October came and we realised we were late with this look at the October book releases. The nearer we get to Christmas, the more books are released! Check out the September book releases here.
Here are our picks from the October book releases.
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Roman Kemp – Are you really ok?
During the pandemic Roman’s life changed when his best friend – the producer who’d nurtured his career every step of the way – tragically took his own life. Amidst the shock, loss and confusion, Roman bravely made a moving BBC3 documentary about the alarming rates of suicide amongst young males. He’s well aware he too, could have been a statistic.
In this page-turning book – peppered with hilarious and surprising anecdotes from his youth – Roman also unflinchingly tackles the taboo of suicide, in the hope that by talking about his own struggles and sharing advice, he can help others. Roman shares all the experiences that have shaped him, and why love, marriage and having his own family one day are so important to his future dreams.
Our Missing Hearts – Celeste Ng
Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father, a former linguist who now shelves books in Harvard’s library. He knows not to ask too many questions, stand out too much, stray too far. For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic – including the work of Bird’s mother, Margaret, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old.
Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her, and he knows he shouldn’t wonder. But when he receives a mysterious letter containing only a cryptic drawing, he is drawn into a quest to find her. His journey will take him through the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.
Our Missing Hearts is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can turn a blind eye to the most searing injustice. It’s a story about the power – and limitations – of art to create change in the world, the lessons and legacies we pass onto our children, and how any of us can survive a broken world with our hearts intact.
The Ballroom Blitz – Anton Du Beke
September 1940. As the skies split apart and bombs rain down on London, it’s all the staff at the famed Buckingham Hotel can do to keep their guests in the luxury they’re accustomed to, and evoke the magic of the Grand ballroom for them each night.
Home on leave and still reeling from the tragic events at Dunkirk, the dashing Raymond de Guise struggles to define his role in this new world, and to do his duty both to his country, and his beloved wife Nancy- who needs him now more than ever.
With profiteers skulking the London streets, and devious rivals plotting the Buckingham’s downfall, the hotel staff must all hold onto what matters most- and decide where their loyalties truly lie.
As the bombing intensifies and Christmas fast approaches, somehow the show must go on…
Soft Lad: A collection of stories about me – Nick Grimshaw
Soft Lad is not my autobiography. It’s not a spicy tell-all on the perils of being mildly famous and the thrill of talking absolute breeze on the radio for 14 years. It’s a collection of stories: stories on life, loves, death, fears, obsessions, nights out, growing up and making dreams come true. But the best thing is (*spoiler alert*) . . they are all stories about ME, in one way or another.
Soft Lad isn’t chronological like a traditional memoir, starting at birth and ending with death – I’m still (at the point of writing) very much alive. I wanted to write something that had snapshots of the formative moments of my life up to now, with coming-of-age tales that capture a moment or a feeling. Some, I hope will make you laugh, and some, are emotional AF, so I’m afraid these might make you cry… They’re all honest, unfiltered and I’m proud to be sharing them with you. I hope you enjoy them.
The Boys from Biloxi – John Grisham
For most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts, and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, drugs . . . even contract killings. The vice was controlled by a small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumoured to be members of the Dixie Mafia.
Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in Biloxi in the sixties and were childhood friends. But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions. Keith’s father became a legendary prosecutor, determined to ‘clean up the Coast.’ Hugh’s father became the ‘Boss’ of Biloxi’s criminal underground. Keith went to law school and followed in his father’s footsteps. Hugh preferred the nightlife and worked in his father’s clubs. The two families were headed for a showdown, one that would happen in a courtroom.
Rich with history and with a large cast of unforgettable characters, The Boys from Biloxi is a sweeping saga of two sons of immigrant families who grow up as friends, but ultimately find themselves in a knife-edge legal confrontation in which life itself hangs in the balance.
The Lives of Brian: The brand new autobiography from AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson
Growing up in Dunston, Newcastle after the Second World War, Brian Johnson lived a quiet childhood. Then he saw Little Richard on the BBC and it hit him instantly: he was going to be a singer.
For over a decade he tried to make his mark in the music world, appearing on TV and touring internationally – but real success slipped out of reach. And with a family to support and a mortgage to pay, Brian was forced to put his dreams on the back burner.
Out of the blue, he was invited to London for an audition for one of the world’s best up-and-coming acts. AC/DC were a band in crisis following the tragic death of their lead singer, Bon Scott, but with Brian on board they would record their masterpiece: Back in Black.
It became the biggest-selling rock album of all time.
Embraced by fans and playing packed-out arena tours, Brian had found his way. But in 2016, he was forced to quit the band after being diagnosed with hearing loss, only to make a triumphant return to the band he loved with the release of 2020’s smash hit album Power Up.
Brian has lived many lives within his lifetime, but somehow he’s kept his feet on the ground, never losing touch with his roots.
The Satsuma Complex – Bob Mortimer
My name is Gary. I’m a thirty-year-old legal assistant with a firm of solicitors in London. To describe me as anonymous would be unfair but to notice me other than in passing would be a rarity. I did make a good connection with a girl, but that blew up in my face and smacked my arse with a fish slice.
Gary Thorn goes for a pint with a work acquaintance called Brendan. When Brendan leaves early, Gary meets a girl in the pub. He doesn’t catch her name, but falls for her anyway. When she suddenly disappears without saying goodbye, all Gary has to remember her by is the book she was reading: The Satsuma Complex. But when Brendan goes missing, Gary needs to track down the girl he now calls Satsuma to get some answers.
And so begins Gary’s quest, through the estates and pie shops of South London, to finally bring some love and excitement into his unremarkable life…
A page-turning story with a cast of unforgettable characters, The Satsuma Complex is the brilliantly funny first novel by bestselling author and comedian Bob Mortimer.
The Hairy Bikers Brilliant Bakes
For the Hairy Bikers, nothing says love and home like the smell of a cake in the oven, a homemade loaf or a freshly baked pie.
Here, in this ultimate collection of bakes from the nation’s favourite cooking duo, you will find everything from home-made beef slices to cheese, onion & potato pie, lime & coconut drizzle cake to billionaires’ shortbread, the ultimate Victoria sponge to an epic cheese & chorizo share & tear bread. There are the classic bakes the Bikers have loved since childhood, plus mouth-watering new creations to discover, and as always each recipe is packed with flavour and triple-tested.
Si and Dave know that baking is all about getting the basics right, so along with their favourite recipes, they will also be sharing plenty of tips and tricks to build your baking confidence and expertise. This really is the ultimate baking bible and the only one you need on your shelf.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get baking the Hairy Bikers’ way!
Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard – Tom Felton
They called for a break, and Gambon magicked up a cigarette from out of his beard. He and I were often to be found outside the stage that housed the Astronomy Tower, having ‘a breath of fresh air’ as we referred to it. There would be painters and plasterers and chippies and sparks, and among them all would be me and Dumbledore having a crafty cigarette.
From Borrower to wizard, Tom Felton’s childhood was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame saw him catapulted into the limelight aged just twelve when he landed the iconic role of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films.
Speaking with candour and his own trademark humour, Tom shares his experience of growing up on screen and as part of the wizarding world for the very first time. He tells all about his big break, what filming was really like and the lasting friendships he made during ten years with the franchise, as well as the highs and lows of fame and the reality of navigating adult life after filming finished.
Prepare to meet a real-life wizard.
No Plan B (Jack Reacher 27) – Lee Child
The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the No.1 bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child.
When your name is Jack Reacher, the truth is always worth doing time for.
Gerrardsville, Colorado. One tragic event. Two witnesses. Two conflicting accounts. One witness sees a woman throw herself in front of a bus – clearly suicide. The other witness is Jack Reacher. And he sees what really happened – a man in grey hoodie and jeans, swift and silent as a shadow, pushing the victim to her death, before grabbing her bag and sauntering away.
Reacher follows the killer, not knowing that this was no random act of violence. It is part of something much bigger…a sinister, secret conspiracy, with powerful people on the take, enmeshed in an elaborate plot that leaves no room for error. If any step is compromised, the threat will have to be quickly and permanently removed.
Because when the threat is Reacher, there is No Plan B…
A Heart Full of Headstones – Ian Rankin
John Rebus had been in court plenty of times, but this was his first time in the dock…
John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. Although it’s not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, it might be the last.
What drove a good man to cross the line? Or have times changed, and the rules with them?
Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke faces Edinburgh’s most explosive case in years, as a corrupt cop goes missing after claiming to harbour secrets that could sink the city’s police force.
But in this investigation, it seems all roads lead to Rebus – and Clarke’s twin loyalties to the public and the police will be tested to their limit.
A reckoning is coming – and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders…
It Starts With Us – Colleen Hoover
Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favourite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the #1 Sunday Times bestseller It Ends with Us
Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil co-parenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.
But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.
Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover” (Anna Todd, bestselling author).
Thanks for checking out our favourites from the October book releases.