fiction
Top 5 romantasy reads, chosen by author Clíodhna O’Sullivan
Top 5 romantasy reads, chosen by author Clíodhna O’Sullivan
Here be dragons… and steamy plotlines galore
May We Feed The King by Rebecca Perry book review: communing with the past
May We Feed The King by Rebecca Perry book review: communing with the past
Perry insists on the eternal not-knowing that history asks of us
Glyph by Ali Smith book review: radical energy, resistance and courage
Glyph by Ali Smith book review: radical energy, resistance and courage
Smith’s characters are marked by their resistance and courage. Their grief honours the dead who cannot speak
Top 5 magical books for kids, chosen by teacher-turned-author Paula Harrison
Top 5 magical books for kids, chosen by teacher-turned-author Paula Harrison
Your Life Without Me by James Meek review: a deeply original novel
Your Life Without Me by James Meek review: a deeply original novel
Palaver by Bryan Washington review: a subtle and deft look at family relationships
Palaver by Bryan Washington review: a subtle and deft look at family relationships
Top 5 horror novels, chosen by British Fantasy Award-winning author Catriona Ward
Top 5 horror novels, chosen by British Fantasy Award-winning author Catriona Ward
Discipline by Larissa Pham review: the past sure is tense
Discipline by Larissa Pham review: the past sure is tense
The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales
The Age of Calamities by Senaa Ahmad review: gorgeously bizarre, time-warping tales
Top 5 landmark LGBTQ novels, chosen by cultural critic Kaye Mitchell
Top 5 landmark LGBTQ novels, chosen by cultural critic Kaye Mitchell
Departure(s) by Julian Barnes review – a swan song of wit and grace
Departure(s) by Julian Barnes review – a swan song of wit and grace
Top 5 atmospheric thrillers, chosen by journalist, critic and novelist Thrity Umrigar
Top 5 atmospheric thrillers, chosen by journalist, critic and novelist Thrity Umrigar
Flat Earth by Anika Jade Levy review – the state we’re in
Flat Earth by Anika Jade Levy review – the state we’re in
Read Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s new Christmas story, created especially for Big Issue
Read Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s new Christmas story, created especially for Big Issue
The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
The ultimate guide to the best books of 2025 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
From rowdy forest animals to wig-loving goths: These are the best children’s books of 2025
From rowdy forest animals to wig-loving goths: These are the best children’s books of 2025
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn review – a portrait of women on the outskirts
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Nymph by Stephanie LaCava review – hollowing out the espionage genre
Top 5 Books for under-13s, chosen by children’s author Sophie Kirtley
Top 5 Books for under-13s, chosen by children’s author Sophie Kirtley
The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi review – a strange, engrossing literary hall of mirrors
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
A Long Winter by Colm Toíbín review – a short but brilliant piece of fiction
Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog
Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon review – conjuring an unhinged and vaudevillian world
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon review – conjuring an unhinged and vaudevillian world
My aunt was a nun. Even she read Jilly Cooper’s bonkbusters
My aunt was a nun. Even she read Jilly Cooper’s bonkbusters
Top 5 seafaring books, chosen by award-winning writer Carolyn Kirby
