For book clubs who devoured Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels

Flesh and Bone and Water by Luiza Sauma

Doctor André Cabral is living in London when he receives a letter from his home country, Brazil, which he left nearly 30 years ago. The letter prompts André to remember the days of his youth, including his secret infatuation with the intoxicating Luana. Unable to resist the pull of his memories, he embarks on a journey back to Brazil to rediscover his past – and a terrible secret. Luiza Sauma’s evocative prose brings 1980s Brazil to life on the page.

For an honest talk about the challenges faced in marriages…

A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman

When a small vial arrives in her mailbox from ‘Lewis Carroll’, Ayelet Waldman is at a low point. Her mood storms have become intolerably severe; she has tried nearly every medication possible; her husband and children are suffering with her. So she opens the vial, places two drops on her tongue, and joins the ranks of an underground but increasingly vocal group of scientists and civilians successfully using therapeutic microdoses of LSD. This book is sure to spark conversation.

For a festive and decadent meal out together…

The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill

Heather O'Neill’s richly imaginative novel would be ideal paired with a flavour-spiked feast. Set during the roaring twenties, The Lonely Hearts Hotel is a dazzling circus of a novel that takes us from the underbellies of pre-war Montreal and Prohibition New York, to a theatre of magic where anything is possible. It is a place where an orphan girl can become a gangster queen, and a ruined innocence can be redeemed. This novel has recently been longlisted for this year’s Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction 2017.

For a gathering with big feelings…

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

The Heart’s Invisible Furies is the epic new novel from John Boyne, the bestselling author of The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas. Through the eyes of one ordinary man, Boyne reveals the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today, masterfully capturing the climatic shifts in societal attitudes during this period. Elke Power, editor of the Readings Monthly, says: ‘Boyne’s story is stomach-achingly witty, sleep-deprivingly gripping, and his message is ultimately hopeful.’

For a good, gossipy get-together…

The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty

Joni, Deb, Eden and Trina try to catch up once a year for some days away together. Now in their 30s, commitments have pulled them in different directions, and the closeness they once enjoyed growing up seems increasingly elusive. This year, determined to revive their intimacy, they each share a secret in an anonymous letter to be read out during the holiday. But instead of bringing them closer, the revelations seem to drive them apart. Then a fifth letter is discovered, venting long-held grudges, and it seems that one of the women is in serious danger…

For a contentious meeting with LOTS of opinions…

Why I am Not a Feminist: A Feminist Manifesto by Jessa Crispin

At once a searing rejection of contemporary feminism and a bracing manifesto for revolution, Why I am Not a Feminist: A Feminist Manifesto comes from Jessa Crispin, a cultural critic and the founder of Bookslut. Crispin accuses the feminist movement of obliviousness, irrelevance, and cowardice, and demands nothing less than the total dismantling of a system of oppression and forging a new, more radical, vision of feminism. Your book club may feel angry about this book, or frustrated, or inspired, but we promise that it won’t make for a dull discussion.

For a sexy, late-night meet-up…

An Uncertain Grace by Krissy Kneen

A novel told in five parts, An Uncertain Grace asks provocative questions about how the relationship between technology and sex will evolve and shape relationships. The story opens with university lecturer Caspar receiving a gift from a former student called Liv: a memory stick containing a virtual narrative. Hooked up to a virtual reality bodysuit, he becomes immersed in the experience of their past sexual relationship. But this time it is her experience. The story gets even stranger from here, so be prepared yourself for an unsettling journey.

For a conversation about today’s fraught political landscape…

No Way But This by Jeff Sparrow

Hailed as the most famous African American of his time, Paul Robeson was an actor and performer, a champion athlete, a committed communist, a brilliant speaker, and a passionate activist for social justice in America, Europe, and Australia. Today he is largely unknown – a figure lost to footnotes and grainy archival footage Writer Jeff Sparrow follows the ghosts and echoes of Robeson’s career, tracing his path through countries and decades, to explore the contemporary resonances of his politics and passions.