Books
The Skinny book guide – bringing you book reviews, features, events, reviews and author interviews. Find previews and on the ground reporting from festivals of literature and poetry in Scotland and beyond.
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Book ReviewsApparitions by Margo Glantz
Originally published in the 1990s in Margo Glantz' native Mexico, her novel Apparitions is a heady, erotic exploration of the entanglement between sex, religion and art Read more »| 20 Jan 2026 -
FeaturesRoxy Dunn on her new novel Wants and Needs
This year, relying on relationships to fix us is out. We talk to author Roxy Dunn about her smart and sexy new novel Wants and Needs, and how we figure out who we are outside of our desire for love Read more »| 20 Jan 2026 -
Book ReviewsThe Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers
An affair mostly happens in a bored wife's mind in this interesting yet formally uninventive novel from Erin Somers Read more »| 12 Jan 2026 -
EventsScottish Books Events: January 2026
It's a quiet month for book events but there's still some big names – Ali Smith launches her latest novel Glyph, while Madeleine Gray, Bryan Washington and Tyler Coburn all hold launches too Read more »| 07 Jan 2026 -
Book ReviewsJackson Alone by Jose Ando
Despite a compelling premise, Jose Ando's workplace mystery lacks the clarity needed to fully satisfy Read more »| 05 Jan 2026 -
Book ReviewsAll Consuming by Ruby Tandoh
Ruby Tandoh returns with All Consuming, an investigation into how taste is formed Read more »| 09 Dec 2025
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Book ReviewsOpen Wide by Jessica Gross
Jessica Gross explores ideas of attachment and romantic infatuation in her smart and funny body horror-cum-romance novel Read more »| 09 Dec 2025 -
FeaturesThe Skinny's Favourite Books of 2025
We asked The Skinny book team to name their favourite book of 2025 – it's not too late to make your reading goals for the year Read more »| 05 Dec 2025 -
Book ReviewsTerry Dactyl by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore's transcendental novel explores the twin crises of AIDS and COVID-19 as lenses through which to explore the queer experience Read more »| 04 Dec 2025 -
FeaturesThe Skinny on... Michael Pedersen
Ahead of his annual Christmas show and New Year's Day appearance with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the incumbent Edinburgh Makar takes on our Q&A Read more »| 02 Dec 2025 -
Book ReviewsPalestine -1, ed. by Basma Ghalayini
In Comma Press's latest anthology, 12 writers imagine the year leading up to the Palestinian Nakba Read more »| 28 Nov 2025 -
FeaturesExpress Yourself: Jay Mitra on punk poetry
We chat with poet and multi-slam champion Jay Mitra about the role of punk in poetry ahead of their appearance at Push the Boat Out Festival Read more »| 12 Nov 2025 -
Book ReviewsBad Language by So Mayer
So Mayer's manifesto-memoir Bad Language explores words as weapons of oppression and resistance Read more »| 12 Nov 2025 -
Book ReviewsIn Love With Love by Ella Risbridger
Ella Risbridger's warm and witty In Love With Love is an intimate and thought-provoking love letter to romance literature Read more »| 06 Nov 2025 -
FeaturesDalia al-Dujaili on her memoir Babylon, Albion
We chat with author Dalia al-Dujaili about her migration memoir Babylon, Albion ahead of her appearance at Edinburgh's Radical Book Fair Read more »| 04 Nov 2025