The Booksellers Association has today announced Euphoria by Elin Cullhed, translated by Jennifer Hayashida, as Fiction Book of the Month, while The Spectaculars by Jodie Garnish is Children’s Book of the Month.
 
Independent bookshops around the UK and Ireland will be promoting Euphoria and The Spectaculars throughout October on social media and instore. The Booksellers Association will be supporting the promotion of the Indie Books of the Month through social media and promotional material.

Euphoria by Elin Cullhed is a luminous portrayal of a brilliant mind at battle with herself and with the constraints that society has placed on her, told through the prism of Sylvia Plath’s last year. Plath’s marriage to Ted Hughes unravels through the heady days of their first summer in Devon together. Sylvia turns increasingly to writing to express her pain and loss, yet it is also her resilience and power. She has decided to die, but the art she creates in her final weeks will set her name, and the world, ablaze. Euphoria is published by Canongate on 6^th October 2022 and is available to pre-order from bookshops now.

Elin Cullhed said: “Independent bookshops delight me since they have such a strong focus on literature. Stepping into one of these is like coming home to a person with an enormous book collection — the difference being that here they are all for sale. At these bookshops there is also often an ongoing exciting discourse about books. Just writing these lines makes me want to visit one!” 

The Spectaculars by Jodie Garnish is a wonderful and enchanting new middle-grade adventure series that combines magic, theatre and danger with a large pinch of starstuff. The Greatest Showman meets The Night Circus. When three figures arrive at Harper’s window in a flying canoe, informing her that she is due to start her apprenticeship, Harper discovers she is a Spectacular – a magical performer, gifted special powers from the stars. Harper is thrilled to be part of the Spectacular’s travelling theatre and boarding school until everything is plunged into great danger. With her new friends Trick and Thief, Harper sets out to save her school... But while dreams come true at the Wondria, nightmares might just be lurking in the wings. The Spectaculars is published by Usborne on 29^th September 2022 and is available to pre-order from bookshops now.  

Jodie Garnish said: "I’ve been incredibly lucky in my life to have always lived close to at least one beautiful indie bookshop. There's something really special about having a local, community-focused bookshop which you can visit over and over again, and still discover something new every time. They’re such gorgeous, comforting spaces to browse, read, and generally get lost in another world in.”

Antonia Squire, The Bookshop Bridport and member of the selection panel, said: “A magical adventure of Theatre and Tea, Fallen Stars and Frightful Superstition.  The Spectaculars is truly Spectacular.”

The Indie Book of the Month titles are selected by panels of booksellers from publisher submissions which are read by a panel of booksellers who vote on each title.  The Fiction panel for October comprised booksellers from Goldstone Books, Carmarthen; The Bookery, Crediton and Hewson Books.  The Children’s panel for October comprised booksellers from Padstow Bookseller; Chiltern Bookshop; Kibworth Books; The Book Shop, Bridport and Children’s Bookshop, Lindley.

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