A Very British Christmas by Rob Temple

About the book: A Very British Christmas (2025) is a one-of-a-kind survival manual for everybody's least favourite aspect of the holiday season: having to spend it with your family.

Christmas, as we all know, is a minefield. 

What the hell do you buy your mother-in-law? 

How to deal with the inevitable arguments provoked by a simple game of Monopoly? 

And where should you sit at the dining table to best avoid Grandad when he starts going off about politics?

From navigating the awkwardness of marrying into a Presents After Dinner family to the terrors of staying in someone else's house (especially when they have a weak flush), Very British Problems creator Rob Temple is here to ensure you will be invited back next year.

A Very British Christmas is available for pre-order and is expected to be released on 25 October 2025. 

About the author: Rob Temple, the man behind Very British Problems, is a Cambridge-based journalist who started @soverybritish in December 2012, and now has over 5 million followers across X, Instagram and Facebook. Crippled by social anxiety, he enjoys writing about being awkward because it is therapeutic to read comments which assure him that he is very far from alone when it comes to awkward behaviour.

The Ghosts of Malta by Joseph Attard

About the book: On a dark stormy night, a sudden cracking flash of lightning threw the road in bright light. Flittering along there was a procession of hooded figures wearing the white habit of the Archconfraternity of the Misericordia.

It is not anything one might care to meet on any night. But then, this was only one of the many cases of denizens of the occult that make a story which has been replayed throughout the ages of Malta's history, right to our time. 

 

Joseph Attard, one of Malta's most accomplished writers, had, with his well-known painstaking ability for research, assembled an impressive chronicle. It is more of a fantastic narrative of the Maltese occult interwoven with the island's glorious history. Complete with theories and arguments, and also bolstered by personal experiences, it is a strange and eerie story, bound to quicken the most intrepid of hearts; combining the legendary with the authentic. But nonetheless, it forms a coherent whole to explain at last the spectral population of the Ghosts of Malta.

The Ghosts of Malta was first published in 1983. This edition was published with additions in 2019.

About the author: Joseph Attard was born in Vittoriosa and received his education at the Malta Lyceum and The Royal University of Malta. He entered the Civil Service making a brilliant career. Nevertheless, his heart was always in the art of writing which he cultivated since his early formative years. His first successes in this field were in freelance journalism and short-story writing for the English press in the fifties, when he was also given two foreign assignments with UNESCO. His first novel, I Chased a Ghost, was published in the United Kingdom in 1968.

This was followed by Oleanders in the Wind. But as if to establish his equal versatility with his own language, Joseph Attard then wrote four books in Maltese - It-Toroq Kollha Jwasslu għal Ruma (All Roads Lead to Rome), Taħt is-Sinjal ta' Taurus (Under the Sign of Taurus), Ix-Xitan Wasal fit-Tlettax (The Devil Came on the Thirteenth), L-Aħħar Appuntament (The Last Appointment). His next book, The Battle of Malta, was a bestseller. It was published in hardback by William Kimber in 1980 and in two paperback editions in 1982. After that, there were The Ghosts of Malta, Industrial Relations in Malta, Britain and Malta - The Story of an Era, another bestseller, The Atlantis Inheritance, The Angel of Death, The Knights of Malta and The Struggle for the Mediterranean. He has also written several radio plays as well as a television serial.

Joseph Attard passed away in March 2011 aged 87.

Bramard's Case by Davide Longo

About the book: Once a year, Corso Bramard receives a message from the man who destroyed his life.

He left the police after a serial killer he was tracking murdered his wife and daughter, but fifteen years later he is still taunted by his old adversary. Mocking letters arrive at his home outside Turin, always from a different country, always typed on the same 1972 Olivetti.

But this time the killer may have gone too far. A hair left in the envelope of his latest letter provides a vital clue.

Bramard is a teacher now – no gun, no badge, just a score to settle. Isa, an academy graduate whose talent just about outweighs her attitude is assigned to fight his corner.

They are a mismatched team, but if they work together they have a chance to unmask the killer before he strikes again – and to uncover a devastating secret that will cut Corso Barmard to the bone.

Bramard's Case is first published in the Italian language as Il Caso Bramard (2014) and then translated into the English (2016) by Silvester Mazzarella. 

About the author: Born in 1971, Davide Longo is a writer, documentary maker and teacher of Creative Writing at the Scuola Holden in Turin. For his debut novel, Un mattino a Irgalem (Marcos y Marcos, 2001), he was awarded the Premio Grinzane and the Premio Via Po in 2001. With his next works, he came to be considered one of the best Italian writers to emerge in recent years. Il mangiatore di pietre  (Fandango, 2004) won the Città di Bergamo and the Viadana prizes and was adapted into a movie starring Luigi Lo Cascio. His third novel, L’uomo verticale (Fandango, 2010), was awarded the Premio Lucca and is optioned for film. Einaudi Stile Libero is publishing the widely acclaimed crime series starring detectives Bramard and Arcadipane. His work has been translated into five languages, including English. He has also written for publications such as La Repubblica, for radio and for theatre.

About the translator: Born in Manchester in 1936, educated at the King's School Canterbury and the University of Oxford, Silvester Mazzarella (1936-2025) was a lecturer in English at Helsinki University and a prize-winning translator of Italian and Swedish literature. An avid fan of cricket and the Goon Show, an aficionado of trad jazz and classical music, Silvester was at heart a historian. He learned English from his mother, Italian from his father, and Swedish while teaching English literature at the University of Helsinki in Finland. His most recent translation from the Swedish is Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words by Boel Westin (2014). He passed away on 17 January 2025 at home in Canterbury, England.

Rating: 5/5

Right Wing Revolution: How To Beat the Woke And Save The West by Charlie Kirk

About the book: The United States of America has long been the lone beacon of freedom and sensibility in a chaotic world. 

Now, she is under threat from a lethal ideology that seeks to humiliate and erase anyone who does not bow at its altar. 

The threat in question? 

Wokeism. 

In Right Wing Revolution: How to Beat the Woke and Save the West (2024), Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk drags wokeism out of the shadows and details the exact steps needed to stop its toxic spread. 

Right Wing Revolution is not a cautionary tale. 

Wokeism has already seeped into every aspect of American society. 

Instead, Charlie Kirk looks to inform and prepare every reader for the coming confrontation against one of the most existential threats the United States has ever faced.

Right Wing Revolution is sold out almost everywhere except on eBay and Amazon US. 

About the author: Charles James Kirk (1993-2025) was an American right-wing political activist, author, and media personality. He briefly attended Harper College near Chicago before dropping out to pursue political activism full-time, influenced by Tea Party member Bill Montgomery. He co-founded the conservative organization Turning Point USA in 2012 and was its executive director. He was the chief executive officer of Turning Point Action and a member of the Council for National Policy. Kirk's social media reaches over 100 million people per month, and Axios has named Charlie Kirk as one of the "top 10 most engaged" handles in the world. The best-selling author of The College Scam and The MAGA Doctrine, Kirk was also the host of The Charlie Kirk Show podcast, which reaches millions of downloads monthly and regularly ranks among the top-10 shows on Apple podcast news charts. In May 2019, Kirk was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities (DHum) from Liberty University. (Source: Wikipedia)

Stronger Than Evil: The Devil – Recognizing Him, Overcoming Him, And Avoiding Him by Fr Gabriele Amorth and Roberto Italo Zanini

About the book: There is no doubt that evil exists and that the devil's potency has increased in our modern culture of death. The rise in demonic afflictions - from harassment and obsession to oppression and possession - is an alarming testament to the reign of the prince of this world.

For decades, Vatican exorcist Fr Gabriele Amorth has been the leading voice on the demonic, spiritual warfare, and spiritual protection. Even after his death, newly published writings from his extensive archives remain as relevant as ever in our fallen world.

In this fresh work, Fr Amorth conveys a hopeful message about the supreme power of God over Satan and his minions. Stronger Than Evil (2024) draws from Fr Amorth's exorcism ministry, affirming that the power over demons lies in Jesus Christ Himself.

Fr Amorth highlights some of the most powerful experiences in his deliverance ministry, giving concrete examples of divine intervention in desperate cases. He reveals:

+ The key differences between mental illness and demonic influence

+ How serious sin opens the door to demonic attack

+ Whether curses or evil spells are real, and what can be done about them

+ Why Satan is behind the pro-choice movement and the scourge of abortion

+ Evidence of the diabolical in modern music

+ The dangers and temptations of modern technology

While recognizing the real threat of the diabolical, especially in a society that has rejected God, Fr Amorth does not fall into the pit of despair. He leaves readers with a hopeful message: that grace is the "decisive defense" against our spiritual enemy. Here, Fr. Amorth personally testifies to the miraculous intervention of the saints, Our Lady, and the Holy Trinity in spiritual warfare, assuring readers that God is always in control. 

God keeps His promise to deliver us from evil.

Stronger than Evil (2024) is translated from the Italian by Nicholas Reitzug. 

About the authors: Father Gabriele Amorth SSP (1925-2016), acclaimed exorcist and Mariologist, was born in Modena, Italy, in 1925. He fought in the Italian resistance during World War II. After the war, he received a degree in jurisprudence and served as the chief assistant to Giulio Andreotti, helping him in the formation of Italy's postwar government and in the writing of its constitution. He entered the Society of St Paul and was ordained a priest in 1954. In 1985, he became an exorcist for the Diocese of Rome, a ministry he practiced until he died. In 1990, he founded the International Association of Exorcists, of which he was president until 2000. He wrote more than thirty books in Italian, which have been translated into numerous languages. Two others have been published by Sophia Institute Press: An Exorcist Explains the Demonic and Father Amorth: My Battle against Satan.

Roberto Italo Zanini is an editor and writer for Avvenire, the daily newspaper of the Italian bishops. His articles have appeared in many Italian publications, both Catholic and nonreligious. He has written several other biographies of modern Catholics both in Italian and English (Bakhita: From Slave to Saint (2013)).

(Saint) Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: An Ordinary Christian by Maria Di Lorenzo

About the book: Athletic, handsome, and always up for a laugh, Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) was the charismatic leader of a band of rowdy friends. He smoked, pulled pranks, relished extreme sports, and fiercely debated politics into the night but he also secretly gave his wealth to the poor and plunged into intense experiences of Eucharistic prayer. 

An inspiring biography that captures Frassati's spirit, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: An Ordinary Christian (2003) explores the adventuresome personality and forthright love of a man who succeeded in wresting holiness from everyday life and whom John Paul II has called "a man of the Eight Beatitudes."

On 7 September 2025, along with Carlo Acutis, Frassati was canonized by Pope Leo XIV in Rome. He is a significant global patron for youth, young adults, athletes, and "ordinary people" - and has a special place in the hearts of many young people across the United States and around the world.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: An Ordinary Christian is sold out everywhere! 

However, the publisher anticipates that this book will be reprinted in early October 2025. 

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: A Spiritual Portrait by Joseph I Dirvin, CM

About the book: This 2nd edition  of the classic spiritual portrait of Mother Seton, newly edited with introduction by Sister Betty Ann McNeil, DC, traces the spiritual journey of the 19th-century American wife, mother, educator, and religious leader, who became the first native-born canonized saint of the United States.

This work is exceptional and unique because it is the only in-depth exploration and analysis based on the actual archival documents of Seton’s life, conversion, spiritual growth and development as the foundress of the Sisters of Charity. It underscores her great importance for the Church in the United States, and the lasting spiritual impact of her enduring legacy as a Catholic convert, an educator and a religious leader.

The colloquial style of this critical edition and the abundance of moving excerpts from the pen of Mother Seton inform and inspire the reader to reflect on her remarkable journey towards holiness. 

Organized thematically and chronologically, this is an astonishing account of an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life of heroic virtue as she embraced the will of God.

This updated edition (1990, 2025) of the acclaimed spiritual work is being released to celebrate this fiftieth anniversary of the canonization of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, who was declared the first native-born American saint by St Pope Paul VI in 1975.

About the author: Fr Joseph Dirvin, CM, a member of the Vincentian Order, was the author of several books and served as editor in chief of the 15-volume Writings of St Vincent DePaul, French Saint and Social Reformer. Among his biographies were St Catherine Laboure of the Miraculous Medal and Louise de Marillac.

Eleven Letters to St Gemma from Her Spiritual Director

About the book: St Gemma Galgani, the 20th-century Italian mystic and stigmatic, wrote over 130 letters to her Spiritual Director, Father Germano. The letters have long been available in Italian, French and Spanish, with sets of them more recently published in English. 

Less attention has been given to Father Germano's letters to Gemma.

This short collection offers a glimpse into the other half of a fascinating dialogue, shedding light on how Gemma and Father Germano navigated the extraordinary graces and supernatural events occurring daily in the life of St Gemma.

Now in English, these eleven letters are those Fr Germano selected for inclusion in his book, Lettere ed Estasi Della Serva Di Dio Gemma Galgani (Letters and Ecstasies of the Servant of God Gemma Galgani), published in 1917.

Eleven Letters to St Gemma from Her Spiritual Director (2023) is translated from the Italian by Elizabeth Flint. 

September Mood

Bookstore Girls by Kei Aono

About the book: Can two very different women put aside their differences to save the bookstore they love? 

Bookstore Girls (2025) is the Japanese bestseller about enemies-to-friends set in the cut-throat Tokyo publishing scene that kicked off a seven-book series - adapted for TV and 200,000 copies sold!

Riko Nishioka is assistant manager of the flagship Pegasus bookstore in Kichijoji. After working her way up from a part-time position, she is now, aged forty, a respected figure in the Japanese publishing industry. 

But she has a nemesis.

Aki Kitamura, twenty-seven, has waltzed in as a full-time employee thanks to her family connections. A free spirit with a rebellious streak and a silver spoon in her mouth, she is anything but a team player.

The two are always clashing - both at work and over their personal lives. 

But when Riko is given notice that the store will be closing in six months' time, they face a stark choice.

Can they put their petty enmities aside to boost sales and save their livelihoods or will they go down fighting . . . each other?

Bookstore Girls is translated from the Japanese by Hayden Trowell.

About the author: Kei Aono was born in 1959 in Nagoya, Japan and studied at Tokyo Art university. After starting her career at an anime magazine, she worked as an editor at a publishing company. In 2006, she made her fiction debut with The Reason I Won't Quit, and in 2014, Bookstore Girls won the Grand Prize in the "Book I want Made into a Movie" category at the Shizuoka Bookstore Awards. It went on to be adapted for television, sold 200,000 copies and laid the ground for six sequels.

About the translator: Haydn Trowell is an Australian translator of Japanese literature whose work has appeared in Granta, Electric Literature, and Words Without Borders. He has translated fiction by major prize-winning authors such as Yasunari Kawabata, Maki Kashimada, and Rie Qudan, and he has worked extensively with publishers in Australia, Japan, the UK, and the US. Haydn holds a PhD in translation studies from Monash University and has a background in both translation and creative writing. He delivers expertly crafted English renditions that capture the author’s unique voice and preserve the rich cultural nuances of the original, making each work feel authentic, engaging, and completely at home in its new language and environment.

Rating: 5/5

Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don't Want To Forget To Remember by Lauren Graham

About this book: From the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and the New York Times bestselling author of Talking as Fast as I Can comes a candid, insightful and wildly entertaining essay collection about her years in show business, featuring stories that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. 

Lauren Graham has graced countless television screens with her quick-witted characters and hilarious talk show appearances, earning a reputation as a pop culture icon who always has something to say. 

In her latest book, Have I Told You This Already? (2022), Graham combines her signature sense of humour with down-to-earth storytelling. She shares personal stories about her life and career-from her early days spent pounding the pavement while waitressing in New York City, to living on her aunt’s couch during her first Los Angeles pilot season, to thoughts on aging gracefully in Hollywood.

Filled with surprising anecdotes, sage advice, and laugh-out-loud observations, these all-new, original essays showcase the winning charm and wry humour that have delighted Graham’s millions of fans.

About this author: Lauren Graham is an actor, writer, and producer best known for her roles on the critically acclaimed series Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. She is currently an executive producer on the Disney+ show The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, in which she also stars. She is the three-time New York Times bestselling author of In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It; Talking as Fast as I Can; and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe. She has been a successful actor for nearly three decades, appearing in TV, film, and on Broadway. She holds a BA in English from Barnard College and an MFA in acting from Southern Methodist University. Lauren Graham lives in New York and Los Angeles.

A Single Line, Read At The Right Moment

So You Want To Own Greenland? Lessons From The Vikings To Trump by Elizabeth Buchanan

About the book: So You Want To Own Greenland? Lessons From The Vikings To Trump (2025) is an indispensable guide to Greenland - why it matters, who covets it and how it could become the next global flashpoint.

Greenland is no ordinary island. Ever since its discovery it has been a frontier for human exploration, empire and geostrategic competition. This book delves into that rich history and complex politics, revealing how a wilderness of just 56,000 inhabitants has shaped - and been shaped by - the world.

Elizabeth Buchanan’s short history begins with the Vikings, and their mysterious disappearance from Greenland in the 1400s. She explores the island’s evolution from a Danish possession into an autonomous territory; its role in the World Wars, and its strategic importance during the Cold War. Finally, she dissects Greenland’s position today at the centre of a new ‘great game’, balancing transatlantic ties, rising Chinese influence and mounting domestic pressures for independence - not to mention President Trump’s agenda to acquire the landmass.

Buchanan poses four provocative yet compelling scenarios for Greenland’s future - from full independence to an icy standoff with Denmark. Her analysis is an essential read for anyone curious about this frozen frontier and its place on the world stage.

About the author: Elizabeth Buchanan PhD is a senior fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. She co-founded the polar warfare programme at West Point and was head of research for the Royal Australian Navy. Her previous books are Russian Energy Strategy in the Asia-Pacific and Red Arctic: Russian Arctic Strategy under Putin.

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