From memoirs by rock star chefs to debut novels, here are the best books read by Booktopia’s staff in November 2020. Read on!
Olivia Fricot – Senior Content Producer
Perfect Tunes by Emily Gould
Why I loved it: Perfect Tunes is the simple but affecting story of a young woman named Laura and how life got in the way of her dreams for musical stardom in New York in the early 2000s. Nearly fifteen years later, her troubled daughter Marie seeks answers to questions that Laura has put off for far too long, while her second chance at fame is beckoning. Emily Gould’s second novel explores life, love, motherhood and creativity with such clarity of voice, with the ability to be funny, wise and sincere all at once. Highly recommended.
Buy it here
Nicholas Wasiliev – Social Media Specialist
Truth is Trouble by Malcolm Knox
Why I loved it: Malcolm Knox has had an absolute blinder of a year and his latest non-fiction effort, Truth is Trouble, confirms that. Outside of my regular job I am a passionate rugby supporter and writer, and was very familiar with the subject matter of this book when the Israel Folau debate was raging in the tabloids. While I came into this book strictly on one side of the argument, I finished it with a clearer sense of the ramifications of ‘choosing sides’ in this debate. This is a challenging read, but Knox has done an incredible job examining this uncomfortably dicey topic.
Buy it here
Ben Hunter – Fiction Category Manager
Memorial by Bryan Washington
Why I loved it: Texan author Bryan Washington has followed up his acclaimed story collection Lot (a favourite of Barack Obama’s) with an absolute gem of a debut novel. Memorial is an addictive and profound book with a style and narrative that always feels fresh and understated. The relationship between Benson and Mike is in a quagmire marred by apathy. Just as Mike’s mother arrives from Japan to see him, Mike flies to Osaka unannounced to be with his dying father. Meanwhile Benson, a Black early childhood educator, is stuck living in Houston with an acerbic foreign woman he’s never met. Nobody in this story understands the immense impact they will soon come to have on one another. Funny, sensual, wise and provoking, Memorial is a brilliant read, rich with the complexities of love and family and interwoven politics of age, ethnicity and sexuality. Superb.
Buy it here
Sarah McDuling – Kids & YA Category Manager
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Why I loved it: This book was described to me as a “Slytherin Romance”, meaning that both the main characters are ambitious, devious and somewhat … ambiguous when it comes to morality. I was intrigued by the idea of a love story between two antiheroes/outright villains and The Shadow Between Us was every bit as much fun as I expected. The perfect read for anyone who likes YA fantasy with a dark edge.
Buy it here
Shanulisa Prasad – Lifestyle Books Category Manager
Eat a Peach by David Chang
Why I loved it: Having been a big fan of David Chang’s cooking and seen his rise in conjunction with the elevation of chefs to rock stars, I was not expecting such a personal and self-reflective memoir. David Chang’s unflinching honesty over his successes and failures and how his struggles with mental health informed him as a chef – then and now – makes this a great read for more than just foodies.
Buy it here
Eden Samuel – Assistant Category Manager
Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
Why I loved it: An enemies-to-lovers romance set in a colourful, coastal town, there’s sea lions, tostones and karaoke galore in Marissa Meyer’s fantastic debut into the YA Contemporary Romance scene. In true Meyer fashion, main character Pru, a judgemental overachiever, has the magical ability to cast karmic justice on those around her. Bringing down karaoke hecklers and public vandals, Pru finds her power works on everyone except for her slacker of a lab partner, Quint Erikson. I loved the hilarious banter, teen relationship drama and the incredible side characters in this book. Seeing Pru become a more selfless, generous person while opening up to those around her put the biggest smile on my face! The perfect summer read, this novel plays out like a romcom film and will have you hooked the whole way through.
Buy it here
Amy Evans – Assistant Category Manager
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Why I loved it: Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. I loved this book because it truly surprised me. I thought I had it pegged as a revealing story about the politics and secrets of the golden age of Hollywood film but it’s so much more! I wasn’t expecting the level of representation it delivered and the insane level of character growth. For me, Evelyn was a rather unlikable narrator at the beginning, but by the end I had so much compassion for who she had become and what she’s been through. To the media and the world, her marriages and the men in her life defined her story but this book is the perfect example of never believing what you read in the tabloids, and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love.
Buy it here
Hannah Armstrong – Assistant Category Manager
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
Why I loved it: This debut contemporary romance gave me all the warm-and-fuzzies. It centres on quirky book editor Tiffy and antisocial palliative care nurse Leon, who, despite sharing both a flat and a bed, have never actually met. They communicate solely through notes left for each other between Leon’s night shifts and Tiffy’s nine-to-five. This fresh take on the friends-to-lovers trope made for a slow burn both hilarious and heart-warming. I loved the compassion and respect involved in every step of Leon and Tiffy’s relationship, and their unique voices that shone through the dual narration. Unputdownable, and perfect for anyone needing a pick-me-up!
Buy it here
Ashleigh Berry – Campaigns Coordinator
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
Why I loved it: The City We Became is a book that I have been wanting to read for months and am so glad that when I finally read it, it exceeded all expectation. This is a modern-day fantasy that has personified the five boroughs of New York City as protectors against an ancient evil threatening to destroy the city. This is a wonderfully innovative story where newly-born cities have souls, as people, that embody the characteristics of that city. As the first in a new series, this book was a brilliant discovery of this new world and the evil burgeoning. I enjoyed it immensely and now cannot wait for the new instalment!
Buy it here
Scott Whitmont – Business Development & Relationship Manager
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity and Love by Dani Shapiro
Why I loved it: Dani Shapiro was her Orthodox Jewish family’s proud genealogist who adored her late father. After using a DNA test kit “for a lark”, she discovered that she shared no DNA with her paternal half-sister. Following this shocking revelation, she subsequently writes about coming to terms with her own sense of identity, revealing her discovery to her son and seeking out her (still alive) non-Jewish biological father in the hope of meeting him and his children. Deeply moving, this is a meditation on family secrets, identity and the ethics and ramifications of DNA testing. A testament to acceptance and love, this is a genetic detective story to be happily devoured.
Buy it here
REVIEW: The Switch by Beth O’Leary
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