Books To Look Forward to in 2025!

Sick to Death – Chris Bridges (26th March ‘25)

Toxicity in your life can not only exacerbate an illness beyond medical understanding, but it can actually be the root cause.

Emma has been living with FND, a chronic illness that is not only hard to diagnose effectively, or treat, but is also a chronic illness that has no visible or provable symptoms. Often adding an additional layer of stress and manageability due to appeasing others’ judgement or being able to action a proper treatment plan.

But when your main issues come from within the home, the one place where you should feel safe and supported, it is enough to make you feel murderous… A great look at FND and how allies in our lives can be found anywhere.

 

Everyone Is Lying – Holly Down (26th Feb ‘25)

"Everyone Is Lying" is a gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on an intense, suspenseful journey. The novel opens with a compelling premise: a woman awakens from a coma with no memory, only to discover her husband and baby, whom she vividly remembers, do not exist according to her sister. This sets the stage for a chilling exploration of memory, identity, and deception.

The protagonist’s quest to unravel the truth about her past is fraught with tension and unexpected twists. Holly Down masterfully builds an atmosphere of paranoia and uncertainty, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The narrative is fast-paced, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger that compels you to keep reading.

What sets this novel apart is its intricate plot and well-developed characters. The protagonist's emotional struggle and determination are portrayed with depth, making her a relatable and sympathetic character. The supporting cast is equally well-crafted, with each character harbouring secrets that add to the overall mystery.

Down’s writing is sharp and evocative, creating vivid imagery and a palpable sense of dread. The story delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and the fragile nature of reality, making it a thought-provoking read.

 

When Sally Killed Harry - Lucy Roth (27th March ‘25)

Sally is no stranger to being on the receiving end of or witnessing abuse at the hand of men, but it gets to a point where she needs to take action, for her own ‘sanity’. Her flat mate is trying to encourage her taking a chance on not branding all men as the same and embracing life, and sets a challenge where she needs to embark on dating less sceptically and self sabotaging any potential relationship. Not afraid of a challenge, she does so and meets Harry, who is too good to be true, literally. But Sally is done with being a victim and enacts a campaign to get retribution and then some. Helping ‘some women’ in similar situations to do the same.

It is quite dangerous to read revenge fiction as good as this, ‘fiction’ that focuses on women taking back their power. What if we all started standing up for ourselves and making ‘some men’ face the consequences…

 

Every Thing Sweet is Bitter - Samantha Crewson (22nd April ‘25)

This is a really gripping novel about resilience, coping mechanisms and patriarchal abuse. How families can make you, destroy you and shape your path beyond your control. The cycle of abuse repeats itself unless drastic action is taken, but such action, taken with fear and misguided loyalties, is never straight forward.

The Byrd family has been destroyed by the actions of their father, a man so brutal that even onlookers with seemingly the best intentions, are too scared to intervene. Until one day, Providence, the eldest but only a teen herself attempts to stop him and unfortunately her mother takes the brunt, changing their path and family dynamics forever. Circumstances lead Providence back to her tainted family to try and help when their mother goes missing, but it’s hard to mend relationships when all concerned are so overwhelmingly damaged. Navigating priorities, even in the most functional of families and friendship groups, is hard.

 

 

Previous Book Reviews:

Truths, Serial Killers, Nowhere Man & Pissing People Off