
From a French novel translated by Hollywood star Molly Ringwald to a thrilling history of Prague told by one of Australia’s most beloved broadcasters, here are the best books that Booktopia’s staff read in August 2020!
Mark Harding – Brand & Content Manager
Lie With Me by Philippe Besson & Molly Ringwald (Translator)
Why I loved it: This book was a bestseller and award-winner in France, and it’s clear why. It’s a beautifully told love story about a teenage affair that has deep repercussions for the narrator, who reflects on the events as an adult. Exploring teenage love, shame and sexuality through the melancholy lens of adulthood, this book is deeply moving and has been beautifully translated. I found myself highlighting lines and passages to look back on, and this is one that will stay with me for a long time.
Buy it here
Olivia Fricot – Senior Content Producer
Olive by Emma Gannon
Why I loved it: Fans of Marian Keyes will surely love to meet Olive, the heroine of Emma Gannon’s eponymously-titled debut novel. What first appears to be another typical tale of a lost millennial blooms instead into a compelling story of a young woman struggling with the decision of whether or not to have children, while navigating the changes in her relationships with her three best friends. Gannon is a compassionate storyteller who handles the issues of motherhood and women’s choice with warmth and a touch of humour. A lovely read.
Buy it here
Nick Wasiliev – Social Media Specialist
Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Why I loved it: Moonflower Murders unravels itself in a devilishly delightful style, with Horowitz’s style feeling reminiscent of the great crime writers like Agatha Christie. While the story may not look to challenge and subvert expectations around this crime writing formula, it remembers what makes this style so effective in the first place. The book almost feels like a tribute to the golden age of crime novels, complete with a classic Poirot style ending! While some other attempts to stab at the traditional detective fiction tropes often fall into cliche or melodrama, Horowitz’s focus on engaging storytelling makes this feel fun and fresh.
Buy it here
Ben Hunter – Fiction Category Manager
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
Why I loved it: This vibrant, intelligent and moving second novel from Steven Conte makes for unforgettable reading. Over six bitterly cold and bloody weeks during the doomed Nazi assault on Russia, a German field hospital is established at Yasnaya Polyana – the country estate of the late Leo Tolstoy. Surgeon Paul Bauer, an honest man caught up in an industrial death machine, is forced to keep the peace between hostile Russian writer Katerina Trubetzkaya, the estate’s caretaker, and his Commanding Officer, Julius Metz, who is operating on a heady cocktail of German pharmaceuticals and Nazi ideology. It’s a story of death, unlikely connections, encounters with ghosts, and a bittersweet romance powered by the ethereal magic of literature.
Buy it here
Joel Naoum – Non-Fiction Category Manager
The Golden Maze: A Biography of Prague by Richard Fidler
Why I loved it: This is a fascinating and engaging mix of history, mythology, myth-busting and ephemera. If you’ve ever been even vaguely interested in Prague, the Czech Republic or European history then this is the book for you. Spanning the years from Prague’s mythological beginning through the medieval period and into the modern day, this book investigates Prague as a crossroads of Europe – a crown to be won, a melting pot, and a people who are fierce, independent and unique in European history. With Fidler’s trademark wit and beautiful turns of phrase, he elevates this history into a personal voyage – and given it’s the only voyage anyone’s likely to be going on right now, it was definitely welcome. Highly recommended.
Buy it here
Shanulisa Prasad – Lifestyle Books Category Manager
The Erasure Initiative by Lili Wilkinson
Why I loved it: “A girl wakes up on a self-driving bus. She has no memory of how she got there or who she is. The six other people on the bus are just like her: no memories, only nametags …” As soon as I read the premise of this book, I was hooked and I was not disappointed! It’s hard to write about this book without spoiling it, so all I will say is that the plot unfolds in unexpected directions and in a very satisfying way. A gripping YA thriller of the highest order from master of the genre Lili Wilkinson. I thoroughly recommend it!
Buy it here
Renae Adolfson – Books Team Coordinator
A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne
Why I loved it: This epic narrative had me intrigued from the start, as it follows an unnamed narrator who is reincarnated repeatedly over the period of two millennia. Despite the variations in character names that occur with every movement through time and place, the relationships and pursuits of each character remain the same. Showcasing how certain ambitions and emotions are timeless, transcending both time and place, and reasserting the existence of destiny, John Boyne’s latest book is a marvel.
Buy it here
Cassandra Sharpe – Merchandising Coordinator
Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen & Faith Erin Hicks (Illustrator)
Why I loved it: Charlie and Nate’s low-key friendship takes a turn when an unexpected race for student president becomes a prank war. Nate’s robotics club needs money for the finals – but so do the cheerleaders. Shen nails every comedic beat as things escalate between the pair, while Hicks’ art style gives the crew personality with thick lines and lifelike expressions. I read this in one sitting and definitely recommend it.
Buy it here
Robert O’Hearn – Academic & Professional Category Manager
Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town by Barbara Demick
Why I loved it: Award-winning journalist Barbara Demick’s previous book, Nothing to Envy, was a breathtaking and moving insight into the lives of North Koreans based on interviews with over 100 defectors. Eat the Buddha applies a similar eye to the Tibetan people of Ngaba, Sichuan Province, presenting a sweeping history of the last century. Ngaba town today has been so utterly crushed by Chinese rule that it is the world capital of self-immolation. The once thriving culture has been destroyed and replaced by a ruthless police state, dispossessing the original people. Like Wild Swans, this chilling book will enrage and sadden you.
Buy it here
Ashleigh Berry – Campaigns Coordinator
The Safe Place by Anna Downes
Why I loved it: This is an incredibly suspenseful read that thrusts you into the epicentre of tension. Emily is offered a job in France at a remote estate as a live-in assistant. This is almost too good to be true… The idyllic life soon turns sour as Emily uncovers treacherous secrets held deep. The Safe Place is a heart-racing page turner that keeps you alert with twists and unease – an impressive debut thriller from Anna Downes.
Buy it here
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