‘Circus of Wonders’ by Elizabeth Macneal
Be swept up in the new spellbinding tale from the bestselling author of The Doll Factory.
Set in 1866, Circus of Wonders tells the story of Nell, a young woman in a coastal village of southern England who is sold to Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders, soon becoming one of the most famous acts in the travelling circus.
“Moving from the pleasure gardens of Victorian London to the battle-scarred plains of the Crimea, Circus of Wonders is an astonishing story about power and ownership, fame and the threat of invisibility.”
‘Klara and the Sun’ by Kazuo Ishiguro
Acclaimed author of Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro is back with his first novel since winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017.
Klara and the Sun follows the tale of ‘Artificial Friend’ Klara who awaits the day a customer will choose her. The book explores the changing world through an “unforgettable narrator”, dealing with the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?
‘Fake Baby’ by Amy McDaid
Kiwi writer Amy McDaid’s debut novel quickly topped reading lists when it was released last year.
If you’ve missed this darkly humorous story, it’s well worth a read. The book follows three “oddballs” through nine days in their lives, exploring topics of mental health and child-loss with tenderness, wit and sharp insight.
‘The Missing Sister’ by Lucinda Riley
One of the most highly-anticipated novels of the year, Lucinda Riley’s seventh instalment in her bestselling Seven Sisters series, follows each sister as they trace their missing sibling to New Zealand, Canada, England, France and Ireland.
“The elusive Mary manages to slip through their fingers, and it seems that she does not want to be found.”
‘Heartsick’ by Jessie Stephens
After experiencing a difficult breakup herself, Jessie Stephens has put together a close-up narrative non-fiction book exploring all the highs, lows and in-betweens of heartbreak.
Based on intimate interviews, Stephens weaves together three different stories of heartbreak, reminding us of the emotional pain that can make us as it breaks us.
‘Sorrow and Bliss’ by Meg Mason
Likened to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag for its wry humour and sharp wit, Sorrow and Bliss is a bold and intriguing novel by Sydney-based author Meg Mason.
It tells the story of Martha, a woman struggling with an undiagnosed mental health issue, following her life from teenagehood to her 40s, tracking the ups and downs of her relationships with her husband, sister, parents and extended family.
