Everything is Beautiful: 'the most uplifting book of the year' Good Housekeeping

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Now her house is overflowing with the objects she loves - soon there'll be no room for Amy at all. But when a family move in next door, a chance discovery unearths a mystery, and Amy's carefully curated life begins to unravel. If she can find the courage to face her past, might the future she thought she'd lost still be hers for the taking? We form attachments with a particular memory, or a particular moment in time, a particular point in space, and we try our best to not let go. Whether with tangible objects that fill up our homes, or intangible photos that fill up our phones, or even just memories, is up to us. Amy Ashton had everything (or some version of it, at least) one minute, and the next minute, nothing at all. Now, at least she has her bottles and birds, potted plants and lighters, cookbooks and slow cookers. And, she has the memories associated with them. A total treat of a read - warm, enchanting and intriguing' Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You

As I have mentioned before, the mystery of what happened to Tim and Chantel is a major driver of Amy's character. Ray does reveal at the end of the story the answer to Amy's burning question 'What happened to Tim and Chantel?', which for me, was a satisfying conclusion to the book. I’m giving this four stars. I was surprised by the genre bending sort of storyline and truly appreciate any author willing to write about potentially offensive subject matter. I think Eleanor Ray did a bang up job with Amy Ashton. I would have given it 4.5 had the original title and cover been kept . . . . I relished it from start to finish. A beautiful book. Thought-provoking. Evocative. A treat to read' My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. They even share a flat together which makes Amy feel warm and happy to have the two people she holds dearest with her always. Until Tim and Chantel disappear leaving Amy to wonder what happened to them.For fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and Evvie Drake Starts Over comes a funny and tender debut about a reclusive artist whose collection has gotten out of control—but whose unexpected friendship with a pair of new neighbors might be just what she needs to start over. I loved this charming, endearing novel...it will melt even the hardest of hearts...If ever there was a time for a book like EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL to lift us above the every day doom and gloom, it is now. -- Joanna Nell, author of THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE A wonderful celebration of the power of kindness' Hannah Tovey, author of The Education of Ivy Edwards

Josie Shapiro's accomplished debut novel has the compulsive forward motion of a world-class race. You don't have to be a runner to get the high, just read this book!' - Kirsten McDougall, She's a KillerAn intriguing mystery with a quirky but lovable protagonist - funny, sad and perceptive. This will appeal to fans of The Girl on the Train and Elizabeth is Missing. -- L C Tyler, author of A Cruel Necessity

Bob Mortimer wins 2023 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction with The Satsuma Complex I didn't really like all of the stuff from the past. But the things that I did like a lot: 1) Richard and his kids (the new neighbors), and 2) the mystery (of what happened to her boyfriend and best friend). Needless to say she is beyond broken hearted. In their absence she discovers something else ... a need to accrue beautiful little possessions. Mugs, vases, ashtrays, and her porcelain birds among many other carefully selected items. It started with just a few, then a few more, and now she is barely able to navigate her own home. Not really a problem as she never has company. Her possessions won't deceive her like the people she once loved. It's safer with them. Eleanor was inspired to write her debut novel by the objects her toddler collects and treasures – twigs, empty water bottles and wilting daisies. Everything is Beautiful is about an artist who turns to hoarding when her loved ones disappear – because she knows that possessions, unlike people, will never leave her. When a family with two young children move in next door, they discover a clue to her past under her collections that leads her to question what really happened all those years ago. What inspired you to write this book?For Amy, it would have to be someone with a little vulnerability to them but with underlying strength – a brunette Emily Blunt or Carey Mulligan would be fantastic. And I’ve got a soft spot for a bearded Tom Hiddleston as Richard, the lovely man next door. Where do you write? – do you have an aesthetic workspace, a cramped kitchen table, a cosy bed base? A truly remarkable book that had me hooked from the start and racing to the end. Beautifully written. -- Jenni Keer, author of THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF LUCY BAKER It was on maternity leave with my second child that I wrote Everything is Beautiful, while my baby daughter had her naps. Do you have a favourite book? If so, what is it? If not, is there a genre or style you prefer? He treasured these objects almost compulsively, I think holding on to his possessions in expectation of the changes that were to come. It made me think of an instinct many of us have – to hold onto things to help us feel secure – and what might happen if that spiralled out of control. If your book was a film who would you cast as your leading characters? Readers of Carpe Librum will know that I love reading - and watching documentaries - about hoarders. There's something uniquely fascinating to me about the physical manifestation of their grief, personal trauma or mental illness and the appeal of the before/after transformation process and subsequent recovery - albeit rarely achieved - is irresistible.