but forgotten today, Marie-Louise Gagneur was a defining voice in French feminism. These stories, translated into English for the first time, critique the restrictions of late nineteenth-century society and explore the ways in which both men and women are hurt by rigid attitudes towards marriage.

In 'An Atonement', the Count de Montbarrey awakes one morning to find his wife dead, leaving him free to marry the woman he really loves. Could the Count have accidentally killed his wife? And how can he atone for his crime? 'Three Rival Sisters' tells the story of the rivalry between Henriette, Renée and Gabrielle as they compete for the affections of one man. But marriage does not necessarily guarantee happiness, as the sisters are about to find out.

Steeped in wit, empathy and biting social criticism, and with echoes of Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin, the stories show Gagneur to be worthy of renewed attention.

***

This is very much a book of two parts as it consists of two unrelated short stories, Three Rival Sisters and Atonement.

Personally, I found the titular story to be the superior of the two. It was interesting to watch the behaviour of the three sisters, Henriette, Renee and Gabrielle as they vie for the attention of a single man.

It was entertaining and witty and not unlike Jane Austen in the authors portrayal of the situation. She has put everything into place in order that the reader can come to their own conclusion as to how this scenario will play out. The prose, which is beautifully composed, suggests that marriage and love do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Atonement paled in comparison to its predecessor. It reminded me a little of Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone, in its theme. Again, it was nicely written, but the story did not have the same complexity and I was not engaged by the characters or how the story would resolve itself.

ISBN: 978 1910477953

Publisher: Gallic Books

No. of Pages: 224 (paperback)

About the Author:

Marie-Louise Gagneur was a French feminist, writer and activist, born in Domblans in 1832. She wrote essays, short stories and more than 20 novels, often focusing on anti-clericalism and issues surrounding the status of women in society. She later called for a reform on divorce laws and challenged the Académie Française to feminise French job titles. Gagneur was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur in 1901 and died in 1902.

(author photo courtesy of Wikipeadia)

(biographical info courtesy of Belgravia Books)