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Review Archive
Here you can find all of our past book reviews.


Review of A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang
From the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and through the Cultural Revolution to the present day, Yang explores the legacy of colonialism through three generations.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Good People by Patmeena Sabit
A gripping literary crime novel where snippets of interviews, articles and reports piece together what happened leading up to and after the mysterious death of Afghan American teenager Zorah Sharaf.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy
This highly anticipated debut novel after Jennette McCurdy’s bestselling memoir I’m Glad my Mom Died is an extraordinary look into power dynamics, female rage and desire.
thedebutdigest
2 min read


Review of Dominion by Addie E. Citchens
Best read in one sitting, this short novel from Addie E. Citchens carries a weighty tale of religion, patriarchy and violence that feels urgent and impressive from the very first page.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Belgrave Road by Manish Chauhan
Marketed as a love story between two people working side by side but living worlds apart yet ultimately, the novel feels like Manish Chauhan’s love letter to his home city, to Belgrave Road and the people who have faced so much to build their lives there.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Room 706 by Ellie Levenson
Kate meets her lover in a hotel room. Room 706 to be exact. As they’re getting ready to leave, she sees on the news that their hotel has been taken hostage. This is where the nightmare begins...
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of The Merge by Grace Weller
A shocking, page-turning novel of how far science can be pushed in the face of overpopulation and human sacrifice.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Sugartown by Caragh Maxwell
A striking Irish debut for fans of Megan Nolan, Niamh Mulvey and Christine Anne Foley.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Catalina by Karla Cornejo
Catalina is a striking and poignant debut on political unrest and striving for a better future.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams
This isn’t a light read, but it’s an incredibly affecting one. If you’re drawn to character-driven stories that examine toxic love, power, and emotional growth with unflinching honesty, Bitter Sweet will stay with you long after the final page.
thedebutdigest
2 min read


Review of Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar by Katie Yee
Told in wry vignettes, this is a unique take on the divorce novel that is both sad and kind of strange.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan
A suspenseful and all-consuming summer thriller full of secrets and family drama!
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Thirst Trap by Gráinne O'Hare
A blistering novel of female friendship, grief, sexuality and figuring it all out.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Among Friends by Hal Ebbot
This is really clever literary fiction that looks at toxic masculinity alongside teenage girlhood in a viscerally realistic and quietly haunting way.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle
Aftertaste is a beautifully written contemporary fiction novel which touches upon the themes of love, loss and the memories that food can bring to the forefront of our minds.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of The Everyday and Far Away by Jacqueline Jones
Jacqueline has created a perfect, emotive, and brilliant novel with livable characters and real-life issues that I'll be thinking about for a long time! Gorgeous and unforgettable!
thedebutdigest
2 min read


Review of The Ladie Upstairs by Jessie Elland
From the mind of the iconic Emmerdale actress, comes one of the most original and captivating debuts I’ve read all year. Full of deliciously gross femgore and underpinnings of feminist folklore, The Ladie Upstairs is perfect for fans of weird literary fiction with plenty to sink your teeth into.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Pig by Matilde Pratesi
Vale and Clara’s friendship is toxic. Living together in London, Vale works at a bookshop and races home every evening to Clara who’s waiting for dinner to be cooked and to be bathed...
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of That time everything was on fire by Kerry Downes
A heart-warming and powerful novel on female friendship, fertility, dating and finding yourself in your thirties.
thedebutdigest
1 min read


Review of Sunstruck by William Rayfet Hunter
A striking and all consuming novel on race and class set within the Black Lives Matter movement.
thedebutdigest
1 min read
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