This book will break and heal you all at once. Dylin Hardcastle is a poetic genius whos words reach you in depths you didn't know possible. An honest story of the realities of growing up queer in the 1970s, these characters and stories will live within you long after the last word on the page.

Beautifully as heartbreaking as it is uplifting. This novel by John Boyne  the life of Cyril Avery, a gay man navigating identity and love in conservative, Catholic Ireland. From his childhood realisation that he’s in love with his best friend, Cyril’s journey is marked by secrecy, shame, wit, and hope. Boyne crafts a powerful, tender story that lingers long after the final page.

Popularised by the Dunbar Number, which suggests that our cognitive limit for maintaining stable social relationships is around 150 people, this book is a fascinating if highly cerebral and scientific take on friendship, trust, loneliness and social cohesion. Its academic exploration provides a practical guide  and homage to human connection for anyone looking to understand the nuances of friendship groups.