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The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending July 4
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending July 4

The Spinoff

time04-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Spinoff

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending July 4

The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books' stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Butter by Asako Yuzuki (4th Estate, $35) Butter has bumped Ardern's memoir from the top spot. The sales graph for this book must look like the Himalayan mountain range: what an extraordinary ride this brilliant novel has been on. 2 The Safe Keep by Yael van der Wouden (Penguin, $26) A stunning debut novel by a writer of rare talent. That sounds like a giant cliché but in this case it's absolutely true. You will not regret reading this lovely, powerful, perfectly formed novel set in the Netherlands of the 1960s. This debut novel also features on The Spinoff's list of books that write sex exceptionally well. 3 A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House, $60) Rachel Morris wrote a superb feature on Ardern for The New Yorker, in which she contextualised the memoir for American readers, and said of the book: 'The tale of what it was like for Ardern to go from being adored to being reviled so quickly would have made for an unmissable book. That's not the story she wanted to tell. A Different Kind of Power is her manifesto for a kinder, less cynical form of political leadership, with her own life story as evidence that such a thing is possible.' Highly recommend clicking on the link above and reading the rest of what Morris has to say. 4 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) 'Chidgey's latest novel is uncannily similar to Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (which she has not read),' writes The Spinoff's Claire Mabey. 'It takes similar aim at British identity by puncturing its society with the normalisation of skewed medical ethics. What both novels have in common are questions of nature versus nurture and the eternal thought exercise of what does it mean to possess a soul? The two writers share an interest in the dehumanising potential of such questions. Both Ishiguro (one of the greatest novelists of all time) and Chidgey (fast becoming one of the greats herself) investigate how whole societies, entire countries, can enter a path of gross moral corruption one person, one concession, at a time.' 5 Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall (John Murray, $38) Reese Witherspoon loves this novel. The actress/book club host says: 'Trust me—you are going to LOSE YOUR CHICKEN over it. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is an unforgettable story of love, loss, and the choices that shape our lives… but it's also a masterfully crafted mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page. Seriously, that ending?! I did not see it coming.' 6 Eurotrash by Christian Kracht (Serpents Tail, $30) This novel was longlisted for the International Booker Prize and we can see why: there's a lot more under the surface of this novel about a mother and son road-tripping across Europe. It's a reckoning with the past, with the self, and with family. 7 James by Percival Everett (Picador, $38) 'James offers page-turning excitement but also off-kilter philosophical picaresque,' writes Anthony Cummins in The Guardian 'Jim enters into dream dialogue with Enlightenment thinkers Voltaire and John Locke to coolly skewer their narrow view of human rights – before finally shifting gear into gun-toting revenge narrative when Jim's view of white people as his 'enemy' (not 'oppressor', which 'supposes a victim') sharpens with every atrocity witnessed en route. It's American history as real-life dystopia, voiced by its casualties, but as you might guess from The Trees – a novel about lynching that won a prize for comic fiction – solemn it is not: 'White people try to tell us that everything will be just fine when we go to heaven. My question is, Will they be there? If so, I might make other arrangements.'' 8 Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert (John Murray, $40) The subtitle of this book is: 'How pop culture turned a generation of women against themselves.' (Which sounds like a possible tagline for the The Substance – anyone else seen that little movie with Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley?) And here's the blurb: 'Sophie Gilbert identifies an inflection point in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the energy of third-wave and 'riot grrrl' feminism collapsed into a regressive period of hyper-objectification, sexualization, and infantilization. Mining the darker side of nostalgia, Gilbert trains her keen analytic eye on the most revealing cultural objects of the era, across music, film, television, fashion, tabloid journalism, and more. What she recounts is harrowing, from the leering gaze of the paparazzi to the gleeful cruelty of early reality TV and a burgeoning internet culture vicious toward women in the spotlight and damaging for those who weren't. Gilbert tracks many of the period's dominant themes back to the rise of internet porn, which gained widespread influence as it began to pervade our collective consciousness.' 9 Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Vintage, $26) This novel was originally published in 1995 in French. It's now being rediscovered as the dystopia of the premise catches up with the dystopia of the present. 10 T he Let Them Theory by Mel Robins (Hay House, $32) She's baaaaaack! WELLINGTON 1 A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House, $60) 2 Ghost Kiwi by Ruth Paul (Scholastic NZ, $20) Ruth Paul has a double-whammy this week as she launches two books! Ghost Kiwi is a middle grade novel about Ruby, who runs away with her dog to the one place she feels safe … her treehouse in the forest. 'Joined by her friend, Te Ariki (aka 'Spider'), the pair soon make a surprising discovery – there's a kiwi living in a burrow nearby, caring for a newborn chick. A white kiwi chick. Accompanied by a strange talking doll, and aided by the ancient wairua of the bush, Ruby and Spider step up to become true forest guardians, risking their lives to stop unscrupulous wildlife smugglers from stealing this rare native treasure.' 3 Anahera: The Mighty Kiwi Māmā by Ruth Paul (Puffin, $21) Paul also launched this lovely picture book – the true story of Anahera, a rescue kiwi who now roams the hills of Wellington. 4 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) 5 Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan (Faber & Faber, $35) The new format release of this novel by O'Hagan is giving the best-selling novel another best-selling life. 6 Mātauranga Māori by Hirini Moko Mead (Huia, $45) A major publication by Hirini Moko Mead who explores and explains what mātauranga Māori is. 'He looks at how the knowledge system operates, the branches of knowledge, and the way knowledge is recorded and given expression in te reo Māori and through daily activities and formal ceremonies. Mātuaranga Māori is a companion publication to Hirini Moko Mead's best-selling book Tikanga Māori.' 8 Butter by Asako Yuzuki (4th Estate, $35) 9 Delirious by Damien Wilkins (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) The glorious award-winner from Wilkins. 10 Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Vintage, $26) Last year's galactic Booker Prize winner returns to this list like a comet in the night.

The week's bestselling books, May 11
The week's bestselling books, May 11

Los Angeles Times

time07-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Los Angeles Times

The week's bestselling books, May 11

1. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Berkley: $29) Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress. 2. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 3. Audition by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead Books: $28) An accomplished actor grapples with the varied roles she plays in her personal life. 4. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (Simon & Schuster: $29) A love triangle unearths dangerous secrets. 5. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $29) An L.A. artist pursues creative and sexual freedom after having an extramarital affair during a road trip. 6. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (Entangled: Red Tower Books: $30) The third installment of the bestselling dragon rider series. 7. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry Holt & Co.: $29) An unexpected wedding guest gets surprise help. 8. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Flatiron Books: $29) As sea levels rise, a family on a remote island rescues a mysterious woman. 9. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Grove Press: $20) During the 1985 Christmas season, a coal merchant in an Irish village makes a troubling discovery. 10. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $29) Two grieving brothers come to terms with their history. … 1. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A call to renew a politics of plenty and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life. 2. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can't control. 3. Notes to John by Joan Didion (Knopf: $32) Diary entries from the famed writer's journal. 4. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin (Penguin: $32) The music producer on how to be a creative person. 5. The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad (Random House: $30) A guide to the art of journaling, with contributions from Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem and others. 6. The Next Day by Melinda French Gates (Flatiron Books: $26) The former co-chair of the Gates Foundation recounts pivotal moments in her life. 7. Conquering Crisis by Adm. William H. McRaven (Grand Central Publishing: $26) The retired four-star admiral's personal stories illustrate the principles of effective leadership during times of crisis. 8. Who Is Government? by Michael Lewis, editor (Riverhead Books: $30) A civics lesson from a team of writers and storytellers. 9. Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Flatiron Books: $33) An insider's account of working at Facebook. 10. Matriarch by Tina Knowles (One World: $35) The mother of singer-songwriters Beyoncé and Solange tells her story. … 1. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20) 2. Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Grove Press: $17) 3. The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $19) 4. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 5. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler (Grand Central: $20) 6. Table for Two by Amor Towles (Penguin Books: $19) 7. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Harper Perennial: $19) 8. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Anchor: $18) 9. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage: $19) 10. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (HarperOne: $18) … 1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 2. The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (Knopf: $36) 3. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21) 4. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18) 5. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17) 6. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Modern Library: $11) 7. The White Album by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18) 8. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $20) 9. All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley (Simon & Schuster: $19) 10. Sociopath by Patric Gagne (Simon & Schuster: $20)

On the night table: Nita Prose
On the night table: Nita Prose

Winnipeg Free Press

time26-04-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Winnipeg Free Press

On the night table: Nita Prose

Nita Prose Author, The Maid's Secret I very recently finished Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall, and it's an extraordinary novel. For anyone who liked (Delia Owens') Where the Crawdad Sings, this is that sort of next, rich tapestry of a read. It's really brilliant — I don't want to say too much about it, but I do think what it does so expertly is navigate love and grief at the same time. And it does so in a way that's incredibly insightful and poignant. Dahlia Katz photo Nita Prose During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Buy on Nita Prose will be at McNally Robinson Booksellers' Grant Park location on Wednesday at 7 p.m. to read from and discuss her new novel The Maid's Secret.

The week's bestselling books, April 20
The week's bestselling books, April 20

Los Angeles Times

time16-04-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Los Angeles Times

The week's bestselling books, April 20

1. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 2. Audition by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead Books: $28) An accomplished actor grapples with the varied roles she plays in her personal life. 3. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $29) A woman upends her domestic life. 4. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (Simon & Schuster: $29) A love triangle unearths dangerous secrets. 5. The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (Pantheon: $29) A woman fights for freedom in a near-future where even dreams are under surveillance. 6. Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (Forever: $28) After one perfect date, a couple navigates family crises and long distances. 7. Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Knopf: $32) The story of four women and their loves, longings and desires. 8. Isola by Allegra Goodman (The Dial Press: $29) A French noblewoman is marooned on an island. 9. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry Holt & Co.: $29) An unexpected wedding guest gets surprise help. 10. Playground by Richard Powers (W.W. Norton & Co.: $30) The Pacific Ocean-set novel explores one of the last wild places. … 1. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can't control. 2. Who Is Government? Michael Lewis, editor (Riverhead Books: $30) A civics lesson from a team of writers and storytellers. 3. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A call to renew a politics of plenty and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life. 4. Everything Is Tuberculosis (signed edition) by John Green (Crash Course Books: $28). The deeply human story of the fight against the world's deadliest infectious disease. 5. Becoming HER by Monica Yates (Post Hill Press: $29) A guide to embracing your feminine energy. 6. Fight by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes (William Morrow: $32) An inside look at the Biden, Harris and Trump camps during the 2024 battle for the White House. 7. Transcend by Faisal Hoque (Post Hill Press: $30) An exploration of artificial intelligence and the possibilities and dangers it brings. 8. Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus and Dan Ozzi (Dey Street Books: $33) A memoir from the vocalist, bassist and founding member of pop-punk band Blink-182. 9. Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Flatiron Books: $33) An insider's chronicle of working at Facebook. 10. Miracles and Wonder by Elaine Pagels (Doubleday: $30) The scholar provides a new account of the life of Jesus. … 1. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $19) 2. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 3. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper Perennial: $22) 4. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Vintage: $19) 5. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17) 6. Good Material by Dolly Alderton (Vintage: $18) 7. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18) 8. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $20) 9. North Woods by Daniel Mason (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $18) 10. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Harper Perennial: $19) … 1. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21) 2. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 3. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18) 4. Eve by Cat Bohannon (Vintage: $20) 5. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17) 6. Work That's Worth It by Georgi Enthoven (River Grove Books: $20) 7. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $20) 8. The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (Penguin: $19) 9. Cuba by Ada Ferrer (Scribner: $21) 10. Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley (Picador: $18)

New books to read: 15 March releases, from new 'Hunger Games' to shocking tell-alls
New books to read: 15 March releases, from new 'Hunger Games' to shocking tell-alls

USA Today

time28-03-2025

  • Entertainment
  • USA Today

New books to read: 15 March releases, from new 'Hunger Games' to shocking tell-alls

New books to read: 15 March releases, from new 'Hunger Games' to shocking tell-alls March was a big month in the publishing world. Between a new 'Hunger Games' book, a highly-anticipated nonfiction title from John Green and the third book in Tracy Deonn's BookTok sensation 'Legendborn' series, readers are booked and busy. And there are plenty of new celebrity memoirs and biographies to indulge your curiosity, including 'Yoko' by David Sheff, Graydon Carter's memoir and a new 'Bangles' deep dive. What are you in the mood to read next? We pulled together 15 of our favorites to keep your TBR well-stocked. New books: What to read next from March From sprawling family dramas and eerie dystopian novels to romance and new literary fiction, there's something for every reader on this list of March new releases. All of these books are out and available for you to buy at a bookstore near you. For a look at all the 2025 titles we're excited about, check out USA TODAY's most anticipated releases list. 'The Dream Hotel' by Laila Lalami This novel is in a dystopian near-future where artificial intelligence has an overreaching hand even in your sleep. Our protagonist, museum archivist Sara Hussein, is stopped by government agents from the Risk Assessment Administration after their algorithm analyzed her dreams and determined she's at risk of committing a crime in the future. Now, because of this dubious "crime prevention" program, she's being detained. 'The Dream Hotel' is reminiscent of '1984,' a masterful genre-bending commentary on bodily autonomy, government surveillance and the insidious side of technological innovation. 'Broken Country' by Clare Leslie Hall With an opening line of 'The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him,' 'Broken Country' doesn't waste any time getting you into this sweeping family drama. The story weaves back and forth in time, examining the consequences of love, pride and obligation. Beth and her husband Frank's willfully ignorant marital bliss is upended when Beth's brother-in-law shoots a dog that belongs to Gabriel, Beth's teenage love. He's returned to the village with his son, who reminds Beth of her own son who died in a tragic accident. 'Sunrise on the Reaping' by Suzanne Collins 'The Hunger Games' author returns with the series' fifth installment, a prequel about Haymitch's win in the 50th Hunger Games. In this 'Quarter Quell,' double the amount of tributes are reaped for the Games and Haymitch must leave his home, his beloved girlfriend and his family to fight in the Capitol arena. 'Sunrise on the Reaping' is teeming with 'Hunger Games' nostalgia, ringing true to the masterpiece of the original trilogy with its themes of propaganda and authority. Fans can expect a few loose-ends tied and the return of many favorite characters. 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One' by Kristen Arnett Big-hearted and knock-your-socks-off funny, 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One' follows Cherry Hendricks, a professional clown and part time aquarium store employee who is down on her luck. She's constantly hooking up with the wrong person's mom, her own is judgmental and Cherry's grief over her deceased brother is always popping up when she least expects it. And then she meets Margot the Magnificent, a much older lesbian magician whose success and charm manage to pull Cherry in swiftly. 'Careless People' by Sarah Wynn-Williams 'Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism' was kept a secret until less than a week before publication date, and understandably so – Meta quickly filed (and won) an emergency arbitration to stop promotion of the tell-all. In this unflinching memoir, now a bestseller, a former Facebook executive presents shocking allegations against the company's leadership influence, power and decision-making. 'Hot Air' by Marcy Dermansky 'Hot Air' is a hilariously unhinged romp through messy billionaire shenanigans, disappointing hook ups and wanting what you can't and shouldn't have. The story opens on a quickly souring first date (complicated by the fact that their children are on a playdate at the same time) as a hot air balloon, carrying a famous billionaire and his philanthropist wife, crashes into the backyard pool. When one half of the first date and one half of the billionaire couple realize they knew each other in a past life, all four embark on an entangled lost weekend into each other's lives. 'Story of My Life' by Lucy Score This small-town romance is 'Schitt's Creek' meets 'Gilmore Girls.' It follows a once-successful romance novelist whose breakup and writer's block drives her to impulsively flee to Pennsylvania in search of her next love story. There, she meets the swoony Bishop brothers, including grumpy contractor Campbell, who will renovate her newly purchased house. A fake date for 'research purposes' might be just what she needs to get her pen to paper. 'Stag Dance' by Torrey Peters You never knew you needed a short story collection that includes lonely lumberjacks exploring queerness and gender, but you do. The 'Detransition, Baby' author returns with a diverse collection that's as fun as it is serious. One short story follows a dystopian, plague-ravaged world where humans can no longer create their own hormones. Another follows a sexual awakening between two roommates at a Quaker boarding school. The titular novella follows restless loggers who plan a wintertime dance, on the condition that some of them attend as women. 'Oathbound' by Tracy Deonn The highly-anticipated third book in 'The Legendborn Cycle' is finally here. Bree Matthews has isolated herself from her friends, the Legendborn Order and her ancestral connections to keep her community safe, but it comes at a cost. Now, she must make an unbreakable bargain to bind herself to the shapeshifting Shadow King's as his new protege. But can Bree ever really outrun her past? 'Everything is Tuberculosis' by John Green Green's second nonfiction book is a well-researched and engaging dive into his obsession with one of the world's deadliest infection after befriending a young tuberculosis patient in Sierra Leone. Weaving history and solutions, Green explains modern-day tuberculosis as 'both a form and expression of injustice,' writing that 'there is nothing permanent or inalterable about health inequities.' 'The Unworthy' by Agustina Bazterrica From the author of the horror novel 'Tender is the Flesh' comes a similarly eerie tale that fans of 'I Who Have Never Known Men' and 'The Handmaid's Tale' will love. In an isolated convent, a woman writes her life story in secret – she's an 'unworthy,' low on the totem pole of the Sacred Sisterhood rankings and dreams of one day ascending to be an 'Enlightened.' At less than 200 pages, Bazterrica packs a lot into this story – female rage, abuse, sacrifice, hope and ideological extremism in a world ravaged by climate crises. 'O Sinners!' by Nicole Cuffy Quickly encapsulating, 'O Sinners!' follows a grieving Muslim journalist's deep-dive into a California cult known only as 'the nameless.' As Faruq embeds himself into the cult and its enigmatic leader, Odo, he finds himself forced to confront his own past. This literary fiction novel is told in three interwoven timelines – Faruq's investigation, one that examines Odo's service in the Vietnam War and another looking back on a clash between 'the nameless' and a fundamentalist church. 'Summer in the City' by Alex Aster Bestselling fantasy author Aster pens a contemporary romance in 'Summer in the City.' This lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story follows a screenwriter returning to New York City after she nabs the gig of a lifetime. She then runs into her now-enemy 'Billionaire Bachelor' Parker, who she hooked up with two years ago. But when her hate-fueled writing about him helps her turn a corner with her screenplay and as he's scouting for a fake red carpet, the pair realize they might need each other more than they expected. 'The Antidote' by Karen Russell Several Nebraskans collide after a storm ravages their small town in this Dust Bowl epic. As the town of Uz crumbles from the Great Depression and the drought, its residents (including a 'Prairie Witch' and a Polish wheat farmer) must grapple with generational forgetting and reckon with a violent past and potential fate. A photographer's time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both. 'Raising Hare' by Chloe Dalton This moving memoir from a UK political advisor and speechwriter follows her unlikely bond with a newborn hare that she finds in her backyard after it had been chased by a dog. Though she's advised that the hare will likely die whether kept in captivity or released back out, she raises and bottle-feeds it for over two years. The hare becomes a companion, wandering the fields by day and returning to Dalton's home by night, imparting valuable lessons about slowing down and the beauty in the unexpected. 'We Need Diverse Books Day' is April 3: How to participate in inaugural celebration Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@

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