Adult Books:
The Seventh Son by Sebastian Faulks.
£22 Hardback, Cornerstone.
A change of direction for master-storyteller Faulks, who casts a speculative eye on the near-future in this prescient novel which thrums with unease.
Britain, 2030. Talissa, a young American PHD student looking to fund her studies, arrives at the Parn Institute in London, to be a paid surrogate for hopeful parents Mary and Alaric. But behind the curtains at Parn, a tech billionaire is playing God with a series of secretive IVF experiments. After baby Seth is born and handed over to his adoring parents, Talissa returns to the US but remains in contact with the family, and over the years, a bond develops. When Seth begins to attract media attention for certain unusual qualities, Talissa realises that his embryo has been the subject of genetic experiments…..A thoughtful, heart-breaking novel, with engaging main characters, set against a chilling vision of a shabby, post-Brexit Britain, and which asks big questions about science, ethics and humanity.

So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan.
£8.99, hardback novella, Faber.
An exquisite gem of a novella from Irish writer Claire Keegan, highly recommended by our bookseller Gill.
Cathal takes the bus home towards a long weekend, after an uneventful Friday at the office. All evening, with only the television and a bottle of champagne for company, he finds his thoughts drawn back to Sabine, the woman he almost spent his life with – had he acted differently. As he reflects on his relationship with Sabine, and failed relationships with other women in his past, he comes to a realisation about himself, and the true significance of this particular date is revealed.
Keegan’s succinct yet lyrical prose and subtle symbolism veil a powerful emotional punch, dealing with themes of misogyny, later-life love, generosity, and marriage.

Children’s Books
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell.
£14.99, hardback, Bloomsbury.
Marking a new direction for Katherine Rundell, Impossible Creatures is a magical fantasy, which imagines a hidden archipelago where all the world’s mythological creatures reside, from unicorns, sphinxes and griffins, to centaurs, nereids, kappa, and ratatoskas. Humans live amongst the beasts and the entire archipelago is sustained by ‘Glimourie’ – magic – which also masks the islands from the view of the ‘real’ world.
Christopher has been sent to stay with his grandfather in Scotland, where he meets Mal, a girl from the Archipelago who has stumbled into this world, while searching for her lost griffin. Mal is being pursued by a ruthless murderer and Christopher is propelled into her epic quest to escape her pursuer and discover the reason behind the Glimourie’s waning power.
What follows is a wild adventure, peopled with a cast of unforgettable characters and some truly terrifying creatures! A nail-biting sweep of a story full of peril, heart-break, and humour. Rundell writes with precision and clarity, never wasting a word, making this an accessible read for children of 9+

The Oak Tree by Julia Donaldson.
£12.99 hardback, Scholastic books.
A beautiful new picture book in rich, dramatic rhyme by Steyning’s own Julia Donaldson, with enchanting illustrations by Victoria Sandoy.
A thousand years ago, a tiny acorn fell to the ground. As the years pass, it grows and GROWS into an enormous oak tree! As the centuries sweep by, children play games around the tree. Families dance about it. A fleeing king even hides inside its hollow trunk! The tree gives food and shelter to a host of animals, from squirrels and badgers to birds and beetles. After a thousand years, the ancient tree finally falls in a storm – but, a new acorn sprouts, and the cycle of life begins all over again. Plus -extra fascinating facts about oak trees and the animals that depend on them!
A wonderful story for families to treasure.
Julia Donaldson also has a new Acorn Wood book, Dormouse Has A Cold, and the paperback of her riotous The Baddies coming out in September. To celebrate the release of all 3 books, we will have a book-signing with Julia and the Oak Tree illustrator, Victoria Sandoy, on SATURDAY 30th SEPTEMBER from 14:30.

Dogs of the Deadlands by Anthony McGowan.
£7.99 paperback, Oneworld.
Move over, Watership Down! A new contender for the most heartbreaking and vivid ‘animal’s eye’ novel has arrived!
Chernobyl, 1986: The nuclear power plant is in meltdown, all humans must evacuate, and Natasha is heartbroken that she must leave behind her Samoyed pup, Zoya. But Zoya survives, mates with a wolf, and produces two pups: Misha and Bratan. This is their story.
In the deserted wilderness around Chernobyl, nature is left untamed. Abandoned dogs form packs and must learn to survive the bitter winters and compete for food with other, wilder, fiercer creatures.
We follow Misha and Bratan as they learn from their mother, escape brutal predators, and eventually venture into the forest alone, in search of the safety of a pack.
It’s a perilous, brutal, dog-eat-dog world and Anthony McGowan doesn’t steer away from the trauma and transience of life in wild nature – but there is plenty of joy, humour and courage here too.
The ‘dog’s eye view’ is impeccably researched and described, the action is non-stop, and it’s a compulsive read from start to finish, which ties up to a satisfying, if heart-rending, conclusion.
Recommended for animal loving readers aged 10-100! Sensitivity warning: Animal deaths.