Book Review: The Thornbacks
May 5, 2026
This novel glides on Wilson’s playful prose, perfectly chosen details, and quirky characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
This novel glides on Wilson’s playful prose, perfectly chosen details, and quirky characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Entertaining and informative. Read this if you want to brush up on your financial literacy & get into investing.
Jones’s lyrical, sensuous writing skillfully evokes the fierce bond between young women whose strengths and vulnerabilities leap off the page.
This underdog story explores the value of deep friendship and connection – and the fine line that can see these tip over into obsession.
An adorable & bookish enemies-to-lovers between two writing students. Read this if you enjoy academic rivalries and the grumpy/sunshine trope.
In less competent hands, this mash-up of genres and ideas could get unwieldy fast, but Spufford juggles all the elements with style.
Gorgeously illustrated, this whimsical tale has a good amount of absurdity and silliness (with just a liiiiiittle bit of deep pondering).
This laugh out loud graphic novel is great for anyone who loves silly friendship tales with adventure along the way.
This whodunit doubles as a satire on the publishing industry and is unflinching in its honest portrayal of what being a writer is really like.
This is the first instalment in one of the 21st century’s rare and true classics, and a divinely sumptuous read for days warm and cold.
This book reveals a lot to the ignorant reader (me) about how trials are conducted and what it really means to be “following a case.”
The neon colours & cartoony silhouettes create adrenaline-pumping fight scenes while maintaining a strong melancholy as Damian wanders alone.
The plot kept me turning pages at top speed. Read if you enjoy immersive fantasy worlds, gothic settings and dark family secrets.
Wilson creates an experience I can only describe as a mix of anthropology class and sitting with someone as they sift through a memory box.
This murder mystery-meets-high-stakes-fantasy had me so thoroughly invested that I will be gnashing my teeth in anticipation of the sequel.
This autobiography dragged me in from the first page – a tennis star who deeply hates tennis & always has? Sign me up!
In the years I’ve spent fascinated by the DDR, I’ve never come across any material as powerful and human as this.
Beautiful pictures accompany a charming seaside story about family, adventure, and learning to treasure the little things.
Though these stories aren’t linked by plot, setting or character, they nevertheless share strong recurrent themes.
A sweeping, intergenerational novel, that has the strength and complexity of women (and their relationships) at its core.
Read this if you enjoy the marriage of convenience trope, confident characters with larger than life careers, and light spice.
The art is full of charm, with a cartoony style and warm, vibrant colours that bring the shrouded cityscapes of Gotham to life.
This illustrated story captures the imaginative connection children share with toys – and household objects – with winning humour and energy.
Soaked in folklore references, this story is a captivating exploration of defying expectations and reconnecting with the natural world.