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Hello, book enthusiasts! July has arrived, bringing with it sun-soaked days and the ideal opportunity to dive into a captivating book. The Bookish Gent has again whittled a long list down to his top five recommendations for you, dear reader. So, whether you’re chilling by the beach or relaxing in the backyard, we’ve got a fresh lineup of must-reads to keep you enthralled. Don your favourite summer outfit, pour yourself a cool beverage, and get ready to explore the latest literary treasures handpicked just for you. Let’s make this month unforgettable with stories that spark the imagination and stir the soul!
This Great Hemisphere – Mateo Askaripour
In a future society where invisibility equals second-class citizenship, Sweetmint has defied the odds. Despite being invisible, she has managed to go to school and secure an apprenticeship with the Northwestern Hemisphere’s renowned inventor. However, her hard-earned success is jeopardised when her missing brother is accused of assassinating the Chief Executive. With the election just days away, Sweetmint embarks on a quest for the truth, uncovering political schemes and disinformation that could rock the entire world if revealed.
The Wilds – Sarah Pearse
After the dark events that scarred her childhood, Kier Templer escaped her hometown and twin to live her life on the road. They’ve never lost contact until, on a trip to a Portuguese national park, Kier vanishes without a trace.
Detective Elin Warner arrives in the same park ready to immerse herself in its vast wilderness – only to hear about Kier’s disappearance, and discover a disturbing map she left behind. The few strangers at the isolated camp close ranks against her questions, and the park’s wild beauty starts to turn sinister.
Elin must untangle the clues to find out what really happened to Kier. But when you follow a trail, you have to be careful to watch your back…
The Family Experiment – John Marrs
The world’s population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families let, alone raise them.
But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen, but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their Virtual Child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby . . .
I was a Teenage Slasher – Stephen Graham Jones
1989, Lamesa, Texas. A small west Texas town driven by oil and cotton—and a place where everyone knows everyone else’s business. So it goes for Tolly Driver, a good kid with more potential than application, seventeen, and about to be cursed to kill for revenge. Here Stephen Graham Jones explores the Texas he grew up in, the unfairness of being on the outside, through the slasher horror he lives but from the perspective of the killer, Tolly, writing his own autobiography. Find yourself rooting for a killer in this summer teen movie of a novel!
The Book of Elsewhere – Keanu Reeves & China Miéville
There have always been whispers. Legends. The warrior who cannot be killed. Who’s seen a thousand civilisations rise and fall. He has had many names: Unute, Child of Lightning, Death himself. These days, he’s known simply as “B.” And he wants to be able to die.
In the present day, a U.S. black-ops group has promised him they can help with that. And all he needs to do is help them in return. But when an all-too-mortal soldier comes back to life, the impossible event ultimately points toward a force even more mysterious than B himself. One at least as strong. And one with a plan all its own.
In a collaboration that combines Miéville’s singular style and creativity with Reeves’s haunting and soul-stirring narrative, these two inimitable artists have created something utterly unique, sure to delight existing fans and to create scores of new ones.
That wraps up our July book picks, gents!
But before you go, I’ve got to share something cool. As an ambassador for Moon Soldier clothing, I’m excited about their latest collection—especially their new t-shirts and heavy sweater, ideal for those cooler British summer evenings. Check out the Moon Soldier website and snag a 15% discount with the code ‘LiteraryGents’ at checkout. Happy reading and stylish lounging! 🎩