Debut novelist and illustrator, Seth Insua, joins Sara for the Radio 2 Book Club to discuss his book "Human, Animal"

He talks about his inspirations for the book, from growing up in rural England to the Brexit vote of 2016. They discuss his publishing journey and how, after many years of thinking about it, the book was written in such a short time.

Seth is also an illustrator, but wasn't allowed anywhere near his own cover...for reasons that become apparent in the chat.

Sara delves into the themes of the book, what it means to be a farmer in 2025 - and - we hear a snippet of the audiobook as well.

Here's the blurb!

Dairy farmer George Calvert is fighting to keep the family business afloat. Worried about the future but resistant to change, he refuses to face the reality of his failing farm, his elderly mother's declining health and his troubled relationship with his youngest son, Tom.

Newly returned from university, Tom isolates himself in his childhood bedroom, guarding the truth of his burgeoning identity.

When animal rights activists break into the cowshed one morning and Tom appears to side with the protesters, father and son lock horns. As the Calverts begin to unravel, a decades-old secret surfaces – one that might rip them apart completely, or finally unite them.

This week's episode is all about recommendations! Listener Harriet Thomas joins Sara to go through her Top Five Reads of the year (and last year)

She picks:

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell.

The Unseen by Roy Jackobson

A Fortnight In September by RC Sherriff

Plus, we get her thoughts on our latest Radio 2 Book Club choice - "Nesting" by Roisin O'Donnell

Our latest Radio 2 Book Club choice is 'Nesting' by Roisin O'Donnell.

It is a beautiful but tense novel about hope and resilience, which contains themes of coercive control.

Roisin has been wanting to write ever since she was really young, but only started taking her writing 'seriously' a few years ago. She worked on writing short stories to hone her craft, before sitting down to write her novel in the evenings and on weekends, outside of a day job and being a single mum to two girls.

Sara chats to Roisin about her publishing journey, the NINE WAY AUCTION for her book and the influence that fellow Irish writer Claire Keegan had on her.

They also discuss how important it was to make the book as authentic as it could be, with such serious and important themes.

Listener Fiona Buckland joins Sara in the Radio 2 Book Club to give us some fab recommendations.

Being a voracious reader, she has very broad taste - as her list shows!

Her Top 5 Reads of the Year are:

The Salt Flats by Rachelle Atella

She discusses these books in detail with Sara, as well as giving us her review of our latest Book Club choice; 'A Serial Killer's Guide To Marriage'

Our latest Radio 2 Book Club choice is 'A Serial Killer's Guide To Marriage' by Asia Mackay.

Asia was a runner up of the CWIP prize back in 2018, which gave her the confidence to write more - and that eventually led to her getting a publishing deal.

Sara chats to Asia about her writing journey, why she is drawn to slightly dark subject matters and if she gets funny looks at the school gates. They also chat about a lost TV career and get some writing tips as well.

Asia's new novel is her third published book and tells the story of Hazel and Fox, who are an ordinary married couple with a baby. Except for one small thing: they're ex-serial killers.

They had it all. An enviable London lifestyle, five-star travels, and plenty of bad men to kill. Not many power couples know how to get away with murder. Then Hazel fell pregnant and they gave it all up for life in the suburbs; dinner parties instead of body disposal.

But recently Hazel has started to feel that itch again. When she kills someone behind Fox's back and brings the police to their door, she must do anything she can to protect her family. This could save their marriage - unless it kills them first.

**Please note during the interview there is a clip from the audiobook which references a fictional killing, with a knife.

Jeremy Vine, Angela Griffith, Dermot O'Leary, Mark Goodier, Shaun Keaveny and The Reverend Kate Botley share their favourite festive fiction with Sara.

Maybe you'll discover a book for your own stocking!?

Marjan Kamali joins Sara from Boston USA to talk about her brilliant new novel, 'The Lion Women Of Tehran'.

This book has been four years in the making and Marjan is thrilled to have it out in the world. It's a story of friendship, feminism, and political activism, set against three transformative decades in Tehran - and we think it's a cracking read!

Marjan interviewed her Mum a lot for research, to learn about Tehran in the 50s and 60s - and also delved into the family recipe book to make the food as authentic as it could be!

As well as discussing the novel, and her own writing journey, in true Book Club styel Marjan also recommends us a book that she has been reading and enjoying!

Remember we love to hear from you about what you've been reading and enjoying recently, so drop us a line anytime! [email protected]

Niall gives us some brilliant writing tips - and shares a little of his own writing routine too. As well as talking about his brilliant new novel, which takes place in the same village as his previous. He tells Sara about his fascination with this made-up village - Faha - and why he doesn't want to leave it on the page.

The novel tells the story of Doctor Jack Troy and his daughter, Ronnie.

Doctor Troy was born and raised in the little town of Faha, but his responsibilities for the sick and his care for the dying mean he has always been set apart from his community. A visit from the doctor is always a sign of bad things to come. His youngest daughter, Ronnie, has grown up in her father's shadow, and remains there, having missed her chance at real love – and passed up an offer of marriage from an unsuitable man.

But in the advent season of 1962, as the town readies itself for Christmas, Ronnie and Doctor Troy's lives are turned upside down when a baby is left in their care. As the winter passes, father and daughter's lives, the understanding of their family, and their role in their community are changed forever.

This week's listener reviewer is Rosa Miller from Bedfordshire. She gives us a review of our latest Book Club choice - "Playground" by Richard Powers - as well as telling us her Top 5 reads of this year.

Sara also quizzes Rosa about her book group! (they've been going for over 9 years, and have read over 50 books dontcha know!?)

We also hear from three authors about their brilliant new novels, which were published earlier in the year. We absolutely loved reading them and hope you will too? They are:

"The Coast Road" by Alan Murrin

(and each author gives us a great book recommendation too)

Remember, you can get in touch with us anytime you like to tell us about what you have been reading, recommend us something or apply to be a listener reviewer! The email is: [email protected]

*Please be aware that this episode contains discussions of adult themes

Our latest Book Club choice is 'Playground' by Richard Powers.

Richard won the Pulitzer in 2019, for his novel 'The Overstory' and his latest book is an epic tale told through three different stories, covering themes of AI, the environment and our shared humanity.

Sara chats to Richard about his love and fascination with coral reefs, his writing processes and whether publishing a book gets any easier.