Welcome to Bookstoker!
We’re here to help you find that book that you can’t put down, the book you’ll push on all your friends, the book that’ll change your life.
We read literary fiction, non-fiction, classics and children’s books, all genres and styles embraced in our aim to share the love. You’ll also find fabulous Bookstagrams and literary news.
A world of bookish delights!
Kirstin and Julie
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Review by Julie
My Brilliant Friend
A vibrant and violent coming-of-age story from a mysterious author
What better way to kick off 2015 than with an excellent book by a mysterious writer? Italian author Elena Ferrante, whose real identity nobody knows, creates a perfect microcosm of childhood and adolescence in her book My Brilliant Friend, the first in a quartet. It’s a vibrant and violent coming-of-age story and a portrait of an intense friendship between two girls.
News by Julie
Bad Sex In Fiction Award 2014
One of my favourite literary awards, the Bad Sex in Ficton Award, was just announced and this year Ben Okri runs away with the prize for the sex depicted in his latest book The Age of Magic.
News by Julie
Books are for life, not just for Christmas
Ideas for Christmas shopping
Don’t you just love it when someone gives you a thoughtful book as a present? Perhaps a book that you have heard about but never got around to buying or an author you’ve never read before who turns out to be your new favourite? I’ve been sifting through new releases and chosen some of my favourites reads from 2014 – fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. The books on this list are books I’ve read and reviewed (click on title for my review) and books I like the sound of that I’ll spend Christmas reading (click on title for newspaper reviews). There’s a lot of great reading out there waiting to be given away!
Review by Caro Bignall
Animalium
Perfect present for animal lovers of all ages
This museum is unlike any you’ve visited before. Open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, its collection boasts an unrivalled catalogue of the world’s finest and most extraordinary creatures, with each exhibit in immaculate condition and presented in fantastic detail.
Review by Caro Bignall
Listen to the Moon
Another tearjerker from this master storyteller
A couple of years ago, I geekily set out to read a sizeable stack of Michael Morpurgo’s bestselling children’s books back-to-back. Why? I wanted to work out why this author in particular had me in tears with every single story I read. I was dying to know if he had some kind of formula, and if I could work it out. Actually, I think I did spot a few patterns, but it seems a bit cynical to go into those here!
News by Julie
He’s back!
Fantastic news here for all Jonathan Franzen fans after a five-year wait! His new novel called Purity will be out in September 2015. The author seduced both critics and the reading public with his book The Corrections in 2001, and was instantly recognised as an important new voice in American literature.
News by Julie
DO NO HARM by Henry Marsh in the running for Costa Prize Biography Award 2014
I’m very excited to see my favourite book of late Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery on the short-list for the Costa Prize Biography Award for 2014.
Review by Julie
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery
Engrossing insight into the life of a brain surgeon
I have been completely enthralled by neurosurgeon Henry Marsh’s bestselling book Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery. Brain surgeons are awe-inspiring, almost God-like people with razor sharp minds and nerves of steel, and Marsh is one of the very best. In this book he gives a fascinating insight into his job and with moving candour describes the triumphs as well as the disasters. You’ll never think about your brain in quite the same way… Read full Review
