Shelf Life

Raise your hand if you are a data nerd just like me. If you are, then you will love this episode of Shelf Life. I had the privilege of chatting with Pulitzer Prize winning author and data expert Walt Hickey about his amazing book ‘You Are What You Watch’ which came out last October. Warning: you will be mesmerized by this book and it won't take you long to appreciate Walt's perfect mix of research...

Attica Locke knows Texas although she hasn't lived in the Lone Star State for almost three decades. She also wears many hats: New York Times best-selling author, screenwriter, TV producer for shows like Empire and Little Fires Everywhere, mother, wife, daughter and sister. I’ve been a huge fan of Attica’s for many years and it all started with a book: Bluebird, Bluebird, the award-winning 2017 thr...

If you are looking for a stunning debut, look no further than 'Revival Season' by Monica West. This book is truly magical and I'm not the only one who thinks so: 'Spellbinding debut' - The Washington Post 'Invigorating novel' - The New York Times 'Must-ready for May' - Barnes and Noble ‘Revival Season’ is all of those things and more. When you pick up this book and join 15-year-old Miriam Horton o...

If I had to pick one word to summarise ‘Permission' by Saskia Vogel, it would be dreamy. In fact, it's the same word that Oprah Magazine used. And who’s going to disagree with Oprah Magazine? In March 2019, one of my favourite imprints, Dialogue Books, published Saskia's gorgeous debut novel, 'Permission' and it honestly took my breath away. It's a fantastic story that explores so many important a...

I'm still on Cloud Nine after chatting with THE Nicole Dennis-Benn. This episode was one of the greatest milestones of my life and if you love 'Here Comes the Sun' and 'Patsy' as much as I do, you'll totally understand why. Nicole and her books are beloved by readers and aspiring and established writers around the world. And I love connecting with other readers who feel as passionately about these...

Three reasons why I'm so excited to have celebrated author, Erin Carlson, back on Shelf Life: she's written another brilliant book, she never tires of talking about Nora Ephron and she makes me laugh until my sides hurt. There are also dozens of other reasons but we'll stick with these three for today. Last September, my dear friend published her second book, Queen Meryl, and it's no surprise that...

You know those people who add so much joy, wisdom and humour to the world? Well, Michael Arceneaux is one of those people. And for anyone who follows Michael on social media, has read and loved his books or knows him personally, you know why he is so loved. Michael is such a talented and beautiful observer of life that it’s no surprise at all that his first book, ‘I Can’t Date Jesus’ which was pub...

My name is Nicole and I'm a very proud member of the 'Rainbow Milk' fan club. Everyone is welcome and there is only one rule: you must love this stunning debut novel with your whole heart, soul and mind. In this episode, I have the incredible privilege of chatting with Paul Mendez, the author of 'Rainbow Milk.' Published in April by the amazing team at Dialogue Books, this book - an Observer 2020...

Imagine you are 11-years-old and live in a bookshop with your grandparents. Then one day, Anne Shirley is sitting on a bench on the top floor. If this sounds like a dream come true, then this episode is definitely for you. I'm super lucky to chat with fellow book lover and super talented author, Anna James. For the past two years, Anna's Pages & Co books have been flying off the shelves. Beloved b...

If you love magical stories as much as I do, then you HAVE to read 'Disappearing Earth' by Julia Phillips. Published in May 2019, 'Disappearing Earth' was on dozens of must-read lists for 2019. It’s no surprise that ‘Disappearing Earth’ was a National Book Award finalist and is considered a ‘nearly flawless novel’ by the NY Times. The book, set on Kamchatka, a Siberian peninsula in far East Russia...

What do you get when you combine female empowerment and exciting twists and turns? A delicious novel from author Andrea Bartz! Available from 24 March, it's no surprise that 'The Herd' is on dozens of ‘must read’ and ‘best books of 2020' lists. It’s clear after only a few pages why Andrea is a master of mystery and surprise. The story follows four characters - Eleanor, Hana, Katie and Mikki - who...

If you love beautiful stories as much as I do, then you will absolutely love 'In West Mills' by De'Shawn Charles Winslow, which was published in June 2019. In less than a year, this stunning debut novel has not only received praise from dozens of other incredible authors but 'In West Mills' was recently nominated for an L.A. Times Book Prize. For anyone else who read and loved this book as much as...

Fancy going to Greece without getting on a plane? Do you love a tragedy that will break your heart and makes you laugh? Then you'll love Honestly, We Meant Well, the latest book from Grant Ginder. This story follows The Wrights: Sue Ellen, Dean and Will who appear to be the perfect family. One the surface, everything seems great, particularly when Sue Ellen receives an invite to lecture to a tour...

I could have definitely used 'The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney' when I was a teenager. If, like me, you love books full of humour, tenderness and beautiful relationships, then you'll adore this fantastic debut novel by Okechukwu Nzelu. Nnenna is a 16-year-old growing up in Manchester and has so much grit as she navigates the ups and downs of womanhood alongside her mum, Joanie. Their relationshi...

If you are looking for a book that feeds your heart, soul and mind, then 'From Scratch' by the incredible Tembi Locke is for you. This stunning memoir features love, food, family and loss. Whether you believe in love at first sight, you will definitely fall in love with 'From Scratch'. The book transports readers to the streets of Florence, where Tembi met professional chef, Saro. What began as yo...

If you love original, beautiful and extremely enjoyable stories, then you will love Cygnet by Season Butler. Published by Dialogue Books in April, Cygnet is a brilliant debut novel and one of my favourite books of 2019. It’s set on Swan Island - a very unique place to live, particularly for The Kid, a seventeen-year-old, who is stranded with the island’s community of old age separatists. With no g...

It's official: only four months to go until the Texas Book Festival rolls out the red carpet for almost 300 beloved authors and thousands of avid readers from around the world. The festival has been going for almost 25 years and is one of the largest and most prestigious literary festivals in America. In this episode, I chat with literary superstar and director of the festival, Julie Wernersbach....

Are you a Geraldine, Rachel or Sunny? How about a lovely combination of all three? If, like me, you are looking for a funny and extremely relatable book to help you navigate your 30s, How Could She is exactly what you need. In this episode, I had the privilege of chatting with Lauren Mechling about her brilliant debut novel, friendships, new and old, careers and what it means to be a women in 2019...

''If the dominant LGBT narrative of the 20th century was a gay boy in the country buying a one-way bus ticket to the Big Apple, the untold story of the twenty-first is the queer girl in Tennessee who stays put.'' Just one of my favourite lines from Samantha Allen's fantastic travel memoir, Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States. This book, which was published in March, takes readers on a...

Do you love characters that make you laugh, cry and ache all at the same time? Do you love historical fiction that transports you so you can hear from important voices of the past? Do you love beautiful storytelling? If you answered yes to one or all of the above, then you must read Yvonne Battle-Felton's debut novel, Remembered. Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, this incredible novel,...

In this episode, I had the immense privilege of chatting with Sharmaine Lovegrove. Sharmaine is the incredibly talented publisher of Dialogue Books, an imprint of Little, Brown UK that publishes stories for, about and by underrepresented voices, including BAME, LGBTQI+, disabled and working class writers. It's no coincidence that two of my favourite books in the last two years -The Leavers by Lisa...

If you Google 'Daisy Buchanan', you'd probably expect to see references to the well-known F. Scott Fitzgerald character. However, it's the award-winning journalist and author by the same name that I'm celebrating in this episode. Daisy Buchanan doesn't really need an introduction. She's loved and admired by thousands, and if you've read any of her books or feature articles, you'll quickly understa...

Have you ever been mesmerised by a book cover? If you own a copy of Heads of the Colored People, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. In this episode, I chat with award-winning author, Nafissa Thompson-Spires. Her beautiful collection of short stories has received so much recognition from both sides of the pond and you only have to read the first story to understand why. Nafissa is a truly...

Who is Mr. Penumbra and why does he have a 24-hour bookstore? Is it possible for the average human to bake a perfect loaf of sourdough? These questions came to my mind when I read and loved Robin Sloan's two novels, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore and Sourdough. The characters who feature in Robin's books are fascinating and mysterious, not unlike the author himself. After chatting with Robin, it...

If you love clever plots that draw you in and surprise you, as well as characters that are relatable and easy to fall in love with, then Camille Perri's books are definitely for you. As a former librarian and books editor for both Cosmopolitan and Esquire, Camille truly knows a thing or two about books. While she was the assistant to the editor-in-chief at Esquire, she wrote her first novel, The A...